HORT 429

Pests: I only noticed one new bug since last week on my pest strip. The application of Azatin and Decathlon last week appears to have worked well. Azatin was applied at the rate of 16oz/100gal. It will control the nymph stages of aphids and the pupal and larvel stages of thrips. The Decathlon was applied at a rate of 1.9oz/100gal. It will control the nymph and adult stages of aphids, adult and larval stages of thrips, as well as the adult stages of fungus gnats. This is a good thing for my Easter lilies as they do not enjoy being eaten by bugs.

Nutrition: Today I took the EC and PH readings for the Sophie Ivy geraniums and Easter lilies. The EC for the geraniums was 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6 and the PH was 6.1, 6 , and 6.2. The Easter lilies EC was 0.4, 0.7, and 1 and the PH was 6.5, 6.4, and 6.6.

Growth: For some reason, my measurements showed no overall change in height since last week on all plants; except my Easter Lilies which had flower buds that were one line taller than last week when measured on the paper scale.
Cultural treatments: I sprayed B-nine on all of the mums at a rate of 2500 ppm. On all of our geraniums we sprayed pgr Florel at 350 ppm and removed any dead leaves and flower buds. I tied a second string grid around the snapdragons’ cage for support and removed all the blind shoots from my azaleas. I measured the buds on my Easter lilies - they were at line 5 on my measuring chart, which means they will bloom in 17 days.

Pests: This week I observed nine total pests on my pest strip, all of them were fungus gnats. There was only one more this week than last week. The Marathon granular systemic insecticide appears to have worked on the pests and has not caused the plants to show signs of injury. The Easter lilies were subjected to a sprench of Gnatrol to control fungus gnats.

Nutrition: Today I took the EC and PH readings for the snapdragons and the Boston Jr. ferns. The PH for the snapdragons was 7.1, 6.2, 6.6, and 6.0. The EC was 0.6, 2.1, 4.25, 1.25. The PH for the Boston Jr. ferns was 6.2, 6.3, and 6.1 and the EC readings were 1.7, 1.1, and 1.2. I watered the snapdragons with 200 ppm 15-16-17 and I watered the Boston Jr. ferns with 200 ppm 20-10-20.

Growth: My Boston Jr. ferns had new fronds, but I could not tell that they had had significant growth. However, the chives were 1.5 cm taller than they were last week. The Tango Dark geraniums were 13 cm tall and 15 cm wide while the Sophie Cascade Ivy geraniums were 13 cm tall and 56 cm wide. The Miramar chrysanthemum exemplar was 13 cm tall and 34 cm wide. My Snapdragon mix turned out to be 28 cm tall and 50 cm wide.

Cultural treatments: The chives and the ferns were spaced on six inch centers while the zonal geraniums, mums, azaleas, Easter lilies were spaced on twelve inch centers. The only plant to be placed on 24 inch centers were the Sophie Cascade Ivy geraniums. I moved my mums to my bench to begin the short day photo period - they are no longer on night interruption lighting.

The Sophie Cascade geraniums received a soft pinch on the main branch of each plant. I also attached hangers to the hanging basket that they are currently growing in. I removed any flower buds from all my geraniums. I potted three azaleas - one Prize, one Scarlet, and one Pink Angora. I removed all of their blind shoots in order to ensure a brilliant floral display when they bloom.

On one of my Easter lilies, I had visible bud large enough to measure and it came up to line four on my measuring card. This corresponds to twenty days until flowering, which is well before Easter. Two of my Easter lilies flower buds were too small to measure.

Pests: This week I observed Eight total pests on my pest strip, all of them were fungus gnats. There were more this week than there were last week. Many of the other students seem to have more pests on their plants than I do. My hypothesis is that by keeping my media drier than most, the gnats are inclined to infest their pots instead of mine.

Nutrition: Today I took the EC and PH readings for the Tango Zonal Geraniums and the Roanoke Mums. The PH for the Tango Zonal Geraniums was 6.1, 6.0, and 6.2 while the EC was 1.2, 1.4, and 1.2. The PH for the Roanoke Mums was 5.5, 5.8, and 5.6 while the EC readings were 5.8, 5.5, and 5.

Growth: Today we potted up some Onion Chives. I put five plugs in each of the four 4.5″ pots. We planted them in Sunshine #1 Media and ferterlized them with 200 ppm 15-16-17. The Tango Dark geraniums were on average 10 cm tall and 16 cm wide while the Sophie Cascade Ivy geraniums were 11 cm tall and 40 cm wide. The Miramar chrysanthemum exemplar (after cutting) was 11 cm tall and 26 cm wide. My Snapdragon mix was 17 cm tall and 45 cm wide.

Cultural treatments: After re-spacing them, I looked all over my potted Geraniums as well as my Sophie Cascade Ivy Geraniums for flowers and removed all that I found, along with dead leaves. I then sprayed all of my Geraniums with pgr Florel at 350ppm. I pinched my Mums today, leaving only seven nodes per plant. I removed all the dead leaves and detritus from the Mums and left them under the black cloth to continue night interruption lighting. The Snapdragons got a string grid support today, this will help them grow up nice and straight.

This week in lab we were busy potting all types of snapdragons and ferns. Of the snapdragons, five cultivars were planted; ‘Potomac Appleblossom’, ‘Cherry Rose’, ‘Early Orange’, ‘Early Pink’ and ‘Early Rose’. We planted two graded, rooted cuttings of each cultivar in each 14 inch pot with two pots with 10 plugs per pot; with Sunshine #1 media mix. We watered them in with 200ppm 15-16-17.

Of the ferns, we had four cultivars: ‘Boston Junior’, ‘Emerald Vase Fern’, ‘Southern Maidenhair fern’, ‘Rosy Maidenhair fern’. We potted one plant per five inch pot with two pots per cultivar for a total of eight pots. Planted in sunshine LC#1 and watered with 200ppm 20-10-20.

We removed any flower buds on our geraniums. I also took EC and pH readings on my Miramar Mum and Avendia Geranium. The mums had an average EC of 5.5 and an average ph of 6.15. the geraniums had an average EC of 1.9 and an average pH of 6.3.

My measurements were taken from the first plant in each row, closest to the door. The ‘Avendia Mosaic Red’ was 9cm at its tallest point and 21cm at its widest. The ‘Tango Deep Red’ was 10cm at its tallest point and 16cm at its widest. The ‘Sophie Cascade’ in the hanging pot was 12cm at its tallest point and 44cm at its widest.

There were three gnats on my pest strip.

below is a picture of the snapdragons, and farther below is a picture of the ferns.

This week in lab we were busy potting, all types of mums and geraniums. Of the mums, two cultivars were planted; ‘Roanoke’ and ‘Miramar’. We planted three pots of each cultivar, with five graded, rooted cuttings in each six inch azalea pot; with ProMix Bx AP mix. We watered them in with 300ppm 20-10-20.

Of the geraniums, we had two types: ivy geraniums and zonal geraniums. The ivy geranium is cultivar ‘Sophie Cascade’, and we planted two hanging baskets (10in.) full of it, placing six rooted, graded cuttings into the ProMix Bx. We watered them in with 200ppm 15-16-17. The zonal geranium consisted of two cultivars: ‘Tango Deep Red’ and ‘Avendia Mosaic Red’. We planted three pots of each cultivar and watered with the same.

We were issued some Easter Lillies, three pots to be exact. We watered them with 200ppm 15-0-15.

My measurements were taken from the first plant in each row, closest to the door. The ‘Avendia Mosaic Red’ was 10cm at its tallest point and 19cm at its widest. The ‘Tango Deep Red’ was 13cm at its tallest point and 14cm at its widest. The ‘Sophie Cascade’ in the hanging pot was 10cm at its tallest point and 34cm at its widest.

My name is Matt Pollard, and I am hopefully going to graduate in December, which is also near my birthday. I am 24 years old, and I grew up in Houston. I enjoy the outdoors and everything that entails: hiking, hunting, fishing, driving, etc. I love all things Jeep, and I was the president of the Jeep Owners of College Station 2006/2007. My horticulture experience is minimal and includes owning a small time lawn care business in high school. During college I did about a one year internship at Pebble Creek golf course, working for the course maintenance crew. I have changed majors several times so far, from turf grass management, to landscape design to Hort. I need more greenhouse experience because my eventual goal is to own and manage several greenhouses, possibly overseas. I look forward to developing the skills that I need to make that happen in this class.

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