What works for Plantpeddler

It’s been a succession of big steps for Mike and Rachel Gooder, owners of Plantpeddler in Cresco, Iowa. The pair met at Iowa State University. In 1980 they graduated, married and bought Cresco Greenhouses in Mike’s hometown.

Since that hectic year, the Gooders have not slowed down. They’ve continually expanded and improved the greenhouses with new equipment and more efficient growing processes.

The Gooders and the Plantpeddler team have a passion for trialing varieties from established and emerging breeders. Plantpeddler has been deeply involved in plant trials for more than 20 years. Information gained from its trials helps shape the products chosen for the catalog, young plant and wholesale lines. Plantpeddler also conducts private breeder’s trials for experimental and new varieties.

Bonfire begonia is creating quite a stir with good reason. This is a full-sun begonia that thrives on abuse. It features abundant flaming red-orange flowers over small angel-wing foliage with a fiery-orange margin. It’s excellent for late spring and summer production.

Hiemalis begonia Dragone Pink has exceptional flower size on plants with perfect vigor for baskets and all container sizes. The fully double hot pink flowers are displayed over medium green foliage. This variety is easy to produce with strong roots with a high resistance to powdery mildew. Expect more colors in the series soon.

It may sound simplistic, but one single tool that has made more impact on Plantpeddler than any other since 1985, is the PC. The computer runs our greenhouseenvironment, sales, marketing, production, order flow, business management and accounting; impacts communication and information flow; and allows us to do business internationally from a rural Iowa setting.

Plantpeddler 

Founded: In 1980 by Mike and Rachel Gooder.

Location: Cresco, Iowa.

Crops: Young plants, Bump-Up rooted liners, prefinished and finished plants, including begonias, geraniums, petunias, calibrachoa, New Guinea impatiens, poinsettias, chrysanthemums and Zygo cactus. Bump-Ups are “super liners” with four cuttings per 4 1/2-inch pot. Bump-Ups allow growers to produce 10-inch or 12-inch baskets later in the season and save on heating costs.

Production space: 350,000 square feet.

Market: Plantpeddler’s young plant, Bump-Up and prefinished distribution covers all 50 states and Canada weekly to seasonally. Products are sold through all major brokers. Wholesale finished blooming and bedding plants are shipped to a seven-state area surrounding Iowa through direct and some brokered sales. The grower has expanded its distribution to include Colorado, Texas and the East Coast on a seasonal basis.

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For more: Plantpeddler, (800) 827-1654; www.plantpeddler.com.

- Kelli Rodda