When Rep. Julia Brownley of California visited Sun Valley Group, she got a firsthand look at a very busy time in the life of a flower grower.

The nation’s largest growers are investing heavily in technology, new structures, human resources, and efficiency measures to stay competitive and profitable, despite significant labor shortages.

Strong growth among the nation’s largest growers shows no signs of slowing down, as nearly a third of the Top 100 growers have significantly expanded production, and many have ongoing projects underway.

Henry Gonzalez says the core gardener is aging, which makes it important to reach, engage, and encourage new customers to experience the benefits of gardening and houseplants.

In light of the March 14 announcement that Bell Nursery Holdings LLC had been acquired by Central Garden & Pet, Greenhouse Grower caught up with Bell Nursery CEO Gary Mangum to get the backstory on the deal. Here is our full interview with Mangum.

Greenhouse Grower just learned that Bell Nursery, headquartered in Elkridge, MD, has been acquired by Central Garden & Pet Company, a leading innovator, producer, and distributor of branded and private label products for the lawn and garden and pet supplies markets.

Almost a year after buying indoor houseplant grower Delray Plants, Costa Farms has acquired Florida-based Green Leaf Nursery, Inc., which produces indoor foliage and tropical plants on around 50 acres.

Operations with more than 400,000 square feet of environmentally controlled production are eligible to take the survey, which provides valuable market knowledge on how the nation’s largest growers are innovating, sourcing labor, keeping up with demand, and setting trends.

With the increasing requirements of retailers on use of chemicals, and the growing attention to production circumstances, MPS-GAP is a perfect fit for Battlefield Farms, the company says.

Botany Lane, a producer of finished tropical plants, succulents, and specialty annuals in the Western U.S., recently announced it is expanding to provide young plants for growers and grower-retailers.

In her new position, Damarys Mora Crawford will lead Costa Farms’ marketing team and create and execute strategic marketing initiatives to support continued sales growth for the company’s retail customers.

Speedling has eight nurseries throughout the country and two in Florida, where moisture levels are carefully analyzed to improve performance and consistency of transplant operations.

The Miami, FL-based, Top 100 Grower operation announced an agreement for Markel to acquire a majority interest in Costa Farms and its related companies. But the operation will continue to be run by current leadership, with the partnership Markel offers to allow it to continue to grow.