Greenhouse Update - February 22, 2005
Inspect Incoming Plants - for signs of insects, diseases, nutritional disorders, and general health and vigor. Try to keep incoming plants as separate as possible from older plant material and place in a clean, weed- free disinfected greenhouse.
Remove pet plants - As I have been visiting growers, I have noticed the presence of pet plants that were the source of aphid, whitefly and mealybug infestations.
Powdery mildew - has been observed on vegetative petunias, agastache, and other susceptible crops. Often, powdery mildew tends be first noticed on susceptible cultivars. For example, Michigan State researchers found that the verbena cultivars Babylon Blue, Babylon Carpet Blue, Babylon Light Blue, Babylon Purple, Babylon Red, Babylon White, Sparkler Red White, Tukana Scarlet, and Tukana White had the most severe powdery mildew infestations of the 38 cultivars in this initial study. Susceptible cultivars need to be scouted more closely for the white, talcum like colonies of powdery mildew and often need more frequent fungicide applications. (For more information: see the December issue of Michigan’s State University’s Greenhouse Alert at http://www.ipm.msu.edu/grnhouse05/G12-01-04.htm )
A number of fungicides are available for use against powdery mildew (depending upon the crop) including Eagle, Milstop (be careful of potential phytoxicity on certain crops at higher rates), Compass, Cygnus, Daconil Weather Stik, Heritage, Pipron, Rubigan, Spectro, Strike, and Terraguard. Cleary's 3336 has broad crop clearance for ornamentals. It is a benzimidazole type fungicide - continued use may result in resistance. Be sure to rotate among fungicides from different classes.
In addition, Cleary's, Fungo Flo, Spectro, and Zyban may leave a visible residue.
Growing New Cultivars or Crops - Each year, I see more new cultivars and crops that growers are producing for the first time. Be sure to obtain as much cultural information as you can from your supplier. In addition, the following web sites may be helpful to obtain cultural information:
Commercial Sites:
Ball Flora Plant - http://www.ballfloraplant.com/
Connecticut Greenhouse Growers Assn - www.FlowersPlantsInCT.com
Euro American - http://www.euroamprop.com/
Fisher - http://www.fischerusa.com/fischer/
Oglevee Home Page - http://www.oglevee.com/
Paul Ecke Ranch - http://www.ecke.com/index.html
Proven Winners - http://www.provenwinners.com/
Yoder Brothers - http://www.yoder.com/
Universities:
University of Massachusetts - http://www.umass.edu/umext/floriculture/
North Carolina State University - Commercial Floriculture http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/floriculture/
Ohio State - http://plantfacts.ohio-state.edu/
Purdue University - http://flowers.hort.purdue.edu/default.htm
Rutgers Cooperative Extension - Greenhouse Costs of Production Budgets http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~farmmgmt/Green-House/Greenhouse-Index.html
UNH – Greenhouse and Floriculture http://ceinfo.unh.edu/Agric/AGGHFL.htm
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