Hints and Tips

31 Tips & Gardening Techniques by Pierre-Marc de Champlain, Supervisor Technical Services

Key Practices That Can Contribute to Growing Success Growing is an art. Each grower establishes its own growing methods, over time, through its own experiences while wading through a treasure-trove of information. Over the years, we have come across many practices that are utilized by veteran growers, that consistently contribute to their growing successes. We have listed some of these practices below in the hope that any of these hints can contribute to your growing success as well.

Keys to a Successful Transition With the ever-increasing consumer demand and expanding market for organic products, many growers are contemplating a switch to organic production. This presentation covers some of the most important elements to consider for a successful transition, including fertilizers. _ _ FIND YOUR FAVORITE ORGANIC MIXES

Presence of Mold on Peat in Bales by Pierre-Marc de Champlain, Ing. Jr./Jr. Eng Mold is usually created by the growth of filamentous fungi. If the water content is high, these organisms will grow on almost any type of organic matter. While the sight of mold growing on a freshly opened substrate bale may seem worrisome, they are not pathogenic to plants. There are numerous species of fungi, and those found in peat moss are mostly saprophytes, meaning that they only feed on decomposing organic matter. Some of these microorganisms can even have beneficial effects on plant growth. The Benefits of Microorganisms in Sphagnum Peat Moss Sphagnum peat moss contains numerous microorganisms that occur naturally in peat bogs, including the bacteria Bacillus, the actinobacteria Streptomyces, the fungi Penicillium, Trichoderma and Mucor, to name a few. The presence of a healthy […]

Bark Mixes & Interactions with CRFs by Brian Cantin, Senior Grower Advisor In the nursery industry, bark has been the main ingredient in nursery container mixes for many years because it adds weight and is economically priced. However not all bark mixes are the same; certain factors have a large impact on bark’s physical and chemical characteristics as well as their interaction with other components including CRFs. Bark as a component can be purchased as Fresh Bark, Aged bark and Composted bark. Fresh bark can contain phenolic compounds due to the lack of proper composting and may inhibit growth. When added to a growing media, rapid decomposition of this material causes nitrogen depletion in the mix. A fresh hammer milled bark is often very coarse and has less available nitrogen than aged or composted bark. Processing bark beyond its fresh […]

Frequently Asked Questions Guide on Wood Fiber by Brian Cantin, Senior Grower Advisor

All you need to know about pH in growing mixes The pH in soilless growing media is a crucial element for a successful production. Berger offers growing media with a buffered pH and our quality control system guarantees that this pH is within a specific range upon reception. However, certain factors must be managed properly to make sure that the pH of the media remains optimal throughout the production. Watch the video to find out how you can manage your pH!

Garden Mums: Controlling Height An essential consideration in producing mums is that the final height and shape of the plant is greatly affected by the final spacing of the plants. A crop of proportionally shaped and well mounded plants begins with adequate spacing. For fall plantings, I prefer 18- to 24-inch on-centre spacing for 8-inch diameter containers or larger. With ample spacing, adequate light and air movement can penetrate the lower canopy, providing a healthier environment and sturdier growth for a major portion of the growing period. Space the plants so that they are barely touching each other when they begin to bloom. I have found that if the plants fill in their space too soon, leaves that overlap from one plant to another signal competition for space, which can result in undesirable growth. When estimating the final height of […]

Garden Mums: Fertility Management Programs Although there are a variety of fertilizer programs that work well for garden mums, I would be remiss not to mention that fertilizer is not the exclusive answer when it comes to producing quality plants. Water management, especially in the early stages, is crucial in determining the final size, shape and quality of garden mums. It would be better to say that the desired outcome results from integrating both feed and water practises. Growing a desirable quality plant of a specific size and sturdiness requires a balance between feed and moisture conditions. Regardless of the fertilizer formulation and rate of application, stress due to dryness – particularly during the early growth period – can result in woodier stems and smaller plants of lesser quality. Keeping cuttings actively growing during the first five weeks of the […]