Giant steps

Shiny green foliage, tapered conical shape, the ideal privacy hedge. That’s right, this month we’re going long on Thuja.

For our cover story, Michael Dirr takes a deep dive into the world of arborvitae. Of course, if you’re going to talk arbs you have to start with ‘Green Giant’. There’s no other plant in the landscape that looms quite as large. But as you’ll find out in our cover story, there’s much more to Thuja than that legendary plant. Check out Dr. Dirr’s evaluations and opinions. 

Neville Stein is back with his second Across the Pond column. This month, Neville shares how British growers are handling the U.K.’s ban on the horticultural use of peat. Western Europe’s phase-out of peat is a topic American container plant producers have watched with interest and no small amount of trepidation. Last summer, we published an article called “In defense of peat” by James Altland, that aimed to use science to weigh the pros and cons of continuing to use peat as a growing media substrate. Read Neville’s take on peat here.

With proposed tariffs and shake-ups around trade agreements with our closest trading allies, the logistics industry is entering an era of uncertainty when it comes to moving goods around the globe. Growers are not immune. While most finished plants are sold and shipped domestically, many inputs and supplies are sourced elsewhere. Greenhouse Management editor Patrick A. Coleman interviewed Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals CEO Mark Baxa about the potential impact of tariffs, shipping delays and more. Read his thoughts on how the green industry can stay nimble and contain costs.

Lastly, the Nursery Management editorial and sales staff attended MANTS in full force this year. I always enjoy catching up with the industry pals I’ve made over the years, and folks are usually in high spirits at MANTS. It’s the beginning of a new year, and most everyone is feeling fresh and energized. MANTS is such a large show, and we do our best to see as much of it as we can. One of the highlights for me was getting to hear Will Radler tell the story of how he came to breed the original Knock Out rose. Read our official show recap.

As always, thanks for reading.