Top 100 Growers:
Growers Taking Charge
The country's Top 100 Growers are driving more sales of plants through production, transportation and in-store care.
Read on for the details of how they're controlling their own destinies.
How have you dealt with higher fuel and energy costs?
“We are renewing our shade screen system for newer energy-saving screens. New steam line and insulation was installed in 2007.”
- Paulo Santos, Operational Manager, GroLink Plant Company, No. 11
“We have installed more mist lines for heating to reduce fuel costs.”
- Ann Thompson, Delray Plants, No. 14
“We contract a portion of our gas needs each year. The open market gas has done better for us this year compared to hedging the futures market.”
- Christopher Bergen, Bergen’s Greenhouses, No. 54
“Added energy curtains in all ranges, insulated all pipes, invested in newest, most energy efficient hot water boiler for greenhouse heating, fine tuned the greenhouse climate computers to exact heating needs of the crop.”
- Sue Nagelmann, Sales Manager, Ever-Bloom Inc., No. 97
“We have been fortunate to keep energy costs flat for the last three years.”
- Todd Johnson, President, Dallas Johnson Greenhouses, No. 24
“Booked half our natural gas at cheaper cost than last year. Trying to plan routed with fuller trucks.”
- Charles Masloski, Vice President, Hiebert Greenhouses, No. 72
“Increase the size of delivery and confine the delivery area.”
- Larry L. Reit, Plant Marketing LLC, No. 62
What is the numer one force affecting your business right now?
“Labor cost. The minimum wage went up to $8 per hour in California.”
- Paulo Santos, Operational Manager, GroLink Plant Company, No. 11
“Automation to remain profitable. The price of finished material continues to go down with increased production.”
- Peter Van de Wetering, Van de Wetering Greenhouses, No. 79
“Because we are in the South, the drought has definitely taken it toll over the last six months. Hopefully we won’t be talking about it in six months.”
- Art Van Wingerden, Metrolina Greenhouses, No. 6
“The increasing affect of high oil prices and their impact on many of our input costs. We have been able to adjust and pass these increases on to our customers. This has allowed us to stay profitable during a time when many have not been willing to adjust, or unable to adjust enough to do so. The concern is at what point, even with high quality plants and great customer service, will the end customer draw a line on price.”
- Joe Moore, Head Grower, Lucas Greenhouses, No. 100
“Tight margins, costs increasing, price increases not keeping pace. Drought in the South, cheaper product coming North.”
- Ric Stevens, Nash Greenhouses, No. 98
Thoughts on sustainability?
“Many of our improvements over the last decade follow along the lines of this new sustainability movement. We have built Max-Air greenhouse structures which use natural air movement for  ventilitation. Our flood floors recapture and recycle all irrigated waters. High efficiency boilers with flue condensors have been installed. The infloor heat we use is more efficient in our cold northern climate.”
- Christopher Bergen, Bergen’s Greenhouses, No. 54
“I strongly feel that if our industry does not move towards this type of growing practice, we are doomed. Although the consumer does not put too much pressure on floral products yet (compared to produce) either they or the government will demand it in the near future.”
- Sue Nagelmann, Sales Manager, Ever-Bloom Inc., No. 97
“I think that we already do a lot for our environment. We are one of the few industries that absorb more carbon emissions then we create. I think the focus needs to be concentrated on many other industries first. Sustainability must not get to the point that it negatively affects profitability.”
- Todd Johnson, President, Dallas Johnson Greenhouses, No. 24
“It’s coming. You better get on board.”
- Art Van Wingerden, Metrolina Greenhouses, No. 6
“A trend that politically motivated.”
- Michael Kent, Vice President, Kent's Bromeliad Nursery, No. 68t
Do you grow organic products? Why or why not?
“No. We are a cuttings producer and we need to use chemicals and fertilizer to have the cleanest material as possible.”
- Paulo Santos, Operational Manager, GroLink Plant Company, No. 11
“Not yet, but maybe some day we will. Currently the effort to obtain the organic label would not be rewarded sufficiently to justify the switch from growing 'very biologically' to organic.”
- Sue Nagelmann, Sales Manager, Ever-Bloom Inc., No. 97
"Currently we do not as our market place keeps high insect and disease free standards on our products!"
- Steve Rinehart, COO, Paul Ecke Ranch, No. 5
"No. The customer does not seem to mind the higher price for something organic that she might eat. But will she see be willing to pay more for an organic flower she is going to look at in her garden?"
- Shawn Koepnick, Vice President, Henry Mast Greenhouses/Masterpiece Flower Co., No. 63
"No, nothing is pure organic made. Even seeds are genetically altered, so it seems to be a falsity being passed onto consumers."
- Charles Masloski, Vice President, Hiebert Greenhouses, No. 72
Thoughts on labor?
"Let’s hope that our government has the insight to put together a good amnesty program and that we keep access to reliable Mexican labor. I am not saying 'cheap' labor, we must offer fair wages and good benefits to our labor force. If we will be forced to rely on our local citizens to work in our greenhouses and packinghouses, we will most likely move our operation to Mexico. No, I am not being facetious."
- Sue Nagelmann, Sales Manager, Ever-Bloom Inc., No. 97
"New generation does not work as hard and want it done easier. They are trained in books and cant apply to reworld."
- Charles Masloski, Vice President, Hiebert Greenhouses, No. 72
"As an industry we need a realistic, workable, reliable guest worker program. Automation is great, and we are looking at all areas where we can take advantage of labor saving automation, but as a propagator there is a tremendous amount of manual labor that cannot be automated."
- Joe Moore, Head Grower, Lucas Greenhouses, No. 100
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