Production

Coloring conjectures

Planning crop production cycles is a crux of greenhouse growing. Factors influencing plant growth, health and flowering fluctuate, and when plants aren’t prime for retail then sales suffer. “Color sells, we know that,” said Chris... more »

ICL herbicide approved for California ornamental growers

ICL’s Gemini Granular herbicide is now registered for use in California, providing ornamental growers with an additional option for pre-emergent weed control. The herbicide, which contains prodiamine... more »

A different tool in fighting herbicide resistance

University of Idaho researchers are using newly acquired equipment to study when temperatures are ideal to kick off the growing cycle of different weeds. The goal is to determine the best time to apply herbicides... more »

Paper Pot 2.0 boosts automation and plant health

The Paper Pot 2.0 Machine from Air Tray Technologies by Blackmore is designed to optimize plant health and automate greenhouse operations with a capacity of up to 1,200 pots or 300 trays per hour. It... more »

Dr. Bugs: Life cycles of insect and mite pests

Answer: It’s important to understand the biology and ecology of insect and mite pests so you can manage populations below plant damaging levels. So, what does life cycle mean? Life cycle is the progression or... more »

Grower profile: North Carolina Farms

Mitchell Donahue may have started North Carolina Farms as a hobby business selling ferns out of a homemade greenhouse, but now it’s blossomed into an unstoppable force selling wholesale plant starters to greenhouses and garden... more »

Poinsettia protection

Poinsettia production faces significant challenges, from the intense summer heat to the cool or freezing conditions of winter. These extremes make it a prime environment for pythium, a pathogen often referred to as the “common... more »

Regulating crops in a controlled space

Roberto Lopez from Michigan State University recently joined me for a deep dive into harnessing the full potential of PGRs in CEA production. In GPN’s 2024 webinar, Lopez provided research-backed, practical techniques for enhancing rooting,... more »

Forty under 40 perspectives: A day in the life of plant protection

In 2019, I joined the research department at Monrovia to focus on diagnosing diseases and performing trials on potting mixes, fertigation, biological control and new chemicals. This role gave me perspective on how much time... more »

Taking control of technology

As growers, we all yearn to cultivate healthy plants. With so many technologies available, it’s easier than ever to achieve. Today’s systems also enable growers to monitor and adjust settings in real-time through user-friendly interfaces... more »