MELODY PARKER Courier Arts / Special Sections Editor | Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2005 12:00 am
CEDAR FALLS -- Bedding plants are the next best thing to an instant garden.
Flowering annuals, biennials, perennials, herbs and vegetables feed our frenzy for immediate gratification, without the fuss of seed starting weeks in advance or broadcasting seed directly into the garden and crossing your fingers for good germination.
Who hasn't heard the siren call -- "Pick me! Pick me!" -- of new and improved plant varieties while walking around a garden center. Those candy-colored blossoms and fresh green foliage are irresistible, so why not grab a six-pack or two?
It's also big business. The United States Department of Agriculture estimated cash receipts for greenhouse and nursery crops, including floriculture, at $14.3 billion in 2003, and sales show few signs of slowing.
Bedding plants are sold in flats, cell packs or in 4-inch or larger pots. Often new or unusual varieties are grown in individual pots and likely will cost more. They also have a larger root system, produce more flowers faster than cell packs and recover more easily from transplanting.
There's no secret to choosing healthy bedding plants, says Scott Peterson, manager at Earl May Nursery and Garden Center in Cedar Falls.
"Size of the plant should be in proportion to the pot it's in, and have strong stems," he advises, without appearing leggy or spindly.
Check leaves for coloration, insect and disease damage. If leaf edges are curled, blotchy or appear chewed on -- "or if you see little critters on the leaves or flying up when you touch the plant" -- leave it behind, Peterson says.
Yellow and dropping lower leaves may be signs of fungal disease, insect damage or inconsistent watering. If potting soil mixture has dried out and hardened, the plant's root system is damaged. Soil should be uniformly moist, not drenched. Roots should be firm and healthy-looking, no dried up or root- or pot-bound, and grown in deep cells.
Most gardeners recommend pinching off existing blooms before transplanting to encourage branching, creating fuller plants and more blossoms, but Peterson says it's not necessary if plants are grown in jumbo cells or pots. If you can't decide whether or not to pinch blooms, purchase bedding plants in bud.
Choose an overcast or cloudy day for transplanting or plant late in the day to minimize stress on plants. Water plants before transplanting. If planting in containers, use a light potting mixture for container gardening. A light soilless potting mix allows water and air circulation in the pot and makes pots easier to move.
Peterson also recommends using Earl May Plant Start or similar product, which reduces transplant shock and helps develop a strong root system. Plant Start contains a 3-10-3 fertilizer, Vitamin B-1, a rooting hormone and soil penetrate.
If weather or circumstances prevent planting bedding plants right away, place them in a shady spot and water daily until you can get them in containers or the ground. "Don't just leave them in the garage. They won't get enough sunlight and chances are, you'll forget to water," he says.
Turn the pack or pot on its side and gently loosen the plant by squeezing the bottom of the cell or tamping the pot. Always hold the bedding plant by its root ball, not the stem or leaves, to prevent damage. Plant in holes the size and depth of the root ball, except tomatoes, which can be planted deeper.
Set plant into the hole and backfill, tamping down soil around the plant to remove air pockets. Water transplants deeply and evenly.
Keep soil evenly moist, particularly in the first few weeks. Water when the surface soil feels dry to the touch. Container plants may need watering once or even twice a day, particularly if pots are clay and weather has been hot and dry. Feed plants a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) in liquid or granular form or fish emulsion is a good choice. Potted plants will need regular fertilizing to encourage flower production, but take care not to overdo it.
"People can kill plants with kindness as much as they do with neglecting plants," Peterson says.
Mea culpa: Last week I listed the P in fertilizer N-P-K as potash or potassium. P is phosphorous; K is potash. Sorry about the confusion. Read and follow directions for applying fertilizer; too much or incorrectly applied fertilizer can burn plants.
Melody Parker is a master gardener. Contact her at (319) 291-1429 or melody.parker@wcfcourier.com.