Role: Phosphorus is the second most essential mineral element required for plant growth.  Phosphorus is required for plant energy metabolism.  In addition, Phosphorus is an integral component of compounds found in plant cells such as sugar-phosphate intermediates of respiration and photosynthesis.  Phosphorus is also vital in the carbohydrate transport system which moves energy to all parts…

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Spring is right around the corner…….This is a great time of the year as flowers begin blooming, birds are chirping, and the weeds are germinating! We should be thinking about applying preemergence herbicides real soon. As a matter of fact, a great way to determine the best time to apply these preemergence applied herbicides is…

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Boxwood Blight has been documented in Europe for several years now  and has just started to take hold here in the US. The pathogen responsible for this blight is a strain of Cylindrocladium. Like many other leafspot diseases, the spores of this disease are spread via splashing water and on strong wind currents. Boxwood Blight…

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With the New Year comes a new growing season, and before long, rose producers all over the country will start to pot up new crops. Most growers shoot for target ship dates starting just before Mother’s Day. There are a couple different ways that growers will produce these rose crops. The easiest way to do this…

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Many questions concerning possible winter-kill to turfgrass always arise this time of the year. What Is Winter (Low Temperature) Kill? Low temperature or cold weather damage to plants is a collective term used to describe several forms of injury.  Death by cold is the consequence of damage to cell membranes and the breakdown of metabolism, primarily that…

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Role: Nitrogen is the mineral element that plants require the most.  Nitrogen is used primarily for chlorophyll production.  Furthermore, Nitrogen serves as constituent of many plant cell components, including amino acids and nucleic acids.  Nitrogen is a mobile element within the plant. Nitrogen influences many turfgrass plant responses.  Nitrogen generally increased color and shoot growth.  Proper Nitrogen…

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It’s been just over a year since I joined the Harrell’s family. When I was interviewing for the Marketing Generalist position I asked several people what they liked most about working for Harrell’s. Each person said, “The people.”  ‘The people’, I repeated to myself. Really? It’s not the benefits, the pay, the hours? Perplexed, I…

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First let’s take a look at Easter Lilies… ya know, those lilies with the massive white flowers that are sold in droves for the Christian holiday of Easter. It is estimated that between 8-10 million are produced for this holiday alone. Bulbs must go through a vernalization or cooling period of about 6 weeks, which…

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A fertilizer label can be confusing to the most veteran turf or nursery manager.  It is important though that you know what you’re buying since the analysis is just the starting point when considering what you are buying.  Some points to consider are the sources of nutrients, percentage of slow release, minor elements and sizing. …

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A New Year’s Resolution we all have in common, to challenge ourselves and “Hit the Reset Button” It’s 2012,  and it seems like there is no time to think anymore because life moves so fast. We receive information by the second through all sorts of technology and business never seems to place a closed sign in…

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Did you know that use of a cell phone while driving is equivalent to having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08? Or drivers that use cell phones while driving are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves? Most people are aware that cell phone use while…

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Adjuvants are intended to enhance the performance or handling characteristics of pest control products.  Proper adjuvant selection or in some cases exclusion can greatly impact the effectiveness of control products used for weed, insect, and disease management.  In addition, consistency of control from site to site can be increased when adjuvants are properly utilized. A number…

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Earlier this year Harrell’s ran the first annual Harrell’s Family Photo Contest with divisions and categories for Horticulture, Turf and LCO. We received many outstanding entries. Entrants were competing for the winning division purse of $100 and $25 for each category. We’re happy to announce the following winners: Horticulture Division Winner ($100) and Horticulture Production/Container Winner ($25) Horticulture Beauty/Nature…

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This month we will be not be discussing an insect, but rather a parasitic roundworm known commonly as foliar nematodes. These pests are quickly becoming a big problem for growers. Foliar nematodes should not be confused with beneficial nematodes which are used as a biological control. Foliar nematodes are plant parasites that live in between the…

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Seed manufacturers are required to do seed germination testing and publish the results of the “germ” tests on seed product labels.  However, when grass seed are stored, the seed germination may be affected depending on the length of time the seed are stored, as well as the environmental conditions of the storage area.  “Carry over”…

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