Bedding plant order

Container recommendation:  606 Jumbo Insert  (100 per case)  and the TFI
Web flats (tray that holds the insert)
soil recommendation:  Fafard 3-B Mix (3 cu ft bag)
note:  1 bag of Fafard 3-B mix will fill 18 flats
Fertilizer: 13-2-13 Plug Special Peters Water Soluble (25 lb bag)
 recommended using NO3   at 100 ppm for a successful pansy crop

Fall bedding plants can be left in the greenhouse for approximately 2 weeks
after transplanting and then moved outside to finish off.  The additional
light and cooler temperature of the outdoors will produce a more compact
bedding plant crop.  The use of a growth retardant ( i.e. Sumagic) will
help control stretching.  Remember, B-nine is reported to be ineffectual on
snapdragons and any retardant used on snaps will need to be used at a
higher rate than pansies.
Pansies are very sensitive to over watering, especially when first
transplanted. Heavy watering will lead to root rot and injure the crop.  A
drench with Banrot will probably be beneficial to all fall bedding plants,
especially pansies.  If you are using a good commercial potting soil,
pansies could probably be grown to finish with little or no fertilizer.
Flowering cabbage and kale- Grow them outside and use B-nine to keep them
short and full.

Ferns: If you are getting ferns, most come as 72 plugs per tray
4" square pots
Fafard 3-B Mix (3 cuft bag)   - 1 bag will fills 170 pots
Fertilizer: Osmocote Plus 15-9-12

*Ferns: transplant plugs into 4" pots until Nov or when roots fill pot,
then transplant into 10" hanging baskets to grow out for spring plant sale
(so you may want to go ahead and purchase the 10" hanging baskets too)


Poinsettia: Poinsettias arrive as rooted cuttings and are usually
transplanted one cutting per 6" container
Here again the Fafard 3B is a good soil mix due to its ability to drain
well (Metro 360 and Fafard 4P are also recommended)
one 3 cuft bag of media will fill 45- 6" pots

Fertilizer:  Several recommendations to try:

Keep fertilizer concentrations around 200 - 250 ppm of
20-10-20 or 15-5-15 until the first of November.  Use 15-0-15 at 150 ppm
from November  until bracts fully expand.  Keep them in full sun and give
them plenty of space.  Most of you are probably growing Freedom varieties
and they will often stretch during November.  If your plants look like they
are going to be too tall, DO NOT USE 20-10-20 OR 20-20-20 DURING NOVEMBER.

Some recommend a rotation between Peters 15-0-15 and 20-10-20 Peters Lite
Special
Start with 20-10-20 (add Magnesium Sulfate (Epson Salt) into your stock
tank at the rate of 2-4 oz for every 100 gallons of water delivered)
then about every 3 weeks rotate to the 15-0-15 which supplements your
plants with CaNitrate

Other growers are recommending a new product called Daniels Plant Food
(organically based derived from soy bean) it is a liquid product that is
easy to use and mix research studies show that plants grown with this
fertilizer have an increased number of feeder roots and the amount of
stretching is reduced so the need for chemical growth regulators is reduced

There are many other fertilizer recommendations for poinsettias based on
the variety.  Check out www.ecke.com for growing instructions specific to
your poinsettia variety.

To find recommended concentrations of growth retardant and fungicides, go
to the Georgia Pest Control Handbook on the Extension Service web site.


Shade cloths- Fall bedding plants and poinsettias benefit from full
sunlight during the months of September, October and November. Plugs and
rooted poinsettias do best with some shade when first planted, but after
they are established, they will do better with  full sun.




Dr. Teri Hamlin
North Region Agriculture Education
Georgia Department of Education
Four Towers, University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia  30602
706-542-3679