Cut Flower Bulbs

Study Cut Flower and Bulb Production Online 

This is a course designed for the flowering bulb enthusiast or commercial bulb grower interested in starting their own business for the cut flower market.

There are ten lessons in this course with loads of practical skills to get you inspired and to get you growing a wide variety of bulbs.

You will learn the basics of all good horticultural practice:  understanding of soil types, plant nutrition, management of pest and diseases, environmental management and also the various types of bulbs used for flower production. If you have always wanted to learn more about flowering bulbs and how to grow them commercially or at home, this is the place to start!

Learn how to grow bulbs as cut flowers through self-paced distance education.

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction to Cut Flower Bulb Production
2. Cultural Practices that effect the production of flowering bulbs, such as soils, nutrition, etc.
3. Flower Initiation & Development. Consideration for the affects different cultural practices can have on flower production.
4. Pest & Disease Control. various pest and disease problems are over-viewed.
5. Managing Yield, Greenhouse Culture. We look at the specific aspects of growing greenhouse crops.
6. Management, Harvest & Post Harvest
7. Gladiolus and Liliums
8. Narcissus
9. Iris
10. Other Bulbs

Aims

• Describe cultural practices for production of different cut flower bulbs and the basis of good horticultural practice: soils and soil types, plant nutrition, pest and disease management and weed control.
• Understand the initiation and development of flowers in plants with bulbs, rhizomes, tubers, corms or other specialized parts. A look at the factors affecting the flowering stages.
• Learn how to manage any pests and diseases for a crop of cut flower bulbs or in the home garden.
• Manage the quantity and quality of a crop of cut flower bulbs, both grown in the open and in a greenhouse. In this lesson we also have a good look at the various systems of growing cut flower bulbs in greenhouses and look at ways to manage the environmental conditions in them.
• Learn about the management and the harvest/post harvest of cut flower bulbs.
• Explain the production of Lilium and Gladioli cut flower crops.
• Explain the production of Narcissus cut flower crops.
• Explain the production of Iris and Gladioli cut flower crops.
• In this lesson we look at the a comparison of a variety of different cut flower bulb crops.

Work in Floriculture

Floriculture enriches the lives of millions of people every year and is an industry attractive to both scientist and artist. The term 'floriculture' is derived from Latin, and means 'to cultivate flowers'. Flowers are in demand all year round with peak requirements at special times of the year, such as for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas, and so on. Particular festivals often influence the type of flowers required e.g. red roses for Valentine’s Day.

Floriculture businesses produce fresh and dried flowers and foliage for a mixture of markets such as wholesale flower markets, florists and retail outlets, and in some cases for export. The wide range of different flowers and foliage grown can include roses, carnations, orchids, native flowers, bulb and annual flowers, and tropical flowers. Some flower farms also grow flowers in open fields for their essential oils.
Floriculture includes propagating, growing and marketing of all cut flowers, flower seeds and seedlings, bulb growing, nursery operation, chemical protection of plants, post-harvest storage and handling and use of preservatives.

A proportion of flower production takes place in greenhouses. In addition to the greenhouse production, floriculture encompasses outdoor production of herbaceous plants and flowers, and field production of cut flowers.

The International Flower Market

Cut flower production is an expanding industry worldwide. It has a great deal of export potential, and although most flower producing countries meet the domestic requirements of their cut flower markets, the home market potential in many countries could be further developed. Spending on cut flowers is stronger in some countries than others, the average Australian for example spends far less on cut flowers than say, the average German or Frenchman. 

Germany imports most of their cut flower requirements (up to 70%) with The Netherlands being the largest exporter to Germany. Japan and the United States have the largest cut flower market almost doubling that of Germany. During the later part of the 20th century, cut flower production developed rapidly. Colombia, Israel and to a lesser degree, Australia, developed export cut flower industries rapidly during this period with China and India having the largest areas under cultivation (but low yields per hectare). The Netherlands has been, and continues to be a major export market that also has a large domestic demand, the local demand almost equaling exports. Countries such as India and China although having large production areas are still in the developing stage mainly due to the low quality of exports and the financial constraints limiting imports. Colombia and Kenya export most of the cut flowers produced with only a small local market.

Being in the southern hemisphere means that some countries (e.g. Australia, South Africa, New Zealand) are able to produce out of

season flowers for the northern hemisphere where most of the world's population resides.

Why Study With Us?

• This course focuses on learning; because we recognise the importance of continually striving to improve your understanding, and the benefits it will bring to you, both now and into the future.
• We write the courses and text books used, so we have better resources to back up your learning than the average school that uses texts written by someone else
• We've been teaching this since 1979, so we have a lot of experience helping students overcome issues - just about every issue imaginable.

How Can This Course Help Me?

This course is designed to be of benefit to people who are interested in learning how to grow floer4s or bulbs on a commercial scale. It will also be of value to those who are operating an existing vegetable growing business.

Take this course if you would like to:

• Work in cut flower bulb farming.
• Work in greenhouse management of cut flower bulb production.
• Manage the production of cut flower bulbs for the commercial market.
• Maintain flowering bulbs in garden displays.
• Develop or improve your own cut flowers form bulbs business.

This course may be studied by itself or along with other 100-hour modules as part of a self-designed proficiency award, certificate or higher level qualification.