Tennessee Greentimes - Winter 2018

VOL. 19/NO. 4

Winter 2018

Powdery Mildew Management On Woody Ornamentals Buying Peace of Mind: Using Sensors to Monitor Irrigation Systems Plus, Highlights from the Tennessee Green Industry Expo September 27–28, 2018

VOL. 19/NO. 4 •

Cover Story Powdery Mildew Management on Woody Ornamentals

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Recent Event Tennessee Green Industry Expo, September 27–28, 2018 Lebanon, TN

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Departments From the President............................................................................................................6 TNLA Sponsors..................................................................................................................6 New Members..................................................................................................................11 Index of Advertisers.........................................................................................................19

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tennessee greentimes Winter 2018

Winter 2018

Feature Article Buying Peace of Mind: Using Sensors to Monitor Irrigation Systems

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The Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Tennessee GreenTimes, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright ©2018 by the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association.

Tennessee GreenTimes is published quarterly.

Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Tennessee GreenTimes allows reprinting of material. Permission requests should be directed to the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information.

Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

The Tennessee Greentimes is the official publication of The Tennessee Nursery & Landscape Association, Inc. 115 Lyon Street McMinnville, Tennessee 37110 (931) 473-3951 Fax (931) 473-5883 www.tnla.com Email: mail@tnla.com Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedge communications.com

Don Blocker

Sales Representative

Editors Dr. Bill Klingeman Dr. Amy Fulcher Associate Editors Dr. Nick Gawel Dr. Frank Hale Dr. John Sorochan

Louisville, KY C: 502-681-8073 F: 866-521-8353

New Basewell Rooted Cutting Technology

dblocker@mchutchison.com mchutchison.com

TNLA Officers President Justin Stelter JS Gardening, LLC 1st Vice President Jon Flanders Botanico, Inc. 2nd Vice President Bert Driver Bert Driver Nursery 3rd Vice President Morgan Adcock Scenic Hills Nursery Secretary-Treasurer Cody Walker Walker Nursery Co. Associate Director Milton Whitsett Griffin Greenhouse Supplies Ex-Officio Josh Woodlee David’s Nursery Executive Director Louree Walker

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From the President Justin Stelter

TNLA Would like to

Thank

the following companies for being

Membership Sponsors Gold Membership Sponsors Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil Mix, Inc. Blankenship Farms and Nursery Flower City Nurseries Living Earth Monrovia Nashville Landscape Systems, Inc. Putnals Premium Pine Straw, Inc. Randall Walker Farms Swafford Nursery, Inc. Tennessee 811 Warren County Nursery, Inc.

Silver Membership Sponsors Botanico, Inc. Carpe Diem Farms Dayton Bag & Burlap Co. John Holmlund Nursery Lee-Smith Isuzu Nufarm Americas, Inc. Old Courthouse Nursery Southern Ag 6

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Deep Roots, Strong Foundations

The

cooler season is now here. Winter is the cycle of dormancy and a time of protection from the harsh elements. Deciduous plants have shed their leaves in preparation for this season and they can survive for months on end because they have stored up goods. Deep roots create strong foundations.

How strong is your foundation? Right now the economy is healthy and robust and the overall state of our industry is bright. Economic forecasts predict good GDP and low unemployment and inflation for the next several years. These leading indicators suggest the economy is in a period of growth.

The TNLA has stored up goods and developed a strong, time-tested foundation, like the deep roots of a mighty oak that has stood for generations. Because of this, we continue to invest in you and our green industry.

The dates are set for the annual trade show next year. The results from the recent TNGIE survey were overwhelmingly positive. And most importantly, we have chosen a dedicated, forward-looking leader in Jon Flanders (a retired colonel) to serve our TNLA membership as president in 2019.

What do you plan to do during the slower winter months, the season of hibernation? Whether you decide to save, reinvest, or get some much-needed rest, pursue each of these with purpose. This season of our lives has an important purpose for each of you.

Honored to serve as your president for 2018, Justin Stelter ‘To garden is to cultivate your soul.’

Tennessee Green Industry Expo

September 12–13, 2019 Wilson County Exposition Center Lebanon, TN www.tngie.com

Cover Story

Powdery Mildew Management Research Helps Guide

on Woody Ornamentals

By Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel, Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology

Tennessee State University – Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center – Ornamental Pathology Program McMinnville, TN 37110 – fbaysalg@tnstate.edu

P

owdery mildew fungi are obligate parasites, which means they require a living plant host. These fungi grow mainly on the leaf surfaces and other tender aerial plant parts of susceptible woody ornamental plants, including shoots and flowers. Powdery mildew is caused by several different species of fungi, members of the genera Erysiphe, Leveillula, Microsphaera, Phyllactinia, Podosphaera, Oidium, Oidiopsis, Sphaerotheca, and Uncinula. Some of these powdery mildew genera can be specific to one type of plant while other powdery mildews can infect many different trees, shrubs, foliage and flowering ornamental plants. Crapemyrtle, dogwood, hydrangea, lilac, magnolia, ninebark, oak, and roses are a few examples of woody ornamental plant groups that may be susceptible to powdery mildew.

Powdery mildew fungi survive as cleistothecia, which are the characteristic fruiting structures of powdery mildew fungi that contain asci and ascospores or can persist as mycelium on dormant buds or shoot tips of susceptible plants. But many powdery mildew fungi don’t produce cleistothecia in warmer parts of the country, and in these locations, the fungus may constantly produce white or light-colored mycelium, conidiophores, and conidia (asexual spores). The first sign of active powdery mildew disease usually is the appearance of white, powdery patches on plant foliage (Figures 1 and 2).

What makes powdery mildew so difficult to control?

Powdery mildew may cause cosmetic damage that cause chlorosis, reddish-brown patches, reduce growth by attacking tender

shoots and leaf surfaces, premature defoliation, and flower blight (Figures 1 and 2). High relative humidity, moderate temperatures, and low light intensities favor disease development. When these conditions occur, the white, powdery appearance on plant foliage may develop. Powdery mildew spreads very quickly, with masses of conidia produced from each new infection. Therefore, preventative fungicide applications in a rotation are critical to control powdery mildew.

Why is it important to rotate fungicides in programs that control plant diseases like powdery mildew?

Pathogen resistance to fungicides is well known and the performance of many fungicides has been affected to some degree by pathogens developing resistance. So, developing a fungicide rotation program using different modes of action, as indicated by their respective Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) codes, is an important action in limiting risk of fungicide resistance development.

In 2017, studies were initiated by the Tennessee State University (TSU) Ornamental Pathology Program to evaluate fungicide rotations at 14- or 21-day spray application intervals for the control of powdery mildew of dogwood and crapemyrtle.

All fungicides chosen for study have a 12-hour restricted entry interval (REI).

The initial fungicide application was Mural 45WG (7 oz/100 gal) (a.i. benzovindiflupyr + azoxystrobin) and treatments were initiated after the first symptoms of powdery mildew disease

Table 1. Powdery mildew control- spray rotation program on flowering dogwood and crapemyrtles Active Ingredient

FRAC Code

Mural 45WG 7 oz alt Palladium WDG 6 oz alt Concert II 4.3SE 35 fl oz alt Palladium WDG 6 oz

benzovindiflupyr + azoxystrobin cyprodinil + fludiozonil chlorothalonil + propiconazole cyprodinil + fludiozonil

11 + 7 9 + 12 3 + M05 9 + 12

14

Mural 45WG 7 oz alt Palladium WDG 6 oz alt Concert II 4.3SE 35 fl oz alt Palladium WDG 6 oz

benzovindiflupyr + azoxystrobin cyprodinil + fludiozonil chlorothalonil + propiconazole cyprodinil + fludiozonil

11 + 7 9 + 12 3 + M05 9 + 12

21

Non-treated control 8

Spray interval (days)

Treatment and rate/100 gal

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Figure 1. Powdery mildew signs and symptoms on flowering dogwood leaves

Figure 2. Powdery mildew signs and symptoms on crapemyrtle flowers, seed pods and leaves

Cover Story Continued

Figure 3. Effect of fungicide timing on severity of flowering dogwood powdery mildew

were observed on ‘Cherokee Princess’ flowering dogwood and ‘Muskogee’ and ‘Whit I’ crapemyrtles. Then, Palladium WDG (6 oz/100 gal)(a.i. cyprodinil + fludioxonil), Concert II 4.3SE (35 fl oz/100 gal)(a.i. chlorothalonil + propiconazole) and Palladium WDG (6 oz/100 gal)(a.i. cyprodinil + fludioxonil) were alternated at 14- or 21-day spray application intervals (Table 1).

Both fungicide rotation programs significantly reduced powdery mildew severity and disease progress compared to the nontreated control, and these effects were achieved in flowering dogwood and in both cultivars of crapemyrtle (Figures 3 and 4).

The 14-day spray rotation program significantly reduced powdery mildew severity and disease progress compared to the 21-day rotation program in flowering dogwood plants as well as both cultivars of crapemyrtle. Plants in the 14-day rotation program were also significantly taller than the non-treated control plants.

How do systemic fungicides perform compared to other products?

Figure 4. Effect of fungicide timing on severity of crapemyrtle powdery mildew

In a follow up study, the TSU Ornamental Pathology Program also evaluated systemic fungicides for controlling powdery mildew on flowering dogwood. Treatments were Mural 45WG (5 oz/100 gal and 7 oz/100 gal)(a.i. benzovindiflupyr + azoxystrobin), Concert II 4.3SE (35 fl oz/100 gal)(a.i. chlorothalonil + propiconazole) and Pageant Intrinsic 38WG (18 oz/100 gal) (a.i. boscalid + pyraclostrobin), all labeled with a 12-hour reentry interval (Table 2). Treatments were applied as foliar spray applications (on a 14-day spray interval) at appearance of the first signs of powdery mildew. All fungicide treatments significantly reduced the final powdery mildew severity rating and disease progress compared to non-treated control plants (Figure 5). Moreover, the higher rate of Mural was the most effective in reducing the spread of powdery mildew. All treated plants were significantly taller compared to the non-treated control.

Among fungicide-treated plants, plant height was significantly greater in plants treated with the higher rate of Mural. Benefits of using systemic products in a treatment program were clear; one application provided excellent protection to flowering dogwood plants for 14 days.

Treatment timing and strategies for effective disease management

Figure 5. Effect of fungicide spray application on severity of flowering dogwood powdery mildew 10

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To control powdery mildew diseases, it is important to begin making preventive fungicide applications when the weather or environmental conditions are conducive to disease development.

Typically, spray applications are made on a 7-, 14-, or 21-day spray interval, depending upon the level of disease pressure. The spray rotation program tested here worked better at 14-day spray application intervals compared to the 21-day interval for the control of powdery mildew of flowering dogwood and crapemyrtle.

By incorporating products that have both translaminar and systemic activity in fungicide rotation with other protectant fungicides, growers can likely extend their treatment interval while maintaining good protection.

TNLA New Members

Table 2. Flowering dogwood powdery mildew controlspray application Treatment and rate/100 gal

Active Ingredient FRAC Code

Mural 45WG 5 oz

benzovindiflupyr + 11 + 7 azoxystrobin

Mural 45WG 7 oz

benzovindiflupyr + 11 + 7 azoxystrobin

Concert II 4.3SE 35 fl oz

chlorothalonil + propiconazole

3 + M05

Pageant Intrinsic 38WG 18 oz

boscalid + pyraclostrobin

7 + 11

Non-treated control

Prompt action helps to manage powdery mildew Scouting and early diagnosis of infected plants are critical for preventing spread of powdery mildew disease and implementing effective disease control strategies. If you would like to confirm that powdery mildew has infected your woody ornamental plants, you can submit a sample to your local university’s plant diagnostic laboratory. C

Welcome,

TNLA New Members!

Active Cuttings and Seedlings Nursery Joseph Austin 576 Standifer Road McMinnville, TN 37110 Indian Mound Nursery & Produce Ginger Wanamaker 76 Shiloh Road McMinnville, TN 37110

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Daily Regional DeliveRy Tennessee Kentucky

The Southeast’s

800.782.4083 | midtennturf.com

PReFeRReD SouRCe for SoD & SeRviCe Since 1986

north Carolina South Carolina georgia alabama ••• Residential Commercial golf athletic Fields

Blue Tag Certified grasses ••• over 2,500 acres in Production

Recent Event

Held on September 27–28 at the Wilson County Expo Center in Lebanon, Tennessee, the event was a great success!

Thanks to all sponsors, vendors and attendees who made it a great opportunity to learn, cooperate and grow our industry.

2018 TNLA Awards

Wholesale Nurseryman of the Year Tracy Adcock Scenic Hills Nursery

Hall of Fame 2018 Inductee Garry Adcock

Young Nursery Professional of the Year Lee-Allen Turner Turner & Sons Nursery

William J. “Bill” Reilly Salesperson of the Year Jeff Harris NYP

Hall of Fame 2018 Inductee John Collier, Jr.

Landscape Contractor of the Year The Lawn Butler Knoxville, TN

Hall of Fame 2018 Inductee Dr. Donna Fare

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Recent Event

TNGIE Booth Awards

1st Place Green Goods Pack’s Nursery

2nd Place Green Goods Turner & Sons Nursery

3rd Place Green Goods Walker Nursery Co.

1st Place Hard Goods Round Grove Products

2nd Place Hard Goods Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil Mix, Inc.

3rd Place Hard Goods BDI Machinery Sales

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Special Thanks to the 2018 TNGIE Sponsors Gold

Silver

Bronze

In-Kind Sponsors

• BASF • Farm Credit Mid-America • Tennessee Department of Agriculture

• Bert Driver Nursery • Botanico, Inc. • BWI Companies • Harrell’s, LLC • The HC Companies • Warren County Nursery

• Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil Mix, Inc. • Boyd & Boyd Nursery • Classic Groundcovers • Eason Horticultural • Simpson Nurseries

• Beyond (Credit Card Machine) • Dayton Bag & Burlap • Homeland Community Bank • Scenic Hills Nursery • Stowers Machinery • Tennessee Valley Tractor • Tri-Green Equipment • Thompson Machinery

Thanks to the HRI/TNLA Golf Sponsors • Botanico • BWI Companies • Dayton Bag & Burlap

• Griffin Greenhouse Supplies • Kirby Real Estate/ Hoover & Son Insurance

• Mize Farm & Garden Supply • Nursery Supplies, Inc. • Pleasant Cove Nursery

• Samara Farms • Tennessee Valley Nursery

Thanks to Our TNGIE Exhibitors!

• ACI Distributors, Inc. • Albertville Wood Products, Inc. • Anderson Mulch & Soil, LLC • Arrowhead Ornamentals • Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil, Inc. • BASF • BDI Machinery Sales Inc • Best Management Practices • Black Fox Farms • Blankenship Farms & Nursery • Bobcat of Nashville • Botanico, Inc. • Boyd & Boyd Nursery • BWI Companies • Cam Too Camellia Nursery, Inc. • Cedar Valley Nurseries • Cedarwood Nursery • Cherokee Manufacturing • Cherry Springs Nursery • Classic Groundcovers, Inc. • Clifford’s Perennial & Vine • Colorburst Plant Farm, Inc. • Dayton Bag & Burlap • Decker’s Nursery • Don Yancy & Son’s Nursery • Dry Shave Mountain Nursery • Dutchman Tree Spade • Dykes & Son Nursery • Farm Credit Mid-America • Faron Green Nursery • Flower City Nurseries • Forest Nursery Co., Inc.

• Garden Armor • Garick, LLC • Garretson Stone LLC • Good Growin’ Supply, LLC • Gowan • Green Thumb Nursery • Griffin • H & H Farm Machine Co. Inc • H2A Complete II, Inc. • Hale & Hines Nursery Co. • Hans Nelson & Sons Nursery, Inc. • Harney’s Nursery • Harrell’s • Haston Farm Nursery • Haviland Plastic Products • Heather Farms Nursery, Inc. • Helena Chemical • Herd Farms Nursery • Heritage Farms • Hildreth Brothers Nursery • IPPS – Southern Region • Johnson Nursery Corporation • JSC Nursery • Kinsey Gardens, Inc. • Little River Nursery, Co. • Living Earth • Louisiana Forest Seed Co. • MAS Labor H-2A • Medley’s Nursery • Merritt Nursery, Inc. • Middle Tennessee Nursery Association • Mid-South Nursery • Mingo Nursery • Mize Farm & Garden

• Morton’s Horticultural Products, Inc. • Musser Forests, Inc. • National Nursery Products, Inc. • Native Forest Nursery • Newby Tree Farms • Nursery Supplies, Inc. • NYP Corp.

• Odom Nursery • Pack’s Nursery, Inc. • Panter & Sunderland • Pattillo Tree Farm, LLC • Plant & Supply Locator • Plant Path Nursery • PlantANT • Pleasant Cove Nursery, Inc. • Poole Bros. Nursery • Prichard’s Nursery Equipment • Randall Walker Farms • Richey Nursery Company, LLC • River Rock Nursery • Riverbend Nurseries, LLC • Round Grove Products, LLC • Rusty Mangrum Nursery • Samara Farms • Scenic Hills Nursery • Schaefer Nursery • Shady Rest Nursery • Simpson Nurseries • Specialty Tag & Label, Inc. • Spring Creek Nursery • Steve Myers & Son Nursery • Stowers Machinery Corporation

• Superior Trees, Inc. • Surface Nursery, Inc. • Swan Mill Nursery • Swift Straw • Tennessee Dept. of Ag. – Marketing • Tennessee Dept. of Ag. – Plant Certification • Tennessee Nursery & Landscape Association, Inc. • Tennessee State University Research Center • Tennessee Valley Nursery, Inc. • Tennessee Valley Tractor & Equipment • The Greenhouse Company of South Carolina, LLC • Thomas Nursery • Thompson Machinery • TIPCO, Inc. • Tom Landreth Greenhouses • TriGreen Equipment • Trivett’s Nursery • Turner & Sons Nursery • Underwood True Value Hardware & Nursery Supply • Utility Equipment Service, Inc. • Van Belle Nursery • Walker Nursery Company • Warren County Nursery • West Tennessee Forest Seed • Wilcher’s Nursery, LLC • Youngblood & Associates, PLLC

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Feature Article

Buying Peace of Mind: Using Sensors to Monitor Irrigation Systems

By Sterling McClanahan, Student Intern, Amy Fulcher, Extension Specialist and Associate Professor Wesley C. Wright, Research Associate

R

esearchers have been learning how to use weather stations, moisture sensors, and other sensor types to refine agricultural water use and tailor it to crop needs. While research systems for irrigation scheduling tend to be complex and expensive, the technology has become more affordable and available in user friendly, “off-the-shelf� products. Additionally, many systems allow remote access to the sensor-generated information through a cellular connection. Both of these developments increase the utility of technology at nurseries and garden centers, as well as in landscapes. The focus of this article is to highlight the benefits of using soil/substrate moisture sensors and irrigation system pressure switches.

There are several benefits to monitoring the soil or container substrate moisture level with sensors. Moisture sensors can be used to establish the normal fluctuation in moisture level that occurs from one irrigation event to the next. After a few days, a predictable cycle appears. Rainfall and interruptions in irrigation disrupt that cycle and are generally very obvious. For example, a soil moisture sensor that is getting increasingly dry over time indicates that the irrigation is not operating correctly, possibly due to a problem with a controller, a leak or break in the line, or

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is a misaligned or partially clogged sprinkler head. As a result of the disruption, water is not reaching the plants.

A moisture sensor can also be used to determine if the moisture content is not returning to the same anticipated level following an irrigation event, which can indicate a number of issues.

Figure

1

Substrate Moisture Levels of Two Cherry Taxa in the Same Irrigation Zone

For example, the substrate may have become hydrophobic, which may be remedied by more frequent irrigation especially during dry periods with no rain, or that the plants have grown and are deflecting water. Often, botanically related plants are put in the same irrigation zone, but even closely related plants can use different amounts of water. Kousa dogwoods can use as little as half the water that flowering dogwoods use, and because of their vase-shaped canopy, Kwansan cherries harvest about 2.5 times more water than Yoshino cherries in the same irrigation zone!

Installing substrate moisture sensors in two different species, whether botanically related or not, can help you determine if one is staying much wetter than the other and perhaps should be relocated to a zone with less run time (Figure 1).

If a landscaper or field producer uses multiple sensors at different soil depths they can refine the irrigation duration. For example, when setting up a new landscape irrigation system, sensors at different depths will give the information needed to refine run time to achieve percolation to the desired soil depth. A nursery field producer can use soil moisture sensors in the root ball and at depths above and below the root zone to ensure that their relatively long, but infrequent irrigation schedule doesn’t put most of the moisture below the crop’s root system or let crops get too dry between events (Figure 2). A field producer can also use sensors to ensure irrigation is provided to the necessary depth prior to digging root balls.

A pressure switch can be a helpful tool, giving peace of mind to owners and garden center operators who are out of town or have entrusted an inexperienced employee with watering (Figure 3). For systems that drain and thus depressurize following each irrigation event, a pressure switch will reveal when the line is pressurized, indicating that the irrigation system can provide water. If adequate pressure is not detected during the designated run time, there may be a leak in the pipe upstream of the pressure switch or the water supply may have been physically shut off. Conversely, if the line is pressurized beyond the normal irrigation run time, the irrigation may have been accidentally left on by an employee or a solenoid value may be stuck open. If the line is normally pressurized whether irrigating or between irrigation events, the owner can see the indication of pressure and be reassured that water is available when the valves open. On the other hand, if pressure is absent, the owner or manager can notify someone on-site or otherwise take steps to track down the reason.

Moisture sensors and pressure switches can be used in tandem.

As we just saw, pressure switch readings can be used to determine if the irrigation line is pressurized. If the irrigation doesn’t appear to have operated based on the pressure switch, the moisture sensor can provide information to help you determine if irrigation is actually necessary. For example, the pressure switch may indicate the line hasn’t been pressurized. However, checking the moisture level may indicate that a rain event hydrated the plants; therefore, an employee on-site deemed that irrigation was not needed. Let’s consider another scenario, the pressure switch

Figure

2

Figure

3

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Feature Article Continued may indicate that the irrigation is running properly, but moisture sensors indicate the plants are getting increasingly drier. This may indicate that the plants have tipped over and are not receiving the irrigation or that the irrigation sprinkler has become damaged or turned away from the crop. Recently, at one of our nursery-based research projects, using the combination of a pressure switch and moisture sensors revealed that employees were routinely skipping weekend irrigation duties (Figures 4 and 5).

Some moisture sensors also have embedded electrical conductivity (EC) and temperature sensors. The temperature sensor can be used to monitor root zone temperatures. Temperatures can reach more than 129.2˚F in black containers. Root zone temperature is important to monitor because roots stop growing at 102.2˚F and die at about 122˚F, depending on the plant species.

Monitoring root zone temperature would allow a grower or retail garden center operator to determine if the plants need to be shaded or perhaps transition the crop to white containers.

Monitoring EC can be helpful because the higher the salt level, the more likely root burn and consequently, plant damage, is to occur. Conversely, if excessive rainfall led to fertilizer salts being flushed from the root zone, rapid detection of nutrient loss

Figure

4

Daily Irrigation Run Time As Indicated

by Pressure Switch Readings

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tennessee greentimes Winter 2018

will allow time to consider supplemental fertilizer options. Let’s look at a few scenarios in which monitoring salt levels can be a helpful decision-making tool. If salt levels are increasing slowly, it may mean your water supply is becoming saltier, or as is more likely in Tennessee, that there has been insufficient rainfall or irrigation to leach salts from the container. If the salt level increases quickly, the fertilizer coating may have become damaged, such as from blending with a substrate that has sand in it, permitting the rapid release of high levels of fertilizer. If there is insufficient irrigation and containers are drying out too much between events, salts tend to concentrate, also leading to high readings. Using sensors to monitor for this scenario, especially when overwintering container crops, can help prevent plant damage.

Sensors and cellular connections allow for greater monitoring and decision-making, even from a distance. Whether you run a large corporate nursery or have a small “mom and pop” operation, adopting sensor-based technology can help you monitor and troubleshoot problems that can otherwise dramatically reduce plant health or cause crop death, ultimately delaying or eliminating sales. C

Figure

5

Daily Volumetric Water Content of Containers

Index of Advertisers

Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil Mix Inc.........................14 www.barkybeaver.com Boshancee Nursery, Inc..............................................19 www.boshanceensy.com Braun Horticulture Inc..................................................7 www.braungroup.com Cam Too Camellia Nursery, Inc..................................5 www.camtoocamellia.com D & D Agri.....................................................................19 Fairview Evergreen........................................................7 www.fairviewevergreen.com Hidden Valley Nursery, LLC.......................................18 www.hiddenvalleynursery.com John Holmlund Nursery..............................................11 www.jhnsy.com McHutchison, Inc...........................................................5 www.mchutchison.com Mid Tenn Turf...............................................................12 www.midtennturf.com Motz & Son Nursery....................................................19 Neely Coble Co...............................................................3 www.neelycoble.com Richey Nursery Company, LLC....................................5 www.richeynursery.com Smith Seed Services...................................................19 www.smithseed.com

D & D AGRI

AGRIBUSINESS PROTECTION SPECIALIST

Chisholm Downs 1993 H wy . 31 S outH A tHenS , A lAbAmA 35611 e mAil : cdownS @ pclnet . net

c ell (256) 230-5677 H ome (256) 232-8184

Surface Nursery Inc....................................................12 www.surfacenursery.com Swafford Nursery Inc..................................Back Cover www.swaffordnursery.com Tennessee One-Call System........................................7 www.tnonecall.com Tree Equipment Design, Inc........................................5 www.treeequip.com Wellmaster Carts............................Inside Front Cover www.wellmaster.ca

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