May 21
Mike Sossong of Portage, Pennsylvania has been an enthusiastic hobby farmer and grower since the mid 1990s. Since then, his projects have become predominantly focused around vegetable growing. Wanting to provide fresh produce for his family, Mike decided to give raised-bed gardening a shot. In 2012, he purchased six raised beds from Growers Supply® and has expanded his garden by another two beds this year.
May 16
Drip Irrigation is a very efficient method of watering crops, providing more uniform, timely and precise application of water than all other irrigation methods. Drip tape systems should be set up either on the surface of the soil, or directly underneath in order to deliver water right to plants’ roots reducing waste. Drip irrigation offers many benefits and the result of these advantages is more rapid growth and earlier harvest, higher quality crops at higher yields, as well as cost savings associated with greatly reduced water usage. When first designing a drip system, it can be a bit confusing. Here are a few questions commonly asked by FarmTek customers who are just getting started.
Today’s blog post comes from our guest blogger, Nichole Kemp. Nichole is the marketing and event specialist for Growers Supply’s parent company ESAPCO where she manages and organizes all our trade shows, open houses and workshops. She is also the brand manager for our building division, ClearSpan Fabric Structures, and the self titled “ClearSpan Brand Evangelist”. Last month Nichole had the opportunity to visit our Dyersville, IA manufacturing facility where she observed one of our fodder workshops. This is the tale of her travels and, as she likes to put it, her journey into the land of plenty! Read more
The art of growing is constantly developing and changing due to new technology and research in the field. For instance, hydroponics and high tunnel growing have recently taken off in response to some experimentation from people willing to get their hands a little dirty. High tunnel growing, in fact, is the focus of a variety research programs throughout the country from the NRCS high tunnel program to university research projects. Texas AgriLife Research & Extension is just one of the many institutions that is currently looking into the benefits of growing in a hoop house through hands-on research.
At Growers Supply, we want to make sure the whole family is happy! That’s why we’ve put together a list of great Mother’s Day gift ideas so you can kill two birds with one stone – buy everything you need for your growing operation and get Mom’s gift at the same time! hoses to greenhouses, this list covers every need and every price range. If you don’t see something you like, or aren’t sure what to get this year, why not get your favorite lady a gift certificate so she can pick out exactly what she needs?
To be the best grower you can be, you need to have a good understanding of the essential nutrients for plant growth. Nutrient management means getting the most “bang for your buck,” while not wasting money and time by over-fertilizing or using the wrong fertilizer at the wrong time. Most of you know about N-P-K (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), but do you know that there are 15 other nutrients that are considered essential to plant growth?
At Growers Supply, we don’t want to simply sell you products. We think it is important to teach customers about the most up-and-coming trends in the agricultural and horticultural communities. Our first CEA School, which encompassed presentations and hands-on training for hydroponics, fodder production and aquaponics, was such a success that we have added additional dates this June! Please join us from June 18 to 20, 2013 to learn everything you need to know about the most up-and-coming trends in horticulture.
Last month, we hosted our very first three-day CEA School. This event combined hydroponics, fodder production and aquaponics into a hands-on learning experience for growers of all experience levels. The CEA School was held at our Technology Center in Dyersville, IA, and hosted by our greenhouse team, Sam Shroyer and Brittany Orris. Participants traveled from 13 states, making it a great networking event and learning experience.
April Fool’s Day may be over but with Spring finally upon us, we thought it would be fun to highlight some common garden and planting myths. With the planting season here, some of these may be obvious to you but it can never hurt to brush up on your planting knowledge and see how much you know! Some silly, some helpful…no matter what, read on and you’re sure to learn something new!
As the locally grown movement gains more and more momentum, high tunnels are becoming increasingly popular for season extension. The USDA is ready and willing to help farmers get their dream high tunnel for another year in a row! If you haven’t heard of the “Know your Farmer, Know your Food” initiative yet, here is a little description for you. Basically, if you grow $1,000 worth of produce a year and would like a high tunnel, the NRCS may be willing to fund it for you in exchange for three years of research on how it works. If you want a high tunnel for your operation, read on to find out how this program can benefit you.
