Variety Day 2023 and Top 25 Results

Posted: August 8, 2023
Perfect Weather At Plantpeddler Variety Day to walk through the gardens.

Plantpeddler hosted Variety Day 2023 on Friday, August 4; a day focused on the goal of “Testing the Best in the Midwest”. Attendees were greeted by another beautiful N.E. Iowa weather day. The event highlighted nearly 1,500 varieties of vegetative annuals in large containers, hanging baskets, and beds from a global array of breeders, in a vivid array of garden color. The day saw a record number of attendees including breeders, sponsors, brokers, growers, garden center managers, and industry professionals. Here is a link to a short video recap of Variety Day 2023: Link to Variety Day Teaser Video.

This year, the focus of the presentations was all things “Bio”. Andrew Butler of Green Valley Greenhouse (2022 Grower of the Year) opened the seminars with his practical, real-world use and application of biorationals and beneficials. He was followed by three industry experts covering various aspects of this emerging technology: Kevin Johnson of Microbial Science Laboratories, Andy Peterson, Spectrum Sales LLC (Evofactor and BioSupersil), and Heidi Doering, Koppert Biological Systems.

At Variety Day, participants had the opportunity to vote on their favorite three varieties. The winner this year, Begonia I’Conia Portofino Del Sol, is in the 2024 program at Plantpeddler. It was once again a day dominated by Begonias, with 10 of the Top 25 coming from the genus. Might make sense for a trial at the industry leader in Begonias. The remaining 15 represent a mix of Spring Annuals genus.

Plantpeddler hosted a new event on Thursday, August 3, applied named Educate the Educators. The event featured lectures and workshops to help ag educators fund, run and teach horticulture in educational greenhouses. 58 schools, with over 80 attendees, were instructed by a team of over 25 industry experts. It was a very rewarding event for all involved.

We greatly appreciate all of the breeders for submitting genetics, supporting vendor partner sponsors, the team at Plantpeddler for all their efforts and hosting, and especially everyone who attended.

Mark your calendars: Plantpeddler Poinsettia Variety Day 2023 is on November 30. Plantpeddler Variety Day 2024 follows on August 2. Please make plans to attend both events. Thank-you.

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