From 2019 to 2021, the demand for indoor foliage plants increased a lot. The wholesale value of begonias, pleomeles, bromeliads, ferns and more grew from $616 million to $762 million in that timeframe.
“In 2020, Florida grew 69% of those plants – and that raised the risk of exporting Florida pests all over the country,” noted Roberto Lopez, assistant professor and controlled environment/floriculture Extension specialist with the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University.
Lopez, along with Jonah Brown, trial manager at Danziger, talked about tips for growing foliage plants in the north at the most recent Great Lakes Expo – both to help control those subtropical pests and to help growers possibly find savings (or even a new income stream).
Greenhouse growers are becoming more interested in doing their own rootstock and plants.
“The first step in growing stock plants is making sure the variety is not patented (and if you’re not sure, reach out to your broker and they should know),” Brown said, adding that a lot of open varieties look like patented ones.
The next step is figuring out if stock plant production is right for you and your operation.
Lopez and Brown said to consider the space requirements. “You’re less likely to bring pests and diseases in, but it will take up valuable greenhouse space,” Lopez said. “Taking shoot-tip cuttings from plants you are planning on selling is space efficient but that can run a high risk of spreading pests and diseases.”
There are select varieties that produce a lot of cuttings per square foot, which may work better for you.
Indoor climate is another factor to look at. You’ll need to increase the humidity – not necessarily the water – for rooting success growing these kinds of plants.
You’ll need to be prepared for increased rooting speed and percentage of seedlings that survive. The cuttings don’t go through shipping stress and ethylene exposure and are therefore more likely to thrive.
And if you’re planning on growing more, you’ll need more labor. Growers will need careful stock plant maintenance, quality harvesting and someone to stick all those cuttings.
If you decide to order cuttings, Lopez and Brown suggested opening the packages immediately and measuring temperatures upon arrival as well as looking for any ethylene damage.
“If the temperature is over 70º F, remove the shipment to be cooled,” Lopez said. If the cuttings are 60º – 70º, the entire box can be placed in the cooler. If there’s no damage, leave the cuttings in a cooler at 55º overnight to rehydrate them to increase their chance of rooting success.
Temperature and light both need to be ideal for foliage plants to thrive. “Foliage plants are slower to root, especially the vining types,” Brown said. Do your research to discover what daily light integral is ideal for your cuttings during propagation.
The duo said that as a general rule, the warmer and higher the humidity, the more successful callus induction and rooting will be.
Indoor foliage plants tend to grow best at 75º to 80º with high humidity (and without water-logging media). If you can provide the space, labor and proper climate, perhaps growing these plants could work for you.
by Courtney Llewellyn
