USDA works to contain light brown apple moth
USDA APHIS is restricting movement of nursery stock, cut flowers and greenery from several California counties and all of Hawaii to prevent the spread of light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana. Under the federal order, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco and San Mateo counties must be certified free of the moth before shipping items interstate. Light brown apple moth destroys or stunts young seedlings, spoils the appearance of ornamentals and injures fruit trees, citrus and grapes.

Heat-loving plants move north
Palm trees are popping up in Tennessee and camellias are being planted in Pennsylvania, The New York Times reported. Climate change is allowing many heat-loving plants to survive winters without a lot of coddling. Weeds and invasive species are also thriving, thanks to higher carbon dioxide levels and more intense heat.

Wal-Mart ramps up Canadian garden centers
Wal-Mart plans to double the size of some of its Canadian garden centers, according to a report in the National Post. Garden retail areas will grow from 7,000-12,000 sq. feet or larger. At Wal-Mart Supercenters, garden centers will expand to 17,000 sq. feet. Wal-Mart hopes the changes will allow it to better compete with Home Depot.

Top perennial display will win overseas trip
Retailers can submit details on their eye-catching perennial displays for the chance to win a trip for 2 to the Netherlands. Entries are being accepted for the 2007 Perennial Marketing Contest, a collaboration between Plant Publicity Holland and Perennial Plant Association, with support from Garden Center Magazine. Deadline for entries is Oct. 1. Retailers must submit 8 photos and a written description of the display for consideration.

Flowers are top choice for Mother's Day
Consumers are expected to spend almost $16 billion on Mother's Day, according to a report from Nat'l. Retail Federation. A good chunk of change -- $2.3 billion -- will go toward flowers. Specialty stores will see the most traffic, with 37.5% of consumers heading to florists, jewelry and electronics stores. Housewares and gardening tools should also be popular, with 18.5% of consumers favoring these products.

Michigan tour offers glimpse at growers
Retailers can get an inside look at leading young-plant growers at this year's Michigan Garden Plant Tour, July 30-Aug. 10. C. Raker and Sons, Four Star Greenhouses, Pell Greenhouses and Walters Gardens are tour stops. The tour is free; reservations are recommended. An education program will be held at Mich. St. Univ. Aug. 7. Cost is $35 and includes lunch. Sandy Allen, (517) 355-5191, Ext. 1339.

Garden Center names Innovator finalist
Congratulations to the Greenery Nursery, Turlock, Calif., a finalist for the 2007 Garden Center Magazine Innovator Award sponsored by Garden Market Expo. The Greenery is in an economically challenged part of California, and regional plant prices are highly competitive. Yet this store that boasts of bringing its parking lot up to 12 spaces has tripled sales in 10 years.

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