C ROP P RODUCTION Bedding Crops Perennials Production Aspects For Selected Crops Containers 1801s 606 Deep Cell 1203s Slim Line 1203s Substrates Low EC -- less than 0.75 mmhos Peat-Lite Mixes High Porosity Spring Production Turn-1 Turn -2 Turn-3 Turn-1 Turn -2 Turn s / Slims 8 wks wks wks 1203s / Slims 8 wks wks wks 606 Trays - flats 9 wks wks wks 606 Trays - flats 9 wks wks wks 1801 Trays - flats 9 wks wks wks 1801 Trays - flats 9 wks wks wks 4Pots 12 wks wks wks 4Pots 12 wks wks wks Staggered Production Turn-1 Turn -2 Turn-3 Turn-1 Turn -2 Turn s 4 wks wks wks 1801s 4 wks wks wks 1203s Slims 4 wks wks wks 1203s Slims 4 wks wks wks Deep 6 wks wks wks Deep 6 wks wks wks 4"pots 6 wks wks wks 4"pots 6 wks wks wks Fall Production 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 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 seasonthey spend less time on the bench. 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 Lets 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 Figuring time and space to maximize your bedding plant turns. GrowerTalks 58(10):57-58 H 412 Floriculture Crops Crop Time (weeks) Plug sizeImpatiensPetuniaBegonia 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 Lets 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 Figuring time and space to maximize your bedding plant turns. GrowerTalks 58(10):57-58 H 412 Floriculture Crops Difference in Profit? 800 plug size: $1.80 x 1775 = $ in 7 weeks 288 plug size: $1.45 x 3550 = $ in 8 weeks Net difference: $ more profit ! H 412 Floriculture Crops Crop finishing times of plugs transplanted into 606 flats (weeks) Crop AgeratumAlyssumBegoniaBrowalliaCelosiaColeus H 412 Floriculture Crops Crop finishing times of plugs transplanted into 606 flats (weeks) CropDianthus Dusty millerGeraniumImpatiensLobelia African marigold H 412 Floriculture Crops Crop finishing times of plugs transplanted into 606 flats (weeks) Crop French marigoldNicotianaPansyPetuniaPortulacaSalvia H 412 Floriculture Crops Crop finishing times of plugs transplanted into 606 flats (weeks) CropSnapdragonVerbenaVincaViolaZinnia Styer, R.C. and D.S. Koranski Plug and transplant production. Ball Publishing, Batavia, IL. 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. 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 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. 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. 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 Keep airflow high and continuous. Use high nitrate fertilizers at moderate levels. Grow plants on the dry side of moist. Controlling Growth B-Nine ppm to 5000 ppm B-Nine + Cycocel ppm B9 & 1000 ppm Cyc Arest ppm Sumagic ppm Bonzi ppm Florel ppm (repeat applications) Plant Growth Regulators 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. 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 Hot Weather: Use high nitrate fertilizers such as Cool Weather: Use balanced ammonical/nitrate fertilizers such as Stalled Growth: Use 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 Pot Crops 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 Irrigation keep foliage dry -- tube or ebb-and-flow system. Avoid over watering. Fertilization liquid feed; alternate with calcium nitrate fertilizer. Market when one-third to one-half of the individual flowers in an inflorescence are open. Kalanchoe 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 Cooler temperatures 45 48 degrees till roots emerge Lower to 42 till shoots emerge Lower to 35 till removal from cooler Bulb Crops Greenhouse time Tulips daysTulips days Hyacinths 18 daysHyacinths 18 days Daffodils daysDaffodils 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 Valentines Day 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 Target dates Valentines Day -- plant in NovemberValentines Day -- plant in November Easter -- plant in late DecemberEaster -- plant in late December Mothers Day -- plant in FebruaryMothers 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 Fertilization begin feeding 1 week after plantingbegin feeding 1 week after planting whites and blues onlywhites and blues only pinks alternate with calcium nitrate fertilizerpinks alternate with calcium nitrate fertilizer Color Manipulation BluesBlues acidic pH ( ) and keep phosphorus lowacidic pH ( ) and keep phosphorus low aluminum sulfate on blues (10-15 lb/100 gal)aluminum sulfate on blues (10-15 lb/100 gal) PinksPinks pH pH Growth control B-Nine 2 to 3 weeks after plantingB-Nine 2 to 3 weeks after planting Poinsettia The poinsettia flower is a modified leaf called a bract True flowers are cyathia Cyathia are subtended by boat-shaped nectaries 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 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. Height Foliage color Leaf retention Postharvest life Flowering date Response group Response group = Time from start of short day to flowering Terminal stem cuttings Produce your own cuttings or purchase unrooted or rooted cuttings Sources of cuttings Paul Ecke RanchEcke RanchFischer, U.S.A.www.fischerusa.comFischer, U.S.A.www.fischerusa.com Oglevee 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. Short day crop ( 12.5 hrs) = long night crop Naturally occurs from 9/ /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 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 Plant 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 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 Propagation F (media) NT 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 mol s -1 m -2 for darker foliage 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 Keep plants well watered CLF: ppm N ( ) Subirrigation: ppm N Osmocote (18-9-9) 7-10 lbs/cu yd Weekly: 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 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 hour DROP at sunrise effective hour DROP at sunrise effective Chemical plant growth retardants Arest Cycocel B-Nine/Cycocel Bonzi Sumagic Topflor.25 to.5 ppm ppm 2500/1500 ppm ppm ppm ppm 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 Keep Records 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 Total Culture Step DateWeeks Whiteflies Fungus gnats Spider mites Thrips Root and stem rots Botrytis blight Bacterial stem and leaf rot Powdery mildew Fungal blight and leaf spots Viruses Root rot Bract necrosis Leaf edge necrosis Leaf drop Stem breakage Splitting Leaf crippling Center bud drop Rabbit tracks 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).