Short
and
Sweet
Growing Dwarf Flowers Part I
by Dr. Lynette Morgan
Dwarf plants may be short and compact, but
many produce full sized, high quality blooms.
38
MAXIMUM YIELD USA - June 2009
Bright, fragrant, beautiful, homegrown blooms are a draw card
for many who take up gardening. Those with limited space or
indoor areas that need some brightening up don’t have to miss
out on these fun and colorful crops. Many familiar blooms we
see at the florists have a ‘dwarf ’ plant version, cultivars bred
over many years to produce large and high quality flowers, but
on short and compact plants. While commercially grown cut
flowers have been bred for very long, thick stems on tall plants,
the dwarf varieties have been developed for different reasons.
These genetic dwarf plants often feature early flowering on
sturdy, well branched plants that are suited to growing in pots,
in confined spaces and indoors; they are also perfect for small
hydroponic systems. And while the plants may be scaled down
versions, the flowers of many dwarf cultivars are often full sized
and very similar in appearance to the tall, cut flower variety
grown commercially. Over the last few years, plant breeders
have come up with some fantastic dwarf varieties of popular
flowers, many of which are hybrids producing consistently
short and productive plants with bright, vibrant colors that are
surprisingly easy to grow. Every year seed companies come up
with new and improved dwarf flower varieties, different color
options, better pest and disease resistance and other features
which make these plants a great option for hydroponic growers.