With the increased use of hydroponic and ebb and flood systems, there becomes a need for better treatment of recycled water. Older methods such as ultraviolet disinfection, heat treatment, chlorination, copper-silver ionization and slow sand filtration are being replaced by electrochemically activated water (ECA). This concentrated solution has many disinfecting properties including ozone, chlorine, hypochlorous acid and other biocidal agents. This process was invented in Russia about 30 years ago.
ECA is based on the principal of membrane electrolysis — an environmentally friendly process that reduces the use of chemical products by requiring only potassium chloride (commonly used for fertilizer and ice removal) or sodium chloride (table salt) and water. The chemical reactor consists of a metal cylinder with interior electrically charged electrodes separated by a specially designed ion permeable membrane. When a voltage is placed across the electrodes and the salt water passed through, an anolyte solution on the positive anode and a catholyte solution on the negative cathode are created. These liquids can be used separately or combined and injected into the irrigation water.
The anolyte solution is acidic and has an antimicrobial effect. Chlorine gas and oxygen are formed. The chlorine gas dissolves in the liquid to form hypochlorous acid. It is lethal to all pathogens. It is biodegradable and nontoxic to humans.
Neutral anolyte is also formed and consists of hypochlorous acid and hypochlorate. This acts like a biocide. Hypochlorous acid (active chlorine and hydrogen chloride) is unstable and has not been available until the development of ECA system. It is 100 times faster in killing microorganisms than the hypochlorite ion. The pH is usually 5 to 8.5. It has a low chlorine level and is approved for treating potable water. This material is effective against pathogens including bacteria, viruses, spores, mold and fungi.
The catholyte solution is mainly alkaline and acts like a detergent. It has a solution that is either sodium or potassium and hydroxide based. The pH is from 11 to 13. It has a cleaning effect and removes biofilm on pipes, tanks or troughs.
Electrochemically activated water has several advantages over other systems:
Simple installation of the equipment – The unit is connected to a water supply, electricity and an injector.
Effective control - Fights against bacteria, root and fungal diseases, viruses, and biofilm on pipes and equipment. ECA can be used at different concentrations for nutrient solutions, container cleaning, produce and seed disinfection and supply lines.
Easy to operate – Only need to refill brine tank.
Low injection rate – Less than 5 percent.
Low operating cost – Only a few kilowatts of electricity are needed.
Warranty – Usually one year. Cells need to be replaced after two to five years.
Unit size – Modular units are available in several sizes to fit different greenhouse and crop needs.
Harmless to the environment – ECA is harmless to human tissue and is commonly used to disinfect drinking water. ECA returns to plain water after 48 hours.
Raw materials are harmless and readily available – Base materials are sodium chloride (table salt) or potassium chloride. Brine solution is usually 0.5 to 1 percent.
No transport, storage or dosing of hazardous chemicals as ECA is produced on site.
Research has shown that electrochemically activated water is an environmentally safe water treatment that will produce plants with healthier roots, reduce disease and extend the life of cut flowers and produce. It also will clean the buildup of biofilm in the piping system.
John W. Bartok Jr. is an agricultural engineer, an emeritus extension professor at the University of Connecticut and a regular contributor to Greenhouse Management. He is an author, consultant and a certified technical service provider doing greenhouse energy audits for USDA grant programs in New England. jbartok@rcn.com
Adding these drought-tolerant, easy-to-maintain varieties to your operation is sure to attract consumers of all demographics.
Consumer demand for succulents is showing no signs of going away. Gardeners young and elderly are using them increasingly in diverse and creative ways both indoors and out. Options for integrating succulents into everyday life are seemingly endless, from wedding bouquets, to table gifts, floral arrangements, topiary garden art, living wreaths, terrariums, and miniature fairy gardens — as well as in the landscape, hanging baskets and even combination planters that can be placed on a deck or patio.
“The market is strong, and I see it continuing,” says Byron Martin, owner of Logee’s Greenhouses, a purveyor of succulents and other specialty plants.
The succulents group consists of about 10,000 different species of plants, including cactus, that can store more than an average amount of water in its roots and leaves. All cactus are succulents, but not all succulents are cactus. In other words, not all succulents have prickly spines, a misconception many in the industry are trying to correct.
From a consumer’s point of view, succulents are a diverse group of cool-looking plants that don’t need a lot of maintenance in the form of water and nutrients, and can tolerate a certain amount of neglect.
Succulents come in a fascinating and fashionable array of shapes, texture, and colors, which is why they’re being gobbled up at garden centers and big box stores.
Succulents are normally propagated commercially in heated and unheated greenhouses, depending on the climate. At Succulent Gardens, a family-owned business that supplies succulents to nearby independent garden centers in Castroville, Calif., Head Grower Aaron Ryan starts them in early spring when the weather warms sufficiently to avoid problems with root rot.
Most of Succulent Gardens’ 700 different species of succulents are grown as a finished product, Ryan says. They may start out in 2-inch containers and are eventually scaled up to much larger containers of various sizes. They’re grown in a porous soilless medium consisting of a mix of perlite or pumice, redwood fir bark, lava rock and peat moss.
“The primary objective with succulents is to have really sharp drainage. You want the plant to dry out between watering,” Ryan says. If the plant doesn’t drain properly, too much energy will go into vegetative growth rather than good root development, he adds.
Logee’s propagates succulents from root cuttings to supply consumers via mail order and from their retail store in Danielson, Conn. They offer approximately 60 different cacti and succulents. Byron says Desert Rose (Adenium hybrids) is their most popular succulent at the moment. They also include several cultivars with compelling names like ‘Sweetheart,’ ‘Yellow Window’ and ‘Golden Carrot.’ They’re grown in a standard peat based potting mix with added perlite and are shipped via UPS, U.S. Mail, and FedEx in pots that range in size from 2.5 inches to 5 inches. To stay profitable, Logee’s and other growers keep the turns up and manage crop growth and timing.
Both growers complained about mealybugs. The bug’s protective coating requires that they use systemic chemicals, including Safari, Enstar and Kontos to control them. Ryan says aphids are a lesser problem and can usually be controlled with horticultural oils and soaps. He advises to switch up chemicals often to avoid the bug from establishing resistance. He says the best approach to insect control is prevention.
“Inspect often, keep the area clean and provide good air circulation,” he says.
Succulents are especially appealing to homeowners in drought prone areas like California, according to Tiffany Polli, sales manager at Succulent Gardens.
“We have a lot of people come in and say, ‘Hey, I just ripped out my lawn and I’d like to do succulents,’” Polli says.
Polli says the appeal of succulents knows no age limits. She says kids are absolutely giddy about them and college kids pick them up in the fall and take them back to their dorm rooms. She says she also has succulent devotees over 100 years old who come in and pick up plants to add to their collections. Polli thinks the thing that attracts consumers to succulents is a sense of success they experience growing them.
“People say, ‘I can’t cook, I can’t do art, I can’t garden,’ then they see they can grow succulents, and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I can,’” Polli says. “It improves their quality of life, and that’s a neat thing to be a part of.”
Succulent Gardens’ customers are flocking to a number of different succulents according to Polli, especially Agave ‘Blue Glow’, Agave ‘Blue Flame’, Euphorbia tirucalli, Agave attenuata, ‘Sticks on Fire;’ Echeveria ‘Perle von Nurnberg,’ Echeveria ‘Lola’ and Aeonium ‘Sunburst.’
Still, some gardeners are hesitant to give succulents a try, Polli adds. She says there are a still a lot of folks who think succulents are “weird” or are intimidated by them. Succulent Gardens actively works to educate consumers and the garden center folks on the positive aspects of growing succulents.
“We have a succulent extravaganza here each fall, a two-day event,” she says. Now in its 6th year, it has featured keynote speakers like succulent expert Debra Lee Baldwin, to enlighten attendees on the diverse and beneficial uses of succulents.
“I think the market for succulents will continue to increase as people discover them, and how easy they are to care for,” Polli says. “Once folks try them, they seem to get hooked.”
Neil is a horticulturist and freelance writer based in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
1. Aloe (Aloe vera): A succulent that never goes out of style, Aloe is favored by consumers because of its interesting shape and texture and its medicinal use. Tolerates a fair amount of neglect.
2. Burrito or Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum): Tolerates some neglect and overwatering. Propagates easily from leaves and stem cuttings.
3. Coppertone Stonecrop (Sedum nussbaumerianum): Strikingly noticeable orange color, tolerates heat and drought well.
4. Coppertone sedum (Grassula gollum): Used as a filler plant in arrangements and containers.
5. Thimble Cactus (Mammillaria Gracilis fragilis): Noted texture for arrangements, propagates from plantlets. Very drought tolerant.
6. Golden Tooth Aloe (Aloe nobilis): Ideal for low light environments. Tolerant of some neglect and overwatering.
7. Mother-in-law’s Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata): Some things never go out of favor, including this plant, which doesn’t require much light and contrasts nicely with shorter succulents and foliage plants.
8. Little Jewel (Pachyveria glauca): Features a unique color and shape for arrangements and produces a lot of offsets for propagation.
9. Graptoveria ‘California Sunset’: This easy-to-propagate succulent stays compact and is also drought tolerant.
10. Jade plant (Crassula ovata): Another succulent with staying power, jade is favored by consumers for its interesting growth habit and minimal maintenance.
Dianthus Flow is a new series of pot carnations that is known for its extremely large flowers and unique color range. With six eye-catching colors, there is something for everyone. And, like most dianthus, this series has a pleasing spicy clove scent.
Bloom size ranges from an astonishing 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches. The Flow series blooms early and will re-bloom if deadheaded and fertilized, giving a long season of enjoyment.
For more information or to place an order, please contact Flamingo Holland at 760.734.1033 or info@flamingoholland.com
Digital marketing-savvy Farmgirl Flowers sources its varieties strictly from flower farms and greenhouses in the United States.
Christina Stembel operates her e-commerce floral company Farmgirl Flowers with less than 1 percent of waste — an idea that may seem nearly impossible after considering all of the product pushed through a greenhouse during the spring season. Yet, she makes her national floral bouquet arrangement and delivery service work effectively by purchasing all of her plant product in season, and only from American growers.
Stembel’s smart — albeit more expensive — buying decisions are made possible through a limited daily arrangement selection to avoid “hundreds of lackluster options” that may end up disappointing customers. And in this day and age of Millennial purchasers who value quality over quantity of choices, what could make more sense?
“Since we do daily arrangements, we don’t let people pick. We can use just about anything. So even though we have ‘one daily arrangement,’ we really have like six daily arrangements going on ... They’re always the same flower varieties, but there will be a lot of different color combinations,” she says.
The bouquets, packed tightly with overflowing florals and foliage in a spilling-over “farmgirl” style, are bundled together by a trademarked burlap wrap for a rustic chic appeal, then shipped anywhere in the United States. (In the San Francisco Bay Area, bouquets are delivered by bike messenger for an extra personal touch.)
Stembel came up with the idea while working at Stanford University, where she put on events for the law school from 2005 to 2010 and frequently purchased from big e-commerce florists. “I couldn’t understand, from a budget perspective, why we were spending so much money, and why the flowers cost so much for events,” she says. “We were spending $100 to $200 on each centerpiece for [a] table. It just seemed a bit exorbitant to me.” After budgets at the law school were cut during the recession, Stembel turned to local growers to purchase flowers, pumpkins and other live goods, and then designed the centerpieces herself.
She got to know the growers during that time purchasing their product for Stanford, and ran her idea for Farmgirl Flowers by a couple of them. “I was like, ‘What would you think if I started a flower company that only used American-grown flowers, and we did one daily arrangement, and didn’t give consumers any choice about the flowers?’” One countered, saying, “That’s crazy. First of all, we’ve lost the battle. Nobody cares whether it’s imported or not, and everybody uses imports … You can get it 16 cents a stem in Mexico or South America, why are people going to pay a dollar here for it?”
Stembel says that even in the San Francisco Flower Mart where her shop is located, local growers would bring in imported flowers, selling them side-by-side with what they do grow. “They all basically had a defeatist mentality of, ‘It’s just too late,’” she says.
But Stembel was ready to take on the challenge when she founded the business in December 2010 by studying the buying habits of her target customers and being transparent about where her flowers come from.
“Everything I’ve found in studying Millennial purchasing and consumer behavior of the Millennials [shows that] they want to feel like it’s a good quality for the money they’re spending. They’re a lot savvier customers. They just are. They have a lot more options readily available at their fingertips,” she says.
Stembel details the cause behind her operation on her website, and includes a variety of tidbits about the American-grown ideals within her social media posts, too, so that anyone purchasing from Farmgirl can easily discover Stembel’s story and the motivation behind her business.
The lack of waste helps greatly, allowing Stembel to spend more per flower from American farmers, while keeping her price point even with floral e-commerce giants at about $80 per bouquet.
And so far, her business model, dedication to American growers and of course, stylish eye for design, have paid off.
“Now, we’re one, if not the biggest customer with most of the growers we buy from. If we’re not the biggest, we’re second or third. They’ve definitely changed their minds a bit, and I can see more hope with them. And they’re growing more flowers.”
Farmgirl Flowers founder and CEO Christina Stembel has garnered about 90,000 Instagram followers, 71,000 Facebook followers, 2,000 Twitter followers and 1,200 Pinterest followers at press time. Here she shares some tips on how to attract users to your online platforms.
Eighty-five percent of Farmgirl’s marketing dollars go to social media, and Facebook by far is the best return on investment, Stembel says. “We have the highest conversion rates with the lowest cost propositions at Facebook, so I’m always encouraging people to utilize the marketing channels on Facebook,” she says. Full disclosure — Stembel’s husband works at Facebook, but she insists that it’s still No. 1. “We tried Instagram — that’s owned by Facebook, too — and Instagram wasn’t great for us as far as cost per conversion,” she adds.
Stembel says social media works for Farmgirl Flowers because it's where her target demographic spends its time. But she says it can also work well for growers. “I think for farms, it’s really great because people do want to see behind the scenes,” she adds. “Consumers want to feel something when they buy, so really staying authentic is really helpful. And digital media and social media allow you to do that.”
Stembel says she receives about 10 resumes per week from people wanting to run Farmgirl Flowers’ social media accounts, but Stembel refuses to pass the buck to an external hire. “No. 1, I wouldn’t give up that control to somebody outside, or even bring somebody in full-time for it, because I like to joke that I do it when I go to the bathroom every day,” she says. “I spend 10 minutes on it. It takes no time at all.” She adds that she doesn’t want to corporatize Farmgirl’s message, saying it would make the company’s social media “lose its luster.” Flower farmers frequently ask for Stembel's advice when social media hopefuls request to run their accounts. “I tell them not to do it. Do not pay $5,000 a month to have this company come help you … because it won’t work.”
“You need to stay true to what your company or your farm is, and how can an outside company ever do that well for you?” Stembel says. “Doing it internally is always the best way, and not to make it look too good either,” she adds. “You don’t have to clean it up and scrub it down … We’ll post pictures of when it’s just a torn-up mess in our shop. I think people like that because they don’t feel like they have the wool pulled over their eyes.”
Nature has this extraordinary way of bringing us back to Earth (no pun intended) and reconnecting us with what’s important. On a recent trip to Death Valley National Park, I found myself pushed to extremes as we hiked through intense heat, sun and rough terrain in search of breathtaking views, unusual desert creatures and plants, and almost Martian-like landscapes. It was a humbling experience that reminded me of a few life lessons that are worth keeping in mind in stressful or challenging times, whether you’re traipsing through the dry channels of an ancient waterfall or doing your best to keep your cool through one of the busiest times of the year at your greenhouse.
Drink plenty of water. This might seem obvious, but too often we forget this simple, yet very beneficial, advice. Drinking enough water helps keep your body running smoothly — which in turn will help to make you feel better and maintain a better attitude through stressful times.
Prepare adequately and pace yourself. Death Valley’s often rough terrain, varying altitudes, sky-high temperatures and blazing sun can make carrying out everyday tasks difficult and slow. But by preparing yourself mentally and physically beforehand, wearing appropriate clothing and footwear, and taking things one step (literally) at a time, the level of difficulty won’t be quite as high. The same goes for your greenhouse operation. What could you do during slower times to facilitate smooth operations during peak season?
Learn to appreciate the little things. In an arid landscape where only the tough survive, seeing a brightly colored desert flower or witnessing a brilliant mountain sunset provides welcome visual relief to the starkness of the rocks, sand and salt. Take a few moments to appreciate when an employee goes above and beyond or simply when production goes as planned.
Know that this too shall pass. In October 2015, Death Valley experienced devastating flooding that left a path of destruction in its wake. The amount of rain that fell over a few hours was a “1,000-year rainfall event” for the area around the still-closed Scotty’s Castle, according to the park, and temporarily turned the salt flats of Badwater Basin back into a lake. However, the three storms that collectively deposited more than 3 inches of rain in October (compared to an average yearly rainfall of about 2.5 inches), allowed for an incredible “super bloom” this spring. During this super bloom, the desert’s wildflower seeds, some of which had been dormant since before the most recent super blooms (they occur about every 10 years) burst into flower and provided a spectacular show to all who visited. So when stress levels are high and disaster seems to lurk at every turn, have faith in your strength to push through it and find your own super bloom in the end.
216-393-0290 | Twitter: @Karen_GIE