Spring Bedding Plant Production Scheduling & Producing Combo HB s Plus Containers Brett Karp- SHS GRIFFIN
Material To Cover Preparation Action Plan Growing Combo HB Desiging Mixes Building Container Combos Record Keeping Irrigation Production costs
Preparation Perform a water analysis Service heaters and fans Clean irrigation filters and test system Sanitize benches and floors Control weeds and insects under benches
Have an Action Plan! What are you growing? When is your projected sale date? Who is your target audience? What is your estimated production time?
Example Action Plan Week 6: Receive rooted cuttings, inspect plants for insects and disease, unpack and place on bench, set temperatures (65 at night and 72 during the day) Place yellow sticky cards for insect monitoring Plant five plugs per 12 basket, tag each variety in the pot, water-in with 150 ppm 21-5-20 fertilizer
Example Action Plan Week 7- Pinch within first week Week 8- Drench with a fungicide 10-12 days after planting and Florel at 500ppm if plant requires it Week 10- Slow Release Fert. (15-9-12), Systemic Insecticide Week 11- Trim around edges of pot if necessary, attach hangers, and hang baskets Week 18- Ready for shipping
Why Grow Combo Baskets? Utilize space above benches and walkways Extend sales into the summer months Allows smaller growers to create a niche for themselves Provide homeowners with easy and instant color Perfect for customers with limited space
Designing Mixes Must look good and perform well together Growth Habit- tall/mounded plants in the middle and shorter/trailing plants around edges Color- contrasting or seasonal colors- pastels for Mother s Day and red, white and blue for July 4th Foliage- adds texture to the mix. Accent/variegated foliage provides additional interest Vigor- avoid species that will take over the pot or others that won t fill it in Cultural Requirements- light, ph, temperature, growth regulators
How many Plants Per Pot? You should not be able to see any soil in the finished pot Plants should be growing over the rim of the pot Some factors affecting the number of plants include: Size of the pot Cost of the plugs Bench space available Desired ship date Plant vigor and branching habit Direct Stick or Plant and Transplant
Monochromatic Hanging Baskets
! Colorful Combo Hanging Baskets
Building Container Combinations
The Thriller (or Pillar) Start with the Thriller Usually 1 plant will do Can be larger plant 1.0 Gallon Does not have to be the most flashy plant in combination Try: Coleus Grasses Angelonia Cordyline
The Filler A mounding plant Will fill in the middle of the planting Try Superbells Calibrachoa Intensia Phlox Oxalis Soprano or Symphony Osteospermum
The Spiller A trailing variety Can be trimmed up in the summer to be sure the plant is not hiding all of the pot Try Snowstorm Bacopa Supertunia Petunia-Spreading Ivy
Another Option You do not always have to have a thriller, filler and spiller. Many people prefer a rounded ball of colors Keep your shape preference in mind when you choose your plants
Tips Plant Shade varieties together and Sun varieties together. If a plant can tolerate both, use it anywhere you would like. Sun Combo
Tips Turning containers on a schedule will allow them to get even sun exposure Feed every time you water the plants Containers (hanging baskets and patio pots) l Use Time Release plant food, when you plant You can mix it into the soil, like tossing a salad, to get even nutrients throughout your planter
Record Keeping Take notes or pictures of successful and unsuccessful mixes Use pot tags for a quick reference of the plants used in a particular mix Order next year s plugs while the different mixes are still fresh in your mind
Spacing Space baskets approximately 18 apart to Compensate for the weight of the saturated containers on the support structures Avoid a canopy that is too dense Increasing light intensity Promoting airflow and reducing disease occurrence
Irrigation Systems Drip irrigation is the most common type of system Low-volume drip emitters allow water to slowly saturate the soil Pressure-compensated emitters help to increase crop uniformity Automated irrigation systems are used in larger operations Pros-N-Cons: Make hanging baskets and pulling orders easier Take longer to water and require precise adjustment and placement of nozzles Less likely to leach through and drip on the crops below More moving parts means more maintenance
Production Costs Plugs- $0.44 to $0.48 is average. Add $0.10 for freight costs. Add $0.06 to $0.11 for royalty and marketing fees. Pots and hangers- a 12 plastic pot is about $1 and an 18 moss wire basket can be up to $12.50 Soil- $0.35 per 10-12 plastic basket and $0.65 per 18 moss wire basket Chemicals- fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, and growth regulators
Pricing Mark-up 2.5 times for wholesale and 4 times for retail sales Post-production shipping Labor Water Source Heating Maintenance Insurance Mortgage
Pricing 10 plastic hanging basket (4ppp) $9.50 wholesale/ $23.99 retail 12 plastic hanging basket (5ppp) $16.00 wholesale/ $39.99 retail 18 moss wire basket (9ppp) $40.00 wholesale/ $100.00 retail
Shipping Order pulling Barcodes and logos Carts Trucks
Shipping The End