Greenhouse specialists reveal the real reasons behind lettuce tip burn | 11
Where to grow from here
Rural or urban: Which greenhouse costs more to the bottom line | 16 A taste of new trends Edibles, classics and big blooms are in | 22
Adrian Kemper, Aldershot Greenhouses
Gardening with purpose
Old or new, varieties are being chosen to fit the consumer’s many needs. By: Treena Hein | 22
4
Mistaken identity?
Lettuce tip burn isn’t just one physiological disorder – it’s two
BY GRETA CHIU
The changing consumer
New immigrants and younger generations are shifting consumer needs
DR. ALEXANDRA GRYGORCZYK
Growing in the city
Urban or rural: a look at start-up challenges for greenhouses and vertical farmers BY
DOUG JOHNSON
Adrian Kemper wins the inaugural Grower of the Year award.
Photo by: Aldershot Greenhouses | 28
M. MIRZA
What we learned from Grower Day
“If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room.”
Widely attributed to 6th century Chinese philosopher Confuscius, the quote is a comment on what it means to grow. Whether it’s about selfimprovement, career advancement or simply brewing a better cup of coffee, being immersed among inspired achievers and influential trailblazers could be the kick in the pants you needed all along.
Not to toot our own horn, but I strongly believe that’s why events such as Grower Day are important.
Held this past June in St. Catharines, Ont., the 24th annual event drew over 115 attendees on the first day for flower and vegetable growers, concentrating on new technology and tools for greenhouse production.
We’ve always recognized that the event itself serves as a chance for growers to mingle and catch up, but more importantly, that’s where the exchange of knowledge and expertise happens. In reality, the room was filled with experts both on and off
agree.
• Breaks were too long – We calculated it this way: five minutes to get in line for coffee, seven minutes in the bathroom, another 10 minutes of chatting with someone you hadn’t seen in awhile, then three minutes to end said conversation and steal back your seat.
• Champagne for lunch? Just kidding –Our magazine’s 40th anniversary is coming up next year. It could happen.
• New IPM strategies, new biological agents; beneficial insects; pest and disease workshops; which pesticides are legal; new sprays; pest management – Right. Got it.
nbarsky@annexbusinessmedia.com 905.431.8892
Account Coordinator MARY BURNIE mburnie@annexbusinessmedia.com 519.429.5175
...the room was filled with experts both on and off the stage...
the stage, each one with different skillsets and experiences to offer. My favourite parts of any event involve chatting with readers, picking the speakers’ brains and walking the tradeshow floor – goals that tend to be more attainable at more intimate venues. According to market and consumer data provider Statistica, 75 per cent of surveyed marketers cited ‘connecting with customers’ as a key reason for valuing smaller trade shows over major ones.
Here were some comments from the emailed, post-event survey (if you haven’t completed it, please do):
• More vegetarian options needed – I
• Most enjoyed sessions: biofungicides, IPM apps, software solutions, water management, DIY mix, LEDs, mechanization and automation, and Aron Hoff – In other words, all of them. Tradeshows also give you a glimpse of new trends, and that’s what this August issue is all about. From the latest floral favourites and social media tips, to growing food in the city, here’s the status of things and hints of what’s to come.
For more of what went down on day 1 of Grower Day, visit greenhousecanada.com. For the first time in Grower Day history, a second day was added to cover the business of cannabis production, hosted by our sister publications Grow Opportunity, Canadian Security and Canadian Packaging – you will find coverage of day 2 on their respective websites.
Thank you to all attendees, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, moderator Dr. Chevonne Dayboll, Mel Sawaya for his help in pulling together the speakers’ program, and everyone at Annex Business Media for making it all happen.
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Greenhouse growers and marketers put their best produce forward at the 12th annual Greenhouse Competitions. NatureFresh Farms was named ‘best overall’ in the tomato, cucumber and pepper categories with their Tomz Orange Cherry tomato, long English cucumber and Red Mini Pepper – the last was tied with Mucci Farms’ Sweet-to-the-Point mini pointed peppers, sharing the top spot. Best strawberry went to Sunset Farms’ Dreamberry.
Other greenhouse producers were awarded in subcategories, including Pure Flavor, Red Sun Farms, Lakeside Produce, AMCO, Topline, Del Fresco Pure and Orangeline Farms. Hosted by non-profit organization R.E.A.CH. International, funds raised from the competitions will be used to sponsor more than 50 children in Uganda, Africa, for food, school supplies, medicine and other items needed for education and to break the cycle of poverty.
WINNING TEAM NAMED IN CULINARY BATTLE
Red Sun Farms, The Grove Brew House and Colchester Ridge Estate Winery (CREW) emerged victorious from the annual culinary competition ‘Battle of the Growers,’ in support of United Way’s On Track to Success program in Leamington, Ont.
Recruited by last year’s winner, Chef Bill Deslippe of Smashed Apple Catering, six local teams competed across the county,
each consisting of a greenhouse grower, a chef and a local winery. Over 230 guests were presented with appetizers and wine pairings at the sold-out event.
Deliberated by a panel of mystery judges, the winning team took home the top prize with their dish ‘Porky’s Pepper Poppers,’ featuring mini peppers from Red Sun Farms and paired with the 2018 Red Sky at Night
Rosé from CREW. Attendees also had their say, crowning crowd favourite Cajun Chicken Ratatouille, prepared by Wolfhead Distillery with cherry tomatoes from JC Fresh and paired with wine from Oxley Estate Winery.
“Events like this are so important for the community,” says Leona Neill, director of marketing and packaging at Red Sun Farms. “Not only does it bring awareness
to the greenhouse industry, but it also allows us to showcase how flavourful and versatile our produce is. It also introduces the community to other local businesses – all the while raising money for a great cause.”
This year’s event has raised over $50,000 so far. Running for the past three years, the student achievement program now supports 72 students from grades 9 to 12.
BY THE NUMBERS
Consumer views on single-use plastic (SUP)
Source: Charlebois et al., 2019
Twenty-three member companies are participating in the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Plastic Packaging Working Group. The group will address the use of plastics within the produce sector, identifying efforts already undertaken by industry, determining best practices and developing an industry-supported roadmap to maintain food quality and safety, while reducing the environmental impact of plastics. Phase one of the work will include collecting the required data to frame the situation. This research will include consumer perception reviews, a landscape review (industry practices, regulatory requirements and efforts around the globe), and industry consultations focused on product design, single-use plastics and collection systems. Once the data is reviewed, the group will determine objectives moving forward. Source: CPMA
38% are willing to pay more for biodegradable packaging
83% unwilling to pay more than an extra 2.5% 53% SUP food
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Self
Low
Long
Engaging in social media
Social media and user-generated content are playing a significant role in the way that businesses market their goods and services. This shouldn’t be any different for your garden centre.
Your customers’ asks are often influenced by trends, largely driven by social media and images of beautiful plant-laden interiors. Take advantage of social media’s power and show how your busi-
ness is at the forefront of these trends.
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Having knowledge and a passion for plants is only one piece of the puzzle – attracting customers is another.
Older generations may keep visiting for your expert opinion, but a younger generation is more likely to search the internet for information, only visiting businesses that can offer the best experience both off and online.
HAVE A STRATEGY BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Despite the ease of putting your business on social media, you will need a clear strategy.
A garden centre can be very visually appealing, so use platforms that are more visually-based (e.g. Instagram), while channeling your business’ brand to your customers. Lifestyle and plant boutique, Seed to Stem, is one business that has a strong Instagram following. Their approach is to promote their products as part of a ‘lifestyle aesthetic,’ using images of interiors that reflect their brand.
Gaining a social media following can be made easier if you have properly identified your target audience, so you can produce content that they
are interested in. This has been a successful tactic for Patch Plants, an online plant store. They have identified their audience as inexperienced, timepoor millennials who are willing to spend more per order to save hours researching their plant purchases. Their social media marketing consistently reflects aspirational spaces for this particular audience.
ENCOURAGE CONVERSATION
Social media users love being involved in the conversation – this is called ‘engagement’. The better engaged your audience is, the more effective your posts will be. Encourage your users to post their own images of their gardens and their plants.
Use features such as hashtags and geotags –Instagram allows users to search for and follow them. By hashtagging something like #plants in the image description, users would be better able to find your account. On average, an Instagram post with at least one hashtag increases user engagement by one-third.
Geotags are useful if you want local Instagram users to be aware of your location. If you tag your location to an image that you post, anyone who searches for that location will have your post appear in their search results.
Get your customers involved by asking them to geotag or just tag your business in their posts. You can always repost the best ones! To encourage this, create selfie-worthy areas throughout your garden centre and make it a place where shoppers will want to snap their shopping experience. Focusing on the customer experience in this way and others will help draw customers to your business. The younger market of millennials and Gen Z’s are increasingly wooed by the customer experience offered when visiting a business.
It can be extremely beneficial to use the skills of a professional social media specialist. If you do not have the budget, spend some time learning the ropes and brushing up your own knowledge. With the expansive competition of content that exists on the internet, any blog posts or images that you create need to be high quality if you want to engage your users and stand out from the crowd. Having a knowledge of and a passion for plants is only one part of running a successful garden centre. Attracting customers is another, and social media is a great platform to help you do this.
Anthea Taylor is assistant editor at Dynamis and writes for all titles in the Dynamis stable including BusinessesForSale.com.
Getting to the root of lettuce tip burn
Tip burn in greenhouse lettuce might not be as simple as it sounds.
It’s two different physiological disorders often grouped under one term, agree both Alberta greenhouse consultant Dr. Mohyuddin Mirza and OMAFRA greenhouse vegetable specialist Shalin Khosla.
Both disorders have been called a myriad of different names. Sometimes known as ‘inner
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Lettuce tip burn often lumps together two different physiological disorders: outer leaf edge burn (left) and inner leaf tip burn (right).
leaf tip burn’ or ‘inner tip burn’, one affects the younger, inner leaves of the lettuce head which turn necrotic, brown and fail to expand. The other is sometimes referred to as ‘older leaf tip burn’ or ‘outer leaf edge burn’, which affects the outer leaves of the lettuce.
These two disorders are distinct in symptoms and causes, says Mirza. “One must understand the differences between these two disorders and plan remedial measures accordingly.”
THE UNDERLYING CAUSES
Inner tip burn “occurs when lettuce plants start growing rapidly or enter what we call a logarithmic growth phase. This occurs around week 4 after transplanting,” says Mirza. “The primary cause is a deficiency of calcium, not [necessarily] due to a lack of this nutrient in the fertilizer program, but due to the inability of calcium to move into rapidly expanding leaves.”
“Calcium movement from roots to leaves de-
pends on active transpiration, that is loss of water from the leaves,” explains Mirza. “If due to high relative humidity that is over 90 per cent, and a vapour pressure deficit of below 2.0 grams/m3 of air, then leaves cannot transpire properly and thus calcium cannot reach the rapidly expanding leaf cells, causing cells to become malformed and leaves cannot expand. Once it is fixed in the cell walls, calcium is immobile within the plant. Light levels above 18-20 moles/day have also been reported to increase the incidence of inner leaf tip burn.
Outer leaf edge burn is “primarily associated with water stress on plants, root pressure issues due to a rapid drop in temperature, higher electrical conductivity (EC) of nutrient solution that is above 2.0 mS, and very high VPD consistently over 8 grams/m3 of air,” says Mirza. “I have seen serious leaf edge burn due to pH of nutrient solution going below 5.5 for an extended period of time.”
Khosla adds that problems limiting water uptake or transpiration could worsen the situation. This includes a poorly established root system, high EC, inadequate air movement through the greenhouse, fluctuating temperatures that lead to fluctuating humidity – all of which also affect calcium movement through the plant. A too-fast temperature increase could also lead to rapid growth changes, he says, where the leaf is growing faster than the supply of calcium arriving to the areas of growth.
PREVENTION IS KEY
“Once the symptoms are visible, there is nothing available that one can apply,” says Khosla. In addition to maintaining consistent growth and selecting cultivars more tolerant to tip burn, he recommends that growers identify the underlying causes and take appropriate actions to rectify them.
Mirza recommends the following:
• Keep VPD in a proper range between 3 and 6 grams/m3 of air
• Ensure proper air movement to get rid of moisture from the head area and use vertical air movement, which is typically better than just horizontal air flow
• Keep daily light integrals closer to 12-14 moles
• Maintain an active rootzone environment “I have found that maintaining dissolved oxygen around 8 to 10 ppm will also help,” adds Mirza.
Both experts stress the importance of greenhouse climate control. “Tip burn can occur in any growing medium. Paying attention to climate is important to reduce the incidence of tip burn,” says Mirza.
THE NEXT WAVE of plant consumers
As new immigrants and younger generations become established, so too do their purchase interests in the floriculture sector.
BY DR. ALEXANDRA GRYGORCZYK
As a new and more ethnically diverse wave of Canadian consumers set up households, their plant purchasing habits are causing shifts in the floriculture sector.
New Canadians are bringing plant traditions from their home countries, creating opportunities for new products and marketing campaigns focused around ethnic holidays. Meanwhile, the younger generation of Canadians is trying their hand at plant care as they set up homes of their own. Many younger consumers welcome technology and social media in all aspects of their lives, and plant care is no exception. Both of these demographic shifts have created opportunities for the floriculture sector to consider, so they can better meet the needs of a changing consumer base.
THE ETHNOGRAPHIC SHIFT
Canada is experiencing a shift in ethnic demographics, particularly in urban centres. As of 2017, visible minorities account for the majority (51.5 per cent) of the population in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), with 35 per cent identifying themselves as Asian-Canadian. South Asians, originating from countries such as India, Pakistan or Bangladesh account for the largest group (13 per cent) followed by Chinese (11 per cent) and Filipino (6 per cent) in the GTA.
According to research conducted by Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, 81 to 91 per cent of surveyed Asian-Canadians wish that flowers from their country of origin would be more easily available in Canada. Among Asian consumers, plant traditions differ by region of origin and religious affiliation. Despite the wide variation in traditions, a few plants were common across many Asian and Middle Eastern groups.
feelings of nostalgia and is a cherished reminder of their home country. However, be warned, not just any jasmine will do. This demographic is very particular about the cultivar of jasmine sambac. Just by looking at photographs of different cultivars, which to an untrained eye may all look like similar white flowers, many Asian-Canadians in our studies were quick to identify the most fragrant ones and indicate a hierarchy of desirability among the cultivars. Grand Duke of Tuscany, sometimes colloquially called ‘rose jasmine’, takes the top spot followed by Mysore Mulli and Arabian Nights or Maid of Orleans.
Production trials led by Dr. Chevonne Dayboll, greenhouse floriculture specialist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, demonstrated that jasmine sambac can fit well within the Ontario floriculture production cycle and costs around $5 to grow a six-inch pot containing three cuttings. However, in-store market tests showed that the plant can sell for up to $20. Being a tropical plant, jasmine thrives in the high light and high heat conditions of a greenhouse in the summer, as well as in early fall when many greenhouses are operating below capacity. Plants will also be ready in time for Diwali, one of the most significant South Asian holidays of the year
Jasmine sambac, in particular, is a plant that holds a special place in the hearts of many Asian and Middle Eastern Canadians. Although the plant has a questionable appearance by Western standards – due to its lanky architecture, light green foliage and petite white flowers – the fragrance is what makes this plant sing. Many of our Asian-Canadian study participants emphatically expressed that jasmine sambac’s heavenly scent triggers strong
Other plants that were found to be highly sought after included lotus, plumeria and African marigold.
THE BROADER CONSUMER BASE
Across our studies on Canadian plant consumers, we noticed an emerging theme: one of the largest deterrents to purchasing plants is a consumer’s fear of killing them. Intuition suggests that when people kill plants, they will buy more to replace the ones they’ve lost. However, the reality is that consumers are more likely to become discouraged and decide they’re not a “plant person”. In fact, our research showed that those who spend the most money on plants also have the most plant care knowledge. Simply put, the more capable people are at keeping plants alive, the more plants they buy.
So what does the average consumer know about plant care?
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Jasmine sambac (Maid of Orleans)
PHOTO: C. DAYBOLL
We asked 662 Canadian plant purchasers about their indoor plant care routines, and here are a few examples of what we learned. Nearly half of respondents watered their plants irrespective of the plants’ soil moisture, with 38 per cent watering after a set period of time and according to a routine. Another 9 per cent watered whenever they remembered. Interestingly, 59 per cent said they watered their potted plants with tap water, and 31 per cent never fertilized. Considering these responses, it’s not
surprising that our research showed approximately 70 per cent of Canadian plant purchasers have little plant care knowledge, correctly answering only three or fewer of eight basic garden plant care questions, such as when to plant spring-blooming bulbs.
Another trend we noticed was that younger consumers were more likely to have low plant care knowledge. Millennials, born between 1978 and 2000, make up the largest segment in the work force. Many are now renting or
buying homes and have the opportunity to decorate with plants. What is particularly exciting about this tech-savvy group is that for the past two years, plants have been actively trending on social media. Many fashion brands have even posted Instagram photos just depicting houseplants without a single item of clothing in sight. While we have their attention, now is the perfect time to invest in sustaining their interest by helping younger consumers care for their plants.
Learning to care for plants is challenging, and flooding consumers with an onslaught of wordy booklets is likely not the most effective way to entice learning. The technology industry goes to great lengths to create intuitive, userfriendly designs so users can overcome the learning curve of mobile and web platforms without reading a manual. In the same way, the green industry can help consumers by promoting products that make plant care easier to figure out without studying the subject. Moisture meters, light meters and self-watering pots, as well as mobile apps that help identify plants and act as a forum for plant troubleshooting, are just a few examples. Another interesting solution is the very inexpensive Xiaomi plant sensor that can be placed into any indoor pot and sends data on light levels, soil moisture and fertility to a mobile app. The key is to put these tools in front of consumers where they will stumble upon them. For example, retailers may highlight these products in a consolidated plant care simplifying section, in a prominent spot distinct from the basic plant care essentials like fertilizers and watering cans. The sector can also initiate a campaign to advertise nuggets of plant care information through online advertising.
It is undeniable that the floriculture consumer is evolving; the good news is that we have their attention. Whether it is newcomers to Canada looking for a nostalgic dose of plants from their home country or tech-savvy younger consumers searching for the perfect plant décor to post on their Instagram, new opportunities are coming our way. To secure our investment among the next wave of consumers, we need to help them succeed with plant care and foster a love of plants for years to come.
Alexandra Grygorczyk, PhD, is a research scientist of consumer insights at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. She can be reached at 905-562-0320 x672 alexandra.grygorczyk@vinelandresearch.com.
ENGAGE ENVISION EVOLVE
NIAGARA FALLS • OCTOBER 9&10 2019
Join us for the 40th year of Canada’s foremost event and connection point for commercial greenhouse and nursery growers, suppliers, and research partners.
Taking urban farms to the top
‘You need political will, and it takes time’ – urban greenhouses could benefit from more direct support from governments, experts say.
BY DOUG JOHNSON
The first two floors of 1400 Rue Antonio Barbeau in Montreal look like they belong on any other low-density commercial building – blocky, covered in mottled brown brick and windows gazing into a beige interior. Just over the lip of its roof, though, peeks long walls made of glass and metal, and inside them, rows of vegetables.
Around a decade ago, the building was a full floor shorter. That was before Lufa Farms – a Montreal-based urban farm and food delivery service – began. It touts itself as the world’s first commercial greenhouse located on a rooftop.
Now, Lufa Farms has three locations spread across Montreal – others are in the Laval and Anjou neighbourhoods – and around 17,000
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customers that the company has dubbed ‘Lufavores.’
But back when it first started, urban agriculture, in- or outside of a greenhouse, was something new and untested. Even Lufa Farms –which is now often pointed to as a model of what urban agriculture could be – had a rough time finding a home and traversing the untested waters of starting a farm of its size in a city.
“The biggest thing [was], there was no proof of concept ... Everything from finding a suitable building – because it was something that hadn’t been done – to an open building owner to city and zoning. It was very out-of-the-box,” says Lauren Rathmell, Lufa Farms’ co-founder and greenhouse director.
Montreal’s Lufa Farms now has three locations and around 17,000 customers. “It was very out-ofthe-box,” says co-founder and greenhouse director Lauren Rathmell of their company’s beginnings.
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Quebec’s agriculture department, Ministre de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation (MAPAQ), recently released a report on the state of greenhouse-grown produce in the province. The report noted that only 31 per cent of greenhouse vegetables consumed in Quebec were grown in the province – Rathmell, and other urban agriculture dignitaries, say there’s potential here. The report also notes that the increased demand for organic foods presents Quebec with another area due for growth, and that Ontario has not actively pursued it.
While many of Montreal’s neighbourhoods now vie for a Lufa Farms location, its growing pains are familiar to many sizeable urban agriculture efforts.
Mark Lefsrud has studied different ways of growing food for more than 20 years. He is an associate professor at McGill University’s Macdonald Campus where he is a leader of the Biomass Production Laboratory and worked on the design of the Advanced Plant Habitat on the International Space Station.
Drawing from experience, Lefsrud points out that governments across the world, not just in Quebec, have largely been slow to consider using urban greenhouses as a legitimate food generator.
“It was an unknown – that’s the best way to describe it. They’re used to external, outside-of-the-city food production systems and field conditions. The idea of [using] full, controlled environments wasn’t in their comfort [zone],” he says.
However, the idea of turning unused space in urban centres into something that could aid food security is not an old one. It’s been around for maybe a decade, and agricultural ministries around the world are increasingly eyeing it as a path to feed and employ people – particularly in food deserts.
Lufa Farms’ earlier struggles were largely logistical ones, and the Gouvernement du Québec hasn’t particularly helped or hindered the business’ growth, Rathmell says. While the situation has improved in recent years, there are still challenges that face the industry as a whole.
Cost is a big issue – perhaps more so than other more traditional businesses. Besides the normal run of fees paid by every business, urban agricultural operations above a certain size need to pay to construct a specialized facility. However Rathmell notes that it has become cheaper as acceptance has grown.
Rooftop greenhouses are a bit of a different beast. There’s also the added difficulty of physically moving the building materials onto the roof. And, as much as they encourage people to give a useful purpose to a previously unused space, they come with a dossier of regulations. Functionally, they’re treated like an entirely new floor of a building.
The facility on this new floor needs a sprinkler system, and it needs to be sturdy enough to bear a lot of snow during the winter – [all] in all, it’s a hefty structure, Rathmell says.
Many places are not zoned for greenhouses or other agricultural activities like aquaponics, according to Rathmell. Historically, most urban planning in cities rarely took urban agriculture into consideration.
The land itself is also more expensive in urban areas than it is in rural ones. Lefsrud has a rough calculation for this. In rural operations, a plant usually costs between $0.05 and $0.10 to grow, compared to urban greenhouses, where the cost per plant can be as high as $0.45, depending on the season.
Vertical farming somewhat offsets this. Though there is a larger initial price tag to get started, after a while the density of plants – three dimensions as opposed to two – pays for the added costs. Traditionally, the companies that lend credit to agriculture ventures, like Farm Credit Canada and more recently Desjardins,
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have been wary of providing credit to urban agriculture efforts, but according to Lefsrud they are beginning to catch on.
Some costs can be offset in a city, though. It’s easier to find labour in high population centres, and the ambient warmth lowers the price of heating somewhat – either from the urban heat island effect or, more directly and in the case of rooftop greenhouses, the floors in the building below.
Regionally-based energy company Énergir – formerly Gaz Métro – offers grants for natural gas boilers, something which Lufa has taken advantage of to generate further warmth for its operations.
MAPAQ notes that Hydro Québec offers an incentive for growers with supplemental lighting. Designed for greenhouse operators who use all or part of their electricity supplied by Hydro Québec for photosynthetic lighting, this rate option is ideal for customers who can adjust their production to help manage their electricity consumption. According to the report, around 40 per cent of the greenhouse vegetable area in Quebec uses supplemental lighting, a tool that can help extend the growing season and, in turn, help growers take advantage of better market prices.
According to MAPAQ, the department has also established a network to aid urban agriculture across Quebec. As the province only obtains 31 per cent of its greenhouse produce from local sources, the remaining 69 per cent that is imported could potentially be met by local production.
However, according to Olivier Demers-Dubé, founder and CEO of Écosystèmes Alimentaires Urbains (ÉAU), around 80 per cent of greenhouses in Quebec grow for only three out of four seasons every year, limiting the sector’s potential.
“I think we’re producing a very low percentage of what we’re actually eating, even more so in [the] winter. These numbers ... that’s year-round,” he says of the information provided by MAPAQ.
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Since it began five years ago, ÉAU has helped 10 communities in Quebec design aquaponic systems. This includes an Indigenous community in the north of the province, Whapmagoostui. ÉAU also works with private investors and pre-established food producers looking to attach a fish farm to their greenhouse or vice versa.
“We have this goal to bring back food production to where humans live, and humans live mainly in cities,” Demers-Dubé says.” We have this strong belief that food production need[s] to be close to where we live. We need to have contact, we need to interact with it. Eating is what we do most in our lives, minus breathing.”
According to Demers-Dubé, there are facets of starting an urban greenhouse that are becoming easier, but at a basic level, it’s still more difficult to set up a sizeable facility in the city than it is elsewhere. Further, he says, though many governments offer programs and funding that coincide with urban agriculture, there are still precious few initiatives that specifically seek to aid those operations.
“You need political will, and it takes time,” he says.
Going forward, one of the biggest challenges to urban agriculture comes in a fairly innocuous form. Now that Canada has legalized recreational cannabis, most of the thought and attention paid to greenhouses in general, by both businesses and governments, is dedicated to this relatively new industry.
“Right now, one of our biggest challenges is cannabis taking all the air out of the room,” Lefsrud says.
Multipurpose plants take over
Old or new, gardeners are choosing varieties for their bold beauty and tasty yields.
BY TREENA HEIN
Whether it’s fashion, food products, gardening or other aspects of life, consumer tastes change.
To find out what’s hot this year, what will be in demand for the next, and most importantly, how to best sell it, we checked in with some leading experts from coast to coast.
First, consumer buying habits are changing. While chilly weather can postpone visits to garden centres, other factors are affecting the traditional ‘peak’ spring purchasing period.
“We’re always focused on bad weather having a huge impact on sales, and it will certainly delay them, but we also have to focus on the bigger picture of changing consumer buying habits,” notes Mark Cullen, the national spokesperson for Home Hardware’s lawn and garden division.
“I think peak buying season, as we used to know it, has already become more spread out, and that will continue. The Boomers were taught by their parents that we have to start our garden as soon as possible and stop planting by Father’s Day. But there are a lot of younger customers who, for a variety of reasons, plant a bit later. I think there’s a strong opportunity to service these post-Father’s
Day customers.”
Cullen believes there are strong sales opportunities into mid-July if stores make sure to stock good-quality plants in full bloom. Later in the growing season, says Cullen, customers tend to prefer larger plants instead of smaller ones so they can achieve an immediate impact in their gardens.
Brian Minter’s attitude on peak purchasing season is all about preparation. Because spring weather can be uncertain from year to year, the co-owner of Minter Country Garden in Chilliwack, B.C., says both greenhouse growers and retailers need to be prepared to sell more in potentially more limited timeframes. “Changing weather patterns will determine our selling windows,” he says, “so we need to adapt.”
CHOICE IN SIZE AND PRICE
The report Lawn & Garden Shopping in the USA, 2019 indicates that American homeowners expect to purchase most of their lawn and garden products from home improvement centres, and nearly six out of ten respondents plan to spend more on their lawn and garden this year than
ABOVE Purple is the most popular colour for annuals, reports Home Depot Canada, followed by pink. New trends include white flowers and bicolour varieties involving purple.
PHOTO: HOME DEPOT
PHOTOS
SHOWS
they did last year. Whether it’s the same for Canadians is anyone’s guess, but Minter focuses on size and price as being important consumer purchasing factors.
He notes that while retailers all seem to be shifting to bigger four- and five-inch specialty plants, not everyone can afford the larger items. Many consumers still prefer the smaller packs as they get more plants for the same cost.
It’s a similar scenario with containers and hanging baskets, for which Minter Country Garden is seeing exponential sales growth. “People want to be able to buy them anytime and spruce up their homes when company is about to arrive,” Minter explains. “But we need to provide a range of price points for these, from $30 to $100, and not just expensive showpieces.”
HERBS, VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS IN BLOOM
Millennials and urban gardeners are still gardening for both food and environmental reasons, notes Cullen, so the popularity of herbs and pollinator plants, including native varieties, will continue. Many herbs such as sage, rosemary, mint and basil take up very little space and are very productive.
Herb sales at their garden centre are “through the roof,” reports Minter. “Customers want large basil, dill, coriander and other great herbs to add value to their foods,” he says. “Lavender, too, is way out front. It has it all: romance, colour, fragrance, and it’s good for pollinators. We can’t keep it in stock and our major supplier is already sold out.”
At Home Depot Canada, basil is the best-selling herb this year. The chain reports that sales of herbs, vegetables and fruit trees have risen dramatically over the past five years. With 36 varieties sold in Alberta’s Home Depot stores, tomatoes are particularly popular there compared to other provinces.
To boost sales of tomatoes and other vegetable plants, Minter believes it’s now more important than ever to force them into flowering earlier. “We grow 57 varieties of tomatoes, and people want to buy these plants with [fruit] already on them and tons of flowers – we can do that with all those varieties,” he reports. “We are also forcing larger-sized cucumbers, squash, zucchini, peas and beans, and even producing lettuce, kale and celery in larger sizes. Folks want to purchase larger, more advanced plants, especially
late in the spring. They don’t want to plant seeds and have to wait.”
By applying the same strategy, Minter’s sales of perennials, such as astilbe and hostas, are also on the rise. “Customers buy it if they see it in bloom,” he observes. There are also great sales opportunities, he notes, for longerblooming or repeat-blooming perennials, and for more specialty vegetables.
Stan Kochanoff, decades-long owner of Environova Planning Services and Maritime Landscape Services of the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, notes that fruit trees are favoured among many seniors in the area, and also among members of the Lebanese community in Halifax. “Apples, plums, apricots and more, and they want mature trees,” he says. “They will go to orchard owners and ask if they will part with a few trees. Sometimes they will, but the trees are at least $200,” he adds. “People don’t want to wait for little trees to grow.”
IN WITH THE OLD, AND THE NEW
In Robert Spencer’s view, consumers are still firmly grounded in traditional plant choices, “especially if they are just getting started,” notes the president of the Alberta Horticultural Association and commercial horticulture specialist at the provincial Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry. “That being said, I think that people will also include a few different
things [for interest]…. people are growing unusual or interesting variations of the traditional.”
Home Depot Canada reports that Canadian consumers “are still in love” with traditional favourites such as geraniums and petunias. The firm states that “geraniums are the most popular annual flower nationwide because of their bright blooms, ability to withstand varying temperatures and long-growing season.”
Kochanoff agrees that geraniums are still popular in his area of Nova Scotia, as are small bell petunias. “Ornamental grasses are very trendy here,” he adds. “I know two or three landscape architects in the region, [and] all they use is grasses. There’s also a shrub called rugosa rose that withstands the salt and wind, so it’s very popular by the seashore.”
Denis Flanagan, public relations and membership manager at Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association, agrees that there is still interest in oldfashioned favourites like peonies, and “anything with fragrance” like lilacs and gardenia. Other popular classics include sweet peas, nasturtiums and cosmos, says Minter, and lupins, foxglove and delphiniums for perennials. Because Minter’s team forces many of them into flowering early, Minter reports that “they are like magnets to consumers.” He also expects the relatively new giant perennial hibiscus to sell well again this summer.
ABOVE
Old-fashioned favourites, such as peonies, are still popular with the masses.
Although it doesn’t get going until later in the season, it tolerates the summer heat, Minter notes, “and the huge blossoms are a real showstopper.”
Well-loved for its beauty and fragrance, consumer interest in the classic rose is being boosted through Canada’s National Hardy Rose Program. The initiative, led by Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in Vineland, Ont., produces rose varieties that meet consumer preferences – lowmaintenance, disease-resistant plants
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In Cullen’s view, whether a particular plant has been around for decades or just a short while, the vast majority of gardeners want plants that meet their needs. “New or not, whether it’s an annual or perennial, it needs to suit their purposes,” he says, “whether that’s a long flowering period, cut flower use, pollinator use, colour, drought tolerance and so on, or a combination of these factors.”
THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Generally, consumer purchases are guided by many factors, but for plants, Spencer believes they are more likely to follow the suggestions of other people they know. As with other spheres, the influence of social media can be strong. Personally, Spencer notes, “I know that seeing pictures of new or interesting things on Instagram makes me consider planting them, or at least raises my awareness of the possibilities.”
As a business strategy, Minter places a large emphasis on identifying and connecting with social media influencers. Minter’s team ships them new ‘showstoppers’ and makes themselves available as expert consultants when possible. In particular, Minter believes that online image sharing of novelties such as ‘Angel Wings’ senecio and ‘Canary Wings’ begonia have helped to drive up sales. “There are lots of really cool things out there now,” he notes. “More Canadian growers and retailers need to go to the IPM show in Germany in January to see what’s new and coming.”
Minter also thinks it’s absolutely critical that retailers are aware of what the major seed breeders are promoting on social media, billboards, TV and magazines – and to make sure that these plants are on hand. He stresses the importance of always having stock, especially the most popular varieties, available at the right time. “We should never be out of white impatiens and white alyssum, for example.
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Award-winning grower cultivates innovation
Winner of Greenhouse Canada’s Grower of the Year award, Adrian Kemper’s dedication to innovative new practices has helped modernize Aldershot Greenhouses.
BY GRETA CHIU
“I started working part-time for Harster Greenhouses when I was about 15 years old,” says Adrian Kemper. His first summer was spent painting heating pipes. From there, he went on to tackle numerous different roles, ranging from order processing to greenhouse building.
That path eventually led him to Aldershot Greenhouses where Kemper is now head grower.
Described as a phenomenal, hard-working individual with a strong passion for flower growing, Kemper can be found in the greenhouse at almost any time of the day. “Whether it be 3 am or 3 pm, you will find Adrian in the greenhouse getting his hands dirty,” says Duane Vander Lugt, inventory and procurement manager at Aldershot Greenhouses.
Having worked for the past 12 years at Aldershot, Kemper has become a key member of the operation and instrumental to their flower production program. From propagation and finishing to growing mother stock, Kemper oversees different stages of production for
their miniature roses, hydrangeas, poinsettias, hellebores, gerbera and chrysanthemums.
“I love working with plants,” he says. “I love how you can manipulate a plant with climate, PGRs, light, [and other factors].”
Always on the lookout for new products, Kemper travels to Europe two to three times each year to attend tradeshows, and at the same time, visits some of the industry’s leading operations to learn and better understand their production processes. He then adopts these techniques and implements them in his own work at Aldershot, says Duane.
Through his travels, Kemper has found that the technology and practices in Holland are ahead, taking about 10 years’ time before they reach North America.
It’s no surprise, then, that all the ornamental genetics grown at Aldershot originate from European breeders. When overseas, Kemper searches for new varieties of roses and hydrangeas, then works with breeders to better
understand the genetics and discuss growing techniques before trialing and introducing them to the North American market.
Aldershot’s hydrangea program in particular has benefited from Kemper’s work, which has now been expanded and tailored to include varieties that better suit the climate at Aldershot and those of their customers, says Aron Vander Lugt, general manager at Aldershot Greenhouses. “Whether it be a new crop, a new method for growing an existing crop, or new product trials, you can always find a few benches in Adrian’s greenhouse where he is trying something new.”
“I love working with plants,” says Kemper. “I love how you can manipulate a plant with climate, PGRs, light, [and other factors].”
In addition to new genetics, Kemper also keeps an eye out for new techniques to help lower labour needs, increase crop quality or reduce crop times.
A forward-thinker, Kemper is known for his meticulous notes and taking detailed records each season. He puts them to good use, helping himself and his colleagues overcome new and different obstacles each year. “Whether it be notes on PGR applications, new variety selections, new crop development, crop spacing plans or pest management, Adrian has a library [of them] that has proven invaluable time after time,” Aron remarks. “Many times, if one grower is struggling in a particular area, Adrian will trial different methods alongside the grower to help overcome the obstacle faster.”
Humbly accepting the news of his award, Kemper credits his two assistant growers and Aldershot Greenhouses for their progressive thinking and commitment to growing quality product. It would be impossible without them, he says. “They have given me every tool and the means to be able to succeed at what I do.”
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Meaningful, lasting trends
I don’t know about you, but when I think about consumer trends, I usually think of changes to purchasing habits that are relatively short-lived. One year, or a few perhaps, before they are no longer de rigueur and buyers have moved on to the next latest and greatest. Of course, this is great for keeping things fresh and ensuring continued sales, and that’s all good.
While not wishing to put a ‘downer’ on this, for some people new trends are just a luxury. Even for such basic necessities as food. Nowhere is this more painful to witness than in our youth.
Over the last decade, I’ve had the privilege of working with schools wanting to implement school food gardens. Some have been great success stories, others not so much. All are typically driven by several objectives: the desire to educate students about growing food, providing students with some autonomy to do things their own way (in their garden), and to provide fresh, nutritious food to school food programs. They’re often spearheaded by a teacher ‘champion’ who for years has witnessed kids getting ‘hangry’ in class just before lunch. Likely, these students have had little, perhaps nothing, to eat before school, and are expected to sit and learn. Ain’t gonna happen.
I recently attended the National Farm to School Conference in Victoria. This three-day event emphasized the “scaling-up efforts and evaluating impacts of farm and local food to school activities happening across Canada –
com) and projects at the heart of the city library.
Day 2 took a look back at where the farmto-school movement has come from. Keynote speaker Michael Ableman (Foxglove Farm) discussed the parallels between agriculture and education and the crossovers from one to the other, saying that he believes the most important skill for a farmer is observation – and this is similar in education. “We need to be re-thinking education from the roots up.”
Day 3 was about moving ahead, with Dr. Wayne Roberts (food policy advocate and author) asking, “how do we do evidence-based policy movement?” and suggesting that the answer is “barefoot research.” Canada is the only G8 nation without a national school meal plan. “But, it’s coming, and being behind has its advantages as we can learn from the mistakes of those who went before us. We get the advantages of backwardness.”
A few days after the conference, I attended a presentation from colleagues at KPU Institute for Sustainable Food Systems, on their ‘Township of Langley Food study’. Taking a long-term look (forward to 2041) at food security in the municipality, one of the recurring elements is that it assumes residents will still eat most foods all year round, i.e. expecting no change toward seasonal eating habits. Admittedly, it’s hard to implement such a paradigm shift in established customs, but such long-lasting changes could be essential to increasing local food security.
That could create lasting trends you might never have dreamt of.
putting more healthy, local and sustainable foods on the minds and plates of all students.”1 300 participants attended: 60 per cent from BC, 15 per cent from Quebec, others from elsewhere in Canada, the US, France and Germany. 60 per cent were teachers or other school workers.
On day 1, I took part in one of five optional pre-conference tours, mine being the ‘urban food systems walking tour’ of Victoria, visiting a host of garden projects taking place right in the urban space. These included the food and Aboriginal ‘Harvest for Knowledge’ gardens at Victoria High School, Fernwood Community Centre and Day Care garden and adjacent ‘Neighbourhood Orchard’, the nearby ‘Compost Demonstration Garden and Community Garden’, Mason Street City Farm (check it out at http://masonstreetfarm
What’s all this got to do with us greenhouse folk? Well, change has to be more than fleeting. Have you ever thought about linking with your local school to create a garden, be it food or flowers? That could create lasting trends you might never have dreamt of. Perhaps Dr. Roberts’ call to develop an evidence-based policy movement could be directly applied to how we develop long-lasting trends and behavioural change in our customers. Such trends could benefit us for years to come.
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.
