Monitoring Greenhouse Nutrient Solutions for Poinsettias
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Project Leaders: Jana Lamboy, NYS IPM Program
Walter Nelson, Chemung County CCE
Karen Hall, Erie County CCE
Elise Schillo-Lobdell, IPM Scout, Syracuse
Cooperators: Tom Weiler, Horticulture Department, Cornell University
The managers and owners of 15 greenhouse operations
Julian Malone, intern from the University of Adelaide
Type of Grant: Cultural methods; sanitation; physical controls, Training practitioners to use IPM techniques
Project locations:
Bakers Acres, Inc, North Lansing
Barone Gardens, Cicero
Cornell University Floriculture Program, Ithaca
Ken Henry & Sons, Hamburg
Lisa's Greenhouse, Orchard Park
Lockwood's Greenhouse, Hamburg
Mischler's Florist, Williamsville
Mitchell Farms, Alden
Morroni's Greenhouse, Elmira
Plantscape Horticultural, Inc., Elmira Heights
Rudy's Greenhouse Inc, Elmira
Schaefer's Gardens, Triangle
Stella Ireland Gardens, Binghamton
WD Henry & Sons, Eden
Zerrillo's Greenhouses, East Syracuse
Abstract: Many greenhouse managers do not fully comprehend the relationship between crop fertility and ground water pollution, and impacts of fertility on pest & disease. Better management of fertilization improves crop quality and reduces nutrients lost to the ground(water). We tested pH and soluble salts weekly during the Poinsettia growing season, and sent off soil and foliar samples to Peters for lab analysis. In general, the growers highly valued the project because cultural errors were caught early. Several of them will continue the monitoring in the future; the others would like a professional to do it for them. We need to extend understanding of the importance of monitoring nutrient solutions to other greenhouse operations, and also to revise the Poinsettia crop production guide for New York.