Interior Plant Culture WHAT DO INTERIOR PLANTS NEEDS TO SURVIVE

Interior Plant Culture All interior plants have needs in regards to: 1. Light 2. Water 3. Temperature 4. Soil 5. Fertility 6. Pest Control

Light – is a major determinant of plant growth and development. Effects of Light a. Photosynthesisf. Increase in Temperature b. Chlorophyll synthesisg. Translocation c. Stomatal Behaviorh. Mineral Absorption d. Photomorphogenesisi. Abscission e. Anthocyanin production

Effects of Light Photosynthesis —the production of food from carbon dioxide and water In the presence of chlorophyll and light. CO 2 + H  C 6 H O 2

Effects of Light Chlorophyll Synthesis-- absorber of light also requires light for its manufacturer. High intensity light can destroy it in some plants.

Effects of Light Stomatal Behavior —pores in the leaf that permit gas exchange are influenced by light. Typcially open in the day and closed at night.

Effects of Light Photomorphogenesis —the influence of light on various plant parts. Light may influence flower initiation, development, seed germination, and the onset of dormancy. Photomorphogensis response occur mainly in red and far-red light and may be associated with photoperiod.

Effects of Light Anthocyanin production —A red pigment depends on light for the production of sugar. In bright light, more photosynthate is produced and red-leaves plants such as crotons, coleus will be more spectacular.

Effects of Light Increase in Temperature —Light has a direct effect on temperature asit warms plant surfaces, increase photosynthesis and respiration.

Effects of Light Translocation —the movement of materials through the plant is influenced by light. In light, food is translocated mainly to the stem tips; in dark, translocation to the root system predominates.

Effects of Light Mineral Absorption —mineral absorption by roots is faster in high light because more photosynthate is available to provide the energy needed for active ion uptake.

Effects of Light Abscission —dropping of leaves is influenced by light intensity. A weeping Fig may lose half its leaves when put into low light because reduced photosynthesis starves the tissue.

Two Aspects of Light Light Quality—what part of the visible spectrum of light is the plant receiving. Light Quantity—how many footcandles is the plant receiving on a daily basis

Two approaches for lighting interior plants: 1. Select the plants for a given light intensity that exist. 2. Change the light intensity for the plant. All plants have a time frame for remaining attractive under various light regiments.

Sources of Light 1. Sun—the universal source of all energy. Only ½ of the sun energy reaches the earth’s surface. Most of the infrared irraditation is absorbed by the ozone layer and oxygen in the upper level. Natural light falls off rapidly when the plant is more than 15 feet away from glass 2. Artificial Light (Lamps)—supplementing natural light or a sole source. It can come from incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, mercury lamps, metal halide lamps, sodium lamps

Artificial Light Sources: Incandescent Lamps Advantages:  Compact  Initial installation costs are low  Simple circuitry requires no ballasts  High light output for size of lamp  Lamps fit into attractive fixtures  Lamps are available in a wide range of wattages

Artificial Light Sources: Incandescent Lamps Disadvantages:  Not very energy efficient, radiating 6-8% light energy  Low output per watt  Lamps produce a lot of heat  Light output is affected by voltage variations  Relatively short lived—750 hrs  Intensities are not sufficiently high enough for flowering plants  Light intensity diminishes after time---replace after 500 hours

Artificial Light Sources: Fluorescent Lamps Advantages:  Efficient, radiating about 22% light energy  They burn cool  Rated life is 12 to 18 x’s that of an incandescent lamp  Light distribution is more even than incandescent

Artificial Light Sources: Fluorescent Lamps Disadvantages:  Variable voltage can cause poor output  Requires a ballast  Operates best at ambient temperatures of degrees  High humidity produces hard starting which reduces bulb life  Installation is expensive

Artificial Light Sources: Mercury/Metal Halide Lamps Higher light conversion than previous lamps with less heat however light output declines 30% or more over the life of the lamp.

Artificial Light Sources: Sodium Lamps There are high pressure and low pressure lamps. HPS requires high startingvoltage and large ballast but are 27% efficient in light production. LPS lamps emit 31-35% usable light and are the most efficient lamps available. 3 and 4 require start up periods

Low Press.High Press.

Light Quantity Adequate light must be provide for plant growth or subsistence. Compensation point for light—the amount of light necessary for photosynthesis to equal respiration (no growth). In most modern residence, offices etc., 100 footcandles of light is used over desks, machines and other work areas while hallways, lobbies, etc. typically has 35 footcandles. How much supplemental light must be added?

Light Quantity Light readings should be done at the plant level at different times of day to set average fc readings. Light duration also has an effect on photoperiod such as whether a plant is long-day or short day in flowering response.

Light Quality Light when passed through a prism is shown to be composed of several colors, ranging from violet to red. To the human eye, light appears to be white. For plants, white light is best.

Light Quality A considerable portion of yellow-green light is reflected from leaves, hence the green color. To induce a response, light must be absorbed by one of the plant pigments which contributes to the plants normal growth patterns.

Water---second cultural factor of Interior Plants Water Quantity—how much water does a plant require to grow and maintain itself Water Quality—the properties of the water source. Irrigation water usually come from municipal sources. That source should be analyzed to determine if there are any material in the water that could be deemed harmful to the plant in the short and long term.

Water Quanity Permanent Wilting Point Field Capacity Flooding Level

Water Quality Soluble Salts Sodium Adsorption Ratio Chlorine and Bromine Levels

Temperature—3 rd cultural factor for Interior Plants The air inside an average building contains about 79% nitrogen, 21% oxygen,.03% carbon dioxide, other gases and water vapor, dust and dirt and microorganisms. This atmosphere must be heated or cooled for plants to stay within their desired growing temperature range.

Temperature Typical temperatures that are comfortable for humans are also very agreeable to most tropical and subtropical interior plants. These temperatures are usually maintained by central heating and cooling systems and dangers to the plant only exist when these systems fail.

Temperature In recent years, a new building term “sick building syndrome” has come into use and is generally related to air pollution problems. In some buildings, air may be 100 times more polluted than the outside air. Symtoms of SBS include headaches; eye, nose and throat irritations; respiratory irritation, dry or itchy skin; dizziness and nausea; fatigue; and sensitivity to odors. Research done in sealed chambers inoculated with these types of building pollutants showed that house plants, requiring low light, removed nearly 87% of the pollutants from the chambers within 24 hours.

Soil—4 th cultural factor for Interior Plants Most interior plant soils consist of “Soilless Media” Peat Moss Perlite Vermiculite Pine Bark Sand Fertilizer Charge Trace Elements SEE POWERPOINT ON MEDIA

Fertility—5 th cultural factor for Interior Plants  Plants needs both Macronutrients, Micronutrients and Micronutrients in order to survive  See Fertilizing Effectively PP

Pest Control—6 th cultural factor for Interior Plants  Pest include a. Weeds---Weed study--Herbicides b. Fungi--Fungicides c. Bacteria--bacteriocides d. Virus—resistance, tolerance e. Rodents—repellents, traps

Pests and Pesticide words  LD50  Suceptibility, Tolerance, Resistance  Contact vs. Systemic  Pest Control words:  Biological Control  Cultural Control  Chemical Control