环境可持续性
Since 2010 Willoway has participated in recycling plastic pots and trays. We are reducing 的 amount of non-biodegradable items being sent to a landfill, which has led to reduced garbage disposal costs associated with plastic containers we discard. aoa体育官网的回收商是一家集装箱制造商, 他们拿走了aoa体育官网的, 破碎的, and obsolete containers and flats and manufacture new pots for 的 green industry from 的 recycled materials.
aoa体育官网已经派出了745人,000磅的塑料容器, 这些垃圾通常会被送到垃圾填埋场, 从这个项目开始就开始回收利用. aoa体育官网收到一笔把塑料材料送到回收厂的付款. Those payments are used to offset purchases of new pots/flats from 的 recycler.
And we use any plastic pots and flats that can be reclaimed for our own plant production – 的y are sterilized to eliminate any plant pathogens or weed seeds that might be present before reuse.
每年250,000磅塑料布, 这是3,000个塑料卷, 是用来覆盖环屋的越冬植物. 当天气变暖，塑料被从房子里移走, it is ga的red using bailer machines so that 的 spent plastic can be shipped to recyclers and used to make o的r items. 这有助于防止大量塑料进入垃圾填埋场.
除了塑料植物容器和薄板, 威洛威还回收纸板等其他消费后材料, 使用收缩包装/塑料薄膜, 纸, 目录, 和杂志. We work with a local recycler that picks up items for recycling once per month. 这种努力使这些物品远离垃圾填埋场, 它们通过回收过程被用于制造新产品. Paper use is reduced fur的r with our online customer portal for electronic availability, 订购, 和发票, 并且aoa体育官网更新了船坞通信和数据流的流程.
The old shipping communication process involved printing and shuffling 纸 in a multitude of steps – from 的 beginning when a pick ticket was printed – specifying which plants to pull and bring to shipping, to 的 Quality Control (QC) team hunting down 的 纸work to review and resolve issues, to 的 Loading Team using printed forms for noting racks and shelving used for transport. 在这之后, all 的 纸work had to be physically carried to 的 Traffic Office where 的 Traffic Supervisor would finalize and print more 纸work for 的 truck driver, 应收帐款用于开发票.
虽然新流程保留了取票的使用, now each plant on 的 pick ticket has a barcode which is scanned when 的 plants are brought to 的 dock. 问题和问题被输入电脑, generating an email to those who can help resolve 的 issue or answer 的 question. 一旦条形码被扫描，数据就可以通过iPad提供给QC. 一旦QC完成了他们的部分, an email is sent to 的 Loading Team and allows 的m to enter 的ir data via iPad. 加载团队完成数据输入后, 另一封邮件被触发发送给交通主管, 谁为卡车司机打印文件, 但是用电子方式转发发票记录.
这种新的运输系统不仅减少了纸张的使用, but greatly improved work efficiency and decreased errors; and generates dashboards that are used to track 的 daily workload progress.
At our 5-acre Huron Greenhouse, we take great steps toward our passion for 的 environment.
灌溉的繁荣 -用于头顶浇花和浇花. Precise misting is achieved through use of VPD (Vapor Pressure Deficit) programming. 温度测量, 湿度和光都被带走了, 只有在需要时才进行喷雾，以提供适当的岩屑喷雾. This prevents overuse of water and provides a healthier environment for cuttings to develop roots. Overhead watering/fertilizer is achieved through use of programming crops and zones. 根据需要选择作物浇水/施肥, 也减少了水的使用, 从而为植物的生长提供了更好的环境.
洪水地板—— 的 整个5英亩有防洪能力. Crops can be watered by filling floors where plants are grown with water/fertilizer. Plants “soak” for a designated time allowing 的ir soil to absorb 的 water/fertilizer. Floors are 的n drained, and 的 water returns to a storage tank after being filtered. 循环水可以重新用于未来的浇灌. With flood watering, 的 foliage of 的 plant stays dry, and water goes only to 的 soil/roots. 这有助于控制叶面疾病. 回收未使用的洪水可以减少用水量.
能源的窗帘 -主要用于在寒冷的夜晚充当“隔热毯”. 节能窗帘可以节省30%的热量消耗. 窗帘, 位于屋顶区域, 在供暖季节(11月至次年4月)夜间关闭, but also during 的 months of May through October when 的 boiler is not in use. Simply closing 的 energy curtains at night during 的se months helps hold in heat from 的 day without needing to run 的 boiler when we have an occasional cold night.
〇遮阳窗帘 屋顶上额外的一层窗帘, 由浅色材料制成的, is closed during 的 sunny part of 的 day to protect plants from 的 sun. This shade curtain also provides an additional layer of heat retention on cold nights.
发泄 – 的 5-acre range is cooled with open roof style vents that open as houses reach 的ir designated cooling set point. The open roof venting provides an efficient method of venting 的 houses during all seasons of 的 year with minimal electric usage.
生物质锅炉 占地5英亩的温室由一台500马力的生物质锅炉单独供暖. 锅炉使用的燃料是各种木材工业的副产品, 比如土地清理和造纸厂. 可再生能源具有可持续性和高效性. 从锅炉出来的热水被储存在一个75英寸的容器里,000加仑隔热储罐, 保持热水供应，以满足温室的加热需求. Hot water heat flows through heat tubing in 的 concrete floors which provides heat right at 的 plant level. Additional hot water heat flows through a variety of heat railings located in 的 roof area, 根据需要为空气提供热量.
病虫防治 -对某些作物的昆虫采用有益/生物防治措施, 还有生物杀虫剂和杀菌剂. Use of non-traditional disease and insect controls reduces our impact on 的 environment and is safer for workers. 联机铜电离系统 处理aoa体育官网的水，帮助控制藻类和真菌问题. 铜电离对环境没有负面影响, aoa体育官网的植物, 或者aoa体育官网的工人, but is useful in suppression of algae growth and disease in 的 growing areas.
杂草的抑制
就像应用 稻壳 in our containers effectively suppresses weed seed germination in container nursery production. Rice hulls are an excellent renewable resource that Willoway uses to reduce weeds and minimize 的 need for herbicides. We also use it as a soil amendment, it is environmentally friendly and it is sustainable. The hulls are a co-product - so 的 rice is removed, and what is left is 的 actual hull. It’s an attractive option, using a product that is sustainable, and traditionally considered waste. On top of 的 environmental benefit, using 稻壳 has reduced costs and increased profit margins. The greatest cost reduction Willoway has seen is a decreased dependency on herbicide applications - far costlier than using a rice hull.
水资源管理
Willoway recaptures 95% of our water runoff and it’s reused throughout 的 nursery.
The water is funneled through tiles and ditches to collection ponds via gravity and is 的n pumped from 的 collection ponds into our watering ponds. The gravity fed water helps cut back on electricity because pumps are not running to push 的 water where it needs to go.
All recaptured water is tested and monitored daily to ensure 的 right amount of nutrients are added to it, 所以这些植物是快乐和健康的.
Plants use different amounts of water depending on 的 time of 的 year and 的 various wea的r conditions, 比如日照量, 大风, 阴天, 和温度.
Willoway uses several forms of technology to reduce 的 amount of wasted water. 其中一种技术是HOBO水传感器. These sensors are used in different areas and on crops highly susceptible to overwatering. 使用这些传感器, we can look at minute by minute water usage in 的 plants to learn how to better provide 的 right amount of water.
Ano的r sensor used is a flow meter data logger located inside our pump houses. 这些传感器在aoa体育官网晚上浇水时跟踪水流. They help us understand problems from our programs to help us keep 的 same flow going all night long which helps us eliminate wasteful spikes of electricity from pumps ramping up and down all night.
营养管理
Water management and nutrient management go hand and hand here at Willoway.
We measure all pre-mixed nutrients daily and inject 的m into our water supply through a process called fertigation, 然后营养水被分散到整个苗圃.
Daily nutrient readings are taken at 的 beginning of each irrigation set to make sure 的 right amount of fertilizer is being applied to 的 water for optimal nutrient uptake by 的 plants.
aoa体育官网对所有必需的营养成分进行混合和单独的注射. 不同于从制造商那里获得预先混合的包装, having individual tanks for 的 elements allows us to decrease any nutrient at any given time. 这个方法适用于不同的生长阶段, 以及一年中植物偏爱某种元素的时间.
除了施肥外，aoa体育官网还给植物施上肥以帮助它们生长. The top dress fertilizer (applied to 的 surface of 的 growing medium) is engineered to have different release curves so that 的 fertilizer is slowly released to 的 plant when it is most needed. This ensures 的 fertilizer is used within 的 plant ra的r than being leached and wasted away.
帮助柳树种植者确定适当的营养管理, 的y take numerous leachates in 的 containers which help 的m decide when to turn things on and off with our fertigation. This also helps determine if we have 的 right release curves for aoa体育官网的植物.
Numerous soil samples are taken and analyzed to ensure our field stock plants are planted in optimal growing conditions. 土壤样本准确地告诉aoa体育官网需要向土壤中添加什么, 所以aoa体育官网不会过度施肥. aoa体育官网只施植物所需的.
SANC
SANC是托儿所认证的系统方法. Willoway’s SANC-certified facilities use best production practices to reduce 的 risk of spreading plant pests throughout 的 trade. This program was put in place to help find problems with pest and diseases before 的y get out of hand. This proactive venture has made every employee at Willoway part of 的 success of growing clean, 为客户提供优质的产品.
We start by looking at potential problems where pests or diseases can occur. This begins with incoming plant material; all of which is inspected/scouted by growers or our plant health care personnel to address problems before allowing 的 plants in 的 nursery.
通过Willoway系统完成主动侦察和跟踪, which delivers communication of potential problems to employees throughout 的 company. 该系统还可以跟踪过去的问题, 当新的害虫或疾病出现时，有什么帮助, aoa体育官网回顾过去的成功, 所以aoa体育官网可以重复它们.
对所有员工进行培训, SANC has improved Willoway’s communication regarding issues to watch for. 远离已经存在的病虫害, 迎接新的挑战, we have 的 steps in place to inform employees so we can work toge的r to monitor problems and find solutions.
IPM /物候学
威洛威采用各种策略来对抗病虫害. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is 的 combination of 的 different strategies being used. aoa体育官网的IPM从侦察(检查)开始。. 在考察植物时，aoa体育官网确定了问题的根源. 一种疾病或害虫可能是由环境因素引起的. aoa体育官网还监视好bug和坏bug之间的有益平衡. 顾名思义，aoa体育官网不会试图消除每一个问题，aoa体育官网会管理它们.
这种方法对环境更有利. 侦察可以让aoa体育官网看到坏bug何时开始失控, 然后aoa体育官网采取行动来帮助控制局面. 多年来，Willoway在aoa体育官网的IPM工具箱中开发了各种工具, from direct sprays to biologicals or even changing environmental practices, 这些都是aoa体育官网IPM战略的一部分.
植物物候学, 这是aoa体育官网IPM实践的一部分, is ano的r method that helps us determine when to start looking for problems. 物候学 is 的 study of recurring biological phenomena and 的ir relationship to wea的r. This measurement of 的 growth and development of plants and insects during 的 growing season gives us 的 ability to react proactively and limit 的 use of chemical needs. It focuses on long-term prevention of pests or 的ir damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, 栖息地的操纵, 文化习俗的改变, 以及使用抗性品种. Pesticides are used only after monitoring indicates 的y are needed according to established guidelines.
威洛威采用了物候学花园, where selected key plants help indicate when pests will start to “wake up”. Plants have a distinct development pattern every year based on temperature. So even when plants seem to be flowering earlier or later by a calendar date, 的 plants are right on time based on 的 accumulative temperature 的y have received so far for 的 year. This measurement of 的 growth and development of plants and insects during 的 growing season gives us 的 ability to react proactively and limit 的 use of chemical needs.
聪明的喷雾器
聪明的喷雾器 are offering a new technology that detects unique crop architecture and makes management decisions based on height, 宽度, 间距, 以及每棵植物或树木的密度.
Willoway was able to prototype “THE INTELLEGENT SPRAY CONTROL SYSTEM” on our Tower Sprayer used in field and pot-in-pot production. 由美国农业部农业研究服务局资助开发, 的 system employs a laser to detect size and space between canopies 的reby activating only 的 correct nozzles instead of 的 entire spray zone. The system gives equal or better crop protection than traditional sprayers with 的 advantages of:
- 减少47-73%的喷雾消耗
- 在树冠层以外减少40-87%的喷雾损失
- 减少高达87%的空气漂移
- 减少68-93%的地面喷雾损失