Culture: <i>Mimulus</i>

 Mimulus

Maximus Formula Mix

Comparing the size of a Maximus flower (top) with a Magic flower.

Specifics Name: Mimulus Crop timing: Depending on temperature and light levels, production time is three to four weeks for 512-cell plugs and four to five weeks for 288-cell plugs. Production time from plug transplanting to finished crop is four to five weeks, depending on plug and finished container size, temperature and day length. Grower benefits: Mimulus is a relatively quick crop that can be grown cool. It tolerates light frost. It has few major problems.

Floranova offers two series of mimulus. Magic is the most compact and earliest flowering series with very uniform plants across all 12 colors. Plants produce an abundance of flowers and have a very short production time under 12½ hour days, flowering seven to eight weeks after sowing. Magic is tolerant of light frost (25°F) and can reflower in spring producing a mass of color. Plants can be produced outdoors for early season sales.

The Maximus series produces large 2½-inch flowers. With adequate watering plants will flower through June, even in southern parts of the United States. Plants are more vigorous than the Magic series. Maximus plants can be grown in packs or 4-inch pots.

Sow pelleted seed when possible in a well-drained, peat-based growing medium with a pH of 5.5–5.8 and electrical conductivity less than 0.75 mmhos (saturated paste). Do not cover the seed.

For Stages 1 and 2, keep the medium uniformly moist, but not saturated. The medium temperature should be 65°F–68°F. Keep light levels below 1,500 footcandles. Germination time is five to seven days.

During Stage 3 maintain the medium temperature at 62°F–65°F. Use a good wet/dry moisture cycle, but avoid allowing the plants to wilt. Light levels should be around 3,000 footcandles. Mimulus is a long-day plant and responds to night-interruption lighting after the first true leaf is visible. If plugs are grown under high intensity discharge lights, flowering may occur before transplanting.

Feed plugs at every other watering with 100–150 parts per million nitrogen from a 17-5-17, 15-5-15 or 13-2-13 fertilizer. Keep the medium pH at 5.5–5.8 and the electrical conductivity at 1.0–1.5 mmhos (saturated paste).

For Stage 4 the medium temperature can be lowered to 60°F–62°F. Maintain light levels around 3,000 footcandles and provide long days with night-interruption lighting. If high intensity lights are used, flowers will be evident before transplanting.Depending on temperature and light levels, production time is three to four weeks for 512-cell plugs and four to five weeks for 288-cell plugs.

Plugs can be transplanted into cell packs or 4-inch pots filled with a well-drained, peat-based medium with a pH of 5.5–5.8 and electrical conductivity less than 1.5 mmhos. If possible, maintain a cool medium temperature of 50°F– 60°F.

The light level should be around 3,000 footcandles. Use some type of shading when growing with higher temperatures. If the plugs were not lit during short days, provide three weeks of long days with night-interruption lighting.

Don’t allow the plants to wilt. Feed once or twice weekly with 150 ppm nitrogen from a 17-5-17, 15-5-15 or 13-2-13 fertilizer. Maintain a medium pH of 5.5–5.8 and electrical conductivity of 1.5–2.0 mmhos.

No plant growth regulators are needed. If plants are grown during warm weather conditions, spray applications of B-Nine at 2,500 ppm can be used.

Common problems can include root rots and thrips. Flowering can occur too early if plugs are produced under HID lights to provide day length extension. Flowering can also be delayed if lighting is not provided during short days.

Production time from plug transplanting to finished crop is four to five weeks, depending on plug and finished container size, temperature and day length.

For more: Floranova, (805) 737-1962; sales@floranova.com; www.floranova.com.