Hort Post

A regular e-communication from Horticultural Marketing and Printing

April 12, 2016

Terrarium gardens are great for novice gardeners

As terrariums continue to grow in popularity they present growth opportunities in niche categories for retailers. The small glass container gardens are bringing a new set of customers to the garden center and piquing the interest of seasoned gardeners with the ability to keep and enjoy unique and rare plants, according to Green Profit magazine. Workshops that show customers how to use plants and tiny decorations to assemble the gardens in a wide variety of glassware will entice both adults and kids to build their own terrariums and help novice gardeners gain confidence. 

New computer tips

Setting up a new computer? Here are safety and protection tips: Create multiple partitions on the hard drive if possible. This will allow you to reinstall Windows if needed without losing files that are stored in a different partition. Back up everything important. Store important items on a second partition, a removable flash drive or to the cloud. Keep everything up to date. Keep your anti-virus software, operating system, and internet applications updated to the newest versions. However, be suspicious of pop-up that appear in browser windows, these are usually fake and malicious. Install security tools first. If your operating system does not come pre-installed with security software, install the security software before to install anything else. Don’t believe everything you see on the internet. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true. Perform maintenance tasks regularly. Your computer will need both hardware and software maintenance, consult a computer technician if you’re not comfortable doing this yourself.

Write-On Signboards 

Our Write-On Signboards are the perfect solution for creating weatherproof signs and posters for displays.  The signboards are available in white or black. Use removable Posterman pens to create water-and-fade-resistant signs and posters.

Enter WRITE-ONSIGNBDAPR16 in the shopping cart window to receive 10% off your purchase of our Write-On Signboards.

Posterman Pens

Make your own creative display signs over and over again! The ink is waterproof once it dries, but is easily removable using common household cleaners. For use with write-on signboards. Available colors: Black, white, or set of 8 colors (white, light blue, dark blue, pink, yellow, green, red, and black)

Enter POSTERMANPENSAPR16 in the shopping cart window to receive 10% off your purchase of Posterman Pens.

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www.hortmp.com

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Hort Post

A regular e-communication from Horticultural Marketing and Printing

April1, 2016

Seed Storage Tips for Growers

Whether you have a seed storage system that regulates temperature and humidity or something simpler, Benary experts recommend the following: Purchase seed in package sizes so that each open package is used within a week. Don’t store food or drinks in your seed cooler because the change in temperature can adversely affect temperature and humidity. Rotate your stock in storage and keep up with expiration dates so that you’re always using viable seed. Pull your seed from the cooler and let it acclimate to a moderate room temperature before planting to reduce condensation inside the packages. Source: Ornamental Breeder 

Back up your data before installing Windows 10

Upgrading to Windows 10? Here’s a shot to-do list before upgrading. Get a backup drive, either an external hard drive or a USB flash drive that is large enough to hold your personal files. To back up your personal files and documents, go to the Windows User directory and copy and files that need to be saved onto the external drive. Make a list of programs you have installed that you want to keep; look at the entire Start Menu to find a list of these programs.  Make sure you’re are able to reinstall these programs, either from a website or a disc. Also make sure you have any product keys needed for specific programs. Most upgrades go smoothly, but in case something goes awry, you will still have copies of all your important information.

Water Wise Designer Tags

 Help identify those easy-to-grow, water-saving plants in your garden center. Choose from 1” x 9” strip tags for shrubs and trees or 5/8” x 5” pot stake for annuals and perennials. The front of each tag contains a beneficial message to promote tree sales, and the reverse side is customizable with a variety of information that you can print with your thermal transfer printer. These tags are 1” x 9” with a perforated end; and made of .012 Flextherm.

 Enter WATERWISEAPR16 in the shopping cart window to receive 10% off your purchase of our Water Wise Designer Tags.

Vine Tripods

 Tired of combining 3 wood dowels or bamboo stakes together? No need to use wire or a cap to tie 3 pieces together! This one-piece vine tripod has been designed with 3 legs that come together at the top for a simpler application. The “legs” of the stake have stairs at the bottom for roots to grab. The “legs” have small hairs for the tendrils of vines to cling, greatly reducing the amount of time needed to spend tying each vine. Each tripod has a label attachment device that keeps the label secure and uniform. Available in 18”, 24”, or 32” height.

Enter VINETRIPODAPR16 in the shopping cart window to receive 10% off your purchase of our Vine Tripods.

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www.hortmp.com

or give us a call

1-800-433-8247

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Hort Post

A regular e-communication from Horticultural Marketing and Printing

March 4, 2016

Poor training equals disappointed shoppers

Without properly training employees, it's nearly impossible to deliver a quality garden-center shopping experience. This fact is reinforced by survey results compiled by Home Garden Panel, with support from Horticultural Marketing & Printing. In the survey, more than 45 percent of live-goods shoppers wished garden-center staff had more knowledge of plants. Nearly 40 percent would like employees to be friendlier and more available to help customers. Yes, teaching plant knowledge takes years of training. But teaching employees to be friendly and responsive should be a quick fix. Address both and you should see sales increase.

Employee Equipment Checklist

Along with  the training discussed above, it is important that employees are properly equipped to work outdoors in all weather. Going into spring, weather can change rapidly. Dressing in layers will help staff acclimate to the outdoor temperatures and not become chilled or overheated. Sturdy, closed toe shoes, preferably leather, will help protect feet, and a change of socks for unexpected wet situations can help keep feet healthy. Hats are important in both warm and cold situations. Fleece or knitted hats are great for holding in the heat in the cool weather, and hats with a brim provide sun protection in warm sunny weather. A good pair of leather or canvas gloves is another essential; they should be sturdy enough to withstand the thorns, splinters, and rough surfaces that are encountered daily. While your seasoned staff may know these things, it’s never a bad idea to have a seasonal refresher and your new staff will appreciate the information.

Plastic Trunk Mats 

Trunk mats are essential for retailers looking to show customers they care about protecting their property.This year, we’re announcing new plastic trunk mats that are less expensive to ship and easier to store. There are 850 perforated sheets per roll.

28”high x 48” wide

850 sheets per roll

35 lbs, each

Available in white or green

Indoor and Outdoor Information Holders

Getting information into your customer's hands helps drive sales.  Use these holders for planting guides, tie-in product information, new product introduction sheets and more. These clear plastic information holders make displaying brochures and product information easy anywhere in your nursery.  Choose from several sizes for indoor and out.

 Enter INFOHOLDERMAR16 in the shopping cart window to receive 10% off your purchase of either out Indoor Outdoor Information Holders..

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Horticulture Marketing and Printing - 3210 Innovative Way – Mesquite, TX 75149

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March 3, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Horticultural Marketing & Printing merges with global packaging company Orora

Mesquite, Texas – Horticultural Marketing & Printing, the national leader in point-of-sale, merchandising materials and tags for the North American green industry, announced a merger with global packaging company Orora on March 1.

Orora is a $3 billion company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. It operates in more than 75 North American locations generating $1.2 billion in revenue on this continent. Horticultural Marketing & Printing, in Mesquite, Texas, is the nursery-marketing arm of IntegraColor, which produces POP and marketing materials for a wide range of industries.

“The opportunities this brings is extremely exciting,” said Larry C. King, IntegraColor CEO. “During a period of unprecedented growth, this will allow continued expansion and improve our ability to provide customers with more and better products and services.”

Orora’s expertise in agricultural packaging will help bring innovative new ideas to the nursery industry. Powerful synergies will enable Horticultural Marketing & Printing to provide expanded packaging, POP and fulfillment solutions in the future.

Since 1956, Horticultural Marketing & Printing has been recognized for its innovations, integrity and commitment to the North American nursery, greenhouse, garden center and landscape trades.

“Like IntegraColor, Orora values respect, integrity and, most importantly, exceeding client expectations,” King said. “Together, we will continue to have an unrelenting customer-service focus that will drive us to meet and exceed your expectations.”

No changes in management at Horticultural Marketing & Printing will result due to the merger.

For more: Contact Todd Davis, (800) 433-8247, tdavis@integracolor.com.

Hort Post

A regular e-communication from Horticultural Marketing and Printing

February 19, 2016 

Continued recovery in the horticulture industry

According to Nursery Management Magazine, in late December 2015, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service showed that horticultural operations sold a total of $13.8 billion in 2014, up 18% from 2009. Also, the number of horticultural businesses increased 8% in the same time period. This increase indicates a continuing market correction after the 2007-2009 recession, according to Hayk Khachatryan, an extension economist at the University of Florida’s Food and Resource Economics Department and Mid-Florida Research and Education Center. Several factors have contributed to this growth in the green industry, including an increase in consumer confidence, new construction, low interest rates and easier access to consumer credit, Khachatryan explains. What does this mean to you as an industry professional? It means that there will be more opportunities to supply your customers with goods and services throughout the horticulture industry, both to retail and commercial consumers. Exposing your customers to the newest items on the market and educating them about the uses of those items will be key in increasing sales in both green and hard good lines.

Static Control in the Workplace

Static buildup can be one of the most challenging problems when printing on plastics, especially in the winter when the air is very dry. Static electricity is an imbalance of electric charges within or on the surface of a material. That charge remains until it is able to move away by means of an electric current or electrical discharge.

For static control in work areas, use anti-static mats on floors and work surfaces, and have staff wear anti-static wrist bands, heel straps or conductive shoes. Using an anti-static spray on surfaces may also be helpful. For more serious and constant issues with static use a static eliminator. Static eliminators come in different shapes and sizes for different applications; they can help remove static from either the media, the person or both.

Cardboard Shopping Trays

This new and exclusive product is sure to enhance the retail experience. Made of 1/8" cardboard, our trays ship flat but assemble in seconds. They're strong enough to hold 1-gallon pots or more. The base is 11" by 16" and will hold 12 bedding plants in 3.5" pots. Side walls are 2" high. Each bundle of 50 trays comes with assembly instructions. Trays can also be custom printed with your name and logo. For details, call (800) 433-8247.

Safety First

Make your customers aware of specific areas on your property with our Barricade tape. Made from co-extruded polyethylene, our tape comes in a 3” x 1000’ roll. We offer 2 versions of standard Barricade Tape – Caution - black lettering on yellow and Danger – black lettering on red. We also offer our Day/Night Visibility Tape in both Caution yellow and Danger red  Each has black and reflective silver lettering for enhanced night time visibility.

Enter BARRICADETAPEFEB16 in the shopping cart window to receive 10% off your purchase of  any of our 4 Barricade Tapes. 

Shop our website to see our full line of products

www.hortmp.com

or give us a call

1-800-433-8247

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Hort Post

A regular e-communication from Horticultural Marketing and Printing

February 3, 2016

Vegetables for beginners

According to the Home Garden Panel, the overall percentage of consumers purchasing vegetable plants and seeds has increased by 6% since 2014. Tomatoes remain the most popular vegetable to grow at home, with 96% of respondents between the ages of 51-60 growing at least one tomato plant. However, only 61% of millennials aged 18-30 grow tomatoes, and they grow fewer varieties of all vegetables than older consumers.  Many consumers admit to being unsure about when their tomatoes will ripen, and almost half of them expect to get ripe tomatoes within 45 days of planting.  By helping your vegetable gardeners manage expectations you will help build their confidence and avoid frustration. Classes and demo gardens will help educate your customers and give them comparisons for their home gardens. Demo gardens can also help market your tie-in hard goods such as stakes, netting, and mulch.

Software upgrade? Here’s your simple guide

Upgrading your computer is often a painstaking process. Many nurseries have or will soon upgrade from an older version of Windows to Windows 10, and that means your existing label software may no longer be compatible. If you have labeling software from Horticultural Marketing and Printing we can offer upgrades at a discounted or free price. We currently offer NiceLabel 6.5 which is compatible with Windows 10. If you have NiceLabel version 6.0 or newer, we can upgrade that for free. If you have NiceLabel between versions 5 and 6 the upgrade is $275. And if you have an older version or another software package such as Labelview or Tagfast we can upgrade you to NiceLabel 6.5 for $350. Some restrictions reply. Please contact us with any questions or comments at (800) 433-8247 or on-syte.catalog@integracolor.com.

TITAN 4 thermal transfer printer

We are pleased to introduce our newest addition to our family of printers,  the budget-friendly TITAN 4 thermal-transfer printer. This new model will produce strip tags, light pot stakes, pressure-sensitive sticker labels and 4 x 5" signs. It’s easy to use, lightweight and portable, if you need to print in multiple locations. Label feeding and sensor adjustments are easy and the external label mount assembly accommodates OnSyte labels with 3" cores. Check it out on line or give us a call for more information.

Keep your tags attached with our Swiftach Gun and supplies

Nylon Swiftach attachments are a popular solutions for securely attaching tags to thin-walled plastic nursery containers. They are fast, reliable and cost effective.  Choose from several guns and fastener combinations.

Enter SWIFTACHFEB16 in the shopping cart window to receive 10% off your purchase of  a Swiftach Gun and/or fasteners.

Shop our website to see our full line of products

www.hortmp.com

or give us a call

1-800-433-8247

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Hort Post

A regular e-communication from Horticultural Marketing and Printing

January 18, 2016

Help your customers understand perennials

A recent Home Garden Panel questioned customers on their perennial plant purchasing habits. The report stated that 14% of shoppers don’t understand the difference between annuals and perennials. They were confused about the lifespan of perennials, how they perform in the landscape and also about how much maintenance they require. Shoppers over 51 and over 60 were most likely to value perennial plants for their longevity (both over 43 percent), while 18-40 year olds prefer their purchases to provide immediate color to planting projects. So as a vendor, this means providing education through signage or classes and featuring material that is currently blooming will capture shoppers’ attention and  help increase sales in that category.

 Error message? Always start with the sensor

It’s not uncommon to encounter an error message when printing tags with your thermal transfer printer. But 90 percent of the time the error is the result of the label sensor getting out of alignment. This holds true for both “No Paper” and “Paper Jam” messages. What has typically happened is the tags have shifted and the indicator notch is no longer passing over the sensor. By slightly adjusting the sensor, you can typically solve the problem quickly and easily. If you still have problems, feel free to call us for assistance at (800) 433-8247.

UVPLUS 931E LED Color Printer

A new state of the art printer featuring breathtaking color, stunning detail and outstanding production speed. The best choice to produce full-color plant tags, signs, banners and brochures. Uses proven UV-resistant toners for outdoor application. Choose from hang tag, strip tag, sign and pressure-sensitive label sizes listed in our catalog or give us a call to ask about custom sizes to meet your special needs.

Get ready for spring with our Galvanized Metal Sign Holders

Our most popular sign holders feature proven galvanized steel construction for years of reliable use. Our sign holder faces are flanged on all 4 sides to keep signs from blowing out. We have many different sizes and designs to fit your needs.

Enter GALSIGNJAN16 at checkout to receive 10% off your galvanized sign purchase.

Shop our website to see our full line of products

www.hortmp.com 

or give us a call

1-800-433-8247 

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Hort Post

A regular e-communication from Horticultural Marketing and Printing

January 4, 2016

Do in-store displays matter to Millennials?

A survey of garden shoppers showed that in-store displays may have less impact on younger generations. The Home Garden Panel report stated that just 23 percent of shoppers 18-30 look for in-store gardening inspiration. Shoppers over 51 and over 60 were most likely to look to stores for inspiration (both over 37 percent). What does this mean? You’ll have to get more creative to encourage the younger age group to buy. Shoppers under 30 were most likely to seek inspiration from friends and family (69 percent), so a key could be to encourage gardening with social media.

Get your printer ready for spring

Many of you are ready to fire up your thermal-transfer printer for the first time in months. Keep these hints in mind: Make sure your sensor is adjusted correctly, and clean your print head if it has gotten dusty. Both these are simple tricks to make sure you get off to a good start.

Contact us with any questions

OnSyteXTRA 5 Printer

The industry's best and most-relied-upon thermal transfer printer. The XTRA-5 has a 5-inch print head and an extended frame to accommodate labels up to 9 inches wide. It has a near-edge print head making it perfect for thicker nursery labels including pot stakes. Prints 300 DPI images for high-resolution barcodes and graphics.

Get more information on our  XTRA 5bundle package here.

Deer Resistant and Native Plant Tags

Deer resistant and native plants are two of the most sought after qualities in landscape plants today. Show homeowners what plants are made to last with these 1” x 9” strip tags.

Enter DEERNATIVEJAN16 at checkout to receive 10% off.

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www.hortmp.com

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Horticulture Marketing and Printing - 3210 Innovative Way – Mesquite, TX 75149

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Job Title: Horticultural Ecommerce Manager

Compensation: Horticultural Marketing and Printing offers a competitive wage and benefits package.

Company Description: At Horticultural Marketing & Printing we create, design and print for the horticulture, nursery and garden center industries. Since 1956, it’s all we’ve done. Tags, websites, point-of-sale and more! We are located in Mesquite, TX, a flourishing suburb outside of Dallas. We also market to industries other than Horticulture under the name of our parent company, IntegraColor. Products and services include point-of-sale, fulfillment, online print procurement and technology management. Customers include Coca-Cola, Dollar General, JC Penney, Churches Chicken, Petco and Valero Corner Stores.

JOB SUMMARY: Currently we are seeking a Horticultural Ecommerce Manager. The Horticultural Ecommerce Manager will help manage and expand a growing ecommerce business touching more than 3,000 independent garden retailers and growers throughout North America.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• New product development
• Website management
• Sales to new and existing customers
• Marketing and mass communications through e-mail, social media and more
• Some travel required, including trade shows and customer visits 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Computer and social networking skills
• Horticultural education or industry experience
• Detail oriented
• Excellent organizational skills
• Self-Motivated
• Excellent time management skills 

EDUCATION AND /OR EXPERIENCE:

• 2-4 year College Degree in Horticulture or related field. OR 4 years industry related experience.

Please submit your resume c/o:
Jack Davis
VP Sales & Marketing
Horticultural Marketing & Printing
A division of IntegraColor
3210 Innovative Way
Mesquite, Texas 75149
972-222-4737 (office)
817-291-8102 (cell)
972-222-4686 (fax)
jdavis@integracolor.com

Job Title: Horticultural Content Manager

Compensation: Horticultural Marketing & Printing offers a competitive wage and benefits package. 

Company Description: At Horticultural Marketing & Printing we create, design and print for the horticulture, nursery and garden center industries. Since 1956, it’s all we’ve done. Tags, websites, point-of-sale and more! We are located in Mesquite, TX, a flourishing suburb outside of Dallas.

Job Summary: Currently we are seeking a Horticultural Content Manager. The Horticultural Content Manager is responsible for writing accurate, compelling copy and finding photography for existing and new plant introductions that could be applied to custom printed tags, signage or websites. This person will work closely with the creative, sales and prepress departments on creating new templates using customer defined libraries and data fields. They will also inspect printed and electronic proofs for correct copy and photos before going to press.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Write copy for horticultural jobs
• Ensure top quality photos selected and secured
• Administer customer proprietary horticultural databases
• Diagnose and correct problem photos and copy on horticultural jobs
• Create plant libraries for customers
• Handle transfer of foreign language needs to and from the translator
• Monitor company reports to determine active and future jobs needing copy or photos
• Inspect printed and electronic proofs for correct copy and photos

Qualifications: 

• Applied and proven knowledge of Microsoft Excel
• Horticultural education or industry experience
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Detail oriented
• Excellent organizational skills
• Self-Motivated
• Excellent time management skills

Education and/or Experience:

• 2-4 Year College Degree in Horticulture or related field. OR 4 years industry related experience.

Please submit your resume c/o:
Jack Davis
VP Sales & Marketing
Horticultural Marketing & Printing
A division of IntegraColor
3210 Innovative Way
Mesquite, Texas 75149
972-222-4737 (office)
817-291-8102 (cell)
972-222-4686 (fax)
jdavis@integracolor.com