Vitro Plus to push the hardy ferns market

30 years ago, Vitro Plus started producing tissue culture of tropical ferns. Quickly after, the wish arose to add hardy ferns to their assortment. After years of research, they've put hardy ferns on the market about seven years ago. The total assortment of tropical and hardy ferns of VitroPlus is…

'It has been a hectic year, but an exciting one to say the least'

Dealing with COVID-19, supplying a new crop (spray roses & roses), and celebrating the 10th anniversary. For Valley Springs, it has been a hectic year, but an exciting one to say the least. For the fifth time, this Colombian farm, that is known for its hydrangea's, received their Rainforest Certificate…

Flamingo Holland appoints new Director of perennials

Flamingo Holland Inc. is proud to announce the hiring of Noel Yan as the new Director of Perennials.  Noel YanNoel will start Monday, November 2nd, and will start immediately in maintaining and developing our perennial division. Noel has great plant knowledge, is detail-oriented, and has worked in the Horticultural…

30 producers with 430+ cultures at Denmark's Virtual Winter Trade Fair

This year, as a consequence of COVID-19, the traditional Trading Centre for Pot Plants, Handelspladsen, which is normally held in Odense (Denmark) four times a year, was cancelled for visitors in October. It would be a pity if stakeholders missed out on the Christmas and winter range, so, with the assistance…

Garden Centre Association

UK: Gardeners enhance their plots and cause hard landscaping sales to rise

Gardeners across the UK enhanced their outdoor spaces during September (2020) which led to a rise in sales in hard landscaping according to the Garden Centre Association (GCA)'s Barometer of Trade report. Compared with the same month in 2019, sales were up 72.37%. Hard landscaping sales have been steady…

"We anticipate energy savings of approximately 2.4 to 3.3 kWh per square foot per year"

Candidus was awarded a $683,562 Conservation Innovation (CIG) Grant from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Working in collaboration with NRCS and CEA farmers across the US, the company will implement adaptive lighting control technology in 12 commercial greenhouses in Virginia, Michigan,…

Menno van der Haven | Dreamstime.com

CAN (ON): Leamington waits to follow Kingsville’s lead on ‘light pollution’ bylaw

One day after Kingsville’s town council unanimously approved a bylaw to stop light pollution from greenhouses and odours from cannabis production, Leamington’s council voted unanimously to seek more information from growers and the public before considering a light pollution bylaw. Kingsville’s bylaw…

"Average UK Brit spent 84 minutes more monthly during lockdown on gardening"

With lockdown allowing more time to pursue hobbies. The Body Shop looked into the habits of the British in during and after lockdown to analyse what had changed and where they have spent our time and money. by Aneela Ashraf The survey commissioned by The Body Shop revealed the following: Gardening increased as…

Dutch delegation checks up on high-tech agriculture in China

Last week was a busy week for the China (Agri) network. Consul General Koen Sizoo, agricultural counselor Wouter Verhey, and agricultural advisor Xizhe Hu visited fairs, companies, and science institutes and organized many activities in Shaanxi and Yunnan province. From October 22nd until 26th, the Dutch…

Kerala Agricultural University

India: Floriculture centre to be opened in Wayanad

A Centre of Excellence for Vegetables and Flowers being established at Ambalavayal in Wayanad district with technical guidance from the Dutch government is set to be inaugurated on November 5. Coming up on the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Ambalavayal campus, with technical hand-holding…

4G real-time data loggers are about to enter the market

A growing number of regions abandon their 2G networks and join 4G networks instead. The growing Internet of Things also leads to greater requirements from temperature data loggers in the cold supply chain industry. Tzone Digital is a company specialized in research, design, and manufacturing of…

Video: Five tips on hydroponic substrates

Dr. Paul Fisher from the University of Florida IFAS Extension interviews Shawn Mallen from A.M.A. Horticulture in a new YouTube video where they discuss the different commercial substrates most commonly used in hydroponic production, the importance of air porosity, and compaction of substrates. This video…

Premier Tech

Finding the right growing medium to propagate plant cuttings

Young plant production continues to be a growing segment of the horticulture industry. Over the last several years, many producers have moved from seed germination to cutting propagation. This has become popular for specialty varieties and branded plants. While young plants are still produced with seed…

Frankie Gould/LSU AgCenter

US (LA): A flower for hurricane season

Surprise! There was a hurricane, and these lilies might be telling you about the weather. Have you ever noticed the beautiful red flowers that just seem to pop up out of nowhere in late summer, usually in August and September? Their bloom just so happens to coincide with hurricane season, and that is how…

Les Johnson

National Rose Trial Garden of Australia 2020 Awards

Rose Trial Gardens exist throughout the world. At least 25 are acknowledged by the World Federation of Rose Societies (WFRS). In Australia, the National Rose Trial Garden (NRTGA) was established in 1996 to trial roses not yet commercially released, bred locally or internationally. The purpose of the…

Mayer

Another Mayer machine for Van de Meer

After horticultural farm Gartenbau Van de Meer had already successfully integrated the Mayer BZ 6160 bale breaker and Mayer conveyor belts into its operations, it was now decided to switch to the Mayer brand for the potting machine as well.  In September of this year, the time had come and the team from the…

Garden Centre Association

UK: GCA reports on cancellations, growth & a thanks to members

"After calling-off our inspections for the first time in 50 years, we have also cancelled our Christmas competition and Annual Conference due to COVID-19," the Garden Centre Association announces in an update. "Despite these cancellations, we have seen growth in our GROW e-learning initiative and have…

Kelly Vandellen | Dreamstime.com

Amsterdam to use flowers to stop cyclists chaining bikes to bridges

Amsterdam prides itself on being one of the world’s most cyclist-friendly cities. But even the Dutch capital has its limits. The municipality has complained that the views of some of the most beautiful canals are being blighted while pedestrians are being forced into the street by the accumulation of…

Battlefield Farms

It’s the most magical time of the year @BattlefieldFarm ! With the crop changing every day we can’t wait to get started! @LowesSteveh @LBishPlants #Lowesgarden #lowes #poinsettia #Christmas2020 pic.twitter.com/XmDo5VgLiK — Battlefield Farms (@BattlefieldFarm) October 29, 2020

Agroberichten Buitenland

Kenya is the logistical hub of East Africa

Kenya has in recent years focused on the development and improvement of their infrastructure. With success. The export of agricultural produce has received a serious boost. “At the moment Kenya is the logistical hub for the whole of East Africa” shares the Agricultural Counselor, Mrs. Ingrid Korving. Who…

The effect of long-term cold storage and preservatives on peony flowers

Recently, peonies have become very popular cut flowers. As peony flowering period is short, long term cold storage could assure its prolonged supply and make long distance transport feasible. The effect of dry cold storage, of 8-hydroxyquinoline and nanosilver preservatives on the peony keeping qualities…

Stars for Europe

UK: Breeders reveal new poinsettias for 2020

Breeders represented by Stars for Europe regularly release new poinsettia varieties – here’s a snapshot of the most innovative introductions that will be making their way to stores around the UK. Breeder Selecta One has a uniquely different new poinsettia – the ‘Christmas Mouse’. Its rounded red bracts…

GrowSpan

Preparing for the cold: How to winterize a greenhouse

With the winter months fast approaching, every grower knows that now is the time to prepare their greenhouses for the onslaught of winter weather and cold temperatures. It is important for growers to winterize their greenhouse, so their grow can thrive even during the coldest winter months. Winterization…

UK: Retail plants are trending at Florna Plants

Florna Plants has operated out of its present location since 2016 and now supplies a broad range of UK plant retailers. These include a number of national multiple garden plant retailers in the supermarket and DIY sectors. In addition, Florna Plants also supply many major UK Garden Centre Groups with…

New partnership will explore green hydrogen solutions for horticulture in the UK

CambridgeHOK have signed an agreement with London-based Protium Green Solutions to work together and help speed up the decarbonisation of the UK horticultural sector through…

Charles J Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Xylella fastidiosa and its insect vectors

The following research project has recently been carried out in the framework of Euphresco (network for phytosanitary research coordination and funding - hosted by EPPO). A report presenting the main objectives and results of this project, as well as recommendations made can be viewed on the Internet.…

Anthura

Anthura celebrates reopening of Chinese market

Summer has turned into autumn. With its colour combination of purple and green, the Anthurium cut flower Jumbo suits this season, as does the copper-brown Phalaenopsis pot plant Anthura Monaco. The good news is that China is slowly resuming its commercial activities, so we have organized a successful…

'Automated equipment needs an automation friendly container'

As the horticulture industry grapples with continued labor shortages and restrictions, the use of automated equipment throughout growing operations is more popular than ever. Data collected by the American Society for Horticulture Science concludes that, “Greater than 40% of production costs are labor…

How to shine the light on your flower business

Your flowers are not the only ones that need adequate light. Your company should also be in the spotlight so that everybody will notice you and your beautiful products. Where is your company at the moment? In the spotlight or just working hard to make the best product, hoping that customers will discover…

UK: OHAS Grower Standard Version 4 launches

The Ornamental Horticulture Assurance Scheme (OHAS) announces the release of the OHAS Grower Standard Version 4.  The OHAS formerly known as the BOPP Certification Scheme, is a…

APS

Economic studies reinforce efforts to safeguard specialty crops in the United States

Pathogen-tested foundation plant stocks are the cornerstone of sustainable specialty crop production. They provide the propagative units that are used to produce clean planting materials, which are essential as the first-line management option of diseases caused by graft-transmissible pathogens such as…

Flowers Canada announces 2020 Annual General Meeting

Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc. have decided to hold their 2020 Annual General Meeting Virtually to their grower membership on December 2, 2020. All details have not yet been…

"There is more willingness to experiment"

How are industry companies implementing and leveraging business-to-business e-commerce technologies — and what do changes, shifts and disruptions in those tools and buying…

1-800-Flowers.com reports Q1 loss, tops revenue estimates

1-800-Flowers.com (FLWS) came out with a quarterly loss of $0.10 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.12. This compares to loss of $0.24 per share a…

Monash University

Nufarm appoints Paul Townsend as Chief Financial Officer

Nufarm Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Greg Hunt, announced the appointment of Paul Townsend to the role of Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Townsend’s 30-year career includes CFO roles with Asaleo Care, Pacific Hydro, Futuris Automotive Group and most recently, Monash University. Mr. Hunt…

Football acrobat