Lloyd Traven, M.Sc. Peace Tree. We ALL say we want it-- BUT.. Will THEY Buy it?

Transcription

1 Lloyd Traven, M.Sc Peace Tree We ALL say we want it-- BUT.. Will THEY Buy it? 1

2 The Journey We are Sustainable FIRST, SOME DEFINITIONS A GROWER S DEFINITION CUT TO THE CHASE!! I I TOOK IN MORE MONEY THAN I SPENT! I AM SUSTAINABLE!! SUSTAINABILITY IS: A GROWING SYSTEM USING MINIMAL INPUTS, IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THESE INPUTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO USE 2

3 IT IS NOT THE SAME AS ORGANIC!!! ORGANIC VS SUSTAINABLE A LIST OF WHAT YOU CAN T DO MARKETING TOOL!! PLASTIC IS OKAY DOCUMENTATION OMRI, NOP,ATTRA GROWN WHEREVER DOES CUSTOMER REALLY CARE? THE KING FOR EDIBLES!! OR SO THEY SAY. THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT? EDUCATE, POP RICE, POOP, HEMP VERIFIED? VERIFLORA, MPS LOCALLY GROWN!! IT S REALLY WHAT CUSTOMERS WANT!! OR SO THEY SAY SUSTAINABLE CONCEPTS CHEMICALS BENEFICIALS AND KNOWLEDGE SOILS AND FERTILIZERS, ph CONTROL ENERGY INPUTS WATER USAGE AND MANAGEMENT RUNOFF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL PGR? RECYCLING, RE-USE, RECOVER WHY DO WE BOTHER? Differentiate Or Die!!! YOU MUST STAND OUT FROM A CROWD 3

4 STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD DON T T BLEND IN! WHY BUY FROM YOU? IF YOU GROW WHAT YOU ALWAYS GREW YOU LL GET WHAT YOU ALWAYS GOT 4

5 FEELING IMMINENT DOOM? NEED TO UPGRADE? THERE BE MONSTERS OUT THERE 5

6 LOTS OF PUZZLE PIECES! DEFINITELY A TOUGH CLIMB THE DOWNSIDE IS RUIN 6

7 THE CLIMB IS WORTH IT!! SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE WHAT ARE WE SELLING? PUSH BACK ON THE BOX HOW DO WE STAND OUT? BEING AND SELLING GREEN LOCALLY-OWNED OWNED GARDEN CENTER NICHE-MARKETING STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE!! MERCHANDISING, BRANDING OMG! GETTING OUT THE MESSAGE REACHING NEW CUSTOMERS MARKETING GREEN 7

8 WHY SHOULD WE CARE? IT MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE IT MAKES ENVIRONMENTAL SENSE DON T T BELIEVE IN GLOBAL WARMING? HERE S S SOME PROOF 8

9 WE CAN SELL THIS CONCEPT!! BUT WE MUST TELL THE CUSTOMERS!! Implementing BCA s.. and use it as a marketing tool (retail).. Organic has NOTHING to do with Sustainability It Sells!!! when it is APPROPRIATE 9

10 Nobody Cares! But When it Makes Sense. Edible Ornaments 10

11 Spring Works!! EDIBLE PLANTS A NEW MOTTO A LIVING CUSTOMER IS A GOOD CUSTOMER 11

12 USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC Organically-Grown NOT!!! 12

13 PRACTICAL REALITIES INSECT AND DISEASE CONTROL EASILY THE TOUGHEST LONG-TERM ISSUE!!! The BIGGEST Issue? FERTILIZER But once you solve it.. It stays solved Pests are FOREVER!! 13

14 Thrips and Orius # on sticky cards and biological control releases per m2 IPM and Biocontrols Thrips A. cucumeris A. swirskii Orius Hypoaspis Atheta ORIUS # Monitoring data Monitoring Overview Company name: Smits GH Zone/compartment: 1 Size: 4000 m2 / Sq.F Crop(s): Poinsettia Date: Week #: # of Sticky cards in zone: 10 Employee name: Joe Sticky Cards Pest Average Whitefly 0,0 Thrips 0,0 Aphid (winged) 0,0 Fungus gnat 0,0 Shore fly 0,0 Lygus 0,0 Leafminer 0,0 Other: 0,0 Biologicals (A = Absent P = Present) Encarsia Eretmocerus Orius Aphidius Conosia Other: Other: Visual crop monitoring (inspect plants for presence of pest and or biologicals) How to switch? Spider Mite: Aphid: Other: Other: Other: Notes: 1) To obtain the best possible information it is recommended to use 10 bug scan yellow sticky cards (10 x 15 cm) per acre as a minimum. 2) For pest section, count the # of each individual pest on each stick card. Make sure that the # of sticky cards is filled out in yellow cell. 3) For monitoring biologicals, the actual number can be recorded. However, just P (present) or A (absent) can be sufficient information. 4) Monitoring with sticky cards is important information in IPM. However, make sure the crop is inspected for pest and biologicals as well. Making a change! Management and Grower(s) involved! Determination: WE NEED to make this work! A TOTAL systems approach! PREVENTING problems, not fixing problems. FIRST LINE of defense for all pest problems Keys to a successful program 14

15 Keys to a successful program 1. Education, Consultants 2. Delegate responsibility and accountability 3. Review pest problems, especially short term 4. Consistent monitoring. NOT THE GROWER!!! 5. Develop a plan for transition period Set a date for starting point of biological control Start in propagation Banker and Trap Plants!!! Guardian Plants, too. Don t t give up!!! Don t t shoot yourself in foot!!! Believe the bugs TIPPING POINT!! Education WHAT do you know NOW? WHERE is the info? Thrips - WFT An example with Thrips and Whitefly adult egg pupa 1 4 nymph 77 F Thrips WFT development Egg (In leaf tissue) Larva 1 2 (on plant exposed) Pupa (in soil) Adult (on plant exposed) I I I I I 68F 6 days Days 6 days up to 60 days 86F 3 days Days 3 days days 3 I I I I I 4 Amblyseius spp Hypoaspis miles Orius insidiosus Orius insidiosus Atheta coriaria Steinernema f. Steinernema f (side effect!) Fecundity in vegetative stage of crop 4 5 eggs / female Fecundity when pollen available 15 eggs per female Inter-Guild Predation Predators eating Predators!!! 15

16 Monitoring data Monitoring Overview Orius versus swirskii Company name: Smits GH Zone/compartment: 1 Size: 4000 m2 / Sq.F Crop(s): Poinsettia Date: Week #: # of Sticky cards in zone: 10 Employee name: Joe Sticky Cards Pest Average Whitefly 0,0 Thrips 0,0 Aphid (winged) 0,0 Fungus gnat 0,0 Shore fly 0,0 Lygus 0,0 Leafminer 0,0 Other: 0,0 Biologicals (A = Absent P = Present) Encarsia Eretmocerus Orius Aphidius Conosia Other: Other: Visual crop monitoring (inspect plants for presence of pest and or biologicals) Spider Mite: Aphid: Other: Other: Other: Notes: 1) To obtain the best possible information it is recommended to use 10 bug scan yellow sticky cards (10 x 15 cm) per acre as a minimum. 2) For pest section, count the # of each individual pest on each stick card. Make sure that the # of sticky cards is filled out in yellow cell. 3) For monitoring biologicals, the actual number can be recorded. However, just P (present) or A (absent) can be sufficient information. 4) Monitoring with sticky cards is important information in IPM. However, make sure the crop is inspected for pest and biologicals as well. DRILL, Baby, DRILL!! Management Responsibility WHO Managing is key. Appoint an IPM manager/scout NOT THE GROWER!!! Too close to crop!! Review pesticide use in the last year and more importantly the last 3 4 months! Review pesticide history Why? Long Long residual effect? Some Some stick on greenhouse!! Example: Thiodan and Encarsia Products Products to avoid for example are Thiodan, Orthene, Talstar 16

17 Natural Pesticides Beneficial Biologicals Banker Plants Bio-control in Action Pepper plants to establish and support Orius. Plants kept together at first: 17

18 Bio-control in Action Pepper plants to establish and support Orius: : spaced in greenhouse Bio-control in Action Plants with Orius also used outside: ALWAYS more predators outside!! TRAP PLANTS Number of Orius Nymphs and Adults per Pepper Flower at Peace Tree Farm Number 0,5 0,4 0,3 0,2 0,1 0 Adults per Flower Nymphs per Flower Total Orius per Flower Week Number (2009) 18

19 Average Number of Flowers Average Black Pearl Pepper Plant Orius Counts at Peace Tree Farm Number of Orius Number of Flowers per Plant Orius Adults per Plant Small Orius Nymphs per Plant Large Orius Nymphs per Plant Total Orius per Plant Trap plants Chrysanthemum var: thrips Used in Chrysanthemums var: Saskia to attract thrips away from main crop Chrysanthemum. Also in other ornamental crops Week Number Bio-control in Action Egg plant in Poinsettia crop: Importance of Propagation What is a clean plant? What is a clean cutting? 19

20 Worst situation: Plants/cuttings with long residual pesticide residues AND (resistant) pest problems! Makes pest management difficult, but a DISASTER for growers using BCAs as part of their pest management strategy and program Clean propagation and ornamentals Propagation with pesticides does not guarantee no insects. Long residual limits OPTIONS to implement BCAs. Propagators using short residual and/or BCAs leave the option to the grower. Incoming Cuttings and propagation Inspect BEFORE bringing it into the greenhouse or place where you are planting Dip / submerge rooted or unrooted cuttings in a nematode solution (Steinernema spp) ) and / or Beauveria bassiana (Botanigard)) or Mycotrol NO EXCEPTIONS!!!! Risk of spreading disease? PREDATORS applied BEFORE entering Greenhouse!!! Don t t give up, even if a several attempts are difficult 20

21 SANITATION RULES!!! 21

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