Cut Flowers for High Tunnels By Ginny Rosenkranz Extension Educator, Commercial Horticulture [email protected]
Jun 06, 2020
Cut Flowers for High Tunnels
By Ginny RosenkranzExtension Educator, Commercial Horticulture
Site Analysis for Cut Flowers
Ginny Rosenkranz
Extension Educator, Commercial Horticulture
University of Maryland Cooperative Extension
Keep in mind the 4 Elements
Soil
Sun
Water
Wind
Start with the right Site!
Good soil drainage
Full sun
Adequate irrigation
Know your history
Weed Control
Look a little closer
Get a soil test
Check out the weeds
Any nematodes?
Any earthworms?
Miss Utility
Soil Tests
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Calcium
Magnesium
Iron
boron
Soil pH
Soil Tests Results
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Soil Tests Results
Calcium
Magnesium
Iron
Soil test also reveals……
Soil type
Soil texture
Soil profile
Hard pans
Soils also reveal
Plot out property
Draw map of site
Add north south east west
Topography
Buildings, fences, roads
Easements
Views to be screened
Weeds tell stories
Sedges
Wire grass
Canadian thistle
Know life cycles
Consider plastic
Nematodes
Best time to test
Planting rotation
Earthworms
Soil life
Organic matter
Can We Plant Yet?
Start in the fall
Remove perennial weed problems
Add organic matter
Plant grass cover crop
Research cut flowers and sources
Plan your market
Check out the Organic Matter Content
Excellent slow release nutrients for perennials
Higher organic matter stimulates soil life
Organic matter can influence the soil pH
Sun
Full sun = 6-8 hours
Tall flowers go north
South slopes, East slopes
Plan around buildings, fences etc
Plan for planted wind breaks
Water
Test the water!
pH 5.8-7
Alkalinity
Soluble salts
Turbidity
filters
Water Sources
Ponds
Streams
Wells
Back flow protection
Rate of flow
Always use trickle!
Watering Plants
Clean water – filter if necessary
Trickle irrigation
Beside rows
Between rows
Soil type determines spacing
Above or below the ground
Water systems
Pump
Pressure tank & pressure switch
Backflow prevention
Shut off valves
Fertilizer injector
Filters
Pressure gauges
more on water….
Couplers ease in adding and removing tubing
Pressure regulators usually 8-10 psi
Electric solenoid valves
Trickle row crop tape – row crop tubing
Header
Time clock controller
Wind
Plan for wind!
Summer winds more important
Plant wind breaks – they will do double duty
Plant deciduous flowering plants
Plant evergreens for foliage & fillers
Erect fences
Wind
Netting
Establish netting when plants are planted
Raise netting as plants get taller
Add more if needed
Questions?
Choose Your Flowers
• Profit • Markets • Quality
Lisianthus• Warm season crop• Pelleted seeds • Plugs • Single petals• Double petals• Picotee edges
Eustoma grandiflorum -Lisianthus
• Soil fertility– High organic matter
• Irrigation– 150 ppm N – Use raised beds for best drainage– Uniform soil moisture
Cultivars • Mariachi
– Group II– Double – Camellia head
• Arena III– Group II and III– Large to small flowers
• Echo - early flowering– Double – Spray type
Cultivars • ABC• Excalibur• Minuet• Piccolo • Rosita
Mariachi• AmeriSeed
– Blue Picotee
Mariachi• Sentier
– Pure White
Mariachi• Highsun express
– Misty Blue
Mariachi• AmeriSeed
– Pink
MariachiAmeriSeedTakata
Carmine
Arena III• Johnnys Seed
– Gold • Export Unite Flora
– Yellow
Echo • Champagne
ABC • PanAmerican Seed
Excalibur • Sakata• AmeriSeed
Minuet• Miyoshi
Piccolo • Wellgrowhorti.com
Rosita • Flowersense• florAccess
Vulcan ™• Group III • Early flower• Spray type • Vulcan Pink Picotee
– Thick petals– Uniform purple rim
Zinnia elegans – Zinnia • Warm season crop
– Direct seed when soil is warm• Annual
– Seeds do better than plugs• Soil fertility
– Rich soil• Irrigation
– Trickle is best– 100 ppm N every other week
Zinnia• Cultivars
– Benary's Giant– Benary’s Oklahoma– Burpeanna Giant – cactus flowers– Candy cane– Ruffles – Swizzle series – Whirligig – Zowie! Yellow Flame
China Aster• Unicom Mix• Tower Custom Mix
– Uniform in height
China Aster• Serenade
– Spray habit • Valkyrie
– Unique
Calendula • Alpha • Antares flashback
Dianthus • Sweet William
– Hollandia mix– Dynasty mix– Amazon Neon series
Larkspur • Sublime series
Stock • Quartet Formula mix
Delphinium • Belladonna mix• Magic fountains mix
Snapdragon • Potomac mix• Madame Butterfly
Snapdragon • Rocket mix• Chantilly
Talinum• Jewels of Opar
Nigella • Love in a Mist
Tithonia• Mexico Sunflower
– Torch
Gomphrena• Strawberry fields• Bicolor Rose• QIS • Fireworks
Bells of Ireland • Moluccella laevis
Celosia • Cramers series• Chief mix
Celosia • Sylphid• Eternity • Pampas
Dahlias
Lilium hybrids -Oriental, Asiatic and L.A. Hybrid Lily• Warm season crop
– Start with mature bulbs• Treat as annuals
– Plant in the fall or early spring• Soil fertility
– Fertilize with 2-3 lbs of 10-20-10/100 feet
• Irrigation– Trickle is best– Evenly moist
lilies• Cultivars
– Asiatic • Pulsar• Minstrel
– Oriental• Acapulco• Montreal
– L.A. Hybrids• Detroit • Royal Star
– OT Hybrid• Crystal Star• Shocking
Questions?
• References– Ball Redbook– Ball Perennial Manual– Specialty Cut Flowers by A. Armitage– Herbaceous Perennial Plants by A.
Armitage
Cut Flowers for High Tunnels Choose Your FlowersLisianthus Eustoma grandiflorum -Lisianthus Cultivars Cultivars MariachiMariachiMariachiMariachiMariachiArena IIIEcho ABC Excalibur MinuetPiccolo Rosita Vulcan ™Slide Number 20Zinnia elegans – Zinnia ZinniaSlide Number 23Slide Number 24Slide Number 25China AsterChina AsterCalendula Dianthus Larkspur Stock Delphinium Snapdragon Snapdragon Talinum Nigella Tithonia Gomphrena Bells of Ireland Celosia Celosia Dahlias Lilium hybrids -Oriental, Asiatic and L.A. Hybrid LilyliliesSlide Number 45Slide Number 46Slide Number 47Slide Number 48Slide Number 49Questions?