Six more weeks?

While many of us are still dealing with Old Man Winter, some parts of the country are warming up enough to start planting some cold hardy plants. This was the case in New Orleans, the site of AmericanHort’s Next Level conference that Nursery Management editor Kelli Rodda and I attended in January. And as garden centers begin to fill their outdoor retail spaces with products, it’s a good time to consider how you’ll protect your stock this year, both indoors and outdoors.

Even if your garden center has never been affected by crime, taking preventative measures is important. We’ve been seeing reports of burglary and theft in garden centers around the country recently, and it’s impossible to predict when it might happen to your store. With this in mind, associate editor Michelle Simakis interviewed security experts and retailers who have fallen victim in order to get a clearer picture of what’s happening, and what retailers can do about it. Check out her findings on page 18.

Green industry consultant Leslie Halleck took on the subject of names this month on page 24, and why your store’s name could be holding you back because the ambiguity of terms such as “garden center.” No worries, though, Leslie, we at Garden Center magazine don’t hold it against you (see Leslie’s closing comment on page 27) and are glad to keep you on.

We love hearing from you, our readers, and this month was no exception. Several retailers sent us their top ornamental grass picks, which we share with you on page 34. Is there one we missed that’s a “must-have” in your store? Shoot me an email at kvarga@gie.net and let me know about it.

Also, we're going to be hosting another photo contest on Facebook soon. (Did you see the outstanding entries we received for our holiday display photo contest? Check them out in the January 2014 issue.) We're looking for your best spring display photos, so don't forget to snap away as you set up shop in the coming weeks.

Although Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction may make you want to hide out for the next six weeks, I wish you a productive few weeks as you prepare for spring.

kvarga@gie.net