Portulaca Sunnyside Cultural Information

Plug Production
Sowing/Media: Use a well-drained, disease-free, peat-based plug medium with pH 5.5 – 5.8 and EC <0.75 mmhos (saturated paste). Sow multiple seeds per cell (4 – 6 seeds) unless using multi-seed pellets.

Germination (Stages 1 and 2): Keep soil uniformly moist, not saturated. Soil temperature should be 75 – 78°F. Light levels should be <1500 footcandles. Allow about 7 days to finish germination.

Stage 3: Soil temperature should be 68 – 72°F, no lower. Practice good wet/dry moisture cycle, but avoid keeping too wet. Lower temperatures will cause more problems with rooting, disease, and crop time. Keep light levels around 3000 footcandles. Portulaca needs long days to flower, so use HID lights (12 – 16 hour days) to promote better growth and faster flowering during short and low-light days. Feed every other watering with 100 – 150 ppm N from 15-5-15, 17-5-17, or 13-2-13. Keep media pH 5.5 – 5.8 and EC 1.0 – 1.5 mmhos (saturated paste).

Stage 4: Soil temperatures can be lowered to 65 – 68°F. Dry down between waterings. Keep light levels 3000 – 4000 footcandles. Feed as needed with 15-5-15, 17-5-17, or 13-2-13.

Plant Growth Regulators: Sprays of B-Nine (1000 – 2500 ppm) or A-Rest (1 – 3 ppm) can be used if needed, but generally, portulaca does not need plant growth regulators.

Crop Time: 5 – 6 weeks for 512 plugs, 6 – 7 weeks for 288 plugs, longer if not using HID lights or growing cooler than indicated.

Common Problems: Damping-off, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, poor roots – too wet or too cool, loss of lower leaves – too dry.

Growing on to finish
Container Size: Cell packs to 4-inch pots

Media: Transplant into a well-drained, disease-free, peat-based growing mix with pH of 5.5 – 5.8 and EC<1.5 (saturated paste). Can also be direct-sown into cell packs. Avoid saturating media with water right after transplanting to
control root rots. Use half-saturation technique for watering until roots to sides of container.

Temperatures: Keep soil temperatures 70 – 72°F to root out, then lower to 68 – 70°F to grow on, no lower. Portulaca grows better the warmer the temperature.

Light: Keep light levels 3000 – 5000 footcandles or higher. Flower buds may not open if light levels are too low. Do not hang baskets over this crop! Provide long days if transplanting before mid-March.

Irrigation and Fertilization: Do not keep too wet! Grow on the drier side with some wilt, but do not drop the lower leaves. Feed 1x/week with 150 ppm N from 15-5-15, 17-5-17, or 13-2-13. Keep media pH 5.5 – 5.8 and EC 1.0 – 1.5 mmhos (saturated paste).

Plant Growth Regulators: Use sprays of B-Nine (2500 ppm), Bonzi (5 – 10 ppm), or low drench of Bonzi (1 – 2 ppm) if needed. Do your own trials to avoid overdosing, as vigor of varieties, weather conditions, light levels, and cultural practices directly affect how much growth regulators to use. Generally, portulaca does not need plant growth regulators if controlling height with moisture and fertilizer.

Common Problems: Pythium, Rhizoctonia, thrips, poor rooting – too cool and too wet, poor flowering – too short of days or too low of light levels.

Crop Time: 5 – 8 weeks, depending on plug and container size, temperature, and light levels.