KMS University Best-in-Class Flower Handling! Facts, Challenges and Rx Gay Smith

1. KMS University Best-in-Class Flower Handling! Facts, Challenges and Rx Gay Smith Chrysal Technical Consulting Manager 2013

2. Topics: What affects shrink? Prep – “measure twice, cut once”Temperature  Sanitation  Solutions  Bucket polishing  Grooming Creativity is everybody’s business Smart vocabulary – to be more compelling

3. Display Cooler Set Point 38F-- 42F Take home temperature info for members~  Store flowers in coolest location in house  Don’t put them in the kitchen fridge  NEVER put flowers in the freezer  Use cold water when mixing food for vase

4. What takes the biggest bite from profits? Bacteria &  Botrytis Sanitation is key to resolving (controlling) both problems

5. Botrytis spores need water to start developing

6. Frequent sanitation Sharp, clean tools Keep blooms dry Handle with Care--bruising & wounding predisposes flowers to infection Resist non-stop grooming Bacteria and Botrytis Defense Botrytis infection Bacteria filled water

7. SANITATION Impossible to over-clean buckets or over- sanitize tools: Bucket cleaning--last step = a final mist of RTU cleaner bucket Dip brooms in cleaner solution No trash filled buckets or funky water left on back stock carts

8. Germs --- never sleep Where Bacteria & Botrytis Thrive • In under-dosed bucket solutions • Cooler floors & walls • Green trash on carts & old buckets • Tools, dust pans, rags, broom bristles • Dirty aprons • Trash cans

9. Chrysal Leaf Shine Concentrate Easy to shine proconas a) Shake bottle of concentrate b) Dilute concentrate 1:10 1 part concentrate to 10 parts water c) Wipe away dirt & spots from outer surface of procona buckets (soft cloth) d) OK to dump used solution into drain

10. Demystifying Solutions • What’s the advantage of using flower food? • Why the correct dose matters • What’s behind the fascination of home brews

11. Flowers gotta drink!!

12. Flower Food-- What’s in that stuff?? • Acidifiers: Lower the pH of tap water Dissolve air bubbles in stems Boost flow • Clarifiers keep pollution in check • Nutrients (glucose) energy for opening and holding in vase

13. The delicate vascular systems of flower stems traps 90% of the gunk in the bottom 1 inch of the stem

14. Do the right thing • Get the dose right • Quick transfers into bucket after cut • Top-up w/ fresh solution • Never consolidate used solutions • No ice • DRY, Dry, dry

15. Busting urban myths Aspirin Bleach Pennies Vodka Vinegar Sugar 7UP Boiling water

16. Myth busters: • Flower food clogs stems • Add a little each day • Flower food burns foliage • Vase solution needs to be changed every other day • Home brews work as well as the packets • Mix packets with warm water • Doesn’t matter if you give stems a fresh cut or not • Only / always cut on an angle • Flower food is poisonous • Vodka keeps tulips upright • Add Ice

17. Too much of a good thing can be wonderful!― Mae West 3 per procona, 1 per atlas When it comes to flower food use, OVER-dosing is far better than under-dosing

19. BEST PRACTICES for Prep • Set up buckets with COLD water • Over-dosing is far better than under-dosing • 1/3 fill level Botrytis pressure • No Daffs in same bucket with other blooms • Quick transfers! Stems start to heal fast • Don’t combine old solutions with fresh • Top-up arrangements with flower food, not H2O • Needle nose watering can to fill arrangements

20. Are you a Stripper?…a peeler…a bit heavy-handed? Shifting gears: Flower Handling

21. Educating Ourselves 1. When is it OK to strip foliage? 2. When’s the right time to out a product? 3. How do I make that judgment? 4. How can I identify Botrytis on …? 5. What flowers are in what family? example: are Alstroes in the lily family?

22. Educating Ourselves • When is it OK to strip foliage? • When it’s bruised or Botrytis spotted • When is the right time to out a product? How do I make that judgment? • Would I buy it for my mom? • How can I identify Botrytis on…? • Shake the bunch. Infected florets fall off calyx. Spots are beige-ish. Remove a petal, and hold to the light- are compromised all way through • 4. What flowers are in what family? • Lots of common names give confusing cross-over references.

23. BEST PRACTICES– working the cooler • Are you guilty of constantly peeing? • Keep blooms dry to reduce Botrytis • Pressure. Remove Botrytis—it spreads Spray hydrangeas with Leaf Shine ready to use • Step up solution changes for tinted anything • Quick transfers when restocking • Keep an eye on the thermostat

24. Answering Member Cooler Questions • How long does it last? • 2. Why would I want to buy this one over that one? • 3. Why do the roses look open? • 4. How do I make it last at home? • 5. How often should I cut the stems? • 6. What flower is related to what

25. Rose INFO Bytes 1. Most varieties have a minimum of 30 petals The more petals in the bud structure, the more open the cut needs to be to ensure bloom performs 2. Roses need food to open and hold in the vase • Roses don’t open for 2 reasons: a) bloom is cut too tight b) something (likely bacteria) is blocking flow • No home brew works as well as commercial flower food • No solution makes a bad flower good

26. BEST PRACTICES for Member success at home • Start with clean vase • Use the food--it prolongs life by +50% • Remind to give each stem a fresh cut • Tell what quantity of water to use with food packet Information prevents DISAPOINTED MEMBERS

27. Member Success --Gerberas • Start with a clean vase. Mix flower • food in 1 qt water, but don’t fill • vase more than ¼ full. • Gerberas last longer in shallow solution. 2. Cut 1” off every stem. Sharp knife 3. Add 1 drop of bleach to the flower food in the vase at home 4. Toss water and start fresh every 3-4 days. Fresh cut Gerbs are super-sensitive to pollution

28. Member success at homeWhen roses won’t open … 1. Start over 2. Empty and wash vase with soap 3. Use plastic or glass liner in metal containers 4. Fill with cold flower food 5. Cut 1+ inch off every stem with clean knife 6. Immediately place in fresh food solution 7. Display away from drafts and/or sun

29. TELL CUSTOMERS WHY TO BUY

30. USP’s (Unique selling points) Blooms that dry well-upside down in airy, dry area Protea Gyp Colored roses Bear grass Hydrangeas Fragrant blooms Tuberoses Freesia (some varieties) Oriental lilies Peonies, some roses Daffs Bells of Ireland Lilac

31. MORE USP’s Bullet proof: last more than 10days Lilies (Orientals last longer than Asiatics) Carns, mini carns Alstroe Flowers with History Chrysanthemums –symbol of royalty in both Chinese & Japanese dynasties Roses—Cleopatra strewn bed with petals Reagan declared it a American emblem along with the bald eagle and the flag Green carns--Catholic Irish celebrating St Paddy Day famously worn by Oscar Wilde Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes. O Wilde

32. USP’s … flowers are interesting!! Color and Culture Red--good luck Chinese culture White -- sympathy Chinese, purity, innocence Yellow—Lady of Guadalupe Purple—color of Easter Blue—Jewish holidays because Israeli is blue/whiet Sentimental Journey blooms Roses Hydrangeas Dahlias Peonies Carnations Daffs Pussy willows

33. Have fun with color descriptions

34. Flower-friendly Vocabulary~ ____Yes___________No_________ Fragrance odor Strip rip Spray carns, chrysanths, poms, minis Cut point too tight, blown Foliage leaves (more elegant) Florets little flowers Succulent stems juicy stems Vascular or plumbing system (describing flow in stems) Flower food preservative Botrytis rotten, bad, spots Black petal margins burned tips Ruffled petal margins wrinkled petals Bi-color two tone Baby’s Breath gyp Intriguing, mysterious weird, odd

35. What’s in a name? Lilies: Oriental, Asiatic lilies. Does not include Callas, alstroemeria or lily of the valley Roses: Hybrid Teas, spray roses, garden roses Does not include Tuberoses, Dianthus family--Carns, minis, Baby’s breath, Sw. William Chrysanths--single blooms, multi, various flower shapes, colors, sizes. Foliage is key identifier Statice & Limonium--cousins. Asters: Meteor & Matsumotos, filler asters--kissing cousins Protea--huge family--many shaped blooms

36. Conclusions: Best Practices • Working clean reduces shrink • Measure when mixing to get full results • Plan ahead—quick transfers • Don’t combine old solutions with fresh • Keep petals dry • Top-up arrangements with fresh T-bag solution, not H2O • Avoid over-peeling

37. Thank-you!