Growing Roses is Harder than Growing Carnations

Pedro and I have been having information exchange sessions in order to get on the same page with regard to the methods we’re going to use to grow our roses. These sessions are usually two hours long and are held first thing in the morning. Since I’m trying to build a relationship with this man, I’m trying to steer them in the direction of the spirit of cooperation and mutual respect. It doesn’t always work out that way.

As you know, we are growing roses in three separate glasshouses. House number one, Blue Rose, is growing two varieties: Blue Girl and Julia’s Rose. House number two, Red Rose, now has Alec’s Red and Kardinal, both blazing red classic hybrid teas. Then house number three, Multi Rose, houses the plants that are going to provide us with superb, multi-colored roses called Granada and Ambience.

Growing commercially for the cut flower market is different from planting a few rose bushes in your hobby garden. First, we do it on a large scale, second, we do it indoors hydroponically, and third, we use the best planrt foods and supplements available to feed our precious plants, which hopefully will provide a lilvelihood for both of us.

We grow in the medium of coco coir, in individual buckets comprising—with a deep reservoir—three separate hydroponic systems, one for each greenhouse. All vital functions that govern the greenhouses are fully automated. However, Pedro insists that we go through with manual checking procedures several times a day.

This is a throwback to how he learned to grow roses in his family’s greenhouse operation on the island of Mallorca, off the coast of Spain. Their greenhouses are not entirely automatic, so Pedro only trusts his systems if he is able to check and recheck each minute detail manually. However, when he insists on the umpteenth check at 7pm and I’m starving and ready to go to dinner, my emotions sometimes flair and we do exchange words.

For instance, the other day we discovered a small spider mite infestation in Glasshouse Two. We had sprayed all our young rose plants with Scorpion Juice to impart to them induced systemic resistance, thus the mite attack remained inconsequential. We traced it back to one of our employees moonlighting in a rival greenhouse, where they don’t use Advanced Nutrients products to inoculate their plants.

She brought in the mites in her hair, which she neglected to put under a protective net. Needless to say, we gave her the proverbial walking papers, but the damage was done. Then we issued a warning to all of our employees, urging them to pay strict attention to sanitary procedures and reiterating the rule that visits to other growing operations are strictly forbidden.

We don’t want to assume somebody else’s pest problems. We mix our nutrient solution in pre-mix tanks the night before we pour the solutions into our main reservoirs. The potassium silicate product, Barricade, figures largely in our decision to do the mixing on the previous night. This very effective product strengthens the cell walls of our rose plants, thus fighting and warding off many insidious pathogens and pests, but it takes a long time to dissolve properly.

Because we’re using coco coir, we have to mix in Sensi Cal Mg Mix Grow in the proper quantities, in order to compensate for the Calcium depletion that is inherent in this grow medium. In addition to Magnesium, Sensi Cal Grow also has minute amounts of trace elements that enhance the feeding regimen of our roses. Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Boron, Molybdenum, and Cobalt my not be as well known as the NPK trio (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium) but they are equally important in a diet for roses.

Of course, the main part of that diet—at Pedro’s insistence—is Iguana Juice Grow. This is a 100% organic plant nutrient (NPK 3-1-3) that contains alfalfa, krill, and yucca extract, as well as earthworm castings, volcanic ash, and kelp meal, encased in a fish base, utilizing fish caught in the pristine, icy waters of the Northern Pacific Ocean.

Iguana Juice Bloom, it’s sister product for the flowering stage of our roses, has in NPK of 4-3-6, so it contains much more Phosphorus and Potassium, two elements that are vitally needed for robust bud formation. We also plan to use Colossal Bud Blast at that stage in order to ensure numerous and sizable flowers that will hopefully win awards in the flower shows that Pedro and I plan to enter.

I told Pedro that using the Advanced Nutrients bloom boosters, Bud Blood, Big Bud, and Overdrive, I managed to get outstanding results growing my carnations, and I have several shelves full of ribbons, medals, and trophies to prove it. He is a traditionalist, and is dead set against using chemicals of any kind, whether to kill bugs or feed our roses.

I tried to reason with him and told him that even from our organic fertilizer and supplements, the elements that the roses use are inorganic, thus chemical, but he wouldn’t budge. He insisted that there is a certain quality in the organics that is lacking in the synthetics and no scientist is going to prove him wrong. Misplaced Aries fire, I’d say.

Our rose plants are still young and going through their vegetative stage, so all this talk about bloom enhancing is premature. Our boilers are still generating CO2, since they had to work through the month of April. However, May is almost here, so pretty soon we’ll be switching to the bottled CO2 for growth enhancement, since the boilers are going to be set only to boil hot water and it won’t be necessary to heat the greenhouses, except on especially cold nights.

We had an argument about using conventional methods of producing cut flowers, or the pinch and bend method favored by many North American growers. This latter consists of pinching all the buds along a plant’s stem, except the main one at the tip (which Pedro agrees with), then deciding which branches are producing the largest, potentially most beautiful buds, and bending the branches bearing inferior buds back and fixing them in that position.

This bending allows the chosen buds and branches to get all the carbohydrates, even from the bent branches, but it’s a controversial technique, and European traditionalists are slow in accepting it. Pedro and I didn’t speak for two days—our argument about this was so heated—but I’m sure he’ll come around to my way of seeing things.

He better, or I just might go back to growing carnations (just kidding!).

Growing Roses Gracefully with CO2 and Calcium

The technicians who installed the three large boilers in our three glasshouses alerted us to a tangible cost savings that we weren’t aware of. The boilers use natural gas to heat the water. When they are being used to full capacity in the winter in order to heat the greenhouses, as well as provide hot water in pipes to heat the nutrient solution in our ebb and flow hydroponic rose growing operation, one of the by-products is the manufacture of CO2.

Pedro said that he was aware of that but didn’t know of any technology that was able to capture and measure this CO2 so it could be supplied to the greenhouses in the required quantities. In Spain they just vent their boilers to the outside and let the CO2 escape into the air. What a waste!

The technicians directed us to a firm that currentlymakes the required technology and it is affordable. Actually, when you do the math, it’s much less expensive than buying bottled CO2 and releasing it in the greenhouses.

Given that Ontario has long winters and that the boilers will be operating perhaps eight months out of the year, I was thrilled when Pedro used his calculator to figure out how much money we would save over bottled CO2.

Granted, we would still need to use the bottled stuff in the summer when the boilers are only used to heat a limited supply of hot water and not for central heating. But being able to capture, control, and measure the CO2 is something that we didn’t know about.

Rose varieties grown for the cut flower market are markedly different from the roses grown to help beautify your backyard. The factors that influenced our choices as to which varieties to grow are abundance of flowers, stem length, bud shape and size, vase life, disease resistance, color, and fragrance.

In addition to Alec’s Red in Glasshouse B, Pedro suggested growing Kardinal, a medium-sized classic shaped red rose with a velvety texture. “Are you sure?” I asked, since my research indicated that this rose was the rage perhaps ten years ago, but since then has been superseded by six or seven other varieties.

Pedro stuck to his guns, since he said that people never get tired of a classic. Besides, it is long lasting in a vase and perfect for Valentine’s Day! So now we’re growing half Alec’ Red and half Kardinal in Glasshouse B, which is our Red Rose glasshouse.

Glasshouse A, nicknamed Blue Rose, is growing Blue Girl and Julia’s Rose, which are both long stemmed and classic in shape, while glasshouse C, Multi Rose, has the vibrant, exciting Granada and Ambience. The latter is highly recommended for glasshouse growing by the University of California at Davis.

Kardinal, by the way, is a Hybrid Tea Rose that is rumored “never to get Black Spot, is highly resistant to Mildew, and lasts a very long time in the vase,” according to a rose expert, whose opinion I respect. Pedro says that Kardinal was developed by a German company that specializes in disease-resistant hybrids.

Of course, Pedro and I made sure that all our new arrivals were duly sprayed with Scorpion Juice, in order to impart an induced systemic resistance against major pathogens and pests, anyway. No use taking chances where invasive threats to our roses’ health are concerned.

Barricade is a weekly ingredient in our nutrient mix, which at present is headlined by Iguana Juice Grow, blended with Organic B, the three Grandma Enggy’s supplements (Humic and Fulvic Acid and Seaweed Extract), as well as Piranha, Tarantula, and Voodoo Juice in order to strengthen the roots of our roses.

Barricade strengthens the cell walls of the rose molecules and thus helps ward off the main threats to rose production today, i.e. Powdery Mildrew, Two-spotted Spider Mites, and Western Flower Thrips. The Rose Mosaic Virus, which used to be a major threat, has largely been handled by the nurseries, which sell only RMV-free certified stock.

University of California researchers have recently discovered a group of ladybug beetles that feed on the fungus that causes Powdery Mildew. We’re in communication with this university, to see when these ladybugs might be commercially available.

The predator mite, Persimillis, is already available as an effective bio control of Spider Mites. Many strawberry growers in California use it in their Integrated Pest Management program.

Blue sticky tape throughout the greenhouse attracts and traps Western Flower Thrips. Most insects are attracted to the colour yellow, but it seems that thrips are different.

Common sense sanitary procedures go a long way toward preventing fungal, bacterial, viral, and insect infestations in our valuable crop.

We have the highest standards where cleanliness of ourselves and our staff is concerned. Outdoor clothing, which might have microorganisms or insect spores or larvae attached, is left outside and people’s hair must be washed frequently and covered with nets, if too long.

We have installed fine mesh screens on all vent openings and the area surrounding the greenhouses has been thoroughly weeded before we started the operation. A weed or an unwanted bush next to the door of your greenhouse could house a colony of unwanted insects, such as Mites or White Flies.

Calcium is essential for healthy flowers, especially roses, so we add Sensi Cal Mg Mix Grow to our nutrient solution. Almost 7% of this very effective Advanced Nutrients product is made up of Calcium, in five different forms.

The easily absorbable and pharmaceutical grade Amino Chelated Calcium is at the top of the list, but Calcium Acetate, Calcium Chelate, Calcium EDTA, and Calcium Proteinate make sure that this essential mineral is available for the benefit of our roses, along with a whole list of micronutrients in synergistic balance.

Calcium is essential for the absorption of Phosphorus and Potassium by our roses. Magnesium, the other major ingredient in Sensi Cal, is essential for the absorption of Calcium. It’s amazing how interconnected things are in the plant world!

Even though Calcium is listed as a secondary macronutrient (after Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium), it is vital for plant growth and the formation of crisp, distinct buds and blooms on our roses.

Jill & Pedro's Hydro Roses officially opens

Last week the glazed glass arrived from the New York factory, so the workmen have been working in a feverish frenzy to finish for our grand opening yesterday, April 4th!

I knew that Pedro wanted the three huge glasshouses finished in time for his birthday, and they were—in the nick of time. Pedro was born on April 4th. He’s a fiery Aries, someone who is passionate about life and is very actively accomplishing his goals.

He was disappointed that his parents could not come to the opening from Mallorca, due to ill health, but his brother and three cousins were here and congratulated us on our new enterprise.

His brother is due to take over the Mallorca greenhouses, so he toured our facilities with great interest. It seems that their operation in Spain isn’t as automated as our state-of-the-art rose growing facilities here in Mississauga.

Every aspect of our rose production is computer-controlled. A light sensor measures the lumens and the micromoles per meter and adjusts the bank of HID lights accordingly. During the summer, if the sun gets too hot midday, the computer will close built in shades over the glazed glass, to keep our roses from burning.

Our banks of lights operate on tracks, so they can be pulled to the side when not needed. In the winter, three large water boilers take care of heating our greenhouses through an intricate system of radiator pipes. Hot and cold water pipes also run under our ebb and flow hydroponic system reservoirs, to make sure that the nutrient solution is at an optimum temperature at all times.

We also have a superb ventilation system built into each greenhouse, with the option to switch over to air conditioning if global warming gets any worse and such intense cooling is required. Right now these huge, super quiet in-line fans handle the cooling, bringing in (hopefully) cooler air from the outside and getting rid of stale air from inside our greenhouses.

Instead of heat-producing, propane-burning CO2 generators, we made a deal with a company to provide compressed CO2 in large, metal cylinders equipped with timers that release just the right parts per million into the greenhouse air, that matches the ppm of our nutrient solution.

We took delivery of our first large shipment of Hybrid Tea Roses grafted onto disease resistant rootstocks. In glasshouse A, nicknamed Blue Rose, we will be growing Blue Girl and Julia’s Rose. In glasshouse B, Red Rose, we’ll be growing nothing but Alec’s Red. In Glasshouse C, Multi Rose, we have started growing Granada and Ambience.

It will take a few days to have the operation jump into high gear. We have hired some expert technicians and horticulturalists, who take pride in their work and in our goals of producing the most beautiful, fragrant, marketable roses in Mississauga.

Each glasshouse measures 125 feet by 40 feet, giving us 6000 square feet of workspace. A thousand of that is taken up by the processing room and all the equipment, so 5000 square feet is covered with a 2000-bucket hydroponic system. Each rose bush will occupy 2.25 square feet, leaving room for aisles between the ebb and flow tables.

Our bucket system is adjustable. Pedro was worried that some of the plants might get bushier so they will perhaps need more than the 2.25 square feet allotted at present. We’ll just remove a bucket here, a bucket there, and allow for the individuality in size. But the bigger bushes better produce many more marketable blooms, or else!

There was a big delivery from Advanced Nutrients, with a truckload of products designed to feed our roses the best organic nutrients available in today’s market. Iguana Juice Grow and Bloom will be our base fertilizer, augmented by Organic B, the purest, most effective B vitamin available, and the three Grandma Enggy products that made Pedro swear that Grandma Enggy was Spanish.

Her Humic Acid, Fulvic Acid, and Seaweed Extract arrived in large containers, and will be added to every new batch of nutrient solution that we mix up for our three reservoirs. Pedro couldn’t make up his mind between Carbo Load Liquid or Powder, so he looked both of them up in the Advancedpedia.

“They’re identical in what they do, but the Liquid is easier to use and it dissolves quicker, so we’ll buy that, even though it’s more expensive,” said my fifty-fifty business partner and I hardly had a say in the matter.

“Carbo Load will ensure that our rose plants will have an adequate supply of carbohydrates for the flower building stage, when the size of the blooms are determined by the plants,” explained Pedro, when he saw that I wasn’t too pleased with his arbitrary decision.

“Don’t the plants produce sugars on their own?” I asked naively. “Yes, but through photosynthesis it’s a time consuming process. It takes six molecules of water coupled with six molecules of carbon dioxide, to produce only one molecule of sugar and six molecules of oxygen. So you see our roses will need a boost when they’re ready to bloom.”

I smiled and gave in, just like I agreed to the glazed glass, instead of plastic cover for our greenhouses. Pedro has so much passion that his enthusiasm is contagious. I also read on the Advanced Nutrients website that Carbo Load helps nourish the beneficial fungi, bacteria, and microbes in Piranha, Tarantula, and Voodoo Juice. We just received a huge supply of these root colonizers.

“Don’t forget to use these half strength,” I reminded Pedro, who has been writing enthusiastic e-mails back to Spain about all the wonderful Advanced Nutrients products that have produced such outstanding results for some of the rose growers in Mississauga that we have visited.

I forgot to mention that we’ve done the rounds of rose growers in the area, hoping to get pointers about local market conditions and horticultural tips from people who have been growing roses for a long time. Most of them were impressed with our plans and were keen to hear all about the Advanced Nutrients products that we’re planning to use.

This all happened so fast that my head is spinning, but I consider myself lucky to have met such a wonderful man who shares my passion for growing and selling beautiful flowers.