Geranium Vision

Life Cycle:Perennial

Familiy, Origin:Geraniaceae, Europe, Caucasus, Armenia, Asia minor

Sitelocation:Full sun to partial shady locations. Rock gardens, stone walls, perennial borders, ground cover, large containers

Garden Height:33 cm,12,99 inch

Flower Size:3 cm,1,18 inch

Natural flowertime:May - August

Crop Time:Plug crop: 4-6 weeks; Green pots: 16 weeks; Flowering pots: 10-12 months, including vernalization

Sell Period:July-October

Seed Form:Raw Seed and ApeX-Seed

Seed Count:80 K/g

Sowing Method:3-5 seeds per plug, can be sown directly in final pot

Germination:10-14 days at 20-24 °C, in media with very low soluble salt levels and pH: 5.5-7.5. Before sowing treat substrate with fungicide. Cover seed with vermiculite, sand or substrate 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 and reduce the temperature to 18-20 °C. Do not let soluble salt level rise above 0,5 EC. Start fertilization at 50 ppm nitrogen in a well balanced formula. During Stage III and Stage IV fertilization levels can be increased to 100 ppm.

Growing On:4-6 weeks after sowing transplant 1-3 plants into a pack or pot (8-10 cm) and 3-5 plants into a container (3-5 cm). Two time transplantation is recommended for container production. Avoid very large pots, because the substrate in pots that are too large will be wet permanently and wetness can a cause growth inhibition and a poor root development.

Media:Use a well-drained, growing substrate with 0-15 % clay, 0-15 % parts (e.g. bark, perlite, sand),1-2 kg/m3 complete balanced fertilizer, 0-2 kg/m3 slow release fertilizer (3-9 months), iron-chelate, micronutrients, pH: 5.5-7.5.

Photoperiod / Light:Day length neutral plants. The flower initiation and flower development is better and more uniform in long day (14 h). Keep light level high. In winter and early spring additional assimilation light is required in combination with warm cultivation temperatures of 15-20 °C. Under short day condition increase the cultivation time by 4-5 weeks. A cultivation at short day condition is possible only combined with cold temperatures.

Temperature:Grow at 12-20 °C or outdoors. In winter indoors frost free at 3-5 °C or outdoors. Outdoor fleece cover needed. In spring the plants start to grow for 6-8 weeks at 16-20 °C during daytime and at 14-18°C during night. Cold temperatures at 12-15 °C will increase the cultivation time. A chilling period (vernalization) for flower initiation is required for a minimum of 15 weeks.

Fertilization:Low-moderate fertilization levels are required. Fertilize the crop weekly with 80-100 ppm nitrogen (at 2 kg/m3 slow release fertilizer in substrate), using complete balanced fertilizer. Avoid high ammonium and high nitrogen levels. Very high nitrogen levels in substrate cause shoot stretching and the shoots fall apart. Don't fertilize after mid September. In spring fertilize 80-100 ppm nitrogen of a complete balanced fertilizer. Prevent magnesium deficiency by applying magnesium sulphate (0,05 %) 1-2 times and in case of iron deficiency (above pH 6.0) apply iron-chelate for 1-2 times.

Cultural Hints:The roots are very sensitive to wet substrates. Short time wetness can cause rotting of roots and poor plant quality. For cultivation allow for the pots to dry thoroughly between irrigations.