Some of us here are heading out to the Arkansas PLANTS 2014 show in Hot Springs. This show is partnered with the Arkansas Turf Grass Association and together we have 60 exhibitors on the show floor. In addition to the show we have education sessions Wednesday and Thursday. This year we are excited to have Carol Miller, the editor of Today’s Garden Center magazine, speaking during two different sessions. We will also hear about new plants from both Proven Winners and Ball Hort, and talks from Dr. Jim Robbins (UA), Sherri Smith (UA), Travis Klosterboer (BASF), Dr. John Hopkins (UA), Ples Spradley (UA) and Seth Dunlap (State Plant Board).
You can see the whole schedule, registration form and even register online on the AGIA website www.argia.org.
This week we have been busy sticking cuttings and transplanting our plugs and liners. We sow almost all our own seed items except for a few plugs we buy in early. We also grow all our own vegetative plants from cuttings when possible. Some items like our clematis, mandevilla and tropical hibiscus we buy in as liners.
I usually differentiate between plugs and liners by saying that the plugs are usually grown from seed and the liners are usually grown from a vegetative cutting. However, you can also differentiate by size. Some lists show that anything in a 288 size or smaller (number represents the total number of plants in a tray so more plants corresponds to smaller sizes) is a plug, and larger sizes like 84’s and 50’s are liners.
But that’s just how I look at it. I could be completely wrong. Here are some Confetti and petunia liners we are planting this week.