When using the second method, drag along the rows, On the height 80 cm knitting needles, which we attach to the gates. Stick a wire with a diameter vertically into the ground next to each plant 4 mm and height 1,20 m and we tie it to a wire stretched along the rows. We put wire circles with a diameter of 15-20 cm on the vertical wires. As the cloves grow, we add more circles.
Since, when plants begin to produce flower buds, Every dozen or so days, we check and lightly press the finger to remove the side buds and break the side shoots, protruding from the upper part of the flower stalk.
The daily procedure is to ventilate the greenhouse, to make the temperature especially at night, keep at about 8-10 °. Water the cloves abundantly in spring and summer, and then in autumn and winter, when the earth is dry. When the earth's surface is slightly crusted, loosen it as shallow as possible, so as not to damage the roots located just below the surface of the earth. During this operation, we remove all dried and infected lower leaves.
In the spring, in the first decade of March and April, we fertilize the cloves, applying on 1 m2 100-150 g of the following mixture: 1 kg of ammonium sulfate, 3 kg superphosphate i 1 kg of potassium sulfate.
Cloves grown in peat every three weeks are fertilized with the following mixture for each 100 m2: 1,4 kg of ammonium nitrate, 2,5 kg of potassium sulfate i 1,4 kg superphosphate.
In the period from November to the end of January, nitrogen fertilization is reduced to 0,7 or 0,5 kg of ammonium nitrate.
The second year of cultivation. Cloves planted in the greenhouse in June, they usually stay there for two years. After a year, the cloves need to be trimmed. Shoots with buds larger than a pea, we leave, because they will develop in a month or so. Shoots with weak buds, and those, which buds have not yet developed at all, trim over 6-7 knots. The youngest shoots, those that would be suitable for cuttings, we do not shorten at all. Further beauty treatments are the same as in the first year, With this difference, that we nourish the plants more abundantly.
Growing in pots. Sometimes the cloves are grown in pots. This method is more troublesome, because it requires 2-3 times planting into pots, first in diameter 10 cm, then 12-13 cm, and finally to 18 cm. In the absence of a sufficient number of greenhouses, this method allows for the cultivation of cloves in rotation with other plants, e.g. tomatoes.
Cutting and packing flowers. If the cloves for the beds were planted in June, the first flowers appear in October, but they bloom most profusely in spring, when there are more sunny days.
The most appropriate time to cut the flowers is in the early morning, only the fully developed flowers are cut, or at least half developed. Cloves cut in buds, especially the hard ones, they develop and hold worse.
It is recommended to periodically sterilize the knife in a formalin solution with soap. We sort the flowers on 4 following selections:
extra - with well-developed flowers, open, straight stems, length 60 cm;
And the choice - about flowers as above, but the stems are shorter, length 50 cm;
2nd choice - about flowers in half-open buds, length stalks 40 cm;
3rd choice - stems 25-30 cm long.
Curved or arched stems reduce the quality of the goods by one choice. Unformed flowers with infested leaves are sold without selection.
The cloves intended for transport are packed in cardboard boxes adjusted to the length of the stems. Cardboards are lined with paper, on which the cut flowers are placed next to each other, stairway, so that the top of the petals of the next row touches the base of the flowers of the previous row. After arranging 3 For rows, translate the layer with tissue paper and then place it in this way, so that the flowers are facing the other way. When packing, we pay close attention to the stiffening of the stems; for this purpose, we put 2-3 rolls of paper across the cardboard on the stalks. Fill the cardboard box with cloves arranged with crumpled paper and close it. In summer - to protect against wilting - we cover the cardboard boxes with parchment paper, in winter - for protection against frost - lignin.