Nursery P. Mostert Plantenkwekerij has started delivering the Citrosa Mosquito Fighter, a lemon-scented geranium that the grower acquired from Pedro Plant last year. "The best part is that it is durable, and consumers can really enjoy it for six months," they say.
The Pelargonium Scent Fresh series is a range of scented pelargoniums, which grower Peter Boekestijn, who has retired from his own nursery, has placed with Mostert, among others. Mostert turns them into beautiful wall-hangers, while Nursery Bercamp markets the range as potted plants in various pot sizes.
A special feature is that the wall pendant is grown lying down. "You get a full plant that grows nicely around the bag. If you hang it up, it retains its shape, but if you grow it hanging, which we have tried, it doesn't grow as nicely."
After testing small numbers last year, production has been ramped up considerably this year. "It is doing well and really lives up to that long shelf life. Due to the dark and cold weather, we marketed a little later than hoped."
Besides the geranium, the range includes Cyclamen, Zantedeschia, Celosia, Senecio, and, more recently, the Gerbera Garvinea. "You try to stand out, and in that respect this wall pendant is a nice addition. These days, we are also less hesitant to opt for a slightly larger pot size. The Garvinea is an example of this approach. We have been growing the gerbera Durora for a while because it can be grown outdoors, lasts a long time, and also because my wife likes it so much. However, the Garvinea lasts much longer, which is an improvement, but it needs space and therefore needs to be in a bigger pot."
John concludes that this is a different way of thinking because you want to maximally exploit space, work efficiently, and reduce transport costs. "With the gerbera, a number of batches of Celosia, and to some extent with those wall hangers, the mindset is a bit different. We are still looking for the right number and pricing. For instance, this year we have a new, larger label which makes it even more noticeable to consumers and exporters what the product is for. It is a beautiful product and there is still plenty of growth potential."
For more information:
P. Mostert Plant Nursery
Gravin van Bylandtlaan 7
2691 ND 's-Gravenzande, the Netherlands
T: 0174 - 41 33 87
www.plantpmostert.nl