You have to be willing to change in this business to maintain your success, said Norman, Jr. Plans are also in the works to tear down the old Quonset houses and replace them with vented-roof houses. pots in one day instead of the 35,000 they used to do by hand.

needed to be convinced to buy the new Visser transplanter, he has seen the labor and time savings it provides-they can transplant 80,000 4-in. Norman, Jr.РІР‚в„ўs influence on the business can be seen in its new facilities and improvements, which were results of deep discussions he had with his father about the need to be innovative. The good weather Long Island was experiencing helped with the demand and the reason why the shipping area was bustling with activity. Both Normans were extremely optimistic for the season, telling us this year was completely opposite from 2009, which was the worst year theyРІР‚в„ўve ever had. Norman runs the operation with his son Norman, Jr., selling to chain stores Costco and Stop & Shop. The other half of the original Keil business, Norman Keil Greenhouses, is based in St. We have customers we go to every day and most places canРІР‚в„ўt do that,РІР‚Сњ said Eric.Р”Р„sked if heРІР‚в„ўs happy with being in the family business, Eric smiles and says, РІР‚СљWhatРІР‚в„ўs better than selling flowers? I canРІР‚в„ўt think of a better product. Eric said they deliver anywhere in the metro area within one or two days and they take orders until 6 p.m., which allows them to РІР‚Сљdeliver the right product at the right time. He said they do grow some other branded products, but they really focus on emphasizing their own name.Р”Р„lthough their business is not as technologically advanced as other growers because of the breadth of product they grow, they make up for it with top-notch service. To make themselves stand out among other growers, they work hard to make their product look different, which they do with their own brand called EmmaРІР‚в„ўs Garden-named after EricРІР‚в„ўs grandmother. runs the half that now sells to big box stores.

Eric and his brothers Greg, Jeff and Scott (who operate the Huntington location) cater to IGCs, and Norman, Jr. In 1971, EricРІР‚в„ўs father Otto and uncle Norman stepped in to run the business, and after 25 years, decided to split the company between their sons. This third-generation business grew from a small greenhouse run by EricРІР‚в„ўs German grandfather into a supplier of more than 600 independent garden centers. In Mattituck, we visited Eric Keil who runs the eastern operation of Otto Keil Greenhouses. The company has licensed the use of the container to other perennial growers and Home Depot has added it to their Vigoro program in 62 stores this year. The pot also has dual-purpose handles-for tags and for customer grab-and-go convenience, which can increase sales by as much as 30%, according to their own consumer research. The narrower profile gives Ivy Acres about 50% more bench space. container with an elongated bottom-similar to pots for tree liners-and offers a better growing environment because of the deep root system. He said Ivy Acres wants to be a bigger player in the perennial market, and while traveling in Europe, owner Jack Van de Wetering found an innovative container that may give them the push they need. In the last Haygrove tunnel, we saw lots of perennials-more than theyРІР‚в„ўve had in years, according to Peter. (See ChrisРІР‚в„ў article РІР‚СљTunnel VisionРІР‚Сњ in the June issue of GrowerTalks.) The 22 new Haygrove tunnels with ECHO-Veyor system alone hold about 1,800 hanging baskets-which doesnРІР‚в„ўt include the ones filled with petunias and geraniums in the main part of the facility. Peter told us that 10 to 15 years ago, they used to primarily grow seed geraniums in 1801 trays and 6-in. Not only was Ivy Acres in the midst of finishing the last of the spring products, but Peter Allen, vice president of planning and procurement, and his team were working with many new changes and improvements, including more growing space. Our first stop was Ivy Acres in Calverton, where the main facility was in a frenzy getting product ready for shipment to the 56 Home Depot stores this Van de Wetering operation services. One thing we knew we would find-a lot of changes since GrowerTalks was there last and loads of thoughts about the current state of the industry. It had been almost a decade since Chris visited with the growers and garden retailers that reside on one of the most populated islands in the world (ahead of even Ireland and Jamaica, according to Wikipedia). We flew into MacArthur Airport in Islip anticipating two days of jam-packed visits.

Otto keil nursery