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U4040 - PRIMULA ELATIOR, POLYANTHA PRIMROSE
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'Crescendo® Blue Shades'
'Crescendo'® Primroses banish the gloom of winter, signaling the return of spring with vivid splashes of color. Eight bright colors including the new 'Crescendo® Wine', as well as the improved 'Crescendo® White' and 'Crescendo® Rose Shades' bring a bright cheerful presence to the spring landscape. 'Crescendo'® also boasts great winter hardiness and superior disease resistance.
Abundant and long lasting flowers are displayed 6-8" (15-20 cm) above the foliage of 'Crescendo'®. This very large flowered polyanthus type Primula produces multiple stems that are adorned with clusters of 2" (5 cm) flowers.
The 'Crescendo'® series can be produced under cooler temperatures, making it a very economical crop for growers to produce. Non-flowering plants for the home landscape and large municipal plantings can be planted in September and October for color the following spring. For flowering potted plants, 'Crescendo'® Primula can be forced into flower from February throughout the spring. 'Crescendo'® is ideally suited for flowerbeds, borders, and containers in partially shaded locations with other early spring flowering items such as Aquilegia 'Spring Magic'®, Doronicum 'Little Leo', Arabis 'Snowfix' and 'Compinkie'®.
** Benary Specialties **
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TECHNICAL INFORMATION |
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| Life Cycle: | |
Perennial
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| Familiy, Origin: | |
Primulaceae, Europe
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| Sitelocation: | |
Partial shade - shade
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| Garden Height: | |
18 cm
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7,09 inch
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| Natural flowertime: | |
April - June
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| Crop Time: | |
Plug crop: 6-8 weeks; Green pots: 8-10 weeks; Flowering pots: 32-48 weeks
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| Sell Period: | |
December-March
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| Seed Form: | |
Raw Seed
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| Seed Count: | |
1111 K/g
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| Sowing Time: | |
Outdoor forcing: March-May; Indoor forcing (frost free): Mai-June
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| Sowing Method: | |
1 seed per plug
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| Germination: | |
20-30 days at 18 °C, in media with very low soluble salt levels and pH: 5.8-6.2. Cover seed lightly with vermiculite after sowing. Keep soil wet (relative humidity: 100 %).
Soak seeds in cold-storage room at 14 °C for 8-10 days. Afterwards cultivate the seeds in greenhouse at 18 °C and get the seedlings used to light slowly. Avoid direct sunlight by shading seed after sowing.
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| Plug Culture: | |
From Stage II* reduce the soil moisture, but the plug should not dry out. Do not let soluble salt level rise above 0,50 EC. The roots are very 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.
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| Growing On: | |
4-6 weeks after sowing transplant 1 plant per plug tray (4x4 cm) or in packs. The first true leaf should be full developed. 8-10 weeks later transplant 1 plant into a pot (10-13 cm). Two time transplantation supports root development and young plant quality.
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| Media: | |
Use a well-drained, growing substrate with 15-30 % clay, 0-20 % parts (e.g. bark, perlite), 0,5-1,5 kg/m³ complete balanced fertilizer, 0-3 kg/m³ slow release fertilizer (3-6 months), iron-chelate, micronutrients, pH: 5.8-6.2.
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| Photoperiod / Light: | |
Day length neutral plants. Keep light level high. At late sowing assimilation light can be used after first transplantation in order to accelerate forcing. In winter outdoor frozen plants have to be protected against sunlight. Protect the plants in summer against high sunlight, too. In winter supplemental lighting is not necessary, but recommended for good plant quality.
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| Temperature: | |
Grow at 10-15 °C. In winter indoors frost free at 3-5 °C or outdoors. Outdoor fleece cover needed. For wintering the leaf rosette should be well developed. Alternating temperatures (10-12 °C day- and 1-2 °C night temperature) for 4-6 weeks promotes considerably the flower initiation for a frost free cultivation. The plants start (from CW 45 earliest) to grow for 12-15 weeks at 10-14 °C. Avoid higher temperature, because high temperatures reduce the plant quality and the foliage will grow too much. For cut flower production in cold greenhouse set up the plants in intervals. Flowering pots can be stored in cold storage-room for 4 weeks at 0,5-2 °C.
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| Fertilization: | |
Low-moderate fertilization levels are required. Fertilize the crop weekly with 150-200 ppm nitrogen (at 0 kg/m³ slow release fertilizer in substrate), using a complete balanced fertilizer. In August use a potassium balanced fertilizer (N: K2O-ratio: 1:1,5). Take care of a good potassium supply, because potassium deficiency can a be cause for leaf necrosis. Avoid high ammonium and high nitrogen levels. High levels are the cause for a too big foliage. 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. Treat nitrogen deficiency (yellow foliage) with urea foliage fertilization. The roots are sensitive to high salt levels (above 2 g/l) in substrates. Avoid high fertilizer concentrations, it is advisable to fertilize several times with low concentrations weekly. Take care of pH value in substrate and if necessary adjust the pH value in substrate with lime or with acidic ferrous fertilizer. For outdoor cultivation nutrition losses due to rainfall have to be taken into consideration.
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| Cut Flowers: | |
Cut flower stems can be harvested, when 50 % of the flowers are open. Vase life: 8-10 days. Cold storage is possible. Avoid flying insects during flowering time, because due to pollination the flowers fade very quickly. In the first year 4-6 stems can be harvested per plant and in second year
10-15 stems.
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| Cultural Hints: | |
The growth can be well controlled by fertilization and by water supply. Cultivate rather dry and not too close for a good plant quality. Avoid too late sowing time, because then the quantity of the flowers can be strongly decreased.
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All colors
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Hint
The cultural recommendations are based on results from trials conducted under Central European conditions. Different conditions in other parts of the world may lead to deviations in results achieved.
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