Growing Tips for Craspedia ‘Golf Beauty’

craspedia-golf-beauty-danzigerEditor’s Note: Each month, the Greenhouse Grower varieties team chooses one noteworthy variety we think is worth bringing to your attention. Then we share growers’ and breeders’ perspectives on the best ways to produce it successfully at your operation.

This month we feature Craspedia ‘Golf Beauty’ from Danziger “Dan” Flower Farm. ‘Golf Beauty’ is a novelty plant with can’t-miss yellow flower heads and silver foliage. It blooms throughout the summer.

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Growing Tips From Laura Robles, Mast Young Plants

Growers at Mast Young Plants evaluated Craspedia ‘Golf Beauty’ in winter/early spring greenhouse trials and then again later in the spring for summer trials. Laura Robles, Research and Development Manager for Mast Young Plants, says early on growers had limited success with rooting the plants. Later in the season, however, the plants rooted just fine and performed very well outside in garden trials, filling out a 14-inch container nicely and flowering all summer.

craspedia-golf-beauty-danziger-featureRobles’ Recommendations for Growing Craspedia ‘Golf Beauty’ Successfully

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Fertilizer: “We generally grow our crops at a lower ppm nitrogen (between 75-100 ppm, except for heavier feeders like mums) than some growers. We grew ‘Golf Beauty’ at 100 ppm nitrogen (N) on a constant basis in our greenhouse trials, and it did just fine. In outside garden trials, we fed higher, and it really thrived on 150 to 200 ppm N,” Robles says.
Propagation: Propagate under higher light if possible, or in the North, wait until later in the spring. ‘Golf Beauty’ is slower to root in the dark winter months.
Plant Growth Regulators: “We wanted to see the plant’s true habit, so we didn’t use plant growth regulators (PGRs) in trials,” Robles says. “If used in combinations, this plant probably wouldn’t need anything, as it stays pretty mounded on its own.”
Lighting: Give the plant lots of light. If you need to produce it in low-light conditions, use supplemental lighting, or you may not be happy with the outcome.
Pinching: Plants grow and mound well without the need for pinching.
Growing Media: A standard soilless or peatlite mix works fine.
Irrigation: The plants grew well with moderate irrigation. Be careful not to use too much water for this plant.
Planting/Scheduling: “Our first batch of trials was stuck in week 3 and after five weeks some plants rooted and others did not. Under higher light conditions, we had consistently pullable liners after four or five weeks,” Robles says. “The plants we transplanted from the early cuttings were in flower after about 12 weeks, whereas the garden plants (again, higher light and temperatures) were in much heavier flower 10 weeks after transplanting.”
Pests/Diseases: The plants received preventative insecticide sprays along with other trial plants. The only fungicide the plants had was a standard preventative drench of Heritage before the summer trials went outside.

Production Quick Facts From Danziger:

(Craspedia Culture For Quart Pots)
Rooting
Week 1 sticking liner 1 per cell: 5.8 to 6.2 pH, 0.80 EC, 72°F to 74°F, 50 ppm N in mist, no PGR, use Daconil the day of sticking
Week 2: 5.8 to 6.2 pH, 0.80 to 0.90 EC, 72°F to 74°F, 50 ppm N in mist, second application of Daconil, no PGR, try not to over mist
Week 3: 5.8 to 6.2 pH, 0.80 to 0.90 EC, 68°F to 72°F, 65 to 80 ppm N, no PGR
Week 4: 5.8 to 6.2 pH, 1.0 to 1.2 EC, 65°F to 68°F, 100 to 200 ppm N, no PGR
Week 5 transplant 1 per quart or gallon: 5.8 to 6.2 pH, 1.0 to 1.2 EC, 65°F to 68°F, 100 to 200 ppm N, no PGR
Week 6 to 16: 5.8 to 6.2 pH, 1.0 to 1.2 EC, 65°F to 68°F, 100 to 200 ppm N, no PGR
PGRs: Bonzi can be used to shorten the flower stems at 1 ppm drench

Learn more about Craspedia ‘Golf Beauty’ at Danziger.co.il.

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