![]() ![]() Pests and Diseases: It’s good practice to apply a broad-spectrum fungicide drench on plug material at time of transplant to prevent root and crown rot. Once the plants are rooted out, a minimum holding temperature of 50F (10C) is sufficient. Temperature: Bottle Rocket roots out best in temperatures of 60 to 68F (15 to 20C). There’s no need to provide supplemental lighting unless you’re forcing the plants into bloom (see Forcing below). In the greenhouse, provide 30% shade in the north and 55% shade in the south. It’s naturally adapted to perform best in partial shade. Lighting: Ligularia requires long days to induce flowering. Don’t let these plants dry out! It’s good practice to water in the morning and allow the foliage to dry off before nightfall to avoid potential disease issues. Moisture: Maintaining consistent moisture levels throughout the growing season is absolutely critical for ligularia. Back off the fertilizer once the plants begin to shut down for winter. Maintain the same EC and fertilizer rates as in spring plantings until fall arrives and night temperatures fall below 50F (10C). pot to finish for the following spring’s sales. This plant needs to be well-rooted before going into dormancy. ![]() Purchase Bottle Rocket plugs as early in fall as possible, especially in northern climates. Maintain a pH of 5.8 to 6.2 and an EC of 1.5 to 2.5 using the pour-through method. When growing Bottle Rocket in spring, fertilize plants with a constant liquid feed of 75 to 100 ppm Nitrogen. If planting in early summer for sales the following spring, start with a 72-ct plug in a premium 1-gal. 20-ct plugs should take the same amount of time to finish in larger premium 1-gal. pots, use a 72-ct plug and allow 8 to 10 weeks for finishing. To finish Bottle Rocket in smaller trade 1-gal. If you have the facilities to overwinter potted perennials, we recommend that you start this plant the fall before you plan to sell it. Those potted in fall for sales the following spring (right) are much fuller with larger leaves and more flowers per plant than those potted up and sold the same spring (left). Pictured: Ligularia Bottle Rocket benefits greatly from being planted the year before it’s sold. A bouquet of yellow flower spikes is held just at the top of the foliage with no naked stems showing in midsummer. A refined version of the original, Ligularia Bottle Rocket grows into a densely compact clump of very large, thicker leaves that stand up to the summer heat. ![]()
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