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Featured Companies
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You Can Never Have Enough Cool Stuff
| Jennifer Zurko
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>> Published Date: 12/27/2012
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Dosatron International, Inc.
Right before the holidays, Dosatron announced that it was offering “Mini Maintenance Kits” for fertilizer and chemical injectors—something that growers have been asking for. The kits include wear parts, Dosa-Klean—which lubricates your injector’s interior seals and all moving components, acting as a cleanser—and Dosa-Lube. And the kits will work for the 11, 14, 20, 40 and 100 GPM injectors. The Mini Maintenance Kits can be used as often as necessary and ensure your Dosatron injects accurately and runs smoothly.
“The Mini Maintenance Kit is the perfect, economical solution for the Dosatron user and grower who performs maintenance on a regular schedule,” said Lela Kelly, Dosatron’s vice president of horticulture.
Soaking injector parts in Dosa-Klean for 24 to 48 hours cleans rust, mineral deposits and calcifications without scrubbing. Dosa-Lube, which is also available separately, is a convenient-sized packet of 2.5 grams of silicone designed to easily lubricate your static seals and o-rings while you’re changing the wear parts.
www.dosatronusa.com.
Nexus Greenhouse Systems
Within the next month, Nexus will introduce a new greenhouse covered with insulated glass. Although this technology has been available since the 1930s, it hasn’t been a covering of choice for our industry.
“The Nexus team is always working to improve technology and to make it more readily available for customers,” said Lynn Hackett, director of marketing for Nexus.
Insulated glass has an air gap between two panes of glass and requires a special glazing. Nexus has been working to perfect that profile to include all of the advantages of insulated glass, such as heat-insulating properties, reducing heat loss and increased longevity of the covering. In addition, insulated glass means less condensation and an attractive appearance.
“Retail garden centers in particular will find this to be a product announcement of merit,” said Lynn. “And the Nexus process will make it easier to install and more cost effective.”
Contact Nexus at (303) 457-9199 or answers@nexuscorp.com.
Dramm
The Dramm 3 tank FertiCart allows for three different stock solutions to be used with a single injector and cart. Three independent 7-gal. tanks ride on the same durable, vinyl-coated frame as the standard FertiCart. Selecting the source tank is as simple as turning ball valves. Each tank is plumbed to include an isolation valve and a drain from the bottom. As with all FertiCarts, all of the plumbing—including a 200 mesh filter and a backflow prevention check valve—is included. The unit is finished with unions below the injector to allow for easy assembly and disassembly. The FertiCart comes standard with solid rubber wheels and casters, but can be upgraded with the BigFoot wheel kit to include 15-in. pneumatic turf tires and pneumatic casters.
Specifications are:
Tank size: 3 x 7 gal.
Fits Dosatron D14 injector
Dimensions: Length – 38 in.; Width – 21 in.; Height – 48 in.
Hose hook on rear of unit
Vinyl-coated steel frame
www.dramm.com
Wadsworth Control Systems
Wadsworth has developed software to accompany its STEP Up Control system that allows growers to manage the greenhouse environment from their PC and remotely from a smartphone. The STEP Up Compass software can be integrated with one or multiple STEP Up controllers and can adjust and track greenhouse climates.
Features include:
• Displays historical data as tabs or graphs
• Stores snapshots of your current settings, which is useful for comparing to past data, restoring your settings and as a back-up for current settings
• Ability to compare data for specific time periods to fine-tune crop environments for optimal performance and energy savings
• Temperature is tracked in 15-minute increments
• Password protection includes three user levels with separate permissions: Administrator, Operator and User
• Compatible with new Windows 8 and Windows 7
Also, the STEP Up control system recently went through an upgrade to better complement the new Compass software, including a brighter LCD screen and better user interface.
“The software on the control is refined, as well as the actual face of the control, which has gone from a knob-and-switch interface to a fully sealed membrane with push buttons—good for the greenhouse environment,” said Julie Dean, who handles corporate communications for Wadsworth. “We have also redesigned the faceplate to be more modern and pleasing.” www.wadsworthcontrols.com
OHP, Inc.
A few weeks before press time, OHP introduced a brand new herbicide for the ornamental market. Called Marengo, it has received its federal EPA registration and is undergoing the state registration process.
With the new active ingredient indaziflam, Marengo is a selective pre-emergent herbicide that offers long-term residual control of both grassy and broadleaf leaves.
“We are thrilled to add Marengo to our expanding herbicide portfolio,” said Dan Stahl, OHP vice president of marketing and business development. “Marengo offers unparalleled residual control of many hard-to-control weeds with impressive plant safety.”
Marengo contains the first active ingredient from MOA (Mode of Action) Group 29. The active ingredient prevents weed seed germination by inhibiting cellulose biosynthesis. Marengo doesn’t move once applied to the soil and doesn’t volatilize.
Marengo is registered for use on production ornamentals grown in outdoor nurseries, as well as on conifers, Christmas trees and ornamental production sites and hardscapes. Marengo is labeled for use in shade houses and hoop houses, as well.
Marengo use rates range from 7.5 to 18.5 fl. oz. per acre depending on soil type and conditions. It performs best when applied to bare ground or mixed with a post-emergent herbicide to eliminate existing weeds.
Marengo should be applied as a broadcast spray over ground areas and as a directed spray for field-grown ornamentals. Fall applications have shown excellent weed control through the following spring season. Marengo will be packaged in one-half gallons, packed four to a case.
For information on current state registrations, consult the Marengo registration map on the OHP website at www.ohp.com.
EZShipper & MasterTag
Two years ago, EZShipper introduced its new Shipper Display racks, which the grower assembles, stocks and ships to the store. The difference with these racks is you don’t have to keep track of them or recover them from the retailer because they can be broken down easily and recycled.
Now, EZShipper has partnered with MasterTag to include signage and POP with the shipper racks. Growers can set up the retail display with their brand/marketing message prior to shipping without having to worry whether the retailer has time to assemble it when it gets to the store. Ron Sims, EZShipper’s sales and marketing manager, calls it “drop and shop.”
“It’s a retail-ready concept that becomes a display system rather than just a shipping system,” he explained. “During my travels, I’ve found that 70% of the product gets sold off of the rack before it’s even handled. And it’s a plus for the retailers because they typically don’t want to handle the product very much.”
The POP is made especially for the Shipper Display rack, so it’s easy to assemble. Plus, the signage makes the racks more attractive and can include vital growing information for the consumer. Ron says this program is ideal for grocery stores and independent markets because the margin tends to be higher than other markets. “And if you get enough volume behind it, the cost is reasonable,” he said.
For more information, visit www.mastertag.com. GT
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