Top Stories Of 2007

We close out our second year of Benchrunner with the Top 10 Stories of 2007 chosen by you, our readers, based on click-throughs: 

1) Our daily California Pack Trials Coverage.

Over the course of a week in April, more than 2,100 readers clicked through to the daily blog postings.
Pack Trials Daily Blog Postings 

2) Glass Corner Greenhouses Ceasing Operations

The first week of November was a sad one when Rick and Joyce Mast announced they had to cease operating as Glass Corner Greenhouses, one of the most respected young plant growers. The business has been transferred to Neal Mast & Son.
Glass Corner Greenhouses Closes 

3) Pike Files Chapter 11

More sad news followed in November when Atlanta-based Pike Family Nurseries, one of the top independent garden center chains in the nation, announced it was reorganizing under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection due to severe drought conditions drying up sales. In this story, growers top Pike’s list of creditors.
Growers Top Pike’s List Of Creditors 

4) San Diego Growers Flee Wildfires

All eyes were on Southern California in October when unprecedented wild fires ravaged the region. San Diego County is one of the most important pockets of horticulture and floriculture in the United States with a very diverse mix of growers and crops. 
San Diego Growers Flee Wildfires
San Diego Growers Assess Fire Damage 

5) Wal-Mart Shares Sustainability Vision

Wal-Mart’s Senior Horticultural Buyer Ron Coben shared the retail giant’s corporate vision for sustainability and what it means to growers at Grower Talks’ Greenhouse Experience in Cleveland in September.
Wal-Mart On Sustainability 

6) Short Course Coverage

Our online coverage of OFA’s Short Course in July drew interest from those who were part of the action as well as those who couldn’t make it to the event.
Short Course Coverage 

7) Hines’ Stock Is Delisted

Following months of compliance issues, Hines Horticulture of Irvine, Calif., was delisted from NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc., where the mega grower was publicly traded as HORT. Trading was suspended Aug. 8. This news came months after Hines had sold its Eastern growing operations in New York and Florida. We’ve heard top management has implemented strategic initiatives that will put the growing operation on solid footing again.
Hines Stock Gets Delisted 

8) Ball Buys Darwin Plants

Ball Horticultural Co. extends its reach in perennials by purchasing innovative Darwin Plants in The Netherlands.
Ball Buys Darwin Plants 

9) Boven Sells Business To Two Young Growers

We were happy to see two young growers get their start as entrepreneurs when Michigan grower Larry Boven sold his business to them in two pieces.
Young Growers Buy Boven’s

10) Color Spot Consolidates Its Position In The Southwest

Color Spot Nursery took back its position at No. 1 on our Top 100 Growers by purchasing Powell Plant Farm in Troup, Texas, which also made its Southwest division even stronger.
Color Spot’s Plan For Texas