Denise Derue

About Denise Derue

Experienced Head Grower with a demonstrated ability of growing produce, perennials…

Experience

1. Head Grower

   Centerton Nursery

   Jan 2021 — Present · Bridgeton, NJ, US

   Head Grower responsible for managing 3.5 million square feet of greenhouse and production space of perennials, shrubs, and edible crops (vegetables, berries, and herbs). Focused on plant health and producing high quality plants for independent garden centers.Responsibilities- Oversee Plant Health and Potting operations for all crops- Production planning, implementation and working closely with operations staff to ensure smooth execution- Plant Heath Management. Including identification of pest, disease, & nutrient issues, working with extension & other industry professionals, and identifying best management practices & treatments- Managing and improving IPM program. Including use of beneficial insects, biological products, sanitation procedures and management of the growing environment to reduce pest & disease pressure- Improve growing practices to align with Sustainable Agriculture goals while reducing costs and reliance on chemicals- Network and attend conferences & continuing education opportunities with industry professionals- Oversee 2+ potting crews, 2 spray technicians, weeding crews as well as irrigation & propagation departments- Receive & manage incoming plant material, pots & trays, fertilizer, chemicals, and IPM products. Identify inventory requirements and relay to purchaser- Track pH/nutrition levels in growing media/irrigation water and amending when necessary- Reporting crop and greenhouse status to management, with recommendations as needed- Maintain NJ Private Pesticide Applicator License and oversee nursery compliance with State & Federal regulations. Including WPS training for workers, maintaining proper pesticide use logs & signage, overseeing and assigning work to pesticide spray technicians- Data management. Track potting progress, update inventory, maintain treatment logs and other data as needed- Oversee plant, chemical, soil and pot trials & maintain records- Offer expertise on plant health & care as required.

Education

• Cornell University

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

  2013 — 2017

• Greece Arcadia High School

  Advanced Designation Regents Diploma with Honors

  2009 — 2013

Skills

• Botany
• Research
• Social Media
• Insect Identification
• Plant Tissue Culture
• Weed Identification
• Plant Propagation
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (Pcr)
• Microsoft Office
• Some Indesign & Photoshop