UAC Magazine - Winter 2020

URBAN AG COUNCIL MAGAZINE GEORGIA

Keeping Georgia’s green industry informed

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UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

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WINTER 2020

Advocate. Educate. Promote.1

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

THE VERSATILITY YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS.

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PROFITABILITY, PERFORMANCE AND VERSATILITY.

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to commercial sprayers and spreaders.

That’s why Z-Spray® offers a complete line of zero-turn units to meet your specific needs. The versatility of the Z-Spray units make them the ultimate machines for spreading and spraying during your busiest time of the year.

Built with the durability and reliability you’ve come to expect, it’s time to see how the Z-Spray line-up can be the perfect addition to your business.

z-spray.com

When you also include the full support of an extensive network of servicing dealers – it all adds up to make these machines a wise investment.

Find your local parts and servicing dealer today at z-spray.com/find-a-dealer

GOAL: Happy Customers

SOLUTION: Use Super-Sod Grasses

TifTuf Bermuda, Drought Tolerance Just Got a New Standard

Zeon Zoysia

h The most drought tolerant turf. h TifTuf uses 38% less water than Tifway and will pay for itself in reduced water bills.

h Dark green and medium-fine textured; it’s easier to maintain than other fine-textured types.

h Maintains acceptable turf quality and aesthetics under drought stress.

h Shade tolerant; a turfgrass that’s widely adaptable to full sun or moderate shade.

h Super-Sod now grows Zeon Zoysia.

h Makes a lawn with a lush, dense growth habit.

We’ve Got You Covered h Full truck loads and small quantities delivered

h Request a Free Quote on supersod.com

1-888-360-1125 Cartersville 54 Brown Farm Rd. SW 770-382-7284

Alpharetta 370 McFarland Parkway 770-274-2262

Marietta 5058 Canton Rd. NE 770-516-3255

Forest Park Atlanta Farmers Market 16 Forest Parkway, Shed 39 404-363-1932

Gwinnett / Lawrenceville 609 Airport Rd. 770-277-7745

Ft. Valley / Perry 158 Sod Farm Rd. 478-825-7422

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

h Pick up sod from more locations than anyone

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UAC NEWS

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

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

A member of:

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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 Nursery & Landscape Association Executives Southern Nursery Association Tolar Capitol Partners

Georgia Urban Ag Council PO Box 3400 Duluth GA 30096 Phone: 706.750.0350 New Fax: 404.900.9194 numbers!

Email: office@georgiauac.com Web: urbanagcouncil.com All contents copyright 2020

URBAN AG COUNCIL MAGAZINE GEORGIA

WINTER 2020

UAC NEWS

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Executive Director message

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2020 Landscape Pro University Time to get focused

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What did you miss? UAC Georgia Sod Producers Field Day

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What did you miss? "How to Keep & Find Top Talent" dinner

REGULAR FEATURES

10 Have you met Katie Sponberger, GA Assn. of Conservation Districts 12 Pest 411 Tea scale 14 Save the date 16 Pro Project Floralis Garden Design 18 Safety works UAC Safety School 20 What the tech? Take control of your marketing 58 Directory of advertisers

BUSINESS 22 Where's my emoji? Intergenerational communication 26 Self-awareness The silver bullet to professional growth 28 Fair Labor Standards Act A plaintiff lawyer's perspective

INDUSTRY 34

It's finally here! CEU-granting distance education

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UGA agents go back to school Irrigation management training

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Remembering Paul Thomas UGA community mourns loss

39

10-Hour OSHA Construction Safety Course

39

National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture

URBAN AG

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2019 Classic City Award Winners Results from UGA Trial Gardens

44 TifTuf at The Swamp Laying the foundation for excellence 47 Hydrangeas Shocking colors that make you want to dance 48 Crown, branch and root damage Tree susceptibility in ice storms

UAC NEWS

Dear UAC Members and Supporters, Happy New Year! I hope that all of you had a

wonderful Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and holiday season.

It seems as if the warm (hot?) extended fall weather lasted forever, and then leaves were down and winter weather descended upon us. Well, it really is January 2020, and the traditional time in our industry to take a breath and plan ahead for the spring busy season.

Winter’s also when many of you invest in time for education. The 2020 Landscape Pro University is on January 29 at the Cobb Galleria, and it is stocked with a great variety of options for learning, CEUs and pesticide credits.

We’ve designed a full range of educational options, including:

A five-hour session for those who are 4 preparing to apply for a Georgia pesticide license

Sessions on both Belgard pavers and 4 natural stone Business 4 Agronomics/turf 4 Horticulture 4 Trees and pruning 4 And more!

4 This full day of education includes a tradeshow

urbanagcouncil.com/landscape-pro-university We are very proud to announce a new CEUgranting distance education for green industry professionals: GETTING THE BEST OF PESTS (GTBOP). Working with the University of Georgia’s Center for Urban Agriculture (UGA Griffin Campus), UAC and the Turfgrass

The last few months I’ve had the pleasure of participating on the Georgia Senate Study Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Landscape Workforce Access, chaired

by Senator John Wilkinson. Meetings were held around the state to hear from impacted businesses, and recommendations are to be brought by this committee to the Senate in 2020.

Mary Kay Woodworth Executive Director

The business owners who testified at these meetings were very passionate and straightforward in illustrating to the committee the tremendous challenges they are facing, and these testimonials will guide the proposals to be made by the committee.

As of this writing, the recommendations have not been completed, so I plan to share those with our members as we receive them and publish in the Spring 2020 UAC Magazine.

Finally, now’s the time to start planning for the 2021 Georgia Landscape Awards (GALA) entries. Based on your feedback, this awards program is now held every two years, so submissions for next year’s awards will be accepted through January 2021. That’s a year away, and may seem a long way off, but it’s better to plan ahead now and not be rushed NEXT winter!

I hope to see ALL of you at an event in 2020 – take a look at Save the Date on page 14 and plan to join us!

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

with exhibitors from all sectors of the industry.

There are also classes taught in Spanish, so there’s something for everyone on your team don’t miss this opportunity! See pages 6 - 7 for more information and a schedule of classes.

Online registration is open, so take a minute to register today and reserve your spot:

Research and Education Center on the UGA Griffin Campus now offers you the opportunity to receive CEUs while in your home or office.

The live presentations begin in January. Many thanks to Dr. Dan Suiter, Dr. Clint Waltz, Dr. Bodie Pennisi and Greg Huber for their work moving this forward. More information about the webinar series can be found on page 34.

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IT’S

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Presented by

URBAN AG COUNCIL

TIME TO GET FOCUSED C O M E T O LAN D S CAP E P R O U N I V E R S I T Y JANUARY 29, 2020

|

COBB GALLERIA

|

AT LAN TA

GEORGIA

DIAMOND SPONSOR

How do you see your green industry career advancing in 2020?

Whatever vision you have for your career, you will need expertise to get there.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Learn from the industry experts at the 2020 Landscape Pro University:

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3 Belgard U 3 Turfgrass 3 Ornamentals 3 Trees 3 Pruning 3 Rose-Rosette Virus

3 Design 3 Irrigation 3 Lighting 3 Natural Stone 3 Bidding/Estimating 3 Site Evaluation

3 Recruitment 3 Leadership PLUS:

3 Training in Spanish 3 Continuing ed credits 3 Pesticide credits

Registration includes educational sessions, morning break, lunch and Expo!

Class sizes are limited. Sign up today to reserve your spot! urbanagcouncil.com/landscape-pro-university

Course descriptions | Speakers | Approved pesticide credits and CEUs | Travel info | Exhibitors | Registration

LANDSCAPE PRO UNIVERSITY & EXPO | BELGARD UNIVERSITY January 29, 2020 | Cobb Galleria | Atlanta GA

Schedule at a Glance Session descriptions, speakers, and registration: urbanagcouncil.com/landscape-pro-university GEORGIA PESTICIDE LICENSE REVIEW FOR EXAM This review will start at 8:00 am and finish at 3:25 pm on January 29. You must register for the entire day.

ICPI CERTIFICATION This two-day Concrete Paver Installer Course will be held at Cobb Galleria January 29 & 30 but requires registration at icpi.org/Atlanta.

8:00 am - 9:00 am

BELGARD U HANDS-ON: Proper Paver Installation Per ICPI Guidelines (taught in Spanish) BELGARD U CLASSROOM: New Product Introduction SPANISH LANGUAGE TRAINING: Register for Belgard Hands-On AGRONOMICS/TURF: Show the Turf Some Love ROSE ROSETTE VIRUS: Overview and Challenges Faced by the Rose Industry in the Southeastern US TREES/HORTICULTURE: From Good to Great, Creating Structure in the Landscape IRRIGATION: Irrigation Design 101, Part 1 LIGHTING/NATURAL STONE: Lighting Design 101, Part 1 BUSINESS: Know your Numbers: Keys to Estimating and Profitability, Part 1 (must register for all three parts)

9:10 am - 10:10 am

BELGARD U HANDS-ON: Proper Wall, Step & Column Installation, NCMA Guidelines (taught in Spanish) BELGARD U CLASSROOM: Stairs, Walls, and Columns using Tendem Modular Block SPANISH LANGUAGE TRAINING: Register for Belgard Hands-On AGRONOMICS/TURF: Wound up about Roundup: Giving Clients Options ROSE ROSETTE VIRUS: Biology and Management of Rose Rosette Disease in Landscape and Nursery TREES/HORTICULTURE: The Landscape Whisperer: Better Listening Leads to Better Landscape Designs IRRIGATION: Irrigation Design 101, Part 2 LIGHTING/NATURAL STONE: Lighting Design 101, Part 2 BUSINESS: Know your Numbers: Keys to Estimating and Profitability, Part 2 (must register for all three parts)

10:10 am - 11:30 am Morning refreshment break and time to spend with exhibitors BELGARD U HANDS-ON: Paver Overlays - Driveways, Pool Decks, and Patios (taught in English and Spanish) BELGARD U CLASSROOM: Effectively Use the New Belgard Catalog Format with Homeowners SPANISH LANGUAGE TRAINING: Register for Belgard Hands-On AGRONOMICS/TURF: Well-Played in the Shade: Addressing Turfgrass Issues in the Shade.

ROSE ROSETTE VIRUS: Updates on Eriophyid Mite Vector of Rose Rosette Virus TREES/HORTICULTURE: Recognizing Tree Decline and Determining a Plan of Action IRRIGATION: Irrigation Pumps 101 LIGHTING/NATURAL STONE: Castle Collection Series - Natural Stone with the Ease of Paver Installation BUSINESS: Know your Numbers: Keys to Estimating and Profitability, Part 3 (must register for all three parts)

12:30 pm - 1:15 pm

Lunch break and time to spend with exhibitors

1:15 pm - 2:25 pm

BELGARD U HANDS-ON: Proper Paver Installation Per ICPI Guidelines (taught in English) BELGARD U CLASSROOM: Techniseal Noco Joint Sand, Proper DriBond Installation, and Structure Bond SPANISH LANGUAGE TRAINING: Pruning Ornamentals (taught in Spanish) AGRONOMICS/TURF: Technology and Turf…Tech Tools for (Contractors) Turf and Ornamentals ROSE ROSETTE VIRUS: Resistance and Breeding for Rose Rosette Disease Management TREES/HORTICULTURE: Pruning Preparation for 2020, Part 1 IRRIGATION: Two-Wire Installation and Repair, Part 1 LIGHTING/NATURAL STONE: Reduce Labor and Increase Production with Penbablock Wall BUSINESS: Making the Shift from Management to Leadership

2:25 pm - 3:25 pm

BELGARD U HANDS-ON: Proper Wall, Step, and Column Installation Per NCMA (taught in English) BELGARD U CLASSROOM: Belgard Design Studio & 3D Renderings Utilizing VR Technology SPANISH LANGUAGE TRAINING: Worksite Safety in the Landscape (taught in Spanish) AGRONOMICS/TURF: Spreader and Sprayer Calibration for Efficient and Responsible Application ROSE ROSETTE VIRUS: Replacement Plants in Response to Rose Rosette Virus TREES/HORTICULTURE: Pruning Preparation for 2020, Part 2 IRRIGATION: Two-Wire Installation and Repair, Part 2 LIGHTING/NATURAL STONE: Coastal Collection Porcelain - Affordable and Durable Option to Travertine BUSINESS: Recruitment and Retention: Keys to A Successful Organization

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

11:30 am - 12:30 pm

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UAC NEWS

WHAT DID YOU MISS? UAC Georgia Sod Producers Field Day

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

November 5-6 Perry GA Fort Valley GA

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SOD HARVESTER DRAG RACE

UAC NEWS

WHAT DID YOU MISS? How to Keep & Find Top Talent We help you hire employees that care more, work smarter and stay longer!

Speaker: Sharene Cleveland, Engage2Excel

UAC Networking Dinner Meeting December 3 Arbor-Nomics Marietta GA

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

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HAVE YOU MET

Katie Sponberger

Executive Director Georgia Association of Conservation Districts My first job in the green industry was...as Program

Manager for the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD).

We work with Georgia’s 40 Soil and Water Conservation Districts to promote the stewardship of our state’s natural resources.

The biggest challenge in my career has been…In 2017,

Katie Sponberger

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Phone: 1-833-411-GACD Email: katie@gacd.us Address: PO Box 1134

Ringgold, GA 30736 Web: www.gacd.us

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GACD received funding to staff the Association with 45 contract workers to serve local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service offices as well as a Soil and Water

Conservation District. My biggest challenge (and also the most rewarding) was helping grow the association from the ground up: hiring the contractors, establishing new procedures and creating new initiatives to serve Georgia’s Conservation Districts.

My biggest career success so far has been...helping to grow GACD to an

association that now has around 50 contractors who work to promote the conservation of our state’s natural resources.

If I had it to do over again, I would…be back in Athens at the University of Georgia studying agriculture!

The thing I like most about my career is…..the ability to travel throughout the state

where I have the opportunity to promote conservation practices to farmers and experience the diverse agricultural markets and landscapes.

The one thing most responsible for my success is…the opportunity to attend UGA and study a career in agriculture.

If I could change careers, just for a month, I would…I have always seen myself as

a helpful person, so I would do a drastic change and be a nurse.

One thing that really annoys me is…when

someone unnecessarily hits reply all to an email.

When I’m not working, I like to…cook, run, and spend time with family.

GACD staff from left: Katie Sanders, Program Manager, Michelle Boone, Program Manager, Mady Barnes, Project Coordinator, and Katie Sponberger, Executive Director.

One thing most people don’t know about me is…my husband and I met at UGA. We were both agribusiness majors.

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

We bTech MARKETING SERVICES We set your sites higher.

Learn more about how we deliver results for Urban Ag members and affiliates with a free, no-obligation assessment of your online presence.

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

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Cost effective and targeted advertising campaigns specifically designed for seasonal growth

404.348.4921 | wtmarketing.com 11 Take the next step with a free, no-obligation assessment of your online presence. Then, fasten your seatbelt, prepare for

PEST 411

Tea scale

A major pest on hollies and camellias

by Gurjit Singh and Shimat V. Joseph, UGA Department of Entomology

Lorraine Graney, Bartlett Tree Experts, Bugwood.org

Fig. 1. Brown-colored females (red arrow) and white-colored males (orange arrow) of tea scale.

Chazz Hesselein, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Bugwood.org

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Fig. 2. Yellow spots on upper side of camellia leaves due to tea scale feeding underneath.

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Tea scale, Fiorinia theae (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) (Fig. 1) is a serious economic pest of camellias and hollies in nursery and landscape. Tea scale is an armored scale that causes chlorosis of the leaf tissues and under severe infestations, plants may die.

The insects undergo multiple overlapping generations in a year and are very challenging to control. Even after the control measures are administered, the plant retains the damaged leaves for at least a season.

It usually takes 2-3 years to bring the infestations under control after application of effective insecticides.

It is an invasive pest native to Asia and thought to be introduced into the US in early 1900s.

Currently, it infests numerous plant species throughout the warmer regions of the world. In the US, its range varies from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Louisiana in the southeast to Texas and California in the west. It mainly causes economic losses to camellias and hollies.

In India, where it was first described, it has been reported on tea (Camellia sinensis), olives (Olea europaea), and citrus (Citrus sp.).

Identification and biology Growth and developmental rate of tea scale varies with the region's environmental conditions. This pest completes a life cycle in 45-65 days depending upon the temperature.

In Florida, it is active throughout the year, but in the colder regions of Georgia and South Carolina fewer yearly generations are observed.

An adult female tea scale lays two rows of 10-15 eggs under the scale covering, which hatch within two weeks. Tea scale undergoes three nymphal stages. The newly hatched scale nymphs, called crawlers, move from one plant to another by wind and crawling and spread the infestation. Within a week, these crawlers insert their piercing and sucking mouthparts into the succulent plant tissues underneath the leaf and become immobile. After 10 days, the crawlers molt into second nymphal stage. Thereafter, they lose all the appendages (legs and antennae) and remain immobile. Females (Fig. 1 [red arrows]) retain the skin from the first molt which becomes sclerotized over time and give the adult female its characteristic brown color. The adult females are 1/10th of an inch in length. The nymphal stages of males are initially yellow but as they grow, they secrete a thin soft white waxy shield (Fig. 1 [orange arrows]). Adult males develop a pair of wings, a pair of halteres and non-functional mouthparts. The adult males are usually smaller than the females.

Symptoms and damage The tea scales pierce the plant tissues underneath the leaves and suck the sap causing chlorosis or yellowing on the upper leaf surface (Fig. 2). Infested plants look unhealthy with fewer and smaller blooms. Under heavy infestations, white cottony filaments can be seen hanging from the leaves and the twigs dieback, sometimes causing death of the plant (Fig. 3).

Dead scales and damaged leaves remain on the plant for a season or two, making the plant aesthetically unappealing to consumers.

PEST 411

Monitoring and management

effective tool against this pest as it would not only improve insecticide exposure but also improve the air circulation.

Furthermore, adding an adjuvant to the spray mixture and directing the spray Shimat Joseph, University of Georgia towards the underside Fig. 3. Heavy tea scale feeding on hollies. of the plant foliage will definitely enhance the effectiveness of chemical control. For lasting results, foliar application using contact insecticides should be repeated 2-3 times at 7-10 day intervals.

Among systemic insecticides, dinotefuran is effective but multiple applications are required because the residue activity of dinotefuran does not last long enough to control multiple generations of tea scale. Other neonicotinoid insecticides such as clothianidin or imidacloprid may not be as effective as dinotefuran.

Several parasitic wasps have been found parasitizing tea scale in Georgia and Florida, including Aphytis diaspidis and two species of Aspidiotiphagus spp. Prior to making insecticide applications, efforts should be made to ensure that the scales are not naturally managed by the native parasitic wasps. Parasitized scales have detectable holes chewed out of their armors by the emerging parasitic wasps and are surrounded by the patches of necrotic tissues.

Low to moderate level of infestations can be easily controlled with the horticultural oils.

However, in most cases, damage has been done before the scale infestation is actually noticed.

Insecticide applications are usually started in the beginning of April to coincide with the emergence of crawlers, when insecticides are most effective. Tea scales are often very difficult to control because they infest the underside of the leaves, because they reproduce continuously in warmer months, and because the waxy armor provides protection. Pruning can be a very

POWER UP YOUR SOIL.

Take your Lawns to the

Level

Concentrate

Directions For Use

SHAKE WELL!

CONTAINS NON-PLANT FOOD INGREDIENT(S): 6.0% Humic Acids (Derived from Leonardite) 3.0% Sea Kelp Extract (Derived from Ascophyllum Nodosum) INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: 91.00% Water Purpose Statement: Adds humic acid to the soil.

May increase micronutrient uptake.

May increase microbe food.

Information regarding the contents and levels of metals in this product is available on the internet at http://aapfco.org/metals.html http://aapfco.o

Manufactured and Guaranteed by Greene County Fertilizer Company, Inc. P.O. BOX 1346, Greensboro, GA 30642 1-855-606-3378 ▪ greenecountyfert.com F2735

1.0 gal = 8.7 lbs at 68° F

□

net volume 2.5 gal (9.5 l)

The mixed product should be agitated prior to and during application.

Do not exceed 3 ounces when daytime temps are above 85 degrees.

Tank Mixing: Apply at a minimum rate of 3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft. and a maximum rate of 6 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft. Dilute with enough water to cover 1 acre. Do not apply with less than a 7:1 dilution with water. wate Product is safe for use on all turf types and ornamental plants.

Product is intended to be used as an additive to current fertilizer program.

The mixed product should be agitated prior to and during application.

MIXING WITH FERTILIZERS: N-Ext RGS™ can be mixed with liquid fertilizers.

Apply in this order: 1) Water, 2) N-Ext RGS™, 3) Water Soluble or Liquid Fertilizer.

Mixing with Pesticide, Herbicide or Fungicide: N-Ext RGS™ can be mixed with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides and applied. We recommend the following: Use the product within 24 hours of mixing products (especially with fungicides). Do not over-apply pesticides, ove herbicides or fungicides as they can have an adverse effect on the populations of soil organisms.

Store in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. Product will store for 2 years under warehouse conditions.

Compatibility: These concentrated materials are compatible with most fertilizers and chemicals but should not be mixed directly with other chemicals. Conduct a jar test as needed to ensure compatibility before tank mixing. Mix in spray tanks with water and proper agitation. Apply in accordance with best management practices (BMP’s) established by your Cooperative Extension Service.

Observe any State or Local fertilizer application regulations.

Caution: Apply only to turf, plants, and soil. If plants are flowering, apply to base of the plant to avoid staining of blooms.This product may stain concrete, wood and other pervious and impervious surfaces.

Keep out of reach of children. If product comes in contact with skin or eyes flush with water immediately.

□

net volume 5 gal (18.9 l)

□ net volume 275 gal (1041.0 l)

CONDITIONS OF SALE Seller warrants that this product consists of the ingredients specified and is reasonably fit for the purpose stated on this label when used in accordance with directions under normal conditions of use. No one, other than the officer or Seller, is authorized to make any warranty, guarantee, or directions concerning this product. Because the time, place, rate of application and other conditions of use are beyond Seller’s control Seller’s liability from handling, storage and use of this product is limited to replacement of product or refund of purchase price. Buyer assumes all responsibility for safety and use not in accordance with label instructions. The product names are registered trademarks of Greene County Fertilizer Company, Inc.

Slow Release Liquid Nitrogen plus Micronutrients

Directions For Use SHAKE WELL!

The mixed product should be agitated prior to and during application.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

Total Nitrogen (N).....................26.0% 13.16% Urea Nitrogen* 06.33% Ammoniacal Nitrogen 06.33% Nitrate Nitrogen Boron (B)...................................0.02% Sulfur (S)....................................0.10% Iron (Fe)..................................... 0.04%

Derived from: Urea, Ammonium Nitrate, Ferrous Sulfate *9% urea nitrogen stabilized with N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide Information regarding the contents and levels of metals in this product is available on the internet at http://aapfco.org/metals.html

Warm Season Turf: Apply at a rate of 16 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.

Mix with water at a minimum 7:1 dilution. Apply directly to foliage.

Cool Season Turf: Apply at a rate of 20 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.

Mix with water at a minimum 7:1 dilution. Apply directly to foliage.

Storage: Store in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight.

Product will store for 2 years under warehouse conditions.

Compatibility: These concentrated materials are compatible with most fertilizers and chemicals but should not be mixed directly with other chemicals. Conduct a jar test as needed to ensure compatibility before tank mixing. Mix in spray tanks with water and proper agitation. Apply in accordance with best management practices (BMP’s) established by your Cooperative Extension Service. Observe any State or Local fertilizer application regulations.

Caution: This product contains the secondary micronutrient iron. Iron may stain concrete, wood and other pervious and impervious surfaces. Apply only to turf, plants, and soil. If plants are flowering, apply to base of the plant to avoid staining of blooms.

Keep out of reach of children. If product comes in contact with skin or eyes flush with water immediately.

Manufactured and Guaranteed by Greene County Fertilizer Company, Inc. ▪ P.O. BOX 1346, Greensboro, GA 30642 ▪ 1-855-606-3378 ▪ GreeneCountyFert.com ▪ F2735

1.0 gal = 10.7 lbs at 68° F

□ net volume 2.5 gal (9.5 l)

□

net volume 5.0 gal (18.9 l)

□ net volume 275 gal (1041.0 l)

CONDITIONS OF SALE Seller warrants that this product consists of the ingredients specified and is reasonably fit for the purpose stated on this label when used in accordance with directions under normal conditions of use. No one, other than the officer or Seller, is authorized to make any warranty, guarantee, or directions concerning this product. Because the time, place, rate of application and other conditions of use are beyond Seller’s control Seller’s liability from handling, storage and use of this product is limited to replacement of product or refund of purchase price. Buyer assumes all responsibility for safety and use not in accordance with label instructions. The product names are registered trademarks of Greene County Fertilizer Company, Inc.

High Performance Plant Nutrients • Fertilizers • Biostimulants • Soil Amendments 1.855.606.3378 greenecountyfert.com Field/Tech Support Buy Direct/Ship Direct/Pick-up

Corporate HQ/MFR: Greene County Fertilizer Company • 1490 Airport Road • Greensboro, Georgia 30642 Our bio-based fertilizers & specialty fertility products are blended to feed plants, improve soil fertility and build topsoil.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Concentrate

Soil & Plant Formula

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SAVE THE DATE

Visit urbanagcouncil.com for updates and to register.

JAN

Landscape Pro University & Expo + Belgard University The green industry's newest conference and trade show

DATE: Wednesday, January 29 TIME: 8:00 am - 3:25 pm PLACE: Cobb Galleria

Two Galleria Parkway

Atlanta GA 30339 For more info, see pages 6 - 7 of this issue.

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Register online now at urbanagcouncil.com/landscape-pro-university 10-Hour OSHA Construction Safety Course

FEB

6-7

URBAN AG COUNCIL GEORGIA

FEB

"Expanding your business financial literacy"

MAR

UAC Sporting Clays Tournament

Sponsored by UAC member PNC Bank

DATE: Wednesday, February 12 TIME: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm PLACE: Snellings Walters Insurance Agency

1117 Perimeter Ctr W, Ste W101

Atlanta GA 30338 Learn more on page 8.

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UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

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14

Sponsored by NALP and Georgia Urban Ag Council

DATES: Thursday, February 6 & Friday, February 7 TIMES: Thursday: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm (lunch included)

Friday: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm PLACE: Gwinnett Technical College

5150 Sugarloaf Parkway

Building 200, Room 104

Lawrenceville, GA 30043-5702

Blast your troubles away | Win prizes | Eat BBQ GEORGIA

DATE: Tuesday, March 10 TIME: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm PLACE: Blalock Lakes

MAR

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4075 New Corinth Road Newnan GA 30263

UAC Spring Celebration Networking & Education Dinner Networking + Education Dinner

Speaker: Rick Berry, Goodness Grows Nursery Sponsored by Topiary Courtyard

DATE: Tuesday, March 31 TIME: 6:00 pm dinner PLACE: Topiary Courtyard

3045 Jones Mill Road Norcross GA 30071

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.

seed support | energize | enable | develop

URBAN AG COUNCIL GEORGIA

Thank you to all of our SEED Sponsors!

Diamond

tree_logotypeUpdateGENERIC.pdf

Platinum C

M

Y

3/3/08

9:40:37 PM

Buck Jones Nursery Plants • Sod • Landscape Supplies

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15

SAVE THE DATE PRO PROJECT

Maximum use with minimum maintenance Project by Floralis Garden Design floralisdesign.com This project transformed an outdated and

Before

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Before

16

underutilized rear yard to a bright, new, fresh landscape beaming with appeal. The existing rear landscape offered a mix of grade changes, low walls, overgrown plant material, and bare landscape bed areas. Additionally, a central foundation in disrepair and small, chopped-up landscape spaces decreased the usability of the rear yard.

Our design removed the rear central terrace, the existing landscape beds, and re-graded the rear yard to expand the level, usable space within the rear of the property. An existing freestanding brick wall surrounding the spaces was to remain, per the homeowner’s desires, and was to be integrated with a new pool and spa with a modern concept.

PRO PROJECT A new Hartstone terrace replaced the old Cherokee slate, and Indiana pea gravel and artificial turf were used to expand the usable areas of the property for entertaining. New foundation plantings were installed along the existing brick walls to add to the updated, fresh look. Additionally, the side door entry was renovated with a new pea gravel walk and Hartstone landing. Outdoor lighting was renovated to accent the new architectural elements, and the landscape irrigation system adjusted to provide coverage to all new planting additions.

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A main difficulty of this project was the goal to pair the requested modern landscape with the historic 1920’s architecture of the home while preserving the goal of maximum use and low maintenance design. Architectural elements and landscape materials were chosen that would pair well together and that would provide a timeless, and classic design.

The grading of the property was planned to allow for maximum use of the spaces, while minimizing the needs of steps, handrails, etc. The pool was raised 6” above the finished grade of the lawn areas to provide a unique visual aesthetic but to also satisfy the technical function of a drop less than 30” from the upper landing, removing the requirement of a handrail. This small gesture spoke volumes in this small space to make a unique and one-of-a-kind look and maintained the clean and modern appearance that the clients were hoping for.

Before Machine access was a huge factor in this project, as a 4-foot width along the side of the home was the only access to the rear yard. An 8-foot section of the existing, historic, free-standing

brick wall was removed to allow for machine access; the bricks were then matched with a similar wood-mold clay brick and the wall was reconstructed to match the existing.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Completed view of side access to the rear yard with a Indiana pea gravel terrace, space for trash bin storage, new Hartstone stoop, and existing brick walls maintained.

17

SAVE THE DATE SAFETY WORKS

UAC Safety School

What do your employees need to know right now?

Keep your employees safe this winter.

Every work day comes with 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:

Cold weather safety

Avoid illness with personal hygiene

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

OBJECTIVE: To recognize the symptoms and to know the results of overexposure to the cold, and to take precautions to prevent overexposure.

18

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the importance of personal hygiene to job health and safety and to explain basic handwashing procedures.

Staying safe on the roads

Building an effective first aid kit

OBJECTIVE: To help company drivers understand the risks and how to adjust their driving behaviors during adverse weather conditions.

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

SAFETY WORKS

Pruning safety

Leaf removal safety

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

OBJECTIVE: To be able to identify and prevent the potential hazards associated with fall leaf removal.

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

Struck-by safety OBJECTIVE: To make all employees aware of the hazards of struck-by incidents and how to prevent them on the job site.

> Need help? Contact us:

Call 706.750.0350 or

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

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

> Click on "Members-only content"

19

WHAT THE TECH?

Take control of your marketing The top 5 email marketing services

by Sara Crawford, Digital Content Strategist, WT Digital Agency Social media is a great tool for businesses to reach customers. However, to reach your audience, you rely on the various platforms.

When Facebook changes their algorithm, for example, you may find that suddenly you aren’t reaching all your audience.

One of the best tools that you have absolute control over is your email list. If you haven’t started email marketing, now is the time to give it a try. But when you are exploring email marketing, you’ll have many different choices in email marketing services. Each service has its own set of features and its own pros and cons.

Here is a countdown of my five favorites:

5.

ConvertKit is an email marketing service that is geared towards publishers and bloggers, but it can still be used by businesses. It’s very intuitive and easy to use. It’s also easy to create landing pages or opt in boxes, track clicks, and tag users.

There is a plan for $29 a month for 0 – 1000 subscribers, a plan for $49 a month for 1000 – 3000 subscribers, and a plan for $79 per month for 3000 – 5000 subscribers.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Unlike some other email marketing services on this list, there is no free level. Another negative is that it can also be difficult to create aesthetically pleasing emails.

20

4.

Mailchimp is very easy to use, especially with other apps and services. You can connect it to over 1,500 apps like Hubspot, Gmail, Google Forms, Salesforce, Paypal, and Airtable. You can use landing pages and forms to gather new subscribers easily. They also feature an easy-touse drag-and-drop email designer, and there are easy apps for Android and iOS that allow you to send emails, manage lists, and track stats from your phone. Mailchimp also offers advanced

analytics for your lists as well as individual open data for each subscriber.

They offer a free plan, a $9.99/month plan, a $14.99/month plan, and a $299/month plan.

Each plan offers different features.

Unfortunately, it can get expensive quickly if you have a lot of subscribers. However, the positives outweigh the negatives, and this is a popular choice for many businesses when it comes to email marketing services.

3.

Sendinblue is a great service for email marketing beginners. One of the best things about Sendinblue is its simplicity.

Sendinblue is different from the other email marketing services on this list because they offer unlimited contacts and charge based on the amount of emails you send. They offer a free plan for up to 300 emails per day, a $25/month plan for 40,000 emails per month with no daily limit, a $39/month plan for 60,000 emails per month and the ability to remove the Sendinblue logo from emails, a $66/month plan for 120,000 emails per month, and an enterprise plan. With the enterprise plan, the price varies and includes a dedicated account manager, all premium features, priority support, and more.

The only real downsides to Sendinblue are that setting up your account can be a bit confusing and the templates are limited. Other than these two cons, Sendinblue is an excellent choice for email marketing.

2.

When it comes to lead generation services for small businesses, AWeber is an excellent choice.

It features helpful tools that will assist you in building your email list. They also feature a drag-and-drop builder that allows you to easily

WHAT THE TECH? design email newsletters, and you’re able to automate email sequences and create mobileresponsive signup forms that will look great on any device. It’s easy to integrate AWeber with your WordPress website as well.

They don’t offer a free plan, but they do offer a free 30-day trial. All plans include unlimited emails as well as all features and only differ in the number of subscribers. For 0 – 500 subscribers, it’s $19/month; for 501 – 2500 subscribers, it’s $29/month; for 2501 – 5000 subscribers; for 5001 – 10,000 subscribers, it’s $69/month; and for 10,001 – 25,000 subscribers, it’s $149/month.

They also offer excellent education tools and superior customer support.

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to use AWeber as some of the others on the list, and it’s also frustrating that unsubscribed email addresses count towards your monthly quota. However, this is still a great choice for email marketing.

If you are considering starting an email list or increasing your email marketing efforts, you may want to try a new email marketing service.

These five are excellent choices for any business.

You may have to play around with more than one so that you can see which one is right for you before you decide.

About the author Sara Crawford is an author and Digital Content Strategist for WT Digital Agency. In love with the written word, she strives to provide quality content for all of her clients.

E: sara@wtmarketing.com P: (404) 348-4921 ext. 112

1.

The most popular email marketing service is Constant Contact. It offers tons of customizable email templates and provides you with customized promotion ideas and content depending on your industry and previous experience with email marketing.

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Are you ready to prove you’re the best?

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

They offer a free 60-day trial that gives you access to all their features. Their plans are based on how many subscribers you have. For 0 – 500 subscribers, it costs $20 per month; for 501 – 2500 subscribers, it costs $45 per month; for 2501 – 5000, it costs $65 per month; and for 5001 – 10,000 subscribers, it costs $95 per month.

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21

BUSINESS

Where's my emoji?

Intergenerational communication in the workplace

by Erin Saunders, ON Services When I first entered the workforce, I

would not have been caught dead sending an email with an exclamation mark. Nor would I have considered adding an emoji to anything professionally related. Ever. Now I frequently sprinkle both in professional emails, and texts (texting—also a way I wouldn’t have communicated with coworkers). We now have five generations of workers in the workplace, all with different experiences and communication styles.

Language is a living thing. It changes and evolves over time, as do the rules for how we use it. This impacts how our messages are intended and how they are received.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Take this example from marketplace.org:

22

Stuart Hogan is a millennial at a tech startup in Boston. He said this about communicating with his older colleagues: “They use periods a lot,” he said. “I didn’t even realize this, but they sound very stern, like very final.” Or even worse, he said, they’ll sign off their messages with an ellipsis, “which for a millennial is just like the height of passive aggression.”

He vividly remembers one instance on a Friday afternoon when he sent off a bit presentation to a 56 -year-old-manager.

“And he just responds, ‘Thanks … enjoy the weekend …’” he said. “I definitely looked at the presentation for probably like six hours that weekend trying to figure out what was wrong with it. (McCarty Carino, 2019) This example shows how messages sent and received by different generations can be interpreted in vastly different ways.

To understand how to more effectively communicate, we must first understand a little more about each generation and their communication preferences. Keep in mind that while these are generalizations, they do point to trends that cross each generation.

Traditionalists The first generation is the traditionalists. These are workers born before 1945 and they comprise 9% of the US workforce. They are leaving the workforce later and later in life.

Traditionalists are most comfortable with formal, business-focused traditional means of communication. They come from the workplace of written memos and desk phones. As such, they generally prefer written communication and are believers in face-to-face meetings. They tend to be distrustful of remote working, and often need additional help as companies move to instant video and messaging services. They hardly ever communicate via text message.

Baby Boomers Next are the baby boomers. Once the largest makeup of the US workforce, they have been surpassed by Generation Z. Baby boomers are big believers in the importance of body language and tone and as such, face-to-face or telephone communications are preferred. They understand the need for email communication, but many believe valuable time is wasted via emails. If more than one or two go back and forth, they tend to pick up the phone and give a call. They are generally not trustful of texting as an appropriate communication method at work, and you won’t find them using exclamation marks or emojis in business correspondence.

Generation X Generation X tends to be the most fluid of the generations. They are comfortable with more formal written communications, but also understand that their younger counterparts are going to be more accessible via text and instant messaging. Generation Xers are most comfortable with email. They tend to be heavy

BUSINESS Facebook users and are comfortable with Instagram and other social media venues.

In general, they prefer to avoid face-to-face interactions when an email will suffice. They may resist initial movement to video calls, but are typically the faster of the three older generations to adapt to new technologies. They like communication to be short and to the point and have found IM to be a good venue for achieving that goal.

Millennials Millennials (or Generation Y), grew up with tablets and smartphones. They embrace email, but prefer to communicate via more immediate means, like chat or social media.

This is the group that first embraced the emoji, and will frequently sprinkle them in emails, texts, and instant messages. They want to make sure their tone is understood, and emojis are a quick and easy way to convey this.

They also are fans of the exclamation mark and, much like Stuart in the example above, can find punctuation that may be common and neutral to the older generations overly stern or off-putting.

Generation Z The newest workforce is Generation Z. This is anyone born from 1995 onwards. The oldest of Generation Z graduated from college last year and is joining the workforce as we speak.

Millennials and Generation Z now make up the biggest part of the workforce at 48%, and this percentage will continue to grow.

Whereas millennials are comfortable with technology and smartphones, Generation Z has never been without it. They have entire conversations with each other over text and direct messaging using only memes and emojis.

They have very little use or tolerance for email or formal language at work. They want to be

Generation

Traditionalists

Baby Boomers

Generation X

Millennials

Generation Z

Born

Before 1945

1945-1960

1961-1980

1981-1995

After 1995

Formative experiences

Great Depression, WW2, move to the suburbs, vaccines change lives

Vietnam, Cold War, moon landings, youth culture, Woodstock

% in US workforce

9%

24%

20%

22%

26%

Attitude toward career

Jobs for life

Organizational: careers are defined by employees

"Portfolio" careers: loyal to profession, not to employer

Digital entrepreneurs: work "with" organizations

Multitaskers: will seamlessly move between organizations

Signature product

Automobile

Television

Personal computer

Tablet/smartphone

3-D printing

Communication preferences

Written, often on paper. Does not like texts and prefers written communication to be formal.

Telephone. Does not like texts, overusage of punctuation, and may misunderstand emoji slang.

Email, phone and text messages.

Infrequent use of exclamation marks and emojis.

Text or social media.

Moving away from email, but still relies heavily on increased use of exclamation marks and emojis.

Text and instant message. Does not like email. Heavy use of exclamation marks and question marks.

Loves emojis.

Fall of Berlin Community services, Wall, early mobile 9/11 terrorist technology, latchkey attacks, social kids, divorce rate everything, invasion rises, grunge and hip of Iraq, reality TV, hop Google Earth

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Want quick information on the way Generation Z differs from Millennials? Check out this infographic: https://www.visioncritical.com/blog/gen-z-versus-millennials-infographics

Global warming, mobile devices, cloud computing, Wiki-leaks, Facebook is for "old people," Instagram, Snapchat

23

BUSINESS talked to the way they talk with each other and struggle to adapt to the more formal language found in traditional handbooks and job descriptions. They value individuality and connection, and want to be communicated with as people.

The workforce is constantly changing, as is the language and technology around us. When it comes to generations, no one group is better than another; they each have their strengths and challenges. Instead of developing stereotypes, consider how you might use a co-worker’s generational knowledge or communication preference to improve the organization. Be mindful of how your communication preference may be perceived by someone of a different generation. Communication is tricky and something everyone works to improve. By understanding the value we each bring, and coming to the table with respect and empathy, we’ll all be better colleagues to one another.

A quick text or instant message is going to be the best way to reach this group, and emojis and exclamation marks should abound. Their primary forms of virtually connecting are through Instagram and snapchat, and most of them view Facebook as the app their parents use (many of their parents are Generation Xers, so this is likely true).

About the author

Generation Z grew up with technology everywhere, and if there’s a fast way to share information, they probably know how to use it. This group had online shared documents and virtual assignments in school and will likely bring a level of change and efficiency that will take some learning and adjustment on the part of their older counterparts.

Erin Saunders is Regional Human Resources Business Partner with Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon.

P: 770-326-9517 E: erin.saunders@leica-geosystems.com

IS PROUD TO BE AN ACTIVE, SUPPORTING UAC MEMBER

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

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BUSINESS

Self-awareness

The silver bullet to professional growth

by Jeffrey Scott Alan Stein, the author of Raise Your Game, agrees with me on this.

In his excellent book, he tells the story of a young basketball player and how he could predict the player’s future success on the court based on his level of self-awareness off the court.

This young basketball player chose to play for a high school team that would focus on improving his weaknesses and ignore the hype surrounding his talent.

Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Scott

Self-awareness is rarely discussed in business circles, and yet it tells you everything about your future.

Last October I gave a lecture to a packed room at the Green Industry Expo in Louisville on the topic of Benchmarking for Profit.

The audience learned my seven key performance indicators that you must benchmark (measure and manage) to improve your company's performance.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Some of the benchmarks were as expected, such as labor, and some required outside-the-box thinking.

26

Then, I ended the talk with a big surprise...

I shared how you can benchmark your selfawareness (!), and why self-awareness is the single most important indicator of your future success.

Here is what the audience learned...

Self-awareness is rarely discussed in business circles, and yet it tells you everything about your future.

Stein (who has coached hundreds of stars) says self-awareness is the single most critical characteristic of high-performing athletes. It’s what gets them to the top of their field and keeps them there every day.

How strong is your self-awareness? And how can you improve it?

As I wrote this article, I was visiting with an award-winning landscape company in Asheville, NC. They invited me in to guide the owner and his team to grow from good to great...to extraordinary. I laid out the strategies to fast forward their success and domination of the Asheville market. But it still requires the owner and his team to be open to hearing my direct feedback, and then be willing to act on it.

With high levels of self-awareness, the owner and his team will easily surpass the extraordinary goals they have set!

How about you?

Your challenge: Try this simple exercise to benchmark your selfawareness.

1.

Meet with your leadership team and ask each person to rate themselves and each other on the following question: "Are you an intimidating leader or an approachable leader?"

BUSINESS

2.

Score yourself first, on a scale of 1 to 5. The lowest score (1) means you are a very intimidating leader, and 5 means you are a very approachable leader. And the scores of 2-4 means you are in-between. You get the point.

3.

Then score everyone else on your team.

And then...

4.

Share your scores with each other.

And then…

5.

Go around the table and, one at a time, discuss your personal score vs. how others scored you. How similar were these scores? How clearly do you see yourself vs. how others see you?

The scores are not the main point. The ensuing discussion (around your perception of yourself and other people’s perception of you) is what will have the biggest impact. It will raise your self-awareness and that of your team.

Plus, it will foster an open and honest dialogue within your leadership team. And that’s priceless!

About the author Jeffrey Scott, MBA, author, business coach, hall-of-fame consultant, is the expert in growth and profit maximization in the pool, lawn & landscape industry. He grew his company into a successful $10 million enterprise, and he's now devoted to helping others achieve profound success. Over 6000 read his monthly newsletter. To sign up go to www. jeffreyscott.biz . He facilitates the Leader’s Edge peer group for landscape business owners; his members achieved a 27% profit increase in their first year. To learn more visit www.GetTheLeadersEdge.com.

Upcoming workshop:

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Get the details and register: jeffreyscott.biz/services/workshops-upcomingevents/become-a-destination-company-workshop

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27

BUSINESS

Fair Labor Standards Act A plaintiff lawyer's perspective

by Todd Stanton Take another look at the photo for this article.

The plaintiffs’ attorney who snapped this photo funded their 2018 world tour with the fees earned by suing businesses like yours for FLSA violations.

Beautiful, isn’t it?

It’s Bali. It’s from a villa on a Wednesday morning early in December 2018. The butler had just placed the floating breakfast for two in the couple’s private infinity pool. The weather was perfect - right between 78 and 84 degrees all afternoon.

The attorney who sent me the picture was wrapping up a year of travel. In fact, they visited all seven continents.

Everywhere in the world. In a year. This Bali excursion was “just a little side trip” from a broader tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Is this what you’ll be doing in 2020? Enjoying poached eggs at a spa on the other side of the world?

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

My sarcasm should be obvious, and, yes, I’m intentionally trying to create a bit of resentment here. I’m doing so, though, to drive home a point:

28

If you’re a business owner, an executive, a supervisor, or have any human resources responsibility in your job and are not intently familiar with the Fair Labor Standards Act (the FLSA), you should be.

And now.

I say this because the plaintiffs’ attorney who snapped the photo above sure is – they funded their 2018 world tour with the fees earned by suing businesses like yours for FLSA violations.

And business owners like you picked up the

tab for the whole trip...Oh yeah, and you paid their clients – your (likely former) employees – thousands of dollars, too.

Even if you think you know the laws regarding employee pay, you’ll probably want to take another look. If you’re like most employers, you’ll be surprised at how much of what you think you know about the FLSA simply isn’t true.

Overview of the FLSA The most common problem I’ve encountered since opening up my practice is employers who are not compensating their employees correctly.

Unfortunately for these employers, wage and hour cases are big business for plaintiffs’ attorneys, and the Department of Labor loves making examples out of unsuspecting employers who are, in many cases, simply uninformed about the intricacies of compensation law.

Even a single FLSA violation (even if unintentional and made simply out of ignorance of the law) can bankrupt a company.

You’re likely covered by the FLSA For virtually every employer in the United States, wage payment practices are governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA. Many states and municipalities have similar wage payment laws that provide workers additional “protections,” but the FLSA is granddaddy of them all. Being able to issue-spot potential FLSA problems is the bare minimum for employers.

The FLSA mandates that employers pay employees who are subject to the Act at least the minimum wage for all hours worked (currently $7.25) and overtime pay for all hours worked in

BUSINESS excess of 40 hours in a workweek at a rate of time and one-half the employee’s regular rate of pay. Workers who are subject to the Act’s minimum wage and overtime provisions are referred to as “non-exempt” employees.

Executive exemption

The FLSA, however, provides exemptions from these minimum wage and overtime pay provision for employees employed in bona fide executive, administrative, professional, certain computer-related, and outside sales positions, provided that certain criteria are met for each position sought to be exempted. Employees whose job positions meet the criteria of one or more of the exemptions, and who, therefore, are not entitled to receive minimum wage and/ or overtime pay, are referred to as “exempt employees.”*

> have as his primary duty the management

Importantly, neither a job title (such as manager, supervisor, or administrator) nor the fact that an employee may be paid a salary (even a “good salary”) is alone sufficient to establish the exempt status of an employee.

The exempt or non-exempt status of any particular employee must be determined on the basis of whether the employee’s salary and duties meet the requirements of the FLSA’s specific exemptions. Exemptions, moreover, are narrowly construed and outcomes in which employees ARE entitled to minimum wage and overtime are favored by the Department of Labor (the agency responsible for enforcing the FLSA).

* Highly compensated employees performing office or non-manual work and paid total annual compensation of at least $107,432 are exempt from the FLSA if they customarily and regularly perform at least one of the duties of an exempt executive, administrative or professional employee identified in the standard tests for exemption. The FLSA also provides for a myriad of other specific exemptions for particular jobs and industries that may be applicable under particular circumstances.

> be compensated on a salary basis at a rate not less than $684 per week;

of the enterprise or managing a customarily recognized department or subdivision of the enterprise;

> customarily and regularly direct the work of at least two or more other full-time employees or their equivalent; and

> have the authority to hire or fire other

employees, or make recommendations concerning another employee’s employment status that are given particular weight.

Being paid on a “salary basis” means an employee regularly receives a predetermined amount of compensation each pay period.

The predetermined amount cannot be reduced because of variations in the quality or quantity of the employee’s work. Subject to a specific number of exceptions, an exempt employee must receive the full salary for any week in which the employee performs any work, regardless of the number of days or hours worked. If the employer makes deductions from an employee’s predetermined salary for reasons other than the allowable exceptions, that employee is not paid on a “salary basis.”

A “primary duty” under the FLSA means the principal, main, major, or most important duty.

This is a case-by-case, fact specific inquiry that examines the character of the employee’s entire job.

A non-exhaustive, non-determinative list of activities that are considered “management” include interviewing, selecting, and training of employees; setting and adjusting their rates of pay and hours of work; directing the work of employees; maintaining production records; appraising employees’ productivity; handling employee complaints; disciplining employees; planning work; determining techniques; apportioning work; determining the type of materials, supplies, machinery, equipment or

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Each exemption and its general application will be discussed separately.

To qualify for the executive employee exemption, the employee must:

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BUSINESS tools to be used or merchandise to be bought, stocked and sold; controlling the flow and distribution of materials or merchandise and supplies; providing for the safety and security of the employees or the property; planning and controlling a budget; and monitoring or implementing legal compliance measures.

Simply designating an employee a “line-lead” or “foreman” is generally not, without more, sufficient to satisfy the “management” criteria.

The term “customarily recognized department or subdivision” designates a unit with permanent status and operations, as opposed to a collection of employees assigned from time to time to a specific job or series of job. “Customarily and regularly” means more frequent than occasional, but less than constant.

Generally, the term includes work done at least once a week.

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Considerations for whether an employee’s recommendations are given “particular weight” include whether it is part of the employee’s job duties to make such recommendations, and the frequency with which such recommendations are made, requested, and relied upon. An executive’s recommendations usually must pertain to employees whom the executive customarily and regularly directs and does not include occasional suggestions. An employee’s recommendations may still be deemed to have “particular weight” even if a higher-level manager’s recommendation has more importance and even if the employee does not have authority to make the ultimate decision as to the employee’s change in status.

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Administrative exemption To qualify for the administrative exemption, the employee must:

> be compensated on a salary basis at a rate not less than $684 per week;

> have as his primary duty the performance of office or non-manual work directly related to the management or general business operations of employer or employer’s customers; and

> as a part of his primary duty, exercise

discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.

The “salary basis” and “primary duty” considerations for the administrative exemption are the same as for the executive exemption.

To meet the “directly related to management or general business operations” requirement, an employee must perform work directly related to assisting with the running the business, as distinguished, for example, from working on a production line or selling a product. Work “directly related to management or general business operations” generally includes work in functional areas such as accounting, budgeting, quality control, purchasing, procurement, advertising, safety and health, human resources, computer network, Internet and database administration, and similar activities. An “administrative assistant” does not generally qualify for the administrative exemption.

An employee may qualify for the administrative exemption, however, if the employee’s primary duty is the performance of work directly related to the management or general business operations of the employer’s customers. Thus, employees acting primarily as consultants to their employer’s clients or customers may be exempt.

The “exercise of discretion and independent judgment” generally involves the comparison and the evaluation of possible courses of conduct and acting or making a decision after the various possibilities have been considered. The term implies that the employee has authority to make an independent choice, free from immediate direction or supervision.

Considerations include whether the employee, for instance, has authority to formulate or implement management policies or operating practices, carries out major assignments in conducting the operations of the business, performs work that affects business operations, has authority to commit the employer in matters of financial impact, and whether he has authority to waive or deviate from established policies and procedures without prior approval.

BUSINESS The fact that an employee’s decisions are revised or reversed after review does not mean that the employee is not exercising discretion and independent judgment. “Discretion and independent judgment” must be more than applying well-established techniques, procedures or specific standards described in manuals or other policy sources.

The term “matters of significance” refers to the level of importance of the work performed, but does not imply that a risk of substantial financial loss/gain as a result of the employee’s actions is sufficient to satisfy this element.

Professional exemption

> He must have as his primary duty the performance of work requiring advanced knowledge, that is predominately intellectual, and requires the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment;

> The advanced knowledge must be in a field of science or learning; and

> The advanced knowledge must be

customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction.

The “salary basis” and “primary duty” considerations for the professional exemption are the same as for the executive and administrative exemption.

To qualify for the professional exemption, each of these four tests must be satisfied:

Professional work is distinguished from work involving routine mental, manual, mechanical, or physical work. A professional employee > The employee must be compensated on a generally uses the advanced knowledge to salary basis at a rate not less than $684 per analyze, interpret or make deductions from week; varying facts or circumstances. Advanced knowledge cannot be attained at the high school Mid Tenn Turf, Inc. — 1/2 Page Horizontal Ad for Deep South Turf Expo Program level.

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UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

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BUSINESS Fields of science or learning include law, medicine, accounting, engineering, various sciences, pharmacy, and other occupations that have a recognized professional status.

The positions that qualify for the professional exemption are distinguishable from the mechanical arts or skilled trades where the knowledge could be of a fairly advanced type, but is not in a field of science or learning.

This exemption is, instead, restricted to professions where specialized academic training is a standard prerequisite for entrance into the profession. The best evidence of meeting this requirement is having the appropriate academic degree. However, the word “customarily” means the exemption may be available to employees in such professions who have substantially the same knowledge level and perform substantially the same work as the degreed employees, but who attained the advanced knowledge through a combination of work experience and intellectual instruction.

This exemption does not apply to occupations in which most employees acquire their skill by experience rather than by advanced specialized intellectual instruction.

Exemptions for computer-related jobs To qualify for the computer employee exemption, the following tests must be met:

> The employee must be compensated either

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on a salary basis at a rate not less than $684 per week or, if compensated on an hourly basis, at a rate not less than $27.63 an hour;

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> The employee must be employed as a

computer systems analyst, computer programmer, software engineer or other similarly skilled worker in the computer field;

> The employee’s primary duty must consist of:

> The application of systems analysis

techniques and procedures to determine hardware, software or system functional specifications;

> The design, development,

documentation, analysis, creation, testing or modification of computer systems or programs, including prototypes, based on and related to user or system design specifications;

> The design, documentation, testing,

creation or modification of computer programs related to machine operating systems; or

> A combination of the aforementioned duties, the performance of which requires the same level of skills.

The “primary duty” consideration for the computer-related occupations exemption is the same as for the executive and administrative exemption. The computer employee exemption does not include employees who merely repair computer hardware or employees whose work is simply highly dependent upon the use of computers, but who are not primarily engaged in computer systems analysis and programming.

Outside sales exemption To qualify for the outside sales employee exemption, all of the following tests must be met:

> The employee’s primary duty must be making sales; and

> The employee must be customarily and

regularly engaged away from the employer’s place or places of business.

The salary requirements of the regulation do not apply to the outside sales exemption, but an employee who does not satisfy the requirements of the outside sales exemption may still qualify as an exempt employee under one of the other exemptions if all the criteria for the exemption is met.

“Primary duty” and “customarily and regularly” have the same meaning for the outside sales exemption as for the other exemptions in which these terms are used.

An outside sales employee makes sales at the customer’s place of business and does not include sales made by mail, telephone, or the

BUSINESS Internet unless such contact is used merely as an adjunct to personal calls. Any fixed site, whether home or office, used by a salesperson as a headquarters or for telephonic solicitation of sales is considered one of the employer’s places of business.

Motor carrier exemption Employees who fall within the U.S. Secretary of Transportation’s authority (under the Motor Carrier Act of 1935) to establish qualifications and maximum hours of service are generally exempt from the FLSA’s overtime requirement.

The overtime exemption generally applies to drivers, driver’s helpers, loaders, or mechanics whose duties affect the safety of operations of motor vehicles in interstate commerce. It does not apply to dispatchers, office personnel, unloaders, or those who load but who are not responsible for the proper loading of the vehicles. Furthermore, the exemption does not apply to an employee during weeks in which the employee operates or works on vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds.

Conclusion

Fixing existing FLSA issues is a complicated, and in most cases, seemingly insurmountable Catch-22. There are steps that can be taken to mitigate risk while coming into FLSA compliance, but no employer should undertake any action related to correcting wage and hour problems without the guidance of experienced employment counsel.

Note I said negotiating and settling claims - not defending. In nearly every case we handle, defending against the plaintiff’s FLSA demand is not a viable option. The risk is too high that you’ll have to pay the plaintiff’s attorney’s fees. Usually, the best option is to find a negotiated resolution as quickly as possible.

If it sounds like the deck is stacked against you, you’re right. The sooner you get ahead of the problem, the less likely you’ll be buying the plaintiff’s lawyer’s next vacation.

Why not let our Atlanta employment attorneys help before your business has an FLSA issue? If you have questions about avoiding FLSA claims, contact the Atlanta employment attorneys at Stanton Law at 404-531-2341.

About the author While working as an account executive for a technology company before law school, Todd Stanton saw firsthand the amount of time and energy business owners spend dealing with employee, administrative, and regulatory issues.

He decided to enter employment law so he could help employers develop and implement the policies, procedures, and safeguards necessary to help avoid these sorts of diversions. In most instances, a proactive approach to employment issues can prevent months of disruptive headaches down the road.

When the inevitable disputes do arise, however, his litigation experience allows his clients to consider all available options to efficiently resolve the problem.

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As you can see, the application of the FLSA and its various exemptions can be a complex process that will depend almost entirely on the specific nature of the duties of the positions to be exempted. Carefully preparing comprehensive written job descriptions that are consistent with the various criteria of a particular exemption is certainly a good start towards ensuring that the employee will be determined to be exempt, but it is imperative that the employee’s actual duties match with the exemption’s criteria.

I wrote this article from the perspective of a management representation lawyer, the kind you hire when you get a letter or FLSA lawsuit from our island-hopping friend. The majority of our practice focuses on negotiating and settling claims brought against employers under the FLSA. More than a few were brought by our photographer…

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INDUSTRY

It's finally here!

CEU-granting distance education for green industry professionals

by Dr. Daniel R. Suiter, UGA Center for Urban Agriculture The University of Georgia’s Center for Urban Agriculture (UGA

Griffin Campus) in cooperation with the Georgia Urban Ag Council and the Turfgrass Research and Education Logging on, watching a live Center on the UGA presentation, and then going back to Griffin Campus has developed an work (all while receiving CEUs) is just a online, live program few mouse clicks away. that will allow green industry professionals to receive world-class training while at their home or office. Logging on, watching a live presentation, and then going back to work (all while receiving CEUs) is just a few mouse clicks away. Watch as a single person in a single location, as a group at a single location, or as multiple groups in multiple locations. No special software is needed on the viewer's end – just a computer with a reliable internet connection - and the Georgia

Department of Agriculture does not limit the number of CEUs that can be acquired by live webinar.

In 2020 the online programs will be held on Thursdays from 3:00 to 5:00 PM on January 16, March 12, May 14, July 16, September 17, and November 12. CEUs will be granted in at least Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. CEU acquisition for additional states is pending.

To register for a webinar go to GTBOP.COM no earlier than six weeks prior to each webinar.

For participants seeking CEUs, on the day of the webinar print the sign-in sheet, fill in the required information, and scan and send to gtbop@uga.edu within a couple days of completion of the webinar. The Center will add information to the sheet and then send it to the appropriate State regulatory agency where credit will be posted. For 1-20 attendees the price is $20 per person. For 21 or more attendees the price is $15 per person.

Should you have questions about the new webinar program contact Beth Horne at 770-228-7214 or bhorne@uga.edu.

Working with Trees and Saw Safety and Safety Starts at the Tree: Basic Tree and Wood Biology

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

January 16, 2020 | 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

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Working with Trees and Saw Safety Dr. Ellen Bauske, Dept. of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia

This webinar will target workers and employers providing skilled support services, site clean-up services, and recovery activities. This includes workers in the tree care industries, landscape industry, grounds and maintenance, and others who clean up after the storm-damaged trees. We will talk about insect bites and stings, electrical/electrocution hazards, hand and power tools, slips, trips, and falls, and other related topics (personal protective equipment (PPE), equipment inspection, safe carry, and safe start).

Safety Starts at the Tree: Basic Tree and Wood Biology Dr. Bodie Pennisi, Dept. of Horticulture, University of Georgia

Understanding how trees grow and their structure as they progress through life is critical to safe working around them. From a small pine sapling to a stately oak, trees show a remarkable variety of structure which changes with time, growing conditions, and cultural practices. When we grow, prune, and train trees, we should be familiar with their strengths and weaknesses. This webinar is intended to cover basic concepts of tree biology and growth.

INDUSTRY Pest Management in Greenhouse Production and Green-Up 2020: Forecast for Turfgrasses and Pest Management March 12, 2020 | 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Pest Management in Greenhouse Production Dr. Eric Redek, Dept. of Entomology, Oklahoma State University

Greenhouses are perfect environments for plants and insects. Some of these insects are pests while others can be used as biological control agents to manage pest species. This webinar will focus on the most common greenhouse pests and biological control strategies to reduce pest pressure.

Green-Up 2020: Forecast for Turfgrasses and Pest Management Dr. Clint Waltz, Dept. of Crop and Soil Science, University of Georgia

As the weather warms and turfgrasses transition to active growth, the impact of environmental conditions can affect green-up and pest management. This webinar will discuss how grasses and pests (i.e. diseases, weeds, and insects) have been influenced by weather patterns and how to best achieve turfgrass growth through the spring and into early summer.

Influence on Landscape Management Practices on Household Pests and Identification and Management of Nuisance Insects, and Other Arthropods in Turfgrass May 14, 2020 | 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Influence on Landscape Management Practices on Household Pests Dr. Daniel Suiter, Dept. of Entomology, University of Georgia

The outdoor landscape can provide conducive conditions for many arthropods, which can be household pests.

This webinar will discuss landscape practices such as placement and type of plants, mulch, and water near the house’s foundation, and how these practices can be changed to reduce and eliminate the incursion and spread of household pests.

Identification and Management of Nuisance Insects, and Other Arthropods in Turfgrass Dr. Tim Davis, County Coordinator and Agent — Chatham County, University of Georgia

This webinar will examine insects and other arthropods that are commonly found in turfgrass but are not detrimental to the grass itself. Fire ants may top the list, but other insects include burrowing/ground bees, wasps, yellow jackets, and other nuisance pests (e.g., spiders, centipedes, millipedes, etc.). Turfgrass managers need to be able to identify these species, where they live in the turfgrass system (e.g., canopy, soil surface, soil, etc.), and if they provide any ecosystem services (e.g., predators to damaging insects).

Coming up later in the year:

July 16, 2020 | 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Weed Management in Turfgrass and Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in Urban Landscape September 17, 2020 | 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Insect Pest Management in Turfgrass and Common Disease Problems in Nursery Production November 12, 2020 | 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

For more info, contact Beth Horne at 770-228-7214 or bhorne@uga.edu.

To register for a webinar go to GTBOP.COM

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Biology and Management of Crape Myrtle Bark Scale and Disease Management in Turfgrass

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INDUSTRY

UGA agents go back to school Workshop prepares county agents to teach irrigation management

by Sharon Dowdy for CAES News Helping farmers use water wisely

UGA Extension agents from urban areas of Georgia attended an irrigation management workshop to update their knowledge on the latest technologies in the industry. The agents are shown assembling their irrigation kits that include fittings and parts for drip and spray irrigation systems, primers, glues, electrical boxes and controllers. They will use these kits to teach irrigation maintenance workshops in their counties.

is part of Extension’s mission. Now, a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension program is helping county agents in urban areas teach their clients how to manage water wisely in the landscape, especially through irrigation systems.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

A year ago, UGA Extension Agent Rolando Orellana was named the urban water management agent in the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture on the UGA Griffin campus.

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“When I was an agent in Cobb and then Fulton County, irrigation wasn’t something county agents had strong knowledge of. In Extension, we work closely with the state’s green industry.

When I joined the Center for Urban Agriculture, our team realized this was a big need that should be addressed.

Agents need to be prepared to help clients, especially landscapers, use this valuable resource as wisely as possible.” ~ Rolando Orellana Urban Water Management Agent UGA Center for Urban Agriculture

Orellana formed an advisory committee of industry professionals to get honest input from the industry. The committee agreed that

irrigation training for urban landscapers is desperately needed in urban areas.

With $9,800 from an internal UGA Extension Innovation Grant and support from Georgia's green industry, Orellana developed an irrigation training specifically designed to educate UGA Extension agents in urban areas. Using the train-the-trainer model, Orellana aims to “build capacity with the agents so they can help green industry clients and consumers in their counties.”

With advice from irrigation professionals across Georgia, Orellana and his Center for Urban Agriculture colleague Greg Huber compiled tool kits for county agents to use when teaching clients about irrigation usage, management and maintenance. Hunter Industries donated more than $12,000 in irrigation supplies for the kits and helped train the agents, as did representatives from Rain Bird.

“This training and the equipment provided will multiply UGA Extension’s outreach and water education in 18 Georgia counties,” said Huber, who co-taught the workshop.

UGA Extension agents from areas like Atlanta, Athens, Cartersville, Carrollton, Conyers, Lawrenceville, LaGrange and Rome completed the training. They received agent irrigation kits that include fittings and parts for drip and spray irrigation systems, primers, glues, electrical boxes and controllers.

“The county agents need these items to gain a basic understanding of how an irrigation system works so that, when a client comes in, they have an understanding of how the system is laid out,” Orellana said. “We taught the UGA county agents a hands-on lesson on how an irrigation system is installed, operated and maintained.”

The agents also reviewed basic watering principles for use in urban landscapes and learned about irrigation systems, including

INDUSTRY rotors, fixed sprays and drip irrigation. They also reviewed Georgia’s Water Stewardship Act and the state’s rules and regulations surrounding water usage.

Reid Garner, Southeast sales manager for Hunter Industries, sees the workshops as way to promote the water-saving technologies available to the industry.

“In addition to irrigation system management, the agents were taught a refresher on the relationship between water management and disease management,” he said.

“(The biggest problem) is a lack of education of proper irrigation practices and a lack of knowledge of the technologies that are available to save water,” Garner said. “I think a lot of water is wasted when people set their irrigation and forget it instead of watering based on actual plant needs.”

John Watson, the owner of All About Irrigation and a member of the Georgia Green Industry Association board, shared his expertise with the agents. Watson spends much of his time repairing home irrigation systems.

“Pressure regulation is essential to the success of an irrigation system,” he said. “Most systems run way out of their pressure zone and this probably cuts off half of the life of the system.

If the pressure is too high, it will cause a lot of destruction.”

The agents will now teach workshops to golf course managers, sports field managers, landscape installers, landscape managers, groundskeepers, garden curators and others. They are also training their Master Gardener Extension Volunteer force to lead irrigation usage workshops.

“I think this is a great project. These Extension special grant programs provide agents like me with a readymade program and all the materials we need to present hands-on trainings.” ~John Fuder Cherokee County Extension Agent

“It is only natural to start building the skills our county agents need to help our clients in the best way we can,” said Orellana. “And, a demonstration site will allow people to see a few of the different systems in action.”

Orellana would also like to see rain sensors installed on UGA-Griffin’s irrigation systems to help reduce water usage on the campus.

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

UAC has new numbers

Please make a note of them.

Phone: 706.750.0350 Fax: 404.900.9194

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Keith Mickler, the UGA Extension agent and county coordinator in Floyd County, sees the training as a way to update his skills on the latest technologies available in the field of irrigation and shares that information with his clients.

In Cherokee County, UGA Extension agent Josh Fuder has already hosted an industry-focused irrigation management workshop.

In the future, Orellana hopes to install an irrigation system demonstration and research site on the UGA Griffin campus.

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INDUSTRY

Remembering Paul Thomas

UGA community mourns loss of mentor, colleague and friend Our mentor, colleague and friend Dr. Paul Thomas passed away suddenly on September 14, 2019. Just two weeks in to his retirement from UGA, Dr. Thomas was on a trip visiting friends and former students - one of his favorite activities.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Prior to his passing, Dr. Thomas was working on setting up a scholarship; his desire was to see students studying floriculture receive funding for their studies. As a collective group, we are working to make the scholarship endowment a reality.

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Gifts of all sizes will help us reach $25,000 to permanently endow the Paul Thomas Floriculture Scholarship. His family will receive a list of those contributing in his memory.

His long list of achievements, while impressive, can be summarized by one overarching theme of Dr. Paul Thomas’ life: Service. Paul was a rare individual who never shied away from an opportunity to help others. Both inside the formal university environment or outside serving the Boy Scouts or other community causes, Paul never stepped away from a challenge. He also never wavered in his desire to promote others; from undergraduate and graduate students to high-school students he mentored through programs like UGA Young Scholars. Paul’s dedication to lifting others up was infectious, certainly noticed by his students, peers and friends alike. His passing has left a huge void, not likely to be filled, yet we hope that with a collective effort his legacy can live on.

Paul Thomas Floriculture Scholarship Gifts to support the Paul Thomas Floriculture Endowment can be made online: gail.uga.edu/commit?cat=school&subcat=agricultural%20%26%20environmental%20 sciences&des=75842003 Or by mailing a check payable to "UGA Foundation." Please include "Paul Thomas Scholarship" on the memo line. Mail to: UGA CAES, 117 Four Towers, Athens, GA 30602.

INDUSTRY

10-Hour OSHA Construction Safety Course The 10-Hour OSHA Construction Safety Course is now being offered with a special emphasis for the landscape industry.

Students will receive the official 10-Hour Construction completion course card and a certificate from the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP.) Registration includes all course materials and lunch the first day.

To register:

Sponsored by

When Thursday, February 6 | 8:00 am - 4:00 pm (lunch provided) Friday, February 7 | 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Where

URBAN AG COUNCIL GEORGIA

Gwinnett Technical College 5150 Sugarloaf Pkwy., Bldg. 200, Room 104 Lawrenceville, GA 30043-5702

Pricing $135 per person

Visit: urbanagcouncil.com and click on EVENTS and then click on UAC & INDUSTRY EVENTS or go to: landscapeprofessionals.org/nalp-core/Events/Event_Display.aspx?EventKey=20_OSH_UAC

National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture The National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH) was formed because we

believe we can grow a healthy world through the art, science and business of plants, gardens and landscapes.

We have created and approved a plan for the next two years. Our goals are straightforward:

> > >

Build support for the Mission and Vision Support Scientific exploration of all aspects of consumer horticulture Increase the effectiveness of NICH workflow

The goals are simple, but the projects are many.

We can use your help. Email Sylvia Gordon at info@lsgsg.com if you would like to get involved. There is a committee that would be perfect for you and since we are starting new projects, this is a great time to engage with NICH. Look for new infographics in 2020. Meanwhile, the ones made previously are ready for use and relevant to the cause. Simple pictures that distill

As always, elections were held in November.

There are some changes: Ellen Bauske (UGA) will serve as the NICH chair, Mason Day (Growit!) will serve as covice chair and Missy Gable (UCA) will serve as secretary. Casey Sclar of the American Public Garden Association will serve as chair of the economic committee. The other leadership positions remain unchanged.

We aren’t the only ones who realize plants do the body good. Check this out from CNN: cnn.com/2019/11/21/health/green-spaceslife-expectancy-wellness-trnd/index.html

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

>

Communicate the NICH Mission and Vision to stakeholders

powerful science, they elegantly illustrate what plants do where we work, where we heal, where we learn, where we live and how plants create jobs, build wealth and save money. They are available on our website (consumerhort.org/plantsdothat) and we encourage you to use them.

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URBAN AG

2019 Classic City Award Winners UGA Trial Gardens shares test results

by Dr. John M. Ruter, Director, and Brandon Coker, Garden Manager The garden trials the newest varieties of annuals from top plant breeders from all over the

world and puts perennials to the test to find those that stand up to southeastern heat and humidity.

The Trial Gardens at UGA are open all year and provide a great source of ideas and information for students, gardeners and industry professionals. We invite you to visit anytime!

Agastache Poquito™ ‘Butter Yellow’ Terra Nova The Poquito™ Agastache series from Terra Nova included ‘Dark Blue,’ ‘Lavender,’ ‘Orange,’ and our winner featured here, ‘Butter Yellow.’ While each of these cultivars was very good, ‘Butter Yellow’ brought it’s ‘A’ game to the garden with showy strong yellow flower spikes. While many hyssops tend to blend into their surroundings due to wispy stems and leaves, this plant did not. Despite it being the shortest of the seven cultivars we trialed this year, ‘Butter Yellow’ stood out from the rest of the cultivars due to its bold visual appeal.

Caladium ‘Clowning Around’ Classic Caladiums Who names a plant ‘Clowning Around’? Some people call it how it is and Classic Caladiums was clearly seeing this plant for who it is. Curvy uneven green leaf margins, wild green spots, hot pink veins, and pink filler adorn this stand-out Caladium. No two leaves quite match up, but all of the oblong heart-shaped leaves flow well together to form a plant worthy of taking a second look. This will be a cultivar that is sure to be seen clowning around pots or flower beds in both sun and shade.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Celosia Kelos® Atomic ‘CESP 1889’

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Beekenkamp We love this plant for its showy hot pink erect flower spikes. Kelos® Atomic ‘CESP 1889’ in September was standing at 36 inches tall with no lodging, no doubt due to slender flower spikes that we did not have to trim or maintain through the course of the summer. We have many Celosia from the Kelos® Atomic and Kelos® series all of which performed well here in Athens but this variety, without doubt, stands out from the rest. As with most Celosia, this cultivar is a strong pollinator plant with honey bees and bumblebees as regular visitors. Kelos® Atomic ‘CESP 1889’ is an excellent midrange plant with plenty of pizazz that needs a place in gardens and planters all over the southeast.

URBAN AG Calibrachoa Lia™ ‘Bubblegum’ Danziger There are plenty of pretty pink flowers out in the world but Calibrachoa Lia™ ‘Bubblegum’ by Danziger has got to be the leader of the pack. Large bright pink flowers with creamy yellow eyes make this plant show up from across the garden. The trend of million bells having larger flowers is evident with the Lia™ series as they commonly have the largest single flower compared to other series. Lia™ ‘Bubblegum’ will easily turn heads when combined with other bold colors for your container combinations.

Calibrachoa Superbells® ‘Honeyberry’ Proven Winners One of our personal favorites for the 2019 trialing season was Calibrachoa Superbells™ ‘Honeyberry’ from Proven Winners. Why? Because it was simply awesome! Constant uniformity from April to September. No matter how hot it got or how humid it was, this cultivar kept blooming. When we enter into a heatwave our Calibrachoas tend to shut down but ‘Honeyberry’ did no such thing. All summer these plants kept pushing out flowers with iridescent pink petals accompanied by honey yellow throats.

Cuphea ‘Honeybells’ Ball FloraPlant In Georgia and the rest of the southeastern US, our growing season can be easily stretched into six months! Ball FloraPlant has delivered to us Cuphea ‘Honeybells’ as a season-long interest and pollinator plant. We planted this in-ground and as a hanging basket and each performed exceptionally well over the course of the summer. At first we did not take to the small flowers but this cultivar quickly grew on us as it produced hot pink/yellow flowers in such volume that we could not help but fall in love. If you haven't yet discovered the wonderful world of Cupheas, this would make a great starter plant.

Pacific Plug & Liner Can’t choose between a Cone Flower or a BlackEyed Susan? No worries! Pacific Plug & Liner has your fix: Echibeckia™. New and novel plants are our specialty and we had the privilege to trial the entire Summerina® series in 2019. Sizzling Sunset™ takes the cake with its large yellow and red flowers with the traditional black ‘eye’ in the center. Early in the season we thought this cultivar would never bloom, the foliage was beautiful and very Rudbeckia like then - Bam! Our plants exploded and put on a spectacular show for the rest of the summer.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Echibeckia™ Summerina® Sizzling Sunset™

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URBAN AG Gaillardia Heat It Up™ ‘Yellow’ Proven Winners Gaillardia Heat It Up™ ‘Yellow’ was indeed hot last summer! Bright, bright, bright yellow flowers and lots of them were the talking point for this selection from Proven Winners. Usually, deadheading is the name of the game to keep your Blanket Flowers blooming but this cultivar required minimal deadheading, which was a huge relief to our Master Gardeners.

Heat It Up™ ‘Yellow’ started blooming in May and never slowed down, which is why it earned the prestigious Classic City Award for 2019.

Gaura ‘Graceful White’ Dummen Orange It's important to have white flowers in gardens because they act as a platform for all the other colors.

Gaura ‘Graceful White’ from Dummen Orange fits this bill nicely with large white flowers accompanied with shades of pink as the flowers fade. The plant gave us an excellent first flush early in the season then following a hard prune it had the audacity to bloom an even heavier flush of flowers in late summer! Extended season is important when dealing with perennials and ‘Graceful White’ makes keeping season-long interest look easy.

Hollywood™ Hibiscus Rico Suave™

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J. Berry Genetics The J. Berry website defines a ‘Rico Suave’ as a confident self-assured impeccably dressed fitness fiend. I can just see this Hibiscus strutting his pure yellow flowers with hot pink to red centers through the garden like, “Yea that’s right petunias!” A sure stand-out this year is the Hollywood™ Hibiscus Rico Suave™ from J. Berry Genetics. This stunner had flowers daily from May till September and the foliage remained deep green without any special care outside of normal water and feeding. I recommend this plant for both containers and in-ground plantings due to its strong stems and bold colors.

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Petunia ColorRush™ ‘White’ Ball FloraPlant You could rest in the shadow of Petunia ColorRush™ ‘White’ from Ball FloraPlant. Large pure white blooms cover the plant with a bold, mounding habit, helping this plant to be the best in our petunia trials this year. We trim all our petunias back to the pot mid-season and most cultivars have a bloom hiatus before flushing back out, but ColorRush ‘White’ was the first to flush out, which speaks to its strong vigor. We planted four plants to a pot for evaluation and ColorRush™ ‘White’ came in with a width in excess of 48” in diameter per pot and clearly earned its way to a 2019 Classic City Award.

URBAN AG Portulaca Hot Shots™ ‘Grapefruit’ Green Fuse Botanicals Portulaca Hot Shots™ ‘Grapefruit’ from Green Fuse Botanicals will be an easy sell at any garden center. Very healthy foliage, heavy flower count, and vibrant pink/yellow flowers. This cultivar will add a popping spiller to any container or work easily into a border or rock garden in-ground or even could be skillfully used in a vertical garden. Versatility is a key characteristic to a plant's success and Hot Shots™ ‘Grapefruit’ will fit that bill naturally. An additional benefit is the attraction of pollinators as soon as the flowers open around mid-morning. We cannot help but to give a shout out to a 2018 Classic City winner the Hot Shots™ ‘Tangerine Glow’ from Green Fuse that was a beyond stellar cultivar and it’s easy to draw the line between that plant and Hot Shots™ ‘Grapefruit’.

Salvia Skyscraper™ ‘Orange’ Selecta A staple plant for all gardeners should be the pollinator and sun-friendly salvias. Salvia Skyscraper™ ‘Orange’ from Selecta is a more compact version of Skyscraper™ ‘Pink’ by about a 12 inches in height when comparing our plantings here in Athens. But that does not take away from the overall appeal of the plant and, in fact, it’s what we love about it. Other than the large vibrant pink flowers and orange calyx, Skyscraper™ ‘Orange’ gives a huge presentation of flowers that play well with the overall compact growth of the plant as the flowers all converge into a block of color. We were able to get two heavy bloom sets out of the selection and with our extended growing season here in the southeast I would not be surprised if you squeezed in a third heavy bloom before the end of the season.

How do you see your green industry career advancing in 2020?

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IT’S

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URBAN AG

TifTuf at The Swamp

Laying the foundation for excellence

by Julie Holt, Content Director, TheTurfZone.com football program. It is this recognition of the importance of playing surface that drives sports turf managers across the country and beyond to seek the most functional and attractive turfgrass available for their sports fields.

A surprising find

For every football team that plays on such a big stage, there’s always an unsung hero, a hero that endures the elements and injury, is pushed to its limits, yet expected to perform week after week, year after year – the turf.

The Swamp.

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Just the name evokes a visceral reaction from every college football fan in the south. Florida Gators beam with pride at the mention of their legendary stadium. Other SEC teams’ fans may respond with less enthusiasm, but no one can question the fact that Steve Spurrier-Florida Field is an iconic place to play college football.

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The statistics don’t lie – three national titles, eight conference titles, three Heisman trophies and many winning seasons attest to the Florida Gators’ dominant football program. And for every football team that plays on such a big stage, there’s always an unsung hero, a hero that endures the elements and injury, is pushed to its limits, yet expected to perform week after week, year after year – the turf.

Most fans never give it a second thought. Even players and coaches seldom notice this integral part of the game unless it isn’t performing.

But turfgrass managers recognize the field as the very foundation of a top-tier NCAA

In November of 2018, when Jason Smith, Director of Sports Turf at University of Florida, saw the events calendar for Spring of 2019 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (aka The Swamp), he knew it was time to start planning a field renovation. To accommodate a concert and graduation, flooring would be covering the turf for nearly a month beginning in April. With field renovation on such a large scale looming, he began his research.

After researching and narrowing the field to three varieties that might uphold the standard expected of a high-level SEC stadium, Smith made a visit to the university turfgrass program’s research site. Dr. Jason Kruse, University of Florida Assistant Professor and Turfgrass Specialist, showed Smith research plots.

Nematodes are a major challenge for turfgrass managers in Florida, so when Smith saw that TifTuf had such a low incidence of nematode growth, his interest was piqued.

“The one that really caught my eye was the nematode resistance plot that I saw. It looked like nematodes hadn’t even touched it. It looked like a control plot. That’s what really caught my attention.” ~Jason Smith University of Florida Director of Sports Turf Upon learning of other features of TifTuf staying green later in the season than other Bermuda grasses, excellent wear tolerance,

URBAN AG increased drought tolerance - Smith was certain he’d found the right fit.

The road to excellence It is easy to recognize what makes a turfgrass variety a great choice for certain uses, but we rarely get a peek into how that specific variety came to be. As new cultivars are introduced with increasing regularity, it is important to understand what goes into the making of that brand, especially when the stakes are this high.

TifTuf’s recent explosion onto the warmseason turfgrass scene is unprecedented, and while it may seem like an overnight sensation, many years of evaluation and development went into establishing this variety as a top performer.

Developed by the experts in Tifton, Georgia, TifTuf was 20-plus years in the making. “It’s important that we studied this in Georgia, but we had bigger plans for TifTuf,” says Dr. Brian Schwartz, associate professor at the University of Georgia and TifTuf breeder (alongside Dr. Wayne Hanna). “It’s very important to do a lot of testing to make sure you don’t release a product that gets out to the public and fails.”

For the high quality that is demanded at The Swamp, it is essential that the variety chosen perform consistently and predictably under intensive management strategies. That’s where single-sourcing and meticulous crop inspection come in.

With its initial release, all TifTuf plant material was sent directly from Georgia Foundation fields to licensed and Certified sod farms, ensuring

Prior to planting, a state inspector sees every field and must approve it before TifTuf is planted. The history of the field is reviewed, and if it meets standards, approval to plant is granted. But this is just the beginning of the quality assurance process. Once planted and growing, every square foot is visually inspected by The Turfgrass Group three times per year.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

After a painstaking breeding and development process, it was clear that this turf would be a great success if it was brought to market properly. Enter The Turfgrass Group, a licensing and marketing company made up of turf professionals. The team at The Turfgrass Group recognized TifTuf as the superior product it is and began implementing their unique strategy to ensure that this variety would provide the exceptional performance it had shown in trials.

unprecedented consistency in sod production. A second source was later added in California, a first for any UGA variety. This source continues to follow the rigorous standard set in the eastern U.S., while allowing wider-spread distribution in the western part of the country. Every one of the 60 U.S. sod farms and 42 Australian farms that produce TifTuf get it from one of those two sources, guaranteeing purity in over 6,000 acres of TifTuf grown in the U.S., plus hundreds more in Australia.

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URBAN AG The looming deadline for having a usable field was the annual youth football camp hosted at The Swamp in late July. Smith and the Laser Turf team worked quickly to ensure the field was bulldozed, leveled, and sodded in plenty of time for rooting to begin and for the field to be ready for action ahead of the 2019 football schedule.

“With our continuous inspection of TifTuf, we’re ensuring genetic purity.

We’re going to spot anything that’s not TifTuf, but our focus is on offtype Bermuda grasses. At times, it’s like looking for a needle in a stack of needles.”

~ Bill Carraway VP of Sales and Marketing The Turfgrass Group

It is this rigorous process that has led TifTuf to success never before seen. It has been licensed to more farms in less time than any licensed proprietary cultivar in history, and in its first three years in the marketplace has earned recognition in two sports field of the year awards.

“TifTuf has helped with the stadium because of the way that it’s holding up,” says Smith. “After the game, repair is minimal compared to what we were doing. I wanted something that, when you got into the fourth quarter, it didn’t even look like you’d played four quarters.”

Technical expertise and superior product

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Choosing the right turf is only the first step of many in field renovation. After the sod was removed at The Swamp, material had to be removed to correct the field profile and drainage and to create the best possible foundation for the Gators’ new field. Smith hired Laser Turf to complete the field construction and worked with Pike Creek Turf Farm to get the sod.

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Smith has been quite pleased with the performance of the new field. After hosting four home games in five weeks, recovery was excellent and Smith did not plan to rye overseed at the end of the season.

Smith continued, “I’m just super excited to have this much Bermuda grass this late as a base going into the off season. Where we’re going to be at next season – I’m very excited.”

The Gators have confirmed their status as a leader in the fiercely competitive SEC, and every element of the team’s performance is under close scrutiny for the top caliber performance that is expected at this level. While the collective efforts of over 80,000 fans may be called the 12th man on game day, a solid foundation of an exceptional playing surface may just be the ultimate champion.

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Hydrangeas

About the author

Shocking colors that make you want to dance

by Norman Winter, Horticulturist, Author and Speaker Electric blue and neon purple in my

hydrangeas made 2019 an unforgettable year in the garden. These colors came courtesy of Let’s Dance Rave hydrangeas from Proven Winners.

We’ve all seen those photos in catalogues and brochures making us wonder, "Would those flowers really look like that at my house?" and I can say, "Yes-they-did!"

I planted 25 hydrangeas, best I can count, representing three species and seven varieties.

They all performed very well but I want to tout three in particular. Let’s Dance Rave literally stole the show in the garden which is hard to do with companion plants like Compact Electric Orange SunPatiens. You can immediately gather this garden was a little on the gaudy side and perhaps perfect for garden party dance.

Let’s Dance Rave will get 36 inches tall and as wide and is a re-bloomer. I suspect it may get a little taller in the deep south. It is recommended for zones 5-9 and, like other Hydrangea macrophylla varieties, the color is really dependent on soil pH. Acidic soil gives intense blues and purple and alkaline soil will yield rich and vibrant pink shades.

Let's Dance Rave

Big Daddy is just that.: big flowers (10" - 14" wide) and a big plant (5' - 6' tall and wide). Like Let’s Dance Rave, color is dependent on soil pH. Big Daddy is recommended for zones 6-9 and will thrive in part sun, morning sun and afternoon shade, or high filtered light.

Follow him on Facebook: Norman Winter The Garden Guy

My last shout out goes to Chantilly Lace. This is a selection of Hydrangea paniculata that differs from a lot of other varieties of this species in that it has the large sterile flowers and small fertile flowers. In Savannah it was a pollinator magnet for swallowtails, hairstreaks and bees.

If you want glorious white hydrangea blooms in mid-to late-summer with the accompaniment of pollinators, then this is the one for you. It is recommended for zones 3-8. It is large, reaching 5' tall and wide. It blooms on current seasons' growth so cutting back will be part of your regimen. This hydrangea can go in full sun to part shade.

I hope you’ll stroll your landscape to see where the addition of a few hydrangeas might dazzle with color and butterflies. You may very well find yourself shouting, "Let’s Dance!" and, "Who's Your Daddy?"

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

At the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens, I had fallen for Big Daddy hydrangea, part of the Southern Living Plant Collection. The obvious question was whether it would perform similarly at my home in West Georgia. I can ecstatically now shout, "Who's Your Daddy?"

Yes, Big Daddy looks happy here but the shocker to me was how much reblooming I got and in early November my blooms aged into a beautiful kaleidoscope of purples.

Norman Winter is the former director of the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm, now retired.

These days he is an author and speaker on horticultural topics.

Big Daddy

Chantilly Lace

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URBAN AG

Crown, branch and root damage Tree susceptibility in ice storms

by Dr. Kim D. Coder, Professor of Tree Biology & Health Care, Warnell School, UGA Major ice storms cause catastrophic damage to trees. In reviewing ice

storm caused damage in trees, it is possible to formulate some tree health care and management applications to minimize damage from the next major ice storm. Tree damage from ice storms can be summarized into four interrelated components:

1) tree canopy or crown attributes; 2) branch characteristics; 3) roots and soil; and, 4) specific tree species strength attributes.

Figure 1 presents these primary components as well as lists the number of specific tree attributes included within each component and number of research studies which cited each component.

Tree crowns/canopy

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Tree crown or canopy damage causes shortterm decline, pest issues, potential for further damage in subsequent storms, and an increased probability of mortality.

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Figure 1: Summary of all attributes cited in research studies as leading to tree ice damage.

Figure 2 provides one study’s damage classes for crowns and branches. This system uses six damage classes to delineate levels of branch and canopy loss. Note minor and insignificant damage was defined as less than 25% branch and canopy loss.

Asymmetrical crowns One tree characteristic often cited leading to severe ice storm damage is an asymmetrical crown. The additional load consequences of twisting (torque) on tree crowns tend to accentuate ice and wind loads. Edge tree locations, tree center of mass changes, previous canopy damage, and aspect changes of stem and root plate can all lead to asymmetrical crowns. A highly imbalanced tree canopy, and associated loss of structural resistance to failure, is significant under normal conditions and wind loads. The addition of large amounts of ice and wind loads against tree components less able to flex and fall back against the wind, as well as long duration ice causing creep in wood components, all overload and unbalance tree structure.

Figure 2: Damage classes established for percent branch and crown loss assessed after an ice accumulation of 1.2 - 2.4 inches.

URBAN AG Canopy surface area Increasing the surface area of a tree crown increases ice accumulation and wind impact area. Many studies cited increasing crown surface area as responsible for increasing tree damage. Large trees, evergreen trees, and trees with many twigs and branches all had increased surface area for ice accumulation.

Figure 3 is a summary conclusion where percent of crown damage provides survival and death expectations within five years. Crown loss and associated short-term mortality across three tree diameter classes are given in Figure 4. Of the five species presented, the largest diameters have the most crown loss but relatively low mortality.

Figure 4: Crown loss and associated shortterm mortality percent for selected species by diameter size class.

Figure 5 shows tree mortality four years after a major ice storm damaged crowns. Tree mortality becomes large after 50% crown loss and immense after 75% crown loss.

Figure 6 presents a tree mortality curve after three years based upon canopy damage. After canopy damage reached 75%, mortality rates increased rapidly. The difference between the healthy green line and the dead red line are trees which decline but did not die.

Figure 5: Red pine (Pinus resinosa) mortality four years after a major ice storm damaged various portions of tree crowns.

Figure 6: Tree health status after 3 years, based upon initial canopy damage from a major ice storm.

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Figure 3: Canopy loss and tree mortality in 5 years.

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URBAN AG Decurrent shaped crowns Trees with decurrent or broad rounded crowns were observed to have both more and less ice damage than excurrent forms, depending upon the ice storm. Some studies showed the large size and surface area of a widely spread crown had more ice accumulation and associated damage. Other studies showed there was not any additional damage, or even less damage, due to this crown form.

Excurrent shaped crowns

Figure 7: Three tree health decline classes, three years after a major ice storm, based upon initial canopy damage from ice loads.

Figure 7, expanding upon the same data, shows light, moderate, and heavy decline after three years for trees with various levels of ice storm canopy damage. Note 50% of all trees had light decline when they sustained between 25% and 50% initial ice damage to their canopies.

Crown diameter One measure of tree interception of freezing rain is crown diameter. The greater diameter of a canopy, the greater ice accumulation and more weight applied to tree structure. A number of studies found increasing crown diameter increased damage from ice storms.

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Open grown trees

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There is much variation across studies concerning open grown trees isolated from surrounding trees which otherwise could provide mechanical support through shielding or support. Some studies showed open grown trees, with larger crowns and carrying more surface area, had more ice and wind damage.

Other studies found open grown trees were more resistant to ice damage because they had structurally adjusted to strong wind loads, and associated stem and branch movement. As in edge trees, additional tree, site and storm variables seem to play a greater role in ice damage than simply the open growth form.

Trees with excurrent or narrow conical shaped crowns were observed to have both more and less ice damage, depending upon the ice storm. Some studies showed the upright and narrow crown form, and limited freezing rain interception area of an excurrent crown, to have less ice damage than decurrent forms.

Alternatively, excurrent crown shape was associated with evergreen conifers, juvenile broadleaves, and ecological pioneer species, all of which have been cited as more susceptible to ice storm damage.

Emergent/dominant crowns Several studies noted tree canopies extending well above neighboring trees were likely to have more ice damage than other trees. Tree attributes like height, crown surface area and canopy diameter also played a role in this variable. Both ice accumulation and additional wind loading placed more stress and strain on tree structural parts in this crown class.

Codominant crowns In one study, trees in the codominant crown class, or the common canopy height of a stand, were cited as sustaining more damage than other crown classes. This effect was greatest where large expanses of forest canopy was roughly the same height and tree canopies were close together.

Live crown ratio Live crown ratio is a common measure of tree health and vitality. The more total height of a tree supporting actively growing, productive branches along its length, the greater live crown ratio. Trees with small live crown ratios have all of their canopy concentrated near the top of a tree. This form of a tree can be considered

URBAN AG “lion’s tailed.” These small live crown ratio trees were cited as having too much canopy too close to the top of a tree, which tended to increase wind sail at the end of a long lever arm, and disrupts diameter growth and taper development to resist bending loads.

Shade intolerance An older means of classifying life styles of trees has been using tolerance and intolerance of shade. This type of tolerance rating is a proxy for competition tolerance from surrounding trees and other plants. Trees which are shade intolerant are usually ecological pioneer species colonizing open or exposed locations. This species life style classification tends to have more ice damage than more shade tolerant species.

Branches

Poor branch architecture

In many studies, generally “poor” branch architecture leads to greater ice damage than “better” branch architecture. The components of poor architecture include, but are not limited to, branch angle, number, connections, density of twigs, opposite or whirled node genesis, and forks. In some ways, this category of ice damage causality was a depository for unknown or unclear attributes leading to damage.

Branch sizes damaged in ice storms were examined. Figure 8 presents sizes of branches lost under ice loads combined for beech (Fagus grandifolia) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum).

Branch diameter is measured at each branch base. Branches lost from ice loads averaged ~3.1 inches (7.9cm) in base diameter. This suggests a branch diameter to length threshold between smaller loads on smaller branches and larger loads on structurally well-adjusted branches.

This attribute is treated as a general statement of why trees sustained damage or failed.

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URBAN AG Figure 9 contrasts sound and unsound branch damaged by ice. Unsound branches are damaged more than sound branches until a diameter of 12 inches is exceeded. Note in this study the larger the branch, the less damage.

Branch structural problems Branches with large decay columns, old injuries, structurally unsound branch connections to supporting tissue, and branches having big cracks and decayed portions were found to be more susceptible to ice damage. Unsound branches were cited numerous times as leading to ice damage. In some cases, ice loading was considered a crown cleaning which removed unsound branches, but at a cost of additional injury to remaining tree tissues.

Figure 8: Basal diameter (cm) of branches lost in major ice storm for beech (Fagus grandifolia) and maple (Acer saccharum).

Figure 10 presents a list of tree species with downed branches observed to be unsound. The average species is silver maple (Acer saccharinum) having 22% of all its downed branches unsound. Note in the case of bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis), if a branch fails, it was always an unsound branch.

Branch & twig density Many studies observed trees with dense branching and twigs had more surface area for ice accumulation, more wind drag under ice, and so, more ice damage. Many small branches along primary scaffold branches, and many twigs along branches/branchlets led to greater ice storm damage. A species or individual being “twiggy” was cited as key to ice damage.

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Lateral branch number

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Several authors observed a greater number of lateral branches generated more ice damage.

This increased load on supporting branches and stem, and increased surface area for ice accumulation and wind load impacts, generating more ice storm damage.

Wide branching angles Figure 9: Relative ice load damage to branches by branch base diameter in inces for sound and unsound (i.e., dead/decayed) branch bases.

Trees with horizontal branches, or a branch generated with a wide angle to its supporting axis, were cited as having greater ice storm damage. In the case of ice accumulation, more upright branches, if the branch connection was sound and not in a codominant/fork configuration, handled ice loads better than

URBAN AG horizontal branches. The additional impact of gravity on longer horizontal branches (longer lever arms), coupled with a larger ice deposition surface area, generated significantly more ice damage.

Included bark Weak branch connections and branch connections with included bark (periderm) led to increased ice storm damage. Included periderm within a branch base clearly decreases branch connection strength, but is also associated with narrow branching angles and forks. Isolating individual causal agents from branches in ice storm damage remains difficult.

Forks/codominant branching A major structural plague in trees under normal conditions and average wind loads are forks and codominant branches. These branching configurations are inherently less resistant over time to extraordinary wind and ice load conditions. Many branch failures in ice storms were found to have structurally weakened branch unions primarily due to included periderm.

Opposite branching pattern Of the three normally cited branching patterns in tree species (i.e. whorled, opposite, and alternate), opposite branching was found to generate the most ice damage. The mechanical interactions at one nodal torus, or double branch union area, can be structurally weaker under extraordinary wind and ice loads than alternate branching. Opposite branching can be easily managed through pruning.

Tip-weighted branches

Stiff branches An interesting observation regarding trees and ice storm damage is less flexible branches tend to fail. Observation of stiff versus flexible can be subjective, but multiple studies have used this concept in describing ice storm damage.

Flexible branches tend to fall back (sag) against ice and wind loads. Stiff branches tend to break under ice and wind loads.

Drooping branching form One study found trees with drooping branch forms more prone to ice, and associated wind damage, than traditional branching trees. The drooping form under ice loads tends to sag and tear downward, generating significant damage.

Unmagaged trees It has been made clear through a number of studies, unmanaged, unpruned, and poorly cared for trees are at greater risks of ice storm damage than are trees which have been properly cleaned, dead-wooded, and periodically pruned.

Wild and feral trees under urban/suburban and landscape conditions are most prone to ice storm damage. Appropriate tree management can minimize ice damage under many storm conditions.

UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Proportionally long, slender, and lion-tailed branches have been cited as more prone to ice storm damage. Foliage, twigs, and branchlets concentrated near the tip of branches generate significant loading at the end of a relatively long lever arm. Extreme pruning/thinning/cleaning of interior crown volume can leave trees with tip-weighted branches. This growth form disrupts taper development and concentrates ice accumulation at the branch end. Branches which are simply long, compared to other branches in a crown, were also prone to ice damage.

Figure 10: Percent of ice storm-downed branches which were unsound.

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URBAN AG Roots & soils Tree root damage is difficult to assess. After an ice storm, new whole tree tilting, progressive lean, visible root plate raising or lowering, and soil cracks or indentations in the soil surface can be evident and are caused by root damage.

Figure 11 presents a six-level damage classification and the associated root plate angle values. Up to roughly 20o tilt, damage to tree root plates were considered insignificant or minor.

Shallow rooting

Figure 11: Damage classes established for the angle of root plate tipping in degrees, assessed after ice accumulation of 1.2 - 2.4 inches.

Any soil limitation which mechanically or chemically prevents roots from colonizing and holding a large ecologically viable soil volume, leads to increased ice damage. Soil impervious layers, thin soils, high water tables, compaction, and anaerobic conditions near the soil surface all initiate root growth and survival problems.

Limited rooting depth was cited as leading to greater ice storm damage.

Saturated soil Soil with high water contents tend to limit tree root growth and survival. Saturated soil in particular was cited as limiting tree resistance to ice and associated wind damage.

Coarse soils Figure 12: Example of tree species and dominant ice damage forms.

Sandy or gravelly soils were cited as limiting tree resistance to ice and wind loading. The more coarse a soil, or the greater gravel content, the more likely was ice storm damage.

Tree species Species UAC MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Of all the reasons proposed for trees being either susceptible or resistant to ice storm damage, a general species identification was common among observers. Which species were susceptible, intermediate, and resistant to ice damage tended to be a simple and quick observation. Another publication in this series provides tree species susceptibility ratings across Eastern North America from many studies.

A number of observers suggested tree species played a role in ice storm damage.

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Figure 13: Probability percent of tree species mortality within 5 years of ice storm damage.

URBAN AG One observer felt ice and wind loads, as well as other tree and site attributes were much more important than species, so much so as to nearly negate species altogether.

Figure 12 provides, for selected tree species, the amount of stand damage and dominant damage from each species sustained. One-third of the basal area of beech (Fagus grandifolia) and paper birch (Betula papyrifera) bent, while white ash (Fraxinus americana) sustained small amounts of damage, but tended to bend and break under ice storms.

Figure 13 shows for selected tree species, the percent mortality in less than five years after ice damage which occurred in this study. Three species had a greater than 30% probability of mortality, while two species (in this case both conifers) had a mortality probability of less than 10% from the same ice storm.

Figure 14 shows how white pine (Pinus strobus) generates additional compression wood in adapting to new structural load conditions due to ice storm loading. Compression wood production is especially noticeable in the 2 - 4 inch (5 - 10cm) dbh classes. More research on specific species reactions to ice storms is needed.

Figure 14: The amount of additional compression wood area generated in white pine (Pinus strobus) as a result of a major ice storm.

Wood strength

Figure 15 presents resistance to bending based upon tree diameter and its greenwood MOR in megapascals. The greater diameter and MOR, the more a tree resists bending in an ice storm.

Greater resistance to bending was suggested to reduce ice damage.

Other studies concluded inherent greenwood strength and resistance to ice and wind loading had insignificant impacts on ice storm damage.

Figure 15: Tree resistance to bending by diameter for various wood Modulus of Rupture (MOR in MPa) values.

An interesting point emerged from these multiple studies in greenwood resistance to ice damage, whereas ice duration on a tree increases, MOE should become more important. Another publication in this series examined tree susceptibility to ice damage and greenwood resistance in much greater detail.

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Greenwood strength and load resistance is another tree attribute cited many times as being involved in susceptibility to ice storm damage. The level of inherent wood resistance to bending and failure is greatly debated. A number of studies suggested wood strength did play a small role (<20% of variability) in ice storm damage resistance. Most cited characters of tree species strength included greenwood density, modulus of rupture (MOR), and modulus of elasticity (MOE).

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URBAN AG Poor health Among all of tree and site structural components examined across many studies, one observer noted poor health as important. Trees in poor health were most likely to have ice and associated wind load damage. Health suggests past history, and future expectations, associated with the present state of a tree to resist ice damage.

Catastrophic failure risks Because ice and wind loads place significant structural stress and strain on trees, a quick examination of tree failures under wind load alone is warranted, assuming ice load accentuates most issues.

Figure 16: Attributes leading to low and high risks of tree windthrow.

Juvenile wood Juvenile wood in crown and root tissues can be short fibered and brash, leading to increased ice damage compared with mature wood. Two studies suggested this juvenile wood component led to tree structural failures under ice and wind loads.

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Brittle wood

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The description of wood qualities can be subjective when noted in the field. The term “brittle” is a descriptor difficult to define. Two studies cited brittle wood as leading to ice storm damage. It is unclear if this brittleness is associated with juvenile wood or compartment faults in mature wood. Wood decay could also play a role in making wood brittle.

Poor compartmentalization Tree species and individuals which do not effectively defend the frontier between living and dead tissues are said to be poor compartmentalizer. Trees with poor reactions to injury have been categorized as more prone to ice damage. Compartmentalization is also associated with energy storage and health of a tree, as well as past damage and associated compartment lines. This tree attribute needs more study and clarifying to afford its use in ice storms.

Figure 16 lists attributes which are associated with both low risk and high risk for tree windthrow. In this case, risk factors are categorized by stem & crown, root system, age and size, exposure, and soil factors. Most of these individual risk factors in the high risk category have been covered previously by ice storm studies. Other high-risk factors are generally mechanical in nature and suggests poor resistance to ice, wind, and/or gravity loading. These high-risk factors listed should be included in any ice storm damage assessment.

Conclusions For trees, regardless of species for the most part, major ice storms can lead to severe damage.

Some forms of damage can be minimized by management of tree and site attributes, but cannot be completely eliminated. Well cared for trees which are healthy, structurally sound, and prepared by tree health care providers are most likely to survive any ice storm. Rare massive ice and wind events, and associated tree damage, cannot be fully anticipated and will not pass without scarring trees and landscapes.

To view this article and all citations online, visit: www.warnell.uga.edu/outreach/publications/ individual/crown-branch-root-damage-treesusceptibility-ice-storms-0

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