This year’s star performers in unique Quebec trials program | 18
The rise of microbes
They’re an increasingly important resource in any grower’s toolbox | 20
The rise of microbes
In nature, insects and mites are commonly infected and killed by naturally occurring micro-organisms. | 20
Editorial 4
Industry News 6
New Varieties 8
Technology Issues 10
Growing a new floral market: New Canadians are looking for plants from their home countries.
Business Issues 11
Customer service trends: How easy are you to do business with?
Les Exceptionnelles 18 Quebec consumers and horticulture specialists vote for their garden favourites.
32 38 Bedding plant challenges Maintaining crop quality from start to finish.
Root causes Ensuring optimal plant health, from top to bottom.
Hort Couture’s imaginative way of serving up some of their new varieties during the California Spring Trials. | 12
DR. MOHYUDDIN MIRZA
BY MELHEM SAWAYA
Managing the growing media It’s the basis of maintaining healthy plants.
BY GARY JONES
An Industry Driven By ... ‘What’s New?’
If you asked plant retailers to give you the most common question they get asked by consumers each spring, we’re sure “what’s new?” would be near or at the top of the list. It’s a question that drives the industry. There is always something new.
The California Spring Trials (CAST) showcases dozens of new items each year, and growers and retailers take close note of them. This month’s cover story offers a view of some of the varieties – some new, others tried and true. The feature, first of two, goes into this in more depth, but here are a few observations from my first CAST:
• This is not a sight-seeing trip. True, this part of the state has beautiful scenery, but those attending CAST live a nomadic lifestyle. I was only there eight days, but I experienced Los Angeles (arrival), Santa Paula, Oxnard, San Luis Obispo, Salinas, Gilroy, Watsonville and San Jose (departure). I visited about a dozen CAST sites, some hosting a number of breeders. You had to be nimble
interesting leaf shapes – similar to lobsters, coral and crabs. This line is bred at the University of Saskatchewan.
• Growing plants is one thing –selling them is a whole different challenge. Many breeders showcased imaginative new ideas in plant marketing, including some with a family activity focus.
• Fragrance. Past breeding may have sacrificed this trait for others, but it’s definitely important for consumers.
• Pollinators. Every garden should have its share of pollinator plants, and there were many of them at CAST.
If you can’t make it to California, there are numerous other trial and show gardens across North America. Within an hour’s drive of my home in southwestern Ontario there are two major trials – the Sawaya Garden Trials and the University of Guelph trials sites. U of G also hosts a container trial at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (just over an hour away from me).
Your next market winner is probably on display there this summer.
and you had to have a good GPS system. I had hoped to dip a toe or two in the Pacific at some point along the way, but simply ran out of time.
• There are a growing number of amazing combo recipes, both in ornamentals and garden vegetables. If you are looking for attentiongetters with strong sales appeal and proven performance, these combos are a good place to start.
• I’ve seen them before at Cultivate, and I was again drawn to them in California. The Coleus Under the Sea program of Hort Couture features great colours and
And there are Les Exceptionnelles garden sites in Quebec. This program, coordinated by the Fédération interdisciplinaire de l’horticulture ornementale du Québec, recognizes top performers in the province each year.
I’m sure every province has plant trials or show gardens. Check with your provincial hort specialist for locations in your region. Take a day away from the greenhouse or garden centre to visit a trials site to see “what’s new” and how it’s performing. Your next market winner is probably on display there this summer.
All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication. greenhousecanada.com
From seed to table, higher quality with better taste.
A better-quality product for the consumer. An integrated, innovative greenhouse solution for you. That’s what Syngenta provides through quality genetics and new variety innovations. Your customers, and their dinner tables, deserve nothing less than the very best.
To learn more about varieties from Syngenta, contact Plant Products at 519-326-9037 or info@plantproducts.com
Major Aquaponics Project Planned for the Yukon
An innovative approach to northern food production is receiving $75,000 in federal CanNor funding.
North Star Agriculture Inc., a subsidiary of Gray Dragon Investment Corporation, is developing the first indoor, vertical aquaponics farm in the Yukon. Aquaponics is an innovative method of farming that raises fish and vegetables simultaneously. In a mutually beneficial relationship, nutrients from fish waste feed growing vegetables, while the plants filter the water that
keeps fish healthy.
The first of its kind north of 60, the vertical farm will have a capacity equivalent to three hectares of land, and the ability to produce 200 tonnes of fish and over 200,000 kg of produce annually. Development of a northern aquaponics farm will create local employment while decreasing reliance on food transported from southern regions.
Visit cannor.gc.ca for more information.
U OF GUELPH A WORLD AG LEADER
The University of Guelph is among the top agri-food universities in the world, according to a new global ranking of universities.
The Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR), publisher of the largest academic ranking of universities worldwide, has released its inaugural subjects ranking.
U of G ranked third in the agriculture, dairy and animal science category, and fourth in
food and technology. For both categories, it was the No. 1 university in Canada, and the only Canadian school to make the “Top 10” lists.
“These rankings reflect the excellence of our faculty, staff and students, and the strong support of our many dedicated partners, especially the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs,” said Rene Van Acker, dean of the Ontario Agricultural College.
He said the results reflect U of G’s recent agri-food successes, including a $77-million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund awarded last fall for the University’s Food From Thought project, and a $20-million gift announced last month for the Arrell Food Institute.
“These rankings also remind us of the leadership opportunities and responsibilities we have in agriculture
and food not only provincially and nationally but globally,” Van Acker said.
The rankings are based on faculty quality and research intensity, specifically articles published in top-tier journals.
The top-ranked schools in agriculture were Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands and the University of WisconsinMadison.
BY
THE NUMBERS
Average net operating income for greenhouses, 2016.
by
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Obsession™
Cascade Verbena Great Falls Coleus
Obsession Cascade, from Syngenta Flowers, breaks new ground in a product that has historically been grown from cuttings. This is the first ever trailing verbena from seed with bright and bold colours in a true trailing habit, making it ideal for added value baskets and combos. syngentaflowers.com
Empress Sun Verbena
Introducing Empress Sun Verbena from Dümmen Orange. Developed to fill the landscape verbena niche, these vigorous growers feature early flowering, near-perfect uniformity, a reduced cyclical blooming pattern, and impressive heat, humidity, and mildew tolerance. Trialled at over eight North American locations in 2016 with excellent results, this new verbena line is an unmistakable win for growers, retailers, and consumers alike. na.dummenorange.com
Golden Butterfly™
It’s tough to improve on one of the most well-known and longest running annual varieties in our lineup, but we’ve done it this year with ‘Golden Butterfly’ Argyranthemum frutescens, which replaces ‘Butterfly.’ This improved cultivar delivers the same heat tolerance and all-season bloom, but with even greater flower power and stronger yellow colouration. It runs toe to toe with the others in the collection including ‘Pure White Butterfly™’ which was new in 2017 and ‘Vanilla Butterfly™ Improved’ which is also new this year. Part sun to sun. provenwinners.com
Calibrachoa Conga
The Conga series from Ball FloraPlant has the most colours of any compact calibrachoa on the market. For 2018 retail sales there are nine new and improved colours to complete the lineup for easyto-produce quarts and colour bowls. Conga has a naturally compact habit and is perfect for pot-tight production – no PGRs needed. It has superior hold at retail and is available in a rainbow of colours including new “Kiss” bicolours for even gardener appeal. ballfloraplant.com
For a well-behaved trailing coleus, look no further than Great Falls. Developed by Dümmen Orange for its controlled trailing habit, this coleus is remarkably versatile in application. Try new ‘Great Falls Iguazu,’ ‘Angel,’ ‘Yosemite’ and ‘Niagara’ in monoculture baskets, premium planters or in quarts for the landscape. A great item to brighten shade programs, these innovative new coleus work well as a standalone retail item, or in multi-liner combinations like the new Safari Confetti Garden®. na.dummenorange.com FOR MORE ‘NEW VARIETIES,’ VISIT THE ‘MARKETPLACE’ SECTION AT GREENHOUSECANADA.COM.
Sunfinity™ Sunflower
Syngenta Flowers is introducing the next generation of sunflowers that offer endless blooms all season long. Unlike traditional sunflowers, these keep on growing long after traditional single-stem sunflowers have bloomed and died. syngentaflowers.com
Superbells® Over Easy™ Improved
Improving on an old favourite for combinations, Proven Winners has amped up the flower size and improved the floral quality of this pure white Superbells with a yellow “yolk” centre. Its flowers compare to the improved Superbells Grape Punch™’ in size, which are notably larger than typical calibrachoa. They are produced abundantly on cascading stems from spring into fall without deadheading. This variety has been screened specifically for resistance to thielaviopsis and can be grown in combination baskets with other medium vigour varieties. provenwinners.com
Growing a New Floral Market
New Canadians are looking for plants from their home countries
Immigrants coming to Canada bring with them not only their own culture and food, but also distinct floral preferences. As Canada’s demographic makeup changes, this means new opportunities for flower growers in this country.
Researchers at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) in collaboration with
ABOVE Potted jasmine sambac plants in the greenhouse.
Ontario grocery chain Longo’s have identified a particular opportunity for jasmine – Jasminum sambac specifically – and are working with flower grower Westbrook Floral to bring the first Ontario-grown jasmine plants to market.
“There is a very different flower culture in Asia compared to the Western tradition, especially with Hindu and Buddhist religions,” said Dr. Alexandra Grygorczyk, a consumer insights researcher at Vineland.
“Flowers have very specific meanings and new Canadians are very specific about what they want.”
The consumer insights team at Vineland reached out to new Canadians from South, East and Southeast Asia and found that over 80 per cent of these consumers expressed that there were plants from their home countries that they missed and wished they could purchase here in Canada.
The market opportunity this presents is not insignificant. According to Grygorczyk,
Toronto-area South Asian consumers alone spend approximately $60 million on cut and potted flowers annually. According to Statistics Canada, South Asians (people from countries including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) are Canada’s largest and fastest growing visible minority group. The majority of respondents identified jasmine, a very popular flower in high demand for its fragrance.
Its lighter green leaves, natural tendency for lanky growth and small, white flowers don’t fit in with the typical flower profile preferred by Canadian consumers, who look for more compact, bushy plants with dark green leaves and larger, more colourful flowers.
“We looked at over 30 different flowers not widely available in Canada but recognizable by ethnic consumers, and Jasminum sambac came out on top,” Grygorczyk said. “There is great potential for jasmine as there is a lot of cultural significance and meaning to this plant.”
She adds there aren’t many fragrant potted plants on the Canadian market currently and jasmine’s intoxicating fragrance will be attractive to a broad audience, particularly new Canadians – for many, the smell will be a reminder of home.
Production trials at Vineland, conducted by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) greenhouse floriculture specialist Chevonne Carlow, and at Westbrook have shown the plant to be an easy one to grow.
Jasmine grows well in summer heat, making it ideal for growers looking to fill their greenhouses with a crop after the spring bedding plant rush.
There were plans for a very small release of Ontario jasmine plants in six-inch pots in Longo’s stores this spring.
A larger scale launch hopes to put the plants in all Longo’s stores this fall to coincide with Diwali, the Hindu festival of light.
The ethnic flower research at Vineland is funded by the OMAFRA – University of Guelph Research partnership, and Longo’s.
Lilian Schaer is editor of AgInnovation Ontario, an online publication of the Agri-Technology Commercialization Centre (ATCC), which is based in Guelph, Ontario. ATCC’s goal is to tell the story of agricultural innovation in Ontario through a constantly growing, collection of information about agricultural innovation projects and opportunities in Ontario. Learn more at www.agritechcentre.ca.
PHOTO BY DR. CHEVONNE CARLOW, OMAFRA
JEFF MOWATT
Boost Your Business
Customer Service Trends: How Easy are You to do Business With?
When organizations invite me to speak at their conferences or train their team members, we start with trends that are impacting their customer relationships. Check out these four customer service trends along with some tips for capitalizing on them to boost your business.
Good service is wallpaper: Today’s customers
ABOVE
Customers need to be so impressed that they’re motivated to remark or talk about your service.
are so busy with their multiple demands at home and work, and are so distracted by their mobile devices that they no longer even notice “good” service. That means your team may work all day long delivering consistent service and your reward will be zero. Today’s customer only notices two types of service: 1) poor service 2) REMARKable service – literally. They need to be so impressed that they’re motivated to remark or talk about your service. That brings us to trend number two and what they talk about.
‘Better’ brands don’t sell: When your company faces tough competition, being better gets lost in the clutter. Lots of organizations claim to have better service. That’s the problem. Customers don’t believe it.
Better doesn’t motivate them to make significant changes when what they already have is reasonably good. What customers really want to know is what makes you unique. That requires you and your team members to explore options to do things
differently. Get creative. Take calculated risks to test different ways of doing business. Disrupt your market. Give customers something different to talk about. Or one of your competitors will.
Choices just confuse: Offering a vast array of products and services is no longer considered by customers to be helpful. If today’s customers want to take the time and energy to explore choices, they can do an Internet search and be instantly overwhelmed. Too many choices do not lead to customer purchases. They do lead to decision fatigue. This is where your team members can really stand out. Their role becomes to analyze customer needs, explore which options are best suited to satisfy those needs, and present two or three final candidates in the simplest fashion to make your customers’ decisions easier.
Retain versus blame: This may seem counter intuitive – in today’s increasingly litigious society, it’s more important than ever that organizations admit fault and make amends the moment they have a service slipup.
It’s not just that they could be sued and lose. Smart service providers have done the math and know that’s it’s much less costly to do the right thing for customers than to have disgruntled customers trashing your brand. Especially when social media messages can quickly go viral (an apt term since it effectively gives your brand a disease that makes other customers want to avoid you).
The good news is that customers are wonderfully forgiving towards companies who quickly own their mistakes, and who do something to address the customer’s hassle.
Bottom line: When we combine these trends we see the emergence of a theme. Growing your business with today’s customers means you and your team members need to be easy to do business with.
That means coming up with unique business processes that make buying from you easier. It means narrowing the choices so that buying decisions are easier. And it means training your team members so that – even when things go wrong – they recover your customers’ trust. Quickly and easily.
This article is based on the bestselling book, “Becoming a Service Icon in 90 Minutes a Month” by customer service strategist and Hall of Fame motivational speaker, Jeff Mowatt. To obtain your own copy of his book or to inquire about engaging Jeff for your team, visit www.jeffmowatt.com.
VIEWING THE ‘new’ and ‘improved’ AT CAST’17
California Spring Trials put the spotlight on dozens of new varieties and programs
BY DAVE HARRISON
BELOW
Some plants are especially popular with gardeners who want to taste the fruits of their labours. Ball Ingenuity offers both ‘Sweet Kiss’ and ‘Cupido’ ever-bearing varieties.
“Prepare to be overwhelmed.”
It was that piece of advice I received from a California Spring Trials (CAST) veteran that kept echoing in my head. After six days of touring a good chunk of coastal mid-state California –from approximately just north of Los Angeles to just south of San Jose – and touring numerous breeder displays, I fully appreciated those words of wisdom.
In fact, “overwhelmed” is an understatement. It was sensory overload, with so many new varieties to view, textures to touch and marketing ideas to marvel at.
This is the first of a two-part feature providing a little sampling from each of the sites visited.
There is also a daily diary of my CAST tour posted on our website, so be sure to check those online stories, too.
This is a trip that should be on every grower’s bucket list. In addition to the information of the new plants coming down the pike, the travel is easy on the eyes with the route winding its way through some of the most picturesque regions of the state. There are many changes in elevation, countless twists and curves in many of the road, and you’re never very far from the Pacific Ocean if you have a break in your schedule.
I bumped into a dozen or so Canadian growers, and their message was that in an ultra-competitive market, you have to be well ahead of the curve in introducing new and/or products. Touring CAST, if even semi-regularly, is a key plank in their
business plan.
It may not be in the budget every year, but it is certainly worth the investment of time and money every few years. It’s an incredible learning experience.
There was a lot of talk about “low maintenance” and “pollinator friendly” plants, a broad assortment of combo recipes in both flowers and garden vegetables, and a number of marketing programs were prominently displayed.
And now, California beckons…
BALL HORTICULTURAL
Welcoming me to the Ball Horticultural trial site was John Ondejko (1), the company’s business manager for Canada. This was my first stop…and the first CAST person I meet is a fellow Canuck!
He gave me a quick tour of some of the new varieties, including the new ColorBlitz petunia series, which is an early flowering, mediumvigour series for gallon and larger containers. “It has proven greenhouse performance under low light and low temperature production,” notes the brochure.
Can-Can ‘Bumble Bee Pink’ calibrachoa (2) is another newcomer. On close inspection it does indeed look like a “bee” is in the flower. This vigorous performer is ideal for larger baskets and mixed containers.
Chrysanthemum specialist Ed Higgins (3) says garden mum sales have been especially strong the past four years. New this year for Ball are ‘Bridal White,’ (early flowering, solid white flower contrasted with dark foliage); ‘Copper Coin Bronze,’ (good for later September sales), and ‘Jazzbery Pink,” (extraordinarly high flower count and very uniform).
The new FlameThrower™ ‘Salsa Verde’ (4) coleus is a vivid lime green addition to this series. It’s a vigorous performer that works well in quarts and mixed containers.
BENARY
What happens When Silicon Valley Meets Big Begonias? That was the theme Benary tackled this year. Silicon Valley is just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Benary site and it has produced many of the high-tech gizmos we now take for granted. (My use of the word
“gizmos” demonstrates I’m no tech nerd. Beyond the “on/off” switch, there’s little I can master with new technologies.)
Is this the future of pollination? (5) Automated pollinator drones may soon be essential if bee populations fall significantly. The technology is just a tweak or two away from reality.
John Greenwood (6), the Australia sales manager for Benary, poses with Whopper Begonia. This is the ideal landscape plant, or the focal point in large containers in either baskets or mixes. Versatile, it is fine in full sun to full shade, and performs well in all regions. They are 20 to 25 per cent larger than the Big Begonias.
This is the first calocephalus from seed.(7) It is heat and cold tolerant and ideal as a fall crop and accent plant in beds. And my prediction is that it will draw considerable attention from combo designers.
Benary and Volmary are now working together on a joint venture called Benary+. It will sell directly to growers, as well as through its regular broker network.
The Samira verbena series (8) from Volmary works well in pots or hanging baskets. The flowers are large and the plant is well branched with a mounded trailing habit. The series is mildew tolerant and you can expect a strong show of blooms right up to the first frost.
DÜMMEN ORANGE
Diane Surette, sales manager for Canada for Dümmen Orange poses with ‘Starship,’ (9) one of three additions to the popular Potunia petunia line. Potunias are “perfectly mounding bubbles of colour,” notes a sales brochure, with “bright and bold flowers that are always ready to sell.” They are truly daylength neutral.
The Wild Romance New Guinea Impatiens series welcomed two new additons – ‘Blush Pink’ and ‘White.’ (10) This is a true New Guinea double flower that has a little rosette of a bloom that opens up to a gardenia type flower. It’s great in the shade and everyone needs something for the shade.
Great Falls Coleus is a completely new trailing coleus series. The names are from great waterfalls of the
world, including Niagara Falls. They have allowed Dümmen Orange to create new Confetti Gardens with different textures using the Great Falls series, including Confetti Garden Great Falls Outback Safari.(11)
I’conia is Dümmen Orange’s new branding name for its interspecific begonia series (12). ‘Miss Malibu’ is the latest addition and was a European winner at FleuroSelect. It is quite glamorous and elegant at retail, and easy to grow and ship.
PANAMERICAN SEED
Landscape-type begonias are probably the fastest growing segment in the bedding class market. The Megawatt Begonias series, noted Jerry Gorchels, an account manager with PanAmerican Seed and Kieft Seed (13), is a great example. It is great in containers and hanging baskets, too. “It’s very versatile,” says Gorchels, “there’s so much you can do with it.”
The new genetics of pentas is also quite impressive. “Lucky Star Pentas (14) has great uniformity as a series, a tight flowering window within the entire series,” said Gorchels. “The flowering is pretty much continuous,
and it offers great colour opportunities for the shoulder season when heading into June. Pentas love the heat and can take a little drought. The new genetics of pentas is quite impressive, “Lucky Star Pentas has great uniformity as series, a tight flowering window within the entire series.”
Also drawing considerable consumer attention are ornamental peppers. “It’s a golden opportunity to increase business and sales at a time of year when there are not that many products available,” notes Carsten Leth, global business manager of potted plants with PanAmerican Seed (15). The Acapulco Series has been bred to be quite compact and can be grown without PGRs. It is 100 per cent programmable. Joining him at CAST in discussing the popularithy of ornamental peppers was Ex-Plant A/S Breeder Susanne Villemoes.
PROVEN WINNERS ANNUALS
‘Intensia Red Hot’ (16) phlox is a heavy bloomer with brilliantly bright red flowers. It is very heat, humidity and drought tolerant. It plays well in combinations with other medium vigour varieties. John Gaydos, director
of product development and promotion with Proven Winners, said that if you combine it with Intensia White “you have the Canadian flag.”
‘Coral’ (17) is the newest addition to the popular Toucan cannas series. It is a virus-free, free flowering thriller for containers and landscapes and very pollinator friendly. It is heat tolerant and disease resistant, and works well with other high-vigour varieties.
Superbells Double Orchid (18) is a new line of double-flowered calibrachoa with fully double, richly double pink flowers. It has the same performance as other Superbells and has been screened for thielaviopsis resistance. It grows six to 12” in height with a 12 to 24” spread.
PROVEN WINNERS PERENNIALS/SHRUBS
‘Double Take Peach’ (19) flowering quince boasts large, deeply coloured double flowers in early spring. It is drought and heat tolerant and has a mounded habit. It is great for cut flowers and grows 48 to 60” tall, with a spread of 36 to 48”.
Karin Walters of Walters Gardens holds Fruit Punch ‘Cherry Vanilla’
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dianthus (20), which has full double, deep red flowers with a contrasting pink picotee edge. It has wonderfully fragrant, carnation-like flowers, and it blooms in early summer and early fall. Butterflies love it, and thankfully deer aren’t as enamoured. It has a compact habit and is hardy to Zones 4-9. It grows to six to eight feet in height with an eight to 12’ spread.
‘At Last’ rose (21) offers great fragrance with disease resistance. It is low maintenance, with no spraying necessary and no need for pruning. It flowers with vivid orange blooms from late spring though to frost and has a rounded habit. It grows 30 to 36” tall and wide.
SAKATA
Candy Tops (22) is a new snapdragon series from Sakata. It has strong stems and great colours, making them easy to ship and easy to sell. There are five colours in the series – orange, red, rose, white and yellow, along with a mix. It also has wonderful fragrance and is ideal in 4” pots.
‘Profusion Red’ (23) is described as the first true-red zinnia in its class. It was named a 2017 All-America Selections Winner for Superior Garden Performance, the most recent in a series of AAS awards for Sakata. ‘Profusion Red.’ The Profusion series has great uniformity and disease resistance, along with extreme heat and drought tolerance. Profusion now includes nine colours and four mixes.
Looking to display your patriotism this year (or next)? Look no further than the ‘Butter Cream’ and ‘Red Crimson’ additions (24) to the Petunia SuperCal. Posing with them is Mark Seguin, Sakata’s global ornamentals marketing manager. This is a hardy petunia series, with great disease resistance. It does well in the humidity and holds up well in the rain. It has long lasting blooms.
Something you’re seeing more and more of are mixed garden tomato combos, reflecting what consumers are seeing in store clamshells. Consumers can now grow them at home. The Little Birdy cherry tomato combo (25) includes ‘Yellow Canary,’ ‘Rosy Finch’ (pink) and ‘Red Robin.’ This patio or balcony combo offers high yields with a great mix of acidity and sweetness.
SELECTA
Selecta had three varieties that really stood out for me.
‘Pink Sky’ is a great addition to the Headliner series, and dazzles with its vibrant pink flowers accented with white dots. “Pink is a very popular colour,” says Stefan Reiner, head of product development with Selecta (26). “There is a lot of interest in this variety.” ‘Pink Sky’ is a little more compact and less vigorous than ‘Night Sky,’ which is also new this year.
‘Daisy Falls’ (27) is a true trailing osteospermum. It is perfect for early spring but also features excellent summer performance. It has a large flower size and comes in white, pink and purple. It’s wonderful in mixed baskets or by itself.
‘Silver Blue’ (28) is one of two new additions to the MiniFamous Double calibrachoa series. It’s representative of the new doubles Selecta is breeding for with a top mounded habit, better centre branching, bigger flowers and solid colours that don’t fade. “Consumers like doubles because they hold up so well in the garden and baskets, much better than most singles,” says Reiner.
SYNGENTA
The big story out of Syngenta was with the introduction of its Sunfinity Sunflower. It’s going to be a market changer with a strong ability to draw premium prices. It offers non-stop blooming and continuous flowers throughout the season. It can extend the retail season and would work best in 2.5 quart (12”) and larger containers for landscapes or large patio pots. Unlike regular sunflowers, multiblooming plants mean gardeners can cut and enjoy flowers indoors in addition to the garden. There is a complete branding package available to help boost sales. Helping introduce them to visitors was Syngenta’s Terry Talsma (29)
The Dekko petunia series (30) has six colours and fastastic flower power that will be sure to impress consumers. It has exceptional garden performance and its versatility means it works well in everything from small pots to
landscape designs.
And there’s something about seeing poinsettias in early April that can set a heart aflutter – perhaps the thought I’m still paying off my Christmas Visa bill. Titan (31) is a perfect family for early season sales and great for northern regions with lower light intensities and cooler temperatures. It offers impressive cold growing performance in six-inch pots and larger. It’s also an award winner – it was singled out by the prestigious Dutch LTO Trial Award program for its superior post-harvest performance.
And what about geraniums in mixed combos? Dr. Harvey Lang poses with one of his many favourites – Cascade Dreams Mix.(32) The Calliope and Caliente series are especially well-suited to mixed containers.
REGIONAL TRIALS
As we noted in this month’s editorial, CAST is only one source of new varieties you can tour.
For those attending Cultivate’17 in Columbus later this month, the Ohio State University trial gardens will host a pair of open house – Saturday, July 15, from 5-7 p.m., and Monday, July 17, from 5-7 p.m.
Ontario is home to a pair of major trial programs.
The Sawaya Garden Trials are held just east of Simcoe, on Hwy 3. This is probably North America’s largest container trials in a single location, with some 2700 varieties this year. An open house will be held July 26 from 8-5.
Also a must-see for Ontario growers is the garden trial hosted by the University of Guelph at the Turfgrass Institute in Guelph and at the Landscape Ontario offices in Milton, Ontario. Visit plant. uoguelph.ca/trialgarden for more information. Key dates for these trials include:
• Aug. 10 – Open house for U of Guelph trials at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre from 1-3.
• Aug. 17 – Industry Open house from 9-3:30, beginning at Landscape Ontario before concluding at the Turfgrass Institute.
Les Exceptionnelles is the result of a partnership that brings together the expertise of four great Québec gardens: the Jardin Daniel A. Séguin, the Jardin botanique de Montreal, the Jardin Roger Van den Hende of Laval University and the Jardins de Métis. It is coordinated by the Fédération interdisciplinaire de l’horticulture ornementale du Québec (FIHOQ).
CAST CONTINUES NEXT MONTH We’ll be back next month with more highlights of our tour of the California Spring Trials.
Les nameExceptionnelles: says it all for these market pleasers
Quebec consumers and horticulture specialists vote for their garden favourites
BY LUCE DAIGNEAULT
Discover Les Exceptionnelles® 2017, a set of annual plants handpicked by the public and a panel of renowned experts for the benefit of home gardeners and horticulture professionals. The ten plants were chosen for their beauty, performance, easy care, and insect and disease resistance.
The 2017 selection offers a great diversity for use in many different situations (specimen plants, companion plants, mass plantings, container gardens and patio pots, and for sunny, partial shade and full shade conditions, and in various colours – purple, lilac, pink, fuchsia, apricot, lemon yellow … and with varied foliage).
There are Exceptionnelles for all tastes! They are easy, high performance plants!
Les Exceptionnelles is a brand name registered by the Fondation en horticulture ornementale of the Saint-Hyacinthe ITA. This is a non-profit organization in charge of managing the Jardin Daniel A. Séguin’s gardening school, with its mandate to promote, support and develop ornamental horticulture knowledge in Québec. Awarded by the public and by experts, this title is given to new horticultural items that stand out thanks to their performance in the garden, their easy care and their resistance to insects and diseases.
This program is also the result of a partnership that brings together the expertise of four great Québec gardens: the Jardin Daniel A. Séguin, the Jardin botanique de Montreal, the Jardin Roger Van den Hende of Laval University and
the Jardins de Métis. It is coordinated by the Fédération interdisciplinaire de l’horticulture ornementale du Québec (FIHOQ). Please note: the photos in this feature are courtesy of Claude Vallée, agr. M.Sc. professor of horticulture, ITA-Campus Saint-Hyacinthe. The web version of this story on our website will include all 10 photos.
Check www.lesexceptionnelles.ca and www.facebook.com/LesExceptionnelles for more information.
The rise of microbes offers growers some important new IPM tools
In nature, insects and mites are commonly infected and killed by naturally occurring microorganisms (fungi, bacteria, viruses) and nematodes.
BY DRS. MICHAEL BROWNBRIDGE AND ROSE BUITENHUIS
This is part 3 in a six-part series of articles from the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre on thrips (and other pests) integrated pest management, where we will provide practical application tips and tricks, information on new technologies and how it all fits within an overall IPM program.
Microbial biopesticides: In nature, insects and mites are commonly infected and killed by naturally occurring micro-organisms (fungi, bacteria, viruses) and nematodes. Some of these organisms have lent themselves well to commercial development and today several microbial biocontrol agents are registered for pest and disease management in greenhouse crops. These microbial biopesticides are based on bacteria (e.g., Bacillus thuringiensis, B. subtilis, B. amyloliquefaciens, B. pumilus), fungi (e.g., Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium brunneum/anisopliae, Isaria fumosorosea, Trichoderma harzianum, T. virens, T. viride), viruses (e.g., nucleopolyhedrosis viruses) and nematodes (e.g., Steinernema feltiae, S. carpocapsae). These
are marketed under a range of product names. It is important to recognize that even though some products contain the same microbe species, e.g., B. bassiana or B. subtilis, they may show varying levels of activity against different insects or diseases. The scientific name may be the same, but specific isolates, formulation methods and product specifications may vary, affecting efficacy.
For the purpose of this article, we will focus on fungi and nematodes that are registered for control of greenhouse pests, especially thrips.
Fungi: Fungi are the predominant natural pathogens in the arthropod world. They are the only pathogens able to infect their hosts through the body wall and are pathogenic to both insects and mites.
Currently, two registered products are available in Canada: BotaniGard® (based on B. bassiana GHA strain) and Met52® (based on M. brunneum strain F52; formerly classified as M. anisopliae).
Two additional products are currently
Figure 1 - Western flower thrips infected with Beauveria bassiana.
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undergoing registration in Canada: Bioceres® (B. bassiana strain ANT-03; WP formulation) and PFR-97™ (based on I. fumosorosea Apopka Strain 97; WDG formulation). All are considered reduced-risk products, safe for workers and the environment, with a short Restricted Entry Interval.
Mode of action: All of the fungal products contain conidia (spores) with the exception of PFR-97 which contains blastospores. Insect (or mite) infection begins when conidia (or blastospores) come in contact and become attached to the cuticle. Conidia germinate, and penetrate the insect body wall through a combination of mechanical force and production of enzymes that digest the cuticle. The fungus then grows inside the insect body and will eventually kill the host (Figure 1). It may take several days for death to occur and symptoms are typically hard to recognize.
If external conditions are suitable, i.e. high ambient humidity, fungal mycelia will grow out of the insect body, commonly emerging from jointed areas on the legs or abdomen and giving the dead insect a typical ‘fuzzy’ appearance. Under ideal conditions, conidia form on the mycelia and can infect healthy insects that contact them. However, in reality, recycling of the fungus rarely occurs in the greenhouse.
Products: BotaniGard is available in Canada in wettable powder (BotaniGard 22WP) and emulsifiable suspension (BotaniGardES) formulations. They are registered for use against a variety of insect pests, including whiteflies, thrips and aphids.
Met52 is sold as an emulsifiable concentrate (Met52 EC). Originally, a granular formulation of Met52 was available for incorporation into growing media for thrips and black vine
FIGURE 2
Efficacy of Met52-EC alone and in combination with Amblyseius cucumeris agaist western flower thrips and two spotted spider mite. In all cases, the biologicals performed as well as, or better than, the chemical standard Success™ (Spinosad).
weevil control. The EC is very effective as a foliar spray against thrips, whiteflies, aphids and spider mites (Figure 2), or can be applied as a heavy spray to the crop substrate, infecting and killing thrips larvae entering the media to pupate. After a temporary hiatus in production of the fungus in 2016, we have been informed that the EC formulation will again be available in spring/summer 2017.
High temperatures and moisture are detrimental to fungi. To keep the conidia viable for as long as possible, follow the instructions on the label. Under less than ideal conditions, shelf
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life can be as short as three months. Remember, fungi are living organisms and need to be stored and handled appropriately to maintain viability and obtain the best results.
Methods of application: WP and ES/EC formulations are generally applied by spraying against foliar-feeding pests. The fungi work as a contact insecticide so thorough spray coverage is essential to obtain control. Conidia have been formulated to enable easy mixing and suspension of the materials in a spray tank. Spray mixes should be prepared in cool water and used as soon as possible. Leaving the spray tank in direct sunlight or a heated area for an extended period will kill the spores. Similarly, a mix should not be stored overnight and used the next day. Dead conidia will not infect an insect!
If using a hydraulic sprayer, spray to wet the leaves but not to the point of run-off; as with all pesticides, spraying to run-off can actually reduce the amount of active product that remains on the leaf as material may run with the leading edge of the drip and be lost or concentrated along the leaf margin. Low volume sprayers include high-pressure cold foggers and thermal foggers, collectively referred to as ‘low volume mist’ (LVM) sprayers. Although the amount of active ingredient delivered by low volume sprayers per unit area of greenhouse effectively remains the same as that applied through a high-volume system, it is delivered in a much smaller volume of water (carrier). Hydraulic sprayers commonly produce spray droplets that are ~600 µm in diameter, whereas droplets produced by LVM sprayers typically range in size from ~10-70 µm in diameter. In addition, manufacturers of low volume equipment claim that the sprays cover plant surfaces more evenly reaching areas that are usually missed (especially the underside of leaves) and reduce waste by avoiding run off.
There is a shortage of information on the utility of LVM sprayers for microbial biopesticides. Microbial biopesticides are sensitive to high temperature and pressure, factors that are integral to the transformation of product suspensions into droplets. In trials carried out at Vineland, we tested two LVM machines – the Dramm Mini AutoFog™ and the K-22 BIO Portable PulsFOG® – to assess effects of the “fogging” process (cold and thermal) on the viability of Beauveria spores.
The cold fogger had no effect on the viability of B. bassiana conidia, whereas more than 90 per cent of the conidia were killed when applied through the thermal fogger, indicating that the K-22 BIO PulsFOG is unsuitable for application of this biopesticide. Different injection nozzles are used in other PulsFOG models, though, and may be interchanged into the K-22 BIO. Use of larger nozzles could reduce the energy and heat transferred to the conidia during atomization. By avoiding exposure of conidia to potentially lethal temperatures and physical shock, can we preserve the viability of Beauveria conidia and make it feasible to apply the product via a thermal fogger? We will provide additional information on this topic in the future.
There is no limit to the number of times fungi can be applied during a season and preventive programs often incorporate regular fungal sprays. Three sequential applications at seven-day intervals are recommended when pest pressures are low, with repeat applications as pest pressures persist thereafter. Fungi can also be used in rotation with standard insecticides to obtain a quick ‘knock down’ before resuming a preventive spray regime. For control of soil-dwelling stages of pests, e.g., pupating western flower thrips, a heavy spray-drench of Met52 EC to the
FIGURE 3
Average number of thrips per pot (4 chrysanthemum plants) over 8 weeks after soil-treatment with Met52 granules at two rates (Met High, Met Low), Steinernema feltiae (Nemasys®) or a combination of Met52 Low and Nemasys (Combo). The fungus-nematode combination provided the best control overall (red-circled bars).
growing medium is very effective. The fungi persist at infectious levels for two to four weeks in the soil, so applications do not need to be repeated on a weekly basis.
Compatibility: Although fungi can be used as standalone control agents, they are most effective within an IPM program where their action is complementary to other natural enemies (consult side effects guides). BotaniGard and Met52 are compatible with many beneficials on the foliage, and soil applications of Met52 are compatible with S. feltiae and soil predators. Combined applications can provide excellent control of pupating thrips (Figure 3). BotaniGard ES has a mild repellent-effect on whitefly parasitoids for a short period of time after application (24 to 48 hours) owing to volatiles released by the oil used in the formulation. Fungi are compatible with many insecticides (can even be tank-mixed with some) and are compatible with some fungicides. A pre- or post-application period ranging from two to four days may be required for some products (see BioWorks’ website for up-to-date information).
Nematodes: Several nematode species are mass-produced for commercial use. Two are commonly used in greenhouse crops: S. feltiae and S. carpocapsae. Steinernema feltiae is most frequently recommended for control of fungus gnats, thrips and leafminers.
Mode of action: Steinernema feltiae are sold in the ‘infective juvenile’ stage, the only free-living stage in the nematode’s life cycle. Nematodes move through the water film around particles in the substrate (or on the leaf), pinpointing a host along a CO2 gradient produced by the insect.
When nematodes have located a host, they enter through natural body openings. Once inside the host, they release bacteria carried in their guts and toxins produced by the bacteria kill the insect. When the insect dies, the bacteria break down the body contents allowing nematodes to feed and reproduce. Hosts typically die within two to three days following infection.
When external conditions are suitable and if the host is large enough to allow for a complete reproductive cycle, the next generation of infective juveniles leave the dead insect in
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search of new hosts. While nematodes have the potential to ‘recycle,’ this does not normally occur at a high or fast enough rate in the greenhouse, so repeat applications are needed to control pest populations.
Products: Steinernema feltiae is available under various trade names and sold in a variety of formulations, e.g., gels, clay-based, or on inert carriers such as sponges. When purchased, products should be stored at 5 C – do not freeze. They can be stored for two to three
months but gradually lose viability after this period. There are some simple ways in which growers can quickly check the viability of their material; these will be demonstrated in the video accompanying the online version of this article.
Methods of application: There are a few key points to remember when using nematodes, similar to those mentioned above for fungi. Details are provided on the greenhouseIPM.org website that outlines essential steps in the mixing and application of these natural enemies to
ensure they remain healthy and viable, and reach their target in the best possible shape for insect infection to occur. Nematodes can be applied by hydraulic sprayer (less than 300 psi), targeting a heavy spray/drench (sprench) to the substrate. Nematodes have also been applied through overhead spray booms and by drip irrigation. If using drip irrigation, it is important to ensure that nematodes do not settle in the lines or get too hot during application, and that viable nematodes are delivered in high enough numbers along the full length of the drip line.
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Generally speaking, nematodes are considered soil organisms and foliage becomes a hostile environment for them. Although foliar applications may infect some thrips larvae, research shows that thrips are most effectively targeted during the pupal phase, in the growing medium. Consequently, nematode applications typically target the top of the soil. Most applications are made from above the crop canopy. In the early stage of plant growth, the foliage is sparse and sprays can easily penetrate it to reach the soil. As the plants grow and the canopy becomes denser, more nematodes are intercepted by the foliage and fewer reach the soil, resulting in decreased efficacy. At this point, many growers rely on other biocontrol agents for thrips control.
Compatibility: Nematodes are compatible with many insecticides, although growers should refer to side effects guides for the most current product information. As indicated above, nematodes are compatible with fungal products and can even be tank mixed with BotaniGard and Met52 EC. They also function well with foliar predators and parasitoids and are compatible with soil predators (e.g., Stratiolaelaps, Dalotia), although some may snack on the nematodes in the absence of other prey or food. As always, nematodes are best used preventatively. In crops such as chrysanthemum, many growers start their applications during propagation to keep pests like thrips in check. Used correctly, and following a few simple guidelines to keep nematodes happy, they will provide a reliable and consistent level of control within your IPM program.
We appreciate feedback, so if you have any suggestions for topics or comments, please let us know (Rose.Buitenhuis@ vinelandresearch.com; Michael. Brownbridge@vinelandresearch.com).
BEDDING PLANTS: Starting Off on the Right Foot
The key issues are not only related to nutrient deficiencies and toxicities, but also to climate control in the greenhouses.
BY DR. MOHYUDDIN MIRZA
Growing bedding plants is always a challenge in the sense that over hundreds of varieties and cultivars are grown, nurtured and then sold or marketed to clients or customers.
Although we have categorized plants as being high nitrogen users or medium or low nutrient users, deficiencies are still common. This is because bedding plants, like other plants, need 16 “nutrients” to sustain themselves. If growers are not aware of that, then there is the potential for deficiencies or toxicities. That can render plants unsaleable especially if these problems occur right around early
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May. It is like saying, “the customers are ready but the plants are not ready to leave the greenhouse.”
The key issues are not only related to nutrient deficiencies and toxicities, but also to climate control in the greenhouses. Many bedding plant growers are seasonal in nature and greenhouses are not up to par with vegetable operations. Bedding plants are started in late February or early March and growers try to save heat as much as possible. Look at the following pictures (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2).
Many growers install a piece of three-mil poly under the greenhouse roof during winter and spring to
Take care in using poly to assist with energy conservation efforts during winter and spring.
FIG. 1
FIG. 2
save heat. This is probably the cheapest method to conserve energy. What happens is that the warm air from the greenhouse is blocked from rising and thus does not come in contact with the plastic on the roof. These plastic films screens are not tight, so warm, moist air escapes and gets in between the roof and the film and condenses. The puddles of condense water are seen in the middle (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). The puddles must have been forming for several days because algae is growing in them. These puddles pull the plastic down and thus more warm air escapes defeating the original purpose of these plastic films.
Fig. 2 shows how the algae can grow on side walls, indicating a lot of condensation is occurring and staying on the plastic … even cutting down on light.
How does such a climate affect bedding plant? Fungus gnats and shore flies will be in abundance. Although they are considered more of a nuisance, they can transmit fungi, such as pythium, which causes damping off.
There is always an association with high humidity, water puddles and fungus gnats. Also remove old sticky traps especially from sales area (Fig. 3). They don’t look good to customers, especially children accompanying their parents.
Nutritional deficiencies: Nutritional deficiencies are seen in bedding plants every year. Fig. 4 shows multiple issues with petunias. The roots did not develop properly and the plants have lost their ability to absorb nutrients. One can see tip burn due to transpiration demand; lower leaves turning yellow due to nitrogen deficiency; and a purplish tinge indicating not enough phosphorus is being taken up. The result was that plant turned generative and started producing flowers
Fig. 5 shows a serious calcium deficiency in these geraniums. I find that calcium is the most neglected element with bedding plant growers.
When fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphate and potash are sold, there is a mention of “complete” on the label. “Complete” means that according to the Fertilizer Act they have reported what is needed for labelling purposes. Calcium is generally not added into such formulations and calcium from water is not adequate to supply the needs of the plant. Some calcium is available from the lime added to counter the pH of peat
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FIG. 4
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moss but generally it “kicks” in two to three weeks after the growing medium is wetted and root activity starts.
What’s most common is iron deficiency in petunias (Fig. 6), calibrachoa and a few other iron inefficient plants. It is a pH related issue, more alkaline, and it becomes serious if it is not corrected by the time customers arrive. I have written in Greenhouse Canada several times. Check the March 2014 issue (the digital edition is on our website) for information and decision-making tools to manage pH. My recommendation is to correct pH as a priority rather than using iron foliar sprays.
Fig. 7 is another example of a hanging basket ready for sale, however the grower did not pay attention to the pH incompatibility of the petunias and verbenas. Petunias are “iron inefficient” plants and show deficiency when the pH starts going over 6.4, while verbenas are iron efficient plants and don’t show the deficiency. It is difficult to correct the problem at this stage.
It is important to understand the impact of pH in bedding plants production. Many growers get frustrated with their pH meters and stop using them. It’s true that pH meters require constant maintenance and electrodes are expensive to replace and this becomes a source of frustration. Continue to upgrade your knowledge about pH and I am sure great crops can be grown and marketed.
Dr. Mohyuddin Mirza is an industry consultant, drmirzaconsultants@gmail.com.
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FIG. 7
Greenhouse Canada’s annual search for young industry leaders is again underway! Canada is full of young, skilled knowledgeable people helping to drive the industry towards higher goals. From commercial growers and wholesalers to manufacturers, equipment suppliers and allied trades, they are the best and the brightest in our industry. Join us as we celebrate the future of greenhouse horticulture in Canada.
WHO CAN BE NOMINATED?
Anyone in the horticulture or associated industries who is under the age of 40 as of December 31, 2017. Equipment and technology suppliers welcome.
ALL NOMINEES SHOULD:
• demonstrate a strong work ethic
• show leadership and initiative
• actively seek new opportunities for training and education
• be involved in industry associations NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN
To nominate someone to be recognized as one of the Top 10 Under 40, visit greenhousecanada.com/top-10-under-40 to fill out a nomination form. Nominations close on August 11th, 2017.
Sam Bourgeois, Agvocate Apple Producer
THE ROOT CAUSES of Some Common Crop Problems
If you can see a problem with a crop, it’s a good idea to first check what’s going on below the surface. Prevention is the best investment you can make, and it begins the first day the plants go in.
BY MELHEM SAWAYA
As growers, many times we do things by going through the motions of what we did before and whether it worked or not. If what we did before worked we try to repeat it – but that is only if we kept records we can review before starting to grow crops we produced before.
If our previous attempt did not work we change things, hoping doing something different will fix the problem. Most of the time we go overboard on fixing the problem rather than looking into the cause and preventing it. During my 39 years in the greenhouse industry, whenever there has been a problem I will try to fix it, but with an
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emphasis on how to prevent it from happening again. This takes a little more time, but it also means we are not going to have the same problem again. It means fewer headaches and is much more cost effective.
Plant roots are a major part of plant health and most of the time if there is a problem we revert to applying chemicals. This might solve one aspect of the problem but can often create another problem. I will expand on this later.
To be able to prevent problems with the root system, the first step is to be familiar with it.
The plant root system constantly provides the leaves and the stem with water and dissolved minerals.
Graded cuttings produce great final products.
PHOTOS
COURTESY MELHEM SAWAYA
The photosynthate from the leaves are transported to the root system via the phloem. Any obstruction to this process delays the growth of a plant or it grows undesirably.
Fig. 1 at right shows the root structures and their functions.
Root tip: This contains young tissues that divide into the root cap. Root cap meristem cells push cells into the cap region which forms the columella cells that contain amylopasts that are responsible for gravity detection, light and pressure from soil particles. When the columella cells are at the periphery of the root cap they differentiate into peripheral cells that will secrete mucigel, a hydrated polysaccharide that contains sugars, organic acids, vitamins, enzymes, and amino acids. Mucigel helps in:
• Preventing root desiccation.
• Contain inhibitors that prevent root growth of other plants.
• Lubricates the roots so it can penetrate the soil.
• Aids in water and nutrient absorption by increasing soil root contact.
• Act as chelator, freeing up ions to be absorbed by the root.
• Aid in the establishment of mycorrhizae and symbiotic bacteria.
Quiescent Centre: This lies right behind the root cap and the function is to replace the meristemic cells of the root cap meristem.
Subapical Region: This region is right behind the quiescent centre and it is divided into three zones:
• Zone of cell division.
• Zone of cellular elongation.
• Zone of cellular maturation, and it’s this region that has root hairs that function to increase water and nutrient absorption.
Epidermis cells are not covered by cuticle so that they can absorb water and minerals.
Cortex is interior to the epidermis and has three layers:
• Hypodermis, where the suberin in these cells aids in water retention.
• Storage parenchyma cells that store starch.
• Endodermal cells are closely packed, and their radial and transverse walls include lignin and suberin to form the casparian strip that forces water and dissolved nutrients to pass through the symplast (living portion of the cell) which allows the cell membrane to control absorption by the root.
Stele: All tissues inside the endodermis form the stele, which includes the outermost layer; the pericycle is a meristematic layer involved in the production of branch roots. The stele also includes the vascular tissues that comprise the xylem and phloem.
As you can see the root system is an integrated unit of structures and mechanisms and that each part is key in supporting a healthy plant. When the physical environment is optimal around the root system then all cells will function properly and healthy plant growth will prevail.
This quick look at the different structures and parts of the root system stresses the importance of having our growing culture practices in a manner to have the best physical environment that induces plant growth.
Having this brief lesson in root physiology will help us in the practicality of applying the best practices to get healthy roots.
Fungicides should be the last line of defence to achieve healthy roots. They can be costly. Expenses can quickly add
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Excellent roots when applying all the right environmental conditions
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Full of Features
Sawaya Container trials open house 2017
North America’s largest container gardening trials is hosting an open house later this month.
And you’re invited.
The Sawaya Garden Trials open house has been a key date on the industry calendar for many years, attracting growers, buyers and retailers from throughout the province and beyond to view the 2700 varieties on display.
This year’s open house will be held Wednesday, July 26, from 8 until 5. The trials are located at 5113 Hwy. 3, about halfway between Simcoe and Jarvis in Ontario. There is plenty of free parking. Lunch is provided and no pre-registration is required. Representatives of the various breeders will be on hand to discuss their varieties.
The open house is a great networking opportunity for growers, who often share notes with colleagues on what looks good at the trials and what has worked well for them in their greenhouses.
For more information, visit www.sawayagardentrials.ca.
up to thousands of dollars if fungicides are used routinely. I know that firsthand from my previous job when we were drenching every plant transplanted with a fungicide at a cost of $68,000 by the end of the year. Stopping the practice saved the $68,000 and we ended up with healthier plants.
Another example of the unnecessary use of fungicides is in the production of Easter lilies. Some of the literature still recommends drenching them with a fungicide to control pythium and rhizectonia every four weeks. However, for the past 25 years we have grown Easter lilies, have never applied fungicides, and the crop is better than ever.
Watering to make the plants turgid
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and not saturated is the key to healthy roots. Water according to the physical requirements of the plants:
• Small plants need low water volumes but more frequently.
• Small leaf mass plants require less watering and also low volumes.
• Cool temperatures and wet feet will induce diseases. Adjust the watering frequency and the volumes.
Plants should not be watered with flood floors or trough benches until the new growth is over three cm after the pinch. Since we cannot lightly water with these systems then we have to wait until the plants can handle the water volume.
Oxygen is an integral part of root system health.
Graded cuttings produce great final products.
Fertilize with an EC target so we never have to leach and are able to fertilize with every watering. Plants like continuity, they are not much different than human beings because we eat every day and not have only a super large meal once a week. Measure EC levels frequently so you do not over-fertilize or under-fertilize and adjust your rate accordingly.
A cold root media, and it being wetter than normal, is the perfect recipe for establishing root diseases. Do not sabotage your media temperature – you are not saving any money.
Plant only healthy liners or plugs. There is no place for inferior starting material especially if some are good and the others are not and you have to apply the same watering and fertilizing regime. If you have to, sort the good from the bad and treat them differently.
Plants should have good bottom heat at propagation or germination temperatures of 22-23 C. However when roots establish, the air temperature should always be higher than the bottom temperature so the evapotranspiration is higher than the root water absorption.
Inferior unrooted cuttings or seeds should be discarded – there’s no point trying to salvage them. Weak starting material will show through the whole production cycle, and most likely we will have to nurse unhealthy roots.
Sorting plant material upon spacing, especially with any mechanized watering system, is the ultimate insurance for having healthy root systems. Whether it is boom, trough, drip or flood floor small plants cannot be watered like large plants, because the
hydroponic food production
seventh edition
Hydroponic Food Production, Seventh Edition is a comprehensive guide to soilless culture with extensively new and updated contents from the previous edition published in 2001.
The book:
• shows the reader how to set up a hydroponic operation using the many hydroponic cultures presently used in the industry to grow vegetable crops
• provides background in plant physiology and nutrition essential for growing these crops
• describes nutrient formulations and their applications in nutrient solutions with calculations
This practical guide to soilless growing practices provides detailed information on how to design, set up, and operate hydroponic culture systems. Featuring more than 500 photographs, drawings, and tables, the seventh edition of this bestselling book has been extensively updated and expanded.
The text describes the most successful growing cultures to use with specific crops and details media as well as hydroponic techniques. Chapters cover nutrient uptake and mixing as well as deficiencies and their symptoms, plant nutrition, nutrient solution, water culture, tropical hydroponics and special applications, plant culture, nutrient film technique, gravel culture, and more.
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ABOVE: Note the great roots on this lily and this poinsettia –no fungicide treatments were used on either.
root system will be in jeopardy.
Use reputable soil media with no compromise. Something with the proper pH, EC, wetting agent and porosity is the least expensive media when it comes to root health and ultimately business health.
By watching these practical cultural practices we will never need to use fungicides routinely or have to go to biofungicides. If you use fungicides and do not pay attention to these cultural practices, root health is not any better and will most likely be worse because there are many times when fungicides can have negative side effects.
Melhem Sawaya of Focus Greenhouse Management is a consultant and research coordinator to the horticultural industry –mel@focusgreenhousemanagement.com.
Another year of industry growth
Total sales of the greenhouse, nursery and sod industries reached $3.6 billion in 2016, according to StatsCan.
Greenhouse products accounted for 78.5 per cent of all greenhouse, nursery and sod sales.
Greenhouse fruit and vegetable sales were up 3.6 per cent, while flower and plants sales (including resales) increased 0.9 per cent. Ornamental product sales (including greenhouse flowers and plants, nursery products, and sod products) totalled $2.3 billion in 2016.
Total greenhouse flower and plant sales (including resales) totalled $1.5 billion in 2016. Ontario (52.5 per cent), British Columbia (21.3 per cent) and Quebec (10.3 per cent) had the largest shares of total greenhouse flower and plant sales.
Indoor and outdoor potted plants made up the largest share of all flowers and plants produced and sold, accounting for 61.9 per cent of total greenhouse floriculture sales. Ontario was responsible for close to half of potted plant values in 2016.
NEW OUTDOOR POTTED PLANT CATEGORIES
Several new outdoor potted plant categories were added to reporting this year, for example, potted herb plants (10.7 million pots), potted vegetable plants (7.2 million pots) and calibrachoas (2.6 million pots). Geraniums still accounted for the largest variety, with 16.5 million pots produced.
Cut flowers sales decreased 4.5 per cent to $140 million, with Ontario accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the sales in Canada.
Greenhouse vegetable sales totalled $1.3 billion in 2016, or about $175 million higher than the value of field grown vegetables (published in The Daily on Feb. 1, 2017). Sales of greenhouse tomatoes rose 5.9 per cent to $544.5 million, while sales of peppers decreased 1.5 per cent to $419.7 million. Cucumbers had the largest percentage increase, with sales rising 7.4 per cent to $334.2 million. Eggplant sales totalled $7.7 million in 2016.
TOTAL EXPENSES ROSE 3.4 PER CENT
Total operating expenses for greenhouses rose 3.4 per cent to $2.5 billion in 2016. Labour costs accounted for 29 per cent of total operating expenses. The total number of greenhouse employees decreased 1.6 per cent to 32,829, while payroll expenses increased 1.4 per cent to $713.1 million
Greenhouse crop expenses, electricity and plant material purchases continued to increase, while total fuel expenses decreased.
LOWER NURSERY SALES
Total nursery sales (including resales) decreased 11.6 per cent from 2015 to $635.6 million in 2016. This was mainly due to the fact that operations that exclusively produce tree seedlings for reforestation were excluded from these data in 2016.
Nursery operating expenses declined 8.0 per cent to $559.4 million. Labour costs accounted for 36.2 per cent of total operating expenses. The total number of nursery employees fell 11.3 per cent to 11,663, and labour costs decreased 10 per cent to $202.4 million.
CANADA CLASSIFIEDS
Remote monitoring
Sensaphone® will introduce its Sentinel™ remote monitoring system to greenhouse operators, commercial growers and retailers at Cultivate’17, booth 3117, July 15-18. The Sentinel system from Sensaphone uses cloud technology to provide supervised 24/7 remote monitoring of equipment and power at commercial greenhouses, as well as environmental conditions like temperature and humidity that are vital to the health of plants. With the Sentinel system, oaperators easily can access the status of all conditions in real time from any “connected” device to change settings, disable alarms, adjust temperature limits and calibrate temperature sensors right from the Sensaphone iPhone/Android app or sensaphone.net. www.sensaphone.com
Real-time traceability
Dynamic Systems, Inc., a leader in Real-time Traceability Systems announces an end-to-end traceability system for aquaponic, aeroponic and hydroponic growers using the SIMBA line of Barcode Tracking and Labeling Solutions. SIMBA gives the processor the ability to record, label and track their products faster and more accurately while including numerous data points. It uses an automated process to track the produce through each growth stage. It runs on tablets or touch screen computers in the growing area, and collects multiple points of data including such details as produce type, nutrients added, start and end time at each stage, harvest date and time, and so on. The software is able to collect lot or batch numbers and maintain full traceability from seed through growing and packaging. dynamic-systemsinc.com
CLASSIFIED RATES: Minimum order $75.00 or 84¢ per word, word ads must be pre-paid. CLASSIFIED DISPLAYS: $72.00 per column inch, or $5.14 per agate line. GENERAL INFORMATION: Payment must accompany order. Copy required by the 1st of the month preceding publication. All advertising copy subject to the approval of the publisher. Send order and remittance to: Classified Dept., Greenhouse Canada, P.O. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5
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The complexities of managing the media
Over the past few years, Kwantlen Polytechnic University students have been working with local schools (elementary, middle and high schools) to help design gardens. In each case, it has been at the school’s request. This is critical, since it means they have ownership and therefore (hopefully!) commitment. Plans have been driven by specific constraints of the spaces available and any wants/needs of the school community, and these needs were in turn identified by doing surveys of all stakeholders.
Ideas usually include seating areas, lunch tables, grassed areas, (fruit) trees, compost space and storage. As well as food growing spaces, there is always a strong desire for flowers. Due to most school gardens being put in spaces that are currently paved, or are simply muddy areas, growing places inevitably end up utilizing raised boxes/beds that need filling with growing media.
Schools often therefore ask “where do we get soil?” (That said, one school actually dug up a big section of the asphalt parking lot, so soil was not their most immediate purchase!) There are several suppliers of great quality manufactured media in the Lower Mainland, and many of these will do a good deal for projects like school gardens. These are the gardeners of the future after all!
Students and teachers then want guidelines for
media compared to, say, hydroponics.
On the other side of the horticulture coin, a number of schools have student groups building their own small-scale aquaponics systems. That itself leads to the complex debate around the possibility of certified organic hydroponic production, particularly in the U.S., which “is one of the few countries that allows hydroponics to be labeled organic. Mexico, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and 24 European countries (including Holland, England, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain) all prohibit hydroponic vegetable production to be sold as organic in their own countries. This means ‘organic’ hydroponic producers in other countries are often growing exclusively for a U.S. market.”1
“All the world’s problems can be solved in a garden.”
managing these soils. “Water not too much or not too little, until it’s just right…” isn’t enough. And if schools can get this right during term time, there’s always the prickly subject of who is going to look after the garden during summer? This is precisely why schools must take ownership of their garden right from the start! Timers always help, but then plants get watered on set schedules irrespective of actual water requirements.
Once planted and growing, raised beds need to have some management of crop nutrients, providing students an opportunity to learn about chemistry. This fits well with the new experiential learning curriculum of the B.C. education system.
Further, we need to manage the biology of the rootzone – worms, organic matter content, insect pests, beneficials, etc. Often this can lead to discussions around the relative merits of soil-based
In fact, the U.S. National Organic Standards Board (NOSB, purely an advisory committee) recommends that “potting mixtures devoid of or deficient in organic matter capable of supporting a natural and diverse soil ecology are prohibited. For this reason, hydroponic and aeroponic systems are prohibited.”2 But the US National Organic Program (NOP, the actual organic regulatory body), has reported that “there are 17 certified organic hydroponic operations at this time that are certified by USDA accredited certification agencies (ACAs).”2 Fortunately, regulations under the Canadian Organic Products Regulations are much more clear. But I digress, so back to the theme …
It’s fabulous that we’re seeing such an increase in interest in food production, gardens and horticulture technology within our schools. It’s a wonderful opportunity to teach students about the complexities of managing growing media, plant nutrition and the biota of the root zone. And any garden makes a fabulous classroom. After all, Geoff Lawton (permaculturist) famously said that “all the world’s problems can be solved in a garden.”
1 www.Corucopia.org (2015)
2 www.ATTRA.com
Gary Jones is co-chair of Horticulture at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langley, B.C. He sits on several industry committees and welcomes comments at Gary.Jones@kpu.ca.
• Real-time, highly accurate WC, EC and temperature data
• Multi-measurement functionality
• Logging function - up to 2,300 measurements
• Expandable to a MultiSensor System at any time
To learn how GroSens HandHeld can benefit your greenhouse, visit www.grodan.com/grosens or call 1-800-872-2476.
