Commercial Floriculture

Harvesting

• This is a very important operation and the growers should have thorough knowledge about the flowering behavior of the orchids used for cut-flower production.
  
• Proper time, stage and method of harvest determine the quality of the produce. In general, orchid flowers do not mature until 3 to 4 days after they open.
  
• Flowers cut prior to their maturity may wilt before reaching the wholesaler.
  
• Harvesting should preferably be done in the evening.
  
• All the tools should be sterilized.
  
• Flowers harvested in the heat of the day can be stressed because of high temperature.
  
• Dark coloured flowers may be as much as 5.5o C warmer than white flowers during mid afternoon.
• When individual Cattleya and Cymbidium flowers are cut, the peduncle should immediately be inserted in a tube of water.
  
• In Hawaii and Singapore, some Dendrobium and Aranda growers immerse the entire sprays of flowers in water for 15 minutes before packing and shipping.

Genus	Harvesting stage	Storage temperature	Vase Life (days)
Cattleya	3 - 4 days after full opning of Flowers	8 - 10 oc for 10 to 14 days	14
Cymbidiums	When all Florets open	1 - 4 oc for 2 weeks	15 - 21
Dendrobiums		5 - 7 oc in water for 10 to 14 days	14 - 21
Paphiopedilum		-0.5 - 3 oc for days	25 - 30
Phalaenopsis		7 - 10 oc for 14 days	14 - 21

^Top