Specialty Cut Flower Production and Marketing - UC Agriculture and ...

to remove air bubbles and bacteria.Some suppliers offer speciallydesigned tools for this task.See Further Resources. (Somerecent literature states that recuttingunderwater is unnecessary.)• Harvest during the coolest part ofthe day, early morning or late evening,and keep buckets of fl owersout of the sun.• Use warm, 100 to 110°F water inthe buckets. It is taken up morequickly than cool water.• Let fl owers stand at room temperaturein a hydrating solution for oneto two hours.• Store in a cooler. Low temperaturesprolong quality and vase life. Thebest temperature for keeping mostcut fl owers is 32 to 38°F with 80to 90 percent humidity. (Tropicalcuts are injured at such low temperaturesand should be kept at55°F or room temperature. Zinniasalso need to be kept at highertemperatures; 40 to 45°F is recommended.)Packing Shed and Cold StorageA packing shed is an essential part of anyfl ower farm. A well-designed packing shedwill save time and help you maintain highquality. Depending on the size of the farm,it may be as rudimentary as a laundry tubor table under a canopy, or as sophisticatedas a separate building with automatedequipment and a loading dock. Growing forMarket publisher Lynn Byczynski surveyedother growers to learn what they liked ordidn’t like about their packing sheds. Featuresgrowers consider important in creatingthe ideal packing shed are listed in herarticle Plan the perfect packing shed. (Byczynski,2002)• Location. The packing shed shouldbe close to the fi elds so harvestedproduce can be moved quickly tothe postharvest area. It should alsobe accessible by whatever vehicle isgoing to transport the produce offthe farm.• Space. How much space you needdepends on what you grow andwhat other storage buildings areavailable to you. At a minimum,you need sinks for washing bucketsand vases, tables for sortingand arranging, and a cooler. Youwill want a place to store buckets,vases, and other supplies. Work stationsshould be close enough thatsteps aren’t wasted going back andforth, but they should allow plentyof room for two or more people towork together.• Light. Good lighting is importantbecause it allows you to spot defectsin your flowers. From a mentalhealth perspective, try to get asmuch daylight as possible into yourpacking shed.• Surfaces. The best fl ooring is concretebecause it allows you to usewheeled carts, hand trucks, or evena pallet jack to move boxes or buckets.Concrete should be poured sothat it slopes toward a 6-inch drainfor easy washing of the fl oor. Wallscan be washable, too, if paintedwith epoxy paint.• Cleanliness. Sanitation is especiallyimportant in produce packingsheds, to prevent food-borne illness.In fl ower packing sheds, youcan protect packaging from miceand other pests by keeping suppliesin sealed storage containers.• Water. Plan for drainage that willhandle a large amount of water.The water you use in the packingshed will be too much for your septicsystem. Consider running it offto a garden area where it can beused to water plants.• Ergonomics. Workstation heightsshould suit the workers. Accordingto the Healthy Farmers, HealthyProfi ts Project at the University ofWisconsin, the most effi cient workwww.attra.ncat.orgATTRAPage 19