Took a tour of a grower

On my travels I stopped in a greenhouse/grower that is geared to wholesale flowers but they showed me around. It was a chance to get a little treatment for spring fever. The whole operation is a giant glass house filled with baskets of geraniums and others. They do sell seeds and some things but not geared toward retail. One thing they told me is how plants are on their pinch back schedule. Does anyone do this with their flowers? They claim it makes them much bushier and therefore prettier to customers. They showed me the lushest hybiscuses I have ever seen and wished I knew about this last fall. The branches were sawed off and then many new ones came out. I sure wonder how they heat that place.

Chicagofire,

More info,,, more info,,, I need more info! My hibiscus are way too tall for this stage of the game and I have about six weeks, maybe two months to keep growing them. I need to know about the idea of topping them and when it can be done.

Mike

The hybiscus's were cut back in fall. She said for each branch cut there were two that grew out. When I looked closely I could see the ends were very blunt and the new branches that grew out. Sorry I guess that wont help for those but as for the herbs I guess they pinch them every few weeks. I'm going to sow some and try to make a rosemary topiary. Those if you can over winter them (tough I hear) would bring in big bucks as ornimentals. She ran her hand over it showing the bushyness and the smell was heavenly.