Pack trials offer much more than plants

Ask most people why they attend the California pack trials and they will tell you it’s to see the new plant varieties. But increasingly people are starting to say they want to see what new marketing ideas, products and programs will be on display. In some cases, some sites are turning into mini trade shows with not only unique, and in some cases provocative, marketing materials on display, but also carts, containers, growing media as well as cultural information and product demonstrations.

Bonkers for begonias

One hundred years is a long time to be breeding any crop, which is how long Benary has been hybridizing begonias. It’s first hybrid begonia was ‘Primadonna,’ which was introduced 100 years ago. To commemorate the anniversary, Benary has introduced the Begonia x benariensis Big series. The series kicks off with three colors: Red with Green Leaf, Red with Bronze Leaf and Rose with Bronze Leaf. The plants, which reach 12-15 inches tall and wide, produce large 2- to 3-inch flowers. They don’t produce seed so plants are self-cleaning. They can be used in the landscape or in baskets. Crop time in a gallon container is 16-17 weeks.

Another attractive new begonia from Benary is its Begonia tuberhybrida ‘Nonstop Fire.’ It produces hot looking, 4-inch flowers that show shades of yellow, gold, orange and red that contrast well against the plant’s deep green foliage. The flower color really makes this variety stand out.

Proven Winners’ new Bellagio and Mandalay begonia series are Begonia boliviensis hybrids bred by Kientzler GmbH & Co. in Germany. These trailing plants are best for baskets and can reach a length of 3 1/2 to 4 feet. They do best in filtered sunlight and in the South plants need more shade. Plants finish faster under long day conditions of 14-16 hours of light. The growing medium should not be kept wet.

The Bellagio series varieties (Apricot, Blush and Pink) have double flowers. To maintain the double flowers, plants need to be fertilized regularly with 200-250 parts per million nitrogen.

The Mandalay series has three colors (Flamingo, Mandarin and Pearl) and produce single flowers. The Mandalays tolerate full sun better than the Bellagios.

Golden State Bulb Growers has released a tissue-culture produced Scentiment series of scented tuberous begonias which contains four patented cultivars (Just Peachy, Just Rosy, Blush and Sunrise). A picotee type is also being developed.

Syngenta Flowers new green-leaf begonia Volumia series is a F1 interspecific hybrid with five colors (Light Pink, Pink, Scarlet, Rose Bicolor and White). The early, vigorous, well-branched plants produce large flowers and are considered a landscape type. ‘Volumia Rose Bicolor’ was named a Fleuroselect Gold Medal Winner. Syngenta is also working on a bronze-leaf series to match Volumia.

Hot picks

The Velox series from GGG International is an interspecific verbena and phlox cross that has the growing habit of a verbena. Plants are easier to root than phlox, have good heat tolerance, are mildew resistant and flower longer. Soft Pink and Pink are the first two cultivars with a red on the way.

Constellation is a new F1 helianthus from Syngenta Flowers that produces 6-inch pollen-free flowers. These compact plants reach 12-20 inches tall when grown in containers and up to 36 inches tall in the landscape.

The Mesa series from Syngenta is a Salvia greggii hybrid that does well under hot, dry conditions. It’s dense, bushy habit makes it well-suited for 4-inch production.

The Ismelia carinata Vestidos series from Syngenta includes three colors (Yellow, White and Red) that produce 3-inch tricolor daisy flowers. Plants have an upright habit with dense, lacey foliage. Plants have good heat tolerance and bloom continuously under hot summer conditions. Plants can tolerate night temperatures in the 40s and under lower light levels flowers will reflect down.

PanAmerican Seed’s F1 Toucan purslane series comes in three colors (Fuchsia, Scarlet Shades and Yellow) and a Hot Mixture. The heat-loving and drought-tolerant series is programmable and plants require few or no growth regulators and no pinching.

The Southern Star ruellia series from PanAmerican is the first dwarf ruellia from seed. Available in three colors (Blue, Pink and White), plants are very adaptable and tolerate wet and dry conditions.

The new Zinnia marylandica Zahara series from PanAmerican is heat- and drought-tolerant and comes in four colors (Coral Rose, Scarlet, White and Yellow) and a Mixture. Flowers are supposed to be 20 percent larger than the Profusions. The disease-tolerant plants, once established in the ground, have low water requirements. The series has been selected for use at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, China.

Cool crops

The new tetraploid Clear Crystal alyssum series from PanAmerican Seed produces a beefier plant with large flowers and dark foliage. Cultivars include Lavendar Shades, Purple Shades and a very clean White along with a Mixture. Plants can be grown with little or no heat and in most production areas no growth regulators are needed.

Pacific Plug & Liner conducted a comparison trial of interspecific nemesia series for this year’s pack trials. The company produced four different series: Sunsatia from Proven Winners, Serengeti from Selecta First Class, Angelart from Fides and Nemasis from Westhoff. PP&L operations and new product development manager Ryan Hall said plants with a more upright habit appeared to have better durability.

The best overall series was Angelart with three varieties (Pear, Cherry and Melon) designated as Growers Choice trial selections. Fides will be introducing a new lavender shade variety to the Angelart series in 2009. It also is testing two additional colors with growers that are expected to be released in 2010.

Other varieties that received a Growers Choice designation in the PP&L trial were Sunsatia Raspberry and Mango, ‘Serengeti Upright Cream’ and ‘Nemasis Red Fancy’.

Tropicals with punch

University of Hawaii plant pathologist John Cho was at the PlantHaven exhibit to talk about his Royal Hawaiian colocasia collection. Cho incorporated the best ornamental characteristics from the taro plants he had bred for food production including disease resistance, tidy clumping habit and quick production time. Plants in 1-gallon containers finish from 72-cell liners in five to six weeks. Plants finish quicker when grown under warm temperatures and high light conditions. They are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 7B and will start to go dormant when exposed to frost. Colocasias are wetland plants so they should not be underwatered or overfertilized.

The Rio dipladenia series from Syngenta Flowers has a more controlled, upright habit that won’t tendril so plants don’t require trellising. The four cultivars (Pink, Hot Pink, Red and White) produce 3-inch trumpet-shaped flowers all summer. Plants do especially well in hot, humid weather. Crop production is long, 17-weeks from a plug. Syngenta is working on a larger plug that will shorten crop time.

Fashionable foliage

Josh Schneider of Cultivaris North America was at Plug Connection showing off some of the plants from the Kia Ora Flora (www.kiaoraflora.com) line that was developed by Cultivaris in collaboration with Damsted Flowers in New Zealand.. The 30 different plants in the collection are native to or hybridized in New Zealand. These low water plants can tolerate hot and cold weather extremes. They can be used as accent or component plants in both containers and landscapes. They are currently being propagated by Plug Connection and Pacific Plug & Liner in 72-cell liners that can be planted in 1-quart and 1- and 5-gallon containers. Production time is 10-12 weeks for quart pots. A 32-cell cell liner is also being looked at.

Desana is the name of the new Ipomoea batatas series from Suntory/Jackson & Perkins. Cultivars include Lime, Maple, Compact Red and Bronze. Lime has the most compact habit within the series and won’t overgrow other plants when used in combinations. Maple is the most compact of the dark-leafed cultivars in the series. It’s maple-leaf shape and dark color make it a good component plant for combinations. Compact Red offers a unique color variation with new foliage opening in shades of red and evolving to green with maroon veins as leaves mature. Bronze has the darkest foliage color within the series.

Syngenta Flowers’ new Sidekick ipomoea series includes Black Heart, Black and Lime. Plants have a more controlled, semi-compact, bushy habit. ‘Sidekick Black’ has a more palmate leaf shape. Plants, which can be used in sun and shade, are well-suited for combinations and in the landscape.

Goldsmith Seeds is now marketing and offering technical support for Kieft -Pro-Seeds ColorGrass Collection. The plants fit into a plug program and are producible as a series year-round. Plants come in a wide range of colors and textures and can be sold individually or as components in combinations. These low maintenance plants can be grown as annuals and sold as perennials. Two experimentals on display at Kieft were Isolepis Wi-Fi and Millium Flashlights. The latter is better suited for spring and fall sales in the South.

Feast for the eyes

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Tiger Eye’ is the first F1 hybrid seed rudbeckia from Goldsmith Seeds that is very uniform in height, habit and flowering. Plants reach 24-28 inches and are covered with flowers. They have excellent growth regulator response, good branching and reduced sensitivity to powdery mildew. Plants were shown at both Plug Connection in Vista and at Goldsmith in Gilroy. In both locations plants produced lots of flower and were very uniform in height and habit.

Fides’s new Dahlinova Hypnotica series contains seven bright colors (Red, Light Pink, Pink, White, Yellow, Orange and Bronze Bicolor). These large, well-branched plants are best suited for 1-gallon and larger containers. Plants have a more vigorous habit and produce large 4-inch flowers. More colors and different flower types are being developed.

Psyched out for cyclamen

Goldsmith Seeds introduced three new cyclamen series, two of which are silver leaf. Silver Heart is a silver leaf miniature series that has five colors (Purple, Rose, Scarlet, White and Wine), a Flame Mixture and a Mixture. This series has good cold and heat tolerance. Winter Ice is the second silver leaf series available in Purple, Salmon, White and a Mixture. Plants produce many standard-size flowers and have a distinct silver leaf coloration. Rainier is the third new series with seven colors (Purple, Rose, Scarlet, Salmon, Lilac, Light Pink Eye and White) and a Mixture. Larger than the Sierra series, Rainier plants are best grown in larger pots (14-16 inch) and do well in cooler temperatures. Because of their vigor, the Raniers are good for late winter and early spring sales.

If you’re looking for some creative ways to market cyclamen check out the Schoneveld Twello Web site (www.schoneveld.nl/en/kwekerprodhandel/index.html) showing its pack trials displays at Speedling Inc. In its second year of exhibiting at the Speedling trials, the Dutch cyclamen breeder took home the first place prize for most creative presentation. Using colorful overalls, rubber boots, watering cans and buckets to display its seven Super Series, the company provided visitors with some creative ways to market cyclamen or any other potted plant. While cyclamen is usually considered an indoor flowering plant, the staff at Schoneveld wanted to inform trial visitors that it can also be used as an outdoor landscape plant. The company’s new (to the United States) mini F1 Verano series contain s12 colors. The heat tolerant (90°F-100°F) series has been offered in Europe for two years. Plants can be grown under warm temperatures. Schoneveld is also working on three new series, two will have silver leaves.

Gaga for geraniums

The Calliope series from Syngenta Flowers and bred by Goldsmith garnered a great deal of attention at the trials. This interspecific hybrid combines the best of zonal and ivy geraniums. Red is the first color with four other colors ( Burgundy, Magenta, Rose and Scarlet Fire) being offered in limited quantities for trialing in 2009. The large zonal-like flower heads won’t fade and are resistant to petal burn. Plants have a more broad habit than zonals.

The new Daredevil zonal geranium series from Proven Winners contains seven colors (Claret, Fire, Mulberry, Orchid Splash, Rosita, Salmon and Snow) for use under full sun in combinations and the landscape. The heat and drought tolerant plants reach a final size of 15-18 inches.

Floranova’s Infiniti geranium series gains four new colors (Appleblossom, Rose, Salmon and White) to join the previous released 2007 Fleuroselect Gold Medal winning Scarlet. A formula mix of the five colors is also now available. Plants produce large blooms and are exceptionally early to flower with a production period of 85 days.

Site changes, additions

With the acquisition of K. Sahin Zaden by Takii & Co., in September 2007, Sahin moved its trials display from Greenheart Farms to American Takii’s facility. Sahin offered pack trial visitors a smorgasbord of its plant offerings. Its Natural Look collection contains grasses, sedges and rushes that have multiple uses (landscape and containers), are energy-efficient, heat tolerant and low maintenance. Sahin’s Instant Perennials program contains plants that flower naturally like annuals without a cold temperature treatment. These plants can be produced along side annuals as well as being mixed in combinations.

American Takii showed its new genetically dwarf Salvia splendens Fizz series that is early flowering and day length neutral. The series has five colors: Cream, Grape, Peach Raspberry and Strawberry (formerly Bloody Mary). Plants do well under high humidity and temperatures and maintain their shape in packs, pots and landscape plantings reaching a height of 12-14 inches. Being genetically compact, growth regulators aren’t usually needed.

Dave Bartels, formerly with Uniroyal and Chemtura and now with OHP, was once again demonstrating his plant growth regulator trials at American Takii. His studies included various drench and spray treatments on a variety of crops including celosia, zinnia, canna, petunia, pansy, nemesia and stock. He offered some useful, take-home information on products, rates and application methods for a variety of bedding plants.

German breeder Westhoff Vertriebsges (Westflowers) replaced Sahin at Greenheart Farms. The company displayed a selection of products that are vegetatively propagated and offered to U.S. growers through several brokers. Series that were exhibited included varieties from its Celebration series of calibrachoa, the Hot series of interspecific lobelia, which includes 11 colors and are more tolerant of hot temperatures and high humidity, the Nemsis nemesia series and several of its verbena series. Most popular Celebration calibrachoa is Karneval, a 4 centimeter, three cutting plug consisting of the varieties Red, Blue and Sun. Karneval accounts for 80 percent of the series production.

Troy Lucht of Plant Source International, celebrated his company’s 10th year of propagating unrooted cuttings by exhibiting at a new site. PSI landed at Speedling after having exhibited at several different locations during past trials.

PSI was joined by first time exhibitor Contech International, which shared display space with Canadian neighbor Northern Innovators at Speedling. Contech specializes in the design and production of greenhouse shipping carts. In the past six years, the company has delivered nearly a quarter of a million carts.

Kathy Enders, sales and service representative, and Mike Similian, acting president and CEO at Speedling, were on hand to greet visitors at the fourth pack trials display held at the company’s San Juan Bautista facility. Enders discussed some of the recent changes that have occurred within the company. The company is focusing on basic crops and is reducing its product offerings by 10-20 percent. Enders said the company will reduce the number of ornamental plants including older varieties and crops that had smaller runs. Speedling will be working with University of Georgia horticulture professor Allan Armitage to redefine its product mix by identifying those plants that are best sellers.

All things “natural”

A number of companies showed products related to some aspect of sustainability and being earth-friendly. A variety of biodegradable or “natural” plant tags and containers were displayed. Most of the containers could either be planted directly into the garden with the plant or disposed of in a landfill where they would biodegrade.

Horticultural Identification Products had a display of its label and tags at American Takii. Of most interest is its BioTag and Repel tag. The BioTag is made of a totally biodegradable polymer that relies on bio-based products including corn and soybeans. Its water-resistant, environmentally responsible “Repel” paper tag is composed of 30 percent post-consumer waste. The durable tag with its matte finish resists curling and looks much different and has a softer “feel” than standard slick plastic tags.

With the increasing interest by both growers and retailers in environmentally-friendly and sustainable products, Goldsmith Seeds assembled a group of companies that displayed some alternative propagation and container products, including the Straw Pot from Ivy Acres, Ecotainers and Ecopacks from T&R Co., Ellepots from Ellegaard, the Oasis fertiss propagation plug system and Fertilpots and DOT Pots from Fertil.

MasterTag showed its line of sustainable labels at Speedling. Its recycled/recyclable stake labels contain 30 percent recyclable material (No. 6 styrene plastic). The plastic used in the labels is 100 percent consumer recyclable in many community recycling programs.

MasterTag’s biodegradable labels, display signs, handles and bench strips will break down over a period of nine months to five years when buried in the ground. The rate of degradation depends on the soil type, moisture level and type of microorganisms present.

John Henry, which exhibited at both Goldsmith and Greenheart Farms, showed one display dedicated entirely to earth friendly materials that can be used for various POP products including tags, signs, posters, shelf strips, packaging and containers. It offers five different materials that are either recyclable or biodegradable. Its “little green book” is a great resource for environmental terms related to product and packaging labeling and materials and more.

ITML, which exhibited at Greenheart Farms, displayed its line of Fiber Grow biodegradable coir products. These include various size pots and grow strips that decompose within one growing season, basket liners and compressed coir bricks and pellets.

Ball Horticultural Co. set up a number of kiosks at its PanAmerican facility to provide visitors with ways to be more environmentally friendly. It promoted its Circle of Life rice hull containers, how to eliminate containers for landscapers and consumers by planting in Ellepot degradable sleeves, how to reduce growth regulator applications by planting Ball Controlled Growth seed, and becoming VeriFlora certified to show commitment to sustainability.

Grower customized programs

Knox Nursery in Wintergarden, Fla., was a first time exhibitor at GroLink showing a variety of its products including prefilled Ellepots, compressed Ellepots and a cardboard shipping box for plug trays. The shipping boxes can be stacked two high on a pallet and hold 30 to 62 trays.

Knox was also promoting its Grower’s Own greenhouse management system, which it has started to incorporate into all aspects of its operation. The proprietary system uses radio frequency technology with every plug tray and liner label. The labels come with a barcode along with a microchip and an antenna. Each chip contains a complete history of the plug tray. When fully operational, the system will feature: ability to book orders directly from online inventory; acceptance of electronic orders from brokers and immediate production scheduling; advance shipment notification by e-mail to brokers offices, broker reps and customers; immediate availability of FedEx shipping tracking numbers and electronic invoicing at time of shipment.

Understanding the customer

The theme of this year’s Sakata pack trial was understanding the needs of the grower, retailer and landscaper. Sakata sought to simplify its trials to address the issues that are of most concern to these industry segments. For the grower this included sowing, transplanting, energy savings, bench run efficiency, no or less need for height control, and multiple use crops.

For the retailer, Sakata showed examples of both cool and warm season “must have” color crops along with crops to be used to extend the season and dual duty crops. Displays of easy care and mixed containers and core hanging baskets crops gave retailers ideas about what could be offered to consumers looking for grab-and-go, impulse items.

Finally for landscapers, crops were broken out into core crops that are best suited for planting during cool and warm seasons.

Vegetative comparisons, Organiks--round 2

This is the second year that Plug Connection showed both vegetative (calibrachoa and angelonia) and seed varieties. Trial coordinator Carol Channel said this year’s early trial dates (two weeks earlier than 2007) were a little more challenging and required the lighting of some crops including rudbeckia, pentas, calibrachoa and angelonia to bring them into flower.

Plug Connection in Vista, Calif., is still looking to expand its facilities with another nearby location, but permits and other bureaucratic issues have slowed the process. Because of space restrictions, like last year, only breeding companies were allowed to submit five new varieties down from 10 entries two years ago.

Plug Connection’s Organiks program of organically produced herb, vegetable and fruit plants was introduced at last year’s pack trials. The company has done some revisions to the program’s plant collections and added a salad bowl collection. The tomato collection is selling especially well and the company did a big tomato event with Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar, Calif. Whole Foods Market is also participating in the program. Plug Connection has designed a marketing kiosk that it is providing to retailers.

Plug Connection is now licensing Organiks to U.S. growers. The licensing is part of a management agreement with Cultivaris North America to license the program in North America, Europe and Australia. Plug Connection is looking to establish a network of regional growers that it would assist in achieving organic certification. Plug Connection is the first U.S. ornamental plug producer to attain organic certification. The company along with Cultivaris will provide marketing, training and sales coordination with national retailers and independent garden centers.

New digs

After last year’s tornado in Gilroy, Calif., took out the display tent at Headstart Nursery, exhibiting partners Danziger and Oro Farms decided to invest in a more permanent structure. The three companies erected a new Stuppy greenhouse that will be used by Headstart for production for nine months and the other three months it will be used for producing and displaying plants for pack trials.

Danziger’s new Supernesia nemesia series received a lot of interest from visitors. This sterile, interspecific cross is available in Bright Pink, Pink, Red and White Gold. A yellow is also available. All of the plants produce very large, bright-colored flowers. Bright Pink and Pink were taller and had a more upright habit.

Other new series from Danziger included its semi-trailing Ray petunia series that began with Sun Ray, which produces bright yellow flowers, and expands with five additional varieties (White, Candy Pink, Purple Vein, Purple and Red).

Danziger’s Doupetini petunia series consists of four pink shades (Jolly Pink, Pink Delight, Dark Pink and Pink Improved). Plants have either a trailing or semi-trailing habit and produce small, double flowers.

The Portulaca oleracea Pazazz series from Danziger contains five cultivars (Pink Glow, Rose Glow, Salmon Glow Ultra Pink and Vivid Yellow). All the plants have an early bloom time and produce single flowers. Salmon Glow and Vivid Yellow have a more mounded habit. The other three have a semi-upright habit.

Sales manager Pamela Youngsman and other members of the Skagit Gardens staff hosted an “unofficial” trials stop at the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden. Youngsman said a number of her company’s customers visit other trial sites during the week and this was an opportunity to show them a sample of Skagit’s products. Most of the new products offered by Skagit are perennials. Youngsman said about 25 percent of the company’s annual sales are new and improved varieties. Two of the plants that Youngsman said were receiving a lot of interest were the Commotion series Gaillardia Frenzy and Tizzy. Both have fluted petals. Frenzy has dark red petals with yellow tips. Tizzy, a co-winner at the 2008 NMPRO Plant Pavilion, has russet red to rosy terra cotta petals outlined in yellow. Another plant getting attention is Alternanthera ‘Mai Tai’, which has great foliage colors--hot pink, burgundy, chartreuse and green. Under high light, this upright plant shows more pink and green colors.

As seen in the “catazine”

Ecke Ranch/Oglevee offered pack trial visitors a unique catazine that was part catalog, part magazine. It even included “ads” highlighting the independent licensed growers who propagate the vegetative cuttings of both Ecke and Oglevee products. One half of the publication contained photos and descriptions of Ecke’s annuals along with articles written by staff members related to production information, combination containers, heat tolerance and landscaping.

Flipping the catazine over, the other half of the publication was dedicated to Oglevee products including photos and descriptions and staff articles discussing zonal and regal geraniums, production specifics, service offerings and product information.

Cutting alternatives

Growers looking to reduce in-house propagation costs and/or shipping expenses might want to consider trying the new Mini-Rooter from Selecta First Class. Rooted cuttings come in 200-cell trays. The Mini-Rooter is especially good for growers doing small container size production. The small size liner allows for shipping double the number of plants per box. Selecta offers 11 different plant species in the Mini-Rooter line. It will be of particular interest to growers who produce a lot of mixed containers and baskets. This program has been done in Europe for two years.

Selecta’s Trixi-Liner let’s growers mix and match either three different varieties or three different plant species together in one liner. The rooted liners come in a standard 72-cell tray. Selecta is offering 10 different recipes and growers can mix their own by combining different Trixi-Liners together. Another cost savings benefit of the Trixi-Liner is growers will only pay one royalty per liner, not per cutting.

Starting at this summer’s trade shows Selecta will be heavily promoting its MiniFamous calibrachoa series, which includes a traditional line, a compact early flowering line and double flowering varieties. The new ‘MiniFamous Double Yellow’, which has a compact mounding habit and produces soft yellow double flowers, garnered a lot of interest at pack trials and was chosen as most favorite new variety by visitors.

Marketing Mojo

While new varieties are still the major draw for visitors to the California pack trials, an increasing number of attendees are as interested in seeing some of the marketing displays and ideas that an increasing number of companies are providing. This year two major areas of focus were plants sold as gift items and the sustainable or environmentally responsible side of horticulture. There was also a touch of the whimsical as well as the provocative. Several participating companies indicated they are seeing an increasing number of retailers, both big box and independents, stopping and visiting their displays.

Fides’ point-of-sale posters drew the most comments. As I traveled up the coast many people inquired if I had been to Fides yet. The reason for the question was the posters the company used to promote its various series. Each poster incorporated the specific flower that was on display. I’m not sure if the posters would help to sell more flowers, but they would certainly get people to stop and look at them--and isn’t that half the battle.

While some of the Fides’ posters may have been risqué, the gift-giving ideas it displayed were not. They showed visitors how to take price out of the equation by making the plants a gift item just like other products (wine, candy, gift cards, etc.) that compete with flowers.

John Henry provided some seasonal promotion ideas with its Summer Celebration point-of-sales display that could be used for Memorial Day and the 4th of July. Its Fall in Love display will get people thinking about flowers even after summer is over.

Another unique winter holiday gift item was a living Christmas tree ornament. John Henry showed how miniature cyclamen could be given as a gift or used as a tree decoration.

If you want to get kids interested in gardening consider using some of the characters from Disney. MasterTag currently holds the U.S. license to produce Disney-based character programs, including Pixar, for potted plants. MasterTag’s Learn and Grow with Pooh and Friends program is being trialed this spring in HyVee, Meijer and Wakefern stores. The Pooh program is a collectible series that consists of six characters with a pot cover with removable bookmark. The colors of the annual flowers are matched with each character’s POP material. Other programs in the works include the Pixar character Wall-E the robot (http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/wall-e/), Pooh/vegetables, Fairies/perennials, Princess/annuals and Christmas trim-a-tree. There is interest in creating a year-round program.

As the price of food goes up, more consumers are showing an interest in growing their own fruits and vegetables. MasterTag, working with Jennifer Kurtz at Kurtz Farms in Cheshire, Conn., is offering Urban Gardener patio containers, which include a durable terra cotta container, a supporting metal cage or trellis, a patented plastic securing clip and custom designed label. The containers can be used for flowering vines too. The containers are particularly well-suited for consumers who don’t have a lot of space available, such as apartment and condominium dwellers. Program expansion will include more container and trellis colors, shapes and sizes. MasterTag sells the entire unit.

The Urban Gardener program, which has been promoted in Home Depot stores along the East Coast, will be expanded to more stores this year.

Naturbiente (back to nature) from GGG International is a collection of 10 different mixes available in six packs. Each pack contains six different plants that have similar cultural requirements. The mixes include four for sunny locations, two herb mixes (Italian and French), one for fall which is mostly perennials, one for shade, one for spring for early flowering and one for succulents (Seco).

Proven Winners continues to work with gardening expert P. Allen Smith, who has chosen his Hot 25 Proven Winners plants for 2009, which includes some of new varieties shown at this year’s pack trials. Smith has selected the plants based on their visual impact, color, performance and low maintenance. Proven Winners has also launched an online consumer magazine called Proven Beauty. For retailers, PW is offering a Container Idea Flip Chart with 88 container recipes. The recipes are arranged by color with tabs. There are plant listings for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds, as well as a list of more deer-resistant varieties. There is also Web site information for pet owners to find out what plants might be harmful to their pets.

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- David Kuack

July 2008