Key Points of Color Calla Lily Cut Flower Cultivation Technique
Main text core introduction: Other flowers, color calla lily trivia, color calla lily cut flower cultivation technique, next, let me introduce.
Color calla lilies are perennial herbaceous bulbous flowers of the Araceae family, Calla genus. The main types cultivated for cut flowers are red and yellow calla lilies, which are native to South Africa. Their cultivation habits are fundamentally different from those of the common white calla lilies, and they are somewhat challenging to grow. Therefore, referring to the advanced cultivation and management experience of countries such as the Netherlands, combined with the introduction, cultivation, and propagation experiments of color calla lilies in recent years, the following cultivation techniques are summarized:
1. Selection and Treatment of Bulbs
1.1 Bulb Selection For cut flower production, select bulbs that are robust, disease-free, glossy in color, and with full buds. The ideal bulb diameter is about 3-5 cm; smaller bulbs may produce few or no flowers.
1.2 Variety Selection Bulbs should be selected for their strong disease resistance, bright flower colors, insensitivity of color change to light, high yield of cut flowers, and significant market share.
1.3 Pre-planting Treatment of Bulbs The treatment of color calla lily bulbs with gibberellin can promote flowering and increase the yield of cut flowers. Generally, before planting, bulbs are soaked in a gibberellin solution with a concentration of 25-50 mg/kg for 10-15 minutes. Excessive time or concentration can easily cause the formation of deformed flowers.
2. Cultivation Environment Selection Color calla lilies prefer a warm, humid, and shaded environment and are not cold-resistant. The optimal growing temperature is 15-24°C during the day and not lower than 12°C at night. High temperatures above 30°C can easily cause the spread of soft rot disease. The cultivation environment should maintain good ventilation and moderate shading. The selected cultivation site should have high terrain, good drainage conditions, rich in organic matter, and a pH value of around 7. Sandy soil is suitable, and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and a large amount of decomposed organic fertilizer should be applied.
3. Planting of Bulbs
3.1 The planting time should be determined according to the needs of cut flowers and bulbs. The quality and yield of color calla lilies planted in spring are the highest. For forced and delayed cultivation, attention should be paid to the flowering treatment of bulbs and effective control of the cultivation environment to achieve successful profit. Pre-germination is done before planting, and planting is carried out when new buds start to sprout.
3.2 Planting Depth For bulbs 3-4 cm in diameter, the planting depth is 10 cm, and for bulbs larger than 5 cm, a depth of 15 cm is recommended. After planting, water thoroughly and cover the ground with wheat straw to increase humidity and lower soil temperature, promoting bulb germination and root growth.
4. Water and Fertilizer Management Water management during the growing period of color calla lilies is very important. Generally, it should be moist in the early growth stage. In the later flowering stage, water should be controlled appropriately, and after flowering, a dry environment is suitable to fill the bulbs and force dormancy. With sufficient base fertilizer, only moderate top dressing is needed. Generally, 1000 times calcium nitrate and foliar fertilizer are sprayed twice before flowering, with an interval of 7 days to promote flowering. After flowering, compound fertilizer should be applied to promote bulb filling and maturity.
5. Harvesting and Post-harvest Treatment of Cut Flowers It takes about 60-70 days from sowing to flowering for color calla lilies. Flowers should be harvested in the morning or evening when temperatures are lower, using a pulling method. For varieties with longer flower stems, the cutting method can also be used. After harvesting, the flowers can be sprayed with 1000 times of agricultural streptomycin for sterilization and disinfection. Attention should be paid to the sterilization of cutting tools to avoid virus transmission between different plants. Harvested flower stems should be placed in preservatives or浸泡 in 3-5°C water as soon as possible, and then packaged for market (C-S).
6. Harvesting and Storage of Bulbs Color calla lilies are perennial bulbous flowers. After harvesting cut flowers, the bulbs can still be used the following year. The best time to harvest bulbs is after the above-ground leaves turn yellow. First, dig the bulbs from the soil, remove the soil, and do not force the roots to detach, allowing them to fall off naturally, and place them in a well-ventilated area. If conditions permit, sterilize the dried bulbs and store them in a cold storage at an appropriate temperature of 8-10°C for 3 months before sowing. During storage, the cold storage should be fumigated with sulfur every week to reduce the occurrence of diseases.
The content of the key points of color calla lily cut flower cultivation technique shared in this article, have green plant enthusiasts understood?