STEM: Insider Tips for Greenhouse Pros is a podcast created specifically for commercial greenhouse growers, horticulture professionals and the customers they supply – including but not limited to retail garden centers, nurseries and landscape professionals. Hosted by Ball Seed’s Bill Calkins, each episode will feature a guest sharing timely and relevant horticulture ideas, innovations and technology, as well as current greenhouse industry topics and news – practical information for greenhouse professionals.
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STEM: Insider Tips for Greenhouse Pros is a podcast created specifically for commercial greenhouse growers, horticulture professionals and the customers they supply – including but not limited to retail garden centers, nurseries and landscape professionals. Hosted by Ball Seed’s Bill Calkins, each episode will feature a guest sharing timely and relevant horticulture ideas, innovations and technology, as well as current greenhouse industry topics and news – practical information for greenhouse professionals.
(Interview starts at 6:17.) Our guest today is Chris Fifo, former head grower and current technical expert working with Darwin Perennials and KieftSeed. Chris has been with us on STEM before – back in episode 13 where he helped demystify perennial production with Leland Toering but this time he will focus on one crop and dive deep into the lavender pool covering this popular crop from start to finish. We spend some time talking about the recent growth in popularity of lavender, as well as how it is currently positioned in the market. Then Chris takes us into the virtual greenhouse to help you develop a frost to frost lavender program using the most optimal methods to deliver the correct temperature, light, nutrition, gases and PGRs to your crop. The goal is to help you ship the absolute best lavender crop top market because we know that when top notch lavenders arrive at retail, they sell fast. After we talk production, Chris spends some time helping you select the best varieties for each use – from early season to Fall and from landscape performance to indoor use and essential oil production. Although I do like episodes where the guests and I jump from topic to topic, sometimes it’s nice to focus. And trust me – this episode is focused squarely on lavender.
Resources:
Build a Winning Lavender Program Slideshow: https://www.slideshare.net/bcalkins/build-a-winning-lavender-programDarwin Perennials Blog on Lavender Trials: https://www.darwinperennials.com/Blog/2019/02/14/lavender-trial-results-chicago-botanic-garden.htmlDarwin Perennials Resources: https://www.darwinperennials.com/Culture/KieftSeed Resources: https://www.panamseed.com/perennials.aspxDarwin Perennials 2019 Catalog: https://www.ballseed.com/Virtual/2019_Darwin_BSC/index.aspxKieftSeed 2019 Catalog (Perennials P. 142): https://www.ballseed.com/Virtual/2020_21_PasCatalog/index.aspxDarwin Perennials Day 2019! https://www.darwinperennialsday.com/default.aspx
Contact Links:
Email Guest Chris Fifo: cfifo@darwinperennials.comEmail Host Bill Calkins: bcalkins@ballhort.comNEW! Connect on Instagram - @STEMGreenhousePodcast#STEMGreenhousePodcastConnect with Ball Seed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ball-seed-co/Follow The Gardens at Ball on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GardensAtBall/See Ball Seed Videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BallSeedVideo
The STEM Podcast
STEM: Insider Tips for Greenhouse Pros is a podcast created specifically for commercial greenhouse growers, horticulture professionals and the customers they supply – including but not limited to retail garden centers, nurseries and landscape professionals. Hosted by Ball Seed’s Bill Calkins, each episode will feature a guest sharing timely and relevant horticulture ideas, innovations and technology, as well as current greenhouse industry topics and news – practical information for greenhouse professionals.
