New From Kieft

Each year Kieft Seed introduces several new perennials from seed. Here are a few of this year’s intros that grabbed my attention:

Rudbeckia Goldblitz

Goldblitz offers much easier programmability than the ever-so-popular Goldsturm. Goldblitz is truly a first-year flowering perennial with no juvenility issues, absolutely no vernalization required for uniform flowering and blooms under slightly shorter daylengths (14.5 hours vs. 15 hours for Goldsturm). These attributes allow this Fleuroselect Gold Medal winner to bloom up to three weeks earlier and can be easily programmed for early summer through fall sales. Hardy to Zone 3.

Echinacea Artisan Yellow Ombre

The exciting Artisan series of colorful F1 hybrids bred by 2020 AAS Breeder’s Cup award-winner Dr. Pin Ren recently added a new member to the family. Yellow Ombre has a rich yellow color, great uniformity and a well-branched habit, allowing it to compete nicely with vegetative cultivars from tissue culture. Hardy to Zone 4a.

Perovskia Bluesette

Bluesette proudly holds the honor of being the first and only compact, branching and early perovskia from seed. This great alternative to vegetative cultivars can now be using in the front of the landscape, as well as in nursery containers, premium patio pots or in mixed combos. Hardy to Zone 4a.

Slugging it Out

In the last newsletter, the answer to the diagnostic challenge was slugs. After signing off for the week, I realized that I neglected to include any information on how to manage these slimy pests. First, let’s go over some slug basics.

Slug damage on salvia (left) and a slug found on the underside of a salvia leaf (right).

Although snails and slugs are often considered insect pests, they aren't insects at all. They belong to the phylum Mollusca, which contains clams, crustaceans, oysters and octopus (wouldn’t it be cool to see an octopus wandering around the greenhouse?).

The brown garden snail (Helix aspera), the gray garden slug (Agriolimax reticulates) and the greenhouse slug (Milax gagates) are some of the most common species observed feeding on perennials. The biggest distinguishing characteristic between these pests is snails have an external shell large enough to house their entire body and slugs don't have a visible shell.

Slugs and snails chew irregular holes with smooth edges with their numerous strong teethlets. Feeding injury resembles the injury from caterpillars—this often causes some confusion for growers. To confirm the injury was caused by slugs or snails, look for the distinguishing silvery mucous slime trails they leave behind.

Slugging it Out Part Deux

Unfortunately, snails and slugs aren’t as easy to manage as you’d think. Most commonly used insecticides provide inadequate control. Additionally, these critters feed at night and/or hide in cool dark places, such as under the pots they feed on.

With traditional insecticides being relatively ineffective, most growers turn to baits for managing their snail and slug populations. Baits work by several modes of action: metaldehyde baits cause over-production of mucous, leading to desiccation. Methiocarb baits poison the slugs and snails. And iron phosphate baits stops them from feeding, causing them to starve to death.

Product

Deadline M-Ps

Durham Granules 7.5

Ferroxx 5%

IronFist

Mesurol Pro

Sluggo

Active Ingredient

4% Metaldehyde

7.5% Metaldehyde

5% Ferric sodium EDTA

2% Ferric Sodium EDTA

2% Methiocarb

1% iron phosphate

Interval

Every 3 weeks

> 10 days: max 2 apps/yr

Every 2 weeks

Baits can be broadcasted throughout the production area. To improve the control with baits, consider irrigating the crop prior to applying them to encourage slug/snail activity. Another tip is to make evening applications; this is when the snails and slugs are the most active.

Baits are valuable tools used to reduce slug and snail populations, but won't eliminate them altogether. Controlling snails and slugs is a process; it takes time and patience. With a little dedication and persistence, you can slug snails and slugs out of your perennials.

Award-Winning Roses

Star Roses and Plants recently had three award-winning roses in The American Rose Trials for Sustainability (ARTS) program. Winners are selected for being the most sustainable, hardy, pest-resistant and beautiful rose cultivars for use in American Gardens and landscapes.

The winners are:

Petite Knock Out

Petite Knock Out is the first-ever miniature Knock Out Rose. It has the same flower power, easy care and disease resistance as others in the family, but in an adorable petite size.

Pretty Polly Pink

Pretty Polly Pink is a pink Polyantha Rose with very good disease resistance and exceptional flowering from spring through fall. It's attractively compact in the landscape.

Pretty Polly White

Pretty Polly White is a white Polyantha Rose that maintains a pleasing, compact habit in the landscape and is nearly thornless! The white flowers contrast well with the green foliage and Pretty Polly has very good disease resistance.

All of these great award-winning roses are cold hardy to Zone 4.

Darwin Perennials Day

One last reminder: Darwin Perennials Day is just around the corner. Come join over 300 perennial growers and retailers as they take in all the awesome perennials on display at The Gardens at Ball on Wednesday, June 22, 2022.

I’ve mentioned this event in previous newsletters, so I won’t go into too much detail here, but there’ll be tons of new and old perennials in the gardens, educational opportunities, tours and even a FREE lunch. Not only is the lunch FREE, but there’s NO COST to attend Darwin Perennials Day.

I’m planning to be there with my entire family, as it’s one of the destinations on our family vacation. Feel free to say hello if you see me. I look forward to seeing you there!

Registration and event information can be found at darwinperennialsday.com.

Thanks for reading this edition of Perennial Pulse. My email is paul@opelgrowers.com if you have any comments, article suggestions or if you'd just like to say "hello."

Paul Pilon
Editor-at-Large—Perennial Pulse
Director of Growing—Opel Growers

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