Experience the Suntory Difference! ✓ Compact habit, short internodes ✓ Plays well withthers ✓ Showy foliage Desana Lime, Maple and Bronze – 2012 Prairie Star Winners , Kansas State University Desana Lime – 2012 Plant of Distinction , University of Georgia Desana Bronze – 2011 Best Ipomoea , Colorado State University
Helpful Hints from T. Jay Higgins Sun-Fire Nurseries, Sarasota, Florida
Desana ipomoeas are a newer product for me and much different than the tropicals I grow. Unlike other vegetative annuals, USDA’s phytos- anitary restrictions require ipomoeas to be propagated in the United States. Unrooted cuttings cannot be imported. Growers can buy root- ed and unrooted cuttings from Sun-Fire Nurseries in Florida. Desana’s best trait is intense foliage color that does not fade, along with a nice variation in leaf shape. Plants are compact and controlled for ipomoea, but not too compact. Desanas work nicely in combination with other plants or as a hanging basket or in window boxes by themselves.
Crop Timing • 4-inch pots – four to five weeks with one liner, no pinches. • 6-inch pots – six to eight weeks with one liner, no pinches. • 10-inch pots – 10 to 12 weeks with three liners, two to three pinches Pests & Diseases Key insect pests to monitor are thrips, aphids, fungus gnats, shore flies and mites. Diseases to prevent are Phytophthora and Pythium. A broad-spectrum fungicide drench is
to get a bushy and spreading plant. Generally, a 4-inch pot will finish in four weeks. Pinching encourages branching. Plant Growth Regulators Uniconazole (Sumagic) sprays are effective at 10-25 ppm. Florel sprays can be used at 500-1,000 ppm. B-Nine is effective at 2,500 ppm as needed. Finally, a drench of pa- clobutrazol (Bonzi) can be used at 8 ppm on plugs prior to transplanting.
recommended after planting. Edema is a common disorder in all stages of the crop. Prevention rather than cure is the best option. To prevent edema, always allow the substrate to dry between irrigations and provide good air movement. Edema is the bursting of cells, resulting in corky lesions on the foliage, accentuated by low light or high humidity. Symptoms are usu- ally on the underside of foliage, but in some cases it can be seen on the upper surface.
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