Tag Archives: Rodger Tschanz

Plant At A Glance: PROVEN WINNERS’ POLKA DOT PLANT ‘HIPPO ROSE’

Proven Winners Polka Dot Plant
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The polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) ‘Hippo Rose’, produced by Proven Winners, is a bright and beautiful plant, with spotted leaves that stand out, especially next to other plants.  Foliage is the main reason to grow this plants and it has been found to be an easy-to-grow plant for both sunny and shady locations.

Sure to be a favourite at local nurseries and garden centres this season, the polka dot plants are well suited for indoor use and in temperate to warm zones they can be grown outside.

Growing Conditions:
Light: bright light is best, but when tested in the University of Guelph Trial beds it did well in shade as well. If you prefer more colour then consider some direct sunlight, which should deepen the colours.
Water: keep the soil moist in the summer growing season. If your plant flowers and then goes dormant, reduce water and resume when new growth starts.
Fertilizer: during the growing season, feed weekly with a weak liquid fertilizer that includes micronutrients.
Soil: A light, fast-draining potting soil is perfect.

The ‘Hippo Rose’ was grown and evaluated in the various 2017 trials. It was very popular with visitors who came out to see the trials and in a survey at the University of Guelph, where more than 300 participants were asked to select 3 plants from a group of 21 for use in a mixed container, ‘Hippo Rose’ was the favourite.

For more information on the ‘Hippo Rose’ Polka Dot plant visit your local garden centre.
Additional Reading visit: www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/polka-dot-plant
www.thespruce.com/grow-hypoestes-phyllostachya-indoors-1902650

Plant At A Glance: SUNFINITY SUNFLOWER

Sunfinity Sunflowers
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Make your garden come to life with Sunfinity Sunflowers that thrive and bloom continuously all season long. Sunfinity Sunflowers have lots of blooms that can be cut and used indoors, with no mess and without damaging the outdoor plant. The outdoor plant will continue to bloom long after traditional sunflowers have bloomed and died.

Nearly a decade of effort by Syngeta Flowers has led to the creation of Sunfinity, the sunflower that revolutionizes the home garden experience. Sunfinity started with a desire to give the home gardener a more colorful, longer-lasting sunflower. Traditional sunflowers are either small potted plants or cut flowers with only one stem, a single flower head, and blooms lasting for only 7–10 days. Sunfinity was cultivated to have many stems with a multitude of blooms and season-long performance, making it truly unique and different from every other sunflower.

In order to achieve these unique characteristics, we took the best attributes of two species and created what plant breeders call an interspecific hybrid.

Throughout the season, you can cut Sunfinity sunflower stems and bring them into your home to enjoy. They leave no messy pollen on your tables and will keep for 7 days or more in tap water.

University of Guelph’s Rodger Tschanz and his team are growing over 400 Sunfinity Sunflowers for Canada Blooms, come see them this March and then look for them in your local greenhouse and nursery centres this spring.