The Plant Producer Newsletter

Another edition of UF/IFAS Exension's The Plant Producer Newsletter is now out.  There are some articles about downy mildew on impatiens, solarizing to recycle used potting soil, a few horticultural research updates, a new resource for IPM of rose, camellia, and other major shrubs, gardens of the Big Bend: A New Botanical and Teaching Garden in North Florida, information about collecting old pesticides with operation cleansweep, and one Core CEU article.  You can find it here at this link  http://tiny.cc/PlantProdWinter2015

Systems-based Pest Management Publication

I like the opening lines in this new publication from University of Tennessee; "Want to know the most inexpensive way to control pest?  Prevent them!!"  This is a new publication on an approach to controlling pest problems across the nursery as a whole and specifically how that can be done.  This is a good read to bring up some ideas that you might not be aware of or practices that you may not be implementing at the nursery.  The publication discusses ways pests can be dealt with at critical control points during the different stages of production to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to pest control.  This method of pest control achieves a minimization of economic loss due to pest control.  To take a look at this publication here is the link.  https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/PB1825.pdf

Floriculture Outlook for Florida

Here is a new publication on the outlook of the Florida floriculture industry that might help out with you future marketing and production planning.  We are seeing a bit of an uptick in the industry which is following the housing and development industry.  Here is your link to the article entitiled "Floriculture Crops Economic Outlook for 2014" by Dr. H. Khachatran, et. al.  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FE/FE94100.pdf

New Insects and Factsheets

Photo credit:  Holly Glenn

Here are a couple of new insects to be on the look out for.  One insect is the Rugose spiraling whitefly.  This insect has been found in most of the coastal counties in Florida south of I-4.  This insect is extremely problematic in the amount of honeydew, sticky wax, sooty mold and dead insects that can accumulate on leaves and drop down to surfaces below.  The insect has a spiraling pattern of egg laying which is rather distinctive.  Here is a link to the new publication.  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN/IN101500.pdf
There is also a list of host plants that you can click on in the online version of the publication.

Photo credit:  Anita Neal

Another new insect is the Sri Lankan weevil.  This little weevil has a big appetite for plants and has a rather large host range.  Over 150 plants are on the menu for this insect!  Typical damage is seen on the margins of leaves being notched.  This insect also has been found in most counties south of I-4.  Here is a factsheet on it. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN/IN101600.pdf

New Factsheet in Spanish for Glyphosate Applications

I often visit nurseries and see glyphosate being applied over generously and wanted to help growers keep some of their chemical costs in their own pockets.  We created a factsheet to help out with that problem.  I also wanted to let the applicators understand the issue so we translated the factsheet into Spanish.  Here are the two factsheets to help apply glyphosate correctly.

Proper Use and Handling in Plant Nurseries (English) edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep459
Uso Apropriado y Manipulacion de Glifosato en Viveros de Plantas (Spanish) edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep470

Environmental Horticulture Production Newsletter Spring 2012

The latest edition of the Environmental Horticulture Production Newsletter Spring Edition is now out. Read about new pests, 2012 gardening trends, upcoming events, and more. For more information please click on the following link and enjoy!

http://tiny.cc/EHPNSpring2012

New Nursery/Greenhouse Publications From UF/IFAS

I read this from Dave Palmer's Blog.  Very interesting new publications from IFAS for the Nursery Industry.

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Dave


Dieffenbachia Diseases: Identification and Control in Commercial Greenhouse Operations (PP286)

Dieffenbachia is among the top 10 most popular plants produced by commercial foliage growers in Florida. This 4-page fact sheet provides guidelines to identify and treat diseases that may be encountered during the commercial production of Dieffenbachia. Written by David Norman and published by the UF Department of Plant Pathology, October 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp286



Using Gibberellic Acid and Ethephon to Induce Flowers on Tropical Foliage Plants (ENH1186/EP447)

Even though they are prized for their beautiful leaves, flowers are induced in tropical foliage plants for breeding and for marketing purposes. This 6-page fact sheet discusses several factors to consider when developing protocols for inducing blooms in tropical foliage crops. Written by R. J. Henny and J. Chen, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, October 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep447


‘Jon Jon’ Magnolia: A Late-Flowering Deciduous Magnolia for Northern Florida (ENH1192 /EP453)

This large-flowered, hybrid, deciduous magnolia flowers profusely in late spring, about two weeks after most saucer magnolias, but before foliage emerges. This allows ‘Jon Jon’ to miss spring freezes that often damage saucer and other spring-flowering magnolias. This 2-page fact sheet was written by Gary W. Knox and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, October 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep453


Emerald Ash Borer: A Potential Future Threat to Ash Trees in Florida (FOR284/FR346)

Do not move firewood into or around the state! This invasive exotic beetle kills ash trees and is likely to reach Florida in the years to come — or faster if it gets transported by humans. Learn more in this 5-page fact sheet was written by Don Spence and Jason Smith, and published by the UF Department of School of Forest Resources and Conservation, August 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr346


Nursery Crop Selection and Market Niches (ENH1194/EP455)

The ultimate success of an ornamental production operation hinges on the ability of that operation to successfully understand which genera, species, and/or cultivars to grow on a year-to-year basis. This 5-page fact sheet describes several important factors that must be considered in order to properly assess which ornamental crops should be grown and which market niches exist that may dictate crop selection. Written by Gary Knox and Matthew Chappell and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, October 2011. UF/IFAS Photo by Josh Wickham.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep455

Environmental Horticulture Production Newsletter Release

The latest edition of the Nationally Awarded (National Association of County Ag Agents Communication Awards-Individual Newsletter National Finalist 2011) Environmental Horticulture Production Newsletter is now out.  Read about testing pH, industry updates, chemical updates, irrigation saving devices, state of the industry, and more.  For more information please click on the following link and enjoy! 
http://tiny.cc/EHPNSummer2011

Winter Newsletter

For those of you who may not know already the winter edition of the Environmental Horticulture Production Newsletter is out. You can access the information by going to the Hillsborough County Extension website. Then click on the link for the Winter 2011 Newsletter. Here is the link to the publication for your reading enjoyment.

http://hillsborough.extension.ufl.edu/Ag/AgOrnProd/OrnamentalProduction.html