Tennessee Greentimes - Summer 2013

VOL. 14/NO. 2

Summer 2013

UT’s 2012 Best & Beautiful Edible Plants, Roses, Trees & Shrubs

Kudos to the First Class of Tennessee Master Nursery Program

Table of Contents

IPM Strategies Insecticide Choice Helps Control Scale Pests and Preserve Beneficial Insects

8

VOL. 14/NO. 2

Summer 2013

In the Landscape UT’s 2012 Best & Beautiful Edible Plants, Roses, Trees & Shrubs

14

DEPARTMENTS From the President, Bill Seaton.........................................................................................6 TNLA New Members..........................................................................................................7 Calendar of Events............................................................................................................22 Index of Advertisers..........................................................................................................22

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tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

Industry News Kudos to the First Class of the Tennessee Master Nursery Program

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The Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Tennessee GreenTimes, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright Š2013 by the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association. Tennessee GreenTimes is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Tennessee Green Times allows reprinting of material. Permission requests should be directed to the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association.

We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs.

Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

From the President Bill Seaton

Making the

“ Right and Best” TNLA Would like to

Thank

the following companies for being

Membership Sponsors Gold Membership Sponsors Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil Mix, Inc. Envirotexx, LLC Greenrise Technologies, Inc. Randall Walker Farms Samara Farms Swafford Nursery, Inc.

Silver Membership Sponsors Common Grounds Landscape Management, Inc. Stowers Cat

Choices

C

hoices… we all make them on a daily basis. They are made based on your personality, the position you hold in your business or the predicament your other choices have put you in. Some of us seem to make no choices at all (hey, isn’t that a choice, too?). The content of this edition of Tennessee GreenTimes is centered on making choices. Which insecticide to apply, which plant to select, whether you should pursue certification in the Master Nursery Program, which event/tradeshow you should plan on attending — all are here for your consideration.

Some of the choices that we make will have significant impact on us as individuals and those closest to us, while others will affect those we may never know. A choice may have an immediate impact on us, while the results of other choices may not be fully revealed for years. Whether we make our choices quickly, slowly, deliberately or compulsively, they all have one thing in common — consequences.

In 2011, New Jersey enacted the strictest laws in the country regulating the purchase and application of turfgrass fertilizers. Arising out of a stated and very worthwhile goal of limiting nitrogen and phosphorus runoff into rivers and, ultimately, coastal estuaries, the law restricts the purchase and application of turf fertilizer for professional lawn services and individual homeowners alike. Could this legislative action have been avoided if the commercial lawn industry had chosen to modify its horticultural practices and sponsor an education program for the public?

The art of choosing is not a matter of right and wrong; it is a matter of what is right and best. As a parent, I tried to counsel my daughters that a choice well made will not limit opportunities, but instead will create them.

In the course of my professional career, I have found that this concept rings especially true.

I urge each of you to be a bit more aware of “the big picture” and, as best you can, factor that in as you make your choices. We should be in the forefront of doing what is “right and best” for ourselves and our industry… before it is mandated to us by others.

Tennessee 811 Turf Masters Lawn Care, Inc. Turner & Sons Nursery Warren County Nursery 6

tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

Bill Seaton 2013 TNLA President

Welcome,

TNLA New Members!

ACTIVE MEMBER Volunteer Turf, LLC | Jeff Garrett P.O. Box 868 | Knoxville, TN 37701

ASSOCIATE MEMBER BASF | Peggy Clanton 1070 Grace Hill Drive | Roswell, GA 30075

AFFILIATE MEMBER Adam Blalock 235 Log Cabin Lane | McMinnville, TN 37110

The Tennessee Greentimes is the official publication of The Tennessee Nursery & Landscape Association, Inc. 115 Lyon Street McMinnville, Tennessee 37110 (931) 473-3951 Fax (931) 473-5883 www.tnla.com Email: mail@tnla.com Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedge communications.com Editors Dr. Bill Klingeman Dr. Amy Fulcher Associate Editors Dr. Donna Fare Dr. Nick Gawel Dr. Frank Hale Mr. Gray Haun Dr. John Sorochan TNLA Officers President Bill Seaton TruGreen LandCare 1st Vice President Matt Dawson Samara Farms 2nd Vice President Jeff Harrell Tennessee Valley Nursery 3rd Vice President Kim Holden Holden Nursery Secretary-Treasurer Randall Walker Randall Walker Farms Associate Director Tony Graham Tractor Supply Company Ex-Officio Michael Kassees Forest Nursery Co., Inc. Executive Director Louree Walker Administrative Assistant Pam Stern

tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

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IPM Strategies

Strategies for Controlling Scale Insects and Preserving Beneficial and Natural Enemy Insects

By Bill Klingeman, Ph.D., Amy Fulcher, Ph.D., and Whitney Yeary, MS Student, Plant Sciences Department, University of Tennessee

At

first glance, it seems fundamentally counterintuitive. How can an insecticide be used to kill a target insect pest, yet spare the beneficial and natural enemy insects that coexist within the same nursery or landscape habitat? If left alive, natural enemies (including spiders) can keep many common nursery pest species at population levels low enough not to injure ornamental plants. One approach might focus on systemic insecticide options instead of kill-by-contact, broad-spectrum active insecticides.

Systemic insecticides that are translocated within plant tissues are particularly useful for managing insect pests like scales that are difficult to cover well when sprayed. This is particularly true when plants are densely branched or are

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tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

taller than can be reached easily with a spray wand or fogger. By contrast, many contact insecticides are formulated to achieve full coverage of plant parts and are synthesized for active control of a wide range of pest species. Many contact insecticides also kill non-target natural enemies that could provide extra insect control and may even increase arthropod pest pressure by causing outbreaks of secondary pests in nurseries and forests (see Frank and Sadof, 2011 and Raupp et al.

2001 in Recommended Reading, below).

Although systemic insecticides can offer targeted control of nursery pests (mostly by limiting the extent and duration of insecticide exposures), beneficial insects in nurseries are exposed to systemic spray and drench residues, and they could be poisoned by feeding

on pesticide-exposed prey. From the standpoint of effective integrated pest management (IPM), it is important to identify insecticide options that can help preserve beneficial predators and parasites yet still provide growers with high levels of pest control. Growers and landscape managers benefit from reduced production and treatment costs and less management when existing beneficial predators and parasites can be conserved.

As we started this project, we were unable to find information on the consequences to natural enemies following systemic insecticide use in nursery production habitats. We wrote a grant proposal, and in 2011 and 2013, we received partial financial support from the Center for Applied Nursery Research to undertake a series of field tests.

How did we study these pesticide effects?

To set up our study, we worked with research associate Phil Flanagan and students Casey Sullivan and Whitney Yeary to install pitfall traps 18" away from the trunk of each tree. We then initiated systemic spray tests in a natural system that simulated a field production habitat at the UT Forest in Morgan County, TN (see Photo 1). We also compared the impact of these treatments with similar sprays applied using broad-spectrum, contact insecticides.

For our field tests, we used a backpack sprayer on April 28, 2011, to apply individual treatments of systemic imidacloprid (Marathon速 II) or dinotefuran (Safari速 20 SG), the contact insecticides bifenthrin (Talstar速 Select) or carbaryl (Sevin速SL) or water as a control treatment to foliage of two-year-old, 1"-caliper tulip poplar trees (about 5' tall) and also to immediately adjacent weedy plants. Systemictreated plant leaves were sprayed to complete pesticide coverage to ensure that insects would be caged to a leaf with a comparable amount of pesticide residue across treatments and to achieve a worst-case scenario of treatment overspray. (For more information about specific treatment rates and methods of application, visit our report online at www.sna.org.)

After the foliage on treated trees air-dried, cages (leaf clip [Photo 2] or organdy bags) containing beneficial insects were individually placed around a branch or leaf. Each treated tree received three cages with beneficial insects: a leaf clip with 10 adult minute pirate bugs (Orius), another leaf clip with 10 parasitic wasps (Aphidius) and an organdy bag with 10 ladybird beetles (Coleomegilla). The cages also contained a small vial with a honey, glycerol and water food solution (Photo 3). Beneficial insect survival and pitfall trap collections were assessed every 48 hours after treatment through May 6, 2011 (Figure 4). Pitfall trap collections were

Figure 1. Mean total number of beneficial insects per pitfall trap by date after systemic and contact insecticide application.

Figure 2. Mean total number of ants per pitfall trap by date after systemic or contact insecticide application.

Table 1. Number of surviving ladybird beetles and minute pirate bugs caged to trees sprayed with contact and systemic insecticides on April 30, 2011 (after 48 hours after treatment), and May 2, 2011 (after 96 hours).

Insecticide

LadyBIRD Beetles

Minute Pirate Bugs

------------- (ranked proportions alive) -----------48 hrs.

96 hrs.

48 hrs.

96 hrs.

Imidacloprid

57.7 b

55.6 b

29.2 b

24.6 b

Dinotefuran

98.4 a

67.9 a

79.4 a

35.4 a

Bifenthrin

59.2 b

49.1 b

38.8 b

4.9 c

Carbaryl

18.5 c

20.1 c

70.4 a

25.4 b

107.9 a

66.1 a

83.4 a

21.1 b

Water (control)

Range of p-values (within each column) were all < 0.05.

tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

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Table 2. Number of all insects combined surviving on May 4, 2011, after 144 hours caged to trees sprayed with contact and systemic insecticides (includes ladybird beetles, minute pirate bugs and parasitic Aphidius wasps).

Insecticide

All Surviving Insects (means)

Imidacloprid

4.3 c

Dinotefuran

6.1 b

Bifenthrin

3.1 c

Carbaryl

2.3 c

Water (control)

7.7 a

p-value 0.0008

also taken on May 13, 2011, and May 24, 2011 (15 and 22 days after treatment).

So what did we find?

In our caged tests, ladybird beetle and minute pirate bug adults responded differently to insecticide exposures after 48 hours and 96 hours. Carbaryl killed more ladybird beetles than both bifenthrin and imidacloprid. After 96 hours, only 20% had survived. By contrast, about the same number of ladybird beetles were alive after exposure to dinotefuran-treated foliage as to the leaves of the water controls, slightly more than 66 percent (Table 1).

Minute pirate bug adults, in general, did not survive in large proportions by the end of the study. After 48 hours, 20% to 30% of Orius were dead in cages with water control, dinotefuranand carbaryl-treated foliage. Significantly fewer Orius survived exposure to imidacloprid or bifenthrin treatedfoliage (Table 1). Following exposure for 96 hours, the most live minute pirate bug adults were found in cages clipped to dinotefuran-treated leaves, and the most dead were in cages with bifenthrin treatments. Carbaryl-, imidaclopridand water-treated foliage were affected

IPM Strategies

intermediately, with 20% to 25% of Orius adults still living (Table 1).

By the end of the full six-day study, each of the different insect species we tested were now responding similarly to the various pesticides, and we were able to consider all the insects together as a block. On average, after 144 hours of confined exposure to treated foliage, the fewest beneficial insects had survived exposures to carbaryl, bifenthrin and imidacloprid treatments. About six insects (regardless of species) had survived exposure to dinotefuran residues. The most insects survived (between seven and eight) when exposed only to water (Table 2).

Our pitfall traps caught relatively small numbers of arthropods during each sampling period. For this reason, our data are most easily viewed when all of the beneficial insect-by-date counts are stacked together by pesticide treatments. When the data are pooled across all beneficial insects recovered, counts were generally not different across insecticide treatments on most dates.

Only on the fourth day after treatment, did we find more beneficial insects in the pitfall traps beneath dinotefuran (Safari) treatments, and these counts were higher than counted in control traps (Figure 1). When we looked at which beneficial insects were most prevalent in traps on the fourth day after treatment, it became clear that ants were generally abundant and explained the higher counts in the Safari treatments (Figure 2). In general, pitfall traps beneath the trees receiving systemic insecticide treatments yielded higher overall counts of beneficial insects (primarily ants) than both the kill-by-contact insecticides and the water-sprayed control trees. Finally, we did catch fair numbers of spiders in our pitfall traps, but spider counts did not differ for any date or pesticide treatment (data not shown).

A more detailed presentation of this study is available online in the 2012 Proceedings of the Southern Nursery Association Research Conference (57: 109-115), entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Effect of Contact

1.

2.

3.

Photo 1. Dr. Bill Klingeman attaching a leaf clip cage (containing beneficial insects) to tulip poplar trees. Photo 2. A leaf clip cage containing 10 minute pirate bug adults and providing access to both surfaces of a pesticide treated leaf. Photo 3.

Green lacewings and parasitic wasps were also assessed in a simultaneous study (data not shown), and all caged insects were provided a vial with honey, glycerol and water food solution to help keep them alive during the field trial.

tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

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IPM Strategies

and Systemic Insecticides Used for Scale Pests on Beneficial Insects,â&#x20AC;? A. Fulcher and W. Klingeman: http://www.sna. org/Default.aspx?pageId=1319968.

We appreciate Anne Reedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s help with the analyses of statistical tests applied to our data.

Conclusions

Photo 4. Whitney Yeary helped count surviving insects in both field and laboratory studies.

This summary describes just part of a larger, on-going study that includes a series of lab bench assays not reported here. Systemic insecticides are taken up and translocated through plant tissues, yet even systemic insecticides are expected to have different effects on beneficial arthropods following post-spray exposures. And while dinotefuran generally had the highest insect survivals for the treatments we tested in cage assays, we did not see treatment differences with pitfall trapping beneath treated plants. Lack of differences might mean that too few insects were in our traps to make meaningful comparisons or that highly mobile beneficial arthropods may not be interacting with sufficient pesticide to be killed outright. Exposure effects may not be seen, for example, unless we measure arthropod development, growth rate or reproductive potential.

Recommended Reading Raupp, M. J., J. J. Holmes, C. Sadof, P. Shrewsbury, and A. Davidson.

2001. Effects of cover sprays and residual pesticides on scale insects and natural enemies in urban forests.

J. Arboric. 27: 203-214.

Frank, S. and C. Sadof. 2011.

Reducing pesticide volume and nontarget effects of ambrosia beetle management in nurseries. J. Econ.

Entomol. 104(6): 1960-1968; DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC11124. C

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tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

In the Landscape

1.

2.

Gardens’

Fragaria ‘Toscana’ F1

UT

Rosa ‘Scentimental’

2012 Best & Beautiful Edible Plants, Roses, Trees & Shrubs Rosa ‘Tournament of Roses’

Rosa ‘Yellow Sunblaze’

4.

3.

Albizia julibrissin ‘Summer Chocolate’

5.

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tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

By Susan Hamilton, Ed.D., Director of the UT Gardens; James Newburn, Assistant Director; Jason Reeves, Curator of the Jackson UT Gardens; Beth Willis, Trials Coordinator; and Holly Jones, Kitchen Garden Manager

Note: A ‘K’ for Knoxville or ‘J’ for Jackson at the end of each plant description indicates that it is growing only at that test garden. No symbol indicates it is growing at both gardens.

Check local nursery availability of listed varieties at the UT Gardens websites: UT Gardens website at http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/ UT Gardens Jackson at http://west.tennessee.edu/ ornamentals/

Top Roses of 2012 Rosa ‘Scentimental’ (Photo 2) A floribunda as fragrant its name implies, this beautiful AARS winner has rich burgundy-red and white striped petals and was the first striped rose to be designated as such. It has the look of an old-fashioned rose found in Impressionist paintings. K

Rosa ‘Tournament of Roses’

Top Edibles of 2012

(Photo 3) This grandiflora rose has the richest pale-pink color of any rose. It blooms profusely and is lightly scented. K

Capsicum ‘Cayennetta’ F1

Rosa ‘Yellow Sunblaze’

(Pepper) This mildly spicy pepper has a wonderful sweet flavor and produces reliably and prolifically on compact attractive plants that don’t require staking. (AAS Winner) K

(Photo 4) This miniature rose blooms profusely with a yellowgold and bright-pink bloom that brightens up gloomy days. K

Fragaria ‘Toscana’ F1

Another lovely, pale-pink rose, this hybrid tea makes a wonderful cut flower and has an old-rose fragrance. K

(Strawberry, Photo 1) Relatively large, deep-pink blossoms are followed by medium-size, sweet berries with a true strawberry flavor. This ever-bearing variety will fruit the same year as planting and bears throughout the season as long as temperatures are between 35˚F and 85˚F. Attractive and delicious. (Fleuroselect Award Winner)

Ocimum ‘Langkuri’ (Basil) Large, mild-tasting leaves combined with fluffy, deep-purple blossoms made this a favorite in the garden.

With a relatively short, mounding growth habit, it required only one mid-summer cutback to stay looking tidy through the end of October. (Kitazawa Seed) K

Pisum ‘Mammoth Melting Sugar’ (Snow Pea) The light-green foliage and sturdy vines of this heirloom variety of snow pea grow vigorously and have shown no insect or disease problems. As a cool-season vegetable, this pea must be started in early spring or mid- to late summer for late-fall harvest. The tender, super sweet pods can be eaten fresh off the vine. K

Solanum ‘Kurume Long’ (Eggplant) The attractive purple leaves and venation on this robust eggplant make it an enjoyable ornamental through the summer, but the real delight comes with the late-summer produce. The fruit has a delicate flavor and smooth texture, with none of the bitterness found in many other varieties.

Plant vigor was not affected by the presence of flea beetles.

(Kitazawa Seed) K

Rosa ‘Frederick Mistral’

Top Trees & Shrubs of 2012 Albizia julibrissin ‘Summer Chocolate’ (Mimosa tree, Photo 5) This fast-growing, deciduous tree has a wide, spreading canopy with deep-maroon foliage with a very fine, fern-like texture. Scented clusters of pink, powder-puff blooms attract butterflies. Open vase-shape habit. Grows up to 20' tall x 15' wide. Hardiness Zone 6.

Callicarpa americana ‘Welch’s Pink’ (American beautyberry, Photo 6) This exciting introduction gets its name from its pink midsummer flowers and bright-pink autumn berries. It needs shade to prevent the berries from bleaching out. It grows 3' to 6' tall and just as wide. Hardiness Zone 6.

Cercis canandensis ‘Appalachian Red’ (Redbud) A great redbud whose blooms are the closest yet to a true red color. Hot fuchsia flowers bloom in March and then give way to heart-shaped leaves covering this nice vase-shaped tree. Prefers full sun to partial shade. Grows up to 25' tall and just as wide. Hardiness Zone 4.

Cryptomeria japonica ‘Gyokuryu’ (Japanese cedar) This dense, broadly pyramidal-growing cryptomeria has short needles that tend to be a much darker green than most cryptomerias. Holds its color quite well through the winter and does not bronze. Makes an excellent specimen planting or looks outstanding when planted in groups. Grows up to 10' tall x 7' wide. Prefers full sun to partial shade. Hardiness Zone 5.

tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

15

In the Landscape

Cupressus glabra ‘Sulphurea’ (Arizona cypress, Photo 7) The beautiful, soft and creamy yellow color of this conifer is truly striking. Nice columnar form, growing 10' tall x 4' wide in 10 years. Thrives in full sun and dry, well-drained soil. Hardiness Zone 5.

Euscaphis japonica (Korean sweetheart tree, Photo 8) Named for its heart-shaped, vivid cherry-red seed capsules, which appear in fall and later unveil round, shiny black seeds, this small tree reaches only 25' tall x 15' wide. It has some of the finest foliage of any deciduous tree anywhere: thick, glossy and a beautiful emerald green. Winter reveals its violet-chocolate-colored bark, traced with white stripes. It is really quite stunning and utterly unique. Hardiness Zone 6.

Hydrangea macrophylla Twist-n-Shout® (Bigleaf hydrangea) Produces abundant blooms on both old and new wood all summer long. Lacy, deep-pink centers are surrounded by gorgeous blossoms of pink or periwinkle blue, depending on soil type. Sturdy red stems and glossy, deep-green leaves turn red-burgundy in fall to offer year-round interest.

Hardiness Zone 4.

6.

Callicarpa americana ‘Welch’s Pink’

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Little Lamb’ (Panicle hydrangea) A compact cultivar that typically grows to 6' to 8' tall and 6' wide. Thrives in full sun to partial shade.

It is noted for producing dense, cone-shaped panicles of mostly sterile, small white flowers from mid-summer into September.

Each panicle purportedly resembles a little lamb on the foliage.

Hardiness Zone 3.

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Munchkin’ (Oakleaf hydrangea) This exciting U.S. National Arboretum introduction (from the McMinnville worksite) offers a profusion of large, 6-1/2"-long flower clusters in summer, showcased against dark-green, deeply lobed oak-like leaves. Blossoms open white, age to pink, and are robust, remaining upright even after heavy rains. Foliage turns a brilliant mahogany in fall. Exceptional compact form and dense plant habit make it ideally suited for use in small residential landscapes. Grows up to 3' tall x 4.5' wide. Hardiness Zone 5.

8.

Euscaphis japonica

10.

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Oakleaf hydrangea, Photo 9) Another introduction from the U.S. National Arboretum (McMinnville worksite). Exceptionally large flower clusters open white, quickly age to deep pink and are robust. Foliage turns a brilliant mahogany in fall. Compact form is well suited for small landscapes.

Grows up to 3.5' tall x 5' wide. Gorgeous used in mass plantings, hedges and mixed borders. Hardiness Zone 5.

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tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

Loropetalum chinense ‘Daruma’

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7.

Cupressus glabra ‘Sulphurea’

9.

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Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’

In the Landscape

12.

11.

Taxodium distichum ‘Cascade Falls’

Lagerstroemia indica Strawberry Razzle Dazzle®

Taxodium distichum ‘Cascade Falls’

(Crape myrtle) This truly dwarf crape myrtle was selected for its flower color, brilliant foliage, mildew resistance, vigor and nice compact growth habit. Flowers are neon hot-pink in color. Typically blooms a couple weeks before most other dwarf crape myrtles. Nice compact growth habit, with dense, dark foliage. Grows 2' to 3' tall x 3' to 4' wide and prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Hardiness Zone 6.

(Weeping bald cypress, Photo 11) A highly weeping form of the bald cypress. Can tolerate well-drained to heavy clay, wet soil. If staked, can grow up to 20' tall x 10' wide. It is stunning placed to cascade over a large boulder or retaining wall, taking the appearance of a waterfall. It takes the heat and dry spells common across Tennessee. Hardiness Zone 4.

Loropetalum chinense ‘Daruma’ (Chinese fringe flower, Photo 10) A compact form growing to 5' tall x 5' wide. Semi-evergreen with purplish-green leaves.

Covered with frilly, pink blooms in early spring. Thrives in full sun to partial shade. Hardiness Zone 6.

(Arborvitae) A nice columnar form of arborvitae, with darkgreen foliage. Its rather short branches are spirally arranged, which is quite unique compared to other arborvitae. Grows 12' tall x 3' wide. Prefers well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. Hardiness Zone 5.

Pistacia chinensis

Xanthocyparis nootkatensis (formerly Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) ‘Van den Akker’

(Chinese pistache) Long-lived, winter-hardy shade tree with spectacular red, red-orange fall color. Outstanding heat, drought and soil tolerance. Extremely pest resistant. A near-perfect shade tree. (Please note: females will reseed.) Grows up to 40' tall x 30' wide and prefers full-sun. Hardiness Zone 5.

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Xanthocyparis nootkatensis ‘Van den Akker’

tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

Thuja occidentalis ‘Degroot’s Spire’

(Alaskan cedar, Photo 12) The Alaskan cedar is hardy from Alaska to the mid-South. Its main features are drooping branches and dark-green needles. ‘Van den Akker’ is the most narrowgrowing selection, at just 1' to 2' wide and maturing up to 35' tall. The sculptural form of this unique and beautiful conifer is really striking in the landscape. Hardiness Zone 3. C

Industry News

Congratulations to the Inaugural Class

of the Tennessee Master Nursery Program

By Amy Fulcher, Ph.D., Extension Specialist and Assistant Professor for Sustainable Ornamental Plant Production and Landscape Management, University of Tennessee

The

Tennessee Master Nursery Program (TMNP) is a professional development program developed for nursery crops producers and led by University of Tennessee with support and involvement from Tennessee State University and the USDA. The first program of its kind in the nation, it was designed to provide Tennessee nursery producers with the best information possible in order to enhance their profitability and environmental, economic and community sustainability. Last fall, speakers from across the nation converged in McMinnville, TN, and presented the 45-member inaugural class with the latest information on container and field production, irrigation, substrates, pruning, integrated pest management, economics and marketing, family farm relationships and estate planning.

Growers who successfully complete the TMNP are rewarded!

Graduates are eligible for 50% cost share on Tennessee Ag Enhancement Grants rather than the standard 35%. In addition, as a result of taking the course, the inaugural class reported estimated savings of $4,272 per graduate by applying practices learned.

Stay tuned! The TMNP is currently being developed in an online format that will be available regardless of location or seasonal demands of individual nurseries. By adopting this format, all Tennessee growers will have the opportunity to participate and benefit. The TMNP Committee anticipates releasing it in the late winter/early spring of 2014.

If you have questions about the Tennessee Master Nursery Program, please email afulcher@utk.edu or contact Dr. Amy Fulcher at 865-974-7152. Please check our website — www. tnmasternursery.com — for updates on the progress of the online course. The TMNP program is possible due to financial support from a TDA Specialty Crop Block grant. C

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tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

2013 Inaugural Class Members Terry and Tyler Bell (Bell & Sons Nursery) Beth Blankenship (Blankenship Farms) Dwight Bottoms (Bottoms Brothers Nursery) Neva Boyd (Flower City Nursery) Chad and Dale Bryan (Freedom Tree Farms, LLC) William Brymer (Wales Station Nursery) Mark Burch (Riverdale Nursery, LLC) Rick Cantrell (B.F.N. Operations, LLC) Tony Cope (Witty Creek Nursery) Jack Nelson Cunningham (Indian Creek Sod) Matthew Dawson (Samara Farms) Natasha Dixon Amy Eisler (Crown-E Nursery) William Elliott (Robert Elliott & Sons) Ricky Ervin (JAT Farms) Richard Evans (Evans Plant Farm) Jonathon Flanders (Botanico, Inc.) Brandon Fuston (Fuston’s Nursery) Tim Gann (Gann Nursery) Elliott Hallum (Mountain Creek Nursery) Terry Hines (Hale & Hines Nursery) Kim Holden (Holden Nursery) Billy Jones (Jones Nursery Company) James “Bo” Jones (Jones Nursery) Jeffery Jones (Circle J Farms) Rusty Mangrum (Rusty Mangrum Nursery) Brent Myers (Steve Myers and Sons Nursery) Alex Neubauer (Hidden Hollow Nursery) Gerry Nokes (Gerry Nokes Nursery) Jack Odom (Odom Nursery) Ralph Pickett (Picketts Nursery) Kenny Pierce (Shadow Nursery) Danny Pirtle (Pirtle Nursery) Michael Robinson (Green Village Plants) Marsha Scott (Hidden Valley Nursery, LLC) Andy Sessions (Sunlight Gardens) Mike Shirley (Shady Rest Nursery) Andy Sudbrock (Nashville Natives, LLC) Jennifer Tucker (Jensfarm) Matthew Vehr (Colorburst Plant Farm, Inc.) Charles Yancy (Yancy and Sons Nursery) Bob Young (Bob Young’s Nursery)

Upcoming Event!

Keynote Speakers: Mr. Jerry Lee, Monrovia Nursery Dr. Jennifer Parke, Oregon State University

September 26

TSU Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center 472 Cadillac Lane, McMinnville, TN 37110

Systems-Based Pest-Management Training for Nursery Owners, Employees and Hispanic Workforce

Contact: Dr. Diana Cochran dcochra1@utk.edu http://plantsciences.utk.edu/tnsustainablenurserycrops.htm

Digital Marketplace Scan the QR code: Download your favorite QR reader to your phone and scan the code to learn more about these companies.

www.jhnsy.com • 800-643-6650

Kenneth Myers & Sons Nursery Specializing in Bare Root Liners

800-782-4083

Call for pricing or visit our farm

Ornamentals • Fruit • Shade Trees 224 Nursery Lane, McMinnville, TN 37110

Two locations in Tennessee – Benton • Manchester

For more information visit our website at www.midtennturf.com

931-939-3892 • www.littletnnursery.com

For information, go to www.ohp.com or call 1-800-356-4647

tennessee greentimes Summer 2013

21

Calendar of Events

August 21–22

Middle Tennessee Nursery Assn. (MTNA) Trade Show Murfreesboro, TN Contact: 931-507-7322 Email: mtna@blomand.net www.mtna.com

September 12

University of Tennessee Turf & Ornamental Field Day University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN

September 26

Systems-Based Pest Management Training for Nursery Owners and Employees/Workforce TSU Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center McMinnville, TN Contact: dcochra1@utk.edu

October 23–25 PLANET Green Industry Conference Louisville, KY Contact: 800-395-2522 www.landcarenetwork.org

October 23–26

School of Grounds Management and Green Industry Expo Galt House Hotel and Kentucky Expo Center Louisville, KY

November 2–6

IPPS Southern Region Annual Meeting Athens, GA Contact: 803-743-4284 Email: scplant@bellsouth.net ipps-srna.org

November 15–18

ASLA - Annual Meeting & Expo (American Society of Landscape Architects) Boston Convention & Expo. Center Boston, MA Contact: www.asla.org

January 6–8, 2014 48th Annual TTA Conference and Trade Show (TN Turfgrass Assn.)

Marriott Cool Springs Franklin, TN Contact: 615-591-8286 www.ttaonline.org

January 8–10, 2014 MANTS (Mid-America Nursery Trade Show) Baltimore Convention Center Baltimore, MD Contact: 800-431-0066 www.mants.com

January 13–15, 2014 CENTS (Ohio Nursery & Landscape Assn.)

Greater Columbus Conv. Ctr. Columbus, OH Contact: 614-899-1195 www.centshow.org

January 17–18, 2014 Tennessee Green Industry Expo Music City Center Nashville, TN Contact: 931-473-3951 Fax: 931-473-5833 Email: mail@tnla.com www.tngie.com

Index of Advertisers Boshancee Nursery, Inc.......................................................................7 www.boshanceensy.com

Braun Horticulture..............................................................................18 www.braungroup.com

Cam Too Camellia Nursery, Inc.......................................................10 www.camtoocamellia.com

Center Hill Nursery.............................................................................22 D & D Agri............................................................................................22 Dayton Bag & Burlap Co......................................Inside Front Cover www.daybag.com

Ewing Irrigation...................................................................................19 www.Ewing1.com

John Deere Landscapes....................................................................12 www.johndeerelandscapes.com

John Holmlund Nursery.....................................................................21 www.jhnsy.com

Kenneth Myers & Son’s Nursery......................................................21 www.littletnnursery.com

Leading Edge Communications.......................................................17 www.leadingedgecommunications.com

Mid Tenn Turf, Inc.........................................................................7, 21 www.midtennturf.com

Motz & Son Nursery...........................................................................17 OHP, Inc................................................................................................21 www.ohp.com

Smith Seed Services..........................................................................21 www.smithseed.com

Surface Nursery Inc...........................................................................19 www.surfacenursery.com

Swafford Nursery, Inc........................................................Back Cover www.swaffordnursery.com

Tennessee 811....................................................................................10 www.tennessee811.com

Trivett’s Nursery....................................................................................3 www.trivettsnursery.com

Walker Nursery Co. & Walker Gardens............................................5 www.walkernurseryco.com

Wellmaster Carts................................................... Inside Back Cover www.wellmaster.ca