“Flowers for All” project

floriculture as an alternative for small rural properties

Abstract

The “Flowers for All” project carried out by the PhenoGlad Team throughout Brazil, aims to spread floriculture as an alternative source of income and diversification for small rural properties. One of the crops introduced was gladiolus, standing out as an excellent option for small producers. In this context, the work focused on offering monitoring and advice on planting and managing gladioli, at the Attílio Benedetti municipal rural school, located in the rural area of the municipality of Vacaria, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The students were protagonists in planting 100 gladioli bulbs in a 2.0m x 6.0m bed. The experiment covered four distinct cultivars, varying in color and development cycles. Throughout the project, weekly visits were carried out, from planting to harvesting the gladiolus stems, allowing students to learn cultivation techniques. As part of the results achieved, on June 6th, a “Field Day” was held. Through this initiative, the extension project enabled notable interaction between the university and the school community. This integration highlights the inseparability between teaching, research, and extension, promoting the cultivation of new alternatives for small rural producers in the region.