Start clean, grow clean from start to finish

Photos courtesy of Pace 49

Since its founding in 1980 when co-founders Mike and Rachel Gooder purchased Cresco Greenhouses, Plantpeddler has become a premier grower of both young and finished plants.

Plantpeddler is known to produce high quality plants reliably and on time. Its team knows that the process of growing quality crops starts even before plants are set out in the greenhouse. Consequently, microbial control of plant pathogens and algae in water, on crops and on surfaces during production are top priority. This is where the company relies on products from Pace 49.

Rachel Gooder was first introduced to Pace 49 nearly 20 years ago. “One of our older facilities sits on clay soil with very poor drainage, so we had a significant problem with duckweed growing in standing water,” Gooder explains. “No matter what I tried, I couldn’t get rid of it. That’s when I met Judy McWhorter, vice president and national sales manager of Pace 49, who suggested I try PACE Strip-It PRO™. Within two months, the duckweed was completely gone. Now we use it once a week. It’s also great to get rid of fungus gnat and shore fly larva under the benches.”

Strip-It PRO is a powerful greenhouse and outdoor cleaner used on growing areas and in irrigation lines between crop rotation to eliminate biofilm, dirt and mineral deposits, ensuring a clean growing environment for new crops.

“Pace 49 products are our first step in the sanitation process,” explains Jason Sbiral, who manages the Plantpeddler Young Plant site. “It’s important to start clean and grow clean if you want to produce a high-quality crop. I also use it on our ebb-and-flood propagation benches, because otherwise the constant mist and fertilization would cause algae problems. We now have significantly fewer disease and insect problems.”

To clean irrigation lines between crops, Plantpeddler flushes the lines with Strip-It Pro, lets it sit for 24 hours, then flushes it out and runs KleenGrow™ through the lines. KleenGrow is a multi-use EPA registered product that provides broad-spectrum control of water-borne pathogens and algae in irrigation water, plant pathogens on greenhouse plants, and diseases, viruses and algae on hard surfaces. KleenGrow offers powerful, residual disease control for up to 14 days on crops and 30 days on hard surfaces.

Plantpeddler also relies on UpTake Pro™, which is a triple action wetting agent, penetrant and spreader sticker. It makes water droplets in spray applications smaller and reduces viscosity. When used in tank mixes, it allows partner product to remain on the leaves longer, resulting in better disease control.

“An added benefit is that it makes the membranes of plant pests such as insects, mites and diseases more penetrable, which in turn improves the effectiveness of other pesticides in tank mixes,” adds Sbiral.

“Having been introduced to Pace 49 products has been a game changer for us,” says Gooder. “We’re able to run a much cleaner operation, which allows us to grow the top-quality plants we’re known for, while providing a safe environment for our staff and customers.”