Mike LaPorte says it’s an exciting time for pollinator-friendly plants. The co-owner of Owl Run Nursery in Catlett, Va., located about 35 miles outside of Washington, D.C., says customers come to him specifically for Owl Run’s selection of native plants that attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies and birds. Plant propagators are also getting in on the action, he adds,... read more
The Horticultural Research Institute, the research affiliate of AmericanHort, launched its Grow Wise, Bee Smart website. This resource is a component of the horticultural industry’s bee and pollinator stewardship initiative, which was created to provide leadership and guidance to the industry on pollinator health, the organization said. The site serves as the communications hub for the latest research and developments... read more
On April 9 Lowe’s said it’s phasing out shelf products that contain neonicotinoid-containing pesticides (neonics) and will work with growers over the next four years to eliminate the use of neonics on bee-attractive plants they sell. Lowe’s made the announcement on page 27 of its 2014 “Social Responsibility Report” in a section titled “Listening to Stakeholders.” Lowe’s joins Home Depot... read more
On April 20, Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE) delivered its pollinator petition to the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The petition, which was signed by nearly 600 citizens across the U.S., urges President Obama to protect pollinators by creating more habitat and forage areas. “Our petition shows President Obama that citizens want a balanced and substantive conversation... read more
The message was about the message itself at the 24th annual Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE) meeting, held in Tucson, Ariz., Aug. 25. Dan Stahl, vice president of marketing at Olympic Horticultural Products (OHP) and incoming board chairman, said RISE has a culture of staying relevant, and that means adapting the way the organization spreads it message. The... read more
The class of pesticides known as neonicotinoids have been a boon to the landscape management industry. Chemically similar to nicotine, the “neonics” are effective and less toxic to mammals and birds than many of the previous generation of organophosphate and carbomate insecticides. Not only are neonics effective in controlling a wide variety of insect pests, in many cases they can... read more
