Greenhouse Shading Options   Greenhouse Product News March 2008   By Erik Runkle
As spring approaches and days get gradually longer, growers need to look at ways to limit the light and heat that affect their most sensitive crops.
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Overcoming New Guinea Impatiens Stall   Greenhouse Product News February 2008   By Erik Runkle
Increased humidity and better lighting help plants retain moisture and heat, promoting quicker growth.
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LIP It!   Greenhouse Product News January 2008   By Erik Runkle
Providing a limited inductive photoperiod (LIP) can produce compact long-day plants and energy-cost savings.
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Cyclic Long-Day Lighting   Greenhouse Product News December 2007   By Erik Runkle
Shortening the duration of darkness with night-interruption lighting can help some plants flower earlier.

Maximizing Supplemental Lighting   Greenhouse Product News November 2007   By Erik Runkle
It’s no secret that increasing the amount of daily light integral that greenhouse crops receive per day can result in higher-quality, healthier product. But do you know how to get the most value out of supplemental lighting?

Increasing Poinsettia Size   Greenhouse Product News October 2007   By Erik Runkle
Are your potted poinsettias vertically challenged? When applied on young stems before the first hint of color, chemicals can help promote stem extension and take your plants to new heights.

Gaillardia: Unique Forcing Requirements Of Old And New Cultivars   Greenhouse Product News September 2007   By Sonali Padhye, Catherine Whitman, Arthur Cameron and Erik Runkle
This article highlights the flowering requirements of the vibrantly hued gaillardia cultivars, which have recently reclaimed the limelight. Growers interested in successfully producing flowering potted gaillardias should keep reading.
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Vernalizing Perennials   Greenhouse Product News September 2007   By Erik Runkle
For some cold-hardy perennials, a cold treatment is the key to initiate flowering. Here are tips for successful vernalization treatments of cold-hardy perennials that are propagated by seeds or cuttings.
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Early PGR Drench Applications On Poinsettias   Greenhouse Product News August 2007   By Roberto Lopez and Erik Runkle
A new technique to inhibit stem extension of poinsettia is to apply an early, low-dose PGR drench. This article will compare the efficacy of low dose and early drench applications of paclobutrazol on poinsettia crops.
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Propagating Poinsettias   Greenhouse Product News August 2007   By Erik Runkle
Poinsettia propagation can be challenging, especially during the summer. Here are some tips to help ensure successful propagation of nonrooted poinsettia cuttings.
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Graphical Tracking   Greenhouse Product News July 2007   By Erik Runkle
Graphical tracking, a decision-support tool, can help growers monitor plant height throughout production and identify when plants are too tall or too short.
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Evaluating New Echinacea Cultivars   Greenhouse Product News June 2007   By Catherine Whitman, Sonali Padhye, Arthur Cameron, Erik Runkle and Nate DuRussel
Researchers at Michigan State University are testing an assortment of new Echinacea cultivars for potted flowering crop potential and performance in a common growing environment as well as winter hardiness in Michigan.
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Light Quality Defined   Greenhouse Product News June 2007   By Erik Runkle
Light can be a complicated topic for growers. Read on to understand more about the fundamental dimensions of light.
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Technically Speaking: Investing in Education   Greenhouse Product News May 2007   By Erik Runkle
Investing in your and your growing staff’s education boosts your knowledge about crop production, pathogen and insect control, floriculture marketing and other business facets. See what events the industry offers to increase learning for everyone.
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PGR Drench Guidelines   Greenhouse Product News April 2007   By Erik Runkle
A PGR drench is an application of a relatively large volume of a PGR solution at a low concentration to the growing media. Learn more about which chemicals are appropriate for drenches as well as the right drench volumes and appropriate rates.
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New Directions For Scheduling Bedding Plants   Greenhouse Product News March 2007   By John Erwin and Erik Runkle
Many factors affect flowering times. Researchers at the University of Minnesota and Michigan State University are developing ways growers can use those factors to flower their crops at specific times.
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The Benefits Of Lighted Plugs   Greenhouse Product News March 2007   By Erik Runkle
One of the most cost-effective uses of supplemental lighting is during the production of seedling plugs and rooted liners. Learn how high daily light integrals benefit plants.
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Using + DIF To Lower Fuel Costs   Greenhouse Product News February 2007   By Erik Runkle
As energy costs continue to be a concern, consider growing crops at a warm day temperature and a cool night temperature to help reduce fuel costs.
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Providing Long Days   Greenhouse Product News January 2007   By Erik Runkle
Crop development can be accelerated with the use of low-intensity lighting. Here are the answers to some common questions about photoperiodic lighting.
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Do You Know What Your DLI Is?   Greenhouse Product News December 2006   By Erik Runkle
Daily light integral has a profound effect on your plants. Learn how to measure DLI in your greenhouse three different ways.
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Daily Light Integral Defined   Greenhouse Product News November 2006   By Erik Runkle
The more you know about the light in your greenhouse, the more successful your growing operation will be.
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Light it Up!   Greenhouse Product News July 2006   By Erik Runkle
Welcome to Technically Speaking! I am excited about the opportunity to use this column to discuss some of the more technical and quantitative aspects of greenhouse crop production. Some of the major topics I plan to discuss each month include how to use light, temperature and plant growth regulators to produce high-quality crops as well as strategies to produce crops in an energy-efficient manner. The cornerstone of this column will be the incorporation of research-based information — information that has been generated through experimentation in controlled environments. Column topics will be based in part on questions I receive as an extension specialist in floriculture. I also welcome your suggestions for future column subjects.

PGR Liner Dips On Bedding Plants   Greenhouse Product News December 2005   By Matthew Blanchard and Erik Runkle
Michigan State University research of PGR liner dips on five species of bedding plants provides suggested rates and information for greenhouse production.

Cool Campanula   Greenhouse Product News October 2005   By Sonali Padhye, Cathy Whitman, Erik Runkle and Art Cameron
Cooling and daylength can regulate flowering of some campanula species and cultivars.
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Fascination on Poinsettia   Greenhouse Product News September 2005   By Matthew Blanchard, Mike Olrich and Erik Runkle
Did you hit your poinsettias with too much growth retardant? This Michigan State University research shows how to recover.
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Managing Light During Propagation   Greenhouse Product News June 2005   By Roberto Lopez and Erik Runkle
Michigan State University research examines how environmental factors — especially light — influence the rooting and growth of vegetative annual cuttings.
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Sumagic on Bedding Plants   Greenhouse Product News April 2005   By Cathy Whitman, Mike Olrich and Erik Runkle
Usage of this highly active PGR on bedding plants is a risky move; find out how to use it, when it’s best used and how much is recommended based on this MSU research.
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Flowering Spring Cactus   Greenhouse Product News December 2004   By Charles Rohwer, Erik Runkle and Royal Heins
Sure, poinsettias are the holiday crop, but is there a market for other holiday crops to accentuate poinsettias or even just stand alone?

Managing Perennial Stock Plants with Florel   Greenhouse Product News August 2004   By Janelle Glady, Suzanne Lang and Erik Runkle
Michigan State research determines whether Florel can be used as a tool to keep perennial stock plants vegetative and increase the number of cuttings harvested for six perennial species.
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Tender Perennials   Greenhouse Product News June 2004   By Art Cameron, Beth Fausey, Cathy Whitman and Erik Runkle
Even when perennial plants are not rock hardy, some can still have great market potential for northern growers.
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Florel on Summer Production of Pansy   Greenhouse Product News April 2004   By Erik Runkle and Royal Heins
These three factors — high temperature, high light intensity and long days — all contribute to early flowering of pansy. With many spring bedding plants, early flowering can be desirable
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PGR Rates and Timing for Plug Production   Greenhouse Product News November 2003   Catherine Whitman and Erik Runkle
Catherine Whitman is a research technician and Erik Runkle is an assistant professor in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University, East Lansing. Erik may be reached by phone at (517) 353-3761 or E-mail at runkleer@msu.edu
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Temperature and Light on Bedding Plants   Greenhouse Product News July 2003   Lee Ann Pramuk and Erik Runkle
Last year, we began to research the effects of temperature and light intensity on four popular bedding plants: salvia 'Vista Red', celosia 'Gloria Mix', marigold 'Bonanza Yellow' and impatiens 'Accent Red'. Our objectives were to determine how temperature and daily light integral influence plant growth and development of these species. From this information, we can predict how changing your environment will influence the timing and quality of your bedding plant crops.
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Grower 101: Controlling Photoperiod   Greenhouse Product News October 2002   Erik Runkle
Successful production of many crops requires an understanding of how plants respond to photoperiod, how photoperiod changes during the year and how to modify the photoperiod to control growth and development.
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