At Van Wingerden Greenhouses, growing plants is more than just a business - it's a family legacy. Started in 1960, the operation is now in its third generation under the leadership of David Van Wingerden, who grew up working alongside his father. Today, the greenhouse is over 200,000 square feet and thriving with a team that includes longtime head grower Kevin Willekes and the next generation of family joining the ranks.
For years, they made their own growing mix on-site using bulk peat. But as the business grew to supply independent garden centers, landscapers, and florists, it became clear there was an opportunity to improve consistency and streamline production by using a professionally blended growing media.
In 2019, the team began a series of trials with different mix products and Berger quickly stood out from the rest.
"We trialed a lot of mixes from different companies," says Kevin. "But consistency was always a challenge. We ran into issues like sticks and stones in the mix, poor flow through our machinery, uneven tray fills, and wetting agents that didn't work the same batch to batch. We were constantly making adjustments, and that made it harder to grow great plants."
That changed when they trialed Berger. "Berger's products were the most consistent, the cleanest, and gave us the best results," Kevin says. "Plants rooted faster, the mix flowed smoothly through our equipment, and the overall quality was simply better. It made my job as a grower a whole lot easier."
Today, Van Wingerden Greenhouses uses BM5 for the bulk of their production, BM2 for seedlings, and BM7 for ground cover crops. But it's the BM5 that's become the backbone of their success.
"BM5 gives us a reliable foundation," David explains. "It's low dust and the quality is there. You start with a good mix, you set yourself up for success."
Beyond the product itself, the Van Wingerden team points to Berger's people as a key reason for their continued partnership. "The service has been excellent," Kevin says. "The best part about working with Berger is not only their great product, but also their staff and sales team. They just feel like they fit in and they're part of our family as well."
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