EWHERE IN THE 



New Product — the Tree 

 Saver: a "Revolution in 

 Tree Staking." 



Lawson & Lawson, Martinsville, Indi- 

 ana, has patented and tested a tree 

 stake kit that "is not only user- 

 friendly, but tree-friendly as well;" 

 John ). Wiley, Jr., an arborist in Col- 

 chester, Vermont, calls it "the most 

 technically advanced system for an- 

 choring trees available." 



The Tree Saver uses solid rub- 

 ber supports instead of wires, plas- 

 tic cords, or cables. Each support 

 is placed around the tree, using a 

 loop for attaching it to the trunk. 

 Once they're attached, a hook is 

 put on each support for connecting 

 it to the ground stake. 



The stake is a simple — but clever — 

 design. Shaped like an inverted "1," it 

 slips into a large red two-hole washer 

 (called a "high impact stabilizing disc") 

 before going into the ground. Once 

 you have driven the stake into the 

 ground, a loop is left just above the 

 disc. The support hooks onto this 

 loop. Then you adjust the support to 

 get the right tension. 



The Tree Saver uses a different 

 anchoring principle — it allows the 

 tree to move and the energy from 

 the motion to be absorbed by the 

 supports — "sort of like putting 

 shock absorbers on a tree." 



Advantages include ease of in- 

 stallation (Steve Browley, a Florida 

 landscape contractor comments, 

 "We staked 100 trees on a hot day. 

 It took five minutes at first, but be- 

 fore we finished, we were staking a 

 tree in four minutes or less"), neat 

 appearance, and the fact that rub- 

 ber is easy on the bark (the pli- 

 able rubber expands as the caliper 

 increases); and then there is the 

 "mow-over feature" — the supports 

 unhook and one can mow right 

 over the concealed stakes. And the 

 Tree Saver is reusable. 



Available in three different pack- 

 ages — retail, professional, and bulk, 

 the Tree Saver seems like a great 

 way to stake a tree. 



For more, contact Wally Thrall at 

 New England Nursery Sales, PO Box 



WITH THE COMING OF SPRING CROPS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO 

 remember that different plants react differently to water and fertilizers. 

 Spring brings a whole array of new plants in the greenhouse and there 

 are subtle differences in how to grow them. We try to find a common 

 denominator that satisfies most, but inevitably, some get left out. 



First, be sure to have a water test taken — one that's broad enough to 

 give readings for pH, alkalinity, and most available minor elements. 

 Most New England water has a low pH (unless it's town water, which is 

 apt to be treated with lime in order to raise pH). Most plants perform 

 well under lower pH — but marigolds and geraniums do not. Under low 

 pH, iron and manganese become too available and become toxic to 

 these two plants; the symptoms are similar to damage caused by spider 

 mites. The solution — raise the pH, either with 15-0-15, calcium nitrate, 

 or even Excel 1 5-5-1 5. 



Vinca vine is the opposite. It's happier with lower pH and responds 

 positively to higher levels of iron and manganese. Excel 21-5-20 is the 

 best solution here. 



Geraniums will take a weekly feed program of 200 ppm. But — fuch- 

 sia and New Guinea impatiens should be fed very little or not at all un- 

 til well-established in their containers. Too much fertilizer or even too 

 low a temperature can stunt the plant or cause disease. 



When you have some plants that need more feed and some that 

 need less and a single-head injector with which you feed and water, 

 Osmocote may help you solve this dilemma. Either top dress or incorpo- 

 rate it into the soil of those plants that can use extra feed and con- 

 tinue on with your normal program. Obvious problems and solutions 

 are often overlooked in the spring rush. 



]im Zablocki, Territory Manager, The Scotls Company. Northeast, can be reached 

 at 603-224-5583. 



64, Mclndoe Falls, Vermont 05050. 

 The telephone there is 802-633-2232; 

 the fax: 802-633-2349. 



HRI Awards 



The Horticultural Research Institute 

 (HRI) will grant awards totalling 

 over $200,000 to fund 1995 nursery 

 and landscape industry research. 

 Topics include: container produc- 

 tion; genetic engineering; Integrated 

 Pest Management; marketing; propa- 

 gation; stress tolerance; and water 

 and fertilizer management. 



Founded in 1962 as the research 

 division of the American Associa- 

 tion of Nurserymen (AAN), HRI "pro- 

 motes, directs, funds, and communi- 

 cates nursery research." HRI's Endow- 



ment Fund Foundation was estab- 

 lished in 1975 to allow individuals, 

 firms and green industry associations 

 to make tax-deductible contributions. 



HRI 1995 award winners include 

 two from New England: Bruce 

 Parker and Michael Brownbridge, 

 University of Vermont, received 

 $5,000 to study "Management of 

 Thrips and Whiteflies with Insect- 

 Killing Fungi Greenhouse Spray Tri- 

 als;" and Dr. Ronald Kujawski and 

 Karen Iodine, University of Massa- 

 chusetts Cooperative Extension, re- 

 ceived $3,500 to study "Using Cryo- 

 lite for Control of Black Vine Wee- 

 vil in Field Nurseries." 



For information, contact HRI at 

 1250 I Street, NW, Suite 500, Wash- 

 ington, DC, or call 202-789-2900. 



February & March 1 995 



