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GROWERTALKS - June 2025 Issue (Vol. 89 No. 2)
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.
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.
Culture Notes
Hit Key Sales Windows With Dianthus
Gary Vollmer & James Doukas
Take the guesswork out of scheduling your next dianthus program.
Culture Notes
The New Edge on Pentas
Lowell Halvorson
If you like the performance of lantana and vinca, you’ll enjoy working with pentas.
Features
Another Way to Protect Your Business
Mark E. Battersby
A trust as a rewarding business entity.
Features
Details Matter
Jeremy Webber
Distribution Uniformity (DU) is the key to consistent results with biocontrols.
Features
Getting a Leg Up
Celina Gómez, Sungeun Lim & Khadija Mbacke
Starting cuttings under LEDs during propagation.
Features
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.
Features
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.
Features
Through the Pores
Jeb S. Fields & Kristopher S. Criscione
In-depth concepts for pore science.
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.
GT in Brief
Aris Sells Green Leaf Plants’ Facility
Chris Beytes
Aris Horticulture has announced the sale of its Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Green Leaf Plants perennial liner production facility.
GT in Brief
CAST Dates for 2026—A Slight Twist
Chris Beytes
The dates for the 2026 California Spring Trials (CAST) have been decided by the powers that be and the consensus is to move the dates up by just one day.
GT in Brief
From Grocery Store to Vending Machine
Jennifer Zurko
This past April, the first phase of Ball Seed Company’s planned renovation and expansion of the Seed Distribution Center was completed.
GT in Brief
Hoffmann Family of Companies to Acquire Heimos Greenhouses
Chris Beytes
Hoffmann Family of Companies (HF Companies), a family owned private equity firm based in the United States, announced it has entered into a definitive letter of intent to purchase N.G. Heimos Greenhouses.
GT in Brief
Meet Dümmen Orange’s New CEO
Chris Beytes
Congrats to Ellen Mackenbach-Lakeman, who’s the new Chief Executive Officer of Dümmen Orange.
GT in Brief
Register Now for the 2025 International Plant Trialing Conference
Jennifer Zurko
Planned for October 13-15 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota, this educational conference will include sessions covering a wide range of topics.
GT in Brief
Schaefer’s Greenhouses in Illinois Sells
Chris Beytes
The buyer is AEC Supply, Inc. of Minooka, Illinois.
GT in Brief
Welby Gardens to Close
Chris Beytes
A letter to customers dated April 4 was sent from the folks at Welby Gardens, based in Arvada, Colorado. Requests for additional comments went unanswered.
Inside Look
Investing in Change
Jennifer Zurko
We use different methods to help us decide whether something is worth investing in or changing.
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.
Pest Management
Diagnosing Nutrient Deficiencies in Foliage Plants
Lynn Griffith
Diagnosing Nutrient Deficiencies in Foliage Plants
TRENDING NOW
AIROBREEZ
Koppert Biological Systems
TRENDING NOW
FRUIT CANOPY-AIR VENT
Rovero Greenhouses
TRENDING NOW
GROWSPAN SHADE HOUSES
GrowSpan
TRENDING NOW
JIFFY SUBSTRATES
Jiffy Group
TRENDING NOW
NOCTIS THERMO
Phormium
TRENDING NOW
SB03
Machinerie S.B. Inc.