Plant Growth Facility

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start a greenhouse or growth chamber project?

If you are interested in renting greenhouse or chamber space, please complete the Growth Facility Space Request (PDF) and return it to the Greenhouse Manager. Every effort will be made to provide the appropriate growth space.

What kinds of greenhouses and chambers are available and what is the cost?

There are 14 evaporative cooled and 6 air conditioned greenhouses as well as many different sizes of growth chambers. To see sq. footage and space fee details you can look at the Greenhouse and Growth Chamber Space Inventory (PDF). To see lighting information in greenhouses and chambers look at the Greenhouse and Growth Chamber Lighting Inventory (PDF).

What supplies are in stock for growth facility users?

The greenhouse staff will provide an inventory of commonly used pots and trays. After use, the dirty pots will be disinfected and washed at no extra charge to the user.

Pots, trays, cones, etc. which are not part of the inventory and which are purchased by the projects, may be washed at no charge if these items are added to the inventory at the end of the project. If not added to the pot inventory, an hourly pot-washing fee may apply.

See Plant Growth Facility Supplies (PDF) for a more detailed description of available inventory.

What services are provided by greenhouse staff?

All plant material receives plant care unless the growth facility user requests otherwise. The fee for plant care will be charged even if the user declines some components. The greenhouse staff may provide additional services at an hourly rate of $25.00/hr. Services include the following. Please see Plant Growth Facility Use Policy, Section 4.0 (PDF) for a complete description.

• Watering 365 days/year
• Pest and disease scouting
• Cultural, biological, or chemical pest control
• Environmental control
• Photoperiod control
• Graphing of temperatures upon request
• Greenhouse or growth chamber maintenance
• Routine greenhouse or growth chamber sanitation
• Plant material autoclaving
• Routine application of fertilizer
• Seasonal application of shade material
• Routine seed sowing and transplanting
• Routine washing of inventoried pots and trays.

What are user responsibilities?

Growth facility users must share the responsibility for quality plant care with the greenhouse staff. Open communication regarding the monitoring and maintenance of plant demands will facilitate optimum plant development, reduce problems and promote productive relationships between users and staff. Users are responsible for the following. Please see Plant Growth Facility Use Policy, Section 6.0 (PDF) for a complete description.

• Keeping growth areas clean.
• Removing unwanted plants from growth areas immediately after finishing with them.
• Communicating plant care issues (insects and diseases, fertility, etc.).
• Keeping growth and work areas sanitary and orderly.
• Using proper pot size and pot filling technique.
• Keeping plants staked, tied, pruned and properly spaced at all times.
• Placing pots only on bench space, not on floors or windowsills.
• Removing any plant parts such from benches and floors and disposing of properly.
• Washing pots or trays that are not part of the growth facility inventory.

What are the requirements for growing genetically modified plants?

All research involving transgenic plants must be registered with the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). For more information, visit: http://www.osp.cornell.edu/Compliance/IBC.html

Certain plants must be autoclaved before disposal, including those that are:

• transgenic
• virus-infected
• legally quarantined
• otherwise biologically hazardous
• otherwise required to be autoclaved by research protocols
• all other plants in the same growth room as above listed plants

Project personnel are responsible for:

• picking up an autoclave bag from the autoclave area in the head house
• bagging all plant material, fruit and plant parts in the greenhouse or growth chamber
• working with the greenhouse staff to ensure the material is autoclaved
• making sure there is no plastic in the autoclave bags

Autoclaving will be done by the greenhouse staff.

For more information

For further details, see the Plant Growth Facility Use Policy or contact Brian Bell, Greenhouse Manager, at bkb3@cornell.edu.