Poinsettia FASTFACTS

Peter Jacobsen's^® Pepride

Product Description Dark green foliage Dark red bracts, similar in color to Freedom®  Colors available to complement red Foliage and bracts are uniquely oak shaped Excellent post production characteristics		Cultural Tips Outstanding for small branched plants and baskets or single stem miniature forms at high density spacing Is an early blooming cultivar, similar to Freedom Can be grown and timed with lights similar to Freedom Requires about 20% less fertilizer than medium green leaf cultivars

STOCK: For maximum production of good quality cuttings, maintain minimum night temperatures of 66-68°F/19-20°C throughout the production season. Use of night interruption lighting from 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM is recommended through 30 May to prevent flower initiation. A minimum of 10-foot candles/107 lux is required to be effective. Provide a balanced and complete fertilizer regime to assure optimum plant growth. Light intensities of 4,500 to 5,000 foot candles/48,400 to 53,800 lux are ideal provided daytime greenhouse temperatures do not exceed 90°F/32°C.

Pepride mother plants:

• produce cuttings similar to Freedom mother plants but are very compact
• have an optimum cutting maturity characteristic of 6 weeks
• are best suited to multiple pinch (2-3) stock programs
• require protection from increased daytime temperatures that occur at high light intensities (5,000+ foot candles/53,800 lux)

PROPAGATION: Cuttings root quickly under normal propagation conditions. Use of a rooting hormone containing up to 2500 ppm IBA will promote the speed and uniformity of root development. Minimum chemical growth regulator applications are needed during propagation to prevent stretching.

FINISHED PLANT CHARACTERISTICS: Pepride is easy to grow and performs best in small container sizes (2 to 4.5” pots, bulb pans and 8” baskets). The natural flower initiation date is similar to Freedom and about 7 to 10 days earlier than other poinsettia cultivars. Pepride can be grown along with Freedom for easy timing. Lighting is advisable beginning 5 September, in order to delay flower initiation. For a 20 November flowering, lights should be discontinued on 25 September (the approximate initiation date for other cultivars). If later flowering is required, lighting should be continued until 8 to 9 weeks prior to the desired flowering date. Under most conditions, it is not advisable to light past 5 October. For branched plants, pinch within two weeks of transplanting, or when root systems are established. Chemical growth regulator requirements are not suggested for this cultivar, however Pepride is responsive to A-Rest®, Bonzi®, Cycocel® and Sumagic®, or combinations of B-Nine® and Cycocel®, if treatments are required. This cultivar is resistant to epinasty and can withstand the stress of sleeving, boxing and shipping.

CULTIVAR NOTES:

• Pepride has not shown sensitivity to Exotherm Termil®, however do not apply this fungicide when bracts are mature.
• Small leaf size results in lower water need by plants, provide slightly drier conditions for Pepride than is used for other cultivars.
• For bract color comparable to other cultivars, leave two additional nodes at pinching time.
• Pepride grown in warm climates makes outstanding 6” pinched plants. High temperatures and humidity enhance bract expansion and plant size.
• The smaller leaf and bract size of Pepride makes it adaptable to high density production. 6” pots may be grown as tight as 10” centers with no significant production problems or reduction in quality. This feature provides growers with a lower cost alternative where needed.

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Fast Faxes are one of many forms of technical assistance provided by the Ecke Ranch. For additional information on Poinsettias, please consult our website www.ecke.com or for technical assistance, log on to www.ecke.com/techhelp. We hope the information provided will be helpful. It is based upon and knowledge (including information provided by the recipient) considered to be true and accurate, but without independent investigation and is offered for the recipient's consideration, investigation and verification, but we do not warrant the results to be obtained. Please read all statement, recommendations, or suggestions in conjunction with any conditions of sale or use which apply to any products, or systems recommended by us. No statement, recommendation, or suggestion is intended for any use which would infringe any patent/copyright.