WisconsinOrnamentals.com

May 17, 2010 Newsletter

In This Issue
Marketing Idea
What is Social Media?
Gaining a Presence
Seed Pellets
Helleborus
Health Care Bill
Fungicide Benefits
Alkalinity Calculator
2010 IGC Show
PPA
Quick Links
 
 
 
Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List
 
Eileen Nelson
UW-Madison Department of Horticulture
608-265-5283 
 
Marketing Idea
 Team up with a local business (beauty shop, veterinarian, medical clinic, coffee shop, etc.).  Offer to provide them rotating summer flowers (baskets, containers, etc.). Make up a nice sign that tells people where the plants come from and leave some cards with a small reward for bringing it back to your shop/greenhouse, etc.  Very few people just come for the free item. . .some extra income and perhaps some new customers. . . .and community good will. 
 
If you want to share a picture of something you have created (display, signage, end cap, etc) that is working well, send it to me  and I'll feature it in the next newsletter. 
Just What is Social Media?
Most of us have heard the words, but don't have a clue as to what all of the different social media tools really do. Ellen Wells at Green Profit has the first of a series of articles on page 35 in the May issue titled "Your Guide to Starting, Surviving and Thriving in the New World of Social Media." You may not have time to read it now, but bookmark it for later -- it's very informative.
Gaining a Social Media Presence
Here are some statistics from Green Profit Magazine that you might want to think about.
 
Shoppers who interact with a company on a social media website, such as Facebook or Twitter, are more satisfied, more committed to the brand and more likely to make future purchases, according to a recent study from customer-satisfaction measurement firm ForeSee Results Inc. Despite this, a quarter of the top 100 retailers have no formal Facebook presence and another quarter have fewer than 10,000 fans. The bottom line is many retailers are missing opportunities to engage with consumers, according to the study.

Nearly one-half of study respondents, 49%, who became a fan or follower of a retailer do so to learn about special deals and options, 45% want to learn about products and 5% for customer service. A retailer's best customers likely are the ones who will follow the company online, so it is important for the retailer to provide a rewarding social-media experience to ensure customer satisfaction.

Garden centers that have social media pages need to find the right mix of promotional, product and how-to information to include on the sites in order to meet customer expectations.
 
Seed Pellets
 According to GrowerTalks Magazine, PanAmerican Seed, Ball Horticultural Company's seed breeding division, is coming out with a line of single and multiple-species, multi-pelleted seed that they say delivers a "natural-looking" mix of plants that grow well together for instant mixed containers.
 
They are called "Fuseables" and "every plug tray will contain a well-balanced variety mix across the tray, yet each plug will be unique," according to Laurence Pallez, product manager for PanAmerican Seed.
 
For more information visit the PanAmerica web site.
Looking Ahead
 It may be spring, but when it comes to growing plants you have to plan ahead.
 
Skagit Gardens has a new digital magazine for growers and retailers, 'Winter Blooms, which helps readers discover how to create magical displays with hellebores.
 
Included are merchandising tips, variety information. container ideas, and growing guidelines.
Helleborus Pink Frost, Skagit Gardens
Helleborus Pink Frost
 
 If you are interested here's some interesting Helleborus History and Mythology.
How Will the Health Care Bill Affect Your Business?
 Source:  Greenhouse Grower

"Even those people most involved in the debate have questions about how the bill will affect their businesses," said Drew Gruenburg, chief operating officer of the Society of American Florists (SAF). "They wonder if premiums will go up or down. Who's covered and who's not? When does it all take effect? How will this affect their employees...family...customers? There are just so many unknowns at this point as the final regulations are being written."

To answer some of these questions and help make sense of the law's impact on employers, SAF details the provisions most likely to affect small businesses and when those changes will start to occur.

For Employer Requirements and other issues that may affect you read on . . . .
Maximizing Fungicide Benefits
Source: Greenhouse Grower 
 
      Chemical control of plant disease remains a popular and often over-used mainstay of our industry. Even the best fungicides and bactericides work better when cultural control methods are used, as well.
 
In fact, if you try to put the entire weight of disease control on the fungicides you apply after a disease appears, you will be out of business quite soon. You cannot afford to waste your money on fungicides if the deck is stacked against them working. Using an integrated disease management program is the only way to make sure you get the most out of your fungicides and bactericides.   
 
Read on for Recommendations:
Alkalinity Calculator
Source: Greenhouse Grower
 
Step-by-step instructions for using the updated alkalinity calculator online.
 
Article in Greenhouse Grower
 
Calculator from the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension.
 
They also have a Fertilizer Calculator and a PGR calculator.
 
2010 Independent Garden Center Show
This year's Independent Garden Center Show, scheduled to run August 17-19 at downtown Chicago's stunning waterfront Navy Pier facility, will present more vendors and new products specifically targeted for the garden center market than any other show in the world.
 
Perennial Plant Association Annual Conference
 The 28th Perennial Plant Association Symposium will be held in Portland, Oregon, July 18-24, 2010.  Link here for registration information.
 
 
Please forward this newsletter on to others. 
 
Thanks. 
Eileen Nelson  ([email protected])
www.WisconsinOrnamentals.com