Nutritional monitoring of floriculture crops workshop held Oct. 4

Register to participate in an interactive nutritional monitoring workshop emphasizing “fert, dirt and squirt” and in-house monitoring for new to advanced greenhouse growers.

Compilation of images.
Photo by W. Garrett Owen, MSU Extension.

August: Garden mums, asters, celosia, ornamental cabbage and kale, pansies and poinsettias are among the most common crops currently residing in greenhouses now for fall and winter sales. Some may think it is too early to start thinking about winter, spring or bedding plant production. However, nutritional disorders may arise at any time during production regardless of the time of year. So why not prepare yourself with learning or reviewing the fundamentals of growing plants, “fert, dirt and squirt” and establishing an in-nutritional monitoring program?

On Oct. 4, 2018, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., a Nutritional Monitoring of Greenhouse Crops workshop will be held at the MSU Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, 4125 Beaumont Road, Lansing, MI 48910. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. This day-long workshop, led by W. Garrett OwenMichigan State University Extension eastern Michigan greenhouse outreach specialist, and Brian Whipker, North Carolina State University floriculture Extension specialist, will emphasize fert, dirt and squirt, key pieces of equipment needed to establish an in-house nutrient monitoring program and methods of nutritional monitoring.

This interactive, hands-on workshop is designed for beginning to advanced growers. Attendees will practice nutritional monitoring methods and have the opportunity to have their own substrate (pH/EC), water (pH/EC/Alkalinity) and plants (substrate pH/EC) tested.

In addition, all attendees will be eligible to win a Hanna Instruments pH/EC meter. Those interested in attending the workshop should register today.

Contact Garrett Owen at wgowen@msu.edu or 248-347-0269 ext. 202 for more information or download the event flyer.

Did you find this article useful?