Why do poinsettias turn red? Our clients see us as plant experts who know everything - they lay in wait for our visit to ask us a pressing question about a plant in their home garden. As customer service agents for our companies and for the horticulture industry, we are frequently called upon to [...]
Those colorful leaves are called bracts Indeed the bright cheery image of poinsettias has become an integral part of the holiday season for most Americans. Native to Mexico, Euphorbia pulcherrima, commonly called poinsettia, is a succulent and needs plenty of strong light to flourish. In production, 6000 foot-candles are needed to grow a strong plant. [...]
Don't be stressed before the holidays, plan ahead and get organized! The key to surviving the holidays is good planning. Before all the decorations go up and the poinsettias go in, take a look around and assess what work needs to be done on your accounts. Are there replacements that need to be made? [...]
It's important to know what your clients need just like you do your plants Good interiorscape service requires us to pay close attention to the customers in each account. We may love to know about the physiology of the plants (and indeed that will help us do our job better) or what kind of [...]
Clothing and Gear Lift tall plants like Podocarpus very carefully to avoid injury Wear appropriate clothing and footwear with non-skid soles. Never wear open toed shoes. Use recommended protective gear for the job---goggles when pruning plants with jagged or pointed leaves, gloves for handling plants with spines, a scabbard for pruners and scissors and [...]
Poinsettias are a sure sign that the holiday season is here! Are you ready for the busy holiday season that’s just around the corner? Once Thanksgiving arrives there is usually NO time for any “extras” so better get the projects done and out of the way now! Review the following guidelines to stay on track [...]
After treating your Majesty palm, it's important to dispose of pesticides safely That darn Ficus just wouldn’t let you keep the mealy under control with hand squishing. Every week it has shed leaves and now it has stopped drinking its water. After two months, you are so tired of battling the ever growing numbers [...]
Assess your interior plants for the 3Ms - mold, mildew and mushrooms As our days become cooler and damper, we are likely to begin to see more evidence of molds, mildews and mushrooms growing on our plants. I call these, The Three M’s of Autumn. The three M’s occur when conditions are cool and [...]
Dracaena arborea Dragon Tree, Arborea, Dragon’s Blood Tree…whatever name you call it, this is a magnificent plant. With a crown of long, tender leaves and a short stem, and coral roots, it’s not a real tree but a giant lily. All Dracaenas are woody members of the Lily family mostly from Africa and the [...]
Continuous training is important for interior plant technicians The importance of an ongoing training program can never be minimized for interior plant technicians. Expert training identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each individual and works to develop positive techniques. But who has time to train? Does it feel like you are running from account [...]
