Highlights from Cultivate’20 Virtual: New Products and New Educational Opportunities
July 14, 2020 
The virtual setting for Cultivate’20 has not stopped several industry suppliers from introducing new products and services to their grower customers. Here is just a sampling of news coming out of the show.
HydraFiber Ultra and EZ Blend Products Now Offered in 95-Cubic-Foot Tower Option
Growers can now purchase HydraFiber Ultra 160 and 365 formulations, as well as HydraFiber EZ Blend, in 95-cubic-foot towers. The towers do not require any specialized equipment, and growers can pad mix or use ribbon blenders to break apart the tower material to incorporate it into their substrate mixes without having to increase labor or costs.
“With the new tower option, HydraFiber now has a wood fiber substrate solution for every size and type of grower, regardless of the equipment, labor, or setup they have in their greenhouse,” says Jennifer Neujahr, Director of Horticulture at Profile Products, which owns HydraFiber. “This is the latest innovation in our ongoing work to help all greenhouse growers enhance their operations and find business success.”
The HydraFiber EZ Blend tower is compressed at a 4:1 ratio, providing a total yield of about 400 cubic feet. HydraFiber Ultra towers are compressed at a 6:1 ratio, providing a total yield of about 600 cubic feet. Each HydraFiber tower delivers a better yield than conventional raw material towers. The result is improved freight efficiency — fewer truckloads of HydraFiber are required to achieve the same yield as conventional raw materials, which benefits growers by lowering costs while helping the environment.
Chemical and physical properties of the HydraFiber products in towers are identical to those sold in individual bales. Because the towers require no special equipment, they can quickly and seamlessly be added into existing operations with minimal production changes.
“In addition to the towers, we are continuing to provide all five of our HydraFiber Ultra formulations in 50-pound bales and our EZ Blend material in 40-pound bales,” Neujahr said. “Ultra bales will still be the most effective way to maximize the cost benefits of HydraFiber. But we realize that adding a piece of processing equipment isn’t an option for everyone. These towers will allow more growers to grow better margins and better plants with HydraFiber.”
Monrovia Introduces 2021 Featured Plants at Cultivate
People who are passionate about plants are always looking to improve their gardens. At Monrovia, that means working with plant hunters and plant breeders around the world to introduce varieties that add more beauty to gardens and landscapes. Consumers seek out plants that bloom longer, provide more color, offer improved habits, and bear resistance to pests and diseases. Monrovia’s Featured Plants are selected for attributes such as these, adding beauty to the landscape and bringing more enjoyment to consumers.
To help garden centers reach more consumers, the Plantt eCommerce platform is now available from Monrovia. Developed especially for garden centers, it allows retailers to have a customized storefront on their website that is directly integrated into their point-of-sale systems. Consumers can buy online and pick up in store, or have their plants and products delivered to their home thanks to a partnership between Plantt and delivery service Roadie.
Here are a few favorite Featured Plants for 2021.
Hydrangea ‘Seaside Serenade Newport’ — Newport joins the collection of Seaside Serenade varieties. Like its siblings, it features exceptionally strong stems that do not flop in windy or rainy weather. This quality also ensures the blossoms hold up longer when cut for flower arrangements. Newport reblooms from early summer until autumn and offers a compact habit, allowing it to fit in both large- and small-space landscapes. This mophead hydrangea features striking flower heads that are a deep-plum in acidic soils or a vibrant pink in more alkaline soils.
Nitty Gritty Groundcover Rose Collection – This collection features five varieties of colorful, practically carefree shrubs. They are own-root roses that offer exceptional disease resistance. The double flowers appear in waves from late spring to autumn and bear a sweet fragrance. They are perfect for front border plantings, as accent plants, planted together for a wave of color, or in containers. The five colors are Peach, Pink, Yellow, Red, and White.
Tropical Hibiscus ‘Jazzy Jewel’ — Ideal for consumers looking to add a tropical touch to their landscape, deck, patio, or balcony, this collection of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis selections offers large flowers that can last as long as three days. The shrubs are naturally well-branched, offering a profusion of beautiful flowers. The foliage is glossy and deep green in color and boasts improved resistance to pests and disease, including bacterial leaf spot. Monrovia introduces four colors: Ruby, Gold, Amber, and Opal.
Dramm Webinars
Dramm is offering a series of webinars throughout the week designed to provide education on a wide range of topics, including irrigation systems, filtration, sanitation, and chemical applications. Each webinar is presented live, then offered for on-demand viewing.
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