I n d u s t r y I n f o r m a t i o n T o H e l p Y o u G r o w

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All articles and material featured in this Gazette cannot be duplicated without written permission. Copyright © 2011 by Griffin Greenhouse & Nursery Supplies.

Cover PhotoHibiscus

Griffin Events

MA Expo | August 17, 2011 Eastern States Expo Center West Springfield, MA

Griffin Day at Landisville Field Trials July 27, 2011 PA State Research Extension Center 1446 Auction Road Manheim, PA

TN Expo | September 28, 2011 Knoxville Expo Center Knoxville, TN

PA Expo | September 14, 2011 Lancaster Host Resort Lancaster, PA

Upcoming EventsPANTS | August 2-4, 2011 Oaks, PA

Cheshire, CTBall Ground, GATewksbury, MAGray, MEBridgeton, NJEwing, NJAuburn, NY Brookhaven, NY Schenectady, NY Morgantown, PA Knoxville, TN Richmond, VA

Griffin Locations

General Inquires 1.800.888.0054

Toll Free Order Line 1.800.659.4346

Summer 2011 Issue

www.ggspro.com • 1.888.GGSPRO.1 • ggspro@griffinmail.com

DVD’s & Online Presentations – Subjects range from Insect, Disease & Weed Control to PGR’s, Crop Nutrition & Garden Mum Production.

Technical Reference Posters – Insect & Disease Control, Weed Control & Fertilizer Use and Calculations.

Technical Reference Guide with over 70 pages of detailed technical information. Each section is designed to give subject identification with a picture along with con-trol recommendations. 5 Sections: Insects, Diseases, Weeds, BCA’s & PGR’s.

Product Offerings:

GGSPro provides the most up to date and effective information on Insect & Disease Control, Plant Growth Regulators, Weed Control, Water Quality, Crop Nutrition, Growing Techniques and much much more. Our goal is to create products and services that help growers excel through improved production and profitability.

Want to speak with a GGSpro specialist about our products and services?

Stop by to see our team at one of these upcoming events: Landisville Griffin Day, Griffin Massachusetts Expo, Griffin Pennsylvania Expo and the Griffin Tennessee Expo.

Dates and locations of the events are listed to left under Griffin Events.

Stay tuned to our website for details on our upcoming GGSPro Fall Seminar Series.

Special discounted pricing at all events!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011 | 8:00 - 3:30 Penn State SE Research & Extension Center1446 Auction Road | Manheim, PA 17545

• View over 1,100 vegetative and seed propagated annuals grown in containers • Attend Educational Seminars with industry speakers • Pesticide Credits Available• Lunch Included

8:00 - 10:00 Registration & Refreshments

8:15 - 9:30 Guided Tour of the Trial Gardens 9:30 - 11:30 Field Trial Evaluation 11:30 - 12:00 Tools and Scouting Approaches for the IPM Diagnostician - Joanne Lutz, GGSPro 12:00 - 1:00 Lunch 1:00 - 2:00 New Plant Additions for 2012 - Pleasant View Gardens 2:00 - 3:00 Top Insect Pests that Trouble Commercial Greenhouses, Nurseries and Interiorscapes - Virginia Brubaker, GGSPro 3:00 Pesticide Credits and Departure

The Landisville Field trials in Manheim, PA have been in existence since the late 1980’s. During that time it has earned a well deserved reputation as being one of the best places in the country to go to evaluate the new vegetative plant introductions alongside the current industry standards. Entries include many of the latest introductions from top breeders across the globe. People from all across the U.S. as well as several foreign countries come to see the gardens each year. Over 1100 varieties are entered in the trials for this summer.

GPSHort, Griffin’s plant services division is planning a special day at the Trial Gardens exclusively for Griffin customers. Attendees have their choice of a guided tour of the gardens, exploring on their own, or a little of both. The trials are a great place to evaluate weather tolerance. The plants in the trial will have seen heat, humidity and their fair share of thunderstorms. Demonstration projects overseen by the staff of the research center will also be avail-able for viewing. Three speakers will be presenting throughout the day and pesticide recertification credits will be available for some of the sessions (applies to states of VA, MD, DE, PA, NJ, NY, and New England). Pleasant View Gardens will be presenting the new Proven Winners releases for 2012. Plan an information packed day, lunch included, and get a jump on next spring.

Listen to what folks had to say about last year’s Griffin Day at Landisville:

“It was great to be able to see side by side compari-sons of all the new genetics.”

“It was very beneficial to have grower representa-tives available to answer specific questions about new introductions, when my Griffin rep was with other customers.”

“What a great trial available within an easy driving distance!”

“I wait to place (spring) orders until I have been to Landisville to look at everything.”

“I enjoyed the presentation from Pleasant View on new intros for next year.”

Registration Fee: $25 Registration includes access to Field Trial, Seminar Program and lunch. Call to register: 1.866.307.8142 Registration is limited to the first 300 people. Registration fee is non-refundable.

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Expo Savings – As Compelling As It GetsThis year’s Griffin Expo season is just around the corner. The Northern Expo will be held on August 17 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Mid Atlantic Expo will follow on September 14 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Southern Expo will take place on September 28 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Expo season has evolved into a significant cost saving event for growers from Maine to Georgia. Please see the Grower to Grower column inside for a detailed discussion regard-ing the significance of Expo discounts and production cost savings. The cost relief that is offered makes a compelling case for every grower who is concerned about cost contain-ment to attend. In addition to early order booking the day is filled with valuable offerings. The educational program begins with a presentation of new plant varieties by Griffin’s plant department experts Cindy Holmes and Don Brown. A

heater efficiency session follows, presented by Modine. Rick Yates and Joanne Lutz, both of Griffin’s GGSPro team will discuss newer pes-ticides and how to use them as the pest control session of the program. Pesticide credits are available for this presentation. Manufacturers and other vendors will be avail-able to discuss product and supply options, guide growers through discount offerings, and assist with order booking. June dating is also available on many product categories. Again, these Expos are designed to help growers con-tain costs and relieve financial pressure during upcoming production seasons.

As is the rule for Expos, good food and refreshments are available throughout the day accompanied by a traditional town fair atmo-sphere. Griffin Expos have become meeting places for growers, vendors, and educators. Mark your calendar for the Expo in your area and join us for a day full of attractive activities.

2011 marks Griffin's 30th year of having

Grower Expos

MA Expo August 17, 2011 Eastern States Expo Center West Springfield, MA

TN Expo September 28, 2011 Knoxville Expo Center Knoxville, TN

PA Expo September 14, 2011 Lancaster Host Resort Lancaster, PA

Call to Pre-register: 1.866.307.8142

Griff in Gazette Summer 2011 Issue4

Expo Savings: Taking Advantage of Much Needed SavingsBy Peter Konjoian

This year’s Expo season at Griffin will begin on August 17 in Massachusetts, head to Pennsylvania on September 14, and end in Tennessee on September 28. Details on the Expos can be found in the Expo article in this issue. My topic for this column is to discuss how important early ordering has become for growers throughout Griffin land. If you’re not interested in saving money and reducing production costs…don’t bother reading

the remainder of this article.

Early order discounting has been the subject of Gazette articles before. As times change so too have the rules of manufactur-ing, distribution, and production. No doubt you have heard of the concept called “lean manufacturing”. Well, another way of thinking about the lean way of conducting business is to pay close attention to the details. And considering how elusive profitability has become in our greenhouses, close attention to the details in today’s business environment means microscopic. Don’t overproduce if you are a manufacturer. Don’t overfill the pipe line if you are a distributor. And don’t purchase more sup-plies than you need if you are the end producer.

Trimming the fatFew growers can afford to overproduce these days. Profit mar-gins are razor thin and the old way of running a greenhouse where plenty of every crop is grown to insure every sale is satis-fied has become an outdated, failed strategy. Running our green-houses leaner by trimming excess production is the new way of maximizing profitability. Also, containing production costs such as heating and other overhead items is just as important and practicing due diligence between these two management categories is now an absolute necessity.

As the basis of this discussion regarding early ordering and capi-talizing on savings during Expo season, let’s examine some cost numbers from last season. The accompanying table presents costs for several basic crop production inputs.

The first column of the table lists common containers; 4.5” geranium pot, 6” azalea pot, 1020 standard flat with 806 insert, and a traditional 10” hanging basket with hanger. Two grow-ing mixes are listed; a 2.8 cubic foot loose filled bag and a 3.8 cubic foot compressed bale. Lastly, a 25 pound bag of 20-10-20

soluble fertilizer is included. Those are the main variable costs; container, growing medium, fertilizer. Add the rooted cutting or seedling plug and we have most of the variable cost analysis in hand.

The columns across the table from left to right represent the following. The column heading 2010 List refers to the catalog price at the time of last summer’s Expo. Next is the 2010 Expo price reflecting the discount offered during the Expo. Following that column is 2011 March List which presents the list price had a grower NOT purchased the item until needed in March for the spring production cycle. Following that column is Percent Change between locking in last summer’s Expo price and wait-ing until this past March to purchase the item.

The final two columns present Expo prices and March prices on a per unit basis to more easily visualize the implications on the various crop sizes. Relying on oilLast year was a tumultuous one for oil and petroleum based products. Within the March List column in bold font one can see how drastically plastic container and fertilizer prices rose as a result of spiking oil prices. Note that most plastic container prices increased by over twenty percent and fertilizer by almost ten percent. While the cost of growing mix rose by a smaller amount, eight percent should still grab any responsible grower’s attention. The price of oil has receded a bit in recent months but does anyone expect it to return to pre spike levels? And if it does, who expects it will last?

Cost per unit implicationsThere isn’t enough space and time in this article to develop the cost analysis based on wholesale vs retail focus. I will continue to develop this topic in the future. What is clear, however, is that paying two cents more per geranium pot, 3 cents more per 6” pot, twenty cents more per 1020 flat/insert combination, and twenty three cents more per 10” hanging basket could be viewed as negligent management. If these savings were not harnessed during a season when energy costs spiked significantly, well, how much profit do you think is left in our pockets after the season is behind us? The heating cost spike could not have been predicted or avoided but neglecting early order discounts makes for a very poor manage-ment decision.

Added to the savings that Expo ordering offers is June dating on many of the products in this table and other product catego-ries during Expo. So if manufacturers and distrib-utors are making an effort to practice leaner supply side management, make sure to pocket the savings.

Grower to Grower

PA Expo September 14, 2011

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The late summer to fall period has some of the most ideal weather for outdoor shopping and gardening activi-ties. Retailers that offer colorful fall plant displays, pumpkin decorating, corn stalks, and other fall activities generate significant sales as a result.

Mums have been a staple for fall sales, and the breeding revolves around bloom time to ensure continuous color from August through November. This is part of the mum’s detriment when a grower offers few alternatives to enhance the selection. Mums have a relatively short blooming window, with little chance of reblooming after the main flush fades.

Pansies, violas and flowering cabbage and kale offer consumers choices, as well as sustained color often lasting through December. But customers seek new and exciting ideas to decorate their outside living areas and add curb appeal to passersby.

This is the time to plan some easy and relatively inexpensive crops to produce over the summer alongside the mums. There are inexpensive seed crops that will add variety, as well as vegetative lin-ers for premium pots and baskets.

Sangria and Chilly Chili: Grown pri-marily for ornamental fruit.Calico, Purple Flash and Black Pearl: Grown primarily for colorful foliage but also do produce ornamental fruit.

- Plug tray size: 288 cell- Transplant to finished container: 6/24- Move from greenhouse to outdoors in full sun: 7/7- Container size: 8” x 5” mum pot- Number of plants per pot: 1-3 (ppp= plants per pot)- Fertilizer program: Constant feed with 300ppm N, similar to mum feed- No PGR used- Plug crop time (288 tray): 6 weeks- Transplant to saleable finish: 9-10 weeks sold green, or 12-13 weeks for mature fruit around 9/1.

Plants remain saleable for the grower/retailer, and showy for the consumer, for many weeks until frost. In an 8” x 5” mum pot, 1 plant per pot yields suit-able results, however 2 to 3 plants per pot will yield the best quality finished pot in the shortest amount of time. The growth rate of ornamental pep-pers increases as temperatures increase. Planting earlier can compensate for cool summer conditions.

Annuals and first year blooming perenni-als can be grown from 288 plugs and be ready to sell in September using a similar schedule. The following list has shown to be good for use in fall production based on timing, habit and evenness.

- Coreopsis Early Sunrise, Rising Sun and Sunfire- Gaillardia Mesa Bright Bicolour and Bright Yellow- Hibiscus Luna Red and Luna Swirl- Marigold Taishan Gold, Taishan Orange & Taishan Yellow- Ornamental Millet Jester, Purple Baron- Zinnia Double Zahara Fire and Bonfire Mix

Plant 6/17 for Zinnia, Ornamental Millet, and Marigold

- Plug tray size: 288 cells for everything except Millet – use a 72 cell- Move from greenhouse to outdoors in full sun: 7/14- Container size: 8” x 5” mum pot- Number of plants per pot: 1-3 (ppp= plants per pot)- Fertilizer program: Constant feed with 300ppm N, similar to mum feed

For premium pots, The Margarita Series from Fides offers some breathtaking fall colors that consumers will grab on impulse. Using the schedule below, these can be planted up in 4” to 10 pots.

Pleasant View Gardens has put together a blend of 5 Multicolored multiliner combinations for easy premium baskets and containers. These are available through the end of August and can be brought in on multiple dates for a vari-ety of container sizes. These were a sell out last fall and sure to be another hit for this season.

For additional cultural information and ordering information, please call us at 800.732-3509, or contact your Griffin sales representative.

Seed information and timing was pro-vided by Tom Constriciano, Product Representative for PanAmerican Seed.

Plant Corner Alternative Crops for Fall SalesBy Nanette Marks

Griff in Gazette Summer 2011 Issue6

I had no intentions of buying a greenhouse let alone rebuilding one but Mother Nature had different plans. With the past season’s record breaking snowfall, I was barely able to keep up with removing it from the roofs of my multiple greenhouses, and eventually, the snow around the structures was up to the eaves in some places.

In February, I was plowing the snow on the property, and was trying to remove it from between the greenhouses. At one point the shifting of the snow caused my 1980’s 30’ X 144’ New England Series to collapse. I guess we’re very fortunate that no one was inside, no one got hurt, and the greenhouse was empty, so I didn’t end up losing any product. It was on a Friday, I called Griffin and Dan Morrissey showed up Monday morn-ing first thing. He took pictures, and we inventoried what needed to be repaired. It basically turned out to be the entire structure with the excep-tion of the end-walls that we needed.

I absolutely had to have that greenhouse up and running for the fast-approaching season. I already had product ordered and was depending on that house to grow for the season. My customers already had orders placed with me for finished product, and if I didn’t have that house up, my growing season was going to be seriously and negatively impacted.

Before I knew it, the new components were at my doorstep. I hadn’t even started demolition on the old structure – I was still too busy moving snow! I hired 2 local contractors, and between the 3 of us, we took the old structure down and rebuilt the new one in record time.

I’m happy to say that we were up in running and my business didn’t miss a beat. Griffin was there every step of the way, with their knowledge, expertise and dedication to the customer. The horticultural industry is truly a partnership of various, connected pieces – from the manufacturer and suppliers, to the growers and retailers, with each part dependent upon the other parts for their own success. The bottom line is, we all depend on a satisfied customer to succeed.

- Tom Dargoonian, Dargoonian Brothers Farm

Griffins is there for you...

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Sun Gro Horticulture offers growers a number of options for Natural and Organic mixes, and will soon be offering more options. To date all the OMRI listed profes-sional products that have been offered have been Sunshine® mixes. They have been organic versions of standard Sunshine® mixes #1, #2, #3, #4 and #5. These have differed from the standard mixes in two ways: we use an organic starter fertilizer charge, and we also use an OMRI listed wetting agent in place of our standard wet-ting agent.

These mixes have evolved over time from the early versions offered, mainly with respect to the starter fertilizer charge. We were not content to stay status quo on the original fertilizer and worked to find better options over the years. We now have a number of excellent fertilizer starter charges that can be used in our natural and organic mixes. One of the organic fertiliz-ers has worked so well that we even offer it for custom blends of standard mixes.

Because of strict requirements for OMRI listing, it has taken a lot of time and effort to be able to offer OMRI mixes out of all of our eastern region plants. In the past, we have only been able to offer OMRI listed products from our Canadian produc-tion site. We are now in the final stages of having a number of OMRI listed products available from all of our US Eastern and Central Region plants. We expect to be fully up and running on OMRI products, both professional and retail, within the next 60 days.

What does all of this mean to the grower? Well, first off, they will now be able to get Natural and Organic mixes shipped with other products from any of our production sites. It will also mean an increase in the total number of products available. There will also be regional products available to the grower, such as Natural and Organic Metro-Mix® PX mixes from our Elizabeth City, NC production facility. There will also be a number of retail mixes available from all the production facilities.

The newest offerings in the Eastern Region will be the Metro-Mix® PX products. As with the Sunshine Natural and Organic mixes, these will also be an organic version of the standard mixes of the same name. The standard versions of these mixes have been used successfully for years in produc-tion of all types of flowering plants and in nursery production. These mixes can be a great alternative for Organic growers who

do not want to see perlite or vermiculite in their mixes.

In addition to these main offerings of Natural and Organic products, Sun Gro also offers custom blended products that meet all the criteria for organic certification. We offer addition of other components such as worm castings, different starter charges, Suncoir® coconut coir, and other components upon request. Because cus-tom blended products are not OMRI listed, Sun Gro can provide all the necessary sup-portive information for the grower to use in order to be certified in their state.

The main organic mixes that Sun Gro offers are similar to their standard mix counterparts in every way, including fertil-ity needs. As with the non-organic mixes, the fertilizer included in the Natural and Organic mixes is meant to be a starter charge. Therefore, it is important that the grower begin fertilization with their organic fertilizers as soon as possible and definitely within the first two weeks of use. As with any organic fertilizer, low temperatures will lead to a decrease in microbial activity, so the fertilizer charge will release more slowly in these conditions. The organic wetting agent does not have as long a shelf life as does its standard counterpart. Therefore, it is important that growers not hold mix over from one year to the next, as wetting may become an issue in the older mixes.

Retail MixesSun Gro will be offering a number of retail Natural and Organic mixes, as well as stan-dard retail mixes beginning this fall. These will be available nationwide. They will be sold under the Black Gold ® name. As with the professional Natural and Organic mixes, all of the retail N&O products will also be OMRI listed. Although relatively new to the eastern US, these are formula-tions that have been in use in our western US plants for a number of years and have been successful products sold to the home gardeners. They will be available from all of our US plants and will be made with the same care and attention to detail that we have for our professional mixes.

Sun Gro SupportSun Gro provides sales and technical sup-port for all of its products. Growers inter-ested in finding out more about our prod-ucts can consult our website (www.sungro.com) and obtain information, including contact information, for their specific area. You may also consult your Griffin sales rep for further information.

Sun Gro’s Lines of Natural and Organic MixesBy Dan Jacques, Sun Gro Horticulture

Grif f in Gazette Summer 20118

Sun Gro’s Lines of Natural and Organic Mixes Timely Tips

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damage) and distorted puckered leaves that cup in more severe cases. Boron can be added by drenching the soil with 0.25 oz. per 100 gallons of Solubor, or 1 oz. per 100 gallons of Borax. Do not reapply without testing the soil to confirm more boron is actu-ally needed. Keeping soil pH in the recommended range of 5.4 to 5.7 helps to keep iron and boron available to the plants. pH levels higher than 6.2 can contribute to iron and boron becoming unavailable and steps to reduce pH to the recommended range should be taken.

The PGR, Bonzi @ 5-10 ppm (1-2 teas./gal.) on pansies is effective as a foliar spray. This is twice the rate used for pansies produced during the winter for spring sales. Some growers have also been successful with Bonzi as a soil drench at 1/8 to ¼ ppm. Foliar spray or drench applications can be applied at 10-14 days after transplanting. Pansy foliage should mostly cover the top of the pot or pack before applying Bonzi as a spray. It is much more active in the root zone and significant amounts of spray on the soil surface at 5-10 ppm could provide too much activity. Some plug producers are also applying Florel at rates between 300 and 500 ppm in the plug tray. Florel encourages branching, reduces internode elongation and helps discourage premature flowering. Growers can repeat the Florel application at 2 week intervals. Check with the plug growers to get a record of what PGR’s were applied including rates and dates prior to shipment.

Aphids, thrips, and caterpillars are the most common insect pests in fall pansy production. Thielaviopsis, also known as black root rot also attacks pansies. Symptoms appear first as uneven growth in the crop. When the smaller plants are examined the root system is typically dark, and sometimes you will find the roots never grew out of the original plug. A distinct yellow arc on the foliage can be another symptom that accompanies the poor root growth. Due to the increasing occurrence of this disease it is recommended that a fungicide drench be done at planting. It also known that a soil pH of 5.7 or below inhibits Thielaviopsis, although this does not eliminate the need for a preventative fungicide. Specific recom-mendations for insects and diseases mentioned are available in the GGSPro Reference Guide.

The warmth of early Spring rewards us with one of the most enjoyable flowers, the pansy. The popularity of pansies has provided us with yet another opportunity to market this crop when temperatures get cooler in the fall. The wide range of colors, delightful markings and different sizes of pansies can be sold along with fall mums, ornamental cabbage and kale, and fall asters. Pansies planted by gardeners

or landscapers in September or October flower until night tem-peratures consistently reach 20º F or lower. In most areas of the country they over winter and provide early color before annuals can be planted out.

Fall pansies sell well in a variety of pack and pot sizes. 606 deep cells, 4" and 6” pots are the most common. Pansies can also add color to fall combination planters. Smaller cell sizes dry out faster and are more difficult to manage during summer production. They grow best in a well drain media that provides good air space. Composted pine bark and coir are two components that can be included successfully in pansy mixes. Ideal soil pH for fall pansies is 5.4 to 5.7 because of the need to keep iron available.

Fall pansies finish faster than those grown through the winter for spring sales. From 5/8" plugs, 606 deep cells can be grown in 4 - 6 weeks, and 4"- 6" pots in 5 - 7 weeks. Use three plugs per pot for 6” production. Pansies are light feeders, with a constant feed of 100 ppm usually being adequate. 20-10-20 or 21-5-20 are good fertilizer choices, with 15-0-15 being used every 4th irrigation to provide calcium. GGSPro provides water tests that can be used to fine-tune your pansy fertilizer program. Pansies have a higher than average need for iron and boron. In hot weather, growers have a tendency to reduce fertility levels to prevent plant stretch-ing. Iron deficiency appears as a chlorosis starting in the youngest foliage. This yellowing can be alleviated with a soil drench of iron chelate, (Sprint 138 or 330), at 3-4 oz. per 100 gallons. Rinse the excess Sprint off of foliage to avoid spotting or leaf burn. Boron deficiency can cause mottled younger growth (similar to mite

By Virginia Brubaker, GGSPro Technical Support Specialist

What are the best recommendations to grow a Fall pansy crop?

9www.gr i f f ins.com

By Rick Yates, GGSPro Technical Services Manager

Thielaviopsis (Black Root Rot) - Cleaning Up From Spring 2011

Technical Tips

Spring 2011’s weather will be remembered as the year that started with house crush-ing snows for much of New England and ended with the rain spigot stuck in the “on” position. Many growers will also remember this spring season for the battle they waged against Thielaviopsis. The common name for this disease is “Black Root Rot”, aptly named for the characteristic discoloration of the root system of affected plants. The black color is a testimony to the resilient

spores that overtake the root tissue over time as they inhibit the plants ability to take up water and nutrients.) In fact, the early stages of Thielaviopsis can easily be mistaken for nutritional defi-ciencies common to spring crops. This is a relatively slow moving disease that gradually devigorates infected plants. This helps to explain the fact that Thielaviopsis often goes undetected until the

weather (finally) warms up and the plants experience more water stress. Frustrated growers call GGSPro to say that they had a beautiful looking combination planter until just before sale time when a calibrachoa or other susceptible in the planter suddenly starts to wilt. A close examination reveals a root system compromised by Thielaviopsis making the whole combo unsaleable. Ouch!

It would be useful to recap what is known about this disease before dis-cussing steps to head this freight train off at the pass. Thielaviopsis is a fungal disease that has a fairly wide distribu-tion in soils. It can persist without a plant host for a year or more thanks to the abundance of resting spores that it produces called chlamydospores. These spores survive in the dust on greenhouse floors, tools, transplanting

equipment, used plastics and the list goes on. Hold that thought for when we discuss cleaning up after an outbreak a little later. Plants under stress are more likely to be infected. Infected plugs and liners will usually pass the initial inspection most growers give incoming plant material because at this stage obvious symptoms may be absent. Within a few weeks of transplant signs of infection start to become apparent. Infected plants will often appear stalled, making little or no growth when compared to surrounding healthy plants. As mentioned previously, they may start to show signs of what appears to be a nutrient deficiency at this stage. Removing the transplant and examining the roots often shows that the roots never grew out of the original root ball and by this stage patches of dark roots will usually be obvious. Unlike Pythium, roots affected by Thielaviopsis tend to get dark and take on a “sticky” consistency but they do not usually get brown and slough off. The

slow decline that leads to an inconsistent looking crop can lead growers to blame themselves thinking they watered too heavily, grew them too cool, etc., not realizing that Thielaviopsis is actually behind the decline.

There are prudent steps growers can take to reduce the risk from Thielaviopsis.

• Rigorous sanitation is essential.• Control fungus gnats since they can spread spores throughout the crop in their travels.• Reduce plant stress by proper temperature, light and moisture management. A soil pH of 5.7 or below inhibits the development of Thielaviopsis.• Educate workers about disease spread and symptoms.• Test suspicious plants at a plant diagnostic lab and quickly dispose of infected plants off-site.• Susceptible liners and plugs* should be treated with an approved fungicide at planting. Infected plants will not be cured; the treatments are to protect adjacent healthy plants. Recommended fungicides are listed in the Griffin Insecticide and Fungicide Options bulletin and the GGSPro Reference Guide.• Consider recycling rather than re-using plastic pots and trays from infected plants. If plastics are to be re-used a rigorous two- step process of cleaning then disinfesting is required as described below.

*Partial list of susceptible plants: Bacopa, Begonia, Browallia, Calibrachoa, Fuchsia, Gerbera Daisy, Pansy, Petunia, Phlox, Poinsettias, Salvia, Snapdragon, Tomato, Verbena, Vinca (flower-ing)

The persistent nature of Thielaviopsis calls for a thorough sanita-tion effort at the end of the spring season. A two step process is required for good success. Start with a thorough cleaning of the growing facility. Remove all crop debris from the greenhouse and then sweep, scrub or power wash organic matter off of all surfaces. The next step is to apply Strip-it™ by spray, brush or foam. Strip-it™ is a combination of acid based cleaners and surfactants that does a superior job of removing organic matter and mineral deposits from benches, sidewalls, floors, walkways, etc. Don’t forget to include hand tools and machinery as they can also harbor Thielaviopsis spores. Thoroughly cleaned surfaces are now ready for the second step. Products such as Kleengrow™, X-3™ (Xeroton-3™) and Zerotol® can be used to disinfest the cleaned surfaces. Use the maximum label rates of each and take steps to keep treated surfaces wet for 10 minutes or longer for best results.

Image 1-Calibrachoa, Thielaviopsis- dark patches of affected roots are evident.

Image 2-Thielaviopsis symptoms can resemble nutritional problems

Gri f f in Gazette Summer 2011 Issue10

By Rick Yates, GGSPro Technical Services Manager

Thielaviopsis (Black Root Rot) - Cleaning Up From Spring 2011

Products News&

Diameter LiquidItem Description Outside Height Volume US Qty/CS Qty/bulkEU210M50 21 CM EURO POT 8" 6" 3.61 qt 210 10,000 COEX MED

•Made from durable polypropylene•Ideal for growing perennials and annuals•Tri-level bottom drainage promotes airflow between the bottom of the pot and the ground•Sturdy rim and bottom offers superior strength while handling and shipping•Custom colors available with minimum order•Available in tough polyethylene by special request

New product at Griffin... Myers 21 CM EU210M50 Euro Medium COEX Pot

Scotts Professional Becomes Everris™

In February 2011, the Scotts Miracle Gro Company sold its Profes-sional Division to the ICL Group. ICL is one of the world’s leading fertilizer and specialty chemicals companies. On May 25, executives from Scotts Professional and ICL Specialty Fertilizers announced a new name for the global professional business: Everris™.

Representing the term “ever rising,” the name Everris is symbolic of the new company’s commitment to further enhance the technologies, products and services it offers to green industry professionals world-wide. For the time being, Scotts logo will still appear on packaging. Over time, this will change and be aligned with the "Everris" name.

Building upon the strengths of Scotts Professional and ICL, Everris will continue developing the world’s most highly efficient, leading-edge plant nutrition brands and products, including Osmocote®, Peters® and Agriform®. The company’s new tagline, “Driven by in-novation, inspired by nature,” underlines its ultimate goal to bring professional products and innovative, sustainable solutions to orna-mental horticulture growers, turf managers, landscapers and farmers.

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is now...

Jason Folsom of Griffin is TNLA's Salesperson of the year!

TNLA recognized one of our salesman as their 2011 William J. "Bill" Reilly Salesman of the Year.

11www.gr i f f ins.com

P.O. Box 36, Tewksbury, MA 01876-0036

Make your plant POP with striking black containers from Dillen!

Please mention promo code BD11. While supplies last.

12.5” Dillen Black Roman Urns are great for any fall decor and add value to your offerings.

Regular Price: $55.79/cs or $2.79 eachSpecial Truckload Price: $34.40/cs or $1.72 each

Savings of 30%

Diameter LiquidItem # Description Outside Height Volume US Qty/CS49-RU12504 12.50 Roman Urn 12 1⁄2” 9 7⁄8” 3.37 gal. 20

We bought a truckload and we’re passing the savings on to you!

Save 30% on black Roman Urns