Page 10 - Griffin Gazette Issue 3 - 2021

TAG IT!
Successful gardening has always been a bit of
trial and error. Learning on the go can have a
direct impact on anyone’s wallet. The more you
know about planting conditions for perennials, the
better (and least costly) it is for long lasting value.
Breeders and grower community alike have made
vast improvements with complimentary information
tags for plants, especially perennials. These “must-
have” silent salesmen are important directions for
planting care, plant dimensions, and exposure
requirements. Trendy retailers spend extra time and
capital creating table or nursery signage to help
their shoppers.

DISPLAY IT!
EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE
Perennial sales are dominated by quart size to 1 AND NUMBERS
gallon size potted plants. Traditionally, the quart pots Independent garden centers hold one key advantage
are displayed in trays on tables while the gallon size over box store selections, variety. Having a diverse
and larger are staged on the ground or stepped up assortment of perennial plants not only promotes
on tiered benching. The challenge today is keeping initial sales, but it also draws the consumer to
these perennials in tip top condition for retail sales, return because of your variety offerings. With social
especially when they are in bloom. Fresh is the name media touting the joy of exciting perennials, it also
of the game for explosive plant sales. Retailers are multiplies the consumer reach by region. Some of
making capital improvements to ensure moisture the best advertising of independent garden centers
(and fertilization) by installing ebb and flow flood comes with no expense from tags on Facebook,
tables in their greenhouses and nursery yard. Cost Twitter, and Instagram.
effective when compared to manual hand watering,
it conserves water use and offers the opportunity to Without question, knowledge plays an important
utilize fertilization from the bottom up without risk of part in making good perennial recommendations
any foliage burn from plants under duress. Portable to your customers. One of the highest book
Dosatrons are easily moved from bench to bench recommendations I can offer, is the 4th edition of
and fill tables with the correct ratio of fertilizer to Herbaceous Perennial Plants by Dr. Alan Armitage.
gallons of water. Any gardener can benefit from this fantastic book
from one of the most recognized authorities about
the subject of perennials. Dr. Armitage writes his
book with passionate observations and humor
unlike any gardening book on the market. It is the
“reference book” for perennials throughout the world.

We hope you have enjoyed John’s articles.
After more than a decade with Griffin, John
has retired and will be enjoying the next
chapter of his life. We thank John for his
contribution to the Gazette and to Griffin.
It’s time to follow dreams long set aside and
enjoy the rewards of work done well.

10 | GRIFFIN GAZETTE 2021