Industry News

Connecticut nurseries to phase out 25 barberry cultivars
Connecticut’s nursery and landscape industry will voluntarily start phasing out the sale and production of 25 Japanese barberry cultivars over the next three years because of their invasive potential (July 1, 2010-June 30, 2013). Some of the varieties to be phased out include Tara, Sparkle and Red Rocket.

The barberry plant (Berberis thunbergii) is one of the top 25 most popular landscape plants in the state. The Connecticut Nursery & Landscape Association (CNLA) estimates the combined value of these cultivars — wholesale and retail — exceeds $7 million annually.

The decision will leave in sale and production at least another 18 versions of the plant considered much less invasive such as Gold Nugget, Crimson Pygmy and Sunsation. Those cultivars are in the bottom 10 percent of seed and fruit production of all barberry varieties currently being sold in the state.

It took seven years of research, which is still ongoing, at the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture to lay out for Connecticut’s nursery growers just how “invasive” the different cultivars of barberry really are. Mark Brand and his team at UConn have spearheaded this research.

Of the 50 states, Connecticut has banned the most invasive plants -- 80 in total. Connecticut’s green industry has always favored public education and self-regulation over government bans.

For a complete list of plants, click here.

People are spending more time and less money on lawn and garden activities
The National Gardening Association recently conducted a survey showing that about one out of five households nationwide spent more time caring for their lawns and gardens last year and 16 percent less money in total than in previous years.

The survey goes on to indicate that, while most of the 83 million households that participated in do-it-yourself lawn and garden activities last year spent about the same amount of time on their lawns and gardens, 22 percent spent more time food gardening, 19 percent spent more time flower gardening, 19 percent spent more time container gardening, 14 percent spent more time on lawn care, and 13 percent spent more time on yard and landscape maintenance. Only about 1 out of 10 households spent less time on lawn and garden activities last year.

According to NGA’s 2010 National Gardening Survey, household participation in all types of do-it-yourself lawn and garden activities increased by 2 million households last year, to 83 million households from 81 million households the previous year. The average annual amount spent per household on all lawn and garden activities decreased by $81 from $444 to $363. And the total amount spent on all lawn and garden activities decreased by 16 percent to $30.121 billion last year from $36.060 billion the previous year.

“While the amount consumers spent on their lawns and gardens was down a little, it did not approach the level of the decline seen in their discretionary spending, which is good news,” said Bruce Butterfield, NGA Research Director. 
 
For more: www.gardenresearch.com