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Optimara®
AFRICAN VIOLET
GROWING TIPS
From
to Finish
Start
er
suer
Optimara® customers
yasudaplea call the Growing Tips hotline
for additional information:gmw
1-800-443-2290
Foreword
Optimara has been a leader in the African Violet business for over 60 years. We have established unmatched quality standards and plant innovations. With hundreds of varieties developed over the years, Optimara continues to advance the industry through the development of new plant characteristics, improved plant care methods and innovative growing techniques.
We are excited about the new varieties within our R&D program in the USA and in Germany. We are looking forward to what the future holds for the African Violet well into the 21st century. Our long- term vision and commitment to excellence as well as our quest for quality is a great benefit to all our customers.
The following guidelines should prove to be a very uful tool for the commercial African Violet grower. We are proud to be able to share this knowledge with you. If you have any additional questions, we will be more than happy to assist you. Plea, feel free to call on us at any time!
We wish you a lot of success with the Optimara® African Violet Program.
Reinhold Holtkamp Sr., President
Holtkamp Greenhous, Inc.
© 2003 Holtkamp Greenhous, Inc.
Optimara and Rhapsodie are registered trademarks of the Holtkamp Greenhous, Inc. USA
4 INCH AFRICAN VIOLETS
Potting
• Potting Mix -- The first and most important step in growing a good quality plant is the establishment of a good potting mix for planting the starter plant.The potting media should be a light and porous mix. We are using straight block-harvested peatmoss and are adding 20% to 25% perlite, you may u shredded styrochip beads. Depending on the acidity of your peatmoss, you have to add the proper amount of lime to balance the PH to about 5.8 to 6.2. We also include an organic fertilizer to meet the plants' immediate fertilizing needs. You may lect not to include any organic fertilizer and start to liquid feed the plants immediately after potting. We do not recommend any kind of slow-relea fertilizers since the plants' water requirements vary considerably during the different times of the year. Any kind of fluctuation in watering will result in over- and underfertilizing of the plants. We recommend a liquid fertilizer system. We are using a 14-12-14 NPK fertilizer with trace elements, but without urea, at a rate of 100 parts per mil.
• Pots -- For the normal crop, u 4" or 4 1/2" pots. If larger plants are to be grown, 5" or 6" pots are more suitable (e ction on "Growing Bigger Pot Sizes").
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• Potting Procedures -- Water dry starters thoroughly before potting them. Do not pot the starters too looly. The growth habit of the plants will be more compact if the starters are presd firmly into the mix. While potting make sure that the hearts of the plants are not covered with your mix, yet do not pot them too high so that the plants can develop nicely. Leaving a rim for watering will make later watering from the top easier. Water as long as possible from the top, at least until the first spacing. Place the potted plants pot to pot and water thoroughly with temperated water (e ction on "Watering"). Covering the potted African Violets with a light foil or gauze will improve the microclimate on the table and accelerate the growth.
Spacing
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• First Spacing --- Correct spacing is important. After potting the plants you should space the pot into a staggered position pot-to-pot of about 10 pots per square foot. The plants will remain in this spacing for about 5 to 6 weeks depending on the ason.
dead什么意思As soon as the leaves of the individual plants start interfering with the neighboring plants by pushing up their leaves on each other -- about to 5-6 weeks into the growing period -- it is time for the first spacing. The distance between each pot should not be too big in order to maintain the microclimate
on the table (approx. 6 pots per square foot). An exception to this rule are the girl varieties which from the beginning should be spaced directly for their final position (8 pots per square foot). In general, if the plants are spaced too far apart during the first spacing, the leaves will get hard and grow downwards.
简单日语学习
在职研修班• Second Spacing-- After 7 to 8 weeks of production, you will be required to respace the plants for a cond time. The 4" pots should be spaced for their final position of about 4 pots per square foot. Scipping the cond spacing may be an obtion provided the first spacing allowed for the additional space required. The plants may not develop properly in size and form.
Watering
• The Way to Water -- African Violets should only be watered with temperated water (65 - 75°F), otherwi yellow spots may develop on the leaves. It is important to note that any fluctuation of plus or minus more than 10-12°F between the water temperature and the room temperature will cau leaf spotting. If temperated water is not available, water your crop in the early morning hours. Water from the top as long as possible to avoid salt build-up in the upper part of the pot which might appear as a result of subirrigation over an extended period of time. After the first spacing and when the first flowers appear, you should switch to subirrigation to prevent spotting on the flowers.
• Symptoms of Overwatering --One can recognize an overwatered African Violet by the yellowish heart or center of the plant. If this symptom appears, refrain from watering for 10 days. Only spot-water tho plants that absolutely require water. After this short dry spell, do not liquid fertilize your plants since the fertilizer will burn the roots and verely harm the plants. First apply a good drench of water, and then resume your regular schedule of watering and fertilizing.
Fertilizing
• Liquid Fertilizing -- Liquid fertilizing depends on the development of the crop and on the original fertilizing inside the mix. The first liquid fertilizing should take place after the first spacing or after about 5 weeks. We recommend that you u a 100% water soluble fertilizer with an NPK of 14-12-14 which does not include any urea. Our experience has proven that it is best to fertilize from then on with 100 parts per mil every other time you water .
• Symptoms of Overfertilizing -- When using an incorrect fertilizer, you will notice that the plants are not developing properly. The flowers will be small, deformed and pale in color. You might also detect little black spots on the edges of the underside of the leaves. If this symptom appears, you are using an inappropriate fertilizer and should lect an alternate NPK source. Do not u a triple 20 fertilizer. If checking you EC the following chart allows you to check if you are within the target EC level.
EC
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Weeks
初学者学化妆Environmental Conditions
dppp• Temperatures -- The optimal temperature for African Violets is around 70°F day and night. It is not advisable to lower the temperature during the night becau this results in a longer growing period. Therefore, it is also not worthwhile to lower the overall greenhou temperature since, in the end, it does not save energy.
• Light Condition -- African Violets need good light condition but no direct sun! The optimal light value for African Violets is around 900 - 1000 foot candle. Therefore, from February/March on, the greenho
u should be shaded according to weather conditions. As the light value increas, more shading is required. You will achieve best results by following this simple rule of thumb: Light conditions are optimal if, during full sunshine at noon, you can barely e the shade of your extended hand over the plants.
• Shading Spray Mix -- We suggest to u an inexpensive Latex water mix of 1 part Latex to 4 parts of water. Spray this mix in a fine mist on the roof of the greenhou to achieve the right amount of light diffusion.
