June/July 2015 Issue

June/July 2015 • Volume 33 • Number 3

Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association • Serving Colorado & New Mexico

Responding to the Seasons

9 Communication & Planning Reduce Aging Inventory

13 Helpful Ways to

Respond to EAB

16 Share the Gospel of

Trees this Fall

20 Winners from the

Cool Season Trials

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LooseLeaf June/July 2015

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

Cover Photo Courtesy of Gulley Greenhouse, Fort Collins, Colo.

In This Issue 4 Message from the Board: Responding to the Seasons

5 CNGA – Here for the Members: PlantSomething, Social Media & BBQs for You

6 Member Profiles: Gulley Greenhouse, McCoy Tree Farm, & Oregon Pride Nurseries

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16

Helpful Ways to Respond to EAB Avoid EAB by Making the Switch from Ash Share the Gospel of Trees this Fall End-of-Season Sales Promote Fall Planting

19 Safety Corner: Help Employees Protect their Sight

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20 CSU Update: 2015 Cool Season Trial Winners

Ways to Avoid & Reduce Aging Inventory

22 Calendar & New Members 23 Classified Ads & Advertisers List 24 Funding Research & Education:

Foundation Demonstrates Industry’s Generosity

Board Of Directors Bill Kluth CNGA Board President Tagawa Greenhouse Enterprises, LLC 303.659.1260 x205 bkluth@tagawas.com Jesse Eastman, CCNP CNGA Board Vice President Fort Collins Nursery 970.482.1984 j.eastman@fortcollinsnursery.com Dan Wise, CCNP CNGA Board Secretary/Treasurer Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery 970.484.1289 dan@ftcollinswholesalenursery.com

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

Dan Gerace, CGG Welby Gardens Company, Inc. 303.288.3398 dangerace@hardyboyplant.com

Kirby Thompson, CCNP Britton Nursery, Inc. 719.495.3749 info@brittonflowers.com

Levi Heidrich Heidrich’s Colorado Tree Farm Nursery, LLC 710.598.8733 levi@coloradotreefarmnursery.com

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

Publisher

Editorial

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 Executive Director Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 303.758.6672 agault@coloradonga.org

Printer

Ex-Officio Members

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

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

Contributing Writers

Staff

Mindy Carrothers Allison Gault Bill Kluth Bryan Suhr

Matt Cunningham Tanya Ishikawa Nick Ozimek Dan Wise

Gary Epstein Dr. Jim Klett Laura Pottorff Sarah Wong

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 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Ste. 210 Highlands Ranch, Colo. 80129 coloradocommunitymedia.com

Display Advertising Michelle Muñoz, CNGA 303.758.6672 mmunoz@coloradonga.org

coloradonga.org

Allison Gault, MBA

Michelle Muňoz

Ben Northcutt

Executive Director

Administrative Coordinator

Membership Manager

agault@ coloradonga.org

mmunoz@ coloradonga.org

bnorthcutt@ coloradonga.org

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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD

Responding to the Seasons Everyone has heard this question from the back seat while driving to a family visit or vacation: “Are we there yet?” As my wife and I drive from Colorado to northern Wisconsin to visit family, at about hour 17 of the drive, we adults are asking, “Are we there yet?”

By Bill Kluth CNGA Board President

“Seeing the trees and bushes leaf out, flowers bloom, satisfaction spread across customers’ faces and your community turn green and colorful is a reward that few other industries can offer.”

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As you read this issue of the LooseLeaf, spring 2015 is over. We made it, but we haven’t completed our 2015 journey yet. Like any long journey, it is good to take a break and stretch and reflect on how far we have already gone.

Did we take the right or best roads? Were our breaks for food, fuel and fundamentals at the best places? Did we have any fun? What was our fuel mileage? Are we on budget or did we buy too many souvenirs at Wall Drug?

Now is the best time to do a recap of spring.

Talk with your staff, not just your supervisors, to learn what your customers thought was great and what needed improvement. Analyze your inventory numbers to learn how fast or when items sold best – mornings, weekends or other times, and to whom: men, women, what age group?

Also, how is your vehicle performing? Are you getting the fuel mileage you want? Is it showing signs of wear and tear? It is not too early to start thinking about how to make that currently reliable equipment continue to be reliable.

What maintenance is needed to keep it going strong? Or perhaps it needs to be replaced with something that fits the current needs of the journey.

Finally, are you having fun? Though the journey from spring through fall is long, we are blessed to be in an industry with an amazing benefit – growing plants. Seeing the trees and bushes leaf out, flowers bloom, satisfaction spread across customers’ faces and your community turn green and colorful is a reward that few other industries can offer. We are the providers of that beautiful product! This is truly worth taking time to stop, look and enjoy. Don’t just focus on the road, traffic and inevitable road construction delays.

All the best for this summer’s business and any road trips you may have.

Focus on those inventory items you see as most critical to your business, then (perhaps most importantly) those items you don’t think are key to your business. How are they selling? Like that long car ride, are you packing items along that aren’t needed? Are you bringing those items simply because you have always packed them?

Spring quickly morphs into summer, which then morphs quickly into fall. This is not a race; it’s a marathon. We need to pace ourselves. Are we ready for the next segment of the trip? Now is the time to pack up supplies, check our maps, confirm our hotels, and try to agree on a place to eat. Is your summer inventory ready to go? Is your staff retrained and organized for the summer sales?

Do you have something special planned to make the journey fun for your customers and staff – new items, promotions, or popsicles on a hot day?

For plants that feel perfectly at home, look for...

LooseLeaf June/July 2015

PlantSomething, Social Media & BBQs for You I hope your season is rolling along successfully and your business is thriving. At the CNGA offices, we’ve been busy kicking off the 2015 PlantSomething Program. We are in the middle of a very different and exciting program this year.

You can find links to these social media pages by searching @PlantColorado – I encourage you to follow us. At the end of the program, I’ll provide an update on its success, including metrics and plans for the 2016 program.

We’re holding a contest for consumers that encourages them to head into their local garden centers to purchase plants and get contest materials. We’ve provided a PlantSomething kit that includes plant stakes, seed packets with a contest overview, and fliers explaining the contest to all retail members. We are asking consumers to take photos of their plants and post them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, using the hashtag #plantsomethingco.

Along the lines of social media, we’ve revitalized the CNGA Facebook page. Check out and like the page at facebook.com/coloradonga.

At least once a day, we post industry news, articles for you to share with your customers, member stories and videos, information on courses for you and your employees, and much more. Encourage your employees, who may not receive the E-Leaf or have the chance to read each issue of the LooseLeaf, to access these valuable resources through our Facebook page.

We also have radio ads on Pandora that describe the contest and encourage consumers to go to plantsomethingco.org for a list of retail locations and contest information. We’re providing prizes each week as well as a grand prize at the end.

As of the printing date of the LooseLeaf in mid-May, we had 255 Facebook likes, 36 Twitter followers and 44 Instagram followers.

Lastly, please visit the events section on the CNGA website as we’ve confirmed all of our summer BBQ locations and dates, which are being held between August and October. We’ve also added information about the CHREF Golf Tournament, Women in Horticulture Luncheon, and the Owners & Managers Leadership Retreat.

I hope to see you at these upcoming events.

CNGA — HERE FOR THE MEMBERS

By Allison Gault, MBA CNGA Executive Director

“Members are encouraged to follow the PlantSomething social media pages by searching @PlantColorado.”

Don’t Just stanD there!

Thank you to our PlantSomething corporate sponsors!

Fort Collins Nursery Harding Nursery Heidrich’s Colorado Tree Farm Nursery

PlantSomethingCO.org #plantsomethingco coloradonga.org

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MEMBER PROFILE

Plant Perfectionists Share the Love Interview with Alejandro Mateos, Garden Center Manager

Please tell us about the company’s owners.

Gulley Greenhouse 6029 S. Shields St. Fort Collins, Colo. 80526 tel 970.223.4769 fax 970.226.2763 gulleygreenhouse.com gulleygh@gulley greenhouse.com

Jim and Jan Gulley have combined their mutual love of plants to turn their passion into a successful business. Jim Gulley grew up in the horticultural business; his father owned a carnation greenhouse in Denver. Jan Gulley has a horticultural degree from Colorado State University and has loved plants her whole life.

The love of plants continued down the family tree, and both of the Gulley’s daughters joined the business eight years ago. Beth oversees the young plant and wholesale departments, while Jamie manages the retail store with her husband.

How was the company’s location picked?

Jim and Jan began their business in 1975, growing blue spruce and columbine plants in their backyard on Sherwood Street across from CSU. They fell in love with the sunny days and laid-back attitude that Fort Collins had to offer, and decided to stay for good. In 1980, Jim and Jan started to look for a location where they could expand their business. They found the perfect spot a few miles outside of the city and began to build.

Gulley Greenhouse now has 180,000 square feet of cold frames and 90,000 square feet of heated greenhouses.

What is your niche?

Gulley’s was started as a perennial grower and we are still partial to them after all these years. Perennials can be tricky plants to grow, but Gulley’s has perfected its craft. We are proud to say that our perennials are some of the nicest that we have seen.

How do you promote fall planting to your customers?

Here at Gulley’s we grow over 10,000 mums for fall planting and have a fall perennial program to provide fresh plants and color to consumers. With our annual End of Season Clearance, we have trained our customers that if they visit us in the fall they will find the best deals of the season. With the majority of our plants on discount, we push the fact that fall is, in fact, a perfect time to plant… and save money!

How do you decide when to mark down product prices?

We are firm believers that you must be proactive and aggressive when it comes to pricing live plants. Since, as an industry, our product has a relatively short shelf life, having a quick reaction time can drastically help the bottom line. We feel it is better to sell the product at a lower price point than to have it pass its prime and not be able to sell it at all.

What kind of classes do you provide for customers?

Instead of focusing on adult education, we focus our attention on fun, family-friendly classes. Families with kids are always looking for fun, educational things to do together, and having these activities at our greenhouse encourages them to come here. By keeping the classes as reasonably priced as possible, we have been able to attract many repeat customers, which helps to keep our classes full.

What was your most memorable CNGA social event?

Last year we were thrilled to host a CNGA Summer BBQ here at Gulley’s. We were so excited to have our industry peers join us for what turned out to be a wonderful and entertaining evening. There is nothing better than great company… and cold beer!

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LooseLeaf June/July 2015

High Altitude Aspen & Spruce Grown with Care

MEMBER PROFILE

Interview with Laurence Guilmineau, Co-Owner

What is the background of your owners and company?

What is your philosophy about growing healthy trees?

Originally from the Alps, my husband, Jean, and I have been here in the Vail area since 1988. We both were born and raised in France, come from agricultural backgrounds and love the outdoors and skiing. Our three children were born and raised here.

I think you need to start with a good seedling. We buy little seedlings that are about 2-feet high. We keep them in 5-gallon containers for a year, and then move them into the fields. The key is to start with good, healthy stock, planted right in the field. Then, we maintain it by watering and fertilizing carefully, and looking for any potential disease. We do very little pruning, almost none. We keep an eye on our trees, watch the irrigation and make sure everything is going well. When it comes to harvest time, we are careful to make a nice big ball, to handle them gently and not to break branches. We both like what we’re doing so it makes a big difference in our results.

Jean and I run two businesses, with help from our children in the summertime. We have operated a landscaping business in Vail since 1992. Almost 15 years ago, we were very busy with construction and landscape projects and we had a hard time finding trees to supply our own jobs. We had to go out of state to buy trees, which is not what we wanted to do. Basically that’s how we ended up starting McCoy Tree Farm in 2002, to supply our own jobs. We later began selling to landscapers and garden centers, mainly in the local area as well as Glenwood Springs, Aspen, Steamboat, Summit County, and Winter Park.

Please tell us about your property.

The tree farm is located in McCoy, halfway between Vail and Steamboat on Highway 131. We specialize in aspen and spruce trees.

Eventually we would like to spend more time at the farm and grow big shrubs. We have 40 acres, with more than 10,000 trees planted on half of the land.

McCoy Tree Farm, Inc. P.O. Box 4009 Edwards, Colo. 81632 cell 970.914.5017 cell 970.914.0005 mccoytreefarm.com mccoytreefarm@comcast.net

How did you get involved in CNGA? We attended ProGreen as buyers many times over the past 20 years.

For the last two years, we exhibited as wholesalers so it is interesting to be on the other side. We always enjoy the event and took the kids many times when they were little.

What is your company’s niche?

Though we are pretty limited in what we can grow in the cold, dry climate at our high elevation of 7,300 feet, we are able to grow trees that will transplant well around Colorado’s mountain areas. We feel we can grow a better product for our area than those grown in lower, warmer elevations.

We are competitive with pricing because all our customers can purchase directly from our farm for wholesale prices. Also, we don’t have to transport our trees far. Especially with increased trucking prices in the last seven to eight years, our customers save on delivery expenses due to our central Colorado location.

coloradonga.org

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MEMBER PROFILE

Oregon Pride Nurseries, Inc. 5380 SE Booth Bend Rd. McMinnville, Oregon 97128 oregonpridenurseries.com Michelle Cadena, Sales Rep. michelle@ oregonpridenurseries.com tel 303.301.5444

Oregon Grower Committed to Indie Garden Centers Interview with Mark Van Hoef, Owner

Please tell us about the people in your company.

The nursery started just over 25 years ago when I was a salesman for a large midwest nursery and decided to start my own nursery to serve the upper midwest and western states.

Many of the key staff also come from the midwest, which helps in their experience and understanding of plant types and hardiness concerns.

Operation-Production Manager Chris Ames spent 16 years at Monrovia and a brief time at Bailey Nurseries, gaining valuable experience for her leadership role at Oregon Pride. Mike Lee from Ohio is in sales and Matt Brooke from North Dakota is in production – all adding to our northern background.

What is special about your location?

Back in the late ‘80s, the Willamette Valley of Oregon offered three key factors in location for nursery operations: affordable land, abundant water supply, and reliable workforce. The name, Oregon Pride Nurseries, came from the desire to set us apart from other suppliers based in McMinnville, Tennessee. OPN wanted to be assured that there was no confusion and that the quality of Oregon-grown product was the central theme of our mission statement.

What is your niche?

From the beginning, our focus has been to provide a complete line of high quality nursery product at competitive prices to only the independent garden centers (IGC). We have

250 acres of growing material in both fields and containers. Our field-grown product is dug early and potted with small root balls into containers, with 50 percent field soil and 50 percent potting soil. All product is held until completely rooted before becoming root bound, and thereby offers customers the best possible shelf life.

OPN is most proud of our loyalty and commitment to the IGC market. We have remained true to our mission of working with those who have supported our program from the start, and we do not sell to box stores, mass merchants or farm supply stores.

What is your philosophy about promoting fall planting?

With a healthy commitment to container conifers, we encourage and promote fall planting.

This timing provides for product to be hardened off and ready for new root development.

The fall rains help allow the new rooting and establishes the plant material for winter.

How do you decide when to mark down prices?

We try not to offer any discounted pricing unless they have been earned by the customer’s volume. We promote an established discount schedule, which keeps special pricing and discounts earned consistent to all customers.

Providing the best product and quality at acceptable competitive prices allows our IGC partners profitable selling. Without the success at the retail level, we don’t have the need to further grow the product.

What is your most memorable CNGA event?

Michelle Cadena, CCNP, has been a sales representative for OPN since the summer of 2013. Michelle has attended many of the BBQs and Happy Hour functions, but the most memorable would have to be at the 2008 Industry Banquet when Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery Owner Gary Epstein awarded her with the Horizon Award. She was totally caught off guard. It was fun and she was grateful for the recognition.

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LooseLeaf June/July 2015

Ways to Avoid & Reduce Aging Inventory Discounts are not the only way to trim end-of-season stock

Photos Courtesy of Wilmore Nurseries

coloradonga.org

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How do you reduce the likelihood of aging inventory leftover at the end of the season?

“You’ve got to plan ahead,” answered Lon Vincent, CCNP, the manager at Wilmore Nurseries in Littleton, Colorado.

“We want to avoid throwing the stuff away. Sometimes we can get desperate and put them on sale, but then people think something is wrong with them.”

To plan for inventory reduction before it gets old, managers need to be in tune with conditions and trends on a day-to-day basis, Vincent explained.

Knowing when sales will start dropping, how weather is changing and what customers are buying are just a few of the observations that can help control inventory profitably. Armed with this knowledge, managers can plan out strategies for influencing sales and encouraging customers to buy products before they get old.

“I have to plan ahead and be six weeks ahead of everyone else. If you don’t have someone tying that all together, forcing three key groups to talk and communicate and playing middleman, that’s when disasters happen,” he said.

Cooperation between Purchasing, Sales & Maintenance Three key staff positions need to work together, communicating effectively to promote sales of each inventory item while they are still fresh.

The buyers, the maintenance staff and the sales people need to be in sync.

Disconnect between these key players can be common and lead to lingering inventory. If purchasing, sales and maintenance staff have different personal preferences for or understandings about certain plants, their treatment of those plants will differ. This difference can lead to overstocks, ineffective displays and poor sales efforts.

“For instance, someone in the office buys yellow. The maintenance department complains, ‘Why yellow?’ and shoves it to the back of the shelf.

Not only can’t customers see it to buy it, the plant starts looking bad and becoming unhealthy through neglect.

The salesperson tells customers to buy the red because they are much nicer.

The buyer may even buy more yellow, not seeing the hidden ones still on the shelf and believing them sold already.

Pretty soon, we are stuck with 500 yellows,” Vincent said.

A lack of communication and teamwork makes it nearly impossible to get rid of neglected plants. The same is true of hard goods and can happen in both wholesale and retail operations, he added.

Breakdowns in communication can be a bigger problem in bigger companies. The buyer or sales person might even work offsite and not be in regular contact with each other. In smaller companies, the problem can be avoided when the same person handles more than one position, but they still need to consider good inventory control in each of their roles.

Inventory Control through Teamwork Good communication can happen through daily opportunities for interdepartmental contact. Staff meetings are also helpful, but Vincent said he prefers to solve problems as they come up, not wait. He often does his own investigating into inventory issues and talking with individuals.

It’s everyone’s job to make sure products in the store and warehouse get sold. Maintenance staff have to concentrate on making every product look nice, so it doesn’t get ignored by customers. “Ninety percent of sales is still based on impulse. If I walk in the door and I see yellow flowers, I want the ones that are pruned, fertilized, watered and spaced well,” he said.

If something’s not selling well, each staff member can contribute to bucking that trend, especially if they work cohesively. The first step is to redesign displays and move products around, because customers may just not be seeing them. Then, a bit of education always helps. When sales people better understand the qualities and benefits of plants, they are more prepared to promote them to customers. Maintenance can also educate buyers and sales people about which plants are more difficult to keep healthy and other issues, which may lead to better purchasing and customer decisions.

“Talk about your plants, so customers see them in a new light, even though they’ve been around forever. Candycoat it. If the maintenance department makes them look nice, customers and even landscape designers will have no problem putting them in their landscapes, and they’ll disappear from the shelves,” Vincent added.

A lot of good inventory control is accomplished through paying close attention to the environment in the store or warehouse. Everyone needs to come to work with fresh eyes every morning. “We don’t want to walk by the same trees everyday. We need to think about what to do to get them to move,” he said.

“Let’s face it: the last one that we sell is where the profit is. My uncle taught me that years ago,” Vincent concluded.

“If we discount or kill the last one, there goes your profit. We have to sell the first half just to break even. The next half pays for the power, phone system, insurance and other overhead. It’s the last one where you get your profit.”

The Challenge of Moving Aging Inventory Will Knowles, CCNP, the general manager at Creekside Gardens also in Littleton, said it can be difficult as a small garden center to avoid keeping

“If something’s not selling well, each staff member can contribute to bucking that trend, especially if they work cohesively.”

– Lon Vincent, CCNP, Wilmore Nurseries Manager 10

LooseLeaf June/July 2015

inventory from one season to the next.

The reality is that minimum orders required to get good, cost-effective terms are more than can be sold in one season, he explained.

“We go into it with a mindset that we are making an investment and it may be a two-year sales process,” said Knowles. Still, he added, “We don’t want to be in a position that we have aging inventory that we are dealing with, because it costs us money everyday.”

Hard goods are especially prone to large minimum orders, plus orders sometimes get larger to spread the high interstate freight costs across more products. Glazed pots are an example of products he has to order in quantities large enough to have decent displays and availability. “If we don’t sell them this year, we hold on to them, take care of them and try to sell them next year,” he said.

Creekside grows most of its plants on site, so there is a greater opportunity to control that inventory.

Over the years, the company has been able to modify its production based on

sales analysis, so it doesn’t end up with a lot of overages on the plants grown on site.

“When purchasing from local suppliers to fill in holes, we are fairly conservative,” Knowles said. “When the suppliers are right there, we tend to think we can get more if needed, but we know we can’t always.”

Instead of end-of-the-season sales, the garden center schedules and promotes weekly sales when select items such as pots, hanging baskets or six packs are discounted. The rotating seven-day sales keep up the customer perception that the items are still of good value, and not given away due to decreasing quality.

“We don’t want customers thinking everything will be put on sale at the end of the season, or they will hold out to buy when prices go down,” he said. “People are all cost conscious.

We are a sale-shopping society, so we do the weekly sales to keep customers engaged throughout the season, not just in the fall.”

Knowles tries to keep a diverse inventory of healthy, maintained plants

available into the fall, even though in smaller numbers. Some customers may not care that the most popular planting time has passed, and come in August or September to buy flowers and other plants more typically bought in spring and early summer.

“They may need to replace others that are no longer doing well in their gardens. Maybe they have events coming up like a party or wedding and they’re looking to spruce up their place at the end of the season. The customers generally know the plants won’t last forever but they need something nicer now,” he said.

Making the Best of the Final Solution Creekside rarely saves annuals for the next year. The company does overwinter trees, shrubs and perennials, often shifting plants in smaller containers up to larger sizes to create a little more value.

Then, most of those plants start off the spring in a special 50 percent off corner of the gift shop, promoted in the weekly emails and by a sign in the

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store lobby. The garden center draws customers in early and gets some revenue from it, while customers like to shop the sales area and feel good about getting a deal. By the end of April, the 50 percent off sale is usually closed.

Finally, the few plants that have not sold and are starting to look worse for the wear are thrown out. “It’s hard to do. I have to pinch myself and say, ‘Will, I know you’d like to sell that, but it’s had a good run.’ You’re better served to dump it rather than someone looking at it and having a bad impression of our company, or having someone buy it, not know it’s unhealthy and not be successful with it,” he explained.

Throwing out plants grown on site would seem less costly than dumping plants bought from suppliers, but there are still losses from the costs of watering and maintaining the plants over the season.

“Almost anytime we are dumping stuff, some gets taken home by staff.

They think they can resurrect them, and probably they can because they are knowledgable. That’s a little perk of working for our company,” the general manager added.

Deciding what to do with hard goods that just won’t sell even after a couple seasons is a little harder. If customers are just “not into a product, at some point we do bite the bullet and say, ‘Bye, bye,’” he admitted.

Again, staff can be the beneficiaries of the unwanted products, but Creekside also donates items to local charities and thrift shops.

Knowles said another idea he has been contemplating for leftover annuals is to partner with a community organization. As a community service, he could offer special prices on annuals just for members of partnering groups, who could also share in some of the revenues. He knows a company in Durango that offered a similar deal to a local organization and said it was a win-win-win: they didn’t have to dump inventory, the group gained goodwill and some income, and the members got great deals.

“You’re better served to dump an old plant rather than someone looking at it and having a bad impression of your company, or having someone buy it, not know it’s unhealthy and not be successful with it.”

– Will Knowles, CCNP, Creekside Gardens General Manager

LEADERS IN

Hardy,

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LooseLeaf June/July 2015

Helpful Ways to Respond to

EAB

By Laura Pottorff, CGG Program Coordinator, Plant Industry Division Colorado Department of Agriculture

Emerald ash borer was first detected in Boulder, Colorado in September 2013, although the invasive insect was introduced approximately four to six years prior to its detection. The Colorado EAB Response Team is still struggling with the challenges of early detection, and our state does not seem to be any different than the rest of the eastern and midwestern U.S. Despite having dealt with this pest since the early 2000s, U.S. and Canadian researchers have not yet identified adequate early detection and monitoring methods. Now is the time for all in Colorado that deal with trees and public awareness to work together to lessen the impact of this devastating pest.

Colorado’s response team was organized when the pest was first detected and is comprised of members from: Boulder County, City of Boulder, Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado State Forest Service, Colorado State University Extension, Colorado Tree Coalition, Green Industries of Colorado, University of Colorado, and USDA Animal and Plant Health coloradonga.org

Arborwood – the first tree found in Boulder with EAB. Photo by John Kaltenbach, CDA

Inspection Service (APHIS). The team has been and will continue to map the movement of EAB. This is a crucial part of management and public awareness, enabling owners and landscape contractors to make the best decisions possible, given the technology in place.

While the pest is on the move, confirmed EAB symptomatic and dying ash still are only known to be occurring within the city limits of Boulder. The latest EAB detection and monitoring map is located on eabcolorado.com and is updated each time we receive new information. The response team plans to continue to work with USDA APHIS in deployment of biological

controls for EAB in Boulder, identify resources to support EAB response, and produce outreach and communications materials and activities.

The Public Needs to Know In a recent survey conducted in Colorado, “lack of public awareness” was the most popular answer for both the public and private sectors when asked about their top two EAB-related challenges. As part of the EAB Response Team through GreenCO, garden centers and nurseries can make the most impact with public education.

Turn the page to find out a few ways you can help.

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• Help customers identify whether they have ash trees and what they look like. All species of Fraxinus are susceptible to EAB. Green ash is more susceptible than white ash, but both will succumb to EAB. Last fall there was a report of EAB found in White Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus), and researchers continue to look into it. EAB can attack and

colonize this species, but the type of damage to the tree by the insect is unknown at this time.

• Share information about current issues with ash. EAB is not widespread in Colorado, yet many ash trees all over the state are in poor condition. Lilac Ash Borer, Ash Bark Beetle, round headed borers and abiotic injury are much more common than EAB.

Avoid EAB by Making the Switch from Ash Gary Epstein, CCNP, the owner of Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery, recalls the great concern over Dutch elm disease (DED) in the 1960s. Since then, many American elms have disappeared from the landscape, he observed.

“Until the recent introduction of DED-resistant cultivars, elms were not sold,” said Epstein. “I would expect that 30 to 50 years from today there will be EAB-resistant ash cultivars available. One of them may have even originated from a seedling ash planted in Colorado. However, at this time I strongly believe the planting of ash should be strongly discouraged.”

The CNGA member, who has operated his nursery in northern Colorado for 40 years, believes Colorado nurseries should quit selling ash. “There are many good alternatives and at this point in time our city forests contain upwards of 15 percent ash trees. According to the leading entomologists, most or all ash trees will succumb to death from the emerald ash borer unless they undergo a rather expensive preventive treatment program,” he explained.

Epstein recommends that garden centers and nurseries create signage that lists recommended arborists who provide preventive treatment for EAB for customers that have ash trees on their property, along with a list of alternative trees to plant instead of Ash. He also suggested managers and owners provide sales staff with training on EAB-related information.

“It’s important for salespeople to keep in mind that their customers may have a wide range of understanding EAB issues,” added Dan Wise, CCNP, the sales manager and part owner at Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery. “Some may be very up to date on what it is, why they should care, and what they should be doing about it, and others may not have any knowledge at all about it. It’s useful to have a quick series of short questions and talking points prepared to asses what the customer’s level of understanding is, and quickly bring them up to speed without overwhelming them with information.”

Besides making lists of professionals to help with preventative treatment, as recommended by Epstein, Wise suggested making a list available of local plant health care businesses that are willing to give homeowners onsite evaluations.

“It is difficult, if not impossible to accurately diagnose plant pest and disease issues over the phone or by verbal descriptions. If a homeowner is truly concerned about a tree in their landscape, they should consult a certified arborist,” he noted.

Gary Epstein

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Dan Wise

However, we all need to be on the watch for EAB. Symptoms of EAB infestation include: • thinning of leaves and upper branches and twigs; • serpentine tunnels produced by larvae under the bark; • D-shaped exit holes 1/8 inch wide; • new sprouts on the lower branches or lower trunk; • vertical splits in the bark; and • increased woodpecker activity.

• Report any incidents of EAB to the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) at 888-248-5535. New detections will be verified by CDA, Colorado State University and USDA APHIS. Quarantine boundaries will be expanded as necessary to slow the spread of the pest.

• Carefully determine how to manage ash trees, taking into account the overall health of each tree and its value to the landowner. Every landowner will make the decision for their own ash trees. While there are effective insecticides available to protect ash trees from EAB, not all ash are candidates for treatment. The decision to chemically treat individual ash trees is a personal preference. The closer ash trees are to an area of known infestation, the higher the risk that they will become infested by EAB through natural spread. Also, trees within or near the EAB Quarantine area (Boulder County and Erie) are at a higher risk of infestation through humanassisted spread of the pest, because infested wood can legally be moved throughout the area.

• Encourage customers to follow all pesticide label instructions (it’s the law), when pesticide is their choice of action. EAB pesticides sold to homeowners are most affective on ash with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of less than 15 inches. Keep in mind that some of the most effective EAB treatments are only available when applied by hired contractors, and be sure they are properly licensed by the CDA as Commercial Pesticide Applicators.

For more information about chemical treatments, see http://bspm. agsci.colostate.edu/files/2014/02/ EAB-control-options-February-11.pdf LooseLeaf June/July 2015

from Colorado State University Extension. For more about general management options for EAB, go to http://csfs.colostate.edu/media/ sites/22/2014/02/EAB_QuickGuide_ UCF2014-1.pdf.

• Promote tree diversity. Ash in poor condition and in marginal sites should be removed; these are not candidates for pesticide treatment. Marginal sites include median and parking lot strips and underneath power lines. Our industry is seen as the leader in plant species selection, so encourage customers to purchase replacement trees (preferably not ash), following diversity guidelines: • no more than 10% of any single tree species; • no more than 20% of species in any tree genus; and • no more than 30% of species in any tree family.

• And finally, help spread the “Don’t Move Firewood” message. What does firewood have to do with EAB? Lots. When a tree infested with a pest dies, the tree is cut down and the logs often become firewood. As firewood moves, so does the pest it contains. This is the single most common method for movement of invasive tree pests over long distances.

Although we will never know for certain, this is more than likely how EAB arrived in Boulder, traveling distances of 500 miles or greater to do so. All ash (living or dead) in the quarantine area are not allowed to leave the area unless under a special permit. Illegal movement of ash wood will result in penalties of up to $1,000 per violation.

Together we can slow the spread of EAB and lessen the economic impact.

Follow eabcolorado.com for the most recent updates and educational support.

To see more alternatives to Ash, CNGA provides free copies of the Front Range Tree Recommendation List, which is a handy resource for hundreds of trees to consider. You can call CNGA at 303.758.6672 or email info@coloradonga.org to request your copies. You can also email CNGA to request a web link to the slides for “Tree Diversity – Underused Trees in the Industry and Replacement Trees for Ash,” a session that was presented at ProGreen EXPO in January. coloradonga.org

10 Alternatives to Ash Trees Recommended by Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery Though there are many more good alternatives for Ash, the following list includes trees that are generally available and adaptable to most conditions along the Front Range of Colorado. They are listed in alphabetical order, not by rank.

• American Linden (Tilia americana) Pyramidal when young maturing to a tall stately open-headed tree. Medium growth rate. Large, heart-shaped leaves. Fragrant, pendulous, yellow flower clusters in June to July followed by pea-sized pubescent green fruits. Gray to brown bark. Very alkaline tolerant. Young trees may be subject to winter sun scald. The cultivars, Sentry and Legend, are widely available.

• Asian Elm cultivars (Accolade, Emerald Sunshine, Choice City™, Frontier (Ulmus davidiana sp.) In general Asiatic elms are resistant to both Dutch Elm Disease, European Elm Scale and Elm Yellows, making them superior selections to most American Elm cultivars. The tree grows to a maximum height of 50 feet, with a relatively slender trunk, supporting a dense canopy casting a heavy shade. Its bark is longitudinally fissured. The leaves are often dark red on emergence.

• Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) Pyramidal to oval in its youth, gradually maturing into a broad-crowned tree with a massive trunk and very stout branches. Rough, deeply furrowed bark, dark gray to gray-brown in color. Acorns 3/4-inch to 1 1/2-inch, enclosed by heavily fringed caps. Dark green tops of leaves with gray green beneath. Withstands drought, wind, extreme cold and heavy soils.

• Chinquapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) A broadly spreading native oak that is proving to be a good shade tree for our area due to its tolerance of alkaline soils.

Attractive glossy leaves turn yellow to russet in fall. So far it has shown resistance to twig and leaf galls that attack Bur Oak. • Common Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) A large shade tree with an irregular habit when young, maturing to a stately rounded crown. The light green foliage can be susceptible to hackberry nipple gall, which is merely a cosmetic injury.

Characteristic corky, knobbed bark texture. Tolerant of heavy soils and dry conditions. Will shed its leaves early to escape severe drought.

• Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus diocus) A large shade tree with a narrow habit when young, maturing to an open, broad spreading crown. Large pinnately compound leaves are blue-green in summer. Fragrant white flower panicles with up to 12-inch long bloom on female trees, followed by mahogany colored seed pods that persist through winter. Male trees have 1-inch flowers but no pods.

Superior drought tolerance.

• Northern Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) Narrow irregular crowned tree with large, light green, heart-shaped leaves. Fragrant white flowers borne in 4-inch to 8-inch long upright panicles appear in late June, followed by 12-inch to 18-inch long, thin seed pods. The large leaves and showy blooms make this a distinctive shade tree.

Tolerates dry soils very well.

• Ohio Buckeye (Aesulus glabra) A durable, globeshaped tree that can be variable in height. Dense foliage is dark green in summer. Fall color is often yellow, but at times turns brilliant orange-red to reddish-brown. Large greenish yellow flowers appear in spring followed by prickly seed pods. Seeds are poisonous to people, but are attractive to squirrels. Extremely cold hardy, small tree with distinctive characteristics.

• Sensation Maple (Acer negundo ‘Sensation’) Fastgrowing shade tree for extremely harsh sites. Seedless male clone that does not attract boxelder bugs. Slower, more controlled growth with improved branching structure. One of the few trees that is tolerant of alkaline soils and has red-orange fall color, which fades to yellow.

Photos Courtesy of Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery

• State Tree Maple (Acer miyabei ‘Morton’) An interesting maple similar to Acer campestre with attractive corky bark. Medium green leaves turn yellow in fall. Good cold and drought tolerance and performs like an Acer campestre on steroids. Native to Japan.

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Share the Gospel Autumn is a great time to educate customers, young “I try to get everyone in the spirit of communicating the benefits of trees. I get frustrated when people in my field are complacent about sharing about the value of trees.”

– University of New Mexico Arboriculture Supervisor Bryan Suhr

By Bryan Suhr ISA Board Certified Master Arborist

As supervisor of arboriculture at the University of New Mexico, I care for the trees on the largest university campus in our state. My main campus is home to 3,870 trees and 25,000-plus students.

but other commitments makes it hard.

I take advantage of any opportunity to engage people in the myriad messages of urban and community greenery, and to plant more trees.

Engaging the student population with the maintenance of our outdoor environment on campus is challenging.

They love our campus but are so busy they don’t seem to actually connect with what we do and have for them here. They’re too busy to stop and smell the trees.

Every fall, my department is involved in a major program called Fall Frenzy, which encourages and supports student volunteerism. An annual campus beautification project, it was founded and is organized by a group dedicated to community service, who is part of the university’s undergraduate student government. The organizers provide funding for supplies, flowers, trees, mulch, and other materials in partnership

It’s really fun and very rewarding to try to get students involved. A lot of them would like to be more involved

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with the UNM Physical Plant Division, explains Student Activities Specialist Andrea Hart.

Fall Frenzy is one of the largest events all year and is attended by more than 350 students annually, Hart says. It takes place the week before Homecoming and participants come from dozens of student organizations, fraternities, sororities, and the residence halls.

Fall Frenzy projects usually include planting trees, shrubs, and flowers, as well as spreading mulch and rock, pulling weeds, cleaning up trash, maintaining the athletic track, and helping in the campus recycling

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of Trees this Fall and old, about the benefits of planting trees facilities. All student and staff volunteers come together after the event for a celebration luncheon.

their friends, family and even their children long after graduation to see the effect.

For my small part this year, we upgraded a prominent area of the main campus where several thousand students pass through everyday. We planted bulbs for spring color (a large flowered daffodil) and tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) that are very fragrant and bloom almost to coincide with our spring commencement, a time when we have many visitors to our campus. We also planted Texas ranger shrubs (Leucophyllum frutescens) to fill in areas to slow and block foot traffic. I always try to use as much durable plant material as possible and incorporate trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants that will flower and return year-after-year.

Throughout the year, I believe it’s important to engage the larger campus community, emphasizing the sustainable aspects of trees and the landscape and the contributions that they will make forever. I try to get everyone in the spirit of communicating these benefits; if you aren’t on-message about this, you are missing out on the chance to tell the “tree story.”

I instruct in proper planting technique, and let the students work. Some have never planted anything; others have experience working with a parent, friend or grandparent. I coach the students about the permanence…iris can re-bloom every year for decades as will the tree lilac….filling the area with their sweet fragrance. I encourage the students who participate to return with

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so I can send them links to fact sheets like those about the socio-economic benefits of trees and urban greenery reported by Wolf.

Wolf has focused on summarizing these benefits based on the sciencebased, peer-reviewed publications already in print. I believe she has 1,500 different citations, which can be downloaded and used to help communicate these messages.

I stress the many not-so-obvious benefits of trees on personal safety, education and attention. As an example, “College students with more natural views from their dorm windows have scored higher on tests of capacity to direct attention, and rate themselves as able to function more effectively.”

The USDA Forest Service is another great source of information on the benefits of trees. Fort Collins, Colorado was featured with several other cities in one study, “Interior West Community Tree Guide: Benefits, Costs, and Strategic Planting”. This guide is a great marketing tool for anyone in the green industry; there is a summary that covers almost every different site, situation and benefits ranging from air quality improvements to the reduction of storm water runoff. As a publication of the USDA, it can be reproduced freely with just the author’s credit.

This fact can be found on the web pages, developed by Dr. Kathleen Wolf at the University of Washington. I try to have interested students email me

The guide’s data shows that a tree’s net benefits reach a high of $61 per tree per year, depending on tree location and tree size. Now that’s a

Our university signed a national carbon neutral pledge, along with many other institutions. I try to connect the environmental benefits of trees to this carbon neutral pledge.

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positive message to share with students, customers, lawmakers and the world. Let’s shout from the rooftops, this fall (and anytime) – trees are a good investment, for our communities, our families and our future!

RESOURCE LIST • Positive messages to share about the contributions of plants to urban environments – depts.washington.edu/hhwb/

• Reference list of publications about the socioeconomic benefits of trees and urban greenery – depts.washington.edu/hhwb/Top_References.html • Interior West Community Tree Guide: Benefits, Costs, and Strategic Planting – treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/29209 • Free, downloadable, state-of-the-art, peerreviewed software from the USDA Forest Service that provides urban and community forestry assessment tools – itreetools.org • Colorful brochure describing benefits of popular trees in urban Albuquerque landscapes – itreetools.org/resources/reports/DesertCanopy/ ABQ_fact_sheet.pdf

• Fact sheet on the energy savings, economic, environmental and social contributions of trees – na.fs.fed.us/urban/inforesources/ucftoolkit/pdf/ StatisticsSheet.pdf • Easy-to-read brochure on how properly cared for trees are valuable and growing assets, worth three times the investment – na.fs.fed.us/urban/ treespayusback/vol2/TreesPayUsBack.pdf • American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, signed by the UNM and 13 Colorado institutions, among others – presidentsclimatecommitment.org/

End-of-Season Sales Promote Fall Planting

By Nick Ozimek, Owner Sarah Wong, Customer Service Manager Silver Sage Garden Centers, Littleton, Colorado

Our fall sale is an opportunity for us to make a late-season sales push, help keep staff busy and liquidate inventory by getting rid of old product and making way for new product.

Usually beginning in mid-August and running through October, we discount items based on our end-of-season inventory, supply/demand, and future availabilities.

Running a fall sale has several customer benefits, which can be promoted. Good quality products can be obtained at discounted prices. We usually are less busy, so our plant experts in sales have more dedicated time and service to offer customers. Our planting crew has an open schedule and we have a quicker turn around time to complete jobs One concern is that the general public has become conditioned and expects fall sales so they tend to hunt for the biggest and deepest discounts. This situation tends to affect July and August sales numbers, as people are waiting for the deals to start. This seems to be an industrywide issue, not specific to Silver Sage.

Our fall sales approach has changed over the years. When we first started offering a sale, we had every tree at 50 percent off.

Then we changed to Buy One Get One Half Off (BOGOHO) on specifically selected items, not a whole department like all trees.

Our sales selections are based on competitors’ availabilities, our growing wholesale business and keeping inventory available for our landscaping clients, future inventories and supply.

We have also created a specific sale area for shrubs and perennials. Plus, we tie fresh new products into sales combinations: for example, get a summer blooming perennial 50 percent off when you purchase a fall mum or pumpkin.

We promote our sale with display banners around the nursery, updating our main entrance sign, facebook posts, website and sales flyers. Our sales staff will start to hype up the sale in advance. We select our loyal and engaged customers to receive the fall sale email blast a week before it goes out to the general public.

What is attractive to the consumers, young and old, are the SAVINGS. Some of our younger customers may not mind planting something unique in shape. As the nicest inventory clears out first, the picked-over items go on sale. A lot of the younger customers appreciate the price break and have time for the plant to grow.

Some homeowners don’t mind the less than perfect looking plant at a discounted rate, as they plan to live in their home for years to come. We promote you are “buying the roots” – even though the shrub may not look in prime form, you’ll probably end up pruning it back and promoting better shape and growth for years down the road.

We also offer a pumpkin patch in October, which tends to draw younger parents with children. We make an effort to

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“Fall items need the same care and nourishment as plants purchased in the spring, which can be challenging as irrigation systems and hose bibs are turned off for the winter.”

Photo Courtesy of Silver Sage Garden Centers

display plant material and sales items near and around the patch with hopes of impulse purchases of trees, shrubs and flowers.

Some customers seem very well-educated on fall plantings, yet a lot of customers seem skeptical of the fall sale. They are faced with somewhat of a contradictory situation: fall is a great time to plant BUT the plants are on sale and being liquidated.

Many customers assume the plants are unhealthy and will die, or the plants are the less hardy varieties that we didn’t sell in May or June. This is simply not true. We will overwinter these plants and have them available again in the spring, although we would prefer finding them a home rather than spending additional time and money caring for them over the winter.

We continue to recommend complimentary items such as root stimulator, good amended soil blends, mulch, anti-desiccant spray, tree wrap, and Treegator®. These along with a modified watering schedule will help prepare the plants for the dormant winter months and allow for a smooth transition into the ground.

We need to give our customers clear expectations on fall and winter care. Fall items need the care and nourishment of a spring purchased plant, which can be challenging as irrigation systems and hose bibs are turned off for the winter.

People also aren’t outside paying attention to these plants like they would be in the summer. The fall plants cannot be neglected or they will not survive. There is no reason for our customers to expect anything less than success, as long as they properly care for their plants during the fall and winter.

Photo Courtesy of Gulley Greenhouse

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Help Employees Protect their Sight Summer is sunny... Don’t lose sight of what’s important.

danger for employees. Here are a few other things to consider:

Eye injuries are more common than you might think. In fact, on average, five preventable eye injuries occur everyday in Colorado, and an estimated 1,000 eye injuries occur in the U.S. everyday. In 2014 alone, Pinnacol saw eye injury claim costs soar over $1 million, with the most common injuries caused by foreign objects in the eye. These injuries can happen to anyone – they don’t discriminate by industry, position or job site. Some of the other most common hazards include chemical splashes, flying particles, radiation burns, strikes to the eye, sunlight, technology glare and poor lighting. All it takes is a small dust particle, poor lighting or a single metal shaving to cause a serious injury.

• Eye and face protection is an OSHA requirement. Make sure you provide personal protective equipment to protect against chemical, environmental and radiological hazards or mechanical irritants.

One of the simplest and most effective ways to help eliminate risk is through eye protection.

Ensure that eye protection is readily available and does not create a hindrance or added

coloradonga.org

• Always determine the proper protection according to job duties and hazards. Have a professional help you with this if you aren’t sure.

SAFETY CORNER

From Pinnacol Assurance

• Provide training and education for your employees so they also understand which PPE is most appropriate for them.

• Take good care of eyewear. Scratches and dirt may contribute to accidents and discourage workers from wearing eye protection.

• Make sure employees that wear glasses have eye protection with prescription lenses or that they wear protection over their eyeglasses.

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CSU Research UPDATE

By James E. Klett, Ph.D. Professor and Extension Landscape Horticulturist Colorado State University

2015 Cool Season Trial Winners Seventy-five plant varieties were evaluated in the CSU Cool Season Trials from planting in early October 2014 through May 2015. At the end of the season, observations were taken in late April and 10 plants were selected by the Annual Trial Garden Committee as top-rated performers. Most of the varieties planted had 100 percent survival rate through the winter of 2014-15. All varieties were monitored and observed weekly during the trial period. Plants were given additional water when soil was dry and

temperatures were above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, for a total of 14 times. Some snow cover was observed in February. The lowest temperature recorded was 17 degrees below zero. Surprising to all was their good survival from the rapid temperature plunge in early November 2014, but there was some snow cover at that time.

Growers and landscapers will definitely want to grow and plant these varieties from the fall into spring 2015-16 season.

The ten winners are described below: Best of Show Pansy – Pansy ‘Cool Wave® Blue Skies’ by Pan American Seed This pansy was superior even early in the season. In early March, it was a vigorous grower with an attractive spreading growth habit. The numerous blue and yellow flowers catch a person’s eye immediately, and there was 100 percent survival of the plant over the winter.

Best White Pansy – ‘Pansy Delta™ Premium Best Blue/Violet Pansy – Pansy ‘Exp XXL Denim’ by Benary The large, two-toned, iridescent, violet and blue flowers with well-defined dark blotches made this pansy a winner in the category. The contrast between the blotch and main two tones made this pansy outstanding.

White with Blotch’ by Syngenta Flowers

The purple blotch on this white pansy helped gain this pansy the top grade in this category.

The blooms were held well above the foliage on plants with very uniform growth habits.

Best Yellow Pansy – ‘Pansy Delta™ Premium Pure Yellow’ by Syngenta Flowers The large yellow flowers have a great depth of color with good contrasting whiskers on the blooms. This variety was very uniform in growth habit with exceptionally large yellow blooms.

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Best Novelty Pansy – Pansy ‘Karma™ Blue Sun’ by Syngenta Flowers

The contrasting purple and yellow flowers with consistent whiskering added to the overall appeal of this pansy. The unique flower color created a striking appearance and many flowers made this variety a standout from quite a distance.

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Best of Show Viola – Viola ‘Penny™ Mickey’ by Syngenta Flowers This viola had a two-toned purple and white flower creating a “Mickey Mouse” like image. The contrast in flower colors and the countless flowers are sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face. This viola would look great in mass plantings.

Best Blue/Violet Viola – Viola ‘Admire™ Deep Blue’ by Benary

Best White Viola – Viola ‘Endurio® White’ by Syngenta Flowers

The numerous long-lasting white flowers with an attractive mounding growth habit gave this viola the edge in this category. The judges described it as a great, full-bodied plant.

This viola had the deepest blue flower color of all those in the trial, and the flowers completely covered the plant. The impressive rich blue flower color as well as its uniform growth habit made it an easy winner in this category.

Best Yellow Viola – Viola ‘Endurio® Pure Yellow’ by Syngenta Flowers The vibrant, delicate yellow flowers with consistent dark whiskers covered the plant so that little foliage showed. The vigorous growth habit of this viola makes it a great selection for large plantings.

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Best Novelty Viola – Viola ‘Sorbet® Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow XP’ by PanAmerican Seed The remarkably consistent sky blue and white flowers made this viola a favorite instantly. The numerous flowers consistent on every plant with uniform growth habits made this a winner.

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CNGA calendar

SAVE THE DATES for these events, and mark your calendars now!

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

CNGA’s certification program was designed to promote high quality standards and professionalism for the Colorado nursery industry. The certified employee receives the satisfaction of being recognized as a professional by industry owners, their peers and the public. Take all four seminars and the exam to get certified, or feel free to enroll in a seminar or two just for the education!

Perennials – Gulley Greenhouse – Tuesday, July 21; 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Shrubs – Fort Collins Nursery – Tuesday, July 28; 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Trees – Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery – Tuesday, Aug. 4; 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Landscape Design – Colorado State University – Tuesday, Aug. 11; 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Exam – Colorado State University – Tuesday, Aug. 25; 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Outreach & Member BBQs Tours 3:30 - 5 p.m., BBQs 5 - 7 p.m.

Join your CNGA friends at our free member BBQs around the state.

Harmony Gardens, Fort Collins, Colo. – Thursday, Aug. 6, Spencer’s Lawn & Garden Center, Fountain, Colo. – Thursday, Aug. 20 Eagle Crest Nursery, El Jebel, Colo. – Wednesday, Sept. 2 Welby Gardens, Denver, Colo. – Thursday, Oct. 1 Women in Horticulture Luncheon Lakewood Country Club, Lakewood, Colo.

Thursday, Sept. 17; 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

An annual tradition for women in the green industry – come and enjoy a great speaker, lunch, gifts and networking with your peers and friends.

CHREF Golf Tournament Arrowhead Golf Club, Littleton, Colo.

Monday, Sept. 21; noon shotgun CNREF and CFF merged this past year and became the Colorado Horticulture Research & Education Foundation (CHREF). Your sponsorship and participation in our golf tournament increases CHREF funds. Each year, CHREF awards research grants to local colleges and scholarships to local college students majoring in horticulture and floriculture. These students already are or will be your future employees, and are active in our industry. By participating in and sponsoring this golf tournament, you’ll make an investment in your company and your industry. Please join us for this fun day of golf and help us make this a successful and profitable tournament for the foundation and our future. So, get out of your office, relax and play a round of golf.

Owners & Managers Leadership Retreat The Lodge at Vail, Vail, Colo.

Friday & Saturday, Nov. 6 & 7 Mark your calendars for this must-attend meeting designed for all decision makers to share experiences, ideas, and practical information both in the meeting and the social offerings.

The Friday session is from 3 to 5:45 p.m. with happy hour immediately following and dinner at 7 p.m. The Saturday session begins with breakfast at 8 a.m. and roundtable discussions at 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon.

The fee is $70 per person. The room rate is $109 plus taxes and fees. This rate will be honored three days before and after the event, based on availability.

new members Paul Oerter 1825 Senda Rocosa St. Boulder, Colo. 80303 303.332.3737

City of Wheat Ridge 9110 W. 44th Ave. Wheat Ridge, Colo. 80033 Margaret Paget, Forestry & Open Space Supervisor 303.205.7554

Register for calendar events with CNGA unless otherwise noted.

Oregon Pride Nurseries 5380 SE Booth Bend Rd. McMinnville, Oregon 97128 Mark Van Hoef, owner Michelle Cadena, regional rep.

503.472.9147

Photo Courtesy of Gulley Greenhouse

Tel: 303.758.6672 • Fax: 303.758.6805 • Email: info@coloradonga.org CNGA is the host of calendar events unless otherwise noted. For more information, registration forms, and directions to programs, go to coloradonga.org and click on the Events tab to view the Calendar.

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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 help wanted listings below and to see other current postings, visit coloradonga.org, click on the Resources tab and click on Classifieds.

Help Wanted Shrub & Tree Grower Silver Sage Garden Centers, 9010 S. Santa Fe Dr., Littleton, Colo. 80125, is looking to hire a grower to head up an expanding production line of shrubs and trees. Please email resume to teddy@silversageco.com.

Social Media Expert, Sales Manager, Organic Certification Assistant, & Sales Positions Key To Life, 3881 C Steele St., Denver, Colo. 80205, is an organic nutrient and fertilizer company looking for qualified applicants who share a passion for organic nutrients and making our food supply and planet healthier. Please send resumes to sharen@keytolifegarden.com.

Professional Gardener Gardening By Tess, 1669 Hoyt St., Lakewood, Colo.

80215-2913, seeks qualified gardeners with a good sense of humor to join the team. Please send your resume to tess@gardeningbytess.com.

Horticulturalist & Landscape Architect Steve Koon Landscape & Design, Inc., 2301 W. Oxford Ave., Englewood, Colo. 80110, has flower department opportunities for a crew leader and gardeners. Please send resumes and inquiries to SteveKnLandscape@aol.com.

Various Positions in Longmont The Tree Farm, 11868 Mineral Rd., Longmont, Colo.

80504, is now accepting applications for the 2015 season including nursery professionals, cashiers and sales associates. For more information, please email mike@thetreefarm.com or stop by in person.

Retail Nursery Sales Wilmore Nurseries, 711 E. County Line Rd., Littleton, Colo. 80122, is looking for qualified candidates. Please apply in person.

Sales Associate & Facility Maintenance/Delivery Positions Dreamscapes Landscape Center, 6100 E. 104th Ave., Northglenn, Colo. 80233, is a growing landscape supply and nursery company that is looking for motivated individuals interested in all aspects of the green industry. For more information, please contact Rachael Shuler at rachael@dreamscapesdenver.com.

Retail Sales Manager & Wholesale Delivery Drivers Harmony Gardens, 4315 E. Harmony Rd., Fort Collins, Colo. 80525, is a growing company with proven success, looking for a retail sales manager as well as delivery drivers.

Please contact Brennan Babbitt by email at bean@harmonygardens.biz.

Greenhouse Manager The Plant Ranch, 5468 Carr St., Arvada, Colo. 80002, is a growing wholesale distributor of tropical foliage. We are currently seeking a greenhouse employee to manage, water and care for tropical plants. Please email your resume to cindy@plantranchco.com. No phone calls please.

Landscape Designer & Landscape Technician Phelan Gardens/Earth Expressions, 4955 Austin Bluffs Pkwy., Colorado Springs, Colo. 80918, seeks a landscape designer. Qualified candidates should fill out an application available at phelangardens.com or submit to Chelsea Scoggin at cscoggin@phelangardens.com.

Assistant Nursery Manager & Sales Positions Neils Lunceford, Inc., P.O. Box 2130, Silverthorne, Colo.

80498, is seeking an assistant nursery manager for garden centers. We also have nursery, landscape and maintenance sales positions available. Please contact Rob Milstead at 970.509.0393 and complete an employment application at neilslunceford.com.

Various Irrigation & Gardening Positions Fitzgerald Landscaping and Design, Inc., P.O. Box 423, Aspen, Colo. 81612, has positions available for an experienced irrigation technician, a garden and irrigation installation/maintenance technician, and a foreman for maintenance and installations crews. Please contact Katherine Fitzgerald at info@fitzgeraldlandscaping.com or 970.920.3005.

Nursery Sales, Customer Service, & Carryout Positions Paulino Gardens Nursery, 6300 N. Broadway, Denver, Colo. 80216, is hiring now for the following jobs: carryouts to help customers load, sales floor customer service, and nursery sales. Please apply in person.

Part-Time & Full-Time Seasonal Jobs Welby Gardens, Inc., 2761 E. 74th Ave., Denver, Colo.

80229, has part-time and full-time seasonal job openings for immediate hire. Please contact the Human Resources Dept. in person between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday to Friday. Phone: 303.288.3398, ext. 456.

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coloradonga.org

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

FUNDING RESEARCH & EDUCATION

Foundation Demonstrates Industry’s Generosity When I think back to the news that I was awarded a scholarship, I was humbled and amazed. I remember thinking, “Me? I was actually chosen to receive one of the scholarships?!”

By Matt Cunningham Britton Nursery

I had felt that I didn’t have much to offer at the interview – I was a landscape design student and had no idea how I could be a contribution to the nursery sector of the green industry.

However, the committee apparently thought otherwise, and did so again a second time when I applied the following year.

Save the Date We’re Playing Arrowhead Golf Club!

GOLF TOURNAMENT Monday, Sept. 21, 2015; Noon Shotgun ARROWHEAD GOLF CLUB 10850 W. Sundown Trail, Littleton, Colo. 80125

Early Bird Deadline is August 21 $150 Early Bird Individual Player / $600 Early Bird Foursome $170 Individual Player / $680 Foursome CNREF and CFF merged this past year and became the Colorado Horticulture Research & Education Foundation (CHREF)! Each year, CHREF awards research grants to local colleges and scholarships to local college students majoring in horticulture and floriculture. These students already are or will be your future employees and are actively participating in our industry. Please join us for this fun day of golf and help us make this a successful and profitable tournament for the foundation and our future.

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Besides the scholarship’s obvious financial help, perhaps the greatest gift provided by the scholarship was a glimpse into the family and community of the Colorado nursery industry.

Along with the announcement of my selection as a scholarship recipient was an invitation to the scholarship awards dinner in Denver, where I had the great honor of meeting many of the men and women who are the nursery industry in the state.

During the ceremony, many hardships faced by members over that year were recalled, from hail damage and crop loss to personal loss of friends or family. What I saw was a compassion for those who suffered through the losses, similar to the compassion I have received from my closest friends and family. It was this first impression that led me to consider seeking a job with a nursery, rather than pursuing a design position.

Since then, I have been challenged to keep learning for the sake of those who entrusted their resources to me. I was challenged by receiving the scholarship to ask myself, “How can I pay back those who have helped me so generously? I have been given this great reward, and now it is my responsibility to demonstrate that they did not make a mistake.”

Now, in part due to the scholarship and also to God’s good plan, I work at a perennial nursery in Colorado Springs. Here, I see the same love, care and compassion that I saw at that awards dinner, and hope to give back to the industry.

Thank you to all who have contributed to this valuable foundation, CHREF, which provides great help and support to newcomers to the industry like myself. May we continue to grow the industry through investing in those who are seeking to join it.

LooseLeaf June/July 2015