+ + + Special Events Awaiting You Today

Horticulture Technology Innovation Center (Hall 4)

This forum allows trade visitors to expand their knowledge on current technical topics such as sustainability, peat reduction, automation, and energy. Guided tours showcasing pioneering technology trends start several times a day from this location.

Topics on Thursday, Jan 29, 2026:

• 10:00 a.m.: Drone technology for horticultural businesses
• 11:00 a.m.: Retrofitting: Intelligent systems instead of new buildings
• 12:00 p.m.: Urban Cooling through biochar substrates
• 2:00 p.m.: Making peat substitutes manageable and reliable
• 3:30 p.m.: Where is German horticulture heading? Future forecasts
• 4:00 p.m.: Bio-based and biodegradable polymers in agriculture

Gardeners' Forum (Hall 2)

The Gardeners' Forum is a central knowledge platform at IPM ESSEN, featuring keynote speeches and panel discussions. Simultaneous translation is provided for international visitors.

Highlights on Thursday, Jan 29, 2026:

• 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Panel Discussion: Fairtrade empowers women in cut flower supply chains.
• 1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Selecta One: RCS 2.0 – the substrate-free rooting system.
• 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: BudVoyage: Producing competitive cannabis varieties in 2026.
• 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: Interior Landscaping – a career for the future.
• 4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Visible instead of taken for granted – Women in Horticulture (NRW).

IPM Discovery Center (Hall 5)

Directed by Romeo Sommers, the Discovery Center presents creative POS concepts and retail trends. The 2026 theme is "Brutalism, Reinterpreted in Green," showcasing how raw architectural structures and lush nature merge into modern retail designs.

• Trend Tours: Today at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. (Registration required).