SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 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—Amsonia Root Mealybug—What You Don’t See Is Hurting Your Plants New Innovations in Your Lake Manager’s “Toolbox” Why a Workplace Safety Plan Is a Living Document
contents
September/October 2019 4
Calendar of Events
5
President’s Message
6
Plant of the Month—Amsonia
8
2018 Grand Award—Difficult Run Residence
10 Root Mealybug—What You Don’t See Is Hurting Your Plants 18 New Innovations in Your Lake Manager’s “Toolbox” 20 Why a Workplace Safety Plan Is a Living Document 22 Advertising Information
Pesticide and Fertilizer Applicator Recertification Conference
Thursday, February 13, 2020 The Universities at Shady Grove Conference Center 9630 Gudelsky Drive, Building 2 II-1400 Rockville, MD 20850
www.lcamddcva.org
Difficult Run Residence
Plant of the Month
Surrounds Inc. Front Residential Planting & Entranceway (Design/Build)
—GRAND AWARD— Amsonia “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
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
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
SEPTEMBER 26
Baseball Game: Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Chris Vedrani, CLT—Secretary/Treasurer Planted Earth Landscaping, Inc.—(410) 857-4744
Nationals Park Washington, D.C.
DIRECTORS
OCTOBER 23
Emerging Professionals Tour of Blue Plains Water Treatment Plant/Bloom
Paul Jester J&G Landscape Design, Inc.—(301) 476-7600
5000 Overlook Ave. SW Washington, D.C.
Colin Jones Manor View Farm, Inc.—(717) 825-0405
DECEMBER 5
Excellence in Landscape Awards Celebration Dinner
Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center Gaithersburg, MD
FEBRUARY 2020 13
Pesticide and Fertilizer Recertification Conference
Foremanship Training (First day in English, second day in Spanish)
Ron Rubin SavATree—(703) 625-4400 Barry Schneider Surrounds, Inc.—(703) 906-7600
Johns Hopkins University Rockville, MD
Root for the home team with LCA on Thursday, September 26, 2019, at Nationals Park as the team takes on the Philadelphia Phillies. This is a great chance to cheer with your peers and knock your networking opportunities out of the park! 3:00 PM – Networking at the Budweiser Terrace Bar
4:05 PM – Game Time
Michael J. McCartin Joseph W. McCartin Insurance, Inc.—(301) 837-1080 Jeff Rossen Rossen Landscape—(703) 327-2284
Universities at Shady Grove Rockville, MD
MARCH 2020 3&4
James Kole, CLT Level Green Landscaping—(240) 429-3153
(Ticket includes $25 concessions credit)
REGISTER NOW
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 SENIOR MARKETING DIRECTOR Jennifer Olivares MARKETING DIRECTOR Meghan Maker MARKETING COORDINATOR Dawn Rosenfeld ACCOUNTANT Lynne Agoston EDITOR 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. P: (301) 948-0810 F: (301) 990-9771 E: lca@lcamddcva.org 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 20th 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@msp-amc.com for more information and the deadline schedule. 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.
Nationals Park Bag Policy Update Beginning in 2019, backpacks may not be brought into Nationals Park except as otherwise provided in the Nationals Bag Policy. For a complete list of permitted bags and details about the locker storage option please visit the Nationals website: www.mlb.com/nationals.
GROUNDWORK
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
President’s Message
Aaron Raines 2019 President
Maximizing Great Ideas by Putting Them Into Action
As an industry, there are many different ways that we collaborate and learn from one another—between conferences, seminars, award ceremonies, and networking events, it seems as though there is always an event on our calendars. As LCA members, we are all familiar with the value of networking with industry partners and peers and continuously enriching our knowledge and skills through seminars and educational events. The insights that can be gained from hearing an alternate approach to a problem or issue or an alternate perspective to streamlining a facet of the business has the potential to enrich our performance in both our individual roles and in the overall success of our companies. Ironically though, with the wealth of resources around us, the learning often seems to be the easy part. Instead, the bigger hurdle often becomes the implementation; with our long and pressing to-do lists, we can all become guilty of “crossing off” a seminar or event as another responsibility completed without having taken the time to reap the benefits of the insight we gained! So, how exactly do you maximize the value of the things you’ll learn at seminars and conferences and
from your peers this season? More specifically, how do you take those “lightbulb” moments that we so often have when listening to a speaker at an event and actually put them into action to help improve your business? First, you have to commit a little time to it by making it a part of your schedule. Instead of just crossing off “attend seminar” from your to-do list, turn that event into two items to complete: “attend seminar” and “seminar action items.” Now, we all have busy schedules, so it is important to be realistic and not put too much on ourselves. In a perfect world, we could all implement every great idea that we hear at every seminar, but we just don’t always have the time! So—recognizing that we simply don’t have a wealth of time to devote to the “seminar action items” task—try setting aside 15 or 20 minutes of your schedule for it. While that probably doesn’t seem like enough time to accomplish much of anything, if you take that seminar and boil down the information you learned to make it more manageable, it can actually go pretty far. So, after your next educational event, instead of feeling overwhelmed with information, try to
pinpoint three big insights or takeaways that you felt you had. Once you’ve done that, try thinking about some easy ways that you could begin to implement those three ideas, and then turn the “action items” task on your schedule into a plan to fulfill those improvements. Once you’ve sat down to plan it out and get started, it becomes much easier to set aside 15 minutes each week or every other week to keep working on executing those ideas. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day! It’s much better to slowly implement a new strategy than to feel busy or overwhelmed and not implement it at all, and if you break it down into easy-to-manage calendar tasks, it can even feel easy. So, when you sit down to create an action plan, rather than approaching the new strategies as if implementing them would be a huge, insurmountable task, try to instead approach them with a bit less fervor than you typically would. Instead, whether it be improvements to a safety training plan, employing new processes to increase efficiency, or enacting some new ideas for staffing, take that topic and break it down into easy tasks or steps. In other words, approach the action plan as a long-term goal rather than Continued on page 17
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
Plant of the Month
Amsonia—A Versatile, Colorful Perennial By Tom Kniezewski, Garden Management Leader, Surrounds Landscape Architecture + Consulting
Amsonia
There are few better filler perennials than Amsonia, more commonly called Bluestar. This U.S. native perennial will grow in USDA zones 4 through 9 and is a very versatile and low-maintenance plant. It gets its common name from the pale blue, star-shaped flowers it produces in the spring, but it provides interest the remainder of the year with its narrow, feathery leaves and its intense yellow foliage in the autumn before going dormant for the winter. Amsonia is a long-lived perennial that is deer resistant and easy to care for in the heat and humidity of the D.C. Metro area. It prefers well drained, sunny locations and grows 2–3 feet upright with little maintenance needed. We found that if planted in shady locations or in overly rich soils, the plant will tend to flop midseason and will need to either be trimmed back or staked.
When developing any wildflower, Amsonia is a great addition to mix in among coneflowers, yarrow, butterfly weed, and other bright flowering summer perennials. The green foliage of the amsonia makes the colors from the wildflowers pop in the summer. Also, just when the perennials are finished popping for the season, the yellow autumn foliage of the Amsonia brings a whole new life to the garden. Amsonia hubrichtii is a common variety of this plant. Other variations includes A. tabernaemontana, which has a more pronounced flower in the spring and seems a bit more compact, growing 12–18 inches in height. A. Ciliata and A. Illustris are other varieties. As a fairly new plant to the market (1990s), new cultivars and hybrids are coming out regularly, so keep on the lookout for new variations. GROUNDWORK
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Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana)
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
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2018 Grand Award
Difficult Run Residence Surrounds Inc.
GROUNDWORK
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
This project involved a redesign of the front and side area landscape to include a new security fence with automated gate and pedestrian gate; new front plantings; new stone walls to complement the entry gate and accent the home throughout the landscape; a new asphalt driveway with concrete paver parking area; a new entry walkway from the driveway to the home; outdoor lighting; drainage and irrigation; and improved parking along the street. GROUNDWORK
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
Root Mealybug—What You Don’t See Is Hurting Your Plants By Stanton Gill, Extension Specialist in Nursery and Greenhouse IPM, Central Maryland Research and Education Center, University of Maryland Extension; Professor, Landscape Technology Program, Montgomery College Brian Kunkel, Extension Ornamental IPM Specialist, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Chuck Schuster, Extension Educator, University of Maryland Extension Suzanne Klick, Lead Technician, Central Maryland Research and Education Center, University of Maryland Rachel Ross, Student Intern, University of Maryland It is human nature to ignore what you don’t see. Why worry about something if you cannot see it? The subterranean feeding of root mealybug, which feeds on plant roots, goes unnoticed by many growers. As growers, you may notice a plant is stunted and not growing well. Until you take the plant out of the pot and look at the root system, the wax associated with root mealybug is not noticeable. If the population builds up, your customer will definitely notice a problem when they go to remove the pot and discover an infested plant. The wax is very noticeable on the roots on the outside perimeter of the rootball. Three major insect groups can be problems on roots of nursery and greenhouse plants: fungus gnat larvae, root aphids, and root mealybugs. We decided to concentrate on one of these pests in our trials and selected root mealybug because it is tough to control and we had a good population of the pest to work with in a nursery setting.
Background
There are two major root mealybugs found on nursery and landscape plants in North America: the ground mealybug (Rhizoecus falcifera Kunckel d’Hercularis) and Pritchard’s mealy-
bug, (Rhizoecus pritchardi McKenzie). Both are in the order Hemiptera, family Pseudococcidae. The ground mealybug is white and 2.4 to 3.9 millimeters long and has slender, waxy filaments that form a sort of netting over some individuals. The ground mealybug also secretes a small amount of wax, which can give the soil a somewhat bluish appearance when the mealybugs are abundant. Pritchard’s mealybug is smaller than the ground mealybug and is snow white and 1.6 to 2.1 millimeters long, oval, with very small eyes. The wax from Pritchard’s mealybug also tends to be snow white in color. In our study, the Pritchard mealybug was the one present on Sedum roots. The ground mealybug is reported to feed on the roots of anemone, chrysanthemum, gladiolus, iris, and numerous other flowers, shrubs, and ornamental grasses. Pritchard’s mealybug is a pest of Achillea, Arctostaphylos, Asters, Geum, Polygala, and Sedum. Very little is published on the lifecycle of either root mealybug species. Dr. Arnold H. Hara of the University of Hawaii–Manoa reports that female mealybugs lay eggs or give birth to live young called crawlers. If eggs are laid, they usually hatch
in less than 24 hours. Crawlers are the dispersal stage and are highly mobile. Once the crawlers find a suitable site, they settle down and begin to feed on roots with their sucking mouth parts. The entire life cycle ranges from two to four months depending on the species. Adults live fromm 27–57 days, also depending on the species. Pritchard’s mealybug has been noted to crawl out of the drainage holes and spread throughout the nursery or greenhouse. In nurseries, we have found Pritchard’s mealybug moving between pots of asters that were sitting on a spun-down polypropylene weed barrier. The mealybugs were exiting through the drainage holes of the pot and moving from pot to pot that were close together. In green roof plant nurseries, we noted the Pritchard’s mealybug moving from plug trays sitting on a weed barrier on the ground to previously uninfested plant trays close to infested plants.
The Green Roof–Mealybug Connection
Green roofs got their early start in Europe, mainly in Germany, as way to reduce water runoff from roof surfaces. We saw our first green roof in 2002 while visiting Morton Arboretum to speak on the newly emerging invasive emerald ash borer. The ash
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Root Mealybug continued ash borer was the topic of the day at Morton Arboretum, but while speaking there, we had an opportunity to visit some of the green roofs that had been installed in Chicago. The mayor was very supportive of the use of green roofs in the city. With it being our first time seeing them, we were very wonderstruck with this whole concept. It looked like a perfect opportunity for the horticulture industry to expand its scope. Since then, a number of cities have encouraged installation of green roofs to reduce energy use and roof runoff. Of course, there is the aesthetic aspect that goes along with green roofs. Now people are benefiting pollinators and birds with green roof installation. The number of nurseries growing plants to be installed in these green roofs is growing. Whenever anything is grown in large quantities in concentrated areas, you can guarantee that insects and disease will make their way into the system. This has happened with green plant production. Sedum has become the predominant group of plants that thrive on green roofs. So, the nursery industry has concentrated on propagating large numbers of these succulent plants. At first, they appeared pest free.
Non-Chemical Control
mealybugs. For this study, we concentrated on Pritchard’s mealybug in evaluating several new classes of systemic chemicals applied as soil drenches. Applications were made to clean plants with infested plug trays placed close to see if we could protect uninfested plants from becoming infested. In the second trial, we used Sedum plants in plug trays that were moderately to heavily infested with root mealybug to measure the control of infested plants. In each trial, we had eight completely randomized blocks. Treatments were made on April 5 or May 1, 2018, with each application being made as a soil drench.
Research conducted by the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources has demonstrated that hot water dips were effective in dealing with root mealybug in Hawaii. Submerging potted Rhapis palms in 120 °F (49 °C) water until the internal root ball temperature reaches 115 °F (46 °C) is 100 percent effective in killing root mealybugs and does not significantly affect the potted plants.
Trials
In 2014, Stanton Gill of the University of Maryland Extension conducted trials on Sedum. Submersing the roots in 120 °F water (49 °C) for 15 minutes provided 100 percent control of root mealybugs. After the hot water treatments, the plants were cooled down to 60–70 °F for 10 minutes and returned to the growing area. The plants were examined at 14 and 28 days DAT and found to be undamaged by the hot water treatment. The method was effective but slow and cumbersome to treat a large number of plug trays of Sedum. For a smaller number of plants, this may be a practical method. We worked with a green roof plant nursery that had Sedum that were infested with both root aphid and root
Table 1. List of insecticides applied curatively against root mealybugs feeding on Sedum sp.
Product
Rate
Application
Water
Untreated Control
Spray
Aria
3.0 oz./ 100 gallons
Spray
Altus
2.8 oz./ 100 gallons
Altus
3.7 oz./ 100 gallons
Acelepryn
8.0 oz./ 100 gallons
Mainspring
8.0 oz./ 100 gallons
Endeavor
5.0 oz./ 100 gallons
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Root Mealybug continued Table 2. List of insecticides applied preventatively against root mealybugs on Sedum sp.
Product
Rate
Application
Aria
3.0 oz./ 100 gallons
Spray
Altus
2.8 oz./ 100 gallons
Drench/Dip
Altus
3.7 oz./ 100 gallons
Drench/Dip
Water
Untreated Control
Spray
Our third trial against root mealybugs focused on cultural practices. Our treatments were growing Sedum in flats on weed mat in contact with the soil (the industry standard) and plants grown in flats on greenhouse benches placed in a hoop-house next to the other plants. Populations were similar prior to beginning the experiment. Two population counts were made on plants grown in the hoop-house, as described previously, six and 11 weeks after starting the trial. Figure 1. Effects of insecticides applied curatively on root mealybugs feeding on Sedum sp. 33 days after application (DAT; ANOVA α=0.05). The various letters indicate treatments that were significantly different (Tukey HSD, α=0.05).
Figure 2. Effects of insecticides applied preventatively on root mealybugs feeding on Sedum sp. 33 days after application (DAT; ANOVA α=0.05). Treatments with different letters are significantly different (Tukey HSD, α=0.05).
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Root Mealybug continued Figure 3. Population level of root mealybugs feeding on Sedum sp. six weeks (Trial I) or two weeks (Trial II) after placement on weed mat on the ground (ground) or on Sedum in trays on greenhouse benches (bench; ANOVA α=0.05). Treatments with different letters are significantly different (Tukey HSD, α=0.05).
Summary
All of the treatments were effective in keeping root mealybug from spreading from infested flats to uninfested flats. In the first trial involving treating already infested Sedum that had established root mealybug, we found that Aria, Altus, Acelepryn, Endeavor, and Mainspring provided effective control, although populations were slightly higher on Mainspring treated plants (Fig. 1). Altus and Aria were effective preventative treatments (Fig. 2). Plants grown on the ground may have greater populations of root mealybugs compared to plants grown on benches. Our data (Fig. 3) shows this trend; however, the treatments were not significantly different for the length of our trial (six or two weeks). Additionally, evaluating populations on a greater number of plants (11 in each treatment for both trials) may reduce variation that could influence detection of significant differences.
We noted during our trials that when we took flats from a nursery growing the flats on black weed barrier and moved them into a greenhouse on wire benches, the root mealybug population tended to decline rather dramatically. It may be the growing method of placing plastic flats on the ground that allow root mealybug and root aphids to easily travel from infested flats to previously uninfested flats. We plan to investigate this further with future trials. Hot-water treatments of 102 °F for 15 minutes appear to control root mealybug, but the method is slow, slightly cumbersome, time consuming, and only good for treating already infested plants. Preventative insecticide treatments appear to keep plants free from infestation of root mealybug.
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President’s Message continued a large, looming mountain that you have to climb all in one day. Then, take those simple steps and plug them into your calendar as items that you can regularly “chip away” at for 15 to 20 minutes each week as part of your routine. Once you do, implementing new ideas can seemingly become easy. So, when your calendar begins filling up with seminars and events this season, consider taking a different approach to utilizing the knowledge you’ve learned and the insights you’ve gained from your peers. With all of these valuable resources around us, we have the potential to make great strides in our daily jobs. When we utilize those tools, they can have huge rewards for our individual roles and our departments and, over time, can greatly impact performance for the business. And, if we break them down into easy-to-manage implementation plans, it can even become pretty easy to do it! Aaron Raines LCA President
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New Innovations in Your Lake Manager’s “Toolbox” Shannon Junior, Aquatic Ecologist at SOLitude Lake Management Herbicides and algaecides have traditionally been used to maintain balanced ecosystems in lakes and ponds—but wouldn’t it be exciting if there was a new technology or process that could totally revolutionize the way we approach environmental problems around our lawns and golf courses? Industry leaders have long understood that proactive, holistic management strategies are the key to achieving long-term balance in our aquatic environments; however, our toolbox of sustainable solutions has not always grown at the same pace as our knowledge. That’s why we are so excited about recent advances in aquatic habitat restoration. E PA-reg istered herbicides a nd algaecides are generally only used as a last resort solution—but sometimes they are necessary and valuable tools. Just as you might take an antibiotic to recover from an infection, pesticides help your waterbody recover from nuisance and sometimes harmful aquatic weed infestations. Now, new herbicide technologies are optimizing the safe eradication of undesirable plant species with very limited impact on native vegetation, wildlife, or recreational activity. These highly targeted herbicides combine the best features of traditional options to target the unique growth processes in undesirable aquatic weeds and achieve more selective and longlasting vegetation control. Thanks to their favorable environmental profile, they require 100-1000x
lower use rates than traditional herbicides and have been designated by the EPA as a “Reduced Risk” solution that is virtually nontoxic to humans, pets, and wildlife. Reduced Risk herbicides can be highly successful for the management of many species and may provide exceptional multi-season control when applied by specially certified professionals at the appropriate growth stage and dosing rate. Properties suffering from chronic milfoil species, hydrilla, crested floating heart, watershield, parrotfeather, creeping primrose, slender spike rush, yellow floating heart, and similar species are excellent candidates for management with these highly selective, low-impact herbicides.
For any new technology, it is important to evaluate its niche within our “toolbox” and to understand the best fit among the available water-quality management strategies. There are many factors to consider when developing a comprehensive aquatic resource management plan, such as the target weed or algae species, the presence of beneficial native vegetation, and the goals and budget of the stakeholders. While reduced risk herbicides offer a new and exciting option for our clients with severe nuisance or invasive aquatic weed issues, it’s important to establish long-term control by addressing the true root of the problem: unbalanced water quality. Water quality restoration is one of the most frequent and important
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challenges that we face as lake and pond managers, and should be a high priority for every waterbody. Poor water quality due to nutrient loading is a constant issue, as runoff containing fertilizers and other pollutants from agricultural farm fields, suburban lawns and gardens, and urban streets and parking lots drains into lakes, ponds, and stormwater management facilities. Even natural areas can contribute to water-quality degradation through the deposition of sediment, leaf debris, and other organic matter to our waterways. These pollutants are the ultimate source of nuisance lake and pond weeds, harmful cyanobacteria (bluegreen algae) blooms, and other complications that impair waterbodies for municipal and recreational uses, and may also make them less habitable for fish and other wildlife. As a golf course superintendent or property manager, you may have already implemented numerous aquatic management tools, such as aeration and nanobubble technology, biological augmentation, nutri-
ent remediation, and innovative sediment and vegetation removal techniques (e.g., bioengineered shorelines, hydro-raking). Another new technology for the sustainable removal of nutrients and other pollutants is generating excitement within our industry. Similar to activated charcoal, this new technology has highly adsorbent properties that allow it to remove impurities from water. These charcoal-like particles can be placed in large, porous bags in moving water, and the particles will attract and trap nutrients, metals, and other pollutants. The bags are then removed from the water when they are full, resulting in the physical elimination of the trapped material from the waterbody. The contacts of the bag can be discarded, or better yet, used strategically as a soil amendment for natural fertilization and as a substrate for beneficial microbes to enhance plant growth. This new technology is most effective in flowing waterbodies so that there is constant circulation of water around the socks for nutrient adsorp-
tion. More stagnant basins would benefit from the installation of a fountain or aeration system to move the water and enhance the effectiveness of this method. The number and size of the socks required is also site-specific, and the longevity of the socks could be several weeks up to an entire season depending on the severity of water-quality impairment. The increasing problems of anthropogenic and climatological waterquality degradation have brought us to a critical time in the pond and lake management industry, but new technologies like these are making the management of aquatic resources easier and more sustainable than ever. When implementing any sort of aquatic weed or waterquality solution for your waterbody, it’s extremely valuable to consult with an aquatic biologist or ecologist who is on the leading edge for innovative solutions to age-old challenges. Your greens—and your longterm budget—will thank you! Shannon Junior is an aquatic ecologist at SOLitude Lake Management, an industry-leading environmental firm. She specializes in all facets of lake management, with a specific expertise in ecological assessment and restoration. Shannon has an M.S. in environmental science and public policy from George Mason University. This article is the third in a series featuring new breakthrough technologies that will revolutionize the management of lakes, stormwater ponds, wetlands, and fisheries in 2019. Learn more at www.solitudelakemanagement. com/knowledge.
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Why a Workplace Safety Plan Is a Living Document Business owners can’t ‘set it and forget it’ when it comes to an effective safety program We all want our employees to go home safe to their families. As an employer, you are responsible for providing a safe workplace for your employees. A successful and safe work environment not only creates employee engagement, and increases productivity and security, it can provide insurance premium credits and decrease the total cost of risk affiliated with operating your business. However, once you have developed a safety program, you must be diligent about sticking to it. An effective safety program is an ever-changing pro-
gram. You should regularly examine your plan to address changes in your business exposures, your employee base and even your client base. Don’t be discouraged if the plan does not always work the way you anticipated. A safety incident provides you with an opportunity to address failures in communication, overlooked risks or problem employees. A strong safety program starts at the top with full commitment from business owners and the management team. Everyone involved in running the business must be will-
ing to create a company culture that prioritizes safety the minute any employee walks in the door or onto a jobsite. It takes time to develop this culture. Encourage employees to be open about safety, and to acknowledge areas for improvement. If you make employees less apprehensive to talk about it, a culture of safety will become embedded into your business operations. Read more: https:// coloradobuildermag.com/businessmanagement/why-a-workplacesafety-plan-is-a-living-document Used with permission from Colorado Patio & Landscape, Spring 2019.
G R O U N D W O R K 20 S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9
2019 Thursday, December 5, 2019
Excellence in Landscape Awards Dinner The 2019 Awards Dinner on Thursday, December 5, 2019, will be a great night of celebrations as we recognize the winners of the 2019 Excellence in Landscape Awards and welcome the 2020 board of directors. Enjoy an evening of great networking and delicious food and drink! LCA’s Awards Dinner is a ceremonious occasion and is an ideal opportunity for the most creative and driven companies of our local industry to come together, network, be inspired, and celebrate. Registration information coming soon!
Landscape
Specification Guidelines
E-Books Available on www.amazon.com
6th edition
Part 1: Exterior Landscape Installation Part 2: Exterior Landscape Maintenance Part 3: Interior Landscape Installation and Maintenance Part 4: Irrigation 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 G R O U N D W O R K 21 S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9
Advertising Information Advertisers Index Babikow Greenhouses .............................................................. 24 Bloom ....................................................................................... 15 Cavano's Perennials, Inc............................................................ 7 Chief Mountain Farms, LLC. ..................................................... 23 Manor View Farm ...................................................................... 17 McCartin ................................................................................... 17 The Perennial Farm ................................................................... 11 Proven Winners ......................................................................... 13 Summit Hall .............................................................................. 22 Walnut Springs Nursery, Inc. ..................................................... 2
General Information
Classified Advertising
• 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.
Classified ads are a great way to find new employees, announce business opportunities, or buy and sell equipment. Payment must accompany copy. Number of Words
LCA NonMembers Members
Up to 200 words
$50
$125
Each additional 100 words thereafter
$25
$40
Advertising on the Web Banner advertising is available to members only on the website.
Display Advertising Deadline Nov./Dec. 2019 Issue: Friday, November 15, 2019 Contact BBienkowski@msp-amc.com for information.
G R O U N D W O R K 22 S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9
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