| Recommended Containers: |
| Flowering pot plants |
| Consumer Uses: |
| Attractive mid winter and early spring flowering pot plant that rivals Belgian hybrid Azaleas for their beauty. |
| Temperature Requirement: |
When finishing from budded (pre-cooled) liner material:
Day ? 60? to 65?F (15? to 18?C)
Night ? 50? to 55?F (10? to 13?C) |
|
Crop planning from cell packs:
|
| Pot Size |
PPP |
Finish Time |
| 4 1/2" pot (10cm) |
1 single shoot |
8-9 |
| 6" or 6 1/2" pot (15cm) |
1 multiple shoot |
10 |
| 8-10" hb (20-25cm) |
1 multiple shoot |
10-12 |
|
| Media and pH Requirement: |
| Use a sterile, well-drained soil mix with a pH range of 5.6 to 6.0. Keep evenly moist. Regals have a very fine root system and are sensitive to drying and high soluble salt levels. However, take care not to keep wet and soggy especially in cool low light conditions or before root ball develops or root rot fungi may invade. |
| Feed Requirements: |
| 100 to 150 ppm N constant feed. Suggest calcium/magnesium type fertilizers alternated with 20-10-20. |
| Pinching Requirement: |
| Do Not Pinch budded (pre-cooled) liners. Liners are purchased as either pinched or non-pinched depending upon the finished pot size. |
| Growth Regulators: |
| Best if regulated with high light, and cool nights. However, Cycocel? (1500 to 3000 ppm) is effectively used before bud elongation to prevent stretch. |
| Disease and Insect Pests: |
| Whitefly |
| Light: |
| High Light, greater than 4,000fc during winter months. This will promote better flower cluster development and produce fuller, more compact plants. |
| Pythium, Botrytis |
| Do not water late in day and maintain proper air movement around plants to eliminate Botrytis. When plants are flowering, this is particularly important. Drench regularly with a preventative root rot fungicide and keep soil evenly moist. |
| Comments: |
| The Solstice series exhibits better heat tolerance than older varieties. Solstice has a mounded, compact growth habit requiring less concern about too large of a plant or leaves. |