Horticulture :: Flower Crops

Horticulture :: Flower Crops :: Golden rod

GOLDEN ROD (Salidago Canadensis)
Asteraceae

Varieties
Ballardi, Golden Gate, Golden Wing, Monte D’ oro, Monte Solo, Peter Pan, Straehlen Krone, Super and Tara Gold.

Soil and climate
Sandy loam and red loam soils with proper drainage are more suitable. It can be grown under varied climatic condition while the cooler climate gives high quality cut flower.

Season
The crop can be cultivated throughout the year.

Propagation and Planting
Propagation is achieved through division of clusters or suckers. Soil is ploughed to fine tilth and flat beds are formed. The slips are then planted at 45 x 45 cm spacing.

Irrigation
Irrigation is done normally once in three days to keep the soil always wet and to induce profuse stalk production.

Local type

Manuring
NPK at the rate of 140 : 175 : 150 kg/ha. + 5 t FYM/ha is applied as basal and half of the dose is applied after every harvest.

Aftercultivation
Hand weeding is done as and when required.

Plant protection

Pests
Lace bugs: Spray Malathion @ 1 ml/l.

Diseases
Powdery mildew: Spray Wettable Sulphur 2g/l or Azoxystrobin @ 1m/l.

Leaf Spot: Spray Copper Oxychloride 3g/l or Hexaconazole @1ml/lor Mancozeb @ 2g/l.

Root rot: Soil drenching with Carbendazim @ 1g/l.
Harvesting
First harvest                    : 75 days after planting.
Harvesting stage             : When 25 % of the flowers have opened.
Crop duration                  : 2 years.

Season of flowering and Harvesting
First harvest is made after 75th day of planting and continued daily for 30 days. This practice is repeated continuously for 2 years.

Yield
An average yield of 3 lakhs stems/crop/ha can be obtained.

Source
1.http://www.extension.iastate.edu/NR/rdonlyres/3F9AFBDA