Carnation (Specific Crop Treatments)

Carnation

Carnation, Miniature Carnation

Family: Caryophyllaceae

Genus: Dianthus

Origin: Central & Southern Europe

Grower Recommendations

Carnations and miniature carnations are ethylene sensitive. They benefit

from an anti-ethylene product treatment such as EthylBloc®. Treat flowers

as soon as possible after harvest. After cutting, place flower stems in

a solution of Hydraflor/100 for 1 hour (or up to overnight at 34-38F). Transfer

stems to a solution of one of Floralife Professional formulas for storage.

Please contact Floralife for specifics.

Wholesaler/Retailer Recommendations

Buying Tips:

Ask: Has product been pretreated with a commercial anti-ethylene product,

such as EthylBloc®? What is the source of the product? What is the

cultivar name? Has the product been stored dry or wet?

Processing:

Remove foliage below water level. Recut stems.

Pretreatment:

If the carnations or mini-carnations have not been treated with an antiethylene

product, treat them with a commercial anti-ethlyene product such

as EthylBloc® as soon as possible. Or if carnations or mini-carnations

have been treated with an anti-ethylene product, use one of Floralife’s Fresh

Flower Foods (see Holding Solution) to promote water uptake and hydration.

This treatment will help increase bud opening, decrease flower wilting,

and help keep stems free flowing.

Holding Solution:

Use fresh flower food at recommended rate: Use Floralife® Crystal ClearTM,

Floralife® Professional or Clear Professional, or depending on water test

results, Floralife® Original, Special Blend Hard Water® or Special Blend

Pure Water®.

To have water tested, send a plastic quart bottle of your water to:

Floralife, Inc., 751 Thunderbolt Drive, Walterboro, SC 29488, Attn: Laboratory.

Hold flowers at room temperature for 1-2 hours (2-4 hours if flowers

are limp or exhibiting bent neck) prior to storage in cooler or designing.

As a finishing touch to any floral design, spray Floralife FloralMist® over

entire project.

Floralife, Inc. 9-00

Carnation (continued)

Storage:

Place in a 34-38oF cooler with 80-90% humidity.

Cleaning:

Use Floralife Formula D.C.D.™ to clean buckets, vases, coolers, etc. D.C.D.

is specifically formulated to kill microbes over an extended period.

Customer Satisfaction:

Always give a packet of a Floralife Brand Fresh Flower Food with your

designs. Five gram packets treat one pint of water. Ten gram packets

treat one quart of water.

Troubleshooting:

Problem:

Early sleepiness

Split Calyx

Buds fail to open

Reason/Solution:

Most likely due to exposure to ethylene and/

or high temperatures during shipping and/or

storage. This may also indicate improper or

no anti-ethylene treatment. Find out if the flowers

have been treated with an anti-ethylene

product and/or look into purchasing cultivars

that are less ethylene sensitive.

Likely due to production conditions and age

of product.

Product may have been stored too long or

improperly kept out of solution for an extended

period, or exposed to ethylene. Make sure

anti-ethylene pretreatment is used; check on

storage conditions; make sure one of

Floralife’s Fresh Flower Foods is used.

Use the “Apple Test”* to check for proper antiethylene

treatment.

Do not know if flowers

were anti-ethylene treated

and/or treated properly

Source