The NRCS Plant Materials Program newsletter for the conservation community 

December 2005 

Visit us: http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov 

Plant Materials Program

Money Saving Farm Equipment Innovations Would Make a Nice 

Present for Any Farmer This Holiday Season 

Innovation is a huge part of the American spirit. It has 

made us the most powerful nation in the world, and we 

see it all around us, from the day-to-day devices that 

make our lives easier to the more complicated 

technologies that send satellites into orbit. At the 

Aberdeen, Idaho Plant Materials 

Center (PMC), the spirit of innovation has resulted in the 

modification of farm 

equipment that has greatly 

improved the productivity of 

the PMC. 

“Historically, innovation in 

farming practices is one of 

the areas where a new 

invention such as the cotton 

gin or a modification of 

existing equipment has 

resulted in an enormous 

impact in agricultural output. 

Such innovations have 

enabled humans to more 

quickly plow, grow, harvest 

and distribute agricultural 

products to an ever 

expanding world population 

and to address environmental 

needs as well,” said D. Boyd Simonson, biological 

technician at the Aberdeen, PMC. 

An innovator by nature, Simonson has altered and/or 

invented numerous modifications to standardized farm 

equipment, which has resulted in the savings of 

hundreds of man hours at the PMC and, if implemented 

throughout the nation, could save farmers thousands of 

dollars in labor costs according to Simonson’s 

supervisor, PMC farm manager Brent L. Cornforth. 

One such modification, and something that nearly 

qualifies as a complete invention because it’s so 

radically different than its predecessors, is the “WaterJet 

Stinger.” Called such — because if the powerful spray 

of water were to be pointed in your direction it might cut 

right through you — the WaterJet Stinger is used to 

“dig” out holes in the soil for planting tall cuttings. 

“It’s extremely important in the semi-arid West that any 

plant to be installed in a riparian zone have its roots in 

the deepest water table of the 

year,” said Cornforth. “The 

problem I’ve found with 

other high-pressure water 

jets is that they are weak, in 

that they don’t hold-up well 

to the pressure and pounding 

of boring holes, and tend to 

weaken the steel.” 

And unlike its competition 

the WaterJet Stinger is 

anything but “primitive.” 

Consisting of an array of 

hoses, valves and power 

pumps all atop a small 

platform that moves on small 

tank-like treads, the WaterJet 

Stinger (though not a basic 

machine) is simple to 

transport and operate, and can dig a narrow shaft 6.6 feet 

into the soil. 

“We have found that a three-person team works very 

well in the planting process. One member of the team 

runs the WaterJet while the other members haul the 

cuttings and shove them in the holes,” said Simonson. 

“It gets the job done like nothing else I’ve ever used.” 

Contact: Boyd Simpson, Boyd.Simson@id.usda.gov

Link to full-technical article: http://plantmaterials.nrcs.usda.gov/pubs/idpmctn390201.pdf

 

 

WaterJet Stinger Ready for Action in Aberdeen, ID
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Visit us: http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov 

Fun Stuff: 

The three simple rules for taking proper care of 

Holiday season plants — even if they’re not good 

examples of conservation solutions 

Holiday-season plants may not be good examples of 

vegetative-conservation solutions, but hey, we all get 

them, so with the holiday season upon us, it’s the time 

for giving and receiving flowering-potted plants. 

Colorful and brightly decorated plants can give the 

season a festive flair. 

Some of the best and most popular holiday-season plants 

include: flowering cacti, azaleas, begonias, 

chrysanthemums or the tried and true poinsettias. If 

properly taken care of, these plants can be enjoyed well 

into January and even February. Care of these seasonal 

plants, whether a brilliant cyclamen or a cheerful 

kalanchoe, is easier than you might think. Keep these 

three simple rules in mind when caring for your holidayseason plants: 

• Do not over water! Too often folks drown their 

plants by watering at regular intervals. 

Remember, most plants only need water when 

the soil starts to get dry. Over watering can 

result in depriving the plant of oxygen and 

causing root rot. 

• Seasonal plants are often shocked by the 

different temperature changes between your 

house and the greenhouse they grew up in. 

Temperature is a significant reason why some 

seasonal plants have an extended life or not. 

Case in point: poinsettias are very sensitive to 

chills, and a prolonged chill will cause loss of 

leaves. But keep in mind that a poinsettia will do 

best in, ironically, the coolest part of the room 

— but not in a cold draft. So keep them away 

from sources of heat. A mild room temperature 

in the mid-sixties will suffice. And never ever 

plant poinsettias outside unless you live in a 

tropical environment. The first chill will kill 

them. 

• Give your seasonal plants lots of light because 

for the most part these plants have been out of 

the greenhouse environment for a short period of 

time before being brought into your home. 

Remember the holidays can live on well into winter 

if your seasonal plants are happy and properly cared 

for! 

Our Mission Statement: Deliver plant-science technology to meet the nation’s natural resources conservation needs.

Autumn Red Poinsettias 

Christmas Cactus in Bloom