Plant breeders must not get much sleep, they seem to be spending their time dreaming up new ideas for the gardening world. One of the latest developments is called Fuseables ™.
It is a great concept for us, the growers and you, the gardener.
The Pan American Seed Company have taken two different varieties of seeds and fused them together into a pellet. The pellets produce a well-balanced variety, plus the pelletized seed is easier for growers to sow. Often when you have a seed mix the colours are not in an even proportion so this takes away the risk and produces a more desirable blend.
Depending on the variety of the combination of seeds, the gardener benefits in two ways. Either, they have been chosen to provide a longer blooming time or they simply make a great colour combination.
A good example of this is lobelia. This annual has been around a long time providing light airy colour in baskets and window boxes. But, it does tend to die out later on in the season and so disappears from your basket. But now they have fused seeds of an early flowering lobelia Riviera White and a late flowering White Lady lobelia together in a pellet. They call this mix White Knights lobelia. There is also a cheerful blue combination called Blues Brother which combines Riviera Midnight Blue and Crystal Palace.
Fuseables™ take out the guess work on what colours look good together. Take Pink Dream petunia for instance, it combines Debonair Dusty Rose and Dreams Pink. It results in an even balance of both colours which results in a stunning, easy-to-grow hanging basket. You’ll save the time humming and hawing over what looks good together, the guess work has already been done for you.
The same also goes for the Under the Sun coleus.
The maroon and gold of Versa Crimson Gold and chartreuse Versa Lime is an eye-catching combination.
The two varieties have been fused together and pelletized. Under the Sun can be grown in sun or shade – bonus!
Save time and money.
Just pop these plants out of their packs and into your containers.
Sit back, relax and enjoy.
Jean Atkinson is a horticulturist with Richbar Golf and Gardens.