In the fall of 2008, the UC Davis Arboretum upgraded and expanded its teaching nursery. This particular nursery is not aimed at educating students, however. It is designed to make UC Davis expertise available to the public because people want to know how to care for their property and, by …
If predictions hold true, water will become an ever scarcer resource as the climate becomes drier for many people. For landscape businesses, offering drought tolerate solutions makes sense regardless of how climate predictions pan out. After all, most people want their yards and businesses to look great without having to …
While you don’t need a certification to be an outstanding landscaper, having a certification can be of huge benefit. Not only does certification provide you with education and a basis for making great landscape decisions, it offers a credential that consumers can appreciate as well as access to insider resources …
Old and aging landscape areas can be a major eyesore for homeowners and businesses. Often, people have tried to do the rehab work themselves and have found it too demanding of both their time and energy. The results are overgrown beds, rampant weeds, and deteriorating curb appeal. Fortunately, good landscapers …
Back yards are increasingly becoming extensions of indoor living spaces. Homeowners are more than willing to invest in, indeed indulge in, a sumptuous outdoor living space so long as it is eco-friendly. In fact, the average deck addition now costs more than $10,000. For garden centers and nurseries, this turn …
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been a serious problem for nearly a decade now (first recognized in October 2006). Unfortunately, no specific cause has been identified. Similar incidents have occurred in the 1880s, 1920, and 1960s, but none of these events has provided a clear understanding as to why honey …
The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) understands that the landscaping business can be a challenge. Not only does landscaping require physical stamina, it requires good business sense, a grasp of marketing, and the ability to relate directly to customers. To help newcomers to the industry, the NALP has started …
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been a thorn in the side of U.S. beekeepers for nearly a decade now. Unfortunately, research has been unable to pin down the exact cause of this devastating illness. While we understand more than we did a decade ago, the picture is still quite incomplete. …
For growers and nurseries, obtaining a plant patent can help to protect an investment, guarantee revenue, and increase brand prestige. Unfortunately, it isn’t always clear when a patent should be obtained and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) doesn’t exactly make the application process crystal clear. The investment of …
For nearly sixty years the United States has dodged infestation by the Asian citrus psyllid, one of two known vectors of the bacterium responsible for citrus greening disease. Though the psyllid has infected trees in Asia for centuries, it only made its move the Americas, specifically Brazil, in 1942. It …