Cashing in with customization

Greenhouse Management: What is unique about Preforma plugs?

Mike Cade: They’re made from few ingredients. You have a certain percentage of peat, a certain percentage of coir, a wetting agent, nutrients and a very stable binder that is really probably less than 0.5 to 1% of the total ingredients, but it’s a very special item. And when it all comes together, there’s this very equal expansion that takes place. Look at the plug up close, and you can almost see small little air bubbles. There is even expansion throughout the plug. The air is equally distributed, and roots will penetrate very, very quickly.

GM: How does the quality of the plugs help growers?

MC: A major branded grower uses approximately 35 million plugs in their greenhouse. With Preforma, they can turn the plant not in 28 or 32 days, but in just 21 days. That cuts out a whole week of production and increases production by 20%. They find that they free up bench space quicker. And because they use it during the cooler, cloudier months, Preforma helps them grow with less water, more rapidly, with less virus issues. They’ve been using it for 25 years.

GM: How does Jiffy work with growers to make sure they’ll be successful with Preforma?

MC: Well, the first thing is analyzing their growing conditions to understand what type of a growing environment they have. That helps us orient them to the different types of blends that we have that will dry down faster or hold water longer. Then we help them understand if they need to make any changes to production to be successful with our product. Then we consider the crops and help growers understand how to adjust production schedules. For instance, if they are growing mums, they will be able to transplant within 10 to 13 days rather than 21 to 28 days.

GM: How can Jiffy customize Preforma for a grower?

MC: We can offer substrate options based on plant type or need. Customers can choose from different types of blends and pH options for flexibility to meet specific growing needs. Many times, I’ll walk back into places we work with and a greenhouse manager will tell me, “My boss thinks I’ve been out taking classes or something because the plants look great!”

Orchids are a good example of specialty crops we customize for. Orchids have a completely unique Preforma blend. It includes a little bit of wood fiber and different types of coco chips in it. They’re a bigger plug that’s almost sliced in half so growers can open it up and slide the orchid in.

GM: How will the new Preforma plant in Oregon help growers?

MC: Everything is made to order. We don’t stock anything. The new Oregon facility means that we can deliver quickly to west coast growers. Plugs arrive with 83% moisture content, ready to use upon arrival. So you just open them up and put them down. You don’t even have to water them.