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Eileen Nelson
UW-Madison Department of Horticulture
608-265-5283 |
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| Worker Protection Standard Refresher Course | | |
December 8, 2010, Retzer Nature Center, Waukesha, WI
Prepare yourself with the latest information on the Worker Protection Standard in a presentation covering: Worker Protection Requirements for Greenhouses and Nurseries-An Overview
Common Violations-Challenges and Solutions
Regulatory Changes on the Horizon-Federal and State
What to expect during a DATCP Worker Protection Inspection
No charge to attend. To register in advance call theWNA office at 414-529-4705
Download announcement: |
| Virtual Grower Decision Making Program | | |
Virtual Grower is a decision support tool for greenhouse growers. Users can build a greenhouse with a variety of materials for roofs and sidewalls, design the greenhouse style, schedule temperature set points throughout the year, and predict heating costs for over 230 sites within the US. Different heating and scheduling scenarios can be predicted with few inputs.
Erik Runkle highlighted the program in Greenhouse Product News in October 2009. The program has undergown some updates since then. It is available to download for free at http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/docs.htm?docid=19961. |
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Most shoppers linger at plant displays for only seconds. How will you grab and hold their attention?
Source: Greenhouse Product News September 2010 Volume: 20 Number: 9 Copyright © 2010 Scranton Gillette Communications
Because most people linger at plant displays for mere seconds, you have only an instant to grab and hold their attention.
To do this, you must give them what they want: big, beautiful tags full of information so they can learn about the plant, visualize what it will look like in their own garden and determine whether they will be successful with it.
Tags, labels and signage serve multiple purposes. With the changing landscape of competing space, creative tags quickly identify your brand, attract attention and even tell your story with just one look.
Whether you choose traditional stake tags, hang tags and free-standing signage or opt for high-tech hologram labels and web tie-ins, it all boils down to capturing customer attention with passion and authenticity.
Fortunately, there are new technologies and cool ideas in creative signage, tags and labels on the market that are drawing customers in and igniting a "must-have" craving for these high profile plants. More...
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| The Next 20 years in the industry | | |
Source: Greenhouse Product News September 2010 Volume: 20 Number: 9 Copyright © 2010 Scranton Gillette Communications
Our industry has seen a lot of change and evolution in the past 20 years, from advancements in automation and organic/sustainable production to breeding breakthrough and innovative marketing efforts.
But what do the next 20 years hold? We asked some industry experts to share with us their predictions for the decades ahead. Here's what they had to say |
| 2010 Landsacape Survey Reuslts |
| | Researchers at Ball Landscape recently conducted a survey of 376 landscape contractors from across the United States in order to learn more about the landscape industry, landscapers' thoughts on sustainability topics, and their relationships with growers. The survey yielded invaluable results, and will play a large part in how Ball better serves landscape business owners next season. To access the report click here. |
| Wage and Benefit Survey | | Have You Taken Green Profit's Salary Survey?
Just a reminder to PLEASE take a few minutes to participate in Green Profit's annual Garden Center Salary Survey. We have a cash incentive, too! Everyone who fills out a survey and provides their e-mail address will be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card.
If you're a retailer, click HERE to fill out the survey.
If you're a grower, click HERE to fill out the GrowerTalks survey.
And, if you're a grower/retailer, fill out both and double your chances of winning! |
| Disease Control Practices | |
Source: Greenhouse Grower, October, 2010
Diagnosing diseases, understanding how they spread and knowing how to combat them are the three keys to effective disease control.
Growing healthy plants and its corollary, healthy profits, is an ongoing battle. Enemy number one is disease, because even under ideal growing conditions, disease can be a threat.
Fortunately, growers can manage most plant diseases using simple principles that won't interfere with their production processes.
Mastering disease control is a concerted effort comprised of three major items: proper diagnosis, understanding how disease spreads and knowing which tools and options to use for effective control.
For step-by-step guidelines read on. . . . |
| Cut Flower Trials | | |
Researchers have been testing new cut flower varieties in the field each year for nearly 20 years on behalf of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG), and they've been testing the post-harvest performance of those same varieties for the last eight years.
Cut flowers might be standout performers in the field or the greenhouse, but if they fade quickly at the retailer or consumer levels, growers need to know.
"With new cut flowers, there's so little we know," says John Dole, a professor in North Carolina State's Department of Horticultural Science. "So we try to figure out whether or not the typical consumer or the typical floral preservatives help."
More than 30 cut flower varieties were included in this year's ASCFG seed trial, and they were each given market appreciation ratings on a 1-to-5 scale at the wholesale, retail and consumer levels. Most of the 30-plus scored at least a 3.5 at the consumer level, but the average rating at the wholesale level was generally less. Rest of the article from Greenhouse Grower. . . .
Access theCut Flower Growing and Handling Website here. |
| Save the Date(s) |
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Garden Center Symposium
Country Springs Hotel, Waukesha, WI
Speakers:
Wednesday and Thursday, January 26-27, 2011 |
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