There may be a biodegradable alternative to small plastic tomato clips | 11
In hot pursuit.
The search for a high-yielding, yet delicious greenhouse tomato continues | 20
August 2018 Vol.38, Issue 7
How do you like your flowers?
Researchers pinpoint consumer preferences for edible flowers | 10
Editorial 4
Industry News 6
New Varieties 8
Business Issues 10
Edible flowers: Opening a new market
Technology Issues 11
Biodegradable clips curb greenhouse plastic use
Inside View 30 What’s in a ‘variety’?
202226
Pursuing a tasteful tomato
ON THE COVER
Between yield and flavour, creating the ideal tomato is a balancing act
BY GRETA CHIU
Growing into cyberspace
How digital nurseries are filling the gap and connecting with consumers
BY ANNE-MARIE HARDIE
Guiding young gardeners
Vegetable gardeners may know what they want, but how do they get there?
BY TIM DUFFIN
A hummingbird scopes out new varieties at the California Spring Trials. See page 12.
Photo by Melhem Sawaya
Colour, convenience and context
It’s issues like these where you get to really see where consumer trends are headed.
In our July edition, we looked at a cross section of Quebecker’s favourite plants in addition to my own picks from the California Spring Trials (CAST). Some of the common denominators identified were: unique-looking or uncommon varieties; vibrant colours; ‘vintage’ pastels; cool patterning; differentcoloured foliage; lots of purples and pinks; and sunflowers
Did you spot the photo on our cover this month? While out in California, Mel Sawaya of Focus Greenhouse Management captured a hummingbird hovering over some salvia (see his perspective on CAST on pg. 12.) Which is the perfect segue into current garden trends.
There’s a growing group of consumers who are looking for ‘more’ to their purchase. Beauty is good, but they want meaning and purpose behind the choices for their garden or patio. As you’ll see in our cover feature of the New Varieties
out key tips later on (pg. 26).
To further highlight the intersect between ornamental and edible, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre has partnered with Freeman Herbs to work on a growing market: edible flowers. Flavour, texture, impressing guests – these are all factors that the study is looking at to identify consumer favourites.
‘Easy care’ was another highlight of this year’s gardening trends, which speaks to the preference for convenience. For many young city dwellers, the internet is a hyperspeed shortcut to common errands. Need to get from point A to point B? There’s an app for that. Need groceries? Order them online and have them delivered. With the opening of the Amazon Plant Store, plant purchases are becoming digitized as well (pg. 22).
As the Financial Post reported earlier this year, 62 per cent of surveyed Canadian retailers experienced a rise in the value of their online orders between 2015 and 2016. What’s more, 71 per cent
…they want meaning and purpose...for their garden or patio...
supplement this month, pollinatorfriendly and drought-tolerant options continue to be consumer favourites – and the trend shows no signs of stopping (pg. 10 of ‘New Varieties’ supplement).
Not quite making last month’s spotlight were all the indoor and home gardening edible displays. Be it cherry tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, bok choy or basil, these plants don’t just look good, they need to taste good too. But to make them really consumer friendly, some effort is needed to guide the consumer on proper plant maintenance and harvest. Tim Duffin of Burpee dishes
saw an rise in ‘conversion rate’, a statistic that indicates the number of visits resulting in a purchase rather than simple window browsing.
Personally, I’m a fan of the in-person purchasing experience –smelling, feeling and seeing the plant with my own senses. Plus I get to ask questions and get recommendations from the garden centre staff.
But businesses in this domain understand the importance of faceto-face contact. They make consumer rapport, in-person interactions and quick responses their top prioritiespractices that should extend beyond the digital store.
Winners emerge from Greenhouse Competitions
This year’s Greenhouse Competitions saw greenhouse growers go head to head for ‘The Hottest Tomato’, ‘The Perfect Pepper’, ‘The Coolest Cucumber’ and, new for 2018, “The Sweetest Strawberry’. There were different subcategories within each competition, ensuring that entries were judged against similar products.
‘Best Tomato’ went to Sunset Produce’s Kumato Cocktail Tomato, ‘Best Cucumber’ went to Pure
Flavor’s Poco Bites, ‘Best Pepper’ went to Sunset Produce’s Ancient Hots and ‘Best Strawberry’ went to Mucci Farms’ Smuccies. NatureFresh, Red Sun Farms, Orangeline Farms, Trison and Del Fresco also took home awards in multiple categories.
Hosted by R.E.A.C.H. International, net proceeds went to the volunteer-run Canadian charity to build schools and clinics, create clean water sources, and sponsor impoverished children in Uganda.
VICTORY AT ‘BATTLE OF THE GROWERS’
United Way’s second annual ‘Battle of the Growers’ took over Pelee Island Winery in June.
Voted on by official judges as well as the crowd, this year’s winning team was made up of Double Diamond Farms, Pelee Island Winery and Smashed Apple Catering. Their winning dish was the “Fried Green Tomato B.L.T.”, featuring green heirloom tomatoes among a combination of savoury tomato jam,
BY
THE NUMBERS
roasted pepper cheese, micro greens and local pork belly.
“The winning chef, Smashed Apple told us he sampled 40 different tomatoes from Double Diamond, landing on the green tomatoes for his fried green tomato dish,” says Danielle Moldovan, relationship manager of new business & major giving at United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County. “He was blown away by the operation at Double
Diamond.”
Five teams from across the region took part in the competition. Each team consisted of a grower, a winery and a chef who highlighted local ingredients by creating a small plate appetizer and wine pairing for guests.
“Names were drawn out of a hat,” says Karen Brady, marketing & communications manager of United Way/ Centraide WindsorEssex County. “The chef
from each team worked with their grower teammate to decide how to feature the produce in a small plate appetizer of his/her own creation, and the winery paired the wine which would be served along with the app.”
The soldout event raised $43,000 for United Way’s ‘On Track to Success’, a program in Leamington that supports students in their journey to postsecondary education. 64%
(doTerra) The scent of strawberries is made of up over 12 DIFFERENT COMPOUNDS
1.4 kg of lavender makes 15 mL of essential oil of consumers agree fragrance is important in flowers More
(Russell Research, 2016)
(Muhlemann et al., 2014)
Over 100 SCENT COMPOUNDS ARE PRODUCED BY A SINGLE FLOWER
HUMANS CAN DISTINGUISH OVER 1 TRILLION DIFFERENT SMELLS
(Bushdid et al., 2014)
Artemisia ‘Silverado’ Salvia nemorosa ‘Blue by You’
Artemisia absinthium ‘Silverado’ from Jelitto has a sturdy and compact habit; an especially hardy and ornamental selection. Suitable for natural landscaping, it’s attractive to butterflies and other pollinators. It’s also drought-tolerant, great for xeriscaping or water-wise design. Other pluses include erosion control, self-sowing at suitable locations, aromatic scent, and deer- and rabbit-resistance. Easy to grow, use for low maintenance plantings. jelitto.com
Leucanthemum Lancaster Double Angel Daisy
Just like all leucanthemums in the Green Fuse collection, Double Angel does not require any cool periods, nor does it need long days to flower continuously. Unlike other leucanthemums, the fully double flowers of this variety stand out in the landscape and container for easy consumer appeal. greenfuse.com
Potunia Blueberry Ice
A stunning series with lots of flower power, this petunia from Dümmen Orange grows in a perfect rounded habit. Best for patio containers and hanging baskets. Full sun to part sun. 20-40cm tall x 3040cm wide. dummenorange.com
This beautiful, vibrant blue salvia from Darwin Perennials will repeat blooming several times during the growing season. A hybrid between Salvia nemorosa and Salvia pratensis, it has excellent flower power, with long spikes on an
Osticade Osteospermum
Consumers love the large flowers and trailing habit of Osticade from Danziger. This early blooming osteospermum needs no cooling to flower and can be hung in a warm greenhouse with other baskets. New for 2019, Yellow is a standout. The plant creates outstanding baskets and looks gorgeous in the landscape. danzigeronline.com
Dahlia Grandalia Fire
excellent, well-branched habit. Its long flower spikes attract bees and tolerate frost and heat. Bloom months are March to September. USDA zones 4b to 9a. 51-61 cm tall x 46-56 cm spread. darwinperennials.com
Colour on the grandest scale, this new addition to the dahlia Grandalia series from Syngenta boasts bold and bright double blooms, perfect for retail wow. Its highly uniform habits make production a breeze. Medium vigour habits are ideal for 3 qt. and larger containers. 36-41 cm tall x 46-56 cm wide. syngentaflowers-us.com
Baby Cakes blackberry
Baby Cakes from Bushel and Berry is a dwarf, thornless blackberry perfect for patio pots with its compact habit. In the summer, large, sweet berries emerge on the plant in a fireworks-like display of fruit. In most regions, this blackberry will produce twice in one season. USDA zones 4 to 9. 1 to 1.2m tall, rounded. bushelandberry.com
‘Amai’
indeterminate grape tomato
Amai is a highly productive indeterminate grape tomato that performs very well in the early and main season slots. It offers medium-tall and vigorous plants with good leaf cover and maintains good fruit size and shape uniformity throughout the production cycle. Fruit are high quality with a rich deep red colour and good flavour. Amai is used for indoor and outdoor production. GSPP certified. sakatavegetables.com
Prodezo RZ F1 (72-760)
Kivu RZ F1 (72-629)
72-761 RZ F1
Kivu RZ F1 (72-629)
• Beef type with large, round and uniform fruit
• Easy year-round fruit set
• Generative open plant character and very productive
72-761 RZ F1
• Large TOV type
• Vigourous plant with easy fruit set
• High quality fruit with good production
Prodezo RZ F1 (72-760)
• Large TOV type
• Good early production and high final yields
• Easy fruit set and strong plant vigour
For Ontario: RZH Canada Ltd | (519) 324 0632
For Quebec: Seminova / Agrocentre Fertibec Inc. | (450) 454 5155
For BC/Alberta: Terralink Horticulture Inc. | (604) 864-9044
For USA: Rijk Zwaan USA Inc. | (832) 455 3000
Advisor Greenhouse crops: Rijk Zwaan Export B.V. | Marleen van der Torre | (226) 344 6670 | Email m.van.der.torre@rijkzwaan.com
Kivu RZ F1 (72-629)
Opening new markets: Edible flowers
Floral flavours are the number one consumer food trend for 2018 according to Whole Foods Market. For years, professional chefs have been using edible flowers as garnishes or to give dishes a signature flavour. Rising consumer interest in food culture has dramatically impacted mainstream media and grocery trends. Today, consumers are seeking out new culinary experiences and experimenting with untraditional ingredients. To tap into this trend, Freeman Herbs is partnering with Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) to investigate consumer preferences for edible flower varieties and their positioning in the marketplace.
ABOVE
Study participants were presented with edible flower samples on bocconcini cheese.
Edible flowers are surging in popularity as evidenced through research conducted by Alexandra Grygorczyk, PhD, Vineland’s Research Scientist, Consumer Insights. “In 2015, we surveyed consumers on their preference for edible garden plants (e.g. blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries) and also included an edible flower option in the study,” said Grygorczyk. “We found 35 per cent of respondents were highly interested in edible flowers and would prefer purchasing edible flowers for their garden over more traditional plants such as raspberries and blueberries.”
Based in Beamsville, ON, Freeman Herbs, Canada’s largest herb producer, partnered with Vineland in 2017 to gain a better understanding of the edible flower market. Freeman Herbs conducted production trials on over 25 types of edible flowers screening for ease of production, blooming and a
compact shape for container production. Ten plants were selected for evaluation by Vineland’s trained sensory panel to discern their taste profiles before testing for preference with over 200 Greater Toronto Area herb-purchasing consumers.
Study participants were presented edible flowers on a piece of bocconcini cheese and asked to indicate how much they liked or disliked each sample. “We were able to segment consumers in two groups: the bold flavour fans (56 per cent) favouring strong aromas and spicy tastes; and the smooth texture lovers (44 per cent) preferring smooth textured and subtly flavoured flowers,” said Grygorczyk. The two segments indicated the opportunity to reach a larger customer base by releasing a line of edible flowers with products catering to different consumer palates. Results showed edible flowers such as nasturtium and candy pop mint should be marketed to the bold flavour fan group while impatiens and dianthus are of interest to the smooth texture lovers.
Following taste tests, participants were invited to complete a questionnaire on purchase habits and demographics. Nearly 60 per cent said they had previously eaten edible flowers, with flowers in a salad being the most common format (about 40 per cent of respondents). However, edible flowers can also be used in home-made popsicles, cocktails, cupcakes, ravioli, or even sushi. When do consumers plan to use edible flowers? If allowed to choose only one preferred occasion, the majority (54 per cent) indicated they would use edible flowers to impress their guests at dinner parties, particularly during spring or summer.
“These research findings have been instrumental in outlining our business plan to expand into the potted edible flowers market,” said Jeff Nickerson, general manager of Freeman Herbs. Freeman Herbs will be launching a line of edible flowers in four-inch pots in the produce aisle in 2019.
What’s next? Freeman Herbs is now focusing on an effective strategy for product positioning informed by an upcoming online consumer survey Vineland will launch this summer.
For more information, please contact Alexandra Grygorczyk, PhD, Research Scientist, Consumer Insights at 905-562-0320 x672, alexandra.grygorczyk@vinelandresearch.com
TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
LISA MCLEAN | AgInnovation Ontario
Biodegradable clips curb greenhouse plastic use
ABOVE
Researchers at the University of Guelph are developing biodegradable plastic clips for easier composting and to reduce land fill, among many other benefits.
Guelph - Ontario’s greenhouse sector has made significant advances in water, nutrient and energy technology to manage the year-round, high-efficiency production of crops like tomatoes, peppers, herbs, berries and a wide variety of green vegetables.
Yet, despite its positive environmental track record, the sector remains a high user of plastic, especially in the form of small clips that support tomato plants in the greenhouse. Those clips are an integral part of greenhouse tomato production, but often end up in landfill because they can contain tomato vine residues.
Now, new research at the University of Guelph aims to substitute plastic clips with bio-based biodegradable ones – enabling easier composting of tomato vines and other crops at the end of their life span, reducing land filling and lowering the greenhouse sector’s carbon footprint.
“Currently, polypropylene is the main plastic used to produce these support structures, but this is a petroleum-derived plastic that is non-renewable and non-biodegradable,” says Prof. Manjusri Misra of the University of Guelph’s biological engineering and
plant agriculture departments.
“At the end of a growing season, when greenhouse crops are harvested and the plants are removed to allow for replanting for the next season, the polypropylene plastics contaminate the organic waste that is collected for composting,” she says.
Greenhouse workers separate the small plastic parts from plant waste, but according to Misra, that process is tedious and impractical, and is both physically and financially difficult for greenhouse operators to manage.
Misra’s team is addressing the problem by developing comparable supports made from plastic components that can be composted along with the plant, using bio-based, renewable materials, beginning with tomato clips.
“Our clips are made with a new biocomposite resin that combines biodegradable plastics with agricultural residues, such as soy hulls or oat hulls,” says Misra. “The resin must provide the same form and function as traditional plastic, with a competitive price.”
To date, Misra’s team has developed fully compostable resins through careful process engineering and have successfully produced tomato clip prototypes in partnership with Competitive Green Technologies in Leamington.
According to Statistics Canada, Canada produced over 276,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse tomatoes in 2016, and Ontario is the largest grower of greenhouse tomatoes in the country.
“Tomato clips seemed like a logical place to start,” says project co-investigator Prof. Amar Mohanty, director of the Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre at the University of Guelph and a professor in plant agriculture and engineering.
Next, Misra’s team will focus on optimizing the formulation to achieve the best balance of cost and performance in order to have a competitive and commercially successful product.
The project is supported by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs - University of Guelph Gryphon’s LAAIR program, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Competitive Green Technologies.
This article is provided by AgInnovation Ontario, a project of the Agri-Technology Commercialization Centre (ATCC). For more information: info@aginnovationontario.ca
SEEING NEW VARIETIES with a trained eye
An experienced industry consultant shares his advice, thoughts, and picks of new varieties from this year’s California Spring Trials.
BY MELHEM SAWAYA
BELOW
CAST is an opportunity for exchanging information among different groups, as evidenced here. Pictured: John and Cassia (Bonanza), Ron (George Sant & Sons), Judy (Canadian Tire) and Max (Ball Seed).
The California Spring Trials (CAST) were started by Glenn Goldsmith in 1967 which was for the purpose of educating growers of their breeding programs and their commitment to horticulture, and then other breeders started to join in the event to include almost every horticultural breeder distributor. The name evolved from the ‘California pack trials’ to now ‘California Spring Trials’ since the packs are a very small percentage of the industry.
The California Spring Trials, which I prefer to call ‘California showcase’ since that’s what it is and no trials take place, is very interesting in the sense that you feel it is a must to attend. After the end of the tour you feel a ‘variety overload’ with an excitement to try many of the varieties that you saw. Then when you get home, you start reviewing the pictures, analyzing the whole trip and you end up trying two or three varieties – which is the right action. Try a limited quantity until you know the most effective growing practices, consumer response and garden performance in your area. If you are visiting the trials for the first year, or if you skipped two years, then yes, you will still learn something new. The great benefit from visiting the showcase is to meet the people who you talk to over the phone, email for questions or inquire about a variety or a production question. Whatever the case is, communicating with a person that you have met face-to-face will always be better no matter how new the communication technologies get. Yes, networking is face-to-
face communication – not on the internet. New technologies are great for communicating details and transactions, not for getting to know people and building lasting relations.
Less than 25 per cent of the California showcase participants are growers. The showcase is geared to buyers and specifically, brokers or chain buyers. Perhaps that is why the trial aspect disappeared or maybe the growers cannot find anything new for them to learn other than new colours and new cultivars that have not yet been tested.
I heard the same rumour this year that I heard last year, that all the breeders are working to have the California showcase in one large location to attract more visitors and to save themselves thousands of dollars. It is most probably a rumour because this will require cooperation, common sense and a change from the way we’ve been doing it all these years. And God forbid any change is a crime.
This, I have mentioned for the last four years covering the trials, but it is happening in a totally different way than how I thought it would. Companies are bought, amalgamated or making others disappear, which means fewer players and makes the showcase a little geographically closer.
Because most of the California showcase attendees are chain store buyers, many new cultivar exclusivity agreements take place between the breeders and chains. In many cases, once a new cultivar is introduced by the breeders, a chain will take that cultivar exclusively. In my experience, that process is the number one factor for shrinkage in profits for the grower and the chain, and it’s the best recipe for ultimately eliminating more customers because:
• It didn’t go through a garden performance trial
• No customer appeal study has been done
• The know-how to produce a top-quality product for a specific date has not been established Normally, these exclusive products cost more to the grower. Once the breeder has sold the product to the chain, the chain puts the product on the front page of their promotional material – the
most expensive section – and the store has to place the product in the most prominent display area. So the chain has spent a lot of money advertising a product the consumer may no longer buy. The chain’s credibility is diminished in the eyes of the consumer and, worst of all, the grower is left with product that costs a great deal to produce and must now incur even more costs to dump it…but not to worry, it’s all RECYCLABLE!
The consumer can be deceived only once and then we have lost him or her.
Increasing the consumption of horticultural product can only be done by helping the consumer be successful and satisfied with their purchase…not setting them up for failure.
This is the reason I share these varieties with you. They are meant to be trialed at your own facility so you know how to grow them, you can track consumer appeal and, last but not least, monitor their garden performance.
What is covered in this issue is only a sample of the hundreds of varieties that were shown at the California showcase. Many of the varieties are new introductions for 2019. Others are older varieties but with improvements or changes year-to-year while carrying the same name. Some others have been around for many years but new trends now make them an important variety to share with you or you may not have tried them before.
This is only a sample of the new varieties that we get bombarded with every season. Hopefully with the amalgamations taking place, we will see many cultivars disappear and selection of the most proven ones.
I wish that one season they will show varieties that don’t have good garden performance and eliminate them. It has been said so many times, “If we are not a part of the solution we are part of the problem”. Bad garden-performing varieties turn gardeners off and they might never buy plants again.
Remember, for any variety either new or old but new to your operation, try it on a small scale and evaluate the outcome before increasing its production or deleting
it. Listen to sales people, consultant magazines and trade shows only to the extent of being willing to try what is new to you on a small scale for the first season, then evaluate your experience for the next season.
HERE IS A SAMPLE OF THIS YEAR’S CALIFORNIA SHOWCASE: Argyranthemum Alessia white (1) is a semi-vigorous variety with large blooms. It is a cool crop that can take the heat very well. Excellent in gallons for landscapers and as a center for mixed containers. Also great for fall planters since it can take cool temperatures.
Cabaret Deep Yellow & Golden
Yellow (2). The new golden yellow is earlier flowering than the deep yellow. In calibrachoa, yellow is an important colour and especially in mixes. For the last two years, calibrachoa has been finding its way into flower beds, and that is when yellow is important because the bright colour can be seen from a distance.
Vinca Mediterranean Rose Halo (3) is a cascading vinca variety of a series that is not new but it is definitely underused. Vinca in baskets with a cascading habit for late May/early June sales are a winner for the grower, retailer and most importantly the customer. Every year my vinca hanging baskets are admired by everyone who sees them.
Vinca Tatoo Papaya (4) is one of the Tatoo series where all have bicolour flowers that are different from any other previous vinca. Excellent for flowering beds, patio pots and even in hanging baskets.
Petunia Headliner Night Sky (5), Petunia Headliner Pink Sky (6), and Petunia Headliner Starry Sky Burgundy (7) are all from the same family but are like adopted kids in the sense that their growing habit varies. Night Sky is the best of the three; it grows well, has more of a trailing habit and excellent vigour that will perform well the whole season. Pink Sky has a mounding to upright habit and is less vigorous than Night Sky. The Pink Sky shipping window is much smaller than Night Sky. When shipped, size looks good for Pink Sky, but it will split shortly after that.
Starry Sky Burgundy (7) is the least vigorous among the three. It has a trailing habit but not the same energy of the other petunias.
Salvia Skyscraper Series (8) is a very descriptive name for this series of salvia. If not growth-regulated early in the growing cycle, it will grow wild and weak. If treated early in the growing cycle it will look nice. Salvia Skyscraper Series shines outdoors in the landscape and in large containers.
Argyranthemum LaRita Pink Lemonade (9) has technicolour flowers with different shades of orange to yellow to white, which makes it a great compliment in combinations as a center or mixed with other upright plants. With its growing habit, it gives a synergy to mixes.
Argyranthemum LaRita Pink Lemonade is also good in landscapes that will bloom from early spring to late fall.
Tomato Little Bing (10) is great in the garden with lots of little tomatoes early in the season, but it shines in patio pots because it bears fruit early and the plants are moderately vigorous. If you like fresh tomatoes and you do not have space for a garden, then you will not be disappointed with Little Bing.
Tomato Summer Last (11) is a medium tomato, excellent in a patio pot, with very dense fruit clusters that will keep on giving the whole summer. Plant in an oversized pot so enough water can be supplied.
Begonia Bossa Nova Series (12) is a boliviensis-type begonia from seed. Bossa Nova branches well, has a good growing habit and is less likely to get xanthomonas disease. Excellent in hanging baskets alone and in combinations.
Petunia Surprise Strawberry Ice (13) is a semi-mounding petunia that does not split even when it gets large, looking great the whole summer. Petunia Surprise Strawberry Ice is great in hanging baskets where it can be seen vividly from over 30 ft.
Begonia I’Conia Portofino Yellow (14), Begonia I’Conia Portofino Champagne (15) and Begonia I’Conia Portofino Sunrise (16) are a series of boliviensis begonias with large flowers and they seem to branch well. Great display and eye catching – you’ll want it all. Vibrant colours and great habit – we will see how they hold up in our trials this summer.
Begonia Rise Up Aloha Gold (17) is similar to the begonia I’Conia Portofino series but looks like it has a little more open habit in California. We will also
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compare performances in our trials this summer.
Dreams (Fragrant Falls Peach) (18) is similar to the I’Conia and the Rise Up begonias but with a peachy fragrance. Dreams (Fragrant Falls Peach) has a more compact habit comparatively, but giving it time to grow will give a great display with a very refreshing fragrance.
Begonia Funky White (19) is another boliviensis but has narrow leaves and smaller flowers. It is great in baskets and in combinations and looks like it branches very well.
Yes we are covering many boliviensis begonias because I think it is the next great crop which will compete with calibrachoa. So try some and learn how to grow it now before you need to grow in large numbers.
Gaura Graceful White (20) and Gaura Graceful Pink (21) are two varieties of gaura that every landscape, container, combination and hanging basket
combination should include. Absolutely great shown en mass in landscape. The reason it does not sell well is because we try to sell it in a 4” pot which will look like a stick with little flower. Gaura should be in bulk with more than one plant in a larger container and given enough time to put on a great show. The pink is more compact than the white.
Compact and Vigorous Sunpatiens (22) The Compact Sunpatiens is much easier to manage in a greenhouse and eventually will reach a good size in the landscape. But if space is not a limiting factor for production, then the Vigorous Sunpatiens is the one to choose for large landscapes. Either one will give great satisfaction to all consumers.
Sunpatiens Vigorous Orchid (23) is like all the Vigorous Sunpatiens – great in very large containers for an absolutely splendid display and great garden performance.
Supercal Premium Cinnamon
& French Vanilla (24) is a must for fall production. Fall colours, great performance and cold tolerance make a great addition to fall mums. Work great in large containers. Summer production results in a much better product due to the high light and outdoor production.
Bidens Blazing Glory (25) and Bidens White Delight (26) are two examples of new colours and growth habits of different Bidens. More colours, not just white, are much more heat tolerant. As a matter of fact, they thrive in hot weather where the old varieties did not last.
Geranium Moxie Dark Red (27) is one colour of the interspecific Moxie series. Fast production in the greenhouse and supposed to have great performance in the garden. Geranium Moxie Dark Red has great deep colours and shows very well.
Gomphrena Truffula Pink (28) has great performance and is a nice change from the traditional garden varieties.
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Excellent foliage and loads of blooms the whole summer long. Gomphrena Truffula Pink is great in containers and in gallons for landscape.
Supertunia Vistas (29) are my favourite petunia and the favourite for many yards and town displays. Clean plant, no dead heading and rain does not affect the blooms. Heat enhances flower power and stays in great shape past frost.
Perennial Combo Brogan (30) is one of many perennial combinations that are great in containers and later in the season when planted in the garden for next year’s enjoyment. All materials are first-year flowering and have great performance. Good for summer sales and fall sales. Rooted cuttings (31). As I said in the introduction, CAST is also the place where new technologies are introduced. The new rooted cuttings from Dümmen Orange are a biodegradable chain-like structure where the cuttings are rooted in and shipped to the grower. They can be
placed in a chain mechanism for machine transplanting or done individually.
CAST is a cooperative event between the breeder, distributor, grower buyer and the consumer. This past CAST (2018) I witnessed an example of information interaction among this group of people: John and Cassia (Bonanza), Ron (George Sant & Sons Greenhouses), Max (Ball Seed) and Judy (Canadian Tire). That is where the health of the industry shows. By sharing information and learning from each other with one goal – which is to bring success to consumers and make a living along the way.
And last but not least, every year when I visit CAST there is one person who impacts me more than others. This year, Ed Higgins (32) of Ball Seed gave an informative description of the garden mum family (Morgan) and if Ed recommends a Mum variety or family, I will listen and take his word. Through the past 30 years or more, no matter
which company Ed worked at, he has had the same attitude and honest information that you could take straight to production. Unfortunately I cannot say the same about many other product representatives. I’d like to thank Ed for his continuously positive impact on greenhouse operations.
Almost all of these varieties mentioned in this article and 3000 other different ones, including many combinations, will be in the Sawaya Garden Trials. I know when this article comes out, the Sawaya Garden Trials’ open house on July 26 will be over, but you can still visit and see the performance of 3000 varieties until August 8 in Ontario. For more info, go to sawayagardentrials.ca.
Melhem Sawaya of Focus Greenhouse Management is a consultant and research coordinator to the horticultural industry. mel@focusgreenhousemanagement.com.
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In search of the perfect tomato for Ontario
Growers want high yields and high quality, while consumers want flavour. How do we get the best of both?
BY GRETA CHIU
Vineland Research and Innovation Centre opened the doors to its award-winning greenhouse technology centre in May, sharing a glimpse of their research on one of Ontario’s most prominent greenhouse crops: the tomato.
For years, their goal has been to produce a greenhouse tomato that tastes as good as it yields. As one of the tour participants pointed out, fieldand backyard-grown tomatoes are typically more flavourful. That’s the goal, says biochemist and researcher David Liscombe. But getting there is no easy task.
“Tomato flavour is super complex”, says Liscombe. The tomato contains over 400 different chemicals where 40 are volatile and released when chewed. It’s a combination of those compounds that ultimately make up the “taste” of the tomato. In comparison, the taste of banana really comes
down to one main compound, and that’s easily distinguishable.
Acidity, sweetness, juiciness, texture – they’re all important, but Liscombe says texture ultimately seems to come first. If the texture is off-putting, then no other attribute seems to matter. To understand what makes different varieties taste distinctive and how they affect consumer preferences, a trained sensory panel came up with 20 terms to describe 56 chosen varieties.
The average consumer can say what tastes good and what doesn’t, says Amy Bowen, research director of consumer insights at the research centre. But when it comes to describing why, they have a harder time. By asking consumers which varieties they liked, or didn’t like, the research group was able to match those same varieties with the 20 characteristics established by the sensory
ABOVE: Visitors sample greenhouse tomatoes at the research centre’s open house. The comprehensive research program aims to develop a highyielding, yet flavourful tomato for Ontario.
panel and see where they differed.
In general, there were two main profiles that were liked by 80 to 100 per cent of consumers – one that had thicker skin and more sweetness, another that had more viscosity around the seed. How does the current greenhouse tomato-on-the-vine (TOV) fare? Studies show that 60 per cent of consumers like it. That’s not bad, but how can we do better?
By understanding what makes particular varieties more appealing to consumers, explains Liscombe, these characteristics can be related back to the chemicals responsible for them, then back to the genes responsible for creating those chemicals.
“Breeding is about crop improvement,” says Valerio Primomo, research scientist of vegetable breeding. But there are many traits to juggle. For TOVs, the consumer wants better quality and more flavour, but the grower is looking for other qualities too – good yields, flat and compact clusters, disease resistance and good shelf life, for instance.
Primomo briefly outlines the process. The first step is to develop inbreds (self-pollinated) of about 70 different parents, then continuously collect and measure different parameters such as yield, disease level and fruit quality. Based on the results, 10 parents are chosen and cross-pollinated to create about 90 offspring, each with a different combination of genes.
Growers found that tomato varieties brought back from Holland just didn’t grow optimally, says Niki Bennett, science coordinator at Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG). Ontario has less sunlight, hot and sticky summers and intense winters compared to Holland.
Marketing, supporting research and lobbying on behalf of greenhouse vegetable growers in Ontario, the OGVG has partnered with Vineland to help bring this new tomato to their members. We’re developing a tomato for growers’ needs and consumers’ tastes in Ontario, stresses Justine Taylor, science & government relations manager at OGVG. Five to six varieties that emerge from this research will be trialed in commercial greenhouse operations, and hopefully be ready by 2021 or 2022.
As bioinformatics researcher Travis Banks points out, a grower’s production practices can affect the outcome. In a breeding program, they can use DNA markers to predict what a plant will look like. Breeders can use them to remove traits they don’t want and keep the ones they do want, such as disease resistance. In the end though, differences in temperature, shading and other factors in the greenhouse environment can lead to different results, underscoring the importance of bringing the research from the lab and into growers’ greenhouses.
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LEFT: David Liscombe talks biochemistry of flavour. RIGHT: Valerio Primomo explains the process of breeding.
Taking plant sales to the next level: A look at the burgeoning business of online nurseries
BY ANNE-MARIE HARDIE
Late this February, online retailer, Amazon, launched the Amazon Plant Store offering shrubs, flowers, and succulents across the United States. Currently, Amazon Plant is restricted to the United States, but Canadians are beginning to go online to source and purchase gardening products.
In 2017, Euromonitor International reported that Canadians purchased $3 million CAD of gardening products online. This category included horticultural products, garden tools, garden care products, pots and planters. Most Canadian garden centres have established an online presence, using social media and their website as tools to draw consumers into their brick and mortar store.
However, there are a few companies that have responded to a gap in the market, providing an opportunity for consumers to purchase their products online.
ABOVE
Botanus in Langley, BC began selling their bulbs and bare roots plants online in 2003, when online shopping was still in its infancy. Originally a mail-order company, they offered local customers speciality materials that they could not get at their local garden centre. Twenty-two years later, the business has evolved to a 64-page biannual catalog and services customers across Canada. Today, the majority of Botanus’ purchases are made online. One of the advantages, shares owner/manager, Pam Dangelmaier, is that companies can make themselves readily available to respond to consumers’ questions, concerns or requests. This helps develop rapport, not only as a supplier, but as a trusted resource for education and advice.
ESTABLISHING TRUST
Developing a strong consumer rapport is critical for both new sales and consumer retention. To
In addition to safeguarding its contents, packaging has to be done within an acceptable timeframe, and the materials used should be sustainable and costeffective.
LEFT
An online store can dramatically reduce upfront setup costs and increase geographical reach.
respond to the need of a gardening community, Botanus created an online garden club, which releases a gardening video every Thursday. For an additional point of contact, Botanus continues to print and offer their biannual catalog. “Although the majority of our orders are now online, it would be a mistake for us to not print the catalog,” says Dangelmaier. “It is one more tool that we use to connect with our customers. We want people to know who we are and where they are getting their plants from.”
Paramount Nursery founder, Simon Moss, also strives to maintain a personal connection with each of his customers. This includes packing and delivering each order and taking the time to respond to his customers questions or simply say hello. “Our customers are happy,” says Moss. “We personally deliver each plant, quickly, and efficiently. In fact, what they order this morning, they will have the next business day.” It is this hands-on approach that has helped Moss develop a loyal customer base.
FILLING A GAP IN HIS COMMUNITY
Frustrated by the time it took to source the right plant material in his community, Moss left landscaping to open an online garden centre. He wanted to provide a virtual garden centre, where the stock would be regularly and accurately updated. “It’s the perfect business model, my only overhead are the delivery vehicles,” says Moss. He buys directly from growers and wholesalers when he get orders. When customers are seeking a plant that is not on the website, Moss will find the product and deliver it.
Paramount Nursery’s sales continue to increase. Delivery has expanded to all of south-eastern Ontario and parts of Quebec, with a bilingual website slated for mid-July. With sales tripling this past May, Moss attributes this growth to his customer service and using the right marketing tools, specifically, Google ads. “There is a demand for online plant
purchases,” says Moss. “The biggest challenge is getting your name out there.”
RESPONDING TO CONSUMER DEMAND
John Verbinnen, co-owner Verbinnen Nursery, Dundas, Ontario began looking at the online plant store model, to respond to a gap in the consumer market. “We received numerous requests from the public, conservation authorities and colleagues because they could not find a source for most of the herbaceous native species,” he says. They were left with two options, create a brick and mortar retail division or offer their products online. Their solution was the virtual company, Ontario Native Plants, which provides access to native plants to consumers across Ontario. According to Verbinnen, hosting the store online “was the most economical way to sell to the public compared to setting up our own garden centre. There was also the benefit that we can sell plants all across Ontario. With a garden centre you are limited to people living within a reasonable driving distance.”
Their target for the initial year, 2017, was 100 sales, which they surpassed by 50 per cent. This year, their goal is 250 sales. “To date, we have reached the 200 mark and we expect to surpass our goal and possibly reach 300 sales,” Verbinnen says.
The online retail market comes with a unique set of challenges including ensuring that the stock is regularly updated, quick response time to customer concerns/questions, and providing an exceptional delivery experience.
PERFECTING THE BOX UNVEILING
For the online consumer, the arrival of the package is often the first point of physical contact with the company. To ensure that their package presents their brand experience, each shipment is reviewed by a minimum of three Botanus’ employees before it is sent to the customer. “We want this package to be a beautiful experience, as if, we were sending the package to our own mom, “says Dangelmaier.
Initially, Ontario Native Plants underestimated both the time and the amount of packaging needed to fully
protect the plants. They tested several packing options at first by shipping them to their friends and themselves. “We had to think about how to reduce the time for packing and the costs of the packing materials without impacting the quality,” says propagation manager Alex Verbinnen. Today, their packaging approach ensures that their plants are not only properly packaged within an acceptable timeframe, but also that the materials are sustainable and costeffective.
The customer experience has become as important, if not more important, in the virtual shopping space. Although the gardening industry currently represents a small proportion of Canadian e-commerce, there is an opportunity for growth.
E-commerce should not be looked at as a replacement to a brick and mortar store. Instead, it offers a tool for garden centres to expand their market reach and establish themselves as experts in niche areas of the industry.
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NEWER, YOUNGER vegetable gardeners enter the market
To engage with newer vegetable gardeners, we need to understand what different consumers need. It’s about helping them make choices that suit their lifestyle.
BY TIM DUFFIN
The profile of today’s gardener is getting younger – 18 to 34-yearolds now occupy 29 per cent of all gardening households, according to the “2018 National Gardening Survey” from U.S-based GardenResearch.com. This percentage was noted as an all-time high in millennial garden participation. But the stats translate to Canada as well: more millennials are gardening, and they’re growing in urban, smaller-space areas. Balconies (33 per cent) and indoors (23 per cent) were frequently reported garden locations, according to a Statistics Canada survey in 2015.
Other emerging segments include
ABOVE
raised-bed gardening, containers, as well as houseplants and kitchen herb gardens. But while eagerness to grow vegetables seems steady and rising, there are still obstacles to retaining these new gardeners.
To engage with newer vegetable gardeners, we started by understanding what the consumer needs to be a successful gardener. First, we conducted some observational research. Sounds fancy, but what we did was go into retail garden centres and we watched consumers. (Alright, that’s kind of creepy.) We watched, and we talked to consumers about the process they
Plant tags should tell consumers what they’re buying take this “sweet pepper” for instance. Show a picture of what the fruit looks like at harvest.
HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS PRODUCTION
This guide is a comprehensive information source that considers the diversity of situations encountered by growers in businesses of all sizes.
The 220-page book maintains a focus on production and contains information that until now was available only in piecemeal form. It discusses the basics-such as taxonomy and nomenclature, plant hardiness, the physical needs of crops, and types of irrigation systems-as well as cutting-edge, research-based information about perennial propagation and production.
A chapter about forcing out-of-season bloom includes up-to-date information about research on this topic as well as a table of specific forcing requirements for over 120 perennial species and cultivars.
Practical discussions about starting a business, marketing and customer service, setting prices for plants, and designing a production facility are included as well.
went through while they shopped for vegetables and herbs. We found out quite a bit, actually.
If our plants were going to become their brand of choice, there were some pain points that we were going to have to address. First and foremost they told us that they’re confused; there’s just too much going on in the garden center as it relates to vegetables and herbs. Why are there so many tomatoes? Isn’t a “tomato” just a tomato? And what happens when I buy this green plant – how do I know what it’s going to grow up to be? Will I know for sure that it will live where I live?
But most importantly, what happens when it does live and I have to harvest the fruit from it? What do I do with the produce? These are the concerns of the consumers that we’re dealing with. These are their pain points. Now this is how we answer their questions.
First, we try to build up the confidence of consumers. We start by sharing with them some basic facts about the brand. It’s been around for 142 years – that gives us some street credibility. In addition, we offer varieties that have both garden performance and great taste, because that will help them become successful gardeners.
All good, but not enough. So, we looked at the way consumers live their lives, and how those lives impact their motivations for gardening – especially the new or younger gardener. We took all of the varieties in our program and we broke them into smaller collections to make it easier for consumers to choose the plants that work for the way that they live and grow food.
For example, if you live in a smaller space – a condominium, an apartment, a smaller house – you don’t have a big yard in which to garden. We created a ‘space saving’ collection that is container vegetables and herbs – things you can grow on your patio, deck or rooftop – and meets those gardeners’ needs.
We have a ‘foodie’ collection for folks who like to watch
Consumers want to know what to expect from their vegetable plant – what conditions it needs to survive and how to harvest fruit from it.
cooking shows and want to partake in the joy of creating culinary masterpieces. It’s all about entertaining, and the experience of growing and preparing food and recipes.
And then there is another group of gardeners who want to grow the largest pepper, the first tomato, the latestflowering basil. That collection reaches the gardener who enjoys the show-off part of the growing experience. Additional collections, like ‘organic’ and ‘indoor herbs’, also tie into certain gardener demographics. In short, we’ve taken this big collection of 200+ varieties and we broke them into smaller pieces for the consumer.
We’ve also wrapped it in a nice package so that when they get to the garden center, they know exactly where to go for this brand. We’ve created a pot that we believe will really attract their attention across the store, and we’ve designed an informational tag that gives them what they need.
Our new plant tags don’t start by listing the variety name. If you were to see “Confetti” in a store, you wouldn’t know what you were buying. But if the first piece of information was “Sweet Pepper,” now you know what you’re buying. Then we show you a picture of what the fruit looks like at harvest, list how many days it takes to mature, and how large the plant will be. All this makes it easier for the consumer, addressing their pain points.
Today’s gardener is very interested in knowledge. They have easy access to instant answers from their phones, apps, home speaker systems and more. Information is key to success.
As a retailer, using special point-ofpurchase (POP) posters, banners and bench signs helps make shoppers the best and most successful gardener, which means repeat business year after year. The signage and tags also bounce shoppers to websites where we have blogs, videos, podcasts and tools for season-long support.
The growing household spend in the lawn and garden segment, plus the rising ratio of a new and younger gardener, makes this an excellent time to explore more ways to engage your customers. It’s about helping them make their lives easier with relevant choices in vegetables and herbs.
Tim Duffin is program director of the Burpee plant brand offered through Ball Seed. For details on how to become a certified Burpee grower, visit www.burpeehomegardensbrand.com.
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What’s in a variety?
Among its nine definitions of ‘variety’, Dictionary.com1 defines this noun as:
1. “a kind or sort”
2. “a category within a species, based on some hereditary difference”
3. “a type of animal or plant produced by artificial selection”
Meanwhile, ‘Cultivar’ (noun) is given just one definition:
1. “a variety of plant that originated and persisted under cultivation”1
Apparently, the term was first used around 1920-25 and is, as we’re all probably aware from our horticulture classes, a combination of ‘cultivated’ and ‘variety’. So, if these definitions are correct, it begs the question for how long does a variety have to persist in order to become recognized as a cultivar? I assume we can’t yet refer to anything at the California Pack Trials as bona-fide cultivars. If a variety is characterized as ‘based on some hereditary difference’, and that difference is itself based on being ‘produced by artificial selection’, then we have some other questions to ponder.
A visible variety difference is easy to spot. Flower colour, flower shape, leaf shape/colour and so on. But what about other less recognizable differences such as disease resistance, time to flowering, winter hardiness or content of medicinal/therapeutic organic compounds? Such characteristics may be very difficult to ‘see’, but nonetheless represent genetic differences that may have been deliberately bred for. As such, they’re probably traits that are worth money.
process called mutagenesis
• Applying recombinant DNA or genetic engineering techniques - for instance, introducing a gene from one species into another species”2
In other words, the Canadian government sees conventionally bred plants (Pack Trial varieties for example) as GMOs. But don’t most people assume that GMO is just a synonym for genetically engineered (GE)? And, as we know, many people (consumers) have a thing about ‘Frankenfoods’ (or Franken-plants in general).
The World Health Organization has a different definition. “Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination.”3
It’s all very confusing if intentionally distinct terms are used interchangeably without proper recognition of their meaning. Even by our government. Especially by our government. Perhaps we should not be surprised. Mandatory labelling of GMOs is a hot topic, and one that many multi-national companies would rather not see implemented. Most likely because of the confusion they can enjoy around the terms. In particular with our youth – the purchasers of tomorrow. Multinationals have clout, whether we like it or not.
...government sees conventionally bred plants as GMOs...
There is also the question of what is meant by ‘artificial selection’. I just hosted a visit by a group of grade 10-12’s. They were students who had been ‘asked to leave’ conventional schools and were enjoying their time as a mixed bunch of kids all trying to graduate high school with a, let’s say, already checkered history. I haven’t met such a fun group of youth for a long while. And respectful to boot. Pure delight. Two of them were familiar with ‘genetically modified organisms’ (GMOs) and had strong opinions on the topic. But I was not clear they knew what the term meant exactly.
According to Health Canada, a GMO “has had some of its heritable traits changed. This can involve:
• Traditional techniques of crossbreeding
• Using chemicals or radiation to alter the genetic make-up of the organism’s cells in a
Perhaps there’s a lot more to the term ‘new varieties’ than first meets the eye. In reality though, do the various terms affect how the purchasing public perceive your products, whether correct or not? Is it good (or bad) news for you? I’m always staggered by the number of people who visit the School and are surprised that greenhouse veggies are not ‘genetically engineered’. It’s one reason they often claim that greenhouse tomatoes have no taste compared to ‘old-fashioned ones they had as kids’. But that’s a whole other topic for another day. People often assume many of our veggies are GMO. Maybe statutory labelling of GMO varieties could lead to interesting conversations. Let’s start with government.
1 Dictionary.com
2 canada.ca/en/health-canada
3 who.int/foodsafety
Gary Jones is co-chair of Horticulture at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langley, BC. He sits on several industry committees and welcomes comments at Gary.Jones@kpu.ca.
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