A Review and Results from Plantpeddler Variety Day 2025
Plantpeddler hosted Variety Day 2025 on Friday, August 1, 2025, a day focused on the goal of “Testing the Best in the Midwest”. Attendees were welcomed with a spectacular N.E. Iowa weather day. The event highlighted more than 1,500 varieties of vegetative annuals in large containers, hanging baskets, and beds from a global array of breeders, in a vivid display of garden color. The day saw a record number of more than 500 attendees, including breeders, sponsors, brokers, growers, garden center managers, and industry professionals.
Prior to Variety Day, on Thursday, July 31, 2025, Plantpeddler hosted its second Educate the Educators Workshop, which was attended by more than 50 schools from seven states. That evening, early arriving attendees enjoyed the Feast at the Farm and Plantpeddler’s 45th Anniversary Celebration, complete with a full meal including BBQ, Iowa sweet corn, and a performance by the band Incognito.
Along with the activities in the trial gardens, supporting sponsors hosted a trade show during the Variety Day event, with a full slate of presentations on the main stage. Sessions began with Carlos Bográn from BioWorks informing growers on biorational management of disease and pests. The subject matter then switched to this year’s focus, greenhouse structures and equipment, including talks from:
Two achievement plaques were presented to Brad Meyer of Bachman’s and Al Zylstra of Dramm.
At Variety Day, participants had the opportunity to vote for their favorite three varieties. The winner this year is Begonia ‘Sweetspice Appleblossom’; available in the 2026 Plantpeddler program. The Top 25 was once again dominated by begonias, with 11 winning varieties. The remaining 14 represent a mix of ten Spring Annuals genus.
Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Plantpeddler Events
Plantpeddler Poinsettia Variety Day 2025 is on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, and Plantpeddler Variety Day 2026 rolls back to Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. For more information, images, variety submittal, and sponsorship opportunities for this or other Plantpeddler events, please contact the team at [email protected].
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