Greenhouse TPM/IPM Bi-Weekly Report Central Maryland Research and Education Center Ellicott City, Maryland

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1 Greenhouse TPM/IPM Bi-Weekly Report Central Maryland Research and Education Center Ellicott City, Maryland January 20, 2012 From: Stanton Gill, Extension Specialist IPM for Greenhouse and Nurseries, Central Maryland Research and Education Center, University of Maryland Extension Karen Rane, Extension Specialist, Director of the Plant Diagnostic Clinic, University of Maryland Extension Andrew Ristvey, Extension Specialist, Wye Research and Education Center, University of Maryland Extension Suzanne Klick, Technician, CMREC, University of Maryland Extension Welcome To The 2012 Season After a season like 2011, with a rainy April and hot summer, everyone is looking forward to The good news is that, so far, the winter is very mild and heating fuel costs have come down. Chesapeake Green 2012 The Chesapeake Green Symposium is coming up on February 9 and 10, There will be several greenhouse topics offered at this conference. If you know of someone starting a new greenhouse business we are holding a special session for new greenhouse operations with a presentation by Shane and Tom Wheeler. The Wheeler s will share the things they have learned in starting up a new greenhouse based on their real-life experiences. For more about the program, go to chesapeakegreen.org. Greenhouse Bus Tour The Maryland Greenhouse Growers Association (MGGA) has set up a tour of two greenhouse operations, Plainview Greenhouses and Lucas Greenhouses, in New Jersey for February 8, The bus will leave from the Maritime Institute (near BWI airport) and return in the evening. See page 4 for details. Program topics include: Are you a Fierce Competitor? Extreme Service = Extreme Customer Profits Production Automation Does it Make Sense for Your Operation, Big or Small? Keeping Your Business Green - Recycling Programs that Work! Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone with Confidence Biocontrols in the Nursery - Something New to Consider Invasive Species - Maryland Hot Topic Update Top 7 Beneficials for Battling Interior Plant Pests The ABC s of Pesticide Safety Indoors What s Eating My Plants Now? What s Wrong With My Plants? - Diary of an IPM Scout Growing Pains: Starting Up a New Greenhouse Operation The Social Network is Your Friend! From Facebook to Twitter - Getting Your Word Out It s Raining Profits - Ideas, Hardgoods, and Plants to Stock for Creating Rain Gardens New and Old, but Underused Perennials What s Hot! New Selections from Syngenta, Proven Winners and Selecta/Ball FloraPlant Top 10 Annuals Road Map for Success Lesser Used Perennials with Wow Factor Disease and Insect Pest Update New Problems to Watch For Hands on ID of Major Disease and Insects of Greenhouse Plants The Toughest Weeds in the Landscape and Nursery - What to do? Maintaining Water Gardens and Small Ponds Pesticide recertification credit approved for Maryland, D.C., West Virginia, Delaware and Virginia. Three nutrient management credits available for MD. Go to for details.

2 Using a Square Reader to Accept Credit Cards for Purchases At the January 10th cut flower growers meeting held at the Maryland Department of Agriculture in Annapolis, taking credit cards for payment was discussed. Several growers are using Square (squareup.com) with their smartphones for these transactions. It can also be used on tablets. The Square reader comes free when you sign up with the company and you can buy additional or replacement readers at local stores including The Apple Store ($5) and Target ($10). It costs nothing to sign up and there are no monthly fees. You only pay when you use it. There is a 2.75% fee per credit card swipe. Several growers pointed out that an advantage of this system is that the money is received within a day or two. To sign up, you will need to provide bank account information and your social security number. Customers can use Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. Growers do not need to have an account with each credit card company. For transactions over $25, customers can sign the screen with their finger. No receipts are printed, but a receipt can be sent electronically to the customer. In some cases, you may need to do a handwritten receipt. Cell phone or wifi connectivity is needed. These types of apps and devices are something to consider especially for smaller operations. The legal agreement for Square is available at Check on-line for similar services and devices that may be available. Getting the Greenhouse Into Top Form With Integrated Pest Management Sometimes we need to think back on the basics of IPM and do a quick review. The season is getting started for bedding and pot plant production. Now is a good time to take a quick look around your greenhouse and see what you can do at this time of year to reduce insect, mite and disease problems. First Look around the greenhouse floors and make sure that weeds are being taken out either by hand weeding or with labeled contact herbicides. When the weeds are pulled up, make sure they are bagged and removed from the greenhouse. Weeds such as bittercress (Bararea vulgaris), pigweed (Amaranthus), sorrel (Oxalis), chickweed (Stellaria media), and ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) are weeds on which aphids, whitefly and thrips will feed in the greenhouse. Several of these weeds serve as a potential inoculum source for viruses vectored by aphids and western flower thrips. Second Look around the greenhouse and see if there is plant material left over from last season. Move all old plants and pet plants out of the greenhouse. They are potential sources of insects and mite problems. Place sticky cards up after the greenhouse is empty to determine whether winged aphids, whitefly or thrips are still present in the greenhouse. Set up the cards before you move plants into the greenhouse. Disinfecting the Greenhouse Every greenhouse manager knows the importance of disinfecting a greenhouse, but as things get busy this practice may fall onto the A blue sticky card in a geranium crop. back burner. The objective is to reduce the movement of pathogens Blue is often used to monitor for thrips. and pests on tools, mechanical equipment, flats, pots and bench 2 Pigweed growing under bench. There is some stippling damage on foliage.

3 surfaces. It is a good idea to slow the development of resistance by rotating your use of disinfectants. Here are some of the disinfectants that should be part of the rotation: Hydrogen Dioxide sold under the brand name ZeroTol. Hydrogen dioxide can be used as a surface sanitizer for greenhouse structures, benches, pots, and tools. Use the ratio of one part hydrogen dioxide to 49 parts water. Quaternary Ammonium Chloride Salt sold under the names Greenshield, Physan 20 and Prevent. The quaternary salts are much more stable than chlorine bleach and alcohol but they are inactivated by organic material. Flats and pots should have all organic material removed before disinfecting. Soak objects for 10 minutes for proper disinfecting. Chlorine Bleach sold under many brand names. This is one of most widely used disinfectants and the cheapest in price. Once it is mixed with water it must be used within 2 hours or the chlorine will evaporate as chlorine gas. A 0.5 % final solution will kill most microbes. To obtain a 0.5% concentration use one part bleach in 10 parts water. Starting the season with a clean, weed-free greenhouse is a key to success in keeping insects and diseases down this season. The time to do this clean-up is now before things get really busy and you barely have time to do anything other than keep plants moving through the greenhouse and out to the marketplace. Revised Perennial Manual (EB 359) Is Available We have finished the revisions for the manual, Total Plant Management of Herbaceous Perennials: With an emphasis on plant nutrition, managing growth, and breaking the cycle of weeds, insects and diseases through Integrated Pest Management (IPM). A copy is available on-line at Printed copies are also available for sale. See page 5 for the order form. If you are attending the Chesapeake Green program, the perennial manual will be available for sale at the conference price of $20. 3

4 aryland reenhouse rowers ssociation A Pre-Chesapeake Green Event! Feb 8 th 6am 8pm The Maryland Greenhouse Growers Association and Maryland Extension Service proudly present the 1 st Annual Grower to Grower tour! Join us as we journey by chartered transport, leaving from the Baltimore Maritime Institute to visit with 2 special greenhouse growers in New Jersey and returning in the evening. Lucas Greenhouses - Monroeville, NJ. Operating over 800,000 sq. ft. of state of the art greenhouses using flood floor technology and just about every bell and whistle available. Lucas is a vegetative rooting station for Syngenta Flowers and produce pre-finished and finished material for the independent garden centers and wholesale growers. Plainview Growers - Allamuchy, NJ. A top 100 grower in the country for plug production. Plainview is growing Greener growing, pelletizing and burning Miscanthus grass to heat the greenhouses. Your Day includes chartered transport bus with a bathroom facility on board. Box Lunch / snacks / Dinner Cost: MGGA members only $25! Non-MGGA members $40 Name: MGGA member? YES Name: MGGA member? YES NO Cost : $25 member $40 non-member Your MGGA Dues At Work! NO Please Remit check to: MGGA P.O. Box 1262 Beltsville, MD

5 Perennial Manual (revised edition) is now available! Cost: $25 (includes shipping) Total Plant Management of Herbaceous Perennials (EB 359) Order Form Name: Company: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Phone: MC Visa Discover American Express Credit Card #: Expiration date: Security code: Name on card: Signature of cardholder: Number of Books Ordered: Total Payment Enclosed If paying by check, please make checks payable to University of Maryland Mail to: Homewood Road, Ellicott City, MD You can also fax your order with credit card info to

6 Upcoming Programs: Chesapeake Green 2012: A Horticulture Symposium February 8, a bus tour of two greenhouses in New Jersey February 9 and 10, Lectures at the Maritime Institute, Linthicum Heights, MD Go to chesapeakegreen.org for more information on the talks and the registration information. Invasive Species Program March 21, 2012 Location: Carroll Community College, Westminster, MD Contact: Suzanne Klick, The information given herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by University of Maryland Extension is implied. Read labels carefully before applying any pesticides. Photographs are by Suzanne Klick, Shannon Wilhelm and Stanton Gill unless stated otherwise. University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, gender, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, or national origin. 6