September 2022 - 30

CULTURE REPORT
soil when the flower stems and buds start to appear.
If levels are lower than 1.5, plants need additional
fertilizer at that point.
Delgenius are fast-growing plants, therefore they
need spacing for the best quality finish. Plants can be
spaced after planting to their final spacing or wait till
buds start to appear but no later.
Need more details? Below are the specifics to
some of the Grower Quick Tips list, plus a lot more.
FERTILIZATION & IRRIGATION
GUIDELINES
Place the pots outside in an area with full sun
and that is well-drained, so plants do not sit in
standing water.
Chantay
Delgenius should have deep green foliage; a
lighter color means there is an incorrect balance in
fertilizer or that it is too low in fertilizer. When the
plants are low in fertilizer for a long period of time,
they will lose their lower leaves. If fertilizer levels
are too high, the edges of the leaves will scorch.
Delgenius are strong and fast-growing plants,
thus they require quite a lot of fertilizer. A base
start of slow-release fertilizer is recommended as
well as a continuous liquid feed. The recommended
EC level in the soil is around 1.5 EC, measured
with a 1.5 to 1 method. For those using the AM
measuring method, we advise an AM between 0.35 and
0.45 in the soil.
The best ratio between P and K is between 1:2 and
1:2.5. This requires a liquid feeding on top of the base
slow release fertilizer (which is mostly P:K 1:3 or 1:4) of
20-20-20 or 27-15-12 with microelements.
Like most plants, it is best to water Delphinium crops
early in the day so the foliage has time to dry before
going into the night. This will help to prevent diseases.
PLANTING
Delgenius will be delivered as a rooted 72-cell liner,
ready for planting. Make sure pots are filled to the top
with soil to prevent shrinking and plant the liner at the
same depth as the soil level, not deeper.
Use a very open peat mix or very good quality bark/
peat mix that is well-drained and has a pH of 5.4 to
5.5. Pure bark is not recommended because the bark is
typically poorly decomposed and will absorb much of the
available nitrogen from the soil. Delgenius are sensitive to
low nitrogen levels in the soil. To help overcome this, we
advise the use of a base slow-release fertilizer in the soil
to make sure there is always enough fertilizer available.
On the side, use liquid fertilizers to top up.
SPACING
For a 1.5-gallon pot, use 4-inch spacing between the
pots and for a 2- or 3-gallon pot, use 5-inch spacing
between the pots. This can be done at time of planting or
as soon as first buds appear but no later.
pH
Juliette
pH is very important for Delgenius. A pH above 6 slows
down the uptake of phosphates and makes the uptake of
potassium easy for the plant. Phosphates are necessary
for the initiation of side shoots on a plant and also for
creating extra flower stems. Potassium makes the cell
structure strong and initiates flowers but does not help
develop side shoots, so high pH can result in plants with
just one flower stem.
Breezin
Neva
PINCHING & PGRS
Delgenius will make side shoots naturally, so pinching
is not necessary and not needed after planting. Plants
can be pinched once flowering if crop delay is needed. No
PGR is needed for Delgenius nor is suggested. Delgenius
are naturally bushy and multi-branching and tend to be
more compact early in production compared to other
varieties on the market. If growers feel PGR is needed,
start at low doses to test, much lower than traditional
delphinium, otherwise plants can be stunted.
Every situation can be different with so many climates,
different growing operations and other variables here
in the U.S. Please do not hesitate to contact us at PP&L
with any questions so we can help you grow the best
delphinium Delgenius crop possible.
April Herring-Murray is marketing director of Pacific
Plug & Liner. She can be reached at aprilh@ppandl.net.
30 SEPTEMBER 2022 GPNMAG.COM
http://www.GPNMAG.COM
September 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2022
