Research

Greenhouse Coordinator Position Available at OSU’s OARDC in Wooster, Ohio

New williams Greenhouse3

 

An exciting career opportunity is available to manage state of the art research greenhouses at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC). The OARDC is the research arm of The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and is located in Wooster, Ohio. The Greenhouse Coordinator would oversee the daily operation of the Gourley and Williams Greenhouse complexes and the growth chambers and refrigerated storage facilities for the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. Both greenhouse complexes are controlled by an Argus Titan Environmental Control system. The Williams Greenhouses were completed in 2014, and the Gourley Greenhouse was renovated with a new Argus Control system in 2011/ 2012. This position offers an excellent benefits package, which includes tuition assistance for yourself and your dependents.

The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status.

Applications must be made online at http://www.jobsatosu.com/postings/411448

Any questions about the position please contact Dr. Michelle Jones (330 263 3885, jones.1968@osu.edu) or Dr. John Cardina (330 263 3644, cardina.2@osu.edu).

Digital Evaluator – An App for Trial Gardens

By Dr. Tim Rhodus, Professor and Elaine Eberlin, Systems Specialist
Department of Horticulture & Crop Science, The Ohio State University
Rhodus.1@osu.edu and Eberlin.3@osu.edu
Online at: webgarden.osu.edu/buckeye2015.pdf

The following article was first published in the June 2015 issue of the Buckeye Bulletin, ONLA.

This article describes the Ohio State University Cultivar Trials and how an app was created to assist in organizing and managing the evaluation and communication program for the garden. Initially conceived by Dr. Claudio Pasian in 2002, the Ohio State University Cultivar Trials are conducted each year in order to evaluate ornamental bedding and container plants. The objective of these trials is to observe the performance of new and recently introduced cultivated plant varieties under environmental conditions typical of central Ohio.

The OSU Cultivar Trials contain four categories of plants: field (ground beds), containers in the sun, containers in the shade, and hanging baskets. During the growing season, all plants are evaluated four times by Master Gardener and Chadwick Arboretum volunteers. These consumer evaluators are asked to rate each plant from 1 – 5 on how well they “like” the plant. Additionally…….

To read the article go to:  http://webgarden.osu.edu/buckeye2015.pdf

Results and photos of the 2014 trials can be found at: http://hvp.osu.edu/trials

 

 

Take Part in the OSU Greenhouse Bioproducts Survey

The OSU Floriculture Team is interested in hearing from you regarding the use of bioproducts in greenhouse production.  Bioproducts are biologically-based products that can be used to reduce the need for synthetic chemicals during greenhouse crop production.  These products include beneficial insects, biopesticides, and biostimulants. 

Please click the following survey link to participate – or go to http://go.osu.edu/bioproducts.  The survey will take approximately 3 to 5 minutes of time to complete.  Your responses will be used to help plan research projects and deliver programs that are relevant to industry needs.  While your survey responses are anonymous, you may provide contact information if you wish to participate in the planning and implementation of grants, projects and programs in this area.

Thank you for participating during this busy time of year!  Best wishes for a prosperous growing and sales season!

Subscribe to CFAES News Releases

Keep up-to-date with news, press releases and program announcements from The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences by filling out an online form at:  

http://cfaes.osu.edu/news/subscribe

Select which news categories you wish to receive information on.  Your account settings can be changed at any time by clicking the “Manage Your Subscription” link at the bottom of each news release.  The news release categories are:

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  • College Events/Announcements
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  • Green Industry
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  • Lawn and Garden
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  • Natural Resource and Environment
  • Wooster area

 

New Research Greenhouses on the OSU Wooster (OARDC) Campus

It has now been almost two months since we have had the keys to our new greenhouses. The verdict so far- “They are really great!” Are there a few things we may have done differently? Maybe. But I think the overall opinion from the occupants is that these greenhouses are wonderful. The new Williams Hall Greenhouse complex on the OARDC campus in Wooster, Ohio contains 14,400 sq ft of space for conducting greenhouse research and growing exceptional plants for laboratory based research projects (~20,000 sq ft including the hallways). They are Nexus houses with glass glazing. The complex includes 14 bays that are 24’ x 40’ and two smaller bays that are 24’ x 20’. The greenhouses are controlled by an Argus Titan 2 environmental control system. Each room is equipped with supplemental lighting and shade curtains, all controlled by Argus. Individual rooms have fertigation systems and many of the projects use automatic irrigation/ fertigation. Some new features include soil moisture probes that can be used to control the irrigation frequency based on the media moisture content (also controlled by Argus). This facility replaces the one that was destroyed in September 2010 by a tornado that ripped through the OARDC campus. It has been a long time coming, but our new facility will enhance the research and educational capabilities of our programs, and it is a huge improvement from the greenhouses that previously occupied this site. We want to thank everyone who was involved with this project, especially the L.L. Klink design build team. If you plan to be in Wooster, give me a call and I will give you a tour.

Michelle Jones

D.C. Kiplinger Floriculture Chair

jones.1968@osu.edu

330-263-3885

 

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New Williams Hall Greenhouses on the OSU OARDC campus Wooster, Ohio.

New Williams Hall Greenhouses on the OSU OARDC campus Wooster, Ohio.

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Greenhouses and research projects were destroyed when a tornado hit the OARDC campus on September 16, 2010.

Greenhouses and research projects were destroyed when a tornado hit the OARDC campus on September 16, 2010.