Perovskia Blue Steel - Finish Culture Information (EN)

Perovskia Blue Steel Culture Information – Finish Plant

Perovskia Blue Steel Finish Plant Culture Information • • • • •

Light effect, photoperiod response PGR Response Pinch vs. no pinch Number of plants per pot Crop time

Light level effect on flower timing Sow

TP

Trial

date

date

Location

date

from transplant

A

2/12

4/2

1

6/25

84

12.0

1006

2

7/15

104

9.8

1017

1

6/1

89

11.5

1022

2

6/22

110

9.4

1035

B

1/22

3/4

50% FL

Light Days to 50% FL Average DLI Accumulation (mol.m-2.d-1)

Flower timing is related to light accumulation under the similar temperature condition. The higher light the faster flowering.

Light Effect

• Light accumulator for flowering.

• Based on our previous trials , Perovskia Blue Steel is a day neutral plant.

• High light requirement plant (≥ 12 mol.m-2.d-1, optimum ≥ 15 mol.m-2.d-1).

• During dark period in early spring, it is not necessary to sow seed too early.

Perovskia Blue Steel - PGR Response Tunnel, 14 weeks after potting PGR at 4, 6, 7 weeks after transplant

3x chlormequat 3x daminozide Control 3x paclobutrazol chlorure 30ppm sp 3900ppm 1500ppm sp

Responsive to paclobutrazol (makes stem thinner and softer) and daminozide (better branching).

Perovskia Blue Steel - Pinch vs. No Pinch • Pinch 2 weeks after transplant from 288 plug tray • Plug PGR: sprayed daminozide 1500ppm Before Pinch

After Pinch to leave 4 nodes

Perovskia Blue Steel - Pinch vs. No Pinch, Elburn (IL)

Pinched

No Pinch

Pinched

• Pinch made better branching with better and more uniform plant shape. • Pinch delayed flower time about 1-2 weeks

No Pinch

Perovskia Blue Steel - Pinch vs. No Pinch, Sta Paula (CA) Pinch at 2 weeks after transplant from 288 tray

Pinched 3x daminozide 5000ppm

No Pinch 3x daminozide 5000ppm

• Pinch made better branching with better and more uniform plant shape. • Pinch delayed flower time about 1-2 weeks

Perovskia Blue Steel - Pinch vs. No Pinch, Venhuizen (NL)

No Pinch

Daminozide + Pinched

6 weeks after potting - Left to Right: Control (no pinch) VS daminozide 750 ppm + Pinch @ 6 pairs of leaves

Plant number per pot with single sowing With single sowing, 3 plugs per 19 cm – 3.5L pot (3 ppp) is recommended

1 ppp

3 ppp

Plant number per pot With the same 3 seed input, plant looked fuller in 19 cm – 3.5L pot with 3 single sowing plugs than one triple sowing plug.

Single sowing 3ppp

Triple sowing 1ppp

Recommend plug number per pot

Container Size

288-180 cell (1 seed/cell)

128 or larger (2-3 seed/cell)

1L / 12-cm pot

1

N/A

3.5L / 19 cm pot

1-3

1

7L / 30-cm pot

3-5

3

Total Crop Time Plug time (weeks): Plug Size

Spring

Summer

288 (1 seed/cell)

7-8

4-5

180 (1 seed/cell)

8-9

5-6

128 or larger (2-3 s/c)

9-11

6-8

Transplant to finish from 288 cell: Container Size

288 cell plugs per pot

Weeks from transplant

Total weeks

Spring*

Summer

Spring*

Summer

1L / 12-cm pot

1

11 to 13

9-10

18 to 20

14-15

3.5L / 19 cm pot

1-3

12 to 14

10-11

19 to 21

15-16

7L / 30-cm pot

3-5

13 to 15

12-13

20 to 22

16-17

*Add 2-3 more weeks for Northern Europe.

Growing on to finish Temperature: Day 16-20⁰C Night 13-16⁰C Light: High light requirement (≥ 12 mol.m-2.d-1, optimum ≥ 15 mol.m-2.d-1). Light accumulator for flowering.

Photoperiod: Day neutral plant PGR: 3-4 applications of daminozide (Alar) 2500-5000ppm.

Optional PGR: multiple paclobutrazol (Bonzi, Piccolo) 20-30ppm spray or multiple uniconazole (Sumagic, Concise) 10-15ppm spray Pinch: Pinch is recommended for 3.5L or smaller pots as it improves branching and plant shape, it can delay flower 1-2 weeks if pinch after transplant. However, for larger containers like 17 cm with 3 to 5 plugs per pot, it is not necessary to pinch.