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| "Green" Plant Tags |
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. |
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| Winterization Checklist |
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.
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| Free Webinar on White Rust |
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. |
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| Proven Winners Launches Earth-Friendly Magazine for Gardeners |
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/. |
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| Greenhouse Grower Podcasts |
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 |
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| Promoting a Holiday |
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! |
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| Grower University |
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 |
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| Indiana Flower Growers' Annual Conference |
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 |
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| Marketing Tip "Containers" |
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. |
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| Poinsettia Production Planning |
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
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Allows you to track plant height over time againast a target growth curve
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Help ensure that plants finish at target heigh
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Can be used to chart nutrients, pest levels, climate, and management actions such as growth retardant applications
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Several versions available - cost involved
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- 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
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