Van Wingerden: "Over the 18 years we've been in business, we've developed an excellent reputation. Producing good quality material has been our best tool for expanding our business."

Spectacular color
A sea of pansies ranging in color from brilliant white to the deepest purple show off one of Grower Direct's ebb-and-flow glass greenhouses — New England's first and largest structure of its kind. Each of Van Wingerden's six glass greenhouses covers a full acre, and Len is considering adding an additional five greenhouses.

Van Wingerden: "This system of glass greenhouses is environmentally friendly and the latest in plant-management technology. They open so we can simulate outdoor conditions in good weather. Each section covers an acre and has its own climate-controlled module that monitors and automatically regulates temperature and heat. Plants rest on heated floors, which we flood with either fresh or fertilized water that is recycled back into tanks after the plants have taken all they require. This system prevents fertilized water from draining into groundwater."

A year-round "seasonal" business
Grower Direct personnel prep Easter lilies for shipment to Wal-Mart and other retailers. This is the first year the company has grown Easter lilies, and they will ship 25,000 plants. They also distribute 200,000 hardy mums in the fall and 200,000 poinsettias for the Christmas holidays.

New equipment
Len Van Wingerden recently imported a new transplanting machine from the Netherlands. Because transplanting is often done by hand, this machine will save Grower Direct hundreds of labor hours annually.

Specialty is growing
About 50 percent of Grower Direct's business consists of bedding plants, such as pansies, marigolds, petunias and impatiens. The other half features containers, hanging baskets, patio pots and mixed containers.

Van Wingerden: "We are the largest New Guinea impatiens grower in the Northeast. New Guineas are one of the most popular new plants on the market in the past 10 years, with the bloom size doubling over the years and their color range and depth of color exploding."

Also an inventor
With the help of a mechanical engineer, Len created and patented the "Wing Pallet," a plastic pallet shipping system that turns into a display for retailers. The system saves time and adds convenience for Grower Direct and retailers alike.

Van Wingerden: "We created it based on need. Large retailers needed help displaying live products, and there was nothing on the market to help them. Our system also has an ebb-and-flood watering system that allows uniform watering to all plant material. In short, it helps retailers display and maintain plants and it is easy for growers to convert to shipping carts. It also nests to one third its display space for storage."

Len Van Wingerden
Grower Direct Farms
164 Hampden Road
Somers, Connecticut 06071
800.622.7456, ext. 11