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Planttalk Colorado™, established in Fall 1997, is a 24-hour toll-free automated phone service available in English and Spanish and website that provides gardening consumers with reliable and timely information on a variety of horticultural and related areas topics. Planttalk Colorado™ is unique in that it is sponsored by Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Denver Botanic Gardens and the Green Industries of Colorado. Over 450 topics edited and approved by all entities ranging from general gardening to emerging issues, such as new disease and insect concerns. Recent efforts have included translation of a portion of the scripts into Spanish to reach a larger audience and the rising Hispanic population in the state and region. Marketing efforts have evolved to include a website with photos and illustrations along with linkages to other university research-based information. Other marketing tools have included: free incentives, mass media marketing, and tabletop and banner displays for use at educational functions. A review of phone usage vs. web hits will be discussed. Web hits averaged 92,528 monthly in 2004 vs. phone usage averaged 309 monthly in 2004. Consumers have the ability to post comments on both web and phone systems. They can rank the overall program on the web. Funding is a cooperative effort between all three partners. Planttalk Colorado™ has increased visibility to Cooperative Extension and built partnerships with the Green Industry of Colorado and Denver Botanic Gardens for delivering reliable and accurate information to all citizens of Colorado and beyond.
In May 2004, at the request of local nursery owners, young Acer ×freemanii 'Autumn Blaze' (Autumn Blaze maple) trees previously grown in a number 20 (#20) container pot-in-pot (PIP) system were planted at the Colorado State University Horticultural Farm alongside similarly sized trees field grown, balled and burlapped (B&B). These trees were planted using methods recommended by the International Society of Arboriculture with half receiving 30% by volume soil amendment consisting of Organix compost mixed with the native soils. In addition, five trees grown for one year using the #20 PIP container system were maintained a second year in the same containers and compared to five trees transferred to #45 containers. After one season, the PIP-grown trees showed significantly more shoot growth and increased trunk caliper than the B&B trees. The application of amendments had no effect on the growth for either the B&B or PIP trees. Trees maintained in PIP containers for a second year had similar growth regardless of the container size.
During Summer 2005, green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica `Patmore') trees planted at the Colorado State University Agricultural Research Development and Education Center in 1996 were exposed to simulated drought by restricting irrigation for 33 to 41 days. During this period, predawn leaf water potentials in drought-stressed trees progressively dropped to a low of –2.04 MPa, while the control plot was maintained with full irrigation such that predawn leaf water potentials did not fall below –0.5 MPa. On 24 Aug. 2005, 31 days into this drought cycle, mid-day leaf water potentials and stomatal conductance were measured at –3.0 MPa and 22.63 mmol·m-2·s-1, respectively. Measurements in control trees collected at about the same time were –2.0 MPa and 169 mmol·m-2·s-1. The dramatic reduction in stomatal conductance in the drought-stressed trees began at about 10:30 a.m. and continued into the evening. Once irrigation was resumed, drought stressed trees rebounded from depressed predawn leaf water potentials and mid-day leaf water potentials and stomatal conductance and reached levels similar to control trees in 2 to 5 days. Stem flow gauges indicate that, during this period, fully hydrated control trees used about 250 liters/day.
In June 1991, a two year field study was initiated to examine if three non-turf groundcovers with reputations for using low amounts of water actually use less water than Kentucky bluegrass (KBG). Irrigation treatments were based on percentages of ET (100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, 0%) and calculated by the modified Penman equation. Results from the 1991 season indicate that at the 100% and 75% treatments Potentilla tabernaemontani and Cerastium tomentosum were significantly better than the other species in terms of establishment and vigor but quality declined significantly at rates below 75%. At the 50% rate both KBG and Sedum acre maintained good quality although growth was slow. At the 25% rate, quality of KBG significantly declined while Sedum acre maintained good quality. Quality of Sedum acre declined only slightly at the 0% treatment and would be a good alternative to KBG if water conservation was a high priority in the landscape.
Herbicides were applied to container grown landscape plants and evaluated on the basis of weed control, phytotoxicity, and effect on plant growth. Three preemergent herbicides were applied including: Oxadiazon (Ronstar) at 4.54 and 9.08 kg/ha, Oxyfluorfen + Oryzalin (Rout) at 3.41 and 6.81 kg/ha and Oryzalin (Surflan) at 2.27 and 4.54 kg/ha. There was also a weedy and non-weedy control. The plant species included: Syringa vulgaris (Common Lilac), Wisteria sinensis (Chinese Wisteria), Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox) and Dahlia hybrid (Garden Dahlia). They were all grown in number one containers in a media of soil, spaghnum peat moss, and plaster sand (1:2:1 by volume). All herbicides tested controlled weeds effectively with no phytotoxicity except with Phlox paniculata. Oryzalin resulted in a phytotoxic effect on Phlox paniculata at both the 1x and 2x rates.
Four herbaceous perennials Aquilegia caerulea `McKana's Giant', Gaillardia aristata, Gypsophila paniculata `Fairy's Pink', and Callirhoe involucrata were subjected to increasing levels of drought stress and evaluated for ornamental quality and performance in the landscape. Drought stress was imposed by irrigation treatments of 100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, and 0% of reference evapotranspiration (ET0) in 1994. Irrigation treatments resulted in Aquilegia exhibiting a decline in plant growth and appearance below the 50% ET0 treatment. Callirhoe grown at the 100% ET0 irrigation treatment were larger than the plants in any other treatment. Gaillardia receiving some irrigation (25% to 100% ET0) were generally larger than those that received no supplemental irrigation (0% ET0). A decline in plant appearance and growth was observed with Gypsophila with lowering irrigation treatments.
Four woody plant species were grown during the 1988 and 1989 growing seasons under three irrigation treatments at two sites in two soil types. The three irrigation treatments which were implemented included: 1) control, 2) drip irrigated with no water stress, and 3) drip irrigated with water stress. Rainfall and additional water applied during the 1988 and '89 growing seasons were recorded. Analysis of this data showed the no stress treatment receiving more water at both sites, especially in 1989. After two years of growth, no statistical differences in new growth (height) were observed with any plant species evaluated at either site from the three water treatments. Comparing new growth, no statistical differences were observed except with Juniperus sabina. No visual differences were observed with Ribes alpinum and Cornus sericea. Visual differences were observed with Potentilla fruticosa and Juniperus sabina. The experiment will be continued during the 1990 growing season.
During the 1999 season, preemergent herbicides were applied to container-grown herbaceous perennials and evaluated on the basis of weed control, phytotoxicity, and effect on plant growth. The herbicides and rates were: Oxyfluorfen + Pendimethalin (Scotts Ornamental Herbicide II) 3 and 6 lb ai/A, Napropamide (G) (Devrinol) 3 and 6 lb ai/A, Oryzalin (Surflan) 2 and 4 lb ai/A, Oxadiazon (Ronstar) 4 and 8 lb ai/A, Oxyfluorfen + Oryzalin (Rout) 3 and 6 lb ai/A, Prodiamine (Barricade) 0.65 and 1.3 lb ai/A, Pendimethalin (Scotts Ornamental Weedgrass Control) 2 and 4 lb ai/A, Trifluralin (Treflan) 4 and 8 lb ai/A. Herbicides were applied to Penstemon mexicali `Red Rocks'™, Osteospermum barberiae compactum `Purple Mountain'™, Gazania linearis `Colorado Gold'™, Agastache rupestris, Diascia integerrima `Coral Canyon'™, and Zauschneria arizonica. All plant and herbicide combinations did not result in any significant decline in plant growth. All herbicides provided good weed control.
Herbicides were applied to container-grown herbaceous perennials and evaluated on the basis of weed control and phytotoxicity. During the 1994 season, seven preemergent herbicides, napropamide (Devrinol) at 4.5 and 9.1 kg·ha–1, metolachlor (Pennant) at 4.5 and 9.1 kg·ha–1, isoxaben (Gallery) at 1.1 and 2.3 kg·ha–1, oxadiazon (Ronstar) at 4.5 and 9.1 kg·ha–1, oxyfluorfen + oryzalin (Rout) at 3.4 and 13.6 kg·ha–1, oryzalin (Surflan) at 2.8 and 4.5 kg·ha–1, and trifluralin (Treflan) at 4.5 and 9.1 kg·ha–1, were tested on Aquilegia caerulea `McKana's Giant', Digitalis purpurea, Gaillardia aristata, Limonium latifolium, and Veronica spicata. Isoxaben (both rates) resulted in visual phytotoxicity symptoms and death to Digitalis. Metolachlor (both rates) resulted in plant death to Veronica. Pennant (both rates), when applied to Limonium, resulted in stunted growth. Aquilegia and Gaillardia were not adversely affected. Most herbicides controlled both dicot and monocot weeds effectively.
Patmore green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica `Patmore'), Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa), and Austrian pine (Pinus nigra), were used to measure growth differences of trees produced using three different production methods: balled and burlapped, plastic container, and fabric container (grow bag). Two irrigation frequencies were also established. A pressure chamber was used to measure the xylem water potential and to determine tree water requirements and irrigation scheduling. The balled and burlapped trees showed the least new growth of the three production methods across all three tree types. The production method showing the most new growth varied by genera. Plastic container ash trees grew considerably more than the fabric container ash; fabric container oak grew significantly more than plastic container oak; and there was no measurable difference between the new growth of the plastic container and fabric container pines. The fabric container transplants required more frequent irrigation than did the balled and burlapped trees. Under high temperature and drought conditions, fabric container trees showed stress earlier than did the balled and burlapped or plastic container trees.