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TECHNICAL INFORMATION |
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| Life Cycle: | |
Perennial
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| Familiy, Origin: | |
Asteraceae, Europe
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| Sitelocation: | |
Full sun
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| Garden Height: | |
30 cm
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11,81 inch
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| Natural flowertime: | |
June - August
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| Crop Time: | |
Plug crop: 6- 8 weeks; Green pots: 16-20 weeks; Flowering pots: 12-14 months, with vernalization; Cut flower production: 4-5 years
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| Sell Period: | |
April-May and August-October
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| Seed Form: | |
Raw Seed
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| Seed Count: | |
256 K/g
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| Sowing Time: | |
November-March for green pots; early January-March for flowering in pots the following year; Outdoors: April-May (frost free)
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| Sowing Method: | |
1 seed per plug, tap rooted, sowing (15 g/100 m²) directly into fields is recommended
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| Germination: | |
18-25 days at 18-22 °C, in media with low soluble salt levels and pH: 6.0-7.0. Requires light for germination. Before sowing treat substrate with fungicide. Cover seed lightly with vermiculite after sowing. Keep soil slightly moist but not wet. Avoid direct sunlight by shading seeds after sowing. In the field sowings need to be covered by fleece or foil to avoid drying out.
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| Plug Culture: | |
From Stage II* reduce the soil moisture, but the plug should not dry out and reduce the temperature to 15-18 °C. Do not let soluble salt level rise above 0,75 EC. Start fertilization at 75 ppm nitrogen in a well balanced formula. During Stage III and Stage IV fertilization levels can be increased to 80-100 ppm.
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| Growing On: | |
4-5 weeks after sowing transplant 1 plant into a pot (7-10 cm) and 2-3 plants into a bigger pot (11-15 cm) or into container (3-5 l). Planting as early as possible. Avoid root damage. Plant cut flowers in 25-35 x 30-50 cm space. The distance between the rows should not be to narrow, because the thorns from Carlina make it difficult to harvest.
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| Media: | |
Use a well-drained, growing perennial substrate with 0-15 % clay, 0-20 % parts (e.g. bark, sand, perlite), 1-1,5 kg/m³ complete balanced fertilizer, 0-2 kg/m³ slow release fertilizer (3-9 months), iron-chelate, micronutrients, pH: 6.0-7.0. Field: humus, loamy, sandy soils, calcareous with a good drainage. Standard fertilization: 50-70 g/m² slow release fertilizer and 50-70 g/m² potassium-magnesium fertilizer.
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| Photoperiod / Light: | |
Long day plant. The long day support the flower initiation. In winter additional assimilation light is recommended for cut flower production.
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| Temperature: | |
Grow at 14-16 °C or outdoors. In winter indoors frost free at 3-5 °C or outdoors. For wintering the root development in pots should be very good. In spring the plants start to grow for 14-16 weeks at 15-18 °C.
Cold temperatures at 8-15 °C will increase the cultivation time. A chilling period (vernalization) for flower initiation is required.
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| Fertilization: | |
Slow-moderate fertilization levels are required. Fertilize the crop weekly with 60-80 ppm nitrogen (at 2 kg/m³ slow release fertilizer in substrate), using a complete balanced fertilizer. Avoid high nitrogen levels. Don't fertilize after mid September. In spring fertilize with 60-80 ppm nitrogen using a complete balanced fertilizer. Prevent magnesium deficiency by applying magnesium sulphate (0,025 %) 1-2 times and in case of iron deficiency apply iron-chelate for 1-2 times. Field: If necessary according to analysis, improve the soil with 50-60 g/m² slow release fertilizer and 50-60 g/m² potassium-magnesium fertilizer per year, applied in several portions.
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| Cut Flowers: | |
Cut flower stems can be harvested, when the flowers have the requested height. Vase life: 21 days. Dried flower production is possible. Stability of the dried flower: one year. After third year 18 stems per plant and per year can be harvested.
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| Cultural Hints: | |
Control and fight the weed in time. Carlina have very low water requirement.
Short time wetness can cause rotting of roots. After planting treat substrate and soil with fungicide against Botrytis. Keep a good drainage of the field.
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