LooseLeaf August/September 2016

August/September 2016 Volume 34 • Number 4 • $12.50

Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association

STAYING FOCUSED

through FALL

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11

13

17

Share the Joy of Fall Planting

End-of-Season Credit & Payment Management

Overwinter Plants with Preparation & Protection

Industry Groups Support Credit Managers

Cold-hardy specimen trees.

Shade, flowering and evergreen.

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LooseLeaf August/September 2016

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

Cover photo courtesy of Colorado State University

Message from the Board: Planning for Future Success

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CNGA – Here for the Members: Late Summer & Fall are for Fellowship

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Member Profiles:

16 CSU Research Update:

Dutch Heritage Gardens The Windsor Gardener

Helleborus for Colorado

17 Financial Affairs: 8

Industry Groups Support Credit Managers

Share the Joy of Fall Planting

18 Safety Corner: Ergonomic Solutions for Warehouse Operations

11 End-of-Season Credit & Payment Management

19 Calendar, New Members, Classified Ads, & Advertisers List

13 Overwinter Plants with Preparation & Protection

20 Funding Research & Education: Participate in the CHREF Golf Fundraiser

Board Of Directors Jesse Eastman, CCNP President Fort Collins Nursery 970.482.1984 j.eastman@fortcollinsnursery.com Dan Wise, CCNP President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery 970.484.1289 dan@ftcollinswholesalenursery.com Levi Heidrich, Officer-At-Large Heidrich’s Colorado Tree Farm Nursery, LLC 719.598.8733 levi@coloradotreefarmnursery.com

Directors

Ex-Officio Members

Bill Kluth Tagawa Greenhouse Enterprises, LLC 303.659.1260 x205 bkluth@tagawas.com

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

Stan Brown, CCNP Alameda Wholesale Nursery, Inc. 303.761.6131 stan@alamedawholesale.com

Kerri Dantino Little Valley Wholesale Nursery 303.659.6708 kerri@lvwn.com

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

Beth Gulley Gulley Greenhouses 970.223.4769 beth@gulleygreenhouses.com

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

Chris Benavidez Allison Gault 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

Jesse Eastman, CCNP Tanya Ishikawa Cindy Thorngren

Matt Edmundson Dr. Jim Klett Jack Tootill

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 Chris Tolbertson, CNGA 303.758.6672 info@coloradonga.org

colorado coloradonga.org

Allison Gault, MBA, CAE

Ben Northcutt

Chris Tolbertson

Executive Director

Membership Manager

Administrative Coordinator

agault@ coloradonga.org

bnorthcutt@ coloradonga.org

ctolbertson@ coloradonga.org

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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD

Planning for Future Success In the green industry, life is cyclical.

Slow winters – hectic springs – long, steady summers – then lively autumns. We experience each season deeply and intensely, and as a result, it is easy to get tunnel vision as we anticipate the next seasonal shift.

By Jesse Eastman, CCNP CNGA Board President

“It would be business suicide to ignore and be unprepared for each coming season; the importance of looking forward is monumental.”

We cannot, however, stand by and be content with a one-season-at-a-time approach.

The world will move on, with or without us. Our industry is undergoing some seismic shifts. Many companies are passing from one generation to the next. The marijuana industry is exploding, and with it the demand for horticultural expertise is increasing and drawing people away from nursery and greenhouse jobs. Customer expectations are shifting towards everything on-demand. The list goes on.

It would be business suicide to ignore and be unprepared for each coming season; the importance of looking forward is monumental. We cannot predict with certainty what the future holds, but there are steps we can take to prepare for whatever comes our way.

The first, and often most difficult step is to know where you’re going. Business leaders need a clear vision of the direction their businesses are headed, but creating concrete goals that are both achievable and ambitious is harder than just saying, “I want to double my business in 10 years.”

Some things to consider when trying to lay out a road map to continued success are: • What are your strengths? Play to your strengths rather than trying to go big in an area that is not your forte.  Does your business excel at logistics?  Do you grow something that none of your competitors grow?  Are you uniquely positioned to reach a group of customers who are currently underserved?

• What are your weaknesses? Do some honest self-reflection to understand what might stand in the way of your future endeavors. Get feedback from staff, customer and clients, or even outside

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consultants – we are often blind to our own flaws.  Does your company have weak internal communication?  Can your current infrastructure tolerate new growth?  Can you secure funding to grow without overextending your finances and risking your core business?

Once you’ve identified potential areas for growth and can see your company without rose-colored glasses, it’s time to outline your sand box. For me, that means looking 15 years down the road and thinking, “What should my company look like in 2031?

Have I opened stores in new markets? Have I doubled my production capacity? Am I cash-rich enough that I don’t need to borrow money to make it through the winter?”

Whatever that looks like for you, define it.

From there, start working backwards. To open up new locations, you need land. To identify the ideal location, you need to know what housing and development trends are, what the real estate market looks like, and what your business infrastructure needs will be. As you start to fill in these details, you will quickly discover the human resources you need, and can fill those gaps as necessary.

Maybe you need a real estate agent, a contractor, or financing. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. In a world of specialization, there is someone out there who is uniquely equipped to assist you in pursuing your success.

The last thing to remember is to be deliberate. Sometimes change is forced upon you and swift action is the only choice.

This can be terrifying and can lead to judgement errors. The flip side of that coin is procrastination. Without deadlines, it is too easy to simply talk about the future instead of moving towards it. Find a happy middle ground. Set deadlines and work steadily to meet them. Be sure to leave yourself time to focus on the here and now, but not so much time that you can go six months without giving a thought to what your future holds.

Keep chipping away at it. It’s the only way anything great gets done.

LooseLeaf August/September 2016

Late Summer and Fall are for Fellowship At the end of summer and early fall, CNGA activities become plentiful – it’s the perfect opportunity for you to enjoy time with your industry colleagues. Education and fellowship are the two main reasons business leaders join associations. We successfully kicked off our BBQs in Eagle on July 22nd. A great time was had by all, and we look forward to four more BBQs, the Plant Walk, the Women in Horticulture luncheon, CHREF Golf Tournament, and Owners & Managers Meeting in the coming months. The calendar on page 19 has a listing of all upcoming events. You can also view them and register under the event tab at www.coloradonga.org.

Fall is also the time of year when the CNGA Board of Directors begins discussing industry challenges and how CNGA will help members

tackle them. We’d love to receive your input.

At the various events throughout late summer and fall, we would love to hear what your biggest challenges have been in 2016, and what you anticipate will be a challenge in 2017 and beyond. What can we do to help you in your business? Is there specific training your staff needs that we can provide?

What do you expect from CNGA and your membership? It’s also a great time to discuss the ways in which you’ve dealt with curve balls thrown your way; you may be able to help a colleague with a challenge they’re having.

The CNGA staff and I are looking forward to seeing you over the coming months, and as always, please don’t hesitate to call, email or stop in to the office.

CNGA — HERE FOR THE MEMBERS

By Allison Gault, MBA, CAE CNGA Executive Director

“Education and fellowship are the two main reasons business leaders join associations.”

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MEMBER PROFILE

High-volume Grower Catering to Impulse Buyers Interview with Operations Manager Caleb Van Wingerden and Head Grower Brian Austin

Dutch Heritage Gardens 11901 Palmer Divide Ave. Larkspur, Colo. 80118 tel 303.660.1196 fax 303.660.1285 calebvw@dhgardens.com dhgardens.com

How did Dutch Heritage Gardens get started?

In 1996, my Dad purchased a 1,000-acre property near Larkspur and built six acres of greenhouses on it. In 2006, my brother, Aaron, became the owner. I started working here right out of high school in 2007, but moved to Florida in 2010, where I learned more about greenhouse operations. I returned to Dutch Heritage in 2014, and became the operations manager. Since 2006, we’ve expanded our production considerably and now do about $7 million in business. We are proud to be celebrating our 10th anniversary this year.

What is your business model?

We really cater to the people who don’t go to a destination garden center, but still like beautiful, potted flowers for their homes and outdoor living spaces. We found a way to connect this type of consumer with our products in grocery stores. Almost every consumer goes to a grocer sooner or later, and many go frequently. This forms the basis of our ‘impulse buying’ business model.

We’ve established a solid relationship with King Soopers stores in Colorado, where our plants are displayed at store entrances. Our colorful combination baskets and containers catch customers’ eyes, and spur impulse buys. We supply 130 King Soopers stores throughout the state, which accounts for about 65 percent of our business.

What’s unique about your greenhouse operations?

Since we are a high-volume grower, we depend a great deal on automation to keep our labor costs as low as possible. We sub-irrigate through our concrete floors, which

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provides efficient watering and enables us to water our stock at the last minute before shipping without getting the leaves and flowers wet.

We use an Echo System to automatically water our hanging baskets. It only takes about 40 minutes to water 700 baskets. Our heating is zoned so we can shut down any space that’s not currently being used. Finally, our greenhouse roofs can be opened, which gives us good ventilation control and eliminates our need for cooling fans and evaporative pads.

How do you engage with the community?

We’ve always been supportive of many community projects and donate plants for many worthy causes, from Castle Rock to Colorado Springs. Our community focus right now is our annual Open House, which takes place over Memorial Day weekend.

By inviting the public into our greenhouses, we want people to get to know and trust our company. We feel this is a great outreach opportunity for us, especially in exposing young professionals to what this business is all about.

What do you like about being a CNGA member?

As with our community outreach efforts, we want to help our fellow members when there is a need.

CNGA gives us the kind of exposure we need to make others in our industry aware of who we are, what’s important to us, and the knowledge we have that might be beneficial to others. We’re looking forward to getting involved with the CNGA community.

LooseLeaf August/September 2016

Garden Center/ Brewery – A Successful Combination

MEMBER PROFILE

Interview with Amanda Weakland, Owner

How did your store get started?

We began in 1991 as a temporary greenhouse that we set up on an empty lot on the outskirts of Windsor; the business was called ‘Plant-AScape’. We were only open three months of each year, and our location changed several times over the next 10 years. By 2001, we had acquired some land on the edge of town and decided to build a greenhouse, which is on our current location. We changed our name to The Windsor Gardener. We are a family business, dating back several generations that originally started with the carnation market in Denver. My son and daughter both work here with us as well.

Your store also includes a brewery – why?

My husband, Pat, is an avid home beer brewer. Back in 2007, he was having a hard time finding hops, which is an essential ingredient for the brewing process. Sensing the need for locally available hops, we decided to start growing and selling hop plants, as well as selling brewing supplies by adding a home brewing section to our garden center. We now grow 54 varieties of hops, but no longer carry the home brewing supplies due to the growth of internet supply sources. Since the hops sales were doing so well, we took the next step and opened the High Hops Brewery at the garden center in 2012.

And what we’ve discovered is that gardening and beer go hand in hand!

The brewery has been a great success for us and enables us to extend our business through the winter months – nothing like a beer garden in a

coloradonga.org

warm greenhouse in the middle of January to draw in the customers! Plus, having the brewery helps keep our key staff employed year round.

What trends are shaping your business?

Social media is having a big impact – especially Pinterest. If a plant becomes popular on Pinterest, we hear about it right away as customers start asking for it. For example, recently there was lots of Pinterest sharing about Ageratum, since it is a mosquito repelling plant. Almost immediately it became one of our top-selling plants.

The Windsor Gardener 6461 Highway 392 Windsor, Colo. 80550 tel 970.686.9771 fax 970.686.9675 twig@thewindsor gardener.com www.thewindsor gardener.com

What do you value most about your CNGA membership?

We really enjoy the educational programs that CNGA provides, which keep us well informed and up to date with the latest growing and marketing techniques. We appreciate, too, the efforts CNGA takes to increase public awareness of plants and the value they add to our daily lives. CNGA is a good support mechanism for us.

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Joy

SHARING THE Fall is a great time to plant a wide range of plant material from trees, shrubs and woody perennials to bulbs, vegetables and even grass. Helping customers understand how to be successful with planting in the fall and dispel myths and misperceptions can lead to more sales and increased customer loyalty.

“There’s a myth that you can’t plant seeds in the fall, because it’s too late,” agreed Nursery Manager Sue Herlihy and Assistant Manager Maggie March of Durango Nursery. “Some grass seeding projects are perfect for fall planting. One, you might actually be ready because the spring and summer push is over! Two, you know your weed and pest situation because you’ve experienced them throughout the summer. Three, grass seed may do even better with the even soil temperatures and moisture levels, and you may be able to keep traffic off.”

“Fall is also a great time to plant perennial seeds that need cold stratification, the process where temperature changes such as freezing and thawing plus moisture massage the seed prior to germination,” March and Herlihy added. “For woody species, energy is being sent to the root system while the plant is going dormant. Root energy will continue through the winter except during hard freezes. By spring the tree will not be going through transplant shock and should be ready to begin its season.”

Because western Colorado is fortunate to have weather that is usually beautiful through Thanksgiving, gardeners can remain “active and eager,” said Mona Dyer, the lead clerk at Bookcliff Gardens in Grand Junction. Her staff encourages planting clear into November, as long as there’s water available.

“Installing plants in fall allows them to settle in a bit before going completely to sleep for the winter, giving them a head start in establishing next spring,” she explained. “Once spring rolls back around, the gardener can focus on other

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tasks that can only be done during warm weather. Let’s spread the joy of gardening over several months instead of jamming it all in to the month of May!”

Photos courtesy of Durango Nursery

“We encourage our customers to use late fall and early winter to get a head start on preparing soil and getting rid of weeds and pests in their veggie gardens and flower beds. Working organic matter deeply into the garden in December, and letting snow and frost do the heavy work of breaking up soil through the winter saves gardeners valuable time come spring. Waiting until December to turn the soil also helps upend critters like squash bugs that’ve hunkered down for the winter, killing some of the hoards,” she added.

Dyer recommends new gardeners plant ornamental flowering trees and spring bulbs in the fall, because “they are perhaps the most thrilling plants for expert and novice gardeners alike to observe, come early spring. There’s just magic in seeing flower buds swell on a baby tree as it wakes up.

Thick, sturdy tulip leaves bursting out of the bleak, crusty soil in April is worth the wait. For new gardeners, the relatively quick return on the work they put in seems miraculous! Once a customer gets that feel … the idea that something they planted can make it through the harsh cold of winter and still greet them with exquisite beauty … that walk-in customer morphs into a gardener,” Dyer said.

The managers at Durango Nursery agree about the value of providing customers with a vision of what the spring blooms will look like. To really turn on customers to the great possibilities with fall planting, they emphasized the importance of ensuring that garden center staff is fresh and ready for the final push of the season.

Generous fall sales make planting more affordable during that season. Customer rewards programs can also boost fall shopping. “From spring through July, we give about 10 percent back on every retail sale in coupons called garden greenbacks, and customers can redeem them from August 1 through September 15,” the ladies explained.

LooseLeaf August/September 2016

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OF FALL PL ANTING Then, to promote customer success with fall planting, “We do a lot of talking to customers! We offer general rules and make certain they have all the compost, fertilizers and mulches they need to be prepared to plant,” March and Herlihy added. “We have a lot of educational hand-outs here and are currently working on a fall planting guide. We also offer site visits for customers in need of advice and solutions.”

Dyer noted, “The big challenge is helping customers understand the importance of maintaining adequate soil moisture going into winter so their new plants thrive. Our sales staff goes into great detail about planting, including what the new plants might prefer where winter watering and mulching are concerned. We believe taking time in the beginning saves our customers the frustration of losing plants, and hopefully helps them see how much we want them to succeed.”

Bookcliff Gardens has a generous warranty on its nursery stock. “Every customer who leaves with an ornamental tree, shrub, vine or evergreen that is warrantied goes out the door with a detailed planting guide, which walks them through the process of getting their new plant into the ground properly in our area,” she said. “Our sales staff also takes time to point out the most important aspects of the process, including the need to provide winter water monthly starting in October or November – even if there’s snow on the ground – and staying with it until irrigation water returns in the spring.”

“Let’s spread the joy of gardening over several months instead of jamming it all in to the month of May!” — Mona Dyer, Bookcliff Gardens

Continued on page 10

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The Joy of Fall Planting Continued from page 9

Fall Planting FAQ Why? It’s a great way to establish plants, improve the soil, reduce pests and get ahead of the spring gardening rush during a less busy time of year.

What ?

A wide variety of plants and seeds can go in the ground in the fall, including:  trees, especially ornamental flowering ones like crabapples, ornamental plums, and fruitless pears

“Offer hand outs, site visits and sales!

Make certain your staff is fresh and ready for the final push of the season!”

— Maggie March, Durango Nursery

 hardy woody shrubs such as chokeberries, burning bush, and sumacs  perennials, especially holly hocks, poppies, monkshood, hare bells, sage, English lavender and bachelor buttons  spring bulbs including tulips, daffodils, iris, lilies and hyacinths  root vegetables such as carrots, rutabagas and beets  cole crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, and kohlrabi  grasses: native grass mixes are most successful.

When?

Most plants can be installed through the end of November, though no perennials after mid-October and grasses by the end of September or earlier. Plant woody things until the ground freezes.

How? The key to successful fall planting, similar to other times of year, is careful preparation of the ground and sufficient watering. Compost and fertilizers should be used as necessary, depending on the soil type. Mulching is important to protect the roots and hold in moisture.

Photos courtesy of Durango Nursery

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Supplemental winter water is a must.

Checking soil moisture frequently especially during long, mild fall months from October through mid-December is highly recommended. Lack of precipitation, warm temperatures and wind all dry out soils, potentially damaging new plants. Pushing a good amount of moisture into the soil before the ground starts to freeze helps protect fragile root systems. Deep soaking newly installed plantings monthly or even more – especially in late fall and early winter – can make all the difference in plant health and longevity.

LooseLeaf August/September 2016

End-of-Season Credit and Payment Management

Photo courtesy of Plant World Inc.

An Accounting Manager’s Perspective

A Credit Manager’s Perspective

By Cindy Thorngren Little Valley Wholesale Nursery Brighton, Colo.

By Chris Benavidez Plant World Inc. Albuquerque, N.M.

To ensure Plant World doesn’t get caught without payments from customers when the landscaping season ends, we make sure we pay close attention to our accounts receivable aging report and contact our customers who are becoming slow to pay. Early recognition and good communication are essential to avoiding delinquent accounts and keeping our receivables under control.

I have found that people usually pay better in the fall than in the spring, after a winter of not working.

Unless they have a line of credit in place, they have to wait to pay until they start generating cashflow. As they acquire more cashflow through the season, they usually pay fairly well until when the snow flies in November or December.

From time to time we have trouble collecting from a customer. We start off with a phone call and a reminder letter. If we do not have a response, we follow up with another phone call and a secondary letter. If we have an account that does not respond, we will then place a hold on the account, and the customer may not purchase until the account is paid in full. The balance may be sent to a third-party collection agency if the customer remains unresponsive to our phone calls and letters.

Depending on who the customer is, you may have to work with them on getting paid up until the spring.

They may not be able to pay in full before the season ends.

If customers are in contact with Plant World, we try and set payment plans while allowing them to buy COD (cash on delivery) so they can continue to work.

Communication with our customers is not just about collection phone calls or payment reminder letters. I believe it is important to learn who our customers are and what challenges they face. I have been able to get Continued on page 12

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We communicate on a regular basis with our customers. We give them invoices either at the time of order pickup or delivery. The payment terms are clearly outlined on the bottom of invoices, and we generally give them 30 days to pay.

We send statements out every month with a copy of the same invoice, in case they have lost or misplaced it.

Plus, we make a list of all past-due accounts at the beginning of every month.

I have been in this position since Little Valley Wholesale Nursery opened, so I know most of our customers really well. Some need reminders, and some request calls so they can put payments on their credit Continued on page 12

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An Accounting Manager’s Perspective to know many of our customers by name. I want our customers to know we care about them and their businesses, and we are here to help them be successful.

The way we give credit does affect our collections. We run a credit report on the company along with any personal guarantors. We also check into at least three local credit references. If there is any doubt of credit worthiness, we will not extend credit.

Plant World also offers different options, such as joint check agreements and special dating, on a per-job basis to help our customers. We encourage our customers to contact us prior to starting large jobs where they may not be paid for 45 to 60 days. The great thing about joint check agreements is the general contractor will make the check payable to both the subcontractor and to us for the material. This takes the pressure of payment off of our landscape customer

A Credit Manager’s Perspective cards. Others don’t pay for 60 days, so we charge finance fees and they pay them.

From the very start of our customer relationships, we are trying to prevent payment issues. Anyone who wants credit must fill out an application with the terms explicitly laid out on it. We do credit checks on any individual or business requesting credit.

I realize that each businessperson has his own challenges in keeping track of what they owe and managing payments. One-man operations especially can have more difficulty when they are out working on landscapes all day and come back to the office tired and unmotivated to do accounting.

I suggest if at all possible don’t rob Peter to pay Paul – don’t use deposits from new jobs to pay off old jobs… and then not have the money for paying off the new jobs.

Credit is a privilege. It’s meant for those who can and will honor the terms

Continued from page 11

and allows us to be more flexible with the dating and credit limits for that particular job.

It is important to work with our customers as much as possible and within reason. Finding the best ways to get debts paid off without having to use any third-party assistance is good for us and our customers. We understand late payments will happen from time to time and every situation is different.

Continued from page 11

and make payments when due.

If a person isn’t given credit and they want to do business with us, we can work with credit cards, letters of credit from banks, and other avenues without giving an open line of credit. For specific jobs, we can arrange joint check agreements, where a written agreement between the contractor who is our customer and their client says we have to sign off on every job before the contractor gets their money so we make sure we get our money.

There are times when a contractor’s client is not satisfied with their job and doesn’t want to pay them. Then they don’t want to pay us, but if nothing was wrong with the plant material, we feel we should be paid. To my knowledge, we’ve only had that happen once in the 36 years that I’ve been here.

Even when customers without credit are required to pay when receiving the material, there are cases where the trucks are loaded or the material is delivered and the owner doesn’t show

“We can’t work with people who don’t communicate.

The key to making any relationship work is conversation – on both sides.”

– Little Valley Wholesale Nursery Credit Manager Cindy Thorngren

up with the check. But, we have a really good team of sales people, distribution and accounting, and have had very, very, very, very few times when we have not been able to collect money.

Still, at the end of the season, we’ll have to carry some landscapers into the winter. As long as they stay in communication through the season and make some kind of effort at payment, we’re willing to work with them. We can’t work with people who don’t communicate. The key to making any relationship work is conversation – on both sides.

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LooseLeaf August/September 2016

OVERWINTER PLANTS WITH PREPARATION & PROTECTION Success with overwintering plants mostly comes down to the environment you put them into. That’s how Jerol Jones sums it up. He is the grower at Arbor Valley Nursery in Brighton, Colo., and has been overwintering plants for about 30 years. The first decade and a half was in Chicago and Michigan, and the last decade and a half in Colorado.

“There’s always extra plants left at the end of the year,” Jones explained. “You just have to overwinter when you choose to grow trees, shrubs, grasses, ornamental grasses and perennials. Even if you purchase some plants for resale, they still need a place to overwinter. It’s counterproductive to grow something for two to three years and throw it out just because you don’t want to overwinter it.

Frankly, this is what I got hired to do: take care of plant material and that means year round.”

Arbor Valley also overwinters plants to be ready to serve its customers in any season. Some purchase and plant shrubs and trees in the winter “if they can get a shovel in the ground,” because “if they have landscaping work to do, they will do it,” he added.

Overwintering is also an important way to get a head start with a lot of plants before the following spring. “We’re not ready otherwise,” the grower admitted.

A big reason to overwinter plants in Colorado is to ensure they are in tune with the seasons and better prepared for this climate and environment than those from out of state, especially from warmer areas. “There’s no way a California plant could come here and survive a 20-degree drop from 35 to 15

degrees. The only way that plant might survive is if it’s perfectly hardy and brought in early enough in the season,” he said. On the other hand, “landscapers can plant homegrown Colorado plants without concern.”

Whether a plant will do well with overwintering depends mostly on its hardiness. Some plants are not as hardy in pots or flats but do well in the soil during the winter. The type of pot doesn’t make much difference in a commercial setting, but plants don’t like pots that let a lot of light into the roots, according to Jones. Some perennials don’t like “wet feet” and being stood up in winter, but prefer to be tilted to the side.

Generally, most plants especially tender grasses do much better with the protection of a hoop house and inside storage, though a few like potentilla shrubs can manage well throughout the winter with only blankets. A protected environment keeps the snow off, stops the wind from drying plants out, and insulates them both from early frosts as well as the drastic temperature changes common in Colorado.

The main exception are potted trees and balled and burlapped trees, which are mulched in as soon as they are out of the ground or arrive from suppliers, whether it’s spring or fall. “They stay right there outside through the winter. We might move some around to consolidate so they are easier to take care of and prepare for the following year,” Jones noted.

Continued on page 14

Photo courtesy of Arbor Valley Nursery

coloradonga.org

13

Overwinter Plants

Continued from page 13

The amount of protection necessary also depends on where the nursery is located. Arbor Valley has its Brighton location in northern Colorado and a store in Franktown in central Colorado. Each gets different weather patterns due to different elevations and climates. For example, one area is more windy on the plains, while the other is more protected by hills.

In addition to storing inside some type of structure, a few plants require covering by frost blankets and even heating. For example, hot season grasses such as pennisetum, miscanthus and saccharum just can’t handle temperatures below 20 degrees in the pot.

Jones and his crew begin covering hoop houses in September and try to be done in mid-October.

“We may keep the doors open if it is warm. We want to keep temperatures at a reasonable level.

Plants getting too hot doesn’t encourage anything good either,” he said.

They should be watered up until the first freeze, toward the middle or end of November. He cautions to both drain the irrigation system before the freeze to avoid system issues, and try not to overwater because severe temperature drops of up to 65 degrees in the fall can damage over-saturated plants.

Thoughout the winter, two or three nursery staff take occasional walks through the plants to check on conditions as well as any pest damage, as long

as snow doesn’t block their entrance. They are careful not to stir up too much air circulation, which can bring in unwanted moisture.

“Keeping plants healthy over the winter is mostly about protecting plants from being too dry or too wet. Plants really don’t like it too dry in winter, especially evergreen trees. Supplemental water is important during mild winter temperatures. Perennials and grasses like to be low to the ground where the temperature is a little more stable, and they don’t absorb or take on any excess water in case of snowmelt,” said Jones.

“Last winter, there was a lot of snow on the ground, so we didn’t want to go in the hoop houses that much. If we didn’t have to go in, we didn’t. We still checked on the plants every couple weeks as much as we could,” he said.

The pests of concern are mice, rabbits and other rodents who like to use the plants for winter food and places to burrow. The most effective methods for eliminating those pests are physical barriers, traps or bait stations. Deer and elk can also be tempted by shrubs, especially in the mountain areas, so fencing or chicken wire around plants can be helpful in deterring them.

Insects are usually not a problem until early spring, but treatment in the fall can head off some of those problems and re-treatment in early spring.

The pesticide type and amount depends on many factors, unique to each location and situation.

“Keeping plants healthy over the winter is mostly about protecting plants from being too dry or too wet.”

– Arbor Valley Nursery Grower Jerol Jones

14

LooseLeaf August/September 2016

Photos courtesy of Arbor Valley Nursery

The other spring issue for overwintered plants is extreme temperatures. To avoid overheating, “We are always opening doors and trying to ventilate hoop houses so they do not get so hot on those February days,” Jones explained. “When plants are trying to come out of dormancy, we know it will continue to

stay cold at night. Keeping them healthy mostly has to do with packing them relatively close together so they insulate each other. You don’t want a lot of air movement through there, and we try to stay away from the south end of south walls.”

He concluded, “Protecting plants all winter long is a big job. You learn a lot from having an environment like we do here in Colorado. It’s a constant learning process. I’m constantly learning. You think you know it all and you don’t; you find weather has constant surprises in store for you.”

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

15 15

CSU RESEARCH UPDATE

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

Helleborus are great perennial evergreens for late winter and early spring flower color and low maintenance.

If you do not already sell or use them in landscapes, try some and enjoy early spring flower color and green foliage throughout the rest of the year.

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Helleborus for Colorado In our two winter, three growing season perennial trials at Colorado State University, we have been trialing numerous species of Helleborus for five years. I have been extremely impressed with their performance and hardiness and adaptability in our trials.

The common name is lenten rose and they generally grow 15 to 18 inches in height and 15 to 20 inches or more in width. Plants are evergreen but sometimes the foliage can get battered by late winter. If this happens, prune off the dead leaves to make room for new growth and flowering. Some gardeners mow the old foliage off of large plantings of the lenten rose for complete renewal.

The flowers start blooming in mid to late February with rose or cream-speckled flowers, and bloom for a long time. The sepals are attractive for a long time after blooming.

Helleborus can reseed heavily by the hundreds under certain conditions. Usually the seedlings are located at the base of parent plants, and can flower in about the third spring. This can create a nice effect in a natural setting.

Helleborus generally prefer a more moist, organic, well-drained, alkaline soil. We have them planted in partial to full shade, and they have performed excellently. They will tolerate some drier conditions in the summer. Plants are long lived and once established, division is seldom.

We have planted many varieties of Helleborus and the following have performed extremely well. All are from the Gold Collection® from Skagit Gardens.

Helleborus x ballardiae ‘COSEH 8901’ Gold Collection® Maestro Hellebore This selection has more compact plants with good vigor and shiny dark green foliage that almost appeared black at times. Prolific flowers were a creamy white with shades of dusty rose on the back side.

Helleborus x ballardise ‘COSEH 810’ USPP22350 Gold Collection® Merlin Hellebore The flowers on this plant emerged with a brighter pink color and matured to front petals of dusty rose with purple backing. Blooms were held above the foliage on compact plants with dark green foliage.

Helleborus x argutifolius ‘COSEH 900’ USPP23880 Gold Collection® Snow Fever Hellebore The speckled green and white foliage makes this more of a foliage plant that adds sparkle to any shady garden. Plants had a sturdy growth habit and were proven hardy over two severe winters. This hybrid had fewer flowers.

Helleborus x ericsmithii ‘COSEH 3070’ USPPAF Gold Collection® Platinum Rose Hellebore The new blooms are more creamy pink and mature to dark rose.

The leaves were larger with more jagged edges and more blue-gray in color with red stems. It has a more compact growth habit.

Helleborus x ballardise ‘COSEH 710’ USPP21063 Gold Collection® Pink Frost Hellebore The flowers initially are burgundy in bud, open to a soft pink and mature to deep burgundy. The foliage is more serrated and medium green in color with more of a silver sheen and red stems. The growth habit is more open but has profuse blooms.

Helleborus x ballardise ‘COSEH’ USPP21003 Gold Collection® Cinnamon Snow Hellebore Flowers started off a lighter pink color and matured to more of a dusty rose. It had a moderate bloom coverage and was quite vigorous. We planted in 2010, and it became a very thick evergreen ground cover. We did observe a little winter burn on leaves.

Helleborus x ballardiae ‘COSEH930’ USPP23898 Gold Collection® Mahogany Snow Hellebore The new flowers have a cream color with a soft pink reverse and mature to a mahogany pink. Growth habit is compact and uniform. We did observe a little winter burn on some leaves this spring.

However, plants recovered quickly in spring.

LooseLeaf August/September 2016

Industry Groups Support Credit Managers Industry trade groups provide a platform for credit managers to share customer payment data, which helps the managers make accurate credit decisions. These trade groups are an essential tool to credit decision making. Any established industry across the nation will most likely have a credit managers trade group. A sophisticated credit manager with an industry-leading business will be active in a local group.

Mountain States Commercial Credit Management (MSCCM) hosts the industry trade groups for many of Colorado’s industries such as building suppliers, food distributers, irrigation and landscape suppliers, HVAC suppliers, and roofing suppliers.

These groups are hosted in a number of cities across Colorado.

The MSCCM Credit Manager Trade Groups meet monthly. A Mountain States representative is present during the meetings to ensure that members stay within the strict bylaws of the group.

The bylaws are the most critical factors in creating and hosting the industry groups. Credit managers can only share factual data about a customer’s payment history. Absolutely no hearsay or events that will happen in the future are discussed. Personal feelings or subjective ideas about a customer are forbidden. The bylaws also create trust amongst the members. The data shared is only to be used for the extension or denial of credit; information cannot be used for sales leads.

Sharing information about customer payment trends helps credit managers mitigate their risk. Each credit manager makes his or her own decisions in regards to credit terms; there are absolutely no group discussions or decisions made about credit terms. The shared information not only allows the credit coloradonga.org

manager to mitigate their risk but helps them manage their customer relationships. Contact information, branch addresses, payment preferences, supply chain disruptions, and the general health of the specific industry are discussed.

Due to the strict credit focus of the meetings and the sharing of sensitive payment information, a company’s credit manager is the only staff person permitted to attend the meetings. No sales or operational representatives are present.

Group members also attend the monthly meetings to learn about new credit functions, credit management software, new credit reports, and payment software. Keynote speakers are introduced to educate the members on the ever-changing tax and legal environments they encounter every day. Members really use the groups as a networking and learning function to support their jobs.

Credit managers who want to join a Colorado Industry Trade Group can contact a credit management company for further information and to begin the vetting process. MSCCM organizes these groups to support the education of our clients. Our company is also a leader in providing credit data and credit reports, and provides a comprehensive commercial collection service. Our aim is to be a full-service credit management agency that supports credit managers in their tough and stressful roles as business leaders.

With the increased speed of information and the wealth of data at our finger tips, there are a number of sources for credit managers to find customer information. Industry trade groups provide a unique

platform to gather “real time” data, understand industry changes, stay informed about supply chain disruptions, and to network with peers within a given industry. The success of the groups is solely based on the participation of the members, the trust that is formed, and the continual added value of diverse thinkers.

Customers have a responsibility as business representatives to honor credit terms and agreements made with suppliers; doing so creates a better economy for everybody.

Buyers get the products and services they need, and sellers obtain monetary compensation – that’s the whole idea of a successful economy and good commerce.

FINANCIAL AFFAIRS

By Jack Tootill Account Executive, Mountain States Commercial Credit About the contributor: Jack Tootill is the MSCCM representative who coordinates the Credit Manager Trade Groups. At Mountain States for three years, Jack’s sole focus as an account executive is to provide tools and services to accounts receivable and credit teams.

For more information about the industry trade groups and MSCCM, please visit www. msccm.com. You can contact Jack at jack.tootill@msccm.com or 303.806.5300.

Spending too much on natural gas?

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Locked into utility company prices?

YOU AREN’T! YOU HAVE A BETTER OPTION: United Energy Trading, LLC Contact us today for a free, no-obligation energy savings analysis.

Matt Tracey mtracey@uetllc.com

(303) 634-7415

Your Growing Resource

PROUD MEMBER

Firmly Planted

17

SAFETY CORNER

Ergonomic Solutions for Warehouse Operations Most operations involve some form of warehousing. The handling of products in or out of a warehouse often involves repetitive, forceful and awkward handling postures that can contribute to cumulative injury.

Related injuries include low back strain, shoulder strain and carpal tunnel syndrome. Possible solutions include the following.

From Travelers

For more information, log in to the Risk Control Customer Panel at travelers.com/riskcontrol.

1. Partial case pick: selecting individual items from a box located on a pallet or in a flow rack.

• Avoid storing items in deep boxes, which can cause frequent bending or awkward wrist and shoulder postures.

• Avoid using deep shipping boxes. These can cause lifting above shoulder height or bending to reach the bottom of the box.

• Use a traveling staircase to stand upon to access the backside of the flow rack.

C O L O R

I T

G R E E N™

• Use a safety knife to cut out the box face for easy access.

2. Full case pick: selecting an entire box (i.e., case) from a full pallet.

• Set a weight limit; no lifting over 50 pounds.

• Position second tier of rack storage at seven feet to allow operator to stand erect when accessing floor level items.

• Use a pick pole to reach for boxes along the back side of a pallet. Pull case to front of pallet before lifting it.

• Rotate pallets – pull pallets from the rack, turn 180 degrees, and place the pallet back in the rack.

• When possible, ship a full pallet of the same items to eliminate all manual materials handling.

3. Pack-out station: pack out items that were picked and prepare shipping documents for shipment.

• Position the work at a proper height. If packing different sizes of boxes, provide a multi-level work surface to ensure proper posture.

• Carts should have wellmaintained wheels.

• Use large diameter wheels made of a hard material to reduce the required push forces of carts.

• To minimize body twisting, design the packing station so that it is at a 60-degree angle with the “take away” conveyor.

• Educate employees to turn with their feet, keeping their bodies parallel to the packing station and conveyor.

• Don’t stack empty boxes or totes over chest height.

• Use a lift device to keep the palletizing of product between knuckle and shoulder height.

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

Tim Flood: 800.236.4242 Cary Hall: 303.702.1063

NORTHERN GROWN ▪ QUALITY PLANTS ▪ DIRECT DELIVERY

Your Plant Source for: ▪ BALLED & BURLAPPED ▪ CONTAINER GROWN ▪ BARE-ROOT ▪ SHADE TREES

▪ ORNAMENTAL TREES ▪ DECIDUOUS SHRUBS ▪ EVERGREENS ▪ LINERS

P.O. Box 185, 750 South Monroe Street, Waterloo, WI 53594

800-236-4242 ▪ Fax: 920-478-3615 ▪ www.mckaynursery.com

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Shade, Ornamental, and Fruit Trees B&B and Containers Located in Southwest Idaho 208.482.6600 www.claytontreefarm.com LooseLeaf August/September 2016

CNGA calendar To get more information about CNGA programs and events, go to coloradonga.org and click on the Events tab to view the calendar, or contact the office by phone: 303.758.6672, fax: 303.758.6805, or email: info@coloradonga.org.

Plant Walk CSU Annual/Perennial Trial Gardens, CSU Greenhouses/Gardens on Spring Creek, Fort Collins, Colo., Thursday, Aug. 4, 4 p.m.

Outreach & Member BBQs • Fort Collins Nursery Fort Collins, Colo.

Thursday, Aug. 11 • Echter’s Nursery & Garden Center Arvada, Colo.

Friday, Aug. 26 • Jericho Nursery Albuquerque, N.M. Thursday, Sept. 1 • Colorado Springs Utilities Colorado Springs, Colo.

Friday Sept. 30

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

Thursday, Sept. 15, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

CHREF Golf Tournament Arrowhead Golf Club, Littleton, Colo.

Monday, Sept. 19, noon shotgun Owners and Managers Leadership Retreat The Lodge at Vail, Vail, Colo.

Friday & Saturday, Nov. 4 & 5

NEW members T S & G Trees, Inc. 7812 S. Newbern Circle, Aurora, Colo. 80016 Scot Gridley 303.906.9803

Dutch Heritage Gardens 11901 E. Palmer Divide Ave., Larkspur, Colo. 80118 Caleb Van Wingerden 303.660.1196

classified ADS CNGA offers free posts of online classified ads to members, including items for sale or lease and job openings. For more details about the classified listings below and to see other current postings, visit coloradonga.org, click on the Resources tab and click on Classifieds.

Professional Gardeners & Farm Interns Gardening By Tess, 1669 Hoyt St., Lakewood, Colo. 80215 Outside Sales PlantRight LLC, 30050 W. 135th St., Olathe, Kan. 66061 Horticulturists/Gardeners, Landscape Architect/Estimator, & Tree Farm Position Steve Koon Landscape & Design, Inc., 2301 W. Oxford Ave., Englewood, Colo. 80110

Assistant Nursery Manager, Nursery Sales, Landscape/ Maintenance Technicians, Design Assistants, Supervisors, & Managers in Summit, Eagle and Grand Counties Neils Lunceford, Inc., P.O. Box 2130, Silverthorne, Colo. 80498 Shipping Manager Harmony Gardens, 4315 E. Harmony Rd., Fort Collins, Colo.

80525

advertisers LIST ACW Supply................................................................... 2

Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery ......................................... 2

Baxter Wholesale Nursery, Inc........................................... 2

Harding Nursery, Inc........................................................ 2

Britton Nursery, Inc. ........................................................ 15

McKay Nursey Company ................................................. 18

Circle D Farm Sales, Inc. .................................................. 15

United Energy Trading, LLC.............................................. 17

Clayton Tree Farm, LLC .................................................... 18

Willow Creek Wholesale Nursery ..................................... 12

Dave Wilson Nursery ....................................................... 5

coloradonga.org

19

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

FUNDING RESEARCH & EDUCATION

PARTICIPATE IN THE CHREF

GOLF FUNDRAISER The third annual CHREF Golf Tournament will be Monday, Sept. 19 at Arrowhead Golf Club in picturesque Roxborough Park. This golf course is in an amazing setting, nestled behind the Dakota Hogback with stunning views everywhere.

This is the foundation’s largest single fundraising event of the year.

Last year was sold out and we expect it to sell out this year!

By Matt Edmundson CHREF Board President

Proceeds from this tournament are used to support scholarships for students and valuable research for our industry. Over the past year, you have had a chance to learn more about the tremendous impact CHREF continues to have on the future of our industry.

PLEASE SIGN UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT IN THE TOURNAMENT. Also, please consider the opportunities that sponsorship offers as well. The industry leaders are there and noticing who is investing in our foundation and the Colorado horticulture communities future. Contact Chris Tolbertson at CNGA at ctolbertson@coloradonga.org or 303.758.6672 for registration and sponsorship information.

SEE YOU THERE!!