Our Strict Principles of Horticulture

• We use virtually no pesticides. Through our ardent commitment to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) we are able to observe and maintain excellent plant quality. To that end, we are able to reduce our use of chemicals. The greatest benefit of this process is the reduction of chemical exposure to our environment, our employees and our customers.
• The source of our irrigation water comes from three (3) natural ponds on our campus. We also recycle our irrigation water through a catch basin in an effort to reduce the amount of nutrients that escape into the land around us. Reducing our impact on the immediate community as well as the earth at large is a goal we projected since the inception of the company in 1964.
• We are also proactive in our weed control. We use sterilized compost to eliminate weeds before maturity and reduce fungus and disease. Freshly planted material is routinely observed and cultivated to ensure weed control.
• We believe that chemical reductions through IPM, water conservation through recycling, and sterilized compost are key elements of responsible horticulture. They have been practiced at Kurt Bluemel, Inc. for over 45 years and allow us to provide our customer with extraordinary plant material with the lowest possible impact on the environment.

Defining the Market through Plant Introductions

• Kurt Bluemel’s success is directly attributed to 45 years of setting the market with new plant introductions. We have consistently set the trends rather than follow them.
• Our Research and Development Department is constantly reviewing plant material for its performance, adaptability and landscape use. Our goal is to produce plants that are both valuable and viable in the American landscape. Our plants are chosen for superior characteristics, morphological desirability and successful marketability for our customers and the anticipated needs of their clients.
• In the last 45 years, Kurt Bluemel Inc. has introduced several hundreds of perennials, bamboos and ornamental grasses into the American Market. Though we are most know for specializing in ornamental grasses, we have also introduced several perennials either by development or selection.
• Some plants are selected for specific tolerance to salinity, heat, drought, and cold. Others are selected for desirability of flower, foliage or effective proliferation. The special features of each plant must have value in the American landscape before they are considered for introduction or release.