Flowers of some plant species can be harvested at the bud stage with no reduction in quality and vase life. If harvested after the optimum stage, the developing flowers use the carbohydrates that will be used for the development of smaller flower buds, thus, slowing down the growth of other flowers.Įach plant species has a minimum harvest maturity stage in which flowers can be harvested without affecting their postharvest quality. Harvesting too early or too late significantly reduces the vase life of the flowers. For maximum vase life of cut flowers, harvest flowers daily at their proper stage of development. It is important to know the optimum stage of harvesting for each plant species to ensure the quality of flowers after harvest. Plants should be healthy and properly watered before cutting flowers so that the cell walls are turgid. It is also important that plants are not water-stress prior to harvesting flowers. For example, heavy rainfall can splash soil onto plant stems causing a greater risk for microbial contamination and blocked stems after harvest. The weather conditions and plant environment also affects the postharvest longevity. Long before harvest, plant cultivar selection should be considered for postharvest longevity to provide the best possible cultivars for cutting. Maximizing the vase life of cut flowers is dependent on pre-harvest procedures too. Below are some tips for proper harvest and care of cut flowers. Proper harvesting and care of flowers after harvest are important to maximize the vase life and ensure a high quality product. Many farmers and gardeners grow cut flowers for retail garden centers, roadside stands, farmers markets and farm shares in Massachusetts.
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