Connecticut official wants efficient nurseries
Conn. Ag. Commissioner Philip Prelli told a state energy task force it wants an expanded matching-grant program to help farms install energy-efficient equipment, according to Conn. Nursery & Landscape Assoc. These programs would be for dairy farms and other businesses, "especially the nursery industry," Prelli said, according to CNLA. Other programs under way in the state are investigating production of biomass and biodiesel using ag. waste and plant crops.
Ohio starts construction of plant health lab
Officials broke ground last week on a new state plant pathology, entomology and seed lab in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. The Taft Plant Health Diagnostic Laboratory will help Ohio growers quickly identify dangerous plant pathogens including Phytophthora ramorum, according to Ohio Dept of Ag. Keith Manbeck, Ohio Nursery & Landscape Assoc. president-elect, attended the ceremony. Construction is scheduled to begin in August.
Program to help consumers find trees
Bare-root grower L.E. Cooke in Visalia, Calif., started the Tree I'm Looking For program to help homeowners buy the right species. "Often a consumer will go to a garden center and say, 'I want the tree that has white flowers in the spring.' They know the attributes they want, but not necessarily the tree that fits their request," sales manager Chad Fjeld said. The Tree I'm Looking For program includes 4-by-6-inch, double-sided tags and 14-by-17-inch counter mats. An interactive PowerPoint presentation is available on L.E. Cooke's Web site, and it can be customized for retailers.
Nursery founded to promote chocolate plants
The Chocolate Flower Farm in Langley, Wash., capitalizes on the popularity of chocolate and created an entire nursery and garden center around the delectable theme. The specialty nursery grows dark-colored plants that have a chocolate name. Chocolate seed kits are available wholesale in 3 flavors: Kid's Chocolate Garden, the Annual Chocolate Garden and the Perennial Chocolate Garden. The perennial kit features the "hard-to-find" 'Chater's Chestnut' hollyhock, 'Chocolate Drop' penstemon, 'Chocolate Soldier' columbine, 'Milk Chocolate' foxglove, chocolate daisy and 'Sooty' sweet William.
Charity daylily raises $2,095 in 2006
Sales of 'Maurice River Queen' daylily in 2006 raised $2,095 for a New Jersey charity group, according to Centerton Nursery in Bridgeton, N.J. The nursery donates $1 for each unit sold to Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts in Millville. In 2005 and 2006, the program raised $3,882 for the nonprofit organization. The success of 'Maurice River Queen' has led to Centerton adding a new daylily to the company's Charity Plant program. Sales of 'Variety is the Spice' will benefit Variety -- The Children's Charity.
Worth a visit
University of Connecticut extension educator Leanne Pundt talks about implementing and maintaining a successful IPM program. Only on GreenBeam.com.
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