International Horticultural Technologies, LLC Gary R. Hartman, President,

 

International Horticultural Technologies, LLC is the creation of Gary Hartman, a third generation nurseryman and agriculturist.

 

Gary’s experience of over 50 years has all helped him in inventing and developing the production and marketing of Stabilized Rooting Media into the world’s markets.

 

Thank goodness for acronyms (IHORT), because answering the phones with “International Horticultural Technologies LLC” is a real mouth full. We chose such a long name because it really describes what we do. We bring new technologies and development of new products worldwide for the horticultural, agricultural, building, and construction industries.

 

IHORT works with the largest assortment of customers that you can imagine; greenhouses, nursery growers (containers), landscapers, agriculture, forestry, sugar cane, hydroponics, aquaponics, aeroponics, retail, growing kits, architects, governments, municipalities, contractors, and new types of customers every day. In essence we work with anyone that wants to make a change and try something new in the way they are growing or marketing. What a wonderful job we have to be able to learn every day and to give and develop specialized products back to our customers.

 

In 1982 Gary Hartman developed and commercialized the use of Stabilized Growing Media (The Q Plug) for his own nurseries. This form of growing media solved the problems for automation, eliminated shipping and handling problems, and significantly enhanced the rooting of very difficult plants.

 

Today the Q Plugs and Excel Plugs are available for everyone in a large selection of sizes and shapes. Originally the growing mixes were designed for just  rooting and transplanting, but now the media mix has been changed to enhance the actual growing of plants.This technology is the result of four generations of experience and testing and is now incorporated in most of our plugs and soil products.

 

The development of IHORT’S open bottom growing trays and air pruning Ihort Grow Blocks  has opened a whole new field of products and growing technologies. Twisted and curling roots have long been a problem of our industry, but with IHORT’S technologies twisting is no longer a problem. There have been a lot of discussions and products that have come into production to prevent twisted roots, but all of them we know of have all come from the ideas and technologies developed from one of Gary Hartman’s original posters submitted in 1985 to the AHS (American Horticultural Society) on the benefits and technology of air pruning.

 

The companies owned by Gary Hartman and the experiences he has are very diverse and a tribute to agricultural history:

 

International Horticultural Technologies (IHORT) established in 1998. Mr. Hartman invented the Q Plug and Excel Plug which are commonly used for propagation and Hydroponics. IHORT is also a supplier of propagation supplies, trays, private labeling, retail growing kits, wholesale coir products and soil mixes.

 

Grow Tech Inc. of California was created 1982. Mr. Hartman invented and developed the use of Stabilized Media for use in the horticultural and agricultural industries.

 

La Estancia Land and Cattle Company was created in 1972 by Mr. Hartman. Registered Hereford Cattle and Auctioneering

 

Hartman Ranch was created in 1979. Primarily for production of vegetable transplants, pre-nuclear potato seed production, forest tree seedlings, sugar cane plantlets, herbs (sold floating in trays directly to Supermarkets), and hydroponics.

 

Cal Color was created in 1972. House plants, ferns, bedding plants, and cutting propagation

 

Leonard Coates Nurseries, Inc. was established in 1876, specializing in California Natives, trees and shrubs, field grown fruit trees, roses, general farming, fruit trees orchards, and vegetable crops

 

H & M Ranches, 1962 : Apricots, Prunes, Grapes 

 

Tractor work and custom farming, Established in 1957.: Apricots, Prunes, Hay and tractor work