*— « ' ^ ^.'■< ^.-«.^''V^''T^Jt (gaJ t.-^..^ V- ^ HB> W ^ mS ^m .-^ .-> ■*»*"- w ^^ ;-r 1 1 NEW HAMPSHIRE PLANT GROWERS ASSOCIATION AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 1999 w fc have a special name for the trees tliat come from our farms — ^ArcticMist.™ When you order ArcticMist,'^' you are not just buying a tree, but all of the time, attention, and care — from seedling to shipping — that goes into creating a safe, healthy, and beautiful Christmas tree. We plant from seed to achieve maximum quality control. All ArcticMist' ^' trees are heavily needled and iia\c dense conical shapes. Their lovely blue color, rich fragrance, and good needle retention make them ideal C^hristmas trees. Fraser, balsam, white spaice, and pine (white, scotch, and red) are available. In addition, we are introducing fralsam, a fraser-balsam cross. Wreaths are also available. Since our famis are in New Hampshire and Vennont, we har\ est our trees later in the season than man\- other growers. We also do everything we can to minimize moisture loss after har\'est and during shipping. ^ ()u can order the number of trees that is right for \<)u — from 2.S to a trailer load. We can arrange shipping or you may pick up the trees yourself We respect your schedule and guarantee on time delivery'. Our trees arrive indi\ idualK w rapped and ready for sale. All you need to do is remove the wrappers and set the trees out — no broken branches, no last minute trimming. T .() place an order, or to receive specific information about this year's trees: Call us at 800/694-8722 or 603/2.'W-,S702. Send us a tax at 603/23 7-8439. Or write to us at 38 Bridge St., Colebrook, NH 03576. Our internet address is http://www.sibgotree.com SibgoTree Company W^ know what you want for Christmas'. ArcticMist Remember, you can only buy ArcticMist^^ at Sibgo Tree Cx>mpany. TM CALENDAR CONTENTS August 15 Annual Open Farm Day — Rockingham and Strafford Counties; for participating farms, map, sched- ule of events: UNH Cooperative Extension Rockingham County (603-679-5616) or Strafford County (603-749-4445) 18 Vermont Association of Pro- fessional Horticulturists (VAPH) Summer Meeting, Vergennes, VT; 802-865-5979 20 Maine Landscape and Nursery Association (MeLNA) fifth annual Horticultural Field Day, Rogers Farm, Orono, ME; 207-225-3998 20-22 Cornish Fair; Robert Bladen at 542-4622 21-22 Belknap County 4-H Fair; Sue Roberts at 267-8135; Conces- sions: Ginny Clifford at 524-4398 25 Open House, Griffin Green- house and Nursery Supply, 1619 Main Street, Tewksbury, MA; 978-851-4346 September 1-6 Lancaster Fair; Paul Thurston at 788-4531 2-6 Hopkinton State Fair; Alan Hardy at 746-4191 10-12 HiLLSBORO County Agricul- tural Fair (fairgrounds in New Boston); John Robertson at 588- 6106 W 15 Open House/NHPGA Twi- light Meeting, Van Berkum Nurs- ery, 4 James Road, Deerfield, NH; 603-463-7663. 15-18 Forty-ninth Annual Meet- ing OF the Eastern Region of the International Plant Propagators' Society, Minneapolis Airport Marriott, Minneapolis, MN; Margot Bridgen at 860-429-6818 17-October 3 Eastern States Expo- sition, 1305 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, MA; 413-737- 4716 7-25 Rochester Fair; Jeffrey Taylor at 332-6585 17-October 3 Eastern States Exposition, 1305 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, MA; 413-737-4716 24 New Hampshire Day, Eastern States Exposition •« 28-30 NHPGA/Cooperative Extension-sponsored New York/ New Jersey Garden Center Bus Tour; Nancy Adams at 603-679- 5616 30-October 3 Deerfield Fair; Jane Boucher at 463-7421 October 1 Stockbridge School Field Day (acquainting high school students with Stockbridge programs), Amherst, MA; 413-545-2222 9-11 Sandwich Fair; Richard Papen at 284-7062 23 (tentative) Fall UNH-FFA In- terscholastic Career Development Event, University of New Hamp- shire, Durham; Dave Howell at 603-862-1760 November 3-5 ERNA's Fall Expo '99, Atlantic City, NJ; 1-800-376-2463 January 27-29 New England Grows! Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA; 508-653-3009 February 8 Third Annual Stockbridge School Job Fair, Amherst, MA; 413-545-2222 11-12 Farm and Forest Exposition, Center of New Hampshire Holiday Inn and Conference Center, Manchester; 603-271-3788 17-20 Rhode Island Spring Flower and Garden Show, Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence; exhibitor information: Nancy Syme at 1-800-766-1670 or nsyme@flowershow.com March 24-26 Breath of Spring Flower Show, Cheshire Fairgrounds Arena, Keene, NH; Steve Curtin at 603- 355-6335, extension 161 24-26 Seacoast Flower, Home, and Garden Show, Whittemore Center, Durham, NH; 603-356-7750 Departments 3 FROM THE BOARD 5 FORUM 6 NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS 9 ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS Features 13 The Internet Four Years Later David Brock 15 Flowers in a Russian Garden Michael Diev 16 MEMBER PROFILE Campbell's Country Gardens 18 Overwintering Herbaceous Perennials in Containers Linda Bilodeau. Peter van Berkum, and Paul Fisher Columns 1 1 PIONEER POINTERS 14 THE GREEN SPOT Mike Cherim 23 Diagnostic Update Cheryl Smith 26 Z NOTES Jim Zablocki 27 HOW ABOUT HERBS Tanya Jackson Credits Cover: Planting (detail). Valley Inn, Watervilie Valley; photograph: Rick Raymond The Ptantsman is published in early February, April, June, August, October, and December witii copy deadlines being tbc first of each prior month. While camera-ready ads are preferred, set-up assistance is available at a nominal fee. Free classified advertising is offered as a member service. We will carry a short message (no artwork or logos) for one or two issues of The PLintsman. AD SIZE 6% U 3 3/8"w X 2 l/4"h $150 $30 3 3/8"w X 4 3/4"h $200 $40 7"w X 2 l/4"h $200 $40 7"w X 4 5/8"h $300 $75 7"w X 9 l/2"h $500 $100 For further information, please contact the editor: Robert Parker at the UNH Research Greenhouses, Durham, NH 03824, 603-862-2061; or PC Boa 5, Newfields, NH 03856, 603-778-8353. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1999 4 > ', ■> QUALin ' ' SELECnON : ■',& SERVICE" ^ This Is What We Grow At MiUican N urseries. See our wide selection of trees, evergreens and shrubs More than 1 .000 vaneties available Delivery throughout New Fngland Located in Chichester, Nil (13 miles nonh of Concord) Call us at 603-435-6660 WHOLESALE SUPPLIER OF NURSERY & WETLAND STOCK TO THE TRADE. NURSERIES, INC. HERBACEOUS & WOODY WETLAND PLANTS -ORNAMENTALS -GROUNDCOVERS -PERENNIALS -VINES DEALER FOR BON TERRA WETLAND FABRICS CONTRACT GROWING AVAILABLE 24 BUZZELL RD, BIDDEFORD, MAINE 04005 (207) 499-2994 (207)282-7235 FAX: (207) 499-2912 CALL FOR A QUOTATION OR A COPY OF OUR CATALOG. -WE DELIVER- Wouldn't you someday like to tell your grandchildren that you started using biological pest control way back in the 1 900s? Come on, be a pioneer. v „ Give us a call and ^5^?^-'r>^., j we'll help you S -^ ^' \f ^Vx make it all '"''' '' ^'^ possible. FREE CATALOG AVAILABLE The Green Spot, Ltd. 93 Priest Rd., Nottingham, NH 03290-6204 Tel: 603 942-8925 Fax: 603 942-8932 Eml:lnfo@GreenMethods.com WeVe Got Them .•• • PRUNERS • LADDERS • SPRAYERS • SPRAYING ACCESSORIES The Plantsman FROM THE BOARD Expand Your Business Beyond Spring ROBERT DEMERS In past years, we have pushed our busy season beyond Memorial Day- I've written several articles about keeping your benches full and your garden center clean in or- der to keep up your good image. By the end of June, we try to be done with cell packs and fill our place up with all sizes of jumbo an- nuals and perennials, as well as summer-flowering shrubs. That's the start of our summer season. I find people are looking for sales. By July, their yards are done and they're looking for fill-ins or instant color for a party. But basi- cally, they're looking for deals. We fill our landscape beds with flowers to get people to come down and look around. Perhaps it'll give them an idea or two for their own yards; perhaps it'll draw them into our store and greenhouses. Mid-to-late summer, we have an event we call "Summer Yard Sale and Customer Appreciation Day.' It's usually at the end of July or early August — a good time to clean up the garden center before I lose my sum- mer help and bring up the mums. We start advertising this event in early July. At the end of our park- ing, we put up two tents and edge them with flower benches not in use. We let anyone who wants to Welcome, New Members! Al's Enterprise PO Box 355 East Wakefield, NH 03830 Meribushes Farm PO Box 14 Fremont, NH 03044 Petete Gardens 117 Poverty Lane Lebanon, NH 03766 participate use these benches free. I take reservations and usually end up with 17-20 families. Yard sales and flea markets are huge draws if ad- vertised in the right way. Yard sales are busiest in the morning, so take advantage of this. In our own sales yard, we have a tent as well. Under this are items that we've over- stocked or that have been collecting dust, as well as your basic junk that some salesman talked you into buy- ing and didn't sell. We have one of our sales staff there along with the motto, "Customer or Dumpster." It costs more to hold onto these items than cutting your losses now. Another event we have is our pal- let sale. We put a variety of plant material on pallets, making each pal- let different or giving it a theme. These pallets are sold for about half the retail price of the material on them and are sold as a pallet. Each has some things that we're long on and a few items I use as bait. We give out steamed hot dogs as well as refreshments. This feeds our customers and keeps them there longer. You know as well as I do that there's always the few that ruin it for others. So for this, my brother-in-law is chef for the day and the entire area has signs saying, "Free Hot Dogs with Donations Go- ing to the Crohn's Foundation." We have a huge jug to hold the dona- tions and Dennis knows when and for who he should rattle the jug. This year at our yard sale event, we're planning to try out having a petting zoo. We hope that this will keep our customers around for a longer stay. I know every operation is differ- ent, but maybe this will put the wheels in motion for an enjoyable summer event for your customers — as well as your employees. Timing will be different for your event as well, but whenever you hold it, it makes a nice clean-up sale. So have some fun with it. Robert Demers is at Demers Garden Center, 6^6 South Mammoth Road, Manchester. For more about their summer sales, call 60^-62^-8298. WveGot ¥)uCov««d ! With Our One-Stop Shopping! *Nursery Stock '^Bedding Plants '^Landscape Supplies *Professional Sales Staff '*Bulk Materials ■^Dependable on time Delivery throughout New England. *Quote Service *llnique Plant Source*Finest Selection Of Nursery Stock in New England! *QUfiLnv J *SERVICB ~y *$ELECTIOH 'J\ 0 >n/^ M r^~^ r^v^^"^^!^ — T ■TO 0 \i V \f f\ 0 ^ l\ 0 i ■ 0 V y i 0 0 ' 1 ^ CM 5 S t- CM Date ^ 5 Heated greenhouse -Covered -Unprotected a. E Date ket, and a heated greenhouse resulted in similar plant survival. • A heated greenhouse for overwintering these species may be most effective if run with a thermostat setting below freezing to protect against severe drops in temperature and with good ventila- tion in the spring to avoid soft re- growth that would be susceptible to dis- ease. • Single foam is clearly the cheapest (and easiest to install) of the coverings tested, but it is important to note that growers should plan for protection un- der more severe conditions than those in which we tested. Although we did not see major differences between un- heated coverings, we assume that adding more layers of protection would increase plant survival in lower temperatures. The cost of crop losses are likely to far outweigh costs of adding another layer of covering or building a greenhouse structure — and these potential crop losses should be considered by growers when deciding on an overwintering sys- tem. • The project generated worthwhile in- formation, but running temperature tri- als over more severe winter conditions is important to develop a tougher evalu- ation of these overwintering materials. • Media and container size were not as important as plant temperature in deter- mining winter survival. Linda Bilodeau worked on this project for her B.S. honors dissertation with Dr. Paul Fisher at the Department of Plant BioloQi, University of New Hampshire. Peter van Berkum is co- owner of Van Berkum Nursery. Funding was provided by the UNH Agricultural Experiment Station and plant material was donated by Van Berkum Nursery. Literature Cited Beattie, D.J. (Ed.) 1986. "Prin- ciples, practices, and comparative costs of overwintering container- grown landscape plants." South Cooperative Series Bulletin 313. May 1986. The Pennsylvania State University Agricultural Sta- uon, University Park, Pennsylvania. Bilderback, T.E. 1982. "Container Soils and Soilless Media." In: Nursery Crops Production Manual. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University, Agricultural Extension Service. Herrick, T.A. and L. P. Perry. 1995. "Controlled Freezing of Twenty-three Container-grown Herbaceous Perennials". Journal of Environmental Horticulture. 13(4):190-193. lies, J.K., N.H. Agnew, H.G. Taber, and N.E. Christians. 1993. "Evaluation of Structureless Over- wintering Systems for Container- grown Herbaceous Perennials." Journal of Environmental Horticul- ture. Vol. 11(2): 48-55. lies, J. K. and N.H. Agnew. 1995. "Seasonal Cold-acclimation Patterns of Sedum spectabile x telephium L. 'Autumn Joy' and Sedum spectabile Boreau. 'Brilliant'." HortSaence. Vol. 30:1221-1224. Marshall, T. J. and J. W. Holmes. 1988. Soil Physics, Second Edition. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, MA. pp. 202-213. Perry, L.P. 1997. "Keeping Their Feet Warm." American Nursery- man. July 1997:80-85. Swanson, B. T. 1989. "Critical Physical Properties of Container Media." American Nurseryman. 169(11): 59-63. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1999 21 LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL TRUCKS, INC. 1400 South Willow Street, Manchester, NH 03103 NORTHERN NURSERIES, INC. Wholesale Horticultural Distribution Centers Grea t Selection: Shade, Flowering & Evergreen Trees, Deciduous & Evergreen Shrubs, Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Perennials & More. . . . Available All Season Long In The Sizes & Ouantities You Require! ..^^ DEDICA TED TO SER VING: The Professional Landscaper, Nurseryman, Grounds Manager and Golf Course Superintendent, with the highest quality & selection of plant materials & horticultural supplies. Distributors of: • Lofts Turf Sef.d • Anderson Turf Fertilizer • Lebanon Tirf Fertilizer • DeWitt Landscapf. Fabric • PennMulch • OlyOla Edging • Permaloc Edging • Spreaders & Sprayers • Gelscape • Nature Safe •Concrete Pavers • Wallstone • Bluestone • Bulk Stone • Hydroseeding Mulch • AllGro Compost • Bulk Mulch • Par Aide Golf Accessories • and MUCH MORE! Ti\o Locations 16 PlNKHAM RdWeST Barrington, NH (603) 868-7172 For Your Convenience: U.S. Route 5 White River Jct., VT (802)295-2117 The Plantsman D I A G l\ O S T UPDATE □ H azy, hot, and humid ... it sure seemed like we skipped spring. And to add insult to injury, drought conditions prevailed as well. We did get some minor relief from the drought with the thunderstorms in early July, but they brought another set of problems thanks to the dam- aging winds! Although we didn't have a repeat ot last year's wet June, the hot, humid weather has caused many of our 'typical' sum- mer diseases to appear early, par- ticularly on turfgrass. The high humidity and warm evening temperatures favored the development oi turf diseases such as brown patch and pythium blight. Pythium also caused significant problems on newly seeded lawns be- cause of the need for frequent irri- gation (thus wet foliage for ex- tended periods). It is important to remember to avoid excessive nitro- gen use during warm, humid weather. Also, avoid mowing wet turf since this will easily spread pythium and other foliar diseases. Drought-stress symptoms began to appear on many woody plants in mid-June. Marginal browning (ne- crosis) was the most common symp- tom noted on maples, dogwoods and lilacs. Leaf yellowing and early leaf drop were also common on birches (similar to last summer). Drought stressed trees and shrubs will be more susceptible to winter injury, fungal tip blights, cankers, and insect attack. It's important to water trees and shrubs during drought, particularly those in a lawn setting where the grass com- petes for the available moisture. A soaker hose or regular garden hose set a slow trickle should be used to provide a minimum of one inch of water per week. A late frost in early May caused damage to many trees including crabapple, dogwood, lilac, and fir. Several fir samples received by the Plant Diagnostic Lab (PDL) were diagnosed with phomopsis canker at the soil line. The canker was initi- ated during late spring frosts last year (1998). The frost-injured tissue is easily colonized by phomopsis, re- sulting in a girdling canker. We can expect to see similar cankers next year thanks to the late frost this year. One would think that fungal and bacterial diseases would not be a problem due to the lack of rainfall. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. The little rainfall that we did receive occurred at just the right time (during leaf and shot expan- sion) for infections to occur. Gymnosporanguim rusts are preva- lent again this year, although not quite as dramatic as last. Cedar- New HampshireA^ermont CHRISTMAS TREE ASSOCIATION Wreaths * Trees ^ Boughs ^ Cones Over 200 Members Over 150 Growers Christmas Trees Christmas Wreaths 44 Years of Service For a FREE brochure of wholesale producers and vendors contact: Kristina M. Onofrio, Secretary/Treasurer 326 Baptist Hill Road Lunenburg, Vermont 05906 802-892-7783 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1999 23 D I A G N O S T UPDATE ca apple rust produced spectacular galls on junipers and ample leaf and fruit infections on the decidu- ous hosts. Ash leaf rust brought a flood of samples to the PDL and calls to the county Extension of- fices. Ash leaf rust is a sporadic disease causing striking orange spots and distorted growth on white and green ash. Mountain ash, which belongs to a different family, is not affected. The alter- nate host for ash leaf rust is cord grass, which inhabits salt marshes. Thus, we rarely see this rust fur- ther than 10-20 miles from the seacoast. Anthracnose on sycamore was prevalent in several areas, causing leaf drop by late June. Many American elms were showing sig- nificant symptoms of Dutch elm disease (DED) by mid-June. DED is accelerated by drought stress. (The same pattern developed in the 1993 and 1996 growing sea- sons). Many Prunus species, par- ticularly sand cherries, exhibited dieback this spring due to brown rot shoot blight (Monilinia shoot blight). A few other diseases have also been common on woody plants this season: bacterial blight on lilac; peach leaf curl; oak leaf blister; and leaf and flower gall on azalea. Many of the 'usual' diseases on annuals and perennials have been kept 'at bay' thanks to the dry weather. Botrytis blight and pow- dery mildew are the two excep- tions. Both diseases are favored by high humidity. Good air circula- tion and sanitation are essential to managing these two diseases. When these diseases begin to cause problems early in the season, fun- gicides are usually required to keep losses to a minimum. As a final note. The Plant Diag- nostic Lab will be closed August 4-13. I will be attending the an- nual plant pathology meetings in Montreal, Canada. If you wish to submit plant material to the UNH-PDL for diagnosis, send samples (with a check for $12.00) to: The UNH Plant Diagnostic Lab, 00 Dr. Cheryl Smith, Plant Biol- ogy Departttient, 241 Spaulding Hall-UNH. Durham, NH 03824. Samples should be accompanied by an identification form (available from your county Cooperative Extension office). Cheryl Smith is the UNH Cooperative Extension Specialist in Plant Health, and can be reached at 603-862-3841. Nu-Form Products Landmark Products Pre-filled Flats & Pots Klerks Films "Metpin^ You to Grow'' B.E. Supply GREENHOUSE SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT Hemlock Road, Langdon Mailing Address: P.O. Box 0, Charlestown, New Hampshire 03603 • Restricted Pesticides • Kord Products • Fertilizers • Distributors for Hyde Park & Sunshine Soils Work: 603/835-6930 Home: 603/835-2523 Fax: 603/835-2180 24 The Plantsman ■•*.is 114 & 22 • Goimwi, M.UNK (207» 839-4262 • FAX (2071 839-2290 wwH-,odonalsnur6eries.coili Orf.\ UMU 7.VM T» S:3Um. S.\tiiii«v 7.v'>i w 4i->i AL'GLST/SEPTEMBER 1999 25 m. NOTES The Number One Concern Unless you've been out of the country for the past year, you're probably aware that there's a labor shortage here. Everywhere I travel, the number one concern that growers share with me is the availability of labor. In most nursery and greenhouse operations, la- bor can be up to 80% of their costs. What's even more daunting is that this doesn't look as if it will be changing any time soon. Growers who recognize this have begun to mechanize their operations as much as possible. Most operations now use some sort of computer for billing, receivables, etc. But it's in production that I suspect the biggest changes will occur. Not too many years ago, injectors and controlled release fertilizers were unusual; now they're the norm, due in part to labor costs. Fewer people are making their own soil mix — not because they're dis- satisfied with their mix, but because of lack of labor and time. Seeders are often the norm. Watering, one of the most labor-in- tensive operations in a greenhouse, has changed. Many larger growers are going to ebb-and-flood; automatic booms have become commonplace. Transplanters and potting ma- chines, used previously in only the larger operations, are making their ivay into smaller and smaller firms. Belts and carts are everywhere, helping to reduce hand labor. What makes this trend so interesting is that, previously, people -would wonder how these large operations could afford this large equipment expense for a flat of annuals or two-gallon juniper. But it appears they ^vere ahead on this learn- ing curve regarding the labor issue. Being more efficient with less labor may have a high start-up cost, but will pay huge divi- dends in the time to come. Jim Zablocki, Technical Manager of the Northern Horticultural Group, the Scotts Company, can be reached at 60^-224-^^8). 1-800-447-4745 visit our website: wwwJIwesternmainenurseries.coin ur bare-root conifer seedUngs and transplants have helped to keep forest »ndustries, nurseries, and other landowners successfully in the green for sevenr)'-five years. Ask for a catalog, today! ^^ESTERN ^■n^ AINE NURSERIES ^^^^^^^^^k ^^H ■ V ^^ ESTABLISHED 1923 INC P.O. Box 2S0, Fryeburf;. ME 04037 Fax: (207) 935-2043 Email: wmntrecs@nxi.com %iSAM y -JB^Si^ & We're Here To Help You Grow! FRANK THOMANN Charter Oak Landscape 29 Mountain Terrace Road West Hartford, CT 06107 Toll Free 1-800-431-6625 1-860-521-2638 Fax 1-860-561-4130 Our Sales Representatives are professional, experienced and dedicated. These deep-rooted attributes play a vital role in helping you grow. Frank rep- resents Sherman Nursery in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Eastern New York, Rhode Island, and Ver- mont. He is ready, willing and qualified to help you with your nursery needs. Call him today! Professional ** Experienced ** Dedicated Sherman offers a complete line of bareroot and container nursery stock including: Fruit Trees, Small Fruit, Shade and Ornamental Trees, Ornamental Shrubs, Peonies, Roses, Evergreens, Hedging, Vines, Perennials, Rooted Cuttings and Potted Liners. Sherman Nursery Company RO. Box 579 •1300 Grove Street Charles City, Iowa 50616-0579 1-800-747-5980 or 1-515-228-1124 Fax 1-800-361-7759 ^^P 26 The Plantsman HOW ABO IT HERBS Seventy thousand seven-inch-tall flowers must be picked by hand to yield one pound of saffron, worth — if of the highest quality — nearly $4500.00 on the retail market. This is only part of the hand-labor needed to produce this golden spice from the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus. After the flowers are picked, the three bright red stigmas, the saflfron "threads," must be removed from each blossom and carefully dried. The world's largest saffron pro- ducer is Spain, but here in America — in Lancaster County, Penn- sylvania, the Amish and Mennonites grow and harvest this golden treasure. They consider it not the most valu- able spice in the world, but the es- sence of their down-to-earth Ameri- can farm food. Chicken pot pie, egg noodle casserole, and saffron tea cake Dutch without saffron. In 1983, I read in an organic gar- dening magazine an article that told how to grow your own saffron. Natu- rally, I gave it a try. It's so easy that im amazed that more gardeners don't do it on a regular basis. The flower — a lovely light violet-blue — blooms in the fall of the year, a won- derful time for such a garden sur- prise. The leaves are grass-like and appear in summer, ahead of the flow- ers. The plant, grown from corms, is small and makes a perfect potful, making the harvest of your own valu- able and tasty saffron threads incred- ibly easy. You can find saffron in sev- eral bulb catalogs. If you really want to grow your own saffron, now is the time to order the Crocus sativus corms. These are not always readily available at garden planted earlier in the fall than most other bulbs. You can order them from Bundles of Bulbs, 7091 North River Road, New Hope, PA 18938 (telephone is 410-581-2188; catalog is free). They're shipped in August so they can be planted immediately and begin blooming in October. Saffron crocus bulbs need alkaline soil, are hardy in USDA zones 5-8, and do wonderfully in pots. Finally, here's the easiest and best- tasting chicken recipe you could ever hope to make. If you want to im- press someone with your culinary skills, this is the recipe for you. It comes from a magazine called "Saveur, " a culinary delight in itself. In the May/June, 1995, issue, you'll find a fascinating article (lots of information plus wonderful recipes) about saffron by Sally Schneider along with color XKe -Hlor+icul+ui^al Web www.Ko»»+icul+M>*e.coi->A 1.800.WWW.6WeB newsy ideas • loccife SMppIieKs o»ao bwye>*s weo prese»-w2^ • Kt^view or p>-o»r\ofe pro^JtAcIs or p\ck*\\ tivorUJt>ili+y o^^e^^d virfual tvotje shows — r^qis+e»' Tor \v\e. **ec»l lr\i*Ag Acove>* Ii|e-lunp-leomirt0 louncn points • enjoy ofAv weeUly "Ho**! ~CoiAr • sl^op in oi\r secuKe-+KnnssrURSERY, INC. 28 The Plantsman w- Creative Solutions For All Your Greenhouse Needs, f •jK; ..-"*. t^ ■ wr^- ■1 ■ b Klfifl wMm^ %iAArT^ Rimol Greenhouse Systems offers a large variety of fine products, structures, and accessories to help your business grow. We offer great value at a fair price and we are committed to providing outstanding customer service. For more information, call 603-629-9004 or fax us to request a quote at 603-629-9023. 'XRIMOLX Greenhouse Systems, Inc. Greenhouse Jaderloon and Poly-Tex gutter-connect, free- Structures standing and overwintering structures for growing, propagation & garden center applications. Coverings Armin Tufflite 4 year regular, anti-drip and IR poly, 1 year and overwintering white and clear poly. Co-Ex Macrolux 8mm twinwall polycarbonate and Co-Ex Rooflite corrugated polycarbonate. Kwik-Klip polylock. Poly Patch repair tape. Inflation blowers and fans. Heating Sunderman oil and gas fired heaters. Reznor gas fired heaters. Bio-Therm root zone bottom heat, Starfm and Duofin. Co-Ray-Vac radiant heat systems. Schaefer and Jaderloon horizontal air-flow (HAF) fans. Ken-Bar convection tubing. Cooling Quietaire exhaust fans and shutters. Jaderloon Carolina evaporative coolers. Roof vents, side and end vents, roll-up curtains and shade cloth. Environmental Micro-Grow and Davis Engineering greenhouse Controls controls. Goldline thermostats. Katolight back-up generators. Sensaphone alarm systems. Irrigation Netafin, Chapin and Wade rain drip irrigation. Fittings and supply tubing. Hi-Hose kits. Midwest Gro-Master Ebb and Flo benching. OCS Mister Irrigator, Superior and Davis Engineering irrigation controllers and solenoid valves. Dosatron fertilizer injectors. Extension hooks. Benching PRC retail modular bench systems. Rolling and stationary benches. Amico expanded metal. Material Metro and VRE retail and grower plant carts. Handling Monorail systems. Sprayers Aero-Mate low volume and back-pack sprayers. Plant Protection Woven and knitted shade cloth, ground cover, Fabrics frost protection blankets. Rimol Greenhouse Systems, Inc., 670 N. Commercial Street, Manchester, New Hampshire 03101-1149 Ph: 603-629-9004 % ^ >^< Is' S^ The Second Twilight Meeting of the Year On Wednesday, September 15, from late afternoon until dark, the New Hampshire Plant Growers' Association will have its second Twilight Meeting of the year at Van Berkum Nursery, 4 James Road, Deerfield. This twilight meeting is combined with Van Berkum Nursery's annual open house. Van Berkum, a wholesale pe- rennial nursery, has continued to expand in size and variety. Even for those who've visited recently, there'll be new things to see. There are tours — one ot the actual operation — the potting facility, the greenhouses...; a second of the show gardens and new introductions. Good home-cooked food has become a tradition and adds to the general sociability. Members will receive a flier with details and directions. For more, contact Leslie and Peter van Berkum at 603-463- 7663. ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President BOB RIMOL 40 Londonderry Turnpike Hooksett, NH 03106 629-9004 Vice President GEORGE TIMM PO Box 476, Rte. 137 S., Hancock, NH 03449 525-4728 Secretary I Treasurer CHRISTOPHER ROBARGE UNH/TSAS Horticultural Facilities Durham, NH 03824 862-1074 Directors ROBERT DEMERS 656 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, NH 03103 437-6336 DAVID GIURLEO 324 Howard Street, Northboro, MA 01532 508-393-4534. ANN HILTON 4 Karacull Lane, Pittsfield, NH 03263 435-6425. HENRY HUNTINGTON 7316 Pleasant Street, Loudon, NH 03301 435-8361 PETER VAN BERKUM 4 James Road, Deerfield, NH 03037 463-7663 TIM WOLFE 37 Lake Street, Salem, NH 03079 893-5858 Extension Liaison NANCY ADAMS 113 North Road, Brentwood, NH 03833 679-5616 NH PLANT GROWERS ASSOCIATION The Plantsman Editor UNH Research Greenhouses Durham. NH 03824 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 43