Marketing Name: Gold Ball, Gold Bullet

Id-Code: AA 340
Family: Brassicaceae, Cruciferae
Origin: Central and Southeastern Europe
Special Features: Most compact habit and hundreds of small golden-yellow flowers
History: The species has been a popular garden plant since the early 16th century. Once thought to be an herbal cure for madness
Colour: Yellow
Natural Flowering Period: April - May
Winter Hardiness Zones: Z3-9
Growth Habit: Compact
Foliage: Grey-green leaves
Height with Flowers: 15 cm (6'')
Spacing between Plants: 25 cm (10'')
Soil Requirements: Well-drained soils, pH 6.0 - 7.2
Location: Full sun
Use: Plant in the rock garden, in stonewalls or the front of the border with Stachys 'Silky Fleece', Scutellaria 'Arcobaleno' and Sedum hybridum 'Czar's Gold'
Specialities: Attracts honey bees and first-year-flowering

Cultural Tips:
Grams per 1000 Seeds: 0,909
Seeds per Gram: 1100
Seeding Recommendation: 3 g / 1000 plants
Sowing Rate: 3 seeds per cell
Plug tray recommended size(s): 128, 288
Germination: Rapidly germinating, keep seed in constant moisture (not wet) with temperatures of about +20°C [68°F]. Seeds must be covered thinly. Keep in cooler conditions after germination occurs.

Scheduling:
Best Sowing Dates: Anytime
Sowing to Germination: 2 - 3 weeks
Germination to Transplant: 3 - 4 weeks
Transplanting to Salable Plant: 4 - 6 weeks
Cutting-Back at Transplanting: Not necessary

Growing On:
Container Size(s): 1 plug per 8/9 cm (3 1/2''); 1-2 plugs per 11/12 cm (4 1/2'')
Vernalization: There is no current research on vernalization but a prudent recommendation for any perennial would be 6-12 weeks (a few might need 15 weeks!) at an average daily temperature of 40°F (5°C). Exposure to cold may not be necessary for flowering but might improve quality.
Forcing: An obvious place to experiment - following vernalization - would be raising daytime temperatures to 60° - 65°F (15° - 17°C). Provide 16 hours of continuous lighting. During the short days of winter, provide a night interruption lighting of 4 hours between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.
Fertilization: Light (100-150 ppm)