Bedding Plant Production

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Bedding Plant Production

• Competencies 10.00-13.00

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Bedding Plant Production Categories (Click to
view)

• Begonias
• Geraniums
• Impatiens
• Marigolds
• Pansies
• Petunias

• Potential Problems
• Media
• Transplanting

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Begonias

• Grow 6-12 high with pink, red, or white flowers
• Spaced 6-10 apart and need direct sunlight
• May be propagated from seeds or cuttings and
  transplanted

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Begonias

• Time from seeding to market in packs is about 14
  weeks (16 weeks in pots)
• Small seeds should be lightly pressed into
  surface of germinating medium
• Germination requires light and 65-70 degree F
  medium temperature
• Can be propagated by stem cuttings
• Plants do well in full sun to shade

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Geraniums

• Grow 12-18
• Dark green leaves are rounded with scalloped
  edges
• Flowers are red, white, or pink and grow on a
  stem
• Flowers have many petals in a cluster shaped like
  a ball

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Geraniums

• About 2/3 of all geraniums sold are red
• Direct sunlight is needed
• 10-12 spacing is needed
• May be propagated from seeds or cuttings and
  transplanted

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Geraniums

• Time from seeding to market in packs is about 14
  weeks (16 weeks in pots)
• Seeds are large and have to be scarified because
  of hard seed coats
• Seed suppliers usually scarify before packing for
  sale. Seeds should be coved with 1/8 inch of
  medium
• Medium should be about 75 degrees F.

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Impatiens

• Grow 6-18 high and have succulent stems
• Lance shaped leaves
• Flower colors include pink, lavender, white, red,
  purple, salmon, and coral.

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Impatiens

• Flowers are small and round with five petals
• One flower petal is shaped like a tube that
  protrudes from the underside of the flower
• Spaced 12-18 and needs partial sun or shade
• May be propagated from seeds or cuttings

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Impatiens

• Time from seeding to market in packs is about 8
  weeks
• Seeds should be placed on surface of medium and
  covered lightly
• Germination requires light and temperature of
  60-70 degrees F
• Have been the number one bedding crop for many
  years
• Grow well in shade

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Marigolds

• Grow from 6 to 4 tall
• Orange or yellow flowers have a pungent aroma
• Spaced 6-12 apart and grow best in full
  sunlight
• Grown from seeds and transplanted

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Marigolds

• Time from seeding to market in packs is about 9
  weeks (10 weeks in pots)
• Seeds should be covered by ¼ of germinating
  medium
• Medium should be 70-75 degrees F
• Outdoor plants should grow in full sun for best
  quality
• Very few cultural problems

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Pansies

• Grow from 6-8 tall
• Moon-faced flowers in many colors (blue, purple,
  yellow, white, pink, red)
• Spaced 6-8 in full sun
• Grown from seeds and transplanted
• Cool-season bedding plant

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Pansies

• Time from seeding to market in packs is about 12
  weeks (13 weeks in pots)
• Seeds should be planted on surface of medium and
  covered with paper to keep dark
• Germination medium should be 70 degrees
  Fahrenheit
• Grow in full sun

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Petunias

• Grow from 6-18 tall
• Flowers have a tube-shaped base
• Colors include red, pink, white, blue, and
  pastels
• Spaced 10-12
• Grown from seeds and transplanted

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Petunias

• Time from seeding to market in packs is about 10
  weeks (11 weeks in pots)
• Sow seeds on surface of medium
• Seeds are very small (285,000 per ounce)
• Need light and 70-80 degrees F germinating medium
  temperature
• Many different types and colors
• One of top five annuals in the U.S. for over 100
  years

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Potential Problems (Click to view)

• Cultural Disorders
• Germination Problems
• Fertilization Problems
• Uneven growth
• Tall and spindly growth
• Diseases
• Seedlings falling over
• Lower leaves brown, rotting, and drying
• Insects
• Plants missing
• Holes in leaves or plant parts missing

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Cultural-Germination Problems

• Causes
• Improper temperatures
• Over-watering or underwatering
• Chemical residues in medium
• Seed planting depth
• Low quality seeds

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Cultural-Germination Problems

• Correction or Prevention
• Use high-quality seeds
• Plant at proper depth
• Use medium with no chemical residues
• Maintain proper temperatures
• Maintain proper moisture levels

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Cultural-Fertilization Problems

• Causes
• Lack of nutrients
• Root injury
• Improper pH of medium
• Excessive fertilization

Manganese Deficiency
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Cultural-Fertilization Problems

• Correction or Prevention
• Test soil or media
• Apply correct amounts and kinds of nutrients
• Use pH correcting materials

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Cultural-Uneven Growth

• Causes
• Poor mixing of medium
• Uneven moisture levels
• Unlevel flats
• Poor grading of seedlings

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Cultural-Uneven Growth

• Correction or Prevention
• Proper mixing of media
• Even watering
• Grading seedlings by size and quality
• Placing flats level

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Cultural-Tall and Spindly Growth

• Causes
• Too much nitrogen fertilizer
• Overwatering
• Low light intensity (too much shade)
• High temperatures

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Cultural-Tall and Spindly Growth

• Correction or Prevention
• Use the correct amount of nitrogen
• Reduce frequency of watering
• Lower temperature
• Provide more light
• Use growth retardant such as B-Nine SP

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Diseases-Seedlings Falling Over

• Causes
• Stem rot
• Damping-off

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Diseases-Seedlings Falling Over

• Correction or Prevention
• Use sterilized media
• Apply fungicides
• Improve air circulation around plants

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Diseases-Brown, rotting leaves

• Causes
• Botrytis

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Diseases-Brown, rotting leaves

• Correction or Prevention
• Increase air temperature
• Increase air circulation around plants
• Use proper fungicide

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Insects-Plants Missing

• Causes
• Slugs
• Snails
• Cockroaches

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Insects-Plants Missing

• Correction or Prevention
• Use baits and pesticides

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Insects-Holes in Leaves

• Causes
• Aphids
• Mealy Bugs
• Scale Insects
• Thrips
• Whiteflies
• Flea beetles
• Fungus Gnats

• Leaf miners
• Cutworms
• Caterpillars

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Insects-Holes in Leaves

• Correction or Prevention
• Use of recommended pesticides to control insects

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Bedding Plant Media

• Media-materials used to start and grow plants
• Soil
• Inorganic materials
• Commercially prepared mixes

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Soil

• Soil must be mixed with other materials such as
  peat moss to add organic matter and improve
  aeration and drainage.

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Inorganic Materials

• Improve aeration and drainage
• Sand-finely ground stone
• Gravel
• Perlite
• Expanded volcanic rock
• Neutral pH 7.0-7.5
• sterile
• Vermiculite
• Expanded mica
• sterile

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Commercially Prepared Mixes

• Sterile (no insects, weeds, or diseases)
• Jiffy-Mix
• Redi-Earth
• Pro-Mix
• Sunshine Mix
• Metro Mix
• Other brands also available

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Containers

• Flat-plastic tray used for planting seeds
• Cell packs-several small cell-like pots of
  plastic molded together used for planting one or
  two seeds per cell
• Sold without transplanting to another container
• Peat pots can be planted directly in the soil
• Jiffy 7 pellet can be planted directly in the soil

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Containers

• Plastic pots of various sizes and shapes
• Clay pots of various sizes and shapes
• Styrofoam pots of various sizes
• Hanging baskets
• Standard pot is the same width at the top as it
  is high
• Azalea pot is ¾ as high as its top diameter or
  width

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Transplanting Instructions

1. Seedlings should have true leaves not just seed
   leaves or cotyledons before being transplanted.
   Waiting too long to transplant causes shock to
   transplanted seedlings.

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Transplanting Instructions

1. Hold plants by their leaves. Do not hold by the
   stem because a badly bruised stem will cause the
   seedling to die.
2. The media may need to be loosened with a pot
   label to keep from breaking stem and roots. Do
   not shake medium off roots.

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Transplanting Instructions

1. Use a dibble or other means to make a hole for
   the transplanting seedling.

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Transplanting Instructions

• 5. Plant seedling in the media in the new
  container slightly deeper than it grew in the
  flat and gently press media around roots.

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Transplanting Instructions

• 6. Water gently to settle media around roots.

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Transplanting Instructions

1. Keep moist for a few days to prevent wilting and
   dying.
2. Grow and harden-off before selling.