When Tony Barcelo started Hydra Point Plant Growers 11 years ago, he saw untapped potential and an opportunity to build on his family's legacy in horticulture. By cultivating strong industry partnerships, leveraging decades of experience, and driving a clear vision for expansion and efficiency, he laid the foundation for sustained growth and success. Fast forward to today, Hydra Point has evolved into a modern, thriving operation. Supplying plants to major players like Costco, Dreams with Color, Tagawa Growers and Kawahara Nurseries, the company has seen impressive growth achieving a 20% increase year over year for the past five years.
Located in Watsonville, California, Hydra Point spans 85 acres with 1.1 million square feet of heated greenhouse space, along with hoop houses and field growing areas. From poinsettias and hydrangeas to succulents, garden mums, and palms, they're known for growing high-quality crops that stand out in the industry. Berger has been proud to play a role in supporting their success, providing reliable growing media that helps them deliver the quality they're known for.
Since switching to Berger's BM5 Super HP mix, Hydra Point has seen outstanding, consistent results. As owner Tony Barcelo notes, "The consistent quality eliminates variables that can lead to other issues in the nursery." The BM5 mix flows smoothly through equipment, quickly filling containers and making it easy to direct stick big liners into larger pots. "There is an added advantage to being able to use drip tape since the water moves so well throughout the mix. No channeling, so no overhead water is needed. It distributes the water and holds and releases water in a consistent manner. Overall, less water and less irrigation are needed." This has led to lower water and labor costs, along with fewer chemical applications, like fungicides. "The BM5 Super HP has allowed us to grow many of our crops faster."
Barcelo appreciates the quality of the peat and the consistency. "Every step Berger does throughout their processes shows in their final product. It leads to several efficiencies and advantages for my business," he says. "The biggest challenge with the BM5 was retraining the irrigators and people at the soil line to add the right amount of water while fluffing the bales to ensure optimal and maximum yield."
Thanks to the personalized support from the Berger team, Hydra Point has been able to continually optimize its growing processes over the years. "For us to meet market demands, we must have a secure supply chain, with quality ingredients for us to be able to grow the best quality product," Barcelo emphasizes. With the reliability and high quality of Berger's products, Hydra Point can concentrate on delivering exceptional plants while confidently meeting market demands, knowing their operation is running smoothly and efficiently.
Berger
www.berger.ca