Penstemon Partybells Red Seedling Tray

For best results with Partybells Red, plant one seedling plug per 4-inch container, one or two per 6-inch container, or three to four per 10-inch basket. Use well-drained soil with a pH of 5.8-6.2, EC of 2.3-2.8 mS/cm, and fertilizer at 125-175 ppm N. This plant benefits from long days (14+ hours) of high light intensity (6,000-8,000 fc). Maintain temperatures of 68-70 daytime and 60-62 nighttime. This plant doesn't require pinching, and typically doesn't need PGRs when growing in cool temperatures. It will respond to Bonzi or Sumagic. Watch for aphids, thrips, fungus gnats, botrytis, pythium and rhizoctonia, Thielaviopsis, and INSV.

Red flowers bloom from April through July.

This plant doesn't require pinching.

Space containers for adequate airflow and sunlight penetration around the base and foliage of each plant. We recommend spacing 4- and 6-inch containers 6-8" on center and 10-inch baskets 12-14" on center.

With proper temperatures and lighting, this plant doesn't typically require PGRs. However, Partybells Red responds well to a spray of Sumagic at 5 ppm or Bonzi at 10-15 ppm to prevent stretching.

Scout for aphids, thrips, and fungus gnats as part of your commercial greenhouse's Integrated Pest Management program. 

Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that cause damage by sucking sap from plant tissue. They reproduce quickly and are particularly attracted to young growth. Curling and yellowed leaves, stunted growth, and stickiness on leaves are signs of an infestation. These insects also spread diseases and reproduce rapidly. Use biological controls or horticultural oils to discourage and kill aphids.

Fungus Gnats are small, dark flies that lay eggs in damp soil where larvae feed on plant roots, causing damage and death. Watch for adult gnats flying around the plants and check for larvae in the soil. Prevent infestations by allowing the soil to dry between waterings and controlling humidity in the greenhouse. Fungus Gnats thrive in moist conditions. Catch adult gnats with sticky traps to prevent them from laying eggs. Use beneficial nematodes or apply Bacillus thuringiensis.

Thrips are tiny insects that eat plant tissue and can transmit viruses. Watch for silvery-white streaks or black spots on foliage and distorted growth. Use natural predators (like predatory mites), insecticidal soap, neem oil, and sticky traps to control infestations and prevent spread.

Watch for botrytis, pythium, rhizoctonia, thielaviopsis, and INSV. Use a well-draining media and water at the base of each plant in the morning, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. Provide good airflow in your greenhouse and space plants so sunlight can reach the soil level of each container. 

Botrytis is a common fungal disease that causes brown spots on stems, leaves, and flowers. Remove and destroy affected plants, maintain appropriate humidity levels, and apply fungicides with boscalid, fenhexamid, or iprodione to control the spread. Water plants in the morning and allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings.

Pythium and Rhizoctonia are fungal diseases that cause stunted growth, yellowed leaves, and plant death by eating away at the plant's roots. Use well-draining planting media and provide good airflow and spacing in your greenhouse. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings and apply fungicides with active ingredients abamectin, spinosad, or imidacloprid to combat these diseases.

Thielaviopsis is a disease caused by the soil-borne fungus Thielaviopsis basicola. It causes dark brown or black lesions on roots, stunts plant growth and causes foliage to wilt. Sanitize equipment and use clean growing media to prevent the spread. Remove and destroy infected plants and use well-drained soil, allowing plants to dry slightly between waterings. Maintain a pH below 5.8 to reduce infections. You may use a fungicide as part of an Integrated Pest Management plan for severe outbreaks.

INSV (Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus) is a common plant virus that causes necrotic spots, rings, and line patterns on foliage along with stunted growth and wilting. Prevent INSV by properly sanitizing tools, equipment, and surfaces, using disease-free seedlings and cuttings, and monitoring thrips and mites which vector the virus. Detect and isolate infected plants early to prevent spread, and implement crop rotations and insecticides as needed.

Plant one seedling plug per 4-inch container, one or two per 6-inch container, or three to four per 10-inch basket. Use well-drained soil and completely bury the top of the seedling plug centered or evenly spaced in the pot. Six-inch containers finish in 11-12 weeks.