Free State Spring 2018

Free State

Spring 2018 Vol. XLV No. 1

NURSERY, LANDSCAPE AND GREENHOUSE NEWS

A Grower's View of Island Hopping

Helleborus orientalisLenten Rose Plants

Public Gardens as a Resource for Landscape Professionals Event Recaps: • Chesapeake Green • MNLGA Annual Meeting and More • MANTS Photo Recap

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N URSERY, L ANDSCAPE AND G REENHOUSE A S S O C I AT I O N , I N C .

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President’s Message Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association Officers 2018 President Jessica Todd Clear Ridge Nursery, Inc. 888-226-9226 1st Vice President Larry Hemming Eastern Shore Nurseries 410-822-1320 2nd Vice President John Murphy Murphy John’s, Inc. 410-928-3029 Secretary Heather Wheatley Homestead Gardens 443-643-5073 Treasurer Carrie Engel Valley View Farms 410-527-0700 Director-at-Large Steve Black Raemelton Farm 240-416-0714 Executive Director Vanessa Akehurst Finney Quercus Management MNLGA Contact Info: P.O. Box 726 Brooklandville, Maryland 21022 Phone: 410-823-8684 Fax: 410-296-8288 E-mail: office@mnlga.org Free State E-mail: freestate@mnlga.org Website: mnlga.org

MARYLAND N URSERY, L ANDSCAPE AND G REENHOUSE A S S O C I A T I O N , I N C.

I have been hearing for several years how uncertain the future is for small businesses. Here is a question for both owners and employees. Does your company have a future? When you start a business or just get hired you set goals for yourself and the company. 1 year, 5, maybe 10 years, and hopefully, you build a successful business or career. In the beginning you think hour by hour, day by day, and year to year. If you have the good fortune Jessica Todd and business sense, those years go by quickly and you come to a time in your life where you have to decide, what’s next?

What is next? So much effort goes into our short-term day to day activities of running or working for a business that many times the setting of new goals and planning for the future gets pushed off. There are difficult questions that we need to ask ourselves. We may not know the questions, let alone the answers. We may not want to ask ourselves the questions. In my opinion, this is the number one reason long-term planning can get put at the bottom of our priority list. To me, every longterm endeavor is like baby steps. Hard and slow at first but gaining momentum with time and continued effort. It is what gets you to the ultimate goal.

I have had the unique experience of being on both sides of this “What’s Next” coin. I was an employee of Clear Ridge Nursery for 15 years before we first started the succession planning process. One of the first questions that my father and owner of Clear Ridge Nursery was asked was, “Are you willing to give up some control?”

And the question asked to me was “Are you willing to take control?” The answer from both of us was yes. But the key question for both the owner and employee relates back to the willingness to take the next step, and that next step is a gradual process of give and take.

Succession planning is very important for a business owner. If you have family members involved in the business, you might ask yourself - do they want to continue the legacy and be the next generation? Do I think they can handle being the next generation and not destroy everything I have built? If you don’t have family members that are involved is there someone else on my team that would fit that profile or be interested in purchasing the company? For an employee, succession planning can be an opportunity. As an employee of a business have you ever asked yourself, Do I have a long-term future where I currently work? If you answer yes, or “I think so”, then have a private meeting and let your intentions be known.

Now being on the owner’s side of the coin I know that having employees invested in the company is a huge asset. When I say invested I don’t necessarily mean they are stakeholders, but that their goal is to see the company succeed so they have a ladder to advance, prosper, and grow within the company. At the top of that ladder their goal may be to take over ownership. One of the questions I ask our employees at review time is to provide career objectives that enable you to stay and grow with our company. This helps me not only develop goals for the employees, but also to set goals for myself. How can I help my employees succeed? Because ultimately when they succeed so does the company.

If transferring ownership to a family member or employee is not an option, do you look at dissolving the company? And at what time? Retirement? Or are you a (continued on page 5)

2 • Spring 2018

Contents

Features

39

Departments

45

6 This Business of Ours 2 From the President A Grower's View of Island Hopping 2 Association Officers – Mike Hemming 13 Total Plant Management The Return of a Scale – Stanton Gill

4 Legislative Update

4 MNLGA Board of Directors 18 Press Releases

16 Chesapeake Green Recap

28 New Members

25 Growing with Education Helleborus orientalis Lenten Rose Plants – Ginny Rosenkranz

38 CPH

30 MNLGA Annual Meeting and More 33 Nursery Landscape Insider Our Wacky Wonderful World 34 MANTS Photo Recap 39 It’s Time for Sharing Fire at Waverly Farm…and what you need to know!

– Jerry Faulring

52 GWA 62 Industry Calendar 64 Affinity Programs 66 Directory of Advertisers 67 MNLGA Mission Statement 68 MNLGA Chairs and Committees

54

6

45 Featured Member American Landscape Institute - ALI 54 Growing Forward Public Gardens as a Resource for Landscape Professionals – Lesile Hunter Cario 60 American Hort Trucking, Weather, Labor – Craig Regelbrugge Executive Director: Vanessa A. Finney Quercus Management Staff: E. Kelly Finney, Chelsea Bailey, Michelle Mount, and Victoria Perouty.

Phone: 410-823-8684 | Fax: 410-296-8288 E-mail: office@mnlga.org | Web: mnlga.org | Free State e-mail: freestate@mnlga.org Design: Gregory J. Cannizzaro Graphic Design (contact information page 60) Cover Photo: Larry Canner

25

© 2018 Maryland Nursery, Landscape, and Greenhouse Association, Inc.

Free State • 3

Legislative Update

MARYLAND N URSERY, L ANDSCAPE AND G REENHOUSE A S S O C I A T I O N , I N C.

Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association Board of Directors Terms Expiring 2020 Richard Buller Patuxent Nursery/ Complete Landscaping Service 240-691-3438 Brent Cassell Leyland Landscaping, Inc. 410-526-4449 Ronda Roemmelt Ruppert Nurseries 301-482-2009 Tiffany Shorten Waverly Farm 301-874-8300 Terms Expiring 2019 Ted Carter Pinehurst Landscape Company 410-592-5030 Ferenc Kiss Cavano’s Perennials 410-592-8077 Brian Mitchell Manor View Farm 410-771-4700 Andrew Thompson Foxborough Nursery, Inc. 410-836-7023

The Free State News is published for the membership of the Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association (MNLGA.org).

For more information, e-mail: freestate@mnlga.org

Maryland Green Industry Council – MaGIC - Recap On April 9th, the 2018 Maryland General Assembly ended with sine die at 11:59 p.m. We breathe a collective sigh of relief as we return to our “normal” working lives. There was not a tremendous amount of legislative impact on green industryspecific bills this year.

Perhaps the most hotly contested bill industry faced this year was the proposed ban on Chlorpyrifos. Although the ornamental Vanessa Finney horticulture industry is not hugely dependent upon Chlorpyrifos, it is one of the reliable tools many nurseries use when needed, and the call to ban this EPA-approved product seemed unwarranted. Fortunately for the businesses that use products containing Chlorpyrifos, both the Senate and House versions of the bills failed to get out of committee. The EPA is in the process of conducting its standard product review of Chlorpyrifos, with results due out, I believe next year. If the EPA bans this product, we will be sure to hear.

Another controversial bill, which proposed to change the scope of protection of personal information on nutrient management plans failed to make it out of committee. This bill would have reduced the protection of one’s identity on a prepared nutrient management plan.

Another contentious piece of legislation proposed to change the scope of regulation of farm labor contractors and foreign labor contractors. This bill was an exact reintroduction of failed legislation from the 2017 Session. Neither bill made it out of committee.

The legislature approved the definition of Agritourism. The definition was suggested by the Governor’s Intergovernmental Commission on Agriculture (GICA).

GICA membership consists of representatives of many ag commodity groups as well as representatives from many government agencies. Much thought went into the definition of Agritourism before it made its way into statute. This definition should clear up any confusion across state jurisdictions and make it clear for farmers and regulators as to what constitutes allowable agritourism activities on one’s property.

A final piece of green-industry legislation that passed was the adjustment of fertilizer use on turf. This legislation removed the requirement that organic fertilizer on turf meet both the definition of "low phosphorus" and the UMD nutrient management recommendations by striking the "low phosphorus" portion and just requiring them to comply with UMD recommendations. Additionally, it removed the requirement that "water-soluble" nitrogen be used. The rationale for these changes comes from UMD turf scientists reports that "water-soluble" nitrogen actually has more potential for leaching off of turf.

For more details and specific bill information, please visit the MNLGA website, www.mnlga.org. A summary is linked on the homepage. ❦ Vanessa A. Finney

4 • Spring 2018

(President's Message continued from page 2)

person who lives to work and plans on going on until you physically can’t anymore. What is your exit strategy in this situation? Are you planning for retirement income? Do you want to stay involved but reduce commitments? And so much more. The idea though is to start the process and have goals for the future. Goals are the essence of the plan. Making the plan and keeping it as an active priority is essential.

I have learned that succession planning is an evolutionary process. My journey began well before my answer to the question of “Are you willing to take control?” was yes. I started off not having a choice of whether I wanted to be part of the family business. It was my parents saying we are starting this business and guess what, you are going to help. As the years went on, I worked in many capacities within the company. I also made sure to have opportunities outside of the industry with jobs that peaked my creative side. In the end I realized that I could have both, which drove me to answer yes to the question, “Do I want to be the next generation of our family business?”

The first step is to make succession planning a priority, get started and do not stop once you have begun.

Second step is to ask questions and be prepared to honestly answer tough questions asked of you. Small steps will lead to big changes. Embrace the changes.

Not sure how to start? Go back to the second step and ask questions. We started succession planning through a consultant company that paired us with a lawyer who specialized in succession and estate planning.

My recommendation of a business owner is to have a conversation with your lawyer and accountant. As an employee, have a private conversation with your employer. Make it a priority and follow through. It will give you, your family, or employees a sense of security and confidence for the future and could take your business to new heights you couldn’t have imagined.

Is Clear Ridge Nursery the same company it was when it started back in 1994? No, it is not, it has grown and changed, and it has been a gradual process of planning and executing the visions of its owners. That is how you should look at succession planning. It is a longterm gradual process of change. What that change is, is entirely up to you. Set goals and make succession planning a priority. Otherwise you could find yourself on a dead-end street and nowhere to go but backwards. As

Jessica and Her father, Joe Barley

an owner or employee going backwards is not the direction you want to be going at any part of your journey.

This is the last question I will ask of you. Is the topic of succession planning one that you would be interested in seeing as a one-day seminar offered by the association? If so, let me know. I would appreciate your feedback. The MNLGA is here for you, the members. The Association is here to provide valuable information that will help our industry thrive and continue to be an important part of agriculture in Maryland. ❦ Jessica Todd Clear Ridge Nursery, Inc. 410-775-7700

Free State • 5

This Business

of

Ours

A Growers View of Island Hopping Mike Hemming

I

t’s been another long and hard winter as far as we are concerned. Yes, it was mild in a way, but a week of near zero and below zero temperatures did some real damage. Outside I’ve seen a number of hollies, particularly Nellie Stevens, with burnt leaves on the north and northwest sides. Much worse is the damage that happened in our greenhouses. We have had high losses in our rooted holly cuttings from last summer. Losses of 1 and 3-gallon hollies are higher than in past years. The Nellie Stevens, Oakleaf, Foster’s, and 2 varieties of American Holly suffered the most. Strangely, 3 and 5-gallon gardenia suffered 50% losses in one house. However, in another house another batch seem to be fine. Several years ago, the USDA moved the zone 7a 7b line from the Choptank River at Cambridge, MD to Wye Mills, MD - a distance of about 30 miles. We are in the middle of this area.

Global warming certainly is a fact, but I do (continued on page 8)

6 • Spring 2018

Smith's Tropical Paradise Free State • 7

(continued from page 6)

think the variety of weather and local conditions made this move more wishful thinking than a fact.

Along with the cold temperatures, the fact that we had 4 Nor’easters in 3 weeks (with snow, rain, and winds hitting close to hurricane force more than once) this has not been a favorable winter. For the first time in a long time March has been colder than February, another reason to put this winter down in the Hall of Shame.

On to more pleasant subjects.

For some time, I have talked about making sure the younger generation is prepared to take over. Not only for Dad’s far distant retirement, but just in case the unthinkable happens way too soon.

Then setting a basic but flexible time line of when it will happen.

I got the message a few years back that it was really time to start seriously getting my son Larry ready. So, things were done in that line, such as him taking over the spring ordering, picking new suppliers, and so on. One thing I hadn’t figured on was Larry’s progression up the chain of command in MNLGA, not wanting to dump more on him as he goes through the next 2 years as Vice President and then 2 years as President. So, we had a discussion agreeing that his move to the top here will be after he finishes with the MNLGA in 4 years. At this point I have no desire to retire completely anyway. However, I would like some more play time with Flo, especially on those ocean cruises that we love so much.

Speaking of cruises, our last one in October was 28 days long from

8 • Spring 2018

Lava Field Recovery

Banyan Tree

LA to Hawaii, then to Polynesia, and back to LA. Stops were at Hilo, where we went to Volcanoes National Park and could see the smoke from the caldera, but the lava level was too low to see it.

Seeing the return of plants to an area covered by lava not long ago is always fascinating. The entrance of a lava tube we could walk through was surrounded by jungle growth and is not easy to see until you were right up on it.

The next stop was Honolulu

where Flo and I went to the submarine Bowfin and the museum at Pearl Harbor. We then went on a bus tour of part of the island going to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at the Punchbowl, which is beautifully maintained and cared for, of course, as it should be. Then to a city park where there is a statue of King Kamehameha. It is quite imposing, but then he was an imposing guy.

The next stop was at Lahaina where we saw the world largest

Banyan tree. I have no photos that really do it justice. Shot from the outside or under it, it’s just a huge mass of trunks limbs and leaves. But it was well worth seeing anyway.

Next on Kauai we went to a lovely and large botanical garden, Smith’s Tropical Paradise. It was 30 acres and Flo and I just about walked our legs off, but it was worth it. It had interesting and well-maintained planting areas with water features that included bridges over some and paths all around them. There was a Polynesian Village but there was no one around.

Next stop was Kona where we went on a city drive which was nice.

The Painted Church was next, and it was beautiful, in some ways more impressive than many elaborate churches I’ve seen. Simple, lovingly applied art somehow says more;

“

it is the thought that counts. Like so many places in the tropics, landscaping is basic and easy because of the flowering plants abound. The surrounding cemetery was a mass of flowering color.

Our final stop was called A Place of Refuge which had some very interesting carvings near the native houses. Some artisans were seen doing the carving. The man doing them was not interested in talking to tourists.

Then it was on to Pago Pago along with Moorea, the two most beautiful places we stopped.

Nothing bad can be said about the blue skies with some nice clouds, back stopping palm trees, surf, and sandy beaches. Polynesians are very family oriented and it was not unusual to see graves in the front yards.

On Moorea we had a wonderful

(continued on next page)

The Painted Church was next, and it was beautiful, in some ways more impressive than many elaborate churches I’ve seen. Simple, lovingly applied art somehow says more; it is the thought that counts.

”

Painted Church Free State • 9

(continued from page 9)

time on a glass bottom boat ride, seeing all kinds of underwater creatures including a good size barracuda that was being hand fed. We almost didn’t take this one as a previous reef tour was not really worth the time or the money. This one made up for it, in beauty seen and fun added by the boat’s captain. He had some kind of handmade amplified ukulele that he played. He kept time with a foot pedal that created a booming beat in the metal boat bottom. Sounds terrible, I guess, but it was really fun because he steered the boat with his other bare foot. Moorea, as well as the other islands, showed the lasting effects of the world’s last big recession. Large, once fancy ocean side resorts, were abandoned and falling into disrepair. The tourists just are not spending the big bucks needed to get there and stay there. I’ve said for years now that the world’s economy has still not recovered for the average worker and small business person, especially if you are in a rural or out of the way place.

On Bora Bora we saw land crabs having a tug of war with leis. Not exciting as it was very slow motion, but fun to watch. We stopped at the famous Bloody Mary’s bar. From my Navy days I find “famous” bars a disappointment, and this one was no exception.

A nice enough setting and inland décor with rushed bartenders cranking out their signature drink.

Secrets in Ocean City is a lot more fun with the same type of décor.

On Tahiti we finally saw some landscapers in action. A new

10 • Spring 2018

Tug of war

Barefoot Landscaper

parking lot near the Captain Cook memorial was being planted.

One of the men was actually pushing his shovel into the ground barefoot. Others had sandals or tennis shoes on at least. The work was being done nicely and I’m sure would be beautiful when completed. But if OSHA shows up I’m sure all work would be stopped instantly; however, it is the French government so who knows.

One thing I did notice in all my

travels is that all of the islands are trying to be very careful about invasive species. In Hawaii the Ohi’a tree is being killed off by an introduced fungus for which there is no known cure once infected. In ports the signs about invasive species did outnumber the Tsunami “run for the hills” warning signs. Well, that’s one sign we don’t see here.

Let’s all have a great spring. ❦ Mike Hemming Eastern Shore Nurseries

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Total Plant Management

The Return of a Scale

An Armored Scale to Watch Out For in the Nursery Stanton Gill

W

e are seeing an uptick in samples of an armored scale, commonly called the San Jose Scale, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock). Don’t be fooled by the common name – it is not originally from California or even from America. It originated in China but was introduced into Southern California back in the early 1870’s on peach trees that were imported.

By 1890 it had spread to all parts of the United States. It was transported on fruit trees being moved around by nurseries and uniformed horticulturists.

In many nurseries, growers have started growing larger fruit trees to sell to customers who want fullsize producing fruit trees. With this influx of trees that are grafted, several are slipping through that have low populations of this armored scale on the trunk or branches. Several nurseries have submitted samples to our CMREC lab with branch samples that are loaded with the female scale present.

The scale is a tiny insect that sucks the plant juices from twigs, branches, fruit, and foliage.

Although an individual scale cannot inflict much damage, a

Scale, San Jose-female under popped cover on plum-SK-5

single female and her offspring can produce several thousand scales in one season. In the nursery it may not be noticeable for the 3 or 4 years it is growing in the nursery row but will become apparent when moved into the landscape. If uncontrolled, they can kill the tree.

Hosts San Jose scale is the most destructive on apple and pear, but it can be a serious pest of sweet cherry, peach, prune, and other tree fruits. It also attacks nut trees, berry bushes, many kinds of shade trees, and ornamental shrubs.

We’ve had a sample submitted

with this scale on flowering plums and crabapples.

Description The mature male is a very small, yellowish-tan insect with wings and long antennae. The female is wingless and legless, and its yellow body is soft and globular. The covering of a full-grown female is about the size of a pin head, with a central, nipple-like bulge. The covers tend to be light brown.

Life Cycle San Jose scale overwinters as third instar females and crawlers occur (continued on page 14)

Free State • 13

The scale is a tiny insect that sucks the plant juices from twigs, branches, fruit, and foliage... single female and her offspring can produce several thousand scales in one season. (continued from page 13)

in May in most years. There is a second generation in July through August and third one in September giving this scale plenty of chances to increase a population on plants in a single year.

Newly hatched crawlers have six legs, two antennae, and a bristle-like sucking beak that is almost three times the length of its tiny, oval body. The crawler seeks a suitable site to settle and immediately begins to secrete a waxy covering over its body, which hardens into a scale. The scale turns from white to black, then to gray, and goes through several molts before maturing.

The differences in sexes become apparent after the first molt, although the scales covering them are identical. The females are smaller and rounder than the males and have lost their eyes, legs, and antennae.

14 • Spring 2018

Scale, San Jose-on plum-SK-18

Biological Control There are several natural enemies that attack San Jose scale. On the East Coast, the parasitoids recorded from San Jose scale include Encarsia perniciosi and Aphytis sp. Although they destroy many scales, they do not provide enough control to prevent damage. Natural enemies may become numerous in a nursery that is not sprayed with cover spray insecticides. However, even under these conditions biological control has not been adequate. Currently, biological controls are only a supplement to chemical control.

Control Options Dormant rates (2- 3%) of horticultural oil sprays can be applied to the overwintering scales to suffocate them. Once a plant breaks dormancy then a 1% horticultural oil can be used.

A better (usually more expensive control) is to use insect growth

regulators. There are currently two on the market – Talus and Distance. This prevents the scale from developing into the next life stage, resulting in death.

Impact on predators and parasites is greatly reduced over use of broader spectrum pesticides. With applications aimed at the crawler stage, timing is critical.

If you find this scale active in your area Please send in samples if you think you have San Jose Scale.

I will keep the information confidential, but I am trying to establish how widespread this armored scale is becoming in Maryland. I can be reached at my email, Sgill@umd.edu.â?Ś 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.

Horticulture Symposium Recap

Chesapeake Green 2018 AN ANNUAL HORTICULTURE SYMPOSIUM Chesapeake Green 2018 was an overwhelming success – and we thank all of you who came out and supported this year’s symposium. The MNLGA is proud of the superior event that Chesapeake Green has evolved into over the past fifteen years.

This year we celebrated the 15th annual symposium, and what better way to celebrate than with recordbreaking attendance? We were pleased to return to the Maritime Institute again and enjoy not only the wonderful venue, but the outstanding lunch!

More than 510 attendees, speakers, and sponsors came through Chesapeake Green on both days

16 • Spring 2018

of the seminar. These are the highest numbers on record for this event and we couldn’t thank you all enough for your support and your dedication to this annual symposium. With your support and promotion of Chessie it has grown each year and we hope to continue to grow in the years to come.

We received very positive feedback from speakers, as well as attendees, on the quality of the program noting the dynamic sessions and relevant industry topics. Rodney Eason started off the day with an outstanding keynote full of southern charm, gorgeous pictures of the Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve and expansive industry knowledge. Rodney’s keynote was the perfect way to kick off the morning and get attendees excited for a packed day full of interesting speakers, new topics, and much more for the industry. This year’s breakout tracks on day one included nursery grower, landscape contractor, greenhouse grower, and retail grower and garden center. Day two was focused more on recertification and offered topics including ornamentals and turf pest management, greenhouse grower, nursery grower and landscape contractor, turf management, nutrient management and turf nutrient management.

The silent auction that took place on the first day of the symposium was successful in raising just about $2,000 for college scholarships. This auction directly benefits the MNLGA scholarships and we can’t thank everyone who donated items and bid on items enough for their generous support. The future of this industry lies in the next generation and without this scholarship support we wouldn’t be able to help these students excel in their studies, and for that we extend a huge thank you!

Keynote Speaker, Mr. Rodney Eason of Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve, opened the day.

The MNLGA extends a sincere “Thank You” to all speakers, sponsors, attendees, and volunteers that helped to make Chesapeake Green 2018 an overwhelming success. Special thanks to those who served on our planning committee, Hank Doong, Ronda Roemmelt (Co-Chair), Ted Carter (Co-Chair), Jessica Ahrweiler, Angela Burke, Dave Clement (UME), Stanton Gill (UME), Pete Gilmore, Brett Karp, Mary Kay Malinoski (UME), John Murphy, Karen Rane (UME), Andrew Ristvey (UME), Ginny Rosenkranz (UME), Brent Rutley, Chuck Schuster (UME) and Steve Black. Additional thanks to those who volunteered their time as room moderators as well as volunteers on the auction. The MNLGA wouldn’t be able to produce quality events without support from all of you, and for that we are very grateful.

We hope to see you all at Chesapeake Green 2019 once again at the Maritime February 20 and 21! ❦ Chelsea Bailey, MNLGA

Packed houses were the "norm" for Chessie 2018 — over 500 attendees for the 2 day Pesticede Recertification Symposium.

Free State • 17

Press Release

National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH).

NICH releases new series of free infographics: PlantsDoThat Inside The series of four infographics illustrates the benefits of indoor plants where consumers live, learn, heal and work.

March 2, 2018 WASHINGTON, DC – Indoor plants where consumers live, learn, heal and work have far-reaching positive effects on their well-being and indoor environment, according to a new report from the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH).

This new series of four #PlantsDoThat Inside infographics focuses on the multitude of ways indoor plants affect consumers. Sharing this information with retailers can help them better inform consumers.

“Greening the great indoors is a way to help create sustainable indoor ecology and healthy minds and bodies,” says Dr. Charles Hall, Ellison Chair, Texas A&M. The infographic series was developed from a scientific literature review evidence base developed Dr. Hall and his students.

The series of four brightly colored inforgraphics, deisgned by Jennifer Gray, AmericanHort and Horticultural Research Institute, is free. One infographic a week will be released and can be downloaded from NICH’s website consumerhort.org “We envision this series of infographics to be used as tools to promote the power of indoor plants,” says Debbie Hamrick, NICH Economic Committee chair. “We want to raise awareness of the positive benefits of plants in our everyday lives.”

Growers, retailers, teachers, extension agents and interiorscapers can use the infographics for promotional and educational materials and upload to social media.

According to scientific research from NASA and others, plants clean indoor air, stabilize carbon dioxide and create comfortable ambient air humidity. Plants also boost healing, happiness and productivity.

The #PlantsDoThat Inside infographic on Where We Live shows: • Rooms with plants have fewer pollutants like VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

• Plants in our homes increase room humidity by 10 percent.

• Plants remove up to 90 percent of formaldehyde in a room.

“When plants are around, students are just smarter and pay more attention,” Dr. Hall says.

The benefits of consumer horticulture were spotlighted in the first NICH infographic titled “#PlantsDoThat, Horticulture: The Art, Science, & Business of Plants." The infographic illustrated how consumer horticulture contributes $196 billion to the U.S. economy and creates more than 2 million jobs.

The National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH) is a consortium of industry leaders who are promoting the benefits and value of horticulture. NICH brings together academia, government, industry, and nonprofits to cultivate the growth and development of a healthy world through landscapes, gardens and plants – indoors and out, and to get 90 percent of U.S. households gardening by 2025. #PlantsDoThat inside is available at the NICH website ConsumerHort.org Reprinted with permission of the Garden Media Group on behalf of NICH. See supporting infographics 1 and 2 on pages 19 and 20. Infographics 3 and 4 will be incluced in the Summer issue of Free State. ❦

18 • Spring 2018

NICH Infographic 1

#PlantsDoThat Inside!

Where We Live GREENING THE GREAT INDOORS Having plants in our homes is an important component of creating a sustainable indoor ecology and healthy minds and bodies.

Indoor plants lead to improved overall environmental quality.

YOUR BRAIN ON NATURE Indoor plants psychologically link us to nature.

COMFORT IS KING Plants increase ambient humidity in dry indoor environments. Plants are known to increase room humidity from 20% to a more comfortable 30% under bright lighting conditions.

BRING ON THE OM

BREATHE EASY Indoor plants improve air quality by removing carbon dioxide, particulates, benzene and up to 90% of formaldehyde.

Plants in the room both stabilize and reduce CO2 levels.

Each 1% addition of plants in a room results in a 6-7% decrease in formaldehyde.

Rooms with plants have fewer pollutants (like volatile organic compounds or VOCs).

FAST FACTS

Plants stimulate both a physiological and psychological relaxation response.

FRIENDLY FLORA Houseplants supply beneficial bacteria and increase the microbial diversity in the indoor environment - benefitting human health indoors.

Infographic produced by National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH).

Discover more about the power of plants in this series at ConsumerHort.org.

Free State • 19

NICH Infographic 2

#PlantsDoThat Inside!

Where We Work GREENING THE GREAT INDOORS Having plants in workplace is an important component of creating a sustainable indoor ecology and healthy minds and bodies.

Indoor plants remove air pollutants and stabilize CO2, whlie decreasing our stress and helping us heal faster.

RELAX AND REFOCUS

Hard task ahead on your computer?

Add a plant nearby: it will help to lower your blood pressure and reduce stress and tension all while increasing your focus on the task at hand.

GET IN THE GROOVE

98% of respondents to a survey believe the presence of plants enhances work motivation.

PLANT APPEAL

Offices with plants are simply more appealing! More attractive spaces reduce stress.

MODIFY YOUR MOOD

People say they’re just in a better mood when they’re around plants.

CREATIVITY IS KING

Workers in the office with plants felt more comfortable, productive, healthier and creative.

BE HEALTHIER

Plants at work— on your desk, in the office, out the window—reduce sick leave and reduce eye strain.

ENERGY BOOST

Offices containing plants have workers that are 30% less fatigued. Workers also coughed less and showed fewer signs of physical discomfort.

LOVE YOUR JOB

People in offices with plants and windows have increased job satisfaction and report a higher quality of life.

PRODUCTIVITY BREAKTHROUGH

The more plants in view, the greater workplace productivity.

PLANTS MAKE PROS

Healthy plants inside the office/workplace promote professionalism and feelings of warmth and caring, thus fostering a more favorable business image.

ACCELERATE OUTPUT

Placing plants in windowless rooms resulted in 12% faster reaction times to the computer tasks at hand.

Infographic produced by National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH).

Discover more about the power of plants in this series at ConsumerHort.org.

20 • Spring 2018

Press Release

Congratulations and Thank You Jeff Miller Jeff Miller is retiring from the VNLA after serving as executive director for 30 years.

MANTS is sponsored by the state nursey and landscape associations of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. As managers of the MNLGA and MANTS, we have had the good fortune to work with Jeff for many years.

Jeff has been involved in trade associations since the early 1970’s. As Horticulture Management Associates LLC, Jeff has managed Trees Virginia, American Boxwood Society, Southwest Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association, the Virginia Greenhouse Growers Association (formerly the Virginia Florist Association) and currently the Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association and the Virginia Society of Professional Soil Scientist.

Jeff became the VNA Executive Director in February 1986 and had been a member and served on the board since the late 1970’s. He first exhibited at MANTS for Laurel Creek Nursery in 1975 at the Greenbrier. He moved up through the ranks to serve as President in 1983.

Jeff’s contributions to the VNLA and the industry are too numerous to list but being involved in the in setting up of the Virginia Certified Horticulturist program and the formation of the Permanent Research Fund would be primary amongst them.

In retirement, Jeff looks forward to improving his skills in beekeeping, woodworking, photography, continuing renovations of a mature home landscape, organizing historical documents, and time with family.

Welcome to VNLA’s New Executive Director!

Shellie Archer Shellie started her career with Philip Morris USA and continued to progress professionally with its parent company, Altria. She brings to the VNLA more than 15 years of experience in client engagement, community relations, strategic planning and business development.

Giving back, being involved and serving community efforts means a lot to Shellie.

She feels fortunate to have the opportunity to work with many terrific organizations over the past several years including the Boy Scouts, Hope for the Warriors®, Make-A Wish® Greater Virginia, American Red Cross Volunteer at Ground Zero NYC and the PTA. Shellie looks forward to the journey of working with the board of directors and members to continue to align efforts with the VNLA's mission to enhance, promote and advocate for Virginia's nursery and landscape professionals.

The VNLA is now located in the Retail Merchants Building, 5101 Monument Ave, Ste 203, Richmond, VA 23230 Phone: 804-256-2700 • Fax: 804-709-0288 • ShellieArcher@vnla.org Free State • 21

Get your Ag Tag today!

www.agtagmd.com Educating Youth about Agriculture 22 • Spring 2018

The Perennial Farm Phone: 410-592-6106 - eFax 410-558-6659 www.PerennialFarm.com Celebra�ng 38 years in business

Over 2000 Varie�es available

Perennials - Ornamental Grasses Hardy Ferns - Na�ve Plants

Roses - Flowering Shrubs - Flowering Vines - Ground Covers Succulents - Tropicals - Pansies, Viola, Cabbage & Kale Free State • 23

turns

50 in 2020

2003

2007

2005

2012 2009

We are looking for old photos, videos, Exhibitor Guides, Programs, Orange Jackets and other memorabilia for our 50th Anniversary in 2020.

If you want to share wirtten stories or memories, please contact Kelly Finney at 410-269-6959 or kelly@mants.com

2010

2017

2004

2018

The Masterpiece of Trade Shows 2011

Growing

Ginny Rosenkranz

T

with

Education

Helleborus orientalisLenten Rose Plants

he Hellebore’s the first herbaceous perennials to bloom in the very early spring. The clump- forming plants are evergreen which gives color and texture to the winter shade garden. Then, despite the cold, snow and sleet, they will begin to bloom!

Depending upon the temperatures the Hellebore can bloom for about 6-8 weeks, sometimes starting as early as January or February, then into full bloom by March and can continue to bloom till April or May, depending on where they are planted in Maryland. They are almost always in bloom during Lent, giving them the common name of Lenten Rose.

The plants are winter hardy from USDA zones 4-9, and thrive in moist but well drained, slightly acidic sandy loam. The plants are in the buttercup family, and not favored by deer so they can create a delightful woodland evergreen groundcover. The 3- 4 inch rose shaped flowers usually have 5 petals, often overlapping, with brightly contrasting colorful stamens, and are arranged on the arching stems in clusters of 1-4.

The leaves are glossy dark green,

shaped palmate, are serrated on the edges, and grow about 8-16 inches wide.

Hellebores used to be difficult to find in the nursey and landscape, but due to modern breeding methods, the Hellebores are now widely available and in many new colors and forms. The older cultivars had rose shaped flowers that arched over gracefully so the opening buds faced the ground. The newer cultivars still have the rose shaped flowers and the stems arch gracefully but not as drastically, so the buds open facing the landscapes, allowing the gardeners to see the flowers as they open. Having the flowers face the landscape make them more assessable to the gardeners and more visually appealing.

The older cultivars were mostly white, or pink to burgundy in color while the newer cultivar colors include pure white, soft pink, rose, cinnamon, maroon, soft green and even yellow. The foliage of the older cultivars was dark leathery green while the newer cultivars are still a very dark leathery green, but

many have silver shadings and some even have reddish stems.

There are a number of collections of Hellebores that highlight colors and textures of their petals, the colors of their stamens and their foliage.

The hybrid Helleborus Gold (continued on page 26) Free State • 25

(continued from page 25)

Collection (also referred to as HGC) are prized for their early blooming period, from November to April depending on the area in Maryland and the cultivar, their color palate ranges from creamy white, light green, blush to deep pinks. The foliage also varies by cultivar, presenting variations in foliage color and shape.

‘Helleborus Gold Collection Pink Frost, has flowers that start out pale pink or pale rose, maturing into a deeper rose. Another member of the Gold Collection , ‘HGC Silvermoon’, starts out with lovely white flowers that mature into a dusky rose pink. ‘Helleborus Gold Collection Cinnamon Snow’ has pink buds that open to creamy white with shades of rose to cinnamon. The colors are affected by the temperatures and the maturation of the flowers, creating ®

®

®

26 • Spring 2018

a plant with many shades of rose colors. Winter Jewels Collection™ is another new collection of cultivars which feature Winter Jewels ‘Sparkling Diamond’, with large double flowers in shades of pure white with a light jade green throat, and Winter Jewels ‘Rose Quarts’, also with large double flowers that are white edged with a soft rose-pink color. Winter Jewels ‘Cotton Candy’ is also a part of the collection which has soft pink double petals veined with darker rose color. An extremely dark flowering cultivar in this collection, Winter Jewels ‘Onyx Odyssey’ has large 3-inch double flowers with 15-20 dark purple to black petals surrounding white stamens. Winter Jewels ‘Painted Doubles’ is also a large flowering cultivar with white bicolored petals in dark red to plum purple. ®

®

®

®

®

Another series, Wedding Party™, is also a new large collection of plants by Walters Gardens, Inc., with large, double flowers with vibrant colors and vigorous growth habit. ‘First Dance’ has bright yellow flowers edged and veined with maroon, while ‘True Love’ flowers have bright wine colors with darker edges and veins.

‘Blushing Bridesmaid’ has flowers that are ruffled with raspberry pink veins and edging on pure white petals. The centers are a soft green that contrasts nicely with the raspberry pink. ‘Flower Girl’ has ruffled petals that are vanilla in color with flecks of dark raspberry and edged in softer rose. Hellebores ‘Confetti Cake’ has white petals with flecks of dark maroon, white stamens and a soft green center.

Helleborus Ivory Prince or Christmas Rose, is a hybrid Hellebores and starts flowering as burgundy pink buds that open to ivory with pink blush on the back

side of the petals and sometime soft green on the inside of the petals.

Starting blooms from Mid-winter into spring, Ivory Prince holds its flowers at the tips of each branching arching reddish stem. A result of a breeding program to produce vigorous growing, outward facing flat flower, Ivory Price brings color and texture into the winter garden to help give gardeners 4 seasons of color. All of the new cultivars of the Helleborus orientalis have provided gardeners with the opportunity to transform a quiet sleepy shade garden into a treasure of jewel bright flowers that shimmer and shine in the chilly winter days then welcome spring

MARYLAND

N URSERY, L ANDSCAPE AND G REENHOUSE A S S O C I AT I O N , I N C .

and bloom alongside of the early flowering bulbs. ❦ Ginny Rosenkranz Extension Educator, Commercial Horticulture, University of Maryland Extension, Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester County 410-749-6141 ext. 106

When you have questions, We have answers…

Visit mnlga.org today!

The MNLGA web site is designed for our members and is your single source for the answer to almost any question.

The site offers: ■ Searchable Membership Directory ■ CPH program info, basic & advanced test applications and registration ■ Up-to-date industry calendar from around the Mid-Atlantic region for finding CEUs for pesticide, nutrient management recertifications, and general education in horticulture topics ■ Free State Nursery News issues and archives ■ Root of the Matter e-news issues and archives ■ MaGIC (legislative) updates issues and archives ■ Chesapeake Green - speaker resources - year round ■ Classified ads which members can post and track resumes/responses ■ Business resources ■ CEU forms

Visit today!

Free State • 27

New Members We welcome the following into membership in the MNLGA. Full contact information may be found within the member portal of the MNLGA website, www.mnlga.org. We encourage you to reach out to your peer members – they may be a valuable business connection for you.

MainScapes, Inc. Heather Zindash Ashton, MD 20861

DCP Connections, LLC Hermina Paczynski Silver Spring, MD 20902

North Carolina State University Darrell Jackson (Student) Raleigh, NC 27265

Denison Landscaping, Inc. Elbert Monroe Fort Washington, MD 20744

Baltimore County Property Management – Grounds John Vickers Baltimore, MD 21236

McDaniel College – Physical Plant Joanna Compton Westminster, MD 21157

Smithsonian Gardens Vicki DiBella Suitland, MD 20746

Birchwood LawnCare, Inc. Kevin Ricci Darnestown, MD 20878

Herring Run Nursery Robert Jenkins Baltimore, MD 21211

Lawn Wrangler Jon Vander Vliet Herndon, MD 20776

Delmarva Native Plants Jillian Parisi Salisbury, MD 21801

First National Bank Scott Schechter Brenda Spies Catonsville, MD 21228

SePRO Corporation Joseph Lynch Willow Grove, PA 19090 Frederick Landscaping Evan Morrow New Market, MD 21774 eMerge, Inc. Hannah Berisford Perry Hall, MD 21128

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

Berwyn Plants Michael Kelley Berwyn Heights, MD 20740 Hort, Inc. Craig Higgs Chestertown, MD 21620 Nutrien Harry Kenney Rosedale, MD 21237 15601 Manor Rd, Monkton, MD 21111 410-771-4700 fax 410-771-8246 sales@manorview.com

www.manorview.com

28 • Spring 2018

I’m Certified...

Are You?

“

I became a CPH to broaden my knowledge of plants, landscape procedures, and to better understand the business as a whole. I also have taken each of the specialist tests to continue that education. I have learned something with every process and have made many friends in the MNLGA who have helped me become a better horticulturlist.

”

Cindy King Kingstown Farm, Home and Garden

Certified Professional Horticulturists (CPH) provide either “do-it-yourself” or professional landscape installation and maintenance advice.

For more information contact the Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association 410-823-8684 or visit mnlga.org

Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturist Program

You only grow the best.

Why not offer your customers the best in advice, too!

Free State • 29

Maryland Nursery, Landscape, and Greenhouse Association MARYLAND N URSERY, L ANDSCAPE AND G REENHOUSE A S S O C I A T I O N , I N C.

New Officers

The 2018 MNLGA Board Front Row (L-R): Heather Wheatley, John Murphy, Jessica Todd, Mike Hemming, Carrie Engle Back Row: Tiffany Shorten, Brent Cassell, Steve Black, Andrew Thompson, Ted Carter, Ronda Roemmelt, Richard Buller, Ferenc Kiss, Brian Mitchell

Jessica Todd thanks outgoing MNLGA President Steve Black

John Murphy of Murphy John’s

Joe Barley introduces his daughter and incoming MNLGA President Jessica Todd Incoming MNLGA President Jessica Todd accepts the gavel from Steve Black

Tiffany Shorten of Waverly Farm

Annual Meeting Pete Gilmore of Sporticulture talks with Secretary Bartenfelder

Steve Black thanks outgoing Director Brent Rutley 30 • Spring 2018

Steve Black presents the Professional Achievement Award to Ed Snodgrass of Emory Knoll Farms

Mark Dougherty of Chapel Valley at the Babikow Nurseries booth

Dave, Marilyn, and Brad Thompson of Foxborough Nursery - 40 year exhibitors

MNLGA Members at MANTS

Jack Lowry (48 year exhibitor) and daughter Nancy Lowry Moitrier

Secretary Bartenfelder talks with John Germuth of Cavanno’s Perennials

Brad Kulkinski of Greenstreet Growers Mike Lesniak of K.C. Schaefer writes an order

Sherry Trabert and Gabe Beam of American Native work with a customer

Angela Burke and Steve Black of Raemelton Farm

Andy Schlosser of Roseland talks with Ronda Roemelt of Ruppert and Secretary Bartenfelder

Brian Mitchell of Manor View Farm talks with buyers

Agricultural Commission Tour Free State • 31

Our Wacky Wonderful World—

Notes from the Edge of Sanity The power of social media is pretty amazing, and it can get you in some serious hot water too. I’ve recently heard of a rash of young professionals who have avoided talking directly to their employer, and instead hit the social media streets to vent frustration.

Most seem to be eliciting sympathy or questioning business practices. But in all cases, what happens is that their employer seems like scum of the earth (on social media), which can seriously damage the reputation of an otherwise excellent business. Worse yet, often the business has no idea what’s going on until the damage is done. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the employee becomes toxic. Who wants to employ someone who publicly questions the practices of their employer? Let that sink in a second… there are no winners in this scenario.

So, what do we do about this as an industry?

Goodness knows, every industry is struggling with this same problem. Some companies monitor the social media of their employees, but I doubt anyone has the time to be doing that regularly. The simple solution would be to let employees know that they are welcome to voice concerns or questions without fear of being reprimanded or fired. But millennials

(and this is no knock on them) just don’t rely on verbal communication as a primary mean of communicating.

They use digital platforms that reach many people, who can use community discussion to come to a consensus (and debate the subject). I don’t think there is anything wrong with reaching out for advice. The issue comes when it is done in a public forum. Maybe allowing employees to use digital platforms to communicate with their employer in a closed forum would ease potential problems before they go public. But again, there needs to be trust between employee and employer to do so.

I’ve recently began instructing employers to include a “digital disclosure” policy, signed by the employee, that explicitly states that what occurs at work is considered to be “trade secrets” and/or “confidential information,” and as such should not be discussed outside of work without the employer’s knowledge.

That’s more of a stick method rather than a carrot method, but until we find a better way, it’s going to become more common in human resources management.

If you have any ideas, I’d love to hear (and share) them with your fellow readers! This issue is not going away any time soon and should be addressed by our industry.

Matthew Chappell Editor-at-Large Nursery & Landscape Insider This article originally appeared in the March 12, 2018 on-line issue of Nursery and Landscape Insider and is being re-printed with the permission of Ball Publishing.

Free State • 33

Shannon Curry (right) of Hoffman Nursery with a buyer

MANTS means the highest quality

Judith Smith of SMS talks varieties Josh Roggenbuck of Walter’s Gardens

MANTS means variety MANTS means business,

Michael Badding of New York catches up 34 • Spring 2018

New exhibitor Suntory Flowers – Delilah Onofrey and T. Jay Higgins

Timothy Howard shows Clarity Connect’s selection

and selection

April Sullivan of Rossen Landscape and Michael Fahey of Merrifield greeting a friend

Kevin Cramer and Devonne Friesen of Bloomin’ Easy talk plants

Checking out the Star Roses selection

friends and a full house

Matthew Statz of VA studies Greenleaf’s plants Free State • 35

Pete Van Egmond of Foliera listens to a customer

County Line Nurseries shows their Olympic spirit MANTS means endless options

36 • Spring 2018

Bellpark Horticulture’s display attracts a crowd

MANTS mea

Dave Palm from ME talks with Ian Bolton of Conservation Technology

ans working with customers

Rich Poullin of the Perennial Farm helps educate buyers

Gregg and Jonathan Shurburtt of SC map their route

The Phantom Gardner staff checks out Pottery Paradise Carla Cascio of Babikow explains the possibilities

Woody Delong of Schofield Stone with Charles Allocco of NJ

Free State • 37

Update Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturist Program Congratulations to our newly-minted Certified Professional Horticulturists after passing the recent basic exams.

April 10th exam:

April 19th exam:

Christy Carpenter Kim Forry Scott Freedman Kaitlin Handley Hannah Leyhe Katherine Malin Paula Perez Michael Reeves Jon Vander Vliet

American Plant Landscape Chase Lloyd Home Rolling Acres Landscaping A & A Tree Experts, Inc. North Harford High School – Student Certification Cecil County School of Technology – Student Certification City of Rockville North Harford High School – Student Certification Lawn Wrangler Landscaping

Ilene Altman Phil Heavin Diana Hiles Deborah Lessne Brittany Rigdon Shane Wellnitz Heather Zindash

Montgomery College – Student Certification Montgomery College – Student Certification Montgomery College – Student Certification Montgomery College – Student Certification Cecil County School of Technology - Instructor Montgomery College – Student Certification Montgomery College – Student Certification

The upcoming date for the Basic Exam is October 2, 2018.

The next Specialist – Plant ID exam will be held on the same date.

CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS 38 • Spring 2018

It’s Time

for

Sharing

Jerry Faulring

Fire at Waverly Farm… and what you need to know!

Photo taken about 30 minutes after the fire was discovered; 12:15 p.m.

November 29, 2017

O

n November 29, 2017 staff called to alert me to a fire in our Morton Building that contained about 90% of our equipment. Within five minutes I called 911. The first response truck arrived about 10 minutes

later; it’s now about 12:15 p.m. At 1:15 p.m. the fire was declared over. The total loss was $165,000 for a 195-foot-long by 60-foot-wide 13 year old Morton Building, about $1,000,000 in major nursery equipment, and about $200,000 worth of miscellaneous small equipment, tools, and supplies; all in about one hour. (continued on page 40) Free State • 39

(continued from page 39)

These photos taken during the fire are courtesy of Steve Black.

He saw the smoke and came over thinking it would be a good day for hot dogs and marshmallows.

There are many lessons to be learned. We all subconsciously have the concept of fire tucked away in the back of our minds… until it happens. Absolutely no one expects a disaster to happen.

We dutifully renew our insurance every year because we don’t want to be the stupid person that has a major loss without a mechanism to sustain our future. Going forward I will always think of insurance in a more respectful way.

Just about over at 12:30 p.m.

“

We all subconsciously have the concept of fire tucked away in the back of our minds…until it happens

”

Equipment salvage vendor was thrilled at how everything was burned off the machines – easy salvage

Insurance.

Most policies will contain five components of coverage that should be reviewed in detail annually: 1. Loss of a structure. The insurance company takes responsibility, unless one intervenes, to establish the value of a building. Periodically they employ a computerized calculator that inputs zip code, labor rates and construction material costs to determine the replacement cost of a building.

You have probably all noted this on a homeowner’s policy.

In our case, we had a typical Morton Building of wood construction clad in steel. I could have a nearly identical replacement structure built by various companies at variable cost. I can’t expect the insurance company to know exactly what Morton would charge for an identical building in 2018. As a result, the replacement cost calculated our building to cost Deodar cedar, Cedrus deodara

40 • Spring 2018

21% less than actual cost. I could have been fully covered if I had periodically asked Morton to provide that estimate. I would then have been able to specify the insured value. My premium for ‘replacement cost’ was only $572. For just a small increase in premium I could have recovered the full value of replacement. As a result of the fire I determined that our second Morton structure was only insured for about half its replacement cost – that’s been fixed!

2. Major equipment. This includes the more expensive items such as tractors, skid steer loaders, sprayers, planting machines, tillage equipment, etc. Your policy should have these items listed individually with make, model, serial number, purchase price, and year of manufacture.

If a disaster occurs, each machine will be documented by a salvage expert to determine if repair is possible or if the item is a total loss. It is the policy holder’s responsibility to keep this list up to date annually with a view toward precision. In our case, we had this list although some less important/expensive items where not listed. All of us probably buy an item for a few thousand dollars from time to time and forget to list it on the policy. (These items may be covered – explained later.) Our loss for these lower cost items was not significant but I could have done a better job and realized increased reimbursement. The premium for $1,369,875.00 worth of major equipment (it was not all in the lost structure) plus ‘supplies’,

Late afternoon. The metal roof settled slowly and covered everything like a blanket.

item # 4 below, was $823.00.

I could have been a bit better covered for not much additional premium.

3. Contents. This includes all the miscellaneous items such as hand tools, string trimmers, gas cans, and all the various items we use in the business but do not need to be listed separately.

Our ‘contents’ coverage was fairly adequate but not complete. Again, an annual look at all the ‘stuff’ you own should be analyzed. It adds up quickly.

I could have adjusted the ‘contents’ coverage to be more complete. Many items burned so completely in the fire as to be unrecognizable or forgotten. The Waverly policy going forward will be to photograph everything we own annually in pretty good detail. To avoid a mistake, insure your contents for a high point in the year. Our annual premium cost for this list was only $76.00.

For a few dollars more we would have been better protected.

4. Supplies. These insured items include things we store in the building such as burlap, tree stakes, pots, etc. This worked out in a reasonable manner for us related to reimbursement but not because I maintained a detailed inventory list.

5. Demolition. Our policy paid us $6,400 to implement the demolition effort. So far, we recouped $5,000 in recycling income for a combined revenue source of $11,400 which was adequate for labor and vendor expenses.

Other useful information.

1. Of more than forty pieces of equipment lost in the fire, we were able to find partial serial numbers on only two. I am not sure how to resolve this especially when some items like tractors were identical except for age. A well documented list with photos is the best solution. Unless you have made many frivolous claims in the (continued on next page)

Free State • 41

Out of the ashes grows a new start on March 1, 2018

“

I am very grateful for all the support and encouragement received from so many wonderful colleagues.

”

(continued from page 41)

past, the insurance company will be inclined to believe you.

The insurance company will do a meticulous job of matching machine age, model, and serial numbers. Your insured equipment list must also be meticulously correct to avoid confusion. Further, your balance sheet asset list should be posted with the same detail.

2. Unless you pay an increased premium, equipment will be paid for at actual appraised value. In our case we had a mix of almost new items and some that were 20 years old. On average we recouped 77% of the purchase price. We all buy equipment that was a great idea at the time but did not work out to be useful. Given we did not replace everything, proceeds allowed us to replace everything we actually needed for cash.

3. Managing the disaster was an awesome task. There are many people involved. First a fire investigator will visit to

42 • Spring 2018

determine point of source for the fire and rule out any foul play or negligence. This will include interviews with staff and signed statements. The process is then handed off to an insurance company claim representative who manages the whole process including making payments. Next a ‘heavy equipment salvage expert’ spent a day documenting everything with hundreds of photos while crawling through the rubble. We did have trouble identifying specific items. His job is to determine if repair is possible. Everything in the fire was considered a total loss. He then documents everything on paper and hands it off to an appraisal firm. They then scour the internet and place value on equipment based on recent used equipment sales. We had a lot of European equipment which was difficult to appraise so they relied on our suppliers for value.

4. I recommend one does not put

all their “eggs in one basket”; or in this case one building.

Our response is to build two structures separated by 50 feet.

Redundant equipment will be stored separately.

While cash reimbursement is important, you can not imagine the time I spent to manage the entire process. The first 30 days consumed nearly all my time with documentation and communication. Imagine having to replace 90% of your equipment and a new building in a timely fashion so as to keep the business functional. The fire could not have occurred at a more ideal time. If it happened during the middle of shipping season…I don’t have a contingency plan for that. It will probably be mid-summer before my role is complete. However, who doesn’t like to shop for new stuff? I love John Deere and my dealer. Both the dealer and manufacturer have been incredibly supportive. The dealer helped me in documenting equipment lost and really stepped up to source

tractors I wanted from other dealer inventories which is usually not easy.

I received many calls from industry members to help in any way they could, including lending equipment. Given the timing of the fire we were in gradual shut down mode and enough equipment survived to finish our season. However, I am very grateful for all the support and encouragement received from so many wonderful colleagues.

I don’t know the best way to choose an insurance agent and insurance company to know they will be there for you when disaster strikes. We usually rely on referral, a friend or maybe even a relative. In our case the choice was excellent. There were some frustrations along the way but overall, I have to say we were treated very will.

The actual fire service effort turned out to be practice because

by the time they arrived it was too late. There were 50 fire fighters and about 15 pieces of equipment from four different companies. They laid out over one mile of hose from two hydrants – I noted it appeared the rookies had to roll it up. They set up a portable pond (an above ground item they brought with them) to transfer water from a lowpressure hydrant to be pumped to the fire. It was actually impressive how fast they got set up with all the equipment.

Everyone wants to know how the fire started. Timing was perfect for us to know where the fire started but at this writing we still don’t know why. A small diesel unit was seen on fire by staff as they came in from the field for lunch. At this time, the insurance company plans to conduct a forensic deconstruction of the item witnessed by the machine and engine manufacturers. The machine had not been used for five days and

ignited on its own.

We sent 53 tons of steel to the Reliable Recycling Center in Frederick. They brought dumpsters we loaded with a track hoe. We still have about 12 tons of salvage to send off but I am scavenging parts as time permits. The recycling staff was amazing is every possible way. We also sent two 40-yard dumpsters to the landfill.

In summary, none of us, in a small business setting, wants to take the time to be perfectly prepared for a disaster. I can tell you such thinking is very wrong. I absolutely do not plan for this to happen again, but my preparation and documentation will be perfect as we move forward. ❦ Jerry Faulring Waverly Farm 1931 Greenfield Road Adamstown, MD 21710 310-874-8300

Back to normal March 16, 2018 Free State • 43

SAVE MNLGA and UME proudly present T H E Chesapeake Green 2019 DATE AN ANNUAL HORTICULTURE SYMPOSIUM Wednesday, February 20 and Thursday, February 21 at the Maritime Institute – Linthicum, MD A premiere two day industry-wide education and pesticide recertification conference More information including recertification credits, speakers, and more will be posted on the website, www.MNLGA.org

PUBLICATION NOTICE:

Interested in a subscription to

The deadline for submissions for the summer issue of Free State Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse News is July 1, 2018.

Contact us with your request and we’ll add you to the mailing list.

Free State News?

We welcome your company news and updates or columns with your professional insight. E-mail any submissions you have for Free State News to freestate@mnlga.org or mail to:

Subscriptions are $35 annually; MNLGA will invoice you upon receipt of your subscription request. (members need not subscribe)

Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association P.O. Box 726, Brooklandville, MD 21022

City, State, Zip_________________________________________

44 • Spring 2018

Name_________________________________________________ Business_______________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________ E-Mail_________________________________________________ Mail/Fax or e-mail: Free State, MNLGA, P.O. Box 726, Brooklandville, MD 21022 or e-mail: freestate@mnlga.org

Major colors:

Featured Member

American Landscape Institute - ALI

T

he American Landscape Institute (ALI) is a unique, industry-supported, twoyear college scholarship program that encourages young people to choose a career in Horticulture.

The new program currently has a dozen students, now in their third semester.

Martha Pindale, ALI executive secretary, explained how the program works: “Accepted students work four days per week for a landscape or nursery company and take horticulture classes at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) one day per week, at the Hunt Valley

campus. The student’s employer pays an 80 percent scholarship and the student pays the remaining 20 percent. ALI is a non-profit organization and all payments are made to ALI each semester, and then we pay CCBC.” While students are getting on-the-job training, they are not taking on debt for when they graduate, Pindale said, because “We give their portion of tuition back.”

The 20 percent that students pay is held in a separate account, not used for tuition. “If a student successfully graduates, we give back the 20 percent from ALI so

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AMERICAN LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE

that they graduate debt free. It’s Receive on-the-job a real incentive to stick it out and finish the program.earn That’saunique.

2 year Certifi We’ve tried to make it a re-ally attractive program.” Students do pay for their own books.

The program courses are: Landscape Construction, Installation and Maintenance; Soils and Ferti-lizers; Introduction to Sustainable Horticulture; Integrated Pest Management; Woody BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ornamen-tals I and II; Herbaceous C Plant Materials; Turf Management; Andreas Grothe (President) H New World Gardens Computer and Basics Gra-phics; T Plant Propagation; AlanSustainable Jones (Vice President) h Manor Fundamentals View Farm s Landscape Planning; John Akehurst (continued on (Treasurer) page 46)

Akehurst Landscape Service

ALI student Tracy Fassio, working at Natural Concerns, Inc.

Tim Babikow (Secretary) Babikow Greenhouses George Mayo Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation David O’Neill Community College of Baltimore County Michael Martin Live Green Landscape Associates

Free State • 45

a l l t e t c S

I t o

“

We are hoping the program will grow and become attractive to more and more youth with an interest in horticulture and landscaping.

”

ALI student, Lauren Mackowiecki (American Native Plants)

George Mayo (continued from page 45)

of Communications; and Residential Forestry (Pruning).

Pindale noted there are no prerequisites as there are with many college programs which include English, math and other sciences. “All of those are waived.

This is intensive horticulture — just horticulture.”

Those who complete the program get a two-year certificate.

If they want an associate’s degree, students will need 21 more credits, which are not part of the ALI program. Pindale suggested, however, that “maybe an employer would work with a student to give time off for classes or additional financial help.”

At present, sponsoring companies include American Native Plants, Babikow, Maxalea, Natural Concerns, Planted Earth Landscaping, Ladew Topiary Gardens, McHale Landscaping, TDH Landscaping, Mullan Nursery, Bob Jackson Landscapes, and Wicklein’s Aquatic Nursery. Some 46 • Spring 2018

of these companies hired students recruited by ALI; some companies are sending their employ-ees through the program.

Pindale would like to see more companies participating by hiring students and paying for the scholarship to put them through the program.

“Companies can hire a student without promising to pay a scholarship — take some time and make the decision later. A student can enter the program any time in the calendar year at the start of a semester,” she said. “We’d prefer they start in the fall of 2018, but it could be winter or spring. Students can easily enter any time of the year.”

Pindale acknowledged it may be inconvenient for employers to give time off for classes when they need a full crew five or six days a week.

“We strongly feel everyone in our industry needs to do their part to attract kids to the industry. If it’s a little inconvenient to take kids under their wing, that’s the way it

will have to be.”

The program was suggested by Andreas Grothe, president of New World Gardens, a family-owned landscaping company in northern Baltimore County. Grothe, who immigrated from Ger-many in 1988 at the age of 26, said on-the-job training is the way workers are trained in Germa-ny.

For at least 100 years, when German students finished high school, they would apply for a job in a particular field — landscaping, nursery, forestry, cemetery, gardening or such, and after getting hired would sign up for a three-year training program.

One or two days a week, they go to school where they learn from former industry professionals. “It varies from state to state, but that was my experience,” Grothe said.

When students have finished their program, they will also have completed courses that are more particular to their field of work. For example, they may have learned about motors and how to repair

them in a one-week course on machines or learned about stone work.

Grothe said, “They are very functional employees after they graduate. They can do three or five years of working in their trade, then make master, which allows them to train employees. Not everyone can do the training.

“It works! It has been proven over and over that it works. A lot of good work is being done in Europe because of that. There, if you have a certificate from a trade school, you are somebody. You have a title and are well respected.

Here, landscapers are looked at as a failure, in my expe-rience.”

Acting on Grothe’s idea was simplified because CCBC already offered the needed classes. ALI just brought the college and the industry together.

George Mayo, executive director of Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation and a member of ALI’s board of directors, is very excited about the program. He said CCBC Dundalk has been trying to revitalize its horticulture program for years. “This adds new life to their program,” he said. “What is also encouraging is that some of the most influential businesses in the green in-dustry are stepping up and participating. They recognize the value of it.”

He added, “We are hoping the program will grow and become attractive to more and more youth with an interest in horticulture and landscaping. In view of the increasingly challenging and expensive guest worker programs in the United States, devising a way to attract and train Americans to careers in horticulture

ALI Student, David Pilson (Natural Concerns Inc.)

and landscaping is essential.

“I love the whole concept,” he continued. “I’m glad Andreas came up with the idea. It is obvious that the number of people to fill those jobs is evaporating.

“The problem is how to get Americans to apply for these jobs instead of going to college and getting no experience and ending up with big student loans. Then they need a big income to pay back the loans — and employers can’t justify paying big bucks for no experience. We’ve known about this need for more than 30 years, but such a program was not accessible.

“It costs $5,000 or more to get non-domestic help to the (United States) before they do any work at all. Investing in this kind of education is more secure and equitable for employers and students. Students finish training with no debt and a free education.”

Pindale agreed, “The industry really needs new people.

Landscaping/horticulture does not seem to appeal to many. Maybe they think it’s only lawn mowing and leaf blowing.

“What we are finding, when we visit with high school juniors and seniors, is that we have created a generation of people who feel you have to go to fouryear college to make something of yourself. That’s not true. There are kids that won’t do well in a four-year college. They’re better at hands-on learning, working with their hands, not in class all time.”

She continued, “There is so much creativity (in the industry).

It’s good for the earth, and it’s in high demand. Business is booming.

Landscapers and nurseries are booming, but it’s a hard time to find employees. This program is not the ultimate answer, but it will produce a small stream of qualified employees.

“The students we do have are so committed, so excited. They remind me of when I was younger and fell in love with horticulture. (continued on page 48) Free State • 47

“

The students we do have are so committed, so excited. They remind me of when I was younger and fell in love with horticulture.

It’s exciting to find a passion like that!

ALI student, Kayla Goldstein, Babikow Greenhouses

(continued from page 47)

It’s exciting to find a passion like that!”

ALI is working hard now to recruit students for fall 2018. Six students have already been accept-ed and more interviews are scheduled, Pindale said.

“We would love to see this spread to other colleges and communities that will work with them. Many colleges already have the horticulture programs. If we could get this to spread, it would be good for the whole industry.

Mayo reiterated: “This program can be replicated in other regions.

We just need a year or two to work out the kinks.”

Meanwhile, in effort to come up with more skilled or semi-skilled labor, CCBC has just put together a flyer on a work force development semester, a Basic Horticulture Technician Pro-gram. (included with this article) 48 • Spring 2018

”

Martha Pindale

For the pilot program this fall, tuition and fees are fully funded for the first 18 students enrolled.

The four classes, with 12 college credits, will be fully funded for these students. When they fin-ish, Pindale said, they get a certificate.

Then they will at least have some credentials and experi-ence to help them get into the industry.

The program includes co-operative work experience.

Students must work in industry a minimum of six hours per week.

L to R: John Akehurst (Akehurst Landscape Services), Alan Jones (Manor View Farm), Andreas Grothe (New World Gardens), Tim Babikow (Babikow Greenhouses), George Mayo (MAEF), David O’Neill (CCBC) Not pictured: Marion Mullan (Mullan Nursery Company) and Michael Martin (Live Green Landscape Associates)

Pindale said, “This is CCBC’s program, entirely theirs, but we have pledged to help with co-op work experience this fall and hopefully help line up students with potential employers.

“If students like the courses, they can apply to ALI, and would already have 12 credits knocked out. We are excited about this, because students who want to join ALI will come with 12 credits, and that’s about $1,000 less over a twoyear period that employers have to pay.”

Pindale concluded: “Getting ALI started has been a lot of work — spreading the word and get-ting companies on board — but we really feel the program is necessary. Everybody is having a hard time finding help. It seems no one wants work this industry. That’s a shame. It’s a very re-warding industry.”

Grothe is president; Alan Jones of Manor view is vice president.

Board members include Mayo, John Akehurst, Tim Babikow, Dr. David O’Neill, and Marion Mullan.

The American Landscape Institute is having a fundraiser on Saturday, May 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be a Garden Tour consisting of two fabulous private gardens in the Hunt Val-ley/Western Run Valley area. Visit the ALI website, www.americanlandscapeinstitute. com, for more information and for registration.

You will also find ALI on Facebook or, for more information, may contact Pindale at 410-688-5115 or send an email to info@americanlandscapeinstitute.com.

Carol Kinsley

Get job-ready in just one semester with CCBC’s Basic Horticulture Technician certificate program!

Gain basic horticulture knowledge and skills for landscape and nursery employment. Tuition and fees are fully funded (no cost) for the first 18 students participating in this three-month pilot program.

All classes will be held Thursdays and Fridays from Aug. 30 through Dec. 14 at the CCBC Hunt Valley campus.

PROGRAM BENEFITS: • Students earn 12 credits in a workforce development curriculum that includes four courses and a paid co-op learning experience at a participating landscape company or nursery.

• Interested students must be able to perform physical work (capable of routinely picking up 40 lbs.) and enjoy working outdoors.

• Upon graduation, students will be able to seek employment in the horticulture industry through our collaborating partner, the American Landscape Institute. ALI will introduce students to industry employers and provide job interview opportunities.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HORT 127 Introduction to Sustainable Horticulture, 3 Credits HORT 115 Soils and Fertilizers, 3 Credits HORT 111 Herbaceous Plant Materials, 2 Credits HORT 181 Cooperative Education: 1 Horticulture, 1 Credit Choose one of the following courses: HORT 134 Landscape Installation, Maintenance and Construction, 3 Credits HORT 117 Integrated Pest Management, 3 Credits For more information, contact Brad Thompson, Director, CCBC Sustainable Horticulture program, telephone 443-840-3754 or 443-840-3787; email bthompson3@ccbcmd.edu.

Free State • 49

Maryland Nursery, Landscape

and

Greenhouse Association

SAVE THE DATE

June 27, 2018 • 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Marshalls’ Riverbank Nurseries has been providing consistent, high quality plants and exemplary customer service to the trade since 1999. Marshalls’ Riverbank Nurseries is a family owned wholesale plant nursery located on the scenic Wicomico River in Salisbury, Maryland. With 500 hoophouses, Marshalls' offers an extensive product list.

For over fifty years, the Chesapeake name has been synonymous with top quality broadleaf evergreens. Chesapeake Nurseries now encompasses over 1300 acres on Marylands Eastern Shore, for the production of high quality ornamental shrubs, including over 150 varieties of Azaleas, Barberry, Boxwood, Hydrangea, Ilex, Nandina, Ornamental Grasses, Pieris, and many more.

Registration will soon open on www.mnlga.org. Questions, please e-mail office@mnlga.org or call 410-823-8684.

MARYLAND

N URSERY, L ANDSCAPE AND G REENHOUSE A S S O C I AT I O N , I N C .

D E S I GN IN G for the green industry

Free State

Spring 2017 Vol. XLIV No. 1

Chesapeake Green 2017 AN ANNUAL HORTICULTURE SYMPOSIUM

Industry Educational Winter Symposium for the Chesapeake Region and Surrounding States

NURSERY, LANDSCAPE AND GREENHOUSE NEWS

Late Blooming

you only grow the best.

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February 23 and 24 BWI Hilton Linthicum Heights, MD

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• Engaging Breakout Sessions • Pesticide Recertification • Vendor Showcase and Networking • MNLGA Scholarship Fund Annual Silent Auction

Boxwood Blight Compliance Agreement

Highlights from: • Chesapeake Green • MNLGA Annual Meeting • MANTS

MARYLAND

N URSERY, L ANDSCAPE AND G REENHOUSE A S S O C I AT I O N , I N C .

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Certified Professional Horticulturists (CPH) provide either “do-it-yourself” or professional landscape installation and maintenance advice.

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T hree

ways To regisTer by fax , mail or online aT www . mnlga . org

For more information contact the Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association at 410-823-8684 or visit www.mnlga.org

Cultivate your business with a Certified Professional Horticulturist

Advertising • Brochures • Direct Mail • Catalogs Publications • Logo Design • Package Design Exhibit, Trade Show and Vehicle Graphics 50 • Spring 2018

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1/7/16 7:19 AM

GWA’s 70th Annual Conference & Expo Moves to Chicago Exclusive garden tours, education sessions covering communication trends, and networking opportunities are coming to Chicago August 13-16 as part of GWA: The Association of Garden Communicators’ 70th Annual Conference & Expo.

The conference will kick off with a presentation from Jacqueline van der Kloet, recognized for her designs in Lurie Garden and the New York Botanical Garden.

Additionally, for the first time, GWA conference attendees will also have special access to the Independent Garden Center (IGC) Show, including exhibits, keynote speakers--such as Daymond John of the TV show Shark Tank--and a Tuesday evening concert by the Marshall Tucker Band. To close out the conference, the GWA Awards & Honors Dinner on Thursday, August 16 will take place at the iconic MidAmerica Club and recognize and celebrate both GWA Media Awards winners and GWA Honors.

“Holding the GWA conference in conjunction with the IGC Show allows us to easily connect our professional garden communicators with individuals and organizations that need their services, including garden center owners, managers and buyers,” said GWA president Becky Heath. “Also, it’s an opportunity to reinforce our expertise by tapping into trends and products that will be on our audiences’ minds this year.”

52 • Spring 2018

Conference attendees will have the opportunity to attend a variety of different educational sessions tailored to professional communicators from across the green industry such as Take Control of Your Camera, So You Want to Start a Podcast?, and Build a Profitable Speaking Business.

Attendees will also have special access to iconic Chicago public gardens as well as exclusive tours of inspirational private gardens, including: Tuesday, August 14: Downtown High Life: From the Lurie Garden to the Lakefront • Lurie Garden in Millennium Park • McCormick Place Rooftop Farm • Shedd Aquarium Gardens

Wednesday, August 15: Farm to River: Urban Farming, a Riverfront Park and a Glorious Glass House • Garfield Park Conservatory • Farm on Ogden • Ping Tom Memorial Park • Hyde Park Private Gardens • Midway Plaisance & Jackson Park Thursday, August 16 • North Side Jewels Tour: Historic Home Gardens & Lincoln Park tour (includes Wicker Park, Lincoln Park Conservatory and LaSalle Street Gardens) • South Side Saga Tour: Private Gardens and a World's Fair Gem (includes visits to Garden of the Phoenix and Burnham Wildlife Corridor) Friday, August 17 • West Suburban Delightful Delicacies Tour (includes Beard Private Garden, O'Brien Private Garden, The Morton Arboretum, McVay Private Garden, and Gardens at Ball • North Suburban Distinctive Designs Tour (includes Chalet Nursery, Fulmer Private Garden, Kurtis Conservation Foundation and Mettawa Manor, Camp Rosemary Posy Krehbiel Garden, and Chicago Botanic Garden) • Food and Community in the City Tour (includes Edible Treasures Garden at The Field Museum, Peterson Garden Project Pop-Up Victory Garden, Global Refugee Training Farm, and Uncommon Ground.

For more information about the conference and to register, visit gardenwriters.org/GWA2018. ❦

Rediscover PENDER NURSERY PHONE: 800-942-1648 FAX: 919-773-0904

ONLINE: www.PenderNursery.com 2620 Wall Store Road

•

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Free State • 53

Growing Forward

Leslie Hunter Cario

W

Public Gardens as a Resource for Landscape Professionals

hen was the last time you set foot in a garden? Not a garden you’ve spent hours designing or installing, not your own garden that you might squeeze in improvements on over the weekend or enjoy with your feet up on a rare Sunday with a cup of coffee, but instead one which has carefully been tended by a team of hard-working gardeners strictly for your enjoyment. We are fortunate to live and work in an area with so many public gardens and arboreta within easy travel distance, and the benefits, as you will see, are particularly noteworthy for those of us working in the horticulture industry.

One of the most compelling reasons we find to visit public gardens is for the prospect of gaining inspiration. Gardens provide a chance to see new plants, or familiar plants grown in a new way, as noted by the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) Executive Director Casey Sclar. This leads to learning and drawing comparisons with our own work. Sclar is not a stranger to inspiration, after years spent working at Longwood Gardens. Historically significant

54 • Spring 2018

collections such as Peirce’s Park at Longwood Gardens provide a rare glimpse into the past, with their towering, awe inspiring specimens. The William Paca Garden in Annapolis was carefully restored to its 18th century glory through clues provided by artwork and archeological finds, providing another sneak peek back in time.

Inspiration takes on a more modern form at the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) in our nation’s capital, particularly in its Bartholdi Park Garden which models various aspects of sustainable landscape design.

According to William McLaughlin, Curator of Living Collection at the United States Botanic Garden, “Bartholdi Park uses bio-swales and pervious paving to keep rainwater on site, and even to gather runoff water from adjacent road and parking areas so that it percolates through the soil column to replenish aquifers.

Plants are largely from a palette of climate adapted native species and cultivars that are of especially high value to insects (pollinators in particular) and other fauna. Not only the plant selections, but the way in which they are presented in the two areas noted above

yields a practical perspective for gardeners and designers alike.

Species that serve wildlife and that are adapted to our soils and our climate are grown without irrigation systems in many areas, yielding a very practical demonstration of just what most homeowners face.

We hand water where needed to avoid overuse, exactly what most gardeners would do.” As a co-creator of Sustainable SITES®, a certification system which incorporates standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council, the USBG offers a fine example of sustainable landscaping through the Bartholdi Park Garden.

Also, with great merit to those of us working in the trade is the USBG’s Regional Garden, with piedmont and coastal plain gardens showcasing garden-friendly native plants.

These specimens are grown in engineered soils that match the soil texture and composition of each respective physiographic region and are arranged in their appropriate location along a gradient of low mesic, wetland, or riparian habitats to dry upland.

As McLaughlin points out, “Since some of the species depicted in (continued on next page)

“

Since some of the species depicted in the garden are not commonly found in the nursery trade, it serves as a resource for those in the landscape and nursery industries looking for new species to market to gardeners and landscapers in our region.

�

Kalberer Emergent Tower, Holden Arboretum Free State • 55

Murch Canopy Walk at Holden Arboretum

the garden are not commonly found in the nursery trade, it serves as a resource for those in the landscape and nursery industries looking for new species to market to gardeners and landscapers in our region.”

So significant are the educational opportunities at botanic gardens and arboreta, that schools including Salisbury University and the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) utilize teaching gardens as integral parts of their campuses. Salisbury University Arboretum, which was granted its status by the APGA in 1988, serves as an example of the wide diversity found in the Plant Kingdom as well as a striking landscape. There, students have the opportunity to help maintain the plant collections database, as well as take part in the planting and maintenance of the gardens.

At CCBC, hands-on greenhouse work as part of the Sustainable Horticulture Program includes propagating plants that are used

56 • Spring 2018

to vegetate the campus. Campus gardens include innovative features such a rainwater exchange system, a green roof, and living walls both indoors and outdoors. Along with being the possible source for your next keeper employee, colleges with teaching gardens are a great resource for brushing up or honing new horticultural skills. Most other public gardens offer a wide array of training opportunities, internships, and continuing education.

Not only can public gardens be inspirational and educational, but they can also be entertaining and uplifting. Where else can you excite all five senses in garden surroundings, questions Sclar. For example, eating in a garden restaurant or enjoying the performing arts provides a fresh change of scenery from more common indoor venues. For example, fans of William Shakespeare will enjoy experiencing The Shore Shakespeare Company perform “As You Like It” outdoors this June

View looking out and down from Kalberer

at Adkins Arboretum. Also taking place at Adkins this summer is the Outdoor Sculpture Invitational— Artists in Dialogue with Nature, where you will be happily surprised by natural works of art as you follow trails through meadow and forest. Through Brookside Gardens’ School of Botanical Art and Illustration, classes such as Botanical Drawing and Botany for Artists allow you to see plants from a new angle and develop hands-on art and illustration skills.

Public gardens may offer scent experiences, both unthinkable, such as the corpse flower at USBG when in bloom, or sublime, such as the Fragrance Garden at the United States Botanic Garden, a

Educational Signage on Murch Canopy Walk, Holden Arboretum

Emergent Tower, Holden Arboretum

theme garden within the National Herb Garden. Last summer, while visiting a good friend in Cleveland, the two of us spent the day exploring the nearby Holden Arboretum. Climbing to dizzying heights of 120 feet in the Kalberer Emergent Tower yielded a 360-degree view above the forest canopy and gardens below, with even a glimpse of Lake Erie in the distance. A less strenuous, but equally enjoyable trek across the Murch Canopy Walk at 65 feet above ground level lets you imagine what it is like to live among the branches, also offering a welcome change in perspective.

There are so many ways to experience our public gardens!

As an organization, we have demonstrated that we value the role of public gardens. Six public gardens in Maryland are current recipients of MNLGA funding.

These gardens are the Rawlings Conservatory, Brookside Gardens, Shiplap House Gardens, Adkins Arboretum, Ladew Gardens, and Historic London Town and Gardens, as verified by MNLGA Executive Director Vanessa Finney. Public gardens throughout Maryland can be found at the state’s official tourism website: www.visitmaryland.org/list/ gardens-maryland. Many gardens are participating in National Public Gardens Day, which traditionally takes place the Friday before Mother’s Day (this year May 11th), by offering free admission or other incentives to visitors. The Gardens Map on APGA’s website helps you locate member gardens throughout the country, and highlights those participating in National Public Gardens Day. As a horticultural professional, please

do yourself a favor and get out to enjoy one of these destinations soon! ❦ Leslie Hunter Cario Chesapeake Horticultural Services lesliecario@cheshort.com www.chesapeakehort.com Leslie Hunter Cario a Certified Professional Horticulturist and IPAC board advisor to the MNLGA, is also licensed as a Nutrient Management Consultant and a Pest/Disease Consultant through the Maryland Department of Agriculture. She runs Chesapeake Horticultural Services, consulting with nurseries, landscape operations, and non-profits on planning, production, research, and photography projects.

Leslie presented native plant propagation work undertaken at Adkins Arboretum at the APGA’s Native Plants and Conservation Symposium held in Boston last fall, where she had the opportunity to learn from individuals representing public gardens all across the United States and Canada.

Free State • 57

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AMERICAN LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE

Cultivating the Next Generation of Horticulture Professionals The American Landscape Institute (ALI) and the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) have created a 2-year scholarship program for high school graduates. ALI is a first-of-its-kind training and development program for the Horticulture and landscape industry. Owners of leading Baltimore area landscape and nursery companies have come together to offer employment, mentoring, hands-on field experience, and an 80% scholarship to CCBC. Student trainees work for their participating company 4 days per week and attend classes at CCBC Hunt Valley every Friday, for 2 years. On the job training begins Spring/ Summer 2018. Classes begin September 2018. Graduates earn a 2 Year Certificate in Landscape Design and Installation.

DONATE TODAY Please donate to help our program grow! The American Landscape Institute is a non-profit organization and donations are tax deductible.

You can donate online, or mail checks to P.O. Box 52, Monkton, MD 21111.

THANKS TO OUR DONORS PLATINUM

GOLD

BRONZE

Visit the ALI website to learn more! http://www.american landscapeinstitute.com

Nursery Sales Associates

Peter and Millicent Bain

Roland Harvey

George Mayo

If you have a current employee that would benefit from the ALI Program or want to participate by hiring a student, call 410-688-5115 or email martha@americanlandscapeinstitute.

58 • Spring 2018

2 0 1 9

MANTS

®

THE MASTERPIECE OF TRADE SHOWS™

MANTS MEANS BUSINESS.

For 49 years now, it has been all business at MANTS. It’s the one show where buyers know that they can find all the plants, products and services their business needs. And exhibitors can count on meeting a steady stream of well-qualified current and new customers.

That’s why over 11,000 attendees, representing over 3,600 buying companies and nearly 1,000 exhibiting companies, attended the most recent show. And when the business day is over and it is time to relax, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor area offers an incredible variety of attractions and restaurants.

www.mants.com P.O. Box 818 • Brooklandville, MD 21022 410-296-6959 • fax 410-296-8288 @mantsbaltimore #mants2019

@mantsbaltimore

On-line Registration is available 24/7 beginning October 1.

JA N UARY 9 -11 , 2 019

BALTIMORE CONVENTION CENTER Free State • 59

American Hort

Weather, Labor, and Trucking

Craig J. Regelbrugge

A

“

... more and more nursery and greenhouse growers that landscape labor shortages are dampening the spring demand for plant material...

s Tax Day came and went, ask just about anyone in our business in the midAtlantic what’s been keeping them up at night, and they likely responded with one of the Big Three – weather, labor, trucking.

The first is totally out of our hands, so we’ll focus on the status and outlook for the next two.

AmericanHort and the H-2B Workforce Coalition that we co-chair continue to urge the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Labor (DOL) to immediately release the approximately 69,000 additional

60 • Spring 2018

visas that Congress authorized under the recently signed Fiscal 2018 omnibus appropriations bill.

On April 11, the coalition sent a letter to DHS Secretary Nielsen and DOL Secretary Acosta from over 1,400 businesses and associations across the country. The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy also sent a letter to the Secretaries, as did a bipartisan group of 89 House Members and 33 Senators.

Despite the steady pressure from many directions, we are dismayed that the Departments have not yet taken any action. We are also

”

concerned by rumors that they may release far fewer visas than are actually needed, perhaps as few as the 15,000 additional visas that were released last year under the same Congressional authority.

Such a low number would be ridiculously below the actual need.

As of early April, the Department of Labor had certified roughly 85,000 positions to be filled by an H-2B worker for the second half of the fiscal year, with only 33,000 visas available. This leaves a gap of over 50,000 seasonal positions that are going unfilled, and that number will continue to grow.

And this isn’t just a “landscaper issue.” We’re hearing from more and more nursery and greenhouse growers that landscape labor shortages are dampening the spring demand for plant material.

The industry-wide shortage of labor is dampening the economic potential during otherwise-good times. Stay tuned…

New Trucking Regulations The hard enforcement date for the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate came and went on April 1, with violations now counting against carriers’ scores in the Compliance, Safety, and Accountability program. Vehicles without a required ELD or grandfathered automatic on-board recording device (AOBRD) could potentially be placed out of service for 10 hours.

D o

y o u

Is relief on the way from the rigid nature of certain aspects of the hours of service rules? Maybe, but not for a while.

The new administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Ray Martinez, has hinted that the hours of service rules might be altered based on the feedback he was receiving from stakeholders. Following an appearance in Orlando, Martinez hinted that there might be potential changes down the road but cautiously emphasized that any regulation changes would likely take a year to implement.

AmericanHort and many other agriculture-related industry groups continue to await guidance on official recognition for the agricultural exemption. In a recent meeting with FMCSA officials, the AmericanHort advocacy team

h a v e

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was told that additional guidance on the definition of “agricultural commodity” will most likely be issued before the latest agricultural haulers exemption expires in midJune, with the agency aiming for a mid-May release.

Against this backdrop, as the industry gets into peak shipping season, folks are reporting significant trucking cost increases.

As we advocate for clarity and flexibility, it is helpful for us to receive actual, specific feedback.

If you have data to share on cost increases or other trucking-related challenges, please feel welcome to contact Tal Coley, talc@ americanhort.org. ❦ Craig Regelbrugge and Tal Coley, AmericanHort

BRAUN CONTINUOUS WIRE BASKETS

BETTER DESIGN BETTER WIRE BETTER FIT

freestatenews@comcast.net.

Contributions are due April 1, July 1, and November 1. Contribute as you like, or year round.

Questions about Free State, please give us a call at

410-823-8684.

WWW.BRAUNGROUP.COM 1-888-732-7286 Free State • 61

2018-19 Industry E JULY July 14-17, 2018 CULTIVATE'18 Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus, OH USA

JUNE June 1, 2018 Eastern Shore Pesticide Recertification Conference Location: Wye Research & Education Center in Queenston, MD Contact: Ginny Rosenkranz, rosnkrnz@umd.edu https://extension.umd.edu/ipm/conferences

June 8, 2018 2018 Procrastinators’ Pest Management Conference Location: Mont. County Ext. Office, Derwood, MD Contact: Chuck Schuster, cfs@umd.edu https://extension.umd.edu/ipm/conferences

June 27, 2018 MNLGA Summer Field Day Location: Marshalls’ Riverbank Nurseries & Chesapeake Nurseries in Salisbury, MD Contact: MNLGA, office@mnlga.org www.mnlga.org

AUGUST August 5-8, 2018 ISA Annual International Conference and Trade Show Location: Greater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio Contact: ISA Office 1-888-472-8733, isa@isa-arbor.com www.isa.org

August 23 – September 3, 2018 The Maryland State Fair Location: MD State Fairgrounds in Lutherville-Timonium Contact: 410-252-0200, msfair@msn.com www.marylandstatefair.com/state-fair/ state-fair-info

SEPTEMBER September 13, 2018 MAEF/MNLGA Scholarship Golf Tournament Location: Hampstead, MD Contact: MAEF, 410-939-3090

62 • Spring 2018

EVENTS Calendar JANUARY January 9-11, 2019 Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show Location: Baltimore Convention Center Contact: MANTS, 410-296-6959 info@mants.com www.mants.com

OCTOBER October 2, 2018 CPH – Basic Exam Location: MDA in Annapolis Contact: MNLGA, 410-823-8684 office@mnlga.org www.mnlga.org

October 2, 2018 CPH – Specialist Exam – Plant ID Location: MDA in Annapolis Contact: MNLGA, 410-823-8684 office@mnlga.org www.mnlga.org

LEAD MD Accepting Applications for Next Class: June 1 - October 1 The LEAD Maryland Foundation has announced that it will be accepting applicants for its next class of Fellows between June 1and October 1.

Participants complete a series of multi-day seminars held throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. in 2019 and 2020 along with a travel study tour and class project. LEAD works to develop leaders serving agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

For more information, visit LEAD’s website at www.leadmaryland.org, or contact leadmd@umd.edu, 410-827-8056.

For a full and updated calendar of events, and to find registration information and event links, please visit the MNLGA website at mnlga.org.

Free State • 63

Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association

AFFINITY PROGRAMS Get More Out of Your Membership

SHIPPING PartnerShip

OFFICE SUPPLIES Office Depot

• High use office items discounted up to 85% • Everyday office essentials catalog items discounted up to 70% • Discounted copy, print and binding services • Full line promotional products catalog selection discounted up to 20%

64 • Spring 2018

• Discount shipping program through AmericanHort partnership • Small Package Discounts using FedEx • FedEx Express Discounts including Overnight, 2Day, International Services, and Saver programs as much as 27% • Save on Truckload and Tradeshow Shipments • FedEx Ground and Home Delivery discounts starting at 5% • PartnerShip LTL freight discounts

VEHICLES Commercial Friends and Family Program

• Invoice pricing on all vehicles in stock. Pricing for locates are on a case by case basis.

• Brands include Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ford and Ram. Expanding to other brands soon.

• All incentives that are being offered will be deducted from invoice pricing • Up-fits offered at employee cost • $500 off any negotiated price for used vehicles • Honor all Fleet accounts and if needed can be established with Ford or Chrysler • Discount delivery vehicle program or if qualified, courtesy delivery to local dealer

PLANT LOCATOR

TIRES

Plant and Supply Locator

• All MNLGA members receive 6 months of free unlimited online Plant Booth listings • Free subscription to Plant Locator magazine • After free 6 month period, members will receive: – Ability to keep 5 listings online free for an additional two years – MNLGA members already listing in print will receive equivalent online plant listings – Discounted packages for listings in print and online

TireBuyer.com

FUEL Shell – Fleet Plus Fuel Program

• 15 cents off per gallon on fuel purchases from Shell for 12 months • After 12 months, tier structure rebate program • No minimum gallons required • Built in security and purchase controls • Online account management • Comprehensive reporting • No transaction fees, no card fees, and no report fees

• 5-10% discount on tire purchase • Free shipping on many products • Over 110 warehouses in the US, over 8,500 nationwide installation partners • All other purchases qualify for either free shipping or discounted shipping • Lower shipping rates than industry averages when shipping to a home or business

For full program description, discounts offered, and access to program contact information, log into the MNLGA membership portal on the MNLGA website. Portal access is located on the upper right hand corner of all pages of the website. If you do not recall your access credentials, simply select the link, “Forgot Your Password,” and you will be given instructions on how to proceed.

Free State • 65

Directory of Advertisers Firm Name

Page

Firm Name

Affinity Program

64-65

Holly Hill Farms

32

Homestead Gardens Horticultural Supply

11

Manor View Farm

28

American Landscape Institute

58

Angelica Nurseries, Inc.

Outside Back Cover

Babikow Greenhouses

Inside Front Cover

Page

MANTS 59

Braun Horticulture

61

MANTS is 50

24

Cam Too

22

MD Ag Ed Foundation

22

Cavano’s Perennials

12

MNLGA On-Line

27

Chesapeake Green Symposium

44

OHP 1

CPH 29

Pender Nursery

53

Foxborough Nursery

Inside Back Cover

Perennial Farm

23

50

Walnut Springs

15

Waverly Farm

51

Gregory J. Cannizzaro Design

G R E G O R Y J.

cannizzaro

Graphic Design

MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION

66 • Spring 2018

MARYLAND

N URSERY, L ANDSCAPE AND G REENHOUSE A S S O C I AT I O N , I N C .

Mission Statement The purpose of the Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association is to promote the use of ornamental plants, products, and services.

The association supports all constituent groups of the horticulture industry including landscape, garden centers, interiorscape, grounds maintenance, nursery, greenhouse, and arboriculture. The association communicates the role of the horticulture industry in improving people’s quality of life.

Specific Goals Promote professionalism through education programs for members and the public and by encouraging enrollment in educational institutions.

Monitor state and local laws relating to horticulture industry.

Participate actively in legislative and regulatory processes.

Promote the use of environmentally sound practices in the horticulture industry.

Monitor and communicate to members developments in allied industries including agritechnology.

Support donations of plant products and services to state and community programs.

Support research relevant to the horticulture industry.

Participate in Maryland agricultural organizations.

6 1 2 3 4 5 6

Good Reasons Your Company Should Advertise in the MNLGA’s Free State Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse News Free State News is seen by members of Maryland’s Nursery, Landscaping, Greenhouse, Garden Center and Allied Industries and is the leading publication for members of the MNLGA

Free State News enhances your ad with important industry specific content that is educational and informative. And, the digital version gives readers direct access to your website

Free State News helps promote your company and product while providing direct access to readers in Maryland’s Green Industries

Articles are contributed by highly regarded members of the industry, many of whom have a lifetime of knowledge and are frequently published

Free State News is a cost-effective way to help keep your name out in front of the membership and your potential customers

Free State News helps support the association in its endeavors on behalf of the green industry in the state of Maryland

For more information on advertising in the Free State Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse News contact Kelly Finney at MNLGA at 410-823-8684 or e-mail freestate@mnlga.org

Free State • 67

Chairs and Committees Education Ted Carter – Co-Chair Ronda Roemmelt – Co-Chair Angela Burke Dave Clement Hank Doong Stanton Gill Pete Gilmore Brett Karp Mary Kay Malinoski John Murphy Karen Rane Andrew Ristvey Ginny Rosenkranz Brent Rutley Chuck Schuster Nominating Mark Dougherty – Chair Richard J. Watson Finance and Planning Carrie Engel – Chair Jessica Todd Larry Hemming John Murphy Link/Shanks Scholarship Mark Dougherty – Chair MANTS Jan S. Carter Bernard E Kohl, Jr. William A. M. Verbrugge Membership Committee Rich Poulin Greg Stacho Awards - Professional Achievement, Carville M. Akehurst Michael Marshall– Co-Chair Kevin Clark - Co-Chair

Legislative/MaGIC James R. McWilliams– Chair Mark Schlossberg All Officers and Directors Alan Jones Bernie Kohl

ADVISORS TO THE BOARD Kimberly Rice MD Department of Agriculture

CPH George Mayo - Chair Steve Black Shelley Hicks Cindy King Andrew Ristvey Martha Simon-Pindale Bob Trumbule Gaye Williams

ADVISORS TO OTHERS CCLC – Ches. Bay Professional Landscape Certification (CBPL) Kody Cario

Scholarship Bernie Kohl, Jr. – Chair Hank Doong Leslie Hunter-Cario Jessica Todd George Mayo Mary Claire Walker Economic Survey Steve Black Larry Hemming Bernie Kohl George Mayo John Murphy Jessica Todd Dr. John Lea-Cox Kimberly Rice Dr. Andrew Ristvey Historian George Mayo – Chair

Dr. John Lea-Cox University of Maryland

Invasive Plant Advisory Committee Brent Cassell Leslie Hunter Cario Kelli McGaw LEAD Maryland Vanessa Finney Maryland Agriculture Commission Ray Greenstreet Vanessa Finney (at-large) Maryland Farm Bureau Larry Hemming Vanessa Finney

MAEF George Mayo Maryland Invasive Species Council (MISC) John Peter Thompson MDA Nutrient Management Advisory Committee Signe Hanson University of Maryland – Dean’s Global Leadership Council Vanessa Finney Young Farmers Advisory Council Jessica Todd

Every member of every committee listed above is an individual who volunteers their time in support for the MNLGA and it is with the utmost gratitude and appreciation that we thank you for your selfless endeavors.

If your name is not listed above, please consider following the example of those who are. Contact Vanessa at 410-823-8684 with your interest.

68 • Spring 2018

3611 MILLER RD • STREET, MD 21154 p. 410.836.7023 f. 410-452-5131

View photos and plant information: www.foxboroughnursery.com

Foxborough Nursery