More than 11,500 registered attendees converged on Baltimore for MANTS 2018. The three-day trade show event took place Jan. 10-12.
The annual MANTS media reception featured presentations from three companies about the new products they are bringing to the marketplace.
First, Matt Vollmer and Ben Meyers of Arbré Technologies discussed their companies inventory management solution for nurseries: CaliperRFID. The product is a band that is attached to the trunk of a tree; six inches from the root flare to comply with ANSI Z60.1 standards. The band is specifically designed to expand with the tree as it grows. When the band is scanned with an RFID reader, the caliper is automatically stored in the Arbré Technologies inventory management system. Learn more about it in our June 2017 cover story.
Next, DeVonne Friesen and Kevin Cramer from Van Belle Nursery discussed two of the latest Bloomin’ Easy shrubs. Date Night Electric Love Weigela and Date Night Stunner Weigela are both zone 4 hardy and easy to grow. Electric Love features vibrant red flowers that cover dark foliage. The plant itself is compact at 2 foot tall by 3 foot wide. Stunner boasts vibrant pink blooms that pop against dark purple foliage and a similarly compact footprint at 3 foot square.
Lastly, Mark Highland, president of The Organic Mechanics Soil Company, presented his company’s biochar blend and explained what growers should look for in a biochar soil enhancement. Not all biochar is created equal, and Highland explained how through the “charging” process, the organic material within this blend will boost yields and increase nutrient adsorption, year after year. He recommends growers mix it into containers at a 5 percent rate.
The annual AmericanHort advocacy breakfast was well-attended by nurserymen eager for updates from Washington, and Craig Regelbrugge and Tal Coley did not disappoint. Coley updated the crowd on the tax bill and new trucking regulations and how they will affect nurseries, especially those shipping from the West coast. Regelbrugge handled the thorny labor and immigration issue with candor.
Jill Calabro provided an update on Horticultural Research Institute’s upcoming projects, and provided an update on boxwood blight – an area of major concern for many growers in the room.
Ken Fisher, president of AmericanHort, introduced Arthij van der Veer of MPS and announced the two organizations’ plan for a strategic alliance. Van der Veer discussed the connection between sustainability and profitability for growers, and Fisher hinted at plans for a sustainable grower award. For more details, listen to our podcast.
Check out the following links for videos from the trade show, and watch for more in the weeks to come.
OHP provides a sneak peek at Fortress, an upcoming granular herbicide for sensitive crops.
Learn how OHP’s new fungicide, Astun, stops botrytis in its tracks.
Dan Stahl discusses all the current products in OHP’s biosolutions line and how they fit growers' needs.
Bouldin & Lawson's pot dispenser reduces labor costs by automating part of the production process.
Wayne Hinton explained how RootMaker products help growers improve their plants' root systems by root-pruning at every step of production.
Scott Gilham of Sun-Fire Nurseries gave a grower’s perspective on Suntory’s new Brindabella roses.
We also spoke with Sam Kirkland of Epicor and Rachel Elder of Homestead Gardens. Rachel described how Epicor helped her business attract new potential customers and convert them into customers.
Natalia Hamill tells growers what to expect from Summer Crush, Bailey Nurseries’ newest Endless Summer hydrangea.