Edibles & Tropicals: What s New in Greenhouse Production

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1 Edibles & Tropicals: What s New in Greenhouse Production By Heather McDermott Agri-Starts Inc. MNLGA 2015 Alternative Crops & Production Methods for Greenhouse & Nursery Growers

2 Edibles Edibles and vegetables purchased by homeowners continues to increase! Only category that is increasing! Agri-Starts sold over ¾ million edible liners in 2014

3 Tropicals Easy to grow & fast turn time: Colocasia Musa Alocasia Lots of bang for your buck!

4 Rubus--Blackberries Native to most of U.S.; adaptable to wide range of growing environments 1 gallon finishes in 3 to 4 months; use trellis (except Osage) Easy to grow Thornless and thorny varieties available Primocane vs floricane

5 Carica--Papaya Excellent container plants TR Hovey : dwarf papaya that fruits in one year Bred for hydroponic fruit production

6 Ficus Figs Height: 2 to 4 feet (as 1 to 3 gallon pot) Finish in 3 to 4 months Fast and easy to grow; delicious fruit Grown as tree or shrub Bears fruit on current years growth; All hardy to zone 7; some hardy to zone 6 Keep moist until established

7 Dwarf Mulberry Morus nigra Dwarf Everbearing --fruits throughout summer & fall --Zone 5 to 11 --Stays small with minimal pruning

8 Katuk Sauropus androgynus Edible leaves, shoots, flowers Eat raw or cooked Tastes like almonds/nutty flavor Very upright-needs no staking Zone 8-11

9 Yacon Smallanthus sonchifolius --From the Andes mountains --Produces large sweet edible & crunchy tubers --Huge commercial potential as cash crop --Hardy Zone 7 to 11 --Harvest in 5 months

10 Passionfruit Passiflora edulis Possum Purple -Self fertile vine to grow up trellis -Sweet purple fruit -Zone 9 to 11 -Saleable in 1 gallon pot in 6-8 weeks

11 Pandan Pandanus amaryllifolius -Leaves widely used in Asian cooking - Flavoring used for jasmine rice and desserts -Zone 9 to 11 Alocasia Calidora mixed with Pandanus, New Guinea Impatiens and Scaevola

12 Blueberries 72 cell to 6 pot: ready in 12 weeks with 2 pinches. Need to stay above 65 degrees Need vernalization period to be able to set flowers & fruit Best to get plants in summer & pinch twice before dormancy Set in cold frame through winter, pull in early spring Flowers come and fruit set instant sell

13 Vaccinium--Blueberries Uses Landscape Patio Plant Excellent anti-oxidants Self fertile but better yield with cross pollination Blueberry production in US has tripled over the last 5 years Requires acidic soil and fertilizer

14 Actinidia--Kiwi Woody vine covers trellis easily Requires male/female (1 male for every 5 females) A. arguta Issai self fertile female with bite size fuzzless fruit --Hardy Kiwi : Zone 5-9 Finishes 1 gallon pot in weeks Fruits in ~ 3 years

15 Manihot Variegata and Sedum Gold

16 Goji Berry - Lycium barbarum Fast grower, easy to grow Keep ph at 7 or above Bright orange reddish fruits Zone 3 to 10 Spreads easily in container or in landscape

17 Zingiber officinale Edible Ginger Root Can be harvested at 4 months Zone 8 to 11 Curcuma longa-- Turmeric Handsome plant with stunning flowers Zone 7b to 11

18 Colocasias Leaves held perpendicular Thinner/papery leaves Petiole attached in the middle of leaf (peltate) Like to be kept wet Prefer full sun Alocasias Many times leaves held upright Thicker leaves Petiole attached at margin Like to be kept dry Usually need shade

19 Colocasia Mojito PP21,995 Excellent camoflage coloration, green leaves with purple throughout Strong grower to 4-5 tall Finishes 1 gallon in 6 to 8 weeks

20 Colocasia White Lava PPAF bred from C. Nancy s Revenge, but White Lava has white streak at earlier stage sun tolerant

21 Colocasia Black Coral PP23,869 Striking black foliage with blue veins and wavy leaves From Univ of Hawaii breeding program

22 Alocasia Megalodon TM Highly lobed leaves Upright habit Grows large 5-8 tall Finishes 1 gallon pot in 6 to 8 weeks

23 Alocasia Low Rider TM Dwarf form of Alocasia Portora Finishes 6 pot in 8 weeks Cute makes a great table top plant or in a mixed combo

24 Alocasia Calidora (Persian Palm) Classic upright Alocasia Great in a mixed container Finishes 1 gallon in 6-8 weeks

25 Musa sumatrana Zebrina (Rojo) Great centerpiece for mixed container that will stay short with red & green foliage Finishes 1 gallon pot in 6 to 8 weeks; keep at degree nights minimum in winter

26 Ensete maurelii (Red Abyssinian Banana) Brilliant red coloring in leaves and midvein Excellent for patio containers or landscape

27 How to sell more edibles? Find your demographic area for sales - (Average age, income, country of origin & household size in that area) Early Majority 1/3 of customers higher price point, may not sell as many though Late Majority price point drops; customers looking for deals Laggards time to find a new product

28 Thank you!! For more information visit our website Heather McDermott (407)