Progress 04/29/14 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience continued to be horticultural crop producers using greenhouses and high tunnels to grow fresh cut flowers and/or fresh market herbs. Extension Educators in Wyoming and elsewhere were also part of the target audience. Changes/Problems:We had some problems with plant pathogens. Virus issues were handled by removal of four Helichrysum and three Calendula plants. Two Daucus plants were also removed as they did not survive. Also, the Matthiola did not respond at all to pinching so further research using this species will use only un-pinched plants. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provided an opportunity for an undergraduate to earn hourly wages and research credits. She will pursue this work for her master's degree, hopefully starting in 2019. We have also focused on fresh cut flowers in talks at the University of Wyoming Laramie R&E Center Field Day in August 2018. Attendees were able to see first-hand how fresh cut flower production and harvest takes place. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results of 2018 work will be disseminated in 2019 at the Laramie R&E Center field day and will be part of a peer-reviewed publication to be submitted. Results will also be presented to an international audience at the American Society for Horticultural Science annual conference August 22-25, 2019 in Las Vegas. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1. We continued production of specialty cut flowers in the greenhouse and two high tunnels. The two high tunnels are oriented perpendicular to one another, one east-west and the other north-south. This allowed us five locations: greenhouse, north, south, east, and west. Five species of cut flowers were grown from seeds: Calendula 'Princess Golden', Celosia 'Celway Mix', Daucus 'Dara', Helichrysum 'Double Mix', and Matthiola 'Lucinda Mix'. Seeds were sown on 4 April 2018 in the greenhouse. Seedlings of Calendula and Matthiola were transplanted to #1 containers on 30 April 2018; others were transplanted 1 May 2018. Six plants of each species were utilized. Containers were placed on 1 foot spacings, watered daily, and fertilized using 15-5-15 Cal Mag liquid feed. Half of the plants were pinched to encourage branching and half were left un-pinched. Half the Calendula plants were pinched 21 May; half the Celosia, Helichrysum, and Matthiola were pinched 23 May; and half the Daucus plants were pinched 30 May 2018. Data were collected on the number of flowers cut per plant, days from sowing to harvest, and stem lengths. Objective 2. Matthiola: None of the pinched plants produced any flowering stems. Even when left un-pinched, most of the plants did not flower. Stems produced per plant were 0.7 (greenhouse), 1 (north and south), and 1.3 (east). Helichrysum: Un-pinched plants in the east location produced the most flowering stems, while un-pinched plants in the north location produced the least (76 and 26 respectively). These were 25.3 and 8.7, per plant respectively. Celosia: Greenhouse-grown pinched plants produced 114 flowering stems; un-pinched produced 99. Per-plant, this equaled 38 and 33 respectively. Calendula: The highest number of stems produced grew on pinched plants in the east location: 121 stems or 40.3 per plant. The least grew in pinched plants in the greenhouse, 41 stems, or 13.7 per plant. Daucus: From the north location, pinched plants produced 130 stems, or 43.3 per plant. The least produced were from un-pinched plants in the greenhouse, 38 stems, or 12.7 per plant. Objective 3. NA for this year since we did not grow any culinary herbs. Objective 4. Matthiola: Days to harvest were at least 110 days in the greenhouse, north, and south. Plants in the west location did not produce any flowering stems. The longest stem was 44 cm, cut from the east location. Since there were so few Matthiola flowering stems produced, analysis of variance could not be run. Helichrysum: Days to harvest from sowing varied from an average of 116 (un-pinched plants, north) to 132 days (un-pinched plants, east). The first flowering stem was cut 70 days after sowing in the greenhouse from an un-pinched plant. The longest stem was 63 cm (un-pinched, greenhouse) and the shortest was 22 cm (un-pinched, east). For days to harvest there were no differences between pinched and un-pinched plants, but there were differences among the locations. No interaction effects for pinched/unpinched and the five locations were found. The least number of days to harvest occurred in the north location of the east-west high tunnel (112.5 days) with the longest time occurring in the east (127.3 days). For stem lengths, analysis of variance indicated significant differences between pinched/un-pinched plants, among the five locations, and interactions between pinched/un-pinched and location. Stem lengths of un-pinched plants were shorter than those from pinched plants, 33.0 cm for un-pinched plants versus 36.4 cm for pinched plants. Differences in stem lengths by location were also found with the shortest stems grown in the west (32.7 cm); longest stems were produced in the greenhouse at 39.1 cm. The biggest interaction was between pinched plants in the greenhouse (42.7 cm) and un-pinched plants in the west (27.9 cm). Celosia: Days to harvest ranged from 123 days (pinched plants in the west) to 135 (un-pinched plants also west). The first flowering stem was harvested 82 days after sowing, from an un-pinched plant in the greenhouse. Stem lengths ranged from 22 (un-pinched plants in the north) to 32 cm (greenhouse-grown pinched plants). The longest was 56 cm, from a greenhouse, un-pinched plant. Analysis of variance on days to harvest for Celosia indicated no differences between pinched and un-pinched plants. There were differences among the five locations. Plants in the greenhouse showed the least number of days to harvest (113.8), and the longest time in the south section (125.7 days). There were no interaction effects between pinched/un-pinched and location. Stem lengths were statistically different between pinched and un-pinched plants. Stems from pinched plants averaged 35.8 cm while those from un-pinched plants averaged 34.4 cm. Stem lengths were also different among locations. The shortest stems were cut from plants in the west location (33.7 cm) and the longest stems in the greenhouse (37.4 cm). There were significant interactions as well between pinching and location. The biggest difference was between un-pinched plants in the greenhouse (38.0 cm) and un-pinched plants in the south (30.9 cm). Calendula: The first stem was cut 68 days after sowing from an un-pinched plant grown in the greenhouse. Stem lengths ranged from 30 cm (un-pinched plants in the south) to just over 38 cm (greenhouse-grown un-pinched plants). The longest stem cut was 57 cm from a pinched plant in the east. Days to harvest were different among locations but not between pinched/un-pinched plants, as determined by analysis of variance. There were no interactions between pinching/not pinching and location. Days to harvest were shortest in the greenhouse (113.8 days) and longest in the south location (125.7 days). Differences in stem lengths occurred between pinched/un-pinched plants and among locations. There were also significant interactions. Stems from pinched plants were longer (35.8 cm) than those from un-pinched plants (34.5 cm). The shortest stems were cut from the west location (33.7 cm) and the longest stems were cut from the greenhouse (37.4 cm). Interaction differences were largest between un-pinched plants in the south (30.9 cm) and two other locations: un-pinched plants in the greenhouse and pinched plants in the east, both at 38.0 cm. Daucus: With Daucus, the first flowering stem was harvested 98 days after sowing (greenhouse pinched plant, south un-pinched plant, and west pinched plant). Stem lengths ranged from 23 cm (un-pinched plants in the greenhouse) to 50 cm (un-pinched plants in the east). Analysis of variance showed no differences between pinched and un-pinched plants for days to harvest. Pinched plants took an average of 128.2 days from sowing to harvest while un-pinched plants averaged 128.7 days. There were differences among the five growing locations. Plants grown in the greenhouse took the least amount of time from sowing to harvest, an average of 123.9 days. Plants grown in the north and the west took the longest, each averaging 130.7 days. There were also significant interaction effects. Pinched plants grown in the greenhouse took the least amount of time from sowing to harvest, 122.8 days. Un-pinched plants in the north and the west took the longest, 132.0 days. Stem lengths were significant different between pinched and un-pinched plants, locations, and also interaction effects. Daucus stems harvested from pinched plants averaged 39.5 cm while those from un-pinched plants averaged 42.1 cm. Differences in stem length by location were quite large, with shortest stems harvested from greenhouse-grown plants averaging 28.4 cm. The longest stems were recorded on plants grown in the north (46.4 cm) and the east (46.5 cm). Significant interactions were also apparent with the shortest stems grown in the greenhouse on pinched plants (31.0 cm). The longest were grown in the east, 49.3 cm.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Panter, K. 2018. Year-round greenhouse and high tunnel specialty cut flower production. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station Field Days Bulletin. p. 14. Online http://www.uwyo.edu/uwexpstn/publications/field-days-bulletin/2018-field-days-bulletin.pdf. Accessed 12 December 2018.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Panter, K. 2018. 2017 Fresh cut flower production: Completion report. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station Field Days Bulletin. pp. 26-27. Online http://www.uwyo.edu/uwexpstn/publications/field-days-bulletin/2018-field-days-bulletin.pdf. Accessed 12 December 2018.
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Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience continues to be horticultural crop producers using greenhouses and high tunnels to grow fresh cut flowers and/or fresh market herbs. Extension Educators in Wyoming and elsewhere are also part of the target audience. Changes/Problems:The only problems that occurred in 2017 were pathogenic in nature. All of the Centaurea in the greenhouse succumbed to one of the numerous virus pathogens that attack this crop but only a few in the high tunnels were lost. As a result, this species will not be grown again. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provided an opportunity for an undergraduate to earn both internship and research apprenticeship credits. He grew a set of fresh cut sunflowers in the greenhouse in 2016 and followed up this high tunnel and greenhouse cut flower work with additional data collection this fall. We have also focused on fresh cut flowers in talks at the University of Wyoming Laramie R&E Center Field Day in August 2017. Attendees were able to see first-hand how fresh cut flower production and harvest takes place. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results of 2017 work will be disseminated in 2018 at the Laramie R&E Center field day and will be part of a peer-reviewed publication to be submitted sometime in 2018. A blog post about this work is also available on WordPress (https://karenpanter.wordpress.com/). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Starting in early 2018, a Wyoming Department of Agriculture Specialty Crops Grant will support continued fresh cut flower work in high tunnels and the greenhouse. We will look at year-round production of several species, including Calendula and probably Celosia from work conducted in 2017. We will not use Centaurea due to problems with plant pathogens, nor will we use Gomphrena or Amaranthus due to short stems. At least one Rocky Mountain native plant, possibly a Penstemon, will be included along with one or two other more traditional cut flower crops. An undergraduate student has already been identified to assist with the project from early 2018 through 2019.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1. This year focused on fresh cut flower production in the greenhouse and two high tunnels. We grew Gomphrena 'Ping Pong Mix', Calendula 'Princess Golden', Centaurea 'Classic Artist Mix', Celosia 'Celway Mix', and Amaranthus caudatus 'Red' in #1 containers on one foot spacings. All were sown from seeds on 16 March 2017, transplanted to 1004 cell packs either 4 April 2017 (Calendula, Centaurea, Amaranthus) or 20 April 2017 (Gomphrena, Celosia). All were transplanted to the greenhouse and high tunnels 26 May 2017. Stems were harvested as flowers reached saleable stage of opening; this varied by species. Objective 2. Yields per plant varied greatly by species (per square foot since plants were spaced 12 inches apart). Gomphrena yielded 24 stems per square foot in the greenhouse over the four months of the study, but between 9.3 (north section of EW high tunnel) and 12.9 (west section of NS high tunnel) per plant in the tunnels. Calendula produced similar numbers in the high tunnels and the greenhouse with a range of 14.1 (west section of NS tunnel) to 15.8 (north section of EW tunnel); plants grown in the greenhouse yielded 14.7 stems per square foot. Centaurea yielded poorly in the greenhouse due to virus problems. All plants were lost in the greenhouse after the first few weeks. Those plants in the high tunnels fared much better and were able to resist the pathogen. As a result, yields were far more variable with Centaurea over the course of the study, ranging from only 1.8 per plant (greenhouse) to 27.5 (west section of NS tunnel) stems per plant. Yields of Celosia were far lower in the high tunnels than in the greenhouse. Yields in the latter were 14.7 stems per plant while the range in the high tunnels was 3.3 stems (west section of NS tunnel) to 4.7 stems (south section of EW tunnel) per plant. Lastly, Amaranthus yields ranged from 17.9 (north section of EW tunnel) to 25.1 (east section of NS tunnel); greenhouse production was intermediate at 23.2 stems per plant. Objective 3. Herbs were not grown in the greenhouse or high tunnels in 2017. Objective 4. Mean days to harvest Gomphrena mean days to harvest ranged from 135 (east section of NS high tunnel) to 140 (north section of EW high tunnel). For Calendula, the range was 134 days (west section of NS high tunnel) to 139 days (south section of EW tunnel). Centaurea showed more variation, having far fewer days to harvest in the greenhouse (103) than either high tunnel; the range in the tunnels was 138 (north section of EW tunnel) to 140 days (east section of NS tunnel) for Centaurea. The range for Celosia was 138 days (east section of NS tunnel) to 144 days (west section of NS tunnel). Lastly, Amaranthus exhibited a range of 7 days, 122 days (south section of EW tunnel) to 129 days (greenhouse and east section of NS tunnel). Mean stem lengths For all five species, stem lengths were longest when grown in the greenhouse. Stem lengths of Gomphrena were consistently short, ranging from 8.9 cm (west section of NS high tunnel) to 12.1 cm (greenhouse). For Calendula, stems ranged from 30.5 cm (west section of NS high tunnel) to 36 cm (greenhouse) long. Centaurea exhibited the longest stem lengths of all species, ranging from 33.9 cm (west section of the NS high tunnel) to 42.3 cm (greenhouse). Celosia stems ranged from 21.2 cm (west section of the NS tunnel) to 28.5 cm (greenhouse). As with Gomphrena, stems of Amaranthus were consistently short, ranging from 7 cm (west section of NS tunnel) to 10.8 cm (greenhouse). It appears orientation of the high tunnels, at least for fresh cut flower production of these five species, matters little for days to harvest and for stem lengths. Stems will be longer when grown in the greenhouse for all five species, however. Yields are variable, depending on species. Plants grown in the greenhouse did not necessarily produce more stems per plant (per square foot) than those grown in the high tunnels.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Panter, Karen. 2017. Fresh cut flower production. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station Field Days Bulletin. p. 11. Online http://www.uwyo.edu/uwexpstn/publications/field-days-bulletin/2017-field-days-bulletin.pdf. Accessed 5 November 2017.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Panter, K., S. Dhekney, and A. Erickson. 2017. Vegetables and herbs under high and low tunnels: Completion report. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station Field Days Bulletin. pp. 22-23. Online http://www.uwyo.edu/uwexpstn/publications/field-days-bulletin/2017-field-days-bulletin.pdf. Accessed 5 November 2017.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Panter, K. 2017. Fresh cut sunflower production. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station Field Days Bulletin. pp. 24-25. http://www.uwyo.edu/uwexpstn/publications/field-days-bulletin/2017-field-days-bulletin.pdf. Accessed 5 November 2017.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Panter, K., S. Dhekney, and E. Oleson. 2017. Fresh cut sunflowers in two Wyoming greenhouses. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station Field Days Bulletin. pp. 26-27. Online http://www.uwyo.edu/uwexpstn/publications/field-days-bulletin/2017-field-days-bulletin.pdf
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Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience continues to be horticultural crop producers using greenhouses and/or high tunnels to grow fresh cut flowers and/or fresh market herbs. Extension Educators in Wyoming and elsewhere are also part of the target audience. Changes/Problems:This year we had difficulty with seed germination and very poor fruit development on some vegetables grown in high tunnels. Bean seeds, fresh and packaged for 2016, sown in two locations in the high tunnels did not germinate at all. We also had very poor fruit development on peppers and tomatoes, with 67% of the tomato plants producing no fruit and 39% of the pepper plants with no fruit. Basil plants, on the other hand, showed no problems in growth and development. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Undergraduate student involvement in this project was invaluable. They learned planting and production techniques as well as research protocols. They learned the importance of data collection and how the various crops grow in different environments. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Talks on both major goal activities will be presented in February 2017 at the annual Rocky Mountain Green Industry Conference sponsored by the Wyoming Groundskeepers and Growers Association. Initial results of this work were presented at the LREC Field Day held 27 August 2016. Since data were still being collected at that time, final results were not available to attendees. Information on sunflower behavior in the greenhouse and high tunnels was presented to attendees at the annual meeting of the multistate WERA-1013 Intermountain Native Plants group, 7 October 2016 in Ames, Iowa on the campus of Iowa State University. Proceedings from that meeting will be published and made available online. In the future, results will be highlighted in completion reports in the 2017 version of the University of Wyoming (UW) Agricultural Experiment Station Field Days Bulletin. Plans are underway to also publish the results in a UW Extension bulletin and possibly a horticultural journal. Lastly, results of both major goal activities will be presented in either poster or oral talk form at next year's American Society for Horticultural Science annual conference scheduled for 19-22 September 2017, Waikoloa, Hawaii. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Major goal 1: We are researching cut flower and herb species for study beginning next spring, both in the greenhouse and high tunnels at the LREC. Major goal 2: We will choose two, possibly three, cut flower species for growing in the greenhouse and high tunnels. We will also incorporate production of one culinary herb in all three locations in order to gain further insight into plant behavior in the controlled-environment greenhouse versus the uncontrolled environment in the high tunnels.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: This year we grew two cultivars of fresh cut sunflowers in greenhouses at the Laramie Research and Extension Center (LREC) and the Sheridan Research and Extension Center (ShREC). We also grew fresh vegetables and herbs in a high tunnel/low tunnel study also conducted at both the LREC and ShREC. Sunflowers: the two cultivars grown were Dafna and ProCut Bicolor. Each was grown in two high tunnels oriented perpendicular to one another as well as in the greenhouse (LREC). In the high tunnels, seedlings were transplanted into the ground in the tunnels on 6-inch spacings, with each seedling producing one cut flower stem. Yields were thus four cut flowers per square foot. In the greenhouse, seedlings were transplanted into #1 nursery containers and placed pot-to-pot, on 6-inch spacings. All plants were treated with slow release 15-3.9-10 (15-9-12) fertilizer and watered daily by hand. Data recorded included days to harvest and stem lengths. Time to harvest was longer when cut sunflowers were grown in the high tunnels but stems were longer when grown in the greenhouse. Yields using this system were 4 stems per square foot in the greenhouse and the high tunnels. Work on cut sunflowers conducted at ShREC used the same planting dates and other protocol as above at the LREC. Yields in the greenhouse at ShREC were also four cut flowers per square foot. Days to harvest in the greenhouses differed significantly between the two locations with flowers taking about 4 days longer to reach harvestable stage at the ShREC than LREC. There were also differences in stem lengths between the two locations with those at ShREC about 15 cm longer than at LREC. Vegetables and herbs: As part of a Wyoming Department of Agriculture Specialty Crops project, three vegetables and one herb were grown in the two high tunnels at the LREC and one high tunnel at the ShREC. Half of each crop was covered with row cover within each tunnel while the other half was left uncovered. At the LREC, seedlings were grown in the greenhouse first, and then transplanted into the ground in the tunnels. All were watered daily by hand and treated with slow release 17-2.2-9.1 (17-5-11) fertilizer. The plants grown at LREC were 'Ace 55' tomato, 'Anaheim Chili' pepper, 'EarliServe' green beans, and 'Thai Asian' basil. Data collected were fresh weights of tomato, pepper, and green bean fruits and total weights of basil plants. Bean plants under low tunnel row covers produced very little fruit with zero seed germination in two locations. Sixteen of the 24 tomato plants produced no fruit no matter if they were covered or not. Number of tomato fruits on those that did produce ranged from 1 to 4 with fresh fruit weights ranging from 7 to 328g. There were no statistical differences in basil fresh weights among the eight locations within the two high tunnels. Mean fresh weights of five plants per location ranged from 23g (SW corner of the NS-oriented tunnel) to 99g (SE corner of the NS-oriented tunnel). Eleven of the 28 pepper plants produced no fruit. Of the plants that did produce, total fruit weights ranged from 2g (SE corner of the NS tunnel) to 91g (SW corner of the EW tunnel). Pepper plant fruit number ranged from 1 to 5 on those that produced any fruit. Data from vegetables and herbs in the high tunnel/low tunnel study at ShREC have not yet been analyzed. Objective 2: Yields of all sunflowers was 4 stems per square foot. Objective 3: Yields of fresh basil plants (five plants per location) in the high tunnels (basil was not grown in the greenhouse in 2016) ranged from 23g (SW corner of the NS-oriented tunnel) to 99g (SE corner of the NS-oriented tunnel). There were no statistical differences in basil fresh weights among the eight locations within the two high tunnels. Objective 4: Fresh cut sunflower cultivars grown in 2016 were single-stem non-branching. As a result, one seed equaled one cut flower stem. At both the LREC and ShREC, all were grown at 4 plants per square foot, which then equaled yield of 4 stems per square foot. At the LREC, stem lengths among the five locations (greenhouse; north, south, east, and west sides of the two high tunnels) were statistically different. Stems in the greenhouse were longer than any of those grown in the high tunnels. Average stem length in the greenhouse was 128cm; average stem lengths in the high tunnels ranged from 75cm (west side NS high tunnel) to 89cm (east side NS high tunnel). Days to harvest among the five locations were also statistically different. Mean days to harvest were less in the greenhouse than any of the high tunnel locations. Greenhouse mean days to harvest were 63 days while days ranged from 74 (east side NS high tunnel) to 79 (south side EW tunnel). At the ShREC, greenhouse-grown fresh cut sunflowers were taller (mean 144.5 cm) than those grown in the greenhouse at LREC (mean 129.5 cm). Days to harvest were also significantly different between the two locations. Mean days to harvest at the LREC were 63 while it took 68 days at the ShREC.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Gergeni, T. and K. Panter. 2016. Irrigating chives in a greenhouse and two high tunnels - completion report. Field Days Bulletin. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station. 31-32.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Erickson, A., S.A. Dhekney, and K. Panter. 2016. Season extension for production of vegetables under protection cultivation systems. Field Days Bulletin. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station. 147-148.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Panter, K., S.A. Dhekney, A. Erickson, C. Hilgert, and J. Heitholt. 2016. Vegetables and herbs under high and low tunnels. Field Days Bulletin. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station. 37-38.
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Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience is horticultural crop producers who use greenhouses and/or high tunnels to grow fresh cut flowers and/or fresh market herbs. We have also targeted Extension educators in Wyoming and elsewhere. A peer- reviewed paper in HortTechnology was published, we presented results of greenhouse and high tunnel production research on fresh market herbs (marjoram, oregano, chives, basil) at the American Society for Horticultural Science annual conference, and we presented information on irrigating garlic chives in high tunnels at our August 27, 2015 Laramie Research & Extension Center Field Day. Those in attendance at the field day included potential growers of such crops. Information on the project was also published in the UW 2015 Field Days Bulletin which was made available to all attendees. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project resulted in a professional development opportunity for one of the master's students involved. He was able to attend the American Society for Horticultural Science annual conference in New Orleans in August 2015. His attendance enabled him to not only present a portion of the results of the herb study to the academic community, but he also entered the graduate student poster contest. He was not a winner but this encouraged him to focus on oral and written skills when producing the poster and then presenting it to the graduate student poster contest judges. He also attended numerous oral talks and made new connections for furthering his career in horticulture. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have utilized the two seasons of culinary herb production to educate producers already growing these crops as well as those interested in pursuing growing these crops. Information was available at the Rocky Mountain Green Industry Conference, sponsored by the Wyoming Groundskeepers and Growers Association, February 12, 2015. The results of this project were also highlighted at the Specialty Crops Workshop sponsored by the University of Wyoming Extension in Platte County, Wyoming. Lastly, a poster on the results was presented to the horticultural science community at the American Society for Horticultural Science annual conference in New Orleans, Louisiana August 4-6, 2015. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will finish analysis of the soil moisture monitoring data using chives in spring 2016, along with completion of the master's thesis of the student who conducted the study. He is on track to graduate in May 2016. The culinary herb studies from 2013 and 2014 is being written up in thesis form by the responsible master's student. He is anticipating finishing in spring 2016 with graduation in May. Plans are underway to continue fresh cut flower studies in the greenhouse and high tunnels beginning late spring 2016 and continuing through fall in the high tunnels and continuously in the greenhouse.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Using two high tunnels oriented perpendicular to one another (one east-west, the other north-south) we have noted differences in plant growth and yields. Between the two high tunnels there are four areas: east side of the north-south tunnel, west side of the north-south tunnel, north side of the east-west tunnel, and south side of the east-west tunnel. Herb yields in the high tunnels collectively were greater than in the greenhouse. Growers and potential growers of these herb crops can utilize this information to plan the layout of their greenhouse and/or high tunnel to make best use of yield projections. Growers can also use specific production strategies to maximize yields of the four crops grown: basil, oregano, marjoram, and garlic chives. Major goal 1: We have determined yield predictions for four culinary herbs as follows (neither graphs nor tables could be copied and pasted here). Basil: Greenhouse 2013-662g, 2014-1702g; High tunnel north 2013-2002g, 2014-1082g; High tunnel south 2013-1141g, 2014-1633g; High tunnel east 2013-1885g, 2014-3234g; High tunnel west 2013-852g, 2014-1319g. Oregano: Greenhouse 2013-438g, 2014-1489g; High tunnel north 2013-1417g, 2014-1638g; High tunnel south 2013-1436g, 2014-1755g; High tunnel east 2013-1654g, 2014-2087g; High tunnel west 2013-2084g, 2014-1317g. Marjoram: Greenhouse 2013-261g, 2014-1887g; High tunnel north 2013-1700g, 2014-1784g; High tunnel south 2013-1971g, 2014-1744g; High tunnel east 2013-1456g, 2014-2496g; High tunnel west 2013-1256g, 2014-2135g. Chives: Greenhouse 2013-73g, 2014-506g; High tunnel north 2013-334g, 2014-737g; High tunnel south 2013-166g, 2014-536g; High tunnel east 2013-252g, 2014-648g; High tunnel west 2013-171g, 2014-521g. Basic production strategies have been outlined with recommendations including plant spacing at one per square foot; planting in #1 containers if possible; ensuring consistent air movement; consistent and routine scouting and monitoring for insect pests (whiteflies, thrips, aphids), diseases (botrytis, powdery mildew), and cultural problems (irrigating too frequently, nutritional deficiencies), and frequent removal of flowers. We have also completed data collection on garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) in the greenhouse and two high tunnels using two irrigation systems in the greenhouse (drip and hand watering) and hand watering in the high tunnels. Volumetric water contents were monitored in all locations; data are currently under analysis. Major goal 2: We have noted differences in yields among the greenhouse, north-south oriented high tunnel, and east-west oriented high tunnel, depending on crop and year. In the culinary herb study, greenhouse yields lagged behind production in both high tunnels, with the exception of chives. Greenhouse yields of chives were consistent with high tunnel yields in 2014, but were lower in 2013. Basil yields were highest when grown on the east side of the north-south tunnel (2014) and the east and north sides (2013). Oregano yields were highest in 2013 on both sides of the north-south tunnel and the east side in 2014. Marjoram yields were highest in the north-south tunnel (both sides) in 2014 but highest in the east-west tunnel (both sides) in 2013. Chives yields were low in all locations in both years. Yields in the greenhouse of all four species were far lower than in the high tunnels in 2013. In 2014, however, greenhouse yields of basil, oregano, and marjoram were consistent with high tunnel production. Specific Objectives 1, 2, and 3 are addressed in the above information. Objective 4 will be addressed in the coming year.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Garfinkel, A.R. and K.L. Panter. Year-round greenhouse production of cut sunflowers in the Rocky Mountain west. HortTechnology 24(6) December 2014.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Seals, C.P. and K.L. Panter. 2015. Wyoming fresh herb production. American Society for Horticultural Science annual conference poster presentation. Abstract: https://ashs.confex.com/ashs/2015/webprogram/Paper21250.html.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Gergeni, T. and K. Panter. 2015. Irrigating chives in a greenhouse and two high tunnels. Field Days Bulletin. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station. 23-24.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Seals, C. and K. Panter. 2015. Wyoming fresh herb production completion report. Field Days Bulletin. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station. 39-40.
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Progress 04/29/14 to 09/30/14
Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience reached has been horticultural crop producers who use greenhouses and/or high tunnels to grow fresh cut flowers and/or fresh market herbs. We have also targeted Extension educators in Wyoming and elsewhere. A peer-reviewed publication in HortTechnology titled Year-round Production of Cut Sunflowers in the Rocky Mountain West has been accepted and should be in print by the end of 2014. We also previously published an Extension bulletin titled A Wyoming Growers' Reference Guide to Cut Sunflowers (UW Extension Bulletin B-1253, March 2014). We presented some of the results of greenhouse and high tunnel production research on fresh market herbs (marjoram, oregano, chives, basil) at the UW Laramie R&E Center Field Day on August 28. Those in attendance included potential growers of such crops. Information on the project was also published in the UW 2014 Field Days Bulletin which was made available to all attendees. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? For the participants in this project, it has enabled us to attend regional horticultural conferences as well as the national/international American Society for Horticultural Science annual meeting. We have learned from others more about greenhouse and high tunnel production of cut flowers and fresh herbs at these conferences. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? We have disseminated results via talks at field days and conferences, as well as publication of an extension bulletin and of a peer-reviewed article. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? During the next reporting period, we will finish analysis of fresh market herb yield data from the greenhouse and two high tunnels. We have two full growing seasons of yields and the graduate student will be writing his thesis on the subject this winter; he plans to graduate May 2015. Another graduate student will continue working on herb production in the greenhouse and two high tunnels starting early 2015. He will be monitoring soil moisture levels as they relate to production of chives..
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Major goal 1: We were successful in determining yield predictions and production strategies for greenhouse-grown cut sunflowers. We are in the process of analyzing data for determining yield predictions and production strategies for greenhouse and high tunnel-grown fresh market herbs. Major goal 2: For fresh cut sunflower production we were able to compare and contrast production in a greenhouse and in two perpendicular high tunnels, one east-west and the other north-south. Objective 1: The herb data are currently under analysis. Yields will be reported in the next update for this project. The sunflower data indicate yields of 4 cut flowers per square foot (43 per square meter) in our system, where one plant = one cut flower, in the greenhouse and the high tunnels. Days to harvest, however, varied among cultivars and with time of year (Objective 4). Objective 2: In the greenhouse, 27 sow dates between 16 November 2011 and 12 December 2012 produced 1,296 fresh cut sunflowers, 432 of each of the three cultivars (Dafna, ProCut Bicolor, and Sunbright Supreme). This translates to about 25 cut flower stems per square foot per year (270 stems per square meter per year). The sow dates were two weeks apart, save for three sowings where rodents destroyed the seedlings. Production in the two high tunnels was also 4 cut flowers per square foot (43 per square meter), but only one sowing was used: 2 May 2012, transplanted into the high tunnels on 17 May 2012. Forty-eight plants of each cultivar were planted on either side of the central aisle in both tunnels, for a total of 192 flowers/plants (again, 1 plant = 1 cut sunflower). However, overall saleable yields were low. In the north-south tunnel, 57% of the flowers were saleable but in the east-west tunnel, only 35% were saleable. 'ProCut Bicolor' produced the highest saleable yield overall in the tunnels at 73% while 'Sunbright Supreme' and 'Dafna' had lower saleable yields at 34% and 31% respectively. We suspect the low saleable yields were largely due to high temperatures in the upper regions of the tunnels where air movement/cooling was negligible, leading to malformed flower heads. Objective 3: Fresh weight yields of the four herbs utilized (marjoram, chives, oregano, and basil) in the greenhouse and the two tunnels are currently being analyzed. Objective 4: Yields of the cut sunflowers were described in Objectives 1 and 2. Days to harvest varied by cultivar, location (greenhouse or high tunnels), and time of year. In the greenhouse, mean days to harvest ranged from 57 days ('Sunbright Supreme') to 103 days ('ProCut Bicolor'). Mean stem lengths also varied, ranging from 43 cm ('Dafna') to 153 cm ('Sunbright Supreme'). The shortest number of days to harvest occurred with 'Dafna' (58-60 days) and 'Sunbright Supreme' (57-59 days) when seeds were sown late January through February. 'ProCut Bicolor' showed the least number of days to harvest, 64-67 days, from sowings made mid-June through mid-July. In the high tunnels, the only difference in the number of days to harvest was among cultivars. There were no statistical differences between high tunnel orientations or north-south-east-west planting locations within the tunnels. Days to harvest across both tunnels averaged 77 days for 'ProCut Bicolor', 94 days for 'Dafna', and 95 days for 'Sunbright Supreme'. Stem lengths within the high tunnels varied by cultivar as well. 'Sunbright Supreme' grew taller in the east-west tunnel than the north-south tunnel (157 cm versus 111 cm in the north-south and east-west tunnels respectively). There were no statistical differences between tunnels for either 'Dafna' (123 cm north-south, 110 cm east-west) or 'ProCut Bicolor' (103 cm north-south, 109 cm east-west). In the north-south tunnel, all three cultivars grew taller in the eastern planting location than the western location. In the east-west tunnel, all three cultivars grew taller in the north planting location than the south location.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Garfinkel, A.R. and K.L. Panter. Year-round greenhouse production of cut sunflowers in the Rocky Mountain west. HortTechnology 24(6) December 2014.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Garfinkel, A.R. and K.L. Panter. A Wyoming growers' reference guide to cut sunflowers. University of Wyoming Extension Bulletin B-1253. March 2014.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Seals, C. and K. Panter. Wyoming fresh herb production. University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station, 2014 Field Days Bulletin. pp. 17-18.
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