A New Way To Grow Combos

The new Trixi 2.0 will certainly change the way Selecta First Class and the growers it serves do business. Selecta is unveiling its new Trixi system for combos at this week's California Spring Trials. Rather than root three cuttings into a single liner, Selecta came up with a method to root individual cuttings in 209 trays for three weeks and then move them into a brand-new tray Selecta developed. The new tray fuses the three cuttings together like a battery pack.

"About two years ago, our Dutch sales rep (Ton de Bresser) came up with the idea that we had to improve our product," says Stefan Reiner, Selecta's general manager. "The biggest problem for the old version of Trixi is you lose too many cuttings in the process of rooting. So you have two cuttings or one cutting in a tray. That doesn't work for the Dutch guys."

Selecta will be moving entirely to Trixi 2.0, which launches with 19 combo options along with Ball FloraPlant's 15 MixMasters.

The biggest advantage of Trixi 2.0, Reiner says, is growers will get 100 percent root take. With the original Trixi, there were times growers might lose one or two of their three cuttings within liners. But now, the new method gives roots three weeks to develop before cuttings are combined into that single tray.

"The second advantage is the root system," Reiner says. "You will not get that kind of a root system with the old, large liner."

Selecta's Nils Klemm is excited about Trixi 2.0, as well.

"Brokers are coming here applauding," Klemm says. "To me, this is the same level of innovation as a double calibrachoa. To me, it's the same reward as that."

The beauty of Trixi 2.0 is endless combination options. Selecta won't be limited to recipes that include frequently chosen plants like calibrachoas, petunias and verbenas.

"You can do crazy mixes in the future, including seed items, grasses, ipomoea - all is possible to be done in the Trixi," Reiner says.

Learn more about Selecta online at www.firstclassplants.com.