PERENNIAL SOLUTIONS carpatica GREAT GREENHOUSE ‘Rapido Blue’ GROWERS This quick bloomer puts out a tremendous display LAKES of color on compact, vigorous . BY PAUL PILON DEC. 6-8, 2016 GRAND RAPIDS, MI DEVOS PLACE CONVENTION CENTER AND any growers use one or more types of campanula THE AMWAY GRAND PLAZA HOTEL in their perennials programs. One of the Mbellflowers commonly produced is Campanula carpatica. Kieft Seed recently introduced an exciting new first- WWW.GLEXPO.COM year flowering C. carpatica named ‘Rapido Blue’. ‘Rapido Blue’ has many desirable attributes, but one of the EXPO most notable as its name implies is its quick and early bloom time. ‘Rapido Blue’ blooms up to four weeks earlier than previous in the . In addition to its quicker time to flower, ‘Rapido Blue’ has several other desirable attributes. The PREMIER Show for fruit and vegetable growers, This cultivar demonstrates excellent vigor, great uniformity, good greenhouse growers and farm marketers! heat tolerance, maintains a compact growth habit and puts on a very showy display of color. 4,000+ 75+ 450+ Campanula ‘Rapido Blue’ forms low cushion shaped mounds attendees | education sessions and workshops | exhibitors of small dark green serrated triangular shaped leaves with wavy edges. In the late spring, it develops an abundance of PRE-CONFERENCE EVENTS large 1½- to 2-inch upward facing, rich violet-blue flowers. When blooming, this compact perennial reaches only five to • FARM MARKET BUS TOUR (Dec. 5) seven inches tall and only grows slightly wider than that across. Flowering continues well into the summer. • NORTH AMERICAN BERRY CONFERENCE (Dec. 4-5) Campanula carpatica can be grown across most of the country HOSTED BY and are hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9. It grows well in 65 to 70º F for germination. Many growers utilize germination locations with rich, moist, but not wet soils. In the North, this chambers during this stage to provide uniform moisture levels NORTH AMERICAN STRAWBERRY GROWERS ASSOCIATION & is a great candidate for sunny locations, but prefers partial and temperatures. Maintain high relative humidity levels (95 NORTH AMERICAN RASPBERRY & BLACKBERRY ASSOCIATION shade in warmer locations. Bellflowers are good for attracting percent), soil temperatures between 65 and 72° F, and moisture hummingbirds into gardens, but aren’t appealing at all for level 4 until the radicles emerge from the seeds. Germination critters such as dear and rabbits. typically occurs within seven to nine days after sowing. In the landscape, this low-growing can be an eye-catcher Following germination, the temperatures can be reduced in the front of borders, along paths in rock gardens or used as slightly to 65 to 68° F, the humidity kept at ambient levels and a showstopper in mass plantings. Its tidy size, yet floriferous the moisture reduced to between level 3 and level 4. Fertilizers nature makes it a great component in mixed containers or can be applied when the true leaves are beginning to develop, ‘Rapido Blue’ can also be used as a showy indoor novelty pot applying 100-ppm nitrogen every irrigation, using a balanced plant. It’s easy to grow and provides great shelf appeal, spurring water-soluble source with micronutrients. impulse purchases while it’s blooming. To prevent premature flowering, all stages of plug production should occur under short day lengths, preferably less than PROPAGATION 13 hours. When grown at the temperatures mentioned above, Campanula carpatica ‘Rapido Blue’ can easily be started from ‘Rapido Blue’ will reach a transplantable size in approximately seed. It’s recommended to sow four seeds per cell in 288 or larger nine to ten weeks. sized plug trays filled with a well-drained soilless media. Do not cover the seeds after sowing; light is required for germination. PRODUCTION ONLINE REGISTRATION SEPT. 26-NOV. 16 The seed flats should be moistened and moved to a warm Campanula ‘Rapido Blue’ is ideal for production in small WWW.GLEXPO.COM environment, where the temperatures can be maintained at containers; one quart to one gallon sized pots are ideal. Many REGISTER BY NOV. 16 TO SAVE GREENHOUSE PRODUCT NEWS 35 REGISTRATION COVERS BOTH CONFERENCES AND THE TRADE SHOW PERENNIAL SOLUTIONS

commercially available growing planting the plugs too deeply, they drench after planting. also be incorporated into the mixes will work well, provided they should be planted so the soil line of Bellflowers are light to moderate growing mix using a rate equivalent provide enough drainage. Plant the plug and the surface media of feeders and perform best when to 1.0 pounds of elemental nitrogen one plug into the center of small the container they are being planted either constant liquid fertilization per cubic yard of growing mix. containers; large containers will into is even. Planting the crown too is applied feeding at rates of 100- Maintain a slight acidic pH of 5.8 to require multiple liners (two to three deeply often leads to crop variability to 125-ppm nitrogen or applying 6.2 throughout the production cycle. plugs into 1-gallon pots) to create and losses. Many growers opt to higher rates of 200 ppm as needed. Campanula requires average

Vaughan's_Jr Page_AVAILABILITIESfuller appearing plants. GPN_Layout Avoid 1 3/31/16 3:56apply PM a Pagebroad 1 spectrum fungicide Controlled-release fertilizers can amounts of irrigation. Avoid keeping them consistently wet or overly dry growing conditions. We’re delivering you more conveniences with a single site When irrigation is needed, water that allows you to view the industry’s most comprehensive thoroughly and allow the medium online database for availabilities, ordering and tracking. to dry between waterings. With its compact growing habit, it’s DELIVERING not usually necessary to implement height management strategies MORE when growing campanula ‘Rapido No other company delivers Blue.’ If the plants do require toning, • Instant, online availability for hundreds of vendors. more availabilities online. many plant growth regulators are • The industry’s broadest vendor list for unrooted cuttings, plugs and liners. effective at reducing stem elongation • Order management system allows you to enter, edit, track and reorder with ease. on this type of campanula. They are • Order online from multiple vendors at one time and have orders particularly sensitive to applications automatically broken up into multiple purchase orders. of paclobutrazol (Bonzi, Paczol or • Get instant order confirmations, order changes and freight options. • Better prepare your labor for arriving shipments by following your open orders Piccolo) and uniconazole (Concise with tracking numbers on all major carriers and details on all grower deliveries or Sumagic); application of these and alternative shipping methods. products could lead to over-growth regulation if not used judiciously. Consider making one or two spray applications of 2,500-ppm daminozide (B-Nine or Dazide) if DELIVERING DELIVERING height management is necessary.

MORE MORE INSECTS AND DISEASES Access the industry’s largest product lineup from There are several insect pests As a completely a reliable network of domestic and international and diseases known to be observed independent brokerage suppliers. company from breeders on campanula from time to time; or production sites, our however, most of them do not cause sales representatives significant damage. Growers may find offer the best choices aphids, spider mites, Western flower and opportunities for thrips and whiteflies feeding on them our customers. on occasion. The most common diseases which infect bellflowers Call to request our DELIVERING MORE brochure are Botrytis and crown/root rots caused by the pathogens Pythium and Rhizoctonia. Of these pests and DELIVERING diseases, crown and root rots are From start to finish, MORE the most prevalent and can largely the collaborative be avoided by planting them at the effort of our Our vendor partners right depth and maintaining good Vaughan’s team has are the best in the business irrigation practices. Routine scouting the know-how to having sophisticated can detect these problems early and assist customers operations and employing can be helpful when determining if into making each some of the most skilled control measures are required. and every program growers in the industry. a success. TEMPERATURE DELIVERING AND SCHEDULING MORE Campanula carpatica ‘Rapido Blue’ is a great item for mid spring through early summer sales. Flowering plants of this cultivar can be easily achieved when following a few key guidelines. LEARN MORE about what we can deliver for you at vaughans.com or call 855.864.3300 PERENNIAL SOLUTIONS

‘Rapido Blue’ is a first-year night temperatures below 50° F will Blue’ is brought to the market by Paul Pilon is a horticultural flowering perennial and does not cause the leaves to appear puckered Kieft Seed (www.kieftseed.com). consultant, owner of Perennial require vernalization for flowering. or curled. Production temperatures To obtain seed, contact your Ball Solutions Consulting They can be started from seed and over 68° F will reduce the overall sales representative (www.ballhort. (www. perennialsolutions.com) will easily and uniformly bloom plant size as well as reduce the size com). Plug flats are widely available and author of Perennial Solutions: during the same growing season or of the flowers. and can be obtained through A Grower’s Guide to Perennial produced as a traditional perennial your Ball sales representative or Production. He can be reached and planted in the summer or fall the AVAILABILITY various reputable perennial plug at 616.366.8588 or year prior to selling them in flower. Campanula carpatica ‘Rapido producers. [email protected]. The photoperiod or day length has a great influence on flowering and final plant quality. They are obligate long day plants and will easily flower when the day lengths are 14 hours or longer. In many instances, they will COLIBRI™ bloom before the containers have filled out (as mentioned above, MORE IN LESS they’ll even flower in the plug Fast growing, space-saving and bursting with vibrant color. Everything you love about Calibrachoa beauty, trays). For this reason, it’s very now in small packages. important to maintain day lengths of 13 hours or less during all stages of plug production as well as for the first several weeks of production after they have been transplanted into the final container size. This can be accomplished by most growers by planting them in late March or early April since natural day lengths reach 14 hours in most locations in late April. If earlier flowering is required, ‘Rapido Blue’ can be planted earlier when the days are naturally short. After they have bulked up for a few weeks long days can be provided using photoperiodic lighting. The most common method of providing long days is to use night interruption lighting (10 p.m. to 2 a.m.) delivering 10 foot-candles of light throughout this period. Once flower buds are visible, growers can remove the lighting and produce them under natural day lengths for the remainder of the crop. The time to bloom after the onset of long day lengths is a function of temperature. Campanula ‘Rapido Blue’ grown at 68° F as little as eight weeks to flower, while plants grown at 60° F will flower in approximately 12 weeks. The best quality is achieved when plants are grown in full sun or in greenhouses with high light ™ intensities. Temperatures can also COLIBRI Calibrachoa hybrida influence the plant’s appearance. www.danziger.co.il The highest quality plants with the largest and most intensely colored blooms are obtained when they are grown at around 60 to 65° F. Cool

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