Nov 1, 2015

Collate Use Tips

In greenhouse floriculture production, Florel® has been the go-to ethephon formulation for years. It is available as a 3.9% active ingredient solution. Fine Americas introduced Collate® in 2013 which is a higher concentration (21.7%) product. Greenhouse label uses for Collate include inducing flowering of ornamental...
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Oct 12, 2015

Don’t Forget – Relative Humidity Affects PGR Uptake!

Professor Joyce Latimer Blog

We often caution growers that many of our plant growth regulators (PGRs) are absorbed by leaf tissue relatively slowly and that conditions that extend the drying time will enhance uptake of the PGR active ingredient. However, these photos give a graphic example of the impact...
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Sep 28, 2015

Christmas Cactus – Timing of a Configure Foliar Spray is Key to Increasing the Flower Number

Dr. Brian Whipker Blog

Over 35 years ago researchers in Japan reported that benzyladenine, the active ingredient in Configure, increased branching and flower bud production in Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgessii). To confirm Configure’s efficacy, we conducted extensive trials at NC State University on Christmas cactus. We found that Configure...
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Sep 28, 2015

Configure Foliar Sprays Increase Christmas Cactus Flower Buds

Dr. Brian Whipker Blog

The most common use of Configure is to apply it during the floral initiation stage of flower development to increase the number of flower buds on Christmas cactus. This video provides some tips to consider when making applications in order to improve overall plant quality....
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Aug 28, 2015

Determining PGR Drench Rates

Professor Joyce Latimer Blog

Growers are increasingly interested in drench applications of Piccolo, but the time required to test all crops for effective rates is excessive. We wanted to see if we could determine a ratio between effective Piccolo 10 XC spray and drench applications based on plant...
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Aug 6, 2015

Basics of Using Plant Growth Retardants in the Nursery

Professor Joyce Latimer Blog

While many of our blog readers may be seasoned plant growth retardant (PGR) users, many of our nursery producers are relatively new at using them. At the Cultivate ’15 show in Columbus last month, Dr. Amy Fulcher (University of Tennessee) and I spoke to...
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Jul 1, 2015

PGR Effects on Root Growth

Professor Joyce Latimer Blog

Our objective was to evaluate the effect of Concise (uniconazole) applications as sprays, substrate drenches and liner soaks on the shoot and root growth of herbaceous perennial plants. Crops tested included: Hemerocallis ‘Pink Song’, Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’, Phlox paniculata ‘David’, and Lobelia cardinalis. Concise...
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Jul 1, 2015

Summer PGRS: Herbaceous Perennials in the Nursery

Professor Joyce Latimer Blog

As we get into the heat of the summer, you’re not growing many herbaceous perennials in the greenhouse. So let’s talk about the uses of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on perennials in the nursery or outdoor production areas. As you start potting up those summer...
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Jun 4, 2015

Rudbeckia: Which Application Method to Choose?

Professor Joyce Latimer Blog

In this video we are going to explore the difference in plant response to Concise, a soil active PGR, applied by different methods using Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’. This Rudbeckia is still a major summer flowering perennial for most growers but I get questions on how to...
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May 21, 2015

Use Configure this Summer to Maximize Hosta Quality Next Spring

Professor Joyce Latimer Blog

A blog is a conduit for timely information, right? Yes, it is! But, it is also a personal communication from me (the writer) to you (the reader). So, I am going to take just a minute to “rant” about one of my pet peeves. Having...
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