Cost-cutting with curtains
Energy
Rising
ON THE COVER
State of the Industry report: strawberries are one of the hottest new crops. | 20
Firing On all Cylinders Industry
The
BY DAVE HARRISON
BY DAVE HARRISON
BY GARY JONES
Photo courtesy Mucci Farms
PHOTO COURTESY GGS
PHOTO COURTESY MICHEL SENÉCAL
Reflections on a Dream Job
In the March 1996 issue I introduced myself to the readers of Greenhouse Canada
And now it’s time to hand in my quill. I’ve retired from the magazine, effective the end of 2017.
By the time of that introductory editorial, written just a few weeks into the job, I had immersed myself in all that I could to begin learning about the industry. I had a tour of the Vineland Research Centre. I read back issues. I edited features from correspondents. I attended an industry open house. And then in a large understatement I said “the most important thing I’ve learned so far is…I have so much more to learn.”
This has been a dream job.
I had the good fortune of arriving on the scene at about the same time large expansions were beginning, particularly in the Leamington region. Growers were adding blocks of several acres. And greenhouses were gradually growing much taller.
The technology is advancing each year, reflected in improved quality and yields and crop times. Every tour
dozen or so years ago are no longer grown domestically in significant numbers. New pests and diseases take up residence every few years.
Most markets have remained strong. Consumers greatly value the freshness and quality of greenhouse produce, now increasingly grown year-round throughout Canada. Flowers are seen as food for the soul, and millennials are joining baby boomers in a love of plants.
But there are new opportunities in the sector, primarily in the cannabis sector but with other crops as well, such as strawberries. Who would have predicted, even just a few years ago, that Canada would be the world leader in cannabis cultivation?
My predictions? Urban farming will grow substantially via vertical farming systems, rooftop greenhouses and the “Buy Local” movement. The cannabis craze will spur development of new medicinal crops grown indoors – do we really know all the healing benefits of plants? Automated pruning and harvesting systems will be the norm within 10
The heart of the industry is not the plants – it’s the people.
of a research centre is jaw dropping. The work is world-class, all leading edge, and it has propelled Canada to be among the front-runners in greenhouse horticulture. And yet when I started here, almost everyone was looking to Europe for the latest in crop strategies. Europe is still leading the way, but it’s now a photo finish.
The industry has faced its share of challenges, ranging from an international trade dispute in the tomato sector to wildly escalating energy prices that seriously pared – or eliminated – profit margins for many. Labour has been a continuing challenge.
Common cut flower crops of a
to 15 years. Greenhouse systems will feed the North with locally grown produce. Cogen will be pretty much universal in greenhouses of all sizes. More industrial waste heat projects will be tied to new greenhouse projects.
Something I learned very early in my “schooling” is that the heart of the industry is not the plants – it’s the people.
And to all who have helped me along the way – with story ideas, contributed articles, friendly feedback, tours of your greenhouse or garden centre, and timely mentoring – my heartfelt thanks.
For a picture-perfect crop, Supertunia® Charm varieties are a sure thing every time. Early to flower and long lasting into fall, growers from Milwaukee to Miami experience outstanding success with these extremely vigorous mini-flowered petunias. Create a waterfall of brilliant color in hanging baskets, uprights and landscapes. time.
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A New Resource for Cannabis Producers
The digital version of the debut edition of Grow Opportunity is now online. As the first publication dedicated to the production of cannabis in Canada, Grow Opportunity is focused on providing LPs with the information they need to build and expand their business, as well as plant the seeds for future success.
Grow Opportunity’s quarterly publication and digital and social platforms will act as a resource
tool for industry investors, C-suite executives, managers and staff at LPs from coast to coast, as well as to those decision-makers involved in the actual growing, harvesting and curing of cannabis.
The website is at growopportunity.ca. It features a regularly updated industry news section, a subscription centre, and a job board, among other features. Grow Opportunity is a sister publication to Greenhouse Canada.
QUÉBEC’S LARGEST TOMATO GROWER
Jacques Demers, president and CEO of Productions Horticoles Demers Inc., officially opened the company’s new greenhouse – the largest tomato greenhouse in the province.
The $25 million expansion of the facility was made possible by financial support from the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Desjardins Capital and Capital Financière agricole, as well as by a strategic partnership with Waste
BY THE NUMBERS
$8.32
Management (WM).
The new greenhouse triples the size of Demers’ facilities in Centre-du-Québec, going from 3.2 to 10 hectares, and marks the completion of phase two of a $40-million project.
Its production capacity of over 100,000 kilograms per week (6,000 tonnes annually) will ensure a steady, ample supply for local food chains and wholesale distributors.
As winter approaches,
consumers who seek fresh local produce will be delighted to learn that thanks to this new greenhouse, tomatoes will be readily available in all of Québec’s large supermarket chains.
In 2012, Waste Management (WM) commissioned a power plant in Drummondville that uses biogas to power its engines, connected to generators. WM developed an ingenious process whereby the heat generated by
the engines is recovered and used as a source of energy by Demers.
Utilizing the province’s surplus power as an economic lever is a winning strategy for everyone since not only does it generate significant economic activity, it makes it possible for Quebecers to consume more local fruits and vegetables.
Visit the news archives at greenhousecanada.com for more on this project.
Average price per gram of cannabis across Canada, 2015-16. (Parliamentary Budget Office)
The global healthy snack market is expected to reach $42 billion by 2025.
(Grandview Research)
65%
47% of Canadians feel Ottawa should push back its July deadline for legalization of cannabis.
(Angus Reid)
The global medical cannabis market is estimated to reach more than $70 Billion by 2025.
(Grandview Research) of Canadians support legalizations of cannabis. (Angus Reid)
56% of Canadians feel a 50/50 split (Ottawa/ provinces) of the proposed $1/ gram tax is fair.
55% of Canadians don’t feel their province will be ready to regulate/ distributre marijuana by July 1, 2018.
(Angus Reid)
Here’s to the
“ When I was a boy in India, I never could have imagined the opportunities I’d have in Canadian agriculture. My orchard business takes hard work, but I’m glad to see my kids grow up on a farm, just like I did. My name is Lakhwinder Brar and I grow fruits and vegetables.”
From all of us at FCC, thanks for making Canadian agriculture so amazing.
# HeresToCdnAg
GROWER fcc.ca
FEBRUARY 13
‘Mellow Yellows’
‘Mellow Yellows’ is the newest in Jelitto’s long, successful line of seed-grown echinacea strains. ‘Mellow Yellows’ array includes colourful shades from creamy yellow, lemon yellow to dark yellow. Plants are variable in colour and height, and there are no pinks whatsoever.
‘Mellow Yellows’ joins ‘Magnus,’ ‘Magnus Superior,’ ‘Happy Star,’ ‘Green Twister’ and five other wild species as good seed-grown alternatives to patented clones. jelitto.com
Iberis Snowsation
Pentas Lucky Star
‘Bella
Perennial Candytuft from Darwin Perennials is a bright spot in the early spring garden. New ‘Snowsation’ features large white flowers that cover tidy, mounded plants. Provides many
weeks of flowering enjoyment. Selected for its excellent branching and uniform flowering. Ideal in USDA Zones 4-9. Plant height 15-20 cm and plant width 25-30 cm. darwinperennials.com
The new Lucky Star series of pentas from PanAmerican Seed is bred for the fastest follow-up blooming of any pentas on the market. Nonstop colour means plants look better getting off the truck and
they just keep getting better in the store. This colour-rich series has a tight, compact habit that keeps them looking tidy with virtually no effort. Plant height 30-41 cm and plant width 30-36 cm. panamseed.com
Gentiana ‘Bella Alpinella,’ from Jelitto, is a lowmounding, compact form of the popular alpine species that has been called “everyman’s gentian.” The wild botanical variety is a great rock garden plant that “flourishes without fads or fancies” in evenly
Salvia Mysty
Headliner from Selecta One is quickly becoming a first choice for many growers. This mounded petunia boasts early flowering for a fast finish and a dramatic colour range. The result: eye-catching finished
baskets and pots with large blooms! New for 2018 are stellar choices including Pink Sky (pictured), Blueberry Swirl and Lipstick. Plant height 25-41 cm and plant width 51-76 cm. selectanorthamerica.com
Gladiator is a beautiful paste tomato from Burpee that resists blossom end rot with its strong root system. It’s also shown to resist calcium deficiency. This
is an excellent choice for making sauces. The fruits set in abundance on this indeterminate plant. Days to harvest 72 and fruit size 227 g. burpeehomegardensbrand.com
moist soils. You will love ‘Bella Alpinella’s tidy compact form – sturdy even in full bloom! ‘Bella Alpinella’ flowers best in its second summer and seed is available in the fast and easy-togerminate Jelitto Gold Nugget Seed® quality. jelitto.com
This compact new salvia from Ball FloraPlant is about 25 to 35 per cent less vigorous than Mystic Spires, making it a better variety for mixes. Covered with true blue flowers all season, the dark green-leafed plants are naturally more compact, well-branched and very free-flowering. These heat-hardy plants are great for late-spring and summer programs and are ideal for middle-ofthe-garden borders and 25- to 30-cm mixed containers. Plant height 30-46 cm and plant width 30-46 cm. ballfloraplant
MORE NEW V ARIETIES, VISIT THE
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BUSINESS ISSUES
JOHN STANLEY | john@johnstanley.com.au
Does Ukraine have garden centres?
Does Ukraine have Garden Centres? This question has been asked of me a number of times over the last few weeks. Last winter I was invited to Ukraine to work with garden centres and present a workshop to the industry. This was my first visit to the country and new experience for me.
Ukraine is one of the largest countries in Europe, but a country that has had a sad history over recent years. Before the “crisis” the retail garden sector was worth around $120 million; after the crisis the industry is estimated to be around $20 million, although there are green shoots and growth is coming back as the country hopefully settles into a more peaceful future.
This is a small garden industry. Although there are 44 million people in Ukraine, only 0.5 per cent are looked upon as rich, which gives you 22,000 people who could be interested in gardens. There is no middle class.
As a result there are around 100 wholesale nurseries, 47 garden centres and 1,000 landscapers. These landscapers, as you would expect, range from very professional designers to a guy with a Lada and a wheelbarrow.
As in most countries I work in, the industry is seeing a large amount of change.
Alas, most independent garden retailers are seeing a decline in sales while the newly launched
growers are now realizing this is not a profitable model moving forward and are changing the way they do business.
Ladies Day (March 8) is the big day. I am told 40 per cent of flowering plants and cut flowers are sold on this day.
I visited the Home Improvement stores on the lead up to Ladies Day and they were busy – their garden centres were full of colour.
However the independent garden centres I visited were mostly closed as they do not open until two weeks after Ladies Day. When I asked why, I was told that garden centres should focus on shrubs and not impulse flowering plants. This is missing a huge opportunity. Consumers tend to continue to shop at their first destination of the year as long as they have had a great experience and as result this is why the home improvement stores are seeing growth.
As in most countries, industry is seeing a large amount of change.
Home Improvement stores are developing and growing the garden market.
LESSONS LEARNED IN UKRAINE
The industry has shrunk for number of reasons, but many growers have a strange way of doing business.
Around 30 per cent of growers supply plants to independent garden centres in the normal way. The season ends in November and garden centres shut down. These nurseries take back the plants from the garden centre and pay the garden centre for the plants they have not sold and resell them the next year at the same price. One result of this has been some retailers not promoting plants the way they should as they know they will get paid come what may and the growers have been finding the model has not been viable. Luckily more
One message to me was to follow the leader. Roshen is a Ukrainian confectionary company that sells high quality, high price sweets and chocolates. The stores are like the Disney of confectionary. These stores highlight that if you create the experience the consumer will want to visit your store and buy things. Many independent garden centres in this country still have the approach that you grow the plant, place it on the ground in a sales yard and the customer will buy it. Ukrainian customers, like other customers, want an experience. They may have less disposable income, but they will still spend on the experience.
Ukraine may have a small market, but progressive independent garden centres still have an opportunity to make a difference while the traditional retailers are losing market share.
John Stanley is a retail business coach, consultant, speaker and author. His expertise is in customer-focused layout, merchandising, marketing and branding, and customer-focused selling and service. Visit his website at www.johnstanley.com.au.
FOR MORE FEATURES ON ‘RETAILING,’ VISIT GREENHOUSECANADA.COM.
JENNIFER McNULTY | jmcnulty@ucsc.edu
The new ‘smart’ greenhouses
The first crops of tomatoes and cucumbers grown inside electricity-generating solar greenhouses were as healthy as those raised in conventional greenhouses, signalling that “smart” greenhouses hold great promise for dual-use farming and renewable electricity production.
“We have demonstrated that ‘smart greenhouses’ can capture solar energy for electricity without reducing plant growth, which is pretty exciting,” said Michael Loik, professor of environmental studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and lead author on a paper that appears in the current issue of the American Geophysical Union’s journal Earth’s Future
Electricity-generating solar greenhouses utilize Wavelength-Selective Photovoltaic Systems (WSPVs), a novel technology that generates electricity more efficiently and at less cost than traditional photovoltaic systems.
These greenhouses are outfitted with transparent roof panels embedded with a bright magenta luminescent dye that absorbs light and transfers energy to narrow photovoltaic strips, where electricity is produced. WSPVs absorb some of the blue and green wavelengths of light but let the rest through, allowing the plants to grow.
because it’s darker under these pink panels. The colour of the light makes it like being on the Red Planet,” said Loik.
“Plants are sensitive not just to the intensity of light but also to colour. But it turns out the plants grow just as well.”
Reducing the energy consumed by greenhouses has become a priority as the global use of greenhouses for food production has increased six-fold over the past 20 years to more than nine million acres today – roughly twice the size of New Jersey, according to Loik.
“It’s big and getting bigger,” he said. “Canada relies heavily on greenhouses for vegetable production, and their use is growing in China, too.”
Plastic greenhouses are becoming popular for small-scale commercial farming, as well as for household food production, he added.
Greenhouses use electricity to control temperature and power fans, lights, and other monitoring systems.
“This technology has the potential to take greenhouses offline,” said Loik, who specializes in climate change, plant physiology, water resources and sustainable technologies. Cost per panel of WSPV technology is 65 cents per watt – about 40 per cent less than the per-watt cost of traditional silicon-based photovoltaic cells.
This technology has the potential to take greenhouses offline.
WSPV technology was developed by coauthors Sue Carter and Glenn Alers, both professors of physics at UC Santa Cruz, who founded Soliculture in 2012 to bring the technology to market.
Loik’s team monitored photosynthesis and fruit production across 20 varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, lemons, limes, peppers, strawberries and basil grown in magenta glasshouses at two locations on campus and one in Watsonville, California.
“Eighty per cent of the plants weren’t affected, while 20 per cent actually grew better under the magenta windows,” said Loik. Tomatoes and cucumbers are among the top greenhouse-produced crops worldwide, he added.
In additional experiments, small water savings were associated with tomato photosynthesis inside the magenta glasshouses. “Plants required five per cent less water to grow the same amount as in more conventional glasshouses,” he said.
“I thought the plants would grow more slowly,
“If greenhouses generate electricity on site, that reduces the need for an outside source, which helps lower greenhouse gas emissions even more,” said Loik. “We’re moving toward self-sustaining greenhouses.”
Additional coauthors include Catherine Wade, who participated as a graduate student, Carley Corrado, who participated as a postdoctoral researcher, and undergraduates David Shugar and Devin Jokerst, all of UC Santa Cruz; and Carol Kitayama, senior grower at Kitayama Brothers Growers.
Jennifer McNulty is the strategic communications director/social sciences writer at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
THE LASTING
OF GARDEN PERENNIALS
BEAUTY
BEAUTY
Coreopsis Li’l Bang Daybreak is a long blooming perennial for sunny areas.
Perennials are a modern gardener’s dream – that’s what more and more garden centre customers are realizing.
“You only have to plant them once of course, and they are low maintenance,” says Dena Gavin, a professor in the school of Environment and Horticulture at Niagara College in Ontario. “You usually only have to touch them once or twice a year. They are economical and attractive, with lots of colour and texture now available. A properly planned perennial bed will bloom all year.”
At outlets of Sheridan Nurseries across southern Ontario, sales of perennials continue to grow, notes president and CEO Karl Stensson.
“They are being planted where once shrubs and evergreens were planted en masse,” he explains. “Grasses especially, as well as long-blooming lilies such as Stella D’oro, are planted everywhere in the landscape here in Toronto.”
The places perennials can be planted are also expanding, notes Stensson. “In our market, backyards are becoming smaller,” he says, “and more people are incorporating many shapes and sizes of containers into their landscape.”
The demand, therefore, for smaller, more compact perennials continues to be strong, but Sheridan Nurseries is also selling perennials in much larger sizes than in the past,
accommodating gardeners with more space who don’t want to wait a year or two for their plants to fill out.
“Nowadays we hardly sell any fourinch potted perennials,” Stennson says. “The norm is one gallon but it’s not uncommon to see two and five-gallon perennials.”
Brighter colours in foliage or flower is also a current trend, along with longer bloom times, notes Mark Cullen, who heads the gardening division at national retail chain Home Hardware. The explosion in popularity of hydrangeas, he says, well illustrates how much consumers like low maintenance and long-lasting colour, as does the growing demand for different coloured varieties of Black-Eyed Susan (rudbeckia), echinacea, Russian Sage and other plants.
Brian Minter, the co-owner of Minter Gardens in Chilliwack, B.C., agrees that colour vibrancy across the spectrum is what today’s garden centre customers want to buy and bring home.
“They want contrasts in colour and texture in their gardens and especially in containers, so that every plant adds value to the other plants in the grouping,” he notes.
“Carex grasses are becoming more popular – Everillo especially with its nice gold colour. And people want perennials that are going to look good longer (over the season), with repeat flowering, earlier flowering,
Today’s varieties check off more boxes than ever for today’s consumers.
“They are economical and attractive, with lots of colour and texture now available.”
BY TREENA HEIN
versatility in terms of where you can plant them (sun/shade).”
This year, Minter Gardens sold an increasing number of giant hibiscus (suitable to zone 4), a large plant that offers ongoing flowering of huge blossoms. While they get going relatively late in the season, Minter says these perennials provide a fresh new “wow.”
NEW WAYS OF MARKETING
In terms of perennial marketing trends, Cullen notes that signage, direct sales
help and good merchandising are all very powerful in steering customers towards great performing plants such as rudbeckia ‘Goldstrum’ or shasta daisy ‘Becky.’
Displays that highlight the best attributes of new perennials are also important. “People buy colour,” Cullen explains. “Larger format plants (very few four-inch plants) such as lots of gallon and two-gallon stock equal better displays, more colour, greater impact.”
Cullen adds that tags on perennials need to follow suit – needing to be larger
difference
and more colourful. They should also provide detailed information, such as “when the plant is out of bloom,” he says, because “customers often base their buying decision on the tag.”
Stensson adds that at Sheridan, they have chosen to display perennials by their common name, making it easier for customers to be sure of what they’re buying.
Minter, however, asks “how inspiring is a small green plant with a tag showing it in bloom?” He would like to see Canadian greenhouse operators enable garden centres to radically change perennial marketing following the Denmark model, where perennials arrive having been forced into bloom so that people can see them at their fullest beauty and therefore be more inclined to buy them.
Our thinking is still too traditional in that we are pre-judging what people want.
Minter asserts that “perennials should all be in bloom in the spring and they should be larger and ready to make an immediate difference in customers’ gardens. Our thinking is still too traditional in that we are pre-judging what people want. Price is secondary to people these days, and it is how perennials are presented that really matters.”
For his part, Stensson believes that retailers who want to successfully market perennials need to shift their perception of them from being only garden/landscape plants to being “impulse buys” like annuals are.
He says when in bloom, plants such as campanulas, echinaceas, rudbeckias, leucanthemums, phlox and veronica can be just as enticing as potted geraniums or begonias.
Lastly, Stensson believes marketing through “collection” branding is here to stay. “From Big Bang Coreopsis and Dolce Heucheras to Sunsparkler Sedums, collections are becoming the norm, and they are competing for bench space,” he explains. “They provide retailers with a good story to tell their customers, but the challenge is deciding which one to embrace and which ones to leave behind.”
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NATIVE PERENNIALS
Breeding native perennials to be prettier is also a strong current trend in Gavin’s view. Consumers have been exposed to a great deal of media coverage about reduced bee and monarch butterfly populations, she notes, and they want to do something about it.
There are so many types of echinacea, lobelia and rudbeckias now, she says, adding that “I attended the annual symposium of the International Perennial Plant Association this summer and butterflyweed was
chosen as plant of the year.”
Minter, Cullen and Stensson all agree that concerns over pollinator populations has resulted in a surge of consumer interest in native species.
“Plants such as asclepias, lavandula, monarda and nepeta are increasing in their popularity because of their appeal to these beneficial insects,” Stensson notes. “We have created our own Sheridan Garden Classic groupings of popular perennials such as Low Maintenance, Drought Tolerant, Bird and Butterfly, and new this year is our
Bee-nificial collection.”
He adds that sedums, echevera and sempervivens along with other drought-tolerant plants are becoming more popular as consumers look to reduce their environmental footprint.
In addition, Minter adds that ferns of various textures and colours are a growing sales category, especially for containers, with their soft greens that have a calming, “feel-good” effect on people.
A PERENNIALLY BRIGHT FUTURE
Everyone believes that perennials will stay in strong demand for some time to come, especially plants that are garden-ready, colourful, well-labelled and well-maintained at the retailer.
Concerns over pollinator populations has resulted in a surge of interest in native species.
“The growers who are ready with number one stock when the season opens and the retailers who know how to merchandise and maintain their stock will be the winners,” Cullen says. “Bring on the new varieties, those that bloom longer, are more winter hardy, attract pollinators, and are fragrant. In that order.”
However, while Stensson predicts further expansion of perennials into the different areas of the home landscape, he also warns against providing customers with too much choice. Simply put, too many varieties can overwhelm and intimidate, which can cause some customers to shop elsewhere.
“While purists want to see hundreds of varieties of hostas, you can have 25 varieties and cover the gamut,” he explains. “Even then, the challenge is not to scare the consumer away with 25 choices of one plant.”
He concludes that “we as independent garden centres have made gardening complicated and we need to uncomplicate it.”
Treena Hein is a freelance writer in Ontario and a frequent contributor to Greenhouse Canada.
Garden Answer App roved!
Over 5,600 growers, retailers and consumers voted to award this dazzling beauty the 2018 Annual of the Year. Laura from @GardenAnswer and her 2.2 million Facebook followers agree –this is one of the most striking, easiest-to-grow petunias you’ll find for containers and landscapes. We’ll be generating 500 million impressions from the consumer level on up through our national marketing efforts and nationalplantoftheyear.com. Will you be prepared for the demand?
Five Advantages of Energy Curtains Not to Miss
Energy prices won’t likely go down, so savings are bound to go up.
BY LEIGH COULTER
When it comes to adding energy curtains (sometimes referred to as thermal blankets) to a greenhouse everyone focuses on energy savings. And certainly energy savings should be a major factor in any greenhouse grower’s decision to purchase energy curtains.
In northern climates, winter growing adds expensive heating costs to the most diligent greenhouse operation. A well designed and properly installed energy curtain can reduce winter heating bills by up to 50 per cent and in some cases more.
In turn, energy curtains when used properly in hot summer weather can cut back on electricity needs from fan venting, and help maintain higher nighttime temperatures when the sun goes down.
But there are five other considerations worth adding to your analysis when considering the value of an energy curtain in your greenhouse.
1. Greenhouse energy curtains help control humidity: When used properly in conjunction with roof vents, an energy curtain can help balance humidity in the greenhouse by allowing fresh cool air in, while still providing a physical barrier to prevent the cold air from dropping to the crop.
Learning how to control the curtains as part of your total environmental control is essential. If the curtain needs to be closed and humidity levels are too high, then opening the curtains a crack and opening your windows will help lower humidity.
2. Energy curtains can be used for summer
TOP In many regions, energy savings is high on government agendas. BOTTOM Most growers consider screens to be an essential investment.
shading: The flexibility with energy curtains allows growers to shade when the plants need it. By using your greenhouse curtain system to adjust light levels as well as temperature you have one more tool for providing the ideal growing environment for your specific crop. When working with your greenhouse design team to layout the greenhouse curtain system make sure you don’t miss this aspect of environment control, and set your zones according to the differences your crops may need.
3. Energy curtains produce healthier plants by reducing daytime temperature fluctuations: Getting rid of the peaks and valleys in a winter day’s temperature range will most certainly improve the bottom line as far as reducing heating costs.
And that is only the beginning.
Daytime temperature fluctuations may be causing your boilers to perform lower than expected, which reduces boiler efficiency and affects maintenance costs and lifetime use of a boiler. These rapid temperature changes also add stress to your plants. So by properly timing the opening and closing of an energy curtain with environmental controls that measure outside and indoor temperatures against desired growing temperatures, you can even out the peaks and valleys and provide a smoother temperature transition for healthy plants.
Energy curtains produce healthier plants by reducing daytime temperature fluctuations.
SOAP = CLEAN
4. Energy curtains may qualify for a government rebate: In many parts of the United States, Canada and Europe, energy savings is high on government agendas. Get involved with your local chamber of commerce, and your regional, state and provincial government, and learn what rebates and tax saving incentives are available for energy efficient upgrades. If there is money available to help improve your business, then knowing what your options are will help you make smart decisions.
5. Energy prices won’t likely go down, so energy savings are bound to go up: When considering the ROI for an energy curtain or any other capital investment, including an assessment of the future makes good sense. Take a look at your energy bills for the last five years and consider trends. How has your price changed? What has your average usage been? If you had a mild winter and dramatically reduced your heating expenses, also consider the harsher winters because the future will have both.
Thermal energy curtains are only one consideration that modern commercial growers have available to assist in providing the ideal growing environment for the crop. Additional curtain considerations like shade, or blackout (light deprivation), or double and triple hung curtain options, and truss-to-truss versus gutter-to-gutter operations can also be discussed with a GGS greenhouse specialist.
If you have any remaining questions about greenhouse curtains contact us now for a free individual consultation – ggsstructures.com/mj.
Leigh Coulter is the president of GGS Structures Inc. and Niagrow Systems Ltd. GGS has been building greenhouses for growers around the world since 1979.
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Labour Supply and Rising Costs Continuing Challenges for Growers
State of the Industry report is generally quite upbeat in terms of sales and new products.
BY DAVE HARRISON
Labour issues, both in availability and rising costs, were cited by all the experts we surveyed for this year’s State Of The Industry report.
Increasing minimum wage levels in a number of jurisdictions (Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta) are having an impact as growers face a challenge trying to cover the increases with product pricing adjustments.
For most, it’s a tough sell.
CANNABIS A GAME-CHANGER
Any State of the Industry report this year will acknowledge the continued – and amazing –growth of the cannabis sector. However that topic has been covered by the magazine extensively over the past few years, and now by our sister publication Grow Opportunity. Suffice it to say that it has become an industry game changer, and will strengthen the overall horticulture sector throughout Canada thanks to increased political attention and support, along with growing employment
opportunities.
So to get on to something new, let’s look at another new crop generating excitement and here we will point to the impressive expansion of greenhouse strawberries in Ontario.
The leader in the field is Mucci Farms, located in Kingsville, Ontario. The company has long been an industry leader in greenhouse vegetable production and it was no surprise when they launched into this new category – and with great success.
Beginning with only a few rows in 2015, the company is in the middle of a three-phase expansion project, adding 12 acres in 2016, and 12 last year and 12 again this year. The 36 acres of total production will represent the largest greenhouse strawberry greenhouse in North America. The strawberries are marketed as Smuccies Sweet Strawberries.
There is an additional 20 acres or so of greenhouse strawberry production in the province.
ABOVE Mucci Farms CEO Bert Mucci with some Smuccies Sweet Strawberries.
PHOTO BY MUCCI FARMS
Among the other major growers is Orangeline Farms/Zing! Healthy Foods. In 2016 the company received the Ontario Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence for its greenhouse strawberries. The Leamington company was one of the first to grow the crop in Ontario, with its first plants bearing fruit in 2014.
The Harrow Research Station has completed a number of studies to assist with this crop.
There have been seminar presentations on the topic at the Pacific Ag Show and the Canadian Greenhouse Conference in recent years, all very well attended.
Affinor Growers has completed trials growing strawberries with its tower system, and with promising results.
Quebec has about 10 acres of greenhouse strawberries.
And now to get out of the berry patch and into other industry developments.
The Ontario greenhouse vegetable sector is heading into the new year with momentum. Sales in general are strong, prices are good, and new products are winning the hearts of more and more consumers.
Helping us with the Ontario greenhouse vegetable review are three members of the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) management team: general manager Joe Sbrocchi; science and government relations manager Dr. Justine Taylor; and marketing and economic policy analyst Glen Snoek.
ONTARIO TOMATO SALES
Asked about 2017 market conditions, they noted that it was a year of two extremes, “with beefsteak tomatoes doing very well over the course of the year and tomatoes on the vine doing just the opposite. The beefsteak market was largely driven by a severe shortage in field tomatoes destined for the food service market.”
TOVs, however, did not benefit as strongly from this and pricing lagged.
But specialty snacking varieties (grape, cherry and cocktail) continued with double digit growth, and also saw historically strong pricing over 2017, due in large part to the havoc caused by Hurricane Irma on the Florida supply chain.
Cucumbers enjoyed one of their strongest years on record, notes the OGVG, “with summer pricing well above historic averages and elevated pricing continuing right through the fall.”
Peppers, on the other hand, had a reasonable year, with steady pricing in the mid to high teens per case.
RISING COSTS OF PRODUCTION
The overarching challenge facing OGVG members is the increased cost of production.“Recent and abrupt changes in government policy will continue to hit the sector, and horticulture in general, hard. The speed at which these changes have occurred hasn’t allowed for the relevant markets to adapt and it is likely that growers will be forced to absorb these costs for the near-term future.”
While these impacts have been recognized by the government through the Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative (GCII) and recently announced offset programming, “there remain concerns that lack of a full understanding of the nuances of greenhouse production will leave such programs lacking and fundamentally not address the concerns of our members,” notes the OGVG.
TOP Hanging basket sales in Quebec have been quite strong. BOTTOM Quebec herb sales are growing, including parsley.
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“It is our hope that the government will work closely with the sector when developing any future programming that may address some of these competitiveness issues.”
Of particular note is the impact of cap and trade, “a challenge which many growers have struggled with over the past year. While there are measures that some growers can implement to reduce their emissions, many operators are already at the forefront of innovation and have already installed all the available technologies.”
BRACING FOR LARGE MINIMUM WAGE HIKE
Looking ahead to this year, OGVG anticipates the minimum wage hike, which came into effect Jan. 1 – the rate is now $14/hour – will be felt. “This large cost impact, over 20 per cent increase to our largest production cost, will be extremely difficult to navigate as price takers in the global marketplace.”
GROWING SALES OF GARDEN VEGETABLES AND HERBS
Quebec consultant Michel Senécal says consumers in the province were especially attracted last year to spring sales of garden vegetables and herbs, New Guinea impatiens, tropical plants, hanging baskets, Rieger begonia and other begonia products, and “ready to decorate” mixed combos in 12", 14" and 16" containers.
Senécal is a greenhouse consultant with 30 years experience, including 28 years as a crop advisor with the Québec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
MAJOR INDUSTRY TRENDS REFLECT GROWTH
He identified six trends in the province:
• Vegetable gardens and herbs. Whether on a terrace, in a kitchen garden or on a balcony, the vegetable garden is a living space for healthy eating.
• Phytotechnology. These are green walls, green roofs, plants for riparian strips, green screens and other green infrastructure.
• Urban agriculture. Community gardens, foodscaping, green streets and rooftops and the transformation of vacant lots into green spaces are among exciting new projects in cities. For the industry as a whole, urban
OGVG
Exports to the U.S. remain strong, even as the U.S. greenhouse vegetable sector continues to grow. “We attribute this to the rising consumer preference for greenhouse-grown produce throughout North America. As education and awareness of the benefits of greenhouse production increases, so does demand. These attributes include enhanced flavour, reduced pesticide use and extended local production, just to name a few.”
As for new crops, lettuce production will continue to grow and become more cost competitive, especially as freight rates continue to rise.
“Mini peppers, striped peppers, and other niche varieties have been slowly growing over time, in large part driven by customer/retailer requests.”
Ontario growers enjoyed much greater success with pepper weevil than was experienced in 2016. “This success was achieved through the use of dedicated resources, hard work and diligence and that commitment is critical going forward to ensure future outbreaks are minimized. We commend the significant efforts of our members in managing this aggressive pest.”
Similarly, cap and trade continues to be a challenge for Ontario growers who compete against jurisdictions that have no (many U.S. states) or reduced (B.C. and Alberta) carbon pricing impacts.
“The renegotiation of NAFTA is also a concern for our members, most of whom export a significant fraction of their production to the U.S.,” says the OGVG. “We continue to work with the Canadian negotiation team to ensure the message of ‘do no harm’ is accurately represented.”
agriculture is too often only associated with edible plants. Parks, streets and alleys in cities need annual flowers, perennials, trees and shrubs.
• The garden terrace and “ready-to-decorate” products. “We are talking here about the outdoor room where it is good to host family and friends.” Big pots and pots with blends of flowers, herbs and vegetables are the trendy “ready-to-decorate” products.
• Landscaping with expert assistance. “Consumers are increasingly turning to lawn, irrigation, ornamental and edible landscaping companies because of a lack of time” to do the work themselves.
• Health or wellness by plants. “This trend encompasses the five previous ones. Whether in the home or outdoors, many studies show that plants have a beneficial effect on morale and health.”
BUY LOCAL MOVEMENT
The Buy Local movement is strong in the province. “Two-thirds of Quebecers are sensitive to local purchases,” says Senécal. More and more labels are including the name of the grower and mention of “Product of Québec.”
Labour is a major challenge. “The industry needs skilled workers with knowledge.”
In British Columbia, both the ornamental and vegetable sectors are quite vibrant.
On the vegetable side, total acreage is 810 though another 60 acres or so of former veg production is now devoted to cannabis.
GROWING POPULARITY OF MINI VARIETIES
Production of mini varieties of peppers and cucumbers is a growing niche, and production of eggplant is growing.
The Buy Local movement is particularly strong in the province.
For the past five years the B.C. Greenhouse Growers’ Association has hosted “B.C. Greenhouse Veggie Days,” which include open houses and tours at four operations across the Lower Mainland. In addition, point of sale merchandising is carried out in all Canadian Superstores and the Overwaitea Group of retail grocery stores.
Linda Delli Santi, executive director of the BCGGA, says the NAFTA talks are certainly on their radar. Other major issues include “a stable tax and policy environment, such as the proposed changes to private corporations, a national price and policy on carbon pricing, the impact of minimum wage increases and the importance of the foreign workers program.”
The association has been meeting with government officials and preparing stakeholder submissions.
STRONG EARLY SALES OF CUT FLOWERS IN B.C.
The past year was quite successful for most B.C. flower growers, says Bob Pringle, CEO of United Flower Growers, beginning with a strong demand for cut flowers through to June.
Exceptionally good weather in July, August and September provided perfect conditions that led to an oversupply of seasonal field crops, including sunflowers, gladiolas, dahlias, solidago and sedum.
The fine weather also boosted production of greenhouse crops such as gerbera, lilies and spray mums “which compounded this oversupply.”
For most of the year, prices were generally better than they were in 2016.
Plant sales were down considerably through May due to unfavourable weather but then things improved and most growers had a very good summer with demand lasting longer through the summer months.
Exports have been strong. UFG deals mainly with cut flowers and demand south of the border is growing, especially for gerbera, spray mums, sunflowers, dahlias, gladiolas and lilies.
Millennials are having an impact, as online sales are growing.
“Many newer floral businesses are being created without a storefront, and bricks and mortar retailers are under continuing pressure.”
Labour continues to be a challenge. “Entry level positions are very difficult to fill,” Pringle explains, “and many growers are dependent on foreign worker programs for staffing.”
Growers are wondering about the future of NAFTA, and what a new agreement – or loss of the current one – will mean to the industry.
“STILL PRICE TAKERS, NOT PRICE MAKERS”
In Alberta, the industry enjoyed a pretty good year in 2017, though prices could have been better.
“The markets for vegetables in Alberta remained decent in 2017 with the usual ups and downs based on supply and demand,” says consultant Dr. Mohyuddin Mirza.
“We are still price takers not price makers and our prices at wholesale depend on supplies from Mexico and other countries especially during winter.”
Seedless cucumbers, both regular long
English and minis, showed growth and were the main reason for the improved cash flow. “I think minis will capture more market share in future.”
Alberta growers faced a double whammy in 2017.
First came the carbon levy on fuel. However, the industry was able to persuade the provincial government a rebate was needed (80 per cent; the same as provided in B.C.).
Alberta growers faced a double whammy in 2017.
Then came increases to the minimum wage and overtime payments.
The Buy Local movement is growing and is particularly evident at farmers’ markets. “I don’t see better prices for locally grown produce although they are grown with a reduced carbon foot print.”
Alberta growers are increasingly
turning to supplemental lighting, and with great results. Production under HPS lights has been around for few years and acreage has been expanding.
The challenges, says Mirza, are still in managing climate properly in winter and with the initial high capital costs. Many young plant growers are successfully using LED lights during the early growth phase of bedding plants and plugs.
One tomato grower is using a combination of overhead and inter-crop LED lighting, and with impressive results.
Looking ahead, Mirza notes the carbon levy rebate program will end in 2018 and it remains to be seen if this will be re-instated. The classification of greenhouses as farms will be a top priority because it affects labour and taxation.
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is being revamped and it is hoped that it will become less complicated. In addition, minimum wages are increasing again.
FOR
HORTICULTURE Facing Many New Challenges
‘We have to work collectively,’ says OFVGA chair, ‘especially if we’re going to interact effectively with government.’
VBY DAVE HARRISON
eteran Ontario cucumber grower Jan VanderHout is up for any challenge in the greenhouse or farm association boardroom.
He’s equally passionate about working with employees on the health and productivity of the crop or about working with other growers on the health and productivity of the horticulture industry.
He grew up in the Hamilton-area family business his grandfather established almost 60 years ago and has been working full time in the business for 33 years.
VanderHout co-owns the business – Beverly Greenhouses –with his brother, Dale. It’s one of the largest greenhouse cucumber operations in the province. At the time of our visit last winter, they had 20 acres in production with plans for another seven acres. They also have two acres of propagation.
VanderHout has been an enthusiastic volunteer on a number of key horticulture associations in the province. Last year he was elected chairman of the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (OFVGA), the first greenhouse grower so honoured. We talked to him shortly after he became chairman.
He is also chairman of The Ontario Greenhouse Alliance (TOGA) and a longtime director with the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers association.
VOLUNTEERING IS IN HIS GENES
doing. We’re talking to government about a variety of issues, such as cap and trade, electricity rates, and about opportunities to improve the infrastructure in the areas that are supporting horticultural operations, to name only a few.”
As the OGVG’s representative on the OFVGA board, he serves as the “conduit” between the associations. “I can help OGVG accomplish its goals through the OFVGA, and also help the OFVGA accomplish its goals with the support of OGVG.”
The greenhouse industry has changed a great deal over the years. For starters, the family was growing in the soil back then, and environmental control primarily consisted of manually operated vents, fans and thermostats.
HUMBLE START FOR THE FARM
It was his grandfather, also named Jan, who started the business in the early 1960s. He started with a quarter-acre of tomatoes grown in a wooden-frame greenhouse with glass. That original greenhouse is an example of how technology-driven the industry has always been.
“That greenhouse was rebuilt back in the late 70s and early 80s over a three-year span,” says VanderHout, “and then in 2016 the rebuilt greenhouse was rebuilt. It was the third greenhouse on the same site.
“That’s been the evolution of the greenhouse business. At every step of the way, each greenhouse was state of the art, the leading technology of the day.
The volunteerism comes easily to him – it’s in his genes. “Our family has always been involved on associations working for the common good of the industry,” he explains.
“If all we do is sit back and wait to see what happens, we’re probably not going to be happy with the outcome. As individuals we really can’t do it alone. We have to work collectively, especially if we’re going to interact effectively with government.
“And that’s become a large part of what organizations are
“The industry is always changing. Growers are always looking for ways to improve productivity. As margins shrink, there’s great importance on being competitive with your production systems, to get the optimal results with the technology you’re using. And that’s going to be even more critical as we go forward.”
DEDICATION TO INNOVATION
Beverly Greenhouses is big on innovation, the most recent investment involving a state-of-the-art packing line installed
three years ago. Manual labour is only used to pack the boxes – everything else is handled by a series of whirring machines that take the crates off the carts, tip the crates, grade the cucumbers, and then automatically and efficiently palletize the skid loads of boxes.
Within only a few hours of harvesting the cucumbers are ready for retail. They can now pack 50 per cent more with the same number of people. “With 11 people, we can do about 1600 dozen an hour, whereas before it would have been just over 1000 dozen.”
DECISION TIME: DIVERSIFY OR SPECIALIZE
After starting off with tomatoes, the family did eventually add cucumbers and both crops were grown for a number of years.
However, there comes a point where you have to make a decision on whether to continue to be diversified – with different packing systems and growing expertise for each crop – or instead focus on what you do best. The family chose the latter and they have been growing cucumbers exclusively for 38 years.
Growing cucumbers year-round in southwestern Ontario has its share of challenges, particularly with reduced light levels in December and January. “We can make it warm and we can give the plants all the fertilizer they need, but it will all come down to sunlight,” says VanderHout, commenting on winter yields.
He and Dale have studied supplemental lighting, but it would be expensive in capital costs and electricity, and they’re
ABOVE
not sure the market prices in the winter would be high enough to justify the expenditures. “You have to be cautious and you really have to do your homework to be sure you’re going to get a sufficient return on your investment. We’re not there yet, but we’re watching things closely. I would never say never,” he says with a grin.
PHOSPHORUS REDUCTION: GREENHOUSE GROWERS ARE LEADING THE WAY IN AGRICULTURE
VanderHout has assumed the OFVGA chairmanship at a particularly busy time for the organization. Among major issues is phosphorus reduction by agriculture.
“Agriculture has taken much of the heat on the phosphorus question, but we’re not the biggest contributors to the problem,” he emphasizes. “Every article I read in mainstream media is quick to suggest agriculture is a big contributor to the problem, and yet a lot of the problems are from urban centres. But that’s not what people want to hear, and it’s not what mainstream media want to report.”
The greenhouse sector is already on the leading edge of phosphorus output reduction processes thanks to the widespread use of recirculating nutrient systems by growers.
Other issues include electricity rates and the impact of cap-and-trade requirements. The latter will be a major headache for many greenhouse growers, with some facing costs of $6200 per acre – about $80,000 for the average greenhouse of 13 acres. That’s a heavy hit to the bottom line.
“AN UNREASONABLE UNLOADING OF NEW COSTS”
“It’s an unreasonable unloading of new costs to growers,” says VanderHout.
The province has been told repeatedly of the industry’s concerns, but unlike similar scenarios in British Columbia and Alberta, where those provinces have offered rebates of up to 80 per cent, Queen’s Park is not yet showing much sympathy to the plight of Ontario growers.
“They’ve been stonewalling us up to now,” says VanderHout. “It’s definitely not because we haven’t been asking them about it.”
Jan VanderHout of Beverly Greenhouses, OFVGA chair for 2017-18.
Some provincial officials have suggested greenhouses could possibly look to geothermal and solar sources to meet their heating needs. “But that’s not going to happen,” says VanderHout. “Nobody in the world is doing that on a commercial scale. The net zero greenhouse studies look good on paper, but we’re years away from commercial application.”
The greenhouse sector in Canada is already at the leading edge of energy management, utilizing the latest computer programs, double poly facilities, insulated walls and energy curtains, as a few examples. “We’re willing to innovate and we’re willing to invest, but we can only invest in what is available.”
Cap and trade would seriously hinder the ability of growers to compete in markets – export and domestic.
LABOUR CHALLENGES
VanderHout says horticulture relies on labour for the many manual jobs around the farm, such as harvesting and packing. The off-shore labour program has been an essential resource for growers in supplementing their local supply of workers.
Having more young people identify agriculture as a career choice is important. “We’re not seeing enough young people going through school and saying they want to work on a farm. They’re more interested in office work and computer careers. We have to get the message to them that farming offers many great and rewarding careers.”
And that sentiment comes from personal experience. He loves his work and the career choice he made so many years ago.
“I love the diversity of greenhouse work, there are so many interesting things we see every day. I like the challenges this industry brings. That’s not to say I like facing problems, but I like fixing problems.
“There’s always a new challenge, whether it’s a marketing issue or a production issue or disease or pest issue, or a mechanical issue when something breaks down. It makes the job exciting and challenging. What’s it going to be today?
“I often start my day with a list of things I want to accomplish and there are times I barely get started on it because of all the things that come up,” he says with a chuckle.
“That’s also why I enjoy my work on the boards. Working with problems is what they do all day, and I want to be part of working on the solution.”
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EMPLOYMENT
SALES REPRESENTATIVE - ONTARIO, CANADA: Ball Horticultural Company is known for superior varieties supplied as seed, plugs, young plants and cuttings.
To further our business objectives, we may have openings for future consideration for talented Sales Representatives who will be responsible for selling our broad product line to prospective and established customers in the Ontario, Canada area.
If you are looking for a future opportunity in sales, please consider submitting your resume to: Yves Cournoyer : ycournoyer@ ballhort.com, cell: 630 291 4448. 12/1t/pd
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INSIDE VIEW
GARY JONES | Gary.Jones@kpu.ca
Industry is Firing On all Cylinders
We’re at one of those watershed moments that come along every so often in our industry. Examples include development of the Venlo style glasshouse, the high-wire crop training method, the switch from soil to hydroponics, using carbon dioxide to increase crop growth, commercial application of biocontrols, and the use of bees for tomato pollination.
Each is a milestone that marks a significant step forward for greenhouse (vegetable) growers.
But this milestone is different. Those mentioned above were leaps forward brought about by a single change in how we do things. What we’re seeing now are multiple events that could each change our business significantly. But together?
Technology: LED technology is developing at a frantic pace. (Shipping) container production systems are in huge demand (e.g. CubicFarm, Freight Farms) and popping up all over the world. Similarly…
• “Vertical farming” is heading into disused warehouses and converting these to new places of urban food production.
• Biomass energy generation may single-handedly be an answer to the issues of waste reduction and increased energy demand.
• Dutch researchers have a photovoltaic
introduced as an “alternative” greenhouse crop? We all know where that’s led. Greenhouse fruit crops may not have the same level of impact (who knows?), but they do have potential for taking up some of the existing greenhouse area. Greenhouse hops are one answer to the blossoming craft brew industry demand, and you may have heard of some other crop that could have an impact on greenhouse production. What other crop do you remember that impacted the face of our industry because of a single legislative change? Probably none.
Jobs: There was a time when high school career counsellors saw horticulture as a job for failed dentists, doctors, computer programmers or accountants. At best. Oh, wait – they still do! Seriously? With all this amazing technology and rewarding life-long career options? We need to leverage these aspects and attract some new blood onto the local and worldwide jobs market. Get the message out there as much as you can.
Best of both worlds – organic hydroponics? In mid-November, the U.S. organic certification authority voted 8-7 in favour of certifying hydroponic production as organic. This could impact two significant sectors of horticulture simultaneously.
Multiple events that could each change our business significantly.
glass that lets sunlight pass through even while generating (renewable) electricity.
Drones and robotics are developing fast with umpteen applications in the greenhouse industry, and Wi-Fi and cell phone “apps” enable growers to do just about anything in the greenhouse while being physically remote.
Crops: Greenhouse growers have always been an inventive bunch. While it’s true that “necessity may be the mother of invention,” growers seem to be naturally innovative and do it for fun. They’re always on the lookout for new crops, and Canada has small areas of hot peppers, eggplant and other minor vegetables.
Berry crops are making their mark on the greenhouse landscape; strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are not hard to find under glass now. Remember when bell peppers were being
Local movement: Already, more than half (54 per cent) of the world’s population live in urban areas. This is expected to increase to 66 per cent by 2050 as the number of “megacities” (10 million people or more) increases. For example, the world’s most populous metropolitan area is Tokyo, home to about 34 million people – the same population as the whole of Canada! A city of 10 million people needs about 6,000 tons of food every day: think of that for demand! Urbanization means more people need other people to provide their food, and urban agriculture is now a reality, not sci-fi. This is a huge opportunity.
The industry is ideally positioned to tackle major world issues of population growth, water availability, food resilience and climate change. We need to lever this to get new people in. The industry is in a great place, and like “TED Talks™,” it presents a career that is “worth spreading.”
Gary Jones is co-chair of Horticulture at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. He serves on several industry committees and welcomes comments at Gary.Jones@ kpu.ca.
