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2 0 0 2 F I E L D T R I A L S

Pennsylvania

‘Merlin Blue Morn’ petunia was a winner in Pennsylvania with its “unique and attractive flower color.”

‘Summer Wave Amethyst’ torenia was a surprise to the Pennsylvania trial staff because of its “outstanding vigor” and lots of flowers.

Planting at Penn State University’s trial gardens was delayed due to very cold weather in May, said Robert Berghage, trial director. Planting began in mid-May with cool season and cold tolerant annuals.

“A series of very hard frosts - three consecutive nights - in late-May caused significant damage to some of these plants,” Berghage said. Warm-season annuals were planted after the frosts in the last week of May and completed by mid-June.

“The spring was very wet following a very dry winter, and the area went from a rather large rainfall deficit at the beginning of May to a surplus during the month of June,” he said. July was fairly dry with average to slightly below average rainfall, so irrigation was required in July.

Diseases such as botrytis were common in June but most plants recovered when things dried out in July.

Eustoma: ‘Forever White.’

Nierembergia: ‘Fairy Bells Compact.’

Pentas: ‘Butterfly Blush.’

Petunia: Explorer series, Lavender Wave, ‘Tidal Wave Silver’ and ‘Merlin Blue Morn.’

Rudbeckia: ‘Cherokee Sunset,’ ‘Prairie Sun’ and ‘Indian Summer.’

Torenia: ‘Summer Wave.’

For more: Robert Berghage, Penn State University, Department of Horticulture, College of Agricultural Sciences, 103 Tyson Building, University Park, PA 16802; (814) 863-2190; fax (814) 863-6139; rdb4@psu.edu.

. © 2002 Branch-Smith Publishing