Sunbelt prepares for fall crops

While the weather in South Georgia is brutally hot and most people are thinking about how to stay cool, our mums are as happy as can be out in the field! After successful testing last fall, Sunbelt installed new drip tape lines. 

9" mums with drip tape watering

8" mums with drip tape watering

Within a few weeks we will begin sewing the first pansy and viola seeds – slowly but surely we are getting ready for fall crops.  Fall pricing will be distributed the week of July 16.  And, by the way, our poinsettia cuttings look very good.

We will visit Michigan next week to attend our annual sales meeting at the Wenke facility, where this year’s spring data will be reviewed for planning our 2013 spring program. Your survey input was very helpful and we thank everyone who took the time to respond.

Roland will be out of the country from July 18-August 13 but can be reached via e-mail. Beverly will be out of the office until July 16, and Bonnie will return August 15.

Sunbelt hosts IGCs in Athens

Independent Garden Center owners and managers from five states gathered on June 19, 2012, to participate in Marketing and Preparing for Success in the IGC Shopping Environment, a one-day seminar hosted by Sunbelt Greenhouses.

Featured speaker Judy Sharpton of Growing Places Marketing energetically offered her ideas on the topics of Store Development and Inventory Control. Other information was presented by Dr. Robert Hartman of Classic Caladiums and Janet Curry of Daniels Plant Food.

One highlight of the event was a peer-to-peer panel discussion with industry leaders (shown, l to r) Greg Burghardt of Rockaway Garden Center, Jacksonville Beach, FL; Jim Webster of The Barn Nursery, Chattanooga, TN; Christopher Davis of Ace Hardware of Gray, GA; Allen Walcher of Country Boys Garden Center, Taylors, SC; and Dana Pike-Van Vlake of Family Tree Garden Center, Snellville, GA.

Special thanks go to Ball Horticulture and Daniels Plant Food for sponsoring the Dosatron Giveaway, and congratulations to winner Nikki Weed (St. Pleasantburg Nursery, Greenville, SC).

Regional sales manager Roland Boot and the staff at Sunbelt Greenhouses would like to thank all who attended the seminar in Athens.

On June 20, Sunbelt staff visited the beautiful Trial Gardens at UGA in Athens, Georgia, managed by Dr. Allan Armitage. View more at our photo gallery website here.