Phytotoxicity due to the pesticide Judo

Leaf twisting, distortion, chlorosis and spotting (seen here on ivy geranium) can be caused by improper use of the pesticide Judo. These plants are growing out of the injury and new growth is normal. Judo is an insecticide and miticide labeled for mites and whiteflies. It is currently being used by growers to manage Q-strain biotype whiteflies on poinsettias. According to the Judo Technical Bulletin, Judo is not recommended for use on geraniums and other spring crops and tropical foliage plants. For details on preventing injury and for a list of crops, follow label directions and see the company's technical bulletin.

Source:  Grower Talks, May 2009

Linda Sedlmayer of Secret Gardens, in the northern Catskills of New York, found a new use for winter blankets and a way to save on heating in her Quonsets with a make-shift energy curtain.

Linda, who operates in USDA Hardiness Zone 4, has an old Quonset-style greenhouse where she grows her perennials and ornamental grasses.

She explains how they came up with the idea to use an old thermal blanket to save on the propane heat: “I had my friend the carpenter over and was thinking about putting a second sheet of plastic over the house without having to go to further expense to get a pump system to keep it inflated.  He was looking around at the then-empty greenhouse and asked what the white blanket on the roll was for. 

I explained that we put it over the frozen perennials and cover it with two layers of white poly to keep the temperature of the plants from fluctuating during storage in winter.  The roll I had was 12 ft. wide. 

He suggested weaving it behind the frame and under the film of the greenhouse.  I could easily slide the blankets down the north side of the greenhouse and leave it bunched up there during the day and slide it back up for night-time insulation.”

Steve Bailey, Financial Analysis Consultant for The Garden Center Group, a business resource alliance of 100-plus independently-owned U.S. and Canadian garden Centers has authored a series of articles on helping you determine where you can adjust your Profit and Loss Statement utilizing the 2007 statistics from The Garden Center Group.

Part 1:  The Path to Profit

Part 2:  Keeping Cost in Check

Part 3:  Examining Operating Expenses

Part 4:  Key Performance Indicators

Part 5: Realizing Profit

Watch this video on new varieties from Proven Winners as displayed at the OFA Short Course.

Click here for Premier Horticulture's Bio Calculator.

It can help you calculate the cost difference between a fungicide drench and ProMix with Biofungicide.

Horticultural Identification Products in Greensboro, N.C., offers the BioTag and the EcoTag.

The BioTag is made of biodegradable plastic. It’s made using a state-of-the-art polymer technology that relies on products such as corn and soybeans instead of fossil fuel-based resins. The degradation process takes about one year.

Source:  Greenhouse Management, October 2008

Winterization Checklist

- Doors should close and seal properly.
- Inspect and repair holes in wall coverings.
- Inspect and repair roof coverings.
- Wash wall and roof coverings.
- Clean gutters.
- Check that your energy curtains work properly.
- Adjust your vents to close evenly and tightly.
- Inspect your heating system.
- Inspect auxiliary equipment.
- Service your boilers for pressure and gas supply.
- Inspect vent stacks for leaks and obstructions.
- Check boilers and pumps for water leaks.
- Examine environmental controls.
- Drain and clean pad system.
- Check back-up generator.
- Look into off-peak utility discounts.
- Call your greenhouse manufacturer’s representative to stop by and give any new employees a refresher on basic equipment usage and maintenance.
- Put up your over-wintering greenhouse.
- Order black poly.

SAF and ANLA have joined together with Yoder Brothers, Inc., Ball H ortoicultural Company and GroLink in supporting a free training session (available in both Spanish adn English) about Chrysanthemum White Rust (CWR) in a webinar format (a seminar conducted entirely online).

It takes about 30 minutes, has excellent photographs teaching you how to recognize the symptoms of the disease and offers important advice on how to avoid it in your 2008 chrysanthemum crop.

The webinar is available on SAF';s web site, www.safnow.org on the top right-hand side of the screen under Grower Alert, and on ANLA's web site, www.anla.org.

The 2009-2010 edition of the New England Greenhouse Floriculture Guide - A Management Guide for Insects, Diseases, Weeds and Growth Regulators is available from the New England Greenhouse Conference website for $25.00/copy.

Source:  Greenhouse Product News, September 1, 2008

Perhaps this can be a marketing tool for your business. Realize also that what people read, they are going to want.

In an effort to catch the eye of current and future gardeners, Proven Winners has launched Proven Beauty, a new online magazine. The Earth-friendly magazine was created to inspire gardeners of all ages, said Marshall Dirks, director of marketing for Proven Winners.

“We are extremely committed to reaching the end consumer, whether it be an 18-year-old or a 60-year-old,” Dirks said. “This tool was created to reach consumers of all ages — and younger consumers in particular — by providing an insightful online publication about gardening to enhance the readers’ experience, but with an earth-friendly, paperless approach.”

The subscription-free publication can be viewed at www.provenbeauty.com/magazine/.

Source:  Greenhouse Grower's Benchrunner, August 20, 2008

Greenhouse Grower podcasts are now broadcasting. Subscribe to our video clips to stay up to date with production tips in our FloriCAST series. Our premier podcast lets you know what you can look forward to and gives you the lowdown on podcasts. Watch now

If you are looking for a reason for a promotion, check out  this Calendar of  Holidays and Observances. 

They feature "a few of the unknown, unobserved, untraditional, strange, weird, respected and traditional holidays or observances scheduled in the United States.

It may be wacky, but then again you may find something that can boost your marketing!

Source:  Proven Winners, August 18, 2008

On Sept. 12, 2008, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in suburban Chicago, growers from around the nation will gather for discussion with Proven Winners propagators. Growers will have the opportunity to “pick the brains” of growers from Four Star Greenhouses, Pleasant View Gardens and EuroAmerican Propagators at the first-ever Grower University. The one-day course will include discussion of cultural information with an emphasis on technique, cost reduction and quality.

Grower University was designed by Proven Winners to be an opportunity for growers to meet and discuss topics and resolve unanswered horticultural questions. Every admission will be accepted — no application is needed. To register online, click here

The Indiana Flower Growers Association Annual Conference will take place on Oct. 8 and 9, 2008, in West Lafayette, Ind. Themed “Greenhouse Energy and Efficiency,” the conference will focus on efficient greenhouse processes.

From alternative energy systems to crop scheduling, attendees will hear from industry experts about greenhouse improvements that can advance sustainability. Representatives from the USDA will discuss the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), and an agricultural engineer will educate growers on conducting a facility energy audit.

To find out more:  Purdue website

Garden centers should consider hosting container gardening days, where customers bring in the window boxes and patio urns in which they want to create mass plantings.

The garden center provides the soil, and sells the plants! 

This way the plant's original plastic container stays at the garden center for re-use or recycling.

Consider focusing a part of the day on our young future gardeners as well and have a person from your local recycling center on-hand to talk to kids about the importance of recycling and to share their educational materials with the families.

The following web sites can assist growers in tracking the height of their poinsettia crops and planning production:

• Paul Ecke Ranch's On Target Poinsettia Height Tracking Program
  • Web-based program
  • Ecke's Tech Support is able to log on simultaneously and view graphs to help you  make better, timelier height control decisions
  • Data automatically saved from season to season
  • Internet access and web brower are only requirements
  • Free!

• Plant Docs Virtual Grower Software
  • Allows you to track plant height over time againast a target growth curve
  • Help ensure that plants finish at target heigh
  • Can be used to chart nutrients, pest levels, climate, and management actions such as growth retardant applications

  • Several versions available - cost involved

• USDA's Virtual Grower Software
  • Decision support tool for greenhouse growers
  • Use it to design greenhouses, schedule temperature set points throughout the year, predict heating costs
  • Different heating and scheduling scenarios can be predicted
  • Free

Cornell University IPM has a Weed-Suppressive Groundcover fact sheet that can be linked to here.

Retailers can get insight on market trends at several educational sessions during the New England Greenhouse Conference & Expo, Nov. 5-7 in Worcester, Mass. Two half-day symposia on Nov. 5 will focus on "Maximizing the Retail-Grower Advantage"' and "Marketing Green." On Nov. 6, participants will hear garden center consultant Kurt Fromherz's discussion of marketing trends and information from Jennifer Dennis on "Identifying and Reaching New Customers."

GreamBeam Pro features Combo Chef, recipes for combination planters.  Here is there "In the Pink" combo.  

 This charming combination from Sakata Seed America incorporates three low-temperature crops. ‘Diamond Purple’ dianthus and ‘SuperNova Pink’ primula complement each other along the back of the pot with ‘Majestic Giants II Rose with Blotch’ pansy filling out the front of the mix

For complete details read on.

People are now willing to spend a bit more for sustainable and socially responsible products. 

Do you sell rain barrels?  It's a great add-on sale that not only puts dollars in the cash register, it saves water, too. 

In addition, no self-respecting homeowner should be without a water-timer for their garden hoses and be encouraged to invest in drip irrigation, not just sprinkle. Even something as simple and cheap as a package of hose washers may save gallons of water.

From Dave Meder, General Manager of Home and Garden Showplace. Dave.Meder@truevalue.com

To keep customers coming back and boost shopper loyalty four core competencies for sales associates have been identified by the Verde Group based on its Retail Customer Dissatisfaction Study.

Educator:  Explains products, makes recommendations and tells the customer where items can be found.

Engager:  Approaches the customer, smiles, makes eye contact and helps the customer no matter what else the sales associate is doing.

Expeditor: Sensitive to the customer's time constraints and helps the customer speed through long check-out lines.

Authentic: Lets customers browse on their own if they want and is genuinely interested in helping regardless of whether a sale is made or not.

Evaluate your sales people, decide where their strength lies and then encourage them to grow.

Displays that show the customer how to use products are an excellent marketing tool according to Judy Sharpton, owner of Growing Places Marketing.

Preplanted containers are one of our best merchandising techniques, especially when the ingredient plants are within easy reach.  "The mannequin sells plants just like it sells clothes.