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Research Project: Climate-smart, Adaptive, and Resilient Production and Pest Management Practices for Nursery, Greenhouse, and Protected Culture Crops

Location: Application Technology Research

Title: From the greenhouse to the kitchen: Learn how fertilization methods during production affect plants on the retail shelf and post-sale with the consumer

Author
item ARMENT, NICOLE - Iowa State University
item CURREY, CHRISTOPHER - Iowa State University
item Boldt, Jennifer

Submitted to: Trade Journal Publication
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2025
Publication Date: 8/30/2025
Citation: Arment, N.R., Currey, C.J., Boldt, J.K. 2025. From the greenhouse to the kitchen: Learn how fertilization methods during production affect plants on the retail shelf and post-sale with the consumer. Greenhouse Management. 45(8):34-38.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Containerized herbs are increasingly popular with consumers, and they are purchased for their fresh flavor and culinary appeal. Once plants leave the greenhouse, they often end up in lower-light environments in stores and home settings, with little water and fertilization. We designed an experiment to determine how fertilization during greenhouse production affected basil at finishing and in retail and consumer environments. We used conventional and organic fertilizers, including both water-soluble and controlled- or slow-release fertilizers, applied at different concentrations. Three weeks after transplant, basil plants were moved into a simulated retail environment for seven days. They were then harvested down to two nodes and placed back into the growth chamber for three additional weeks to simulate plant purchase, use, and regrowth. Across these different phases, basil fertilized with 100 to 300 ppm nitrogen (N) from conventional water-soluble fertilizer (WSF) yielded the highest fresh and dry weight. This was due to a higher growth rate per day during the greenhouse phase, as growth rates across fertilizer treatments were similar during the retail and consumer phases. Leaf greenness of the lower leaves decreased in all treatments from the greenhouse to retail to consumer phases. Foliar N concentration followed a similar pattern. It fell within the recommended tissue N range (4% to 6%) during the greenhouse phase for plants fertilized with all concentrations of conventional WSF and the highest rates of organic WSF or slow-release fertilizer (SRF). However, by the consumer phase, only plants fertilized with the highest concentration of conventional WSF were within the recommended range, along with plants receiving organic WSF or SRF. The environmental conditions during the simulated consumer phase were not conducive to growth. The low light environment and small canopy after harvest did not promote robust regrowth. Post-harvest performance was comparable across the fertilizer treatments, meaning all strategies used to fertilize basil will be sufficient for initial consumer use at home.