March-April '12

Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association • Serving Colorado, New Mexico, & Wyoming

March/April 2012 • Volume 30 • Number 2

SourcingUsing Creativity in Finding Resources

8 2012 Inventory Forecast

12 Filling Trucks to Keep Freight Costs Down

14 Creative Sourcing and Substitutions

22 Member Profi le: Graff’s Turf Farms

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Board Of DirectorsDan Gerace, President

Welby Gardens Company, [email protected]

Bill Kluth, Vice PresidentTagawa Greenhouse Enterprises, LLC303.659.1260 [email protected]

Davey Rock, Secretary/TreasurerTrinitiy [email protected]

Kent Broome Bailey Nurseries, [email protected]

Stan Brown Alameda Wholesale Nursery, [email protected]

Steve Carlson Carlton [email protected]

Jesse EastmanFort Collins [email protected]

Tom Halverstadt Country Lane Wholesale [email protected]

Sarada Krishnan, Ph.D.Denver Botanic [email protected]

Bob Lefevre Advanced Green Solutions303.916.06091950rfl @gmail.com

Monica Phelan Phelan [email protected]

Les Ratekin Ratekin [email protected]

Terry Shaw Harding Nursery, Inc.719.596.5712hardingoffi [email protected]

Ex-Offi cio Members

Jim Klett, Ex-Offi cio CSU Dept. of Horticulture & Landscape [email protected]

Lynn Payne, N.M. Chapter Senator Sunland Nursery [email protected]

Griff Sprout, Wyo. Chapter SenatorSprouts Greenhouse, [email protected]

Sharon Harris, Executive [email protected]

Our MissionProfessionals growing for a better tomorrow... your growing resource.

In This Issue5 Calendar, New Members, Classifi eds, & Advertisers

7 Board Message: Adapting to Shortages

8 2012 Forecast:

Diverse Plant Availability with Sporadic Shortages

12 Companies Cooperating to Fill Trucks & Keep Freight Costs Down

14 Making More Sales through Creative Sourcing & Substitutions

Sourcing Takes Savvy for Landscape Architects

18 CSU Update: Top Perennial Performers

20 Safety Corner: Avoid On-the-Job Injuries

21 N.M. Chapter News: Certifi cation Opens Opportunities

22 Member Profi le: Graff’s Turf Farms, Inc., Fort Morgan, Colo.

Publishing InfoColorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association

959 S. Kipling Pkwy., Ste 200Lakewood, CO 80226303.758.6672 or 888.758.6672Fax: [email protected]

The LooseLeaf is produced by CNGA and Millbrook Printing Company3540 West Jefferson HwyGrand Ledge, MI 48837-9750Fax: 517.627.4201www.millbrookprinting.com

EDITORIALSharon R. Harris Executive Director Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association 303.758.6672 [email protected]

The LooseLeaf feature writer and editor is Tanya Ishikawa of Buffalo Trails Multimedia Communications

www.coloradonga.org/editor-tanya-ishikawa

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

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSDan Gerace

Tanya Ishikawa

Dr. Jim Klett

Lynn Payne

Amy Statkevicus

ADVERTISING INFORick Haverdink

3540 West Jefferson HwyGrand Ledge, MI 48837-9750Fax: [email protected]

Cover Photo Courtesy of Heidrich’s Colorado Tree Farm Nursery, Colorado Springs, Colo. See related article on page 14

www.coloradonga.org


Workers’ CompensationDividend PlanMember DiscountsSafety PlansCompetitive Pricing

Greenhouse PackagesGarden Center PackagesBoiler/Crop InsuranceCommercial AutomobileHome & Auto

RichaRds, seeley & schaefeR, inc.Insurance by Greenhouse Specialists

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Commercial Pesticide Applicators SeminarsTuesdays, March 6, 13 and 20, and Thursdays, March 8 and 15

These exam prep seminars, taught by CSU Extension Agent Mary Small, are designed to help you prepare for and pass the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Commercial Pesticide Applicators Licensing Exam. Class space is limited so sign up early.

Save the DatesThursday, Sept. 13Women in Horticulture Luncheon

11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Lakewood Country Club, Lakewood, Colo.

Enjoy lunch, wine, and dessert. Thank you to our sponsors, Pinnacol Assurance, Wells Fargo Insurance Services and Little Valley Wholesale Nursery!

Monday, Sept. 24CNREF & CFF Golf Tournament

Shot gun start at 12 noon.

Visit the CNGA website and click on the Upcoming Events tab under the Events menu for more information and current sponsors! Sponsorships available; sign up now to utilize your sponsorship dollars.

2012 calendar

classifi ed ADSCNGA offers free posts and searches of our online classifi ed ads, including items for sale or lease and job openings. For more information on the postings below and to see other current postings, visit the Industry Professional side of www.coloradonga.org and click on Classifi eds under the Resources tab.

Greenhouse For Sale by OwnerTurnkey greenhouse facility located in sunny Las Cruces, N.M. 56,000 Sq. Ft. Gutter Connect Greenhouses.11,000 Sq. Ft. Warehouse and offi ce building. 2.92 Acres of land. Established market. Trained employees. Contact Lynn Payne at 505-988-9626 or [email protected].

Professional GardenersGardening by Tess in Denver, Colo. is taking resumes for Professional Gardeners for the 2012 Season: March through December. Send resumes and at least three references with at least one horticultural experience to: [email protected].

Landscape Maintenance Crew LeaderDwyer Greens & Flowers in New Castle, Colo. is seeking a crew leader with at least two years experience maintaining irrigation systems, lawns and gardens. Seasonal work. Please send resume to [email protected] or P.O. Box 975, New Castle, CO 81647.

advertisersAlpha One Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

American Clay Works & Supply Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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

Britton Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Circle D Farm Sales, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Clayton Tree Farm LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

DWF Growers Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Gerdes Wholesale Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

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

Hash Tree Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Jayker Wholesale Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

McKay Nursery Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

RatekinEnterprises/Hollandia Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Richards, Seeley & Schaefer, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Alumacart, Inc.6215 W. Long Rd.Littleton, Colo. 80123Tel: 561.747.7167Fax: 561.747.7643Sandy Knoebel, [email protected] 1998

Color Star GrowersPO Box 619Fort Lupton, Colo. 80621Tel: 303.659.8438Fax: 303.857.6100Bill Fukutome, business [email protected] 1991

Colorado Dept. of Agriculture700 Kipling St., Suite 4000Lakewood, Colo. 80215Tel: 303.239.4153Fax: 303.239.4177Laura Pottorff, nursery program [email protected]/ag

Great Gardens, Inc.4706 West Hwy. 26-85Torrington, Wyo. 82240Tel: 307.532.5574Fax: 888.405.2316Jeff Jones, [email protected] 1979

Green Prairie Ranch LLCPO Box 631594Littleton, Colo. 80163303.683.1705Michael [email protected] 2011

Red Butte Garden300 Wakara WaySalt Lake City, Utah 84108Tel: 801.581.7745Fax: 801.585.0515Michelle [email protected] 1985

Summerland Gardens124 E. Cheyenne Rd.Colorado Springs, Colo. 80906719.477.0267Julie McIntyre, [email protected] 2005

Timberland Tree Farm10381 E. 123rd Ave.Henderson, Colo. 80640303.638.1300Mel Clark, [email protected] 2006

Tiny Timbers Tree Co. LLC14411 59 1/2 RoadCollbran, Colo. 81624970.487.0154Linton [email protected] 2007

Trinity Farms21750 E. 152nd Ave.Brighton, Colo. 80603720.810.1232Davey Rock, [email protected] 2010

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“The sooner

you know of

customers’

future needs,

as well as your

suppliers’

inventory

availability,

the better you

can react.”

Greetings! Spring is just about sprung. How has the weather been treating you? More importantly how have you reacted to the weather? Are you prepared for an early or late season? Can you react? As if there are not enough questions going through your mind this time of year!

Many of you are most likely already crazy busy with planting, digging, or getting organized for the spring rush. Are you ready? Remember: it’s never too late to go over the plan. Plans change and evolve and I fi nd myself planning all the way through.

Planning production doesn’t require a crystal ball, although it would be great to have exactly the right amount of everything that everyone needs at exactly the right time. We listen to our customers, not just what they say they want, but also how they spend their money. Sales recaps for the past few years of every item really can help you see a trend, if certain items are increasing or decreasing.

Make sure you record when you run out, because you may miss future sales if you grow the same number you sold the year before. Don’t just tell customers you are out of stock; maybe there is an acceptable substitute. Find out how many they were looking for, and ask more questions so you are better prepared next time.

Take calculated risks; most of our biggest increases have come during down times. We did this by having some extra when everyone else was overly cautious and did not increase production.

As a wholesaler, re-wholesaling may not be your business model as a general rule, but can be a good idea when you are out of stock. Do your best to procure the material for your customer, even if it means buying from competitors. By sending them to someone else, you open the door to sharing more of your business or losing it. It takes a lot less effort to maintain your current customers than to get new ones.

With ProGreen just behind us, I hope everyone made new contacts and renewed old ones. Before you get too busy to think about it, go through the catalogs and business cards you collected and start putting together a plan to deal with possible shortages that might occur in season now. Times have changed; people

are ordering more just-in-time, and there defi nitely is not as much speculation plant material on the market. Both of these mean more trouble fi nding what you need.

It is more important now than ever to establish greater communication with your suppliers and customers. The sooner you know of customer future needs, as well as your suppliers’ inventory availability, the better you can react. Seems like suppliers that have accurate and easy to check availabilities are getting more orders. Have you ever ordered plants online from a live inventory at 10 p.m. in your PJs? I have and it is great! For those of you not into that, it is ok because this phenomenon is pushing everyone to do inventory better, maybe even you.

We have all been hearing about the benefi ts of using local suppliers, and my following statement by no means contradicts that. It is, however, important to have a variety of different suppliers, including ones from different regions. Case in point on an input item, the majority of Sphagnum Peat Moss, a component of most greenhouse potting mixes, is harvested in northeastern Canada. This past summer they received record rain falls, keeping them off the bogs and causing a shortage. Many growers around the country have been struggling to secure their seasonal supply. We work with multiple suppliers that have strengths in different regions and countries and we were able to work through the shortage.

Learn more sourcing ideas from how your colleagues source inventory and their forecasts for availability in this issue of The Looseleaf. Best of luck on a successful season!

Adjusting toShortages

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD

By Dan Gerace CNGA Board President

Special thanks to the fi ve

CNGA member companies

who shared their insights

for this forecast:

• Steve Carlson, CCNP, Intermountain/Rockies Field Rep. for Carlton Plants LLC of Dayton, Ore.

• Jim Ord, Intermountain Region Sales Rep. for J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., Boring, Ore.

• Jan Tunner, Purchasing Agent for Little Valley Wholesale Nursery in Brighton, Colo.

• John Keller, V.P. of Operations for Monrovia Growers in Azusa, Calif.

• Kim Koonce, Buyer of Trees and Shrubs for Plant World, Inc., Albuquerque, N.M.


2012 Forecast: Diverse Plant Availabilitywith SporadicShortages

Agave at Monrovia Growers


Shrub and tree availability in 2012 and beyond

The green industry, our sources agree, has reached a tipping point. At last, the supply of trees and shrubs is no longer in overabundance, with popular sizes of some varieties becoming more difficult to get. Cutbacks in production triggered by the slow economy of the past few years are just starting to have an effect and availability is expected to get tighter.

The former market with too little demand and plant surpluses is being replaced by increased demand and shortages of well-grown, premium trees of desirable varieties. Retailers and re-wholesalers are starting to work harder to find the full mix of plant material.

In the past couple years, most growers sold end-of-the-season surpluses at drastically reduced prices or simply tossed them out. However, some outdated inventory is still out there and may bring down the quality in some plant stock. Plant quality is also suffering in some companies, due to labor reductions made during the tough economy.

“As a wholesaler, the challenges brought by the economy and extreme weather conditions have made trees difficult to source, as well as retain some sort of consistency, which has been especially evident with large container trees and ball and burlap trees,” Kim Koonce of Plant World explained.

“As for shrubs, last year I saw an overabundance in some things and shortages in others. I’m anticipating 2012 to be another challenging year with even more shortages. My strategy has been to book material with a wider scope of vendors to ensure that I have the anticipated availability for this upcoming year. If there is a positive to this whole situation, it is that it forces us to explore other grower possibilities and establish new vendor relationships,” she said.

Price trends for small, medium and large trees

The consensus is that the market is starting to experience shortages of specific items of all sizes. Not just one size is in short supply, but the overall

market is getting tighter especially with certain varieties that are more in demand. The voids in sizes and varieties are spread unevenly, making pricing a little harder to predict across the board.

With less availability and the market getting a little stronger, prices are generally starting to stabilize and even go up a little bit. Those buyers willing to pay higher prices will usually find the range of sizing they need.

According to Jim Ord of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., bargains are harder to get and any you find in 2012 are likely to be of lower quality. The rule that “you get what you pay for” holds true.

“Prices on smaller and medium size trees of new and less common varieties are on the rise,” he said. “Others should follow because of the severe reduction in the planting of liners over the past several years.

“Some of our customers are filling this gap in the marketplace by planting our larger, three and four-year-old branched trees,” Ord continued. “These trees are well branched and carefully pruned. They will fill out and become salable specimen trees in just two or three years.”

Upcoming production increases and decreases

While some growers are producing similar numbers and varieties as the past year, others are beginning to adjust back

up with increased production. Each company is planning for additional production in the sizes and varieties in demand by their customers, based on past sales data. Still, insufficient cash flow or credit lines prevent some companies from replanting popular and salable varieties.

Newer cultivars of elm are increasing in production as replacements for ash trees, which have dropped off drastically in sales and production due to Emerald Ash Borer infestations in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Another trend is producing smaller trees with top-grafted material, which are in high demand to fit into smaller yards.

Growers will continue to cut back on commodity items that aren’t selling well or are over-planted. Meanwhile, new introductions are being produced in greater numbers than traditionally offered due to good sales results of other recent new introductions. At the same time, buyers are showing a strong interest in the “oldies but goodies.” Bur Oak, English Oak, Catalpa and Autumn Purple® Ash are among tried-and-true tree varieties experiencing a resurgence in popularity.

To meet the demand of Rocky Mountain retailers for trees in containers, some growers are allocating larger numbers of new varieties to their container divisions for potting and finishing for sale.

“Prices on smaller and medium size trees of new and less common varieties are on the rise. Others should follow because of the severe reduction in the planting of liners over the past several years.”

– Jim Ord, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.

Increasing demand for containerized trees for Rocky Mountain landscapes has resulted in the production of more cold hardy and drought-tolerant species and cultivars at the container division of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.

10

Influenced by the continued popularity of fruit trees, growers are producing more but not always keeping up with demand. As John Keller of Monrovia confirmed, “Edibles continue to have strong sales. Items with color are in more demand. Standard foundation plant materials/green shrubs are still generally weak, but again it depends on the variety and the industry supply of that variety.”

Diversity in selection vs. specialization

In general, the mantra is “Diversity is good!”

“Everyday, customers are becoming more knowledgeable. The Web allows people to find plants that I did not know existed. Even if we do not carry certain

plants full time, we are certainly sourcing and finding a larger mix for our customers,” said Jan Tunner of Little Valley Wholesale Nursery.

This trend toward greater variety means more than increased sales and satisfied customers, according to Ord. He commented that “urban foresters tell us that diversity is key to urban forest health,” which contributes to healthier city and suburban environments.

Most large growers continue to specialize in producing a greater plant mix. However, many smaller growers have narrowed down their selection to target varieties most commonly listed on landscapers’ job plans, while using outside sourcing for other varieties as necessary to satisfy customers.

Having a strong production base of the usual basic commodity items is allowing growers to meet the needs of most landscape contractors. On the other hand, fewer large commercial jobs mean less big-selling items and mainstays.

Garden club members, creative designers and retail customers are

pushing suppliers to offer more varieties and continually expand their selections. The broad plant range includes a continuing increase in new introductions, as well as edibles, flowering shrubs, water-wise plants such as succulents, and small, columnar trees to meet the needs of smaller jobs.

Communicating inventory to customers

Large growers and wholesalers are using a variety of traditional and digital methods to inform customers about inventory. While the customer demand for standard catalog mailings is slowing down, a friendly call or fax from a dedicated sales representative is still popular with many buyers.


Bareroot trees ready for shipping at Carlton Plants LLC.

Little Valley Wholesale Nursery. Photo credit: Keith A. Williamson

Cactus at Monrovia Growers

The Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association Online Inventory Tool is a convenient, affordable way to promote your

inventory lists of trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals. The tool, located

in the Members Only section on the Industrial Professional side of the

association’s website, allows exclusive access to CNGA members and

Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) members for

posting and viewing plant material availability. To post your inventory

plant lists at the low cost of $50 per year, contact CNGA at [email protected] or 303-758-6672. To view the Online Inventory Tool,

log in to the website at www.coloradonga.org/about-cnga and click on

Online Inventory under the Members Only menu on the top right.


Online inventories are continuing to grow in popularity and usefulness. Many companies have two versions of their online catalogs, one for the wholesale customer and one for garden clubs or the retail customers of garden centers. In many cases, online ordering is also available.

Steve Carlson of Carlton Plants explained, “People can look up our inventories on our company’s Web page, which is updated on a regular basis. Part of my job is mass e-mails to customers or personalized ones to customers who are interested in certain varieties. We try to use all avenues as we can to get that information to customers.”

E-mail messages and newsletters have become a main form of communicating stock availability as well as new and outstanding plants. Links to updated inventory Web pages or PDF file attachments are sent regularly to customers who have requested updates. Some companies also send informative articles and photos by e-mail to help

familiarize customers with specific plants.

Some growers like J. Frank Schmidt also create unique Websites and Facebook pages for their exclusive varieties. These Internet portals can be used to share photos and quick tidbits

about plants, as well as alert consumers about local availability and sources, which helps drive business to local garden centers.

Photo Courtesy of Plant World, Inc.

Clayton Tree Farm

Shade and Ornamental B&B and Container Trees

Growing Grounds Nampa and Wilder, Idaho

Office 208.482.6600 [email protected] www.claytontreefarm.com

Specimen Trees for Color and Comfort


Companies Cooperatingto Fill Trucks & KeepFreight Costs Down

Little Valley Wholesale Nursery. Photo credit: Keith A. Williamson


Freight costs continue to be high, whether related to fuel costs or truck shortages, so growers and wholesalers are working together to fill trucks and get orders to destinations without delays. A little extra planning and creativity in loading seem to meet the needs of customers most often, but some unexpected waits are still bound to happen again in the 2012 season.

“The price of freight has made it tricky. It doesn’t really limit inventory, but it limits our ability to get plants in or out,” said Levi Heidrich, a managing partner of Heidrich’s Colorado Tree Farm Nursery LLC in Colorado Springs.

He explained that deliveries within 200 to 300 miles of Colorado’s Front Range and moving product in the state is “pretty easy” with several trucking options. Heidrich even finds it affordable on occasion to drive within a few hours to pick up inventory. However, regular deliveries from other states such as New Mexico haven’t been guaranteed. If an order is not enough for a full load, the wait can increase from a week to six weeks, but paying for partial loads is cost prohibitive.

When delays can not be avoided, Heidrich’s is honest with customers about the wait and gives them other options in case they prefer to substitute plants. “Very few customers put that much pressure on us. They don’t say, ‘If you don’t have our order by this week, then no thanks.’ But, we sure don’t want to make people wait,” he said.

Heidrich’s delivers plants to its own retail customers, and has not had any trouble with local transportation, though the nursery has a three-week wait for orders in the busiest spring months.

Alameda Wholesale Nursery in Englewood, Colo. also delivers plants to customers with its own trucks, like virtually all nurseries in Colorado, commented company president Stan Brown, CCNP. “Some local re-wholesalers used to hire third party companies to deliver, but it never worked out satisfactorily,” he added.

With Denver’s increasing traffic congestion, crews can take two to three hours to pick up and bring back plants to a job site, so “our $100 delivery fee is not a bad deal,” Brown said. “We can do it efficiently and far more economically than landscape contractors can afford by sending a crew in to pick up plants here.”

As far as deliveries from out-of-state suppliers, it’s been more difficult and expensive to get plants to Alameda

Wholesale, especially as Alameda begins to make more orders for partial loads. “That’s where the headaches are. That grower has to decide if Alameda is taking 20 feet of a truck, who will they line up for the other 30 feet? If they come from Oregon and can drop some off in Salt Lake City and then Grand Junction and then two stops in Denver, it’s more work for the grower and incrementally more expensive for us,” Brown said.

He is quick to add that his suppliers work hard to solve delivery issues and mitigate additional costs for wholesalers, by getting creative and finding ways to fill up trucks. They either supplement loads of trees with shrubs that would previously have been shipped by themselves, or stack trees in a manner to get more on the truck without damaging them.

Wholesalers also get creative in ordering to help fill truck loads. Kim Koonce of Plant World, Inc. in Albuquerque, N.M. explained, “Transportation is difficult to have much control over, but I try to maximize my freight costs by filling in as much empty space as possible. I can optimize my orders best when I purchase trees from vendors that also grow smaller containerized material.”

She said every once in a while she will arrange her own trucking, but usually the suppliers can get the better rates. During slow seasons, Plant World can wait many extra days or weeks for an order. Koonce said some customers have a hard time understanding why they have to wait for plants, and she’s noticed an increase in this impatience. But, the company can’t justify the extra costs. New Mexico doesn’t have a lot of manufacturing, so trucks

delivering there often end up empty on their return trips. Freight costs can increase dramatically when trucking companies charge additional drop fees.

John Keller of Monrovia Growers in Azusa, Calif. and Steve Carlson of Carlton Plants LLC in Dayton, Ore. agreed they don’t expect changes in the transportation situation from 2011 to 2012.

Carlson, CCNP, who is Carlton Plants’ intermountain/rockies field representative, said the delivery situation is “not terrible, but at times there is difficulty getting a truck. The biggest issue is the availability of trucking. There seems to be very few trucks on the road, so plants are going to be hard to get at certain times of year.”

His company is able to keep freight costs down by volume, because all its product is sold as bare root and all of it gets shipped that way, which “has always been and still is a very economical way to ship it,” he said.

Keller, Monrovia’s vice president of operations, confirmed, “Our shipping teams always do all they can to set up efficient routes and ship the trucks full.”

J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. in Boring, Ore. offers a weekly “Express Truck” service to the Denver metro area with extensions to other cities on demand, and plans to continue these deliveries in 2012. “This gives our many customers (growers, garden centers and landscape distribution centers) the luxury of ‘just in time’ delivery, the flexibility to add to their orders as needed, and the reliable delivery of fresh stock on a regular basis,” concluded Jim Ord, J. Frank Schmidt’s intermountain sales representative.

Photo Courtesy of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.

“Suppliers work hard

to solve delivery

issues and mitigate

additional costs for

wholesalers by getting

creative and finding

ways to fill up trucks.”

– Stan Brown, Alameda Wholesale Nursery

Increasing Sales through Creative Sourcing & Substitutions


Photo Courtesy of Heidrich’s Colorado Tree Farm Nursery LLC


For greenhouses and nurseries, the path to strong sales is careful attention to customer service, production planning and flexible sourcing. Knowing what inventory is in demand is the first step to ensure customers are buying. The next crucial step is offering a high quality selection and finding alternative ways to best fulfill customer needs.

“I’ve given up a long time ago trying to decide what people should buy and instead find out what they want to buy and try to provide that,” said Stan Brown, CCNP, the president of Alameda Wholesale Nursery in Englewood, Colo. “Fulfilling customer requests is something we think about a lot around here.”

Levi Heidrich, a managing partner of Heidrich’s Colorado Tree Farm Nursery LLC in Colorado Springs, said as a retailer, wholesaler and re-wholesaler, “Our general philosophy for all types of customers is: if someone asks for something we get it.”

On the other hand, Heidrich explained, “Our philosophy is to sell plants that thrive. We don’t even stock some plants. We try to talk customers out of ones that don’t do as well in this area, and try to get them something that will do well in our climate. If they say they are willing to take a risk, we say we will get what they want in a certain amount of time from one of our suppliers. That way, we don’t have stock that’s struggling sitting around here.”

Heidrich’s gets a lot of its plants from Colorado, which makes it easier to fill customer requests for items that are not on the premises. The company really focuses on selling the specific plants from its growers and educating customers on their quality and suitability for the local environment.

“I’ve always felt that my growers are just as important as the people who buy our products,” the nursery’s managing partner said. “I always treat my growers as I do my best customers. We pay promptly and even ahead of terms. Without their high quality products, I can’t help my customers. Having that network of people to work with is important.”

Having enough stock to fill customer requests but not ending the season with excess stock is a balancing act.

Planning inventory can be “such a beast” especially in a slow economy, he commented. To meet his goal of making enough sales to leave less than 7 percent of his inventory at the end of each season, he compares the data on what inventory started the past season and what sold, and then plans for the next season. Many variables also come into play such as how plants looked, how weather affected growth, and whether any customers made unusually large one-time orders that skewed the numbers.

While inventories of trees that have to be dug out of the ground need to be more precise, containerized shrubs and perennials are more simple to re-stock throughout a season with additional deliveries from suppliers. Heidrich calls some growers several times a week in the spring and early summer. He recalled a past season when one grower got hailed out, and he had to scramble to find other sources.

The usual wait for delivery of special orders that aren’t in stock at the nursery can be a couple days, but Heidrich’s will work extra hard to fulfill orders of its best customers. On occasion the customer looking for a 1.5-inch tree will be sold a 2-inch tree for the same price, so they don’t have to leave the nursery empty-handed. At other times, Heidrich will drive from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins to personally pick up an order

and get it to the customer faster. He has even bought a plant from a competitor for a higher price and sold it for his lower price, just to complete a customer’s order.

“Some customers won’t allow substitutions; some will. It totally depends on the customer,” he said. “Either way, you have to offer good service, especially in this economy.”

“You have to know your customers and prepare for how they order,” he added. “The cool thing with the retail side is that you don’t often have customers with plant lists. They are shopping for what looks good. If you can make the experience awesome for them and give them the right information, they will buy what we have in stock.”

Heidrich and Brown of Alameda Wholesale agreed not many customers pre-order plants to ensure the inventory is in stock. While some landscape architects will come out to select and tag trees or call in an order about a month in advance of picking them up, the majority of orders come in as a project is underway.

“The general trend in the industry is that contractors by and large are more amicable to a substitution rather than becoming more strict in the size and variety that they want, in part because there aren’t very many places where there is only one kind of plant that will perform well or look good,” Brown explained. “Also everybody is watching the budget more and more, and if you have to bring plants in or drive up to Longmont to pick them up or spend a lot of time looking around, a lot of times they can cost more money. For that contractor to drive over to one of our competitors to pick it out, you’re talking about two to three hours out of their day; it makes it a fairly steep price to get that plant. It has to be really special to do that.”

He estimated that 20 percent of the nursery’s orders require the customer to consider substitute plants, and less than one-tenth of 1 percent of those customers refuse to take a substitution and insist on the exact plant choice. He believes the customers’ flexibility is due in part to the knowledge and service level of Alameda Wholesale’s front counter staff, who shares 85 years worth of experience in the industry.

“They know what the customers want and they know their plants, and they can make some really good suggestions and people are generally more than willing to accept that,” he added.

Stan Brown Levi Heidrich

“In general, customers

are less specific about

what they want and

more open to a plant

that might be in bloom

right now or look a

little better.”

– Stan Brown, Alameda Wholesale Nursery

According to Brown, substitutions fall into three categories. The first is substituting plants with plants that have different names due to marketing and trademark history, but are essentially the same plant genetically, such as

Chanticleer Pears and Cleveland Select Pears. The second is staff suggestions of thoughtful, considerate alternatives that meet the customers’ needs as well if not better than the original request. The third is not recommended by Brown, which is

to advise the customer to buy something that the nursery is long on and may work but is not the best choice for the customer.

“I’ve seen substitution recommendations so far out of the ballpark, they weren’t even acceptable,” he lamented.

In general, Alameda Wholesale’s customers are less specific about what they want and more open to something that might be a better plant or be in bloom right now or look a little better. They’re more tolerant of being more flexible.

“I would like to believe it’s because we’ve earned their trust and the substitutions we’ve made for them before have worked out for them,” Brown said. “An awful lot of our business is repeat customers and you can burn them once and you don’t get a chance the second time, but if you try to offer a great plant that works for them and pleases their customers they’re more amicable about that.”

When contractors come in with special orders for plants not in the nursery’s inventory, the staff searches for the right plants within its existing growers first and then outside that network when it needs to. When the special orders are delivered, the staff show them off to other prospective customers to gauge additional interest. These orders are a great source of new plants and new sales for the nursery.

The staff also actively monitors what customers are looking for, increases its minimum level of inventory to more sizes, and tries to carry more items that are more limited in supply. Brown said this process and the special orders have helped expand the depth and breadth of his plant selection to a point where Alameda Wholesale carries 100 times more plants now than it did 40 years ago.

“It’s amazing how many new and unusual plants that we’ve added over the years,” Brown noted. “My dad started our business, and I think he would roll over in his grave to see the things we’re selling: arborvitaes, Cutleaf Japanese Maple, Boxwood... In the ‘40s and ‘50s, they were considered almost laughable, and now they’re almost mainstays in our business. That’s in part because we’ve found selected varieties of these that do better in our location, or found ways to treat the plants so that they can do better here.”


Steve Brown, right, and Stan Brown unload a semi, assisted by a rolling conveyor. Alameda Wholesale Nursery can efficiently unload 1,200 plants in less than two hours, and the plants end up in a greenhouse display ready for sale.

Photo Courtesy of Heidrich’s Colorado Tree Farm Nursery LLC

Sourcing Takes Savvy for Landscape Architects


Marcia Pryor Mike Eagleton

Landscape architects work closely with wholesalers to source plants for their projects, because their landscaping clients and design preferences are as unique as each company and each project. Though clients are often demanding when it comes to project timelines, they usually allow landscape architects to select plants and alter selections based on their expertise.

Marcia Pryor is an account manager in the maintenance division of The Brickman Group, a commercial landscaping firm headquartered in Maryland with an office in Denver, Colo. She calls her work “talk-a-tecture” since she communicates with customers and suppliers, while her company’s regional landscape architect, Scott Stoddard, designs the projects.

Explaining her company’s philosophy about sourcing plants, she said, “I try to give vendors as much lead time as possible and I am usually not disappointed. I do not expect miracles. I know they have my best interests in mind as well. We are a team.”

The Brickman Group mainly uses one wholesale nursery and one wholesale annual nursery to supply its projects. If they do not have what she is looking for, Pryor has a list of other suppliers and starts with contacting who is closest to her location.

Because Brickman handles mostly large commercial landscape maintenance, it rarely

has customers asking for out-of-the-ordinary plants. “We do a large volume of annual installations as well as replacing plants and modifying areas for our customers,” she said. “We use last year’s nursery catalogs to spec from. Then we call and ask if the plants are available.”

Due to the large size of the projects, she tries to pre-order annuals at least a month or two in advance. On large orders of woody plants, she tries to order even earlier or as soon as a landscaping contract is signed.

“In the summer, we usually run six to eight weeks out on installations. On smaller jobs, we call when we need the plants,” she added.

When a plant listed for a project is not available, Pryor said she is usually good at making substitutions, which is only a problem when a plant replacement must match existing plants on a site. She addresses the issue with her clients by having open communication and “just sharing what I am up against. Then, they trust that I have their best interests in mind,” she said.

Customer communication is also important when dealing with customers who want plants they find on the Internet that do not grow in the area or are hard to find. Pryor commented that it is usually not much of a problem, but it is an increasing occurrence due to customers’ wider use of the Web to research landscape ideas.

Mike Eagleton, the owner of Eagleton Landscape Architecture and Design, specializes in high-end residential projects. He serves an upscale clientele who appreciates unique plants.

“Many people move to the Denver area from the East and West Coasts – environments with all these great gardens, and a plant palette that is a lot more diverse,” Eagleton said. “When they come here, they have the same expectations for their new homes.”

He agrees that communication with clients is the key to avoiding issues with plant

selection. He guides his clients with plant choices and rarely has a lot of specific requests from them. “For the most part, they see my work and trust it,” said Eagleton, whose clientele is mostly by referral and repeat business

He puts together his designs based on the plants that have been available historically from his vendors and by looking in catalogs and making calls. He lets clients know up front that some plants may change during the process if he finds better quality and prices. This approach makes substitutions a positive.

Eagleton never pre-orders because each property and client is unique, and may not match an anticipated plant mix. If he did speculate on orders, either he or his supplier could get stuck with unused plants, which is a situation he can’t accept.

He also never waits to get exact matches for plants that are unavailable. He always goes himself to the wholesaler to find and tag plants, and will determine his own substitutions based on his individual client needs, the site, and the expectations.

“Going to the nursery to see the quality and selection is of utmost importance,” he said. “It definitely helps to find a good variety of plant material available when looking for substitutions.”

Periodically, if Eagleton decides he only wants a specific plant, he’ll ask a nursery to source it, or he will go to a plant broker or look at other sources himself.

“Finding vendors that understand my needs is very important to me. We have to do a year’s worth of business in an eight-month period, so to make this work, I have to surround myself with trusted suppliers who I know will deliver with both their product and their client service,” he concluded. “To be successful at sourcing, you need to quickly establish who has the best quality and selection of plant material and to what extent they are willing to help you do your job.”

Photo Courtesy of The Brickman Group Photo Courtesy of Eagleton Landscape Architecture and Design

See complete

listing of top

perennials at

www.fl owertrials.

colostate.edu.


Top PerennialPerformers

CSU UPDATE

Two-year herbaceous perennial trials continued in 2011 at the Colorado State University Annual Flower Trial Garden directly west of the University Center for the Arts in Fort Collins, Colo. The garden was established to observe garden performance along with winter hardiness of new herbaceous perennials. Thirteen different companies from around the world entered 62 taxa in 2011. There are a total of more than 120 different taxa of perennials in this trial. Five top performers that were planted in 2010, and grew for two complete seasons and one winter were recently selected by judges.

A complete listing of all perennials in this trial can be viewed at www.fl owertrials.colostate.edu under the ‘Trials’ tab by selecting ‘Perennial Results’.

The fi ve top performers for 2011 were:

Buddleia davidii ‘Buzz™’ Series (Buzz Butterfl y Bush)

We acquired this from Pacifi c Plug and Liner and the breeder was Thompson and Morgan. They have a more upright growth habit, prefer a sunny location and are hardy to zone 5. They grow to about 36 inches tall and wide, and bloom from June to October. The range of

colors (blue violet, ivory, pink purple, violet, and magenta) were all impressive, especially the magenta color. This is a great plant for a cottage garden and good for attracting hummingbirds and butterfl ies.

Echinacea x ‘Conekim’ (Panther Pink™ Conefl ower)

This conefl ower is a great compact variety, which begins blooming in late spring with a stunning show of bright pink fl owers. They grow to one to two feet in height and have a

two-foot spread. The green foliage contrasts nicely with the colorful fl owers. It prefers a sunny location and grows well in a dryer soil with good drainage. It makes a great cut fl ower when grown either in the ground or in pot culture. It is a Conrad-Pyle introduction and hardy to zone 4.

Helenium x ‘Double Trouble’PP18,206 (Double Trouble Sneezeweed)

This was brought to the marketplace by Darwin Plants and bred by Peter Damen in Hillegom, the Netherlands. It is the only available double fl owering cultivar, which produces double daisy-like, bright yellow fl owers on strong stems, and blooms for a long time in mid-to-late summer. They grow to 18 to 28 inches tall in full to part sun in a moist but well-drained soil. It is cold hardy to zone 4 and with the compact habit and sturdy stems is a great plant for late summer bloom in any landscape.

By James E. Klett, Professor & Extension Landscape Horticulture Specialist, Colorado State University

Echinacea x ‘Conekim’ (Panther Pink™ Conefl ower)

Helenium x ‘Double Trouble’PP18,206Buddleia davidii ‘Buzz™’ Series

Phlox paniculata ‘Piña Colada’ PP19,968 (Piña Colada Perennial Phlox)

This phlox is available from McGregor Plant Sales and was bred by Jan Verschoor in the Netherlands. It is a robust variety that produces fl owers with overlapping pure white petals on shorter stems with dark green leaves. It grows to 11 to 15 inches in height and width, and prefers sun and moderate water. Blooms peak in late summer to early autumn.

Veronica longifolia ‘First Love’PPAF (First Love Speedwell)

This hybrid speedwell features glowing fl orescent pink fl ower spikes from early to late summer. It is useful in the sunny border as well as in containers. Removing faded blooms well encourage more buds to form. It grows to about 10 to 12 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide. It attracts butterfl ies and appears to be more deer and rabbit resistant and cold hardy to zone 3.


Veronica longifolia ‘First Love’PPAFPhlox paniculata ‘Piña Colada’ PP19,968


Avoid On-the-Job Injuries

SAFETY CORNER

In the American workplace, accidents involving slips, trips, and falls account for approximately 300,000 disabling injuries per year. Pinnacol Assurance offers a comprehensive safety awareness program to help employers hold the line on slips, trips, and falls throughout the year. Our “Slips, Trips, & Falls Prevention Toolkit,” which is available on the Resources section of Pinnacol.com, contains tools and tactics you can use year round to prevent slips, trips, and falls in your workplace.

The toolkit contains a variety of helpful materials, including:

• Discussion leader’s guide – This guide provides step-by-step instructions to help you prepare for safety meetings with your employees. It is designed for use with the one-page Safety Talks included in the toolkit.

• Safety Talks – There are 12 different Safety Talks for use at safety meetings. The fi rst page of each Safety Talk provides tips on facilitating the meeting. On the back of the talk are management recommendations.

• Safety incentive program tips – These provide information on setting up safety incentive programs that make a difference.

• Facilities checklist – This checklist will help identify slip, trip, and fall hazards in your workplace so they can be eliminated.

• Employee PowerPoint presentation – This presentation, suitable for all employees, is contained in the Loss Prevention CD, which is part of the toolkit.

• Facilitator’s guide for employee presentation – A facilitator’s guide in the toolkit helps you present the PowerPoint to your employees.

• Posters – Four posters are included in the toolkit, one for each quarter of the year. The posters cover some of the same topics as the Safety Talks.

• Paycheck stuffers – There are 12 of these for inclusion with employees’ paychecks. Like the posters, the information in the stuffers reiterates the messages contained in the Safety Talks.

Everyone benefi ts from a safer work environment. So be sure to get your toolkit and use it to decrease work-related injuries from slips, trips, and falls, increase employee morale, and reduce workers’ compensation insurance costs. Contact your Pinnacol marketing representative if you have any questions.

Pinnacol’s

“Slips, Trips, &

Falls Prevention

Toolkit” is

available on

the Resources

section of

Pinnacol.com.

HASH TREECOMPANY

WHOLESALE CONIFER NURSERY

Growers of Quality Specimen ConifersSelected Seed Sources of Pine, Fir & Spruce

1199 Bear Creek RoadPrinceton, ID 83857

Fax: 208---875---0731E---Mail: [email protected]

Web: www.hashtree.com

877---875---8733

From Pinnacol Assurance


CHAPTER NEWSNEW MEXICO

By Lynn Payne CNGA Wyoming Chapter Senator

Greetings from the Land of Enchantment!

The New Mexico Certifi ed Nursery Professional program has been a long time coming but I’m delighted to say it is fi nally here. We used the Colorado certifi cation manual as a beginning and made necessary changes to make it more appropriate for New Mexico. No need to reinvent the wheel, right? – especially when we have a manual as good as Colorado’s to begin with!

We have many more ideas to make our training manual even better, but we all agreed we had to start somewhere and so it is written! Start thinking about taking the test. Study hard. We want you to be the best you can be!

Before you take the test, how about warming up with a little quiz? Everyone likes to see how smart they are, especially when no one will know how smart you aren’t!

• The Vanilla bean comes from what plant?

• Cinnamon is ground from what plant part?

• Capers are which cured plant parts?

• Aspirin originally came from what plant?

• What plant do we harvest a Nopalito from?

• Bonus round: Who killed Cock Robin?

You can check the answers below, but now that you know them, don’t expect to fi nd these questions on the New Mexico test! We will, however, have other questions which will be equally as fun to ponder.

With the certifi cation manual completed, I will be working with several people in the New Mexico Education Department to develop courses for high school and community college students. We want to give young people, who may not be able to attend university for whatever reason, an opportunity for self improvement and achievement via the green industry. I’ve always considered myself very fortunate to have developed a career in this fi eld, and want to help others to be successful as well. Of course, I realize it’s not for everyone, but even giving people the opportunity to learn how to grow their own fruits and vegetables or the basics of landscaping their own yard provides useful life lessons.

As always, I look forward to working with all my friends in this business, and I wish you all a busy and successful spring/summer season!

ProfessionalCertifi cation Opensup Opportunities

“We want to give

young people

an opportunity

for self

improvement

and

achievement

via the green

industry.”

Answers:1. The Orchid2. Bark 3. Flower Buds 4. Willow 5. Opuntia Cactus

Bonus Round: The Sparrow


MEMBERPROFILE

How did your business get started?

Randy and Betsy Graff decided to start their own small farm growing one type of turf in Fort Morgan, Colo. in 1979. The business grew over the years, and in the early 1990s, it expanded dramatically when it began supplying turf to sports facilities. Some major clients in Colorado include Coors Field, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Folsom Field, and Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Today, Graff’s continues to serve all sectors including residential, commercial, and golf and sports facilities with turf specifi c to each need. When the Graffs were ready to retire, their son James Graff and production manager Marty Thiel took over the business.

Tell us about your staff, property, products and services.

Graff’s has 15 to 25 employees depending on the season. The 440-acre farm grows 10 types of

grass, and alternates growing row crops such as corn, alfalfa and wheat on a small portion of the land to strengthen the soil through crop rotation.

The company’s turf variety ranges from bluegrass and fescue to specialty grasses used for specifi c sports venues such as putting greens, which it sells to large facilities and through garden centers. Graff’s provides turf installation and delivery, prep work and removal, and related services such as large-scale aeration for golf courses.

Why do your longtime customers keep coming back?

Graff’s hopes to always exceed its clients’ expectations with its product quality. The company emphasizes relationship building with all its clients, and strives to be more than a drop-off supplier. High quality products and strong customer service interweaved together seem to keep clients coming back.

Why did you become a CNGA member?

Graff’s has a large number of garden centers as clients, and really wanted to connect with them. “The bonus for us has been that CNGA members are some of the most forward-thinking, creative people we’ve ever worked with. There is an incredible group of people to network with and compare data with. CNGA is unique as a trade association – it has one of the strongest participation levels and consistent quality in programming,” said James Graff. “We get as much out of it as we put in.”

Graff’sTurf FarmsSupports Garden Center Quality

Graff’s Turf Farms, Inc.

P.O. Box 715

9809 N. Frontage Rd I-76

Fort Morgan, Colo. 80701

Tel: 970.867.8873 or 80.280.TURF (8873)

Fax: 970-867-4343

www.graffsturffarms.com

[email protected]

Photo Courtesy of Graff’s Turf Farms


What resources provide the most success with hiring good people?

Current employees refer the managers to people they know who would be good for job openings. The company tries to fi nd people who are very adaptable and have a lot of motivation. More than a full educational background in horticulture, the owners are looking for people with basic skills and strong character. Hiring is one of the biggest challenges, Graff said.

How do you develop your production forecast for the next season?

Graff’s makes sales goals based on historical sales and based on inventory potential. The managers come up with reasonable numbers that “push us hard,” said Graff. The company works hard to be in full production on all its acreage. It is market driven at the same time as it is trying to drive the market.

How do you use creativity to meet customer needs?

Graff’s strives to always meet customer requests by keeping the newest and best inventory of both maintenance-saving grasses and water-saving grasses. People can go almost anywhere to get bluegrass, but they have to come to us and our retail partners for better quality.

The company appreciates the educational focus of independent garden centers. Their support of customers and helping them understand turf in turns helps Graff’s products sell. The staff’s knowledge gives the customers confi dence and helps them care for the turf.

Independent garden centers also take “extremely good care of our product so it remains in good shape until the customer gets it,” Graff explained. “Like us, there is some pride in quality, and both of us would rather pull a poor product than sell it.”

What will the inventory issues be in 2012 and beyond?

Graff’s owners don’t expect water restrictions to affect inventory. They foresee customers continuing to seek out labor-saving and water-saving grasses, that are available whenever they need them. The economy continues to be tough and people are looking for deals, so the turf grower will stay competitive with pricing but won’t sacrifi ce turf quality to make it cheap. Customers expect a better product from garden centers and Graff’s plans to continue providing it.

“CNGA is

unique as a

trade association

– it has one of

the strongest

participation

levels and

consistent

quality in

programming.”

– James Graff,

Graff’s Turf Farms


Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association

959 S. Kipling Pky, #200

Lakewood, CO 80226

Are you looking for anotherresource to take your

business to the next level?Check out the valuable content of the 2011 and 2012 issues of The LooseLeaf and learn from your peers with expert tips, case studies, and a full range of information and news about issues and developments in the green industry. CNGA provides easy access to back issues online at issuu.com/looseleaf.

March/April 2011

Excellence: Setting High Standards• industry leaders on developing and maintaining high standards • top managers from other industries on how they foster excellence• Member Profi le: Northern Gardens LLC• CSU 2010 Top Perennial Performers• a natural soil restoration technique from a New Mexico company

May/June 2011

Value: Recognizing and Maintaining Value• Dr. Charlie Hall and ANLA Executive Director Bob Dolibois on marketing the benefi ts of the green industry• landscape architects and managers discuss creating and maintaining value• Member Profi le: Highlands Garden Center• CSU on weed control in container-grown plants

July/August 2011

Connect: Reaching out to Stakeholders• Gary Eastman on knowing your retail customers • Facebook, Groupons and Internet media for business promotion• examples of how to thank and get feedback from customers• Member Profi le: Santa Fe Greenhouses and High Country Gardens• CSU on impact of irrigation on shrubs

September/October 2011

Plan: Organizing for Success • advice on fi nancial planning and why it is critical to success• why monitoring operational costs can increase profi tability• four different company management styles• Member Profi le: Gard’N-Wise • CSU Multi-Site Woody Plant Trials• ASLA of Colorado update

November/December 2011

Innovate: Developing a Trendsetter Attitude• RFID tags, POS systems, QR codes, mobile cash registers, and merchandising/marketing innovations• marketing tips from Ikea and Kohl’s• Member Profi le: Pine Lane Nursery• CSU on underused perennials• ebb and fl ow watering in the desert

January/February 2012

Remembering: Why We Do What We Do• retailers plan for 2012 trends• local produce as a new product line• real experiences in company transitions• Member Profi le: Welby Gardens• CSU on 2012 Annuals

To obtain hard copies of any past issues, contact CNGA at [email protected], 303.758.6672, or 888.758.6672.

Are you

businessCheck out the valuable content of the 2011 and 2012 issues of and learn from your peers with expert tips, case studies, and a full range of information and news about issues and developments in the green industry. CNGA provides easy access to back issues online at

March/April 2011

Excellence: Setting High Standards• industry leaders on developing and maintaining high standards maintaining high standards • top managers from other industries on how they foster excellence


ConnectReaching Out to Stakeholders

8 Knowing Your Customers Creates Long-Lasting, Profitable Connections

12 Making Connections through the Internet

14 The Benefits of Community Outreach

22 Member Profile: Santa Fe Greenhouses & High Country Gardens

July/August 2011 • Volume 29 • Number 4

• Member Profi le: Northern Gardens LLC• CSU 2010 Top Perennial Performers• a natural soil restoration technique from a New Mexico company

May/June 2011

Value: Recognizing and Maintaining Value• Dr. Charlie Hall and ANLA Executive Director Bob Dolibois on marketing the benefi ts of the green industry

and learn from your peers with expert tips, case studies, and a full range of information and news about issues and developments in the green industry. CNGA provides easy access to back issues online at

March/April 2011

Excellence: Setting High Standards• industry leaders on developing and maintaining high standards maintaining high standards • top managers from other industries on how they foster excellence

ConnectReaching Out

InnovateDeveloping a Trendsetter Attitude

11 Maximize Inventory Management with RFID Tags

12 Streamline Information with a POS System

14 Support Customers with QR Codes

23 Member Profile: Pine Lane Nursery


Nov./Dec. 2011 • Volume 29 • Number 6

Attitude


Jan./Feb. 2012 • Volume 30 • Number 1

RememberingWhy We Do What We Do

8 A Family of Growers – Our Story

13 Retailers Plan for Less Variety

16 Returning to the Farm

18 Successful Company Closings

22 Member Profile: Welby Gardens

24

the green industry• landscape architects and managers discuss creating and maintaining value• Member Profi le: Highlands Garden Center• CSU on weed control in container-grown plants

July/August 2011

Connect: Reaching out to Stakeholders• Gary Eastman on knowing your retail customers • Facebook, Groupons and Internet media for business promotion• examples of how to thank and get feedback from customers• Member Profi le: Santa Fe Greenhouses and High Country Gardens• CSU on impact of irrigation on shrubs

the green industry

July/August 2011 Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association • Serving Colorado, New Mexico, & Wyoming

March/April 2012 • Volume 30 • Number 2

SourcingUsing Creativity in Finding Resources 8 2012 Inventory Forecast

13 Filling Trucks to Keep Freight Costs Down

16 Creativity Sourcing and Substitutions

22 Member Profile: Graff’s Turf Farms

March-April '12

Documents

Transcript of March-April '12