By Meg Amendola and Debi Borden-Miller, CNGA
This year, Cultivate 2024 brought together more than 10,000 attendees and industry leaders from across the horticultural landscape, transforming 8 football fields of exhibit space into a hub of learning, networking, and inspiration. Our participation at Cultivate reaffirms our commitment to keeping ourselves and our members at the forefront of industry trends and innovations.
Key Takeaways from the Sessions
In total, we attended more than 15 sessions at Cultivate (there were more than 160 available!)
Here are just a few of the highlights:
Empowering Personal Responsibility and Growth
- Chad Foster’s keynote on “Blind Ambition” underscored the importance of owning our responses to circumstances and turning challenges into opportunities.
- Key takeaway: Embracing discomfort and challenges fosters personal and professional growth.
Navigating Generational Dynamics
- Geneiva McNeale’s session on generational dynamics highlighted the diverse perspectives and strengths across Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z in the workplace.
- Key takeaway: Understanding generational differences enhances teamwork and innovation.
2025 Garden Trends
- Katie Dubow, President of Garden Media Group shared her view on trends for the upcoming year.
- Key takeaways:
- Katie’s pick for color of the year is teal – inspired by serenity, freedom, tech nostalgia and immersive depth
- “Holy Moly Plants” – plants that are very dramatic in shape and form
- Foraged – The rise of boutique flower farms reflects an interest in fresh grown and cut flowers. People will be seeking to transform the natural bounty of their surroundings into stunning DIY floral designs
- Living Fences – Especially for the 1 in 4 Americans living in condos and apartments – and not just for privacy, but to be wildlife-friendly
- Lived in – A shift from the pristine to a genuine seasoned aesthetic, reflecting a broader societal craving for authenticity
- This Place Doesn’t Exist – Because of AI, we are seeing people drawn to gardens that look unreal and seek to express creativity through crafting environments that soothe our emotions
- Curate a Playlist – There are many botanical oriented playlists out there, including this one from the presentation
Harnessing Positive Intelligence
- Geneiva McNeale introduced the concept of positive intelligence, focusing on combating negative self-talk.
- Key takeaway: Techniques such as identifying and reframing limiting beliefs empower individuals to achieve a positive mindset and higher performance.
Celebrating Industry Excellence
- The Horticultural Industries Leadership Awards and Greenhouse Grower’s Evening of Excellence celebrated outstanding achievements, reinforcing the impact of our industry on individuals and communities.
- Key takeaway: Recognizing and sharing in excellence and learning from industry leaders inspires continued innovation and dedication to industry growth.
Strategic Economic Insights
- Dr. Charlie Hall’s economic update provided strategic insights into economic trends, supply chain resilience, and consumer spending impacts on the horticulture industry.
- Key takeaways:
- Top-line sales showed mixed performance when comparing 2024 to 2023 and 2019, indicating a complex market environment
- The impact of regional weather patterns on sales performance was highlighted, underscoring the need for adaptable business strategies
- Mixed performance is seen across all sectors in the industry. Regional differences prevail. One year of negative YOY comps doesn’t tell the whole story
- You must track customer analytics for your trade areas over time
- Manage your working capital. SKU rationalization. Focus on your value proposition
- Despite economic challenges, consumer spending remains strong, particularly in discretionary areas, offering opportunities for growth
- Hold the line
Exploring the Exhibit Hall
The exhibit floor was a treasure trove of innovations. We met with members who had booths and explored potential exhibitors for our upcoming ProGreen conference, ensuring we bring the most relevant and engaging content to our members. The vibrant displays—ranging from stunning plant installations to the latest horticultural technologies—showcased the creativity and passion driving our industry forward.
Outside of the Show
The cool thing about events like Cultivate is the ability to connect in unexpected places. We shared a plane aisle, stories, and shared experiences with Nancy Buley of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.. Even meals at local venues became unexpected networking opportunities. We mingled with figures from the industry, including editors from leading publications and representatives from cutting-edge companies like Cstanable, a Canadian precision ag-tech and AI company. Bumping into trailblazers like Jazmin Albarran of Seed Your Future emphasized the importance of mentorship and inspiring the next generation in horticulture and ensured that we stay in touch in the near term on our shared objectives.
This blend of education, innovation, and networking truly enriched our experience, highlighting the dynamic and collaborative spirit of the horticulture and crop science community.
Looking Ahead
Attending events like Cultivate are important for staying updated on the latest trends and innovations in horticulture, and the knowledge and connections we’ve gained will directly benefit our upcoming initiatives and programming including Young Hort Professionals and ProGreen. We’d love to share more about our experience with you and hear your takeaways from the event if you were there.
