2019 January/February Groundwork

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

GROUNDWORK A P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E L A N D S C A P E C O N T R A C T O R S A S S O C I A T I O N M D •D C •V A

Plant of the Month—Mahonia bealei Boxwood—When Have You Had Enough?

Have You Considered Hydro-Raking as an Aquatic Management Tool?

Influencing Company Culture

contents

January/February 2019 4

Calendar of Events

5

President’s Message

6

Plant of the Month—Mahonia bealei

8

2018 Decade Award—The White Flower Garden

10 Boxwood—When Have You Had Enough?

13 Have You Considered Hydro-Raking as an Aquatic Management Tool?

15 Influencing Company Culture 18 Member Profile—Environmental Enhancements, Inc. 22 Advertising Information

Pesticide and Fertilizer Applicator Recertification Conference

Thursday, February 14, 2019 The Universities at Shady Grove Conference Center 9630 Gudelsky Drive, Building 2 II-1400 Rockville, MD 20850

www.lcamddcva.org

On the cover

The White Flower Garden

Plant of the Month

Mahonia bealei

Fine Earth Landscape Inc. Total Residential Contracting

—DECADE AWARD— “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

GROUNDWORK 3 J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

CALENDAR OF

2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Aaron Raines—President Live Green Landscape Associates, LLC —(443) 763-8580 Josh Kane, CLT—Immediate Past President Kane Landscapes, Inc.—(703) 803-3146 Matt Glover, CLT—Vice President Wray Brothers Landscapes—(301) 906-1571

FEBRUARY 14

Pesticide and Fertilizer Application Recertification Conference

The Universities at Shady Grove Conference Center, Rockville, MD

MARCH 27

Landscape Foremanship Training Seminar Presented by: Professor Armando Actis (See p. 17 and flyer insert for more details.)

APRIL TBD

H2B: Finding Workers and Labor Challenges

MAY 15

Excellence in Landscape Awards Submission Opens

AUGUST 14

Excellence in Landscape Awards Submission Deadline

DECEMBER 5

Excellence in Landscape Awards Dinner

Johns Hopkins University Rockville, MD

Chris Vedrani, CLT—Secretary/Treasurer Planted Earth Landscaping, Inc.—(410) 857-4744

DIRECTORS Paul Jester J&G Landscape Design, Inc.—(301) 476-7600 James Kole, CLT Level Green—(240) 429-3153 Colin Jones Manor View Farm, Inc.—(717) 825-0405 Michael J. McCartin Joseph W. McCartin Insurance, Inc.—(301) 837-1080 Jeff Rossen Rossen Landscape—(703) 327-2284 Ron Rubin SavATree—(703) 625-4400 Barry Schneider Surrounds, Inc.—(703) 906-7600 Jeff Waters SiteOne Landscape Supply—(240) 375-7470

LCA STAFF Thérèse O. Clemens, CAE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lynn Turner SENIOR MEMBER SERVICES MANAGER / OPERATIONS Julie Hill MARKETING DIRECTOR Dawn Rosenfeld ACCOUNTANT Lynne Agoston MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Oliveres PRODUCTION MANAGER Barbara Bienkowski, CEM EXHIBITS/SPONSORSHIP MANAGER Brandon Lawrence EXHIBITS/SPONSORSHIP ASSOCIATE MANAGER Lynette Randazzo MEETING PLANNER Jeyin Lee WEBSITE MANAGER G R O U N D W O R K , the official publication of the Landscape

Contractors Association, MD•DC•VA, is published bimonthly by LCA, 1300 Piccard Drive, Suite LL 14, Rockville, MD 20850.

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Copyright © 2019: 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.

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President’s Message Looking back while moving forward As we enter another new year, ripe with oppor t u n it y a nd hopes of positive change in ourselves, our companies, and our industry, I ask you to take a minute to think back.

Ask yourself, “Why did I originally get involved in LCA?” Was it the opportunity to network and learn from your peers in a friendly, open environment?

Was it the chance to give back to an industry that has provided opportunities for your own growth and development? Or was it a way to make yourself part of something larger than just your company? Maybe it was none of these things, but there was something that got you to attend that first event, and that makes you want to stay involved.

Aaron Raines 2019 President

We all joined and continue to participate in LCA for various reasons; some of the reasons you are still involved today may have evolved from why you joined in the first place. I bring this up because I want each of us to share the benefits of LCA with someone new. Remember, once upon a time you were new to the industry, and someone invited you to join the LCA community. You also could do that for someone new, to help them grow and learn and become part of something bigger than just their company by inviting them to an LCA event. You understand the benefits of being an LCA member and participating in events, and I’m asking you to share that opportunity with someone else by inviting them to participate.

Expanding on Josh Kane’s November/December 2018 President's Message, LCA is going through a period of change, and we will continue to adapt and change through 2019 as the organization evolves. As LCA’s new president, I am looking at each change as a new growth opportunity. When NALP notified the states that the Certified Landscape Technician was moving toward a fully computerized platform, it created a void in the LCA summer programming schedule. This opening presents an opportunity to bring members together for a new and exciting event that we have not experienced before. Details are still being worked out, but I will tell you to get ready for a fun day filled with sporting events and networking with all your friends, new and old (especially that new friend you are going to invite to their first LCA event). 2019 will be a year full of new opportunities for you to learn, network, and grow with LCA! Evolution allows us to adapt to new conditions and challenges, and you will continue to witness evolution at LCA as we strive to provide the benefits that our members desire. As evolutionary science has observed, those who are unable to evolve and adapt do not survive. Luckily for LCA as an organization, our evolution is guided by our members, who provide feedback to the board of directors about what is working and not working. Our goal is not just for LCA to survive, but to

thrive, and to do that, the board will continually need feedback from members. We recently sent a survey asking what your biggest business challenges will be in 2019 as well as the types of programming that you would like to see from LCA. We responded immediately to the two main responses— “t ra i n i ng ” a nd “ lab or”—w it h a training on March 27 on foremanship, and another we’re working on for April on H2B labor issues. We will continue to seek your input to help us focus educational events on topics that are relevant to our membership, because what was relevant in the past may not necessarily be relevant for the industry in the future. We want to hear from you, so please don’t be shy about sharing your feedback with LCA in person or through any of our digital platforms.

I am excited and honored for the opportunity to help lead LCA through the upcoming year, with all of its challenges and changes. Again, I hope each of you will ask yourself the question, “Why did I originally get involved in LCA?” Once you have answered that question, look around and see who is not currently involved, invite them to see for themselves, and share your story. Your story could reflect on why you got involved with LCA, and that may help someone else to create their own story.

Aaron Raines LCA President

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Plant of the Month

An Evergreen That Pleases All

By Emily McHale Pike, McHale Landscape Design

Mahonia bealei ‘Skylark’

Are you looking for a unique evergreen shrub that tolerates shade and produces both berries and flowers?

Well look no more, because Mahonia bealei is for you.

This plant, also known as leatherleaf mahonia, is an evergreen shrub with glossy, pinnately compound leaves. It typically is found in a multi-stemmed clump and grows to between 4’ and 10’ tall. The leaves of this plant are similar to that of a holly, but they are a bit longer. On occasion, they can be spindly, but when planted in the correct conditions, they are lush and fabulous!

For me, the most exciting part of this plant is that it exhibits a small, fragrant, bright yellow flower in the

late winter to early spring. As if that weren’t enough, the flowers are followed up with bunches of waxy, dark blue berries that resemble clusters of grapes. Birds love the berries as well.

Mahonia is also great for shade borders and is best in small groupings.

Overall, this plant does not have any disease or insect issues except for the occasional aphid or scale.

Like most plants, Mahonia comes in a few varieties. The differences in these varieties range from height to berry color. The variety I would like to spotlight is ‘Skylark’. This particular variety is interesting because of its leaves and berries. The leaves turn a dark purple hue and the berries are almost black. It also only grows to about 5’ in height, so if

you are looking for more of a dwarf variety, this would be a good choice.

The only downfall of this variety is that it is more susceptible to winter burn than the others. However, this typically only happens if it is in an unprotected area.

I ca n’t recom mend t h is pla nt enough. It is a great performer and has many unique qualities!

Mahonia bealei ‘Skylark’

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Over 1,500 choices delivered to you. perennials, natives, ferns, vines, herbs, ground covers,dahlias, cannas

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2018

Decade Award The White Flower Garden Fine Earth Landscape Inc. | Total Residential Contracting

GROUNDWORK 8 J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Whether it is the Natchez crapemyrtles, the Annabelle hydrangeas, or the Zumi calicarpa crabapples and pleasant white azaleas, it is just amazing that a garden can be so beautiful with just one flower color. Of course, we did not want to have just "bare branches" in the winter, so we planted hundreds of boxwoods. All of the construction elements were designed with crisp clean lines. The crushed stone driveway is lined with Belgian granite blocks. The flagstone terraces are all rectangular and symmetrical. The fountain is set in the center of a symmetrical flagstone patio. The dark-colored plaster and bluestone coping of the pool are softened by the cool lush turf that surrounds it. Several sitting areas in the front and back yards give the owners private places to enjoy their beautiful white garden.

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Boxwood—When Have You Had Enough?

By Stanton Gill, Extension Specialist in Nursery and Greenhouse IPM, Central Maryland Research and Education Center, University of Maryland Extension and Professor with the Landscape Technology Program, Montgomery College

Making Lemonade From Lemons

Lately, I have been searching for good uses for dead boxwoods. I have found that, due to its fine grain, it is an excellent wood for carving. In talking with wood carvers, they cannot get enough good boxwood of a useable diameter. The boxwood is also resistant to splitting and chipping. It has been used for years to make decorative boxes and used to be a great wood to make hair combs.

Boxwood was once called dudgeon and was used to make the handles of dirks and daggers. It was a common material for the manufacture of flutes and recorders in the 18th century, and a large number of mid- to highend instruments made today are produced from one or another species of boxwood. Even the famous bagpipes used to have canters made from boxwood.

humid fall weather resulted in a mega infection period, with resulting massive leaf drop in boxwoods in October.

We were flooded with calls and emails about boxwood blight for about a three-week period. It was not until the temperatures dropped into the 30 °F range that the leaf droppage stopped.

Karen Rane and David Clement visited a site in Maryland where the manager had religiously applied fungicides on a weekly basis the whole summer into the fall, and his boxwoods looked pretty good. So that worked, but is this what an IPM approach is about? If you have to spray something regularly just to keep it alive, it begs the question, “Is this really worth it?”

If you are a nursery owner growing boxwoods or a landscape manager struggling with keeping boxwood alive in the landscape, you may be pondering “why did I plant those %#^&@ boxwoods in the first place?” The warm,

Boxwood blight is here, and it will rear its ugly head again next season. The long-range solution is to find the genes that enable boxwood to resist this disease and work in a new line of resistant boxwood plants. This is years off in the future. Meanwhile, you should really look at whether boxwood is such a good idea for your customers’ landscapes.

Boxwood blight cankers on boxwood

Boxwood blight leaf lesions

What Is Happening?

GROUNDWORK 10 J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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Boxwood continued

Boxwood moth larvae

Boxwood moth, Cydalima perspectalis

Not to throw fuel onto an already flaring fire, but we also have a new bug entering the picture. The new kid on the block is the European boxwood tree moth, or just “boxwood moth,” as we call it in the United States. Its Latin name is Cydalima perspectalis, and it is in the family Crambidae. This small moth, which is actually quite pretty, is working its way across the European community rapidly.

Originating in Asia (Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Russian Far East, and India), it showed up in Germany in 2006. It then showed up in Switzerland and the Netherlands in 2007. It was found in Great Britain and France in 2008, and in 2012, it was introduced from Italy to Sochi with the planting stock of Buxus sempervirens. In 2013, it was found in Denmark at several sites on the island of Sjaelland. The moth has not made a splash in the Americas, but several specimens were found in Ontario, Canada, in late August 2018. It is just a short matter of time before it shows up here.

Every plant has at least one or two disease and insect pests. Boxwood just seems to be really good at accumulating a plethora of insect and disease problems. It might be wise to explore other plants to incorporate in the landscape that do not give you heartburn.

How Does It Damage Boxwood?

Boxwood moth larvae feed on the leaves and shoots of Buxus species. The young larvae only eat the upper part of the leaf. The leaves are not destroyed completely but appear as “peeled” or shredded almost completely. These peeled leaves eventually die. Older larvae are the most damaging: they massively and completely eat the leaves, sometimes leaving a thin part at the contour and center of the leaf. Green, ball-shaped frass (caterpillar poop) can usually be seen on host plants.

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301-837-1080 / www.mccartin.com GROUNDWORK 12 J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Have You Considered Hydro-Raking as an Aquatic Management Tool?

By Emily Walsh, Environmental Scientist, SOLitude Lake Management

If you own or manage a lake or pond, you’ve likely heard of hydro-raking as a unique management tool utilized by aquatic professionals to remove aquatic vegetation. A hydro-rake is essentially a floating barge supporting a mounted backhoe and rake attachment that can remove up to 500 pounds of lake and pond muck, plant material, and organic debris in a single scoop.

The hydro-rake has the ability to target certain areas of nuisance and/or invasive aquatic vegetation while

conserving other areas in their natural state. This is crucial in the eyes of aquatic management, which is geared toward retaining and restoring balance within the waterbody’s ecosystem. Maintaining an equilibrium of native vegetation enhances the potential for increased species richness and ecosystem resilience— the ability to maintain balance despite challenges posed by nutrient loading, water stratification, and other factors that can affect water quality. In addition to proactively managing vegetation, hydro-raking

can help reduce or prolong the need for dredging, which is often the costliest project a homeowners association will ever face.

While the hydro-rake is not a suitable management strategy in every situation, it can be extremely effective when used to control several types of vegetation often found in waterbodies used for recreation, community fishing, collecting stormwater runoff, or simply the enjoyment of their aesthetic beauty.

Hydro-raking can be an extremely effective management tool for the removal and reduction of nuisance aquatic plants found in community lakes, stormwater ponds, and private waterbodies.

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Have You Considered Hydro-Raking? continued Emergent Species

Emergent vegetation such as cattails, common reed, and maidencane are common plants that can plague waterbodies; however, removal can be achieved by utilizing the hydrorake as a stand-alone management option or as a complement to other management approaches. Emergent plants are fantastic candidates for the hydro-rake because they are usually found along the edge of the waterbody, where they can be easily accessed by the rake attachment.

During the removal process, the hydro-rake will extract the plant in its entirety, as well as its attached rh i zome (ro ot) st r uc t u re la i n beneath the water’s surface. Because the hydro-rake works from the water rather than land, desirable ornamental and buffer plant species along the shoreline are not impacted.

Floating Leaf Species

The hydro-rake is effective when removing common floating leaf vegetation, such as water lily and watershield. These plant species are ideal for hydro-rake management due to their leaf structure and attached

root systems underneath. As with common reed and cattail removal, the hydro-rake can remove the plants as well as the root structures. Open water is then restored, thus enhancing the ability of native aquatic flora and fauna to repopulate the area.

Other common floating-leaf species, such as water hyacinth, water chestnut, and water lotus, are additional candidates for hydro-raking service

Submersed Species

Submersed species such as curly-leaf pondweed, big leaf pondweed, and tape grass can be effectively managed through hydro-raking. These prescribed programs can provide sufficient plant reduction, especially when combined with herbicide management options. As with any management strategy, it’s important to always consider the biology of the targeted plant before beginning a hydro-raking project. Some submersed plants, such as milfoil and fanwort, spread heavily through fragmentation and may require alternate management strategies to ensure that fragmentation and repopulation do not occur.

Hydro-raking is a management tool used in a wide array of aquatic restoration projects, ranging from inlets, outlets, littoral zones, coves, private shorelines, and more. Aquatic vegetation removal projects can be performed any time of year, but the best time is when the nutrients are in the vegetative structure; this is relative to the associated region, weather conditions, and plant biology. When considering this service, the first step is to contact your local lake and pond management professional to conduct a site visit. During this time, they will identify nuisance plant species and management areas, and consider a strategy that aligns with your long-term waterbody goals.

As with any form of proactive management, hydro-raking can help improve the health, longevity, and beauty of your lake or pond for years to come, but is most effective when used in conjunction with other preventative management methods, including aeration, buffer management, nutrient remediation, and other strategies that prevent the premature aging, or filling in with sediment, of the waterbody.

Emily Walsh is an experienced environmental scientist with SOLitude Lake Management, an environmental firm providing sustainable lake, pond, wetland, and fisheries management solutions. Learn more about this topic at www. solitudelakemanagement. com/knowledge.

Emergent vegetation that thrive in shallow lakes and stormwater ponds, such as water lily and water willow species, are suitable candidates for removal by hydro-rake.

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Influencing Company Culture

By Patrice Peltier

Is your company full of texters, clock watchers, and people who think everything is “not my job”? You may have a disengagement problem, two green industry professionals told a highly engaged audience at iLandscape.

Vanessa Mueller has been a wholesale sales rep at Johnson’s Nursery for nine years. Anne Mino, now owner of Redbud Landscaping, put her master’s degree in leadership to work at Brickman, traveling the country to consult with branch offices. The two met getting undergraduate degrees in horticulture at Iowa State University, and they shared their expertise in and passion for professional development in a presentation entitled “Influencing Company Culture.”

Employees who are disengaged—who aren’t challenged and aren’t interested in doing their jobs—are a costly problem, the speakers explained.

They cited a Gallup Poll that found: •

Only 29% of the workforce is engaged at work.

•

$350 billion is lost every year due to employee disengagement.

•

Decreased productivity of each disengaged employee cost s employers $3,400 to $10,000 per employee.

On the flipside, the speakers cited Gallup Poll findings on the benefits of high levels of employee engagement where self-starting employees take ownership of their jobs:

• • • • • •

20% higher sales 10% higher customer satisfaction 48% fewer safety incidents 22% more profitability 37% less absenteeism 25% less turnover

Developing employee engagement begins with company culture, the speakers explained. Company culture includes the beliefs and behaviors that form a personality. This culture, which is continually evolving, influences the way people think, feel and act. As important as it is, corporate culture is something that may have developed unintentionally, they explained.

“Company culture includes the beliefs and behaviors that form a personality.”

Often company culture is grounded in old belief systems. “There’s the authoritarian model that says, ‘Here’s your job. Don’t ask any questions, just go do your job,’” Mino explains.

“There’s also the idea that the company can’t make money unless everyone works 75 hours a week during the summer, and the idea that if you have an office job you have to sit at your desk from 8 to 5 to accomplish what you need to do,” Mino explains.

Even the idea that employees are primarily motivated by money is

old thinking, Mueller says. She cited a study finding that while 89% of employers think their people leave for more money, only 12% of employees cite that as the reason for leaving a company. “That shows the disconnect between employees and management,” she adds.

“We need to find a new model. We need a general shift away from old beliefs,” Mino adds.

Mueller has experienced such a shift in her workplace. When the current owner took over sole responsibility for the company, the culture changed dramatically.

“The culture used to be top-down,” she explains. “Chad Johnson has made all the difference in the world.

He’s turned the company into a team. He’s all about emphasizing individual contribution and encouraging growth. It’s been very exciting to see the company culture change.”

If you want to change your company’s culture, start with yourself, the speakers explain. Owners and managers are often quick to blame generational differences or lack of resources, according to the speakers.

They focused, instead, on four areas that can improve engagement: trust, value, vision and autonomy.

“I really believe if you take care of people, the rest takes care of itself,” Mino says.

“If your employees feel safe, they’re contributing; they’re engaged,”

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Influencing Company Culture continued Mueller adds. “If your employees don’t feel safe, if they can’t trust you, it’s painful for everybody.”

“Employees need to have a sense of purpose as well an understanding of what’s in it for them.”

“Little things make a big difference,” Mino says, explaining that rewarding and recognizing performance doesn’t have to be costly.

The speakers offered these suggestions for developing trust in the workplace: •

Keep your promises. Do what you say you’ll do.

•

Own your mistakes.

•

Have each others’ backs. Don’t throw anyone under the bus.

ing to say “thank you” and recognizing good performance. Mueller and Mino also recommend gathering employees’ input and using it, providing opportunities for personal growth and development and promoting team camaraderie.

Knowing your employees enables you to give the most impactful recognition, the speakers say.

“If you have a plant person working for you, get them a plant. If your coworker is into sports, get them a nerf ball for around the office,” Mueller says. “It is easy to give a gift card, but when you pay attention and make it personal it makes a difference.”

•

Remember that employees are watching and listening all the time. What are your actions and behavior telling them?

•

Be transparent with information.

The second step, according to the speakers, is to clearly and simply state your company’s vision.

Employees need to have a sense of purpose as well an understanding of what’s in it for them. Be sure to do more than give lip service to your company vision, the speakers advise.

“Don’t hang it on the wall and forget it,” Mueller says. “Live it.”

Employees not only need to know the company’s values, they need to feel valued, Mueller and Mino explain.

Managers can do this by knowing each employee’s strengths and what makes them tick, remember-

Mino seconds that. A handwritten thank you card, a cup of coffee, a few hours off to go see their kid’s event can be powerful motivators, according to Mino. “It ties back to knowing your people,” she says.

Employees who are self-starters appreciate autonomy, the speakers say. Creating an environment that fosters self-starters means establishing clear expectations of employees, encouraging them to think outside the box, and asking employees for their ideas on how to solve problems or improve established systems.

“Bring in your younger employees to get new ideas and perspectives,” Mino says. “Combine different generations to come up with solutions that work for everyone.”

Establishing goals with employees helps make them accountable to

themselves and to you, the speakers explain. Having written goals also makes employee reviews easier, they say.

The presentation elicited a number of lively discussions. “I couldn’t believe how many people wanted to talk,” Mueller says. “They asked for suggestions and ideas from each other.”

One of the major themes was how to find and keep employees, according to Mueller. In this, they’re not alone. Mueller cited a Green Industry Benchmark Report that said the biggest challenge owners in the green industry report is attracting and retaining employees. According to the same report, 79% said it was difficult to very difficult to find new employees.

“Establishing goals with employees helps make them accountable to themselves and to you.”

Mino recommends looking first for people who share the company’s values and vision. “A top performer who doesn’t share your vision and values can be pretty disruptive,” Mino points out. She recommends looking within the existing workforce for people who already share the company’s values. Could these people grow into new positions with education and training, she asks.

It’s easier to train people for a new skillset if they already understand your vision and values, she says.

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Influencing Company Culture continued “That’s the trickier part of the equation.”

“There were a lot of questions about training because, gosh, training your people—what could be more dangerous,” Mueller says. Employers face the possibility of training employees who will ultimately leave and work for competitors. Still, other audience members countered, the alternative is to have employees wearing the company uniform, representing the company and not being adequately trained. “Either way, it’s dangerous,” Mueller says.

Attendees shared what Mueller described as “nightmare scenarios” about employees’ problematic behavior. Much of it revolved around the use of phones and social media.

LCA

March 27, 2019

These often impact employees’ attentiveness on the job and also may result in inappropriate posts on social media and even the company website.

“It was surprising to see how much people were willing to share in hopes of finding some advice,” Mueller says.

“Vanessa and I were blown away by the amount of participation from the group,” Mino says. “It was surprising how open and honest they were willing to be. It turned into a bigger conversation about how to retain employees—and that’s a conversation that could go on for days.”

To Mino, the bottom line is simple.

“It goes back to taking care of your people, helping them feel part of the

group, giving them a sense of purpose,” she says.

Evaluating and perhaps changing your corporate culture takes an investment of time and energy initially, Mueller acknowledges. “But when you reach that last stage, autonomy, employees find their own activities, their own ways to be engaged in their jobs. When you have people who take responsibility and own their jobs in a company that values engagement, that’s where the magic really starts to happen.”

Reprinted from The Landscape Contractor, July 2018, with permission from the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association.

Landscape Foremanship Training Seminar

By Professor Armando Actis 8:00 am–3:30 pm

In this dynamic seminar, foremen will learn how to more effectively handle tight deadlines and tight margins and increase customer satisfaction. How the customer perceives the foreman’s crew is fundamental to the success of a contractor’s business!

Johns Hopkins University, Rockville, MD

Professor Armando Actis is an OSHA instructor for the landscaping and construction industry at the College of Dupage. He provides end-user operation, application, and maintenance training for anyone— from the casual user to OSHA professionals—on safety and correct use of landscaping and construction equipment.

See flyer insert for more information!

Register at www.lcamddcva.org/monthly meetings GROUNDWORK 17 J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Member Profile

Environmental Enhancements, Inc.

(Answers submitted by Fred Peratt, Head Coach/Owner) 1. Where is your company’s headquarters located? How many other locations do you have?

Sterling, Virginia, with no other locations.

2. How many employees does your company have?

35 full-time employees. We do not lay off during the winter time.

3. How long has your company been in business, and how did the company get its start?

EEI was started in 1999, so we have been in business for 19 years. The company was started by my previous business partner, and our services were focused on the high-end residential design build market. I bought into the company as a partner in 2001 and brought recurring commercial maintenance services to our portfolio mix. We were business

partners for 13 years when we made a mutual decision that our company needed a different direction for EEI’s long-term financial health.

We decided to turn our focus away from residential design build and put more emphasis on our sweet spot, which was commercial maintenance.

6. Does your company have any specialty areas?

4. Why did you decide to join LCA?

5% residential and 95% commercial. We do both installation and maintenance.

I have been a member of LCA on and off for 30+ years. Networking is key in our industry to learn best practices from other individuals within the industry. I am a huge supporter of sharing knowledge so that we can make our businesses and industry better.

5. Do you use social media?

Which?

Yes, we use Facebook, Linked In, and Twitter.

MyYard Organics, which includes turf, plant health care, and mosquito/tick control.

7. Do you do residential or commercial? Do you do both install and maintenance?

8. What’s changed about your company in the last five years?

We i mplemented a n i ndust r yspecific software that has helped improve our inefficiencies. One example that had a huge ROI was to go mobile and completely eliminate paper time sheets. Our appetite for continuous learning and improvement will help us be a more effective company in the long term.

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2019

Challenge accepted.

LOW SCAPE MOUND™ Aronia melanocarpa ‘UCONNAM165’ pp#28,789, cbraf Cute as a button yet tough as nails, Low Scape Mound™ has a tiny, mounded habit with loads of white spring flowers and purple-black fruit in summer. This dwarf

10’

LOW SCAPE MOUND™ Aronia melanocarpa ‘UCONNAM165’ pp# 28,789, cbraf FULL TO PART SUN USDA ZONE 3, AHS 9 1-2' tall, 2' wide

chokeberry will rise to any landscape challenge, thriving almost anywhere, cold climates and hot, wet soils and dry, sun and part shade.

Available from these suppliers in 2019 David’s Nursery Exmore, VA • 757-442-7000

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

Shreckhise Nurseries Grottoes VA • 540-249-5761

Eastern Shore Nursery Melfa, VA • 757-787-4732

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

Spring Run Farms Coatsville, PA • 610-380-1402

Huber Nurseries Manheim, PA • 717-898-9115

www.provenwinners-shrubs.com

Member Profile continued 9. What is your company’s biggest claim to fame?

We are a landscaping company that cares. Our clients choose us—year after year. Our mission is to create value for you. We promise to openly communicate with you on a scheduled basis and keep you updated on each project. Our highest priority is to build a long-term partnership with you.

10. What are your company’s biggest challenges?

Recr uit i ng a nd h i ri ng qua l it y employees. Getting prospective clients to understand value based services instead of lowest price.

ment of solar-powered mowers, battery operated hand held equipment, and smart clocks for efficient water use. People are very concerned about our environment, and that trend will continue.

12. Where do you expect your company to be in five years?

We will continue to improve our organic solutions and be a leader in the market. We eventually would like to transition all of our clients to organic programs. EEI will continue to be innovative and adaptive by reducing noise pollution and finding better business methods that provide value-based services to our clients.

11. What landscaping trends do you anticipate for the future?

Landscaping trends for the future are very exciting, with the develop-

Landscape

E-Books Available on

Specification Guidelines

6th edition

dscape Specification Guidelines

www.amazon.com

6th edition

Part 1: Exterior Landscape Installation Part 2: Exterior Landscape Maintenance

Today at

mddcva.org

Part 3: Interior Landscape Installation and Maintenance Part 4: Irrigation

ble for Kindle

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Part 5: Non-Tidal Wetland Planting Part 6: Seeding and Sodding Part 7: Soils Part 8: Tree Preservation

Order THE PRINT VERSION Online Today: www.lcamddcva.org GROUNDWORK 20 J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Courtstone

SUPERIOR DURABILITY Timeless Appeal.

Unilock can help you create one-of-a-kind outdoor spaces that set your business apart. Step outside of the ordinary pavers you’ve grown accustomed to and let Unilock show you products that make your designs shine.

From the old-world European inspired cobbles of Courtstone®, to the sleek modern lines of Artline™, Unilock has the perfect product for your next project.

Call 202-798-2060 to connect with Jason Prieto, your local Mid-Atlantic Territory Manager.

UNILOCK.COM | 1-800-UNILOCK

Advertising Information Advertisers Index Babikow Greenhouses............................................................... 24 Cavano's Perennials, Inc............................................................. 7 Chief Mountain Farms, LLC....................................................... 23 Manor View Farm....................................................................... 22 McCartin.................................................................................... 12 The Perennial Farm.................................................................... 11 Proven Winners.......................................................................... 19 Unilock....................................................................................... 21

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

Walnut Springs Nursery, Inc....................................................... 2

General Information • See LCA website: www.lcamddcva.org for current Media Kit. • Signed contract must accompany ad copy. Artwork can be changed monthly, provided contract is paid in full.

• When change of artwork is not received by artwork closing date, publisher reserves right to print ad from previous issue.

• There are no refunds of advertising payments.

• Payment is due with signed contract and artwork by final closing date for each issue.

Publisher Indemnities: Publisher reserves the right to mark “advertisement” on copy that readers might confuse with editorial content and to refuse copy that offends good taste or takes unfair competitive advantage. No rebates made for errors in key numbers or for omissions or errors in Advertisers Index.

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

www.manorview.com

GROUNDWORK 22 J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Classified Advertising

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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LCA NonMembers Members

Up to 200 words

$50

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Each additional 100 words thereafter

$25

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Advertising on the Web

Banner advertising is available to members only on the website.

Display Advertising Deadline March/April 2019 Issue: Wednesday, February 20, 2019

CHIEF MOUNTAIN FARMS, LLC

Providing Native & Wetland Plants to the Industry From Plugs to Containers We Grow It All Grasses · Sedges & Rushes · Perennials · Ground Covers · Shrubs · Trees · 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