Successful growers share their experience with a wide range of crops - from aglaonema to trachelium. Learn proven cultivation practices, tips, and shortcuts to make your crops healthier, better looking, and more profitable.--COVER.

The latest developments in greenhouse design and equipment are included in this compilation of articles from GrowerTalks magazine. Topics covered include structures, technology, transplanters, environmental controls, energy efficiency, irrigation, and maintenance and damage.

A greenhouse provides an essential means of livelihood to its owner and must be economically practical for the particular climate in which it stands. Greenhouses: Advanced Technology for Protected Horticulture addresses the major environmental factors of light, temperature, water, nutrition, and carbon dioxide, and features extensive discussions of greenhouse types, construction, and climate control. The book highlights technology such as hydroponics, computer control of environments, and advanced mathematical procedures for environmental optimization. Greenhouses: Advanced Technology for Protected Horticulture is the definitive text/reference for the science of greenhouse engineering and management. The author Dr. Joe J. Hanan, Professor Emeritus of Colorado State University, is the recipient of the Society of American Florists' (SAF) 2000 (Millenium) Alex Laurie Award for Research and Education. The Alex Laurie Award is presented annually to an individual who has made broad-scope, long-lasting contributions to the floriculture industry through research or education. The award is named for Alex Laurie, a professor at The Ohio State University, who pioneered work in many areas of floriculture. "Joe is one of the most precise floricultural researchers I have known," said Dr. Gus De Hertogh, Chairman of SAF's Research Committee. "That excellence is reflected in his latest book, Greenhouses, Advanced Technology for Protected Horticulture, which was published in 1998, nine years after his official 'retirement.'"

This collection of more than 60 articles from "GrowerTalks" magazine is written for professional growers by the industry's leading floriculture experts, academic researchers, and professional growers. Articles highlight proven methods and tips on crop control, growth regulation of perennial crops, pest control, and marketing perennial crops. The controversial issue of forcing perennial flowers out of season so customers can buy colorful plants in the spring is discussed, as is specific research into planning for spring flowers. Research into regulating the height growth of perennial crops is also presented, including findings on which plant growth regulators are effective and at what rates.