CUTTING, STORING, PACKING—Cont. 
Long-term cut flower storage is possible with carnations. Fischer reported that carnations stored in a 
moisture proof container for four weeks at 31° F. had a post storage keeping quality of 7 days. The 
greatest application of long-term storage may come in storing carnations several weeks or a month in 
order to meet heavy seasonal demands. Completely line corrugated boxes with cellophane or polethylene, 
pack the flowers as is the practice today, seal over the top of the cellophane to complete the moisture 
proof atmosphere and refrigerate at 31°. Other ideas include the storage of flowers in large metal or 
waxed drums. For further information send for Cornell Extension Bulletin 853, “Commercial Storage of 
Cut Flowers”, published by the New York State College of Agriculture, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. 
Carnations are extremely sensitive to ethylene gas. Small amounts of the gas in the atmosphere produce 
sleepiness in the flowers. To avoid this hazard observe the following rules: 
1. Keep the storage box and the containers clean, never permitting any old, decayed or diseased 
flowers, stems or foliage to accumulate. They may give off ethylene gas. 
2. Never store fruits, vegetables or arborvitae foliage in the same box. They give off ethylene 
gas. 
3. Be certain that coal gas and fumes from leaky gas pipes and burners never reach the flowers 
in storage, 
DISEASES AND THEIR CONTROL 
FOLIAGE DISEASES 
There are three foliage diseases: Alternaria Blight and Branch Rot, Rust and Bacterial Leaf Spot: 
ALTERNARIA BLIGHT AND BRANCH ROT 
SYMPTOMS:  Alternaria blight and branch rot probably occurs wherever carnations are grown and is 
most serious on plants that have been grown in the field. This is an external disease and the 
symptoms appear on stems, leaves and occasionally on the flowers. Tiny purple spots are the first 
symptoms of the disease on the leaves, and later on the spots enlarge until a light brown, dead 
shrunken place appears in the center. Branches of the plant are usually infected at the nodes 
where they girdle the stem or branch, causing it to die. Brown spots later become black, as spores 
of the fungus appear on the surface. 
The main source of infection occurs in the cutting bench. The fungus apparently does not live over 
in the field. The disease is spread from plant to plant in water during syringing operations or by 
splashing water in the field. The spores land on leaf surfaces, germinate and enter through stomata. 
Infection takes most rapidly about 70° F, and free water must be present for at least 8 to 10 hours. 
CONTROL: Year around inside culture with careful watering is the best preventive measure. For those 
who continue to grow out-of-doors, in addition to sanitation and other good cultural methods a reg- 
ular weekly spraying of Bordeaux Mixture with a good wetting agent should be applied. Dimock 
has reported that Orthocide 406 was very effective in the control of Alternaria Blight. When field 
culture is practiced, it is advisable to rebench as early as possible. 
14 
