1. C ROP P RODUCTION

2. Bedding Crops

3. Perennials

4. Production Aspects For Selected Crops

5. Containers  1801’s  606 Deep Cell  1203’s  Slim Line 1203’s Substrates  Low EC -- less than 0.75 mmhos  Peat-Lite Mixes  High Porosity

6. Spring Production Turn-1 Turn -2 Turn-3 Turn-1 Turn -2 Turn-3 1203’s / Slims 8 wks 4 - 5 wks 3 - 4 wks 1203’s / Slims 8 wks 4 - 5 wks 3 - 4 wks 606 Trays - flats 9 wks 5 - 6 wks 3 - 4 wks 606 Trays - flats 9 wks 5 - 6 wks 3 - 4 wks 1801 Trays - flats 9 wks 7 - 8 wks 5 - 6 wks 1801 Trays - flats 9 wks 7 - 8 wks 5 - 6 wks 4”Pots 12 wks 9 - 11 wks 6 - 8 wks 4”Pots 12 wks 9 - 11 wks 6 - 8 wks Staggered Production

7. Turn-1 Turn -2 Turn-3 Turn-1 Turn -2 Turn-3 1801’s 4 wks 4 - 5 wks 5 - 6 wks 1801’s 4 wks 4 - 5 wks 5 - 6 wks 1203’s Slims 4 wks 5 - 6 wks 6 - 7 wks 1203’s Slims 4 wks 5 - 6 wks 6 - 7 wks 606 - Deep 6 wks 7 - 8 wks 8 - 9 wks 606 - Deep 6 wks 7 - 8 wks 8 - 9 wks 4"pots 6 wks 7 - 8 wks 8 - 9 wks 4"pots 6 wks 7 - 8 wks 8 - 9 wks Fall Production

8. H 412 – Floriculture Crops  Experience and good records are the primary means for developing a bedding plant schedule  Weather patterns require the grower to be flexible  Cloudy weather during production  Rainy and cold weather during spring influencing sales  Grower can manage two variables  The amount of time a crop spends in a plug tray  The amount of time a crop spends in a pack

9. H 412 – Floriculture Crops Which plug size is used for the beginning of the season? Which plug size is used for the end of the season? Go with the larger plug sizes later in the season…they spend less time on the bench.

10. H 412 – Floriculture Crops  SqFt for Impatiens 800 tray, Maturity 7 weeks.  A standard 1020 flat occupies 1.69 ft 2  That 1020 flat occupies 1.69 SqFtWk  Let’s assume we have 3000 sq. ft of bench space.  3,000 ft 2 of bench space / 1.69 = 1,775 flats in 7 weeks. Healy, W. G. Szmurlo. 1995. Figuring time and space to maximize your bedding plant turns. GrowerTalks 58(10):57-58

11. H 412 – Floriculture Crops Crop Time (weeks) Plug sizeImpatiensPetuniaBegonia 800788 512677 390566 288455 144344

12. H 412 – Floriculture Crops  SqFt Impatiens 288 tray. Maturity in 4 weeks.  A standard 1020 flat occupies 1.69 ft 2  That 1020 flat occupies 1.69 SqFtWk  Let’s assume we have 3000 sq. ft of bench space.  3,000 ft 2 of bench space / 1.69 = 1,775 x 2 = 3550 flats in 8 weeks. Healy, W. G. Szmurlo. 1995. Figuring time and space to maximize your bedding plant turns. GrowerTalks 58(10):57-58

13. H 412 – Floriculture Crops  Difference in Profit?  800 plug size: $1.80 x 1775 = $3195.00 in 7 weeks  288 plug size: $1.45 x 3550 = $5147.00 in 8 weeks  Net difference: $1952.00 more profit !

14. H 412 – Floriculture Crops Crop finishing times of plugs transplanted into 606 flats (weeks) Crop AgeratumAlyssumBegoniaBrowalliaCelosiaColeus 800888876 406777765 288-- 6 44

15. H 412 – Floriculture Crops Crop finishing times of plugs transplanted into 606 flats (weeks) CropDianthus Dusty millerGeraniumImpatiensLobelia African marigold 80088--787 4067610576 2886594--5

16. H 412 – Floriculture Crops Crop finishing times of plugs transplanted into 606 flats (weeks) Crop French marigoldNicotianaPansyPetuniaPortulacaSalvia 8006--8878 406567666 2884555--4

17. H 412 – Floriculture Crops Crop finishing times of plugs transplanted into 606 flats (weeks) CropSnapdragonVerbenaVincaViolaZinnia 8007--99 40667775 288--66 4 Styer, R.C. and D.S. Koranski. 1997. Plug and transplant production. Ball Publishing, Batavia, IL.

18.  Make every effort to control delivery dates.  Educate your buyer on pansy requirements.  Provide a care sheet with instructions. Some Thoughts on Market Planning  Provide suggestions on placement of product.

19.  Clean greenhouse / benches between crops.  Keep head house/transplant area clean.  Have plug handlers wash hands often.  Establish a scouting program.  Deadhead spent precocious flowers.  Pull dead or diseased flats and discard. Do not re-plug a cell. Important Points of Sanitation

20. Irrigation  Overhead irrigation – check uniformity and proper delivery  Plan for a weekly drying period to prevent disease and firm up roots.  Water stress to control height is tricky.  Leaching is essential.  Destroy diseased plants.

21. Light and Photoperiod  Most bedding plants are long-day plants.  Night interruption of 4 hours can greatly improve flowering in spring crops.  Some require high light levels in February. Supplemental lighting may be essential during long cloudy periods.

22.  Preferred daytime temperature is 80 o F. Average daily temperature above 85 o F can cause problems.  Preferred night temperature is 65 o F.  Soil temperatures below 55 o F can cause plants to become quiescent or grow very slowly. Soil temperatures above 80 o F cause slow growth.  Flower size is reduced with high temperature, as is root development. Temperature

23.  Keep airflow high and continuous.  Use high nitrate fertilizers at moderate levels.  Grow plants on the dry side of moist. Controlling Growth

24. B-Nine...............…..... 2500 ppm to 5000 ppm B-Nine + Cycocel....... 1000 ppm B9 & 1000 ppm Cyc Arest.......................... 5 - 10 ppm Sumagic..................... 1.0 - 3 ppm Bonzi.......................... 3 - 20 ppm Florel.........……......... 100 ppm (repeat applications) Plant Growth Regulators

25.  Provide 24 hour airflow, even with open sides.  Attempt to reduce condensate at all times. Humidity, Airflow & Spacing  Elevate ground-grown flats on skids or boards.  Provide 1" space between rows of flats.  Install extra HAF fans if plants fail to dry out.

26.  Use 30% shading for early greenhouse production.  Use 55% shade for outdoor production.  Retractable shading is very effective.  Add shading around April 15. Remove shading by Sept. 20 th.  Use soil thermometer. Light Levels & Shading

27.  Hot Weather: Use high nitrate fertilizers such as 15-2-20.  Cool Weather: Use balanced ammonical/nitrate fertilizers such as 20-10-20.  Stalled Growth: Use 20-20-20 sparingly (one time).  Supplement with calcium-nitrate and monitor boron levels after 4 weeks.  Keep phosphorus levels low.  Do not apply fertilizer over 275 ppm N.  Keep soil pH between 5.8 and 6.2  Maintain EC at 1.5 mmhos.  Monitor pH and EC on a weekly basis. Fertility Management

28. Pot Crops

29. Kalanchoe  Target Dates: November – April  First crop planted in August  Plant 3 pre-pinched liners per 6 inch pot  Place under extended photoperiod (LD) for 4 weeks  Remove from LD and move into short days  Will bloom 8-9 weeks later

30.  Irrigation – keep foliage dry -- tube or ebb-and-flow system.  Avoid over watering.  Fertilization -- 20-10-20 liquid feed; alternate with calcium nitrate fertilizer.  Market when one-third to one-half of the individual flowers in an inflorescence are open. Kalanchoe

31. Bulb Crops  Need a cooler  Tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, bulb gardens  Pot mid September to early October  Tulips 7 per 6” pot; hyacinths 3 per 6” pot; daffodils 4 per 6” pot; mixed bulbs in 8” pot.  Water thoroughly

32.  Cooler temperatures 45 – 48 degrees till roots emerge  Lower to 42 till shoots emerge  Lower to 35 till removal from cooler Bulb Crops

33.  Greenhouse time Tulips 18-26 daysTulips 18-26 days Hyacinths 18 daysHyacinths 18 days Daffodils 18-21 daysDaffodils 18-21 days Mixed Bulbs till first colorMixed Bulbs till first color  Fertilization calcium nitrate only and sparinglycalcium nitrate only and sparingly Bulb Crops  Need at least 13 weeks of cooling  Can begin forcing in January but main target date is Valentine’s Day

34.  Growth Regulators Arest or Bonzi for Tulips Arest or Bonzi for Tulips Florel for Daffodils & Hyacinths Florel for Daffodils & Hyacinths  Return to cooler if showing color Bulb Crops

35.  Target dates Valentine’s Day -- plant in NovemberValentine’s Day -- plant in November Easter -- plant in late DecemberEaster -- plant in late December Mother’s Day -- plant in FebruaryMother’s Day -- plant in February  Starting material -- dormant budded plants from California or Canada  4” pots into 7” pots or 6” pots into 8” pots  Varieties Pink, Blue, White & Lace CapsPink, Blue, White & Lace Caps

36.  Fertilization begin feeding 1 week after plantingbegin feeding 1 week after planting whites and blues 20-10-20 onlywhites and blues 20-10-20 only pinks 20-10-20 alternate with calcium nitrate fertilizerpinks 20-10-20 alternate with calcium nitrate fertilizer  Color Manipulation BluesBlues acidic pH (5.2 - 5.5) and keep phosphorus lowacidic pH (5.2 - 5.5) and keep phosphorus low aluminum sulfate on blues (10-15 lb/100 gal)aluminum sulfate on blues (10-15 lb/100 gal) PinksPinks pH 6.0 - 6.2pH 6.0 - 6.2  Growth control B-Nine 2 to 3 weeks after plantingB-Nine 2 to 3 weeks after planting

37. Poinsettia

38.  The poinsettia “flower” is a modified leaf called a bract  True flowers are cyathia  Cyathia are subtended by boat-shaped nectaries

39.  Free - branching axillary shoots at almost every node after pinching axillary shoots at almost every node after pinching most cultivars most cultivars  Restricted - branching 2-4 axillary shoots after pinching 2-4 axillary shoots after pinching

40.  Cultivar colors: red, white, pink, marble, yellow.  Available as families.  Popular series – Freedom, Cortez, etc.  Growth rates vary.  Respond differently to chemical plant growth regulators.

41.  Height  Foliage color  Leaf retention  Postharvest life  Flowering date  Response group Response group = Time from start of short day to flowering

42.  Terminal stem cuttings  Produce your own cuttings or purchase unrooted or rooted cuttings  Sources of cuttings Paul Ecke Ranch www.ecke.comPaul Ecke Ranch www.ecke.com Fischer, U.S.A.www.fischerusa.comFischer, U.S.A.www.fischerusa.com Oglevee www.oglevee.comOglevee www.oglevee.com

43.  Order stock plants to arrive from March to June.  Harvest 7/15 – 9/5.  Allow stock plant to develop 9-11 nodes before first harvest.  Axillary shoots should have only 2 nodes remaining after harvest.  Sanitation is crucial.

44.  Short day crop (≤ 12.5 hrs) = long night crop  Naturally occurs from 9/25 - 10/10  Most growers use natural day length.  Black cloth for early flowering  ≥ 3 wks of SD necessary for FI.  6.5 to 10 weeks of SD to flower  High temps inhibit FI

45.  Early: to market before Thanksgiving, plants may need Short Day (black cloth) before 9/25  Late: Long Day (mum lighting) after 9/15 for late marketing after 12/10

46.  Plant 3 - 4 wks after sticking cutting  Direct rooting -- stick cuttings ~ 8/20  Pot sizes: 4”, 5”, 6”, 7”, 8”, baskets; larger sizes for specialty (tree-type)  Spacing from 8 to 25 inch centers

47.  Pinching (one cutting per pot) vs. growing straight-up (multiple cuttings per pot)  No. cuttings & no. nodes left determine no. flowering stems  Pinch for 4-7 blooms per plant  Pinch when roots are visible on outside of media ball (2 wks after planting)  “Hard pinch” = leave 3-4 nodes  “Soft pinch” = leave 5-7 nodes

48.  Propagation 75-77 F (media)  NT 65-68 F (air)  NT >70F may delay flower initiation  NT >75F may delay flower development  NT 55-60F (air) for last 2 weeks  Cultivars respond different to temperature

49.  700 - 900  mol  s -1 m -2 for darker foliage  1000 - 1200  mol  s -1 m - 2 for lighter foliage  30% shade cloth for 1- 2 weeks after planting rooted cuttings  400  mol  s -1 m -2 after bracts are mature will reduce fading

50.  Keep plants well watered  CLF: 240-360 ppm N (20-10-20)  Subirrigation: 100 - 225 ppm N  Osmocote (18-9-9) incorporated @ 7-10 lbs/cu yd  Weekly: 600-720 ppm N, w/ Osmocote top dress (1 tsp/6” pot)  Electrical Conductivity (EC)  heavy feeders  Saturated Media Extract 2.0 to 3.5 mS/cm  PourThru Extract 2.6 to 4.6 mS/cm  Optimum pH 5.4 - 6.2

51.  Cultivar selection  DIF or DROP temperature control 70 D, 60 N = +10 DIF 70 D, 60 N = +10 DIF 60 D, 70 N = -10 DIF 60 D, 70 N = -10 DIF 10 0 2-hour DROP at sunrise effective 10 0 2-hour DROP at sunrise effective  Chemical plant growth retardants

52.  Arest  Cycocel  B-Nine/Cycocel  Bonzi  Sumagic  Topflor.25 to.5 ppm 1000 - 3000 ppm 2500/1500 ppm 10 - 30 ppm 2 - 10 ppm 2.5 - 80 ppm

53.  After pinching when axillary shoots are 1.5 – 2 inches long  In the morning when it is cool  Do not spray late in production because bract size may be reduced  Possible undesirable side effects reduced bract sizereduced bract size crinkling of bractscrinkling of bracts blotchy yellowing of leavesblotchy yellowing of leaves marginal leaf burnmarginal leaf burn delayed floweringdelayed flowering Ensuring proper dosage

54. Keep Records

55. Plant rooted cuttings Pinch Natural SD begins PGR Reduce temperate Stop fertilizer Flowering8/289/11 9/ 25 10/111/3-1011/3-10 late Nov. 22152-3Total 34 - 35 Culture Step DateWeeks

56.  Whiteflies  Fungus gnats  Spider mites  Thrips

57.  Root and stem rots  Botrytis blight  Bacterial stem and leaf rot  Powdery mildew  Fungal blight and leaf spots  Viruses Root rot

59.  Bract necrosis  Leaf edge necrosis  Leaf drop  Stem breakage  Splitting  Leaf crippling  Center bud drop  Rabbit tracks

60.  Reduce temperature, nutrition & light 2-3 weeks before shipping.  Harvest when bracts are expanded & pollen is visible on 1-2 cyathia.  Keep temperatures above 50 0 F during shipping.  Upon receipt, promptly remove sleeves to prevent ethylene damage (epinasty).