Announcing Greenhouse Grower’s 2023 Medal of Excellence Award Winners
July 18, 2023 Greenhouse Grower was back in Columbus, OH, this week, holding its annual Evening of Excellence event on Monday, July 17, during Cultivate’23. The awards reception celebrates those greenhouse operations, plant breeders, technology companies, and other organizations that strive for excellence.
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As expected, there was much of that to be found during the event, which was supported by sponsors Berger, Nufarm, and HydraFiber. Keep reading to learn more about this year’s award winners, and check out the slideshow above for a closer look at all the winners, and highlights from this year’s festivities.
Industry’s Choice Award: ×Petchoa ‘Caliburst Yellow’ (PanAmerican Seed)
This is the first petchoa from seed. With the vibrant colors from calibrachoas, the cold-durable production and short daylength requirements of Wave petunias, and the ease of seed, it’s the perfect formula for excellent spring and summer sales.
Operation of the Year: Quality Greenhouses, Dillsburg, PA
Quality Greenhouses grows a wide range of annuals, perennials, shrubs, succulents, veggies, herbs, and foliage plants, making it a “one-stop shop” for garden centers. The growers at Quality Greenhouses have a “tremendous amount of freedom” to experiment and try new crops, and several recent introductions were suggested and implemented from within.
Readers’ Choice Award: Potted Dianthus Capitán Series (Selecta One North America)
This potted dianthus has extra-large vigor that can be sold for a premium price. The attractive series is filled with novelty colors of pink-and-purple bicolor blooms, and shoppers will love its rich fragrance. It’s sure to enhance their indoor spaces or outdoor patios.
Industry Achievement Award: Todd Perkins
Throughout his 37-year career as a breeder at Harris Moran Seed Company, Goldsmith Seeds, and Syngenta Flowers, Todd made strides in new genetics to optimize greenhouse production efficiency while keeping a close watch on market needs.
Technology of the Year: LUNA AI from IUNU
LUNA AI enables growers to automate their data collection process and focus on strategic optimization around profitability and quality. By taking over time-consuming and labor-intensive tasks like inventory counting and scouting, the system allows growers to concentrate on designing and executing their crop strategies more efficiently, while tracking their plants closer than ever before.
Editor’s Choice Award: Echibeckia Summerina Glow Series (Pacific Plug & Liner)
Echibeckia Summerina Glow brings together the best of the rudbeckia and echinacea worlds. With their bursts of rich browns, oranges and yellows, these hearty hybrids boast great flower size, fast growing speed, longevity during the flowering period, smaller, stronger leaves and, most importantly, disease resistance.
Head Grower of the Year: Drew Koschmann, Walters Gardens
Drew Koschmann’s main goal at Walters Gardens is to develop a better growing team around him. He is always looking to help his team become more knowledgeable, whether it’s attending live and virtual events, moving growers around to assist in projects outside of their typical responsibilities, or asking his bilingual growers to train H-2A employees so they can become key parts of the growing team.
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