Hello Everyone,
I have just started visiting a few operations across the state. I
thought the following gentle reminders may help us all in the
upcoming season.
Stay tuned for more specific information thorough the season!
10 Ways to Prevent Pest Problems
Start and stay clean. Disinfecting the greenhouse helps
prevent pathogens such as Rhizoctonia and Pythium
as well as algae which is breeding ground for fungus gnats &
shore flies.
Control weeds. Many common weeds are a reservoir of
thrips and INSV. With the overuse of Conserve and buildup of
resistant thrips, it’s important to go back to basics and focus
on an integrated approach for thrips (cultural controls,
resistance management and biological controls.)
Inspect Incoming Plants. This is by far the most
important scouting task. You don’t want to inherit someone
else’s problems (i.e. resistant thrips, mites or aphids),
difficult to control mealybugs, systemic diseases (i.e. downy
mildew on impatiens) or incurable diseases (viruses).
Make sure your injectors are working properly. Monitor
nutrient levels with in house testing of pH and EC levels or
by regularly sending samples to a soil testing laboratory. High
fertility levels encourage sucking insects such as aphids,
whiteflies and mealybugs as well as foliar blights. High salt
levels encourage root rot diseases. Adjusting pH levels (too low
& applying flowable lime) or too high (applying iron chelates)
takes time plus some products need to be washed off the leaves
to avoid unsightly residues.
Treat incoming plugs or plants when they are small,
and easier to treat. For example, with more limited options
for treating edible crops, you may want to experiment with a
heavy spray or “sprench” or thorough dip of entomathogenic
nematodes such as S. feltiae (Nemasys, NemaShield,
ScanMask) against fungus gnat larvae and western flower thrips
pupae on incoming plugs.
Treat incoming plant material with a biological fungicide to
help prevent root and stem rot diseases. Biological fungicides
are also fungal antagonists that may help discourage fungus
gnats. Fungus gnats are so named because they survive & thrive
when they have a fungal food source.
Train your employees on proper handling and planting of
tender young plugs. Too deep planting encourages root rot
diseases and poor root growth.
Place flats or trays on pallets as an inexpensive benching
system to raise plant material off the floor. Temperatures
are warmer, crops won’t be sitting in standing water if you have
drainage issues as the snow melts, and there will be better air
circulation under the pallets. All which help discourage root
rot diseases and encourage plant root growth.
Train your employees on proper watering practices.
Overwatering promotes root rot diseases, algae, fungus gnats &
shore flies, downy mildews.
Ensure proper ventilation (HAF fans, rollup sides) to
discourage foliar diseases. Heat & vent to discourage botrytis
blight
Keep up to date. Do you have a copy of the 2009-2010 New England Greenhouse Floriculture Guide? (order online at www.negreenhouse.org)
You can also read more about these tips by searching the NE Greenhouse Update Site (www.negreenhouseupdate.info).
| New England Greenhouse Update now online. University Extension Specialists in New England, in conjunction with USDA's Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, contribute information to this new website. Timely updates are provided for commercial growers of greenhouse crops and flowers in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. You can use this additional resource for more information about current observations and recommendations on environmentally safe production practices. |
|
GREENHOUSE IPM COORDINATOR (commercial interests and growers) |
LEANNE PUNDT | 860-626-6240 |
| . | . | . |
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Information on our site was developed for conditions in the Northeast. Use in other geographical areas may be inappropriate.
The information in this material is for educational purposes. The recommendations contained are based on the best available knowledge at the time of printing. Any reference to commercial products, trade or brand names is for information only, and no endorsement or approval is intended. The Cooperative Extension system does not guarantee or warrant the standard of any product referenced or imply approval of the product to the exclusion of others which also may be available.All agrochemicals/pesticides listed are registered for suggested uses in accordance with federal and Connecticut state laws and regulations as of the date of printing. If the information does not agree with current labeling, follow the label instructions. The label is the law.Warning! Agrochemicals/pesticides are dangerous. Read and follow all instructions and safety precautions on labels. Carefully handle and store agrochemicals/pesticides in originally labeled containers immediately in a safe manner and place. Contact the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection for current regulations.The user of this information assumes all risks for personal injury or property damage.Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kirklyn M. Kerr, Director, Cooperative Extension System, The University of Connecticut, Storrs. The Connecticut Cooperative Extension System offers its programs to persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability and is an equal opportunity employer.