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PLOW Sha.rf n� Scheduled Sessions: • Herbs for Health & Healing • Benefits & Pitfalls of a Website • Heritage Herb Garden • Medicinal Herbs in the Kitchen • All About Goats Milk • Wild Foods • Designing Herb Gardens • E- Commerce & Marketing • Love Potion #9 • Production & Marketing of Commercial Herbs • Feeling Good the Natural Way • Goldenseal Slideshow • Reflexology • Fundamentals of Alternate Crops • Using & Making Herb Vinegars For more information call Jean Turman at 336 - 454 -4517 or email jeanturman @triad.rr.com. Visit the conference web - site at http: / /fletcher.ces.state.ne.us /staff /jmdavis/NCHA. html. Register Now for Classes in the Sustainable Farming Program The CCCC Sustainable Farming Program's spring 2002 class schedule was listed in last month's Plow Sharing. Robin wanted me to remind you to register now for these classes by calling 919 -542 -6495 ext. 225. Two classes - Sustainable Vegetable Production and Composting - will start the week of January 7, 2002. Organic.Plug and Transplant Production Lane Greer, ATTRA Specialist The traditional way to raise nu- merous seedlings is to place seeds in rows in trays, then transplant these very fragile plants into larger packs or pots. This method is very labor - intensive and results in consider- able mortality from transplant } shock or root loss. Since the 1980s, most seed germination has been done in plug trays. A plug is a containerized transplant with a self - enclosed root system. The advantages to growing seedlings from plugs are numerous: less time and labor to transplant, reduced root loss, more uniform growth, faster crop time and increased production. Eighty -one percent of annuals grown in 1993 were grown from seedlings initially grown as plugs. Page 6 30 There are disadvantages to growing plugs, too. Much more at- tention has to be paid to scheduling and cultural practices. While labor is decreased, the need for mechanization is in- creased. Also, specialized, well- trained labor is needed. There are a number of pros and cons to consider when deciding whether to grow plugs from seed or purchase plugs and grow them to transplant size. The advantages of producing one's own plugs include rapid production, efficient use of greenhouse space, growing the desired species and cultivars, and self - reliance. The disadvantages can include extra labor to handle an exacting crop and increased heating costs in winter (since plugs are quite sensitive to temperature fluctuations). Accord- ing to Kessler and Belie, "The decision should be based par- tially on market considerations, labor availability and expertise, the number of plants to be produced, the cost per plug, and the specialized equipment and facilities required. This investment is often not economically practical unless production is large or plugs are marketed to other growers. For most small to medium sized growers, especially [beginners], it is often more economi- -cal to purchase...plugs from specialized growers and concen- trate on producing finished containers. The issue of grow ver- sus purchase should be reviewed periodically as the needs and facilities of the grower change ". The basics of plug production include: • Container size • Media • Seeding and germination • Nutrition • Temperature • Watering and moisture management (especially during germination) • Light and supplemental lighting • Growth regulation • Scheduling • Pest management, especially of fungus gnats, shore flies, and root rots The book Plug and Transplant Production, by Drs. Roger Styer and David Koranski, contains the most extensive information on all the basics listed above and also addresses timely subject matter. Because it focuses on specifics, it is good for trouble- shooting. The book comes with three pullout tables — one each for vegetables, bedding plants, and cut flower plugs. These ta- bles provide extremely detailed information on specific crops. This publication should be on the shelf of every serious plug and transplant grower. In 1990, and again in 1996, the editors of GrowerTalks maga- zine compiled some pertinent articles on plug production into books titled GrowerTalks on Plugs and GrowerTalks: Plugs II. The 1990 edition is no longer in print, but it may be available at your local library. The 1996 edition focuses on the basics mentioned above, as well as automation (transplanters, ship- ping, boom irrigators), plug holding, stress, container size, growing your own vs. buying, seeds and germination, pest con- trol, and culture by crop for eleven species of bedding plants.