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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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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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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This month we will be covering a disease that is sure to show up in the next couple of months… Botrytis. Botrytis is also known as “Gray Mold” because of the gray fuzz that appears when the pathogen is present. This pathogen is a necrotrophic fungi, which means it kills its host and then feeds…

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Of all the minor or micronutrients, Iron is the most noteworthy. Despite not being needed in large amounts in plants, it is a critical nutrient in plant nutrition. Typically, plants only need 1-2 lbs. of elemental iron per acre per year, compared to the needs of Nitrogen at 80-200 lbs. per acre or more. Without…

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For September I wanted to take a step back from focusing on just one disease that can be present in production nurseries and greenhouses and instead take a look at all four major types of plant  pathogens and what makes each group unique. The treatment schedule for all these diseases is the same, however, preventative…

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This month I would like to discuss fungus gnats, which are extremely prevalent in propagation and greenhouse settings and can cause severe damage and losses to infested crops. Fungus gnats are fairly short-lived but have many generations a year and can thrive in cooler damp environments, making them a serious pest during the fall through…

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We have all seen it. Plants just kind of “sitting there”, color pale and a lack of luster. At first guess, one might say the plants are “running out of gas” or are nitrogen deficient. But they were fertilized, not too long ago. Hmmmm. What you may be seeing is sulfur deficiency. Or as our…

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As the heat and dry weather continues, so does mite pressure. There are many effective products labeled for mite control, but there is no “silver bullet” for controlling them. As a grower, you face two main challenges when controlling mites: (1) obtaining thorough spray coverage in dense plant canopies and (2) developing an effective rotational strategy…

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With scorching hot temperatures across the Eastern U.S., Rhizoctonia tends to become a major problem. Most strains of Rhizoctonia thrive when soil temperatures are between 70-90 degrees F. Infected plants will look as if there is a lack of soil moisture, and often will wilt. Examination of the crown tissue right at the soil line…

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Are you hearing the term ‘EOP’ being thrown around and wondering what it means? The Early Order Program season is upon us giving golf, horticulture and turf & landscape customers the opportunity to purchase products from Harrell’s, Bayer, Syngenta, Dow, BASF, Dupont, Valent and Cleary’s, among others, at discounts, with extended terms or with other…

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If I had to pick one insect that is an ornamental pest to be my favorite, it would have to be the lace bug. At first glance these insects look like something out of a Sci-Fi movie. The top of its head and wings are covered in lace-like ridges, often times with colorful patterns, which…

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The Often Overlooked Secondary Nutrient, Magnesium In the next three months I will be covering the three secondary nutrients of plants, magnesium, calcium and sulfur. By “secondary” nutrient, we are describing nutrients not needed in such quantities as the major nutrients, but substantially more than the minor nutrients, the cation magnesium being one of them. Magnesium…

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