Pot Producers - |
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More specialized Classic Caladiums information for Pot Producers: |
Recipe for Success | Caladium Sprouting |
All caladium varieties may be used for pot production. However, certain varieties are more suited to certain pot sizes than others. The following basic production guidelines will aid the commercial grower in successfully producing highly marketable pot caladiums:
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De-eyeing:
Various techniques have been used in the past to finish caladiums
that have a more compact habit with more leaves.
Terminal bud removal or de-eyeing, is the most reliable way.
Individual varieties respond differently to this procedure, with
some showing no appreciable affect from the procedure.
To de-eye, cut out the dominant buds or sprout(s) (eyes) using a
small knife. Staying within
the diameter of the eye, remove the entire eye by cutting about 1/8”-¼”
deep into the bulb (see diagram).
Remember, it is critical to stay within the diameter of the eye
to eliminate damage to the small eyes that surround the perimeter of the
main eye. Experiments using
a nail to puncture and destroy the terminal bud have shown irregular
results as the main eye is sometimes missed.
Remember in order to be effective, the de-eyeing method must
remove or destroy the terminal buds.
Please note however while proper de-eyeing increases the
uniformity of your crop, increasing the severity of the de-eyeing
treatment, by excessive removal of tuber tissue, leads to a less uniform
crop. Cluster bulbs with
four or five dominant eyes generally do not benefit from de-eying.
Contrary to some beliefs, it is not harmful to de-eye white
cultivars as long as it is done properly, e.g. stay within the diameter
of the eye. The caladium
bulb, being a storage organ, is full of carbohydrates.
A wet carbohydrate source invites disease problems, so it is best
to let a de-eyed bulb dry and heal 10-12 hours before potting.
It is helpful to use a fungicide or Talc dust to aid in this
process. Good air
circulation is very important to this drying (healing) process. The apical shoot is more mature than the axillary
buds. After de-eyeing,
shoots/leaves from axillary buds may have a slightly different look and
color.
Although de-eyeing will delay the forcing time
briefly (up to two weeks), it will result in a fuller more compact
plant. Therefore, we
recommend that all bulbs used for pot plants, except as noted in the
variety descriptions, be de-eyed.
We do not recommend the use of GA on caladiums to stimulate
germination.
Growth Regulators:
Growth regulators such as B-9 and Bonzi have proven to be useful
for various growers around the country.
Growth regulators do not eliminate the need for good culture.
We believe the best height control for the pot plant trade is
achieved by use the proper de-eyeing technique, proper spacing and
fertilization, timely removal from bottom heat and selection of the
proper bulb size and variety for the finished pots you are trying to
create and use of growth regulators.
In most cases, No. 2 bulbs produce smaller leaves and a somewhat
shorter plant. Of course too
much shade will cause stretching.
1)
Bonzi- Soil Drench.
Apply when plants show a few spikes, and are not yet leafed out
at the rate of 8 PPM.
Remember to wait for the first spikes to show since only a
well-developed root structure will take up the Bonzi.
The medium needs to be moist, not dry.
Pine bark in the mix will reduce the effect of a Bonzi drench and
the concentration will need to be increased by about 50%.
2500 ppm B-9 can be added to this to increase petiole thickness.
2)
Bonzi-Tuber Soak.
Soak tubers for 30 minutes after de-eying in a 8-30 ppm
(0.5oz-1oz/gal) Bonzi solution (#3 & #4= 0.25 oz/gal = 8 ppm; #2 & small
#1= 0.5 oz/gal = 16 ppm; Large #1, J & M = 1.0 oz/gal = 32 ppm), allow
bulbs to dry overnight on the bench and pot them the following day.
This will be effective in reducing the height in cultivars like
Aaron, Carolyn Whorton and White Christmas and result in an overall more
compact sturdier plant for all varieties.
As always, when using a drench or a soak, the rate depends
entirely on your growing conditions.
Growers should experiment to determine the proper rates and
exposure for given varieties.
3)
Bonzi – Foliage Spray.
Some growers have found a Bonzi Spray at a concentration of
1oz/gallon or 30 ppm effective in holding plants.
Addition of 2500 ppm B-9 to the Bonzi helps increase petiole
thickness and intensifies the colors.
4)
B-9
- Foliar Spray.
Rate: 1 pound per 40 gallons
of water, 2500 PPM as needed; 5-7 days apart, two or three times when
leafed out and spaced. B-9
also makes for a very sturdy plant and improves colors.
2500 ppm B-9 applied 7-10 days before shipping improves the
product at the retailer/consumer level.
5)
Topflor and Piccolo – Recent (2007/08)
studies by North Carolina State University have shown soil drenches of
1-2 mg/ 6” pot to be effective at controlling height in caladiums.
Growers should seriously consider experimenting with these
materials. Bulbs/Pot Size:
Combination pots and planters –
see below
*** Seed stock bulbs (No. 3 size and smaller) are recommended for
4 ½” pots and smaller. Fill
the pot 2/3 with soil, add bulbs to cover the surface area of the soil
then cover the bulbs with 1-1.5” of soil.
If bulbs are sprouting you may need to de-eye to obtain uniform
pots.
Combination Pots – Combination pots and planters are becoming very popular and special note should be made of the use of caladiums for this purpose. Caladiums have been identified as the perfect accent plant in combination with bedding plants or in combinations with other caladium varieties. For instance, a bowl with caladium White Christmas in the center and marigolds or wave petunias around the periphery is spectacular. Another dynamite combination is caladium White Christmas in the center with caladium Red Frill around the periphery. Different height affects can be achieved by variety selection, bulb size and whether bulbs are de-eyed.
Potting Depth:
Bulbs should be covered with at least 1 to 1 ½ inches of soil.
This will ensure adequate soil moisture around roots as they
emerge from the top of the bulb. Potting Mixtures:
A well-drained potting mixture containing considerable
organic matter is suggested.
Potting mixtures such as (1) 50% peat moss and 50% shavings, (2) 80%
peat moss and 20% pine bark, (3) pure peat moss, (4) organic matter
(compost) and sandy soil combinations have been used successfully for
growing caladiums. A
pH-adjusted pre-mix of peat moss, perlite and a wetting agent seems to
work best for most caladium growers. Planting Time:
Though many growers plant earlier, we recommend waiting until
after January 15 to plant.
A well-cured bulb will out perform a “green” non-cured bulb
anytime and will usually finish just as fast as the bulbs planted 2-3
weeks earlier. Forcing:
When caladiums are forced early as a pot plant it is necessary to
maintain a higher potting medium temperature for proper sprouting.
Sprouting will be sparse when soil temperature is maintained at
60°F (15°C). Sprouting
will occur at soil temperatures of 70°F (21°C)
and higher. Bulbs sprout
best when soil temperature is elevated to 75-78°F (24°C) in the presence of high humidity (90% relative
humidity). To approximate
these conditions heating cables or other means are used to provide
bottom heat. The suggested
night temperature of the greenhouse for caladiums is 65°F (18°C) or higher.
Nighttime temperatures of 60°F (15°C) and below result in injury, irregular sprouting and
growth and/or reduced plant quality.
Early caladium plantings (January to February) require longer
forcing periods than later plantings (May).
Those forced in January or February generally require eight to
ten weeks before plants are sellable, while plantings made in May
require about four to six weeks prior to sale.
If a plastic cover is used to retain heat and moisture during
sprouting, allow for proper ventilation on a regular basis to make sure
the potting medium temperature does not exceed 85°F
(29°C)
or else you will overheat the crop and achieve only erratic growth at
best.
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