US: (TX) World Floral Expo in Dallas is on

The 20th edition of the international cut flower trade show World Floral Expo took off yesterday. So far, the organization is pleased with the attendance. "The day ended with a surprising good number of attending floral buyers." Visitors from more than 6 US states entered the yearly held trade even t…

PanAmerican Seed buys Kitchen Minis program

PanAmerican Seed has purchased the Kitchen Minis program from Dalina Genetics, a Danish breeder of ornamental and edible plants. The purchase includes breeding lines, as well as commercial products of compact tomatoes and cucumbers. This announcement comes only a few years after PanAmerican Seed’s acquisition of Ex-Plant…

Appealing to a new target group with a slightly different poinsettia

What story-telling can do. The breeders of this variety were not sure they should launch it, but the marketing department saw the opportunity to tap into a new target group. The variety in question is the Euphorbia pulcherrima Christmas Mouse of Selecta one. The "mouse ears" make the difference,…

Fairtrade launches project to empower Ethiopian women flower workers

Following the success of the Women’s School of Leadership in Fairtrade cocoa-growing communities in West Africa, Fairtrade Africa is now replicating the initiative for the very first time in Ethiopia’s flower sector. Moreover, it is running an additional programme focused on tackling barriers to women’s…

Powerplants Australia marks 25 years with green race

The factory at Powerplants Australia has been transformed into a race track ahead of celebrating their 25th Birthday Party this Saturday. Carl van Loon started the business in 1994 installing high quality European screens. 25 years later Powerplants has a team of 35 employees and has become a turnkey…

Greenyard Horticulture changes name to Agaris

Greenyard's former Horticulture division will be named Agaris. The Greenyard Horticulture division became a stand-alone organisation in the autumn of 2018. Agaris will continue to develop growing media. Together with the new family shareholder Straco, Agaris will focus on a strategy of growth. 'May you be grown' Agaris finds its…

Horti LED production line added to Signify factory in Camargo

Signify will significantly reduce delivery times for Philips GreenPower LED customers in North America as it adds a horti LED production line at its existing luminaire factory in Camargo, Mexico for the LEDs that so far were only manufactured in Sucha Beskidzka, Poland. The move helps the company to…

US (FL): Still growing after four generations

In the U.S. floral universe, Pierson, Florida, population 1,849, plays an outsized role. For any given bouquet of flowers, chances are pretty good that the greenery came from Pierson. It’s a place that calls itself the fern capital of the world. Families have grown ferns for generations and kids grow up working at…

Plants 'hear' bees flying by

They don’t have ears, yet they react to the sound of passing pollinators. That was discovered by researchers. Their findings can be read in the BioRxiv magazine. Evening primroses The researchers exposed evening primroses…

US: InstantHedges now shipping in customizable cedar boxes

InstantHedge took the design/build market in the United States by storm in 2018, debuting 20 varieties of precision-trimmed and packaged, ready-to-plant 3-4’ and 5-6’ hedges. In the fall the company expanded with a line of 18” boxwood panels for instant borders, knot gardens and patios. This spring, InstantHedge introduces the…

"Immense potential for tulip cultivation"

Although tulip cultivation in India has been largely limited to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the hilly regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have a huge potential for growing this highly commercial flower. To commercialise tulip cultivation in Himachal, scientists of the department of floriculture and landscape…

Turkey: Bolu municipality grows flowers with thermal water

Bolu municipality parks and gardens directorate continues to grow cut flowers year-round in its greenhouses which are heated using thermal resources. The municipality of Bolu, a city located in northwestern Turkey, grows many different varieties in its greenhouses such as gerbera, rose, carnation, chrysanthemum, gypsophila, dianthus…

Turkey: Women growing flowers in Sanliurfa want to compete with the Netherlands

20 young women entrepreneurs in Sanliurfa, a city located in southeastern Turkey, has become growers after participating in the Ministry of Agriculture’s project to increase women’s participation in agricultural workforce. All these young entrepreneurs have received training from agricultural engineers about cut…

US (NC): How a greenhouse delayed the 1959 sale of an estate

The Terry Estate, also known as InTheOaks, is a 24,000 square foot private estate built in Black Mountain between 1919 to 1921 by Franklin Silas Terry, the first VP at General Electric, and his wife, Lillian Emerson Terry. Modeled after a Tudor country manor and second only in size to the Biltmore House in the…

"Charged water improves resistance of plants"

Treatment with water that is enriched with hydrogen gas improves the immune system of bulbs, plants and, for example, seeds, from within. Moreover, it ensures higher yields and lower expenses for crop protection and nutrition. This is said by Robert van Kooten of Yield by Nature, a company that supplies…

US (FL): Still growing after four generations

In the U.S. floral universe, Pierson, Florida, population 1,849, plays an outsized role. For any given bouquet of flowers, chances are pretty good that the greenery came from Pierson. It’s a place that calls itself the fern capital of the world. Families have grown ferns for generations and kids grow up working at…

Uganda: Take a look inside a cuttings production location

At Floritec's production location they constantly analyse data. From various processes they determine use of materials and energy consumption. Each process is monitored and improvements are initiated where needed. However, it's not only about figures, but it's about people too, as is evident from a look at the…

“We want to turn waste into a supply”

A lot of flowers in Toscana are being produced on peat but in the future they may be skipping the peat for dredge remediated sediments from the port of Livorno. At least that is the aim for the project SubSed that Flora Toscana is working on with the support of the LIFE program of the European Union. “We…

US (FL): Fertilizer ordinance update for late 2018 and early 2019

"The year of 2018 was a difficult one for the green industry, and set the stage for a difficult 2019. While there were a few victories, it will mostly be remembered for the…

"BC Hydro could do more to improve cybersecurity on its power system"

The Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia has released a new report: Detection and Response to Cybersecurity Threats on BC Hydro’s Industrial Control Systems . The audit found that BC Hydro is effectively managing cybersecurity risk by detecting and responding to cybersecurity incidents on the parts of…

Canada: Versys Insecticide (afidopyropen) registered for greenhouse and outdoor ornamentals

Flowers Canada Growers announces that the product Versys Insecticide (afidopyropen) is now registered for greenhouse and outdoor ornamental uses. Versys is effective against multiple species of Aphids and Whiteflies. FCG would like to thank BASF Canada for their ongoing support of the ornamental industry by bringing…

Hishtil to take their upgraded sticking room to a higher level

After upgrading the sticking room at their Afula nursery just recently, Israeli young plant grower Hishtil is already thinking about the next step to keep up with the annually increasing production at this site; they have plans to add 2 or 3 sticking machines in 2020. "In this way, we can stay at the…

PanAmerican Seed buys Kitchen Minis program

PanAmerican Seed has purchased the Kitchen Minis program from Dalina Genetics, a Danish breeder of ornamental and edible plants. The purchase includes breeding lines, as well as commercial products of compact tomatoes and cucumbers. This announcement comes only a few years after PanAmerican Seed’s acquisition of Ex-Plant…

New fair taps into Mexican potential for high-tech floriculture

Mexico is often named as one of those countries having a huge untapped potential for high-tech floriculture production. Climate, availability of all possible resources, infrastructure, huge markets around the corner, all is at hand. It is, therefore, as if the market is waiting for something to get the…

Australia: Tree Stock Roadshow coming to capital cities

The Tree Stock Roadshow is on its way this March, and is set to take place at production nurseries in Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Darwin and Sydney. The workshops are an extension of the ‘Evaluation of nursery tree stock parameters’ (NY15001) research project, which was funded by Hort Innovation using nursery levies and…

Colombia: Manufacturing plant opened for flower and plant packaging

PPC Flexible Packaging, announced the completion of a new manufacturing plant in Bogota, Colombia. The Colombia plant will be occupied by Temkin PPC, a division of PPC Flexible Packaging. Temkin PPC designs and manufactures flexible film packaging for fresh-cut flowers and potted plants including…

UK: New support service launched to help farmers considering organic

A support service has been launched to provide free advice and technical guidance to organic farmers and those considering organic conversion. The Organic Advice, Support and Information Service (OASIS) has been developed collaboratively by independent farm consultancy Abacus Agriculture and OF&G (Organic Farmers and…

More than a million people come to see Keukenhof’s 7 million bulbs.

One of the Netherlands’ most popular attractions also has the shortest shelf life. Keukenhof, a park about 45 minutes southwest of Amsterdam, opens its doors annually from late March to mid-May (this year, March 21 to May 19). During those eight weeks, more than a million visitors pour through the front…

Alexandra Farms announces eight new varieties of fresh cut garden roses

Alexandra Farms, one of the world’s largest grower of fresh cut garden roses, announces the latest additions to their collections. David Austin English Garden Roses Among the new releases are three varieties belonging to the David Austin brand. Earlier this year, creamy white Ella (Auswagsy) and Eugenie (Ausimage) ,…

US: 2019-20 edition of ‘Gardening Simplified’ publication takes new approach

Volume seven of  Gardening Simplified magazine , featuring Proven Winners ColorChoice flowering shrubs, has been released. The 100-page reference guide is part of a direct-to-consumer advertising approach and…

The importance of soil & media processing

Every grower knows just how important soil is to the growing process. Getting things just right is essential. Soil processing can be hard, messy, laborious, and time consuming. In today’s industry, competitive growers understand that using soil processing equipment has growing benefits like cost/labor savings, custom blending,…

Fairtrade launches project to empower Ethiopian women flower workers

Following the success of the Women’s School of Leadership in Fairtrade cocoa-growing communities in West Africa, Fairtrade Africa is now replicating the initiative for the very first time in Ethiopia’s flower sector. Moreover, it is running an additional programme focused on tackling barriers to women’s…

US: SAF leaders talk industry issues with influential Congressman

While in Washington, D.C., for the association’s 39th annual Congressional Action Days, SAF President Bill LaFever, PFCI, of the Bill Doran Company in Rockford, Illinois, joined SAF CEO Kate Penn at a small luncheon for Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Georgia), chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on…

UK: Garden centre run by Askham Grange prisoners

Tucked away in the North Yorkshire village of Askham Richard is The Grange garden centre. Run by Askham Grange prison, many of the women who work there are prisoners. The centre is said to play a key role in rehabilitation, helps inmates learn skills and earn qualifications which aim to help them avoid reoffending when their sentences come…

United Selections becomes a Master Florist Partner

United Selections recently became a Master Florist partner by supporting the initiatives in the industry to better serve the needs of florists and flower consumers. As a premier rose breeder, including a strong portfolio in reds, they do have a long history of supporting florists worldwide and the company believes that florists play an…

Kenya: Trainings to improve the post-harvest chain

Do you suffer losses during post-harvest handling? Do you want to ensure the best design for your new cold store? Are you considering switching from air to sea freight, or developing a completely new supply chain? Based on clear and detailed insights into your situation and wishes, a series of trainings will draw…

10th China Flower Expo launch underway

Chongming District last week marked the 800-day countdown to the 10th China Flower Expo, to be held from May 21 till July 2 in 2021, under the theme of “Blossom with a Chinese Dream.” “The goals of the expo include four key words: ecology, innovation, humanity and sharing,” said district chief Li Zheng at the…

US: (TX) World Floral Expo in Dallas is on

The 20th edition of the international cut flower trade show World Floral Expo took off yesterday. So far, the organization is pleased with the attendance. "The day ended with a surprising good number of attending floral buyers." Visitors from more than 6 US states entered the yearly held trade even t…

Greenyard Horticulture changes name to Agaris

Greenyard's former Horticulture division will be named Agaris. The Greenyard Horticulture division became a stand-alone organisation in the autumn of 2018. Agaris will continue to develop growing media. Together with the new family shareholder Straco, Agaris will focus on a strategy of growth. 'May you be grown' Agaris finds its…

Horti LED production line added to Signify factory in Camargo

Signify will significantly reduce delivery times for Philips GreenPower LED customers in North America as it adds a horti LED production line at its existing luminaire factory in Camargo, Mexico for the LEDs that so far were only manufactured in Sucha Beskidzka, Poland. The move helps the company to…

Powerplants Australia marks 25 years with green race

The factory at Powerplants Australia has been transformed into a race track ahead of celebrating their 25th Birthday Party this Saturday. Carl van Loon started the business in 1994 installing high quality European screens. 25 years later Powerplants has a team of 35 employees and has become a turnkey…

ScottsMiracle-Gro Sells 30% Ownership Stake in TruGreen

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company has sold its approximate 30 percent stake in TruGreen to the majority owner in a transaction in which ScottsMiracle-Gro received approximately…

US (WA): Mayesh Wholesale Florist brings floral presence to Seattle

Mayesh Wholesale Florist will open a new wholesale floral distribution business in Seattle, Washington this coming fall. The Seattle branch will be the 18th wholesale location…

Worfield Plants ‏

#Top10Plants Spring Tip Calluna Collection 1L: These are providing bright foliage colours which last for a long period and are perfect for early impulse sales. pic.twitter.com/Ra9XSfOxrX — Worfield Plants (@WorfieldPlants) March 21, 2019

UK: Despatch redevelopment improves efficiency in time for peak season

Hillier Nurseries has recently completed a major redevelopment of the Despatch facility at the company’s nursery site in Hampshire. A significant extension to the existing building, plus changes to the whole despatch process, have streamlined work and allowed for better quality control. These…

Brazil: LATAM Cargo to complete cooled terminal at Guarulhos Airport

LATAM Cargo is in the final stages of construction of a new cooled cargo terminal at São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport, which will be used to address international export demand. The 5370sqm facility will offer 33% more storage space for items such as salmon, mango, cherries, fish and flowers.…

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