An internal newsletter for the Zants Plants Team
In this edition:
New Installations!
Gnat Flies!
This month’s SAFETY FOCUS
Plant of the Month!
and much more!
TAL, 390 La Trobe St : Service by Judy
Orange Door, Box Hill: Service by Alison
New Installations!
TAL
Orange Door
BDO
TAL, 390 La Trobe St: Service by Judy
BDO, 727 Collins St: Service by Judy
Gnat Flies!
Gnat flies are a constant problem in our industry, you could say it comes with the territory! So, what do we do to maintain a high standard of servicing? Well, we follow the guidelines below, which is a 3 Step Process…
1st Step: Place trappits where gnat flies have been reported or where you have spotted them yourself. The idea of this is to identify the problem area and the pest and to start the drying off process of the potting media in preparation for the next service visit and step 2. All observations and actions are to be recorded on the Trello card!
2nd Step: Which is the next service due, check trappits and note what insects have been captured, if you’re unsure of what they are take photos and/or contact a more experienced team member. Once the gnat flies have been identified and the potting mix has been dried out, then the area can be treated with Crown that is applied evenly over the entire surface of the potting mix, do not pour down irrigation tube. All observations and actions are to be recorded on the Trello card!
3rd Step: and the third service. Inspect the area treated for the effectiveness of the treatment. Are there any more gnat flies present? If not, then fabulous! No further action required other than: Recording the result on Trello. Unfortunately, things aren’t always clear cut, there could still be some flies around, if that’s the case go back to Step 1 or if the soil is dry Step 2 and: Record observations and actions on Trello. The last scenario could be that the problem has worsened, if so, submit a replacement sheet, contact a team member if guidance is required and: Record observations and actions on Trello.
Health and Safety -
This month’s health and safety is a reminder of where to locate an incident report, it is attached to each trello board under Zants Plants HSE & Policy Documents, if you can’t locate yours please let either Judy or Michael know.
The form is easy to follow
Kentia Palm
September Plant of the Month
Botanical Name: Howea forsterana
Common Name: Kentia Palm or Sentry Palm or Paradise Palm
Family: Arecaceae
Country of Origin: Lord Howe Island
Description: Single-stemmed with dark green, arching fronds cut almost to the midrib into many leaflets.
How to Care: Kentias palms do well in bright or medium light and prefer normal room temperatures and can tolerate reasonably dry air. If they get too little light they will slowly deteriorate and they do not like temperatures below 13 degrees Celsius. Never allow allow pot to stand in water but keep potting mixture thoroughly moist. A standard liquid fertiliser should be applied every 2 weeks.
Special Hint: Run your thumb or finger down the stem of the plant to check if it’s flat. If it’s concave the plant needs watering! (thanks for the tip Judy)
Potting & Repotting: Use a premium standard grade potting mix and once the maximum pot size has been reached an annual top-dressing can replace repotting, making sure the mixture is pressed down around the roots of the plant.
New Team Member - Welcome Aboard Liam & Michael!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
to the Big V on the 5th September!
A Very Special Thank You & Congratulations to Judy for 15 years of Service!
We actually celebrated Judy’s 15 years of service earlier this year, in fact Judy achieved that in January. Pete and Sheralee finally got to thank her personally by taking Jude out for dinner a bit later on and now the “Team” is finally saying “Congratulations & Thank You” for her kindness, knowledge and guidance. Where would we all be if it wasn’t for Judy giving us a gentle nudge and her “can do” attitude leading the way!