Lillies/freesias

[Lisa]

Hi Arjen

Hope its ok to still post on the group as I am still to move over to
Facebook. I will get there soon hopefully!

May I just ask if anyone has any advice to give about either Lillies
or Freesias? What sort to buy and where etc please. Any information
would be gratefeully received
many thanks
Lisa

[mandy roberts]

Hello again Lisa

I get all my Lillies from De Jager, but they are expensive, even wholesale, plus you have to add the vat at the end of your order which can be quite a shock when buying very large numbers!

Sarah Raven has freesia which she guarantees will flower well. Sometimes they can be difficult to grow

Mandy

[Tigwigs]

Hi Mandy

 

Great to hear from you!  Really glad all is moving well!!  Thanks for the answers - I will take a look

Lisa

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 6827 (20120125) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com

[Arjen Huese]

Hi Lisa,

I'm sorry I grow neither of these crops and can't give you any first-hand advice on them. I know Verberghe in Holland sells lily bulbs at reasonable prices and I've been drooling over them but can't justify the investment at the moment. Freesias... I really don't know - they look to me  a bit too much like a large-scale greenhouse crop with a lot of technical expertise needed, so I haven't burnt my fingers on them yet. Not sure the outdoor types would be long enough and would stand up favourably against the greenhouse produce in the marketplace.

Sorry can't be more helpful...

Arjen

[mandy roberts]

Hi Arjen

You may be right about the stem length of the Freesia for the market! But for those of us who also sell bunched blooms, and do event flowers, they are a valuable addition for their wonderful scent! In the Sarah Raven catalogue, she states that she has treated the bulbs to the right temperatures and humidity ...... I do hope so, as I have ordered from her!!! I will grow them in good rich soil in crates, so I can pack them in, and they will take up less room in the tunnel. If they look to be growing well, and it is a good summer, I will put them outside....and see if they are worth growing again!

 

Mandy

[Arjen Huese]

Hi Mandy - please keep us posted on how the freesias go this year - they are high in the top ten of popular flowers so if you can make them work and pay the rent that would be very interesting!

Arjen

[Nicola Rotton]

Dear all,
Can any of you help me with the best flower preserver to use once flowers have been picked?

Chrysal? If I buy a large amount how long will it last once opened - as I don't suppose I will get through it that quickly to begin with …

Anyone used aspirin.dispirin - a viable option?

nothing as long as water is fresh?

Any advice I would be most grateful for,

Many thanks

Nicola

[Arjen Huese]

Hi Nicola,

nothing is remarkably good actually - as long as your buckets are sanitised (bleach!) and you use clean tap water - I find that a lot of flowers do perfectly well. However, the Chrysal CVBN pills are very good, and they come in a 400 pill dispenser which is not too much - that treats 400 buckets and as long as you keep the pills dry they last forever. You can ring Chrysal to ask for suppliers (they don't sell directly to growers) - I bought from a company called Dejex in Lincolnshire or somewhere in that area. They put them in the post and they are not expensive.

Good luck!

Arjen

[Clare Ashcroft]

I found this article in the daily mail last week, its actually really interesting, and gives a few alternatives for keeping your flowers fresh.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2088437/Viagra-perks-plants-How-impotence-drug-revive-drooping-flowers.html  

kind regards

 

Clare Ashcroft

---

From: Arjen Huese <ahu...@gmail.com>
To: flower...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Friday, 27 January 2012, 10:42
Subject: Re: [Flower Grower:441] flower preservers

[Tigwigs]

No problem - thanks Arjen. 

 

----- Original Message -----

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 6831 (20120127) __________

[mandy roberts]

Pretty irresponsible of him, I thought, at a time when most growers are striving to find alternatives to chemicals, and Viagra is certainly a chemical.

 

The most important thing for cut flowers is good house keeping. Buckets, secateurs, knives etc. need to be kept really clean, and fresh water and re-cutting stems is by far the best way to lengthen vase life. I use flower preservative in each bucket, as the flowers are travelling, to markets etc. and they need extra help!

 

Mandy

[mandy roberts]

Yes Arjen, will let you know how I get on with them, I only ordered a couple of hundred, so not too big a loss if they fail!

Mandy

[Gill Hodgson]

I use Chrysal Professional 2 and clean buckets. The solution, once made up,
can be re-used and lasts for a week so I find it quite economical.
I also tell customers to wash their vases with bleach and change the water
in their vases every two days!

FLOWERS FROM THE FARM
the nationwide network of cut flower growers
PUTTING BRITISH FLOWERS BACK IN EVERY VASE IN THE COUNTRY
www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk

[Nicola Rotton]

Thanks SO much everyone for the very useful and helpful advice. I feel much more confident about what to do.

Nicola