Lecture 4Outline of Current LectureI. Care and Handling OverviewII. Chain of LifeIII. Vase LifeIV. Senescence (death)V. ProcessingVI. Moisture BalanceCurrent Lecture – Care and HandlingI. Care and Handling = all procedures that are done to help cut flowers and foliage last longerCut flowers are living, actively metabolizing plant parts, which are undergoing the aging process – how do we slow down the rate of deterioration?Supply basic needs:WaterFoodExternal factorsII. Chain of Life = post harvest care programSociety of American Florists developed this programLinks-the steps of distribution – the goal is to strengthen each linkGrower Transporter Wholesaler [Transportation] Retailer Final CustomerIII. Vase Life = the amount of time it is usefulCan be determined based on…AppearanceQualityLongevity✪ Buy fresh flowers at their peakIV. Senescence (death) = Inability of stems to absorb water – why would flowers senesce early?Bacteria starts to build up as flowers decayAir bubbles in stems can block water – lead to lack of food (CHO’s)Improper surrounding conditions can lead to excessive transpiration (give off water vapor)ex. Exposure to too much heatV. ProcessingRecut stems prior to conditioning – removes air bubbles (embolisms) or bacteria, which block water from absorbanceFill container with warm waterCut stems at an angle and cut off ½ to 1 inchRemove excess foliage that will be below the water line, because if it deteriorates in the water it can lead to bacteria growthUse your hands to strip✪ If your flowers begin to wilt early, cut the stems again, and put them in a bucket of water (only for flowers in vasesVI. Moisture BalanceProvide water immediatelyQuality of water is important (there are a lot of alkaline minerals in BCS water)Tap water isn’t as harmful to fresh flowers in a vaseWater temperature (100º-110ºF)pH level (3.0-4.5) – acidic home remedies: add lemon juice, pennies, sprite, or bleach to waterAcidic solutions have better cohesive qualitiesWater salinity (less than 200 ppm use bottled waterLecture 4Outline of Current LectureI. Care and Handling OverviewII. Chain of LifeIII. Vase LifeIV. Senescence (death)V. ProcessingVI. Moisture BalanceCurrent Lecture – Care and HandlingI. Care and Handling = all procedures that are done to help cut flowers and foliage last longer-Cut flowers are living, actively metabolizing plant parts, which are undergoing the aging process – how do we slow down the rate of deterioration?-Supply basic needs:oWateroFoodoExternal factorsII. Chain of Life = post harvest care program-Society of American Florists developed this program-Links-the steps of distribution – the goal is to strengthen each linkoGrower Transporter Wholesaler [Transportation] Retailer Final CustomerIII. Vase Life = the amount of time it is useful-Can be determined based on…oAppearanceoQualityoLongevity✪ Buy fresh flowers at their peakIV. Senescence (death) = Inability of stems to absorb water – why would flowers senesce early?-Bacteria starts to build up as flowers decay-Air bubbles in stems can block water – lead to lack of food (CHO’s)-Improper surrounding conditions can lead to excessive transpiration (give off water vapor) oex. Exposure to too much heatV. Processing-Recut stems prior to conditioning – removes air bubbles (embolisms) or bacteria, which block water from absorbance-Fill container with warm water HORT 203 1st Edition-Cut stems at an angle and cut off ½ to 1 inch-Remove excess foliage that will be below the water line, because if it deteriorates in the water it can lead to bacteria growthoUse your hands to strip✪ If your flowers begin to wilt early, cut the stems again, and put them in a bucket of water (only for flowers in vasesVI. Moisture Balance-Provide water immediately-Quality of water is important (there are a lot of alkaline minerals in BCS water)oTap water isn’t as harmful to fresh flowers in a vaseoWater temperature (100º-110ºF)opH level (3.0-4.5) – acidic home remedies: add lemon juice, pennies, sprite, or bleach to waterAcidic solutions have better cohesive qualitiesoWater salinity (less than 200 ppm use bottled
View Full Document