Ball Publishing

Cutting propagation; a guide to propagating and producing floriculture crops.

This textbook by Dole (horticultural science, North Carolina State U.) and Gibson (West Florida Research and Education Center, U. of Florida-Milton Campus) provides guidance on floricultural crop propagation by cutting, in which a piece of the source plant containing at least one stem cell is used to produce new root or stems. It opens with introductory chapters containing general propagation information, basic plant physiology, and introduction to the floricultural businesses that use propagation. They then present four chapters that discuss cutting propagation information specific to specialty bedding plants, herbaceous perennials, specialty cut flowers, and foliage plants. Finally, individual coverage is given to sixty-one of the major crop species commercially grown by the floricultural industry, with information provided on flowering control and dormancy, stock plant management, cutting harvest, propagation, plant growth regulators, production and schedule, and diseases and disorders. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Perennial solutions; a grower's guide to perennial production.

A former greenhouse grower of annuals and potted holiday crops for sale, consultant Pilon offers advice for other growers on such matters as properties of growing mixes, integrated pest management, controlling weeds, propagation, forcing bloom, and overwintering. Then he profiles 30 of the most popular commercial perennials. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)