Commercial Floriculture

Nutrition

• Anthuriums prefer smaller doses of fertilizers at frequent intervals rather than larger doses in longer intervals.
• For pot cultivation it is advisable to apply 5g of any complex fertilizer in 500ml of water (1%) once in a month.
• Anthuriums can also efficiently take up nutrients thorough foliage.
• Foliar application of 0.1% urea at monthly intervals is found to be beneficial.
• Adequate levels of calcium and magnesium are also necessary for optimum yield.
• Deficiency of calcium often results in color break in the spathes. Application of 5g of CaNo₃ at monthly intervals stabilizes the spathe color.
• On average Anthuriums require two liters of water/m. sq. per day when supplied through online drippers.
• One gram of fertilizer per every one liter of water is found to be suitable for good growth of Anthurium.
• After fertilizer application thorough watering is essential @ two liters of plain water/m² to prevent accumulation of excess salts in the root zone, which otherwise lead to scorching of roots and leaves.
• In high rainfall areas the nutrients get washed away in the rain water, slow releasing fertilizers like osmocote, neem coated urea etc. are preferred in such areas.
• In commercial plantations, fertilizers are applied to the plants through ground level sprinklers or through the Drip irrigation system.
• Depending on the nutrient status of the medium, the following combinations of nutrients are supplied through irrigation water by many commercial growers.

Major Nutrients	Nutrient	Concentration (ppm)
	Potash	14
	Calcium	176
	Magnesium	60
	Nitrate	91
	Sulphate	48
	Phosphate	31
Minor Nutrients	Iron	0.80
	Manganese	0.16
	Boron	0.22
	Zinc	0.20
	Copper	0.03
	Molybdenum	0.05

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