Use Protocols

Procedures and protocols for the CNS Research and Education Greenhouses and serves as a guide for day-to-day greenhouse operations.

Space Allocation

  • Space request must be completed and handed in to the greenhouse manager 30 days prior to the start of the quarter for which you are requesting space.
  • A call for space requests will go out four times per year: July for the September-October-November quarter, October for the December-January-February quarter, January for the March-April-May quarter, and April for the June-July-August quarter.
  • The greenhouse space request form is available on the CNS website.
  • Space is limited and is assigned by the greenhouse committee.
  • You may not loan or rent your greenhouse space out to anyone else. A greenhouse user engaged in this activity is subject to possible loss of their greenhouse space.
  • Any time you add plant material to your space, please let the greenhouse manager know in writing so that the staff can be made aware. Please indicate if there are any special instructions.

Exit Date

  • In order to provide for efficient space allocation, use of space, and the orderly transition from one greenhouse user to the next, users are required to give a firm exit date on their space request form.
  • If it becomes apparent that a project will extend beyond the stated exit date, the user must contact the greenhouse manager at least 30 days prior to the expected exit date. Extension of the exit date may not be possible if a commitment has been made to provide the space to another user.

User Responsibilities

CNS facility users must share the responsibility for quality plant care with the greenhouses staff. Open communication between the greenhouse staff and the users help facilitate optimum plant care and reduce the occurrence of problems. The principle investigator/instructor is ultimately responsible for their research projects and/or teaching material. A list of names and emails will be forwarded to the greenhouse superintendent at the onset of a project so that they are informed of pesticide applications.

User Instructions

  • Carry out all experimental treatments and make all experimental measurements.
  • Comply with all greenhouse procedures including mandated Worker Protection Standard (WPS) training.
  • Remove yellowed or dead leaf material on a regular basis to reduce breeding areas for pests and diseases. If it doesn't conflict with experimental design, keep plants pruned to maintain a compact form to reduce problems associated with overgrown plants.
  • Repot, support, and prune plants as needed to keep them manageable.
  • Use proper pot size and pot-filling technique to provide plant stability and reduce watering demands.
  • When removing small amounts of biomass or occasional disposal of plants, the compost containers in the greenhouses/head house are provided for user convenience. If removing large amounts of material that would otherwise fill the compost containers, users are expected to empty the containers as well, or remove their materials directly to the compost dumpster.
  • Harvest all plant materials required for experimental purposes in a timely fashion. Plant material should be disposed of immediately following the project.
  • Space plants properly to ensure air movement, access for watering, and room for performing pest management tasks.
  • Monitor for insects and diseases (in addition to the greenhouse staff's efforts) and communicate any problems promptly to the greenhouse staff.
  • Keep greenhouse and work areas sanitary and orderly.
  • Keep potting soil out of sink and floor drains.
  • Provide proper autoclave bags for autoclaving plant material when necessary.
  • Communicate with the greenhouse staff before bringing any plant material into the greenhouses.
  • Receive clearance from the greenhouse manager prior to installing or placing project-specific greenhouse or research equipment in the greenhouses or head house.
  • Finish experiments and discard plant material in a timely fashion.
  • Maintain an active role in the progress of their greenhouse project.
  • Notify greenhouse staff promptly at the end of a greenhouse project. Assist with the disposal of unneeded plant material and the removal of equipment at the completion of the experiment.

Work Requests

A work request form must be filled out for any work needed or any supplies that need to be gathered from storage for a project. This includes changing the environmental conditions of greenhouse space. Please complete the greenhouse work request form at least 24 hours before the task needs to be completed. Verbal requests need to be followed up by online requests so that there is a record. The staff are busy and can forget things that are just conveyed to them verbally so the form is very important to everyone.

Worker Protection Standard

The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is a federal regulation intended to reduce the risk of pesticide poisonings and injuries among agricultural workers who are exposed to pesticide residues. At the university, the WPS applies to all employees including undergraduate student employees and graduate students, and students who work and/or take classes in the greenhouses. You must take and complete the online OWL training for WPS and send a copy of your certificate to the greenhouse manager. Swipe access to greenhouses will only be given once the online training has been completed. The certificate is good for five years so most students have to take it just once while they are attending the university.

  • The central posting board is located in the connecting corridor of the CNS headhouse. The central posting board contains pesticide safety information, emergency numbers, and pesticide application notices for the past 30 days for the facility.
  • A drench shower and eye wash station is outside the entrance to the east greenhouse corridor in case of an emergency.
  • MSDS sheets and pesticide labels are maintained in binders and are located in a cabinet in the connecting corridor next to the central posting area.

Use of Facilities and Sanitation

  • All users of the greenhouse facility are expected to observe good housekeeping rules by cleaning up any spilled soil in the headhouse, on route to, or inside the greenhouses, on the counters, or on the carts. Floor brooms and dust pans and bench brooms and dust pans are provided for cleaning up. Sound sanitation practices are necessary in order to reduce disease and insect problems.
  • Keep all hose ends clean and hung up off the greenhouse floor when not in use. This applies to waterbreakers, mist nozzles, and other hose attachments. Hoses must be kept untangled and stretched out along the aisles to avoid a tripping hazard. All water spigots must be turned off when not in use.
  • All insect and disease problems are to be reported immediately to the greenhouse staff.
  • All greenhouse space is to be kept clean and orderly by users.
  • Greenhouse growing areas are not storage areas for pots, growing media, or other cultural supplies. No items may be stored on top of or under the benches.
  • Do not bring personal plants into the greenhouse to be cared for over vacation periods, personal leaves, or for any other reasons. All unauthorized plants will be discarded without notice.
  • Greenhouse doors must be kept closed at all times to prevent the introduction of weeds and insects and to maintain the environment within the greenhouse.

Environmental Controls

Greenhouse environmental control equipment, including thermostats, fans, vents, and timers may only be operated by the greenhouse staff. Contact the greenhouse staff to request changes to the current environmental settings. Immediately report any malfunctions in environmental controls to the greenhouse staff or call Physical Plant at (413) 545-6401.

Plant/Cutting Inspection

Plants or cuttings from the field, other growing facilities, or commercial sources should be checked by the greenhouse staff for pests before being placed in the growing areas.

Potted Plants Guidelines

"Head space" is the space in the pot from the soil line to the pot rim. If you fill the soil to the rim of the pot, we will not be able to water the pot properly which can lead to numerous problems for the plants. A good guideline is to fill to just above the inner lip of the pot. Some settling will occur but not that much. Plant a test pot or two before planting the whole crop to get the correct head space. If you are unsure as to how much space to leave, please ask the staff.

Insects & Disease Control

Cleanliness is one of the most important factors for controlling insects and diseases.

  • Pick up dead leaves and plant material from benches and floors. Do not leave unused pots with potting soil sitting in the greenhouse. Insects will live and hide in old plant refuse and potting soil. Remove weeds from pots to prevent the spread of weeds and reduce the places insect can live and breed.
  • Over watering is as bad as under watering. Both conditions stress plants and promote diseases and insect (fungus gnat) problems.
  • At the first sign of an insect or disease problem, please contact the greenhouse staff. If possible discard the affected plant material directly into the compost dumpster outside the greenhouses. Infected plants should be bagged and removed from the greenhouse to avoid spreading the problem to other greenhouse sections.
  • Wash your hands before working with plants. This is especially important when working with propagation material (seeds, seedlings, cuttings, and planting media) or if you smoke or otherwise use tobacco products.

Disease Management

  • At end of an experiment or the beginning of a new one, clean out all plant material, pots, growing medium, plant debris, algae, and anything that can be removed so the greenhouse can be sanitized.
  • After the greenhouse has been sanitized, avoid recontamination with pathogens.
  • Those working in field plots outdoors should clean up before handling greenhouse plants or materials.
  • If you have been working in the field, make sure to change your shoes prior to entering the greenhouse
  • Keep hose ends off the floor using the hooks provided in each greenhouse.
  • Do not hold plant material any longer than you have to. Old plants may harbor plant pathogens.
  • Monitor plants along with greenhouse staff. If you notice a problem, alert the greenhouse staff immediately.
  • Properly space plants for good air movement and sunlight to facilitate drying of the foliage and spray coverage.
  • Do not reuse growing media.
  • Use only pasteurized, autoclaved or commercially prepared soil or otherwise as directed by the greenhouse superintendent.
  • If you handle a plant that you suspect of being diseased, wash your hands immediately so as not to spread the problem any further.

Integrated Pest Management

  • Before introducing an experiment into the greenhouse, remove all weeds, algae, "pet plants," and any plant and growing medium debris located throughout the greenhouse.
  • Have greenhouse staff inspect incoming plant material, plugs, cuttings, etc. before being moved into the growing area.
  • Use only new or properly cleaned supplies.
  • Infested material will be handled in the greenhouse where it was grown, placed in a bag, and tied closed for containment prior to transport or disposal.
  • Doors are to be closed at all times to prevent the migration of pests.
  • Use pest- and disease-free soil.
  • Use only pasteurized, autoclaved or commercially prepared soil or as directed by the greenhouse superintendent.
  • Notify greenhouse staff when knowingly introducing infected or infested plants to the greenhouse.
  • Introducing infested material is discouraged.
  • Disposal is a consideration for severely infested plants.
  • Growing areas are to be maintained in a clean and orderly fashion.
  • Promptly harvest and dispose of plants and soil as projects are completed.
  • Use of pre-plant, soil-incorporated and systemic materials for prevention and protection.
  • Prompt applications as required to control pest populations and minimize application frequencies.

Transgenic Plant Material

  • Transgenic plant material (BL-1 or BL-2 *) must be grown in an isolated area that is kept locked at all times.
  • All plant material must be rendered biologically inactive by autoclaving. There is an autoclave in the CNS headhouse. Please contact greenhouse staff for instructions before using the autoclave.
  • Projects need to be registered with the Institutional Biosafety Committee on campus.
  • The researcher needs to inform the greenhouse manager of any special needs or precautions to be taken regarding their project so that the staff can be kept informed.

*Definitions of BL-1 and BL-2:
This is information provided from A Practical Guide to Containment: Greenhouse Research with Transgenic Plants and Microbes by Patricia L. Traynor, Dann Adair, and Ruth Irwin, Information Systems for Biotechnology, Virginia Tech, 2001.

Seed Cooler Use

  • The cooler is maintained at 4°C
  • The cooler is normally locked.
  • Greenhouse users and occupants of the two labs in the CNS headhouse can utilize the seed cooler.
  • If space is available, researchers who don't use the greenhouses can use the seed cooler.
  • All items in the cooler must be clearly marked with the user's name, the date seeds were placed in the cooler, and phone number.
  • The storage of food or drinks in the cooler is prohibited.
  • The cooler must be kept neat and organized. If there are issues with neatness of stored items the person whose name is on the items will be asked to attend to the issue; if they don't, those items will be removed from the cooler.

Bulb Cooler Use

  • The cooler is normally locked.
  • When not in use by classes the bulb cooler is available to be used for research projects.
  • Use of the cooler is scheduled by the greenhouse manager.
  • Changes of the cooler settings are to go through and be made by the greenhouse manager.
  • The cooler must be kept organized and swept during and after use.
  • The cooler must be cleaned at the end of a project so that it is clean for the next user. The stainless steel shelving makes for easy cleaning.
  • The storage of food or drinks in the cooler is prohibited.

Potting/Lab Classroom

  • The Potting/Lab Classroom is located in room 103 of the CNS Headhouse.
  • Classes that utilize the greenhouses have priority in this space. There is a schedule posted outside the door to the classroom so that you can plan your research related work around the classes.
  • If you need to work and room 103 is not available, room 109 in Bowditch Hall is also a potting area where the same rules apply.
  • There are stainless steel tables and two sinks for potting use.
  • In the corridor that connects the headhouse to Bowditch Hall there are rolling soil bins that can be used for storing soil in while you are working in the potting classroom.
  • There is also a bin with perlite and a bin with vermiculite for general consumption. If you need large quantities (a bag or more) of either of these amendments then you will need to purchase them.
  • Please clean up the space when you are finished. There are push and hand brooms and dust pans for floor use and separate hand brooms and dust pans for bench top use. It is important that the brooms and dust pans be used for what they are intended: to keep up proper sanitation.
  • There is a compost container available for growing medium and plant debris.

Growth Chamber

A protocol is being developed and will be coming soon, as will a fee structure for the new growth chambers.

General Safety

  • Safety is the highest priority in the CNS Research and Education Greenhouses.
  • Injuries must be reported to the department as well as EH&S, especially if an eyewash or drench shower was used or medical treatment was needed.
  • Contact EH&S in the event that fire extinguishers are discharged.
  • Communicate with the greenhouse staff when you see an unsafe condition.
  • Cooperate with the greenhouse staff to ensure your own safety as well as that of your colleagues.
  • Know the location of all safety equipment, including fire extinguishers, emergency showers and eyewashes, phones, and first aid kits.
  • Know where to find safety information, including MSDS sheets and pesticide labels.
  • Know where emergency phone numbers are located.
  • Closed-toed shoes must be worn at all times.
  • No food or drink is allowed in the plant growth areas or lab areas.
  • Complete online Worker Protection Standard training if you will work in the greenhouses and print out and give a copy to the greenhouse manager.
  • Employees and students handling pesticide-treated plants are strongly encouraged to wear gloves and to wash hands after working in a greenhouse.
  • If you are doing any research involving recombinant DNA or instruction on containment, please refer to the appropriate NIH guidelines.

Questions regarding any of these protocols should be brought to the attention of the greenhouse staff.