The preparations for the 2021 California Summer Trials (CAST) are in full swing. From June 23 through June 27, 25 breeders will showcase their varieties on 8 locations throughout California. And as the trials are an outdoor event, so with plenty of space for social distancing, breeders, growers and brokers will have the possibility to safely conduct business again. And to control the size, appointments are required.
Companies participating.
So what will be on display? Dümmen Orange, for example, highlights its new Garden Party Pollinator’s Paradise combinations at the California Summer Trials (CAST). "Consumers are looking for plant material that is beyond organic or neutral in their environment and that also brings visitors to their gardens. They want products that are eco-positive, meaning they actually add benefits to the environment around them." With that in mind, Dümmen Orange is set to highlight its new Garden Party Pollinator’s Paradise combinations.
"The program is designed to combine both annuals and perennials that are specifically selected to feed one particular pollinator at a time, offering a variety of shapes and sizes for different pollinating friends. The combinations of perennial and annual varieties are selected to match in grower culture, making it simple for the growers to produce a fully flowering combination at retail, but also promising that they will continue to flower all season for the consumer."
Pollinator’s Paradise, like the rest of the Garden Party program from Dümmen Orange, works well when planting all the components as rooted liners together, ensuring an even finish of bloom times and habits across all varieties. The perennials selected for the combinations are first-year flowering, so they will match up perfectly in the greenhouse with the annuals. And varieties have been selected for continuous flower power, making them successful for consumers all summer long. The combinations can be treated as annuals if used in planters or have the one mainstay perennial return next year if planted in the ground.
Tailored combo offerings that will be available onsite at CAST 2021 include Bee Lovely, Butterfly Breeze, Butterfly Garden, and Hummingbird Song.
The Dümmen Orange CAST 2021 display will be located at 6464 Ana Bay Road in San Luis Obispo, Calif. All interested CAST 2021 attendees must confirm a visit time prior to the show. Dümmen’s trial schedule is 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 23 through June 27, 2021.
Click here to download the location map to see all locations.
All 2021 CAST site gatherings will be by appointment only and will only take place if allowed by local ordinances. Appointments are required to control the size according to local COVID-19 safety measures in effect. Walk-ins are strongly discouraged. Please know that any CAST attendee who arrives without an appointment may be asked to wait if the designated group size is at maximum capacity. Set dates for the CAST event will be June 23 to June 27 though some breeders may extend dates for private appointments on either end. Information on each location’s exact open dates are available on the website.
Guests who plan to attend the 2021 California Summer Trials need to make their reservations with each site individually. Event contact information including site details may be found at www.2021CAST.com .