Lobelia Regatta Sapphire Grower Fact

Grower Facts

Lobelia Regatta Sapphire (Lobelia erinus)

Germination:Use a well-drained, disease-free plug medium with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 and EC about 0.75 mmhos/cm (1:2 extraction). Do not cover the seed with vermiculite. If pelleted seed is used, ensure that the pellets are wellwatered to allow them to dissolve.

Plug Production

Note: Multi-seed pellets produce an average of 5 to 7 seedlings per pellet.
Media: Use a well-drained, disease-free plug medium with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 and EC about 0.75 mmhos/cm (1:2 extraction).

Sowing: Do not cover the seed with vermiculite. If pelleted seed is used, ensure that the pellets are well-watered to allow them to dissolve.

Temperature
Germination: 70 to 76¡ãF (21 to 24¡ãC)
Cotyledon stage: 68 to 74¡ãF (20 to 23¡ãC)
True leaves: 66 to 72¡ãF (19 to 22¡ãC)
Hold plugs: 64 to 68¡ãF (18 to 20¡ãC)
Germination takes 4 to 6 days in a germination chamber.

Light: If Lobelia seed is sown when daylengths are less than 12 hours, flowering time will be delayed. Day extension to about 12 to 14 hours will speed flowering.

Fertilizer: Feed plugs from Stage 2 with a complete fertilizer at 75 to 100 ppm N.

Growth Regulators: No plant growth regulators are required.

Growing On to Finish

Container Size: Riviera Lobelia are best-suited to production in flats of 48 to 72 cells for color sales. Regatta Lobelia should also be started in flats, but final use should be for hanging baskets, mixed containers or borders.

Media: Use a well-drained, disease-free, soilless medium with a pH of 5.2 to 5.8.

Temperature: Riviera and Regatta Lobelias perform best in moderate climates. Night temperatures in the 50s to lower 60s (¡ãF) produce better-toned crops. Day temperatures should be set between 66 to 72¡ãF (19 to 22¡ãC).

Light: Lobelias flower more freely when daylength is longer than 12 hours. Lighting plants in Winter when daylength is less than 12 hours speeds flowering. In later Spring, when plants are grown under higher temperatures, light shading helps to produce shorter and better-toned plants.

Fertilization: Lobelias are light to moderate feeders and perform best when a complete fertilizer is used at 150 to 200 ppm N. Reduce fertilizer rate at the end of the crop to keep the plants compact.

Growth Regulators: B-Nine has proven effective in controlling height in Lobelias. Use of foliar sprays at 3,000 to 5,000 ppm before the plants begin to elongate will produce nice compact basket for Regatta Lobelia. A rate of 2,500 ppm is generally enough to produce compact plants of the Riviera varieties.