IPPS NZ Newsletter

After a summer drougt and a winter flood in Canterbury, we are just awaiting the plague of locusts. In fact I did just have a bevy of politicians round at the nursery looking for babies to kiss so maybe that threat is now past. The wet and largely frostfree winter with low sunshine hours created conditions conducive to liverwort, moss and even the occasional fungal problem. Fungal problems are uncommon in winter here as it's normally too cold for the fungi to rear their heads. We got root growth on our open ground stock 2 to 3 weeks earlier than usual that put the pressure on getting this stock out or potted.

As nursery people we face increasing extreme weather conditions in conjunction with a more uncertain business environment. We can grow smarter using technology and protective structures to reduce the weather risks, and we can structure our businesses to see us through this recession. It's a good time to make sure we are using the most efficient processes, training our staff to their potential, getting the best deal from our suppliers, being conservative in our investment decisions, guarding our cash flows, really looking after our best customers, and most of all, not discounting. As other industry commentators have already mentioned, our costs have risen sharply in the last year meaning our prices need to increase for us to maintain margins that, for some, were already slim.

All is not doom and gloom in the nursery industry that's for sure. From my viewpoint there are big opportunities for retailers to promote edible and sustainable living environments; in the enhancement of our wider rural environment to protect water, soil, and biodiversity; and to make sure our nursery businesses see some profit from the trading of carbon. I anticipate a marked increase in plant requirements in a number of sectors as a result.

Later in this newsletter there is a tribute to Eddie Welsh who received the highest international IPPS award in 2008 for his outstanding contribution to propagation, the nursery industry and the IPPS organization both in NZ and overseas. There is no one more worthy, congratulations Eddie.
You will all have received information about the Tasmanian conference, pre-conference, and post-conference tours, and I urge you all to focus on getting there. This will be a trip of a lifetime to a wonderful island with the biggest bunch of like-minded Kiwis you are ever likely to travel overseas with. There are also still opportunities for you to participate as a speaker, sponsor, or to encourage a budding propagator to apply for the “2-Pack”.

I attended the Wellington field trip in late August organized by Wayne Turner of CIE Nurseries Rimutaka. I was very impressed with all of the nurseries starting with Fred Allen's lesson in intense production on a tight space at Kiwi Plants; Wayne's model nursery and teaching facility inside the prison; and Simon Dearsly's Leacroft Nursery where family values, excellent stock and a well setup retail operation were on display. Wayne turned on a magnificent lunch for us that we shared with the key inmates working in the nursery unit. As one who has some reservations about the impact of prison nurseries on private nursery operations, I could see the real pleasure that the inmates were getting from growing plants alongside the practical skills gained. This trip has greatly lifted my opinion of the CIE nurseries.

I encourage you all to attend the South Auckland field trip in November which will include technical sessions as well as nursery visits, hence will be a great opportunity to take your staff. For our more intrepid members, keep some time up your sleeve to attend the D'urville Island trip. There will be a wild food theme.

Happy propagating………. and don't forget to encourage more propagators to join IPPS. Every organization needs new blood to remain healthy.

... is a joint affair with Australia in Hobart in May 2009. It’s shaping up to be an event not to be missed. There’s more detail here, but put these dates in you diary now.

Post Conference Tours
18 May 2009 - Bruny Island
19 May 2009 - Melbourne nurseries

Registration forms will be available later in the year, but in the meantime BOOK THEIR FLIGHTS TO GET CHEAP DEALS, AND TO BOOK THEIR HOTEL ROOMS. And keep an eye on our conference webpage for more details as they're posted.
The Australian webpage may also assist you in yout planning.

Conference Papers
An invitation to all IPPS members is extended to speak at the joint NZ / Australia IPPS conference in Hobart 2009. This is a great opportunity to give bit back to IPPS, to see a new place, to meet new people and to catch up with old friends.

Time is short so contact Ian Williams NOW on 027 449 5869 or snow.willija@xtra.co.nz (he’s not at home for a week or two).

Call for Sponsors
Sponsoring our joint NZ / Australia conference in Hobart, Tasmania is a great way to improve your profile, reach key customers, and to help make the major IPPS annual event a success.
This is a great opportunity for those of you with, or are seeking, business connections across the ditch.

The Conference will be an international affair that includes speakers from throughout Australasia, quality pre-conference tours, great field trips, food and entertainment, and over 250 delegates enjoying the experience with you.

You can sponsor at any level, from donating a small item for each delegate, to sponsoring an entire event. At the Gold or Platinum levels you qualify for a trade display, among other benefits, at the fabulous Wrest Point Hotel venue.

ACT NOW if you, or someone you know, may be interested. Email Murray Mannall at murray@southernwoods.co.nz.

We’re seeking two enthusiastic, passionate and motivated people to assist with running next year’s conference, which is a joint one with Australia in Hobart from May 14th – 17th.
This is a great opportunity for someone who’s been in the industry less than five years & who are studying or have just finished studying in some form of horticulture. They are introduced to IPPS, learn more about the industry & meet people involved in various aspects of horticulture. Plus, they get to experience all the different aspects of conference and it’s something to put on their CV for the future.

In return, the successful applicants will receive free travel to and from conference, free accommodation and meals whilst at conference and free registration. They will also get to keep their 2 pack shirt and will also receive a free IPPS membership for the following year. Those applicants that are not successful receive a reduced conference registration of $50.
If you would benefit from this experience or know someone who would, then contact Jeff Elliott (jeff.elliott@clear.net.nz) for further details & application form. Applications close on 30 November ’08.

Around 30 IPPS members gathered in Wellington on Saturday 23rd August for a day of nursery visits concluding with a visit to the Pauatahanui Wildlife Reserve. After a wet winter for many, it was great to see the sun shining for the day!

Our first visit was to Kiwi Plants, a specialist native plant nursery located in Stokes Valley, where we were welcomed by Fred Allen. Kiwi Plants produces a range of natives from seed and plug trays through to root trainers and planter bags. It is also involved in restoring native habitats.

Fred is very passionate about what he does and this was also seen in his three young apprentices, who are very keen and enthusiastic in their jobs. They showed us around the two nursery sites, one dedicated to propagation (mostly done by seed) which has been developed on a hillside which has taken a lot of work to develop over the years. The other site, further down the road, is dedicated to growing on the large grades.

We then moved onto CIE Nursery at Rimutaka Prison where after clearing security, we headed to view the nursery. The following two pieces were written by two of the inmates who participated in the visit.

On Saturday 23rd August 2008 we had the pleasure of hosting an IPPS Field Day at Rimutaka Nursery. Wayne Turner, Principal Instructor at the nursery invited a group of fellow horticulturists to visit the recently completed nursery.

CIE Rimutaka Prison Nursery is a wholesale propagation and training nursery based at Rimutaka Prison, Upper Hutt. The aim is to provide a working environment that will match as closely as possible, a commercial nursery environment. It has been constructed mainly by the prisoners from the ground up who now work within the nursery - a sense of achievement for the team.
The nursery comprises of a potting shed, 1 large and 2 smaller propagation houses, a transition house, a shade house and 3 outdoor hardening off / growing on areas (an area of 1700m2 being under cover). Each area was hosted by the prisoner responsible for its day-to-day operation. They were each competent in discussing the purpose of the area, its stock content, automation versus manual mechanisms and irrigation, ventilation, temperature controls and any pest / disease problems that might influence current stock.

The nursery covers approximately 4 hectares, has 2 full time instructors and 24 prisoners from the Faith Based Unit who are all working towards certifications. A number of these men have now completed their level 2 certification in horticulture and are continuing on with further studies towards level 4 with some looking towards adult apprenticeships upon their release. Significant effort is put into training with the view to up-skilling, creating a solid work ethic and incentivising these prisoners, thereby with this work experience there is an increased opportunity of obtaining employment upon release.

Throughout the tour, a common question asked was with regards to the high standards and cleanliness throughout the entire nursery, its stock and equipment. Some of our visitors were a little sceptical when Wayne, CIE Instructor Chris Hannan and the prisoners all answered in the affirmative, stating an undeniable yes, “we work to this level on a week by week basis”. We view this opportunity as a privilege and not a right, to be given the chance not only to work, but receive training and qualifications as we go. Not only is it important for us to strive towards the nursery being a successful operation, we must also maintain this privilege for those who will follow in our footsteps; we must work as a team, not individuals.

I was very impressed by our visitors attitudes and knowledge of the horticulture industry. I enjoyed the interaction and conversation I had with different people from different nurseries. I feel it was a very positive day as the people in the industry got to see us as people, focusing on the job we have done in our nursery. This could be of benefit for us when it comes time for our release and job prospects. On the whole I enjoyed the day and got a lot out of it.

The tour was capped off with a delicious lunch, catered for by the prison kitchen. This was an ideal chance for our guests to mingle in a relaxed environment with the prisoners, discovering more about the men, their backgrounds, circumstances and passions. There were a few surprises: the men were found to be knowledgeable, articulate and enthusiastic, and who on the whole, having made a bad choice, are now keen to put that behind them.

Leacroft Nurseries was our next visit where Simon Dearsly welcomed us to his nursery which is the largest in the Wellington region and is also open to the public. Judging by how busy it was the day we visited, it fills an important part of the Wellington market.

Over 800 varieties of plants are produced ranging from trees and shrubs through to perennials and includes a wide variety of natives. Some are propagated on site; others are brought in as growing on lines.

After viewing the well stocked sales area, the group headed out back to the growing on area and some members got to show off their quad bike skills by taking members across the creek to the other part of the nursery. The visit was concluded with afternoon tea in true IPPS style.

The final visit of the day was to the Pauatahanui Wildlife Reserve, a 50ha reserve which contains the largest salt marsh in the Lower North Island. Wanda Tait from Forest N Bird (which managed the reserve with DOC) met the group and told of the development of the reserve and the wildlife that it contains. Members then wandered around the reserve and out to one of the hides that had been constructed on the water edge. An interesting end to a great day and thank you to Wayne Turner for organising the day and the nurseries involved for allowing us to visit.

At this year's conference in Auckland, a shocked and speechless Eddie Welsh was presented with the International Award of Merit. This was the first time the New Zealand region nominated someone for this prestigious award and was based upon Eddie's commitment to the New Zealand region and his involvement and influence internationally.

The following is a summary of the citation written for Eddie. The full citation will appear in the next Combined Proceedings of the Society.

Eddie was born and raised in Alton, Illinois, USA. After working towards a fine arts degree focusing on pottery at Southern Illinois University, Eddie then headed to California and found himself completing a Certificate in Organic Horticulture where he became very interested in growing plants, a passion that has lead him to where he is today.

In the mid 1970's, Eddie began to travel and met his future wife Jan in Fiji. He followed her back to New Zealand and they married in 1976 in Dunedin. Requiring a career, Eddie decided to do a Diploma in Horticulture at Massey University and worked at a seedling nursery in Dunedin to complete the period of practical training for the diploma.

In 1979, Eddie and Jan moved to Palmerston North where Eddie studied under the great Murray Richards. Eddie enjoyed the course, did well and when a position came up in the horticulture department at Massey, Murray Richards found the man for the job in Eddie. In fact, Eddie had no choice in the matter.

Eddie started teaching the diploma in 1980 and was known for his sound practical nature, as well as his friendly outgoing personality which made him popular with staff and students.

It was Maurice Van Reenan who introduced Eddie to the world of IPPS and he attended his first conference in 1980 in New Plymouth. In 1981, Eddie assisted with his first IPPS field trip around Palmerston North and also was elected onto the committee, working his way through the ranks to become New Zealand President in 1986-87 and 1987-88, then serving as International Director for 1989-90. In 1994, he served as International President and the New Zealand Region recognized Eddie's service and passion in 1995 by presenting him with the Award of Merit.

Two of Eddie's main interests while at Massey were Zantedeschias and bedding plants. He learnt a lot about growing Zantedeschias and his expertise and experience was called upon from people around the country and across the world. He also established a collection of named cultivars at Massey and also worked to develop Zantedeschias as a flowering pot plant.

With his interest in bedding plants, Eddie established independent trials at Massey where old, new and exciting varieties were grown and displayed. Open Days were held each year with growers coming along to catch up with the latest developments and how varieties performed in the in-ground trials.

His work with Zantedeschias and bedding plants saw Eddie become a regular and appreciated speaker at IPPS conferences and with his advancement through the society, he was called on to speak at international events as well. IPPS allowed Eddie the opportunities to travel and meet people, two of his passions in life.

The New Zealand region’s assistance with starting a Japanese chapter of the society became a major project for Eddie. He regularly travelled to Japan and made many friends, hosted tour groups and students visiting New Zealand and also set up a number of international exchanges.

With the number of horticultural students declining and the desire to do other things, Eddie left Massey and set up his own nursery just outside Palmerston North. “Starter Plants” focuses on growing open ground plants such as Dierama, Agapanthus, Eucomis and seed grown Zantedeschias for the NZ market and also for export.

With Japanese interest in Eucomis, Eddie started a breeding program and has selected a number of outstanding varieties, making him a world leader in this crop.

His travel for business has also seen him import new material into New Zealand including Cucuma, Euphorbia Millii grandiflora and other exciting tropical plants.

He has expanded his plant interests to include producing eco-sourced native plants for local revegetation projects and growing interesting vegetables which he sells on “Tasty Tuesdays” and “Fresh Fridays”

In late 2005, Eddie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His chances of survival were not flash, but he remained positive and after major surgery, has made a remarkable recovery. He continues to do well and his chances of surviving this nasty form of cancer look great. This is wonderful news for his family and all of us involved in IPPS and the nursery industry in New Zealand as it would have been devastating to lose Eddie before his time.

In summary, Eddie has contributed so much to IPPS and has had an enormous impact of the New Zealand region. He is totally committed to IPPS and has brought fun and joy to the society over many years. It would have been a tragedy to have all this gone unrecognized by the society.

Aotearoa, “The Long White Cloud” is the name given to New Zealand by the Maori people who first settled on these islands. At many places in this country, you feel you're in the clouds because of the magnificent volcanic mountain landscape. We were in good hands all the way with our tour hosts Grant Hayman and Ray Lawson, who also serve as the International Director and Alternate Director, respectively. We also had the benefit of planning assistance from Grant's wife, Robynne Hayman. Robynne is also a trained nurse, and was well-prepared to help with all the minor medical challenges -- she did a great job relieving the cold symptoms that traveled around the bus! We all appreciate how much work and planning goes into these tours, from the hosts to all the IPPS members who help out with various tasks ahead of, during, and after the tour - thanks to all of you!

An extra special advantage we had traveling with IPPS President Terry Hatch was his running commentary about the native plants and exotics that grow profusely in New Zealand. Having Terry's knowledge and willingness to share so much information with the group added a wonderful dimension to the visual input.

The tour started in Queenstown on the South Island, a major center for outdoor adventurers, used most often in the winter ski season. To help the northern hemisphere visitors become acclimated to the fact that this was the start of fall in New Zealand, with cool days and colder nights, everyone in the tour group received a weather resistant jacked (complete with the IPPS symbol on the backs making it easy for us to find one another in a crowd!), a warm ski cap, a brimmed cap for those bright, sunny days, and a bagful of goodies from local supporters.
Our first night started on top of the mountain above the town with a skyline gondola trip and dinner among the stars. This was a good impression for many exciting adventures to come.
While in Queenstown, a cruise on the historic steam-powered TSS Earnslaw gave us a fantastic view of Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding scenery. Then an adrenaline rush was in store as the group took the Shotover Jet ride - a fast and thrilling trip amid the rock walls and boulders of the Shotover River.

New Zealand's South Island has a number of fiords and the Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise gave us a look at the unique scenery, plants, and a group of bottle-nosed dolphins welcomed us, too.

Another unique treat in the South Island was offered with a trip to the Franz Josef Glacier for an overnight stay at a hotel next to this still receding remnant of the Ice Age. On the way, the group visited a unique “lifestyle nursery” owned by Jamie Urquart producing a surprisingly large collection of specimen plants. After a drive through the scenic west coast of the South Island, with small towns whose existence came from gold mining, the group visited a local brewery in Greymouth that people in other countries are just recognizing for its quality beer varieties - Monteiths! Our tour guides to help us appreciate the beauty and history of this rugged area of the country were Mark Brown (Brownie) and Steve Newall (Jandals) and their commentary added tremendously to our enjoyment.

One of the best ways to comfortably appreciate the changing landscape on the South Island is to take the TranzAlpine train from Greymouth to Christchurch and the group enjoyed this four-hour experience. Near Christchurch, while the International Board met informally, others on the tour visited the Fern Factor, owned and operated by Paul Micheal, a uniquely specialized nursery, as well as Murray Mannall's Southern Woods Nursery with production and retail operations aimed mainly at the rural, lifestyle market.

One of the awesome stops of the entire tour was a visit to Ken and Bev Loader's Gethsemane Gardens, complete with a full size Noah's Ark used for weddings and other affairs. The Biblical influence of the gardens and the unaffected faith and horticultural knowledge of the owners was amazing to see the words of the Lord's Prayer spelled out on the grounds in Buxus was a sight probably not replicated anywhere else in the world.

Christchurch is home to a large, well-designed and well-maintained Botanic Garden, living up to its reputation as the “Garden City of New Zealand,” and we could have easily spent most of a day on these grounds. But our treat for the day was from New Zealand Alternate Director Ray Lawson who treated the group to a visit to one of the retail centers for which he oversees production for Oderings Nursery with a barbeque and a delightfully social evening.

Leaving Christchurch, the excitement continued with a visit to Jeff Elliot's wholesale nursery, with lots of ideas generated from his innovative approaches to plant production. Then up the coast to Kaikoura and a whale-watching escapade that left some of our tour group a little green around the gills! But how amazing to see these marvelous creatures at close range and protected along with sea lions habituating the rocks along the shoreline. Dinner that evening at Montana's winery in the Brancott Vineyards was exquisite.

Traveling from the South to the North Island is no small feat no bridge connects the two, so planes and boats are the primary transportation. IPPS joined many passengers on the Bluebridge Ferry to Wellington, capital of the country, on the North Island. A visit to Te Papa, the museum that preserves the Maori culture, helped visitors understand how this country was settled and modified from its pristine state after volcanoes formed the islands.

Wellington's Botanical Gardens covers a hillside high above the city, and the cable car ride to the top was almost as exhilarating as the wide variety of plants in the garden itself. Then the group followed the Wellington Harbour shoreline toward the Tasman Sea, staying two nights beside the sea at Raumati.

Our local hosts for this segment of the tour, Gus and Glenys Evans, hosted the non-Board group for a visit to the Lindale Tourist Complex while the Board held a morning meeting. Then everyone enjoyed a visit to see an outstanding collection of vintage automobiles and other forms of transportation at the Southward Car Museum.

A visit to Gus Evans Nursery showed the group what a small but comprehensive nursery can effectively produce, and Geoff Jewell provided an excellent overview of his nursery with diverse plants, but a specialization in Proteaceae plants. His wife's exceptional floral wholesale business, providing these dramatic cut flowers to the florist market, was an added feature.

As the group left the Kapiti Coast, a stop at Manakau Village Nursery with hosts Geoff and Sue Stent gave the tour group a chance to see a nursery specializing in liners for wholesale nurseries. Then on to Starter Plants in Palmerston North, where Eddie and Jan Welsh showcased their open ground nursery and fed the group a fabulous lunch prepared by Eddie and Jan and their superb staff. That day ended in a chateau near the volcanic mountains of Tongariro National Park.
In the National Park, Philip Smith, a former ranger with the Department of Conservation, took the more adventuresome of the group on an alpine walk, and then to his nursery, Taupo Native Plant Nursery, Ltd., a wholesale/retail nursery specializing in large projects involving mass native plantings.

Unique to New Zealand is the thermal village in the Rotorua area, where hot bubbling mud pools and geysers are everyday occurrences. The group's time there allowed immersion into the Maori culture with a welcome ceremony, evening meal and indigenous entertainment in a recreated Maori village - a fantastic look at this unusual culture that forms the basis for many of the country's native customs yet today.

Leaving Rotorua, the tour group headed for the final destination and conference location, Auckland. On the way, our tour guide Dave Ogilvy took us through an area renowned for the black tree fern. Peter and Carol Fraser showed the group their Growing Spectrum Nursery, not only a well-organized and productive nursery but also the site for an outstanding training course for young nursery professionals. We also visited Bruntwood Nurseries, owned by Dave and Shirley Ogilvy, and well known for its production of Phormium cultivars, shipped around the world.
Our last tour stop was especially rewarding as International President Terry Hatch, his wife Pam, and son Lindsey showcased their fascinating nursery and plant collections at Joy Plants. Clivia are a specialty item for Terry, and it was clear to everyone that Terry represents one of the real horticultural gurus of our time. Dinner that evening at the nursery, organized by the Hatch family and staff, was an appropriate prelude to our last night on the bus for the final ride to Auckland.
While the International Board held its final meeting the following day, others in the group joined conference attendees for a pre-tour of the Tiritiri Matangi Nature Reserve.

The tour's finale was an outstanding dinner high above the city of Auckland in the Sky City Orbit Restaurant.

In addition to the people and nurseries mentioned, above the tour planners also expressed thanks to these folks for their contributions to a successful event: Kemp & Young House of Travel - Sarah Owens, Scotts Professional Solutions - Nicola Rochester, Oderings Nurseries Ltd, the Odering’s family, DB Breweries - Adam Wilson, Waimea Nurseries Ltd - John Penny, Interworld Plastics Ltd - Ben Holden, Headford Propagators Ltd. the entire team that supported Grant and Robynne Hayman in their planning and leadership roles.

Once again, everyone involved in IPPS was reminded of the camaraderie, the shared knowledge, the respect and appreciation for different cultures, and the friendships over many years that have become a hallmark of this organization.

Hot crops from around the world by Robert Bett ... Review by Julia Coglan
Robert Bett, Lyndale Nurseries' Research and Development Manager, introduced us to the KiwiGold label and reeled off some of the exciting new crops from around the globe which will be making an impact in New Zealand over the next few years.

On the runway were: Aloe paruvela (Madagascar), Calycanthus floridus “Hartlage Wine” and C. “Venus”, a three-way hybrid of Calycantha chinesis, floridus and occidentalis. Our own Griselenia littoralis featured next, specifically G. littoralis “Whenuapai” which has an upright habit and good trimming properties. Another good plant for hedging or screening is Callistemon “Great Balls of Fire”, a non-flowering variety which has predominant pink shoots for colour impact.

Libertia “Goldfinger” and Cordyline “Renegade” were next up, the latter being another three-way hybrid australis, banksii and pumilo, followed by Hellebore “Ivory Prince”, a very slow-growing form that has been three years in tissue culture.

Variegated plants are proving very popular overseas, particularly in America. Robert had chosen Sedum “Elsie's Gold” a perennial form that can be treated as an annual, planted in combination with Chlorophytum.

Robert stressed that these plants had to have a 'really distinctive difference', and used Dianthus “Sparkler Lavendar”, “Purple” and “Cherry”, Bourgainvillea “Pixie Queen” and Leucathoe axillaries “Curly Red” to illustrate this point. There's even going to be a buddleia that's allowed!! B. sallisifolius “Silver Anniversary” has fragrant flowers with a high nectar count and comes with a guarantee not to take over.

The fashion line-up finished with a chocolate cosmos, “Coco Chanel”, Magnolia “Brixton Belle”, and Cercis “Hearts of Gold”.

Robert brought us a whirlwind selection with something for everyone to look forward to in 2009 & 2010.

Introducing novel characteristics using in-vitro breeding techniques by Gary Burge
Garry Burge spoke on some of the techniques available to overcome barriers for interspecific hybridisation and how these have been applied to crops such as Limonium, Sandersonia and Gentian.

The cut style technique is one technique available; another is the grated style technique.
Physical differences such as the length of the style may be different between species. Embryo abortion can be overcome by ovary, ovule or embryo culture whereby the embryo is placed on culture that supplies its requirements for future growth and development.

Sterile hybrid plants can be made fertile by doubling the chromosome numbers but the resulting plants can be tetraploid which are difficult to breed with. Incompatibilities include the development of albino plants and hybrid necrosis which cannot be used if severe enough.

Breeders use a range of techniques to confirm whether a plant is a true hybrid so time and effort is not wasted on growing plants of no value. Flow cytometry is one such technique used.

Hybrid Pines - Life on the Edge by Cathy Hargreaves
Cathy Hargreaves spoke on work done to tissue culture hybrid pine trees (Pinus attenuata x Pinus radiata), as such hybrids produce small quantities of seed often with low vigour. This hybrid was successfully cultured using protocols for Pinus radiata and work was underway to initiate root formation.

There is increasing interest in growing hybrid pines for forestry as a response to the fact that they have different features such as tolerating subtropical conditions, can grow at higher altitudes and have different wood characteristics. The hybrid that was tissue cultured shows promise in areas such as drought resistance, cold resistance and damage from snow falls.

Bromeliads for NZ Conditions by Andrew Malloy ... Review by Paul Ward
Andrew put on a captivating slide show and outlined why these plants mean so much to him. He showed us some of his new hybrid crosses - the leaf patterns are amazing.

Andrew talked about his propagation techniques, from collection of seed, to how to sterilize the soil. I don't think my wife would be to pleased to find a dish of soil in the microwave, but an easy no fuss way of sterilization.

There seems to be good potential for cut flowers for domestic and export markets. The varieties that he was growing definitely looked exotic and tropical with a good shelf life. I hope the New Zealand dollar drops and he does well in his exports.

Thanks Andrew for a great slide show and talk. I will look forward to reading your article when it comes out in the black book.

Kings Seeds by Gerard Martin ... Review by Hamish Prebble
On Saturday Gerard Martin from King Seeds gave a talk on importing Mexican sour cucumber seed and the pitfalls of nomeculture and MAF. It was an interesting insight into making a mistake as a company importing seed and falling foul of a bureaucratic institution and how costly it can be. Gerard took full responsibility for his mistake. He also talked on the MAF plant list and the number of plants in New Zealand not on this List. All in all, his talk gave everyone a lot to think about and I heard a lot of debate about his talk over the rest of the conference with some interesting comments from the overseas delegates. So, like in America, MAF is working hard at keeping illegal Mexicans from crossing our borders.

Managing Container Substrates - Dr. Ted Bilderback
Ted is a professor and Nursery Crops Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University. His paper was about basics.

With Ted’s role as a nursery adviser he see lots of innovation and good ideas but he also see nurseries that pay no attention to the basics and suffer accordingly.

Some of his pet subjects are air-filled porosity and planting depth - really basic stuff that can make or break a nursery crop. Ted defines simple practical methods for testing media that any idiot can and should do. Most talk is specific and concerns only a small portion of propagators - a bit of a must-read and do. This concerns all and can make a big difference to our bottom line.
We’ve loaded Ted’s paper to the NZ website - here. You can also see more of the Nursery Crops Extension work at www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/nursery/

Lavender - a new industry for an ancient plant by Clive Larkman
Clive Larkman spoke on the history, cultivation and botany of lavender - one of the oldest cultivated plants in the word. There are around 40 species and 400 cultivars of lavender which originates from the Mediterranean region.

Lavender has many uses from potpourri and perfumery through to cooking and some lesser known uses including disinfectants and medical ointments. There is plenty of research being done on lavender which Clive said was only limited by our imagination.

Clive outlined the main requirements to grow lavender: long day length, high light levels, free draining soil, high calcium levels (helps to protect against fungal diseases), low humidity and moisture in winter.

Interest in lavender farming increased significantly in the 1990's in Australia due to the potential good returns and low water requirements. Clive imported many cultivars from New Zealand as we had two large collections of lavender in the late Peter Carter’s just south of Auckland and Virginia McNaughton's near Christchurch.

A partnership with a university is aiming to develop some polypoid lavender, which is with double the number of chromosomes, which results in larger flowers and more of them per bush. By doubling the chromosomes of Lavender x intermedia, it overcomes the problem of it being sterile and thus hopefully it will set seed and allow for selective breeding to take place.

GB & I Region have received f a quantity of Combined Proceedings in book format from Volume 41 through Volume 53 (1991 – 2003) .

These are now available for members to purchase. Volumes 41 - 49 inclusive are priced at £5 each plus freight. I have one each of volumes 50, 51 and 53 priced at £20 each plus freight.

There are still some proceedings in cd form at £5 plus freight per volume, if anyone is interested.

If anyone is interested then please contact Glenys and we will put together a bulk order.

From Florian Gruber
I am 25 years old and I am studying horticulture in Munich Germany. A fellow student of mine spent 7 month in New Zealand last year and told me a lot about his great time there. So I would really like to come to New Zealand in March 09 for a semester abroad. Therefore I'm looking for a job in the time between March 09 and August 09. I also have some work experience in this sector. Last year I worked at a nursery in Munich Germany for 4 month and every now and then I work at the nursery of a good friend of mine.
So if you still need somebody to work, please tell me. It would give me great pleasure.
Thank you very much and I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

From Ricardo and Paula
We are two students from the Netherlands. Here we follow the study Garden and Landscape management on bachelor-level. At this moment we follow a training period in our own country. For the next period, 15 weeks somewhere between week 52 2008 and week 18 2009, we are looking for a company where we can be placed for our internship.
The assignment, where we have to work on for about 60% of the training period, may be in all different facets like design, landscaping, making a management plan, control, calculate, monitoring, work preparation, etc. We are open minded for other assignments that we can place in our study. If you're interested we would like to send you some more information. When you aren't interested we appreciate it if you let us know.

I am 22 and astudent of Horticultural Science at University of Sao Paulo (USP), Brazil. In my country, students in the end of studies usually don`t conclude the graduation in the college. They can finish their studies in an enterprise that works in the area of his own interest. We call this period as "temporary work practice".
With the intention of conclude my studies, I've been working at Moffats Flower Company, Christchurch, since last August. However, besides work with flower production, I`d like to have a job experience in Landscaping Design.
Actually, during my graduation, I had a solid experience in this topic. I was member of the "Group of Studies in Landscaping Design" for 2 years.
In addition I have several subjects in the College about Landscaping Design, Ornamental Plants Production, Irrigation, Soil Science and Plant Physiology.
So, I am looking for landscape design work for 6 or 7 months, as a trainee. I believe that I still have lots of things to learn about Landscaping Design, and I believe the best way to learn is practicing.

Thank you very much,
Julio Cesar Ducatti
:julio.ducatti@gmail.com
Christchurch, 03 335 0537

I have a National Diploma of Horticulture in Nursery Production and have recently acquired aeroponic technology for propagation. I was a member of the IPPS prior to leaving for the UK about 1986 as a student. Would you know of any nurseries outsourcing propagation or anything to help me get started.

Zebra 600 label printers, in good nick, $500. Call John Liddle at Liddle Wonder,
phone 04 293 6255, john@liddlewonder.co.nz.

Anybody want, don't want, need, don't need anything?
Send details to Hayden haydenfoulds@gmail.com

This newsletter's being sent by email only to all those for whom we have email addresses. A hard copy is being posted to others. If you're an email recipient and want a hard copy, email Shirley Ogilvy accordingly - solgilvy@xtra.co.nz. If you've got a hard copy, and want to receive the newsletter by email (complete with colour pictures!), send Shirley your email address - sogilvy@xtra.co.nz

Hayden Foulds 2A Crewe Street Pahiatua	P: home 06 376 8436 P: work 06 326 8500. F: 06 376 8436 Mobile 027 232 4589 haydenfoulds@gmail.com

Glenys Evans PO Box 98 Waikanae	P: 04 293 2501 F: 04 293 5450 E: gus@gusevans.co.nz

Next Issue early-February 2009. Deadline for copy 30 Jan 2009.

©2008 International Plant Propagators' Society - New Zealand Region
S Ogilvy (Treasurer) C/- Bruntwood Nurseries, 208 Narrows Rd, RD2, Hamilton
P: 07 843 4902, F: 07 843 4396