NEW HAMPSHIRE PLANT GROWERS ASSOCIATION /JUNE & JULY 1995 The Christmas Farms Story It all begins with the seed. This is why over the past 33 years we have selected the best fir on our plantations and put them into our seed orchard and the seed from here have been our mainstay for the past 1 5 years. The results speak for themselves. Once the seeds are planted we begin a 1 2 year process; 5 years in seed and transplant bed, and 7 years in the field, culling and selecting at each step. To produce the premium Christmas tree each cultural practice must be done on time. Spring sees us planting, feeding, spraying, summer is the season for pruning and the addition of trace elements when foliar analysis indicates. All of this takes a professional staff of 6 here at Christmas Farms in order to maintain our high standard of quality and beauty. "F^^A Why Should You Consider Us? 1. Careful grading gets you the grade you need and pay for. We have 8 grades in all. 2. We have had long experience in retailing and know what you are up against and what you need for your customers. 3. Our trees are delivered on time. 4. We tag and grade the trees ready for cutting in July before shearing is done. TTierefore when the shearers come to a tagged tree, they just lightly touch it up. This keeps the natural look, a full but nicely layered tree with space for cherished ornaments. 5. We cut as late as possible in November and store the trees to conserve moisture. 6. The variety: Balsam and Eraser Fir, Blue Spruce, White Pine and Black Hill Spruce. All the trees are grown here so the trees you inspect are the trees you get. 7. 200 acres are in production, 16,000 are harvested annually. 8. Finally we are New England and Vermont Grand Champions and take pride in sustaining our standards. Please Call or FAX Bryan or Kevin for more information or even better to schedule a visit. Christmas Farms RRl, Box 1480 East Hardwick, Vermont 05836-9503 Phone (802) 533-2930 Fax (802) 533-9269 ■*«- ^ CALENDAR ]une ■¥•«■« WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14 NHPGA Twilight Meeting, Demers Nursery & Garden Center, 656 South Mammoth Road, Manchester, NH; information: Bob Demers, )r., at 603-625-8298. JUNE 16-17 Seventh Annual Garden Tour of 'Pocket Gardens of Portsmouth,' sponsored by South Church, 292 State Street, Portsmouth, NH; information: Pat DeGrandpre at 603-431-7899 or Beth Fischer at 603-868-2458. |UNE 18 "A Day in the Garden"— a NH Rose Society fundraiser; Lowe's Own Root Roses, Nashua, NH; information: Mike Lowe at 603-888-2214. JUNE 24 NH Rose Society Annual Show, Barton Hall, UNH, Durham, NH; information: Dave Jordan at 603-437-0306. JUNE 27 FTDA Evening Seminar — 'Controlling Expenses,' Nashua, NH; for details: Debra Defreze at 603-474- 3020. ]uly JULY 12 Connecticut Nurserymen's Association Summer Meeting, Summer Hill Nursery, Madison, CT; informa- tion: 203-872-2095. JULY 15 Granite State Landscape Ar- chitects/Boston Society of Landscape Ar- chitects ]oint Meeting, Strawbery Banke, Portsmouth, NH; for infor- mation: Bill Hoffman at 603-735- 5827. JULY 15-16 The Second Annual Sea- coast Garden Trail; information: Beth Simpson at 603-436-2732. JULY 19 Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association IMNLA) Summer Meeting, Stanley Park, Westfield, MA; 508-534-1775. August AUGUST 18-21 AAN Nursery Mam- agement Iwstitute, MSU, Lansing, Ml; Joel Albizo at 202-789-2900. ■•«"« FRIDAY, AUGUST 4 New Hampshire Plant Growers Association Suwmer Meeting, Pleasant View Gar- dens, Pittsfield, NH; information: Henry Huntington at 603-435-8361. AUGUST 4-6 The 1995 ProfessioHfl/ Plant Growers AssocidfioH (PPGA) Gera- nium SIG Seminar, Pleasant View Gardens, Pittsfield, NH; information: 1-800-647-7742 AUGUST 5-6 Mount "Washington Valley Garden Trail, information: Margo Ellis at 603-367-8587. AUGUST 7 MflssflcAusetts Certified Horticulturist (MCH| Exam, 9am at Eastern Region Cooperative Exten- sion Center, Waltham, MA; informa- tion: 508-534-1775. AUGUST 8 Twilight Meeting, Woodman Farm, UNH, Durham, NH; information: John McLean at 603-868-2345. AUGUST 9 NENA/RINA Joint Summer Meeting, Tuckahoe Turf Farm, Rich- mond, Rl; information: Ken Lagerquist at 508-761-9260. AUGUST 11-13 Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) 21st An- nua/ Summer Conference, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA; for informa- tion (before 9 pm, please), Amy Wales or Mark Allman at 413-623- 2355 or Julie Rawson or lack Kittredge at 508-355-2853. AUGUST 19 Fourth Annual Plant Sale & Rare Plant Auction, Hay Estate, Newbury, NH; information: Ann Loeffler at 603-526-4153 or Mary Williams at 603-526-4719. AUGUST 23 Vermont Association of Professional Horticu/tunsts (VAPH) Summer Meeting, information: Jane Wilkening at 802-899-3361. AUGUST 24 Griffin GreenAouse & Nursery Supplies 8th Biennial Open House, 1619 Main Street, Tewksbury, MA; information: 508-851-4346. September SEPTEMBER 15-16 New England Plas- tic Culture Seminar, Portsmouth/ Durham, NH; Otho Wells at 603-862- 3208 ■«■»'* THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 NHPGA Twilight Meeting, Rolling Green Nursery, Greenland, NH; information: Rick & Beth Simpson at 603-436-2732. DEPARTMENTS FORUM NH NEWS ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS MEMBER PROFILE Webbers Dublin Nursery 15 DIAGNOSTIC UPDATE Dr. Cheryl Smith FEATURES Where Do New Plants Come From? Dr. Owen M. Rogers 28 II Practical Scoutimg Techniques 13 Mike Cherim Granite State Landscape Architects: Alive & Well ]ohn Hart 20 Living Birdfeeders David Eastman COLUMNS THE GRIFFIN GURU 23 14 Z-NOTES Jim Zablocki 19 HOW ABOUT HERBS Tanya \ackson 25 Cover: Illustration from Geraniums, Second Edition, edited by John W. Mastalerz, published by Pennsylvania Flowers Growers, 1971. The Plantsman is published In early February, April, |une, August, October, and December with copy deadlines being the first of each prior month. While camera-ready ads are pre- ferred, set-up assistance is available at a nomi- nal 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 Plantsman. AD SIZE 6x Ix 3 3/8"w X 2 l/4"h $120 $30 3 3/8"w X 4 3/4 "h $160 $40 7"w X 2 1/4'h $160 $40 7"w X 4 5/8 'h $250 $50 7"w X 9 1/2'h $400 $100 For further Information, please contact the editor: Robert Parker at the UNH Research Greenhouses, Durham, NH 03824, 603-862- 2061 : or PC Box 5, Newflelds, NH 03856, 603- 778-8353. June & July 1995 FORUM SUB)ECT: Program Status, FY 1995 SBA Tree Planting Program "We regret to inform you that on April 1, 1995, the Congress passed House Bill 889, a bill mailing supple- mental appropriations for the De- partment of Defense and rescission in DOD and other programs. Unfortu- nately, the bill included a rescission of all Fiscal Year 1995 SBA Tree Planting funds. "This means you will not be able to make tree planting grants in 1995. "We appreciate your interest and support in the SBA Tree Planting Program in the past. Should funds be authorized for this purpose in fu- ture years, we will let you know." Sincerely yours, )ohn E. Sargent, Director Department of Resources and Economic Development Division of Forests and Lands 1/V^ELCOME KEW MEMBERS ATLANTIC GREENHOUSE SYSTEMS PO Box 96 Searsmont, ME 04973 GLENN CAREY 1 1 1 West First Avenue, Apartment 5 Columbus, Ohio 43201 HEATH ENTERPRISES RFD 1 Littleton, NH 03561 LES SERRES ROSAIRE PION & FILS 171 Grand Rang Saint-Thomas d'Aquin Ouebec |OH 2AO NEW ENGLAND AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE PO Box 1444 Concord, NH 03302 SUNFLOWER INDUSTRIES 206 South Main Street Wolfboro, NH 03894 THE TWILIGHT MEETING AT ALLGRO: Thanks Go To... The rains had stopped, but cloud and grey light gave a surreal tone to the windowless widely-spaced build- ings and mountains of compost set down on the rolling cleanly-mowed landscape Inside a small tent. New Hampshire Plant Growers Association members and friends enjoyed sand- wiches and soda before a tour of the AllGro facility in Rochester. Jeff LeBlanc, our host, talked about AllGro's uses and the quirks of marketing (the South Shore pre- fers dark mulch — the darker the bet- ter; the North Shore likes it light — hemlock is used there), then showed us around. The process is unexpect- edly simple and the scale is large (15 bays, but small compared to the Palm Beach facility of 40) — both need to be seen to be understood clearly We thank )eff and other members of the AllGro staff for their hospital- ity— and also for the AllGro Compost hats (a choice of forest green or white) and coffee mugs (forest green only) — an example of good market- ing as well as of good design. Board Highlights MARCH 6 The following people have volun- teered to do the following: Tammy Hathaway will do public- ity— meeting notices to other publications, occasional articles to local newspapers — for the NHPGA; )eff Huntington will represent the NHPGA at the New England Nurs- ery Certification Council; Bob Rimol, on the New Hampshire Agricultural Marketing Council; Ann Hilton, at Agriculture in the Class- room; and Henry Huntington, at the New Hampshire Horticulture Society. APRIL 3 Bob Demers announced that six speakers had been secured for the NHPGA Pesticide Applicator Recertification Meeting on October 18 This means six credits can be offered, rather than the previously planned five. Participants will be able to attend a three-credit morning or afternoon session if they can't be there the whole day. Other details are being worked out Classified FOR SALE: 150-gallon sprayer, excellent trailer — pump and motor haven't been used in two years. Asking $200.00. for details: H.W. Parker, Parker's Tree Farm, Greenland, NH; phone 603-436-0478. SITUATION WANTED: 1 am currently a senior at Ohio State University majoring in floriculture with a minor in Agricultural Business & Applied Economics. I received an Associate of Arts degree from UNH and will be graduating with a BS degree from OSU in )une, 1995. I plan to move back to NH and am currently seeking employment in southern NH in either greenhouse production or in an assistant management position in a garden center. If interested, please call Glenn Carey at 614-294-8347 or e-mail me at carey.72@osu.edu. PLANT MATERIAL REQUEST: Nurseryman in Oregon looking for Acer pensiflvanicum 'Erythrocladum' specimen tree. If you can assist, call col- lect Bill Moss at 503-233-9233. Ihe Planlsman What do you want for Christmas? You Want Someone Who is Responsive to Your Needs At Sibgo Tree Company we offer a wide variety of high quality Christmas Trees. Other tree companies can say that too But, since we also have a retail Christmas Tree business, we know what retailers want. What sets us apart is our understanding o^ your needs. We know what you want from a supplier. You Want to Keep It Simple. You are looking for trees that are ready to go. Our trees arrive individually wrapped. All you have to do is remove the wrappers and set the trees out. No broken branches. And since our trees are basal pruned, you and your customers will not have to hassle with any additional trimming to fit the tree to the stand. You Want Quality. We offer heavily needled trees that have been pruned to achieve a traditional, yet natural form. The sturdy branches and carefully shaped profile offer room and support for your customers' valued Christmas ornaments. You Want Freshness. The later a tree is cut, the better it is able to retain water. (Did you know that if a tree loses 40% of its moisture it will never recover.'') Since our trees are grown in New Hampshire and Vermont, they are not shipped long distances. This means that the trees can be cut later in the season. In addition, after cutting, we do everything we can to minimize loss of moisture. For example, we interlock the tops of the trees after cutting to prevent drying. You Want Variety. We grow blue balsam, known for its lovely color, fragrance, and good needle retention. Fraser, another favorite at our plantation, also has good needle retention. And this year we will be offering something new: fralsam, a fraser- balsam cross. White, scotch, and red pine, and white spruce are also available. You Want On-time Delivery. We guarantee on time delivery — on the day you have scheduled to receive your order, not the day before or the day after. You Want the Number of Trees That's Right for You. You can order either 25 trees or a trailer load. Have We Missed Anything? Call 800/694-8722 or 603/237-5702 and ask for Mike Godzyk. He would love to talk to you. While you're on the phone, schedule an appointment to visit us and inspect our trees. This summer.. .or any- time. Or if you don't have time in your busy schedule to visit us, we'd be happy to visit you. Sibgo Tree Company Wp know what you want for Christmas\ 800/694-8722 or 603/237-5702 FAX 603/237-8439 COLEBROOK, NH & Tanglewood Gardens ^ Growers of Fine Plants 424 State Route 101 Bedford, NH 03110-5029 603/472-3737 Wholesale & Retail 2 1/2" - Geraniums • Fuchsias Dracaenas • Vinca Vine Ivy Geraniums &. Poinsettias 4 1/2" - Prefinished Geraniums &. New Guinea Impatiens ALSO Over 100 Herb Varieties Open seven days a week Located on Rt. 101: 1000 ft West of WeathervEine Restaurant HART'S 'seeds ' OUAim 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 >^g^OL:^"0ur goal, quality Our strength, our employees" F(?R A GREEhlHOUSE VEflhUTLV VIFFERENT COl^TACT: ELLIS B.SPRAGUE ORONO. MINE m a TEL: 207-866-7919 FAX: 207-866-4747 HfiRnOIS WINDING BROOK TURF FARM, ""^ 240 Cruwold Rd WeUiersfield. Cr 06109 urn I Kauubmtk. ME 04043 • QUALITY BLUEGRASS • BLUEGRASS - FESCUE BLENDS . LOW MAINTENANCE BLENDS • PENNCROSS BENTGRASS In cr 203 ■529-6869 Duirtbulor For ^ft^^^A Outside cr I ■900-243-O232 Ufe) "IDEAL Ihe Plantsman NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS PPGA Geranium Seminar at Pleasant View The Professional Plant Growers Asso- ciation's Geranium Special Interest Group (SIG) was designed to edu- cate geranium specialists. Their up- coming marketing seminar, "Making Geraniums Pay," on August 4-6, will be hosted by Henry Huntington at Pleasant View Gardens in Pittsfield. Non-SIG members may attend. Official activities begin Friday right after the NHPGA Summer Meeting with an evaluation of varieties sup- plied by SIG member breeders. On Saturday, the featured speaker is Dr. Bill Stiles, a dynamic, humor- ous marketing specialist invited back after a well-received presentation at the last PPGA conference; his talk: "How to Be a Marketing Change Agent" (practical but revolutionary marketing concepts). Other speakers include Warren Banner, Ball Flora- Plant, West Chicago: "The Geranium Rainbow" (color and color mixes in an effective marketing program); Dorothy Bartlett, Ocean View Farms, Nantucket: "Selling to Your Niche" (knowing your customers and grow- ing toward their preferences) Bruce Bordine, Sordine's Nursery, Roches- ter Hills, MI: "Geranium Marketing in a Large Garden Center" (how to at- tract an upscale market by using a variety of sizes, shapes, and presen- tations); Chuck Heidgen, Shady Hill Gardens, Batavia, IL: "Special Mar- keting for Specialty Geraniums" (stir- ring up customer curiosity using promotional media — local newspa- pers to cable TV); and Debra Shutt, Countryman Gardens, North Granby, CT: "Selling Plant Products to Chain Stores" (ways to deal effectively with mass-market and supermarket buyers). On Sunday morning, there's a member discussion of geranium mar- keting project ideas. Hotel registration deadline is July 7; seminar registration deadline (cost for the first person from a PPGA member firm is $175; from a non- member firm, $225; additional per- sons are less) is )uly 25. For informa- tion: 1-800-647-7742. New Board Member It's sometimes difficult to find peo- ple not only willing to serve, but also willing to put in the effort need- ed to make a difference for the in- dustry, and we are pleased that Ken Gosselin has agreed to be on the NHPGA Board. A former computer programmer and a recent Thompson School graduate, Ken is the grower at Cha- karian Farm Greenhouses, 114 Island Pond Road in Derry. He can be reached evenings at his home num- ber—603-627-6599. if you weren't proud of the trees on your lot last year, maybe it's time to come to Conley Farm Quality. All trees are basal pruned the third year in the field. They have clean handles and full skirts at harvest time. The freshness of our trees after harvest is insured by a custom designed shaded storage area. And, since we only sell trees grovm on ,,, .. "^ our farm, what you see is what you get. No surprises. Service. Our convenient location, an elevator loading system, and roads that are accessible for any size truck in any weather make for on time pick up and delivery. Reliable trucking can be arranged. Call Marty at 603/332-9942, for more information or to schedule a visit Conley Farm 437 Meaderboro Road, Rochester THE WHOLESALE GROWER OF BALSAM & ERASER IN SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE lune & luly IQ95 '^■ -iA- NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS New Product — The Nest Box Project Bluebird and kestrel nest boxes are being manufactured by the students of the Tobey School, 45 South Fruit Street, Concord. The school is a non- profit organization helping children with emotional and learning disabili- ties and the children here learn im- portant skills building these boxes in the vocational building and trades program. )ulie Desruisseaux, Program Asso- ciate, Agricultural Resources, Merri- mack County, has been working with the school on this project as part of Cooperative Extension's integrated pest management program ("Blue- birds watch for insects from a perch and swoop down when movement is detected; baby bluebirds have large appetites and must be fed every fif- teen minutes." And the American kestrel — the size of a robin and smallest of native North American falcons — during the warm months, feeds on "grasshoppers, crickets, cat- erpillars, moths, beetles, and other agricultural insects; during the fall and winter, it eats meadow voles, mice, and shrews.") "Irregularities may be present in some boxes due to the learning pro- cess and student skill level," but the boxes do their job just fine Blue- bird boxes are $11 and kestrel, $14 Proceeds are used "for the sole pur- pose of promoting these programs ' To order, contact Julie Desruisseaux at 603-225-5505 Winners — Congratulations! Meg Ranta, winner of the FTDA Dis- trict IC Design Competition in Janu- ary, went on to a third place at the Northeast Florist Associations Con- ference Competitions on March 14. She completed four designs: a wed- ding bouquet, a theme arrangement, a table centerpiece, and a surprise package. For the bridal bouquet for a for- mal evening wedding ("Sophisticated Lady"), she created a crescent cas- cade using white flowers and a vo- tive candle. For the table setting ("Afternoon Tea"), she set a topiary created with rubrum lilies in a silver bowl. The theme piece ("Regards to Broadway") used calla lilies and anthurium "in bold shades of red black, and white done in a bold con- temporary manner." For the "Surprise Package," each designer is given the same flowers and container and allowed to use these in whatever way they choose This time, the materials included a basket, a bag of apples, solidago, carnations, and assorted foliage. Meg created "a cre- ative design best described as an inter- pretive Western line " «' In the College of Life Science and Agriculture Invitational FFA Floricul- ture and Nursery/Landscaping Com- petitions held at UNH, Durham, on March 24, seven schools — Alvirne (Hudson), Co-Brown (Northwood), Fall Mountain (Alstead), Kennett (Conway), Pembroke, Pinkerton (Derry), and Winnisquam (Tilton) — competed. In the Floriculture competition, Winnisquam had the highest team score. Wendy Adams (Fall Mountain) had the highest individual score; Narci Seifert (Winnisquam) and Kim Cormier (Pinkerton) had the second and third highest, respectively. In Nursery/Landscaping, Coe-Brown won and josh Marston, Mary Treem, and Dan Noyes — all on this team — had the first, second, and third high- est individual scores respectively. The winners will represent New Hampshire at the FFA national com- petitions in Kansas City in November And at the New Hampshire Orchid Society (NHOS) Show— "Gallery in Bloom" — at the Currier Gallery of Art in Manchester, the Best Cut Flower Arrangement Trophy, sponsored by the NHPGA, was given to Debra Defreze of jasmine's in Seabrook, designing for FTDA District IC. Her arrangement used cymbidiums and dendrobiums clustered at the base and in the branches of driftwood. The trophy was a Pepi Herrman glass bowl engraved with the NHOS symbol. judging took place in 122 different categories; three American Orchid Society (AOS) awards were given to individual plants whose merits reached international standards. (A bonus for visitors was the program which, along with listing participants and events, gave basic cultural infor- mation for many orchid species.) Graduation On May second, nearly fifty Master Gardeners attended a class on pro- pagation, then graduated from a course begun back in February. These graduates will do volunteer work overseen by county extension agents. Another class will begin next Feb- ruary— there may be fewer openings as the work opportunities remain filled by previous graduates and be- cause of time limitations of supervis- ing agents — but there will be some and those interested should contact their county agents for application forms and an interview. Summer Events The two garden trails are coming up. The Mount Washington Valley Gar- den Trail is ready for viewing on Au- gust 5-6 Maps will be available at Radio station WMWV in Conway, sponsors' places of business, and various public buildings. The area is large — from Gorham to Effingham; from Fryeburg to Tamworth. Joan Sherman, founder and organizer of the event, stresses that there are no entry fees and viewing is free — the tour is funded through sponsors and radio advertisers. This makes it pos- sible for absolutely anyone to par- ticipate. Joan is willing to help other people start their own trails — for in- formation, contact her at 603-367- 4764. The state's other Garden Trail is on the seacoast Pretty much the same format is followed — the view- ing dates are July 15-16 and the per- son to contact is Beth Simpson at 603-436-2732. The Plantsman Plant pests can be controlled biologically. If you want more detaik on the how-to, please give us a call or drop us a line You'll receive an informative catabg / technical manual for FREE Tlie Green Spot, Department of Bio-Ingenuity 93 Priest Road, Barrington, NH 03825 603-942-8925 Wide selecJion Fast, reliable seivice Exemplary technical support. Low prices. .•^QUALin' • SELECTION : ',& SERVICE" This Is What We Grow At Millican Nurseries. See our wide seleaion of trees, evergreens and shmbs More than 1.000 vaneties available IDelivery throughout New England. Located in Chichestec NH. (13 miles nonh of Concord) Call us at 603-435-6660. Let Rough Brothers' expertise turn your greenhouse into a powerhouse — ^ffor profits. Call the experts at Rough Brothers for information and technical assistance on these 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 C 3 1.800/543-7351 Northern Grown Trees Evergreens Shrubs Mon-Sat 7:00 -5:30 Sun: 9:00 - 5:00 Located at junction of routes 22 & 114 Gotham, Maine 04038 Phone (207) 839-4262 or 839-6364 Fax 207-839-2290 We specialize in growing specimen plant materials. lune & July I9Q5 '9i- -^ ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS Foundation Proposed (from Connecticut Nurserymen's Association's News to Use, April, 19951 The CNA Board of directors is inves- tigating the formation of a non-profit foundation responsible for solicit- ing, receiving, and distributing funds for research and scholarship pro- grams Presently money for these commitments are appropriated from current income by the Board upon recommendation from the finance committee. The contributions a foundation re- ceives from businesses and individu- als are fully tax-deductible; a foun- dation may conduct its own fund- raisers, receipts from which are tax- deductible; CNA may opt to contrib- ute to its foundation from current in- come, but would not be obliged to do so. RINA Pledges (from The Rhode \sland Nurserymen's Newsletter, March, 1995) The RINA Executive Committee, after three meetings and lengthy discus- sions, approved a commitment $20,000 over the next five years to HRI (the Horticultural Research Institute). RINA will have a say as to how — plant research, marketing research, etc.^ — the funds will be used. Fund- raising has already begun. "Adopt a School" (from Maine Landscape & Nursery Association Neivs/efler, Winter, 1995) "Although we certainly would not en- dorse the idea of attracting a large percentage of students into this growing industry, it would be a shame for our industry to lose out on those few students who may have great potential or promise." With this in mind, MeLNA members are being asked to "Adopt a School" by purchasing a "Careers in Horticul- ture" packet for their com-munity's high school and, if desired, making someone from their business available for their school's Career Day. The packet includes a 14-minute video co-produced by Lois Berg Stack and Dr. Leonard Perry, a coun- selor's guide, student brochures, and a list of US and Canadian schools of- fering 4-year and advanced horticul- tural degree programs. The packets are $24.95 each, A New Show is Thriving (from The Dirt, the NewsQuarterly of the Vermont Association of Profes- sional Horticulturalists, Spring, 1995). "Twelve months of planning and thousands of hours of work by count- less volunteers paid off in the over- whelming success of the 2nd Annual Vermont Flower Show. The show, which opened March 9th at the Sheraton Conference Center in Bur- lington, drew over 7,000 attendees. In the main exhibition hall, a large central display sported thousands of bulbs, a wide selection of flowering trees and shrubs, a model railroad, and a small pond with fish. Around the display were over two dozen ex- hibitors representing facets of our industry... ". the second floor included a room of cut flower and floral dis- plays, another room of educational displays, and space for seminars, many of which drew capacity crowds of over 200..." New Ail-Americans (from CM Pro, May, 1995). Two petunias and a salvia are this years All-America Selections win- ners. 'Heavenly Lavender' is an improved double multiflora petunia with non- veined, lavender, 2 1/2- to 3-inch full- double flowers. Heat and drought tol- erant, it will bloom five-to-seven days earlier than comparable variet- ies and displays uniformity and compactness in packs 'Heavenly Lavender' is introduced by Goldsmith Seeds. Fantasy Pink Morn' begins a new class of "milliflora" petunias with I- to 1 1/2-inch flowers. These small pink flowers, which shade to a creamy white center, hold longer in packs and bloom earlier than multi- flora comparisons. It performs best in full sun and, because of its natu- rally compact habit, doesn't require growth regulators. Pinching and prun- ing are also unnecessary. 'Fantasy Pink Morn' is also introduced by Goldsmith. Sfllvifl larinacea 'Strata' produces a bi-color blue-and-white flower — the calyx is white; the corolla is blue. It blooms five days earlier than compa- rable varieties and can grow up to two feet tall under favorable condi- tions Bedding plant growers can produce salable plants in eight-to- twelve weeks. Strata' was introduced by Floranova, Ltd. For more: All-America Selections, 1311 Butterfield Road, Suite 310, Downers Grove, IL 60515; the phone number is 708-963-0770. Publications Woody Plant Cold-Hardiness Ratings, Technical Bulletin #156 from the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experi- ment Station, can be ordered by calling Paul Cappiello at 207-581- 2918 or by writing him at: University of Maine, 5722 Deering Hall, Orono, Maine 04469-5722. The publication gives hardiness ratings for over 180 woody ornamentals that have been growing at the Littlefield Gardens on the UM campus. The previous edi- tion was published by Professor Littlefield in 1983. Ball Publishing is releasing two new Ball Guides in June: New Guinea ImpfllieHS, edited by Warren Banner and Michael Klopmeyer, ($55) and Diseases oj Annuals and Perennials, by A R. Chase, Margery Daughtry, and Gary W Simone ($69) For informa- tion—1 -800-456-5380; outside the US— 1-708-208-9089. The Plantsman LAN NURSERIES^ 259 CoUege Street, Magog JIX 2K4 Phone & FAX: (819) 843-5071 Lan is owned by a group of Quebec growers In order to present a large variety of hardy flowering shrubs and verenn\a\5 showing THE NORTHERN BEAUTY Dogwood - Forsythia -Hydrangea Honeysuckle - Lilacs - Ninebark Potentilla - Rugosa Rose Spirea - Sumac Viburnum - Vine M^ BM^ rying to cut down on the amount ■ I IBI <^^ pesticides you use? Trying to ^^^^^^ run a successful certified organic operation? If you've answered yes to either of these questions, give us a call. We have 37 popular species of competitively priced, quality controlled, beneficials. Additionally, site* assessment, athropod identification and scouting services are available. 603-823-8500 RFD*1 BOX 168 LITTLETON, NH 03561 ^ Wholesale Gold Star Wholesale Nursery is a family owned business. Since 1952 we have been offering the finest wholesale pianting maienals to landscape contractors throughout the N£. area along with the one element dial truly sets us apart from the competition-service. Gold Star welcomes your comments and suggestions. Make us your one-stop for the best in wholesale landscape supplies. Canterbury, New Hampshire 03224 Exit 18, 1-93, 1/2 mile ■ Tel: 800-287-4716 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 & rao-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. lune & luly 1W5 Distributor of: Tree ^."-^^^unnl JfmiAe^SahA Supplying Nursery Stock for Landscape Contractors & Garden centers from many excellent growers Call us to Discuss Your Needs P.O. Box 64 Mclndoe FaUs, VT 05050 o Saver Tree Staking System Finally, a staking system that solves all your staking problems. Safe Reliable Safe for Tree Quick to install Cost-effective Tel. 800-639-1722 FAX 802-633-2349 SPECIALIZING IN Heath.. .Heather. . .Bearberry. Herbs... Seashore Plants... also, a/ull Vune of quality nursery stock 1028 Horseneck Road Westport, MA 02790 608-636-6616 ^ Hie Mors You Qdw, Hie Moie You Know. ^.^Northeast Nursery, Inc. We've been in this business a long lime. We know our customer's needs and demands. It dosen't make a difference of the , .^ time of year or the size of the project. Northeast Nursery covers it f ^g all. With the widest selection in wholesale plant materials and ^^ landscape supplies in all of New England it's no wonder many consider Northeast Nursery the best One-Stop shopping for all your landscape and green supplies. Supplying Fine Plant Material & Landscape Supplies 234 Newbury Street, Rt. 1 South Peabody, MA 01960 Tel. (508) 535-6550 Fax (508) 535-5247 WHOLESALE NURSERY TREES • EVERGREENS • SHRUBS 150 acres of quality plants Write (or catalog Member MNA, NENA Millers Falls Road, Turners Falls, MA 01376 Telephone 4 13- 863-2510 Jewart^ NURSERY, Inc. The Plantsman Where Do New Plants Come From? Dr. Owen M. Rogers TT/^r hat do New Guinea impatiens, dawn red- \/\/ wood (metasequoia) and grain amaranth have Y Y in common? They were all plant introductions through the United States National Germplasm System. One of the great national treasures in this county is the collection of germplasm from around the world that maintains and stores genetic diversity for future generations. America's abundant and inexpensive supply of food and fiber is based on intensive agriculture. Intensive ag- riculture benefits from genetic uniformity in crops. But genetic uniformity increases the potential for crop vul- nerability to new pests and stresses. Genetic diversity gives us the sustained ability to develop new plant vari- eties that can resist these Each of the four regional stations has a technical advi- sory committee of local scientists. The Northeast Re- gional Station at Geneva, New York, has an ornamental subcommittee that is responsible for testing promising new or unproven woody ornamentals in the Northeast. At the present time, the closest New Hampshire evalua- tion plot is at the university in Durham. Over the years it has tested a number of plants that have become stan- dards in the field, such as the Rhododendron hybrid 'Olga Mezitt', Microbiota decusata, and Belamcanda (the Blackberry Lily). The list of plants still under test in Durham include two disease-resistant elms, three weige- las ('Red Prince', 'Samba' and 'Minuet'), and several of the "bud hardy" forsythias, as well as selections from the National Arboretum and pests, diseases, and envi- ronmental stresses. Wild ancestors and rela- tives of cultivated plants are the keys to genetic di- versity. But the amount of land where plants grow wild continues to shrink and many plant species and varieties are disap- pearing forever. The Na- tional Plant Germplasm System exists to store and cata- log germplasm of plants that might otherwise be lost. In the highly populated world of our future, some of these plants may help make the difference between abun- dance and scarcity. There has always been a thriving business in seed and plant exchange since early colonial days with people such as Catesby and the Bartrams making a good living sending plants to England In reverse, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas )efferson often sent home seeds and cuttings to be tried in the colonies. A great many of today's commonly grown plants have come into this country fairly recently. For example, forsythia was not known until 1850 and it wasn't until 1946 that we offi- cially started a plant introduction program Four regional plant introduction stations maintain working collections of seeds. A working collection dis- tributes germplasm to meet the day-to-day needs of re- search scientists — a kind of gene bank checking account. The regional stations store thousands of plant species and varieties; other working collections across the coun- try concentrate on only one crop or type of crop, such as potatoes or small grains. Finally, since many fruit, nut, and landscape varieties lose their varietal identity when they're stored as seed, this germplasm is preserved as living plants at the ten national clonal germplasm re- positories. vrild ancestors and relatives of cultivated plants are the keys to genetic diversity. But the amount of land where plants GROW WILD continues TO SHRINK AND MANY PLANT SPECIES AND VARIETIES ARE DISAPPEARING FOREVER. ^ the North Central Plant In- troduction Station at Ames, Iowa. Also part of the national system is the National Germplasm Resources La- boratory at Beltsville, Maryland It is the hub for plant exploration activities and a clearinghouse for exchange of plant germ- plasm with foreign countries. Depending on species, dry seeds can last anywhere from a few years to centuries. Conventional storage in gene banks requires drying the seeds to 6 percent mois- ture or less, sealing them in moisture-proof containers, then storing them at temperatures held from just above freezing (5°C) to well below (-20°C). These methods have been fairly reliable for most crops. But some spe- cies have short-lived seeds that are difficult to store. For these seeds, other methods are needed. Researchers at the National Seed Storage Laboratory are developing new ways to store germplasm. Cryo-pres- ervation (a type of freezing) in or over liquid nitrogen at -I96°C is the most highly developed of these new tech- niques. The lab is now storing seeds routinely in liquid nitrogen. ARS scientists are also experimenting with biotechnol- ogy to test, grow, and preserve plant germplasm Tissue culture techniques are well advanced for many species, and scientists are evaluating these techniques for those species that can't be stored as seed. Tissue culture is a cloning method — growing a whole plant from a small plant part in an artificial medium in a controlled, dis- ease-free environment. It's easier said than done, be- cause techniques may be specific to one crop; solving problems for one crop doesn't solve them for all. Besides doing research on seed longevity, scientists lune & |uly 1995 are also looking for ways to produce disease-free germpiasm for storage and to keep stored seeds free of insects and mites. Much ongoing research evaluates the germpiasm we already have in the system and helps pinpoint what germpiasm we need. This is detective work: the botanical sleuths identify what genes are miss- ing - drought resistance in wheat, for instance - and track them down through plant exploration and foreign exchange. The National Plant Germpiasm System is devoted to the free and unrestricted exchange of germpiasm with all nations and permits access to U.S. collections by any person with a valid use Normally, this means plant re- searchers and breeders. Other users have included medical researchers and educators. Germpiasm users in other countries have the same privileges as those in the United States. This policy has grown out of the belief that germpiasm, like the oceans and air, is a world heritage to be freely shared for the benefit of all humanity. Anyone interested in a specific plant introduction or information from the computer system that supports the program can contact the closest regional office in Geneva, New York or the local representative to the germpiasm system, Owen M. Rogers, at the University of New Hampshire in Durham Altogether, the various collections in the National Plant Germpiasm System ship nearly 200,000 items (packages of seeds and other plant materials) to users in the United States and over 100 foreign countries each year Owen Rogers is Professor of Plant Biology at the University of New Hampshire in Durham His phone number there is 603- 862-3222. NURSERY STOCK • ANNUALS PERENNIALS FERTILIZERS • INSECTICIDES Laughton's Garden Center Inc. Cal Laughton, Florist Distributors ofNurszery Overwintering Blankets WHOLESALE AND RETAIL NURSERY Tel. 1-800-635-0159 155-165 Princeton Blvd. No. Chelmsford, MA 01863 CHARLES LAUGHTON, PRESIDENT DAVE POLGREEN. NURSERY SALES FOR THE LATEST QUALITY TURF BLENDS CALL TOLL FREE 1 -BOO-SSe-eBBS Turf for Home Lawns, Athletic Fields, Parks, Commercial Buildings, Golf Courses, Schools, Garden Centers, Wetland Stabilization. WmoiWRf BIG ROLLS AND ROLL OUT SERVICE. FORK LIFT UNLOADING. CONVENIENT FARM PICK UP IN THE MANCHESTER - NASHUA AREA GROWING FOR THE TURF PROFESSIONAL FOR 25 YEARS PRUNERS LADDERS SPRAYERS FORKLIFTS PUMPS ^H^ ROUTE 116, P.O. BOX 540 CONWAY, MA 01341 413-369-4335 For Friendly, Courteous, Efficient, Technical Service CALL US AT 1-800-634-5557 FOR INFORMATION AND CATALOGS HOSE ■ TANKS ■ REELS ■ MOWERS ■ SAFETY EQUIPMENT The Plantsman THE GREEN SPOT Practical Scouting Techniques Mike Cherim V^ Scouting is the searching for pests, diseases, or other things detrimental to the success of your crop. It's useful in detecting and isolating problems be- fore they get out-of-hand and is critical to the success of any pest control program, regardless of your preferred corrective methods. Most of the tips that follow are common greenhouse techniques that can vary from situation to situation. Some can be applied to outdoor crops, interiorscapes, etc. SCHEDULE. Scouting should be performed at least once weekly and should not be combined with any other activity. Pick a day — and a time — in which you are free to scout without inter- ruption. Do not deviate. A lack of consistency will affect the accuracy of your information. (Choose a time in which the greenhouses will nor- mally be warm, well-lit — and quiet.) MAKE YOURSELF A MAP/GUIDE. On a piece of paper, draw a scale outline of your range, leaving plenty of room on the margins for time and date, notes, corrective actions, etc. Within the outline, draw dashed di- vider lines to mark off 250-square foot segments. Number the segments. Then make copies of the drawing. Use one of these each time you scout to record the findings of the week. FOLLLOW A ROUTE which takes you from section to sec- tion— and stay on track. Starting in the first section, check your monitor- ing devices (sticky traps, etc.), then go on to the next, etc. Then go back to square one and repeat the circuit, this time performing other scouting techniques. USE MONITORING DEVICES. In each 250-square foot section, place one sticky monitoring trap. preferably a 3x5 yellow card. (In- sects— whitefly in particular — are at- tracted to yellow.) Vertically align it so that it is perpendicular to the air flow and 2-3 inches above the plant canopy. If pests are being trapped, change traps weekly; even if your houses are clean, change them at least once a month to insure viscosity. Monitoring for fungus gnats with a sticky trap is slightly different: lay the traps (adding one additional trap per section) on or near the growing medium, sticky side up. Or you may want to use potato disks — quarter-inch-thick cross-sectional slices of raw potato placed on the media — to record larval presence. You read these by turning them over and counting the number or larva that have come up to feed. Change disks weekly. Please note that one drawback to using sticky monitoring traps is that they may catch the good along with the bad. If more beneficials than pests are caught, temporarily discon- tinue the use of traps, or use them only every second or fourth week. Other monitoring tools include magnifiers, pocket counters, and blue traps (for thrips). For outdoor use, sweep nets, field vacuums, and pheromone-type traps (scent is the attraction) or sticky traps in other colors may be useful. TRY THE PAPER METHOD. On certain preselected and num- bered flowering plants (add these to your map), pests can be detected by tapping a flower or two above a clean white sheet of paper. This dis- lodges most pests and certain in- sects— particularly thrips — can be easily seen and counted. INSPECT TOTALLY. Thoroughly investigate four or more preselected, marked, and numbered indicator plants in each section (again, these should be on your map). The number of plants will vary with the diversity of material. Con- fine your inspection to only pre- selected plants. However tempting it is to inspect all the plants in the section, don't. It's both unnecessary and a waste of time. Using a I0x-to-30x hand-lens, first check the new growth; then move to- ward the middle of the plant and check leaves — both top surface and underneath. Do the same with older leaves toward the bottom. Then, look over the soil surface and, if possible, slide off the container and inspect the roots. Finally, move back up the plant, studying stems and nodes. As you proceed, jot down any ab- normalities— deformed leaves, de- cay, insects (ants may indicate the presence of certain pests), insect damage: anything out of the ordi- nary. Take some leaf and insect samples, if necessary. IDENTIFY. Before taking any action, be sure of what you're seeing. Are these good bugs or bad? Of economic impor- tance? Once you've determined you have pests, what species are they? (For example, if you have whiteflies, are they Greenhouse, Sweet Potato, a Silverleaf variety, etc. ..it's impor- tant to know — especially if you plan to control these pests biologically.) Invest in a couple of guide books — you can identify many of the problems yourself. However, when in doubt, take your insect or leaf samples to your local university, co- operative extension office, or private service to be analyzed. The fee is usually minimal; sometimes the ser- vice is free KEEP RECORDS. By keeping weekly records — includ- ing of what action was taken — you can determine when, and possibly why, a problem occurred. Data might include pest population swings, growth rate, in-house movement, suspected )une&)uly 1995 13 origins of problems, and corrective actions taken. Looking back over years of records, you'll be able to spot pat- terns, making control easier and more cost-effective. However, some yearly fluctuations, due to changing weather patterns, natural population swings, etc., are normal and should be expected. IN SUMMARY, scouting can give you a certain amount of control, poten- tially decreasing expenses and in- creasing crop value, by allowing you to more effectively prevent prob- lems. And scouting may allow you to find and correct root causes of some of these problems. Scouting is like physical fitness: its value is known, the program is fairly easy to implement, and cost is minimal. All you have to do is begin, then stick with it. Mike Cherint is at the Green Spot, Ltd, Department of Bio-\ngenuity. 93 Priest Road. Barrington, NH 03825-6204. The phone there is 603-942-8925. TIPS FROM THE GRIFFIN GURU PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (P.P.E.): Coveralls, Respirators, Protective Eyewear, Gloves, Footwear, & Headgear It is written that an applicator of pesticides must be properly at- tired— well-suited, as it were It is also written that the applicator has the responsibility for that Personal Protective Equipment. The following statement is taken from the EPA's booklet on Worker Pro- tection Safety and I think it's worth passing along. REPLACING RESPIRATOR FILTERS, CARTRIDGES, OR CANISTERS Applicator must do the following: 1 Replace dust/mist respirator filters: when breathing resistance becomes excessive; if filter is torn or damaged; whenever the respirator manufacturer or pesticide labelling says to replace them (if the instructions differ, change the filter at the shorter interval), at the end of each day's work period, if no other instructions or indications of service life are available 2. Replace gas- and vapor-removing respirator cartridges or canisters: at the first indication of odor, taste, or irritation, when the respirator manufacturer or pesticide labeling says to replace them (if the instructions differ, change the filter at the shorter interval}; at the end of each day's work period, if no other instruc- tions or indications or service life are available Wash or wipe down your respirator or mask and store in a plastic bag to keep it clean and ready for your immediate use Store away from pesticide- contaminated areas. Ernie's Greenhouse T 107 WHITEHALL ROAD, ROCHESTER, NH 03868 TEL. 1-603-332-9195 Wholesalers of Pre-fmshed Geraniums, Ivie Geraniums, Fuchsias, Geranium Ivie, Vinea, Dracaena he heart of our own rapidly expanding retail business is our lavish display of the best geranium, ivie geranium and fuchsia varieties on the market today. Many of these are new Oglevee varieties that clearly out-perform the old standbys. We dazzle our retail customers with color, growing plants in all popular sizes, including spectacular big planters priced to sell in volume. Let us help you increase your sales and profit by helping you custom design just such a sales program. Available Varieties (Ogl = Oglevee patented) IVIE GERANIUM Sybil Holmes (rosebud pink) Amethyst (violet) Bluebeard (deep burgundy) Beauty of Eastbourne (rose) Simone, Red, Ogl Nicole, Pink, Ogl Minicascade (red) ZONAL GERANIUM Kim, Red, Ogl Sassy, Dk Red, Ogl Veronica, Rose, Ogl Melody, Pink, Ogl Pink Expectations, Ogl Snow White, Ogl Aurora (violet) Beth, (light pink) Additional varieties may be introduced. We skip rooted cuttings in H06 Packs, 4 112", 6", 8" and 10" pre-finished zonal geraniums, and S' or 10" pre-finished ivie geraniums and fuchsias. IVe may also he able to custom grow some selected annuals in 806 packs (pre-finishedl. FUCHSIAS Swingtime (red/white) Dark Eyes (red/purple) Blue Eyes (red/blue) Starry Trail (purple/white) Southgate (pink) Pink Marshmallow 14 The Plantsman ■»!- ^ MEMBER PROFILE WEBBERS DUBLIN NURSERY "Something always comes along to help you diversify and survive. " // 1 his place is full of history," Carl Webber says. "Before World War 1, it was a dairy farm — one of five farms on the west side of Dublin Village belonging to the Leighton family ...now they — and their farms — are gone. After them, Gus Grau, a farmer/contractor, owned the place. ..it was known as "The Grau Farm" then. ..and after he left, a fam- ily— so poor that they literally burned the doors to keep warm — lived here. ..then it was abandoned." Hedgehogs were living in the house when Webber bought 100 acres and what remained of the buildings in 1961. After graduating from UNH in 1955 ("things were still modest. I got my degree — forestry — in buildings they wouldn't store equipment in now — and I got a good education"), Carl worked at various jobs: at Colprit's Nursery in Madbury ("Ernest Col- prit — self-taught, a good taxonomist and hybridizer — was a major influ- ence on me"), then for Gene Healey at Gem Evergreen ("Gene believed in the best plant material possible at twice the price you thought pos- sible"); he taught vocational agricul- ture in New Boston ("a small high school — about as small as you can get"). At first in Dublin, Carl grew veg- etables and ran a farm stand; in 1967, he went into landscaping — "big time, with a fleet of trucks and crew." In 1969, he shifted emphasis, building a 30x60 glass greenhouse and 45x80 retail sales barn. There was a divorce, a sojourn in Oregon... then in the 1970s, he rebought the place, expanded, putting up a sec- ond house (30x50 rigid plastic) at the end of the first with a potting and storage area between them. And in the early 80s, after twelve years of a second marriage, he became a fa- ther again... During this entire period, Carl was focusing more on religious values, eventually converting to Christianity. After 15 years of running Webber's as a year-round nursery/garden cen- ter, he and his wife decided to make it seasonal in order to spend more time with their family. THEN, IN 1987, CARL sold the farm to a son (from his first marriage) be- fore a second sojourn in Oregon's Willamette Valley ("cherries blos- soming in February, twelve-foot ca- mellias by the door"), a place he sees as one of the most beautiful spots in America. "If I ever found the right situation, I'd stay there" — but he didn't and re- turned to Dublin. Carl and his family live in a house on the other side of town and he rents the greenhouses and sales barn from his son. One of the first things he did when he got back was to build a cold house on the foun- ^^^^^^^^^^_ dations of the old three-story barn — already partially down when Carl first bought the place. In the '60s, when he grew po- tatoes, he put a flat roof over the second floor and used it as a stor- age. This time, he removed the sec- ond floor completely and built a peaked roof and covered it with plastic. "One of the most difficult jobs I've ever done was removing that second floor — planks on beams — chestnut and red oak, and six inches of cement on top of that." quantities (the minimum of one vari- ety being three six-pacs) — to smaller operations. "A lot of people don't want a sheet of plugs or a full tray of just one kind." He offers 125 varieties, but em- phasizes those that are hardy in zones 4 and 5 — New Hampshire and most of Massachusetts. "I like del- phiniums— I grow maybe 100 stan- dard trays of six types. We also try to emphasize native — oxide daisy, pearly everlasting, New England as- ters ("I've always been interested in asters"). I'd like to expand into vari- eties that do well in zones 6 and 7, extending the range down into Rhode Island, Maryland — I already THREE YEARS AGO, the emphasis changed again. He started to whole- sale six-pacs of perennials — in small T He offers 125 varieties, but emphasizes those that are hardy in zones 4 and 3 — New Hampshire and most of Massachusetts. "I like delphiniums... T We also try to emphasize native — oxide daisy, pearly everlasting, New England asters... T I'd like to expand into varieties that do well in zones 6 and 7, extending the range down into Rhode Island, Maryland — I already have a customer in Maryland..." have a customer in Maryland..." Advertising has been minimal — an ad in the perennial section of the American Nurseryman classifieds. A mailing list of 400 customers inter- ested in smaller quantities within 100 miles of Dublin is no longer be- ing used. He ships UPS, three trays mini- mum: "It's a niche — a small niche, but I don't know of anyone in the Northeast doing it. ..and it continues to grow — I've been doing it three years and each year, it's doubled. Of course, that still doesn't necessarily make it very large — I drive the school bus to make ends meet But I feel this is a genuine opportunity" )une & |uly 1995 ■^ -?* MEMBER PROFILE Emphasizing the personal else- where, Carl also spends one day a week doing custom-buying for land- scapers and homeowners in the area It's difficult to find the time now, particularly with the bus route, but customers have evolved into friends, and when friends depend on you, it's hard to give it up. ▼..."this farm, when the Leightons owned it, was a magnificent place... ▼ you wouldn't believe the buildings — barns, piggeries, a whole hillside of hen houses... all gone... ▼ in the woods behind the house, you can still see the remains of formal gardens..." T But things go in cycles and perhaps, in the ghosts around him, Carl sees what he hopes his new enterprise will bring. (He uses his own mix — one-third peat, one-third sand, one third soil — for the containerized material for his retail operation. I "I'd like to do only wholesale six- pac perennials — maybe even give up seeding and contract that out" and in order to do that, he's begun to cut back in other areas: "Everyone grows mums — until last year, I used to grow 8000 a year. I did that for 10 years — now I grow 1000 just for the retail trade. And I cut geranium produc- tion in half — no whole- sale geraniums. ..and annual production — I grow only a thousand trays now.,." He currently grows about half pe- rennials, half annuals — ninety per- cent are from seed; ten percent, plugs He starts germinating seed in February in a wooden shelving unit (three 2x8 shelves) covered with plastic; a small portable electric heater ("like you'd use in a bath- room "I on the ground moves hot air upward, maintaining a 70F soil tem- perature; holes in the shelves permit air flow. All six-pacs are potted up in Fafard #2 potting mix — it meets the inspection standards for shipping. WEBBER'S is a simple operation... wooden ^^^^^^B benches, dirt floors; the houses are heated by an oil-fired hot air furnace. Both have double roof vents and side vents — and no fans: a de- pendable west wind takes care of air movement. Because there's less light in the second house, it's used for cooler crops. The investment is in hours — he and his wife run the operation with- out outside help: he feeds with a hozon, waters with a hose: "there's not much insect problem — if a place freezes in the winter, that usually takes care of it." They still have a retail business in the front part of the big barn, al- though on a smaller scale. Only the front section — about 14x45 — of the big barn is used Tables are brought outside and packed with bedding plants and perennials Lilies are a specialty — 500 one-gallon containers are grouped near the sign. They sell other things ("if they stop for one thing, they'll buy an- other"): organic vegetables — espe- cially sweet corn — in the summer and apples and pumpkins an the fall. Fresh baked goods — pies, cook- ies, bread — are also available — Carl and his wife bake bread at home, a few loaves at a time. 1 suppose there's a time in your life when you begin to look back: "I've been blessed," Carl says, and lists his education, his trade, his three adult children — all successful in their own trades, Carol (his wife for 24 years now) and their children ("the age of my grandchildren"), and his strong life-affecting beliefs in God and the Bible... Certainly, the history of his prop- erty could make anyone dubious about the permanence of material success: ""this farm, when the Leigh- tons owned it, was a magnificent place. ..you wouldn't believe the buildings — barns, piggeries, a whole hillside of hen houses. ..all gone. ..in the woods behind the house, you can still see the remains of formal gardens..." But things go in cycles and perhaps, in the ghosts around him, Carl sees what he hopes his new enterprise will bring (BP) Webber's Dublin Nursery, Route 101, is open 8 to b six days a week and afternoons on Sunday The phone is 603-56^-8)80. V '^y "WHOLESALl Price List Available PERENNIAL - HERBS - WILDFLOWERS 80 ^Varieties in 6-cell packs UPS Shipping Available ROUTE 101 P.O. Box 26 Dublin^ N.H. 603-56^-8180 Annuals bedding Plants (6 cell packs) Zonal Geraniums-4 '/2 ' pot Hardy Mums in season 3 '/2 qt . pan Perenials available in 2qt. - 3qt. - 4qt. and 6qt. pots 16 The Plantsman Wholesalers & Retailers •Poinsettias •Annuals • Perennials -Potted Plants •Seasonal Crops •Supplies Visit our 12 Greenhouses & Garden Center Claremont Hill, Newport, New Hampshire (603)863-1089 OPEN YEAR ROUND T ^^GWEFIN ^GREENHOUSE & NUR$IrY SUPPLIES l^' ^^^ DON'T MISS IT! AUGUST 24, 9 AM ^ 4 PM lune & )uly 1995 17 f^S^^ For twelve years. Pleasant View Gardens has built a reputation for quality, service and reliability. Our aops are healthy and hearty because they're grown in an optimum environment, ana our newly expanded green- house area of 4 aaes enables us to provide greater availability and more varieties. Contact us today about: foliage aops 4" armuals and paks hanging baskets plugs cuttings herbs holiday aops foliage for interior design flowering plants large foliage plants and trees all your planting needs ^ liecisant^eiu New England s fastest growing wholesaler' RFD 3, Box 3701, Pittsfield, NH 03263 Tel. (603)435-8361 Fax (603) 435-6849 © Pleasant View Gardens 1992 QQ VISA PyoducehealMerhum, ganl^tjvesafid^mbs tdMiAIlGw^amposL I Increase nutrient and water retention. I Provide natural fertilization for long term growth. I Increase organic matter to reduce compaction and erosion. I Provide slow release of nitrogen and trace minerals. I Prevent turf diseases from forming. I Improve soil aeration and consistant root development I Be assured that it is a weed free product. I Save money over using topsails, peatmoss and manures. Bulk delivery throughout the Northeast. For price and information on AlKiro"' products, please contact: All^. Gro .The Compost Corrtpany AllGro Inc., Liberty Lane, Hampton, NH 03842 800.662.2440 •:''■» :- Quality , \ Greenhouses, &^:. ^^■^'Bquipment: xT ■'>.■■■■-./ , .,■.■' A/ ^. Gutter Houses and "' Quonset Houses \ witlvthe /b/^Aetjr'. .' insurance ratirtg_lny< • the industry ■.•V,--;''.^ •HAFFans ',■■■, .(w-^ •;••. !»Green}roiifec , PM &. :. '! 'Fastening' System f' '' • Foly-Paich BepaJr ... . • CooBhg &'Heailng ' P^^^^^lL; .- - •■ Equipment .,\, • i^-';«'>i.-ii.:„-t< -■:■,. — •" ■ .i,x'v 'r'-r v''^ ♦ And >ludi MorjeJ' -. ' 0i^ngenngideiis for Your Creenhouse fieedil <, BobRimol;- Northeast S^les Representative J^ ■h(< . 1^803-798-4000 ; •■ FAX 1-803-798-6584 " ;• '"^.V.,- PO Box 685 • Irmo, SC 29063 TJSA 18 The Vlantsman z. NOTES A handy tool to have in a greenhouse or nursery is an Agrimeter. These hand-held battery-operated units have helped me out many times. What is an Agrimeter? It tests the pH and soluble salts in any soilless mix. It does this by an electrical charge via a battery from the leachate you collect from the bottom of your pot. How well the solution con- ducts electricity due to the salts in your solution will give you total soluble salts. Unfor- tunately, it does not discrimi- nate between nitrate salts and other salts, but if the readings are high and your plants have A Handy Tool been wilting for the last few days, you'll know that you're feeding too much and it's time to leach. You can also check most injectors by testing your fertil- izer solutions at the end of the hose to see if your injector is working properly and you're re- ally feeding what you think you are. Checking the pH of your media regularly with these meters will reduce the chance of having any serious pH swings. The beauty of these units is that you can do all these tests in as little as five minutes. You do not have to wait days for test results from a commercial lab, although a lab will give you a further breakdown if you need one. If you're using a controlled release fertilizer (CRF) like Osmocote in your mix, an Agri- meter can be a lifesaver. You can know any time how fast or slow your CRF is working or if it has run out of gas. The point here is this little tool takes a lot of the guess- work out of problem solving. For a little over a hundred dol- lars, an Agrimeter is a worth- while investment. \\m Zablocki, Terhlory Manager, The ScoUs Company, Northeast, can be reached at 603-224-5583. Newton Greenhouse 32 Amesbury Road, Newton, NH 03858 603-382-5289 Quality Plants green and flowering from 3" to 10" pots Holiday, bedding plants, & dish gardens year round cut snaps, cut tulips and iris in season, gloxinias and African violets Licensed propagator of Mikkelsen New Guinea Impatiens Cabpentedc "The Qeranium Specialists" Wholesale Grotvers 2 1/2" Geraniums (year round) 4" Pre-finished Geraniums 2 1/2" Ivy Geraniums & Fuchsia Martha Washington Geraniums Spring Hanging Baskets, LiUes/Bulbs Azaleas, Cyclamen, Poinsettias, Foliage JOHN B. CARPENTER, President ROBERT J. CARPENTER, General Manager 603/659-3391 220 SOUTH MAIN STREET NEWMARKET, NH 03857 lune & luly 1995 19 Granite State Landscape Architects Alive ^WeU ]ohn Hart The forest is dynamic over all scales of time, and rather discontinuous in space, grading into surrounding communities and existing as hut one component of the larger ecosystem. The domain of the landscape architect may be described in similar terms. X^andscape architecture seems to be a profession / that requires explanation. The common perception 0*^^ is that landscape architects plant trees and bushes. ^^.^Like Monty Python's knights who say "Nyeh," cli- ents often demand, "Bring me a shrubbery!" This view is correct, as far as it goes, but it bypasses the forest for the shrubs Most who work in the landscape and related fields have had to deal with the public's constricted ap- proach to the landscape world. The forest does have shrubbery It also has large overstory trees, smaller understory trees, several layers of shrubberies, a herbaceous and groundcover layer, an organic mulch at the soil surface, and a sea of inter- twined roots below Each plant layer may consist of many different species. The soil is a complex living, breathing ecosystem in itself. The forest is inhabited by resident and transitory birds, mammals, insects, arthropods, microorganisms. The forest is dynamic over all scales of time, and rather discontinuous in space, grading into surrounding communities and existing as but one component of the larger ecosystem. Forest com- position is forged in large part by the surrounding envi- ronment: temperature regimes, moisture levels, sunlight, slope, soil parent materials, hydrology, other plants and communities, etc. The forest in turn alters its surround- ings. And the forest at the end of the twentieth century is very much determined by the human cultural land- scape. The domain of the landscape architect may be de- scribed in similar terms. Far beyond the bringing of shrubberies, good landscape architecture reads the eco- system and the site's role in it, reads and understands the client, examines the soils, sculpts the terrain, calcu- lates runoff, runs the governmental regulatory gauntlet, engineers retaining walls, specifies deck loads, creates a planting environment in tune with the landscape charac- ter of the site and with the client's needs, works to en- hance the given architecture, and accomplishes it all with a strong foundation in art and design. And of course, the project always comes in under budget LA's may be found plying their trade in architectural and en- gineering firms, in land development companies, in park and recreation systems, in state and national forests, in highway departments, in urban and regional planning of- fices, and in private practice. So the work is a bit broader and deeper than "fetch- ing a shrubbery" A typical LA has spent several years earning a degree in the field, several years in appren- ticeship under a mentoring LA, and has passed a rigor- ous exam covering all aspects of the field. As with archi- tects and engineers, over forty states now have regula- tory boards for landscape architects, to ensure at least a basic level of competence and to provide for public safety The need for such regulation can be a topic of heated debate among LA's, landscape contractors, landscape designers, and allied professionals Is an LA more quali- fied than a twenty-year design/build contractor? How ex- clusionary and monopolistic would regulation be? In New Hampshire at present, the questions are moot. There are no regulatory laws for landscape architects. A proposed "title bill", specifying that only those who have gone through training, apprenticeship, and exam may call themselves Landscape Architects, has failed in Concord twice in recent years In the absence of state regulation, and under the motto "Live free or die," caveat emptor is a dictum to be followed. Let the buyer beware, whether with landscape architect, landscape designer, or landscape contractor Landscape architects tend to be a quiet lot. Many in the Green Industry are unaware of the state-wide profes- sional organization, the Granite State Landscape Archi- tects. The GSLA is allied with the Boston Society of Landscape Architects, the oldest chapter in the country GSLA membership meetings are held more or less bi- monthly Two summer meetings are coming up soon On |une 15 at Proctor Academy in Andover, the GSLA will hold a joint meeting with the New Hampshire Chapter of the American Institute of Architects to display work and discuss joint ventures. On |uly 15 the GSLA will host the Boston Chapter (Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire) at Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth. For more information on these meetings, or on the GSLA, contact Bill Hoffman, GSLA Chair, at 735-5827, or )ohn Hart, Vice-chair, 862-1091. ]oftn Hart is an associate professor at Tke Thompson School of Applied Science «( UNH in Durham. 20 The Plantsman BARK MULCH DIVISION P. O. Box 527. Route 122 Poland Spring. Maine 04274 NURSERY DIVISION: P. O. Box 56. Route 10 East Lempster. N.H. 03605 WHOLESALE SUPPLIERS Jolly Farmer PRODUCTS WHOLESALE GROWERS • Bark Mulch • Hemlock . Mix & Cedar... by the Tractor-Trailer load. • Bagged Mulch - Our own bark mulch now available In 2 and 3 cu.ft. bags...Hemlock, Pine-Spruce. Cedar, Spruce-Hemlock & Dark Bark. Also... Pine Bark Nuggets & Mini Nuggets. • Bagged Soils & Manures - Top Soil, Potting Soil, Peat Humus, Peat Moss, Composted & Dehydrated Cow Manures. • Cut & Split Firewood Telephone: 1-800-879-2275 1-207-998-5580 1-207-998-2006 Annual Plugs Rooted Cuttings Geraniums Bedding Plants Potted Annuals Hanging Baslcets Fall Mums Cyclamen...Llners. Finished Poinsettias...Cuttings, Finished Telephone: FAX: FAX: "Integrity, quality and reliable service since 1967" 1-800-695-8300 1-603-863-3370 1-603-863-7814 NORTHERN NURSERIES INC. WHOLESALE HORTICULTURAL DISTRIBUTION CENTERS YOUR SOURCE FOR • QUALITY • GREAT SELECTION • SEASON LONG AVAILABILITY • Sewing the Professional Landscaper, Nurseryman, Grounds Manager and Nursery Retailer with the highest quality selection of plant materials and horticultural supplies. "ONE STOP SOURCE Our numerous locations provide you with the convenience and selection of a full line of above ground, ready to plant nursery stock. Ready for you to pick up or WE DELIVER. Add To This the many accessory products available at our locations such as: fertilizers, seed, landscape fabric, concrete pavers, bulk decorative stone, wallstone, bluestone, landscape edging, and more: and you will soon see why we are your "One Stop Source' We invite your inspection at any of our locations TWO CONVENIENT NEW ENGLAND LOCATIONS: \ WHITE RIVER JUNCTION U.S. Route 5 (802)295-2117 VT BARRINGTON, NH 16 Pinkham Road West (603)868-6522 A ROBERT w BAKf R CO . )une & )uly 1<395 21 Monufacturing C^ Cempony Wholesale programs tailored to fit your needs. Promotional materials Co-Operative Advertising Allowance Programs CALL TODAY For a color brochure or to have a representative contact you. TEL. (603) 964-1115 s FAX (603) 964-7292 Give us a call when you're ready to order conifer seedlings and transplants. For over 70 years, we've earned the reputation of being the folks who provide consistent, dependable delivery of deep-rooted quality in both product and service. We Also Offer: • contract growing of conifers • Individually wrapped plugs for promotional events To order, or receive our latest catalog, ki. call us toll-free: Vim 1-800 447-4745 or fax (207) - 935-2043 ESTERN INE NURSERIES P.O. Box 250, Fryeburg, ME 04037 RED HEMLOCK DOESN'T GET MULCH BETTER THAN THIS Morse Bros, is offering very special pricing on evr guaranteed Hemlocic Bark Mulcii from Maine «15 per yord per yard Prize Hemlock Deluxe Hemlock Burgundy Hemlock Call for Details All prices FOB Windham. Effective Date: 5/23 1-800-866-4991 MORSE BROS. 32 Gambo Rd., Windham, ME 04062 fTel) 207-892-1400 (Fax) 207-892-3400 22 The Plantsman THE LAKESHORE WILDLIFE FORAGE SHRUBS LIVING BIRDFEEDERS... David Eastman Native plants for bird-scaping iiave be come increasingly popular over the last few years. Environmentally conscious gardeners have read Noak's Garden by Sara Stein, in which she writes about her land in Pound Ridge, New York. Native plants generally require less maintenance and are durable and hardy in our northern climes; climatic adjustments have been made as part of their evolution They serve very useful purposes in streambank stabilization and erosion control. And they feed birds Rapid development on New Hampshire's lakes in the 1980s led to a growing belief that shorelands should remain natural. "Green hills equal blue lakes" became the theme. An easy-to-read manual entitled A Guide to Developing and Redeveloping Shoreline Property in New Hampshire — a Blueprint to Help \ou Live by the "^ater, authored by Ray Lobdell, is now available. And the Lake Winnipesaukee Association has produced A Spe- cial Place, written by John L. Moore, which further de- fines watershed functions. What 1 find fascinating in the buffer zone desired at the shoreline is that this shrubby vegetation feeds the birds during migration and during the winter months too. I stumbled upon the seed dispersal phre- nology of New Hampshire's fruiting shrubs a decade ago and have been self-employed enhancing and em- bellishing this portion of the natural landscape ever since. In the most basic terms, plants such as blueberry and elderberry provide a meal (in the pulp of their fruit) to songbirds in exchange for dispersal. Most berries are the size of an average songbird's gap or maw — roughly a quarter inch in diameter. If you think of a wood thrush or robin, or perhaps a catbird or mockingbird, you'll get the picture Diversity is the key. If a forage shrub feeds a significant number of birds, that gives it that many more ways of spreading its seed. Wild grape, highbush blueberry, and elder- berry are listed at the top of the forage shrubs for feeding he greatest number of birds, depending on which sources you read. All the viburnums and dog- woods are great wildlife feeders, as are the native hollies (\lex) such as winterberry. See Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Attracting Birds, by Richard DeGraaf and Gretchen M. Witman, for the authoritative listing of birds feeding upon New England's native woody plants. Food, cover, and nesting observations are re- corded. This manual was published in Amherst in 1979 and is available from the University of Massachusetts. From time to time, articles on backyard wildlife habi- tat appear in Birder's World or Wild Bird magazines and the North American Bluebird Society (NABS) has kept a tally on the plants bluebirds prefer. Landscapers and nurserymen are probably going to be prevailed upon to produce more of these native plants in contemporary landscaping. Many cultivars simply have no value as food plants and serve only as ornamentals. Plants quite similar to the commonly se- lected cultivars should be substituted because of their bird-feeding qualities. What 1 find to be emphatically interesting is that once you plant or keep in place bird-attracting shrubs, you get more. The birds do the work. As they visit the property, they bring the seeds of other native plants in their bodies. Bird feeding overhead in a mature black cherry will seed the ground below with alternate-leafed. Red Osier, and round-leaf dogwoods, witherod, winterberry, elder- berry, raspberries, and introduced exotics such as Japanese barberry. All you have to do is to clip un- wanted hardwoods (such as red maple) which have seeded in along with the desirable shrub species. Lopping shears and motorized brush saws can be used to release the forage shrubs and allow them to take over the shoreline, stone wall, or hedgerow. These are wildlife refuge or bird sanctuary manage- ment techniques to keep the site in a state of "ar- rested succession." The shrubs that provide food for wildlife are all pioneer plants that use the birds and mammals to colonize the available landscape. Landscapers contracted to redevelop a shoreline that former owners attempted to suburbanize will find, if they do it right, that their work can be aided by the birds. Red-twig dogwood, winterberry, serviceberry, lune & luly 1995 23 and seven varieties of horticultural blueberries are all available commercially and can be planted in a mo- saic to mimic natural conditions. Songbirds feeding on the fruits will populate the spaces in-between with native shrubs over time. Convince lakefront property clients to "look over the shrubs and between the boles" to see the water Twenty-five-to-fifty-foot buffer strips make most people think of an impenetrable growth of near-jungle conditions on their valuable shorefront Pruning by a qualified arborist can raise the canopy and clean up dead limbs that might obscure their view of the lake. Providing alleyways of sight from windows or porch settings can allow other areas of thick vegetation to prosper, creating privacy for both the property owner and the people on the lake itself. You can live in the woods and still see the water. These living bird feeders — our native shrubs — will screen out nutrients from overland sheetflow and pro- tect the shorefront from erosive action of waves and winter ice. Complete property care can enhance both native vegetation and the foundation plantings nor- mally contracted for. As your firm evolves to do this integrated approach, the benefits to all will be in- creasingly obvious. David Eastman is at Country Ecology, PO Box 59, Center Sandwich, NH 03227. Specialties of the firm include aesthetic forest landscaping, natural birdhouses, estate management, and wildlife enhancement. Dave can be reached at 207-452-2384 Red Maple 1 .5-3" caliper Varieties: Red Sunset®, Autumn Flame ® (P.P. 2377). and Armstrong specimen quality, own root (no incompatibility problems), high limbed for street and commercial use 604 Main Street, Cromwell, CT 06416 Phone (203) 635-5500 FAX |203) 635-3685 ^^H^. Trees Since 1929 SWillane 9?ursenes,^nc. Growing 500 Acres of New England s Finest Trees & Shrubs begonias D.S. COLE Your Double Impaticns Source 241 North Village Road, Loudon, NH 03301 (603) 783-9561 Fax (603) 783-9562 CD OWNERS! 9.50 Are You Earning QM Interest Rate '^ Guaranteed For One Year? No Annual Fees! Guaranteed Return of Principal! Multiple Income Features! Call Now for More Information On Tax-Deferred Annuities BOB NORMANDEAU "l^mOEMAN insurance" 1-800-439-2451 Golden Rule Insurance Company Rated ■'A+" (Superior) by AM Best. This rating indicates financial strength and stability. * This annuity Includes a 3% first-year bonus. Rate as of 1-3-94, subject to change 24 The Plantsman How About Herbs North of the Notches Interest in herb gardening is state-wide, but in the upper parts of New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont and Canada, the choices in plant material might be slightly different. There's still plenty to choose from — and here are some ideas. Again, I've chosen some plants that we do not always think of as herbs, but which have herbal properties — a special fragrance, a medicinal or culinary use. Some of these will be familiar, but you may not be aware of their herbal characteristics — which would be good to promote to customers fo- cusing on their herbal landscapes. The first is pulmonaria, com- monly known as lungwort. Hardy to zone 3, it has dark green leaves, with many varieties having white leaf spots — which dapple a shady area quite nicely. In medi- eval times, it was considered a remedy for respiratory disorders and gastro-intestinal problems and was also used as a spring potherb. It flowers early in spring, with its foliage lasting throughout the summer — except in sun, where it will fade, then die back. Today it's grown mainly as a ground cover or accent plant in shade gardens. Usually the flow- ers are blue, fading to pink, but there is a red variety — Pulmonaria rubra 'Redstart;' a white — P offici- nalis 'Sissinghurst White,' and a nice blue-flowering type — P. an- gustifolia 'Azurea.' Yarrow (zones 2-Q) is considered by many to be a common weed, but there are a number of yarrows well-suited for herb and perennial gardens. From ancient times, this herb has had wide medicinal use and has been associated with healing wounds and stemming blood-flow Achilles supposedly healed his warriors' wounds with its leaves — which is why it is called Achillea. The cultivars A. filipendulina 'Coronation Gold' and 'Moonshine' are best for drying because they keep their colors well. The many new colors — salmons, pinks, reds, even lilacs — do not keep their colors when dried (usually turning grey), but are excellent as fresh-cut flowers in herbal bouquets. I was pleased a few years back to read that hollyhock {Althaea rosea) has herbal properties. It's one of my favorite old-fashioned flowers — something I remember well from my childhood in Ver- mont. This tall biennial is one of L "Helping You to Grow" B»E» Supply GREENHOUSE SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT Hemlock Road, Langdon Mailing Address; P.O. Box 0, Charlestown, New Hampshire 03603 • Nu-Form Products • Reb Products • Pre -filled Flats &. Pots • Distributors for Plasti Form & Plasti Vac • Restricted Pesticides • Kord Products • Fertilizers • Distributors for Hyde Park &. Sunshine Soils 603-835-6930 Fax: 603-835-2180 )une & luly \99'7 25 the oldest cultivated plants, ac- cording to The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism, edited by Malcolm Stuart. It has a mucilaginous prop- erty and was used as an anti-in- flammatory, as a tisane for chest complaints, and as a mouthwash. A problem with hollyhocks is its tendency to have rust, but treat- ing this early in the season seems to help, and it doesn't seem to as severe in cooler zones. It grows fairly well from seed and, now that cottage-garden look is be- coming popular, some nurseries are even carrying the old-fash- ioned single types along with the doubles and "powderpuffs." There are some shrubs to con- sider. Bayberry {Myrica pensyl- vanica), also called candleberry or wax myrtle, is hardy to zone 2 and is known for its fragrant wax used in candle-making. The bark and roots were used as an astrin- gent, a tonic, and a stimulant; and the leaves had medicinal uses as well. The plant is shrubby, with glossy green leaves and hard grey-blue berries that hold onto the branches for many months It's the berries that provide the wax The shrub will grow in sandy well-drained soil as well as near marshlands and can take sun or partial shade. Then there is sweetgale {Myrica gale), a two-to- four foot high bushy shrub grown for the sweet fragrance of its foli- age. The leaves were used to fla- vor a home-made herbal beer called "gale-beer." This interesting shrub is hardy to zone 1. juniper is another worth men- tioning, luniper berries have been used for hundreds of years in medicines, teas, varnish and lac- quer, and for flavoring an alco- holic beverage known as gin. To this day, these berries can be found in recipes for venison, pork, and lamb. The plant, along with being very hardy, has many useful cultivars. Other herbs that can handle zone 3 include angelica, loveage, tarragon, chives and garlic chives, sweet cicily, sweet woodruff, and comfrey. Of particular note is lady's mantle {Alchemilla vulgaris), which has many uses on the herbal landscape, mainly because it can pretty much take care of it- self. 1 recently learned that the small spring leaves from this plant are boiled and used as a spring tonic — there's always some- thing new to learn. Herb gardening can be any- where— even North of the Notches Tanya ]ackson, a well-known area herbal- ist, can be reached at 603-431-6774 (Note: Five-leaf akebia [\kebia guinata] fascinated me when I read about it in several respected sources and I talked about it in the April/May The Plantsman. How- ever, since then I have had occa- sion to talk about it with Virginia Chisholm, who cares for the gar- dens at the Moffat-Ladd House in Portsmouth. "Don't plant it unless you want to be forever digging it," she said; "It grows at the Moffat- Ladd House and invades the lawn at every opportunity." She agrees that it's beautiful, but there's no better advice than that of some- one who really deals with it So perhaps it's a vine not to be in- troduced, regardless of the kudos handed to it by Alan Lacy and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.) Les Entereprises Dolbec Cookshire Ltee TREE PLANTER Characteristics ■ Each tree planter supplied with its own trailer " 16 "-30" diameter disc ■ Adjustable shear and disk • Made by "Beloit Woodland" model ™ • $1,200-2,400 Canadian funds 506, Chemin Dolbec, Birchton, Ouebec Tel: 819-821-4188 Fax: 819-875-5372 New Hampshire Fairs (A// area codes in the fairs listing are 603 | lULY 27-30 North Haverhill Fair. Fred C. Lee Memorial Field, N Haverhill; for information: David Keith at 787-6696. |ULY 28-30 Stralham Fair, Route 33 (formerly Route 101), Stratham; David Noyes at 431 -GAME. AUGUST 2-6 Cheshire Fair, Route 12, N Swanzey; John Thurber at 357-4740. AUGUST 15-20 Lancaster Fair, Route US 3, Lancaster, Paul Thurston at 788-4531. AUGUST 18-20 Cornish Fair, Town Hall Road, Cornish; Bob Bladen at 542-4622. AUGUST 19-20 Belknap County 4-H Fair. Mile Hill Road, Belmont; |o-Ann Shattuck at 435-8788. AUGUST 31 -SEPTEMBER 4 Hopkinton State Fflir,Contoocook Fair Grounds, Contoocook; Alan Hardy at 746-4191 SEPTEMBER 6-10 Plymouth Stale Fair, Plymouth (take Exit 26 off 1-93); Russell Merrill at 536-1690. SEPTEMBER 8-10 Hi//s&oro County Agricultural Fair, Route 13, New Boston; |ohn Robertson at 588-6500 or Marge Rowe at 673-2510. SEPTEMBER 14-24 Rochester Fair, 72 Lafayette Street, Roch- ester; Jeffrey Taylor at 332-6585. SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER I Deerfield Fair, Route 43. Deerfield; jane Boucher at 463-7924. OCTOBER 7-9 Sandwich Fair, Center Sandwich; Earle Peaslee at 284-7062. 26 The Plantsman HARNESS THE SUN!!! SUN-MATE FOR THE 90'S! 1, 2, 3 TEMPERED GLASS SKINS OR G.E. LEXAN OR ACRYLIC PLASTIC PANEL SKINS. SINGLE TEMPERED GLASS LEAST COSTLY AND PERMANENT. TEMPERED GLASS ARCH RE-SKIN A SPECIALTY See our tempered glass re-skin at UNH. We were chosen for high light, low mainten- ance, and permanent performance re-slcin. G.E LEXAN AND ACRYUC PLASTIC PANELS NEW OR RENEW. 10 YEAR WARRANTY BY MFGR. Lexan Re-skin packages for old glass or plastic re-skin, prefabbed, instructions, and plans for easy installation or labor installed. THIS IS THE HEART OF SUN-MATE SINGLE TEMPERED GLASS LOWEST CX)ST AND PERMANENTI!ADD2ND 0R3RDSKINLATERH •PIGGYBACK* Re-skin 1, 2, 3 tempered glass skins on old alum, glass greenhouses. Prefabricated package easy to install with plans & instructions or labor installed. Office Phone lArikiAimw r^nppkiLJ/M lOE ^/MiJinA l^iw Iki^ U.S. Patent No. 4,658.339 Area Code 317 935-2111 NEW WINANDY GREENHOUSE COMPANY INC. 2211 Peacock Road, Richmond, Indiana 47374 SUN -MATE TEMPERED GLASS "LOW SNOW GREENHOUSES FROM $3.00 SO FT. EASY TO ERECT AND LIVE WITH! COMPLETE PREFAB. AND INSTRUCTIONS YOU CAN RE-SKIN OR ERECT WITH INEXPERIENCED LABOR AND 'SAVE'lll RENEW SUN-MATE RE-SKIN AND REPLACEMENT VENTS LESS INVESTMENT THAN WOOD MICHAUD Nurseries & Greenhouses, Inc. Route 85, PO Box 334, Exeter, NH 03833 (603) 772-3698 Wholesale & Retail Annuals, Perennials, Nursery Stock, Landscape Supplies 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 800-243-7170 Since 1 890 all your needs: jfdc/k^Ji > • Azalaas • Seeds P.O. Bo X 160. Kino o' Pnjsaia. PA 19406 • Foliaoe & Fem« (215)265-4200 • Nuraery Stock • Potting Mixes SCOTT A. STEWART •Containers 421 ParV Street West • Greenhouses Nortti Reading. MA 01864 • Geraniunta S Mums Ptx)ne: 508-664-0096 • Perennials FAX: 508-664-4076 Rolling Green Landscaping & Nursery 400 varieties of perennials -ff) Annuals & herbs Ornamental trees, shrubs & vines -•> Trellises Wholesale prices available « Call for 1995 listing 64 Breakfast Hill Rd., Greenland, NH (Next to 1-95) 603436-2732 lune &|uly 10«5 27 '^- -i*. DIAGNOSTIC UPDATE Well, it finally looks like the 1995 growing season has arrived! March was a rather slow month in the PDL, but the sample submissions took off in April It's good to see growers getting a jump on plant disease and health problems (or, maybe it was to get all of your questions answered before the $12.00 fee went into ef- fect on 1 iVlay? ...hmmm). Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) appears to be more of a problem this year than last. During the last two months the virus has been confirmed on New Guinea impatiens and double impatiens. INSV, previously known as tomato spotted wilt virus-! (TSWV-I), causes problems on impa- tiens. New Guinea impatiens, cycla- men, cineraria, and gloxinia (to name a few of the many hosts). TSWV-L (lettuce strain) is often found on dahlias and mums (but also has a wide host range). Vegetable trans- plants, particularly tomatoes and peppers, are also hosts the both vi- ruses Both viruses are transmitted by western flower thrips (WFT). In- spect new stock carefully for thrips and use blue (or yellow) sticky cards to monitor for thrips in the green- house (more than 10 WFT per card per week seems to be a useful threshold). If insecticides are neces- sary for thrips control, be sure to ro- tate between chemical classes every 3-4 weeks to reduce the chance of resistance building up in the thrips population Plants infected with INSV/TSWV cannot be cured and should be destroyed (if kept, they will serve as a reservoir for the vi- rus). Suspicious plants should be submitted for testing since several other controllable diseases can mimic INSV/TSWV symptoms. The majority of the samples re- ceived during March and April were diagnosed with abiotic, or environ- mentally-related, problems Over- watering continued to cause root rot, oedema, and botrytis problems. Nu- trient deficiencies (Mg, N) were diag- nosed in tomatoes and geraniums Improperly applied pesticides caused injury on fuschia and snap- dragon Winter injury/desiccation caused browning and dieback on hemlock, arborvitae, holly, and rhododendron. Fungal diseases in- cluded pythium root rot on several crops, powdery mildew on rosemary, tulip fire (botrytis) on tulip, phyl- losticta needle blight on taxus, and botrytis canker on exacum Both pink and gray snow mold have shown up on a couple of home lawns Damage from arborvitae leaf miners is becoming evident and the larvae have begun to emerge prior to pupation. Diseases and problems to watch for during the early summer months are brown patch, pythium blight, and leaf spot on turf-grasses Shoot blight (monllinia) has been a severe problem on Prunus sp. during |une for the last two years. Fungicides such as Captan or Daconil provide good control for the disease. Primary apple scab lesions should be evi- dent on Malus sp. by early |une. Sec- ondary scab infections should be controlled with fungicides to reduce the likelihood of early defoliation. May through lune is the time to ap- ply fungicides for many of the foliar diseases of trees and shrubs such as conifer needlecasts, anthracnose, and the various leaf spots Fungi- cides are most effective when ap- plied between bud-break and full leaf/needle expansion Leaf spots on perennials (i.e., tulip fire, didymella on iris) should be controlled with a combination of sanitation and fungi- cides The damage caused by botry- tis blight to annuals and perennials can be reduced by thinning the plantings to allow for better air cir- culation If you wish to submit plant material to the PDL for diagnosis, send samples [with a check for $12.00) tO: The UNH Plant Diagnostic Lab, C/O Dr. Cheryl Smith, Plant Biology Department, Nesmith hiall, UNH, Durham, NH 03824. Samples should be accompanied by an identification form [available from your county Cooperative Exten- sion) Cheryl Smith is the UNH , Cooperative Extension Specifll- Q^ ist in Plant Health, and can ^ x be reached at (603) 862- ■^ 3841. STEENBURG & CALLIORAS THE AUCTION PROFESSIONALS, INC. AUCTIONEERS: Archie Steenburgh 603/989-5690 Route 10, Haverhill, NH 03765 Peter Callioras, C.A.I. 603/8681070 Calef Highway (Lee), Dover, NH 03820 ^Bemcrs ^arbcn (Center 2\nc, 656 South Mammoth Road (Rte. 28A) Manchester, NH 03109-5049 (603) 625-8298 • Fax (603) 622-4073 Nursery • Greenhouses Craft & Christinas Shop We Support The Plantsman 28 The Plantsman WHATEVER YOUR PEST PRORLEM IT'S THE ENO OF THE LINE. Whatever pest or disease problem you have, FMC hos o product to handle it. With our tull line of quality insecticides, miticides and fungicides. For example, Talstor® insecticide/mitlcide controls over 40 of your toughest nursery pests, including ophids, v^^orms, even mites. In fact, with eittier Talstor^ Flowable or Tolstar® Wettoble Powder, you get fast knockdown and long-lasting residual control. And, with its advanced new formulation, nothing fights fire ants longer or more effectively than USDA-certified Talstor® Granular insecticide. What's more. Astro™ insecticide economically controls tough- to-get nursery pests like whiteflies, worms, and leoffeeding caterpillars. Thiodan* insecticide is the proven performer on almost any pest problem, and on ideal alternative for chemical rotation And Carbamate WDG fungicide effectively controls 23 diseases-such as botrytis rot, leaf spot, rust and more-on 40 plant species. gf ^^^^m^^^m So put the performance of FMC ^^^^^^^^" behind you, and put on end to your next pest or disease problem! For more information call; 1-800-528-8873 Anothei FMC Advantage! 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LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL TRUCKS, INC. 1400 South Willow Street, Manchester, NH 03103 (603) 623-8873 NE WATS: 1 -800-562-381 4 Fax #1-603-641 -9486 This one is priceless! -«» -^ /A Our catalogs have clear information on over 450 varieties of our selected hardy perennials as well as 13 pages of design charts. For your customers who would like to learn more, no- price catalogs are available for $ 1 .00/each. Van Berkum Nursery i-trter & Leslie Van Berkum 4 lames Road. Deerfield. NH 030J7 16031 463-7663 • Fax 463-7326 ummer Meeting Ahis year's NHPCA Summer Meet- ing will be held on Friday. August 4, at Pleasant View Gardens in Pittsfield It's earlier this year and not on the traditional Wednesday because it's being held in conjunction with the PPGA's Sixth Annual Geranium SIG (Special In- terest Group! Seminar, also being held at Pleasant View (August 4-6) and repre- sentatives from some of the country's leading geranium breeders will give vari- ety presentations at the NHPGA meeting. It's ex- pected that some SIG members will be at the NHPGA meeting and that some of New Hamp- shire's growers will take advantage of the fact that the PPGA seminar is being held in our state (last year it was in Seattle) and attend some of its week- end sessions. One obvious new aspect of Pleasant View will be trial/display gardens filled with New Guineas, geraniums and Proven Winners, but many other changes have taken place since the NHPGA last met there and tours will be given. Other aspects of the meeting will be more familiar: the tailgate trade show, the all-you-can-eat barbecue (this year Perillo's is offering Country Style Ribs, Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs, and sausage along with salads, corn-on-the-cob, etc.), the auction (Peter Callioras as auc- tioneer; proceeds benefiting the scholarship fundi. And door prizes — the main prize being a balloon ride for two. Cost is $25 for preregistrations; $30 for walk-ins. Details and registration forms will be forthcoming. For more: Henry Huntington at 603-435-8361 or Chris Robarge at 603-862-1074. It's shaping up to be a full, festive, informative day. See you there. ASSOCIATION OFFICERS Prps/id'iil BOB DEMERS, |R Demers Nursery & Garden Center 656 South Mammoth Road Manchester, NH 03103 625-8298 SecreUuii I TmisKrcr CHRISTOPHER ROBARGE UNH / TSAS Horticultural Facilities Manager Durham, NH 03824 862-1074 Di/cflors KENNETH GOSSELIN 207 Cranwell Drive Manchester, NH 03109 627-6599 TAMMY HATHAWAY 61 Squamscott Road Stratham, NH 03885 778-3912 ANN HILTON Gateway Gardens 430 Loudon Road Concord, NH 03301 229-0655 HENRY HUNTINGTON Pleasant View Gardens RFD #3, PO Box 3701 Pittsfield, NH 03263 435-8361 ROBERT RIMOL 17 Wyndmere Drive Londonderry, NH 03053 603-425-6563 PETER VAN BERKUM 4 lames Road DeerMeld, NH 03037 463-7663 NH PLANT GROWERS ASSOCIATION The Plantsman Editor UNH Research Greenhouses Durham, NH 03824 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 43