PlantTape, a leader in automated transplanting technology, is pleased to announce key promotions and new hires within its North American sales and product development teams. These strategic changes reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to growth, innovation, and customer success, ensuring continued support for grower partners across diverse agricultural sectors.

Mike McLane has been promoted to Western Sales Manager, where he will continue supporting growers and driving sales expansion in the western region. With years of experience in the industry, McCLane has played a key role in helping growers transition to the PlantTape automated transplanting system. “I’m excited to step into this new role and continuing to help growers integrate PlantTape technology to maximize efficiency and yields,” said McLane.

Dominick Levari has been promoted to Eastern USA and Canadian Regional Sales Manager, where he will lead sales efforts and expand PlantTape’s presence in these key markets. Since joining PlantTape, Levari has demonstrated a strong ability to connect with growers and cater to their unique needs. “PlantTape’s automated transplanting system has transformed the way many growers approach transplanting,” said Levari. “I look forward to expanding our reach and providing solutions to even more operations to help growers overcome labor challenges while increasing efficiencies.”

In addition to these promotions, PlantTape is excited to announce two new team members. Xavier Valenzuela has joined the team as a Product Development Specialist. With a strong background in agricultural innovation, Valenzuela will play a key role in advancing PlantTape’s product offerings. His expertise will help enhance the system’s capabilities and ensure continued improvement based on grower feedback. Varinder Sidhu has joined as Canadian Sales Representative, bringing deep understanding of the Canadian agriculture market. His experience with regional growers and understanding of market dynamics will be instrumental in supporting PlantTape’s growth across Canada.

“These leadership advancements reinforce our commitment to a boots-on-the-ground approach with our customers,” said Danielle Michaels, Director of North America Sales. “We work closely with growers to ensure PlantTape technology is optimized for their specific needs, and our team is present for training and ongoing support—something that sets us apart from competing technologies. The hiring and promotion of our personnel will ensure we are with our current and new customers every step of the way, providing hands-on guidance and reinforcing our dedication to their success.”

PlantTape continues to invest in research, product development, and customer support to ensure that its automated transplanting system remains at the forefront of agricultural technology. By expanding its team and strengthening its leadership, the company is well positioned to meet the growing demand for innovative transplanting solutions worldwide.

PlantTape, a leader in agricultural technology, is proud to announce the commercial launch of its latest innovation: an Automated Tomato Transplanter. This cutting-edge solution is poised to transform the way tomatoes are transplanted, offering increased efficiency and precision for growers worldwide.

Designed with extensive input from tomato growers and industry experts, the Automated Tomato Transplanter addresses the specific needs and challenges faced by modern agriculturalists. This innovative module can plant up to 12″ tall transplants, ensuring rapid and uniform planting across fields. With the capability to bury plants 8″ deep and inject over 400 gallons of water per acre, this technology optimizes growing conditions for maximum crop health and productivity.

“Our team is thrilled to introduce the Automated Tomato Transplanter, the culmination of years of research, development, and collaboration with the tomato industry,” said Danielle Michaels, Director of North America Sales at PlantTape. “We recognized the need for a solution that expedites the planting process while saving planting labor, and we’re proud to deliver a product that achieves both.”

Currently, the Automated Tomato Transplanter is available for commercial planting trials for the 2025 tomato season. Growers interested in learning more about this groundbreaking technology are encouraged to reach out to Jesus Vasquez at PlantTape for additional information.

PlantTape, a leading pioneer in automated transplanting solutions, is proud to announce the appointment of Jesus Vasquez as the new Western USA Regional Sales Manager. With nearly three decades of extensive experience in the agriculture industry, Jesus brings a profound understanding of sustainable farming practices, operational efficiency, and leadership to his new role.  This addition to the team will further enhance PlantTape’s commitment to continual innovation, customer service and continued growth across key agricultural regions.

As Western USA Regional Sales Manager, Vazquez will lead the Western Sales team, focusing on optimizing farm operations through innovative practices, precision farming techniques, and data-driven decision-making. His primary responsibilities will include enhancing customer engagement, expanding market presence, and driving PlantTape’s mission to deliver sustainable, scalable solutions that meet the evolving needs of growers.

Throughout his career, Vasquez has been a driving force in enhancing productivity and maximizing efficiency, and cultivating strong relationships within his teams and the wider agricultural community.  His vision aligns seamlessly with PlantTape’s core values, making him an ideal fit for this new role. 

“I am thrilled to be joining PlantTape, a company that has not only revolutionized transplanting technology, but also demonstrates an unwavering commitment to sustainability, innovation and fostering a positive work culture. I look forward to contributing to the continued growth of the company and collaborating with the talented team dedicated to making a lasting impact on the agriculture industry,” said Vasquez.

Jesus’s leadership and vision will be instrumental in expanding PlantTape’s footprint across the Western region, reinforcing the company’s mission to deliver cutting-edge agricultural solutions that help growers increase productivity, reduce labor costs, and promote sustainable farming practices.

PlantTape’s automated transplanting system has gained widespread recognition for its ability to revolutionize the way crops are planted while drastically decreasing a reliance on labor, offering an efficient and sustainable alternative to traditional methods. PlantTape continues to set new benchmarks in the industry, providing farmers with the tools they need to meet the challenges of modern agriculture.

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PlantTape, an industry leader in automated transplanting technology, and Plantel, a prominent agricultural nursery, are excited to announce the grand opening of a new sowing line facility in Santa Maria, California. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at 939 West Boone St., Santa Maria, CA.

The grand opening will feature an official tour of the new sowing facility, showcasing the cutting-edge technology driving the future of sustainable agriculture. Attendees will also have the opportunity to view PlantTape’s revolutionary automated transplanters, which will be on display throughout the event. Lunch will be provided at 12:00 PM, offering guests a chance to engage with industry leaders and learn more about how this new facility will impact the region’s agricultural landscape.

“The launch of this new sowing line facility represents a significant step forward in streamlining the process of sowing and transplanting. This innovation will not only boost efficiency but also drive sustainability by reducing labor inputs and improving the overall resource management,” said Stephen Waldron, Director of Innovation at Plantel. “We’re excited to see how this new facility will continue to support the growers and agricultural operations in the region.”

Danielle Michaels, Director of Sales at PlantTape, added, “Our collaboration with Plantel and this facility expansion will greatly enhance our ability to meet the growing demands of our customers. By increasing our sowing capabilities, we’re positioned to provide even better service, helping farmers optimize their planting process and improve overall yields.”

With this new facility, PlantTape and Plantel continue to demonstrate their commitment to providing the agricultural industry with innovative solutions that improve productivity while reducing the environmental footprint.

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
• Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Lunch: 12:00 PM
• Location: 939 West Boone St., Santa Maria, CA

For more information about the event or to RSVP, please contact Mike McLane at mikemclane@planttape.com

PlantTape, the leading provider of an automated transplanting system and Stokes Seed, a renowned seed company, are excited to announce a dynamic new partnership aimed at delivering exceptional service to their grower customers. In an effort to provide growers with the best possible resources, PlantTape has decided to collaborate with Stokes Seeds, making them the recommended seed supplier for PlantTape customers across the eastern regions of the United States and Canada.

“Cultivating this partnership with Stokes Seeds marks a pivotal moment for PlantTape and underscores our commitment to supporting our East Coast customers at the highest level,” said Dominick Levari, East Coast Sales Manager at PlantTape. “By synergizing our cutting-edge transplanting technology with Stokes Seeds’ exceptional seed offerings, we’re poised to elevate growers’ capabilities and outcomes. This collaboration is a testament to our shared vision of driving innovation and excellence within the industry.”

Under this new partnership, Stokes Seeds and PlantTape will work together to supply growers who utilize PlantTape technology with the highest quality seeds available, ensuring that the advantages of the automated transplanting system are fully leveraged. By strategically warehousing seed at PlantTape’s Livingston, Tennessee operation, customer orders will be processed more efficiently, and seeded tape will be swiftly transported to greenhouses.

To further enhance the customer experience, Stokes Seeds sales representatives will provide growers with PlantTape specifications and available options for PlantTape-certified greenhouses. They will also offer expert recommendations on seed selections that are best suited for sowing using the PlantTape technology.

PlantTape, headquartered in Salinas, California, stands at the forefront of automated transplanting systems, revolutionizing commercial vegetable transplant production through precision agriculture. Their cutting-edge technology is particularly beneficial for grower operations with crops such as tomatoes, hemp, and other row vegetables.

Stokes Seeds, with a rich history dating back to 1881, is a trusted distributor of commercial vegetable seeds. With operations in multiple locations including Holland, Michigan, Buffalo, New York, Vineland, New Jersey, Moultrie, Georgia, LaBelle, Florida, and Thorold, Ontario, Stokes Seeds is well-positioned to serve its customers effectively. Their team of 25 territory managers is dedicated to providing growers with access to the latest seed varieties.

This partnership between PlantTape and Stokes Seed represents a significant step forward in supporting growers and their agricultural endeavors. By combining the expertise of two industry leaders, customers can expect enhanced product offerings, streamlined processes, and outstanding service.

PlantTape’s Rate-Limiting Factor for Transplanting

The limiting factor for the top transplanting speed is not the transplanter itself, but rather the crew’s ability to keep up with the speed of the machine to clip the tape together, tray-to-tray. If the tape is flying out of the trays faster than the crew can clip it, the transplanter out paces the two people and the tape ends. The rate at which the tape leaves the trays depends on two factors: plant-to-plant spacing, and ground speed. If plant-to-plant spacing is wider—say for hemp or tomatoes—the crew can keep pace with a higher ground speed. With a crop such as onions or lettuce, however, a tight plant-to-plant spacing means that the tape will be leaving the trays at more velocity, given equal ground speed.

Planter Modules Calibrated to Transplanter Ground Speed

PlantTape’s transplanter stands apart from the competition in its ability to calibrate the planting rates of its modules to the machine’s ground speed. If the tractor driver speeds up or slows down, plant spacing stays consistent as the modules adjust their rate to compensate. In contrast, other transplanters’ ground drive systems can’t automatically calibrate their planting rate to ground speed, so they rely on specific ground speeds to achieve a target plant spacing. Automatic planting rate calibration: yet another advantage of the PlantTape system.

So How Fast Can the PlantTape Transplanter Go?

Danielle Michaels recalls her days in the field (currently, Danielle serves as PlantTape’s North American Sales Director with a particular tractor driver who “suddenly started going 10mph” during a day of vegetable transplanting. “The transplanter planted just fine,” she remembers, “but the ride got a bit bumpy for the crew.” A 10 mph transplanter is ultrafast by industry standards, but the team at PlantTape suspected the machine could plant with precision at much higher speeds. To find the transplanter’s top planting speed, a PlantTape crew, , hitched one of our transplanters to a John Deere 6150 tractor and achieved sustained speeds of 20 mph. The planting modules still delivered each seedling into the soil with the same precision as at lower speeds. “We would never recommend going this fast for production acres,” Michaels admits, “but this is just for fun, to see how fast it would go.” Until we receive notice of our record being overturned, PlantTape is laying claim to the world’s fastest transplanter. Watch the PlantTape “Fastest Transplanter” Youtube video of the demo.

About PlantTape

PlantTape represents an entire automated transplanting system, of which our fast transplanter is one component.

• Sowing: it all begins with our automated sowing system, which seeds our tape.
• Nursery: PlantTape empowers high-yield nursery operations by more than doubling greenhouse throughput.
• Transplanting: our 3-point planter is the fastest, most efficient transplanter on the planet.

The entire process, from sowing through transplanting, is enabled by our trademark plant tape: a tape that holds seeds, and later seedlings, through the entire cycle. Growers of vegetables, tomatoes, and hemp have revolutionized their operations with PlantTape. Our customers have reduced labor costs by as much as 80%, increased crop yield, and introduced other efficiencies to their operations.

PlantTape is well-known for the efficiencies we bring to nurseries and to transplanting in the field. The environmental benefits of our automated transplanting system is often highlighted less, but is equally important as farmers are challenged daily to become more sustainable while feeding the world.

Plant Tape

Our trademark plant tape material is what enables our entire system, from sowing through transplanting. Because the tape can go directly into the soil, the plant is never touched during planting. Once in the ground, the tape is still visible if a plant is uprooted from the ground. However, after the field is harvested and the remaining plant material is disked back into the soil, the tape will disintegrate over time among the other organic matter.

Lower Peat Usage

Peat is a primary component of crop transplanting globally. With many world governments considering limits on peat mining, peat costs can be expected to increase in the coming years creating another increasing cost for growers while food prices remain the same.

The UK, for example, plans to ban sales of peat compost to the general public by 2024. Meanwhile, the National Trusts’ joint statement on peat calls for “a complete ban on the use and sale of horticultural peat.”

By using PlantTape, growers can cut peat costs significantly, while staying on the good side of environmental issues—and of governments with an eye on the peat industry.

The PlantTape system reduces peat usage by up to 98% compared to other transplanting systems. Where a traditional peat block is 120 cubic centimeters, PlantTape uses only 3 cc’s per seedling.

PlantTape material prior to the seeds being sown.

Long-Lifespan Nursery Trays

Traditional celled nursery trays are single use, generating significant plastic waste per each acre of crop planted.

In contrast, PlantTape’s reusable nursery trays last multiple seasons. With their sturdy construction and modular design, they serve growers year after year, diverting tons of plastic waste from the landfill.

Lower Field Inputs

Some growers find that adopting the PlantTape automated transplanting system results in lower field inputs. Because plants spend less time in the field and more time in a controlled environment, necessary inputs are applied precisely, as needed.  Some growers in California’s Salinas Valley report a 10-15% decrease in watering and fertilization requirements on the lifetime of the crop with PlantTape as compared to traditional transplanting systems.

Nursery Efficiencies

A nursery utilizing the PlantTape system is more efficient per square foot of floor space. A PlantTape nursery tray holds 840 seedlings, compared to 338 seedlings for a standard nursery tray. The PlantTape tray is only slightly larger than the conventional tray, so PlantTape more than doubles greenhouse holding capacity.

Because PlantTape can double greenhouse productivity, nurseries achieve an equivalent throughput with half the greenhouse land-use footprint. Smaller greenhouses require less heating, lighting, and other inputs.

A nursery with the goal of doubling production would traditionally need to double floorspace, which would mean increasing electricity usage, water usage, and other inputs. With PlantTape, in contrast, it can achieve its goal with its current floorspace and inputs.

In May 2021, PlantTape conducted a tomato transplanting trial in Northwest Ohio. The trial aimed to demonstrate viability of PlantTape’s automated transplanting system for non-irrigated tomato agriculture. Recently, a crew harvested the PlantTape tomatoes and compared yield and fruit quality to conventionally planted tomatoes of the same variety grown adjacent to the PlantTape trial.

The Tomato Planting Trial

In May, as reported in our previous blog post, PlantTape injected subsurface water to the root zone of each tomato seedling during transplanting. The injected water helped the transplanted tomatoes establish themselves during 5+ days of dry, hot weather before the next rains arrived.

Subsequent inspections revealed that the PlantTape tomatoes were thriving on par with their conventionally planted neighbors, with similar height, color, and other health markers.

Harvesting the PlantTape Tomatoes

Tomato transplants ready to be planted

The PlantTape tomato harvest compared favorably with tomatoes which were planted with conventional transplanting methods. Both crops—PlantTape tomatoes and nearby conventionally planted tomatoes of the same variety—measured similarly in terms of the following metrics:

• Stand
• Yield (tons per acre)
• Color
• Uniformity

The harvest further validates the viability of the PlantTape automated transplanting system for no-irrigation tomato growing operations.

Seeking Partners for 2022 Tomato Trials

PlantTape will conduct further tomato trials in the 2022 growing season, and welcomes partnership opportunities to trial our system’s capabilities in different regions of the United States.

Next year’s trials will test longevity of PlantTape seedlings in the greenhouse, among other critical factors.

PlantTape is giving growers the opportunity to demo the equipment before having to make a final decision on the product.

If you are a tomato grower in the US and wish to participate in a tomato transplanting trial, please contact Danielle Michaels at daniellemichaels@planttape.com to discuss logistics.

About PlantTape: PlantTape is an agricultural technology company based in Salinas, California. Our automated transplanting system making the nursery and transplanting process more efficient for vegetable growers, tomato growers, and hemp growers around the world.

PlantTape has gained a lot of attention for revolutionizing the transplanting process (80% reduction in transplanting labor requirements, better stands, higher crop yield), but the benefits of our automated transplanting system show up in the nursery, as well.

PlantTape’s greenhouse benefits include:

• Greenhouses can double throughput
• Growers have flexibility on when to transplant
• Growers can opt to bring nursery operations in-house

We can sum all these benefits in two words: efficiency and flexibility. Indeed, efficiency and flexibility have always been the heart of what the PlantTape automated transplanting system offers to growers and nursery operators.

Enhanced Greenhouse Throughput

A nursery using the PlantTape system can double or even triple its seedling throughout compared to a traditional greenhouse using celled nursery trays.“The PlantTape system allowed me to double nursery production, due to increased plant density and shorter growing cycles.” –Jason Kelly, S.A.L.S Transplants, LLC

A nursery using the PlantTape system can double or even triple its seedling throughout compared to a traditional

greenhouse using celled nursery trays.

PlantTape Doubles Nursery Plant Density

PlantTape enables a greenhouse to grow a million seedlings in 5,000 square feet of floorspace. That equates to 200,000 seedlings per thousand square feet of floorspace.

Compared to traditional nurseries that grow 116,272 plants per thousand square feet, PlantTape offers nearly double the plant density. While a PlantTape nursery tray is only slightly bigger than a standard 338 celled tray, it has a much higher holding capacity.

PlantTape Allows Shorter Growing Cycles

With the PlantTape system, a grower can opt to plant seedlings at any point after germination.

Other transplanting methods require workers to manually pull transplants from their celled trays. The plants must be sufficiently developed not to separate from the root system as they are manually pulled out of the tray, meaning they must remain in the greenhouse for a definite maturation period.

With PlantTape, in contrast, the seedlings don’t need to be pulled. Instead, each transplant is placed—still in its original soil plug—into the ground by the PlantTape planting modules. Accordingly, PlantTape seedlings can be transplanted immediately after germination if desired.

PlantTape’s reduced growing cycle allows nurseries to cycle through more seedling sets.

Combine shorter growing cycles with increased seedling density, and you’ve got a recipe for a high-yield nursery.

PlantTape has developed some enhancements to our standard tape material.

Logistical Flexibility on When to Plant

As we discussed in our article on PlantTape enabling a flexible transplanting schedule, PlantTape’s open-ended transplanting timing allows growers to coordinate planting around weather events, labor issues, or other constraints.

Growers Choose Whether to Use a Commercial Nursery

Another way PlantTape gives growers flexibility is by giving them the option to do in-house nursery operations.

For example, some growers find themselves geographically remote from any commercial nursery. With PlantTape, they can set up their own (highly efficient) greenhouse. PlantTape can sow the grower’s seed in one of our and ship it straight to their operation.

So long as the grower has a simple greenhouse set up with T rails and a watering/fertilizing boom, they are equipped to handle the nursery stage of the PlantTape automated transplanting system.

Come transplanting time, the grower simply loads their nursery trays of PlantTape seedlings from the nursery into their PlantTape 3-point planter, then transplants away.