January 2025 - 36

SPECIAL SECTION * JANUARY 2025 * WALTERS GARDENS
LEGACY
Rooted
Walters Gardens blossoms
into a sustainable future
BY KEITH LORIA
W
36
alters Gardens began as a five-acre farm in Zeeland,
Michigan which grew perennials for local suppliers.
More than 75 years later, it has grown into 1,500
acres with more than 500,000 square feet of greenhouses.
Today, sisters Karin Walters and Christa Steenwyk are
leaders of the company, serving as CEO and vice president of
marketing and industry relationships, respectively. While they
have spent most of their life in the family business, neither
thought they would one day work in horticulture. After college,
both found their way back to Walters Gardens to continue the
legacy started by their grandparents.
" We took it as a temporary job, thinking we would move
on, but we fell in love with the industry and the business and
ended up sticking with it, " Steenwyk said. " One of the things
JANUARY 2025 BIG GROWER
Year founded:
1946
Location:
Zeeland, Michigan
Total growing space:
1,500 acres with 500,000 square feet of greenhouses
Key management personnel:
Karin Walters, CEO;
Christa Steenwyk, vice president of marketing
and industry relationships;
Ryan Hop, chief operating officer
Number of full time and seasonal employees:
approximately 200
Photos courtesy of Walters Gardens.
WALTERS GARDENS
AT A GLANCE

January 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2025

Table of Contents
Editor's Report
Intern of the Year | Theodore Salgado
Technology | When are the robots coming?
Labor | Must-have heat safety measures
Trends | A rosy outlook for foliage
CEA | USDA grants for energy efficiency in your greenhouse
Management | Bring on the dragons
Big Grower | Walters Gardens
SGAFT | Sidewall winterization for small greenhouses
Culture Report | Poinsettia 'Red Ribbons'
Forty Under 40 Perspectives | Irrigation at a large container farm
AmericanHort | Top 10 ways you can thrive in 2025
Product Marketplace
Industry News
Events
Classifieds/Ad Index
January 2025 - 1
January 2025 - 2
January 2025 - Table of Contents
January 2025 - Editor's Report
January 2025 - 5
January 2025 - Intern of the Year | Theodore Salgado
January 2025 - 7
January 2025 - 8
January 2025 - 9
January 2025 - 10
January 2025 - 11
January 2025 - 12
January 2025 - 13
January 2025 - Technology | When are the robots coming?
January 2025 - 15
January 2025 - Labor | Must-have heat safety measures
January 2025 - 17
January 2025 - 18
January 2025 - 19
January 2025 - Trends | A rosy outlook for foliage
January 2025 - 21
January 2025 - 22
January 2025 - 23
January 2025 - 24
January 2025 - 25
January 2025 - 26
January 2025 - 27
January 2025 - CEA | USDA grants for energy efficiency in your greenhouse
January 2025 - 29
January 2025 - 30
January 2025 - 31
January 2025 - Management | Bring on the dragons
January 2025 - 33
January 2025 - 34
January 2025 - 35
January 2025 - Big Grower | Walters Gardens
January 2025 - 37
January 2025 - 38
January 2025 - 39
January 2025 - 40
January 2025 - 41
January 2025 - SGAFT | Sidewall winterization for small greenhouses
January 2025 - 43
January 2025 - 44
January 2025 - 45
January 2025 - 46
January 2025 - 47
January 2025 - Culture Report | Poinsettia 'Red Ribbons'
January 2025 - 49
January 2025 - 50
January 2025 - 51
January 2025 - 52
January 2025 - 53
January 2025 - Forty Under 40 Perspectives | Irrigation at a large container farm
January 2025 - 55
January 2025 - AmericanHort | Top 10 ways you can thrive in 2025
January 2025 - 57
January 2025 - Product Marketplace
January 2025 - 59
January 2025 - 60
January 2025 - 61
January 2025 - 62
January 2025 - 63
January 2025 - Industry News
January 2025 - Events
January 2025 - Classifieds/Ad Index
January 2025 - 67
January 2025 - 68
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