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| Heliotropium | Common name; Heliotrope |
A half-hardy to tender annual that requires cool greenhouse cultivation and may also be used in summer bedding schemes.
The flowering period is from May to October.
They grow to a height of 500mm (18") with a 300mm spread.
Grow on in 150mm (6") pots of potting compost in a greenhouse, giving light shade in summer.
Water freely during the summer, the atmosphere should be kept relatively humid, but ventilate freely when the temperature exceeds 13°C (55°F).
Apply a weak liquid feed at intervals of ten days from May to September.
Re-pot or pot on annually in March.
Over-winter at a minimum temperature of 8°C(45°F) for early flowering provide a temperature of 16°C(60°F) during winter.
Keep the plants just moist in winter.
For outdoor bedding schemes, set out young plants grown as annuals in any fertile, well-drained garden soil in full sun.
Week 6; Take 75mm (3") long semi hardwood cuttings, insert them in pots/trays containing equal parts (by volume) peat and sand, and place in a propagator set to give a a temperature of 18°C (65°F)
When rooted, pot up the cuttings into 75mm (3") pots of potting compost.
Grow on at 10°C (50°F) for a week to ten days, then gradually harden off until planting out time.
Week 10; Sow seeds for bedding plants in pots trays of seed compost, germinate at a temperature of 18°-21°C (64°-70°F)
Germination takes about a week, and results can be a bit erratic in terms of numbers germinating.
Week 13; Prick out the seedlings, if large enough to handle, into boxes/celltrays of potting compost.
Grow on at a minimum temperature of 15°C (60°F) for a week to ten days, gradually reducing the temperature then placing them in a cold frame till planting out time.
Pinch out when 75mm (3") high to encourage bushy growth.
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