Petchoa is a hybrid plant created by Sakata under the name SuperCal because it combines the best aspects of Petunias and Calibrachoas into one plant. From the petunia side, Petchoas have strong roots and large flowers. From the calibrachoa genes it gets vibrant colors that hold up well in harsh conditions.
The early flowering time makes Petchoa a desirable addition to a spring program for those shoppers looking for color before your traditional plants are ready to sell. Grow these plants for beds, hanging baskets, or as flowering cascaders in your combination pots.
General Growing Tips For Your Rooted Cutting Liner
For best results with Petchoa, we recommend using a constant feed program of 250-300 ppm N with an EC level between 1.5-2.0. Maintain a pH between 5.5 - 6.0. Extra iron can be applied to promote good leaf color.
Flowering
Grow Petchoa in a cool environment of 50-55F night temperatures. This will help keep the plant compact and encourage a well-toned growth without the use of PGRs. SuperCals can even take heavy frost, which makes them a good choice for cold-frame production. Our production schedule listed below takes into account colder temps. If you are not going to grow in a cold house, you can achieve faster production by 10-14 days.
Pinching
Pinchingis recommended 5-10 days after transplantation.
Spacing
Can be grown pot tight in an 1801. Space pots adequately to allow for light penetration and airflow between foliage of adjacent pots. We recommend six inches for 4” pots and eighteen inches for 10” pots.
Height Control
Pinching, growing in cool conditions, and bright light are the best ways to control Petchoa, but they are vigorous and may need PGRs. Greenhouse Product News published the following tips on using PGRs: “Plants respond well to foliar applications of daminozide at 2,500 to 5,000 ppm or paclobutrazol (Bonzi) at 20 to 30 ppm foliar spray or 2 to 3 ppm as a drench. Two to three applications may be required for finishing larger baskets and containers. To maintain optimum flower size, avoid spraying when flower buds are present and know that daminozide will change the flowers of 'SuperCal Terracotta' from orange to muted pink.”
Pests
Aphids, leafminers, whiteflies, and thrips are the primary pests attracted to Petchoa.
Disease
Supercal Premium Bordeaux are not prone to many diseases, but watch for botrytis while the days are short. This grey rot is usually associated with wet or humid conditions. You can prevent botrytis by allowing the plant to dry out between waterings, allowing for good airflow in your greenhouse, and spacing to allow the sun to penetrate to the soil level. The most common chemicals used to treat botrytis are Medallion and Banrot. Use them as a drench according to each label’s instructions.
Planting Supercal Premium Bordeaux Liners
We recommend planting 3-4 starter plants per 10” basket. Use a well-drained soil in your baskets and plant your starter plants deep, allowing the ellepot to be completely covered by the soil. If you are planting 4” pots, 1 plant per pot should be sufficient if you have enough time. Plant it directly in the middle of your pot.
Pinchingis recommended 5-10 days after transplantation. A second pinch may be necessary depending on the size and shape of the final pot.
Grow Petchoa in a cool environment of 50-55F night temperatures.
Rooted Cuttings
Cuttings vary in size between different plant families. These rooted starter plants will arrive ready to be transplanted in to your final container. If they are to be used in a landscape application, you will need to establish them in a 4 inch pot or an 1801 before planting outside.
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We just wanted to remind you that we are a wholesale starter plant company that sells to businesses, schools, clubs, and other non-profits. State law dictates that you must be growing for resale to order from us since we are not collecting sales tax.
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