ID' F=^ egonias OVERLOOKED BY COMMERCIAL GROWERS? See page 1 3 . August/September 1992 ID' zs. Jl=^ A A egonias OVERLOOKED BY COMMERCIAL GROWERS? See page 1 3 . August/September 1992 VAN BERRUM NURSERY Peter 6e Leslie Van Berkum 4 James Road Deerfield. NH 03037 (603) 463-7663 Twenty two varieties of Astilbe in our selection of perennials for massing and groundcover,.. •'663 Propagators/Qrowers of established container perennials Hardy Northern-Grown Planting Stock A Partial Listing BARE-ROOT STOCK PLUG STOCK Minimum order S100 ana 100 of one size ana varietv- Minimum oraer 4 trays (2 of same vanetyl 100- 250- 500 2-6 8 TRAYS SPECIES ACE SIZE 249 499 &UP SPECIES ACE SIZE TRAYS & UP American Arborvltae 2-3 12-24 1.30 .91 —65 Austrian Pine P2 3-5" .57 .37 2-2 9-15" 1.20 .84 .60 Muoho Pine P2 3-5" .57 .37 3-0 6-9 .34 .24 .17 Japanese Black Pine P2 4-8" .57 .57 Canadian Hemlock 2-4 12-24 1.50 1.05 .75 Eastern white Pine P2 4-7" .57 .37 P+2 9-15 1.40 .98 .70 Black Hills spruce P2 5-10" .57 .37 2-2 6-12 1.20 .84 .60 4-7" .55 .35 Austrian Pine 2-2 9-15 1.20 .84 .60 Norway spruce P2 5-10" .57 .37 2-0 3-6 .24 .17 .12 White Spruce P2 5-10" .57 .37 Eastern white Pine 3-0 9-15" .40 .28 .20 Serbian Spruce P2 5-10" .57 .37 MuaXo Pine 2-3 5-8" 1.30 .91 .65 Red Pine 3-0 2-2 3-6" 9-15" .34 1.10 .24 .77 .17 .55 These container grown seedlings come in trays eltrier In 2 or i tray boxes Therefore, we reauest trays There is a container deposit of SJ 35 per tr of 67 cavities each and are shipped that you order an even numOer of 3y which Is refundable upon return 3-0 9-15" .36 .25 .18 of the containers In gooa condition, within 60 days at the expense of the purchaser | Black Hills spruce 2-2 6-12" 1.20 .84 .60 Colorado Blue Spruce 3-0 2-3 6-12" 12-18" .40 1.40 .28 .98 .20 .70 2-2 9-15" 1.30 .91 .65 ^^^A# Norway spruce 2-2 2-2 6-9" 12-18 .24 1.16 .17 .84 .12 .60 ^Western White spruce 2-0 2-3 6-12" 12-24" .24 1.20 .17 .84 .12 .60 tBKmNENMSPmes- I 2-2 12-18" 1.16 .81 .58 wWr^BSH^'ii^ 3-0 12-18" .40 .28 .20 '^^^^'tfSS^ 1 2-0 6-9" .24 .17 .12 ONE EVERGREEN DRIVE • P.O. BOX 250 FRYEBURC, MAINE 04037 1 Deep-rooted quality since 1923. 1-800-447-4745 • FAX 1-207-935-2043 CALENDAR n August 12 The New Hampshire Plant Growers' Associa- tion Summer Meeting; Jolly Farmer, East Lempster, NH; for information: Chris Robarge at (603) 862-1074. 1 2 hlew HampshirelVeT' mom Tela-flora Unit Summer Meeting; Jolly Farmer, East Lempster, NH; for information: Everett Aldrich at (603) 444-2201. 19 hlew Hampshire Landscape Association Twilight Meeting: "Wet- lands— a Half-acre Miti- gation Site," Derry, NH; for information: Guy Hodgdon at 1-800-639-5601. 19 Vermont Plantsmen Summer Meeting, Grand Isle Nursery, South Hero, VT; for information: Scott Pfister at (802) 244-7048. 20-2 1 Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Trade Show (PLANTS) & Conference, Expo Mart, Monroe- ville, PA; (717) 238-1673. 3 1 -September 4 Third International Geranium Conference, Hans Christian Anderson Conference Center, Odense, Denmark; for information: Richard Craig (at Penn State) at (814)863-2191. September 9 New Hampshire Plant Growers' Association Tuilight Meeting, Strawber^' Banke, Portsmouth, NH; for information: Andrea Capron at (603) 569-5056. 16 UNH Cooperative Extension Tu;ilight Meeting, Tanglewood Gar- dens. Bedford, NH; for information: Margaret Hagen at (603) 673-2510 or Nancy Adams at (603) 679- 5616. 16 New Hampshire Landscape Asso- ciation Tu^ilight Meeting: "A Tour of Historic Hamilton House," South Berwick, ME; for information: Guy Hodgdon at 1-800-639-5601. October 17 Fall Invitational FFA Judging Contest, UNH Greenhouse Facility, Durham, NH; for information: Dave Howell at (603) 862-1760. 19-21 The 1992 New England Greenhouse Conference, Sheraton Sturbridge Inn, Sturbridge, MA; for information: Richard Emerson at (603) 329-5525. November 2-9 Ohio Fbrists' Association Mexico Fbriculture Tour; for information: (614) 487-1117. 5-7 The J 992 International Plug Conference, Buena Vista Palace, Orlando, FL; for information: Julie A. Stewart at (708) 208-9080. 6-9 The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers Fifth National Con- ference on Specialty Cut Flowers, Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center, Burlington, VT; for information: ASCFG, 155 Elm Street, Oberlin. OH 44074; phone: (216) 774-2887. 30-December 3 The 42nd Annual Meeting of the Intenwtioruzl Plant Propagators' Society Eastern Re^on, St. Louis Marriot Pavilion Down- town, St. Louis, Mo; for informa- tion: Darrel Apps (215-388-6901) or Paul Smeal (703-231-5609). jAJVVAtiT 1993 5-7 Eastern Regional Nurserymen's Association (ERNA) Trade Show, The Concord Resort Hotel, Kiamesha Lake, NY; for informa- tion: (203) 872-2095. Februarf 3-4 New England Grou;5 '93; Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA; for information: Virginia Wood at (617) 964-8209. INSIDE Design: Joni Doherty Cover Illustration (Begonia 'Irene Muss') by Mark Crispi 3 FORUM NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS 10 WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMERS? Ginnji Host 13 BEGONIAS Frank GTcen 17 MEMBER PROnLE BERGEVIN'S GREENHOUSE 21 COMMUNITY TREES Margaret Hagen 25 A BUSINESS INSURANCE CHECKLIST Boh Butler 27 FROM THE BOARD EXPANDING THE RANGE OF THE PERENNLA.L BORDER Roger Warren The Plantiman is published in early Febru- ary, April, June, August, October, and December with copy deadlines being the 5th of each prior month. While camera- ready ads are preferred, set-up assistance is available at a nominal fee. Free classified advertising is offered as a member service. We will carry a short message (no artwork or logos) for one or two issues of The Pkmtsnuxn. AD SIZE 6x 3 3/8" w X 2 3/8"h $120 $30 3 3/8" w X 4 7/8"h $160 $40 7" w X 2 3/8"h $160 $40 7" w X 4 7/8"h $250 $50 7" w X 10 "h $400 $100 For further information, please contact the editor: Robert Parker at the UNH Research Greenhouses, Durham, NH 03624, (603)862-2061; or PC Box 5, Newfields, NH 03856, (603)778-8353. August/September 1992 1 Newton Greenhouse 32 Amesbury Road, Newton, NH 03858 603-382-5289 Quality Plants green and flowering from 2 1/2" to 10" pots Holiday, bedding plants, & dish gardens year round cut snaps, pot mums, Gloxinias and African violets Licensed propagator of Mikkelsen & Ecke New Guinea Impatiens •k TOP LINE TURF SEEDS ■k QUALITY GRANULAR GMF FERTILIZER k CUSTOM MIXING - OUR SPECIALITY k DOLOMITIC LIME * DELIVERY THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND IM NE 800-624-2952 In VT 800-244-4628 FAX 802-893-2194 Grow mih the Best LD. OLIVER SEED CO., INC. P. O. BOX 156 MILTON, VERMONT 05468 MRCH/VlONr IRRIGATION / SNOWMAKING in Manchester, NH Providing ail your irrigation needs. Design Services also available. 1 80 Zachary Rd. Unit «3 Manchester, N.H. 03101 (603) 622-8825 v^vWvWW 1-800-558-9888 IN NH ONLY "The Qeranium Specialists" Whotesale Growers 2 1/2" Geraniums (year round) 4" Pre-finished Geraniums 2 1/2" Ivy Geraniums & Fuchsia Martha Washington Geraniums Spring Hanging Baskets, Lilies/Bulbs Azaleas, Cyclamen, Poinsettias, Foliage JOHN B. CARPENTER, President ROBERT J. CARPENTER, General Manager 603/659-3391 220 SOUTH MAIN STREET NEWMARKET, NH 03857 FORUM NE Greenhouse Conference Update Richard E. Emerson NHPGA Representative The 1992 New England Green- house Conference is set for Mon- day, October 19, through Wednesday, October 21, in Sturbridge, Mass. The program is made up of educational topics as well as the trade show. We're sure that many of these topics will be of interest to you. Hopefully, they'll help you increase your sales. The educational sessions will includes talks on: Interiorscapes, Outdoor Flower Production, Busi- ness and Labor Management, Pest Management, Environmental En- gineering and Equipment, Mar- keting and Merchandizing, New Opportunities — Crops and Busi- ness, and much more. New Hampshire will be well represented by some of our well- known members who will be pre- siding over the educational ses- sions. Those scheduled to speak — so far — include Bill Stockman, Siegfried Thewke, Tom McElroy, and Doug Cole. So plan now to attend. Regis- ter early. I'll see you there Oc- tober 19-21, 1992. For more information, Richard can be reached at 603'529'5525. VA Medical Center Beautification The General Federation of New Hampshire Women's Clubs is spearheading a project to land- scape the 33-acre grounds of the VA Medical Center in Manches- ter. The project is still in its plan- ning stage, but landscape archi- tect Richard Sheridan of Bow re- cently presented plans for its first phase — a design "using rhododen- drons, maximers, olga mezzitts, magnolias, pink crabs, Bradford pears, and burning bushes" to be used to beautify the front en- New Members Bayberry Nurseries South Road Hampton Falls, NH 03844 Beans & Greens PO Box 7149 Gilford. NH 03247 ■* French Farm 27 French Road Henniker, NH 03242 King Farm 15 Scales Lane Townsend, MA 01467 Our Place Lewis 192 Silk Farm Road Concord, NH 03301 Perception Gardens 483 Federal Hill Milford, NH 03055 Plants International, Inc. PO Box 589 Stafford Springs, CT 06076 Riff Flower Shop &. Greenhouse PO Box 404, North Road Lancaster, NH 03584 David Wheeler HC69, Box 171 Wolfboro, NH 03894 Yankee Gardener Greenhouse & Nursery PO Box 118, RFD 1 Monroe. NH 03771 trance of the facility. The Federation is looking for assistance from the NHPGA and its individual members. For fur- ther information, contact Mary Durant, Windham Women's Club (603-893-9669) or Robert Samson Program Manager, VA Medical Center (603-626-6529). PDDL Update Cheryl A. Smith The Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab (PDDL) is a place where commer- cial growers, county agricultural agents and home owners can send (or bring) diseased plants for a di- agnosis of the problem. The PDDL is located in Nesmith Hall on the UNH campus in Eharham. The PDDL has been providing plant disease diagnostic services to New Hampshire for nearly 15 years. Several graduate students, supported by the Cooperative Ex- tension Service and supervised by Bill MacHardy, have been respon- sible foe the operation of the PDDL over this period. This tra- dition is about to change. Over the past year ,the future of the PDDL was uncertain. Sev- eral factors contributing to this uncertainty were (i) the lack of an incoming graduate student to replace the current diagnostician, who will be completing degree re- quirement by August, and (ii) current and future budget con- straints. These factors have been addressed, and the decision was recently made to fund the PDDL for another year. As a result of this decision, the PDDL will be on operation, staffed by a full- time diagnostician, through Au- gust, 1993. The services provided by the lab will not only include the di- agnosis of plant diseases, but also in-service training for county ag- ricultural agents, talks to grower groups (twilight meetings, etc.), and new and updated pest fact sheets, to list a few. The diagnosis of plant disease problems will continue to be the major focus of the PDDL, how- ever. Approximately 500 samples are received by the PDDL each year, with the bulk of the samples arriving from mid-April to Octo- ber. Sixty percent of the samples received are from commercial growers, landscapers, aborists, and golf course superintendents. Woody ornamentals and green- house-grown crops account for more than half of those samples. There are several diseases which consistently present prob- lems to growers from year-to-year. Pythuim root rot is the most fre- August/September 1992 3 FORUM quent problem diagnosed on greenhouse crops and the best methods of control are sanitation and preventative fungicide drenches. Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is a serious disease which is showing up more and more frequently throughout the state. The virus, transmitted by thrips, has an extremely wide hit range. The PDDL is not equipped to run the diagnostic tests neces- sary to diagnose TSWV, so the samples are sent to an outside lab for confirmation. A plant infected with TSWV cannot be cured. In- fected plants should be destroyed (they should not be sold!) to pre- vent the spread of the virus. The primary means of controlling TSWV is through careful inspec- tion of all incoming plant mate- rial and chemical control of the thrips. The most consistent prob- lems on woody ornamentals have been anthracnose and leaf spots on deciduous trees and shrubs; needlecasts (particularly Rhizospheara on blue spruce) and tip blights on evergreens; winter injury, leaf spots, Phytophthora root rot on broad leafed ever- greens (rhododendrons); and wood decay following mechanical injury. Sanitation is a major fac- tor in the management of these diseases. Cultural measures such as pruning diseased branches and shoots, raking and removing fallen leaves and needles, proper fertilization, thinning to promote air circulation, and providing ad- equate water can usually provide adequate control of many diseases of wood ornaments. However, fungicide applications may be necessary, particularly for tip blights and needlecasts of ever- greens. On annual and bedding plants, the two major diseases, leaf spots and Botrytis blight, can be managed with a combination of fungicides and cultural prac- tices. The variety of fruits and vegetables grown in New Hamp- shire results in a wide range of diseases diagnosed. In general, fungal fruit rots, leaf spots, and blights account for the majority of the diseases diagnosed on these crops by the PDDL each year. As with all crops mentioned previ- ously, control is best achieved with strict sanitation measures and other cultural practices com- bined with fungicide and baceteriacide applications where necessary. The proper diagnosis of disease problems depends strongly on the quality and condition of the sample received by the PDDL. Completely dead or dry plant ma- terial is of no value for diagnosis. The sample should be fresh, taken just prior to delivery or mailing. Be sure to include generous amounts of plant material (one or two leaves is not sufficient). Ide- ally the sample should include a progression of symptoms. The sample can be brought to your county Cooperative Extension Of- fice or the PDDL, or mailed. When mailing samples, place the sample in a sturdy box or padded postal envelope and mail them early in the week (so the sample does not sit in the post office over the weekend). Be sure to in- clude a full description of the problem, including a history of chemical and fertilizer use. During the next year the decision will be made to either expand the PDDL into a Plant Pest Diagnos- tic Clinic staffed by a full-time plant protection specialist, or dis- continue the diagnostic services presently provided. The services offered by the expanded Clinic would include insect identifica- tion and diagnosis of stress-related problems in addition to those presently offered. Another goal of the expanded Clinic would be to broaden the educational outreach program through talks to garden- ing clubs and other groups, and various types of publications. This decision will most likely be based on feedback form county agents, extension specialists, and growers, as well as future budget constraints. Cheryl Smith is Plant Disease Diagnosti- dan at the UNH Piant Biology Depart- ment Diagnostic Lab, Nesmith Hall, Durham. For information, contact Cheryl at 862-3841. ^ RR 1 • TYLER BRIDGE ROAD • HINESBURG, VERMONT • (800) 525-9405 • FAX (802) 482-4056 CALL US FOR COMPLETE LISTINGS • FAX US YOUR WANT LIST • HAND PICK YOUR TREES •WE'LL DIRECT SHIP . QUANTITY DISCOUNT PRICING GROWERS OF FINE QUALITY SHADE TREES 4 THE PLANTSMAN No Surprises EXPERIENCE. At The Conley Farm, we have been growing high quality Balsam and Fraser Christmas Trees since 1 968. This year we have 8.000 trees, all marked by grade and size, ready for harvest. LOCATION. Our regular customers — most of them have been with us for about 1 5 years — appreciate our Southern New Hampshire location which allows easy access for inspection of the crops. Plantation visits are welcome anytime. SERVICE. Our convenient location, an elevator loading system, and roads that are accessible for any size truck in any weather make shipping efficient and cost effective. QUALITY. As a result of an upgrading program started in 1982 we are now able to grow better trees faster. The freshness of our trees after harvest is insured by a custom designed shaded storage area. And, since we only sell trees grown on our farm what you see is what you get. No surprises. Call Bill at 603/ 332-7102, or Marty at 603/ 332-9942, for more information or to schedule a visit. The Conley Farm The wholesale grower of Balsam & Fraser in Southern New Hampshire August/September 1992 5 NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS Innovations — Hampshire Fields People driving along Route Four in Northwood may have noticed a new greenhouse/gar- den center complex and that the greenhouse has an unusual roof design. The name of the operation is Hampshire Fields and the man responsible for the unique roof line is the owner, Andrew Walters. The design is based on an idea Bob Butler (Butler Insur- ance) brought to John Bartok and Bob Aldrich of the Depart- ment of Agricultural Engineer- ing at the University of Con- necticut in Storrs. A triangle is stable: "A four-sided figure can flop," Walters explained, "but a three-sided figure is fixed — you can pull it in any direction — it won't change shape." So — for the greatest strength possible — the idea was to design a roof that would be built of only triangular compo- nents. Bartok and Aldrich were in- trigued and constructed a 40x36' prototype, then a more sophisticated version after that. The greenhouse Walters built (Walters, by the way, is a licensed mechanical engineer) is a refinement of these struc- tures. It consists of five 20x36' sections connected to create one 100x36' space. The frame is epoxy-coated steel. There is a 2' skirt wall of T-lll panel- ing. The polycarbonate walls above the skirt walls are 8' high. The roof — built of custom- fabricated 11x37x39' triangular units — is at first glance a series of twenty-foot wide, five-foot high gables. But each peak on the front is directly opposite the low point of a valley on the back. (And vice-versa.) This configuration creates a line of rising fan-shaped ridges that al- ternate with descending fan- shaped furrows. Trusses laid into the plane of each unit repeat the triangular motif. There are no internal supports: the 3600 square-foot interior is open, with no ob- structions. There are no fans. Each 36' side has three 4x12' hinged units that open outward and used for venting. And each gable is divided into two 10x5x11' inwardly-opening hinged triangular units. For these, an entire side (10 units) will be opened and shut by a hand-operated chain-drive worm gear. The house is heated by two gas-fired modine heaters, one at either end. Heat retention in winter and 20% shade in sum- mer will be provided by a mo- torized curtain. Production is still evolving — although nursery stock and spe- cialty plants are bought in, most crops in the greenhouse are grown from seed. And Walters is experimenting with hydropon- ics for greenhouse vegetable pro- duction. In spite of all the innovation, it's still a famfly business. Walters' wife Mary, mother Toni, and brother Greg all have a place in the new operation. (B.P.) (The address of Hampshire Fields is Route 4, Box 21 5 A, North- wood, Neui Hampshire 03261 . The phone number is 603-942- 5300. Visitors are welcome.) TangleMTood Gardens — September Sixteenth UNH Cooperative Extension is organizing a Twilight Meeting on Wednesday, September 16, at the Komisarek family's Tanglewood Gardens in Bedford ("on Route 101 just down the hill from The Weathervane"). People will have a chance to look over the operation, see the new greenhouse, and talk about poinsettia production. Topics will include whitefly control, greenhouse IPM, disease prob- lems, and utilizing DIF. For information, contact Mar- garet Hagen (603-673-2510) or Nancy Adams (603-679-5616). (This issue's Calendar also lists two twilight meetings sponsored by the New Hampshire Land- scape Association — one in Derry on August 19 and one in South 6 THE PLANTSMAN NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS Berwick, Maine, on September 16. All four meetings sound in- formative, so any would be an opportunity to meet with your colleagues and learn more about an aspect of the industry that interests you.) FFA Winners Eight teams competed in the New Hampshire FFA Competi- tions in Floriculture and Nurs- ery/Landscaping at the Thomp- son School/ Plant Biology Greenhouses at UNH in Durham on May 21. The Floriculture Competition consisted of nine sections: After taking a general knowledge exam, contestants had to iden- tify plants, identify plant disor- ders, demonstrate asexual propa- gation, complete a floral ar- rangement, demonstrate the sell- ing of a product, develop media for the selling of a product, complete a job interview, and complete a problem-solving ex- ercise. The winning team was Alvirne (Hudson); second place went to Fall Mountain (Alstead); third, Dover. Individual winners were Sara Parker (Alvirne), Tammy Woodell (Fall Mountain), and Meredith Davis (Fall Mountain). The eight areas of the Nurs- ery/Landscaping Contest were "General Knowledge Exam, Measuring of Nursery Stock, Equipment Maintenance Prob- lems, Potting of Nursery Stock, Questions of a Landscape Draw- ing, Identification of Plants, Identification of Plant Disorders, and Demonstration of Interper- sonal Relationships." The winning team was again Alvirne. Second place went to Pembroke Academy (Pembroke) and third place went to Manchester School of Technol- ogy (Manchester). Individual winners were Gail Whitney (Alvirne), Kiley Thompson (Pembroke Acad- emy), and Steve Goff (Manches- ter School of Technology). Congratulations are due all participants and their instruc- tors. Agent Designated Clark Insurance Agency of Keene has been designated an agent for Butler Florists' &. Growers' Insurance Agency. As an agent for Butler, Clark Insur- ance exclusively handles Cheshire, Sullivan, and Grafton Counties. Clark, founded in 1877, has offices in Keene, Walpole, and Hinsdale. ^ MARKETING Tina Saiutelle An advertising effort conducted over time may maintain audience interest more effectively than single-occasion advertising. This is called "Fre- quency."There are advantages in sustaining a full-season advertising effort Be sure your newspaper advertising representative is designing your ad with illustrations. Studies show that ads with artwork perform better than those without. Illustrations arouse interest, establish contact, build prefer- ence, and keep customers sold. A satisfied customer will tell three people. An unhappy customer will tell fifteen. But studies show that 90% of customers who were unhappy will buy from you again if their complaints are quickly resolved. Do you have your customer recourse policy in order? Tina Sauitelle is a principal of Sawtelle Marketing Associates, NctwnarJcet, NH. For in/ormation: (603) 659-8106. ^ 1992 Tifew Hampshire AGRICULTURAL FAIRS August 21-23 Cornish Fair, Town House Road, Cornish; information: Robert Bladen at (603) 542-4622. August 15-16 BelJcnap County 4-H Fair, Mile Hill Road, Belmont; information: Tom Corbin at (603) 524-5125. August 27-30 Plymouth State Fair, Plymouth (Take Exit 26 off 1-93); infor- mation: J. Stanton Hillard at (603) 536-2305. September 2-7 Lancaster Fair, Route US 3, Lancaster; informa- tion: Raymond Belanger at (603) 837-2770o September 3-7 Hoplcinton State Fair, Contoocook Fair Grounds, Contoocook; information: Alan Hardy at (603) 746-4191. September 11-13 Hillsboro County A^culturat Fair, Route 13, New Boston; in- formation: John Robertson at (603) 588-6500. September 17-27 Rochester Fair, 72 Lafayette Street, Rochester; information: Jeffrey Taylor at (603) 332-6585. October 1-4 Deerfield Fair, off Route 107, Deerfield; information: Willis Rollins, Jr. at (603) 463-7421. August/September 1992 7 MICHAUD jj Nurseries & Greenhouses, Inc. {Sar|? Route 85 — PO Box 334 — Exeter, NH 03833 (603) 772-3698 Wholesale & Retail Nursery Annuals, Perennials. Nursery Stock. Landscape Supplies WHOLESALE NURSERY TREES • EVERGREENS • SHRUBS 150 acres of quality plants Write for catalog Member: MNA, NENA Millers Falls Road, Turners Falls, MA 01376 Telephone 4 13- 863-2510 S tewart^ NURSERY, Inc. nMS^ CANTERBURY, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03224 EXIT 18, 1-93, 1/2 MILE TELEPHONE 1 -800-287-471 6 SOD FARMS & WHOLESALE NURSERY, INC If growers and distributors. • NURSERY STOCK • GARDEN SUPPLIES • CHRISTMAS TREES • SOD GREENHOUSE PLANTS CHRYSANTHEMUMS NURSERY STOCK POINSETTIAS BULBS/LILIES GERANIUMS PERENNIALS CYCLAMEN SEEDLINGS AZALEAS PLUGS SEEDS D.A. POSOCCO Greenhouse Plants - Nursery Stock Joseph Giannino 56 Tiiscano Avenue Revere, MA 02151 617-286-6541 (home) Fax 617-289-9412 GREENHOUSE PLANTS CHRYSANTHEMUMS NURSERY STOCK POINSETTL\S BULBS/LILIES GERANIUMS PERENNL\LS CYCLAMEN SEEDLINGS AZALEAS PLUGS SEEDS D.A. POSOCCO Greenhouse Plants - Nursery Stock Steve Calautti RO. Box 2092 Middletown, CT 06457 203-346-7980 Fax 203-346-5235 8 THE PLANTSMAN ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS Little Tomato: Big Seller (from Greenhouse Manager, July, 1992). In the two years it has been on the market, "the world's smallest tomato has become a big hit with growers and consumers." 'Micro-Tom,' developed by University of Florida scientists Jay Scott and Brent Harbaugh, has fruit about half the size of cherry tomatoes. The plant is about 5 inches high. "It's our best-selling variety," says Linda Sapp, president and co-owner of Tomato Growers Supply Co. of Fort Myers, Florida. "1 think it was so popular because it's a unique tomato — it's the world's smallest and lots of people don't have space to plant in the ground and this is a way for them to grow their own food...." Most buyers purchased thirty- seed packets, but Sapp says she also sold quite a few 1,000-seed packets to commercial growers who are producing them for gar- den centers and florists. For information, contact Brent Harbaugh, University of Florida Institute of Food &. Agricultural Sciences, Gulf Coast Research & Education Center, 5007 60th Street East, Bradenton, FL 34203; the phone number is (813) 755- 1568. Recycling: a New^ Dimension (from GrowerTalks, July, 1992). Exhaust gases can be recycled to feed plants — according to a study at Strathclyde University in Scot- land. Lillian MacDonald, fourth- year mechanical engineering stu- dent sponsored by Shell at Strathclyde, spent three months in Holland last year finding out if it was possible to supply a local greenhouse with clean carbon di- oxide for its tomatoes. Previously it wasn't thought feasible to sepa- rate the growth-promoting carbon dioxide in exhaust gases from noxious nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocar- bons. MacDonald's finding will prob- ably be used by a Shell explora- tion and production company to reduce atmospheric waste emis- sions from a Rotterdam gas plant. "Her project proved the process is technically possible; it will pay for itself over the long term and will have significant environmen- tal impact." Manual Available A Water Quality Manual for Greenhouse and Nursery Opera- tors is now available, the Society of American Florists (SAF) re- ports. The manual includes infor- mation on well selection, backflow preventers, underground storage tanks, pesticide disposal, and more. For a copy, contact SAF, 1601 Duke Street, Alexan- dria, VA 22314-3406; phone: 1- 800-336-4743. The PPA Plant of the Year The Perennial Plant Association's Plant of the Year for 1992 is Coreopsis 'Moonbeam'. The plant was selected for "its long season ornamental effect, adapt- ability to most areas of the United States and Canada, and ease of production." Color slides and photos or black and white photos of Core- opsis 'Moonbeam' may be ob- tained by contacting the Peren- nial Plant Association, 3383 Schitzinger Road, Hilliard, Ohio 43026. The phone number is (614) 771-8431. CLASSIFIED POSITIONS AVAILABLE: Northeast Nursery is accepting resumes for Wholesale Manager and Assistant Retail Manager. Northeast Nursery is a fuU-service rewholesale nursery/ retail garden center distributing a full line of nursery stock, annuals, perennials, fertilizers and bard goods to area landscapers, contractors, and developers. Please send resume to Northeast Nursery, 234 Newbury Street, Peabody MA 01960. One Call Gets It All! As a major grower, distributor, and broker. Imperial Nurseries can satisfy your need for a wide selection of quality plant mate- rial and a full range of hard- goods. And as your primary source, we can do it with a sin- gle phone call from you You'll save time . . and save money on special promotions . . while offering your customers the very best. The quality and depth of inven- tory we provide, Jjom both our Connecticut and Florida farms and the many quality growers tve represent through our bro- kerage operations, give lawn and garden centers, landscap- ers and nurserymen what they need . . . when they need it. Make Imperial Nurseries the primary source for all your horticultural needs. Call 1-800- 343-3132 today to discuss how we can meet your requirements. Crowing Operations; Cranby.trr. Quinq.FL Distribution Centers: Aslon.PA. Cincinnati. OH Columbus, OH, Piusbutsh.PA. Manassas.VA. While Marsh, MD, Windsor. CT Brokerage Offices: Cranby.CT. Sandy. OR [QjiSrol Division of Culbro Corporation August/September 1992 9 w hat do You Know About Your Customers? H By Ginny Hast Note: The following is a condensed version of articles by Richard Ashley fo TT\e Grower (Ociocer and November 1991, University of C, Cooperative ExtefLsion System. I As competition increases, garden centers will need to work harder than ever to satisfy their present customers and bring in new ones. To effectively accom- plish this goal, the retailer must develop a better understanding of the customer and his needs. The following questionnaire can he used to gain this information. It may be modified to suit the particular operation; however, there are some key points to follow: 1. Keep it short. 2. Collect between 50 and 300 responses. 3. Obtain a representative sam- pling of customers. Distribute surveys each day for a week. Qive one to every third or tenth customer, depending on the desired number of returns. 4. Have the most personable employee greet customers with something like:"HelIo.' We're trying to make our garden center an even better place to shop. Would you please take a minute and fill out this sur vey? In at)f)reciation,«;e'll have a little gift for you at the checkout counter when you leave. Thank you!" Note: A free gtft will encourage more participation! 5. Surveys can be coded for each day of the week to deter mine any shopping patterns. The survey can be repeated throughout the various sea sons to characterize the cms tomer base. Gmn^ Hast ii Program Associate, Agri- cultural Resources at Merrimack County Extension in Boscawan. She can be reached at (603) 524-1737.^ 10 THE PlANTSMAN INTERPRETING THE RESULTS: Develop a table listing every possible response to each question. Transfer the an- swers from the completed questionnaires to the table. After all are tabulated, take the number of responses and divide by the total number of completed surveys. Mul- tiply this number by 100 to get the percentage of customers giving each possible re- sponse. It is now time to interpret the results! QUESTION 1: HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT OUR GARDEN CENTER? The majority of the responses should be in the area of greatest advertising effort. If not, look carefully at the appropriateness of the media and the makeup of the advertise- ments. QUESTION 2: IS THIS YOUR FIRST VISIT? The responses should contain a blend of old and new customers. If most are new customers, something may be dis- couraging repeat business. If the majority are repeat clientele, it may be time to try and attract new business. QUESTION 3: HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU STOPPED HERE? A high percentage of repeat business indicates a good customer base and potential for sales of secondary product lines. If frequency is low, the marketing approach may need to be changed to encourage repeat sales. QUESTION 4: IS THIS THE GARDEN CENTER YOU PURCHASE FROM MOST OF THE TIME? If the majority responded "no", changes must be made. (See questions 5 and 6 for ideas.) If most responded "yes", congratulatiotis! Direct mailings are effective with this type of customer; so, an up-to-date mailing list will be very useful. QUESTION 5: WHAT FACTS ABOUT OUR GARDEN CENTER INFLU- ENCED YOU TO STOP HERE TODAY? The interpretation here is fairly simple. Keep doing what customers like and improve on anything that received low marks. QUESTION 6: RATE OUR SERVICE AND FACILlTIES.Consider excellent and good to be satisfactory and fair and poor to be unsatisfactory. Do not be concerned about a percent or two of unsatisfactory responses. (Everyone occasionally has a bad day!) However, higher unsatisfactory ratings must be corrected. QUESTION 7: HOW CLOSE EX) YOU LIVE? Horticultural retail facilities usu- ally draw customers from a radius of about five miles. If this is not happening, re- evaluate the current advertising media. QUESTION 8: DO YOU OWN YOUR HOME, RENT YOUR HOME OR APARTMENT? Gear products to the market. For example, home owners tend to want permanent improvements such as perennial plants. Renters often prefer annu- als. Apartment dwellers are a good market for container gardens, window boxes, and patio pots. QUESTION 9: ARE YOU MALE OR FEMALE? Response should be roughly equal, although many businesses fail to attract male shoppers. This results in re- duced sales of items like fertilizer, tools, etc. Advertising may need to be directed at male shoppers. QUESTION 10: WHAT IS YOUR AGE GROUP? This will be most helpful in determining the advertising media. Also, older customers may desire more service than younger ones. QUESTION 11: DO YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE BOTH WORK? If a large per- centage of both spouses work, increased evening and weekend hours may be necessary. QUESTION 12: WHAT IS YOUR FAMILY INCOME? This information can help in choosing appropriate product lines and marketing approaches. QUESTIONS 14, 15, & 16: RADIO, TV AND NEWSPAPER PREFER- ENCES.Responses will help in choices of advertising media, and can be combined with the answers from questions 7, 10, & 12 to target special customer groups. ** ■ Confidential Customer Survey Thank you for taking a few minutes to fill out this survey. Your answers will h help us serve you better! 1. How did you learn about our garden center? (Check all that apply.) D Radio n Television n Newspaper D Friend or neighbor D Yellow Pages D Passed it on the road D Mail D Other 2 Is this your first visit? D Yes D No 3. If this is not your first visit, how many times have you shopped here in 199_? n Less than 3 D 3 to 5 D More than 5 4. Is this the garden center you purchase from most of the time? D Yes D No 5. What facts about our garden center influenced you to shop here today? (Check all that apply.) D Closest, most convenient D Wide selection of product D High quality products D Hours of service D Parking convenience D Service D Advertising D Prices D Overall appearance n Specialty products D Other (please specify) 6. Please rate our service and facilities. We really want to know how you feel! Parking Ex«ilf.» Coed For Poor Displays of product Labelling of product Quality of product Selection of product Variety of product Layout of garden center Prices Hours of operation Courteous, knowledgeable sales staff Speed and efficiency Service Other comments: 7. How close do you live to our garden center? n Within one mile D 1 to 5 miles D Over 5 milesS. Do you: D Own your home n Rent your home n Rent an apartment 9. Are you: D Male D Female 10. What is your age group?: n Under 30 D 30 to 55 D 56 to 65 D Over 65 11. Do you and your spouse both work? D Yes D No D Not married 12. What is your total family income? D Under $15,000 D $25,000 to $50,000 D $15,000 to $25,000 D Over $50,000 13. What newspaper(s) do you read? 14. What radio station(s) do you listen to? 15. What TV station do you watch most often? THANK YOU VERY MUCH! August/ September 1992 1 1 ro^ttig you. A quality^ wholesale grower of shrubs, trees, and evergreens in Chichester, N.H. Call for our free catalog R (603) 435-6660. MILLICAN NURSERIES, INC OUALirv New England's Leading Full Line Seed House • Packet Seeds • Lawn Seed • Fertilizer • Grounds Maintenance Chemicals 1 (800) 326-HART FAST, COURTEOUS SERVICE The Chas. C. Hart Seed Co. RO. BOX 9169 WETHERSFIELD, CT 061 29-01 69 1 (800) 326-HART PRODUCTS COMPANY Lawn Er Garden Limestone Decorative Landscape Stone White Playsand P.O. Box 1521 • Portland, ME 04104 (800) 541-9127 Northern Grown Trees Evergreens Shrubs Mon-Sat 7:00 -5:30 Sun: 9:00 - 5:00 O'DONAL'S NURSERIES Located at junction of routes 22 & 114 Gorham, Maine 04038 Phone (207) 839-4262 or 839-6364 Fax 207-839-2290 We specialize in growing specimen plant materials 12 THE PlANTSMAN egonias by Frank Qreen WAX BEGONIAS— B. semper/Iorens cultivars, have experienced a tremendous resurgence in popularity in the past two decades. They have moved off the windowsill and into prominent display as bedding plants across the country. The greatest contributor to this increased interest is Senary in Germany, who has introduced series after series of new semps. These include the Gin, Whisky, and Vodka series. Other begonias which have recently gained favor are the Non-Stop and the Clips hybrids. These are so much easier than the tuberybrida group, and more suitable as pot plants, that they have consider- ably outdistanced the tuberhybrida group with northeastern growers. But the real story with begonias is to be found with those essentially overlooked by commercial growers. Not grown more widely, perhaps, because the perception is that begonias are difficult, history says otherwise. Who does not remember the pond lily or beefsteak begonias (the same plant)? Cor- rectly called B. 'Er-^\ktop}\-j^' (hybridized in 1845), this plant was in every barber shop, diner and store- front around the country seventy years and more ago. It was also on almost every windowsill. Some- times you could marvel as well at the spiralled form, B. Erythrophylla var Helix — or the magnificently crested B. Erythrophylla var Bunchii — the "lettuce leaf begonia" — both as easy as the original. A com- panion might well be the 1892 hybrid, B. Corallina de Lucema — the "angel wing" with its spectacular pendant trusses of scarlet bloom. Also B. Thurstonii with its lacquered bronzy-green leaves, sometimes called the "barber shop begonia" — around since 1887. These begonias were so widely grown because they were tough — they withstood neglect, they were forgiving. If they dried out, they revived when wa- tered again. They tolerated a wide range of condi- tions— heat, cold, dryness, humidity — and most of the time remained presentable — sometimes really stunning. The last generation has seen all of these varieties Ignored by the commercial grower, even though all but B. Lucema (its correct name) can be grown in low-light offices, living rooms, etc. Myriad other varieties should be examined by commercial growers. B. Convolvulacea, a bright green trailer discovered in 1861, makes a lovely hanging basket, especially for areas which do not get enough sun for more popular blooming hangers. But B. Convolvulacea makes its own contribution in early spring with a haze of tiny white blooms. B. Orococo with its larger, textured leaves strongly tinged with mahogany is most impressive in a hang- ing basket, and an additional benefit is the florlfer- ousness — broad, lacy umbels of creamy white bloom. Most of the cane-like begonias make very showy plants which afford more bloom in semi-shade than many more common outside plants. Some of those worth growing are 'Sophie Cecile', 'Superba-Kenzii', 'Lenore Olivier', 'Di-Erna', 'Tom Ment' — and dozens of others. Shrub-like begonias which can add drama outside are B. Thurstonii (mentioned earlier). Morning sun, light shade, and even fairly heavy shade — they all suit it. Blooms best in light shade. B. compta is a species shrub-like begonia, which does not offer much in the way of bloom, but is easily propagated and nearly idiot-proof. Its slate green leaves with light grey-green venal markings make it a satlsfy- ingly easy plant in the border. B. scharffii, a Brazil- ian native discovered in 1888, is stunning when well-grown. Coppery-green foliage is an excellent foil for the heavy blooms, Male flowers are borne in bunches the size of a large orange. Creamy-white "clam shells" (male flowers seldom open fully) densely clothed in hairs, these blooms are truly eye- catchers. Female flowers are equally showy. This be- gonia can make a specimen plant as much as four feet across and nearly as tall. Planted in the garden from 6" pots, it makes a good show during the sum- mer, and can be brought in to grace a bright room through the winter. B. albo picta var rosea (hort) makes a spectacular hanging basket. One grower produces this for Moth- ers' Day sale in 8" and 10" baskets, so heavily cov- ered with clusters of hot pink bloom that you can hardly see the pot — and not much of the foliage. August/September 1992 13 Good light is a necessity and blooming appears to be related to day length. The few upright canes which appear should be cut out to preserve the suit- ability as a basket plant. The last couple of years has seen the introduction of a few other varieties to the commercially-avail able list. 'Lois Burks' is brilliant as a hanger, laden with red-orange bloom from early summer to frost. The attractively silver-spotted "angel-wing" foliage is waxy deep green and prettily- toothed. It can be grown to two feet across in a 10" basket. 'Torch' is a relative new comer as well. An- other low-growing cane, it has larger leaves than 'Lois Burks', smooth margins with a strong red re- verse. Plenty of light and it blooms to frost. The name indicates the bloom color — fiery red-orange. Rex begonias, while certainly not neglected by commercial growers, are not promoted for any wide range of use. Generally not considered as an out- door plant, they do remarkably well in semi-shade during summer. Most often available in 4" pots, they are generally a "throw-away" because they re- quire cooler temperatures and higher humidity than the average home affords. A bit of effort to tailor conditions to their requirements can result in spec- tacular plants indoors. Hybrids from the 1880s are still popular with hobbyists. One whole group completely overlooked by the commercial grower is the species semperflorens. Many have interesting foliage, bloom profusely, and offer an exciting change from the more common hybrids. Amongst these are the schmidtiana types — slightly hairy leaves, strongly-veined, excellent as "different- bedding plants, and very easy of culture The "wooly bear", B. subvillosa var leptotricha grows as easily as any of the hybrid semps, has a larger, waxy, light green leaf, heavily felted on the reverse. This blooms generously with small white blooms. B. subvillosa var subvillosa, grown for years identified only by a collecting number, has small leaves, so densely-haired as to be plush-like. The hairs give the effect of a grey leaf, but in strong sun develop a distinct reddish edge. Blooms heavily, white to pale pink, and the plant will endure very dry conditions. B. cucullata var arenosicola grows as easily as any wax begonia — waxy, brilliant green fo- liage, very free blooming with clusters of pinkish- white flowers. This species should be widely-grown, and would seem to present excellent potential for hybridizing. It makes a mound about 18" tall and as broad. This may suggest to you that the commercial grower is really missing something. 1 hope it whets your appetite. If you would like further information as to sources, or other varieties which may have commercial merit, feel free to contact the writer. Frank Green, author of this article, is president of the Buxton Branch of the American Begonia Society, and may be reached at 20 Cross Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420. ^ GRIFFIN GREENHOUSE AND NURSERY SUPPLIES Diffused Light Makes the Difference! For better crop performance and plant growth, the best light is diffused light. Cloud Nine* not only has PAR light transmission of 9 1 % it diffuses up to 64% of that light. This means the bottom leaves get the same usable light as the top leave?. The result is bigger blooms and better color. There are no hard shadows cast by overhead structures or hanging plants. Diffused light virtually eliminates harmful shadows. And, there is less wilting on bright, hot days. Diffused light also speeds up transpiration. With Cloud Nine®, plants do better because they suffer less heat and water stress. Energy Savings - A Bonus Although considered a "crop performance" film, Cloud Nine® helps you save on your heating costs as well. Because Cloud Nine® is an infrared film, it keeps radiant heat from escapingand helps reduce fuel costs at least 25%. If you compare fuel savings versus the cost of the film, you would want to buy Cloud Nine® on energy savings alone. ''f^fr^ in August ^p FILM 3-YEAR" INFRARED FILM For more information orto place an order, call 508-85 1-4346. 14 THE PlANTSMAN Jolly Farmer Products East Lempster, New Hampshire 03605 WHOLESALE SUPPLIERS Bark Mulch - Hemlock & Mix Bagged Mulch - Cedar & Pine Landscape Ties Cut & Split Firewood We are here to fulfill your needs.... Call Toll Free today! New Hampshire: 1-603-863-3311 New England: 1-800-537-0031 WHOLESALE GROWERS • Annual & Perennial Plugs • Rooted Cuttings • Tuberous Begonias • Bedding Plants • Potted Annuals • Hanging Baskets • Cyclamen - Liners, Prefinisiied, Rnished • Poinsettias- Cuttings, Prefinished, Finished Nationwide: 1-800-695-8300 Local: 603-863-3370 'Integrity, quality and reliable service since 1967' 'Poinsettias 'Annuals 'Perenials mm o^CEip Wholesalers & Retailers J &mm 'Potted Plants 'Seasonal Crops 'Supplies Visit our 12 Greenhouses & Garden Center Claremont Hill, Newport, New Hampshire (603)863-1089 OPEN YEAR ROUND August/Septemder 1992 15 .<^^ ,\p^^g You To Q ^o, Uj GREENHOUSE SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT • pre-filled flats & pots • restricted pesticides • fertilizers • distriburos for Plasti Form & Plasti Vac • distributors for Hyde Park & Sunshine Soils • Kord products • Nu-Form Products • Star Steel Greenhouses 603-835^6930 HEMLOCK ROAD, LANGDON Mailing Address: P.O. Box O, Charlestown, NH NORTHERN NURSERIES WHOLESALE HORTICULTURAL DISTRIBUTION CENTERS U.S. Route 5, White River Junction, VT 05001 16 Pinkham Road West, Barrington, Nh 03825 SERVING THE PROFESSIONAL WITH ABOVE GROUND PLANT MATERIA!. Distributors in the following lines: • Lofts Seeds • Birchmeier Sprayers • DeWitt Weed Barrier • Lebanon Turt' Fertilizers • Corona Hand Tools • Mulch & Grow Hysroseeding Fiber • Earthway Spreaders • Nursery & Landscape Supplies >y Contact: -^^-^ Jim Babb, Mgr., White River Junction, VT, (802) 295-2117 Bob Averell, Mgr., Barrington, NH, (603) 868-71 72 _,6. GOOD SERVICE • DEPENDABLE QUALITT • CONVENIENT LOCATION 16 THE PLANTSMAN M M BERGEVIN'S GREENHOUSE Simple Techniques Produce a Hi^h Quality Crop WHEN BOB BERGEVIN went to the Thompson School at UNH to study horticulture in 1952, the school was full of names that are still remembered: Phil Barton was headmaster; Bob Kennedy, the pro- fessor of horticulture; Porter Durkee, greenhouse su- perintendent. Bob lived in the student apartment above the greenhouses and worked in exchange for his room. His roommates included Ollie Kathan and Paul Joly. Joly had already begun building Windsor Road Nurseries in Cornish; Kathan would soon found Kathan Gardens in Newport. Bob's route to Bergevin's Green- house was more roundabout. He grew up in Allenstown and had worked, starting when he was ten, for Claude Culberson, a Suncook carna- BOB EXPANDED THE POINT AT WHICH IT COULD SUPPORT A COMFORTABLE, BUT MODERATE, WAY OF LIFE. AFTER THIS, HE STOPPED tion grower. So after Thompson School and a stint in the army, it wasn't too sur- prising that he and his wife Marilyn (Bob's high school sweetheart) bought a 30,000 square-foot carnation range at the foot of Mount Tom in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Ten years later, in 1967, he sold that and moved on to a 50,000 square-foot range in Westborough. He raised carnations again, but the arrival of cheaper imports combined with the energy crisis made growing carnations in New England unprofit- able. Bob survived by converting the range into a garden center. Marilyn ran the retail side; Bob did the growing for it. It was successful — it was in a good location — good enough for a shopping plaza. Bob sold it to develop- ers in 1980. That was when he moved back to New Hamp- shire. He looked six months before he found — al- most by accident — this small cape farmhouse and twenty acres of land in Candia. He left the garden center business and got back into wholesale growing. IT'S A QUIET. ORDERLY PLACE— a tidy farm- house set among willows, rows of greenhouses in back. After twelve years in business, there is no sign. The first year he was there, he put up a 27x96 New Englander. The second year, he put up another. The third year, he put up three 21x96 "cold frames," quonsets that can be heated enough to ward off frost, but which probably couldn't hold a high temperature in very cold weather. Over the next five years, he added five more (three 14x96's; one 18x96; and one 10x96). After these, he stopped. He'd expanded the busi- ness to the point at which it could support a com- THE BUSINESS TO fortable, but moderate, way of life. He and his wife chose to have summers free and to hire no additional full-time help. THE CENTRAL FOCUS IS WHOLESALE SPRING BEDDING PLANT PRODUCTION. Most of the ac- tivity from late fall until January is in the first New Englander, where seeds and plugs are started. As the crop expands, it moves into the second New En- glander, then into the quonsets. Because the first New Englander is used throughout the entire winter, its heating is the most expensive and also the most important. Its heating system is in a work room/ storage area built onto the end of the greenhouse. The primary source is a hot water system fueled by wood chips. Three bucket-loads of chips are needed each day to fill the hopper from which augers bring the chips along a trough to the firebox in the boiler. Two trailer- loads of chips are used each year and Bob has built a shed to hold just that amount. Hot water is stored in a cork-lined double-layer stainless-steel 1500-gallon milk tank. When the houses call for extra heat, the water in the tank is re- circulated through an oil-fired boiler. When Bob chooses not to use the chip burner, he uses the oil-fired boiler. (In spring, he reverts to oil be- cause the venting can pull the wood smoke into the greenhouse.) There are also six modine units under the benches. All the other houses are heated with oil-fired hot air. The houses are cooled by fans, but they're not needed much because the benches are bare by mid- June. For venting. Bob opens up end windows and doors. The houses are inflated double-poly; the covering is changed every three years. The side walls are cov- ered with sheet metal skirting so Bob won't puncture plastic when he plows snow. The floors are dirt (Weed control? "Hands and knees"). The 8x12 benches (four trays wide) are made of "the better sticking" from the wood he bought for heat (the chip burner was originally a wood burner). Some benches are double-tiered in order to accommodate the amount of material grown. ("The plants move out of here so fast that it doesn't hurt them any.") The quonsets are single poly. The sides roll up by means of a home-designed crank and in summer each side is cranked all the way to the top and protected with black plastic. This keeps the poly usable for five years. The well is hand-dug. It's about fifteen feet deep August/ September 1992 17 M M and in a prolonged dry period, it can run out of wa- ter. Bob does have the water in the milk tank avail- able if necessary and he also has another fifteen hundred-gallon tank filled with water outside. If the needs the water, he pumps it back into the well and uses it from there. This system has always worked, but Bob figures it's time to dig a new well. He's hired a dowser — a person who searches for water by means of a divin- ing rod. Bob says it worked — the apple wood rod consistently vibrated and turned downward at a cer- tain spot. "Thirty feet down there's plenty of water," the man promised, but thirty feet down is below ledge. Still, this is where the rod suggested and this summer, a new well will be dug at that spot. THE PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES ARE STRAIGHT- FORWARD. During the fall, containers are pre-filled and stored. (The potting bench is in the first New Englander.) Bob uses straight Fafard mixes. The first seeds are planted in November. There are six germinating chambers in the New Englander. The wood in these benches are pres- sure-treated; bottom heat is created by hot water flowing through bulk tubing set in a bed of perlite. A layer of styrofoam is between the wood and per- lite. Plastic over an aluminum frame creates a min- iature greenhouse that holds the moisture. An Old Mill seeder used for sowing plugs. It does 20-50 trays per hour. All plugs are in 273's. Some benches have an automatic watering system made of PVC pipe with sprinkler nozzles set into it. And the hangers are on a chapin system. But there's still plenty of hand watering. He feeds the crop 15-16-17 using a Gewa injec- tor— "a nice way to feed because it can be dial- proportioned." Spraying is done with a 4-wheel Siebring wagon with a fifty-gallon tank. The main crop is "bedding plants firom A to Z — from ageratum to zinnias." The 100,000 annuals in- clude lots of old standards — petunias (43 varieties), marigolds (28 varieties), and impatiens (25 varieties), as well as the unusual — things like hibiscus and mel- ampodium. Each year he experiments with a few new things — this year he grew agastache (Blue Spike) and dwarf sunflowers for the first time ("They did well"), but most of what he grows is aimed toward the broad center of the market. He grows 3-4000 hanging bas- kets and before the bedding plant season, he also wholesales plugs. The bedding plants are in 804, 806, and 606-pacs. Pansies and violas are the first to be transplanted. Vinca vines are grown for February/March; plugs are for sale by April. Bob grows 2000 4 1/2' geraniums. He grows seed geraniums — they're less expensive to produce — and sees blossom shattering as no longer a problem. There is some retail trade, but most of the crop is custom grown for three local garden centers. Bob de- livers using a van and a trailer. The houses are empty by mid-June. There are long hours in spring. A retired couple helps with transplanting, but Bob and Marilyn do the rest of the work themselves. He's up at four ("It's a pretty time of day"); she sleeps in (she gets up at five); workdays often end after dark. But summer is a more leisurely period — a time to clean up, repair, grow a vegetable garden. ..maybe even relax. Their children are on opposite coasts — a daughter is in California; a son is superintendent of grounds at Bates College in Maine — but both Bob's and Marilyn's parents are nearby and time is spent with them. And in the fall, the cycle will begin again. A quiet man doing simple work continues to produce crops of a very high quality. (B.P.) Bergevin's Greenhouse is at 687 High Street, Candia, New Hampshire 03034. The telephone is (603) 483-2651. ^ STEENBURG & CALLIORAS THE AUCTION PROFESSIONALS, INC. ™ AUCTIONEERS: Archie Steenburgh 603/989-5690 Route 10, Haverhill, NH 03765 Peter CalHoras, C.A.I. 603/868-1070 Calef Highwall (Lee), Dover, NH 03820 Featuring 'NH Gold' Forsythia the best of the new, hardy forsythias, developed here by Paul Joly W several sizes available WINDSOR ROAD NURSERY RT. 2, BOX 884, CORNISH, NH 03745 Call for an appointment: 603-543-3239 or send for a catalog ROOTED CUTTINGS & POTTED LINERS of other hard-to-find shrubs & trees W PERENNIALS & NURSERY STOCK wholesale & retail LANDSCAPE CONSULTING 18 THE PlANTSMAN gherry fffill \^ nurseries inc. A growing iradilion since 1832 WHOLESALE ONLY Growers of Quality Hardy Plants Trees • Shrubs" Evergreens B&B and Container Crown Wide Range of Materials West Newbury, Massachusetts 01985 508-462-6688 We welcome your visit! ^ The Plantsman offers free classified advertising (no artwork or logos) as a member service for one or two issues. Please mail your classified to Robert Parker, Editor UNH Research Greenhouses Durham, NH 03824- ,«OMW0r?to ;\ 4 p^^ ; ' -.o WC ^L^nT t L?i 7/W hJ^ % W [Cxi f^XA^^y V ^^ Ir\corpcra(«i It 5 t SST 26- 3TREt.T YOHK. N. Y. lOOlO 2 ^81-0920 72 HAWKSTEAD NASHUA. NH HOLLOW 03063 RICHARD C. ZOERB 603 8868665 75 CHESTNUT HILL. RTE. 190 STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT. 06076 W. H. MILIKOWSKI.INC. GREENHOUSE SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT PLANTS BULBS SEEDS ALL YOUR GREENHOUSE NEEDS GROW WITH US' Conn. 203-684-5811 Out of State 800 243-71 70 U~3 POROUS CERAMICS For Root Zone Modification REDUCE WATER COSTS, INCREASE TURF QUALITY THE ISO (ees-o-lite) ADVANTAGE • Upward to 50% water savings. • Remarkable water holding capacity permanently solves drought problem areas. • Relieves compaction permanently— hard porous granules will not compress. • Environmentally safe— will not affect soil chemistry. • Hard ceramic granules— will not break down, shrink or swell in the soil. • 70% porosity— holds water against gravitational and evaporative loss, but releases it to the root. • Extremely low C.E.C. (1 .2-1 .9 meg/1 OOg)— will not tie up nutrients. • Low bulk density (.5-.6 g/cc)— improves tx)th water and air permeability. • Low E.G. (.1-.4 mmhos/cm) helps to eliminate salts. For Information on CALL: Bob Brennan BRENNAN SALES, INC. PO Box 1082, Scarborough, ME 04070 207 883-5799 August/September 1992 19 1 1 EASTERN WHITE PINE 6-10' Height Beautiful, heavy, Vermont, Connecticut Valley nursery grown. Growing 500 Acres ol New England's Fines! Trees & Shrubs 604 Main Street Cromwell, Connecticut 06416 Phone (203) 635-5500 Fax (203) 635-3685 *^^? 20 THE Plantsman COMMUNITY TREES REQUIRE A SPECIAL KIND OF CARE Margaret Hagen SINCE THE LATE '60'S, New Hampshire has had an urban and community forestry program. At that time, matching funds made possible street tree in- ventories in Manchester and Hanover and provided for dem- onstration projects in Laconia, Berlin, and Keene. As interest, funds, and staff fluctuated, so did the strength of the program, but it was always there. Thanks to the 1990 Farm Bill, some grant money, and an exciting new volunteer program. New Hampshire's Urban and Commu- nity Forestry Program is riding high. President Bush's National Tree Planting Initiative calls for partnerships between the public and private sector and has a goal of planting and maintaining nearly one billion trees per year nationwide. The hope is that volunteerism and public/private partnerships will foster a perma- nent spirit of stewardship in communities. How is this working in our state? It's working through partnerships between the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands, the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, and the So- ciety for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Staff from all three organizations, working together provide a cohesive program for the entire state. In 1989, Governor Gregg established a task force to look at community trees. Over the course of a year, this group evaluated the status of urban for- estry in New Hampshire and made a number of for- mal recommendations. In June of 1991, based on one of those recommendations, the New Hampshire Community Tree Commission was formed. Its mem- bers represent various public and private agencies, professional associations, and interest groups. They serve as an advisory group to the State Forester, Jack Sargent, who oversees the development and implementation of New Hampshire's Urban and Community Forestry Program. One of the first projects launched by the Com- munity Tree Commission was a statewide annual URBAN TREES LIVE AN AVERAGE OF SEVEN YEARS. WHaE COMMUNITIES NEED TO PLANT MORE TREES, THEY ALSO NEED TO INVESTIGATE WAYS OF HELPING EXISTING TREE POPULATIONS SURVIVE LONGER. Fall Foliage Photo Contest. The purpose of the con- test is to heighten public awareness of trees and their benefits. Prizes were awarded for the top foli- age photos taken during the 1991 fall foliage season. There were 400 entries — many of the photo- graphs were exhibited in the Leg- islative Hall of Flags and at the Farm and Forest Exposition. At about the same time last fall, the Society for the Protec- tion of New Hampshire Forests launched the New Hampshire Community Tree Steward pro- gram. Under the leadership of the program's coordinator, 20 volun- teer stewards spent 30 weeks in training. The training sessions in- cluded such urban forestry topics as tree anatomy and physiology, identification, insects and dis- eases, proper pruning and plant- ing, and soil/water relationships. The program also included courses on fund-raising, public speaking, presentation techniques, and field trips. Stewards graduated in May and are now out in the field working with Extension forestry and agri- culture educators to bring tree planting and care to communities. Stewards may deliver tree awareness programs to schools and adult groups, evaluate a community's trees, and/or help implement an active planting and maintenance program. When stewards move out into the communities, they are provided with information about town offi- cials, the community's past efforts towards a tree program, and the names of potential volunteers. The hope is that as stewards move on to new communi- ties, they will leave a volunteer group in place for long-term planning and care. As of late June, the first graduating class had vol- unteered over three weeks-worth of time in seacoast communities, delivering school programs and prun- ing workshops, developing and planting a new com- munity nursery, and helping to develop educational programs for future use. Last year's training for the volunteer stewards was conducted out of the Urban Forestry Center in August/September 1992 21 Strafford courities. This fall, training will be added at the Society's headquarters in Concord to include communities in the center of the state. In addition to the Steward program, this season's Community Conservation Camp (also conducted by the Society) concentrated on urban and community forestry management. Participants spent nine days in June in hands-on sessions. Designed for students as well as adults, the camp aimed to build a knowledge base and also confidence and leadership skills. The program for these Steward Associates includes fol- low-up community activities with trained stewards. In addition to providing the perfect site for Com- munity Tree Steward training, the Urban Forestry Center in Portsmouth runs weekly educational pro- grams geared to the general public. The Center con- sists of 150 acres of gardens, trails and forestry dem- onstration areas. There is also a library available for use Monday-Friday. It's well worth a visit if you've never been there. Dovetailing with the Community Tree Steward program is the Small Business Administration (SBA) Tree Planting Program. Administered in New Hampshire by the Division of Forests and Lands, this cost sharing program is designed not only to as- sist communities in planting trees on public land, but it also aims to funnel money to the small busi- nesses actually doing the work. In 1991, nine com- munities received a total of $64,680. Thirty-one grant applications were received for the 1992 funds. Community Tree Stewards can be of great assistance to a town that is putting together plans for a grant application. And once a town has an active tree- planting program, it may be motivated to become a Tree City or apply for New Hampshire's Beautifica- tion Award. In fact, the entire Urban and Commu- nity Forestry Program in New Hampshire is like a big interwoven web. A small amount of enthusiasm in a community might mean an initial contact with the Steward program; an attempt to put in place a long-term tree planting and maintenance plan might draw on the technical expertise of an Extension Educator; a community plan might mean the hiring of local professionals to do some work, or it could mean an application for SBA funds; an active pro- gram might lead to some classes in the schools; then a couple of kids could want to go to camp and give back some time to the community. There's no doubt that an active program tends to engender more and more enthusiasm, and it doesn't take much to get it started. Pretty soon you have some- thing pretty exciting going on. Possible? Probable? Well.. .ask them in Exeter what it's all about. Margaret Pratt Hagen is Extension Educator, Agriculture, at Hillsboro County Extension in Milford. She can be reached at (603) 673-2510. ^ HARRY STOLLER & CO., Inc. 109-113 Essex St., Haverhill, Mass. 01830, (508) 373-6838, (800) 322-0332 We cater to the small and medium size nursery in any quantity desired: 1. New heavy grade domestic burlap sqs. untreated & no-rot-treated 2. Open burlap bags 3. New windbreak burlap 4. Balling bags 5. Wire baskets 6. Flat-folded burlap basket liners 7. Truck covers 8. Sisal twine & poly twine 9. Woven polypropylene sqs. 35 Portt^d St., East Rochester, NH 03867 • (603) 332-7388 • 332-0127 • 332-^7^ B & B CONTAINER AND BARE ROOT GROWN: TREES - EVERGREENS - SHRUBS - SMALL FRUITS - FRUIT TREES • ROSES • AZALEAS • RHODODENDRONS ANNUALS • PERENNIALS • GERANIUMS • 10" FALL MUMS NURSERY CARTS • TRACKING TRAILERS CALL OR WRHE RDR CATALOG • DBJVERY SffiVICE OR FARM P ICK4JPS WELCOME • HARDY NH GFOAO^ PLAN^M^^ffllAL 22 THE Plantsman SPECIALIZING IN Heath. , .Heather. . .Bearberiy . . Herbs . . . Seashore Plants . . . also, a full line of quality nursery stock 1028 Horseneck Road Westport, MA 02790 508-636-5615 SKI FOR QUALITY SOD AND SERVICE ROUTE 3A LITCHFIELD, NH 1-800-556-6985 rook. DISTRIBUTOR • Big Rolls with Roll-out Service • Convenient Farm Pick-up • Prompt Delivery Service PRUNERS ■ LADDERS ■ SPRAYERS > FORKLIFTS ■ PUMPS ROUTE 116, P.O. BOX 540 CONWAY, MA 01341 413-369-4335 For Friendly, Courteous, Efficent, Technical Service CALL US AT 1-800-634-5557 FOR INFORMATION AND CATALOGS HOSE ■ TANKS - REELS - MOWERS - SAFETY EQUIPMENT Laughlon's Ciarilen Cer»1eT Inc. Cal Laughion, Florist ^^,. ........ A I <- CHARLES LAUGHTON - PRESIDENT NURSERY STOCK • ANNUALS dave polygreen - nursery sales PERENNIALS FERTILIZERS • INSECTICIDES Distributors of Sentinel Foam Overwinter Blankets WHOLESALE AND RETAIL NURSERY Tel. 1-800-633-0159 155-165 Princeton Blvd. No. Chelmsford, MA 01863 LAUGHTDNS August/September 1992 23 y<^^^'Vur goal, quality Our strength, our employees" FOR A GREEhlHGUSE VEFlUnLV VIFFERENT COhlTACT: ELLIS B.SVRAGUE ORONO, MA I WE TEL: 207-866-4747 FAX: 207-866-4747 HPROOIS Winter Spring Summer or Fall. Northeast Nursery's One-Stop Shopping Covers it All. It doesn't make a difference what the time of year, or the size of the project. Northeast Nursery has supplies and materials for all your needs. Northeast Nursery has the widest selection in the wholesale plant materials and landscape supplies in all of New England. We direct ship throughout all of New England and offer many other services. Stop by today and see why'many consider us the best in suppling the landscape and green industries with quality products and services. We're Northeast Nursery, your one-stop nursery for all your shopping needs. WINDING BROOK TURF FARM, "^"^ 240 Griswold Rd Wethersfield.Cr 06109 KTlll Kennebunk. ME 04043 QUALITY BLUEGRASS BLUEGRASS - FESCUE BLENDS LOW MAINTENANCE BLENDS PENNCROSS BENTGRASS In CT 203 ■529-6869 Outside CT J -800-243-0232 bJ-MOEAL ^; --^Northeast Nursery, Inc. \i^^W'-^ Supplying Fine I 234 Ne -A.^I'eabody, : Hf Plaiil Material A Ixnidscape Supplies wbury Street, Rt. 1 South , MA 01960 (508) 535-6550 Fax (508) 535-5247 YOUR FULL SERVICE WHOLESALE and RETAIL GARDEN CENTER CaU OT visit our convenient (ocaticn to see our compUte stocf^ of these fine products: Annuals, Perennials and Nursery Stock Scotts' Lawn Pro Authorized Dealer Ortho • Ames Tools Country Pride Compost Products v. ' Featuring Seasonal and Holiday Plants and Accessories Td^(B (Bir(B(3m(3irw Route 16, Osslpee, N.H. 03B64 603-539-^395 Hours- 8-5 7 Days 24 THE Plantsman A CHECK LIST FOR YOUR BUSINESS INSURANCE NEEDS Bob Butler 1. Does the named insured on your policies include you, your business name (ex- actly as legally required), and all persons listed on the deed (including Grandma)? 2. Persons who own vehicles or other equipment should be named in the policy. 3. Are all location addresses of the named insured listed on your policy? 4. If you have a side business or money-making hobby, did you tell your agent about it? Did you insure it? Do you have this in writing (your copy)? Are all aspects of the business known to your agent? If not, send him a letter describing them and keep a copy for your records. 5. Does your policy have a "coinsurance clause"? Find out. Usually you will see "80% or 90% Coinsurance" on the front page of your policy. If you are not insuring your property at 80-90% of value, you will be penalized at the time of loss. Ask your agent. Some insurance companies no longer use coinsurance clauses. 6. Take a $1,000 deductible and reduce your premium. Insurance should be for a ca- tastrophe; don't use the itisurance company as a bank. (That's why insurance is so expensive.) 7. Does the business contents described and insured in your policy include plants, flowers, bulbs, trees, fruit, vegetables? Ask your agent. 8. Are the crops inside the greenhouse covered? Crops outside the greenhouse? Field crops — blueberries, apples, pumpkins, etc? You can insure these items relatively inexpensively. The problem is that tew insurance companies will. 9. You may want to consider "Loss of Earnings" Insurance in case of fire, flood, drought. The ball park cost is $60.00 per $10,000 coverage. Affordable. 10. If you are willing to take a deductible, we at Butler know how to give you af- fordable pollution clean-up coverage — on premises, off premises, vehicle collision and overturn. 11. Heating and cooling are important in the greenhouse/florist industry. Are you covered if there is a mechanical breakdown or power failure? 12. On your farm equipment schedule, have you $5,000 covering miscellaneous small tools and equipment and eliminated all scheduled items under $1,000? 13. Do you want to cover your crop (or other inventory) at selling price or your cost? 14. Is your store front and plate glass covered for vandalism? What about that $4000 sign out front? 15. We recommend money coverage ($2,000-5,000, or more if needed) to cover (1) on premises; (2) off premises; (3) home of messenger. 16. Does your liability cover the liquor (or wine) you insert in a fruit basket? Bodi- ly injury from pesticide or fertilizer? Landscapers' underground coverage (if he hits an electrical wire or gas pipe)? Pick-your-own liability? Aborists' liability for when spraying? If you have any questiot^ about these items, write a note or give me a ring. For your information, you can purchase any or all of the coverages listed above by ask- ing your local broker to "Ring for the Butler." The number is 508-366-1512. Butler Florists' & Growers' Insurance Agency, Inc., 20 South Street, Westborough, MA 0I58I-1696. INSURANCE SPECIALISTS SINCE 1967 BUTLER -FLORISTS' & growers' insurance agency, inc. 20 South Street, Westborough, MA 01581-1696 SPECIAL PACKAGES FOR: • Reloil Florists " Garden Centers " Undscopers ■ Wholesoie Growers • Sod Forms ■ Vegetable Growers " AssDciolions ■ Interior Londsroper SPECIAL COVERAGES, ■ Pirk Your 0»n ■ Oil Premises Power • Cut Your Own • Tronsportolion • Consequenliol Crop • Gilt Po(l(-Liguor • Pollution • Schedule Flooter • Business Interruption ■ Collapse/Underground • Florist E S 0 • ReploremenI Cost • Consequentiol Relrig • Pesliride/Fettiliier ■ Ptol. londsiope Design Junes BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS The meeting, at Pleasant View Gar- dens, was called to order at 7. Bob Demets, Chris, Peter, Henry, Andrea, Bruce and Roger were there. TT\ere was one new member, twenty-seven have not renewed. The list was divided up among board members, who will call each of these people personally. Because of the financial belt-tight- ening going on throughout the state. The Plantsman is losing advertising support. In order to maintain the present format, new advertisers must be found. It was announced that the New Hampshire Landscape Association will hold its summer picnic at Jolly Farmer on August 12. Thirty-six vendors have signed up for the trade show. The Board will begin to talk to last year's partici- pants who haven't signed up yet. Bob will be meeting with organiz- ers of a new Granite State Rower Show on June 25. They will be look- ing for NHPGA support. Kim Miller will work widi Bob Demers on arranging a program for the planned November 12 pesticide applicators' recertification meeting. The Winter Meeting is still being planned in conjunction with the Farm & Forest Exhibition. It was thought that the plant growers might hold their usual meeting in the morn- ing, then co-sponsof with the Land- scape Association a speaker at the Exhibition in the afternoon. The Landscapers would attend the exhibi- tion in the afternoon as well, then hold their own meeting in the evening. Topics for the afternoon were dis- cussed. "Color in the Landscape" seems a likely choice. A flier describing a twilight meet- ing on September 9 at Strawbery Banke will be sent out around Labor Day and a second flier will advertise the proposed recertification meeting on November 12 and a possible twi- light meeting at Murray Farms. There was some discussion about whether to go to the new NE Grows '93 Exposition in Boston next year or to the ERNA Trade Show at the Concord Hotel in Lake Kiamesha. ERNA reimburses exhibitors — this may be a factor. A motion was presented to raise the dues from $25 to $35 starting in 1994. This would be voted on at the 1993 Winter Meeting. It was voted to contribute $100 to the Marty Mitchell Scholarship Fund. The meeting adjourned at nine. August/September 1992 25 A Weston Nurseries Introduction A phrase which stands for the very best that fifty years of horticultural innovation and testing can produce. Weston Nurseries is proud to have developed and introduced these outstanding plants for the benefit of the American Nursery Industry. Rhododendroom PM7 (iiybndizedinl94Q) FOR THE FINEST "NEW ENGLAND-GROWN" PLANTS, VISIT OUR WHOLESALE SALES YARD OR CALL AND ASK FOR TOM WILHELM, DAVE WALKER OR TOM WILLIAMS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING YOU. Rhododendron PMJ (1940)* Rhododendron Henry'sRed (1958)* Rhododendron Shrimp Pink Hybrids (1958)* Rhododendron Agio ( 1964)* Rhododendron Olga Meiitt ( 1 964 ) * Rhododendron Weston's Pink Diamond (1964)" Rhododendron Molly Fordham (1966)* Rhododendron Milestone (1972)* Rhododendron April Snow (1978)* Azalea Jane Abbott (1942)* Azalea Vyking (1958)* Azalea Pink and Sweet (1963)* Azalea Parade (1963)* Azalea Golden Showers ( 1963)* Azalea Pink Clusters ( 1972)* *YeaT Hybridized Weston Nurseries 1 Inc. ff/i 0/ Hopkinton Growing New England's largest variety of landscape-size plants, shrubs, trees and perennials. E. Main St. (Rte. 135), P.O. Box 186, Hopkinton, MA 01748 Tel. (508) 435-3414, From Boston 235-3431, Toll free in MA, 1-800-322-2002 FAX 508-435-3274. CAVICCHIO GREENHOUSES, INC. Wholesale Growers ANNUALS PERENNIALS HARDY MUMS GROUND COVER KALE & CABBAGE 110 Codjer Lane Sudbury, MA 01 776 (508)443-7177 FLOWERING HANGING BASKETS FALL PANSIES JUMBO ANNUALS HOLIDAY PLANTS CLASSIC PERENNIALS HARDY FALL ANNUALS 26 THE Plantsman I F R OM THE BOARD | Expanding the Range of the Perennial Border Roger Warren By late summer, the perennial border be- comes a little boring. The full palette of June is reduced to predominant yellows. And as the temperature rises, the colors get hotter. Can the cooler earlier colors be extended? Blues are of course the best. Whites help to integrate the yellow. And pinks, used judiciously, soften the effect. Here are some of the plants 1 have found that will continue the colors of spring into late summer and fall. SOME BLUES: Aconitum. Monkshood. These are the poisonous aconites, of course, but they are very hardy and provide excellent blues. All grow well in rich, cool, moisture- retaining soil. In the north, they can be grown in more sun, especially if mulched. 'Newry Blue.' 3-4 ft. Early. 'Bressingham Spire." 3 ft. Strong-stemmed and very long-blooming, nape/lus. Common or English monkshood. 3-4 ft. Can be cut back for a second bloom. henrii 'Spark's variety.' 3-5 ft. carmtchaelii and 'Arerulsii.' 4 ft. bloom in early fall with wonderful dark-green glossy foliage. Can be grown in full sun in rich soil. Adenophora Uliifolia. Ladybell. 2-3 ft. A good spreader. Looks like campanula. Blooms in July, but perhaps in good soil, with extra water, more shade and dead- heading, flowering can be extended. Aster amellus 'Joseph Larkin.' 24"- Lavender-blue flowers in late summer. 'Rudolph Goethe'. 15-18". Violet daisy-like flowers in late summer. Centaurea montana may produce a second bloom if the first bloom is cut back im- mediately after flowering. Delphinium, especially Giant Pacific Hy- brids, will also produce a shorter, second bloom if flower stalks are cut to the ground after first bloom. Dwarf delphini- ums bloom longer anyway, but may be ex- tended by deadheading. Echinops ritro. Globe Thistle. You may not like it, but it is blue and it makes a statement. 'Taplow Blue' is the best (steel blue) and can reach 5 ft. 'Blue Glow' is deep blue and 40". 'Veitch's Blue' is only 3 ft. Gentians. Great Blues — we need more gentians. They like partial shade and may tolerate more sun in rich moist soil. G. asclepiadea. Willow Gentian. 2 ft. G. clausa. Bottle Gentian. Blooms in September. G. maUinoi 'Royal Blue.' 3-4 ft. G. paradoxa 'Blue Herold.' 2 ft. G. septemfida lagoechiana . For the border or rockery. Very tough. A great blue, but a little floppy. Liutris scariosa 'September Glory.' 3-4 ft. Purple. Blooming late August to Septem- ber. Very interesting in bud. Lobelia siphiliaca. A rtative plant, but may be difficult to establish. Likes sun to par- tial shade and moist soil. 3 ft. blue spikes. Perovskia atripUcifoUa. Russian Sage. This is a great plant. Delicate gray foliage 3 ft. high with azure blue lavender-like flowers. 'Longin' has violet flowers. Plant in sandy well-drained soil and mulch for winter. Platycodon grandiflora. Balloon flower. 'Double Blue," 'Hakone Blue,' and 'Hime Murasaki' are 20" and a wonderful blue. 'Mariessii' is 2-2.5 ft. Most bloom mid- summer, but may bloom longer if the Let Rough Brothers' expertise turn your greenhouse into a powerhouse — ^for profits. Call tha axports at Rough Brothors tor Information and tochnieal asslstanco on thoso quality products. Manufacturers of: • WhiteHouse • The International • Harvest House • The "2100" gutter-connected house • Free-standing poly arch houses • Techlite glazing • Ro-Flo benches • Ebb & Flo benches Distributors of • Alcoa Aluminum Fin Heating • Heating and ventilating equipment • Maintenance supplies, glass, parts ...and more Rough Brothers P.O. Box 16010, Cincinnati, Ohio 45216 rrm ROUGH BROTHERS I I 1-800/543-7351 From The Qriffin Quru RESPIRATORS AND FILTERS Proper selection of a respirator can be made if you work with a supplier who is familiar with the pesticides you use. That supplier should be able to support your respira- tor with a back-up supply of canisters and/or filters. Once you take charge of your own personal respirator, it's your responsibility to your own good health to follow some simple rules: 1. Understand the respirator's limitations. 2. Ensure a proper fit. An improper fit is a major reason why a respirator fails to provide maximum protection. 3. Wash, disinfect and service your respirator after each day's use. All pre-filters (fiber outer filters) and chemical canisters do have a time limit on them. 4. Store your clean, ready-to-use respirator in a sealed plastic bag with your name on it at a location away from the chemicals. This will extend the life of the filtering system. While the respirator or gas mask filtering system does not stop working all at once, it will and can deteriorate just sitting on the shelf. The most important fact to re- member is that when the mask is properly fitted to your face and the filters are doing the job, you will not detect any chemical odor at all. If you do — it's not working! ^^ August/September 1992 27 FROM THE BOARD continued from page 27 summer is not too hot or if grown in richer soil and in partial shade. Phlox paniculata. Summer phlox. 3-4 ft. 'Blue Boy' (dark lavender-blue), 'Fraru Schubert' (lilac-blue), 'Russian Violet,' 'Stemhimmel' (light lavender-blue), 'Blue Ice,' 'Harlequin' (variegated foliage, purple flower), 'The King* (deep violet). Salvia. Most bloom early and mid-sum- mer, but try S. nemerosa 'Lubeca.' 16-18". Violet. Howers longer than 'Eastfriesland' and will bloom again if deadheaded. S. grandiflora ajurea (pitcheri). A wonder- ful sky blue on tall 3-4 ft. stems starting in August. Not the hardiest. Try it in southern half of the state in well-drained soil. Scahioia columfcaria 'Butterfly Blue.' 20-24". Long-blooming, neat 2" flower. This one is in demand at our nursery. S. caucasica 'Isaac House,' 'Kompliment,' and 'Clive Greaves' may be hardier. Stokesia. Short-lived, but worth a try. Probably not hardy in the North Country. S. laevis 'Blue Danube.' 18-24". S. laevis 'Klaus Jelitto.' Large flower. S. laevis 'Wyoming.' Darker blue. Veronica 'sunny border blue.' A very sub- stantial plant. 18-20". Rigid stems. Dark violet-blue flowers. Long-blooming. SOME WHITES. Achillea ptarmica 'The Pearl.' 2 ft. 'Bal- lerina' is slightly shorter. Artemisia lactiflora. 4 ft. Feathery white flowers. An artemisia to grow for flowers as well as foliage in a more moist soil. Aster dumonsus 'White Fairy.' 10" Early blooming. Boltonia asteroides 'Snowbank.' 3-4 ft. A dense cover of aster-like flowers. Chelone obliqua alba. Turtlehead. Chrysanthemum parllienium. Feverfew. Invasive. Deadhead for longer bloom. 'Roya.' 2 ft. Larger flower. Chrysant/iemum superbum. Shasta Daisy. 'SQver Princess.' 12-15". Single daisy. Blooming better and longer if divided ev- ery year or two. Cimicifuga racerriosa. 6 ft. Shade. Don't use 'White Pearl.' It blooms late and may not beat the frost. Hemcrocallis. 'Ice Carnival' is the daylily closest to white Iberis. Candytuft. 'Autumn Beauty.' 8". Reblooms in fall. Phlox paniculata. Summer phlox. 3-4 ft. 'Mt. Fujiyama,' 'White Admiral,' and 'World Peace.' Sanguisorba canadensis. Canadian Burnet. 4-6 ft. Likes moist soil. SOME PINKS. Aster novae-angliae. New England Aster. 'Alma Potchke'. 3-3.5 ft. Rose-pink. Long-flowering. Starts in August. Astilbe. Plume Rower. The chinensis and simlicifolia varieties are later bloomers. Some bloom into early fall. Look for; "Purple Candles,' "Superba' (ta^juetti), "Hennie Graafland,' 'Sprite,' and 'William Buchanan.' Boltonia asteroides 'Pink Beauty.' 5-6 ft. clean pink aster-like flowers. Var latisquama 'Nana.' 2-3 ft. Pale bluish-pink flowers. Chelone. Turtlehead. C. lionii is 2-2.5 ft. and rose-scarlet. C. obliqua is 3 ft. and true pink. Dianthus x allwoodii. 1-1.5 ft. Long-blooming if deadheaded regularly. Dicentra formosa. Dwarf Bleeding Heart. 'Luxuriant* is 15" and rose-pink. 'Baccha- nal' is 12-15" and reddish-pink. Echinacea purpurea. Purple Coneflower. 'Bright Star' is 3-4 ft. and rose-pink. 'Magnus' has non-drooping rays. Eupatorium. Joe Pye Weed. Needs moist soil. E. purpureum is 6 ft. and native. E. fistulousum 'Gateway' is 5 ft. with large lavender flowers. Phlox masculata 'Alpha.' 30-36". Mildew- resistant. Blooms before P. paniculata. Phlox paniculata. Summer phlox. 3-4 ft- 'Bright Eyes' (pink with crimson eye), 'Dodo Hanbury Forbes' (rose-pink), 'Dresden Pink' (shell pirvk with darker eye), 'Eva Cullum' (clear pink with red eye), 'Flamingo' (pink with crimson eye), 'H.B. May' (bright pink), 'Windsor' (pale rose with salmon eye), and 'Sir John FalstafP (salmon pink), Physoslegia virgiruana. Obedient Plant. Long blooming and easy, but tends to spread. Needs frequent dividing. "Rose Bouquet,' 'Pink Bouquet,' and 'Rosy Spire' are 3-4 ft. 'Vivid' (12-15" and a bright rose pink) is very late blooming. This list doesn't pretend to be conclu- sive— some of my list is just notes. But I'd like the members to send in any addi- tions, feedback, tips, etc. that they may have to me or to The Plantsman and keep the discussion ongoing. Roger is in charge of the perennials at Longacre's Nursery Center, 220 Mechanic Street, Lebanon, NH 03766. He can be reached at (603) 448-6110. >*■ World Record Holding ALGOFLASH Fertilizer All Purpose Non-Toxic (Safe for pets & Children) Easy to use (1 capful makes 1 gallon). 100% mineral base Unique formulation virtually eliminates Nutrient Tie-Gp ♦HOLDS 52 WORLD RECORDS FOR FLOWERS & VEGETABLES** For Home Gse For Professional Gse 1 /2 Liter makes 40 gallons Available in 5 liter size Order direct $13.95 ppd. Leaves Virtually No Residue Suitable for garden plants. For lawns, foliar feeding or vegetables, bulb & lav/ns seedlings- 1 capful make 2 gallons Ray Waterman- World Pumpkin Confederation president says: "Our /Te/d tests have shown that ALGOFLASH may very well be the Rolls Royce of manufactured ferUlizers. " To Order or for more information contact the New England Distributor: n A Ql-T Clinton Dean Enterprises, P.O. Box 383, Milford, NH 03055 r l^rVOn 1 -800-547-3367, in New Hampshire 603/ 673-3290 ALG ^ 28 THE Plantsman The Mitsubishi Fuso 4WD FG. Built to work where others can't* There's always been a need for a need for a four- wheel drive, cab-over light-duty truck that can conquer sand, snow, steep hills, and off-road conditions. A real truck. The 127 HP, 11,600 Ib./GVW, intercooled, turbocharged diesel, MIT,SUBISHI FUSO 4WD FG, is exactly that truck. A cab-forward design with excep- tional front and side visibility lets the driver see over, and around, snowplows. Up, and down, hilly terrain. And threatening conditions that conventional designs hide. Wheelbase options help maintain the original design integrity that's often sacrificed by unnecessary adaptions. A durable, reliable chassis, frame, and suspension system not only makes the ride smooth. But also protects the truck, the load, and your investment. And, accepts a variety of body and box options. It is a truck that has survived over 5.000 miles of threatening conditions in the Australian outback to finish the 1988 VVynns Safari Rally Race when 50% of the entrants didn't. MITSUBISHI FUSO 4WD FG will work on those jobs that destroy ordinary, conventional trucks. I0%>W INTERNATIONAL LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL 1 400 South Willow Street Manchester, NH 03103 Parts: 669-8524 NH WATS: 1-800-562-3814 ♦ MITSUBISHI FUSO 1992 ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Bob Demers, Jr. Demers Nursery & Garden Center 656 South Mammoth Road Manchester, NH 03 103 625-8298 Secretatry I Treasurer Christopher Robarge UNH/rSAS Horticultural Facilities Manager Durham, NH 03824 862-1074 Directors Andrea C apron Box 2217 Wolfeboro.NH 03894 569-5978 (H); 569-5056 (W) Peter Corey Village Green Florist & Greenhouse 1 7 Cottage Street Littleton, NH 03561 444-2201 Bruce Holmes POBox75 Center Tuftonboro, NH 03816 569-2127 Henry Huntington Pleasant View Gardens RFD»3,PO Box 3701 Pittsfield.NH 03263 435-8361 Peter van Berkum 4 James Road Deerlield.NH 03037 463-7663 Roger Warren Box 318 Meriden,NH 03770 469-3226 (H); 448-61 10 (W) Richard Zoerb Gloeckner & Company, Inc. 72 Hawkstead Hollow Nashua, NH 03063 886-8665 Strawbery Banke September Ninth The next NHPGA Twilight Meeting will be held at Strawbery Banke, the collection of historic structures in Portsmouth, NH, on Wednesday, September ninth. Members will meet at the Hancock Center (the bright yellow building) at 5 P.M. for a guided tour of Strawbery Banke's gardens and landscaping projects. Afterwards there will be time to walk through the trial gardens at Prescott Park across the street. A flier giving directions and more details will be sent to members closer to the date, but anyone with questions can contact Andrea Capron at (603) 569-5056. Longacres June Tenth Longacre's Nursery Center in Lebanon hosted seventeen guests at the twilight meeting held on June tenth. Norm Longacre, in his tour of the center, discussed what had been done differently (Longacre's, although in business 22 years, moved to this new, unusually shaped lot only five years ago), what they now wished they'd done differently, and what they still hoped to do. Guests thinking of starting retail operations or who are reorganizing their present operations found the talk full of useful ideas based on actual experience. After the tour, refreshments were served. The Plant Growers' Association thanks the Longacre family for its hospitality and its willingness to share this sort of practical information with other members. NH PLANT GROWERS ASSOCIATION THE PLANTSM AN EDITOR UNH RESEARCH GREENHOUSES DURHAM, NH 03824 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 43