Plant Growth Regulator Strategies For Trixi

PGR Strategies For Trixi

Growing Trixi baskets from Selecta First Class requires the right plant growth regulator (PGR) knowledge. Below, Selecta First Class offers recommendations for using PGRs on its different Trixi basket recipes:

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Plant Trixi baskets with three to four TrixiLiner per 12 inch basket. For pure calibrachoa mixes, Selecta recommends using four liners per 12-inch basket. For all other mixes, it depends on how much crop time was scheduled, but three liners is sufficient most of the time.

For recipes using petunias use only three liners per 12-inch basket to avoid overcrowding. Start out warm, as recommended in the growing recommendations, until roots have established and reached the basket. Pinch a second time before plants stretch too much. If single shoots start to stretch, pinch these and keep the basket in shape, focusing on good center branching. A PGR spray application a few days after the second pinch is recommended. Use B-Nine with 2,500 ppm and apply with no run-off.

Once the crop is well-branched and covers the basket surface, and once roots have been well established, start with a cool-morning drop to help keep plants in shape. Start dropping the temperature by about 8 to 12°F two hours before sunrise, until two to three hours after sunrise. Keep the average temperature up and, if necessary, increase night temperatures. Keep them well fed and watch the root system. 

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Early-Drench Recipes

Trixi recipes in this category include Cotton Candy, Lemon Sorbet, Liberty Bell and Raspberry Parfait–all with Petunia.

Take Lemon Sorbet as an example. The image to the left is a good stage for a PGR spray application, using, for example, Sumagic 5 ppm as a light spray with no run-off. This will slow the just-emerging bidens and not affect the petunia and calibrachoa too much.

The center image shows the petunia starting to become more aggressive. This is a good stage for a 10-15 ppm Sumagic spray with focus on the petunia during the application. Avoid run-off.

The image to the right shows the drench stage for this mix. Apply a 2-4 ppm Bonzi drench application. Make sure the baskets are watered the day before so they are moist and that the corresponding volume for the size of basket used is applied. Check the label or recommendations for the correct solution volume. Depending on the desired finished size, the application can be moved a week earlier or later. In this case the grower planted Week 3 and images are from Week 7 (left), 8 (center) and 10 (right).

Standard-Drench Recipes

Recipes in this category include Blueberry Parfait, Caribbean Cocktail, Gold & Bold, Old Glory, Sunrise, Sweet Candy and Twinkle Star. 

In the case pictured, Selecta is using Old Glory, a pure calibrachoa recipe, as an example. The image to the left is a good stage for a PGR spray application, using, for example, Sumagic 5 ppm as a light spray with no run-off.

The center image shows a good stage for a 10-15 ppm Sumagic spray. Avoid run-off. The image to the right shows the drench stage for this mix. Apply a 2 ppm Bonzi drench application. Make sure the baskets are watered the day before so they are moist and that the corresponding volume for the size of basket used is applied. Check label or recommendations for the correct solution volume. Depending on the desired finished size, the application can be moved a week earlier or later.

Late-Drench Recipes

Recipes in this category include Ayers Rock, Berry Fields, Double Delight and Spring Valley.

Overwhelming Components

Under certain conditions, it might happen that a single component overgrows others and endangers the overall mix. In such a case, corrective PGR sprays can be applied. In most cases, it is the PGR-sensitive crops that may take over, like lobelia in Berry Fields and ayers Rock, and bidens in Twinkle Star and Lemon Sorbet.

Selecta recommends spraying with Sumagic 3-5 ppm if you find yourself in this situation. Apply a very light spray with no-runoff. Lobelia and bidens will respond very well to 3-5 ppm Sumagic, where other components like calibrachoa, petunia and verbena require higher concentrations (i.e. verbena 5-10 ppm, calibrachoa 10-20 ppm and petunia 20-30 ppm) for a visible response.

The light spray application will cover only plant material exposed and on the top. By applying strategies like this one, you can control one or two of the components and even out the mix.

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