Page 20 - Free State Summer 2023

MEMBER EVENT

Greenhouse Growers Field Day at

Tidal Creek Growers

Greenhouse Growers Field Day, hosted and surrounding states. technique. Dr. Erwin discussed the
by Tidal Creek Growers’ facility in During the remainder of the morning, different scheduling strategies used,
Earleville, was held on July 13th. The day participants attended three of the four whether you should need frost clothes,
was a huge success, according to those stations offered. The stations offered mist, and the use with baby plants.
in attendance, and at the end of the were: New Direct Sticking Techniques Tidal Creek was actively using this
day, opportunity was given to take an to Eliminate Linear Cost and Reduce technique with their plants and allowed
optional tour of Tidal Creek Growers’ Crop Time; Weed Control in Perennial Dr. Erwin to show plants from the
cannibis facility, SunMed Growers, or Plant Production; Alternatives to Peat greenhouse to demonstrate success in
Murphy John’s, Inc. the current planting of their mum crop.
in Your Substrates; Getting to Know
The day began with a welcome by Wood Fiber Advancing Wireless Mr. Chuck Schuster led a session
Tidal Creek Growers’ owner, Jake Van Environmental Monitoring Systems on Weed Control in Perennial Plant
Wingerden, who shared a little bit for Greenhouse and Nursery Crop Production. Chuck shared with
about their operation. Welcomes from Production; and New Varieties: What the group the best practices and
MNLGA President John Murphy and Growers Should be Growing for 2024. techniques in weed control. He talked
Executive Director, Vanessa Finney New Direct Sticking Techniques to about his own experiences with
followed. George Mayo shared a little Eliminate Linear Costs and Reduce perennials as well as new techniques
about the MNLGA Certified Professional Crop Time, presented by Dr. John Erwin, that are always evolving. Attendees of
Horticulturist Certificate (CPH) Program. this session were able to ask questions,
shared best practices when using this
Attendees had the opportunity to hear
from MDA’s Deputy Secretary, Steve
Connelly and Michael Calkins, new
to the position of Assistant Secretary
for the Office of Plant Industries and
Pest Management. Kimberly Rice,
Program Manager, Plant Pest and Weed
Management Program also spoke,
sharing important updates impacting
growers.
Ms. Rice shared that spotted lantern
flies are still very much an issue in the
Maryland and urged attendees to
make sure that they are following pest
management restrictions, including
permits to transport within quarantined
areas, which includes most of Maryland Dr. John Lea-Cox and Dr. Andrew Ristvey share their experience with Wireless Environmental
Monitoring Systems

20 SUMMER 2023 • Free State News