Callibrachoa

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Keith
Posts: 2
Joined: 19 Feb 2019, 14:36

Callibrachoa

Post by Keith » 19 Feb 2019, 14:42

When would be the best time to plant these outside ? I have recently brought some plug plants and I'm eager to get them out .

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Callibrachoa

Post by Nina » 19 Feb 2019, 17:19

Hi Keith,

Planting out time all depends on where you live. Callibrachoa is hardy to zones 9-11, which means that it can take some frost, but not a lot. To be safe in the UK, if you have frost tender plants they shouldn't be planted out until the end of May (when all danger of frost is past), but with Callibrachoa you could plant out a bit earlier (especially if you can cover them with a cloche to protect the young plants from frost.

Your plug plants will have been grown indoors, and so you could not plant them out straight away, even if they were frost hardy. I would plant them up now into separate pots (which will provide more nourishment and help them to grow) and keep them on a sunny windowsill until at least April (but if you live somewhere really warm). Or if you have a frost-free greenhouse you could put them there. Before you actually plant them out, you need to 'harden them off', which means putting them out in their pots during the day and taking them in at night for a week or so, just to get them used to the lower night temperatures.

I hope that is OK. Garden centres sell plug plants this time of year without telling people that they might not be able to plant them out for a while. I've even seen plug plants of tomatoes on sale now, and you definitely can't plant them out until towards the end of May in most places.

Nina

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lin
Posts: 1034
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:27

Re: Callibrachoa

Post by lin » 19 Feb 2019, 20:18

Maybe Keith would like to see our entry for this beautiful plant. Calibrachoa -- https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/pla ... nt=819&c=5

Lin

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Callibrachoa

Post by Nina » 19 Feb 2019, 22:05

Oops, thanks Lin -- I should have included a link to our entry. Sorry, Keith, I just assumed you'd seen our entry and that's why you bought the plant. In any case, pot those little plugs up and keep them warm and they'll grow into good sized plants that you can plant out when the weather is a bit warmer.

Nina

Keith
Posts: 2
Joined: 19 Feb 2019, 14:36

Re: Callibrachoa

Post by Keith » 20 Feb 2019, 09:14

Thank you for your help girls, and especially Nina for your advice.

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