Headlines from Greenhouse Management

By Leigh Coulter, GGS Structures, Inc:

Last week I attended a meeting where the keynote speaker was Peter G. Hall, Vice-President and Chief Economist for The Economic Development Corporation.

For an economist Peter is an entrepreneur at heart; ever an eternal optimist, seeing far more opportunities than problems regardless of the economy, but of course he calls himself a realist. He does not ignore the economic downturns, or the cautions of a pessimistic environment. There are concerns that the economy is not yet quite ready to ramp up, that businesses, and consumers are still waiting for “you first” to make a move. He likens the world’s recent business environment to that of professional car racers: We live an exciting and risk taking role focused on winning, and in 2008 we suffered a huge crash that wiped out the 2009 season. We came back cautiously in 2010 with lackluster results, and in 2011 and 2012 we started the year well, only to putter out in the end.

So what does this year’s season have in store? The opportunities are present and the signs are there to signal that early adopters of change, those first out of the starting gate, can reap rewards of a world economy on the verge of growth.

EDC measures leading indicators of the world’s top racecars: USA accounting for about 20% of world GDP is a car to watch. Housing starts are up, and despite government austerity measures GDP is growing. American debt to income ratio has dropped about 30%, and businesses have been stocking cash as they held off on investments during the previous 3-4 years.

Read the rest of Leigh's blog here.

Bill Moore & Co., Inc. has announced their addition of the Dümmen line of plants. This will enable their customers the opportunity to get the top of the line genetics from Dümmen’s breeding program.

Bill Moore & Co., Inc. has been offering Ecke, Oglevee, Fides and Oro Farms’ genetics for some time, but with this recent acquisition, they will be able to offer the full product line from what is now, DNA Green Group. This will expand the current line of poinsettias, geraniums and other bedding plants that Bill Moore & Co., Inc. currently offers.

“This is a very exciting time for us. Over the past three decades we have always strived to offer the highest quality material to our customers. The addition of the Dümmen line is icing on the cake," says Bill Moore, owner at Bill Moore & Co., Inc.

Recently celebrating their 30th anniversary, Bill Moore & Co., Inc. is a young plant broker servicing the United States and Caribbean region.

From ANLA's Craig Regelbrugge

The powerful Senate Judiciary Committee formally took up S.744 on May 9. The bill, formally known as the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, had over 300 amendments filed by Judiciary members. The Committee is now in the process of what is known as a “mark-up,” in which many of the filed amendments will be considered and voted on. 

On the first day of the mark-up, over 30 amendments were either voted upon, or withdrawn. While many amendments offered by both Republicans and Democrats were approved, in a “so far, so good” kind of way, amendments seen as attacking the heart of the bipartisan agreement the bill represents were rejected. 

The Judiciary mark-up continues this week, and Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) hopes to wrap up the Committee’s work next week prior to adjourning for the Memorial Day recess.

On May 14, the RHS will present a report to the House of Commons calling for government action to urgently address the skills gap in the horticultural industry.

A survey of 200 horticultural businesses conducted by the Society has demonstrated that more than 70% of horticultural businesses cannot fill skilled vacancies, nearly 20% are forced to recruit overseas and almost 70% claim that career entrants are inadequately prepared for work. This gloomy picture is outlined in the report, Horticulture Matters.

The report, commissioned by Britain’s leading horticultural organisations, including the Institute of Horticulture, British Growers Association, HTA (Horticultural Trades Association) and Lantra, concludes that a commitment to bridging the green skills gap is not only necessary but urgent.

The survey of 200 horticultural businesses confirmed an alarming shortage of skilled professionals in UK horticulture. The Horticulture Matters report, which will be presented to Government at the House of Commons, demonstrates exactly how this skills gap is threatening Britain’s economy, environment and food security.

Dwindling numbers of people with horticultural skills simply means that the industry cannot meet the growing demands placed on it. Horticulture contributes £9 billion to the British economy each year as an industry. It employs 300,000 people including crop crowers, gardeners, scientists and turf specialists.

The survey also found that 10% of vacancies take at least one year to fill. More than 80% of the survey respondents cited a poor perception of horticulture in schools and colleges as the issue, and 90% said it was because horticulture lacks career appeal.

Sue Biggs, Director General of the RHS, has stated that growing concern across the industry about the skills crisis has galvanised this unified call for Government action. "We’ve brought together Britain’s leading horticultural organisations to create this report.

"We are unanimous in the belief that there must now be urgent action to save British horticulture and it must happen now. Our report calls on the Government, employers and those in the education system to take action to safeguard the critical role that horticulture plays in Britain today.

"Within the report there are solutions that both the horticultural industry and Government could embrace to safeguard the critical role that horticulture plays in Britain today and must continue to play in the future. We must act now to safeguard the critical role horticulture plays in Britain today and must continue to play in the future."

The report asks Government to prioritise horticulture within Research Council and other government research funding areas to equip Britain with the high level of skilled professionals the UK needs to tackle threats posed by pests and diseases and climate change.

A popular British television gardener weighs in on the issue. Read the story from The BBC here.

Photo courtesy of HOPS

Carried out by researchers from the University of Aberdeen, the James Hutton Institute and Rothamsted Research, the study demonstrated that the plants are able to send warnings of incoming aphids to other plants connected to their network. The plants then send out a chemical signal that repels aphids and attracts wasps, a natural aphid predator.

The research follows previous findings that have shown plants can communicate similar chemical warnings through the air.

The new study says plants can connect with other via a common fungus known as mycorrhizae. "Mycorrhizal fungi need to get [products of photosynthesis] from the plant, and they have to do something for the plant," John Pickett of Rothamsted Research told the BBC.

"In the past, we thought of them making nutrients available from the [roots and soil], but now we see another evolutionary role for them in which they pay the plant back by transmitting the signal efficiently," he said.

University of Aberdeen’s David Johnson added, "Our understanding of ecological systems has not considered the fact that plants are interconnected in this way. It could have major implications for our understanding of how one organism affects another."

Conversely, the plants in the study not connected to the fungal network did not send out warning signals to other plants after coming under attack. The in-network plants were also covered with bags to ensure that they were not actually sending the signals through the air.

Pickett said the discovery could lead to farms using the fungi as an advance warning system for their crops. In theory, one “sacrificial” plant would be kept at a distance from the crops. If it fell under attack from insects, it would warn the rest of the plants, giving them time to mount a viable defense.

Photo by Daniel Feliciano

TORONTO -- Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) announced a 33 percent growth in installed green roofs in Toronto in 2012 as part of the results of the Annual Green Roof Industry Survey.

“Toronto’s green roof bylaw and support for green buildings continues to keep the city in a leadership position in North America,” said GRHC founder and president Steven W. Peck.

In 2012, the Toronto Metropolitan Region installed the most green roofs in Canada: 338,310 square feet (31,430 square meters), up from 227,657 square feet (21150 square meters) in 2011. This square footage is the fourth-highest in North America, after Washington DC, Chicago, and New York City. Strong green roof policy has aided this number greatly.

"Through the Green Roof Bylaw, the City of Toronto has required over 250 development applications to include green roofs, totalling 170,000 square metres of new green roof in Toronto,” said Jane Welsh, project manager of environmental planning with the City of Toronto. “This exemplifies the city's dedication to a sustainable urban environment. Many developers have embraced the Green Roof Bylaw to bring added value to their clients."

This news comes just before Grey to Green: A Conference on the Economics of Green Infrastructure at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto (May 21-22). Presented by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Grey to Green will feature more than 50 expert speakers from across North America who are presenting the public and private economic benefits of investing in living green infrastructure such as green roofs, green walls, urban forests, biowalls and engineered wetlands. Click here for more information and to register.
 

DALLAS – Southern Botanical hosted a group of college professors from China as part of an international exchange program developed at Texas A&M University.

The program, run by the Texas A&M Department of Horticulture, is partially funded by a grant from the US Department of Agriculture. Participants represented several Chinese universities, including: Qingdao Agricultural University, Jiangsu Academy of Agriculture Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Beijing Forestry University, South China Agricultural University, China Agricultural University and Yunnan Academy of Agriculture Science.

The group spent the afternoon visiting some of the residential and commercial properties for which Southern Botanical provides garden management services.

The group is travelling around the state of Texas visiting growers, suppliers and, in the case of Southern Botanical, landscapers. They visited two high-end residential properties and one commercial property. They also received a full facility tour with the overall goal of becoming more familiarized with the green industry in the US.

Properties featured on the tour represented a range of styles and plantings. They experienced the recently installed native prairie meadows of a local national archive facility, the rambling fairy tale world of a Dallas residence designed to feel like Middle Earth, and sprawling wildflower meadows blended with modern architecture.

This article was originally published on Friday, May 10 and was updated on Wednesday, May 15.

On Monday, May 13, the national Burpee Home Gardens “Grow Anywhere Tour” rolled into town in the decked-out Burpee truck to deliver fresh produce, vegetable plants and gardening support materials to students, parents and community members at Watterson-Lake Elementary School (K-8) in Cleveland, OH.

The first tour of its kind, the “Grow Anywhere Tour” delivered 450 vegetable plants and 1,300 pounds of produce to the community as part of its crosscountry journey to raise awareness of food deserts — areas with limited access to fresh produce.

This year, more than 1.25 million votes were cast on Facebook in a competition to select the “Grow Anywhere Tour” stops in 23 of the country’s largest urban cities. Watterson-Lake Elementary received the most votes of all competing schools in Cleveland. As part of the visit, the school also received 50 vegetable plants for its school garden. The visit was from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The “Grow Anywhere Tour” truck hit the road in March and will travel more than 10,000 miles to deliver 30,000 pounds of fresh produce, 13,000 vegetable plants, gardening information and support that shows the country how easy it is to grow healthy food anywhere. Through demonstrations and educational materials, Burpee Home Gardens is helping communities explore the basics of urban gardening, including small spaces, balconies, back patios and rooftops.

For more information about the tour, visit www.burpeehomegardens.com.

Look for our video with highlights from the event soon.

From KY3 News:

Watch a KY3 News newscast on the project here.

Springfield, Mo. -- City leaders, local growers, architects, grocery store owners, and agricultural experts gathered in the same room on Wednesday to come up with ideas and solutions for a $2 million community greenhouse project.  Some voiced concerns but all agreed the plan would turn trash into something that the community would treasure.

"Anything we can do to decrease the amount of waste product that we put back into the environment is always a good thing," said Jennifer Duzan, an environmental technician for the city.

Duzan said every person in Springfield produces about five pounds of trash per day.  It ends up in a massive landfill a few miles outside the city.  Duzan said microbes break down the buried trash and produce a byproduct called methane.

We just release the methane out into the atmosphere; it is a greenhouse gas," Duzan said.

Instead, for the last few years, the city collects the gas and turns it into enough power to supply 2,100 homes.  That process in turn produces heat, and that is the basis for the greenhouse project.

"The heat generated from the generaters is just going into the atmosphere.  It's being wasted, so we got the idea: 'What if we captured that?'" said City Manager Greg Burris.

Burris said the generators produce enough heat to power a four-acre greenhouse.  He said the first phase of project would cost between $2 million and $2.5 million.  It would be funded through grants.

"This is really a chance for us to do something that nobody else is doing," Burris said.

The proposed location for the new greenhouse is just south of the landfill. Overall, educators, business leaders, and even local producers think it could benefit the community.   Some have concerns about competition, however.

"The last three years, we've seen a great uptick in sales," said Dan Bigbee, operator of Fassnight Creek Farms in the middle of Springfield.

Bigbee said he would like to the products produced in the greenhouse be channeled to places like schools.

"I don't like the idea of it finding its way into the food chain at farmers markets, restaurants, or grocery stores, because those are all markets local growers are already engaged in," Bigbee said.

Other farmers share those concerns, and city leaders say they are taking them seriously in an effort to make sure the greenhouse becomes a place that benefits everyone.

The grant-writing process is taking place right now.  That's why city leaders wanted to hear from so many different people on Wednesday in a community meeting. They are trying to determine how the greenhouse would be operated.  Burris said strong community partnerships will help the city secure grants.

WASHINGTON -- The American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA) has issued an action alert, urging members to contact their U.S. Senators and show their support for the proposed immigration reform legislation.

On May 9, the Senate Judiciary Committee began considering S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.

In what may be a once-in-a-generation opportunity, Congress is taking up legislation to modernize America's immigration system. The Senate is so far leading the effort, and began formal consideration of the bill on May 9. S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, would dramatically overhaul America's legal immigration system, address border security and employment eligibility verification, and provide a tough but fair process for an estimated 11 million unauthorized immigrants to earn legal status over 10 or more years.

ANLA strongly supports several sections of the bill. Most notable are:

• The agricultural reform package, which will benefit nursery and greenhouse growers and workers. Reforms include an agriculture-specific earned legalization program, and a new, market based and flexible future ag worker visa program that will eventually replace the widely criticized H-2A program;
• Improvements to the H-2B program, which is critical to many landscape and distribution companies. Key reforms include a multi-year extension of the "returning worker exemption" (an expired "good idea" provision that allows more H-2B seasonal visa workers based on need); and, a fair resolution for establishing H-2B program wages;
• A new "W visa" program that will allow employers to hire foreign workers on three-year visas for non-agricultural jobs. While the initial W visa cap is low, the allowed number of visas will ultimately rise or fall based on the strength of the economy.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is considering S.744. But anti-immigrant groups are already orchestrating a noisy campaign to distort the legislation, and once again scare Congress and the American people into inaction with false claims that the bill will jeopardize national security and cost too much to implement.

In reality, the legislation will improve security by identifying and registering who is in the country and better monitoring who comes and goes. It will strengthen the economy by creating a 21st Century immigration system to allow the U.S. to sustain its vitality and compete in a global economy.

ANLA has a pre-written message that you can e-mail to your senators with a few easy clicks. To view the action alert and take action, click here.

From The New Hampshire Union Leader:

While grim jokes abound about the New England winter, a Hooksett greenhouse company has found a surprising market much in need of growing solutions in a snowy, unforgiving climate: Alaska.

"When I started my company 19 years ago, if you had told me I'd be shipping greenhouses to Alaska, I would laughed at you," said Bob Rimol, owner and founder of Rimol Greenhouses.

Rimol Greenhouses shipped 15 high-tunnel greenhouses to Alaska in April as a part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant program. Since breaking into the Alaska market, the company has shipped more than 100 high tunnels to the state, all beginning with a phone call from an Alaskan with New England ties, Rupert Scribner.

"About three years ago, USDA came out with grants to get high tunnels, and people started calling us, Rimol said. "Then one gentleman in particular, he's a pretty savvy guy, he just totally figured it out, how to ship it out and make it competitive and affordable for everybody."

After traveling on shipping containers to Seattle, the tunnels go by sea to their distributors, Kenai Feed & Supply, and its owners, Scribner and his wife, Sarah Donchi, in Alaska. The two consolidate orders for large- and small-scale agriculturalists across Alaska, particularly in the communities on the Kenai Peninsula, on the south coast of the state.

Read the rest of the story here.

SUMNER, Wash. -- McConkey Company is continuing its growth trend with the addition of Dave Edenfield as business development manager.

“Dave’s strong background with growers and the young plants side of business give him a unique perspective in the continuing effort to deepen our understanding of customer motivations,” said McConkey President Derek Moeller. “Additionally, his exposure to the mass market and retail-ready programs will be a strong asset in innovation development and addressing challenges across the current marketplace.”

In his new role, Edenfield will collaborate with the company’s product and design teams to create new products that address specific grower needs. In addition, he’ll work to strengthen the company’s focus on solution-based product development, while providing enhanced support for account managers in the field.

Most recently, Edenfield was a founding partner in The Visions Group consulting company. His career also includes time in sales and marketing at Smith Gardens, retail-ready account management at Greiling Farms Inc. and account management at Vaughan’s Seed Company. He holds associate’s degrees in ornamental horticulture and landscape design from Abraham Baldwin College in Tifton, Ga.

McConkey Company is a producer and distributor of horticultural goods, with locations in Sumner, Wash., and Garden Grove, Calif. A family-owned business for three generations, McConkey offers a wide product selection including containers, coverings, soil, and more. For more information visit www.mcconkeyco.com.
 

Photo: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, www.forestryimages.org

Although the exotic emerald ash borer is capturing headlines, growers should also consider a more common foe: the ash/lilac borer, Podosesia syringae, a native insect that feeds on ash, lilac and privet.

Ward Upham, extension associate with Kansas State University, covers it in this week's horticulture newsletter:

If you have had problems with canes or stems of lilac and privet suddenly wilting, or ash trees that show borer holes in the trunk and larger branches, the ash/lilac borer may be to blame. This insect causes the base of infested lilac stems to swell and the bark to separate from the wood. A fine sawdust-like material is present around holes in the canes. Ash and mountain ash also are affected. The borer attacks the trunk, which may cause bark to swell and crack if there are repeated infestations.

Ash/lilac borers overwinter as larvae in infested trees and shrubs. Moths generally begin to emerge in mid to late April but will be late this year; probably by about 2 weeks. The moth has clear wings and resembles a wasp. There is one generation per year. Public and commercially managed properties often use pheromone traps to determine the presence of adults.

Spray treatments are started seven to 10 days after capture of the first moths. Sprays also can be timed using phenology, the practice of timing one event by another. Look for active ingredients of bifenthrin or permethrin in products labeled for control.

The first spray for ash/lilac borer should be applied when the Vanhoutte spirea is in full to late bloom, probably by about May 15 this year. 

Apply a second spray four weeks after the first. Thoroughly treat the trunk and larger limbs of ash or the lower portion of the stems of lilac or privet. Heavily infested ash should be cut and burned during the fall and winter. Infested stems of lilac or privet should be removed as well.

Click here to read the rest of the newsletter, or e-mail cdipman@ksu.edu to subscribe.

CATHARINA campanula
CATHARINA is a low-growing campanula. It is a portenschlagiana type of Campanula that is also known as Dalmatian bellflower. CATHARINA exhibits zone 4 hardiness and is a great plant to use as a groundcover, in rock gardens or planted as a border plant. It is also a great plant to use for pot crops or in mixed containers.

For more: Pacific Plug & Liner, www.ppandl.net

Stokesia MEL’s BLUE
MEL’S BLUE is an upright selection with 4-in.-wide periwinkle blue blooms held high and flat on strong stems. This is one Stoke’s aster that can be used for cutting. Super large, highly visible, brightly colored blooms stand out well against the deep, grass-green foliage. MEL’S BLUE is loaded with blooms that open over a long period of time (June to August are peak bloom times) and will provide continual color for months in a garden or in mixed containers.

For more: Pacific Plug & Liner, www.ppandl.net

Colocasia Royal Hawaiian ‘Kona Coffee’
Colocasia Royal Hawaiian ‘Kona Coffee’ has a unique dwarf compact habit with an ultimate height of 2 to 3 feet. It forms a tight clump that provides a tropical look in the garden without sacrificing premium real estate. This introduction by master breeder Dr. John Cho of Hawaii is topped all summer with glossy, slightly cupped foliage that ranges from dark forest green to roasted coffee-bean brown held on dark petioles. Colocasia ‘Kona Coffee’ grows well in full sun or part shade and prefers moist soil. This variety is robust and disease resistant while not exhibiting any signs of runners.

For more: Plant Haven, www.planthaven.com

Insider Info
CATHARINA campanula is native to the Dalmatian Mountains in Croatia.

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We at Greenhouse Management are working on our annual report on growers' plans for expansion. But we need your help. What are your plans to add additional production space in the coming year?

Tell us -- please take a few minutes to complete this survey. Your responses will be an integral part of the Intent-to-Build supplement in the July issue of Greenhouse Management.

The first 100 people who answer the survey will be entered to win a $100 VISA gift card. It's just a small way that we can say thank you for your time and input!

You will find the survey here.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Amy Stankiewicz
Editor, Greenhouse Management

By Dave Smitely, Michigan State University Extension:

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In the last week, quite a few greenhouse growers found that aphids had become a problem very quickly. This is because of the warm, sunny weather and high temperatures in the greenhouse. Under warm conditions, aphids can complete a generation in seven to 10 days, and each female may produce more than 50 larvae which are born live. This means that a few aphids can become a problem quickly in warm weather.

Check plants carefully for white “dandruff,” the shed skins of molting aphids, on infested leaves or below aphid-infested leaves and shoots. For photographs of the three most common species found in the greenhouse and notes on key features, see “Greenhouse Aphid Management” from Cornell University.

If you find aphids and need to treat plants before they are shipped, consider drenching the soil of infested plants with Marathon, Flagship or Safari. Because aphids are sucking insects, drenches are highly effective. Allow three to five days for the drench to work. If drenching is not practical, spray infested plants with one of the following insecticides: Aria, Orthene, Distance, Endeavor or Precision. The last three are insect growth regulators that interfere with moulting, so they will take a few days to work.

For extra activity, you can tank-mix one of the nicotinoid insecticides (Marathon, Flagship, Safari or Tristar) with Orthene, Distance, Endeavor or Precision. Before tank-mixing, mix a small amount of the insecticides together in a glass jar to make sure there are no problems with compatibility (clumping or sludge-forming). Also, spray a few plants first to make sure the amount of spray residue is tolerable and wait at least 24 hours to make sure there is no damage to sensitive plants, especially if they are flowering.

Dr. Smitley’s work is funded in part by MSU‘s AgBioResearch.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Introducing Micora Fungicide and Integrated Crop Management Solutions:

Come learn from nationally known experts including Dr. Ann Chase and Jim Bethke how to develop disease and insect management programs. Syngenta will introduce you to the company's newest ornamental fungicide, Micora, for the management of Downy Mildew and Phytophthora, as well as the latest on building successful Integrated Crop Management programs with the use of Syngenta Bioline beneficial insects.

This meeting will be held in three locations in California.

May 21, 2013
Center for Applied Hort. Research
2280 Tamara Lane
San Marcos, CA

May 22, 2013
Rincon Beach Club
3805 Santa Claus Ln.
Carpentaria, CA

May 23, 2013
Hilton
6001 La Madrona Drive
Scotts Valley, CA

7:30 am     Registration   
8:00 am     Welcome & Introductions   
8:15 am     Center for Applied Horticultural Research Update. Lucia Villavicencio, CfHAR
8:30 am     Beneficial Insects and Mites. Marla Faver, Syngenta
9:00 am     Successful biological control in ornamental plant production: The Importance of scouting and the impact of invasive pests. Jim Bethke, UC Riverside
10:00 am   Chase Agricultural Consulting. Mike Zemke
10:10 am   Break   
10:30 am   Introducing Micora Fungicide for the control of Downy Mildew and Phytophthora Diseases. Marla Faver, Syngenta
11:00 am   Program Solutions for the control of Ornamental Diseases. Ann Chase, PhD
12:00 pm   Lunch provided by Syngenta   

RSVP by May 13, 2013 to:

Craig Nomura (714-686-5497) or Diana Nisbet (530-613-5307)
Craig.Nomura@Syngenta.com
Diana.Nisbet@Syngenta.com

Note: California continuing education credits; 3 hours have been approved.
 

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Do you have a floriculture research project that needs funding? If so, the American Floral Endowment (AFE) could do just that! AFE is calling for "Pre-Proposals" for 2014-2015 funding. For the current 2013-2014 cycle, AFE will fund $224,000 in research. Don’t miss this opportunity to secure funding for your project!

 Scientific Research Project Examples:

• Management protocols for floriculture crops
• Management systems for diseases of floriculture crops
• Management systems for insects affecting floricultural crops
• Post-harvest management systems for floriculture and plant breeding
• Genetic engineering of floricultural crops

A full list of scientific research priorities can be found on the AFE website. Research projects can last from one to three years and any reasonable but justifiable budget will be considered. Pre-Proposal applications are available on the AFE website and are due no later than June 1, 2013. For more information, contact AFE at (703) 838-5211.

Final research reports from previously funded AFE projects are available free of charge.

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AHeucherella ‘Fire Frost’ s part of Terra Nova Nurseries and Blooms of Bressingham’s existing licensing agreement, the companies are introducing two new heucherellas now available for growers to pre-order in the form of liners, including Heucherella ‘Fire Frost’ and Heucherella ‘Honey Rose’.

In June of 2012, Terra Nova Nurseries and Blooms of Bressingham entered into a licensing agreement to breed, grow and co-brand five new plant varieties in the form of liners, which included the Echinacea Supreme series, Heucherella ‘Cracked Ice’ and Heucherella ‘Buttered Rum’.

The partnership has helped to expand both companies’ product offerings to professional grower customers. With the introduction of these two newest varieties, Terra Nova Nurseries and Blooms of Bressingham are further-increasing liner availability options to growers.

As part of the agreement, both Terra Nova Nurseries and Blooms of Bressingham will be booking orders for the fall 2013 and spring 2014 seasons, and beyond.

Heucherella ‘Fire Frost’ has yellow-to-lime leaves with a large red center and a strong white veil overall. This new variety is bred with H. villosa hybrids to give it a larger habit and bigger leaves. ‘Fire Frost’ has heat and humidity tolerance and is a colorful addition to gardens year-round. The average size of this variety is 10” wide and 18” high with an 18” flower height. It grows best in zones 4 – 9.

Heucherella ‘Honey Rose’ is sable-colored with deeply incised and lobed foliage highlighted with dark veins which form an intricate pattern. Its young leaves are a warm coral-rose, also sporting dark veins. Each leaf casually turns a lobe or two, adding dimension and interest. Its compact and neat growing habit makes it a highly usable plant for accents, containers, borders, mixed beds, and in mass. The average size of ‘Honey Rose’ is 8” wide and 13” high with a 12” flower height, suited well for zones 4 – 9.

Terra Nova Nurseries has created “Plant Profile” pages and “Grower Recipes” specific to these sneak peek varieties so growers interested in possible liner orders can learn about growing habits, plant characteristics, fertilization recommendations, water requirements, and other insights provided by the breeding team. These documents can be located on the company’s website. To learn more, visit www.terranovanurseries.com and www.bloomsofbressinghamplants.com.

What is BloomaPalooza?

This August, the green industry will experience an event like no other. BloomaPalooza is an innovative, outdoor business event dedicated to serving and celebrating the spirit of the independent garden center market. Part outdoor trade fair, part industry education, and part music festival, BloomaPalooza is designed to connect and energize plant breeders, growers and product suppliers with independent retailers from across North America.

Do you have questions about the event? We have some answers below to the most frequently asked questions. For more information, visit www.bloomapalooza.com.

When and where will BloomaPalooza 2013 be held?

One of the things that makes BloomaPalooza, which will be held Aug. 1-3, 2013, an extraordinary event is its location at the Raker Trial Gardens. The Raker Trial Gardens occupy more than five acres of grounds at the Raker facility in Litchfield, Michigan, and are divided into row, hanging basket, and large container trials.

The Raker Trial Gardens have become a destination for the horticulture industry. In 2012, over 2,000 individuals viewed over 3,500 unique varieties are displayed on these grounds. For more information, visit trialgardens.raker.com.

In addition, BloomaPalooza 2013 takes place smack-dab in the middle of the Michigan Garden Plant Tour. This annual coordinated tour of open houses of leading young plant producers of ornamentals and Michigan State University is open to greenhouse growers, landscapers, garden center operators, and nurserymen. Plan on extending your trip and visit each of these participating Tour sites during the two-week period, from July 29 to August 9, 2013.

What time does BloomaPalooza start?

Registration will open on 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013.
What are the exhibit tent hours?
Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013
11a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 2, 2013
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This event sounds like it's going to be awesome. How do I register?

Attendees can register here.

How much does it cost? 

It depends on when you register. For pricing information, click here.

Who is the organizer of BloomaPalooza?

GIE Media Inc., C. Raker & Sons Inc., and Hort Couture LLC have partnered to develop BloomaPalooza. GIE Media Inc. is an Ohio-based publisher of magazines, conferences, web sites and directories including the following b-2-b magazines across the green industry: Garden Center, Greenhouse Management, Produce Grower, Nursery Management, Lawn & Landscape, Golf Course Industry, and Green Industry Supply Chain Management. C. Raker & Sons is a leading producer of grown-to-order plugs and liners in North America. Raker also produces The Raker Trial Gardens which occupy more than five acres of grounds at the Raker facility, and are divided into row, hanging basket, and large container trials. The Hort Couture brand offers the most sought after new plants and genetics from the world’s best breeders and provides retailers with merchandising accessories to create a unique shopping experience for the consumer.

Who are the presenters/speakers at BloomaPalooza?

The presenters represent some of the most innovative and talented minds in the green industry, including Sid Raisch, Woody Tasch, Lily Brislen, Charlie Hall and Roberta Paolo. To see the full list, visit the BloomaPalooza website.

For more information about the event, visit www.bloomapalooza.com.