“ There are several silver liner to the pandemic when it do to our industry . Not only are new age chemical group interested in our products , the surge in product consumption has also led to more the great unwashed being interested in follow a life history in the industry , ” says Bart Hayes , Sales Manager at Westhoff . Hayes divvy up their late experiences concerning labor movement , the low temperatures , and bringing back orange petunias to the US.Bart Hayes at the California Summer Trials ( CAST ) 20212021 : more preparedAccording to Hayes , one of the reasons 2021 has been a better year for Westhoff than 2020 , is the fact that everyone is more prepared now . “ The grocery demand has been really secure and we are eager to encounter this demand , and as luck would have it , we are more inclined now to do so . When the pandemic attain in 2020 , lots of producers were very nervous , leading to cancellations and products being throw out . Then , when it turned out that the demand was high , everyone was scramble to prove to get more products available . This class , we are run at full force and the growers are fully invested as well . ”Ice storms and power lossesThe weather in North America , on the other mitt , has not been very favorable . Hayes explains that there were some major weather result in mid - February , bringing along major consequences . “ In parts of the country where the temperatures commonly would not be so cold , there were heavy snowfall at the start of this year . Along the Pacific northwest there were ice storm , and the south of the US saw some exceptionally low temperatures . raiser suddenly had to administer with power expiration and employees not being capable to get to work . This was by all odds one of the major challenge this year . ”“Not the easiest industry to enter”As the majority of the industry is care with parturiency shortfall , it is a challenge for party to action everything they desire . Yet , consort to Hayes , automation is not always the suited response . “ While mechanisation can definitely be helpful , there are still too many jobs that ca n’t be done by robot , so we have to find other solutions . ”
Luckily , there has been a recently revived pastime in horticulture , which is where part of the answer might be find . “ Since the pandemic , there have been about 20 - 30 million Modern gardeners in North America . Not only are new age groups now concerned in our products , the rush in product consumption has also conduct to a upsurge in professional interest . Many people who have key out a new dear of plants have become urge on to engage a professional life history . This is still challenging , however , as this is not the easiest industry to enter for people who do n’t have the experience . Still , we should be welcoming of fresh professional and the wealth of oeuvre experiences from outside the glasshouse industry they land along . Hopefully , this can create raw ideas , raw intake , and new opportunities in gardening . ”Petunia Mayan Sunset
course orangish petuniasOne of Westhoff ’s major late breeding programs has been the orange petunias , after the A1DFR cistron in petunia has been deemed a non - menace to US agriculture . Yet Westhoff is also working on breed around this and getting orangish petunias without this factor . “ One of our stock breeder has been able to get as near to orange as possible , resulting in the Petunia Mayan Sunset . This is a promising pink flower , with a yellow to orange optic , which are color that are very pop at the moment . We were frantic about this launching , but we were n’t expecting how convinced the feedback would be . It also performs majuscule in live climates , as in California , as well as in rainier conditions , in Seattle for example . Hopefully , this is the start of a whole new generation of petunias , with in effect garden functioning . ”For more information : WesthoffBart HayesSales Manager[email protected]www.westflowers.de
© FloralDaily.com/Elvira Oosterbaan
