Production is improving

Despite the continual overcast days. Gerberas need sun to promote the blooming, but with none it really does slows them down. We are getting better production, but the stems are shorter, and it is not as much fun to pick them!

I spent a lot of time thinning out the copious leaves that have grown. The plants are very healthy and produce many leaves that occlude the sun/light from the crown of the plant. Also some flowers find it difficult or impossible to find their way up to the top of the plant.

It is distressing to find a flower with curly stem caught under the dense green matter. Some just give up and die, and the remnants can be found as one "deleafs" the plants.

The sun is out!

It has been many days since the sun has been shining all day, like it is today. When we woke this morning and found a blue cloudless sky we were a little buoyed. Perhaps, just perhaps there will be enough sunshine over the next few days to help the flowers bloom again.

It is frustrating and embarrassing that we do not have the flowers to supply our customers. We are of course not the only growers to suffer in this way, so we all long for some warm sunshine, and some growth spurts in the hot house.