This Growing Tips will help you get the best performance, growth and maximize your profits when you grow Oglevee CVI cuttings. What follows are techniques needed to ensure a successful 4 ´" geranium crop in the shortest possible time--six weeks for rooted and 10 weeks for unrooted cuttings.
Fast Finishing Technical Specs
Plants:
Oglevee Plant Pak or unrooted cuttings (URC)
Planting Date:
Rooted cuttings--six weeks prior to scheduled sale date; 10 weeks for URC.
Media:
Sterilized artificial mix.
Media pH:
Zonals & Brocades 5.8-6.1 Ivies 5.5 Floribundas 6.2-6.5
Planting:
Plant immediately upon arrival. To ensure optimum performance never stress a CVI cutting. Bottom heat is considered essential for meeting the fast cropping schedule.
Spacing:
For both greatest economic return and plant performance we recommend that this crop be started by spacing pot-to-pot. After three to four weeks, the crop should be spaced to four plants per square foot. If more final space is given, or if the crop time is increased, this will reduce your return per square foot.
Watering:
First day -- three irrigations, each one hour apart.
Second through fourth day--one irrigation mid-day.
By the seventh day healthy white roots should appear at the edge of the soil, if not leach!
Temperature:
Night--65° F (UCR 70° F) Day--do not vent until air temperatures reach 70° F.
Light:
Zonals & Stardom floribundas need full light--3500-4500 foot candles: light shade may be required near the end of the cycle. A reddening of the petioles and stems will be an indication of too much light. Ivies require moderate light--2500-3500 foot candles.
Fertility:
Constant fertilization program 15-15-15 or 15-0-15 @ 250 ppm N. Make sure that a 10% drip (leachate) occurs with every irrigation. Bi-weekly or monthly application of Epsom salts at a rate of 2 lb./100 gallons will improve foliage quality.
CO2:
Inject as long as possible at a rate of 800 to 1000 ppm, starting one hour before sunrise and continuing until mid-afternoon or 70° F, whichever occurs first.
Using Growth Regulators
Rate:
Apply Cycocel at 1500 ppm (1:80 dilution) 14 days after planting. A second application may be necessary on more vigorous varieties, if so, apply 14 days later. Spray a light mist or to glisten, not run-off. If using the at 750 ppm (1:160 dilution) half rate, begin applying 14 days after planting, then repeat three or four times at weekly intervals. Spray growth regulators only on well fertilized plants that are not stressed, spraying on a cloudy day or early in the morning works best.