| Common Name |
Stock |
|
Genus |
Matthiola
|
| Species |
incana |
| Family |
Brassicaceae
|
|
Life Cycle |
annual |
| Format |
Plugs |
| Plug Care |
Transplant with 1 week of arrival.
|
| Netting / Staking |
1 layer of support netting.
|
| Temperature Range |
28-75F
|
| Spacing |
Plant clumps of 2 to 3 plants every 6".
|
| Soil Preference |
Fertile, moist, and well drained.
|
| Day Length |
Facultative long day.
|
| Pinching |
No |
| When to Plant |
Plant in the cool part of the year, either 2-4 weeks before first frost in fall, or 4-6 weeks before last frost in the spring.
|
| Harvesting |
Harvest when flowers are 2/3 open. Don't cut too young as the buds don't continue opening as much as other species.
|
| Post Harvest Care |
Holding solution in the cooler.
|
| Diseases / Insects |
Generally pest free. Aphids and other common pests may occur from time to time.
|
| Bailey's Notes |
The cooler you grow stock, the better the quality will be. It needs lots of fertility and must never dry out. This is a crop that won't recover from a single bad day in its life, but if you meet its needs will reward you with tall stems topped with impressively large flowers. They have a strong tap root, and need to be planted on arrival. Do not hold stock in its tray for more than a few days. The best stock is grown in a high tunnel, transplanted in late winter. It can handle a frost, but prefers to establish in a range of 35-50F. Don't worry if you see buds forming when the plant is too short. They add significant height from the time of bud initiation to harvest.
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