Growing Better Baptisia Starts With the Best Production Practices Cultivate 2019

Better Baptisia History Proven Winners varieties Walters Gardens varieties Production at WGI Container production from plugs and bare root Cultural requirements Landscape/Garden use

Baptisia ~20 species, native North American perennial Member of the pea/legume family (Fabaceae) B. australis is the most commonly cultivated species, also interspecific hybrids and cultivars Historically used for blue dye (Blue False Indigo), seed pods as rattles (Rattlebush), medicinal uses Seed pods can also be used in floral arrangements Flowers can be used in arrangements, but don’t last long Host plants for several species of butterfly

Baptisia DECADENCE® Series ‘Dark Chocolate’ Compact habit Flowers on top of foliage Range of unique colors ‘Blueberry Sundae’ ‘Sparkling Sapphires’ ‘Lemon Meringue’ ‘Cherries Jubilee’ ‘Vanilla Cream’

Baptisia DECADENCE® Deluxe Series Larger than DECADENCE®, more substantial landscape presence Flowers on top of foliage Vivid colors ‘Pink Truffles’ ‘Pink Lemonade’

Baptisia ‘Violet Dusk’ ‘Grape Taffy’ ‘American Goldfinch’ B. australis ‘Indigo Spires’

Internal Baptisia Production 72ct plugs planted into the field Stock containers are planted from 2 year bare root Cuttings taken from January – May 300,000 + plugs produced every year

Baptisia Production at Walters Gardens Bare root is grown for 1.5 years for sales, 2 years for stock

Baptisia Production from plugs 72ct plugs are available from weeks 20-28 Plant in 1-2 gallon containers in late spring to early summer Plant plugs slightly deep – crown ½” below soil line Pinch before transplant if not done already and again a few weeks later Bulk, then 8-10 weeks vernalization at 35-40°F

Baptisia Overwintering Ensure a healthy crop with good root system going into winter Allow plants to acclimate – short days, cooler temperatures – before going cold Clean up overwintering location Soil should be moist before covering/storing Trim foliage back to the crown (2-3”), remove debris, place pot tight Apply preventative fungicide drench and bait for rodents Methods for overwintering Minimally heated greenhouse (36-38) Unheated polyhouse under thermal blanket Outdoors under thermal blanket Sandwich method © A.M. Leonard

Baptisia Production from bare root G1 bare root is available from weeks 2-23 Plant in 2-3 gallon containers in late winter to late spring Plant bare root with eyes slightly below the soil surface, trimming roots if needed Do not pinch! For height control grow cool (55-60°F) and apply PGRs as needed

Baptisia Cultural Recommendations Grow cool for best results, 55-60°F Soil pH 5.8-6.5, EC (pour-through method) 2.0-3.0 Moderate feeders in production – apply 75-150 ppm N via constant liquid fertilizer, or CRF at 1.25 lbs/yd3 of media Slightly dry to moderate moisture in container production

Baptisia Cultural Recommendations Day neutral, prefer high light levels Spider mites, powdery mildew, rust, root rots, leaf spots Growth regulation Uniconazole drench at 1 ppm, once shoots are ~6” tall Uniconazole 5-10 ppm toning sprays Paclobutrazol drench 12-18 ppm, once shoots are ~6” tall Paclobutrazol sprays 45-60 ppm, 2-3x

Baptisia Scheduling 68-70°F – six to eight weeks to flower 63-65°F – nine to ten weeks Flowering can be delayed by moving to 35-40°F Staggered bare root plantings for extended window G1 planted wk 8, photo wk 16 G1 planted wk 24, photo wk 27

Baptisia Scheduling 72 ct plugs Transplant Wk 23 Vernalize 38° F Wk 46 22 weeks 10 weeks 9 weeks Transplant Wk 23 Vernalize 38° F Wk 46 Force 60° F Wk 10 Ship/Sell Wk 19 G1 bare root 8 weeks Transplant Wk 11 Grow at 60° F Ship/Sell Wk 19

Baptisia in the Landscape Low maintenance, drought-tolerant, long-lived, shrub substitutes, lupine alternatives! Large impact in the garden – best as specimens or small groupings Sleep, creep, leap Choose your location carefully! Best not to try to move or divide Zones 4-9 hardy (B. australis 3-9) Tolerate a wide range of soil types Need 6+ hours of sun daily for best flowering and habit Can trim after flowering to tidy up, but this removes the attractive seed pods Very few pests/diseases in the landscape BBG – Baptisia and Amsonia hubrichtii © Helen Battersby, Toronto Botanical Gardens © Patrick Cullina, Brooklyn Botanic Garden

© Goodness Grows

Thank You! Laura Robles lsr@waltersgardens.com