A) Foil, lightly heated finishing (SOP)

Faster cycle, schedulable batch despatch – compact quality

The foil, lightly heated route is ideal if your aim is a faster cycle, early market access and a uniform, schedulable despatch. The critical point is not “heat” but managing humidity and leaf wetness. In this SOP we walk through the full logic: from reception to despatch.

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In brief Aim & risk Reception & planting Substrate, pH, EC Climate (heat/humidity/ventilation) Pruning–pinching management Irrigation–fertigation Hygiene & IPM Finished state “Send out dry” Common mistakes Why is it an advantage?

In brief – foil route in 10 points

Time = quality: plant ideally on the day of reception, at the latest within a few days (cool–bright storage if unavoidable).
Substrate: peat-based, coarser, well-draining structure – do not allow it to become muddy.
Planting: into the final pot, with uniform depth (approx. 2 cm deeper than the original substrate surface).
Temperature: speed up, yes – overheating, no; guideline 16–18 °C for compact quality.
Humidity: condensation and leaf wetness are the main risks → morning humidity removal, gentle air exchange.
Ventilation: “give air, do not create draughts” – open on the lee side.
Plant shape: batch levelling in 2 steps (starter + after 3–4 weeks), with control rounds.
Irrigation: preferably from below; do not soak the foliage; irrigate before pruning, then pause for 4–5 days.
Batch despatch: staggered batches = longer sales window.
Despatch: “send out dry” – wet leaves/substrate = fungal risk in packing.

PHARMAROSA® NEONATAL

Foil, lightly heated finishing – scheduling table (standard 10 weeks, 16–18 °C)

Phase / operation	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Reception → planting into final pot + irrigation	◆
Initial levelling (cut back to 4–5 cm, above 1 internode)	◆
“Stabilisation”, stress minimisation (humidity control, leaf drying)	■	■
Vegetative build at 16–18 °C (compact growth, ventilation, air movement)		■	■	■
Spacing out (when the foliage starts to close)			◆	◆
Second levelling (second cut back; typically week 3–4)				◆	◆
Check 1: adjusting shoots that stick out or were missed (+ approx. 1 week)					◆
Check 2: second adjustment (+ approx. 10 days)						◆
Finishing after the second cut (≈ 6 weeks around 18 °C)					■	■	■	■	■	■
Hardening / preparing for transport (more air exchange, stable climate)										■	■
Sales stage / despatch (budded or flowering, depending on target market)											◆

◆ = one-off operation / milestone

■ = continuous phase in the given weeks

Irrigation–pruning alignment (guideline): irrigate before cutting back (usually the previous day), then keep irrigation reduced for 4–5 days. Overhead watering should be avoided; humidity management and leaf drying are key factors in foil tunnels.

PharmaRosa® NEONATAL – tray-rooted, rose young plants for further growing-on

Aim & risk points (in foil)

Aim: fast, schedulable finishing with compact habit and a uniform batch.
Main risk: humidity/condensation → Botrytis; secondary: stretching under overheating.
Quality criteria: uniform bush shape + stable root zone + batch that can be packed dry.

A1) Post-reception handling and planting – “time = quality”

Basic principle after reception

Planting on the same day is best; if You have to wait: keep cool and bright.
Avoid dark storage: rapid quality loss, increased Botrytis risk.
Frost-free is essential, but sudden overheating is not the aim either (stretching).

Planting substrate (principle)

Peat-based, coarser structure: should not become muddy after irrigation, and must drain well.
Stable porosity: supports root-zone aeration under denser foliage.

Pot size & plant density (starting standard)

Pot size	NEONATAL / pot (guideline)	Target segment
2 litre	2 pcs	Fast, compact branching, shorter cycle
3 litre	3 pcs	Fuller stand, more robust appearance
6 litre	4 pcs	Premium shelf impact, strong bush

Planting depth

Recommendation: approx. 2 cm deeper than the original PharmaRosa® NEONATAL substrate surface.
Why: more stable anchoring, supports basal shoot development, reduces drought stress.
Important: do not bury foliage or petioles.

Planting procedure (short routine)

Pre-wet the substrate: moist but not dripping.
Plant directly into the final pot (less stress, fewer growth checks).
Regular arrangement when using several plants per pot (symmetry).
Irrigate in, then allow to drain (avoid standing water).
Initial spacing: can be pot-to-pot, but spacing out is essential once the canopy starts to close.

A1 supplement: Substrate, pH, EC (guidelines)

Substrate principle: airy, well-draining, stable structure.
pH (guideline): finishing systems often operate with substrate pH of approx. 5.3–5.8 (adjusted to water quality).
Irrigation solution pH (guideline): often in the range of approx. 5.5–5.8 (fine-tuned according to water quality).
EC logic: warm/dry (more frequent irrigation) → lower EC; cool/less frequent irrigation → a higher EC can also work.

Detailed page: Substrate, pH, EC →

A2) Light heating and climate control – humidity is the main enemy

2.1 Temperature: accelerate, do not overheat

Guideline range: 16–18 °C is often a good compromise (speed + compact habit).
Adjust to light: overcast, short days → stay nearer the lower range; strong light → move towards the upper range.
Quick signal: if plants are stretching → first step: reduce temperature + increase ventilation.

2.2 Humidity and condensation: where Botrytis starts

Aim: foliage should not remain wet for long periods (especially at night and in the morning).
Dehumidification: smaller, frequent air exchanges + light additional heating where needed.
Irrigation timing: schedule so that foliage and surface are dry by evening.

2.3 Ventilation: “give air, do not create draughts”

In spring, open cautiously: if You open too wide, cold air “falls in” → powdery mildew risk can increase.
In practice: open on the lee side; keep the windward side minimally open or closed.
Indicative pattern: max. approx. 30% on the lee side and approx. 5% on the windward side (to avoid draughts).

2.4 Air movement: eliminating microclimates

Even air mixing (without draughts) → faster leaf drying, fewer humidity hotspots.

2.6 Daily climate routine (simple but professional)

Morning: remove humidity (gentle ventilation, short additional heating if needed).
Late morning–midday: prevent peak temperatures from running away (open in time).
Afternoon: close in such a way that humidity will not remain trapped by evening.
Night: stable frost-free conditions + humidity control, with slight fluctuations.

Note: avoid overhead irrigation; prolonged leaf wetness increases fungal risk.

A3) Pruning–pinching management – batch uniformity and cycle control

3.1 Initial cut back: uniform “start height”

Aim: every plant should start from the same level; no dominant shoot should remain.
With several plants per pot, an identical starting level is particularly important.

3.2 Second cut back: setting the level of branching

Guideline: 3–4 weeks after the initial cut (temperature/light dependent).
Aim: batch uniformity + more lateral shoots of similar strength.

3.3 Check rounds: handling missed shoots

Inspection after 1 week, then again after approx. 10 days: any shoots that stick out should be brought back to level.

3.6 Mini timeline (guideline)

Week 0: transplanting + initial levelling
Week 3–4: second levelling
+1 week: check
+10 days: check
Finishing: often 6–8 weeks after the second cut (depending on climate)

Detailed page: Pruning–pinching (details) →

A4) Irrigation–fertigation – active root zone, minimal leaf wetness

4.1 Irrigation method: why irrigate from below?

On roses, wetting the foliage is a fungal risk → preferred: ebb and flow, capillary, or drip.
Overhead sprinklers should be avoided; misting only for cooling if necessary, not for irrigation.

4.2 When should You irrigate? (decision routine)

Do not allow the substrate to dry out completely, but do not irrigate again if it is still wet.
In practice: pot weight (lift), substrate condition, and the look of the crop.
If in doubt: check again a few hours later / the following day.

4.3 Alignment of pruning and irrigation

Irrigate before pruning (usually the previous day), then pause irrigation for 4–5 days to avoid over-watering.

4.4 Fertigation (guidelines)

Stable, moderate fertigation; low-salinity water is an advantage.
pH/EC adjusted to the climate (see detailed pH/EC page).

Detailed page: Irrigation → Substrate, pH, EC →

A5) Ventilation, hygiene, risk management (IPM)

Ventilation as a crop protection tool: humidity removal, leaf drying.
Spacing out at canopy closure: dense stands increase humidity.
Hygiene: remove fallen leaves, isolate hotspots.
Monitoring: aphids, thrips, mites, Botrytis, powdery mildew – regular checks.

Core principles: IPM & sustainability →

A6) Finishing and despatch quality

Uniform habit: no dominant shoot sticking out.
Good branching: several shoots of similar strength carrying the crop.
Stable root zone: active, neither airless nor over-watered.
Healthy foliage: clean, fast leaf drying.

Batch planning

With several batches started at staggered times, You can keep a marketable despatch window open for longer and avoid peak workload all at once.

Critical B2B rule: “send out dry”

Time the last irrigation so that foliage and substrate surface are dry at loading.
Avoid “topping up” with overhead irrigation just before departure.
If You need to wait: keep plants in a cool–bright–well-ventilated area (avoid dark storage).

Detailed protocol: “Send out dry” →

Common mistakes (quick troubleshooting)

Stretching: temperature too high → reduce temperature + increase ventilation + adjust to light.
Botrytis hotspots: condensation + humidity pockets → morning humidity removal, spacing out, hygiene.
Airless substrate: over-irrigation / poor drainage → review irrigation rhythm and substrate.
Wet despatch: poorly timed irrigation → water management before despatch.

Why is this technological route an advantage for the customer?

Faster cycle: opportunity for early season and fast turnover.
Schedulability: batch despatch, extended sales window with staggering.
Uniformity: stable shelf impact with managed pruning–pinching.
Own-root advantage: fewer risk points, more stable regrowth and structure formation.

Would You like to fine-tune the starting settings for the foil route?

We briefly align on the target product, number of plants per pot, climate and irrigation routines, and the pruning–pinching timeline, tailored to your foil set-up.

Request a consultation Or write to us directly: [email protected]

PharmaRosa® NEONATAL – A) Foil, lightly heated route
Fast cycle with disciplined humidity and quality control.

NEONATAL polytunnel finishing – fast, schedulable cultivation – PharmaRosa®