Cut Flower Care and Handling: Delphinium

STS Photos Delph copyLooking 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 Delphinium.

The Delphinium, known as Larkspur, Knight’s Spur, Lark’s Heel and Lark’s Claw, is native to Europe and the United States. Delphinium / Larkspur comes in a variety of colors including blue, orange, pink, purple, white and yellow.

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

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Delphinium Grower Recommendations: Delphinium / Larkspur is ethylene sensitive; ethylene will cause excessive dropping of the florets. So protect your Delphinium with an anti-ethylene product such as Floralife’s EthylBloc Technology, as soon as possible after harvest.  After cutting, be sure to hydrate 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.

Delphinium Wholesaler and Retailer Recommendations: When buying, find out if the Delphinium / Larkspur has been pretreated with a commercial anti-ethylene product, such as EthylBloc.

Process your Delphinium by rinsing and recutting the stems, and by removing any foliage below water level.

Begin pretreatment with EthylBloc, even if the Delphinium / Larkspur was treated previously. Then, pretreat 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.

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Holding Solution: Nourish your Delphinium / Larkspur 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 Delphinium Care and Handling article. There is a lot more at the original piece, including discussions on storage temperature, water quality and some useful troubleshooting tips, so take a look! Are you a fan of the Delphinium, as a professional or an enthusiast? Let us know in the comments section!