Transcript Minor Flowering Crops PowerPoint

Horticulture CD
Unit B1 - 6
Floriculture
Problem Area 1
Greenhouse Crop
Production
Lesson 5
Growing Minor Potted
Flowering Crops
Interest Approach
Look up the following plants in your text or
the provided books:
African violets
Kalanchoes
azaleas
holiday cacti
cyclamen
Interest Approach Cont.
Answer these questions while looking up
these plants?
Do these plants come in a variety of
colors?
Are they always available?
How do they grow?
Think about your answers during this
lesson!
Student Learning Objectives
1. Identify African violets and cultural
requirements for their production.
2. Identify Cyclamen and cultural
requirements for their production.
3. Identify holiday cacti and cultural
requirements for their production.
Objectives Cont.
4. Identify florist azalea and cultural
requirements for their production.
5. Identify Kalanchoe and cultural
requirements for their production.
Terms
African violet
Cyclamen
Florist azaleas
Holiday cacti
Hypocotyl
Kalanchoe
Liner
What are African violets and their
cultural requirements for production?
African violets are common in homes
because of their bright flowers ranging
from white to pink to purple and their easy
care. African violets are native to
equatorial Africa. They are grown primarily
for Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Mother’s
Day.
African Violet
Courtesy, Interstate
Publishers, Inc.
African violets are propagated by leaf
petiole cuttings with 8-10 plantlets
developing on each cutting.
Insert cuttings 1 to 1 ½ inches into a
light medium, maintain temperatures
at 75º F, and provide 1,200 to 1,500
foot candles of light. Roots form in
three weeks and plantlets in 3 to 4
additional weeks.
Carefully remove the plantlets and
separate them so there is only one per
pot. Peat-base medium with a pH
around 6.0 is recommended, as are 4inch azalea pots for finishing.
Water the plants with capillary mats or
ebb and flood systems to avoid wetting
the leaves. Cold water on the leaves
causes enzymes to coagulate creating
unsightly white spots on the leaves.
When watering deliver 100 to 150 ppm
nitrogen and potassium. Never allow
African violets to dry out.
Provide between 1,000 and 2,000 foot
candles of light.
Total production time from cutting to
sale normally takes 12 to 14 weeks for
Valentine’s Day and 8 to 10 weeks for a
Mother’s Day crop.
Major pests and diseases include
aphids, cabbage loopers, leaf rollers,
crown rot, root rot and powdery mildew.
What are Cyclamen and their cultural
requirements for production?
Cyclamen, native to the Mediterranean,
have attractive white, pink, carmine, and
red flowers. They are classified as a cool
crop because they prefer cooler
greenhouse temperatures. Major sales are
in winter and spring.
Cyclamen are propagated from seed
sown in plug trays.
Cyclamen
Courtesy, Greenhouse
Product News
A peat-based medium with a pH
ranging from 5.5 to 6.3 is
recommended. To avoid rot, the
hypocotyl, a structure similar to a
radish, must be placed above the
medium.
Start a fertilizing program after the
roots have reached the bottom of the
pot. Use
rates of 100 to 150 ppm nitrogen.
Maintain temperatures at 65 to 68º F.
After 16 to 18 weeks, transplant to 5- or
6- inch finishing pots. Fertilize at 200 to
250 ppm nitrogen. Provide 65 to 68º F
temperatures. Never let the medium dry
completely and keep the humidity in the
greenhouse high. Light intensity should
be between 4,000 and 6,000 foot
candles.
Flower buds develop after the plant has
become well established and has 15 to
40 leaves. Once the flower buds are
visible drop fertilizer rates to 100 ppm
nitrogen and potassium and lower
temperatures to between 60 and 62º F.
Common pest problems include
cyclamen mites, spider mites, aphids
and thrips. Diseases include Fusarium
wilt, Botrytis and Phytophthora.
What are holiday cacti and their
cultural requirements for production?
Holiday cacti include three different
succulent plants that flower naturally at
three different times of the year. They are
Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus,
and Easter cactus. Holiday cacti are shortday plants and are thermoperiodic.
Holiday cacti are propagated by
cuttings.
Types of Holiday Cacti
Courtesy, Interstate
Publishers, Inc.
They grow well in a well drained
medium that has a pH between 5.5 and
6.0. Fertilize holiday cacti at a rate of
100 to 150 ppm nitrogen and potassium
with each watering until one month
before flower buds form.
Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti
initiate flower bud development at 55º F
nights while Easter cactus initiate flower
bud development when given 47 to 53º
nights.
What are florist azalea and their
cultural requirements for production?
Two species of Rhododendron are grown
as florist azaleas. One is native to Japan
and the other is native to China. Most
florist azaleas are grown as pre-finished
plants in warm states that have high light
intensity, including California, Florida,
Alabama, and Mississippi. Growers in
northern states force the pre-finished
plants to flower. Florist azaleas are woody
plants.
Propagation of florist azaleas is done
by stem cuttings that take 6 to 12 weeks
to root. The rooted cuttings are pinched
four to five times over a two year period
to encourage branching.
Florist Azaleas
Courtesy, Ball
Horticultural Co.
The small-branched plants, known as
liners, are sold in 4-, 6-, or 8-inch sizes.
Growers receive the liners in May.
They pot the liners in azalea pots using
pure peat moss with a pH between 4.5
and 5.5. Vegetative growth is
encouraged with 75 to 85º F day
temperatures and 65 F night
temperatures.
The plants should also receive high
light intensity and long-day treatment.
The growers pinch the plants in June.
Flower bud initiation occurs when the
plants receive short days and 60–65º F
nights.
To flower, a flower bud dormancy
mechanism must be satisfied.
A treatment of 10-12 weeks at 40º F is
recommended. The azaleas are
removed from the cooler and forced at
50 to 55º F temperatures.
Problems with pests and diseases are
minimal for the forcer. Some problems
are spider mites, Phytophthora, root rot
and Botrytis.
What are Kalanchoes and their
cultural requirements for production?
Kalanchoes are succulent plants native
to Africa and Asia. Their clusters of small
flowers can be yellow, orange, red, and
pink. Kalanchoes are short day plants.
Stem cuttings are used to propagate
Kalanchoes. The cuttings are lighted to
maintain vegetative growth and rooting
occurs in one to two weeks.
Kalanchoe
Courtesy, Interstate
Publishers, Inc.
Pot Kalanchoes in well-drained
medium with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5.
Grow the plants at night temperatures of
65 to 68º F. A constant feed of 300 to
400 ppm nitrogen and potassium is
recommended until the start of short
day treatment. Plants in 5 or 6” pots
should be pinched two weeks after
planting.
Flower bud initiation occurs when the
plants are given short days. At this time
lower the fertilization rates to 150 to 200
ppm nitrogen and potassium. It takes 8
to 10 weeks from the beginning of short
days to flower.
Major pest problems include mealy
bugs, cabbage loopers, and aphids.
Crown rot, root rot, and powdery mildew
are common disease problems.
Review/Summary
What are African violets and their cultural
requirements for production?
What are Cyclamen and their cultural
requirements for production?
What are holiday cacti and their cultural
requirements for production?
Review/Summary Cont.
What are florist azalea and their cultural
requirements for production?
What are Kalanchoes and their cultural
requirements for production?