Bergenia Cordifolia

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Life Cycle:Perennial Perennial

Familiy, Origin:Saxifragaceae, Altai mountains, Mongolia, Siberia

Sitelocation:Full sun (Northern Europe) to partial shade to shade

Garden Height:60 cm,23,62 inch

Natural flowertime:April - May

Crop Time:Plug crop: 9 weeks; Green pots: 16-18 weeks; Flowering pots: 10-12 months, with vernalization ; Cut flower production: 4-5 years

Sell Period:April-October

Seed Form:Raw Seed

Seed Count:4444 K/g

Method:1-2 seeds per plug

Germination:10-28 days at 21-24 °C in media with low soluble salt levels and pH: 5.5-7.0. Requires light for germination. Keep soil slightly moist but not too wet. Avoid direct sunlight by shading seed after sowing. The seeds from Bergenia need warm temperatures, therefore the sowing should not be done below 21 °C.

Plug Culture:From Stage II* reduce the soil moisture, but the plug should not dry out and reduce the temperature to 15-20 °C. 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 to 100-150 ppm.

Growing On:3-5 weeks after sowing transplant 1 plant into a pot (10-15 cm) and for cut flower production 3-5 weeks later 1-3 plants into a container (10-40 l). Two time transplantation in the cut flower production will support the young plant quality. Field: plant cut flowers in 30-40 x 40 cm space.

Media:Use a well-drained, growing perennial substrate with 0-15 % clay, 0-15 % organic parts (e.g. bark, wood fibres), 1-2 kg/m3 complete balanced fertilizer, 2-3 kg/m3 slow release fertilizer (3-9 months), iron-chelate, micronutrients, pH: 5.5-7.0. Field: humus, sandy, loamy soils with good drainage and good nutrition levels. Bergenia have low demands to the soil. Standard fertilization: 60-80 g/m2 slow release fertilizer.

Photoperiod / Light:Day length neutral plants. Flowering pot production in winter and spring with additional assimilation light at high cultivation temperature will improve the plant quality. The pigmentation of the foliage is more intense at high light intensity than in shade.

Temperature:Grow at 12-15 °C or outdoors. In winter indoors frost free at 3-5 °C or outdoors. Outdoor fleece cover needed. For start in winter root development in pot should be completed. At mid December the plants start to grow for 5-7 weeks at 15-18 °C. Cold temperatures at 8-15 °C will increase the cultivation time. A cold start in poly-tunnel for flowering of March-April is possible.

Fertilization:Moderate fertilization levels are required. Fertilize the crop weekly with 100-150 ppm nitrogen (at 3 kg/m3 slow release fertilizer in substrate), using a complete balanced fertilizer. Avoid high ammonium and high nitrogen levels. Don't fertilize after mid September. In spring fertilize 100-150 ppm nitrogen of a complete balanced fertilizer. Prevent magnesium deficiency by applying magnesium sulphate (0,025 %) 1-2 times and in case of iron deficiency (above pH 6.0) apply iron-chelate for 1-2 times. Field: If necessary according to analysis, improve the soil with 60-80 g/m2 fertilizer per year, applied in several portions. N min soil value: approximately 90 g N/m2.

Cut Flowers:Cut flower stems can be harvested, when 30 % of the flowers are open. Vase life: 8-12 days. Leafs as ornamental material can be harvested, when the leafs are fully ripe. The hardening from leafs is completed 3-4 weeks after the leaf development. If the leafs are harvested too early, the leafs will become shrivelled completely within one day. Vase life: 14-21 days. Cold storage is possible. The autumn pigmentation of the leafs is getting best of all in full sun position.

Cultural Hints:The roots are very sensitive to wet substrates or soils. In summer the water requirement of Bergenia is high. For cut flower production cultivate in container in order to simplify culture control because of the container's mobility