WHO WE ARE:

Decker’s Nursery is currently broken down into three separate but integrated production areas:

- Field: Approximately 90 Acres.
Deciduous and Conifer B&B, Shrub B&B, Bare Root Liners, and stock blocks for liner production.
- Container: Approximately 26 Acres. Potted Shrubs, Trees, Conifers, Perennials, One Gallon Liners, and Grasses.
- Liner: Approximately 14 Acres. Shrubs, Grafted and Non-Grafted Conifers, and Specialty Products.

Field B&B Production

One gallon boxwood

3 gallon grasses
(See VIDEO: download link or click photo below for wmv download)

Download videos MPG format, WMV format

3 gallon scrub production

Vanderwolf’s pyramid pine grafts

Grafted Fat Albert Spruce

Grafting rhododendron on Inkarho #37 understocks
(See VIDEO: download link or click photo below for wmv download)

Juniper Grafts

Softwood Cuttings in Mist

Winter hardwood cuttings
Note: cuttings set down prior to Dutch Tent Installation

Liner production propagation

LTL Shipping Pallets

Juniper Grafts on a rolling cart for delivery

LTL pallet of juniper grafts headed for St. Louis

Hand dipping cuttings in liquid rooting hormones, Details matter!

MAJOR PRESENTATION POINTS

.. History and Evolution of Hormone Spray Application
.. Current Methods of Application
.. A summary of Observations
.. The Status of Future Research

Fun with rooting talc
(See VIDEO: download link or click photo below for wmv download)

Spilled liquid rooting hormone
(no contamination here ... )

Dipping cuttings in the liquid hormone concentration.
It matters in everything we do .....

When things go well

When things go south ....
Isn’t it frustrating when you don’t know exactly why ....

OBSTACLES OR FEARS ABOUT THE Spray Drip Down

.. Sprayer Application Uniformity.
.. Hormone Storage Overnight Once Mixed.
.. Inaccurate Application Between Supervisors.
.. General Resistance to Change.
(The eight most dangerous words in a Nursery, “But that’s the way we always did it.”)

Hortus IBA Water Soluble Salts
Dissolve in water to make Hormone solutions used for basal hand dipping (Quick Dip) and foliar Spray Drip Down ® of cuttings.

Electronic sprayer, BP-4 by Dramm

Electronic sprayer in action
Note the fine particle size of mist
(See VIDEO: download link or click photo below for wmv download)

Scale capable of accurately measuring in grams; a good scale.
The Hortus IBA Water Soluble Salts mix/ratio chart.
Cups to label and transport the Hormone solution.

Over spray of Hortus IBA Water Soluble Salts Hormone
Note how fine the mist is coming out of the nozzles of the electric sprayer.
Hormone application through windows of a rooting tent
(See VIDEO: download link or click photo below for wmv download)

A winter cuttings Good callus and root formation.

Barberry softwood cuttings.
(See VIDEO: download link or click photo below for wmv download)

A High Oxygen Root System in a RootMaker Tray.
Always in search of that elusive propagation tray.
Air penetration.
Water column.
Root shaping/development characteristics.
Ease of plug removal.

COST!

Burning Bush Plugs
This is an example of a plant that requires higher rates of Hortus IBA Water Soluble Salts in the summer

Glass of Wine……
and I will tell all my Propagation Horror Stories.
And then I killed this……
And then I over watered those……
And then I thought they needed double fertilizer…..
And then I changed the media recipe….

Winter Cuttings both In and Out of the Rooting Tent.
We fill a side then erect the Dutch style tent.
This allows for a easier application of the Hormone.

SPRAY PROTOCOLS FOR IBA SPRAY APPLICATION.

.. Use Distilled water for mixing Hortus IBA Water Soluble Salts solution.
.. Use a flag marker to mark each days sticking progress to track the three day spray rotation.
.. Measure Hortus IBA Water Soluble Salts powder to mix in one gallon of distilled water increments
One gallon of water plus 30 grams of Hortus IBA Water Soluble Salts equals close to 1500 ppm.
.. Unused hormone is kept in the sprayer overnight. Add additional hormone in gallon increments.
.. All Hormone applications occur in early morning; Stomata are open and cuttings are generally not in moisture stress.
.. Improve root formation during positive trials at either when spraying three days in a row after sticking, or spraying at three times weekly after sticking

Dave Graff. Senior Propagator
Dave will tour daily and inspect for slow to root cuttings that would need a Hormone boost.

Dave Graff spot treating with Hortus IBA Water Soluble Salts
(See VIDEO: download link or click photo below for wmv download)

See also: Plant Propagation using the spray drip down at Decker Nursery (video)

QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH.

.. Are multiple Hormone applications required or beneficial?
Either three days in a row after sticking, or three times weekly after sticking
.. What are the effective best ppm rates?
.. Does time of day for application have an effect?
.. In re-application, what is the best interval?
.. Is Hormone toxicity or burn a problem?