BigBadBlog from BigBadFlower.com

Starting and Planting Hibiscus

2011-12-29T17:05:00.000-08:00

How is interested in learning more about starting and planting hibiscus?

Or visit Bigbadflower.com and follow these simple tips.

If you don't take time to read or watch then follow these three simple tips for the Cajun Hibiscus:

1.) DO NOT OVER WATER!

2.) EXPOSE TO FULL SUNLIGHT!

3.) DO NOT OVER WATER!

Now lets get ready for Spring 2012!

Bigbadflower.com - New Look

2011-10-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

As you can tell if you visited Bigbadflower.com, we have a new website! We have a new look, we have improved our shipping process and we have new products!

We are also changing our blog. For 2012 we will use our blog to feature ideas, videos and websites focused on tropical plants.

Starting with www.sunparasol.net! Sun Parasol has always been some of our favorite plants. They are a beautiful Mandevilla with amazing flowers.

Check out this video:

http://youtu.be/YuRfRrdaODg

Introduction to Hort Americas

2010-08-20T18:18:00.001-07:00

NFT Hydroponic Production of Lettuce
Bigbadflower would like to take a brief minute and introduce you to Hort Americas. Hort Americas supplies a full-line of growing accessories to those intersted in Hydroponics, Urban Agriculture, Controlled Environment Agriculture, Indoor Gardening and Local Food Production.
Hort Americas also caters to those interested in growing Orchids, Tropical Ornamentals and other niche crops. Check them out to learn more.

www.hortamericas.com

Spring has come and Bigbadflower.com is happy!

2010-04-05T17:03:00.000-07:00

Bigbadflower is extremely happy to see that spring has finally come.

And with its arrival, Bigbadflower.com wants to announce that it will be adding Buffalo Grass to the many varieties it is currently offering.

Please continue to check back with us for further information.

Also, check out this older video on Urban Farming. (The hydroponic production of food is one of our passions! Check out Hort Americas.com)

ORGANICS - As they become more popular, they are creating more questions!

2010-02-27T10:52:00.000-08:00

First, let me say that historically Bigbadflower.com is a large supporter of the niche retailer. They help promote products that are unique and give us (consumers) a choice.

But, even the good one falter at times. Please watch this video on Whole Foods and let us know what you think.

Bigbadflower.com recognized on Dave's Garden!

2010-01-09T14:19:00.000-08:00

BigBadFlower.com is proud to listed as a Top 5 Supplier of Tropical Plants!

Also BigBadFlower will be attending the TPIE (Tropical Plant Industry Expo) in Florida next week.

Check back to see photos from our Trip!

Mandevilla on Grower TV

2009-12-16T14:32:00.000-08:00

Sunfire Nurseries Highlighted on Greenhouse Grower TV.

http://greenhousegrower.com/ggtv/?vid=123

"More Mandevilla Colors
T Jay Higgins of Sunfire Nurseries shares the two newest color introductions in Suntory's Sun Parasol mandevilla line."

Tropical Flower Design

2009-11-25T14:30:00.000-08:00

Just some ideas to get you started!

Also, check out a new site to get hard to find Horticultural Tools!

www.hortamericas.com

New love for the garden!

2009-04-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

Anyone in the Garden Center Industry will tell you that America is flocking to their gardens. From ornamentals to vegetables and herbs, it seems the US is remembering their agronomist roots. They are eager for the opportunity to learn how grow and produce their own food, beautify their yards and add value back to their largest investments . . . their homes.

Anyone whom reads this blog will also know that this trend is something that I am very happy to see. But, at the same time it raises many very important questions:

1.) Is this change sustainable?

"Change" - it seems like that is what the country is all about lately. Change in politics (or lack of change in politics.) Change in the economy . . . change, change, change. But is this real? History will normally tell us that change happens gradually and anything that happens so quickly may not be real (just perceived) or may be a fad.

2.) Does America get it?

It was not all that long ago that America left the family farm, (and in some cases raced away from the family farm!) My fear is that America may have lost touch with its agronomist roots and may have some unrealistic expectations from their experiences in their gardens.

3.) Do Urban "farmers" understand the commitment needed to full-fill their dreams of a beautiful yard or a high yielding garden?

Americans have a tendency to want and expect instant gratifications. As many of us know farming, growing and gardening successfully takes time and a lot of hard work. Will America stick with it? And will they be happy with the fruits of their labor?

I am personally very happy to see this interest in local food, gardening, landscaping and sustainable living. I hope that this interest continues to grow, but I also hope this "movement" is real and causes America to re-think its values.

Having fun with Gardening

2009-03-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

Its not often that Gardening is the backbone of comedic stand-up or sketch, but here is one from Saturday Night Live worth watching:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/16417/saturday-night-live-googly-eyes-gardener

Enjoy!

Spring is just around the corner!

2009-03-01T11:12:00.000-08:00

For most of us spring is still a distant dream. (In speaking with friends from Minnesota and Kansas, I know they just got a whole bunch of snow.) But for some of us spring is just around the corner. (Last week, traveling in Texas and New Mexico, I saw ample amount of sun and temps in the mid and upper 80's!)

And the gardeners in the south are starting to take notice. While visiting garden centers in Austin, Texas and the Xeriscaping Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico I witnessed I wide variety of gardeners enthusiastic about getting outside and a jump on the spring.

If any of you are asking, "What in the world is Xeriscaping?" I thought I would take a few minutes to give you the details and share with you some photos from the show.

Xeriscaping refers to landscaping and gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for supplement irrigation. It is promoted in areas that do not have easily accessible supplies of fresh water, and is gaining momentum in many other areas as more concern is given to the environment.

The word xeriscaping is a xeros (Greek for "dry") and landscape. Plants whose natural requirements are appropriate to the local climate are emphasized, and care is taken to avoid losing water to evaporation and run-off. While many Denver Water employees helped coin the term xeriscape, Xeriscape and the xeriscape logo are not registered trademarks of Denver Water, the water department of Denver. They were created by the Front Range Xeriscape Task Force of Denver Department in 1978. In other areas, terms such as water-conserving landscapes, drought-tolerant landscaping, zeroscaping, and smart-scaping are used instead. (This information came directly from wikipedia, to learn more wiki the term xeriscaping.)

No mater where you are, the main goal of xeriscaping is to choose plants for your landscape and garden that do well in your environment. (This can be difficult, depending on your environment.)

I encourage everyone to use a combination of xeriscaping and container gardening in your landscape. By combining the two, it allows you as a gardener to indulge in a variety of plants that interest you while at the same time reducing the stress on your local environment.

More importantly it will also provide you the best opportunity to create a beautiful, creative and successful landscape/garden.

Spring is starting in the South

2009-03-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

For most of us spring is still a distant dream. (In speaking with friends for MN and Kansas, I know they just got a whole bunch of snow.) But for some of us spring is just around the corner. (Last week, traveling in Texas and New Mexico, I saw ample amount of sun and temps in the mid and upper 80's!)

And people in the south are starting to take notice. Garden Centers in Austin, Texas and the Xeriscaping Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico were packed with people interested in getting a jump on the spring.

If any of you are asking, "What in the world is Xeriscaping?" I though I would take a few minutes to give you the details and share with you some photos from the show.

Xeriscaping refers to landscaping and gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for supplement irrigation. It is promoted in areas that do not have easily accessible supplies of fresh water, and is catching on in other areas as climate patterns shift.

The word xeriscaping is a xeros (Greek for "dry") and landscape. Plants whose natural requirements are appropriate to the local climate are emphasized, and care is taken to avoid losing water to evaporation and run-off. While many Denver Water employees helped coin the term xeriscape, Xeriscape and the xeriscape logo are not registered trademarks of Denver Water, the water department of Denver. They were created by the Front Range Xeriscape Task Force of Denver Department in 1978. In other areas, terms such as water-conserving landscapes, drought-tolerant landscaping, zeroscaping, and smart-scaping are used instead.

No mater where you are the main goal of xeriscaping is choosing plants for you landscape and garden that do well in your environment. (This can be difficult, depending on your environment.)

Questions on Growing Tropicals

2009-02-21T13:41:00.000-08:00

Its getting very close to spring and many simply cannot wait to start growing their favorite tropicals. Unfortunately, its not the always the easiest things to do.

If you are going to try growing indoors, we recommend you try some of the following:

1.) Varying types of Hydroponics - low tech hydroponics gives you good control of you indoor gardening conditions.
2.) Supplemental Lighting - Plants need light. Supplemental lights allow you to extend the amount of hours of light on any given day.
3.) Reduced expectations during your first rounds of trials! - Like anything else you need to learn how to use your new tools. Expect to have a few set backs, but please do not let that discourage you from trying again.

As you see in the below picture you can make a very in-expensive lighting system. (All components have been purchased at a local hard-ware store.)

Email from a Texas Customer:

Here are some pictures from my first Cajun Hibiscus project. For some reason, the newer ones inside the house under the grow lights seem to be doing much better than the first ones that have made their way to the greenhouse.

I watered the ones in the greenhouse yesterday since they were seemingly bone dry. They didn't look so good today.

Reply from BBF:

While it is a little difficult to analyze this accurately from a photo, we can certainly give make some educated suggestions. Watering in the winter can be touchy, but you can over come this. The potting soil you choose is important. Since you are growing in coir, it is important to know that it will hold much more water than traditional peat moss potting soils. Often the top can appear dry while there is ample amounts of moisture in the bottom of the pots. The only other advice we can give is when you are watering, remove the pots from the trays, so that the water can leach out.

Keys to successfully starting your tropicals in late winter/low light conditions.

REDUCE WATERING! When you think the plant needs water, wait a couple of more days.
If you do not have a window that gets plenty of light, invest in a inexpensive supplemental lighting system.
Do not be afraid to fail!

Taking care of tropical plants and the economy all at the same time!

2009-02-14T08:38:00.000-08:00

We are going to have a change of pace this week. Lets start by taking look at a ground breaking concept for Americans to use to save our economy.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/1389/saturday-night-live-dont-buy-stuff#s-p1-st-i0

After viewing this video, I request that each of you go out and buy the book. Then please share it with everyone you know! (Including you local politicians! (Both Democratic and Republican!))

Next we received a good question via email this past week.

Hi There--I'm writing from the snowed-in northeast and daydreaming about gardening! I'm psyched to find that you sell bougainvilleas and that they can be grown as annuals up this way.

I can probably start them inside, but our last frost isn't officially until mid-May when I could start transferring the plants outside slowly. I have a very sunny, hot yard once the season changes. How tall/ full do you think a vine might grow from May until Sept/ Oct?

Answer is:

First, I think no matter where you live . . . we all look forward to the spring gardening season. Second, the average finish time for bougainvilleas as a commercial grower is 18-24 weeks (this is assuming that you receive a plant from a 72 cell tray plug and grow it to the size of a 3 gallon pot.) This would be on a 36" trellis. In the NE you will be limited on time, you should not expect them to get more than 3-4 feet up a trellis. Even though bougainvillea are classified as vines, they will not climb like a mandevilla or allamanda. You will need to train the plant up the trellis or lattice and tie it off. On a 36" trellis you would typically tie it off to the trellis twice. Do to your latitude you should really consider keeping you tropicals in a container and over-wintering them. Indoor container gardening is an excellent way to keep your hobby year round as well as creating a relaxing environment to enjoy inside your home thru the coldest of winters.

Please post any questions you have here or send us an email at bigbadflower@yahoo.com.

Passion for your Product

2009-02-08T16:03:00.001-08:00

As I travel around and work with various greenhouse veggie farmers, flower growers, garden centers and hydroponic shops there is one thing that completely separates those struggling from those flourishing.

That one thing is PASSION. In my opinion it is the one "thing" that you can not reproduce and it is the one thing no consultant can provide direction for.

Now that is not to say that there are not many profitable businesses that run with out a passionate leader. But I do think it is the main difference in many small and start up businesses.

Example:

If you have an industrial business model, where it is all about becoming more and more efficient so that you can ultimately supply a commodity product at the lowest price possible ... than passion for your product is not a key ingredient. Companies with this model seldom tie their face to the product. They may focus on the service or the process behind the product and they may do that extremely well ... but you normally do not see the passion for the "end-product."

If you have an artisan business model, it is many times all about the "end-product" and the experience associated with that product. Companies with this model expect the customer to associate their experience with the qualities and vision of the company and often times focus so much on this that they make decisions that are not the most efficient or economic, but they do provide the best end result.

I can already image some saying, "which way is the right way?" I say neither is better than the other. They are simply different and the real danger lies being caught somewhere in between.

Change for Agriculture and Horticulture

2009-01-26T17:07:00.000-08:00

First, I would like to pose a question to all my friends, customers and colleagues in the both the farming and greenhouse/nursery industries.

Why plant or grow a crop that looses money?

(Whether it be corn, tomatoes or poinsettias . . . why grow a crop if the cost of producing that crop out-weighs the price of selling the crop?)

I really hope someone answers this question, because there are people doing this everyday. It may be due to the current farm-bill or for other tax or cash flow reasons, but there are reasons (good or bad) for making this decision.

Second, follow-up questions:

What would you choose to do if you did not plant your questionable crop or if you choose to grow an alternative crop?
What is stopping you from making this sort of aggressive change?
What is your fate if you to choose to steer the same course and not making any changes?

Over the past few months I have wrote about innovation and change. And this blog has caused me to want to learn more, so I continue to research and read about different movements and segments within the horticulture and agriculture industries. All of this has led me to believe that change via innovation is critical to health of our industries. I also have learned that there are hundreds if not thousands of ways to successfully create this change. Here are a few examples of changes that farms, greenhouses and small communities have implemented, some have been more successful than others (but all should be considered successful.)

Switching Crops – Even if it is just a portion of the production area, a change in crops (usually unique and niche) is a good way to inject profit dollars back into the business. (Most of the growers admit that this is often short lived, but they know they must constantly search for the next opportunity,)
A Second Business – Developing a second business, often times that also benefits their current business, from the same piece of land is a great way of diversifying. One of example of this is Texas Ranchers using their land to capture wind energy. This has not only pumped life back into the Ranch, it has also had a domino effect on the rural communities. Jobs and opportunities have been created to ful-fill the needs of this new industry.
Tackle the Supply Channel – Those farmers/growers who are not afraid of the sales part of the supply channel seem to have more success. The prime reason is that they do not rely on a third party to sell and market their product.

Change whether it be thru technological innovation, the green movement or active sales and marketing strategies is a way to recover as a farmer, greenhouse grower or nurseryman. It will likely also have a positive impact on those parties on either side of your supply channel. (Including your community.)

Unfortunately it will be scary for most, it will cost money (but think of it as an investment in yourself) and it will take time and planning.

Tropical Plant Industry Expo

2009-01-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

Since it is the dead of winter for most, I thought many of you might enjoy seeing a few photos and highlights from the 2009 Tropical Plant Industry Expo.Suntory (shown by Sun-Fire Nursery) won the best new Tropical flowering Plant Award.
This plant which is called "Stars and Stripes" (and part of the popular Sun Parasol Mandevilla line) will only be available from local independently owned garden centers in 2009.

The Cajun Hibiscus from Louisiana breeder Bobby DuPont (DuPont Nursery) continued to draw attention.

Costa Farms exposed visitors to plants that fit all lifestyles and interest.

As most of the country was in a deep freeze, the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center was filled with warm colors and exotic plants.

As always Kerry's and Twyford displayed orchids and bromeliads with class and creativity.

Google TPIE or Tropical Plant Industry Expo to learn more about this event.

Change: Is it to hard to happen?

2009-01-08T20:10:00.000-08:00

How many different times have we heard about change in the past couple of years?

As one listens to what every media outlet he or she enjoys (radio, tv, podcast, etc.) it is hard to get away from the idea that anyone with an opinion feels the time for change is now.

Can we really change and how difficult will it be?

Below is a chart that I found in FloraCulture International (Dec. 2008). The Chart was from an article written by John J Haydu, Charles R Hall and Alan Hodges. (Go to www.floracultureinternational.com and look up the article on Lifestyle Horticulture.)

The reason for showing this chart is simple. It shows how an industry like horticulture is interconnected with some very large and very conservative industries. Everything we do in horticulture goes back to mining, oil, fisheries, forestry, banking and transportation. Each one of these stakeholders has a vested interest in us not changing or changing as little as possible. (Unless that change would mean a growth in business, profit and wealth.)

Is this a bad?

That completely depends on who you listen to. A conservative approach is normally stable. It will show little growth and little change. In my opinion whats "bad" about the conservative approach is that not every has that approach. By this I mean, there will always be those that challenge the conservative approach. And when they challenge they will not normally create anything unique, they will simply do it for less. Thus putting all of those relying on the stability of the conservative approach at risk.

For those wishing to challenge with true radical change, it will never be easy. And more importantly the radical approach will probably fail more times than it will succeed. But this does not mean radical change is not worth trying. Radical change, if and when successful, will eventually (after many years) become the norm.

Unfortunately we are at a time in Horticulture, when change is hard to find. It does exist, but it can only be found on the fringes. It is small and at this point in time it is not very profitable.

When it comes down to it, those "conservatives" in horticulture and the "radicals" in horticulture need each other. They need each other to keep the system moving forward. The conservatives need the radicals to fail. But they should learn from the radicals successes and implement those successes. The same is true for the radicals, they need the conservatives. They need to be educated by them and they need to learn from their failures. Learning from those failures will create the opportunities for true change.

So, "change" will happen. (And it needs to.) But it will not happen quickly and it will probably not be the same "change" that was initially planned!

Happy Holidays

2008-12-22T16:20:00.000-08:00

Bigbadflower would like to wish everyone a Merry, Safe and Happy Holiday Season!

Have a Merry Christmas...

with Yuletide Cajun Hibiscus!

Have a Happy New Years...

And lets get ready for Spring!

Please note that I will not be making another post until January 10, 2009.

However when I start back up . . . there should be new info roof-top production greenhouses, we will show you pictures from TPIE (Tropical Plant Industry Expo) 2009, and hopefully pictures from many of the spring horticulture tradeshows and conferences.

Take care and if you are traveling . . . travel safe.

Questions and Ideas behind Sustainable Agriculture

2008-12-15T16:41:00.000-08:00

Sustainable Agriculture or Urban Agriculture is anything but new. Dating back at least 70 years, people have been developing ideas and ways to bring Agriculture back into the city and closer to the people. (If you do not believe me, research Victory gardens from WWI and WWII.)

So the question on many community leaders minds is: "What will it take to make strides in the much talked about, but seldom acted upon, areas of Sustainable Agriculture (Urban Agriculture) or Horticulture?"

The answer to this question seems to be difficult to answer.

There are many inspired people across the country interested in devoting time, money, ideas and many other resources to the movement … but they all seem to have their own ideas as two what philosophy or practice will be successful. Ideas range from:
CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) - http://www.citygardenfarms.com/
Co-Ops - http://www.growingpower.org/rainbow_farmers_coop.htm
Non-profit Farms
For profit small plot intensive gardens (SPIN) - http://www.spinfarming.com/
Vertical Farming (which in itself encompasses many ideas) - http://www.valcent.net/s/HDVGS.asp?ReportID=264273
Roof-top Farming - http://www.skyvegetables.com/
High-Tunnel Farming - http://organic.kysu.edu/Temperatures.shtml
Hydroponics - http://www.brightfarmsystems.com/

Acquaponics - http://www.acuaponia.com/

Another thing that varies are the goals and visions of these motivated individuals. Which range from providing:
Low priced high quality food to low income families
Access to entry level Farming
Venture funded start-up business
Local food
Urban renewal
LEED Certifications
Better uses of natural resources (fossil fuels and water)
New opportunities for displaced small farmers
For high profit business
Healthier communities
Healthier lifestyles

Having just recently attended a intense conference on Urban Agriculture, at this point there are only a few certainties:
1.) All these "ideas" need funding. Whether it is personal, angel, traditional or venture funding, everyone is looking for "money" to put their ideas into practice.
2.) They need focus. Everyone involved with the movement has grand ideals. If we were ever to see these ideals implemented, than there would be an enormous shift in US values. It is highly unlikely that one farm or a small group of farms would create that cultural shift in a short period of time. If these groups are successful they will tackle one idea or one issue at a time. They will build a successful foundation which will help them implement the changes they desire. And eventually over time they may see their "dreams come true."
3.) Support. These ideas are held by a relatively small group of individuals with varying degrees of expertise. Developing the proper support staff and network will be key in accomplishing these goals in a timely manner with minimal mistakes and delays.

Only time will tell if any of these groups will have the economic and social impact that they are aiming for.

Opportunities for Urban Agriculture

2008-12-05T15:53:00.000-08:00

Check out this new greenhouse roof design which is engineered to keep out Near Infrared Radiation ~NIR~ (which heats the greenhouse) while collecting Photosynthetic Active Radiation ~PAR~ (which is used for the growth of plants.) The other "huge" advantage . . . one can transfer the NIR to electricity with the use of solar cells!

Why is this so exciting for Urban Agriculture?

Often in a urban setting, space is very limited. Also, most urban ag plans make space allowances for the use of solar or wind energy. If the "grower" does not have to worry about using space for collecting energy (solar panels), than he/she can turn this into production space which will give them the ability to increase yields, be more efficient and ultimately be more profitable.

The photo is of a trial greenhouse in the Netherlands. To learn more Google: Piet Sonneveld, Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture.

Happy Thanksgiving from Bigbadflower.com

2008-11-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

Bigbadflower.com would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Since it is a holiday week I think we should keep it light. Please enjoy these photos of our production facilities:

Remember travel safe over the Holidays!

Expo 2008 Alimentaria in Irapuato Guanajauto

2008-11-15T08:14:00.000-08:00

Visit to Expo 2008 Agroalimentaria in Irapuato, Guanajuato

In the past month I have been lucky enough to attend events in The Netherlands (Hortifair 2008), in Dallas, Texas (the Sustainability Conference presented by Grower Talks) and now Guanajuato, Mexico (Expo Agroalimentaria 2008.)

This years Expo did not disappoint. In terms of energy and perceived opportunity, it was obvious that Mexico is still seen as a land of opportunity in commercial horticulture. (It must be noted that when the US economy sneezes Mexico general catches a cold. That is why I say perceived opportunity. In my experience Mexico is full of optimist.)

Highlights from the show:

Dutch Pavilion – 18 companies from the Netherlands came together to represent the supply and manufacturer segments of the hi-tech Dutch greenhouse industry.

Low Technology Pavilion – to me the most interesting concept I saw at any show this year. The low technology pavilion is aimed at the start-up farmer with limited amount of capital looking to supplement the family’s income or start a new way of life.

Kids Play Area – an area for kids to stay occupied with crafts and projects while parents visit the other areas of the fair.

Shows like this in Mexico are able to do one thing that other shows I attend do not. They get the community involved. With a festive atmosphere, good food (at a reasonable price) and exhibits for everyone this show manages to bring large agriculture, commercial horticulture, sustainable agriculture, local farmers and the local community together. Events like this go along way in reshaping the general publics’ view of the agriculture, horticulture and the overall food-chain. In my opinion, this is needed if we are to encourage innovation, change and industry growth!

The Not-So Sustainable/Green Movement

2008-11-09T19:39:00.000-08:00

I just spent the weekend at a horticulture conference geared to take a deep look at “Sustainability.” After having a full day to digest the information that was presented I have come up with one thing:

Sustainability is more than simply justifying you current life-style, business, business model or industry.

There are definitely people that understand what sustainability means and why it is so important that we move in a new and different direction. But, the overwhelming majority of information I hear and presentations I listen to are people trying to justify their current existence. They look at additions, changes and investments such as alternative energy, composting or new vehicles, as the answers and solutions to the bigger questions and problems. While adopting these practices are vitally important, the real need is for major basic fundamental changes in lifestyles, expectations and values.

As a 30 something consumer, business person, environmentalist, fisherman, hiker, snowboarder, home-owner, etc I live a far from zero carbon foot-print. But as I educate myself and decide how to become more environmentally minded, I find it very disappointing to hear people just throwing the latest fad-terminology around.

I am not naive enough to think that companies are capable of implementing these changes overnight, or can companies be expected to operate at a lost. However, if the general public is to take these social issues seriously then the corporate world should not “green-wash” the issues.

A better path (while very unlikely) would be for these companies to invest in and support the creation of new companies geared to take on these challenges, create new technologies and attack the problems head on.

Why I know it is not likely, I can definitely dream and continue to personally tackle these issues head on.

Bigbadflower

November 15 is National Recycling Day

2008-10-31T12:05:00.000-07:00

Since November 15 is National Recycling Day, I thought I would share with everyone a story that ran this week in The Albuquerque Journal and was written by Jeff Proctor.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Deal Helps City Recycle Glass

Albuquerque's first step toward “complete recycling” of glass — a win-win deal for the city's economy and environment — will be complete in less than a month, according to Mayor Martin Chávez.

The city has entered into an agreement with Santa Fe-based Growstone LLC in which glass generated in Albuquerque will be ground into a fine powder, then processed into pebbles used to retain water in soil, Chávez told the Journal on Monday.

Construction is nearly done on a small building located at the city's West Side landfill where the glass will be ground to dust, he said.

Under the agreement, Growstone will purchase the glass by-product from the city, Chavez said.

For now, that dust will be shipped to Santa Fe, where Growstone has kilns to fire it into pebbles that range in size from a BB to a golf ball.

The smaller pebbles are used in potting soil in place of perlite or vermiculite, according to Growstone's Web site. The larger ones are tilled into soil where — in the case of New Mexico — green chile, alfalfa and other crops are grown.

Eventually, a second building will be constructed at the landfill, according to the mayor. That structure will house kilns like the ones Growstone already has in Santa Fe. Chávez said the second building will be finished by mid-2010. Under the agreement, the city will pay for the first building and is still negotiating with Growstone on how to finance the second building, said Leonard Garcia, the director of the city's Solid Waste Management Division. He said the city will recoup the expenditures from Growstone's purchase of the glass by-product. The agreement “will give us the capacity to consume 15,000 tons of glass per year,” the mayor said. “That will (recycle) all of the glass in the city of Albuquerque. The by-product will be sold all around the country (for use in soil.) The glass eventually will be collected in the city's blue recycling bins. It's complete recycling.” The blue bins are part of what city officials envision as a “three-bin” system: a blue bin for recycled household items, including plastic, paper and glass; a green one for organic matter; and a black one for trash.

A pilot program where most recyclable materials, not including glass, are being collected in blue bins already is under way for about 10,000 homes in Albuquerque. The mayor said Monday he hopes the whole city is recycling curbside in the blue bins — which will eventually accept glass — in about two years.

Currently, residents have to drop their glass off at one of several locations — including superstores and grocery stores — across the city. “Right now, the market is really constricted, so we bundle all that glass, then sell it when the market relaxes,” Chávez said.

The water-retention capabilities of Growstone's pebbles will be a welcome bonus to Albuquerque, the mayor said, whose high desert environment has officials struggling to find ways to conserve water for future generations. “Growstone horticulture products reduce environmental impact at both ends of the production chain,” Growstone's Web site says. “They replace strip-mined materials like pumice, perlite, and stonewool, reducing environmental degradation. At the same time, because the product largely consists of recycled bottles, a large amount of waste material is given a new life, keeping it from the landfill.” Chávez announced last June that he wants Albuquerque to be “landfill free” by 2030.

Innovation as an Economic Savior

2008-10-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

As those of you who read my blog know, over the past couple of weeks I have been traveling in the Netherlands visiting the Horti Fair as well as many companies involved in the global horticulture industry. Simultaneously, I was finishing reading a new book by one of my favorite authors Thomas Friedman. Theses two events got me thinking about the potential role horticulture can play in two very important issues currently facing the world today.

Alternative Energy and Slumping Economics

First, the Horticulture Industry (on a micro level) is an excellent example of these issues and situations.

What are the problems we face in Horticulture today?

1.) Slow Industry Growth
2.) High Energy Cost
3.) Financial Uncertainty

Is this all that different then the world news being reported nightly?

Second, consider Innovation as a tool one can use to change the current state of the industry and of the world. Consider using creative power and technology to develop products or services that will provide solutions to today’s issues. Let’s also consider the fact that the industry (and the world) is ready for a change . . . a change that will solve problems, attract new investors, create new outlets, develop new customers and (most importantly to us small business owners) return larger profits.

Let’s create a case study using energy and show why this is plausible:

Currently, we are facing a major issue regarding fossil fuels. Whether we are using them for transportation, heat or electricity we have all directly felt the impact in our wallets over the past couple of years (I know oil and gas prices are currently down, but no one predicts they will stay down for long.) For some of us this is enough of a reason to want change. For others we would also like to see change so that we can be more environmentally friendly or so that we stop taking our hard earned dollars and sending them to the Middle East (Saudi), Venezuela, Russia or other areas that are not overly friendly to Americans and their beliefs.
So the problem is easy to define. We need an alternative source (or sources) of energy to power our vehicles, heat our homes or greenhouses, and run our tools and appliances.
The greenhouse/nursery is one of the solutions to this problem. Using existing skills and knowledge we can start to produce new varieties of sustainable non-food crops (algae, switchgrass, miscanthus to name a few) 12 months a year, in a wide variety of climates, and near major cities around the world.
With the current tools and growing systems already available we can then use these crops to produce alternative fuels.
With innovation we can drive down the production cost, create new and better plant varieties and improve the growing systems.

As you can see it is not unbelievable to conceive that the greenhouse and nursery industry could play a vital role in the future energy industry. Thus creating new jobs, new investors, new customers and new opportunities.

While we may not know for sure how the industry will change or in what way we as an industry are involved, it is certain that there will be a change. Innovation will be the leader, with some inventions being failures and others becoming commercially successful. We do know that staying on the same path for the next 20 years is not an option. Whether it be in the production of non-food “energy crops”, high value locally grown food crops or medicinal-plant research my guess is that horticulturist around the world have a huge opportunity. My challenge to everyone is: Get involved and EMBRACE CHANGE!

Bigbadflower

2008 Horti Fair

2008-10-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

Friday October 17, 2008

Views from the 2008 Horti Fair in Amsterdam

Wrapping up on the 17th of October the Horti Fair is the premier trade show for many of us in the industry today. Focusing in on technology, sustainability, logistics, new varieties and other trends affecting Horticulture this is an excellent opportunity to keep in touch with the industry's trail blazers.

So, what was the News?

1.) The Economy. Horticulture, like everything and everyone else around the world, cannot hide from the problems and uncertainties of today’s global financial situations. From my perspective the hot topics where: Currency Values, Financing, Crop Values and the economic health of commercial growers everywhere. (In one word – uncertainty.)
2.) Sustainability. Much like all the US based tradeshows, sustainability was a hot topic. Many feel that this will continue to grow in our industry for two reasons:
a.) Younger generations are very interested in this all encompassing topic. For that reason alone all involved in the industry would like to add younger people to our list of potential clients and enthusiastic gardeners. (Lets be honest, it is this kind of capalistic opportunity that encourages private industry to make new investments.)
b.) Sustainability can have a positive impact on the economic growth of our industry. It, as a philosophy, can and will drive innovation and creativity.
3.) Alternative Energy Sources. There are many that believe, including me, the commercial horticulture industry is likely to have a big impact on the development of Alternative Energy Supplies. Whether to facilitate the production of alternative energy sources or as an important player in the development of key infrastructure facilities, Horticulture will most likely have a big impact. (If anyone is interested in more details regarding this topic, please let me know.)

For those of you not familiar with the Horti Fair (known as the NTV Show by many Americans) and would like to learn more you can go to http://www.hortifair.com/.

My trip to Europe is not quite finished. I will spend the next four days visiting trial facilities, greenhouses and manufacturers . . . so come back later this week to see additional photos and perspectives.

Thanks for reading.

BigBadFlower

Trends effecting Gardening and Horticulture

2008-10-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

1.) Lawns and "garden" space are becoming smaller, more and more people are moving to the city . . . what does that mean for Horticulture?

Short answer:
It means opportunity. The opportunity for increased leisure time. The opportunity to enjoy gardening and the experience of personalized green space. The proven opportunity to reduce stress. Finally, the opportunity for a healthier and “greener” style of life. Its opportunity, simply on a smaller scale.

Long answer:

As a deeply involved member of the horticultural community, changes like these will directly affect my life. That coupled with a “financial crisis”, an election, a half remodeled home, a new business and all the other problems we all face on a daily basis . . . I am constantly thinking about these uncontrollable trends, undeniable challenges and opportunities. Whether in relation to a commercial greenhouse operation, a manufacturer of horticultural goods, a supplier of horticultural sundries, a independent garden center or simply as a home owner looking to ad value to his/her investment these trends and challenges will create a serious domino effect. And this domino effect will no doubt be felt by all of us in or involved with the hort industry.

I do not believe that these situations will actually hurt horticulture; on the contrary, I choose to look at this time as an opportunity for those who work in the horticulture industry or for those whom simply love to garden or landscape.

It is a fact; lawns and “garden” space are becoming smaller. Whether in the city or in the suburbs home builders across the nation are constructing more homes per acre (or in some cases larger homes on traditional lots) in order to maximize their profits thus causing homeowners are loosing their private green space. This is not necessarily a negative in my opinion. We in the horticulture community should look at this as an opportunity to introduce, educate and inspire more people to a greener way of living.

Let’s look at a couple of other facts that make me believe this will work:
1.) It is heavily published that American’s simply do not have enough “leisure” time. Well whether that’s factually true or not, it’s the perception. So it’s a good thing we have smaller yards and gardening space because we do not have enough time (or money in many cases) to take care of them. BUT we do have enough time (and money) to start a small container garden or create a native garden (which will reduce watering, fertilizer and weeding . . . freeing up even more time.)
2.) Plants reduce stress! I think we can all agree that in times like these, stress reduction is a great thing. Studies in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 2001 at Universities in the US and Netherlands show that plants actually do have a calming effect based on the systolic blood pressure readings of the “test” participants. Whether it is a house plant or container garden, bring life back into your personal spaces.
3.) Thinking green? By now I am sure that many people are tired of being green-washed by advertisements from corporate America. Seriously, how many products or services have just gotten a new label and are suddenly and miraculously good for the environment. For our nation and the world to go green (much like fixing the economy) we as a global community are in need of some serious changes. So start at home and in your community. Think native, think water-wise and think container gardening to add that flare of the tropics, bit of fashion or color that personalizes your green space needs.

For those of you reading from outside the US, there are or will be much of the same issues. Culture, religion or necessity may shape your horticulture community differently but the problems are still the same. Growing populations, growing cities and less and less private space will no doubt create the same basic problems. There will be a need to preserve personal and family time, a need to reduce stress and most definitely a need to conserve natural resources.

As you can see “horticulture” or gardening is positioned to deal with what ever problems it faces. The real question is: “Are we prepared to deal with these same challenges?”

Till next week . . . get outside and make it a greener world.

http://www.bigbadflower.com/

Trends Shaping our Gardens and our Communities

2008-09-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

Come back in October, when I tackle these 3 issues:

1.) Lawns and "garden" space are becoming smaller, more and more people are moving to the city . . . what does that mean for Horticulture?
2.) Within 20 years it is estimated that our city populations will increase significantly . . . how will that change our food sources, our water sources and our gardens?
3.) Horticulturist, Hobbyist and Landscape Architects are pioneering new spaces for food production, gardening, landscaping and greener cities . . . where are they?

I look forward to sharing my thoughts and hearing your ideas.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Trial Blog

2008-09-24T16:51:00.001-07:00

This is only a test . . .