Key Technical Points for Harvesting and Preserving Cut Carnation Flowers

[Other Chinese names]Large-flowered pink, clove pink, Dutch pink, Dutch carnation, carnation, carnation, carnation, musk carnation

[Family and genus]Caryophyllaceae, Dianthus

[Place of origin]Southern Europe

[Plant characteristics]Carnation is a perennial herbaceous plant. Plant height 30-70 cm. Flowers solitary, or 2-5 in cymes, 8-9 cm in diameter; pedicels long; petals 5, connate, obovate, apex of the limb with irregular teeth, white, pink, purple, etc.; cultivated varieties are often double. Natural flowering period April-June.

[Cut flower harvesting]The harvested part is the flower-bearing stem of the carnation. It can be harvested when the flower buds are fully swollen and have completely shown color, and the operation is best carried out in the morning when the temperature is lower. The product should first be temporarily placed in a place without direct sunlight and precooled as soon as possible.

[Grading]The harvested flower material should be graded on the premise that it has the typical characteristics of the variety, is free from damage and contamination, and has a good visual effect: the length of grade I cut flowers is about 100 cm; the length of grade II cut flowers is about 90 cm; the length of grade III cut flowers is about 80 cm. The difference in length of cut flowers of the same grade should not exceed the standard by +/-2 cm. Grading may also be carried out with reference to the agricultural industry standard of the People's Republic of China.

[Packaging]Bind and secure the carnation flower stems of the same grade and variety in bundles of 20 stems, and place them separately into film-lined corrugated boxes marked with the product name and provided with ventilation holes.

[Preservation management]Cut flowers can be stored in an environment with a relative humidity of 90%-95% and a temperature of 0-4 degrees C. Those harvested at the tight bud stage should be kept at 0-1 degrees C, and those harvested at the loose bud stage at 3-4 degrees C. During large-scale production, controlled atmosphere storage may also be used. During storage and transport, carnations can tolerate relatively long dry storage. However, after opening the box, they must be inserted into water as soon as possible, and commercially available preservative solutions may also be used to extend vase life. Attention should be paid to environmental ventilation to avoid ethylene accumulation, so as to prevent the occurrence of "sleep" phenomenon.

[Storage period]Treated according to the above method, carnation flower stems generally can be stored for 25-30 days when harvested at the tight bud stage, and up to 50-60 days when harvested at the loose bud stage.

[Garden application]Carnations have rich flower colors and a long vase life. They are an indispensable gift flower for Mother's Day. They are also widely used in various floral arrangements.

[Marketing tips]The supply time of cut carnations is mainly concentrated in April-June each year. Cut flowers produced out of season can be marketed throughout the year.