Research & academics
Advancing knowledge
Hort2thefuture brings together researchers from across Europe to generate new knowledge and evidence for more sustainable and resource-efficient horticulture. Research spans growing media, soil health, fertilisation, irrigation and fertigation, soil structure and compaction, sustainability assessment, behavioural change and the wider conditions influencing the uptake of innovation.
Through laboratory research, field trials and testing under commercial growing conditions, the project is assessing new materials, technologies and practices across different crops, production systems and European contexts. This interdisciplinary approach will strengthen the evidence base for sustainable horticulture and help address important research gaps.
The project already brings together expertise across areas including peat alternatives, soil structure and compaction, carbon sequestration, behavioural change, sustainability assessment and data analytics.
Strengthening research collaboration
Hort2thefuture promotes collaboration and knowledge exchange across disciplines, institutions and research communities. Researchers can engage with the project through scientific publications, conferences, academic networks and opportunities to exchange knowledge with growers, industry and policymakers.
Project findings, methodologies and evidence will be shared with the wider scientific community, supporting further research and helping ensure that knowledge generated through Hort2thefuture contributes to future innovation in horticulture and related fields. Academic dissemination and networking are also explicit activities within the project’s communication and dissemination work.
Latest news for academia
PRESS RELEASE: Gardeners invited to join a citizen science project testing cover crops
Hort2thefuture’s “Game of Zones” citizen science initiative explores the benefits of cover crops in gardens and allotments. Gardeners in the northeast of England are taking part in a new citizen science experiment investigating whether cover crops...
PRESS RELEASE: Citizens grow Pak Choi and contribute to sustainable gardening research
A new citizen science initiative involves members of the public taking part in a hands-on experiment to help shape more sustainable food production. The Pak Choi Growing Challenge, led by researchers from Newcastle University, in collaboration with...
The challenge of defining “sustainable growing media”: Why the term is used incorrectly and what needs to be done about it
Abstract: The term “sustainable growing media” is widely used in horticultural research, policy, and industry, yet its meaning remains ambiguous, inconsistently applied, and often unsupported by evidence, undermining the very decisions it is meant...
From lab to field trials: Sharing progress at the Hort2thefuture joint meeting in Norway
In early 2025, partners of the Hort2thefuture project gathered in Oslo for a joint meeting hosted by NIBIO (the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research). This three-day event brought together scientists, researchers, and industry stakeholders...
Growers’ visits in Serbia: Co-creating innovation on the ground
Supporting change through collaboration Since September 2024, the EUTA team has been visiting growers across Serbia as part of the Hort2thefuture project. Led by Steve Quarrie and Ratko Bojović, and coordinated by Milena Micevski, the team has...
FRYD: Using AI to understand gardeners better
A new partnership for smarter gardening What motivates gardeners? How much do they really know about soil? And what kind of content keeps them coming back? These are some of the questions we explored in a new collaboration between Hort2thefuture...