Weed Control
Running time: Approx 60 mins
Presenter: Jim Willmott
Weeds are unsightly and contribute to insect and disease problems. They can rob crops of water and fertilizer and can actually crowd out young plants. With so many herbicide options available help is needed to sort through the available products to develop the best program for your growing operation. This presentation answers the tough questions including timing, rotations and re-application intervals. Hand weeding and poor performing herbicides are so costly that you will find this session to be a valuable addition to your technical library.
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Insect & Mite Control
Running time: Approx 60 mins
Presenter: Rick Yates
Insect and Mite Control- The latest greenhouse registered insecticides and miticides are discussed with an emphasis on how they can be used in rotation with currently available products. Pest biology is explained in the context of how it affects control efforts. Excellent photos help in pest identification.
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Water Quality & Crop Nutrition
Running time: Approx 60 mins
Presenter: Rick Yates
Undestanding how your water quality and crop nutrition affects your final product.
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Controlling Pests in Retail Greenhouses
Running time: Approx 45 mins
Presenter: Rick Yates
Controlling pests in retail greenhouses poses a unique set of challenges. Long hours of operation, crowded displays, rapid turnover of plant material and customers who aren’t very fond of pesticides makes pest control difficult.
The presentation tackles this topic from variety of angles including communicating with suppliers, examining fast low volume applicators and carefully selecting “softer” pesticides. The pesticides selected had to meet a strict criteria that includes: short REI’s, bloom safety, low odor and residue and good efficacy. Turn pest control into a public relations opportunity!
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Integrated Bio Controls
& Compatible Pesticides
Running time: Approx 60 mins
Presenter: Jim Willmott
Issues related to pesticide use have prompted increasing interest in biological control. Besides the loss of effective products, due to pesticide resistance, biological control agents (BCAs) are gaining appeal with customers who desire “Green Alternatives”. Also, pesticide exposure risks are reduced or eliminated for applicators and other employees. Some growers, using BCAs, have even reported improved crop quality.
Implementing biocontrol may seem daunting, but the good news is that growers intuitively understand how to grow things. Think of BCAs as just another crop with cultural and environmental requirements. This DVD gives the necessary background to get started and the nuts and bolts of practical application.
Part I
• Understanding pesticide application history and its compatibility with BCAs
• How to develop pest and BCA monitoring systems
• Introductory concepts of BCAs, banker plants and principles of successful use.
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Part II
• Control of key pests with BCAs including thrips, aphids, whiteflies, fungus gnats, shoreflies and spider mites.
• How to plan, schedule and order appropriate BCA numbers banker plants
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Profitability & Pricing Strategies Part 1
Running time: Approx 60 mins
Presenters: Peter Konjoian
The cycling of the general economy impacts the greenhouse industry on several levels. This presentation will introduce basic economic principles that will help growers plan for their futures and set realistic goals that will solidify profitability and security. Topics to be covered will include improvement of organizational performance, overhead cost determination, variable cost analysis and crop revenue analysis. Understanding these topics can result in more informed production decisions and more efficient management of the greenhouse operation.
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Part II
• Shrinkage: The Silent Assassin
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Pesticide Application Technology
Running time: Approx 45 mins
Presenters: Rick Yates and Kurt Becker (Dramm)
Selecting the best pesticide application technology for your growing operation is the first step in effective and economical pest control. Features and benefits of a wide range of application technologies will be discussed in detail. Presentations include: Ultra-low volume applicators, hydraulic sprayers,and the proper use of fertilizer injectors for chemigation.
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Garden Mum Production from the Ground Up
Running time: Approx 1 hr 40 mins
Presenters: Rick Yates and Peter Konjoian
Water quality and nutrition, pest control, plant growth regulators and more will be covered in detail with an emphasis on controlling costs. The pinch/Florel/no-pinch debate will be considered. Other topics will include controlling weeds, physiological disorders, and algae control in irrigation systems.
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Poinsettia Production A-Z
Running time: Approx 75 mins
Presenter: Rick Yates
Poinsettia production provides plenty of challenges even for experienced growers. Reducing shrinkage is one way to make sure this crop is a money maker. This session will include detailed treatment of insect and disease control, height control, nutrition, temperatures, spacing and much more. Troubleshooting common and not so common problems will be covered through the exstensive use of pictures. Tips for preventing and correcting each of these problems will help you begin this poinsettia season with confidence.
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Making Your Business Profitable
Running time: Approx 75 mins
Presenters: Peter Konjoian and Jim Willmott
Hardly a grower across the country has been immune to a profit margin squeeze that is causing concerns in his or her operation. Rising costs of production, market resistance to price increases, and too many plants being discounted or dumped are a few factors driving the concern. This webinar will bring the profit equation into focus. Learn to use simple tables that help separate crops that are money makers from those that are money takers. Gain an appreciation for just how damaging crop shrinkage is to profitability. And why is it that growers cannot raise their prices? Economists suggest that the law of supply and demand may hold the answer. This webinar will provide valuable insight for growers who are committed to increasing their profit margins.
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Greenhouse Sanitation
Running Time: Approx 75 mins
Presenters: Brent Hart (Pace Products) and Rick Yates
When it comes to return on investment for growers greenhouse sanitation ranks high on the list. For a relatively small expenditure we can reduce our exposure to many insect, disease and algae problems that typically occur in greenhouses. Topics to be covered include pre-season clean up of the production area, irrigation system treatments and the safe and effective way to treat plastic pots, flats and trays for re-use. Learn about the products to use and how to use them.
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Disease Control Update
Running time:
Foliar Disease: Approx 45 mins /
Root and Crown Area Diseases: Approx 40 mins
Presenter: Rick Yates
Disease identification and control will be discussed. Information on cultural controls and microbial control agents will be included where appropriate. Pesticide recommendations will take into account modes of action and responsible rotation plans.
Foliar Disease
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Root and Crown Area Diseases
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Plant Growth Regulators
Running time: Approx 90 mins
Presenters: Rick Yates
Plant growth regulators can be an effective tool for growers. The emphasis of this session will be using chemical and cultural techniques to produce high quality crops in less time and with less labor. Recommendations for PGR’s will include rates and timing.
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Outdoor Production of Spring Crops
Running time: Approx 60 mins
Presenter: Rick Yates
No matter where you are located producing some of your spring crops outdoors or in unheated structures might put a charge into your bottom line. Specific strategies and case studies from successful growers will be shared to help get your creative juices flowing.
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Recruitment & Retention
in the Greenhouse Industry
Running time: Approx 60 mins
Presenter: Len Roux
Finding good employees and then keeping them is a challenge for any employer. In this webinar we will examine the employee life cycle discussing the following topics: 1. Determining Staffing Needs (How Many & Scheduling) 2. Establishing Pay Rates (Where to get info & how to use it) 3. Where to look for Employees (Traditional & Internet) 4. Choosing the Right People (Application Review & Interviewing) 5. First Impressions (A look at the first year of employment) 6. Dealing with Conflict & Addressing Employee Issues
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Fall Crop Production
Running time: Approx 60 mins
Presenter: Rick Yates
Growers are looking for ways to generate sales during the fall months. Many of the crops that prosper in the cool weather of fall have to be started in the summer heat which poses challenges. This session tackles those issues head on. Timing, pest control, PGR’s, nutrition and physiological disorders are a few of the topics to be addressed. A special emphasis will be placed on fall pansies but several other cool crops will be included.
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