The current growing media industry is facing countless challenges impacting growers, including emerging geopolitical issues and new regulations. So, how can growers adapt to these challenges and find opportunities for growth amidst difficult times?
American Floral Endowment‘s upcoming webinar on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, as part of its ongoing Grow Pro series, will cover the latest updates impacting the growing media market and insights on new materials, research, and applications, including peat alternatives. Topics of the webinar will include:
- How substrates can be used to increase sustainability.
- New growing media components and options for growers to consider.
- Practical ways for growers to reduce peat use.
- Understanding current challenges, changes, and the future of the growing media industry.
- What growers need to know when selecting growing media in the current market.
The featured speakers for “Advancing Substrates: Status Updates, Peat Alternatives, and Substrate Stratification” are Dr. Brian Jackson and Dr. Jeb Fields. Jackson is a Professor of Horticulture and Director of the Horticultural Substrates Laboratory at North Carolina State University and has researched soilless substrates for horticultural crop production systems since 2003, with an emphasis on designing and characterizing engineered wood and bark materials. Fields is an Associate Professor of Nursery Production at the University of Florida, where his research program focuses on resource efficiency in production, primarily involving soilless substrates.
Willing participants can register for the webinar directly through Zoom or by visiting the Grow Pro Webinar series page on the AFE website, where information on future webinars in the series can be found. Recordings of all past Grow Pro webinars can also be found on the AFE’s YouTube channel. Additionally, the full calendar schedule of the Grow Pro Webinar Series can be viewed below:
2025 Grow Pro Webinar Series calendar | American Floral Endowment (AFE)