Best Clint Fowler Podcasts (2025)

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5 Tips to Level Up Your Calibrachoa Game 23:13

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3h ago23:13

23:13

Ball Seed Technical Services Specialist Chris Ferguson joined host Bill Calkins to share 5 tips to help you take calibrachoa production to the next level—and avoid some common pitfalls. Irrigation—water by weight Pinching—chemical vs. mechanical pH Management—not above 6.2! Thielaviopsis—know your spores Tobacco Budworm—scout and treat ASAP WATCH T…

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Artificial Intelligence in the Green Industry (Part 1) ft. Clint Albin 52:48

34m ago52:48

52:48

In this episode, host Bill Calkins is joined by industry strategist and co-founder of A24 Consulting, Clint Albin, to discuss the artificial intelligence (AI) in the greenhouse and garden center industry. Bill and Clint explore the challenges faced by green industry businesses, including seasonal fluctuations and changing consumer behaviors and how…

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Growing Your Best Begonias ft. Syngenta’s Brian Krug & Jamie Gibson 48:27

2d ago48:27

48:27

Syngenta Flowers’ Dr. Brian Krug and Dr. Jamie Gibson join Tech On Demand host Bill Calkins to discuss the exciting world of begonias, focusing on both vegetative and seed varieties. They explore the latest introductions, production best practices and the importance of lighting and PGRs in growing high-quality begonias. The discussion highlights th…

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Perfecting Pentas Production ft. Syngenta’s Dr. Jamie Gibson 40:52

5d ago40:52

40:52

Syngenta Flowers’ Dr. Jamie Gibson joins Tech On Demand host Bill Calkins to discuss best practices for growing high quality pentas—both seed and vegetative varieties. As Jamie said multiple times, one of the biggest keys to getting the most out of pentas is keeping them warm. But there’s a lot more to maximizing production and there are nuances to…

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Biosolutions for Ornamental Propagation ft. Koppert’s Kristen Fowler 43:18

7d ago43:18

43:18

This Tech On Demand podcast episode is all about propagation, biosolutions and starting your crops strong from the earliest stages. Host Bill Calkins is joined by Kristen Fowler, a technical sales consultant with Koppert who not only works with propagators but spent many years in leading propagation greenhouses as a grower—so she’s no stranger to t…

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Grow Your Sustainable Future with Proven Winners 1:07:26

12d ago1:07:26

1:07:26

Sustainability and environmental responsibility are high on the priority list for the Proven Winners team and their partners. Their new Eco+ plastic-free and industrial compostable pots are a key part of this plant powered package. Host Bill Calkins caught up with Proven Winners’ director of sales, Dave Konsoer and Danny Mishek, president of VistaT…

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Grower Math: Greenhouse Cost Accounting ft. Stephen Steiner 24:27

17d ago24:27

24:27

Cost accounting is the process of calculating your fixed and variable costs of production and identifying on what products and activities you are spending your resources. It may not be glamorous, but taking the time for cost accounting can dramatically improve your business’s profitability. Ball Seed’s senior business analyst Stephen Steiner joins …

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The Power of Seed ft. Josh Kirschenbaum 42:15

26d ago42:15

42:15

Warning: You’re going to hear the word SEED a lot in the next half hour or so, because our guest this episode is Josh Kirschenbaum, the seed supply manager at Ball Seed Company. He’s a seed guy all the way. In previous roles, Josh was PanAmerican Seed’s business and portfolio manager for the company’s vegetable lineup and before that was product de…

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The ABCs of Foliar Disease in Greenhouse & Nursery Crops ft. Janna from Envu 48:07

29d ago48:07

48:07

This episode includes critical information for both nursery and greenhouse producers! To discuss this episode’s topic, host Bill Calkins was joined by a fantastic guest from Envu—Dr. Janna Beckerman—who’s an experienced plant pathologist at heart and wanted to discuss three key diseases commonly encountered in greenhouse and nursery crop production…

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Pre-emergence Herbicide Tips & Tricks for Perennial Production 22:45

1M ago22:45

22:45

Corteva’s technical guru, flower grower and greenhouse and nursery “coach” Broch Martindale is back on the podcast to share strategies for controlling weeds in perennial production using products like Gallery, Dimension and Snapshot. Bill and Broch recorded this episode live in The Gardens at Ball. Over the course of this episode, Broch and host Bi…

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Horticulture 2.0 (Part Two): Rethinking Our Industry with Jaime Kedrowski 24:10

2M ago24:10

24:10

Host Bill Calkins asked Jaime Kedrowski (Marketing Manager at Ball Seed Company) to join him for a discussion about the short-term future of our industry. This conversation was recorded live at the 2025 Ball Seed Customer Days open house event in West Chicago, IL. For this episode, Bill had three “big ideas” that he introduced to Jaime one at a tim…

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Horticulture 2.0 (Part One): Rethinking Our Industry with Seth Reed 30:40

2M ago30:40

30:40

Host Bill Calkins asked Seth Reed (Global Sustainability Manager at Ball Horticultural Company) to join him for a discussion about the short-term future of our industry. This conversation was recorded live at the 2025 Ball Seed Customer Days open house event in West Chicago, IL. For this episode, Bill had three “big ideas” that he introduced to Set…

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Plant Growth Regulators ft. SePRO’s JC Chong 28:00

2M ago28:00

28:00

In this episode of the Tech On Demand podcast, brought to you by GrowerTalks, host Bill Calkins sat down with SePRO’s Technical Development Manager (and PestTalks e-newsletter editor) JC Chong to discuss plant growth regulators. PGRs are critical for greenhouse professionals but really haven’t been covered much on the podcast. Now’s the time! JC an…

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Audio Files: Paying For That Efficiency Upgrade 8:44

3M ago8:44

8:44

PAYING FOR THAT EFFICIENCY UPGRADE FROM THE SUMMER 2025 ISSUE OF INSIDE GROWER MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY DAVID KUACK NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: When it comes to lowering operating costs for controlled environment growers, energy and labor are top of mind. The cost of labor is expected to continue to increase as the availability, hiring and retenti…

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Audio Files: Getting The Most Out Of Trials 7:48

3M ago7:48

7:48

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TRIALS FROM THE JUNE 2025 ISSUE OF GREEN PROFIT MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY DYLAN SEDMAK NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Modern day variety trials—side-by-side comparisons of primarily annuals (along with some perennials, vegetables and even woodies)—take place across an array of institutions in North America. Beyond universities,…

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Audio Files: Expand Your Candidate Pool 10:25

3M ago10:25

10:25

EXPAND YOUR CANDIDATE POOL FROM THE JUNE 2025 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY TODD DOWNING NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Our industry is one of the most affected by the massive exit of so many retiring Baby Boomers who make up the green industry. Couple this with lower numbers of incoming talent and the demand for talent continues to f…

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Stop Stressing About Perennial Production! (A Panel Discussion) 36:59

3M ago36:59

36:59

This episode is a bit different—because it’s a live recording from a panel moderated by host Bill Calkins at the Darwin Perennials Day event in The Gardens at Ball on June 18, 2025. The audio quality is not as good as you’re used to hearing from this podcast, because it’s pulling from microphones in a tent with lunch being served and hundreds of gr…

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Preemergence Weed Control for Greenhouses & Nurseries with Janna and Steve from Envu 48:19

4M ago48:19

48:19

This episode includes critical information for both nursery and greenhouse producers! You may or may not know exactly how much time, labor and ultimately money you spend each year managing weeds in outdoor and indoor production, but chances are it’s a lot. If you don’t have protocols and strategies in place for weed control, that can lead to even b…

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Safely Managing Whitefly (and more) on Poinsettias with Broch Martindale 38:59

4M ago38:59

38:59

Corteva’s technical guru, flower grower and greenhouse and nursery “coach” Broch Martindale is back on the podcast to share strategies for controlling and preventing some of the more common pest and disease challenges you might face in poinsettia production—like whiteflies and powdery mildew—using chemistries like XXpire, Floxcor and Eagle. Over th…

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A Biological Approach to Fall IPM ft. Koppert’s Phil Gerry 38:34

4M ago38:34

38:34

This Tech On Demand podcast episode is all about fall control, integrated pest management and implementing biocontrol strategies that work. Host Bill Calkins is joined by Phil Gerry, a Technical Sales Consultant for the Northeast Region covering six states for Koppert. Koppert is a global market leader specializing in biological crop protection and…

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Dynamic Combos for All Seasons with Syngenta’s Lauren Kilpatrick 47:01

5M ago47:01

47:01

Syngenta Flowers’ Lauren Kilpatrick joins Tech On Demand host Bill Calkins to talk combos—specifically Kwik Kombos multi-liners and the new Patio Playbook program. Lauren explains just about everything you need to know to select the combination that will work in your greenhouse and deliver results for your retail customers, as well as tips and tric…

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Audio Files: Poinsettia Production—When Negatives Can Be a Positive 6:58

5M ago6:58

6:58

POINSETTIA PRODUCTION: WHEN NEGATIVES CAN BE A POSITIVE FROM THE MAY 2025 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY JAMES DOUKAS NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: A mastery, or at least a proficiency, in many growth strategies allow for a grower to select the correct “tool” from their “toolbox” no matter the situation that arises in the fall to achi…

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Audio Files: How Much Does a Greenhouse REALLY Cost? 9:54

5M ago9:54

9:54

HOW MUCH DOES A GREENHOUSE PROJECT REALLY COST? FROM THE APRIL 2025 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY CHRIS BEYTES NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Anyone who’s completed a greenhouse project knows that a lot more goes into it than you might think. But how much, exactly, as a percentage of the total cost? We asked three experts—Paul Golden …

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Forcing Your Perennials to Wake Up ft. Chris Fifo 14:22

5M ago14:22

14:22

Forcing perennials out of winter dormancy and into bloom for spring and summer sales isn’t a new concept for most growers, but growth in the perennial market has inspired a lot of folks to add perennials to their mix and there’s been plenty of research done to update protocols for breaking dormancy. Because of this, Tech On Demand host Bill Calkins…

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All About Princettia with Suntory Flowers’ Lorentina McKoy 41:02

6M ago41:02

41:02

For this installment, Lorentina McKoy, the North American sales and product rep for Suntory Flowers, joins host Bill Calkins to talk about Princettia—the unique poinsettia assortment from Suntory that looks different than traditional holiday poinsettias because it’s bred to be different. This opens up some unique uses and retail specs and also requ…

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Broad Mites (and Lewis Mites) with Dr. Raymond Cloyd 28:46

6M ago28:46

28:46

One of the greenhouse pests growers have been dealing with more and more recently is broad mite. This specific mite pest is extremely challenging to diagnose and treat and can wreak havoc on a very wide range of crops across multiple seasons. Host Bill Calkins is joined by well-respected professor and extension specialist in horticultural entomolog…

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2025 California Spring Trials Debrief ft. Chris Beytes & Jen Zurko 53:54

6M ago53:54

53:54

Host Bill Calkins welcomed GrowerTalks’ editor in chief Chris Beytes and editor Jennifer Zurko to the podcast to share thoughts on the event—the plants, the trends, the fish tacos—and the overall impact spring trials has on the professional horticulture industry. When Chris, Jen and Bill return from Spring Trials each year, folks in the industry al…

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Integrated Pest Management & Resistance Management ft. Corteva’s Broch Martindale 1:02:24

7M ago1:02:24

1:02:24

Just in time for warmer, spring temps and the insect pests that seem to come along, Tech On Demand host Bill Calkins caught up with Broch Martindale, the national nursery and strategic account manager at Corteva. The discussion centers on pest management in greenhouses and nurseries but because Broch is a phenomenal educator and “coach” there are p…

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Finishing Top-Quality Vegetative Petunia Crops 34:48

7M ago34:48

34:48

Recently retired Ball Technical Services Manager Dr. Will Healy joins host Bill Calkins to talk finished vegetative petunia production as part of the Tech On Demand series covering crop culture for key annuals and perennials AND this one is the final installment of our finished petunia miniseries—joining “common” seed-raised petunias and the Wave f…

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Finishing WAVE Petunias with Dr. Will Healy 34:11

7M ago34:11

34:11

Retired Ball technical manager Dr. Will Healy joins host Bill Calkins to share protocols for finishing Wave petunias as part of the Tech On Demand series covering crop culture for key annuals and perennials. From media selection and nutrition to water, light and temperature, finishing crops requires careful attention to avoid losses and send high q…

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Finishing “Common” Seed Petunias with Dr. Will Healy 33:01

7M ago33:01

33:01

Retired Ball technical manager Dr. Will Healy joins host Bill Calkins to share protocols for finishing more common types of seed-raised (multiflora and grandiflora) petunias as part of the Tech On Demand series covering crop culture for key annuals and perennials. From media selection and nutrition to water, light and temperature, finishing crops r…

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Get That Flower Feeling! (A Roundtable Discussion) 17:38

7M ago17:38

17:38

Members of the Marketing Committee of That Flower Feeling join GUEST HOST Joan Mazat (Business Manager—Cut Flowers at Ball Seed Company) to share why this movement is so important to the cut flower industry. Join a dynamic group for an equally dynamic discussion about how and why industry leaders are actively working to motivate more consumers to v…

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A Biological Approach to Spring IPM ft. Koppert’s Heidi Doering 41:02

7M ago41:02

41:02

This Tech On Demand podcast episode is all about spring pest control, integrated pest management and implementing biocontrol strategies that work. Host Bill Calkins is joined by Heidi Doering, the National Ornamental Team Lead and Technical IPM Consultant for the Midwest Region with Koppert. Koppert is a global market leader specializing in biologi…

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Audio Files: Reducing the Risk—Optimize Your Insurance Policy 8:54

7M ago8:54

8:54

REDUCING THE RISK FROM A 2025 INSIDE GROWER MAGAZINE WEB-EXCLUSIVE ARTICLE WRITTEN BY TRACI DOOLEY NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: An increase in the frequency of severe weather events, reduced market capacity, higher labor, material, and equipment costs, and unusually high jury awards are all causing insurance premiums to rise across industries.…

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Finished Zinnia Production: Managing Stretch, Disease and More! 35:34

8M ago35:34

35:34

Whether you’re finishing Zinnia Elegans, Marylandica or Angustifolia crops, Dr. Will Healy has the “rules of the road” to avoid or manage stretch (… if you turn your back on the crop, it’s going to stretch!) and mitigate disease risk. Zinnias are a true classic when it comes to home gardens and breeding has brought this crop a long way, with new va…

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Cool-Season Nuances! Optimize Finished Dianthus Production 33:57

8M ago33:57

33:57

There’s a lot of “Sweet William” going on in this video … Tech On Demand host Bill “Sweet William” Calkins is joined once again by Dr. Will “Sweet William” Healy to discuss tips and tricks for finishing amazing dianthus crops at a time of year that can be challenging. From receiving plugs in cold weather and starting dianthus under long days to soi…

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Finishing Impatiens Walleriana—Watch Your Moisture & Temps! 32:54

8M ago32:54

32:54

Impatiens walleriana might be the most-recognized garden plant—certainly the favorite for shade gardens and landscapes. Ball’s recently retired technical guru Dr. Will Healy joins us once again to share tips and tricks for finishing key seed annuals. When you’re producing impatiens, there are plenty of best practices to follow to avoid issues like …

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Audio Files: Embracing Technology & Sustainability for Growth 9:06

8M ago9:06

9:06

EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY FOR GROWTH FROM THE FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE OF GREEN PROFIT MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY AVIVA LeSHAW NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Shoppers today want more than a good deal on plants. They’re looking for an experience—something seamless and personal. Research from the Square Future of Retail Report: 2024 Edition show…

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Be the Local King or Queen of Tomato Production! 35:35

8M ago35:35

35:35

Every garden center—big and small—offers tomato plants for home gardens. Your key differentiators are varieties, container sizes and quality. Be the top wholesale supplier in your market by following Dr. Will Healy’s tomato production advice! In this Ball Tech On Demand crop-specific episode, he takes you through all the key factors necessary to fi…

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Audio Files: Onboarding—The Root of Long-Term Engagement 8:20

8M ago8:20

8:20

THE ROOT OF LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT FROM THE JANUARY 2025 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY HARRISON DOWNING NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Just as early root health is the foundation of explosive plant growth in its influence on a plant’s ability to develop properly and produce high yields, so is the importance of a thorough onboarding prog…

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Joan Mazat & Dave Dowling: All Things Cut Flowers and the ASCFG Dowling Scholarship 22:37

8M ago22:37

22:37

Ball Seed Cut Flower Business Manager Joan Mazat takes over the golden TOD microphone to join Ball Cut Flower Guru Dave Dowling for a wonderful discussion about cut flowers. Dave shares stories from his beginnings growing flowers, owning a cut flower farm in Maryland for more than 20 years and subsequent career in the world of cut flower supply and…

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Audio Files: Common Sense for Unknown Payroll Pressures 8:56

9M ago8:56

8:56

COMMON SENSE FOR UNKNOWN PAYROLL PRESSURES FROM THE JANUARY 2025 ISSUE OF GREEN PROFIT MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY BILL McCURRY NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: With the country headed in a potentially different economic direction, old truths prevail. All payroll factors are local to your area’s economy, your business realities, and your employees’ financ…

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Audio Files: Right Plant, Right Time, Right Source 7:36

9M ago7:36

7:36

RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT TIME, RIGHT SOURCE FROM THE JANUARY 2025 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY BILL CALKINS NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: … the team-based approach Ball Seed and its perennials partners employ to help customers solve challenges and optimize assortments. In this case, the grower worked with their sales rep, who in turn work…

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Finishing Vegetative Angelonia—Promote Branching & Avoid Boron Deficiency 19:48

9M ago19:48

19:48

Ball Technical Services specialist Josh Henry joins host Bill Calkins to talk finished vegetative Angelonia production as part of the Tech On Demand series covering crop culture for key annuals and perennials. From transplanting best practices and nutrition strategies to irrigation management and container selection, there are plenty of nuances to …

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Vegetative Angelonia Propagation—Temperature, Light and More! 14:51

9M ago14:51

14:51

Ball Technical Services specialist Josh Henry joins host Bill Calkins to share best management practices for propagating vegetative angelonia from unrooted cuttings as part of the Tech On Demand series covering crop culture for key annuals and perennials. From receiving, prioritizing and handling through all stages up until transplant, Josh is goin…

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Audio Files: Taking Control Early 7:33

9M ago7:33

7:33

TAKING CONTROL EARLY FROM THE JANUARY 2025 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY TROY BUECHEL NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Building roots on young plants can be challenging. With poor weather conditions in winter and early spring, variable sun appearances, inconsistent rooting or germination, unknown plant genetics, etc., it’s difficult to …

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A Fresh Take on Campanula ft. Sakata’s Bob Croft 25:37

9M ago25:37

25:37

In this comprehensive episode covering a key cut flower, Ball Seed’s cut flower business manager Joan Mazat and Sakata Seed America’s product technical manager Bob Croft discuss the Champion II series of campanula—with a uniform, shorter flowering window compared to older series, saving time and providing a quicker cycle for growers. Bob shares tip…

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Audio Files: Maximizing Plant Potential—Substrate Innovation Explained 9:46

9M ago9:46

9:46

MAXIMIZING PLANT POTENTIAL: SUBSTRATE INNOVATION EXPLAINED FROM THE WINTER 2024 ISSUE OF INSIDE GROWER MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY JOSE CHEN LOPEZ NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Choosing the right substrate for a particular application can be a challenge. Choosing the right beneficial microorganisms for a specific plant, mode of action and ensuring comp…

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Growing Cut Flower Chrysanthemums ft. Dr. Alicain Carlson 41:00

10M ago41:00

41:00

Syngenta Flowers’ Dr. Alicain Carlson joins host Bill Calkins to discuss some key components of successful cut flower mum programs. Dr. Carlson starts by discussing some of the reason cut mums are so popular before highlighting some key varieties in the Syngenta Flowers portfolio. Then she jumps right into cultural and technical tips and tricks for…

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Finishing African Marigolds: Follow the Rules! 42:33

10M ago42:33

42:33

Retired Ball technical services manager Dr. Will Healy joins host Bill Calkins to discuss the ins and outs of finished African marigold production as part of the Tech On Demand series covering crop culture for key annuals and perennials. Will says African marigolds and French marigolds are like oranges and grapefruits when it comes to production pr…