Moody Blues (and Pinks and Yellows and Reds...)

Written by Gay Smith
Flowers with attitude are a bit more challenging to process, but it’s always worth the effort!Bouvardia is a good example. It either holds for two hours or for two weeks. What’s the secret? Bouvardia is ethylene sensitive so make sure your grower treats with STS at farm level. It is also wilt-sensitive so you can’t skip or rush the hydration process. What’s the best solution to use? The leading Dutch breeder recommends a solution based on aluminum sulfate like Chrysal Professional #1.A large bouvardia grower, Esmeralda, recommends breaking stems rather than cutting them because this flower is sensitive to crushed xylem cells and crushed cells prevent good flow. Whether you break or cut stems, make sure the tools are clean and get stems immediately into Chrysal Professional #1 where they can drink for at least 4 hours up to 3 days before transferring into flower food.What about the Celosia family with its wild colors and intriguing bloom shapes? This beauty fouls the water fast, so a good anti-microbial solution is key to longevity. Try Chrysal Professional Gerbera pills or Chrysal Professional # 1. Keep in mind, neither solution contains sugar so flowers should only stay for 3-4 days max. After 4 days, transfer into a solution with sugar –a flower food.Sick of droopy buds on Lisianthus? Two considerations:

• Don’t cram bunches too tight and allow plenty of room for air flow so condensation evaporates from blooms. Keep flowers dry. Lisianthus is sensitive to Botrytis infection and moisture triggers the disease. Botrytis attacks petal and stem tissues on immature buds causing them to droop.

• Lisianthus needs supplemental sugar to push buds open. For 100% success, try a brand new product called Chrysal Rose Pro vase solution. It contains a synergy of new generation clarifiers as well as a wetting agent to boost flow. Suitable for display buckets and vases, Rose Pro delivers!

What about other sugar-loving summer flowers? All members of the Protea family, commonly called sugar bush, need sugar and light to prevent black foliage. Process in Rose Pro then move bunches into cooler. Protea are hardy and happy at 34-40F.Does the sexy fragrance of Tuberoses make you crave the beaches of Hawaii? These luscious blooms need more sugar than a frosty Mai-tai and they don’t like extended periods of cold. Process in Rose Pro vase solution and store bunches no colder than 50F.