Page 16 - Griffin Gazette - October 2026

A crop showing the quick onset of chlorosis (i.e., yellowing) is a simple example of why this communication
process matters. It would be easy to see yellow plants and assume they need more fertilizer, but the real
cause could involve root health, fertilizer concentration, substrate pH, irrigation water quality, or several
underlying factors interacting at once. Those are the types of questions we work through before making
a recommendation. This ensures we are not just sticking a Band-Aid on something and moving on; we
are solving the root issue and helping prevent issues going forward.

Water quality provides another prime example of where an offseason, in-depth discussion can transfer
your approach to growing and perhaps relieve some seasonal production headaches. A horticultural
water analysis can tell us much more than what is coming out of the hose. Alkalinity, for instance, can have
a significant impact on growing media pH and nutrient availability and may influence fertilizer selection or
whether acid injection should be considered. Growers have access to more information than ever before
through water analyses, tissue and substrate testing, university research, product labels, manufacturer
trials, and their own production records. The challenge is often not getting the information; it is figuring
out what it means and what to do with it. A large part of GGSPro’s role is helping connect those dots and
turn that information into decisions that make sense in commercial production.

BUILD THE PROGRAM BEFORE YOU NEED IT & BUILD IT TO LAST
Troubleshooting active crop problems will always be an important part of what we do, but there is even
more value when GGSPro is brought into the conversation before production gets busy. Crop protection
is a good example. Rather than waiting until aphids, mites, thrips, Botrytis, Pythium, powdery mildew, or
another problem is established, growers can work with their Griffin representative and GGSPro ahead
of the season to identify likely pest and disease challenges and develop a program around them. That
might mean reviewing modes of action and building rotations for resistance management, identifying
conventional and softer chemistry options, determining where biological control agents (BCAs) fit,
checking pesticide compatibility with beneficials, developing sanitation protocols, or making sure key
products are available before they are needed.
Biological controls especially benefit from planning ahead. A successful BCA program is much easier
to develop before pest pressure is already established. Working ahead gives us time to consider the
target pests, release rates and intervals, scouting strategy, compatible conventional products, and how
the program fits the grower’s production system. It also gives you time to ask questions and for us to
educate. The goal is to build a program around the way that operation actually grows plants rather than
trying to force a standard program into every greenhouse. The same approach applies to fertility, water
management, and PGRs. Before planting, we can evaluate irrigation water, alkalinity, fertilizer selection,
substrate choice, and target pH and determine whether adjustments should be made. PGR programs
can be evaluated around the crop, variety, container size, production environment, and target finish
rather than waiting until excessive growth has already occurred.

Sometimes the best solution is not another product at all. It may be changing an application interval,
improving scouting, adjusting irrigation practices, modifying a fertilizer program, improving spray
coverage, changing how an application is made, or finding a way to reduce unnecessary labor. This is
where the relationship between the grower, Griffin sales representative, and GGSPro becomes especially
valuable. Your Griffin representative understands your operation, purchasing needs, production cycles,
and many of the challenges you encounter throughout the year. GGSPro adds another layer of technical
experience and resources to that relationship. Together, we can connect a technical recommendation
with product availability, timing, logistics, and the realities of implementing it in commercial production.
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