In a recent webinar hosted by e-GRO, photoperiodic responses and lighting strategies were reported on by Chris Currey, Iowa State University; Roberto Lopez, Michigan State University; and Neil Mattson, Cornell University. Day-length (photoperiod) impact on flowering in greenhouse crops, lighting opt...

When employees are interviewed and hired, they want to know about pay and other compensation. Lisa Holden, Penn State Extension, says employers need to explain to employees that cash wages and total compensation are two different things. “Wages are more about the standard for your local area rather ...

Marketing plans are meant to be reviewed and updated periodically; doing so annually is a good practice. Mention marketing plans though and some owners and managers groan at the thought of time-consuming research. To simplify the process, make a marketing plan personal, relevant and timely.  A marke...

Fire blight is a destructive bacterial disease of apples and pears caused by Erwinia amylovora . Because the disease can systemically infect trees, it can have significant impacts on yield and the viability of the entire orchard. The disease, however, can be controlled. Streptomycin has been used to...

Highlights of the 2017 promotional campaign were presented to Christmas tree producers across the country via a campaign summary video. “The video provides highlights and reach numbers for the campaign in an entertaining fashion,” commented 2017 Promotion Committee Chairperson, Mark Arkills. “Althou...

The powdery scab caused by the primitive organism Spongospora subterranea f.sp. subterranea can be devastating to a potato crop when conditions are right. Even when conditions are wrong, its spores remain in the soil until the right moisture, temperature and potato host are present. This is a patien...

Root and other crop damage caused by Pythium, Phytophthora or other organisms is an ongoing concern for growers, and it’s often difficult to nail down precisely which genus and species is the source of the problem. In some cases, irrigation water is the source of pathogens. Dr. Gary Moorman, Penn St...

Brassicas are an excellent commodity in food hubs, bringing top dollar at the market. Participants at the ‘Growing Better Brassicas’ workshop, hosted by Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program of Cornell in collaboration with Hudson Valley Farm Hub, Bejo Seeds, High Mowing Seeds and Johnny’...

It’s almost time, but not quite. Homeowners are anxious to go outside and get their hands dirty, and Barrick Garden Center in Walkersville, MD is ready to help ease customers from winter into spring. While the retail store is still stocked with wood pellets, firewood, ice melt and salt for area cont...

As lead-off speaker at Greenhouse Growers Day, Judy Sharpton of Growing Places Marketing tackled five vital subjects, the first of which was Inventory Management. Sharpton said that too often the inventory attitude is, “Well, I kind of know what I sold and I kind of don’t.” Tracking inventory is one...

Is there a better way to grow tree fruit than the traditional orchard management practice — an herbicide strip in the tree row and mowed grass alleys? David Granatstein, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist, Washington State University (WSU) Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, has researched a v...

Like business plans, marketing strategies provide a pathway to selling the product or service you have dedicated so much time and effort into developing. Getting your product to those audiences that fit the best profile for your product is the reason why you started the business in the first place. ...

One high-value horticultural crop that is worthy of trial is seedless table grapes. These grapes are in the same family that the seeded ones are in: Vitis labrusca . Most people are familiar with the Concord, Niagara, Catawba and Delaware. The seedless varieties are available in the same colors. Dr....

Seeds treated with antimicrobial or antifungal chemicals are often planted to help growers combat seed-borne diseases. If seed-borne diseases do occur, there may be treatment options to treat disease in the field. But once in the field, seed-borne diseases can spread via other routes of infection, a...

New cultivars, pesticide treatments and beneficial insects are proving to be invaluable tools for commercial vegetable growers, but best management practices, both in the field and in the greenhouse/high tunnel, remain a producer’s strong defense system against plant diseases. Penn State vegetable d...