Germany: New products for bedding and balcony inspected
Begonias are popular ornamental plants for bedding and balconies.
Ornamental plant test: New bedding and balcony plants on the test
The test bench for bedding and balcony plants included, for example Angelonia, Argyranthemum and Begonia. The first step included the evaluation of the ornamental plant assortment with regard to the production properties in greenhouses or polytunnels, the required cultivation period, the effect of the flower colour and the bearing of the bedding and balcony plants. The varieties were then used in beds, in hanging baskets and in containers.
From the middle of May to the end of September, the characteristics of consistent flowering capabilities, rich flowering, stability, weather sensitivity as well as the health of the ornamental plants outdoors were evaluated. These criteria, which can be described as the “garden performance”, of bedding plants and balcony plants, are decisive in good or depreciative opinions.
The overall results of the ornamental plant evaluations can be called up with the new interactive “Variety Finder”.
Bedding and balcony plants: Angelonia with strikingly large flowers
The bedding and balcony plants ‘Angelface Carrara’ (Kientzler) were distinguished by their strikingly large flowers in clear white. The ornamental plants potted in week 11 were trimmed in week 13 and subsequently grew uniformly and bushy. The beginning of the flowering was in week 20.
Likewise, the stable structure of the ornamental plants with powerful shoots made a positive overall impression scoring 8.5. During the summer months in the container and in the bed, the new “Proven-Winners” variety proved to be a reliable and weather-resistant permanent blossom with very good effect over time.
Argyranthemum: ornamental plants with strong flower colour
This ornamental plant variety has it all: Whether compact, moderate or strong in the growth, with small or very large flowers – the extensive growth and colour palette of the bush daisies is, as with other main cultivars of ornamental plants as well, in constant movement. With new colours within the Grandaisy series, Moerheim / MNP flowers enriched the range of bedding and balcony plants. All of the ornamental plant varieties being tested demonstrated very strong growth with good branching. The unrooted cuttings were inserted in week 5 and in week 8 the ornamental plants were ready for planting. The beginning of flowering of the bedding and balcony plants was, depending on the species, 80 to 82 days later in week 19.
‘Grandaisy Red Orange’ and ‘Grandaisy Pink’ especially caught the eye with their beautiful and powerful flower colour. No less impressively, the ‘Grandaisy Yellow’ demonstrated its overwhelming radiance. Here, individual ones were also found within the plot with simple flowers untypical of the variety. The overall impression of all the above-mentioned ornamental plant varieties obtained very good scores of between 8.0 and 8.5.
Outdoors the ornamental plant varieties were placed in tubs with three plants per container. The continuous vigorous growth and the intense flower colours perceivable from a distance were marked features of the bedding and balcony plants.
Begonia: bronze-dusty varieties bloom earlier
Not only a term for ornamental plant aficionados: The well-known and proven interspecific, seed-enhanced begonia of the BIG-series (Benary) enjoyed the company of the megawatt assortment (PanAmerican Seed, Florensis). In terms of flower size and growth performance, these ornamental plant varieties developed even more sharply in comparison. In each case two dark and light-leafy megawatt varieties were first tested for their cultivation properties of the bedding and balcony plants under glass.
The “Pink Bronze Leaf”, “Rose Bronze Leaf” and “Rose Green Leaf” were ready for sale from week 18 with a potting time in week 12. In general, the bronze leafed varieties of the bedding and balcony plants began to bloom somewhat earlier than the green-leafed partners. ‘Pink Bronze Leaf’ has proven to be somewhat more compact in comparison in the ornamental plant series, but the varieties, like those from the BIG series, are in need of space. The good branching and the slight habitual overhanging of the bedding and balcony plants led to a very good overall assessment of 8.0. The series partners earned a very good, comparable rating.
Ornamental plants – Begonia on open land
The ornamental plant assortment was used both in the tubs as well as in the flower bed during the outdoor inspection. ‘Megawatt Rose Green Leaf’ impressed in the 50 cm container at the semi-shaded location with its very uniform, round growth and dense branching with stable stems.
Its assortment partner ‘Megawatt Pink Bronze Leaf’ complemented these positive features by an attractive play of colours in the flowers. The height of the ornamental plants in week 33 averaged 61 cm, the diameter was 97 cm. ‘Megawatt Pink Bronze Leaf’ achieved its best score for its rich flowering and overall impression with the score of 8.0, based on the valuation period from June to September.
For more information:
Mayer
Poststraße 30
89522 Heidenheim
Germany
T: +49 7321 9594 290
F: +49 7321 9594 299
info@mayer.de
mayer.de