HORT-401

Flower
Production
 Floriculture
o Branch of
horticulture which
deals with
production,
handling, and
marketing of
ornamental plants in
open field or
controlled
conditions’.
 Global Flower Production
• Netherlands
• Columbia
• Kenya
• Zimbabwe
• China
• USA
• European countries (Germany, UK biggest
importers)
• Japan
• Thailand
 Flower Production in Pakistan
• Limited area under flower production
o Lack of awareness about modern production
systems
o Poor production and postharvest handling
infrastructure
o Poor international marketing standards
information
• Major flower growing areas in Pakistan
o Pattoki (Qasur)
o Lahore
o Rawalpindi/Islamabad
o Multan
o Hyderabad
o Karachi
Major Commercial Flower Crops
• Roses
o Cut flowers
o Loose flowers (petals)

• Gladiolus
• Lilium
• Tulip
• Carnation
• Chrysanthemum
• Gerbera
• Annual flowers
Rose
 Introduction
• ‘Woody ornamental perennials
which include shrubs, bushes,
climbers, and miniatures’.
• Great diversity in growth habit,
flower form, and color.
• Leading cut flower of world in
all global markets.
• May be used as:
o flower petals,
o cut flower, or
o value added products (Rose water, Rose
jam, Perfume etc.)
 Old Roses

Rosa centifolia Rosa damascena

Rosa bourboniana Rosa Gruss An Teplitz

 Modern Roses

Hybrid Tea Floribunda

Miniature
 Soil Requirements
• Well adaptive to wide range of soils.
• Type of soil and texture (proper balance of sand,
silt, and clay along with nutrients and OM).
• Drainage is vital (Soil moisture).
• Optimum pH 5.5-6.5 (Range 4.5-7.5).
• For cut flower production of roses,
Soilless media is preferred.
o High water holding capacity.
o High porosity.
o Readily available nutrients when provided in the
form of soluble fertilizer.
o Less soil borne diseases.
 Climatic Requirements
Temperature
• 25-27°C day/ 15-18°C night (optimum).
• At higher than 30°C, quality is reduced,
but can be produced with increasing
humidity.
• Temperature below 15°C would result:
o Delayed production.
o Bull heads (Poor formation of flower heads)

• Temperature above 30°C would cause:

o Poor quality flowers with less petals
o Rapid opening of flowers
o Loss of volatile compounds (fragrance) from petals
 Climatic Requirements (Cont..)
• Humidity & Light
• Around 60-70% R.H. is optimum (To lower
transpiration)
o High humidity over 80% may result in fungal attack (black spot,
downy mildew).
o Less humidity would result in poor quality, small blooms.

• Humidity can be raised by:

o Damping of paths , and
o misting on top of plants.

• Abundant sunlight is also required for:

o Photosynthesis
o Flower color development
 Propagation
• Cuttings (Grown on
own roots)
o For bush roses (Flower
petals)
o For raising rootstock

• Budding/ Grafting
o For cut rose propagation
o Root stock: R. bourboniana

• Time
o Cuttings = November to
Mid-January
o Budding/Grafting = July -
August
 Planting
• Best time of planting = December-
January (Not later than February 15)
• Layout and selection of healthy plants
• For bush roses, approx. 4,840 plants/acre
• For cut roses, 10,000 plants per acre
• Thoroughly prepare soil up to 40-45 cm
deep
• Before planting, grow green manuring
crops (Jantar, guar etc.) during summer
and incorporate into soil.
 Layout (Field production of roses)

• Plants are laid out at 3’ x

3’ for bush roses or
single rows at 5 ft width
with 2 ft between plants.
• After every 4 rows, drop
one row for bush roses
or leave 3-4 ft. path for
cut roses, if laid out at 3’
x 3’.
• Cut roses should be
planted at 1’ x 1’.
 Fertilization
• Preferably use water soluble fertilizers.
• Apply fertilizers at planting or after pruning
when new growth starts.
• Avoid fertilizer application close to plant
crown.
• Best way to apply fertilizer is through
fertigation.
• Roses for cut flowers required greater amounts
of fertilizer (2 bags of NPK (20:20:20) per
month during productive months
• Roses for petals require 1 bag NPK per month
 Irrigation
• Depends on:
o climatic conditions,
o size of plants and
o Growth stage

• Summer  5-7 d
• Winter  14 d
o No watering in Dec. Jan. after
pruning
• Drip irrigation
o Water saving Drip irrigation
o Fertilizer application layout
• Flood irrigation
 Pruning
• Removal of previous year growth
o To rejuvenate new growth
o To discard diseased or dead branches
o To develop plant framework
o To produce flowers at specific occasion
o To allow plant to rest and produce sturdy shoots
for next season flowering
o Thinning out branches
o For proper air circulation among branches

• Roses should be pruned in:

o Dec. Jan. (Severe pruning) Dormant season
o May-Jun. (Light pruning) least productive
season
o Some growers prune after Valentine’s day yield

• Use sharp secateurs/cutters and

apply fungicide at cut surfaces.
 Harvest & Handling
• Loose flower  Picked manually as
cotton picking in mornings
• Cut flowers  Cut with secateurs at
specific stem length
• Harvest time  Morning or evening
• Harvest stage
o  Cut roses
• Tight bud stage (Export markets)
• Loose bud stage (Local markets)
o Loose flowers (Petals)
• Fully bloom stage
• Shift flowers immediately into a cool
shed
• Treat with pulsing solution, grade,
pack and store at 2-4oC for 1-2
 Rose Insects

Aphids Spider Mites

Bollworm

Thrips Scales
 Rose Diseases

Black Spot Powdery Mildew

Botrytis

Rust Downy Mildew