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October 10, 2002
Pesticides used today are less toxic and used less
frequently than several years ago. Nevertheless, they can be a serious hazard
to employees if not stored and used properly.
Storage
Store pesticides in a room located away from eating areas,
boiler...
October 10, 2002
Versatile perennials, lamiums can be utilized in a number of commercial and garden situations. They look great in containers, alone or mixed with other plants in patio pots, window boxes or hanging baskets. In the landscape, they work well as a...
October 10, 2002
Let's face it, climates are different in Florida, Michigan
and Colorado, which can generate some very different results from trial
gardens. What succeeds in high heat and humidity may not succeed under cool
nights with low relative humidity, and...
October 10, 2002
Photoperiod, or the number of hours of light in a 24-hour period, changes dramatically during the year in temperate regions of the world. For many floriculture crops, photoperiod controls growth and flowering, and a small change in photoperiod can...
September 10, 2002
A few months ago, June to be exact, Cornell University sent
a call to the industry — a call to deal with one of our most pressing
issues — a call to discuss profitability.
Approximately 100 growers, academics and allied
manufacturers...
September 10, 2002
This year's Ohio Florists' Association trade
show was, as usual, a mind-boggling mix of new crops and production technology.
The educational program was stuffed with great speakers, and I admire anyone
who can attend this event, walk the show and...
September 10, 2002
One of your most productive employees hobbles up to you
with a sore back. "It's been hurting ever since I moved that puncher to
the other side of the greenhouse," he says. "I think I need to go to
the doctor." What do you do? How do you report it?...
September 10, 2002
Problem: A mid-sized grower with an isolated market that is being served by several larger producers who compete on price. Solution: Extremely high-quality plants that are grown 100 percent on spec with a first-come, first-served policy.
The metro-...
August 22, 2002
In my many travels visiting growers and giving talks, one of
the most common questions I am asked is: Where can I find a grower? If I
know of someone looking for another job, I am happy to make the referral
because many open positions are not...
August 22, 2002
Hang on to your hats, ladies and gentlemen, the ride is about to get wild and wooly!
Though I've heard a few (very few!) people say that spring 2002 was a decent season for horticulture sales, the majority of growers and retailers I've spoken with...
August 22, 2002
The Native American perennial heuchera has become one of the hottest, most must-have perennial plants for today's gardens. Heucheras belong to the family Saxifragaceae, which includes many other popular perennials such as astilbe, berginia,...
August 22, 2002
With the new Hello! Dahlia, you can say goodbye to past
problems associated with seed dahlia, including double-sowing to avoid low and
inconsistent germination rates. Hello! offers exceptional germination rates,
excellent seed uniformity and is easy...
August 22, 2002
We have been plagued with resistance problems in the ornamental
industry for several years. My first exposure to resistance was when the
leafminer, Liriomyza trifolii, became resistant to the broad spectrum of
insecticides used in greenhouse...
August 22, 2002
The good guys, spray wand in hand, have finally chased away
the deadly monsters. They have won the battle and are catching their breath
when all of a sudden the monsters reappear, and they are off again, fighting
for their livelihoods. Like the...
August 20, 2002
Have you every walked into a greenhouse early in the morning
on a cool, crisp spring or fall day, slammed the door behind you and found
yourself soaking wet? You look up to try to find the source of this indoor
precipitation and see rows of big, fat...
August 20, 2002
Glancing down at the toilet, you probably don't give
much thought to the fate of the swirling water as it flushes out of sight. Did
you know, for example, that an estimated 1.7 billion gallons of wastewater are
reused every day, just a fraction of...
August 20, 2002
In 1988, research conducted by Dr. Jim Barrett at the
University of Florida demonstrated the potential of Bonzi (paclobutrazol)
drenches for poinsettia height control. This technique proved to be
particularly effective when used late in the...
August 20, 2002
Hydroponics was once thought simply to be the growing of
plants without soil. It has since evolved into a science--the growing of
plants in a nutrient solution with or without an inert medium such as gravel,
sand, peat, vermiculite, perlite,...
August 09, 2002
Whiteflies can be very damaging to greenhouse crops and
field and greenhouse-grown cut flowers because of their broad host range,
resistance to insecticides and potential to vector a variety of plant virus
diseases. High populations of whiteflies...
August 09, 2002
No, whiteflies are not flies. Flies like the typical housefly
belong to the order Diptera, which has only two wings. Whiteflies are in the
order Homoptera and have four wings. The order Homoptera also include cicadas,
planthoppers, treehoppers,...
