GUIDE TO NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE PLANT PRODUCTION AND IPM Publication 841 GUIDE TO NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE PLANT PRODUCTION AND IPM Publication 841 GUIDE TO NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE PLANT PRODUCTION AND IPM Introduction Do you need technical or business information? Contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or [email protected] If you are looking for nursery and landscape plant information on the Internet, check out www.ontario.ca/crops for factsheets, articles and photos about the production and maintenance of woody plants. For timely information on plant health issues with trees, shrubs and perennials, check out the ONnurserycrops blog at www.onnurserycrops.wordpress.com. Updates cover insect and mite pests, disease identification, integrated pest management, upcoming educational opportunities, issues, useful links and more. You can follow this blog to get notices of new content by email. OMAF Publication 841, Guide to Nursery and Landscape Plant Production and IPM, contains comprehensive information on pest management, nutrition and water quality. It is a companion guide to OMAF Publication 840, Crop Protection Guide for Nursery and Landscape Plants, which contains a listing of products that have been registered for use on nursery and landscape plants. Together these publications replace OMAF Publication 383, Nursery & Landscape Plant Production and IPM. Front Cover Images: Front cover large: Container-grown emerald cedars (Thuja occidentalis) in a coldframe structure with the poly removed, late summer Front cover small from top to bottom Top: Close-up of purple lilac flowers (Syringa vulgaris) Centre: Red flowers of shrub roses Bottom: White flowers of bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) Back Cover Images: Back cover large: Container-grown deciduous flowering shrubs (Wiegela, Cornus, Hydrangea) in a coldframe structure without plastic film cover, late summer Back cover small from left: Trays of rooted cuttings of euonymus (Euonymus fortune) Centre: Close-up of emerging needles of blue Colorado spruce (Picea pungens) Right: Close-up of foliage of larch (Larix spp.) cuttings Published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Ministry of Rural Affairs © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2014 Toronto, Canada ISBN 978-1-4606-3949-8 iv GUIDE TO NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE PLANT PRODUCTION AND IPM Contents 1. Soil, Media and Water Quality Non-Legume Broadleaves ....................... 13 Buckwheat .......................................... 13 Management ............................................ 1 Oilseed Radish and Mustard .................... 14 Field Nursery Production ....................... 1 Tillage Systems After Cover Crops ............ 14 Field Soil Testing ........................................ 1 Applying Manure ....................................... 15 The OMAF-Accredited Soil Sampling Manure ..................................... 15 Testing Program ..................................... 1 Timing of Manure Applications .................. 15 Soil Tests from Unaccredited Laboratories ........................................... 1 Container Production ............................ 16 When to Sample Field Soil .......................... 1 Using Containers ...................................... 16 How to Sample Field Soil ............................ 1 Field Soil Management Practices ................ 2 Potting Media ........................................... 17 Field Soil Micronutrient Testing .................. 2 How to Sample Field Soil Micronutrients ..... 2 Using Soilless Media ................................ 17 Foliar Analysis (Plant Tissue Testing) ....... 2 Determining Media Porosity .................... 17 When to Sample Plant Tissues .................... 2 Adjusting Potting Mix pH ......................... 18 How to Sample Plant Tissues ...................... 2 Fertilizing Container Stock ...................... 19 Understanding Soil pH ................................ 3 Soil pH and Nutrient Availability .................. 3 How to Sample and Test Container Media ..................................................... 19 Buffer pH Testing ....................................... 3 Limestone Type .......................................... 3 Using Water-Soluble Fertilizers ................ 20 Limestone Quality ...................................... 3 Using Controlled-Release Fertilizers ....... 20 Agricultural Index ....................................... 4 Raising Soil pH ........................................... 4 Measuring Nutrient Levels in Tillage Depth ............................................. 4 Container-Grown Crops ......................... 22 Lowering Soil pH ........................................ 4 Irrigation Water ....................................... 22 Soluble Salts in Soil ................................... 5 Water Quantity .......................................... 22 Fertilizer Use ............................................... 5 Fertilizing Field Nursery Stock .................... 5 Irrigation Water Quality ............................ 23 Fertilizing Seed Beds and Transplant Liner Beds .............................................. 6 Water Testing............................................ 25 Fertilizing Established Field Stock .............. 6 Fertilizing Landscape Plantings ................... 8 2. Insect and Disease Fertilizer Application Rates ......................... 9 Management .......................................... 27 Organic Amendments to Soil ..................... 9 Integrated Pest Management ............. 27 Organic Matter Content of Soil ................... 9 Monitoring ................................................. 27 Cover Crops ............................................... 9 Crop Scouts ............................................. 28 Grasses ................................................ 10 Growing Degree Days (GDD) and Ryegrass (Annual, Italian or Perennial) ....... 11 Phenology Models ................................. 28 Spring Cereals (Oats, Barley, Spring Monitoring Tools ...................................... 29 Wheat, Etc.) ......................................... 11 Monitoring Data Records .......................... 29 Sorghum Sudan and Forage Pearl Millet ..... 11 Indicator Plants ....................................... 29 Winter Rye ........................................... 12 Winter Wheat ....................................... 12 Cultural Control ........................................ 30 Legumes ............................................... 12 Physical or Mechanical Control ............... 30 Hairy Vetch .......................................... 12 Red Clover ........................................... 13 Biological Control ..................................... 30 Sweet Clover ........................................ 13 v GUIDE TO NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE PLANT PRODUCTION AND IPM Chemical Control ...................................... 31 Crown Gall ................................................. 64 Best Management Practices ............... 31 Vascular Wilts ........................................... 65 Viral Diseases ........................................... 66 Insects and Mites Affecting Trees and Shrubs............................................. 32 Ash Yellows ............................................. 67 Elm Yellows .............................................. 67 Defoliators................................................. 32 Rose Mosaic ............................................ 67 Caterpillars .............................................. 32 Leaf-Eating Beetles .................................. 33 Abiotic Diseases ....................................... 67 Leafminers and Casebearers ..................... 33 Dieback ................................................... 67 Sawflies ................................................... 33 Fall Needle Drop in Conifers ...................... 67 Needle Desiccation on Conifers ................ 68 Sucking Insects ........................................ 33 Salt Damage ............................................ 68 Aphids ..................................................... 33 Salt Damage Symptoms on Conifers .......... 68 Leafhoppers ............................................. 33 Salt Damage Symptoms on Deciduous Mites ..................................................... 34 Plants .................................................. 68 Thrips ..................................................... 34 Leaf Scorch .............................................. 68 Plant Bugs ............................................... 34 3. Rodents and Deer ................................ 69 Scale Insects ............................................ 34 Armoured Scales ...................................... 34 Vole and Mouse Control ....................... 69 Soft Scales .............................................. 34 Vole and Mouse Control Options ............. 69 Mealybugs ............................................... 35 Precautions for Handling Poison Baits ....... 69 Borers ..................................................... 35 Rabbit Control ......................................... 70 Gall Makers ............................................... 35 Rabbit Control Options ............................. 70 Soil Pests .................................................. 35 Japanese Beetles ..................................... 35 Deer Control ............................................. 71 Managing Japanese Beetles in Deer Control Options ...............................