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Audio Files: Acres & Acres—I Think We’ve Answered the Question

ACRES & ACRES: I THINK WE’VE ANSWERED THE QUESTION

FROM THE JUNE 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE

WRITTEN BY CHRIS BEYTES

NARRATED BY CHRIS BEYTES

 

EXCERPT: Last month in this space I talked about how nervous much of the industry has been about going into spring with the economy boasting both high interest rates and high inflation—and having just come out of a global pandemic, too. Plus, labor rates and input costs are up massively, and we’ve raised prices more in the last two years than we had in the last 20. Would our gardening customers show up this spring? Have we become too much of a luxury?

 

Well, we’re a month further into the season than last time (I’m writing this the Friday before Mother’s Day), so let’s continue the discussion.

 

Read the digital edition of GrowerTalks & Green Profit Magazine—June 2023: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_23_06/index.aspx

Audio Files: Poinsettia Fertilization Tricks

POINSETTIA FERTILIZATION TRICKS

FROM THE MAY 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE

WRITTEN BY LYNN GRIFFITH

NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS

 

EXCERPT: Stock plants of almost any kind need more magnesium inputs than production plants. There are a couple of reasons for this: 1) Among the primary functions of magnesium in plants is that it’s in the middle of the chlorophyll molecule; and 2) it’s a mobile element.

Audio Files: Heating in Your Winter Greenhouse

HEATING IN YOUR WINTER GREENHOUSE

FROM THE OCTOBER 2022 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE

WRITTEN BY PATRICK MAHONEY

NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS

 

EXCERPT: Fortunately, there are a number of ways for growers to improve their greenhouse and limit expenses during winter. To get the most out of their structure, operations will want to look at the key factors that impact heating efficiency, starting with the greenhouse’s ability to retain heat and the effectiveness of its heating system.

Audio Files: Payroll 2023 Style

PAYROLL 2023 STYLE

FROM THE MARCH 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE

WRITTEN BY MARK BATTERSBY

NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS

 

EXCERPT: Payroll, typically the biggest expense of a business, has come a long way since its creation in 1913. The 16th Amendment to the Constitution gives Congress the “power to lay and collect taxes on incomes.” The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 established the minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping and youth employment standards, further complicating payrolls.

 

Obviously, understanding the basic rules for withholding payroll taxes—and paying over withheld amounts—on the wages of all employees in the commercial growing or retail business is a good start. Guidance and advice from a competent, qualified advisor is virtually a necessity.

Audio Files: Should You Hire a Consultant for Your Greenhouse?

SHOULD YOU HIRE A CONSULTANT FOR YOUR GREENHOUSE?

FROM THE JUNE 2022 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE

WRITTEN BY ALBERT GRIMM

NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS

 

EXCERPT: Most of us are simply not aware of any mistakes we make or else we would avoid them. If we’re unaware of our flaws and deficiencies we cannot improve upon them, and therefore, honest critique is the most valuable professional gift that anybody can present us with. If you’re ready to accept critique, you’re ready for a consultant.

Specialized Growing Media: Jiffy Flexistart

This audio is from a recent Trending Now video. You can find the video version at https://youtu.be/DYmksCn2HfI 

 

Tech On Demand podcast host and GrowerTalks Senior Editor Bill Calkins talks to John Bonin, the substrate mix product manager and senior account manager for Jiffy Group, about the iconic company’s new Flexistart specialized growing media.

John takes you through a bit of Jiffy’s mission and the importance of high-quality substrates before explaining why Flexistart is a reliable product for professional young plant producers looking to drive performance, speed and precision, while reducing waste and labor costs.

 

More Resources:

• Plant propagation systems | Blends quality substrates | Jiffy Group
• Jiffy substrates and mix for professional use | Jiffy Group‘
• Meeting the Challenge of High-Quality, Cost-Efficient Substrates (jiffygroup.com)
• Jiffy Flexistart - Hear what clients are saying! - YouTube
• Jiffy Group International The Netherlands
• Jiffy Group –Sustainability

Audio Files: How Much Are You Losing to Waste?

HOW MUCH ARE YOU LOSING TO WASTE?

FROM THE JANUARY 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE

WRITTEN BY STAN VANDER WAAL

NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS

 

EXCERPT: Let’s talk realistically about waste, and for this discussion, break waste into two parts: First, production—which, to me, is from the buying of the product to delivery at the store. I would suggest producers can be as low as 2% and as high as 10% in this area. Second is shrink, or what we refer to as sell-through at retail.

Audio Files: When Using Your Land Doesn’t Go As Planned

WHEN USING YOUR LAND DOESN’T GO AS PLANNED

FROM THE OCTOBER 2022 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE

WRITTEN BY MATT STURZEN

NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS

 

EXCERPT: Unless they’re actively involved in local government or kept up to date on land use issues, many individuals and businesses are unaware of their rights or restrictions as it relates to real property. This is especially true for those in the agricultural and nursery industries, since operations can go years without undergoing significant land use changes. However, land use issues can quickly arise and become complicated as time passes by. This is because land use plans are ever-changing, especially as urban and suburban development increases.

Audio Files: Visa Program Primer

VISA PROGRAM PRIMER

FROM THE DECEMBER 2022 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE

WRITTEN BY SHAWN PACKER

NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS

 

EXCERPT: Many employers turn to the temporary foreign guestworker visa programs like the H-2A and H-2B visa—so much so that we’re seeing record numbers of applications. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) certified 317,619 H-2A temporary agricultural visas and 181,451 H-2B temporary non-agricultural visas. That’s up from a DOL certified 200,049 H-2A visas and 133,985 H-2B visas in 2017.

  

Here are five things you should consider before embarking on this journey of hiring workers under these programs.

 

Audio Files: The Splitting of Impatiens

THE SPLITTING OF IMPATIENS

FROM THE JANUARY 2023 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE

WRITTEN BY LOWELL HALVORSON

NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS

EXCERPT: When analyzing impatiens sales these days, we can see that the category has split into two distinct segments, each with its own sweet spot and market focus. Wholesale price lists show this breakout regularly. They often follow “Impatiens” with “Impatiens, Hybrid” or perhaps “Impatiens, SunPatiens.” This division reflects the new normal and, looking under the hood, we can also see each segment is shifting under different breeder and buyer pressures.