Jan. 2020: The Start of the New Year

As the decade comes to a close, we set our sights to the future and the opportunities presented in the new year.   Last month we looked at the official launch of the NewGen™ brand in 2019. Now as we enter 2020, we share the plans we have and how we hope to expand and connect with the industry.

Events:

Trade events and shows provide a place for many members across the industry to connect with one another and showcase the newest and most exciting products. There are many shows all over the world that cater to their region, and we are excited to participate in a few of them. The winter show season begins with one of the biggest industry events in Baltimore, MD. The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS) will be held next week at the Baltimore convention center starting Wednesday Jan 8th until Friday Jan 10th. This show brings in a whole spectrum of industry members from the Mid-Atlantic and around the US. Last year we officially launched the NewGen™ brand at the show. We are excited to participate again, come visit us at booth 174! You can also look for NewGen™ at our partners booths around the show.

NewGen™ on display at Saunders Brothers Nursery’s booth 424.

After MANTS we will head to North Carolina to participate in NCNLA’s Green & Growin’ show in Greensboro. The show will be Thursday and Friday, Jan 30th -Feb 1st. Come visit us at booth is 529 we, look forward to seeing you there!

NewGen™ on display at Cultivate ‘19

Later in the year we will participate at the AmericanHort event, Cultivate in Columbus, OH. The show is in July and includes educational events along with a trade show. We are excited to participate in other regional shows as the schedule allows and will update you all as we add them to the calendar.

Educational Events:

Bennett Saunders giving a presentation at the First Annual NewGen™ Field Day.

One of our major goals with NewGen™ is to provide up-to-date research and information to the industry about Boxwood and Boxwood related issues. Part of that includes participating in events where we can share this knowledge with the industry and the public. Our team is excited to give presentations at events such as the SNA conference in Baltimore, MD, and the Boxwood Health Conference in Aurora, OR. We are also excited to sponsor and promote other events such as the American Boxwood Society’s event: The Third International Summit on Boxwood Challenges. Events like these bring in researchers from all over to share the most up to date information on boxwood challenges.

Plant Availability:

Starting this year, NewGen™ Boxwood will officially be available for sale from our five partner growers. Our partners include: Overdevest Nurseries in NJ, Prides Corner Farms in CT, Saunders Brothers Nursery in VA, Sheridan Nurseries in Ontario, and Willoway Nurseries in OH. Make sure to check out their websites and contact their sales teams to see when their plants will be on availability.  We are excited to see over 75,000 plants available to growers, landscapers, and retailers this year!

Other ways to stay connected:

As the year progresses, we are excited to continue to develop our digital presence through our website, social media, and other platforms. Continuing to connect with the industry remains a priority as we share the message of NewGen™ Boxwood. We will continue to utilize our website and newsletters to share information and research about boxwood as well as any news about the program.

With an exciting year behind us and an ambitious year ahead of us, we are looking forward to 2020 and the start of a new decade. Happy New Year from all of us at NewGen™

Dec. 2019: Boxwood Blight Update

A field of boxwood affected by Boxwood Blight.

Since its introduction to the United States in 2011, boxwood blight has been found in 26 states. Its affects have been seen from the Mid-Atlantic to the west coast in varying degrees. One of the biggest contributing factors to the prevalence and spread of this disease is climate. Boxwood blight requires specific environmental conditions which vary year to year. This fungal disease spreads by spores that move by water splashing, physical contact, or on debris. Infections occur during humid, warm periods, and can spread quickly when conditions are ideal.

The map above shows states with reported cases of Boxwood Blight by year.

Characteristic symptoms of Boxwood Bight include dark streaking on the branches, leaf spots, and defoliation.

As many growers recall, 2018 was a devastating year, especially in the Mid-Atlantic. With record breaking rainfall and extended periods of warm, wet weather, many growers, landscapers, and homeowners saw more cases of the disease than previous years. Mary Ann Hansen, who oversees the Virginia Tech Plant Disease Clinic reflects, “In 2018 when we had so much rain across the state, the VT Plant Disease Clinic received 188 boxwood samples that were positive for boxwood blight. This amounted to over 11% of our sample total.”

Bennett Saunders next to the Tye River at record high levels in September 2018 after another heavy rain storm.

In Piney River, VA we saw over 90 inches of rain throughout the year, compared to the annual average of about 45 inches. Reports of flooding and extended rain events throughout the spring, summer, and fall were followed by reports of infection.

Juxtaposed to the previous year, 2019 has been uncharacteristically dry, leading to fewer cases. Mary Ann from Virginia Tech reports, “In 2019, we only received 44 boxwood samples that were positive for boxwood blight, and this amounted to less than 3% of our total samples. The number of samples received by the Clinic doesn't necessarily represent the amount or severity of the disease across the state, but in this case, I think it probably did. The weather in 2018, especially in the fall, when boxwood blight tends to be a problem, was very conducive to boxwood blight, whereas the long drought and high temperatures in many areas of the state in 2019 were not conducive to boxwood blight. The fungal pathogen, Calonectria pseudonaviculata, does best at moderate temperatures with extended periods of leaf wetness.”

It is important to keep in mind the effect the environment can have on the spread of plant diseases. For more information on Boxwood Blight and how to prevent it, check out the Virginia Tech Boxwood Blight Task Force website or read more about it here.

Introducing NewGen Freedom® and NewGen Independence®

Behind every new venture lies the inspiration that initiated it all. The spark that led to the creation of NewGen™ lies with the two boxwood that will be the initial introductions of the line. After years of research, these two cultivars outperformed the more common varieties available on the market. These selections offer the industry a solution to the disease and pest problems boxwood continue to face. Being introduced to the market in 2020 are NewGen Independence® and NewGen Freedom®. With names that evoke imagery tracing back to 18th century, colonial America, where a new country was blazing a trail in history, these plants will lead the industry demonstrating better tolerance of Boxwood Blight, resistance to Boxwood Leafminer, and WOW factor in the landscape.

The first selection, NewGen Independence® (Buxus NewGen Independence® ‘SB108’ PP# 28888) will catch your eye with its deep green color that holds through the winter. Filling out to a nice rounded, medium-sized shrub, this variety can be used in formal plantings or to provide structure in less formal gardens. NewGen Independence® fills a need in the industry as a replacement for English Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’). English boxwood is known as being one of the cultivars most susceptible to Boxwood Blight, so much so that many producers can no longer risk growing them. This new variety will offer gardeners and landscapers a solution by achieving the same look but with a plant that has shown high tolerance of Boxwood Blight.

As a chance seedling found near Williamsburg, Virginia, NewGen Independence® thrives in zones 5b to 8 and will be a gardener’s dream whether it is a specimen on its own, used in a medium hedge, or as a foundation plant. Once planted and established, with minimal annual care, this plant will be a timeless addition to any landscape. For more details about this wonderful plant, check out the link below:

NewGen Freedom® (Buxus NewGen Freedom® ‘SB300’) is the second of the two introductions but will capture just as much attention. As a more vigorous grower, this rounded cultivar is slightly taller than it is wide and has beautiful glossy foliage, making it an excellent choice for both formal and residential landscapes. This plant was chosen not only for its demonstrated tolerance of pests and diseases, but its overall vigor creates beautiful structure in a garden much quicker than many other varieties available. Hardy in zones 5-8, this particularly grower friendly plant makes an excellent specimen, hedge, or foundation plant in landscapes all over. For information and photos, follow the link below:

Both plants were selected because they outperformed the rest through years of research. These new cultivars surpass current varieties available in the industry with their better tolerance of Boxwood Blight, strong resistance to Boxwood Leafminer, and overall beauty in the landscape. These plants offer solutions to the most prevalent boxwood pests and diseases today. The NewGen™ brand aims to lead the charge with this new generation of boxwood and continues to be dedicated to future innovations.