GrowerTalks

December 2018 Issue

Vol. 82 No. 8

See the Digital Edition

This Month ...

Filling Your Shoes

by Chris Beytes

Nominate a Young Grower Today!

Congrats to the 2018 GrowerTalks Young Grower Award Winner, Evan Barrington from May Nursery Inc., Havana, Florida!

Do you know of an excellent, hard-working professional under the age of 35? You should nominate them for the 2019 GrowerTalks Young Grower Award! For the last 15 years, we’ve recognized young horticulturists for standing out from the crowd in this tough business, who—for whatever noble reasons—have chosen to have a career in this industry.

After three finalists are chosen, each is asked to write guest editorials for the June issue of GrowerTalks, gets a free trip to Cultivate’19 and, while they’re in Columbus, attend a special dinner with Anna Ball and other industry luminaries. The winner is announced at the Unplugged event during Cultivate’19, will be the subject of our September issue cover story and serve as one of our judges for next year’s award.

An extra special thanks goes to AmericanHort for sponsoring this year’s award!

VIDEOS

Watch More

Ball Customer Day 2018

Ball Customer Day 2018

Spring Trials 2018: Bobblehead Bloopers

Spring Trials 2018: Benary

Spring Trials 2018: Cohen, Jaldety, Hishtil and ... Nir?

Spring Trials 2018: Danziger

Spring Trials 2018: PP&L, Bailey and Southern Living/Sunset Magazine

Spring Trials 2018: Crysal's Alesco

Spring Trials 2018: Proven Winners Coral Creations

Spring Trials 2018: Syngenta Flowers

Spring Trials 2018: Proven Winners Perennials

Spring Trials 2018: Proven Winners Shrubs

Spring Trials 2018: Proven Winner Annuals

Spring Trials 2018: Takii

Spring Trials 2018: Beekenkamp

Spring Trials 2018: Plug Connection

Spring Trials 2018: Sakata Annuals

Spring Trials 2018: Sakata Veggies

Spring Trials 2018: Thompson & Morgan

Spring Trials 2018: Westhoff

Spring Trials 2018: Kientzler

Spring Trials 2018: Dummen Orange

Spring Trials 2018: J.Berry Nursery

Spring Trials 2018: 2Plant

Spring Trials 2018: Terra Nova

Spring Trials 2018: Dummen Orange's New Basewell Rooted Cuttings

Spring Trials 2018: Schoneveld Breeding

Spring Trials 2018: Floranova

Spring Trials 2018: Green Fuse Botanicals

Spring Trials 2018: PlantHaven

Spring Trials 2018: Suntory

Spring Trials 2018: Evanthia

Spring Trials 2018: PanAmerican Seed/Kieft Seed

Spring Trials 2018: Selecta One

Spring Trials 2018: Ball FloraPlant

Spring Trials 2018: Darwin Perennials

Spring Trials 2018: Ball Ingenuity

Spring Trials 2018: Morel

TPIE Hot (and Cool) New Products 2018

Sun-Fire Nursery at TPIE 2018

NEWSLETTERS

Read and subscribe to a variety of Newsletters tailored to your industry interests.

COVER STORY

Breaking Barriers

An example to women (and men) in our industry, Maria Costa-Smith’s toughness, tenacity and passion has earned her a seat at the table that’s historically been reserved for her male counterparts.

FEATURES

Could You Get Hacked?

Some tips on how to protect your customers’ info and how one company dealt with a cyber-attack.

Fertilizing Containerized Herbs

Christopher J. Currey

The third article in the series gives tips on the best nutrition regimen for your herb program.

Filling Your Shoes

You run a successful family business and want to see it continue after you retire, but you have no children or other relatives to take over. How do you find your replacement? We asked succession-planning expert (and sixth-generation breeding company co-managing director) Matthias Redlefsen for strategies that allow you (the “senior” in his terms) to hand over the reins to the next generation (the “junior”)—even if they don’t share your last name.

Going with Plan B … and C

The 23rd annual Wage & Benefit Survey: When Plan A of trying to find people to fill greenhouse jobs doesn’t pan out, you’ve been forced to invest in more automation to pick up the slack.

Mark E. Battersby

Affordable bait for attracting workers.

When Someone Seems a Little “Off”

Tips on how to handle when you suspect an employee is struggling with drug or alcohol addiction or other personal problems.

CULTURE NOTES

Growing With Griffin

More Than a Nuisance

Proper identification of fungus gnats and shoreflies is important for control.

Growers Talk Production

Wasps: A Love-Hate Relationship

What good are wasps anyway?

PEST MANAGEMENT

Planning for a Successful Spring

Ensuring your crops are protected from propagation to shipping is essential for a successful season.

COLUMNS

Super Mom, Super Wife, Super Woman

I want to be like Maria Costa-Smith when I grow up.

Normal … Isn’t

Don’t hold your breath waiting for normal to return.

Paul Talks Perennials

Mid-Winter Checklist

Wintertime is a great time for reflection and to review the past, look at the present and to plan for the future.

Growers Talk Business

It hurts when your best and brightest walk out the door.

IN THIS ISSUE

SAF in the Lobby

What Do Midterm Election Results Mean for the Floral Industry?

Society of American Florists

International trade agreements, border security and healthcare will be key issues facing the 116th Congress after this week’s headline-making midterm elections.

Anne-Marie Hardie

Ecobain Naturals is the brainchild of Brian and Roberta Bain who identified a significant gap in their local agricultural production—the lack of year-round, fresh produce.

GT IN BRIEF

AAS Breeder’s Cup Goes to Doug Holden

Bailey Acquires Oregon Bareroot Supplier Carlton Plants

Bobbi Ecker-Blatchford, Peter Moran Join Hall of Fame

Boxwood Blight Found at Indiana Garden Center

International Statistics: Flowers and Plants 2018

Laser Focus on Seed Quality

New Tesselaar Variety Comes to U.S.

Shinoda Foundation Awards $20,000 in Scholarships

COLUMNISTS

Heather Hydoski

Roger McGaughey

Abe VanWingerden

NEW PRODUCTS

Sun Gro Horticulture
How-to-Order Sun Gro Products

ASB Greenworld Inc.
VPW420 with Mycorrhizae

Growers Supply Inc.
GrowSpan Venlo Greenhouses

Emerald Coast Growers LLC
Sporobolus heterolepis Morning Mist

PanAmerican Seed
HandPicked Vegetables

Aris Green Leaf Plants
Echinacea PowWow