Top 5 moments from Canadian Greenhouse Conference

Last year at the Canadian Greenhouse Conference, we announced that we changed our name to A.M.A. Horticulture Inc. We unveiled our new logo and look, dished up cake and celebrated our commitment to cultivating the future of horticulture.

We thought those festivities might be hard to top, but as it turns out, this year’s Canadian Greenhouse Conference was no less exciting for the A.M.A. team. Here are our top moments from #CGC19.

Introducing the A.M.A. 60 Growing Container

Following a couple seasons of pilot testing with two Leamington-based commercial greenhouse growers, we officially introduced our latest in-house innovation: the A.M.A. 60 Growing Container. Built with input from growers, this new solution satisfies organic growing standards in Canada and integrates with existing trough and gutter systems. It’s made from injection-molded plastic that’s easy to sterilize, stack and nest, and features feet for growing on the ground and holes for proper drainage. The container was on display in our hydroponics booth and received significant attention from attendees of the show. Learn more in Produce Grower, or check out the exclusive interview in Greenhouse Canada.

Winning award for Best Booth, Technology

Our hydroponics booth showcased a number of in-use solutions that allowed growers to see how innovative technologies would actually work in their greenhouses. Our A.M.A. 60 Growing Container featured tomato plants grown by Roelands Plant Farms, our strawberry troughs and substrates were bursting with fresh berries from EZ Grow Farms and Strawberry Tyme, and our Dry Hydroponics pond was filled with leafy greens from Thiel’s Greenhouses and Doef’s Greenhouses. Our approach to demonstrate technology in use earned us the Best Booth award for Technology. We are honoured to receive this award, which we’re proud to share with our grower partners! Read more in Hortidaily.

Learning latest best practices for growing berries

Greenhouse berry production is in demand across Canada, with consumers seeking year-round supply. We’ve been a key partner for North American berry growers since 2016 and this year we co-sponsored the Soft Fruit session with BVB Substrates and Meteor Systems. Nearly 70 people attended the session and learned from experts Eric Boot (BVB Substrates), Marc van Gennip (Genson) and David Gadoury (Cornell University). “We started providing berry solutions to our customers in 2016, and since then we’ve seen increasing interest in this market,” said Rick Bradt, Managing Director of A.M.A. “One big takeaway from the session was that growers need to pay close attention to substrate quality and irrigation input to ensure consistency in the fruit.”

Mums like you’ve never seen before

Many people know and love Al’s Flower Pouches for growing begonias and other summertime blooms, but what about fall mums? This year, we turned some heads by showcasing some of the most beautiful mum-filled Al’s Flower Pouches we’ve ever seen, thanks to our friends at Terra Greenhouses. “Everyone loves mums for outdoor décor in the fall, but because they don’t cascade, they’re often hidden in hanging baskets,” said Janan Alles. “With Al’s Flower Pouch, the mums are front and centre and can be hung on walls, fences, patios and more.” With the Thirst Quencher watering spout, the pouches are easier to water than ever.

Catching up with partners from across the industry

Year after year, the Canadian Greenhouse Conference continues to be a key meeting point for growers, suppliers and other industry experts. We were thrilled to see so many familiar faces again this year, and some new ones, too! “This show is like a family reunion for the Canadian horticulture industry and it’s great to spend some time with our customers learning about the challenges they’re facing, the new tech they’re introducing and what’s top of mind,” said Connie Bradt, Managing Director of A.M.A. “We’ve also been seeing more of our partners from the Netherlands at this show – our extended family – and it’s great to be that connection point to help introduce European solutions to the North American market.”

Thanks to our partners

The Canadian Greenhouse Conference is the kick-off point for the busy season ahead, and we’re looking forward to providing solutions for success this growing season. We want to thank our incredible team for their hard work in bringing together our latest solutions for this show, and our grower partners for supplying fresh goods to make our booths look their best:

• Doef’s Greenhouses
• EZ Grow Farms
• George Sant & Sons Greenhouses
• Roelands Plant Farms
• Strawberry Tyme
• Terra Greenhouses
• Thiel’s Greenhouses
• Winkelmolen Nursery