SALVIA SPLENDENS, SCARLET SAGE, BEDDING SAGE Cover Girl

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Life Cycle:Annual

Familiy, Origin:Lamiaceae, Brasilia

Sitelocation:Full sun - partial shade

Garden Height:18 cm, 7,09 inch

Crop Time:Plug crop: 4-6 weeks; Flowering pots: 6-7 weeks

Sell Period:April-June

Seed Form:Raw Seed

Seed Count:260 K/g

Sowing Time:February-April for flowering in pots from April onwards; June for flowering in pots from August onwards.

Sowing Method:2-3 seeds per plug, sowing directly into pot is recommended.

Germination:7-12 days at 22-25 °C, in media with very low soluble salt levels and pH: 5.5-6.5. Requires light for germination. Do not cover seeds. Keep soil slightly moist but not wet. Avoid direct sunlight by shading seeds after sowing.

Plug Culture:From Stage II* reduce the soil moisture, but the plug should not dry out and reduce the temperature to 20-22 °C. Do not let soluble salt level rise above 0,75 EC. The roots are sensitive to high salt levels in substrates. Start fertilization at 50-75 ppm nitrogen in a well balanced formula. During Stage III and Stage IV fertilization levels can be increased to 150-200 ppm.

Growing On:4-6 weeks after sowing transplant 1 plant into a pack or pot (9-12 cm) and 3 plants into a container (3-5 l). Delayed transplanting of plugs can cause a poor root development resulting in a lower finished plant quality.

Media:Use a well-drained, growing perennial substrate with 0-15 % clay, 0-15 % parts (e. g. bark, wood fibres, perlite), 1-3 kg/m3 complete balanced fertilizer, 0-2 kg/m3 slow release fertilizer (3-6 months), iron-chelate, micronutrients, pH: 5.5-6.5.

Photoperiod/ Light:Day length neutral plant. Keep the light level high, because high light intensity and long day will improve the flowering and the plant quality. Avoid light deficiency, because light deficiency is a cause for shoot stretching. Very high light intensity and long day above 16 h inhibit the flowering.

Temperature:Grow at 21-24 °C during daytime and at 13-16 °C during night. To the harden the plants for selling the temperature can be decreased to 12-14 °C. S. splendens does not tolerate frost.

Fertilization:Moderate-high fertilization levels are required. Fertilize the crop weekly with 200-250 ppm nitrogen (at 0 kg/m3 slow release fertilizer in substrate), using a complete balanced fertilizer. Avoid high ammonium and high nitrogen levels. 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 1-2 times. The roots are sensitive to high salt levels in substrates. Avoid high fertilizer concentrations, it is advisable to fertilize several times with low concentrations weekly.