“Unfortunately, although there is a wealth of information on surface-litter input from plants, we are still remarkably ignorant of the quality and quantity of below-ground inputs.”
Sea Breeze Florals | Port Moody, British Columbia
Enhance dahlia resistance to pests and diseases.
This case study examines the efforts of a Port Moody-based business, Sea Breeze Florals, that specializes in growing and selling cut dahlias to the public and retail flower shops.
Supporting the plant's health has been our vision from the beginning, and we are proud to say that it is paying off. By focusing on what we want to manage rather than what we want to eliminate, we have seen an increase in the free flow of ideas. This year, Melissa leads the charge in building a thermophilic compost and implementing soil-building techniques to continue supporting her strong, healthy flowers.
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December 2021 - Ongoing
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Dahlias and various mixed flower species
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< 1 ac.
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• Plants were highly susceptible to thrips, aphids and viral pathogens such as dahlia mosaic virus (DMV). The latter caused symptoms such as mosaic, chlorotic spots, generalized chlorosis of leaves, systemic chlorosis, deformation of newly emerged foliage, and stunting.
• Weak plant stems resulted in poor production and business sales.
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Since Melissa and I began collaborating and concentrating on enhancing her soil for more robust dahlias, we have seen:
• Dramatic improvement in the plant's ability to resist thrips and aphids.
• Improvement in stem strength resulting in extended vase life compared to those grown conventionally.
• Plants exhibited resilience against viral pathogens through the defence mechanisms inherent in their immune system. The virus' presence had no discernible impact on the plant's growth, vigour, and blooming capabilities.
• Melissa expanded her business by incorporating new flower species, allowing her to extend her growing season and provide clients with a broader range of options.
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There is a need to identify strategies that will reduce labour and effort in incorporating the new practice while concurrently ensuring superior results.
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• Field observations.
• Seasonal testing of soil biological community using the Core Package Analysis offered by RootShoot Soils.
• Melissa's clients' testimonials and anecdotes.
dinner plate dahlia
beautiful petals
looks like a soft, comfortable pillow
smush your face against this one
bees and pacific tree frogs love hiding in these types of petals