Landscape Ontario - March 2017

March 2017 horttrades.com

OTTAWA

HONOURS Joan Johnston and Jim Bauer help celebrate outstanding contributions in Eastern Ontario.

DYNAMIC DUO. The Ditch Witch® SK755 and CX16 provide the perfect one, two punch on your jobsite. Both machines deliver class-leading productivity with features like a high-drive track system and enhanced operator station that provide more ground clearance, greater lift capacity, faster ground speed, longer track life, and more operator comfort. SK mini skid steers also send more horsepower to the attachment for a knock-out blow to any competitor. Best of all, every DitchWitch product is supported by Brandt, the best 24/7, after-sales support team in the business. That’s Powerful Value. Delivered.

brandt.ca 1-888-227-2638 2 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

S’ LOGO

SUMERS’ RS’ LOGO , Website edia, etc.)

ON LOGO

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE The power of collaboration

By Paul Brydges LO President

H

aving just returned from my first Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) national meetings in Toronto, I am impressed to see so many initiatives in Ontario have the same energy and impact across the country. Even though Landscape Ontario members make up the largest percentage of CNLA, the smaller provinces also have amazing staff and volunteers who carry out just as many projects as we see here at home.

After many years of working behindthe-scenes on a foundation to support our initiatives, Alan White had the joy to see CNLA universally endorse the Green Cities Foundation. Congratulations and thank you Alan, for seeing this through. Now projects such as St. James Park (and many more) can be considered a registered charitable project. This foundation opens up many doors for marketing to members of the public who may also wish to assist in many of

March, 2017 • Volume 35, No. 3 horttrades.com Landscape Ontario’s mandate is to be the leader in representing, promoting and fostering a favourable environment for the advancement of the horticultural profession in Ontario.

ISSN 1928-9553 Publications Mail Agreement No. PM40013519

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department Landscape Ontario 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 Canada Phone: 905-875-1805

our public outreach initiatives.

Timing on the CNLA meetings was amazing as it was announced the Canadian Landscape Standard (CLS) was accepted by the government for procurement of services on government sites.

Going forward, tenders will be referring to, and taking into account, companies that are aware of the standards and adhere to them. This is a great starting point for the CLS, but there is still a lot of work to do.

Efforts are ongoing to get the standards into all municipal and provincial government offices, as well as into the curriculum of all post-secondary environmental-based design programs.

I have been travelling around the province via an invitation from Unilock to speak to their contractors about the value of LO and collaboration. I was surprised to see at each of these meetings, (some with over 100 attendees), that less than 50 per cent and sometimes as little as 20 per cent of the people attending were members of LO. I have heard the statistic from home office that only about 10 per cent of “landscapers” in Ontario are members of LO. I know we, as members, see the incredible value we receive with our membership, but I find it amazing so few others choose to join LO.

Editor Robert Ellidge rellidge@landscapeontario.com, 647-722-5645 Assistant editor Scott Barber sbarber@landscapeontario.com, 647-478-3171 Graphic designer Mike Wasilewski mikew@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5343 Sales manager Steve Moyer stevemoyer@landscapeontario.com, 416-848-0708 Integrated solutions representative Greg Sumsion gsumsion@landscapeontario.com, 647-722-6977 Communications coordinator Angela Lindsay alindsay@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5305 Accountant Joe Sabatino jsabatino@landscapeontario.com, 647-724-8585 Publisher Lee Ann Knudsen CLM lak@landscapeontario.com, 416-848-7557 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO STAFF Darryl Bond, Amy Buchanan, Kim Burton, Rachel Cerelli, Tony DiGiovanni CHT, Denis Flanagan CLD, J. Alex Gibson, Meghan Greaves, Heather MacRae, Kristen McIntyre CHT CEM, Kathy McLean, Linda Nodello, Kathleen Pugliese, Ian Service, Myscha Stafford, Tom Somerville, Martha Walsh, Cassandra Wiesner

I would not expect everyone to be a member, but 10 per cent is just a starting point.

Our firm pushes contacts we know are nonmembers to join and are happy to say we have initiated several new members this way. I think if we all make a conscious effort to ask contacts and colleagues if they are members, and if not, why not?, we will see more uptake in the coming years.

As more professions become affected by government regulation, it only makes sense to be bonded together as one group to share a voice to raise concerns and applaud success. With amazing attendance at Congress this year, perhaps those nonmembers who attended will start to spread the word about the value of collaboration.

Every meeting I have been to, both within LO and outside of it, has either had the theme of collaboration or at least a strong emphasis on the value of it. This theme is not just in horticulture, but in all aspects of professional practice. We all rely on specialists to assist us in our daily lives.

Ron Koudys spoke at the Designer’s Conference about engineers and doctors being specialists within their own profession. We too are specialists in what is becoming a broader field of practice. In order to put together our many diverse projects we collaborate with colleagues on a daily basis.

With the busiest winter on record for LO meetings and business continuing for our members I know a prosperous 2017 is within sight. Here’s to an early spring.

Paul Brydges may be reached at paulbrydges.la@sympatico.ca.

4 6 10 11 20 21 22 24 30 30

FEATURES GREENTRADE EXPO NIGHT FROST CANADA BLOOMS

ASSOCIATION NEWS NEW MEMBERS EVENTS INDUSTRY NEWS COLUMNS AD INDEX CLASSIFIEDS

Views expressed are those of the writer concerned. Landscape Ontario assumes no responsibility for the validity or correctness of any opinions or references made by the author. Copyright 2017, reproduction or the use of whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Published 11x per year. Rates and deadlines are available on request. Subscription price: $43.51 per year (HST included).

For subscription and address changes, please e-mail subscriptions@landscapeontario.com

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 3

Exhibitors from Ontario and Quebec take advantage of the captive audience GreenTrade Expo provides.

GreenTrade Expo connects the landscape profession

By Robert Ellidge

The 24th edition of GreenTrade Expo, held at the EY Centre on Feb. 15 in Ottawa, Ont., continued the long-standing tradition of being the primary gathering place for landscape professionals in Eastern Ontario to network, share ideas and do business.

The night before, Landscape Ontario’s Ottawa Chapter held a gala and casino night at the venue, honouring individuals and suppliers within the Ottawa and Upper Canada Chapters at the third annual Awards of Distinction. Presented

by Connon Nurseries CBV, the special event began with a social hour and dinner, followed by the presentation of awards. Hosts Bruce Morton, GreenTrade Expo chair and Ed Hansen, Ottawa Chapter director, announced the winners while also entertaining the audience of about 125 people with humour and personal stories. The duo even engaged the audience in a poetry reading contest to coincide with Valentine’s Day. Nominations for all awards were received via online entry that opened in mid-January. All LO members were able to nominate other members within the chapters and then vote on those nominated to determine the winners. Supplier awards were handed out first. Winners are: Best Plant Materials Supplier, Manderley Turf Products; Best Hardscape Materials Supplier, Greely Sand & Gravel; Best Landscape Equipment and Accessories Supplier to the Trade, Geo-

4 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

synthetic Systems; Best Supplier to the Landscape Trades, Bradley’s Insurance; Best Salesperson of the Year, Andrew Colautti, Cohen and Cohen Natural Stone and Terence Hills, Manderley Turf Products (a tie).

Awards for individuals were handed out next. The Joan Johnston LO Community Volunteer Award recognizes individual members who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the LO community. This year’s recipients are: Sundaura Alford, A Cultivated Art; Jim Bauer, Bauer Landscape & Garden Maintenance; Dan Clost; Mike Fulcher, Permacon; Chris Urquhart, Green Unlimited; Sharon Urquhart, Green Unlimited.

The Jim Bauer Legacy Award, sponsored by Greely Sand & Gravel, recognizes member companies who have been in business for at least 20 years and a member of LO for at least 10 years. Jim Bauer, founding member of the Ottawa Chapter was on hand to present awards to: B&T MacFarlane Ottawa, Central Precast, Connon Nurseries CBV, Green Unlimited, Harmony Gardens Landscaping, Manotick Tree Movers, Manderley Turf Products and Twin Equipment.

Sharon Urquhart from Green Unlimited received the Joan Johnston Award for her many contributions over the years, which included founding the annual Ottawa Chapter Day of Tribute that sees volunteers work closely with members of the Canadian Military to prepare Canada’s National Military Cemetery for Remembrance Day proceedings. Urqu-

hart said she was “amazed, humbled and truly honoured” to receive the award which was also “a big surprise.” Urquhart added, “I really respect Landscape Ontario and all of the work they do and the people who work in this industry and to be included in that group is a great thing.”

Urquhart said the idea for the annual Day of Tribute actually occurred with some discussions at GreenTrade Expo back in 2004. Inquires and discussions followed and the first event was held in 2005 to coincide with the Year of the Veteran. Urquhart says the goal is to have all LO chapters hold similar events in their local communities to honour Canada’s military and their families.

After the award presentations, attendees were entertained by the live band, Werth It! while they tried their luck with large amounts of pretend money at a casino night sponsored by Gifford Associates. Winnings were then converted into raffle tickets for a chance to win various prizes.

Contractor breakfast

The following day, GreenTrade Expo’s educational program began at 7 a.m. with the annual, and very popular, MTO Contractor’s Breakfast session. Presented

by Bradley’s Insurance and Manderley Turf Products, MTO officer Marc Stang updated the 80 contractors in attendance about changes to safety regulations and commercial vehicle safety.

Following the MTO session, the trade show officially opened at 9 a.m. GreenTrade Expo chair Bruce Morton said despite 12 cm of snow, the weather was not able to slow down the show. “Our attendance was down a little bit because of the weather, but the key decision makers attended the show and were there to do business,” Morton said.

The educational program continued throughout the day with presentations by many local experts. Among them, Wendy Trudel from the Community Employment Resource Centre in Kanata, informed attendees about the Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG). The program provides up to $10,000 per employee for training that provides new skills to help elevate the workforce and assist with employee retention.

Trudel said one major benefit to business owners is the ability to work one-onone with a local employment office, rather than having to deal directly with a branch of the government in Ottawa.

Mark Nesbitt, president of Nesbitt Training and Consulting attended Trudel’s

(L-R) Awards co-host Ed Hansen poses with Stacy Elliott and Jeannie Ryan of Bradley’s Insurance while accepting their award for Best Supplier to the Landscape Trades.

session and said the program is really designed to benefit companies with under 50 employees. “The government has recognized the issue of business owners trying to find good help and have now made funding available,” Nesbitt said. “The grant also provides the opportunity for those who are already good at their job to now learn something new and reach the next level.”

Nesbitt confirmed the process is very user-friendly. “If I can do the application, anybody can; and it literally takes three weeks to a month to get paid,” he said, which is helpful to smaller companies who can’t afford to have a lot cash flow being used for training expenses.

Other presentations throughout the day included sessions on snow removal insurance, employment insurance, landscape and garden designs and using plants for screening. LO’s Landscape Designer Sector Group also held an update meeting with sector chair Chris Clayton and LO president Paul Brydges.

The trade show floor had over 100 exhibitors from across Ontario and Quebec doing business with local contractors. One of them, Benjamin Rehmann from Rehmann Interlock in Gatineau, Que., attended the show to see “what other companies have to offer in order to make his company better.” Rehmann says being able to see products and

Students from Algonquin College help out at the coffee bar and many other areas of the show.

equipment at the show that he didn’t even know existed is a reason why he returned this year. Rehmann says he just purchased an Isuzu truck for his business after seeing it for the first time at the show last year.

Students help out

GreenTrade runs smoothly in part to the hard work and dedication of LO’s Ottawa Chapter members, but also due to a very strong relationship that provides students from Algonquin College to help set up and run the show. Steve Neumann, long-time member of the Ottawa Chapter board, currently serving as treasurer, is also co-coordinator of the horticulture industries program and apprenticeship program at Algonquin College. Neumann has been involved with GreenTrade for many years and said the idea came about a few years ago to get the students involved. “The day of GreenTrade, we cancel all classes for the day and each student is expected to be at the show for at least a four-hour shift to help out with various aspects of the show,” Neumann said. A total of 51 students helped with registration and other areas of the show and seven apprentices helped the day before with move-in.

Neumann said not only does working at the show help with the mandatory co-op portion of the program, it also helps

the students to make connections with future employers. “It’s a great way for students to sell themselves and it’s a great way for us to give back to industry for all of the support we get,” said Neumann.

Neumann said simply walking around the show, students are “exposed to seeing how connected this industry is” where competitors share stories and help one another. “It’s that interaction that is key for these students to find out.”

First-year horticulture industries program student Cory Couturier said attending the show is a fantastic way for him to start networking with the close-knit group of contractors in the area. “Getting out here and meeting people are ways to get into the industry and make contacts,” Couturier explained. “You might apply for a job and they may not need you at the time, but they may know somebody who does.” Couturier hopes to eventually specialize in urban farming and wants anyone who is anyone in the city to plant or grow something in order to give back to the world.

Morton said the chapter is extremely pleased with the outcome of the events and already have plans in motion for 2018. “Our warmest thanks to the Algonquin College students and to all our volunteers who helped set up and run the show.

Thanks also to our generous sponsors, without whom we would not have a show.”

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 5

the fall. Here in southern Ontario, we have had severe damage to tobacco crops as early as late August. I have seen a nice stand of my Zinnias killed several times by frosts in the first few days of September.

Over the last 10 to 15 years, the very first frosts don’t happen until the middle of September and damaging frost is even later. I can enjoy my Zinnias into October.

When it comes to damaging frosts in the spring, I do not see any changes over the last 30 years. Every few years, we see a real killer frost in the second-half of May. Sometimes it is only one night, but that is all it takes.

What damage is caused by frost?

In the fall, corn and soybean plants can be killed before the kernels or pods fully ripen. This will result in lower yields. In the spring, damage is different depending on All pictures taken in Malden, Holland in April 1977. Despite the the plant. I have seen heavy build up of ice, these apple trees produced a normal crop. $8,000 worth of bedding plants killed in one night because people at a big box store did not have a clue what was going to happen. We have had night frosts in

By John Moons southern Ontario where young soybean plants were sufficiently damaged that Night frost is the occurrence of freezing fields then had to be reseeded. Corn conditions that happen at night. This artiplants that were 50 cm high have been cle is about frosts that happen in spring hit by frost, but only the growing point and fall that can cause damage to plants was killed. You will not have any cobs, or parts of plants, which can lead to a but the plant is still good for silage. Fruit decline in yields. Night frosts happen in growers are probably the ones who suffer many parts of the world. Here in Ontario, the most. In the flower of apples the style fruit growers can be victims, but so can is very frost-sensitive. Pollen that lands growers of corn, soybeans and other vegon the stigma cannot make it through etables and those who grow or deal with the style to reach the ovary and no pollination takes place if temperatures have annual flowers and vegetables. dropped too low. Not all cultivars show We have all heard stories of orange the same damage. Some cultivars have orchards in Florida or California that were all the flowers within a few days and a hit by night frosts or coffee trees in Brazil good frost in that time span will do a lot of that suffered a similar fate. damage. One good night frost can mean When we consider the fact of global no crop and no income for that year. warming, you would expect damaging Golden delicious apples, however, will night frosts to occur less frequently. I find bloom for quite some time. The first flowthis only true for frosts that happen in

Night frost

6  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

ers might be damaged, but in the flowers that bloom later, pollination and hence a crop, is still possible. Vegetable growers can have all their young tomato or pepper plants killed by a good frost. Tree nurseries can be hit too. Here, it is mostly young shoots or leaves that freeze and can be killed. Just when you are ready to sell nice, healthy looking plants, you may find that frost has made them unsalable.

The plants do not get killed. Dormant buds will wake up and give you a new crop of shoots or leaves, but that takes a number of weeks.

A few years ago, we had a really good frost in May. The strange thing about it was that a lot of the native trees lost all of their leaves, where all of the imported species kept their leaves. Later that summer we could see the trees had grown new leaves and we suspected there were more leaves than the year before. Early blooming Magnolias can have their flowers damaged by a frost. Bulbs and perennials can also be hit. A nice stand of Narcissus can be ruined by a good frost.

The flower stems develop a weak spot and the whole flower will hang down and eventually dry out. Iris flowers can freeze in the bud. Fallopia japonica (this is the old Polygonum cuspidatum) freezes down to the ground here every other year, but they always come back from dormant buds in the ground.

What is the mechanism behind night frost?

I will not go into too much scientific detail. Heat from the sun comes to us by way of shortwave radiation. The wavelength is from 0.3 to 2.2 mu (visible light is in the range of 0.36 mu to 0.76 mu).

Of course, this happens only in daytime when it is light outside. How much energy is absorbed by the ground and things on or near the ground, depends on a few factors. One important factor is albedo: this is the ratio of the amount of radiation reflected by a body and the amount of radiation that has hit it. A few values here are: fresh fluffy snow is 75-95 per cent, dense cloud cover is 60-90 per cent, sandy soil is 15-40 per cent, wood is 5-20 per cent, dark cultivated soil is 7-10 per cent. If the albedo is a high number, then not a lot of energy will reach the earth and heat it. Incoming energy can be absorbed as heat or radiated out as a longer wave radiation. Of course, another way to heat up an area is when warmer air is brought in by the wind. An area can be cooled down by two different factors.

One is when cold air is brought in by the wind. This does not usually result in night

frost. The earth and the atmosphere radiate heat out as long wave radiation of 6.8 mu to about 100 mu. This process takes place day and night. How much is radiated away depends on a number of factors. Some of these are: the type of soil, the amount of vegetation, loose or compacted soil, dry or wet soil and clouds or obstacles overhead.

Sometimes there are eddies just above the ground and this mixing of air can have a warming effect. The long wave radiation is by far the most important factor in the cooling process at night. The coldest spots are right at ground level.

On a grass field, we will find an inversion layer at 50 cm to 100 cm above the ground that will have warmer temperatures than at ground level. In a stand of trees the inversion layer is above the tree canopy.

Above this inversion layer the air will get cooler as we go higher. Later on, we will see this inversion layer can play an important role in battling night frost damage.

The greatest drop in temperature will occur on nights without clouds or wind.

The heat is radiated out into space. If there are clouds, the radiation will be absorbed by the clouds and partially sent back to earth, giving a warming effect.

You can see this effect when you drive around on a winter night and check the outside temperature. In an area with no cloud cover, the temperature will be lower than an area with cloud cover.

When you drive into a valley, you will find yourself in a frost hole. Because cold air is denser and heavier than warm air, the cold air will sink through the warm air and find the lowest point in the landscape.

On long slopes you can experience the movement of this cold air as wind, especially if the air can flow out of the valley along the valley floor. There can be a big difference in the temperatures between the edge of the slope and the bottom of the slope.

The amount of radiation from the ground affecting air temperatures is also dependent on the surface of the ground.

In fall, I always want to record the first time we have a night frost. When my weather station (which is mounted at 150 cm above the ground), tells me the temperature is +4.5 C, I can go out and find frost. A good place to look is on a vehicle sitting in the middle of a field. The metal of the vehicle cools down quickly because there is not enough heat coming from the ground. If I lay a piece of sheet metal on a sheet of styrofoam on the grass, that will be the first place to see frost. That means there can be a difference in temperature of 4.5 C over a

vertical distance of 150 cm — and that is quite a bit. The insulating styrofoam will prevent radiation and convective heat from the ground to warm up the layer of air above the foam and frost will occur.

When there is a light frost, it is always interesting to see where there is frost and where there is not. Under a big tree with leaves there is less frost because the radiation gets intercepted and bounced back to earth. The same is true for locations close to buildings. If you have a field with deep ditches or even valleys, these areas will show you the first frost. If you have a sloping field with wind breaks all around, you will find the first frost in the lower part of the field. If you have fruit trees on that field, the ones on the lower end will have frost damage and the ones on the top could be okay. If you have wind breaks on three sides but not on the lowest side, then the cold air will flow out to the lower neighbouring field and your neighbour will get the damage.

Artificial protection against the frost

Artificial protection against frost begins when you choose a location for your sensitive crops. It is useful to remember the differences between advective frost; whereby cold air comes from somewhere else by way of a light wind, and radiation frost, where the cooling takes place because the heat is radiated out into space. Both types can happen at the same time. When the land is flat there is not much you can do. If your land is sloped, the cold air can move around.

The cold air will collect at the bottom of the slope. By placing windbreaks higher

up the hill, you can steer away the flow of cold air to the sides of the field. Make sure you do not send your cold air to your neighbour’s crop. You also have to consider the type of trees for your wind break.

Windbreaks work best when they are in full leaf, so you need trees that leaf-out early or keep their leaves (dead or alive ones) all year long. It might be necessary not to plant on the bottom of the slope, especially if there is no way for the cold air to flow away at the bottom of a valley.

The top of the slope is the most likely location to stay frost free. In order to get an idea where the most frost will occur, you will have to make a lot of observations with thermometers. When laying out an orchard on a slope, pay attention to the direction of the rows so cold air does not get trapped between them. Keep the grass short for better air flow. When protecting plants, 0.5 C can make all the difference. Also, the length of time the plant (or part of the plant) is frozen is critical. Does the frost start at 10 p.m. and last until 8 a.m. the next morning?

Or do you have a bit of frost by the time the sun gets up? The coldest part of the night is just past the point the sun gets up. I do not believe for a moment that frost only occurs when there is a full moon. For frost to occur you need a clear night. On a clear night, you can see the moon, but when there is a new moon you can still have a clear sky and you will have frost. Over my life, I have looked at the stars enough that I can testify to this.

Actual things you can do to prevent frost damage can be fourfold. You can cover up plants, supply heat, circulate air and bring in water through an irrigation system.

Continued > WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 7

Covering plants can be very effective

Backyard gardeners put sheets over their tomato plants and it works. In an empty greenhouse with a double layer of plastic, the difference in temperature at 150 cm above can be as much as 4 or 5 C between the inside and outside of the greenhouse. For a single layer greenhouse, it can be up to 3 C. Put plants up on a bench away from the coldest spot on the ground. Insulated heat blankets work well, and a single sheet is already better than nothing. It is a bit of work, but worthwhile. I have seen a field of tomato and cucumber plants saved by putting black plastic containers over the plants.

The pots were put over the plants by 3 p.m. The time is important. The sun had enough time to heat up the space and the soil under the pots, so all the plants survived a hard frost that night. Make sure the soil is damp. A damp soil holds more heat than a dry, dusty soil. Leave a hole near the ground. It is better to have a bigger pot than a smaller one. It will be worthwhile to move sensitive plants into a barn or shade hall so they are covered up.

Supplying heat

A garden centre can benefit by adding propane heaters like the ones you see on restaurant patios. They are portable and you

8 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

can adjust the amount of heat. Using a fan to circulate the air will be even more effective. Use a sheet of plastic to surround a block of plants so that cold air from outside does not cool them down unnecessarily. It might be worth the cost of having someone on-guard all night for safety and security.

In vineyards and orchards, growers have used all kinds of devices to create heat. Burning stacks of firewood at regular distances can work. Years ago, it was easy to get coal to burn for heat. It is a cheap system to set up, but needs constant attention. You can burn oil in barrels too. Creating a fire with smoke is much better, because the smoke will limit the radiation and might radiate heat back to the plants. Be careful where the smoke goes. You do not want it to go over a public road and reduce visibility. Using only smoke to control frost damage is not easy because the slightest breeze can blow that protection away. In the past, you could get special oil burners that would work for many hours without a lot of supervision. In Europe, at one point, you could buy paraffin blocks with wicks in them. They could easily last one night and with enough of them you could get good protection. On a slope you will need the most heat at the bottom, so that is where you start heating first. It is always very useful to use a good number of thermometers to see where the lowest temperatures are.

Circulating air

On a night with frost, the lowest temperatures are near the ground. You will find warmer air higher up. By mixing that warmer air with the cooler air below, you can create temperatures above freezing around the sensitive parts of the plants.

In California, they use helicopters to fly over orchards all night long to prevent frost damage. It’s not cheap, but it works.

For decades, growers have installed big

fans on towers that provide similar protection. There are all kinds of configurations possible and the systems do work. When you drive around in the grape growing area of the Niagara region you will see numerous fans. A few smaller fans are better than one super fan because you spread the risk better.

Using an irrigation system

To understand this system you have to know that energy is released when water freezes. This energy will keep the sensitive parts of the plant at the freezing point, but not below it.

In high school physics and chemistry, we took a container half-filled with ice and half-filled with water and set it in the freezer. Then every five minutes we read the temperature. As long as there was water in the container the temperature would not go below 0 C. As soon as all the water was gone the temperature would drop quickly. This principle is the reason why it makes sense to use water to prevent frost damage. You might see a lot of ice, but you have to make sure the ice stays wet on the outside. You will have to come back every one or two minutes to spray the ice. If you stop halfway through the night you are in trouble because ice conducts the cold very quickly and your plants will be damaged.

This system can protect your orchard up to -5 C. My dad had an orchard in Holland and we always had a crop. I spent many nights wandering through the orchard and despite a huge build up of ice, we always had apples (see photos by my brother M. Moons). They did not get damaged too much. The wood of plum trees is a lot more brittle and they would be damaged a lot more. We would brace the trees before we were expecting night frost. We turned the irrigation on as soon as the lowest branches reached the zero degree mark. It was absolutely necessary to keep watering until you could see liquid water appearing between the ice on the stem and the stem itself. Sometimes we did not reach that point until two hours after sunrise. We had nights where the irrigation ran for 10 or 11 hours. You do not need a lot of water. Four or five millimeters per hour will be enough, but the sprinkler should make one rotation every 60 to 90 seconds.

Sources: •B arkman, J.J. and Stoutjesdijk, Ph., 1987. Mikroklimaat, vegetatie en fauna.

The Netherlands: Pudoc, Wageningen.

• Geiger, Rudolf, 1965. The climate near the ground. London, England: Harvard University Press Cambridge, Mass.

• Oke, T.R., 1983. Boundary Layer Climates. New York: Methuen, London.

CREATE YOUR: Dream Design Shouldn’t the material used for your outdoor living space make a statement?

Get a FREE Urban Hardscapes brochure and learn how to: • Add a touch of reverent beauty to any landscape project • Utilize Urban Hardscapes for a vast array of outdoor projects • Create your dream design

Visit LimestoneCanada.com

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 9

The facts on Canada Blooms The 21st edition of Canada Blooms, the Toronto Flower and Garden Festival, runs March 10-19 at the Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ont. Featuring stunning display gardens built by Landscape Ontario members, this year’s festival is based on the theme ‘Oh Canada!’ in celebration of Canada’s sesquicentennial.

The annual showcase of landscape, horticulture and floral professionals is the largest of its kind in the country.

For 2017, show organizers have added more seminars, all of which take place onstage or the show floor, including a new workshop area and pop-up workshops in the flower show and Pick Ontario areas.

This year’s festival also boasts more plants (20,000), more gardens (25), a larger garden marketplace and over 1,000 volunteers. Changes at the festival are due in part to the extensive feedback and statistics show management compiled from last year’s festival. Some attendee statistics include: • Attendance of over 185,000 people.

• 94 per cent of attendees are homeowners.

e

• Of those 77 per cent attended the festival with their spouse.

• 40 per cent of attendees come from outside the GTA, including other provinces and the U.S. • 29 per cent of attendees are from the GTA. • 31 per cent of attendees are from the City of Toronto.

• 31 per cent of attendees look for gardening and landscaping ideas at the festival.

• 44 per cent of people attend to visit the display gardens and floral displays.

• 38 per cent look for new products and ideas.

• 46 per cent look for advice, education and inspiration.

• 86 per cent of attendees rated their overall experience as good, very good, or excellent.

• 71 per cent are likely to return in 2017.

• The number one reason why people attend Canada Blooms is to discover what is new.

A media giant

Each year, Canada Blooms draws lots of attention from television, radio, print media and internet bloggers from all over the

world. Here are some statistics on the media attention the festival enjoyed in 2016: • $3.9 million worth of media generated.

• Eight million web page views between January and March.

• Newsletter distributed to over 40,000 subscribers.

Giving back to the community

Any proceeds from the festival are donated to local projects or organizations. Over the 20 year history of Canada Blooms, over $5 million of space and funds have been provided to non-profit horticulture-related organizations and projects.

In addition, Canada Blooms serves as a powerful economic engine for the City of Toronto, generating $25 million for the region.

At the conclusion of the festival each year, over $10,000 worth of plants are donated to Toronto-area seniors centres.

In 2016, plants were distributed to Carefree Lodge, Willowdale Manor Supportive Housing and Cummer Lodge.

For full details, or to participate in Canada Blooms next year, visit the festival website at canadablooms.com.

Experience the effectiveness of a Metal Pless snow plow!

E

O

%

T Mobile steel trip edge, will use

up to 50% LESS SALT Call us now

1.866.362.1688 10 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

...and much more!

www.metalpless.com

ASSOCIATION NEWS Latest technologies and techniques for growers Professionals in Ontario’s grower sector convened Feb. 15 at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ont. for the annual Nursery Growers’ Short Course. The educational event, organized by the Landscape Ontario Growers’ Sector Group, sees industry leading researchers and experts discuss and disseminate the latest technologies and techniques in the ornamental horticulture field.

Landscape Ontario partners with various government programs and industry groups each year to fund and support many research projects and the short course provides the ideal venue for the results of those projects to be shared amongst the growing community.

The event was moderated by Growers Group members Glen Lumis, professor at the University of Guelph, and Jen

Llewellyn, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Nursery and Landscape Specialist. Llewellyn opened the program with a talk that included the results from a Septoria Leaf Spot fungicide screening trial and a warning about Oak Wilt, a serious threat to red oaks that has spread into New York and Wisconsin.

Dr. Jeanine West of Photoserv followed, with a presentation on invasive species legislation. West called on Ontario growers to “make their voices heard” on the controversial topic of invasive species and shared her concern that “horticulture products are easy targets” for government regulators due to the clear pathway of entry and distribution.

Next, Dr. Youbin Zheng from the University of Guelph’s school of environmental

LEWIS

sciences detailed an ongoing fertilizer study at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.

A major topic of discussion this year was irrigation efficiency. Robb Parmeter from Canadale Nurseries said water use strategies were “top of mind” for him as he and a colleague from the St. Thomasbased grower made the decision to attend the short course this year. “Like a lot of growers out there, we still look at our plants each day when we’re making decisions about our watering schedules, and we’re interested in learning about some of the newer technologies that could add to what we do.”

Jared Stoochinoff from U of G talked about an innovative water potential sensor called a stem psychrometer and a prototype irrigation scheduling controller that predicts water requirements based on weather station technology, while John Bakker of J.C. Bakker Nurseries discussed the Argus Titan system his Niagara region nursery uses for its irrigation system.

Jason Deveau, an application technology specialist with OMAFRA, went through some of the latest advances in sprayer technology and cleaning processes, and recommended ornamental growers consider attending sprayer

Est 1941

Proud Members of

BARRIE

COLLINGWOOD

NEWMARKET

NORTH BAY

OWEN SOUND

705-728-3026

705-445-2634

905-952-2855

705-472-7220

519-372-0165

www.lewismotorsinc.com WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 11

ASSOCIATION NEWS

The Growers Short Course shares the latest research, techniques and technology.

educational conferences and seminars geared towards the field crop industry in the future, because they typically include “something for everyone.”

After lunch, Mike Byland from Byland Nurseries in British Columbia shared production and inventory management strategies.

Jeff MacDonald from Clearview Nursery in Stayner, Ont. said the inventory management presentation was a real draw for him.

“This is probably the fifth or sixth time I’ve been here,” said MacDonald. “The networking aspect of the event is really important for us, because we can’t grow everything on our 100-acre nursery and there are a lot of contacts in the industry that we do business with that I’ve met through coming here over the years.”

Inventory management and networking were also two of the reasons why Andrew Barbour, from NVK and member of LO’s Growers’ Sector Group, attended the event.

“This year I’m looking forward to learning about how some of our industry colleagues are managing inventory, because that’s always an area that can be improved,” said Barbour. “We look forward to taking part in this course each winter and find the information really valuable.”

BRAUN CONTINUOUS WIRE BASKETS

BETTER DESIGN BETTER WIRE BETTER FIT

WWW.BRAUNGROUP.COM 1-800-246-6984 12 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

Soil experts Christoph Kessel with OMAFRA, and Dr. George Lazarovits of A&L Laboratories, each led talks on the importance of soil health and soil management strategies. Kessel challenged the growers in the room to take part in the “underwear challenge,” which involves burying cotton underwear in soil for several weeks to get a sense of how healthy the soil is. Lazarovits noted that a third of Earth’s farmland has been destroyed in the last 40 years, and that in order to “avert disaster farmers must adopt sustainable agricultural practices based on ecological principles.”

Dr. Ann Huber from the soil research group discussed water management practices for growers, while Jason Henry outlined some of the many nursery research projects underway at Vineland.

Jane Beggs-Joles from the Michiganbased Spring Meadow Nurseries changed things up a little with a talk on marketing trends in the ornamental horticulture industry. The big take away from the presentation was the need for growers to get their message out to the public. As Beggs-Joles put it, “there are a lot of great singers out there, and some are performing dinner theatre, while an amazing self-promoter like Lady Gaga is at the Super Bowl; it doesn’t matter how great your product is if no one knows about it.”

The final presenter of the day, David Cheung, unveiled the new BugFinder smartphone app and announced it was now available as a free download from the Apple App Store. The app, funded by Growing Forward 2 and co-authored by Jen Llewellyn, is a new tool to enable those working with woody ornamentals to quickly detect and identify insect pests in the field.

The app uses an extensive photographic database and simply requires the user to input the plant name and approximate time of year to generate a checklist of pests to scout for.

The day concluded with the popular Growers’ Good Ideas session. Andrew Barbour from NVK won a prize for his presentation on creating a family atmosphere at his company through social events, while Sheridan’s Bart Brusse showed off winter protection practices, James Somerville from Somerville Nurseries discussed drone technology and John Mantel from Connon AVK talked about drip irrigation.

The event was sponsored by Mother Nurture by Braun, Plant Products, ICL Specialty Fertilizers and Kam’s Growers Supply.

The 2018 Short Course will take place at the RBG on Feb. 8.

with our Premium Wood Mulches!

Recycled Mulches:

Pine Mulches:

Premium Black Premium Brown Premium Red Premium Gold

Premium Pine Premium Rustic Premium Brown Premium Black

Certified Playground Mulch, utility hardwood and other varieties also available.

Manufactured locally in St. Thomas and Campbellville To locate a distributor in your area, or become a distributor of Great Lakes Premium Barks and Mulches, call us at 1-877-266-0636.

For full products details, visit us at www.glwp.ca

AT T E N T I O N

LANDSCAPE / CONSTRUCTION

SET YOUR

CREW UP TO GET THE JOB DONE!

Fran will put her 25 years experience to work for you.

Great products, great selection. Delivered to you, on your schedule, guaranteed.

FRAN MACKENZIE FLEET MANAGER

PHONE: 905•845•6653 CELL: 416•420•6455 fmackenzie@southoakvillechrysler.com

PROUD MEMBER OF LANDSCAPE ONTARIO WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 13

ASSOCIATION NEWS

GET READY FOR SPRING

Conference reflects growth in lighting sector

A capacity crowd enjoyed a day of education and networking at Landscape Ontario’s 2017 Lighting Conference, held in early February. Thanks to sponsors Turf Care, Illumicare Group, SiteOne Landscape Supply, Martek Supply, In-lite Design, Atlantic Irrigation Supply, Vandenbussche Irrigation, Brilliance LED, Solutions Aquasol, Central Turf & Irrigation Supply, Focus Industries, FX Luminaire, Linzel Distributing, Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting, and Cast Lighting.

Gear Up for Spring, Landscape Ontario Golden Horseshoe Chapter’s annual education, networking and trade show event will take place March 28 at the Ancaster Fairgrounds in Jerseyville, Ont. from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event, designed to prepare LO members and their employees for the start of another work season, promises to be bigger and better than ever.

The education sessions have a focus on road safety and include a presentation by Ministry of Transportation - Ontario (MTO) and a hands-on vehicle inspection by the Halton Police Commercial Vehicle Unit.

In the afternoon, Paul Zammit from the Toronto Botanical Gardens will show how to create dramatic container gardens for every season using many of his favourite plants.

Hands-on demonstrations have been added this year and the sold out trade show will feature over 70 local exhibitors showcasing various products and services.

All attendees get a free lunch, sponsored

by B.R. Dickson Equipment, Eloquip and Nisco National Leasing. Many prize draws, including an early bird prize draw for those who arrive before 8:30 a.m. will be held with prizes donated by various vendors.

Stam Nurseries Inc. 593836 Hwy 59, Burgessville ON N0J 1C0

Growing quality shade trees and evergreens P: 519-424-3350 F: 519-456-1659 info@stamnurseries.com

stamnurseries.com 14 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

LO members can post available employment opportunities at the event by sending them to Myscha Stafford at myscha@landscapeotnario.com prior to March 22.

The Golden Horseshoe Chapter will also hold their annual general meeting during the event and are looking for new members to participate on the chapter board.

The main event sponsor is Windmill Power Equipment.

Anyone who would like to attend the free event can register online at horttrades. com/gufs-2017.

IN MEMORIAM — PAUL GROBE

Paul Grobe, a founding member of Landscape Ontario’s Waterloo Chapter, passed away after a courageous three-year battle with leukemia in Kitchener, Ont., on Feb. 17.

Up until his retirement in 2007, Paul was the secretary and treasurer of Grobe Nursery in Breslau, Ont., dating back to its early beginnings in 1964. Grobe also managed the maintenance division at Grobe Nursery.

Paul was a friend and mentor to many members of Landscape Ontario. He was honored for his outstanding contribution by the association in 1975 and 1985.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held Feb. 20 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Waterloo. Interment at Memory Gardens in Breslau will be held at a later date.

Condolences for the family and donations to Grand River Regional Cancer Center or St. Michael R.C. Church may be arranged through the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street South, Waterloo at erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.

NOW AT 

Legends

Landscape Supply Inc.

LandscapeStore.ca

ONLINE AUCTION

As part of ongoing business, Weingartz will be selling new & used inventory of commercial & residential mowers, tractors, trenchers, attachments, and other high quality equipment.

• Exmark Lazer Commercial Zero Turn Mowers • Hustler & Bad Boy Zero Turn Mowers •John Deere Front Mowers • Simplicity, Kubota & John Deere Lawn & Garden Tractors •New & Used 3pt Tractor Attachments • Plus much more!

IMPRESSIVE SKILLS AT ANNUAL SQUASH TOURNAMENT

‘I Was There VI,’ the sixth installment of the Landscape Ontario Upper Canada Chapter’s annual open squash tournament was held Feb. 22 at Trenton Fitness in Trenton, Ont. Event co-chairs Dave Gunn and Dan Clost were very pleased with the enthusiasm of all participants and impressed with their display of court skills. (Note to reader: “impressed” is one of those words that carry positive and not-so positive attributes, depending upon the skill set being observed.) The morning saw a spirited round-robin tournament where some

905-336-3369 1150 Heritage Rd., Burlington

BID ON ORBITBID.COM Items located at FARMINGTON HILLS 39050 Grand River East of Haggerty Road (248) 471-3050

TUESDAY, MARCH 28 BIDDING STARTS AT 8AM

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 15

Advertisement

TA Appliances & Barbecues

Create a

BACKYARD OASIS A beautiful and functional backyard will add value to your home The Kitchen is the heart of the home where everyone gathers and entertains. Bring your kitchen outdoors. The growing trend for many homeowners today is the Staycation or Holistay! Enjoy local attractions, then complete your day with a lovely meal outside and sleep in your own bed.

Create special memories right at home.

Suppliers of quality brands: Broil King • Weber • Lynx Crown Verity • DCS • Fire Magic Traeger • Green Egg • Coyote • Sedona 16 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

Part of every great kitchen is the ability to cook amazing meals for loved ones. Your outdoor kitchen is no exception. Start with an amazing design and complete it with a beautiful grill center. Come and explore our huge selection of brand name barbecues and appliances in one of our 5 large showrooms

Advertisement

throughout Southwestern Ontario. You can experience the product first hand and each of our stores has a team of trained barbecue experts to answer your questions.

Ask about our Trade Alliance Program for Landscape and Outdoor Kitchen Designers.

We will partner with you to give your client individual attention and our very best pricing and service.

TA carries grills in natural gas, propane and charcoal, smokers, sinks, fridges, beer taps, storage cabinets, patio heaters, and walls of accessories. Everything you need for the perfect backyard oasis!

KITCHENER BARRIE 519 578-0300 705 719-1390 932 Victoria St. N. 42 Caplan Ave.

www.taappliance.com

MISSISSAUGA BRANTFORD TORONTO Clearance Outlet 519 750-1118 289 814-4415 416 740-2677 195 Henry St. 1655 Dundas St. E. 24 Arrow Rd.

SHOP ONLINE AT WWW.TAAPPLIANCE.COM

Follow us: WWW.HORTTRADES.COM  17

ASSOCIATION NEWS tude (not to mention the blazing speed of his youthful opponents) halted his play.

A draw for a fountain, courtesy of Aquascape, came up roses for Paige Wentworth.

Many thanks are to Judy deBoer Bell of Picture Perfect Landscaping who organized the food in spite of ill health that kept her off the courts for the first time. Sponsors Upper Canada Stone and Connon Nurseries CBV are gratefully acknowledged as is Garant Tools for a The prize table was so good that Paige Wentworth and spectacular prize table. Thanks Natasha Egorovenko had to get a van. also to Thornbusch Landscaping squash was played and a good deal of and Eeyore, who provided everyone with networking and winding down happened. gift cards.

Apparently, our profession is packed with Congratulations to Justin MacDonald A-type personalities who have been at their and we hope to see you all again next year desks way too long.

— Dan Clost A very good lunch was had by all participants and also by some of the fitness VIDEO LIBRARY PROMOTES RAIN GARDENS club members who managed to scarf sandwiches and pickles while we paid attention A new, seven-part video series, titled How to the matches. to Build a Rain Garden was released over The afternoon was a much more serithe past few weeks to inform and educate ous time, as a double-knockout set of landscape professionals and members of matches took place. Settling for a tie in the the public how to build and maintain a rain consolation final was Andre Ypma, Modgarden on their own property or in a public ern Earthscapes and Natasha Egorenkova, space.

Wentworth Landscapes. Justin MacDonald Mark Cullen narrates the series of dofrom Upper Canada Stone prevailed over it-yourself videos, each running about five a valiant Paige Wentworth from Wentworth minutes in length. The first video profiles Landscapes to take home tournament hontwo demonstration rain gardens built in the ours. It should be noted that the elderly Lake Simcoe watershed that help to take gentlemen on the court, Dave Gunn, Gunnstorm water from nearby streets and filter it Duncan Landscaping, shambled his way to naturally on its way back into the lake and a fair share of wins before age and decrepialso prevent flooding and manage storm

water more effectively.

Subsequent videos detail the tools, equipment and steps involved with building and maintaining a rain garden; the use of native plant material and finally a tour of some existing rain garden projects.

Landscape Ontario and Parklane Nurseries sponsored the project and the videos are now available on both the Landscape Ontario trade and consumer websites and on the association YouTube channel at youtube.com/landscapeontario.

KEVIN FORESTELL RECOGNIZED BY FANSHAWE COLLEGE

Landscape Ontario member Kevin Forestell, president of Forestell Designed Landscapes and cofounder of Dozr, was recognized by Fanshawe College with the 2016 Creative Arts and Design Award at the school’s annual Hall of Fame dinner, Feb. 2 in London, Ont. “It was a really exciting experience,” said Forestell, who was nominated for the award by Fanshawe College’s horticulture technician program coordinator Michael Pascoe. “It is a real honour to be recognized by the school, and I can honestly say I wouldn’t be where I am today without Mike (Pascoe) and everyone at Fanshawe.”

The distinguished alumni awards selection committee outlined why Forestell was selected: “Encouraged by a love of nature, inspired by amazing landscape designs from television program One Garden, Two Looks, and nurtured at Fanshawe College as a doer with hands-on skills and techniques, Kevin Forestell shines as an inno-

Now AvAilAble iN CANAdA ™

liquid FerTilizer ANd wATer mANAgemeNT sysTem

Reduce Watering, Reduce Plant Loss, Increase Profits!

Extends watering intervals • Increases percolation into root zone • Promotes root growth

To learn more visit arborjet.com/nutrirootcanada Find A distributor: www.arborjet.com/distributorca or call 781.935.9070

18 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

vative entrepreneur — collaborating with competitors.

“Operating his own landscape design business for 10 years with a focus on excellent work and outstanding customer service, Kevin is recognized for his creativity, as well as his thriving franchise network.

Through membership in the Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association (LOHTA), and believing it supports a stronger industry, Kevin shares his knowledge and experience to mentor smaller companies on staffing challenges, equipment needs and growing one’s business.

“Learning from this practice, Kevin — together with his wife, Erin, and brother, Tim — recently co-founded an awardwinning tech company called Dozr, which operates from Waterloo’s Communitech hub. Applying the principle of an Airbnb (which shares rental properties around the globe), Dozr is an online marketplace sharing heavy equipment within the construction and agriculture industries. In one year, the Lazarides Institute cited Dozr among Canada’s Top Ten Start Ups, with opportunity to scale the enterprise internationally. Kevin and company also won $100,000 in prize money at Communitech’s Rev Accelerator Demo Day.”

Canadian Landscape Standard

The benchmark standard for industry stakeholders

Two Chapters meet at GreenTrade Expo

(L-R) Steve Neumann and Ed Hansen from Landscape Ontario’s Ottawa Chapter board, along with Bruce Morton, GreenTrade Expo chair, welcomed Golden Horseshoe Chapter board members Tim Rivard and Tim Cruickshanks to Ottawa on Feb. 15. Rivard and Cruickshanks help to organize their Chapter’s Gear Up for Spring event and made the trip to Ottawa to learn more about event management from the Ottawa Chapter.

Professional advice and efficient results for all your Commercial Leasing Needs.

www.emal.ca email: info@emal.ca 958 Milner Ave. Scarborough, On M1B 5V7

416-293-3077

To purchase, visit csla-aapc.ca/standard

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 19

NEW MEMBERS DURHAM The Imrie Group (1827462 Ontario Ltd) Mark Imrie 2199 Country Rd 46 Woodville, ON K0M 2T0 Tel: 705-439-2348 Membership Type: Active

GEORGIAN LAKELANDS Allturf Ltd

Teresa Li 1964 Commerce Park Dr Innisfil, ON L9S 4A3 Tel: 705-431-0561 Membership Type: Associate

Dol Turf Restoration Ltd Gord Dol, CIT 2785 County Rd 27 PO Box 240 Bond Head, ON L0G 1B0 Tel: 905-778-1222 Membership Type: Active

Jungle Gyms Canada Inc Brent Bigelow 3 - 23 Manominee St Huntsville, ON P1H 1K8 Tel: 705-788-7700 Membership Type: Associate

LumberJack Tree Service Jack McCarl 129 Batteaux Rd Collingwood, ON L9Y 3Z1 Tel: 705-441-3992 Membership Type: Associate

Money in Motion Inc

Kurtis Chisholm 2158 Armstrong St Sudbury, ON P3E 5G9 Tel: 705-523-6700 Membership Type: Associate

Ray’s Tree Service

Raymond Hamelin 84 Concession 5 East Tiny Township, ON L0L 2T0 Tel: 705-322-1556 Membership Type: Active

Stephenson Technologies Inc

Llolyn Farms Ltd

Foliage Outside Matters Inc

Trydan Systems Inc

The Oaks Golf and Country Club Inc

Green Machine Inc

Robert Stephenson 40-H Mills Rd Barrie, ON L4N 6H4 Tel: 705-720-0093 Membership Type: Associate

Sion Jones 7436 Simcoe Rd 56 Utopia, ON L0M 1T0 Tel: 416-931-7944 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

GOLDEN HORSESHOE

Reginal Gurney 746984 Twp Rd 4, RR 4 Princeton, ON N0J 1V0 Tel: 519-458-4449 Membership Type: Active Walt Spivak 1552 Gideon Dr PO Box 7 Komoka, ON N0L 1R0 Tel: 519-652-1760 Membership Type: Active

ABC Recreation Ltd

OTTAWA

Absolute Home Services

Zhanggen Chen 601 Dundonald Dr Ottawa, ON K2J 5Y8 Tel: 613-867-6688 Membership Type: Interim

M&C Contracting Inc

Patrick Seguin 1305 Cornfield Cres Greely, ON KYP 1B5 Tel: 613-692-7052 Membership Type: Active

Cathy Cox 65 Curtis Ave N PO Box 21009 Paris, ON N3L 3W1 Tel: 519-442-7900 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Liz Jonasson 4669 Huffman Rd Burlington, ON L7M 0E7 Tel: 905-635-9879 Membership Type: Active Blair Terceira 1042 Joan Dr Burlington, ON L7T 3H2 Tel: 905-220-0926 Membership Type: Active

Strongarm Group Limited Kerry Forrester 501 Plains Rd E PO Box 71023 Burlington, ON L7T 4J8 Tel: 905-638-1493 Membership Type: Interim

Easternhill Landscaping & Construction

Neighborscape Inc

TORONTO A&G The Road Cleaners Moshe Tsherna 47 Simpson Rd Bolton, ON L7E 2R6 Tel: 605-857-5756 Membership Type: Associate

Backyard Getaways Inc

LONDON

John Petrocelli 6 - 140 Advance Blvd Brampton, ON L6T 4Z8 Tel: 905-789-0991 Membership Type: Active

Custom Rock Creations

Citadel Homes and Development Inc

Cheryl Campbell 258 Exeter Rd London, ON N6L 1A3 Tel: 519-652-8811 Membership Type: Associate

Brenen Gyles A9 - 481 North Service Rd W Oakville, ON L6M 2V6 Tel: 416-805-9381 Membership Type: Active

Thomas Seguin-Cousineau 7 Roseborough Cres Thornhill, ON L4J 4T7 Tel: 416-835-6662 Membership Type: Interim

Marshall Campbell 18540 Centre St, Mount Albert, ON L0G 1M0 Tel: 416-807-4033 Membership Type: Active

LP Diamond Stone Inc

Luigi Napolitano 100 Hanlan Rd, Woodbridge, ON L4L 4V8 Tel: 416-856-5132 Membership Type: Active

Luano Landscaping Construction Ltd Paul Guglielmin 49 Appalachian Rd Maple, ON L6A 2V9 Tel: 647-518-9019 Membership Type: Interim

Majestic Construction & Landscaping Inc Roney Prosdocimo PO Box 922 Nobleton, ON L0G 1N0 Tel: 905-893-7081 Membership Type: Active

Metro Concrete Works (2016) Inc Ernie Perfetto 2 - 270 Millway Ave Concord, ON L4K 3W4 Tel: 905-761-7822 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Snow Brothers Contracting Glenn Snow 9581 Side Rd 17 PO Box 40 Erin, ON N0B 1T0 Tel: 519-833-9367 Membership Type: Associate

WINDSOR Riverside Rental

Phillip Morand 13480 Sylvestre Dr Tecumseh, ON N8N 2L9 Tel: 519-979-2300 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Proudly growing fine perennials

28 years

for over

PA L A C E P E R E N N I A L S • Over 1200+ varieties of perennials • Many unique and hard to find varieties • Fruits and succulents • Great fern, hosta and ornamental grass selection, premium tropical selection, hardy vines, Ontario Natives, clematis, herbs, and water plants

P: 866-843-0438 (sales) • 519-542-8353 • F: 519-542-1079 • sales@sipkensnurseries.com • Catalogue at www.sipkensnurseries.com

20 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

EVENTS

March 29

Find full details and registration links at horttrades.com/comingevents

March 10-19

March 23

Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto The signature event for the landscape profession partners with the National Home Show to provide stunning displays, hundreds of hours of expert advice, live demonstrations and hundreds of vendors under one roof. Full details on the festival at canadablooms.com.

Dominion Golf Course, 6125 Howard Ave., Oldcastle Get ready for the roads this season with an update from MTO, followed by chapter AGM and board elections. RSVP required to jaytopgrade@ hotmail.com by March 20. Lunch at noon. Free for St. Clair College students. Visit horttrades. com/Windsor.

Canada Blooms

March 14

London Chapter Meeting

Lamplighter Inn, 591 Wellington Rd., London Get ready for spring with the annual safety meeting. Buffet lunch at noon followed by an update from MTO and a speaker on how to subsidize employment wages for new hires. The chapter’s AGM and board elections will also take place.

Details at horttrades.com/london.

March 15

Toronto Chapter Shop Talk Session Sushi Moto, 4901 Yonge St., North York No agenda, no speakers, just a get together to talk shop. Details at horttrades.com/toronto.

March 16

Professional Awards Night at Canada Blooms

Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto This annual, ticketed event (formerly Industry Night) features networking and presentation of feature garden builder awards on the main stage.

Details at horttades.com/canada-blooms-2017.

Windsor Chapter Meeting

March 28

Gear Up For Spring Trade Show

Ancaster Fairgrounds, Jerseyville Featuring a full day of presentations, a trade show, networking with over 400 industry professionals, chapter AGM, and hands-on demonstrations, the Golden Horseshoe Chapter invites owners and employees to this free show designed to kick-off the 2017 season. Register online at horttrades.com/gufs-2017.

March 28-29

ICPI Certified Concrete Paver Installer Course

Creative Landscape Depot, 1175 King St. N., St. Jacobs LO’s Hardscape Committee presents this twoday, classroom-based course that equips individuals currently employed in the concrete paver installer industry with classroom training to properly install interlocking concrete paving systems.

Register online at horttrades.com/hardscape.

Low Impact Development Construction, Inspection and Maintenance Workshop

Watershed Conservation Centre, 1424 Clarke Rd., London The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) hosts this workshop as part of their ongoing Low Impact Development (LID) training.

Cost is $60 plus HST. Register online at bit.ly/2mjPKCu. March 30

Toronto Chapter Meeting

TBD. Watch for details in weekly enews or online at horttrades.com/toronto.

April 5

Upper Canada Chapter Meeting

Selby Community Hall, 114 Pleasant Dr., Selby Featuring presentations on commercial vehicle safety, workplace safety and locate agreements with ON1Call. Meeting starts at noon. Full details at horttrades.com/upper-canada.

April 5

Waterloo Chapter Meeting

Coleman Equipment, 3541 Trussler Rd., New Dundee Get the latest updates on employer and employee responsibilities from the Ministry of Labour. Details at horttrades.com/waterloo.

April 6

Georgian Lakelands Chapter Meeting

Best Western Inn on the Bay, 1800 2nd Ave. E., Owen Sound Save the date. Check weekly enews or horttrades.com/georgian-lakelands for details.

Over 28 years in business

Sales and leasing all makes, specializing in commercial vehicles

877-837-5674 • haltonautolease.com WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 21

INDUSTRY NEWS Ministry campaign educates homeowners The Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL) has launched a public awareness campaign to educate homeowners on things to look for when hiring a contractor.

The campaign also aims to educate consumers about their rights and responsibilities under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), including many details concerning written contracts. The information is also helpful for landscape professionals who deal with homeowners on a regular basis.

Under the campaign, consumers are encouraged to check if contractor’s employees are covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), get estimates from at least three contractors, check references and set a clear budget.

When it comes to contracts and payments, the MOL recommends a down payment of no more than 10 per cent and advises against making any cash deals.

Contractors should include an estimate as part of the contract and cannot charge more than 10 per cent above the estimated cost unless a new price is agreed upon and the contract is changed.

Contracts should also include a thorough description of the project with details of the work to be done and materials to be used, a clear description of any warranties, the total cost and terms of payment, a work schedule with start and completion dates, a payment sched-

ule (including any deposit amount) and a list of sub-trades and who will pay them.

The MOL is also reminding homeowners that under the Construction Lien Act, a client can retain 10 per cent of the contract price for up to 45 days after the project is completed to ensure the quality of work and in case sub-trades are not paid by the contractor.

Clients also have the right to a 10 calendar-day cooling-off period for any signed contract worth over $50, for which they can cancel for any reason without cancellation fees. If work has started within those 10 days, the homeowner is required to compensate the contractor for any work or materials provided.

Full details can be found on the Ontario website at gfl.me/h3iL.

WORKING AT HEIGHTS TRAINING DEADLINE APRIL 1

The Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL) is reminding all workers who use fall protection on a construction project that an approved working at heights training program must be completed by April 1.

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training Regulation in the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), anyone who is required to use a travel restraint system, fall restricting system, fall arrest system, safety net, work belt or safety belt must

complete the training.

Once training is successfully completed, the training agent will issue a proof of completion card to each participant and register them with the Ministry of Labour. An employee should then provide the card to their employer, who is required under the OHSA to have training records on file.

Training is valid for three years from the date of completing of an approved program and a half-day refresher training program must be successfully completed in order to renew the training.

Introduced on April 1, 2015, the deadline comes at the end of a two-year transition period for training to be completed under subsection 26.2(1) of the Construction Projects Regulation.

A full list of Ministry approved training providers can be found on the Ontario Ministry of Labour website at gfl.me/h3iY.

SIMA COMING TO MONTREAL

The 20th annual Snow & Ice Symposium will take place June 20-23 at the Montreal Convention Centre in Montreal, Que. Produced by the Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA), the four-day event features keynote speakers, workshops and over 25 concurrent educational sessions (some in French) from industry leaders and professional speakers. On days two and three, a trade show, featuring over 100 exhibitors has

Premium grower to the landscape trade • Specializing in exceptional quality trees & evergreens

8080 BALDWIN ST., BROOKLIN, ONTARIO L1M 1Y6 sales@uxbridgenurseries.com P: 905.655.3379 • 1.877.655.3379 • F: 905.655.8544

www.uxbridgenurseries.com 22 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

extended hours this year and will run June 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and June 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Held in a different city each year, the event coincides with Canada’s 150th birthday and the 375th anniversary Montreal. A number of networking events, including a facility tour, welcome reception, industry awards night and city tour are designed to gather snow and ice professionals to share ideas and to learn about the culture and history of the city.

Full details, online registration, a full schedule of events and exhibitor list can be found online at sima.org/show.

MONEY AVAILABLE TO HELP EMPLOYEES LEARN NEW SKILLS

The Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) provides an opportunity for employers of businesses with less than 50 employees to invest in their workers to learn new skills.

The program provides direct financial support to employers who deliver short-term training to existing and new employees for up to $10,000 per person. Training must be delivered by an eligible, third-party trainer and be completed in less than 12 months. Other training expenses such as textbooks, exam fees and software required to complete training programs are also covered under the program. The employer is required to contribute one-third of the total cost of the training.

Started in 2014, the federal government has committed $192 million per year towards the training of Ontario employees until 2020.

For more information on the COJG, contact the Employment Ontario Contact Centre toll free at 1-800-387-5656 or follow the link gfl.me/h3ht.

josh.sparks@expresswaytrucks.com

www.expresswaytrucks.com

Expressway Trucks Windsor 3817 Essex Rd 46, Maidstone, ON. N0R 1K0

for SPRING Expressway Trucks Waterloo 2943 Cedar Creek Rd, Ayr, ON. N0B1E0

Expressway Trucks London 125 Towerline Place, London, ON. N6E 2T3

for SPRING MTO INSPECTION WORKSHOP • HANDS-ON DEMONSTRATIONS • TRADESHOW

Prepare for the new season with the Golden Horseshoe Chapter

PLUS: l Network with other related industry professionals l Trade Show with over Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - Ancaster Fairgrounds 70 local companies l Awesome FREE PRIZE draws!

Arrive before 8:30 am to be entered l FREE LUNCH for attendees. into a draw to win an early bird prize. l Golden Horseshoe Chapter There is no charge to attend.

AGM. Help make this a Space is limited to this annual sold-out show! great chapter by becoming a GHC director!

This is an event not to be missed!

Gear Up for Spring Trade Show

EXCITING NEW EVENTS IN 2017 INCLUDES: l Presentation by MTO Transportation Enforcement Officer l Hands on vehicle inspection with The Halton Police Commercial Vehicle Unit Q&A What are they looking for?

Get the facts and be prepared for road safety.

144798 Potters Road, Tillsonburg, ON N4G 4G7

P: 519-688-0437 • F: 519-688-6359 info@pottersroadnursery.com

Pottersroadnursery.com

AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSION: Gardening: BE Container Drama for Every Season TH ER with Paul Zammit, E Toronto Botanical Gardens

Pre-register online at horttrades.com/GUFS-2017

For more info call Lee Rozon at 1-877-640-4005.

Special thanks to our sponsors MAIN EVENT SPONSOR

LUNCH SPONSORS

!

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 23

EXECUTIVE DESK Building trust in a profession Tony DiGiovanni CHT LO Executive Director

Y

ears ago I read a book called Principle Centered Leadership by Stephen Covey. In it, he put forward the following formula: Trust = Character and Competency. Intuitively, the formula makes sense and it helps me to define the purpose of Landscape Ontario.

At the core, our job is to bring together like-minded individuals into a community for mutual benefit and improvement, focused on helping each other build character and competency. It is really that simple, profound, difficult, inspiring, complex and hugely important. We change the world for the better when we do

Invest

in our future ohtf.ca

Donate today — give a gift to the future. horttrades.com/OHTF

24 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

our collective job correctly.

In her book Presence, Harvard Business School professor Amy Cuddy states that people size you up in seconds. They quickly evaluate you based on the following questions: Can I trust this person? Can I respect this person? Trust is so important.

Let’s break the formula down. What is character?

The dictionary says, “Character is the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group or nation.” Inherently, I believe we can all feel what character is. I am immersed daily in the positive energy reflected by the character of our members — especially those who volunteer their time and resources. Below are some of the character traits I see on a daily basis. I won’t name names, although I am describing many association friends.

One day, I will write a book on the wonderful personalities that have inspired our culture through their character.

Integrity

I was once asked to write a recommendation about a member. The phrase “he bleeds integrity” instantly came to mind.

It’s easy to spot someone with integrity.

It’s more difficult to define it. Does someone who “says what they mean and mean what they say” have integrity? Perhaps.

It depends on what they believe. History is full of dark examples of leaders who said exactly what they meant and meant what they said. The consequences were disastrous.

Integrity means much more. It is a character trait of someone who is honest and cares about the well being of others. They are focused on doing the right things based on a strong moral compass. Someone who has integrity can be trusted. From an association perspective, we seek these who are honest and fair with customers and employees. They remedy errors. They have empathy.

We are drawn to people who have integrity. We are also loyal to them. One of the reasons LO was formed was to differentiate members from the “fly-by-night” operators who leave behind failed landscapes and broken dreams. Our goal is to bring together members who have integrity.

Vision

Is vision a character trait? I think so. Perhaps a more appropriate name for this trait is “initiative” or “responsibility.”

For the last 28 years, I have been surrounded with members and staff who see a positive future and take initiative and responsibility to transform their vision into reality. I still remember in the 1990s when the past-presidents of Landscape Ontario were asked to develop the first strategic plan. Most aspects of the plan came to fruition. To this day, our board, chapters and sector groups are involved in the endless and exciting cycle of planning, executing and evaluating to advance our professions and build a positive future.

Contribution

Perhaps a character trait that most defines our culture is “contribution.” When new members and staff first come into contact with our association, many are inspired by the level of engagement and contribution.

Our members give thousands of volunteer hours and millions of dollars worth of resources to build a profession that cares about making the world a better place.

Often, the return on investment is measured by how inspired others are and by leaving a legacy to benefit future generations. I am very cognizant of the fact that I have never met hundreds of past members who are responsible for creating an organization that has benefited my family and I. These are only three of the many positive character traits that reflect trust in our organization, businesses and ourselves.

There are many more.

Competency

Let’s go back to Covey’s formula: Trust = Character and Competency. I would never hire a plumber or go to a doctor just because they have wonderful character traits. Both character and competency are required. Competency is synonymous with professionalism. Our community gathers together on a regular basis, formally and informally, to enhance our competency and our professionalism.

When we engage with members and potential members, it is not only about the financial, social, learning and legacy benefits available through interaction. It is about attracting those who realize the importance of working together to achieve trust in our profession. It is about mobilizing a community focused on enhancing the lives of our customers, employees and future generations by who we are and what we do. It is about building trust.

Tony DiGiovanni may be reached at tony@landscapeontario.com.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

moting Garden Days across the country; encouraging people of all ages to get outside and garden. For details, see gardendays.ca. A major horticultural event will be launched on July 1 in Gatineau Park — a stunning display called mosaïcanda.

I saw this display a few years ago in Montreal and it was amazing! The event will run all summer long and you can find more information online at mosaicanada.ca/en/.

Also on July 1, Landscape Ontario chapters will be involved in several Come Alive Outside events.

Get your company involved

A special shirt celebrating Canada’s 150th and LO members is available for order from home office.

Thanks to Blake Tubby, Paul Brydges and Michael Van Dongen for modelling.

Happy 150th birthday Canada

By Denis Flanagan CLD Manager of Membership and Public Relations

C

anada is celebrating a significant milestone during 2017 and the horticultural profession is playing its part. Throughout the year there will be numerous events, promotions and opportunities for your company to be a part of history.

Already this year, we have promoted the green profession at Congress and at several Chapter events, including a Seedy Saturday event held in Milton which involved a free seed

exchange of red and white annuals so homeowners can nurture plants and turn their gardens into living celebrations this summer.

A similar idea has also been launched by municipalities across the province. Many parks departments have ordered red and white annuals from their wholesale greenhouse suppliers and you will be noticing innovative colour schemes on many boulevards and town parks this year. By the time you read this magazine, Canada Blooms will be well underway with their theme of promoting Canada’s sesquicentennial; which will include a giant living display of plants in the shape of the official logo.

Landscape Ontario will also be handing out our Garden Inspiration magazine which will have a red and white theme.

On June 16, we will once again be pro-

Promotion: Find out what celebrations are planned in your community and see how you can get involved. Make sure to send us photos of anything you participate in.

Client appreciation: I know many of you give gifts to your clients. Why not consider doing something special in 2017? A dozen red and white roses, a customized planter, or perhaps a coffee table book celebrating Canada’s history would all be appreciated.

Your staff: Hold a special barbecue where everyone wears red and white. This leads me into a special idea LO will be promoting…

We have designed and printed an exclusive shirt for LO members (available at cost) to help celebrate our nation’s milestone. The front of the shirt sports the official logo for Canada’s 150th and the back promotes you as a professional member.

In the month of July, it would be cool if we had hundreds of LO members all wearing this same shirt. Let’s show our pride for Canada, LO and our profession with these unique shirts. An order form can be found online at horttrades.com/Canada-150-shirt.

Denis Flanagan can be reached at dflanagan@landscapeontario.com or at 905-875-1805, ext. 2303.

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 25

MEMBERSHIP

• Don’t use blue or red lights on your trucks for snow plowing.

• All minor defects on a vehicle must be recorded and reported to the operator. The operator is required to repair these.

• If there is a major defect, the vehicle cannot be operated. These defects must be recorded and reported to the operator immediately and the vehicle must be repaired prior to being driven.

Toronto Chapter board member Joe Pereira of Landscapes by Lucin has also offered some valuable advice on what documents you should keep on-hand when operating commercial vehicles: • Form 82: Four steps to follow in case of injury at work.

• First Aid Kit – Reg. 1101 tells you what you need to have in your first aid kit.

• Daily pre-trip inspection log book.

• Your safety bible; the green book outlining the Ontario Health and Safety Act and regulations.

• And of course, your driver’s license.

Vehicle safety was a popular topic at Congress ‘17 and a topic at all chapter meetings this year.

Stay safe this March

By Myscha Burton Membership and Chapter Coordinator

C

hapter meetings this winter have already covered topics ranging from sales, overtime pay, social media, lighting, new plant material and of course, safety. In February and March, every chapter had a safety blitz which featured workplace and road safety as their main topics.

In 2014, there were 447 fatal road collisions on Ontario highways. Nearly 25 per cent of these fatalities involved large trucks. Of these fatal collisions, 115 were pick-up trucks, 12 were delivery vans and 110 were large trucks.

(MTO Preliminary 2014 Ontario Road Safety Annual Report Selected Statistics).

Clearly, there is a need for increased commercial vehicle safety.

Chapters are dedicated to educating you and your staff on road safety. With presentations across the province by Ministry of Transportation - Ontario (MTO) and from retired Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer Jim Slykhuis, each chapter has provided the opportunity for members and

26 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

their staff to get the latest information on safety regulations for operating commercial vehicles.

With the help of Toronto Chapter president, Jonas Spring and Jim Slykhuis, here are some key things to remember when operating your company vehicles this season: • Schedule 1 is the most popular for trucks.

If you are stopped by MTO, the officer will ask for pre-trip and Schedule 1.

These are available on the MTO website.

In the Commercial Vehicle Operator Safety Manual, module 8 has the details on what needs to be included in the Schedule 1 as well as templates for your use.

• Ladders are the most common thing that fall out of trucks and force people to swerve out of the way.

• Loads of mulch, sand, or screenings must be covered with a tarp.

• Don’t drive down the highway with bags of garbage – these must be covered.

• You must have flags on items hanging five feet over the bed of the truck.

• Bungee cords are no longer allowed.

Instead, get one-inch web straps to tie down your blowers, etc.

• Tie downs cannot have knots, stretches or any deformation.

• Straps must have tagged or embossed working load limits.

As chapter meetings wind down before the busy spring season begins, each chapter is hosting an annual general meeting.

If you want to get more involved with your local chapter board, this is your chance.

Chapter boards are volunteer positions made up of individuals dedicated to helping you run a successful business through continuing education and events. They also organize community projects to advance the horticulture profession. If these are values you share, perhaps you may want to consider joining your chapter board.

When chapter meetings wrap up this April (before a break over the summer), your chapter boards will be hard at work planning meetings for fall. If there is a topic you would like to see at a chapter meeting, please share it with us. Meetings are designed for your benefit and your feedback is welcome. I encourage you to take advantage of the remaining chapter meetings happening this March, including the Golden Horseshoe Chapter’s Gear Up for Spring event which includes presentations from MTO and the Halton Police Commercial Vehicle Unit. Plus there is a trade show with local vendors and networking opportunities with over 400 fellow professionals.

Register for free online at horttrades.com/ gufs2017.

Full details for these meetings can be found at horttrades.com or you can contact me at myscha@landscapeontario.com or call 1-800-265-5656 ext. 2333.

Want to advance in your current job?

Want to become industry-recognized?

1111

What is Apprenticeship?

5 Reasons to be an Apprentice 1) $4,000 in grants throughout your apprenticeship. Access to Apprenticeship loans.

2) Gain a Red Seal Designation (recognized across Canada) 3) Little or no student debt (Ontario ministry subsides inclass training, and you can collect EI while in-class) 4) Earn your regular wage, while you learn the skills of the profession on-the-job 5) Registration is easy and Landscape Ontario will help you throughout the process

Apprenticeship is a form of post-secondary education like university or college that provides hands-on trade specific knowledge. There is a big difference between this program and conventional schooling — apprentices not only learn skills in the classroom but receive paid, on-the-job training with their employer/sponsor. Approximately 80% of the training happens on-the-job with your employer while the other 20% is completed in school over two 12-week winter semesters.

What Does an Apprentice Do?  Works their regular job every day, earning their regular wages  While on-the-job, they complete a competencies log book of training skills (turf, hardscape, softscape, etc.)  Works approximately 5,400 on the job hours (hours previous to registration can be counted)  Completes two 12-week winter in-class training sessions (offered at Algonquin, Fanshawe, Humber, Loyalist and Mohawk Colleges)

To Qualify  High school diploma or equivalent  Be employed by an Ontario company

For more information or to apply Website: www.horticulturetechnician.ca Phone: 1 (613) 809 5093 Email: jagibson@landscapeontario.com

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 27

UNDERGROUND WORLD 2017 Symposium a tremendous success

By Terry Murphy CLM

L

andscape Ontario’s Congress ’17 was an outstanding success. LO Executive Director Tony DiGiovanni described it to me as “the best Congress ever.” In recently speaking with the folks at the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA), they described their 2017 Symposium as an equally tremendous success. Each event is a celebration of respective associations and while each has similar content, their focus is different. LO Congress is a trade show with seminars, while the ORCGA Symposium is a conference with seminars and a small trade show. Each has similar goals of socializing and networking.

This year’s Symposium was held at the Sheraton Hotel in Niagara Falls, Ont. with the theme of damage prevention and further promotion of the “Dig Safe” brand. Day one featured working sessions where members of key committees got together to plan the direction for 2017. For example, the Best Prac-

tises Committee reviewed submissions for changes to technical or operational improvements. Approvals and recommendations are then submitted to the Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA) for further approval across the regions and are then included in the next edition of the Best Practices manual. The Education and Events Committee will decide on the location for next year’s Symposium, an appropriate theme and what content should be included in the agenda to support the chosen theme. The Reporting and Evaluation Committee would review the Damage Information and Reporting Tool (DIRT Report) for value and content for each of the 13 Geographic Councils and debate new suggestions. The 13 Geographic Councils meet as an important committee to see how they will conduct their public relations events for the Dig Safe spring events. Dig Safe events with key municipalities are planned and approved. Registration is open all day and a buffet dinner is held in the evening.

Day two content consisted of speakers and specific seminars.

ORCGA president Ian Munro gave his annual address, followed by chairman of the board, Kevin Bowers, who outlined where the ORCGA is headed this year. Ben Hamilton from ON1CALL brought everyone up-to-date on the new ON1CALL centre located on Hwy. 6 in Guelph. Ben discussed the new process in requesting locates and the streamlined system. Keynote speaker, Darwin Durries gave an interesting account of the Fort McMurray fire last summer and his efforts in getting the water supply back on in the city.

After these special speakers, the audience of 275 industry professionals had the opportunity to attend a one hour seminar of their choice among three topics. The next presentation was the DIRT Report statistics — a 45-minute summary outlining the industry data from 2016 that allowed industry firms to gage their success or failure in achieving improvements in utility hits.

After lunch, the three morning seminars were repeated and participants were able to choice the topic of interest to them. Next it was rest and relaxation time. Attendees had the choice of a mystery event, a wine tour or curling. All three were very well attended.

During this time the trade show was also open and 40 exhibitors displayed their goods and services. Day two concluded with an awards ceremony and a banquet dinner.

Day three started with breakfast, followed by a motivational speaker. The exhibitor hall was open for an hour and a passport system was in effect. Attendees had their passport stamped at each booth they visited and completed passports qualified them for a chance to win a prize at the luncheon later that day. The last two hours of the morning had three more industry seminars, including a presentation by MTO; an update on the Kitchener LRT project, and more. All were well attended.

The luncheon concluded the day with prize draws and closing remarks by Ian Munro.

All reports indicate it was another successful Symposium this year. Congratulations to the ORCGA team of Ian Munro, Jennifer Parent, Keith Begley and Kim Shepard for a job well done.

For more information on upcoming Dig Safe events and contractor membership benefits, contact Jennifer Parent, at 1-866-4464493 or email jennifer@orcga.com.

Terry Murphy may be reached at tvmurphy@ca.inter.net with any comments, suggestions, or questions.

28 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

PROSPERITY PARTNERS Change where it’s needed most

By Jacki Hart CLM Prosperity Partners Program Manager

L

ast March, I remarked on the great Leaders’ Summit put on by Landscape Management Network (LMN) in Collingwood, Ont. Having just returned from the event this year, I am unable to resist sharing my experience with you once again.

LMN have outdone themselves and raised the bar higher again this year. The event featured two days of professional development workshops great keynote speakers, fun breakout sessions and opportunities to meet peers from across North America.

I asked some of our Ontario members what they took away from the event. Below are their top answers.

Develop your marketing and sales strategy

From one of LMN CEO Mark Bradley’s workshops, here is a list of questions Mark included in his recommendations for developing a marketing and sales strategy: 1. W hat type or work are we going to do?

2. W here do we see the best opportunities?

3. W hat are customers asking for?

4. W ho are we planning to work for?

5. W here are we going to do business?

6. How are we going to obtain new clients?

7. W hat worked last year and what didn’t?

8. Are we sending out the right message?

9. I s our website accurately showing the type of work we are trying to sell?

10. Do we have a clearly repeatable sales process that communicates value to clients?

11. Do we have a unique selling proposition (i.e. best in class service, fastest response time, unique production methods, higher quality, more personal service, etc.)?

12. Do we show we care by tailoring conversations to meet actual client needs and form relationships?

13. Do we identify customer’s desired result and sell that outcome?

14. D o we create customer-focused proposals with flexible business terms?

15. D o we follow up and show our gratitude for their business?

16. D o we measure the results of our sales and marketing programs?

Create and use a quarterly performance evaluation template

Scott Wentworth of Wentworth Landscapes shared his Six Step Performance Review System: 1. S tart of the season: Ensure the team knows the goals for the season as well as three- and five-year goals. Have a detailed action plan to meet goals, including detailed roles and responsibilities, and updated performance evaluation forms which mirror the roles and responsibilities of each position.

2. P ersonal development plans: Everyone has one created with their direct supervisor —detailed with goals for technical, management and personal growth for the first three months.

3. Performance evaluations: Every position has six to seven key performance responsibilities. Review evaluation forms as part of employee personal development plans for the year.

4. L ast week of June: Review progress relative to the personal development plan, performance evaluation (completed by each the worker and supervisor, then compared). Update personal development plan for the next 12 weeks.

5. F irst week of September: Repeat step 4.

6. F irst week of December: Repeat step 4. The total score on their final performance evaluation will count towards calculating employee profit sharing, bonus entitlement or consideration for promotion.

Consistency and measurement

Mike Lysecki, CTO at LMN, shared some important points as part of his job costing strategy.

Keys to mastering consistency:

1. A re there repeatable systems for staff to follow?

2. I s there clear information and task assignment?

a. W hat are we here to do? b. When do we have to complete this task? c. W ho is responsible for what? d. How do we communicate? How are we being measured?

3. Training. What is really required and how well is it working?

4. Accountability. If they can clock in, they can track everything else you ask them to.

Keys to mastering measurement: 1. W hat do we really need to measure?

What do we need to pay attention to?

2. How simple can we make it (while still being effective)? “What can’t be made simple, can’t be made clear. What can’t be made clear, won’t get done.”

3. Are these measurements going to drive the correct results? a. Speed vs. quality? b. Job profit vs. accurate tracking? c. J ob profit vs. overall profit? d. Will measuring result in employees thinking: “Show me how you will measure me and I will show you how I will behave.”

All great advice, which at some point in time, probably should be deployed in your business if it isn’t already (along with all the things you learned at Congress and other workshops).

One of the parting conversations I had with one of our members was probably my biggest take-away. He and his wife attended both days of the Summit and were stressed about how little time they had to apply and implement everything they learned.

My advice to them, and to those who leave an event with their heads spinning is to slow down and create an initiative strategy. First, identify what’s broken in your business and what needs attention or changing the most. Next, adapt, adopt and implement new tools that will fit with those challenges. Deposit the rest of the great ideas into your solutions tool box for future use when you need them or can fully implement them.

It’s important you remain focused and realize the best solution is to introduce each change at the right time. Customize and adapt before you adopt.

Use only the those tools your business needs now, and use only those you are sure will get you where you want to go.

Jacki Hart may be contacted at peertopeer@landscapeontario.com.

WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 29

CLASSIFIEDS All classified ads must be pre-paid by credit card.

Rates: $50.85 (HST included) per column inch. Min. order $50.85. 15% discount on ads run for entire calendar year. Box Numbers: Additional $10. Confidentiality ensured. Deadlines: 20th day of the month prior to issue date. (eg: June issue deadline is May 20th). January deadline is Dec. 10. Space is limited to a first come, first served basis. To advertise: E-mail your name, phone number and ad to Robert at classifieds@landscapeontario.com. Online advertising: Website only ads are available for $67.80 (HST included) for Associaton members and $90.40 HST included for non-members. Website ads are posted for 31 days.

SERVICES AND SUPPLIES CLEARANCE SALE Large Hackberry and other trees, irrigation supplies, sulphuric acid, fiberglass tree stakes, etc.

See website www.trivictrees.ca for more items, prices and more details.

Contact Vic Palmer 519-327-8142

Post a job.

Find a job. landscape.jobs Keep in touch with

ADVERTISERS Arborjet Inc. Baumalight by MTB MFG Brandt Tractor Ltd. Braun Nursery Limited Connon Nurseries/NVK Holdings Inc East Metro Auto Leasing Expressway Hino Waterloo Great Lakes Wood Products Inc. Halton Autolease Inc. Hermanns Contracting Limited Indiana Limestone Company LLC Legends Landscape Supply Inc. Lewis Motor Sales Inc. Metal Pless Inc. Miedema Asset Management Group Millgrove Perennials Inc Newroads National Leasing Potters Road Nursery Inc. Sipkens Nurseries Ltd. South Oakville Chrysler Fiat Stam Nurseries

http://linked.in/LOLinkedIn

781-935-9070

Page 18

866-820-7603

Page 28

www.brandt.ca

888-227-2638

Page 2

www.braungroup.com

800-246-6984

Page 12

www.connonnurseries.com

905-628-0112

Page 32

www.emal.ca

416-293-3077

Page 19

www.expresswaytrucks.com

800-558-7364

Page 23

www.glwp.ca

877-266-0636

Page 13

www.haltonautolease.com

877-837-5674

Page 21

www.hermanns.ca

905-939-1230

Page 25

www.limestonecanada.com

866-374-0358

Page 9

www.landscapestore.ca

905-336-3369

Page 15

www.lewismotorsinc.com

705-728-3026

Page 11

www.metalpless.com

866-362-1688

Page 10

www.bidonorbitbid.com

248-471-3050

Page 15

www.millgroveperennials.ca

905-689-1749

Page 12

www.newroadsleasing.com

416-587-1021

Page 14

www.pottersroadnursery.com

519-688-0437

Page 23

www.sipkensnurseries.com

866-843-0438

Page 20

www.southoakvillechrysler.com

905-845-6653

Page 13

www.stamnurseries.com

519-424-3350

Page 14

TA Appliances & Barbecues

www.taappliance.com

Uxbridge Nurseries Limited

www.uxbridgenurseries.com

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

Join our discussion forum

www.arborjet.com www.baumalight.com

416-740-2677 Page 16-17 905-655-3379

Page 22

FREE member promo items Promote your company as a professional LO member with decals, window clings and more.

@LOassocMag @LOMembership @TonyDiGiovanni1 @denisflanagan @green_for_life @LOevents @LOgnome

www.facebook.com/ landscapeontario

30  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017

Order FREE promotional materials online at

horttrades.com/promo

pur•pose the reason Congress exists

save the dates!

Congress ’18

JANUARY 9, 10 & 11, 2018 TORONTO CONGRESS CENTRE, TORONTO, ONTARIO

FEATURING GARDEN EXPO AND FENCECRAFT

LOcongress.com

Canada’s Premier Green Industry Trade Show and Conference WWW.HORTTRADES.COM 31

32  LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MARCH 2017