

"The Qeranium Specialists" 



Wholesale Grotvers 



2 1/2" Geraniums (year round) 



4" Pre-finished Geraniums 



2 1/2" Ivy Geraniums & Fuchsia 



Martha Washington Geraniums 



Spring Hanging Baskets, Lilies/Bulbs 



Azaleas, Cyclamen, Poinsettias, Foliage 



JOHN B. CARPENTER, President 

 ROBERT J. CARPENTER, Genera) Manager 



603/659-3391 



220 SOUTH MAIN STREET 



NEWMARKET, NH 03857 



Newton Greenhouse 



32 Amesbun' Road, Newton, NH 03858 

 603-382-5289 



Quality Plants 

 green and flowering 



from 3" to 10" pots 



Holiday, bedding plants, & dish gardens 



year round cut snaps, 



cut tulips and iris in season, 



gloxinias and African violets 



Licensed propagator 

 of MikJielsen New Guinea Impatiens 



The Green Spot 



-fH^ 



UNLIKE MOST CHEMICAL PESTICIDES, THE VAST MA)OR- 

 ity of biological controls are extremely perishable. And to 

 the distributors of these organisms, this perishability pre- 

 sents a unique challenge: to ensure that a viable product is 

 delivered to the grower, special packaging, protective de- 

 vices, and expeditious transport is the norm. 



As the end user of these living organisms, the grower is 

 given some unusual challenges as well — above and beyond 

 the normal checking of the expiration date and making sure 

 the bottle didn't leak. Growers want to be certain their bio- 

 logical control agents are alive and ready to work. Unfortu- 

 nately, the health of a good portion of these "good bugs' is 

 difficult to determine — many are hard to see. 



This leaves four choices: learn how to perform product 

 tests yourself (very impractical for most organisms); send 

 samples to a testing facility; wait for the end results of their 

 use (the worst of all choices); or take it on faith the bugs 

 are okay. 



Needless to say (but I'm saying it anyway), most of us will 

 opt for the last choice. However, those of you who "take it 

 on faith" should take time to investigate the company you're 

 going to be dealing with. Ask them the following questions: 



1. Do they offer a live delivery guarantee? (If not, shop else- 

 where.) 



2. How do they package and ship? Pony Express or over- 

 night? 



3. What's their turn-around? If they'll ship Friday for a Mon- 

 day delivery or if they have it in stock (if they are not the 

 producer and are referring to something other than lady- 

 bugs or nematodes), watch out — old bugs are normally no 

 good. 



4. Will they disclose some product tests you can do yourself? 

 Ask about an easy-to-perform nematode test. The supplier 

 should be more than willing to give you the details. 



Most companies in the "bug-biz " are not going to lead you 

 down a primrose path — they have their reputations to pro- 

 tect and certainly want your future business. And it never 

 hurts to be a smart shopper. 



Mike Ckerim is at The Green Spot, Ltd . in Barrington. the phone 

 number there is 603-942-8Q2'3. 



iHemers (Sarhrn Cctttcr 3)nc. 



656 South Mammoth Road (Rte. 28A) 



Manchester, NH 03109-5049 

 (603) 625-8298 • Fax (603) 622-4073 



Nursery • Greenhouses 

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