Transcript File

Releasing your
Inner Flower Expert
Gay Smith
Chrysal technical manager
Nov 2012
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Luck is a matter of preparation
meeting opportunity”
oprah winfrey
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What affects Flower quality?
Production areas
 Variety choices
 Temperature management
 Botrytis control
 Avoiding ethylene exposure
 Solution use
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For US
mkt,
80-85%
are
grown in
Latin
America
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Temperature is super-important!
1. Stem bending
2. Wilting -- Flower opening
3. Leaf yellowing/blackening
4. Bacteria explosions
5. CONDENSATION
Cooler set point = 34-38F
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Botrytis- #1 disease challenge
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Non-specific fungus disease
Needs water or high humidity
Spreads—cross-contamination
Lives on live and dead tissues
Gives off ethylene as it develops
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Examples
of
Botrytis
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Botrytis Control
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Respect cold chain
Keep blooms dry
Work CLEAN!!
Allow breathing room in buckets
Careful handling—bruising
predisposes flowers to infection
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Another challenge to longevity…
Ethylene gas:
• Naturally occurring ripening hormone
• Deadly to flowers in minute amounts
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Ethylene Symptoms
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Internal and external Sources
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Fruits, veggies & flowers
Combustion engine exhaust
Space heaters
Cigarette smoke, BBQs, fireplaces,
Bacteria, fungi
Wounds & bruises are triggers
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Avoid Ethylene Problems
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Buy treated flowers
• STS as first drink after harvest
• Ethylene Buster for trucks & coolers
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Don’t peel rose petals unnecessarily
Clean cuts, no ragged edges
No deco mosses in coolers
No lunches or food in coolers
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Bacteria = #1 reason
stems get clogged
Best line of defense?
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Sanitation with a professional
cleaner
Frequent sanitation
Sharp tools
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If you wouldn’t drink it or drink out of it,
neither will your flowers
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Everything we
do on the front end,
maximizes
vase performance
&
customer satisfaction!
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Shifting gears: Flower Handling
Are you a Stripper?
…a peeler
…a bit heavy-handed?
Do you soak foam in flower food?
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Flowers gotta drink!!
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What’s in Flower Food?
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Acidifiers lower pH of tap water
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Clarifiers keep pollution in check
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Nutrients provide energy for
opening and holding in vase
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VOCAB
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Hydration solutions are all about
clean flow (no sugar)
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Flower foods boost flow, checks
bacteria and supplies energy for
buds to open
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Busting urban myths
Aspirin
Bleach
Pennies
Vodka
Vinegar
Sugar
7UP
Boiling water
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Get your money’s worth!!
a) Use COLD water
b) make fast transfers
c) Allow time for stems to fill
d) Avoid stripping foliage
e) Use the right solution for the
right job
f) Handle with care
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When “1 size fits all” doesn’t cut it
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Hard to Hydrate flowers
Bulbous flowers
Dirty Flowers
Sugar lovers
Finishing Sprays
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For Hard to Hydrate
use Chrysal Professional #1
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Hydrangeas
Garden roses
Zinnias
Woodies
Lysimachia, Veronica
Pumpkin Trees
Berries
Anthurium
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Most versatile
Processing solution
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CHRYSAL
Professional #2
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Specialty foods ~
Bulb Flowers
Balanced hormones
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Increase vase life
Color vibrancy
Foliage quality
All florets open
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Whacked-out hormones
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Super-short vase life
Buds don’t open
Buds shrivel and drop
Foliage yellows FAST
Fading color
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SUGAR LOVERS need
Professional #3
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Tuberoses
Protea
Lisianthus
Carnations
Peonies
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“Dirty” Flowers
need Professional Gerbera Pills
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Sprays
Finishing vs. anti-transpirant
Chrysal Glory
Hawaiian Floral Mist
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Shiny is sexy! Dusty looks tired
LEAF SHINE
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Of course you want to save!
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Right solution for the job
Get the dose right
Quick transfers
Top-up w/ fresh solution. No ice
Never consolidate used solutions
Avoid ethylene
Never sell directly from the box
DRY, Dry, dry
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“Not all birds can fly.
What separates the
flyers from the walkers
is the ability to take
off.”
Carl Sagan
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Thank-you!
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