What kind of company is The Mastergrowers?
Love, learning and courage – these are the core values at The Mastergrowers.Love: Now in the hands of the third generation of growers, The Mastergrowers are truly passionate about what they do. This is evident in their meticulous way of working, their respect for nature, their people-centred company culture, and their commitment to sustainable cultivation and distribution.
Learning: At The Mastergrowers, there is a constant drive to deepen their knowledge of the beautiful craft they practise and to improve every single day. To achieve this, they travel the world in search of new insights and innovations.
Courage: With over 100 years of experience, The Mastergrowers are confident in taking new steps, growing new varieties, forming partnerships and making their mark on the market. They are not afraid to falter now and then, this is the best learning and growing process.
What does The Mastergrowers grow?
The Mastergrowers are best known for their indoor hydrangeas and are true ‘Masters in Hydrangea’. They produce these in pot sizes ranging from 9 to 27, and are renowned for their outstanding quality.
In addition to hydrangeas, The Mastergrowers also grow a selection of seasonal products:
• Weeks 20 to 27: A selection of perennials and summer bloomers in pot size 12
• Weeks 39 to 43: Decorative disbudded chrysanthemums for All Saints' Day, available in pot size 9 (one flower), 12 (three flowers) and 23 (seven flowers)
• Weeks 43 to 50: Poinsettias in pot sizes 6 and 13
What is the most popular product?
The most popular product is the Hydrangea Magical. This variety flowers for 150 days and gradually changes colour during its blooming period, first turning green and then deep red.
This year, a new series has also been launched: Hydrangea Everlast. This line originates from The Mastergrowers’ own breeding programme (HiBreeding) and is fully developed in-house. The Hydrangea Everlast blooms for up to 120 days, is self-supporting (strong enough without stakes) and heat resistant. As a result, it continues to bloom beautifully and for longer during hot weather.
Where do the young plants come from?
Most cuttings are supplied from Portugal. They arrive unrooted and are then handled in-house. The Mastergrowers has its own rooting department, which allows them to maintain strong control over product quality from cutting to flowering plant.
How does the cultivation process of the Hydrangea work?
The cultivation process varies depending on the pot size. The biggest challenge is ensuring the Hydrangeas remain beautifully compact.
For pot size 10 Hydrangeas, cuttings are taken in week 15. These are potted in week 20 and grown to half their size until week 42. After this, the Hydrangeas are placed in a cold store. Following a minimum of six weeks in cold storage, they are moved to a warm environment from week 47 and finished into flowering Hydrangeas over a period of 10 weeks.
Pot size 14 Hydrangeas are grown from an overwintered cutting, which is taken in week 30. This type of cutting is stronger, branches more easily and ultimately produces more flowers. It overwinters and is potted almost a year later, in week 20. The plants are grown to half their size until week 42, then stored in the cold for at least six weeks. From week 47, they are moved into the warm greenhouse to be finished into full flowering Hydrangeas.
What makes The Mastergrowers exclusive?
The Mastergrowers stand out because of their range, services and above all their quality. They take great pride in the craftsmanship and love that you will see in their products. The name The Mastergrowers can be compared to a master baker, reflecting the care and passion they put into their work.
What does The Mastergrowers do regarding sustainability?
Sustainability is an important theme for The Mastergrowers. They are currently working hard to calculate their CO2 footprint and exploring which changes can positively impact it. For example, they use solar panels, recycle water and are connected to natural gas.
In addition, they promote packaging without sleeves. Customers have the option to receive products packed in boxes without sleeves. Furthermore, the new varieties developed through HiBreeding no longer require caning. Delivering all plants without plastic and canes saves 88,688 kilograms of material.
