Page 10 - Griffin Gazette Winter 2016
P. 10
Wake Up Spring Sales!
Real-World Advice to Finish a Great-Looking Senetti Crop
By John Barone, need to sit on them with growth regulators. temperature, these additional guidelines
Owner of Barone B-Nine is very effective. will help you finish a gorgeous Senetti crop.
Gardens
When it comes to We’re based near Syracuse, N.Y. Most Go Large – Senetti needs room to show
early spring color, you Northern growers don’t want to start the its stuff. Plants will be happiest in pot sizes
can’t beat the Senetti crop in December or January for the cold, that are 8-inch or larger. You’ll also see the
pericallis series from slow-growing method at 40°F. Last winter, most impressive show and flower count
Suntory Flowers. For we partnered with
growers who haven’t Suntory Flowers on
tried them, Senetti varieties are dramatically an extensive sample
different from the old-fashioned cinerarias. program for about Senetti varieties are dramatically different from
Although the vivid bicolor flowers 100 customers. the old-fashioned cinerarias. Cool-weather
look familiar, the cool-weather garden Most were grower- garden performance, durability and vigor set
performance, durability and vigor offered retailers. They
by Senetti clearly set it apart. received 102-sized them apart.
We think the untapped potential for Senetti
is great in our market, the Northeast. It’s liners in a 2-51 strip
such an impulse item, there isn’t a garden during Weeks 6 and
center that can’t sell it. People are starving 7 and finished the crop in late April, growing in a larger pot, increasing the opportunity
for color early in the year that can tolerate the plants at moderate temperatures—50- to command a premium price at retail.
the cool temperatures. 55°F. It was a 10- to 12-week crop, finishing You want at least 20 flowers for consumers
Senetti will continue to flower until summer in time for Mother’s Day. to see the “wow” factor. For smaller
temperatures become very warm at night— pots, choose the more compact Baby
similar to osteospermums, pansies and But growers who purchase large liners, Senetti series.
other cool-season bedding plants, which like our 32-cell 2-16 tray, can reduce crop
cycle out of flower in the summer. time by another 4-5 weeks. They can bring Feeding – After transplanting, provide
Time and Temperature plants in Weeks 9-12 and finish for sales in Senetti with 200 ppm nitrogen from an all-
One challenge we’ve found is that Senetti is late April/early May. purpose feed. Senetti is also a heavy iron
difficult to time because it’s so responsive feeder, so keep soil pH between 5.5 and
to temperature. A lot of it is common When we grow Senetti, we start warm, 6.0 with a monthly drench of STEM from JR
sense: If you grow the plants at colder get the plants rooted, apply fungicide and Peters for additional micronutrients or as
temperatures, the crop takes longer, plants then cool them down. Even growers who needed if plants show deficiencies.
are shorter and you need less growth bring in large liners should grow the plants
regulator. If you push them with warmer warm for a couple of weeks. We establish Watering – Senetti’s vigorous root system
temperatures, it’s still a nice crop, but you the plants at 65°F to get the roots out to requires a lot of water on bright and warm
the edge of the container, use a broad- days. We recommend Senetti be grown
Senetti Blue Bicolor in production at Barone spectrum fungicide and then finish. normally on the dry side.
Gardens. Barone Gardens is a producer of
Suntory liners for SHS Griffin. Secrets of Success Lighting – Senetti is a day-neutral plant.
Once you’ve determined timing and Light levels of 5,000-6,000 footcandles
are ideal.
Managing Growth – Rooted liners usually
arrive pinched; if not, they will require one.
Plants will break naturally and produce
a well-shaped habit. Senetti is very
responsive to B-Nine, which can be used
at 2,000 ppm every 14 days, depending on
the crop timing and growing temperatures.
Pests & Diseases – Aphids are the number-
one pest for this crop, but spider mites
and whiteflies can also be present during
production. Scout for thrips as flowers
develop. Powdery mildew can be an issue
during cool crop production. Keep humidity
levels low in the greenhouse. A preventive
drench with Subdue MAXX and Cleary’s
every eight weeks will prevent root rot.
John Barone is owner of Barone Gardens
in Cicero, N.Y., a rooted liner supplier for
SHS Griffin. Senetti availability can be
found live from Barone Gardens at orders.
shsgriffin.com.
