Crops To Pay Attention To Express Seed Co. Sales Meeting July 8 & 9, 2011 Oberlin, Ohio - Phlox paniculata Flame Series

Phlox paniculata- Flame series Bartles Stek Express Seed

Phlox paniculata Phlox Flame pink Phlox Flame light pink Phlox Flame lilac Phlox Flame purple Phlox Flame white Phlox Flame coral red Phlox Flame violet Phlox Flame white with red eye

Phlox Flames Coral Flame Lilac Flame Violet Flame Pink Flame

Phlox Flames White Eye Flame White Flame Purple Flame

Red Flame 2 new colors Purple Eye Flame Phlox Flames

Phlox paniculata Common name Garden Phlox A top 20 perennial in sales annually Flames the first real series matching in habit and bloom time Flowers in July in the north Flowers in May – June in the south

Key Reasons to use Flames over Other Phlox Cultivars All 8 colors are genetically dwarf, compact, and have good branching habits No growth regulators are required for quart or 1 gallon production All Flames have excellent disease tolerence so mildews are rarely a problem Due to the general uniformity in the series, you can mass produce the series

Express Sources of Supply Un-rooted cuttings- – For those accomplished perennial propagators – Available via Bartles Stek Costa Rica- quote system is in place for orders of 20,000 URCs or more (annual volume). Please see Linda for possible additional discounting. Rooted liners- – Listed on quotes from James Green Houses, Center Green Houses, Skagit Gardens, and Swift. _ Available via Green Circle on special order Divided Plants or Dormant Roots- – De Goede Brothers, Walters Gardens

Your Competition Ball Seed via Ball Flora Plant- – Flora Plant (Ball exclusive) produces cuttings of the Flames, but also of the “Cocktail” series. The Cocktails are also new breeding from Holland, they claims to be a series but are not. There height and bloom time varies, more than the Flames, color to color. Some colors are also more mildew tolerant than others. They do have some unique bi-color cultivars where Flames are straight colors. Florexpo- – Produces URCs also; they offer several “old school” garden varieties, but also the Cocktail series. Roots from Holland- – Dutch root suppliers, mostly old garden types

Production Considerations The Flames do not require a cold vernalization period to flower and are first year flowering. They are also hardy to zone 4 or 5. Flames do respond positively to day length and light intensity – Phlox paniculata flower quicker under long days. A hour day can cut crop time 1-2 weeks in the spring. Also when light intensity is a minimum 4000 foot candles or more crop quality and habit is improved. Heavy feeders – all P. paniculata needs a regular, balanced fertilizer regime. A ppm program, with micro nutrients supplemented is a good practice. A soil EC of works well and a pH of is best – Note: spots on lower foliage usually is a nutrient deficiency, not a disease

Product Considerations Temperature- best production day temperatures are 60-75° F with nights ° F. Colder temperatures can add several days to crop time and hot temperatures make for less branching, shorter crop time, and sparse flowering. Soil- well drained is best, OK to use mulch or bark as supplement Water useage- Phlox can dry out quickly and have more than average water requirements Transplants- use 1 rooted cutting in a quart or 1 gallon pot. Use 3 or more rooted cuttings for 8 inch pot. Pinching- pinching can be done at the liner stage (after fully rooted) or 2 weeks after transplant into your pot. Soft pinch tip out leaving 4-5 sets of leaves below pinch.

Northern Hemisphere Production 1 st year potting and selling that season- quarts and gallons – Plant rooted liners February to June : pinch as described above – Plants are in flower weeks after transplant depending on temperatures and day length Over-wintered products- the best quality series; gallon pots and larger – Plant rooted liners mid-August to early October: pinch as described – Mulch pots for protection if kept outside in winter or keep in low heat green house at 35° F. Nights no mulch – Let plant die back naturally due to cold and wet in the winter – Dead head (cut off old dead stems) to ground level when you’re ready to start forcing – Gradually start warming up greenhouse 5° per week till nights are up to 50-55° F --- flowering occurs 8-14 weeks after warm up, from ground shoots that appear from old stem base. Timing depends on temperature and day length – Begin growing culture as described

Southern Hemisphere Production For southern growers use the over-wintered scheme for best quality Transplant a rooted cutting September to October Pinch 2-3 weeks after transplant leaving 4-5 sets of leaves under pinch Plants will go dormant to semi-dormant depending on severity of the winter Late winter to early spring cut back old growth to ground Flowering will occur 7-10 weeks after cut back or between March and April depending on your growing location Begin growing culture as described