Greenhouse Grower to Grower
Episodes
Ep.84 - Lessons From the Top 100: New Business Ventures With Van Wingerden Greenhouses
01 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For the team here at Greenhouse Grower, May means the Top 100 Growers. Throughout this month, we’ll be featuring conversations with members of our...
Ep.83 - Allan Armitage and Marisa Reyes Dish on Their Favorites From the 2026 California Spring Trials
24 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Last month the Greenhouse Grower team made our annual trip to the West Coast for the 2026 California Spring Trials. In this episode of the Greenh...
Ep.82 - Perspectives on Becoming a New Green Industry Business Owner, Featuring Amy Ryan
17 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this year, Amy Ryan assumed ownership of Stonehouse Nursery, a Southwest Michigan-based wholesale grower of native and classic perennial line...
Ep.81 - Innovations in Plant Pathogen Testing, Featuring Lizzy Blossom and Ceragen
10 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The March 2026 issue of Greenhouse Grower featured a closer look at how PCR and DNA sequencing are improving pathogen testing and identification in gr...
Ep.80 - Leaders in Floriculture Series Featuring AmericanHort
03 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The floriculture industry never stops innovating, and that includes growers as well as industry suppliers. This episode is the fourth and final part o...
Ep.79 - azmin Albarran on What Seed Your Future Has in Store for 2026; Plus, a Live Check-in From California Spring Trials
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jazmin Albarran is the main voice behind Seed Your Future, which works to build connections between the horticulture industry and students of all ages...
Ep.78 - Leaders in Floriculture Series, Part 3
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The floriculture industry never stops innovating, and that includes growers as well as industry suppliers. This episode is the third part of our Lea...
Ep.77 - Eric Smith and Clayton Jones Discuss the Recent Acquisition of Smith Gardens
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In late January of this year, our team at Greenhouse Grower broke the news that Smith Gardens, a Pacific Northwest-based fourth generation Top 100 gro...
Ep.76 - Amanda Solliday on the Path to Sustainability in Horticulture
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda Solliday has become a go-to resource for sustainability in the green industry. She recently became Senior Program Manager for American Floral E...
Ep.75 - Top 100 Survey, CAST Excitement, and Where the CEA Market Is Headed
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Greenhouse Grower’s Brian Sparks, Marisa Reyes, and Kristin Zeit talk about Greenhouse Grower’s Top 100 survey, how the CEA ma...
Ep.74 - Leaders in Floriculture Series, Part 2
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The floriculture industry never stops innovating, and that includes growers as well as industry suppliers. This episode is the first part of our Leade...
Ep.73 - Dr. Allan Armitage on His Latest Book, Plants That Catch His Eye, and More
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’re excited to bring in Dr. Allan Armitage, a long-time contributor to Greenhouse Grower and an accomplished author, speaker, and consultant for ...
Ep.72 - Leaders in Floriculture Series, Part 1
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The floriculture industry never stops innovating, and that includes growers as well as industry suppliers. This episode is the first part of our Leade...
Ep. 71 - A Deep Dive Into the CEA Market, What to Expect at CAST 2026, and More
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Greenhouse Grower’s Brian Sparks and Kristin Zeit talk about the upcoming release of a Global CEAg World CEA census, and Br...
Ep. 70 - Why Blooma Farms Acquired Welby Gardens’ Former Greenhouses
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In October of 2025, Blooma Farms, a wholesale plant grower in Colorado, purchased five acres of greenhouses previously owned by Welby Gardens, a fami...
Ep. 69 - MANTS, Marisa, Marketing, and Music
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
n this episode, Greenhouse Grower’s Brian Sparks and Marisa Reyes talk about highlights from MANTS 2026, purpose-driven plants, and what you can ex...
Ep. 68 - Checking in With Dr. Charlie Hall on Where the Green Industry Is Headed in 2026
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’re excited to kick off our 2026 podcast season with a conversation with Dr. Charlie Hall, AmericanHort’s Chief Economist, Professor and Elli...
Ep. 67 - Why Metrolina Greenhouses and South Central Growers Are Coming Together, Featuring Abe VanWingerden and Alex Van Der Hengst
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Metrolina Greenhouses and South Central Growers announced a strategic merger. The two companies have a long history of collaboration and ...
Ep. 66 - Checking in With the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association represents companies that are actively involved in the extraction and processing of peat. CSPMA members ...
Ep. 65 - Insights From Greenhouse Grower’s Two Award-Winning Growers From 2025
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
During Cultivate’25, Greenhouse Grower presented its Head Grower of the Year award to Brad Meyer of Bachman’s, and its Operation of the Year award...
Ep.64 - Alicain Carlson on This Year’s International Plant Trialing Conference
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The International Plant Trialing Conference took place for the first time in several years this past month in Minneapolis. The event brought together...
Ep.63 - Two Growers Share Their Takeaways From Impact Washington
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last month, AmericanHort held its Impact Washington Fly-In Summit, where over three days, more than 140 participants from 25 states met with lawmakers...
Ep.62 - Proven Winners’ Leadership Discusses What the New Merger Means for Growers and Retailers
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last week Proven Winners announced that its two growing businesses, Four Star Greenhouse and Pleasant View Gardens, would be combining to form one Pro...
Ep.61 - The IR-4 Project’s Jerry Baron on the Evolution of Crop Protection in the Specialty Crops Market
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Later this year, Jerry Baron will wrap up his tenure as executive director of the IR-4 Project, a USDA-funded program that facilities the EPA registra...
Ep.60 - Turning Garden Trends Into Action: A Conversation With Katie Dubow of Garden Media Group
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In early September the Garden Media Group released its 2026 Garden Trends Report. The downloadable report is not just a closer look at what is up and ...
Ep.59 - Insights and Actionable Takeaways From the Second Annual State of Succession and Exit Planning in the Horticulture Industry Survey
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
During Cultivate’25, Chris Cimaglio and Ken Lane of PivotPoint Business Solutions shared results from the second annual State of Succession and Exit...
Ep.58 - Meadow Lab Founder Claire Chambers on Native Plants and Sustainability
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Claire Chambers is the founder of Meadow Lab, which develops plant products that accelerate the creation of biodiverse and high-performance landscapes...
Ep.57 - A Conversation With Joche Smith Jr., the New President of Costa Farms
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In early July, Joche Smith Jr. was named president of Costa Farms. Smith succeeds his father, Joche Smith Sr., and will oversee day-to-day operations ...
Ep.56 - A Preview of AmericanHort’s Impact Washington With Matt Mika
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
AmericanHort’s Impact Washington Fly-in Summit of the nation’s capitol, which takes place in mid-September, gives growers and other members of the...
Ep.55 - Two Brands, One Show: Greenhouse Grower and CEAg World Live From Cultivate’25
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greenhouse Grower Editor Brian Sparks and CEAg World Content Lead Kristin Zeit were both at Cultivate’25 in Columbus, OH, this past week. In this ep...
Ep.54 - A Preview of (and Why You Should Attend) the 2025 Plant Trialing Conference
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After a 10-year absence, the International Plant Trialing Conference is coming back. The event will be held in Minneapolis in mid-October and is organ...
Ep.53 - Bringing a Safety-First Mindset to Your Greenhouse
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Safety in the greenhouse, whether it’s safe handling of crop protection materials or preventing slips and falls, is an important but sometimes overl...
Ep.52 - A California Spring Trials Recap From a First-Time Attendee
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greenhouse Grower Editor Brian Sparks attended California Spring Trials for the first time this year. In this episode, he shares insights on some of h...
Ep.51 - American Floral Endowment’s Laura Barth on Research Funding, and How You Can Support AFE
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Laura Barth is the research coordinator at American Floral Endowment (AFE), which has been monitoring the impacts of federal funding cuts on horticult...
Ep.50 - Top Insights and Leading Voices From Our First 50 Episodes
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is the 50th episode of the Greenhouse Grower to Grower podcast, and in recognition of that milestone, we want to share some of our favorite insig...
Ep.49 - A Preview of the 2025 Southern Garden Tour
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This year’s Southern Garden Tour takes place June 3-5, and features plant trials at Young’s Plant Farm in Alabama, the University of Georgia in At...
Ep.48 - Why N.G. Heimos’ Recent Acquisition Offers Promise for the Future
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this month, we learned that the Hoffmann Family of Companies, a family-owned private equity firm, was acquiring N.G. Heimos Greenhouses, a fam...
Ep.47 - Awards, Top 100, and Events: An Update From Greenhouse Grower
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Greenhouse Grower, you can learn more about California Spring Trials, Greenhouse Grower’s Top 100 program, and how to nominate a ...
Ep.46 - Ken Littrell on Leadership, Communication, and Motivating Your Greenhouse Team
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ken Littrell grew up on a family farm, and since then he’s worked in and out of floriculture, including spending time with some of the industry’s ...
Ep.45 - An Update on Seed Your Future With Jazmin Albarran
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jazmin Albarran is the Executive Director of Seed Your Future, an organization focused on educating young people about plants, as well as developing t...
Ep.44 - Michael Maggiotto on How to Protect Your People and Your Company Amid Immigration Enforcement
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The current chaos around the nation’s immigration policy is creating high levels of uncertainty for employees and employers alike. The green industr...
Ep.43 - The Face Behind Buglady Consulting: or Why Suzanne Wainwright-Evans’ Obsession With Insects Is Contagious
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There’s probably no one more knowledgeable on the ins and outs of biological products and how they work in the greenhouse than Suzanne Wainwright-Ev...
Ep.42 - How Jason Wenninger Leads His Team by Example at Ebert’s Greenhouse
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Wenninger of Ebert’s Greenhouse in Ixonia, WI, was a finalist for Greenhouse Grower’s Head Grower of the Year award in 2024. When I reached ...
Ep.41 - Up Close and Personal With Dr. Allan Armitage
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Allan Armitage is a familiar name to many in the greenhouse industry. He’s been a professor, trial manager, consultant, and so much more. He’s...
Ep.40 - Hoffman Nursery Heads Into 2025 With Big Plans and New Leadership
03 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hoffman Nursery is headed into 2025 with a few changes in leadership. Second-generation family member David Hoffman takes the reins as CEO of Hoffman ...
Ep. 39 - What You Need to Know About the New Glow-in-the-Dark Firefly Petunia
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Firefly bioluminescent petunia has captured attention both inside and outside the floriculture industry for its ability to bring natural illuminat...
Ep. 38 - Steve Costa of Headstart Nursery on the Importance of Giving Back
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Costa, the president of Headstart Nursery in Gilroy, CA, is a proud graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. So proud, in fact, that he recently pr...
Ep. 37 - A Frank Conversation on the Challenges Facing the Future of Horticulture Research
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Growers in the floriculture industry face many challenges when it comes to retaining key talent and building the next generation of industry leaders. ...
Ep. 36 - Up Close With John Mark Courtney of Kind Earth Growers
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The cover story of Greenhouse Grower’s November issue provides a closer look at Kind Earth Growers, a wholesale plant nursery in Ottsville, Pennsylv...
Ep. 35 - The Garden Trends You Need to Know About With Katie Dubow
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Garden Media Group released its official 2025 trends report in early September. In this episode, I sat down with Katie Dubow, president of Garden ...
Ep. 34 - Get to Know Lauren Kirchner of Spring Creek Growers
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lauren Kirchner left Waller, Texas when she was 18 to pursue a career in marketing and finance. She never thought she’d return to join her parents i...
Ep. 33 - Get to Know Tom Costamagna, Greenhouse Grower’s 2024 Head Grower of the Year (Part 2)
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last week’s episode of Greenhouse Grower to Grower was part one of my conversation with Tom Costamagna of Young’s Plant Farm, Greenhouse Grower’...
Ep. 32 - Get to Know Tom Costamagna, Greenhouse Grower’s 2024 Head Grower of the Year (Part One)
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this year during Cultivate’24, our team at Greenhouse Grower presented our Head Grower of the Year award to Tom Costamagna of Young’s Plan...
Ep. 31 - Aren Phillips of Walters Gardens on Smart Greenhouse Technology Adoption
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Aren Phillips is a Greenhouse Systems Manager at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, MI. He is a team leader on several projects at Walters Gardens, including...
Ep. 30 - How Josh Smith of Kopke’s Greenhouse Brings a Tech-Sector Mindset to Horticulture
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Josh Smith is Vice President of Kopke’s Greenhouse in Wisconsin. During Cultivate’24, Josh joined Tamara Bartlett of Bartlett Instruments for a di...
Ep. 29 - Trends, Takeaways, and Other Tales From Cultivate’24
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Greenhouse Grower editors Brian Sparks and Julie Hullett were at Cultivate’24 in Columbus, OH, walking the tradeshow floor, attending education sess...
Ep. 28 - Denise Godfrey of Olive Hill Greenhouses on Sustainability in Floriculture
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
During Cultivate’24 last month, Denise Godfrey of Olive Hill Greenhouses in Fallbrook, CA, participated in a panel discussion on sustainability in f...
Ep.27 - The Bright Future of Horticulture Education (Part Three)
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Greenhouse Grower’s July cover story features a closer look at how university horticulture departments from across the country are attracting new bl...
Ep. 26 - The Bright Future of Horticulture Education (Part Two)
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Greenhouse Grower’s July cover story features a closer look at how university horticulture departments from across the country are attracting new bl...
Ep. 25 -A Look Back at the First Half of 2024, and a Preview of Cultivate
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Greenhouse Grower editors Brian Sparks and Julie Hullett revisit the Spring of 2024 and look ahead to Cultivate, including what they’re most looking...
Ep. 24 - The Bright Future of Horticulture Education (Part One)
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Greenhouse Grower’s July cover story will feature a closer look at how university horticulture departments from across the country are attracting ne...
Ep. 23 - Insights on IPM and Biocontrols With Michelle Opela at Costa Farms
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Michelle Opela, Senior IPM Manager at Costa Farms, will be giving two talks at Cultivate on the topic of IPM and biocontrols in the greenhouse. Michel...
Ep. 22 - Costa Farms’ Mari Carrasquillo on the Emerging Role of E-Commerce in Floriculture
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mari Carrasquillo, Vice President of Marketing and E-Commerce at Costa Farms, has more than 25 years of experience in creating brand strategies for co...
Ep. 21 - How Cheryl Wagner Greenhouse in Michigan Stays Connected to Plant Lovers
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Greenhouse Grower Senior Editor Julie Hullett recently caught up with Cheryl Wagner, who runs a small greenhouse business near Ann Arbor, Michigan. In...
Ep. 20 - The Latest Updates on the Future of Skagit Horticulture
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In early February, Skagit Horticulture in Washington announced it would be shutting down within a couple of months. Then in early April, the news brok...
Ep. 19 - Why Having a Succession or Exit Plan for Your Business Is More Critical Than Ever
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
So far in 2024, we’ve seen too many large greenhouse operations shutting down, and while there are many reasons for this, one of the biggest is the ...
Ep. 18 - New Varieties, Consumer Trends, and More With Must Have Perennials
29 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Greenhouse Grower’s April issue features a heavy focus on perennials, from new varieties to production tips. We also addressed marketing trends, wha...
Ep. 17 - Doug Cole of D.S. Cole Growers on Varieties, H-2A, Certification, and More
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Doug Cole is the owner of D.S. Cole Growers, a young plant and finished plant grower based in Loudon, NH. The team at D.S. Cole is constantly on the h...
Ep. 16 - How Urban Buds Turned an Abandoned Greenhouse Into a Local Favorite
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Urban Buds City Grown Flowers is a St. Louis-based company that emerged from the shell of an abandoned greenhouse to become a favorite supplier of cut...
Ep. 15 - The Plantpeddler Team on Variety Trials, Advocacy, Innovation, and More
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Plantpeddler in Cresco, IA, is one of the floriculture industry’s most innovative growing operations. In this episode of Greenhouse Grower to Grower...
Ep. 14 - How Metrolina Greenhouses Takes a Smart Approach to Technology
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Metrolina Greenhouses is widely considered to be an industry leader not just in adopting new greenhouse technology, but in doing so for the right reas...
Ep. 13 - Joche Smith on Costa Farms’ Purchase of Battlefield Farms and More
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Florida-based Costa Farms, the top grower on Greenhouse Grower’s Top 100 Growers list, kicked off the year in a big way with the acquisition of Batt...
Ep. 12 - Hoffman Nursery Looks Back at 2023 and Ahead to 2024
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hoffman Nursery in Rougemont, NC, has been growing ornamental and native grasses for more than 35 years. This week we had the chance to catch up with ...
Ep. 11 - The Greenhouse Grower Team Looks Back at 2023 and Ahead to 2024
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we wind down 2023 and plan for the coming year, Greenhouse Grower editors Brian Sparks and Julie Hullett reflect on their favorite moments from flo...
Ep. 10 - Jan Gulley of Gulley Greenhouse
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jan Gulley is one of the owners of Gulley Greenhouse in Fort Collins, Colorado. Gulley Greenhouse is an innovative operation that pays close attention...
Ep. 9 - Brian Weesies of Mast Young Plants on Summer Field Trials
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Weesies manages summer field trials at Mast Young Plants. In this discussion, we talk about the importance of plant trials to other growers, bro...
Ep. 8 - Drs. Bridget Behe and Terril Nell on Their Years of Service to Floriculture
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Just about everyone in the floriculture industry has met or worked with either Dr. Bridget Behe of Michigan State University or Dr. Terril Nell of Ame...
Ep. 7 - Abby Lange of Village Farms Fresh
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Abby Lange is a facility manager at Texas-based greenhouse tomato operation Village Farms Fresh. She started with Village Farms Fresh as an intern mor...
Ep. 6 - Insights on the HRI Leadership Academy With Matt Foertmeyer and Denise Mullins
06 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Foertmeyer of Foertmeyer and Sons in Ohio, and Denise Mullins of Smith Gardens in Washington were two of the 14 members of the inaugural HRI Lead...
Ep. 5 - Drew Koschmann, Walters Gardens
22 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
During Greenhouse Grower’s Evening of Excellence event at Cultivate’23, we had the honor of presenting our Head Grower of the Year award to Drew K...
Ep. 4 - Jonathan Cude, Sedan Floral
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Cude is a third-generation owner of Kansas-based Sedan Floral, one of Greenhouse Grower’s Top 100 growers. If there’s one thing you learn...
Ep. 3 - Kristine Lonergan, Garden State Growers
25 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kristine Lonergan is Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Garden State Growers, which grows annuals, perennial, and houseplants across three loca...
Ep. 2 - Abe Van Wingerden, Metrolina Greenhouses
11 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the first episode of Greenhouse Grower to Grower, we talked with Art Van Wingerden, one of the owners of Metrolina Greenhouses. This week, we’re ...
Ep. 1 - Art Van Wingerden, Metrolina Greenhouses
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Art Van Wingerden is one of the owners of Metrolina Greenhouses, one of the nation’s largest greenhouse operations. Metrolina is a multi-generationa...