Interiorscapers who will be knee-deep in garland and Christmas trees late in November and December sometimes earn a chunk of their annual income during the week or two of holiday installations.

Veterans who profit from “Holidayscaping” know pulling off a successful installation means planning for it months in advance. After all, the 200 poinsettias you will be placing in your clients’ lobbies are taking root at the growers right now.

Fred Scott, Vice President of NewPro Corp., is a former purchaser and manager of installations at one of the largest exterior and interior landscape supply companies in the US. He’s seen the good, the bad and the ugly the holidays can bring to Interiorscapers.

“People who install artificial Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands and poinsettias are beginning now to plan for Christmas” Fred said. “The first step is just diagraming what each client needs and then taking a simple inventory of what you have on hand and what you will need to match or expand your service for what client.”

That service includes the non-living – lights. It is safe to assume not every bulb survived the off-season or will survive this year’s installation rush. Many interiorscapers just purchase a set percentage – say 20, 30 or even 40 percent of their light inventory lighting so they don’t have to count every bulb or go shopping for them at the last minute.

While there are many ways to store and transport artificial Christmas trees, wreaths and garlands, one method is preparing the display in advance at your location. This is accomplished by decorating and then shrink-wrapping the pieces at your location before transport and installation at the client site.

“That way, once the tree is placed in the location, all the (Interiorscaper) needs to do is unfurl the shrink-wrap and fluff the tree,” Fred said. (more…)

MegaPots are available in sandstone (outside) and granite (middle)

Paul Ray, Horticulturalist for Median Hills Country Club in Indianapolis, shares the benefits of MegaPots in this video:

“No-Hole Liners” are inexpensive and have many useful purposes for the plantscaper.

The No-Hole Liner is a modified version of the common black plastic grow pot, without the holes cut into the bottom. While its greater gauge thickness and height means it’s a definite upgrade to common clear vinyl liners; they are also a little larger as well.  This subtle size difference allows for additional space to set the common grow pot into the No-Hole Liner; or the increased size difference also allows enough space for foam inserts our no-hole liners.  An 8” grow pot would need a 9” No-Hole Liner, a 10” grow pot would need an 11” No-Hole Liner, etc.

Plantscapers have reported using a more rigid No-Hole Liner to support and contain the foam insert around the root ball of the plant, which keeps the root ball from destabilizing. Since the No-Hole Liner is larger, it allows space for the foam liner around the root ball to fit in securely.

When it comes time to discard and replace the plant entirely, the extra space is an added benefit. Not only will the No-Hole Liner contain the mess, the plant is easier to remove and purge in a more convenient location. Can you imagine the mess of removing a wet, dirty, dripping plant if it is unconfined?

One of the more common uses of the No-Hole Liner is to set a grow pot with plant into the liner’s sleeve, which is then placed into planter bed to be covered by mulch, stone or soil.  As a result, excess water can be drained from the grow pot and contained within the No-Hole Liner as a water-tight reservoir.

The No-Hole Liner also aids in preventing leakage onto carpets from imperfect decorative plant containers that may develop cracks or pin holes over time.  You team up a clear vinyl saucer and with the No-Hole Liners to provide an additional degree of security from leakage onto floors and surfaces.

While I’ve listed common uses of No-Hole Liners, you have likely put them to use in other ways. What are some more creative uses you have devised? Feel free to list them in the “Comments” section below.

To view the No-Hole Liners we carry at wholesale prices CLICK HERE !