Plug & Cutting Conference 2026:
Focus on Young Plant Production
Explore best practices for young plant production and sharpen your skills in live discussions led by horticulture experts during Plug & Cutting.
September 14-16, 2026
Requesting Speaker Proposals
Share your expertise and help greenhouse and nursery growers gain actionable insights to improve plant quality and production efficiency in young plant production.
Sessions can be in English or Spanish. Deadline: December 31, 2025.
Learn from Leaders, Apply with Impact
The Plug & Cutting Conference is a young plant grower-focused educational event that incorporates experiential production tours (for an additional fee), a trade show, and provides insights into cutting-edge research and technology.
Explore topics to enhance skills with real-world practicality. Peer-led panel discussions take place during on-site education sessions.
The conference includes:
Participants will:
- Enhance young plant growing skills
- Visit top-notch operations
- Obtain behind-the-scenes look at young plant production
- Build network with industry peers
- Meet vendors who service young plant growers
September 14-16
Philadelphia, PA
Registration & Pricing
$545
Premium Members
$645
Members
$845
Non-Members
The fee includes access to in-person and on-demand education sessions, the trade show, and the networking reception.
Not a Member?
Educational Sessions
This conference takes a collaborative approach to learning, with peer-led discussions and grower-led panels during on-site education sessions. Registrants also receive access to on-demand tracks, providing flexible learning opportunities after the event. To support Spanish speaking attendees, one education track will be available in Spanish.
Sessions are categorized into the following educational topics.
Production & Growing Practices
Crop production, propagation, cultural practices, efficiency
Plant Health & Diagnostics
Pests, diseases, disorders, scouting, prevention
Research & Applied Science
University research, trials, data-backed insights, emerging science
Technology, Automation & AI
Tools, systems, software, automation, emerging tech
Resource Management
Water, energy, inputs, environmental stewardship
Business Finance & Operations
Check back for additional sessions.
Experiential Production Tours
Learning beyond the classroom provides real-world context, enhances knowledge, and inspires new ideas. These behind-the-scenes tours feature visits with companies driving industry innovation, paired with on-site instructional stations that reinforce practical skills.
Lucas Greenhouses, Monroeville, NJ,
Lucas Greenhouses, Monroeville, NJ,
Lucas Greenhouses specializes in the production of high-quality young plants, including annuals, perennials, garden mums, and poinsettias, using 2.2 million square feet of environmentally controlled greenhouse space. Automated irrigation, fertility monitoring, and ventilation systems promote uniform growth and plant health, while 40 acres of outdoor production and a dedicated trial area support genetics evaluation and selection.
Attendees will explore the systems and infrastructure behind efficient young plant production, including:
- Trial Garden evaluations and genetics selection
- Outdoor field production and custom soil mixing operations
- Production barn equipment, including transplanting and URC sticking systems
- Greenhouse irrigation, flood floor, and boom technologies
- Ventilation, sanitation, and poinsettia production practices
North Creek Nurseries, Landenberg, PA
North Creek Nurseries, Landenberg, PA
North Creek Nurseries is a wholesale propagation nursery providing starter plugs to retail and wholesale nurseries, garden centers, mail-order operations, and landscape professionals. The company specializes in perennials, ornamental grasses, ferns, and Eastern U.S. native plants, offering a wide range of ornamental and Landscape Plug™ products designed to support successful growing and ecological landscape design.
This tour provides a practical look at the systems, technology, and workflows that support daily production operations, including:
- Seed propagation and young plant production processes
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM) using beneficial insects
- Greenhouse environment management and monitoring tools
- Production line workflow and labor tracking systems
- Data-driven planning, forecasting, and operational management
Star® Roses & Plants, West Grove, PA
Star® Roses & Plants, West Grove, PA
Founded in 1897, Star® Roses & Plants distributes roses, woody ornamentals, edibles, perennials, and trees, while also leading breeding and licensing programs for third-party genetics. The company owns and manages well-known brands including The Knock Out® Family of Roses, Drift® Roses, Bushel and Berry®, and Bloomables®. In 2025, the West Grove facility produced 750,000 wholesale plants, 30,000 potential introduction plants, 100,000 breeding seed transplants, and 40,000 new product development units.
Guests will tour the production facility and gain insight into both liner production and breeding operations, including:
- Young plant production systems supporting grower demand
- New product development and build-up processes
- Darwin Perennials breeding and production programs
- Rose and woody ornamental breeding operations
- Facility workflows supporting large-scale propagation and introductions
Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA
Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA
Longwood Gardens is one of the world’s premier display gardens, spanning more than 1,600 acres across two sites. Through integrated propagation and greenhouse production systems, Longwood produces more than 100,000 plants annually across 1,300 taxa. Its 105,000 square feet of controlled-environment production space supports plugs, cuttings, seed propagation, tissue culture, and in-house stock production to deliver exceptional display quality and plant consistency.
The production team will guide attendees through interactive stations throughout the gardens showing how propagation directly supports the displays. Additional highlights include:
- Insights into plugs, cuttings, and propagation strategies
- An overview of greenhouse production systems
- Examples of how in-house propagation supports world-class displays
- Time to explore the gardens following the guided tour
$225 per person
Includes travel to tour stops and lunch. Add the tour when you register for the conference.
Tours Sponsored by
Trade Show
Plug & Cutting features an intimate show experience designed specifically for this industry segment. Unlike large-scale expos, this format provides direct access to vendors so you can build connections, and businesses can share valuable insights on new resources and products tailored to young plant growers.
Conference Schedule
Monday, September 14
7:30 AM Buses board for Experiential Production Tours
6:00 PM Buses return to hotel
Tuesday, September 15
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast with Exhibitors
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Trade Show Open
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM Education Sessions
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM Networking Break on Trade Show Floor
10:30 AM – 11:45 AM Education Sessions
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Lunch with Exhibitors
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM Education Sessions
1:30 PM – 2:15 PM Networking Break on Trade Show Floor
2:00 PM – 4:30 PM Education Sessions
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM Reception with Exhibitors
Wednesday, September 16
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast with Exhibitors
8:00 AM – 1:00 PM Trade Show Open
9:00 AM – 10:15 PM Education Sessions
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM Networking Break on Trade Show Floor
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM Education Sessions
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Lunch with Exhibitors
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Education Sessions
Exhibitor and Sponsorship Details
By exhibiting at this conference, you can highlight your products and services with new and existing customers. The Plug & Cutting Conference is unique as it combines world-class education and tours. This event attracts industry professionals, providing you with the ability to grow your network.
What's Included?
- 8′ x 10′ booth space, back and side wall drape
- (1) 6’ table, 2 chairs, and a wastebasket
- Booth identification sign with booth number and exhibiting company name
- Two complimentary session passes for both personnel or customers
- Electronic list of eligible attendee leads (after the event)
Sponsorship Opportunities
Discover creative sponsorship opportunities to connect with your customers and highlight your brand. Explore options that creatively focus on your products or services.
Contact Cindy Lee for additional information.
Hotel Information
Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown
201 N 17th St,
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Pricing
King Bed -Single Occupancy
$214
Hotel Registration Deadline - 8/24/2026
Founding Partner
Badge/Lanyard Sponsor
