Stages 1 & 2: From unrooted to rooted cuttings
Pest and Disease Control, continued These options are best employed as preventative measures and should be used on a regular basis during propagation, but it’s usually best to use either biological or chemical control. You can use both in some instances, but if you’re using biological controls, be sure to check on the toxicity of any chemical control you may want to use. Also important is to keep up with disease control in Stage 2, especially for botrytis. Even though we’re reducing humidity and slowly eliminating the mist, these cuttings are still in an environment that favors disease. This is why we must stay on top of preventative treatments to help eliminate shrink that can quickly occur in this stage. Utilizing a multi-site, broad-spectrum fungicide like chlorothalonil as a preventative treatment is a good practice.
Nutrient Deficiencies • Slow rooting • Poor branching and vigor
ENVIRONMENT / CHARACTERISTIC
Soil Temperature Air Temperature Humidity or VPD Light Intensity Light Duration Soil Moisture Air Movement Nutrition/Fertility
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Green Low fertility asymptomatic
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PGRs
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Pinching
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Pest Management
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Yellow Nitrogen, Sulfur, Fe: Mn
Purpling Phosphorus deficiency
BIGGEST MISTAKES
STAGE 2 • Over-misting or not weaning cuttings off mist quickly enough • Saturated soil moisture – this will lead to slow and uneven rooting in most crops • Not reducing and eliminating night mist – most cuttings will be off night mist during this stage • Not fertilizing in this stage • Neglecting IPM and disease control • Not using PGRs in this stage
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