Grower-On-Call

Obviously not all plants require the same amount of water, so it is important to know what each variety needs to make sure they are not over or under watered. Before you begin watering, flush the line to make sure all is clean before the plants start to receive hydration. It’s also essential to keep the hose end and wand or nozzle off of the floor so the plants do not receive any contaminants that could be lurking there.

Watering is best when done first thing in the morning, but you may have to supplement with another watering cycle in the hotter months. Which brings us to seasonal watering. In the Winter with shorter days and lower light levels, plants will need less volume of water and this is the easiest time of year to overwater so keep a close eye to minimize any plant loss. In the Spring with the longer days and rapid plant growth it’s really important to keep on top of your time management to ensure you get to all of the plants before they begin to wilt and to keep them in the best condition.  In the Summer it is really hard to overwater, however, not watering enough can still be a concern. By Fall the days become shorter again, but it still gets hot. It’s important to get the plants watered in the morning so that by the time the day is over, the foliage is dry by evening to help prevent disease.

It’s good to allow your plants to have some cycling between wet and dry as long as it is not on the extreme, for instance per the Will Healy Watering Scale, drying to a 1 or less and watering to a 5+ . Extremes weaken plants and make them more susceptible to disease and other pathogens. You should also consider your greenhouse climate when watering and each one is a little different. Keep in mind other environmental factors such as fans, vents or doors that are opened frequently. Each of these will help dry out your plants more quickly. The edges dry out first, so provide extra water there. Remember that automatic watering is a great time saver, but is not 100% accurate and may need some human intervention to compensate for over watering or too little watering.

Finally take the weather into consideration as humidity, wind, and other conditions can affect the water needed for your plants. And don’t forget to walk backwards as you water to help keep your feet dry. Happy watering!

Common pests to greenhouse grown crops are aphid, whitefly, thrips and spider mites. Many growers today are using beneficial insects to combat pest issues with great success. This does not completely eliminate the need for pesticides. There is traditional chemistry as well as newer bio-chemicals that can be used to treat “hot spots” or trouble areas. It is important to understand the lifecycle of each of the aforementioned pests.

Outside temps and seasonal weather directly affect the speed in which these pests can reproduce. “Don’t put off until tomorrow, what you can do today”….. Sometimes it’s just a matter of days to go from a few thrips to infestation and loss of quality/crop. Weekly scouting for pests and diseases will help to learn where and when there are problems.

A lot of growers are using the integrated approach using the beneficial insects as a main weapon and rotating in chemicals only when necessary.  The supplier of beneficial insects will have personnel to aid in choosing which bugs to get and at what time of year to use them. Don’t forget to use the local extension service when needed. This can be a tremendous resource in solving insect and disease issues.

For the best results, I recommend using our 84s for your hanging baskets. You’ll want to plant four plugs, by either spacing them out equally in a square formation or planting them in an equilateral triangle and then placing one plant in the center. This will give you the most uniformity and impact for your customers.

Using six plugs of our 32 Enhanced will give your recipe the greatest results and impact on the bench. Since there are three components to the Fruit Salad recipe, be sure to use two plugs of each variety – Superbells^® Grape Punch™ Calibrachoa, Superbells^® Lemon Slice^® Calibrachoa, and Superbena Royale^® Iced Cherry Verbena.

For the best results, using six plugs of our 32 Enhanced is the way to go. Backyard BBQ has three components, so using two of each Flambe^® Yellow Chrysocephalum, Superbells^® Dreamsicle^® Calibrachoa, and Supertunia^® Really Red Petunia will provide a well-balanced, beautiful 14” patio pot. If you’re looking to add more interest to your combo, you can place one 32 Enhanced Graceful Grasses^® Purple Fountain Pennisetum in the middle as a thriller.

Using our 32 Enhanced plugs, you will need to plant a total of five. The recipe has three components; therefore you will need to plant one plug of Superbells^® Dreamsicle^® Calibrachoa in the middle of the window box, flanked on either side by two Supertunia^® Royal Velvet^® Petunia (for a total of two), and finally two Superbells^® Yellow Calibrachoa (one per side) on the outside.

All Rockin’^® Salvia plants, including Fuchsia, grow best in a pH range between 5.8 and 6.2. It’s a common misconception that only soil pH counts – but be sure to test not just your growing media, but also the water that you’re using.

As with the entire Diamond Euphorbia series, Diamond Mountain requires an EC level of 0.6 to 0.9.

There’s so many excellent cultural practices to minimize plant issues, but the key ones I like to suggest include watering early in the day and only when the plant needs it, keeping good air circulation around the plant, and scouting for problems and pests regularly. Keeping these three practices at the forefront will certainly help plant health and a successful growing season!

As a general rule of thumb I always suggest having your water tested at least once per year for pH, EC, and alkalinity – and choose a fertilizer based on these factors. However, knowing that Vermillionaire^® Cuphea  does best using a 150-200 ppm N fertilizer will help you narrow down the best fertilizer for your specific growing conditions.

Most Proven Winners^® annuals want a fair amount of feed, and Superbells^® Cardinal Star™ is no exception. It requires 200ppm for every or every other irrigation.

Perennials require much less feed than annuals. When it comes to Cat’s Pajamas you can either incorporate a controlled release fertilizer into your soil or use a water-soluble fertilizer at a rate of 75-100 ppm N each watering.

When it comes to diagnosing diseases, it’s best to leave it to the experts and utilize your Extension service.  If you want to try yourself, the internet is full of pictures that may help you identify your troubles. Just remember, good cultural practices go a long way to eliminating problems in the future.

You’ll want to make sure that you get a well-drained mix. If you don’t, too much water will stay in the soil causing the succulent roots to rot. A well-drained soil will prevent root rot, keeping your succulents looking their best for quick sales.

We know the importance of a thriving bee population and are happy to hear that your customers are educating themselves about the topic. They can rest assured that no neonicotiniods have been used on liners at Pleasant View Gardens since 2014.

Garden Gem will prolifically produce snack-sized Tomatoes in their own right, but do require a few basic practices to reach their fullest potential. They need to be staked or caged for support, kept from getting excessively dry, consistent watering, and regular fertilizing to reach their full production mode.

Growing Silver Bullet^® with too much irrigation can cause cholorisis. Keep this plant on the dry side, as well as check the pH and EC of your water and growing media. Silver Bullet^® does best with a pH of 5.8-6.2 and an EC of 0.6-0.9.

Angelface^® Steel Blue as well as other Angelonia prefer warm temperatures and bright light. These two factors are critical to getting the best branching and growth from each liner. Good water management practices are also important to good plant growth.