FloraCulture International January 2023

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Secretary General, Tim Briercliffe

A new year and a new future?

There is always something special about seeing in a new year. There is a sense of optimism and hope for the future; a sense that we can do things differently and get a better result. As we start 2023, we definitely need that injection of new life because otherwise, it is all too easy to focus on the negative.

Sitting here in Europe, whether you are an optimist or pessimist, no one would deny the challenges we face as we enter the year. On the face of it, dramatically rising costs, recessionary warnings, and reduced consumer spending paint a bleak picture for the coming months. News of the closing of long-established businesses, just because they can’t manage the energy costs, is heart-breaking.

As someone that grew up in the UK horticulture industry, we were always envious of the amazing agricultural and horticulture sector in the Netherlands. It was often assumed that this was propped up by a supportive Government. So, looking from the outside, it comes as something of a surprise to see the cries of Dutch growers now going unheeded. There was intervention during the COVID crisis but not this time.

We look and see a Dutch Government making drastic policy changes that directly work against agricultural producers in the name of environmental protection. We have all tried to operate within increasing environmental legislation, and we all know why it needs to be there, but we seem to have hit the moment where Government is making the choice to place itself firmly on one side only. It looks like they are ready to see businesses close and allow the gradual decline of core parts of the horticultural industry.

It looks like we are witnessing the speeding up of fundamental change in Dutch horticulture. Consumer spending will return again but whether the existing infrastructure underneath stays intact looks unlikely.

But what is a loss for one country can become a gain for another. What is the future for intensive, high-energy glasshouse production? What role will other countries play in filling future demand? We don’t know all the answers, but we do know that change is coming. However, from my base outside of the Netherlands, I still feel confident to say that it will be Dutch entrepreneurs that we will find developing this industry from wherever it is in the world!

Through whatever happens, as publisher of FCI, we at AIPH remain committed to staying by your side through it all. We will keep bringing you the news and analysis from across the globe. We value your support, and I look forward to meeting you in person whenever we can.

AIPH

FloraCulture International (FCI) is an independent trade magazine with the largest circulation for a world publication of its kind. FCI is published for the ornamental horticulture industry by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH). It is published 11 times per year worldwide. Editorial Team: Tim Briercliffe, Mia Buma, Anisa Gress, Jaap Kras, Natalie Porter, Hannah Pinnells, Dr Audrey Timm, Ron van der Ploeg, Rachel Wakefield. Contact: info@floracultureinternational. com. Address: FloraCulture International, Horticulture House, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RN, United Kingdom. Editor: Ron van der Ploeg, ron@ floracultureinternational.com Worldwide Advertising Office: Angie Duffree, angie@floracultureinternational.com T. +31 6 403 277 35. Magazine designer: Rachel Wakefield. Cover image: Dirk Mermans in his greenhouse with potted plants and Lou, his Rhodesian Ridgeback by Ron Van Der Ploeg. AIPH ©2023 FloraCulture International magazine. All rights reserved. Publisher is not liable for the content of the

Twenty Italian tree and plant growers embark on a trade mission to Bulgaria

The Italian Trade Agency ITA (ICE), in collaboration with Italy’s National Association of Nursery Stock Exporters (ANVE), the Italian ambassador to Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Association of Ornamental Plant Growers (BAOPN) and the European Nurserystock Association (ENA), hosted a horticultural trade mission to Bulgaria on 30 November 2022. On this trade mission, Italian nursery stock growers met in Sofia’s Intercontinental Hotel with potential buyers from Bulgaria, including importers, landscapers, local authorities, garden designers, contractors, garden centres, and general contractors.

On this trade mission, twenty nursery stock growers from across Italy, including Azienda Agricola Cinelli Luca, Cantatore Vivai, Buongiovanni Vivai Piante, Caporalplant, Compagnia del Lago, Coplant di Dellabora Caterina e C. Soc. Semplice agr., Sgaravatti Group/ Green Land srl., Ideaverde, La Felche di Ivo Egizii Soc. Agr. Sem., Margheriti Piante, Apulia Plants, Sicilia Verde, Giorgio Tesi, Terrantica srl.,

Vivai Acciari, Vivai Capitanio Stefano sas, Vivai Imperatore, Vivai Piante Romiti Giampaolo, Vivai Piante Verde Molisse, and Vivai Aumenta, made introductions that hopefully will result in commercially viable implementations of Italian grown trees and plants in the Bulgarian landscape. In their welcome addresses, Italy’s Ambassador to Bulgaria, Her Excellency Ms Giuseppina Zarra, and

Nic den Heijer and One Flora Group agree to strengthen ties in floral wholesale

The new partnership will allow both companies to increase their product portfolio and optimise their logistic costs.

One Flora Group, distributor and importer of fresh cut flowers and plants, and Nic den Heijer, bouquet maker and distributor of cut flowers and potted plants to wholesalers, retailers, and garden centres, have agreed to strengthen their ties to develop and market a vast range of bouquets.

Through the agreement, effective 1 November 2022, One Flora Group and Nic den Heijer have created an excellent collaboration, combined expertise, and a more efficient organisation.

It also allows companies to expand their horizons with geographic diversification.

The new partnership will give customers additional purchasing options, an increased level of service and a far wider diversity of offerings.

One Flora Group emerged in June 2022, when Groenland Holding, consisting of Celieplant, Bouquetnet, Bloominess and Greenpacker, and L&M Group announced their merger.

One Flora Group combines the experience, expertise

Mr Borislav Vladimirov, chairman of Sofia’s Guild of Architects, thanked the organisers for bringing so many stakeholders from within the Italian and Bulgarian nursery stock sectors together.

ANVE president and Quercus and Cupressus grower Luigi Pagliani from Perugia and

BAOPN president, Tatyana Boyadzhieva, provided an economic outlook of ornamental horticulture in Italy and Bulgaria.

Marco Orlandelli, chairman of the trade show MyPlant & Garden, was at hand to invite Bulgarian operators to Milan between 22-24 February 2023.

sourcing through L&M Group and tap into Groenland’s massive global network.

One Flora Group sells flowers and plants to retailers, wholesalers, and consumers worldwide, generating an annual turnover of more than €400 million.

and supply networks of cut flower and houseplant specialists Bloominess, Bouquetnet, Celieplant, Direct Flower Solutions, Spira, VE Bloemengroothandel, Waxed Roses Sensation, FlowerFactory, Greenpackers Bloominess, Greenpackers Bouquetnet, L&M Transport, L&M Rijnsburg, Lilies Direct, Zami, and Growing Together. The new partnership between One Flora Group and Nic den Heijer allows the companies to optimise

This sales figure places the company among the Netherlands’s top 10 largest floral wholesalers.

The management’s ambition is to achieve sustainable and transparent business growth. Established in 1948, Nic den Heijer Bloemenexport is quintessentially a family business and distributor of cut flowers, potted plants and bouquets for wholesalers, garden centres and the highest retail segment.

www.onefloragroup.com

NETHERLANDS

The Dutch city of Alkmaar is crowned Europe’s greenest city

After Beringen in Belgium in 2020 and Nantes in France in 2021, Alkmaar in the Netherlands has won the 2022 Green Cities Europe Award recognising its inspiring "Greening & Biodiversity" programme. The Green Cities Europe Awards took place at Les Victoires du Paysage in Paris, France’s national landscape awards.

Surrounded by polders and crossed by canals, Alkmaar is a charming Dutch city famous for its cheese market. It is also a dynamic city which chose a local pragmatic approach to address environmental challenges. Knowing that plant solutions are effective in fighting urban warming, flooding risks and biodiversity loss, Alkmaar is developing its "Greening & Biodiversity" programme. In just a few months, various neglected sealed spaces were transformed into local green oases. Alkmaar’s objective is to create 50,000 m� green spaces in seven years. Stadswerk072, the organisation responsible for the management and maintenance of Alkmaar, has grabbed an opportunity with both hands. The first step was to identify all sealed spaces that could benefit from a quick transformation: small squares, banks, car parks and roundabouts. These watertight and lifeless areas are then de-sealed to restore soil permeability. It important is also that all projects actively involve residents in the planning. Finally, the plant selection needs to focus on biodiversity, with many trees, berry-bearing shrubs, wildflowers, flowering bulbs, and perennials.

In two years, 50 per cent of the objective has already been achieved with several mini-parks, urban flower meadows, newly planted banks, and biodiversity-friendly roundabouts. These targeted and easy-toimplement interventions have impacted the city and its inhabitants, improving the quality of life and local biodiversity and restoring the natural water cycle.

Alkmaar's "Greening & Biodiversity" project thrilled the European jury because it shows how plant-based solutions can easily provide local mitigation to our current environmental challenges. This "Quick Win" approach transforms the city from grey to green, based on four pillars of local action: de-sealing, involving residents, planting, and welcoming biodiversity. Any European city can follow Alkmaar's approach to a green living environment without excuses, restrictive rules, or delays.

Poland ended 2nd with Czyżyny Park in Krakow, and Sweden 3rd with Växtrum in Lerum.

https://award.thegreencities.eu/award-2022/the-netherlands/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99kjZUL-ZrE&t=68s

ROCKET SCIENCE

Industry veteran, and former FCI publisher, Jaap Kras provides background to the Green City initiative that started in space.

“In the 1970s, the American Apollo programme sought to answer the question: how do we make oxygen where there is no oxygen in space? Plants seemed to be the answer. Plants produce oxygen, clear the air, and consume carbon dioxide (CO �).

Based on these NASA studies on plants in the early eighties, the Dutch Flower Council, conducted by Niek van Rest, was inspired to use these basic ideas for a campaign to improve the indoor environment by placing plants in the rooms. The idea was to sell more plants in houses and offices to benefit those living and working in these rooms. It appeared that the performance of the people working in a green environment with plants improved: fewer headaches, better concentration, and more pleasant working hours. Growers like Peter Olsthoorn of Pothos Plants, and later many others, picked up these results and started to sell plants under the slogan ‘Air so pure’.

Further scientific studies were performed using flowers and plants and extended to using trees and shrubs. The Dutch Flower Council cooperated with the propaganda council of the plant- and tree growers to introduce space between PPH (Plant Publicity Holland) conducted by Jan Habets – often cited as the father of the Green City movement. In the early 1990s, scientific studies showed the importance of plants and parks in cities. When enough parks and green areas are available for the citizens, criminality decreases, sports activities increase, the climate improves, less dust and more oxygen, and the temperature goes down in hot summers, with parks reporting less heat than in the rest of the city.

Also, citizens like to look at a green environment and are stimulated to go outside, so people are happier. In addition, the property prices for properties located around parks are higher. But parks and green areas have advantages for every citizen in every city. Along with cities’ greening, plans must be made to reforest. Trees must be planted. And to produce these trees and shrubs, we need growers. In many countries, growers are organised in producer associations. Supporting the industry, the AIPH globally represents 40 producer associations and 36 enterprises associated with ornamental horticulture. They lead global thinking on the successful integration of nature into the built environment through its Green City initiative, which promotes the essential role of plants in creating vibrant urban areas where people and businesses can thrive.

The importance of green in cities and reforestation is increasingly becoming recognised and accepted. One of AIPH’s affiliate members, Wageningen University & Research, is currently studying tree varieties that perform the best in urban environments.

Considering climate change and the necessity to do something against the pollution and heating of the earth, greening the cities and reforestation action now cannot be underestimated.”

Facts and figures on Turkish ornamental plant exporters

Ornamental Plants and Products Exporters Association represents the interests of all Turkish ornamental plant exporters. It was established in 1999 and now has more than 500 members, which handle 100 per cent of Turkish ornamental plant exports. The organisation aims to achieve a sustainable and competitive export industry and increase exports of ornamental plants from Türkiye.

Türkiye is a country that is optimally situated for ornamental plant production. It has many advantages for a prospering horticultural sector, like having a favourable climate, geographical proximity to the main markets and production in modern greenhouses.

Türkiye is also an important logistical base, offering convenient transportation with more than 200 direct flights to various destinations worldwide. Road transport is also commonly used in export to reach main destinations in Europe like the Netherlands, UK and Germany. Türkiye is one of Europe’s

main suppliers of plants and cut flowers. The ornamental plant production area in Türkiye is around 5,529 ha. in 2021. Around 55% of this area is nursery stock, including outdoor and indoor plants. The rest comprises 35% of cut flowers and ten per cent of young plants, seeds, and flower bulbs.

The ornamental plant sector has a production value of USD 1 million. Major production cities in Türkiye are Ìzmir, Sakarya, Antalya, Bursa, and Yalova.

Turkish ornamental plant exports have grown steadily over the past 20 years and reached 147 million USD in 2021. Live plants, including outdoor and indoor plants, account for 49% of exports, whereas cut flowers account for 40%. The highland area’s production allows flowers to be exported year-round to the markets.

Turkish ornamental plants are exported to nearly 79 countries worldwide, including the Netherlands, Uzbekistan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Azerbaijan, the most important export markets.

Ornamental Plants Exporters Association

Ceyhun Atıf Kahsu Caddesi No:163 Balgat Ankara TÜRKIYE Tel: 0090 242 311 83 14 Web: www.turkishflowers.org www.turkishornamentalplants.org

Leonardo Capitanio is the newly appointed President of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH). At 33, he is the youngest AIPH President to take on this role to continue the work as a thought leader that inspires and educates, stimulates increased demand for ornamentals worldwide, and protects and promotes the interest in global ornamental horticulture.

No one can doubt Capitanio's commitment. He recently stepped down from his role as President of the Italian Nursery Stock Exporters Association (ANVE) before taking on the part of President of AIPH.

He tells us he is happiest working with his family alongside the trees and plants in his nursery, Vivai Capitanio.

Capitanio was born in Monopoli in the southern heel of Italy, where most people are employed in agriculture, wholesale and retail trade or become fishermen.

It’s one of the region’s agricultural heartlands, wellsuited to the production of seeds, olives, olive oil, fruits,

vegetables, and to a lesser extent, ornamentals which are more considered a niche crop.

Generations of farmers in his family have worked the land where Capitanio now resides, with century-old olive groves surrounding his family home. Growing up here, he has fond memories of playing with the children next door while their parents worked with his father.

He also remembers earning pocket money as a child by emptying the pots with dead seedlings and by selling seed-raised Acacia pudica. The young Capitanio recalls being fascinated by the leaves of these ‘sensitive plants’ that move when touched.

AUTHOR: RON VAN DER PLOEG PHOTOS: RON VAN DER PLOEG & VIVAI CAPITANIO

AIPH President Leonardo Capitanio

FloraCulture International: “What does agriculture mean for you?”

Leonardo Capitanio: “I was born the son of a farmer, so I have deep roots in agriculture. I am keenly interested in its history and origins, its evolution, and what the agricultural future holds. I like the social fabric of rural communities with traditional farming based on frugality, family values, generation-old knowledge, culture, and labour-intensive work. And how traditional farming relates to urban farming, which has completely different dynamics.

My father Stefano Capitanio began with 14 cows. He inherited them from my grandad. He was a visionary. He quickly understood that dairy farming had little future under the newly introduced milk quota in the 1980s. He sold off the cattle and tried his luck in growing mushrooms, beekeeping and snail farming. He finally found his calling in nursery stock. That’s how he started his journey through relentless curiosity, an urge to innovate and an ambition to bring something different to the marketplace.”

In May 2008, your father sadly died from a heart attack while potting plants in the nursery, aged 47. What is the number one life lesson you learnt from him?

“Respect for others and being able to work with others are essential. Today’s scholars study the human factor in entrepreneurship from books, courses, teambuilding, and networking events. However, my dad was naturally an entrepreneur, always busy building an effective network, the legacy of which allows me to progress professionally today. My father was my teacher. He taught me to always listen to others carefully, the employees in particular. My brother Simone and I are lucky to be surrounded by a loyal team passionate about what the company does.

Taking on the responsibility of my father’s business, I quickly found that some people are quick to judge, criticise and attack. Envy is human, inevitable and comes easy. It has taught me that not everything in life

is beautiful and that the world is made up of good and bad people.

Upon my appointment as the new president of AIPH, I thanked my ‘enemies’ because they allowed me to test my limits, break through the challenges and improve. I find an enemy motivates you to maximise your skills.

“Returning to the initial question, setting boundaries between personal life and work is also important as my dad taught me not to forget to enjoy life.”

Family businesses form the backbone of ornamental horticulture. What is your best advice on working with relatives?

“When I talk about family members, I mean also my colleagues because I see them all as my brothers and sisters. To run a successful family business, it is vital to set clear roles and align these with a person’s skills and personal wishes. My mother, Giovanna, for example, is the anchor and backbone of the company, but in the beginning, she made it clear she did not want to be involved in the daily running of the business. My brother Simone is the company’s production manager and is good at focusing on the technical aspects of growing plants. Then there’s my little sister Delia; at 18, she is still studying.

I believe the success of a family business boils down to respect, patience, and connection. At Capitanio, we are united in our passion for the plants we grow.”

How are the government’s sustainability policies impacting our industry? Are there concerns about future planning and growth?

“I am not a fan of complaining. At the same time, I am aware that family businesses are the backbone of our industry, and this brings certain limits. In good years, revenues may be somewhat lower than in the corporate world because over-regulation is hampering business growth. But family businesses tend to carry lower debt and have a greater financial stability. Metaphorically speaking, losing one euro can be a struggle for a

Vivai Capitanio grows a wide range of Mediterranean plants, such as Bougainvillea.

Many generations of farmers in his family have worked the land where Capitanio now resides.

corporate firm where directors must craft a strategy to keep the firm going and retain and pay staff. In family businesses, through tough times, the family members stick together and are more willing to contribute to keeping the business afloat by also working Saturdays and Sundays, for example. Fortunately, our sector is formed by many family businesses, and we are lucky to have some big players among us who drive innovation and create long-term perspectives. Regarding an ever-increasing distance between government and business, I am not that preoccupied. These are obstacles to overcome. One of the roles of industry associations is to bring government and industry closer while never forgetting that the bottom line is to improve the members’ competitive position. But it may well be that we talk too much about sustainability and ecology. Please understand me: I am convinced that each of us must do our utmost to reduce our ecological footprint. As an industry, there’s certainly room for improvement, but we must not forget that, in most cases, we are not the cause but the remedy. We grow the magnets for pollinators, and our trees and plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Moreover, in talks with the government, it is vital to stress that you cannot instantly grow three billion plants and trees. Realistically, our work requires careful, often year-long planning. Governments need to understand better that building a green infrastructure requires expertise, time, planning and crop times. Unfortunately, many family businesses are disappearing because there’s no succession plan. The younger generations do not believe this sector has a future. I am young, so I can say that if my generation does not believe in this sector, it’s probably caused by adults who complain too much. If you lament each day, you can be

sure that your children will not follow in your footsteps. As a sector, we must enforce ourselves to stress the beautiful things in both externally managed and family companies.”

What are the biggest challenges our industry is facing right now?

“I would say rising energy costs and plant health. The cost of energy will affect our daily habits. Perhaps, we need to recalibrate and move towards more climateproof, less energy-intensive crops. By growing flowers and plants suited to the geographical location we are in. For example, our nursery in Southern Italy, grows heatloving, drought-resistant plants. Friends and industry from across Italy frequently complain that they experience the driest summer ever and that rivers and canals are drying up. I always respond that from our nursery, the first river or lake is as far away as 250km and that we are used to running our operation without a river. Not because we are better, but because we grow what nature allows us to grow. It is evident that hightech greenhouses allow us to produce anything, but perhaps it is worth considering the roadmap ahead. Is growing cut flowers or tropical plants in a greenhouse a good choice? Maybe yes, but maybe grow seasonal crops or introduce crop rotation. I do not mean that growing Phalaenopsis in Dutch greenhouses is wrong. But it may well be that for some companies the current circumstances no longer make this a viable option, and this marks the moment to turn to crops more suited to the climate of Western Europe. And if tomorrow we have found better, cheaper, and more efficient ways to heat our greenhouses we can switch back to the crops we have been growing up until now. The energy debate coincides with the market’s cyclical

fluctuations of supply and prices. We owe much to the horticultural pioneers who paved the way for yearround greenhouse production of Phalaenopsis in Holland, as it gave our industry an enormous boast. In this transitional phase, some businesses will disappear, many hortipreneurs will fall and hurt themselves, while for others it will open doors. It is important to go with the flow.”

Let’s touch on sustainability, the theme that goes hand in hand with climate change. Your father was an ‘imprenditore all’avanguardia’, an entrepreneur at the forefront: a few months before his death he proudly opened the Lama degli Ulivi garden at the company’s headquarters in Monopoli, a living product showcase of Vivai Capitanio’s product range but also a treasure trove of biodiversity. Why do you think sustainability should be at the core of every horticultural business?

“Sustainability is a business imperative for all companies because it simply wouldn’t make sense to pride ourselves on our climate change, carbon storage heroes if these trees were not grown sustainably. Sustainable practices encourage research and development because they are constantly improving. However, we as an industry must force ourselves to communicate our green credentials better. I have witnessed too many unpleasant debates between citizens and nursery stock growers. Today’s citizens are deeply concerned about virtually anything administered to a plant. They are often unaware that the new generation of crop protection products we use are non-toxic biostimulants or bio fungicides. The big fear needs to be reined in. Blaming the farmer for being too little informed and unorganised is too easy. This is used as an alibi which is no good and must be combatted. If you dive deeper, the polluting perpetrators are the chemical industry that illegally dumps waste upstream. Nursery stock growers do things better than others, but these values are not apparent to outsiders because of their poor organisational structure. No one understands better than a farmer how to protect his

environment because he makes a living from working on the land.

Of course, negative cases exist, but most growers know how to care for the environment perfectly. For example, I live in the middle of my nursery where my children are growing up. I would never do anything that could harm them.”

Each year, fewer pesticide options are available for the grower, and the regulations are getting stricter. And each year, new plant pests and diseases start to emerge. You have witnessed with your own eyes how Xylella decimated olive groves in Puglia. It’s a devil of a dilemma; how do you choose between best-protecting plant health while facilitating commercial global trade?

“There is no solution yet. The nursery stock sector is trying to survive using the products that are still allowed. But we are also selling our trees and plants around the world in the absence of a clear set of rules. We trade globally but decide on the admission of plant health products locally, which is wrong. Trading globally needs global regulations. We cannot work with a few lateral agreements between countries. If we wish to move plants freely around the world, we need a set of standard rules, and we need to push governments in the right direction. We, as a growers’ association, cannot resolve the issue, but we can convince governments about the necessity to work on it.

In Puglia, we agreed on moving plants around the world, but we were ill-prepared for emergencies, which was our region’s fault. But any other region in the world incurs the same risk. You need a safety helmet if you drive your car at 300km/hour. If we would like to continue exporting plants fast around the world, we also need a security belt. Because we cannot allow pests such as Xylella to invade our fields, to do this, supranational knowledge is required, not just relying on political will.”

Capitanio: “The biggest fault of Calimero is that he never stops complaining and thinks himself ugly. As a sector, we need to constantly highlight the gross value added we contribute to the world economy and by doing so, we will not walk away emptyhanded.”

Plant health has its roots in science, what can we do to attract funding for research topics that support biodiversity and sustainability?

“As these topics need broad public support and understanding, raising awareness on a healthy agricultural system approach to making farming both profitable and sustainable is crucial. A well-informed public is more likely to translate into political action. In the discussion sustainability and biodiversity are much more present. With its Green Deal and Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the EU underlines the importance of protecting and restoring biodiversity, hopefully making it easier to attract funding.”

Despite its global production value amounting to approximately $90 billion and an estimated global retail market value of $225 billion we sometimes think our industry is small. Does global ornamental horticulture suffer from a Calimero Complex, feeling underestimated because of its small size?

“The biggest fault of Calimero is that he never stops complaining and thinks himself ugly. As a sector, we need to constantly highlight the gross value added we contribute to the world economy, and by doing so, we will not walk away empty-handed. During my stint as ANVE president, I have witnessed how our sector is increasingly winning attention. Ten years ago, hardly anyone talked about ornamental horticulture, but now even the big agricultural trade associations are interested in our industry because we always try to be present in conferences, events, and political debates. Advocacy and lobbying are essential. And there is nothing wrong with those who prefer to stay behind in the field, but they must support the voice of their industry. Apart from investing in a new potting machine or greenhouse technology, horticultural entrepreneurs also need to invest in their trade associations because, in the long run, it will lead to huge benefits and money in their pockets.”

What is the biggest lesson learnt from the Xylella crisis in Puglia?

“Undoubtedly, the benefit of making greater use of dialogue. As any other entrepreneur, I like to operate in a liberal, free-market society. Still, we will need

legislative intervention, to facilitate the debate and inform the public, governments, and regional policymakers about the risks. Our street protests worked and helped others to understand the issue. In the beginning, people believed that a plant disease would not spread very quickly, let alone consider that Xylella could affect the value of a real estate or the tourist and hospitality industry in Puglia. Now we know that if something hurts agriculture, the entire tissue of society is affected.”

It is safe to see that sector-wide the future challenges are the same. From this, one would think of ornamental horticulture as one big global family uniting cut flowers, houseplants, nursery stock, bulbs, and garden plants. Do you feel AIPH’s voice for the industry is as strong for every segment?

“To date, we are pretty strong in advocating across all industry segments as we spend much time on quality communication. Consistent, focused communication enables us to drive change in the realm of world horticultural expos, plant health, plant breeders’ rights, flower auctions and the Green City initiative. You cannot achieve greatness in all fields. Sometimes you need to push harder on one side to obtain better results on the others; they all move forwards positively with communication being the motor.”

There are Green City initiatives: Green Cities Europe and Global Green Cities. Why do they not join forces?

“That’s a very political question. They both exist with different spheres of influence. You cannot simply replicate the European Green City approach in Asia. Different continents need other narratives, objectives, and ways of acting differently. However, it can only be positive if we can get both sides to the table to build a solid foundation. And there’s nothing wrong with using different pillars to build the organisation structure because each pillar can focus on its field of expertise. Ultimately, it’s all about the people. Until now we haven’t been able to unite, but I will continue to try to bring both entities together respecting both ideas, spirits, and values. But it is not enough that I want to unite them, it takes two to make a marriage work.”

Capitanio

says, “When I talk about family members, I mean also my colleagues because I see them all as my brothers and sisters.”

AIPH’s tagline is ‘the world’s champion for the power of plants’, primarily focusing on championing the horticultural producers. How important is it to forge relationships with other industry associations? I can see synergies with Union Fleurs, for example. Am I right? “There is nothing that impedes us from collaborating more closely together. The reality is that AIPH and Union Fleurs come from different backgrounds and origins. Maybe the fear is that by joining forces you automatically lose something. I come from Italy’s deep south where there’s historically a deep divide between companies. However, over the past few years, we have reunited 80 per cent of the businesses under ANVE. Perhaps, what’s needed most is the right momentum. Usually, it is easier to unite when an industry passes through testing times.”

The eventful year 2022 lies behind with different horticultural expos taking place worldwide. How do you look back on what is arguably the most contested Floriade?

“I think it was a fantastic event, full of content, truly beautiful and a rewarding day out for consumers and professionals alike. After any major event, you need time to settle and reflect. I think there will be a realisation that Almere actually ended up with an extraordinary legacy of a site that will make a good new housing area for the city. I think they need to approach horticultural expos realistically. Sometimes you can be over-optimistic because you initially set the targets in an unrealistic way. In a city such as Almere that has just had a Floriade, you will know the benefits that come to that city as a result. If you only look at the financial outcome, you will never get the whole story and will not realise the full, long-lasting benefit of an event like this. On some metrics, you can say it is a failure, but over a longer period, I think the city of Almere will be pleased that it held the Floriade last year. Regarding budgeting based on realistic visitation numbers, there is no magic number. In some parts of the world, this would be a very small number; in other parts, a good number. The key is to try to budget for what you would achieve and then go for that. The Netherlands is different to many other expos hosts. It aims to cover its costs and bring back income through ticketing and other commercial ventures. Other expos host cities around the world and see it as an investment in their city, and hosting provides the city with reputational recognition globally. There is less concern about income which should be the concern of how governments are structured in different parts of the world. In this region, they just need to rethink the model of what they want from Floriade. What I don’t see here is the genuine involvement of the national government. Let’s not forget that an A1 Category Expo is a world expo that diplomats from other countries are invited. Sometimes it feels more of an opportunity for the government to use this as a platform for themselves. In some ways, they have forgotten how precious a chance they have in their hands when they are approved to host an A1 horticultural expo.”

PASSPORT LEONARDO CAPITANIO

Date And Place Of Birth: Monopoli 29 July 1989

Married To: Marilena Children: Stefano And Francesco Hobby: motorcycles

QUICK FACTS VIVAI CAPITANIO

Specialty: Wide Assortment Of Mediterranean Plants And Plants From Mediterranean Climates Area (South Australia, South Africa, And Central America) +70 Ha Open Fields + Greenhouses +40,000 Handled Plants Per Day 4,5 Ml Cultivated Plants Annually +130 Employees +500 Produced Species +20,000 Processed CC Trolleys Per Year

Delphy event talks about insect netting, bio fungicides and saving energy

Delphy’s Ms Lisanne HelmusSchuddeburg updated attendees about the preliminary outcome of a two-year LED trial in Phalaenopsis.

Delphy, the Dutch knowledgesharing organisation and service provider for cultivators worldwide, held a houseplant and bedding plant event at its Dutch-based Improvement Centre on 27 October 2022 to discuss the latest research findings on the relatively new Thrips parvispinus and the use of insect netting in potted plant production, plus introducing new bio fungicides products, and talking greenhouse energy efficiency.

AUTHOR: RON VAN DER PLOEG

Delphy consultant and the afternoon’s moderator Erik de Rooi began the October event by referencing the current challenging economic climate. Many growers are on edge with a 16 per cent inflation rate, market volatility, and rising energy prices hampering consumer demand and confidence. This is why growers need to gauge the market’s mood and stay alert to their competitors, as well as research, technology and innovation that could positively change prospects.

INSECT NETTING IN POTTED PLANTS

Martijn Voorwinden, a Delphy crop technician focusing on flowering and green foliage plants and specialising in potted and cut Anthurium, presented some preliminary results of research carried out between 2 August and 2 November 2022. The findings were built on earlier work to investigate the feasibility of insect netting to control the dreaded pot worm found in Phalaenopsis cultivation.

A trial was set up for Phalaenopsis, Poinsettia, Gerbera and Anthurium, putting the crops under 0.35mm and 0.85mm mesh netting. Scouting, monitoring and data loggers for temperature, humidity and light levels were used to quantify pest pressure. From the onset, the sticky cards showed much variation with significantly lower whitefly populations in Poinsettia and Gerbera and a build-up of an aphid colony in the crop next to the netting but not beneath it. Voorwinden also signalled a much weaker presence of caterpillars in the ‘netted crops’, which could stimulate biological control of other pests and diseases. Because so far, efficient caterpillar management requires repeat applications of chemicals, an obstacle when rolling out biocontrol strategies.

Under mesh netting, Voorwinden noticed a higher relative humidity. In Gerberas, this resulted in moisture on leaf surfaces, larger foliage, and a higher incidence of downy mildew. Insect netting also makes it harder

for plant growth regulators (PGR) to enter the canopy. In the case of the Poinsettia, this can lead to 10cm taller plants.

It is essential that the netting is laid out neatly over row crops and well anchored to avoid any gaps for insects to penetrate. Support hoops help secure the insect netting and protect the plants against netting snags and plant damage.

In conclusion, Voorwinden highlighted the economic benefits of netting: it can lower the use of chemicals and bring about more perfect flowers and plants for the customer. Moreover, chemicals are often applied during evening hours when labour is more expensive. Insect netting is already commonly used in greenhouse construction when incorporated in vents. Voorwinden sees protective barrier mesh as a cheaper solution for existing greenhouse.

THRIPS PARVISPINUS

Thrips parvispinus is a tropical thrips species. It was first detected in the Netherlands in July 2019 and has become more widely established in plant nurseries throughout the Netherlands, Southern Europe and North America.

The female T. parvispinus is darkcoloured, and the male specimens are yellow. Both males and females are small (females up to 1mm long), jumpy, and havoc-wreaking as they leave feeding scars on foliage. If they attack Anthuriums, they leave extensive brown scarring, causing malformation of foliage with loss of its symmetrical shape. This relatively new pest has a much more seclusive character than T. california; they escape attention by hiding away in the very heart of the crop where chemicals can hardly reach them.

However, it has been shown that swaths of predatory mites such as Transeius montdorensis and Amblyseius swirskii seem effective in suppressing T. parvispinus populations in tropical foliage plants. In the long run, the legion of predatory mites may need auxiliary forces such as the predatory bug Orius laevigatus or the voracious larvae of Chrysoperla carnea, the green lacewing.

Sticky cards in traditional yellow and blue work perfectly well; the green coloured ones as sold by Koppert seem to provide little added value. Sticky cards should be placed just above the crop canopy. Placed 40cm above the crop, the cards capture a few thrips, when placed higher the result is zero.

TAKEAWAYS FROM AMERICANHORT’S PLUG&CUTTING CONFERENCE

Delphy’s bedding plant technician Martijn Gevers was fresh back from the USA after attending the AmericanHort’s Plug & Cutting Conference 2022, held at the Westin Westminster in Denver between 19-21 September 2022. This event focused on best practices and cutting-edge research in young plant production, and Gevers was keen to share the insights with the gathered Dutch audience.

On the other side of the big pond, chemical usage is more commonplace compared to Europe. Still, American growers are slowly but steadily moving towards a future with biological and natural alternatives to chemical control. Gevers anticipates that by 2030 there will be hardly any chemical crop protection left for Dutch horticulture, prompting young plant growers in the country to dive into what biological options are currently available.

One of them is Prestop; a biological fungicide used to produce vegetables, fruits, herbs, and ornamentals. It is a naturally occurring, beneficial soil fungus that contains mycelium and spores of Gliocladium catenulatum. Prestop is a product made by the Lallemand group, a privately held Canadian company founded at the end of the 19th century, specialising in developing, producing, and marketing yeasts and bacteria.

The bio fungicide can control a wide range of plant diseases, including grey mould and stem canker caused by Botrytis cinerea, damping off, crown and root rot diseases caused by Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora and Fusarium, and wilt diseases caused by Fusarium and Verticillium.

Prestop can be applied as a spray, drench, or fog through drip irrigation and incorporated into media and soil. The bio fungicide has a zero-hour restricted entry interval (REI) and has the seal of approval of the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). German and Dutch cutting farms are

SPOTLIGHT ON PLANT LIGHTING TRIALS

Ms Lisanne Helmus-Schuddebeurs updated the attendees about the preliminary outcome of a two-year LED trial in Phalaenopsis.

In the trial, Plant Lighting and Delphy studied CO 2 , light and temperature levels in 5,500 Phalaenopsis plants grown under full, dimmable LEDs in a 150m 2 glasshouse. No minimum pipe temperature was used.

The baseline for comparison was a same-size greenhouse with Phalaenopsis under highpressure sodium lights (HPS). The Phalaenopsis - a plant using Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis that allows the plant to open its stomata at night instead of during the day – in ten different varieties, showed consistency at the end of the trials with no differences in weight.

The shoots in the control test, however, were heavier. The same applied to the roots of the plants under LEDs, which most likely can be explained by the reduced heat in the LED greenhouses.

More study is needed to make a conclusion, but at first sight, there seem to be no differences in crop times and plant quality which may be good news.

In another trial, Delphy studied how to eradicate Marchantia polymorpha (liverwort).

DELPHY: THE ESSENTIALS

Delphy – derives its name from the classic antiquity Delphi, where people met with questions about crops, fertility, and harvest - is an independent, knowledge-sharing organisation, research institute and crop consultancy firm active in fruit, vegetables, and ornamentals.

Delphy operates from wholly owned research sites, with the Bleiswijk-based Improvement Centre occupying pride of place. Current research projects in ornamental horticulture include fossil-free bedding plant cultivation and sustainably grown Phalaenopsis, the perfect Chrysanthemum and the perfect Rose.

Delphy provides training sessions in situ and employs 250 people, of which 85 work abroad.

using the product since five years to combat Botrytis and Rhizoctonia in Poinsettias and fungus in Hydrangeas. In a pansy trial, Prestop scored nearly as well as Previcur.

Gevers notes that bio fungicides must be applied preventatively and won’t work after disease invasion. They must therefore be used before the infection has had a chance to develop so that the beneficial fungi can become established and attack any newcomer disease pathogens. It is also crucial to check the greenhouses’ spore pressure and disinfest all propagation tools and materials, including plant trays. Moreover, bio fungicides must be applied in the right conditions to optimise performance.

Global fertiliser business ICL, for example, informs on its website that if soil wetness and air temperatures are conducive to disease development, they’re equally suited to applying Prestop. For example, aerial growth of Botrytis cinerea is optimised at 18-22°C, while soil pathogens causing damping off and root rot prefer 15-20°C pre-emergence and 22-27°C post-emergence.

Lalstop is another preventative product using the naturally

occurring bacteria Streptomyces. None of the attendees is currently using the product, contrary to Prestop.

The product controls a wide range of pathogens, including damping-off caused by fungi such as Alternaria and Rhizoctonia solani, and wilt and root diseases caused by Fusarium, Phytophthora and Pythium. When applied as a drench or spray, the dried spores and mycelium of the Streptomyces culture in Lalstop germinate and grow on and around the plant root system. This creates a biological defence against seed and soil-borne pathogens.

Configure is a widely known PGR in the USA and the Netherlands. It is predominantly used in Dutch Phalaenopsis production and has potential in bedding plant production.

Configure increases lateral branching and flowering in several popular ornamental species. In addition, applications of Configure may reduce the height of treated plants, resulting in more compact and marketable crops. Configure is labelled for use on containerised annual and perennial flowering, foliage crops, and tropical plants. More recently, flower food providers

Chrysal and ag-tech company Syngenta have joined forces to launch Largo, a new post-harvest treatment product which uses Gibberellic acid. In Pelargoniums, it reduces leaf yellowing, bud abortion and petal shatter. As a result, Largo-treated Pelargoniums have a longer retail shelf life.

Gevers stresses that Largo is a PGR and should, therefore, not be applied in the greenhouse but in the final shipping stage when plants are loaded on a trolley. Some Dutch retailers have made Pelargoniums treated with Largo, or a comparable product, mandatory to reduce waste.

Largo or not, there’s virtually no escape from shipping Pelargoniums in a dark truck. Gevers says growers can use potassium-rich fertilisers for growing a more resilient, tougher crop to withstand better shipping.

Gevers also discussed the fungus Thielaviopsis basicola — the causal agent of black root rot. The fungus infects a wide range of hosts and should not be underestimated — the sources of how T. basicola may help spread diseases include untreated soil or peat moss.

To avoid an outbreak of black root, Gevers advises that implementing basic sanitation practices can mean the difference between a small, contained problem or, if ignored, a recurring problem.

Now that Topsin, a broad-spectrum, systemic fungicide that provides reliable control of white mold, leaf spot, powdery mildew, various rot diseases and other diseases in a broad range of crops, is no longer admitted in the Netherlands, growers look for other options.

GREENHOUSE ENERGY-SAVINGS

TIPS

Saving energy in greenhouse production has become a hotly debated topic in a country where by October 2022, growers paid 1,40 euros per cu m for natural gas, ten times more than 18 months ago. Guest speaker at the event, Ronald-Jan Post, has for 26 years worked as an energy expert at DLVge. He presented methods and resources for energy savings in line with the Trias Energetica.

This energy-saving strategy, developed by Delft Tech University, comprises three steps; minimise energy use, use renewable energy such as solar panels and geothermal heat, and use fossil fuels efficiently.

Growers should take a holistic look at energy-saving opportunities, asking themselves how much energy they need to grow a decent crop, thus not only considering minimum but also maximum levels. To get the bigger picture, Post suggests comparing your energy bills with previous bills and sharing usage history with greenhouse neighbours to get better insights into the use of heat, electricity, and CO2. Judging from what he has seen in greenhouse horticulture, Post thinks there is much to win, citing the example of the Dutch cucumber industry, whose natural gas consumption dropped from 25 cubic meters to 16. Among the quick wins are leaving some greenhouse compartments empty, lowering light use and pipe temperature, and leaving energy screens closed more frequently. Moreover, preventive maintenance of the entire installation, a boiler cascade system, and proper peak load management are also methods to reduce energy use. The good news is that greenhouse horticulture is one of the few sectors of the economy that is wellplaced to deal with volatile energy markets. Think heat storage or combined heat and power (CHP). In commenting on the long-term energy outlook, Post anticipates that by 2032 heat demand in greenhouses will have dropped by 50 per cent compared to 2022.

By then, growers will still be connected to the natural gas grid, but they will use it much more efficiently while other sustainable energy sources will take over. In ten years, the conventional boiler will have disappeared from the horticultural scene, with more than half of the heat sources being geothermal, solar, or residual. He adds that growers continuing to only use conventional boilers will find themselves with their backs against the wall.

YPHA: THE UK’S ‘YOUNG PEOPLE IN HORTICULTURE ASSOCIATION’

“Earlier this year, horticulturist, writer and ‘plant influencer’ Michael Perry, aka Mr Plant Geek, aired concern that UK horticulture spends so much time talking about how our industry isn’t considered an appealing career option that we dissuade many from even considering it. Our negative narrative perpetuates our fragility. But how do we dismantle the preconceptions at play?

Three years ago, my friends Mollie Higginson, Liam Cleary and I started to piece together a group of younger people who had found their way into horticulture regardless. Each of us knew a few, who knew a few, who knew a few more, and suddenly we realised that not only were there more of us than anticipated, but together we could make a tangible difference.

YPHA was formed in January 2020 and has flourished to a hivemind of 350, representing all corners of UK horticulture. We engage, educate, and empower members through networking, online seminars, and face-to-face events. Lessons are learned, ideas are sounded out, and work events become infinitely more enjoyable, thanks to friendships and business contacts quickly becoming the same.

We are immensely proud of how much stronger our industry is for YPHA’s existence. But - having had our (very vague) initial game plan derailed by 2020 - how can we retrospectively channel this energy into a positive force for the future of horticulture?

We start by rewriting the narrative of what it’s like to be a young person in horticulture. By offering ourselves as a central point through which opportunities can be amplified, we have started to match members up with new job roles, contacts, bursaries and even the odd TV appearance. If a younger person isn’t appreciated where they are, we can point them towards somewhere that they will be. If they have ideas but not resources, we can help find them a launchpad.

As soon as people start to feel valued and nurtured, they begin to thrive in their respective roles- the benefits of which shine through in themselves, their businesses, and the wider industry.

It’s not the whole answer, but we think it’s a start.”

Natalie Porter is the business development manager at Porters Fuchsias (established 1985), a family-run wholesale bedding plant grower in Formby, just outside Southport, on England’s Northwest Coast. The company owns the Happy Plants garden centre brand, including 99 per cent homegrown plants.

Green City Post

POLITICS, THE ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE INDUSTRY, AND THE FUTURE OF OUR CITIES

AUTHOR: DR AUDREY TIMM, AIPH TECHNICAL ADVISOR

Recognising that cities are at the forefront of climate change and that biodiversity has never been as relevant as an economic and political issue as it is today, political leaders were challenged to reach agreement for an all of society approach to halt biodiversity loss and restore nature.

As conversations align so that climate change and biodiversity are part of the same intention, attention turns to the contribution that plants make to the nature-filled future of cities and the planet. This highlights the ever-increasing importance of the ornamental horticulture industry in the success of turning national and local commitments to climate change and biodiversity into action.

By providing a wide variety of plants that can be grown in gardens, parks, and other green spaces the ornamental horticulture industry helps to increase the number of plants in urban areas. In addition to increasing the overall greenness of urban areas, ornamental plants provide a range of ecosystem services, such as air purification, water management, climate regulation, and habitat creation.

The AIPH member 2022 survey demonstrates that the industry provides information about the benefits of green spaces and the types of plants that are suitable for different urban environments. In this way the industry promotes the use of green space and encourages more people, companies and municipalities to incorporate plants into their gardens and landscapes.

Enhancing the aesthetic appeal of urban areas improves the quality of life of residents and increases property values. Ornamental plants improve this overall aesthetic appeal, making cities more attractive and pleasant places to live and work. The ornamental horticulture industry supports employment and economic benefits in urban areas. By creating jobs in the production, sale, and maintenance of ornamental plants, the industry contributes to the local economy

and supports the development of resilient and liveable cities.

The annual Green City reports prepared for AIPH by its members provide examples of how the ornamental horticulture industry can work with city leaders to identify the best plants for different urban environments and provide guidance on how to care for and maintain these plants. This helps to ensure that green spaces in cities are successful and provide the desired ecosystem services. The ornamental horticulture industry also collaborates with city leaders on the design and implementation of green infrastructure projects, such as rain gardens or green roofs, to help manage stormwater runoff and improve air quality in urban areas.

Advocacy is an important part of the industry’s influence on city leaders, serving to raise awareness about the multiple benefits of greening, and the importance of incorporating plants into every aspect of city planning and design. Providing research and data on the benefits of green space and plants in cities helps to inform policy decisions and support the development of guidance and policies that promote greening in cities. The wide range of expertise in the ornamental horticulture sector enables the industry to participate in city planning and design processes, providing input and expertise on the role of plants in creating liveable and sustainable cities.

Creating and promoting an understanding of the position of the ornamental horticulture industry in supporting planning and implementation of city greening, enables AIPH to represent the industry at global meetings. This serves to ensure that policy decisions relating to the economy, health, education, and society take into account the needs and benefits of the ornamental horticulture industry.

AIPH Green City reports are presented in the AIPH Global Green City Update – a monthly digest of green city ideas and activities. Read these here, and sign up to receive the Updates in you InBox.

International Green City news in November and December 2022 focussed on gatherings of the Conference of the Parties (COP) in Sharm el Sheik (COP27) and Montreal (COP15) where global leaders held dialogue and made commitments to address climate change and biodiversity.

NOVELTY PROTECTION WEBINAR FEATURING UPOV AND CIOPORA

The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) invites you to register for a free online Novelty Protection Webinar, on Wednesday, 11 January.

The programme begins from 13:00 (CET), and there will before the ending at 14:00 to join in a question and answer session.

Mr Jack Goossens, Chairman Supervisory Board Royal FloraHolland and Chair of the AIPH Ornamental Production Committee, will open the meeting and introduce the speakers.

The first presentation is from Mr Marien Valstar on Developments and Challenges within UPOV. Farmers and growers all over the world need good varieties. The UPOV system is designed to promote the development of new plant varieties. Modern challenges important for plant breeding are climate change, the need to adapt agriculture and horticulture, the ongoing discussion on the loss of biodiversity and ecosystems, and the upcoming use of new genetic techniques.

To get a better insight and understanding of the importance of the UPOV system, Mr Valstar will give a general impression of how UPOV could contribute to these challenges.

Mr Valstar has been representing the Netherlands within UPOV for many years and recently in the position of president of the UPOV Council.

Drawing from these experiences, Mr Valstar will give the audience a better insight into the workings of UPOV through his presentation.

The second presentation is from Dr Edgar Krieger on The obliged use of a variety denomination in the industry (Article 20 UPOV/ art 17 EU regulation 2100/94).

To support the effective working of the UPOV Plant Breeders’ Right system, Dr Krieger will make a serious request to the ornamental sector to mention variety names correctly on all products. With the current trend of new variety names constantly coming into commercial production, often quickly invented for marketing purposes, the impression often prevails that variety names can be used arbitrarily or not

used at all. Dr Krieger will clarify and argue for the importance of the correct and consistent use of variety names.

AIPH Sparring Partner Group (SPG) The webinar will be followed by an update on the Plant Breeders’ Rights field concerning the growers’ and producers’ position in the sector given by Ms Mia Buma. This update is for members of the As the world’s champion for the power of plants, one of AIPH’s missions is to protect and promote the interests of the ornamental horticulture industry. Through our Novelty Protection Group, we host a Sparring Partner Group (SPG). Members are constantly informed about the latest developments, the juridical consequences, and possible solutions. Thanks to these exchanges, discussions, and better understanding and awareness of the importance of Plant Breeders’s Rights and the other fields of intellectual property rights, we can support a sound working PBR system at both the national and international levels and contribute to future solutions and a new balance.

The SPG is a closed group, open only to AIPH Members and Affiliate Members.

GROWING DATA IN A GARDEN CENTRE

We live in a world of data creation. The amount of data collected between 20152016 was more than the previous 5,000 years, and in 2017 it exceeded both of those figures combined. Although just under half a per cent is analysed for decision-making, it can make a big difference to a business.

TARGETED MARKETING

In the garden centre sector, customer data is collected through many channels, such as signups to gardening clubs, loyalty schemes, transactions and coupon redemption used for mailouts to increase footfall with varying results. But by working out exactly what data to use and how to use it and then targeting specific customers with bespoke and personal messaging, Smart.Market for Business has proved it can yield impressive results and ensure every dollar spent provides a return Garden Center magazine, the leading

industry trade publication serving independent garden centre retailers in North America, and its publisher GIE Media Inc. hosted the webinar with viewers from the USA, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. Guest speaker Sarah May, Vice President of Smart.Market for Business revealed that even though one of its garden centre customers reduced mailouts from one million to 70,000 households, it still managed to gain 1,800 new customers and create an additional $275,000 through targeted marketing.n.

MEANINGFUL MESSAGING

They are based in the USA, Smart. Market helps businesses pinpoint precisely who their customers are, where they are, how to appeal to them and how to grow their customer base.

Sarah says that understanding where current customers live and what they look like in terms of demographics can curate new customers by identifying people that look just like existing ones so each can be reached with variable

Ohio-based GIE Media Inc.

hosted

a ‘How to leverage existing customer data or… how to obtain it’ webinar on 27 October to learn more about data collection and how they can improve profits for garden retailers.

AUTHOR: ANISA GRESS

[REDUCING A DATABASE] CAN BE EXTREMELY SCARY-THINKING — 'I'M REDUCING THAT MANY HOUSEHOLDS, THERE IS NO WAY I’M GOING TO GET THE TYPE OF RESPONSE FROM THAT FEWER HOUSEHOLDS’ — BUT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT VERY EFFICIENTLY BY UTILISING EXISTING DATA

and meaningful messaging. Suppose retailers have customer addresses or even just zip codes, Smart.Market can input them into its patented software to create what can be a randomly shaped heat map showing where customers live by combining this information with that from data company Acxiom, Smart.Market can find out, for example, the number of homeowners, customers’ ages, their birthdays, household income and homes with a pool. And importantly, it can also gain insights into where potential new customers are likely to live. By knowing this variable, messaging can be created, such as using an image of a garden with a pool for households with one and a different image for those without.

“The goal then might be customer loyalty, where we want to message our customers to get a perfect bump in sales or let them know about a big event we are having, or it could be to message everyone else in the area that looks like existing customers,” says Sarah. “This can be achieved by seeing how many other potential households in the area share

the most relevant or desired demographics, for example, seniors or millennials.”

CASE STUDY

Using a garden centre example, Sarah was able to show how personalised messages and promotional offers resulted in an uplift in in-store traffic and an impressive number of new customers.

Other objectives were to drive website traffic and capture response rates. Data was captured via a two-dimensional barcode and QR code on the mailout, each specific to an individual household. Once redeemed, the retailer returned the coupons to Smart.Market for it to log responding households and add to the data. This same barcode and QR system are also an excellent tool for helping businesses set up a new customer database if they don’t already have one.

By identifying the most promising customers or potential look-a-like customers, the garden centre reduced its mail-out by 93 per cent from

Understanding where current customers live and what they look like in demographics can curate new customers by identifying people that look just like existing ones so each can be reached with variable and meaningful messaging.

1.1 million households to 70,000, of which just 24,5000 were existing customers. “This can be extremely scary-thinking — ‛I’m reducing that many households, there is no way I’m going to get the type of response from that fewer households’ — but we were able to do it very efficiently by utilising existing data,” says Sarah.

For the same budget, the garden centre achieved an overall response rate of 11.79 per cent, compared to just 0.29 per cent using its previous method and gained an extra 1,800 new customers. Its cost per redemption was reduced by 61 per cent (from $942 to $3.68), and revenue from the campaign rose from $236,000 for the standard mailout to $528,000.

As well as physical mailouts, Smart.Market also offers digital campaigns reaching customers through various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and email. The database platform currently only works within the USA, covering business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing.

For more information, visit: www.business.smart.market

A Dutch Japanese friendship built to last

In a generous gesture and

support for urban farming, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture has donated the award-winning Satoyama Japanese pavilion, which graced the now-closed world horticultural Expo 2022 Floriade to Oosterwold - a new district of Floriade’s host city Almere, where a massive and revolutionary urban farming project is taking shape.

Jan Albert Blaauw, working for Oosterwold’s fledgling urban farming cooperative Oosterwold (www.coopoosterwold.nl),

beams as he walks towards the Japanese pavilion a few days after Floriade’s closing ceremony on 9 October. Pointing at the construction and the ingenious joinery of the building used to attach the wooden parts without a single nail or metal screw, he enthuses, “It’s an amazing and beautiful building, and we’re extremely grateful to the Japanese government for gifting it to us.”

SATOYAMA INSPIRATION

The pavilion was installed in the winter of 2021 on Floriade’s grounds, not far from the Expo park’s Weerwater entrance. It was called Satoyama which translates as Sato, where people live, and Yama, which means mountain. The pavilion was created to showcase the finest Japanese cut flowers, and outside the garden displayed features of the Japanese countryside. The Japanese pavilion architect, Tokyo-born Ms Yukiko Nezu, explains the design, “The pavilion at Floriade stood in front of high trees that symbolise the slope of a mountain. A traditional Japanese garden surrounded it. The Japanese way of living in the countryside used to be very sustainable, relying on its own

ecosystem. Farmers sourced building materials from the direct surroundings and developed design techniques depending on the availability of materials. Life was centred around nature, leading to a need to recycle where possible and achieve zero waste. The areas where these activities of life take place are called satoyama. The pavilion is made of classical natural materials, including a wooden frame structure, thatch roof, stucco façade and paper walls.”

FLORIADE’S THEME CONTINUES

Japan’s building donation to Oosterwold makes Blaauw feel humble, mainly because other community-led projects had also shown interest in the grand structure, with some even

Jan Albert Blaauw, working for Oosterwold’s fledgling urban farming cooperative, in front of a map giving a bird’s eye view of the 43km 2 Oosterwold development.

bidding. He notes, “Eventually, the Japanese decided to give it away. Such a generous gesture! From what I know, the Ministry of Japan was looking for a permanent location through which the Floriade’s Growing Green Cities theme would continue to flourish.”

Now that the keys have been officially handed over, and the Japanese team has made an official visit to Oosterwold to witness the development with their own eyes, the 300m2 structure has been dismantled from the Expo Park. It will be stored over winter and rebuilt at a prominent location on the Oosterwold urban farm. Attention to site location makes sense as Blaauw explains that the pavilion will find a new life as his

AUTHOR: RON VAN DER PLOEG PHOTOS: RON VAN DER PLOEG AND FLORIADE

unwavering

cooperative’s fresh produce distribution hub, knowledge centre, community space and possibly a shop.

THE SIZE OF PARIS’ CITY CENTRE

Blaauw explains that Oosterwold spans 43km2 – about the size of the city centre in Paris. “In 2016, I was among Oosterwold’s first settlers, building a new future on what was once a vast expanse of arable land. Back then, people were lured in by low land prices, between €27- €30 per m2, which has since gone up to €100 per m2 On the other hand, building in Oosterwold also comes with expectations towards social responsibility and co-financing towards streets, energy provision and sewage systems with your neighbours.”

Oosterwold development is ideally in line with the ‘Almere makes it possible’ tagline. The city government presented its plans for Oosterwold more than a decade ago. Blaauw explains, “Oosterwold is unique in that it allows residents to build their neighbourhoods with minimal planning restrictions. So, all is possible if you want to live in a tree hut, a spaceship or a castle-styled home or paint your house pink or orange. However, one of the few planning restrictions that are sacrosanct is that only 12 per cent of your plot is built up, and half of your property must be dedicated to urban farming.”

A BIT OF EVERYTHING

Blaauw admits that enforcing such restrictions is challenging but strongly believes in the landowner’s community spirit, which he says in Oosterwold is

incredibly strong. “Hipsters, fashionable young middle class, world changers, nature lovers, Oosterwold is a bit of everything. People often say you need professionals to take urban farming off the ground. But you would be amazed about the amount of horticultural knowledge already present among the Oostwolders.”

To avoid problems when people start ploughing their plots haphazardly, Blaauw and his co-workers launched Kitchen Garden Planner. This online inventory management system helps the cooperative to answer essential questions about who grows what, where, and when. The online planner also gives insights into when to expect the harvest of specific crops to align production with demand and generate revenues for the cooperative’s members.

PRODUCING AND SELLING

Blaauw adds, “A variety of supermarkets have shown good interest in our product, as well as Hoofddorpbased Farm Kitchen, which provides food to corporate canteen services for a variety of enterprises. The aim is to introduce a biological cropping system. This will require patience and perseverance as everyone who gets their hands dirty in a kitchen garden knows how much havoc snails and other pests and diseases can wreak on your crops.

In the end, we stick to what is possible and learn. If snails eat away more than 90 per cent of your cauliflower, you automatically switch to more resilient crops such as zucchini, peas, or beans.” The cooperative aims to bundle knowledge and unburden urban

farmers. “It’s about cooperation and collaboration,” notes Blaauw. “Almere hosts the European branch of Yanmar, a manufacturer of marine diesel engines and smaller farm machinery. So, they offer help to prepare and work the heavy clay soil. The cooperative purchases compost and young plants from reputable suppliers such as Jongerius, who are always ready to book a greenhouse section to produce the starting material biologically.”

Blaauw notes that Oosterwold’s harvest is biological but is not eco-certified.

“For this, you will need 800 euros per plot to earn eco-certification, which is not profitable now. But maybe we can investigate this in the future.”

At its core, the Japanese Satoyama pavilion in its new location will help bring food production into Almere’s ecosystem so its residents can grow their food where they are, condensing the miles food travels across the world fresher and reducing the impact on the environment.

DUTCH JAPANESE FRIENDSHIP

Blaauw is no stranger to Japan and its culture. He previously served as a corporate communication manager for the Japanese sweetened probiotic milk firm Yakult. He visited the country on various occasions. He concludes by thanking Japan for the gifting of this pavilion. “When the building’s keys were in my possession, a member of the Japanese delegation rang me up to ask permission to pick up her handbag, which she had left inside the building. Of course, this was no problem because even if the building is now ours, it will continue to be intrinsically linked to Japan, and for us, that friendship is a huge honour.”

The Japanese Pavilion at Floriade stood in front of high trees that resembled the slope of a mountain. It was surrounded by a traditional Japanese garden.

NEW YEAR, NEW HOUSEPLANT,

but has the green revolution reached its peak?

The new year is only four days old, and the weather is typically dull, grey, and gloomy. Strong winds push my car along to Wommelgem, which is around 8km east of Antwerp. Here I meet Dirk Mermans inside his newly built greenhouse complex packed with tropical foliage plants. He shows a high degree of New Year optimism; tropical foliage plants have yet to reach peak popularity and while rising input prices will test his resilience, they will also lead to improved market equilibrium.

AUTHOR AND PHOTOGRAPHER: RON VAN DER PLOEG

The Christmas tree still occupies pride of place in the entrance hall of the company’s new office building. But while Twelfth Night traditions will seal its fate, Dick Mermans’ tropical houseplants may be the answer for many homes looking for greenery to brighten up the place.

THE OUTLOOK FOR 2023

On 19 November 2022, the Flemish hortipreneur finally gathered business associates, friends and family to celebrate his 50th birthday. For the now 52-year-old, it was also the day to host a grand opening of his new greenhouse and office building, just in time for January’s boom in houseplant sales.

“It continues to be a peak price period,” says Mermans. “We have had two very unusual years with crazy trading. However, over the summer of 2022, the industry saw the first oversupply of Monsteras and Alocasias. I feel that the energy crisis will eventually lead to a shakeout, consolidation, and a more balanced supply and demand. At the same time, we see that consumers are tightening their purse strings as the cost-of-living crisis continues. So, I am not sure what this all means for 2023. As we speak, garden centres and cash and carry stores across Europe are filling their shelves with tropical foliage plants, but the pertinent question is whether this will translate into repeat sales. Ideally, the post-Christmas peak is followed by several smaller peaks throughout the year. Only then, we may conclude we are on the track.”

Dirk Mermans, “We have had two very unusual years with crazy trading.”

Workers at the potting line keep the production stream going.

STAYING FOCUSED DESPITE A MYRIAD OF CRISIS

Mermans refuses to lie awake, thinking of a crisis. “Between 2007 and 2008, a crisis engulfed the global financial sector; we have seen periods with less demand for foliage plants. Currently, global prices for natural gas and electricity are soaring while Russia is waging its war against Ukraine. Basically, in life, there is always a crisis. I prefer to live on my own terms, be as independent as possible regarding harvesting my own cuttings and focusing on quality to keep things going.”

THE GOOD NEWS

The good news, says Mermans, is that houseplants have yet to reach peak popularity. “The green revolution is still ongoing, at a slower but still steady pace. Trends always make a return. So, it is interesting to look at the 1970s and 1980s when people lavishly decked out their homes with houseplants. So far, we still haven’t reached that level. Trends usually last for 10 to 15 years, so considering that the houseplant boom began around 2017, there is room for growth. And all trend- talking aside, there is always a market for green foliage plants. The only thing that happened was that people were thinking: the sky is the limit, and everyone can grow a decent houseplant. This put pressure on the market.”

THE NEXT GOOD CHALLENGE

Situated on land a century ago dotted with cold frames in which smallholder farmers grew their vegetables, Mermans now stands here as a fifth-generation grower. His business now ranks among Belgium’s top largescale tropical plant growers. He says, “There’s a handful of smaller plant growers, but in terms of decades-old heritage nurseries, there are only a few of them in Belgium. Small and large growers combined; I reckon there’s between 12 to 15 ha dedicated to growing tropical plants.”

Dutch constructors completed the company’s newest greenhouse in January 2020, with Mermans now ready

for the next good challenge. He explains, “As a tropical plant grower, I am caught between two realities; the eternal quest for something new and original and an industry which is not particularly famed for its breeding breakthroughs. The most common practice is done by modern plant hunters who collect plants in the wild, try to tame them into the pot and subsequently protect them with breeders’ rights. I want to do things differently by actually breeding new houseplants. It certainly will be an endeavour, and no success is guaranteed within five years. I consider it more as a long-term investment.”

Mermans knows it will not be an easy job. “When reproducing foliage plants, you will need flowers. Then, if your extensive breeding work has resulted in a new tropical foliage plant, it will have to prove itself more than a flowering plant, as there is no additional benefit of colour. For example, an exciting new colour in Gerberas, automatically means a new Gerbera.”

To speed up his plans in plant breeding, he will soon meet some of the country’s plant scientists to establish a partnership. Business expansion in breeding requires additional space, which is why more recently, Mermans acquired a part of the neighbour’s land on which he hopes to build yet another new greenhouse.

ENERGY

Other important investments include a new co-generation plant; and a new double-energy screen installation. The future of the energy market is hard to predict, he says. “One advantage of being a Belgian grower is that you’re entitled to subsidies for new co-generation plants. All-in all, I would say that if you manage to operate your co-generation plant smartly, and if there’s no need to lighten your crop, you may be able to keep your energy costs under control reasonably well. But this means that you need to keep an eagle eye on the daily prices for energy products when selling electricity to the grid.”

Mermans grows around 230,000 houseplants per year,

including Monstera, Clusia, Strelitzia, Philodendron, Tetrastigma, and Schefflera coming into pot sizes between 12-38cm. His customer base includes garden centre chains and cash and carry stores across Europe. Up to 70 per cent of his houseplants are soil-grown, and the remaining are hydroculture plants. In the latter range, he needed to increase his prices slightly. Prices for soil-born plants have remained unchanged so far. “I’ve told my customers that I am willing to bear the first brunt by not raising my prices. If things start to get out of control, I will be back to discuss a new pricing strategy with them. No one wants to end up in a situation where you price yourself out of the market. That is when your plants at the final point of sales become too expensive and remain unsold.”

SNAPPING BACK INTO NORMALCY

Speaking of outrageous prices, Mermans is happy that his life as a plant grower has snapped back into pre-pandemic normalcy. “Bids were made for €300, €400 up to €1,000 for extremely rare plants.”

Pondering over the current economic climate, he says that despite the myriad of crises, there is too much money in circulation with private equity firms focused on increasing the value of their investments. “Even within our sector, private equity buyouts have involved entrepreneurs at the forefront. How this will work out in the future remains to be seen. The fact is that these transactions deserve my admiration because they are proof of clever entrepreneurship.”

DOING THINGS BETTER

The semicentennial says he is still too much of a doer who is always questioning how things can be done better. His webshop Plantlovers.eu, launched in the

spring of 2020, represents approximately 10 per cent of this turnover but is volume-wise less significant. The webshop is now ready to grow into a more mature business venture. “That is an online plant delivery service which sells not only Monstera variegata but a wide range of different quality houseplants, supported by an even better back office and marketeers. If there’s gold in these online pixels? It’s not only bling-bling in online plant delivery. Successfully engaging with the end consumers can be a pain, requiring a lot of patience and energy. Plus, there is a delay with plant health certificates at UK customs post-Brexit, and then there are the time-consuming packaging, labelling, emailing, and shipping. As a result, you cannot earn money by putting a €5 euro plant in a box. As a grower, you really need to put value in that box. Why do luxury car brands earn money while others do not? Because they sell much more value for money.”

Mermans concludes by saying that from all the aspects of plant growing, the entrepreneurial part is what attracts him most. “My competitive spirit motivates me to hold steady in the face of adversity. We all know that online sales dropped significantly last year. Back in 2013, the market for tropical houseplants was sluggish. Even then, I loved to swim against the current. The good thing about the current testing business environment is that it will speed up the energy transition and single out the young boys from the mature ones. One will quickly realise that you cannot produce just blindly with the thought that one day you will be selling your products. It would help if you had products, customers, stock, and customer liability. I want my customers to think that when ordering at Dirk Mermans, the quality, price and service are good, and there are no problems.”

A treasure trove for plant lovers: an impressive collection of variegated Monstera.

Holland Horti Week

FloraCulture International spent the second week of November 2022 at the Greater Amsterdam Expo and Royal FloraHolland Aalsmeer, visiting the two shows that make up what is unofficially known as Holland Horti Week. Here are a few highlights. At the same time, mark your calendars for Horti Week 2023, taking place between 8-10 November 2023.

The world’s floriculture industry gathered at the International Floriculture Trade Fair (IFTF) between 9-11 November 2022 in Vijfhuizen, the Netherlands. The focus was cut flowers at the Greater Amsterdam Expo (formerly known as Haarlemmermeer Expo). Exhibitors include all the big names in flower breeding, while distributors, wholesalers, brokers, and florists make up the most significant portion of visitors.

Launched in 2010, the three-day event hosted a strong contingent of first-time exhibitors this year. In breaking with tradition, the IFTF show took place one week later than usual. This date change allowed industry professionals from southern Europe to travel to the Netherlands after the peak sales period for All Souls’ Day.

One of the highlights was the international ‘Flowers by Sea’ conference, held a day before the exhibition started.

This year saw large swaths of international flower growers participating, offering cut flower purchasers from around the globe to discuss new varieties, services, and contracts for the new selling season.

At the lavishly decorated stand of FSQ, a Dutch-based distributor that makes Ecuadorian roses available on the European market, the grassheart rose ‘Veggie’ stood out as showstopping, featuring cabbage-like blooms in creamy white and edged with light green.

French rose breeder Meilland showcased what is arguably one of the most versatile roses ever. Featuring sprays of tiny, buttonlike blooms in pale pink, this pretty miniature spray rose adds

volume and whimsey as a filler flower in mixed or mono bouquets. Marketing manager Adrian Soulié notes that Gypsy lasts between 14 to 18 days in water and is currently grown by the 60-ha flower farm Penta Flowers from Kenya. At an altitude of 1,600 metres above sea level, the variety yields between 180-200 stems/sqm and is highly resistant to diseases. To date, Gypsy is only available in soft pink, but Soulié says more colours are in the pipeline.

Speaking of fillers, German plant breeder and seed firm Benary put its Ptilotus exaltatus ‘Matilda’ back into the limelight following its successful debut at the 2022 FlowerTrials. ‘Matilda’ ’s premiere transported us back to the FlowerTrials in 2008 when the Benary staff cladded in T-shirts with a large Kangaroo print on the front and announced the arrival of Joey, the potted plant version of Ptilotus exaltatus, an Australian native plant that bears the same name as baby kangaroos in Australia. ‘Matilda’ stands 70cm tall and has large conical spikes of feathery pink flowers, which top sparse but hardy green foliage. According to Benary’s marketing manager Gundula Wagner the flowers last for at least two weeks in water and create impact when used as a focal flower in flower arrangements or as a filler flower in mixed bouquets. The flower is currently grown by Sami Sachi flower farm in Ecuador.

The new white rose Noëlia from breeder Jan Spek Rozen has been successfully tested under Dutch growing conditions where stem lengths reach 60 to 80 cms. This elegant white rose with full heads, and luxurious petals are currently grown by Van der Hulst

Rosa ‘Veggie’ is a creation from rose breeder Schreurs.

IFTF exhibitors include all the big names in flower breeding, while distributors, wholesalers, brokers and florists make up the biggest portion of visitors.

Trade Fair Aalsmeer 2022: stand French/Italian rose breeder NIRP.

Rozenkwekerijen in Meterik in the southeast of the Netherlands. Also created by Jan Spek Rozen is Rosa ‘Milou’ with stem lengths varying between 60-80cm. The deep yellow blooms nicely contrast with the deep green foliage, and with an excellent shelf life, Milou makes a perfect retail rose.

Running parallel to the IFTF was Trade Fair Aalsmeer, offering buyers an unrivalled opportunity to browse and buy from the world’s largest selection of plants and flowers brought together under one roof by Royal FloraHolland.

Dutch potted plant growers dominated the 25,000m� show floor, bringing their staple ornamentals, such as potted Phalaenopsis, Kalanchoe, and potted roses, as well as exciting niche products, under the attention of a global audience.

Trade Fair Aalsmeer is renowned for its New Product Showcase, which focuses on novel flowers and plants.

This stage also hosted the nominees for Royal FloraHolland’s Glass Tulip Awards 2022/2023. An advisory committee and panel of expert judges shortlisted the nominees across five categories: cut flowers, green foliage plants, flowering houseplants, garden plants, and

marketing concepts. An additional 30 novelty plants were displayed, automatically vying for the 2023/2024 Glass Tulip Awards.

Bredefleur’s ‘Apricot Fudge’ is a lily, but its very unusual shape is hardly recognisable. The novelty LA hybrid features giant Freesia-like blooms with two rows of short, rounded petals and a cluster of stamens that prominently rise above the petals. In December, it was crowned winner of the 2022/2023 Glass Tulip Award in the cut flowers category.

De Hoog Orchids from Pijnacker showcased Rhynchostylis gigantea ‘Aromatique Evoke’, a niche-type orchid which spreads a delicately fresh fragrance at the right temperature. The orchid also scooped up the Glass Tulip Award in the category of flowering houseplants.

Among the showstoppers was also Celosia ‘Hot Tropic Reef’. This plant has brightly coloured combs in red and orange that resemble coral or cockscombs. This plant ended first in the Glass Tulip Awards Garden Plants category.

Both shows were well attended, with the high energy prices, the strong dollar against the euro, Russia’s war against Ukraine and the new online flower auction OFA being on everyone’s lips.

Bredefleur’s

Glass Tulip Award-winning Lilium ‘Apricot Fudge’ is much more than just a lily.

Rosa ‘Milou’ from Jan Spek Rozen.

The blooms of Celosia ‘Hot Tropic Reef’ resemble coral.

Rosa ‘Gypsy’ in soft pink looks impactful when used as a focal or filler flower.

JANUARY 2023

6-8. INDIA

Flora Expo India at New Delhi’s NSIC convention centre. www.floraexpo.com

17-19. FRANCE

35th edition of SIVAL, France’s iconic agricultural trade show at the Parc des Expositions in Angers. www.sival-angers.com

18-20. UNITED STATES

The 50 th edition of Tropical Plant International Expo (TPIE) at the Tampa Convention Centre. www.tpie.org

24-27. GERMANY

IPM, the world’s premier horticultural trade show at Messe Essen. www.ipm-essen.de

24.01.

GERMANY

The 13 th International Grower of the Year (IGOTY) Awards 2023 and the 2nd Young International Grower of the Year Awards 2023. Organised by AIPH, it is taking place at the IPM fairground at the Atlantic Hotel alongside IPM Essen, Germany. www.aiph.org/event/igoty-2023

20-29. GERMANY

Grüne Woche, international green week Berlin. The world’s largest consumer and trade fair for food, agriculture and horticulture. www.gruenewoche.de

FEBRUARY 2023

3-7. GERMANY

Christmas World in Messe Frankfurt. www.christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com

8-10. GERMANY

Fruit Logistica at Messe Berlin. www.fruitlogistica.com

16-18. TÜRKIYE

The Flower and Plant Show at Tüyap Fair and Exhibition Centre in Istanbul. www.en.flowershow.com.tr

22-24. ITALY

MyPlant&Garden at Fiera Milano. www.myplantgarden.com

Syngenta Stand at the last IPM Essen in 2020.

IPM Essen returns after a three-year wait

IPM Essen, the world’s premier horticultural trade exhibition, will finally return in January to Essen, Germany, after a three-year break because of Covid-19. According to Oliver P. Kuhrt, general manager of show organiser Messe Essen, IPM Essen is unique. “Nowhere else can industry professionals find such a comprehensive overview of global ornamental horticulture.”

In an absolute first, this year’s IPM Essen show will feature its Horti Tech Innovation Centre, showcasing how modern technology can be an instrument to make horticultural production fit for the future.

Great Britain is a partner country at the 2023 IPM Essen plant show, taking place at Messe Essen between 24-27 January 2023.

A strong contingent of breeders, tech firms and horticultural suppliers will fly the British flag in the UK pavilion built by the Commercial Horticultural Association (CHA) in collaboration with the British Department for International Trade (DIT) and the British Embassy in Berlin.

23-29. NETHERLANDS

TuinIdee, garden show at the Brabanthallen in Hertogenbosch www.tuinidee.nl

25.02-05.03.

FRANCE

The Salon International d’Agriculture (SIA) will be hosted at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. www.salon-agriculture.com

MARCH 2023

3-5. UNITED STATES

Great Lakes Floral & Event Expo 2023 at DeVos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan. ww.glfee.com

4-19. CHINESE TAIPEI

TIOS at Orchid Biotechnology Park in Tainan. www.tios.tw

The show’s International Horticultural Forum will discuss the latest developments in ornamental horticulture in Great Britain.

At this AIPH-International Association of Horticultural Producers-approved International Horticultural Trade Show, organised by Messe Essen, there will be guided tours across the fairgrounds. These will be based on the visitor’s preferences and interest in specific products or services. They will be taken to the appropriate exhibitors stands that fits their needs. For example, there will be tours revolving around discussing climate trees and perennials.

For more information, visit www.ipm-essen.de

7. BELGIUM

Florall, Belgium’s leading horticultural trade show at Waregem Expo. www.florall.be

8-10. ETHIOPIA

Hortiflora Expo at the Millenium Hall in Addis Ababa. www.hortifloraexpo.com

21-23. MEXICO

GreenTech Americas at the Querétaro Centro de Congresos, in Querétaro, Mexico. www.greentech.nl/ americas

23.03-14.05. NETHERLANDS

Keukenhof, one of the world’s most beautiful spring gardens. www.keukenhof.nl

29.03-02.04. AUSTRALIA

Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show at the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens. www.melbflowershow.com.au

APRIL 2023

01.04-22.10. SOUTH KOREA

Suncheonman International Horticultural Garden Expo 2023 in South Korea. www.scbay.suncheon.go.kr 23.04-31.10. TÜRKIYE

International Horticultural Expo 2023 Onikişubat Kahramanmaraş. www.expo2023.org

GERMANY

THE IGOTY AWARDS

AUTHOR: HANNAH PINNELLS

Supported by Headline Sponsor Royal FloraHolland and Founding Partner FloraCulture International, the 13th edition of the AIPH IGOTY Awards recognise best practice in horticulture by the top ornamental production nurseries from around the globe and celebrates the expertise and energy they give to the industry.

The 2023 IGOTY Awards Ceremony returns this year to Essen, Germany, to coincide with the much anticipated IPM Essen trade show. The evening event includes a drinks reception with plenty of food and an opportunity to network with others in the industry. Following this, the awards will be presented for the five categories.

From among these categories, only one winner will be crowned the ‘AIPH International Grower of the Year 2023’ and receive the ‘Gold Rose’ – the industry’s most coveted prize last won by Metrolina Greenhouses, USA.

“It’s a great testament to our whole team, all 3,000 of our employees, everybody back in America, who made this possible. This Gold Rose is indicative of all the work everybody put in,” said Abe van Wingerden, co-CEO of Metrolina Greenhouses.

PREVIOUS GOLD ROSE WINNERS

2022: Metrolina Greenhouses, USA 2020: Anthura BV, the Netherlands 2019: Gediflora, Belgium 2018: Ter Laak Orchids, the Netherlands 2017: Flores El Capiro S.A., Colombia 2016: Costa Farms, USA 2014: Schoneveld Nurseries, the Netherlands 2013: Sheridan Nurseries, Canada 2012: Sheridan Nurseries, Canada 2011: Bylands, Canada 2010: Hillier Nurseries, UK 2009: Sylva van Hulle, Belgium

AWARD CATEGORIES

Finished Plants and Trees; for finished plants and trees that are ready for final sale.

Cut Flowers and Bulbs; for flowers and foliage cut for indoor decorative use and bulbs.

Young Plants; including cuttings, plugs, liners, seedlings etc. which are sold or grown on. Sustainability; for best practice and innovation.

Young International Grower of the Year; for the most inspiring young grower aged 25-40.

On Tuesday 24th January, alongside the AIPH-approved Trade show IPM ESSEN, the industry’s most prestigious award ceremony will celebrate the best ornamentals producers and name the AIPH International Grower of the Year 2023.

THE CRITERIA

Judges look at the following criteria before selecting the winners. The nominated horticulture business needs to demonstrate:

Economic performance; the best businesses must be profitable to remain productive and deliver ongoing developments.

Innovation; the best businesses must be innovative, bringing something new to the industry or market, doing something differently and pushing boundaries.

Market Insight; the best businesses will understand their market and customers inside out.

Sustainability; the best businesses will be sustainable, with demanding environmental and social standards, practices and ambitions.

People Policy; the best businesses will value their human resources and foster a working environment of unity, respect and reward.

THE FINALISTS

Ten ornamental horticulture growers from around the world have reached the finals. Commenting on the final list, AIPH Secretary General, Tim Briercliffe said: “I am delighted to see this list of amazing companies from around the world. Each one is leading our industry and setting an example to the global industry. It is a huge achievement to reach this final list and I congratulate every one of them for this.”

THE 2022 IGOTY JURY

THE YOUNG IGOTY JURY

Bernard Oosterom Past AIPH President, the Netherlands

Poul Graff CEO, Graff Breeding A/S, Denmark Augusto Solano President, Asocolflores, Colombia

Hiroshi Sakata President, Japan Home Garden Association, Japan

Elien Pieters MD, Gediflora, Belgium

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY Headline

Leonardo Capitanio AIPH President and Vivai Capitanio President, Italy

Pablo Bazzani Sales & Marketing Director, Plazoleta Flowers, Colombia

Karolien Tesselaar van Tilburg Project Manager Tesselaar Alstromeria, the Netherlands

Wouter Duijvesteijn Owner of Beyond Chrysant, the Netherlands

We are Royal FloraHolland

Royal FloraHolland is a cooperative of growers. For more than 100 years we have been bringing growers and buyers together. We strive for sustainable success for our members and work together with all parties in the floriculture industry so that the industry continues to grow.

www.royalfloraholland.com

ALLENSMORE NURSERIES LTD, UK

Allensmore Nurseries is a family-owned grower, supplier and trader of ornamental plants to supermarkets, DIY/Box stores, garden centre chains, and independent garden centres in the UK. With over 50 years of trading experience, the business operates on 140 acres of land and has built a reputation for exceptional product and service quality across a broad product range supplied to a diverse customer base. The company’s business strategy is aligned to four Pillars of Growth, for environment, people, community and customers.

Sustainable production is at the heart of the everything the business undertakes. Not only reducing environmental impact but having a positive impact on the local environment and support for the local community is key to how the business operates.

“Becoming a finalist means a great deal to the business. All of our team work hard to grow, sell and distribute our plants and whilst our guys know they are doing a great job becoming a finalist for an international award is something we all genuinely value.”

BROOKDALE TREELAND NURSERIES LIMITED, CANADA

Brookdale Treeland Nurseries Limited (BTN) is one of the largest and most respected growers of garden plants in Canada. They service garden retailers, landscape contractors, municipalities, and golf courses throughout Canada and the United States. With four farms in Ontario and one in British Columbia, BTN has a land base of more than 800 acres.

BTN specialises in building full-service programs in Flowering Shrubs, Evergreens, Broadleaf Evergreens, Holiday Greens, Vines, Perennials, Trees, Small Fruits, and Tropicals. In addition to these programmes, BTN uses a wide network of over 300 growers to bring products from around the world to their customers. This allows them to keep up to date with trends and consumer demands, letting them build programmes for their retail and wholesale partners.

“

Being an IGOTY finalist is a true honour for our company. To be named along with the other top growers in the world means that we are performing at the top of the industry that we love so much.”

FRUCTOPLANT SP. Z O.O., POLAND

Established in 2007, Fructoplant is a dynamically growing Polish producer of garden plants. It supplies products to the largest supermarket chains and garden centres in Europe.

The company’s offer is built on five basic groups of plants: fruit trees, fruit bushes, ornamental trees, shrubs and roses.

Fructoplant is continuously developing its production facilities. The foil tunnel, which was built in 2019, combines modernity and functionality. This allows the company to produce and deliver nearly 5 million plants every year.

Concious of their environmental impact, Fructoplant invests in Zerowaste products, the abandonment of black plastic and the internal programme ‘Let’s Take Care of Our Planet’. These are all expressions of the company’s aspirations for a greener tomorrow.

“Being finalist is a huge reward for our bestselling products and brands, and also honours the hard long-term work for all people and partners related to our company. We are really proud and happy and excited for new coming opportunities.”

MOREL DIFFUSION, FRANCE

Morel Diffusion is a family company with a history of over 100 years specialising in breeding Cyclamen Persicum. The company’s story began in 1919 with Pierre Morel, who grew cyclamen, primroses, and vegetable seedlings at his nursery in Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne. His six sons began marketing the original open pollinated lines, inherited from their father, into F1 hybrid lines in 1989.

Now, Morel Diffusion operates 3.5 Ha of glass and plastic greenhouses in Fréjus, on the Mediterranean coast of France. Seeds are exported to 40 countries while genetics are sold by their customers, seeds distributors, and young plant propagators in 70 countries. Morel employs 58 passionate staff, which peaks to 100 with seasonal workers from October to June, all local from the area.

“What an honour! The feeling that, “trying to do the right thing” daily can be recognised by industry experts, is very rewarding. A great recognition of a fantastic teamwork.”

ROYAL BASE CO. LTD, CHINESE TAIPEI

Royal Base Cooperation one of the world’s largest Phalaenopsis growers. They specialise in Phalaenopsis variety breeding, production, and sales. Products include Phalaenopsis tissue culture, young plants, flowering plants and cut flowers.

Royal Base Co. is the first company in Asia to receive three key certificates: MPS-ABC, MPS-GAP, and MPS-Quality. The certifications recognise the environmentally and socially responsible operation of the business.

The company has invested in state-of-the-art glass greenhouses and an advanced environmental control system in order to maintain high quality products and a steady year-round production of 1.8 million stems of cut flowers per year.

“

For this company, the awards mean everything. It shows that our investment is meaningful. We are proud with what we have contributed to the Horticultural business.”

SB TALEE DE COLOMBIA SAS, COLOMBIA

SB Talee was founded in 1962 in Italy by Duke Forese Salviati and Mr. Palee Brunn as an enterprise to breed carnation varieties and to produce and commercialise its plants. In 1988, Mr. Salviati expanded his company in Colombia, a country where the flower industry was successfully developing. The tropical conditions that allow the production of flowers all year round made it possible to transfer the breeding and development program of varieties from Italy to Colombia in 1998. The potential of the breeding program made it possible to obtain suitable varieties for production in seasonal climates, with appropriate shapes and colors for varied markets. The company takes the challenge to conquer every dianthus growing region in the world.

“It is a great honor to have been shortlisted as a finalist for the IGOTY 2023 Award. This is a recognition to the legacy of our founder, Duke Forese Salviati, who kew how to imprint in us all his passion, knowledge and commitment, in an activity that has allowed us to provide welfare to many Colombian families, who have helped us to make this project possible with their work.”

GIORGIO TESI VIVAI S.S., ITALY

Giorgio Tesi Group of Pistoia is one of Europe’s leading nursery companies for ornamental-plant production. In addition to its headquarters in Pistoia, the company has four other branches located in Grosseto, Orbetello, Piadena, and San Benedetto del Tronto. Production extends onto more than 500 hectares - of which 362ha is for products that are planted in land, 116ha for vase plants, and 22ha covered by greenhouses and high tunnels. Today the company includes more than 200 permanent employees in both the production and commercial departments. They export to 60 countries worldwide.

“Being among the ten finalists is a great honour. Furthermore, because of the level and skill of the candidates, it is well known that IGOTY Awards collects excellent producers coming from all over the world. Our new awareness has led to our participation in this award, whose fame and importance at the international level is recognised by all operators in the sector.”

XIAMEN ICAN SEED CO LTD, CHINA

Xiamen Ican Seed Co., Ltd., started flower seedling production in 2016. The company operates three modern seedling production bases in Chengdu, Xiamen, and Kunming, with greenhouses covering 103,000 square meters. The company’s production facilities are equipped with advanced mechanisation and automation equipment. With the use of advanced technology, they produce more than 100 crops and over 500 varieties. The annual output is 200 million seedlings. In 2021, the company’s market share of seedling products was approximately 25% of the Chinese market.

“Being an IGOTY finalist has a special meaning for our company. First, it is a recognition of our products and services, which would be an incentive for everyone in the company. At the same time, it is a new starting point for us. The development of the company will enter a higher stage, which requires us to have a higher standard: to provide more high-quality seedlings, excellent new varieties and good services for the Chinese and global market.”

ZENTOO, THE NETHERLANDS

Zentoo is a collaboration of chrysanthemum growers. Founded in 2007 with fou growers and 20 hectares, it has now grown into an association of 15 growers with over 100 hectares. This growers’ collective offers more than 100 innovative varieties and together they produce more than 360 million stems a year. This form of collaboration is unique within the floriculture sector. The growers each have their own ‘garden’, but share knowledge with one another and sell under a single brand name and trade with a shared wallet. The far-reaching collaboration both with the growers in the collective but also with others in the sector is at the heart of Zentoo’s business model.

“After our nomination for the Dutch Horticulture Entrepreneur Award 2022, we were inspired to challenge our company on a similar international and competitive level. Our nomination for IGOTY 2023 is a huge boost and inspiration for our growers and staff.”

ZHEJIANG TOYOSHIMA CO., LTD., CHINA

Zhejiang Toyoshima Co., Ltd. was founded in 18 November 1993, when they began to grow and sell fresh cut flowersmainly chrysanthemums and carnations. Today, Toyoshima operates cut flower production bases in Zhejiang, Yunnan, and Hainan. The production area exceeds 92 ha with an output of 25 million chrysanthemum stalks and 10.5 million carnation stalks.

To date, Toyoshima has introduced 179 chrysanthemum varieties and 66 carnation varieties. Additionally, they have obtained 24 national patents in production facilities, standardisation of planting procedure, methods for pests and insects prevention and treatment and preservation.

“All our employees are very excited and proud! Being shortlisted for the International Grower of the Year by AIPH is a great honour. It brings a very good atmosphere, vitality and responsibility to our team!”

JOIN US AT THE AWARDS CEREMONY

The winners will be announced at the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards Ceremony on the 24th January 2023 at the Atlantic Hotel in Essen, Germany. The evening event includes a drinks reception with a range of food to fill stomachs as guests network with others in the industry. Tickets for the evening reception and awards ceremony cost only €50 (incl. VAT) per person. Groups of five tickets are available for the discounted price of €200 and groups of ten for €350. To secure your place, visit the IGOTY event pagehttps://aiph.org/event/igoty-2023

AIPH thanks Headline Sponsor Royal FloraHolland, Founding Partner FloraCulture International, Sapphire Sponsor GLOBALG.A.P. & GGN Label, and Pearl Sponsor IPM Essen for their continued support of the awards.

YOUNG INTERNATIONAL GROWER OF THE YEAR

Last year, AIPH collaborated with Jungle Talks to introduce the Young International Grower of the Year category. This category celebrates vibrant individuals, aged 25-40, who will lead the industry into the future. Once again, participants of Jungle Talks’ Pro Manager Mastercourse who submitted an entry for the award have been assessed and three young professionals have reached the final.

Barden Production and Education Manager, Majestic Trees, UK

Eliot had an interest in horticulture from an early age and began his education in the subject via a Royal Horticultural Society evening class at the age of 15. He subsequently studied at the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens before joining Majestic Trees in 2018.

Shane also acts as Chairperson of the Taskforce of Automation. One of his goals is to pioneer AI and automation within the industry in Asia. He has already been successful in combating bacterial diseases in Royal Base’s Phalaenopsis, greatly reducing the percentage of loss in the last five years.

With an MBA from Wharton, USA, Tatiana is an aspiring business professional who seeks to effectively adapt to the rapidly changing industry. Prior to joining Flores La Conchita, Tatiana was responsible for Cultural Affairs for the Colombian Embassy in Washington D.C.

Eliot

Shane Wang R&D Manager, Royal Base, Chinese Taipei

Tatiana de German Ribon General Manager, Flores La Conchita, Colombia

From October 2nd 2023 to March 28th 2024