Lavatera Novella Cultural Information

Introduction

Lavatera Novella is a new compact, early flowering Lavatera with rose-pink flowers and mid-green foliage. Its earliness combines with the compact well-branched habit to produce a superb Patio or low cost houseplant. First flowers are produced on a plant 30-35cms (12-14”) tall, with a spread of 15 - 20cms (6-8”). Novella is the latest Floranova variety to receive the flower seed industry’s highest accolade – the Fleuroselect Gold Medal – a testament to its excellent through season performance in a wide range of climatic conditions.

Novella is extremely versatile being suitable for selling green in a pack, as a half-hardy annual, a pot bedding plant, or even as a low cost flowering pot plant. Experiments here at Floranova suggest that from a mid-winter sowing Novella will flower 14 – 16 weeks later, using a 10.5cm (4”) pot, and can be sold along with the main bedding plant crop. However as Lavatera is a long day plant it may be easier to grow entirely in long days.

When used as a half-hardy annual Novella should be sown directly into the flowering position as soon as the danger of frost has passed. It will then provide a colourful display during mid-summer.

Sowing and Germination

AS A POT OR BEDDING PLANT

Sow on an open media that has been pre-drenched with a suitable fungicide, a low nutritional level and a pH of between 5.8 and 6.0 and cover to the depth of the seed, with coarse Vermiculite, or compost. Lavatera seed is large, and produces large cotyledons, and so if the seed is being sown direct into cell trays, 2cm (1”) plugs are probably the smallest that can be used.

Water the trays thoroughly and place in a growth chamber, or on a heated bench set at 20 –22oC (70-75oF). Remove the trays as soon as the seedlings emerge and place in a bright Glass house, maintaining a minimum night temperature of 20oC (70oF) until the cotyledons are fully expanded and the first true leaf is showing. At this time lower the night temperature to between 18 and 20oC (65 –70oF). A plug should be ready for transplanting about one month from sowing.

AS A HALF-HARDY ANNUAL

Prepare the flowering site by digging in some organic matter, and adding a general base fertiliser to the well-raked soil. Sow in drills 1cm (1/2”) deep, placing each seed about 5cms(2”) apart. Cover the seed and water in well.
Once the seedlings emerge, thin out until each plant is about 30cms(12”) apart. Staking should not be necessary. Novella will do best in a well-drained sunny site and will flower for up to eight weeks.

Growing On

It is very important that transplanting takes place on time, as the young plants will spoil very quickly if they become starved or are overcrowded, and the final crop will be spoilt.

Transplant the plug directly into the final container, using a standard potting media with a medium nutrient level and a pH of between 5.8 and 6.0, and water in well. Again a preventative fungicide drench can help to protect the young plants from attack. Return the plants to the glasshouse, with the night temperature set at 18 – 20oC (68-70oF), ventilate at 20oC (70oF), until established, after which the night temperature should be dropped to 15oC (60oF). Although the lower regime will probably delay flowering slightly a sturdier better quality plant will be the result.

Ensure that the media is kept moist throughout the culture of the crop, as any excessive wilting will cause the lower leaves to turn yellow. Feed regularly with a well balanced feed (10-0-10 @ 100ppm) until the buds show, when the feed should be changed to one higher in potash (10-0-14) until marketing.

To ensure a top quality pot plant, a compact and bushy plant is required. This is best achieved by keeping the night temperatures down to the recommended level and treating the plants with up to three sprays of C.C.C. (Cycocel) diluted at the rate of 4cc per litre of water. Spray only actively growing plants and avoid bright sunlight until the plants dry out.

Pests and Diseases

Lavatera is open to attack from Aphids and Whitefly, and close monitoring of the crop is necessary to prevent an infestation, spraying with a suitable insecticide as soon as pathogens are seen

Anthracnose and Sclerotinia can also be troublesome, so it is essential that a good airflow is maintained around the plants and that the atmosphere does not become too humid. Preventative drenches of the media before sowing and again at transplanting are sensible precautions. Any plants that do become infected should be removed and destroyed as quickly as possible.