Ireland & UK Horticulture Trends for 2026

Challenges facing growers in 2026

As the Irish and UK horticultural sector looks ahead to 2026, it is clear that the pace of change is accelerating. Growers are operating within an increasingly complex landscape shaped by rising production costs, evolving legislation, environmental pressures and shifting customer expectations. While these challenges are significant, they are also driving innovation and collaboration across the industry.

One of the recurring themes discussed at the ICL Hort Science Masterclass series in the UK was the realisation that these pressures are widely shared. When growers, advisors and suppliers come together, it becomes evident that no business is facing these challenges alone. This shared understanding creates confidence and opens the door to practical, commercially viable solutions.

Turning industry pressure into progress

Legislation around sustainability, peat reduction and fertiliser inputs is forcing long-established practices to be re-evaluated. While change can feel disruptive, it also presents opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact and future-proof growing systems. Innovation, driven by necessity, continues to be a defining strength of professional horticulture.

At ICL, a strong focus has been placed on raw material sustainability and how growing systems can evolve without compromising crop quality or consistency.

Sustainable Growing Media solutions for professional growers

A key development has been the advancement of professional woodfibre technology, particularly Fibagro Advance. Originally launched in 2019, the range has been expanded and refined to meet the demands of modern horticulture. Unlike many wood fibre materials developed primarily for retail use, Fibagro Advance is produced to professional standards. It is nitrogen stabilised, resistant to slumping and available in multiple grades, allowing it to be blended and used in ways familiar to peat-based systems.

This flexibility supports peat reduction strategies across propagation and production, while maintaining the performance growers expect.

Fibagro Advance Woodfibre for Peat Reduction

Sustainable innovation beyond Growing Media

Sustainability extends beyond growing media alone. By combining Fibagro Advance with newly developed binding agents, ICL has been able to address challenges in areas such as the blocking market for field-grown vegetable propagation. Traditional blocking mixes, often heavy and highly peat-dependent, can now be reformulated with reduced peat content while delivering comparable performance. The lighter weight of these products also reduces transport requirements, supporting both cost efficiency and carbon reduction.

Pot Topper technology for weed suppression

In ornamental production, pot topper technology offers further benefits. Designed for weed suppression, our Fibagro Advance Pot Topper FT binds to the growing media surface once watered, is resist to wind and handling, and remains effective throughout production. Future developments may see the integration of fertiliser, or biological plant protection solutions, helping to maximise space, nutrition and crop protection.

Preparing for future fertiliser legislation

Looking ahead, biodegradable controlled release fertilisers represent one of the most significant regulatory changes facing the sector, with new European standards coming into force in 2028. While these changes present technical challenges around longevity and nutrient release, progress is well underway. ICL is already developing and trialling compliant solutions to ensure growers are supported through this transition.

As the industry moves into 2026 and beyond, the priority will be balance: delivering sustainability alongside reliability, crop quality and return on investment. At ICL, the focus remains on providing practical, forward-looking solutions that help growers meet future challenges with confidence.