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signals the break of dormancy. Commercial harvesting of onions is carried out when the foliage is down but still green. Harvesting at this stage provides better storage and avoids staining and the splitting and shedding of skins that is associated with later harvesting. Early harvesting is only possible where there are facilities for fast and efficient drying. The amateur gardener is not likely to need to store cut flowers, but more general methods of extending the vase life of flowers from the garden or from retail stores may be relevant. Cutting flowers at the bud stage may be appropriate for flowers such as roses and gladioli. Flowers should be handled carefully and placed in fresh clean water, preferably distilled, with leaves removed from stem sections below the water level. There is no advantage in a depth of water greater than 10-15 cm. Commercial preservative treatments should be used where available and excessively warm dry atmospheres should be avoided. Wherever possible practical advice has been provided on the storage of fruits and vegetables that might be grown by the amateur gardener. In addition there are many other procedures used by commercial growers and also described in this chapter that may provide the more adventurous amateur with a basis for experimentation. One of the joys of gardening is to keep experimenting, learning from one's failures and rejoicing in one's successes.
Science and the Garden
FURTHER READING Blanpied, G.D., Bartsch, J.A. & Hicks, J.R. (eds) (1993) Proceedings from the Sixth International Controlled Atmosphere Research Conference. Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Fidler, I.C., Wilkinson, B.G., Edney, K.L. & Sharpies, R.O. (1973) The Biology of Apple and Pear Storage. Research Review No. 3, Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau, Slough. Hardenburg, R.E., Watada, A.E. & Wang, C.Y. (1986) The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stocks. USDA, Agriculture Handbook No. 66. lohnson, D.S. (1999) Controlled atmosphere storage of apples in the UK. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Effect of Preharvest and Postharvest Factors on Storage of Fruit. Acta Horticulturae, 485, 187-93. Kays, S.J. (1991) Postharvest Physiology of Perishable Plant Products. Chapman & Hall, London. MAFF (1979) Refrigerated storage of fruit and vegetables. Reference Book 324, The Stationery Office, London. Roberts, J.A. & Tucker, G.A. (eds) (1985) Ethylene and Plant Development. Butterworths, London. Seymour, G. B., Taylor, J. E. & Tucker, G A. (eds) (1993) Biochemistry of Fruit Ripening. Chapman & Hall, London. Shewfelt, R.L. & Bruckner, B. (eds) (2000) Fruit and Vegetable Quality: An Integrated View. Technomic Publishing Company Inc, Pennsylvania. Wills, R., McGlasson, B., Graham, D. & loyce, D. (1998) Postharvest: An Introduction to the Physiology & Handling of Fruit, Vegetables & Ornamentals, 4th edn. CAB International, Oxford.