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Horticulture Update

Horticulture Update. Tulsa County Master Gardener Training February 2013. Jim Shrefler Extension Horticulturist Okla. Cooperative Extension. Plant and Care for Plants Correctly – Variety Selection. Use Resistant Varieties!!!!! Especially for tomatoes Use Adapted Varieties

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Horticulture Update

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  1. Horticulture Update Tulsa County Master Gardener Training February 2013 Jim Shrefler Extension Horticulturist Okla. Cooperative Extension

  2. Plant and Care for Plants Correctly – Variety Selection • Use Resistant Varieties!!!!! • Especially for tomatoes • Use Adapted Varieties • What is working for experienced growers? • OSU Recommendations • Oklahoman’s Guide to Fruits, Nuts & Vegetables • OSU Fact Sheet HLA 6032 for home gardening varieties • Seed Catalogs – Reputable Co. • Oklahoma Vegetable Trial Reports

  3. What’s New Resources • http://www.hortla.okstate.edu/ • Select “Industry and Producers” • Select “Vegetable Information” • 2012 Vegetable Trial Report • Tomato trials for fruit set in heat • Heirloom Tomato Trial

  4. What’s New Resources • http://www.hortla.okstate.edu/ • Select “Industry and Producers” • Select “Vegetable Information” • Extended Season Leafy Greens Report

  5. What’s New Resources • Southeast US Vegetable Guide • http://www.thegrower.com/south-east-vegetable-guide/

  6. What’s New Resources • http://www.hortla.okstate.edu/ • Select “Oklahoma Mesonet” • Select “Horticulture” • Pecan • Peach • Several Vegetable Choices • Turfgrass

  7. What’s New Resources • Greenhouse Tomato Short Course • Advance Registration is $150, by Feb 22 • http://Msucares.com/crops/ghtsc

  8. Tomatoes- General Needs • Fertile and very well drained soil • Full sunlight morning and through mid afternoon • Protection from wind – Helps prevent blossom end rot • Crop rotation with other plant families: i.e. Corn, beans, squash • Use only shallow cultivation for weeding established crops

  9. Planting & Caring for Plants Correctly – Watering • Tomato as an example • Proper watering is important for: • Vigorous plant growth • Fruit set • Fruit quality • Disease prevention

  10. Tomatoes - Irrigation • Needs 1-2 inches of water per week • Rainfall • Irrigation • Strive to keep soil moisture uniform • This can reduce blossom end rot • Avoid getting too dry • Mulch helps here • Deep, less frequent watering encourages deep rooting • Drip or trickle irrigation is ideal!

  11. Bedding and Mulching • Bed for drainage & increased root zone • Black sheet mulches warm soil • White Sheet Mulches, paper, straw etc. cool soil

  12. Pro’s and Cons of Mulching • + Reduce water loss from soil surface • + Maintain more uniform soil moisture • + Reduces weeding needs • + Keeps soil off plants and produce • +Reduced disease problems • -- Additional production cost • -- Plastic mulch removal • -- Insects & varmints

  13. Keys to Achieving an Early Tomato Harvest • Optimize Plant Environment (air & soil temperatures) • Early Maturing varieties • Transplant size • Avoid Excess Nitrogen • Use Best Management Practices to Minimize Plant Stress Steve Upson, Noble Foundation, 2012 Oklahoma Statewide Vegetable Meeting, Chickasha

  14. Potential of passive growing technologies for optimizing plant environment High Low Mulch film + row cover + hoop house Mulch film + row cover Mulch film

  15. Suggested transplant dates for hoop house tomatoes in Oklahoma southern: March 7-13 central: March 14-20 northern: March 21-27

  16. Spider Mites • Order Acari • Egg, larva, nymph, adult • Sucking pest • DS: larva, nymph, adult • OW: eggs, adults • Hosts: many vegetable crops Twospotted spider mite

  17. Spider Mite Management • Warm (hot!) season pests • Monitor with white paper • Dislodge with a stream of water • IRRIGATE !!!!

  18. Spider Mite Management • Non synthetic chemical options • Insecticidal soaps • Summer oils • Naturalyte (spinosad) • Pyrellin (natural pyrethroid) • Toxic to beneficial insects • M-Pede – OMRI Listed • Thorough coverage needed

  19. Spider Mite Management • Synthetic chemical options • Acramite • Kanemite

  20. Summer Squash - General Needs • Reasonably fertile and good drainage • Needs warm soil to germinate • Full sunlight • Crop rotation with other plant families: i.e. Corn, beans • Soil born diseases • Keep weeds controlled

  21. Black Plastic For Early Plantings • Zucchini squash planted May 1st in southern Oklahoma – plastic can make a difference due to soil warming. Use white plastic or organic mulch with later plantings to cool the soil.

  22. Summer Squash – Transplants • Transplanted • Large rootball is not needed • Use transplants 2-3 weeks old for early yield

  23. Summer Squash – Plants & Spacing • Plant by seed or transplants • Space rows 5 to 6 feet and plants 3 feet apart in row • Direct seeded – watch for seed eating rodents! • Transplanted • Large rootball is not needed • Use transplants 3-4 weeks old for early yield

  24. Squash – Insect Pest Concerns • Insects • Cucumber beetles • Squash bug • Aphids • Vine borer

  25. Squash Bug • Overwintered adults mate and move to cucurbit plants • Prefer squash, pumpkin • Will go to watermelon, muskmelon etc. • Colonize crops in spring, build up and spread to preferred crops • Feeding adults and nymphs inject toxic saliva that causes brown, dead vines • Associated with Yellow Vine Disease

  26. Squash Bug Management • Look for eggs and remove them • Put out plywood boards; bugs will spend night underneath board • Will hide under mulch • Maintain crop vigor proper watering & fertilization) • Remove and destroy crop debris as soon as possible

  27. Squash Bug Management • Contact insecticides (adults and nymphs) • Natural pyrethroids • Anti-feedant and insect growth regulator (nymphs) • Neem oil and Extract products • Row covers – early season

  28. Summer Squash – Planting systems • Raised Bed • Drip irrigation • Mulch • For weeds, moisture control, cleanliness • Plastic for early harvest • Organic mulch with later plantings • Cover with fine netting for insects - until flower

  29. Usefulness of Row Covers for Insect Exclusion in Squash? • Is it practical? • Is it cost effective? • Are there drawbacks? • What are the potential benefits? • What are the specifics on when and how to use this technique?

  30. Treatments • Install row cover at transplant and remove at 1st flower • Install row cover at transplant and remove 2 weeks after 1st flower • Apply insecticides when insects present • Untreated

  31. Treatments • Install row cover at transplant and remove at 1st flower • Install row cover at transplant and remove 2 weeks after 1st flower • Apply insecticides when insects present • Untreated

  32. Squash Yield by Plant Date- Total Fruits / 6 Plants - - Transplant at the start of each month - Harvest as long as possible (up to 12 wks) - Data is for plots with 6 plants (initially)

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