Greenhouse Grower to Grower

In this episode, Greenhouse Grower Editor Brian Sparks shows some of his initial takeaways and insights from AmericanHort’s Cultivate’26.

During Cultivate’26, Stephen Weichsel, Program Manager for Young Plants at Green Circle Growers in Oberlin, OH, will talk about how to leverage data-driven tools to measure and optimize plant performance, streamline operations, and boost profitability. He’ll also outline real-world, practical strategies for creating and applying actionable KPIs to drive efficiency in the greenhouse. I caught up with Stephen to learn more about why this should be a critical area of focus for the floriculture industry, and what you can expect to learn during his presentation. 

In this episode, Greenhouse Grower’s Brian Sparks and Marisa Reyes talk about highlights from Darwin Perennials Day, and what we’re most looking forward to at Cultivate’26. 

Jessie Jacobson grew up with an interest in horticulture, but when she became President and Owner of Tonkadale Greenhouse in Minnetonka, MN, in 2016, her passion for plants expanded into a passion for building a healthy team and cultivating a positive work environment. At Cultivate’26, Jessie will join a panel of her peers to talk about practical approaches to onboarding, internal communication, leadership alignment, and empowering staff to tell your brand story. In this conversation, I talk about all of this with Jessie, as well as her takeaways from the spring 2026 season, and her involvement in Midwest Women in Horticulture. 

Earlier this month, three long-time floriculture industry operations joined forces to launch WorryFree Plants, a portfolio of plants designed exclusively for independent garden centers. This new entity was formed to provide a bridge between world-class plant breeders and independent garden centers. In this episode, I talk to Mark Sellew, President of Prides Corner Farms, Ed Overdevest, President of Overdevest Nurseries, and Tom Demaline, President of Willoway Nurseries, about the benefits WorryFree Plants brings to growers, garden retailers, and consumers, and how plants for the program are selected. Here’s our conversation. 

Greenhouse Grower’s June 2026 issue, which is hitting mailboxes this week, features a cover story on the legacy and future of America in Bloom, how it’s helped communities across the country become both more beautiful and more sustainable, and how and why greenhouse growers can get involved in America in Bloom. I had a great conversation with Laura Kunkle, Executive Director of America in Bloom, Board President Mason Day, and Lori Kelly of Bob’s Market and Greenhouses in West Virginia, one of the growers who’s been involved with America in Bloom from the beginning. We covered so much in the conversation that I couldn’t include everything in my article, so we decided to turn the interview into a podcast episode so you can hear the entire conversation. 

For the team here at Greenhouse Grower, the month of May means the Top 100 Growers. Throughout this month, we’ll be featuring conversations with members of our 2026 Top 100 Growers list, which you can learn more about in our May issue. This week, I’m joined by Adam Kelley, Chief Information Officer at Metrolina Greenhouses. Adam’s background in both biology and supply chain logistics have played a key role in helping with process improvement and data analytics at Metrolina. I talked with Adam about how Metrolina approaches technology adoption, what the company learned during a recent ERP system upgrade, and his advice on how all growers, regardless of size, can approach technology and innovation. Here’s our conversation. 

Cultivate’26 takes place less than two months from now, and there’s always something new happening at this event. In this episode of the Greenhouse Grower to Grower podcast, I talk to Meagan Nace, Senior Manager of Education Program Development at AmericanHort, and Cindy Lee, AmericanHort’s Exhibit and Sponsorship Sales Manager, about new activities such as the Coach’s Corner and expanded Spanish language content, how to navigate a jam-packed trade show floor, and what happens with all of the plants on display once Cultivate comes to a close. Keep listening for all of this, plus helpful advice on how to make the most of your Cultivate experience.