You Asked, We Trialed 2026 FEATURE TRIAL
The 2026 feature trials were designed to address several questions growers and gardeners have posed to our trial garden staff: What varieties can I cut back? Should I cut back or should I use PGR? How can I extend the life of my annuals? What are the long-term effects of using PGR as a retailer to better customer success?
Feature Trial: Growth Control This year’s trial compared several approaches to managing plant growth, including cutback and paclobutrazol (Paclo) applications at different rates, with the goal of determining how different growth- control strategies affect plant size, branching, flowering, and overall plant quality throughout the season. Trial Layout • Sixteen higher-vigor varieties from MYP’s catalog were selected, based on habit and known sensitivities to PGR’s and mechanical cutbacks. • Twelve 14-inch pots, each containing four plugs of the same variety, were planted in week 21 and grown pot-tight in the greenhouse until week 26, when they were moved outside and spaced. • For each variety, three pots were assigned to each of four different treatment rows. All other cultural practices, irrigation, and fertility were the same across all treatments, with 17-5-17 applied at 150 ppm N twice daily. Row Treatment Timing
Treatment Details
1
Control
—
No cut back; no PGR application
2
Cut Back
Week 29
Plants cut back, leaving 4–5 nodes
Drench application at 0.096 oz/gal; 30 oz solution per pot Drench application at 0.16 oz/gal; 30 oz solution per pot
3
Paclobutrazol – 3ppm Week 29
4
Paclobutrazol – 5ppm Week 29
Week 29: Cut backs using hand shears left 4-5 nodes per plant and PGR Paclo drench applications were mixed according to label and applied by hand at a volume of 30 oz. per pot.
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