Crazy About Conifers

curt kipp curt

Crazy about conifers

It’s hard to beat the versatility and year- round interest dwarf selections offer

BREPO™ Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra ‘Pierrick Bregeon’), an alternative to Pinus mugo var. able, environmentally balanced, beauti- pumilio, grows as a tight, compact mound that reaches 3 by 5 feet quickly. It was introduced by ful spaces where people connect with Jeddeloh Farms and is grown by J Farms. nature, and she finds dwarf conifers to be essential additions. “I work from the winter structure out,” Leech said. Lots of others share her passion for dwarf conifers. By Elizabeth Petersen Dave Leckey, owner of Oregon Designer Kathryn Leech, APLD, Small Trees in Newberg, Ore., special- describes herself as “a nut about izes in growing select slow-growing dwarf conifers.” It is easy to see why. conifers. He plays a waiting game with Dwarf conifers offer a huge variety of these plants. Even though they take a color, texture and form, and they take long time to reach landscape size, they Russell's Nursery in Aurora, care of themselves. are so cool as to be worth the wait. Ore. has rolled out its new Small Wonders branding “You don’t have to do anything,” “Dwarf conifers are ideal for any- program, promoting dwarf she said. “They grow slowly, look good place with size issues,” Leckey said. conifers. Each tag bears a all the time, are well-behaved, and mix “They contribute looks and stature to "born on" date, educating customers about the time well with other plants. They can melt small urban yards, roof deck gardens, it takes to produce these away into the background, or they can containers and courtyards.” masterpieces. be stars of the show.”

Owner of River City Gardens in ▲ Portland, Ore., Leech creates sustain- 24

MAY 2012 ▲ DIGGER 23 ▲ Crazy about conifers carol gillette Conifer mania Leckey buys in grafted, high-interest conifers that are not typically available in garden centers and grows them without candle pruning. This assures customers that the plants they get from him will continue to grow at the same rate in their gardens with little maintenance or fussing. Conifers are pretty easy care, Leckey said. “It is important to pick the right cultivar to grow slowly enough, though,” he added. For Leckey, the ideal selection will reach roughly 3–5 feet in about 10 years without much trimming or shaping. Conifers typically use little water, and Leckey wants to make sure that every plant he grows gets exactly the LBD Landscaping offers its customers yet another twist on dwarf conifers — native dug trees from the amount of water it needs. To that end, forest.OAN DIGGER All -are Sun dugGro Service by permit, Unsurpassed held HHDPS.pdf for a year 3/6/2012 and then 2:05:50 planted PM in customers' landscapes. he grows dwarf conifers in contain-

CMY

K ers up to #10 on sandbeds. These are said. “Working at the conifer garden is shallow ponds in which plants stand so much fun and there is so much to Conifer size definitions from atop constantly wet sand. Plants wick learn from the pros.” American Conifer Society up water through holes in their pots. The garden continues to improve Miniature: grows less than one inch On average, Leckey said, a 4-foot and to inspire visitors in large part a year; reaches less than one foot in conifer uses about one quart of water due to the efforts of Wilson, the OAN, 10-15 years. per day in the driest months, August Oregon and Washington growers, and Dwarf: grows one to six inches a and September. members of the American Conifer year; reaches 1–6 feet in 10-15 years. Leckey is excited about miniature Society (ACS). conifers, too, “partly a function of “We have been able to successfully Intermediate: grows six to twelve age,” he said. beg for plants,” quipped Wilson, whose inches a year; reaches 6–15 feet in Doug Wilson is another conifer work at the garden dates to 1999. One 10-15 years. maniac. Wilson shares his zeal for of the key design features of using Large: grows more than twelve the look and character of the diverse conifers effectively, Wilson said, is to inches a year; reaches from 15 to group of smaller conifers by volunteer- mix up the colors and shapes of the hundreds of feet in 10-15 years. ing at The Oregon Garden in Silverton, plants, so adjacent plants are distinctly Ore. Wilson contributes between 700 different from one another. and 800 hours a year at the showcase conifer garden, where he cares for and Challenges of time and size champions the display. The downside of producing trees OAN DIGGER - Sun Gro Service Unsurpassed HHDPS.pdf 3/6/2012 2:05:50 PM

“I don’t have a life otherwise,” he ▲ 26

CMY

K Picks ▲ Crazy about conifers It isn’t hard to get growers to talk about plants. The tough part is getting them to narrow down their list from the of favorites to just a handful. Here are some of the kipp curt Pros varieties our sources recommended:

Jenni Burkhead 'Aureospicata' J Farms LLC Oriental spruce Amity, Ore (Picea orientalis ‘Aureospicata’) Paul’s Select — This spruce Norway Spruce has short, dark, (Picea abies lustrous needles. ‘Paul’s Select’) New growth comes — Maybe the only out butter yellow. blue Norway in the The cones are trade! Its intense magenta-colored. blue-green holds It’s very showy in the spring, and quite tidy the blue color year around. ‘Aureospcata’ will grow to be all year. Densely a medium sized tree, reaching 6–8 feet in a pyramidal, reaching dozen years. mature height of 10–12 feet in 10 years with only a 6-foot skirt Steve Mydelski Pinus thunbergii 'Thunderhead', on display at The width. The refined needles and compact form Oregon Garden in Silverton, Ore., has a compact Russell’s Nursery make this majestic specimen fit any smaller growth habit and dramatic candles. Considered by Aurora, Ore. urban lot. Norways are tolerant of adverse and some a dwarf, its growth rate is slow to moderate. dry conditions. Zone 3. Green Globe Alpine Fir (Abies Wiethorst Hybrid lasiocarpa ‘Green Pine (Pinus Globe’) — Who that grow slowly is how long they take × schwerinii doesn't want a ‘Wiethorst’) — to mature to landscape size. Time adds perfect green globe This touchable, costs, and some plants are simply too of soft foliage? dense conical pine ‘Green Globe’ is a slow to be commercially viable. exhibits the best great plant in the “I sell time,” Leckey said. Customers features of its P. garden because wallichiana and P. need to understand that time provides of its small stature strobus parents — size, impact and some assurance that and uniform shape. long, soft needles In small garden spaces, it can be used as a plants will not outgrow their quarters. and huge, long focal point. In larger gardens, it can be used “Specialty dwarf conifers are a cones at an early age. It takes 10 years for a as an accent plant or planted in group as a 4-foot height; at that point, it is less than 3 feet niche market for landscape architects focal point. wide. More of an attractive shrub at an early designing commercial properties, land- age, the tree will become conical but never Gunter Serbian scape designers working on residential large. It can be planted near foundations and Spruce (Picea properties and knowledgeable do-it- entryways, or placed in a prime location in a omorika ‘Gunter’) small garden bed. Plant it where you can enjoy — Serbian spruces yourselfers,” Leckey said. the soft texture and view the heavy coning. A are a great, and Simply defining “dwarf conifer” can Zone 3 pine suitable for any rugged climate, yet underused, plant. be a problem. very soft appearing. Many of the dwarf “The consumer definition of a varieties are even David Leckey less represented, dwarf is different than the horticultural Oregon Small Trees Nursery including Gunter. definition,” said Steve Mydelski, direc- Wilsonville, Ore. A true dwarf tor of sales and marketing for Russell’s conifer with less than three inches of growth 'Hedergott' a year, Gunter can find a home in nearly every Nursery in Aurora, Ore. Veitch's fir garden. Like all Serbian spruces, Gunter has Although the ACS defines growth (Abies veitchii bicolored needles, but the contrast of color rates and ultimate sizes for miniature, ‘Hedergott’) and texture is even more pronounced in this dwarf, medium and large conifers (see — This unusual dwarf compact form. miniature with a sidebar on Page 25), helping consum- mounding habit ers understand “dwarf” is tough for a grows 2–3 inches number of reasons. For one, some trees per year. It has bright green have a slower growth rate in youth and foliage, with then kick into a higher gear as adults. needles that show white on the underside (like Picea abies ‘Aurea Jacobsen’ is one a Korean Fir). It does best in moist, not wet, such conifer, Mydelski said. For the first soil with protection from the afternoon sun. It is a great rock garden or container plant. few years, it grows slowly. A dwarf,

28 ▲

26 MAY 2012 ▲ DIGGER Your Grower Supplier Specialist!

Increase quality, productivity and consistency with T&R’s line of grower supplies! Automated material handling equipment

Plug Poppers & dibble systems

WATER POWERED DOSING TECHNOLOGY Fertilizer injectors

Growing media and peat moss Let our knowledgeable staff help you find just the right solution for your growing needs. Count on T&R for quality products, timely deliveries and expert assistance. Call our grower supplier specialist Alan White at 503-758-8535 E-mail: [email protected] Northwest Facility – Toll Free: 888-981-1727 www.trlcompany.com 2830 Progress Way, Woodburn, Oregon 97071

OVS MCMINNVILLE OVS AURORA 2700 ST. JOSEPH RD. 19658 HWY. 99 E. MCMINNVILLE, OR HUBBARD, OR (503) 435-2700 (971) 216-0111 www.ovs.com 800-653-2216 † B2320 STORE HOURS: Mon–Fri: 7am–5pm • Sat: 8am–Noon • 23 HP, 3-Cylinder Kubota Diesel Engine • Category I, 3-Point Hitch • Flat Deck and Slanted Hood • Performance-Matched Implements Available $0 DOWN, 0% A.P.R. FINANCING

FOR UP TO 60* MONTHS ON 100% Employee SELECT NEW KUBOTAS! Owned and Operated! * $0 down, 0% A.P.R. financing for terms up to 60 months on purchases of select new Kubota equipment from available inventory at participating dealers through 6/30/2012. Example: A 60-month monthly installment repayment term at 0% A.P.R. requires 60 payments of $16.67 per $1,000 borrowed. 0% A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer documentation preparation fee is charged. Dealer charge for document preparation fee shall be in accordance with state laws. Only Kubota and select Kubota performance-matched Land Pride and equipment is eligible. Inclusion of ineligible equipment may result in a higher blended A.P.R. Not available for Rental, National Accounts or Governmental customers. 0% A.P.R. and low rate financing may not be available with customer instant rebate (C.I.R.) offers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., 3401 Del Amo Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503; subject to credit approval. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 6/30/2012. See us for details on these and other low-rate options or go to www.kubota.com for more information. B2920 shown as example only. K707-21-101917-3

K707-21-101917-3.indd 1 MAY 20123/28/12 ▲ DIGGER3:59 PM 27 ▲ Crazy about conifers curt kipp curt rounded upright plant, it only gets 3–4 feet tall in 10 years. After that, though, the tree will put up a leader and start growing 12 inches a year to an ultimate height of about 20 feet, more than the usual definition of a dwarf conifer. Climate conditions affect growth rates too, and it is a challenge to help consumers understand how those vari- ables affect a plant’s growth. A conifer grown in the temperate Willamette Valley of Oregon, for instance, will grow very differently from a conifer grown in, say, the upper Midwest where bitter winters challenge the toughest plants. “Growers have to be careful,” Mydelski said. Otherwise, consumers will push back if plants don’t perform as they expect. Pusch Norway Spruce (Picea abies 'Pusch') is nicknamed the "flowering spruce" because of its colorful cones and new growth.

Ad-Sustainability Project_FINAL.indd 1 3/20/2012 1:37:43 PM 28 MAY 2012 ▲ DIGGER Marketing Small Wonders To tackle the uncertainty of growth rates and give dwarf conifers a more user-friendly image, Russell’s Nursery is promoting a Small Wonders program designed to emphasize that small plants are fun and friendly. The program should appeal to knowledgeable customers who appreciate unique specialty plants as opposed to generic, utility plants. Seven Small Wonders fairies give consumers information by introduc- ing and representing specific groups of plants, including sun, shade, green, blue and miniature. Tags show the fairies, each with a unique personality, offering advice in a friendly voice. Each tag also announces the plant’s “birthdate,” the day it was propagated at the nursery. This is to help customers appreciate the actual age of the plant. Russell’s Nursery also tries to share knowledge and advice with retailers. “Retailers can emphasize the cool factor of specialty dwarf conifers by presenting ADVERTISING DEADLINE MAY 18 them artistically,” Mydelski said. “Separate AD MATERIAL DUE: JUNE 1 them from the mix and give them their own spotlight. Rather than lining them up in rows, present them in a boutique setting with other interesting products so customers can imagine ways the plants can be used.” Communication between grower and retailer is essential for both, Mydelski pointed out. Growers needs to get a feel for what happens on the retail floor, what is trending well and what customers are responding to, and retailers need help with marketing, signage and understand- ing price points. “It is dangerous for a grower not to know what is going on at retail in terms FARWEST of propagation decisions, grafting, har- vesting and growth rate,” Mydelshi said. EDITION The cycle to get a new plant going is long — at least 7–8 years — so the more Official publication of the Farwest Show Reach motivated buyers before, during and after the show information between grower and retailer, with 12,000 copies of the magazine distributed in August the better. to Farwest Show attendees and Digger subscribers. Specialists in grafting J Farms, a small grafting company Contact Chris Sweet [email protected] • 800.342.6401 • 503.582.2012 • www.oan.org 30 ▲

MAY 2012 ▲ DIGGER 29 ▲ Crazy about conifers

in Amity, Ore., functions as “an addi- tional arm for wholesale growers,” annually producing 50,000-60,000 grafted conifer liners for wholesale customers, co-owner Jenni Burkhead said. She and partner Jim Lewis graft and grow conifers that are hard to find or new to the market. They specialize in plants that are “production worthy, Premier Supplier of Nursery Products outside the realm of bread and butter plants,” Burkhead said. • Shipping Materials - Stickers, shelves and pallets made to your specs, pallet repair boards, “Although we search out the shipping gates, tilt sticks, used pallets unusual, it is important that our custom- • Packing Supplies ers choose varieties that work profitably - Shrink wrap, banding in their production,” she said. “We sup- • Planting Stakes port our customers with information on - Multiple sizes available the plants that we produce.” • Treated Lumber - Multiple sizes available Ideally, J Farms wants plants to look good and have good marketability in smaller sizes. Customers need an 503-434-5525 idea of how it’s going to look in their 1726 SW Highway 18, McMinnville, OR 97218 • www.dstakemill.com 6152 yard. “We can’t expect people to have the vision of what a plant will become at maturity,” Burkhead said. If growers can finish a 6-foot B&B conifer in four years, it can be grown profitably on a production scale. Such trees will be practical, functional, beau- tiful landscape conifers that will have appeal beyond the collector market. Pinus sylvestris ‘Green Penguin’ is ROOTING COMPOUND a plant with strong market potential. Soluble Concentrate Lewis found the plant in a seedling block, and it was introduced to the market two years ago. “It is starting to Continued excellence from our family owned company for over 30 years get noticed,” Burkhead said. ‘Green Penguin’ has sales appeal as early as #1 size. The tough, dense WOOD’S ROOTING COMPOUND 3 SIZES! Our unique formula uses only the highest quality conifer is hardier (USDA Zone 3) than ingredients which results in instant absorption of Picea glauca ‘Conica’, for which it both IBA & NAA to your cuttings. makes a good substitute. Plants are rounded in youth but slowly, gradually 3 Convenient Sizes: become dense pyramids at only two to 4 oz. / Pint / Gallon three inches per year. The slow growth assures that ‘Green Penguin’ will not Call Today For A Distributor Near You need pruning, and the ease of maintenance will appeal to both consumer 503-678-1216 and grower. “Consumers are really interested in P.O. Box 327 the most eye-catching conifers, those Wilsonville, OR 97070 with cool cones, nice texture and good www.earthscienceproducts.com color,” Burkhead said. Among the hottest options for big

30 MAY 2012 ▲ DIGGER curt kipp curt impact in a small package is Picea abies ‘Pusch’, which produces vibrant lime green new foliage and bright fuchsia male pollen cones in spring. It is so colorful and striking that the shrub-shaped conifer has earned the nickname “flowering spruce.” The 3-by-3-foot plant is great for perennial beds, containers and other small spaces. “Everybody is trying to build scion blocks of ‘Pusch,’” Burkhead said.

Collected native conifers Collected native conifers, including mountain hemlock, alpine fir and Murrayana pines, offer another option for high impact, small space landscaping. LBD Landscaping in Oregon City, Ore., a landscape company and wholesale

▲ Pinus × schwerinii 'Wiethorst' is unique for its long, soft needles and enormous cones. It grows slowly, 32 reaching 6 feet tall in 10 years.

GROW YOUR BUSINESS NOT YOUR ENERGY BILLS CASH-BACK INCENTIVES FOR GREENHOUSE AND NURSERY ENERGY-EFFICIENT UPGRADES

Energy costs are rising, so it makes more sense than ever to invest in energy- efficient greenhouse and nursery equipment. Energy Trust of Oregon makes improvements easy and affordable by offering standard and custom cash-back incentives. Some upgrades can save as much as 50 percent on energy costs.

Cash-back incentives are available for: • Greenhouse reglazing • Heating system upgrades • Irrigation system improvements • Irrigation pump-variable frequency drives + Dig into energy savings today with Energy Trust. Call 503.928.3154 or visit www.energytrust.org/ag.

Serving customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural and Cascade Natural Gas.

MAY 2012 ▲ DIGGER 31 ▲ Crazy about conifers

grower and distributor of collected native conifers, displayed some beauties at the OAN’s Yard, Garden and Patio Show in February. Sculptural grace, easy care and restrained growth make the Oregon natives very desirable. LBD Landscaping likes to group slow-growing, collected conifers in small areas, under eves or close to houses where room is limited. “Collected conifers add a distinc- tive rustic or Northwest style to the landscape,” owner Don Farrelly said. “Using collected conifers with ornamen- tal grasses, perennials and other native plants makes a lower maintenance landscape that requires minimal water and care. The contorted, broken or bent conifers fit in well next to large boul- ders or hanging over a stream or pond.” All the trees LBD digs are retrieved by plan and permit from forestlands where thinning has a positive impact on forest health and balance. Trees are recorded by district and date, and the arrangement is monitored by the U.S. Quality Bark Dust Forest Service. “These conifers have a higher survival rate when thinned,” Farrelly @ Wholesale Prices said. “Our digging also helps out the Forest Service which would have to go through and thin them out, by cutting Fir Bark Dust • Hemlock • Sawdust them down, to lower fire danger.” Compost • Hog Fuel • Fines LBD holds all collected trees for a year to acclimate them and improve their survival rate. Marr Bros. Bark Dust has been serving the area with quality Collected Mountain Hemlocks are products and competitive pricing for over 30 years. And we good for partial shade situations, and deliver anywhere in the Willamette Valley! crooked or contorted hemlocks seem to grow more slowly, Farrelly said. Alpine When you want the best ... firs grow very slowly, have a more gnarly appearance and keep a narrow Marr Bros. is your only choice! growth habit. “The biggest challenge in growing these is to not baby them too much,” he said. “Give them less water, less fer- Call 503-838-1830 tilizer and good drainage.”

to schedule a delivery Elizabeth Petersen writes for gardeners and garden businesses, coaches stu- Conveniently located at: dents and writers, and tends a one-acre 875 S. Pacific Hwy, Monmouth, Ore. garden in West Linn, Ore. She can be reached at [email protected].

32 MAY 2012 ▲ DIGGER