WisconsinOrnamentals.com

August 9, 2010 Newsletter

In This Issue
Field Day Summaries
Free Late Blight Test
Plant Disease Diagnostics
Free Garden Center Tour
Michigan Gardens
2010 IGC Show
Quick Links
 
 
 
Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List
 
Eileen Nelson
UW-Madison Department of Horticulture
608-265-5283 
 This newsletter is going to be about FREE. . . . Free things to participate in, free offers, free on-line educational offerings. 

A questions raised at the Commercial Flower Growers/West Madison Field Days last Thursday (8/05) was "Helleborus Pink FrostWhat can we do to sell more flowers?" 

One answer to that question is to continually try new things in order to find what works for you. and your business.

In order to learn about new things to try, however, you need to expose yourself to what's going on out in the world. For some of them you don't even have to leave home! With all of the events, field days, on-line postings, webinars, etc., continually being offered -- many of them free -- there really can be no excuse to missing out on educational opportunities. Hopefully just reading through this newsletter will get you started (and it is free)!
Field Day Summaries

I have done two quick "slide shows" of the West Madison Field Days on August 5 and the Plant Peddler Field Days on August 6 Click on the link and they will open with Windows media player or any media player that you have that reads wmv files.
FREE Late Blight Testing

An Invitation from Brian Hudelson, Plant Diagnostic Clinic, UW Extension.

As you can hear from the Invitation, if you think you or one of your customers has Late Blight on tomatoes and/or potatoes, you can send your sample to the diagnostic lab, either through your local extension agent or directly, and Brian will determine if it is indeed Late Blight.  If it isn't Late Blight, the lab will let you know what it actually is.

How to submit samples. 
Septoria Leaf Spot Fact Sheet
Early Blight Fact Sheet
Late Blight Fact Sheet
Preventing Diseases of Vegetables with  Hot Water Seed Treatment


UW-Extension/Madison Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic
Here is the latest report from the Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic.   Two Week Summary
 
FREE  ANLA Virtual Garden Center Tour
The industry's first virtual garden center tour. You Don't even have to leave town!

This collection of 3-5 minute videos takes you behind the scenes to look at the great merchandising, innovative management and creative ideas - big and small - that make America's best garden centers successful. Join our five retail experts from around North America as they tour two nationally recognized garden centers, Campbell's and Mulhall's, in Nebraska - without ever leaving the comfort of your office. While you're at it, bring your whole staff and Hop on the Bus!

Also from ANLA - Prescriptions for Profit

In this compelling new series, ANLA delivers bite-sized advice in weekly short tips to help all retailers (from owners to front-line staff) understand the key metrics and concepts for better profitability.

The tips range from 2-5 minutes, so you have time to learn on the go even during the busiest of seasons! ANLA offers special thanks to RMSA's Paul Erickson and the Independent team at the Scotts Miracle Gro Companyfor their innovative partnership helping to bring this series to life, and to the desktops of retail garden centers across the country!

FREE - Michigan Garden Plant Tour
True - the organized tour is almost over.  But you can still check out information on all of these locations and take include them in a road trip any time.

The seventh annual Michigan Garden Plant Tour takes place August 2-13, 2010. This is a coordinated open house of leading young ornamental plant producers and Michigan State University.  Greenhouse growers, landscapers, garden center operators, and nurserymen are invited to visit each of these 8 participating Tour sites during the 2-week period.  Please click on the tabs for highlights of each site, including their hours, location, and contact information.

Expect to see impressive displays of flowering plant material, including all of the commercial brands of annuals, perennials, and shrubs. This is a terrific way to observe plant performance at different locations and grown under various conditions, both in the ground and in containers.

Take a day trip to visit a couple of sites, or complete the entire loop for the full tour.  The Michigan Garden Plant Tour is completely free, but growers would appreciate a call ahead to know you'll be coming.

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.
 
 
 
Please forward this newsletter on to others. 
 
Thanks. 
Eileen Nelson  ([email protected])
www.WisconsinOrnamentals.com