Blackout (horticulture)
A blackout is used in the greenhouse the control of the flower induction of plant crops. In the practice, entire greenhouse units or individual tables are covered with opaque film and the day length for the plant is shortened.
There are plants that react to the length of the day when their flower systems develop. There are so-called short - day plants, long - day plants and day-neutral plants . Artificial darkening of short-day plants during the summer months means that short-day plants bloom earlier than would be the case due to the naturally decreasing day length. The time of sale of a plant can therefore be controlled in terms of time if the reaction time, the time from the beginning of the darkening to the formation of the flower buds, is known.
Examples of important controlled crops in which an earlier flowering time is achieved by darkening are poinsettias and chrysanthemums .
Darkening also makes sense if the days are short enough, but there is a risk of "stray light". Stray light is a light source that interrupts the night and prevents flower induction in short-day plants. Moonlight or a street lamp can already have a disturbing effect.
See also
Appointment culture
frigo plants
Individual evidence
- ↑ Garden chrysanthemums in comparison ( Memento of the original from July 26, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Bavarian State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture.
