Samurai Gerbera Growing & Technical Information

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Samurai™ Gerbera Culture Guide

These are under growing conditions in the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada. Samurai™ is available as coated or uncoated seeds.

Seed in new or sterile trays.
• Approximate plug size 18 x 18 x 35mm deep (3/4" x 3/4" x 1-3/8")
• Use a coarse, moist soil mix– PH 5.8 E.C. 0.7-0.9
• Cover seed sparingly with coarse vermiculite, moist until vermiculite is damp, but not wet. Cover with a 2-ml clear plastic for about 4 - 5 days at 23 degrees to 24 degrees Celsius. In the spring and summer, shade seed flats, as the temperature will be too high under the clear plastic.
• Do not water in, only lightly mist the surface of the vermiculite. Gerbera seedlings hate being wet!
• After 2-1/2 weeks, gently water - never saturate the plugs.

Plugs

• The plugs will be ready for transplant after 4 weeks in the summer and 5 weeks in the winter.
• After transplanting, temperature should be as follows until final spacing:

  	Day	Night
  Temperature	22 degrees Celsius	22 degrees Celsius
  Vent temperature	24 degrees Celsius	24 degrees Celsius

Lighting

• Keep lights on ,all year round,for 18-1/2hr. to 19 hr. from sowing up to final spacing. If an extended day is not used , plants will be too small. For the 10 cm. pots only, light up to the transplant into the 10 cm. pots( 4 - 5 weeks) then propagate without lights and set out earlier to get a smaller plant if desired.
• Any plants seeded after January 15th can be set out earlier, if seeded November or December you should still light the extra 2 - 3 weeks to get a larger plant.

Growth retardant

• Use B-9 growth retardant on the 10 cm pots one week after transplanting at 100- 150 PPM if need be. From mid March ‘til September a 2nd application may be required just before spacing or 1 week after at 150-300 PPM if the plants appear to be too big. (It is based on the plant size more than anything, along with the weather).

Irrigation & Spacing

• Irrigate overhead when pot tight with an EC of 2.0. Rinse afterwards to avoid spots on the leafs.
• Before spacing drench with Alliette fungicide–50 grams per 100 liters.
• After spacing on the mats, we drench every 2 weeks (as precautionary measure) using the above rate with Allliette fungicide.
• Once plant size is established space immediately. Space the 10 cm earlier to get a small, compact plant from April 1st onwards that will set bud earlier if not under the lights.
• After spacing, sub-irrigate with an EC level of 1.8 for the 1st 3 - 4 waterings then later on reduce to 1.5. With the drip irrigation we use an EC level of 1.8 - 2.0.
• Relative Humidity - Ideally 74% ( to keep the plants active)

Final spacing until finishing

Temperature

The Fertilizer rates are as follows:

Pot Tight
Per 190 litres concentrate
Ratio 1:100

30 kg	Kristalon White (15-5-30) + 1.8% mg
4 kg	Kristalon Red (12-2-36) + .8% mg
4 kg	Epson Salts
850 grams	Iron Chealte 7% (DTPA)
30 grams	Manganese Sulfate
Adjust to get an EC of 2.0

Spaced on the Mats
Per 190 litres concentrate
Ratio 1:100

24 kg	Kristalon White
2 kg	Kristalon Red
3 kg	Epson Salts
850 grams	Iron Chealte 7% (DTPA)
30 grams	Manganese Sulfate
Adjust to get an EC of 1.5 – 1.6

Other Important Notes

• Plants that are on the drip irrigation adjust fertilizer to get an EC of 1.8-1.9
• Don’t forget to use the higher EC on the mats as well for the 1st 3 - 4 waterings. This seems to help give the plants an even better deep rich color as well as keeping the size compact .We also from time to time water the mats an EC of 1.8. say once every 7 – 10 days, depending on our soil analysis reports.
• If you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact us.