Canadian Greenhouse Conference and Indoor Ag-Con

By Andrew Mefferd, Johnny’s Selected Seeds

October was a busy month for me, with two major, consecutive greenhouse conferences taking place mid-month — the Canadian Greenhouse Conference and the Indoor Ag-Con. They looked to be great events so I wanted to make sure and get to both of them — even if it made for a travel-packed schedule.

Canadian Greenhouse Conference at the Scotiabank Convention Center

First I went to beautiful Niagara Falls, Ontario, the week of October 5th, for the Canadian Greenhouse Conference. The Canadian greenhouse industry is highly advanced, so I knew there would be good information and vendors. The highlights included the many developments underway in the use of beneficial insects to control pests, with an informative discussion on how to identify pests and the best biocontrols to combat them without the use of harmful chemicals.

There was also a lot of talk about how to make greenhouses more efficient. In addition to hearing about the many ongoing developments in LED lighting and other technologies to increase energy efficiency, I sat in on a great presentation on a program by the Dutch government that is working towards having zero water and fertilizer emissions from greenhouses.

It is not a new idea that the ideal greenhouse would be one that produces no emissions whatsoever, and the technology is now catching up with the idea. In a country like Holland with a big greenhouse industry, reducing or even eliminating the amount of greenhouse emissions could have a big impact on improving the environment. As the technology comes on line to accomplish this, the Dutch government is tightening emissions standards to prompt growers to install newer, more efficient technology. It is exciting to see the technology being developed for cleaner greenhouses, because the Dutch tend to come up with a lot of the greenhouse innovations that end up being adopted worldwide.

Great looking produce and flowers

Other useful workshops included how to train and motivate workers, how to understand soil and water tests, and how to mix your own custom fertilizer solution. Overall, a very good conference that is worth attending for greenhouse growers.

The next week I went down to New York City for the first East Coast Indoor Ag-Con. This conference has been held three times in the past in Las Vegas, and is branching out into Asia with a conference in Singapore in January 2016, and is being held again in Las Vegas in April 2016.

If you look closely you can see that Johnny's was an event sponsor for Indoor Ag-Con!

This was a visionary conference, in that it focused on technological innovation leading the vanguard of protected agriculture. It provided a forum for those working on next-generation greenhouse technology to present their work and perspectives. Examples of topics that get a lot of attention include use of LED lighting, aquaponics, vertical greenhouses, aeroponics, and urban greenhouses.

I feel this conference gives us a glimpse into the future of indoor agriculture. Even if all of the innovations don’t become commonplace, chances are some of the new technologies being discussed will become standards in the future. The conference sold out, so maybe they will consider a multi-day format on the East Coast as they have in the past the West. Overall, it was a very informative and inspiring conference.

Indoor Ag-Con in NYC

Both conferences got me excited about the potential for improving protected agriculture, though they did make for a very busy October! Visit our Grower’s Library, where you can read more about attracting and putting beneficial insects to work; as well as controlled environment agriculture, including Johnny’s greenhouse trialing program, what to look for when choosing which varieties to grow under protected culture, and recent advances in protected culture crop production.

Save 10% on Selected Season Extension Supplies

Protect your crops and extend your season early in the spring and late in the fall. Season extension methods allow you to not only extend your season, but increase your yield. 

Banker Plants

Protected culture structures, such as hoophouses and greenhouses, are by nature limited in growing space. Many growers make the most of the available space by planting crops that have high returns; i.e., tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and eggplants. In a closed environment, it is also well worth it to put a little of the area aside for banker plants.

Any crop that provides a habitat for beneficial insects can be used as a banker plant. One of the greenhouses at Johnny’s research farm is dedicated to peppers and eggplants — both of which are susceptible to predation by aphids. In addition to the peppers and eggplants, space has been reserved for containers of oats which serve as banker plants by providing habitat for oat aphids. The oat aphids are released into the oats, which are then covered to allow the population of the pest to grow.

Why would someone release an aphid of any kind into their greenhouse and then build their population? The oat aphid is host-specific to only oats; it won’t attack any other crop. At Johnny’s, once the oat aphid population has grown, Greenhouse Manager Pam Carter releases parasitic wasps that attack aphids of all kinds, including those that pose a danger to the peppers and eggplants. As a side benefit, the oats can also provide habitat for ladybugs, another beneficial insect and predator of aphids.

For those of you with concerns about the use of insecticides, banker plants are a practical alternative. In many cases the resulting natural controls by beneficial insects will reduce the need for insecticidal applications.

Further Resources

Johnny's offers a line of farm seed and other types of seed varieties that Attract Beneficial Insects »

To learn more, see our articles on Attracting & Putting Beneficial Insects to Work »

Explore our Container Herbs Pinterest Board

Did you know that Johnny's is on Pinterest? Explore our new Pinterest Board, "Grow Professional-Quality Container Herbs."

Visit the Johnny's Pinterest Page

Container herbs provide some distinct advantages to growers of all abilities — commercial growers and their retail customers, as well as home gardeners.

Along with the versatility and portability that container herbs provide, herbs in containers offer added longevity and marketability.

Select specific varieties with demonstrated container performance 

For additional information on growing container herbs from Johnny's Research Team:

• Visit Johnnyseeds.com
• Explore the Johnny's Pinterest page

Save Now on Seed Starting Supplies

Growing your own transplants from seed allows you to choose from your favorite varieties, determine the appropriate planting date, and the number of plants you want. Johnny's seed starting supplies will help you grow your own professional-quality seedlings economically.

Save up to 10% on Selected Seed-Starting Supplies. Now through March 2nd!

An Introduction to Flower Sprouts™

Kaleidoscope Mix (F1)

What are Flower Sprouts™?

Flower Sprouts™ are the result of a cross between kale and Brussels sprouts. The resulting plants produce beautiful, open, florets that have a mild kale-like flavor which only improves with the colder days of the fall.  

When do you plant them?

You may ask why we are talking about a fall vegetable well before spring. Well, when growing Flower Sprouts™ patience is definitely a virtue. This crop requires at least 110 days to maturity from time of transplanting. So the total time to produce this crop from seed to edible floret is close to 22 weeks… that’s why we’re talking about Flower Sprouts™ in February!

What’s the best way to grow them?

In order to produce the sweet kale-like florets, attention to detail and, as previously stated, patience is required. Flower Sprouts™ are grown in a similar fashion as Brussels sprouts; provide a very fertile, well-drained soil, with a pH range of 6.0-7.5.

The seedlings should be started early enough to be ready to be set out in mid to late spring. Growers should provide sufficient irrigation throughout the growing season to help produce tall, strong plants. The sprouts should begin to form by early fall and be ready to harvest starting in mid to late fall.

Like other crops in the Brassica family, such as broccoli and cabbage, the flavor of Flower Sprouts™ will become sweeter and milder when the weather cools in the fall. Flower Sprouts™ are very cold hardy, similar to Brussels sprouts and kale. If you grow in a short-season area, be sure to top the plants about 4-5 weeks prior to the intended harvest season. The tops can be sold and used just like kale.

Red Russian Kale (OG)

How can they be prepared?

Flower Sprouts™ are suited to diverse cooking methods such as lightly steaming, sautéing, stir frying, and roasting. When lightly cooked they will hold their color. The tender, mildly flavored spouts have a taste and texture similar to Red Russian Kale.

When growing Flower Sprouts™ remember to be patient and enjoy! 

Save up to 10% on Selected Seed-Starting Supplies

Growing for the Greater Good

Our second Commercial Sales team blog comes from Ken Fine, Commercial Sales Rep for Massachusetts and the Northern Midwest. Here’s some background information on Ken:

Ken has worked with commercial growers at Johnny's Selected Seeds since 1999. Prior to coming to Johnny’s, Ken studied as an apprentice at the UCSC Farm and Garden Project in Santa Cruz, CA. He then operated a 3 acre Market Garden in coastal Maine, selling specialty lettuce and produce to area stores and restaurants. He likes to stay current with successful farming techniques, trends in consumer interest, and the best varieties of vegetables, herbs, and flowers available.

Current sales territory: Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

For his blog topic, Ken has taken the opportunity to describe a few of the farm-based organizations that help foster constructive change in their local communities. These types of organizations can be found throughout the U.S, creating sustainable alternatives in our food system and helping people - especially young people - be inspired and experience personal growth by growing food.

THE FOOD PROJECT- MASSACHUSETTS

Recently I received news of the year-end harvest dinner at one of Johnny’s long-term customers. The Food Project in Massachusetts celebrates the achievements of the staff and volunteers at the many Food Project facilities in Lincoln, Dorchester, Beverly, and elsewhere. At the 2nd Annual Gala - Celebrate the Harvest event, the organization featured guest Will Allen of Growing Power.  According to the Food Project website, their mission is to “grow a thoughtful and productive community of youth and adults from diverse backgrounds who work together to build a sustainable food system. We produce healthy food for residents of the city and suburbs and provide youth leadership opportunities...”

MOUNT VIEW FARM:

Sometimes, one farm can make a huge impact. Founded by Michael Docter as Food Bank Farm in Hadley, MA, the good work of growing food for the benefit of the community has continued into the next generations there. Apprentices from Food Bank Farm have gone on to start their own CSA programs serving thousands of subscribers in Massachusetts. One apprentice, Benjamin Perrault of Mount View Farm in Easthampton has carried on another tradition. His bustling farm still plants a portion of their acreage specifically to produce first quality vegetables for The Food Bank of Western Mass.

According to their website: “Mountain View Farm leases a large parcel of land owned by The Food Bank and, in exchange, we provide 100,000 pounds of fresh, local, chemical-free produce to The Food Bank for distribution to front-line food assistance providers and people in need throughout our region. In Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties in Western Massachusetts, approximately one in every ten people suffers from chronic food shortages or needs emergency food assistance.”

Mount View Farm in Massachusetts

 

GROWING POWER - WISCONSIN

At Growing Power, based in Milwaukee, WI, founder Will Allen does more than make inspirational keynote speeches. The many facilities powered by staff and volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are growing tremendous quantities of quality farm produce that goes directly to the people of urban Milwaukee who need it most. In fact, one of the missions of Growing Power is to alleviate the perils of living in a “Food Desert” that traps so many urban residents. 

Established in 1993, Growing Power has offered agricultural-based training, hands-on experience to community members, and spread their mission that you “cannot have healthy communities without a healthy food system.”

 

Growing Power High Tunnel full of Greens

                              

DETROIT, MICHIGAN-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

Another rapidly expanding healthy food movement location is Detroit, Michigan. There, staff and volunteers of Greening of Detroit, Earthworks Farm, and countless other small community projects are utilizing available land within the city to make a difference. Healthy food and healthy lifestyle choices are becoming available to thousands in the community who are eagerly embracing the delights of farming and gardening.

To learn more about any of these organizations or to locate one near where you live, follow these links or get in touch with me for more information.

• The Food Project
• Mount View Farm
• Growing Power
• Greening of Detroit
• Earthworks Farm

To contact Ken, you can reach him via email at: kfine@johnnyseeds.com, or Toll-Free at: 877-564-6697, ext. 5307.

Otherwise, for general inquiries about Johnny's Commercial Sales, email service@johnnyseeds.com and we will get back to you shortly, or visit our Territory Sales Representatives page at Johnnyseeds.com.   

The Return on Investment for Greenhouse Cucumbers

Here at Johnny's, we are often asked about the return on investment (ROI) for greenhouse crops. Seed for greenhouse varieties is typically priced higher than seed for field-grown varieties, and in this case we believe you get what you pay for. The breeding and development of protected-culture varieties is more specialized and involved, and the return should be sufficient to justify the extra investment required on the part of the breeder as well as the grower.

If what you really want to know is, Why so much more money for this greenhouse variety?, Andrew Mefferd, former Product Technician for cucumbers here at and a seasoned greenhouse grower himself, has some answers for you.


'Excelsior' Cucumbers



Higher Yields

• Bottom line, ROI and profitability will typically be higher for greenhouse cucumbers than field-grown cucumbers. One key reason is because yields from greenhouse cucumbers are higher as a result of the optimized growing environment. In particular, it’s warmer, so plants grow in their optimal temperature range more of the time or even all of the time.
• If you harvest just one more pound of cucumbers from a greenhouse variety than you would from a field variety, the seed will have paid for itself. Because you can ask a higher price for greenhouse crops at market, selling even just one extra fruit can sometimes cover the cost of the seed investment.
• Greenhouse varieties are higher yielding because they are selected for the specific environmental conditions within greenhouses and hoophouses. They are, for example, selected for resistance to diseases that can be problematic in protected culture. This allows them to stay healthier and produce over a longer period of time within that environment.

Greater Control of the Environment

• Within the greenhouse environment, plants are provided not just more optimal temperatures but also optimal water through irrigation, rather than being reliant on rainfall, which can set plants back when there is too much or not enough.
• Pests can be minimized in the greenhouse with the use of preventive measures such as insect screening and trellising. Ground insects or slugs that might feed on field cucumbers will not typically crawl up a plant to feed on fruits that are elevated off the ground. When you have fewer plants damaged by pests, you’re left with more marketable crops to sell.
• It’s important to note that greenhouse varieties often have better flavor because produce from a sickly plant that is inadequately photosynthesizing is just not likely to taste as good as produce from a healthy, greenhouse-grown plant.

'Socrates' Cucumber



Higher-Quality, More Diverse, Premium Product

• A greater range of cucumber varieties can be grown indoors than outdoors. These include long, European types and more of the seedless, thin-skinned types. One key reason for this is because they’re protected from bugs indoors, which is especially important for seedless, thin-skinned types, which are more susceptible to pests due to their thin skin.

Crop Cycle Time

• Greenhouse cucumbers are relatively quick to start bearing. Some early varieties can start yielding fruit as early as 45 days after being transplanted.
• As noted above, cucumber plants also live much longer in the greenhouse than in the field. A field-grown crop might bear for one month before the plants get tired out, and disease and pests take over, whereas it is more typical for greenhouse cucumber crops to last several months.

Other Considerations

• For greenhouse growers at high latitudes (like those of us here in Maine), it’s important to note that it can be very challenging to grow cucumbers through the winter — but it can be done. They require a lot of heat and also require supplemental lighting. Even without lights, however, your cucumber season can be extended well beyond the beginning and the end of the typical field cucumber season.
• Lastly, it is important to research which varieties your market wants most. If what your markets demand are slicers or slender, Japanese cucumbers, be sure to grow those, rather than focusing efforts on picklers or the long, European types. Time spent researching your market will pay off, when it comes to bottom-line ROI.

We hope this helps you evaluate the potential return on investment for greenhouse cukes. For additional information, visit Johnny’s website: 

• Greenhouse Growing Basics »
• How We Trial & Select Our Protected-Cultured Varieties »
• Greenhouse Cucumber Production Guide (Tech Sheet PDF) »
• Cucumber Pruning Video »
• Browse All Our Greenhouse Cucumbers »

Leave us a comment — we are interested in your questions and comments about growing greenhouse cucumbers!

Create Tunnel Hoops Quickly & Easily

Extend the growing season for cold-hardy crops with a very late season harvest, or overwinter them for earliest possible spring harvest. 

Benders allow you to do this by creating low tunnel hoops out of galvanized electrical conduit. 

Shop for Quick Hoops™ benders

Growing Edible Flowers

Tomato grafting a worthwhile pursuit

As the growing season begins to heat up, it's time to think tomatoes, specifically grafted tomato plants.

We've recently published a couple of interesting documents on tomato grafting to our website.

The first article, "Grafting Tomatoes for Increased Vigor and Disease Resistance", outlines the many benefits of grafting -- improved disease resistance, higher yields, cost effectiveness, to name a few. This 6-page article, written by our tomato products technician, includes detailed instructions and color photos to help you learn how to graft your own custom tomato plants. It's worth mentioning that we also have an excellent video from the University of Vermont Extension on tomato grafting, which pairs quite nicely with the article.

The second article shows the results of our grafted greenhouse tomato trial -- "Grafted Tomato Yield Data". We trialed 6 varieties of tomatoes in a hoophouse at our research farm  in Albion, Maine. We compared the yields of plants grafted to the rootstock Maxifort vs. non-grafted plants. Overall, yields were 40% higher on the grafted plants. One of the trial plants  -- Geronimo grafted to Maxifort rootstock -- did particularly well with a 60% higher yield than standalone Geronimo.

So well in fact that Johnny's is now carrying Geronimo/Maxifort plants. These exclusive plants are one of four tomato plant varieties available to purchase on our website. We've selected the following states for participation in this new tomato plant pilot program: CT, IL, IN, ME, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, WI. Visit the new Johnny's tomato plants web page to shop for tomato plants.

Stevia: How sweet it is!

If you've hit your favorite local coffee shop lately for a caffeine fix, you've probably noticed little green packets on the condiments counter near the soy milk, half and half and sugar. Most likely you're looking at a natural, herbal sugar substitute known as Stevia.

Sweeter than sugar!

In its powder form, Stevia more than holds its own vs. artificial, chemical-based sweeteners in coffee or tea. It's not just for hot beverages, however.

The leaves of Stevia may be used fresh, dried, or as a liquid to sweeten just about any food. The plant, a native of South America, produces leaves that are said to be 15 times sweeter than sugar.

Here's an excellent article about Stevia from Mother Earth News. It covers the history of Stevia, nutritional and dietary aspects of the herb, and concludes with several recipes.

You can easily grow your own Stevia. It's a good herb for containers. Last winter, one of our international salesmen successfully grew several Stevia plants under a grow light in his office.

Here's some information about growing and enjoying Stevia from Johnny's Grower's Library:

STEVIA Stevia rebaudiana

Stevia plant at Johnny's Research Farm.

Description: Stevia is a tender perennial hardy in USDA Zones 9 and 10, or where temperatures do not fall below freezing. When grown as an annual, it reaches a height of 18-24 inches with bushy sideshoot growth. A native of South America, Stevia has been used as a natural sweetener for over 1,500 years. Today, the remarkably sweet leaves are used as a sugar substitute throughout the world. Virtually calorie free, sweeteners made from Stevia do not raise blood sugar levels, and are generally safe for diabetics.

Parts used: Fresh and dried leaves.

Culture: Recommended indoor planting method: Start seeds 6-8 weeks before last frost date. Sow shallowly in a well-drained soil mix in flats at a temperature of 68-75ºF (20-24ºC). Transplant to 3" pots when seedlings are large enough to handle. Do not over-water. For bushier plants, pinch back growing tips every few weeks for the first 1-2 months after germination.

Outdoor planting: Stevia generally does not tolerate temperatures below 45ºF (9ºC). After all danger of frost has passed, transplant outside 12" apart. Stevia is also an ideal plant to grow in containers as a houseplant, or in the greenhouse. For container growing, choose a pot that is at least 14" across, and provide soil that is well-drained. Maintain even soil moisture, and provide shade in extreme heat.

Light/Soil/Water Requirements: Stevia performs best in average, well-drained soil in full sun. Avoid overuse of nitrogen-rich fertilizers, as they cause the plant to produce large leaves with little flavor. Do not over-water, especially when being grown as a container plant or when transplanting. In extreme southern areas and when growing in containers, afternoon shade may be need.

Pest/Disease Problems: Carefully watch for any signs of insect damage to the leaf. Whiteflies and leafhoppers may pose problems.

Harvest: Pick in the morning and before flowering occurs for highest sugar content. Leaves may be harvested throughout the season once the plant has become established, with the main harvest occurring in September or October. Fresh or dried leaves are delicious in salads, sauces, and beverages. To dry, hang small bunches of stems in a well-ventilated, dry area out of direct sun. Dried leaves may be ground into powder for storage. Fresh leaves can be used to make a liquid sweetener by steeping one teaspoonful of dried leaves in one cup of boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes.

Handy calculator to help you determine seed-starting dates

We've added a couple of new tools to help growers plan when to start seeds inside and when it's safe to set seedlings outside for transplanting.


To check out these tools, visit the Johnny's Selected Seeds home page. At the top right, you'll find links to download a seed-starting date calculator, and a soil temperature chart. You'll need a copy of Excel, or similar spreadsheet software to open and use the calculator. You can also import the calculator into Google Documents.

The information was provided to us by Lynn Byczynski, editor and publisher of the "Growing for Market" newsletter and author of several books, which are available in Johnny's online bookstore:
The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers; The Hoophouse Handbook; Market Farming Success.

We've also added a soil temperature/germination chart.

Watch slideshow to see how easy it is to use soil block makers

Johnny's soil block makers are the perfect tool to help growers produce a better plant that establishes quickly with no transplant shock. Soil block makers also eliminate the expense, waste, and storage issues of plastic pots. Visit our site to learn more about these innovative tools. And you can enjoy a 10% discount on soil block makers, and our other seed-starting tools, from now until the end of the month.

Indoor gardening

We'd like to thank a new customer who has written about us on their blog. Daniel, thank you for mentioning our herb disk set on your blog, "Your Home Kitchen Garden". He has some great gardening articles, and we'd like to encourage him to keep up the good work!