Duane and Bill head out to prune some crabapples after the last snowfall. They have a tight schedule to follow throughout the winter months since the trees will leaf out, as they always do, the same week in May regardless of weather. Dormant pruning needs to be finished by the time they break bud, so this year, snowshoes are the only way to go!

Encouraging the 'Good Bugs' 

Achillea 'Paprika' (Yarrow)

What do Blanketflowers, Coneflowers and Yarrow have in common? Besides being reliable bloomers for the summer border, they're great plants for bugs - good bugs!

During Mark's talk last Tuesday on scale insects he mentioned that one of the ways to control that pest is to encourage their natural enemies. He sited an article found on beneficial insects from the University of Wisconsin, Guarding the Garden: Habitat Manipulation to Favor Natural Enemies.

It states that natural predators (good bugs) like parasitoid wasps need pollen and nectar to sustain themselves while searching for hosts. And "...considering that most natural enemies, like ground beetles, do not disperse far distances from where they overwinter, having permanent habitat near or within the garden will enhance their ability to get an early start on burgeoning pest populations."

So who are some other heroes of the gardening world? Insects like beneficial mites, lacewings and ladybugs to name a few.  Establishing a habitat for them will promote supression of undesirable insect populations.

It's a great opportunity to not only add some color to your customers' landscape, but to also help control pests using natural means. Take a look at the article for a list of other perennials that good bugs need for their lifecycle! 

Leafspot on Rudbeckia

Lecture #2 - Wednesday, March 2, at 1:30pm

We are pleased to have Dr. Sharon Douglas come to us from the CT AG. Station in New Haven to talk about Common Diseases in the Landscape - What to Expect for 2011.

Sharon is a plant pathologist and is head of the Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology. Accurate diagnosis of plant disease is fundamental to maintaining healthy and attractive landscape plants.  She'll cover not only this diagnostic procedure, but also how to evaluate environmental and site conditions, how weather impacts disease severity and more. Not to be missed!

Receive 1 credit for this class for CT 3a, 3b, and 3d.

IMPORTANT - REGISTER SOON as space is limited. Tel. 203-426-4037 (Newtown Office) or reply to this email (sbarbier@planterschoice.com). 

Opportunities to Grow!

Thursday, March 3 The Ecological Landscape Association will be having their 17th ELA Conference and Eco-Marketplace at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA. Fifteen different talks including the "Practical Challenges of Designing with Native Plants", "Insects: What's Coming Next" and a panel discussion on "Native, Introduced, Invasive, and Endangered Plants in the Landscape: Untangling the Roots of the Problem" with Bill Cullina, Dr. Peter Del Tredici, and Jono Neiger. Click for a full scheduleand other information. Please plan on stopping by Planters' Choice booth in the Marketplace to say hi!

Thursday, March 10 UCONN's Perennial Plant Conference  for the Professional Horticulturist.  Educational opportunities for the Pro held on campus at the Lewis B. Rome Commons in Storrs, CT. Two sessions of interesting speakers will talk about the Native Plant Palette, Sustainable Landscapes, Great Flowering Shrubs and many others. Check out the full schedule and register soon!

Have A Great Weekend!