Welcome to 'Sprout,' American Nurseryman's e-newsletter published on the first and third Thursdays of each month. For even more, be sure to read our December issue.

ANLA’s Dolibois retires; Geary takes the helm
On January 1, after 21 years of exceptional service to the green industry, American Nursery and Landscape Association executive vice president Bob Dolibois retired. And on the same day, OFA CEO Michael Geary stepped in to head up both groups in preparation for the transition to a new, combined organization scheduled to debut on Jan. 1, 2014. ANLA’s government relations and research team will remain in Washington, DC. Bob, and his wife Susie, will be recognized for their contributions to ANLA and the industry during the Horticultural Research Institute reception, January 10th, at MANTS in Baltimore. For the first few months of 2013, Bob can still be reached at bdolibois@anla.org. Read more>

Badger State announces plants of the year
The Wisconsin Nursery Association has announced its 2013 Plants of the Year: The woody selection is Pinus cembra (and cultivars; Swiss stone pine), and the perennial selection is Sisyrinchium angustifolium ‘Lucerne’ (Lucerne blue-eyed grass). This year’s winners were selected by the organization’s Winter Workshop attendees two years in advance to allow growers enough time to build sufficient stock. Read more>

CSU selects top performers
Colorado’s Front Range is beautiful—and tough on plants. So the folks in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Colorado State University in Fort Collins put ornamentals on trial, and the latest top performers have just been announced. The selections were planted in 2010 and grown through two winters—just to be sure. This year’s group includes Buddleia davidii ‘Buzz’ series from Pacific Plug and Liner; Helleborus ballardiae ‘Gold Collection’ series from Skagit Gardens; Monarda ‘Fireball’ from McGregor Plant Sales; Phlox paniculata ‘Classic Cassis’ and P. paniculata ‘Pina Colada’, also from McGregor; Anemone ‘Pretty Lady Diana’ from Blooms of Bressingham; Baptisia Decadence ‘Lemon Meringue’ from Walters Gardens/Proven Winners (pictured); Echinacea ‘Dalsomsed’ (Sombrero Salsa Red) from Darwin Perennials; Geranium ‘Eureka Blue’ from Blooms of Bressingham; Hibiscus Summerific ‘Cranberry Crush’ from Walters Gardens/Proven Winners; and Nepeta ‘Novanepjun’ (Junior Walker) from Conard-Pyle Co. Read more>

Suntory targets public media
Suntory Flowers’ consumer advertising campaign for 2013 is expected to generate nearly 122 million impressions with high profile home and garden media partners within the first six months. Print advertorial, e-newsletter sponsorship, print ads, web presence and TV all are in the plans, with the vehicles including Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Living, Sunset, Fine Gardening, Garden SMART TV and the grandfather of all garden expos, the Philadelphia International Flower Show. Read more>

People News

Jansen joins General Equipment
Pieter Jansen has joined General Equipment Company as European sales manager, responsible for the company’s development and coordination of sales and marketing activities throughout Europe. Read more>

Moreno to manage Northwest Shade Trees
Northwest Shade Trees has named Raúl Moreno as General Manager. He brings more than 20 years of nursery production and sales management experience to the 360-acre specimen tree-growing operation as he assumes responsibilities on January 2, according to Art Anderson, General Manager/Chief Operations Officer of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. Read more>

Hot Products

Spanish language software
Nemetschek Vectorworks has released a Spanish-language version of the Vectorworks 2013 line of design software, including Vectorworks Designer, Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Fundamentals and Renderworks. The Spanish-language material will be available throughout the Americas, the Caribbean and in Spain. Read more>

Truck insert
The DumperDogg from Buyers Products turns pickup trucks into dump trucks. Inserts are available in 12-gauge steel and 304 stainless steel, for both 6- and 8-foot truck beds, as well as in polymer for 8-foot truck beds. The steel and stainless steel DumperDogg inserts have a 2-cubic-yard capacity in the 8-foot truck insert and a 1.5-cubic-yard capacity in the 6-foot insert. The polymer insert has a 1.6-cubic-yard capacity. The 1.5-kilowatt motor for the hydraulic pump can be operated from inside the truck cab using the tethered control box for power-up and power-down. Dump angles on the inserts range from 0- to 40-degrees. Read more>

Skid steer adapter for Deere
A new adapter from Worksaver, Inc. allows skid steer-type attachments to be used on tractors equipped with John Deere models 146/148/158 loaders with pin-on buckets retained with 1-1/8-inch pins. This new adapter increases loader versatility and features an all welded design, plated handles, springs and lock pins. It is also easy to switch attachments between a skid steer loader and tractor loader. Read more>

Finally: Happy 2013!