Tennessee Greentimes - Spring 2010

VOL. 11/ NO. 1

Spring 2010

All-American Plant

Selections for 2010

Highlights from TNLA’s Winter Education Program & Exhibits

Tennessee

GREENTIMES The Official Publication of The Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association

Table of Contents

G REEN GATHERINGS Highlights from TNLA’s Winter Education Program & Exhibits

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VOL. 11/ NO. 1

Spring 2010

in the landscape Urban Trees for TN...

2009 Survey Reveals Preferred Tree Species

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other features RECENT EVENT 2010 Mid-States Horticultural Expo ......................................................................12

In the Nursery Pest Management for Nursery Crops......................................................................15

departments From the President, Tim Gallagher................................................................................ 6 TNLA New Members ...................................................................................................... 7 News from TNLA................................................................................................................8 Calendar of Events .......................................................................................................... 18 Index of Advertisers ........................................................................................................ 18

gardener’s corner And the Winners Are...

All-American Plant Selections for 2010

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The Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation.

The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Tennessee Green Times, or its editors.

Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication.

Copyright ©2010 by the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association. Tennessee Green Times is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association.

POSTMASTER: Send change of address notification to Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association, 115 Lyon Street, McMinnville, TN 37110. Postage guaranteed.

Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Tennessee Green Times allows reprinting of material. Permission requests should be directed to the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information.

Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 7903718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

f rom t h e p r e s i d e n t Tim Gallagher

Decades of Change...

As

the incoming TNLA president, I was asked to write an article for the GreenTimes. I began writing on the hardships that the nursery industry has been experiencing and the economic pressures placed on us all. Then, though, I decided to reflect on how the industry has grown and changed over the past few decades since I have been in the business and decided to look to the future instead.

When I started in the business, we had a spring shipping season that took care of us for the rest of the year. As each decade has gone by, the nursery industry has gone from small bare-root and processed balls to balled-and-burlap plants. The next decade brought us wire baskets, large trees and shrubs, and container stock. These changes allowed us to ship in summer and early fall, which moved the nursery business into shipping year-round, therefore creating year-round sales.

With each new decade, we experience highs and lows in sales, weather and the economy.

We are starting this new decade on the low side, so the future of the nursery industry within the next few years should be looking brighter for everyone who can hang in there. Fortunately, we are in the business of being “GREEN,” and this hopefully translates into more opportunities for all of us in the industry.

During the time that I have been on the TNLA board, I’ve learned a lot about how important it is to support the TNLA. It’s important to recognize all the work that the TNLA does to help the nursery industry grow and flourish. We are always looking for new ways to improve our trade shows. We spend time meeting with state leaders and congressmen to keep them informed and educated about the needs of the nursery industry. We have a lot of issues facing us in the future that can present a challenge to the industry. But with everyone’s help and support, we can face these issues head on.

TNLA is here to help you, and your input is important. Let’s all work together for a promising future.

Tim Gallagher 2010 TNLA President

TNLA WOULD LIKE TO THANK

the following companies for being MEMBERSHIP Gold Membership Sponsors Allen Landscape Management, LLC Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil Mix, Inc.

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SPONSORS

Silver Membership Sponsors Common Grounds Landscape Management, Inc.

Little Green Garden, Inc. Reedy Landscaping, Inc.

Randall Walker Farms

Immigration Law Offices of Sean Lewis, PLLC

Tennessee 811

Shadow Nursery, Inc.

J.B. Donoho Nursery

Tri Green Equipment, LLC

Swafford Nursery, Inc.

John Holmlund Nursery

Valent USA

tennessee greentimes

SPRING 2010

New TNLA Members The Tennessee Greentimes is the official publication of The Tennessee Nursery & Landscape Association, Inc. 115 Lyon Street McMinnville, Tennessee 37110 (931) 473-3951 Fax (931) 473-5883 www.tnla.com Email: mail@tnla.com

Welcome, TNLA New Members!

Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com

Clean-n-Green, LLC Richard Ray 8195 Armour Road Millington, TN 38053

Editors Dr. Bill Klingeman Dr. Bob Trigiano Associate Editors Dr. Donna Fare Dr. Nick Gawel Mr. Mark Halcomb Dr. Frank Hale Mr. Gray Haun Dr. Sandy Reed Dr. John Sorochan TNLA Officers President Tim Gallagher Heather Farms Nursery, Inc. 1st Vice President John Watson, CLP Common Grounds Landscape Mgmt.

2nd Vice President Michael Kassees Forest Nursery Co., Inc. 3rd Vice President Jim Webster The Barn Nursery, Inc. Secretary-Treasurer Randall Walker Randall Walker Farms Associate Director Dwight Burch BWI of Memphis Ex-Officio Marshall Allen Allen Landscape Management, LLC Executive Director Louree Walker Administrative Assistant Pam Stern

ACTIVE MEMBERS Blankenship Farms Beth Blankenship 1151 Petigap Road McMinnville, TN 37110

Danny Knowles & Daughters Nursery Danny Knowles 2396 Banks-Pisgah Road Smithville, TN 37166 Diversified Landscape Services, Inc. Jerry L. Holbrook 205 Midway Lane Oak Ridge, TN 37830 Naturescape Landscape & Irrigation, LLC Chris Hickle 2459 Tarr Road Talbott, TN 37877

Volunteer Lawn, Inc. (re-instated) Wendell Jones P.O. Box 18680 Knoxville, TN 37928

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Just Gardens Len Stevens P.O. Box 6700 Sevierville, TN 37864 Live Asset Insurance David J. Teed, CIC 110 Main Street Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 PondBuilder, Inc. Kip Northrup 1430 Agricola Drive Saginaw, MI 48604

N ews f rom T N L A

Meet Your New

At

TNLA Leaders!

TNLA’s Business Meeting, held February 1st during the 2010 Winter Education Program in Pigeon Forge, TN, the following new TNLA officers and directors for 2010 were elected and installed.

TNLA’s officers and directors for 2010 include: (front row, l–r) Jim Webster, 3rd Vice President; Tim Gallagher, President; John Watson, 1st Vice President; and Michael Kassees, 2nd Vice President; (second row, l–r) Marshall Allen, Ex-Officio; Dwight Burch, Associate Director; and Randall Walker, Secretary–Treasurer.

> President

> Secretary-Treasurer

Tim Gallagher Heather Farms Nursery, Inc. Morrison, TN (931) 635-2826 hfndirect@blomand.net

> 1st Vice President John Watson, CLP Common Grounds Landscape Mgmt.

Knoxville, TN (865) 947-1516 jwatson@commongroundsinc.com

> 2nd Vice President Michael Kassees Forest Nursery Co., Inc. McMinnville, TN (931) 473-2133 forestnsy@blomand.net

> 3rd Vice President Jim Webster The Barn Nursery, Inc. Chattanooga, TN (423) 698-2292 jim.webster5@yahoo.com

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Randall Walker Randall Walker Farms Morrison, TN (931) 635-9535 rwalkerfarms@blomand.net

> Associate Director Dwight Burch BWI-Memphis McMinnville, TN (931) 259-0000 dwightb@blomand.net

> Ex-Officio Marshall Allen Allen Landscape Management, LLC Kingston Springs, TN (615) 646-4682 kallen920@bellsouth.net

Incoming TNLA President Tim Gallagher presents Marshall Allen (outgoing TNLA President) with a plaque in appreciation for his service.

Jim Webster | 3rd Vice President The Barn Nursery was founded in the early 1960s. In those early days, it was known simply as The Barn and was indeed a pre-Civil War dairy barn located on McFarland Avenue in Rossville. Georgia.

There, Jim’s dad Frank, along with Jim’s mother Wanda, sold various fruits and vegetables, and the business was a staple in the community for many years.

Frank passed away in 1980, and Jim returned home from college to run the family business.

In 1985, he married Cindy, and together they grew the business. In 1989, The Barn Nursery moved to its present location in Chattanooga at the I-24/4th Avenue exit.

The Barn Nursery has grown to one of the top nursery/garden centers in the South, receiving numerous awards over the years, including Tennessee Nursery of the Year... and it all started in an old dairy barn in Rossville, Georgia.

Jim and Cindy have three children.

Recent Event

H I G H L I G H T S

F R O M

T N L A’ S

2010 Winter Education & Exhibits I N

P I G E O N

F O R G E ,

A Big Thanks to our 2010 Winter Education Sponsors!

– Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil Mix • Moss, TN – Common Grounds • Knoxville, TN – Little Hill Nursery • Memphis, TN – Reedy Landscaping • Chattanooga, TN – Riverbend Nurseries, LLC • Thompson’s Station, TN – Stanley’s Greenhouse-Plant Farm • Knoxville, TN – Tennessee Dept. of Agriculture • Nashville, TN

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T N ,

F E B R U A RY

2 – 3 ,

2 0 1 0

Thanks Also to Our Exhibitors • Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil Mix, Inc. • Bottoms Brothers Nursery • BWI of Memphis • Classic Groundcover, Inc. • Day Lily Nursery • Dickens Turf & Landscape Supply • Dow Agro Sciences • Ewing Irrigation • Griffin Greenhouse & Nursery Supplies • Hancock Horticultural Services, Inc. • Heather Farms Nursery, Inc.

• International Insurance Brokerage • John Deere Landscapes • Kinsey Gardens, Inc. • Mid-America Mulch • Middle Tennessee Nursery Association • Mize Farm & Garden • Randall Walker Farms • Riverbend Nurseries, LLC • Samara Farms • Tennessee Department of Agriculture • Wood Nursery

Recent Event

CONGRATULATIONS TO

TNLA’s Award Winners!

(SHOWN WITH TNLA PRESIDENT TIM GALLAGHER)

TNLA Wholesale Nurseryman of the Year

Tim Hitchcock (Day Lily Nursery, Rock Island, TN)

TNLA Young Nursery Professional of the Year

William James “Bill” Reilly Jr. Salesperson of the Year

TNLA Landscape Contractor of the Year

Sam Kinsey

Andy Zimlich

Thress Nursery Gardens

(Kinsey Gardens, Knoxville, TN)

(Nursery Supplies, Mobile, AL)

(Keith Thress, Knoxville, TN)

TNLA Retailer of the Year

TNLA Committee Chair of the Year

TNLA Hall of Fame 2010 Inductee

The Barn Nursery, Inc.

Nick Gawel, Ph.D.

Jimmy Cagle

(Jim Webster, Chattanooga, TN)

(TSU Nursery Research Station, McMinnville, TN)

(TN Dept. of Agriculture, Winchester, TN)

TNLA Hall of Fame 2010 Inductee

TNLA Hall of Fame 2010 Inductee

TNLA Hall of Fame 2010 Inductee

Jim Eisler

Mark Halcomb

Mary Hamby (posthumously)

(TN Dept. of Agriculture, McMinnville, TN)

(UT Extension, McMinnville, TN)

(Mary’s Greenhouse, McMinnville, TN; accepted by daughter, Beth Jacobs) tennessee greentimes

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REcent Event

C o n g r at u l at i o n s to t h e W i n n e r s at t h e M i d S tat e s H o rt i c u lt u r a l E x p o , IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, JANUARY 12–13, 2010!

THANKS to Our M SHE Sponsors!

Diamond Sponsor Monrovia Growers Platinum Sponsor Tennessee Dept. of Agriculture Gold Sponsor Farm Credit Services of Mid-America Silver Sponsor Harrell’s Fertilizer

Best of Show 1st Place Green Goods Imperial Nurseries (Granby, CT)

Best of Show 1st Place Hard Goods Belgard Pavers & Walls (Indianapolis, IN)

Passport Sponsors Ammon Wholesale Nursery Heather Farms Nursery, Inc. Imperial Nurseries, Inc. Randall Walker Farms Swafford Nursery TN Dept. of Agriculture Trivett’s Nursery Walker Nursery Co. Tradeshow Entrance Clinton Korfhage Nursery, Inc. Kentuckiana Greenhouse Assn.

Lawnco, LLC Wilson Nurseries, Inc.

Best of Show 2nd Place Green Goods Massey Nursery Sales (Crestwood, KY)

Best of Show 3rd Place Green Goods Wilson Nurseries (Frankfort, KY)

Best of Show 2nd Place Hard Goods IC Lights, LLC (Nokomis, IL)

Best of Show 3rd Place Hard Goods PondBuilder, Inc. (Saginaw, MI)

Passport Sponsor Winners January 12: Benton Peters II (shown left) January 13: George Riebel

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SPRING 2010

Also, Thanks to Our MSHE Silent Auction Donors Ammon Wholesale Nursery Crimson Dale Nursery Eason Horticultural Resources Flowerwood Nursery Green Ridge Tree Farm Heather Farms Nursery Home Nursery Imperial Nurseries Klyn Nurseries Laurel Nursery Massey Nursery Sales McHutchison “Our” Bamboo Nursery Pond Builder Manufacturing Posey & Son Quality Trees Riverbend Nurseries The Scotts Company Snow Hill Nursery Sunny Ray’s Nursery Triple B Nursery Wilson Landscaping Nursery

In the LAndscape

Photo 1. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba).

Photo 2. Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum).

Photo 3. Yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis ‘Yoshino’).

By Hubert P. Conlon, UT Extension Area Specialist in Ornamental Horticulture, with Bill Klingeman, Ph.D., UT Department of Plant Sciences

In

May 2009, sixteen urban foresters across Tennessee were asked a series of short questions about their experiences with the performance of urban tree species under their care, as well as their plans and choices for planting (and not planting) trees in years to come. The goal was to develop opportunities for communication between nurserymen, landscapers and urban foresters (who often work independently) to address a variety of environmental, planting and maintenance issues related to city green spaces. The survey was sent electronically via email, and two follow-up reminders were sent to all.

After four months, half of Tennessee’s urban foresters had weighed in with their opinions. Their responses to the following survey questions may delight or surprise you, but they undoubtedly will be valuable to Tennessee nurserymen and commercial landscapers who struggle to know what to grow.

For brevity, only the most popular tree species are listed.

Question #1. What are 10 deciduous trees that are successful along urban streets (you may list specific cultivars)?

In total, 37 tree species and specific cultivars were reported (bracketed number throughout is times listed). Those most commonly noted for success by our eight respondents were: • Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.) [6] • Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia) [5] • Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata) [4] • Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba, Photo 1) [4]

• Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum, Photo 2) [3] • Yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis ‘Yoshino’, Photo 3) [3] • Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis) [3] • Willow oak (Quercus phellos) [3] • American elm (Ulmus americana) [3] Some additional comments were related to poor tree performance and suggested that ‘Winter King’ hawthorn should have a high canopy or wide parkway for safety, that ‘Kousa’ Chinese dogwood are often sunscalded when planted in full sun, and that many elms split due to narrow crotch angles.

Question #2. What are 10 deciduous trees (and specific cultivars, if applicable) that are successful in large land areas such as parks, golf courses, industrial and commercial areas?

Respondents to this question identified 42 different tree species, but most commonly listed: • Red maple (Acer rubrum) [5] • Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) [4] • Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) [4] • Pin oak (Quercus palustris) [4] • White oak (Quercus alba) [3] • Willow oak (Quercus phellos) [3] • Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata) [3] • Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) [3] • Yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) [3] • Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) [3] • Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) [3]

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IN The Landscape

Question #3. List 5 or more deciduous tree species that are successful around tight, mostly paved areas, such as parking lots or downtown shopping areas.

Respondents identified 25 tree species. The most common trees reported were: • Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) [6] • Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia x) [5] • Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata) [3] • Columnar hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’) [3] • Trident maple (Acer buergerianum ‘Acryn’) [3] • ‘Yoshino’ flowering cherry (Prunus yedoensis ‘Yoshino’) [2] • ‘Bosque’ Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia Bosque™) [2] Question 4. What are the evergreen trees that prosper in your urban areas?

Among the 19 trees listed, the most frequent were: • Southern magnolia (M. grandiflora) [5] • Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) [4] • American holly (Ilex opaca) [4] • Foster holly (Ilex x attenuata ‘Foster’) [3] • Eastern arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) [3] • Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis x leylandii) [3] Question 5. Which deciduous and evergreen trees (and cultivars) do you prefer NOT to plant within urban areas?

In total, while 22 plant species were identified as undesirable by the respondents, the most common offenders were: • Callery pear (Pyrus x calleryana) [7] • Silver maple (Acer saccharinum) [3] • Red maple (Acer rubrum) [3] • Ash (Fraxinus spp.) [3] Several comments were repeated in association with Question #5, including specific challenges in managing ‘Bradford’ and seedling Callery pears (although ‘Redspire’, ‘Cleveland Select’ and ‘Chanticleer’ pears were preferable) and problems with the undesirable fruits of female gingko trees. Leyland cypress were acknowledged as becoming over-planted, while ‘Scarlet’ and ‘October Glory’ maples were reported to be highly susceptible to sunscald.

Question #6. Which tree species (or cultivars) are difficult to purchase (locate) in your area?

Among the 26 tree species or cultivars indicated, the most frequently identified were: • Katsura tree (Cercidophyllum japonicum) [2] • Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) [2] • Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) [2] • American elm (Ulmus americana) [2] • Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) [2]

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SPRING 2010

Question #7. What is the minimum-size tree (based on height or tree caliper) that you plant on site?

Urban foresters commented that they first preferred to purchase 2" caliper trees, followed by 1-1/2" and then 21/2" caliper trees. One forester wrote that “3-inch caliper trees [were best suited for use by] land developers or bare rooted [for planting] in city parks.”

Urban foresters’ suggestions Urban foresters who accepted the opportunity to provide open-ended comments to the survey suggested that landscape designers and architects “should not recommend street trees that are not easily found or are hard to replace.” Though urban foresters preferred to plant a greater diversity of tree species, several reported that they often “had to order larger quantities of the same species or cultivar in order to pay less in unit cost per tree” and were forced to exchange the benefits of tree diversity for “ease of managing larger groups (of a single tree cultivar or species) per block or street.”

In sum, urban foresters demonstrated great knowledge about the plants they encounter and use in urban environments. Many added comments that budgetary concerns and commercial availability of the tree species were key factors regarding their purchase decisions. Other urban foresters voiced their strong interest in planting more native species, including several oak (Quercus spp.) species not listed in this report. Finally, Tennessee nursery producers who may be looking for opportunities to develop a niche market could work with Tennessee’s urban foresters who are eager to find trees that provide the tall canopy that is a requirement for many street tree plantings.

Acknowledgements I wish to thank all eight urban foresters in Tennessee who completed this survey, and I extend my sincere gratitude to Ms. Karla Kean (UT & TSU Extension in Clarksville, TN) and Mr. Bruce Webster (director of the TN Urban Forestry Council) for providing the list of urban foresters. For more information about the TN Urban Forestry Council, visit http://www.tufc.com/.

Photos of individual trees were provided by H.P. Conlon. C

In the Nursery

Pest

Management

for Nursery Crops: Growers and University Researchers Meet to Address the Issue

By Rosemary Hallberg, Communication Specialist, Southern Region IPM Center, with Amy Fulcher, Extension Associate for Nursery Crops, University of Kentucky Department of Horticulture, on behalf of the Southern Nursery IPM Working Group

Issues Discussed at Pest-Management Meeting INSECT ISSUES Most Important Insects • Boring insects • Scale • Mites Research Needs for Insect Pests • Influence of production practices on insect outbreaks and complexes.

• Biology of granulate ambrosia beetle, mites and armored scales.

• Practices to manage the pest complexes to consolidate insecticide applications.

Extension Needs for Insect Pests • Develop monitoring techniques and thresholds.

• Organize scales into groups, and give control based on the group.

• Education on the effects of stress and production practices on insect problems.

DISEASE ISSUES

P

hytophthora ramorum is a tragedy in the forest. In a nursery, it’s deadly. So when a group of ornamental growers, university researchers, Extension professionals and others in the nursery industry met together to talk about the most serious pests affecting their industries, P. ramorum (the cause of sudden oak death) was at the top of the list. The list of primary pests (see sidebar) will be part of a new document called a “pest management strategic plan.”

Pest management strategic plans are usually commoditydriven, listing primary insects, weeds and diseases, ways to control them, pest management challenges and ways that researchers, educators and regulatory agencies can help the industry. To facilitate dialog and create content for the plan, Amy Fulcher (Extension Associate from the University of Kentucky) initiated a successful grant proposal to the Southern Region IPM Center and, along with several research cooperators, arranged to bring growers and researchers together for a two-day discussion (see photo). Last July, growers and others met during a planning workshop at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center in Mills River, North Carolina. Participants represented the woody plant ornamental industry from five southeastern states, along with land-grant university faculty charged with helping the nursery industry.

When asked about their use of integrated pest management (IPM), many growers expressed frustration about consumer expectations for the “perfect” plant. Growers shared their desires and efforts to reduce the amount of pesticides they use, but felt consumer expectations made that challenging. IPM includes pesticides as part of a package of pest management strategies, but it does not rely solely on the use of pesticides to control pests.

“We try not to spray any more than we have to,” said one grower. Another added that they focus their pest management

Most Important Diseases • Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia and Pythium root rots • Fungal leaf spots • Powdery mildew Research Needs for Diseases • Sanitizing irrigation water.

• Field diagnostics for bacterial and fungal diseases.

• Relationship between irrigation, fertilization and diseases.

• Systemic drench for dogwood powdery mildew.

Extension Needs for Diseases • Efficacy tables for fungicides/diseases.

WEED ISSUES (Field and Container) Most Important Weeds • Spurge • Bittercress • Yellow nutsedge • Horseweed (glyphosate resistant) • Crabgrass Research Needs for Weeds • Technologies for extended longevity of weed control.

• Selective weed management options.

• Cost analysis of weed management options and systems.

Extension Needs for Weeds • Develop economic thresholds.

• Education on herbicide-resistant weeds.

• Education on avoiding crop damage from herbicides.

OVERALL NEEDS • Regional website and/or manual with cultural and pest control information.

• Research on cost-effective IPM systems.

• Pest ID and management resource development. tennessee greentimes

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In the Nursery

efforts only on the plants they are selling that year.

The most challenging pests Growers face yearly battles with insect pests. Of all of the insects that growers face, scale, borers and mites are the hardest to control. Many growers requested information on how they can implement IPM methods efficiently and profitably to control those pests.

Growers listed P. ramorum as the worst disease. Although some growers chlorinate their irrigation water to prevent Phytophthora diseases including P. ramorum, the treatment is expensive, and growers with smaller nurseries often can’t afford to treat their water. Growers asked researchers for more information on ways to sanitize water that controls diseases caused by pathogens like P. ramorum.

What are the biggest weed problems in nurseries? That depends on the nursery. In field production, it is nutsedge, a perennial weed that is not controlled well by most herbicides labeled for use in nurseries and is spread by cultivation.

Container nurseries have very different weed populations, with spurge and bittercress being the dominant (and most costly) species. One central theme from growers was a desire to have more cost-effective weed management options — using knowledge and new technologies such as greater longevity of residual control, more postemergence options and access to better tools and decision aids.

What’s ahead Amy Fulcher said the plan that will result from the discussions at the meeting will be a good resource for the nursery crop industry. The research and Extension attendees recently formed a collaborative working group to design and implement strategies that control pests by using IPM. “We now have a comprehensive needs assessment and a clearly defined set of priorities about how to advance pest management for southeastern nursery growers,” she said.

Please take the survey Growers in Tennessee who would

like to help advance SNIPM goals for developing educational materials and generating grant funds for nursery crop research in the southeastern U.S. can contribute their opinions to a survey coordinated by this working group at http://tinyurl.com/TNipmsurvey.

Meet the Southern Nursery IPM Working Group (SNIPM) research and extension members: Amy Fulcher (Department of Horticulture) University of Kentucky; Joe Neal and Anthony LeBude (Department of Horticultural Science), Kelly Ivors (Department of Plant Pathology), and Steven Frank (Department of Entomology), all from NC State University; Frank Hale and Alan Windham, Entomology and Plant Pathology Department, and Bill Klingeman, Department of Plant Sciences at The University of Tennessee; J.C. Chong and Sarah White (Department of Entomology, Soils and Plant Sciences) at Clemson University; and Matthew Chappell (Department of Horticulture) and Jean WilliamsWoodward (Department of Plant Pathology) at the University of Georgia. C

Gardener’s Corner

And the Winners Are...…

All-America Plant Selections for 2010

By Dr. Sue Hamilton, Director of the UT Gardens and All-America Selections Judge

W

ith help from test gardens like the UT Gardens, AllAmerica Selections (AAS) continues its tradition of recognizing and promoting top-performing new plant varieties. After being put to test for the past two years, eight flower varieties have been named 2010 AAS Winners. Tests are performed in 40 different gardens throughout the United States. Whether for grower, landscape contractor or consumer, these awardwinning plants have proven their performance in Tennessee and are fantastic plants for the green industry. (All photos courtesy of All-America Selections) Gaillardia ‘Mesa Yellow’ is the first F1 hybrid gaillardia. Since this first-year-to-flower perennial quickly “fills in” the container with a branching, mounding habit, it works well with 4" and largersize containers. Its horizontal vigor means that you should only need one plant per pot. With reported USDA Plant Hardiness to Zone 4, gardeners should be attracted to ‘Mesa Yellow’s’ continuous blooming and its natural drought tolerance. With a height that can reach 18"–20", flowers may be cut and used for bouquets, as well. Bred

by PanAmerican Seed.

Snapdragon ‘Twinny Peach’ is a dwarf snapdragon with double or “butterfly” flowers (the name “Twinny” refers to twins or doubles). While called peach, ‘Twinny Peach’ is actually shades of melon, peach, yellow and light orange blended

together. Plants take 10–12 weeks from sow to bloom, and grow 12"–14" in the garden. Bred by Hem Genetics.

Zinnia ‘Zahara Starlight Rose’ is the first rose and white bicolor diseaseresistant zinnia. Crop time is 8–9 weeks in spring and 5–6 weeks in summer. Good for large packs and small pots, it grows to 12"– 14" in the garden. Starlight Rose joins Coral Rose, Scarlet, Yellow, White and Mix in the Zahara series. Bred by PanAmerican Seed.

Echinacea purpurea ‘PowWow Wild Berry’ is a dwarf coneflower growing to just 20"–24".

It has large 3"–4" flowers that retain their unique deep rose-purple flower color longer than other coneflowers.

A first-year-flowering perennial if sown

by January 25, it blooms continually without deadheading and produces more flowers per plant than other coneflowers. USDA Plant Hardiness to Zone 3. Bred by PanAmerican Seed Co. African Marigold ‘Moonsong Deep Orange’ has large 21/2"–3-1/2" flowers in an intense, faderesistant deep orange.

Flowers are fully double blooms. Plants grow just 12"–15" and will flower in about 70 days under short days. Bred by Syngenta Flowers, Inc.

Zinnia ‘Double Zahara Cherry’ has fully double 2-1/2" blooms and has consistent resistance to leaf spot and mildew diseases. Plants mature at just 12" tall, making them great for container gardening. They also are early to bloom in about 8–10 weeks and are heat tolerant and sun loving. Bred by PanAmerican Seed Co. Zinnia ‘Double Zahara Fire’ also has fully double 2-1/2" blooms and is resistant to leaf spot and mildew diseases. Bright orangescarlet flowers are incredibly showy and bloom in just 8–10 weeks. This heat-tolerant, sun-loving annual grows to just 12" tall. Bred by PanAmerican Seed Co. Viola ‘Endurio Sky Blue Martien’ is a coolseason annual with a bright, clear-blue color.

This unique spreading/ mounding viola may look delicate, but it delivers toughas-nails performance in the garden.

In mild southern regions, it flowers throughout the winter, laughing off wind, rain, cold temperatures and passing snowfalls. Delicate 3/4" flowers cover plants in beautiful sky blue. Growing to 6" tall and 10"–12" wide, it creates a bright spot in any landscape. It is also perfectly suited to window boxes and hanging gardens, as well as balcony and patio planters. Bred

by Syngenta Flowers, Inc. C tennessee greentimes

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Index of Advertisers

Calendar of Events JUNE 16–18

October 1-2

Southeast Greenhouse Conference Greenville, SC Contact: 614-487-1117 www.sgcts.org

Middle Tennessee Nursery Association (MTNA) Trade Show McMinnville Civic Center McMinnville, TN Contact: 913-507-7322 Email: mtna@blomand.net www.mtna.com

AUGUST 3–5 Penn-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (PANTS) Greater Philadelphia Expo Center Philadelphia, PA Contact: 800-898-3411 www.pnla.com

August 2 TNLA/HRI Memorial Golf Tournament McMinnville Country Club McMinnville, TN 37110 Contact: 931-473-3951 Fax: 931-473-5833 Email: mail@tnla.com www.tnla.com

August 3 TN Green Industry Field Day TSU-Otis L. Floyd Research Center 472 Cadillac Lane McMinnville, TN 37110 Contact: 931-473-3951 Fax: 931-473-5833 Email: mail@tnla.com www.tnla.com

October 28–30 GIE EXPO Kentucky Expo Center Louisville, KY Contact: 800-558-8767 Email: info@gieexpo.com www.gieexpo.com

Braun Horticulture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 www.braungroup.com Carolina Nurseries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover www.carolinanurseries.com Central Landscape Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 www.centrallandscape.com D & D Agri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Ewing Irrigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 www.ewing1.com Forrest Nursery Company, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Hayes Nursery Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 John Deere Landscapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 www.johndeerelandscapes.com Larry A. Gribble Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Louisiana Forest Seed Company, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

January 28–29, 2011 Mid-States Horticultural Expo (a partnership of TNLA and KNLA) Kentucky international Convention Center Downtown Louisville, KY For advertising contact: Betsie A. Taylor, 800-735-9791 or KNLA@gmail.com; http://www.knla.org For booth information contact: Louree Walker, 931-473-3951 or louree@TNLA.com

Low Falls Wholesale Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 www.lowfallsnursery.com Mid Tenn Turf, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 www.midtennturf.com Motz & Son Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Pack’s Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 www.packsnursery.com Riverbend Nurseries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover www.riverbendnurseries.com Southern Growers Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 www.southerngrowers.com Surface Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 www.surfacenursery.com Swafford Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 www.swaffordnursery.com Tennessee 811 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 www.tnonecall.com Turf Mountain Sod, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 www.turfmountain.com Welmaster Carts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover www.wellmaster.ca

classified

Hayes Nursery Enterprises 1474 Old Well Road Morrison, Tennessee 37357 Trudie or James Hayes, 931-939-7945 Liners to Landscape.