Podcast
TECH ON DEMAND brought to you by GrowerTalks
Hosted by Bill Calkins · EN
Grow your best crop ever! Cultural and technical information for greenhouse professionals.
44episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Nick's Newsletter Tip (Week 30): Pythium vs. Fusarium in Garden Mums
2w ago00:08:35Tap to summarizeThis week, let’s talk about two of the most common and costly disease issues we encounter in garden mum production: Pythium and Fusarium. Both can cause stunting, chlorosis, wilting and lead to major crop losses, but they are not the same organism. Knowing which one you’re dealing with makes a big difference—particularly when selecting proper tools to prevent disease and respond to symptoms when they appear. If there’s one takeaway from today’s tech tip, it’s this: rootzone disease outbreaks in mums don’t begin when symptoms appear—they begin days or weeks prior when plants become stressed or protection lapses. Whether you’re dealing with Pythium or Fusarium, the growers who consistently prevail against these pathogens are the ones who focus on sanitation, prevention, root health and stress management. This episode is sponsored by Prospiant—leaders in greenhouse design, manufacture and build. Learn more and connect with the expert team at prospiant.com. Subscribe to the weekly Tech On Demand e-newsletter: https://www.growertalks.com/Newsletters/Signup/?newsletter=techondemand
Transcribe →There’s A Good Story To Tell! (ft. Plantpeddler’s Mike Gooder)
2w ago00:52:04Tap to summarizeHost Bill Calkins caught up with Mike Gooder to discuss the evolution of vegetative crops from breeding and supply to production and demand. Then the conversation turned to the amazing story our industry has to tell and why this is critical for our future. When Bill planned the episode, he had a goal in mind—to learn about how the vegetative side of our industry evolved through the eyes of someone who was in the game early and in a big way. His guest for this episode is Mike Gooder, the owner of Plantpeddler in Cresco, Iowa and the business was a rooting station before such a thing was cool. Bill was hoping to learn how and why the Gooders took such a big risk early on—building greenhouses and infrastructure to support production of vegetative young plants before the market was as proven as it is today. They definitely got into that story but then the conversation veered off the young plant path and down a different road. About half the episode was Mike and Bill talking about how amazing floriculture is and how we need to develop messaging and tell this story far and wide to attract fresh, new talent to the industry. They discussed the importance of connection, networking, partnerships, relationships and how Mike’s industry involvement and leadership over more than 40 years opened doors for his business that he never imagined when he and Rachel bought the greenhouse back in 1980. You have to listen all the way to the end of this episode because there’s so much good information shared. It’s really an inspiring conversation. As mentioned in the episode, mark your calendar for the Plantpeddler new variety open house in August or make plans to attend in the future. Here’s a link for more information: https://www.plantpeddler.com/trials/gardens-variety-day Learn more about Plantpeddler: https://www.plantpeddler.com/ Read “Solid Strategies for Expanding” by Jennifer Zurko—GrowerTalks March 2026— https://www.growertalks.com/Article/?srch=1&articleID=27906
Transcribe →4 Questions for Kate, a Garden Center Owner
3w ago00:41:51Tap to summarizeThroughout 2026, host Bill Calkins has been catching up with different people in the professional horticulture space and find out a little bit about their careers, passions, journeys in the world of plants and much more. He sent each potential guest a list of 12 questions and they picked four to answer and discuss. This episode, Bill is joined by his friend Kate Terrell, owner/president/GM of Wallace’s Garden Center in Bettendorf, Iowa. Kate is pretty much an industry icon at this point. She heads up her family’s business growing and selling plants and a whole lot more than that. She’s active in tons of industry leadership roles, writes articles for industry magazines, serves on committees and boards and is also a leader in her local community. It’s amazing she finds enough hours in her days to do everything. Plus, she’s a mom, Cubs and Cyclones fan and top-notch businesswoman. She has a lot to share this episode so be sure to stick around all the way to the end! Here are the four questions Kate selected: Q: What’s something about professional horticulture that annoys you and how would you change it? Q: What are your top 3 favorite annuals? And perennials? Q: What advice would you give to a young person considering pursuit of a career in horticulture? Q: What advice would you give to an industry veteran currently dealing with “burnout”? This episode is sponsored by Mycorrhizal Applications—master distributor of biological and botanical plant support solutions and the world’s leading supplier of mycorrhizal soil inoculants. Learn more and connect with the expert team at mycorrhizae.com.
Transcribe →4 Questions for Jeremy, a Cannabis & Ornamental Crop Team Manager
Jul 700:33:40Tap to summarizeThroughout 2026, host Bill Calkins has been catching up with different people in the professional horticulture space and find out a little bit about their careers, passions, journeys in the world of plants and much more. He sent each potential guest a list of 12 questions and they picked four to answer and discuss. This episode, Bill is joined by his friend Jeremy Webber, the Crop Team Manager at Koppert and an IPM expert with plenty of greenhouse and nursery experience and a true passion for plants and how to produce them efficiently and effectively. Jeremy is a great storyteller and that skill shines over the course of this episode. It’s funny, informational and a fantastic look into the mind of someone who thinks deeply about our industry every day. Here are the four questions Jeremy chose to answer: Q: What was your first exposure to “horticulture” and how did you feel, react, respond? Q: If you had a free hour, what would we find you doing? Q: What are your top 3 favorite annuals? And perennials? Q: What do you love most about your job? This episode is sponsored by Prospiant—leaders in greenhouse design, manufacture and build. Learn more and connect with the expert team at prospiant.com.
Transcribe →All About the 2026 Plug & Cutting Conference ft. AmericanHort’s Rachel Rawls
Jul 100:30:41Tap to summarizeIn this episode, the goal is to explore and unpack the upcoming AmericanHort Plug and Cutting Conference, a must-attend event focused on young plant production. Host Bill Calkins is joined by AmericanHort’s Education Program Manager Rachel Rawls to discuss some of this year’s conference components, tour experiences, educational insights and and networking opportunities designed to help level up your young plant production. Plug & Cutting Conference Philadelphia, PA September 14-16, 2026 LEARN MORE & REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE HERE: https://americanhort.org/upcoming-events/plug-and-cutting-conference/ Here’s what you can expect to learn about in the next 30 minutes: The unique focus of the Plug and Cutting Conference on young plant propagation and why it stands out from broader industry events Practical education tracks covering crop timing, plant health, automation, sustainability and business management How peer-to-peer discussions and expert panels foster real-world learning and collaboration The integration of skill stations during production tours for hands-on experience in topics like dip-and-cutting and scouting The importance of addressing industry challenges like labor, input costs and crop quality early in the plant growth cycle Innovations in automation tailored for young plant production and how to incorporate practical, cost-effective tools Highlights of the extensive production tour lineup: Lucas Greenhouses, North Creek Nurseries, Star Roses & Plants, and Longwood Gardens The role of Spanish-language sessions in broadening industry access and workforce development Tips on translating conference learning into actionable improvements at your greenhouse, including leveraging on-demand session recordings Strategies for effective networking, building peer relationships and maintaining connections post-conference
Transcribe →Audio Files: The Gear Guide
Jun 2400:09:29Tap to summarizeTHE GEAR GUIDE FROM THE JUNE 2026 ISSUE OF GROWERTALKS MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY CHRISTOPHER J. CURREY NARRATED BY BILL CALKINS EXCERPT: Investing in the relatively modest selection of tools and equipment won’t just help you identify and conquer problems in the greenhouse—it should help you avoid them. A systematic regular approach to monitoring plant growth, the growing environment, pests and diseases, and the rootzone will produce high-quality crops … but, unfortunately, won’t help you with the zombies. Read the Digital Edition: https://www.ballpublishing.com/magazine/gt_26_06/index.aspx This episode is sponsored by Prospiant—leaders in greenhouse design, manufacture and build. Learn more and connect with the expert team at prospiant.com.
Transcribe →Panel Discussion: Echinacea Best Practices (from 2026 Darwin Perennials Day)
Jun 2200:35:41Tap to summarizeThis episode of the Tech On Demand podcast, brought to you by GrowerTalks is a special presentation from the 2026 Darwin Perennials Day event in The Gardens at Ball in West Chicago, Illinois. Darwin Perennials Day is an annual event held each summer to showcase perennial plants, breeding innovations, a huge range of suppliers and of course the growers who produce and sell perennial crops. For many years, the event has included educational sessions, panel discussions and talks by perennial experts. This year, one of the panels was moderated by GrowerTalks editor Jen Zurko with three expert panelists focused on echinacea production. Echinacea Best Practices for Spring, Summer and Fall featured Ball Seed Culture Research Manager Nathan Jahnke, Darwin Perennials Product Representative Chris Fifo and Hans Stokes, the Seedling Business Manager at Swift Greenhouses in Iowa. You’ll find this discussion interesting and packed with information to help you and your team level up your echinacea production. Darwin Perennials Day: https://www.darwinperennialsday.com/ Darwin Perennials on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@darwinperennials/videos
Transcribe →Nick's Newsletter Tip (Week 25): Proactive Poinsettia Planning
Jun 1800:06:57Tap to summarizeAs temperatures rise and the heat of summer starts to set in, it’s important to periodically take a moment to pause… cool down… and think ahead. Right now it’s time to do this for poinsettias. I’ve already started to get proactive questions on poinsettias—not just about propagation, but about finished production. And while there are great resources available that cover poinsettias from start to finish, today we’re going to focus on a few key considerations that can make a big difference early in the process. Subscribe to the weekly Tech On Demand e-newsletter: https://www.growertalks.com/Newsletters/Signup/?newsletter=techondemand This episode is sponsored by Mycorrhizal Applications—master distributor of biological and botanical plant support solutions and the world’s leading supplier of mycorrhizal soil inoculants. Learn more and connect with the expert team at mycorrhizae.com.
Transcribe →The Summer of Soiree Kawaii ft. Suntory’s Lorentina Fielding
Jun 1500:32:24Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we celebrate 10 years of Suntory's popular Catharanthus series, Soiree Kawaii with the company’s North American sales and product manager Lorentina Fielding. Lorentina is the perfect person to discuss this crop because she can cover crop production based on her work with growers across the continent (and her own production experience), as well as explaining how the product fits into retail programs and home and professional gardens and landscapes. And Soiree Kawaii has a place in all of these areas as you’ll hear throughout the episode. Lorentina also shares behind-the-scenes perspectives on product development, marketing strategies and the innovative promotional campaigns developed for Soiree Kawaii as it celebrates 10 years—including social media influencer campaigns, an ongoing cause-marketing partnership with Girls Inc. and a teaser of what you can expect from Suntory at this year’s Cultivate event in July. Resources: 2027 Suntory Catalog: https://suntoryflowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2027-Suntory-Catalog-web.pdf Soiree Kawaii Series: https://suntoryflowers.com/series/soiree-kawaii-catharanthus/ Happy 10th Birthday Soiree Kawaii: https://mailchi.mp/suntoryflowers/variety-view-soiree-kawaii-turns-10?e=b4b9e987f6 Suntory Flowers E-Blast (you REALLY should sign up to receive this …): https://suntoryflowers.com/marketing/newsletters/ Girls, Inc.: https://www.girlsinc.org/
Transcribe →4 Questions for Jose, a Sales & Business Manager
Jun 800:24:59Tap to summarizeThroughout 2026, host Bill Calkins has been catching up with different people in the professional horticulture space and find out a little bit about their careers, passions, journeys in the world of plants and much more. He sent each potential guest a list of 12 questions and they picked four to answer and discuss. This episode, Bill is joined by his friend Jose Sanchez, a Sales and Business Manager with Ball Seed Company in the Pacific region. It’s a fun episode that starts with major league baseball (Jose is a die-hard Dodgers fan) and then gets into a really cool career in horticulture that captures some industry history and evolution and really shows how someone’s trajectory can change as it’s influenced by mentors, curiosity and good old fashioned hard work and dedication. Jose shares a lot of wisdom in this one and you’ll want to listen all the way to the end, because it wraps up with ways to avoid burnout. Here are the four questions Jose chose to answer: Q: What was your first exposure to “horticulture” and how did you feel, react, respond? Q: If you had a free hour, what would we find you doing? Q: What advice would you give to a young person considering pursuit of a career in horticulture? Q: What advice would you give to an industry veteran currently dealing with “burnout”? This episode is sponsored by Prospiant—leaders in greenhouse design, manufacture and build. Learn more and connect with the expert team at prospiant.com.
Transcribe →