Issue 34
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Table of Contents:
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1. Starting out in the Philippines
Hi Bob,
I'm Ginny Martelino from the Philippines. I'm not sure if you remember me but I was the one who ordered your book and had a difficult time downloading it and you sent me a copy instead--which I must thank you for. I have devoured it and am finishing the book on Hydroponic Crop Production by Howard Resh.
The good news on my end is we are beginning construction of our hydroponic farm of about 6,630 sq. m. (which my husband luckily inherited from his family.) We chose to construct a representative area of 250 sq.m. before going totally commercial to get a good feel of how things work. We fabricated 40 fiberglass beds and we will be growing leafy lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber. After we are successful with this representative area for about 1-2 harvests, we will go fully commercial.
As your book suggested, I did my Market Research and somehow know where I can develop my market Niche. Most of the Lettuce here is imported from Australia and during Australia's winter there is no supply. Also, the hydroponic tomato growers in the Philippines cannot seem to cope with the import requirements of Japan. Export to Japan of our tomatoes is our long term goal while there is a demand locally for lettuce. Anyway, I will give you an update of what happens to us in the near future.
At this point though, I would like to ask you if you would know of any hydroponic conventions which are coming up? My husband and our partner, Dr. Paguio would like to attend these. Dr. Paguio is likewise leaving for a medical convention in Mexico. He would like to hit 2 birds with one stone. Do you know of any Hydroponic farms in Mexico? If yes, could you kindly let me know so that I could write them and see if it would be possible for him to visit them.
That's all for now Bob. Keep your interesting newsletters coming. Hope your wife is fine.
Take care,
Ginny Martelino
mailto:mcm2@info.com.ph
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2. An Interview with a Retail Florist
The following has been taken from my book on hydroponics, more details of which can be found at: http://www.mayhillpress.com/hydroponics.html
MAYHILL PRESS: Where do you buy most of your plants?
FLORIST: I buy a lot from Holland and the Caribbean nations
MAYHILL PRESS: Why is that? I mean why do you buy so much from abroad?
FLORIST: Because I have to. Local growers don't furnish what I need. And the quality and price of flowers and plants from abroad are hard to beat. The local growers say they can't compete at the prices I pay
MAYHILL PRESS: Don't you buy anything from local growers? By local I mean growers within a fifty to one hundred mile radius.
FLORIST: Aside from poinsettias and a handful of others, I get all of my plants from distances far beyond what you mention.
MAYHILL PRESS: What about foliage?
FLORIST: Most of that comes to me from Florida and the Caribbean.
MAYHILL PRESS: What about freshness and quality?
FLORIST: I deal with a broker. If anything I order isn't up to my standards, I send it back and get full credit.
MAYHILL PRESS: What do you expect in freshness?
FLORIST: I expect all cut flowers to hold up for at least a week. Hopefully the same flowers will hold up for several days inside the customer's home.
MAYHILL PRESS: What would it take for you to switch your buying activities to the local grower?
FLORIST: I'd be happy to purchase all my plants and flowers from local growers if only to insure that my merchandise would be at the peak of freshness and quality.
MAYHILL PRESS: Do you think this would be profitable for the local grower?
FLORIST: I don't see why not. But to tell the truth I think most growers, at least in our area, aren't interested in learning how to compete with growers who ship in from long distances.
MAYHILL PRESS: What do you suggest they do?
FLORIST: They should learn to get out and hustle. They should make regular visits to all retail florists in their area. They should find out what the florists need and when they need it. Then they should grow for this market and maintain nothing but the highest quality. They should give service, service, service!
MAYHILL PRESS: Give us an example.
FLORIST: Take cut flowers. Holland growers sell them by the ton. Not only abroad to us but to their own customers at home. Growers in Holland are willing to work on a lower margin of profit in order to get the market to come to them.
MAYHILL PRESS: You're aware that Europeans buy a lot more flowers, especially the cut variety, than Americans?
FLORIST: I'm very much aware of that fact. But Americans can be educated to live with more flowers.
MAYHILL PRESS: What about foliage? Why can't the local grower furnish that?
FLORIST: I don't see why not. But rarely do I see a local grower coming by to ask me to buy his foliage.
MAYHILL PRESS: What would you really like to see the local grower do?
FLORIST: What I'd like to see is a local grower who can grow specifically for me. Who will keep in touch on a regular needed basis and always make sure he can deliver. A grower who offers quality and service. From what I understand, success goes to those who offer just a little bit more. Again, I've seen very few local growers who are willing to make such commitments.
MAYHILL PRESS: It all boils down to dependability and quality?
FLORIST: Doesn't everything? Wouldn't you rather deal with someone who had these characteristics?
MAYHILL PRESS: Do you really think that if a grower came to you and offered to grow what you need, when you need it and make it of the highest quality that you would switch over and do business with him?
FLORIST: You bet! What's more important, if this grower can offer his product at near competitive rates, he'll soon see his sales go up. And that's not only includes me but all the other retailers in the area.
MAYHILL PRESS: What about supermarkets?
FLORIST: Please! Still the more they sell, the more I sell. It's contagious.
MAYHILL PRESS: So the local grower can fit into that picture.
FLORIST: Supermarkets are just as happy as anyone else to get quality and service.
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3. A look at the news
A. An economic way to raise beneficial insects
You can raise as many beneficial insects as you want at a much lower cost than before, according to the Agricultural Research magazine. See http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/1997/bugdiets0697.htm
"This major breakthrough has the potential to greatly expand the use of biological control agents in agriculture while reducing dependence on chemical products."
The Agricultural Research entomologist, Allen C. Cohen, has applied for the patent on an artiifical diet food which simulates the natural prey food of big-eyed bugs as well as lacewings. It reduces the cost considerably from what it takes to raise live prey to feed and raise a beneficial such as the lacewing.
Go to http://www.mayhillpress.com/insects.html for a discussion on raising lacewing with live prey.
B. Hydroponic strawberries in Florida
Since one of Florida's major crops is strawberries and since methyl bromide can no longer be used as a soil fumigant, the University of Florida has proposed the use of hydroponics as opposed to soil for the growing of strawberries.
See http://nfrec_sv.ifas.ufl.edu/outdoor_hydro_report.htm for further details.
The University of Florida believes the small grower can ill afford the need for fumigation and mulching as is done in the current plastic cover system. And it's the small grower who grows most of the strawberries.
Research was conducted at the University's North Florida Research and Education Center - Suwannee Valley station. The conclusions are quite bright: "the yields were approximately twice the yields of the same cultivars grown in the traditional field production system."
Go to http://www.mayhillpress.com/hydroponics.html to find out how to grow strawberries using the "archway" system.
C. What kind of rockwool should you use?
This question is answered in "Rockwool Uses Revealed" by Bob Johnson in the July/August issue of Growing Edge (http://www.growingedge.com).
Grodan is the chief manufacturer of rockwool, but General Hydroponics has decided to enter the fray with rockwool especially designed for the hobby grower and believes it can capture a large share of the market.
Grodan is more expensive. Its Master series is the best for climates which are dry and hot with lots of sunshine. The Talent series is for those areas where quick drainage is needed.
Mr Johnson also includes a valuable section on how to recycle used rockwool which until now has become quite a problem.
Go to http://www.mayhillpress.com/hydroponics.html to find out more about various other media as well as rockwool.
D. You have to keep an eye on the root system
Why? Because the root system's health dictates the health of the plant as a whole. This is the primary thesis of "Root Zone Control" by Dr. Lynette Morgan featured in the July/August 2001 issue of Growing Edge (http:////www.growingedge.com).
And those growers who use NFT or aeroponics (any system where the roots can be easily examined) will have an easier time of keeping an eye on things. All they have to do is to "open up" the system and look at the roots to see if there is any browning or root death.
An interesting sidelight in the fight against the root disease named pythium is the use of silica in the nutrient solution as a protective and health-giving agent.
Plant diseases, both top growth and root system, are discussed in detail in my book on How to Start on a Shoestring and Make a Profit with Hydroponics. Go to http://www.mayhillpress.com/hydroponics.html
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4. Think about it...
An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life.
- Cora Lea Bell
Nature does not complete things. She is chaotic. Man must finish, and he does so by making a garden and building a wall.
- Robert Frost
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