The Flower Farming

The high area of tourism Bandungan and Kopeng, Kabupaten Semarang, Central Java, is known as a resort packed with cool backgrounds and Ungaran Mount Merbabu.

Visitors at the two places are also often bring home the hands, such as kelengkeng, avokad, corn, and not behind the ornamental plants.

Ornamental plants very easily found in Bandungan and Kopeng, displayed neatly on the curb to the asphalt in two tourism. Generally, the seller offers ornamental plants cactus plant, bugenvil, ground orchid, katerlak, and chrysanthemum flowers.

Who suspected that a variety of ornamental planted in this beautiful house in the yard of the population. Capital needed to plant the ornamental plants of less than Rp 100,000, and the result is felt far more profitable rather than farming vegetables.

The advantage of picking rupiah farming ornamental plants has been felt by members of Farmers Group Ornamental Plants Ponco Margo Tani Dukuh in Hamlet, Kopeng Village, District Getasan, Semarang District, since 1991. Initially, the business of farming ornamental plants in the country is planted sriously by Paul Suryanto which at this time to be Chairman of the Farmers Group Ornamental Plants Ponco Margo Tani.

"Historically, some of our village since the Dutch colonial era has planted ornamental plants, flowers such as carnations. Ornamental flowers are generally sold to the Dutch citizens who live in the city of Salatiga. Along with the time, cultivation of flowers decorate this long run be overlooked and replaced by farming vegetables, "said Paul.

Agriculture vegetables become the mainstay of the Dukuh Hamlet. When the flow of electricity into this village in 1991, a number of people begin to switch to plant ornamental plant leaves. There is a power plant allows farmers in the village in the tub altitude 1500 meters above sea level is install the water pump as the main source of water for ornamental plants hose.

Since cultivation of ornamental plant leaves Hamlet in Dukuh dirintis 1991, ornamental plants to farmers in 2005 was 127 people with the ownership of land on average 400 square meters per farmer. Type of plant are various, ranging from cactus (mote type of cactus, shrimp, and spot), to air conditioning plants, such kapasan, katerlak, varigata, and pitunia.

"I'm interested in farming ornamental plants last two years as a result more profitable and also steady daily income. This situation is different when I was farming vegetables, revenue is not available every day and the price of vegetables also fluctuation. Currently, the day I can get Rp 50,000-Rp 100,000 from the sale of ornamental plants, "said Surami, group members Margo Ponco Tani.

Sukriono, other members, say, once every two weeks, at least 300-500 of ornamental pot plants be purchased ornamental plants wholesale traders from Semarang, Solo and Yogyakarta. Sukriono income could reach Rp 2.5 million and Rp 3 million per month.

Paul added, in a week on average, group members Margo Panco Farmers sell pot 1000-1500. The price offered ranges from Rp 2,500 to Rp 50,000, depending on the type and size of ornamental plants purchased traders ornamental plants.

The advantage of abundant ornamental plant farm consecutive felt chrysanthemum flower farmers in the village Sumowono, District Sumowono, approximately 15 kilometers from the tourism Bandungan and Gedong Songo Temple in District Ambarawa, Semarang regency.

In a week, farmers in the chrysanthemum flower Sumowono can sell an average of 1000 bunch chrysanthemum standard single or standard spray chrysanthemum. This variety is also quite diverse, from the type of chrysanthemum fijian yellow and white chrysanthemum species to ping pong.

Unlike the cultivation of ornamental plants in Dukuh Hamlet, capital early chrysanthemum flower farm in the village Sumowono about Rp 500 million per hectare. Agriculture mum in this new area started early in 2000. However, the advantage is big enough, ie Rp 2,500 per bundle from the chrysanthemum flower production capital to Rp 500 per stalk.

"Chrysanthemum flower farm is far more profitable than farming vegetables. Vegetable farmers vulnerable to price changes in the market and quality of vegetable crops are also often influenced season. While decorative flower market, especially mum, very broad and promising. Almost every day there are people who died, a party, to the need for religious events, "said Chairman of the Association of Farmers Cut Flower District Semarang Dumadi.

Chrysanthemum flower that grows in the Village Sumowono that are in the height of 950 meters above sea level that many traders are cut flowers from Yogyakarta, Semarang, Solo and Surabaya. Generally, the chrysanthemum flower seeds shipped from Cipanas, West Java, but farmers in the chrysanthemum flower Sumowono already started membudidayakan about 10 types of seeds in the chrysanthemum flower they land.

Data Agriculture, Agriculture, Forestry and Semarang District in 2004 shows the number of farmers mum reached 144 people, spread in District Sumowono, Cashew, and Ambarawa.

For farmers, the water is not enough to maintain the plant. Five-watt light rays is also needed in the growth of chrysanthemum flowers. The theory, light rays switched four hours a day to prevent perbungaan growth and optimize the long rod in order to reach the top 80 centimeters. Age cut chrysanthemum flowers around 12-13 weeks since planted

Chrysanthemum flower production in the Village Sumowono three years is quite brisk. In 2002 production of 177,500 with a sprig of 1250 square meters, in 2003 production reached 812,750 with a sprig of 4250 square meters. In 2004 production of chrysanthemum flowers in the Village Sumowono 2,583,000 handles land with 12,300 square meters.

Ornamental plant cultivation in the village Kopeng and Sumowono at this time does not only bring the benefits of the agricultural sector, but slowly the farmers in the two villages that make up themselves begin to realize the village as the village agro ornamental plants in Semarang District.