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Featured Companies
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Thinking Spring
| Ellen C. Wells
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>> Published Date: 6/15/2010
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 I write this just hours after spring has officially ended. As it happens every year, some of you are so very glad to see it go, while others are saying goodbye to a season that treated them right. How you view it all depends on the weather, of course. I won’t rehash that right now. You’re well aware of the rain or cold temperatures or heat you’ve received over the last few months. Let’s move on—let’s talk about possibilities for 2011. Let’s talk about Spring Trials.
Our Spring Trials bags have been unpacked for a couple months now, and that’s given us just enough time to distill the catalog information and our notes from 40-plus companies into “stuff” you can use, whether it be stuff on your growing bench or stuff on your retail bench. We’re giving you our Trials rundown in two segments again this year. This month’s coverage focuses on seed—new series and new individual intros—and August will feature vegetative items plus marketing and promotions.
We’re also throwing in a smattering of other interesting and useful “stuff” in this July issue. First up on the Green Profit side of the magazine, we reveal some of the “Ideas for Indies,” new plants that may be outside the interest of the big-box buyers or require some special care on the growing bench—and which independent garden centers could excel in selling. Then we reveal some of the latest edibles to be served up at Trials. I say “edibles” instead of veggies because fruit is creeping into the mix, too! Next up is the colorful star, hoop and picotee category and, oh my, are there quite a few of those items this year.
Over on the GrowerTalks side, you’ll read all about the “memorables”—the introductions we remembered with some clarity after a week of viewing thousands of new plants. We also cover new varieties ideal for hanging baskets, award-winning varieties and foliage items—those plants that can wow a crowd without the fancy flowers. And meeting smack dab in the middle of the two-magazine coverage is the fun stuff—cool things we saw, interesting names and some shout-outs to a company and a variety celebrating anniversaries.
Plants are a major part of garden retail, but let’s not forget about those hardgoods. They can be big money-makers—if you know about the latest items to keep in stock. We’re helping you figure out what to have on the shelves for Spring 2011 with “Money-Making Must Haves,” our article about some of the latest hardgoods in a range of categories.
Our social media/Internet series continues this month with another entry from Lelah Cole. This time around Lelah suggests six tools for a better website and web marketing strategy. And who couldn’t use that information? Put into place now, your sales next spring could soar—all depending on the weather, of course.
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