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ITS  THE  END  OF  THE  LINE. 


Whatever  pest  or  disease 
problem  you  tiave,  FMC  tias  a 
product  to  tiondle  it  With  our 
full  line  ot  quality  insecticides, 
miticides  and  fungicides 


For  example,  Talsfor*  Insecticide/miticide  controls  over  40  of 
your  tougtiest  nursery  pests,  including  opfiids,  worms,  even 
mites.  In  foct,  witti  either  Talstar^"  Flowable  or  Taistor'  Weftoble 
Powder,  you  get  tost  knockdown  and  long-lasting  residuol 
control.  And,  with  its  advanced  new  formulation,  nothing  fights 
fire  ants  longer  or  more  effectively  than  USDA-certified  Talstar 
Granular  insecticide 

Whafs  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  Carbomate  WDG  fungicide 
effectively  controls  23  diseases-such 
as  botryfis  rot,  leaf  spot,  rust  and 
more-on  40  plant  species. 

So  put  the  performance  of  FMC 
behind  you,  and  put  on  end  to  your 
next  pest  or  disease  problemi 
For  more  information  call 

1-800-528-8873 


FMC  Advantage! 


Talsrar^lOWP  and  Toislor  Fiowobie  hove  Federoi  fegislration 

:eKCept  in  CA)  For  use  on  ouldoot  omomenlols.  Tolstar  lOWP  has  Section 
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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,   Quebec 
Tel:    819-821-4188        Fax:   819-875-5372 


i^  11^  rying  to  cut  down  on  the  amount 
I  IH|  oi  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 


CALENDAR 


April 

■•■*■«  WEDNESDAY,  APRIL   19 
NHPGA  Twilight  Meeting.  AllGroTM, 
Inc.,  Composting  Facility,  Roches- 
ter, NH;  information:  Jeff  LeBlanc 
at   1-800-062-2440. 
APRIL  26-30  fourth  Annual  New 
Hampshire  Orchid  Society  Show 
(theme:  "Gallery  in  Bloom"),  Currier 
Gallery,  Manchester,  NH;  informa- 
tion: loanna  Eckstrom  at 
603-654-5070. 

May 

MAY  13-14    Hyperion  Daylily  Sale, 
The  Seacoast  Science  Center  at 
Odiorne  Point,  Rye,  NH;  informa- 
tion: 603-436-8043. 

]une 

)UNE   13     MeLNA  Twilight  Meeting. 
4pm  at  Gnome  Landscape  &  De- 
sign, Falmouth,  ME;  information: 
Edith  Ellis  at  207-225-3998. 
*■■«*•  WEDNESDAY,  |UNE   14 
NHPGA  Twilight  Meeting,  Demers 
Nursery  &  Garden  Center,  656 
South  Mammoth  Road,  Manchester, 
NH;  information:  Bob  Demers,  jr., 
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. 

]uly 

JULY  12    Connecticut  Nurserymen's 
Association  Summer  Meeting,  Summer 
Hill  Nursery,  Madison,  CT;  informa- 
tion: 203-872-2095. 
JULY  15-16    The  Second  Annual  Sea- 
coast  Garden  Trail,  information:  Beth 
Simpson  at  603-436-2732. 


August 

*'*■«'  FRIDAY,  AUGUST  4    New 
Hampshire  Plant  Growers  Association 
Summer  Meeting,  Pleasant  View  Gar- 
dens, Pittsfield,  NH;  information: 
Henry  Huntington  at  603-435-8361. 

AUGUST  5-6    The  1995  Professional 
Plant  Growers  Association  (PPGA)  An- 
nual Geranium  Conference.  Pleasant 
View  Gardens,  Pittsfield,  NH;  infor- 
mation: 603-435-8361. 
AUGUST  5-6    MoMMf  Washington  Valley 
Garden  Trail-,  information:  Margo  Ellis 
at  603-367-8587. 

AUGUST  7    Mflssflc/iMsetfs  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  |oi«(  Summer 
Meeting.  Tuckahoe  Turf  Farm,  Rich- 
mond, Rl;  information:  Ken 
Lagerquist  at  508-761-9260. 
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    Vermoftt  Association  of 
Professional  Horticulturists  (VAPH) 
Summer  Meeting,  information:  lane 
Wilkening  at  802-899-3361. 
AUGUST  24    Griffin  Greew/ioMse  & 
Nursery  Supplies  8th  Biennial  Open 
House,   1619  Main  Street,  Tewksbury, 
MA;  information:  508-851-4346. 
September 

*¥¥  THURSDAY,  SEPTEMBER  21 
NHPGA  Twilight  Meeting,  Rolling 
Green  Nursery,  Greenland,  NH; 
information:  Rick  &  Beth  Simpson 
at  603-436-2732. 

October 

%'•*  WEDNESDAY,  OCTOBER  18 
NHPGA  Pesticide  Applicator  Recertifica- 
tion  Meeting,  Granite  Street  Bar  & 
Grill,  Manchester,  NH;  information: 
Bob  Demers,  Ir.,  at  603-625-8298. 


1     ONTENTS 

DEPARTMENTS 

FROM  THE  BOARD 

FORUM 

NH  NEWS 

ELSEWHERE  IN  THE  NEWS 

il 

HOW  ABOUT  HERBS 

Tanya  ]ackson 

■^ 

MEMBER  PROFILE 

lacques 

20 

DIAGNOSTIC  UPDATE 

Dr.  Cheryl  Smith 

28 

FEATURES 

Planting  Shoreland  Areas 

Ralph  M.  Winslow,  ir. 

17 

Roses. ..The  Twenty  Best 

Mike  Lowe 

23 

The  Hair  of  Mother  Earth 

Fred  Dabney 

26 

COLUMNS 

PPGA  HIGHLIGHTS 

3 

Z-NOTES 

Jim  Zablocki 

" 

THE  GREEN  SPOT 

Mike  Cherim 

13 

THE  GRIFFIN  GURU 

22 

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  l/4"h 

$160 

$40 

7"w          X 

4  5/8"  h 

$250 

$50 

7'w          X 

9  l/2"h 

$400 

$100 

Cover.  European  Dune  Grass  (Elymus  arenarius),  photograph  by  Fred  Dabney 


For  further  Information,  please  contact  the 
editor:  Robert  Parker  at  the  UNH  Research 
Greenhouses,  Durham.  NH  03824.  603-862- 
206 1 ;  or  PC  Box  5,  Newflelds,  NH  03856,  603- 
778-8353. 


April  &  May  1995 


Plant  pests  can 
be  controlled 


biologically. 


If  you  want  more  details  on  the  how-to,  please  give  us 
a  call  or  drop  us  a  line  You'll  receive  an  informative 
catalog  /  technical  manual  for  FREE 

The  Green  Spot,  Department  of  Bio-Ingenuity 

93  Priest  Road,  Barrington.  NH  03825 

603-942-8925 

Wide  selection  Fasl.  reliable  service  Exemplary  technical  support  Low  prices 


>      1      f  * 


/QUALin: 
•  SELECTION ; 
',&  SERVICE^ 

This  Is  What  We  Grow  At  Millican  Nurseries. 


Let  Rough  Brothers' 

expertise  turn  your 

greenhouse  into  a 

powerhouse — ^for  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  Aiunninum  Fin  Heating 

•  Heating  and  ventilating  equipment 

•  Maintenance  supplies,  glass,  parts 

and  more 

Rough  Brothers 
P.O.  Box  16010,  Cincinnati,  Ohio  45216 

ROUGH 

BROTHERS 

I I 

1  •800/543-7351 


Northern  Grown 

Trees  Evergreens  Shrubs 

Mon-Sat  7:00 -5:30  Sun:  9:00  -  5:00 


O'DONAL'S 


NURSERIES 


Loated  at  junction  of  routes  22  &  114 

Gorham,  Maine  04038 

Phone  (207)  839-4262  or  839-6364 

Fax  207-839-2290 

We  speciahze  in  growing  specimen  plant  materials. 


FROM        THE        BOARD 

A  Flatlander's  View  of  New  Hampshire 

Bob  Rimol 


Last  )uly,  my  wife,  two  daughters, 
and  I  relocated  to  the  Granite 
State  in  search  of  a  better  quality  of 
life.  We  had  lived  in  New  jersey  for 
five  years  and  were  tired  of  the  high 
cost  of  living  and  the  "rat  race." 
Since  my  wife  is  a  native  New 
Englander  and  we  are  both  Univer- 
sity of  Vermont  graduates,  the  term 
"flatlander"  is  familiar  to  us 

As  I  see  it,  the  beautiful  state  of 
New  Hampshire  is  an  excellent  mix 
of  Vermont  ruralism  and  values  and 
Massachusetts  suburbanism  and  ide- 
ology. New  Hampshire  is  on  the 
brink  of  becoming  a  major  player  in 
the  greenhouse  industry.  Southern 
New  Hampshire  (Concord  south  to 
the  Massachusetts  border  and  the 
SeacoastI  is  rapidly  growing.  Growth 
can  be  seen  in  the  industrial,  hous- 
ing, and  retail  markets  there. 

Growth  in  the  retail  markets  is 
largely  due  to  the  fact  that  New 
Hampshire  does  not  have  a  sales 
tax.  Without  a  sales  tax,  New  Hamp- 
shire plays  host  to  every  major  chain 
store — Home  Depot,  HQ,  K-Mart, 
Wal-Mart,  etc.  This  is  both  good  and 
bad.  The  chain  stores  have  changed 
our  industry  and  have  given  us  a 
wake-up  call  to  become  more  pru- 
dent in  our  business  strategy.  They 
have  increased  awareness  in  our  in- 
dustry by  making  plants  more  com- 
mon as  a  typical  SKU  and  they  have 
provided  job  opportunities  for  many 
people. 

However,  on  the  flip  side  of 
things,  they  have  saturated  certain 
markets.  For  example  in  Southern 
Manchester,  within  one  mile  of  each 
other,  there  is  a  Home  Depot,  an 
HQ,  and  a  K-Mart.  This  is  the  fast 
food  strip  of  the  horticultural  mar- 
ket— fast,  easy,  convenient,  with  low- 
cost  and  often  loss-leader  items  in 
both  hard  goods  and  green  goods. 
With  the  retail  giants,  the  average 
weekly  salary  is  about  half  or  less 
than  half  of  a  worker's  in  a  skilled 
profession,  trade,  or  industry,  thus 

April  &  May  1995 


resulting  in  less  disposable  income. 
And  in  order  to  make  up  for  a  lack 
of  sales  tax  revenues,  property  taxes 
in  New  Hampshire  are  high  relative 
to  property  values,  which  is  a  deter- 
rent to  industry  thinking  about  relo- 
cating to  New  Hampshire.  No,  I  am 
not  one  to  advocate  more  taxes, 
but   we    do    need    to    address    this 


PPGA   HIGHLIGHTS 

Psychology 
of  Pricing 

HOW  YOU  PRICE  CAN  HAVE  A 
big  impact  on  your  sales 
according  to  Competitive  Advan- 
tage as  cited  in  Floral  Manage- 
ment, 1/94.  Here  are  some 
strategies  that  can  boost 
sales: 

*  Sell  multiple  products  at 
once.  Three  for  99c  sells  more 
than  one  for  33c. 

•  Drop  the  zeros.  $35.00 
seems  higher  than  $35. 

•  A  dollar  or  two  below  an 
even  round  price  sells  well. 
Instead  of  selling  a  plant  for 
$20,  try  $19— or  even  $19.95. 

•  A  dollar  or  two  above  the 
round  number  sells  poorly. 
Oddly  enough,  $33  may  seem 
like  a  better  deal  to  your  cus- 
tomers than  $31  or  $32. 

*  Spell  out  the  savings  twice. 
If  you  advertise  an    item  at 
50%  off,  also  show  the  original 
price  and  the  sale  price. 

*  "Buy  one,  get  one  free" 
seems  like  a  better  deal  than 
"half    price,"  which  makes 
items  seem  old  or  stale  to 
customers. 

From  PPGA  News,  January  1995 


problem  of  high  property  taxes  so 
that  we  can  make  the  business  cli- 
mate more  inviting  to  industry  in 
New  Hampshire. 

High  property  taxes  also  leads  to 
the  issue  of  large  greenhouse 
ranges.  How  come  we  do  not  have 
large  greenhouse  ranges  in  New 
Hampshire  growing  to  the  mass  mer- 
chants? The  markets  are  right  in  our 
backyards  and  we  are  letting  green- 
house growers  from  other  states  reap 
the  rewards  of  our  local  markets.  If 
Wal-Mart  can  build  a  large  distribu- 
tion center  in  Raymond,  our  state 
should  be  able  to  be  a  distribution 
center  for  the  horticultural  markets 
throughout  the  Northeast. 

This  is  where  you  as  a  NHPGA 
member  has  to  get  involved  in  our 
future.  The  NHPGA  is  proposing  to 
pass  legislation  similar  to  that  in 
other  states  to  protect  greenhouse 
growers  from  the  burden  of  high 
property  taxes,  promote  greenhouse 
growing  as  a  key  industry,  and  elimi- 
nate the  local  red  tape  of  green- 
house construction  to  give  green- 
houses the  "right  to  farm".  You  have 
to  get  involved.  In  an  upcoming  is- 
sue of  Tfie  Plantsman  you  will  hear 
more  about  the  progress  of  the  pro- 
posed legislation,  and  you  will  have 
an  opportunity  to  comment  on  the 
content  and  get  involved  by  writing 
to  your  representatives. 

As  our  industry  changes  and  op- 
portunities become  more  readily 
available,  NHPGA  members  should 
be  more  confident  in  their  future  Be 
active  in  your  Association,  and  pro- 
mote your  industry.  It  is  certainly  go- 
ing to  get  more  complex  in  the  fu- 
ture, but  if  you  stay  in  touch  with 
the  changing  business  environment, 
and  you  work  at  it — you  will  not  only 
survive — you  will  excel. 

Bob  Rimol  is  President  of  Rimol  Associates, 
Inc.,  17  'Wyndmere  Drive,  Londonderry, 
NH  03053.    He  can  be  reached  at 
603-425-6563. 


Tanglewood  Gardens  ^ 

Growers  of  Fine  Plants  ^1 - 

424  State  Route  101  ^ 

Bedford,  NH  03110-5029  ^» 

603/472-3737  x|/ 

Wholesale  &  Retail  ^ 

2  1/2"  -  Geraniums  •  Fuchsias  ^'^ 

Dracaenas  •  Vinca  Vine  ^fif 
Iv>'  Geraniums  &  j 

Poinsettias  Vl/ 

4  1/2"  -  Prefinished  ^[^ 

Geraniums  &  New  Guinea  \j/ 

Impatiens  Jjj^ 

ALSO  I  . 

Over  100  Herb  Varieties  ^ 

Open  seven  days  a  week  T*^ 
Located  on  Rt.  1 0 1 :  1 000  ft  West  j 

of  Weatherv'ane  Restaurant  ^1^ 


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  06129-0169 

1  (800)  326-HART 


>O^^"0ur  goal,  quality 
Our  strength,  our  employees" 

FOR  A  GREEI^HOUSE  VETlUUiy 
VIEFEHEUT  COMTACT: 


ELLIS  B.SPRAGUE 

ORONO.       MINE 

TEL:  207-866-7919 
FAX:  207-866-4747 


O 


HftRnOIS 


WINDING  BROOK  TURF  FARM,  ""^ 


240  Griswold  Rd 
WelhtrsfttU.  Cr  06109 


RTlll 
Ktmebunk.  ME  04043 


.  QUALITY  BLUEGRASS 

•  BLUEGRASS  ■  FESCUE  BLENDS 
'  LOW  MAINTENANCE  BLENDS 

•  PENNCROSS  BENTCRASS 


If,  CT  203-529-6869 
Distributor  For: 


^IkS^a 


Outside  CTI-SOO-243-0232 

.(Tn  Pavers 


FORUM 


Biological  Pest 
Control  1 01 


"Creating  a  pesticide-free  green- 
Fiouse  or  garden  can  be  one  of  the 
most  rewarding  projects  you  will 
ever  taci^le.  Being  able  to  handle 
plants  or  eat  vegetables  without 
worrying  about  ingesting  pesticides 
is  wonderful. 

We  got  into  bio-control  because 
of  our  daughter  We  started  bringing 
her  to  the  greenhouse  as  an  infant. 
I  took  care  of  her  while  my  wife 
worked  out,  taking  her  around  in  a 
back  pack  carrier  while  I  watered 
and  tended  plants.  As  a  baby,  she 
would  naturally  reach  out  to  touch 
the  foliage,  so  then  and  there  we 
decided  to  go  organic,  pesticide-free 
and  all.  We  feel  good  about  letting 
our  little  girl  help  in  the  business 
and  that  our  employees  are  not  ex- 
posed to  danger  Customers  come 
here  to  buy  because  they  want  to 
do  their  part  for  the  environment. 

Before  you  get  into  bio-control, 
however,  there  are  a  few  rules  you 
must  follow  religiously. 

I  Prepare  yourself  psychologically 
for  a  long  road.  You  must  be  pa- 
tient in  this  process  because  it  will 
take  time  to  establish  an  environ- 
ment for  beneficial  insects. 

2.  Thoroughly  clean  out  your  green- 
house or  garden.  Detox  the 
benches,  floor  and  the  plastic  on  the 
house.  If  you  have  used  pesticides 
for  years,  keep  in  mind  that  it  will 
take  a  long  time  before  your  area  is 
truly  clean.  Wooden  benches  and 
frames  hold  toxins  longer,  so  you 
may  not  be  able  to  use  beneficials 
such  as  the  nocturnal  green  lacewing 
right  off  because  they  hide  in  the 
cracks  of  the  wood  during  the  day. 

3.  Identify  your  pests— this  is  impor- 
tant. When  we  first  started,  we  went 
out  and  purchased  three  or  four  in- 
sect identification  books.  We  then 
begin  contacting  biological  control 
dealers  for  suggestions  and  informa- 
tion regarding  climate  control,  re- 
lease directions,  and  which  preda- 
tors to  use  on  specific  pests.    Before 

Aprils  May  1995 


l^'V^ELCOME 
NEW  MEMBERS 

CHAKARIAN   FARM 

GREENHOUSES,  INC. 

I  14  Island  Pond  Road 

Derry,  NH  03038 

FRENCH  FARM  GREENHOUSE 

27  French  Road 

Henniker.  NH  03242 


long,  we  had  accumulated  a  great 
deal  of  data  on  our  own 

4.  After  you  become  familiar  with 
your  pests  and  which  beneficials  to 
use  on  them,  you  will  need  to  keep 
a  journal  of  what  you  released, 
when,  and  how  much.  This  means 
you  will  need  to  scout  your  green- 
house or  garden  regularly  to  deter- 
mine what  insects  are  living  in  and 
about.  Prevention  is  the  key  to 
keeping  pests  under  control,  so  be 
prepared  to  release  predators  on  a 
weekly  or  bi-weekly  schedule 

Using  beneficials  will  become  easier 
and  more  cost-effective  over  time. 
What  discourages  many  is  trying  to 
get  started  in  a  greenhouse  opera- 
tion that  has  traditionally  used  pes- 
ticides. Using  beneficials  is  not  an 
instant  fix  and  it  takes  a  diligent 
overseer  to   keep   up   with   what   is 


happening  Regardless  of  the  extra 
time  you  may  initially  need  to  take, 
the  health  and  environmental  ben- 
efits far  outweigh  the  hazards  you  do 
in  fact  face  when  using  toxic  forms  of 
pest  control  ■■ 

Tom  Heath  is  owner  and  operator  of 
Heath's  Greenhouse  &  Nursery,  RFD#I, 
Box  168,  Littleton,  NH  03561.  The  phone 
there  is  603-823-8500. 

Inventory  Request 

Are  you  growing  lilacs  for  sale  this 
spring? 

The  Governor's  Lilac  Commission 
would  like  to  have  a  list  of  varieties 
being  offered  by  commercial  growers 
in  order  to  answer  the  question, 
"Where  can  I  get  this  lilac?". 

Any  nursery  wishing  to  publicize 
its  offerings  can  send  a  list  to  either 
the  chair  of  the  commission,  William 
Nehring  (116  Ridge  Road,  New 
Durham,  NH  03855)  or  Owen  Rogers 
(FAX  603-862-4757). 

Thanks  to... 

Winter  IVIeeting 

It  was  a  full  day:  in  the  morning,  af- 
ter a  brief  annual  meeting,  speakers 
included  Rob  Farquhar,  head  grower 
at  Pleasant  View,  explaining  new 
safety  committee  requirements  and 
how  Pleasant  View  went  about  meet- 
ing them;  Bob  Childs,  Extension 
Specialist,       Entomology,       UMass, 


CLASSIFIED 


SITUATION  WANTED:  I  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. 

MANUFACTURERS  REPRESENTATIVE  WANTED  Rapidly  growing 
manufacturer  of  mini-greenhouses  designed  for  the  consumer  market 
is  seeking  full-time  representative  to  call  on  garden  centers,  hard- 
ware stores,  or  any  other  retail  market  place  selling  garden  prod- 
ucts. Must  be  experienced  in  sales  to  the  resale  market.  Please  call 
603-964-1115  and  ask  for  Mike  or  Nan  for  more  details  or  to  ar- 
range an  interview. 


1  /^45oyv/^^| 


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  "^  FAX  (603)  964-7292 


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you're  ready  to  order 

conifer  seedlings 
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For  over  70  years,  we've 
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To  order,  or  receive 
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(Tel)  207-892-1400   (Fax)  207-892-3400 


FORUM 


Amherst,  and  coordinator  of  the  Ur- 
ban Forestry  Diagnostic  Lab,  showing 
that  some  of  the  obvious  tree  prob- 
lems have  far-from-obvious  causes; 
and  John  Bartoi^,  Extension  Agricul- 
tural Engineer,  University  of  Con- 
necticut, gave  an  overview  of  horti- 
cultural facility  design. 

At  lunch.  Bill  Mautz,  Interim  Dean 
of  COLSA,  UNH,  Durham,  was  intro- 
duced and  spoke  a  few  words  and 
the  19Q5  New  Hampshire  Landscape 
Association  Officers  and  Board  were 
announced.  These  are:  President:  Ri- 
chard Rideout  (Three  Seasons  Land- 
scaping, Inc.);  Vice-President:  Susan 
Smith  Meyer  (landscape  architect); 
Secretary/Treasurer:  Chris  Beasley 
(Tuckahoe  Turf);  Director/Past  Presi- 
dent: William  Gardocki  (Interstate 
Landscaping);  and  Directors:  Mark 
Rynearson  (Rynearson  Company, 
Inc.),  Anne  Colby-Hines  (Colby-Hines 
Contracting),  and  Doug  Thompson 
(Thompson  Lawn  Care).  Congratula- 
tions and  best  wishes. 

After  lunch.  Heather  McCargo, 
Head  Propagator  at  the  Garden  in 
the  Woods,  Framingham,  discussed 
cultivation  and  propagation  of  native 
plants  and  |ohn  Hudak,  well-known 
author  and  landscape  architect,  dis- 
cussed the  seasonal  pattern  of 
bloom  in  perennials. 

It  was  a  full  day— full  of  people 
and  full  of  ideas-ideas  worth  taking 
home  to  think  about. 

We  thank  the  speakers  for  their 
time  and  information.  Thanks  also 
go  to  Peter  van  Berkum  (NHPGA) 
and  Chuck  Simpson  (NHLA)  who  or- 
ganized the  meeting,  and  Chris 
Robarge  (NHPGA)  and  Guy  Hodgdon 
(NHLA)  who  handled  reservations 
and  registration. 

Farm  &  Forest 

The  NHPGA  Farm  &  Forest  exhibit 
was  far  more  "hands-on"  than  usual 
this  year,  in  front  of  the  usual  dis- 
play of  photographs  and  information 
was  a  soil  bin  and  potting  area  at 
which  children  visiting  the  exhibition 
could  pot  up  and  take  home  a  plug 
or  rooted  cutting. 

This  required  more  member  par- 
ticipation than  usual  and  we  thank 


the  following  people:  Bob  Bergevin 
at  Bergevin  Greenhouse  (fuchsia  cut- 
tings); the  Huntingtons,  Pleasant 
View  Greenhouses  (New  Guinea 
plugs);  and  Demers  Garden  Center 
(the  soil  bin,  planting  media,  and 
plants  used  in  the  background  dis- 
play). Bob  Demers  and  Chris 
Robarge  set  up  things  and  Bob  and 
Mike  Demers  took  them  down.  Vol- 
unteers manning  the  booth  included 
Bob  Demers,  Tammy  Hathaway,  Ann 
Hilton  Bob  Howes,  Bob  Parker,  and 
Peter  van  Berkum. 

Looking  at  the  amount  of  material 
potted  up,  this  booth  was  able  to 


draw  a  lot  of  attention  to  the 
NHPGA.  It  was  also  a  lot  of  fun  and 
the  Board  thanks  everyone  who  con- 
tributed to  its  success. 


A 


REMINDER 


If  your  mailing  label  has  a  check 
mark  beside  your  name,  our  records 
show  that  your  1995  dues  have  not 
been  paid.  Please  take  a  moment  to 
send  them  along  before  the  busy 
season  starts. 
Thank  you. 


BOARD   HIGHLIGHTS 


December  6  Ann,  Bob  Demers,  Bob  Rimol,  Chris,  Peter,  and  Tammy  were  at 
Pleasant  View;  the  meeting  came  to  order  at  7:10. 

The  board  reviewed  the  applications  for  the  1995  NHPGA  scholarships.  It 
was  decided  to  give  two— to  Mark  Hatfield  and  Chris  Romaniak 

For  the  second  year  in  a  row,  the  NHPGA  will  sponsor  a  trophy  at  the  NH 
Orchid  Society  Show. 

After  much  discussion,  it  was  moved  by  Peter  and  seconded  by  Bob  that 
we  open  an  account,  the  money  in  which  will  be  the  beginnings  of  a  research 
fund  The  initial  amount  will  be  $5,000  Peter  will  contact  )im  Truncellito 
(Davis,  Towie,  Gearan,  &  Truncellito,  115  Airport  Road,  Concord,  NH)  and  ask 
him  to  work  with  us.  The  plan  is  to  transfer  from  our  general  account  to  this 
research  account  S400  each  month  for  the  next  year  The  following  year,  the 
Board  will  define  the  purposes  of  this  fund  and  set  up  a  legal  framework  to 
protect  it  from  other  uses. 

lanuary  9  Ann,  Bob  Demers,  Chris,  Henry,  and  Peter  met  at  Pleasant  View 
Gardens 

Dave  Seavey,  Extension  Educator,  Merrimack  County,  attended  the  meet- 
ing and  he  and  the  Board  discussed  things  the  NHPGA  could  do  to  address 
the  inconsistencies  the  greenhouse  industry  faces  in  local  tax  and  zoning 
regulations.  To  see  the  problems  clearly  would  require  a  lot  of  checking  mas- 
ter plans  and  city  rules  and  state  statutes.  They  looked  at  a  booklet  describ- 
ing the  New  |ersey  Uniform  Construction  Code  and  decided  that  the  best  ap- 
proach was  to  contact  other  state  agricultural  organizations  whose  members 
use  greenhouses  and  create  one  consistent  strategy. 

February  6  Ann,  Bob  Demers,  Bob  Rimol,  Chris,  Henry,  and  Tammy  were  at 
Pleasant  View  at  6:40 

The  New  England  Greenhouse  Conference  will  be  hosted  by  New  Hamp- 
shire in  1996. 

The  Winter  Meeting  was  successful  financially,  with  a  small  amount  added 
to  the  treasury. 

The  Summer  Meeting  will  be  held  on  Friday,  August  4,  at  Pleasant  View 
Gardens  in  conjunction  with  a  PPGA  Geranium  Growers  Conference  being 
held  there  on  August  5-6.  Its  hoped  that  some  of  the  speakers  might  be 
available  a  day  early  and  that  some  NHPGA  members  might  stay  for  some  of 
the  conference  itself.    A  lot  of  details  have  to  be  worked  out. 

Looking  over  a  request  for  a  donation  from  Agriculture  in  the  Classroom, 
the  Board  decided  to  ask  if  the  NHPGA  could  sponsor  the  writing  and  design 
of  a  study  packet  on  greenhouse  production 


April  &  May  1995 


NEW        HAMPSHIRE        NEWS 


Horticulture  by  Night 

Beginning  in  May,  college-credit 
courses  for  the  green  industry  will 
be  available  in  the  evening  at  The 
University  of  New  Hampshire.  The 
horticulture  program  at  the  Univer- 
sity's Thompson  School  of  Applied 
Science  will  offer  courses  in  plant 
health  care,  identification,  and 
landscaping. 

This  program--"Horticulture  by 
Night"--is  an  effort  to  reach  out  to 
those  in  the  industry  who  find  it  dif- 
ficult or  impossible  to  attend  classes 
during  regular  business  hours. 

\ntroduction  (o  Woody  Plant  Materials 
(Wednesday,  4-8  pm|  is  a  freshman- 
level  course  on  identification  and 
use  of  trees,  shrubs,  vines,  and 
groundcovers  of  New  England,  with 
emphasis  on  native  plants  Materi- 
als are  introduced  in  mature  land- 
scape settings  on  the  university 
campus. 

Landscape  Construction  and  Mainte- 
nance (Monday  and  Wednesday, 
5-9  pm)  covers  the  latest  materials 
and  techniques  of  construction,  in- 
stallation, and  maintenance.  This 
hands-on  course  includes  work  on 
actual  projects  in  the  field  and  nu- 
merous tours  of  landscape  sites  and 
companies. 

Two  five-week  courses  in  plant 
health  care,  Pest  Management:  Diseases 
and  Pest  Management:  insects  (Tuesday 
and  Thursday,  5:30-8:30  pm),  will 
cover  field  identification,  symptoms, 
life  cycles,  and  control  alternatives 
for  these  plant  pests.  Problem  pre- 
vention through  healthy  culture  of 
plants  is  stressed. 

This  summer's  "Horticulture  by 
Night"  is  a  pilot  program  to  assess 
evening  demand  for  the  hands-on 
courses  of  the  Thompson  School. 
Additional  evening  courses  will  be 
offered  in  the  Fall,  1995,  semester 
These  include  \nterior  Plants  and 
Plantscaping,  Bedding  Plant  Production, 
and  Flower  Shop  Management.  Other 
courses  will  be  "block-scheduled  "  to 
increase  accessibility. 

The  UNH  1995  Summer  Session 
begins    on    May    30.    Catalogs    are 


AMERICAN    INDIAN    DESIGN    DEPICTING 
CLOUDS,    RAIN,    AND   LIGHTNING. 

available  from  the  Division  of  Con- 
tinuing Education  (603-862-2015). 
You  may  enroll  by  phone  at  the 
same  number.  For  information  on 
course  content,  call  the  horticulture 
program  at  862-1035.  For  a  free  copy 
of  the  Thompson  School  catalog,  or 
for  information  on  full-time  or 
part-time  degree  programs,  call 
Emily  Tousant  at  862-3115. 

Citizens  Advisory  Panel 
Schedules  Hearings 

(from  Weekly  Market  Bulletin. 
February  22) 

Effective  August,  1994,  the  NH  legis- 
lature passed  HB  1512-FN  creating  a 
citizens'  advisory  committee  to  ad- 
vise the  Pesticide  Control  Board  on 
matters  of  public  concern  with  pesti- 
cides. 

The  committee  is  composed  of 
representatives  of  the  following: 
UNH  Cooperative  Extension,  chair- 
person; a  town  health  officer, 
Audubon  Society  of  NH;  NH  Farm 
Bureau  Federation;  NH  Environmen- 
tal Educators  Association;  NH  Asso- 
ciation of  Conservation  Commissions; 
Natural  Organic  Farmers  Association; 
Society  for  the  Protection  of  NH  For- 
ests; and  the  Division  of  Public 
Health  Services;  there  is  also  one 
public  member  appointed  by  the 
Governor. 

The  duties  of  the  committee  are 
(1)  to  hold  at  least  four  regional 
hearings  per  year  to  provide  the 
public  a  chance  to  express  concerns 
to  the  committee  and  (2)  to  convey 
these  concerns  and  recommenda- 
tions to  the  Pesticide  Control  Board, 
the  House  Agriculture  and  Environ- 
ment Committee,  and  the  Senate 
Environment  Committee. 

People  who  would  like  to  attend 
one  of  these  meetings  may  attend 
one  of  the  following  (all  begin  at 
7pm): 


April  19    UNH  Cooperative  Extension 
Coos  County  Office, 
Lancaster; 

April  20  Rockingham  County  Nurs- 
ing home,  Hilton  Audito- 
rium, Brentwood; 

May  3        Health  &  Human  Services 
Building  Auditorium,  Hazen 
Drive,  Concord; 

May  17      Keene  State  College  Sci- 
ence Center,  Waltz  Lecture 
Hall,  Room  1 10,  Keene 
For     information,     contact     Stan 

Swier,   Department  of  Entomology, 

Nesmith  Hall,  UNH,  Durham  03824; 

phone-603-862-1159 

SBA  Tree  Planting 
Grants  Announced 

On  January  11,  the  US  Small  Busi- 
ness Administration  and  the  State  of 
New  Hampshire  announced  that  13 
cities  and  towns  will  be  receiving 
funds  for  SBA  tree  planting  projects 
for  the  spring  of  1995  These  communi- 
ties are:  Bartlett,  Bradford,  Concord, 
Conway,  Durham,  Littleton,  Manches- 
ter, Meredith,  New  Boston,  Orford, 
Pelham,  Portsmouth,  and  Raymond 

Under  the  Natural  Resources  Devel- 
opment Program,  an  amendment  to 
the  Small  Business  Act,  federal  funds 
for  tree  planting  on  state  or  local  gov- 
ernment land  are  made  available 
to  states  which  agree  to  match  at 
least  25%  of  the  grant.  Based  on  the 
state's  population,  the  Fiscal  Year  1994 
grant  to  New  Hampshire  was  $77,349. 
The  13  communities  whose  applica- 
tions were  approved  have  together 
pledged  matching  funds  of  $67,598, 
creating  a  total  of  nearly  $145,000  for 
tree-planting  projects. 

The  program  requires  the  use  of 
small  businesses  as  contractors  and 
businesses  interested  should  contact 
local  governments  directly 

(The  SBA  is  providing  a  fifth  year 
of  tree-planting  funds;  New  Hamp- 
shire's FY  1995  grant  is  $60,601;  ap- 
plication deadline  for  local  munici- 
palities was  February  27;  for  more: 
Mary  Reynolds  at  603-271-2214.) 


NEW        HAMPSHIRE 


NEW 


Events... 

Past... 

This  year's  Farm  &  Forest  (February 
2-5)  drew  good  crowds--the  Food 
Festival--a  new  feature--was  well  re- 
ceived; "and-it  may  have  been  a  ma- 
cho thing— but  in  spite  of  the  storm, 
there  was  a  good  crowd  on  Saturday- 
more  people  at  the  auction  than  ever 
before;  more  bidders  and  more  money 
made.  ..getting  home  was  a  little 
rough..."  Planning  has  started  for  next 
year's  event. 

And  the  seminar  "How  to  Plant 
The  Tree"  in  IV\anchester  on  Febru- 
ary 16  had  capacity  attendance  (120, 
with  40  on  the  waiting  list)  and  was 
"just  terrific,"  with  the  main  speaker, 
Alex  Shigo,  receiving  a  standing  ova- 
tion. Ninety-five  percent  of  the  at- 
tendees were  from  New  Hampshire 
and  55%  were  from  the  industry,  so 
the  results  of  the  skills  learned 
should    be    visible    in    New    Hamp- 


shire's parks  and  landscapes. 
...and  Future. 

The  Fourth  Annual  Plant  Sale  and  Rare 
Plant  Auction  will  be  held  at  the  Hay 
Estate  (the  Fells  State  Historic  Site  at 
the  )ohn  Hay  National  Wildlife  Refuge), 
Rte  103-A,  Newbury,  NH,  on  Saturday, 
August  19  from  9  am  until  I  pm.  The 
auction  begins  at  1 1:30. 

Choice  plants  and  shrubs  from 
specialty  vendors  will  be  on  sale 
and  there  will  be  guided  house  and 
garden  tours.  Proceeds  will  benefit 
the  ongoing  preservation  of  the  gar- 
dens and  landscape  of  the  estate.  For 
more,  call  Ann  Loeffler  at  603-526- 
4153  or  IVlary  Williams  at  603-526-4719. 

There  are  two  Garden  Trails  now  in 
New  Hampshire.  One  sometimes  for- 
gets that  there's  a  vigorous  garden 
and  landscape  industry  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  state  and  a  reminder 
of  that  is  that  the  Mount  Washington 
Valley  Garden  Trail  (this  year's  tour 


for  the  public  will  be  August  5-6) 
was  begun  33  years  ago  by  loan 
Sherman,  co-owner  of  WMWV,  in 
Conway.  Originally  a  beautification 
campaign,  today  it's  a  highly  orga- 
nized competition  and  show,  with 
gardens  in  a  wide  range  of  catego- 
ries (commercial,  private,  etc.)  com- 
peting for  prizes  and  prestige.  After 
the  judging,  the  public  can  take  a 
self-guided  tour. 

The  newer  trail  is  the  Seacoast 
Garden  Trail,  organized  last  year  by 
Beth  Simpson,  Rolling  Green  Land- 
scaping &  Nursery,  Greenland.  The 
dates  for  this  self-guided  tour  are 
July  14-15.  Seacoast  entry  blanks  are 
available  April  20. 

Information:  for  the  Mount  Wash- 
ington Valley  Trail,  the  person  to  call 
is  Margo  Ellis  at  603-367-8587;  for 
the  Seacoast  trail,  it's  Beth  Simpson 
at  603-436-2732. 


T 


Ernie's  Greenhouse 

107  WHITEHALL  ROAD,  ROCHESTER,  NH  03868     TEL.  1-603-332-9195 

Wholesalers  of  Pre-finished  Geraniums,  Ivie  Geraniums, 
Fuchsias,  Geranium  Ivie,  Vinca,  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. 


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  ship  rooted  cuttings  in  I 
10"  pre-finished  ivie  geraniums  and  fuchsias.  We  may  also  be  able  . 


Available  Varieries  (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) 


FUCHSIAS 

Swingtime  (red/white) 
Dark  Eyes  (red/purple) 
Blue  Eyes  (red/blue) 
Starry  Trail  (purple/white) 
Southgate  (pink) 
Pink  Marshmallow 


'tf  Packs,  4  112",  6",  S"  and  10"  pre-finished  zonal  geraniums,  and  8"  or 
custom  grow  some  selected  annuals  in  806  packs  (pre-finished). 


April  &  May  1995 


Distributor  of: 


Tree 


Supplying  Nursery  stock  for 
Landscape  contractors  &  Garden  centers 

from  many  excellent  growers 
Call  us  to  Discuss  Your  Needs 

P.O.  Box  64  Mclndoe  Falls,  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 


"WHOLESAO 
Price  List  Available 


PERENNIAL  -  HERBS  -  WILDFLOWERS 

80  Varieties  .in  6-cell  packs 
UPS  Shipping  Available 


ROUTE  101 
P.O.  Box  26 
Dublin^  N.H. 
603-565-8180 


Annuals  bedding 

Plants  (6  cell  packs) 

Zonal  Geraniums-4'/2 '  pot 

Hardy  Mums  in  season 

3'/4qt.pan 


Perenials 

available  in 

2qt.  -  3qt.  -  4qt. 

and  6qt.  pots 


The  Mors  You  Qdw,  The  Moi^  You  Know. 


We've  been  in  this  business  a  long  time.  We  know  our  ^  f  ^^^ fifth  Pfl  ^t   NliV^PfV     lilP 

customer's  needs  and  demands.  It  dosen't  make  a  difference  of  the    Q.^/t^r^^^''^"^^^'^*^  IMI^I^t^tJy  lUl. 

time  of  year  or  the  size  of  the  project.  Northeast  Nursery  covers  it  I  ^3 
all.  With  the  widest  selection  in  wholesale  plant  materials  and         V^- 


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. 


pptytng  Fine  Plant  Material  &  Landscape  Supplies 

34  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  for  catalog 
Member  MNA.  NENA 

Millers  Falls  Road,  Turners  Falls.  MA  01376 
Telephone  413  863-2510 


S 


tewart^ 


NURSERY,  Inc 


ELSEWHERE 


THE        NEW 


Events... 

Past... 

New  England  Grows,  the  result  of  a 
merger  of  four  regional  trade  shows 
(those  of  the  New  England  Nursery 
Association,  the  Associated  Land- 
scape Contractors  of  Massachusetts, 
the  Massachusetts  Arborists  Associa- 
tion, and  the  Massachusetts  Nursery 
&  Landscape  Association)  and  co- 
sponsored  by  20  other  regional  asso- 
ciations, saw  record  turnout  at 
Boston's  Hynes  Convention  Center  in 
January.  The  8200  attendees  (a  24% 
increase  over  last  year)  could  visit 
730  display  booths  or  sit  in  on  any 
of  20  educational  sessions.  There 
was  also  a  NE  Grows  job  center 
where  employers  and  job  seekers 
could  advertise  their  needs.  A  new 
feature  was  the  donation  of  NE 
Grows  research  grants  to  the  Univer- 
sity Cooperative  Extension  Systems 
of  the  six  New  England  States. 

Next  year's  show  is  scheduled  for 
February  1-3.  For  information,  call 
508-653-3009. 

...and  Future 

On  Thursday,  August  24,  rain  or 
shine,  what  is  billed  as  "the  biggest 
distributor  show  for  greenhouse  and 
nursery  supplies  in  the  Northeast" 
will  be  held  at  Griffin  Greenhouse  & 
Nursery  Supplies  at  1619  Main  Street 
in  Tewksbury,  Massachusetts. 

This  8th  biennial  open  house  fea- 
tures a  trade  show  (over  75  exhibi- 
tors) and  a  speaker  program 
("highly-recognized  speakers,  diversi- 
fied topics").  Lunch  and  refresh- 
ments will  be  provided  by  Griffin. 
There  is  plenty  of  free  parking. 

"If  you  have  any  questions,  call  us 
at  508-851-4346." 

New  President 

Sara  )ane  von  Trapp  was  elected 
president  of  the  New  England  Nurs- 
ery Association  (NENA)  at  the 
NENA  annual  meeting  on  January  27, 
1995  in  Boston. 

lane  and  her  husband  Chris  are 
co-owners  of  von  Trapp  Nursery,  a 

April  &  May  1995 


16-year-old  wholesale  nursery  and 
residential  landscape  construction 
company  located  in  Hinesburg,  Ver- 
mont, lane  is  also  the  author  of 
Landscape  Doctor,  a  consumer-oriented 
problem/  solution  book  published 
by  Chapters  Publishing,  Shelburne, 
VT.  lane,  Chris,  and  their  three  chil- 
dren live  in  Charlotte 

PPGA  Takes  USDA  to 
Court 

The  Professional  Plant  Growers  Asso- 
ciation (PPGA)  filed  suit  February  13 
against  a  proposed  rule  change  to 
further  relax  plant  quarantine  laws  to 
allow  importation  of  certain  commer- 
cial plant  genera  in  approved  grow- 
ing media. 


In  its  complaint,  PPGA  describes 
the  Animal  and  Plant  Health  Inspec- 
tion Service's  (APHIS)  proposed  rule 
change  as  "arbitrary  and  capricious, " 
as  well  as  "an  abuse  of  discretion  " 
These  changes  were  to  take  effect 
February  13  following  a  final  notice 
published  in  the  Federal  Register  on 
lanuary  thirteenth. 

The  rule  change  would  allow  the 
importation  of  plant  genera  Ananas, 
Alstroemeria,  Anthurium,  and  Nidu- 
larium  in  "approved"  media  which 
would  include  peat  moss,  clay  pel- 
lets, rockwool,  and  certain  starch  ma- 
t e  ri  a  1 . 

PPGA's  primary  concern  is  that 
APHIS  is  making  decisions  of  quaran- 
tine significance  without  benefit  of 
sound  scientific  research.  "APHIS  has 


Z. 


HORTICULTURAL  TESTING  LABS  ARE  GENERALLY  USED  A  LOT  BY  A 
few  and  rarely  by  everybody  else.  The  opportunity  to  see  precisely 
what  is  going  on  within  the  soil  or  on  leaves  or  even  in  your  water  is 
an  underutilized  tool.  Imagine  going  to  a  doctor  with  an  ailment, 
but  not  allowing  blood  work  or  x-rays.  Often  growers  will  guess  at 
what  is  causing  a  plant's  decline,  fiddling  with  fertilizers,  fungicides, 
and  anything  else  that  could  have  affected  the  plant.  Unfortunately, 
these  methods  often  compound  the  problem,  creating  new  ones  and 
masking  the  culprit. 

My  point  behind  all  this  is,  "Try  to  take  the  guesswork  out  of  your 
business.  "  There  is  nothing  more  definitive  than  having  in  front  of 
you  printouts  of  tissue  and  media  samples  of  both  a  problem  and  a 
control  plant.  Labs  like  the  Scotts  Company's  can  give  you  results  in 
48  hours. 

A  commercial  horticultural  lab  best  suits  our  soilless  mixes.  The 
testing  there  is  quite  different  than  that  of  an  agronomic  lab.  Agro- 
nomic labs  that  test  field  soil  grind  the  soil  to  extract  any  potential 
nutrients  that  could  be  released  to  the  plant.  With  soilless  mixes,  we 
don't  expect  the  mix  to  give  up  many  nutrients:  we've  control 
everything— the  pH  and  all  the  fertilizers  the  plant  receive.  So  when 
we  test,  we  check  only  what  is  available  today—in  essence,  leach 
running  out  of  the  bottom  of  the  pot. 

A  tissue  sample  can  show  how  the  plant  is  reacting  to  the  soil. 
Disease  cultures  are  more  complex,  requiring  more  time  to  isolate 
and  (if  necessary)  grow  in  the  lab.  Then,  by  the  process  of  elimina- 
tion, we  can  make  recommendations  and  suggest  how  to  avoid  the 
problem  in  the  future. 

|im  Zabhcki,  Jerrilory  Manager.  The  Scolls  Company.  Northeasl.  can  be  reached 
at  603-224-5583. 


HOW  ABOUT   HERBS 


Perennial  Herbal  Vines 


There  are  many  interesting  vines 
to  use  in  the  landscape.  Here  I 
taii<  about  those  with  herbal  uses--a 
special  fragrance,  medicinal  proper- 
ties, culinary  uses. 

Vines  can  provide  a  strong  de- 
gree of  definition  in  an  herb  garden 
design  They  can  block  undesirable 
views,  provide  a  background  for 
other,  more  colorful,  herbs,  and  when 
trained  on  arbors  or  pergolas  soften 
the  lines  of  the  structure  and  pro- 
vide shade  over  a  comfortable  gar- 
den bench 

In  searching  for  "different  and  un- 
usual" as  well  as  herbal,  I  went  first 
to  my  memory--to  the  Dutchman's 
Pipe  \Arislolochis  macrophijlla  (syn  A. 
durior)  rambling  all  over  the  veranda 
on  my  grandmother's  northern  Ver- 
mont home,  creating  a  cool  dark 
hideaway  for  us  to  play  in  when  we 
visited  I  searched  through  all  my 
herbal  books,  hoping  to  find  an 
herbal  use  for  this  plant  Finally  I 
found  one-a  mention  of  a  medicinal 
use  in  an  old  kitchen  herbal.  I  also 
decided  that  its  use  as  a  shade  plant 
over  an  arbor  in  an  herb  garden 
would  earn  it  a  place  on  my  list.  A 
twining  vine  that  grows  well  in  sun 
or  partial  shade,  it  has  big  heart- 
shaped  leaves  and  unusual  green 
and  purple  flowers  that  look  like 
miniature  leprechaun  pipes.  We  used 
to  pretend  to  smoke  the  little  pipes 
and  make  hats  out  of  the  big  leaves, 
using  twigs  to  hold  them  together. 

My  next  choice  is  very  exciting.  It 
is  only  hardy  to  zone  5,  which  leaves 


out  much  of  New  Hampshire,  but 
here  it  is  anyway.  Akebia  quiuala  (or 
Five-leaf  Akebia)  has,  according  to 
one  of  my  favorite  garden  writers, 
Allen  Lacy,  small  chocolate-scented 
rose-purple  flowers  in  spring  The 
vine  will  grow  in  partial  shade  or  sun 
and  will  not  get  rampant  in  this  cli- 
mate. According  to  Lacy,  this  climate 
keeps  it  under  control-for— like  many 
vines-it  can  be  a  nuisance  in  warmer 
climes  He  also  states  that  it  may  not 
fruit  in  this  zone  either,  although  he 
admires  the  large  purple  or  cream- 
colored  fruits  that  hang  down  and 
look  like  mangos  Wayside  Gardens 
describes  its  semi-evergreen  foliage 
as  ornamental  and  dainty,  but  the 
plant  itself  as  "a  very  sturdy  grower 
that  can  be  easily  kept  in  bounds  by 
pruning."  The  Brooklyn  Botanical  Gar- 
den calls  it  "one  of  the  best  foliage 
vines  for  the  North."  For  all  those 
attributes--and  especially  the  fra- 
grance--! want  to  give  it  a  try.  If  any 
of  you  growers  out  there  already 
carry  it,  give  me  a  call 

The  Hops  Vine  {Humulus  lupulus) 
has  long  been  known  as  an  herbal 
plant.  The  female  flowers  are  used 
for  making  beer  and  have  medicinal 
uses  as  well  Dried  and  stuffed  into 
pillows,  the  fragrance  of  the  hops 
flowers  is  considered  to  be  sedative 
and  the  use  of  such  "sleep  pillows" 
was  very  popular  in  Victorian  times. 
The  clusters  of  flowers,  which  look 
like  small  green  pine  cones,  are  also 
used  in  dried  arrangements  and 
wreaths.    This  perennial  vine  is  grow- 


ing at  the  site  of  Celia  Thaxter's  gar- 
den on  Appledore  Island  and  also  at 
the  Thomas  Bailey  Aldridge  House  at 
Strawbery  Banke.  Its  a  hard  one  to 
get  started,  but  once  established, 
watch  out     Give  it  plenty  of  room 

Ground  Nut  Vine  (Apois  ameri-cana) 
is  a  native  legume  vine  that  I  would 
like  to  find.  It's  a  hardy  shade-loving 
vine  that  dies  back  to  the  roots  ev- 
ery year,  which  no  doubt  keeps  it  in 
bounds  It  flowers  in  mid-August, 
producing  clusters  of  fragrant  coral 
and  white  pea-like  blossoms;  in  the 
fall,  it  produces  a  crop  of  edible 
nutty  tubers  which  East  Coast  Native 
Americans  used  to  harvest  for  food. 
They  are  described  as  tasting  like  a 
potato  or  Jerusalem  artichoke 

Finally,  there  is  a  Clematis  vine 
that  fits  into  the  herbal  category. 
Traveler's  Joy  (C/f»ifl(is  vilalba).  with 
its  fluffy  whorled  seed  heads  and 
light  sweet  fragrance,  is  said  to  have 
edible  sprouts  I  like  the  seed  heads 
for  arrangements,  but  you  must  pick 
them  early,  before  they  become  frag- 
ile and  shatter.  Because  it  flowers  in 
late  summer/early  fall  with  a  shower 
of  creamy  white  blossoms,  it  is  a 
marvelous  accent  in  the  autumn 
garden. 

These  are  some  choice  perennial 
vines  There  are  some  wonderful  an- 
nual vines  for  the  herb  garden  as 
well    Maybe  next  time.. 

Tanya  ]ackson,  a  well-known  area 
herbalist,  can  be  reached  al  603-431-6774. 


PRUNERS     ■     LADDERS     ■     SPRAYERS     ■     FORKLIFTS     ■     PUMPS 


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  Planlsman 


E   W   H    E   R   E 


THE        NEWS 


produced  a  rule  change  in  which 
they  would  not  or  could  not  com- 
pletely assess  the  potential  risks  of 
pathogens  associated  with  the  gen- 
era in  questions.  Several  scientists 
whom  APHIS  invited  refused  to  partici- 
pate because  of  inadequate  methodol- 
ogy,"  said  Dr.  William  Carlson,  Execu- 
tive Vice  President  of  PPGA  and  a  pro- 
fessor of  horticulture  at  Michigan  State. 

Greenhouse  Geranium 
Pest  Alert 

(from  American  Association  of  Nurs- 
erymen Update,  February  27,  1Q95) 

Two  pests  not  known  to  be  estab- 
lished in  the  US  have  apparently  en- 
tered on  geranium  cuttings  imported 
from  the  Canary  Islands.  The  first, 
Heikoverpa  armigera  (Old  World  Boll- 
worm)  has  been  found  on  geraniums 
in  an  Oregon  greenhouse.  The  sec- 
ond, Cfirysodeixis  chakites  (tomato  looper 
or  golden  twin  spot)  has  been  found 
in  an  Ohio  greenhouse.  Both  are  con- 
sidered economically  important  pests. 

Eradication  efforts  and  investiga- 
tion of  import  and  distribution  docu- 
ments are  underway  by  the  USDA 
and  state  plant  health  officials.  Any 
growers  who  have  received  geranium 
cuttings  from  the  Canary  Islands  be- 
tween mid-November,  1994,  and 
February  ninth  should  contact  their 
state  department  of  agriculture  and 
request  a  prompt  inspection.  Fail- 
ure to  do  so  could  result  in  emer- 
gency quarantine  actions,  including 
stop-sale  and  treatment  orders,  dur- 
ing the  spring  shipping  season. 


The  Green  spot 


ONE  WAY  TO  KEEP  PESTS  AWAY  FROM  YOUR  GREENHOUSE 
plants  is  to  incorporate  screens  into  your  pest  control  program. 
However,  screens  are  not  for  every  grower. 

Screening  may  be  needed  if:  you  don't  have  the  time  or  facilities 
to  quarantine  or  inspect  new  material;  if  you  are  in--or  adjacent 
to--an  area  that  has  very  high  numbers  of  pests;  you  treat  crops 
regularly  with  chemical  substances  and  have  thus  eliminated  natural 
predator  populations. 

Screening  may  not  be  needed  if:  you  carefully  inspect  or  quaran- 
tine new  plant  material;  you're  in  an  area  with  little  pest  pressure; 
you  only  spot-treat  with  chemical  substances  in  order  to  spare  your 
pests'  natural  enemies  and  prevent  the  development  of  resistance. 
Screens  are  usually  either  "anti-virus"  or  "anti-thrips."  Anti-virus 
screens  have  openings  of  around  0.0103  x  0.0322  inches  with  a 
shade  value  of  about  20%,  depending  on  mesh,  thread  size,  and 
weave.  These  are  useful  in  barring  common  pests  such  as  white- 
flies,  aphids,  leaf  miners,  and  about  80%  of  western  flower  thrips. 

No-thrips  screens  have  openings  of  about  0.0059  x  0.0059  inches, 
a  shade  value  of  about  33%,  and  will  exclude  100%  of  western 
flower  thrips,  along  with  all  of  the  other  pests  mentioned. 

Drawbacks  to  screening  include  cost,  reduced  light  and  ventila- 
tion, appearance  (customers  can't  see  the  plants  from  outside),  and 
the  obstruction  of  natural  enemies. 

Advantages  include  pest  exclusion  in  an  isolated  micro- 
environment  that  keeps  introduced  biological  agents  in  with  the 
crop,  less  disease  (if  ventilation  and  air  flow  are  adequate),  and 
shade 


Mifee  Cherim,  owner  of  The  Creen  Spot,  a  company  supplying  biological  pest 
control  agents  and  related  supplies,  can  be  reached  at  603-942-8925. 


FOR  THE  LATEST  QUALITY  TURF  BLENDS 


CALL  TOLL  FREE  1  ■BOO-556-6985 


Turf  for  Home  Lawns,  Athletic  Fields,  Parks,  Commercial  Buildings, 
Golf  Courses,  Schools,  Garden  Centers,  Wetland  Stabilization. 


Wmoninf 


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 


April  &  May  1995 


ELSEWHERE 


THE        NEW 


Publications  Available 

Two  publications  are  available  from 
the  Ohio  Florists'  Association  (OFA). 
The  third  edition  of  Tips  on  Crowing 
Bedding  Plants  is  a  164-page  text  with 
132  full-color  photographs  and  16 
black-and-white  charts,  that  "pro- 
vides information  about  producing 
quality  bedding  plants  for  both  nov- 
ice and  experienced  growers  "  This 
book  is  available  to  OFS  members 
for  $22  and  to  non-members  for  $27. 

"Compiled  through  the  combined 
efforts  of  IP  floriculture  and  industry 
members  who  have  worked  in  spe- 
cific areas  of  production  and  market- 
ing of  hanging  baskets,"  the  first  edi- 
tion of  Tips  on  Crowing  and  Marketing 
Hanging  Baskets  provides  "the  most 
comprehensive  up-to-date  informa- 
tion available  "  This  88-page  book 
containing  69  color  figures  and  29 
tables  is  available  to  OFS  members 
for  $18  and  to  non-members  for  $23 

Postage  and  handling  costs  for 
each  are  $5  for  the  first  copy  and  $2 


for  every  copy  thereafter. 

To  order,  contact  the  Ohio  Florists' 
Association,  2130  Stella  Court,  Suite 
200,  Columbus,  Ohio  43215-1033.  The 
phone  number  is  614-487-1 1 17. 

Also,  the  New  England  Creenhouse 
Floricultural  Crop  Pest  Management  and 
Growth  Regulation  Cuide,  1995-1996, 
published  in  conjunction  with  the 
New  England  Greenhouse  Confer- 
ence and  sponsored  by  the  six 
states'  Cooperative  Extensions  and 
state  grower  associations,  is  now 
available.  This  110-page  publication 
probably  has  the  most  up-to-date  in- 
formation on  the  constantly  shifting 
rules  and  new  products.  It  costs  ten 
dollars;  it  should  be  available  at 
your  local  Extension  office. 

(Also— copies  of  the  1994  Neiv  Eng- 
land Creenfiouse  Conference  Proceedings,  a 
241 -page  compilation  of  short  papers 
from  64  of  the  educational  sessions, 
are  available  for  $10.00  each.  To  order, 
send  a  check  payable  to  NEGC  to:  R.I. 
McAvoy,  1376  Storrs  Rd.,  U-67,  Storrs, 
CT  06269-4067.  Include  $2.00  shipping 


and  handling  for  each  order  ) 

The  First  True  Mini 
Alstoemeria 

(from  Creenhouse  Crower  February,  1995) 

Dutch  breeders  and  researchers  have 
produced  the  first  true  mini-Alstroe- 
meria-"Little  Star."  "Little  Star"  boasts 
a  vase  life  of  2-3  weeks  and  its  flowers 
and  stem  length  (27  inches!  makes  it 
adaptable  for  use  in  both  single  and 
mixed  bouquets 

"Little  Star"  produces  5-8  flowers 
(with  diameters  averaging  14  inches! 
per  stem.  The  color  on  the  blossoms 
changes  from  yellow  to  yellow-orange 
from  the  petal  edges  to  the  bottom  of 
the  calyx  The  tops  of  the  petals  show 
a  small  green  dot  and  sometimes  a 
small  reddish  brown  line  is  visible  to- 
ward the  center  of  the  bloom 

This  cultivar  is  available  through 
Dutch  auctions  throughout  the  year.  For 
more,  contact  Public  Relations  Market- 
ing, Inc  ,  Box  749,  Glenwood  Landing, 
NY  11547;  phone:  212-980-8078. 


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  &  Ecke  New  Guinea  Impatiens 


"The  Qeranium  Specialists" 

Wholesale  Growers 

2  1/2"  Geraniums  (year  round) 

4"  Pre-finished  Geraniums 

2  1/2"  Ivy  Geraniums  &  Fuchsia 

Martha  Washington  Geraniums 

Spring  Hanging  Baskets,  Lilies/Bulbs 

Azaleas,  Cyclamen,  Poinsettias,  Foliage 

JOHN  B.  CARPENTER,  President 
ROBERT  J.  CARPENTER,  General  Manager 

603/659-3391 

220  SOUTH  MAIN  STREET 

NEWMARKET,  NH  03857 


NORTHERN    NURSERIES 

WHOLESALE  HORTICULTURAL  DISTRIBUTION  CENTERS 

U.S.  Route  S,  White  River  Junction,  VT  05001 

16  Pinkham  Road  West,  Banington,  Nh  03825  JL 

SER  VING  THE  PROFESSIONAL 

WITH  ABOVE  GROUND  PLANT  MATERIAL 

Distributors  in  the  following  lines: 

•  Lofts  Seeds  .  Biichmder  Sprayers 

•  DeWitt  Weed  Barrier    •  Lebanon  Turf  Fertilizers 

•  Corona  Hand  Tools      .  Mulch  &  Grow  Hydroseeding  Fiber 

•  Earthway  Spreaders       •  Nursery  &  Landscape  Supplies 

Contact: 

Jim  Babb,  Mgr.,  White  River  Junction,  VT,  (802)  295-2117 

Bob  Avcrell,  Mgr.,  Barrington,  NH,  (603)  868-7172 

GOOD  SER  VICE .  DEPENDABLE  QUAUTT .  CONVENIENT  LOCATION 


BARK  MULCH  DIVISION 

P.O.  Box  527,  Route  122 
Poland  Spring,  Maine  04274 


WHOLESALE 
SUPPLIERS 


Jolly  Farmer 
PRODUCTS 


NURSERY  DIVISION: 

P.  O.  Box  56,  Route  10 
East  Lempster,  N.H.  03605 


WHOLESALE 
GROWERS 


Bark  Mulch  -  Hemlock  .  Mix  &  Cedar... 
by  the  Tractor-Trailer  load. 

Bagged  Mulch  -  our  own  bat1<  mulch  now 
available  In  2  and  3  cu.ft.  bags.. .Hemlock, 
Pine-Spruce,  Cedar,  Spruce-Hemlock  &  Dark  Bark. 
Also...Plne  Bark  Nuggets  &  Mini  Nuggets. 

Bagged  Soils  &  Manures  -  Top  soil, 
Potting  Soil,  Peat  Humus,  Peat  Moss, 
Composted  &  Dehydrated  Cow  Manures. 

Cut  &  Split  Firewood 


Annual  Plugs 
Rooted  Cuttings 
Geraniums 
Bedding  Plants 
Potted  Annuals 
Hanging  Basltets 
Fall  Mums 
Cyclamen...Llners.  Finished 
Polnsettlas...Cuttings,  Finished 


Telephone: 


1-800-879-2275 

1-207-998-5580 
1-207-998-2006 


Telephone: 


1-800-695-8300 

1-603-863-3370 
1-603-863-7814 


"Integrity,  quality  and  reliable  service  since  1967" 


April  &  May  |095 


Colop  Basket  ^"^ 
&  Color  Ovals 

These  innovative  additions  to  the  color  container  line  further  enhance  your  ability  to  capitalize 

on  this  growing  trend  toward  new  and  varied  shapes,  sizes  and  styles.  Not  only  are  the  new 

Dillen  products  a  progressive  answer  to  your  customers'  desires,  but  their  attractive  pricing 

gives  you  a  competitive  edge  and  greater  profit  margin. 

Complementing  the  Color  Pots  and  Color  Bowls  is  the  new  12'  Color  Basket,  which  is 

available  in  the  standard  clay  and  granite  colors.  The  Color  Basket  functions  as  a  sauceriess 

basket  with  raised  bottom  drainage  and  an  internal  capillary  dish. 

The  12*  Oval  Planter  offers  a  smaller  and  more  versatile  size  to  enhance  the  already  popular 

16*  oval  planter.  Measuring  12*L  x  6'W  x  5'D,  the  new  oval  is  perfect  for  pansies,  herb 

gardens  or  annuals. 

For  more  information,  call  Griffiin  at  508-851-4346. 


GRIFFIN 


GREENHOUSE  &  NURSERY  SUPPLIES 


I  J  rHuiM.L-n.mc  ^^  | 


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mm     o^cEffdieMg 

Wholesalers  &  Retailers 


'Potted  Plants 
'Seasonal  Crops 
'Supplies 


Visit  our  12  Greenhouses  &  Garden  Center 

Claremont  Hill,  Newport,  New  Hampshire 

(603)863-1089 

OPEN  YEAR  ROUND 


Planting  Shoreland  Arecis 


Ralph  M.  Winslow  jr 


BECAUSE  New  Hampshire's  scenic 
beauty  contributes  to  the  quality  of 
life  for  its  visitors  and  residents  alike, 
maintaining  environmental  quality 
should  be  everyone's  concern  Despite 
increased  awareness  about  environ- 
mental issues,  the  activities  of  those 
who  live  near  our  lakes  and  rivers 
could  adversely  affect  the  quality  of 
those  waters.  As  a  green  industry  pro- 
fessional, you  can  help  educate  your 
clientele  about  landscape  practices 
that  will  help  maintain  the  quality  of 
New  Hampshire's  water  resources. 

Land-use  activities  within  a  water- 
shed, especially  along  shorelines,  can 
have  a  tremendous  impact  on  the 
quality  of  adjacent  surface  waters. 
Given  that  the  protection  of  New 
Hampshire's  shorelands  is  essential  for 
maintaining  the  high  quality  of  the 
state's  public  waters,  the  Comprehen- 
sive Shoreland  Protection  Act  (RSA  ^^^^^^ 
483-B)  was  recently  enacted  and  be-  wa 
came  effective  on  July  1,  1994.  This  act  __ 
applies  to  all  lands  located  within  250 
feet  of  the  ordinary  high  water  level  (reference  line)  of 
publicly  owned  lakes  and  impoundments,  certain  major 
rivers,  estuaries,  and  coastal  waters.  It  establishes  mini- 
mum standards  for  the  use  and  future  development  of 
these  designated  shoreland  areas.  The  New  Hampshire 
Department  of  Environmental  Services  has  developed  a 
four  page  synopsis  which  provides  information  about  the 
act  (technical  bulletin  #  NHDES-CO-1994-2)  . 

In  the  spirit  of  stewardship,  people  who  own  land  and 
homes  on  New  Hampshire's  lakes,  ponds,  and  streams 
can  play  an  important  role  in  preserving  the  quality  of 
our  public  waters.  By  considering  some  of  the  following 
landscaping  techniques,  shoreland  residents  can  help 
protect  our  ground  and  surface  waters  for  all  to  use  and 
enjoy. 

Fertilize  Properly. 

The  law  states  that  "no  fertilizer,  except  lime  or  wood 
ash,  shall  be  used  on  lawns  or  areas  with  grass  on  resi- 
dential properties"  within  this  250-foot  zone.  Although 
vegetable  gardens  and  ornamental  plantings  are  not 
specifically  included  in  the  act,  the  first  step  in  any  fer- 
tilization program  is  to  have  your  soil  tested — and  then 
follow  the  recommendation.  UNH  Cooperative  Extension 
offers  a  soil  testing  service  that  can  determine  soil  nutri- 
ent needs  and  the  best  type  and  amount  of  fertilizer  to 

April  &  May  1995 


(^ 


industry  professional, 
you  can  lielp 


educate  your  clientele 
about  landscape 


practices  that 


use  Soil  test  kits  are  available  at  lo- 
cal, county  UNH  Cooperative  Exten- 
sion offices. 

Since  lawns  within  this  250-foot 
setback  are  specifically  restricted  to 
only  applications  of  lime  or  wood  ashes 
which  can  raise  soil  pH,  a  soil  test  is 
even  more  important  for  promoting 
healthy  turf.  A  soil  test,  invaluable  in 
determining  and — if  necessary — in 
raising  the  soil  pH,  will  enable  turf  to 
make  the  best  use  of  available  soil 
nutrients. 


will  help  maintain 

the  quality  of 
New  Hampshire's 


Water  Wisely. 

Over-watering  can  greatly  increase  the 
movement  of  nutrients  and  other  sub- 
stances into  groundwater  For  most 
growing  situations,  about  one  inch  of 
rainfall  per  week,  either  natural  or  arti- 
ficial, is  sufficient  for  adequate  growth. 
The  addition  of  organic  matter  to  soil, 
■"~~~~"~  the  use  of  mulches,  and  the  applica- 

:er  tion  of  xeroscaping  techniques — land- 

^  scaping  to  minimize  water  use — can 

further  reduce  the  need  for  supple- 
mental water.  These  practices  will  help  conserve  a  valu- 
able natural  resource  and  will  help  reduce  the  potential 
for  nutrients  and  sediment  to  affect  our  ground  and  sur- 
face waters. 

Proper  Turf  Management. 

Since  fertilizer  applications  are  prohibited  on  residential 
lawns  within  this  shoreland  zone,  proper  turf  manage- 
ment takes  on  renewed  importance.  Grass  kept  at  a 
height  of  two  and  one-half  to  three  inches  during  the 
months  of  July  and  August  can  withstand  heat  and 
drought  stress  better  than  closely  clipped  grass.  This 
higher  mowing  height  encourages  deeper  rooting,  thus 
reducing  the  need  for  frequent  watering.  It  will  also  al- 
low turf  to  more  successfully  out-compete  broad-leaved 
weeds,  reducing  the  need  for  weed  control. 

In  addition,  unmown  grass  tends  to  make  a  very  good 
erosion  and  nutrient  barrier.  Its  fibrous  root  system  and 
dense  top  growth  can  greatly  slow  and  reduce  surface 
runoff  and  help  to  intercept  nutrients  and  pesticides. 

Other  techniques,  such  as  mowing  frequently,  remov- 
ing no  more  than  a  third  of  the  leaf  blade,  and  leaving 
clippings  on  lawns,  can  conserve  soil  nutrients  and  help 
build  soil  organic  matter.  County  UNH  Cooperative  Ex- 
tension offices  have  fact  sheets  available  to  assist  with 
turf  management. 

17 


Grow  Low-Maintenance  Grasses. 

Due  to  lower  maintenance  re- 
quirements, there  is  increased 
interest  in  and  research  devoted 
to  the  development  of  dwarf  turf 
grasses  These  grasses,  such  as 
fine-leaf  fescues  and  perennial 
ryes,  perform  well  with  lower  in- 
puts of  fertilizer,  water,  mowing, 
and  pesticides  Dwarf  turfgrasses 
are  survivors  under  adverse  con- 
ditions— including  our  infertile, 
acidic  soils — and  tolerate  shade, 
drought,  most  pests,  and  cold 
temperatures.  Several  new  variet- 
ies have  been  developed  espe- 
cially for  home  landscape  use. 
Since  many  of  these  new  dwarf 
turf  grasses  may  only  be  limit- 
edly  available  from  local  suppli- 
ers, you  may  need  to  contact 
producers  directly.  A  recent  Ex- 
tension publication,  Low-Mainte- 
nance lurfgrass  for  Landscapes  and 
Commercial  hgriculture.  is  now  avail- 
able to  assist  in  successfully  us- 
ing these  newer  turf  types. 

Use  Alternative  Landscaping. 

Using  alternative  landscaping 
techniques,  such  as  ground- 
covers,  rock  gardens,  or  shrubs 
mulched  with  bark  or  stones,  can 
greatly  reduce  the  need  for  turf 
areas  and  can  help  reduce  or 
eliminate  fertilizer  and  water 
needs,  helping  to  prevent  ground 
and  surface  water  pollution  from 
shoreland  areas 

Most  perennial  plants  can 
make  adequate  growth  with  rela- 
tively low  inputs  of  additional 
nutrients.  Proper  plant  selection 
and  the  use  of  organic  mulches 
can  greatly  minimize  the  need 
for  applying  additional  fertilizer. 

Maintain  Natural  Buffer  Areas. 

Keeping  a  portion  of  a  property 
between  lawns  or  gardens  and 
any  stream,  pond,  or  wetland  in 
native  vegetation  will  help  re- 
duce the  impact  on  surface  wa- 
ters. According  to  the  Shoreland 
Protection  Act,  where  existing,  a 
natural  woodland  buffer  shall  be 
maintained  within  150  feet  of  the 
reference  line  The  act  also 
specifies  what  type  of  vegetation 


JLlants  for  Buffer  Zones 


Trees 

Balsam  Fir  {^bies  balsamea] 

Fraser  Fir  |A.  fraseri) 

Red  Maple  [Acer  rubrum) 

Sugar  Maple  |A.  saccharum) 

Shadbush  {Amelanchier  sp.| 

Yellow  Birch  {Qelula  alleghaniensis\ 

Black  Birch  (B   \enta) 

Paper  Birch  IB   papyrifera) 

White  Ash  {Fraxinus  americana) 

Green  Ash  (F.  pennsylvanica) 

Carolina  Silverbell  {Halesia  Carolina) 

Black  Tupelo  INysso  sylvatica) 

White  Spruce  {Picea  glauca) 

Red  Pine  (Pinus  resinosa\ 

Scotch  Pine  IP.  sylvestris) 

White  Pine  |P.  strobus] 

White  Oak  {Quercus  alba) 

Swamp  White  Oak  (Q.  bicolor) 

Pin  Oak  |Q   patustris) 

Red  Oak  (Q    rubra) 

Canadian  Hemlock  )Tsuga  canadensis) 

Small  Trees/Shrubs 

Amur  Maple  lAfer  ginnala) 

Bottlebrush  Buckeye  {Aesculus  parviflora) 

American  Hazelnut  iCorylus  americana) 

Pagoda  Dogwood  (Cornws  alternifolia) 

Silky  Dogwood  |C    amomum) 

Gray  Dogwood  |C    racemosa) 

Redosier  Dogwood  |C.  sericea,  formerly  slolonifera) 

Hawthorn  iCralaeus  sp.) 

Sweet  Pepperbush  iClelhra  alnifolia) 

Common  Pearlbush  {Exochorda  racemosa) 

Large  Fothergilla  iFottiergilla  major) 

Common  Witchhazei  {Hamamelis  vir^iHifldaj 

Bay  berry  [Myrica  pensylvanica) 

Ironwood  {Oslrya  virginiana) 

Mugo  Pine  IPimus  mugo) 

Beech  Plum  (PruMus  maritima) 

Azalea  {Rhododendron  sp.) 

Rhododendron  [Rhododendron  sp.) 

Rose  I  Rosa  sp.,  avoid  R    mulUtlora) 

Snowberry  {Symphoricarpos  albus) 

Coralberry  (S    sp.) 

Winterberry  illex  verticillata) 

Highbush  Blueberry  {Vaccinium  corymbosum) 

Hobblebush  Wiburnum  alnifolium) 

Koreanspice  Viburnum  (V.  carlesii) 

Arrowwood  IV   dentalum) 

Blackhaw  Viburnum  |V.  prunitolium) 

Nannyberry  |V.  lentago) 

Sargent  Viburnum  |V.  sargentiil 

American  Cranberrybush  |V   trilobum) 

Vines  and  Ground  Covers 

Bearberry  {Arclostaphylos  uva-ursi) 

Ginger  [Asarum  sp.) 

Astilbe  )Aslilbe  sp) 

Bunchberry  {Cornus  canadensis) 

Sweet  Fern  {Complonia  peregrina) 

Barrenwort  [Epimedium  sp.) 

Wintergreen  {Gaullheria  procumbens) 

Sweet  Woodruff  |Ga/ium  odoralum) 

Cranesbill  {Geranium  sp.) 

Hosta  {Hosla  sp.) 

Candytuft  {\beris  sempervirens) 

Allegheny  Pachysandra  {Pachysandra  procumbens) 

Canby  Paxistima  {Paxislima  canbyi) 

Virginia  Creeper  {Parthenocissus  quinquefolia) 

Lowbush  Blueberry  {Vaccinium  anguslifolium) 

Mountain  Cranberry  (V.  vitis-idaea) 

Ferns  (several  speciesi 


management  activities  may  or 
may  not  occur  in  these  areas 
Buffer  areas  will  help  to  remove 
nutrients  that  might  be  included 
in  the  runoff  from  lawn  areas 
during  intense  rainstorms  and 
snow  melt  These  areas  also  pro- 
vide food  and  habitat  for  birds 
and  other  wildlife.  Many  native 
shrubs  and  ground  covers  would 
be  good  choices  for  these  buffer 
areas,  especially  those  with 
dense  surface-root  systems.  Trees 
are  important  plants  for  buffers, 
too,  but  too  much  shade  at 
ground  level  may  inhibit  the 
growth  of  many  understory  plants. 

Good  site  analysis  and  evalua- 
tion is  critical  for  successful 
planting  of  buffer  areas  Knowing 
the  existing  growing  conditions — 
sunny  or  shady,  dry  or  moist — is 
essential  for  proper  plant  selec- 
tion. The  selected  list  of  native 
and  appropriate  non-native  plant 
materials  on  this  page  represents 
some  good  choices,  depending 
on  site  conditions,  for  both  buff- 
ers and  naturalized  landscape  ar- 
eas. In  some  cases,  a  particular 
variety  or  cultivar  may  be  a  bet- 
ter choice  over  the  unimproved 
species  Because  of  the  diversity 
of  available  plant  materials, 
other  plants  not  listed  may  be 
good  choices,  too  Also,  numer- 
ous herbaceous  perennials,  both 
native  and  exotic,  can  make 
excellent  naturalized  ground 
covers 

By  helping  to  make  the  public 
aware  of  the  need  for  protecting 
water  quality  through  appropriate 
shoreland  landscape  practices, 
the  horticultural  industry  can 
contribute  not  only  to  client  edu- 
cation, but  to  ultimately  helping 
preserve  the  quality  of  the 
State's  water  resources  for  all  to 
use  and  enjoy. 

Ralph  WiMs/ow  is  Extension  Educator, 
Agricultural  Resources  and  Community 
Development,  at  Belknap  County 
UNH  Cooperative  Extension,  PC  Box 
368,  LflcOMifl,  NH  03247     If  you 
have  any  questions  or  comments,  he 
can  be  reached  at  603-542-1737. 


18 


Wholesale 


Gold  Star  Wholesale  Nursea  is  a  family  ornied  business.  Since  1952  » 
have  been  offering  the  finest  wholesale  planting  materials  to  landscape  contractors 
throughout  the  N.E  area  along  with  the  one  element  thai  truly  sets 
us  apan  from  the  competition...ser\ice. 

Gold  Star  welcomes  your  comments  and  suggestions. 
Make  us  your  one-stop  for  the  best  in  wholesale  landscape  supplies 

JIIWHIIIIW.'fl»!BW»W,WMim.HMBMH,M:l,mWUr, 


HARRY  STOLLER  &  CO.,  Inc. 

109-113  Essex  St.,  Haverhill,  Mass.  01830,  (508)  373-6838,  (800)  322-0332 
We  cater  to  the  small  and  medium  size  nursery  in  any  quantity  desired: 


1 .  New  heavy  grade  domestic  burlap  sqs. 
untreated  &  no-rot-treated 

2.  Open  burlap  bags 

3.  New  windbreak  burlap 

4.  Balling  bags 


5.  Wire  baskets 

6.  Flat-folded  burlap  basket  liners 

7.  Truck  covers 

8.  Sisal  twine  &  poly  twine 

9.  Woven  polypropylene  sqs. 


April  &  May  1995 


MEMBER        PROFILE 


Jacques 


^^  A  T  hen  you  first  enter,  you're  in 
^^^^  an  atrium  that  rises  two  stor- 
W  W  ies  to  a  skylight  in  the  roof. 
In  spite  of  the  space,  the  shop- 
seems  full--cluttered  in  the  way  a 
place  can  get  when  a  lot  of  things 
are  happening  all  at  once. 

The  atrium  is  filled  with  hanging 
plants  and  clusters  of  baskets  (  "we 
use  the  baskets  for  all  kinds  of 
things— gift  baskets,  arrangements: 
the  designers  like  a  lot  on  hand"); 
buckets  of  freesia  and  iris  are  on  the 
floor  in  front  of  the  cooler  (designers 
work  in  the  room  behind  it).  Beyond 
the  cashier's  counter  to  the  right  is  a 
small  greenhouse-house-plants  and- 
under  a  section  covered  with  fabric 
—gourmet  foods  and  wine  (  "business 
clients  like  these").  A  passageway 
seems  to  lead  to  another  green- 
house; on  the  left,  stairs  lead  to  a 
second  floor— silk  flowers,  a  consulta- 
tion area,  an  office... 

It's  full  of  history  as  well.  )acques 
began  in  1Q13  when  a  shoe  shop 
worker,  O.  Raoul  Jacques,  began  grow- 
ing bedding  plants  in  back  of  the 
three-story  tenement  on  Lowell 
Street  where  he  lived. 

He  had  four  children.  Three  moved 
on  to  other  things,  but  his  youngest 
daughter,  Coulombe,  after  graduating 
from  high  school  in  1924,  asked  if 
she  could  sell  cut  flowers  as  part  of 
the  business.  Her  father  agreed. 
Coulombe  ("a  woman  far  ahead  of 
her  time")  commuted  to  Boston  for 
five  months  to  learn  floral  design 
and  lacques  became  a  flower  shop. 

In  1950,  Coulombe  married  Larry 
Lagasse,  a  shoe  shop  worker  with  a 
greenhouse  in  the  back  of  the  three- 
story  tenement  on  Front  Street 
where  he  lived 

In  1951,  they  built  the  building  on 
Front  Street  along  with  the  smaller 
(12x26)  greenhouse.  This  wood  and 
glass  structure  is  the  same  one  in 
use  today,  "with  enough  glass  in 
storage  for  repairs  for  the  next  hun- 
dred years" 

20 


"JUST   DO   IT." 

In  1961,  lacques  expanded  again- 
a  30x50  greenhouse  was  built.  And 
in  1974,  the  second  floor  was  added 

By  then,  Paul  Godbout  was  in- 
volved His  family  had  always 
bought  flowers  at  |acques--his  par- 
ents had  bought  their  wedding  flow- 
ers at  the  Lowell  Street  shop  in 
1946— and  Paul  carried  on  the  tradi- 
tion. In  1974,  Paul  was  a  traveling 
salesman  for  Kalwall  with  an  MBA 
and  a  growing  family  who  wanted  a 
business  of  his  own.  A  stop  to  buy 
flowers  for  Nancy  at  the  birth  of 
their  second  child  started  a  chain  of 
events  and  coincidences  that  led  to 
his  owning  the  shop. 

At  the  time,  Paul  "had  no  cash,  no 
capital,  no  reserves"  and  neither  he 
nor  Nancy  knew  anything  about  the 
florist  trade-but  a  deal  was  worked 
out;  suppliers  extended  credit;  Cou- 
lombe stayed  30  days  to  help 
out--'"on  the  first  day,  she  showed 
me  how  to  make  a  bow..." 

Nancy  went  to  Simmonds  Floral 
School  in  Wellesley;  Paul  has  never 
had  any  formal  training.  Looking 
back,  Paul  says  it  was  a  tremendous 
advantage-""we  had  no  preconceived 
notions— and  that  let  us  be  open  to 
a  lot  of  new  ideas-ideas  that  a 
professionally-trained  owner  might 
not  have  considered.  I  remember 
one  St.  Patrick's  day,  we  had  a  keg 
of  green  beer  in  the  shop.  It  was 
crazy— probably  now  it's  illegal— and 
maybe  only  a  handful  of  customers 
actually  had  a  glass.  But  people 
remembered-'hey,  there's  that  shop 
that  served  green  beer"--and  came 
back." 

""But  your  success,"  Paul  warns, 
"contains  the  seeds  of  your  destruc- 
tion--you  tend  to  repeat  the  ideas 
that  are  successful  and  stop  looking 
for  new  ways  to  do  things." 

""Basically,  when  we  took  over, 
lacques  needed  new  energy-- 
Coulombe  and  her  two  assistants 
were  all  over  65— they  just  couldn"t 
handle    the    everyday    hassles:    the 


moment  you  take  the  phone  off  the 
hook  because  you  don't  want  to  deal 
with  phone  calls  is  the  time  to  find 
someone  younger  and  more  ener- 
getic to  help  out." 

BY  1988,  PAUL  OWNED  four  shops  in 
Manchester— lacques,  Fleur-de-Lis  on 
Elm,  Stache's  on  Second,  Chagnon's 
on  Amory.  "All  were  run  by  older 
people  who  simply  wanted  out— a  lot 
of  things  had  been  let  go— but  cus- 
tomers were  still  loyal— people  like 
to  deal  with  people  they  know. 
When  an  owner  leaves-even  though 
the  new  owner  might  offer  better 
service— people  are  still  loyal  to  the 
first:  a  new  owner  always  has  to 
build  his  own  core  loyalty." 

People  like  accessible  locations 
The  Elm  Street  shop  was  sold  to  its 
manager.  "She  offered  a  great  prod- 
uct, but  she  made  some  serious 
mistakes--she  wanted  her  Saturday 
afternoons  off  so  she  closed  the 
shop  then;  she  wanted  everything 
new  (a  $22,000  delivery  van  was  one 
of  her  purchases)  and  out  spent  her 
capital;  she  moved  the  location  to 
the  Willow  Street  Mall,  a  small  plaza 
with  only  one  access;  and  she  didn't 
advertise— people  couldn't  find  her. 
She  went  out  of  business." 

One  of  the  more  problematic  as- 
pects of  lacques  is  its  lack  of  acces- 
sibility. Located  in  a  small  mixed 
commercial/residential  area  at  the 
foot  of  the  Amoskeage  Bridge  on  the 
side  of  the  river  opposite  downtown 
Manchester,  it  can  be  reached  only 
by  taking  a  left-hand  turn  that  no 
one  would  expect  to  go  in  that  di- 
rection. So  Paul  advertises— heavily- 
in  newspapers,  on  radio  and  TV. 
"You  have  to  have  good  quality  and 
good  service--a  lot  of  people  do-- 
but  it  doesn't  make  any  difference  if 
no  one  knows  about  it." 

Advertising  has  increased  business 
--lacques  is  currently  the  top  FTD 
sender  in  New  Hampshire  (6904  or- 
ders in   1994)  and  the   132nd  highest 

The  Plantsman 


MEMBER        PROFILE 


Ci 


in  the  country 

There's  phone  access  and  also  ac- 
cess by  car.  Paul's  second  shop, 
Chagnon/Stache,  located  in  the  Pin- 
ardviiie  section  of  Goffstown,  is  a 
new  (IQ89I  retail/office  structure 
(Paul  rents  the  buiidingi  Spacious 
and  efficient,  without  the  cozy  charm 
of  Jacques'  warren  of  spaces,  it  does 
only  a  third  the  business  of  Jacques, 
but  because  it  has  plenty  of  parking 
and  is  clearly  visible  on  a  main  thor- 
oughfare, far  more  of  it  is  walk-in, 
"When  we  first  opened— on 
Palm  Sunday,  1992-  even 
before  the  sign  was  up, 
walk-in  business  was  higher 
than  lacques." 

If  there's  a  long-term 
trend,  it's  probably  the  in- 
creasing sales  of  outdoor 
garden  material.  At  Chag- 
non/Stache, poly  green- 
houses around  the  parking 
lot  are  filled  with  bedding 
plants  and  perennials  in  the  spring 
and  summer  (one  house  is  devoted 
to  nothing  but  impatiens)  and  mums 
in  the  fall.  Basic  shrubs  and  garden- 
ing supplies  are  sold  here  too. 

PAUL  REMEMBERS  the  Worlds  Cup 
for  Floral  Design,  an  international 
competition  for  designers  held  every 
four  years,  that  he  and  Nancy  at- 
tended in  Stockholm  in  1993.  The 
designs--"way  out,  using  material 
we've  never  seen  here,  with  no  tra- 
ditional sense  of  line  or  direction... 
ten  designers  were  on  stage;  each 
had  a  four-foot  globe  with  which 
they  could  do  what  they  wanted  with 
whatever  flowers  they  wanted. ..an 
auditorium  filled  with  10,000  people 
cheering  and  carrying  on  like  it  was 
a  sporting  event. ..a  woman  won 
--usually  it's  a  man— but  this  time 
the  winner  was  a  woman  from  Great 
Britain." 

Events  like  this  are  important 
sources  for  new  ideas;  they  also 
help  put  things  in  perspective:  "I'm 
not  a  designer--there  are  very  few 
real  designers;  at  best  I'm  a  good 
copier-I  can  copy  well  what  I  see  in 
a  book." 

Vacations  are  also  a  time  to  re- 


fuel. On  a  recent  trip  to  Florida,  he 
and  Nancy  brainstormed  on  the  way 
down  and  came  up  with  a  half-dozen 
pages  of  possibilities.  Some  were 
just  foolish  ("a  six-week  vacation  for 
everyone"),  but  others,  he's  in- 
trigued by  the  idea  of  basing  em- 
ployee pay  on  performance— the 
number  of  calls  taken,  the  number 
of  designs  made,  then  docking  pay 
for  complaints— "everything's  on  com- 
puter now,  so  it  could  be  done",  and 
adding  a  share  of  the  bottom  line. 


6 


ut  your  success,"  Paul  warns, 

contains  the  seeds  of  your  destruction — 

you  tend  to  repeat  the  ideas  that  are 

successful  and  stop  looking  for 

new  ways  to  do  things." 


The  idea  is  probably  not  feasible, 
but  the  idea  of  the  individual's  re- 
sponsibility for  his  own  actions  is. 
"We  have  no  rules,"  Paul  says.  "We 
see  each  sale  as  an  individual  trans- 
action. If  someone  wants  to  do 
something,  I  ask  ^Well,  how  would 
you  do  it?'  and  if  it  sounds  reason- 
able, I  say,  "Go  for  it.'  1  let  the  em- 
ployee decide.  There's  no  official 
policy— if  a  customer  has  a  com- 
plaint, we  listen  and  if  it  seems  jus- 
tified, we  rectify  it;  if  someone  calls 
and  wants  an  arrangement  delivered 
in  two  hours  we  don't  say,  'our 
policy  is...'  If  the  truck's  leaving  in 
an  hour  and  we  think  we  can  do  it, 
we  say  we  can;  if  we  can't,  we  ex- 
plain why.  Sure,  some  people  get 
mad,  but  most  appreciate  the  hon- 
esty and  just  plain  common  sense." 

He  goes  on:  "The  worst  thing  a 
business  can  do  is  to  create  stan- 
dardized policies  that  are  basically 
negative--~We  will  not  give  refunds;' 
~We  do  not  deliver...'  Customers  find 
that  unfriendly.  You  should  always 
be  flexible  and  remember  who's 
serving  who." 

lACQUES  DELIVERS  in  four  com- 
munities—Bedford, Goffstown,  Hook- 


set,  and  Manchester;  for  others  he 
uses  only  one  wire  service— FTD. 
FTD  was  member-owned,  but  re- 
cently members  voted  to  sell  the 
wire  service  to  Richard  Perry,  a  pri- 
vate investor 

What  will  happen?  Paul  will  stay 
with  FTD— "for  awhile,  anyway,"  but 
"there  will  be  a  lot  less  loyalty."  Al- 
though there  are  lots  of  wire  services 
to  choose  from  (he  mentions  the 
recent  growth  of  1-800- 

FLOWERS),  he  sees  another  trend: 
more  individual  customers 
calling  directly  to  the  local- 
ity in  which  the  flowers  are 
to  be  delivered  rather  than 
going  through  a  florist  near 
them:  "More  and  more  flo- 
rists are  getting  800 
numbers— we  get  calls  from 
all  over  the  US." 

Jacques  not  only  has 
an  800  number  and  a  FAX 
number,  but  an  E-mail  num- 
ber as  well.  "The  Wave  of  the 
Future-it's  still  probably  going  to  be 
product,  but  the  biggest  profit  goes 
to  the  shops  that  can  send  out  the 
most  orders." 

There  are  other  sources  of  new 
revenue.  Two  days  of  visiting  area 
businesses  last  December  convinced 
Paul  that  he  hasn't  even  begun  to 
tap  into  the  supplying  of  plant  mate- 
rial for  commercial  accounts.  Of 
course,  more  work  at  Christmas  when 
you're  already  stretched  to  the  limit 
may  not  be  what  you  want--the  best 
accounts  would  be  year-round.  But, 
"there's  as  much  out  there  as  you 
want— you  just  have  to  have  the  en- 
ergy to  go  after  it  " 

If  there's  plenty  of  business  in 
New  Hampshire,  what  do  customers 
like?  "New  Hampshire?  Very 
traditional--old-fashioned  In  the 
wealthier  suburbs,  people  like  some- 
thing different,  a  little  more  creative, 
but  even  they  prefer  the  traditional. 
Still,  that  doesn't  mean  a  standard 
arrangement  can't  be  well  done--it 
can  be  the  best  standard  bouquet 
ever  created.  You  have  to  remember 
—people  aren't  buying  the  bouquet 
itself--they're  buying  what  the  bou- 
quet   can    do--express    friendship, 


April  &  May  1995 


sympathy;  make  the  recipient  fee! 
good  ...and  if  its  well  done  and  de- 
livered on  time,  they're  happy." 

So,  although  the  ideas  tossed 
about  can  have  a  touch  of  the  fan- 
tastic, those  carried  out  are  very 
pragmatic.  Improvements  are  tradi- 
tional. Wooden  carts  are  being  built 
for  use  in  displaying  flowers  outside 
of  the  Front  Street  store  ("we  catch 
more  people  when  there's  a  lot  of 
flowers  outside")  More  TV  commer- 
cials ("TV  works  better  than  radio 
and  it's  cheaper  too")  will  be  filmed, 
with  son  Adam  interviewing  his  mother 
("What  a  good  mom  .1  mean,  ah... 
spokesperson")  And-for  better  name 
recognition,  the  name  of  Chagnon/ 
Stache  Florist  will  become  'Jacques'  as 
well-a  new  20x12  sign  will  be  in  place 
for  the  spring  season. 

Easy  access  to  a  traditional  prod- 
uct and  lots  of  advertising.  No  four- 
foot  globes  filled  with  exotic  flora— 
but  that's  the  reality  of  business  in 
New  Hampshire.  (B.P.) 

]acques  is  at  two  locations.  1 1 1  Front 
Street  {the  phone  there  is  603-625-5155) 
and  715  Mast  Road  (603-625-6909), 
Manchester  03102. 


TIPS   FROM  THE  GRIFFIN   GURU 


Economy  of  Motion 


WHAT  STARTED  WITH  CHARLIE  GRIFFIN  OVER  FORTY  YEARS  AGO 
as  a  small  shed  filled  with  supplies  has  grown  Into  an  extensive 
warehouse  operation.  We've  gone  from  piling  boxes  no  higher  than 
we  could  reach  to  using  trucks  with  boom  forks  lifting  30  feet  in  the 
air.  We  learned  the  hard  way  sometimes— dumping  a  pile  of  product 
on  the  floor,  only  to  find  out  that  it  was  in  the  wrong  place:  it  had 
to  be  moved— piece  by  piece. 

As  our  volume  of  supplies  grew,  so  did  our  need  for  space.  After 
twenty  years,  we  got  our  first  fork  truck.  And  each  building  we  ac- 
quired after  that  is  a  testament  to  how  well  we  learned— as  the  roof 
got  higher  and  higher— to  utilize  floor  space.  We  also  learned  that 
this  way  took  less  labor  and  that  when  we  purchased  by  pallet,  we 
saved  money  as  well. 

Today's  progressive  greenhouse  operations  are  a  showcase  for 
material-handling  carts,  trollies,  and  conveyors.  Loading  platforms 
allow  you  to  receive  and  ship  more  efficiently. 

There  are  many  ways  of  moving  product  while  saving  money.  Look 
around  at  your  fellow  growers.    There  is  much  to  see. 


Tour  Double  Impatient  Source 


241  North  Vil 
(603)  783.956J 


NH  03301 
J)  783-9562 


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'Xhe  Plants wflM 


Aicha 


Roses 


Twenty  of  the  Best  Hardy  Roses 
for  Nurserymen  Selling  Roses  in  New  Hampshire 


Mike  Lowe 


The  hardest  task  in  finding  a  supply  of  hardy  roses 
is  i<nowing  them  when  you  find  them  First,  you 
must  realize  that  all  Hybrid  Teas  and  Floribundas  and 
those  called  "English  roses"  are  not  hardy  here  in 
New  Hampshire  without  some  winter  protection. 

But  many  roses  are.  Almost  all  the  once-flowering 
old  garden  roses  are  hardy  in  most  areas  of  the  state. 
The  exception  is  north  of  the  notches  where  winter 
protection  is  a  must  for  all  but  the  Spinosissimas  and 
a  very  few  others. 

Here  are  the  ten  best  once-flowering  roses--in  no 
particular  order. 

CELSIANA.  Damask.  1750.  Light  pink  semi-double 
four-inch  flowers  showing  beautiful  golden  stamens,  in 
clusters  of  3-5  blossoms.  Bush  to  five  feet,  with  slen- 
der graceful  canes  and  gray-green  leaves. 

CHARLES  DE  MILS  ("Bizarre  Triumphant").  Gallica. 
1841.  Four-inch  flowers  mauve  with  plum-crimson  cen- 
ters, dark  purple  edges;  double  and  well-quartered. 
One  of  the  best  examples  of  quartering.  Fragrant. 
Bush  to  five  feet.  Dark  green  foliage  on  reddish  canes. 
A  strong  grower 

DUC  DE  CAMBRIDGE.  Damask.  1848.  Flowers-bright 
dark  pink  centers,  outer  petals  medium  pink,  full,  very 
double,  and  large.  Foliage  dark  green,  edged  reddish 
brown  in  spring.  Bush  vigorous  to  five  feet.  Suckers  on 
own  roots. 

HEBE'S  LIP.  Eglantine  1912.  Flowers  flesh-colored 
with  red-tipped  petals  and  buds--semi-double,  large, 
profuse,  in  clusters  of  five  or  more.  Sets  hips  well. 
Flowers  are  Damask  in  fragrance;  bush  has  Eglantine 
(sour  apples)  fragrance.  Bush  vigorous--six  feet  high, 
six  feet  wide.  Hardy  to  Zone  3. 

April  &  May  1995 


MARECHAL  DAVOUST  Moss.  1 85 1.  Bright  medium  pink- 
rose  flowers--double,  cupped,  in  clusters  of  3-5.  Bush 
vigorous,  five  feet  high,  four  wide.  Floriferous  Deep 
dark  green.  Moss  reddish  green,  plentiful. 

MME.  PLANTIER.  Alba.  1835.  Flowers  white,  changing 
from  pure  white  to  creamy,  very  double.  Does  ex- 
tremely well  on  its  own  roots.  Bush  large,  good  for 
stone  walls--it  scrambles. 

ROSA  CENTIFOLIA.  1596.  Medium  pink  to  clear  deep 
pink  flowers--full  double;  flat,  slightly  cupped  at  edge 
when  expanded.  Vigorous  to  five  feet.  Long  blooms  in 
late  June. 

ROSA  MUNDII.  Gallica.  1 581.  Flowers  bright  pink-and- 
white  stripes—semi-double.  Two  and  one-half  to  three 
feet  high.  Good  for  small  gardens— used  extensively  in 
early  herb  gardens. 

ROSA  SETIGERA  (Rosier  dAmerique).  1810.  Bright 
pink  flowers--single,  in  large  clusters  up  to  25  blos- 
soms. Blooms  late— mid-july/mid-August.  Disease  resis- 
tant. Grows  extremely  well  on  its  own  root. 

UNIQUE  PANACHEE.  Centifolia.  1821.  White  flowers, 
striped  with  light  pink--full,  large,  double  with  narrow 
petals  twisted  to  form  rays  around  a  button  center 
Sometimes  confused  with  York  and  Lancaster,  but  by 
far  the  better  variety. 

Ahe  following  are  ten  of  the  best  repeat-flowering 
roses.  Keep  in  mind  that  most  miniature  and  Rugosa 
roses  are  very  hardy 

AICHA.  1966.  Three-inch  flowers--deep  ocher-yellow 
fading  to  lighter  tones,  ten  petals,  semi-double.  Buds 
long  and  pointed.  This  is  a  fairly  new  Spinosissima  hy- 

23 


■^- 


-I*. 


brid  from  Peterson  in  Denmark;  it  has  a  very  strange 
reflowering  habit  in  that  it  blooms  in  mid-)une  on  old 
wood  and  then  immediately  reblooms  on  new  wood, 
extending  the  spring  flowering  season  from  four  weeks 
to  six;  then  it  doesn't  bloom  again  until  September. 
Its  growth  habit  is  also  a  bit  unusual  here  in 
Nashua  —  budded  on  Canina  laxa,  the  bush  is  ten  feet 
high  and  six  feet  wide  after  three  years  On  its  own 
roots,  it's  only  four  feet  by  three.  And  on  Multiflora,  it 
is  six  feet  by  four.  All  have  survived  with  little  or  no 
dieback.  (Note:  bud  unions  are  buried  two  inches  be- 
low the  ground.) 

AMANDA  PATENOTTE.  1844.  Flowers  dark  rose  (fuch- 
sia), medium,  full,  globular,  very  old-fashioned  in 
form,  fragrant--in  clusters  of  3-5,  repeats  very  well. 
This  is  the  hardiest  of  the  old  Damask  Perpetuals  and 
really  is  perpetual,  giving  at  least  three  flowerings  a 
season  (weather  permitting).  Bush  large  and 
spreading--three  to  four  feet  high  and  wide.  (Note:  it 
is  sold  under  various  names  ("Glendora  Damask," 
McGregor's  Damask,"  etc.)  in  addition  to  the  one 
above. 

EUGENIE  GUINOISEAU.  1864  Moss  medium  red  Flow- 
ers reddish  cerise  changing  to  reddish  violet,  full 
double,  large,  in  small  clusters  of  one  to  five.  Bush 
vigorous,  upright,  four  feet  high,  two  wide.  Remondant 
(blooms  in  the  spring  and  the  fall). 

MORDEN  CARDINETTE.  1980.  Shrub  Explorer  Series. 
Flowers  cardinal  red,  double  (25  petals)  in  clusters  of 
five  to  fifteen,  only  slightly  fragrant.  Bush  small, 
compact--three  by  three  feet.  Excellent  for  small  gar- 
den I've  had  this  six  years--needs  no  protection  (at 
temperatures  of  -35F,  tips  do  die  back). 

ROSA  MULTIFLORA  NANA  ("The  Gift").  Dwarf  repeat 
non-climbing  form  of  Rosa  multiflora  Large  clusters  of 
30-40  blooms  of  signal-white  half-inch  flowers  from 
June  until  frost.  As  the  numbers  of  flowers  decreases 
in  the  fall,  they  are  augmented  by  thousands  of  red 
hips.  Bush  three  feet  high,  six  feet  wide. 

ROSARIUM  UETERSEN.  1977.  Climber  with  deep  coral 
pink  blossoms.  Buds  are  ovoid;  flowers  very  double, 
fragrant,  three  inches  across.  Blooms  from  June  until 


frost.  Foliage  large,  glossy,  with  vigorous  climbing 
growth.  1  use  this  rose  as  a  ground  cover.  It  dies  back 
above  the  snow  line,  but  always  comes  back  for  me. 
(I've  had  it  twelve  years.) 

SARAH  VAN  FLEET.  1926.  Medium  pink.  Flowers-wild 
rose-pink,  semi-double,  loosely  cupped,  large,  very 
fragrant  Recurrent  bloom.  Foliage  leathery  Compact 
upright  growth.  (A  word  of  caution:  this  a  Rugosa;  do 
not  spray  Rugosas:  they  are  phytotoxic— the  leaves  fall 
off  if  you  spray  them.) 

STANWELLS  PERPETUAL.  Spinosissima  x  Damask  1838. 
Flowers  soft  blush-pink,  sometimes  almost  white,  very 
double,  flat  with  a  button  eye.  Slight  damask  fra- 
grance. Bush  small,  bushy,  spreading— two  feet  high  by 
three  wide.  Repeats  well.  Very  hardy. 

THERESE  BUGNET.  1950.  One  of  the  'Bugnet'  series  of 
Rugosas  hybridized  by  Percy  Wright-not  the  best  (my 
personal  preference  being  Maria  Bugnet),  but  surely 
the  best-known.  Flowers  deep  dark  pink  fading  to 
light,  four  inches  across,  double  with  25  petals,  in 
clusters  of  three  to  five.  Bush  stiff  and  upright.  Canes 
dark  magenta-red--almost  black--in  spring  (be  careful 
not  to  prune  live  canes  just  because  they're  black). 

WILLIAM  BAFFIN.  1983.  One  of  the  new  Explorer  se- 
ries from  Agriculture  Canada.  WOW--now,  here  is  a 
landscaper's  rose--three-inch  flowers  deep  pink, 
lighter  center,  flat,  blooming  in  clusters  of  thirty  on  a 
free-standing  bush  that— after  four  years--is  ten  (yes, 
ten)  feet  high  and  eight  feet  wide  and  is  completely 
covered  with  blooms  in  the  spring  and  continues  to 
bloom  sporadically  right  up  until  frost.  (I  know--some 
of  our  customers  will  say  that  it's  not  yellow  or  that 
its  too  big  or  that  it  has  no  fragrance,  but  hey,  I'm 
working  on  that.) 

Most  of  these  roses  can  be  obtained  bare-root  from 
Pickering  or  Hortico  in  Canada;  some  from  Bailey's  in 
Washington.  I  am  growing  all  of  them  here  in  my  small 
nursery  in  Nashua.  1  grow  approximately  4000  bushes 
in  my  display  garden  of  over  1000  varieties.  If  anyone 
needs  help,  feel  free  to  call  me  at  603-888-2214. 

Mike  Lowe  is  owner  and  operator  oj  Lowe's  Own  Root  Roses,  6 
Sheffield  Road.  Nashua,  NH  03062. 


NURSERY  STOCK  •  ANNUALS 

PERENNIALS 
FERTILIZERS  •  INSECTICIDES 


Laughton's 
Garden  Center  Inc. 

Cal  Laughton,  Florist 

Distributors  ofNurszery  Overwintering  Blankets 

WHOLESALE  AND  RETAIL  NURSERY 

Tel.  1-800-633-0159 

155-165  Princeton  Blvd. 

No.  Chelmsford,  MA  01863 


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MICHAUD 

Nurseries  &  Greenhouses,  Inc. 

Route  85,  PC  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 


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•  Seeds                                    P.O.  Bo 

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•  Potting  Mixes 

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•  Containers 

421  Park  Street  West 

•  Greenhouses 

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•  Perennials 

FAX:  508-664-4076 

W.  H.  MILIKOWSKI,  INC. 

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Ornamental  trees,  shrubs  &  vines  «>  Trellises 

Wholesale  prices  available  ^  Call  for  1 995  listing 

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April  f-  May  |P05 


25 


THE  HAIR  OF 

CMother  Earth 


by  FRED  DABNEY 

Maiden  Grass  {Miscanthus) 
Photograph  by  Fred  Dabney 


In  today's  fast-paced  existence,  change  is  the 
operative  word.  This  is  as  true  in  landscaping  as  in 
computers  Today's  consumers  want  new  and  different 
ideas:  low  maintenance  landscapes,  seasonal  color,  new 
and  unusual  plant  varieties,  etc.  Ornamental  grasses  fill 
all  these  demands 

Grasses  have  been  called  "the  hair  of  Mother  Earth." 
Grass  exists  on  every  continent.  There  is  not  a  growing 
condition  where  a  variety  of  grass  does  not  appear:  from 
mountain  peaks  to  salt  water  marshes;  from  tropical 
jungles  to  arid  deserts.  With  New  England  somewhere  in 
the  middle,  there  are  plenty  of  hardy  ornamental  variet- 
ies suitable  even  for  the  most  northern  landscapes  here 

Not  only  do  grasses  survive  and  flourish  in  varied  en- 
vironments, but  they  do  so  in  a  wide  variety  of  forms 
and  habits.  They  range  from  tall  growers  ten  feet  high  to 
prostrate  forms;  from  clump  growers  to  vigorous  stolonif- 
erous  varieties;  there's  green,  blue,  and  variegated 
foliage.  In  other  words,  there's  something  for  every 
landscape. 

For  windy,  dry  areas  (including  the  seashore).  Blue 
Lymegrass  {Elymus  arenarius)  and  American  Beachgrass 
{Ammopkila  breviligulata)  are  suitable.  Elymus  is  hardy  to 
zone  2  and  Ammophila  to  zone  4.  Both  are  rhizomatous 
growers,  not  suitable  for  a  garden,  but  ideal  for  erosion 
control  where  water  is  a  problem.  Ammophila  is  not  par- 
ticularly ornamental,  but  Elymus  has  bright  blue  foliage 
particularly  attractive  in  summer.  Elymus  is  also  adapt- 
able to  wet  areas.  Elymus  grows  two  to  three  feet  tall 
and  Ammophila,  one  to  two.  Both  prefer  full  sun. 

While  discussing  vigorous  growers,  Ribbongrass 
(Phalaris  arundinaceae  'variegata')  and  Mannagrass  IClyceha 
maxima  'variegata')  deserve  some  attention.  Both  are 
hardy  to  zone  4:  both  are  distinctively  variegated;  both 
are  adaptable  to  wet  conditions;  and  both  are  invasive 
Ribbongrass  (or  Gardener's  Garters)  has  a  bright  green- 
and-white  vertical  variegation.  It  grows  to  three  feet  and 
can  adapt  to  a  wide  variety  of  conditions  from  the  sea- 
shore to  moist  areas  with  partial  shade.  Mannagrass  has 
a  cream/almost  yellow-and-green  vertical  variegation. 
This  is  truly  a  water  plant  and  can  grow  on  water,  but 
will  adapt  to  drier  locations  as  well,  growing  one  to  two 
feet  While  not  rock  garden  plants,  these  varieties  pro- 
vide color  in  areas  where  it  is  difficult  to  do  so. 

Moving  into  clump  growers,  there  are  the  relatively 
low-growing  blue  fescues  {Fesluca  glauca)  and  Blue  Oat 

26 


Grass  {Helictotrkhon  sempervirens).  Blue  Fescue  is  a  tight 
clump  grower  reaching  only  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  in 
height  and  is  hardy  to  zone  4.  There  are  numerous  culti- 
vars  of  much  brighter  blue  foliage  than  the  species. 
'Elijah's  Blue'  and  'Silver  Lining'  are  two  excellent  ex- 
amples. These  plants  prefer  full  sun  and  well-drained 
sandy  soil,  growing  lanky  and  frequently  dying  out  in  the 
center  in  partial  shade  and  heavy  clay  soils.  Blue  Oat 
Grass  tolerates  partial  shade  and  reaches  two  feet,  arch- 
ing as  it  grows  taller.  It  is  adaptable  to  a  wide  range  of 
soil  conditions  and  is  attractive  either  in  a  rock  garden 
as  a  specimen  or  in  massed  plantings  It  is  also  hardy  to 
zone  4 

Another  attractive  small-to-medium-sized  clump 
grower  is  Moorgrass  {Molinia  caeruieas)  'Aurea-variegata'  is 
a  low  (to  18")  clump  grower  with  yellow-and-green  verti- 
cally striped  foliage.  Its  attractive  purple  plumes  open  in 
late  Iune/|uly  and  last  into  the  summer.  This  prefers  full 
sun,  but  can  tolerate  partial  shade  and  is  useful  either 
in  a  rock  garden  or  massed.  Taller  growers  such  as 
'Windspiel'  and  'Skyracer'  have  green  foliage  with  tall  in- 
florescences reaching  six  to  seven  feet  in  vase-shaped 
habits  booming  in  the  summer.  These  are  hardy  to  zone 
5. 

Although  hardy  primarily  in  the  southern  and  coastal 
areas  of  New  England,  Pennisetum  (or  Fountain  Grass)  is 
worth  trying.  These  are  clump  growers  ranging  in  height 
from  four  feet  for  aloepecuroides  to  six  inches  for  'Little 
Bunny'  They  bloom  in  mid  summer  with  masses  of  pink- 
to-buff-colored  plumes.  The  annual  varieties  of  Rubrum' 
and  Burgundy  Giant'  have  purple  foliage  and  maroon 
plumes  and  although  only  annual,  are  colorful  and  at- 
tractive additions  to  the  summer  landscape. 

A  native  to  North  America,  Panicum  virgatum  (or  Switch 
Grass)  is  a  popular  companion  plant  for  many  summer- 
blooming  perennials.  Airy,  delicate  panicles  open  in 
mid-to-late  summer  and,  like  many  grasses,  are  effective 
in  dried  arrangements.  Often  used  as  a  background 
plant.  Switch  Grass  is  adaptable  to  many  soil  conditions 
and  does  well  in  wet  or  dry  soils.  The  variety  'Rostrahl- 
busch'  has  maroon-tipped  foliage  and  a  red  fall  color. 
These  prefer  full  sun  and  are  considered  hardy  to  zone 
5. 

Possibly  the  most  popular  of  the  ornamental  grasses 
are  the  Miscanthus  varieties  (sometimes  called  Maiden 
Grass,  Eulalia  Grass,  Silver  Grass,  etc.).  The  common 

The  Plantsman 


"Helping  You  to  Grow" 


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names  are  so  confusing  that  it  is  best  to  use  the  botani- 
cal names  to  insure  accuracy.  These  are  all  clump  growers 
ranging  in  height  from  the  dwarf  eighteen-inch  'Yaku-jima' 
to  the  stately  six-foot  "Gracillimus'.  Blooming  times  range 
from  mid-August  to  late  September/early  October  Their 
plumes  are  truly  impressive  in  the  fall  landscape  and  last 
well  into  winter,  providing  wonderful  color  against  the  snow. 
They  are  also  popular  in  dried  arrangements.  Some  variet- 
ies such  as  Zebrinus'  and  'Strictus'  have  horizontal  stripes 
about  an  inch  apart  on  each  blade  and  make  stunning 
specimens  in  the  landscape.  In  northern  New  England, 
some  varieties  are  hit  by  the  frost  before  they  bloom,  but 
earlier  bloomers  such  as  purpurescens  and  'Gra-ziella'  bloom 
in  August  and  should  be  tried  Purpurescens  has  a  spectacular 
red  fall  color;  'Morning  Light'  has  a  narrow  blade  with  a 
white  border  that  creates  a  soft  pastel  appearance  in  the 
landscape  as  opposed  to  the  more  pronounced  'Variegata'. 
Although  supposedly  hardy  to  only  zone  5,  these  have  oc- 
casionally survived  in  much  colder  zones. 

These  are  just  a  few  of  the  many  varieties  of  omamental 
grass  suitable  for  New  England  So  many  new  varieties  are 
introduced  each  year  that  the  hardiness  is  still  uncertain  on 
many  and  research  on  this  is  currently  underway  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Vermont  and  the  University  of  IVlaine. 

The  extraordinary  adaptability  of  these  plants  to  so 
many  different  environments  makes  them  a  natural  for  both 
the  novice  and  the  professional.  They  have  no  natural  dis- 
eases or  pests  and  fit  into  today's  low  maintenance  require- 
ments. The  diversity  of  color,  height,  texture,  and  habit 
gives  them  a  place  in  any  landscape. 

Fred  Dabney  is  owner  and  manager  of  Quanselt  Nurseries, 
794  Horseneck  Road,  Soutfi  Dartmouth,  MA  02748  The  phone 
number  is  508-636-6931. 


Are  You 
Interested  in 
Composting? 


On  April  19,  1995,  AUGro™,  Inc.  will  host 
the  first  TWILIGHT  MEETING  OF  THE 
YEAR  at  its  new  composting  facility  in 
Rochester,  NH.  Come  see  how  composting 
is  done  on  a  large  scale. 

Mark  April  19"'  on  your  calendar.  There 
will  be  plenty  of  food  and  refreshments. 
We  hope  to  see  you  all  there. 

P.S.  Free  samples  available.  Be  sure  to 
bring  your  pickup  truck! 


All,.. 

Gr® 


.The  Compost  Company 


18006622440 


April  &  May  1995 


D   I   A   G    N   O   S  T 


UPDATE 


The  flow  of  samples  into  the  PDL 
has  been  relatively  slow  during 
lanuary  and  February.  The  samples  were 
primarily  greenhouse  crops,  although  a 
few  specimens  of  woody  shrubs  were 
submitted.  Thankfully,  there  was  only 
one  major  disease  problem  that  showed 
up  during  the  last  two  months  The 
problem  was  botrytis  cutting  blight  on 
unrooted  geranium  cuttings  shipped 
from  off-shore'  sources.  Botrytis  blight 
developed  within  days  of  receiving  the 
shipment,  or  in  some  instances,  botrytis 
was  visible  on  the  cuttings  at  the  time  of 
arrival.  The  symptoms  of  botrytis  cutting 
blight  resemble  those  of  pythium  black- 
leg and  include  browning  or  blackening 
of  the  stem  at  the  base  of  the  cutting,  or 
at  wound  sites  Under  humid  conditions, 
the  typical  gray  fuzzy  mold  develops  on 
the  blackened  areas  land  may  even  be 
present  when  the  shipment  is  opened). 
Besides  refusal  of  infected  shipments, 
your  options  for  control  of  botrytis  blight 
should  include  a  fungicide  treatment  of 
the  cuttings  at  the  time  of  planting 
Recommended  fungicides  include  Chipco 
26019,  Daconil  2787,  Ornalin,  and  dea- 
ry's 3336.  Resistance  to  thiophanate- 
methyl  (Cleary's  3336  and  Domain)  has 
been  reported  in  several  crops,  so  if 
thiophanate-methyl  is  used,  it  should  be 
rotated  with  another  fungicide.  Cutting 
back  on  the  frequency  and  duration  of 
misting  should  also  help  reduce  botrytis 
cutting  blight 

Thelaviopsis  root  rot  was  diagnosed 
on  several  geranium  samples.  The  inci- 
dence of  this  fungal  root  rot  on  crops 
grown  in  soilless  media  appears  to  be 
increasing  Diagnostic  labs  throughout 
the  northeast  have  noted  thelaviopsis  on 
several  crops,  including  geraniums  and 


poinsettias  Historically,  thelaviopsis  was 
usually  associated  with  soil-based  me- 
dia, and  the  reasons  for  the  shift  are  un- 
clear. The  symptoms  include  stunting 
and  yellowing  of  the  lower  leaves  The 
irregular  black  or  dark  brown  lesions 
typical  of  thelaviopsis  can  be  found  on 
the  smaller  feeder  roots  of  infected 
plants  Fungicide  drenches  (Chipco, 
Cleary's,  Domain.)  are  effective  in  con- 
trolling the  disease. 

A  few  of  the  other  interesting  dis- 
eases diagnosed  during  lanuary  and 
February  included  slime  mold  on  the 
leaves  of  New  Guinea  impatiens  and 
powdery  mildew  on  rosemary.  Botrytis 
was  not  only  a  problem  in  the  green- 
house but  was  also  causing  problems  in 
perennial  beds  that  had  been  covered 
with  plastic.  The  unusually  warm  weather 
during  February  and  lack  of  snow-cover 
created  ideal  conditions  for  the  develop- 
ment of  Botrytis  Two  samples,  one  P|M 
rhododendron  and  one  unnamed  azalea, 
were  received  from  home  owners  with 
heavy  deposits  of  sooty  mold  caused  by 
azalea  bark  scale 

There  have  been  no  major  outbreaks 
of  bacterial  blight  on  geraniums,  al- 
though a  few  cases  have  been  reported 
in  New  England  Because  of  the  prob- 
lems last  year,  however,  1  would  suggest 
you  continue  to  inspect  and  monitor  ge- 
raniums during  the  next  month  or  two 
for  bacterial  blight  (see  the  |une/|uly 
1994  issue  of  The  Planlsman  for  a  descrip- 
tion of  symptoms).  If  you  suspect  the 
disease,  please  submit  whole-plant 
samples  to  the  PDL  for  diagnosis  The 
plants  should  be  removed  from  the  pot- 
ting mix  and  the  root  system  should  be 
wrapped  in  a  plastic  bag  before  shipping 
(the    mix    should    be    moist    but    not 


soaked).  The  samples  can  be  mailed  in 
a  sturdy  box  (be  sure  to  pad  the  plants 
with  newspaper).  Or  you  can  always 
hand-deliver  samples  to  the  lab  Other 
problems  to  watch  out  for  include  downy 
mildew  on  snapdragon,  impatiens  ne- 
crotic spot  virus  on  a  wide  range  of 
hosts,  and  the  usual  pythium  and  rhizoc- 
tonia  root  rots.  Remember  to  cut  back 
on  watering  during  prolonged  periods  of 
cloudy  weather  to  prevent  Pythium  and 
Botrytis  problems  Finally,  remember 
nothing  beats  good  SANITATION,  good 
air  circulation,  and  careful  monitoring  for 
preventing  disease  problems  (especially 
during  the  early  portion  of  the  bedding 
plant  season). 

Finally,  1  want  to  remind  everyone  of 
the  new  fee  system  for  samples  submit- 
ted to  the  Plant  Diagnostic  Lab  Begin- 
ning May  I,  1995,  the  fee  will  be  $12. 
per  sample  A  sample  consists  of  a 
single  plant  species  and  may  include 
several  specimens  of  the  same  species 
(actually  it's  best  to  send  several  speci- 
mens showing  the  range  of  symptoms 
from  healthy  to  most  severely  diseased). 
We  have  avoided  charging  for  samples 
as  long  as  possible,  but  due  to  contin- 
ued decreases  in  funding,  the  fee  is  nec- 
essary to  defray  a  portion  of  the  costs. 

If  you  wish  to  submit  plant  material 
to  the  PDL  for  diagnosis,  send  samples 
[with  a  check  for  $12.)  to.  The  UNH 
Plant  Diagnostic  Lab,  C/O  Dr.  Cheryl 
Smith,  Plant  Biology  Dept..  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. 


STEENBURG  &  CALLIORAS 

THE  AUCTION 
PROFESSIONALS,  INC. 

AUCTIONEERS: 

Archie  Steenburgh 

603/9895690 

Route  10,  Haverhill,  NH  03765 

Peter  Callioras,  C.A.I. 

603/868-1070 

Calef  Highway  (Lee),  Dover,  NH  03820 


JBemcrs  (iarhen  Center  (31  nc. 


656  South  Mammoth  Road   (Rte.  28A) 

Manchester,   NH  03109-5049 
(603)  625-8298   •  Fax  (603)  622-4073 

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CALL  TOLL  FREE  1-800-258-7171 

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1-803-798-4000   •   FAX  1-803-798-6584 

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J.D.  Power  and  Associates  ranks  International 


Best  conventional 
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INTERNATIONAL 

Built  FOR  YbuR  Business. 


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 


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 

V^ft||.  Trees  Since   1929 

Tfillane  9?ursenes,%c. 

Growing   500  Acres  of  New  England  $  Finest  Trees  &  Shrubs 


TWILIGHT   MEETING 


Demers  Garden  Center 
656  South  Mammoth  Road  (Rte. 
Manchester 


28-A) 


June   14,  6:30-8:30 


A  32x150  growing  house  with  rolling  benches  and  trough  irri- 
gation, two  32x100  Rough  Brothers  houses  used  for  retail- 
ing Ihalf  of  one  set  up  with  troughs!,  five  14x100  hoop  houses 
used  for  growing  jumbo  annuals  .. 

There  will  be  a  walking  tour.  Other  features  include  a  Bouldin 
&  Lawson  potting  machine  (in  operation),  a  two-acre  nursery 
yard  and  a  demonstration  on  how  material  is  unloaded  and  set 
up.  6000  mums. ..Demers  Garden  Center  is  a  busy  place--still 
growing,  still  evolving--and  the  real  feature  would  seem  to  be 
the  chance  to  see  how  all  the  components  work  together--in 
overall  design,  in  marketing,  in  new  trends  in  products:  what 
works,  what  doesn't,  changes  made,  changes  still  to  do. ..there's 
lots  of  information  here  useful  to  anyone  in  the  green  industry. 

And  afterwards,  there's  hamburgers  and  hot  dogs  and  time  to 
visit  with  friends. 

DIRECTIONS:  from  the  North,  go  south  on  Q3  to  Exit  5;  take  a 
right  onto  28.  Go  about  four  miles  and  go  right  onto  28A  just 
before  the  Yard  Restaurant.  We  are  one  mile  down  on  the 
right.  From  the  South,  take  03  North,  get  off  at  Exit  5.  take  a 
left,  then  follow  the  above  directions  I 


ASSOCIATION    OFFICERS 


BOB  DEMERS,   |R. 

Demers  Nursery  &  Garden  Center 

655  South  Mammotfi  Road 

Manchester.  NH  03103 


Secrelnrij  I  TrfOSMfcr 

CHRISTOPHER  ROBARGE 

UNH  /  TSAS 

Horticultural  Facilities  Manager 

Durham,  NH  03824 

862-1074 

Dircfkirs 

ANDREA  CAPRON 

Box  332 

Center  Osslppee,  NH  03814 

S3Q-6030 

TAMMY   HATHAWAY 

61   Squamscott  Road 

Stratham,  NH  03885 

778-3Q12 

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 

4  35-836  1 

ROBERT  RIMOL 

I  7  Wyndmere  Drive 

Londonderry.  NH  03053 

603-425-6563 

PETER  VAN   BERKUM 

4  lames  Road 

Deerfield.  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