Dutch grower takes microgreens to a new culinary, and sustainability, level | 18
Licensed to nurse
There’s a void within the Canadian cannabis industry that needs to be filled | 24
Labels matter
5 labelling tactics to shut out food fraud | 42
MAY 2019
Front Steering Cart Trolley
Wellmaster Grizzly Garden Center Cart The 360° Cart
The Du-All Barrow
Silicon vs. powdery mildew
Researchers
By Mary Jane Clark et al.
LILIAN SCHAER
How
SEAN WESTERVELD
BY JORDAN WHITEHOUSE
Tulipa ‘Quebec’ spotted at this year’s Keukenhof in Holland. Photo by: G. Chiu | 34
Greta Chiu | @GreenhouseCan
Grandma’s tulips no more
Greenhouse Canada was recently invited on a press trip to the Netherlands back in March. The purpose? To experience the Tulip Trade Event, a three-day affair that involved open houses from various tulip breeders and exporters. Huge thanks go out to iBulb, the flower bulb marketing association in the Netherlands, for hosting us, taking us to several bulb exporters and ending off the tour at the Keukenhof. Never before had I seen so many tulips in one place – and with such unique-looking varieties to boot. In a cover meeting we had for this May issue, I presented three potential cover images of different tulip varieties to the production team. One photo prompted a colleague to ask, “that’s a tulip?!”
Yes. Gone are the days where a consumer’s only choice was a single, one-colour tulip. Now we have doubles, fringes, parrots and other hybrids to choose from. Not only did we see numerous varieties at the open houses, but multiple bulb exporters displayed each variety
pins that keep the bulb right side up. The trays are then filled with water, which gets refreshed multiple times throughout the forcing process to reduce the risk of disease. Plus, hydroponic forcing is quicker, which helps save on energy and generally leads to a more uniform crop for cuts.
As John Van Koeveringe of Spring Valley Gardens notes in the feature on pg. 34, there really aren’t a lot of pest or disease issues with this crop. This sentiment is echoed by Marco Knol, sales manager at Bot Flowerbulbs. With increasing awareness around pesticide use, it’s time consumers realized how far this sector has come in growing flowers, and growing them with minimal inputs. This educational piece is where consumer flower events like the Keukenhof can play a big role.
Open eight weeks each year, over one million visitors stop by the Keukenhof annually. With seven million flower bulbs planted over 32 hectares, photos from this spring garden would be classified as Instagram-worthy, to say the
...consumer flower events like the Keukenhof can play a big role.
twice – one grown in soil and the other grown in hydroponics.
Based on the literature I’ve come across and conversations in passing, there seem to be pros and cons to each method. But given that 90 per cent of tulips are now forced using hydroponic methods in the Netherlands, it seems that growers are leaning towards one method over the other.
The hydroponic process is an interesting one, and nothing like the images conjured up by greenhouse vegetable systems. Tulip bulbs are placed in special trays, containing
least. Admittedly, mid-to-late March was perhaps not the ideal time for seeing tulips outdoors, but park managers had already taken this into account, planting layers of crocuses, hyacinths, daffodils and tulips to ensure that there’s something in bloom when visitors walk through the gate. Not to mention a large greenhouse full of gorgeous tulips.
Wondering where the image on the front cover came from? It’s Tulipa ‘Quebec’ from inside the Keukenhof greenhouse. Sorry. The Canada 150 tulip (aka Carnaval de Rio) just didn’t make the cut.
Greenhouse vegetable growers win at CPMA
Kingsville greenhouse growers were some of the big award winners at the annual CPMA (Canadian Produce and Marketing Association) Convention and Trade Show in April.
Mucci Farms took home the Freggie Approved Product Award for their CuteCumber Poppers. This award recognizes an exhibitor for their new product designed for children.
Mastronardi Produce came away with the Organics Award for their Sunset-brand Organic Angel Sweet tomatoes, which are packaged in their
new backyard-compostable packaging.
Both awards participated in the New Product Showcase, which featured 54 different products from 39 different companies.
According to the CPMA, this was one of their largest shows to date, “exceeding the size of all past shows in Montreal.” Of the exhibitors, 143 were international and 132 were Canadian.
Compostable packaging, sustainable practices and methods for improved efficiency were some of the big themes at this year’s show.
ALBERTA LEGISLATES ORGANIC LABELLING
Alberta has taken steps to ensure accuracy in organic labelling.
The Supporting Alberta’s Local Food Sector Act came into effect at the beginning of April. Any Albertaproduced agricultural products sold or labelled as organic in Alberta must be certified through a third-party certification body, and in accordance with federal Organic Products Regulations.
Uncertified producers and processors must submit an application to the certifying body who will review the application. If the operation is in compliance with the standard, an inspector will conduct a site visit and submit a report to the certifying body. If the certifying body finds the farm or processor in compliance with the Canadian Organic Standard (COS), it
will issue an organic certificate listing the farm’s organic products. The process is repeated annually.
Even though Albertans are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about their food, there is still considerable confusion and mistrust about what defines organic.
“In Alberta 74 per cent of all Albertans buy organic, but one of the things that we
BY THE NUMBERS – Spotlight on microgreens
Source: Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, 2018
often hear is how do I really know that it is organic, how do I trust it? Now because of the legislation, all Albertans can have complete confidence that all local food that says it is organic meets the stringent federal organic standards that are regulated by CFIA,” says Becky Lipton, executive director of Organic Alberta. “You can trust the label, it’s the law.”
Offering season-long flowering and survival in landscape plantings, this series from Syngenta is highly resistant to ten of the most virulent isolates of Phytophthora nicotianae that cause Phytophthora blight on annual vinca. Improved branching, uniformity and free-flowering makes it ideal for premium packs and small to larger pots. Large showy flowers in a wide range of solid and high-demand bicolour patterns for this disease-resistant vinca. Mounded habit. 36-41 cm tall, 46-51 cm wide. syngentaflowers-us.com
This Realflor series of Leucanthemum x superbum shasta daisies offers well-branched, floriferous varieties with unique flower forms, improved disease resistance and upright habits. New ‘Real Neat’ features multi-
Beacon Violet Shades Impatiens
Double Dark Eyes Fuchsia Windchimes Basket
The daylength neutrality of this series from Green Fuse eliminates the need for lighting, so it’s ready when the season hits. A compact habit allows more baskets on the racks. An upright branched habit and tol-
Amore King of Hearts Petunia
Featuring regal-red and white blooms, five perfect, clear-red hearts are highlighted by bright white. King of Hearts flowers early, with a mounding habit and
erance of high light and heat makes an excellent landscape plant. Good in mixed containers as well as 4” and 6” pots. Finish time ranges from 7 to 10 weeks, depending on pot size. green-fuse.com
large blooms that show good resistance to rain. Unique red colour truly captures consumers’ attention at retail. 12-15 cm pot size. danzigeronline.com
Veronica Purple Illusion Magic Show
Joining the Magic Show
Veronica series comes ‘Purple Illusion’, a brand new colour for the collection, featuring thick, rosy purple flowers. Dark green leaves form a thick foliar canopy, so the plant has substance
even after it has finished blooming. Does require vernalization to bloom. Full sun to part sun. Deer-resistant and attracts butterflies. Zones 4 to 8. 41-46 cm tall, 41-46 cm wide. waltersgardens.com
ple rows of perfectly fluted, horizontal petals and solid gold centers that draw in bees and butterflies. Deer-resistant and frost-tolerant. Zones 5a to 9b. 41-91 cm tall, 36-51 cm wide. planthaven.com
Bring Impatiens walleriana back into production without the risk of disease. Beacon impatiens from PanAmerican Seed offer high resistance to the currently known and widely prevalent populations of Plasmopara obducens, which cause
downy mildew in Impatiens. Season-long colour with mounded, upright habit. Four to five weeks plug crop time, three to four weeks from transplant to finish. 25-30 cm tall, 30-36 cm wide. beaconimpatiens.com
Flame Pro Phlox Baby Doll
Great for row run production and harvest, the Flame Pro series from Dümmen Orange has all five colours flowering within seven days of each other. Offering a long flowering window, vibrant colours and large umbels, it’s perfect for late spring and summer retail sales. Upright habit. dummenorange.com
The Silver series is a Dwarf Curry Helichrysum that offers superior branching and drought tolerance. Soft, silver foliage, low-maintenance and not overly aggressive. Small, round, needle-like foliage with a compact, mounding habit. Zones 7a-7b. 25-36 cm tall, 15-36 cm wide. selectanorthamerica.com
Helichrysum Silver Stitch
Realflor Collection Real Neat
Growing your greenhouse, one business plan at a time
The business planning process is a critical tool for the creation, expansion or diversification of any business, and it needs to be updated regularly. A business plan is essentially a game plan – a written record of goals and how to reach them. It should describe the product or service offered, customers and market competition, management and financial arrangements, as well as a marketing plan.
Planning is essential to the success of any greenhouse business and helps to:
• Define goals and outline roles and responsibilities
• Set benchmarks to compare progress
• Provide documentation often required by financial institutions, lenders, and government assistance programs
• Make decisions and communicate with employees, family and investors
While you may use outside professionals such as lawyers and accountants to help develop a business plan, keep in mind that you are the one who will have to present, summarize and answer questions about it. Set aside the time required to complete and get familiar with your business plan.
needs your product or service.
A business profile should include a brief description of your company’s organization and ownership.
Marketing plan: Describe the industry in which you operate, your strategy to penetrate or develop the target market, your sales targets, who your customers are, how your products will be priced, and how you will promote your product.
Make sure to address the four “P’s” of marketing: product, price, promotion and place. The plan should also strategically identify where you are now, where you want to be and how to get there.
Depending on the type of greenhouse product and market, you may want to outline some of the marketing requirements and activities that are unique to that product. For example, if you are a greenhouse vegetable grower, you may want to address that your products will usually be marketed through an organization such as Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG).
Production plan: Provide a brief outline of your business’ basic operation. Remember that what is obvious to you as an operator may not necessarily be obvious to others.
Human resources plan: Identify the people operating and advising your business, explaining how each area of the business will be handled and by whom.
...keep in mind that a good business plan is one that gets used.
If you are thinking of starting a greenhouse operation or looking to diversify or expand, a business plan can help you assess your idea. As you begin, examine every aspect of your business carefully, being realistic in assessing what your capabilities are as well as the opportunities and challenges. Consider the following questions:
• What is the purpose of my business?
• What is the specific market I want to fill? Are customers willing and able to purchase my product or service?
• What are my business goals?
• Do I have the necessary skills, abilities and knowledge?
• How much money do I need at start-up and beyond? Do I have the resources? If not, where could the funds come from?
A typical business plan is comprised of the following components:
Summary and business profile: Outline at a high level your purpose and business concept – in other words, why you believe the marketplace
Outline how you intend to identify, recruit or promote key people and maintain a strong sense of collective achievement among all employees.
Financial plan: Create financial projections for business revenue, expenses and cash flow. This is the backbone of your business plan. It should include an income statement, cashflow summary, balance sheet, capital sales and purchases, and a financing schedule.
A professional business plan lays out a chart for your greenhouse operation’s success. Remember that this plan is intended to be a “living” document and should be referred to often and changed as needed. Also equally important, keep in mind that a good business plan is one that gets used.
Mark Ferguson is the business management specialist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, mark.ferguson@ontario.ca.
TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
GRETA CHIU | greenhousecanada.com
Dual use for solar modules
There’s something different about the glass at Freeman Herbs – it’s pink.
Above a half acre of Freeman’s production space, the southern-facing panes of rooftop glass have been replaced with specialty solar modules. Each one combines two key pieces of technology: a light-polarizing backsheet and a photovoltaic (PV) cell, explains Patrick Gossage, product innovation & business development manager at Heliene, an Ontario-based solar technology manufacturer.
The polyurethane backsheet filters out green
ABOVE
The half-acre trial installation at Freeman Herbs tests the ‘racing stripe’ pattern (near the back of the photo) against the ‘checkerboard’ pattern (near the front).
light while enhancing red and blue wavelengths for the plants below. Red and blue wavelengths have previously been shown to elicit positive effects on plant growth, and form the basis for a number of horticultural LED technologies.
The PV cells serve a different function. They take in light from the sun and green light filtered from the pink backsheets, converting both into electricity for greenhouse use. These are bifacial solar cells, adds Gossage. “They generate electricity from both sides, not just at the top where the light strikes it. If there’s reflection from the ground up or [from] another surface, it will generate electricity.”
The glass itself is solar glass, which diffuses and spreads out the incoming light, regardless of the angle of the sun. It helps minimize the shading effect of these solar cells, explains Gossage, while reducing the chances of crop burn under high light conditions.
In states like Massachusetts and California, land that was owned specifically for agriculture has been completely replaced by solar farms. They’re no longer productive from an agricultural standpoint, explains Gossage. By putting these solar modules on greenhouses, agricultural land can now generate electricity while continuing to grow produce.
Having conducted a number of smaller trials throughout North America, this installation at Freeman Herbs is by far the largest. “We’ve got 600 modules and these were all retrofitted into the existing 25-year-old greenhouse,” says Gossage. Unlike traditional solar technologies, the modules are integrated to become the actual roof of the building. It wasn’t easy with glass that had been there for over 20 years, he laughs.
Heliene is in the process of testing two different PV cell arrangements to study their impact on crop growth. One is a ‘racing stripe’ pattern, placing full PV cells in a linear fashion. The second is made of full PV cells cut into quarters and arranged in a ‘checkerboard’ configuration to minimize shading. Both take up about a third of the module space, leaving the rest of the light to filter down to the crop. However, the full cells are slightly more cost-effective from a manufacturing standpoint, explains Gossage, so they can be sold at a lower price point. The quarter cells are also more fragile to handle.
“Our hypothesis is that, because of the solar glass diffusing the light and the height of the ceiling of the greenhouse, the same amount of light should penetrate both designs,” says Gossage. “We should see no real difference in terms of crop growth, but we still need to test that.”
Over the course of this year, Niagara College will be conducting a detailed analysis on the data collected at Freeman Herbs. It’ll be interesting to see how different crops respond under different light conditions and module configurations, says Gossage.
The half-acre trial is predicted to generate five to 10 per cent of the total energy needs through this 66-kilowatt system. As to the potential cost savings offered by the technology, Gossage says it’ll differ depending on the facility, cost of electricity, and light levels, among other considerations. “The value proposition will be higher in areas where energy is more expensive,” he explains, adding that Heliene will be looking to partner with greenhouse projects in native communities, where the cost of energy is extremely high.
PHOTO CREDIT: GREENHOUSE CANADA
GROWER
... IS GROWING!
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER ONLINE AT:
JUNE 18TH
Flourishing in the technological age
Topics include:
• Biofungicides: Microbe vs. microbe
• Managing pests in the digital age
• Clean water: Filter by design
• Grounds for a DIY mix
• Software solutions for greenhouse automation
• The payback on mechanization: A tale of two growers
• Lighting & plant science: A deep dive into using smart LED lighting
• How to co-exist with your cannabisgrowing neighbour
JUNE 19TH
Cultivating your cannabis enterprise
Topics include:
• Innovation in cannabis cultivation
• Safety in cannabis product
• Going organic
• The business case for outdoor grow
• All about hemp
• Procedures and protocols
• Business briefs
• Product packaging
• KEYNOTE: Security and Risk Management for your Cannabis Business
EXPANSION PLANS grow south
Industry expansion south of the border for Canadian greenhouse operators seems to have slowed for now, but industry development in Ontario is booming.
Some Canadian greenhouse operations continue to expand south of the border, while others postpone the move.
BY TREENA HEIN
A few years ago, AMCO Group in Leamington, Ontario had planned to move ahead with an expansion in Florida, but has since decided against it. AMCO already has 17 acres of year-round cucumber production under HPS lights, and is planning to convert 13 more acres of existing greenhouse space similarly in 2019. “With increased costs of freight and the cost of business in
ABOVE
general going up, we want to keep things centralized, so rather than building in Florida to help meet our year-round supply requirements, we are going to grow more here,” says AMCO sales and purchasing manager Mitchell Amicone. “The electrical capacity already exists, and we just need to install the new lights.”
Amicone says demand is strong for cucumbers and that they continue to work with many suppliers in Mexico to manage orders. “But sometimes during high-demand times of year, it can be hard to source produce from [other]
Ohio-grown greenhouse tomatoes will allow NatureFresh Farms to supply more than 20 million people within a five-hour radius. HPS lights compensate for lower light levels between November and March.
Total Ontario Summer Cucumber Exports by Month (kg)
According to Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, Ontario summer greenhouse cucumber exports have continued to display strong growth and performance since 2009.
suppliers,” he reports, “so having more of our own year-round capacity gives us more independence.”
In 2014, Kingsville-based Mastronardi Produce completed phase two of their 60-acre year-round operation in Coldwater, Michigan. Four years later, they announced phase one of a new build – a 71.6-acre glass greenhouse in New York for their Backyard Farms-branded tomatoes.
Leamington-based NatureFresh Farms also began building a 45-acre site in Delta, Ohio in 2014, but that has not stopped them from expanding domestically. “We are currently expanding 32 acres of HPS-lit crop in Leamington, Ontario that will start production in summer 2019, supporting our winter program,” says NatureFresh marketing project manager Kara Badder. “Our business growth has provided opportunities to expand our farms and focus on year-round growing in Leamington and Mexico.” There is potential for futher expansion in Ohio and elsewhere, she explains, as long as there’s demand.
Sun in the future.”
High energy prices in recent years have certainly been one factor...
Red Sun Farms has always considered itself a North American company, Neill says. She adds that “the main reasons our facilities are strategically located across North America is to better serve our partners. Different locations allow us to plan produce production 365 days a year. It’s all about having a conducive climate when selecting a location with favourable growing conditions. In addition, this allows us to be in closer vicinities to key retailer locations.” Red Sun operates on a vertically-integrated business model. This approach helps them close the gap between grower, retailer and consumer, by controlling multiple aspects of the supply chain, from seed selection to shipment.
Currently, Red Sun Farms based in Kingsville, Ontario, also has operations in Dublin, Virginia and in Mexico. “As an organization, we are always looking at expansion to better serve our retail, foodservice and [other] partners’ needs,” says spokesperson Leona Neill. “Although we are not prepared to formally announce any new projects at this time, don’t be surprised if you hear some growth announcements from Red
In 2017, Mucci Farms, also in Kingsville, completed their first phase of construction (24 acres) of a new 75-acre greenhouse in Huron City, Ohio. The entire 75-acre facility will be growing primarily tomatoes on-the-vine and some snack-sized specialty tomatoes. All the acreage will be equipped with supplemental HPS lighting for year-round production. The firm states on its website that “with such a high volume of our product already being shipped to the US, expanding into Huron was strategically done to improve efficiencies with logistics and food safety. Our proximity to market and avoiding a border crossing improves our opportunity to offer consumers with fresh, flavourful products with maximum shelf life.”
B.C. Greenhouse Growers’ Association executive director Linda Delli Santi remarks that some BCGGA members have expanded into Arizona, California and Utah. Some BC operators have moved into the US because it’s effective for year-round production, she explains. BC greenhouses export somewhere between 60 and 75 per cent of their provincial production to the US (peppers and tomatoes), and also export peppers to Japan.
As for expansion within BC, Delli Santi notes that there are many costs currently facing the industry there, such as minimum wage hikes that will surpass Ontario’s, a new health tax, and new issues and possible fees associated with the use of temporary foreign workers. Following a rupture of the natural gas pipeline in 2018, a shortage in capacity was discovered. Volatility in pricing has led to widely fluctuating costs of $3 per GJ to $203 per GJ, depending on the day, and this will likely continue for some time, she says. Currently running at about 85 per cent of its former capacity, potential projects are being discussed to increase pipeline capacity.
PUSHED BY HIGHER COSTS
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) estimates that over the last six years, Ontario greenhouse businesses have invested upwards of $220 million USD to start additional operations in the US. OGVG general manager Joseph Sbrocchi hasn’t heard of any new announcements of expansion into the US or Mexico this year thus far, but would not be surprised if more materialized.
High energy prices in recent years have certainly been one factor in Ontario greenhouse businesses making investments south of the border, and Sbrocchi says input costs in Ontario still don’t compare to what’s available in many US states. In terms of natural gas, OGVG science & government relations manager Dr. Justine Taylor notes that “while Ontario’s Cap and Trade program has been revoked, without an alternative provincial plan in place, the federal backstop plan came into effect April 1, 2019 and imposes a carbon tax on the majority of fuel sources at $20/tonne CO2. After much discussion with the federal government, greenhouse growers will see targeted relief in the form of an 80 per cent reduction.”
Sbrocchi says it remains to be
ABOVE
Red Sun Farms currently has operations in Dublin, Virginia (pictured above) as well as Mexico, allowing them to plan production 365 days a year.
seen how this change will impact competitiveness on a global scale, but notes that “other changes made by the new provincial government, such as planned ‘red tape’ reductions and pausing additional minimum wage hikes, will also provide some needed relief for greenhouse operations here.”
In terms of future industry growth in the US, Mexico and Ontario, Sbrocchi believes the demand for greenhousegrown produce will continue to grow in all jurisdictions. Indeed, OGVG reports that the greenhouse industry in Ontario has been in a construction boom for quite some time and it’s now ramped up, with greenhouse construction firms now being booked solid for the next two years.
However, the legalization of recreational cannabis has slowed the expected overall growth of acreage dedicated to vegetables to some extent, says Sbrocchi, and “the opportunity to construct new facilities is limited by many factors, including the ability to mobilize resources.”
Looking at the big picture of expansion, it’s Sbrocchi’s view that consumers’ desires for food produced locally, with a low carbon footprint due to short transport distances, is still at this point, not to be underestimated.
“So, that’s a plus for investing in various locations,” he notes. “To look at it from a balanced perspective; there are benefits to setting up on both sides of the border. There are many factors at
play besides those already mentioned. We have better foreign worker access here than in the US, for example; but most importantly, the overall market continues to expand for our products.” For example, Ontario cucumber exports are higher than ever, and most go to the US.
ELIMINATING BORDER RISK
Andrew Morse, executive director of Flowers Canada Growers, does not have a clear sense of how many floral operations have expanded south, but notes that some farms have been “solicited” by US states. “Very few have fully moved operations, though some have expanded in the US,” he says. Reasons why a firm would start operations in the US, he adds, include reduction of cost plus a desire to increase market area and access to workers. “Moving eliminates border risk,” he says, and notes in addition that “southern climates can be beneficial to production of some plants.”
It’s difficult to predict, says Morse, whether expansion south of the border will continue and at what pace, with issues like the carbon tax making business in Canada more difficult. “Canadian flower farms have not invested in other jurisdictions as rapidly as other industries, but if policy decisions continue to put Canadian farms at a disadvantage compared to farms in other jurisdictions,” he says, “Canadian farms will continue to explore investment in other countries.”
TASTY, ECO-FRIENDLY innovation
Specialty greenhouse microgreen producer a global leader in sustainable innovation.
BY LILIAN SCHAER
BELOW
Koppert Cress offers a variety of fresh, ready-to-eat microgreens with unique tastes.
Imagine popping a tiny green seedling into your mouth. You’re pretty sure you know what it’s going to taste like. But then your taste buds are hit with a completely unexpected flavour that reminds you of spicy horseradish.
What you’ve just tried is called Zorri Cress, the young seedling of the Nasturtium, a popular flower mostly grown as an annual with recent interest in Canada as an edible ornamental.
Zorri Cress is part of the greenhouse living micro-vegetable collection called “Architecture Aromatique” that is grown and marketed by Dutch company Koppert Cress. Their innovative approach to both product and marketing has garnered Koppert Cress, and particularly its dynamic CEO Rob Baan, a multitude of awards from the vegetable industry, the culinary world and even the Dutch royal family.
“Agriculture can have an important role in the future and we strongly believe in metropolitan farming where you feed the city from the outskirts,” Rob’s son Stijn explains during a tour of the company’s facilities this past summer.
Their greenhouses are located in the town of Monster, part of the Westland municipality that lies about 10 km southwest of The Hague, the third largest city in the Netherlands with a metropolitan population of more than one million people.
Koppert Cress’ history goes back 30 years, but it wasn’t until Rob Baan bought the company in
2002 that it started down its current path to success in the specialty produce industry, growing from 15 employees to more than 260 today. Their product, as the name suggests, is cress – but they’re far from the ordinary cress or sprouts most Canadian consumers are used to.
LEFT
Inside Koppert Cress’ 1.7-hectare production greenhouse facility in Monster, Netherlands.
...they’re far from the ordinary cress or sprouts most Canadian consumers are used to.
Cresses are small seedlings of plants with unique flavours, fragrance or appearance. Koppert Cress specializes in rare, all-natural varieties of heirloom herbs and vegetables grown from seeds they’ve sourced from around the world. Once grown in their greenhouses, they’re sold wholesale as cut or living microgreens.
“There is a significant difference between sprout and cress,” said Jan van Berkel, communications officer at Koppert Cress. A cress is a seedling and a living young plant that can become a full-sized plant. A sprout is a germinate seed that will not grow to the same maturity, and its warm, damp germination environment can be a breeding ground for harmful organisms. “This is virtually impossible in cress,” he said. Sprouts and cress are differentiated in the EU. Depending on the plant, a cress
crop can take anywhere from five to 28 days to reach market readiness. Once harvested, the plants spend one night in a cooler before the computer controlled system releases them for market. Shelf life is guaranteed for five days after purchase, but some plants can be used for up to 30 days, according to Stijn.
New plants are added to the lineup every year. Last November, for example, saw the launch of Sweet Peeper, as an accent for soups and salads with its yellow leaves, pink shoots and dry, bittersweet flavour. Sweet Lov, a newly germinated corn kernel, was introduced last June and can be used as a garnish, in salads or desserts, or even as a sugar substitute in some dishes.
“We sell to high-end gastronomy. Our product can’t be sold over the phone; we looked at the Michelin guide for chefs and went to visit them with samples,” said Stijn of how the company started to build its markets.
“Cress is still mostly a garnish and not an ingredient, but consumers do pay a bit more attention at Christmas and at Easter,” he said.
To raise awareness, Koppert Cress launched an educational program in 2017 for culinary students in the United Kingdom to teach them how to use microgreens for nutrition and flavour, not just for decoration.
Approximately 20 per cent of the company’s production is sold wholesale in the Netherlands, with twothirds of the remaining crop marketed in Europe to Scandinavia and western European countries. Russia, Dubai and China are also lucrative markets where Koppert Cress has established a customer base and hopes to grow its footprint in the future.
“Our ambition is to have production in China,” says Stijn.
In North America, the company has a licensed partner in the United States. The high-end microgreens are grown in greenhouses on Long
Island and distributed throughout the country through a network of fruit and vegetable wholesalers.
Koppert Cress’ innovative approaches are driven by Rob Baan and his vision to change the way people look at fresh food and health. His career in the horticultural industry prior to owning Koppert Cress took him to over 70 countries around the world, where he became exposed to a wide range of cultures, foods and experiences that have influenced the products his company is bringing to market.
“’Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food’, this is our philosophy,” said Stijn, adding the company considers food to be the “green pharmacy” that can address many modern health issues.
Their belief in food and health is evident even in Koppert Cress’ own operations; the company provides a daily free lunch for its staff based on fruits and vegetables in the company’s canteen, Rob & Bob Fair Food. It’s part of helping employees meet the Dutch government’s minimum consumption guideline of 250 grams of vegetables per person per day in the Netherlands.
According to Stijn, healthy food has to look good and taste good for people to want to eat it. That, coupled with the unique nature of many of their products, was the reason for the 2006 opening of Koppert Cress’ Cressperience, the company’s in-house meeting facility. Featuring a high-quality test kitchen coupled with a state-of-the-art meeting room, it’s designed to bring horticulture and gastronomy together to exchange ideas and encourage innovation.
Although the company has been recognized with many awards over the years, the one they’re most proud of, according to Stijn, is the King Willem Award for Sustainable Entrepreneurship they received in 2016. It recognizes sustainable innovation annually in small and large Dutch organizations.
Sustainable innovation was certainly the theme behind their newest greenhouse: no fossil fuel is used to heat the greenhouse. In fact, thanks to its energy harvesting capabilities and storage capacity, it even provides energy for the handful of homes across the street from the facility.
“We harvest heat; cold water becomes warm and we store water in the ground so [we] already have heat for the next winter to heat the greenhouse,” Stijn explained. “We also collect heat from the LED lights and from the coolers.”
Although such a system isn’t cheap, the energy savings are sufficient enough that Koppert Cress estimates a return on its investment in only three years.
They’ve also started down a path to become the first business in the Netherlands with a food CO2-neutral company restaurant. Their data analysis showed that the restaurant emitted 43.4 tons of CO2 in 2017. The goal is to reduce that by increasing emphasis on plant-based food products, ensuring that all food purchases are seasonal and local, and planting trees for emissions that can’t be reduced.
Despite the awards and the ongoing innovation, there’s one thing that has so far eluded even innovators like Koppert Cress.
“The Holy Grail is a plant that tastes like chocolate or coffee bean; we haven’t found that yet,” said Stijn.
KEEPING MILDEW off your basil
Downy mildew is a relatively new problem for basil. Here are proactive measures that can help you manage the disease in the greenhouse.
BY DR. SEAN WESTERVELD
Basil downy mildew is a relatively new disease of both field and greenhouse basil in Ontario. The disease requires diligent management in the greenhouse. Diseased plants that enter from the field or garden can contribute to epidemics if weather conditions permit. The incidence of diseased plants in retail locations has decreased in the past few years due to better management in greenhouses. To further reduce the incidence of this disease, diligent management is needed
Caused by the fungus Peronospora belbahrii, basil downy mildew first appeared in Switzerland in 2001 and has since spread to numerous countries in Europe, Africa, and North and South America. While it does have several other hosts in the mint family, none of them have been grown for commercial purposes. It was first reported in Ontario greenhouses around 2009, with the first reports in field basil occurring towards the end of the 2010 growing season. Once initial infection occurs, the disease rapidly spreads, and basil plants become unsightly. Since the disease is likely to spread within infected plants after the plants are sold, basil plants with any level of infection should be considered unmarketable.
The disease is spread by wind, movement of infected plant material (e.g. potted plants, produce), and probably by seed. In greenhouses, the most likely sources of contamination are either infested seeds at any time of year or airborne spores coming from field and garden basil between mid-summer and early fall. Once in the greenhouse, the disease can easily spread from crop to crop in operations with year-round production. Basil downy mildew requires warm temperatures and high humidity for optimal infection and development. In greenhouses, these conditions are most prevalent in the fall when there is less sunlight but still minimal heating to dry the air. These conditions can also occur within dense plant canopies at any
time of the year.
While greenhouse conditions are less favourable for disease in the spring, infections can still occur. It is at retail where the disease can thrive. Plants are often crowded in with other plants, frequently watered, and often placed in a location out of the wind and sunlight. This greatly increases the humidity around the plants and allows any minor infections to spread rapidly. Affected plants would probably be defoliated within a few weeks of sale.
Control of basil downy mildew requires a multi-faceted approach. This includes using resistant cultivars, making conditions less ideal for the disease, applying pest control products, and constantly scouting to ensure that management strategies are working. Since any level of infection is unacceptable, prevention is very important. This is not a disease that you can manage successfully after it shows up in the crop.
ABOVE
Initial symptoms of the disease include the yellowing of a section on the basil leaf.
For the first time since the outbreak began, new downy mildew resistant cultivars are starting to be released on the US market for the 2019 season. A cultivar is considered resistant if it either completely prevents infection by the pathogen, or if it is infected but no symptoms of the disease appear. Information on many of these new cultivars can be found on Cornell University’s basil downy mildew information page (http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/ NewsArticles/BasilDowny.html).
Not only is the use of these new cultivars an important tool for successful greenhouse production, but it also means a longer life for the plants outdoors once they are sold. All other cultivars of sweet, Genovese, bush and purple basil are usually defoliated by the disease by mid- to late-August, or earlier if weather conditions are favourable. It may take a few years before resistant cultivars can replace all the different types of basil preferred by consumers, and availability of resistant cultivars
PHOTO CREDIT: OMAFRA
ABOVE
Clockwise from top: A basil plant is completely defoliated by downy mildew in the field; entire leaves show signs of yellowing as the disease progresses; spores of the disease appear on the underside of a leaf.
may be limited for the 2019 season. Spice, Thai and Indian basils appear to be naturally resistant to the disease.
Even if resistant cultivars are available, it is likely that resistance will break down after several years. Based on experience with other crops, there is usually an endless battle between new cultivars with resistance and new strains of the pathogen that can break down the resistance. Some cultivars may only be tolerant to the disease, meaning they are less affected compared to susceptible cultivars, but not immune to the effects of the disease. As a result, it is important to continue to use other preventative strategies even if the cultivar is reported to be resistant to the disease.
Downy
For year-round production, control of humidity is essential, especially in the late summer and fall. Infrared lamps have been used with some success to warm leaf surfaces at night, reducing humidity on the leaf’s surface. Continual airflow with fans can reduce humidity within the plant canopy. This depends on plants being adequately spaced to promote good airflow. Unfortunately, if humidity is not controlled successfully, fans will only encourage the spread of any disease that develops in the crop. At the garden centre, place basil in areas with good airflow around the plants and as open to the sun as possible. Water only when necessary and avoid wetting foliage as much as possible.
Several conventional pest control products are registered for the control of basil downy mildew in the greenhouse. Unfortunately, there are no organic products that provide acceptable control of the disease. Products should be applied before the disease appears, when conditions are favourable for disease development. This includes periods with high humidity in the canopy and when airborne inoculum is likely, such as late summer and early fall. Apply a rotation of registered products to delay the development of resistance.
mildew was first reported in Ontario greenhouses around 2009...
It is important to remember that basil is an edible crop and cannot be treated as an ornamental. Only products that specifically list control or suppression of basil downy mildew in greenhouses should be applied. A listing of registered products for field and greenhouse production is provided in the Herbs section of OMAFRA Publication 837 Vegetable Crop Protection Guide. Always confirm the success of your control strategies through regular scouting. If you catch the disease early enough, you can remove and destroy affected leaves or plants and immediately spray the crop with fungicides. This may prevent the spread of the disease within the crop.
Sean Westerveld, PhD, is the ginseng and herbs specialist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. He can be reached at sean.westerveld@ontario.ca.
STARTING YOUNG in the cannabis nursery game
The cannabis nursery industry is teeming with potential. But with requirements that differ from the standard cultivation licence, how does one get started in this uncharted territory?
BY JORDAN WHITEHOUSE
Ian Davidson doesn’t mince words when talking about opportunities in the cannabis nursery game right now. “They’re profound,” says the 15-year industry vet. “There are cannabis specialists in extraction, in packaging, in marketing, you name it, but show me a single operating cannabis nursery in Canada.”
As of February this year, Health Canada has had 10 applications for nursery licences under review. No nursery licences had been issued at the time of print.
That may change come spring and summer, however, as some of the early applicants make it through the months-long licensing process. That’s good news, says Davidson,
ABOVE
now the chief marketing officer at Vancouver-based Segra International. “There’s definitely a bottleneck in the access to [young] plants, and it’s stifling the growth of the industry.
Producers are all complaining about the limited access to plants.”
While not a nursery per se, Segra is applying for a cannabis nursery licence because they intend to develop and sell cannabis plantlets produced in a lab using plant tissue culture. They’re currently renovating a 4,000-square-foot micropropagation lab in New Westminster (a municipality of Vancouver) and vetting other micropropagation spaces on the Lower Mainland, while anticipating a nursery permit from Health Canada
The nursery licence is a sub-class of the cannabis cultivation licence.
PHOTO CREDIT: SEGRA
for this space in the near future. They have a molecular biology lab in Richmond, British Columbia, as well.
But Segra is also already legally operating inside four of the largest licensed producers in Canada. They’re doing so, says Davidson, not just because they don’t have a licence themselves, but because they’re trying to win the trust of other producers. It’s a big ask, after all, to hand off the very beginning of one’s supply chain.
Still, that hand-off is something that more producers are going to have to consider, says Nico Haché, a cultivation expert with Cannabis Compliance, a Canadian cannabis consulting firm. “Some licence holders are incorporating a nursery aspect on a full standard cultivation licence, but I don’t think they’ve realized yet how much work they’re going to have propagating and growing their own dried flower. I guarantee their genetic sales are going to be on the backburner for a while.”
More standalone cannabis nurseries will inevitably try to enter this space, but that’s no easy feat. As with every cannabis licence type in Canada, the procedure for getting a nursery licence is quite involved. Health Canada only opened the cannabis nursery licence process mid-October. Not including the time needed for licensing, it can take well over six months before a nursery is established and can begin selling.
In fact, because the nursery licence is a sub-class of the cultivation licence, the process is almost the same as applying for the notoriously cumbersome cultivation licence. Both applications, for instance, require a site address, security details, ownership and personnel information, a notice to local authorities, details about good production practices (GPP), and record-keeping information. Health Canada says that new, distinct teams have been set up to review applications for these new licence classes.
One big difference between the two applications, however, is that for nursery seed production, the total surface area cannot exceed 50 square metres (for all the parts of budding or flowering plants). Another is that nurseries can only harvest five kilograms of flowering heads from plants, with the exception of seeds. Nurseries must also destroy the flowering heads – again, with the exception of the seeds – as well as the leaves and branches of the plant within 30 days of harvest.
The biggest challenge of the entire process, though, may be in finding the right location. Which is why Cannabis Compliance’s vice president of quality and regulatory, Karina Lahnakoski, says that her first piece of advice to applicants is to make sure they do a facility assessment. “And make sure that your facility is going to meet zoning requirements, that your municipality is going to allow it, and that you can actually physically convert that facility where necessary to meet the GPP and security requirements,” she adds. “If you don’t have those three things, you’re going to waste your money.”
Ian Davidson’s advice for others looking to start a cannabis nursery is to find an expert who can help them throughout the licensing process. “We have on our staff a quality assurance systems specialist at a PhD level, and I think it really requires that level of experience and acumen to be able to navigate the challenges of having a plan that’s compliant.”
Once a nursery has that licence in hand, they can sell plants and seeds to most of the parties in the industry, including other cultivators, other nursery licence holders, processors, analytical testers, researchers and cannabis drug licence holders.
They can also sell directly to authorized provincial retailers. “That might be one thing that licensees don’t necessarily realize,” says Lahnakoski. “You don’t have to go through a processor to get
SOAP = CLEAN
Registered for use on cannabis raised indoors, KOPA insecticidal soap controls whiteflies, spider mites, aphids and other soft-bodied insect and mite pests on contact.
OMRI® CANADA Listed for organic production, KOPA can be used right up until the day of harvest. KOPA is lethal to pests, yet it is of low risk to workers and the environment.
KOPA. When clean product is your only marketable option.
your plants and seeds to the province.”
As for the costs associated with going through the licensing process and getting a cannabis nursery off the ground, the numbers can vary widely.
As of April 2019, the federal government’s fees include a $1,675 application screening fee per application, a $1,691 security clearance fee per application, and a minimum $2,500 annual regulatory fee per licensed site. Once a nursery starts selling, they
also have to hand over some of their revenue to the feds, namely one per cent for cannabis revenue of $1 million or less and 2.3 per cent on any cannabis revenue in excess of $1 million.
If a nursery wants to employ a consultant to navigate the licencing process, that could cost tens of thousands of dollars.
And to build a fully-equipped, brand-new cannabis nursery greenhouse, Haché estimates that it could cost approximately $275 to $400 per square foot.
There will also be marketing costs of course, but to get the most bang for one’s buck, Haché suggests approaching the big licence holders first. “They need large numbers of plant material weekly to keep flower production ongoing. And if propagating in-house, they are sacrificing flowering space for genetic stock and propagation production instead.”
It won’t be easy figuring out what to charge them, however, adds Haché, and for him that’s one of the biggest challenges for nurseries right now. “We know what the price of a gram is, but what’s the value of a plant today? I can’t tell you that. You may grow 30 grams or 500 grams, depending on the size of the plant, the growing methodology, etc. And now, is your ‘premium cultivar’ worth a lot because you selected it? Or because it has a specific trait that you guarantee is there that nobody else has? Or something else?”
Yet, given all of the marketing challenges, licensing headaches and high costs, Haché says they’re worth it because this is such an untapped market with great potential.
Davidson agrees, saying the need for cannabis nurseries globally is “enormous”. Sure, over the next few years he thinks some of the largest producers will proceed with vertically integrated, seed-to-sale business models. But, as with most commercial agricultural crops, the rest of the industry will do the opposite, he believes, where mid-sized companies will become specialized in specific segments of the industry, such as nursery, production, processing, extraction or distribution.
“There is a new segment of the industry to be created here, and that’s pretty amazing. The rest of the process is pretty much there, so this is an opportunity to solve what is the biggest pain point for growers. And I can tell you, the conversation about this is lively among producers.”
ABOVE
Once the nursery licence is granted, the licence holder can sell plants and seeds to a number of other parties in the industry.
growing environment, a simple, flexible, and sustainable control system is crucial. This is why proactive LPs are turning to Reliable Controls. Our nation-wide network of factory-certified Authorized Dealers will design, install, and commission a comprehensive control system paired with an intuitive, custom-tailored graphical interface. Take command of your precisely-controlled environment. Generate tracking reports and analytics. Reduce your carbon footprint while improving productivity, quality, and serviceability.
To learn more about this cost-effective and Canadian-made solution, please contact a local Reliable Controls
Authorized Dealer near you.
Silicon effective against powdery mildew in verbena
Researchers at Niagara College study the efficacy of Silamol in reducing disease.
BY
MARY JANE CLARK, EVAN HADLEY AND CHARLIE LAPORTE
From October 4, 2017 to January 8, 2018, a research project was conducted at the Niagara College, Niagara-on-the-Lake greenhouse to evaluate the efficacy of Silamol, a silicon product designed to help reduce the negative impact of biotic and abiotic stress in plants. Silamol is a highly-concentrated, stabilized form of a potassium silicate liquid. Once completely diluted in water, Silamol produces Si(OH)4, known as monosilicic acid, the only known plant-available form of silicon (Frontline Growing Products, 2018).
While silicon is one of the most abundant elements in the soil, it’s not always available to plants. Naturally-occurring microbes transform the silicates into silicic acid, which is taken up by the plant. However, growing media does not usually contain these microbes. In addition, greenhouse crops are grown and harvested in a matter of weeks or a couple of months, so speed of uptake and bioavailability of silicon are critical. By providing
a plant-available form of silicon (i.e. monosilicic acid), it can be quickly absorbed by the plant.
Silicic acid has three main benefits:
1. Increases and balances uptake of nutrients: In a process called “biochemical sequencing”, the microbe-converted silicic acid must first be taken up by the plant before absorbing calcium, organic nitrogen, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium – in that order. If one element in this sequence is not (or less) available, the uptake of other elements becomes more difficult, leading to possible nutrient deficiencies.
2. Builds structure and physical resistance against stress: The silicon is deposited into the outer layer of the plant cell, creating a more rigid barrier against pests, pathogens and environmental stress.
3. Stimulates the plant’s immune system: The presence of silicic acid helps trigger
ABOVE Figure 1. Overhead view of the randomized complete block design of container-grown verbena plants on the Niagara College greenhouse bench.
PHOTO
Recycle and disinfect your nutrient solution. Collect and clean your nutrient water run-off for all your crops. EcoCLIMATE ozone water
the production of immunity compounds in the plant, while incorporating silicon to help rebuild and strengthen plant tissue in the areas under attack.
The research study evaluated the efficacy of Silamol in reducing the incidence and severity of disease in a greenhouse-grown potted verbena (Verbena x hybrida Quartz XP series) crop. Verbena was chosen by a local greenhouse producer as the ideal crop for this study, due to its high susceptibility to disease, especially powdery mildew.
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
All plants were grown on the same bench in the Niagara College, Niagaraon-the-Lake Campus greenhouse, using no supplemental lighting. The average greenhouse temperature during the study was 21°C, and the average relative humidity (RH) was 70%.
On October 4, 2017, 240 verbena plants were transplanted from seedling plug trays into 4” containers, filled with a shredded wood fines growing substrate (Gro-Bark, Caledon, ON). The containers were evenly spaced on the bench in 20 trays, each containing 12 planted containers. Each tray contained plants assigned to one of four treatments, arranged in a randomized complete block design on the greenhouse bench, with a total of 60 plants per treatment (Figure 1).
Treatments were applied weekly for the duration of the study, beginning October 24, 2017. Silamol applications were mixed at a ratio of 15 mL of Silamol concentrate per 12 L of water. 100 mL of the solution contained 0.125 mL of Silamol concentrate.
The treatments were:
• Silamol Foliar (SF): 100 mL of diluted Silamol, applied by a foliar spray method
• Silamol Drench (SD): 100 mL of diluted Silamol, applied by a growing substrate drench method
• Control Foliar (CF): 100 mL of tap water, applied by a foliar spray method
• Control Drench (CD): 100 mL of tap water, applied by a growing substrate drench method
MEASUREMENTS
Plants were monitored for visual symptoms of disease from October 4, 2017 until December 18, 2017, with disease incidence (i.e., the number of
Shoot Dry Weight
the Control Drench (CD), Control Foliar (CF), Silamol Drench (SD) and Silamol Foliar treatments on January 8, 2018.
Number of Plants with Powdery Mildew Symptoms
points between November 24 and December 18, 2017, evaluated per treatment for the Control Drench (CD), Silamol Drench (SD), Control Foliar (CF) and Silamol Foliar (SF) treatments. No symptoms were observed for the Silamol Foliar (SF) treatment
diseased plants) evaluated at eight time points during this observation period. At the completion of the study on January 8, 2018, disease severity was ranked on a scale of 0 (no disease) to 10 (fully diseased).
Taking seven representative plants per treatment, above-ground shoot growth from each was placed into paper bags on January 8, 2018. Bags were dried at 70°C
until a constant weight was achieved.
RESULTS: PLANT GROWTH
The greatest average verbena shoot dry weight was observed for the Silamol Drench treatment (2.19 g), while the Silamol Foliar treatment had the lowest average shoot dry weight (1.85 g). The average shoot dry weight for both the Control Drench (2.07 g) and Control
powdery mildew symptoms increased over time for the Control Drench, Control Foliar and Silamol Drench treatments during 2017 (Figure 3). By December 18, 2017 the Control Drench treatment had the greatest number of plants showing powdery mildew symptoms. However, when comparing plants with the same treatment application method (i.e., drench or foliar), the incidence of powdery mildew symptoms tended to
addition, both treatments with drench application methods showed higher incidences of powdery mildew compared to the foliar application treatments. At the end of the study (January 8, 2018), powdery mildew symptoms were observed on some plant leaves of verbena in all treatments. The average powdery mildew disease severity ranking, based on a 0-10 scale, was greatest for the Control Drench (4.0) and Control Foliar (3.2)
HYBRID
Science is in our blood
DUTCH TULIPS SETTLE
ACROSS THE OCEAN
LEFT
Tulips take the stage during the 2019 Tulip Trade Event in the Netherlands.
Tulips are a sure sign of spring, and for the Dutch people and their descendants, this could not be more true.
From mid-March to the end of May, Holland’s landscape comes alive with colour as cultivated bulb crops reveal their blooms. The season opens with crocuses, then daffodils and hyacinths, before the tulip – the Netherlands’ national flower – makes its grand entry.
With its origins in present-day Turkey, the tulip is believed to have arrived in Holland in the sixteenth century. Its popularity grew over time, and was even used in place of currency during Tulipmania, a period in the Dutch Golden Age where the tulip’s financial value rose to such great heights that a single bulb could be traded for a house.
Although the economic bubble of Tulipmania eventually collapsed in 1637, tulips are still revered worldwide. The Dutch who immigrated to other countries brought their tulip-growing expertise with them, but many bulbs still originate from the Netherlands to this day.
First opened in 1979 by Henk and Dirkje Van Koeveringe, Spring Valley Gardens in Niagara, Ont. operates over 10 acres of production space with an impressively diverse array of crops, including amaryllis, azaleas, chrysanthemums, hydrangeas, poinsettias and, of course, tulips.
For second-generation owners John, Jake and Ron Van Koeveringe,
and now their third-generation successors, Spring Valley’s tulip season runs for about six months, starting soon after the poinsettias finish in December. Their tulip crop is done in one of two ways – either potted or cut.
As John explains it, tulip bulbs need a certain period of vernalization before they reach the ‘G stage’ and become ready to flower. For bulbs from the Netherlands or the northern hemisphere in general, specific timing will depend on how early spring arrives in those regions, but Dutch bulbs are generally sourced for flowering at Christmas or thereafter.
For the much smaller, limited tulip market in the fall, John says growers can use product from the southern hemisphere, such as New Zealand or Chile, since they start flowering in September or October. Because of their timing, southern bulbs shouldn’t be planted beyond November as they start to get old. Likewise, bulbs from the northern hemisphere shouldn’t be planted beyond May. But, says John, “Southern hemisphere bulbs are more expensive because of shipping logistics.”
For bulb exporters like Bot Flowerbulbs, sending new planting material to southern countries generally increases the price by three to four cents (in Euros) per bulb, says Marco Knol, sales manager at the company. The demand drives up the price, but the costs keep the market small.
Bulb crops in the Netherlands are generally distributed by exporting
With the continued popularity of this spring crop worldwide, there’s no end in sight for the Dutch tulip bulb industry.
OCEAN
BY GRETA CHIU
companies, of which there are around 100 in the country. Sourcing their material from over 1,500 bulb cultivators, bulbs are then sold to two main segments: either for consumer gardens and landscapers as bulbs or to professional growers for forcing, another term for growing.
According to Dutch flower bulb association iBulb, 60 per cent of the world’s flower bulbs are produced in the Netherlands. 8.5 billion bulbs are produced annually on 34,000 square miles (~88,000 square kilometres) of land, mainly in the north Holland area. Dutch bulb trades account for 85 per cent of the bulb trading activity worldwide. Of the ones exported from the Netherlands, over half travel to countries outside of the European Union.
Given the large volume of exports and the number of countries receiving them, it’s no wonder bulb exporters are needed.
“If you grow bulbs yourself and also want to sell them abroad (export), then you need a suitable organization for this,” says Anne Verdoes, marketing coordinator at iBulb. By a suitable organization, she’s referring to sales and administrative staff, storage and treatment facilities, and knowledge surrounding export rules.
“They can ensure that they supply the requested assortment, especially in times when the flower bulbs or certain types are less available,” Verdoes adds. Plus, export companies can follow up after sales, handle customer complaints, ensure timely delivery, provide advice on the right forcing periods and recommend the right tulip varieties. Most bulb growers simply don’t have the capacity for this, she says.
Because of the difference in climate between the Netherlands and Ontario, bulbs need to be treated a little differently to achieve the same results. “In the Netherlands they have higher humidity, darker weather. We have lower humidity, brighter weather,” John explains. “They have to program that bulb differently for us than for them, in order for us to get the height.”
“Approximately three per cent of our retail-ready products go to retailers, big box and garden centres,” says account manager Peter Elstgeest.
“The forcing of tulips is growing enormously, this is big business,” says Verdoes. iBulb has noticed increasing interest in locally produced tulips, driven mainly by the trend towards buying local. But there are also limits to production growth. For instance, the process of increasing the tulip crop volume is slow, says Verdoes, and the bulb crop can also be affected by uncertain weather conditions.
Boots sources from a bulb cultivator located just opposite of their office. Last year, their spring was hot and dry, he says, above the optimally lower temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees Celsius. Many bulb growers didn’t have irrigation systems, leading to fewer bulbs produced per acre that year.
While bulb prices have remained relatively stable for the past 50 years, Boots can’t help but notice that costs such as gas, electricity, labour and transport continue to go up. They need to be more efficient, he says, to meet the rise in demand and still make a profit. Of the bulb crops, tulips are the lowest to produce cost-wise, needing only three to four weeks in the greenhouse. Lilies, by comparison, take three months.
“Pests are not a big concern, so it’s quite a nice crop to grow that way,” says John. There can still be some fusarium in the bulbs, even after initial screening by the bulb exporter, but they try to mitigate the risk by discarding the fusarium bulbs at planting time. Fungicides won’t help any bulbs that arrive damaged, he says. “That bulb’s done.”
On the consumer and retail side, interest in tulips doesn’t seem to be waning anytime soon.
Phytosanitary regulations also differ by country. As Bonne Boots, executive director of exporter Boots Flowerbulbs explains, the Netherlands has a Flower Bulb Inspection Service, an obligatory, fee-based service that checks the quality of the flower bulbs before allowing them for export outside of the EU. To ensure clean, disease-free bulbs, Boots has mechanized the process of cleaning and washing the soil off from the bulbs, as well as sanitation from diseases.
At Jan de Wit en Zonen, they use an x-ray machine that can better reveal any disease-caused damage within the bulbs. “Trust is very big within our business,” says Jan de Wit, one of nine grandsons who have inherited the operations of their grandfather’s business. This is especially true for bulbs, where the grower cannot see the results of the crop until it is grown.
On a global scale, the largest market for Dutch bulb exports is the United States, followed by China, Germany, the UK, Vietnam and Japan. Canada places seventh, says Verdoes. While markets in Germany and the UK have decreased over the years, the US and Canadian markets have risen. The Chinese market is one of the fastest growing ones in recent years.
For bulb exporter Jansens Overseas, about seven per cent of their bulbs go to Canadian growers for forcing. But in addition to bulb distribution, the company also cultivates a portion of the bulbs themselves and sells pre-finished ones to retail outlets.
Visiting the Tulip Trade Event earlier this year in the Netherlands, John and his team toured the facilities of bulb growers, exporters and forcers to do some variety selection, network and see their growing methods.
“Varieties will degenerate,” says John. “A good variety today won’t be around forever, so we need to find replacements and see what’s coming down the pipe.” But he warns that costs are another important factor.
“You can have a lot of the beautiful, latest [and] greatest varieties. But if there’s not enough acreage being produced yet, then the cost price is too high, [and] we can’t make our margin,” he says. “That would limit us.”
Spring Valley mainly sources their tulips from a couple of exporters, while giving smaller orders to others on a trial basis. Being able to see their suppliers’ facilities makes a difference. “They can come knocking on your door, but when you see their facilities and what they’re capable of, it gives you a better impression of what the supplier is about.”
On the consumer and retail side, interest in tulips doesn’t seem to be waning anytime soon.
“There will always be interest worldwide in tulips and other bulb crop products,” says Elstgeest, noting the relatively stable trends from year to year. “They bring colour, spring, love and joy.”
But there may be an educational piece yet to be shared. Widespread consumer concerns surrounding pesticides could further boost the tulip’s popularity.
“We need to show consumers that we’re working with an environmentally-friendly product,” says Knol of tulips in particular. “The general thinking is that we use a lot of pesticides… We need to find a way to inform the public [otherwise].”
Producing grasses for cut flower use
Ornamental grasses aren’t just for containers and landscapes. Here are some tips for cultivating grasses as fresh cuts.
BY JOSIAH RAYMER
When you think of ornamental grasses, you may think of lush landscapes or creative containers. But today’s newer cultivars, and even some of the species, make a great addition to cut bouquets and arrangements. With a bit of planning and production scheduling, ornamental grasses can be a productive addition to cut flower greenhouses.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT CULTIVARS
When considering which grasses to produce for cut flower use, the first decision is whether you’re looking for foliage or plumes. Many varieties offer striking colouring or variegation but not much in the way of a flower. In contrast, others produce striking plumes with unremarkable foliage. Here are a few of our picks in each category:
ABOVE
For foliage
• Pennisetum First Knight
• Arundo Peppermint Stick
• Miscanthus Cabaret
• Miscanthus Zebrinus
• Juncus Big Twister
For the plumes
• Cortaderia
• Cyperus involucratus
• Cyperus papyrus
• Miscanthus Silberfeder
• Panicum Bad Hair Day
• Pennisetum Rubrum
• Pennisetum setaceum
• Pennisetum Ginger Love
Top: Pennisetum First Knight makes a great choice for cut foliage
Bottom: Arundo Peppermint Stick’s vividly variegated green and white foliage stands out as a fresh cut.
THINKING ABOUT INSECT PROTECTION FOR YOUR GREENHOUSE? THINK FMC.
Choosing the right insecticide makes all the difference to your production and profitability. FMC has you covered, with three proven control products to protect your high-value crops.
Use Exirel® insecticide early to give cucumber, pepper, tomato and eggplant foliage the protection it needs during the most critical stage of development. Translaminar and locally systemic movement, plus rapid absorption ensures the product moves through the plant quickly to control cabbage looper, whiteflies, pepper maggot, pepper weevil1 and thrips1
Coragen® insecticide is a unique broad-spectrum, Group 28 active that controls pests resistant to other insecticides. It quickly stops insects feeding and delivers control at all growth stages. Protect your cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant and pepper plants from cabbage looper and lepidoptera leafminers.
Beleaf® 50SG insecticide, a Group 29 product, targets piercing and sucking pests effectively. Protect your strawberries, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes from thrip, aphid, lygus bug and whitefly feeding damage.
CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS
In outdoor production, grasses are a natural – they’re tough and grow even in soils that have little fertility. For all grasses, choose a well-draining commercial media if you’re producing indoors. Apply a preventive fungicide drench at transplant, then follow with a monthly broad-spectrum fungicide control program – especially important for keeping foliage clean for cuts. Space plants to ensure good airflow and further reduce fungal pressures. Grasses in general prefer full sun or at least 5,000 foot candles of light.
Be careful not to overfertilize. A fertility rate that’s too high can lead to weak, leggy growth...
In most grasses, diseases and pests won’t be an issue, as long as your production plan includes regular sanitation protocol. A proper preventive program should also include diligent, scheduled scouting and monitoring. If you’re producing indoors, be sure to provide as much light as possible, maintain plenty of airflow and manage humidity well.
Be careful not to over-fertilize. A fertility rate that’s too high can lead to weak, leggy growth that can be more susceptible to various leaf spots. Aim for medium fertility levels of 150 to 200 ppm nitrogen for most grasses. You’ll want to back off a bit for some, such as the Pennisetums and Arundo Peppermint Stick, with about 100 to 150 ppm nitrogen. And Panicums like Bad Hair Day prefer even less (just 50 to 75 ppm nitrogen).
For flowers, providing some sort of windbreak in windy areas can help protect blooms.
Most grasses finish in approximately eight to 10 weeks, with a few exceptions such as Arundo Peppermint Stick (6-8 weeks), Juncus Big Twister (7-8 weeks) and Pennisetum setaceum (10-12 weeks).
Josiah Raymer is head grower and general manager for Emerald Coast Growers. He can be reached at 877-8047277, sales@ecgrowers.com or www.ecgrowers.com.
ABOVE
Pennisetum Ginger Love’s thick, dark red plumes make a striking addition to cut arrangements.
Culture tips by grass
Pennisetum First Knight 21-27° C (70-80° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-6.2 1-1.5 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
Arundo Peppermint Stick 18-24° C (65-75° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-6.2 1.8-2.2 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
Miscanthus Cabaret 21-27° C (70-80° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-6.2 1.8-2.2 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
Miscanthus Zebrinus
21-27° C (70-80° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-6.2 1.8-2.2 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
Juncus Big Twister 18-24° C (65-75° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.5-6.2 1.2-1.5 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
Cortaderia 18-24° C (65-75° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-7.0 1.8-2.2 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
Cyperus involucratus
18-24° C (65-75° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-6.2 1-1.5 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
Cyperus papyrus 18-24° C (65-75° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-6.2 1-1.5 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
Miscanthus Silberfeder
Panicum Bad Hair Day
Pennisetum Rubrum
Pennisetum setaceum
Pennisetum Ginger Love
21-27° C (70-80° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-6.2 1.8-2.2 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
18-24° C (65-75° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-6.2 0.6-0.9 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
21-27° C (70-80° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-6.2 1-1.5 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
21-27° C (70-80° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-6.2 1-1.5 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
21-27° C (70-80° F) days, 13-18° C (55-65° F) nights 5.8-6.2 1-1.5 mS/cm using the 2:1 extraction method
Leamington, ON N8HOC2 (800) 463-4700
hubinternational.com
5 WAYS TO FIGHT FOOD FRAUD
These labelling tactics could help curb problems of food fraud worldwide.
BY JOE SLEIMAN
Food fraud is a growing problem, costing the global food trade an estimated $30-$40 billion USD in annual losses, and it can put public health at risk. While the term is typically defined as ‘intentional deception using food for economic gain’ there are seven different types of food fraud, as laid out in the chart below.
Labelling can be an important ally in an effort to eliminate food fraud in our complex global chain. Millions of labels are counterfeited every year, all across the globe. If you are a grower, processor, packer or shipper, here are five key steps you can take to reduce the risk of food fraud holding your business hostage one day:
STEP #1: DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE
You want to start by critically assessing your supply chains in order to best mitigate your risks. An in-depth understanding of your end-to-end supply chain can be the single most impactful action you can take to develop a trusted and reliable network of suppliers and customers.
Questions you can ask include:
1. How many years has this vendor been in business? It is useful to look at past performance as an indicator of future success. If the vendor is a new establishment (in business one to three years) the next step is to look into the credibility of the top management and leadership team. Keep in mind that eighty per cent of businesses fail in the first five years. Pick a partner that has staying power, because their reputation can easily impact yours.
2. How many reputable customers does this vendor serve? A red flag would be a situation where a large percentage
(50 to over 75 per cent) of total customers are small and/ or speculative businesses. It may be valuable to investigate existing customers and contact them to learn about their business and degree of satisfaction in working with the vendor in question. Word of mouth referrals go far in business but it’s also advisable to contact references and capture information from the primary source.
3. Do any external parties perform audits on this business? Is the business in compliance with international, national or retail standards? Compliance with global food safety standards remains a foundational tool in performing due diligence, and most of the largest food retailers mandate supplier certification using established schemes such as the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), International Featured Standard (IFS), or Safe Quality Foods (SQF). Many certifications exist, so be sure to investigate what is required for your business and if all stakeholders are in compliance.
4. What types of internal controls are in place to prevent fraud? Has the vendor established a corporate culture that actively promotes coordination between operations, procurement, sales and marketing departments to predict and prevent food fraud? Does the vendor value training for technical, buying and operations departments? Is there a defined whistle-blowing protocol by staff? The first step in solving any problem is recognizing that a problem exists. Thus, strong leadership will ultimately take the initiative to lower the risk of fraud acceptance.
5. What fraud-prevention processes, people or technology are in place? There has been a growing body of knowledge
ABOVE
Top: Real-time printing can include trace/lot code information. Bottom: Security print allows invisible ink watermarks.
in the field of new analytical and computational tools. This has shifted the industry from detection and mitigation, into prediction and prevention. Does the vendor have an established food safety committee? Has this vendor embraced data-sharing to promote traceability, transparency and trust amongst its supply chain? Furthermore, has this vendor established a well-defined plan for risk management in the event of an emergency?
STEP #2: EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE LABELLING TECHNOLOGIES
A number of labelling technologies are available to help stop food fraud. Here are some of the best:
Pre-printed labels versus real-time print-and-apply: Preprinted fruit labels include currently mandated Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) standard GS1 barcodes that have up to 14 digits for identifying a specific grower/marketer, as well as a Price Look Up (PLU) number that has up to 5 digits to identify specific fruit or vegetables at a grocery store. An inherent limitation is the inability to print trace/lot code data due to the nature of pre-printed labels.
Technological advances provide the ability to print variable data in real-time, such as a DataMatrix (‘2D barcode’) which can include trace/lot code information in up to 96 digits in the same space. These
additional digits can be used towards encoding relevant supply chain information and be used as a snapshot of a fruit or vegetable’s journey from farm-to-fork.
Security Print – is this something that can be tailored? This technology provides verification and proof of authenticity using invisible ink watermarks under the label with reverse print technology.
Destructible Security Labels – with paper barrier: These break apart when removed from fruit to prevent reapplication on another fruit.
Walmart US demands a 95 per cent label application rate, or else shipments are returned.
STEP #3: APPLY TRACE CODE AND VARIABLE DATA TO ACHIEVE ITEM-LEVEL TRACEABILITY
Once fruit leaves the pack house, it is handled many times before it’s consumed. Fruit that has been shipped in a tray will be dumped onto a bed of “bulk” fruits making it difficult to differentiate one fruit from another unless they are properly labelled. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) more than $680 billion of food is
wasted each year in industrial countries and more than $310 billion in developing nations. It’s said that more than 40 per cent of the food waste occurs at consumer and retailer levels due to product spoilage or recalls from contamination. Trace code is the system used to track produce back to its point of origin (backward traceability) and forward as it is processed and becomes an end product that is eventually consumed (forward traceability). Trace code can help prevent food waste as food systems can become more nimble in identifying, containing and handling atrisk produce versus throwing away entire product lines or categories. Increased traceability not only has the power to minimize food waste, but it can also maximize food safety to fight food fraud.
STEP #4: IMPROVE APPLICATION RATES TO PREVENT UNLABELLED FRUITS
Within labelling, the application rate is defined as the number of product labelled as a percentage of the total product. Retailers have instituted strict quality controls on suppliers to achieve high application rates. Walmart US demands a 95 per cent label application rate, or else shipments will be returned to suppliers as rejected product. Unlabelled fruit creates an opportunity for fraudsters, allowing more leeway for mixing fruits that might be grown in substandard growing conditions.
Blockchain, the technology behind Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, is essentially a decentralized record-keeping system that is tamperproof. Using blockchain, supply chains can be transformed to become more transparent, traceable and trusting with the use of shared ledgers that can be accessed by all members of the supply chain. Walmart US has implemented blockchain technologies to improve the traceability of mangos from six days to two seconds. A successful pilot project with IBM’s Food Trust has led Walmart to mandate that all suppliers in the leafy greens category must have their products on the blockchain within one year.
The hyper connected IoT (Internet of Things) is a technological movement in agriculture where greenhouses are outfitted with wireless connectivity via sensors, allowing for communication amongst systems without human intervention. For example, high-tech greenhouses capture data via sensors on light, humidity, temperature, soil moisture, etc., and optimize growing conditions accordingly. Sensors such as RFID tags are becoming increasingly inexpensive, and they can be used to seamlessly track products across the value chain to ensure authenticity. These types of smart sensors draw a meaningful connection between external stakeholders (e.g. CFIA, retailers, consumers) who can identify contaminated product and trigger internal stakeholders (growers, quality assurance teams) to respond and to mitigate further risk in the greenhouse – all in real-time. Automation tools deliver the infrastructure to streamline processes, reduce human error and maximize efficiencies.
Food fraud is an ongoing threat to food safety, however it’s clear that advanced labelling technologies and innovations can be used to combat fraudsters and safeguard our food systems. It’s an unavoidable cost, but reliable machinery could be key to success. High-speed labelling systems could even lead to higher throughput and efficiency. What is your operation doing to ensure the quality of your produce?
Joe Sleiman is president of Ag-Tronic Control Systems Inc. and Accu-Label Inc. Learn more at www.accu-label.com. This article was edited and reprinted with permission from Global Food Safety Resource (GFSR).
CANADA CLASSIFIEDS
T: (519) 429-3966 • F: (519) 428-3327
CLASSIFIED RATES: Minimum order $75.00 or 84¢ per word, word ads must be pre-paid. CLASSIFIED DISPLAYS: $72.00 per column inch. GENERAL INFORMATION: Payment must accom- pany order. Copy required on publication close date. All advertising copy subject to the approval of the publisher. Send order and remittance to: Classified Dept., Greenhouse Canada, P.O. Box 530, Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 Canada
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
USED/REFURBISHED BOILERS
• Sizes ranging from 40 HP to 800 HP
• Low and High Pressure
• Gas and Oil Fired
RENTALS AVAILABLE
Telephone: 519-326-8500 05/1t/pd
ADVERTISERS INDEX
JOB TITLE (Please Check One:)
INSIDE VIEW
GARY JONES | Gary.Jones@kpu.ca
Success in new crops
So, the themes for this issue included ‘cut flowers, cannabis, and new crops’. I figured that I should simply ask a group of growers if they think cannabis is the most promising new legal cut flower and leave it at that. But then I’d still have another 643 words to write.
I recently took a class of production diploma students to visit a couple of leading greenhouse floriculture and potted crop businesses, including Quik’s Farm and Rainbow Greenhouses.
Quik’s Farm Ltd was started by Harry and Lydie Quik in 1990, initially in seasonal potatoes and cedar hedging. They introduced a cut flower program to supplement these less labour-intensive crops and built their first glasshouse in 1995 for oriental lilies, lisianthus, and mums. Adding other indoor crops (e.g. ranunculus), they also seasonally grow carnations, statice, snapdragon, and sunflowers outdoors.1
Quik’s focus was on optimizing efficiency and capacity by applying new technology and employing a sales and marketing plan, supplying the highest quality cut flowers to a diverse range of customers and through their own on-site floral shop. They currently grow in nearly 10 acres of high-tech glasshouses and 20 acres outdoor, aiming to “Provide Flowers with Impact”.1
to be learned from these companies. When it comes to ‘new crops’, do your homework, but don’t be afraid. Quik’s went from potatoes and hedging to greenhouse lilies and lisianthus. And they continue to always be on the lookout for new crops to add to their portfolio.
When it comes to new product lines or new varieties, both companies keep an eye on variety trials, visit overseas (Netherlands and elsewhere), listen to customers ideas, continually do their own trials, and get creative themselves. There are no simple tricks, no shortcuts. Keep running to stay ahead.
Both companies aim for the highest quality products possible while using technology to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Quik’s and Rainbow epitomize this attitude. Chris Brown (Rainbow Greenhouses’ production manager) told students to “Do what you do well, farm out other business to those who do it better”. Which is how they recently moved into cut flowers.
Chris introduced us to ‘The Beast of Marketing’. The ‘Head’ and ‘Shoulders’, (the thick part of the Beast), in marketing terms are commodity items such as red geraniums or pansy packs: high volume, low margin. Moving down the Beast, we find the ‘Tail’, where sales volume thins – unique or new items, new varieties or different colours.
“The world is run by those who show up” ~Chris Brown
Stan and Wilma Vander Waal began Rainbow Greenhouses in 1985 brokering potted plants and cut flowers into the Seattle area. Rainbow quickly moved into wholesale/brokerage for Northern B.C. and Alberta, and in 1988, purchased the current location in Chilliwack, BC. In 2003, Rainbow acquired 150,000 sq. ft. of greenhouses from Rosedale Greenhouses (now expanded to 360,000 sq. ft.). In 2005, greenhouses were added in southern Alberta (now about 1,000,000 sq. ft.) and a large expansion at Chilliwack followed to now over 530,000 sq. ft. greenhouses plus shipping, propagation and other facilities.2
Rainbow is committed to providing the highest quality indoor, outdoor and seasonal plants, and partners with local greenhouses to custom grow specialty crops. They aim to lead in every aspect of their business, including technology, environmental stewardship and industry involvement. Automation is important in completing daily tasks, but Rainbow hasn’t lost sight of their most valuable asset: their 200+ employees who make it all work.2
So what? Well, there are many lessons in success
Chris also reminded students that “The world is run by those who show up”. While referring to all facets of life, in horticultural terms Rainbow is a leading example of this concept. Owner Stan Vander Waal is currently President of the BC Agriculture Council (BCAC), “a non-profit, non-governmental ‘Council of Associations’ representing nearly 30 farm associations that in turn generate 96 per cent of [BC] provincial farm gate sales.”3 In giving back his time, experience and knowledge in this service position, Stan is helping guide policy and procedures on behalf of many areas of broader agriculture. It’s no wonder companies like these are successful with such people at the helm.
1 www.quikfarm.ca
2 http://www.rainbow.ca/about-us.html
3 https://bcac.ca/
Gary Jones is co-chair of Horticulture at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langley, BC. He sits on several industry committees and welcomes comments at Gary.Jones@kpu.ca.
LONG-LASTING performance FLEXIBLE,
Altus is a new unique insecticide for control of whiteflies, aphids and leafhoppers. It is a great fit for integrated pest management programs. Altus can be used on greenhouse tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce and greenhouse ornamentals as well as outdoor ornamentals.
Bayer is dedicated to the research and development of the products that keep your crops and business blooming.
