LooseLeaf April/May 2017

April/May 2017 Volume 35 • Number 2 • $12.50

Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association

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Recommended Backyard to What’s Table: What Trees for Trending in the Diversifying the Millennials Want Tree Market? in Trees Urban Forest

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Wanted: A Few Good Trees

How to Prepare Tree Customers for a Dry Season

Raising the (Greenhouse) Roof with Live Music

SERVING THE HORTICULTURAL INDUSTRY SINCE 1893

WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE & PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS Your Full Line Distributor for:

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Van’s Nursery

Craig Spink’s Nursery

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Our Mission To create opportunities for horticultural and associated industry professionals to collaboratively grow their businesses through fellowship, education, advocacy and certification.

In This Issue 4

Message from the Board:

Cover Photo Courtesy of Colorado State University

The Fresh Eyes of Youth

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Advertisers List

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Member Profiles: Bent Heirlooms • Griffin

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14 How to Prepare Tree Customers for a Dry Season What’s Trending in the Tree Market?

15 Raising the (Greenhouse) Roof with Live Music

10 Recommended Trees for Diversifying the Urban Forest 12 Backyard to Table: What Millennials Want in a Tree 13 Wanted: A Few Good Trees

17 Financial Affairs: Careful 401(k) Management is Critical

18 CSU Research Update: 2017 Plant Select®

19 Calendar, New Members, Classified Ads 20 Funding Research & Education: Celebrating Generosity & New Beginnings

Board Of Directors

Directors

Jesse Eastman, CCNP President Fort Collins Nursery 970.482.1984 j.eastman@fortcollinsnursery.com

Mandy Gerace Welby Gardens 303.288.3398 mandyg@hardyboyplant.com

Sarada Krishnan, Ph.D. Denver Botanic Gardens 720.865.3601 krishnas@botanicgardens.org

Michelle Cadena, CCNP Sunshine Horticulture 303.301.5444 michellesunshine1973@gmail.com

Kirby Thompson, CCNP, CGG Britton Nursery, Inc. 719.495.3676 info@brittonflowers.com

Levi Heidrich Heidrich’s Colorado Tree Farm Nursery, LLC 719.598.8733 levi@coloradotreefarmnursery.com

Beth Gulley Gulley Greenhouse & Garden Center 970.223.4769 beth@gulleygreenhouses.com

Dan Wise, CCNP President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery 970.484.1289 dan@ftcollinswholesalenursery.com Kerri Dantino, Officer-At-Large Little Valley Wholesale Nursery 303.659.6708 kerri@lvwn.com

Ex-Officio Members

Publisher

Editorial

Contributing Writers

Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 959 S. Kipling Pkwy., Ste. 200 Lakewood, Colo. 80226 303.758.6672 Fax: 303.758.6805 info@coloradonga.org coloradonga.org

Allison Gault, MBA, CAE Executive Director Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 303.758.6672 agault@coloradonga.org

Stan Brown, CCNP Matt Edmundson Tanya Ishikawa Ben Northcutt

Printer

Staff

Jim Klett, Ph.D. CSU Dept. of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture 970.491.7179 jim.klett@colostate.edu Allison Gault, MBA, CAE Executive Director Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 303.758.6672 agault@coloradonga.org

Lindsay Chrisp Jack Fetig Dr. Jim Klett Alex Tisthammer

Jesse Eastman, CCNP Levi Heidrich Theresa McDowell Joran Viers

The LooseLeaf feature writer and editor is Tanya Ishikawa of Buffalo Trails Multimedia Communications at 303.819.7784 and office@tanyaishikawa.com.

The LooseLeaf is published six times a year with issues scheduled for February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September, October/November, and December/January.

Visit coloradonga.org for classified advertisements, plant publications, upcoming events, a member directory, and much more!

Colorado Community Media 9137 Ridgeline Blvd., Ste. 210 Highlands Ranch, Colo. 80129 coloradocommunitymedia.com

Display Advertising Ben Northcutt, CNGA 303.758.6672 info@coloradonga.org

coloradonga.org

Allison Gault, MBA, CAE

Ben Northcutt

Executive Director agault@coloradonga.org

Membership Manager bnorthcutt@coloradonga.org

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The Fresh Eyes of Youth

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD

By Jesse Eastman, CCNP CNGA Board President

“Just like a tree, our industry is constantly growing, the newer vigorous industry members bringing in fresh ideas and energy while building on the structures of their predecessors.”

As trees grow, they produce new layers of cambium. Through the cambium flows the lifeblood of the tree. From one year to the next, last year’s cambium becomes this year’s structural heartwood, providing the strength for each new layer to cling to and expand upon. Just like a tree, our industry is constantly growing, the newer vigorous industry members bringing in fresh ideas and energy while building on the structures of their predecessors.

Never was this more apparent than at 2017 ProGreen. As I walked the trade show floor, I noticed new generations representing their companies in exhibitor booths. For the first time since I started attending the seminars at ProGreen in 2009, I felt I was truly surrounded by my peers, and was no longer clearly the youngest person in the room (I was 25 at the time). At the various events surrounding the show, established members of the green industry happy to share their wisdom and experience engaged in rich dialogue with younger students, interns and employees eager to learn and build industry connections.

This kind of interchange is critical to the continued vitality of the green industry, and it is important to realize that the benefits can flow both ways. Certainly, an intern has much to gain by joining an enterprise and getting to experience firsthand what it looks like when they get out of the classroom and into the field. That initial contact with reality can be jarring, but is critical if that student is to really appreciate the nuances of a functional

business, such as why a small organization might still hand water their plants even though there are state-of-the-art automated systems available. Some things can be scaled up or down more easily than others, but until someone can experience it firsthand, that’s a tough concept to understand.

Likewise, an established business has a lot to gain by adding fresh perspectives.

“Because that’s the way we’ve always done it” can become a toxic phrase, an attitude that can leave a business stuck in the mud while its competitors are racing ahead. A student has the luxury of enthusiasm and curiosity, characteristics which sadly tend to dull over time. The new eyes of a young employee can often lead to innovative changes that turn old paradigms upside down, eliminate longaccepted inefficiencies, and drive a business forward in an ever-evolving economy. It is hard to learn to see your own business with fresh eyes, but for a student or intern, it’s all brand new.

If your business doesn’t have an internship program, however informal, I strongly encourage you to consider it. Just like the best way to learn a language is total immersion, the best way for your future employees to develop into the skilled individuals necessary for your enterprise is to provide them with an opportunity for hands-on learning now.

Not only are you investing in the idea that they may someday be able to help you out as an employee, but they may just have a contribution today that makes tomorrow a little brighter.

advertisers LIST ACW Supply................................................................... 2 Baxter Wholesale Nursery, Inc........................................... 2 Britton Nursery, Inc. ........................................................ 19 Circle D Farm Sales, Inc. .................................................. 11 Carlton Plants ................................................................ 19 Clayton Tree Farm, LLC .................................................... 16

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Dave Wilson Nursery ....................................................... 2 Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery ......................................... 2 Griffin ............................................................................ 7 Harding Nursery, Inc....................................................... 11 McKay Nursey Company ................................................. 16

LooseLeaf April/May 2017

Heirloom Plants, Seeds & their Stories

MEMBER PROFILE

Interview with Paul Weiss, Owner and Horticultural Manager

How did Bent Heirlooms get started?

Do you use any special growing techniques?

I grew up as part of a farming family in Michigan. We always had a big garden, which I spent many hours tending, and this nurtured my love of growing. With that experience, I developed a knack for growing vegetables and other plants. Although I have a formal education in business and finance, my passion for growing plants led to a small backyard greenhouse. In 2014, I was encouraged to expand my operations, which enabled me to start selling at local farmers markets in Longmont and Boulder.

When certain types of vegetables, especially tomatoes, are grown in the same plot of soil year after year, they can easily suffer from root diseases. This can ruin the tomatoes, not to mention the grower’s confidence, so I grow grafted tomatoes. I take an heirloom plant and graft it to a disease-resistant root stock, which combines the best of both worlds for producing healthy and delicious tomatoes.

Another technique I use is earth pots.

These can be planted directly into the ground with great root systems and I avoid using plastic pots, which aren’t very recyclable.

What sets your company apart from others?

There are a surprising number of gardeners and food enthusiasts who seek out old, unique varieties that are often hard to find. I’ve experienced this myself by having trouble finding certain peppers for my mole recipes.

But I’ve become quite successful at locating and growing the more elusive varieties. Also, I’ve found a niche whereby I grow heirloom plants that not only meet a growing demand for non-GMO plants and non-hybrid seed, but also come with colorful stories that help my customers connect with the past. While my heirloom tomatoes, peppers, chilis and other vegetables are superior in flavor, it’s their stories that are as important, if not more so, to my customers. I spend a considerable amount of time locating heirloom seed stock and researching the ‘story’ part of the plants I sell.

Bent Heirlooms, LLC 942 Atwood Street Longmont, Colo. 80501 720.280.8758 bentheirlooms@ gmail.com facebook.com/ BentHeirlooms/

How can CNGA be useful to your business?

At my early stage of business development, I look forward to the business connections that CNGA can provide. The more members I meet, the more relationships I can build that will ultimately help me expand the reach of my company. I see my CNGA membership as an important part of my business strategy.

What trends are influencing your business?

I’m seeing a growing and steady interest in patio gardening, especially from the millennials. They are excited about growing but have very busy lives. To tap into that excitement, we need to create growing systems that are easy and make them feel successful at the same time. I’ve actually developed a planter system that can make growing vegetables and flowers pretty fool proof, at least from the watering angle. It uses a sub-irrigated set up, which is perfect for the patio and helps insure the plants get the water they need when they need it. With these planters, I can have a pre-planted system ready to take home and enjoy right away, whether it’s used for tomatoes or flowers. coloradonga.org

Bent Heirloom’s sub-irrigated planter boxes, before and after plants are installed

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MEMBER PROFILE

Griffin 2450 N. Airport Blvd.

Building 1, Unit H Aurora, Colo. 80011 970.581.3303 bconner@griffinmail.com griffins.com

A Comprehensive Range of Horticultural Services & Products Interview with Craig Hyslip, Chief Operating Officer

What’s the history of Griffin?

mature plants is something customers can enjoy immediately. By providing very efficient tools for our customers, such as online access to real-time inventory and customer-specific pricing and quote requests, we strengthen their relationships with us.

Our company started in 1947, as a one-man operation run by founder Charlie Griffin.

Located in Massachusetts, Griffin grew into a reputable supplier of hard goods for the local nursery and greenhouse operations in the area. After Charlie passed away in 1964, our father Ken, who worked at Griffin since 1953, bought the business in 1967.

How do you educate your customers?

To bring a more complete range of products and services to our customers, Griffin purchased Syngenta Horticultural Services from Syngenta in 2012. The acquisition expanded our existing youngplant network, gave us new capabilities as a stocking seed distributor, and laid the groundwork for our transition from regional to national supplier. Today, Griffin remains a successful family-run business with distribution centers throughout the eastern and southern U.S., and most recently our new location in Aurora, Colorado.

We’ve invested heavily in providing the best possible education to our customers. From retail and tech tips on our website to the many experts who answer phone calls, we offer a complete resource for all horticulture needs. Customers have learned that Griffin can help them solve problems. Some months, our technical services staff will receive more than a thousand phone calls. Our education services are good for business, and we understand that an educated customer can become a loyal customer, confident in our expertise and products.

Are you being affected by any labor shortages?

As a product distributor, truck drivers are critical to our operations. Yet, they’ve become harder and harder to find. In other areas like sales and technical services, it’s difficult these days to find young people who have the patience to spend two years developing the skills and knowledge necessary to become trusted partners to our customers.

Why does Griffin supports many trade associations?

What changes are shaping your strategies?

Social media has become a game changer for us. It has accelerated the speed of finding and acquiring whatever the customer is looking for. So, we have to be on our game in meeting their selection and delivery expectations. One way we’re meeting this challenge is by providing more turnkey solutions to our customers. Today’s consumer seeks instant gratification; we help our customers satisfy that demand. For example, a decorative patio container complete with

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Association members represent operations who are trying to improve their business, as well as the overall health of the horticulture industry. We believe we can help them thrive by using our wide range of products and tapping our expertise.

We know, too, that in some states, the traditional sources of production information, such as county extension offices, aren’t there anymore. In those situations, Griffin has taken on the role of being a go-to resource for all aspects of growing. We want the association members to know we’re here to help them.

When association members do well, the industry does well, and Griffin does well.

LooseLeaf April/May 2017

We’re growing something

Altogether. Better.

Altogether. Better.

Griffin has been a partner to horticulture professionals for 70 years. End-to-end solutions are our specialty. Look to us for quality seed and vegetative crops, hard goods, structures, equipment and retail supplies. We apply our knowledge, experience and resources to enhance your success from production to retail.

Our new Colorado distribution center is now open!

2450 N. Airport Blvd., Building 1 Unit: H, Aurora, CO 80011

www.griffins.com | 1.800.888.0054 © 2017 Griffin Greenhouse Supplies, Inc.

Altogether. Better.

An Issue Packed with Helpful Lists

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Welcome again to our springtime LooseLeaf issue, where we supply you with a helpful group of short articles to support your business efforts. The CNGA staff and Communications Committee realize your time is even more precious during this busy season so we are providing the six lists in the following pages as quick, easy reading.

This year, we have once again brought together an experienced cadre of your peers in the CNGA membership to contribute articles. We believe their insights and many tree recommendations will provide several useful ideas that you can share with your customers and staff. We hope you’ll be inspired to tear pages out, make copies and post them to bulletin boards and walls to be accessible to staff members and customers alike.

LooseLeaf April/May 2017

What’s Trending in the Tree Market?

By Levi Heidrich

Not only has the tree market experienced a strong uptick, but the most popular trees have become harder to get. Some of the varieties that are desired by people – whether homeowners, landscapers or architects – have changed in the past few years as well.

Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos inermis sp.)

Emerald ash borer, causing the decline of ash, has forced everyone to re-evaluate what varieties of trees will be planted in our urban forests. As both a retail and re-wholesale nursery, we hear from both types of customers about what they want.

Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioica)

Homeowners are more flexible with what they can plant, and generally know what “look” they want. We are able to help them find a close substitute if it’s not something we have in stock.

Landscapers and landscape architects are usually working from requirements from an HOA, city planning department or an architect’s plan. It’s sometimes harder to meet their needs, especially when certain varieties are in high demand but limited in supply. Based on our sales, here are some trends we have noticed over the past few years.

Linden (Tilia americana sp.)

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) Hot Wings Tatarain maple (Acer tataricum ‘GarAnn’)

Ash replacements: Locally in 2015 and 2016, we noticed a reduction in demand for ash. We also feel it’s a tree that should be phased out, and most of our local growers have done the same, opening the door for a few other varieties that normally weren’t as popular. We have seen a dramatic increase in demand for the following trees, which should help diversify our urban forest. coloradonga.org

Flowering ornamental trees: You just can’t have enough of these.

Spring Snow crabapple (Malus ‘Spring Snow’) Canada Red chokecherry (Prunus virginiana ‘Canada Red’) Chanticleer pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’) Hawthorns (Crataegus sp.)

Aspen

Aspen (Populus tremuloides): Yes, that's right, aspen. For the past three years, aspen have out-sold the next closest deciduous shade tree by a rate of 3 to 1. This happens even with a sign on the tree that calls it the “State Weed”.

Everyone seems to want a little piece of Colorado in their yards.

Autumn Blaze maple Hot Wings Tatarian maple

Sensation maple (Acer negundo ‘Sensation’) is another tree that is more and more in demand. It’s ability to adapt to poor soil conditions and low water needs are huge benefits.

Red fall color trees: After aspen, Autumn Blaze maple and Sensation maple are still hot and sell very well. Their fast-growing nature and good fall color make them popular for both retail and wholesale.

Autumn Blaze maple (Acer x fremanii ‘Jeffersred’) have not sold as well around Castle Rock and the north area from what we have heard, but they are still selling strong in Colorado Springs.

Levi Heidrich graduated from Colorado College in 2002, and lives in Falcon with wife Heather, son Cooper, and daughter Piper.

Levi has been working in the nursery his entire life and took over the role of general manager at Heidrich’s Colorado Tree Farm Nursery in 2003.

Baby Blue Eyes spruce

Evergreens: The most indemand evergreens are ones that give the Colorado spruce look, but fit in smaller spaces as more and more yards shrink. Spruce as a category is the best-selling, while Ponderosa pine would be second.

Grafted spruce such as:  Baby Blue Eyes (Picea pungens ‘Baby Blue Eyes’)  Blue Totem (Picea pungens Fastiglata Wells ‘Blue Totem’)  Bakeri (Picea pungens ‘Bakeri’)  Hoopsi (Picea pungens ‘Hoopsii’)  Fat Albert (Picea pungens ‘Fat Albert’) Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)

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Recommended Trees for Diversifying the Urban Forest

By Stan Brown, CCNP

Stan Brown is president and B&B tree manager for Alameda Wholesale Nursery in Englewood, Colorado. He has served as president of the Colorado Nurseryman’s Association and the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado.

What’s the value of diversity?

When is the last time you roasted chestnuts by an open fire?

Chestnut trees were the dominate tree in the Northeast forest until 1904, when a blight started killing virtually every one. In the 1930s, a blight started devastating urban American elm trees. In 2002, a borer started killing all varieties of ash in the U.S.

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We are fortunate to have more than 30 varieties of large trees that grow well here and I recommend to replace ash, including:

If our urban forest is made up of many different varieties, it lessens the opportunity for a disease or insect to wreak havoc and lessens the economic hit when one variety becomes prey.

I feel Colorado is not a good place to use long rows of the same variety of trees; it gets real hard to match when the one in the middle dies or gets broken off in a heavy snow.

As of now, emerald ash borer has been limited to Boulder and Longmont. Our customers probably do not need to have their ash trees sprayed with a preventive spray if they are more than 15 to 20 miles from the infested area. It is generally accepted that sooner or later the Front Range from Fort Collins down to Pueblo will be affected, but that might take 10 to 20 years. Some may choose to cut down their existing ash trees before they are hit – that is a personal decision; removing a three-foot tree is far cheaper than removing a 12-foot tree.

Photos courtesy of Colorado State University

Imperial’/’Shademaster’/’Skyline’); Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens); Austrian pine (Pinus nigra).

There are several trees that in my opinion are on the brink of being overused: Autumn Blaze maple (Acer x freemanii ‘Jeffersred’); Spring Snow crabapple (Malus x ‘Spring Snow’); ornamental pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’/’Cleveland Select’/’Autumn Blaze’); locust (Gleditsia triacanthos inermis

Horse chestnut Red Briotii (Aesculus x carnea ‘Briotti’) Fort McNair (Aesculus x carnea ‘Fort McNair’) Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) Espresso Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnnocladus dioicus ‘Espresso’) American Sentry linden (Tilia Americana ‘McKSentry’) Maple Emerald Queen Norway (Acer platanoides ‘Emerald Queen’) Red Point (Acer rubrum ‘Frank Jr.’)

Buckeye

Buckeye (Aesculus glabra) Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) Elm Accolade (Ulmus japonica x wilsoniana ‘Morton’)

Rocky Mountain Glow (Acer grandidentatum ‘Schmidt’) Crimson King (Acer plantanoides ‘Crimson King’) State Street (Acer miyabei ‘Morton’)

Emerald Sunshine (Ulmus propinqua ‘JFS-Bieberich)

Caddo sugar (Acer saccharum ‘Caddo’)

Frontier (Ulmus ‘Frontier’)

Fall Fiesta sugar (Acer saccharum ‘Balsta’)

Prospector (Ulmus wilsoniana ‘Prospector) Valley Forge (Ulmus Americana ‘Valley Forge’)

Green Mountain sugar (Acer saccharum ‘Green Mountain’) Oak Bur (Quercus macrocarpa) Chinkapin (Quercus muehlenbergii) English (Quercus robur) Heritage (Quercus x macdanielii ‘Clemons’) Northern Red (Quercus rubra)

Hackberry

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

Scarlet (Quercus coccinea) Swamp White (Quercus bicolor) LooseLeaf April/May 2017

Oak (continued) Texas Red (Quercus buckleyi) White (Quercus alba)

Lollipop (Malus ‘Lollizam’) Perfect Purple (Malus ‘Perfect Purple’)

Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)

Prairiefire (Malus ‘Prairiefire’)

American yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)

Radiant (Malus x ‘Radiant’)

I have seen many places where ash were planted and they didn’t necessarily need to be a large growing tree.

In those situations, our plant palette opens even more, including trees like:

Royal Raindrops (Malus x ‘JFS-KW’ ) Sargent Tina (Malus sargentii ‘Tina’) Goldenrain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) Hawthorn Cockspur (Thornless, Crataegus crus-galli ‘Inermis’) Crimson Cloud (Crataegus laevigata ‘Superba’) Russian (Crataegus ambigua)

Beech

Tricolor beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Roseomarginata’) Birch River (Betula nigra) Heritage River (Betula nigra ‘Cully’) Whitespire (Betula platyphylla ‘Whitespire’)

Toba (Crataegus x mordenensis ‘Toba’) Washington (Crataegus phaenopyrum) Winter King (Craetgus viridis ‘Winter King’) Hornbeam Pyramidal European (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’) Frans Fontaine (Carpinus betulus ‘Frans Fontaine’) Japanese lilac (Syringa reticulata) Maple Bigtooth (Acer grandidentatum) Ginnala Flame (Acer ginnala ‘Flame’) Hot Wings (Acer tataricum ‘Garann’)

Crabapple

Crabapple

Newport plum (Prunus cerasifera ‘Newport’)

Brandywine (Malus ‘Brandywine’)

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Coralburst (Malus coralcole)

Serviceberry tree (Amelanchier canadensis)

coloradonga.org

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Backyard to Table: What Millennials Want in a Tree

By Alex Tisthammer

Alex Tisthammer is gardening in Fort Collins, Colorado and grew up in Roosevelt National Forest, just up the canyon. She studied horticulture at CSU and has worked at Fort Collins Nursery since 2013. She enjoys growing Rocky Mountain natives, medicinal herbs and heirloom tomatoes.

One of James’ fondest childhood memories is being on his grandma’s farm, where she had an enormous raspberry patch behind the kitchen garden. He remembers wandering out there with her in late summer, sun filtering through the tall trees and buzzing bees, as they picked the ripened berries off the canes.

They carried the fruit into the house, lips stained red with the berries that never made it into the bucket.

Grandma turned the raspberries into flaky, homemade pies or cobblers, or canned them to be enjoyed on toast, biscuits or ice cream during the long snowy winters.

Now that James is 34 and has a growing family of his own, he realizes how important those memories are to him, and how fulfilling it was for his grandparents to grow the food they were eating, on their own land. The “farm to table” movement has exploded in recent years, and millennials are taking the concept even further, making it more personal and bringing it into their own backyards.

James is like many older millennials who are starting families and moving into their first homes.

He and his wife want their home to reflect their values, and to experience the joy of watching their children interact with their landscape, but not just as a pretty backdrop. They want it to provide food, support wildlife, attract pollinators, and help them pass their values on to their children.

With a small budget and an even smaller lot, they must select plants carefully. They’ve decided that they can afford to invest in a few trees this year. So what kind of trees are they looking for?

Peach tree

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Trees that serve many purposes Stanley plum (Prunus domestica 'Stanley'), Reliance peach (Prunus persica 'Reliance'), Honeycrisp apple (Malus domestica 'Honeycrisp'), or D’Anjou pear (Pyrus ‘D’Anjou’)

to pests and disease, so minimum maintenance and pesticides are required to keep them vigorous for decades to come.

Trees that their children can climb Beautiful spring flowers to support pollinators Fruit for harvest- self-fertile varieties: Those that don’t require another pollinator tree are especially useful on a small property.

Crabapple tree

Trees that benefit the ecosystem Toba hawthorn (Crataegus x mordenensis 'Toba') or Cardinal Royal Mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia 'Michred') Ornamentals with a variety of environmental benefits Relatively fast growth rate that can be enjoyed sooner

Pear tree

Trees that are interesting throughout the year Royal Raindrops crabapple (Malus 'JFS-KW5' ROYAL RAINDROPS), or Hot Wings maple (Acer tataricum 'GarAnn').

Early season interest, either as brilliant blossoms or colorful emerging foliage Mid-season interest in the form of colorful leaves or showy seeds: These trees are compact enough for small lots but can still provide a bit of shade.

Outstanding fall color that stands out from the typical yellows of many other trees Cold weather and blanketing snow brings birds to the tree to eat its fruit, providing interest even in the depths of winter. Many other ornamental trees supply year-round interest, and match these trees’ resistance

Flowers that attract pollinators and non-toxic fruit that birds love Interesting structures throughout the winter, even when they are bare of leaves and flowers: The Toba has a unique, twisted trunk and branches, and the Cardinal Royal Mountain ash has a very tidy and symmetrical form, making either a beautiful centerpiece in the winter. Since the Cardinal Royal is a mountain ash, not a true ash, it is not affected by ash borers.

These values don’t just apply to trees; millennials who are interested in gardening are looking for these characteristics in shrubs, herbaceous perennials and annuals as well.

They want to get back to their roots and they value homemade items and locally produced products, sometimes so local it’s right outside their window! Don’t forget the nostalgia either. Many want to make memories in their own backyards with their children – just like grandma did.

LooseLeaf April/May 2017

Wanted: A Few Good Trees

By Joran Viers

Somebody requests a tree: fast growing, long-lived, low-water, deep shade, no pests, no mess…I have just the perfect tree for that situation! This recently discovered species goes by the scientific name: Nosuchthingus anywhereii.

Keep your eyes peeled! These will soon be showing up in nurseries near you. Or not…

All trees have a suite of attributes that make them good, or bad, for particular uses and sites. What makes for a good shade tree may not make a good xeric landscape tree, for instance.

Let’s look at those two competing goals – shade and low water.

What makes a good shade tree?

Attributes: Large-growing trees with larger leaves that create a dense canopy for good shading Water use: High water demand What makes a good low-water tree?

Attributes: Small leaves, smaller canopy size, ability to shed branches even as roots increase foraging for water, and many different ways to deal with insufficient water Water use: ability to survive on consistent low levels of available water So, shade trees should be planted with adequate soil moisture and soil volume, and xeric sites should not be expected to support lush shade trees. Readers are advised to learn more about any of these before selecting a species, and to make sure the site can support the tree you want.

Mulberry (Morus alba) is one of our best large shade trees here in the Albuquerque area. However, its prodigious pollen production has given it a berth on our banned-withincity-limits tree list.

The dense shade of a mulberry may offset the heat gain of rock mulch.

Cottonwood (Populus deltoides subsp. wislizeni) is another fast growing, large shade tree with its own host of problems – but good shade quickly where water is plentiful.

Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis), once out of its awkward juvenile growth, is a great medium-sized shade tree.

Raywood ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa) is similar in size and reddish fall color, and seems to tolerate our harsh soil conditions better than other Fraxinus. Until the emerald ash borer hits town, it’s a pretty good bet.

coloradonga.org

Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis) is also in this category because I’ve seen a few around our area growing really well, though I have no idea how they are finding water.

Young Chinese pistache in fall color

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) also tolerates drought, though I’ve seen locust borers get into some that were under long-term stress. That said, locust wood is very slow to decay, and the trees continued to live, if not thrive.

Joran Viers is a lifelong nature student, from childhood through a master’s degree in botany to a career in the green industry. He works as the city forester for the City of Albuquerque. He enjoys gardening, hiking and forest bathing.

Italian stone pine (Pinus pinea) is another tree that seems to find water where none is evident. There must have been a good source for them locally about 50 years ago, as most that I know of in the city are of that approximate age, and doing well in dry, hard locations.

Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) seems to grow well and with great form.

Italian stone pine thriving with no apparent irrigation

Shade Tree Recommendations This short list of shade trees may offend some folks. I focused on trees that provide good shade, admitting that some of these choices have negative factors that make them unsuitable for some locations.

Low-Water Trees

Young bur oak showing strong structure typical of the species.

Texas red oak (Quercus buckleyi), Bur oak’s cousin, also seems to do well and has nice fall color.

Desert willow (Chilopsis linearis) and Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) are a final two that I will plug, for us here in the hot country. These small trees or big shrubs (however you choose to look at them), are very thrifty with water, and though not big enough to provide shade, still make a nice impact in the landscape.

Photos courtesy of Joran Viers

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How to Prepare Tree Customers for a Potentially Dry Season

By Jack Fetig

Jack Fetig has been in the landscape and nursery business since 1973. Jack has a degree in forest biology from Colorado State University. He and his wife Chris were the founders of Alpine Gardens and are the owners of Fossil Creek Nursery in Fort Collins.

Mother Nature seems to keep reminding us that planting a mixed-species urban forest is the best idea. If it’s not bugs like emerald ash borers, then it is diseases like Dutch elm disease that keep us worried about our landscapes. Nature seems determined to test even our native plantings.

In Colorado, we are not wondering if we will have periods of drought; we are wondering when we will have them. Established trees can often go without regular watering for surprisingly long periods of time, but educating tree customers about keys for drought survival when we sell them is helpful to successful tree planting. Here are some of the top tips to give tree customers.

1 Timing of watering: Generally, trees break from dormancy and grow leaves in the spring. During this new growth time, leaves are extremely soft and vulnerable to drought. Ensuring sufficient

Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium)

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watering during bud break to full leaf expansion is very important until that leaf has toughened up.

2 Winter watering: In Colorado most of our landscape water comes from irrigation systems.

We generally winterize our irrigation systems in midOctober and don’t turn them back on until midApril. This means that for six months of the year we cannot automate additional water to our landscapes. Even though many of our trees are dormant, they are still respiring and thus need some water in the soil. Again, the timing of this water is very important. Late spring water such as in March and April when the buds would like to swell is critical here.

So if you can only water once, do it in March.

3 Mulching exposed soil: Our weather conditions are constantly changing in Colorado and we seem

Russian hawthorn (Crataegus ambigua)

to have a constant breeze.

Keeping our soil protected, so moisture is not constantly drawn from the soil and shallow roots into the atmosphere, is critical to saving water on existing trees.

You will need to add mulch at least every other year.

4 Know what the species needs: Every tree species has its own water requirements.

Get to know what your tree needs and apply water appropriately. In times of drought especially, applying water according to the needs of each species is an easy way to reduce water use.

The Front Range of Colorado is a high desert and does not naturally have many trees.

A mature specimen tree in Colorado requires an investment of time and work and is a treasure. Educating the customer with these tips will better equip them to keep their investments alive in times of drought.

Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

LooseLeaf April/May 2017

Raising the (Greenhouse) Roof with Live Music

By Lindsay Chrisp

Along the showy rows of geraniums and petunias, a husband and wife twirl a two-step to the acoustic rock of a well-loved local quintet.

Smiles deepened by the years, a knowing sparkle lights their eyes.

“I just love watching you dance,” I enthuse, walking by with a broom.

“We come every year,” they reply brightly, catching their breath.

In May, Tagawa Gardens is festooned with brilliant hanging baskets and bursting with springtime guests, while live music and complimentary refreshments celebrating Mother’s Day weekend transform spring shopping into a community tradition. Young couples browsing the tomato and pepper plants sway to the jaunty rhythm of bluegrass. A growing family lingers near the thyme and pineapple sage, snapping photos of their toddler bobbing to marimba music.

As a family-owned greenhouse, our Mother’s Day Open House is one of the many ways we thank our community for their perennial loyalty and support. If you are considering live music for your annual lineup, start with these questions: How might live music enhance your guests’ experience of an existing event?

Do you have the space and resources for a stage and ample seating?

Do you have the electrical capacity for a full-piece band and sound system? coloradonga.org

What local talent might capture the musical taste of your primary demographic?

Could a timely sales opportunity be paired with the attraction of live music?

Last August, we leaped at the opportunity to host a summer concert in collaboration with a wonderful local library district.

Friends, families and co-workers danced and laughed amid overflowing container gardens and magenta geranium topiaries.

Comfortable inside our warm greenhouse from blustery Colorado storm clouds, over 300 guests enjoyed the excitement.

“This was so much fun!” many exclaimed at the end of the concert.

“Thank you so much for doing this!” said others.

“This was one of the best events ever!”

How might you get started in creating your own stand-alone

concert event? Work through these questions with your team to ascertain if such an event might be a potential fit for your business:

Originally a Nebraska farm girl, Lindsay Chrisp is the events and community outreach coordinator at Tagawa Gardens in Centennial, Colorado. Lindsay is grateful to use her passion for people, community and nature in such a vibrant setting, through planning public classes, family events and other educational opportunities.

Do you have the necessary liability insurance and licensing?

When would adequate floor space and staffing be available?

What safety considerations would be particularly relevant to your facility?

Do you have the parking space to accommodate potentially hundreds of cars?

If your facility were to reach capacity, how would your team respond?

What would be your contingency plan in the event of inclement weather?

What additional festivities might entice guests to come early and stay for the duration of the event?

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A few more words about hosting live music at your garden center…

Location, location, location: The farther people have to travel to get to your venue, the harder it will be to draw them in.

Technical know-how: Good sound is key to a successful event, for both the band and the attendees. Hiring a sound engineer can ensure your speaker and microphone setup is optimal.

Liquor licensing: Beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages are common customer desires at musical events, so it’s important to check and fully comply with local laws including having serving staff (or contractors) specifically assigned to check IDs.

By Jesse Eastman, CCNP

While it’s true that being surrounded by beautiful plants makes people’s hearts sing, turning your plant venue into a concert venue is not as easy as just plugging in some speakers, pouring a few beers, and hiring a band. At Fort Collins Nursery, we’re heading into our third year of hosting musical performances, and here are a few challenges that we are still working on overcoming.

Crowd logistics: Different music genres attract different crowds, requiring specific preparations. To handle rowdy rock and roll patrons, you might need to hire security guards, while for chamber music guests, you should consider their expectations for tableware. Planning for sufficient restroom capacity based on your estimated crowd may also mean renting port-a-potties.

Status as a music venue: Without a strong reputation as a venue, you may need to pay more for marketing the event and for big name performers to attract a crowd.

Ticketing: With several ways to sell tickets online, by phone or in person, ticketing needs to be well thought out.

Whatever system you choose, running it through some test purchases before publicizing the event can help avoid issues later.

Delayed return on investment: Successful events may require more investment than you expect, from higher promotion and food costs to unplanned, last-minute expenses. I prefer to charge a small fee for our concerts, so people are less likely to decide not to come. It may take a few events for the benefits and income resulting from events to surpass the costs.

In-house concert organizer: We have a staff member who has spent years in the music industry, and his passion for our concerts is why they succeed. It really helps to have an employee who is an ace event organizer or at least has music industry connections and experience.

ver gO o d win Gro olora ed C end 50 m s! om Rec rietie Va

Shade, Ornamental, and Fruit Trees B&B and Containers Located in Southwest Idaho 208.482.6600 www.claytontreefarm.com

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LooseLeaf April/May 2017

Careful 401(k) Management is Critical While few CEOs, CFOs or owners realize it, most companies with 401(k) plans are at significant risk of being audited and should be more concerned about management of these plans. The risk has always been there due in part to the voluminous regulations for maintaining 401(k) plans, but the threat has risen in recent years because of legislative changes and increased scrutiny by the IRS and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). These trends have resulted in greater risk and potential loss from mistakes.

Big companies are often in the spotlight because of their size, but the financial consequences of an audit for a small company can be more catastrophic. The amount that a company has to pay as a result of errors can be de minimis, but the amount can be very large if the mistakes were made for a whole employee population. We have seen penalties vary from a couple thousand dollars to millions.

Most 401(k) mismanagement is unintentional.

Employers tend to over-rely on their service providers, and organizations lack adequate controls to review the plan operations.

Audit Prevention Techniques Audits can be initiated through employee complaints or as a result of red flags on Form 5500 tax returns identified by the IRS or DOL. The task of 401(k) administration tends to fall to human resources. HR staff in today’s world have many competing demands and little extra time.

These professionals can easily overlook risks by not paying close attention to plan management.

Instead, in their busy environment, it can be too easy to over-rely on the 401(k) provider and the company’s accounting staff to handle benefit administration responsibilities.

To avoid errors, executives at every company should consider the following: 1. Do designated plan administrators have a thorough understanding of the documents, including who is responsible for what regarding administration of benefits, and what kind of internal controls are necessary to ensure deadlines are met and processes are complete?

The plan administrator should read the plan documents – all 40 or 50 pages – to understand how the plan should be operating. We are always surprised when plan administrators have never read the documents. In those cases, how can he or she be responsible for what’s in the documents, and how can management be confident the plan is remaining compliant?

2. We often encourage companies to hire an external retirement plan advisor because it is difficult to have all the necessary expertise in house. An advisor can help train your staff and recommend who does what in the benefits administration process. As new coloradonga.org

FINANCIAL AFFAIRS

regulations come up, the advisor should provide that education as well. However, if a third-party service provider agrees to be responsible for plan administration, the company offering the benefits should still have some automatic checks and balances in place.

For example, Excel data validation and conditional formatting can quickly identify whether money is going into accounts according to the required deadlines; this can be an easy check that will provide a little first-hand assurance. Another automation is to set up a trigger mechanism to identify when an employee becomes eligible for benefits.

3. Beyond automated quality control, companies should still clearly assign someone with responsibility of 401(k) oversight (even with an external provider). This individual should have authority, appropriate training, and be accountable to conduct manual checks and balances, including paying close attention to all changes and information going back and forth.

For instance, if the company switches payroll providers, a designated employee should confirm that codes are still being entered correctly by the new provider. This individual should also ensure that internal staff, like accounting or payroll employees, and the external plan advisor are on the same page about a wide variety of plan provisions, such as including or excluding the same items, defining terms consistently, and ensuring enrollment procedures are clearly agreed to.

Finally, everyone should understand the controls in place to ensure provisions are being followed.

4. Consider hiring an experienced and qualified external plan auditor. In a recent Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) report, more than one-third of audits that were examined contained “major” deficiencies. An external auditor, in addition to being required for certain plans, should help identify errors, issues and mismanagement.

Important questions for these service providers include: How many 401(k) or benefit plans does the firm handle? Do they have experience working with external/ third-party service providers? What kind of training or certification does the team have to do this specific type of audit?

By Theresa McDowell, CPA Partner, EKS&H

About the Contributor Theresa McDowell has been in public accounting for more than 20 years. She is a partner in the audit service area and leads the employee benefit plan practice at EKS&H LLLP, a professional services firm providing audit, tax, wealth advisory, and business consulting services to public and private clients locally, nationally, and internationally.

With 70 partners and more than 700 employees, EKS&H is the fifth largest firm headquartered in the western United States.

Resources These websites provide documents and tools to help companies understand the laws and administration of employee benefits programs: • U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration: https://www.dol.gov/ agencies/ebsa • IRS Retirement Plans Section: https://www.irs.gov/ retirement-plans

By considering the above, a company can significantly minimize potential financial damage from mismanagement. Both the IRS and DOL have correction programs to assist companies with correcting these errors. Although some might think asking for help is an admission of ignorance, the more players you can get on your bench the better in this complex and risky arena.

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CSU RESEARCH UPDATE

2017 Plant Select® Plant Select® is the country’s leading source of plants designed to thrive in high plains and intermountain regions, and is a nonprofit collaboration of Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens and horticulturists from around the world. During 2017, the 20th anniversary of Plant Select®, the organization is excited to recommend five plants along with the promotion of past penstemon introductions that are great pollinator plants.

The 2017 plants include: Salivia moorcroftiana x indica (Shangri-la sage) (1) (5)

By James E. Klett, Ph.D. Professor & Landscape Horticultural Specialist Colorado State University

To help celebrate our 20th Anniversary, Plant Select® has written a new book entitled Pretty Tough Plants: 135 Resilient, Water-Smart Choices for a Beautiful Garden.

Published by Timber Press, it will be available around May 1. It will sell for $24.95 retail and $9.99 for a Kindle version. You will definitely want to have one for reference.

This hybrid sage has attractive blue-grey, wide leaves topped by lavender-blue flowers with a purple spotted paler lip. The flowers bloom late spring through early summer. If you cut back the stems to the ground after blooming, the basal leaves will flower again. This was discovered as a chance seedling at Suncrest Nurseries, Watsonville, Calif. It grows to about 2 to 3 feet in height and width and is cold hardy to U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone 5. It is quite adaptable culturally and prefers sun and moderate to dry water. It attracts bees and other pollinators.

Sorghustrum nutans ‘Thin Man’ PPAC (Thin Man Indian Grass) (2) (5)

This ground cover grows only to about 1 to 2 inches tall but spreads to 15 to 18 inches wide.

The small, glossy, rounded leaves form a dense, mat, covered by a display of small four-petaled white flowers with a blue eye. It fills in quickly, spreading by stems that root into the soil. This evergreen ground cover is beautiful among flagstones and patio pavers, along a walkway, or as a border in a sunny or partly shaded garden. It is cold hardy to U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone 3. It attracts bees and other pollinators.

Lavendula angustifolia ‘Wee One’ (Wee One dwarf English lavender) (2)

This English lavender is a dwarf (8 to 10 inches tall and 12 to 15 inches wide) with compact heads of lavender blue flowers and dark blue calyxes in late spring. It is slow-growing and very xeric. Depending on garden conditions, it will reach its mature size in two or three growing seasons. It is cold hardy to U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone 5. It is a plant that is great for small spaces and prefers sun and dry to xeric conditions. It is designated as a Plant Select® petite.

Cotoneaster racemiflorus var. soongoricus (Sungari redbead cotoneaster) (4) Thin Man is a selected form of our native Indian Grass. It has stunning blue foliage and a narrow upright habit. The showy flowers bloom in late summer and mature to a spike of seeds that feed the song birds. It is a selection from a population collected near Clovis, N.M. and is more xeric and more tolerant of dry Western growing conditions. It should be grown on the dry side to enhance the blue foliage color. It matures to about six feet tall and 24 to 30 inches wide. It prefers sun and is more xeric and hardy to U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone 4. It appears to be more deer resistant.

Photos courtesy of: (1) Mike Bone (2) David Salman (3) Panayoti Kelaidis (4) Ross Shrigley (5) Pat Hayward

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Veronica x ‘P018S’ (Snowmass blue-eyed veronica) (3) (5)

An arching larger shrub with dark green leaves above and gray-white beneath. It has white flowers in late spring followed by abundant red fruit in early fall. It grows to about 6 to 8 feet in height and width and prefers full sun. It has survived for over 40 years, receiving only natural precipitation at the Cheyenne High Plains Horticulture Research Station. It is thought to be one of the hardiest of all the cotoneasters and resistant to most pests and diseases. It attracts bees and other pollinators.

LooseLeaf April/May 2017

CNGA calendar Colorado Certified Nursery Professional (CCNP) Seminars Fort Collins, Colo.

• Perennials: Tuesday, July 18, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Gulley Greenhouse • Shrubs: Tuesday, July 25, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Fort Collins Nursery • Trees: Tuesday, Aug. 1, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Fort Collins Wholesale • Landscape Design: Tuesday, Aug. 8, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Colorado State University • Exam: Tuesday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Colorado State University CHREF Golf Tournament Arrowhead Golf Club, Littleton, Colo.

Monday, Sept. 18, noon shotgun

classified ADS FOR SALE Fine Garden Company for Sale Serving dedicated clientele in metro Denver and surrounding communities for over 15 years. Services: design, install and maintain seasonal, weekly, monthly and bi-monthly care of high end residential landscapes. Loyal staff would be part of the conversation to transition ownership. 2 trucks, trailer, tools. Owner will assist in transition.

Please contact: Lily at lnierenberg@bknmurray.com HELP WANTED Logistics Specialist & Office Manager/Executive Assistant Plantivity, P.O. Box 6185, Eagle, Colo.

81631; katy@plantivity.net

Women In Horticulture Luncheon Lakewood Country Club, Lakewood, Colo.

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

NEW members Bent Heirlooms, LLC Paul Weiss 942 Atwood Street, Longmont, Colo. 80501, 720.280.8758 Cassidy Farms Dan Cassidy P.O. Box 287, Cleveland, N.M. 87715, 575.387.2645 Jane Bernstorff 915 E Drake Road., Apt. 211, Fort Collins, Colo. 80525, 619.855.7416 James Jacobson P.O. Box 601, Franktown, Colo. 80116, 720.851.9224 John Navant 1020 Terry Street, Golden, Colo. 80401, 303.384.9614

Assistant Production Manager Trees of Corrales, P.O. Box 1326, Corrales, N.M. 87048; courtenay@treesofcorrales.com Assistant Nursery Manager, Nursery Sales, Landscape/Maintenance Technicians, Design Assistants, Supervisors, & Managers in Summit, Eagle & Grand Counties Neils Lunceford, Inc., P.O. Box 2130, Silverthorne, Colo. 80498; timglasco@neilsluncefordinc.com Horticulturists/Gardeners, Landscape Architect/Estimator, & Tree Farm Position Steve Koon Landscape & Design, Inc., 2301 W. Oxford Ave., Englewood, Colo.

80110; SteveKnLandscape@aol.com

Landscape Laborers Gardenz, 7695 W. 23rd Place, Lakewood, Colo. 80214; marie@gardenz.biz Jack Of All Trees Sand Creek Wholesale Nursery, 17050 E. Smith Road, Aurora, Colo. 80011; brad@sandcreekwholesale.com Sales, Delivery Driver, Cashier/ Customer Service, & Yard Labor Silver Sage Garden Centers, Inc., 9010 S. Santa Fe Dr., Littleton, Colo. 80125; sarah@silversageco.com Shipping Manager, Retail/Office Manager, Inside Sales, & Delivery Driver Harmony Gardens, 4315 E. Harmony Road, Fort Collins, Colo. 80525; toby@harmonygardens.biz Landscape Designers & Sales Pine Lane Nursery, 18200 Apache Drive, Parker, Colo. 80134; jackie@pinelanenursery.com Sales & Service, Nursery Professional, & Store Cashiers/ Customer Service The Tree Farm, 11868 Mineral Road, Hwy. 52, Longmont, Colo. 80504; mike@thetreefarm.com Various Positions Paulino Gardens Nursery, 6300 N. Broadway, Denver, Colo. 80216, 303-429-8062

Cultivating Love & Life

A family-owned wholesale perennial grower since 1979, Britton Nursery is Cultivating Love and Life in order to produce both healthy and beautiful plants as well as joyful and vibrant people. Our secret is that we are Rooted and Established in Love! (Ephesians 3:17) We invite you to come see what a difference love makes!

Britton Nursery, Inc.

7075 Wyoming Lane Colorado Springs, CO 80923 Office: 719.495.3676 Fax: 719.495.3749 . info@BrittonFlowers.com www.BrittonFlowers.com Proud Member

coloradonga.org

Licensed Propagator

Licensed Grower

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Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 959 S. Kipling Pky, #200 Lakewood, CO 80226

FUNDING RESEARCH & EDUCATION

Celebrating Generosity & New Beginnings The CNGA Industry Celebration was held in February in conjunction with ProGreen Expo in Denver, Colorado. Our recent scholarship award winners were acknowledged along with our annual silent auction and live auction of Gus the Gnome. Silent auction items raised $2,033, with a notable bid of $500 from Heidrich’s Colorado Tree Farm in Colorado Springs for cookies made

by Tracey Tonning of Alameda Wholesale Nursery.

By Matt Edmundson CHREF Board President

tough to reproduce Plant Select® plants. With the new facilities at the university, this is a great opportunity to invest in empirical research regarding plants that could be more widely produced and sold once we get the protocols completed.

Gus the Garden Gnome has a new home for 2017! After a flurry of bids, Fort Collins Retail Nursery came in with a bid of $2,400! Look for Gus when you drop in over the course of the year at Fort Collins Retail Nursery.

A big thank you to all who came to celebrate what CHREF is doing for scholarships and research, and a special thanks to everyone who participated in the silent and live auctions. Your contributions and support make a big difference.

Fort Collins Nursery staff and Gus the Gnome with lots to celebrate

The CHREF board would also like to give special recognition to Jim and Jeannie Matsuda of Park Creek Nursery for giving the foundation a gift of $10,000. Both Jim and Jeannie are believers in education as well as the goals and outcomes the foundation has been able to achieve over the years. Your contributions will make a positive impact on the future of our industry for many years to come. Thank you!

Please be on the lookout for information regarding our annual golf tournament scheduled for Sept. 18 at Arrowhead Golf Course. It is the largest fundraiser for the foundation and we have been selling out consistently the last few years.

Please consider the various sponsorship opportunities. Whether you golf or not, these opportunities make a positive impact for the future of our industry.

We also will be giving you some research updates including the exciting new project at CSU regarding propagation protocols for many

Fun and fellowship at the Industry Celebration

Don Davenport from Plants of the Rio Grande and Robin Reeser, wife of Pete Reeser of Kankakee Nursery