Greenhouse Grower to Grower

Earlier this year, Amy Ryan assumed ownership of Stonehouse Nursery, a Southwest Michigan-based wholesale grower of native and classic perennial liners. Amy’s roots at Stonehouse Nursery go back nearly 30 years when she first joined the summer potting crew. She earned her degree in Nursery and Greenhouse Production and Management from The Ohio State University, and after gaining additional industry experience, she returned to Stonehouse Nursery in 2016 as the nursery manager. In this conversation, I caught up with Amy Ryan to talk about how her background helped prepare her for this new role, how the transition process at Stonehouse Nursery took place, and why she’s excited about the future. Here’s our conversation.

The March 2026 issue of Greenhouse Grower featured a closer look at how PCR and DNA sequencing are improving pathogen testing and identification in greenhouses. In this episode of the Greenhouse Grower to Grower podcast, we dig a bit deeper into how this type of technology is evolving, and how growers can best take advantage of it, from the perspective of two industry insiders. I’m joined by Aubry Field, Founder and Lead Scientist of Lizzy Blossom, and Matthew Rose, co-Founder and CEO of Ceragen. You’ll hear my conversation with Aubry Field first, followed by a discussion with Matthew Rose.

The floriculture industry never stops innovating, and that includes growers as well as industry suppliers. This episode is the fourth and final part of our Leaders in Floriculture podcast series, where we talk to experts in plant breeding, plant health, and greenhouse technology, about the important roles they play in innovation, sustainability, and helping to shape the future of floriculture. In this episode, I talk to AmericanHort President and CEO Ken Fisher, Vice President and Advocacy and Government Affairs Matt Mika, and Vice President of Marketing and Member Engagement Mary Beth Cowardin about AmericanHort’s vision for the future of the green industry, how it’s changing the ways it communicates with and educates its members, and how AmericanHort is helping to build the next generation of industry leaders. Here’s our conversation.

Jazmin Albarran is the main voice behind Seed Your Future, which works to build connections between the horticulture industry and students of all ages. In between her many travels to visit with students and industry members, I caught up with Jazmin to talk about Seed Your Future’s biggest accomplishments in 2025, how students were able to connect personally with horticulture companies at industry events in early 2026, and the new “Powered By You” and “I Am Horticulture” programs designed to heighten the awareness of Seed Your Future and the many careers that can be found in horticulture. Check out our conversation, and right after that, keep listening for a live check-in from California Spring Trials with our own editor, Marisa Reyes.

The floriculture industry never stops innovating, and that includes growers as well as industry suppliers. This episode is the third part of our Leaders in Floriculture podcast series, where we talk to experts in plant breeding, plant health, and greenhouse technology, about the important roles they play in innovation, sustainability, and helping to shape the future of floriculture. In this episode, we talk to Sakata, Lambert Peat Moss, Proven Winners, Dramm Corp., and Sun Gro.

In late January of this year, our team at Greenhouse Grower broke the news that Smith Gardens, a Pacific Northwest-based fourth generation Top 100 growing operation, had been acquired by the Hoffmann Family of Companies, which just last year had also acquired N.G. Heimos Greenhouses in Illinois. The partnership expands Hoffmann’s rapidly growing agricultural assets into a new geographic region, and perhaps more importantly, it allows Smith Gardens to continue operating under its current leadership, while building for a strong future. I recently caught up with Eric Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Smith Gardens, and Clayton Jones, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development at Hoffmann Family of Companies, to learn more. Here’s our conversation.

Amanda Solliday has become a go-to resource for sustainability in the green industry. She recently became Senior Program Manager for American Floral Endowment’s Sustainabloom project, and she also co-wrote a research paper on improving environmental practices in horticulture. Prior to that, she worked with a team to produce a series of industry guides that provide insights and practical strategies for implementing and understanding sustainable practices. And did I mention she’s also pursuing her Ph.D? I recently caught up with Amanda to talk about all of this, and more. Here’s our conversation.

In this episode, Greenhouse Grower’s Brian Sparks, Marisa Reyes, and Kristin Zeit talk about Greenhouse Grower’s Top 100 survey, how the CEA market continues to evolve, and why we’re exciting for California Spring Trials. Plus, some gangster talk.

The floriculture industry never stops innovating, and that includes growers as well as industry suppliers. This episode is the first part of our Leaders in Floriculture podcast series, where we talk to experts in plant breeding, plant health, and greenhouse technology, about the important roles they play in innovation, sustainability, and helping to shape the future of floriculture. In this episode, we talk to Prospiant, Container Centralen, Syngenta Flowers, and UbiGro.

We’re excited to bring in Dr. Allan Armitage, a long-time contributor to Greenhouse Grower and an accomplished author, speaker, and consultant for the green industry, as a regular guest on the Greenhouse Grower to Grower podcast. In this episode, Allan and I talk about his new book, what it takes to grab his attention at events like California Spring Trials, and more. Here’s our conversation.

The floriculture industry never stops innovating, and that includes growers as well as industry suppliers. This episode is the first part of our Leaders in Floriculture podcast series, where we talk to experts in plant breeding, plant health, and greenhouse technology, about the important roles they play in innovation, sustainability, and helping to shape the future of floriculture. In this episode, we talk to Westbrook Greenhouse Systems, Jack’s Fertilizers, BioSafe Systems, and Jiffy.

In this episode, Greenhouse Grower’s Brian Sparks and Kristin Zeit talk about the upcoming release of a Global CEAg World CEA census, and Brian catches up with the National Garden Bureau’s Diane Blazek about the 2026 California Spring Trials.

In October of 2025, Blooma Farms, a wholesale plant grower in Colorado, purchased five acres of greenhouses previously owned by Welby Gardens, a family operation that had been forced to close earlier in the year. I recently caught up with Jeremy Friedman, owner of Blooma Farms, to talk more about what the acquisition means for Blooma Farms and its customers, how it has expanded the company’s liner offerings, and much more. Here’s our conversation.

n this episode, Greenhouse Grower’s Brian Sparks and Marisa Reyes talk about highlights from MANTS 2026, purpose-driven plants, and what you can expect to find in Greenhouse Grower’s February 2026 issue.

We’re excited to kick off our 2026 podcast season with a conversation with Dr. Charlie Hall, AmericanHort’s Chief Economist, Professor and Ellison Chair at Texas A&M University, and coordinator of the Executive Academy for Growth and Leadership program for horticultural business certification, otherwise known as EAGL. In this episode, we look back at how the green industry performed in 2025, and the economic factors that will impact 2026. Here’s our conversation.

This week Metrolina Greenhouses and South Central Growers announced a strategic merger. The two companies have a long history of collaboration and shared values and business philosophies, and together, they will form a growth-focused organization designed to respond to evolving customer expectations and increasing industry complexity. While the news was breaking, I caught up with Abe VanWingerden, CEO of Metrolina Greenhouses, and Alex Van Der Hengst, CEO of South Central Growers, to learn more about why the two companies are coming together, the key attributes each company brings, and how they will be able to integrate all current employees into the new operation. Here’s our conversation.

The Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association represents companies that are actively involved in the extraction and processing of peat. CSPMA members are committed to responsible peatland management and sustainability, ensuring their practices meet high environmental and industry standards. In this episode, I was joined by my colleague Marisa Reyes for a discussion with CSPMA President Asha Hingorani, Vice President of Science and Research Partnerships Stephanie Boudreau, and Communications Coordinator Charleen McCartney. We talked about the current peat situation in Canada, and how members strive for sustainable peatland management. We also dispel some common myths and misconceptions about peat. Here’s our conversation.

During Cultivate’25, Greenhouse Grower presented its Head Grower of the Year award to Brad Meyer of Bachman’s, and its Operation of the Year award to Hampshire Farms in Illinois. In this episode of Greenhouse Grower to Grower, we go behind the scenes with Brad Mayer, and with Fred Wacker at Hampshire Farms, about building a team, working with consumers, and more.

The International Plant Trialing Conference took place for the first time in several years this past month in Minneapolis. The event brought together plant trial managers from growing operations, universities, and botanical gardens, as well as plant breeders responsible for developing the varieties featured at trial gardens across the country. In this episode, I talk to Alicain Carlson of Syngenta Flowers, who was one of the main organizers of the conference along with the National Garden Bureau. Alicain shares her thoughts on how plant trials continue to evolve, her takeaways from the event, and much more. Here’s our conversation.

Last month, AmericanHort held its Impact Washington Fly-In Summit, where over three days, more than 140 participants from 25 states met with lawmakers and their staffs to discuss their biggest priorities, including labor, the upcoming Farm Bill, horticulture research funding, and more. In this episode, I talk to two of the growers who attended the event: Alan Jones of Manor View Farm in Maryland, who’s been a long-time attendee of Impact Washington, and first-timer Jonathan Jasinski of Microplant Nurseries in Oregon. We discussed each of their immediate takeaways, the importance of meeting with lawmakers both on Capitol Hill and on your own farm, and why advocacy plays a critical role in the future of the floriculture industry. Here’s our conversation.