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Stock

carmellia
17 years ago

Have any of you ever grown stock? I have planted a few in pots and they are just beginning to sprout. This is a difficult plant to do a search on. I came up with stockings - well-stocked - stockyard . . . Any experience you may have had growing this would be appreciated. Especially, I am wondering if this is something I should plan to stake up and if I use them for cut flowers (my main purpose) do they keep blooming or is it a one-shot deal?. Thanks. Carmellia

Comments (4)

  • flowerfarmer
    17 years ago

    Try googling the latin name, Matthiola. This plant is a member of the brassica family. Therefore, it does best in temperatures below 60 degrees planted out in early spring. Plant them 4" apart, 6 to 8 rows to a 48" bed; and, you'll get a single 24" cutting. They do require netting. Some growers pull the entire plant when harvesting for extra length.

    This plant is 120 days sow to bloom. If they're sown now, it is going to be to warm. They will either try to bloom on short, short stems, or not at all in the heat of summer.

    Stock is a great candidate for growing in an unheated hightunnel for early May harvesting.

    Trish

  • Fundybayfarm
    17 years ago

    Trish,
    Good to know about the unheated high tunnel. Are they frost tolerant? If I planted them out now, (mine are very small, started too late)there is still a chance of frost up until June 1st here, however I think we are going to warm up sooner here this year. They are forecasting a dry, hot summer. I hope they're wrong about the dry part.
    Cheryl

  • flowerfarmer
    17 years ago

    Cheryl,
    Stock really only does well in temperatures between 45 to 65 degrees. They would have been unhappy campers out in our field last night because it got down to 35 degrees -- 34.8 to be exact. If they survived, most likely they would bolt. They are just a cranky plant to work with in the field here where we can have 80 degree days, and 28 degree nights in the spring.

    We're about two weeks ahead of you with our last frost date of May 15. As tempting as it was to start planting annuals out in the field last week, we know the temperature swings are so unpredictable. It's still only 37 degrees now at 10:00. It is cold and rainy. It's been like this since yesterday; and, it's predicted to be like this through Monday. Next week after it dries out, we'll be able to start moving annuals to the field. See why we love our hightunnels? We have the side aisleways in the hightunnels filled with trays of annuals that we've had to bump up into larger pots, and the seedling greenhouse is still bursting at the seams.

    A couple more points on the stock: If you can plant them in filtered light, they appreciate that. And, they might be able to tolerate a little higher daytime temperatures this way. They resent being rootbound in the pots. So, if you have to bump them up to a larger pot before you can get them out to the field, they'll certainly appreciate it. Otherwise, they'll be stunted little things. Even though they are cranky little things, the scent is well worth it if you can get them to work for you.

    We have also been advised that it is going to be a dry, hot summer as well. Even though we have the irrigation lines set up for overhead watering, there is nothing like a nice summer rain on the fields.

    Trish

  • carmellia
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thank you for all the info, flowerfarmer. I didn't realize what a tempramental little darling I was working with. But you are right, the scent is worth whatever I have to do to get a few blooms. If I get just a couple, I will be happy. I will let you know how I did. Thanks again. Carmellia

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