Market buzz

AmericanHort renames annual trade show

Columbus, Ohio – AmericanHort announced that its annual convention and trade show has been renamed to Cultivate — An AmericanHort Experience. Formerly known as OFA Short Course, Cultivate’14 will continue to offer educational and networking experiences, and more than 7 acres of trade show exhibits including technology, new products and services, and new plant varieties. AmericanHort will also expand the products and services for retailers, nursery production and landscaping. Thousands of attendees from more than 20 countries are expected this year.

“The word ‘cultivate’ reflects what happens at the event. Thousands of people attend each year to cultivate their businesses and professional networks,” said Michael V. Geary, CAE, the President and CEO of AmericanHort. “Updating the brand of the 85-year-old event makes sense for the vision of AmericanHort. Cultivate captures the essence of what the experience is for our attendees.”

Cultivate’14 will be held in Columbus, Ohio, on July 12-15, 2014. Cultivate’15 will be held on July 11-14, 2015, and the future events are scheduled in Columbus, Ohio each July through 2018.

For more, AmericanHort.org/Cultivate

HEAR MORE about Cultivate from Mark Foertmeyer, AmericanHort chairman of the board, in the podcast “A new face for OFA Short Course” in the Retailer Radio Network podcast station on iTunes.
 

Campaign to promote value of horticulture to kick off

AmericanHort, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS), and Longwood Gardens are urging the national horticultural industry’s support for a new project study and promoting the perceived value of horticulture in the United States.

The project proposal states, “We are concerned that, for those aware of horticulture, the perception is increasingly negative, while much of the general public, especially young people, appear to have little or no awareness of the importance and value of horticulture.”

The proposed effort would begin with a study of perceptions held by students, associations, government agencies and the public. Those findings would be used to develop a program for promoting horticulture as a career and an industry, and its value to the public.

For more, www.ashs.org.
 

Floral plant giveaway aims to boost horticulture enrollment

The American Floral Endowment and Altman Plants supplied plants to the Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University for a Floral Plant Give-Away Project (FPGAP) intending to recruit new horticulture students.

During the fall semester of 2012, lecturers Lee Ivy and Lis Meyer, Assistant Professor Julieta Sherk and Professor and Department Head John Dole, Ph.D., began the FPGAP to increase student interest and raise awareness of horticulture as a viable career option.

They distributed 715 plants of multiple varieties to undecided undergraduate students and support members of the school’s First Year College Program, as well as to students enrolled in introductory horticulture classes.

“Students in the First Year College Program by definition are undecided about a career path and are looking for exciting opportunities,” Ivy said. “Those opportunities exist in horticulture and the plant that is given away begins the conversation.”

The First Year College students were later surveyed about whether the project sparked an interest in horticulture. At least 60 students developed an interest in taking a horticulture class, 50 visited the Horticulture Department website and 44 visited a garden center.

Additionally, 11 more students signed up for horticulture classes in the semester following the giveaway than in the semester of the giveaway, which can likely be attributed to the FPGAP.

The results from fall 2012 were promising enough for the FPGAP to be repeated in fall 2013. More results are expected later this year. “So few folks these days know what horticulture is or the importance of it,” Dole said. “We’ve had enough interest because of the giveaway that we think it will lead to an increased number of horticulture students.”

For more, www.endowment.org.
 

Fire destroys portion of North Dakota garden center

A fire that broke out at B & B Gardens, a floral shop and garden center in Oakes, N.D., destroyed a fresh floral shop and the owners’ home, located on the same property as the independent business.

Zasha Johnson, who works for the city of Oakes, N.D., knows the family personally and said firefighters were on the scene for four to five hours March 1 trying to battle the blaze and make sure there were no flare ups. There were no injuries reported, she says, but the home and shop are a “complete loss.”

“They did manage to save all of their greenhouses. They were supposed to start greenhouse planting today (March 3), but they are hoping to plant in a week or so instead,” Johnson says, noting there are about six greenhouses on the site. “They are going to try their best.”

The owners, Chad and Reva Bohnenkamp, also plan to rebuild the fresh floral portion of the decade-old business, Johnson says.

The fire started at about 12:45 p.m. March 1, and the cause has not been determined.
 

‘Northwind’ named 2014 Perennial Plant of the Year

Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ has been named the 2014 Perennial Plant of the Year. The ornamental grass was also featured in Garden Center’s roundup of readers’ favorite grasses, which was published in the February 2014 issue (read at gardencentermag.com). Roy Diblik selected ‘Northwind’ from a population of  Panicum virgatum he raised using wild-collected seed from plants growing along railroad tracks in South Elgin, Ill. In July 1983, he noticed that one plant had wider leaves and a very upright growth habit, unlike the typical arching form of the others. He gradually built up stock of the upright one. In 1992, when Northwind Perennial Farm opened, he introduced it and named it ‘Northwind.’

‘Northwind’ spreads slowly to form erect clumps of slender, steel-blue leaves about 5 feet tall. In late summer, the foliage is topped by a haze of showy, finely-textured flower panicles that rise to 6 or 7 feet, and that open golden yellow and mature to beige.

Deep roots make ‘Northwind’ remarkably drought-tolerant, once established. Like most ornamental grasses, Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ is seldom eaten by deer.
 

Spotted!

Notable products and ideas from garden centers and businesses across the country

Meadow View Growers in New Carlisle, Ohio, recently posted a photo of Deb Campbell, an expert on annuals and the garden center’s marketing coordinator. The caption told customers more about her and encouraged them to say hello. “We are posting staff and bios this year for the first time on Facebook,” Campbell says. “We thought it might be a nice touch and give names to faces customers often see. It seems to be going over well.”
 

Meet Deb! Deb has been with MVG for 4 years working in our Annual department. Not only does she get to play in the flowers with our customers, she is also our marketing coordinator over seeing our website, newsletter mailings and blog. Her favorite part of MVG is the way it “springs” to life each year at this time. When not in the greenhouse, Deb enjoys spending time with her family and pets. Say hello to her when you see her! —Original photo and caption from Meadow View Growers

Do you have something fantastic at your garden center that you’d like to share with readers? Are you using social media creatively? Please email the details to Michelle Simakis at msimakis@gie.net to get spotted.
 
 

From Twitter

Nursery Management @NurseryMag
Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ is Perennial Plant of the Year. Ornamental grasses are getting some love! www.nurserymag.com/panicum-virgatum-northwind-2014-perennial-of-the-year.aspx

Garden Media Group @gardenmedia
Social media is like a dinner party, ask others about themselves, don’t just talk about yourself. @SuziMcCoyGMG #gardentrends14

Danielle Nierenberg @DaniNierenberg
As #Honeybees Continue To Struggle, USDA Spending $3 Million To Kickstart Recovery http://huff.to/1fWM2Uy @USDA @HuffPostGreen
 

Danziger mourns loss of longtime sales representative

Danziger ‘Dan’ Flower Farm announced March 3 the sudden passing of Reese Kiikka, a longtime friend and the company’s North American sales representative.

The company’s association with Kiikka began about 20 years ago. Over that period he served, among other things, as the breeder’s delegate at various trial stations in North America and a loyal ambassador who promoted sales of the products at every opportunity

“I first met Reese when he came to our stand in Ohio,” said Chanochi Zaks, Vice President of Marketing. “I do not know many people who have such great passion for plants and knowledge of nature — he knew each flower and plant that grew in America and many in other parts of the world; his knowledge of the plant world was huge.”

Kiikka is survived by his wife, Carol, and daughter, Caresse.

Said Chanochi: “His unflagging loyalty, pleasant manner and attention to detail will be missed by all of us at Danziger, and we are all grieving the loss of our true and dear friend, Reese.”
 

How to handle incoming plant material

A lot of disease and insect problems that growers experience can be sourced back to their starting materials. BASF has an article explaining how growers can counter infected plants and eradicate disease.

The article states: “A great deal of potential problems can be prevented by inspecting plant materials before they are moved into the production facilities. This step is the most important method of preventing problems from developing. All new plant materials, such as unrooted cuttings, plugs, liners, and newly transplanted containers entering the production site should be free of any insects or diseases. Upon receipt and prior to transplanting, look over the entire plant to determine its general health and condition as well as observe for signs of pests and diseases.”

For more, http://betterplants.basf.us/news-&-events/featured-stories/current-featured-stories/2014-inspecting-incoming-plant-materials.html