August 2023 - 10

duets
BY PETER KONJOIAN AND GARRETT OWEN
From Rural Farm to University
Peter Konjoian is president of Konjoian's Horticulture
Education Services Inc. His career spans four decades as
a commercial grower, researcher and consultant. Garrett
Owen is assistant professor in sustainable greenhouse
nursery systems at The Ohio State University. Konjoian
can be reached at peterkfes@comcast.net.
T
oday's guest is
Garrett Owen, Ph.D.
Garrett joined the
Department of Horticulture
and Crop Science at Ohio State
University in January of 2023.
Peter: Welcome to today's
discussion Garrett, thanks for
joining me. Your career path is
particularly wide and deep and
will be fun to discuss. But first,
tell us about your three-way
appointment at Ohio State.
Garrett: I'm an assistant
professor and Extension
specialist in the Department of
Horticulture and Crop Science
at The Ohio State University
focused on sustainable
greenhouse and nursery
production systems. While I'm
not teaching yet, I plan to offer
a course on floriculture crop
production and one nursery
crops. I'm the co-advisor
10
AUGUST 2023 GPNMAG.COM
(along with Chieri Kubota,
Ph.D.) for the controlled
environment agriculture (CEA)
minor that is now available.
While the majority of my
appointment is Extension, I'm
working on a statewide needs
assessment - getting out and
visiting growers and Extension
offices to learn about the
breadth of the Ohio greenhouse
and nursery industries. My
research program is focused
on plant growth regulation,
plant nutrition (fertility,
water quality, and substrates
and alternatives) and crop
production and environments.
In general, the goal of my
program is to provide growers
relative and timely information
to produce high-quality,
marketable ornamental crops.
None of this would be possible
without my graduate students
and industry partnerships.
Peter: I can relate to several
of your experiences so let's
discuss how you walked the
path you did. Begin with your
early years and how you
became interested in plants,
gardening and horticulture.
Garrett: I grew up in a
small farming community in
Rowan County, North Carolina,
where my love for greenhouse
production started in high
school. As a sophomore, I
enrolled in the Horticulture 1
class, which covered plant
Garrett: While enrolled in
the class, I joined the National
Future Farmers of America
(FFA) organization. We were
required to initiate a supervised
agriculture experience (SAE).
I recall discussing the SAE
with my parents, and with their
support, embarked on a journey
of starting my own greenhouse
business. From high school
until I graduated with my
masters of science degree, I
owned and operated Owen's
Greenhouse and Nursery.
propagation methods, crop
production, plant maintenance
and more. The most impactful
part of the class was the
hands-on experience
working in the greenhouse
growing pansies, Boston
ferns and poinsettias. I was
intrigued with production and
fascinated by rooting cuttings
of tradescantia for spring
hanging baskets sales.
Peter: I'll compare our high
school experiences to show
how different opportunities
can lead to similar outcomes.
I grew up on a family farm
and greenhouse operation
but my high school course
offerings in plants, in the
early 1970s, were ... zero. It's
very satisfying to hear that
horticulture is being promoted
as a career path at the high
school for your generation,
that's wonderful.
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August 2023

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