Independent Rooting Program Debuts at Lucas Greenhouses

During the past 13 years, Lucas Greenhouses of Monroeville, N.J., has partnered with Syngenta and Fischer USA as their rooting station. George and Louise Lucas have announced their continued partnership with Syngenta but as an independent root and sell beginning in the 2014–2015 season.

The company has rooted more than 50 million geraniums and more than 100 million cuttings, and shipping more than 80 percent of those plants via Lucas trucks during the partnershim.

Lucas will continue rooting the full spectrum of Syngenta products but under the Lucas Greenhouses model. The program will feature Syngenta bred geraniums, including the Calliope, Caliente, Rocky Mountain, Americana and Tango series. Lucas will also carry the Kwik Kombo combination liners and the full assortment of GoldFisch vegetative products, including the Callie calibrachoa, Techno lobelia, Bandana lantana and Lanai verbena.

Sonic and Super Sonic New Guinea impatiens will complete the Syngenta offering for 2014–2015. Customers will also be able to book rooted Yoder mums in the spring of 2015. Currently, Lucas is evaluating whether to offer some additional items to complement the Syngenta line.

For several years, Lucas has run a successful poinsettia program and desires to parallel top aspects of that program in the spring and mum programs. While order fulfillment is the goal, Lucas will offer accurate plant availability and additional speculation on key varieties during peak seasons to build these programs.

Lucas has also invested in Picas, a computer program designed to manage young plants. Picas will aid in the management of operations at Lucas Greenhouses.

Dan Lehman, from Syngenta, recently joined the Lucas team to assist in program development. Lori Fletcher will continue as the customers’ point of contact. Joe Moore, head grower, will be involved in all aspects of the program, and Tim Priore will handle logistics.

For more information, please visit www.lucasgreenhouses.com.