HortWest_2009-05 by BC Landscape & Nursery Association

B. C. L A N D S C A P E & N U R S E R Y A S S O C I A T I O N P U B L I C A T I O N â&#x20AC;˘ M AY 2 0 0 9

BCLNA Shines at Convention Centre Landscape Awards Raise Bar Ramp Up your Retailing Weeds in the Hot Seat

Message from the President

BCLNA Board Highlights

What have you got to give?

Monday, April 20, 2009

I am inspired. I just read an article in the Vancouver Sun about Alison Lawton’s “NewGen” philanthropic activities. According to the article, she is a successful young entrepreneur and multi-millionaire who feels that she can facilitate more change as an investor in non-profits, than as an activist. She works on a global scale amongst the rich and influential of the world in an effort to reduce world poverty. Ms Lawton currently funds, among other things, journalistic activities with students that will raise the awareness of worldwide humanitarian and environmental crises. But

she began her giving in Uganda creating “Uganda Rising,” a documentary about the plight of the Acholi people whose children were being abducted by rebel soldiers. When exhausted after spending a million dollars and three years of her life on the project, and struggling with how to continue and publicize the work, she met with the Dalai Lama who told her to “stop worrying and work from a place in your heart”. That’s what got me.

the Growing Hearts “Sunny Hill” project, last year. Others have gone abroad to help children. The board is having discussions around how to expand on this type of involvement. Bring us ideas and commitments. Think big. We can’t all be involved hands-on. We all have varying degrees of available resources. But collectively, we all have the ability to give on some level for the betterment of our businesses, our families, our communities and the rest of the world.

Interior Chapter Meeting scheduled for August 14 at Bylands Nursery in Kelowna. Details to follow. Growers SAWP workers cannot drive for more than six months as a visitor, and temporary workers are not eligible for a BC driver’s license. At a recent meeting with MLA John Van Dongen, Minister for Public Safety, the BCLNA requested a threemonth extension to the existing regulation for a total of nine months’ allowance. CFIA has imposed a 30-day quarantine on

While the BCLNA is not a philanthropic association—and we exist to serve our members’ needs—we are an industry that has a lot to give. Several BCLNA members were involved in

Let’s.

product shipped into Canada from California due to finds of European Brown Garden Snail. See page 6.

Ruth Olde, President,

Retail You have until June 30 to register for IGCA 2009 in Manchester without a 20%

B.C. Landscape & Nursery Association

HortWest MAY 2009 EDITOR Renata Triveri ADVERTISING Barb Nelson

Phone: (604) 574-7772 Fax: (604) 574-7773 HortWest is the Newsletter of the B.C. Landscape & Nursery Association for the horticultural trade in Western Canada. For further information, contact us at: Suite 102, 5783 – 176A Street Surrey, B.C., Canada V3S 6S6 Telephone (604) 574-7772 Fax (604) 574-7773 HortWest is owned by the B.C. Landscape & Nursery Association, and is published 10 times a year. Views expressed inside do not necessarily reflect the attitudes of the Association but are those of the writer concerned. Material may not be reprinted from this magazine without the consent of the publisher. All advertising and editorial material are to be received one month in advance of mail out date. HortWest is mailed under Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement N. 0288608 This magazine is printed in Canada by Globe Printers.

late booking penalty: www.igcacongress.com. A garden centre inspection program is being offered to 18 garden centres across Canada this summer. Details on page 12.

WALI usage, has been developed; BCLNA’s fee would be $7,500 per year. The BCLNA board supports the funding model, provided the Industry Development Council contributes $7,500 yearly.

Labour Industry reps from 11 horticul-

Governance The committee closed

tural sectors met to discuss how to move WALI from an Investment Agriculture Foundation pilot project to a self-sustaining program under BCAC’s administration subsidiary, ARDCorp. The strategic plan predicts a $200,000 budget shortfall for WALI, which BCAC and ARDCorp are not able to cover. ARDCorp is proposing to approach IAF for a loan payable after five years. BCAC is proposing to ask the horticulture associations that use WALI to backstop the loan. A funding formula based on a fee, farm cash receipts, and

its survey of general membership and past directors; 85 surveys were received. The data is currently being complied and analyzed. COVER PHOTO: Gary Faulkner (left) and Don Fraser of Northwest Landscape Supply Ltd. pose next to an eight-foot, 6500-pound Inukshuk the company provided as part of BCLNA’s display garden at the Vancouver Convention Centre grand opening. The garden was designed and organized by Fraser and his team at Northwest, with countless BCLNAmember contributors bringing it to fruition.

BCLNA News Bulletins refundable income tax credits equal to 10 percent of salary and wages paid (up to $2,000) for each apprentice enrolled. Effective July 1, employers will be eligible to claim up to $4,000 annually per employee.

AG in the City From cows to cranberries to plants and poultry, Vancouverites were treated to a weekend of fun and learning about agriculture. This event was coordinated by Agriculture Canada and was held at Metropolis from March 27 to 29. BCLNA was there, with members helping to answer gardening questions while distributing the Healthy Garden Guide; pictured here are Sherilyn Buck Gale (Beneath Your Feet Landscaping) and Werner Knittel, the executive director of BCLNA.

Province Announces Tax Relief, Trade Training The provincial government announced an increased training tax credit giving employers new incentives to hire and train apprentices; a second announcement to reduce small business income tax was also made last month. The training tax credit program provides

Premier Campbell also announced that the small business income threshold will change from the current $400,000 to $500,000 on January 1, 2010; the adjustment will be funded by Carbon Tax revenues.

Handy Sites at ANLA

2009 Buyers Guide Please make the following updates in your copy for future reference. Blades Garden Service David Resendes Cannor Nursery Lickman Greens Store: (604) 858-7122 Cavalry Construction Group PO Box 1319, Fort Langley, BC V1M 2S7 CropHealth Advising & Research office@crophealth.com Davey Tree Expert Co. of Canada Ltd. – Victoria lloyd.rumbolt@davey.com Exemplar Horticulture Ltd. Mailing Address: PO Box 38, 5855 Mt. Lehman Road Abbotsford, BC V4X 2P7 Site Address: 5947 Mt. Lehman Road Abbotsford, BC V4X 1V5 Finning (Canada) Tel. (604) 881-2786 (direct for Todd Hystad)

The American Nursery & Landscape Association has launched an outstanding website for its members. Many months in the making, www.anla.org is filled with useful green industry resources. Access the site and its affiliates to keep abreast of issues affecting our industry both nationally and internationally. • Horticulture Research Institute www.hriresearch.org HRI was established in 1962 as the research arm of ANLA. Its valuable Journal of Environmental Horticulture archives are online here. • The Land Lovers www.thelandlovers.org Know someone interested in entering the field of Horticulture? This website is an easy-to-navigate tool for finding out all about the career possibilities related to the green industry.

Flower Power Garden Design 2, 1360 Burnaby Street Glendale Gardens & Woodland Pacific Horticulture College Roger Charles Golden Spruce Nurseries Inc. – Langley Tel. (604) 881-1141 Fax. (604) 881-1140 Green Valley Nursery Ltd. greenvalleynursery@caylix.com Kwantlen Polytechnic University PJ Burns Tel. (604) 599-3265

Treated

Mistreated

Kwantlen Polytechnic University Rob Welsh Tel. (604) 599-3387 Ladybug Landscaping PO Box 45620 Sunnyside RPO 2397 King George Hwy., Surrey, BC V4A 9N3 Tel. (604) 536-5239 Fax. (604) 536-1137 Maple Leaf Nursery (Div. of PBN Nurseries Ltd.) 34220 Hallert Road, Abbotsford, BC V3G 1P9 Nutri-Lawn (Vancouver North) Robert Bourne robertb@nutri-lawn.ca Nutri-Lawn Ecology Friendly Lawncare Victoria d.nestor@shaw.ca Quality Seeds West Bill Awmack 19863 – 38B Avenue, Langley, BC V3A 6G3 bill@qualityseedswest.ca www.qualityseedswest.ca Redwood Landscaping 909 – 164A Street, Surrey, BC V4A 8N1 Tel. (604) 531-4103

Less weeds. More marketable trees.

West Coast Floral Growers & Distributors Ltd. Marvin Jansen Van Doorm or Teresa Higo West Coast Horticultural Services Ltd. larry@wchsltd.com

SureGuard Herbicide is now registered in Canada! For more technical information please visit www.sureguardherbicide.ca or call Engage Agro at 1-866-613-3336.

1-866-613-3336

Grower Updates New Host Plants Added to P. ramorum List As of April 1, the following plants have been added to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s P. ramorum host plant list: Ilex aquifolium Lithocarpus glaber Magnolia cavaleriei = Michelia cavaleriei Magnolia denudata Magnolia foveolata = Michelia foveolata Vaccinium myrtilus Vaccinium vitis-idaea If you grow or sell these plants, and don’t know what this means for you, please contact Hedy Dyck at the BCLNA: hdyck@ bclna.com or (604) 574-7772. For a complete list of host plants, or to learn more about the directive, go to www.inspection. gc.ca and search for D-01-01.

Brown Garden Snail Creeps Across Border The regulated pest, European Brown Garden Snail (Helix aspersa Mueller), has again been found in shipments of plant material originating from California. Authorities report that a California Department of Agriculture advisory requiring inspection for this destructive pest prior to export had been unexpectedly dropped, resulting in a number of interceptions by the CFIA.

Says Ken Wong of the CFIA, “California has been requested to re-institute the snail free holding area requirements to ensure nursery stock is entirely free of the pest.” Canadian importers can expect a 30-day delay in some shipments while they are quarantined and inspected. Wong adds that it will take the state about six months to get compliance agreements re-implemented for all nurseries shipping nursery stock to Canada. In the meantime, they will put a priority on getting Californian nurseries that have already shipped infested product in compliance by mid-June.

AgriStability Deadline Growers are advised that AgriStability fees must be paid by December 30, 2009 in order to be eligible to participate in the 2009 program. Now that the April 30 payment deadline has passed, a 20% penalty will be added to all fees. Please also take note of the following deadlines: • September 30, 2009 deadline to submit the 2008 AgriStability/AgriInvest Harmonized Form without penalty. • December 31, 2009 deadline to submit the 2008 AgriStability/AgriInvest Harmonized Form with penalty applied. If you miss the September 30, 2009 deadline, you can still submit the form until December 31, 2009 with a $500 per month reduction to your AgriStability payment.

Sumas Gro–Media Ltd. The Next Generation in Soil Mixing All mixes go through a ﬁnal screening process before delivery. Sumas Gro–Media specializes in the production of specialty crop mixes for the nursery, bedding plants, perennial and blueberry crops. We also have seedling and propagation soils. 42481 Industrial Way, Chilliwack, B.C. Sumas Gro-Media 1

For more information, visit www.agr.gc.ca/ agristability or call 1-866-367-8506.

BroadStar®, SureGuard® Registered Two low use rate, pre-emergence herbicides have been registered to provide residual control of some broadleaf and grassy weeds in nursery production. BroadStar® is a 0.25% granular formulation specifically designed to control hairy bittercress (snapweed) and liverwort in container-grown ornamental crops. SureGuard® is a 51% water dispersible granule for pre-emergent weed control in field-grown deciduous and coniferous trees including Christmas trees and trees produced for reforestation, and to maintain bare ground non-crop areas in and around ornamental nurseries. SureGuard® controls common ragweed, lamb’s quarter, pigweeds (redroot and green) and dandelion. Read all label instructions thoroughly before use, and obey all application and safety protocols. These products are toxic to aquatic organisms, birds, and small wild mammals; apply with care and as a last resort per your Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan.

• Raw materials purchased in advance helps to ensure product consistency and availability. • Multiple computers control the dosing equipment, increasing accuracy and speed. This makes it easier to offer competitively priced products. • Non-invasive mixing equipment protects the structure and consistency of the media. • Fast, reliable delivery. www.sumasgromedia.ca

604.823-6688 1/26/09 8:23:51 AM

Treated

Mistreated

Nothing controls weeds longer or more consistently.

BroadStar Herbicide is now registered in Canada! For more technical information please visit www.broadstarherbicide.ca or call Engage Agro at 1-866-613-3336.

1-866-613-3336

About the Vancouver Convention Centre Green Roof Andrea Martinello, Marketing Manager N.A.T.S. Nursery Ltd. The spectacular new Vancouver Convention Centre is open. Its crowning feature is a living roof composed of Pacific Northwest native grasses, perennials, sedums and bulbs. N.A.T.S. Nursery is excited and proud to be part of such a large-scale project.

BCLNA at the Vancouver Convention Centre

BCLNA Shines at VCC Opening with Member Support It was late in February when the CanWest Hort Show received an invitation to be one of 10 tradeshow displays featured at the Vancouver Convention Centre’s grand opening. Honoured and overwhelmed with excitement, staff tried to figure out how to make it happen. While it presented a great opportunity for CanWest’s exhibitors, it presented an even greater opportunity to promote the industry to hundreds of VIPs and thousands of Vancouverites expected to tour the facility. One particular CanWest exhibitor and long time BCLNA member, Don Fraser of Northwest Landscape Supply Ltd., was especially intrigued with the opportunity and offered to spearhead the project. Within three weeks Fraser, with Bill Hardy and the Northwest team plus a tremendous contingent from so many CanWest exhibitors and BCLNA members, his vision of a display that would capture the beauty of the landscape trade and the heart of nursery growers was realized. And wow, did this 120-foot by 60-foot display make a presence! About 2,500 local, national and international VIPs attended the official grand opening on April 3. The facility was then opened to the public for two days following, drawing more than 68,000 visitors.

Everyone who checked out the facility agreed that there was a buzz in the air. The architecture, green roof, ocean views and mountain vistas were amazing, and the BCLNA garden was breathtaking. CanWest and BCLNA were fortunate to be part of this historical event. A sincere thank-you goes out to everyone who contributed. From plants and trees, to stone and mulch, to the transportation that went along with it: all is very much appreciated. And to the fantastic crews who brought time, talent and tools to build the display—thank you. Our members generously donated thousands of dollars in supplies and person-hours! Our gratitude again to Don Fraser for his vision and enthusiasm: Don, you brought the green industry to the centre stage of BC’s biggest public relations event of the year!

Product Contributors Brandt Tractor Ltd. Burnaby Lake Greenhouses Ltd. Cannor Nurseries Ltd. Cannor Nursery Davey Tree Expert Co. of Canada Ltd. David Hunter Garden Center Denbow East Richmond Nurseries Inc. Finning (Canada) Kato’s Nursery Ltd. N.A.T.S. Nursery Ltd. Northwest Landscape Supply Ltd. Specimen Trees Wholesale Nurseries Ltd. Valleybrook Gardens Ltd.

Onsite Installation Teams Anderson Garden Services Inc. Blasig Landscape Design & Construction Ltd. Cannor Nursery Contour Landscaping Ltd. HortEducationBC

Huckleberry Landscape Design Northwest Landscape Supply Ltd. Paridon Horticultural Ltd. RCB Garden Service TerraLink Horticulture Inc.

Exhibit Staffing b. jegard landscaping Beneath Your Feet Landscaping Blasig Landscape Design & Construction Cannor Nursery Forevergreen Landscaping The Green Man Landscape Services Mijodelu Landscaping & Renovations N.A.T.S. Nursery Ltd. Think Green Landscaping urban-escapes Watermark Gardens Photo top-right: LiveRoof® pre-vegetated modular trays like this one comprise the green roof at the newly expanded Vancouver Convention Centre. Photo below: Approximately six acres of seeds, bulbs, and plugs were produced by N.A.T.S. Nursery to complete Vancouver’s most impressive green roof project.

While green roofs are definitely not new, they are not in widespread use in North America. This is changing. An increasing number of construction projects are including green roofs and living walls in their plans. And even though the Vancouver Convention Centre’s roof is an expansive six acres, it shares the same considerations that any green roof project would have. To properly install and maintain a well-functioning green roof one must take into account variables such as function of the roof, size, exposure, soil depth and project budget. The particular conditions at each site will dictate the species of plants that will thrive—and plant material is the engine that drives a green roof’s viability. Green roofs usually fall into two categories: bulk-laid or modular systems. Bulk-laid systems are composed of multiple layers. These include waterproofing, drainage, root barrier, engineered substrate and planting layers, the last of which are either comprised of plugs planted in place, cuttings scattered over top, or seeded material. These roofs typically take two to three years to grow to complete coverage, and require some extra maintenance during the initial grow-in phase. This is a great option for designers who wish to create unusual patterns or a certain look. LiveRoof® pre-vegetated modular systems are grown at the nursery and are delivered to the job site fully rooted, and with better than 95% coverage. This has the benefit of providing a “ribbon-cutting ready” green roof, immediately after installation. The modular trays are laid directly on a slip-sheet over the waterproof membrane. After much research into available systems, the team at N.A.T.S. selected the LiveRoof® pre-vegetated modular system as the best, and has become the licensed distributor of this product for BC and Washington State. A project of such an enormous scale as the Vancouver Convention Centre expansion requires a lot of planning and testing. N.A.T.S. grew the selected species for trial plantings in roof mock-ups. Much was learned about the way the chosen plants would interact on the roof, so the list could be adjusted ahead of time to remove species which were deemed to be too aggressive, poor performers or too tall. Plug trials were run ahead of time at the nursery, designed to test how the plants responded to the specially engineered substrate, determine the actual growth rates of the plants, and to expose any other growing issues. We started organizing seed supplies as early as 2005; the project plugs were sown in the summer of 2007 and the first shipments were made in the spring of 2008, with the last shipment leaving just this past spring. It was a very longterm project, with a huge amount of effort involved over several years. The result? The roof is spectacular both in scale and appearance. A recent decision to add apiaries for bees was truly unique and a real nod towards the ecological intent of the roof. For more about green roof systems, please contact N.A.T.S. Nursery or visit the company online at www.natsnursery.com.

the

classiﬁeds Where Quality Meets Excellence

Advertise in Marketplace by calling Barb Nelson at BCLNA 604-574-7772

Full line of exceptional plugs, liners and ﬁnished nursery stock. Contact Info: Phone: 604.856.5552 Toll Free: 1.877.857.5552 Fax: 604.856.4531 Email: sales@jrtnursery.com

Erica Enterprises Ltd. is looking to hire: 1. Assistant Grower: Responsibilities include all aspect of nursery work. Nursery experience and a pesticide applicators license an asset.

BCMLA Report

2. Propagator: Responsibilities include all aspects of plant propagation and nursery work.

Research Snippets

Both are full time, year round positions. Please apply in person or fax, mail or email resume to:

David Woodske, Industry Specialist BCMAL Effectiveness of Pasteurized Poultry Litter as a Partial Substitute for CRF in the Production of Contai2-grown Ornamental Plants (HortTechnology 18(4):671-676) – The goal was to determine if pasteurized poultry litter (PPL) could be used to reduce the amount of controlled release fertilizer (CRF) required for the production of container-grown tropical plants (areca palm, downy jasmine, and Chinese hibiscus).The four fertilizer treatments included the medium rate of Nutricote alone and, in combination with PPL (31.5 lbs/yard3) or a micronutrient blend, and the high rate of Nutricote.The addition of PPL significantly increased the initial substrate pH and reduced substrate porosity. PPL also provided significant amounts of N, P, K, Mn, and Zn, but they were released primarily during the first few weeks after potting. Plant response to PPL amendment differed. Downy jasmine and Chinese hibiscus grew better and areca palm performed poorly with PPL amendment.

Erica Enterprises 14021 Rippington Road, Pitt Meadows B.C. V3Y 1Z1 Fax 604 465 2307 email ericaenterprises@shaw.ca

jrtnursery.com

JRT Nursery 1

Landscape Equipment Safety Training 100% online. Proven. www.LandscapeSafety.com

11/28/08 2:32:09 PM

Call for all wholesale ornamentals, native plants and ferns. a 900 Bowman Road Abbotsford, BC V3G 1T1 P.O. Box 2157 Abbotsford, BC V2T 3X8 Phone: 604-854-6986 Fax: 604-854-6982 CanAmNursery@gmail.com

Can Am Nurseries 1

GROWER SERVICES LTD.

Call us for all your native and ornamental10/24/08 plant needs

"HARD GOODS & PLANT MATERIAL FROM THE WORLD'S FINEST SOURCES" • ITML & KORD CONTAINERS • PLUG TRAYS: LANDMARK & TLC • ITML NURSERY CONTAINERS • JIFFY & PREFORMA GROWING SYSTEMS

8168 River Way, Delta, B.C. V4G 1K5 Tel: 604-946-5641 Fax: 604-946-0234 Toll Free: 1-800-498-7403 www.crofton.ca

Secondary Macro- and Microelements in Sphagnum Peatbased Substrates Amended with Parboiled Fresh Rice Hulls (PBH) or Perlite (HortTechnology 18(4):650-655) – The 10 substrates consisted of peat amended with 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, or 60% (by volume) PBH or perlite. Substrate samples were collected for nutrient analysis 0, 4, and 8 weeks after mixing. For all 10 substrates the concentration of B, Mo, Cu, Mg, and Ca were within recommended ranges for greenhouse crops, and Zn, Fe, and S were within maximum recommended levels.Two significant differences between the amendments were PBH contains a high level of Mn and perlite contains a high level of Zn.The concentration of Mn in media amended with more than 50% PBH exceeded recommended levels for greenhouse crops.The authors recommend growers maintain optimal pH and limit PBH content to 50% or lower for crops sensitive to Mn toxicity.

2:52:00 PM

27 New Journied Landscapers HortEducationBC congratulates the 27 landscape and nursery production professionals, who have received their Certificates of Qualification through an audit of their experience and education in the field.

LINNAEA NURSERIES LTD. Tel: 604-533-8281 Fax: 604-533-8246 1-888-327-7705 email: linnaea@telus.net 3666 - 224th Street, Langley, BC V2Z 2G7 Canada

If you possess 9720 hours in landscape or production horticulture, and hold a valid CHT, degree or diploma, contact Anne Kadwell (akadwell@horteducationbc.com) and learn how you too can receive your Certification of Qualification. You must provide proof of your hours of experience and complete the application in full, or it will automatically be denied; however, this is a great option in lieu of writing a challenge exam to receive your trade papers. Note that becoming a journied tradesperson is not the same as becoming Red Seal Certified; for more on Red Seal, visit www.horteducationbc.com.

Landscape Clippings

Landscape Awards Raise Bar

New

2009

BCLNA Members Final Approval

ERNI

We offer full plant service

Send us your wish list or job and we will send you a quote – phone, fax or email

A proven media magnet, BCLNA’s Landscape Awards of Excellence are a sure-fire way for landscape professionals to get great publicity. Over the past few years, the Awards program has been acknowledged by an increasing number of media agencies, news columnists, and magazine editors, and better quality digital photos mean that nearly all editorials are accompanied by the landscapers’ own project photos! Now is the time to start planning your Landscape Award of Excellence entry, so that you too can benefit from this invaluable press coverage. But take note: your winning projects have raised the bar! Awards entries have set a greater standard of workmanship than ever before, and awards have been granted in record numbers, so the points system on which they are graded has received an

upward adjustment. Additionally, maintenance category entrants will need to submit photos of the site showing two seasons of maintenance or more. So get out into your landscapes and begin taking photos of your projects this spring, and consider using a professional to shoot your landscape at its peak: the better your project’s scope is depicted, the better judges can assess its merits and the more likely that your team will find its winning projects in a magazine spread. Mark your calendar: all entries are due on August 5, 2009 (no extensions, no exceptions). The full entry package will be available at the end of this month; contact Annika Ingram for your application package at (604) 574-7772 or aingram@ bclna.com.

..Look for our

BIG RED BARN!

EAST RICHMOND NURSERIES INC. 18431 Westminster Hwy., Richmond, B.C. V6V 1B1 Ph. 604 278-0976 Fax 604 244-2924 e-mail sales@erniplants.com

How can you benefit from this expertise? Tigwell visits a site for three to four hours, awarding scores and taking photographs to illustrate your centre’s report (up to about 100 photos, depending on the size of the centre). The consultant will provide feedback on what has been seen, and what can be improved; your staff can be involved in this discussion if you wish. The inspection report will be completed and e-mailed to you, followed by a CD with photographs

and copy of the report by mail. This independent, unbiased view gives you a snapshot of how your garden centre appears to your customers, and how it might be improved, both in terms of retailing and profitability. It also provides a discussion on the direction of garden retailing, with particular focus on your centre, and can be turned into a local publicity opportunity. Optional future inspections help you to measure yourself and set standards from year to year. The inspections will be carried out in June and July 2009, but there are only 18 spaces available, so book your place now. You must be a member of BCLNA to participate. Please note, your registration is not guaranteed until a minimum number of inspections in your area is met. For more information or to register, contact Rebecca at CNLA: rebecca@canadanursery.com or 1-866-383-4711.

23 - 24

Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre Vancouver, British Columbia

Western Canada’s premier nursery and landscape trade show. Phone: 604.574.7772 • bnelson@bclna.com

Carrot Top Gardens, Stephen Stewart, Vancouver, Active Landscaper

CanWestHortShow.com

Cloverstone Garden Services, Douglas Luckow, New Westminster, Active Landscaper (Interim) Deeply Rooted Landscaping, Marie-Claude Laski, Whistler, Active Landscaper (Interim)CanWest.indd

2/20/09 2:46:21 PM

Ivor Forest Products Ltd., Adrian van Nieuwkerk, West Kelowna, Associate Webgarden, Cathy Schouten, Surrey, Associate West Coast Lawns, Brad Carlsen, Burnaby, Active Landscaper Cory Manton, District of Saanich, Victoria, Individual

Retail Reminders

Garden Centres Canada has commissioned Eve Tigwell to carry out 18 garden centre inspections this summer. She has more than 20 years experience as a retail consultant, specializing in garden centres around the world, and has carried out inspections in the UK, Germany and Denmark for many years. Her long-time participation in International Garden Centre Association tours has given Tigwell a global perspective on garden centre management and success.

Book Your Booth Space Now!

The BCLNA welcomes the following new members as of April 20:

Michelle Fraser, Maple Ridge, Student

Ramp Up Your Retailing

S e p t e m b e r

Tentative Approval The following companies will become BCLNA members at the next board meeting unless a member provides a valid reason for not accepting the application: Alnor Excavating Ltd., Albert & Darren Svab, Surrey, Active Landscaper Brand Equipment / Precision Landscapes, Paul Robertson, Victoria, Active Landscaper (Interim) Charlie’s Bobcat Service, Charlie Crosman, Chilliwack, Active Landscaper Community Composting Inc., Kyle Goulet & Matt Mepham, Victoria, Associate

Sanitize with certainty Sanitization can be very costly if not done effectively. • Iotron takes sanitization to a new level, offering Nursery Growers unparalleled results. • Iotron utilizes irradiation technology to eliminate Pathogens, fungi and molds on pots, trays, and styroblocks. • Iotron's sanitization method fully penetrates materials like an X-ray, effectively sterilizing the material.

Field trials have proven that the sanitization level of pots prior to planting can affect plant yields.

Money does grow on trees! Be confident that your pots, trays or styroblocks are the cleanest they can be from the start. A disease free environment creates disease free plants.

Benefits

Enviro Sound Garden & Landscape, Patrick Haavisto, Sechelt, Active Landscaper

• Re-use old pots, trays & styroblock • Increase plant yields • Reduce maintenance on plants • Environmentally friendly process • No more need for harsh chemicals, steam or hot water

Greenspace Designs, Erin Renwick, Victoria, Active Landscaper

If your sanitization method leaves you uncertain, then it's definitely time to make a change.

Crocus Landscaping, David Bradshaw, Richmond, Active Landscaper

Rooted by the River Farms, Jeff & Andrea Lamond, Clearwater, Active Grower Terracraft Landscape Ltd., Martin Stockley, Whistler, Active Landscaper

For For more more information information please please contact contact Iotron Iotron Technologies Technologies Corp. Corp. 1425 1425 Kebet Kebet Way, Way, Port Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, BC BC V3C V3C 6L3 6L3 Ph. Ph. (604)945-8838 (604)945-8838 Fax. Fax. (604)945-8827 (604)945-8827 Website Website www.Iotron.com www.Iotron.com Email: Email: rkhansen@Iotron.com rkhansen@Iotron.com

BCLNA OFFICE: 604-574-7772; 800-421-7963

events

Industry

Green Scene

Weeds in the Hot Seat: A Primer

and programs

May

20-22 BCSLA Land Summit Telus Whistler Conference Centre www.bclandsummit.com

is a challenge for green-industry

21 BC Young Farmers Event: Evening with the Money Managers Ramada Plaza & Conference Centre, Abbotsford. For details: info@bcyf.ca

professionals, so Mario Lanthier of CropHealth shared his tips for dealing with weeds in a variety of situations at

June 3.

two seminars last month. Among the

17 BCLNA Landscape Commodity Meeting Golden Spruce Nurseries, Langley www.bclna.com 19-21 World Rose Festival Vancouver Convention Centre www.worldrosefestival.com

options Lanthier presented were these

25 BCLNA Golf Tournament Redwoods Golf Course, Langley www.bclna.com

heat-based solutions. 6.

28 Garden Centres of America Summer Tour Portland, Oregon www.gardencentersofamerica.org

July 17-18 Certification Exams Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langley www.bclna.com

1. Flaming is an effective tool to manage weeds on paved surfaces and other non-crop areas. Many practitioners in British Columbia tried flaming in the 1990s, only to abandon the practice because associated labour costs are higher than traditional herbicide spraying. Spraying, however, is no longer an option for many landscape managers in municipalities, where new bylaws restrict the use of pesticides. It is time for our industry to revisit this practice and conduct applied research on the tools commercially available. 2. Pictured here is a large flamer at work at in Denmark. In many cities of Europe, the use of herbicides is prohibited for weed control on hard surfaces. Some bans have been in place for 10 to 15 years, which has forced intensive research on non-pesticide methods. Flame weeding is reported to be “the most commonly applied thermal weed control on hard surfaces” and in regular use in countries such as Denmark and Sweden (Weed Research, 2004). Commercial equipment is readily available, including hand-pushed shielded flamers for use on small areas. Photo: P. Kristoffersen, Denmark.

3. A BC farmer is “flaming” weeds in his apple orchard. Excellent research comes from organic farming, where weed management is difficult because herbicides are not allowed. What is important is the intensity of the heat by unit area: a hot flame can be applied for a very short time, while a warm flame must be applied for a longer time.

At BCLNA’s Annual Golf Tournament June 25, 2009

Mario Lanthier, CropHealth Advising & Research, www.crophealth.com hemical-free weed management

Swing Into Spring

Exposure to heat of 55 to 95 degrees Celsius for 0.1 second is enough to kill leaf tissue – just one tenth of a second over the weed! No need to stand there for minutes!

4. The fingerprint test is a good way to verify the effectiveness of any heat treatment, including flaming. Heat triggers denaturation of a plant’s cellular proteins, leading to cell rupture and desiccation. After flaming, take a weed leaf and press hard with your thumb - if the finger mark stays imprinted, the leaf has suffered irreparable damage and will die. A common mistake is to burn the weed to a black charcoal – it is not necessary, except for the psychological satisfaction of seeing a dead weed! Photo: Dr. S. Knezevic, University of Nebraska.

5. Grasses are very tolerant to flaming, because their growing point is underground and protected from the treatment. This is also true of most perennial broadleaves and some annuals such as Shepherd’s purse and scentless chamomile. The above-ground portion may be killed, but these weeds will re-grow from the meristems and repeated flaming is needed. On the other hand, weeds with unprotected growing points and thin leaves are easy to control with flaming, such as Lamb’s-quarters, groundsel and chickweed.

6. Another non-chemical method is to pour boiling water on target weeds. It is a good suggestion for residential customers looking for organic methods.

It is more effective on seedlings and droughtstressed plants and less effective on wet weeds, and must be repeated for difficult-to-control weeds. Another consideration: the water must be near the boiling point, so reduce the time between boiling and walking to the target weed.

7. Acetic acid is registered as a herbicide in commercial and domestic formulations. The commercial formulation is 20%, stronger than household vinegar (5%). Acetic acid is an “excluded” pesticide in the provincial legislation, meaning there is no need for a license or certificate to buy and apply, and most municipal pesticide bylaws allow its use. It is a contact herbicide that controls only the above-ground portion of the weed. Remember that using acetic acid instead of glyphosate is not “IPM”: it is strictly product replacement. Integrated Pest Management requires a thorough understanding of the plants managed, a strong emphasis on prevention methods, and control methods that combine non-chemical with chemical.

8. This commercial hand-held machine uses infrared radiation. Propane gas burning at high temperatures heats a ceramic surface, which then radiates heat to the target weed. The method is less effective than flaming because of lower heat transfer to the weed. However, it does not have an open flame, and is thus quite appropriate for small residential sites, windy locations, or other situations where flaming cannot be used (be careful not to start a fire in the mulch of the shrub bed!).

19-24 Perennial Plant Symposium St Louis, Missouri www.perennialplant.org

August 5 BCLNA Landscape Awards Deadline for entering! Contact Annika for details: aingram@bclna.com 12 BCLNA Landscape Commodity Meeting Northwest Landscape Supply Ltd., Burnaby www.bclna.com

September 23-24 CanWest Hort Show Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre www.canwesthortshow.com

October 16-18 Certification Exams Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langley www.bclna.com

November 12-13 BCLNA Convention & AGM Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver www.bclna.com

Redwoods Golf Course, 22011-88th Ave., Langley www.redwoods-golf.com Spaces ﬁll up quickly, so register your foursome today! To register to sponsor a hole, contact Heidi or Barb at the BCLNA: 604-574-7772 or info@bclna.com BCLNA Golf Tournament 1

4/29/09 10:07:44 AM