News » 29.08.2025 - From delphinium and everlastings to custom-made mixes and organic varieties
At EconSeeds, it's all about seeds. During a recent visit, Wiebe Knook and Evie Atkins gave us a tour through the demo field together with the company cat Pixy, offering us a look behind the scenes.
Wiebe Knook and Evie Atkins
Before going into the field, Wiebe shows us the warehouse, where around 4,000 different seed varieties are stored. "We have over 100 standard mixes available, but we also make custom blends for customers," explains Wiebe. "It takes us about an hour to create a perfectly balanced mix, because you don't want too much of one flower – it really needs to be harmonious." He also shows their "Spitsbergen," a large cold room where old seeds and mixes are preserved. Besides that they also have a range of biological seeds and mixes at EconSeeds.
It's time to take a look at the demo field, which is already in full bloom. Some flowers have even finished blooming. "This year it all went faster than usual," explains … "Because of the warm weather, everything was flowering within six weeks, whereas it normally takes eight to nine weeks." Four rows are meant to showcase the flowers and mixes, while the rest are used for testing. "Uniformity is really the most important aspect in our seeds – for example, we don't want to see big color differences in a dark blue delphinium. With mixes, we pay close attention to balance, but length and germination are also important. Some mixes are created especially for bees, but there are also ones for butterflies and even for hedgehogs." The mixes are produced in France, where their brand Bertrand has been active for 75 years.
Company cat Pixy loves a walk in the flowerfield; Scabiosa is very popular in dark colors, not only with clients but also with the bees; Cosmea; butterflies love the bright colored Zinnias.
As we walk through the demo field, Wiebe points out some of the different varieties growing there. "Delphinium is one of our most important cut flowers, and we have it in many different colors, from white to deep blue. The demand for organic varieties is also growing, with bio-tagetes being a real highlight. Often, organic flowers tend to be a bit smaller, but tagetes produces a full flower that looks beautiful in an organic bouquet." Everlastings, such as limonium and helichrysum, are also an important part of the EconSeeds assortment, thanks to their sustainability and unique qualities.
Wiebe points to some brightly colored flowers in different shades of pink and explains: "Godetia is an old classic and in the 1980s very popular among small growers in Rijnsburg, the Netherlands and perhaps an article for the future." Helianthus is not a major part of the EconSeeds assortment, but there are still some special varieties on display, such as the Sungold (Teddy Bear).
Godetia, Helianthus Sungold (Teddy Bear), Helichrysum, Cosmea Double Click
Evie shows her favorite flower, the Cosmea 'Double Click,' a unique double-flowered cosmos that can be found in the demo field in white, purple, and pink. "Pastel shades are also very popular with hobby gardeners, so you'll see a lot of those here as well," she concludes.
Source: www.floradlaily.com
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