GREENHOUSE CUT FLOWERS VHT239

A course for commercial cut flower growers (and staff) who are concerned exclusively with greenhouse production

Flowers are grown in greenhouses for various reasons:

To produce flowers out of season when prices are better
To grow varieties that in localities they are not normally suited to
To produce flowers for a longer season
To produce flowers faster
To reduce the likelihood of disease, pest or environmental damage (reduced quality)

Greenhouse production can involve a much larger initial investment, but production can be more intensive (so not as much land is needed) and profitability can eventually be higher.

Growing cut flowers in a greenhouse is intensive and expensive -but can be extremely profitable.

A relatively small flower farm can produce a lot more flowers per acre, when the environment is better controlled inside a greenhouse. This means that a farm doesn't need so much land; hence can be located closer to cities where property is more expensive.

You do require more technological knowledge to farm this way; but with the foundation provided by this course, you will be well placed to start up or work in an enterprise growing greenhouse flowers.

Course Contents and Structure

Introduction to Cut Flower Production: Learn to describe the nature and scope of Cut Flower production in greenhouses.
Cultural Practices: Learn to determine key cultural practices that are commonly required to develop and maintain a good rate of growth in a cut flower crop.
Flower Initiation & Development: Learn to explain the initiation and development of flowering in a cut flower crop.
Pest & Disease Control: Learn to determine management practices for cut flower crops grown in a greenhouse
Greenhouse Management A: Learn to discuss a range of greenhouse management techniques related to cut flower production.
Greenhouse Management B: Covers a range of greenhouse management techniques related to cut flower production.
Management, Harvest & Post Harvest: Learn to determine a range of harvest and post harvest techniques related to cut flower production.
Herbaceous Perennials: Learn to determine greenhouse production techniques for selected herbaceous perennials.
Annuals & Biennials: Learn to determine greenhouse production techniques for selected annuals and biennials.
Bulbs, Corms, Tubers & Rhizomes: Covers greenhouse production techniques for selected bulbs, corms, rhizomes or tubers.
Filler Plants: Learn to determine greenhouse production techniques for selected filler plants.
Miscellaneous: Covers greenhouse production techniques for roses, and for orchids.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Course Duration: 100 hours

AIMS

Describe the nature and scope of cut flower production in greenhouses.
Determine key cultural practices that are commonly required to develop and maintain a good rate of growth in a cut flower crop.
To explain the initiation and development of flowering in a cut flower crop.
To determine management practices for cut flower crops grown in a greenhouse.
To discuss a range of greenhouse management techniques related to cut flower production.
To explain a range of greenhouse management techniques related to cut flower production.
Determine a range of harvest and post harvest techniques related to cut flower production.
Determine greenhouse production techniques for selected herbaceous perennials.
Determine greenhouse production techniques for selected annuals and biennials.
Determine greenhouse production techniques for selected bulbs, corms, rhizomes or tubers.
Determine greenhouse production techniques for selected filler plants.
Determine greenhouse production techniques for roses and orchids.

The Flower Industry

The cut flower industry is big business both nationally and internationally. Countries with larger disposable incomes, obviously have larger local flower markets (eg. Europe, North America, Japan, etc); but flower growing can be significant in even developing countries. Both developed and developing countries have developed significant export earnings from cut flower exports.

International trade in cut flowers has grown over recent decades. In most countries, developed or in development, it is now possible to get the most popular types of cut flowers almost any time of the year.

The industry has made this possible by doing three different things:

1. Expanding trade between countries (e.g. Australian tulips might be flown to the Netherlands in August and September, when they are not flowering in The Netherlands; and Dutch tulips might be flown to Australia when it is autumn in Australia)

2. Breeding new varieties has extended the flowering season for some plants. It is now, for instance, possible to grow Chrysanthemum varieties that flower all year round in some climates.

3. Growing in greenhouses has enabled farmers to take control of conditions that stimulate flowering; and cause plants to not only grow faster, but also flower at times when they might not have otherwise flowered.

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