Proceedings Library

Cuttings need external conditions that will minimise stress, if they are to survive and form roots (Elliot and Jones, 1980) These conditions involve water, temperature, light and oxygen Protecting the cutting from water stress is usually achieved by misting or fogging Temperature is often regulated so that the rooting medium is 5 to 10C warmer than the aerial temperature. High light intensity can result in overheating of the cutting and consequently shading is preferable, particularly under glass Oxygen is essential for root formation (Zimmerman, 1930) and poor aeration conditions due to waterlogging will lead to death of cuttings Factors such as the use of rooting hormones (auxins) (Thomas, 1982) and slow-release fertiliser in the rooting medium (Carter, 1985) can promote quicker rooting of cuttings.

Boland and Hanger first described the concept of hydroponic propagation (Boland and Hanger, 1991). The system potentially overcame water stress by standing the cuttings in

The propagation of tree species for timber production is governed by the same basic principles and objectives that govern the propagation of tree species for horticultural use. Furthermore, the same methods of propagation are also used What will vary, however, is the emphasis placed by a nursery on the number of species to be propagated. Forestry nurseries often focus on only one or two species. As timber production enterprises are usually large-scale programs over long rotations, the propagation of a timber species not only must be cost efficient, but at a scale capable of consistently producing large numbers of uniform, high quality propagules able to survive and grow under field conditions.

What, then, are the techniques used to propagate timber species? In a broad sense, they can be grouped under two headings^.

1. Natural (or in situ) methods from seed in the soil, seed trees, or direct seeding; and coppice
2. Artificial methods, all of which require transplanting

The biodiversity programme has been conducted at Invermay since 1989 (Halloy, 1992). One of the objectives is to introduce a range of new plants into New Zealand agriculture and horticulture, thus decreasing the dependence on a relatively narrow range of plants. The majority of plants has been introduced from areas of South America that correspond geographically and climatically to parts of New Zealand.

Averrhoa and gevuina are not new introductions to New Zealand, but their production potential has not been fully evaluated. Hillia may be a new introduction to New Zealand. The purpose of this paper is to describe research focused on determining propagation requirements for new plants from the biodiversity programme.

At Powell Propagators and Nursery, approximately 91,000 Leyland cypress cuttings were direct stuck starting in January and ending in March 1993. Three thousand of these were stuck in 4-in square pots, about 30,000 in 3-in. round pots, and the remainder in 2 ½-in. pots.

A solution of 6000 ppm of KIBA and 1500 ppm of KNAA in water was used on one half and a solution of 6000 ppm of IBA and 1500 ppm of NAA in alcohol was used on the other half Each cutting was given a 5-sec quick dip.

Cuttings were taken from stock plants at the nursery or from apartment complexes in the area Terminal cuttings were prepared by cutting to about 6 in. The bottom leaves were removed and the tips were trimmed. However, cuttings for the 3000 4-in. pots were not cut into

Initial work in the woody ornamentals breeding program at Rutgers University was with plants of Ilex opaca. The first introduction was ‘Jersey Knight’, originally selected from the wild at Locust, New Jersey, by the late Dr. Charles Connors and tested as Brown No. 9 Plants of ‘Jersey Knight’ are vigorous and exhibit a dense habit of growth with large, semi-glossy, green leaves. More than just a good pollen producer, progeny tests of seedlings from hundreds of controlled crosses showed that ‘Jersey Knight’ was the best of the male parents utilized ‘Jersey Knight’ is fully winter hardy at -15F, and is widely regarded as the best staminate cultivar of I. opaca in the trade today.

‘Jersey Princess’ is a seedling selection from a controlled cross of an unnamed pistillate plant × ‘Jersey Knight’. Plants of ‘Jersey Princess’ develop a narrow to medium conical habit, are winter hardy at -15F, exhibit high vigor and the darkest glossy, green foliage of any plant of I. opaca that this holly hybridizer

Little research has been published on vegetative propagation of Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica (L. f.) D Don, and its cultivars by stem cuttings. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of growth stage, branch order, and indolebutyric acid (IBA) treatment on adventitious rooting of stem cuttings of ‘Yoshino’ cryptomeria.

Concern over the fate of herbicides in the environment and their potential for accumulation, especially in surface and ground water supplies, is justified (Mahnken et al, 1992; Keese et al., 1991, 1992; Mangus et al., 1985). This issue is particularly important in nurseries that recycle their irrigation water.

The objectives of this study were to determine the movement of isoxaben from Snapshot TG formulation (DowElanco) in irrigation runoff water and to monitor its dissipation in the containment-pond water. The influence of residual concentrations of

This is indeed a special privilege for me to be surrounded by four of my former students, all graduates of Sandhills Community College, offering a 2-year curriculum in applied horticulture. These former students today represent a total of 49 years of "real world" employment since they graduated The exposure to propagation from both the theoretical and practical approach will undoubtedly be reflected here today as we discuss the knowledge and experience they received compared to their expectations and actual needs when they graduated to positions involving propagation.

Production of trees and shrubs in containers offers a number of production, marketing and establishment advantages compared to field-grown plant material. A problem associated with the production of container-grown plants is exposure of the root system to extreme temperatures. Roots are not as hardy as foliage and stems, and extreme temperatures limit the production of container-grown plants. Root systems of plants growing in the ground are insulated by the surrounding soil and are not exposed to the large fluctuations in root-zone temperature that occur in containers.

To address some of the problems associated with container production, the idea for a "pot-in-pot" (PIP) production system was developed (Parkerson, 1990). With this production system, a holder pot is permanently placed in the ground. The container-grown plant is then placed inside the holder pot. Using this production system, roots are protected from extreme temperatures, and windthrow problems are reduced.

The

You are probably aware that in most businesses, whether they are producing nuts, bolts, cars, or aeroplanes, the production is done according to schedule. They work to a plan i e., a certain number of a certain product is produced at a predetermined time of the year. If you produce suntan lotion then your production is greater just prior to summer Well, plants are no different—their production also has to be preplanned.

I'll digress a little bit here and talk about customers. One of the current buzz words, favoured by business consultants and financial advisers, is "trading partners." The trading partners are a pair or a set of businesses whose success, productivity, and profit depends on each other. It basically means you the seller depend on your buyer's successful business for your

Intermittent mist systems are commonly used to reduce transpirational water loss from cuttings during propagation A problem with this system is maintaining a wet leaf surface without overwetting the rooting medium. Water and air compete for pore space in a medium (Loach, 1985), and oxygen availability may be reduced as the volume of water in the medium is increased. Propagators face a dilemma in providing adequate but not excessive moisture to stem cuttings both above and below the medium surface. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of a range of moisture levels in the propagation medium on the cutting water potential, adventitious rooting, quality, and survival of stem cuttings of ‘Blue Rug’ juniper, ‘Hino-crimson’ azalea, and ‘Helleri’ holly

Presently, the ultimate consumer for plants is the retail customer, a homeowner, and usually a woman. Just a few years ago a high percent of the plant material was sold to large commercial jobs with a much different ultimate consumer with a different perceived value. The plant product trends of the future will depend on the ultimate consumer.

The retail segment of our business will always use a high percent of our product Color has been a major selling feature for retail sales for one reason—it is visually

We have three landscape designers, a landscape architect, six landscape crews, four landscape management crews, and a nursery-stock buyer who spends half his time purchasing plants for retail sales and landscaping and half in retail sales. He and several department managers purchase about one million dollars wholesale value of green goods. A few buying facts:

• Twenty percent of the cultivars of woody ornamentals used in our landscaping and sold in retail were not in our inventory

Another customer said, "Maybe we are going back to the way it was some years ago when most of the industry relied on the wealthy and the people interested in large, unusual specimen material. The average homeowner will not be able to afford landscaping."

Today there is a very different approach to buying from previous tunes. Customers are not in a hurry. They are waiting much longer after they buy a home before they buy plants. And they are buying more carefully. Many contractors are watching their inventories. Some do not carry inventory but buy when they get the jobs.

Retailers are thinking turn-over. Trade show business has been slow in the early part of 1993 We hope business at the winter shows will be brisker.

Many growers who used rewholesale yards

No one would deny that the amount or type of light reaching a cutting is important to the success of plant propagation. There is ample evidence that light profoundly affects the formation and growth of roots. Why is it then that the level of light, and the sources of light are mentioned so rarely in reports and studies of propagation methods? In the industry it has become a matter of course to provide 50% shade, or to whitewash the propagation greenhouse Beyond these measures little attention is given to manipulating the light level around the cutting to increase rooting. Not that it is all that difficult to vary the amount of light a cutting receives. Shading in a variety of forms and densities is available from most grower supply firms. Also, easy-to-use light sensors are available that will measure irradiance in footcandles (FC) for as little as $50 to $250. Understandably, however, much of the attention given to light is directed toward its frequent byproduct—heat

The observation that some plants have a greater potential to form roots on cuttings was known to the earliest horticulturists and recorded by Theophrastus (300 B.C.). Today, root formation in cuttings can be categorized based on their response to auxin. Cuttings are easy to root if application of auxin is not required for rooting. Cuttings can be classified as difficult to root if they require auxin to root at high percentages. Finally, cuttings that fail to root even after auxin application are considered recalcitrant. In many cases, a species' ability to form roots is modified as an individual plant ages. Species with cuttings that are easy to root are not affected considerably by plant age. However, age-related influences must be considered a major limiting factor for cuttings that are difficult or recalcitrant for rooting.

The basic influence of plant age on root formation can be illustrated in red pine (Pinus resinosa) (Gardener, 1929). Red pine is considered a

As we looked into the use of composted material we found some interesting facts. The composting process ensures that nutrients normally lost through leaching from uncomposted materials will be retained due to their altered chemical state in mature composts We also found that applying composted material to our fields gives us a far greater amount of organic matter

Because of the richness and diversity of arboretum collections, the propagation and production of these plants frequently present special challenges to the propagator In many ways, propagating plants at an arboretum is unique. The work is:

• Highly diversified. a large variety of different plants are grown, although the number of plants per lot is typically rather small.
• Specialized often plants are unique or rare, possessing unusual characteristics, such as variegated foliage or dwarfness.
• Challenging: often stock plants are aged and frequently in a declining

Ferns are easy to grow and they are profitable. This year the theme for the I.P.P.S. is back to basics. There is not much more basic than growing ferns from spores. There are many good fern books available which list more taxa than you will care to grow. Edgar T. Wherry, Ph.D , Professor of Botany, Emeritus, University of Pennsylvania put together a very fine book on ferns which I often use Most books have a couple of paragraphs telling how to

Wood wastes are extensively used in potting media, with pine bark and sawdust dominating most types of container mixes in Australia. However, there are other wastes and by-products that, with appropriate treatment, could also be used as media components. In the United States there is a great range of composts available for container mixes, some being derived from construction wood wastes and sewage sludge (Mecklenberg, 1993). This paper discusses the use of one of these materials—composted tree chippings. It looks at both the production and current use of the material, as well as trials to compare and evaluate its performance as a medium.

Currently the Box Hill City Council nursery uses this material extensively in different mixes used in the production of a wide range of species. Its use forms par of an overall strategy at the nursery to minimize the use of non–renewable resources and reduce the use of horticultural chemicals

The research component of this paper was

Because of the limited space, James Peckosh planted his trees in root-control fabric containers, side by side. His trees grew very fast in height ad became whippy and top heavy. To reduce top weight, and avoid having to stake the trees, he sheared the side branches back to two sets of leaves. The tops were never cut back. The results were enhanced stem taper, increased caliper, increased overall growth, and elimination of staking.

E.B. Gee's trees were grown in a more conventional manner. He planted his trees 4 ft apart and 10 ft between rows. The trees that were side sheared were twice as large in 2 years as those that were not. Both groups were watered and fertilized in the same manner. Heartland Nursery has successfully used this technique of pruning

Taxus baccata ‘Repandens’ is a consistent performer not only for the grower, but the landscaper and owner as well. Even though not extremely cold tolerant, it is shade and drought tolerant, and is one of the finest low-growing taxus for the landscape. We like growing this plant in the field to its perfect form.

For about the last 3 years we have made a switch from raised benches with bottom heat, to ground beds with root-zone heat. We have been very pleased with this change for our hardwood production. Along with our T × media production, our T. baccata ‘Repandens’ were included in our new rooting beds.

Timing and Preparation. After several hard frosts, usually between November and December in our area,

The typical form of Taxus cuspidata now has the cultivar name of ‘Capitata’. The species is indigenous to Japan (four islands), Korea, and Manchuria Many nurseries propagate this cultivar sexually for two basic reasons. First, unless upright terminal cutting wood is used the progeny will maintain the same growth habit as if they were attached to the mother plant. Secondly, a cutting-grown T.cuspidata ‘Capitata’ does not have the full basal branching that one observes in a seedling-grown plant. Therefore at Zelenka Nursery, Inc. all T.cuspidata ‘Capitata’ is sexually propagated.

The frustrations in sexual propagation of T cuspidata ‘Capitata’ are sporadic germination, and poor quality in seedling height and caliper. We shall share with you seed source, stratification, culture, and transplanting practices.

The rooting of second-generation microcuttings of Syringa vulgaris culitvars is just an additonal means of propagation for us when we have shortages of certain cultivars. We do not count on it yet as a major means of propagation

We began rooting tissue-cultured cuttings a few years back. Through a little trial and error and help we developed a simple system for rooting these cuttings. We treat the second-generation cuttings the same as the microcuttings we get from the tissue culture lab.

Currently we are sticking all of our microcuttings in a Techniculture tray. This tray is a 12–½ in. × 12–½ in. × 1–1/8 in styrofoam tray that holds 400 plugs. The plugs are made from peat with a polymer holding the peat together. We do not use rooting hormone on any of our microcuttings. Once a tray is planted, it is covered with a clear plastic

In the 6 years that our firm has worked with fog propagation, we have undergone a metamorphosis of technologies and techniques. A short explanation of our present system should clarify the factors necessary for the propagation of these very desirable plants—Aesculus parviflora and trifoliate maples

Poly shade fabric has been used by the nursery industry for decades. It can be purchased in various degrees of opacity such as 30%, 50%, 70%, and 90%. It can be installed for the entire growing season when working with a light sensitive crop, or for short-term use to minimize desiccation.

Conditions that might warrant the use of shade fabric include: transplanting, trimming, or general changes in the growing environment.

At D&B Plants, weather conditions and the sensitivity of plant material are taken into consideration at the time of transplanting Shade fabric is placed over the plant material, and removed in stages as required.

Plant nutrition plays a critical role in the rooting of cuttings Research (Andersen, 1986) has shown that essential nutrients are calcium, nitrogen (in very limited amounts), potassium, and phosphorus Important trace elements are zinc and boron but it is difficult to ascertain what the exact requirements are. Nitrogen is by far the most complex and difficult to use and prescribe. While it is apparent that it is essential for such things as cell division and new root development, nitrogen can also place many demands upon the plant energy systems. The supply of nitrogen is complicated by simultaneously trying to meet but not exceed what is required.

When I asked "Charlie" about the origin of these, he simply said that another priest friend of his from Ohio had sent him the buds a few years ago for him to try. Brother Charles said that a Father John L. Fiala of Medina, Ohio, had been breeding and evaluating crabapples for sometime and thought that these may have commercial value.

Well, of course my interest was piqued and little did I know at the time where this all would lead

This morning I'd like to show these on their own roots and then go into a few of the better selections as we presently value them.

Plants shown included:

The lilacs: Syringa vulgaris ‘Albert F Holden’, S. × hyacinthiflora ‘Blanche

Its summer foliage is a rich green and its fall coloration is a spectacular red. In winter its cinnamon-colored back is quite attractive. ‘Cinnamon Flake’ can be grafted onto A. saccharum, the sugar maple. Our oldest grafts, now 8 years old, are vigorous and show no signs of incompatibility. They have grown to a height of 14 ft with a 12-ft spread and have a trunk diameter of about 5 in. All of these selections can be seen at the Horticulture Research Farm at The University of Connecticut.

During the first 5 years of the woody ornamentals breeding program at Rutgers University, hybridization studies were limited to intra- and inter-specific hybridization of plants of the genus Ilex, and of the genus Pyracantha. Starting in 1965, plants of the various cultivars and numbered selections of Cornus florida, C. kousa, and C. nuttallii available in the trade were assembled in a performance trial as the starting point for interspecific hybridization between these three species of large-bracted dogwood. Such a field trial of tree species is essential to a long-range hybridization program: first, the trial allows one to observe the degree of genetic variability available within the various species and thus obtain a measure of the potential improvement one can expect to achieve via a program of controlled crosses; secondly, the performance trial provides the parent material used in making the crosses; and thirdly, the trial provides the current standards of excellence for

The light emitted by the sun has many different forms of radiation mixed up in the total product, each characterized by its precise wavelength. Most common amongst these radiations are ultra violet light (UV) at the short wavelength end of the scale, visible light in the middle area, and infra red (IR) emissions of long wavelength producing heat as we know it. UV emissions are of wavelengths of less than 380 nm (1 nm, is one millionth of a mm), while IR is above 780 nm, with visible light being in the area between these two boundaries. It is the energy produced between 380 and 780 nm about which I am referring in this article, and which we call light.

Light provides

From our beginning in 1973 we have tried to respond to the needs and requests of our customers. Our customers told us in the beginning that their primary concern was a reliable, consistent seed source. We realized the only way to address this challenge was to establish our own seed orchards. Today, 60% of seed we sell is produced. from our orchards and more production is coming on line each year. Certain Species such as the oaks take many years to reach bearing age. Therefore establishing seed orchards is a long-term project requiring considerable up-front investment.

Technological advances in electronics have provided us with new equipment to enhance our ability to quantify treatment differences in plant material One such instrument provides a non-destructive evaluation of leaf chlorophyll levels. Early testing and present use of this instrument focuses on nitrogen fertility of grasses (usually grain crops). The work has resulted in a rapid determination of nitrogen crop fertility levels that identifies fertilization needs for the crop.

This study was initiated to determine if a chlorophyll meter could be a useful tool for production of woody nursery stock. Preliminary information indicated a possible relationship between perceived growth and chlorophyll readings within species. Verification of a correlation between chlorophyll levels and growth of related plant material could allow plant breeders to use information as early indicators of plant performance.

This report is the result of 2-years' data that measured chlorophyll levels

Astilbes can be propagated by seed, tissue culture, or division. Seed propagation is not recommended because cultivars do not come true from seed. Although Astilbe chinensis var. pumila plants are often propagated by seed, the most uniformly dwarf plants are produced from asexual divisions.

Astilbe seeds are small so when they are sown they should be lightly pressed into the germination medium Seeds do not appear to require a stratification requirement, and germination temperatures should be maintained at about 65 to 70F.

Some astilbe cultivars are being tissue cultured, especially in England. I do not recommend this method because of the propensity of astilbe to mutate (sport)— particularly red cultivars.

Most astilbes are propagated by division of the crown. In commercial propagation it

There are many tools that help you to accomplish your job of growing plants. There is another tool that can help your to sell your plants as well as run your business more efficiently. I am speaking of course of the computer. This is a tool that many people use every day, yet there are people out there who are still not taking advantage of these wonderful machines

For many people, a computer is like a mystic relic, to be looked at and not touched. Yet if you were to sit down and take a few hours of your time, you would find out just how much you can accomplish on one of these desktop wonders. With the advent of home computers there has literally been an explosion of businesses that 10 years ago did not exist. The green industry should not be an exception to this new technology. If you have a small nursery or landscaping venture, you can perform many tasks with just one machine.

The obvious functions are bookkeeping, inventory, payroll, and several others that are

In 1986 the Michigan Department of Agriculture instituted the "Michigan Virus Tested Blueberry Clean Stock Program" for blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum). DeGrandchamp Blueberry Farm Inc. entered into the virus tested program that same year Part of the program required the maintenance of a foundation stock block for scion wood. It was decided at that time to maintain the stock block in vitro and produce scion wood as microshoots from tissue culture. The in vitro multiplication of 25 cultivars was contracted with an outside tissue culture laboratory Unrooted microshoots are shipped to our nursery, rooted in our greenhouses, grown outside for 1 or 2 years and then sold to commercial growers.

It has been shown many times under controlled conditions that auxins are the applied phytohormones which consistently enhance adventitious root production. Indeed, research has shown that division of the root initial cells is dependent upon either applied or endogenous auxin (Hartmann et al. 1990.) In a recent review, Jarvis (1986) summarized the evidence supporting the idea that auxins have a central role in the initiation and development of rooting. However, even though auxin involvement in adventitious root initiation is well established, knowledge of the mechanism of auxin action in adventitious root initiation remains unclear (Blakesley et al , 1990) It is important to understand the mechanism of auxin action for the propagator as well as the basic scientist. This paper deals with experiments performed in our laboratory on the regulation of adventitious root initiation in mung bean (Vigna radiata [L.]R. Wilcz).

Plant tissue culture is now a widely used propagation method Its main advantage is the ability to rapidly multiply selected cultivars and to produce genetically uniform plants. The techniques range from simple micropropagation using a bud, node or leaf segment, to cell or protoplast culture. Commercial production mainly involves micropropagation. Whatever the technique used, the final step involves the transfer of the cultured plants from the protected environment of the culture vessel to the nursery bench. The process of the plant adapting to this change in environment is known as acclimatization.

Under in vitro conditions of low light intensities and in the presence of carbohydrate in the medium, plants are heterotrophic i.e., they are unable to photosynthesise to meet their carbohydrate requirements. The high humidity in the culture vessel also results in plants unable to control water loss through transpiration (Brainerd and Fuchigami, 1981; Capellades et al, 1990;

In recent years, increasing evidence has been reported on the adverse effects of chlorine on our environment. Most of the controversy over chlorine pollution has been centered around two sources: (1) chlorinated hydrocarbons, which deplete the atmospheric ozone layer protecting us from damaging ultraviolet rays, and (2) the manufacturing processes using chlorine (e.g., plastic polyvinyl chlorides and paper bleaching) which produce a multitude of toxic chlorine compounds called organochlorines.

Health effects linked to the bioaccumulation of organochlorines in humans and wildlife include breast cancer and reproductive problems. Many of the compounds are carcinogens and mutagens. While working on a community education project on the dangers of chlorine pollution, we became concerned about what chlorinated products we might routinely use as part of our nursery operations.

At McHenry County Nursery, we have made every effort to use

I first became interested in the genus Hosta after I visited England in 1977 and saw large specimen plants displayed at the Chelsea Flower Show and in many gardens that I visited. This interest remained dormant until 1978 when, on becoming a member of the I.P.P.S. at the Hobart conference, I saw a display of Hosta plants in the Hobart Botanic Gardens conservatory This rekindled my interest, and on my return to Melbourne I began searching for hosta plants. I managed to obtain plants from various nurseries and slowly built up a collection of the cultivars then available. These included H. sieboldiana, H. crispula, H. ventricosa, H. fortunei var. albopicta, H. fortunei Aurea, H. plantaginea ‘Grandiflora’, H. undulata, H. ventricosa ‘Aureo-maculata’, and H. undulata var. univittata

In the beginning, it was difficult to find collectors or growers. In fact, it was even difficult to find people that knew what a hosta was. This dearth of information has been partially overcome by

This paper discusses the propagation of tree dahlia from leaf-bud cuttings, softwood tip cuttings, canes, and single-bud-cuttings Also discussed is the summer pruning of tree dahlia plants to achieve dwarfed forms that will encourage new landscape usage of this plant and may promote pot culture of tree dahlia plants within the nursery trade.

The tree dahlia belongs to the same group of plants as the common garden dahlia Some botanists consider that modern hybrid garden dahlias and the tree dahlia originated through a common source—a cross between D. pinnata and D. coccinea.

The Sunraysia Oasis Botanical Gardens will be a garden of world significance. It will bring together the plants of the world as the region of Sunraysia has brought together the peoples of the world. European migration to our region, immediately after the second world war, was very large.

The gardens are an expression of our community&39;s horticultural maturity. It is a way of paying homage to our pioneers It will be a

This paper will outline how we have adapted this particular plant to our environment.

Careful matching of cultivar to environment is perhaps the key to success in any crop. In azaleas we look for the following traits for a successful cultivar:

• Flower colour
• Amount of flower
• Flower of longevity and holding capacity
• Number of flowers flushes in a year
• Foliage colour
• Growing habit of plant
• Overall appearance
• Resistance to diseases
• Ability to propagate.

Our trials to access the above characteristics can quite of often take 2 to 3 years. One year is enough time to evaluate fully the potential of a new cultivar, as quite often the plant can perform above or

This paper describes some of the trials carried out at Proteaflora in Monbulk, Victoria. The general aim of the trials was to achieve consistent production of good quality cutting material The work described in this paper concentrates on the importance of nitrogen and phosphorus in the rooting and subsequent growth of cuttings

In previous experiments we established that nitrogen and phosphorus were the most critical elements in the fertilization of our stock plants

In the trial described here two clonal cultivars were used:Telopea ‘Shady Lady’ red and Leucospermum cordifolium #27.

The Eltham Shire in Victoria is introducing a Pest Plants Local Law to ban or restrict sales of environmental weeds from nurseries. Similarly, there have been government initiatives on a national weed strategy and more rigorous policing on noxious weed regulations. There has been more emphasis on health and safety issues and the environment. Examples include changes to pesticide regulations and safe work practices.

Government organisations and, in particular, the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, have changed significantly. This will influence the importation of PVR plants and the development of plant exports.

There is obviously an emphasis on the environment and regulations that will minimise

The purpose of history is to learn from the lessons and experiences of the past for use in the present and future. This paper presents a brief history of ornamental horticulture over the last 40 years and draws some personal conclusions about the present and future of our industry, and in particular about the market.

• In this decade we heard the first warnings about the dangers of organic phosphate insecticides.
• It was a decade of flower and vegetable shows.
• The rose was the plant—Britain's Royal National Rose Society had over 50,000 members in 1957.
• Public parks were popular—they were full of colourful displays of bedding plants, roses, and herbaceous borders, all set off by acres of neatly trimmed grass.
• We had no garden centres, only nurseries, and no plant retailers–nurserymen sold to the public.
• All the plants sold were either bare root or balled in sacks.
• We sold our plants in the autumn and early spring.
• The Dutch supplied many plants to the U.K. market.
• There were

The first experiments with plugs, or modules, occurred in the 1950s. It is debatable whether the idea was actually invented—they probably gradually developed from a scaling-down of larger techniques.

It is certain that American growers must be credited with the first commercial use of what we would now recognise as plugs. They were certainly in use by 1960, and after a relatively slow start their use accelerated; by the early 1970s they were in widespread use throughout the U.S.A. and they were beginning to be used in the U.K. Since that time they have become a very important tool in the production of pot and bedding plants.

There are no statistics about numbers of

In the UK, and much of Europe, the use of peat as an ingredient in container composts has become an important environmental issue. Environmental groups have given publicity to peat as a non-renewable resource, and to the need to preserve peat bogs as a habitat for wild plants and animals. They have highlighted horticulture as a consumer of peat and hence as a threat to the conservation of peat bogs.

Rightly or wrongly, this has resulted in customer pressure on the horticulture industry to develop alternative ingredients for soil amendments and container composts.

This workshop aimed to highlight the characteristics of peat that have made it so valuable as a container compost ingredient, and which would therefore need to be present in any alternatives. It was also intended to demonstrate the improbability of finding a single material that can

There are compelling reasons why propagators in the U K should seek increased understanding of relevant underlying principles. The nursery industry here is extremely diverse, producing many thousands of individual taxa on nearly 3000, mainly small, nurseries which are spread throughout the country. Different attitudes towards propagation, different technical backgrounds and working practices, and different commercial objectives compound this diversity. Against such a variable background there is little purpose in developing narrow blueprints for a few specific plants. Nurserymen need new insights, information, and knowledge with which to adapt and improve their operations in ways that suit themselves. If they don't have the correct understanding nurserymen can easily develop the wrong understanding, which at best may prevent progress, and at worst be counter-productive as they move to meet the challenge of market-led propagation systems (Vallis, 1992).

There are many methods which can be employed to propagate magnolias, for example seed, softwood cuttings, semi-ripe cuttings, micropropagation, layering, budding, and grafting Two methods employed at Hadlow College will be discussed. Firstly softwood leaf-bud cutting of a range of deciduous magnolias, including the results of a small wounding trial on Magnolia stellata ‘Royal Star’. Secondly chip budding a range of difficult to root deciduous magnolias onto pot grown rootstocks The two propagation methods will be discussed separately. Only a brief outline of the method of preparing softwood leaf-bud cuttings and the process of chip budding will be given as these are well known to propagators. More emphasis will be placed on other factors such as source of material, the wounding trial, rootstocks for budding, tying materials, etc.

Tamborine Mountain Plants is a specialist nursery reliant on only one major product for the year. Therefore, it is important to establish as many marketing options as possible of that one plant for success of our business. Tamborine Mountain Plants has become Australia's biggest fuchsia nursery. Our fuchsia marketing options are:

• As cuttings
• As tubes
• As 4–in. and 6–in. pots
• Baskets—6–in. and 8–in. plastic, fibre-lined 14 in.
• Retail—using mother stock beds as display gardens
• Mail Orders

Each stage of a product has an advantage to different customers.

Early diagnosis and the adoption of a holistic attitude to the growing of any crop or line are paramount Over time, if records are maintained one may learn to predict outbreaks of disease, pests, or other problems, and take precautions against recurrences.

The production of quality, healthy plants is more important than ever before. Consumers have become increasingly demanding in recent years and if nurseries are to survive in today&39;s highly competitive environment, they must produce a consistent, quality product. There has been a gradual increase in records of disease on ornamentals. This may be partly because of a greater awareness of crop health. It is also because there has been an expansion in ornamental production in the U.K. and because there is increasing specialisation within nurseries. The use of re-circulating systems for nutrients and water also causes an increase in disease.

It is increasingly difficult to achieve effective crop health management on ornamentals. The technology surrounding crop protection is constantly changing. New products, techniques, and services are being developed and existing ones are being changed, adapted or removed from the market There is very little data on ornamental crops in

In 1706 a decree from Peter the Great established the first botanical garden in Moscow as a medicinal herb garden. At present, this first garden is a branch of the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University. The second oldest botanical garden, laid down in St. Petersburg in 1714, was called "the pharmaceutical garden". The Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences was originally based on this pharmaceutical garden in St Petersburg. From the time of the first garden until the beginning of this century, 20 botanical gardens have been established (Lapin 1984).

In the 1930s and 1940s large botanical gardens were created in many cities of the former Soviet Union including Omsk, Rostov on the Don, Almati, Baku, Dushanbe, Kiev, Minsk, Ekaterenburg, and Ufa. They played an important role in the conservation of native flora and the enrichment of cultivated plants. Before World War II, unique institutions were founded, such as the Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden (within the

Therefore, in spring 1993 I used my Mary Helliar Travel Scholarship Award to visit the U.S.A. to fill in this gap in my experience My first visit soon achieved this goal, as it took me to the source of all the rhododendron plants grown at Osberton Grange.

The plant improvement schemes I studied concentrated on New Zealand's native flora. At Auckland Regional Botanic Gardens, a Hebe breeding programme started in 1982 by Jack Hobbs, has produced 12 named cultivars. Most names carry the ‘Wiri’ prefix, for example, H. ‘Wiri Joy’ and H. ‘Win Image’ These have a superior appearance and garden performance to other cultivars especially in the hot and humid Auckland climate where septoria leaf spot (Septoria exotica) and downy mildew (Peronospora grisea) are a problem (Hobbs, 1991). I am uncertain about their hardiness in the British Isles. Another notable plant introduction in recent years is Weinmannia ‘Kiwi Red’.

Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research Ltd., near

Consisting of around 120 taxa, including some species from native sites in the Baltic States and Russia, this collection holds many fine specimens worthy of cultivation. Particularly attractive were the white flowered Cotoneaster megalocarpus and C. submultiflorus, and the pink flowered C. roseus. These three species all have red fruits in the autumn.

After gathering propagation and herbarium material from the gardens I travelled to Bjuv, in southern Sweden, to work with Dr. Bertil Hylmo, who has studied the genus Cotoneaster for the past 30 years and has a magnificent collection of around 300 taxa growing in his "Cotoneasteretum."

Many beautiful cotoneasters which could be—and should be—utilized by the nursery trade are grown in this Swedish garden.

We were joined by

Fungi grow small hyphae, 4–6 µm in diameter, that develop into mycelium. In order to grow, fungi have to absorb water so that nutrients can move into the hyphae. If transpiration is too high, the hyphae dry out and the Therefore, from the fungi's point of view it is not the RH but transpiration and subsequent condensation which controls its growth.

It takes some time to get used to considering evaporation instead of RH as controlling the growth of fungi. Even in a greenhouse with 100% RH, evaporationtranspiration occurs because some areas are warmer and others

Cuttings are different. They often only have a few leaves, and not having a root system, are unable to absorb water. To compensate for the lack of roots, mist propagation and enclosed plastic are used to ensure a high relative humidity in the environment surrounding a cutting during rooting.

A high level of irradiance causes a high carbohydrate production.

This carbohydrate is normally used for growth in an intact growing plant. In a cutting growth has ceased, and this leads to carbohydrate and starch accumulation in

All seeds are germinated in flats with one seed placed in each cell Therefore, it is of utmost importance that seed quality is the best. Fungal diseases occurring during germination may be caused by pathogens on the seed. To ensure the proper fungicide treatment after sowing, all seed lots are tested for the fungus/fungi they may be carrying. Immediately after sowing, the flats are treated with the fungicide required to control any fungal problems identified on the seeds. The flats are placed in a mist room for one day and then into the propagation room with or without light as needed. For most seeds the best germination is observed in the light (10 to 20 W m²). The young seedlings are shaded the first few days after germination.

A cornerstone of production is quality and research. Two full-time staff members are assigned to research. This ensures that production is utilizing the latest techniques and new cultivars are introduced regularly. We have our own plant breeding program to ensure new cultivars for the market.

All propagation begins with stock plants (elite plants) which are kept in a section of the nursery where only the propagator is allowed. These plants are tested regularly for diseases and uniformity. Cuttings taken to produce plants for sale. Cuttings

Until a few years ago, standard practice in the greenhouse industry was to keep the night temperature for potted plants set lower than the day temperature The reasoning was, that photosynthesis at day should be promoted by a high temperature and respiration at night should be limited by a lower temperature. In addition, the free heat from the sun during daylight should he utilized and the energy consumption at night should be limited to reduce production cost. Plant height and elongation growth was not considered—compact growth was obtained by the use of chemical growth retardants.

The use of chemicals, i.e., growth retardants, is now questioned and in society there is a general wish that chemicals should be used to a lesser extent. In Germany and Sweden, Alar is prohibited and this may also happen in Denmark for this and other chemicals. For these reasons growers and researchers are looking for other means to control plant height.

Therefore, much interest was generated by

The Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) is a major scientific and educational resource, and has the world's most comprehensive display of living Australian native plants.

The ANBG occupies 90 ha on the lower slopes of Black Mountain in Canberra, together with 80 ha at Jervis Bay (Jervis Bay Botanic Gardens). There are approximately 91,000 plants, representing more than 5,900 taxa, growing at the ANBG. These plants are held in open-ground plantings, permanent pot collections and in glasshouses.

The objectives of the ANBG are to grow, study, and promote Australia's indigenous flora and vegetative propagation plays a major role in the achievement of these objectives

The use of shading screens in the greenhouse not only influences the irradiance but also the greenhouse climate, e.g., relative humidity and air temperature (Andersson, 1991; Andersson and Skov, 1991). The aim of shading plants is first and foremost to reduce the energy load and to create the right level of light for the plant species which are grown in the greenhouse. A shading screen also influences the natural ventilation of the greenhouse (Andersson, 1991a;Andersson, 1992) and thus the air temperature and humidity It is possible to take advantage of the reduced ventilation rates when rooted cuttings become acclimatized after propagation.

Photosynthesis takes place practically everywhere on the earth from the Arctic to the tropics where plants, unlike animals living in the same conditions, need to be able to adapt to changes in environmental conditions to survive The latter phrase may sound dramatic, however, most ornamental pot plants are exposed to major changes in environmental conditions even in a greenhouse, and especially during the last journey from the greenhouse to the consumers

The ability of plants to adapt to changes in environmental conditions partly depends on their original ecological niche A prerequisite for optimal production of these ornamental pot plants is knowledge about their natural demands, and especially their physiological adaptability.

Photosynthesis as an expression of a plant's reaction to climatic conditions is the basis of part of the research project "Biological Process Control in Greenhouses" that is carried out in collaboration between the Department of Floriculture (Danish

Because of the environmental conditions in a propagating house, the potential for disease is very high. Free moisture, high humidity, and mild temperatures favor the development of many fungal and bacterial diseases Propagation houses could almost be considered by a pathologist to be an ideal inoculation chamber to study diseases. The vast majority of

Deformed root systems of container-grown plants are a longstanding concern of nursery managers, landscapers, and foresters (Armstrong, 1951; Burdett, 1979). Kinked or circling roots can strangle the plant, impair long-term growth, lead to instability or toppling, and cause death. Halter et al.(1993) found a reduction in growth and an increase in root deformities in 11-year-old lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta ssp.murrayana, planted as container stock. Plants with deformed roots are more sensitive to environmental stress, such as drought, and to attack from insects and disease. Certain plants develop deformed roots rapidly, especially when they are grown in small containers.

Root systems become deformed when the growing root tips deflect off the smooth container wall, grow sideways, and accumulate on the periphery of the root ball Harris (1967) suggested that if roots where encouraged to grow in the center of the medium, plants could remain in containers longer, before serious

One of the basic concepts of ecology is called the principle of limiting factors which states that, when a process is governed by several factors, its rate is limited by the factor that is closest to the minimum requirement (Odum, 1971). Conceptually, the idea of limiting factors can be visualized with the wooden barrel analogy which Whitcomb (1988) used to explain mineral nutrient deficiencies. Plant growth is represented by the water in the barrel which is constructed of wooden staves, each representing a different limiting factor (Fig. 1). The water level (plant growth rate) at any one time or location is limited by the height of the shortest stave (limiting factor) in the barrel.

If we expand this concept to nursery design and management, we can identify those environmental factors that are potentially limiting to plant growth. The main factors of the atmospheric environment are light, temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide and the two principal

Its common name, inside-out-flower, comes from exposure of the ½-inch long stamens and pistil by the sharply reflexed sepals and petals. The sepals and petals are both white, but the petaloid sepals are the larger and showier of the two. The nodding flowers, in open panicles above the foliage, are each about a half-nch wide.

The foliage, however, is the quality making this plant a useful landscape subject. Some people say it's airy, or fern-like. Compound leaves stand up to a foot high on wiry stems which emanate from ground level. Individual leaflets are up to 2 ½ in. long and nearly as wide, often ovate in shape overall. The leaflets are quite unique, having three rather indistinct lobes with shallow

Perennials in the last decade have enjoyed enormous success amongst the gardening public. The movement to a more free-form and care-free style of gardening, and in particular the "cottage gardening" trend has buoyed sales of perennials. They now account for a sizeable but undocumented market share Nursery persons unfamiliar with perennials have found it necessary to grow them to maintain sales. This has resulted in some cases with inappropriate propagation techniques and has resulted in plants being produced below the growers' usual standard.

Nitrogen is an essential element in the production of plants. Management of nitrogen to prevent surface and ground water contamination will be affecting all nursery operations in the future. Some nurseries have already had to address this problem. Nurseries provide a product that is a benefit to the environment, but past and current fertility practices have created environmental problems. Federal and state governments are examining nitrate sources in agriculture and commercial agriculture will most likely be looked at more closely than family farms. Potential problems and some solutions in greenhouses, fields, and container areas will be discussed. Examples of what Evergreen Nursery is doing to combat these problems will illustrate what has been done in one operation.

Hardiness varies greatly among varieties but, in general, a plant is much less hardy in a pot on top of the ground than it would be if planted in the ground. Our particular climate can be cold in the winter (below 10F) for several weeks at a time. Due to our strong marine influence, it can also be in the 50s and 60s in the winter. Our experience has been that greenhouse grown plants tend to be soft and leggy if the weather gets unseasonably mild and we cannot reliably produce a plant that will be hardy in the interior regions of the continent. We do carry a crop of perennial liners in the greenhouse through the winter and some of the 4-in. crop inside to help with early availability for the local and warmer climate customers. These houses are kept as cool as

In this paper I will be concentrating on my experiences with culture media and my current approach to the selection of media And to start at the end product I will present my latest basal medium and ideas for using it (Table 1) The medium consists of a micronutrient section, a growth factor section, and a gelling agent. Macronutrient, auxin, cytokinin, and carbohydrate sections are treated as experimental variables. Full strength macronutrients are listed in Table 2—and these are diluted (either in groups or as individual components) to prepare different concentrations to suit different purposes. Types of auxins, cytokinins, and carbohydrates and their concentrations are

New and improved clones presented were:

Peony: ‘Coral Charm’ PP #4247, ‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’, ‘Golly’, ‘West Elkton’, ‘Cora Stubbs’, ‘Martha Reed’, ‘Nice Gal’ [Paeonia lactiflora ‘Nice Gal’], ‘Etched Salmon’, ‘Ann Berry Cousins’ [see also P ‘Anne Cousins’], ‘America’ PP #4246, ‘Scarlet O'Hara’, ‘Pink Parasol Surprise’, ‘Gold Rush’, ‘Paree Fru Fru’, ‘Fringed Ivory’.

Hosta: ‘Sun Power’, ‘Solar Flare’ PP #7046, ‘Fragrant Blue’, ‘Fall Bouquet’, ‘Great Expectations’, ‘Fragrant Bouquet’, ‘On Stage’, ‘Summer Music’.

Hemerocallis: ‘Mini Pearl’, ‘Siloam Doodlebug’, ‘Carefree Yellow’, ‘Sun Capers’, ‘Heron’, ‘Red Regatta’, ‘Golden Tycoon’

Valleybrook Gardens is a large, wholesale production nursery located near Abbotsford, British Columbia Abbotsford is in the Fraser Valley region of BC, east of Vancouver, and is in USDA Zone 7.

Our sales are primarily made to independent garden centers throughout western Canada and the Northwest U.S. Production consists primarily of herbaceous perennials in containers, but also includes herbs, ferns, ground covers and grasses. Some annuals are grown in 15-cm (gal) containers for summer sales as well Several million containerized plants are grown annually, comprising over 1000 taxa

The production of herbaceous plants puts a grower into a separate class, distinct from both greenhouse growers and nursery managers, but sharing characteristics of each. Propagation, as well as a considerable amount of production, takes place in protected environments, yet many plants perform best outside in a nursery environment. The boundaries between these different classes of growers is

In my view, the future will see the use of computer systems within nurseries extending beyond the administrative functions to cover production and operational functions. The question facing nursery managers will change from "What can computers be used for?" to "What should computers be used for?" Table 1 lists some typical computer applications.

Several factors have contributed to this success They include good soil, intelligent and creative farmers, scientific research assistance, and especially a very favorable climate. The cool, moist winters in western Washington encourage root growth which produces larger, better quality bulbs than those grown elsewhere in the United States while the warm, dry summers facilitate digging and proper curing. The cooler spring and summer weather in this area also helps to control certain diseases which cause severe losses in warmer climates.

The question is often asked as to how Washington bulbs can compete with the cheaper and more plentiful bulbs from overseas The answer is quality. Washington bulbs produce flowers that are larger, have

The first record of cabbage seed production in the United States was in 1866 on Long Island, NY. Prior to this time all production of vegetable seeds for the Western Hemisphere took place in Europe. The first cabbage seed commercially produced in Washington was in 1896 in LaConner by Mr. Tillinghast. Early settlers learned quickly that the moderate summer and winter climate and rich soils of the Skagit Valley region were conducive to the production of high yields of quality seed. By the

At Weyerhaeuser Company, in western Washington state and Oregon, an effort has been underway since 1986 to develop a system for commercial production of coastal Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, planting stock through cuttings. The system is being applied to bulk up seed from elite, control-pollinated (CP) families. The three-year propagation regime begins with greenhouse production of stock plants, followed by rooting of cuttings under fog, and finally finishing the rooted cuttings in an outdoor bare-root nursery. Production is currently at about 1 million per year—enough to plant about 2000 acres. Future scale up is anticipated.

Lawyer Nursery of Plains, Montana has been in the business of producing seed propagated liners and understock since 1959. In 1988, the company purchased a bare root nursery facility in Olympia, Washington in order to take advantage of the coastal climate and add diversity to the product line.

The bare root seedlings and transplants produced in Montana and Washington are marketed throughout the United States and Canada. Our product line is shipped to nurseries, commercial orchardists, conservation districts, highway departments, reclamation projects, and the like

In order to propagate 275 different species of woody trees and shrubs, we utilize numerous specific seed treatments designed to overcome seed dormancy. Seed treatments vary from simple cold stratification or acid scarification to burying seed below the frost line for 2 to 4 years We typically sow some seed every month of the year in Washington with the exception of January and February. The largest part of the crop

• Recycled paper is used for all stationery, business cards, photocopying, and printing, and the chasing arrow logo identifies the recycled content of all printed materials.
• Re-refined motor oil is used by all County vehicle fleets and a "Follow-My-Lead" bumper

When the cuttings come in from the field, we prepare them by cutting back the leaves (if it's a large leaf) and cutting out the bud that has formed The cuttings are approximately 3 to 4 in. long, depending on the variety. After the cuttings are prepared, they get a chlorinated wash with 5 ppm chlorine After they've been washed, we wound the base of the cutting 180 degrees apart. After this process, the cuttings are ready to be stuck in the mist house.

The rose pots are run through a flat filler and filled with a Rhododendron cutting mix, which is 3 peat moss · 2 perlite (v/v) The pots are taken to the mist house where the Rhododendron cuttings will be stuck. We use Hormodin #2, #3, or Dip ‘n’Grow as hormones. The cuttings are stuck into the

The plastic lumber consists mainly of recycled milk jugs, yogurt containers, and nursery pots. The plastic is melted and extruded, like toothpaste, into boards. It is said to take 180 milk jugs to make one 2 in. × 6 in., 8-ft board.

The lumber comes in various colors and stabilizers are added to keep the color from fading. The boards we were given were either grayish-green or marbled black.

At the end of March, the cost was $1.25 to $1.35 per ft compared to $0.77 to $0.94 for preserved wood. In addition to being expensive, it is rather difficult to work with. It is heavy, but very strong.

For more control over what we offer, we needed facilities to grow some of the short term, or non-woody, crops. For that we have greenhouses at another location.

A few years ago we built an insulated room for germinating seeds early in the season primarily to save on heat costs. It has racks for the trays and fluorescent lights on some of them. We are able to control the temperature with simple equipment. A 1500 watt household heater, a 20-in. box fan for circulation, and an exhaust fan for most days. We recently put in a household air conditioner to keep the room cool for summer germination of

As the propagator at an arboretum, I am often faced with the difficult task of propagating rare specimens. Some may have been originally grafted while others fit into the category of being difficult to propagate because of maturity, stress or poor health. Two such plants that I am working on are Magnolia scheideana, a native of Mexico and Quercus robur ‘Concordia’, a yellow-green cultivar aptly named the golden oak.

Banding, a method of etiolation using velcro strips to exclude light with added IBA talc, was attempted on mature trees in the Arboretum in the summer of 1992. Weather conditions earlier this year during the so-called non-summer of 1993 were so cool and wet that trials were not repeated. Gathering information from a couple of sources,

At the Snowline Landscapes Australian alpine wildflower nursery, we have over 100 species in cultivation. Many have perfumed flowers or foliage and most have not been introduced to the horticulture industry.

The nursery is in Alpine Ash Forest at 1000 m altitude, 9 km northwest of Falls Creek, Victoria and is regularly covered by up to 1 m of snow in winter. It covers 1200 m² and includes a solar-and gas-powered greenhouse and automatic-watering system.

When the nursery was established in 1983, little was known of the growth patterns of these plants. Initially, plants were collected from the wild and their growth observed. Those species which flourished were selected for propagation and the remainder are at the experimental stage.

Plants are propagated from wild stock by seed, cuttings, or division. Plants are potted into a standard commercially available mix then grown on in polystyrene boxes to protect the roots from freezing.

Many species have a germination success rate

In an attempt to maximize production versus area due to capitalization cost of a controlled climatic environment, changes must be recognized in almost all aspects of production: The physical structure, plant spacing, plant sex, pollination, fertilization, watering, pruning, and training will all have some variation in the Kiwifruit production compared to open field production.

In recognizing that an average field production modified with a structure above would be insufficient in the lb/ft² to be economically viable, we attempted to change the physical structure from a horizontal to a vertical lateral production. In this process high-tensile strength wire was placed 12 in. apart horizontally on a vertical structure to a height of 8 ft.

At Firetrail Nursery, we propagate Pacific Northwest native plants mostly from seed. The plants I'll be discussing are native groundcovers and woody shrubs.

There are a number of reasons why you'd want to propagate native plants from seed. One that's very controversial right now is genetic diversity. My understanding of introducing genetic diversity is that you use seed of a particular plant species collected from a number of different sites, allow the plants to cross pollinate and let nature take its course. Conversely, landscape restoration projects usually require the seeds to be collected on the restoration site so as not to

Root cuttings can also be used to propagate new red raspberry plants if care is taken to prevent drying of the roots before planting. One can purchase dormant roots from certified berry growers to use as a source of root cuttings. Root cuttings from potted plants are often used by researchers to increase the number of greenhouse grown plants.

When it is desirable to produce plants free of soil and in a vector-proof environment, micropropagation can be used to propagate red raspberries. Plants produced in vitro are more expensive and are not available in large numbers unless ordered a year or more in advance In addition

1. We collected and published information about professionals who were interested in getting rid of plant containers and those professionals who were interested in re-using containers. We call this network the "Plant Container Exchange Directory"; it lists phone number, business name, and respective pot sizes and quantities, for free, deliverable etc.
2. We involved the public in pot recycling by setting up the "Plant Pot Drop Spot Event". We knew that some retailers were already offering a drop-off service for pots to their customers, but usually on a limited scale. Problems are limited space, trashy appearance of that corner of the

In December, 1-year-old field-grown plants were dug bare-root and prepared for retail sales. Root pieces were selectively removed from the plants with polarity being careful maintained. The root pieces were later cut into 2½– to 3-in sections. At no time were the cuttings allowed to dry. The cuttings were packed in sawdust and stored at 33F in a cooler. No hormones were used to treat the cuttings prior to planting Ground level beds in an unheated greenhouse were prepared to receive the cuttings. The rooting media was a fine grade of

Facts are meaningful only when they can be attached to ideas. Unless students (people) are taught a system for learning or processing information, facts are of little use to them. (Wurman 1990, parentheses inserted by author.)

I am a keen farm forester and a soil conservator by training and this has given me a special interest in eucalypts and acacias. It's no surprise therefore that these species continued as one of the mainstays of our nursery In this

In Nelson Province there has been a systematic destruction of the forest cover from the time of settlement. This destruction, particularly of the coastal and lowland forests and beech forests at lower altitudes on more accessible sites, has resulted from timber milling and farm development

Forest clearance continued until recently in Nelson and Marlborough with the felling of beech forests and associated podocarps for the export of wood chips.

Extensive areas of forest have been set aside for protection in national forests, maritime parks, and other reserves. However, much of this protected land is mountainous beech forest with lowland coastal and wetland plant communities poorly represented

Many landowners today recognise the value of the remaining bush remnants and wish to see them protected This is possible through agencies such as the QEII National Trust or the Department of Conservation but legal protection alone may not be enough to ensure the survival of the bush

• Where possible, existing structures to be utilised.
• Flexible/adaptable, where there is an ability to propagate a number of plant species under different temperature, water, and light regimes within the same structure.
• Easy to use/workable, whereby there is a central control unit without the need for constant monitoring, or adjusting of timers, throughout the day.

With these factors in mind it was decided to utilise an existing durolite house with vents, electricity, and water were already in place, and which required only a concrete floor It was decided that a new work room (where cutting preparation, deflasking of tissue cultures, etc., are performed) would be built.

The workroom is fully lined and it utilizes both artificial and natural lighting. The floor is painted with epoxy resin to aid cleaning. Work benches are free standing, height adjustable, and the working

Bounty Island (47°41'S; 179°02'E) is comprised of a cluster of weather-beaten granite rocks with no vegetation and no fresh water.

The Snares Islands (48°00'S; 166°35'E) consist of Main and Broughton Islands, some 20 to 30 seastacks and a string of rock islets (Herning, 1979).

The Antipodes Islands (49°4'S; 178°43'E) are the smallest of the New Zealand subantarctic islands. The islands consist of Antipodes Island, Bollons Island and a number of small islets and seastacks. These islands are remnants of one large and several subsidiary Pleistocene volcanic cones (Malloy and Dingwall, 1990).

The Auckland Islands (50°50'S; 166°00'E) are a small island group including Auckland Island and Adam Island.

Often I think I'm incredibly lucky to be involved in a job that covers such a wide variety of skills and interest. On any given day I might be taking cuttings, organising staff, doing the books, weeding, or marketing. A great combination of earthy, people, and administrative skills. I'm sure life is similar for a lot of you

The questions arise. How do we best manage time and staff? How do we create a good working atmosphere? Why are we in business? For the last question I suspect for most it's a love of plants and a decent way of making a living.

At the moment I have an apprentice working for me and this year I am the Nursery Representative for the Education Advisory Committee at Richmond Polytechnic, Nelson. This has given me the opportunity to look at training and the changes taking place.

To produce a quality product which is essential in today's environment, it's imperative to have a working environment where the employees are learning skills and are motivated, happy, and

Ginseng is an herbaceous perennial that is cultivated for its highly valued root. It is purchased as whole dried roots, pieces of root, powdered, or in capsules, and it is used in teas, soups, wines, and in a wide assortment of herbal and cosmetic preparations. Ginseng is used mainly in Asia, although its use is gaining popularity in other cultures. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is a close relative to the Asian or Korean ginseng (P. ginseng) Both species are of economic importance and each has a distinct use in Chinese medicine. The main commercial production areas in North America of American ginseng are Wisconsin and Ontario with significant expansion in recent years in British Columbia. Interest in the production of this crop is high and expansion in North America is likely to continue

At present we have diverse and fragmented forms of training and education within the industry. Starting with secondary education and working up:

• High schools: School Certificate in Horticulture and 6th Form Certificate in Horticulture
• Polytechnics and other providers: TOPS (Training Opportunities Programme). These are short-term courses up to 12 weeks on the basics.
• Trade Certificate Board: TCB (Apprenticeships). Training within the workplace.
• RNZIH (Royal New Zealand Institute in Horticulture). These qualifications are taught in various Polytechnics throughout New Zealand and include:

When planning to set up the nursery, the following criteria were laid down.

• It was to be a one-person operation.
• The production level was to be 6000 to 8000 saleable units per year.
• Use of electronic controls was to be kept to a minimum, mainly as a cost-saving measure on both equipment and power.
• Hand watering, being a time-consuming exercise, was to be kept to an absolute minimum and the use of overhead sprinklers was to be avoided because of its problems and wastage of water.

In this paper I would like to share with you my experiences with capillary beds. After looking at different methods of providing the needed water to the plants, it was decided that the Kinsealy Capillary Beds system was the best one to use. This system is outlined by Lamb et al. (1975).

Although certain measurements are given, it is not necessarily to adhere to them. The system is very adaptable and can be used with success on many different sites.

The trench layering method of vegetative propagation has endure the test of time. Its modern rival, tissue culture, has so far not been able to match it in terms of producing the first choice product nurseries require for the production of high quality, high-performance trees. Rootstocks propagated by trench layering remain the most cost effective, meet the size specifications required, are easy to transplant and handle, and are available when required to take advantage of optimum planting conditions. In addition, rootstocks are not usually adversely affected by the vagaries of weather and in the event of a bad growing season are usually of a buddable size at planting time anyway.

Since 1988 a small group of Institute members have been working on a register of plant collections of all sizes held in New Zealand. This work is a first step to documenting the extent of the plant genetic resource. As such it is simply a quantitative exercise, getting all the information together in one place. The register was initially compiled in March 1992 from returns received from a questionnaire sent out during 1991. Since that time two further updates have been published with the latest register containing details of 400 generic collections and 97 theme collections.

Kauri forests once covered much of the early land mass of New Zealand. Now only a remnant of the great forests remain—a mere 5% of the pre-European kauri forest has been spared from the axe and burning (Ahmed and Ogden, 1987).

Kauri is a large, long-lived tree which normally grows for more than 600 years with individuals exceeding 2 m d.b.h. (diameter at breast height) and often 1000 years of age (Ahmed and Ogden, 1987). Sale (1978) in his book, which reviews the history of the kauri in New Zealand, states that forest authorities consider this to be the tree capable of yielding the greatest volume of millable timber in the world. Sale goes on to explain the significance of this tree in the early maori history and European colonisation, including its uses and the wastage that has occurred. Fires were particularly common in logged kauri forests, many being deliberately lit by gum diggers (Ecroyd, 1982). Fortunately some great kauri giants have remained and are protected in

The hop, Humulus lupulus, is a dioecious, perennial, climbing vine used as a flavouring in beer. The female hop "cone" contains resins and essential oils that give beer its bitterness and contribute the hop flavour (Neve, 1991).

Hops were originally introduced to Australia by the early settlers and was grown around Sydney. Sydney's climate did not enable the production of high yielding, good quality crops, and hop production soon moved to Victoria and Tasmania where climatic conditions were more favourable (Pearce, 1976).

The Australian hop industry of today is located in north east Victoria and Tasmania. The total commercial area in Australia is at present 1160 hectares, with Victoria growing 330 ha, and Tasmania 830 ha. This area produces annually 3000 tonnes, with a gross value of A $16 million. Australia exports approximately two–thirds of the hop crop to a range of overseas countries. The other third is sold to the Australian domestic breweries. Australian Hop Marketers

Ilex dipyrena is a rather distinctive and handsome species among the many in our collection of 40 plus holly species and cultivars at Cannock Wood Nursery. This large shrub to small tree species, is native to the Himalayas. Although it is not a great garden centre plant there is a demand for it from plant collectors who have seen it growing in the wild, as well as those who see it in our collection. We grew our plant from cuttings taken from Eastwoodhill in April 1976. That attempt involved about 12 cuttings which produced about 4 to 5 trees. At that time I was a novice so records were non-existent except for the labels on the bench. One tree was planted in our garden and has grown to approximately 3 m by 1993. Further attempts at propagation have been fruitless, or maybe I should say plantless, which is frustrating as the cutting material looks perfect. The cuttings just sit and callus but no roots! Hence my paper title of how to repeat beginners luck! As with all my holly

Populus wilsonii is native to southwestern China. To be more precise, the Chinese record it growing on the Southern slopes of the Qin Ling Mountains, Shannxi Province and down into the Sichuan Province. The Chinese do not appear to use it in either their planting or hybridising programs and it remains rare in cultivation. The extent of wild populations is unknown to the author. Hiller's Manual of Trees and Shrubs describes it as a highly ornamental, medium-sized species and it is from Hillier's Nursery that New Zealand's only recorded accession originated.

Also noted in literature is the belief that all P. wilsonii in Western cultivation are a single female clone due to them being uncommonly uniform in habit. P. lasiocarpa also comes from southwestern China and is best known as the Chinese necklace poplar. Hillier's describes this tree as a magnificent, medium-sized tree with leaves sometimes up to 30 cm long and 23 cm wide which are bright green with conspicuous red veins and

Since nurseries began using containers as a major production tool in the early 1960s, there has been a constant struggle to overcome some of the problems inherent in this type of production. A few of these include maintaining adequate availability of water throughout the day and the season, reducing labor requirements, minimizing water runoff, reducing turn-over problems, moderating temperature extremes in the root zones. This paper discusses results of five research/demonstration projects evaluating these ideas.

The research evaluated sub-irrigation, Environmental Friendly Containers™, Poly-Jacket/Insulator™ and the Poly-Jacket/Water Saver™ containers, pot-in-pot above ground containers, and the Soil Sock™.

The project that started our interest in container design was one that evaluated the effects of subirrigation or collecting leachate in 2-in. saucers at the base of a container vs traditional irrigation. We discovered that live oaks grown with a constant reservoir of water at the

We begin taking our cuttings between 20 October and 20 November. We start with a clean cutting, one that has been sprayed regularly all summer. The benches are sprayed with a mixture of 1 Clorox : 9 water (v/v).

We cut the hardened growth off about 2 to 3 in. from the top. Next we strip all the leaves off the cutting except three or four, then wound one side about 1½ in. from the bottom of the cutting. About ¼ in of the base is quick dipped in a rooting solution of 7500 ppm IBA in 50% wood alcohol. The cutting is stuck about 2 in. deep in a peat cup filled with a mix of 1 perlite 1 peat moss (v/v). The cups have already been placed in a heated bench. We use a mist system over the top that activates for 15 sec every 10 min during 8 h of daylight until rooting begins. We then cut down the misting time a little each day.

After the roots have formed, we spray the benches in the greenhouse with Alliette every 21 to 24 days until they are potted in the spring. We used Subdue at

Integrated pest management (IPM), or Integrated Crop Management (ICM), and record keeping should be foremost in our plans for plant protection.

Girdling roots—roots which grow around tree stems and other roots—may shorten a tree's life span if they constrict the vascular system and restrict water and nutrient movement or if they fail to anchor the tree adequately (Gouin, 1984, Holmes, 1984; Whitcomb, 1984) Girdling roots generally start in one of three ways:

1. Plants may be put in planting holes with glazed clay walls that restrict structural development and cause roots to circle;
2. new lateral roots may develop behind the ends of primary roots that are cut during field-grown nursery stock harvesting (Watson et al , 1990);
3. or roots may circle on the outside of the medium root ball for container-grown trees.

A common planting recommendation for circling roots resulting from container production, has been mechanical disruption, slicing or "butterflying," of the root ball (Flemer, 1982; Gouin, 1984). The value of these practices, however, is questionable, according to limited and contradictory research conducted

As a child I grew up in a floodplain area that had drainage ditches, springs, marshes, pot holes and spring floods. I hunted and fished these areas and became quite familiar with the plants that would grow under those conditions. Back then we called these areas swamps; today they have acquired the name wetlands. Tidal marshes, creek banks, and general bay and ocean shore lines are wetlands with a completely different type of plant life.

For the most part the nursery industry has concentrated on the obligate upland species for such things as soil erosion, windbreaks, and strip mining revegetation. The plants used most are natives. They are fast growing, adapted to a wide spectrum of soils and microclimates

A nursery can specialize in three separate groups of plants--obligate upland plants, obligate wetland plants, and facultative species that lie in between

As more environmentalists became

The First International Symposium on the Biology of Adventitious Root Formation was held in Dallas, Texas, 18 April through 22 April 1993, with over 140 participants, representing some 25 different countries. It was a unique opportunity for researchers from industry, government, and many different academic disciplines to get together and focus on the basic and applied aspects of adventitious root formation. The Southern and Western Regions of IPPS helped sponsor the symposium.

No participant had a magic bullet or quick solution to rooting problems, and more questions were raised than answered. Inability to agree on a model system was probably a healthy sign and points to the complexity of adventitious root formation

Growing a mixture of woody ornamentals, perennials, and annuals is our response to the public's desire for year-around color By broadening our product line, we have been able to increase sales, extend our shipping season, and use our labor resources and growing area more efficiently.

We are growing upright hollies, unusual conifers, and small trees in about 100 acres of field production. In 15 acres of container production, we have an assortment of woody ornamentals, perennials, water plants, annuals, and ornamental grasses. In contrast to most nurseries, we do not raise any azaleas, Japanese hollies, or junipers. We strive to offer a mix of varieties that add color and excitement to the landscape all year long.

This paper will summarize some of the efficiencies and challenges of meshing perennials and woody ornamentals during propagation, planting, growing, selling, and shipping.