Brian Sparks

Willoughby

Senior Online Editor at Greenhouse Grower

I'm Senior Editor and Senior Online Editor of Greenhouse Grower magazine.

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Articles

Dr. A on the Potential of the Firefly Petunia

4 days ago | greenhousegrower.com | Brian Sparks

We’ve previously covered the glow-in-the-dark Petunia ‘Firefly’ from Light Bio here at Greenhouse Grower in our podcast and articles, most recently with Dr. Allan Armitage’s visit to California Spring Trials (CAST) 2025. However, Dr. A had more to say about the bioluminescent petunia and its potential to bring change to the industry. Check out the video below, and you can find more videos with Dr. A on Greenhouse Grower’s YouTube channel. Can’t see the video?
How Top 100 Growers Are Planning for 2025 Field Trials

1 week ago | greenhousegrower.com | Brian Sparks

If California Spring Trials is the place to see new varieties in ideal conditions, then field trials are where you separate the good from the great. These trials give not just the growers who host them, but other growers as well as consumers, the chance to see how plants perform under often unpredictable conditions.
Everde Growers Emerging From Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

1 week ago | greenhousegrower.com | Brian Sparks

Photo: Everde GrowersEverde Growers has announced that it will successfully emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which was initially filed on Feb. 24, 2025. The announcement marks a critical milestone in the company’s reorganization and positions it for continued, long-term strategic growth.
Greenhouse Grower's 2025 Top 100 Growers: The Complete List

2 weeks ago | greenhousegrower.com | Brian Sparks

One year ago at this time, Greenhouse Grower’s Top 100 Growers list was in a state of transition, with a small handful of long-time operations either shutting down (due to either the lack of a succession plan or overall market conditions) or being purchased by other growers. Our 2025 list is, to some degree, a continuation of this trend.
Greenhouse Grower to Grower Podcast: AFE’s Laura Barth on Research Funding, and How You Can Support American Floral Endowment

2 weeks ago | greenhousegrower.com | Brian Sparks

Greenhouse Grower has entered the world of podcasts with the launch of our “Greenhouse Grower to Grower” series. In the podcast, which will be delivered every other week, we talk to growers from across the controlled-environment industry about market trends, innovation, their biggest challenges and opportunities, and more. Laura Barth is the research coordinator at American Floral Endowment (AFE), which has been monitoring the impacts of federal funding cuts on horticulture research.
The Risks and Rewards of Having a Broad Customer Base

2 weeks ago | greenhousegrower.com | Brian Sparks

All greenhouse growers, from the Top 100 and on down, aim for maximum efficiency and a streamlined organizational workflow. But this can be a challenge if you have a broad customer base, each of whom has different needs. Diversifying Your Customer Base Van Wingerden Greenhouses in Blaine, WA, for example, has historically worked with different types of customers. “Once upon a time, we had a big box customer that commanded more than 80% of our business.
The Exciting Future of Floriculture, in Your Own Words

2 weeks ago | greenhousegrower.com | Brian Sparks

As you’ve already seen, this issue is packed with insights from Greenhouse Grower’s Top 100 Growers on the challenges they face, as well as the innovative steps some of them are taking when it comes to technology implementation, trend forecasting, and improving profitability. So, what better way to close this issue than with a look to the future?
Great News! Gardening Is Booming Despite Economic Uncertainty

2 weeks ago | greenhousegrower.com | Brian Sparks

When the world feels uncertain, Americans get planting. That’s the core message of Garden Media Group’s new “Garden Pulse: Spring 2025 Analysis” report. While other industries report slowing traffic and declining sales, gardening is holding strong — and growing — despite cold weather, consumer caution, and tariff-fueled economic anxiety. Even with poor early spring weather, garden center sales in 2025 are only 3.9% behind 2024 and still far ahead of the same period in 2020.
Presenting Greenhouse Grower’s 2025 Top 100 Growers: #25-1

3 weeks ago | greenhousegrower.com | Brian Sparks

One year ago at this time, Greenhouse Grower’s Top 100 Growers list was in a state of transition, with a small handful of long-time operations either shutting down (due to either the lack of a succession plan or overall market conditions) or being purchased by other growers.
GreenTech Announces Finalists for Its Innovation and Concept Awards

3 weeks ago | greenhousegrower.com | Brian Sparks

GreenTech Amsterdam has announced the six products that have been nominated for the GreenTech Innovation & Concept Awards 2025 in two categories: Innovation and Concept. According to the jury, these innovations will transform traditional greenhouses towards adaptive autonomous greenhouses. The winner in each category will be announced during the opening of GreenTech Amsterdam, which takes place June 10-12 at RAI Amsterdam.