TECH ON DEMAND brought to you by GrowerTalks

Growing F1 Anemone Gemstone from Seed ft. Bob Croft

In this comprehensive discussion covering a key cut flower, Ball Seed’s cut flower business manager Joan Mazat and Sakata Seed America’s product technical manager Bob Croft discuss F1 Anemone Gemstone (seed-raised anemone) and share tips and tricks for selecting and producing top-quality crops.

 

Bob shares his experience with this F1 seed series—from germination to transplant and on to finishing and post-harvest care. He helps cut flower growers and flower farmers manage all factors of plant growth (light, water, nutrition, temperature and gas exchange), offers strategies for controlling pests and diseases and explains the benefits of starting anemone from seeds versus corms.

 

RESOURCES:

Anemone Gemstone from Sakata: https://sakataornamentals.com/plantname/gemstone/

 

Ball CutFlowers: https://www.ballseed.com/cutflowers/

 

Tools from Ball CutFlowers (presentations & literature, market trends, videos, podcasts, Dave’s newsletter, industry resources): https://www.ballseed.com/cutflowers/Resources/

Stay Hydrated: The Key to Uniform Rooting of URCs

Ball Technical Services specialist and culture research manager, Dr. Nathan Jahnke, joins Tech On Demand host Bill Calkins to share research-based best practices for rehydrating unrooted cuttings before sticking.

 

Cuttings can (and will) lose water at multiple points in the supply chain—arriving at greenhouses dehydrated by as much as 20%. As soon as harvest occurs, dehydration begins and although offshore farms have greatly improved harvest and handling processes in recent years, your young plants go through a lot before they land on your benches, ready to grow. Wilted cuttings can negatively impact production from the earliest stages, resulting in shrink and losses.

 

Dr. Jahnke walks growers through potential dehydration points in the supply chain and the challenges that result from dehydrated cuttings before explaining why water loss occurs and some of the ways farms are working to improve cutting hydration and handling. Then he moves quickly into ways growers can rehydrate cuttings before sticking, from good (misting) to better (dipping) to best (fogging) practices. From arrival to inspection and staging, protocols are offered to help production teams manage cuttings effectively.

 

RESOURCES

 

Article: Tech On Demand Best Management Practices for URC Hydration https://ballseed.com/PDF/TechOnDemand-URC-Hydration.pdf

 

Article: Rehydrating Unrooted Cuttings https://www.growertalks.com/Article/?articleid=26603

 

Article: Tips for Rooting Difficult or Slow-to-Root Cuttings https://www.e-gro.org/pdf/2020_904.pdf

 

Article: Swish-Swish—Dipping Unrooted Vegetative Cuttings to Reduce Incoming Pest Populations https://www.e-gro.org/pdf/2024-13-05.pdf

 

Article: Improve Your Success with Unrooted Cuttings https://www.growertalks.com/Article/?articleid=24307

 

Article: Stick & Die—How to Avoid It https://www.growertalks.com/Article/?articleid=25582

 

Article: Tech On Demand Poinsettia URC Action Guide https://ballseed.com/documents/Poinsettia-URC-Shipping-Performance-ActionGuide.pdf

 

Video Playlist: The Importance of Vapor Pressure Deficit https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8NX3KFjAfBn48BahYB5oaQpfb-jRy_3C&si=DXEDmuI0lNLxeq4K

 

Video Playlist: BMPs to Enhance Rooting Uniformity https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8NX3KFjAfBkUFpE72nX37ByIG9mjqg_o&si=giBR0RLmBDPd4cAO

Oil-Based Pesticide Solutions ft. Emily from Kemin Industries

This episode is all about a cutting-edge approach to insect and disease control—the use of botanical oil-based pesticides within IPM programs. Host Bill Calkins is joined by the director of research and development with the crop technologies division at Kemin Industries, Emily Fuerst. Emily is a highly accomplished scientist with more than 15 years’ experience merging science with agricultural insights to drive innovation across product categories and her passion for insects and expertise in the science of essential oils has led to the launch of a wide range of products responding to grower needs and agriculture challenges.

 

In this episode, the conversation starts by getting to know Kemin, a family-owned company operating since the 1960s producing science-based ingredients found in the food we eat and supplements we use, as well as nutrition for healthy livestock, poultry, aquaculture and more. Since about 2018, Kemin has been focusing a lot on our industry, bringing innovative solutions to the greenhouse and nursery markets.

 

As Emily and Bill move into the topic of oil-based biopesticides, you’ll learn why essential oils have the potential to keep pests and diseases under control while minimizing the use of standard chemical pesticides in an IPM program, all supported by scientific trials and success stories. Research and application show these products not only prevent or control greenhouse pests and disease to the same or greater levels compared to conventional chemistries but can be much safer for workers with low to no REI.

 

Some of Kemin’s leading products such as Romivex DIP (contact miticide and insecticide ideal for cuttings dips), PathoCURB (thyme-oil based fungicide and bactericide) and TetraCURB (miticide-insecticide for TSSM and soft-bodied insects) can not only prevent and solve common greenhouse problems but also extend the effectiveness of conventional chemistries when used in IPM programs and rotations.

 

It's truly a fun and informative conversation, so be sure to listen all the way to the end!

 

RESOURCES:

 

Kemin Crop Technologies: https://www.kemin.com/na/en-us/markets/crop-tech

 

Kemin’s Greenhouse & Nursery Products: https://www.kemin.com/na/en-us/markets/crop-tech/greenhousenurserysolutions

 

Kemin Team Blog: https://www.kemin.com/na/en-us/blog/crop-tech

 

LinkedIn—Kemin Crop Technologies: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/kemin-crop-technologies/

Finishing Stunning Seed Coleus with Dr. Will Healy

Retired Ball technical manager Dr. Will Healy joins host Bill Calkins to share protocols for finishing seed-raised coleus as part of the Tech On Demand series covering crop culture for key annuals and perennials. From media selection and nutrition to water, light and temperature, finishing crops requires careful attention to avoid losses and send high quality product out the door on time. Will is going to help reduce your risk in this process.

Finishing High Quality Seed Begonias with Dr. Will Healy

Retired Ball technical manager Dr. Will Healy joins host Bill Calkins to share protocols for finishing seed-raised begonias (semperflorens and interspecific) as part of the Tech On Demand series covering crop culture for key annuals and perennials. From media selection and nutrition to water, light and temperature, finishing crops requires careful attention to avoid losses and send high quality product out the door on time. Will is going to help reduce your risk in this process.

 

VIDEO: Achieving Uniformity in Begonia Germination

VIDEO: Training Your Team to Water Properly

More Tech On Demand Videos on YouTube

 

 

All About Sunfinity with Dr. Jamie Gibson

Syngenta Flowers’ Dr. Jamie Gibson joins host Bill Calkins to discuss just about everything you need to know when producing amazing crops of both Sunfinity Yellow Dark Center (from seeds or plugs) and Sunfinity Double (from unrooted cuttings or liners). This sunflower broke into the industry as a gamechanger not long ago and after multiple years wowing shoppers at retail and in landscape installations, the Syngenta team debuted Double Sunfinity at California Spring Trials this year. Yellow Dark Center and Double are very different crops—from their form (seed vs. vegetative) and how they need to be produced. Dr. Gibson discusses both in detail, including all of the nuances for growers to remember when adding these sunflowers to the mix.

 

Jamie shares research-based tips and tricks for scheduling, culture and production, positioning for optimal sales during three seasons and even gives a sneak peek into what’s coming next in the Sunfinity lineup. The team at Syngenta has conducted extensive research and trials with Sunfinity and you’ll definitely benefit from all of this work, so be sure to listen all the way to the end of this discussion to set your team up for success.

 

RESOURCES:

Sunfinity—The Next Generation of Sunflowers: https://www.syngentaflowers-us.com/portfolios/sunfinity

 

Sunfinity Inspiration: https://mysunfinity.com/

 

GrowerTalks PGR Guide for Annuals: https://www.growertalks.com/pdf/PGR_GUIDE_2023-24_Annuals.pdf

 

Growing Cut Flower Dahlias from URC with Dr. Alicain Carlson

Syngenta Flowers’ Dr. Alicain Carlson joins host Bill Calkins to discuss some key components of successful cut flower dahlia programs when starting from unrooted cuttings (URCs). Traditionally, most dahlia crops have been started from tubers, which were dug up and stored each year before replanting. Now, with beautiful dahlias available from URC, many growers are taking advantage of the benefits that come from this form of production. When buying from a reputable supplier, these inputs are virus and disease free with excellent uniformity across the crop, as well as simplified scheduling and potential cost savings. Dr. Carlson digs into the pros and cons of stating from URCs, as well as highlighting some key varieties in the Syngenta Flowers portfolio before moving into culture and production strategies.

 

Here's what you’ll learn throughout the discussion:

 

• Propagation tips for rooting into 50- or 105-cell trays
• Importance of long-day lighting in prop
• Rooting hormone trials and recommendations
• Why NOT to pinch young plants
• Winter dahlia production strategies
• Protocols for maximizing flower quality and “double-ness”
• Trial results from temperature research specific to dahlias
• How and when to perform a “hard pinch” after transplant
• Irrigation and nutrition in the field
• Pest and disease management in finished crops
• Postharvest care of dahlias

 

SYNGENTA FLOWERS CUT FLOWER ASSORTMENT & CULTURE GUIDES: https://www.syngentaflowers-us.com/cutflowers

Augmentative Biological Control with Dr. Carlos Bográn

This episode supplements information shared in the past two editions of the GrowerTalks Biosolutions Guide that was released in June 2023 and 2024—a popular grower tool intended to help professional growers stay up to date on the latest research into biosolutions, as well as trialed and tested products and strategies.

 

Many greenhouse owners, growers and IPM managers are moving down the path of softer, more sustainable pest and disease control tactics but continue to use traditional or synthetic chemicals, as well as bio-based products and beneficials or biological control agents. It is this conjunctive approach and the compatibility knowledge required that provides the basis for host Bill Calkins to talk to this episode’s special guest.

 

Dr. Carlos Bográn wrote two well received articles for our first Biosolutions Guide—Using Bioinsecticides in your Greenhouse and Using Bioinsecticides in Conjunction with Biocontrol Agents—and now he joins the podcast to dig much deeper into these topics. Carlos and Bill also discuss high-tech new research findings, different ways to approach pest population management, how the economics of biosolutions has evolved, the current state of the market and new, cutting-edge products becoming available.

 

Resources:

 

GrowerTalks Biosolutions Guide—1^st Edition: https://www.growertalks.com/pdf/Biosolutions_Guide_2023.pdf

 

GrowerTalks Biosolutions Guide—2^nd Edition: https://www.growertalks.com/pdf/BioSolutions_Guide_0624.pdf

 

OHP, Inc.: https://www.ohp.com/

OHP Regional Technical Sales Managers: https://www.ohp.com/Company/sales_regions.php

OHP Literature & Recipes for Success: https://www.ohp.com/Literature/

 

OHP Chemical Class Chart: https://www.ohp.com/Literature/pdf/OHP_Chemical_Class_Chart.pdf

 

OHP Product Guide: https://www.ohp.com/Literature/pdf/OHP_Chemical_Class_Chart.pdf

Perennial Problem Children

Host Bill Calkins is joined on this Tech On Demand Rewind episode by Darwin Perennials’ General Manager Karl Batschke to take you through some new ways to better produce some of the latest and greatest perennial genetics.  

But he didn’t talk about the easy ones. Instead, Karl addressed some of the more challenging crops and also newer crops that require different cultural and technical regimes. Let’s call  them “Perennial Problem Children”. And like a good guidance counselor, Karl treated each one as an individual and created a custom plan to maximize their potential so you can achieve the results you want—your best crops ever. 

But since Bill had Karl on the hook for 40 minutes, he asked him plenty of questions about the market for perennials, what he was seeing and hearing in his travels pre-2020 and thoughts and predictions for the future, which since this conversation is almost 6 years old … could be what we’re experiencing today!

Darwin Perennials Resources: https://www.darwinperennials.com/

Audio Files: Testing Nursery Media

TESTING NURSERY MEDIA

FROM THE AUGUST 2024 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE

WRITTEN BY LYNN GRIFFITH

NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS

 

EXCERPT: Don’t just grab a containerized plant and call that a sample. We like to think of our potting media and fertilizers being perfectly uniform. The truth is they are not. Take about eight to 10 subsamples for each media sample you wish to collect, whether testing in house or at an outside lab. Insert the soil probe from top to bottom of the soil profile. Give the soil probe a twist with your wrist in order to bite into the soil a little bit, sort of a figure 8. This gives you a nice full profile of soil in the probe. If you just stick the soil into the media and pull it out, you won’t get a full tube of soil, especially if the media is dry. Tap each subsample into the bucket.

 

Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks Magazine—August 2024: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_24_08/index.aspx