Grower partners with HGTV HOME Plant Collection
The HGTV Home Plant Collection announced its first Canadian shrub grower partner for its ‘Smart & Stylish’ Shrub line: Willowbrook Nurseries of Fenwick, Ontario. A well-known container nursery and perennials grower, the company was chosen for its expertise in a range of ornamental shrubs from spruce and yews to cedars, as well as its excellent distribution network throughout Canada, according to HGTV HOME Plant Collection reports.
Willowbrook joins the current line of ‘Smart & Stylish’ Shrub growers including Color Spot Nurseries, Imperial Nurseries, Kurt Weiss Greenhouses, Lake County Nursery, Northern Family Farms and Van Essen Nursery. All the shrub growers have experience growing new plant varieties and working with other national branded plant programs.
The debut collection of ‘Smart & Stylish’ Shrubs was developed by Agricola Management Group in conjunction with HGTV. Plants will be available this spring in select retailers nationwide as part of a soft launch rollout. This complements the full “Expressions” annuals rollout for 2013.
For more: hgtvhomeplants.com
New app available from Greenhouse Management
The newest version of our iPad and iPhone app is now available in the Apple App store.
In 2011, we brought you all of our great content right to your phone and tablet, and with our January issue, we took it a step further. The new app has more interactive features, photos and sounds than before, and it is custom-built by our team of in-house designers.
You may be thinking, “I already have the Greenhouse Management app, so why should I download it again?” That may be true, and we appreciate your download. As of the end of January, however, the old app has been replaced with the new-and-improved app, and it no longer works.
So go to the App Store today and download the new version. It takes just a few minutes, and as always, it’s free.
For more: greenhousemanagementonline.com
Pennsylvania counties tax hoop houses as real property
The Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association (PLNA) reports that a trend to tax hoop houses as real property is occurring in the state. The association says that PLNA member Fairview Evergreen Nurseries in Erie County found their tax assessment went up when they installed new hoop houses for the company’s container operation.
PLNA says that hoop houses, high tunnels, poly houses, etc., have been viewed as temporary structures not subject to property taxes, but in 2006 a decision was handed down by Commonwealth Court stating that plastic covered structures are real property and subject to taxation in Custer v. Bedford County Board of Assessment Appeals.
According to the association, Senator Elder Vogel, chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, has agreed to sponsor a bill that would clarify the temporary nature of high tunnels for taxing purposes.
PLNA is encouraging its members to call their state senator and ask them to co-sponsor Senator Vogel’s bill on high tunnels.
For more: plna.com
FMC Professional Solutions offers insecticide deal
FMC Professional Solutions is offering a deal on its Talstar Professional insecticide. Now through Nov. 30, 2013, FMC is offering a “Buy three, get the fourth free,” promotion on its ¾-gallon and 1-gallon size jugs of Talstar Professional. The insecticide is a versatile, high-quality, long-lasting liquid used on more than 75 pests, including billbugs, chinch bugs, fleas, ticks, stink bugs and all species of ants.
The promotion is honored at the time of purchase.
For more: fmcprosolutions.com
TPIE attendees select ‘Pretty Deep Red’ as the 2013 Favorite New Flowering Plant
‘Pretty Deep Red’ won the Favorite New Flowering Plant award based on popular vote by Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) attendees in January. A Sun Parasol mandevilla variety, it was among three from Suntory Flowers that were well-received at TPIE in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. ‘Pretty Deep Pink’ and ‘Red Emperor’ were also show favorites.
Flower size is the same as the original Sun Parasol mandevillas, but foliage is glossy, thinner and more vining, according to a press release from Suntory.
“As a result, these plants offer superior branching, dense growth and the highest flower count,” the release states. “New ‘Pretty Deep Red’ and ‘Pretty Deep Pink’ represent the next generation of genetics in this series, which was limited to Pretty Pink and Pretty Crimson.”
Suntory Flowers published a 12-page booklet that shares the story behind the breeding and shows the advantages of each Sun Parasol group — Original, Giant, Pretty and Garden Crimson, which was introduced last year as the first bedding plant mandevilla. The “Secrets of Sun Parasol” booklet shares marketing programs, branded pots and digital resources under YESS! — Your Easy Suntory Solution.
For more: sunparasol.net
Coalition launches to address labor needs
 The AWC’s goal is to seek legislation that ensures America’s farms, ranches, and others have access to a stable and skilled workforce. |
Organizations representing a broad cross-section of agricultural employers announced the formation of the Agriculture Workforce Coalition (AWC). As the unified voice of agriculture, the AWC’s goal is to seek legislation that ensures America’s farms, ranches and other agricultural operations have access to a stable and skilled workforce.
The coalition is putting forward a framework that includes both an earned adjustment in status for current experienced farm workers, as well as a program to ensure that producers continue to have access to a workforce as current agricultural employees move on to other jobs. A key to the framework will be ensuring that it meets the needs of all of agriculture — both those employers with seasonal labor needs and those who provide year-round employment opportunities.
For more: agworkforcecoalition.org
Proven Winners partners with AIB on Philadelphia Flower Show
America in Bloom (AIB) will have a display garden at the Philadelphia Flower Show. This will be the second year in a row that it will have a display garden.
The Philadelphia Flower Show, which takes place March 2-10 in Philadelphia, is the largest and oldest indoor flower show in the country. It was founded in 1829 and has more than 270,000 attendees. This year’s display theme, “Brilliant,” will utilize Proven Winners shrubs to highlight the culture, design, landscapes and gardens of Great Britain. Jim Sutton and Laura Culver, display designers from Longwood Gardens, developed the 15- by 20-foot design of the garden as a gift to America in Bloom.
AIB’s exhibit coordinator and board member Delilah Onofrey partnered with Spring Meadow Nursery, home of Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs, to supply plants to support the theme. Plants from Proven Winners include Chardonnay Pearls deutzia, Snow Day Surprise pearl bush, and Bloom-a-Thon Pink Double azalea. The display will also feature plants bred by Suntory Flowers, supplied by Peace Tree Farms.
For more: theflowershow.com
McConkey Co. introduces online ordering
McConkey Co.’s new website now offers customers the option to place orders online. Featuring easy navigation and a streamlined user experience, the company’s hundreds of greenhouse and nursery supplies are grouped into intuitive categories and sorted by searchable tags.
Up-to-date inventory levels are displayed for each product so customers can see what’s in stock.
Customers can also request to receive an email notification when a backordered item is available again. The company offers products from manufacturers such as T.O. Plastics, East Jordan Plastics, Sun-Gro, A.T. Plastics, Nursery Supplies and dozens more, including McConkey’s manufactured and imported products.
The site is open to all growers across the United States, and it also offers unique benefits for established customers, including affordable freight rates with frequent delivery schedules; the ability to avoid sales tax with a resale certificate; net terms offering for qualified customers; and discounted pickup at the company’s two distribution facilities in Washington and California.
For more: mcconkeyco.com
People Hort Americas LLC added Maria (Bellrose) Luitjohan to its marketing team. With a degree in horticulture from the University of Missouri – Columbia, she spent the past five years as a regional supply manager for Ball Horticultural, where she managed young plant supply in the Midwest, Great Lakes region and Eastern Canada. Luitjohan will help continue to improve Hort Americas’ website as well as focus on the company’s customer service. Melanie Yelton joined LumiGrow as its director of research. Bringing 20 years of experience in leading research and developing coursework for Stanford University, her research will begin with the study of commercial crops and model organisms. She’ll work closely with the LumiGrow product design team along with academic and commercial partners in quantifying plant morphological enhancements achievable through LED lighting. Yelton completed a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellowship in microbial signaling between Rhizobium and alfalfa at Stanford University. She earned a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of California, Davis, where her work focused on plant pathogens. She holds an M.S. in the biochemistry of photosynthesis from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and a B.S. in biology from Virginia Tech. Jonathan Pedersen joined Van Belle Nursery. He previously worked at Bailey Nurseries, where he led the team that introduced some well-known brands including The Endless Summer Collection, Easy Elegance Roses and First Editions. Pedersen will serve as the executive director for the nursery’s new brand, Easy Bloomin’, and will lead the company’s branding efforts. |
AAS announces two additional winners
All-America Selections (AAS) has announced two additional winners for the 2013 season, bringing the total to eight winners for this year. Bred by Sakata Seed Corp., Zinnia ‘Profusion Double Deep Salmon’ and Zinnia ‘Profusion Double Hot Cherry’ both won the AAS 2013 Bedding Plant Award.
Each of these winners was trialed next to two or three other similar varieties that are currently on the market. The AAS judges grew the entries and comparisons, then did a side-by-side analysis of growth habit, disease resistance and more to determine if these were truly better than those already available to home gardeners. Only those entries with superior garden performance are granted the honor of an AAS Award.
These varieties are available for immediate sale.
For more: all-americaselections.org
Mobile app simplifies spray tips selection
Hypro released a new mobile app that takes application information and provides a customized list of spray tip recommendations. Growers enter their tip spacing, speed, application rate, solution density and droplet size requirements, and the SprayIT mobile app does the rest. Available for Apple and Android mobile devices, it also supports U.S. and Metric units. The app is available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.
For more: hypropumps.com
Rough Brothers acquires Golden Pacific Structures product line
Rough Brothers Inc. announced it is absorbing the Golden Pacific product line.
Rough Brothers Inc. and Golden Pacific Structures of Redlands, Calif., have agreed to merge their products under the Rough Brothers greenhouse line. The two companies have been partners and competitors for years in the greenhouse business.
During the past six months, Rough Brothers has rolled Golden Pacific and XS Smith products into its commercial greenhouse division.
The company says that by combining the XS Smith and GPS products with the Rough Brothers products, it has created the widest offering of light and heavy structures in the market. Rough Brothers Greenhouses acquired XS Smith Inc. in late 2012.
The XS Smith Sunlite, Stormlite, Econobuster and Criteria gutter connect will be accompanied with the GPS 5000 & 6000 series of hoop- and gutter-connect products.
Gary Baze has been named sales manager of Rough Brothers and will manage the national sales force for the Rough Brothers commercial division. The consolidation of these products will better position Rough Greenhouses in all markets, the company states.
For more: roughbros.com
Michigan State releases Top Performing Annuals for 2012
Michigan State University's Horticulture Demonstration Gardens has released its list of the Top Performing Annuals for 2012.
According to an article published by the Michigan State University Extension, the gardens evaluate hundreds of new annuals grown from seed or cuttings each year. The gardens receive the trial selections from private breeding companies, and the plants are grown in the MSU greenhouses and transplanted into either ground beds or containers after the last frost has passed.
This year there were 11 varieties that made it into the 2012 Top Winners list. A total of 15 varieties scored the highest rating of 5.0. The 2012 Top Winners list, in addition to the 2012 Early Favorites and 2012 Best of the Rest lists, are available on the gardens’ website.
For more: hrt.msu.edu/our-gardens
USDA proposes updates to plant import regulations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to make several amendments to update and streamline its regulations involving the importation of plants for planting.
Some of these proposed changes include requiring permits for the importation of certain coated or pelleted seeds, and providing for an alternate additional declaration on phytosanitary certificates that accompany plants from countries known to have potato cyst nematodes. The proposed regulations also change provisions specific to certain countries, to ensure they reflect the latest information regarding quarantine pests detected in various places. For example, they would add Turkey to the list of countries from which importation of certain plants is prohibited due to the presence of Chrysanthemum white rust; provide conditions for the importation of certain plants from Canada to address the presence of plum pox potyvirus in that country; and provide for the importation of carnations from the Netherlands.
These improvements will make the existing regulations current, provide a faster and simpler process for industry, and maintain the existing level of protections for U.S. agriculture, the USDA states.
For more: aphis.usda.gov
Green industry donates to CSU
Plant producers, landscapers and other green firms have donated nearly $100,000 to Colorado State University for research in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, the university announced Friday.
The donation will be invested so that annual earnings from the endowment will provide a flow of research funding for years to come.
The same group has given CSU money for research for nearly four decades; the endowment will allow a continuation of this support in perpetuity.
Total revenues for the industry were estimated to be about $1.8 billion dollars in 2007, according to the most recent economic survey.
The green industry provided almost 35,000 jobs with $1.2 billion dollars in payroll, the survey showed.
For more: colostate.edu
Keep up with small business legislation
Government regulations and red tape can be barriers to small business growth. Small businesses pay a regulatory compliance cost that is 36 percent higher than large businesses. With roughly 4,100 new regulations in the pipeline, it’s no surprise that government regulations and red tape consistently rank as top concerns for small business owners.
With so many new regulations, it’s important for small businesses to be aware of what is coming and how to comply. Small businesses should also realize that they have a voice in the rulemaking process.
Federal agencies publish proposed and final rules and other notices and documents in the Federal Register to provide notice to “interested persons” and an opportunity to comment. Regulations.gov is the federal government’s online portal that allows citizens to comment on regulatory actions.
Small Biz Reg Watch lists regulatory proposals that are open for comment that may have an economic impact on small businesses. The Committee on Small Business encourages entrepreneurs to let federal agencies and departments know how proposals will impact them. If you provide input to an agency, share your comments with the Committee through its Open Mic page.
For more: bit.ly/small-biz-reg-watch
EVENTS March |
Explore the March 2013 Issue
Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.
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