The Production of Native and Adapted Plants for the Intermountain West using the Pot-in-Pot Nursery Production System
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This study investigated the pot-in-pot production system as a method of producing the native and drought adapted plant material needed for water-wise landscaping in the Intermountain West. The effect of two irrigation systems, drip irrigation and overhead sprinkler irrigation, and two growing media types, a commercial media and a locally constructed media, on the growth and quality of 56 perennial species and 20 shrub species was compared over two years. Irrigation method did not have a significant effect on plant growth and quality, but media type did have a significant effect. The commercial media performed better than the locally constructed media. The pot-in-pot system was projected to be profitable over a 10 year period, with investment costs being recovered within two years. In the second study, the vernalization requirements for Penstemon pinifolius and Penstemon palmeri were investigated. Plants were held in a cooler at 5°C for 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, or 15 weeks under 9-hour photoperiod. They were then placed in a 20°C greenhouse under 16-hour photoperiod for flowering. Cold treatments had no significant effect on flowering for either species. Chilling duration did have an effect on final average internode length and final height. P. palmeri chilled for 12 or 15 weeks had longer average internode length and increased height. P. pinifolius chilled for 12 weeks had longer average internode length and effect of chilling on height varied. Thesis (pdf) : The Production of Native and Adapted Plants for the Intermountain West using the Pot-in-Pot Nursery Production System
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