Operations and protocols

Space Allocation:

Greenhouse space is allocated by the greenhouse committee. Requests for space should be made to either the greenhouse technician or greenhouse committee chairperson. Requests should be as specific as possible, to include information as to crop, number and size of containers, stage of growth required, amount of time expected, starting date etc.

Teaching Use:

Plant production requirements for teaching labs are required a semester in advance. This provides sufficient time for scheduling crops, securing supplies, and reservation of growing space.

Instructor / Coordinator Provide:

• Schedule for dates plants are needed

• Quantity and type of plant

• Schedule of lab sections (time and number)

• Title or brief description of exercise

• Required pot, container size or type

• Age, size, or developmental stage of plants

• Arrangements for transporting plants to and from greenhouse

• Care for plant specimens transported from greenhouse

• Greenhouse access for students if greenhouse staff is unavailable

• Supervision of students for greenhouse exercises

• Notification of tours for coordination of pesticide applications

• Cleaning of recyclable supplies upon completion of exercise

Greenhouse Staff Provide:

• Programming and crop scheduling for plants

• Determining required space for production needs

• Sowing, transplanting, potting of plants required

• Daily watering of plants

• Nutritional and pest control operations

• Supplies for nutritional and pest control needs

• Storing of recyclable supplies

• Cultural recommendations and advice for crops

• Maintenance of teaching collection

Security:

Keys are available to individual users. Security is important to limiting access to research areas and for the safety of users. Entrance doors are unlocked from 7:30 AM until 3:30 PM provided a member of the greenhouse staff is present. If a member of the greenhouse staff is not present the entrance doors must be locked. Transgenic room doors must be closed and locked at all times. Entrance door and interior door locks are unique and require separate keys. Keys are issued for specified areas thru the facilities office. Key request forms are authorized by faculty advisers or the greenhouse technician.

Pest and Disease Control:

Pesticide and Fungicide applications are performed weekly and are the responsibility of the greenhouse technician. Chemical control operations are one aspect of an Integrated Pest Management Program. All restricted and non restricted use pesticides and fungicides are selected, purchased, handled, and applied by a licensed pesticide applicator. All handling and application are done in compliance with the Worker Safety Protection Act. The greenhouse operates on an individual pesticide business license in accordance with university policy. Pesticides are stored in a marked chemical storage cabinet under triple containment in a ventilated basement.

Pesticide Application Posting:

All required EPA posters , safety forms and application records are posted outside the greenhouse office. EPA approved warning signs are posted as required for all treated areas.

Pesticide application scheduling:

Pesticide applications are routinely performed on Friday and the greenhouse is closed for the duration specified on the warning signs. Applications begin and access is restricted from 1:30 PM Friday until 7 AM Saturday. Changes are possible to permit access for teaching labs. Users are notified of any changes. Schedule change notices are provided by e mail to a current list of greenhouse users.

Supplemental or short interval pesticide applications:

Additional required treatments are done on Wednesday. Wednesday treatments affect access to particular areas and general access to untreated areas is possible. Warning signs are posted for treated areas.

Warning signs:

Warning signs provide information for the material dispensed, date and time of application, date and time for safe entry. If the sign is posted past the restricted entry interval, access is permitted. No one, including the applicator, is permitted access within 4 hours of application. Only the applicator is permitted access during applications. Only properly equipped individuals that have had early entrance training are permitted access during the restricted entry interval.

Entrance Doors:

The door adjoining the greenhouse and Buckhout Lab is sealed with tape to stop harmful vapors from entering Buckhout. This seal cannot be broken before the restricted interval. Opening the door will break the seal.

Treatments:

All infested or infected plants must be available for some form of pest control. Failure to treat compromises all other projects. There are alternative methods to chemical treatment.

Applications:

The greenhouse technician is available as a consultant for pest control problems outside the greenhouse. The technician is responsible for greenhouse applications only.

Methods:

High and low pressure liquid spray, aerosol, pre and post plant granular soil treatments and liquid drenches are used. Fumigation and dusts are not used.

Etiquette:

All areas are multiple user spaces. Respect other projects. Handle or move only your plants or containers. Use only allocated space. Used recyclable supplies should be cleaned upon completion of crop cycle to avoid accumulation. Neglected or abandoned unwashed supplies may be disposed of.

Storage:

Storage space is limited and assigned. Storage areas are labeled as to user. All used, recycled supplies must be washed, and dried prior to storage. Cleaning and storing of supplies are the responsibility of the user. Hallway cabinets should be stocked with small quantities of items commonly used. The basement is reserved for bulk storage. Supplies are to be kept in hallway cabinets or the basement. Supplies are not to be left under benches, in growing areas or on hallway cabinets. All notebooks, writing/ marking instruments, equipment etc are to be in hallway cabinets when not in use. Supplies and equipment left in growing areas are unprotected from pesticides and increase user exposure to these compounds. Soil is stored in mobile bins. Soil bins are returned to the hallway when potting operations are complete.

Basement Storage:

The basement has 1 exit / entrance route. It is approved for storage only and is not a work area. Supplies stored in the basement are subject to water damage. Walls and ceiling leak, the floor floods. Selection and location of materials for basement storage need to be considered.

Waste:

Do not leave infested or infected material in open waste containers. Bag or remove infested waste immediately. Do not position waste containers under benches in growing areas, they accumulate irrigation water.

Interior doors:

Doors to growing areas must be closed at all times to permit environmental controls to perform as designed. This also prevents migration of pests. Doors to rooms 101, 102, 107, 108 and 111 are to be closed but unlocked.

Environmental Controls:

The greenhouse environment is regulated by the greenhouse technician. Do not alter settings for heating, cooling or lighting. Many factors are considered in determining settings and other projects are affected. Heating and cooling are controlled by independent thermostats. When both systems may be required to operate, a temperature differential must be established between controllers to prevent both systems operating simultaneously. Greater temperature control is possible when only one system is required.

Rolling Benches:

Rooms 109, 110 and 111 have rolling benches. These benches maximize growing area. These movable benches are weight distribution sensitive. Uneven weight distribution can cause tipping of bench and plants when moved. When moving bench tops, position fingers on the upper surface. The bench moves perpendicular to a rotating pipe underneath. If fingers are underneath they will be pinched or crushed depending on the weight of the bench.

Position of benches effects air flow within the room and plant transpiration. The bench closest to the outside gable end wall must be positioned away from the outside wall. The bench closest to the interior gable end wall needs to be positioned away from the wall.

Area Identification:

Individual rooms are identified by a number on the door. Growth benches are marked by letters.

Work Lighting:

Four incandescent lamps are available for evening work lighting. These lamps affect day length sensitive crops and must be turned off when not in use. Lamps can be controlled by a timer to manipulate crop day length.

Cultural Treatments:

Colored labels are used to identify specific pesticide and nutritional treatments. These labels are for the use of the greenhouse staff. Do not remove, move, write on, mix, add or dispose of these labels. Colored labels are recycled.

Hoses:

Hoses are to be hung, neatly coiled, without kinks, in position near the hose bib. Hose ends and attachments should not contact the floor. This aids in controlling the spread of disease.

Fertilization Hoses:

Hose ends connected to fertilizer lines cannot be positioned directly above carboys that contain fertilizer concentrate. Dripping water from the hose will dilute the concentrate. All valves must be closed to avoid siphoning fertilizer concentrate.

Hazardous materials exposure and pregnancy:

Unnecessary chemical exposure to expectant mothers and unborn children is avoidable. A wide range of agricultural chemicals are routinely used. Common sense recommends the use of waterproof / chemical resistant footwear, long sleeved shirt, long legged pants and disposable gloves when in contact with treated plants, materials or areas.

TRANSGENIC AREAS:

Rooms 109 and 110 are licensed for transgenic plants. All projects and personnel are under the supervision of the primary investigator or faculty advisor. The primary investigator is responsible for acquiring any additional permits required for controlled or regulated plant material.

Doors:

Doors must be closed and locked at all times. Doors are only opened for entrance and exit.

Waste Disposal:

Users place all waste, plants, soil and supplies from completed projects in an unmarked autoclave bag. Waste is not to be placed in a container without a bag. Bags are supplied by users. Weight, volume and moisture content affect autoclave processing times. Do not over fill or exceed 10 pounds per bag. The greenhouse staff provides for removal, processing and disposal of properly bagged waste.

Access:

Only authorized personnel are permitted to these areas.

Food:

No food or drink is permitted in transgenic areas.

Containment:

Transgenic material must be contained while in transport to or from the greenhouse.