Syngenta Flowers designed a delightful combination with snapdragon ‘Montego Pink’ as the backdrop complemented by viola ‘Rocky Blue/Yellow with Purple Wing,’ dianthus ‘Elation Rose’ and diascia ‘Devotion Pink.’
The Montego series is an early-flowering dwarf snapdragon. Plants exhibit strong basal branching for a robust look. Maintain a pH of 5.8-6.2. Start with temperatures at 60°F for three to four days, then start lowering temperatures to 48°F to 55°F. Allow the growing medium to dry between waterings, but do not allow plants to wilt. Provide high light levels during the day for compact growth. Feed with 150-200 parts per million nitrogen from calcium nitrate. Keep the salts and ammonium levels low. Snapdragons require fairly high levels of all growth regulators.
Plants in the Rocky viola series were selected for better uniformity of habit and flowering across all colors. Strong-branched plants fill fast and grow well in very hot, humid climates. Use a well-drained porous medium with a pH of 5.6-5.8. Allow the medium to dry slightly between waterings and feed every two to three waterings at 100-150 ppm nitrogen. Avoid a soluble salts level higher than 1.5. Keep day temperatures at 60°F and night temperatures at 50°F-55°F.
The Elation dianthus series is early to flower for quicker turns. Keep day temperatures between 60°F-68°F and 50°F-60°F at night. Growing on the dry side may control stretch. Maintain a pH of 5.5-6.2. Fertilize with each watering using a balanced fertilizer with a nitrate nitrogen source, but avoid high amounts of ammonium nitrate. Growing dianthus under lower temperatures helps to produce compact, better-branched plants.
The Devotion diascia series is an early-blooming, well-branched selection. While diascia flowers best under lower temperatures, Devotion is more heat tolerant than other varieties, giving three full seasons of color. Color won’t fade in heat or high light. Its semi-trailing habit makes it excellent in mixed containers. Maintain a pH of 5.5-5.8. Pinch plants after roots are developed. Grow cool and dry with moderate feed levels for best performance and shape. Under these conditions, no growth regulators should be needed.
For more: Syngenta Flowers, (800) 344-7862; www.sg-flowers-us.com.
- Kelli Rodda
April 2008
Recipe
a. Snapdragon ‘Montego Pink’
b. Dianthus ‘Elation Rose’
c. Viola ‘Rocky Blue/Yellow with Purple Wing’
d. Diascia ‘Devotion Pink’
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