There is often a lot of talk about the ageing workforce in horticulture, so it was heartwarming to see many young people in attendance at a conference I attended recently for the International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS). They were a breath of fresh air and contributed enormously to the event.… Continue reading
Read MoreIndustry experts invite 82,000 Aussies to ask me anything!
Welcome to this month’s Greener Spaces Better Places program update. Read on to find out the latest news and highlights to keep you up to date on what’s happening and how you can benefit.… Continue reading
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(L-R) Tara Graham-Cochrane, Leigh McGaghey, Anna Baker-Creswell, Steven Wells, Dr Kate Neale (Image: Meg Chatterton)
By Leigh McGaghey
Therapeutic Horticulture Australia (THA) recently hosted their national Conference ‘Seeds of Change: Social Physical and Mental Wellbeing Through Therapeutic Horticulture’ at the RACV Resort in Noosa, Queensland. Volunteers delivered a tremendous event over three days, with the conference as well as tours, workshops and social events bringing together delegates from across Australia.… Continue reading
Read MoreClimate change is a concern for most people and those concerns may impact on our industry. Consumers drive change; as awareness of environmental issues grow so does their desire for more sustainable gardens and landscapes. The demand for native and drought-tolerant plants is on the rise, as they are well adapted to local climate conditions and often require less water and maintenance.… Continue reading
Read MoreIt’s official, there’s a new Top Dog in conservation. After years of training, Zoos Victoria Detection Dog, Daisy, has used her incredible sense of smell to locate one of the rarest fungi in the world, tea-tree fingers. Daisy, a six-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo (Italian water dog), is a canine in Zoos Victoria’s Wildlife Detection Dog Squad – a team with a mission to help save Victoria’s threatened species.… Continue reading
Read MoreAstronauts have grown seeds on the International Space Station for a decade, and China’s Chang’e 4 2019 moon mission sprouted seeds on the Moon. Now, as part of NASA’s Artemis project, which is a step towards a Mars landing, astronauts will grow plants on the surface of the moon.… Continue reading
Read MoreModern rose hybrids have lost more than a quarter of their genetic diversity since the early 19th century.
The domestication of roses can be traced back about 5000 years and were cultivated independently in China and Mediterranean regions. The diversification during the 19th century is associated with crosses between the two previously isolated genetic backgrounds.… Continue reading
Read MoreA proposal by Pedro M.P. Correia et al, from the University of Copenhagen, suggests that horticulture generally could make use of naturally occurring selection processes to improve crop yields.
Most high-yielding crops are susceptible to abiotic and biotic stresses, making them particularly vulnerable to the potential effects of climate change.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy John Corban
Was there a time in your business when you were outside your comfort zone?
Think back to when you decided to start your business. You probably had feelings of anxiety and discomfort as well as excitement. Although you may have been somewhat afraid, what potentially lay ahead (freedom to pursue your passion, generate a greater income, and have autonomy) provided strong reasons to help propel you forward.… Continue reading
Read MoreIntroduction: Nursery hygiene is the most basic platform for ensuring pest and disease-free growing areas and producing the best quality stock for sale to customers. Nursery hygiene issues in the propagation and production phases can cause problems that persist for the lifespan of the plants, which may be several decades in the case of woody species.… Continue reading
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