Through the state cooperative extension system, Maria is able to contact an ornamental entomologist via email with some basic questions about her crop very soon after she notices the early symptomology. She attaches images and a copy of her scouting records to her e-mail query.
Description Maria’s water source is municipal water from a neighboring township. She maintains records of the Water Quality reports sent to her on a yearly basis, but decides to send in a sample to a commercial analytical lab, MDS Harris, in Lincoln, Nebraska since her last report is more than eight months old. To complete…
Description A plant tissue analysis offers a snapshot of the plant’s tissue nutrient content at the time of sampling. An early analysis allows for deficiencies and toxicities to be detected, and proper corrective actions to be implemented before permanent physiological damage occurs. Unless otherwise specified, the youngest fully-expanded lead should be sampled. Maria decides to…
A Case Study to Determine the cause of Chlorosis in a Crop of Cut Dicentra spectabilis By Marci Spaw, Kimberly A. Williams, Laurie Hodges, Ellen T. Paparozzi and Ingrid L. Mallberg The Grower The grower, Maria Flint, is forcing Dicentra spectabilis as cut flowers for Valentine’s Day sales for the first time. While Dicentra is…
Description Although Maria’s reference library includes some very useful books about cut flower production, only a few provided any detailed information about Dicentra sp. as a cut flower. The following excerpts show the information provided in these books. Results Specialty Cut Flowers 2nd Edition Allan M. Armitage & Judy Laushman Timber Press © 2003 ISBN:…
Description FACT SHEET:On-Site Testing of Growing Media & Irrigation Water This conversation occurs February 6th after the initial recommendations by the Extension Horticulturist are followed.Maria has completed a simple 1:2 media extraction (see page four of Floriculture Fact Sheet linked at right). She measured pH and EC with inexpensive hand-held meters that she calibrates prior…
Description Maria mails plant samples along with a Plant Diagnostic Checksheet to a university Plant Pathology Diagnostic Lab. Maria sent two plants exhibiting symptomology and one plant that appeared healthy. Diagnostician Judy O’Mara talks through the steps she goes through to sort out the cause of the chlorosis. Her activities include checking color and health…