Smarter scheduling for Wave® Petunias

Photo courtesy of PanAmerican Seed

Greenhouse Management: How can growers get Wave petunias ready to ship on a tight deadline?

Sonali Padhye: Finish time from transplant to ship depends on temperature and light intensity, and for some Wave varieties, long days are needed as well. We have taken out the guesswork and developed the Smart Scheduling tool that calculates the flowering time for you. Find it at panamseed.com/NorthAmerica/Brands/Wave/SmartSchedule

GM: What information do growers need to use the tool?

SP: Simply select your average daily temperature (ADT) and daily light integral (DLI) for the duration of finish growing in the Smart Scheduling tool, and it predicts the time from transplant to first open flower. The tool assumes growing under the inductive photoperiod and panamseed.com lists critical photoperiods for all Wave varieties.

GM: What results will growers get from the tool? What will they look like?

SP: The tool predicts weeks from transplant to first open flower in small containers such as packs and quarts. It was developed using three- to four-week-old plugs, so you do need to adjust the timing if using more mature plug inputs. Also, if using larger containers such as hanging baskets, add additional weeks to ensure container fill. 

GM: Do you have any growing tips growers can use to improve their Wave crop?

SP: Fertilize well using a complete fertilizer with macro and micronutrients. Also, use appropriate strategies such as dry growing, DIF/DROP and plant growth regulators for growth management.

GM: Are some Wave petunias better for scheduling than others?

SP: Choose the right series to best suit your needs. For example, E3 Easy Wave® varieties have critical photoperiods of 10 hours or less, and hence, flower early in the season without long-day lighting. Therefore, when using this series, you don’t have to worry about photoperiod. The photoperiod requirements of Easy Wave® series vary by variety and are published at panamseed.com for your reference.

 This easy-to-use estimator helps growers plan and schedule their Wave® petunia crops. It can be used to calculate precise ship dates with exact product specs — the keystone of floriculture crop production.