Greenhouse Lead Carol’s Commando Collection Kit 

Propagators of the World Unite! ( or just read on)

At this week’s Summertime Meetup, MGV Carol Hoffman, Greenhouse Lead, regaled the assembled MGVs with some personal history and tricks of the trade, along with an early peak at plans for the Greenhouse.

A Little Bit about Carol

Carol became a Master Gardener Volunteer in Orange County in 2004, but moved over to the Lake County MGV Program in 2008. She began working in the Plant Clinic. The Plant Clinic and the Greenhouse are the 2 places where you really learn as a Master Gardener, she told us. In the greenhouse, you learn so much and not a day goes by back there without learning something new.  She liked working in the Plant Clinic and was happy there, especially because it was air conditioned!!

But there were other plans for her. The Powers That Be asked Carol to take over the Greenhouse multiple times and she declined repeatedly. Carol finally acquiesced, became the Greenhouse Lead,  and succeeded. Her first year as lead was the first time that sales of the greenhouse propagated quality plants in the Spring Plant Sale  grossed over $1000!

Carol credits her success in the greenhouse to having a really good team from the start, and still having one now. Carol added, “This team is amazing and it’s easy to do the greenhouse when you’ve got a team who works together so well and we all love what we do!” The dedicated team works hard 2 days a week on multiple tasks such as scouting for bugs, weeding, sowing seeds, etc., to maintain the resident plants and propagate more.

Workdays are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8am-12noon
(Except in the Summer; Work will resume September 8th)

Preview of Coming Attractions

1. The team is working on a plan to sell selected plants and possibly seeds to the public during greenhouse workdays, similar to the system used by the Marion County MGVs, as well as sell plants at the December Light up the Gardens event
2. A committee is being formed to evaluate expansion of the greenhouse, since it is nearing capacity. Raising more plants for our Spring Plant Sale or providing a table for a garden lead to propagate requires added space. There is talk of establishing a Lake County Master Gardener Greenhouse Fund. Look for details in an upcoming email from Carla.
3. Adding native plants from the Toni’s list to the greenhouse by requesting cuttings from our MGVs.

Did you know? Carol was the Florida State Champion Plant Identifier in all her contests!!

Carol’s Commando Collection Kit

Like all dedicated plant propagation enthusiasts, Carol is prepared. On her outings, she has the
kit ensconced in her backpack: dry zip locks for seeds, a pair of snips, a large zip lock enclosing
wet paper towels for cuttings. The damp bag will last up to a week. But get those cuttings
planted right away….
Expert tips on cuttings and propagation:

1. Remove a 6” length including at least 1 node from an inconspicuous portion of the plant,
   being mindful to avoid damage to the plant.
2. Rooting hormone on the cut end: not all hormones are created equally and there are various
   strengths. Carol recommends the Hormex product that comes in strengths #1-16, with
   most plants using #1 or 3, woody plants need #8. Hormex provides a chart matching
   plants to the recommended strength.
3. Use sequential incremental container sizes when up potting, since the small cuttings are
   overwhelmed by a pot too large. A good way to save soil and labor is to place multiple
   (10-12) cuttings in a 2-gallon mother pot and repot to individual small pots after the
   inevitable 20-25% die off.
4. Weeds in pots are BAD: Clyde reported on a study from the UF Apopka MREC that just
   1 sizable weed in a pot can inhibit growth of the target plant up to 75%!! Control weeds
   in pots with Preen or Rout type pre-emergent herbicides, plus rice hulls.
5. Keep a log of your activity with dates, as some plants only take root at certain times of
   year, etc.

This post was written with the help of MGV Cathy Keller, Lake County Master Gardener Volunteer. Thank you! All images from Lake County MGVs.

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