Ms. Anitha Santhosh, Founder, Blossoms Farms, Belur Taluk, Hassan District, talks on anthurium cut flower cultivation.
When I realised that I wanted to go into floriculture to have an employment for myself, I decided to opt for anthurium cut flowers. I started with 500 plants, bought the suckers from Ms. Seshadri Kannangi, Shimoga. When I met them in 2004, they were already well-versed in anthurium cut flowers cultivation and mastered the cultivation practices. So with their acquaintance I got into the right direction of cultivating anthurium cut flowers in a commercial way. From 2004 to 2006, I slowly started the business, and by 2006, I had gained enough confidence to go into a bigger project. I started taking loan from the bank, and between 2006 to 2012, I had completed around 5 projects using the bank loan and getting subsidy from the government. From 500 plants that I had when I started the business, I reached up to 80 thousand plants. This is my journey in the last 20 years.
Anthurium requires about 75% shade but not throughout the year. We need it in summer. So we have to filter the shade according to the weather conditions. In my farm, from June to November, we manage with 25% shade, and from November to May, we make it 75% shade. For bed making, we have to ensure that the bed is slightly raised above the ground level which helps in the drainage system. There will be slopes on either side of the beds for the drainage purpose. In the sides, we give skirting in the shade net for aeration and to hold coconut shells. Once the bed is ready with the skirting, we have to fix coconut shells for around 2 to 3 layers. Then we give a thin layer of coconut husk, and that is a very think layer so that it supports the planting of anthurium plants. Once the bed is ready, we can start with the irrigation system. We have lines of drip irrigation running on the beds. I use two lines to cover the 100% water requirement of the plants on the bed. So every one meter, we can find the sprinkler. The bed is made with a width of around 4 feet and pathways of around 1.5 to 2 feet. The main intention of doing the mulching for the bed is to prevent the roots getting contact with the soil and to avoid any root infection. Since we use coconut shells as media to grow anthurium plants, the termites may easily attack the coconut shells. So we are using mulching sheets to avoid all these problems.
I usually use 20 cm by 20 cm as distance between the plants when planting. It is very important that we fumigate the bed to avoid any insect and fungal infection. Then we have to moisture the bed well. So, before planting, we have to ensure that the bed has good moisture. One more thing we have to take note of is not to plant too deep inside and to plant on the top of the media. If we plant too deep inside in the initial stages, the roots will not get enough oxygen, fertiliser, water, and light. This leads to stagnated growth. We will not see good growth in plants which have roots deep inside. We have to plant them slightly on top.
Post planting beds is a very critical period as we have to take care of the plants very well. We should not give any fertiliser to the plants for 15 days after planting. Once the roots get fixed and plants start growing well, we can start the fertigation. The water management is very important in anthurium cultivation. We have to check the moisture level in the bed before we irrigate. Only then we can do the irrigation. There is a chart for fertigation which is recommended by Anthura Company, Holland. All my plants are imported from this company only. I follow most of their instructions in anthurium cultivation. In A tank, all the nitrates are there, in B tank, we can see all sulphates along with iron, boric, sodium molybdite. This is the combination for the good plant growth and flower yield in anthurium. So we can do the concentration of these in the two tanks and keep ready. Every week, we have to irrigate and supply this concentration so that all the nutrients are supplied to the plant. This is the only food we give the plant and not any other compost or vermicompost.
When we grow anthurium plants, we have to maintain the soil healthy by maintaining the pH and EC in the bed. We have to check these regularly. The EC has to be below 0.5 and pH by 7. This has to be managed when giving the fertiliser. When we are giving regular fertigation, if these two are not managed properly, the plant growth and yield may not be good. In case we see EC high in the bed, we need to wash the bed, stop fertigation, and we have to give water regularly till the EC comes under control and to the normal level.
There are many varieties of anthurium in the market – Moments, Fire Red, Pistach, and Tropical Red. Another pink variety is also there, and all these are fast moving in the market. We have to regularly prune the plants, leave only 3 leaves per plant. The other old leaves have to be removed as they will eat away the fertilisers and will not allow good yield of flowers. So keeping minimum number of leaves in the plant will help in good yield of flowers. Apart from these, we have to supply regular supply of B tank fertigation. Zinc cannot be given in drip irrigation, and so we have to supply them through micronutrition to the plants. This has to be done once n a month. We do one round of micronutrient spray and one round of fungal and insecticide mixed. We do two sprays in a month irrespective of having problem or not.
It takes a year for anthurium to give flowers, and once it starts, it flowers throughout the year. It is not like other floriculture crops. We can have the production all through the year, but it depends on the weather condition. In my farm, between June and November, it is a peak season for production, from December till March, the production dips by 40%, and from March to May, it again picks up to come to normal production in June. So there is flowering all through the year.
Every time, we harvest, we have to disinfect the scissors as it is the main source of infection. There is a proper stage for harvesting too. We may have a block full of anthurium flowers, but we cannot harvest the flowers at the same time. We have to check the maturity of the flowers, and we have to cut only the matured ones. It takes another 4 to 5 days to cut the next bunch of flowers. We cannot harvest anthuriums every day. Once the flowers are harvested, they go for cleaning. We remove all the damaged flowers, chemical stained ones, and the ones with defect. After cleaning, they go for grading. We have 6 grades of grading the anthurium flowers – mini, small, medium, large, extra-large, and jumbo. We have recommended measurements for each grade. Accordingly, we grade, separate them according to the different sizes, and send them for packing. Each bucket has the same size of flowers. First water packing is done, then we have to put the PP cover for each of them, and then they go into boxes. Each size goes into different boxes, such as medium sized flowers in one box, small into another and so on. We can pack 50 medium sized flowers in one box, and small ones will be 80 in each box. Large ones we can pack 40 in one box and so on. Each size and quantity have different pricing.
So when we do the packing, we strictly take care of the quality, remove any flower with the smallest problem, and we ensure that the presentation of packing and labelling are done properly. The flowers can retain the freshness for 8 days in a box. So once the flowers are despatched to the florist, he has 8 days to market the same. The presentation has to be good because it is directly exported or marketed to the customers from the boxes. So, compared to the other floriculture crops, anthurium packing is quite tedious as it involves skilled labour and is time consuming. Packing is the most difficult part of growing anthurium cut flowers.
What are the key factors for successful anthurium cut flower production?
It is the experience that matters. Apart from that, cleanliness, fertigation management, water management, light management, etc also matter a lot.
Are there any specific soil requirement to consider when growing anthurium cut flowers?
We initially do not use any soil at all. We use only mulching sheets to avoid the root getting contact with the soil to prevent any infection. We grow them in coconut shells. For suppling nutrients, we use the fertigation chart.
What are the main challenges in applying pest control for anthurium cut flower cultivation?
There are many challenges. Irrespective of our facing any problem, we have to spray the plants every month. Even then, if we see any insect attack, we have to do the spraying again. Compared to the other crops, anthurium does not have much insect attack. It grows under protected cultivation in polyhouses. During the winter, we do lot of fogging to maintain the humidity inside the polyhouse, and there are lot of chances for getting pest attack. We have to use all precautions to avoid this.
How long does it take typically for the anthurium flowers to reach maturity?
It takes about 7 days. That is why, in one block when we harvest flowers, it takes 5 to 6 days for the next bunch of flowers to mature. We cannot harvest anthurium flowers every day from the same block like other crops.
Are there any particular varieties of anthurium that are well suited for cut flower production?
Tropical Red is one red coloured variety which is in great demand. There are Moments, Pistach, and pink colour anthurium. Initially, we went for lot of colourful anthuriums. Now we are growing only the ones that have great demand in the market. These 3 to 4 varieties are moving fast in the market.
What is the recent approximate market price of the flowers?
We have 6 grades in anthurium flowers – mini, small, medium large, extra-large, and jumbo. Each size has different pricing.
Can you highlight the key nutrients essential for anthurium cut flower group?
The fertigation chart has all the details in it. In case somebody is not growing it commercially but only in puts, they can call us.
What care should be taken to ensure longevity of the anthurium cut flowers?
It depends on the weather conditions. During monsoon, they stay fresh for 15 days and sometimes even up to 20 days. We need to keep them in water, and the environment has to be good. We have to keep trimming the stem of the plant. Then they stay for longer time.
Can you tell about yourself, and how did you get interested in this particular field?
I am a B.A graduate from St. Agnes, Mangalore. My education has not connection with the profession at all. I wanted to create an employment for myself, and that is why I started floriculture. We live in a small village with less opportunities. So, with whatever opportunities we have, I thought this is the best thing to start. It is a flower, and I like growing flowers as it has been my passion and profession too now. I have been in this field since the last 20 years.
CONTACT:
Anitha Santhosh
Email aanita11@gmail.com
When I realised that I wanted to go into floriculture to have an employment for myself, I decided to opt for anthurium cut flowers. I started with 500 plants, bought the suckers from Ms. Seshadri Kannangi, Shimoga. When I met them in 2004, they were already well-versed in anthurium cut flowers cultivation and mastered the cultivation practices. So with their acquaintance I got into the right direction of cultivating anthurium cut flowers in a commercial way. From 2004 to 2006, I slowly started the business, and by 2006, I had gained enough confidence to go into a bigger project. I started taking loan from the bank, and between 2006 to 2012, I had completed around 5 projects using the bank loan and getting subsidy from the government. From 500 plants that I had when I started the business, I reached up to 80 thousand plants. This is my journey in the last 20 years.
Anthurium requires about 75% shade but not throughout the year. We need it in summer. So we have to filter the shade according to the weather conditions. In my farm, from June to November, we manage with 25% shade, and from November to May, we make it 75% shade. For bed making, we have to ensure that the bed is slightly raised above the ground level which helps in the drainage system. There will be slopes on either side of the beds for the drainage purpose. In the sides, we give skirting in the shade net for aeration and to hold coconut shells. Once the bed is ready with the skirting, we have to fix coconut shells for around 2 to 3 layers. Then we give a thin layer of coconut husk, and that is a very think layer so that it supports the planting of anthurium plants. Once the bed is ready, we can start with the irrigation system. We have lines of drip irrigation running on the beds. I use two lines to cover the 100% water requirement of the plants on the bed. So every one meter, we can find the sprinkler. The bed is made with a width of around 4 feet and pathways of around 1.5 to 2 feet. The main intention of doing the mulching for the bed is to prevent the roots getting contact with the soil and to avoid any root infection. Since we use coconut shells as media to grow anthurium plants, the termites may easily attack the coconut shells. So we are using mulching sheets to avoid all these problems.
I usually use 20 cm by 20 cm as distance between the plants when planting. It is very important that we fumigate the bed to avoid any insect and fungal infection. Then we have to moisture the bed well. So, before planting, we have to ensure that the bed has good moisture. One more thing we have to take note of is not to plant too deep inside and to plant on the top of the media. If we plant too deep inside in the initial stages, the roots will not get enough oxygen, fertiliser, water, and light. This leads to stagnated growth. We will not see good growth in plants which have roots deep inside. We have to plant them slightly on top.
Post planting beds is a very critical period as we have to take care of the plants very well. We should not give any fertiliser to the plants for 15 days after planting. Once the roots get fixed and plants start growing well, we can start the fertigation. The water management is very important in anthurium cultivation. We have to check the moisture level in the bed before we irrigate. Only then we can do the irrigation. There is a chart for fertigation which is recommended by Anthura Company, Holland. All my plants are imported from this company only. I follow most of their instructions in anthurium cultivation. In A tank, all the nitrates are there, in B tank, we can see all sulphates along with iron, boric, sodium molybdite. This is the combination for the good plant growth and flower yield in anthurium. So we can do the concentration of these in the two tanks and keep ready. Every week, we have to irrigate and supply this concentration so that all the nutrients are supplied to the plant. This is the only food we give the plant and not any other compost or vermicompost.
When we grow anthurium plants, we have to maintain the soil healthy by maintaining the pH and EC in the bed. We have to check these regularly. The EC has to be below 0.5 and pH by 7. This has to be managed when giving the fertiliser. When we are giving regular fertigation, if these two are not managed properly, the plant growth and yield may not be good. In case we see EC high in the bed, we need to wash the bed, stop fertigation, and we have to give water regularly till the EC comes under control and to the normal level.
There are many varieties of anthurium in the market – Moments, Fire Red, Pistach, and Tropical Red. Another pink variety is also there, and all these are fast moving in the market. We have to regularly prune the plants, leave only 3 leaves per plant. The other old leaves have to be removed as they will eat away the fertilisers and will not allow good yield of flowers. So keeping minimum number of leaves in the plant will help in good yield of flowers. Apart from these, we have to supply regular supply of B tank fertigation. Zinc cannot be given in drip irrigation, and so we have to supply them through micronutrition to the plants. This has to be done once n a month. We do one round of micronutrient spray and one round of fungal and insecticide mixed. We do two sprays in a month irrespective of having problem or not.
It takes a year for anthurium to give flowers, and once it starts, it flowers throughout the year. It is not like other floriculture crops. We can have the production all through the year, but it depends on the weather condition. In my farm, between June and November, it is a peak season for production, from December till March, the production dips by 40%, and from March to May, it again picks up to come to normal production in June. So there is flowering all through the year.
Every time, we harvest, we have to disinfect the scissors as it is the main source of infection. There is a proper stage for harvesting too. We may have a block full of anthurium flowers, but we cannot harvest the flowers at the same time. We have to check the maturity of the flowers, and we have to cut only the matured ones. It takes another 4 to 5 days to cut the next bunch of flowers. We cannot harvest anthuriums every day. Once the flowers are harvested, they go for cleaning. We remove all the damaged flowers, chemical stained ones, and the ones with defect. After cleaning, they go for grading. We have 6 grades of grading the anthurium flowers – mini, small, medium, large, extra-large, and jumbo. We have recommended measurements for each grade. Accordingly, we grade, separate them according to the different sizes, and send them for packing. Each bucket has the same size of flowers. First water packing is done, then we have to put the PP cover for each of them, and then they go into boxes. Each size goes into different boxes, such as medium sized flowers in one box, small into another and so on. We can pack 50 medium sized flowers in one box, and small ones will be 80 in each box. Large ones we can pack 40 in one box and so on. Each size and quantity have different pricing.
So when we do the packing, we strictly take care of the quality, remove any flower with the smallest problem, and we ensure that the presentation of packing and labelling are done properly. The flowers can retain the freshness for 8 days in a box. So once the flowers are despatched to the florist, he has 8 days to market the same. The presentation has to be good because it is directly exported or marketed to the customers from the boxes. So, compared to the other floriculture crops, anthurium packing is quite tedious as it involves skilled labour and is time consuming. Packing is the most difficult part of growing anthurium cut flowers.
What are the key factors for successful anthurium cut flower production?
It is the experience that matters. Apart from that, cleanliness, fertigation management, water management, light management, etc also matter a lot.
Are there any specific soil requirement to consider when growing anthurium cut flowers?
We initially do not use any soil at all. We use only mulching sheets to avoid the root getting contact with the soil to prevent any infection. We grow them in coconut shells. For suppling nutrients, we use the fertigation chart.
What are the main challenges in applying pest control for anthurium cut flower cultivation?
There are many challenges. Irrespective of our facing any problem, we have to spray the plants every month. Even then, if we see any insect attack, we have to do the spraying again. Compared to the other crops, anthurium does not have much insect attack. It grows under protected cultivation in polyhouses. During the winter, we do lot of fogging to maintain the humidity inside the polyhouse, and there are lot of chances for getting pest attack. We have to use all precautions to avoid this.
How long does it take typically for the anthurium flowers to reach maturity?
It takes about 7 days. That is why, in one block when we harvest flowers, it takes 5 to 6 days for the next bunch of flowers to mature. We cannot harvest anthurium flowers every day from the same block like other crops.
Are there any particular varieties of anthurium that are well suited for cut flower production?
Tropical Red is one red coloured variety which is in great demand. There are Moments, Pistach, and pink colour anthurium. Initially, we went for lot of colourful anthuriums. Now we are growing only the ones that have great demand in the market. These 3 to 4 varieties are moving fast in the market.
What is the recent approximate market price of the flowers?
We have 6 grades in anthurium flowers – mini, small, medium large, extra-large, and jumbo. Each size has different pricing.
Can you highlight the key nutrients essential for anthurium cut flower group?
The fertigation chart has all the details in it. In case somebody is not growing it commercially but only in puts, they can call us.
What care should be taken to ensure longevity of the anthurium cut flowers?
It depends on the weather conditions. During monsoon, they stay fresh for 15 days and sometimes even up to 20 days. We need to keep them in water, and the environment has to be good. We have to keep trimming the stem of the plant. Then they stay for longer time.
Can you tell about yourself, and how did you get interested in this particular field?
I am a B.A graduate from St. Agnes, Mangalore. My education has not connection with the profession at all. I wanted to create an employment for myself, and that is why I started floriculture. We live in a small village with less opportunities. So, with whatever opportunities we have, I thought this is the best thing to start. It is a flower, and I like growing flowers as it has been my passion and profession too now. I have been in this field since the last 20 years.
CONTACT:
Anitha Santhosh
Email aanita11@gmail.com