Blackberries ripen in Florida in May and June, so it’s an ideal time to be thinking about how to grow more of them. Those who produce blackberries in Florida want to increase their yield, and UF/IFAS faculty want to help farmers boost their output. Unfortunately, a UF/IFAS team also knows that those who grow blackberries […]
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Developing the right information infrastructure could result in autonomous greenhouses that generate higher profits and yields and lower operational costs. Watching news reports on the COVID-19 pandemic one quickly realizes the importance accurate data plays in our everyday lives. Most industries are data-driven, whether this data relates to business management or specific production-related operations. For […]
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A new web app is available to calculate the light intensity and photoperiod required to achieve a certain daily light integral for plant growth for an electric light source, such as LEDs (light-emitting diodes). In the app, you enter any two of the three items to calculate the third unknown value. For example, enter light […]
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Top 3 Reasons to Consider RED/BLUE LED Grow Lights By Chris Higgins LED grow lights have been a very hot topic for more than a decade now and as with any (relatively) new technology, the first decade of LED grow lights has seen massive changes and improvements. From the amount of companies selling LED grow […]
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FresH2O Growers is using a hydroponic production system to supply East Coast consumers with organic leafy greens. Anyone involved with the commercial horticulture industry is likely familiar with the van Wingerden family and the impact it has had on the production and marketing of ornamental plants. However, one member of the van Wingerden family is […]
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This month’s indoor ag science café covered more basics understanding of how temperature affects plants and which parameters are important to consider. Plant responses are specific to species and cultivars. Dr. Chieri Kubota, from the Ohio State University, also pointed out that scientists do not have these specific (or precise) information of optimum temperatures. As […]
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By Morris Bryan, Inventor of the Tower Garden In 1974, I graduated from The Georgia Institute of Technology like the majority of the men in my family – my grandfather, father, two uncles, and three brothers – with a diploma I thought would change my life, but it wasn’t until that summer when I visited […]
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Now that it is legal to grow hemp in the U.S., greenhouse vegetable and ornamental plant growers are considering whether it makes sense to switch crops. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly referred to as the 2018 Farm Bill, has legalized the production of hemp. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is the lead USDA […]
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Whether or not hydroponic growers are using organic practices to produce edible crops, consumers are more likely to be interested in whether the produce is locally grown. There has been much discussion over whether controlled environment hydroponic food production should be allowed to be certified organic. Regardless of where you stand on the topic, Michigan […]
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Although vertical farms producing leafy greens are receiving most of the press coverage, there are a variety of other crops being being grown and innovative growers are finding these crops to be profitable. When you think about a vertical farm what picture comes to mind? Ricardo Hernandez, horticulture professor at North Carolina State University, said […]
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A research team at Purdue University invites you to participate in a survey of specialty crops growers to better understand your production and marketing challenges. This survey will help us identify future production and marketing research to help support growers like you. The survey takes approx. 10-15 minutes. Take the survey: http://bit.ly/purduesurvey Your responses are […]
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Regardless of whether specialty crops are grown in hoop houses, greenhouses or indoor vertical farms, growers are incorporating technology to improve production and profitability. When it comes to technology, most controlled environment growers are looking for ways to produce their crops as efficiently and as economically as possible. Purdue University horticulture and agricultural economics professor […]
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mGardens is growing hydroponic leafy greens in rural Kansas and marketing them to local grocery stores, restaurants and a farmers market. While much of the country’s indoor hydroponic food production is being done by growers located near large urban areas, mGardens in Gorham, Kan., is bucking the trend. Tom Murphy, who is the company’s operator, […]
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“Voluntary U.S. grade standards are issued under the authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, which provides for the development of official U.S. grades to designate different levels of quality. These grade standards are available for use by producers, suppliers, buyers, and consumers. As in the case of other standards for grades of fresh […]
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