Tools and Support for Every Grower

Improving retail plant quality with Profile Growing Solutions

When retail plant quality isn’t maintained and protected, it can result in unsold plants (known as shrink). These plants that don’t make it off shelves at retail are estimated to cost growers $500 million annually.

It’s hugely important for growers to reduce shrink by ensuring that their plants stay healthier for longer—and the team at Profile Growing Solutions can help enable this. Important new research demonstrates how sufficient water and nutrition management helps plants tolerate stress and improve shelf life, and our complete portfolio of growth solutions are designed to better cultivate total performance for professionals in today’s horticultural market.

Industry-leading technologies that extend shelf life

We conducted lab trials to evaluate controlled-release fertilizers and water-soluble fertilizers to determine which inputs could provide the most sustained nutrition for plants. The trials assessed how and when bioavailable nutrients are released to help sustain the plant. Through this, we could create solutions that would allow plants to remain viable longer on retail shelves. The trials assessed how and when bioavailable nutrients are released to help sustain the plant.

When tested against competitor products, Florikan^® controlled release fertilizers (CRFs) proved to be the most cost-effective solution for delivering bioavailable nutrients to plants. Another of our products, Nutricote^®, released more nutrition at a more consistent rate during crop production and well into retail shelves (when compared to all the CRFs tested).

Researchers also saw higher nutrient levels, better foliar tone, enhanced flower color, and overall improved visual quality in plants grown using Florikan CRFs over water-soluble fertilizers, especially as post-production time increases.

Better quality plants through superior data analysis

Shelf life has always been difficult to measure and is often evaluated by looking at plants to see how attractive they appear. Our lab trials went a step further by evaluating additional data, such as nitrogen levels in the leaf tissue. Plants grown in the HydraFiber^® with Nutricote mix displayed improved visual quality over plants grown in water-soluble fertilizers. These improvements in point-of-sale quality lead to better sell-through, an enhanced consumer experience, and an improved bottom line for the grower.

• HydraFiber and Nutritcote have shown to be a winning combination for protecting retail plant quality and increasing profitability.
• Nutricote produces a dramatically larger, darker green plant with more flowers.
• Florikan controlled release fertilizers produce superior quality plants and protect retail quality across container sizes.

Who is Profile Growing Solutions?

At Profile Growing Solutions, success is what we grow best. We partner with growers at every stage, optimizing inputs and strengthening plant performance. Our expertise helps improve consistency and efficiency, building the foundation for a more productive, resilient, and successful growing season.