Numerous programme highlights: Three stages for knowledge, practice and innovation at IPM ESSEN 2026

Gardeners Forum, Innovation Center Horticultural Technology and Woodland Arena

From 27 to 30 January, IPM ESSEN 2026 will offer trade visitors a varied programme on three stages at Messe Essen: in the Gardeners Forum in Hall 2, in the Innovation Center Horticultural Technology in Hall 4 and in the new Woodland Arena in Hall 7. All forums combine current research, practical know-how and forward-looking trends in horticulture.

The Gardeners Forum in Hall 2 will once again be one of the central knowledge platforms at IPM ESSEN in 2026. Industry experts, exhibiting companies and institutions will address the topics that are driving the market:

• Fred Kruisselbrink from Anthura will provide information on energy efficiency in horticulture and outline strategies for reducing CO2 emissions (Tuesday, 27 January, 10.30 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Wednesday, 28 January, 2 p.m. to 2.30 p.m.; Thursday, 29 January, 2.30 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday, 30 January, 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon).

• The presentation by Floris Tas, Director of Sales at Selecta One, will focus on the sustainable substrate-free rooting system ‘RCS 2.0’ (Thursday, 29 January, 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.).

• Market potential and the legally compliant handling of cannabis are the topics addressed by Matthias Coufal, Managing Director of Hans Brainfood GmbH and BudVoyage, on the first day of the trade fair, 27 January, from 1.30 to 2 p.m. and on Thursday, 28 January, from 2 to 2.30 p.m.

• ‘Customers of the future: How we as breeders prepare our partners for Gen Z’ is the title of the presentation by Leon Hünting from Brandkamp on Tuesday, 27 January, from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

• Oboya will bring international expertise to the Gardening Forum on Friday, 30 January, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. CEO Robert Wu will provide insights into the extent to which artificial intelligence is positively influencing the global supply chain in horticulture.

• A panel discussion on Thursday, 29 January, from 11 a.m. to 12 noon, will explore how Fairtrade is strengthening the position of women in global cut flower supply chains.

Other participants in the Gardeners Forum include Bailey Nurseries, Florensis, Fleurizon, Landgard, Pflanzentheke, WIR SIND GARTEN, Kekkilä-BVB, Staudenring, Ulmer Verlag and Haymarket Media.

Digitalisation, automation and new technologies

The Innovation Center Horticultural Technology in Hall 4 will focus on future-oriented technologies. The first highlights have been confirmed:

• PurPest presents innovative digital pest and pathogen detection (Tuesday, 27 January, 3 to 3.30 p.m.).

• ‘Together. Reliable. Safe. Making peat substitutes manageable.’ is the topic of Gramoflor Managing Director Stefan Kreft's presentation (Thursday, 27 January, 2:00 to 2:30 p.m.).

• Frank Höbener, Managing Director of NTIC Europe, will speak on Thursday, 29 January, from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. about the use of bio-based, soil-degradable polymers.

• Sapro Energy will give a presentation on Friday, 30 January, from 10 to 10.30 a.m.: ‘Scientific validation: impact on soil fertility and mechanisms of CO2 sequestration.’

• In a joint presentation, CEOs Eric Kaiser (Karuna Technology) and Ron Richter (Klimafarmer) will showcase new ways for efficient urban greening and measurable climate impact through biochar substrates and satellite-based vegetation monitoring (Friday, 30 February, 11 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.).

Other slots are filled by partners such as the North Rhine-Westphalia Horticultural Association, Biobest Group, Boum Garden, Baum & Bonheur, Presciosa Ornela, Air Tray Technology, 420flow GmbH, the University of Hohenheim, Gartenbau-Versicherung, Evergreen Garden Care, greenhub solutions, hexafarms, Urban Greenery, Pflanztheke and the Julius Kühn Institute.

Sustainable trees and shrubs, urban greenery and climate adaptation

The new Woodland Arena in Hall 7 addresses the future of trees in cities. Numerous partners ensure a varied agenda with lectures and panel discussions:

• The Association of German Nurseries will be represented four times: Thorsten Krohn will report on woody plants – the underestimated heroes of our landscapes (Tuesday, 27 January, 11:15 a.m. to 12 noon). Holger Hachmann will shed light on the future viability of rhododendrons (Wednesday, 28 January, 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.), while Peyrik Möller presents plants for flood-prone areas (Wednesday, 28 January, 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.) and Christoph Dirksen presents trees for the future city (Thursday, 29 January, 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.).

• Dr Andreas Wrede from the Schleswig-Holstein Chamber of Agriculture reports on the Federal woody plant inspection (Tuesday, 27 January, 1 p.m. to 1.45 p.m.).

• Claudia Taeger from the Bavarian State Research Center for Viticulture and Horticulture will give a presentation on modern rose varieties and the ADR label (Tuesday, 27 January, 2:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.).

• Jonathan Ruhm from the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation will focus on biodiversity in genes and the importance of regionally native woody plants (Wednesday, 28 January, 1 p.m. to 1.45 p.m.).

• ‘Urban trees under stress – water availability, tree health and tree growth in urban environments’ is the title of the presentation by Dr Mona Quambusch from the Julius Kühn Institute on Thursday, 29 January, from 11:15 a.m. to 12 noon.

• Annette Hackbarth provides insights from the perspective of the trade journal Deutsche Baumschule (Haymarket Media) on ‘Nurseries in the public perception’ (Thursday, 29 January, 1:00 to 1:45 p.m.).

• Joana Gasper from the German Federal Association of Landscape Gardeners will talk about the challenges and opportunities involved in implementing urban tree strategies as part of municipal climate adaptation strategies (Thursday, 29 January, 2:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.).

• ‘Climate-resilient urban development from the perspective of the housing industry’ is the topic of Wolfgang Telöken from the University of Kassel on Friday, 30 January, from 10:15 to 11 a.n.

• The Center for Climate Adaption at the German Institute for Urban Studies, with speaker Moritz Frese, will show how local authorities can effectively implement climate adaptation through nature-based measures (Friday, 30 January, 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m.).

• Further presentations will be given by Prof. Martin Thieme-Hack from Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and Claudia Daldrup from the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture.

The programme is continuously updated.

RTF (rtf, 9Kb)

pdf (pdf, 89Kb)

Photo (jpg, 753Kb)