BEGONIA ELATIOR, ELATIOR BEGONIA Charisma

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Life Cycle:Annual

Familiy, Origin:Begoniaceae, South America

Sitelocation:Partial shade - shade

Garden Height:25 cm, 9,84 inch

Flower Size:5 cm, 1,97 inch

Crop Time:Plug crop: 9-11 weeks; Flowering pots: 21-23 weeks; Flowering container: 23-26 weeks

Sell Period:May-June

Seed Form:Pelleted Seed and Raw Seed

Seed Count:66667 K/g

Sowing Time:21-23 weeks before the sales time November for flowering in pots April onwards December-January for flowering bedding plants May onwards

Sowing Method:1 seed per plug

Germination:10-14 days at 23-25 °C, in media with very low soluble salt levels and pH: 5.5-6.2. Requires light for germination. Do not cover seeds or pellets. Consistent moisture of the substrate and high humidity above 95 % for fast, uniform germination. Avoid the substrate to dry out. For irrigation use warm water (above 18 °C) only.

Plug Culture:From Stage II* reduce the moisture, but the plug should not dry out. Do not let soluble salt level rise above 0,5 EC. The roots are sensitive to high salt levels in substrates. Start fertilization at 50 ppm nitrogen in a well balanced formula. During Stage III and Stage IV fertilization levels can be increased up to 100-150 ppm.

Growing On:6-8 weeks after sowing transplant 1 plant per plug tray (3-4 cm) and 9-11 weeks later transplant 1 plant into a pot (10-11 cm) or 3-4 plants into a hanging basket (20-30 cm).

Media:Use a well-drained, growing substrate with 15-30 % clay, 0-20 % perlite, 1-2 kg/m3 complete balanced fertilizer, iron-chelate, micronutrients, pH: 5.5-6.2.

Photoperiod/ Light:Optional short day plant. For the flower initiation short days (< 12 h) and for the vegetative growth long day (14 h) are required. In winter assimilation light is recommended for the good plant development and quality. The assimilation light will shorten the crop time. Do not stop exposure to assimilation light before March.

Temperature:Grow at 20 °C, later decrease the temperature to 18 °C. To harden the plants for selling and for better pigmentation can be decresed to 16 °C. B. elatior does not tolerate frost.

Fertilization:Moderate fertilization levels are required. Fertilize the crop weekly with 100-150 ppm nitrogen, using a complete balanced fertilizer. Keep ammonium levels low, otherwise the roots become damaged. At high nitrogen levels the foliage can become very big. Avoid pH above 6.0, as high pH causes iron deficiency. Apply chelated iron, if chlorosis becomes a problem. To prevent magnesium deficiency apply magnesium sulphate (0,025 %) 1-2 times. Avoid high salt levels in substrate. Avoid high fertilizer concentrations, it is advisable to fertilize several times with low concentrations weekly.

Cultural Hints:For selling harden the plants at 7-10 °C and UV light. Select the distance between plants in greenhouse not too narrow. Avoid high relative humidity in greenhouse.