Professional Consulting on Agricultural Product Development, NOUSBO

#. Fifty-eight-year-old Kim has found a small task location which reminds him of his hometown. It is the weekend farm close to his apartment building. He grows chilies and lettuce in order to escape the daily grind.

#. Food safety has emerged as an acute social issue after the egg contamination scandal and the use of toxic substances in poultry. Concerned about their children's health, many young mothers have decided to grow cherry tomatoes, lettuce and etc. on their balconies.

Interest in home gardening has surged recently, leading to the increasing interest in home gardening methods and fertilizers. Popular Korean singer Taeyang of Big Bang appeared on MBC TV's program 'I Live Alone' recently enjoying home gardening.

The number of people who grow their own crops on balconies, weekend farms, community farms and personal gardens has been on the rise. To elderly people, home gardening is a way to keep depression at bay and exercise, while to children it is a valuable opportunity to cultivate character, gain some hands-on experience and learn about nature.

Fertilizers and Pesticides Developed by Professionals

NOUSBO's home gardening products (Enviall Triple, Solid Fertilizer for Vegetable Gardens, Flowerpot Organic) / Photo provided by NOUSBO

NOUSBO (Co-CEOs Kim Chang-gyun and Lee Kyung-weon) specializes in fertilizers for farming, golf courses and landscape architecture and has recently launched home gardening products. Founded in 2007, NOUSBO started by producing fertilizers and pesticides for agricultural use, which led to products for golf courses and landscape architecture and both exporting and locally growing agricultural produce.

NOUSBO's biggest advantage lies in its pool of agricultural experts, who research and develop products and even provide consulting added to the simple manufacturing of products. This capability enabled NOUSBO to be the first in Korea to develop water-soluble effervescent fertilizer tablets. They are easy to use for farmers and effective even when used in small amounts. Representative products are 'Pong-in-the -Field,' 'Very-Convenient' and 'Field-Convenient.'

NOUSBO has also developed products for home gardening by improving and modifying products that were proven effective for agricultural use. The products can be used in vegetable gardens, flower pots, flower gardens and weekend farms. NOUSBO's Solid Fertilizer for Vegetable Gardens is a water-soluble effervescent product that can be applied between crops. CEO Kim Chang-gyun says that "ampoule-type fertilizers evaporate quickly and are less effective, whereas this product is highly enriched with a long-lasting effect, making it easy to use."

One of NOUSBO's popular products is the 'Enviall Triple,' which has been certified as organic agricultural material. It is made solely of a maximum of fertilizing elements that can be taken from natural ingredients. In recognition of its outstanding effect, Enviall Triple has been supplied to gardening events organized by the Seoul City government for three years.

Developing Products in Line with Customer Needs

NOUSBO's booths at Korea Landscape & Gardening Expo 2017 Photo Provided by NOUSBO

NOUSBO develops products in line with customer needs. It grasps customer needs through various exhibitions, social media and academies. Products like 'Mite Kill,' which causes zero harm to people and crops while preventing pests, and 'Multi-play,' a fertilizer for grass, are just a few examples of products that were developed according to customer needs.

NOUSBO keeps in touch with customers through home gardening academies. It provides training to organic vegetable garden farmers through classes organized by Seocho-gu Office to teach them how to plant and cultivate crops and prevent garden pests. CEO Kim Chang-gyun says that NOUSBO "publicizes its home gardening products not only in Korea but all over the world," and that it "will continue to distribute more diverse gardening products throughout the home gardening market."

By Editor Shin Jae-eun ([email protected])