Proceedings Library

Bougainvilleas are spectacular climbing plants, native to South America. In Australia, although they certainly grow best in warmer areas, they can be found growing outdoors as far south as Hobart (Latitude 42 S), if given the right position.

This paper is not meant to cover all aspects of Bougainvillea propagation; rather, it describes the methods used at our nursery.

There is always something new to try and there are all the old standard rules to keep as well. Whenever we are forced to compromise these rules, we will have less successful propagation results or even total disasters. Two of the most important of these rules are, good, well-managed stock supply and a high regard to hygiene throughout all the propagation procedures.

Stockplants, for us are very important for two reasons. One reason is to ensure the availability of cutting material to cover the numbers of cuttings we need to put down for a batch. The other is to ensure that the quality of cutting material is high. We found it to be a difficult and expensive task to meet these two criteria as our nursery was only a propagation nursery with no containers from

Our long-term research goal is to develop a vegetative propagation method for mature eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) trees. Unfortunately, rooting from cuttings of white pines, like most other conifers, decreases with increasing plant age. Rejuvenation, that is restoration of rootability to mature tissue, may be possible by tissue culturing or grafting shoot apical meristems. Recently, rejuvenated shoots have been obtained via meristem culture from Sierra redwood, Sequoiadendron giganteum, (Monteuuis, 1991) and via meristem micrografting from maritime pine, Pinus pinaster, (Dumas et al., 1989) If rejuvenated shoots can be obtained from mature white pines, they will be used as a stock block source of rootable cuttings to clonally propagate superior genotypes. In this paper we describe our efforts to develop methods for tissue culturing and micrografting of white pine meristems.

Our nursery primarily sells product directly from the laboratory either as in vitro rooted plantlets or as microcuttings without roots. Our customers acclimatize the material for themselves. Since we don't handle this step, we have, by necessity, been forced to create a very hardy, relatively large plantlet as our finished

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is an important nursery crop native to eastern North America. It is a deciduous small tree in the legume family. Eastern redbud is a variable species with cultivars selected for lavender, pink, or white flowers (Raulston, 1990). In addition, cultivars have been selected for purple (‘Forest Pansy’) and variegated foliage (‘Silver Cloud’). The inherent variability in this species (Robertson, 1976) indicates a potential to select additional traits such as disease resistance and drought tolerance to improve marketability. However, production of cultivars of eastern redbud have been limited because they are difficult to propagate from cuttings or grafts (Dirr and Heuser, 1987). Progress in the propagation of eastern redbud has recently suggested that cutting propagation can be successful for cuttings taken from mature trees during a narrow developmental window during early shoot development (Tipton, 1990) or with cuttings treated with relatively

The U.S.D.A. is currently trying to tabulate an accurate estimate of the value of the U.S. horticulture industry. As the micropropagation industry is a major part of U S horticulture, it is valuable to know the economic impact from the plants produced in vitro. Before economic information can be gathered, the size of the plant tissue culture industry needs to be known. In order to achieve this goal, we started to tabulate a list of laboratories in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This compilation will be published as "The Directory of Plant Tissue Culture Laboratories in North America" (Bridgen, 1993). The objective of the Directory was to collate a directory of private and public plant tissue culture laboratories in North America which are

I am going to talk about the grafting of junipers. As you know, certain cultivars of plants cannot be propagated economically by seed, layering, cuttings, or tissue culture. As a last resort they are grafted. In the past juniper seedlings of Juniperus virginiana, J. communis, and J. scopulorum, were used. They were disease prone and erratic in seed bed stands. We now use rooted cuttings of J.. ‘Hetzii’ as rootstocks. ‘Hetzii’ has proven to be compatible with all cultivars of J. virginiana, J. communis, J. scopulorum, and J. chinensis.

The basics of the partnership are these we provide the space and the borough of Waynesboro provides the leaves and equipment.

If that sounds simple, maybe that's because it is. I am a firm believer in the KISS theory.

It should be noted that our nursery is located in a medium density residential zone within the borough of Waynesboro. Because we are using only leaves and plant debris in this procedure, the state regulations directing composting of this type in

We started to experiment with growing indoor plants hydroponically in 1978. We found best growth with Aglaonema ‘Silver King’, A. ‘Silver Queen’, A ‘Parrot Jungle’, and A pseudobracteatum.

Hydroponically grown Aglaonema are cheap to transport. As many as 250 (300 mm tall) plants can be packed into one carton. They can be kept, wrapped in peat moss in bundles of 10, for up to two weeks. The plants can be potted up at the other end and be ready for sale in approximately three months instead of a typical six months for saleable plants from cuttings.

By 1990 the demand for pine bark, the primary component of our growing media, had risen dramatically. Prices were increasing, and reduced availability became a real concern. Forrest Keeling Nursery sought alternative media components which would be readily available, cost effective, and support good plant growth. Much to our delight aged rice hulls found us. A rice hull is the sheath of the rice grain and is a waste byproduct in rice processing. Once separated the hull is run through a hammer mill having screens 3/16-in. sieve size. The milled hulls are then placed in piles which are composted for a minimum of 18 months. The hulls are then suitable for incorporation into media.

After preliminary comparison testing it became evident that aged rice hulls would support plant growth at least as well as pine bark. A side by side comparison was conducted between our conventional mix (80% pine bark 20% sand) and a mix of pine bark, rice hulls, and sand (2 2 1, by volume) with

Climatic extremes and unfavorable soils limit landscape plant diversity in the midwestern U.S. Since 1983, I have coordinated the NC-7 Regional Ornamental Trials (Widrlechner, 1990) for evaluating new landscape plants in the region and for increasing the future diversity of well-adapted plants found in commerce. I acquire, propagate, and distribute promising new plants for long-term testing at 38 sites representing the region's climates and soils.

Plants for testing can come from breeding programs or public gardens, but often originate from wild collections. Selecting promising plants for testing from the native woody flora of the temperate world is not simple, especially when many species are poorly adapted to our region. Fortunately, past experiences from the NC-7 Trials may increase the likelihood of future success. For example, populations of trees and shrubs collected in the former nation of Yugoslavia were distributed for testing in the mid-1970s. Analyses of the

At Bailey's, a scheduled week-long meeting (the Plant Planning Meeting) held in late fall gives some insight on what to grow for future catalogs. New plants, market trends, and production schedules are discussed at that meeting. A cozy group of about 20 from sales, administration, inventory, and production attend. One month prior to the meeting, each sales representative submits a list of five plants for review. I title mine, "The Plant Wish List". Plant descriptions, pictures, and at times samples are sent to the office. When ‘Reliance’ grape, a new hardier seedless grape

This discussion would not be complete without mention of the splendid work by Alfred J. Fordham, former research horticulturist at the Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts. His publication of June 23, 1967 titled "Dwarf Conifers from Witches'-Brooms" gives an historical picture of brooms in U S.A. and Germany. This publication is a fine landmark treatise of broom theory, combined with the practical side of collecting, growing, and evaluating brooms at Arnold Arboretum.

William G. Schwartz, a Philadelphia attorney and nurseryman (Green Mansions Nursery, Media, Pennsylvania), has been my associate in locating and growing Acer palmatum brooms, also called bud-sports. The brooms mentioned are from both our collections. He is constantly sending me up the tree to procure scions at the risk of my life. He states, "Dick Wolff, a retired pilot, should have no fear of height ".

In this paper I will be presenting information on eight of seventeen Japanese maple brooms in my

A forcing solution containing 200 mg 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate (8-HQC per liter and 2% sucrose has been demonstrated to be an effective means to produce softwood growth that can provide quality explant material for in vitro studies and micropropagation during the winter dormant season of woody species (Read and Yang, 1985, Yang and Read, 1989). The success of this method encouraged us to attempt to modify explant response by incorporation of appropriate growth regulating chemicals into the forcing solution (Read and Yang, 1989). The purpose of this report is to illustrate how this approach can be successfully adapted to propagation by softwood cuttings.

Rootstocks which were to be budded grew very well that summer in Michigan and averaged 3/8 inches in diameter. The small drought-stressed sticks received from Illinois were immediately chip budded. When the small scion wood buds from the drought-stressed stock block were conventionally grafted, cambial contact between the graft surfaces was insufficient or non-existent. To overcome this problem, scion buds were placed on the rootstock graft area at an angle to permit at least minimal cambial contact. The buds were then completely covered with poly tape.

After six weeks buds appeared healthy. However, another inspection in December showed more than half of the buds dead. An attempt to rebud the unsuccessful grafts was planned for the spring. This rebudding

We start our season with hardwoods, doing approximately 5 to 6 thousand cuttings. Cuttings are taken December through March when the outside temperature is above freezing. We propagate plants such as dogwood, privet, spirea, honeysuckle, and currant by this method.

Until a couple of years ago all our hardwoods were lined directly into the field after they were fully callused in our cooler. However, after returning from our 1989 I P P.S. meeting in Toronto Canada, I wanted to try a technique I saw being used at Canon Nursery. They were sticking their hardwoods into media in 5-gal cans, and keeping them in their container area. This idea appealed to me. I like this method because I can control their environment. I also have easier access in the spring and can keep an accurate check on rooting success. This allowed me to

Last fall we planned to compare the performance of cutting wood taken from containers with that from field plants. We began with cuttings from field plants and then proceeded to take them from the containers. However, in early November we experienced several days of record to near record lows. A record low of 8°F on November eighth was 7°F below the previous record on that day. At the time there were no visible signs of damage to the taxus and we were more concerned about the fate of some of our

At first, we tried in vain to make V. carlesu fit into a propagation schedule which we successfully used for most of the plants that we propagate. Softwood cuttings were taken in mid-June from plants in production. We made and bundled the cuttings in the field and stored them at 45°F prior to sticking. The cuttings were treated with 10,000 ppm K-IBA and stuck in sand in a 30 ft × 168 ft quonset house and misted with a Growing Systems mist boom.

By August, 90% or better were rooted. The plants were allowed to go dormant and were lifted from the sand beds in November. The dormant rooted cuttings were then wrapped in plastic and stored in a freezer at

Certain patterns showed up with the problem. Plants that had been stuck or potted in the last half of the year showed the most loss, but only the ones in bark media. Cuttings stuck in perlite overwintered fine, for example Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’ were rooted in perlite and then upgraded to 2¼–in pots in mid-September using a pine bark medium. Overwinter losses with the 2¼-in. pots were about 50%, but the ones

In the beginning we found, as with woody ornamentals that we were more familiar with, there was no one way to produce this wide diversity of plants. In general, we found that producing our liners in raised beds, 4 ft wide with a 6 in. × 6 in spacing for smaller growing forms and 6 in. × 8 in. or 10 in for larger growing forms, gave us nice clumps in a single growing season. We also found that by working with 1-year clumps we had a more vigorous plant than from second or third year plants. Beds are set up with overhead irrigation and watered on a regular basis as needed.

We have

Since the 1930s the plant growth regulator indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) has been used in the rooting of cuttings and other growth processes. Other uses for IBA include promoting root regeneration when transplanting plants and to possibly improve grafting success. Concentrations used for rooting range from 10 to 20,000 ppm IBA. The method of use and concentration of IBA is determined by many variables including plant type, time of year, propagation conditions, etc.

Liquid sources of IBA include premixed concentrated liquids containing up to 1.03% IBA dissolved in organic solvents such as ethanol (up to 99.5%) (EPA registrations as of 1992), and water soluble tablets containing 20% IBA which are made into a solution by the grower (U.S. registered Rhizopon-AA Water Soluble Tablets) (Blazich, 1988, Hartmann et al, 1990; Macdonald, 1986) IBA dissolved in water has proved to be more effective for rooting than IBA dissolved in alcohol, or the other auxins, indoleacetic acid (IAA) or

We sow seed-grown perennials by two methods—a mechanical seeder and hand seeding in open flats. The bulk of our seeding is by machine, but there are types that are not practical to sow mechanically. For example, it's easier to hand sow the irregular seed types such as large seed (Baptisia), seed with tails (Gaillardia), and seed with special needs or long germination periods. After hand-sown seedlings are up, they are transferred to cell-packs.

We do a few plants from divisions—hardy geraniums, Hemerocallis, and Japanese anemones. Many divisions, however, are just to big for cell flats.

Root cuttings are used with some Geranium, Japanese anemone, Phlox paniculata, Pulmonaria, Aegopodium, and Stokesia. Our root cuttings are done

At Casertano Farms in Cheshire, Connecticut our principle crops have been annuals, poinsettias, mums, and Easter and Christmas products. Two years ago we started raising perennials for the wholesale market by utilizing some empty hoophouses used for producing annuals. The houses are 22 × 150 ft and heated with a hot-air system. The first three greenhouses were filled with surplus stock from some of the Holland bulb companies and daylilies from my private farm in Woodbury, Connecticut. We soon had five houses filled with seed perennials. Today, we have eleven greenhouses and twelve acres of land being exclusively used for perennial production.

We irrigate from a large well that eliminates potential algae problems with our micro-irrigation systems, but have a backup pond for use during drought periods. Water is supplied by upright sprinklers placed every 12 ft. Emitters can be changed to increase or decrease the amount of water needed for individual crops. Therefore, it is

Hamamelis × intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ and H. mollis ‘Brevipetala’ are two of the finest this genus has to offer. The literature about their successful propagation by cuttings is filled with both controversy and contradiction. Some sources claim this technique is easy while others say it is, if not practically impossible, certainly economically infeasible. In this paper I would like to share some of my experiences, both good and bad, in the propagation of these plants from cuttings.

Rooting Procedures for ‘Arnold Promise’ and ‘Brevipetala’. The rooting of both cultivars is extremely easy. I use semi-ripe cuttings collected in the second week of July. The cuttings are approximately 5 in long, treated with 8,000 ppm IBA (Hormondin #3),

Over 70% of the world's surface is covered by water, but 97% of this water is salty. Of the remaining 3% of fresh water, 2/3 is tied up in glacial ice. Only about 7/8 of 1% of the world's freshwater is liquid, and 95% of that is underground. In most countries 90% of people depend on ground water as drinking water. Looking at these figures it is clear why our ground water resources are so precious.

To many of us water is taken for granted. Most of us have water on tap in our homes to use for drinking and washing, and watering our gardens When we take a glass of water to drink, and we look into it and through it, how many of us realise the effort that has gone into making that water safe for us to drink. It has been taken from a storage facility, many kilometres away, and after many treatments and tests, it is delivered to our home. We take for granted that all has been done to it that is necessary, to make it safe for our use.

I am sure that our thoughts of safety in water

The recent introduction of small, hand-held camcorders makes possible the use of videotapes for individual classes. These camcorders are less expensive and more available to instructors even with modest teaching budgets. Tapes can be tailored to material available and the instructors teaching style to give the students more retention of the presented material. This paper will cover types of systems and equipment needed for taping and

There are many diseases that can cause considerable havoc in a tree nursery, and some are resistant to fungicides (Sanders, 1989). Costs of controlling some diseases are increasing rapidly as pesticides become unavailable for "minor" users (Spooner-Hart, 1989). During the next few years, there will be more pressure to use alternatives. This presentation is about some of those new alternatives.

I have seen dramatic results using improved cultural practices such as horizontal air in a greenhouse However, some diseases can be so devastating that preventative fungicide applications are essential to the nursery. Nevertheless, we have found that good cultural practices decrease the amount of fungicide needed.

By restricting watering to as early in the morning as possible, some diseases are discouraged. This can be taken a stage farther in the greenhouse and with an understanding of

Nitrogen in an essential element in the production of plants. Management of nitrogen to prevent surface and ground water contamination will be affecting all nursery operations in the future. Some nurseries have already had to address this problem. Nurseries provide a product that is a benefit to the environment, but past and current fertility practices have created environmental problems. Federal and state governments are examining nitrate sources in agriculture and commercial agriculture will most likely be looked at more closely than family farms. Potential problems and some solutions in greenhouse, field and container areas will be discussed. Examples of what Evergreen Nursery is doing to combat these problems will illustrate what has been done in one operation.

Dioecious plant species, in which individual plants are either male or female, are commonly used in horticulture. In the majority of these species, the earliest possible identification of sex occurs at the time of flowering, a stage that may not be reached for a number of growing seasons in woody trees and shrubs. Often, one sex is preferred over the other, for example, female hollies are favored because of their attractive fruits, whereas female ginkgos are essentially worthless for landscaping purposes because of their fruits. In those species in which fruit production is favored, it is advantageous to know the sex of individual plants in order to ensure that both sexes are represented in a newly established planting. Thus, it would be of considerable commercial interest to growers to be able to determine the sex of dioecious plants in the seedling stage, potentially reducing the amount of acreage and labor necessary to grow the plants to flowering.

The goals of this paper

Peter joined the Eastern Region in 1965. He began his service in the Eastern Region on the Long Range Planning committee as both a member and eventually chairman. He next served on the Board of Directors in 1984–1985. After leaving the Board he took on the task of starting the Endowment Committee as its chairman during 1986–1987. In December 1987 he became 2nd V P and 1988 1st V P and Program Chairman for the Toronto, Canada meeting.

He was born in Soborg, a suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark 4 December 1941. Orum grew up in Vraa, Vendsyssel (most northern province of Denmark) and worked in his father's small

The aim in plant propagation is to produce healthy, well-grown plants, with minimum losses, in the shortest possible time. We must bear in mind that the propagation stage is the most vulnerable growth stage in nursery production and any adverse factors which affect the number and quality of plants being propagated is felt all the way down the nursery production line. This paper reviews the materials which are used in plant propagation media and attempts to determine how propagation management practices may influence propagation success.

The key word in the title of this paper is TAXOL, which is one of many taxane compounds According to a December 18, 1991 Wall Street Journal article, taxol having shown effectiveness against ovarian tumors, "Now appears to be a promising treatment for advanced breast cancer ". This statement is predicated on studies conducted by doctors at the University of Texas' Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

One year ago, I mentioned an organization named "The Alliance for the Production of Taxol", and although loosely structured, it is still viable. This Alliance consists of nursery producers of Taxus, Ohio State University (OARDC), and the University of Mississippi. One of many purposes of the Alliance is to convince

Plants presented in alphabetical order

Acer × freemanii ‘Marmo’, Marmo Freeman maple, is an interspecific hybrid of A saccharinum (silver maple) and A. rubrum (red maple). The original tree, located in the plant collections of the Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois, was received from an unknown nursery source in the mid 1920s. It is cold hardy to U.S.D.A. Zone 4. It has a medium-fast growth rate.

It is a large deciduous shade tree with an upright-oval habit and strong central leader. The original tree is approximately 80 ft tall with a spread of 35 ft. Leaf shape resembles silver maple, but is not as deeply lobed. Foliage is an attractive medium green with a contrasting silver-grey underside and colorful red petioles. Fall color is often an interesting kaleidoscope blend of scarlet and maroon, offset with tints of green. Branch structure and general strength of the plant have proven to be superior to silver maple. No seed is produced.

With the exception of extremely dry locations,

MODERATOR SHUGERT: Is the grating video that was producted by I.P.P.S.-Eastern Region still available? Is so advertise it in our newsletter.

KATHY FREELAND: I have the master of that video if we want to reproduce it.

MODERATOR SHUGERT: Question for Albert Bremer. You stated that you inserted chip buds at an angle. What species do you use this technique with?

MARTIN MEYER: He puts the chip bud in at an angle so that it crosses over to both sides. The cut in the rootstock is not cut at an angle.

MODERATOR SHUGERT: Comment to Ralph Shugert from Dick Bir on rice hulls in media. We did quite a bit of work with rice hulls fromo an apple processor about 10 years ago. Composting is absolutely needed because: (1) Apple tree seedlings are weeks and plentiful. (2) A yellow mycelial growth from some non-parasitic fungus filled our container mixes. If they ever dried out they

The occurrence of abnormal growths or tissue proliferations (TP) on elepidote rhododendrons has been the subject of intense discussion at formal and informal meetings around the country and in nursery-related publications (Anonymous, 1992a; Anonymous, 1992b; Bayer, 1982; LaMondia et al, 1992; Rostan, 1992). Unfortunately, the information on the identity, significance, the mode of transmission, and cause of TP has been conflicting.

Experimental evidence is required to prove how damaging TP is to plant health. Observations in Ohio suggest the vascular system of stems with large TPs is disrupted, resulting in weak plants which cannot be sold. Plants with TPs on the upper trunk and branches are cosmetically unacceptable and may also be weakened. We will review some of the conflicting observations and speculate on possible causes of the TPs. References will also be made to reviews on topics covered here to provide those interested with a more comprehensive background.

My nursery produces tube stock of various lines for sale in 2-in (5 cm) tubes. The cutting medium that I had settled on before trying ash consisted of 3 parts washed river sand, 2 parts peatmoss and 1 part perlite (SPP).

As propagators, we are always trying to find ways of improving our techniques so as to obtain better results. During conversations with various propagators I became aware of the use of coal ash as a striking medium. Some of the results that these people were quoting suggested to me that some trials might prove worthwhile.

I decided to try it out by putting a very small percentage of my normal production into coal ash medium. These initial trials proved promising so in the following season I increased the percentage of cuttings in coal ash. To ensure a workable comparison, I put my programmed cutting production into the two media on an approximately 50/50 basis. Production proceeded as it normally would. No changes were made to hormone use, bottom heating,

What is Plant Protection? It is the management of pests of plants to maximize profit, pleasure, and leisure. Plant protection involves using detailed information about plants and pests to minimise the activities of pests so that they are not economically, aesthetically or environmentally important.

What are Pests? Pests are biological organisms capable of interfering with plant production. Pests include insects, plant pathogens, weeds, birds, and mammals. When managing the application of pest control techniques the term "pest" should be used to describe all the biological organisms capable of interfering with plant production.

What is Pest Control? The objective of pest control techniques has often been 100% (kill) of the pest or annihilation. This level of "control" may not be achievable and can be biologically undesirable. In the production of clean, pest-free nursery stock, it may be a requirement and this should be achieved using a combination of pest management

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in glasshouse vegetables is now well accepted in Europe (van Lenteren and Woets, 1988; van Lenteren, 1990) but IPM in ornamentals is more experimental. However, it is clear that the trend away from purely chemical control of insects and mites in glasshouses is irreversible and that much research is now focused on non-insecticidal methods (including natural enemies) to control pests in protected ornamentals. The latter include those grown in glasshouses, greenhouses (defined here as any enclosed structure), and in plastic tunnels. This paper provides a brief overview. It has its origins in a more comprehensive report, the result of an overseas study tour by the author in 1991 (Gough, 1992).

The Two-Spotted Mite (TSM)—Tetranychus urticae. Two-spotted mite belongs to a group of eight legged plant-eating mites. The young and older mites are pale green with two dark patches on their backs. The adults are about half a millimeter in length and are best viewed with a hand lens. Their eggs are round and pearly white. Two-spotted mites suck out the cells in the leaf, causing minute, yellowish, feeding marks which may join together causing leaves to shrivel and die. Once damage occurs, it will remain, as the leaf cannot repair itself.

Two-spotted mite is a major pest of a wide range of horticultural crops. Nurserymen can suffer serious losses due to the leaf scarring and stunted growth that these mites cause. Chemical controls have been the norm until the last few years. These are becoming less reliable as mites have developed high levels of resistance to some, and at least some resistance to most, chemicals. This process has been accelerated in recent years with

In Tasmania more than six million eucalypts are established in plantations each year. The seed requirement for such a planting is quite large. Many eucalypts tend to be biennial in flowering but often flowering at much longer intervals. This causes seed production to be erratic and supply nonuniform.

The growth regulator paclobutrazol has been shown to enhance flowering and seed set in Eucalyptus (Hetherington et al., 1991). Application of paclobutrazol in late February to March can promote flower bud production (a reproductive effect) within the first year of application; whereas November application does not produce a reproductive effect until the second year after application. The aim of the current work was to examine timing effects and to broaden our knowledge of the reproductive effects of paclobutrazol application.

Micropropagation is the multiplication of plants under sterile conditions. Plant parts, including cell, bud, stem, and leaf, can be used as explant sources. The desired piece of tissue is placed on an appropriate culture medium and induced to produce shoots and roots under controlled laboratory conditions. Practical applications include the rapid multiplication of plants, the multiplication of otherwise difficult to propagate plants, and the propagation of rare and endangered species. In addition, plants in culture are easy to import and export as the small, lightweight containers are easy to handle, and contain no soil.

The bacteria disease fire blight first appeared in 1971 in Schleswig - Holstein on Crataegus monogyna and Pyrus fruit trees. It spread south, reached Hamburg in 1974, Westfalia in 1975, and finally the southern parts of Germany in 1981 (Baumm, 1989). Initial attempts at control included strict eradication of C. monogyna from windbreaks, especially in nurseries and around infested locations. Commercial production of common hawthorn was banned. These restrictions could not stop Erwinia amylovora. Nowadays people have learned to live with the disease, which is mainly found in Germany on Chaenomeles, Cotoneaster, Crataegus, Cydonia, Pyrus, and Photinia.

There are five climatic regions in Poland: the western zone, the transitory zone, the eastern zone, the southern submontane zone, and the montane zone.

The western zone has a moderately warm climate under oceanic influence, with rather mild winters and a long growing period. On average there are less than 30 days with the temperature below 0°C. The growing period reaches over 210 days, up to 218 to 220 days on the coast. Such conditions favour the introduction of many ornamental trees and shrubs known for their sensitivity to winter frosts. They include: Abies pinsapo, A. procera, Pinus pungens, Pseudolarix amabilis, Sciadopitys verticillata, Aralia elata, Castanea sativa, Paulownia tomentosa, Quercus imbricata, and even such exotic plants as Diospyros lotus and Sinarundinaria nitida can be grown occasionally.

The transitory zone has harsher climate with up to 50 days seeing temperatures below 0°C. Precipitation is the lowest in Poland, often less than 500

About 60 cultivars were bred by F. Rozanski at Podzamcze nurseries between 1896 to 1914, and over 200 new cultivars were bred and selected by A. Wróblewski at the time of his activity in Kornik, between 1926 and 1944. Unfortunately most of their cultivars were lost from cultivation. Their work was continued by many others including many interesting and valuable cultivars of: Syringa vulgaris (M. Karpow-Lipski), Rosa (L.Grabczewski and S. Zyla), and Clematis (S. Franczak and W. Noll). Of these, it is only some of the clematis cultivars that are propagated on a commercial scale outside Poland. I have found the following cultivars to be

The production unit I will discuss in this paper is the one producing plug-grown plants. U.S A. and Canadian propagators have utilized this production

Modern nursery techniques combined with market requirements for quality in quantity have created growing conditions which favour development of epidemic disease. This has been exacerbated by restrictions in pesticide usage and an associated decline in the availability of effective fungicides. This paper outlines three new developments in alternative disease control and illustrates the radical changes in disease management which will be essential for growers in the 1990s

The University of British Columbia Botanical Garden Plant Introduction Scheme (PISBG) has now resulted in the public release of 14 new cultivars, with over 5 million plants having been produced through the programme. Four of these plants are native selections: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Vancouver Jade’, Ribes sanguineum ‘White Icicle’, Potentilla fruticosa ‘Yellow Gem’, and Penstemon fruticosus ‘Purple Haze’ With the cooperation of the BC Nursery Trades Association and the BC Society of Landscape Architects, these plants have been well promoted and have now largely found their niche in the market Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Vancouver Jade’ is now the most widely-grown

Trials carried out under full commercial conditions have given comparable results to peat-based compost from propagation to liner pot and in the final 3 litre container. Indications are that fine tuning on the nursery will give improved results over peat Assessed visually by nurserymen all plants were considered to be of marketable quality. From data recordings, there were little or no significant differences between the treatments. All plants received the standard peat treatments

Weihenstephan, in Freising near Munich, is probably the biggest centre of agricultural education and research in Europe, and is known as the Green Centre of Weihenstephan Plant breeding and selection work is being carried out on most agricultural and horticultural crops and the Institute of Pomology at the Technical University is the leader in the area of woody plants. This paper is a short description of the most important introductions in recent years.

Marketing, as defined by the UK Institute of Marketing, is "the management function which organises and directs all those business activities involved in assessing and converting consumer purchasing power into effective demand for a specific product or service to the final consumer or user so as to achieve the profit, target, or other objectives set by the company."

Until recently, selling, not marketing, is what most of the nursery stock industry has done to maintain its income. However, times are rapidly changing and this paper gives some ideas about marketing based on the experience that Blooms of Bressingham has had in marketing new plants and groups of plants, then turns to the present and future.

Use this checklist to help decide whether a new plant deserves introduction: distinct from existing cultivars, attractive foliage, attractive fruits, evergreen, hardy, disease resistant, easy to grow in the garden, tolerates a wide range of soils, propagates easily, can be propagated all year round, easy to grow in nursery, flowers early in production cycle, looks well in spring, suitable for small and medium gardens, flowering over a long period, and retail price below £10. If you have a plant that meets all these criteria, you have a perfect plant and a sure winner.

It is part of a propagator's job to consider the launch of new plants. The liner producer is at the beginning of the nursery line and should offer the best range of varieties to really fit the needs of the plant market. And there is a demand for new plants.

A liner producer has many customers all over his own country and he also exports very often and sells large quantities, he is normally a good contact for the breeder of new plants.

Searching, selecting, and launching new plants is really a liner producer's job but it is not an easy one for him. He has no finished plants to show; he does not sell to a garden centre or to a landscape company but to a grower. So he is quite far from the final customer. When you want to sell a new plant you have to convince your customer, the customer of his customer, and the final consumer.

You can only do it if:

1. You are very selective on the new plants you want to launch.
2. You are very

Nantes also has a mild, coastal, Gulf Stream climate, and soil with a low limestone content, which suited many of the new plants being brought back from overseas.

Thus the current Department of Green Spaces and the Environment is continuing a tradition of enthusiasm for new plants. At Nantes these are cultivated for two reasons: as botanical collections in their own right and for utilitarian uses. The collections are

For a long while, marketing attention focused only on the product. We were in an equipment-based market which tended to react to demand, rather than make offers to stimulate it. Today, customers are increasingly selective. Our thoughts are increasingly about the customer, rather than the product, and we are increasingly doing what we call "marketing of the demand." We no longer content ourselves simply with meeting existing demand, we want to use marketing to actively develop it.

To do this we must get to know the customers, and to realise that they, too, change. Today our customers are more and more aware of ecology, but they know less and less about the techniques of gardening. They do, however, want an activity

Since 1964 all the awarded plants have been published with more or less extensive

In California, roses are field-grown on a massive scale in the central San Joaquin Valley, an area renowned for fruit production, viticulture, and nuts. The valley floor is a vast, level area of fertile soil, with a system of pipes and canals bringing water from the surrounding mountains. It is virtually frost free, and summer temperatures are consistently high. Mexican immigrant labour is freely available. Jackson and Perkins, at Wasco, currently has an annual production of 14 million roses. Other large growers such as J and M Roses and Weeks also produce several million roses per year. Possibly 70% of America's roses are produced in California and shipped bareroot to wholesalers and processors in the populated areas of the South and the Northeast.

There is an "accepted" Californian way of producing roses, which is used with only slight modifications by all the major growers. It is very different from the European system, but has been developed for an area where

As rainforests diminish, Public interest in growing them increases. This interest falls into three categories:

• Small-scale, usually urban, garden culture
• Landscaping
• Regeneration of forests

Vegetative propagation is used extensively for certain commonly grown species, such as some of the lillypillies, and the procedures used in such cases do not differ markedly from those used in producing more familiar plants (many of which are rainforest plants in their countries of origin). Many of the nursery techniques used to grow-on rainforest plants are familiar to most growers.

However, propagation of rainforest plants by seed is a relatively unknown field. Most rainforest plants in specialist nurseries are currently grown from seed, for a number of reasons:

• Where seed is readily available, large numbers can be grown economically.
• Many species are not easily propagated from cuttings, or little cutting material is available on stock plants.
• Root systems are stronger on many

Back in 1986 we wanted an alternative way to produce Clematis. With help from consultants from the Danish Nursery Association, we decided to use micropropagated plants. We had a commercial laboratory carry out the propagation and deliver the plantlets to our nursery where we would grow them into saleable plants. We built a growth room where the plants were transferred from the test tubes to soil. Our decision to use micropropagated plants was based on the following reasons:

• To have healthier plant material.
• To obtain plants better suited for production, i e. with more lateral bud breaks.
• To have available a continuous production of difficult-to-root plants.
• To have a method where we easily could mass produce new cultivars, or plants free from known diseases such as viruses.

We new this would be a large task, and began a collaboration with a commercial laboratory in Århus who would develop the protocol for micropropagation of Clematis. At the same time, we were working with plant

Plants grow by division of cells in the meristems. Normally the new cells are exact copies of the original cell, so every shoot on a plant has the same (genetic) characteristics. This also holds if the shoot is used as a cutting or in micropropagation because the vegetatively propagated plants are genetically part of the same plant.

However, mistakes may occur during cell division and so cells with new genetic characteristics appear. This is called mutation and is the basis of occurrence of off-types with characteristics other than those of the original plant.

When plants are asexually propagated, there is always a risk of diseases being transferred. This is especially a problem when the disease is caused by a virus. In the past the only way to avoid this problem was to select stock plants that were not infected. Since the beginning of the 1950s, research has shown that it is possible to inactivate viruses in plants with heat.

In the broadest possible sense, artificial seeds are a way of transferring somatic embryos or shoots from sterile tissue culture to nonsterile conditions, with or without an artificial seed endosperm. In a strict sense it is a somatic embryo with an artificial endosperm or seed coat. Thus, artificial seeds have no direct relation to the propagation method.

Redenbaugh et al. (1991) define the following four types of artificial seed:

• Uncoated, desiccated synthetic seeds
• Coated, desiccated synthetic seeds
• Coated, hydrated synthetic seeds
• Uncoated, hydrated synthetic seeds

The major research effort has been conducted with coated, hydrated synthetic seeds.

Encapsulation has several advantages over traditional acclimatization and soil establishment of somatic embryos.

1. Micropropagated plants can be delivered directly to the nursery/greenhouse without acclimatization. Acclimatization and several handling steps are saved.
2. The artificial endosperm and

At one point in our history we were pretty much left alone to pursue scientific inquiry or conduct our business as we wished. But now many people and groups have an interest in setting our agenda. Let me give some examples based on the 2½ years I spent in Washington, D C as Assistant Secretary for Science and Education. As we establish the challenges, I will suggest plans of action, so we can anticipate and plan ahead.

The U.S. agricultural system is viewed by the world as one of the outstanding products of American ingenuity. In 1950, one American farmer produced food and fiber for 27 people, in 1990, the production was for 128 people. This increased efficiency has been passed on to the consumer in the form of lower food costs. In 1950, the average

The genus Chamelaucium is endemic to Western Australia and consists of 12 species of small-to medium-sized shrubs. The foliage of most species is xerophytically adapted to a needle shape and it forms a soft green backdrop to the flowers. The genus is principally cultivated for its flowers which are 1 to 2 cm long, five-petalled, and waxy in texture. The main flowering period is winter and early spring. The waxy nature of the flowers has given rise to the common name "waxflowers" for this genus. This genus has a requirement for very sandy, well-drained soils in an open, sunny position.

The best known member of the genus is C. uncinatum, the Geraldton waxflower from the Geraldton district of Western Australia. It is popular as a shrub for cut flower use. It is widely used as a flowering garden shrub, but it is very short-lived if soil type and drainage are unsuitable. In addition, it is also popular as a flowering specimen for growing in tubs on patios, etc.

Chamelaucium

To this end, keen plants people all around the world are becoming hungry for new plant material as well as reintroducing the old. New plants are developed by: research, breeding, mutation and sports, radiation, and gene splicing. Old plants are reintroduced by: reintroduction in a new mode, using chemical retardants, using chemical enhancers, elimination of viruses, and clonal selections.

As a grower you may be blessed with a once in a lifetime find. But if you live long enough and are super sharp, you may be lucky enough to find more in a lifetime. My nursery has introduced a number of sports and I will outline the development and propagation of three of our best introductions.

Cupressus arizonica ‘Blue Ice’. I found this cultivar as a chance seedling among a line of shelter trees growing in our

It has been shown many times under controlled conditions that auxins are the applied phytohormones which consistently enhance adventitious root production. Indeed, research has shown that division of the root initial cells is dependent upon either applied or endogenous auxin (Hartmann et al., 1990.) However, knowledge of the mechanism of auxin action in adventitious rooting remains an enigma although auxin was identified as a root-forming substance as early as 1934 by Thimann and Went. This paper deals with experiments performed in our laboratory on the regulation of adventitious root initiation in mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.)R. Wilcz.]

Propagators have been grafting for thousands of years.

When I first wanted to learn to graft I obtained Hartmann and Kester's book on plant propagation and studied the pictures. This book and Garner's Handbook of Grafting are invaluable texts on the theory and styles of grafting. However after reading these books I was still not able to correctly complete a successful graft. What I needed was a detailed description of how to physically graft. That is the carpentry of grafting, as well as the reasons why. I then sought out any local propagators who would show in detail how they grafted. There were few who were willing to divulge their methods. After much trial and effort I developed a method that allowed me to make an income from contract grafting. I believe that the practical techniques used in grafting should be documented as well as the theory.

Aesculus californica ‘Canyon Pink’. To date this is the only named selection of our native buckeye. This selection has the normal attributes of the species: silver-grey bark, bright apple-green new growth that turns a pleasing mid-green as it matures, and the large brown round seeds in the fall. The distinctive feature of this cultivar is the large conch-shell pink inflorescence, and a free-flowering disposition. This tree may be grown as either a standard or a multi-trunked specimen. Established trees are drought tolerant in all but the hottest climates, but will go dormant when they are drought stressed. Specimens that are watered regularly will go deciduous in the early fall months. This outstanding selection was made by the

Treeshelters are now used in the establishment of trees in the landscape (Evans and Potter, 1985; Frearson and Weiss, 1987; Potter, 1988). These treeshelters are cylindrical or square, translucent, polypropylene tubes of varying height (usually 60 to 150 cm) which are placed around seedlings or transplants at planting time. Trials in England have shown that placing these shelters over transplanted or naturally sprouted seedlings of various species improved the seedling survival rate. Treeshelters protected seedlings from herbicidal drift and animal browsing, but their most attractive characteristic was the 60% to 600% increase in plant height (Frearson and Weiss, 1987; Potter, 1988, 1991). Growth rate increases have been attributed to the enhanced growing environment around the plant achieved with the use of the treeshelter. Increases in ambient temperature, relative humidity, and CO₂ concentration have all been suggested as probable causes for increased growth

The following conditions and considerations should be considered when implementing an IPM program in a propagation facility:

• When plants are in close proximity; pest damage can be extensive
• Pest infestations are seeded as plants are put into production
• Pest infestations are sent with the plants to other producers
• Generally fewer pests and smaller greenhouse and nursery areas are involved
• Wet conditions (misting) presents unique problems

Arthropod Pests of Plants in Propagation. Mother block, tissue culture, and rooting areas are subject to attack from the following arthropod pests:

Little information has been written about the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in ornamental nursery production systems. Nursery professionals wishing to establish an IPM program must adapt methods used on greenhouse crops or urban landscapes to their production methods. Nursery IPM is complicated by the fact that the plants do not remain stationary; they move from propagation to liners to gallons and eventually to retailers and the landscape. Mobile host plants make it complicated to track pests and difficult to restrict their spread. It is also harder to establish a balanced system of predators and parasites as is done in greenhouses, orchards, or urban landscapes.

At the University Arboretum the plants produced in our small nursery (approximately an acre) have two general destinations: the campus landscape collections (including the Arboretum) and our annual fund-raising plant sale. Plants destined for distribution to the public are treated much as they would

New Plants for Horticulture. Many countries, including Australia, have beautiful native plants that have never been brought into cultivation. Australia has a particularly large range including flowering trees; shrubs—both large and small; ground cover plants; climbers; bulbs; herbaceous perennials and annuals; and potential indoor foliage and flowering pot plants, and cut flower crops. Only a relatively small, although increasing number, of these have as yet received the hobbyists' attention, much less that of nurserymen.

Annuals and Herbaceous Perennials. Our rich range of annuals and herbaceous perennials is even less known and collected than are the woody plants. These plants respond remarkably to cultivation. In nature, the size and persistence of many of these plants is governed by the availability of moisture. The better the season the larger and more persistent the plants. However, plants rapidly hay off and disappear when moisture runs out. In cultivation on the

Integrated pest management (IPM) is an ecological pest management strategy that focuses on longterm prevention or suppression of pest problems with minimum impact on human health, the environment, and nontarget organisms. Principal components include pest identification; methods for detecting, monitoring, and predicting pest outbreaks; a knowledge of the biology of the pest and its ecological interactions with hosts, natural enemies, and competitors; and compatible methods of preventing and managing pest populations. Preferred techniques include encouraging naturally occurring biological control, using alternate plant species or cultivars that resist pests or stock that is certified pest-free, selecting pesticides with lower toxicity to humans and nontarget organisms; adoption of cultivation, pruning, fertilizing, or irrigation practices that reduce pest problems; or changing the habitat to make it incompatible with pest development. Broad spectrum pesticides are used as

A plant variety right (PVR) is an intellectual property right It is available to the breeder of a new plant variety and gives such a breeder the following rights or powers.

• The exclusive right to sell reproductive material or whole plants of the variety and collect royalties on the sales.
• The exclusive right to propagate the variety for sale This enables the breeder to control the quality of the reproductive material or plants and assists in the orderly marketing of the variety.
• The exclusive right to propagate the variety for the purpose of the commercial production of fruit or flowers. This means that orchardists and cut-flower growers who wish to propagate new plants of a protected variety themselves, can only do so with the permission of the variety owner. In most cases permission will be given provided royalties are paid.

Where breeders of protected varieties have these exclusive rights they can, if they choose, licence others to do various things. The

Over the past few years we have become increasingly aware of virus infection in summer flowering Zantedeschia hybrids in New Zealand. The only virus that has been positively identified in commercial crops is dasheen mosaic virus (DMV), a potyvirus that is widespread in aroids around the world. Although it has been possible to eliminate this virus from selected clonal material using meristem-tip culture (Cohen, unpublished data), indexing for the presence of DMV has been difficult because of low virus titre and uneven distribution in the plant.

This paper will describe some of the characters used to classify and name plant viruses, outline some of the methods used to detect (index) and identify viruses, review the literature on viruses reported to infect Zantedeschia species, and conclude with some comments on the production and maintenance of Zantedeschia cultivars free of DMV.

Since Grieve (1931) published his paper on "Rose Wilt" and "Dieback" there has been an increasing range of symptoms attributed to rose wilt virus (RWV) based on no other evidence than supposed visual similarities. Reports of occurrence have been based on observation of one or more of these various attributed symptoms. There has not been any definitive work done either on the characterisation of a viral pathogen or on whether the symptoms subsequently attributed to the disease bear any relationship to those described by Grieve. There is currently no adequate characterisation of either a virus causing a wilt of roses or of the symptoms initiated by such a causal agent. This paper surveys the literature and research on RWV and examines the hypothesis that no such virus exists.

These early Kunming reticulatas were traditionally propagated by grafting Scions were worked onto pot-grown C. reticulata or C. sasanqua seedlings. Robust, well-established, 3-year-old seedlings, 1 to 2 cm in diameter, were decapitated and either cleft, or, less-commonly rind grafted, to unite scion to rootstock. This was a costly time-consuming, labour-intensive method of propagation. However, it was most successful in producing excellent plants at a time when labour costs were not as high as they are today.

In the early 1970s, increasing costs prompted investigation into

The importance of plants and productivity has long been recognized. However, the nursery industry is in danger of being market-led to the extent that people neglect to conserve plants for use by future generations. This is evident from the trade lists that now have fewer of the more difficult to propagate and grow on plants than has been available in the past.

Throughout the world plants once considered common place are now becoming endangered. If we as propagators do not make a concerted effort to propagate and protect these plants, they will become increasingly threatened by extinction and be lost forever as a

New Zealand horticulture is not as environmentally friendly as it should be but it could become a world leader in conservation and restoration.

Most New Zealand horticulturists are responsible and concerned but we still need a watch-dog. It may not be sufficient to rely solely on the conscience of fellow growers, as our undoing may come from ignorance, complacency, and greed before irresponsibility.

This industry requires a fully integrated plan for the conservation and restoration of our environment The sooner we assume responsibility for the stewardship of remaining world resources and acknowledge the follies of the past, the better.

Several past I.P.P.S. papers dealt with related issues such as reusing poly-tunnel covers to

Less than 200 years ago there were 1.2 million ha of kauri forests in New Zealand, but today there are only about 4,000 ha left Kauri forests were extensively clearfelled and cutovers burned by the early settlers until the 1950s Since then they were selectively logged for approximately 20 years. Today all the larger remaining kauri forests are protected as reserves (Halkett, 1991).

Kauri timber is a superb textbook-grade softwood, highly esteemed by all craftsmen who have ever converted this fine wood into boats, buildings, furniture, musical instruments, etc Kauri has also been the subject of research and observation since 1885 and there have been over 600 articles written (Ecroyd, 1991 unpublished bibliography). The efforts of the New Zealand Forest Service, the indigenous forestry group at the Forest Research Institute, the Department of Conservation, various New Zealand Universities, and the general public are acknowledged.

A cursory review of past efforts to propagate

Research over the years has convinced me we can do much more to enhance plant health. Following is a compilation of some of these experiments and my comments on what they mean for the future.

In 1975 I compared several rates of each of several micronutrient fertilizers with supplements of specific elements. Midway through the growing season a heavy grasshopper population developed I considered spraying for the grasshoppers; however, we had no appropriate insecticide on hand, and by the time the pesticide arrived, I noticed an interesting trend. The grasshoppers were not feeding on the Burford

We have 4½ acres of bed space under overhead irrigation and 5 acres under low-volume irrigation. Our sales are primarily to other nurseries who intend to grow the tree to a larger size and to landscapers.

For the past three years, plants have been exhibiting a variety of abnormalities that have been described by researchers and Florida's Division of Plants Industry as the "Benlate Syndrome ". The cause of the problem is elusive and baffling. The number of explanations is as varied as the people expressing views. Countless hours are being spent trying to find the cause and to develop mitigation techniques, so far without any real success. All concerned agree that there are plant abnormalities and that the impact is widespread.

The symptoms of the syndrome are lack of plant growth; failure to flower or if they do flower, failure of fruit or seeds to mature properly, distortion of foliage shape and color, chlorosis; cabbage-head growth; lack of sturdiness of plant stems; club-like growth of root tips; dead areas in roots behind healthy tips, excessive

Nurserymen growing fruit trees generally need to become masters of a wide range of propagation methods and cloning techniques. The larger the range of plant types grown, the greater the number of propagation methods needed. Proficiency must be achieved in the following plant propagation methods used throughout the nursery industry: seedling, cuttings, marcotting (aerial layering), grafting, budding and to a lesser extent micropropagation (tissue culture).

For any fruit tree nursery to maintain commercial viability in today's competitive market place, an estimated 70% propagation success rate is required to break even, with the additional 30% providing the profit. In fact, success rates over 90% must be consistently achieved for long-term profitability and survival.

Seedling production is generally limited to rootstock production for future grafting although some Carica and Passiflora species are field planted as seedlings. Polyembryonic Mangifera and Garcinia species

The environmental awareness of society necessitates that nursery operators understand and justify the nutrient management strategies used in production of container-grown plants. Due to the large amount of fertilizer used in container-plant production, nutrient runoff is a potential source of surface and groundwater pollution Wright and Yeager (1980) have demonstrated that NO₃-N leaches from a pine bark medium fertilized with ammonium nitrate and Yeager et al. (1980) determined that ‘Helleri’ holly grown in a pine bark medium and fertilized once a week with 300 ppm nitrogen (N) in the irrigation water utilized 19% of the N applied. In further studies by Yeager (unpublished) 31% of N, surface-applied as Osmocote (18–6–12), was used by dwarf yaupon holly (plant plus medium) grown in a greenhouse for 26 weeks. Hershey and Paul (1982) evaluated N loss from chrysanthemum containers fertilized with a surface application of Osmocote (14–14–14) and found that 15% to 29% of the N

The people in your organization will determine your company's ability to grow and expand Quality personnel will not only improve efficiency and reduce labor costs but also free owners and operators to do much-needed travel. I am often asked how our company locates and keeps quality personnel. I consider quality people one of our major strengths.

Abelia × grandiflora ‘Confetti’ Abelia × grandiflora ‘Sherwoodii’ provided a cream-margined branch sport that was named ‘Confetti’ by Jim Berry, Flowerwood Nursery, Mobile, Alabama. It is compact and mounding with foliage that will brighten shady areas of the garden. Cold weather induces a pinkish to rose tinge to the creamy variegated areas. Ideally, it should be used in mass for maximum effect. I estimate it at 2 to 2½ ft high and 3 to 4 ft wide at maturity.

Acer buergerianum The trident maple is a plant I have mentioned many times for use in hot, dry, stress-laden environments. The lustrous dark green foliage, gray-orange-brown bark, and restrained, 20- to 30-ft growth habit are

Stark Bro's Nurseries and Orchards Co. is 176 years old and currently produces and markets 1.5 million fruit trees annually. We market many more small fruit, ornamental, and hardgood items through our mail order, wholesale, and commercial-orchard sales operations, but the production and sale of fruit and nut trees is the backbone of our business.

With home offices at Louisiana, Missouri, the company maintains nearly 1,200 acres of field production operations in Missouri, Illinois, and California. We are most noted for the development of the red and golden delicious apple cultivars that together account for 60% of the world's current apple production.

Stark Bro's current product offering includes 207 cultivars of deciduous fruits

At Southern Perennials and Herbs in southwest Mississippi, we propagate all of our perennials. Herbaceous perennials maybe propagated year-round in the Deep South. Cuttings may be propagated during the growing season. Divisions and root cuttings are usually made during the dormant season. Seeds may be germinated all year.

In 1988 we had twelve 24- × 95-ft quonset houses that would hold about 600,000 cuttings. We wanted to expand our production area with the minimum monetary expense. In considering ideas from local propagators Don Shadow, Freddy Alonso, Carl Bauer, and Milton Schaefer, and those seen on I.P P S tours at Turkey Creek and Simpson Nursery, a small 4- × 95-ft quonset bed seemed to be the most cost-effective.

Some of these bed designs have used landscape timbers or concrete for sideboards and metal conduit pipe or concrete reinforcement wire for the arches to support the plastic. The price of these products varies greatly, but usual costs are: landscape timbers, $48/bed; concrete reinforcement wire, $40/bed; ½-in metal conduit, $35/bed. Concrete varies with just how much is used.

We took this concept and simplified it

In my 20 years as a member of this society, I have read more papers and heard more questions about root-promoting chemicals than any other subject. Members have eagerly tested chemicals and formulations, but none has been as effective as indolebutyric acid (IBA) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) (Dirr, 1981, Dirr and Heuser, 1987).

A major hurdle to the development of new root-promoting chemicals, particularly in the United States, is the EPA registration process. The chemical must undergo screening for toxicity to a wide range of organisms. Since the root-promoting chemicals are categorized as minor-use compounds, companies are not enthusiastic about spending the necessary money to bring them to market. A recent estimate placed the cost between 4 and 10 million dollars for the introduction of a new non-food chemical like IBA.

IBA and NAA are legally registered for use in plant propagation. Theoretically, plant propagators cannot buy and use the actual chemicals. They must

Our propagation houses are 14- × 96-ft double-poly quonset houses. They are vented with 24-in. exhaust fans and have 37- × 63-in intake shutters that are thermostatically controlled. The houses are heated with 130,000 BTU Modine fan or blower-type gas-fired heaters. Two of our propagation houses have benches with bottom heat that can be used for propagation of rhododendrons.

Our benches are made of treated

We begin taking our cuttings in spring, after the first flush of new growth has hardened off to where a stem snaps when bent. This is usually in mid-May We start with the more difficult cultivars. The earlier we can start with a good cutting the better. Our rooting percentage is best if we can get roots before extreme summer heat.

In addition to all native azaleas, some azalea cultivars I like to start with are: Snow, Christmas Cheer, Hinodegiri, Delaware Valley White, Hino, Crimson, and Mother's Day.

We take spring cuttings of all hardy cultivars of Kurumes, Glendales, Girards, Satsuki and similar azaleas, and less hardy but slower-growing cultivars like Red Ruffles. We also take spring cuttings of indica-like cultivars such as Kate Arendall, Jennifer, and Amy that tend not to grow well with the indicas.

We take 3– to 4–in cuttings from healthy plants with good nutrition levels. Avoid cuttings that are too fat or too thin, as the fatter ones tend not to root as fast and the

At Greenleaf Nursery in Park Hill, Oklahoma, we use two main methods of propagating Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), softwood cuttings and grafting. Although we are constantly experimenting with new techniques, the basic ideas remain the same.

We grow four main cultivars ‘Bloodgood’, ‘Oshio-beni’, ‘Ever Red’, and ‘Viridis’. Only two of these, ‘Bloodgood’ and ‘Oshio-beni’, produce a good enough root system to suit our needs when they are grown on their own roots. The other two cultivars are grafted because they root poorly and develop weak root systems when they do root.

Nandina propagation is not very difficult; however, as in any propagation procedure attention to detail can make the difference between success and failure. Prior to propagation the beds and walks are sprayed with a 16 to 1 solution of water and bleach. The mist nozzles are cleaned and checked for coverage. Further prevention of pathogens is provided by a chlorine gas injection system at the propagation pumphouse.

Nandina cuttings are collected from container plants and field-grown stock plants in October. The cuttings are then submerged in a captan solution and cut to a length of 2½ to 3 in with terminal shoots removed The wood should be reddish, and from current season's growth. We remove lower leaves, leaving the two terminal leaflets. On some of the larger-leaved nandinas it

Solid waste management of urban yard wastes and agricultural animal wastes have become environmental concerns in the United States, and composted wastes are being targeted for use in the nursery industry as potting components. The usefulness of these composts to the nursery industry needs to be evaluated.

Most recently the amount

Pendulum WDG (pendimethalin) is a recent registration from American Cyanamid Company Pendulum WDG herbicide is recommended for preemergence control of annual grasses and small-seeded broadleaved weeds, including henbit, Florida pusley, prostrate spurge, and yellow woodsorrel. The area to be treated should be weed free at the time of treatment. Normal use rate is 2 to 4 lb ai/A, and weed control is most effective when application is followed with one-half inch of rainfall, or its equivalent, in sprinkler irrigation. This product is toxic to fish, and caution should be used in areas around water. Southern Weed Grass Control (pendimethalin) is a similar product in the granular formulation.

Pennant 5G (metolachlor) has undergone extensive expansion of

The key to vegetative propagation is the propagator. Specific recommendations of rooting hormones are not enough to produce uniform stands of plants. The selection of cutting wood, handling technique, hormone rate, hormone application method, as well as propagation environment are the tools of the propagator. Success depends on how the cutting responds to the process of propagation.

Selection of hormone material and strength at Cottage Hill Nursery is carefully reviewed for every crop each time we begin its propagation.

We propagate over six million plants a year. The various market demands necessitate that some propagation houses have more than one cultivar and even more than one species, further complicating the propagation procedure.

The rooting characteristics of hollies vary widely. Mixing a house of hollies under intermittent mist demands the correct

The Hazardous Communications Laws or Right-to-Know laws were written to reduce the possibility of chemically caused illnesses and injuries and to give physicians the information they need to diagnose and treat pesticide poisonings. By committing to follow the guidelines of the Hazcom Laws, your nursery is making a commitment to your employee health and welfare through education and continued safety awareness.

Where you live will dictate whether or not you are required to follow additional regulations in your state Hazcom Law, if it has one. All nurseries must

The rose processing industry began to grow rapidly during the late 1940s and 1950s when growers started using cold storage facilities and plastic bags for packaging. In addition, the process of wrapping rose plant roots in paper and inserting them into plastic wrappers with the label was mechanized in the 1960s. Today, approximately 16 million plants are processed locally for mass

Of all the many national tree planting programs, the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN) believes that three have great potential to benefit nurserymen, plant propagators, researchers, and horticulturists. I'll briefly describe what each of these programs is trying to accomplish and how each one works. I'll also tell you whom to contact for more information and give you an idea of what these programs can mean to you.

In vitro regeneration of modern roses from explants other than preformed meristematic buds has been difficult. Successful shoot multiplication in vitro has been achieved on a few modern rose cultivars using shoot tips and axillary buds (Bressan, 1982; Douglas, 1989; Hasegawa, 1980).