Name:
Cineraria, pericallis or Senetti
Botanical name:
Pericallis, originally under the name Cineraria, has long been popular with glasshouse growers for a bright show of colour in spring. The Senetti range is a specially bred hybrid form of cineraria, developed by the Suntory Company of Japan, whose main interests are whiskey and beer brewing.
Family: Daisy
The daisy family, including the Senetti, has an outer ring of bright petals to attract pollinators to the disc of fertile florets at the centre of the flower. This kind of structure is known as composite, and hence the name Compositae, although this name has now been superseded by Asteraceae. These are large daisy-type flowers, usually in shades of purple, blue, violet, pink and magenta and the intensity of the colour is rich. There are versions with flowers banded with white and very eye-catching.
Garden value
Senetti can be used in containers outdoors from May in a sheltered spot and when frost has passed. Lots of them are used outdoors during these weeks and seem to get by but a severe frost on fresh, soft plants can cause damage. This new hybrid lasts well in flower, especially if the spent flowers are deadheaded.
It is a short-lived perennial, raised from cuttings, and, in theory, can be overwintered in a frost-protected greenhouse or conservatory but usually this plant is treated as an annual. Both the older and Senetti are best treated as a temporary colourful house plant, or outdoor container plant, much like a bunch of cut flowers.
Growing Senetti
The older kinds of cineraria are quite easy to grow from seeds sown in May or June in a greenhouse or conservatory. Prick out the seedlings into seed trays, and then into individual small pots when they are about five or six centimetres tall. Late in summer move them into somewhat larger pots to grow on to flowering. During the growing season, keep the compost just moist but never wet, which is the cause of root rots.
Feed every two weeks or so with a liquid feed to maintain vigorous growth. Watch closely for greenflies and control them if necessary. Increase the spacing of the plants as they grow, so there is plenty of air passing through to prevent rotting. The Senetti hybrid is not available as seed to home growers as it is a patented plant. Although it can be grown from cuttings, this is not allowed either.
No blossom, no fruit
Everybody knows that there must be blossom on the tree before it can produce fruit. That sounds obvious, but the process of producing fruit is a complex one that takes place during two growing seasons from spring of year one to the autumn of year two.
On 1% - 5% of blossom is needed to produce a crop on fruit trees
The first step is the adequate growth of fresh, healthy leafage on the trees as it opens out during the month of May. Leaves are the solar panels of a tree capturing the light, turning its energy into plant parts such as leaves, shoots, wood, roots and, of course, flowers and fruit.
A strong-growing, healthy young fruit tree produces sugars that are turned into flower buds and flowers. If there are lots of buds and flowers, it follows that there will be lots of fruit. But this isn’t naturally so. Each step is necessary.
When some grains of sticky pollen have been transferred by a flying bee, it germinates on the stigma, the tip of the female parts, to become the ovaries where seeds are formed. Cold weather results in failed production, except on varieties that produce seedless fruit. The spring this year has seen very good blossom, way more than is necessary. It remains to be seen whether the other requirements for a good crop are met in the coming few months. These are good levels of sunshine, average rainfall, adequate nutrition and, perhaps, some summer pruning and thinning of fruit.
Trees, shrubs and roses
All young trees should be checked for water shortage in any dry spell. Drought can occur even with plenty of rain as the soil does not re-wet quickly under trees. Check also for wind-rocking and staking. Control weeds and grass at the base of young trees.
Fruit, vegetables and herbs
Seeds sown in good weather in
recent weeks need thinning. It is always best to thin early so that the seedlings do not weaken each other, and remove weeds too. Try to keep the centre fruit bushes and trees open to reduce apple scab and mildew diseases.
Flowers
It will soon be time to plant up containers, in a week or so in the milder areas. Assess the stock of pots you have, buy more if necessary, and compost, and plan the planting scheme. As spring flowers fade on bulbs, resist the temptation to cut away the foliage.
Lawns
Most lawns have grown strongly in recent weeks and hungry grass will only grow poorly and looks pale.
Feed with lawn fertiliser to bring it on but be careful not to put out too much.
Greenhouse
Ensure that all bedding plants and tender vegetables for planting out at the end of May are growing well. Keep up watering and feed occasionally. Space the pots adequately to ensure proper development. Plant out tomatoes now in the greenhouse. Check for greenflies.
Read more
Gardening with Gerry: veronica, kitchen garden and jobs for this week
Gardening with Gerry: terrific triplet lily and thinning vegetables
Name:
Cineraria, pericallis or Senetti
Botanical name:
Pericallis, originally under the name Cineraria, has long been popular with glasshouse growers for a bright show of colour in spring. The Senetti range is a specially bred hybrid form of cineraria, developed by the Suntory Company of Japan, whose main interests are whiskey and beer brewing.
Family: Daisy
The daisy family, including the Senetti, has an outer ring of bright petals to attract pollinators to the disc of fertile florets at the centre of the flower. This kind of structure is known as composite, and hence the name Compositae, although this name has now been superseded by Asteraceae. These are large daisy-type flowers, usually in shades of purple, blue, violet, pink and magenta and the intensity of the colour is rich. There are versions with flowers banded with white and very eye-catching.
Garden value
Senetti can be used in containers outdoors from May in a sheltered spot and when frost has passed. Lots of them are used outdoors during these weeks and seem to get by but a severe frost on fresh, soft plants can cause damage. This new hybrid lasts well in flower, especially if the spent flowers are deadheaded.
It is a short-lived perennial, raised from cuttings, and, in theory, can be overwintered in a frost-protected greenhouse or conservatory but usually this plant is treated as an annual. Both the older and Senetti are best treated as a temporary colourful house plant, or outdoor container plant, much like a bunch of cut flowers.
Growing Senetti
The older kinds of cineraria are quite easy to grow from seeds sown in May or June in a greenhouse or conservatory. Prick out the seedlings into seed trays, and then into individual small pots when they are about five or six centimetres tall. Late in summer move them into somewhat larger pots to grow on to flowering. During the growing season, keep the compost just moist but never wet, which is the cause of root rots.
Feed every two weeks or so with a liquid feed to maintain vigorous growth. Watch closely for greenflies and control them if necessary. Increase the spacing of the plants as they grow, so there is plenty of air passing through to prevent rotting. The Senetti hybrid is not available as seed to home growers as it is a patented plant. Although it can be grown from cuttings, this is not allowed either.
No blossom, no fruit
Everybody knows that there must be blossom on the tree before it can produce fruit. That sounds obvious, but the process of producing fruit is a complex one that takes place during two growing seasons from spring of year one to the autumn of year two.
On 1% - 5% of blossom is needed to produce a crop on fruit trees
The first step is the adequate growth of fresh, healthy leafage on the trees as it opens out during the month of May. Leaves are the solar panels of a tree capturing the light, turning its energy into plant parts such as leaves, shoots, wood, roots and, of course, flowers and fruit.
A strong-growing, healthy young fruit tree produces sugars that are turned into flower buds and flowers. If there are lots of buds and flowers, it follows that there will be lots of fruit. But this isn’t naturally so. Each step is necessary.
When some grains of sticky pollen have been transferred by a flying bee, it germinates on the stigma, the tip of the female parts, to become the ovaries where seeds are formed. Cold weather results in failed production, except on varieties that produce seedless fruit. The spring this year has seen very good blossom, way more than is necessary. It remains to be seen whether the other requirements for a good crop are met in the coming few months. These are good levels of sunshine, average rainfall, adequate nutrition and, perhaps, some summer pruning and thinning of fruit.
Trees, shrubs and roses
All young trees should be checked for water shortage in any dry spell. Drought can occur even with plenty of rain as the soil does not re-wet quickly under trees. Check also for wind-rocking and staking. Control weeds and grass at the base of young trees.
Fruit, vegetables and herbs
Seeds sown in good weather in
recent weeks need thinning. It is always best to thin early so that the seedlings do not weaken each other, and remove weeds too. Try to keep the centre fruit bushes and trees open to reduce apple scab and mildew diseases.
Flowers
It will soon be time to plant up containers, in a week or so in the milder areas. Assess the stock of pots you have, buy more if necessary, and compost, and plan the planting scheme. As spring flowers fade on bulbs, resist the temptation to cut away the foliage.
Lawns
Most lawns have grown strongly in recent weeks and hungry grass will only grow poorly and looks pale.
Feed with lawn fertiliser to bring it on but be careful not to put out too much.
Greenhouse
Ensure that all bedding plants and tender vegetables for planting out at the end of May are growing well. Keep up watering and feed occasionally. Space the pots adequately to ensure proper development. Plant out tomatoes now in the greenhouse. Check for greenflies.
Read more
Gardening with Gerry: veronica, kitchen garden and jobs for this week
Gardening with Gerry: terrific triplet lily and thinning vegetables
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