From the Field: Fresh Growth, Fresh Insights

Spring is officially here—finally! After a long winter, there's nothing quite like the promise of fresh growth, longer days, and, of course, spring flowers in the landscape and garden centers. At AFE, it also marks the start of a new season of travel, grower visits, and industry events, which I love because it brings me back to my roots. (Another thing I love - plant puns!) Before joining AFE, I spent years in university extension, helping translate research and scientific information into practical resources. In many ways, I still do the same thing at AFE —just on a broader, national scale. With our funded research, monthly Grow Pro Webinar series, Sustainabloom, and more, I often think of AFE as Cooperative…

The Node Knows: Cracking the Code on Faster Growth

For greenhouse growers, the speed at which plants develop new nodes (where the leaves, branches, buds, and new growth emerge) plays a crucial role in efficiency and profitability. Faster-growing plants mean quicker turnaround, higher cutting yields, and better adaptability to different growing conditions. Recent research from Michigan State University, supported by the American Floral Endowment, has uncovered new insights into the genetic regulation of growth rate in petunias. These discoveries could have far-reaching implications for breeding faster-growing, more energy-efficient ornamental plants across the industry. Faster Growth Means More Profits The speed at which a plant grows—specifically, how quickly it produces new leaves and branches—has a big impact on greenhouse production. A faster-growing plant can mean: Shorter production times, allowing for…

On the Road to Educate: Bringing Our Programs to the Industry

Spring is kicking off as a busy season for the AFE team! From Board Meetings, to industry events, our team has been hard at work spreading the message about AFE and our latest programs, like Sustainabloom, with the industry. Meeting with professionals from across the nation also helps us to hear about current challenges, needs, and areas where AFE programs can help. Pre-Valentine’s Day Miami Experience First up, Michelle Van Norden, Manager of Development and Donor Engagement, took a trip to Miami with Rob Shibata, President of Mt. Eden Floral, ahead of Valentine's Day to see the flower operations during the busy holiday rush. Rob, with his many years of experience in the industry, invited Michelle, who is relatively new…

Looking Ahead: Resources, Opportunities, and Innovations from AFE

Happy 2025, floral industry! We hope your year is off to a great start. AFE’s team is excited to kick off another incredible year filled with free educational programming, expanded funding opportunities, and new resources tailored for every segment of the floral industry. Here’s a glimpse of what you can be looking ahead to in 2025: Tailored Resources for Every Segment of the Industry We recognize that the range of jobs in the floral industry is diverse, with unique challenges and opportunities across different segments. That’s why we’ve developed landing pages specifically tailored to your needs - on our homepage, you can access a customized library of programs, research results, and latest news for your profession! Check it out here.…

Optimizing Nighttime LED Lighting to Accelerate Flowering of Long-Day Plants

Growers often face the challenge of promoting early flowering in long-day plants during seasons with short natural daylight hours. A recent study by Dr. Qingwu Meng and Thomas J. Kramer from the University of Delaware, supported by AFE, offers practical insights into how different types and durations of nighttime LED lighting can enhance flowering in crops like snapdragons and petunias. By adjusting lighting strategies, growers can reduce production cycles, save costs, and improve plant quality. Key Findings The study revealed that the spectrum of light plays a significant role in influencing flowering in long-day plants. Snapdragons and petunias showed distinct responses to warm-white (WW) and red + far-red (R+FR) LEDs. Snapdragons flowered up to 28% earlier under R+FR LEDs due…

2025 Grow Pro Webinar Series Lineup

We are thrilled to announce the 5th year of free educational training and programming through our Grow Pro Webinar Series!  Designed for growers, this series has become a cornerstone resource for navigating the industry's evolving challenges. In the past year, monthly registration numbers have continued to climb, with many sessions attracting over 500 registrants.  Nationally recognized researchers and industry experts present timely, practical insights based on AFE-funded and other cutting-edge research each month. The 2025 lineup of webinars will address key industry challenges and advancements, including webinars on pest management, automation, sustainability, postharvest handling, and innovative solutions for improving profitability. Each webinar also includes a live Q&A session, allowing participants to speak directly to industry experts. “The Grow Pro Webinars…

From the Field: That’s a Wrap! 2024 in Review

Well, it’s December already! Like many of you, I’m marveling at how quickly the year has flown by. It feels like we just sent out our last newsletter, and here we are closing out another year. Speaking of our last newsletter, I had mentioned that we had recorded the disease management sessions from Jim Faust and Francesca Hand at the ASCFG Regional Conference in Boulder, CO. We posted the recording, and you can view it here! As I look back at 2024, some things were fairly typical—consistent challenges, rhythms, and successes that come with growing—but there were also moments that stood out as unique.  We’ll start with one that hit home personally for me as someone who lives in the…

An Interview with Lindsay and Tater from Bloom Beat

I’m sure many of you reading this newsletter have heard of Ball Publishing’s Bloom Beat, written by co-editors Lindsay Daschner and her four-legged companion Tater. Lindsay and Tater are the owners of Forget Me Not Farms in Ottawa Lake, Michigan, a wholesale flower operation catering exclusively to florists and event planners.  Lindsay’s journey with Tater is a reminder of the passion, spirit, and creativity it takes to succeed in the floral industry. At the American Floral Endowment, we’re dedicated to supporting growers like Lindsay by providing research, resources, and educational opportunities tailored to the unique challenges of flower farming. Whether it’s funding groundbreaking studies on crop production, offering webinars and other resources to help optimize production systems, or connecting growers…

Celebrating a 25-Year Partnership with Equiflor/Rio Roses

For 25 years, Equiflor/Rio Roses has proudly served as AFE’s Annual Event Flower Sponsor, generously providing stunning roses year after year. Their unwavering support reflects a deep commitment to advancing and supporting the floral industry. Even during the pandemic, Rio Roses continued their dedication by donating a year’s worth of roses to the #AFEandMe contest winner as part of our first-ever fully virtual campaign which helped raise over $80,000 to support floral advancements. Equiflor, a privately-owned company with over three decades of excellence, is a leading grower and distributor of fresh flowers. Established in 1986 as a family business, it has grown into a renowned brand recognized across the US and Canada. Their nationally branded fresh cut “Rio Roses” are…

Bringing Floral Fragrance to New Heights

In the world of flowers, fragrance plays a huge role in providing a unique and special sensory experience. However, as we’ve bred flowers for color, longevity, and other desirable traits, fragrance has often been left behind. Many modern flowers, especially those grown in greenhouses or sold in floral markets, lack the intensity of fragrance that older varieties once had. Yet fragrance remains a highly valued trait, enhancing consumer enjoyment and satisfaction. Recognizing this, Dr. Thomas Colquhoun and his team at the University of Florida have turned to synthetic biology to enhance floral fragrance. In a recent breakthrough, researchers identified a gene from Caladium that can be used to enhance floral fragrance in other species. Caladium? Isn’t that a foliage plant?…

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