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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] premature flowering

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  • From: "Shoemaker, William H" <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] premature flowering
  • Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2012 13:23:07 +0000

Karen

 

Did you have any unusual cold snaps during this period? It sounds like it was Winter anyway, so you clearly had shorter daylength, though in your region it wouldn't be as extreme as for most of us. Light can be important in triggering flowering, but it usually relates to daylength in plants which have reached a certain stage of development and only in some species. The crops you mention have different mechanisms for normal triggering of flowering. Amaranth, for example, is usually sensitive to daylength. We don't see it flower much here until Late July/August, but by September 2-leaf seedlings will flower. Cabbage is a biennial but can flower once it receives a certain chilling requirement, so many hours below a threshold temperature, usually around 45F.

 

On the other hand, many plants have mechanisms that allow flower induction under stress, such as drought, or a sudden flash of extreme cold. An example is "buttoning" of cauliflower. If transplants are set out early here and get exposed to freezing conditions, it can trigger a shift in the plant and they will produce a head. But because they are just transplants the heads are about the size of a quarter.

 

Your climate is so different, its hard for me to speculate, but because its happening to so many diverse species, I tend to think it is an unusual event that stressed the plants. Sunspot activity? Seems a little extreme, but sounds like it was an extreme incident. Sorry I can't be more helpful, but it'll probably take a little detective work by someone more familiar with your circumstances.

 

Bill

William H. Shoemaker

University of Illinois, Crop Sciences

St Charles Horticulture Research Center

535 Randall Road, St Charles, IL  60174

630-584-7254, wshoemak AT illinois.edu


From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] on behalf of Roots Farm [karen AT rootsfarm.info]
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2012 7:57 AM
To: Market Farming Community Farming
Subject: [Market-farming] premature flowering

We and other Dominican growers have been experiencing an "epidemic" of premature flowering across many plant families -- brassicas, amaranth, cucurbits, cilantro, lettuce, many more -- for past 6 months or so.  Period included prolonged rainy season, sudden (as usual) dry season but with less than usual back & forth transition time.  Premature flowering in both rainy and dry times.  Have planted all these before at similar times of year, other conditions roughly equivalent.  Probably too early for most of you, but wondering if southernmost growers have experienced similar.  Bill, others, what might be different that could be triggering such suicidal flowering (many plants too small/too young to mature seed)?  Sun flares?  Wireless communications?  Other?

Thanks and all best wishes,

Karen

Roots Farm Organic Produce
Fruits, Roots, Vegetables & Herbs
Cochrane, DOMINICA
767-449-3038 (before 7 P.M.)




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