Peter grew up on a family farm and retail greenhouse operation in Andover, Massachusetts and earned his undergraduate degree in Plant Science at the University of New Hampshire in 1975. His M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees were earned at Ohio State University in Horticulture, graduating in 1982.

 

His career started in the academic world as a faculty member at the University of Maryland before returning to Massachusetts in 1984 to run his parents' greenhouse operation. In 1992 he formed Konjoian’s Horticulture Education Services, Inc. and has been immersed in both the commercial and research sectors of the U.S. greenhouse industry for over four decades.

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Peter's research accomplishments include over twenty years of original work with the plant growth regulator Florel. His results supported label expansion that gave growers freedom to use Florel on a wide range of ornamental crops to stimulate lateral branching, control flowering, and inhibit internode elongation. The project also generated a Florel specific subscription newsletter, 55 full day workshops across the U.S. and Canada, and 150 conference presentations.  

 

In 2005 a second research project focused on developing irrigation system sanitation protocols for algae and biofilm management was initiated. This ongoing project's current focus is edible crop hydroponic systems applications.  During the past ten years his research focus has diversified into controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems to support the locally grown food movement. His continuing research evolution also includes the investigation of bio-stimulant inputs in both container and hydroponic production systems.

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Peter received Ohio State University’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006, was elected to the Ohio Florists' Association (OFA) board of directors twice (now American Hort), and served on several committees spanning three decades of service. He chaired the Grower Committee who's main task was creating the grower education program for the OFA Short Course for fifteen years, now American Hort's Cultivate program.

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He has presented over 630 professional seminars across North America and publishes regularly in trade magazines and on electronic platforms. He has been writing Greenhouse Product News (GPN) magazine's "Duets" column since 2017. Past experiences also include a weekly radio gardening show and weekly newspaper gardening column.