Jeff Gibson on Ball Landscape's EasyScape program

Q. When and why did Ball Seed start the EasyScape program?

A. Ball started the EasyScape program in 2006 as a way to provide business solutions for growers and their landscape customers while taking advantage of current market trends. The first component, the Ellepot by Ball, addresses what landscapers have been saying for years: they’re looking for ways to reduce plastic so they can decrease planting time and waste while increasing efficiency. This bottomless paper pot is easy for the grower to use and makes installation and cleanup quick and simple.

By adding in Daniels Professional Plant Food, an organically derived fertilizer, growers are able to supply landscape customers with a truly sustainable product that involves less plastic and fewer chemicals, which speaks to the increasing consumer interest in organic or organically based products. It gives the landscaper a very compelling message for commercial or residential clients who are already sensitive to eco-friendly information from other industries.

And of course, what growers produce in the Ellepots by Ball with the Daniels Plant Food is key to landscaping success. Which is why we’re recommending top varieties for landscape performance in a variety of regions.

There is a wide range of both annuals and perennials recommended for growing in Ellepots. A list of these plants is available at www.balllandscape.com. Growers can also consult with their Ball Seed sales reps.

Q. What’s the difference between an EasyScape Grower and EasyScape Certified Grower?

A. An EasyScape Certified Grower fulfills all three requirements of the EasyScape program: growing in Ellepots, using Daniels and choosing varieties in conjunction with a Ball Seed sales rep that are proven for landscape performance.

However, because establishing a new fertilizer regime may take time, growers who want to participate in the program, but aren’t yet familiar with Daniels Plant Food, can be designated as an EasyScape Grower. Once these growers incorporate Daniels, they’ll become certified growers.

There are now 15 growers in the program--11 EasyScape Certified Growers and four EasyScape Growers. The program has been presented to Ball customers nationwide for the past year. It is anticipated that the number of growers will increase.

Q. Does Ball Seed have plans to add more hard goods to the program, or will the main focus continue to be on the plants?

A. The focus now is to promote the enhanced efficiency and productivity for growers and landscapers while also giving them ways to leverage the sustainable message and the benefits of the program to their customers. That said, we’re always open to new ideas and may incorporate other elements into the program if they have compelling benefits for our customers.

Q. Have you seen a high interest in the program from growers in any particular part of the country?

A. Right now, many of the EasyScape growers are in the Southeast and Texas, where there are great opportunities for multiple turns in the landscape and higher frequencies of bed change-outs. The efficiency of planting and the speed with which Ellepots break down in-ground are especially appealing. We also have quite a few growers in the Midwest.

Q. Will Ball Seed look to expand its involvement with landscapers by providing educational programs for them?

A. One of the benefits Ball offers growers who participate in the EasyScape program is our help in organizing and hosting EasyScape events for their landscape customers.

We’ve been involved in several over the past few months and find it’s a great opportunity for growers to demonstrate the rewards of the program while also building stronger relationships with their customers. We’ll continue to do that and invite participating EasyScape growers to contact us for help with hosting their own events.

Resume

Position: Business development manager of Ball Landscape.

Experience: Gibson began his tenure with Ball Horticultural Co. in 1989 as a sales representative with PanAmerican Seed. In 1996, Gibson became the marketing manager for Ball Horticultural. In 2006, Gibson assumed his current position at Ball Landscape. He is responsible for the company’s landscape business initiative, focused on promoting the use of Ball products to the professional landscape trade as well as investigating and implementing innovative products and programs to make landscapers more successful.

For more: Ball Horticultural Co., 622 Town Road, West Chicago, IL 60185; (800) 879-2255; jgibson@ballhort.com; www.balllandscape.com.

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Growers interested in participating in the program can contact their sales reps directly, call the company at (800) 879-2255 or e-mail Jeff Gibson (jgibson@ballhort.com) or Mary Higgins (mhiggins@ballseed.com).