TECH ON DEMAND brought to you by GrowerTalks

TRAIN TO RETAIN FROM THE DECEMBER 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY BROCH MARTINDALE NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: … there are numerous ways technology has changed even the simplest of tasks. As we hire and train the next generation of growers, it’s important to keep up with technology. Or are we waiting for the evening news to tell us what we’re doing tomorrow? Read the digital edition of GROWERTALKS Magazine—December 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_23_12/index.aspx

In a conversational episode, host Bill Calkins and his guest (and friend) Rich Christakes cover an extremely wide range of topics related to the modern greenhouse and garden center industry rooted in the goal of providing perspective and opportunities for action. Rich, CEO of Alsip Home & Nursery (a grower-retailer with two locations in Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland) and founder of the Ship My Plants online marketplace, has a unique perspective on garden center retail, variety selection, business management, the importance of peer groups and creating exceptional customer experiences. Bill and Rich start by covering spring 2023 and new ways to meet the needs of today’s shoppers and then start talking plants—focusing on improvements to best sellers and the importance of new breeding. Then they change gears and address labor. Rich shares how Alsip has benefited from H2A and H2B labor sources and the importance of training and staff development. He explains some recent shift in Alsip’s purchasing strategies and ways they’ve set new goals for buyers and managers, which has resulted in significant revenue gains. Then Rich and Bill spend time talking about ways to inspire key emerging customer bases by allowing them to shop however they prefer, from in-store and traditional delivery to online and even on Amazon. New shopping approaches provides a perfect segue into Ship My Plants, an innovative online platform for buying and selling plants. Think of it as “DoorDash or Uber Eats for plants” because it’s a multi-vendor marketplace that allows shoppers to order plants from local garden centers. This means garden centers maintain their store name and brand while engaging new customers and gaining another avenue for sales. Before closing, Rich and Bill express how thankful they are to work in an industry that reflects positivity at a time when it’s so needed. Plants make people happy, benefit the Earth and improve mental health—and as green industry professionals, there many reasons to be proud and extremely grateful. Be sure to listen all the way to the end of this episode! There are a ton of actionable ideas for everyone. RESOURCES: https://www.shipmyplants.com/clint@shipmyplants.comhttps://www.alsipnursery.com/

SANITATION & PREPARATION: STARTING STRONG FROM THE FEBRUARY 2021 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY PAUL PILON NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Many growers take for granted the benefits of having a strong start, and when less-than-ideal conditions are present from the beginning, they often struggle to stay ahead of these issues throughout the crop or the entire spring season. A strong start likely has different meanings for different growers, but here’s a few methods I like to employ to get my growing season started off the right foot. Read the digital edition of GROWERTALKS Magazine—February 2021: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_21_02/index.aspx

VERTICAL FARM SITE SELECTION FROM THE NOVEMBER 2023 ISSUE OF INSIDE GROWER MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY DAVID KUACK NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: A major consideration when starting an indoor farm is site selection, which can have a direct bearing on efficiency and profitability. There are lots of factors to take into consideration, from the physical location to the utilities available, nearby neighbors and more. Here we break down what to think about before your next retrofit or build. Read the digital edition of Inside Grower Magazine—November 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/ig_23_11/index.aspx

COMMON PROPAGATION MISTAKES FROM THE NOVEMBER 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY LYNN GRIFFITH NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Horticulture is an art as well as a science. Propagating plants vegetatively is even more of an art than growing in general. Sure, there’s research data on propagating the more common ornamental plants. However, variables such as variety, season, geography and structures can make large differences in what works and doesn’t work. Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks Magazine—November 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_23_11/index.aspx

FLORAL PACKAGING EVOLVED FROM THE OCTOBER 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY SARA EVENSON NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: I’ll be the first to admit that navigating sustainability is complicated. It’s not enough to depict mountains of legal documents I’ve gotten lost under while trying to decipher the best path forward. Is it better to recycle or better to compost? What does post-consumer content even mean? What can I recycle at my house? I’ll even admit I spent the better part of two years tossing a container in my recycling bin only to later discover it wasn’t on the shortlist of items my city recycled. I, an ardent supporter and passionate advocate for all things “recycling and sustainability,” was guilty of contaminating the recycling stream! With so much stacked against us, how do we choose the best path forward? Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks Magazine—October 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_23_10/index.aspx

POINSETTIAS: THE FINAL STEP—SHIPPING FROM THE OCTOBER 2010 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY DR. P. ALLEN HAMMER NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Poinsettia growers have a responsibility for the post-production longevity of the plants we offer to consumers. Growers can’t afford to simply be happy to have the plants out of the greenhouse door. Satisfied poinsettia consumers make for repeat customers. As a poinsettia producer and marketer, you can do a great deal to maintain the potential postharvest beauty and longevity built into the modern poinsettia cultivars. Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks Magazine—October 2010: https://www.growertalks.com/Article/Archive/Publication/?pubid=619

DIGITAL CROP TEMPLATES FROM THE OCTOBER 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY BILL CALKINS NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Remember when the walls of your greenhouse office were lined with file cabinets? Maybe they still are … but perhaps at least a few have been tossed to the curb with the contents now residing on computers and phones. Some of those drawers, no doubt, held files on past crops and your growers could pull a folder and see some notes from years gone by. Unfortunately, there was usually very little consistency and plenty of gaps (not to mention the inability of new growers to decipher another person’s handwriting). Those challenges (and space restrictions) are, thankfully, a thing of the past with new tools like Google Docs and other file-sharing platforms. The system used for storing and sharing crop template files really doesn’t matter, as long as it can be organized, easily updated and shared online for access via mobile devices. Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks Magazine—October 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_23_10/index.aspx

PERFECTING PERENNIAL PROPAGATION FROM THE JANUARY 2020 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY CHRIS FIFO NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: My earliest memory of plant propagation was in second grade. I was taking cuttings off my mom’s Swedish Ivy and sticking them in a glass of water. I loved watching them grow roots. My passion for propagation had evolved by the fifth grade and I was propagating spider plants and giving them to teachers. I’ve come a long way since then and my career has focused on perennial propagation and production. Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks Magazine—January 2020: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_20_01/index.aspx

ACRES & ACRES: GOOD QUESTIONS! (SO-SO ANSWERS) FROM THE OCTOBER 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY CHRIS BEYTES NARRATED BY THE AUTHOR, CHRIS BEYTES EXCERPT: Chris Beytes, as the editor of a horticultural trade publication, you have a unique perspective on industry trends. What recent developments in the horticulture sector do you believe will have the most significant impact on businesses and professionals in the coming years? I guess my answer is that we’re a maturing industry, and we can’t expect major breakthroughs or developments to come along. Instead, we get small, incremental changes that are hard to recognize until after the fact. Think about this: Houseplants were hot in the ’70s, then they went away. Why? And why did they come back? It wasn’t anything we did. My question is, “What is the next thing we do that will fall out of fashion, or come back into fashion, and how do we recognize it?” Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks Magazine—October 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_23_10/index.aspx

A WAKE-UP CALL FOR BABY BOOMERS FROM THE OCTOBER 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY AMY MORRIS NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: The work ethic of Baby Boomers was deeply rooted in their experiences of economic struggle, as many of them grew up during times of scarcity and uncertainty. This instilled in them the value of hard work and the importance of saving for the future. As a result, they often put in long hours and were willing to make personal sacrifices to achieve their career goals. The children of Baby Boomers, spanning multiple generations, have grown up in a vastly different world. The advent of technology and the rise of the Internet have transformed the way people interact, communicate and work. This has led to a divergence in work ethics, as the younger generations have been exposed to new opportunities and challenges that their parents’ generation could not have fathomed. Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks Magazine—October 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_23_10/index.aspx

If you haven’t already listened to part one of this episode, you’ll want to jump back in the archive and start there. This is part two and we continue the conversation, picking right up where we left off. LINK TO PART ONE: https://techondemand.podbean.com/e/benefits-of-dynamic-lighting-part-one-with-rose-michael-from-sollum-technologies/ In this two-part episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins talks to Rose Séguin (agronomist) and Michael Hanan (U.S. senior sales director) from Sollum Technologies about “dynamic” LED lighting and how this new technology allows for multi-zoning to meet the needs of multiple crops, as well as the ability to control light intensity and spectrums. Learn why fully-dynamic LED lighting is good for your crops, as well as your bottom line. Rose and Michael share case studies, new research and a fresh approach to LED lighting. In Part Two, the team from Sollum explains why the dynamic solution they provide can be installed in just about any greenhouse facility, as well as how true partnerships with grower clients lead from goals to outcomes. Rose and Michael share case studies and past experiences with breakthrough results. Then they detail how their team is constantly learning and using data to help growers make improvements from crop to crop, season to season and year to year. Furthermore, partnering with leading researchers in academia promises to bring even more knowledge to the table that can be implemented at clients’ operations. You’ll want to listen all the way to the end of this episode as Rose and Michael share thoughts about the future of dynamic lighting and how new research is opening up opportunities to consider how light can be used to reduce disease and truly optimize plant health and quality for growers in all segments of horticulture. If you have plans to explore new lighting technologies and want to learn more about the potential of dynamic lighting in enhancing plant health and reducing disease in horticulture, this episode is for you! It’s a perfect blend of science and real-world application with two guests who bring passion and tremendous knowledge to an energetic discussion about a critical topic. Be sure to subscribe to the Tech On Demand Podcast, brought to you by GrowerTalks on your favorite podcast app—that way you’ll never miss an episode! Resources discussed in the podcast episode: Sollum Technologies website: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/ Smart Greenhouse with Dynamic LED Lighting: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/white-papers/smart-greenhouse-with-dynamic-led-lighting White Papers: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/en/white-papers Case Studies: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/en/case-studies Contact Michael Hanan: michael@sollum.tech

In this two-part episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins talks to Rose Séguin (agronomist) and Michael Hanan (U.S. senior sales director) from Sollum Technologies about “dynamic” LED lighting and how this new technology allows for multi-zoning to meet the needs of multiple crops, as well as the ability to control light intensity and spectrums. Learn why fully-dynamic LED lighting is good for your crops, as well as your bottom line. Rose and Michael share case studies, new research and a fresh approach to LED lighting. In Part One, The team from Sollum and Bill discuss exactly why the ability to control spectrum and intensity via software (versus simply turning lighting like HPS on or off) leads to flexibility and adaptability for specific crops—even down to the variety level. They dig into the ability of this kind of lighting technology to dial into specific stages of crop development—from young plants to finished material—and also how dynamic lighting can be customized to deliver specific outcomes based on diverse crop mixes or monoculture ranges. Rose and Michael explain the science behind Sollum’s lighting strategies by walking listeners through questions frequently asked and discussed when planning new projects, as well as how their team helps solve problems and put new users at ease. As a partner and not simply a supplier, they don’t install and walk away. If you have plans to explore new lighting technologies and want to learn more about the potential of dynamic lighting in enhancing plant health and reducing disease in horticulture, this episode is for you! It’s a perfect blend of science and real-world application with two guests who bring passion and tremendous knowledge to an energetic discussion about a critical topic. Resources discussed in the podcast episode: Sollum Technologies website: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/ Smart Greenhouse with Dynamic LED Lighting: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/white-papers/smart-greenhouse-with-dynamic-led-lighting White Papers: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/en/white-papers Case Studies: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/en/case-studies Contact Michael Hanan: michael@sollum.tech

In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by Dr. Jamie Gibson, technical lead for Syngenta Flowers, for a deep dive into dipladenia. If you’re listening in real time, plans for 2024 are most likely being made and if you’re like a lot of growers that means you’re looking to add tropical plants to the mix for next year. We’ve seen a lot of interest in Dipladenia recently—for many reasons—and new breeding and introductions are helping drive the category by helping you produce amazing crops that fit different sizes, profiles and uses. In this episode, Jamie explains how important it is to start dipladenia with the end in mind. This means you should know your target dates to ship and sell, as well as what the end use of the crop is intended to be. As mentioned, new breeding is allowing for careful selection, both with inputs (URC, callused URC, liner, enhanced liner and prefinished), as well as plant profile and habit (from mixed container components to vigorous stand-alone specimens). If you have a plan, you can find a dipladenia to fit it. Once you know the goal, it’s time to dial in a production plan. Jamie walks you through this piece of the puzzle from propagation from the different forms through finish, with special attention paid to start times and cultural management. He discusses ideal greenhouse environment, nutrition, pest and disease control, pinching and trimming, PGRs and even post-harvest recommendation. One part of this presentation that you’ll want to pay close attention to is the “recipe” Jamie shares for the final 10 weeks of production. These final weeks of a long crop can make or break your success and sell-through. The Syngenta Flowers team has put a lot of time and trialing into dipladenia and much of what they learned went into the launch and support of their new collection called Madinia, which includes three types—Petite, a medium-vigor size and Maximo— all with core colors. Resources discussed in the podcast episode: Syngenta Flowers Dipladenia Madinia Landing Page—FULL RESOURCES AND COMBINATION VIDEOS: https://www.syngentaflowers-us.com/webcast/dipladenia

HEADWINDS AHEAD? FROM THE SEPTEMBER 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY STAN VANDER WAAL NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: My father used to use the term, “Batten down the hatches,” which I feel is very applicable to today's business environment. The definition of my father’s term is, “To prepare for a difficult or dangerous situation.” With this thought in mind, I’d like to consider how we as operators and business owners can prudently plan and navigate the challenges ahead. Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks Magazine—September 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_23_09/index.aspx

THE LABOR DILEMMA FROM THE JUNE 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY AMY MORRIS NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Why does our industry face this dilemma? I believe it’s because prospective employees observe greenhouses and garden centers as offering the same compensation and career potential as the local McDonald’s. They see an entry-level temporary or transitional job when what we’d like them to see is a fun, challenging and rewarding opportunity. We all know the one thing holding us back from making greenhouses and garden centers the best place to work: compensation. Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks Magazine—June 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_23_06/index.aspx

In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins talks to Rose Séguin (agronomist) and Michael Hanan (U.S. sales director) from Sollum Technologies about “dynamic” LED lighting and how this new technology allows for multi-zoning to meet the needs of multiple crops, as well as the ability to control light intensity and spectrums. Learn why fully-dynamic LED lighting is good for your crops, as well as your bottom line. Rose and Michael share case studies, new research and a fresh approach to LED lighting. The team from Sollum and Bill discuss exactly why the ability to control spectrum and intensity via software (versus simply turning lighting like HPS on or off) leads to flexibility and adaptability for specific crops—even down to the variety level. They dig into the ability of this kind of lighting technology to dial into specific stages of crop development—from young plants to finished material—and also how dynamic lighting can be customized to deliver specific outcomes based on diverse crop mixes or monoculture ranges. Rose and Michael explain the science behind Sollum’s lighting strategies by walking listeners through questions frequently asked and discussed when planning new projects, as well as how their team helps solve problems and put new users at ease. As a partner and not simply a supplier, they don’t install and walk away. Their team is constantly learning and uses data to make improvements from crop to crop, season to season and year to year. Furthermore, partnering with leading researchers in academia promises to bring even more knowledge to the table that can be implemented at clients’ operations. You’ll want to listen all the way to the end of this episode as Rose and Michael share thoughts about the future of dynamic lighting and how new research is opening up opportunities to consider how light can be used to reduce disease and truly optimize plant health and quality for growers in all segments of horticulture. If you have plans to explore new lighting technologies or upgrade your current system in the near future, this episode is for you! It’s a perfect blend of science and real-world application with two guests who bring passion and tremendous knowledge to an energetic discussion about a critical topic. Resources discussed in the podcast episode: Sollum Technologies website: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/ Smart Greenhouse with Dynamic LED Lighting: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/white-papers/smart-greenhouse-with-dynamic-led-lighting White Papers: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/en/white-papers Case Studies: https://www.sollumtechnologies.com/en/case-studies Contact Michael Hanan: michael@sollum.tech

ACRES & ACRES: NOT CUSTOMER SERVICE—HOSPITALITY FROM THE SEPTEMBER 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY CHRIS BEYTES NARRATED BY THE AUTHOR, CHRIS BEYTES EXCERPT: If you’ve been reading this column for a while, you’ll know I’m passionate about customer service. I’ve long felt it’s the one easiest (and hardest) place you can make your business stand out from the crowd. Easiest because so few businesses excel at it; hardest because it requires that your staff (and you) are at your absolute best at the hardest times possible: when face-to-face with a customer. And it requires having staff who are willing to learn and practice the fine art of service. Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks Magazine—September 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_23_09/index.aspx

GUIDE TO HIGH TUNNEL PRODUCTION FROM THE MAY 2022 ISSUE OF INSIDE GROWER MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY PATRICK MAHONEY NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Growers obviously want to minimize their expenses, but at the same time want to maximize crop growth and boost their profitability. This can be a tough balance to achieve, as newer growing practices can often come with a hefty price tag. However, with a high tunnel, growers can start to obtain some of the benefits of greenhouse growing, without having to make a large investment or overcomplicating their grow. A high tunnel hoophouse offers a cost-effective solution that can significantly improve an operation’s efficiency, while providing a number of other benefits along the way. A key advantage is the potential for a high tunnel grant, which is offered through a Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) program. This grant allows growers who qualify government funding that alleviates some of their production expenses. For growers who want to stick to soil, a high tunnel is the perfect way to enhance in-ground crop production, solve general outdoor issues and increase profits. Read the digital edition of Inside Grower Magazine—May 2022: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/IG_22_05/index.aspx

BUILDING A VERTICAL FARM TEAM FROM THE AUGUST 2023 ISSUE OF INSIDE GROWER MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY ERIKA SUMMERS NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: In my experience, here’s what I’ve seen work as the core makeup of a successful vertical farming implementation team. This team in the initial planning phase includes a grower, a mechanical engineer (or engineering firm) and a finance/business person. Other members of the team need to be added as the project progresses, but aside from someone raising funds for the venture, these are the “three pillars,” as I refer to them. Read the digital edition of Inside Grower Magazine—August 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/IG_23_08/index.aspx