HMB Chennile Firetail Cultural Info

"Chennile Firetail"

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Eye-catching 4-5 inch long fiery red catkins adorn this plant. Blooms year round. The bright red color against the dark emerald green leaves grabs your attention. It is easy to produce and has tremendous consumer appeal

MEDIUM/PH

IRRIGATION/

NUTRITION
TEMPERATURE LIGHT

Firetail prefers a well-drained medium. They do not like to stay wet. This plant likes to be grown on the acid side, 5.4 to 5.8 High nitrogen levels will help suppress the sometimes too abundant flowering. However, firetail will still be free flowering and ever blooming. Low nitrogen helps to intensify color. We recommend starting plants with a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen especially no-nitrate types (250-350 ppm) and then finishing with low (150 ppm nitrogen in nitrate forms). This will help color bracts. 55 to 70 degrees f nights. Day temp can get quite high if plants are well watered. Higher temps and low light conditions promote rendering. Drop temps and increase light to intensify red color and compactness. Firetail prefers light levels from 2500 ftc to full sun. High light will intensify color. Light shade in the summer.

INSECTS

DISEASES

SCHEDULING

Spider mites and whitefly can be a problem. Check with your floriculture ext. Agent for specific recommendations.

Water on catkins can bring on discoloring and botrytis

We recommend fire tail be grown in baskets, 4 ½” pot or 6” basket. 3 per 8”, 5 per 10” ten to 12 weeks will be required to finish this plant in a basket

HANGING BASKETS: 5 per for 10” basket, 11 to 13 weeks. Pinch in 2 weeks again in 3 weeks, sale in 6 to 8 weeks from final pinch.

STICK TIME: R.C. - 4 WEEKS 190 - 5 WEEKS 100 - 6 WEEKS