Finding skilled labor is one of the biggest challenges in gardening in North America , and therefore , having them is invaluable . However , when they leave , the company is confront a huge challenge . Under pitiful circumstance , Wenke Greenhouses has been facing this challenge this pansy / viola quid season , as Wenke ’s lead plug grower , Taylor Dragicevich , sadly passed away accidentally at the end of May . In this article , Rose Oberholtzer , Director of Young Plant Production at Wenke Greenhouses , recount us more about this unusual time of year and how they eventually managed to produce one of their best pansy and viola crop in eld .
Wenke GreenhousesBut before dive into their challenging pansy / viola craw production , more about this nursery . Wenke Greenhouses is a large , category - owned , vertically integrated output greenhouse with four location in Kalamazoo , MI , and a sister caller in Douglas , GA . The company grows and trade bloom year - pear-shaped , with their master crops being one-year bedding plants and home - usance vegetables . The fall pansy and viola craw are some of the most important crops in Wenke Greenhouse ’s downslope ballyhoo broadcast . " We have about an eight - week windowpane where we are sowing anywhere between 1,000 to 3,000 plug tray of pansies and violas per week . ' " Their untested plant partition supply them to their ruined air division , where they are eventually sell to garden centers , landscapist , and the Kalamazoo Flower Group .
Challenging seasonThis time of year proved to be a very unusual one , as their pencil lead sparking plug grower passed away , Oberholtzer explains . " We are deeply saddened by Taylor ’s departure , we have not only lost a great person but also an amazing plug agriculturalist with a spate of knowledge and experience . " For the company and pansy / viola plug season , this meant face a huge challenge .
" The sparking plug grow squad , which consists of Ben Cramer , Regina Rapier , and myself , pulled together to acquire the pansy / viola craw without Taylor and her experience . None of us had the experience of driving the boat , so to talk , of growing a pansy crop before . We also had the assist of some well - bang industriousness consultants , like Ron Derrig , Bill Argo , and Sonali Padhye , to check that we were considering all the details as we were turn the crop . A local raiser very experienced in pansy and viola output , Todd Trimestra , was also kind enough to lend his expertise and facilitate guide us in a way we would not be able to without a lot of experience growing these crop . Without the effort of this team of awe-inspiring people to step up to the challenge , we would not have been able-bodied to bring forth the quality of pansy , and viola plug that we have this time of year . I believe Taylor would have been proud of what we accomplished , " enounce Oberholtzer .
Integration of plug and liner product into one locationNow , they are integrating the spark plug and liner production into one emplacement , and they have recently hired someone into the Lead Plug Grower position . " We are excited to turn with them and continue the positive advance we have been seeing this gloaming . Integrating hoopla and lining production into one adeptness has many benefits and several challenges . Many of the yield and growing processes for plugs are similar to processes for line drive , but there are a few differences as well . We will be work hard to secure the transition goes smoothly so that our quality and efficiency just keep sustain better . "
Future plansWenke Greenhouses also expanded latterly . " We have added another four acres of dual poly greenhouse to one of our localization and have moved our liner production to that positioning as well . We are currently growing most of our young plant life at a single locating , which is helpful for efficiency , cross - training , shipping , etc . We have found that the improved surroundings has very positively impacted our liner character and are excited to see the changes that result from consolidating both plug and liner into one location . "
And their fall program will also become available to growers next year . " This time of year , the fall programme is internal - only , but in 2024 , they are afford the program to client . " And they are already have in supplying grower . " During the spring season , we already trade plugs and rooted liner to other grower through the broker internet . "
For more selective information : Rose OberholtzerWenke GreenhousesEmail:[email protected]www.wenkewholesale.com
© FloralDaily.com/Elita Vellekoop
