It's all digital

Tap away the grey

A movement to attract younger generations to horticulture is growing, and it’s blooming on a variety of platforms.

In late 2013, a letter went out to several major news outlets, government agencies, and industry associations. It was signed by six major names in the horticulture industry and it identified a worrisome problem: horticulture is aging.

The industry is getting older and there’s a sudden dearth of young talent. As more folks retire, the replacement ranks grow thinner and thinner. With each passing year, the problem grows more foreboding, and the question of how to attract young talent looms.

“The concern comes from how we are attracting younger professionals into the industry to make up the eventual retirement gaps, as we do not have as much time as other industries to address this issue,” Todd Downing, the director of Key Corporate Services, LLC, told Greenhouse Management (see January, page 50).

Which is part of why we should celebrate a series of promotional campaigns and video games that have started cropping up; they’re introducing the culture at-large to farming, and all of its variants.

On the Internet this means that sites like whyifarm.com (operated by Beck Hybrids) are working to grow in popularity and develop an audience. The site has garnered almost 11,000 likes on Facebook and 1,000 follows on Twitter.

Why I Farm is a series of real-world testimonials discussing why farming is crucial for the farmer and for the nation. The testimonials take the form of beautifully rendered videos that are accessible through the whyifarm.com website.

To appeal to both Generation Y and the generations beyond it, there’s “Tap Flower Lite” (and Tap Flower, but that costs $0.99), a finger-tapping phone game that allows users to link a series of flowers and score points for connections. It’s similar to (über-addictive) Candy Crush in many senses, and will probably appeal to the same crowd. Tap Flower is almost identical to computer-based game “Blooming Gardens,” though it’s unclear which came first.

Both games are dwarfed in popularity by Plants vs. Zombies, a niche cultural phenomenon that exploded through dorm rooms and tablets. As the name suggests, the game pits garden plants against a marauding and increasingly large horde of brain-eating zombies. The game started out as a PC and mobile device exclusive but parent company PopCap recently announced that Plants vs. Zombies would migrate to consoles (Xbox, Playstation, etc.).

And if you’re wondering whether or not Plants vs. Zombies could effectively be tied into the horticulture industry beyond a cursory nod to plants, the majority of game reviews categorized Plants vs. Zombies (and its many knock-offs) as part of the “horticulture horror” genre. Name recognition is one of the most important aspects of marketing and if the industry is connected to a pop culture phenomenon, it can’t be a bad thing.

Increasing visibility is a key component in attracting young talent, and snagging attention from kids and high school students is a massive accomplishment. Pardon the pun, but changing the image of horticulture requires a grassroots movement. So go against the grain; encourage kids to play video games and get sucked into the Internet. Just make sure they’re gaining an appreciation for horticulture. ­­– Chris Mosby

Multimedia Minute

Flowers for NASA
Flowers are a rare sight in NASA’s Houston-based mission control. The exception is a bouquet that appears before each major mission.
Watch the video here: http://goo.gl/P9KG4a

The evolution of flowers
The Field Museum explores how the structure of floral beaks influences the evolution of flowers.
Watch the video here: http://goo.gl/Jnvd8m

Using wiggle wire in your greenhouse
Bright Agrotech’s Nate Storey discusses the use of wiggle wire in a double layer poly greenhouse.
Watch the video here: http://goo.gl/1pxHPu

From Twitter

Terra Nova Nurseries @TerraNovaNurs
#PlantOfTheDay: #Helleborus Winter Jewels™ ‘Jade Tiger’. Peek at the double green #flowers painted with purple edges: http://ow.ly/v7bbx

Sakata Ornamentals @FlowersBySakata
Trending Now: She Loves Daisies in the kitchen! #Top10BySakata Who’s ready for #springtrials? http://www.pinterest.com/pin/526076800194795517/ … via @pinterest

Eberly & Collard PR @eberlycollardpr
#Growers, looking to go #green? Try using rEarth’s line of recyced containters! http://ow.ly/uZNhS

BASFPlants_us @BASFPlants_us
Prevent plant destruction! Learn how to identify - and manage - phytophthora: http://on.basf.com/10u4u5E

ASHS @ASHS_Hort
We are excited to announce the Tex Frazier Lecturer at the 2014 ASHS Conference - Paul Redmond, Director of @longwoodgardens!

Kieft Seed @Kieft_Seed
Perfect Programmable Perennials from Kieft Seed. Download the brochure now http://ow.ly/u3yhw

PanAmerican Seed @PanAmericanSeed
Our Bonanza and Durango #Marigolds products are both examples of how our timing helps the grower sell on time http://ow.ly/i/4H0XY

Proven Winners @Proven_Winners
Don’t you wish this order of flowering shrubs was being delivered to your house?!? pic.twitter.com/0HP6zMWMxr

Thompson & Morgan @ThompsonMorgan
World’s first electricity-generating sunflower! #powerflower Find out more http://bit.ly/1lhkcaJ  pic.twitter.com/DeXbS7bCy8

U.S. EPA @EPA
Our decisions hinge on scientific integrity, and that’s in good hands with Francesca Grifo. #WHM http://go.usa.gov/KXxW