February 6, 2012 Newsletter

In This Issue
Get Ready for 2012
Scam Warning
New Hardiness Zone Map
Scouting for Pathogens and Pests
Build Your Brand on Facebook
Garden Idol
SunPatiens and Downy Mildew
Quick Links
 
 
 
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Eileen Nelson
UW-Madison Department of Horticulture
608-265-5283 
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Looking for some ideas for new events at your Garden Center. Link here to see the different ideas that were presented at the Garden Center Symposium in January from garden centers throughout the region. 

 

Resources from Michigan State 

Link here to several articles from Michigan State University that will help you get up and going for the 2012 growing season.

 

Make sure your greenhouse facility is ready for new employees:  Revisit yoru central notification area and training amterial for worker protection standards.

 

Flowers On Time: A new, free greenhouse decision-support tool.  Flowers on Time software assists greenhouse growers in estimating the effects of changing air temperatures on flowering timing for their crops.

 

Free Greenhouse Energy Conservation Guide: Learn about production strategies and technologies to reduce greenhouse energy costs.

 

DATCP News Release: FBI Warns of New Cyber Scam 

MADISON - If you fall victim to the latest cyber scam, it may be "game over" for your banking account.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are warning the public about a new email phishing scam involving a piece of malware appropriately called "Gameover."

"All phishing scams aim to collect your personal data, but the 'Gameover' scam goes straight for your banking accounts," said Sandy Chalmers, Division Administrator for Trade and Consumer Protection. "Falling prey to this scam can do a tremendous amount of damage to your finances."

 

This scam works like this:

 

1. You receive an unsolicited and fraudulent email claiming to be from the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA), Federal Reserve Bank or Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

2. The email will note that there is a problem with your banking accounts or with a recent transaction.

3. You will be asked to click a link to correct the information.

4. By clicking the link, you will be taken to a phony website where you will inadvertently download the Gameover malware. The malware promptly infects your computer and steals your banking information.

To protect yourself from this scam:

  • If you receive an email from any of the agencies listed above, do not open it. Delete it immediately! None of these agencies send out unsolicited e-mails to bank account holders. If you wish to confirm if there is a problem with your account or a recent transaction, contact your financial institution directly.
  • Make certain your computer anti-virus protection is up to date.
  • Never click on links in unsolicited emails.

If you think you have been victimized by this type of scheme, contact your financial institution to report it and file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.

For more information or to file a consumer complaint, visit Consumer Protection's website at datcp.wisconsin.gov, send an e-mail to [email protected] or call toll-free at 1-800-422-7128.

 New Hardiness Zone Map

 

The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones.

For the first time, the map is available as an interactive GIS-based map, for which a broadband Internet connection is

recommended, and as static images for those with slower Internet access. Users may also simply type in a ZIP Code and find the hardiness zone for that area.

 

No posters of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map have been printed. But state, regional, and national images of the map can be downloaded and printed in a variety of sizes and resolutions.

 

Scouting for Pathogens and Pests:  The Basics of Monitoring 

Greenhosue Grower presented a series of four articles entitled "The Basics of Monitoring" providing concepts and tactics to help develop a comprehensive greenhosue pest and pathogen scouting program.

 

Use the following links to access the series.

Monitoring the Greenhouse Environment

Graphical Tracking: The Basics of Monitoring

Media pH, EC & Water Quality

Scouting for Pathogens and Pests

Build Your Company Brand on Facebook 

Source:  Garden Center Magazine

 

Over the last several years Facebook has become a place to not only engage with friends, but also to engage with brands. This is great news for companies looking to get involved with social media in hopes of growing their business.

Whether you are a local garden center or a national seed company, Facebook can be a great addition to your marketing plan. Today's customers are using social media on a daily basis, and with over 800 million users now on Facebook, it's never been a better time to establish your Facebook presence and interact with current and prospective customers online.

But, where do you start, how do you grow your audience, and most importantly how do you keep them engaged? 

Of course, there is no simple answer and making the most of social media takes patience, creativity and determination. You'll need to establish your goals and decide who will manage your Facebook page. You'll also need to set aside time each day to monitor your Facebook page and create content your audience with enjoy.

Once you've decided who will manage your page and you have set aside resources to manage and grow you audience, you may be left wondering: what can I do to create buzz and keep my fans interested?   Read On. . . . . 

American Idol. . . . . How About Garden Idol! 

Hort Couture announced that its new Under the Sea Coleus were voted the winner of the third annual Garden Idol competition at ANLA Clinic. Voters used text messaging to vote and name this series their top pick.

 

Liners are available from Raker and the plants can also be purchased as un-rooted cuttings from selected brokers.

 

Under the Sea Coleus were bred by college students in Canada, and the royalties go back to the university greenhouses and horticulture program. The plants  can only be sold through independent garden center channels.  To see examples of the collection link here.

SunPatiens and Downy Mildew 

Source:  Greenhouse Grower

As new strains of downy mildew wipe out entire Impatiens walleriana crops in Europe trial gardens, Sakata's SunPatiens have gone unscathed and become a premium replacement candidate.

 

Although downy mildew only affected Impatiens walleriana in parts of the Northeastern United States last year, its spread across much of Europe should serve as an indicator of what could come this spring or in the coming years here in the U.S.

"The downy mildew issue has been devastating in Europe," says Mark Seguin, marketing manager at Sakata Seed America. "It's really unprecedented as far as the market impact it's had on Impatiens walleriana. Both growers and consumers are looking for a reliable alternative to fill that gap."

Impatiens photographs Sakata shared of European trial gardens are cause for concern. Entire landscapes have been wiped out, and Sakata indicates these new downy mildew strains affect both seed- and cutting-raised plants. Many European retailers have announced they will no longer include seed impatiens in their assortment because of the rampant disease.

But while walleriana species are susceptible, a product like Sakata's SunPatiens is proving to be unaffected by it.

"We trialed [SunPatiens] throughout Europe - Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, the U.K," Seguin says. "We've had mass planting at all of our trials, and we have not seen any impact from downy mildew on our impatiens. They have shown to be extremely resistant - what we're calling totally unaffected by these strains."

Some growers may argue that seed impatiens are commodities and that a premium product like SunPatiens has a market of its own. Sakata, however, says because SunPatiens are fast growers and provide excellent coverage, fewer plants are needed per square foot than seed impatiens.

"For us, the key point is that in addition to the disease resistance SunPatiens offer, there are additional economical benefits that make it very worthwhile to choose SunPatiens."

SunPatiens have largely been a hit in the U.S. the last few years because of their ability to flourish in extreme summer conditions. SunPatiens are just as capable of flourishing in the European sun as they are here in the U.S., but Europeans gravitate toward SunPatiens for a completely different reason.

"They are really responding to the all-weather performance in Europe," Seguin says. "It's very compelling to say SunPatiens thrive in the heat and sun in North America, and that's enough for growers and consumers here to add this product. In Europe, that message has had less of an impact. The all-weather impatiens is more resounding, whereas typical New Guineas may not perform as well."

So yes, U.S. growers have a potentially big problem on their hand in downy mildew on Impatiens walleriana. To Sakata, though, the disease's spread is an opportunity to show what SunPatiens can do.

"This adds another dimension to the already growing interest in SunPatiens," Seguin says. "For us, SunPatiens have seen dramatic growth in the last few years. This just adds another compelling reason for growers and consumers to put SunPatiens in their gardens."

Learn more about Sakata and SunPatiens online at SunPatiens.com. 

 

 

Please forward this newsletter on to others. 

Thanks. 
Eileen Nelson  ([email protected])