Do not stress . Avoid wilting or keeping too wet. Never allow the plant to wilt during the early stages of production. Wilting can limit growth and reduce the overall plant size. Manage irrigation carefully , allowing thorough wet-to-dry cycles between watering/feeding events, to encourage development of a healthy, white and fuzzy root system.
TRACK YOUR CROP It is important to keep your crop on schedule. Fortunately, mums are an easy crop to track. Graph a straight line between initial plant height and desired height at finish. Each week, measure 5 plants in the primary block. • If they are below the line, feed them or use GA 4+7 (gibberellic acid)- based PGR (Fascination, Fresco). • If they are above the line, use a PGR to slow them down.
Finish Height
Reduce Feed B-Nine or Bonzi
Feed, or apply Fascination
Week
Height Control & Growth Regulators Note: Initial trials with all growth regulators are recommended. Daminozide (B-Nine) • Daminozide (B-Nine) foliar spray applications control height and produce darker, greener leaves and strong stems. • Apply 2,500-5,000 ppm when breaks are 1-2 in. long, to tone the plant and reduce stretch. A second application can be made 2 weeks later. • Daminozide (B-Nine) application after visible bud will delay flowering. Weekly application of Daminozide (B-Nine) up to the time of breaking color will delay the flowering by 1 week. • In greenhouse-forced Summer crops, apply at 5,000 ppm, 14-21 days after pinching, to control more vigorous varieties. Paclobutrazol (Bonzi) • Paclobutrazol (Bonzi) drenches of 1-4 ppm can provide very effective growth control. Apply the correct volume so that stunting does not occur. • Early crop applications require less ppm than later applications to get the same level of control. • Paclobutrazol (Bonzi) can also be sprayed with rates ranging from 30-50 ppm.
Feeding with Water-Soluble Fertilizers (WSF) • Apply ammonia (NH 4 )-based fertilizers with elevated phosphorous (P; 20-10-20, 20-20-20) during early crop development (weeks 1-4) at a rate of 250-350 ppm N. Replenish fertility reserves in the growing media during periods of persistent rain with high doses (300+ ppm N) of WSF as soon as possible once the rains let up. • Once established, avoid overapplication of NH 4 and P, which will result in stretched plants and soft growth. • When plants are approximately two-thirds to three‑fourths of the desired finished size, switch to a nitrate (NO 3 )-based fertilizer with reduced P (17-5-17, 15‑4‑15, 14-0-14) to tone and minimize stretch.
Feeding with Controlled- Release Fertilizers (CRF) • Supplemental applications of WSF might be needed to maintain fertility levels. • During high temperatures, CRFs can release rapidly, causing salt levels to spike and damage roots.
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