ON DISPLAY Mum varieties in the greenhouse at Yasa in October were allowed to open past the point where they could be harvested for processing and shipping, so that visitors to the farm could view them and give feedback. They included (clockwise from lower left) white Maisy, dark-eyed Oranda (like a multi-petaled, orange-tinted sunflower), peach-colored Rossano, and the radiant Eleonora Bronce, with her concentric circles of color: yellow, pink, and pale orange.
LEAVES TO BE DESIRED Healthy foliage is a point of pride at Yasa. Mum foliage is susceptible: retailers are often advised to remove all lower leaves from chrysanthemum stems, since they may turn yellow. And at many mum greenhouses, thrips and botrytis can make unsightly marks on foliage. At Yasa, mum foliage tends to be dark green and healthy, thanks in part to the relatively dry, cool climate of the Bogotá savannah. Regular feeding with vitamin B9 also helps.
reduced, since they will fly out of nearby Bogotá and don’t need to be transported first from Medellin.) More important to Ricardo and his coworkers at Yasa is the climate tradeoff: a longer growing time generally means a longer, stronger stem and a bigger bloom. Lower humidity also generally means healthier foliage, which can otherwise be vulnerable to problems with botrytis mold. SCIENCE AND STRATEGY Growing mums in the savannah means taking a different path—which includes, at Yasa, taking on the challenge of growing newer and perhaps trickier chrysanthemum varieties. But the expertise is there. Indeed—as at other flower farms producing premium quality around the world—operations at Yasa involve a level of scientific 24 www.flowersandmagazine.com
management that might surprise most retail florists and customers. With a degree in genetics, Ricardo is in charge of micro-propagation, water quality, and laboratories at Yasa. “When my father founded the farm 15 years ago, he installed sodium lights, which give the best spectrum—the nearest to natural light,” he says, as an example of the farm’s commitment to technology that provides the best quality. A top challenge, as at every flower farm, is fighting pests. The farm employs 140 workers—a fairly large number for a medium-size farm with less than 10 hectares (25 acres) of greenhouses. They are divided into teams. “We have an antithrips team,” says Ricardo, that continually monitors the greenhouses for thrips—the bane of gardeners and flower farmers, not to mention fruit and vegetable producers,
everywhere. Yasa’s strategy combines chemical pesticides and biological controls. The farm has applied for certification from Florverde Sustainable Flowers, Colombia’s program that guarantees social and environmental responsibility with participating farms, and is close to the goal, as Florverde director Ximena Franco-Villegas confirms. One thing about growing mums: generally, commercial cut-flower growers get only one stem from each plant. “After we harvest that stem, we start all over again, clean the soil, prepare the bed, and plant a new plant,” says Ricardo. While that means a continual investment, it also means a continual fresh start, and the opportunity for more new varieties—and new challenges— ahead. For more about Yasa, visit www.yasacisa.com.