UAC Magazine - Fall 2022 by Georgia Urban Ag Council

FALL 2022 | 1Greener. Smarter. Stronger. Keeping Georgia’s green industry informed FALL 2022 URBAN AG GEORGIA COUNCIL MAGAZINE14 204030 5042

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FALL 2022 | 3 ALPHARETTA 770-274-2262 CARTERSVILLE 770-382-7284 LAWRENCEVILLE 770-277-7745 FOREST PARK 404-363-1932 FT. VALLEY 478-987-0776 MARIETTA 770-516-3255 TifTuf® uses 38% less water than Tifway and will pay for itself in lower water bills. Maintains acceptable turf quality and aesthetics under drought stress. In ToleranceDrought Zeon® Zoysia sod is dark green / mediumfine textured, and easier to maintain than other fine-textured types. Shade tolerant Zeon turfgrass is widely adaptable to full sun or moderate shade. • Get wholesale pricing • Choose pickup or delivery dates • Request expedited delivery • View your purchase history Get your Pro Account here GEORGIA WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

Jennifer Jorge King Green

UAC Magazine

Board of Directors

Georgia Water Alliance

PO Box 3400 | Duluth GA 30096

Fax: 404.900.9194

Atlanta Botanical Garden

Email: office@georgiauac.com

A member

RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment)

Georgia Association of Water Professionals

Georgia Urban Ag Council

Nursery & Landscape Association Executives

37 The

URBAN AG What’s for dinner? Summer project investigates spiders’ suppers Crafting a cohesive space 10 essential elements of garden design Dandy Man Color Wheel Doing the rhododendron happy dance Deciduous dilemma Branch dieback and cankers of deciduous trees Simply Scentsational Two new versions of old favorites Back to basics Improving plant survivability with proper planting

The Turfgrass Group

Swift Straw

Mary Kay Woodworth

American Hort

Georgia Tree Council

Staff

National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture

Josh Morrow

Tolar Capitol Partners

FALL COUNCIL MAGAZINE What did you miss? UGA Turfgrass Research Field Day What did you miss? Landscape Pro University ABC Atlanta’s 20 Largest Commercial Landscape Companies SkillsUSA Atlanta event promotes workforce development UAC welcomes new members FEATURES Have you met... Arnulfo Hinojosa, FEWA & benefits It’s time to align your benefits with your employees Pest 411 Gloomy maple trees? Save the date What the tech? How to assess the state of your website Safety Works Safe, courteous, and efficient leaf blower operation Directory of Attracting the best Recruiting during the Great Resignation Budget building blocks Benchmarking your business Training, investment, improved messaging Tackling the labor shortage Selling your business? Part 1: Developing a successful exit strategy

of:

Phone: 706.750.0350

Athletic Fields, Inc.

Georgia Arborist Association

Ray Wiedman

BUSINESSadvertisers 22

All contents 2022

INDUSTRY Bring Grass to LifeTM Initiative aims to protect and promote the green industry New bluegrasses for the transition zone Southern Blue and Sunbelt Blue Georgia Urban Ag Council offers congratulations A new face in horticulture UGA welcomes Dr. Ping Yu to hort department Sidney B. Meadows Fund awards $26,000 in scholarships

Web: urbanagcouncil.com

URBAN2022AGGEORGIA

Steve Ware

Ex Officio

Ron White

TurfPride

Marketing Director & Editor

12 Health

Pam Dooley

Executive Director

UGA Extension Horticulturist

4 | UAC MAGAZINE

Plants Creative Landscapes

Irrigation Consultant Services

UAC NEWS 5 Executive Director message 6

REGULAR

Outdoor Expressions

Matt Lowe

Clint Waltz

Bob Scott

Official publication of the Georgia Urban Agriculture Council

Centennial Olympic Park/GWCC

Bodie Pennisi

UGA Extension Turf Agronomist

Kathy Johnson

Ken Morrow

National Association of Landscape Professionals

FALL 2022 | 5 UAC NEWS

Have a wonderful fall and joyous holidays as we ring out the year!

I subscribe to the University of Georgia’s daily climate blog, On The CASE…Climate and Agriculture in the SouthEast and can see a quick view of climate conditions regionally and throughout the US. The southeast US has been spared the ongoing, creeping drought found throughout much of the western part of the country, but don’t let that create a false sense of security.

Dear UAC Members and Supporters,

Battery power

Upcoming events

> Build up organic matter in the soil by adding mulch each year.

> Never fertilize during excessively dry periods.

Respecting the water supply

> Do not apply fertilizer before windy or heavy rainfall days.

> Fertilize only as needed to maintain the health of lawns and landscape plants.

> Leave grass clippings on the lawn with a mulching mower.

> Plant the right plants in the right place.

> Fertilize ornamental plants in spring when growth begins.

Mary Kay Woodworth | Executive Director

It’s also important to remember that what happens on the surface doesn’t always stay on the surface. Pollution from our land-use activities can make its way into our groundwater resources that are important to millions of Georgia residents with drinking water wells. By designing an efficient landscape and fertilizer plan, you can save on maintenance costs while protecting water quality in the community.

A hot topic which is getting hotter is the gas to battery powered equipment movement. We’ve seen that most recently in 2022 with the exploratory outreach the city of Decatur made to stakeholders, veiled in the “noise ordinance” issue. Throughout the summer, Decatur held listening meetings to collect feedback, and we anticipate a proposed new ordinance and public comment period in 3rd quarter 2022. UAC will continue to advocate for a reasonable approach that does not harm professional landscape companies and will keep you advised.

> Test your soil.

> Diagnose symptoms of plant stress.

We’re looking forward to seeing you this fall and winter at UAC Networking Dinners, Lunch & Learns, Sporting Clay Tournament and kick-off for 2023 at the Tucker Brewing Company! Look for more info and new events on our website: urbanagcouncil.com

> Do not overwater.

During World Water Week, Aug. 23 - Sept. 1, 2022, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension reached out to Georgia residents and businesses to adopt practices that respect the importance of water quality for recreation and drinking water. These recommendations, which all landscape professionals recognize as best management practices, will protect water resources and could reduce costs of lawn maintenance and drinking water treatment and include:

Fall quickly came this year, after a hot, but fortunately, wet summer. Drought was the last thing on anyone’s mind in the spring and summer of 2022, but it’s always out there, hovering in the background noise.

> Aerate lawns at least once a year.

According to Lawn & Landscape’s 2022 Battery Powered Equipment Survey, 30% of those surveyed responded that they currently do not use any battery powered equipment, compared to 42% in 2021. Whether using battery powered equipment now, or contemplating for future use, there’s a strong consensus that they would be more open to it if technology that met their needs existed.

Those advancements are coming, and we look forward to seeing what’s ahead.

6 | UAC MAGAZINE WHAT DID YOU MISS? UGA Turfgrass Research Field Day | August 3, 2022 | UGA Griffin Campus UAC NEWS

FALL 2022 | 7 WHAT DID YOU MISS? Landscape Pro University | August 31, 2022 | Atlanta GA UAC NEWS

5 Tri Scapes, Inc. $26.88M 115/130 Rebecca Martin Cumming, GA Quinn Martin

7 Crabapple Landscape Experts $23.51M 164/276 William Coleman Alpharetta, GA Jay Prange

10 Baytree Landscape $14.6M 200/250 Drew Watkins Stone Mountain, GA Todd Hunt Matt Maurer

13 Nature Scapes, Inc. $11.91M 130/180 Rick Upchurch Lilburn, GA Bryan Garruto

9 HighGrove Partners, LLC $17.2M 175/210 Jim McCutcheon Austell, GA

1 BrightView Landscape Services, Inc. $85M 600/700 Paul McGrath Tucker, GA

4 Ruppert Landscape $31.12M 225/235 Brent Kelly Lilburn, GA Michael Vispi Adam Bennett

3 Yellowstone Landscape $31.25M 285/335 Brian Wester Lilburn, GA

8 | UAC MAGAZINE

2 Russell Landscape Group, Inc. $38.8M 300/400 William Russell II Sugar Hill, GA

UAC NEWS Congratulations UAC members! Highlighted in yellow Atlanta Business Chronicle: Atlanta’s 20 Largest Commercial Landscape Companies Ranked by 2021 Atlanta commercial landscape revenue Locally researched by Patsy Conn URBAN AG GEORGIA COUNCIL

12 Ed Castro Landscape, Inc. $12.1M 100/120 Edward Castro Roswell, GA

8 Gibbs Landscape Co. $22.5M 395/395 David Gibbs Smyrna, GA Peter Copses

2021 Atlanta Full-time/ Rank Business name Commercial Revenue seasonal employees Principals

11 Unlimited Landscaping &Turf Management, Inc. $13.43M 158/170 Scott Whitehead Suwanee, GA

6 Gibson Landscape Services, LLC $26.68M 190/230 Tony Gibson Alpharetta, GA

16 A&C Development, Inc. $10.14M 12/13 Chris Sears Roswell, GA

20 North Georgia Landscape Management $7.12M 55/63 Jeremy Talboy Duluth, GA

17 Davis Landscape $9.85M 50/75 Jeannie Martin Buford, GA

14 Greenwood Group Landscape $11.7M 90/130 Chris Stephenson Atlanta, GA Davis Morgan

18 Outdoor Expressions, LLC $9.01M 58/83 Brian Beavers Canton, GA Julia Beavers

UAC NEWS Thank you to all of our SEED sponsors! Gold 706.750.0350 | office@georgiauac.com | urbanagcouncil.com DiamondPlatinum Contact us today to see how you can become a SEED Sponsor! Chatham Landscape Services | Falling Leaves Lawn Care | Georgia Crop Improvement Association | Hunter Industries | Landmark Landscapes | Outdoor Expressions Silver Beyond the Curb Landscaping Crabapple Landscape Experts Southern States Turf Division SEED sponsorship opportunities support | energize | enable | develop SEED sponsorships offer our members an opportunity to promote their businesses and support UAC at a level beyond the membership dues. seed URBAN AG GEORGIA COUNCIL support | energize | enable | develop

19 SKB Industries, Inc. $7.6M 47/50 Steven Bell Lilburn, GA

FALL 2022 | 9

Jeff Creecy

15 Atlanta Landscape Group, LLC $11M 120/150 Bob Russell Cumming, GA Bart Stanfield

Brett TammyRussellRussell

10 | UAC MAGAZINE

UAC NEWS

• Jeff Walters, Outdoor Expressions

Plant material donation:

• Maria Vasquez - Ed Castro Landscape

AtlantaSkillsUSAevent promotes workforce development

4 4

• Myky Truong - SiteOne Landscape Supply

• Randy Moody, SiteOne Landscape Supply Onsite volunteers in our booth (and swag donators):

• Mark Thelen, Michael Baskett, John BlaineLandmark Landscape

instructor Kara Murphy brought her student, Avery (Oklahoma state landscape competition winner) to help with the demonstration competition, and it was Weterrific!were

• Bryan Tolar, Tolar Capitol Partners

• Raschely Flint, Plants Creative Landscapes

• Teddy Russell

• Tom Childers, JR Richards, PJ Provinelli - Ewing

We couldn’t have done this without the support of these UAC members:

• Scott Watson, Mark Hopkins - Land Care

very impressed with the overwhelming interest and support from attendees and look forward to reporting our progress in getting this demo event approved for a full-blown national competition for 2023!

The SkillsUSA event was held in Atlanta June 2023, 2022, with two objectives:

• Ed Castro

Above, from left: NALP Foundation’s Jenn Myers, Oklahoma horticulture instructor Kara Murphy, UAC Executive Director Mary Kay Woodworth, Pamela Moore also from the NALP Foundation, and Raschely Flint from Plants Creative Landscapes teamed together to present the inaugural “National Skills USA Landscape Competition and Careers Booth at the SkillsUSA National Competition at the Georgia World Congress Center June 20-23.

NALP Foundation leaders

To introduce the great variety of landscape industry careers to a new and very motivated and interested group of young adults (and advisors/parents/ educators) who are serious about entering the Toworkforce.introduce the proposed new competition and garner interest and support from teachers, advisors, sponsors and their students at this exclusive national Oklahomaevent.

The Hinojosa family, from left: Stephanie, Jess, Jolee, Arnulfo, and Jade

HAVE YOU MET

When I’m not working, I like to…travel with my family and friends.

• Enable you to stay compliant with government regulations

About FEWA

• A bilingual staff

• Help you employ legal temporary labor (H-2A and H-2B)

The one thing most responsible for my success is… having the unique experience of traveling throughout Mexico and Central America to help the potential workers through the paperwork and interview process at various U.S. Consulates and having the opportunity to visit their hometowns. Being introduced to their families and visiting the communities that their hard-earned U.S. dollars help build is a very humbling experience that I will never forget.

My biggest career success so far has been…. solving America’s immigration problems, one employer and one worker at a time.

Address: 2901 Bucks Bayou Road Bay City, TX 77414

Email: ahinojosa@fewaglobal.org

Web: FEWAglobal.org

Contact info:

FEWA, a nonprofit trade association, helps companies across America tap into the labor market of the world (H-2A and H-2B). We understand the nature of your business and the importance of a dependable legal workforce season after season.

• Give you a voice in Washington, DC

• Legal counsel to help with compliance, audits, and advice and your workers are members too!

Have you met...

Arnulfo FederationHinojosaofEmployers and Workers of America (FEWA)

The person who has most influenced my career is…..Scott Evans, founder, and President at FEWA.

The thing I like most about my career is…..we get to help both workers and employers positively change their lives.

FALL 2022 | 11

My first job in the green industry was...being involved in the H-2A/H-2B temporary guest worker process since the year 2000.

My biggest challenge in my career has been… the government H-2B cap limitations. Working with Congress every year to seek temporary relief when a permanent solution is needed.

My least favorite part of my job is…the bureaucracy involved when employers are simply trying to do the right thing and hire legal temporary workers..

Phone: 979-318-7291

FEWA membership benefits:

• Provide a personal Guide throughout the entire process

With these tips, you will have a starting point to assess the alignment of your benefits with your employees.

This might be one of the most important ways to start thinking about your employee benefits differently. Your benefits should align with the results you want to achieve, your culture, and what your employees both want and need. In order to achieve alignment, you should be asking questions like “Are you confident in what your employees need?” and “Have you asked them what would make their lives better?” These conversations will change how you view your benefits process and help you make better decisions.

It’s time to align

Snellings Walters is the official insurance partner of the Georgia Urban Ag Council.

Unfortunately, most companies are offering benefits plans that aren’t best for their employees or organization.

Taragoals.Byrd,

by Tara Byrd, CIC, Employee Benefits Consultant, Snellings Walters Insurance Agency

12 | UAC MAGAZINE HEALTH & BENEFITS

Three ways to align your benefits with your employees

2.1.3. URBAN

About the author AG

Employees who say their employer’s benefits communications are easy to understand are 99% more likely to feel valued or appreciated. That statistic alone should make you want to reassess your employee benefits and start investing in benefits education. Clarity

Simplification

Education

surrounding employee benefits options allows employees to make more informed decisions for themselves and their families, leading to increased financial well-being and productivity in the workplace. When employees understand how their benefits work, their overall wellbeing is enhanced.

Finding benefits that match your employees’ current wants and needs can be difficult, but here are some ways you can fill in that gap:

As mentioned earlier, perfecting this alignment can be difficult, but that’s why we are here to help! If you want to re-think your benefits process, start by checking out our benefits guide: snellingswalters.com/benefits

It’s hard to get good people to stay in today’s job market – candidates are in the driver’s seat now more than ever. That’s why it’s so important to set yourself apart with strong benefits that meet your employees’ needs, are easy to understand, and align with your organization’s

GEORGIA COUNCIL

Asking the right questions

Employee benefits tend to be complex and confusing. But they don’t have to be. When was the last time someone sat you down to explain how benefits break down? When you take difficult information that is hard to understand and break it down into smaller pieces, it’s easier to soak in and understand. Starting small makes a huge difference when it comes to employee benefits.

CIC is Employee Benefits Consultant with Snellings W:P:E:Walters.tbyrd@snellingswalters.com770-508-3032snellingswalters.com

Getting started

FALL 2022 | 13 WWW.PROGRESSIVETURFEQUIP.COM At Progressive Turf Equipment, we continually strive to find ways to make our customers more and more productive in their fields. Our broad range of Production Mowers ensure our customers will have the right mower for their operation. Paired with Progressive’s forward thinking, our mowers are designed to keep you in the field longer and with less downtime. Visit your local Progressive dealer or our website at www.ProgressiveTurfEquip.com today to see how Progressive Turf Equipment will help you “Mow like a Champion” in any field. TD-92™ TDR-30™ TDR-26™ TDR-22™ 800.668.8873 Quality built in North America and supported by a world-wide Dealer network.

Description and biology

14 | UAC MAGAZINE PEST 411

John A. Davidson, Univ. Md, College Pk, Bugwood.org

Gloomy maple trees? You may have gloomy scale infestation

The nymphs go through three nymphal stages to become adult females, whereas they undergo five nymphal stages to become adult males. Females are round (with concentric rings/ridges) with a darker center, although their color can be variable (Fig. 2, black arrow). The adult females are sedentary, whereas males are winged. The adult female appears pink or cream-colored when the test (referred to for waxy covering) is removed (Fig. 2, blue arrow). Usually, females live up to 12 months, whereas males live up to four months. The armored coverings on females usually give a convex shape. The adult female is about 1.5 mm in diameter and has no legs and antennae (Fig. 2, black arrow). Oval-shaped males are smaller than females. Adult males fly to find their mate, and they lack Femalemouthparts.scale

over eight weeks rather than laid in masses. The eggs develop and hatch within the females and emerge out as crawlers. The emerging crawlers seek feeding sites within 30 cm away from their mothers. Crawlers are the only nymphal stage with legs, eyes, and antennae. Once they settle on feeding sites, they feed and secrete the waxy covering on their body (Fig. 2, red arrow). They undergo one generation per year. Mated females overwinter, and crawlers emerge in spring. Unlike other scales insects, the crawlers of gloomy scales do not emerge synchronously; instead, they emerge over six weeks. Other scale insects typically emerge synchronously and have a distinct peak in emergence. Females reproduce both with and without mating. Reproduction without mating is believed to be more common than after mating. The crawler stage of gloomy scales can be dispersed by wind, foraging insects and animals (such as birds). The movement of infested trees can also contribute to dispersal but this is not confirmed.

Fig. 1. Gloomy scale insect on the bark of red maple.

Gloomy scale insect, Melanaspis tenebricosus, (Fig. 1) is a serious armored scale pest of maple trees in urban areas in Georgia. Infestation of gloomy scale insects can go easily undetected for years as they attack the bark and camouflage to the color and texture of tree bark. The affected trees show damage symptoms, such as branch dieback and canopy thinning, after about 6-10 years when the population of gloomy scale insects reaches extremely high densities. The waxy shield coverings on the bodies of the females protect them from certain predators and insecticide exposure.

insects produce 70 oval-shaped eggs during their lifetime, which are about 0.15 mm wide and 0.25 mm long. The eggs are produced in smaller clusters

As an armored scale, the wax coverings produced on the bodies of gloomy scale insects can be detached using a knife. (This is not the case for soft scale insects, such as wax scales, where the waxy coverings are glued to the female bodies.) They have piercing-sucking mouthparts that appear as tubes and are inserted into the parenchyma cells located on the epidermal layer of the tree bark. As years go by, the black/gray dust that deposits on the tree bark, especially on trees planted along the right-ofways and parking lots, makes the detection even more challenging. Unlike soft scales, gloomy scales do not produce honeydew.

by Shimat V. Joseph, Associate Professor, Department of Entomology, University of Georgia

Gloomy scale insects can infest more than 28 woody plant genera, but red maple (Acer rubrum L.), silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.) and Freeman maple (Acer × freemanii A.E. Murray) are by far the most common hosts. Other hosts include boxelder (Acer negundo L.), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.), holly (Ilex spp.) and mulberry (Morus alba L.), sugarberry (Celtis laevigata Willd.), Osage orange [Maclura pomifera (Raf.) C.K. Schneid.], white ash (Fraxinus americana L.), tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.), and lime prickly ash [Zanthoxylum fagara (L.) Sarg.].

Fig. 2. Gloomy scale insect with adults (black arrows) and crawlers with cap (red arrows) on the bark of red maple. Pale cream or pink colored female (blue arrow) when the test or waxy covering is removed.

When high densities of gloomy scales are observed, the surface of the bark becomes bumpy and has a grainy texture (Figs. 3 and 4). The young branches show dieback and thinning of the tree canopy. The dark-colored and bumpy bark surface as well as a thinned canopy of the infested tree give a dull or gloomy appearance. The infestation begins from the younger branches and then persistently progresses to the bark of older branches. The overall aesthetic value of the landscape deteriorates with infested gloomy trees. The affected trees eventually die in about a decade.

Host plants

Monitoring Management of gloomy scale insects is often challenging and expensive because scale infestation is diagnosed when it becomes severe and trees show damage symptoms. Any intervention after the high densities of armored scale on trees does not ensure a steady recovery and a clean and

Damage

FALL 2022 | 15 PEST 411

John A. Davidson, Univ. Md, College Pk, Bugwood.org

Pyrethroids may offer better control on crawlers as their residues persist a bit longer than oils or soap.

Management

Mechanical: Power washing can mechanically remove gloomy scales, but effective control from this method is still inconsistent.

healthy tree. Thus, monitoring for early infestation is critical after planting a tree. Red maple trees are especially at risk for infestation. Double-sided sticky tapes can be attached around the branches to monitor crawlers. The trapped crawlers suggest an active population of gloomy scales. Because there is no threshold developed for management decisions, early intervention is warranted before the infestation becomes severe.

Biological: Although some predators (such as lacewings, lady beetles), and parasitoid wasps have been observed attacking nymphs of gloomy scale, appreciable control has rarely been noticed on infested urban trees.

Chemical: Chemical management can be an important tool to suppress gloomy scale populations. Contact insecticides, such as horticultural oils and insecticidal soap, could suppress the crawler stage of gloomy scale. However, their effectiveness is questionable because of the prolonged emergence phase of crawlers in spring rather than a synchronized peak emergence. Thus, the timing of the contact insecticides with reduced residual activity (such as horticultural oils) will be challenging.

16 | UAC MAGAZINE PEST 411

Eric Honeycutt, Bartlett Tree Experts, Bugwood.org

For management, the crawler stage of the scale insect is often targeted with contact insecticides, such as horticultural oil or pyrethroids, before or during peak crawler emergence. However, this strategy may not be effective for gloomy scale as their crawler emergence is usually extended up to eight weeks.

Fig. 3. Gloomy scale insect infested bark surface is typically bumpy with waxy coverings of females (live and dead) pile over several generations.

Systemic insecticides, such as neonicotinoids (dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, clothianidin) have shown effective against armored scale insects in general but have not yet been tested against gloomy scale insects. These systemic insecticides should be repeatedly applied as a drench at a higher dose for effective control. This is because gloomy scales feed on the parenchyma cells instead of the phloem tissue; thus, they are likely exposed to lower doses of systemic

Shimat V. Joseph, University of Georgia

For those urban trees planted around impervious surfaces, such as concrete or pavement, high temperatures and lack of irrigation increase the risk of the rapid spread of gloomy scale infestation. This is because the reproduction of the gloomy scale increases with an increase in temperatures. Relative susceptibility of gloomy scale infestation among varieties of red maple was not evaluated to date.

Fig. 4. Gloomy scale insect infested tree in a parking lot.

Also,insecticides.manyrecent field studies suggest that neonicotinoids can be present at lethal levels in the floral parts and harmful to foraging pollinators and other beneficial arthropods. Thus, before using any insecticides, please carefully read the insecticide label, including precautionary statements.

Tomeco Farrior

John Watson Arcoiris Design Gardening

Central Turf & Irrigation Supply

Emory University

UAC welcomes new members

TIME: Networking/social hour at 5:00, dinner at 6:30

Dylan Harper Gralan Farms, LLC

UGA’s Jean Williams-Woodward and Rainbow Ecoscience’s Tony Goad will be speaking about plant health and emerging issues in the landscape.

Contractor

FALL 2022 | 17

Claire Houston Georgia Arborist Association

DATE: Tuesday, October 11

OCT 27

Ferngully Landscapes

Greg Earle Newton Crouch Company, LLC Elizabeth McDowell PNC Bank

Bloom’n Gardens Landscape LLC

SAVE THE DATE OCT

Jay Griffin Forge Marketing Group LLC

Mike Easter Legacy Group

Patrick Holsenback Steve Montgomery and Company

Mtscapes Inc.

Recreation/Government/Education & Research

Cutting Edge Landscaping, LLC

Vendor

Marta Garland Landscape Plus Services, Inc.

Greenland Landscape & Masonry, LTD

All About Irrigation & Landscape Services, Inc.

On the road at Caldwell Tree Care

Charles Bowen

Non-Profit Trade Association Outdoor Power Equipment Institute

TIME: 9:30 am - 1:00 pm

Steven Montgomery

Independent Professional Bailey Construction and Landscape, LLC

Visit for updates and to register. 11

PLACE: Caldwell Tree Care | 310 E. Crossville Road | Roswell GA 30075

Brittany Hope-Bhamla Huntsville International Airport

Lisa Bennette

Speaking for Trees

Peter Thelen Trimax Mowing Systems

J Carlos Saldana

Todd A. Hampton Venyscapes Landscaping

Justin Solsvig

urbanagcouncil.com/uac-industry-events

Curvature Landscapes & Design, Inc

Jamie Anderson

Sarah Thomas Savannah’s Landscaping Services

Adriana Hernandez

Renee Wright Brightview Paul McGrath

Christie Malcolm Bryant Tender Lawn Care, Inc.

Lyn Rooks

Josh Humphrey

DATE: Thursday, October 27

Sofia Barnes Thelen Financial Inc.

Tracie McIllwain Oglethorpe University

UAC Sporting Clays Tournament

Mina Souter

PLACE: Blalock Lakes | 4075 New Corinth Road | Newnan GA 30263

Understand your customer

4 4 4 4 4

Thevalid.next

Another area to look at is how you are describing your business – is it in your language or the customers’ terms? Too often we see websites that focus on products using technical names and terms. When a prospective client comes to your site, don’t assume they understand your technical language.

From here, you can take this data and look at what key messages come across from your website. Ask two or three people who are not familiar with your website to complete a task that might be similar to a prospective customer (What type of roses should I plant in Atlanta?).

JD Power recently published a US Manufacturer website survey and showed that electronic vehicle buyers reacted more positively to websites with more technology advances and tools than traditional buyers of gaspowered cars.

Too often, we see businesses follow trends in website development because it’s viewed as the most current way to build sites. What’s lost is whether your target clients are the right audience for these new trends.

Key aspects of a website audit

Does this mean everyone should add calculators or animated tours to their website? Only if your audience is likely to be positively influenced by these tools.

place you can go are tools such as Semrush (semrush.com) where you can review the rankings of your organic or paid keywords. You can also review your competitors and see how their level of traffic compares to yours.

Finally, I like word clouds – make a copy of the text on your home page and key product/service pages and put it in a document that you can download on a word cloud app (worditout.com is free and easy to use). You may be surprised what messages you are

Raise your hand if you’ve had someone come into your office and suggest that your website is lacking or that their spouse or young adult feels that it’s not current enough. It’s a common refrain in both corporate and the small business environment that can be counterproductive. If that is the impetus for change, you’re likely to get your brand and messaging off track. Too often firms take this internal approach to driving website change vs. approaching the external needs of their customers or using data to validate concerns or gaps. So where do you start?

Onereinforcing.lastarea

that is easy to audit is the freshness and completeness of your content. When I’m asked to review sites, I look to see if they have pages on news, events and blogs. Then I audit and record how often they have information and whether it has remained

18 | UAC MAGAZINE WHAT THE TECH?

I am a big believer that you need to ground yourself first by looking at your data. What has the pattern of visits (visitors, sessions, time on site, bounces) been over the past 18-24 months? This is your baseline –are the trends getting better or worse? This will begin to tell you whether the qualitative concerns may be

steady or declined. If you have a page with one press release from three years ago and one blog post from two years ago, you are probably doing more harm than good.

Time for a change? How to assess the state of your website by Trip Jobe, CEO, Rand Inc.

Make sure you present content in the manner your customers would ask and then connect that to your brand names or technical terms.

Be sure to also ask about their process and expected timing. What are the key steps they have and how will you be a part of those reviews and decisions? Do they bring data to show you their recommendations or follow their standard script? Too often businesses don’t know enough about the mechanics of websites and feel that they need to hire someone who fills this gap. It’s certainly important to know they understand the back end, but

Let’s assume that your audit points to a need to update your website, how should you evaluate the firms you might hire to do the work? As with most marketing programs, this is about having a strategy and that includes making sure a vendor understands you and your

Trip is the CEO of Rand Inc., a strategic marketing and analytics firm. Having sat in both sales and marketing leadership roles for 20+ years, Trip is an ambassador for driving sales and marketing alignment to fuel growth.

Email: tjobe@randinc.cc Web: LinkedIn:randinc.ccwww.linkedin.com/in/tripjobe

you can check that out by reviewing the list of sites they have built and see for yourself. If you build a beautiful, tech-driven site that doesn’t connect with prospective customers, all you will be gaining are awards, not new clients.

FALL 2022 | 19 WHAT THE TECH?

About the author

electronic vehicle website example, a great web developer who does mostly healthcare websites is probably not ideal for a grower or landscape architect.

Backcustomers.tothe

How to evaluate a website provider

You want to see how they work across different industries – does everything look the same? If so, they use their technical or creative prowess first and make the company fit their skills instead of the other way around.

Business owners want clean parking lots and landscapes, communities want neat and clean parks free of debris that can harbor insects and pests, and homeowners want attractive front yards. Leaf blowers are often the best equipment to achieve those goals.

• Maintain space around you. Make sure bystanders, including other people using leaf blowers, are at least 50 feet away before you turn on your leaf blower. Stop blowing if you are approached by someone.

Do not

Protecting your employees and the environment Safe, courteous, and efficient leaf blower operation

• Check your leaf blower. Inspect the blower before and during use to make sure controls, parts, and safety devices are not damaged and are working

• Use blower to spread or mist fertilizers, chemicals or other toxic substances, unless it is designed for these purposes and in an appropriate area.

• Start with nozzle close to the ground at first and then raise it to a height where it doesn’t generate dust.

Reduce noise

• Use nozzle attachments that help reduce sound.

• Avoid using more than one blower at a time whenever possible—especially in neighborhoods or around buildings where sound can be intensified.

• Be polite to others. Be aware of local restrictions on equipment operation, and don’t use your blower during neighborhood quiet hours. Limit the number of blowers on small residential sites to reduce noise.

• Leave blower running while unattended.

• Use the full lower nozzle extensions to control sound and minimize dust.

• Blow with care. Do not use your blower on gravel driveways, mulch, or bare dirt, which can stir up dust.

• Blow debris into streets or storm sewers.

• Keep it to yourself. Never point an operating leaf blower in the direction of people or pets.

• Pay attention. Focus on the task at hand.

We encourage landscapers and homeowners who use leaf blowers to follow these industry best practices for safe and courteous use.

properly. Review your safety manual if needed. Never modify a blower in a way not authorized by the manufacturer.

Reduce dust

• Pay attention to sound levels when shopping for your next blower. Also, consider battery-powered options, as many of today’s models boast improved power and reduced noise levels.

Information compiled from OPEI, OSHA, and UGA Center for Urban Ag

• Keep it outside. Never use a blower indoors or in poorly ventilated areas.

20 | UAC MAGAZINE SAVE THE DATESAFETY WORKS

• Dress for safety. Long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, boots, and a good pair of gloves will help protect your body from debris. Ear and eye protection (safety goggles or glasses) should be worn, and long hair secured to shoulder length.

• Read your owner’s manual and familiarize yourself with your equipment’s operation.

• Use lowest throttle speed (this also saves on fuel).

Leaf blowers are an essential time and labor-saving tool on the job, but landscape contractors are facing increasing pressure from homeowners’ associations, municipalities and other government agencies about equipment sound. Blowers are especially targeted due not only to the sound level at which they operate but also their sound frequency.

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• Practice by moving grass clippings or a paper cup without moving dust.

Follow these simple instructions, along with the manufacturer’s instruction manual:

• Learn to control air velocity at the end of the nozzle to lift leaves without lifting dust.

• Wet dusty areas down before using.

and drive down costs

By adhering to these courtesies and guidelines not only do you protect yourself, your employees and the environment around you, but you help avoid controversy surrounding blower use, keep your clients happy, add to your bottom line and maximize efficiency.

• Practice leaf blower nozzle movement/throttle control.

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Frustrations around high renewal increases Lack of plan understanding ICHRA and Self Funding expertise Tara Byrd, CIC Employee Beneﬁts tbyrd@snellingswalters.comConsultant770-508-3032snellingswalters.com We know the green industry. Schedule a meeting with us today! Employee Beneﬁts and Property & Casualty Services Attack your top insurance related issues

It's easy: First, go to urbanagcouncil.com > Choose the Membership menu, then Member Login. NOTE: Only the primary contact for your company will be able to manage/renew the company's membership. Contact us via phone or email if you need help with logging in.

Learn efficient operation

• Leaf blowers should not be used to clean up gravel, construction dirt, plaster dust, cement and concrete dust and dry garden topsoil.

• Practice up/down and left/right motions starting close to the ground and the debris but not close enough to lift excess dust.

• These people are usually motivated to work for full-time companies in return for competitive compensation, strong benefits, a good title, and room for advancement.

• This group is at home, but many are wanting more. In order to return, they need more flexibility and support than traditional roles offer.

The first group of candidates is the traditionalists. This is the workforce that Boomers, Generation Xers, and to some extent, older millennials belonged to.

• Because autonomy and flexibility is so important to this group, it’s important to provide meaningful tasks that can be accomplished independently.

Another pool of potential candidates is the caregivers. This group is mainly comprised of people who needed flexibility during the pandemic to care for children and/or elderly parents.

The next group is the do-it-yourselfers. These are the workers who have quit traditional jobs to join the gig economy, start their own businesses, or both.

This means attracting and retaining employees, particularly seasonal and/or hourly ones, can be a challenge. Luckily, there are things you can do to creatively attract and retain new talent. The first step is to understand the workforce.

• According to the McKinsey study, “over 2.8 million more people in the United States submitted start-up applications in 2020 and 2021 than in 2019.”

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

• While strong recruiting practices are required, little creative strategies are needed to attract this group.

• This group of people is easiest to find via common recruitment strategies like posting on Indeed, LinkedIn, and other common job boards.

• To retain this group, studies show that the traditionalists need to feel like their organizations and managers care about them.

The labor market is tight right now. At the time this was written, unemployment was at 3.5% and there were 1.8 job openings for every available worker.

• Autonomy is key for this group. They want flexibility about all else.

• You can also try managing to outcomes rather than to tasks, allowing your staff to determine when and how they achieve these outcomes.

• During the pandemic, work-load related stress, lack of autonomy, and feeling under-appreciated led this group to resign from traditional roles.

• It’s a balance between providing stability of income and flexibility of work when attracting this group.

22 | UAC MAGAZINE BUSINESS

• This group responds well to flexible part-time options, four-day workweeks, or flexibility around school schedules and holidays.

3.1. 2.

According to a 2022 McKinsey study (McKinsey, 2022), the workforce has changed dramatically over the last several years and the pools of candidates all have different priorities.

by Erin Saunders, Leica Geosystems

Attracting the best Recruiting during the Great Resignation

FALL 2022 | 23 BUSINESS

P: 770.326.9517

Erin Saunders is Regional Human Resources Business Part ner with Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon. About the author

The fourth group is the idealists. This cohort is comprised of mostly students and younger part-time employees.

4.5.

For more than 20 years our Atlanta Home Improvement Community has served 5000+ businesses connecting contractors and service providers with thousands of homeowners.

E: erin.saunders@leica-geosystems.com

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• This group is going to be enticed with flexibility to work around school requirements, and personal growth and development that help them feel like they’re gaining real-world skills.

Proud to be an Urban Ag Council member EVENTS

A shift in thinking

With a little creativity and flexibility, you can understand what might be important to new hires and help implement strong workplace practices that benefit you both.

• Consider reaching out to previous employees who have retired to see what might bring them back to the workplace.

• For this group, a sense of community and purpose is key. They want corporations and companies they work for to have mission and meaning.

PRINT & DIGITAL

Finally, there is the group of people who retired during the pandemic, the relaxers. These are people who either took early retirement, or are not actively looking for work.

• Portions of this group have been slowly returning to the workplace enticed by higher wages, or seeing their retirement savings dwindle faster than expected.

There are many options for current and would-be job seekers. With so much opportunity, candidates can be pickier than ever.

}

It can be tough to start understanding your numbers. Diving into the process of budgeting can be Betweendizzying.

Steele says this process should begin in October or November if the company’s fiscal year is a calendar year; if not, the process should start a few months prior to the beginning of the fiscal year. Plus, Steele says knowing the status of your major clients before starting to budget is important, too, so budgeting without those bids settled can make it a fruitless exercise.

Not knowing where to start is natural, especially in an industry with lots of people who love spending time out in the field, not behind a computer monitor. But industry consultants believe knowing what a budget’s for is the reason some in the industry don’t take that first step.

“Most people don’t understand what they’re trying to get out of a budget. Most people don’t really know what it’s for. The reason you’re going to do this is because you’re going to get some key numbers for controlling the business for the next year.”

by Jimmy Miller for Lawn & Landscape magazine

What’s step one?

The Harvest Group’s Bill Arman recommends company leaders carve out two full business days to get together when it’s time to start budgeting. Invite just division leaders and full-time accountants to the room.

“You could put all sorts of great budgets together,” Arman says, “but if you don’t have the right people, forget about it.”

Huston cautions against getting too many cooks in the kitchen. “I’m not going to get a lot of the other people involved initially; it gets a little too convoluted,” he says. “Once I get the budget all put together, I’d bring (all leaders) in and sort of affirm the labor hours I put in there…and get them to understand how we put these budgets together and get them to buy into it.”

“The successful entrepreneur sort of has to be paranoid,” Huston says.

To get started on this, Huston recommends gathering the prior year’s profit & loss statement, insurance documents and the state employment tax rates, among other items. When it’s all said and done, this type of budget should help leaders determine their projected expenses and revenues for the year, plus how they’ll need to price their work to reach those desired metrics.

~ Jim Huston J.R. Huston Consulting

Budget building blocks Benchmarking your business

Huston illustrates the point with a hypothetical: Suppose your company budgets $1 million in revenue for landscape installation work, and your typical job runs $20,000. That means you’d need to complete 50 jobs in the year to reach $1 million, the target revenue. Huston says keeping up with the forecasting budget would show company management how they’d need to pace those jobs to ensure they reach 50 jobs sold before year’s end.

“Paralysis by analysis comes to mind, right?” says Steve Steele, the head of financial service practice for Bruce Wilson & Company. “There are so many ways you can budget. It can be a daunting task.”

24 | UAC MAGAZINE BUSINESS

The conversation with staffers is not all about numbers: Budgeting allows everyone involved to see growth or attrition trends, plus Arman says it can be a great teambuilding and accountability exercise. This also helps your team determine if they have the right people in the right spots across the company.

The right fit

figuring out what type of budget you even want to create and deciding who you want involved in the process, it’s difficult to get moving in the right direction. And then once you do, taking the necessary steps to ensure the budget is actually correct or that your company uses it is a whole other ballgame.

Huston recommends identifying the type of budget your team needs to succeed. For example, companies could create a simple cash-flow budget that focuses on what’s going into and out of the business. You could also craft an accounting budget that’s more IRS-friendly, or as Steele suggests, you could start with a simple sales budget.

Huston says budgeting newbies should create a forecasting budget. He says this budget allows companies to better understand their key benchmarks they need to hit in order to succeed that following year.

Lawn care/chemical applications * >>>>>>>>>29%

Supervisor.................................................................. 53,500

Irrigation installation/maintenance >>>>>>>>>29%

Crew foreman/leader 36,000 42,000 51,000

2022 Benchmarking

Chief financial officer (CFO) 50,000 56,800 80,000

Compared to 2020, how did your location’s 2021 total gross revenue increase in each of the

Chief operating officer (COO) 90,000

. . . . .

Landscape construction/design/build # >>>>>>>>28%

Landscape designer 60,000

Landscape maintenance * >>>>>>>>28%

Of course, if the hypothetical management in that scenario hadn’t looked at each individual segment of the business, then they might’ve missed how many jobs they need sold in just the installation division. Your Business Report & Landscape Magazine

........................................

FALL 2022 | 25 BUSINESS

Breaking it down

Owner/president 75,000

. . . . .

. . . .

.......................................................

................................................

As of November 1, 2021, pay per hour, on average, for each of the following mechanicpositions: $25/hr $19/hr irrigation technician $23/hr $17/hr construction worker $22/hr $16/hr spray technician $21/hr $16/hr mower operator $18/hr $15/hr

Less than $300,000 - More than By revenue: $300,000 $999,999 $1 million

Owner/president 45,000 74,900 100,000

Landscape designer 38,000 40,000 63,500

Landscape maintenance # >>>>>26%

. . . . .

Account manager 24,800 39,500 60,000

. . . . .

Supervisor 35,500 42,000 55,000 Office manager 14,000 35,000 55,000

Lawn care/chemical application # >>>>>>>27%

following categories?16% Landscape(residentialdesign/buildconstruction/and/orCommercial) 12% Lawn (residentialapplicationcare/chemicaland/orcommercial) 12% (residentialmaintenanceLandscapeand/orcommercial) 9% maintenanceinstallation/Irrigation 8% Snow and managementice 6% Tree care

Landscape lighting >>>>>>>>>>31%

As of November 1, 2021, average annual salary for each of the following positions:

...............................................................

....................................................

Salesperson 45,000 36,500 65,000

Landscape construction/design/build * >>>>>>>>>>>32%

| Lawn

Approximately what was your location’s average gross profit margin for each of the following services it provided in 2021?

Tree care >>>>>>>27%

.....................................

Chief operating officer (COO) 31,500 53,500 90,000

* residential # commercial

Office manager 49,500 Crew foreman/leader 45,000

Account manager 60,000 Salesperson 60,000

Chief financial officer (CFO) 78,000

26 | UAC MAGAZINE BUSINESS

A wild market

The ultimate number that helps you determine if you’re hitting your target? Gross margin. Arman says gross margin is the centerpiece of every good budget.

Steele says there are a few critical areas where he sees contractors make the most mistakes. Sometimes, they fail to plan for people they’ll hire throughout the year and they don’t take that salary or hourly wage into account. They also sometimes forget about salary increases throughout the year and don’t factor those into the

Reprinted with permission from the March 2022 issue of Lawn & Landscape. Visit www.lawnandlandscape.com for more information.

“Budgeting takes into account a whole lot more than just saying, ‘Here’s the number I want to make next year,’” Steele says. “It really is strategic.”

Huston says costs like labor cost in the field and office costs like rent or marketing should be nailed down to an exact figure, while material, equipment and contractor costs are more case-by-case per clients. Using historical data to estimate these while also factoring in potential market changes is vital.

Letting an accounting program just spit out a budget based on historical data is ignoring critical external factors like fuel costs or fluctuating interest rates. Steele also says wages are largely rising nationwide, so budgeting should take that into account, too. It helps you figure out who to raise prices on and by how much.

Cleaning up mistakes

not taking each individual segment of the company into account is a common mistake. He often sees people put sales budgets together and suggest that they’ll just put a blanket 5% increase on pricing across the board.

Steele says putting each component of the business under the microscope allows business leaders to make datadriven decisions on facets of the business, such as pricing or adding efficiencies like improved route density. “At the end of the day, most owners would say their net profit is their ultimate goal,” Steele says. “Money doesn’t drive everybody’s goals, but it’s certainly one of the big drivers in why you’re in business. If you know what your target is, that gives you an idea of what the rest of your budget needs to look like.”

In fact, Arman recently worked with a client who hadn’t broken down his revenue by each individual segment yet at the time they met. On the surface, the company had been performing quite well, pulling in a healthy revenue figure. But when he finally broke it down piece by piece, Arman says the contractor found a concerning figure. “He’s discovered that if he didn’t have snow performing at a high level, the rest of his business would not be doing well,” Arman says. “So now we’ve got to focus on making sure he can have profitable business if it doesn’t snow. If it doesn’t snow, he’s in bad shape.”

The key figure

Arman says breaking down revenue by division at the company and budgeting from there is essential — the number one mistake he sees landscapers make with their budgets is that they lump all revenue into one. He says this doesn’t show you the full picture of what’s going on.

Huston says this number helps contractors decide when it’s time to increase sales or, if available labor is tight, when it’s time to raise prices. He says gross margins of over 40% are good on residential installation or maintenance work, while commercially, he sees an average of 25% or so gross margin.

“When you do your job costing, if your margins are only coming in at 20%, something’s wrong,” he says. “That margin isn’t high enough.”

Additionally,budget.

But the biggest mistake, Steele says, is that contractors will often have a big meeting on the budget and then it goes into a binder, never to be reviewed again.

“I’m a firm believer that once that budget is established, it needs to consistently be reevaluated,” he says. “Always ask why – why am I at where I’m at? If you are consistently looking at the smaller pieces of the budget – you’re looking at weekly sales goals, you’re looking at weekly production hour goals – you have a much better chance of making the small changes that you need to in real time that have impact.”

He suggests aiming for a 45% gross profit margin or higher, though most companies operate around 30%. This is calculated by taking net sales and subtracting out costs like direct payroll, payroll taxes, workers compensation, materials used or even subcontractors or equipment rentals. Then, you take that figure and divide it by the amount of net sales.

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labor shortage remains a top issue, with recent research from the Home Builders Institute estimating the construction industry needs to add 740,000 jobs per year through 2024 to keep up with demand. Fixr.com’s Construction Industry Labor Report 2022: Shortages, Earnings, and Conditions analyzes the causes and effects of labor shortages, the state of working conditions, and how the industry can improve to meet demand moving forward.

In addition to an aging workforce, working conditions — including long hours, informal training, and “a transactional pay-per-job culture” — remain a disincentive for many workers to stay in the industry long term, according to Fixr.com.

To help improve working conditions, construction companies can adopt cultures with performance-based rewards and take steps to provide career-tracking for their workforce, industry experts told Fixr.com. Such changes could help in providing workers with a greater vision for career trajectory, which could result in higher loyalty and less workers exiting the sector.

Vincent Salandro is an associate editor for Builder. He covers products for the Journal of Light Construction and also has stories appearing in other Zonda publications. He earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.S. in economics from American OriginallyUniversity.

Exposing students to the opportunities available in construction careers as well as the value that can be delivered can help dispel the negative stigma associated with professions, such as construction jobs, that do not require a college degree.

Theretention.construction

Additional steps to help retention can be taken by improving the overall reputation and perception of the construction industry, according to the Fixr. com report. John Gillett, president of QualityBuilt and founder and CEO of Foresite Technology Solutions, expressed the critical importance of shifting the public narrative toward construction by introducing “the value of a trade career into our education system.”

Negative perceptions of the sector are illustrated by the high rate of quits for construction companies. According to the Jobs Opening and Labor Turnover study conducted

published at builderonline.com and reprinted with permission.

Training, investment, improved messaging Strategies to help you tackle the labor shortage by Vincent Salandro

28 | UAC MAGAZINE BUSINESSBUSINESS

The Construction Industry Labor Report 2022 from Fixr.com analyzes factors contributing to the labor shortage, the current state of working conditions, and solutions that can help improve recruitment and

About the author

by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of quits in the construction industry reached a 20-year high of 248,000 in March 2022.

In the Fixr.com report, several industry figures suggested targeting training and upskilling as priorities to help improve overall worker conditions and create a better overall product.

According to Fixr.com, the pandemic-induced Great Resignation and mass retirement of individuals in the baby boomer generation has further put a strain on the labor shortage in the construction sector.

Making it work

Selling your business?

Whether you are selling your business because you’re looking to retire, move on to a new venture, or simply want to cash out for liquidity purposes, formulating an exit strategy is critical to ensuring that you get the highest price possible and leave your business in good hands as it grows forward.

Part 1: Developing a successful exit strategy

Closing up shop.

by Peter Thelen Sr., CPA, FMC, President of Thelen Financial

If you have a family member or employee who is interested in taking over your business, you can transition ownership to them through a process called succession planning. This can be a great way to keep your business in the family, or to reward a key employee for their loyalty and dedication to the company.

As I look around the industry and see the volume of deals and the quality of deals, I think its timely to talk about the process of getting your company ready to take to market.

> Finally, in part three, we’ll tell you how to ensure a smooth transition for both you and your business, and how to determine the best route to achieving financial freedom through your sale.

30 | UAC MAGAZINE BUSINESSBUSINESS

There are many ways to exit a business, and the right strategy for you will depend on your individual circumstances. The most common exit strategies are:

Selling to a financial buyer.

A financial buyer is typically an investment firm or private equity group that is looking to invest in your company and grow it over time. They may eventually sell your company to a strategic buyer or take it public through an initial public offering (IPO).

> This article will unpack what an exit strategy is and how to identify your reasons for wanting to exit your business.

As you can see, there are a variety of different exit options available, and the right strategy for you will depend on your specific goals and circumstances.

Passing the business on to a family member or employee.

Photo by Andrew Teoh on Unsplash

A strategic buyer is typically another company in your industry that is looking to acquire your business to expand their market share, add new products or services, or gain access to your customer base.

An exit strategy is a plan for how you will sell or transition ownership of your business. This is an important issue to consider early on, as it can have a big impact on the value of your business and your ability to sell it when the time comes.

In this three-part series, we’ll look at the five steps you need to take to formulate a successful exit strategy for your business.

What is a business exit strategy?

Selling to a strategic buyer.

> Part two will look at the different ways in which you can go about exiting, and how to value your business for sale.

In some cases, you may decide that it’s time to close your business entirely. This is typically only an option if your business is not doing well financially, or if you are ready to retire and have no one to take over the business.

As your landscape business grows, you will inevitably face the question of how and when to exit the business.

In the next section, we’ll explore how to identify your reasons for wanting to sell your business, so that you can choose the exit strategy that’s best for you.

4 4 4 4

Our final thoughts on Part 1 As you can see, knowing your “why” is an essential first step in creating a successful exit strategy. Having this clarity allows you to determine what type of buyer you’re looking for, what kind of price you’re willing to accept, and what type of post-sale role you’re interested in.

In Part 2, we’ll delve deeper into the process of formulating an exit strategy, including an assessment of the different ways you can exit your business and how to come to a fair personal and market valuation of your Ifbusiness.you’reseriously

Peter Thelen is Founder of Thelen Financial, A Georgia Urban Ag Council member..

If your business is struggling financially, you may decide to sell it to avoid further losses.

Thelen Financial provides advice and solutions in areas of administration, risk, strategy, and financial capital to owner operators of landscape companies who want to grow profitably and avoid costly mistakes.

If you’re ready to retire, you’ll want to sell your business for the highest possible price so you can enjoy a comfortable retirement.

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thinking about selling your business and need expert guidance to formulate the right exit strategy that speaks to your “why,” reach out to Thelen Financial, Inc. today to schedule a consultation. It’s never too early to start planning your exit and, with professional help, you can ensure that you put the right measures in place to make your transition a smooth and successful one.

What are your reasons for wanting to sell your business?

The first step in formulating your exit strategy is to identify your reasons for wanting to sell the business. This helps determine what type of buyer you’re looking for, what kind of price you’re willing to accept, and what type of post-sale role you’re interested in (if any).

Another important consideration that many successful businesspeople note is identifying what you will do after you implement your business exit strategy. What are your plans and goals for the future? What other businesses or projects do you want to pursue? What is your ideal lifestyle? Answering these questions ahead of time will help to ensure a smooth transition once you’ve sold your business and will give you the motivation you need to stick to your exit strategy or follow through with your succession plan, even when it gets tough or seems overwhelming.

Thelen Financial, Inc. 107 W. Courthouse Sq. Ste 111 | Cumming GA 30040 770-527-6574 | pthelen@thelenfinancial.com

You’re ready to move on to a new project.

You’ve given your business everything you’ve got and you’re ready for a new challenge.

About the author

FALL 2022 | 31 BUSINESSBUSINESS

If you have another business idea you’re eager to pursue, or if you’re just ready for a change, selling your current business can give you the opportunity and startup capital to start fresh.

You want to cash out and retire.

There are several reasons you may want to exit your business, and it’s important to be clear about your motivations before moving forward. Some common reasons for wanting to sell include:

Your business is not doing well, and you want to cut your losses.

If you’ve been running your business for many years and you’re starting to feel burnt out, it may be time to move on to a new venture.

Whatever your reason for wanting to exit your business, the single most important element of a successful exit strategy is planning. Some business owners start thinking about an exit strategy only when they’re ready to sell but the best time to start planning your exit is three-to-five years before you want to exit. This will give you the time you need to put the right systems and processes in place, so your business is in the best possible position when it comes time to sell.

by Casey Reynolds, PhD, Executive Director, Turfgrass Producers International

Nationwide initiative aims to protect and promote the green industry

In 2017, representatives from the U.S. Sod Industry began exploring checkoff programs in detail and have spent the last four years developing a potential sod checkoff program for the industry to consider and vote on. The proposal creates a framework whereby a board of 13 sod producers would hire and oversee staff to run the estimated $14 million annual program.

The proposal

The goal of any checkoff program is to increase product demand, expand markets, fund consumer and scientific research, and to fight regulations, building codes, local ordinances, and consumer attitudes that do not align with the uses, science, and value behind agricultural products.

Many of the associations who represent those customers, such as the National Association of Landscape Professionals, Sports Field Managers Association, Golf Course Superintendents Association, American Farm Bureau, and others have signed on to support the program as they understand the need for large-scale research and promotion at the local and national level.

Some producers say it is a small enough amount that they would likely just pay it out of their operating budget, whereas other sod producers, particularly larger ones, say they may add it to their invoice (Figure 1).

A U.S. Sod Checkoff has been discussed at least as far back as 1996, and the idea is nothing new to other agricultural and specialty crops. There are currently 22 checkoff programs, formally called Research and Promotion programs, and they did not get created

also are that checkoff-funded advertisements have impacted your buying choices in some way or another. From the ever-popular Got Milk? campaign through Pork. The Other White Meat and Cotton: The Fabric of Our Lives, these campaigns are possible in part because of nationwide checkoffs. The U.S. Sod Checkoff program’s tagline BRING GRASS TO LIFETM could be just as impactful by not only encouraging consumers to bring grass to their lives, but also by funding important scientific research to bring our industry’s story to life.

This bill was introduced by Rep. Pat Roberts (R-KS) and was co-sponsored by 15 others including Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R) of Georgia, where political support has always been strong for checkoffs. The above-mentioned bill was supported 8-1 by Georgia representatives in the House and 2-0 in the Senate. The proposed sod checkoff was submitted to USDA in early 2020 under then Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue of Georgia.

The budget would come from an assessment of 1/10th of penny ($0.001) per square foot of sod sold and harvested each year. This proposed rate is less than one half of one percent of the sale price of sod per square foot, what many consumers consider to be a minuscule amount.

Thequickly.path to a national checkoff is purposefully long with a number of checks and balances to ensure that everyone in the industry is represented fairly and has a chance to provide input.

Chances are by now you may have heard of the U.S. Sod Industry Checkoff initiative that is in the early stages of promotion and consideration, but if not, that’s okay, too. There is plenty of time to explore it ahead of the upcoming referendum that is months or more Chancesaway.

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Bring Grass to LifeTM

How it began

Checkoff programs have been around since at least the early ‘80s when industries such as beef, dairy, and pork, passed individual legislation through the U.S. Congress. Since the mid-1990s however, most checkoff programs have been made possible through the Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act of 1996.

X 6,300 1500 Sod Checkoff

Base Delivery, W

So, the natural question to ask is, “If we could do all of this for 1/10th of one penny per square foot of sod, is that something that sod producers, landscapers, athletic field managers, golf course superintendents, and others could get behind?” Well, we’d like to think that what’s good for natural grass is good for those who manage it. A checkoff program for sod can actually generate enough funds to make an impact nationally and locally in places

What could the turfgrass industry do with $14 million or more every year? If passed, the U.S. Sod Checkoff would create what is likely the largest single, annually recurring funding source in the world that is devoted solely to the turfgrass industry. A set percentage of dollars would fund research and marketing in the state in which the sod is produced, and the remainder would fund research and marketing through a competitive grant proposal process administered each year through the national checkoff.

Sq Ft

Figure 1. Sample invoice including Sod Checkoff assessment. Fax Invoice#Invoice#:00056031 Bill Metropolis,789ABCTo:LandscapeYardWayUS12345 Ship To:ABC Landscape456 City CtHappy Town, US 12345 Andrea Roger

The idea behind a sod checkoff program isn’t attacking other industries or telling people to plant grass everywhere. There is certainly room in the marketplace for all types of products. The checkoff program is really just about being able to tell our industry’s story by sharing the benefits of natural grass lawns, athletic fields and other healthy green spaces. If we can do that, consumers and legislators will better understand our product, its value in urban and suburban spaces, and have the freedom to choose natural grass.

ft $2,081.63$2,081.63$1,971.80$109.83$6.30$0.00 If you want to stay up-to-date with the latest information on the proposed sod checkoff program, sign up for notifications, or read the proposal in its entirety, please visit: sodcheckoff.org/resources }

Thank you! Sod Farm Co. Real Grass, Real Fast 12345 Grass Hwy - Anytown - USAPhone: (888) 555-1234 Fax: (888) 555-4321Email: www.SodFarmCo.comSodFarmCo@email.com SALESPERSON PO # SHIP VIA TERMS DATE Qty Item No Description Price Unit Extended Tx ** If payment is not made by due date, a 2% service change will be added to the unpaid balance - retroactive to the date of invoice. Carrier assumes all liabilities during transport and delivery. Not responsible for accidents to sidewalks, driveways, etc. Purchaser acknowledges sod is perishable even under the best of conditions and particularly perishable in hot weather or when the purcahser does not immediately install and water sod. If the sod is defective, purchaser agrees to immediately contact Sod Farm Co. to notify of the defect. If purchaser makes a payment with a check that is dishonored for any reason, purchaser acknowledges they shall reimburse Sod Farm Co.'s attorney fees, including litigation, administrative costs and expenses, related to Sod Farm Co.'s efforts to collect on the check. SOD

like Georgia to show consumers, city planners, and others the value of keeping green space a key part of urban and suburban life. By protecting and growing the market for natural grass, you also protect and grow the market for lawn care operators, sports field managers, golf course superintendents, and all of their supporting industries.

Many in the green industry know the challenges and threats on the horizon. Cash for Grass programs where cities pay people to remove lawns are popping up everywhere, particularly in the south. Grass restrictions in building codes are increasing, as are market gains from competing products. National news stories such as those titled, Kill Your Lawn Before it Kills You (NY Times, August 9, 2022) get printed routinely now in local and national media.

“There has never been a more important time to fund research and promotional efforts to tell our story about the benefits of healthy green spaces. The general public deserves to better understand the integral role that lawns and other green spaces have in our communities and ecosystems throughout the nation.”Andrew Bray VP of Government Relations National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP)

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Each

Telling our story

KBG Sod, P/U, W, Tier 1

Pallet Deposit

While we don’t know the exact timeline, we do know the process. There will be a 60-day public comment period opening soon in the U.S. Federal Register, followed by a review period, a notification of the vote, and then the voting period. If passed by a majority of sod producers, the industry would nominate producers to the board, seat the board, and then get off and running soon after. C.O.D. 5/12/2022 IS PERISHABLE - MUST BE INSTALLED SAME DAY 6060 $0.235 $1,480.50 5090 $15.00 $135.00 7020 $350.00 $350.00$0.001 sq

What’s next?

Sale BALANCEPaidTotalSalesAmountTaxAmountTodayDUEReturned checks will be subject to a $30.00 service charge. 6,300

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Bringing a new turfgrass to market requires years, if not decades of development. More than 15 years ago, Dr. Ambika Chandra, a Texas A&M University professor and turfgrass researcher, began testing thousands of crosses between Kentucky bluegrass and Texas bluegrass, looking for high-quality turf with desirable aesthetics and improved tolerance to heat stress.

Now, in partnership with NG Turf, two of those crosses — Southern Blue™ and Sunbelt Blue™ — are ready for homes, businesses, public properties and golf courses across the transition zone.

“We were looking for a year round green, cool season grass that could handle the Southeastern climate,” explained NG Turf President Aaron McWhorter. “Tall fescue has been the standard for decades, but it has challenges relative to drought and heat tolerance. The point of the research was to find a variety better suited to our climate here in the transition zone.”

Tolerance, recovery and resistance

New by NG turf

bluegrasses for the transition zone Southern Blue and Sunbelt Blue come to market provided

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Based on results from this extensive research, Texas A&M chose two of the highest performing bluegrasses, Southern Blue and Sunbelt Blue, to bring to market.

“The exciting innovation for these new bluegrasses is that they are rhizomatous,” noted McWhorter. Most warm season turfgrasses, like Bermudas and zoysias, have horizontal root systems, which allow them to spread and regenerate. Stolons spread along the top of the ground and rhizomes spread underground, each sending up grass shoots with vertical root systems along the way. Most cool season grasses, however, grow only from seed with individual vertical root systems that cannot spread or regenerate, requiring frequent reseeding.

At a Innovativeglance hybrids of Kentucky bluegrass and Texas bluegrass Green color year round in sun to partial shade Cool season varieties developed to withstand summer heat and drought Better recovery from wear and damage than Enhancedfescue disease resistance High shade tolerance a a a a a a

NG Turf funded the research, allowing for 64 KentuckyTexas bluegrass crosses to be planted for observation over a five-year span at schools across the Southeast, including Texas A&M University, University of Georgia (UGA), University of Tennessee, Mississippi State University, Auburn University, Clemson University and North Carolina State University.

The experimental lines were tested for quality and aesthetics in various locations to evaluate performance under different environments, growing conditions and levels of maintenance.

A vigorous root system is also an important feature for survival during Southern heat.

Data from UGA Griffin Shade Tree Trial showing that under heavy shade tree shade in 2018, bluegrass plots maintained a higher percentage of green cover compared to other widely used turfgrass species, including tall fescue, bermudagrass, and zoysiagrass.

Both Southern Blue and Sunbelt Blue repropagate through their underground rhizomes, a necessity for recovery after damage from wear, disease or injury. “If you have a fescue lawn that sustains damage, you have to overseed, whereas these bluegrasses are able to recover on their own, saving time and money,” McWhorter said.

}

Southern Blue and Sunbelt Blue rated among the top performers in recent shade studies conducted on the UGA Griffin campus by Dr. David Jespersen and in Good Hope, Georgia by former UGA professor Dr. Earl Elsner, now with the Turfgrass Group.

Inhomeowners.”studiesconducted by Dr. Chandra, the new bluegrasses were shown to have strong shade tolerances, similar to Fescue.

Dr. David Jespersen University of Georgia turfgrass physiologist

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“These bluegrasses are in a league of their own when it comes to tolerating summers in the transition zone. Southern Blue and Sunbelt Blue withstand heat and drought conditions better than other cool season grasses, while still offering exceptional cold hardiness.”

Jutt Howard, VP of Operations at NG Turf stated, “Southern Blue was the first and obvious choice due to its dark green color and top performance from all the research data collected. However, Sunbelt with its bright green color just kept standing out, and we had only observed disease in it once or twice in 15 years. We believe Southern Blue and Sunbelt Blue to be exceptional alternatives to fescue.”

Researcher notes

Image showing differences between bluegrass and tall fescue under shaded conditions from plots at Good Hope GA. Bluegrass Tall Fescue

Aaron McWhorter NG Turf President

“Fescue is a popular option for heavily shaded areas in the transition zone where people want year round color,” said McWhorter. “It’s not a perfect fit, but it’s commonly used and a common loss of money for landscapers and

Another key feature of these new bluegrasses is their strong disease resistance. All cool season grasses are prone to diseases such as large patch, mainly during summer months. Research has shown, however, that Sunbelt Blue and Southern Blue provide a higher level of resistance than fescue and also recover quickly from disease damage.

“I have looked at this bluegrass over four years in multiple locations to better understand its performance under shaded conditions. At the UGA Griffin campus, in a trial under heavy tree shade the bluegrass plots were a top performer and maintained greater canopy coverage than tall fescue and warm-season species including zoysiagrass and bermudagrass. This bluegrass has consistently shown good performance in the shade and the ability to provide year round color. Although as a cool-season turfgrass there should be considerations for how it will perform and best manage it in the heat and under drought conditions. “

In addition to selling directly to homeowners, landscape contractors and golf course superintendents, NG Turf, in partnership with Texas A&M and The Turfgrass Group, will be licensing these trademarked grasses to other sod producers.

Licensed growers

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Howard reported that NG Turf has collaborated with other researchers in similar fashion to develop best practices to support both producers and end users growing Southern Blue and Sunbelt Blue. “For years, we have been assessing everything from shade and drought tolerance to cold hardiness and wear resistance, optimum mowing heights, pH levels, fertility requirements — all the specs you need to grow vigorous premium turfgrass. We think we’ve found strong alternatives to fescue that can be used throughout the transition zone.”

Professor of Crop and Soil Sciences Dr. Patrick McCollough, with UGA Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has been studying the new bluegrasses for the past five or six years. “NG Turf has seen the research, and they have been doing some in-house research as well, looking at the relative performance of the new bluegrass varieties compared to tall fescue and also warm season grasses,” he said. “They see a real opportunity for these grasses to be introduced to Georgia and throughout the transition zone.”

Bluegrass management

The new bluegrasses grow at a rate similar to other zoysia grasses, like Zeon, and can typically be harvested around 12-to-14 months from planting. They are recommended for the Atlanta area and points north, since warm season grasses tend to fare better south of the fall line.

INDUSTRY

For the first couple of years, McCullough focused on weed control during bluegrass establishment. “We were looking at the best ways to grow in these grasses and prevent weeds from establishing at the same time. We looked at different pre-emergent herbicides, postemergent herbicides, and various application timings relative to the maturity of the grass in the fall and the wintertime. We wanted to determine the most effective programs to control problem weeds without causing excessive injury in the hybrid bluegrass turf.”

According to Howard, demand from customers in the first few months of sales has been even higher than anticipated. “One of our landscape customers told us he believed it to be a ‘game changer’ for heavily shaded lawns that typically require fescue.”

Sod producers interested in these varieties can contact a representative to arrange to receive some testing material: Jutt Howard at NG Turf, 678-618-4304 or Bill Carraway at The Turfgrass Group, 404-276-4141.

Thursday, October 27 | 10:00 am - 1:00 pm | Blalock Lakes, 4075 New Corinth Road , Newnan GA 30263 Register as a team or an individual! Sponsorships available: urbanagcouncil.com Blast your troubles away | Win prizes | Eat BBQ

He went on to say that fall will be the best time for sod producers to get the new bluegrasses established. “These grasses cannot be seeded; they have to be established vegetatively. They start from sprigs, growing laterally into a mature field so the sod can be harvested.”

Kudos to these industry

, Urban TrainingDemonstrationtheforGriffinAgriculture,CenterExtensionCooperativeManagementWaterAgent,forUrbanUGACampus,bringingIrrigationSiteto

UAC Board Members

completion. Ribbon-cutting ceremony was help Friday, August 5, with remarks Dr. David Buntin, Campus Director, Dr. Nick Place, Dean UGA CAES and Associate Dean for Extension Dr. Laura Perry Johnson. Orellana gave credit to those who stewarded the project, including Dan Suiter, chair of the Urban Agriculture Commission; UGA-Griffin Field Research Services and UGA-Griffin Facilities Management Division, as well as industry partners including the Georgia Urban Ag Council, Georgia Arborist Association, Georgia Green Industry Association, GCLP, Hunter Industries, Moreno Landscape, McCorkle Nurseries, Monrovia, NG Turf, Rain Bird, Rainmaker Irrigation, Ruppert Landscape, SiteOne Landscape Supply, Songbird LandCare, Toro/ Irritol and Unique Environmental Landscapes.

The Georgia Urban Ag Council offers congratulations to...

Dr. Brian Schwartz, assistant professor of turfgrass breeding and management at the University of Georgia, Tifton Campus. Schwartz was bestowed the “Phil Karr Water Wise Award” by the Georgia Association of Water (GAWP).ProfessionalsGAWP

recognized Dr. Schwartz for his great “contributions to water conservation in Georgia” through his efforts with TifTuf turfgrass, which continues to show effectiveness for reduced outdoor water use in landscapes. This recognition reinforces the importance of UGA’s Turfgrass Program, and make no mistake - from this association, this is a “major award.” During Georgia’s deep drought of 2007-2009, as lake levels and stream flow plummeted, GAWP was a key voice in the regulatory arena urging a ban on outdoor water use.

Dr. John Ruter, the Allan Armitage Endowed Professor of andHorticultureDirectorof the Trial Gardens at The University of Georgia. Dr. Ruter was selected as a American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) Fellow and 2022 Graduate Educator of the Year at their annual conference in July. He offers thanks to former and current students, staff, and collaborators as all contributed to these achievements.

Pam Dooley (top photo), Plants Creative Landscapes, LLC and Jennifer Jorge, King Green, for their appointment to the National Association of ProfessionalsLandscape (NALP). 2022-2023 Board of DooleyDirectors.has served as a Director since 2020 and is now Secretary/ Treasurer; Jorge has been appointed a Director of the Board. The 2022-2023 term began September 18, 2022.

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Rolandoleaders!Orellana

Plans to serve Georgia’s green industry

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Ping enjoys working with different people, helping clients with their problems, and disseminating science-based information to the public.

Ping will be working closely with the Georgia Urban Ag Council (UAC), the Georgia Green Industry Association (GGIA), the Center for Applied Nursery Research (CANR), and county agents throughout Georgia to provide support for the Winter-Green, county agents and all the growers in need. She plans to establish virtual education programs, coordinate applied research programs, and develop workshops, short courses, trainings, and certificate programs based on clientele needs. Ping’s ultimate goal in this position is to provide service that’s in need and in time for the Georgia green industry.

A new face in horticulture

UGA welcomes Dr. Ping Yu to horticulture department

Ping has been actively involved in the Green Industry, presented her research at stakeholder-centered conferences such as Southern Region International Plant Propagators’ Society (SR-IPPS), Texas Plant Protection Association (TPPA) and National Floriculture Forum (NFF). Also, she has attended and volunteered for different industrial events, such as Florida Nursery,

She graduated from Texas A&M University in Summer 2021, and then joined University of Florida as a postdoc associate in Fall 2021. During her PhD program at Texas A&M University, she worked with an excellent ornamental specialist Dr. Mengmeng Gu and gained a lot of experience and skills on extension service. She studied using biochar as an alternative container substrate of peat moss for greenhouse crop production and disease suppression. At University of Florida, Ping worked with another wonderful researcher and extension specialist, Dr. Chris Marble, on exploring alternative ways for weed control management in container and landscapes for ornamental and nursery crops.

As a faculty member and an extension specialist in a land-grant institution, Ping’s goal is to make a significant contribution to the green industry and the society as a whole, striving to address pressing societal problems to positively impact the community. Therefore, she focuses on developing need-based and stakeholder-driven programs to address major clientele concerns, such as production problems, environmental conservation, labor shortage, and ecological issues.

She loves her position because it allows her to focus on horticultural research and serve the industry. Her priority is to accommodate all individuals by providing information through multiple platforms including face-to-face extension outreach to horticultural stakeholders and other media platforms for effective and efficient communication.

Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) tradeshow, American Floral Endowment (AFE), Texas nursery and Landscape Association (TNLA) EXPO, Earth-Kind Landscape Management Short Course for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services and AmericanHort Cultivate. Most recently, she attended the Wintergreen tradeshow organized by Georgia Green Industry Association (GGIA), where she was introduced to the Georgia industry and was impressed by Georgia’s vigorous green industry.

Ping Yu joined the University of Georgia as an assistant professor and ornamental specialist on July 1, 2022.

Extension experience

Scholarship recipients are determined through a competitive application process, administered by a selection committee, based on academics, determination, demonstrated interest in the horticulture industry, and financial need. This year’s recipients were chosen from a very competitive group of applicants. Of the thirteen students, ten are graduate students and three are under-

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Sidney B. Meadows Fund awards $26,000 in scholarships

Ramsey Arram, North Carolina State University

Julian Ginori, University of Florida, The Richard J. Hackney Scholarship

Anadded.application

for 2023 scholarships will be available online by January 1, 2023. Those interested in receiving scholarship information or the latest fund news can subscribe to the automated information system on the fund’s website: www.sbmsef.org

Carolyn Grace Krauss, University of Tennessee, The Dr. Bryson L. James Scholarship

About the fund

Created in 1989 by the Southern Nursery Association (SNA), The Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund is a 501 (c) 3 corporation providing scholarships to students who are residents of the sixteen southeastern states SNA represents and who are pursuing a career in horticulture. The scholarship is dedicated to one of the most honored horticultural leaders, the late Sidney B. Meadows, a Past President of the Southern Nursery Association, who was an avid supporter of student scholarships and believed that providing aid for students was an important way to ensure the growth and development of all facets of the industry.

More details on scholarship eligibility can be found at www. sbmsef.org. For more information on the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund, forward your inquiry to PO Box 801513, Acworth, GA 30101, 678.813.1880, info@sbmsef. org or visit www.sbmsef.org.

these awards are in reducing their financial stress allowing them the ability to concentrate more on their studies. I am confident each of these students will make an effective and positive contribution to our industry in the future. I look forward to seeing their accomplishments as they complete their studies,” he

to this exemplary group of students who have excelled academically and demonstrated determination and a passion for horticulture,” said Danny Summers, Executive Vice President of the fund.

Forrest Brown, Virginia Tech, The Art & Millie Lancaster Scholarship

Ashley Rene’ Edwards, Louisiana State University

Jacob Logan Winkles, University of Georgia

The fund has now awarded a total of $602,000 to students since it was established in 1989. Nine named funds have been pledged to date. Interested in establishing a Named Scholarship to honor a loved one, past industry leader or company? Named Scholarships are established with a commitment for $30,000 with a minimum of $5,000 to begin and fulfillment over the next 5 years. Once established, a scholarship will be made annually in the designated name.

Landon Erbrick, Auburn University, The Sally Smith Scholarship

Interested in supporting horticultural students here in the Southeast? Simply visit our website for details. They will appreciate your support and the industry will see a return on investing in them for decades to come. Thank you in advance for your support!

Leandria Noelle Garrett, University of Georgia, The Robert L. Vanlandingham Scholarship

Johnathan Alexander Hampton, Auburn University, The Arthur A. “Buck” Jones Scholarship

“We continue to hear from recipients how important

Kaitlin Swiantek, University of Georgia

Thomas Maxwell McKeown, Louisiana State University, The Lee C. Howell Scholarship

“Congratulationsgraduate.

Samuel de Bordes, Louisiana State University, The Dr. James & Faye Foret Scholarship

Luke Owen, North Carolina State University

The Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Fund, created in 1989 by the Southern Nursery Association (SNA), has announced the names of thirteen students from seven southeastern universities chosen to receive academic scholarships this year. Eight of the awards are named scholarships honoring past industry leaders or loved ones and includes the newest named fund, the Sally Smith Scholarship. This year’s awards were increased to $2,000 each, totaling $26,000. Awards are being presented to the following excelling scholars:

A citizen science project to help area residents better identify and understand Joros.

The lab is part of a cross-campus collaboration of researchers looking at ways the Joro spiders may affect the larger environment. The Forest Entomology Lab tackles insect-related issues that affect trees, and as the yellow and black spiders take up residence in them—and bushes, and front porches—across the Southeast, they become an issue for landowners.

by Michaela DiGiovanni

What’s for dinner?

The study consists of three components:

Priscilla Smith peers into a group of holly bushes on the University of Georgia’s South Campus. Nestled between the leaves, she spies a young Joro spider clinging to its web. With her hand, she gently guides the spider into a plastic container—web and all.

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Smith will be involved with all aspects of the lab’s latest research. She said she is particularly excited about the citizen science portion and is organizing an event that will teach Athens’ residents about the Joro. “We want to get people to pay attention to what’s happening in their yards since (Joro spiders) are everywhere,” she said.

A gut analysis to understand what the spiders are eating and how that might compete with native spiders.

Three-pronged approach

Summer project investigates spiders’ suppers

Smith, a rising fourth-year student in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is working this summer alongside researchers in the Forest Entomology Laboratory at the UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. She’s helping search for answers to a big question: How will the presence of Joro spiders affect overall forest health?

Smith is also planning and conducting field work as part of the gut analysis. She selected a variety of sites in developed and forested areas, where she is collecting spiders for sampling. “We went to 20 sites the past couple of days to get spiders from all different habitats,” said Smith. “Then we’re going to send all the samples down to a UGA lab in Tifton where they will get dissected to see what they are eating.”

Prior research has established that the Joro is invasive, but little is known about the spider’s eating habits and other aspects of its natural history.

2.3.

An “exclusion” study, which will take place over several years to measure how many Joros return to a specific place.

Priscilla Smith cups her hands around a Joro spider to be used for research.

The third and final component of the Joro research is the exclusion study, which is specific to forested areas. Once a week, researchers will count all the spiders within a forested plot, including native species. All Joros will be identified and killed on site.

The research is just in the beginning stages, but both Smith and Barnes say they are hopeful that it will shed light on an invasive spider that we know very little about.

“We’re going to keep coming back to these sites because we want to see how many native spiders start coming back,” said Barnes. “This will be part of a multiyear study.”

“We’ve really moved into an interesting place of looking at things that no one has really looked at when it comes to the health of our forests,” said Barnes.

“We don’t really know anything about them here in North America,” said Brittany Barnes, a research professional in the Forest Entomology Lab. “We’ve been reading a lot of things about how they may help with mosquito or stink bug control—those are the positives that have been written, but we don’t know this for sure, and we don’t know what they are actually eating.”

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Uses: Quiet reading nook, next to a garden bench, hammock, anyplace you go outdoors to relax and regain a feeling of calmness.

Color

The first element that often comes to mind when designing a garden is color. Color comes into play when you’re choosing flowers and foliage plants, planters, sun umbrellas, patio furniture cushions and more for the garden. Just like you decided on a color palette for your home interior, you can do the same for the outdoors. You might start by picking one must-have color plus one or two more to coordinate with it, or you might need to start with the color of an unchangeable element such as the color of the home’s siding.

Warm colors: Red, orange, gold, pure yellow, pink, fuchsia, red-based purple

Designing a garden is a process that takes some refining over time to get just right. Understanding and employing the basic elements of garden design can transform your garden from a collection of plants into one beautifully crafted, cohesive space. Let’s review ten key principles that are critical to successful landscape design. Read on to learn what terms like texture, contrast and viewpoint mean as they relate to garden elements.

Mood: Cool colors create a feeling of calm, relaxation, and a Zen-like mood. They can make objects appear further away and make small spaces feel more spacious.

Cool color palette

Understanding and employing the basics elements of garden design will transform your garden from a collection of plants into one beautifully crafted, cohesive space. We’ll review ten principles that are critical to successful landscape design, and you’ll learn what key terms like texture, contrast and viewpoint mean as they relate to garden elements.

Here we go! Let’s start with everyone’s favorite...

Crafting a cohesive space 10 essential elements of garden design

Neutral color palette

Neutral colors: White, black or near-black, silver, tan Mood: A resting place for the eye amongst a sea of color (even green), creating more of a calm mood than energetic.

Warm color palette

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by Susan Martin for Proven Winners

Mood: Warm colors create a feeling of excitement and welcoming energy in a space. They make objects feel closer and may promote a healthy appetite.

Uses: Front entrances, porch pots and baskets, making a large seating area feeling cozier, outdoor dining scene

Cool colors: Blue, blue-based purple, green, chartreuse, green-based yellow

Uses: Separating other colors to bring about order in a multi-colored space, creating a modern vibe and a backdrop from which other colors will shine.

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Plants with medium texture have mid-sized leaves and/ or flowers, a habit that’s not too airy but also not dense and blocky. You can see spaces between the stems of a medium textured plant; they are just big enough to let light in and allow finely textured plants weave their way through. Most of the plants in any given garden design have a medium texture. Objects that have a medium texture include things like brickwork and fabric with a medium-sized graphic pattern.

Medium texture

Texture

Texture describes both how an object feels and looks. For instance, you can see that an ornamental grass has fluffy seed heads and you expect them to feel soft to the touch, too. Every object in your garden has a texture, whether it is a plant, paving stone, structure or container.

A well-designed garden includes a mix of textures. When too many of the same textures are placed together, the space can feel dull or disorganized. Your eye doesn’t know what to focus on. But when you add in a totally different texture to the mix, it can instantly transform the composition.

Plants with fine texture have little leaves, small sprays of flowers, or an airy habit. They pair well with plants that have bold texture to make those stronger elements feel more grounded in the space and less overbearing. Objects with fine texture have smooth sides like a sleek glazed container or a stucco wall.

Bold texture

Fine texture

Plants with bold texture have large leaves and/or flowers with gaps in between. They are usually the plants your eye gravitates towards first because they are prominent features. They stand out among a sea of fine and medium textured plants. Objects that have a bold texture include chunky elements like fieldstone, brightly painted Mexican pottery and sun umbrellas with a large pattern.

In garden design, the concept of shape or form applies to the overall look of a plant, the form of its flowers and leaves, the way a garden bed is laid out, garden art objects and more. Some shapes are tall and pointy while others are short and rounded. An object’s shape is especially important to consider when thinking about contrast and focal points, which we’ll cover below.

Designing from the primary viewpoint affects your overall satisfaction with the design. Think about the vantage point from which you typically view the part of your garden you are designing. Are you working on a bed that you see out your kitchen window every morning? Or from your patio in the evening?

Contrast

looks, check for contrast—it’s often the missing element. Contrast takes a collection of random colors, textures and shapes and showcases their unique differences. When you bring a new plant home and are deciding where to plant it, consider contrast. What color would your new plant contrast well with? Which plant has the opposite type of leaf or flower shape that would contrast with your new one? If your new plant has little leaves, find a plant with large leaves or a dense, blocky form to plant it next to.

Viewpoint

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Stand in the place where you will view that part of your garden from most often and visualize what you’d like to see there. Perhaps it will lead to adding a birdbath as a focal point out a window you often look. It might mean planting a lilac bush next to your bedroom window where you can see its blooms up close and their heady fragrance will fill your room. Designing from the primary viewpoint ensures you will be able to fully enjoy the fruits of your labor.

When you are planning a new garden bed, consider shape and form before you decide which specific varieties of plants to use. For instance, you may want something taller and pyramidal in the center of the bed surrounded by something low and mounding around the edge. Visualize the shapes of the plants you want first, then go out and find the plants that fit that vision.

Don’t skip this one! Contrast is the key to making the first three garden design elements we’ve discussed work. Without it, you’ll find your design is lacking. If you just aren’t satisfied with the way a part of your garden

When choosing your color palette, you’ll find the most eye-catching pairings are those of contrasting colors. See the color wheel of warm and cool colors above? Colors that are across from each other on the spectrum are contrasting—for example, purple and yellow. Contrasting colors are always a good match, whether you are pairing a pot of flowers with your patio cushions or two plants in a single container.

Shape/Form

Focal point

Lines can indicate the degree of formality of a garden. Straight lines tend to feel more formal, where curved lines have a more organic, casual presence. Consider the feeling you want your space to have when deciding how to shape your garden beds, patios and pathways.

In garden design, lines are used to lead the eye to where you want the viewer to look or go. For example, the line of a path shows visitors how to reach your front porch or back patio. Lines can also be made by walls, hedges, or by repeating many of the same colorful plants in a row such as a border of Supertunia Vista® petunias.

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A focal point in garden design is a prominent object, structure or large plant that commands attention in a space. It’s where your eye goes first when you are taking in the scene. Some common focal points are ornamental or weeping trees like Japanese maple or weeping cherry, arbors and gates, small sheds and greenhouses, garden statues or urns, water features and birdbaths. The size of your focal point should be in scale with its surroundings so it fits well into the design without being overpowering.

The natural place to add a focal point is at the intersection of two lines, like at the corner of a house or just around a bend to create a showstopping view. They can also be placed in the center of a garden bed to create symmetry. Since they naturally cause people to look their way, be sure you draw the eye towards an attractive feature. Conversely, if you are trying to hide something like a utility box, place your focal point in the opposite part of the yard to direct the view away from the eyesore.

Lines often lead the eye to a focal point—whatever object appears at the end of the line or where two lines intersect. Pay close attention to where your lines lead so they don’t accidentally end up at something unpleasant like the back of your neighbor’s garage or the place you store your outdoor rubbish carts. Instead, use lines to train the viewer’s eye in the opposite direction of those things towards something beautiful.

The number of focal points to use depends on the size of your landscape. If it is small, a single focal point works without making the space feel cluttered. If your garden is quite large, consider adding focal points in several key areas where you want to focus the viewers’ attention.

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Structure

When elements are repeated at precise intervals, it lends a formal, contrived look to the space. When it’s done subtly, the effect is more casual. With either method, repetition helps to make a space feel more cohesive and organized.

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For instance, if you interplant globe alliums here and there down the length of a flower bed, they will naturally lead the eye from one end of the bed to the other so the viewer takes in the entire space together. Adding a short boxwood hedge along the front of a perennial bed will have the same effect but in a more formal manner. The more tightly you space the repeated items, the faster the rhythm it creates.

Repetition

also applies to individual plants, especially trees and shrubs. Pyramidal evergreens, Lollipop® crabapples, fastigiate deciduous shrubs and large, mature trees all contribute structure to garden designs.

If you like to collect plants—one of everything will do— repeating a single variety or a set of one to three colors sporadically throughout the border will help tie the collection together.

One way that structures are used in landscape design is to help define the space and anchor the garden among its surroundings.

In garden design, repetition means using the same or similar elements throughout the landscape. Those elements could be organic masses of colorful flowers, tightly clipped hedges, or the same flower shape repeated. They could also be inorganic elements such as paving materials, flower pots in similar colors or shapes, or arched trellises.

When repeating elements, remember that things often look best in odd numbers—one or three colors repeated instead of two, for instance. Or you could repeat five pyramidal shapes across the back of your border. The exception is when you are using a pair of flower pots or shrubs flanking an entryway to your home or garden to create symmetry.

All photos courtesy of Proven Winners. Content reprinted with permission. Read this article online at: Visitlearn/top-ten-lists/10-basic-elements-garden-designprovenwinners.com/provenwinners.comtolearnmore.

Walls, hedges, berms, arbors or pergolas and garden sheds are all solid structures that help to create a sense of place. They are used to segment out garden beds, define walkways, and give the eye a place to rest and take in the Structurescene.

When you are planning a new garden or renovating an existing one, structure is one of the first garden design elements to add to your plan. It provides the “bones” of your landscape, helps to define the space in which your garden will grow, where your focal points will be placed, and how visitors will experience your garden.

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Symmetrical designs use repeated organic or inorganic elements of the same type and color on both sides of the composition, flanking an entryway, or running the length of a garden bed to create a balanced look. The trouble is that live plants are rarely precise by nature. Quite a bit of maintenance can be needed to keep them perfectly

designs are balanced too, but in a different way. They take into account the visual weight of the elements—not just their physical size and number. Color, density and mass all play a roll in visual weight. A bright, dense, blocky element holds far more visual weight than a lighter colored, airy element even if both are exactly the same size. It takes several lightweight objects to balance out one heavyweight object. Consider the visual weight of objects when creating balance in asymmetrical designs.

Regardless of whether you employ symmetrical or asymmetrical methods in your design, visual balance is achieved when the elements on each side of the design are perceived as being equal in mass. Each side draws your eye equally until it settles on your focal point. Balanced garden designs create comfortable, welcoming places to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Garden design is something that takes time and experience to master. Take chances with your plantings and if it doesn’t feel quite right, try again. There is no one right answer when designing your own garden. Hire the big jobs out, if possible, and save your back for fine tuning the design elements. Over time, you will achieve the garden of your dreams!

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Balance is something every one of us innately senses—in our lives as well as our gardens. We know immediately when something is off balance. In garden design, there are several ways to make a garden feel balanced, but they generally fall into symmetrical and asymmetrical.

Asymmetricalsymmetrical.

The first year, this rhododendron bloomed before planting and was enjoyed on the table for Easter.

Shoot, rhododendrons are even native to North Georgia and create postcard-like beauty in the mountainous scenic parkways and draping over the nation’s best trout streams. What is wrong with us, why did we get left out?

Dandy Man Color Wheel is bringing out the rhododendron happy dance from the North to the South and you will want to act quickly to get in on the party. Those of us who treasure azaleas have been jealous - green with envy - of those in the Appalachian area and northward for their ability to grow rhododendrons.

Dandy Man Color Wheel Doing the rhododendron happy dance by Norman Winter, Horticulturist, Author and Speaker

Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendron starts off with lipstick red buds.

The blooms open to large ruffled flowers with deep pink undersides and soft pink shades inside.

Three years ago, my eyes were opened to southern possibilities when I discovered the Rhododendron Trail at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain GA. Callaway is about 25 miles from my house and has one of the best azalea collections in the country. Of course, botanically speaking, azaleas are rhododendrons. It is the real rhododendrons however that all southern azalea lovers dream about thriving in the garden.

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The Rhododendron Trail at Callaway is a testament of time as these ‘rhodies’ have been there for years and have

stories to tell: they are old and still beautiful. If you are thinking this is a mountain-like North Georgia and Blue Ridge area, the answer is no. It is a wonderful scenic Threedestination.years

The buds start out lipstick red which I promise you gets the heart pumping with excitement. These open to big ruffled blooms with deep pink undersides and soft pink shades inside. The blooms then age to clear white before falling off. Now you can see the reason Jan wanted these plants for a centerpiece. As the blooms go through their aging progression you will see all three colors at once.

Norman Winter is an author and speaker on horticultural topics.

Follow him on Facebook: Norman Winter The Garden Guy

resistant, saying “no” to phytophthora, and equally impressive with their heat tolerance. “Yes Virginia,” we can grow rhododendrons in the south. In fact, these are recommended for zones 5-9.

Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendron ages in progression to light pink then white.

author

The color description probably has you already chomping to get some, but know these are very disease

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Aboutfall.the

Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendron eventually ages to pristine white before petal

ago also marks the point in time that I started growing Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendron from Proven Winners. When it comes to rhododendrons, I am always the hopeful skeptic. When I got mine, they started blooming before I could plant them. My bride Jan was so struck by their beauty that she used them as a centerpiece on the table for a few days. No argument from me, for a host of reasons.

Like azaleas, Dandy Man Color Wheel needs fertile, organic, rich, well-drained acidic soil. My location is on the side of a gentle slope that has collected falling leaves for decades. It is very fertile and gets very little direct sun. I am layering the area down the slope with azaleas, hydrangeas and hostas. The leathery evergreen foliage of Dandy Man Color Wheel stands out in the crowd if you will, by giving a welcoming contrast of texture with all of the companion plants.

Dandy Man Color Wheel has the potential to get 4 to 8 feet tall and as wide. Being a skeptic, I might not have given them enough room from their companions. Guess what? If they keep performing like they have been it will soon be “goodbye companions.”

My sincerest hope is that the Dandy Man Color Wheel breeders will be introducing some siblings that we can all add to our collections.

The fungus, Botryosphaeria spp., is a relatively weak pathogen that can live as an endophyte within trees. Any stress that reduces water pressure within the tree such as drought, root or trunk damage will cause the fungus to grow, colonize tissues, and eventually cause a canker. New infections of injured or open wood can also occur from water-splashed and wind-blown spores produced on the dead branches. However, it is because of the endophytic behavior of Botryosphaeria that fungicide control is so difficult. Nurseries have greatly reduced the incidence of Bot canker by applying fungicides (I recommend propiconazole because it is very systemic) with the adjuvant Pentra-Bark during the fall to winter months. Pentra-Bark helps move the fungicide into and through thin tree bark. It should be used after leaf drop in the fall and prior to leaf emergence in the spring because

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Theapplications.onequestion that I am repeatedly asked is what is killing the dogwoods. The cause for dieback in dogwoods (Cornus florida) has been harder to pin down. I did not recover a consistent pathogen from dying branches in my survey. Sometimes, I recovered Botryosphaeria or the fungus, Phomopsis (which often follows freeze injury). Sometimes, damage was due to twig borers. The dieback is so common and severe that many nurseries have stopped growing flowering dogwood and are only growing Japanese or ‘Kousa’ dogwood (C. kousa) cultivars. Most often in landscape trees, the dieback seen in dogwoods is due to years of stress such as poor planting site location, mechanical damage to the roots or trunk, dogwood tree borer, and environmental stresses.

Probably the issue causing the greatest concern recently is the dieback seen on redbuds. In my survey, I did find Bot canker on some redbud; however, often no pathogen was recovered, which was puzzling at the time. What is now believed to be causing the dieback in redbuds is what we are calling Vascular Streak Dieback (VSD). I am collaborating with pathologists in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Indiana on a yet to be fully described suspected fungal pathogen that is most closely related to a thread-blight pathogen of cacao from southeast Asia. The fungus, Rhizoctonia theobromae, was found in association with killed redbud and maple branches. The fungus cannot be cultured and because of this we have not been able to prove pathogenicity. The fungus has also been identified from red maple, redbud, dogwood, wax myrtle, spicebush, and magnolia. The fungus has not been confirmed in Georgia, although I have seen similar foliage symptoms on redbud as seen in neighboring states. For more information on Vascular Streak Dieback, Janna Beckerman wrote about it in the July 26 Purdue University Landscape Report far/).dieback-of-redbud-what-plant-pathologists-know-so-www.purduelandscapereport.org/article/vascular-streak-(https://

Tree nursery growers and landscapers have seen a lot of branch dieback on deciduous trees in recent years. Several years ago, I conducted a survey of tree nurseries to determine what was causing the dieback, especially on red maples. Bot canker was identified as the primary cause of black lesions that lead to sunken cankers on the trunk and branches of primarily red maples, but it was also seen on tulip poplar, redbud, sweet gum, and others. Infection killed the tops of trees, which resulted in excessive tree culling within nurseries. It is very likely that branch dieback seen in landscape trees, especially those recently planted, may also be due to Bot canker.

Redbud showing foliage symptoms of vascular streak dieback.

it will burn leaves. There are other similar adjuvants to Pentra-Bark on the market; they work okay, too. During the growing season Captan, chlorothalonil, or strobilurin fungicides (azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, trifloxystrobin, etc.) can be used. With the fungicide program, one grower told me that they have reduced their red maple losses from about 60-70% to around 10%. It is uncertain whether landscape trees would benefit from fungicide

Deciduous dilemma

by Jean Williams-Woodward, Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Georgia

Branch dieback and cankers of deciduous trees

Simply Scentsational

Tim Wood (aka “The Plant Hunter”) did just that and now after just over a dozen years and thousands of sniffs Simply Scentsational made its debut in Spring 2022. Granny’s sweetshrub is now a more beautiful deep burgundy red with a fragrance that will send you into a state of euphoria.

Simply Scentsational will now give Proven Winners an outstanding duo as they also have Aphrodite, which comes courtesy of North Carolina State University breeding. It is a hybrid between the California allspice, and an Asian species xSinocalycanthus. Aphrodite is even larger, reaching up to eight feet tall with a spread of seven Notfeet.

role in the olfactory experience. These shrubs are cold hardy from zones 5-9 and perform best in fertile welldrained soil in full sun to part shade. The more sun, the moisture that will be needed.

True to the native species, expect them to offer root suckers. Remove these to create a more picturesque structure. On the other hand, this trait is what makes them one of the better screens for the landscape. The yellow fall leaf color is a great addition to the woodland garden where it will stand out from quite a distance. Many will also be ecstatic to know these are not on the deer menu!

Simply Scentsational sweetshrub made its debut in 2022, promising the garden an unmatched fragrance.

Aphrodite is a hybrid sweet shrub with western United States DNA and produces large cup-like flowers with a magnolia resemblance.

Two new versions of old favorites

The first time I saw the native sweetshrub I instantly fell in love with it, the small deep burgundy flowers and fragrance was an instant lure. I would see them at old homes and plant swaps but almost never in the

by Norman Winter, Horticulturist, Author and Speaker

Aphrodite

States is not without their own version. The California allspice, Calycanthus occidentalis is somewhat similar, with thinner petals and a little less fragrance. Both native versions however have been used in breeding to turn the sweetshrub world upside down.

Simply Scentsational is an upright grower reaching six feet in height with a spread of five feet. It is recommended for hardiness zones 4-9. Botanically speaking Calycanthus floridus is native in some 20+ states in the Eastern United States, as far north as New York and south to Florida. In addition to the name sweetshrub it is also called Carolina allspice and spicebush. Those names tell you a lot - try cutting a stem or two for the vase.

Simply Scentsational

Themarketplace.westernUnited

The African elephant is known for having the longest gestation period of any animal, which lasts up to 22 months. This is like the proverbial “New York Minute” when it is compared to bringing a new shrub to market. Take, for instance, crossing two native sweetshrubs to finally get one get one worthy of the name Simply Scentsational.

only is the plant larger but so are the red-cupped flowers that remind some of magnolia blossoms. The fragrance is described as fruity with aromas of pineapples and apples. The bloom age and time of day also play a

One thing is certain our grandparents would be elated over both Simply Scentsational and Aphrodite sweetshrubs. I hope you will plant some and make some fragrant memories for your children.

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Make good choices

Somemedium.plants, by their nature, are problematic. For instance, Bradford pears (soon to be banned in South Carolina) grow rapidly and have weak wood, making them more susceptible to branches and sections of the trees breaking and falling. Scale insects heavily infest certain euonymus shrubs. Avoid planting these since they will eventually have to be removed.

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Plant it right

by Timothy Daly

Back to Improvingbasicsplantsurvivability with proper planting procedures

Many factors need consideration when installing trees and shrubs to ensure that they will grow and prosper. With inflation, plant costs have increased, so increasing their ability to survive in the landscape is essential.

whose roots have grown tightly around the rootball and are compacted. The plants should not be wilting, have insect or disease infestations or weeds growing out of the

Avoid placing any fertilizers in the planting holes since they can cause burn to the roots. Wait until the plants have been established before fertilizing. Remove any wires, string, or twine wrapped around the base of the trunk to prevent girdling.

Research has shown adding organic amendments, such as peat moss, topsoil, or compost, to the planting hole is not required. It can act like a sponge, absorbing excess water and drowning the roots. Just fill in the hole with the soil that has been removed. Tap it in thoroughly to remove air pockets and apply water. Keeping the roots adequately moist but not soggy is essential.

When choosing plant material, make sure it can tolerate site conditions. Take into consideration sunlight and water requirements. Azaleas prefer part shade, whereas junipers need full sun. Are the plants adapted to our climate? Alberta spruces decline and perish in our weather because they cannot tolerate our heat. They thrive in Alberta, but not Georgia. Check the drainage. Does the soil stay waterlogged? Most landscape plants are unable to grow in soils that stay wet continually but some plants, such as willows and red maples, do well in wet Beforesoils.purchasing, check the plant material’s quality and buy fresh and high-quality plants. Most landscape plants are sold in containers, although some are field grown and balled-and-burlapped. Container plants should have healthy, vigorously growing stems and leaves and have white feeder roots on the outer edge. Also, avoid plants

Although trees and shrubs can be planted any time of the year, the fall and winter months are the best. As the weather gets colder, the top parts of the plants will slow their growth but the roots, being insulated by the soil, will continue to grow. Thus, the plant is better established by the following summer and is more resistant to hot weather and dry conditions.

If your plant material cannot be installed immediately, place it in a shaded area and keep it moist. For balledand-burlapped or bare-root plants, add some sawdust, pine bark, or pine straw to conserve moisture. Avoid placing the roots in water for long periods, which will cause them to suffocate.

An old saying goes, “never put a $10 tree into a $2 hole.” Research at the University of Georgia has shown that the planting hole needs to be two to three times the diameter of the rootball and no deeper than the rootball’s top, keeping the top level with the soil surface. Sometimes having the top of the rootball an inch above the grade is beneficial since, in many cases, the soil will settle.

Landscape professionals are well versed in proper planting, selection and installation methods, but it never hurts to be reminded of the basics, or to educate homeowners on proper procedures.

Ensuring success

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Properly installing plants will improve their ability to survive and flourish and save money in the long run. Doing so will allow them to remain healthy and attractive in the landscape.

Finishing touches

Many years ago, a common practice in plant installation was forming a small ring two to three inches high along the perimeter of the planting hole to direct the water to the roots. However, research has indicated that building the small berm is unnecessary since thoroughly applying water to the planting is just as effective.

P: 770.288.8421

in a piece of an old garden hose or rubber tube to prevent bark injury. Allow for some slack so the tree can move in the wind. Research has shown some movement helps grow a more robust root system. Remove the wires a few months after planting when the roots have taken hold to prevent the girdling of the branches.

After planting, apply a two-to-four-inch layer of a finetextured organic mulch such as pine straw, pine bark, or cypress mulch. Doing so will help keep the soil from drying out, reduces weeds, and increases the aesthetics of the planting. Pull the mulch back a couple of inches from the trunk. Do not apply excessive amounts of it around the plants, which could smother the roots and lead to rot. Staking may be necessary for young trees. Trees with a diameter of one inch and a height of four feet or more require staking or guy wires to hold them in place to decrease the likelihood of the tree being blown over and uprooted in windstorms. Place three stakes in the ground around the tree at three equidistant points and hammer in until three inches of the stake remain above ground. Secure the tree to the stakes with 12-gauge guying wire. Attached it above the lowest branches and place the wire

About the author

Timothy Daly is an Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Agent with the University of Georgia in Henry County.

E: tdaly@uga.edu

C: 470.656.8651

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UAC Magazine - Fall 2022

Articles inside

Back to basics Improving plant survivability with proper planting

Simply Scentsational Two new versions of old favorites

Deciduous dilemma Branch dieback and cankers of deciduous trees

Dandy Man Color Wheel Doing the rhododendron happy dance

Crafting a cohesive space 10 essential elements of garden design

What’s for dinner? Summer project investigates spiders’ suppers

A new face in horticulture UGA welcomes Dr. Ping Yu to hort department

The Georgia Urban Ag Council offers congratulations

New bluegrasses for the transition zone Southern Blue and Sunbelt Blue

Bring Grass to LifeTM Initiative aims to protect and promote the green industry

Safety Works Safe, courteous, and efficient leaf blower operation

Budget building blocks Benchmarking your business

Selling your business? Part 1: Developing a successful exit strategy

Executive Director message

Pest 411 Gloomy maple trees?

SkillsUSA Atlanta event promotes workforce development

Training, investment, improved messaging Tackling the labor shortage