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Articles by Mark Leichty
Sempervivum sp.
Sempervivums have always been one of my favorite plants. My grandmother had pots of Hens and Chicks near her back door, and I remember being fascinated with them as a young child. I guess I found it interesting that a plant could produce “baby plants” and that they would grow into new individuals when separated from the mother plant. My grammy’s “semps,” as we call them today, were quite a boring sort, being predominantly green most of the year.
Begonia solimutata
Flora Exotica The sun-changing begonia is known for its foliage, which changes colors based on the available light. Mark Leichty | August 2023 Photos by Mark Leichty My first visit to the Amazon Spheres in Seattle was a kind of horticultural awakening. I have grown a vast array of tropicals in my 35 years of experience in commercial nursery production, but to see these rarest and most beautiful of tropical plants all gathered in one spectacular collection was extraordinary.
Pucker up
Mark Leichty | January 2023 Photos by Mark Leichty I have killed a lot of plants in my lifetime. There was a time when it was a death sentence for any plant I brought into the house. I am still not great with houseplants, but I’ve learned a lot from my partner Michelle and from my 91-year-old mother, who has always had beautiful plants in the house. In the garden, I have also taken quite a few plants to “the train station.” If you are a Yellowstone fan, you will get that reference.
Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’
I have always loved the genus Calycanthus, and there are beautiful specimens in two of my favorite Pacific Northwest gardens. I look forward every year to seeing the Calycanthus begin blooming at Sebright Gardens in Salem, Oregon, and each June Michelle and I visit the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden in Shoreline, Washington, just in time to catch the blooms of two Calycanthus hybrids.
Small plants, big profits
Garden Center Magazine February 2021 Features - Plants Catch the latest wave of gardeners by honing in on the mini gardening craze. February 8, 2021 Starting left, moving clockwise: Haworthia cooperi ‘Variegata’, Haworthia ‘Royal Highness’, Echeveria chihuahensis, Mamillaria gracilis fragilis and Echeveria ‘Parva’ (Center) PHOTO COURTESY OF CLARK WEBER A few years ago, fairy gardening captured the world by storm and the demand for fantastical accessories and tiny plantscapes was in full force.
Will you bet on brands?
This is part two of a two-part series. Read the first installment at bit.ly/marketing-fees. National brands provide POP, photos, videos and other marketing resources. In part one of this two-part series, we heard from industry players who were both for and against charging for marketing programs on branded plant lines. These fees are used to offset marketing programs and resources, including consumer advertising; photography; educational resources; and point of purchase (POP) materials.
Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’
Nursery Management August 2020 Departments - Green Guide The fiery-orange bracts and red stems of this perennial spurge brighten spring, summer landscapes. August 10, 2020 Three-year-old specimen of ‘Fireglow’ in mid-June. All photos by Mark Leichty I have a love-hate relationship with genus Euphorbia. I love it because it is so diverse, having species that look very cactus-like such as Euphorbia horrida and also herbaceous forms like E.
Crimson Fans Mukdenia
Nursery Management July 2020 Features - Plant Prescriptions The phenomenal foliage of this hardy perennial deserves a prominent space in the landscape. June 30, 2020 I’ve been very excited to see the increasing popularity and use of this very exciting perennial in our gardens and landscapes. New to me only seven short years ago, Crimson Fans red-leaved Mukdenia or hand fan (Mukdenia rossii ‘Karasuba’) is an exceptional addition to the palette for our partly shaded gardens.
Native is its own brand
Adobe Stock The new wave of houseplant enthusiasts aren’t your typical garden center patrons. Always on the lookout for the new and unusual, these younger shoppers are searching for the latest trending plants to add to their collections. Often, their only growing space is indoors, and for many, it’s their first foray into the growing world. Make sure you’re growing not only enough stock for your IGC customers but providing them with a lot more than just the basics.
Stephanie Jocius
Photos courtesy of Carolina Native Nursery Horticulture has become dominated by brands. Some growers have become so enamored with them they have become “brand-a-holics.” I wonder how they choose which of the many brands they should grow and represent, then how they choose from all the plants available under that brand, then the expense of all the swag and royalties. It is certainly understandable considering how it seems everything has someone’s logo or brand on it.
Stachyurus praecox var. matsuzakii
Nursery Management June 2020 Departments - Green Guide This flowering beauty deserves to become a more mainstream item in production nurseries and garden centers. June 4, 2020 S. praecox var. matsuzakii matures to 15 feet tall. All photos by Mark Leichty I am writing this article in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic when social distancing is the practice and the norm.
Reducing runoff
Adobe Stock During the last four months, the word “coronavirus” has become a permanent part of our vernacular. While it has outstayed its unwanted welcome, the ailment has swept the normal maneuverability of society, specifically for members of the workforce. Here is how to best handle the casualties of COVID-19, according to two experts.
A monetary lifeline
Adobe Stock During the last four months, the word “coronavirus” has become a permanent part of our vernacular. While it has outstayed its unwanted welcome, the ailment has swept the normal maneuverability of society, specifically for members of the workforce. Here is how to best handle the casualties of COVID-19, according to two experts.
Managing COVID-19’s casualties
Adobe Stock During the last four months, the word “coronavirus” has become a permanent part of our vernacular. While it has outstayed its unwanted welcome, the ailment has swept the normal maneuverability of society, specifically for members of the workforce. Here is how to best handle the casualties of COVID-19, according to two experts.
Special abilities
In 1994, Tammy Simmons founded ACCESS, a nonprofit that offers therapy for children with disabilities and developmental challenges. Main Photo Courtesy Of Access; All Others Courtesy Of Donna Vincent With historically low unemployment rates and the difficulty of navigating the H-2A process, labor-pinched employers throughout the green industry are looking outside of the usual talent pools to meet job demands.
These trees toe the line
The success of the utility arboretum at UMass spawned developments at Hooksett, New Hampshire, with ongoing discussions about a utility arboretum in Connecticut. Photos provided by Michael A. Dirr and Eversource A campus tree walk in 2014 at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst — where I received my Ph.D. in 1972 — brought together arborists, horticulturists, landscape architects, nurserymen and tree lovers.
The 3 values of great sales people
The 2018 U.S. midterm elections are behind us, and the makeup of Congress changed, but AmericanHort director of government affairs Tal Coley says the organization’s goals remain the same. “I think we'll still be able to get a lot of things done, primarily because we have champions on both sides of the aisle,” he says.
The battle against rose rosette
Nursery Management February 2020 Features - Disease Control Researchers have developed a portable spectrometer capable of detecting the destructive rose disease. The tool is not quite ready for widespread adoption. February 5, 2020 One of the most important tenets of plant pathology is that the first step to effectively controlling a plant disease is identifying its cause. Otherwise, control measures could be ineffective, leading to further plant loss and wasted time and resources.
What’s my job?
ADOBE STOCK One of my favorite workplace comics is a Dilbert cartoon where Wally asks the boss, “When will my raise be effective?” The boss answers, “The same time you are.” Poor Wally. Maybe he just doesn’t understand his job duties. How can Wally be effective if he doesn’t know what is required of his job? Answer: He can’t. How can Wally get a grip on his job duties? Answer: A job description. Accurate and detailed job descriptions are a vital part of an organization’s HR infrastructure.
Dealing with disappointment
Photo courtesy of IPPS Western Region Woodburn Nursery and Azaleas in Woodburn, Ore., is one of the largest growers of floral azaleas in the U.S. I manage the Integrated Pest Management/Biological Control Program. I have been given latitude over this program that few in the industry experience. This latitude has given me a perspective that is unique and valuable to the industry. Woodburn Nursery follows a systems approach to biological control.
The other side of the ledger
Adobe Stock Every nursery incurs debt. It’s a normal part of business operations. When it comes to managing that debt, keeping it from becoming a serious financial strain on your business, the job lies directly in your own hands. Your broker isn’t going to do it, your accountant isn’t going to do it, your brother-in-law isn’t going to do it. If you don’t do it, it’s not going to get done.
Marketing maven
Often the consumer visits a garden center looking for something in particular, be it a tree, shrub, flower or vegetable. Many times, our industry can satisfy their need, but sometimes there is just that one plant that half the gardeners in the area want. The same goes for the trade. It’s the one they saw in a magazine, at a trade show or in a press release. What makes people want that plant so badly that they may go from store to store or source to source looking for it?
Herbicide performance parameters
Adobe Stock Trucking is a historically cyclical industry, one currently on the downturn. Trucking companies cut 4,200 jobs in September, representing the third straight month of declining payrolls, according to figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Cupressus vietnamensis
Adobe Stock Trucking is a historically cyclical industry, one currently on the downturn. Trucking companies cut 4,200 jobs in September, representing the third straight month of declining payrolls, according to figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Polystichum setiferum 'Plumosomultilobum group'
Strategy has been the cornerstone of Spring Grove Nursery since Becky and Jamie Thomas planted their first tree 20 years ago. The husband-and-wife team founded the nursery in Mazon, Illinois, after carefully contemplating the size and scope of their newly fledged business. They didn’t enter the nursery industry on a whim. Becky grew up on a corn and soybean farm and Jamie’s family also has roots in farming. The pair both studied horticulture in college.
Reality check
One major question continues to loom over the U.S. economy right now: How much longer will the record-long expansion last? The 2-year, 10-year Treasury yield curve – a closely followed recession indicator – inverted Aug. 14 for the first time since the Great Recession. Manufacturing in the U.S. is in contractionary territory. Meanwhile, business investment has slowed, and confidence is dimming because of geopolitical trade wars and slowing global growth.
Talent gap
Strategy has been the cornerstone of Spring Grove Nursery since Becky and Jamie Thomas planted their first tree 20 years ago. The husband-and-wife team founded the nursery in Mazon, Illinois, after carefully contemplating the size and scope of their newly fledged business. They didn’t enter the nursery industry on a whim. Becky grew up on a corn and soybean farm and Jamie’s family also has roots in farming. The pair both studied horticulture in college.
A look at labor
Graphics from Adobe Stock Your bookkeeper slowly walks into your office on a cold, rainy Monday morning and announces that YOU are suddenly having a cash flow issue. What?? But we had a record year in terms of sales, right? The bookkeeper says, “Right, but only 90% of our customers have paid their balances in full.” Now we have to chase the other 10% so we can meet our own accounts payable obligations. Sound familiar?
Get paid
Graphics from Adobe Stock Your bookkeeper slowly walks into your office on a cold, rainy Monday morning and announces that YOU are suddenly having a cash flow issue. What?? But we had a record year in terms of sales, right? The bookkeeper says, “Right, but only 90% of our customers have paid their balances in full.” Now we have to chase the other 10% so we can meet our own accounts payable obligations. Sound familiar?
Cotoneaster x suecicus
Nursery Management November 2019 Departments - Green Guide Two new cultivars from the Oregon State breeding program are resistant to fire blight. October 29, 2019 Cotoneaster Emerald Beauty has improved resistance to fire blight. Photos by Mark Leichty Everyone who’s ever been involved in horticultural production has dealt with plant pathogens that have made growing difficult or even impossible.
More than cash flow
Nursery Management November 2019 Features - 2019 State of the Industry // Business Management Understand the 10 metrics to discover your business’s value. October 29, 2019 © Visual Generation | Adobe Stock There is a mistaken idea that value for a company relies solely on its operating statement to demonstrate positive cash flow. Certainly, that is essential to show the company has value, but how to determine the multiple of that cash flow is where value is developed.
Keep your accounts receivable healthy
Adobe Stock The first, and perhaps most important, step in maintaining healthy accounts receivable is an unyielding policy against any delay in sending out invoices. Every day that you fail to process and mail an invoice is a day that someone else has the use of your money.
Lonicera nitida ‘Twiggy’
1) Dirr may not have found a selection with a true pink flower, but many provided lovely red-purple fall color. 2) A true pink from ‘Fujino Pink’ parentage never emerged, but this selection has lipstick-red buds that open to pink-white flowers that cloak the stems. 3) This seedling with ‘Ogon’ parentage is growing in the Dirr garden. After four years, it’s remained compact at 3 by 3 feet. 4) Dirr and his breeding partners, Mark Griffith and Jeff Beasley, were trying to improve S. thunbergii ‘Ogon’.
Steeped in history
Jelena DeBelder shares plants and knowledge with Tim at her family estate near Antwerp, Belgium. Photos courtesy of Tim Wood The year 1823 was significant in the annals of horticulture. Victor Lemoine was born in Delme, France, and a young, adventurous German physician set foot on the man-made island of Dejima, a trading post for the Dutch East India Company off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan. These two events would help usher in a Golden Age of plant breeding.
Lonicera crassifolia
Jelena DeBelder shares plants and knowledge with Tim at her family estate near Antwerp, Belgium. Photos courtesy of Tim Wood The year 1823 was significant in the annals of horticulture. Victor Lemoine was born in Delme, France, and a young, adventurous German physician set foot on the man-made island of Dejima, a trading post for the Dutch East India Company off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan. These two events would help usher in a Golden Age of plant breeding.
It’s not ‘The Landscape of Eden’
Photo courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden Lavenders have long been cultivated for their broad herbal and medicinal uses and are enduringly popular as ornamentals in gardens and landscapes around the world. Famously, bountiful fields of lavender grown for its fragrant oil are the essence of France’s Provence region. Lavender derives from lavare, Latin for “to bathe or wash”, because the ancient Romans steeped bundles of this aromatic herb in bathing water.
Clearwing Borers
Photos by Shelby Jackson No one writes poems and verses about landscapes. It’s a “garden” that incites poetry and dreams; where we want to hang out, muse, or just relax. What separates the use of the term garden from landscape? What’s the difference between hiring a landscape firm, a landscape architect, or a gardener if you wanted someone to design and plant your backyard? What differentiates a garden from a landscape? Do you want a gardener taking care of your plants or a landscaper?
Phlomis spp.
Acer saccharum ‘Hiawatha 1’ Oregon Trail® This maple is a prairie-tough Kansas native, selected from local populations of sugar maples growing along the Oregon Trail in northeastern Kansas.
Scout out a strategy
All graphics from Adobe Stock Be prepared. It’s simple, it’s straightforward, it’s good advice. The Boy Scouts adopted “Be prepared” as its motto more than a century ago.
Google overhaul
Adobe Stock Have you ever experienced discomfort about a person, opportunity or decision? Did you listen to your gut? Or, like many who rely on quantifiable facts and what you can see, touch, taste, feel or hear, did you override your uneasiness with logic? How did it work out?
Cardamine trifolia
Adobe Stock Plant pest and quarantine regulations present a constant challenge for the horticulture supply chain. And when things go wrong, it means headaches, liability and financial losses that can be devastating, not to mention a black mark on your company’s good name. By offering a way for retailers, growers, regulatory agencies and end consumers to avoid those problems, Plant Sentry is poised to change the way plant products are shipped.
Blechnum penna-marina
Consider the five dimensions of value when pricing your plants. For example, succulents carry “social value,” or, if people who are socially important to your customers have succulents in their homes, they will also want to have succulents to feel “cool” and included. Adobe Stock I don’t get fan mail, but I did receive an interesting email from an independent grower not that long ago. He wrote, “Now that the busy season is almost over, we are delving deeply into planning for next year.
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