Description
Mega Revolution is a new class in hybrid pot-plant Gerbera, specifically developed for the larger container-sizes (15 cm/6" and up).
Plants are vigorous but well-developed with many short and broad leaves, creating nice bushy plants. Mega Revolution also has a larger (± 20%)flower diameter that meets the increased size of the plant in comparison with standard Gerbera Revolution.
In order to achieve the best result it is recommended to use a larger than usual plug-size to start off your culture in the large container.
The Mega Mix contains Red, Scarlet, Orange, Yellow, White, Coral-Salmon, Pink and Rose shades, partly with dark center.
Since we introduced Revolution Micro, Mini and Mega serie, we refer to the original as the Standard Revolution Series.
We offer Mega Revolution as PlugPlanner; a program for professional youngplant producers. This way the crop can be planned much better and more secure.
PlugPlanner takes the guesswork out!

General
-colours: The Mega Revolution-series is developing. New colours soon to follow. For descriptions and photographs, please go to our Internet site or use our latest catalogue.
-height : 30-40cm/12-18" (incl. pot), depending on period of the year. In wrapped position plants show flowers very well.
-life cycle: culture time (sowing -> end of harvest) 15 weeks
-seedcount: 345 seeds per gram
-family: Asteraceae

Sowing instruction
-method: 1 seed per plug. For plug production a soil with pH 5,5 to 6,5 is used. Cover the seeds lightly, e.g. with Vermiculite (grade 2), to prevent drying out
-Gerbera can germinate in dark as well as in light circumstances.
-time: In principle possible to sow yearround. To overcome the dark winterperiod, growers in North Western European countries usually do not sow from week 32 to week 40. Planning of a crop is very simple: sow 15 weeks before planned sales period.
-temperature: 18-20°C(64-68°F )during germination. Maintain a high humidity in the sowing department. Use a preventive treatment e.g. Rovral half concentration (active ingredient is iprodione) against damping-off diseases directly after sowing. Keep the seed boxes moist during germination
-germination time: 4-7 days after sowing. One week after sowing, open sides of the germination chamber

Growing on
-transplanting/potting: remove the seedlings from the germination chamber, end of the second week. Grow on at 20°C(68°F )until 4-5 weeks after sowing. Then, sort the seedlings (if necessary)
-potting/soil: into two sizes and pot them in a light and well-airated medium
-pot size: potting soil into 12 cm-5"pots (pH 5,5-6)
-irrigation: overhead watering is possible until the flowerbuds appear, but watering directly into pot or grow with ebb/flow floors is preferred
-density: after potting the density is approx. 80 pl/m2 for 3-4 weeks; by then the plants need to be spaced to 20-25 pl/m2 until end of culture
-culture temperature: best results with 19-19°C or 19-17°C(66-66°F or 66-62°F). In darker periods D/N temperatures can be reversed to keep stemlength somewhat shorter.
-diseases/pests: should any disease or pest (mildew, white fly, thrips)emerge, treatment with pesticides known from the cutflower culture can be applied
-fertilization: Gerbera requires relatively high fertilization gifts. This is light and temperature dependent. For general use, a list with target values is taken up into this cultural info under 6c.
-light: Gerbera likes to be grown under high light conditions. During the darker period of the year, additional lighting can be applied
-croptime: depending on the sowing date, the available light and the required pot/plant ratio, the culture will take approx. 14-15 weeks from sowing to 50% flowering. The second 50% can be reaped in 10-14 days.

General advice
-wrapping: special wrapping sleeves are available in most countries. Do not use plastic. Paper or polypropylene is preferred.
-culture scheme: in weeks
sowing --------------- week 0
potting --------------- week 6
spacing -------------- week 9
first flowering 10% - week 13
last flowering 90% -- week 15

-combination with other crops: do not grow Gerbera Mega Revolution
together with other Gerbera(except Revolution Series) because of their quick growth and their special fertilization needs. Please grow them in a special greenhouse.
-Target values for Gerbera Mega Revolution culture in pot 10,5 cm/4" in standard soil after half of Humidity strategy.
It is very well possible to sow Gerbera without covering the seed. Keep the climate in the germination chamber as humid as possible. First day after sowing, mist + propamocarb up to 25 litres of water per 100 m2. Plug and seed must be saturated. Use water with EC-0. Keep this climate for 6-7 days.
-From day 8: start lowering the RH towards 80% by opening the germination beds.
-From day 14: remove cover (plastic); reduce watering.
-From day 21: remove fleece cover; watering (overhead) if plants need it.
(In this stage plants need approx. 1/3 of the amount of water of the start).
Mistakes made in this part of the culture of Gerbera are:
-Mist: drip size to large -> cotyledon damage.
-Water is too cold: hard and brittle plants.
-No propamocarb: plants wilt and die off.
-Old plastic cover or infected boxes: plants wilt and die off.
[*Unperforated cover: lack of oxygen -> plants die.

-From day 28: start watering and add a little fertilizer (EC 0.8).
This week sorting starts also. If one grows in plugtrays, sorting is easy: sort in 2 or 3 sizes. Size 1 and 2 can grow in the plugtray, only half the density, until potting 2-3 weeks later. Size 3 needs another 1-2 weeks to grow into shape. During harvest of the flowering plants, there is hardly any difference between the three sizes.