GrowerTalks

September 2023 Issue

Vol. 87 No. 5

See the Digital Edition

Tackling the Tough Stuff

by Jennifer Zurko

NEWSLETTERS

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

COVER STORY

Tackling the Tough Stuff

Jennifer Zurko

Matthew Tyson, this year’s GrowerTalks/Ball Horticultural Company Young Grower Award winner, has used the life lessons he’s learned and his years on the football field to lead his team at Costa Farms to success.

FEATURES

A Good Vibe

Chris Beytes, Jennifer Zurko, Bill Calkins & Jennifer Polanz

The mood was good and the new products were plenty at Cultivate’23. Here are some highlights.

Pre-production Prep

Jennifer Zurko

Growing info on some of the newest varieties.

Service in Real Time

Katie Elzer-Peters

Grow your customer base with live online inventory.

CULTURE NOTES

Growers Talk Production

Micromanage Plants, Grow People

Stephanie Saccomano

One can’t possibly micromanage every person’s decision making and expect to live a long, happy life.

PEST MANAGEMENT

The Effect of Growing Medium on Steinernema feltiae

Dr. Raymond A. Cloyd

Steinernema feltiae is an entomopathogenic nematode used in greenhouse production systems to manage fungus gnat larval populations.

COLUMNS

Inside Look

“Mike” on the Strong Side

Jennifer Zurko

Now that Matthew Tyson is a grower for one of the biggest operations in the country, he's been playing his old football role again.

Acres & Acres

Not Customer Service—Hospitality

Chris Beytes

I’ve long felt customer service is the one easiest (and hardest) place you can make your business stand out from the crowd.

Growers Talk Business

Headwinds Ahead?

Stan Vander Waal

How do we as operators and business owners prudently plan and navigate the challenges ahead?

Guest Column

Begin With the Waxes

Lowell Halvorson

Waxes are relentlessly reliable. In an industry full of risks, they bring stability.

DEPARTMENTS

JZ on D.C.

Federal Labor Program Updates

Jennifer Zurko

There were several Department of Labor (DOL) updates on both the H-2A and H-2B temporary worker programs in July.

GT IN BRIEF

2024 Great American Gardener Awards Nomination Open Now

AFE Releases Thrips & Botrytis Library

All In for Next Year’s Varieties

Danziger Announces Imagine More Scholarship Program

Get the 2024 AAS Winners From These Young Plant Suppliers

New Joint Guide for IPM in New York, New England

On The Move

Remembering Jim Nau

COLUMNISTS

Chris Beytes

Jennifer Zurko

Albert Grimm

Art Parkerson

Paul Pilon

Bill Swanekamp

Amy Morris

Terri McEnaney

Stan Vander Waal

Austin Bryant

Stephanie Saccomano

VIDEOS

Watch More

GrowerTalks at Ball Seed Customer Day 2023

Plants, Tools and Technologies from Cultivate’23

Happy 10th Anniversary to LiveTrends

Visiting Darwin Perennial Days 2023

What's up with California's greenhouse energy requirements?

Trending Now: Jiffy Flexistart

Spring Trials 2023: Benary

Spring Trials 2023 - Prudac

Spring Trials 2023: Suncrest Nursery

Proven Winners sneak peek for 2024!

Spring Trials 2023: Danziger

Spring Trials 2023: Syngenta

Spring Trials 2023: PlantHaven

Spring Trials 2023: HilverdaFlorist

Spring Trials 2023: Takii

Spring Trials 2023: Dümmen Orange

Spring Trials 2023: Sakata's New Flowers & Veggies

Spring Trials 2023: Kientzler

Pure Flavor Greenhouse Visit

Spring Trials 2023: Southern Living/Sunset

Spring Trials 2023: Suntory

Spring Trials 2023: Westhoff

Spring Trails 2023 - Schoneveld

Spring Trials 2023: GreenFuse

Spring Trials 2023: Beekenkamp

Spring Trials 2023: Morel

Spring Trials 2023: Ball Ingenunity

Spring Trials 2023: Darwin Perennials

Spring Trials 2023: Selecta One

Spring Trials 2023: Ball FloraPlant

Spring Trials 2023: PanAmerican Seed

Cool Products from TPIE 2023

I Never Knew a Poinsettia Had THIS!

GrowerTalks Tours the 2022 N.G. Heimos Poinsettia Trial

How GrowerTalks Gets Printed—A tour of Schumann Printers

DS Cole Growers' annual open house 2022

Pleasant View Gardens Open House 2022

Harvey robots and Ideaal spacing forks

Ball Seed Customer Day 2022

What's new from Cultivate'22!

Ball Tech On Demand At Risk Crops: Tomato

TRENDING NOW

DPH Biologicals
RootXCell

All-America Selections
Coleus Premium Sun Coral Candy

Ball Seed
SB Machinerie SB 06

HPNow
HPGen

Suntory Flowers
Senetti Blue Bicolor Improved

Donahues Clematis Specialists
Poseidon Boulevard Evipo113

Nominate a Young Grower Today!

Congrats to the 2023 GrowerTalks/Ball Horticultural Company Young Grower Award winner, Matthew Tyson from Costa Farms, Miami, Florida!

Do you know of an excellent, hard-working professional under the age of 35? You should nominate them for the 2024 GrowerTalks/Ball Horticultural Company Young Grower Award! For the last 19 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’24 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’24, 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 Ball Horticultural Company and AmericanHort for sponsoring this year’s award!

This Month ...

Tackling the Tough Stuff