Fall Plants
Your plant order (pansy, violas, snaps, dianthus, ferns, and poinsettias)
will be coming in soon.
If you don't have any ordered check with your area horticulture teacher to
assist you with obtaining these materials.
What supplies do you need for these plants?
For each tray of pansy, viola or snaps there will be approx. 280 plants in
a 288-plug tray
when transplanted into the recommended Jumbo 606 cell inserts (36 plants
per flat) you will end up with about 7-8 flats of plants per plug tray
ordered
Bedding plant order
Container recommendation: 606 Jumbo Insert (100 per case) and the TFI
Web flats (tray that holds the insert)
soil recommendation: Fafard 3-B Mix (3 cu ft bag)
note: 1 (3 cuft) bag of Fafard 3-B mix will fill 18 flats
Fertilizer: 13-2-13 Plug Special Peters Water Soluble (25 lb bag)
Recommended using NO3 at 100 ppm for a successful pansy crop this year
Fall bedding plants can be left in the greenhouse for approximately 2 weeks
after transplanting and then best if you move them outside to finish off.
The additional light and cooler temperature of the outdoors will produce a
more compact bedding plant crop.
Bottom ventilation is important - instead of setting flat on top of ground
set up rows of 2 x 4's across cement blocks and set flats on top of
boards. The use of a growth retardant ( i.e. Sumagic) will help control
stretching.
Remember, B-nine is reported to be ineffectual on snapdragons and any
retardant used on snaps will need to be used at a higher rate than pansies.
Pansies are very sensitive to over watering, especially when first
transplanted.
Heavy watering will lead to root rot and injure the crop.
A drench with fungicide (Banrot) will probably be beneficial to all fall
bedding plants, especially pansies.
If you are using a good commercial potting soil, pansies could probably be
grown to finish with little or no fertilizer.
Cool season seeds (ornamental cabbage & kale) (cool season vegetables)
Supplies:
Seeding Trays, Seedling Media Mix, 606 or 4" containers
Grow them outside and use B-nine to keep them short and full.
Ferns: If you are getting ferns, most come as 72 plugs per tray
Supplies:
4" square pots
10" hanging baskets
Fafard 3-B Mix (3 cuft bag) - 1 bag will fills 170 pots
Fertilizer: Osmocote Plus 15-9-12
*Ferns: transplant plugs into 4" pots until Nov or when roots fill pot then
transplant into 10" hanging baskets to grow out for spring plant sale
Poinsettia: Poinsettias arrive as rooted cuttings and are usually
transplanted one cutting per 6" container or three cuttings per 10"
container.
Here again the Fafard 3B is a good soil mix due to its ability to drain
well (Metro 360 and Fafard 4P are also recommended)
one 3 cuft bag of media will fill 45- 6" pots
Fertilizer: Several recommendations to try
Keep fertilizer concentrations around 200 - 250 ppm of 20-10-20 or 15-5-15
until the first of November.
Use 15-0-15 at 150 ppm from November until bracts fully expand.
Keep them in full sun and give them plenty of space.
Most teachers are growing Freedom /Prestige varieties and they will often
stretch during November.
If your plants look like they are going to be too tall, DO NOT USE 20-10-20
OR 20-20-20 DURING NOVEMBER.
Some recommend a rotation between Peters 15-0-15 and 20-10-20 Peters Lite
Special
Start with 20-10-20 (add Magnesium Sulfate (Epson Salt) into your stock
tank at the rate of 2-4 oz for every 100 gallons of water delivered)
then about every 3 weeks rotate to the 15-0-15 which supplements your
plants with CaNitrate
Other growers are recommending a new product called Daniels Plant Food
(organically based derived from soy bean) it is a liquid product that is
easy to use and mix research studies show that plants grown with this
fertilizer have an increased number of feeder roots and the amount of
stretching is reduced so the need for chemical growth regulators is reduced
There are many other fertilizer recommendations for poinsettias based on
the variety.
Check out www.ecke.com for growing instructions specific to your poinsettia
variety.
To find recommended concentrations of growth retardant and fungicides, go
to the Georgia Pest Control Handbook on the Extension Service web site.
Shade cloths- don't leave it on all year!!!
Fall bedding plants and poinsettias benefit from full sunlight during the
months of September, October and November.
Plugs and rooted poinsettias do best with some shade when first planted,
but after they are established, they will do better with full sun.
General Chemicals and Supplies needed for crops and greenhouse
1. Fungicide: Terracolor, Banrot or Subdue
after your plants have been transplanted and growing for a week or two you
need to drench their soil with fungicide
2. Insecticide:
Marathon for whiteflies, aphids and other sucking insects
Conserve for thrips, leafminer and worms
Cinnamite for aphids and mites
Whitmire Total Release Aerosol Generator (1 case)
Safer Soap or Sun Spray
3. Herbicide:
Finale: used to control weeds in greenhouse
Roundup: control weeds outside greenhouse
4. Disinfectants:
Agribrom : use in your evaporative cooling system to kill microbial slimes
GreenClean: new granular product that is used to kill algae, fungi, and
disinfect greenhouse floors and benches. It will also raise the pH level
in the soil under benches, making it harder for weed seeds to germinate.
Misc. Items that you should have in your greenhouse:
1. 5" plastic stick labels and marking pens are a must have in the
greenhouse
2. Water Hoses, recommend the Swan Soft & Supple Hose to hold up best in
the wear and tear of greenhouse use
3. Fogg- it Mist Nozzles
4. Water Shut Offs ( Drams 300 brass) stay away from the plastic ones
5. Water Breaker: the PL 100 is a great "soft throw" water breaker
6. Water Wands: get a couple is several lengths (available in 12", 16",
24", 36")
7. Pesticide Application Posting Sign (must be posted anytime your are
spraying or fumigating the greenhouse)
8. Safety gear for you and your students
9. Min/Max Thermometer
10. Sprayers that are clearly marked for Herbicides and Insecticide use.
* Nursery Growers License: Everyone has to have one !!!
Have you reapplied for your license this year???
As soon as you get your new license, laminate it and hang it in the
greenhouse.
Nursery Growers and Dealer’s Licenses are available from the Georgia
Department of Agriculture,
Plant Production Division, 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., SW, Atlanta, GA
30334. Phone (404) 651-9486.
Dr. Teri Hamlin
North Region Agriculture Education
Georgia Department of Education
Four Towers, University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia 30602
706-542-3679
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