Grab n’ Go Just Got Easier

Ellen C. Wells

One of the appeals of today’s houseplant department is the wide variety of choices within a category that is itself lush, green and jungle-esque. Many serious houseplant shoppers are like kids in a candy store when presented with so many options; “Oh, I’ll take one of these and one of these and … oh, look at that!”  
 
But sometimes the customer just wants something pretty to grab and go. Whether they are shopping for a gift for a houseplant fan, a hostess or a reliable “starter kit” for themselves, they are looking for a pretty option that is easy and functional. That’s where the Twist & Trade Tropical Combo from Homestead Growers/Amerigo Farms comes to the rescue.  

On the outside Twist & Trade looks like a typical three-plant combo in a decorative pot or container. But if you look under the leaves you’ll see that rather than all three plants being planted into the same media, they are individually potted and inserted into three holes (one each for 3-, 4-, and 4.5-in. pots) within an Oasis-like foam block. What’s the advantage of having this pots-in-foam arrangement?  
 
• Individual plants can be swapped out at will when they expire or if the retailer or customer wants something new. Simply “twist” the pot out of the foam and “trade” it for a new potted plant. There’s no need to pull entwined roots apart and get soil everywhere. Plus, being able to easily switch out plants means customers will come back to your store for replacement plants.  
 
• It’s easy to water. Because the pots sit in a foam block, the retailer or the consumer can water any portion of that foam and the water will be wicked into the pot. The foam also helps ensure the product is shipped with adequate water to last during transport as the foam acts as a water reservoir.  
 
• The container is a reusable home décor piece. Keep the container, just swap out the plants as necessary.  
 
Pictured: Twist and Trade’s three pots sit in holes carved into the Oasis-like foam.  

“The whole concept is it’s an alternative to a dish garden where you have this really nice container that you don’t have to throw away,” says Sharon Snoei, sales manager for Homestead Growers/Amerigo Farms in Vineland, Ontario. “You can reuse it by replacing the plants, and you can also make that piece a bit more seasonal by replacing a pot with anything the IGC carries—a poinsettia at Christmas, a pot mum in the fall, anything.”
 
The Twist & Trade Tropical Combo could be that product that keeps consumers coming back for more easy choices and spare plants. GP