Listen Now

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops - Basil Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Basil. To look at the inherent risks with this crop, we’re joined by Nick Flax, a technical specialist with Ball Horticultural Company. The discussion covers Basil Downy Mildew. Nick shares information about this aggressive pathogen, as well as strategies for avoiding it. Resources: Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-basil   Overview of At Risk Crops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nivIaIVFE3c At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/ At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/ Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops - Canna Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Canna. To look at the inherent risks with this key tropical crop, we’re joined by Dr. Will Healy, senior technical manager with Ball Horticultural Company. The discussion covers viruses impacting this crop. Will shares information about these potential challenges, as well as proven strategies for control. Resources: Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-canna Overview of At Risk Crops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nivIaIVFE3c At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/ At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/ Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.  

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops - Carnation Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Carnation. To look at the inherent risks with this crop, we’re joined by Dr. Will Healy, senior technical manager with Ball Horticultural Company. The discussion covers viruses and fungal diseases impacting this crop. Will shares information about these potential challenges, as well as proven strategies for control. Resources: Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-carnation   Overview of At Risk Crops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nivIaIVFE3c At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/ At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/ Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.  

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops - Hosta Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Hosta. To look at the inherent risks with this crop, we’re joined by Dr. Nathan Jahnke, a research manager with Ball Horticultural Company. The discussion covers viruses impacting this crop. Nathan shares information about these potential challenges, as well as proven strategies for control. Resources: Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-hosta   Overview of At Risk Crops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nivIaIVFE3c At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/ At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/ Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.

Tech On Demand: Growing for the Pro Landscape Market   In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by joined by Lisa Lacy and Jeff Gibson. Lisa is a Portfolio Manager with PanAmerican Seed – a brilliant plant guru with a keen market sense, spotting trends far before they come to fruition. Jeff is Landscape and Independent Garden Center Business Manager with Ball Horticultural and someone who knows our industry inside and out with an ability to learn markets and help growers produce and deliver the crops relevant to each. Our topic this time is the Professional Landscape Segment – a huge part of our industry and one with particular wants, needs and nuances.   Both Lisa and Jeff are industry veterans and with that experience comes plenty of stories, so sit back and enjoy a lively conversation about ways to work effectively, as a grower, with the professional landscape segment. We talk about how the market has changed over the years, what landscape professionals have shared about how they want product grown and delivered, the importance of trust and availability and tips that have worked for many greenhouses. We also discuss how plant breeding and development has evolved to focus on landscape market needs and the importance of trialing new varieties to determine durability and longevity in today’s landscapes. Finally, we wrap up with everyone’s favorite topic – new varieties and products proving success with professional landscapers and designers.   Resources:   Ball Landscape Website – including the 2021 Thrive regional poster, Photo Library and ready-to-use presentations for growers: https://www.balllandscape.com   PanAmerican Seed Pro Landscape Website – including a regional plant selector, sell sheet creation tools and a plant calculator to help design installations: https://www.panamseed.com/landscape   GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops - Tomato Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Tomato. To look at the inherent risks with this crop, we’re joined by Nick Flax, a technical specialist with Ball Horticultural Company. The discussion covers a specific virus, as well as bacterial leaf spot impacting this crop. Nick shares information about these potential challenges, as well as proven strategies for control. Resources: Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-tomato Overview of At Risk Crops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nivIaIVFE3c At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/ At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/ Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops – Geranium Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Geranium. To look at the inherent risks with this crop, we’re joined by Dr. Todd Cavins, a technical manager with Ball Horticultural Company. The discussion covers bacterial diseases impacting this crop. Todd shares information about these potential challenges, as well as proven strategies for control. Resources: Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-geranium   Overview of At Risk Crops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nivIaIVFE3c At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/ At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/ Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops – Hiemalis Begonia Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Hiemalis Begonia. To look at the inherent risks with this crop, we’re joined by Dr. Nathan Jahnke, a research manager with Ball Horticultural Company. The discussion covers viruses and fungal diseases impacting this crop. Nathan shares information about these potential challenges, as well as proven strategies for control. Resources: Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-hiemalis-begonia   Overview of At Risk Crops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nivIaIVFE3c At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/ At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/ Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.  

Tech On Demand: Cost Savings in Plant Protection Products with Aaron Palmateer In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by Aaron Palmateer, Senior Technical Representative with Bayer Ornamentals, to talk about the economic side of things – moving beyond “sticker shock” and understanding how plant protection products can actually save you money. Aaron begins by jumping right into the topic with an overview of how growers really do save money when incorporating effective products into their pest, disease and weed management strategies. Next, we tackle the topic of generics and how such products might not be the best approach. Digging deeper, Aaron outlines a plan for cost-effective chemical rotations before sharing some examples of new chemistries developed to not only reduce long-term costs but solve greenhouse problems in creative and modern ways. Be sure to listen all the way to the end of this episode to learn about a new resource available from Bayer, a user-friendly Spanish language pest identification guide that’s sure to be a critical tool for all greenhouse operations. Resources: Bayer Ornamentals Website: https://www.environmentalscience.bayer.us Spanish Pest Identification Guide: https://www.environmentalscience.bayer.us/turf-and-ornamentals-management/production-ornamentals/portfolios-and-solutions/Spanish-Pest-Identification-Guide GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by Aaron Palmateer, Senior Technical Representative with Bayer Ornamentals, to discuss the ins and outs of putting together a comprehensive pest and disease management program for your greenhouse. The episode kicks off with an explanation of integrated pest management for pest and diseases before moving into the key components for a solid program. Once the basics are covered, Aaron shares specific strategies to build a program and ways to know exactly what you’re dealing with when it comes to your crop plan. We wrap up with a conversation about the many variables that exist each season and methods and protocols to follow to minimize the risk of introducing pest, diseases and weeds into a production environment. Be sure to listen all the way to the end of this episode to learn about a new resource available from Bayer, a user-friendly Spanish language pest identification guide that’s sure to be a critical tool for all greenhouse operations. Resources: Bayer Ornamentals Website: https://www.environmentalscience.bayer.us Spanish Pest Identification Guide: https://www.environmentalscience.bayer.us/turf-and-ornamentals-management/production-ornamentals/portfolios-and-solutions/Spanish-Pest-Identification-Guide GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

Tech On Demand: Root, Stem and Crown Rot Diseases with Aaron Palmateer In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by Aaron Palmateer, Senior Technical Representative with Bayer Ornamentals, to talk about root, stem and crown rot diseases. Because some of the diseases discussed occur below the soil and out of sight, detection is extremely critical to avoid devastating effects to the crop. The earlier symptoms are detected the better - that’s how this episode begins. Next, Aaron moves to an overview of the major pathogens impacting root, stem and crown and exactly how they cause disease. He goes in depth on the Big Four – Pythium, Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia and Fusarium – but also discusses less-common pathogens and fungi.  This episode concludes with a review of treatment options and rotation suggestions. Be sure to listen all the way to the end of this episode to learn about a new resource available from Bayer, a user-friendly Spanish language pest identification guide that’s sure to be a critical tool for all greenhouse operations. Resources: Bayer Ornamentals Website: https://www.environmentalscience.bayer.us Spanish Pest Identification Guide: https://www.environmentalscience.bayer.us/turf-and-ornamentals-management/production-ornamentals/portfolios-and-solutions/Spanish-Pest-Identification-Guide GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

Tech On Demand: Foliar Diseases of Ornamental Plants In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by Aaron Palmateer, Senior Technical Representative with Bayer Ornamentals, to talk about foliar disease on greenhouse crops. Leaf spot disease management must be a top priority for all greenhouse professionals and Aaron explains why, as well as comparing the importance of yield to farmers with quality for greenhouse growers. After setting the stage for this episode’s discussion, the conversation moves to the importance of diagnostics and then a deep dive into how exactly disease happens and a review of the “disease triangle” with a twist. The differences between fungal and bacterial pathogens are detailed before Aaron tackles best practices to avoid them. This episode concludes with a review of treatment options and how to avoid resistance. Be sure to listen all the way to the end of this episode to learn about a new resource available from Bayer, a user-friendly Spanish language pest identification guide that’s sure to be a critical tool for all greenhouse operations. Resources: Bayer Ornamentals Website: https://www.environmentalscience.bayer.us Spanish Pest Identification Guide: https://www.environmentalscience.bayer.us/turf-and-ornamentals-management/production-ornamentals/portfolios-and-solutions/Spanish-Pest-Identification-Guide GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops – Cabbage & Kale Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Cabbage & Kale – two very common fall crops. To look at the inherent risks with these key seasonal crops, we’re joined by Dr. Todd Cavins, a technical manager with Ball Horticultural Company. The discussion covers bacterial leaf spot, or black rot. Dr. Cavins shares information about these potential challenges, as well as proven strategies for control. Resources: Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-cabbage-kale Overview of At Risk Crops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nivIaIVFE3c At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/ At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/ Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops - Peppers Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Peppers – ornamental and edible. To look at the inherent risks with this key seasonal crop, we’re joined by Dr. Todd Cavins, a technical manager with Ball Horticultural Company. The discussion covers bacterial leaf spot and tospoviruses. Dr. Cavins shares information about these potential challenges, as well as proven strategies for control. Resources: Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-pepper e-GRO: Insecticides Labeled for Greenhouse-grown Vegetables resource mentioned in the discussion:http://e-gro.org/pdf/2017_607.pdf Overview of At Risk Crops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nivIaIVFE3c At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/ At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/ Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops – Zinnia   Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Zinnia. To look at the inherent risks with this key crop, we’re joined by Dr. Will Healy, senior technical manager for Ball Horticultural Company. Bacterial leaf spot, fungal leaf spot and powdery mildew are the topics at hand and Dr. Healy shares how to identify these diseases and also best strategies for control. Producing a clean, healthy zinnia crop is the ultimate goal.   Resources:   Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-zinnia   At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/   At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q   Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/   Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops – Garden Mums   Our miniseries on At Risk Crops continues with Garden Mums. To look at the inherent risks with this key seasonal crop, we’re joined by Dr. Will Healy, senior technical manager for Ball Horticultural Company. The discussion centers on one major disease concern, Chrysanthemum White Rust. Dr. Healy shares information about this disease, as well as proven strategies for control. Fusarium on chrysanthemums is also covered in detail.   Resources:   Slides for this presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/ball-tech-on-demand-at-risk-crops-garden-mums   At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/   At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q   Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/   Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.

Tech On Demand: At Risk Crops - Overview   This episode kicks off a miniseries on At Risk Crops. For a high-level overview of this topic, we’re joined by Dr. Will Healy, senior technical manager for Ball Horticultural Company. To start off our look at At Risk Crops, Dr. Healy digs into ways to manage the Disease Triangle – Pathogen, Host and Environment – and overall strategies to use when producing crops with inherent challenges. Continuous management of the disease triangle, throughout the entire production process, is required to ensure crop success.   Resources:   At Risk Crop Resources: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/   At Risk Crop Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWIFgcRZVIylFIk-me3R1Q   Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/   Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.

Tech On Demand: Holding & Delaying Greenhouse Crops   Although this season is an anomaly, the first time North America has experienced pandemic-related quarantines and sheltering, holding crops due to market challenges like weather impact growers more often than not. Today, we catch up with three experts covering a wide range of greenhouse crops from a technical and cultural perspective to learn strategies greenhouse professionals can use when product can’t be shipped on time. What crops respond well to holding and delaying strategies from cutting back to temperature manipulation and chemicals to lighting? How can you best make those kinds of decisions? What data do we have to determine how to treat specific crops? Are there any that you absolutely should not hold in certain ways? We tackle all of this and much more for seed annuals, vegetative annuals and perennials with PanAmerican Seed's Jerry Gorchels, Gary Vollmer from Ball FloraPlant and Selecta One and Chris Fifo with Darwin Perennials and Kieft Seed. The goal is to keep annual and perennial crops alive and saleable longer.   Resources:   Holding & Delaying Crops - Excel Tool and Strategies Document: https://www.ballseed.com/QuickCulture/ProductionGuides/   Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/   Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Faceboook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.  

Tech On Demand: Greenhouse Sanitation Our Tech On Demand topic du jour is Greenhouse Sanitation. This time, we’re joined by Dr. Todd Cavins. Todd’s one of the technical services experts at Ball Seed and has been helping professional growers solve greenhouse production challenges for more than ten years in the field and before that was a professor at Oklahoma State University. You may have seen the hashtag #startcleanstayclean in hort posts recently. We all know it’s true. But does your greenhouse really have a sanitation plan? You don’t have to answer that, but you do have to listen all the way to the end of this episode because Todd covers a lot. From how growers (especially managers) traffic pests around a greenhouse to best practices for keeping greenhouses clean, Todd takes us from spring cleanup through crop production in all stages to help determine where problems lie and most importantly, how to clean them up. Resources: GrowerTalks Article: Start Clean. Stay Clean. https://www.growertalks.com/Article/?articleid=24573 Subscribe to GrowerTalks Magazine: https://www.growertalks.com/Subscribe/ Join the Greenhouse Tech Team closed group on Facebook and connect with more than 1000 greenhouse professionals | Log onto Facebook and search: Greenhouse Tech Team in groups.

Tech On Demand: Poinsettia Disease Control In this episode of Tech On Demand brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins is joined by Aaron Palmateer, Senior Technical Representative with Bayer Ornamentals, to talk about managing disease on poinsettias. When it comes to disease identification and management, Aaron’s a pro – with a background in plant pathology. He looks into his crystal ball and talks about diseases growers can expect on poinsettia crops this season, regionally and across all of North America. He also spends time on best practices and general guidelines to reduce the threat of pathogens and maximize the chance of success, as well as the importance of diagnostics. He covers pythium, botrytis, rhizoctonia, phytophthora, powdery mildew and a whole lot more. And in terms of solutions, the newest technologies in broad spectrum controls are covered giving growers solid information on new tools for the toolbox. Be sure to listen all the way to the end of this episode to learn about a new resource available from Bayer, a user-friendly Spanish language pest identification guide that’s sure to be a critical tool for all greenhouse operations. Resources: Bayer Ornamentals Website: https://www.environmentalscience.bayer.us Spanish Pest Identification Guide: https://www.environmentalscience.bayer.us/turf-and-ornamentals-management/production-ornamentals/portfolios-and-solutions/Spanish-Pest-Identification-Guide GrowerTalks Magazine Website: https://www.growertalks.com/