Different ways to start a good ‘Sunbeckia’

There are a lot of different ways to start a good ‘Sunbeckia’. One of the most important things is the starter material.

Vigorous and compact liners in 40 – 84 cell trays are best sizes. Hartwig Bull is using a 40 cell tray with loss substrate for his own production. A 104 cell is also used but can be a challenge to keep stretching of the liner under control.

In Germany growers start their transplant in week 14 – 16. Earlier plantings are not very common. Outside production we can start here in Germany in the first week of May. For a fast take-off a indoor start is possible.

Early start indoor

Gärtnerei Aeschlimann close to Lübeck starts growing ‘Sunbeckia’ in week 16 in a poly-house which was used before for Pansy production.

Gartenbau Claus Rohse & Söhne, 40 km in north of Hamburg is doing his first transplant in week 18 under glas. About 2-3 weeks later they move the plants outside on the field.

They also do some 14cm pots, using the ‘Sunbeckia Emma’ and ‘Caramel’. The compact growth of the compact ‘Sunbeckia’ varieties makes growing possible in pots and containers between 14 and 17cm. Perfect in a 14cm are the Echinacea ‘SunMagic’ as well.

Good ‘Sunbeckia’ indoor start and finish!

At Müll KG in Tenning, cloth to Freiburg they start right after bedding plant season in week 18 with a early transplant in 15cm to be grown on ebb & flow benches under glas. This crop will be finished inside under glas roof. The right PGR strategy is important to produce a nice and compact product.

Production start in Gönnebek at Bull Gartenbau

Hartwig Bull did transplant in week 9 to produce some nice plants for Kientzler’s display at the Flowertrials 2026. He started under glas with day elongation up to 13 hours and some HPS light in the very dark days. A start in week 12 or 14 would be more econimic but the goal was full flowering in week 24. ‘Emma’ and ‘Isabella’ are not only compact, they are early as well. The pictures are from week 21!

The commercial production is started this year a little later. Due to cold nights in week 18/2025, Hartwig Bull decided to start his first transplant outside in week 20. This is early enough especially because of the low night temperatures below 10°C (50°F). Last year week 20 flowered before week 18.