Gardenia Gold Medals 2020 - a response to the changing climate
Six of the thirteen products that this year received the highest distinction awarded at Gardenia by industry experts in their description refer to plant resistance. Starting from frost resistance, and ending with less susceptibility to fungi and pests. In the horticultural industry, therefore, you can also see the huge impact of megatrends shaping our present.
An example of combining several threads related to climate change is the undemanding evergreen Kostrzew "Copperbeard" grass, which was bred by Gospodarstwo Ogrodnicze Krzysztof Słowiński. In addition to exceptional resistance to frost (the plant tolerates a drop in temperature even to -34 degrees Celsius), it also copes with periodic water shortages. According to data from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, in July last year the amount of rainfall was only 69% of the norm and if such years are repeated - this type of plants will most likely find more and more recognition from gardeners.
Although on the one hand, producers of awarded products propose how to cope in a less friendly environment, while others create solutions that are to restore the friendly face of our environment.
Such a proposal, which is presented in a very humorous form, is Eco Gardener Bomb. As the producer - TORAF convinces - is a unique composition of colorfully blooming wild flowers and herbs, annual and perennial enclosed in a ball with a diameter of about 2.6 cm made of biohumus and a clay binder. Few should be wetted and dropped wherever we want new life to appear. Balls quite easily disintegrate under the influence of moisture, and useful microorganisms contained in biohumus perfectly accelerate seed germination.
The second trend clearly emerging in the products awarded with the Gardenia 2020 Gold Medal is to reduce human impact on the environment. His example is a completely biodegradable tape, on which the awarded seeds refined from Krakowska Hodowla i Nasiennictwa Horticultural POLAN are sold (which additionally helps to maintain the right distance of sown plants, which reduces losses associated with subsequent interruption). In addition - the tape protects plants against fungal diseases.
On the other hand, the environmental impact of man is limited by the awarded devices. The IWONA GRILLS collection are garden grills devoid of painted elements, and in addition wood-fired instead of conventionally used charcoal. As a result, they do not emit harmful substances released into the atmosphere at high temperatures.
Automation and robotics also came to gardening. Two of the devices awarded this year not only save human work, but also provide better performance. The horticultural technical miracle that has been recognized by the jury of the Gardenia 2020 Gold Medal is, among others the ABROGIO Next Line 4.0 robotic lawnmower, which utilizes GPS, Bluetooth and GSM technology for secure connectivity any time, anywhere. In the highest equipment option, the robot can be inductively charged. In addition, he also works with voice assistants. The simultaneous work of robots in groups in the same area is possible thanks to advanced systems, and this mode of operation significantly increases the economy and efficiency of mowing.
Although the automation of most of us is associated rather with heavy industry, and in the garden edition it resembles rather irrigation systems started at the right times - the reality shows that mobile mowing robots find their use in gardens, just like autonomous vacuum cleaners have permanently established themselves in modern apartments.
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Listę laureatów Złotego Medalu Targów Gardenia sąd konkursowy ogłosił w połowie stycznia i wówczas rozpoczęła się internetowa rywalizacja o uznanie wśród branży i klientów. Głosowanie zakończyło się tuż przed targami i okazało się, że finalnie konsumenci najwięcej głosów oddali na trawę Kostrzewa 'Miedzianobrody' PBR wyhodowaną przez Szkółkę Słowińscy Krzysztof Słowiński.
Jest to bardzo wytrzymała, mało wymagająca, zimozielona trawa, tworząca zwarte kępy. Preferuje stanowisko z domieszką piasku. Toleruje okresowe niedobory wody oraz spadek temperatury do -34 C. Cechą charakterystyczną są wysokie (do 70 cm) miedziano zabarwione pędy kwiatowe.