my cut roses are coming short stemmed and the agent pays less, want long stems for the top grade
Why are my Dutch rose stems short and how do I get long export grade stems?
VVenkatesh5mo ago · 250 views
4 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓5mo ago
Long stem grade in Dutch rose comes from a combination of variety, the bending technique, light, nutrition and correct harvesting, not from any single fix. First, use varieties bred for long stems if the long grade is your target. Second, learn and apply the bending or bending shoot technique, where lower weak shoots are bent down to feed the plant while the upright shoots grow long for cutting, this is central to stem length. Third, give enough light, good balanced fertigation and avoid stress, since weak feeding and pest damage shorten stems. Fourth, harvest at the right node so the next stem also comes long. Short stems often mean too many flowering shoots left up, poor bending, or weak nutrition. For the exact bending method, harvesting node and feeding schedule, train with an experienced grower or your KVK, because the bending technique is best learned hands on. Export grade also needs strict pest, disease and residue control, so confirm those norms before you target export.
MManjunatha5mo ago
Bending was the thing that fixed my stem length. I was leaving too many shoots upright and the plant could not push long stems. Once I bent the weak ones down the cuttable stems got longer.
SSrinivas5mo ago
Variety matters too, my old variety just never gave long stems no matter what I did. Switching to a long stem variety plus proper bending got me the better grade.
PPrakash Reddy4mo ago
Harvest at the right node, I learned this the hard way. Cut too high and the next stem is stubby. An experienced grower showed me where to cut and it changed my whole flush.