• Transplant plugs into their beds right away, as holding in the tray longer than a few days, or bumping up into larger pots may result in stunted growth, weaker plants, shorter stems and fewer flowers.

• Timing is important; you will receive the plugs when they should be planted: Weeks 38-42. You have one chance to get it right at transplant. Be prepared; have beds amended and ready for planting when the plugs arrive.

• “They must go straight into the ground. I have seen growers in Ireland who bumped up to P9 and I'm not a fan of it. The plants stay shorter and stems stay shorter.” ~Fiona Noordam
  

• One layer of netting or support is adequate, and should be no higher than 30-40cm (12-16”) from the ground. Netting that is too high may damage the foliage and create opportunities for disease.  

• Netting or staking is recommended for achieving higher density, straighter stems, and an overall better quality product. A good time to install netting is in the spring, at the time of pinching. 

• If you don’t use Hortonova netting, or if you’re growing a small number of plants where Hortonova netting is overkill, use stakes or corral the plants using twine, a peony cage or something similar.

• “I suggest not raising the netting too high, because the leaves will damage and you can get fungus on it. Give them a little support, about 30-40cm (12-16”) and not higher.” ~Fiona Noordam

Photo Credit: Six Dutchess Farm

• In Europe, growers space their plants at approximately 12 plants per meter. That works out to roughly 12 inch spacing between plants. All of these tissue culture varieties are capable of hitting 24" in height with the potential of reaching more than 36-40" when grown under the most optimal conditions.

• “12 plants per square meter gives enough space for the side shoots, and enough light can reach the plants. When you plant with higher density, the risk of Sclerotinia is much higher.” ~Fiona Noordam

• “I recommend 12" spacing to allow these to achieve their maximum potential. They can produce 7-8 stems per plant and you need to give them the space to do so. Closer spacing is possible but yield will be reduced.”  ~Bailey Hale

• Well drained, generally fertile soil yields the best results. Amend your beds with some compost and granular fertilizer prior to planting and be ready to harden off / transplant when plugs arrive to avoid leaving them in their trays for longer than absolutely necessary.  

• Tissue culture campanula are not picky when it comes to nutrition, but don’t overdo it. Less fertilization is better than too much. Salt buildup in soil (overfertilization) stresses the plants and can encourage weak, floppy growth and plants that generally fail to thrive. If you have naturally rich, loamy soil, no additional amendments are necessary. If you have soils that are poor in nutrients, or needing some amendments to help with drainage or water retention, add some compost prior to planting.

Photo Credit: Daybreak Studio & Farm

• Campanula Evergreen, Kilimanjaro, and Mont Blanc must be planted in the fall and receive a winter chilling period to bloom in the following spring. 

• These ship in weeks 38-42 only. You can choose the proper ship week for your zone - growers in the north should stick to earlier ship weeks, those in the south should stick to later ship weeks.

• You should plant them immediately on arrival and let them establish for about 3 weeks under ambient or slightly warmer conditions to get some good root development. BAILEY 

• Starting around Thanksgiving they need to be kept below 40F for 12 or more weeks. Colder is fine (down to 20F and colder should be no problem). ~Bailey Hale

• After Valentine's Day you can start to let your tunnel warm up with the lengthening days. ~Bailey Hale

• Watch Jan Noordam demonstrate pinching [Instagram video]

• Plants should only be pinched AFTER their vernalization period as pinching before the chill can cause uneven growth and flowering in the spring. The plants will still be low rosettes when it’s time to pinch - use a blade such as a box cutter to cut out the central growth point, leaving a number of side shoots below, which will become your flowering stems. As you can see in the video, 5-8 side branches is not uncommon. 

• Bailey’s Pinching Notes: “In March or April when you start to see flower spikes emerge, pinch out the initial spike when it is just a couple of inches tall. This will allow the side shoots to begin growing and ultimately achieve full height. If you do not pinch, you will most likely see 1 very large stem form, which will be lovely but it will be difficult for you to recoup the initial investment.”

• Evergreen series can be harvested when at least two flowers are open. If the first buds are open, all of the others will follow.

• If they are visited by bees, they will not fade, unlike standard varieties.

• Very long harvest window; blooms can last on the plant for up to a month.

• The flower will start green, and then take on a flush of color around the edges. The accent color (white, blue, lavender, pink, pearl) will increase the longer they are left on the plant.

• "You have some space to play with Evergreens, because there is so much green (modified leaf tissue) in the flower. Champion needs to be harvested when the first bud is open, but Evergreens are so hard, and the vase life is so long, you can leave them on the plant much longer. We find growers are just playing with it, to find what works for them. If the first buds are open, all of the others will follow.” ~Fiona Noordam

• “Growers in the Netherlands look at the weather. If they see heat, they are going to harvest them a bit raw and place them into cold storage, and just wait to bring them to auction. If it’s cold, stable weather, they harvest and go straight to auction.” ~Fiona Noordam
  

• The white varieties, Kilimanjaro and Mont Blanc, have a more typical petal texture and should be harvested when the first few flowers are open.

• Mont Blanc opens earlier in the season, and Kilimanjaro, which is fully double, is the last of the tissue culture varieties to flower. 

• No special care is required
• Can last weeks in the cooler
• 3 weeks or more vase life
• Keep the cut stems hydrated! They are thirsty and drink a lot of water.
• If flowers wilt in the heat, return them to the cooler in plenty of water, and they should rehydrate and perk up!
• "We add a drop of chlorine to the water, but fresh water is perfectly fine.” ~Fiona Noordam
• Any commonly used floral conditioner, such as Chrysal, can be used in the water but it’s not absolutely necessary.
  

• Sclerotinia sclerotiorum: Plant at recommended spacing to maintain airflow. Remove damaged plant material if you see symptoms.

• Aphids: Scout plants daily, especially before going into vernalization period.

• Rust: Not extremely common, but Campanulas can get rust. Rust can spread from nearby infected plants, so make sure the vicinity is clear of any infected material.

• Thrips: Single-flowered varieties and light colored flowers typically show more thrips damage than tougher green/double varieties. We recommend proactively treating your crops with beneficial insects to control thrips before they become a serious problem.

• Learn more about biocontrols: Natural Enemies beneficial insects and microorganisms.

Photo Credit: Daybreak Studio & Farm

If you are in a warmer or borderline zone and want to experiment, Fiona suggests trying four varieties from the Campanula Evergreen series:

• White
• Pearl
• Single Pink
• Single White

These are the fastest growing varieties of the range, and require the least amount of vernalization.

Campanula Kilimanjaro (fully double, heavy flowers) requires the most cold, and is the slowest growing of the Florique Breeding / Stadsland varieties. It is not suggested for growers without a reliably cold winter.