Poinsettia FASTFACTS

Eckespoint^® Strawberries 'N Cream™

Product Description Dark green foliage Unique cream and dark pink bi-colored bracts Foliage and bracts are uniquely oak shaped Excellent post production characteristics Growth is slow, provide additional time to size plants up.		Cultural Tips Outstanding for small branched plants and baskets or single stem miniature forms at high density spacing Is an early flowering cultivar, similar to Freedom and Pepride Has smaller leaf area and needs less water 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.

Strawberries 'N Cream mother plants:

• produce cuttings similar to Freedom mother plants and 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: Strawberries 'N Cream 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 Pepride about 7 to 10 days earlier than other poinsettia cultivars. Strawberries 'N Cream can be grown along with Freedom and Pepride 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 Strawberries 'N Cream 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:

• Strawberries 'N Cream 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 Strawberries 'N Cream than is used for other cultivars.
• For bract color maximum, leave 2-3 additional nodes at pinching.
• Strawberries 'N Cream grown in warm climates makes outstanding 6” pinched plants. Strawberries 'N Cream is a slow growing cultivar. High temperatures and humidity enhance bract expansion and plant size. Provide 2-3 weeks additional growth time to enhance finished height.
• The smaller leaf and bract size of Strawberries 'N Cream 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.
• Because of the compact habit of Strawberries N’ Cream, in larger pot sizes it is recommended to add extra time to the vegetative phase in order to allow the plant to achieve adequate size.

©1999 Paul Ecke Ranch All Rights Reserved

.

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.