Greenhouse and Nursery Production Techniques Flashcards
What type of records are kept for crop production scheduling?
Dates for pinching, fertilizing
Flower production timing (Poinsettias/Easter lillies, other annuals etc)
Accurate yearly records to determine whether or not to increase or decrease production
Economic forecasting can help predict trends in consumer buying
What is the purpose of greenhouse root media?
Provide nutrients
Retain water
Allow aeration
Provide anchorage
Why must field soils be conditioned and pasteurized?
To kill weed seeds, pathogens and insects
What is added to field soils?
Sand, peat, vermiculite to improve drainage
What are soilless root media?
Bark-based, peat based
What is soil pasteurization and how is it done?
Kills harmful organisms and is done with steam or chemical fumigants
What is soil testing used to check for?
pH
Nutrient deficiencies
Soluble salt content
What are the benefits of clay pots?
Air can permeate so soil can dry fast
Can be pasteurized
What are the benefits of plastic pots?
Pots are light but you may have top heavy plants
What are the benefits of peat pots?
You don’t have to remove the plant from the pot when you are transplanting but they can be fragile when wet
What are the benefits of cell packs?
Available in different sizes and are firmer and retain moisture better than peat pots
What are the benefits of hanging baskets?
Pretty
Can be solid or meshed
What are the purposes of trays/flats?
Used to start seeds and cuttings
Also used to hold peat pots and cell packs
What is fixed spacing?
Plants aren’t transplanted and are always in the same pots and there is less labour required
One container is used per plant
More bench space is needed at the start
Roots might develop slowly at the beginning (plant needs more time to grow long roots bc of high water content)
What is expanding spacing?
Plants are transplanted so more labour is required
Several contained are used per plant as they grow
Less bench space is needed at the start. Don’t crowd plants (humidity issues, photosynthesis issues)
Root development is often better
What is the directed watering spray system?
Boom with equally spaced nozzles and it travels
What is the trickle watering system?
Spaghetti tube irrigation. Main watering line with tubes that are inserted into one pot
What is the ebb and flood watering system?
Floor of greenhouse is flooded with water and through capillary action, water will be absorbed. Water is reused afterwards
What temperature is the steam for soil pasteurization?
82C
What type of chemicals are used for soil pasteurization?
Chloropicrin
What is fertigation?
Fertilizer + water irrigation at the same time
What are breakers used for?
Breaks down the flow of water (mist/shower/etc)
What are field nurseries?
Plants are grown directly into the soil with trees and shrubs being grown for 1-10 years
Requires fertile soil, adequate water supply, and proximity to transportation
What is a container nursery?
Plants are grown in containers with shrubs and trees being grown from 1-2 years
Requires a level surface, adequate water supply and proximity to transportation
Plants usually suffer less from transplanting shock
What are the key criteria of soil in field and container nurseries?
Good nutrient availability
Good air and water relationship
Appropriate pH
Free of pests
No residual herbicide effect
High in organic matter
Artificial media may be used in container nurseries
What is the formula to figure out the # of plants to be grown in a nursery?
Production quota / estimated return %
What factors should be considered in the layout of field production?
Reducing erosion
Efficient use of the land
Grouping plants with similar requirements
Reducing difficulty of cultivation and harvest
Length of growing time and size of crops
Complete or partial harvesting
What is evenly spaced/side by side production?
Cultivation and harvesting can be done in two directions with partial harvesting done diagonally to maximize the amount of space the remaining plants have (minimizes competition between the remaining plants)
Trees and shrubs planted side by side
What is the staggered pattern layout in field production?
Harvesting is done by rows with partial harvesting done every other row
Can fit more plants per unit area
What is the permanent irrigation system?
Power source, pump, main and lateral water lines are all stationary
What is the semi-portable irrigation system?
Lateral water line are portable, power source, pump, and main water line is stationary
What is a portable irrigation system?
Power source, pump, main and lateral water lines are all portable
What is the goal of field pruning?
Promote and direct branching to grow a fuller plant with pruning happening at least once a year
When should evergreen trees be pruned?
Pinch new growth in the spring to add fullness, and remove conflicting branches
When should evergreen shrubs be pruned?
Pruned in the spring before the annual growth burst
When should deciduous shrubs be pruned?
Pruned using a sharp cutting bar passed down the grow
What is root pruning?
Done to ensure for a better survival rate during harvesting, handling and transplanting
Smaller and compact root ball for transplanting to avoid shock to the plant
When is root pruning usually done?
In the fall with an underground blade
For bigger trees and shrubs, a trench is dug around each plant and filled with sand
Containerized plants do not get their roots pruned
What is the heeling in overwintering technique?
Place plants in piles of loose material (wood shavings), covering the rootball or containers
What is an over-wintering house?
Small greenhouses are often covered with white film plastic to place container plants inside
What is the bordering pot overwintering technique?
Grouping container plants, surrounded with pots filled with soil
What is the pot in pot production overwintering technique?
Burying large empty pots in the ground, placing container plants (in smaller pots) inside
