Short Hort Notes
May 16, 2008
**Valentine’s Day Flower Sales: According to
a survey conducted by the Society of American Florists (SAF), 61% of florists
reported a sales increase in 2008 or 2007 figures. Seventeen percent reported
sales about the same as in 2007, and 20% reported sales declines. Consumers
spent less in 2008 though: $38.10 on average as opposed to $44.80 in 2007. In
2008, sales of red roses accounted for 39% of purchases, mixed flowers 34%,
non-red roses 26%, other single flowers 26%, and flowering plants 16%.
Recipients were most likely to be spouses (54%), with significant others
receiving 19%, and mothers 17%. Thirty four percent purchased flowers at a
supermarket/grocery store and 23% bought them at retail florists.
**Illegal Plant Propagation: In the latest
“Greenhouse Grower Benchrunner” is a short article on illegal propagation of
patented plants. If caught, penalties are stiff:
“Six
growers were recently ordered to destroy plants because they were caught
illegally propagating and selling patented Proven Winners plants. The order
followed a series of audits that were chosen both randomly and based on tips
from officially licensed growers.
“When we get reports of illegal propagation, we take them very
seriously,” says Jennifer Holland, licensing manager of Proven Winners
ColorChoice. “We owe it to our breeders and to our legitimate licensed growers
to protect them from illegal sales and propagation. It’s unfortunate, but with
the high level of demand for these new plants, there are some people that cut
corners to a few pennies, The irony is that, in the end, they’ve made a very
costly decision.”
Proven Winners ColorChoice plans to expand its audits to
locate illegally propagated plants at both the wholesale and retail levels. To
spot illegally propagated plants, it uses a mandatory Proven Winners plant tag
and warns all buyers that the absence of a tag is an indicator of illegal
propagation.”
**Get Out the Magnifying Glass and Buyer Beware:
A recent catalog in the mail prompted some interesting questions. What is this
and what is in it? The product has a fairly generic name (can’t mention it here)
but it sounds like a miracle product – and reading some of the “testimonials”
inside, it sounded too good to be true. The product is to be sprayed on garden
plant foliage to produce better growth than any other treatment. As you might
guess, it is a fertilizer, but nowhere in the catalog does it say exactly what
the product contains! We got out the big magnifying glass to read some of the
fine print, and sure enough, it contains only two nutrients: iron and zinc.
That’s it. The company recommends using this product plus two of its other
products: one is an NPK fertilizer and the other is a nonionic surfactant. The
NPK fertilizer isn’t described either and the label, even with the magnifier, is
very hard to read.
And the cost? For an 8 ounce bottle of the iron and zinc
formula, it’s $12.55. For 8 ounces of the NPK it’s $6.95 and the 8 ounce
surfactant will run you $5.95.
Some of the advertising on the micronutrient product says
“---- is not a fertilizer….” Huh? Last time we checked iron and zinc are
essential nutrients required by plants, putting them in the fertilizer category.
It’s 0.10% Fe from iron sulfate plus 0.05% Zn from zinc chloride. The fertilizer
that goes with it is 6-11-5 with 2% urea N and 4% other N. The fertilizer is
derived from urea, hydrolyzed fish solubles, phosphoric acid, and potassium
hydroxide. The nonionic surfactant seems to be a typical type.
So be a critical consumer. Ask questions and get out the
magnifier to read the fine print. And if it sounds too good to be true, it
usually is. Read the labels, especially those in catalogs, and call for more
information if you can’t figure out what’s in the product.
**Certified Horticulturist Program About to Roll Out:
The American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is getting ready to roll
out its newest national certification program for horticulture practitioners.
This one is called the ASHS-CH (ASHS-Certified Horticulturist) and is aimed at
those working in the industry (in paid positions, not volunteers) who may or may
not have a four-year degree. The first exam is scheduled to be given at the ASHS
annual conference in July in Orlando, Florida. We hope to offer it in Wyoming at
the Wyoming Groundskeepers and Growers Association annual conference next
February. Stay tuned for more information!
**Blueberries: Every year the question of
growing blueberries in Wyoming crops up – pun intended. They are cold hardy but
otherwise are not suited to our climate, soils, water, or anything else Wyoming.
They prefer acidic, swampy soils with pH between 4.5 to 5.5. They also must be
kept moist at all times. We don’t recommend growing blackberries here either for
many of the same reasons.
**In the Panter Back Yard: Things are slowly
waking up. The crocuses and Siberian iris are long finished blooming by now, but
daffodils are bright yellow spots in the garden now – under all the snow
Tuesday. Most of the other perennials in the yard are emerging but keep getting
stymied by the weather. It’s been so gloomy none of the orchids in the house are
even blooming now, which is unusual. The hoya, however, is, in all its smelly
glory. We finally saw a couple of goldfinches the other day, a sure sign spring
is really here. We’ve had numerous juncos, pine siskins, several types of
sparrows, etc. plus the usual summer population of gulls and hawks. The
neighborhood fox has been out and about at dusk lately, probably hunting for
dinner. S/he seems unconcerned about us, but watches from a distance when we’re
out walking the dog.
Upcoming Events
--OFA Short Course, July 12-15, 2008, Greater
Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio. Contact:
www.ofa.org.
--American Society for Horticultural Science Annual
Conference, July 21-24, 2008, Rosen Plaza, Orlando, Florida. Contact:
www.ashs.org.
--Turfgrass Producers
International, Summer Convention and Field Days, July 28-31, 2008,
Eagle Lake Turf & Fairmont Palliser, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Contact: TPI:
www.TurfGrassSod.org.
--FarWest Show, August 21-23, 2008, Oregon
Convention Center, Portland, Oregon. Contact:
www.farwestshow.com.
--Association of Specialty Cut
Flower Growers 20th Anniversary
Conference, September 8-11, 2008, Portland Crowne Plaza, Portland,
Oregon. Contact: www.ascfg.org.
--ProGreen Expo, January 12-16, 2009,
Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colorado. Contact:
www.progreenexpo.com.
--Wyoming Groundskeepers and Growers Association
Annual Conference, February 18-20, 2009, Parkway Plaza, Casper,
Wyoming. Contact: www.wgga.org.
Karen L. Panter, Ph.D., C.P.H.
Plant Sciences - 3354
1000 East University Avenue
Laramie, WY 82071
phone 307-766-5117
fax 307-766-5549
email kpanter@uwyo.edu