Winter

Production Times
Winter 2011
Volume 18, Number 4
New Pest Updates:
Photos Gary J. Steck
Upcoming Educational Programs
For more information and links to most programs and agendas go to:
http://cfextension.ifas.ufl.edu or the UF Extension Calendar at http://
calendar.ifas.ufl.edu/calendar/index.htm.
!!!!!!!!!The cfextension website will soon go away and you will have to go
to your individual county sites for calendars. We still plan to coordinate
calendars and cross list programs.
Small Farms Alternative Enterprises. Nov. 15, 2011. noon to
1:30 Umatilla Library, 6-7:30 pm Cooper Memorial Library, Clermont.
Details: http://lake.ifas.ufl.edu/documents/smallfarmflyer.pdf
SNA Research Conference at Gulf States Hort Expo. Jan.
18-19, 2012. Mobile, Alabama.
Daylily Leafminer Ophiomyia
http://sna.org/Default.aspx?
kwansonis, early stage attack, and pageId=975973&EventViewMode=1&EventListViewMode=1
later stage. http://
entnemdept.ufl.edu/hodges/
Hydroponics Short Course and Agritunity. Jan. 27-28,
september_2011.pdf
2012. Sumter Co. Extension office. Bushnell FL. Details at http://
sumter.ifas.ufl.edu/AGRItunity2012.htm
Photo: Lyle Buss
Integrated Pest Management Update. Feb. 8, 2012. 1:30—
5:30. MREC, Apopka. Save the date—details to be announced.
Pesticide Applicator Training
CEU Day. Nov. 3, 2011. MREC, Apopka. Contact Matt Lollar at (407)
665-5554. Registration form at http://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/
extensionservices/pdf/CEUDay_Nov3_2011.pdf.
Private Applicator/Ornamental and Turf. Dec. 8, 2011. Orange
European Pepper Moth larvae
between pot and soil. Pest of
many herbaceous ornamentals
and field crops. Find out more at
http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/lso/
DUPON/default.asp
County Extension Office, Orlando. Contact Celeste White at (407) 2549200.
Limited Certification Licenses Review and Exam. Jan. 10,
2012. Osceola County Extension Office, Kissimmee. Contact Jennifer
Welshans-Pelham at (321) 697-3000.
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Water Alliance Educational Webinars
From Nov 2011 to Feb 2012, take advantage of the new series of free webinars on water quality and conservation. Registration is free at the www.watereducationalliance.org under ‘Workshops’. Topics and speakers:
Nov. 29, 2011—Best Management Practices for water conservation—Tom Yeager (UF/IFAS)
Dec. 6, 2011—Biology of waterborne pathogens—Gary Chastagner (Washington State University)
Dec. 13, 2011— A systems approach for managing Phytophthora diseases in nurseries: the importance of water—Jennifer Parke (Oregon State University)
Dec. 20, 2011—Monitoring water quality—Paul Fisher (UF/IFAS)
Alternative Containers for the Nursery Industry
By Gary Knox, from the NFREC newsletter
Containers made
from alternatives to petroleum based products
are being introduced to
the nursery industry.
These alternative containers are very appealing
to consumers and growers alike. Advantages of
alternative containers are
they may be made from waste or recycled materials
and therefore reduce waste going to landfills, they
avoid high costs and price fluctuations of petroleum
based containers and they reduce U.S. dependence on
foreign petroleum. Finally, some alternative containers
offer labor savings since the container does not need
to be removed before planting and instead planted
along with the plant, whereupon it decomposes.
Alternative containers may be made from a
variety of materials (Table 1). Typical components are
plant based or organic materials that are naturally fibrous or are chopped or ground and then molded and
held together by adhesives (resins) and binders. Alternative containers for nursery use must be sturdy
enough to allow plants to be grown, shipped and dis Production Times is brought to you by:
Juanita Popenoe, Ph.D.
Commercial Horticulture, Lake County Extension
Agricultural Center
1951 Woodlea Rd.
Tavares, FL 32778
(352) 343-4101
played for sale before decomposing or developing an
unattractive appearance. Alternative containers with
different lifespans are needed to accommodate various
crop production times.
Ideally, alternative containers should be either:
1) plantable, allowing roots to penetrate the container
wall after planting so the container subsequently biodegrades, or 2) compostable, in which the container is
removed before planting, and the container is broken
apart and placed in a compost pile where it will decompose. There are no official standards or guidelines
for "plantable", "compostable", "biodegradable",
"natural" or "sustainable" containers. Furthermore,
specific site and environmental conditions will affect
decomposition rates. Thus, manufacturers and advertising may broadly boast about biodegradability of
containers.
Generally alternative containers are not yet
cost-competitive with petroleum based containers. Ongoing product research, improvements in manufacturing efficiency and greater production may lead to
economies of scale and lower costs, especially if petroleum costs increase. Some alternative containers are
made from wood fiber, recycled paper or cardboard.
This material is provided as one of the many services relating to the educational programs offered
to you by this agency. Our statewide network of specialists is prepared to provide current information on agriculture, marketing, family and consumer sciences, 4-H, marine science, and related
fields. We will be happy to help you with additional information upon request.
Use of trade names in this newsletter does not reflect endorsement of the product by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, or the Florida Cooperative Extension
Service.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (IFAS) is an Equal Employment Opportunity
Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to
individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap or
national origin. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FLORIDA COOPERATIVE
EXTENSION SERVICE, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, IFAS, FLORIDA
A. & M.
UNIVERSITY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROGRAM, AND BOARDS OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS COOPERATING.
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Table 1. Examples of container components used as alternatives to petroleum-based plastic along with
examples of products.
Component(s)
Product Example
Product Reference
Bamboo, rice husks, straw
Biopots
http://www.biopots.com/
default.htm
Coir (coconut fiber)
Kord Fiber Grow Coir Pots
http://itml.com/
CoCo Coir Pots
http://www.greeneem.com/
neembiopots.htm
Corn
PLA (made from poly lactic acid)
http://summitplastic.com/
Cow manure
CowPots™
http://www.cowpots.com/
Feather fiber
(under development)
Green Industry Innovations LLC
Organic Recycles Materials
OP47 Bio
http://www.summitplastic.com/s1/
Paper
Ellepot
http://www.ellepot.dk/
Peat
Jiffypot
http://www.jiffygroup.com/jiffy/
Recycled paper or cardboard
Kord Fiber Grow Nursery Pot
http://itml.com/
Premium Quality Containers
http://westernpulp.com/
Ecoforms
http://ecoforms.com/
Eco360 Net
http://summitplastic.com/
Starch based plastics
Ecotainer (corn)
http://
www.floralmarketingsolutions.co
m/
Straw, coconut
The Straw Pot
http://ivyacres.com/strawpot.html
Wheat
Eco 360
http://summitplastic.com/
Wood fiber
Fertilpots
http://fertil.us/
Wood fiber, peat
DOT Pots
http://dotpots.com/
Rice hull
Research Summaries
For more information on sources, contact Juanita Popenoe
Iron Chelate is a Problem in Runoff
Offsite runoff and contamination of surface waters with common chelating agents (EDTA, DTPA) is of increasing concern because of their reported ability to remobilize heavy metals in sediments and their slow biodegradation. EDDS is a biodegradable form of these chelating agents and was tested for its ability to provide
iron to marigolds. Marigolds in peat-based media were fertilized with complete nutrient solution with Fe from
either FeEDDS, FeEDTA, or FeDTPA. There was no significant difference in foliar iron, manganese or
growth between these treatments. The EDDS quickly degraded at a rate at least twice that of FeEDTA when
exposed to light. HortSci 46(8): 1148
(Continued on page 4)
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Ornamental Grasses: Fewer Inputs Needed After Planting
In full sun trial gardens at two sites in northern Florida, six native and three non-native warm season grass species were evaluated—eastern gamagrass, elliott’s lovegrass, gulf hairawn muhly, little bluestem, ‘Prairie Sky’
switchgrass, ‘Rotstrahlbusch’ red switchgrass, ‘Adagio’ maiden grass, ‘Central Park’ maiden grass and
‘Hameln’ Chinese fountain grass. Plants were irrigated with one gallon of water each week for four weeks post
transplant. Half of the plants continued to get one gallon weekly through drip, and half got no supplemental
irrigation. Plants received either no fertilizer, synthetic fertilizer or organic fertilizer equivalent to 6 lb/1000 ft2
N/year. Only eastern gamagrass, elliott’s love-grass, gulf hairawn muhly, little bluestem and ‘Central Park’
maiden grass showed a significant response to supplemental irrigation or fertilization. Supplemental irrigation
did not alter foliage height for any of the grasses. Supplemental fertilization only influenced foliage height for
Chinese fountain grass. Differences in soil types between the sites caused some differences. There appears to
be a broad adaptability and minimal need for inputs for these ornamental plants. HortTech. 21(4):443.
Seaweed Extract Increases Drought Tolerance in Citrus Nursery Trees
Citrus nursery trees were treated with commercial extract of brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum
(Stimplex® Crop biostimulant) as a soil drench or foliar spray, then half were subjected to drought stress (50%
ET). Drought stress reduced shoot growth and photosynthesis but increased root and total plant growth making
the whole plant more water efficient. Trees treated with seaweed extract and drought-stressed had more total
growth than untreated drought-stressed. Seaweed did not affect photosynthesis, but did affect water relations.
Soil drenched trees had more growth and higher water potential than foliar treated or control trees after 8
weeks of stress. Seaweed extract may be useful in nurseries with non-uniform irrigation systems. HortSci. 46
(4) 577.
Cold and Dark Dendrobium Forcing
At least four weeks of 100C cooling in light was needed for complete flower initiation on Dendrobium Red
Emperor ‘Prince’, whereas Dendrobium Sea Mary ‘Snow King’ and Dendrobium Love Memory ‘Fizz’ only
needed two weeks of 100C cooling regardless of light. For all three cultivars, darkness during vernalization
slightly delayed flowering and resulted in fewer but larger flowers. Longer cooling duration delayed flowering,
decreased flower longevity, and produced more and larger flowers. HortSci 46(3):406.
Ethylene Reduces Display Life of Foliage Plants
Seventeen common potted foliage plants were subjected to 0.1, 1.0, or 10 microliters/liter ethylene gas for four
days at 210C. Ethylene treatment made leaves die and fall off faster. Plants responded differently to each level
of gas. Aphelandra sqarrosa ‘Dania’, Chlorophytum comosum ‘Hawaiian’, Euphorbia splendens ‘Short and
Sweet’, Radermachera sinica ‘China Doll’ Schefflera elegantissima ‘Gemini’ and Schefflera arboricola ‘Gold
Capella’ plants were the most sensitive and responded to the lowest levels. Dieffenbachia maculata ‘Carina’,
Dracaena marginata ‘Bicolor’ and Ficus benjamina plants required the highest level to cause foliar injury.
Ethylene did not cause the leaves of Asplenium nidus, Chamaeforea elegans ‘Nethe Bella’, Hedera helix
‘Chicago’, and Syngonium podophyllum ‘White Butterfly’ to die and fall off. Treating sensitive plants with a
gaseous ethylene-binding inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, EthylBloc™) for 4-5 hours at 210C reduced the effects of ethylene. Using two sachets of EthylBloc™ in a single shipping box also protected plants
during simulated transport. HortSci 46(8):1127.
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