Per Christensen at the IPM Essen in Germany.
Increasing demand
According to Per Christensen, the demand for greens has been increasing over the last few years. And also this year, the demand has been better than the previous year. "August and September, which is one of the two annual peak periods, has been better than last year." And even in April, just after their other annual peak period which is from January till March, they had unexpectedly good sales. "Usually the bedding plants push the greens out of the market during that time of the year", he says.
"One of the main reasons for the increased popularity of this plant is the fact that designers are more often using them in their home interiors and that green indoor plants can purify the air. A healthy lifestyle is becoming a trend and greens fit well in this trend", says Per Christensen. And due to this development, a broader public has been reached. "Greens used to be plants for the older generation, but due to the increasing popularity of the plant, the younger generation is being approached too."
Green Interior concept
The greens of Gartneriet Tingdal all fit in their so called Green Interior concept. This concept was created about ten years ago. "At that time, the prices for greens were quite low. So, by investing in quality and larger plants, we were able to stand out and to create a red line for customers to recognize our products," he says. Currently, the Green Interior concept for indoor plants consists of 26 different varieties of which 16 are Peperomia varieties, which is their main crop. The Green Interior assortment is constantly changing along with the trends. New and existing varieties are being introduced or re-introduced when it fits the trend. This also counts for the outdoor varieties that are only produced in spring. This assortment consists of the Pretty Much Picasso Petunia, the Senorita Rosalita Cleome, the Cosmos bipinnatus 'Sonata', the Cosmos Chocamocha and different Pelargonium varieties.
Expanding with ferns
Recently, Christensen expanded its Green interior concept with ferns. "After noticing the ferns in several magazines, I decided to start growing them myself", he says. They started with 8 different varieties and to learn about the demand, they did some tests at Danish retailers in May and June. "The reactions were very positive, so we decided to sell them commercially in August", he says. And at the Elmia Garden fair, which took place in Sweden earlier this month, they also showed their ferns and again received many positive reactions. "The quantities are not that big at the moment as we still have to learn more about the plant and the varieties. But I foresee a bright future for this plant."
For more information
Gartneriet Tingdal
Per Christensen
Email: [email protected]
www.tingdal.dk