Pot and bedding - Delphinium grandiflorum

Best seller 2009
Delphinium grandiflorum
"Blue Mirror"
Flowering period: August - October

Height 50 - 75 cm
Spread: 25 - 50 cm
Habit: Upright
Flower type: Spiked
Leaf Color Light Green
Placement: Full sun to partial shade
Water Medium to low
Fertilizer need: Average
Plant type: Perennial

Class Best seller 2009

DELPHINIUM GRANDIFLORUM, CHINESE DELPHINIUM, LARKSPUR 'Blue Mirror'

large upright spurless navy blue flowers

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Life Cycle:   Perennial / first year flowering

Familiy, Origin:   Ranunculaceae, China, East Siberia

Sitelocation:   Full sun - partial shade

Garden Height:   50 cm     19,69 inch

Natural flowertime:   May - July

Crop Time:   Plug crop: 6 weeks; Green pots: 12-14 weeks; Flowering pots: 16-20 weeks, annual cultivation is possible; Flowering pots: 8-10 months, including wintering and vernalization

Sell Period:   April-May or August-October

Seed Form:   Raw Seed

Seed Count:   800 K/g

Sowing Time:   Annual forcing: December-May; Perennial forcing: Mid August-Mid September including wintering

Sowing Method:   2-3 seeds per plug

Germination:   Stage I: 14-18 days at 20-22 °C; Stage II: 15-20 days at 17-20 °C; Stage III and IV: 20-25 days at 13-17 °C, in media with low soluble salt levels and pH: 5.8-6.5. Cover seed lightly with vermiculite or sand after sowing. Keep soil slightly moist but not wet.

Plug Culture:   From Stage II reduce the soil moisture, but the plug should not dry out. Do not let soluble salt level rise above 0,75 EC. Start fertilization at 50-75 ppm nitrogen in a well balanced formula. During Stage III and Stage IV fertilization levels can be increased up to 100 ppm.

Growing On:   6-9 weeks after sowing transplant 1 plant into a pot (9-10 cm) and 3 plants into a bigger pot (13-15 cm). Transplant the plant not too deep in substrate.

Media:   Use a well-drained, growing substrate with 10-30 % clay, 0-15 % parts (e.g. bark, sand perlite) 1-2 kg/m³ complete balanced fertilizer, 2-4 kg/m³ slow release fertilizer (3-9 months), iron-chelate, micronutrients, pH: 5.8-6.5.

Photoperiod / Light:   Day length neutral plant. Flowerings pot production in winter and spring with additional assimilation light combined with long day (14 h) will improve the plant quality and will decrease the cultivation time by 2-3 weeks.

Temperature:   Grow at 13-16 °C or outdoors. In winter indoors frost free at 3-5 °C or outdoors. Outdoor fleece cover and dry substrate needed. In spring the plants start to grow for 8-10 weeks at 15-20 °C. Temperatures below 13 °C in combined with short day is a cause for rosette leaf formation and inhibition of the flower initiation.

Fertilization:   Moderate fertilization levels are required. Fertilize the crop weekly with 80-100 ppm nitrogen (at 2 kg/m³ slow release fertilizer in substrate), using a complete balanced fertilizer. Avoid high ammonium and high nitrogen levels. Don't fertilize after flowering or after mid September. In spring fertilize with 130-150 ppm nitrogen using a complete balanced fertilizer. Prevent magnesium deficiency by applying magnesium sulphate (0,05 %) 1-2 times and in case of Iron deficiency apply iron-chelate for 1-2 times. The fertilization with slow release fertilizer is favour as against with complete balanced fertilizer, because the roots are very sensitive to high salt levels in substrates. Avoid high fertilizer concentrations, it is advisable to fertilize several times with low concentrations weekly.

Cultural Hints:   Dry, light and airy cultivation. Keep a good ventilation between the plants.

* Germination Stages (from seed to finished young plant)
Stage I: Starts with the radicle breaking through the testa. The roots are touching the medium. Ends with fully developed cotyledons.
Stage II: Starts from fully developed cotyledons. Ends with the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair.
Stage III: Starts from the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair and ends with 80% of the young plants being marketable.
Stage IV: All young plants are ready for sale and in the process of being hardened off. This stage lasts about 7 days.

Hint:
The cultural recommendations are based on results from trials conducted under Central European conditions. Different conditions in other parts of the world may lead to deviations in results achieved.

Instructions
http://www.benary.com/data/documents/Instructions1.pdf

FastraX Folder International
http://www.benary.com/index.cfm/startid/153.html