Grace

CROP TIME

From planting to harvest:  16 weeks

PLANTING DENSITY  

30  plants/ m²  net

PRE-PLANTING

Soil:  Select a sunny location with a well-drained sandy soil that is low in fertility. Work the bed to a depth of 6 inches/15 cm. Crop rotation is recommended to avoid problems with fusarium. Steam sterilization is needed.  Another option is to plant hydroponically in burned rice hulls.  Do not bury the stems to avoid rhizoctonia.

Netting:  2 levels

TEMPERATURE

Maintain night temperature between 45-50⁰F/7-10 ⁰ C, and day temperature between 50-55 ⁰ F/11-13 ⁰ C.

PINCH

When the plants have 4 internodes. Leave two internodes. To let it grow 4 stems per plant

IRRIGATION

Depends on soil type. A little drought stress helps to tone the plants.

LIGHTNING

Godetia Grace is a long day response plant and requires a minimum of 10-foot candles / 110 lux) to induce flowering during natural short-day conditions. Use night interruption (22:00 – 02:00) or day length extension to 16 hours. Start one week after tansplantin to harvest. At week 8 – 9  take out the  lateral branches of each principal stem.

The lower leaves could be removed to improve air movement and prevent botrytis.

FERTILIZATION

Excessive fertilizer results in soft plants  and poor flower quality. Best to see lower red-colored leaves as this indicates low nitrogen, which can be easily corrected toward the end.  Best to use nitrate nitrogen as ammonium and urea promote soft / weak stems.

HARVEST

Harvest when 3-6 flowers are open.

POST HARVEST TREATMENT

Hydrate in a AVB solution (1cm3 /Lt water).  Then after the pH should be between 7 and 8.  Mix well and add AVB booster (1 cm3/Lt water).  Once mixed, the pH should be between 3.2 to 5.5.  Keep in the mix for 2 hours.  Then hydrate in Chrysal Professional 2 (10 cm3/Lt water).  Once mixed, the pH should be between 3.5 and 5.5. Sensitive to ethylene.

PESTS & DISEASES

•Fusarium

•Botrytis

•Phytium rhizoctonia

•Sclerotinia