Page 4 - Griffin Gazette Fall 2015
P. 4
Bonus
Digital Content
More tips
for the trialing process
By Jeanne Svob, SHS Griffin Business Manager
Data is key to assessing Product form: Is the seed easy Habit and branching: Look
the success or failure of any to sow? Is the cutting a good for signs of longer shelf life or
product trial. You have a lot size? Is the liner well branched? additional production steps to
going on during the busy improve finished appearance,
season; it could be weeks or Germination or rooting: Is it e.g., a pinch, more or less feed,
months before you’re ready better, more uniform or faster? more or less PGRs. Are there
to review a trial! Without other advantages such as shorter
detailed notes, it’s nearly Young plant development: plants or flower stems allowing for
impossible to recall every Are you seeing more branching, more shelves on a shipping rack
detail you and your team faster/better root development or and/or easier shopping or pulling
encountered throughout the more usable seedlings? from the rack with less damage to
trialing process. But what the plants and blooms?
kinds of things should you Finishing: How fast does the
be keeping track of? variety fill the pot? When did If possible, follow the product into
the plants begin to flower? How the garden: If you don’t have beds
quickly did it go from first flower at your location for trialing, take
to saleable color? How uniform some plants home to evaluate in
is the crop in habit and flowering your home garden. Share a few
time? If it’s a series, how well with employees or neighbors
do the colors match for habit to get some feedback on
and timing? garden performance.
Flower size and number of Wow, that’s a lot of work! It’s
blooms: Did it flush into color certainly not something you’ll
or did color come on gradually? do for every variety change you
How long did the flowering last make. But for three to five items
on the bench? Did it flush and a year – those that are unique or
go out of color or did it continue promise production efficiencies –
flowering indicating a longer shelf it truly is worth the effort.
life at retail?
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