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Eileen Nelson
UW-Madison Department of Horticulture
608-265-5283 |
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West Madison Research Station Research Evaluations
Research evaluation results carried out at West Madison that can be found at this link.They include:
- Annual Flower Evaluations
- Gernaium Evaluations
- Top Favorite Flowers/Grasses
- Vegetable Evaluations
- Japanese Beetle Ratings
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| Food Gardening is on the Rise | | |
Findings from the National Gardening Association's (NGA) new survey, The Impact of Home and Community Gardening in America, indicate that food gardening in the U.S. is on the rise. Seven million more households plan to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs, or berries, 19 percent increase in participation.
This anticipated increase is nearly double the 10 percent growth in vegetable gardening from 2007 to 2008 and reflects the number of new food gardeners emerging this year.
The survey also showed that about one out of five households nationwide spent more time caring for their lawns and gardens last year and 16 percent less money in total than in previous years.
While most of the 83 million households that participated in do-it-yourself lawn and garden activities spent about the same amount of time on their lawns and gardens, 22 percent spent more time food gardening, 19 percent spent more time flower gardening, 19 percent spent more time container gardening, 14 percent spent more time on lawn care and 13 percent spent more time on yard and landscape maintenance. Additionally:
- Participation in all types of lawn and garden activities increased by 2 million households
- The average annual amount spent per household decreased from $444 to $363
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| New Credit Card Rules | | |
How will this affect your garden center?
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 4173) was signed into law this summer, and includes important provisions for green-industry businesses accepting credit and debit cards:
New rule maker-the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve is charged with issuing new regulations within nine months of enactment, and taking effect three months thereafter, on whether debit-card interchange rates are "reasonable and proportional to the cost incurred by the issuer with respect to the transaction."
Discounting. Credit-card companies cannot restrict the ability of businesses to offer discounts for payments made by cash, checks, debit cards or credit cards. However, discounts may not differentiate between card issuers or networks.
Minimums. Businesses are permitted to set a minimum transaction amount of up to $10 for credit card transactions, with authority given to the Federal Reserve to increase this amount.
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| Minnesota Variety Trials |
| | The University of Minnesota has posted the results of their variety trials conducted at three different locations around the state with growing days ranging from 109 to 169.
St. Paul (USDA Winter Hardiness Z4; Heat Z5; 169 growing days)
http://horticulture.cfans.umn.edu/
- Colocasia 'Heart of the Jungle'
- Millet 'Jade Princess'
- Petunia 'Debonair Lime Green'
- Petunia 'Pretty Much Picasso'
- Petunia 'Sophistica Antique Shades'
- Ornamental Pepper 'Black Pearl'
- Osteospermum 'Asti White'
- Gaillardia 'Mesa Yellow'
- Dianthus 'Bouquet Rose'
- Carex 'Graceful Grasses Toffee Twist'
http://wcroc.cfans.umn.edu/Horticulture.html
- Petunia 'Ray Purple Vein'
- Lobelia 'Techno Heat Upright Blue'
- Petunia 'Suncatcher Red'
- Geranium 'Calliope Scarlet Fire'
- Petunia 'Supertunia Vista Bubblegum'
- Diascia 'Flirtation Orange'
- Coleus 'Trusty Rusty'
- Begonia 'Braveheart Rose Bicolor'
- Viola 'Skippy XL Red-Gold'
- Verbena 'Superbena Coral Red Improved'
http://ncroc.cfans.umn.edu/Horticulture.html
- Petunia 'Pretty Much Picasso'
- Petunia 'Supertunia Vista Bubblegum'
- Ipomoea 'Illusion Midnight Lace'
- Delphinium 'Diamonds Blue'
- Lobularia 'Snow Princess'
- Cyperus 'Graceful Grasses King Tut'
- Verbena 'Lanai Royal Purple'
- Colocasia 'Heart of the Jungle'
- Cleome 'Senorita Rosalita'
- Rudbeckia 'Denver Daisy'
Results for their top performing annuals can be found here. |
| GrowerTalks' Wage and Benefit Survey | |
This is the 15th year in a row we've produced the industry's only comprehensive survey of greenhouse employee wages, and we want to make this year's the biggest and best yet. The more of you that participate, the more accurate the end results.
Plus, there's cash involved! Everyone who fills out a survey and provides their email address will be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card.
If you're a grower, click HERE to fill out the GrowerTalks survey.
If you're a retailer, click HERE to fill out sister publication Green Profit's survey.
If you're a grower/retailer, well, fill out both and double your chances of winning!
Remember, it's anonymous, it's easy, and it's your chance to help out the entire industry. Thanks in advance! |
| Go Digital with Signage? | | |
Source: Today's Garden Center
Great signage in a garden center makes money. When done correctly, your signs convey a wealth of information in an eye-catching way in the right place at the right time.
Still, traditional printed signs have some limitations. They're static during a customer's visit to the garden center, or even over a number of visits if the customer is one of your regulars. And making changes to your signs can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process.
That's one of the reasons more and more garden retailers are looking at the opportunities offered by flat panel televisions and computer monitors as digital signage. We spoke with three garden centers who are having some success with the technology in different ways. They're proving that with a good plan and some creative content, it's a tool that can be an effective - and surprisingly affordable - addition to your garden center. Continue reading. . . . |
| Small Business Bill | | |
Source: Farm Bureau
The Senate-passed Small Business and Credit Act of 2010 is up before the House this week. According to AFBF Director of Public Policy Pat Wolff, the legislation will help farmers and ranchers by increasing small business expensing.
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| Prescriptions for Profit | |
You are in the business of selling inventory, not owning it. How do you determine how much inventory to stock and how much to buy? Your open-to-buy is a budget that helps you create a plan to meet sales, profit and inventory-turn targets. Paul describes how this tool can help you plan your merchandise levels to stay liquid and maximize cash profits.
This is the latest of the ANLA Prescriptions for Profit tips. Registration is free for the 2-5 minutes video tips providing help for your business. |
| Holiday Displays | | Recipes for innovative holiday displays and promotions
 Tis the Season... to drive sales! Emulate some of these fantastic Holiday displays, ideas, and promotions to take your Christmas sales from just so-so to very merry! They will also turn your garden center into a Winter Wonderland that your customers will love! Details |
| Save the Date(s) |
| | Commercial Flower Growers Fall Conference
Wednesday, October 13
Natural Beauty Greenhouses, Denmark, WI
Speakers:
Country Springs Hotel, Waukesha, WI
Speakers:
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