Q is for Quito: To Love and Be Loved

Yesterday was long, drawn out and hot. I walked several farms, and was wilting much of the time. One of the technicians at a farm that I visited suggested that the incredible temperatures combined with the extremely high UV was affecting the ability of the rose plants to correctly draw water, which could affect the ability of the cut roses to hydrate efficiently. Also, another phenomenon, which I described in my hydrating guidelines I mailed out prior to leaving fro Ecuador, is that which was dramatically termed "thermal shock" by the technician. This occurs when the hot flowers come in from the field and are placed in the (relatively) cool water of the post-harvest reception area.
Nonetheless, as I pointed out to several farm managers this is still a flaw, and not acceptable (however understandable) especially when the prices are this high. I have done my best to intercept these roses, and much to the chagrin of our rose buyer, have sent some hundred boxes, mostly Freedoms, back to the farms.
All the roses are very fresh, but it is essential that all roses are properly hydrated and stabilised by the client prior to use in arrangements and so forth.
Walking around the greenhouses, I observed something I had never seen before in a rose plantation, which was that there were plants wilting from the intense heat and extreme UV levels, even though they were fully irrigated. The ability of some plants, especially those in the center of the greenhouse, away from the vents, to raise water and transpire is simply compromised in this very rare occurrence.
One farm that visited had finished their harvest for Valentine's and I have heard of quite a few others in the same predicament. But all the rest that I have personally seen with my own eyes have plenty of production coming into the post-harvest.
As well as reviewing Mayesh's V-Day shipments I also had time to see some new roses and trials, of which I will post a gallery soon.
The picture prefacing this post is from the town of Pastocalle, where two of our suppliers are located. They are part of a very touching mural on the walls of the parochial school and I though quite in keeping with our Valentine's theme. The words on the right can be translated thus: "The right to love and be loved"!
Many of us are fortunate enough to be able to give and receive love, but we ought not forget that many people in the world know very little of love, or being loved. And the gift of flowers should not be cynically dismissed as a superficial gift that dies, but rather serve to illustrate the fact that, just as flowers are so fragile and so delicate, so is the nature of love.
Somewhat light-headed and a long day in the country under my belt I head to the cargo agent's coolers to prepare for the inspections of the boxes arriving from the farms. This turns out to be long and tedious, as the trucks trickle in one at a time, the last one arriving at 1:00am. The roses look beautiful, with the slightly moist bloom on the red petals reflecting the light like the richest deep burgundy velvet. There are wonderful colored roses, fragrant garden roses, as well glorious lilies and hypericum in a wide array of colors.
In fact out of the almost five hundred full boxes, I only had to send back some 12 fulls. With the trailers loaded, and on their way to the airport, I head to the hotel and the beckoning comfort of the bed.