Cut Flower Care and Handling: Freesia

freesia 2Looking for useful tips for the postharvest processing of many different varieties of cut flowers? Then check out the newly expanded Flower Care and Handling section of the Floralife website.  Wholesaler, retailer, enthusiast – there’s something for everybody. Let’s go down the list! Today’s star is the Freesia.

The Freesia, also known as the Bergunden freesia or Ballerina, is native to the eastern side of southern Africa, from Kenya south to South Africa. Freesia comes in a variety of colors including white, yellow, orange, red, pink, lavender, purple and bicolors.

As always, Floralife has some practical Freesia care and handling tips for the grower, the wholesaler and the retailer. Here is a preview.

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Freesia Grower Recommendations: Freesia is ethylene sensitive. Ethylene will cause shattering, fading, and translucent petals of the florets.  So protect your Freesia with an anti-ethylene product such as Floralife’s EthylBloc Technology, as soon as possible after harvest.  After cutting, be sure to hydrate Freesia right away with Hydraflor® 100 hydrating treatment, and then transfer to one of our storage and transport solutions such as Floralife® 200. More details at the original article.

Freesia Wholesaler and Retailer Recommendations: Find out if the Freesia has been pretreated with a commercial anti-ethylene product, such as EthylBloc. When selecting Freesia, avoid stems with florets that easily fall off, or stems with florets that are brown or shriveled.

Processing: Rinse off any dirt or debris from the stems. Recut the stems and remove foliage below the water level.

freesia 1Pretreatment: If your Freesia has not already been treated with EthylBloc, do so now. Hydrate with Floralife’s Hydraflor® 100 to promote water uptake. Or, try Floralife® Quick Dip 100 instant hydrating treatment. Using one of Floralife’s hydration pretreatments can help increase bud opening, decrease flower wilting and keep stems free flowing. For more info on selecting the right hydrating solution, read the original article.

Holding Solution: Nourish your Freesia with the proper mixture of fresh flower food such as Flower Food 300, Floralife® 200 or Floralife® Clear 200, Floralife® Clear ULTRA 200 or Special Blend 300 storage treatment solutions.

That’s a quick preview of Floralife’s Freesia Care and Handling article. There is a lot more at the original piece, including troubleshooting advice and discussions of storage temperature, water quality and the benefits of a clean workspace, so take a look!  Are you a fan of the Freesia, as a professional or an enthusiast? Let us know in the comments section!