TECH ON DEMAND brought to you by GrowerTalks

Structures Strategies: Build New or Refresh?

In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by Paul Golden, Sales Manager for Commercial Growing with Prospiant Inc., to discuss how you should approach the decision to build new greenhouses or retrofit or repurpose your current structures to meet new crop needs or prepare for product mix shifts in the future. They look at many angles this episode, from the physical structure and components inside to the people who work under the greenhouse roof. Your greenhouse structures serve diverse purposes and impact just about every factor in your business, including the health and success of each crop, as well as labor, efficiency and employee attitudes.

Through this podcast, Paul and Bill touch on all of these factors and more moving from the structural functionalities needed for your equipment to how your existing layout impacts labor and efficiency. One key factor to consider when deciding to build new or refresh is the cost of maintenance and Paul spends plenty of time on this. Perhaps shifting these expenses towards a new build is a better bet long term. The podcast concludes with a discussion geared toward hybrid business, grower-retailers. If you have plans to add a retail component to your business, due to increased demand in the past few years, you have a whole new set of considerations, beginning with the fundamental question: Is your greenhouse structurally sound? You also need to think about the shopping environment and whether your current facility is conducive to people with a far different tolerance for the greenhouse environment than your staff.

Resources:

Prospiant Website: https://www.prospiant.com

Prospiant Horticultural Information & Resources: https://www.prospiant.com/flowers-retail-horticulture-greenhouses/

GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

At Risk Crops: Pansy Part Three (Finishing)

In this episode, Ball Senior Technical Manager Dr. Will Healy and host Bill Calkins rethink Fall and Spring Pansy propagation in an effort to help you start your best crop ever. This is the final part in a 3-part series covering this critical multi-season crop. This time, Will starts with a discussion of Pansy Mottle Syndrome (what to watch for and how to mitigate the risk) before tackling common grow-out issues. Will and Bill talk about ways to speed up a crop, as well as strategies to slow your pansies down.

You’ll want to listen all the way to the end of this podcast and then share it with your production team. Your best bet is to make sure everyone is on the same page immediately before and after transplant. The finishing stage is not a time to deal with disease, so Will talks about prevention and control tactics. Finally, he offers suggestions for post-harvest prep, with the goal of shipping the best crop possible to your retail and landscape customers.

 

Resources:

GrowerTalks Insecticide, Miticide & Fungicide Guide: https://www.growertalks.com/pdf/2021_IMF_Guide.pdf

GrowerTalks Annuals PGR Guide: https://www.growertalks.com/pdf/Annuals_PGR_Guide_2021.pdf

Ball Tech On Demand At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8NX3KFjAfBmEPwUH0frx_EYTu_dofILX

Training Your Team to Water Video: https://youtu.be/SCPPT0IXlLY

In this At Risk Crop series, each episode looks at risk factors, as well as methods of control for specific crops, with additional resources available at https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/

 

At Risk Crops: Pansy Part Two (Receiving & Transplant)

In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by Ball Senior Technical Manager Dr. Will Healy to discuss inherent risk with Fall and Spring Pansy crops. Pansies are a relatively quick crop with plenty of nuances. If your team is experienced, you’re most likely not too worried about getting them to market. Nonetheless, crop uniformity, moisture management and nutrition are some key areas to keep fresh in the minds of your crew. Will is as experienced with pansies as anyone in the industry and in this series, he’s going to take you from start to finish using the latest techniques.

 

Will covers the stage when you receive plugs and transplant them into finished containers by focusing on greenhouse environment and crop culture. He starts with tips and strategies for receiving plugs in an effort to minimize risk with young plants. Then he moves into the processes to put in place prior to transplant, such as sanitation, temperature and RH management and nutrition. Next, he covers what your team needs to know immediately following transplant by digging deep into irrigation and nutrition.

 

You’ll want to listen all the way to the end of this episode and then share it with your production team. Your best bet is to make sure everyone is on the same page before you sow the first seed.

 

Resources:

 

Slideshow that accompanies this podcast: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/tech-on-demand-in-the-break-room-pansy-part-two

 

 

Tech On Demand At Risk Crops YouTube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8NX3KFjAfBmEPwUH0frx_EYTu_dofILX

 

Visit the GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

 

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TECH ON DEMAND PODCAST ON ANY MAJOR PODCAST PLAYER SO YOU NEVER MISS AN EPISODE – iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and more.

At Risk Crops: Pansy Part One (Propagation)

Ball Tech On Demand At Risk Crops: Pansy Part One (Propagation)

 

In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by Ball Senior Technical Manager Dr. Will Healy to discuss inherent risk with Fall and Spriing Pansy crops. Pansies are a relatively quick crop with plenty of nuances. If your team is experienced, you’re most likely not too worried about getting them to market. Nonetheless, crop uniformity, moisture management and nutrition are some key areas to keep fresh in the minds of your crew. Will is as experienced with pansies as anyone in the industry and in this series, he’s going to take you from start to finish using the latest techniques.

 

He begins with a discussion about sowing using primed seed before moving into uniform moisture and media coverage. He then dives deeper into hydration strategies (wet and dry) in the first week after sowing and into Stages 1 and 2. Next, he covers ways to plan a fertilizer program complete with micronutrients before tackling ways to control growth early, including water, DIF and chemical PGRs. Will closes the first part of this pansy series with disease management focusing on Thielaviopsis, Pythium, leaf spots and Downy Mildew. You’ll want to listen all the way to the end of this episode and then share it with your production team. Your best bet is to make sure everyone is on the same page before you sow the first seed.

 

Resources:

 

Slideshow that accompanies this podcast: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/tech-on-demand-in-the-break-room-pansy-part-one

 

Tech On Demand At Risk Crops YouTube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8NX3KFjAfBmEPwUH0frx_EYTu_dofILX

 

Visit the GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

 

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TECH ON DEMAND PODCAST ON ANY MAJOR PODCAST PLAYER SO YOU NEVER MISS AN EPISODE – iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and more.

Success Growing Garden Mums with HydraFiber

Tech On Demand: Success Growing Garden Mums with HydraFiber

 

In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by two knowledgeable people from Profile Products, the company behind HydraFiber. Daniel Norden is the Senior Technical Specialist and Jennifer Neujahr is the Director of Business Development and they are on the cast to talk garden mums – specifically the benefits and nuances growers can expect when using HydraFiber media substrates in production.

 

With the much-discussed shortages and challenges related to supply of raw materials for growing media, more and more greenhouses are turning to HydraFiber for many crops. While it’s great that a relatively new product like wood fiber is available, there will be a learning curve to tackle when making a change. Daniel spends some time covering a few tips when incorporating HydraFiber, such as irrigation, nutrition and the importance of media testing. He points out some things to watch for, and also the benefits growers have seen in their garden mum crops. Then Jennifer takes listeners through some of the new products and why more and more greenhouse professionals are opting for them. This episode is heavy on the technical side, but Bill and the guests also spend time discussing what’s going on in the media market these days. You want to stick around to the end of this one.

 

Resources:

 

View the slideshow from this conversation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/success-with-garden-mums-using-hydrafiber

 

Learn more about HydraFiber and their range of media substrates: https://www.hydrafiber.com/

 

Watch their Maximize Mum Production Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDLuyswL29s

 

Visit the GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

 

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TECH ON DEMAND PODCAST ON ANY MAJOR PODCAST PLAYER SO YOU NEVER MISS AN EPISODE – iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and more.

High-Tech Media with Ed Bloodnick

High-Tech Media with Ed Bloodnick

In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by Ed Bloodnick, grower services and product development director at Premier Tech Horticulture, the company behind PRO-MIX growing media. Ed leads the grower services team at Premier Tech, responsible for customer product support, training, laboratory services and product trials. Ed’s been at Premier Tech for 33 years and before that was the GM of a 20-acre greenhouse operation producing a range of crops from annuals and perennials to nursery and seasonal plants. He’s the perfect guest to discuss current media and substrate technology and why it’s changing the game and creating tremendous opportunities for growers.

 

Ed starts by sharing a quick history of soilless media and why our industry moved away from mineral soils in the 1970s. Then he and Bill dive right into the topic of media with added microorganisms like bacteria and mycorrhizae and why these “active ingredients” are so important, from a plant and soil health perspective. Ed explains how and why Premier Tech developed a strategy to incorporate microorganisms, as well as the differences between them, from endo vs. ecto and then into the importance of tripartite relationships in optimum plant growth. The bottom line is that growers using this type of media are seeing the benefits very clearly, including enhanced plant growth, disease suppression and improved flowering and fruiting. They close by discussing how and why growers should begin trialing new media types in production. The topic may seem complex, and it is, but Ed does a fantastic job explaining it in a way that makes it understandable for growers of all experience levels. You’re going to want to listen all the way to the end of this episode!

 

Resources:

 

Check out Premier Tech’s Training Center, filled with videos and technical documents: https://www.pthorticulture.com/en/training-center/

 

Learn more about Premier Tech and PRO-MIX and their range of horticulture industry-leading media products: https://www.pthorticulture.com/en/

 

Continue the conversation by reaching out to the Premier Tech Grower Services Team: https://www.pthorticulture.com/en/grower-services/

 

Visit the GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

 

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TECH ON DEMAND PODCAST ON ANY MAJOR PODCAST PLAYER SO YOU NEVER MISS AN EPISODE – iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and more.

Sustainable Growing Solutions Can Pay Off Bigtime

Tech On Demand: Sustainable Growing Solutions Can Pay Off Bigtime

 

In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined for the third time by Bryce Anderson, sales manager for The HC Companies. In this episode, they tie a bow on a three-part miniseries that started with pricing, moved to adding value and now wraps up with a more specific and action-oriented look at how sustainable packaging can create multiple payoffs. Bryce is a 28-year industry vet with experience in a wide range of roles from greenhouse production and distribution to retail and even manufacturing. He’s been a head grower and production manager, as well as garden center manager. He also brings experience in sales and operation management. This diverse skill set makes him a perfect guest to cover our topic du jour – Sustainable Growing Solutions Have Far-Reaching Payoffs.

 

This time, Bill and Bryce dig into how sustainable products fit perfectly into current (and shifting) consumer wants and needs. Bryce characterizes current market demand, as well as grower attitudes towards products that are not only good for the Earth but also fit seamlessly into modern greenhouse production scenarios. Next, the guys address costs and how sustainable products may be more expensive but the payback is greater. They close the discussion with a conversation about mindset changes and exactly why these new products should not be lumped into the general product mix, but instead called out as just that – new. Bryce ends our three-part podcast by sharing some thoughts on why now is the time to take some baby steps and test the waters with new sustainable products. After sharing his insights on pricing and differentiation, as well as a clear tactic, hopefully the story is pretty clear. Now is the time to embrace change and build your business for the future.

 

Resources:

 

Learn more about The HC Companies and their range of industry-leading horticultural containers: https://hc-companies.com

 

Continue the conversation with Bryce Anderson via email: banderson@hc-companies.com

 

Visit the GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

 

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TECH ON DEMAND PODCAST ON ANY MAJOR PODCAST PLAYER SO YOU NEVER MISS AN EPISODE – iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and more.

Level Up Your Value Proposition

Tech On Demand: Product Differentiation is Critical to Your Value Proposition

In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is once again joined by Bryce Anderson, sales manager for The HC Companies. Bryce is a 28-year industry vet with experience in a wide range of roles from greenhouse production and distribution to retail and even manufacturing. He’s been a head grower and production manager, as well as garden center manager. He also brings experience in sales and operation management. He says his skills have evolved over the years to include water, media, nutrition management and he has a particular focus on crop quality. That wide range of skills and experience should make this discussion particularly interesting – Product Differentiation is Critical to Your Value Proposition.

Following up on the previous episode focused on pricing, Bryce and Bill spend some time on ways and reasons to differentiate. They begin by highlighting how critical it is for growers to move toward product uniqueness and away from falling into the commodity trap. Bryce shares his perspectives on how to navigate a marketplace of choices and find products that are truly different. He spends time on the costs required to create difference but even more time on the cost not to differentiate. They kick around the question if differentiation strategies should fall on the grower or retailer (or both). Bryce wraps up the podcast with final thoughts on creative ways to elevate a product mix and grab attention as a wholesale grower. This is a fantastic discussion of a very important topic. Throw in your earbuds and open your mind to some fresh thinking.

Resources:

Learn more about The HC Companies and their range of industry-leading horticultural containers: https://hc-companies.com 

Continue the conversation with Bryce Anderson via email: banderson@hc-companies.com

Visit the GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/ 

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TECH ON DEMAND PODCAST ON ANY MAJOR PODCAST PLAYER SO YOU NEVER MISS AN EPISODE – iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and more.

Don't Sell Yourself Short!

Tech On Demand: Don’t Sell Yourself Short!

 

In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by Bryce Anderson, sales manager for The HC Companies. Bryce is a 28-year industry veteran with experience from greenhouse production and distribution to retail and even manufacturing. He’s been a head grower and production manager, as well as garden center manager. He also brings experience in sales and operation management. He says his skills have evolved over the years to include water, media, nutrition management and he has a particular focus on crop quality. It’s this comprehensive understanding of the industry that makes him perfect for our discussion today - Are Growers Selling Themselves Short? The Struggle to Balance Price with Value.

 

In this entertaining conversation, Bryce and Bill discuss what they’ve seen over the years that makes this topic of particular importance, while bringing an understanding of the realities of greenhouse production and market dynamics to the table. Bryce talks a lot about the myth and reality of consumer price sensitivity, market competition and what factors into a fear of raising prices. He touches on the importance of knowing your market and your costs, as well as his thoughts on what it takes to be profitable. Stick around all the way to the end for a timely and relevant conversation about the current market, post-pandemic, and how critical it is to capitalize now to hook a new generation and set of customers. You’re going to love this episode!

 

Resources:

 

Learn more about The HC Companies and their range of industry-leading horticultural containers: https://hc-companies.com

 

Continue the conversation with Bryce Anderson via email: banderson@hc-companies.com

 

Visit the GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

 

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TECH ON DEMAND PODCAST ON ANY MAJOR PODCAST PLAYER SO YOU NEVER MISS AN EPISODE – iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher and more.

At Risk Crops: Basil

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops - Basil

Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Basil. To look at the inherent risks with this crop, we’re joined by Nick Flax, a technical specialist with Ball Horticultural Company. The discussion covers Basil Downy Mildew. Nick shares information about this aggressive pathogen, as well as strategies for avoiding it.

Resources:

Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-basil  

Overview of At Risk Crops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nivIaIVFE3c

At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/

At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q

Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/

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