2018 California Spring Trials Dates, Times, Locations

California CoastExpect some celebration along the California coast at the 2018 California Spring Trials (CAST), held April 14 to April 19. Three breeders – Benary, Hem Genetics, and Speedling – will celebrate major anniversaries this year. Not to mention there will be wonderful displays, great food, good company, and new varieties to look forward to seeing.

As you prepare for your trip, don’t forget to call ahead and schedule appointments with each trial. Some breeders have their own registration sites and others use a central website. Please note that American Hort will not manage the registration site this year. For select companies, this will done through Clarity Connect at SpringTrialsRegistration.com. Registration opened Jan. 2. Most sites are open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, but a few have limited hours. Be sure to check the schedules as opening and closing times may vary.

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Here are a few changes to note for this year:

  • Ball Horticultural Co. will have a shortened schedule this year. It will not be open on April 18.
  • While Floranova/Vegetalis is next door to Green Fuse Botanicals, each company will present separately. You will need to schedule an appointment with each one individually.
  • Cohen, Hishtil, Jaldety, Kamel Plastic Pots, and Nir Nurseries have a new location at Suncrest Nurseries in Watsonville, CA.

Northern Region

Proven Winners (Kirigin Cellars Winery, Gilroy, CA)
Includes Walters Gardens and Spring Meadows
Dates/Hours:
April 14-April 18: 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
April 19: 8:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Registration: SpringTrialsRegistration.com
Contact Info: Kerry Meyer (573-477-9420)
What’s New: This year visitors can look forward to expanded display areas for plants and focus areas.

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Syngenta Flowers (Gilroy, CA)
Dates: April 14–19
Hours: 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Registration: By appointment only
Contact: ([email protected], 800-427-1896)

Danziger “Dan” Flower Farm (Gilroy, CA)
Dates: April 14-19
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily
Registration: Large groups please pre-register by contacting Dana Fernandez ([email protected])
What’s New: Visitors can look forward to new verbena, angelonia, coreopsis, and a green petunia that is getting interest for combos.

Pacific Plug & Liner (Watsonville, CA)
Includes Sunset Western/Southern Living Garden Collections
Days: April 14-April 19
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Registration: SpringTrialsRegistration.com or email [email protected]
Contact Info: April Herring-Murray ([email protected] or 831-768-6300)
What’s New: Comparison trial featuring lavender and dianthus totaling nearly 200 combined varieties.

Suncrest Nurseries (Watsonville, CA)
Includes Cohen, Hishtil, Jaldety, Kamel Plastic Pots, and Nir Nurseries
Days: April 14-April 18
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Registration: Contact Susan Liou ([email protected] or 718-715-6369)

Ernst Benary of America/Benary+ (Watsonville, CA)
Dates: April 14-April 19
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily
Registration: SpringTrialsRegistration.com
Contact Info: Jen Calhoun ([email protected])
What’s New: Benary will celebrate 175 years in the horticulture industry at CAST. It is introducing many new varieties, including the 2018 National AAS Winner, Marigold ‘Super Hero Spry.’

Speedling (San Juan Bautista, CA)
Includes Hem Genetics, Plant Source International, Thompson & Morgan, Vista Farm, and Lambert
Days/Hours:
April 14-April 18: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
April 19: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Registration: To be determined
Contact: Carolyn Hogue ([email protected] or 813-649-2114)
What’s New:
-Speedling 50th Anniversary
-Hem Genetics 100th Anniversary
Speedling 2017 Agricultural Environmental Award (video link: https://youtu.be/9ibYVWEc_5c)
-New lounge area
-BBQ and tacos

American Takii (Salinas, CA)
More details to come
Registration: SpringTrialsRegistration.com
Contact Info: Julia Paul ([email protected], 831-443-4901)

Sakata Seed America (Salinas, CA)
Dates: April 14-18
Hours: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Registration: SpringTrialsRegistration.com
Contact Info: Alecia Troy ([email protected], 408-782-5385)

Floricultura (Salinas, CA)
Includes Beekenkamp, Elsner PAC, and Westhoff
Dates: April 15-18
Hours: 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Registration: Email [email protected] or [email protected] for appointment
Contact: 805-509-0382

Central Region

Ball Horticultural Co. (Santa Paula, CA)
Includes Ball FloraPlant, Ball Ingenuity, Burpee Home Gardens, Darwin Perennials, Kieft Seed, PanAmerican Seed, Morel Diffusion, Selecta, Star Roses & Plants, and Wave
Dates: April 14-17
Hours: 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily
Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Happy Hour: 4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Registration: BallHort.com/springtrials

Dümmen Orange (Edna Valley Vineyards, San Luis Obispo, CA)
Dates/Hours:
April 15-17: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
April 18: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Registration: By appointment only, email [email protected]
What’s New: Dümmen Orange is focusing on new and innovative programs and showing an extensive lineup of the Dümmen Orange portfolio for the first time.

Floranova & Vegetalis (Santa Paula, CA)
Dates: April 14-April 18
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily
Registration: Ashley Ransbottom ([email protected], 574-594-9284)
What’s New: The five long-awaited new additions to the Vegetalis line-up are here, focusing on compact habit, disease resistance, and consumer satisfaction.

Green Fuse Botanicals (Santa Paula, CA)
Dates: April 14-19
Hours: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Registration: Contact Lorena Craven ([email protected], 805-933-5599)

GroLink Plant Company (Oxnard, CA)
Includes ABZ Seeds, Anthura, Berger, Evanthia, Florist, I-Hort, Kapiteyn, MPS, PlantHaven, Prudac, Royal Van Zanten, Schoneveld Breeding, Suntory Flowers, Vivero Internacional, and WaterPulse
Days: April 14-18
Hours: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. daily
Registration: Register directly at GroLink.com under the 2018 Spring Trials tab
Florist Holland Registration: Register through [email protected])
Florist Holland Contact: Judy Born ([email protected])
Suntory Contact: Delilah Onofrey
(440-522-1447, [email protected])
What’s New at Florist Holland:
-The new, fully programmable Flori Line Select Mix
-The next step in “PureBlooms, the happy air purifier”
-The introduction of “Patio Gerbera – the finish touch”
Garvinea – Easy to enjoy retail concepts
Five new varieties in tissue culture series Garvinea and Patio Gerbera
Future House experimentals

What’s New at Suntory:
-Suntory will display in the outdoor garden area surrounding the gazebo in the courtyard
-Big focus on Soiree Catharanthus with three new colors in the Ka-wa-i-i type – Red, White Peppermint, Pink Peppermint
-Rebranding Grandessa Argyranthemums as Grandaisy, to match the European brand
Exciting mandevilla introduction is ‘Sun Parasol Giant Marbled Crimson,’ with variegated foliage and large flowers. Unlike other variegated varieties, this plant has vigor.
New line of roses called Brindabella. What sets them apart from the rest is fragrance. They have an old-fashioned floribunda look with modern disease resistance and performance.

Windmill Nursery (Buellton, CA)
Includes Terra Nova Nurseries, Kientzler, J. Berry Nursery, Dramm, Pelemix, McConkey, Oasis, and others
Dates/Hours:
April 14 (by invitation during the afternoon only)
April 15-17: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
April 18: 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
Registration: www.springtrialsregistration.com
Registration Contact: Marc Englert (Florep), [email protected]805-850-8839
Contact Info for Terra Nova Nurseries:
Sale Inquiries and Appointments: Larry Finley ([email protected], 800-215-9450, Ext. 306)Media Inquiries and Interviews: Don Eberly ([email protected], 404-574-2900)
What’s New:
-Picnic in the Park theme with displays based on playground structures such as merry-go-round and a children’s slide
Mock Farmers’ Market showcasing food- and beverage-inspired plants (e.g., Kniphofia ‘Lemon Popsicle,’ Heuchera ‘Root Beer’
KiwiFlora will not exhibit here in 2018

 

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