September 2020 - 40

vaughn's view
BY VAUGHN FLETCHER
VAUGHN'S
MIDWEST
ContainerTrial
Sampler
This month, I evaluate container performance of new
annual introductions right here in my Missouri garden.
S
Vaughn Fletcher
is president of
Fletcher Consulting.
He has been in the
horticulture industry
since 1971, working in
many areas including
landscaping, garden
center and greenhouse
production, greenhouse
and nursery sales and
sales management.
He can be reached at
vfletcher9@gmail.com.
ince 2017 I have focused
on the performance of
new annual and perennial
introductions in regional trials.
This month, I will highlight
specific plants from the new
variety sampler programs that
international flower breeders
provide to broker sales
representatives and garden writers
throughout the United States.
This is a valuable marketing
tool for the breeder, as well as
a powerful selling tool for sales
representatives who grow the new plant
varieties, evaluate plant performance,
and then dispense the information
gleaned from the growing process to their
customers during the booking season.
As a former sales representative, and
now garden writer, I have participated in
this sampler program for many years. I
have been a container gardener for well
over 25 years and currently plant 40
18-inch containers in full sun and grow
them through summer and fall in Missouri.
This gives me the opportunity to test
each variety for environmental extremes
including heat, humidity and moisture.
I incorporate a slow-release fertilizer at
planting and supplement monthly with
15-30-15. I started container planting on
April 25 and took these photos the week
of June 22.
Even though we experienced
temperatures in the upper 80s and low
90s in late May and June, it would be
40 SEPTEMBER 2020 GPNMAG.COM
premature to give an objective final
assessment of summer performance
after about 60 days in containers. The
varieties I have selected were blooming
profusely in late June even though they
were at different stages of development.
My photos will give you a glimpse of
mature flowers, and I will share my
perspective on growth habit, flower color,
flower stability and consumer application
for each of the new varieties I am
highlighting for 2021.
1. CATHARANTHUS 'SOIRÉE
KAWAII CORAL REEF'
Suntory Flowers
Three new colors have been added to the
Soirée Kawaii series for 2021: Blueberry
Kiss, Red Shades and Coral Reef. This
series develops slowly, but with rising
temperatures it forms a heavily branched
and mounded habit with small flowers
and a prolific flower count. I focused on
Coral Reef because of its high impact color
and compact habit. The Soirées make an
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outstanding filler component that stands
the test of time in containers and will
continue to manifest color through the fall
season.
2. CALIBRACHOA 'TIKTOK ROSE'
Dümmen Orange
I focused on this vibrant calibrachoa
in my earlier article on the Southern
plant trials. TikTok is a new series for
2021 comprising Rose, Grape and White.
Rose was distinctive in the Southern
trials and manifested similar attributes
in my container trial including earliness,
large flowers, color retention, vigor, and
eye-catching bright rose flowers with
yellow star-shaped centers. Consumer
application includes basket and mixed
containers.
3. CALIBRACHOA 'COLIBRI
MELLOW YELLOW'
Danziger
This compact, daylength-neutral series
was introduced in 2017, and new varieties
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http://www.GPNMAG.COM
September 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2020
