Circular 330
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
Richard Guthrie,
Director
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama
October 2005
| J. Raymond Kessler, Jr., Arnold Caylor, and Sun Young Kim |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table1, Bedding plant species performance ratings
Table2, Series performance ratings for dianthus, pansies, and snapdragons
Table3, Cultivar performance ratings within a plant species and series
The authors gratefully acknowledge the substantial donations of potting mix from Fafard, Inc. and seeds from Ball Seed Company, Goldsmith Seed, Grimes Seed, Pan American Seed, and Sygenta Seed Company as well as the time and efforts of Sun Young Kim at Auburn and Arnold Caylor and his crew at the North Alabama Horticultural Substation in Cullman, AL.
Bedding plant growers frequently choose cultivars based on pack performance and adaptability to their greenhouse production conditions. A limited number of cultivars may also be popular in the minds of consumers because of large flower size or unusual flower color. Garden performance of these cultivars within a marketing region is an important factor in customer satisfaction and repeat sales. However, information on garden performance of bedding plant cultivars for Alabama may be difficult to obtain.
Therefore, in the winter of 2004-2005, 62 cool season, bedding plant cultivars were evaluated on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, AL, and at the North Alabama Horticultural Substation in Cullman, AL. The objective of this study was to determine overall garden performance of cool-season annual plant cultivars (bedding plants) at a northerly and southerly location in the state. Results generated from this study will assist Alabama horticultural professionals and consumers in bedding plant selection. However, landscape performance may vary from year to year because climatic conditions affect performance.
Therefore, in the winter of 2004-2005, 62 cool season, bedding plant cultivars were evaluated on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, AL, and at the North Alabama Horticultural Substation in Cullman, AL. The objective of this study was to determine overall garden performance of cool-season annual plant cultivars (bedding plants) at a northerly and southerly location in the state. Results generated from this study will assist Alabama horticultural professionals and consumers in bedding plant selection. However, landscape performance may vary from year to year because climatic conditions affect performance.
METHODS
Raised beds were prepared by tilling and the soil was amended and mulched with 3 inches of “amendment grade” (fine) aged pine bark. All beds were located in full sun. A commercially available fertilizer was pre-plant incorporated into the beds based on soil test recommendations. No additional fertilizer was applied during the season. A pre emergent herbicide, Pendulum 2G, was applied at 2.3 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Rainfall was supplemented by drip irrigation to provide an equivalent of one inch of water per week. No deadheading of spent flowers or other maintenance was performed on any of the plants with the exception of hand weeding. No pesticides were applied during the trial. Transplants were planted on October 10-12, 2004.
| Each bedding plant entry was randomly planted in three replications of one to four plants (depending on expected plant size) in a rectangle block occupying half the bed width (2 feet). The beds were 4 feet wide and each plant block occupied two linear feet of bed space. Therefore, each replication was 2 feet by 2 feet. Each of the replications for each plant entry was evaluated every two weeks from November 12, 2004 to May 7 in Auburn and November 5, 2004 to March 30 at Cullman. Plants were rated by the same individual at each location using a 1 to 5 scale. Plants were rated primarily on their floral displays, while size, shape, and freedom from insect or disease blemishes were also considered. |
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A rating of 1 indicated a small display of foliage with no flowers present; 2--adequate amount of foliage with one or two flowers present; 3--sufficient foliage and floral display to be attractive in the landscape; 4--above average floral display and sufficient foliage display; and 5--superior floral display and sufficient foliage display. A rating of 0 indicated the plant had died. Ratings were made in whole number units. Any plant with an average rating of 2.50 or higher could be considered acceptable in the landscape and would be a worthwhile addition to a garden located in temperate zone 8.
RESULTS
Performance ratings averaged across all evaluation dates and cultivars for each species and location are shown in table 1. Only pansy and viola received an average rating of at least 2.5 or higher, indicating acceptable landscape performance. The other species performed more poorly. Violas, pansies, dianthus, and gazanias performed better at Auburn while snapdragons performed better at Cullman.
Dianthus, pansy, and snapdragon performance by plant series for Auburn and Cullman are shown in table 2. The best performing dianthus series at Auburn was Dynasty in the first place followed by Diva, Amazon, Panda, Bouquet, and Sweet in second place, Corona in third place, and Valentine in fourth place. At Cullman, there was a tie for first place held by Dynasty, Diva, Amazon, Panda, Bouquet, Sweet, and Corona, and Valentine in second place. Dynasty, Diva, Amazon, and Sweet performed better at Auburn than at Cullman.
The best performing pansy series at Auburn and Cullman were Massive, Karma, Colossus, Matrix, Iceland, and Delta in first place followed by Treasure in second place. Only Colossus performed better at Auburn than at Cullman. The best performing snapdragon series at Auburn was Rocket in first place, Cool in second place, followed by Solstice and an Experimental series in third place. In contrast, Rocket, Cool, and Solstice were in first place at Cullman followed by the Experimental series in second place. Cool, Solstice, and the Experimental series performed better at Cullman than at Auburn.
The top seven best performing plant groups in the trial (those with a rating of 2.5 or higher) at Auburn were Viola ‘Patiola Violet with Yellow Face’ in first place with a rating of 3.8 followed by Viola ‘Patiola Pure Light Blue’ in second place with a rating of 3.1 and Pansy ‘Colossus Yellow with Blotch’ in third place with a rating of 3.0. Tied for fourth place was Pansy ‘Colossus Deep Blue with Blotch’, Pansy ‘Karma Lavender Shades’, Pansy ‘Massive Blue Cap’, and Pansy ‘Patiola Pure Yellow’ with ratings of 2.9. Fifth place was shared by four pansies, Pansy ‘Colossus Rose with Blotch’, Pansy ‘Matrix Blue Frost’, Pansy ‘Matrix Red Yellow’, and Pansy ‘Delta Citrus Mix’ with ratings of 2.8. Pansy ‘Matrix Blue Yellow’ was alone in sixth place with a rating of 2.7 followed by Dianthus ‘Dynasty Purple’, Pansy ‘Iceland Rose Blotch’ and Pansy ‘Matrix White Clear’ in seventh place with ratings of 2.6.
The top three best performing plant groups in the trial (those with a rating of 2.5 or higher) at Cullman were Pansy ‘Matrix Blue Yellow’ alone in first place with a rating of 2.7 followed by Pansy ‘Matrix Blue Frost’, Pansy ‘Matrix White Clear’, Viola ‘Patiola Pure Yellow’, and Pansy ‘Matrix Red Yellow’ in second place with ratings of 2.6. Third place was full with Viola ‘Patiola Pure Light Blue’, Pansy ‘Karma Lavender Shades’, Pansy ‘Colossus Purple with Blotch’, Pansy ‘Colossus Yellow with Blotch’, Pansy ‘Massive Blue Cap’, and Viola ‘Patiola Violet with Yellow Face’ with ratings of 2.5.
Table 3 shows the best performing cultivars in a series. All Violas in the Patiola series had ratings of 2.5 or higher at Auburn and Cullman. Among pansies at Auburn, only one cultivar out of 13 rated below 2.5 while at Cullman five cultivars out of 13 rated below 2.5. Among dianthus, only ‘Dynasty Purple’ at Auburn had a rating above 2.5. All other dianthus and all calendula, delphinium, gazania, lupin, osteospermun, and snapdragons had ratings below 2.5. Seventeen cultivars, mainly dianthus, performed better at Auburn, while eight cultivars, mainly snapdragons, performed better at Cullman.
Average performance rating for bedding plant species tested while useful, does not provide a complete picture of performance through the season. The charts at the end of this document depict average performance rating of bedding plant cultivars for the two locations at each evaluation date. In general, calendula, delphinium, lupin, osteospermum, and snapdragon did not perform well at Auburn with the notable exceptions of calendula ‘Bon Bon Yellow’ and often died during the winter at Cullman. All the dianthus at Cullman performed poorly while ‘Amazon Neon Cherry’, ‘Diva Red’, ‘Diva White Blush’, ‘Sweet Red’, ‘Sweet White’, and all those in the Dynasty series at Auburn put on good spring performance. Pansies planted at Auburn showed increasing performance throughout the fall, winter, and spring while at Cullman, performance increased in the fall, declined in January and February, and increased again in March.
NOTES
This was our first year receiving winter annual seed from national seed companies and germinating the seed at our Paterson Greenhouse Facility. Our first attempt was a dismal failure! We tried sowing the seed in plug flats, sealing them in Ziploc bags, and placing them on a bench next to the cooling pads in a full-sun, twin-wall polycarbonate covered greenhouse in late July and August. Not a single seed germinated!
After a thoughtful discussion with David Wright at Wright’s Greenhouse and Nursery in Plantersville, AL, we cleaned out a well-insulated room and installed an air conditioner, two bathroom heaters, a thermostat, a sealing fan, fluorescent lights, a time clock and tables to make a germination room. The room held 75° to 78°F very well and we got close to 100 percent germination. Unfortunately, seed companies often send us trial seed packs containing only 50 seed. Therefore, we did not get into the trials all we received. I apologize to the seed companies whose entries were let out. Chalk it up to a learning experience.
One goal this year was to trial winter alternatives to pansies and violas. Based on this year’s results, it is easy to see why pansies and violas are so popular. In general, calendula, delphinium, lupin, osteospermum, snapdragon, and some dianthus did not over-winter gracefully. We are considering treating some of these species as semi-hardy spring annuals next year by sowing in late January or early February and planting in late February or early March.