Carnation planting procedures and production techniques

The botanical name of Carnation is Dianthus Spp; it belongs to the family  Caryophyllaceae

Varieties: Standard Types -  Killer, Malaga, Delphi, Madame Colette, Varna, Solar, Lady Green

Spray Types: Estimade, Indira, Vera, Durago, Amore, Kiss Siga

Soil and Climate: Well drained and Red loamy soil with the pH of 6 is most suitable. Temperature should be within the range of 250C - 270C.

Season: Throughout the year as it is cultivated under controlled conditions.

Propagation and Planting: Plantlets/suckers – 5-10 cm terminal cuttings treated with NAA at 500 ppm for 5 minutes. Cuttings are dipped in Carbendazim 2g/lit. solution. Raised beds at 3 feet width and 45 cm height are formed at 45 cm interval and planting is done on top of the bed at 15 x 15 cm spacing.

Growing condition - Day temperature - 20-250C Night temperature - 10-150C

Critical photoperiod - 13 hours

RH - 50-60%

Irrigation: Irrigation @ 4-5 lit/m2

/day is provided with drip system once in 2-3 days according to soil moisture to maintain water holding capacity at 60% to 65%.

Manuring: Basal : Neem cake 2.5 ton/ha. Phosphorus 400 g/100 sq.feet, Magnesium sulphate

0.5 kg/100 sq.feet.

Top dressing: Calcium Ammonium Nitrate + MOP at 5:3 ratio is mixed and applied @ 2.5 g/plant/month.

Plant Protection

1. Red spider mite - Plant varieties having straight and flat leaves Spray dicofol 18.5 EC @ 2 ml/lit or wettable sulphur 50 WP 3 g/lit.

2. Thrips - Spray dimethoate 30 EC 1 ml/lit or malathion 50 EC 2 ml/lit or fenitrothion 50 EC 2 ml/lit

3. Nematode - Carbofuran 7-8 kg/ha is applied at the time of planting

4. Leaf spot - Spray Carbendazim or Mancozeb 2 g/lit.

5. Blight - Spray Mancozeb @ 2.5 g/ litre.

6. Wilt

7. Root rot

Season of Flowering development and Harvest: Starts after 4 months of planting and continued upto one and half years. Daily harvest is made leaving bottom 5 nodes of stalk to facilitate side

shoot development. To keep the stalk erect, 4 – 5 stage stocking is provided.

Post harvest Treatment: Citric acid is added to water to make the pH 4.5 to 5 and 5 mg of Sodium hypochloride is added to 1 litre of water. Cut flower stalk is soaked in this solution for 4 - 5 hours to improve vase life.

Grading: Based on stem thickness, stem length and quality of flower grading is done as A, B,C,D

Yield: 8 Stalks/plant/year.