Horticulture

Term: Hardiness Zone

Plant: Begonia

Begonia semperflorens-cultorumWax begonia Plant type: Annual USDA Hardiness Zones: Annual Height: 6" to 24" ,Spread: 8 - 12" Exposure: shade to partial shade Bloom Color: Pink, Red, White Bloom Time:, Late spring to Early fall Leaf Color: Green, Purple, Variegated Uses: Bedding, Container, Landscaping standard due to low maintenance

requirement

Hardiness Zones

a geographically-defined area in which a specific category of plant life is capable of growing, based on it's ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone.

How cold it gets in winter

US Hardiness Zones

Hardiness Zones

Virginia

USDA ZONE 7a

Zones are designated by lowest expected temperatures during winter

Zone #s are in increments of 10 A & B designation are in increments of 5

So if you buy a flower with a hardiness of 8, will it make it through the winter here?

How about if it is 5?

Thermoperiod

Thermoperiod refers to daily temperature change.

Plants produce maximum growth when exposed to a day temperature that is about 10 to 15°F higher than the night temperature.

This allows the plant to photosynthesize (build up) and respire (break down) during an optimum daytime temperature, and to curtail the rate of respiration during a cooler night

Greenhouses program temperature for thermoperiods

Vernalization Requirement of plants to go through a

period of cold before they can flower.

Photoperiod

The relative lengths of alternating periods of darkness and light affecting the growth and maturity of plants esp. flowering and dropping of leaves.

The Light Spectrum

Plants only use radiation energy in the visible spectrum.

Chlorophyll does not absorb in the green spectrum

Why?

Photoperiods

Equinox – Fall & SpringEqual hours of day and nightSpring equinox Mar 21

Solstice – Winter & SummerWinter – Shortest daySummer – Longest day

Plants Short-day plants- don’t flower in summer

ChrysanthemumsPoinsettiasCoffee

Long-day plants- only flower in summerGrains, Carnations

Day neutral plants – photoperiod doesn’t matter

Onions

Variety depends on where you live Northern Areas Southern Areas

Which area gets more light in summer?

Exposure

Shade: No or only early morning sun Part shade: site that gets only 2 to 6 hours

of direct sun each day. Part sun: same as part shade but includes

more afternoon sun. Full sun: at least 6 hours of sun per day

including noon.

Today

Plugs

Soil Texture

Soil Fertility