Culture for best commercial production:
Light: 1200 fc to 2000+ fc. No light meter? The shadow from your hand on a flat surface should be clear but the edges should be fuzzy.
Temperature: 60º to 85º F. Survives temperatures well above and below but growth slows or stops altogether.
Feed: 100 to 150 ppm on constant feed (15-5-15) with available Ca & Mg. pH around 6.
Water: keep moist but be careful not to drown these ferns.
Feed: 100 to 150 ppm on constant feed (15-5-15) with available Ca & Mg. pH 5 to 5.9. In commercial shade beds for cut foliage, slow release fertilizer is often applied. A slow acting (6 month) formula is safest.
Potting Mix: this is often dictated by what is available locally. The key elements are low salts and excellent drainage. Some peat helps to retain fertilizer salts and keep water available to the root hairs.
Pest Control: Generally quite pest free. If needed, Talstar® + Orthene® is a safe combination and works well as a preventative program for aphids or scale during the warm months.
Container: usually grown as a large table fern it is also grown in gallon cans to be used in the landscape in temperate climate areas.
Growing Times:(starting with a Santa Rosa Tropicals plug)
4" starter pot - 10 to 12 weeks
6" pot - 12 to 16 weeks from a 4" pot
8" pot - 18 to 24 weeks from a 4" pot
1 gallon can - 12 to 16 weeks from a 4" pot
Pot all year on a regular rotation for year round sales.
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