| Description: | Elatior begonias belong to the group of potted plants that bloom more than once (remount). They sell readily because of their rich flowering over a long period. When taking into account their characteristic features and cultivation prerequisites, they can be cultivated throughout the year. Elatior begonias are facultative short-day plants. At a critical day length of 12 to 14 hours, they are ideally suitable for a controlled production. |
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| Potting: | They can be potted all year long, 8 - 13 cm pot, (8 cm) 45 plants/m², (13 cm) 12 - 16 plants/m² |
| Substrate: | Well aired, loosely structured substrate (with max. 20 % clay, salt max. 2 g/l); pH 5 - 6 |
| Fertilization: | Use soft water where possible (max. 10 °DH). If using rain water, check the pH value of the substrate. Do not use T- and fast-flowing long-time fertilizer types! Do not start until approx. 2 weeks after potting. N: 100 - 200 mg/l P: 150 - 300 mg/l K: 200 - 400 mg/l Mg 100 - 150 mg/l EC: 1.0 - 1.5 mS |
| CO2-Fertilization: | 600 ppm, from 2 hours before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset |
| Temperature: (heating t.) | 20 °C until 2nd week after potting, then - Potting time approx. week 38 to approx. week 15 From week 3: T 20 °C / N 18 °C From week 7: T 18 °C / N 18 °C From time when buds show colour: T 16 °C / N 16 °C - Potting time approx. week 16 to approx. week 37 From week 3: T 18 °C / N 16 °C From week 7: T 16 °C / N 16 °C From time when buds show colour: T 14 °C / N 14 °C The air temperature should be 4 °C above the temperature of the heating air. |
| Light: | As light as possible but not full sunlight; shade young plants as from 30 klx, later as from 45 klx. |
| Disturbing light: | Min. 30 lux during cultivation of sets between early September and late March; max. - fluorescent lamps approx. 6 W/m² - incandescent lamps approx. 15 W/m² (or corresponding energy- saving lamps) |
| Exposure: | Light sum: 80 klxh or turn on light for day length of 16 to 18 hours if available light is less than 2,800 lux. |
| Flowering: | Depends on cultivation control. 7 to 9 weeks after a short-day treatment of at least 10 days. Elatior begonias are facultative short-day plants. Critical day length: 12 to 14 hours; Floral stimulus: from 10 to 14 days under short-day conditions. |
| Growth regulators: | Max. 2 x; Cycocel 720: 0.03 to 0.1 % depending on size and vigor of the plants; a combination with foliage fertilizer helps avoid yellow edges, e.g.: Wuxal 886 0.05 % Aminosol or Siapton 0.2 % Azolon 0.15 % Magnesium nitrate 0.1 % |
| Temperature: | Avoid temperatures above 22 °C during CCC spraying, avoid full sunlight. |
| Pinching: | Pinching is not absolutely necessary. Some lopping or shaping is recommended in order to get a better plant build-up. |
| Diseases and pest: | Thrips, big mouth weevil, fungus gnats, soft-bodied mites, botrytis, rhizoctonia, powdery mildew, Fusarium species, Xanthomonas. Take hygienic measures! |
| Water balance is of importance; the plants must not stand too wet, danger of botrytis, damage to roots and irregular plant build-up are the consequences. | |