GrowerTalks

June 2025 Issue

Vol. 89 No. 2

ROT (Rules of Thumb) for ROI (Return on Investment)

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This Month ...

ROT (Rules of Thumb) for ROI (Return on Investment)

by Chris Beytes

NEWSLETTERS

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

COVER STORY

ROT (Rules of Thumb) for ROI (Return on Investment)

Chris Beytes

Wanting a piece of equipment is one thing; justifying the expenditure to yourself, your spouse, your partner, your CFO or your board is another. We’ve all heard the term “return on investment”(AKA payback), but how do you calculate it? And better still, are there any tricks, any shortcuts, any rules of thumb, that can make the calculation quicker or easier? We asked that question of some growers who we know are good at making smart equipment investments (most participated in our “Why Did I Wait So Long?” series). Here’s what they had to say about figuring ROI.

FEATURES

Another Way to Protect Your Business

Mark E. Battersby

A trust as a rewarding business entity.

Details Matter

Jeremy Webber

Distribution Uniformity (DU) is the key to consistent results with biocontrols.

Getting a Leg Up

Celina Gómez, Sungeun Lim & Khadija Mbacke

Starting cuttings under LEDs during propagation.

Making an Impact

Edited by Jennifer Zurko

Read what this year’s finalists for the GrowerTalks/Ball Horticultural Company Young Grower Award think greenhouse businesses can do to make a long-term impact.

Shedding Light on Growth

Dr. Josh Henry

Understanding and managing light in the form of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is crucial for maximizing crop yield and quality.

Through the Pores

Jeb S. Fields & Kristopher S. Criscione

In-depth concepts for pore science.

CULTURE NOTES

Hit Key Sales Windows With Dianthus

Gary Vollmer & James Doukas

Take the guesswork out of scheduling your next dianthus program.

The New Edge on Pentas

Lowell Halvorson

If you like the performance of lantana and vinca, you’ll enjoy working with pentas.

Growers Talk Production

Stubborn Competence

Albert Grimm

We need a healthy measure of bloody-minded stubbornness, so that we can defend what we’re doing and stay on course whenever someone thinks that they know better.

PEST MANAGEMENT

Diagnosing Nutrient Deficiencies in Foliage Plants

Lynn Griffith

Diagnosing Nutrient Deficiencies in Foliage Plants

COLUMNS

Inside Look

Investing in Change

Jennifer Zurko

We use different methods to help us decide whether something is worth investing in or changing.

Acres & Acres

More Than One Way ...

Chris Beytes

I’ve long known that there’s more than one way of doing things in the greenhouse business.

Paul's Pointers

Between Seasons

Paul Pilon

It’s true how time flies when you’re having fun—or perhaps time really does go faster as you get older—but I can’t believe another spring is in the rear-view mirror.

DEPARTMENTS

GT IN BRIEF

Aris Sells Green Leaf Plants’ Facility

CAST Dates for 2026—A Slight Twist

From Grocery Store to Vending Machine

Hoffmann Family of Companies to Acquire Heimos Greenhouses

Meet Dümmen Orange’s New CEO

Schaefer’s Greenhouses in Illinois Sells

Welby Gardens to Close

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

Dynamic Combos for All Seasons with Syngenta’s Lauren Kilpatrick

Strategies for automating your fertigation system

NF Wood Products Improving the characteristics of growing media

The newest in sustainable pots and irrigation from Proven Winners

Hollywood Hibiscus, from Proven Winners

New black and creme (brulee) caladiums from Proven Winners

Walters Gardens Perennials from Proven Winners for 2026

New Annuals from Proven Winners for 2026 and Beyond!

CAST 2025: Israeli Propagators

CAST 2025: Benary

CAST 2025: ThinkPlants

CAST 2025: Danizger

CAST 2025: Syngenta

CAST 2025: HilverdaFlorist

CAST 2025: Takii

CAST 2025: Kienztler

CAST 2025: Du¨mmen Orange

CAST 2025: Sakata

CAST 2025: PDSI

CAST 2025: PlantHaven

CAST 2025: Pacific Plug & Liner

CAST 2025: Suntory

CAST 2025: Green Fuse

CAST 2025: Beekenkamp

CAST 2025: Westhoff

CAST 2025: Schoneveld

CAST 2025: Hem Genetics

CAST 2025: PanAmerican Seed

CAST 2025: Ball FloraPlant

CAST 2025: Darwin Perennials

CAST 2025: Selecta One

CAST 2025: Morel

Our Visit to DRAMM's New(ish) Location

Trending Now: PDSI’s Screen Play Ilex

Trending Now: PDSI’s Clean Sweep Snowbank

N.G. Heimos Poinsettia Open House 2024

Caladium bulb harvest at Classic Caladiums

The Robo Cut Autonomous Tissue Culture Propagation Robot

Ball Seed Customer Days 2024!

Critical Chemistries (Recorded Live at Cultivate’24) with JC Chong

What's New From the Cultivate'24 Trade Show

Trending Now: Ball Seed & Philips Lighting Solutions

Trending Now: Floxcor Fungicide from Corteva

Trending Now: PDSI’s Better Boxwood

Darwin Perennials Day 2024

TRENDING NOW

GrowSpan
GROWSPAN SHADE HOUSES

Rovero Greenhouses
FRUIT CANOPY-AIR VENT

Phormium
NOCTIS THERMO

Koppert Biological Systems
AIROBREEZ

Jiffy Group
JIFFY SUBSTRATES

Machinerie S.B. Inc.
SB03

Who will be this year’s Young Grower winner?

We’ll be awarding this year’s GrowerTalks/Ball Horticultural Company Young Grower Award at the Unplugged event during Cultivate’25. If you’re heading to Columbus, make some time to join us Monday night to see who will be on the cover of our September issue. There will be networking and your first drink is free!

WHEN: Monday, July 14 at 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Gaswerks
487 Park Street, Columbus, Ohio

Finalists for the 2025 GrowerTalks/Ball Horticultural Company Young Grower Award:
Isabela Chamorro, Mahoney’s Garden Center, Woburn, MA
Daniel Villegas, Van Belle Nursery, Abbotsford, BC
Ginger Thurston, Spring Meadow Nursery, Grand Haven, MI

An extra special thanks goes to Ball Horticultural Company, BASF and AmericanHort for sponsoring this year’s award!