Department: Alpine
Plant hospital we took the
Primula auricula and
marginata collection to Prop today. They turned to be even more in jeopardy than we thought. We basically took off the dead leaves, repotted them and repropped any that were particularly looking bad via cutting.
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| Photo 1: State of some of the Primula before cleaning up, repropping or repotting. |
We used a the tref mix for the cuttings which is 50% coir and 50% perlite. Though they are evergreen they are not fed until spring. They are very water sensitive and need not to be too dry and not too wet - they have been underwatered. They also need very free draining soil.
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| Photo 2: Making a cutting of Primula auricula 'Joel' and repotting the one with still a good root system - some of them barely had any. |
The cuttings were done in module and we watered them in with Serenade mixed into the water - a fungicide. It is the wrong time of year re-pot them - this is usually done in September but needs must in this scenario. We didn't use rooting hormone, just Virkon and Propellar on secateurs - Virkon prevents virus and Propellar prevents
Phytophphora. We didn't use T34 a bio-fungicide because it doesn't work below 15°C.
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| Photo 3: Primula auricula with two spotted spider mite present. |
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| Photo 4: Photo of P. auricula leaf with signs of leaf hopper damage. |
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| Photo 5: Primula with presence of Botrytis hence the use of Serenade. |
The ones we repotted and did cuttings of has no feed but it is usually 1g per litre of Osmocote for alpines - alpine have been overfeeding.
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| Photo 6: Primulas repropped. |
