View All: Articles
November 30, 2010
Ammonium toxicity is a problem that can be avoided with common sense and attention to detail. The causes of ammonium toxicity can be grouped into two general areas: level of ammoniacal-nitrogen fertilization and suppression of nitrifying bacteria....
November 30, 2010
While seemingly unpredictable, resistance is manageable once its principles are better grasped and preventative best practices are put in place. For growers, understanding resistance realities improves the health of plants and maximizes pesticide...
November 30, 2010
Please click on the PDF version to the right to read about the diseases highlighted in this issue.
November 22, 2010
Quality manufacturers of growing media products, peat moss and aggregates strive to produce and deliver products in a safe environment that ensures product freshness. Herbicides or other harmful chemicals are not kept in or near the manufacturing...
November 22, 2010
Our industry has lost a great one.
On Oct. 18, Jack Williams died unexpectedly while traveling in Australia (see news story on page 8).
Jack was international product manager and technical support representative at Ecke Ranch, Encinitas, Calif. He...
November 05, 2010
Temperature is the primary factor that controls crop timing and plant development. The way it is delivered, on a daily and per-crop basis, can also influence stem extension (plant height) and energy consumption. This article presents some of the...
November 05, 2010
Those who like the bright, cheerful displays of color that many geum cultivars deliver in the early spring, but wish these plants would bloom into the summer months, I’d like to introduce you to Geum x hybrid ‘Totally Tangerine’ (aka ‘Tim’s...
November 04, 2010
This new verbena series is easy to grow, offering a semi-upright habit so they are appropriate for containers and flower beds. Empress verbena are tolerant of both heat and cold, and are nice additions to gardens over a wide range of geography. They...
November 04, 2010
It used to be that growers grew and retailers sold. It was the retailers’ job and responsibility to create the market for our products. And for many years, this formula worked well.
But something’s happened over the past 10 years or so. The growth...
November 04, 2010
SunPatiens are growing in market visibility due to several enhancements over traditional New Guinea impatiens:
They have a fast production schedule.
They can be grown cooler.
Their landscape performance in both sun and heat is very good....
November 04, 2010
In the 1960s, professors at Cornell University were among the first to advocate the use of peat in their soilless Peat-Lite mixes for greenhouse production. Several properties of peat moss have led to its widespread adoption by the industry over the...
November 04, 2010
Did you know that in 2009 more than 83 million households participated in do-it-yourself lawn and garden activities? That is an increase of 2 million households compared to 2008. Seventeen percent of those homeowners also said they are spending more...
November 04, 2010
You’ve got questions, and the experts at the National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association have the answers. Here are some frequently asked questions related to glazing for greenhouse structures.
What is total solar radiation?
It is the entire...
November 04, 2010
Please click on the PDF version to read about the diseases highlighted in this issue.
September 13, 2010
This uniform series boasts a wide range of color and continuous flowering through the summer.
In the past few years, Fides’ osteospermum Margarita series has become one of the most recognized osteospermum series on the market. Continuous...
September 13, 2010
GPN magazine recently invited me to be a panelist at a presentation about the state of the industry during this year’s OFA Short Course. Prior to the show, GPN and OFA — and Association of Horticulture Professionals — sent a survey out to growers...
September 13, 2010
A fairly widespread national economic recovery has been under way for almost a year. The pace of growth was strongest in the fourth quarter of 2009, which helped achieve a growth rate of almost 4 percent in the second half of last year. However, the...
September 13, 2010
The wholesale value of U.S. floriculture products decreased 4 percent from 2006 to 2009. While the decrease is not good, some may feel surprised the loss hasn’t been more dramatic. Most are probably now convinced that we are not a recession-proof...
September 13, 2010
Susie Raker-Zimmerman is not Gerry Raker’s daughter. She is his niece.
Her father, Dave (who recently retired from C. Raker & Sons), is Gerry’s brother.
But one of these days, Raker-Zimmerman jokes, she is going to get herself a T-shirt that...
September 13, 2010
The high-pressure sodium lamp is the most widely used light source for supplemental lighting in greenhouses. On a relative basis, it is moderately efficient, has a long bulb life and emits light that is rich in orange and deficient in blue and red....
