Four Star Culture Guide - 2019 - 76

SALVIA

Color Spires®, 'Pink Profusion'
ZONE HARDINESS 3 - 8
NUTRITION
pH: 5.8 - 6.2
EC: (2:1 extraction method) 0.6 - 1.0
Moderate fertilization is adequate.
TEMPERATURE for forcing from liners
Forcing/Growing on: 60 F Night - 65 F Day
Holding: 40 F Night - 50 F Day
Once plants reach a saleable size, they can be moved to an
open environment with good air movement. Plan ahead on this
step because Salvia grow very fast coming out of dormancy and
can get leggy very quickly if grown too warm.
WATERING
Keep the soil evenly moist during all stages of growing. Salvia
require average amounts of irrigation, and overly wet conditions
will promote tall, leggy growth.
TIMING
Supernova® 28 Liner to Trade Gallon/True Gallon: 5 - 6
weeks with one plug per container. A typical planting date
for spring forcing would be Week 12 for finishing in Week 18.
If purchased in the spring, our liners have been vernalized for
better flowering.
50 Liner to Quart: 5 - 6 weeks with one plug per container.
A typical planting date for spring forcing would be Week 12 for
finishing in Week 18. If purchased in the spring, our liners have
been vernalized for better flowering. Planting a Standard 50
liner into a gallon and bulking in the fall is a great way to finish
a high-quality spring crop.
VERNALIZATION
Vernalization is beneficial for the most prolific and uniform
flowering in the spring.
PLANTING
Salvia perform best when planted in a well-drained, porous
growing medium. Avoid planting Salvia too deeply, or crop
variability and/or losses from Crown Rots are likely to occur.

LIGHT/LIGHTING
Salvia are facultative long-day plants and flower induction
occurs more rapidly under long days. They will flower under any
photoperiod, but will flower quicker and better under long days.
Additionally, they enjoy high light conditions.
TRIMMING/PINCHING
Trimming and pinching can be done on Salvia early on when
a fall planting is done. Pinching 2 to 4 weeks after transplant
in the fall can assist in building a plant that has a thicker form
and also give you more flower spikes per pot. Trimming is not
recommended when forcing plants in the spring or on plants
that have been freshly planted in the spring from cooled liners.
Light trimming and shaping of spent flowers can be done to
re-flush some color for summer sales.
GROWTH REGULATORS
Generally, controlling the plant height on Salvia may be needed
while producing them in greenhouse conditions. This is normally
done using cultural practices along with growth regulators.
Effective growth regulators include the tank mix of B-Nine®
(daminozide) at 2,000ppm + Sumagic® (uniconazole) at 3ppm.
Applications of B-Nine at 2,500ppm alone or + Sumagic at
5 - 7ppm alone can also be used.
PEST and DISEASE MANAGEMENT
On Salvia, the most common insect problem to watch for is the
two-spotted Spider Mite. We recommend implementing a good
IPM program, as well as early releases of Biological Control, to
help aid in the control of insect populations. A routine scouting
program is recommended to ensure that Whiteflies, Aphids and
other greenhouse pests don't cause crop loss as well. Foliar
diseases should also be scouted to prevent Botrytis and Crown
Rots.
OTHER TIPS
When growing larger containers, it is best to bulk them in the
summer the year before they are to be sold.
When planting Salvia in combinations, it's recommended to
plant the Salvia liners 3 - 4 weeks before the scheduled finish
date so that the flower spikes on the Salvia coincide with the
retail look of the rest of the plants in the container.

Four Star Greenhouse I www.pwfourstar.com I 734-654-6420
76

The rates and chemicals listed are based on our southeast Michigan growing conditions, and are not recommended for nationwide application.
Please adjust the rates and spray applications to your location and facility.

http://www.pwfourstar.com

Four Star Culture Guide - 2019

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