2017 Sept/Oct Groundwork

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

Managing Nuisance Algae and Aquatic Weeds to Promote Pond Health Just Like Marriage Plant of the Month—Rhapidophyllum hystrix

contents

September/October 2017 5 President’s Message 7 Managing Nuisance Algae and Aquatic Weeds to Promote Pond Health 9 Landscape Leadership Award 10 Excellence in Landscape Profile— Masonwood Estate 13 Plant of the Month—Rhapidophyllum hystrix 14 Just Like Marriage 16 Certification 2017 18 Advertising Information

Pesticide and Fertilizer Applicator Recertification Conference

Thursday, February 15, 2018 The Universities at Shady Grove Conference Center 9630 Gudelsky Drive, Building 2 II-1400 Rockville, MD 20850

on the cover

www.lcamddcva.org

Masonwood Estate

Plant of the Month

Surrounds, Inc. Outdoor Living Area Design/Build —

GRAND AWARD—

Rhapidophyllum hystrix: A Taste of the South “Feature” and “Plant of the Month” articles can also be found online for LCA Members under the GROUNDWORK link in your Profile Home page at www.lcamddcva.org

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CALENDAR OF

2017 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kevin O'Neill—President Great American Landscapes, Inc.—(301) 972-5681 Josh Kane, CLT—Vice President Kane Landscapes, Inc.—(703) 803-3146

OCTOBER 11

Mini-Workshop: Top Native Plants for the Mid-Atlantic Region

Johns Hopkins University Rockville, MD

NOVEMBER 16

2018 11

LCA 2017 Excellence in Landscape Awards Dinner

Marriott Washingtonian Center Gaithersburg, MD

FEBRUARY Pesticide and Fertilizer Applicator Recertification Conference More information on page 3

Universities at Shady Grove Rockville, MD

Aaron Raines—Secretary/Treasurer Live Green Landscape Associates, LLC —(410) 833-9640 Matt Owens, MBA, LIC—Immediate Past President PGC Landscape—(301) 874-5940

DIRECTORS Matt Glover, CLT Wray Brothers Landscapes—(301) 654-5845 Michael McCartin Joseph W. McCartin Insurance, Inc.—(301) 937-0400 Kevin McHale McHale Landscape Design, Inc.—(301) 599-8300 Barry Schneider Surrounds, Inc.—(703) 430-6001 Jeff Topley Brickman, Sterling, VA—(443) 766-1360 Chris Vedrani, CLT Planted Earth Landscaping, Inc.—(410) 857-4744 Jeff Waters SiteOne Landscape Supply—(301) 421-1220

LCA STAFF Charles Deale, FASAE, CAE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Lynn Turner SENIOR MEMBER SERVICES MANAGER / OPERATIONS

Top Native Plants for the Mid-Atlantic Region

Presenter:

Lynne Agoston DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES

Holly Shimizu

Kristen Jones, CMP MEETING PLANNER

Visually pleasing and inspiring plants don’t always have to be exotic and hard to source.

Holly Shimizu will discuss superior plants that are native to this region and share how to increase the demand and use of these plants to better your business. Enjoy this presentation packed full of visual examples of what these little known and sometimes underutilized plants can do for designs and installations.

These plants often require less maintenance and have the advantage of attracting pollinators and birds to make gardens even more interesting.

Schedule Program: 9:30 am–Noon Lunch: Noon

Location Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County Campus 9605 Medical Center Drive, Room 121 Rockville, MD 20850 By

After

Monday, October 9

Monday, October 9

LCA Members

$95

$135

Non members

$145

$185

Reg. Fees

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Julie Hill MARKETING DIRECTOR Dawn Rosenfeld ACCOUNTANT

4 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

Barbara Bienkowski, CEM EXHIBITS/SPONSORSHIP MANAGER Jeyin Lee MARKETING COORDINATOR GROUNDWORK, the official publication of the Landscape

Contractors Association, MD•DC•VA, is published bimonthly by LCA, 9707 Key West Avenue, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850.

P: (301) 948-0810 F: (301) 990-9771 E: lca@mgmtsol.com W: www.lcamddcva.org.

Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 am–5 pm (EST).

LCA is not responsible for opinions expressed and facts presented by contributing authors.

Editorial Deadline: The deadline to submit copy is the first of the month for the following bimonthly issue and is on a space­­­-available basis.

Advertising & Classifieds: All ads must be high-resolution PDF and pre‑paid. Contact Barbara Bienkowski at bbienkowski@mgmtsol.com for more information and the deadline schedule.

Copyright © 2017: Landscape Contractors Association, MD•DC•VA. Reproduction of any material allowed only with prior written permission from LCA. LCA’s core purpose is to advance the success of its members and provide a community for green industry professionals.

President’s Message Late Summer Reflections

Kevin O'Neill 2017 President

As summer comes to an end, I hope all of you were able to slow it down a bit and find some family time, friend time, and “you” time. I find that summer, especially late summer, provides more opportunities for reflection and contemplation than any other time of the year. I would like to share with you one such opportunity.

For the past three years, I’ve had the pleasure of being the Master of Ceremonies at the LCAadministered CLT field test. I’ve always enjoyed the experience, but this year I found it particularly rewarding, and it provided me one of those contemplative opportunities.

As I watched the candidates nervously going from station to station, talking with many of them along the way, I couldn’t help but be impressed with the seriousness and sense of purpose with which they pursued this chance to advance their professional careers as well as their dedication to our industry and the pride they took in themselves.

I was equally impressed and inspired by how the many volunteers, judges, and LCA staff worked together to make the event a success, especially as that day was one of the hottest ever and had its share of unexpected challenges. They all deserve a big shout out and special thanks, but the loudest one goes to Lynn Turner—a true professional who stayed “calm under fire” and led the way!

All and all, I came away inspired by all the people who displayed such professionalism, dedication, and pride. In the end, I felt a rejuvenated sense of pride in being a part of it and of our industry, and a renewed appreciation for the folks in my company who work so hard and conscientiously— efforts that unfortunately can get overlooked sometimes.

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The takeaway for me: Everything we do comes down to people—the ones we work with, the ones we work for, and the ones that work for us; and although we know this, sometimes we can all use a little reminder.

Upcoming events: Oc tober Mini-Workshop, October 11: Top Native Plants for the Mid-Atlantic Region, presented by Holly H. Shimizu, respected horticulturist, consultant, and educator.

Ch esapeake Conservation Landscaping Council, November 3: Turning a New Leaf Conference. Learn how to create landscapes that work with our natural resources. Topics on design, native plants, maintenance, soils, hydrology, and stormwater.

Excellence in Landscape Awards, November 16: Excellence in Landscape Awards Dinner, where individuals who have passed all the required tests will receive their CLT awards and companies will receive awards for outstanding work.

Pl e a se fe el f r e e t o em a i l you r t houg ht s a n d com ment s r eg a r d i ng ou r f r esh look a n d L C A’s r ele v a nc e t o you t o K e v i n@ GreatAmericanLandscapes.com.

Cheers!

Kevin O’Neill LCA President

5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

Over 1,500 choices delivered to you. perennials, natives, ferns, grasses, vines, herbs, ground covers, pansies, dahlias, cannas, green roof and environmental planning material.

www.cavanos.com • 410-592-8077

Managing Nuisance Algae and Aquatic Weeds to Promote Pond Health

By Industry Expert Gavin Ferris, Ecologist at SOLitude Lake Management

Nuisance Vegetation: Just like the human body, lakes and ponds can naturally develop issues that require a professional solution.

While I was using my backpack sprayer to treat a particularly offensive pond algae bloom on community property, a woman came up to me in a highly agitated state. The next thing I knew, I was being read the riot act for spraying “poison” into the water where she wa lks her dog, and where children play. I explained to her that the pond algae I was treating had the potential to release toxins if left untreated, that it could deplete the oxygen in the water and cause a fish kill, and that the produc t I was using had undergone rigorous testing for environmental safety. In the end, she agreed that it was better for me to treat the algae than to leave it alone, but she still was not happy about it. I told her I was not particularly happy about it either.

My philosophy has always been to treat pesticides the same way you treat antibiotics. This is a useful way to think about the products we use, as both are chemical formulas designed to kill certain unwanted organisms. Just like antibiotics, pesticides should only be used when they are the best tool for the job.

Often, they are the only tool available to solve some problems. Misuse of them

can be damaging on its own, or could lead to resistance in the target organisms. Therefore, when other solutions are available, they should be utilized to the greatest extent possible. As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Preventing nuisance algae and aquatic we eds in ponds is a lot like preventing infections in people; in both cases, most problems can be prevented with ba lanced nutrition, a strong respiratory system, and a healthy community of symbiotic microbes.

Think about how your diet affects your health. If you have too many calories, too much cholesterol, not enough vitamins, and so on, you will get sick more often. We might want to eat nothing but bacon, but I’m pretty sure that would result in some major health problems.

Si milarly, if a pond is receiving too mu ch phosphorus and nitrogen and not enough alkaline minerals, undesirable aquatic vegetation and algae will proliferate.

Pe rsistent algae growth is usually a symptom of unbalanced nutrient levels.

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Establishing a beneficial vegetative buffer around the perimeter of a pond can help, but sometimes nutrients like phosphorus can be so far above healthy levels that the application of nutrient-binding pr oducts are required to keep those nu trients from fertilizing unwanted algae and weeds. Every pond is different, so monitoring water quality and sediment chemistry through periodic testing will help to develop a nutrient management strategy that works for you.

Ponds breathe just like we do. Atmospheric gasses dissolve into the water, pr oviding oxygen that allows all the mi crobes, plant s, and animals to respire. If your respiratory system is impaired, you are more prone to infection. Likewise, if your pond doesn’t get enough dissolved oxygen, lots of bad things can happen—from algae blooms and toxic bacteria to hypoxia and fish kills. The addition of a pond aeration system or fountain to more efficiently supply the aquatic ecosystem with dissolved oxygen is almost always welladvised, and in some cases, is a crucial component in a comprehensive pond management plan.

An adult human body has somewhere in the neighborhood of 10–50 trillion cells making up our muscles, skin, bones, nerves, and the rest of us. The typical human also contains well over 100 trillion microbes in their digestive system—much more than the number of cells making up the body itself. Without this complex community of hundreds of species of bacteria and fungi, we could not survive.

The sediment and deep water of your pond is essentially its gut. This is where continued on page 15

Managing Nuisance Algae continued ba c ter ia digest nu t r ient s i nt o biologically availab le forms and se nd those compounds on up the food chain. Insuffi cient microbial bi omass, or the Water Quality: The biological health of wrong balance of a waterbody is largely dependent on bacteria, can lead dissolved oxygen levels. Oxygen helps to persistent algae facilitate the growth of beneficial plants pr oblems. There and healthy microbes. ar e a number of pond bacteria formulations available on the market designed for a variety of ecological conditions, and many ponds benefit from infusions with these beneficial microorganisms.

One more action we can take to prevent algae and weeds from reaching a point at which chemical treatment becomes necessary is applying blue and/or black pond dye. By darkening the water, we limit the amount of sunlight available for plants and algae. It also just happens to look very nice. However, it’s important to keep in mind that in some jurisdictions and under some circumstances, dye may be regulated as a pesticide itself, or its use may be otherwise restricted. As with any habitat management strategy, it is critical to know and comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Even healthy people get sick sometimes. The same is true of ponds. We can make a pond less susceptible to algae and aquatic weed outbreaks by improving its overall health. Just as not every disease can be prevented or treated with diet and exercise, not every weed or algae inundation can be prevented or mitigated through non-chemical means. When treatment does become necessary, however, aeration, nutrient management, and biological mitigation all help to make treatments more effective.

Newer, safer, and more effective algaecides and herbicides are being developed all the time, and they will always be a vital tool in maintaining our aquatic ecosystems, but it is in everyone’s best interest to take every action possible to improve biological health and limit the necessity of pond treatment.

Ga vin Ferris is an ecologist at SOLitude Lake Management, an environmental firm providing a full array of superior lake, pond, wetland, and fisheries management services an d solutions. He can be reached through the website www.solitudelakemanagement.com.

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LCA's Evening to Celebrate Excellence November 16, 2017 Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center

Join LCA for a night of celebrations as we recognize the winners of the 2017 Excellence in Landscape Awards, welcome the 2018 board of directors, say thank you to everyone who volunteered in 2017, and congratulate the 2017 Landscape Industry Certified Technicians class.

You’ll enjoy an evening of great networking, food, and drink!

Recipient of the LCA 2017 Landscape Leadership Award Ray Gustin III It’s been more than a few years since the last LCA Landscape Leadership Award was presented, and that’s because it's only given to those individuals who have made a significant contribution to LCA and had a positive impact on the landscape industry in this region.

This year, Ray Gustin III will be honored at the LCA Awards Dinner on November 16, 2017, and presented with LCA’s 2017 Landscape Leadership Award.

Ray has been a strong force in the Green Industry in the Metro Washington D.C. area for almost 70 years.

Ray’s father started Gustin Gardens as a retail garden center in its original location at the corner of Route 355 and Montrose Road in Rockville, Maryland, prior to Ray’s birth. Growing up around the business led Ray to a degree in horticulture from The Ohio State University and a leadership role in developing a broad customer base for Gustin Gardens through the 70s, 80s, and into the 90s.

Ray’s initiative in developing a strong team of retail garden center experts, residential and commercial design/

build talent, and property maintenance leadership resulted in a legacy still felt today throughout the local Green Industry. From a new location on Woodfield Road in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Gustin Gardens delivered a long history of outstanding customer service from the retail garden center that provided one of the area’s first and finest Christmas shop experiences. The Design Build and Maintenance teams helped fuel the demand for Commercial and Residential needs for Montgomery County and contributed to the early growth of Fairfax, Reston, and Tysons Corner, along with Northwest D.C. Ray set a great example for his team and the Industry by contributing his time and leadership to promoting and giving back as a volunteer.

Ray has been a longtime LCA board member and served as past president, along with a similar history of participation nationally through the board and as past president of ALCA (now NALP).

A longtime friendship with the Brickman family and their mutual involvement with ALCA resulted in Ray being associated with the Brickman Group for 17 years. Ray GROUNDWORK

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continued to serve his passion for sourcing plant material for the company while providing his excellent communication and writing skills for both internal newsletters and external public relations efforts, including coordinating photo shoots of award-winning landscapes and the LCA Awards program submittals for Brickman.

Ray has continued to serve the Green Industry with his company, Plants and Praise. Ray still sources one-of-a-kind plant material for the most discerning of clients. Ray and his wife, Evelyn, have enjoyed their journey together while raising their family in Etchison, Maryland, and spending time with their sons, Ray IV and Todd; their daughter, Beth; and their seven grandchildren.

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Masonwood Estate Surrounds, Inc. Outdoor Living Area Design/Build —

GRAND AWARD—

The project consisted of a backyard outdoor entertainment area with a screened porch with built-in fireplace, a deck with built-in spa and pergola, a masonry grill and bar, a swimming pool with sunshelf and waterfalls, multiple patio areas for gatherings, and beautiful landscaping and lighting. We also performed underground work related to the septic, irrigation, and drainage systems.

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P R O F I L E

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A designer’s delight, Spilled Wine® weigela is a low growing, ground covering shrub, that unlike other groundcovers, stays where you plant it and requires little to no maintenance. The dark purple foliage provides season-long color while the pink, spring blooms are icing on the cake.

Available from these suppliers in 2017

5’

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SPILLED FULL TO PART SUN USDA ZONE 4, AHS 8 2-3' tall and wide

Buds & Blooms Nursery Brown Summit, NC • 800-772-2837

Latham’s Nursery, Inc. Monroe, NC • 704-283-5696

Piedmont Carolina Nursery Colfax, NC • 800-337-1025

Huber Nurseries Manheim, PA • 717-898-9115

Johnson Nursery Company Willard, NC • 800-624-8174

Shreckhise Nurseries Grottoes VA • 540-249-5761

www.provenwinners-shrubs.com

Plant of the Month

Rhapidophyllum hystrix: A Taste of the South

By Kohler Brafford, CLT, Surrounds Inc.

Palms, a staple plant in the South, can al so be a staple in the mid-Atlantic.

Rh apidophyllum hystrix, commonly known as the needle palm, is certainly a specimen in the garden and will raise eyebrows. With its cold, hardy nature and tropical flare, the needle palm will br ing a taste of the south to your DC area garden.

The needle palm was first introduced to me by Chris Aubry, a local nurseryman in Athens, Georgia. He encouraged me to take one home to Maryland and give it a try in my garden, as he knew the phenomenal strength of the cold hardiness that this plant possesses, unlike its similar appearing cousin, Trachycarpus fortunei (zone 8). Commonly known as the windmill palm, T. fortunei does not overwinter successfully outdoors, so I always bring mine inside for the winter months. The needle palm does not share the same cold sensitivity, as it is native to the southeastern United States, most commonly found in moist bottom lands and shady hillsides.

Despite being known for its superior cold hardiness (cold hardy to -5 °F, zone 6b), I recommend planting the needle

palm in the spring if possible, to give it a leg up. This will help in establishing its root system throughout the growing season and ensure a successful overwi ntering. In terms of growth habit, it grows wider than it does tall, about 6 feet tall and 8 feet wide in maturity.

They can tolerate full sun as well as part shade; however, they perform best in part shade.

As the common name exemplifies, one su re way to identify this palm is the presence of 6� long needles, or spines, th at jut out around the base of the plant. Be very cautious when handling or cleaning the palm, as these needles HURT and will get your attention very quickly. That being said, this might not be a plant to let young children get too close to.

A 3-gallon plant ready for a new home

The next time you are looking for a conversation piece in the landscape, definitely consider the needle palm. It will excite your clients and friends who are native southerners and bring a distinct southern charm to your garden.

The needle palm in its typical suckering, shrub-like habit

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Just Like Marriage Your relationship with your vendor is similar to one you may have at home.

By John Morrell

Creating a solid relationship with suppliers and vendors in considered crucial in any business, but it may be even more so in the landscaping industry. The quality of a supplier’s products directly impacts the contractor, since your clients will blame you for new paving stones that change color, or flowers that die a week after planting.

This is why regularly evaluating your suppliers and making sure everyone’s on the same page can improve your overall business goals.

With so much at stake, here are some tips from industry pros on how to keep and establish good vendor relationships.

Communication is Number One. In marriage, we’re told that it’s a big mistake to read your spouse's mind, and it’s just as big an error to think they’re able to read yours. The same advice applies to your suppliers.

"They might have an idea of the kind of projects you're working on but they're not in your head," says Jevard Hitch of Ascend Landscaping & Irrigation in Commerce City, Colorado.

“They'll guide you to something new in the market, but the contractor knows what the customers are looking for. So, a good two-way street of communication is essential.” Suppliers, for their part,

work better when knowing how much product to get from their distributors, which is why you may be getting calls from your rep for fall items in April.

Ge tting a handle on your long-term needs can help keep your costs down (buying at low-season prices) and give your supplier a cue into what you may be needing later.

You're Not the Only One. In the same way that you have lots of different customers, so does your landscaping supplier. The fact that they probably also serve your closest competition me ans you may get suspicious about who's getting a “better deal.”

Understand your rep is likely to be busy at times and won’t be able to return your call right away, but if you’re getting longer and longer wait times for the callback, it may be time to find someone else. A good sales rep will listen when you talk and be responsive to your needs, but you'll have to decide if it’s better to be patient with a company you see value in doing business with, or see what others have to offer.

Is That the Best You Can Do? It’s likely that your customers ask for de als from you, are you asking for enough from your vendors?

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If you’ve been doing steady business with a company for a good period, and yo u know someone else is selling a particular product cheaper, there’s no harm in seeing if you can get the same deal. There’s also the advantage, once you build up a good relationship, of the “unadvertised special.”

“When some of my suppliers are clearing inventory, especially of products I use regularly, they’ll give me a good deal on it,” says Mike Garcia, who runs EnviroscapeLA in Los Angeles.

“They’ll also get inquiries from the public about what they sell and they’ll forward me the contact information. I wouldn’t be getting that from them if I was just an occasional customer.”

If shopping solely on price is your strategy you may not get these extra benefits, but it pays to seek the best deal possible from a supplier you like.

The Right Words.

If you have an operation where landscapers in the field place orders directly with your suppliers, making sure there isn’t a language barrier can help move things along. “Most big suppliers do this, but it really pays on the supplier side to have a large bilingual staff,” says Jason Paulson of Ewing Irrigation in Riverside, California.

Just Like Marriage continued “Roughly 75 percent of the landscapers we work with are Latino, so we make sure that we've got people who can speak with them about their needs, on the phone or at the counter, and get them going on with their day.”

Fixing a Problem.

When problems and misunderstandings occur, be sure to try and stay cool.

“We were doing a project where we needed to install artificial turf at a job site within a short time frame,” says Lauren Bloom of Bloom Concrete & Landscaping in Lakewood, Colorado. The vendor showed up with the delivery on time but it was the wrong turf. A quick call to her rep got an over-the-top response.

“He loaded the turf into his own truck and raced to the job site,” she says. “We got it installed in time and his extra work was very appreciated.”

Making sure you know who to call, a rep and/or manager, when something goes awry can ensure a positive experience.

If you’re a long-time customer, there’s a good chance that the individual in charge will pay a visit to make sure you're happy.

Become a partner.

In an ideal situation, your supplier is ready to help you serve your customer.

Delivering the Confidence You Desire and the Value You Deserve for over 40 years * Our Landscape Distribution Center has an Extensive Selection of Quality Plant Material Available for Pickup or Delivery * Field Grown Material Available for Personal Selection * Potted Liners

“I recently had a lighting project where the customer wanted these new outdoor LEDs that changed color,” Garcia says.

“I checked in with my supplier and not only were they able to get me expedited delivery, they sent a representative to show how best they should be installed and who worked with the customer, walking him through their operation. That really impressed me and the customer, I wouldn’t have received that level of service if I hadn't been a buyer from them for years.”

Getting that kind of assistance happens regularly in good business relationships. Talking with suppliers about difficult projects can result in ideas or help. “A big part of what we do is education,” Paulson says. “Whether it’s showing a professional a new product or tool, or a new way to do a job, that’s what we expect to do daily.

If you have any kind of question, feel free to ask.”

The bottom line, spending time on your suppler relationship is probably worth the effort.

Reprinted with permission from Lawn & Landscape Magazine, May 2017.

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15601 Manor Rd, Monkton, MD 21111 410-771-4700 fax 410-771-8246 sales@manorview.com

www.manorview.com

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Certification 2017

Leadership & Teamwork Yield Great Results!

Co-chairs Brett Hardy, CLT— Level Green Landscape, LLC and Scott Pickett, CLT— Live Green Landscape Associates, LLC, joined forces with over 100 volunteers at this year’s Landscape Industry Certified Technician test.

Thanks to all for pitching in to make this year's test a success!

2017 Landscape Industry Certified Technicians Nelvin Cardona, CLT

Kyle Meissner, CLT

Jorge Escobedo, CLT

Jose Mejia, CLT

Turf Maintenance Wray Brothers Landscapes Softscape Installation Brightview

Michelle M. Fish, CLT Ornamental Maintenance American University

Christopher Jordan, CLT Turf Maintenance S.L.S. Landscaping, Inc.

Turf Maintenance Ruppert Landscape

Turf Maintenance Catholic University of America

Daniel S. Melnykevich, CLT Softscape Installation Pinehurst Landscape Company

Shawn Nance, CLT Turf Maintenance Community Bridge, LLC

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Mark Patrick Phillips, CLT Ornamental Maintenance Architect of the Capitol Capitol Grounds

Rogelio Rocha Monjaraz, CLT

Ornamental Maintenance Live Green Landscape Associates, LLC

Wayne Taylor, CLT

Ornamental Maintenance Ruppert Landscape

Bradley Nicholas Vecere, CLT Softscape Installation Sun Nurseries, Inc.

2017 CLT Committee

Judges

Co-Chairs Brett Hardy, CLT—Level Green Landscape, LLC Scott Pickett, CLT—Live Green Landscape Associates, LLC

Coordinators Jose Alvarez-Rivera, CLT—Chapel Valley Landscape Company Kohler Brafford, CLT—Surrounds, Inc. Andrew Childs, CLT—Surrounds, Inc. Craig Corbett, CLT—Great American Landscapes, Inc. George Dixon—Montgomery Irrigation Tom Hartland, CLT—Brightview Dan Hartman—Country Springs Wholesale Nursery John Mayhew, CLIA, CIT—Turf Equipment and Supply Co., Inc. John Peer, CLT—Kane Landscapes, Inc. Jason Pritchard, CLT—Level Green Landscape, LLC Steven Talcott—Great American Landscapes, Inc. Chris Vance—JESCO, Inc. Jeff Waters—SiteOne Landscape Supply Juddson Youngman, CLT—Colao & Peter

Training Volunteers Jose Alvarez-Rivera—Chapel Valley Landscape Company Dave Briggs—Level Green Landscape, LLC Steve Castrogiovanni—Mead Tree & Turf Care, Inc. George Dixon—Montgomery Irrigation Steve F. Dubik—Montgomery College/Germantown Kirk Floyd, CLT—Landscape Projects, Inc. Dave Larson, CLT—Surrounds, Inc. Alejandro Ochoa, CLT—Premier Plantscapes, LLC Misael Rosa, CLT—Premier Plantscapes, LLC Henry Ruiz, CLT—Premier Plantscapes, LLC Chuck Schuster—University of Maryland Extension Juddson Youngman, CLT—Colao & Peter

Judges Technical Advisors Jessica Bahorich, CLT—Brickman Andrew Childs, CLT—Surrounds, Inc. Ed Delaha, CLT—Akehurst Landscape Service, Inc. Douglass T. Delano, CPH, CLP, CLT—Level Green Landscape, LLC George Dixon—Montgomery Irrigation Don Duke, CLT—Chapel Valley Landscape Company Tom Hartland, CLT—Brightview Jim Maddox—Bartlett Tree Experts John Mayhew, CLIA, CIT—Turf Equipment and Supply Co., Inc. Oscar L. Peña, CLT—Wray Brothers Landscapes Jason Pritchard, CLT—Level Green Landscape, LLC Chuck Schuster—University of Maryland Extension Juddson Youngman, CLT—Colao & Peter

Volunteers Matt Glover, CLT—Wray Brothers Landscapes Jeff Waters—SiteOne Landscape Supply

Score Sheet Reviewers Matt Owens, MBA, LIC—PGC Landscape Aaron Raines—Live Green Landscape Associates, LLC

Announcer-Time Keeper Kevin O'Neill—Great American Landscapes, Inc GROUNDWORK

Jose Alvarez-Rivera, CLT—Chapel Valley Landscape Company Jessica Bahorich, CLT—Brickman Kohler Brafford, CLT—Surrounds, Inc. Kurt Brandenburg—Great American Landscapes, Inc. Dave Briggs, CLT—Level Green Landscape, LLC Nelvin Cardona, CLT—Wray Brothers Landscapes Andrew Childs, CLT—Surrounds, Inc. James Clements, CLT—J. Clements Yard Design Greg Clontz, CLT—MainScapes, Inc. Asencion Colunga, CLT—Chapel Valley Landscape Company Craig Corbett, CLT—Great American Landscapes, Inc. Martin Cortez, CLT—Chapel Valley Landscape Company Sean Crossley, CLT—McCauley’s Landscaping Jose de la Cruz, CLT—Potomac Springs Landscape, LLC Ed Delaha, CLT—Akehurst Landscape Service, Inc. Douglass T. Delano CPH, CLP, CLT—Level Green Landscape, LLC Hector Diaz, CLT—Level Green Landscape, LLC Elias Dionicio, CLT—Surrounds, Inc. George Dixon—Montgomery Irrigation Don Duke, CLT—Chapel Valley Landscape Company Earl Edmondson, CLT—Bob Jackson Landscapes, Inc. Fredi Alonso Guzman, CLT—Fine Earth Landscape, Inc. Tom Hartland, CLT—Brightview Dan Hartman—Country Springs Wholesale Nursery Jimmy Hopkins, CLT—Hughes Landscaping Ryan Isherwood, CLT—Planted Earth Landscaping, Inc. Secundino Pedrazia Jiminez, CLT—Premier Plantscapes, LLC Josh Kane, CLT—Kane Landscapes, Inc. Dave Larson, CLT—Surrounds, Inc. Tracy Lewis—Sundeck Supply Jim Maddox—Bartlett Tree Experts Sara Marks—SiteOne Landscape Supply John Mayhew, CLIA, CIT—Turf Equipment and Supply Co., Inc. Alejandro Ochoa, CLT—Premier Plantscapes, LLC Victor Manuel Ochoa, CLT—Brightview Rick Onslow—Wray Brothers Landscapes Jesus Orozco—Green Tech Landscape, LLC Wilfredo Osorio, CLT—Fine Earth Landscape, Inc. John Peer, CLT—Kane Landscapes, Inc. Oscar L. Peña, CLT—Wray Brothers Landscapes David Pisculli, CLT—Chapel Valley Landscape Company Jason Pritchard, CLT—Level Green Landscape, LLC David Rey Platas, CLT—Surrounds, Inc. Chris Robertson, CIC, CLIA—Morgan Keller Specialty Contracts Group Misael Rosa, CLT—Premier Plantscapes, LLC Ryan Rote, CLT—Ruppert Landscape Henry Garza Ruiz, CLT—Premier Plantscapes, LLC Timothy Schofield, CLT—Ruppert Landscape Chuck Schuster—University of Maryland Extension Justin Spittal, CLT—Planted Earth Landscaping, Inc. Steven Talcott—Great American Landscapes, Inc. Chris Vance—JESCO, Inc. Jose Pina Verde, CLT—Bob Jackson Landscapes, Inc. Daniel Womeldorf, CLT—Chapel Valley Landscape Company Nancy Woods, CLT—Brookside Gardens Juddson Youngman, CLT—Colao & Peter

17 S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7

Thank You to the 2017 Certification Sponsors!

Bronze Bartlett Tree Experts Chapel Valley Landscape Company Great American Landscapes, Inc.

J&G Landscape Design, Inc Newsom Seed, Inc. SiteOne Landscape Supply Wray Brothers Landscapes

Silver (T-Shirts) Central Sod of Maryland, Inc. Country Springs Wholesale Nursery Estes Environmental Fine Earth Landscape, Inc Joseph W. McCartin Insurance, Inc.

Kane Landscapes, Inc. Level Green Landscape, LLC Live Green Landscape Associates, LLC, McHale Landscape Design, Inc. Ruppert Landscape Surrounds, Inc.

Advertisers Index Babikow Greenhouses............................................................... 20 Cavano's Perennials, Inc............................................................. 6 Chief Mountain Farms, LLC....................................................... 19 Joseph W. McCartin Insurance, Inc........................................... 18 Manor View Farm....................................................................... 15 Proven Winners.......................................................................... 12 Summit Hall................................................................................ 8 Walnut Springs Nursery, Inc....................................................... 2

General Information

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• See LCA website: www.lcamddcva.org for current Media Kit.

Classified ads are a great way to find new employees, announce business opportunities, or buy and sell equipment. Payment must accompany copy.

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Tools and Equipment Brightview

Advertising Information

Power Blower

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Central Sod of Maryland, Inc.

Sod Installation

Country Springs Wholesale Nursery

Plant Layout

Gateway Tractor & Equipment Company, Inc.

Riding Mower

Great American Landscapes, Inc.

Rototiller, Paver Installation

JESCO, Inc.

Skid Steer

Kane Landscapes, Inc.

Paver Installation

Level Green Landscapes

Walk Behind Mower

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Montgomery Irrigation Lateral Repair & Head Adjustment Surrounds, Inc.

Pruning, Instrument

SiteOne Landscape Supply

Plant ID, Tree Planting & Staking, Pruning

Site Setup Wray Brothers Landscapes

Site Cleanup Great American Landscapes, Inc.

Ice and Water SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc. McHale Landscape Design, Inc.

CLASSIFIED Advanced Landscape Plant IPM PHC Short Course January 8–11, 2018 For registration information, contact: Short Course Assistant University of Maryland, Department of Entomology 4112 Plant Sciences Building 4291​ ​Fieldhouse Drive College Park, MD 20742 (301) 405-3911 umdentomology@umd.edu GROUNDWORK

18 S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7

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Advertising on the Web Banner advertising is available to members only on the website.

Display Advertising Deadline November/December 2017 Issue: Friday, October 20, 2017

CHIEF MOUNTAIN FARMS, LLC Your Source For Native Plants

Plugs to Containers ü Grasses ü Sedges & Rushes ü Perennials ü Ground Covers ü Shrubs & Trees ü Vines 116 Chiefs Mountain Lane, Port Deposit, MD 21904 Tel: 410-658-7331 Toll-Free: 866-530-8902 Fax: 410-658-7333 info@chiefmountainfarms.com www.chiefmountainfarms.com

Babikow Since 1875

Babikow Greenhouses 7838 Babikow Rd. Baltimore, MD 21237 Tel: 410.391.4200 Toll-Free: 800.835.7617 Fax: 410.574.7582 Email: Babikow@Babikow.com Web: www.Babikow.com