Edibles & Tropicals: What’s New in Greenhouse

ProductionBy

Heather McDermottAgri-Starts Inc.

MNLGA 2015 Alternative Crops & Production Methods for Greenhouse & Nursery Growers

Edibles

• Edibles and vegetables purchased by homeowners continues to increase!

• Only category that is increasing!

• Agri-Starts sold over ¾million edible liners in 2014

Tropicals

Easy to grow & fast turn time: ColocasiaMusaAlocasia

Lots of bang for your buck!

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

Carica--Papaya

• Excellent container plants

• ‘TR Hovey’: dwarf papaya that fruits in one year

• Bred for hydroponic fruit production

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

Dwarf Mulberry

• Morus nigra ‘Dwarf Everbearing’

--fruits throughout summer & fall

--Zone 5 to 11--Stays small with minimal pruning

KatukSauropus androgynus

• Edible leaves, shoots, flowers

• Eat raw or cooked• Tastes like

almonds/nutty flavor

• Very upright-needs no staking

• Zone 8-11

YaconSmallanthus 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

PassionfruitPassiflora 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

Alocasia ‘Calidora’ mixed with Pandanus, New Guinea Impatiens and Scaevola

• Pandan –Pandanus amaryllifolius-Leaves widely used in Asian cooking - Flavoring used for jasmine rice and desserts-Zone 9 to 11

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

Vaccinium--BlueberriesUses– 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

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 5-9Finishes 1 gallon pot in

10-12 weeksFruits in ~ 3 years

Manihot Variegata and Sedum Gold

Goji Berry- Lycium barbarum

Fast grower, easy to grow

Keep pH at 7 or aboveBright orange reddish

fruitsZone 3 to 10Spreads easily in

container or in landscape

• Zingiber officinale –Edible Ginger RootCan be harvested at 4 months

Zone 8 to 11

Curcuma longa--TurmericHandsome plant with stunning flowers

Zone 7b to 11

• Alocasias– Many times leaves held

upright– Thicker leaves– Petiole attached at margin– Like to be kept dry – Usually need shade

• Colocasias– Leaves held

perpendicular– Thinner/papery leaves– Petiole attached in the

middle of leaf (peltate)– Like to be kept wet– Prefer full sun

Colocasia ‘Mojito’PP21,995

Excellent camoflagecoloration, green leaves with purple throughout

Strong grower to 4’-5’ tall

Finishes 1 gallon in 6 to 8 weeks

Colocasia ‘White Lava’ PPAF

bred from C. ‘Nancy’s Revenge’, but ‘White Lava’ has white streak at earlier stage

sun tolerant

Colocasia ‘Black Coral’ PP23,869

Striking black foliage with blue veins and wavy leaves

From Univ of Hawaii breeding program

Alocasia ‘Megalodon’TM

Highly lobed leaves

Upright habit

Grows large 5’-8’ tall

Finishes 1 gallon pot in 6 to 8 weeks

Alocasia ‘Low Rider’ TM

Dwarf form of Alocasia Portora Finishes 6” pot in 8 weeksCute – makes a great table top plant or in a mixed combo

Alocasia ‘Calidora’(Persian Palm)

Classic upright Alocasia

Great in a mixed container

Finishes 1 gallon in 6-8 weeks

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 65-68 degree nights minimum in winter

Ensete maurelii (Red Abyssinian Banana)

• Brilliant red coloring in leaves and midvein

• Excellent for patio containers or landscape

How to sell more edibles?

Find your demographic area for sales- www.city-data.com(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

Thank you!!

• For more information visit our websitewww.agristarts.com

Heather McDermottHeather@agristarts.com

(407) 889-8055