Wenke Greenhouses Navigates Unexpected Loss and Integration to Thrive
Wenke Greenhouses, a prominent family-owned greenhouse operation with multiple locations in Kalamazoo, MI, and a sister company in Douglas, GA, faced an unusual and challenging pansy/viola plug season this year. The company specializes in year-round flower and vegetable production, with fall pansies and violas being among the key crops in their fall plug program.
This season took an unexpected turn as the lead plug grower at Wenke Greenhouses, Taylor Dragicevich, tragically passed away at the end of May. Rose Oberholtzer, Director of Young Plant Production at Wenke Greenhouses, reflects on this challenging period and how they ultimately achieved one of their best pansy and viola crops in years.
Despite the tragic loss, Wenke Greenhouses remained determined to meet their pansy and viola production goals. The plug growing team, consisting of Ben Cramer, Regina Rapier, and Oberholtzer, stepped up to the challenge. However, none of them had the experience of leading the production of a pansy crop before. To bridge this knowledge gap, they sought assistance from industry consultants such as Ron Derrig, Bill Argo, and Sonali Padhye, who provided valuable guidance throughout the process. Additionally, Todd Trimestra, a local grower experienced in pansy and viola production, lent his expertise to ensure the crop’s success.
The collaborative effort of this dedicated team, combined with the guidance of industry experts, allowed Wenke Greenhouses to produce high-quality pansy and viola plugs during a challenging season. Oberholtzer believes that Taylor Dragicevich, their late lead plug grower, would have been proud of their accomplishments.
Looking ahead, Wenke Greenhouses is integrating plug and liner production into one location. They recently hired a new Lead Plug Grower and are excited about the positive progress they have made during the fall season. The company aims to streamline operations and enhance efficiency as they continue to provide top-quality plants.
Wenke Greenhouses has expanded its greenhouse space by adding four acres of double poly greenhouse to one of its locations. This expansion has allowed them to consolidate young plant production at a single location, resulting in improved liner quality. The company plans to open its fall program to customers in 2024 after offering it exclusively for internal use this season. During the spring season, Wenke Greenhouses already supplies plugs and rooted liners to other growers through broker networks.