Palace
- Early flowering series
- Compact plant habit
- Excellent for pots, baskets and borders
- Crop Time
- Spring: 9 - 11 weeks
- Height ∅
- 5 ″ / 12 cm
- Exposure
- Partial shade
- Seed Form
- Raw Seed, Multipelleted Seed
- Best Uses
- Bedding, Hanging basket, Pot Plant
Culture guide
Usage
Beds, borders, containers and color bowls
Sowing method
7-10 seeds or 1 multipellet per plug (multi-seed pellets produce an average of 5-7 seedlings per pellet)
Germination
Stage I: 4-7 days at 70-75 °F (21-24 °C), in media with very low soluble salt levels and pH 5.5-6.5. Requires light for germination. Do not cover seeds. If pellets are used, ensure that the pellets are well-watered to allow them to dissolve. Keep soil slightly moist but not wet. Long day (12-14 h) during germination decreases the cultivation time and flowering will be earlier. Avoid direct sunlight by shading seeds after sowing.
Growing on
4-5 weeks after sowing, transplant into packs or pot 6-10 cm (2,5-4'').
Media
Use a well-drained, disease-free, soilless medium with a pH 5.2 -5.8.
Temperature
Grow at night temperatures of 12-15 °C (54-59 °F) and day 17 -20 °C (63-68 °F). After development of the roots temperature can be further decreased. Before selling harden the plants by decreasing the temperature to 6-8 °C (43-46 °F). Lobelia erinus does not tolerate frost.
Fertilization
Moderate fertilization levels are required. Fertilize the crop weekly with 150-200 ppm nitrogen, using a complete balanced fertilizer. Avoid high ammonium and high nitrogen levels. Wetness and cold medium temperatures are a cause for iron deficiency. 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. Reduce fertilizer rate at the end of the crop to keep the plants compact.
Stage I Starts with the radicle breaking through the testa. The roots are touching the medium. Ends with fully developed cotyledons.
Stage II Starts from fully developed cotyledons. Ends with the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair.
Stage III Starts from the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair and ends with 80% of the young plants being marketable.
Stage IV All young plants are ready for sale and in the process of being hardened off. This stage lasts about 7 days.
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.
