Sustainability and tree nurseries

Tree nurseries play an important role in keeping our world livable. Especially now, with urbanization, climate change, and the decline of our ecosystems being three major developments, we need plants to increase our wellbeing. After all, studies show that nature relieves stress, promotes an active…

"Total quality management research guides postharvest quality success"

Flower losses of 20 – 30% are reported as flowers move from growers to retail outlets and consumers. High-quality, long-lasting flowers are among the highest priorities when…

Better fertigation with ion-specific measurements

Growers who want to have their supply and drainage water tested have to collect a sample and send it to a laboratory. They then have to wait a few days for the result. For these reasons, this operation is done only every 7 – 14 days. By measuring the water with an ion-specific meter in-situ, the result…

Application of fertilizer machine system for Chinese greenhouses

Kingpeng recently installed fertilizer machines in several multi-span greenhouses in China.  Thins fertilizer irrigation unit was specially designed to control either indoor or outdoor sprinkler, fogging, or drip irrigation systems without recirculation, involving substrate or other growing media. The irrigation…

© Anna Kucherova | Dreamstime.com

Effects in Chrysanthemum morifolium irrigated with grey and treated water

This research provides basic information on the recovery or reuse of grey and treated water in a sustainable approach. For the research development, treated water was collected, and synthetic greywater was prepared to use for irrigation of potted plants, and their adaptability was measured according to…

Verano365 readies organic wetting agent

Organic greenhouse growers and soilless growing media producers have long been limited on approved wetting agents, and that will soon change with a new product on the horizon…

Microflor

"The fastest way to higher returns"

Rising energy and commodity prices are making a serious dent in wallets. In addition, climate change is demanding a more economical approach to fossil fuels. Consuming less energy and growing more slowly are obvious choices. But what about the end product? Will it be of the same quality? Faster growing…

© Anatoly Tiplyashin | Dreamstime.com

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation improves flower yield

High salinity levels of irrigated water and the accumulation of salt over time in the soil is a major concern worldwide, including in Jordan. The objective of this two-year study was to assess the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation on the physiology, yield, and flower quality of…

Peony hydration prior to storage and shipping increases vase life

Cut peony production reached nearly 140 million stems annually in 2019, with production occurring in 20 countries (Kamenetsky-Goldstein and Yu, 2022). The large flowers, diversity of flower color and characteristics, and the high value per stem contribute to its popularity. Peony availability is no…

Active ingredients: worth the investment?

Active ingredients are biological living microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi and/or their by-products that are used to enhance plant growth, reduce plant pathogens that can cause plant diseases, and/or reduce insect populations. They are highly valued for complementing an IPM program, and they can…

Australia: bee tracker measures real-time pollination

Bees are the lifeblood of the food chain, responsible for pollinating one-third of Australia’s food, and protecting their existence has never been of greater importance. “There are so many remarkable advancements in modern cropping such as plant breeding and genetics, real-time measurement and…

© Lovelyday12 | Dreamstime.com

US (CT): Rising fertilizer prices hitting farms, parks and gardens

Stephanie Maynard, co-owner of Ox Hollow Farm in Roxbury, started the season with fertilizer prices twice as high as usual. That, coupled with fuel costs, is the farm’s biggest expense and so the rising prices meant deciding between cutting back production or fronting the added cost and hoping to recoup…

© Okea | Dreamstime.com

Integrated Pest Management farming methods get a boost in Europe

The biologicals market for crop protection products has seen healthy global growth in recent years. However, in Europe, there is still frustration at significant regulatory hurdles to approving products successfully. Sixty years after Rachel Carson wrote her seminal work Silent Spring, there is optimism…

30% more yield in gerbera thanks to adding Nano fertilizer

A trial for a new fertilizer concept by B+H Solutions GmbH in gerbera at Schouten Opti-Fleurs has turned out well. What's more, the crop is now more vigorous, less susceptible to stress, and more resilient, with a significant increase in the number of flowers per m2. Sendot's sensors provide proof that…

Klondike Gardens

Nanobubble tech improves root health and vitality of Gerbera Daisies

Klondike Gardens has specialized in gerbera cultivation since 1984. Since the application of oxygen nanobubble technology, the nursery, which has two locations in Berkel en Rodenrijs (Netherlands), has seen several improvements in its current water system and crop resilience. LossesTo keep the water system…

“Sustainable cultivation is a choice that you have to make out of conviction”

"Bunnik Plants is a truly unique company, progressive and taking care of its employees. Everyone here matters and is given a lot of responsibility," says head of cultivation Nick van den Berg. "Every employee knows exactly what they have to do, but they largely determine how and when. There is also a lot…

Making fertilizer from tomato plant waste

Can tomato plant waste be repurposed into agricultural fertilizer? Yes, it can. But how can you optimally recover the plant waste's nutrients and energy? That question is at…

FloraLife

New flower food product to improve petal color intensity and vase life

Lisianthus is a crop that needs continuous flower food supply postharvest for optimum vase life, flowering percentage, and petal color intensity results. Lisianthus is usually harvested when a stem has a couple of open flowers. These flowers have an intense color. The buds that open later usually have a…

6 new crop-specific nutrient monitoring factsheets

Fert Dirt and Squirt has written several articles on the nutritional monitoring of ornamental plants. You can find them listed here below. All articles have been written by W. Garrett Owen, University of Kentucky, and Brian Whipker, North Carolina State University.   Nutrient Monitoring of Angelonia This nutrient monitoring…