Color Blitz

Ecke Ranch promoted its Design Center.Color is the name of the game when you visit the California Spring Trials and this year’s displays didn’t disappoint. Here are some of the highlights from this year’s event. For more information on specific new varieties introduced at the trials along with releases from other breeders worldwide, check out the new annuals article on Page 12.

Unique colors
The new plants that garnered much of the discussion during the trials were the trio of dark-flowered petunias from Ball FloraPlant. The one variety that generated the most discussion was Black Velvet, a solid black flowering petunia. It requires no special culture and the plants are adaptable to cold finishing.
 
Used en masse in a display, some might find the solid black color initially overwhelming. This variety will probably have its greatest use as an accent plant in mixed combinations and landscape beds similar to previously released dark colored flowers.   Ball also introduced two other dark colored petunias. Phantom produces flowers with a yellow star pattern that is set off by a black base color. Pinstripe has dark purple flowers with a creamy white pattern.
 
Westflowers unique yellow flowering Suntastic scaevola should be a winner, especially in mixed combinations. Plants produce a mass of light yellow flowers. It is early to flower and cuttings root in 14-18 days.
 
Proven Winners’ Absolutely Amethyst iberis is an interspecific cross with a unique flower color. The blooms open with dark amethyst colored petals that lighten as the flowers mature.

PlantHaven rolled out the red carpet for its introductions.Rolling out the red carpet
PlantHaven literally rolled out the red carpet for its new introductions. 
 
Instead of Oscars, PlantHaven handed out its Golden Trowel Awards. Plants on display represented 29 breeders. Hort Couture set up its retail garden shop with its first display at the California trials. Owner Jim Monroe was particularly excited about Hort Couture’s plants being featured on 10-20 Media’s Garden Pilot App. A pay app is also available from Garden Pilot with over 14,000 plants, including annuals, perennial, vegetables, trees, shrubs and roses.

Big flowers
Dummen relocated its trials to Edna Valley Vineyards in San Luis Obispo. Its biggest introduction, literally, was the Magnum New Guinea impatiens series. The genetically compact plants, which require no growth regulators, produce huge flowers. 
 

Pot perfect
Fides added six new varieties to its Hypnotica dahlia series, including three bicolors. These plants are a true pot dahlia with a vigorous, strong branching habit making them better suited for larger container sizes. The varieties are very uniform within the series and finish in 10 weeks allowing for a pot run. Plants produce large double flowers and are continuous blooming.
 
Fides is developing a line of calibrachoa from its own breeding. The series begins with six colors. Plants have a tight mounding habit requiring few growth regulators. The daylength neutral plants are early to flower and tolerate a higher growing medium pH. The company is also working on several different color combinations.
 
Choc Red and Choc Pink are the newest additions to Selecta’s Bonfire begonia series. Plants have an upright to mounding habit making them suitable for use in containers and the landscape. The dark bronze foliage is a great contrast for the flowers. Both varieties are part of Selecta’s Sun-Lovers program.
 

Bulbs galore
Joining Fides for its first spring trial exhibit was bulb supplier Flamingo Holland. Part of the Holland-based Van Den Bos Group, which began operating in 1942, the company opened a U.S. facility in California in 1984. On display were oriental and Asiatic potted lilies and calla varieties from Dutch breeders Sande and Kapiteyn.
 
Although best known for its calla lilies, Golden State Bulb Growers showed off a new Eucomis sp. hybrid called Aloha Lily ‘Leia.’ Hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 7-10, it can be used as a potted plant, a border landscape plant and even as long lasting cut flower. Its exotic looking lavender flowers have a tropical scent and plants will rebloom.
 
Golden State also expanded its trial marketing display offering several ideas on how callas can be used for a variety of seasonal and holiday sales.

Hot on perennials
While Danziger introduced a number of introductions and improvements to existing annual series, it was the company’s new line of perennials that got much of the attention. The Kira heuchera series, which was shown as experimental at last year’s trials, starts off with seven varieties. Hardy to Zone 5, the plants come in a wide range of foliage colors. The plants, which have a mounded habit and flower early, are very tolerant of heat and drought.
 
Skagit Gardens displayed its Gold Collection of helleborus which consists of long blooming varieties (as early as November through April). Most varieties flower the first year. Skagit has also launched an online digital magazine featuring the Gold Collection. 
 
Florist De Kwakel’s Garvinea series of tissue culture produced perennial gerbera were shown by Northern Innovators. Available in 14 varieties, these winter hardy plants can be grown cool (50°F-57°F) and flower from early spring until late fall. 
 

Guaranteed sales
Syngenta Flowers is expanding its Caliope geranium “Blooms All Summer Guaranteed” program nationwide, excluding Florida. Trialed last year in Texas, growers experienced a sell-through of 97 percent for baskets sold under the guaranteed program compared to 85 percent sell-through for non-guaranteed plants. The program has also been expanded to include Caliente geraniums. There is a marketing fee that is collected with the purchase of custom tags sold separately through John Henry Co.

Easy liners
Oro Farms introduced its Liners Made EASY program, which aims to simplify liner ordering and ordering fulfillment. Working with Van Wingerden International and Head Start Nurseries, Oro Farms is offering a full line of products that will be grown in 102/100 count plug trays. Sales are made through the current broker network and Oro Farms will handle the order management system with orders confirmed immediately from live inventory. Part of the new liner program is the Sunpatiens impatiens for full sun or shade bred by Sakata. 
 

A taste sensation
With the increasing interest in home gardening ABZ Seeds first appearance at the trials was well timed. This Dutch breeder produces F1 hybrid strawberry seed varieties for different markets. Some varieties, for which flavor is the primary criteria, are aimed at bedding plant growers for sales to consumers. Other varieties with higher productivity and bigger, firmer fruit are bred for local fresh market growers.
 
Four Star Greenhouse, a Proven Winners partner, announced its Proven Selections Tasty Treats herb and vegetable program. The company has tested and trialed hundreds of varieties and selected the best based on taste and performance. This year Four Star will be doing a finished plant program that it will be offering to retailers. In 2011 the company will open the program up to growers. The program will include point of sale materials including tags, signage and bench tape.
 
While Floranova continues to expand its core group of plants, it’s its Vegetalis division of home gardening vegetables that continues to draw the greatest interest. This year the company introduced several new tomato varieties along with two improvements, a new Floral Spires basil series (Lavender and White), Pinstripe eggplant and Pompeii sweet pepper.
 

On the move
Green Fuse Botanicals, which last year acquired the vegetative series from Bodger Botanicals, joined GroLink at its Oxnard location. Green Fuse has introduced its new Actor angelonia series, which is similar to the Carita series, with plants that have an open habit that is well suited for baskets, containers and combinations. Plant spread is 18-24 inches. The series starts off with three colors: Pink, Purple and White.
 
GroLink is offering over 100 varieties of Belgian garden mums. There are numerous additions for 2010 and 2011 in a variety of colors, flower types and response times.
 
New for 2011 is Mika Orange. This garden mum, which hasn’t shown heat delay even in Florida, is a very early season crop. It is a very flexible, ball-shaped plant whose habit is well suited for 6- and 8-inch pots. The semi-decorative flowers have a two-tone orange color.
 
Also exhibiting at GroLink was Knox Nursery, a young plant producer in Winter Haven, Fla. The company was showing off its Knox Box, which packs the Florida sun into every plant. The higher light levels and warmer temperatures in Florida help accelerate plant development, including better root development, increased branching and earlier flowering of its plugs and liners.
 

Downsizing is a good thing
Suntory Flowers moved south to Vista to set up its display at Plug Connection. 
 
The Bouquet series from Suntory includes the series (Surfinia petunias, Million Bells calibrachoa, Summer Splash nierembergia, Summer Wave torenia and Desana ipomoea) that have a dense, compact habit. Plants, which have a bouquet-like appearance that is maintained throughout the season, produce an abundance of flowers.
 
Plug Connection did a comparison of vegetative verbena varieties, featuring over 70 varieties from nine breeders and suppliers. Plants were grown in 4½-inch and 1-gallon containers and 10-inch hanging baskets. New introductions from Plug Connection include the compact (no PGRs required) Kickin asters series from Kientzler breeding, the compact Buzz buddleia series suitable for small pots and its Tessera succulents collection.
 

Windows to the future
The theme of this year’s trials at the Ecke Ranch was “Windows to the Future Look Better by Design.” The company promoted its Encinitas-based Design Center where employees help to create programs that maximize the value of its crops. This same team also keeps the company’s breeding efforts focused on fulfilling the needs of future markets and changing consumer demands. The Ecke display included three benches that identified the consumer settings Live, Work and Play, where plants can be used. Each bench provided visitors with ideas of how plants could be presented, packaged and promoted in the retail setting. Each bench also included vision boards tracking trends in home design, fashion, pop culture and natural products. 
 

Greenheart Farms celebrated 30 years with the introduction of its Micro Miniature roses.Celebrating anniversaries
Greenheart Farms in Arroyo Grande provided visitors to its trials with a history lesson about how the company has diversified in its 30 years of operation to become one of California’s major vegetable and ornamental plug producers. 
 
This year Greenheart is introducing its Micro Miniature collection of roses aimed at bedding plant applications. The plants can be sold as annuals in 2¼-inch to 1-quart containers. They also have the versatility of being marketed as perennials. The varieties in the collection have a compact habit with good disease resistance. The self-cleaning, multi-branching plants reach a maximum of 12 inches tall and wide.
 
American Takii celebrated the 175th anniversary of its parent company Takii & Co. Ltd. The company has incorporated the product lines of Sahin and Global Flowers, which it acquired in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Takii is also continuing to offer seed varieties to the consumer market under the Sahin brand name under Takii & Co. As part of its 175th anniversary the company is changing its seed package design, which will be phased in after Dec.1.
 
Joining Takii again this year was OHP senior technical manager Dave Barcel, who was showing some of the research he conducted with the plant growth regulator Augeo. This chemical pinching agent, which contains the active ingredient Dikegulac-sodium, is labeled for use on greenhouse and nursery crops. 
 
Pacific Plug & Liner is celebrating its 10th anniversary at its facility in Watsonville. Originally an in-ground cut rose facility, the greenhouses have been retrofitted with concrete aisles, benches and new glazing. The young plant producer continues to conduct comparison trials, this year ipomoea and lavender varieties were on display. PP&L also continues to host the Agrexco group of Israel-based young plants producers.


Product promotion
Vegetable plant sales continue to be strong. John Henry Co. has partnered with Allrecipes.com to offer a line of marketing materials including tags, labels, pot wraps, bench tape and signs. These materials can incorporate Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner iPhone technology that allows users to access the complete Allrecipes library, add recipes to personal Recipe Boxes and create interactive shopping lists.
 
MasterTag’s consumer research found that 62 percent of gardeners want to keep plant tags for reference, while 66 percent want to use them to identify what they’ve planted. MasterTag’s Snap Tag can allow gardeners to do both. The stake tag is two tags in one. One tag simply snaps off to be stuck in the garden to identify the plant. The other tag can be saved and used as a plant reference.
 
MasterTag has introduced an audio guide program that enables consumers  to access gardening information. Tags, which are customized for a retailer, include a toll free phone number that consumers can call for gardening information. The callers listen to a 20-30 second lead-in message before selecting from a range of topics including plant selection and home care and maintenance tips. The message runs for a four month period. Elzinga & Hoeksema Greenhouses in Portage, Mich., trialed the audio guide with Meijer stores during the spring.

Specialized substrates
Fafard unveiled its new line of commercial growing mixes containing Osmocote Start controlled-release fertilizer. The fertilizer is fully coated, miniature prills that deliver nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and micronutrients. It delivers complete and balanced feeding for up to six weeks.
 
While some people may still associate Jiffy with peat pots, the company has expanded its offerings well beyond that line of products. Its Jiffy Mix substrate products are produced under strict RHP certification guidelines issued by the Holland-based RHP Foundation. The RHP quality mark guarantees product quality throughout the entire production chain.