HortiTrends Weekly News & Comment - Teagasc & NAD Partner in IPM Seminar - Forestry Awards - International Hort Week 2103 - 1st Nov 2013

We will be on the road again next week for the International Hort Week in Holland minus of course Hortifair. The plug was pulled on that show earlier in the year for a variety of reasons, although work is already underway on its repalcement called 'HortiTech 2014'. I always get asked if any of these shows are good for our buiness by way of advertising. The short answer is no, but they do give us an opportunity to spot and highlight new products, services and trends for you our customers. It will be our last international trip of the year until IPM Essen in January 2014.

Read more: HortiTrends Weekly News & Comment - Teagasc & NAD Partner in IPM Seminar - Forestry Awards -...

HortiTrends Weekly News & Comment - Landscaping Included in Finance Bill - Full Winners List for IFG Florist of the Year - ITB Horticulture Open Days - 26th Oct 2013

The Restaurants Association and the ALCI now have something in common. They were both able to lobby strongly enough, so that the recent 2014 budget would be beneficial to their members. In the case of the powerful hotel/restaurant lobby (politicians have to eat) it was retention of the lower vat rate and for the ALCI it was to get Landscaping Included in 'Finance Bill' Construction Boost Measures. No small feat for the landscape sector, as politicians would not fear huge vote or funding losses.

Read more: HortiTrends Weekly News & Comment - Landscaping Included in Finance Bill - Full Winners List for...

HortiTrends NEWS & WEEKLY COMMENT - 20th October

Congratulations to all of the ALCI 2013 Landscape Award Winners. There was a large turnout for the event which could be partly put down to the new lunch-time cost effective format, along with the feeling that the sector is seeing a small lift in business. Speaking with members of the association at the event, the consensus was, that they are seeing improvements in their business. That said, tendering for existing or new contracts is still ultra competitive.

Read more: HortiTrends NEWS & WEEKLY COMMENT - 20th October

HortiTrends Weekly News & Comment - UK IRL Mushroom Conference Exhibitors - ALCI Awards - GLDA Seminar - Donnybrook Landscape Co Awarded Major New Contract - October 11th

Its a busy week ahead for the horticulture sector. Starting tomorrow at Kildalton College will be the GLDA - Noel Kingsbury Workshop and seminar - The Rabbit's Eye View. There are still limited places available for the event and payment can be made at the door for the last minute decision makers. Its great to see the GLDA taking this event out to a learning seat of horticulture. The more interaction there is between education, students and the working industry the better. What we are hearing from most businesses that we talk to is, they want students who are coming out with more theory and practical horticulture skills versus, how to run a business knowledge. I am inclined to agree in some ways that the focus on business skills is diluting the the core horticulture knowledge that is coming from the colleges. The areas of how to run a business are more than adequately catered for across the whole education sector in general and could be added on, as a part or full-time follow on year if students want to go straight into running a business.

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HortiTrends NEWS & WEEKLY COMMENT - 5th October

If we are to look at any sector in the edible side of horticulture, that we can learn a lot from in terms of co-operation and marketing, I would suggest that it would be mushrooms. With the upcoming UK and Ireland conference happening on the 17th of October, the two countries will be further learning from each other and cementing their very successful marketing relationship, thus far. These companies compete like mad where they have to, but where it makes sense they are partnering to further the aims of their whole sector. The amenity sector in Ireland could have valuable lessons to learn from them. We will be exhibiting at and reporting from the event to pass on what we learn.

Read more: HortiTrends NEWS & WEEKLY COMMENT - 5th October

HortiTrends Weekly Comment and News Digest - 27th September

We attended the Autumn Trolley Fair this week and came away with that gem of information in the headline above. It came from Better Manage the Variables in Business You Have Some Control Over - Key Points - Blaise Brosnan. You get an overview from this article, but it is like any information that is out there, it is only useful when you have the time to implement the new information into your business. 

Read more: HortiTrends Weekly Comment and News Digest - 27th September

Retailers Face Challenges from Online, and Informed Consumers

The retail industry is in a state of flux. Marks & Spencer have recently closed four Irish shops with the loss of 180 jobs, citing “difficult trading conditions and poor outlook for the retail sector” as the reasons for same. In 2011, we saw major retailer Superquinn was involved in a pre pack receivership sale to Musgrave, the first of its kind in Ireland.

Read more: Retailers Face Challenges from Online, and Informed Consumers

HortiTrends Weekly Comment and News Digest - 9th September

The news that Plantagen to Close Doors in Malahide will be both a surprise to some but not for others, as staff seem to have know about the closure for the last year. The GardenWorks brand under Bryan Maher was one of the trend-setters in its day and it will be interesting to see how quickly the store can be turned around as Bryan returns to the centre under the new name of 'The Garden House' with a new cafe in October. We wish him well and invite him to use PlantConnector.ie when stocking up for easy browsing of Looking Good & Availability Lists along with Plant Catalogues from some of Ireland's Leading Nurseries.

Read more: HortiTrends Weekly Comment and News Digest - 9th September

HortiTrends Weekly Comment and News Digest - 20th August

Garden centres and the industry in general will be cheered by Heat Wave Drives Strong Retail Sales in July As the nightmare that was called spring begins to fade, nurseries are now busy looking to the future and ordering young plants and liners for the 2014 season. Its hard for them to plan production based on the garden centre's sector fears, that the weather could go the same way again.

Read more: HortiTrends Weekly Comment and News Digest - 20th August

25% Off All Italian Plants at Tully Nurseries!

Massive Savings on all our Italian Plants!

They are great as:

• focal point in the garden
• instant hedging/screening

Read more: 25% Off All Italian Plants at Tully Nurseries!

Eucalyptus Trees Help Find Gold Deposits - Philip Voice

Researchers in Australia have discovered that it is possible to detect underground gold deposits by analysing the leaves of trees that are growing above. It is thought that Eucalyptus trees may translocate gold from mineral deposits below, leaving tiny deposits in their foliage.

Read more: Eucalyptus Trees Help Find Gold Deposits - Philip Voice

Caitriona Redmond Meets The Sodshow

The SodShow, Dublin's only garden radio show. Live every Friday @ 3pm – or after tea-time in podcast.

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ALCI Award Winners 2013

ALCI Awards 2013 Category Winners

The Sodshow Meets Joy Larkcom

The SodShow, Dublin's only garden radio show. Live every Friday @ 3pm – or after tea-time in podcast.

Read more: The Sodshow Meets Joy Larkcom

EU Lawmakers Reduce Use of Food-Based Biofuel

The European Parliament voted Wednesday to significantly reduce the amount of biofuels made from food crops by 2020 to counter concerns over the energy source's environmental and ethical sustainability.

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Successfully Weathering this Stormy Trading Environment

Your business is an input / output model. Its commercial output is determined by both the quality and quantity of your range of inputs. While you cannot regulate some of the external inputs such as weather and the macro economy, you do have potential capacity to optimise those input variables over which you have degrees of control. As the owner manager you are the most important input into your business.

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The Sodshow – For The Record

As of l9th of September The Sodshow has aired 133 radio shows and podcasts. That is, no less than 3724.20 minutes of complete audio. Which we hope you enjoy very much. Of note, each show requires a minimum of 6.5 hours work which equates to 51,870 minutes of work to date, the end result of which you hear every Friday.

Read more: The Sodshow – For The Record

Contractors Urged to Apply for Snow Clearance Contract

Transport Minister Danny Kennedy is encouraging farmers, agricultural contractors and other owners of suitable equipment to apply for the 2013 snow clearance contract. The Department would like to secure additional support to supplement the existing arrangements for emergency snow clearance. There are currently just over 80 individuals and contractors on the Emergency Snow Clearance contract.

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Blog Awards Ireland - Vote for Dee Sewell of Greensideup

Read this older blog post from Dee. She wrote the piece last summer. Could the American Dream be Wrong? It's been nominated in the Irish Blog Awards 2013 Best Blog Post Category but needs people to vote to keep it in there and go forward to the end where judges will be making the decision on whether it makes it to the final list.

Read more: Blog Awards Ireland - Vote for Dee Sewell of Greensideup

2013 InterTradeIreland Business Monitor Reveals All-Island Business Stabilisation

InterTradeIreland’s latest quarterly Business Monitor (April-June 2013) published today indicates that over 64% of businesses have either maintained or increased their sales over the last quarter. These are the most positive quarterly sales performance figures since Q2 2011. The number of firms reporting a decrease in employees is at its lowest (10%) over that same period.

Read more: 2013 InterTradeIreland Business Monitor Reveals All-Island Business Stabilisation