We present: Gartenbau Silber

Tradition meets sustainability

About Gartenbau Silber

Gartenbau Silber can look back on a long history in the green sector. The company was founded over 100 years ago by Gottlieb Elfers. Today, Inid Schiller is the fourth generation to manage the company. Collaboration and communication with customers and employees in a spirit of partnership is particularly important to her. Silber produces around 29 million young plants and around 500,000 finished plants at two locations every year. At the Ottersberg site, founded in 1969, heather young plants are planted from October to April on around eleven hectares of land and cultivated all year round. The Eckstever section was added in 1983 with 10,000 square metres, where mainly young plants are cultivated, which are pricked out from May. The flowering plants are grown here in summer.

The sustainable production of plants is the focus of the young plant producer. Eckstever has been equipped with a photovoltaic system since 2022 and ensures an autonomous power supply in this part of the business. In the area of plant protection, mainly beneficial organisms are successfully used for biological pest control. However, sustainability is also a top priority outside of the company's own production: the compensation area for the farm consists of wetland and fruit litter meadows and there is a small mixed forest directly adjacent to the farm area in Ottersberg.

News at Gartenbau Silber

On 1 January 2025, Anke Bechtold transferred her shares in the business to Inid Schiller. After 18 years of joint management with her sister, Inid Schiller is now taking over sole management of the company. Anke Bechtold will continue to support the company in word and deed. The topic of sustainable production is not standing still. A 134KWp photovoltaic system was put into operation at the Ottersberg plant in 2024. In addition, 40% peat substitute is already used in the substrate for potted crops and efforts are being made to increase this proportion even further. This year, for example, a pot substrate with 70% peat substitutes is being tested for callunas. Gartenbau Silber relies on well-organised processes with modern technology.

For example, an automatic transplanting machine, an extended sowing line and a table washing machine are used. This year, the new handheld stacker – the Mini Jack from the company Seed2Soil – was used for the first time during potting. It significantly eases the workload for employees when setting down and moving pots in the open field. Also newly in use is a ride-on lawn mower that simplifies work in an innovative way. Not only is it GPS-controlled and capable of mowing Silber’s outdoor areas, but it can also tow tables with potted plants from the greenhouses to the fields.

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17 million Gardengirls young plants per year

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500.000 finished Gardengirls products per year

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Gardengirls producer since 1993

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Calluna vulgaris, Erica carnea, Erica darleyensis and Daboecia

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Young plants for nurseries as well, such as Vaccinium or Cornus

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Gardengirls young plants in QP035, QP054, QP077, QP150, QP273, and QP576

Company video

Gärtnerei Silber primarily cultivates young plants for the Gardengirls producers. In addition to the entire Gardengirls range of callunas, including combination mixtures, Erica carnea and Erica x darleyensis are also produced. As a test farm, newly bred varieties are tested here in advance so that these assessment results can be included in the decision-making process for the market launch. Several other crops such as Gaultheria procumbens, Boronia anemonifolia, Hypericum inodorum and other companion and structural plants for tree nursery customers expand the range.

For more information, please visit Silber's website:

silber-gartenbau.com

Gardengirls brands in Silber's range

Young plants are available for all concepts.

Fluffy

Sunset Girls

Lönneby

Golden Angie

NEXXT in Silber's range

Young plants are available from all NEXXT varieties, just like with the concepts!

Amina

Aurica

Coco

Dorina

Franca

Leandra

Lilith

Milva

Patricia

Paula