LADY BUG...INNOVATION KEEPS UNIVERSITY PROGRAM GROWING

Students in the horticulture program at Southeast Missouri State University do more than plant seeds, water and fertilize them and wait for them to grow.

In this program they experiment with new varieties of plants, growth retardants, and stimulants by chemicals, do landscaping, study moisture and humidity controlled environments, use a variety of new products including containers, and learn to keep records and statistics of their work and accomplishments.

During the 24 years Dr. Charles H. Korns has been associated with the Agriculture Department, it has grown and grown and has become outstanding among universities.

Having grown up on a farm in Iowa, Dr. Korns, now professor of agriculture, has always been interested in growing plants. Following his military service, he continued his interest in nature and the cultivation of ornamental horticulture. He received his B.S. degree from Mississippi State University, M.S. from Colorado State, and Ph.D. from Mississippi State. He also did work at Arkansas A&M and in Toronto, Canada.

In August of 1970 he came to SEMO and with the late Dr. Carl Schowengerdt, established two courses in horticulture. At that time there were no greenhouses and not much interest in his subject. The first three greenhouses were built in 1978, but the next winter two of them were devastated by a severe winter storm.

Not only have the greenhouses been rebuilt, but each year they are becoming more modern with their watering systems, movable work tables, and other up-to-date devices.

Through the work of Dr. Korns, the department now receives plants, seeds, materials and cuttings from the main seed companies in the United States, including Goldsmiths of Gilroy, California, Mikkelsens of Ashtabula, Ohio, and the famous Paul Ecke Poinsettia Ranch in Encinitas, California.

Seeds of new introductions come to the University long before they are on the market. Here they receive trials from Japan, Holland, France, Germany and New Zealand. Dr. Korns evaluates these products and sends reports twice each year on the results of their growing in Southeast Missouri.

For the past 14 years, work of the students has been displayed in the All-America Selections Garden on campus. For the past 61 years, new varieties that have proven superior qualities have been judged throughout the gardens in the United States and one in Mexico. There are 236 gardens in all, designed to show the public outstanding flowers, vegetables and shrubs and how they produce in their locality. All winners are marked with a red, white and blue emblem, telling the year of the award.

New for 1955 are three flowers. Two petunias, Celebrity Chiffon Morn', a pink pastel floribunda and Purple Wave, a single purple described as "ground hugging" with all growth horizontal, and Indian summer rudbeckia hirta, which has two common names, floriosa daisy and black eyed Susan, are the winners.

Also in the garden will be approximately 500 varieties of flowers and vegetables. These will include 100 varieties of petunias, 70 of impatiens, 125 of geraniums, 15 of vinca, 16 of lisianthus, the latter mostly introductions of Sakata Seeds of Yokohama, Japan. There are also 54 varieties of dwarf crape myrtle and many vegetables, including 30 varieties of tomatoes.

Many of the flower seeds come from Goldsmiths, such as pansies, dianthus, petunias, marigolds, verbena, snapdragons, zinnias, carnations, cyclamen' cineraria and others.

One of the most intersting new novel plants is a mosquito repelling plant called Citrose, a live green aerosol that gives off the scent of Citronella 24 hours a day. A tender perennial, it will repel mosquitoes in a 10-foot radius and can grow into a five-foot bush. It is non-toxic and non-allergic. It requires little water and can be kept dry and lightly fertilized.

Students have experiments with many different types of hanging containers. Some include coconut fiber baskets, some contain combinations with spagnum moss or peat. There is a new version of a two-piece plastic pot with holes around the circumference for plants. It is called UFO and was developed by a firm in Oklahoma. A conical or funnel shaped cup fits in the top to hold water to seep to the roots for continual growth.

Another novel container is a long tubular plastic device about two feet long with spaced holed for planting. The first year begonias were successfully tried with the plants completely covering the container. Now they use nicotiana, moss rose, ageratum, Mont Blanc nierembergia and other annuals to produce great results.

A further innovation in containers is one made of recycled heavy paper. Perforated holes around the inside on the bottom allow the penetration of roots when the plants begin to grow. This container was developed in Denmark.

When Dr. Korns attended the Ohio horticultural trade show in Cincinnatic, Ohio where he has gone for the past 14 years, sometimes accompanied by as many as 12 students, he came home with these interesting new items.

Growth regulators result in more compact growing plants, keep them from becoming leggy and help them to withstand the transplanting, Dr. Korns pointed out. He told of an experiment to grow geranium trees. This requires a non-retardant (the opposite type) chemical to stretch the plant cells for extended growth, by spraying five weekly applications. Some geranium trees reached a height of four feet.

For the past three years, students have been growing southern and tropical plants which can summer outside, but cannot tolerate our winters. Outstanding are vining plants, such as mandevilla, with an exotic pink blooming flower, Alamanda, the yellow version and Dipoadenia, a bright pink bloomer. All have pleased those customers who have tried them.

There are currently 25 students in the horticulture program with six graduating. More and more there are transfer students coming for horticultural study.

Many of the graduates go into greenhouses, garden centers and nursery work. Some have established their own businesses. One outstanding graduate is Kenny Ludwig of Oak Ridge, who has had an interesting career in horticulture with Vaughn Seed Co., Jackson and Perkins, Harris Seed Co., and presently with Burpee.

Most of them keep in touch with "Doc" as they affectionately refer to him, and attribute their continued interest and success to his planting the "seeds of his knowledge."