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Selecta First Class has put together a number of combinations using only three different varieties in 12-inch baskets. The “kick” in its Combo with a Kick comes from the controlled growing ‘Namid Basket Yellow’ bidens, which has large, golden-yellow flowers. It works well in mixed baskets because it is not too compact, but not too wild.
Contrasting the yellow-flowered bidens is ‘Magadi Basket Dark Purple’ lobelia. This early flowering variety has flexible branching stems that are perfect for mixed baskets. It produces bold-colored flowers with white centers.
‘Mounding Blue’ convolvulus is slightly later to flower, but its shiny green foliage gives this combination its flow. It is one of the only true blue-flowering varieties for spring.
For more: Selecta First Class, (760) 634-4341; www.firstclassplants.com.
| PRODUCTION |
| Starting from rooted liners (i.e. 105-cell tray), all three varieties have similar needs. ‘Mounding Blue’ convolvulus should be a double stuck liner (two cuttings per liner) for better results. For a 12-inch basket, use two liners per variety. Crop time from rooted liners is about nine weeks. If plants are started from unrooted cuttings, add four to five weeks to the production schedule. Start with a well-draining growing medium with a pH of 5.8-6.2 and an electrical conductivity of 1.2. After liners are planted, water without soaking the medium. Maintain warm temperatures (70°F-75°F days and 55°F-60°F nights) until roots have formed and a pinch can be made. Plants should be ready to pinch after one to two weeks. Hang the baskets about two weeks after pinching in a bright, well-ventilated location. Apply 200-250 parts per million nitrogen from a well-balanced fertilizer with micronutrients and raise the electrical conductivity level to 1.8 to 2.0. Maintain a day temperature of 65°F-75°F and night temperature of 50°F-60°F. Cool morning dips help improve plant quality and harden the plants. The temperature should be lowered 8°F-12°F about two hours before sunrise and maintained until two to three hours after sunrise. These cold-temperature treatments should begin after plants have grown out and cover the basket surface. Be sure to keep the average temperature up (minimum of 57°F-58°F) to avoid delaying the crop. Do not allow the growing medium to dry out or to become over-saturated. Plant roots suffer when conditions change from one extreme to the other. Grow the plants on the dry side, letting the medium dry down (color turns light brown) before watering. Water the plants before the medium starts to separate from the container edge. Control plant growth with B-Nine sprays at a rate of 1,500-2,000 ppm. The most common pests and diseases are aphids, thrips, botrytis and pythium. Scout for pests regularly and treat early on. |
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