Paul Ecke Jr. and Altman Family Scholars Story – The Best and Brightest

Meet this year’s Paul Ecke Jr. and Altman Family scholars: plant-powered people, creating people-powered plants. Talk to the five graduate students selected to receive this year’s AFE Paul Ecke Jr. and Altman Family scholarships, and some common themes quickly emerge. They are self-described plant nerds with a passion for horticulture—and enthusiastic advocates for their chosen field.Young as they are, they are already leaders, with an impressive record of volunteer activity. Each of them is also a well-rounded individual who pays attention to soft skills like communication and time management.More than most students, they have the benefit of real-life experience (because they took initiative to seek it out) that informs their understanding and their sense of purpose.As dedicated graduate students, they…

2020 AFE Internship Awards and Placements

AFE congratulates and celebrates the eight students recently awarded an internship through the Vic & Margaret Ball Internship Program and the Mosmiller Internship program.  Each will receive scholarships after successfully completing their paid internships, lasting between three to six months. It’s a win-win for the industry – students can apply their knowledge, while industry organizations bring top talent and fresh thinking to their operation. Vic & Margaret Ball Internship Awards The Vic & Margaret Ball Internship Program provides students the opportunity to gain practical floriculture/horticulture experience while training at a commercial production greenhouse or nursery. Students will intern away from home for three, four, or six-month periods, and upon completion of their paid internship, they will receive a scholarship in…

Growing Impatiens More Safely—A Plant Pathologist’s View

One important lesson that we’ve learned together as an industry is how to manage bacterial blight disease of geraniums. We’ve figured out that exquisitely careful sanitation procedures are critical at the upper levels of production, with constant checking for any breaches in safety measures. We’ve learned that growers should keep geraniums from different suppliers separate, and should grow hybrid seed geraniums separately from the cutting-grown geraniums. We know it is the vegetatively-grown geraniums that bring the risk of introducing the dreaded Xanthomonas hortorum pv. pelargonii (or Ralstonia solanacearum) into the greenhouse. By separating the crops with the highest risk of disease from those with much less risk, the potential economic loss is minimized. Now we’re applying these same principles in…

Robotics, machine vision, and automation – The Future Reality of Flower Production

The new realityIt would be very hard to argue against the notion, that a wide range of technologies will lead to marked changes to horticultural production systems in the coming decades. Many (possibly all!) other industry sectors are facing the same reality:1) Automation – It is all about labor savings and efficiency!  Robots are becoming less expensive, smaller and lighter, more robust, easier to use and program, more agile – all leading to robots being able to solve more problems and handle a wider range of specific tasks.2) Batteries are lasting longer, faster to recharge, and less expensive – enabling airborne drones and ground-based rovers to operate longer and carry larger payloads. And, with longer battery life, there may be…

Smart Sensor for Measuring Plant Nitrogen Status of Floriculture Crops

Plant nitrogen (N) content affects the growth and quality of floriculture crops. The deficiency of N causes leaf yellowing and stunted growth. In many floriculture crop species, leaf yellowing is usually seen in the older leaves. However, this may not be the case in all species (see Fig. 1). Excess N levels result in undesirable shoot growth and increased susceptibility to insect pests. Figure 1. Poinsettia plants supplied with deficient (left) and sufficient (right) levels of nitrogen Greenhouse growers use several monitoring techniques like visual assessments, laboratory analysis, and sensors (e.g. substrate electrical conductivity) to ensure that floriculture crops are supplied with a sufficient amount of N during production. Small-scale growers often resort to visual assessments, mostly due to limited…

Inaugural Paul Thomas Intern of the Year – Renata Goossen

Cultivating the Next Generation It’s always good news to learn that a smart, hard-working, dedicated young person is preparing for a career in horticulture and floriculture—one where she can be expected to contribute mightily to higher standards, better products, innovative techniques, and a healthier marketplace for flowers and plants.It’s even better news when that person is an adept communicator, likely to serve as an impassioned, articulate ambassador for the industry we love so well.Such a person is Renata Goossen, the first-ever recipient of the Paul Thomas Intern of the Year Award, created to recognize an outstanding student who has successfully completed a Vic & Margaret Ball Internship.As the Paul Thomas award recipient, Goossen will be provided with free registration, paid…

Growth Promotion by Bacteria-based Biostimulants

How can biostimulants promote growth and crop quality?The most common active ingredients in biostimulants are beneficial microorganisms (fungi and bacteria). These fungi and bacteria can increase the availability of essential macro and micronutrients that would otherwise be leached from the container. Increasing nutrient uptake and use efficiency improves plant health and tissue nutrient content while reducing the cost of fertilizer inputs.The result is larger plants with greener leaves and more developed root systems, as well as finished plants with more and/or larger flowers.Production timing may be reduced due to faster growth and earlier flowering. Growth promotion from biostimulant applications will be less obvious if plants are already growing under optimal water and fertility levels. Microbial-biostimulants can be used to reduce…

Small Beginnings Can Achieve Big Rewards

Giving Back Through AFE’s Legacy CircleShirley Lyons, AAF, PCFI, recalls that during her tenure as president of the Society of American Florists, other retail florists would sometimes approach her shyly at industry events.“We’re just a little store,” they would start out by saying.“I’m just a florist like you,” Lyons would reply. “I wear an apron every day.”And if those florists could see pictures of the very first storefront occupied by her shop, Dandelions Flowers & Gifts, back in 1974, they would have a good laugh, she adds. It was all of 250 square feet. Today, it is the biggest flower shop in its market area.While Lyons retired and sold the business in April 2018, she remains proud of that success—and…

Greenhouse Training Online Courses for 2020

The University of Florida’s Greenhouse Training Online professional development courses for 2020, sponsored by AFE, have been announced, and include a new course on hydroponics.  The first course for the 2020 schedule is Greenhouse 101, and begins June 1.The price is $199 per course, but a 20% discount code is available for AFE supporters. The discount code for our community is AFE20. Click Here for more information about each course, and to register. Course nameDatesLevelaGreenhouse 101Jun 1 – Jun 26 2020•Nutrient Management 1 (Intro)Jul 6 – Jul 31 2020••Nutrient Management 2 (Advanced)Aug 31 – Sep 25 2020•••Disease ManagementSep 28 – Oct 23 2020••Weed ManagementOct 26 – Nov 20 2020••Hydroponic Vegetable ProductionNov 9 – Dec 11 2020••Costing & ProfitabilityNext course 2021•••Water Quality…

Give Flowers on #GivingTuesdayNow

Campaign Promotes Giving Flowers on #GivingTuesdayNowWe’re pleased to announce the launch of a new online campaign promoting Giving Flowers on #GivingTuesdayNow. This new campaign aims to promote a day of flower giving. The campaign coincides with #GivingTuesdayNow, a national day of giving to spread unity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.We know the challenges the industry faces right now. We’re here to help spread messages of the emotional benefits that flowers provide, such as reducing stress and improving emotional health while promoting flower buying. Participating in the Giving Flowers on #GivingTuesdayNow campaign is easy and a great way to boost your pre-Mother’s Day sales.Below are images that you can download and use as you wish. Simply right-click on each image and…

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