UAC Magazine - Spring 2019

URBAN AG COUNCIL MAGAZINE GEORGIA

Keeping Georgia’s green industry informed

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UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

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SPRING 2019

Advocate. Educate. Promote.1

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UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

UAC Magazine Official publication of the Georgia Urban Agriculture Council

Board of Directors Todd Jarrett, President

Arbor Hill Nurseries Matt Lowe

Swift Straw Josh Morrow

Athletic Fields, Inc. Ken Morrow

The Turfgrass Group Chris Nelson

Chattahoochee Nature Center Bob Scott

Irrigation Consultant Services Ray Wiedman

Outdoor Expressions Ron White TurfPride

Ex Officio Ellen Bauske

UGA Extension Public Service Assistant Bodie Pennisi

UGA Extension Horticulturist Clint Waltz

UGA Extension Turf Agronomist

Staff Mary Kay Woodworth

Executive Director Kathy Johnson

Marketing Director & Editor Angie Jinright

Executive Assistant

A member of:

Georgia Urban Ag Council PO Box 3400 Duluth GA 30096 Phone: 800.687.6949 Email: info@georgiauac.com Web: urbanagcouncil.com All contents copyright 2019

GEORGIA

SPRING 2019

UAC NEWS

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Executive Director message UAC Friendraiser First ever vendor-sponsored event!

GALA winners 2017 & 2018 award winners including Judges' Choice What did you miss? 2019 Landscape Pro University Looking to grow your team? UAC website job posting feature The easiest 5% you'll ever save! Auto-recurring renewals

REGULAR FEATURES

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Me & my mentor Laura Guilmette, Unique Environmental Landscapes Have you met Andy Batcheller, Handy Andy Outdoors, LLC Pest 411 A new exotic tick is headed to Georgia Marketplace news New feature for UAC Magazine Save the date Safety works UAC Safety School What the tech? Putting Facebook ads to work Directory of advertisers

BUSINESS 26 28 30 32

Partnering with vendors Using relationships to grow your business Managing through the stress Motivate and empower your team Securing your customer data 5 steps to protect this critical information Landscape management apprenticeship NALP launches program

INDUSTRY 34 36 38 40 45 46

2019 AgLanta Innovation and entrepreneurship Capitol Connection UAC member survey results UGA helps Savannah's recovery Creating green space and training 2019 Sod Producers' Report Annual survey examines inventory and price Braman named Women's Leadership Fellow NICH 2018 Annual Report Changing the landscape

URBAN AG

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Scout early for timely control Spring & early summer turfgrass diseases Microbes help grass thrive UGA researchers study relationship What are soil contaminants? And how did the soil get contaminated?

Fragrance with a bonus Please your sense of smell, attract pollinators EverColor sedges Every beautiful grassy texture Managing community forests, part 1 Risk hazard and assessment

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Atlanta Botanical Garden Georgia Agribusiness Council Georgia Arborist Association Georgia Association of Water Professionals Georgia Green Industry Association Georgia Urban Forest Council Georgia Water Alliance National Association of Landscape Professionals National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture Southern Nursery Association

URBAN AG COUNCIL MAGAZINE

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UAC NEWS

Dear UAC Members and Supporters, Welcome to spring!

We hope that you will be successful in filling positions to grow your businesses this year, a challenge to most of our companies.

If you’ve been reading the weekly Capitol Connections legislative reports, From left: Mary Kay Woodworth, John you may have noticed Hatfield, and Ron White celebrate the weekly poll Chattahoochee Tech's hort program's question, surveying national re-accreditation from NALP. our members about timely issues (see more survey results on page 36).

In reply to the question “With near record unemployment, are you able to find the workers needed for your business?” the responses were: 7%

So far, so good!

17% It's tough, but we'll make it work.

63% It is almost impossible to find the workers I need.

Our legislators continue to show that they are not serious about addressing these issues and finding real solutions. The continuing effort by our industry leaders, educators and associations to elevate and promote our industry as an excellent career choice, at a high level, and retention and automation at the ground level, are what we can do today.

UAC continues to participate in workforce development engaging activities, specifically the annual CEFGA Student Career

Finally, congratulations to John Hatfield, Lead Instructor and Faculty Advisor of Chattahoochee Tech’s horticulture

So, what’s the solution? I’ve met with and talked to business owners the past few months, and there is consensus that there is no silver bullet, magic wand, or lottery prize that creates more workers.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Investing in your employees through continued education and training is critical, and we hope that the online UAC Safety School (available to our business-level members) and other educational opportunities that we offer our members are important and helpful to you.

I’d like to thank you for the outstanding support of our first-ever Landscape Pro University on January 30! This new educational event was very well received - the attendance and engagement were excellent and we very much appreciate the positive feedback provided.

Despite the warning of an impending ice/ snow storm, the weather agreed with us and the event proceeded without a hitch! The attendees cited the wide-range of topics available, the great location, and the excellent professional instructors that were offered. Exhibitors overwhelmingly approved of the new event, and we welcomed over 700 landscape, turf, and horticulture professionals - including the 500 who attended the educational sessions and met with exhibitors. Landscape Pro University proved to be a winning coalition with UAC and SiteOne Landscape Supply, and we appreciate their support.

13% I’m in desperate need of workers.

We are losing jobs due to shortages.

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Expo “World of Landscape & Landscape Construction,” outreach to guidance counselors and educators at all levels (elementary, middle, secondary and post graduate), and through our association with the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). NALP has recently developed the Landscape Management Apprenticeship Program, registered by the Department of Labor, which offers new career paths through paid apprenticeships with landscape companies that include on-the-job training. They are also working on several other apprenticeship programs. We applaud their efforts and encourage you to explore this opportunity. More information about this program can be found in the article on page 32 of this issue.

program, which recently received national reaccreditation from NALP. This program offers many options: Associate Degree in Horticulture, Associate of Applied Science Degree, a Horticulture Diploma and Technical Certificates of Credit in six areas: Garden Center Technician, Landscape Design Technician, Lawn Maintenance Specialist, Landscape Specialist, Sustainable Urban Agriculture Technician, Turfgrass Maintenance. UAC is proud to support John and this program and look forward to hosting a UAC Industry/ Student event at Chattahoochee Tech in Spring 2020.

Mary Kay Woodworth Executive Director

Sign up now at urbanagcouncil.eventbrite.com

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

UAC members: don't miss the FREE event!

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GALA

GALA

GEORGIA URBAN AG COUNCIL

GEORGIA LANDSCAPE AWARDS

2019 Award Winners

Celebrating projects from 2017 & 2018

Community Stewardship

Ruppert Landscape................................................................Atlanta Field Day

Landscape Management: Commercial

Merit Merit Grand

Atlanta Landscape Group...............................St. Ives Country Club HOA Atlanta Landscape Group...............................Traditions of Braselton Ruppert Landscape.........................................Alliance Center

Design/Build/Installation: Seasonal Color - Commercial

Merit Merit

Crabapple Landscape Experts........................Merrill Gardens Russell Landscape Group................................City of Lawrenceville

Design/Build/Installation: Seasonal Color - Residential

Merit Flowerworx......................................................Correll Residence Distinction Flowerworx......................................................Alexander Residence Distinction Flowerworx......................................................Klein Residence Distinction Gibbs Landscape Company............................Hailey Residence Grand Gibbs Landscape Company............................Payne Residence

Design/Build/Installation: Commercial, under $75,000

Merit

Unique Environmental Landscapes................Cross Creek Entrance

Design/Build/Installation: Commercial, $75,000 - $200,000

Distinction The Fockele Garden Company.......................The Jack and Janice Frost Water Garden

Design/Build/Installation: Commercial, $201,000 - $500,000

Distinction Classic Landscapes..........................................Magnolia House and Garden

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Design/Build/Installation: Residential, under $50,000

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Merit Champion Distinctive Landscaping................Goduto Residential Under $50 K Distinction Southern Trillium...........................................Reilly Distinction Unique Environmental Landscapes................Hartman Residence

Design/Build/Installation: Residential, $50,000 - $150,000 Merit Distinction Grand Grand Grand Grand

Southern Trillium............................................Sugarbend Farm Unique Environmental Landscapes................Elliott Residence Chatham Landscape Services.........................Mr. and Mrs. John Tyers Residence Floralis.............................................................Midtown Modern Unique Environmental Landscapes................Denkman Residence Unique Environmental Landscapes................Sober Residence

Design/Build/Installation: Residential, over $150,000 Merit Ed Castro Landscape......................................Greenbaum Residence Distinction Floralis.............................................................Bencich Residence

GALA

Awards of Excellence

Celebrating projects from 2017 & 2018

National Association of Landscape Professionals Awards Commercial Design/Build: $25,000 to $100,000

Merit

Russell Landscape............................................ Georgia Gwinnett College Memorial Terrace

Commercial Landscape Contracting Grand Ruppert Landscape......................................... Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville Commercial Landscape Contracting: $100,000 to $500,000

Merit

A Cut Above Landscape Management........... The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens

Commercial Landscape Contracting: Over $1,000,000

Grand Gold

Ruppert Landscape......................................... A Corporate Campus in Atlanta Ruppert Landscape......................................... Hanover Buckhead Village

Commercial Landscape Management: Institutional Gold The Fockele Garden Company....................... Northeast Georgia Health System Commercial Landscape Management: Multi-Use Properties

Merit

Ruppert Landscape......................................... Alliance Center

Commercial Landscape Management: Office and Industrial Sites/Hotels and Resorts

Merit Grand

A Cut Above Landscape Management........... Callaway Gardens Lodge and Spa HighGrove Partners, LLC............................... Atlanta Galleria Office Park

Commercial Landscape Management: Retail

Merit

HighGrove Partners, LLC............................... Buckhead Atlanta

Residential Design/Build: $25,000 to $100,000 Merit Scapes.............................................................. A Tranquil Retreat Grand Plants Creative Landscapes............................. Hendricks Landscape Renovation Silver Floralis Garden Design.................................... Midtown Rear Landscape Renovation Project

Residential Design/Build: $100,000 to $500,000

Merit Grand Silver Silver Gold Gold

Artistic Landscapes.......................................... Price and Ralphael Residence Floralis Garden Design.................................... Bencich Residence Ed Castro Landscape...................................... Dunham Residence Ed Castro Landscape...................................... Goldstein Residence Ed Castro Landscape...................................... Mangum Residence Scapes.............................................................. A Family Paradise

Residential Design/Build: $500,000 to $1,000,000

Silver

Ed Castro Landscape...................................... Greenbaum Residence

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

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GALA

JUDGES' CHOICE: The projects that "WOW"ed the judges

DESIGN/BUILD/INSTALLATION: Residential, $50,000 - $150,000

Unique Environmental Landscapes | Denkman Residence This backyard was a complete oversight on the behalf of the builder.

Having worked with our firm previously, the homeowner contacted us upon the closing.

Before

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

To create the desired ambiance for morning coffee and happy hour along with everything between and after, we built a terraced patio including a fire pit and water feature. We removed all of the Bermuda sod that had been installed by the builder and landscaped with a more natural pallet, creating a better transition into the wooded area. After locating the one sunny area – ON THE SLOPE – we built a natural boulder wall perfect for a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. A new goal when the project was almost complete: a bocce ball court was added to the lower level of the yard.

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Judges' comments: > > > > >

Love the fountain.

Good use of space, found a way to carve out a level terrace.

Stone looks natural, left the linear wall irregular like a boulder wall, rustic, fits the back yard.

Great slope solution, creates nice spaces, good plant palette, definitely met the owners’ goal.

Unrecognizable from original Bermuda slope. Looks like it was always there and that’s hard to pull off.

JUDGES' CHOICE: The projects that "WOW"ed the judges

GALA

DESIGN/BUILD/INSTALLATION: Residential, $50,000 - $150,000

Chatham Landscape Services | Mr. & Mrs. John Tyers Residence

Before

The home had a back yard that was totally encompassed by a swimming pool which left little area for the owners' two boys to play. The front yard was the only space available. We created the large grass play area by installing a granite wall along the front right-of-way line. We softened the wall with a two-foot wide perennial garden.

The new city of Brookhaven was very concerned about impervious surface calculations and height of walls. As a result, we had to introduce some pervious pavers along the driveway and keep all walls under 30” in height.

Judges' comments: > > > > >

Great example of sometimes less is more.

Tough project, they pulled it off. This is absolutely stunning.

Who would have thought putting a fence in the front yard would look that good? Amazing.

Love how they used the gray color to make it all work together, it all blends instead of fighting.

There are two front entrances so it has to be clear which one you want people to go to, they put the annual color by the main entrance and the seating outside the second one. That’s what flowers are for, to show people where to go. Used the color to good effect.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Bluestone walkways and patio, enhanced by boxwood hedging, continued the home's French country architecture into the landscape.

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GALA

JUDGES' CHOICE: The projects that "WOW"ed the judges

COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP

Ruppert Landscape | Atlanta Field Day

First-ever Judges' Choice Award for a Community Stewardship project!

Before

On September 13th, 2018, over 100 employees from the company’s Lilburn and Mableton, GA and Raleigh and Charlotte, NC branches worked together with parishioners to transform the grounds of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Stone Mountain, GA. About 70% of Corpus Christi’s congregation is comprised of immigrants and refugees from 47 different countries who speak over 14 different languages. Some of the parishioners also took part in the day’s activities, so this event provided a unique opportunity for people of many different cultures and backgrounds to work together to transform the church grounds into a welcoming environment for reflection and community-building.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

The day involved a significant investment of both time and materials, totaling approximately $100,000. Site improvements included planting trees, shrubs, and perennials, laying turf, improving drainage, repairing concrete/pavers, and weeding, pruning, and mowing existing landscaping on the seven-acre site. In total, over 800 man-hours were donated to bring this project to fruition.

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Judges' comments: > > > >

Good job with the design.

Significant amount of time and materials put in to this.

To do that amount of work on one service project is huge.

They understood that the building is really pretty striking and they just got out of the way. Not an easy thing to do. > A lot of companies don’t take the time for these community service projects. It speaks well for the industry and represents us well.

UAC NEWS

WHAT DID YOU MISS? Landscape Pro University January 30 Cobb Galleria Atlanta GA

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

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ME &NEWS MY MENTOR UAC

Lessons in H2B

Learning as you go and surviving the process

by Laura Guilmette, Unique Environmental Landscapes

My company is thinking about using H2B to bring in seasonal employees. How would you describe your first-time experience with H2B so far?

Q

A

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Most anyone in the landscape industry would without a doubt agree labor presents the greatest challenge within operations. And there is a good chance most everyone in landscaping is somewhat familiar with the H2B program. Perhaps many, like me, started inquiring and discussing the program with peers a few years ago. And maybe, like me, they opted to RUN, and run fast away from the challenges the program represents! Instead they endured a couple more seasons of dealing with employees who didn’t show up to work for one, two or more days without any notification, or they completely processed a new employee only to never see them again.

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I had multiple conversations with two of the three agencies in the U.S. that process H2B workers for the landscape industry and asked countless questions. At that point, I felt we had a good grasp of what to expect, the associated costs, and the risks. After completing the initial application, submitting all the necessary documents (and then some) and cutting the check, the next big step was electronically submitting our information to the Department of Labor at the exact specified time: December

31 at midnight - EXACTLY how we planned to ring in the New Year! We were told every second counted so we should submit when the clock struck 12:00 and not a second later.

However, thousands of applicants did the same which created an overload on the computer system, causing it to shut down and lock everyone. That in turn created panic, PANIC at our home office and I’m sure across the country!

What had been a delicious New Year’s dinner earlier was now major indigestion.

The next big hurdle was actually getting the visas, as there were three times as many applications as there were visas to be issued. We got lucky, about three weeks later we found out we made it!

As I mentioned, I thought we had a very good idea of what to expect during this process but I had a lot to learn and as I write this in early March, I’m still learning something new every day.

My rep at the agency, located in Texas, had been walking me through each step, however at this point I had no idea how much I didn’t know. It would be impossible for anyone to convey every single step of the process from start to finish - it’s one of those things you just have to learn (and stomach) as you go.

Laura Guilmette graduated from the University of Louisville with a B.A. in communications. She worked in advertising until she was recruited to work with the family-owned landscape business, Unique Environmental about 17 years ago. Like most business owners, she wears many hats including HR, marketing, sales, administrative and field work. Even though the H2B program has presented numerous challenges, she has enjoyed learning about it as well as overcoming these challenges. She is really looking forward to seeing how it unfolds over the upcoming season.

ME & MY MENTOR

Recruitment

Transportation

After we had completed all the initial application steps, I learned that WE would be recruiting all of our own workers from foreign countries. Exactly how was that going to work out? We had no connections or knowledge of how to complete this task.

Transportation for the workers from the consulate in their home country has presented a few challenges as well. While we can recruit from many countries, our agency only has representatives in Mexico and, with a lesser presence, in Guatamala. Our potential workers in El Salvador would be on their own to make their appointments and go through the process at the consulate.

Fortunately, our rep quickly explained how most of our current employees of Hispanic descent have family and friends who would love to come to the U.S. and work. As we are currently at this stage, I am finding this to be true, though there have been a few challenges which I expect won’t be an issue next year - the idea is that the same workers would return year after year.

Visas Currently we have scheduled almost all of our workers for their appointments at the consulate in their home country for around the end of March - a feat we felt would be worth celebrating. However, we are getting a better idea of how that process works so instead we will be (somewhat) patiently waiting here on the day of each appointment to find out which of the potential workers made it through the interview process and will obtain visas.

I just learned last week when the workers cross the border into the U.S. they will have to present their visas for even further processing due to new software available for more thorough screening. They could potentially be turned away at this time!

Next steps We, along with our current employees, are super excited to get their family members here to work. However, there are still many unknowns which is quite unnerving, like will they actually cross the border (before the wall is built! Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) where each of them will live and how they will commute to and from work each day, associated costs, etc.

One of the requirements for the H2B application process was to prove we can’t recruit enough seasonal workers here in the U.S. We were required to run a help-wanted ad in the AJC along with other recruiting strategies. To date, we have not had one applicant. Seems like the H2B program could actually save our business, we just have to be able to navigate and survive the process!

Stay tuned!

In the Summer 2019 issue, Laura will continue her story and share how things worked out for them, this first year of using the H2B program.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

We were advised to pre-screen potential workers for any type of illegal presence in the U.S. and to not send these people to the consulate (and pay the $190 per-person fee) as they would not obtain visas. Bear in mind, I don’t even talk with the people in other countries, I rely on our Spanish-speaking employees here to understand the criteria we are working with and convey this to people who may or may not have access to a telephone or a computer. We have to collect passports from each potential worker, which creates a challenge as some of these people live in remote areas where they may not have regular access to phones, computers or fax machines.

We knew from the beginning we were required to pay for transportation to Atlanta from the consulate, but it didn’t occur to us that everyone except Mexico would have to fly to Atlanta and it wouldn’t be advisable to purchase airline tickets until AFTER they actually receive their Visa. This means airline tickets will be purchased within 24 hours of flight time, which will most likely turn out to be quite a bit more costly than the bus fare from the consulate in Monterrey which we originally planned into the budget.

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HAVE YOU MET

Andy Batcheller

Handy Andy Outdoors, LLC

My first job in the green industry was...mowing lawns

when I was 10 years old. I wanted a pair of sneakers that cost $120. My Dad bought me a used Toro 21” walk behind for $150 instead and told me to buy my own shoes. The rest is history.

The biggest challenge in my career…consistent

Phone: 770-458-8505 Email: andy@handyoutdoors.com

and reliable labor.

Finding people who really care about the job they are doing and not just showing up for a paycheck.

Address: 2243 Talley Drive

Chamblee GA 30341 Web: handyandyoutdoors.com

The people who have influenced my career are…

Andy Batcheller

My least favorite part of my job is….. managing labor.

One piece of advice I would give to someone entering the green industry today is…establish your systems and processes first and join a peer group so you have people to help you navigate your business. Run your business, do not let your business run your life.

The one thing most responsible for my success is…God. Knowing that I am not in

control of anything and when you turn to Him, the answers will be there, and doors will open.

If I could change careers, just for a month, I would…be a life coach.

One thing that really annoys me is…when things don’t work the way they are supposed to.

One thing most people don’t know about me is…as much as I like to talk to people, I struggle with stage fright.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

my Dad, my wife, friends I have made through peer groups, and a handful of wonderful consultants.

My biggest career success so far has been…being able to take what I have learned through 33 years of running my own business and using it to help others either starting their own business or in the mission field serving others.

If I had it to do over again, I would…have invested more and spent less.

The thing I like most about my career is…..working with clients to create outdoor

spaces that extend their house beyond the walls.

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When I’m not working, I like to…go

out to dinner with my wife Megan, hang out with my two daughters (Leighton, 13, and Harper, 11), play golf, read books, do mission work, and travel.

Homeowners, property owners and property managers turn to the Internet to find landscapers, landscape management firms, and other Urban Ag providers they can trust.

Reporting & Recommendat

,

They find you on your website, Facebook page, LinkedIn page, Yelp, Angie’s List, and Houzz to check-out what you’ve done, areas you service, and even schedule appointments.

To earn trust, you need a website and social media sites with great content and images that showcase your professionalism and expertise. You also need digital tools that help build positiveonline reviews.

Turn to WebTech.

We help companies grow and improve their brand online, where their customers are looking

User friendly websites with fewer bounces, more click throughs, and longer page views Logical online marketing strategies with proven results

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Call Mark today to discuss your needs and how we can help.

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UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Cost effective and targeted advertising campaigns specifically designed for seasonal growth

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PEST 411

Reason for concern

A new exotic tick is headed to Georgia

by Nancy C. Hinkle, Ph.D., UGA Department of Entomology Its mode of distribution is unknown, but this rapid spread bodes poorly for containment.

Originally from northeast Asia, this tick showed up in Australia and New Zealand over 100 years ago, where it has established and become a significant problem on cattle and sheep.

Known as the “Longhorned Tick” (scientific name Haemaphysalis longicornis), it is capable of transmitting several disease organisms infecting livestock and humans.

Why is this tick of particular concern?

It is not native to North America.

That means there are no natural controls here to keep it in check – no predators or parasites to suppress its numbers. Also, our animals have not developed any natural resistance to it, so it is anticipated to thrive on both wildlife and livestock.

1.

Known as the “Longhorned Tick” (scientific name Haemaphysalis longicornis), it is capable of transmitting several disease organisms infecting livestock and humans.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Anyone who has lived in Georgia probably

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has experienced ticks, either on themselves or on their pets. The most common of the state’s 22 native tick species is the lone star tick. The American dog tick is the next most frequently encountered tick; even though it is called a dog tick, it can be found on mid-sized wildlife of all types – coyotes, foxes, raccoons, opossums, etc. Gulf Coast ticks seem to be increasing in prevalence and expanding their range. Deer ticks are not very common (the ticks typically found on deer are lone star ticks).

But there is a chance that we’ll be getting a new type of tick – as if we needed it. Last year a tick species that had never been found in North America showed up on a farm in New Jersey.

Despite control efforts and a harsh winter, it successfully overwintered and in 2018 has already been found in Virginia, West Virginia, Arkansas, and North Carolina.

Males are extraneous. This tick is parthenogenetic, meaning females reproduce without mating, so males are unnecessary. Of course, this means that a single female transmitted into a new area can start a new population, indicating that infestations can readily spread. And each female produces over 2,000 eggs, so populations can rapidly explode.

2.

Longhorned ticks do well on a variety of hosts, wildlife as well as livestock.

They should thrive on white-tailed deer and quickly spread to livestock. They readily feed on small ruminants, horses, dogs, cats, humans, and several common wildlife species.

3.

This tick is tolerant of a wide range of environmental conditions, but will flourish in the Southeast, which has climate similar to its native range. As has been shown, it successfully overwinters in New Jersey, Virginia

4.

PEST 411 and West Virginia, so may well be active yearround in Georgia.

5.

The longhorned tick is capable of transmitting several animal and human pathogens. Large numbers of ticks feeding on an animal can produce anemia, particularly in young animals.

Identification Unfortunately this invader looks like many of our native ticks, small and brown before it feeds, then swollen and gray after it takes a blood meal.

So what should Georgians be looking for to alert them to the longhorned tick? High numbers of ticks per animal.

If you find an animal with lots of ticks on it: off at least a dozen, put them in a small 4 Pull bottle with alcohol, and take them to your county Extension office.

them to send them to Dr. Hinkle in 4 Tell Athens and we will identify them for you (be sure to include your contact information).

treat the animals to kill the remaining 4 Then ticks (consult the Georgia Pest Management Handbook for recommendations on tick control). To order the handbook:

http://extension.uga.edu/programsservices/integrated-pest-management/ publications/handbooks.html We may not see Longhorned Ticks in Georgia any time soon, but we do not want to miss them if they do show up.

Because each tick can produce over 2,000 eggs, tick populations expand rapidly and frequently exceed hundreds per animal.

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hoos You c

Medical | Dental | Vision | Life | Disability | Voluntary Benefits

Contact us to discuss the program and eligibility.

Steve Harmon Billy Potter

770-396-9600 snellingswalters.com

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

> Make pricing more predictable

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MARKETPLACE NEWS

New UAC Magazine feature!

Great opportunity for UAC vendor members UAC Vendor Members: The Marketplace News feature is a place where you can let your fellow UAC members know about your latest product release or the newest service you have added – free!

Here are the details:

You must be a current UAC Vendor member - level I, II, or III 4 You must have a current UAC Magazine advertising contract for a half-page or full-page color ad 4 in at least four consecutive issues Only new products or services are eligible (released or added in the last nine months) 4 You have a maximum of 500 words to tell the story of your new product or service 4 You are encouraged to provide photos and contact info 4 Feel free to offer special deals for UAC members only 4 All articles and photos must be submitted by the content deadline for each issue 4 There is no charge for this feature 4

Not currently advertising in UAC Magazine? We can fix that!

Contact us to set up an advertising schedule and become eligible for the free Marketplace News feature. Call 800.687.6949 or email kathy@georgiauac.com.

Next issue: Summer 2019, published July 2019 | Content deadline: May 10, 2019

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Visit urbanagcouncil.com for updates and to register.

Spring kick-off at Topiary Courtyard Networking + Education Dinner

URBAN AG COUNCIL GEORGIA

Topic to be advised

DATE: Tuesday, April 9 TIME: 5:30 pm cash bar | 6:30 pm dinner PLACE: Topiary Courtyard

3045 Jones Mill Road | Norcross GA 30071

SAVE THE DATE

APR

9

UAC Friendraiser - FREE to UAC members!

DATE: Thursday, April 25 TIME: 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm PLACE: Red Hare Brewing

APR

UAC Dinner Meeting

AUG

25

1998 Delk Industrial Blvd SE | Marietta, GA 30067 Register at urbanagcouncil.eventbrite.com

Networking + Education Dinner

Topic to be advised

DATE: Tuesday, August 27 TIME: 5:30 pm cash bar | 6:30 pm dinner PLACE: Heritage Sandy Springs

6110 Blue Stone Rd. | Sandy Springs GA 30328

UAC Dinner Meeting Networking + Education Dinner

Topic to be advised

DATE: Tuesday, September 24 TIME: 6:00 pm dinner PLACE: Vermeer Southeast | 1320 Gresham Rd. | Marietta GA 30062

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SEP

24

Looking to grow your team?

Did you know that UAC's website has a job posting section?

If you're a business-level member you can post there for free.

Just follow the instructions below, enter your job and contact information, then your posting will be listed on UAC's website for 30 days. It will automatically expire, but you can always post it again if the position hasn't been filled.

> Go to urbanagcouncil.com > Use the "MEMBERSHIP" menu tab > Click on "Members-only content" under "MANAGE" > Log in as a member > Use the email address and password that is associated with your UAC membership > Need help? Contact us:

info@urbanagcouncil.com or 800.687.6949 > Under the "Business" category, click on

"Submit a job posting."

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Here's how to access:

19

SAVE THE DATE SAFETY WORKS

UAC Safety School

What do your employees need to know right now?

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Your busy spring is just about to take off.

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With more work comes more safety concerns.

As a business-level UAC member, did you know that you have ready-to-go safety training available to you through UAC's Safety School?

Sponsored by Snellings-Walters Insurance Agency, Safety School makes it easier to keep your employees - and your company - safe.

Each Safety School topic includes a trainer document, which guides the instructor through the training session, and a slide presentation to show your employees. All of this is available in both English and Spanish. Also included is an attendance sheet so you have a record of who received the training and when. Here are just some of the topics available to you:

Hearing protection

Pruning safety

OBJECTIVE: To know the effect of noise on hearing and to practice proper protection against unsafe noise levels.

OBJECTIVE: To help workers recognize, prepare for, and prevent hazards common to pruning.

Hazard communication

Silicosis safety

OBJECTIVE: To inform employees about the chemical hazards they face in the workplace, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), and labeling requirements.

OBJECTIVE: To build knowledge on silicosis by defining it, explaining the dangers associated with it, and identifying ways to reduce exposure.

SAFETY WORKS

Handheld power tool safety

Building an effective first aid kit

OBJECTIVE: To make all employees aware of the possible dangers when using these tools, prevent injuries, and eliminate misuse.

OBJECTIVE: To ensure that workers are equipped with the necessary supplies to aid most minor on-the-job incidents.

Get the training Preventing slips, trips, and falls OBJECTIVE: To point out the most common – and preventable – causes of serious injury and death related to slips, trips, and falls.

Visit UAC's Safety School to get training materials (training notes, slide presentation, attendance sheets) on a variety of safety topics.

Log in and start your safety training today!

UAC Safety School is available online to all business-level UAC members. Here's how to access: > Go to urbanagcouncil.com > Use the "MEMBERSHIP" menu tab

> Log in as a member > Use the email address and password that is associated with your UAC membership

Machine guarding OBJECTIVE: To make employees aware of the important role played by machine guards in protecting workers from severe workplace injuries.

> Need help? Contact us:

Call 800.687.6949 or

email info@urbanagcouncil.com > Scroll to the "Safety" category on that list and click on "Visit UAC Safety School"

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

> Click on "Members-only content" under "MANAGE"

21

WHAT THE TECH?

Putting Facebook ads to work

The ultimate guide for small businesses

by Tabitha Jean Naylor, Manta Expert How can you make sure you’re getting the most out of your Facebook ads? These seven tips will help you strengthen your strategy and get the results you need.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Not only are paid ads your best bet at attracting new business – you can target the people you want them to be shown to, and your current audience will be more likely to see your posts.

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It’s no secret that recent algorithm changes have made it considerably more difficult for businesses to reach their audience organically on Facebook. Now, the most effective way to ensure that your audience sees your content is to pay for advertising space with Facebook ads.

Everyone’s Facebook feed contains sponsored posts from companies that pay to be there.

Unlike streaming video or music services, there’s currently no way for users to opt out of seeing these advertisements. Since Facebook has decreased how many people are shown organic posts, paying for your content to reach more people is the only way for brands to have a real marketing impact.

Statistics show that your organic Facebook posts might only reach about 2% of your followers on average. That means that as much as 98% of your followers could be missing out on what you’re posting. That’s a huge chunk of potential business!

To top it off – your organic posts are only being shown to people who already follow your page.

In order for these unpaid posts to reach a new audience, you have to rely on your followers to

tag their friends or share the content to their own feeds. This works to an extent, especially if you excel at creating shareable content, but by using Facebook ads you’ll be able to reach a much larger audience and attract new followers.

While organic posts are still an essential part of any Facebook content marketing strategy, you’ll want to make sure paid advertising plays a large role. Not only are paid ads your best bet at attracting new business – you can target the people you want them to be shown to, and your current audience will be more likely to see your posts.

But there’s a definite learning curve when it comes to Facebook ads. On top of creating an effective and engaging post, you have to learn the ins and outs of setting up an ad and learn new strategies to make sure they’re effective.

It’s definitely a daunting task, so it’s understandable that many small business owners avoid it altogether.

Some small business owners have even expressed frustration with Facebook ads, claiming they don’t convert and that it’s ultimately a waste of money, but with the right strategy, Facebook ads can be an incredibly effective marketing tool.

Of course, funds for a marketing budget are often limited and it’s important to make sure each dollar counts.

So how can you make sure you’re getting the most out of your Facebook ads? These 7 tips will help you strengthen your strategy and get the results you need.

a clear goal.

Step 1. Have Every successful marketing

campaign should begin with a goal, and your Facebook ads should be no different. Each ad campaign needs a goal to aim for before

WHAT THE TECH? content is even created. If you don’t have a clear objective for each ad, it’s easy for posts to become too busy and have a weak focus on more than one thing and if your ads don’t seem focused, they’re unlikely to inspire action on the part of your audience.

Some great goals for your ads to have may include:

> > >

Reaching out to new customers

> > >

Promote a new product

Re-engaging with your current followers Encouraging followers to download a freebie Advertise an event Increase overall brand awareness

Once you know what the goal of your ad is, you can move on to figuring out what kind of people your ad will target.

your audience.

Step 2. Target Facebook has millions of

people on it, but that doesn’t mean every single person is going to be interested in what you have to offer. Thankfully, Facebook offers options that allow you to refine your target audience so that your ads are reaching the people who will value your content and that are likely to take action.

This is your most valuable tool when it comes to setting up your ads, so it’s important to explore all your options.

If you own a video game store, you’d likely select a younger demographic who lives in the immediate area. You’d want to make sure people who follow Nintendo or PlayStation are included as well as people who have expressed

Many people begin posting ads by targeting the broadest audience they can thinking that the more people they reach, the more they’ll sell. But in reality, the more targeted your ads are the more likely they are to convert.

Sure, a men’s high-end clothing store could target every male in the state between the ages of 18-55. But if they narrow it down to men between the ages of 25-40 who live within a 20 mile radius of the store and fall into a high income bracket, they’ll be reaching people that are far more likely to come into the store and make a purchase.

When you take the time to target people who match your customer profile, your ad will be shown only to the people that are most likely to interact. Taking the time to set this up correctly means that you’ll be investing your ad money wisely and seeing the biggest ROI possible.

To find out what’s most effective for targeting, you’ll want to test different combinations and track your results. Who’s actually clicking through? How many of those clicks are turning into sales?

You’ll want to pick a couple of specific interests to use as test targeting, monitor the outcome, make adjustments, and then compare results.

And remember, the more specific you can be, the better.

Once you have a good idea of who’s actually interacting with your ads, you’ll be able to use the same categories to target future audiences successfully.

Knowing who your ads resonate with will also help you create better content. Once you understand who’s really paying attention, you can personalize your ads to better relate.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Age, gender, and location are the basics, but you can do so much more than that. Facebook lets you target people who already like certain pages.

So go ahead and make sure your ad is being shown to people who follow your competitors or pages that you know your audience is likely to care about. It also lets you target people by their Facebook interests.

interest in gaming. If the store had a specific niche, like retro gaming, they could easily get more specific with retro gaming references.

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WHAT THE TECH?

Step 3. Experiment with

>

Make a helpful video – Facebook ads don’t have to be pictures and texts. Video content is the most engaging type of post there is, so create something that shows off your best features, entertains, or informs.

>

Share an informative article – Use this as a chance to establish yourself as an authoritative and trusted source of information. Teach people what they want to know, and they’ll keep coming back for more.

organic posts.

The everyday posts that you make can be an excellent indicator of what kind of content you should turn into an ad. What type of posts does your audience respond well to already?

If the content performs well with the people who already follow you, there’s a good chance the content will do well as an ad.

If you have a post with great engagement rates, try turning it into a sponsored ad. You’ll notice that many ads on Facebook are just regular posts that companies pay to promote, so using content you’ve already created can be very effective.

Step 4. Give value.

The majority of your posts shouldn’t be all about selling. This is advice you’ve probably heard about your regular Facebook posts, but it absolutely applies to advertised posts as well.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Your audience doesn’t sign on to Facebook to read sales pitches all day. They want to see content that adds value to their experience.

Of course you can use the occasional ad to promote a sale or new product. But for the most part, you’ll want to advertise with posts that catch your audience’s attention and give them an experience that’s memorable in some way. Some ideas for engaging promoted posts include:

24

>

Give something away – People love free stuff, so using a give away as an ad is an excellent way to get their attention.

Create something that they can download like a how-to guide, a helpful checklist, or even a coupon for a free appetizer at your restaurant when they provide their email. You’ve helped them out by giving them something of value, so there’s a good chance they’ll appreciate and remember that, giving you new customers in the future.

Facebook is all about relationship building.

There’s a reason people love commercial-free tv and streaming services. Use the opportunity to form a real bond with your customers and show them that you know what they want.

If you have a positive relationship with your customers, they’ll come to feel a sense of trust with you. People who trust you will be more willing to buy from you than if you were trying to hard sell them your product or service without having that relationship in place first.

Step 5. Include a strong call to action.

No matter how engaging your ad is, it won’t do you any good if you don’t use the opportunity to invite your audience to take action. Without a strong CTA, your ads will fall flat.

A good CTA will encourage your audience to take a meaningful action. Have them click through to your website with your best offers, give them a freebie to capture their email, invite them to follow your page, or have them register for your webinar.

Step 6. Be consistent.

Marketing on Facebook is not something you can do once in a while whenever you feel like it. If you aren’t consistently online posting engaging ads, your ads won’t be seen.

Most brands take the time to create at least one new post a day, interact with their audience, and respond to messages. And that’s at a minimum.

It’s not uncommon to see bigger brands post at least five times a day. While not all of your posts

WHAT THE TECH? are going to be paid ads, you should make sure that you’re constantly posting engaging content.

That way, when people look at your page after finding you through an ad, they’ll see an active brand.

And people don’t take the time to scroll back through days and days of Facebook posts. If you aren’t posting daily, there’s a good chance that even the people who follow you won’t get to see your content.

The window of opportunity for significant engagement is pretty small – usually no more than a few hours.

Posting frequently not only helps your ads to be seen by more people, but it shows customers that you’re an open and active business that cares about its customers. Facebook pages that look “dead” to customers who are seeking information could actually push them to move to a page that’s more active and cause them to spend their money elsewhere.

But be careful not to spam people. Having your ads shown too often will annoy potential customers and push them away from your business.

You’ll also want your posts to be consistently published at the right times.

Posting content at 3:00 am will reach far fewer people than at popular times like the morning or when people just get off of work.

One of the quickest ways to set your ads up for failure is by rushing through them blindly without understanding what you’re doing.

As a business owner, you have a ton of stuff on your plate, and it’s totally understandable if social media marketing isn’t your specialty. But if you want to succeed, you’ll need to take the time to learn these strategies and how to implement them.

If learning the ins and outs of full-scale social media campaigns isn’t in the cards do you, there’s no shame in getting help from someone who already knows what they’re doing. Manta’s Marketing Pro service is great for businesses that want customized help and advice for marketing strategies.

Conclusion With the right strategy, you can make Facebook ads work for your small business.

Learning and implementing new marketing strategies will always take time and effort, but it’s important not to give up. Once you know what your goals are, target the right audience, and create engaging posts, you’ll start to see your investment pay off and your social reach continue to grow.

About the author

Commit to the

Step 7. process.

In order to succeed with Facebook ads, you’re going to have to commit to investing the money and factor it in to your overall strategy and budget.

Originally published by Manta at manta.com.

Manta is one of the largest online resources dedicated to small business. Learn more and create your free company profile at manta.com.

Tabitha Jean Naylor is the Founder of Successful Startup 101, a digital magazine that provides answers to today’s most pertinent questions facing startup founders, and the Owner of TabithaNaylor. com. Her intimate knowledge of how sales and marketing go hand-in-hand has resulted in a variety of successful campaigns for startups through publicly traded companies. Connect with her on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

A combination of timely and consistent posts will help you reach a bigger audience and extend your reach.

Learning is a process – if you give up right away when your first ad doesn’t get the huge results you wanted, you’re never going to have the opportunity to learn from those failures. By committing the time and money to learning Facebook ads, you’ll be setting yourself up for success.

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BUSINESS

Partnering with vendors

Using relationships to grow your business

by Jeffrey Scott Partnering with your vendors can help grow your business. There are different ways to approach negotiations and building relationships. What is your approach?

Here are three different ways to look at your vendors, which fits your outlook?

1.

Commodity Provider: from whom you try to gain the lowest price possible (think: buy low, sell high)

2.

Logistics Support: helping you organize your workflow.

3.

Business Partner: to help you gain a competitive advantage in your market place.

Some businesses still use the commodity approach: “lets squeeze every penny we can, in order to make our budget.” This trades off short-term wins for long-term gains.

More entrepreneurs look at their vendors as logistics support, a more holistic approach, but in my experience this still leaves money and opportunity on the table.

Door #3

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

The most strategic approach is to consider your vendor as a business partner.

26

Back in the day, the supplier I was most strategic with was Marty Silver (r.i.p.) the owner of the largest pool supply wholesaler in my area. I would call him every spring and he would share with me what was going on across the pool industry, in all the different quality segments, in commercial and residential markets, and with start-ups and the big players.

His insight was priceless, and because I treated him as a partner he reciprocated with knowledge, training, great terms, etc.

Making it work Here are some tips to use when approaching your vendors:

with them your growth plans. Get 4 Share them excited about your future. yourself as a leader, because 4 Present everyone wants to follow a leader. them understand how competitive your 4 Let market is, how thin your net profit margins are.

your annual purchasing needs.

4 Discuss Ask your supplier what they can do to help

you, don’t just ask for discounts, let them make suggestions to you. Think outside the price box, and look for help with terms, deliveries, referrals, introductions, priority service, new product ideas, and even training your staff!

Here are three specific negotiation tips:

1.

Use “we” language, to create a feeling of win-win, so they are more prone to want to help you.

2.

Use engaging body language. Lean in, like you would if you were on a date, or listening to a great storyteller.

3.

Share your concerns, and ask them how they can address them. Your vendor can’t read your mind and doesn’t know what is most important to you.

Remember George Ross?

He sat at the elbow of Donald Trump during The Apprentice (that was my favorite reality show back in the day; now it is Shark Tank.)

George wrote two good books on negotiations, and I still remember his biggest tip: Keep asking for concessions, even after you have received concessions, until the other side says, “No more, that is as far as we can go.”

BUSINESS His approach may be extreme, but the lesson here is valid: Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself.

Jeffrey’s Breakthrough Idea:

For example, when margins are tight on a specific job, and you have already received good vendor pricing, don’t be afraid to ask for additional pricing support.

Partner up with vendors who think and act at a higher level, and you will both do better.

Lastly, find out what your vendors want and need from you. Are they cash strapped and want money upfront? Or are they looking for something else? It is a partnership, so find how you can help them.

Take actions:

speak to your suppliers 4 Atabouta minimum, how the market is performing from their perspective. Learn what they know.

your vendors for lunch, find out which 4 Meet ones think strategically, discuss your business plans and needs, and ask them how they can help.

your staff on negotiations and 4 Train “advocating for oneself."

About the author Jeffrey Scott, MBA, author, specializes in growth and profit maximization in the Green Industry. His expertise is rooted in his personal success, growing his own company into a $10 million enterprise.

Now, he facilitates the Leader’s Edge peer group for landscape business owners—members achieve a 27 percent profit increase in their first year.

To learn more visit www.GetTheLeadersEdge.com.

(770) 607-0491

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Fresh-cut daily

Available for pick-up or delivery Call today for a quote

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Serving quality turf to the Atlanta Metro area since 1999

27

BUSINESS

Managing through the stress

How to motivate and empower your team

by Erin Saunders, ON Services All jobs come with a certain level of stress. Many times work is cyclical in nature with periods of heavy, sometimes intense workloads, followed by periods with less demand or volume.

Photo by Ian Espinosa on Unsplash

There are things you can do to help mitigate stress, create a work-life balance, while still meeting the demands of the job.

Heavy workloads can be especially stressful for leaders and their teams, but that stress and workload doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

There are things you can do to help mitigate stress, create a work-life balance, while still meeting the demands of the job.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

1.

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First, help prioritize the work.

Start with your own tasks. Because periods of intense volume or workload can feel overwhelming, it’s important to get very specific with what and when things need to be accomplished. Breaking things down into specific, manageable pieces can help make a large project or heavy workload feel more manageable. Then evaluate the tasks you need to accomplish and prioritize which should happen first.

2.

Next, meet with your team. Show them what you are going to be focusing on. Help them go through a similar process of creating specific time-bound activities and help them understand what they should tackle first.

Be sure to clearly state what your expectations

are in terms of timelines and tasks. When there are many things to be accomplished, breaking down and prioritizing tasks can instantly make a daunting workload feel more manageable.

3.

As you dive into the work, be flexible, adaptable and reasonable. As you break down the tasks and approach with the team, ask for input. Talk to them about what you are doing and why. If someone on the team has a suggestion, look to them for input and be open to changing your strategy. Once you’ve agreed on an approach, step back and let them execute. Micromanaging will only add to your workload and stress level and can be demoralizing to the team. Trust that you have hired competent people. Now step back and let them do their jobs.

As you set expectations, check with the team and make sure they are reasonable. Setting expectations too high can set you and your team up for failure. Think about what each of your employees’ capabilities are and assign tasks and the complexity of work based on your assessments and each employee’s abilities.

4.

When work feels overwhelming, it’s important to recognize your own stress levels. Even the best of communicators can break down under pressure. Be on the lookout for when your own stress level may be affecting how you are communicating and listening in a negative way. It can help to understand what your default stress reactions. Under stress, people tend to go to their preferred communication style. This can be cause frustration for those who aren’t communicating in your preferred style. Be extra vigilant about how you are communicating and listening.

5.

BUSINESS

6.

It can also help to understand more about your personality and how it interacts with team members. During a slower period, consider using an assessment tool like StrengthsFinder or the Enneagram assessment to understand you and your team’s preferred communication styles. Both tools are relatively inexpensive and can be good ways to build communication skills within the team.

7.

When you recognize that you’re feeling stress, give yourself time to reset.

This could be within the moment at work, or by taking a break and coming back to the project later. It’s equally important to recognize your employee’s stress levels. If you’re feeling pressure, chances are your team is as well.

It’s okay to acknowledge this. Offer help, and let them know it’s okay for them to come to you with questions or to help work through a challenge. Consider doing little things to show the team you appreciate them. It’s important to be sincere in your recognition.

As you reach milestones, celebrate success. Even small victories at work are important. Take time to celebrate when milestones are achieved. Don’t wait until the end of the season or project to recognize the team. Celebrating milestones injects energy and enthusiasm into the team, making worthwhile for employees to continue to manage through

8.

stressful times. Be inspirational and authentic as you recognize successes. After you’ve made it through the busy time or large project, sit down with your team to debrief and acknowledge the accomplishment. Taking time and effort to celebrate success increases teamwork, engagement, and motivation for everyone.

Having periods of increased workload is inevitable. If you’re able to help your team prioritize, be flexible, recognize how you and your team’s stress might be impacting effectiveness, and celebrate success as it happens; stressful times can feel less so. You may even find that the challenging times create a sense of camaraderie with the team, and that making it through together is immensely rewarding.

About the author Erin Saunders is Director of Human Resources with ON Services in Norcross, GA.

P: 770-457-0966 E: Esaunders@ONservices.com

Effective immediately, our mailing address has changed to: Georgia Urban Ag Council | PO Box 3400 | Duluth GA 30096 Our phone number remains the same: 800.687.6949

Please make a note of our new address.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

UAC has a new mailing address

29

BUSINESS

Securing your customer data

5 steps to protect this critical information

by Guy Reed, PR Consultancy Protecting the critical information of your customers and business revolves around five key steps.

Working with customer data is not straightforward. It requires you to pay The reality is that protecting the close attention to critical information of your customers multiple different and business revolves around these laws and regulations, critical steps. As long as you take the depending on where you operate. With time to educate yourself and don’t laws like the GDPR cut any corners, little can go wrong. and other similar legal frameworks, it can be very costly to ignore this aspect of your business.

At the same time, getting your affairs in order can be an expensive ordeal if you need to hire specialists for the job.

If you pay attention to a few critical factors though, you should be able to avoid most kinds of trouble on that front.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

1.

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Keep multiple backups.

Losing your business data can be disastrous. Losing the data of your customers man even mean the end of your company, depending on what services you provide. It’s happened to many companies in the past, and nobody is protected against data failure.

Malfunctioning hard drives, cloud services going down, even theft – there are many ways you could potentially lose all your valuable information.

That doesn’t have to be a huge issue if you have working backups of it though. The plural form of the word is key here.

A common mistake many businesses make is to only focus on one backup routine.

What happens when your central backup storage location goes down? Even worse, you can occasionally see companies storing their backups in the same place as their main data. In the context of possible physical loss, it doesn’t make much sense to do that.

Use encryption.

Pretty much every important utility works with data support encryption nowadays.

It’s a standard aspect of working with information, and you should take advantage of it. Enable encryption in all programs you’re using that support it. Look into how you can encrypt your other connections as well. Just because an application doesn’t come with encryption support out of the box, it doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

2.

You can use a virtual private network (VPN) as a general solution. A good VPN service, like, for example, NordVPN, will work with every application you have on your computer without any difficult configuration. A VPN extension can be installed on Chrome or any other browser, too.

NordVPN will even work with your smartphone, allowing you to stay safe on the go. That way, you can safely access your company’s databases remotely without having to worry about security.

Of course, make sure to keep your phone up to date as described above.

Encryption won’t do much to help you when your device itself is compromised.

Smartphones can be a very attractive target to attackers, so pay attention to the security of yours.

BUSINESS

3.

Update your software.

If you often ignore those pesky update notifications, this one’s for you. There’s a good reason companies keep putting out a new version of their software. It’s not always about better usability – in fact, that’s often not even a priority.

The main reason is to keep the applications protected against security intrusions.

Hackers discover new holes in programs on a regular basis, and sometimes those holes could be quite serious.

They might even be in the strangest, most unexpected places. Maybe you don’t expect to get compromised through your PDF reader when opening a malicious document, but that was a popular attack vector at one point. Even image formats get compromised from time to time. And it only takes one successful attack to bring down your entire organization. The bottom line is, the next time you get prompted to install an update for some application, do it right away.

4.

Such attacks can be more difficult to defend against. It’s not impossible though – you just have to provide your employees with the right kind of training. Run regular phishing training sessions and go over the materials with employees having trouble. Test your networks – there are companies you can hire that can help you with that.

Don’t punish employees who make mistakes as this will only serve to lower morale across the board. Instead, try to incentivize people to pay attention by rewarding those who do.

Originally published by Manta at manta.com.

Manta is one of the largest online resources dedicated to small business. Learn more and create your free company profile at manta.com.

You might even promote an internal culture for sharing appropriate tips for staying safe that way.

5.

Isolate critical data.

Last but not least, take some time to think about how your data is organized to begin with. There’s often no need to have every single point of your database accessible from everywhere else. Organize things into logical sectors and isolate them in a sensible way. That way, even if someone does manage to get into your networks, their access will be limited to their immediate node. If you’ve set things up the right way, attackers should never be able to compromise too much of your information at once.

Of course, that’s not always possible. The way some companies work requires them to provide their systems with access to a lot of different data storage facilities at once. In that case, you should pay more attention to the other points listed above. A strong underlying security foundation is still the most important factor.

Walk the walk Don’t treat data as a scary beast that’s difficult to work with. The reality is that protecting the critical information of your customers and business revolves around these critical steps. As long as you take the time to educate yourself and don’t cut any corners, little can go wrong.

If you get targeted by a directed attack, that changes things. But in that case, you should be working with dedicated specialists to resolve the situation. It’s a very different story that requires its own special approach.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Train your employees.

You may be familiar with all the critical security practices that you should be following. However, that doesn’t mean much if your employees aren’t on the same page.

Companies often get compromised through social engineering. There doesn’t have to be a weakness in your systems if your employees are willing to give up critical information. And sometimes, if the attacker does their job right, your workers won’t even know that they are being targeted.

The way you approach problems in this area is important as well.

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BUSINESS

Landscape management apprenticeship

NALP launches program through the U.S. Department of Labor The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) announced

in February 2019 the creation of the Landscape Management Apprenticeship Program. The program, which is registered by the U.S. Department of Labor, offers job seekers a path to a new career in the industry through a paid apprenticeship with a professional landscape company. With the formalization of the official apprenticeship program, the landscape profession is now considered a skilled trade, opening new doors for recruitment through school counselors, veterans groups and community workforce boards.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Professional landscape companies are encouraged to participate. This program is expected to be a gamechanger for workforce development.

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“Apprenticeships are a known solution for attracting and developing highly-skilled employees in industries ranging from construction and plumbing to automotive, mechanical and more. The establishment of this program helps our industry to level the playing field when it comes to finding workers and building a pipeline of future employees. As an association, we are putting great emphasis into promoting this program through advertising and outreach to schools, guidance counselors and veterans to help landscape contractors find quality apprenticeship candidates.” ~ Missy Henriksen Vice President of Public Affairs, NALP

“Apprenticeship programs are the golden ticket to recruiting and retaining top-tier talent,” says Henriksen. “Offering an apprenticeship program gives companies a competitive edge

and allows the landscape profession to be more competitive with other industries struggling for entry-level talent.”

There is significant federal and state funding available for companies interested in starting an apprenticeship program, including grants for training and equipment. To be eligible to enroll in the apprenticeship program, companies must be in business for at least one year and will be responsible for:

new workers or selecting current 4 Hiring employees to be apprentices that the apprentices are trained in 4 Ensuring the core competencies an experienced mentor to work 4 Identifying with each apprentice apprentices progressively higher 4 Paying wages as skills increase necessary participant information 4 Providing to NALP participants and invest in the 4 Enrolling necessary required online training A full list of requirements and other information can be found in the NALP’s Landscape Management Apprenticeship Handbook.

Interested companies can visit NALP’s website to register for the Landscape Management Apprenticeship Program: landscapeprofessionals.org /Apprenticeship

About NALP

The National Association of Landscape Professionals represents an industry of approximately 1 million landscape, lawn care, irrigation, and tree care professionals. Through national advocacy campaigns, the association is growing the industry and its workforce. NALP offers its members professional development through education, networking, and training, and increases the professionalism of the industry through certification and accreditation programs. For more information about NALP, visit www.landscapeprofessionals.org. Also, visit Loveyourlandscape.org for landscape information or visit LandscapeIndustryCareers.org to explore career opportunities.

ugaurbanag.com/certification

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

33

INDUSTRY

2019 AgLanta

Innovation and Entrepreneurship urban development movements such as the circular economy, green buildings, and clean energy?

What role can innovation and entrepreneurship play in Atlanta's development as a leader in the urban agriculture and local food system movement?

What other cities should we look to for inspiration?

Day 1: Sunday, April 14 Last year, UAC attended the 2nd annual AgLanta Conference.

This event is about the food production side of urban agriculture, and many industry members are interested in learning about options for adding this to their service offering.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

The 3rd Annual AgLanta Conference will be held April 14 - 15 in metro-Atlanta. AgLanta is sponsored by the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Resilience, Agritecture Consulting and AgTech X .

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This year’s theme is Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Attendees will hone in on three crucial stages of development for any endeavor (Create | Pilot | Grow) by participating in tours, networking, speaker sessions, creative workshops, and - of course locally sourced meals.

As farming continues to expand into new environments, AgLanta asks: What will the future look like for urban areas defined by a strong local food system?

How can the urban agriculture movement better connect into parallel sustainable

9:00 am-6:00 pm Tours of various Atlanta-based farms and 4 businesses showcasing the diversity of

approaches within the Urban Agriculture field. Attendees will meet at the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot in the morning and be led around the city to different sites along a predetermined route.

The day will culminate with a networking 4 session and happy hour at the brand new

Generator, plus a keynote from Ryan Gravel. The visionary behind the Atlanta Beltline, Ryan is an urban thinker, designer, speaker, and author, developing new opportunities as a founder of Sixpitch, Aftercar, and Generator.

Meals (breakfast, lunch, happy hour drinks), 4 transportation, and entry to all sites are included in registration fee.

Tour partners include: Mercedes Benz Stadium | Georgia World Congress Center | Atlanta Harvest| Urban Sprout Farm | Urban Food Forest | Fresh Harvest | Delta Air Lines | State Farm Arena | Generator | UGA FoodPIC Center | The Common Market

INDUSTRY

Day 2: Monday, April 15

> Grow | Challenges and Opportunities That

8:00 am-6:00 pm

> Close the Loop | Circular Economy

gathering of 350-400 local agriculture 4 Aleaders, food system innovators, and city

officials, along with a mixture of other passionate entrepreneurs, investors, media personnel and educators at the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot.

4

The day consists of jam-packed programming with specialized workshops, innovative exhibitors, and industry-leading speakers who will highlight the challenges, opportunities, successes, and failures they've experienced in this quickly-evolving industry. Breakfast and lunch, snacks and drinks, and a happy hour drink ticket are included in the registration fee.

Conversation topics: > Create | From Ideation to Implementation > Pilot | Creative Models for Proving Your Concept

Applications in the Urban Food System

UAC members: Save 10% with this discount code:

> AgriHoods | Not Just Your Neighborhood

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> Buy-Side Perspectives | Voices From Those Shaping the Demand for New Products

> The Role of Data | How can Agricultural

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> Local Grower Resources | Atlanta-area Resources for Urban & Local farmers

> UrbanAg as STEAM Education | Giving Our Next Generation of Farmers The Tools of The Trade Through Knowledge

> The Case for Compost | How Food Scrap Programs Can be Smart for Business

If you are interested in attending this event, register online: tinyurl.com/UAC-AgLanta

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

35

INDUSTRY

UAC works closely with Tolar Capitol Partners, monitoring and reporting weekly during each legislative session through Capitol Connection updates. These e-newsletters also include short surveys to "take the pulse" of

our UAC members on important issues. If you work for a UAC member company and would like to be added to this email list, please contact us at info@urbanagcouncil.com.

Here are some recent survey results from UAC members:

Q

With near record unemployment, are you able to find the workers needed for your business?

RESULTS: So far, so good!.............................................................................................................. 7% It's tough, but we'll make it work...............................................................................17% It is almost impossible to find the workers I need.....................................................63% I'm in desperate need of workers. We are losing jobs due to shortages...................13%

Q

Georgia’s $27.5 billion budget continues to be shaped by state lawmakers.

Which of the following priorities is most important to you in funding a bigger, better Georgia?

RESULTS: Teacher pay raises are essential for improving public education.............................58% Expanding Medicaid for all Georgia citizens is worth the extra money...................12%

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Invest in education & research facilities to aid business growth opportunities.......30%

Q

We do not know if lawmakers will tackle issues related to casino gambling or horse racing this year, but we wanted to check your interest on the issue.

Which of the following represents your perspective?

RESULTS: Casinos are long overdue in Georgia..........................................................................21% We need casinos and horse racing to grow convention business...............................12% Horse racing has merit and fits with our agricultural economy................................12% No thanks. Georgia does not need to legalize gambling............................................55%

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INDUSTRY

Q

The “Green New Deal” was recently proposed by Representative Alexandria Orcasio-Cortez (D-NY). As a green-industry professional, what do you think about the proposal?

RESULTS: The U.S. needs to take aggressive action to battle climate change, this is it!............. 8% Continue reducing pollution and increasing efficiency - stay the course!................92%

Q

A bill to replace Georgia’s 27,000 electronic voting machines will soon be up for a vote at the Capitol. Which voting system would you most likely prefer?

RESULTS: Touchscreens along with the added component of paper ballot printers................43% Paper ballots bubbled in with a pen to avoid computer tampering..........................11% The touchscreens used in recent elections are fine with me.....................................46%

Tolar Capitol Partners provides background and status information on key issues, prompting action from our members when needed and lobbying on behalf of our industry. tolarcapitolpartners.com

SEED sponsorship opportunities support | energize | enable | develop

SEED sponsorships offer our members an additional opportunity to promote their businesses and support UAC at a level beyond the membership dues.

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UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

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INDUSTRY

UGA helps Savannah's recovery

Creating green space and training future landscapers

by Emily Woodward for CAES News “We’ve been looking at how much Savannah’s urban tree nursery had been lost over the decades,” says Nick Deffley, sustainability director for the city of Savannah and lead on the project. “We were losing a lot of trees to development, some were just getting old, and we had two hurricanes in the last three years that took a toll as well.”

The hurricanes caused significant damage to Savannah’s tree canopy, with Hurricane Matthew costing over $13 million in tree debris removal and unknown losses in water storage from mature trees.

Greg Huber (right) is shown teaching a class at the University of Georgia Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens. Participants attended a four-day training modeled after the Georgia Certified Landscape Professional (GCLP) program, which was developed by UGA Cooperative Extension’s Center for Urban Agriculture in Griffin, Georgia. Huber leads the GCLP program.

Savannah, Georgia, lost hundreds of trees when Hurricane Matthew hit in

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

October 2016, followed less than a year later by Hurricane Irma in September 2017.

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University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant is helping restore lost green space to decrease flood risk and to beautify barren spaces while training Savannah residents in landscape design and infrastructure improvements.

The “Green Infrastructure to Green Jobs” initiative, funded by the Southeast Sustainable Communities Fund, will create urban tree nurseries in the city’s low-lying, flood-prone neighborhoods.

The city of Savannah owns more than 350 flood-prone Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) lots that are underutilized community assets. As coastal Georgia experiences extremes in weather, municipal governments are looking to green infrastructure, such as tree canopies, to improve their resilience to major storm events.

Engaging the community Deffley is working with a team of experts, including land-use and resiliency specialists at UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, to engage community members in the project, helping them to understand the risks they face and recognize the benefits of implementing green infrastructure, such as tree canopies.

Over the course of the project, more than 500 trees will be planted by trainees in the Landscape Management Apprenticeship Program, an innovative workforcedevelopment program that trains residents in arbor care, plant identification, installation and maintenance.

INDUSTRY Twelve employees are currently in the training program, all recruited through two events hosted by the city of Savannah and WorkSource Coastal, a federally funded program designed to assist coastal residents in job training and career placement.

“I’ve always stayed in a box as far as administrative work, and I just wanted to branch out,” said Ni’Aisha Banks, 27, a mother of three who is expecting her fourth child.

Banks is studying business administration at Savannah Technical College and plans to own her own business one day. She decided to sign up for the landscape-management program because she wanted to try something new. After two months in the program, she was able to help her peers install an irrigation system at a planting site in downtown Savannah.

Using the GCLP model In December, participants attended a four-day training modeled after the Georgia Certified Landscape Professional (GCLP) program, developed by UGA Cooperative Extension’s Center for Urban Agriculture in Griffin, Georgia. They heard from experts in green infrastructure and landscaping and took a field trip to the UGA Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens, where they practiced planting trees and installing irrigation systems.

UGA Extension specialists taught participants fundamental landscaping skills, including plant identification, planting practices and maintenance.

During the year-long program, Deffley will guide participants through more than 200 hours of hands-on training in landscape maintenance.

They’ll also learn how to set up an email account, build a resume and create business

“The whole intent is to not only introduce all of these folks to potential employers in this field, but to do everything we can to get them placed in jobs that are much more sustaining.” ~ Nick Deffley Sustainability Director, City of Savannah

"It starts with the community."

All of the programs’ trainees live in neighborhoods where plantings will take place. While gaining new skills that are vital to implementing green infrastructure in Savannah, they are also educating other community members about the project.

“We’re out here three days a week, and every day people ask, ‘What are you guys doing?’ ” said Robert Hartwell, one of 12 participants in the program. “People need to know about this stuff, you know? It starts with the community.”

Like Banks, 24-year-old Hartwell wants to own his own business. He plans to apply his new landscaping skills in his uncle’s backyard, helping him raise his walkway and put in a flower bed, before tackling his own lawn.

“I’m building my portfolio,” he says. “You’ve got to start somewhere, right?”

Additional project partners include the Savannah Tree Foundation, Victory Gardens, Work Source Georgia and the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission. The Kendeda Fund is also providing support for the initiative.

About the author

Emily Woodward is the public relations coordinator for the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant program.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

The experience exposed them to green industry careers and helped show the pathway to employment and advancement through skill development and professional certification.

cards, all tools that will help them get ready to enter the job market.

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INDUSTRY

2019 Sod Producers' Report

Annual survey examines inventory and price

by Clint Waltz, PhD, University of Georgia The Georgia Urban Ag Council conducted their twenty-fifth consecutive survey of sod producers. The purpose of the survey was to determine the status of inventory levels and projected price changes for Spring 2019.

Survey details Seventeen producers participated in the survey, representing farm sizes which were: less than 300 acres (9 participants) 4 300 to 600 acres (3 participants) 4 601 to 900 acres (2 participants) 4 more than 900 acres (3 participants) 4 Figure 1.

Percentage of bermudagrass producers projecting adequate to excellent supply for the past five years.

The survey obtained estimates of the inventory for bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, and tall fescue based on estimated sales for the first five months of 2019 as excellent (more than 10% of demand), adequate (equal to demand), and poor (more than 10% shortage). Pricing information included farm price and price for truckload orders to the Atlanta area or within 100 miles of the farm, all costs were reported as price per square foot of sod.

Inventory levels Bermudagrass is being grown by all of the surveyed producers. Eighty-eight percent of the producers rated their inventory as adequate to excellent this year (Figure 1). Eighty percent the growers with greater than 600 acres expect an adequate to excellent bermudagrass supply, while 92% of producers with 600 acres or less project having sufficient inventories.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

For early 2019, bermudagrass supply should meet market demand.

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Figure 2.

Percentage of zoysiagrass producers projecting adequate to excellent supply for the past five years.

According to this year’s survey, the number of producers growing zoysiagrass (76%) was similar to previous years. Zoysiagrass is a popular species with many commercially available cultivars. There are at least 16 zoysiagrass cultivars being grown in Georgia.

Of the producers responding, 69% estimate an adequate to excellent inventory, which is lower than last year’s estimate (Figure 2).

Of the 17 producers surveyed 10 (59%) were growers of centipedegrass. Eighty percent of the growers had adequate to excellent inventory compared to 75% in 2018, and 60% in 2017.

Of the larger growers, 3 of 5 growers with greater than 600 acres expect an excellent to adequate centipedegrass supply.

* Projected supply for the first five months of the calendar year.

INDUSTRY St. Augustinegrass is being grown by four of the 17 producers surveyed. Half reported a sufficient supply.

Table 1.

Similar to previous years, tall fescue was grown by 47% of producers. Seventy-five percent of tall fescue producers reported excellent to adequate inventory. This is a slight decrease relative to the previous 15 years tall fescue has been surveyed. While it appears tall fescue inventory will likely meet demand, there is a greater potential for limited supply relative to the past. Last summer’s rainy, warm weather increased disease pressure in production fields and compromised inventory.

Turfgrasses 2017 2018 % change --- cents / ft2 ---

Sod prices For 2019, the on-the-farm and delivered prices are expected to remain relatively unchanged or decrease compared to 2018 and 2017.

Price drops could range from 3% to 7% over last year’s prices (Table 1).

Of the five species, only St. Augustinegrass is forecast to have a noticeably higher price than in 2018. Figure 3 provides a five-year perspective of sod prices.

The 2019 average price for a delivered truckload of zoysiagrass was the same as 2018 levels. The average price of delivered zoysiagrass in 2019 was 49.1 cents and ranged from 38.0 to 68.0 cents. In 2018 zoysiagrass prices ranged from 36.0 to 60.0 cents and averaged 49.0 cents.

Centipedegrass prices are expected to slightly rise this year. Prices in 2019 ranged from 25.0 cents to 38.0 cents and averaged 31.1 cents,

On-the-farm Delivered*

Bermudagrass 23.6 22.9 -3.0 Zoysiagrass 45.8 42.6 -7.0 Centipedegrass 25.3 25.2 -0.4 Tall Fescue 27.5 27.9 1.5 St. Augustinegrass 40.0 42.5 6.3

2017 2018 % change --- cents / ft2 ---

29.9 28.1 -6.0 49.0 49.1 0.2 30.0 31.1 3.7 31.1 32.4 4.2 45.0 47.3 5.1

* Delivered price includes freight and pallets. The delivered price included the Atlanta area or within 100 miles of the farm.

Table 2.

Comparison: Farm to delivered prices, 2019

On-the-farm Delivered*

Turfgrasses Price (avg.) Range Price (avg.)

Range -------------------------------------- cents / ft2 -------------------------------------------

Bermudagrass Zoysiagrass Centipedegrass Tall Fescue St. Augustinegrass

22.9 42.6 25.2 27.9 42.5

14.0 - 30.0 30.0 - 58.0 20.0 - 31.0 20.0 - 35.0 40.0 - 45.0

28.1 49.1 31.1 32.4 47.3

21.0 - 39.0 38.0 - 68.0 25.0 - 38.0 20.0 - 45.0 42.0 - 55.0

* Delivered price includes freight and pallets. The delivered price included the Atlanta area or within 100 miles of the farm.

Figure 3.

Historical perspective of sod prices in Georgia, 2015 to 2019

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

The average price per square foot for a truckload of bermudagrass delivered to the Atlanta area, or within 100 miles of the farm, may be lower relative to last year (Table 1). The 2019 survey indicated prices varied from 21.0 cents to 39.0 cents, with an average price of 28.1 cents (Table 2). The average price in 2018 was 29.9 cents per square foot and ranged from 20.0 cents to 37.0 cents.

Change in prices from Spring 2018 to 2019

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INDUSTRY Table 3.

Percentage of survey respondents that grow certified grass and the additional charge for certified grass

Growers with certified grass Growers that charge a premium

Year

%

n*

2019 65 11 2018 69 9 2017 71 15 2016 88 15 2015 76 19

%

n*

82 55 85 87 55

9 6 11 13 11

Average Range -------------- cents ---------------

2.3 2.0 4.0 4.0 3.0

2.0 - 4.0 2.0 - 3.0 2.0 - 10.0 1.0 - 7.0 1.0 - 6.0

* Total number of respondents 17, 13, 21, 17, and 26 for 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015 respectively.

Historical freight rate for sod deliveries Range

Average

% Change

--------------------- $ / mile --------------------

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015

3.83 - 5.00 3.00 - 4.50 1.25 – 5.00 3.00 - 4.50 1.00 – 5.86

3.88 3.58 3.50 3.70 3.74

8.4 2.3 -5.4 -1.1 16.9

* Delivered price includes freight and pallets. The delivered price included the Atlanta area or within 100 miles of the farm.

compared to 2018 when the average delivered price was 30.0 cents and ranged from 25.0 to 36.0 cents.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

The 2019 average delivered price for tall fescue (32.4 cents) was 4% higher than last year (31.1 cents). This year, prices ranged from 20.0 cents to 45.0 cents.

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foresee a price decrease during the first five months of 2019. This is a similar to last year and price data from this year’s survey, indicates growers forecast are relatively accurate.

zoysiagrass, 64% of producers 4 For anticipate stable prices during the first five

months of 2019; 36% of producers forecast higher prices, one with greater than 900 acres in total production.

centipedegrass and tall fescue, 4 For greater than 70% of all producers expect prices to remain constant in 2019.

Table 4.

Year

percent of bermudagrass 4 Sixty-five producers expect steady prices while 18%

The price of delivered St. Augustinegrass increased in 2019. The average price of delivered St. Augustinegrass in 2019 was 47.3 cents. In 2017, St. Augustinegrass prices ranged from 35.0 to 38.0 cents and averaged 36.5 cents. It appears that a 2017 drop in St. Augustinegrass inventory continues to influence prices.

Projected increases Regarding grower price expectations, growers are not forecasting a significant price increase in 2019.

Augustinegrass producers expect 4 St. unchanging prices throughout 2019.

Certification 2019 had 11 producers representing 65% of the respondents with some certified grass on their farm (Table 3). Eighty-two percent of these growers charge a premium for certified grass. The remaining growers either do not place an added value on certified sod or do not participate in the certification program.

In 2019, the typical extra cost ranged from 2.0 to 4.0 cents per square foot and averaged 2.3 cents. This translates to between $10.00 and $20.00 on a 500 square foot pallet.

The price point where consumers (i.e. industry practitioners and homeowners) value varietal purity is unknown. Anecdotal estimates – informal survey of several hundred participants – of homeowners and end-consumers suggests the value of a certified grass is likely greater than reported in this year’s survey.

When told of the benefits of certified sod, endusers indicated they are willing to pay more (e.g. $20 to $25 / 500 square foot pallet) to ensure varietal purity.

INDUSTRY

Freight and unloading fees Freight rates per mile shipped to Atlanta, or within 100 miles of the farm, rose in 2019 (Table 4). Costs ranged from $3.83 to $5.00 and averaged $3.88. A separate freight rate is charged by 31% of the respondents, half of what was reported for 2018.

Three respondents (19%) reported charging an unloading fee in 2019, down from 2018. The minimum unloading fee ($50) was down from 2018 with producers now charging between $50 and $105. Most producers (94%) will make additional drops on a load. The low-end charge was down to $25 in 2019, compared to $35 in 2018. The high-end charge increased from $75 in 2018 to $150 in 2019. The average cost for additional drops in 2019 was $67.86; an increase from last year’s cost of $57.78.

subsite/caed/publications/farm-gate. html), the increases in production are in close agreement.

Georgia population For 2019, the estimated population of Georgia is nearly 10.6 million people (http://worldpopulationreview.com/states/ georgia-population) and the updated population projections from www.GeorgiaWatePlanning.org estimates our population to reach 12.2 million people Figure 4.

Five-year comparison of average sod price with fuel cost

Fuel surcharge Two respondents reported adding a fuel surcharge to a load in 2019, ranging from $0.25 to $1.00 per mile. Figure 4 compares the average sod price for all species grown with the average annual retail price for gasoline and diesel fuel. Over the last two years average sod prices have a slightly upward trend, while fuel prices have increased at a greater rate.

Markets

Acreage in production In 2018, only one producer indicated they planned to add acres into production. This year, seven producers indicate they may increase their production. The cumulative total increase is approximately 500 acres.

Comparing the responses from this survey with the UGA Agribusiness and Economic Development 2017 Farm Gate Value Report (http://www.caes.uga.edu/content/caes-

* Average grass price was calculated for the five turfgrass species commonly grown in Georgia. ** Average annual retail fuel cost for the Lower Atlantic region was found at

www.eia.doe.gov. For 2018, the average retail fuel cost was calculated through December 31.

Table 5.

Ranking of industry segments for sale of turfgrass

Industry segments

2019 2018 Rank

Average*

Rank

Average*

Landscape contractors 1 50.9 1 39.2 Golf courses 2 23.0 2 25.0 Brokers 3 14.4 5 18.8 Homeowners 4 13.7 3 19.5 Sports/Athletic fields 5 12.6 3 19.5 Existing Developers 6 11.0 6 15.1 Garden centers 7 6.6 7 12.9 Landscape designers 8 0.3 8 0.0 * Average percentage of total sales.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

The 17 producers who participated in this survey estimated that half the grass sold was to landscape contractors (Table 5). This industry segment continues to be the perennial leader.

In 2019, golf courses remained in the second position. Brokers have a two-year trend of increasing in rank from the previous year.

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INDUSTRY by 2030. That is a 15 percent increase in our population over the next eleven years. This presents opportunities and challenges for the green industry.

While some of these new residents will choose to live in multifamily buildings and not have a lawn, they will still have a desire for grassed areas in green spaces, golf courses, athletic fields, dog parks, etc. Many of these new residents will live in single-family homes with lawns. Indicators are that greater sod volume will be necessary over the next decade.

Summary 2019 will be a third consecutive year of steady sod prices. Similarly, inventory for all warmseason species is expected to meet market demand during the first part of 2019. Fuel prices are rising; this could put pressure on costs of production and delivery, altering the expectation of consistent sod prices throughout 2019.

About the author

Clint Waltz is Professor and Turfgrass Extension Specialist at the University of Georgia campus in Griffin, GA.

The easiest 5% you'll ever save!

UAC business-level members now can select the auto-recurring payment option for their annual membership investment and get an immediate 5% discount. NOTE: The auto-recurring payment option is available for credit card payments only.

Your credit card automatically will be charged on your annual renewal date

It's easy: First, go to urbanagcouncil.com > Membership > Manage and click on "Log in as a member."

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UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Don't know your password? Just click the "Request Password" button and a new password will be emailed to you.

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Under the "About" tab, scroll down until you see the "Renew, Upgrade or Update Billing" button. Click on that button.

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Note that this example has the investment amounts for a Contractor I membership. The amounts you see will depend on your membership level.

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INDUSTRY

Braman named Women's Leadership Fellow

by Sharon Dowdy for CAES News

University of Georgia professor Kris Braman has been named one of nine cohorts

in the 2018-2019 Women’s Leadership Fellows Program at UGA. The Women’s Leadership Fellows are chosen from nominations submitted by deans and other senior administrators, as well as selfnominations.

During the year-long program, fellows will attend monthly meetings to learn from senior administrators on campus and visiting speakers from academia, business and other fields. The program, which was created in 2015 as part of the university’s Women’s Leadership Initiative, also features a concluding weekend retreat for more immersive learning.

A career of helping people and programs succeed Braman, who heads UGA’s Department of Entomology, joined the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty in 1989, working on the college’s campus in Griffin, Georgia. Her early research focused on pests and beneficial insects of turfgrasses and ornamentals in urban settings.

“Leadership just became a natural extension of wanting to help other people and programs grow and succeed,” she said.

Kris Braman heads UGA’s Department of Entomology. She joined the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty in 1989, working on the college’s campus in Griffin, Georgia. She was recently selected for the university's Women’s Leadership Fellows Program.

Braman has served as president of both the Georgia Entomological Society and the Southeastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America.

Her numerous honors include the society’s Distinguished Achievement Award in Horticultural Entomology, the Georgia Green Industry Association’s Environmental Friend of the Industry Award and being named a “Distinguished Alumni” of the University of Kentucky’s Department of Entomology.

About the author

Sharon Dowdy is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

In 2011, Braman was named director of the university’s Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture in Griffin, working with the state’s green industry and UGA Cooperative Extension agents in urban areas to share research-based recommendations from UGA. Braman also taught undergraduate and graduate general entomology and biological control classes. She served as interim assistant dean of the UGA Griffin Campus from October 2014 through October 2015.

Since being named department head in 2016, Braman continues to conduct research to keep her “grounded and cognizant of issues faculty face on a regular basis.”

Now her research is entirely focused on pollinator health and conservation.

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INDUSTRY

NICH 2018 Annual Report Changing the landscape Dear NICH Affiliates, As we begin 2019, we want to share what the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture has accomplished. NICH started as an audacious idea: to bring together leaders and innovators from industry, academia, and non-profits to work together to create a unified voice for consumer horticulture. Our vision is to increase all aspects of horticulture and get 90 percent of U.S. households gardening by 2025.

We are pleased to report a series of successes and accomplishments. NICH has picked up steam and is changing the landscape. We had a busy year and look forward to a productive 2019.

Sincerely,

The NICH Team In 2018:

4

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

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We held our 3rd National Meeting in Atlanta, GA June 27-29 (supported by a grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture). Over 80 U.S. green industry leaders and innovatorsfrom academia to commercial growers to associations pooled their collective brainpower and created a strategic plan center of these “Big Ideas”: grow consumer horticulture, build unified engagement, and ensure federal, state and other sources of funding.

We released three additional infographic 4 reports spotlighting the benefits of consumer horticulture: > > > >

#PlantsDoThat Where We Live #PlantsDoThat Where We Learn #PlantsDoThat Where We Work #PlantsDoThat Where We Heal

These complement our 2017 Infographic #PlantsDoThat on the economic impact of consumer horticulture. All are available on our web site (www.consumerhort.org).

NICH sent stakeholders to USDA National 4 Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

listening sessions (https://nifa.usda.gov/ nifalistens) in Harford, CT, New Orleans, LA, Minneapolis MN and Albuquerque, NM. These listening sessions were crucial to prioritize USDA NIFA programs and identify gaps in its portfolios. We spoke to the importance of consumer horticulture to public health, environmental health, and economic health. We emphasized that consumer horticulture is an important, and historically neglected, aspect of agricultural research, extension, and education and identified many promising science opportunities in our field. Our message is being heard.

NICH released two surveys to gather 4 feedback objectives of the of NICH’s environmental and economic goals.

The NICH mailing now has over 800 4 stakeholders and supporters who receive

our e-blasts. The industry is talking about NICH.

INDUSTRY NICH created seven press releases on 4 NICH activities that were widely published.

We continued to publish scholarly 4 manuscripts, related to NICH efforts and strategic planning. These publications are important records of NICH process and progress and help to broadcast NICH efforts to the academic community, at large. > Dorn, S., L. Bradley, D. Hamrick, J. Weisenhorn, P. Bennett, J. Callabro, B.Behe, E. Bauske, and N. Bumgarner.

2018. The national initiative for consumer horticulture: focusing on the critical role of communication and collaboration to further research, extension, and industry goals.

HortTech. 28:414-421. doi:10.21273/ HORTTECH04013-18 > Bradley, L., E. Bauske, G.A. Langellotto. 2018. United States National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture and Community gardens. Journal of People, Plants and Environment, 21, 23-32. > Behe, B.K., D. Hamrick, J. Gray, and J. Calabro. 2018. Research based infographics convey and build awareness of plant benefits. ASHS (poster), Aug. 2. Washington, D.C. The academics involved in NICH 4 have created a Southern Coordinating

Committee (SCC85) which is multistate

research and extension activity supported by the State Agricultural Experiment Stations (SAES). Called Consumer Horticulture Extension, Research, and Education Coordinating Committee, SCC85 serves as a focal point to support and implement academic components of the NICH’s Strategic Plan.

We formally accepted our Research and 4 Extension Goals and Objectives. These

broad goals will guide our research and outreach efforts over the next years as we work to grow a healthy world through plants, gardens, and landscapes. They are also fully supportive of the NICH vision of using stakeholder partnerships to increase the percentage of U.S. households participating in Consumer Horticulture.

NICH’s governing bylaws were created and 4 accepted in May, of 2018.

We successful transitioned NICH 4 leadership. NICH welcomed Sylvia

Gordon of Landscapes by Sylvia and Missy Gable of UC Cooperative Extension to the Executive Committee and vice chair and secretary. Mary Kay Woodworth of the Georgia Urban Ag Council is now chairing the Marketing Committee, Gail Langellotto of the University of Oregon has taken leadership of the Environmental Committee, and Mason Day of Growit! is chairing the Commercial Council.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Download these infographics and more at www.consumerhort.org.

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URBAN AG

Scout early for timely control

Spring and early summer turfgrass diseases

by Alfredo Martinez Espinoza, PhD, UGA Department of Plant Pathology

Large Patch Large patch is caused by the soilborne fungus Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2 LP. The disease can infect all species of warm-season turfgrasses, including St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, centipede and bermudagrass. The disease is apparent during the spring and fall, when warm-season turfgrasses are entering or exiting their period of winter dormancy. R. solani occurs whenever the temperature of the thatch layer is between 50ºF (10ºC) and 70ºF (21ºC), and continuous moisture is available for at least 48 hours.

Excessive moisture levels in the soil, thatch, and lower turf canopy encourage large patch development. Factors such as poor drainage, shade, restricted air movement, or excessive irrigation increase the severity of this disease.

Management

a turfgrass species best adapted to 4 Establish your geographical area and situation. sure that areas are well-drained, as 4 Make moisture levels in the thatch and soil is an

essential aspect of large patch management.

and/or alleviate soil compaction.

4 Prevent a sound fertility program 4 Implement according to recommended guidelines for

your particular turf species and an updated soil test.

grass at the proper mowing height for 4 Cut that species. cultural and genetic control 4 Emphasize on home lawns, as few effective fungicides are available for the public to use for large patch management.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Rhizoctonia large patch is the most common and severe disease of warm-season grasses across the state of Georgia. Circular patches of affected turf are easily observed, ranging in diameter from less than 3.3 ft. (1 m) up to 26.4 ft. (8 m). Leaves of recently infected turf, located at the periphery of the patch, may appear bright yellow and/or orange in color. Some

patches may be perennial, recurring in the same location and expanding in diameter year after year. R. solani infection of warm-season grasses occurs on the leaf sheaths, where water-soaked, reddish-brown or black lesions are observed.

Foliar dieback from the leaf tip towards the base occurs as a direct result of these leaf sheath infections. The centers of the patches develop thin and sunken areas that may be invaded by weeds.

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Large patch is apparent during the spring and fall, when warm-season turfgrasses are entering or exiting their period of winter dormancy.

URBAN AG All photos courtesy of Alfredo Martinez

Nematodes injure turfgrass roots by either feeding on, or burrowing through, tissues. fungicides in the following classes 4 Apply for commercial turf: carboxamides,

associated with turfgrass in Georgia include lance (Hoplolaimus spp.), ring (Mesocriconema spp.), root-knot (Meloidogyne spp.), spiral (Helicotylenchus spp.) sting (Belonolaimus longicaudatus), stubby root (Trichodorus spp.) and stunt (Tylenchorhynchs spp.) nematodes.

For more information on large patch: http://extension.uga.edu/publications/ detail.html?number=C1088

Nematodes injure turfgrass roots by either feeding on, or burrowing through, tissues.

Depending on the host and the nematode involved, symptoms on roots include inhibition of root elongation, swollen tips, galls, lesions, and shortened stubby roots. In most cases root symptoms are not obvious. Patchy areas of wilting, thinning and decline occur where nematode populations are excessively high.

These above-ground symptoms are of little value in diagnosing nematode problems in turf. An accurate assessment of the pathogenic potential of nematodes can only be determined by a nematode assay.

benzimidazoles, carbamates, dicarboximides, DMI fungicides, di-nitro anilines, nitriles, polyoxins, and Qo inhibitors.

Nematodes Nematodes are small round worms that are common in soils and aquatic environments.

Most of the nematode species are considered as "free-living," meaning they forage for microorganisms in the soil and water, and some attack other nematodes.

About 15% of described nematodes are plant parasites. Most plant pathogenic nematodes are 0.5 to 4 mm in length.

PPNs can become a significant factor affecting the health, quality, production, and maintenance of warm- and cool-season turfgrass on landscapes, golf courses, sports fields and in sod production. Major PPNs frequently found

a soil test done, send root zone soil 4 Have sample to a Nematology lab to quantify

and identify the nematode species. Negative nematode effects will only occur if soil population numbers exceed estimated damage thresholds levels.

if necessary and water 4 Fertilize appropriately to keep grass as vigorous

as possible. Nutrient deficiencies and soil compaction can inhibit root development and increase turf sensitivity to nematode damage.

are several nematocides available 4 There including Divanem (abamectin),

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) feed through a retractable hollow or grooved spear (stylet).

PPNs can be grouped by their mode of feeding.

Those that remain outside of the plant are called ectoparasites; endoparasites enter into the plant tissue. Some endoparasites remain in one place and feed and others migrate through the tissues.

Management

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URBAN AG azaguard (azadirachtin), Nortic (Bacillus firmus), Nimitz (fluensulfone), Indemnify (fluopyram), MultiGuard protect (furfural), Econem (Pasteuria usagae), Neo-Tec (sesame oil). Check product labels as some of these nematicides restrict on what type of site they can be used.

For a complete list of nematicides consult the 2019 Georgia Pest Management Handbook: http://extension.uga.edu/programsservices/integrated-pest-management/ publications/handbooks.html

Other issues Centipede is subject to a condition called centipedegrass decline: failure to green-up in the spring or successful green-up followed by decline and death in late spring and summer.

For information on centipede decline visit http://extension.uga.edu/publications/ detail.html?number=C1003

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Dollar spot (Clarereedia Spp., formerly Sclerotinia homoeocarpa) is ubiquitous in all warm-season

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Dollar spot starts early in the spring and can linger throughout the summer. grasses in Georgia. The disease starts early in the spring and can linger throughout the summer. Dollar spot is particularly troublesome in bermudagrass and zoysiagrass. Start scouting now for the disease to implement control measures in a timely manner. Information on dollar spot identification and control can be found at http://extension.uga.edu/ publications/detail.html?number=C1091

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URBAN AG

Microbes help grass thrive

UGA CAES researchers receive grant to study relationship

by Merritt Melancon for CAES News While many people know that the microbes in our guts are an

important part of our health, many are unaware that microbes are just as important to our crops.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

While breeding more water-efficient tall fescue has been a goal of plant breeders for decades, UGA geneticists are taking a new approach. They are investigating how the grass interacts with symbiotic fungi, which has been found to fortify it against heat and drought stress.

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Different microbes can help plants acquire nutrients, fend off pests and disease, and produce higher yields, but we know very little about how these partnerships work.

University of Georgia researchers are working to understand these partnerships so that they can be used to breed better, more sustainable crops.

A team of researchers at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has received a $1.35 million grant from the National Science Foundation to better understand how plants interact with their microbiomes.

“Just like people, plants host trillions of microbes that live on, around and inside them,” said principal investigator Jason Wallace, a CAES professor of crop and soil sciences. “Some of these cause disease but many are beneficial, helping the plant thrive in harsh conditions, but we don’t know how this interaction works."

“Learning how a plant’s microbes make it more resilient could be an important key to developing more sustainable and stress-tolerant crops in the future.”

Wallace’s team is focusing on a grass called tall fescue, which has been grown for animal feed for over 70 years and covers 40 million acres across the U.S. While breeding more water-efficient fescue has been a goal of plant breeders for decades, UGA geneticists are taking a new approach. They are investigating how the grass interacts with symbiotic fungi, which has been found to fortify it against heat and drought stress.

Beneficial partnership Some types of tall fescue have a fungus, Epichloe coenophiala, living inside them, which helps the plant survive drought, heat and disease. It also helps the grass fend off insects and predators.

Ironically, this partnership was discovered because the fungus usually produces toxic chemicals, ergot alkaloids, that make cattle sick.

UGA was instrumental in breeding the first commercial varieties with toxin-free strains back in the 1990s.

Wallace’s team will be working with fescue that contains the fungus to understand how such a beneficial partnership works, including how the plant and fungus communicate with each other and how their interaction leads to higher stress tolerance in the plant.

The hope is that understanding this system will show how similarly strong, beneficial partnerships can be made in other crops to boost agricultural production and sustainability.

Wallace is partnering with Carolyn Young,

URBAN AG an associate professor at the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, Oklahoma, to carry out this research.

implement in their own classrooms. This will give students a better understanding of plant-microbe partnerships and the ways that microbes impact the larger ecosystem.

To complete this work, Wallace, Young and their research teams will analyze thousands of fescue plants to find how the plant influences fungal growth and toxin production. They will also investigate how the plant forms relationships with new varieties of fungus, such as ones that do not produce toxins, and how the fungus helps the plant survive under heat stress that would normally kill it.

The grant period will run from 2019 through 2022; some parts of the project are already underway.

In addition to the work with fescue, Wallace and Young will assist middle- and high-school teachers in developing hands-on teaching projects related to these topics that they can

For more information or for updates on their progress, visit wallacelab.uga.edu. For more information about the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at CAES, visit cropsoil.uga.edu.

About the author

Merritt Melancon is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

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URBAN AG

What are soil contaminants?

And how did the soil get contaminated?

Soil is a complex mixture of minerals,

Heavy car and truck traffic can contaminate soil, and so can a single car. Have you ever noticed a shiny puddle under your car in the driveway? That’s oil - a petroleum product - and when it rains, that oil will end up in the soil!

organic material, water, and various lifeforms. In its original state, soil was an uncontaminated substance covering the earth. But humans have intentionally and accidentally poured harmful products onto it in some areas.

The waste can hurt the soil and possibly human, plant, and animal health.

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This article covers the most common soil contaminants, how they got there, and how they can pose problems for human health.

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By definition, any substance in the soil that exceeds naturally-occurring levels and poses human health risks is a soil contaminant. As a quick example, arsenic naturally occurs in some soils. But if a person sprays certain pesticides on their yard, that could cause soil contamination.

Lead is also very dangerous but occurs naturally in some soils. It was used in gasoline until 1989 and can still be found contaminating soils today.

The biggest risks for soil contamination are in urban areas and former industrial sites. If you are unsure about the condition of the soil near your home or property, it’s best to have a soil test done to be sure about its safety. Of course, most soil is perfectly safe for play, gardening, and recreation, but it’s best to be safe.

Common contaminants in urban soils include pesticides, petroleum products, radon, asbestos, lead, chromated copper arsenate, and creosote.

In urban areas, soil contamination is largely

caused by human activities. Some examples are manufacturing, industrial dumping, land development, local waste disposal, and excessive pesticide or fertilizer use. Heavy car and truck traffic can contaminate soil, and so can a single car. Have you ever noticed a shiny puddle under your car in the driveway? That’s oil - a petroleum product - and when it rains, that oil will end up in the soil!

When soil is contaminated with these substances, it can hurt the native environment.

Many of these substances are just as toxic to plants as they are to humans. In addition, since soil is the “earth’s kidney,” contaminants can trickle through the soil and get to our water supply.

You can see why soil contamination is such an important topic!

Where and how much contamination is added to soils will largely determine how that contamination spreads throughout an area.

The type of soil will also play a role in its distribution. For example, certain contaminants may reach groundwater sources more easily in sand than clay. This is because of faster infiltration rates of coarse-grained sandy soil types. Fine-grained clay soils or organic material in surface soils can hold contaminants tightly, which means the contaminants will accumulate if left undisturbed (that is, no excavation or tillage).

Some human activities may occur at the same time. For example, some new housing areas are built on old industrial sites. Those soils may have buried soil contaminants that are brought to the surface when the houses – or roads to support them – are put in. Newly resurfaced contaminants may then be redistributed throughout the urban environment by wind (as

URBAN AG dust) and water erosion. Contaminants may also be retained at a site, which poses on-site risk of exposure if food is grown in the contaminated soil or children play in the soil.

How are people exposed to soil contaminants?

can make soil dust. Breathing in contaminated dust may cause physical or chemical damage to humans. For example, asbestos fibers can puncture the lungs. Chemicals such as lead can hurt the nervous system, including the brain.

Absorbing through skin 4 Contaminants may also be absorbed through There are several ways humans can be exposed to soil contaminants. The most common are:

> > > >

Ingesting soil Breathing volatiles and dust Absorbing through skin Eating food grown in contaminated soil

soil 4Ingesting Though it might seem odd to eat soil,

contaminants can be ingested in a variety of ways. Young children may be particularly susceptible as they play in bare soil. Children might breathe in dust particles that naturally disperse during play. They may also be curious and try eating soil. If soil is not contaminated, this causes no problem to the children. You can have your yard’s soil tested for lead and other substances for peace of mind.

Contaminated soil dust may also affect our food supply. For example, contaminated soil could be present on produce. If an item like lettuce is grown in soil with contaminants, the leaves could be covered. Washing lettuce is very important. Root crops like carrots and potatoes usually have soil on them in the store. If they come from contaminated soil, it’s important to wash them well, too.

volatiles and dust 4Breathing When soils are uncovered, small particles

can become airborne with wind or other disturbance. Construction or demolition work, mining operations, or poor landscaping efforts

the skin. Creosote is a common material used to preserve wood in the United States. This complex mixture of chemicals can leach out of treated wood and contaminate the soil. If creosote-contaminated soils are touched, then over time the skin may blister, peel or severely redden.

food grown in contaminated soil 4Eating What is in the soil around carrots and other root crops? Before you put a lot of work into your home or community garden, you want to make sure the soil is safe from contamination. If you grow food in contaminated soil, there is a risk that your food will also be contaminated.

Some housing developments and community gardens are established in areas that served a different purpose historically. If the site was an industrial/ manufacturing area or site of a demolished building, contaminants may be present.

There are ways to “fix” contaminated soil, but you should test your soil first.

Many vegetables and herbs can absorb contaminants as they grow. That puts you at risk if you eat them. Also, vegetables and herbs can have soil dust on them. Without proper washing, contaminants remain.

Some garden beds may also be lined with chemically-treated wood. If you did not build your garden beds yourself, it’s best to test your soil because the chemicals can leach into the garden soil.

Finally, gardens or farms may be located on uncontaminated soils near a site with contamination. In this case, dust may blow from

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

The biggest risk of ingesting soil happens when the soil is left bare. Covering soil with grass or other plants and mulching well reduces the risk of contamination. If people are eating outdoors near windy soil on a windy day, airborne contaminants may land on food before it is eaten.

This article was originally published at www.soils.org/discoversoils/soils-in-the-city/ soil-contaminants.

Reprinted with permission.

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URBAN AG the contaminated site and pollute the onceuncontaminated soil. In these cases, it’s best to know how your neighboring land is used.

sites 4Household Household sites may not be obvious for soil

Sites of special concern sites 4Industrial/manufacturing Industrial and manufacturing sites often have

a range of contaminants polluting their soils.

The type of contaminant will depend on what the factory was producing. Contamination can occur when chemicals leak out onto the soil from buildings or trucks. Other times, the factory may have a waste stockpile or holding area that was once considered safe but now is known to be a pollution problem. Industrial sites can also be quite large. This makes full-site soil remediation an expensive and challenging, but necessary, task.

junkyards, 4Landfills, waste disposal sites

corridors, parking lots, 4Highway areas of heavy traffic

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Additionally, homeowners may also inadvertently contaminate their soil.

Overuse of pesticides or herbicides is the primary culprit. Sometimes chemically treated wood is used in landscaping. If not used properly, this can contaminate the soil as well as the plant and microbial life it sustains.

farmland with 4Former build-up of contaminants

Landfills, junkyards, and waste disposal sites pose high risk of soil contamination, much like industrial sites. These areas often contain a large mix of contaminant types like lead, arsenic, and petroleum products. All are dangerous to human safety on their own. When combined, they may react with each other to create even more toxic compounds. Containment and remediation of these areas are costly, technically complex, and logistically challenging.

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contamination, but soils can get contaminated during housing construction. Petroleum products from the construction vehicles can leak. Paint may spill. Fibers from roofing products can blow down and disrupt life in soil.

These are just a few examples of construction contamination of soils on home sites.

Vehicles are ubiquitous in the urban landscape.

We see thousands of cars and trucks spread along highway corridors, crammed into parking lots, and packed onto major roads with heavy traffic. Our vehicles get us from point A to point B; we are often very dependent upon them.

Though they may help us in getting around, areas with high concentrations of vehicles pose a lot of contaminant risks, both from emissions and fluid leaks. For example, presence of lead can be high in areas with heavy traffic emissions, and petroleum or oil leaks on roads or parking lots can be washed onto nearby soils.

In the United States, many pesticides were composed of lead-arsenate between 1910 and 1950. At the time researchers and farmers didn’t know that lead caused health problems. As a result, lead is found in the soil of remnant farms today. In addition, there has been extensive development and production of herbicides since the 1950s. These chemicals need to be used properly; improper use can harm the soil, plant, and even human health. The use of high-load fertilizer applications may leave contamination in soils, depending on the crop and fertilizer type used.

About the Soil Science Society of America The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is a progressive, international scientific society that fosters the transfer of knowledge and practices to sustain global soils. Based in Madison, WI, SSSA is the professional home for 6,000+ members dedicated to advancing the field of soil science.

It provides information about soils in relation to crop production, environmental quality, ecosystem sustainability, bioremediation, waste management, recycling, and wise land use.

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URBAN AG

Fragrance with a bonus

Plants to please your sense of smell and attract pollinators

By Josh Fuder, UGA Cooperative Extension agricultural and natural resources agent, Cherokee County

completely overlooking my nose and not judging plants on fragrance.

Sure, I have a big southern magnolia that came with the property and herbs that I planted, but other than that, my landscape experience was the same whether I was in my truck with the windows up or outside knee-deep in weeds.

Smell, or the chemoreception of olfaction, is crucial to many human functions like taste, memory and emotion. Scent is produced in plants by the evaporation of essential oils contained in the plant. Why certain plants developed fragrance is a matter of biology.

Fragrant blooms attract insects, bats, and hummingbird pollinators to transfer pollen and create fertile seeds.

Photo courtesy of CAES News

Adding flowering plants isn't the only way to add fragrance to landscapes. Trees, like this Chionanthus virginicus (white fringetree or grancy graybeard), can also provide beautiful and fragrant flowers.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

When I set about building the landscape

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at my house in 2015, I selected plants based on a number of criteria. The factors I considered included edible fruits; aesthetics, such as blooms, foliage colors and textures; bloom season; adaptability; and price. A successful landscape incorporates these factors with design to create something that has multi-season interest.

In my opinion, a home landscape should go beyond a visual experience. It should say “someone lives here.” I realized last year that I was not paying enough attention to all of my senses when selecting plants. I had done a good job of mixing textures and bloom colors from plants that perform well in our area, but I was

Scent will often decrease or fade once the flower has been pollinated. Fragrance strength and quality can be affected by environmental factors such as humidity, soil moisture and nutrients.

Scent is not limited to flowers. It can be found in leaves, roots, stems bark and seeds, too.

Cinnamon is obtained from the inner park of trees in the Cinnamomum genus. For most of my 20s, I lived on various islands in the Pacific where sandalwood is a major industry. The oils from sandalwood are so valuable that the entire tree is harvested, roots and all, for processing.

Minty, oily or sharp smells in foliage of certain plants play a defensive role. These smells come from chemicals that are often toxic to animals or insects. Oil in fragrant leaves may also help to reduce moisture loss in hot dry conditions.

When placing fragrant plants in the landscape, avoid placing them in windy or open locations to help keep smells from dissipating. Instead, plant them near the home or walkways, and in areas that will be sheltered by surrounding

URBAN AG shrubs, trees and fences. Plants with fragrant foliage need to be bruised or crushed to release their scent. Place these plants in areas where they can be brushed against or stepped on.

Not all fragrances are appealing to everyone.

Heck, I once knew a girl who loved the smell of gasoline. One of my favorite garden fragrances comes from the tuberose. However, a friend recently visited my garden and told me he did not care for it because it was often used in funeral arrangements. Perhaps the only fragrance that is universally agreed upon is that of Bradford Pears. They smell like some form of rotting fish and do not, in my opinion, belong in a landscape.

Here are some plants University of Georgia Cooperative Extension recommends planting to fill the landscape with pleasant fragrance.

Annuals: Marigolds, verbena, sweet pea, petunia, sweet alyssum and Nicotiana (Night Scented Tobacco).

Perennials: Dianthus, hosta (certain varieties), peony, herbs, bearded iris, Salvia, phlox and bee balm.

Bulbs: Hyacinth, tuberose, Narcissus, acidanthera and Oriental lily.

Shrubs: Gardenia, rose (especially oldfashioned [a1] types), Illicium parviflorum (anise), native azaleas, Sarcococca ruscifolia (fragrant sweet box), fragrant tea olive, Edgeworthia chrysantha (paper bush), Clethra alnifolia (summersweet), Lindera benzoin (spicebush) and Viburnum (certain varieties).

Vines: Carolina jessamine, confederate jasmine, Clematis armandii ‘Snowdrift,’ and annual vining plants like moonflower and hyacinth bean.

Trees: Cladrastis kentukea (American yellowwood), linden, Vitex (chaste tree), magnolia, Chionanthus virginicus (white fringetree or grancy graybeard) and apple.

For more landscape advice from UGA Extension, read the publications on the topic at extension.uga. edu/publications.

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UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

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URBAN AG

EverColor Sedges

Ever beautiful grassy texture

by Norman Winter, Horticulturist, Author and Speaker The EverColor series of sedges is growing

and all are proving to be ideal components in mixed containers. They are so dynamic they have the ability to be stand alone or as monoculture plants in tall European urns, olive jars or modern containers. In the landscape however, they offer not only color but that fine leaf texture than stands out in great contrast with shrubs, perennials or annuals.

Everillo has been and will always be my first go-to selection. The bright golden chartreuse is simply incredible in those shifting filtered light areas of the landscape. Now after a few years of maturity they are even more dazzling than I could have ever dreamed. They are also attaining a size that really makes an impact.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Everlite has cream-colored leaves with dark green margins or edges. It is the most compact selection but offers a unique curl that makes it stand out. Perish the thought if you think cream colored foliage can garner attention as much as golden garden chartreuse, however.

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will probably reach 12 to 14 inches. It is the most cold hardy, recommended all the way to zone 4b. All of the others are zones 5-9.

EverColor Everest, like Everillo, will reach 18 inches tall and as wide and might best be described as green leafed with white stripes.

Everlime is the same height and though lime it is more subdued than Everillo with green leaves and lime margins. Everoro will be a sure-fire hit falling in sized between Everlite and Everillo but dazzling with green leaves that feature a large bright gold central band.

I also like Eversheen, which is slightly smaller than Everillo reaching 16 inches tall and wide with green leaves and a bight lime stripe in the middle. Lastly is Everglow that is 12 to 18 inches tall with green and gold variegation that exhibits orange in the central lower parts of the plant. While they all may sound similar, I assure you each has distinct color patterns.

Everlite will reach 10 inches tall and 8 inches wide. But I feel in the South after watching Everillo out-perform its projections that Everlite

Botanically speaking, these EverColor grasses or sedges are all selections of Carex oshimensis or Japanese sedge. There seems to be no plant combination that is not made better by partnering with one of these grasses. The

Everlite carex is the most compact of the EverColor group and is also the most coldhardy

Eversheen carex offers green and lime striped foliage. (Photo Courtesy of the Southern Living Plant Collection)

URBAN AG trade is suggesting they be used as dazzling companions with hostas and ferns, and no doubt that would be a garden of staggering beauty. But I watched them in the cool season with pansies, dianthus, and burgundy-leafed chard. They are simply beautiful. This will all give way. however, to combinations with SunPatiens, caladiums or begonias, elephant ears and bananas for a look like Carnival in the Tropics. All of the landscape situations are mesmerizing and you’ll see why the series is named EverColor.

They are included in the Southern Living Plant Collection and EverColor® group created by Pat Fitzgerald, the originator of the plant. With such cold hardiness (zones 5-9) most of the country will find these extremely easy to grow with good soil preparation. Fertile, organicrich soil will not only give you the green thumb but the most sizzling combinations in the neighborhood whether in the landscape, mixed containers or monoculture. I hope you will give them a try.

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The bright golden chartreuse of Everillo carex looks dazzling in the summer garden with caladiums and SunPatiens.

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Managing community forests, part 1 Tree risk and hazard assessment concepts

by Dr. Kim D. Coder, Professor of Tree Biology & Health Care, Warnell School, UGA Management of community forests includes

Andrew Koeser, International Society of Arboriculture, Bugwood.org

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There are several means and methods for assessing current risk and hazardous conditions, and anticipating potential risks over time within the community forest.

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tree maintenance, protection and problem prevention.

Management denotes resource expertise at the organism level, and familiarity and working knowledge of social systems.

In addition, costeffectiveness over the long-run binds objectives, anticipation of change, recognition of tree stress and strain, mitigating treatments, and evaluation of results into a core of resource management decision making which demands up-to-date and conscientious managers.

A manager must know the tools and expected results of urban forest maintenance. A manager must also understand how to technically assess the condition of the resource. Risk awareness and hazard assessments are critical components of urban forest inventories. These assessments should be systematically completed by trained professionals. There are several means and methods for assessing current risk and hazardous conditions, and anticipating potential risks over time within the community forest.

Appreciating risk Community foresters are risk managers. Most large corporations and public institutions have people assigned to risk management with the

stated goal of reducing liability exposure. The community forest has many risks associated with its functions and values it produces. At the very least, trees are tall, large, and dense structures which can lose parts or catastrophically fail.

Assessment of tree-associated risk requires specific training and familiarity with both how the legal system treats tree issues, and how trees and their sites develop across time.

One of the most glaring word uses in risk assessment is the word “hazard.” The word hazard, for both lay-people and professionals denote some threshold of risk has been surpassed.

Hazard also conveys the immediacy of structural failure as determined by a tree professional.

Within community forestry, it is critical the word “hazard” be used only in association with situations where an actual hazard has been identified.

The hazard concept demands a completed evaluation and assessment of risk which reaches a management threshold where the situation cannot be allowed to continue. Beware of the misuse or overuse of the word “hazard.”

Risk Is everywhere Every landscape and tree situation has risk involved. Nothing is risk free. All trees carry some amount of risk. A level of risk under some management regimes could be hazardous, while under other management objectives could be acceptable. Some situations allow more risk to be accepted and managed, while other situations would call for immediate tree removal and risk reduction.

Because all trees have risk associated with them, discussion of the structural integrity of a tree

URBAN AG should include assessing the level of risk present.

It is the amount of risk present, perceptions of the risk manager, and willingness to accept or not accept a given level of risk which determines hazard. Any tree is not necessarily hazardous, but all carry some level of assessable risk which professionals can estimate.

Tree values and liabilities One fundamental concept in community forest management is trees have value, provide benefits, and are desired by humans. People find great psychological, monetary, aesthetic, and utilitarian values in trees. Some of the benefits of trees which people enjoy include recreation, psychological calming, shade, heat dissipation, blockage of glare, blockage of noise, production of white noise, reduction of pollutants, production of oxygen, reduction of erosion, wildlife habitat, increased property values, and increased economic stability. Many more values and functions could be added.

Trees have great benefits but also have costs. Tree associated costs include capital infrastructure investments, foregone alternative investments, installation, maintenance, management, and removal. One cost is managing liability risk. Liabilities include ecological, biological, aesthetic, social, economic, and safety risks. You cannot eliminate

liability risk from trees unless the entire above and below ground structure is removed from a site. With trees removed, a site still does not remain risk free. A manager can reduce liability risks and keep trees and sites below a risk management acceptance threshold, in most cases. People want trees, but they also need to be safe from threats to property and physical injury.

Decisions Part of management is being aware of potential risks associated with trees, identifying risks, and then minimizing risks within constraints of site management objectives. This risk assessment process depends upon professional judgements and decisions (or lack of decisions). Every professional decision must be made for one or all of the following reasons: asset protection, asset appreciation, minimization of liability risks (future), public safety (present), and/or to fulfil site management objectives.

Understanding the structure of trees, symptoms of impending structural failure, treatments available to minimize the chance of structural failure, and how trees finally fail are essential knowledge to a community forest manager.

Understanding the risks of structural failure is as important as any other component of a manager’s job.

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URBAN AG

Tree types There are three classes of trees in the landscape related to levels of risk.

The first is a “hazard tree.” Attributes of a hazard tree are: 1) major structural faults potentially leading to catastrophic loss; 2) identifiable target (people or property); and, 3) an unacceptable management risk.

The second class of tree is a “tree at risk” of catastrophic failure or with a significant target profile potentially leading to injury and harm.

A “tree at risk” has potential for becoming a hazard tree.

The third class is all the rest of trees present with known risk assessments, or as yet undetermined associated risks. The amount of acceptable risk is dependent upon management objectives of the site, as well as the owner’s/ manager’s perceptions and expectations of tree performance.

Ownership

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Before performing a tree risk assessment, it is critical to determine tree ownership and position of legal property boundaries or borders accepted as legal boundaries. Figure 1 shows a tree between property owners A and B. The property line is dotted and to the right side of the tree. It is assumed a major number of tree roots are on property owners B land. In this figure the tree is owned by property owner A.

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From the founding of this nation, and derived from English, Spanish and French common law, a plant belongs to the property where it is attached, regardless of its extend and reach of its growth.

Figure 2 shows a tree with the property line to the left of the stem attachment point. This tree belongs to property owner B. Property owner A can remove branches and roots which are under or over the property line if it does not damage the tree. Figure 3 shows a tree split between property owner A and B. Both

share responsibility. Neither one can impact the structure and health of the tree without approval of the other. A resource manager would need permission from both property owners to apply treatments or remove the tree.

Tree ownership around boundaries is fraught with interpersonal and social issues regarding multiple property owners. Be sure who owns the tree!

Structural faults Because a hazardous condition has three components (a major structural fault relative to a target exceeding management risk acceptance), it is important to start with an examination of structural faults and tree defects.

Structural defects are dependent upon fault length, width, and depth (i.e. fault size and volume), tree species, tree vigor, and associated compounding structural problems.

Risk assessment is only about structure, not about aesthetics or biology.

The risk of structural failure is greatest when trees are under heavy (significantly greater than average wind conditions) wind loads. This type of risk varies over time. Figure 4.

Structural defects can include large vertical (longitudinal) cracks, large decayed areas, included periderm (bark) zones, narrow crotches or forks, dead wood and branches, large cavities, large leans, major root damage, horizontal (tangential) cracks, poorly connected living branches, pest damaged or modified areas, and mis-proportioned crown/root ratio, and poor stem strength for given wind and gravity loading conditions. There are many unique forms of tree structural defects, and so tree failures.

Branch drop There are several structural failures that reap much attention. One structural fault of interest is branch drop caused by longitudinal cracks.

These cracks can form: along compartment lines of old pruning cuts or injuries; from structural failures along cell walls due to loading stress and strain (bending, tensioning,

URBAN AG compression, and twist); and, from negative transpirational pressures. There are several other specific causes. Cracking leads to wound colonization by wood weakening organisms, decreasing moisture content which facilitates more injury, and pest attacks which weaken structural and defensive components of the branch/stem confluence area or branch tissues.

The final result is a sometimes sudden loss of living branches.

Root anchorage Another significant structural failure is the root plate structural area at the base of a stem. As trees sway in the wind, and are loaded by wind and gravity, structural roots and lower stem undergo alternating periods of compression and tension, with various torque applied.

Tree structure is two to three times weaker in compression than in tension.

structural problems of any kind are difficult to ascertain, requiring additional care in assessments.

Where structural areas are loaded beyond their compressive limits, fault lines develop that can expand as more compressive load is added over time and can fail under compression, tension, or torque. For example, many trees damaged in storms show compressive failures which later fail under tension in the next storm. Root pulling and shearing across their cross-section are the result.

Leaners

One associated structural component fault sometimes overlooked is girdling roots. Girdling roots are hard to diagnose and can lead to strength losses. The effect of poor root geometry development can lead to significant risks of tree failure after 5-15 years. Generally, root

Stay tuned!

This article is the first of a three-part series. Watch for part 2 In the Summer 2019 issue.

UAC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Root collar problems are receiving much more (well deserved) attention from a structural standpoint. Periderm and cambial damage, especially if repeated over many years, lead to many types of structural problems in a tree where stress and strain is concentrated. Injury at the stem base and root collar area can be hidden by soil and landscape features. Root collar excavations are essential as a part of risk assessments.

Leaning trees have plagued people since the first lean-to was erected. The perceptions and expectations of nonprofessionals when observing a leaning tree is highly variable and govern the amount of risk accepted. Leaning trees could stand for millennium or fall tomorrow. Professional judgement about the structural integrity of leaning trees many times takes a backseat to manager / owner anxiety about impending failure. Trees with progressive leans are clear candidates for removal. Trees which have not changed stem positions relative to the ground and surrounding obstacles for decades probably carry little additional risks other than in specific directional targeting. On the other hand, it is difficult to defend having left a tree with a significant lean when it fails.

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