There was a great vibe at OFA this year; one that screamed, this industry is back!

The days are getting shorter and the sun sits a little lower in the sky as we head toward autumn. It means another summer trade show season is on the wane, and the fall shipping and planting season is around the corner. It won’t be long before the cold settles in and the s … . Nope; can’t quite bring myself to say that wintery, four-letter word just yet! I’m not sure how the summer shows treated you, but I can give you a one-woman review of my experiences.

When it comes to the OFA Short Course, as The Pointer Sisters said, “I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it!” There was a great vibe at OFA this year; one that screamed, this industry is back! With OFA’s expansion plans of an additional 50,000 square feet dedicated to retail and the attendance to support that growth, the future is looking rosy in Columbus!

The OFA Short Course has traditionally been seen as a show for greenhouse growers; as I worked my way up the ranks in the green industry, this is how I viewed it. However, with age comes wisdom and I’ve learned it is so much more! I now think of it as a show that brings the horticultural world to my doorstep. You can get a glimpse of plants, retail displays and production ideas from all over the world without having to step on an airplane. And their educational program – including tours – for both growers and retailers is among the best offered anywhere in the country.

Customers and consumers always ask, “What’s new?” and The Short Course previews what’s hot in annuals, perennials and ornamentals, as well as other allied products. From what I’ve heard, with the OFA/ANLA consolidation, the woody portion of the show is bound to expand. It seems to me that these “color guys” are the ones resonating with consumers and succeeding in today’s market. So, perhaps this is a place where other industry segments can observe and adapt ideas to their own business models. (Plus, as a longtime ANLA member, I’m counting on my fellow members to cast their votes to approve the consolidation with OFA in September. I firmly believe this move is the right one for our industry, and I applaud the OFA and ANLA board members and staff on their vision to see it through to conclusion.)

Maybe the OFA Short Course is not in your budget range. But, that doesn’t mean there weren’t other opportunities for you and your staff this season. I think the 46th Annual Summer Field Day put on by the Nursery Growers of Lake County Ohio (NGLCO ) was a great example of a regional event that filled the gap.

Of course, you had the traditional trade show component, but it was held at one of the largest arboretums in the country, The Holden Arboretum in Willoughby, Ohio. In addition to visiting with exhibitors and seeing equipment demos, attendees could tour Holden’s new Rhododendron Garden and Tree Alee, plus attend special “Come Alive Outside” education sessions.

The lectures were led by Jim Paluch, president of JP Horizons. Paluch believes that for the green industry to survive and thrive, we must share the value of outdoor living with our employees, customers and communities. He makes a strong case for changing the way the green industry does business, and that “everybody wins when somebody goes outside.”

The day before, the NGLCO partnered with the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association to provide a bus tour that visited Art Form Nurseries in Russell, as well as four retailers including Breezewood Gardens & Gifts, Petitti Garden Center and Lowe’s Greenhouse in Chagrin Falls, and Bremec Garden Center in Chesterland. As an attendee looking to see some of the best in IGC retailing, you couldn’t get a better lineup than that! The day was capped off with a luau featuring guest speaker Michael Geary of OFA/ANLA.

As I write this, I’m in Quebec City, Canada, attending the 65th Annual Garden Writers Association Symposium. This is my seventh GWA Symposium and my first trip to Quebec. It is filled with gardens, people passionate about plants, gardens, historical architecture, gardens, citizens speaking French or English with a sexy French accent … and did I mention gardens?

Next year’s symposium is being planned by Kirk Brown of Joanne Kostecky Garden Design and a group of dedicated GWA members and Steelers fans as they bring this event to Pittsburgh – and it should be one of the better-attended symposiums. If you want to connect with garden writers, since they are a direct link to the gardening public, then I want to mention that nonmembers are welcome to attend any Garden Writers event. Just go to http://gardenwriters.org for meeting dates, locations and details. If you want a third- party opinion, simply ask Greg Smith of Flowerwood Nursery Inc., who attended this year with his wife.

By the time you read this, I’ll have attended the IGC Show in Chicago and then the Farwest Show in Portland, Ore. I am the eternal optimist and am hopeful that these shows will be just as successful as those I’ve attended so far.

No doubt next year will be an interesting summer trade show season. Will we find even more plant shortages? Which companies won’t be with us anymore? For that matter, what will this industry’s trade shows look like? You’ll have to attend to find out.

Maria Zampini is the president of UpShoot LLC. Her company’s focus is “living, sharing and supporting horticulture” through new plant introduction representation including LCN Selections. She can be reached at [email protected], and her website is http://www.upshoothort.com.

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A plant identification sign at the Secrest Arboretum in Wooster, Ohio, displays what often can be lengthy -but accurate-nomenclature. Here, names for The Rising SunTM redbud are indicated.

Using appropriate plant names isn’t being pedantic, it’s being accurate. If you know your nomenclature, you can more accurately diagnose problems and find the right solutions. Here, we break down the definitions of the four different plant names and why it matters.

“What’s in a name?’ cries Juliet; ‘that which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.’ Yet Shakespeare might admit that a rose is not less sweet because we know its name.” – Liberty Hyde Bailey from How Plants Get Their Names, 1933.

It is remarkable how often the nuances of names apply to everyday horticulture. From plant selection knowledge to understanding relationships of plants as they relate to propagation and maintenance, from pest management to professional communication with your customers and green industry colleagues, names matter.

Knowing that bacterial fireblight disease occurs only on plants in the rose family, can we assume it occurs on mountainash? Yes, mountainashes (Sorbus spp.) are in the rose family (Rosaceae), and fireblight is a significant problem. Are mountainashes affected by emerald ash borer? No, emerald ash borer insects only affect true ashes in the genus Fraxinus, which are in the olive family (Oleaceae). Understanding names matters.

Click image to enlarge.

And what is the deal with so many plant names? A good example is the sign for a redbud at Ohio State University’s Secrest Arboretum at the OSU Wooster Campus. The sign indicates the redbud in question has four, count them, four names. Let’s begin our discussion here.

The multiple names of plants

Name that tree!

It sounds simple, yet trees have multiple names. Why so many? Let us take a look at the discipline of nomenclature, defined as “the devising or choosing of names for things, esp. in a science or other discipline.” Nomenclature goes hand in hand with taxonomy, “the branch of science concerned with classification, esp. of organisms; systematics.”

The Chinese philosopher Krishtalka wrote, “The beginning of wisdom is calling things by their right name.” Fair enough. But if you have visited an arboretum or botanic garden recently, or if you’ve simply checked out your own nursery or garden center, you will notice that plant labels may have a multitude of names.

Our example is a familiar species, with the common name of redbud. The Latinized botanical name for redbud is Cercis canadensis. The cultivar (cultivated variety) name of our example is ‘JN2’, with a plant patent number often attached to it, in this case PP#21,451. The trademark name of this particular redbud is The Rising SunTM redbud.

Say what? Let us deconstruct.

Common name: Redbud. This is the name most people use for this small native tree, common in Eastern U.S. woodlands, especially as an understory tree in association with flowering dogwoods. It is often noted as the Eastern redbud to distinguish it from the Western redbud (C. occidentalis) and other species in the genus Cercis, such as the Chinese redbud, Cercis chinenesis. It has pinkish buds and wonderful, reddish pink flowers.

Botanical name: Cercis canadensis. The two-part Latin name for the Eastern redbud is also known as the scientific or botanical name for this species. The idea behind scientific names for plants and animals was forwarded by the 18th century Swedish botanist Linnaeus to reduce confusion and improve communication. Don’t believe us? Consider this example cited in Michael Dirr’s Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, in which he indicates that Nymphaea alba has 245 different common names (including European white water lily) in just the four languages of English, French, German and Dutch. This tower of botanical Babel obviously needed a better system. Common names are wonderful, but often communication commands clarity.

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If you understand nomenclature, you understand more than just names. This glorious rhododendron is in the Ericaceae (heath family), which means it will thrive in well-drained, acid soils.
Photos courtesy of Jim Chatfield

Cultivar name: ‘JN2’ (PP#21451), in our example. As horticulturists know, there are many different types of Eastern redbuds; in fact, there is something of a renaissance of redbuds in recent years, from weeping redbuds to purple-leaved redbuds – and weeping, purple-leaved redbuds, to yellow and apricot-leaved redbuds to redbuds with rugose (wrinkled) foliage. This is because horticulturists, practiced in the nurture of nature, have noted variations that come about through genetic recombination and mutations. If they can successfully propagate these new variations, often through asexual propagation, such as clonal cuttings and then grafting to a rootstock, then they may be able to patent their new introduction to the horticultural trade.

Cultivars are designated by single quotation marks. In the case of the redbud in question, its name is sometimes termed a nonsense cultivar name, given that ‘JN2’ is not very descriptive, compared, for example, to the cultivar name of, say, Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’, which clearly refers to this old standby of purple-leaved Japanese maple. Why would Jackson Nursery of Tennessee decide to use a nonsense cultivar name (‘JN2’) instead of something more descriptive of what they describe as “A new and distinct variety of Cercis canadensis, an Eastern Redbud tree found and introduced by Jackson Nursery.”? Hmmm?

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Are there any doubts that crabapples belong in the rose family (Rosaceae)? Malus ‘Branzam’, BrandywineT crabapple, boasts rose-like blooms.

Typically the reason for this is that the nursery that introduces a new plant has control of the propagation for sale and other commercial use rights of the plant only for the 20 years afforded by plant patent regulations. After 20 years, other horticulturists can propagate and sell the plants without going through the patenting nursery. Which brings us to …

Trademark name: The Rising SunTM redbud. Jackson Nursery chose as the trademark name a descriptive term that relates to its features of what they describe as “orange new growth developing into bright yellow, then into yellow green, finally maturing into light green with some lighter and darker speckling on the leaves.” We also like their description of “golden tangerine heart-shaped foliage in summer extends through fall; new leaves are bright rosy apricot.” Indeed, that well describes its features – as does the trademark name of The Rising SunTM.
A key factor of trademarks is that they can be renewed, not for 20 years, but rather … forever. This is done because 20 years is often deemed inadequate for recouping the costs of discovery, propagation, production and marketing of a new tree. With the trademark, a plant introducer controls, if not how others commercially use the actual plant germplasm, but at least the commercial use of the name of the plant.

The common name conundrum

So, really, there is a common name which, though often colorful and useful, has no clear-cut rules for use; a botanical name with a set of rules from the Botanical Code of Nomenclature for proper usage (such as the italicized Latin binomial for an organism); a horticultural name for cultivated plants with the rules for naming a cultivar (such as single quotation marks and no italics), and a commericial name reflected by the rules of trademarks.

Common names, as wonderful as they are, may be very unreliable. Consider the red maple, also called the swamp maple. The “swamp” part of the name indicates where it can sometimes be found in natural settings and something about its siting. This maple can tolerate reasonably wet and open sites. But if a customer or a new hire hears or uses the word “red maple,” he may hear or mean a red-leaved Japanese maple or a red-leaved Norway maple. This is cleared up when we term a particular red/swamp maple, Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’, that Japanese maple Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’, that Norway maple Acer platanoides ‘Crimson King’. Of these, only the Acer rubrum is a good choice for a wet, open site.

Knowing that names matter and that encoded in those names is important information also helps a professional understand that Freeman maples are not just your average red maple, they are actually crosses between red maple (Acer rubrum) and silver maple (Acer saccharinum), and as such have intermediate combinations of growth rate, branch structure, water and drought tolerance, and fall color. Acer × freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’ is such a hybrid, as are the so-called “rilver” maples that foresters connote when they see hybrids of red and silver maples in the woods.

Viburnum opulus is a European cranberry bush viburnum with sprawling, 12-foot growth; Viburnum opulus ‘Compactum’ is about half that size; and Viburnum opulus ‘Nanum’ is a dwarf of about 2- to 3-foot size. European cranberry bush viburnum as a catch-all does not really do these three plants justice. We have seen many an architect, designer or installer, for example, confuse Viburnum opulus ‘Compactum’ with Viburnum opulus ‘Nanum’, blaming someone else when they do not get what they want, not realizing that they got what they asked for. Names, after all, encode much information.

Alas, those common names. As useful and necessary as they are for everyday communication, common names hold many potential pitfalls. Moss rose, hairy alpine rose, Lenten rose, rose-of-Sharon – none is a rose in the genus Rosa. Liberty Hyde Bailey tells it best. African marigold is from Mexico; Portuguese cypress is from Mexico; Cherokee rose is from China; Arabian jasmine and Spanish jasmine are from India; Spanish cedar is from the West Indies and is not a cedar and not even a conifer (!); Peruvian squill is from the Mediterranean area; the English walnut is not from England; and the French mulberry is not French and not a mulberry.

Go figure.

Yet we are stuck with common names; they will be used, and they are convenient shorthand. Remember, though, their limitations. Unfortunately there is not a routinely standard system of common names for plants, similar to the Entomological Society of America’s Common Names of Insects & Related Organisms. But even with common names, there are some methods that help with communication. Let’s go back to the ashes mentioned above. Mountainash or mountain-ash is properly written as a compound or hyphenated word rather than separate words to cue the reader that it is not a true ash (such as green ash or blue ash) in any way, and this matters with regard to the fireblight bacterium and emerald ash borer host range. Douglasfir is not a true fir. Ladybug beetles are not true bugs, they are beetles. To remember this standard, just think of pineapple, not to stifle hiccups (it works!), but rather to realize that it is written as a compound word to indicate it is neither pine nor apple.

Again, let’s go back to that mountainash. We mention that it is in the rose family (Rosaceae). This leads us to another question about a word – the word “family.” This should not be a casual word for a plant professional. Family means something definitive when it comes to plants. Let’s take a look.

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Woolly alder aphid (Prociphilus tessellatus). The name maple blight aphid, used due to its alternate host, silver maple, is not recognized by the Entomological Society of America in its common names publication. Know your nomenclature!

A FAMILY AFFAIR

For plants and other organisms, a genus is a group of related species. For example, the genus for maple is Acer, which includes such species as red maple (Acer rubrum), Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides). What, then, is a plant family? It is a group of related genera (the plural of genus).
Let’s look at the very important rose family (Rosaceae), which includes such genera as:

• Amelanchier – serviceberry
• Aronia – chokecherry
• Cotoneaster – cotoneaster
• Crataegus – hawthorn
• Malus – crabapple and apple
• Potentilla – potentilla or cinquefoil
• Prunus – cherry, almond, plum
• Pyracantha – firethorn
• Pyrus – pear
• Sorbus – mountainash
• Rosa – rose
• Spiraea – spiraea

If you think about the flowers of these genera (forget for a moment the amazing diversity of some of the cultivated roses and think instead of some of the shrub roses), you will note that they are very similar. Think of how similar each crabapple flower is to a rose flower or a Callery pear flower or, for that matter, to individual mountainash florets. In fact, if you think of each floret of a mountainash flower, it is quite easy to see that it is far more related to a spiraea or a firethorn than it is to any of the true ashes in the genus Fraxinus, which are in the Oleaceae.

It should come as no surprise that the reproductive parts of the plants – the fruits, seeds and flowers – provide clues to the relatedness of plants in a given family. It is easy to fool people on plant identification quizzes with the unusual rose-salmon fruits with bright orange seeds of Euonymus europaeus, but when you ask what roadside weed it looks related to, someone in the crowd always says American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens). Both Celastrus and Euonymus indeed are in the bittersweet family (Celastraceae).

This familial relatedness can be used in many ways in practical horticulture. As noted, the disease bacterial fireblight, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, occurs only on plants in the rose family, especially on Pyracantha, Malus, Pyrus and Sorbus. Symptoms of this disease include blighted shoots of discolored leaves that are bent at the ends in the pattern of a shepherd’s crook. This symptom, of course, also can be caused by other factors. It is a great diagnostic aid, however, to be able to rule out fireblight, even if plants have crooked, blighted shoots, if the plant is a maple (Acer) or an ash (Fraxinus), knowing that these plants are not in the Rosaceae. Or, conversely, to consider fireblight as a possibility if the plant is a mountainash (Sorbus) or a chokeberry (Aronia), since they are in the Rosaceae.

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Fireblight is evident on Pyrus calleryana, Callery pear. Fireblight occurs only in the Rosaceae, of which the genus Pyrus is a member.

Another practical benefit of knowing plant families occurs when there are cultural requirements that sometimes cover most of the plants of a family. A classic case of this is with the heath family, the Ericaceae. Although members of the Ericaceae do vary in terms of their characterization as acid-loving plants, it is not too bad of a generalization to be concerned about planting ericaceous plants such as azaleas and rhododendrons (Rhododendron), Enkianthus, Pieris, mountainlaurel (Kalmia) and blueberry (Vaccinium) in alkaline soils.

Other horticultural practices limited by familial relationships occur as well, from the likelihood of being able to make intergeneric crosses (difficult at best, but more possible between genera in a family), to the likelihood of being able to graft a scion onto a rootstock (if from different genera, more likely between genera in the same family). For example, it seems hard to believe that lilac (Syringa) can be grafted onto privet (Ligustrum) rootstocks until you consider that they are both in the olive family (Oleaceae).

Some families contain only one genus, or even one species, such as Cercidiphyllum japonicum (katsuratree) in the Cercidiphyllaceae. More often than not, though, it is possible to note interesting similarities, for example of fruits, between the multiple genera in a given plant family, such as all the ornamentals in the soil nitrogen-fixing bean family (Fabaceae), including: Cercis (redbud), Cladrastis (yellowwood), Gleditsia (honeylocust), Gymnocladus (Kentucky coffeetree), Laburnum (golden-chaintree) and many more. Think of the bean-like fruits on these trees.

So, names matter, and rules for naming matter. Nevertheless – in the interest of rebellion, if nothing else – we acknowledge, in the spirit of Peter Smithers, who wrote “I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself,” this final thought. These are the words of Lewis Carroll, speaking through his characters of Humpty Dumpty and Alice:

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.”

“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean different things.”

“The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master – that’s all.”

A sense of perspective – and humor – also matters.

Jim Chatfield, Joe Boggs and Pam Bennett are members of the Ohio State University Extension Nursery Landscape and Turf Team. They can be reached at [email protected]; [email protected]; and [email protected]. Maria Zampini is president of UpShoot LLC; she can be reached at [email protected].

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At this time of the year you’ll find me enjoying “the boys of summer.” Each night when I’m home I’ll turn on Sports Time Ohio to watch – or more likely listen to – the Cleveland Indians while I’m working at the computer.

During a recent Tribe game a bat shattered. The announcers started talking about bats made from maple versus ash. They mentioned that maple bats break into bigger pieces than ash. I know that Louisville Slugger has ash fields in Pennsylvania to harvest wood for their bats, so I searched online, wondering if perhaps emerald ash borer (EAB) has had a significant effect on the baseball bat industry.

Come to find out EAB was first found in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in 2002, while maple bats were actually introduced in 1996. In fact, approximately 60 percent of the bats used in major league baseball are maple, which is denser and lighter than ash. Half of the Louisville Slugger bats are made from northern white ash, and the rest are maple. Hickory was originally used for bats but it was heavy, and so the manufacturers looked to other, lighter woods. However, other wood is being used and trialed including bamboo, birch, beech and a composite wood. Who knew?

In essence, baseball bat companies changed before they had to. And I suppose there could come a day where there aren’t any more bats made from ash due to EAB or other factors such as progress.

But it seems to me that baseball bat producers hedged their bets and didn’t stand still. Think of it from a financial perspective. How do you reduce your risk? You invest in a variety of assets. In the production fields or in the landscape we can’t afford to overplant a genus or species; instead, we need to continually strive for diversification.

EAB isn’t the first pest that has affected our industry, nor will it be the last.

This time last year all anyone could talk about was boxwood blight. It surfaced in the U.K. in the early to mid-1990s; it was first discovered in the United States in 2011 in North Carolina, then spread to Virginia and Connecticut.

This spring we wondered what impact impatiens downy mildew would have on bedding plant sales. This pesky pathogen seemed to decimate this beloved annual literally overnight. If impatiens were no longer available, would consumers plant nothing? Or would they be open to something different? Some retailers acted as though it was the end of the world; others saw it as an opportunity to introduce consumers to other shade-loving plants. Yes, it meant the decline of impatiens sales but, on the other hand, it has increased production and sales of Sun Impatiens, coleus, begonia and caladiums.

One of the newer concerns is rose rosette disease and its impact on shrub roses. While the rose rosette virus was only recently identified, the disease itself affected Rosa multiflora as far back as 1941. Lethal to wild roses, it is also believed to be potentially dangerous to ornamental rose species and cultivars.

Viburnum leaf beetle was first discovered in 1947 in North America in Canada. It was first seen in the northeast corner of my home state of Ohio in 2002; prior to that it had affected parts of Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania and Maine. It can be lethal to certain types of viburnums.

Hemlock woolly adelgid has been known since 1924 to attack Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana) and spruce by feeding on tender shoots, but it took decades for it to be located in the eastern U.S. in Pennsylvania in 1967. It is now in 11 states.

I’m in no way discounting the severity of these diseases and pests. I think that no matter what, it’s always something. One needs to consider the ramifications of a “vertical” business as compared to a “horizontal” business. When it comes to customers, you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket, so perhaps you shouldn’t when it comes to plant types, either.

All the above diseases and pests are another reason to be active in your state and national association. You’ll be on the cutting edge of knowing about them; their spread, how they can be treated, and so on. It will also allow you to be part of the solution to keeping them at bay or eradicating them, in particular if there needs to be collaboration with local, state or federal officials and agencies. Your involvement in grassroots efforts helps mold how these little buggers are addressed and how your business will be affected.

Maria Zampini is the president of UpShoot LLC. Her company’s focus is “living, sharing and supporting horticulture” through new plant introduction representation including LCN Selections. She can be reached at [email protected], and her website is http://www.upshoothort.com.

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Harmony Hill Nursery of Dowington, Penn., recently gave me a topic suggestion for this column via the Nursery and Greenhouse Production Facebook group. They asked, “How about a piece on grading plant material on quality standards as well as size requirements? Where is the quality going? Is it increasing to be the best or decreasing to win the race to the bottom? Bids are being awarded to the lowest bidder the last several years, regardless of quality. Where does our future lie?” Hmmm … I’m not sure, but let’s give it a whirl.

As some of you may know, besides my own business – UpShoot LLC – I am also the Director of Plant Development for the HGTV HOME Plant Collection. Right now we’re focused on putting together and launching our perennial line. Besides genetics in the program, a major consideration has been the pot size. It seems every grower is suggesting a different size and/or shape container. It’s been a very interesting and educational process, to say the least.

I’ve been thinking, “Why is there what feels like 50 million different container sizes, shapes and colors to choose from in our industry?” Why do we need a 1 gallon, a true 1 gallon, a cheater 1 gallon, and so on … . And then I saw a friend eating a container of Chobani yogurt. Its container is squat and round, whereas the Yoplait brand container that I normally buy is more of a flared, cylindrical shape. Yet Dannon’s product is sold in a rounded square … and so on, and so forth. You get my drift. The container size, style, logo and color all contribute to the brand, and that’s one way the product is easily distinguished among its competitors.

And, just like people, it is really what’s on the inside that significantly counts as well – or at least it should. Thus, in our example, each yogurt has different tastes, textures and quality. Unless you’re strictly price-driven or brand-loyal – which many people are – what and how the product provides could be perhaps the main reason you choose one kind over another.

So let’s consider quality. But let’s first look at the definition of quality. According to it can be:

1. an essential or distinctive characteristic, property, or attribute: the chemical qualities of alcohol.
2. character or nature, as belonging to or distinguishing a thing: the quality of a sound.
3. character with respect to fineness, or grade of excellence: food of poor quality; silks of fine quality.
4. high grade; superiority; excellence: wood grain of quality.

To me, quality used to be a key differentiation strategy that set a company apart from others. It was an exception, not a rule. Nowadays, from an ornamental wholesale perspective at least, the middle ground seems to have somewhat disappeared; you’ve either upped your game and have quality or you’re among those in the bottom who don’t.

Should there be uniformity in plant size and shape? Probably. I mean, why else do we have an “American Standards for Nursery Stock”? I wonder, though, just how many industry people know it exists, let alone use it. I think those who have consistency in plant size and shape crop after crop, are the cream that rises to the top.

And is there a difference in plant quality at a box store versus an IGC? Overall, I would say yes – without a doubt. The box stores are going for the lowest price point, and quite often that means fewer inputs per pot or plants not being trimmed or pinched as often. However, the level of the quality found at box stores is getting better and better, so IGC’s can’t put all their eggs in the quality basket.

But just like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is quality. I ask you: Where do you buy your clothes, and why? Wal-Mart or Nordstrom? Target or Macy’s? There is no right or wrong answer here; it is a personal choice, just like one’s definition of acceptable quality. And the more often we can look at our product from our customers’ or a consumer’s viewpoint, the sooner we can meet and exceed their needs – and the better off we’ll be.

Steve Jobs once said, “For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through.” I guess only you can decide how well you want to sleep each night.

Maria Zampini is the president of UpShoot LLC. Her company’s focus is “living, sharing and supporting horticulture” through new plant introduction representation including LCN Selections. She can be reached at [email protected].

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In March I had the distinct honor of being asked to speak at the “Chicks in Horticulture” brunch.

The event was hosted in March by the Long Island Chapter of the New York Nursery and Landscape Association and, believe it or not, it was my first trip to that part of New York! Last year’s speaker was Anna Ball, so when they asked me, I thought that those are some big shoes to fill! Of course I was able to tie in visits to HGTV HOME Plant Collection partners Kirk Weiss Greenhouses and Martin Viette Nursery, both located on Long Island. When I think of what I saw at both businesses, all I can say is “wow!” Very impressive, to say the least.

Anyway, whether I’m a speaker or an attendee, I try to take away at least one thing from an event. I can only hope I gave as much as I received at the “Chicks in Hort,” as it was an eye-opener for me. I found the vibe at this gathering to be uniquely positive. Each of us was asked to stand and share our name, company and what we do. I was amazed at the diversity: landscapers, arborists, extension, designers, salespeople, authors and more. I’ve got to say this was no hen party! There was an overwhelming air of support for one another unlike any I’ve experience before.

I found it interesting that several ladies stood and said, “I’m just the bookkeeper, accountant or secretary.” I’d like to acknowledge those companies, like East Coast Nurseries for example, who invited those working behind the scenes to attend. It is important for those ladies to be acknowledged for the very important role they play on a daily basis. And broadening their professional horizons can only help strengthen a business.

The event also connected me with two inspirational women. There I met Melissa Priois Daniels, owner of Plant Connection Inc. and president of the Long Island Chapter of the NYSNLA, who reinvented a traditional wholesale nursery to become a leading grower and designer in the world of GroWalls and GroRoofs in the United States. Next was June Croon, President of The Plantage Inc. June’s sister Lois was the original founder of this perennial-based company. Sadly Lois passed from breast cancer in 1997. June stepped to the plate, however, to continue Lois’s vision and even expand upon it.

Have you ever noticed how many times things happen in threes? Well, at the same time as “Chicks in Horticulture,” two other “girl power” projects occurred simultaneously.

First off, two energetic young ladies, Brienne Gluvna Arthur of Camellia Forest Nursery in North Carolina and Katie Ketelsen, on-line editor for invited me to join the Facebook group “Green Women Unite.” So far this group has proved to be extremely positive, encouraging, supportive and full of ideas. I’m glad these two “chicks” are in my life, as I think they’re going to help keep me feeling young and inspired while helping push the envelope!

Secondly, the Foolproof Plants app highlighting some of the best options for ornamental plants that stay a manageable size was launched on both iTunes and Google Play. The production of this app was spearheaded by Susan Morrison, author of Blue Planet Garden Blog and co-author of Garden Up! Susan collaborated with four female co-authors to profile plants appropriate for each hardiness zone; these include Katie Elzer-Peters (Zone 7), Jenny Peterson (Zone 8), Genevieve Schmidt (Zone 9) and last but not least, me profiling plants for Zones 5 and 6.

While the number of women in our industry has certainly increased since I graduated from college, I do question the lack of females serving in leadership positions both in businesses and in industry associations. Quite often I’m the only woman at a male-dominated table, where the discussion revolves around what consumers want. I find it somewhat amusing that our target demographic is predominantly female, yet from where I sit, I think there are not nearly enough women being consulted in the decision-making process of the business equation. Hmmm … interesting, yes?

“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.”

As far as trade associations are concerned, in its 135-year history, the American Nursery and Landscape Association has had one female president: Joanne Kostecky. Since its inception in 1929, OFA has also had one female president: Kathy Benken. From 1908 until now there has been one female president of the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association: me! Quoting B.R. Ambedkar, the most prominent Indian politician besides Mahatma Gandhi, “I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved.” I ask what does this lack of female leadership say, if anything, about our industry?

In closing, I’d like to thank the editor of American Nurseryman Sally Benson. Without her, I’m quite sure my second career path would not have occurred – nor have been quite as successful. To the visionary gentlemen I’ve encountered in my career who saw me not as a woman or an adversary but as an ally, thank you for the opportunity to work alongside you and prove my worth. To all the women in hort, I’d like to say keep doing what you’re doing. Listen to what Oprah Winfrey once said: “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.”

Maria Zampini is the president of UpShoot LLC. Her company’s focus is “living, sharing and supporting horticulture” through new plant introduction representation including LCN Selections. She can be reached at [email protected]

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When it comes to your ability to react, are you a tugboat that doesn’t do anything until prodded, a speedboat that reacts quickly, or a steamship that takes forever to come around?

Decisions, decision, decisions. Some days it can feel like you’re being attacked from all angles. But if you waffle – not choosing to go left or right, or to say yes or no – you’re still making a decision: Your choice is indecision. So if you’re standing in the middle of the road and you can’t decide which side of the street to cross over to, don’t be surprised when you get run over by that bus.

The Jewish philosopher Maimonides said, “The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision.” And one quality that successful business people have in common is decisiveness. Not being able to make a decision is a liability that can directly affect the bottom line. Is your business so stable that you can afford to take an economic hit each time you fail to make a decision?

When you do make up your mind, you need to relish your successes – but don’t rest upon your laurels. More importantly, however, you need to acknowledge your failures. Certainly one needs to own his or her mistakes and not take the cowardly way out by blaming others. You need to learn from your missteps. Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

I tend to make decisions quickly, one way or the other, based on my gut instinct. However, I can look back on my career and remember the exact times I neglected to make a decision when it was necessary. Unfortunately the decisions that needed to be made were critical to the future of my business, but I waffled. They were hard decisions, but ones that potentially could have had a more positive affect on the final outcome. I learned the hard way what Pablo Picasso said: “Action is the foundational key to all success.”

In business, it’s better to be proactive instead of reactive. But because we dance with the devil better known as Mother Nature, we have no alternative but to react, and react quickly, when she tosses a challenge our way.

When it comes to your ability to react, are you a tugboat that doesn’t do anything until prodded, a speedboat that reacts quickly, or a steamship that takes forever to come around? No matter how you cut it, the fact of the matter is that the majority of our business is done in the spring. And we have only so many weeks to do it in. If you can’t adjust quickly to changing circumstances, well, as they say, once the water has gone over the dam, you can’t push it back the other direction. What’s done is done and trying to make up those lost sales, overspending on production supplies or inventory, excess labor costs – whatever – is twice as hard in the remaining down time of the year.

One way to compensate for the unexpected is to go into spring having your act together. It’s that dreaded four letter word: plan. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: “Fail to plan and plan to fail.”

I used to beat myself up all the time over what I coulda/shoulda/woulda done, but didn’t. Boy, talk about getting nowhere fast! You can’t dwell on the past because you can’t change it. Just like history though, you need to be sure you learn from it and don’t repeat it.

In my own experience, I found that once I let go of the past, only then could I truly move forward. And with that realization, I found I viewed new professional challenges as even greater opportunities. I’d like to believe what David Brinkley said, “A successful man [or in my case woman] is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”

I’m wondering if life is like the story of the Three Little Pigs: Some of us build our business out of straw, others use twigs and still others use bricks. If we’re smart, though, we’ve thought ahead, drawn up a blueprint, consulted colleagues and have a structure that can withstand the strong winds of the Big Bad Wolf.

I don’t know about you, but I’m betting on bricks.

Maria Zampini is the president of UpShoot LLC. Her company’s focus is “living, sharing and supporting horticulture” through new plant introduction representation including LCN Selections. She can be reached at [email protected], and her website is www.upshoothort.com.

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Winter trade shows and educational events – it’s hard not to talk about them. If I didn’t have at least one column a year that addresses them it would be sort of sacrilegious, now wouldn’t it?

Show and tell

This year, the closing of Mid-Am in Chicago marked the end of an era. I used to attend Mid-Am religiously every year because it was “the” show, and the industry’s movers and shakers were sure to be there. I have a bank box full of fond memories of past Mid-Am shows.

But, I haven’t attended Mid-Am for several years. While I love the Windy City, it was just too expensive and my target audience was no longer attending, either, so the return on my investment was not paying off. While it is definitely sad to see this icon fade away, I think it needs to serve as a wake-up call to other trade shows: “Things must change to stay the same.” And no, a new show floor layout doesn’t count as change.

Change doesn’t always bring about the anticipated result. For instance, after a few years of trading places between St. Louis and Kansas City, The National Green Centre will return and stay for the foreseeable future in KC. The show name will return to “The Western,” but the educational events will remain the National Green Centre.

I can’t help but admire those who aren’t afraid to go out on a limb. After all, without risk they wouldn’t have created the Plant Fashion Show, which showcases new plant introductions to the industry. This year they also had a fashion show version that was presented directly to the consumer. I feel their new plant awareness efforts that reach the industry and the buying public have set the bar high.

MANTS did not disappoint. For the most part, the aisles were hopping. Two years ago people attended, but no one was buying a thing. Last year attendees were hopeful, but the needle only moved slightly. This year people remain cautiously optimistic, but their wallets are opening more freely and shortages are happening (thank goodness!).

And you can’t discount smaller shows; sometimes bigger isn’t always better. The Green & Growin’ show held in North Carolina draws a good crowd with a reasonable price tag to exhibit. It is well-worth the long and winding drive through West Virginia to be there.

Overall the trade show vibe was truly positive, and I walked away feeling as though things are on the upswing.

Educational events

There is, of course, the Short Course in conjunction with the CENTS Show. Affordable education for your entire staff in conjunction with a trade show is what differentiates this event from its competition. It is a good example of how together these two entities can do so much more than if each tried to pull the load individually. Let’s hope these two groups see the value this long-standing partnership has, and that it continues for a long time.

I was a first-time speaker at the GardenScape Professionals Association (a chapter of the New York State Nursery and Landscape Association) Education Conference & Trade Show in Rochester, N.Y., and the Mid-Atlantic Horticulture Short Course in Newport News, Va. Great lineup of speakers from across the country, great attendance and good weather made for a winning combination at each event.

I was also lucky enough to go to The Next Level event on behalf of the Agricola Management Group to represent the HGTV HOME Plant Collection. Just like trade shows, educational events are what you make of them. Even though I was only able to attend a portion of the event, working our Connection Club hospitality suite and attending the last day of talks, it was so worthwhile. The networking with new and old acquaintances, plus what I learned from the speakers – which can benefit me both personally and professionally – was invaluable.

The Next Level is a new beginning. It was the first joint collaboration by the ANLA and OFA teams. I suspect it was a team-building exercise at its finest with a steep learning curve for all. They’ll evaluate what worked well or what they need to change for next year and provide one of the best conferences for you, your team and your business.

At The Next Level, John Kennedy spoke on “The Great Game of Business.” One of his best lines was, “Be in a groove, not a rut.” Where are you?

John spoke about dealing with a problem employee who is just not toting the load. He said you can’t afford not to get rid of someone who is not performing. Either they get on board or they need to leave. You need to tell them, “Your sucking at your job is getting in the way of my succeeding.”

The energizing closing speaker was Chip Eichelberger, who focused on balancing life and business. His parting words of wisdom were:

• Change from working in to working on my business. The system is the solution.
• Change from my limitations to my possibilities. The risk of doing nothing.
• Change from my problems to my blessings. Adversity will only make me stronger.

Wow, if that last sentence is true, then no doubt we’re an industry full of the strongest people in the world!

When it comes to education, too often we say, “I’m too busy.” And we say it not only for ourselves, but for our employees. Instead, we need to step back and realize that we can’t afford not to invest in education for ourselves, our staff and/or our business. If you don’t, you’re bound to be standing still while the world and your competitors pass you by.

Maria Zampini is the president of UpShoot LLC. Her company’s focus is “living, sharing and supporting horticulture” through new plant introduction representation including LCN Selections. She can be reached at [email protected], and her website is www.upshoothort.com.

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February is an important month for the green industry. Trade shows are winding up, we breathe a small sigh of relief, see our families for a few weeks, and then take a big gulp of fresh air before we find the “make it or break it” spring season upon us.

If Northern landscapers are lucky, February is cold and snowy; it keeps them busy, happy and most importantly, it keeps a little jingle in the pocketbooks. Wholesalers take stock of their trade show orders and add-ons to see if they are sitting pretty for spring. As for retailers who are open during the winter – well, this month abounds with promotional holidays. We have Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day and President’s Day. And while it’s not a holiday, don’t forget Super Bowl Sunday!

Did you know that Groundhog Day was originally celebrated on the 14th? No joke! As you know it now falls annually on the 2nd of February where Americans wait with bated breath to see if winter will continue for six more weeks. While not normally a retailer’s holiday, it certainly could be a gimmicky sales idea, no? Break out of your competitor’s shadow with some creative marketing strategies!

February 14th, Valentine’s Day, is the “Hallmark” holiday. The feast of St. Valentine is the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, with 85 percent purchased by women. In 2010, 25 percent of adults bought flowers or plants as a Valentine’s gift. Of those, 60 percent were men and 40 percent were women. Men mainly bought flowers for romantic reasons, while women bought flowers for their mothers and friends as well as their sweethearts. Regardless, nearly 189 million stems of roses sold in the U.S. alone. Now here is a garden center and florists’ midwinter dream – cha-ching go the registers during “dead” time!

Men often purchase heart-shaped, laced-trimmed boxed chocolates and/or bouquets of red roses for the love of their life. Red seems to be the traditional flower color of choice for this holiday. The color red does, after all, proclaim “I love you.” However, I would actually prefer just about any other color than red – pink, purple, peach, yellow or white. In fact, if you Google flower colors for this holiday, you’ll find out I am not alone in my flower color desire, or even the idea of receiving something other than long-stemmed roses.

My point is we assume women want roses, and red roses at that. I suspect these are the automatic choice as they are historically the go-to cut flower, perhaps simply because it’s traditional. What would happen if we diversified and offered roses in different colors or different plants or gift items to choose from? Could we draw more or different customers and increase sales? While you may not be in the retail end of the hort world, I would ask you: How many “red rose” scenarios do you have in your business?

This past year my travels took me to many a garden center across the United States. I saw some outstanding independent garden centers and met a lot of great, hardworking people. And in some cases, too many times in fact, I saw way too much old inventory that should have been long gone. I lived this scenario at my own family garden center and wholesale nursery, so I know that sometimes it is hard to see the forest through the trees, but inventory turns are where it’s at. Why not take advantage of President’s Day – when blow-out sales rule the retail world – to clean out the old and make room for the new?

Promoting your favorite sports team can mean big business. And nothing in the wide world of sports is bigger than the Super Bowl. For the past nine years, the event has been held in February; this year’s game, between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers, was played on the third. Last year’s Super Bowl attracted more than 111 million viewers: That’s a huge demographic we could be targeting! Think about NFL team garden and home decorations, such as banners and flags, stones and statuary; plants in team colors … you get the drift. This seems to be one bandwagon we could easily get on board with.

As an industry, what can we learn from others? Imitation is the highest form of flattery. The ready-made opportunities are there; we just have to take advantage of them and cash in.

Maria Zampini is the president of UpShoot LLC. Her company’s focus is “living, sharing and supporting horticulture” through new plant introduction representation including LCN Selections. She can be reached at [email protected], and her website is www.upshoothort.com.

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There certainly are external factors affecting our business that are out of our control, but the reality is, it still falls to each of us to be a catalyst for our own success.

According to some we’re not even supposed to be around to read this article. As you’re probably aware, Dec. 21, 2012, was destined to be the end of the world. Surprise! We’re still here. In actuality, the Mayans were more likely implying a transformation to the world as we know it – the end of a period of darkness and a shift into light and a rebirth to a new, more positive era.

It’s a new day, a new month and a new year. You know, I’ve never been much for making New Year’s resolutions. I’m not totally sure why. It could be that natural reaction to resisting change, or maybe it’s the fear of failure. Or perhaps the thought of a huge list of things I’m supposed to do differently appears unrealistic or daunting.

While many of us in the green industry are still hurting, it does feel to me like the major bleeding has stopped and we’re on an uphill climb, albeit a slow ascent. The election is over, hopefully the fiscal cliff has been avoided (if not, super shame on those guys in D.C.) and we can concentrate on growing and selling plants!

There certainly are external factors affecting our business that are out of our control, but the reality is, it still falls to each of us to be a catalyst for our own success. And while I’ve resisted resolutions in the past, in honor of this new year I’m going to take a chance, let go of the negative and accentuate the positive by suggesting some challenges for myself and our industry that I think are achievable – and necessary – for better business.

• Read (or at least skim through) consumer gardening magazines

Me: I travel a lot, so while I still may purchase People or Soap Opera Digest at the airport, I’m going to utilize my flying time more wisely by going through consumer gardening magazines.

The Industry: Reading industry magazines is a business staple. However, we all share the same customers: the end consumer. I think sometimes out of sight is out of mind, and there is this “we’re wholesale, not retail” mentality that just boggles my mind. Read a consumer horticulture magazine, sign up for its e-newsletter and/or “like” its Facebook page to get a better feel for what is reaching the homeowners. Shouldn’t you want and need to see what they see?

• Become more social media savvy

Me: Like Yogi, I think I’m better than the average bear in the world of social media. But I realize that I don’t know what I don’t know. What I do know is this is how those in the next generation receive their information. Therefore my goals are long and vast, and they include: post more regularly to Pinterest; potentially set up a Pinterest business account; feel more comfortable posting to Twitter; don’t forget about LinkedIn; figure out how to utilize BranchOut; master HootSuite so I can be more social media efficient; find out what the heck Instagram is all about; and the list goes on … . Or maybe I’d better start small and master one at a time before moving on to the next.

The Industry: Just try any of the above. You don’t have to post, you can simply observe. If you’re not comfortable learning about these marketing tools, you’d better find someone (family member or staffer) who gets it, and delegate the task to them. These are the venues in which our target demographic lives, eats and breathes. Do we really think we can connect with them if we simply ignore social media?

• Make your voice heard and be politically active!

Me: I’m already signed up to attend the ONLA Advocacy Day the end of February. I invite my fellow Buckeyes to join me. I need to respond to ANLA Legislative Alerts when asked and not hope “the other guy” does.

The Industry: I challenge other states to start their own Advocacy Day if they don’t have one, and if your state association does, I challenge you to attend. Join me in responding to Legislative Alerts; there is power in numbers.

• Whiners aren’t winners

Me: Visit top independent retailers and help tell the story of how they differentiate themselves from box stores.

The Industry: A certain portion of retailers seems to focus on a single thought: that the box stores are at the center of all their troubles. I think they would be better off taking all the negative energy they expend whining about the chains and redirecting it toward figuring out their own differentiation strategy – and then singing it from the rooftops for all customers to hear. There are many successful independents (a lot with a box next door) who are surviving and thriving, so this is not an impossible task.

• Work on the business, not in the business

Me and The Industry: All of us have cut back on staff and have to do more ourselves. Even so, it is crucial that we take a percentage of our time working on the business and not just in it. Working in it will barely keep our noses above water and I, for one, don’t want to drown.

• Take time for yourself

Me: I’ve finally learned that my mental and physical health are key to the daily success of my business and for me to live long. I’m worth at least a 1 hour and 15 minute yoga class each week or a nightly walk with my dogs. Now if only I can continue to increase my physical activity and water intake, maybe I’ll lose a few pounds.

The Industry: Pick something – anything – and do it for you. You’re worth it. You’ll be happier and, consequently, so will your family and your employees.

• Fail to plan and you plan to fail

Me and The Industry: Need I say more? In regard to a strategic and marketing plan – as Nike says, Just do it!

Maria Zampini is the president of UpShoot LLC. Her company’s focus is “living, sharing and supporting horticulture” through new plant introduction representation including LCN Selections. She can be reached at [email protected], and her website is www.upshoothort.com.

There certainly are external factors affecting our business that are out of our control, but the reality is, it still falls to each of us to be a catalyst for our own success. Read a consumer horticulture magazine, sign up for its e-newsletter and/or “like” its Facebook page to get a better feel for what is reaching the homeowners.A certain portion of retailers seems to focus on a single thought: that the box stores are at the center of all their troubles. I think they would be better off taking all the negative energy they expend whining about the chains and redirecting it toward figuring out their own differentiation strategy

The post A NEW YEAR, A NEW OUTLOOK appeared first on AmeriNursery.com.

I recently returned from a weeklong trip to Tucson for the Garden Writer’s Association Symposium. It was my first visit to the Desert Southwest (flying through Phoenix doesn’t count). It was a wonderful yet humbling experience; I always enjoy reconnecting with old friends and meeting new, enthusiastic plant people. On the other hand, I know there is a lot I don’t know about plants, and when I visit a location where the plant palette is entirely different from what I’m used to, well, it kind of puts me in my place.

The conference was held at the Westin La Paloma, which is a resort and spa. It was a spectacular setting and the GWA volunteers worked hard to put on a great conference. But what really enhanced the experience was the many Westin staff who went above and beyond the call of duty in being friendly, helpful and fun. This event and hotel stay brought plenty of plants, sun, and, yes, even some relaxation – nowadays, that’s a foreign concept to me. In fact, the last few days was spent with my West Coast counterpart Dawn Hummel doing some strategic planning.

The resort boasted five swimming pools, however we chose to head to the La Paloma Country Club at the Westin to work by the lap pool. (Working poolside is not a bad thing at all!) While there, we observed Jeff, a swimming instructor, teaching a toddler how to swim. As the little girl floated on her back – aided by the support of Jeff’s hand beneath her – she was learning about trust. In doing so, she went outside her comfort zone to conquer her fear of going under.

As usual you’re probably wondering, “Where the heck is she going with this?” Well, while watching Jeff I thought about staying in our comfort zones in business. This brings me to ask: Are you playing it safe? Are you and/or your sales team living inside a comfortable bubble, frozen by your fear of doing something different or new, watching the green world pass you by? Or are you willing to take a suggestion from author and motivational speaker Brian Tracy: “Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”

I suspect that most in sales positions are not naturals, but have been very well trained. And even if they’re not born salesmen, a truly good sales manager can help nurture those individuals: build upon their strengths, minimize their weaknesses and help develop their skills by providing them with tools, education and support that will bring out the best they can possibly offer.

Now, generally speaking, most nurseries should already have a majority of their spring orders booked. If not, your next best opportunity to garner multiple, larger orders in a short time frame is at the winter trade shows. After that, as the spring season progresses, orders typically are smaller add-ons.

Whether or not you have a manager who is a leader, are you as an individual or as a sales team ready to make the most of the upcoming shows? What are your sales goals, and what is your plan to achieve them? You need to set goals for the show, prepare, train, role-play or just plain do whatever it takes to stand out from the crowd. Or are you just eagerly awaiting time away from the daily grind at the office and are more concerned about where you’ll eat and what you’ll drink?

And, just because it’s a new year, it doesn’t mean you can predict you’ll “do better” and sales will increase. Both trade show and yearly sales scenarios will succeed only if you do your homework. If you want to get from Point A to Point F, whining about it won’t make it happen. You have to have a plan to go from A to B, B to C, C to D and so on, to even have a chance of being successful.

Granted, it is theoretically up to the sales manager to steer the ship. But remember the Titanic: The captain doesn’t always do his or her job to the best of their ability. Adding more salespeople to increase sales doesn’t get the job done. Wasting valuable time with long, boring sales meetings that end up being an opportunity for management to let everyone know who’s in charge is neither inspiring nor productive.

Keep in mind that many of us are growing essentially the same product. Having the best sales team is a major differentiation strategy that could help you and/or your company climb to the top of the mountain.

If you’re not as ready as you could be – or should be – for the trade shows or the new year, don’t be discouraged: There is still time to break out of your bubble and work to place you and your company ahead of your competition.

Maria Zampini is the president of UpShoot LLC. Her company’s focus is “living, sharing and supporting horticulture” through new plant introduction representation including LCN Selections. She can be reached at [email protected], and her website is www.upshoothort.com.’Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.’

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