Geranium

Improved for earliness, uniformity and habit, the Pinto Premium series features well-branched and vigorous plants that adapt easily to high-density production in pots or large packs. Large flowers on shorter stems are easy to ship and hold up better at retail.

Plants are transplant ready four to five weeks from sow in a 288-cell tray. Use a media with pH at 6.2 to 6.5 and EC at 1.2 to 1.5. Low pH symptoms include yellowing of leaves, interveinal chlorosis and necrosis.

Provide 3,500 to 4,500 foot-candles to hasten flower induction. Supplemental lighting under low light conditions at 250 to 450 foot-candles will enhance shoot and root growth.  

Maintain temperature at 60 to 65° F nights and 70 to 75° F days. Manipulation of night temperatures after buds are visible can speed up or slow down flower development.

Alternate between wet and moist moisture levels. Allow media to approach moist before re-saturating to wet. Excessive drying of the media moisture level will concentrate salts around the root system and burn the root hairs. Give a constant liquid feed at 200-ppm nitrogen with a calcium-based fertilizer (13-2-13 or 14-4-14).