Cleaner and smarter propagation

The propagation sector saw notable shifts in 2025, marked by leadership changes, new market entrants, technological upgrades, and renewed operations across multiple regions. The year opened with Genson Group adopting a dual-CEO structure, while Australia's Provenance Propagation continued its rapid emergence with a focus on protected cropping crops.

In the Netherlands, West Plant Group relaunched operations following bankruptcy, restoring confidence among growers, and Dutch propagators joined a Grodan-led tour of Canada's newest high-tech facilities. Companies such as EZ Grow, Signify and partners, and Grodan advanced fresh plug options, LED lighting systems, and new substrate solutions, reflecting a broader industry move toward efficiency, sustainability, and controlled-environment production.

As of January 1st, Dutch berry propagation company Genson Group has implemented a renewed leadership structure. "To effectively drive our company's strategy in the coming years, we have expanded our leadership to include two equal CEOs: Frans de Vogel and Li-Ang Yah, who will jointly oversee the daily management of Genson", the company shares.

Provenance Propagation Australia, a relatively new player in the plant propagation industry, has an innovative approach to vegetable plant cultivation. Founded just 18 months ago, the company specializes in protected cropping crops, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, capsicums, and grafted watermelons. Dr. Jack Thomas Mooney, the CEO, shares about their unique methods, the company's growth trajectory, and the challenges faced in the industry.

© Ontario Plants Propagation Ltd

As part of a global knowledge-sharing initiative led by Grodan, a group of Dutch propagators recently toured key horticultural operations in Ontario, including a featured stop at Ontario Plants. The visit offered an in-depth look at Ontario Plants' newly opened Glencoe facility — a purpose-built, state-of-the-art greenhouse focused on innovation, sustainability, and biosecure young plant production.

© EZ Grow Farms

Traditionally, many growers rely on frozen plants for propagation. EZ Grow's new fresh plugs (green, ambient-style plants) are a novel option especially geared toward the rising high tunnel segment.

© Stolze

Signify, Orance – Grow Light Architects, and Stolze Installatietechniek will equip six Vreugdenhil-Klugt cultivation sites this year with Philips LED installations to replace the current SON-T fixtures. The management of the young plant propagation company is pleased with the signing of the contract, which paves the way for customized energy-efficient lighting and gives them many more control options in the future for optimal plant control in the various growing phases.

© Cape Sweet Nursery

"Technology suppliers coming up with new grafting machines can benefit by focusing on all types of nurseries," Frederik Voigt, Horticultural Product Specialist at Cape Sweet Nursery in South Africa, remarks, reflecting on his GreenTech experience. "Traditionally, these technology suppliers will focus on vegetable growers and their nurseries, catering for highly specialized greenhouse horticulture, but tree nurseries and plant propagators are also in search of automation during the critical period in the season when they need to graft."

© Sigg-Plant

Sigg-Plant briefly celebrated its milestone with an international seminar and customer gathering earlier this month — an event that brought together 125 participants and industry thought leaders. But the company's real focus lies ahead: preparing for the next chapter in European horticulture, which demands smart energy use, automation, and collaborative networks.

© Mike Mendez

Strawberry propagation in a controlled environment brings its own unique opportunities. One Floral Seacliff is currently the only propagator of high-tech greenhouse strawberries based in Leamington. This position enables the company to deliver consistently clean, vigorous, and uniform young plants to growers across Canada and the U.S.

© Van der Knaap Diensten BV

Changing circumstances, such as the increasing demand for peat-free products, drive Van der Knaap Group to continue to innovate. In response, they perform trials at their innovation center 'de Kas' with their well-known rooting products, such as Fibre-Neth, Obturo, and paperpots, but in a slightly different way.

© Grodan

Grodan has developed a patented vermiculite-free solution for high-tech propagation of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. The new plugs and blocks improve the sowing process while maintaining optimal germination rates and top-performing plant quality in both the propagation and cultivation phase.