The Scoop - January 2021

BE A WORM RANGER

GOOD CONTRACTS

FOUNDATION DONORS

ADVOCACY IN 2021 PLUS:

21 TYPICAL MARKETING PROBLEMS

january 2021 n v44 n1

ALSO INSIDE:

A NURSERY DEMAND ‘RENAISSANCE’

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Mulch & Soils Landscape Rock Edging, Fabric, NDS Landscape Tools & Rental Equipment • Landscape Lighting & Pond Supplies

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8 Events 17

10 Out of Change May Come Opportunity President Malooly analyzes the changes in the way we work in the wake of a pandemic.

22 MNLA Foundation Thanks Donors Your generous contributions enable us to continue to provide research information,

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Be a Worm Ranger Dr. James Calkins invites you to help research on jumping worms by becoming a Worm Ranger in Minnesota. 

scholarships, and career outreach.

32 MNLA.biz Job Board Employers can find their next great hire; green industry pros can keep their career on the move.

33 Professional Development Opportunities The Green Industry Leadership Institute, MNLA’s

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A Demand ‘Renaissance’ For Nurseries Curt Kipp found that growers advise flexibility as they anticipate shortages, substitutions and sustained demand for 2021.     

Mentorship Program, and MNLA Certification will all help move you forward!

35 Master Classes 2021 The popular Northern Green Master Classes have

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21 Typical Marketing Problems for Lawn & Landscape Companies Chad Diller encourages you to take an honest assessment and make some tough decisions to solve these common issues.    

been moved to February and March.

41 The Virtual Trade Show Goes On… The 2021 Northern Green Virtual Trade Show is accessible until September 1, 2021 via desktop, tablet, or mobile phone.

36

What Makes a Good Contract?

Patrick McGuiness address the common request: “Will you look at my contracts and make sure they are good?”    

46

Virtual Advocacy in 2021 Director of Government Affairs Cyr explains how MNLA will adjust our approach to government affairs during the pandemic. 

 Landscape & Hardscape Install & Design  Garden Services & Landscape Mgmt  Garden Centers  Growers: Nursery & Greenhouse  Irrigation & Water Mgmt  Arborists & Tree Services  All

42 2020-2021 Collegiate Scholarship Winners The MNLA Foundation partnered with 16 members to present 26 collegiate scholarships in 2020.

47 Day on the Hill This virtual event will elevate green industry issues and educate members and legislators about our policy priorities.

Cover photo:© Can Stock Photo Inc. / wolterk. Table of Contents Images: Top: James Calkins. Middle: iStock.com/ronstik. Bottom: iStock.com/aurielaki. january 21 MNLA.BIZ

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DIRECTORY

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MINNESOTA NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION Successful Businesses Grow Here!

1813 Lexington Ave. N., Roseville, MN 55113 651-633-4987 • Fax: 651-633-4986 Outside the metro area, toll free: 888-886-MNLA, Fax: 888-266-4986 www.MNLA.biz • www.NorthernGreen.org Mission: The mission of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is to help members grow successful businesses.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Tim Malooly, CID, CLIA, CIC, President Water in Motion 763-559-7771 • timm@watermotion.com Randy Berg, Vice-President Berg’s Nursery, Landscape/Garden Center 507-433-2823 • randy@bergsnursery.com Matt Mallas, Secretary-Treasurer Hedberg Supply 763-512-2849 • mmallas@hedbergaggregates.com Faith Appelquist, MNLA-CP Tree Quality LLC 612-618-5244 • faith@treequality.com Patrick McGuiness Zlimen & McGuiness PLLC (651) 331-6500 • pmcguiness@zmattorneys.com Mike McNamara Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscaping 651-437-9463 • mike.mcnamara@hoffmanandmcnamara.com John O’Reilly Otten Bros. Garden Center and Landscaping 952-473-5425 • j.oreilly@ottenbros.com Jeff Pilla, MNLA-CP Professional Turf, Inc. (Proturf) 952-469-8680 • jeff@professionalturf.com Nick Sargent, MNLA-CP Sargent’s Landscape Nursery, Inc. 507-289-0022 • njsargent@sargentsgardens.com Cassie Larson, CAE MNLA Executive Director 651-633-4987 • cassie@mnla.biz STAFF DIRECTORY Executive Director: Cassie Larson, CAE • cassie@mnla.biz Membership Director & Trade Show Manager: Mary Dunn, CEM • mary@mnla.biz Communications Dir.: Jon Horsman, CAE • jon@mnla.biz Education/Cert. Manager: Susan Flynn • susan@mnla.biz Dir. of Government Affairs: Forrest Cyr • forrest@mnla.biz Regulatory Affairs Manager: Jim Calkins • jim@mnla.biz Accountant: Kris Peterson • kris@mnla.biz Foundation Program Coordinator: Paulette Sorenson • paulette@mnla.biz Administrative Assistant: Lora Sondrol • lora@mnla.biz Advertising Sales: 763-295-5420 Betsy Pierre, Advertising Mgr • betsy@pierreproductions.com Legislative Affairs Consultant: Doug Carnival 6

MNLA.BIZ january 21

Ancom Communications Inc and Midwest Radio Rentals ......... 16 Anderson Nurseries, Inc. ................................................................... 34 Arborjet .................................................................................................. 15 Aspen Equipment ................................................................................ 40 Bachman’s Wholesale Nursery & Hardscapes ............................... 3 Bullis Insurance Agency ..................................................................... 45 Carlin Sales/ProGreen Plus .............................................................. 34 Central Landscape Supply .................................................................. 9 Contree Sprayer & Equipment Co, LLC ........................................... 38 COWSMO, INC. ......................................................................................... 9 Cushman Motor Co. Inc ....................................................................... 11 Dayton Bag & Burlap .......................................................................... 38 Edney Distributing Co., Inc. ............................................................... 14 Frost Inc ................................................................................................. 34 Fury Motors ........................................................................................... 37 Gertens Wholesale & Professional Turf Supply ............................. 2 Glacial Ridge Growers ........................................................................ 45 Hedberg Supply ................................................................................... 16 Jeff Belzer Chevrolet ..................................................................... 24–25 Lano Equipment, Inc. .......................................................................... 31 Maguire Agency .................................................................................... 21 Out Back Nursery ................................................................................. 31 Plaisted Companies .............................................................................. 7 Rock Hard Landscape Supply............................................................ 21 SMSC Organics Recycling Facility...................................................... 21 Sunbelt Midwest..................................................................................... 9 The Resultants ...................................................................................... 11 The Tessman Company ....................................................................... 32 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc. .......................................................................... 39 Unilock Chicago, Inc. ............................................................................. 4 Versa-Lok Midwest .............................................................................. 26 Ziegler CAT ............................................................................. Back Cover

UPCOMING

MNLA is continuing to plan education and events for the green industry. All precautions will be taken to meet social distancing requirements and the guidelines set in place by local and state agencies as well as venues. Should changes occur causing an event to be cancelled due to COVID-19 issues, your registration would be refunded in full.

FEB

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MNLA CERTIFICATION EXAM Sit for the exam to become an MNLA Certified Professional in 2021. Also offered Feb. 12 and 19th.

Roseville ➽MNLA.biz

FEB

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MASTER CLASS: GREEN INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY There have been tremendous strides in user-friendly technology all throughout the Green Industry. This online workshop will focus on the technology available to industry practitioners and how it can benefit you and your career.

Online Class ➽MNLA.biz

FEB

15 +22



MASTER CLASS: FAVORITE PLANTS FOR MINNESOTA GARDENS A plethora of best performing landscape plants — from woody trees, shrubs and conifers, to herbaceous perennials, annuals and even houseplants — will be featured. With so many great plants to share, this class is being offered on two days. Join us for one or both!

Online Class ➽MNLA.biz

FEB

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MASTER CLASS: GOING FROM GOOD TO GREAT – HARDSCAPE EFFICIENCY BOOTCAMP WITH FRANK BOURQUE This interactive workshop includes a combination of presentations and team engagement exercises. We’ll also be building a strategic business plan for the four departments every landscape/hardscape business must navigate and systemize: marketing, admin, production, and sales.

Online Class ➽MNLA.biz

FEB

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MASTER CLASS: PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION ZOOM WORKSHOP Pending approval by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, this workshop meets Commercial Pesticide Applicator Requirements for Category A (Core) and Category E (Turf and Ornamentals). Recertification for Categories P (Vertebrate Pest) will also be offered.

Online Class ➽MNLA.biz

iStock.com/Chinnapong

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MASTER CLASS: PLT RELICENSURE Pending Minnesota Dept. of Labor & Industry approval, this in-person class satisfies eight hours of continuing education requirements for the Power Limited Training Licensure, including 2 hours of code and 6 hours of technical training oriented specifically toward

The Scoop, January 2021, Issue 1 is issued monthly,

the landscape industry.

12 times per year. All original works, articles or formats

Eagan ➽ MNLA.biz

published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 2021, and may not be used without written permission of MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville, MN 55113. Subscription price is $99 for one year, which is included with member dues. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Scoop, MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville, MN 55113.

Editorial Contributions. You are invited to share your

2021 MNLA seminars

expertise and perspective. Article ideas and manuscripts

generously supported by:

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

should, whenever possible, reflect real and specific

Your Trusted Partner

experiences. When submitting an article, please contact the publisher at jon@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987. MNLA



reserves the right to edit all Scoop content.

➽Information on industry events: MNLA.biz/events. Free member-only videos: MNLA.biz/OnlineEducation.

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MNLA.BIZ january 21

Business

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

Out of Change May Come Opportunity Tim Malooly

Water in Motion

Changes in the wake of a Pandemic From the perspective of office operations, our Green Industry organizations have experienced first-hand the adjustments to/on/with our businesses in light of the changes forced upon us the past ten months. Changes that might otherwise be thought to only affect “other” industries. Most of the changes involve the utilization of technology. Much of the technology existed before 2020; we (as an industry) were simply not using it either at all or as extensively as we must today including: • Microsoft Teams®, Zoom®, Webex®, Verizon BlueJeans® and other web-based communications software • Cloud-based applications • New or expanded use of our desk and mobile technology • Being “ok” with the concept of a “remote workplace” • New methods of selling • And more Since we are “all in this together” it seems, we all get a break to experiment with how to deliver our products and services. The adjusted expectations of our clients, our staffs, our families, and ourselves is enabling significant changes to office methods and practices that might otherwise have taken years.

Several months into this period of “forced” change at our companies, most of my staff and I are becoming comfortable with many (but, not all) of the changes to our office operations. How about you and your staff? The sometimes dramatic measures we’ve taken resultant of the pandemic will eventually pass. Do you anticipate making permanent some of the changes you’ve made to your office operation?

Thinking about your field operation, have you considered investigating implementing some changes beyond the mandatory actions dictated by CDC? Several technologies are known to us as an industry but, largely (or actually)

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MNLA.BIZ january 21

considered immature or impractical. Will the necessity brought on by the pandemic, a limited labor force, and other issues force a maturing and greater acceptance of available technologies for field use?

Of course, it’s understood that many Green Industry practitioners must deliver services by driving to a location and applying parts and labor to conduct our work. Let’s consider a few of our industry segments and available technology that may or may not truly be “immature”: Mowing and Stewardship Robotic mowers – will these devices advance significantly?

Will we as an industry be more open to trying this emerging technology?

Electric stewardship equipment – with many of our clients working from home, adopting use of quieter machines may turn out to endear you to your client.

Landscape Irrigation We are not necessarily invited to (nor want to) enter the properties of client locations during the pandemic, yet irrigation professionals are largely specialist practitioners who must apply skills to plumbing and electrical elements of an irrigation system. This is especially true in the four-season areas where we start irrigation systems in the spring and shut irrigation systems off in the fall.

Remote-access water supply valves have been available for years, but until now not widely installed. Remote-control and SMART irrigation controllers have been available for almost as long as the remote-access water supply valve. Both technologies have been enhanced in recent years with the advent of the “Internet-of-Things” (IOT), but until now have been limited to early adopters – largely based on requests of a small segment of owners of irrigation systems.

An example of an autonomously-operating mower.

Landscape Installers As consumers, we’ve heard much lately about autonomous driving cars. But, what about autonomously-operated excavation equipment?

Haven’t heard of this technology? Take a look at some of the videos posted on YouTube®.

Growers Robots and autonomous operations have been increasing at the grower-level for the past few years. Much of the growth has been attributed to a limited (willing) workforce.

The actions brought on by the pandemic will likely accelerate the demand for automation technologies for this segment of our industry.

Opportunity Thinking about the industry segment(s) in which you specialize, can you imagine utilizing new technology to make your day easier?

To improve your efficiency? To differentiate yourself from others? To increase your bottom line? I’ll bet many of you are familiar with one or more “new” technologies that for one reason/excuse or another, you haven’t yet tried or adopted. The changes upon us today may be the time to seize an opportunity!

➽I’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. Please let me know your thoughts on this or any other topic at TimM@ watermotion.com.

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RESEARCH FOR THE REAL WORLD

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MNLA.BIZ january 21

WORM Be a

RANGER

Dr. James Calkins MNLA Foundation Research Information Director

James Calkins

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CITIZEN SCIENCE JUMPING WORMS PROJECT Unfortunately, jumping worms (Amynthas and Metaphire spp.), non-native and harmful earthworms that have been introduced to North America from Asia, have found their way to Minnesota. However, the extent of their distribution in the state is unknown and is the focus of an ongoing University of Minnesota research project in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA), the Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center, and Great Lakes Worm Watch. The research is funded by the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pest Center (MITPPC; https://mitppc.umn.edu/) with money from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission for Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

Unlike the other earthworms that are found in Minnesota which are also non-native and were introduced from Europe long ago, it appears young and adult jumping worms do not survive the winter in cold climates like Minnesota. They do survive over winter as eggs enclosed in cocoons. Together with new introductions, these eggs give rise to new and expanding populations on an annual basis. As

a result, late summer and early fall are the best time to look for jumping worms because they are bigger and populations are at their peak.

Jumping worms live in organic matter on the surface of the soil and in the top few inches of soil and can have serious impacts on designed landscapes and native ecosystems. Just like European earthworms, jumping worms can be moved around when used as bait by anglers and when infested soil is moved from one location to another. Jumping worms and their cocoons can also be moved to new areas in a variety of yard and horticultural wastes and horticultural commodities including fieldgrown and container-grown nursery stock, sod, compost, and landscape mulch (including woodchips and bagged and bulk mulches).

They can also be transported in soil attached to vehicles and equipment and even footwear.

For these reasons, it is especially important that nursery and landscape practitioners be aware of this pest and take steps to prevent their spread and introduction to new areas.

Nursery and landscape professionals can also help educate the public about jumping worms as a valuable source of information regarding their distribution across the state.

You can help researchers learn more about jumping worms by becoming a Worm january 21 MNLA.BIZ

13

RESEARCH FOR THE REAL WORLD

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Bulk Volume Discounts on Garden Center Trays There are 1,080 trays per pallet. The pop-up tray size is 16 x 12 x 3. Pallets can be delivered for a small fee or you can save delivery charges by picking them up at the Brooklyn Park location. Visit MNLA.biz/GardenCenterTrays to download an order form, or contact Mary at 651-633-4987.

Ranger to locate jumping worms throughout Minnesota. It only takes a few minutes once you know what to look for. Visit the Jumping Worm Project Citizen Science Website to learn more about jumping worms including training on how to identify them, where to look for them, how they spread, what to do if you find jumping worms on your property, and how to report them. Once again, training only takes a few minutes. Encourage your colleagues, employees, customers, coworkers, friends, families, and neighbors to be looking for jumping worms too. And don’t forget that negative data (i.e., no jumping worms found) is also important so if you don’t find any jumping worms, report that too. The project will continue in 2021 so continue looking for jumping worms this year to help us get a better understanding of the status of jumping worms in Minnesota.

Be a Worm Ranger and visit https://jwp. cfans.umn.edu/jumping-worms-project. ➽TO COMMENT On this research update, suggest research topics of interest, or pass along a piece of research-based information that might be of interest to your industry colleagues, please email us at Research@MNLA.biz.

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‘RENAISSANCE’ For Nurseries

Curt Kipp

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NURSERY DEMAND

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GROWERS ADVISE FLEXIBILITY as they anticipate shortages, substitutions and sustained demand for 2021.

Article first published in Digger, published by the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN)

Bill Goloski, OAN

In 2020, North American nurseries experienced a rollercoaster ride of escalating dread, stomach-churning twists and unexpected thrills.

There was uncertainty in the early spring due to COVID-related shutdowns in the U.S. and Canada, but nurseries were allowed to stay open, resulting in robust orders and shipments from spring into summer. With travel canceled and many white-collar employees working from home, more folks than usual found refuge in their backyard gardens, driving sustained demand for plants.

The spring may have started off wobbly, but the summer had serious legs lasting into the fall. Many growers had to seriously hustle to keep up. “Everyone wanted everything at the same time,” said Debbie Lonnee, product development manager for Bailey Nurseries, during a recent panel discussion. Bailey is a large and highly diversified grower of shrubs, trees, liners, seedlings and rootstocks based in St. Paul, Minnesota, with additional growing locations in Illinois, Washington state, and Oregon.

That leaves green industry businesses to ask — what’s coming in 2021?

Shortages, substitutions and sustained demand Lonnee and others took part in a recent online panel convened by the Nursery and Landscape Association Executives of North America (NLAE). Participants were bullish, saying they expect plant shortages, substitutions, higher prices and sustained demand for plants this coming spring, as consumers continue their newfound love affair with gardening.

Jeff Olsen serves as president and CEO of Brookdale Treeland Nurseries Limited, a major Canadian grower headquartered in Schomberg, Ontario, with growing locations from the Maritimes to British Columbia. He said the strong demand his nursery experienced in late spring and summer of 2020 has continued into Christmas tree season, where the company also has a strong market presence.

Holiday orders are up 10–15% from a year ago. Olsen takes that as a positive sign for his nursery lines in the spring of 2021 and beyond.

“I’m so excited,” Olsen said. “I mean, I feel we’re in a real renaissance here. People are rediscovering their gardens. It’s such a wonderful thing for our business. So sad for so many businesses that are affected negatively in this pandemic, but certainly for gardening and home improvement, I see it continuing at least the next 2–3 years, at least into 2021.

Chris Scott serves as director of sales for Altman Specialty Plants, one of the nation’s largest growers with locations in California, Texas, Florida and Colorado. As others did, he saw an increase in business as the spring of 2021 went on. “We saw a lot of gardeners come into the fold as a customer base,” he said. Scott said it remains to be seen whether staycations, and working from home, will continue as trends in 2021, but he expects to increase production and sales overall. His company is just taking a more conservative approach. “I think there’s still some uncertainty out in the marketplace next spring this year for us,” he said.

Making production adjustments In an ideal world, wholesalers would be able to grow everything customers need in the size and format they want, ship everything to where it’s needed, and sell through the entire crop. Of course, that doesn’t happen.

One can’t know the market that far ahead.

Growers must look at sales trends and make ongoing adjustments to production quantities.

The longer the cycle of the crop, the more difficult this proves to be.

“When you’re a grower of woody material, the difficult part is to make drastic production increases that can take 2–3 years,” said Martin Hackney, a sales representative with Hackney Nursery Company, a large grower of woody plants and perennials based in Greensboro, Florida. “Really, the only the reaction we can do at this point is to try and find the largest liners we can and plant those when and where they’re available, just to fill the gaps of what’s being created now.”

According to Lonnee, Bailey at this point in time can’t significantly adjust its quantity of plants coming out for shipment in 2021. “All those plants are ready,” she said. “They’re going to be overwintered, and will be shipped in the spring of ’21 or throughout the summer.

We’re actually planning for beyond that.”

It’s similar for Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas Inc., based in Woodburn, Oregon, which is one of the largest growers of woody material in the state. According to Kyle Fessler, a grower with the company, most plant

offerings are “years in the making.” “I would say that next year’s going to be very similar to this year,” he said. “We’re going to have a lot of sell-through, and if we do run out of items, we’ll to be able to ship and sub with others.”

The company has been in a growth mode for the past two years, which has positioned it well to handle demand. “We’ve been bringing on new product lines, and we’re really focusing on ramping up those product lines, if not for ’21 but for the next three years,” Fessler said. “We have seen more requests from unexpected customers for material, so I think it could be a really positive ’21.”

The true meaning of shortages With the knowledge that woody material takes years to bring to market, nursery buyers are already aware they may encounter shortages in 2021 — but what that means has to be carefully defined. It doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get plants. Hackney said, I think often times people use the term ‘plant shortage’ and it’s associated with the term, ‘outage.’ So when it’s said something is short on the market, it may just be short within the person’s perceived parameters of how they should buy it, what price it should be, the size it should be, based on what they’ve been able to purchase in the past. I think that there have been and will continue to be varietal shortages and size shortages … but I do think there will be plants that are close substitutions to what they are looking for, with a different or similar plant with similar growth habit. Just as an example, a customer called me looking for a 6-foot, 15-gallon Green Giant (arborvitae), and the only thing that’s on the market is a 5½-foot plant. That’s just one of the things that the nursery industry is going to have to deal with.

According to Lonnee, 2021 bookings for Bailey are strong, and the company is doing its best to meet customer needs. She expects the market will be particularly tight for bare root trees, container crops, branded items, flowering shrubs and hedging. “I guess all of you who are staying at home want to hedge off the neighbors so that you don’t see them anymore while you’re out in your backyard, enjoying your new gardens,” she said. “We think that people are going to need to be flexible, maybe not only on varieties but sizes, and be open to what we call black pot varieties and non-branded varieties, over branded varieties.”

Olsen said it’s often necessary to move customers “down the cycle” to a smaller and january 21 MNLA.BIZ

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iStock.com/YinYang

NURSERY DEMAND

IT’S A TIME WHEN EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH GROWERS IS GOING TO BE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR PLANT BUYERS, WHETHER THEY ARE RETAILERS, LANDSCAPERS OR OTHER.

younger plant. “If you don’t have a 5-gallon arb, you move them to a 3-gallon arb,” he said.

According to Lonnee, the strong market may create some new opportunities for retailers or smaller growers.

Geographically there are some areas of this country that can make up some plants a little quicker than some of us that live in the cold North can. And so whether it’s a bare root plant or a large hort liner or something like that, I think there are opportunities for that.

I know a lot of retailers have become used to just-in-time shipping, turning their benches often and quickly, and bringing in more shipments, but maybe some of the mindset might have to change on that, whether it is potting up some of your own or just having some flexibility within different sizes or varieties. I think there are some opportunities out there to hopefully cover the demand that’s out there and that everybody can be successful this spring with getting the plants that they need.

While the time of COVID-19 has increased 20

MNLA.BIZ january 21

demand for plants, it has also increased production and shipping costs. Freight is more expensive, and growers have had to implement protocols to keep their workers safe and their production humming along. That, of course, costs money. “We need to recapture that in our selling prices, so we’re pushing price increases as well,” Olsen said.

Loyalty matters It’s a time when existing relationships with growers is going to be particularly important for plant buyers, whether they are retailers, landscapers or other. “It’s the first time I think in our history that we haven’t gone looking for new customers in a large way, where we’ve looked to take on a new chain or something like that,” Olsen said. “It’s just we don’t have the inventory to do it. We’re just taking care of our current group of clients. I think loyalty is so important in this industry.”

Fessler said the same. “We always have an early order deadline, and then we do our

”

allocations in the fall for the spring,” he said.

“And the first thing we try to do is take care of our loyal customers. If you received so much of this variety last year, then we try to at least match that if possible, and so we take care of our loyal customers, and then see what’s available for new inquiries.”

The bottom line? Lonnee advised anyone buying plants for spring of 2021 to get on the phone, if they haven’t already. “It wouldn’t have been smart to wait for spring of ’21 to place an order for spring of ’21,” Lonnee said.

“If you haven’t done it, I encourage you to make a phone call to your sales rep whether it’s our company or any of the other folks on the panel today.”

➽CURT KIPP is the director of publications and communications at the Oregon Association of Nurseries, and the editor of Digger magazine. can be reached at ckipp@oan.org.

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MNLA FOUNDATION

Thank You to each of you that have supported the MNLA Foundation over this last fiscal year, September 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020. Your generous contributions enable us to continue to provide research information, scholarships, and career outreach that support the green industry in this region both now and into the future. Thank you for showing your dedication through your time and donations.

Individual and Company Donors All Seasons Services Amazon Smile Donations Arla Carmichiel Garden Tapestry Karl’s Landscaping Kimi Lao Tim Power Molly Rosenberg Mierow Landscapes North Metro Companies, LLC Peterson’s North Branch Mill, Inc. Sailer’s Greenhouses Shane’s Landscaping Stars and Stripes Lawn and Landscape, Inc. Thomas Frampton Memorials Jeanie Trousdale True Nature Design Waldoch Farm

College Progam Scholarship Sponsors

High School Progam Scholarship Sponsors

Bachman’s Wholesale Nursery & Hardscapes Bailey Nurseries, Inc. Countryside Gardens, Inc. Grove Nursery Center Heidi’s Lifestyle Gardens & GrowHaus Nursery and Garden Centre Hoffman & McNamara Nursery and Landscape Home Sown Gardens LLC Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery, Inc. Malmborg’s Garden Center and Greenhouse Natural Creations, Inc. Otten Brothers Garden Center & Landscaping Pleasant View Gardens, Inc. Robin D. Linder Memorial Scholarship Southview Design Tangletown Gardens LLC Wilson’s Nursery, Inc.

Landscape Renovations, Inc. Prescription Landscape, Inc. We’ve made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this list. If your information is incorrect, please contact the MNLA office at 651-633-4987 or mnla@mnla.biz.

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Contributors to the Research & Workforce Development Partners Fund A great number of companies have shown their support by contributing ½ of 1% of their purchases at participating industry suppliers in the Partners Fund program.

This investment into the industry’s future is greatly appreciated.

101 Market Abrahamson Nurseries Austin Lake Greenhouse Bachman’s Inc. Bailey Nursery Belt Line Properties Inc. Bergeson Nursery BFG Supply Company Biermeier Greenhouses, Inc. Biers Quality Nursery & Garden Center Buds & Duds Landscape LLC Cherry Greenhouse Clearwater Tree Farm LLC Coopers Landscaping Creative Concepts Contractors Cross Nurseries, Inc. Dennis Lamkin Design Elizabeth Herrington Designs Ely Flower & Seed Greenhouses Faribault Growers Forest & Floral Garden Center Gertens Greenworld Hammarlund Nursery, Inc. Hedberg Supply Hexum Peterson Services LLC Heidi’s Lifestyle Gardens and Growhaus Nursery & Garden Centre Highland Nursery, Inc. Hoffman & McNamara Nursery and Landscape Holasek Flower Power Garden Center/ Fred Holasek and Son, Inc. Home Sown Gardens LLC I&M Landscaping Nursery, Inc. Jacobson Construction Inc. JB Landscaping & Mowing LLC Jeff Schafer Landscaping JTD Acres

Knecht’s Nurseries & Landscaping, Inc. Lakeland Landscape & Nursery Lakeshore Gardens Landsburg Landscape Nursery, Inc. Landscape Renovations, Inc. Lawn and Landscape Gardens Lilydale Garden Center Lowes Creek Tree Farm Majestic Lawn & Landscape Malborg’s Garden Center Missinne Greenhouse and Landscape , Inc. Mom’s Design and Build Mother Earth Gardens Natural Landscape Minnesota Inc. No Mow No Snow Landscapes Inc. Northeast Tree Inc. Otten Bros. Garden Center and Landscaping Outdoor Dimensions LLC Pal Al Hardware Parkway Lawn Service Inc. Pletschers’ Greenhouse, Inc. Precision Outdoor Services LLC Premium Quality Trees PrInce Contracting LLC Prospect Hill Garden Cemter Redwood Falls Nursery Inc. River Creek Nursery, Inc. Sargent’s Landscape Nursery, Inc. Savanna Designs Inc. Schalow’s Nursery Schulte’s Greenhouse & Nursery, Inc. Spectrum Sales Stone Arch Landscapes, Inc. Sunbelt Sales Tangletown Gardens LLC TCO LLC Tending Your Garden Terraform Const Services Inc. Tonkadale, Inc. Wagner Greenhouses, Inc. Weis Landscaping & Design LLC West Lake Landscape Inc. Wilson’s Nursery, Inc. Winona Nursery Winter Greenhouse

PARTNERS FUND

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF THE GREEN INDUSTRY

You are encouraged to participate in the Research & Workforce Development Partners Fund at one of the participating suppliers recognized below. Your voluntary donation of ½ of 1% (0.5%) on your purchases is used by the MNLA Foundation to grow a brighter future for the industry.

On an invoice totaling $1,000 at one of these suppliers, your contribution will be only $5.00.

Your individual contribution is small, but collectively adds up to make a real difference!

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www.jeffbelzerchevy.com Version # 4 Version # 4 Version # 4

Document Name GMC1-12-FCO-03178-302_v4.indd Document Name GMC1-12-FCO-03178-302_v4.inddLinked Graphics Art Director Control Document Name GMC1-12-FCO-03178-302_v4.indd 12KTFLCHEV032.tif Linked GraphicsRGB

Retail Planning Flyer Control Art Jarret Petsch •Mechjpetsch@jeffbelzer.com Scale 100 8.75”952-469-7063 x 11.25” Bleed Chevy CopyDirector Writer TBD

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12KTFLCHEV032.tif RGB HD CC with Dump_psd.psd Linked GraphicsRGB Control Art Director 11CHSL00054.jpg RGB Mech TBD Copy Print Scale Scale 100 12KTFLCHEV032.tif RGB None BusinessCentral_KO.ai ProjWriter Mgr csenn HD CC with Dump_psd.psd RGB 11CHSL00054.jpg RGB Scale Please 100 GM_business_choice.ai TBD Copy Writer Jeff Belzer Lakeville,Mech MN. call the Commercial Department at 952-469-4444.

Print Scale None BusinessCentral_KO.ai csenn Proj Stock None HD CC with Dump_psd.psd RGB Acct Mgr Svc kdenmark cube_0758.jpg RGB GM_business_choice.ai Print Scale Trim None 8.5” x 11” BusinessCentral_KO.ai csenn Proj Mgr Family_shot cube_exprss_slvrdo_a6.tif RGB All Rebates & incentives to dealer, must qualify for same, prices subject to change.

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CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT

Job Description 8.75” Chevy Retail Planning Flyer 11.25” Bleed Trim 8.5” x x11” 8.75” x 11.25” Chevrolet, 50Bleed & Cedar, Box 965, Trim Live 8.5” 8.25”x x11” 10.75”

Publications None

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21 Typical Marketing Problems for

COMPANIES Â Chad Diller

iStock.com/nzphotonz

Landscape Leadership

january 21 MNLA.BIZ

27

MARKETING

$

Marketing problems at your lawn or landscaping company...they are plenty…

Lack of brand awareness...

Advertising/marketing campaigns that fall flat on their face.

Frustrating relationships with marketing agencies...

Unqualified leads...

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Now before you spiral into depression, take solace in one reality. You aren’t alone....and that matters. The same challenges you are facing are more common amongst your lawn and landscape industry peers than you may realize. Why should that bring you hope? Because along with common problems comes proven solutions.

It turns out we all thought we were alone, but we’re not. Neither are you.

So today, I decided to take some time and go back through my conversation notes with clients and prospects. I stopped at about a dozen and a half because the problems kept repeating. Yup, common problems. You shouldn’t feel stuck and alone. Knowing this is the starting point for change.

Power in Perspective Before I came to Landscape Leadership in 2016, my previous position of 13+ years was at a Top 100, 35+ year-old, full-service lawn and landscape company. As we tried to tackle some of our “unique” marketing challenges, I realized that they really weren’t that special as I talked to more and more industry peers.

Those suspicions were further validated when I came to work here. Over the past four years at Landscape Leadership, I’ve participated in hundreds of conversations with lawn and landscape professionals just like you.

Most Common Landscaping & Lawn Care Marketing Problems As you read further through the problems I am about to identify, understand that these issues are often connected. As you go through these problems, keep track of how many apply to your company.

Brand Identity Problems: What do you want to be when you grow up? Maybe the goal of your lawn or landscape company’s infancy was very different than today. You were in survival mode. You took whatever work you could. More revenue and more customers

Left: iStock.com/SpicyTruffel

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28

MNLA.BIZ january 21

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AS YOU READ FURTHER THROUGH THE PROBLEMS I AM ABOUT TO IDENTIFY, UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ISSUES ARE OFTEN CONNECTED. AS YOU GO THROUGH THESE PROBLEMS, KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY APPLY TO YOUR COMPANY.

”

iStock.com/aurielaki

were your poor answers for everything. Or maybe now you’re making a strategic change for one reason or another. How many of these statements apply to your company?

1. Too often, people say that they’ve never heard of us.

2. Even when prospects have heard of us, they rarely realize we do _____.

3. We don’t seem to get many referrals from ______.

4. We can’t cross-sell other services because our customers don’t even know they exist.

5. Prospects mistakenly assume we wouldn’t do work for them.

6. Our marketing sometimes doesn’t clearly show what we do and who we do it for.

7. We stopped doing XX and have tried growing YY, but people still think we do XX. 8. Truthfully, our company looks fairly similar to our competitors.

9. Our customers love us, but our prospects wouldn’t know that when they look at our Google Reviews.

You are not alone. These problems are all too common. Whether it was a client who wanted to add lawn care services or start installing pools, or one who wanted more

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MARKETING

MARKETING IS OFTEN A LITTLE EXPERIMENTATION TO SEE WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOES NOT.

Illustrations both pages: iStock.com/SpicyTruffel

“

30

MNLA.BIZ january 21

”

referrals from local architects, or those who repositioned from residential work to commercial, we’ve heard all of these.

Ineffective Marketing Campaigns Marketing is often a little experimentation to see what works and what does not. However, repeated failure is often rampant at lawn and landscape companies. Do any of these common problems sound familiar?

10. We spent _____ on this paid advertising campaign.

I’m frustrated because we: a) Received very little (if any) leads from it. b) Generated leads but they were extremely expensive from an ROI perspective.

11. We really have no way to track if our marketing is working aside from just watching our revenue growth year-over-year.

12. I’m scared to try something new. While our results aren’t much, I know I can still count on a few leads here and there from these existing sources.

13. I pay an SEO agency _____ per month but I have no idea what they’re doing or if it’s working.

14. It seems we have wasted time/money developing _____.

15. We hired an in-house marketing person, but they really didn’t work out.

16. I feel like our marketing agency: a) Doesn’t really get lawn care or landscaping b) Just waits for us to tell them what to do c) Is difficult to deal with Frustrating? Yes. Unique challenges? Nope.

You’re not alone. Even when you try your best to do your homework, these complaints are pretty standard.

Whether it was the tree service owner worried about their 20 monthly, weak pay-per-click lawn care leads, or the lawn company who had no idea how much action their postcards generated, to the design/build contractor tired of people who want a $2k patio, we’ve seen all of these, too.

Lead Generation Problems Let’s just say that you’re feeling pretty good so far. You have a decent marketing strategy in place and maybe your vendor relationships are fairly solid. You’re even tracking a good portion of your expenses and some results.

But leads do not equal success. Sometimes opportunities turn into a pile of disasters. Are any of these true?

17. I’m not completely clear on who our ideal customers are or how to get them.

18. We probably need to fire a good amount of customers. A good number of them aren’t who we really want to work with.

19. The leads we are getting are: a) Bargain shoppers b) Company hoppers c) Not likely to grow in customer value or refer us more work

d) Full of red flags and will probably make our lives miserable e) All of the above 20. We rely too heavily on word-of-mouth and don’t get enough leads through our website.

21. There are times of the year when the leads seem to completely dry-up.

Aggravating? You betcha. Strange circumstances? Not at all.

You’re not alone. Just getting leads isn’t the answer. You need the right ones to grow your business in the right way. Whether it was the lawn maintenance company that wanted less mowing-only customers and more-profitable lawn applications work, or the commercial landscape company who wanted to kill it on the HOA front and get away from bid-build work, this is all too familiar.

A Deeper Shade of Green Local Genetic Origins

Common Problems = Opportunities for Success You are not alone. How many of the 21 problems did you identify with? A lot? Good. Why? Because I have seen firsthand what happens when lawn and landscape company owners get sick and tired of stalling out, losing ground to their competitors, and wasting money.

I hope this list of 21 common problems helps you to get fired up to do something about these problems. Demand more out of the marketing partners you’re working with.

Make some tough decisions and a plan for your team to keep making improvements. ➽CHAD DILLER is Director of Client Success at Landscape Leadership, a sales and marketing agency for lawn, landscape and tree service companies.

Find out more at www.landscapeleadership.com.

TM

Native Minnesota Woody & Herbaceous (651) 438-2771 • Fax (651) 438-3816

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Call us first for all your native planting needs january 21 MNLA.BIZ

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• MANAGE jobs and applicant activity right on our site • LIMIT applicants only to those who are qualified • FILL your jobs more quickly with great talent

• SEARCH and apply to hundreds of new jobs on the spot by using robust filters • SET UP efficient job alerts to deliver the latest jobs right to your inbox • ACCESS career resources, job searching tips and tools

WINTER IS HERE. DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THE COLD.

ECO-GUARD LIQUID ICE MELT Eco-Guard contains no Chlorides or Nitrogen, it is biodegradable and Potassium Acetate based.

The product is approved by the FAA and used on taxiways/runways, municipal sidewalks, roads, bridges and parking lots. *Effective to -75º F depending on the amount of precipitation in the snow and number of applications of product. This product can be used as a preventative.

CALL YOUR TESSMAN REP FOR A QUOTE! FARGO, ND

610 39th Street N Fargo, ND 58102 Phone: (701) 232-7238

ST. PAUL, MN 1300 Slyvan Street St. Paul, MN 55117

Phone: (651) 487-3850

TEA, SD

46954 Mindy Street Tea, SD 57064 Phone: (605) 368-2586

Professional Development Opportunities in 2021 The sessions focus on personal development through key power skill topics, taught this way: • The concepts are taught first.

• Then, the facilitators zero in on exercises that make the student aware of who they are and how they affect others.

• Industry leaders are brought in to share their own personal development stories and company best practices.

• Tools and tips are always offered that the students take away and can use immediately back at the work place.

Some are even required “homework” between sessions.

The Green Industry Leadership Institute will prepare your employee to take a stronger and more confident leadership role in your company. More information and an application form is at MNLA.biz/leadership.

M N

L

A

MENTORSHIP PROGR A M

QUESTIONS? Contact Jon Horsman 651-633-4987 jon@MNLA.biz

APPLICATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 21

Complete an application at MNLA.biz/mentorship.

Deadline: Jan. 19

MNLA is introducing a new pilot program with the MNLA Mentorship Program. Mentoring can benefit both mentors and mentees by offering a framework upon which to build strong, mutually beneficial learning relationships. Both the mentor and the mentee will give and grow. The mentoring process occurs for a one-year time period beginning in January.

Mentors and mentees will meet at least once a month in February, March, April and May, attend the end of program wrap-up event, and complete an experience/evaluation form.

• Enhance personal and professional development.

• Increase and transfer industry knowledge in a changing workforce.

• Help emerging and established companies to develop and grow their businesses.

• Build deeper connections and trusted resources among industry professionals.

C

WHO | WHEN | WHERE | HOW

ER

TIFIE

D

MNLA CERTIFICATION

GOALS

HOW TO PREPARE: Business

AL

 ONLINE STUDY CHAPTERS |  PRACTICE TEST |  PLANT I.D. WEBINAR

Look for these icons on our calendars:

�

N

O PR

WHEN AND WHERE ARE THE 2021 EXAMS? WHO IS ELIGIBLE? To register for the exam you must meet the following requirements: When: Feb. 5, 12, 19 and Mar. 5, 19, 26 • Have either two years of study in an accredited post-secondary nursery and/or Where: The MNLA Classroom landscape program that includes a structured internship, OR 1813 Lexington Ave. N, Roseville, MN 55113 • A minimum of 2,000 hours in nursery or landscape-related employment.

Please note, only seven seats are available FE A signature of an educational advisor or work supervisor is required on the exam SSIO for each test date. Please apply early! registration form to verify completion of the prerequisite.

THE EXAM is given in an electronic format with photos and videos and immediate results. It is a two-part exam: you must pass a Basic Knowledge Exam and a specialty of your choosing (Landscape, Garden Center or Grower) to become MNLA Certified. To maintain certification status, all individuals must compile at least 18 continuing education points every three years, and pay a $15 recertification fee. NOTE: The recertification process is now done online at www.MNLA.biz.

Members can also learn for free anytime on MNLA.biz!

� Skills Training

� Networking � Leadership Development

ONLINE EDUCATION

MASTER

CLASSES

NEW! Master Classes to occur in February and March, 2021.

Watch NorthernGreen.org for more information and to register.

2. ONLINE EVENT: FAVORITE PLANTS FOR MINNESOTA GARDENS DATES: FEBRUARY 15 & 22

1. ONLINE EVENT: TECHNOLOGY AND THE GREEN INDUSTRY

1

Speakers from University of Minnesota: Maggie Reiter, Extension Educator in Turfgrass Chad Giblin, Dept. of Forest Resources Eric North, Extension Dept. of Forest Resources

2

Speaker from Texas A&M Turfgrass Management: Chase Straw, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences

DATE: FEBRUARY 10 There have been tremendous strides in user friendly technology all throughout the green industry. Gone are the days of putting a terra cotta worm in a pot to determine water needs. Now there is an abundance of moisture sensors and meters to easily capture that data and enhance irrigation efficiency. Coming to an end are the days of cutting down a tree to determine its health. Through the use of 21st century tools such as tomography a.k.a. “tree sonar” and resistograph in combination with more traditional methods, the ability to assess tree defects without cutting it down are becoming possible. This online class will focus on the technology available to industry practitioners and how it can benefit you and your career.

4. ONLINE EVENT: PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION ZOOM WORKSHOP – CATEGORIES A & E, AND P DATE: FEBRUARY 26

4

3. ONLINE EVENT: GOING FROM GOOD TO GREAT: HARDSCAPE EFFICIENCY BOOT CAMP Speaker: Frank Bourque

3

What are the best performing plants for Minnesota gardens and landscapes?

Spend 1 or 2 half days with us as we present a plethora of plants – from woody trees, shrubs and conifers, to herbaceous perennials, annuals and even houseplants – your speakers are all as cold hardy as the plants and each will cover their top ten favorite performing plants in their category.

Pending approval by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, this workshop meets Commercial Pesticide Applicator Requirements for Category A (Core) and Category E (Turf and Ornamentals).

Recertification for optional Category P (Vertebrate Pest) will also be offered as part of this workshop.

DATE: FEBRUARY 17

Great companies use key performance indicators (KPIs) to gauge and compare performance for meeting strategic and operational goals. However, the hardscape industry as a whole lacks objective benchmarks or a way to measure excellence across the industry.

The aim of this seminar is to outline simple KPIs that companies of all sizes can start capturing today by using systems, processes, and technology that digitizes this information and collects it in a central area. The comprehensive analysis of this data will help improve processes and lead to better performance and project delivery.

5

In this online Boot Camp, you will learn 7 key KPIs to track in your business to motivate your teams and significantly increase your business efficiency and profits.

Generously supported by:

TM

5. ELECTRICAL TROUBLESHOOTING AND ADVANCED WIRING: PLT RELICENSURE DATE: MARCH 4 LOCATION: LOST SPUR GOLF & EVENT CENTER, 2750 SIBLEY MEMORIAL HWY, EAGAN, MN 55121 Pending Minnesota Dept. of Labor & Industry approval, this class satisfies eight hours of continuing education requirements for the Power Limited Training Licensure, including two hours of code and six hours of technical training oriented specifically toward the landscape industry.

LEGAL ISSUES

What Makes a Good Contract?

Patrick McGuiness,

“Will you look at my contracts and make sure they are good?” This is one of the most

Zlimen & McGuiness PLLC

common requests contractors have for the attorneys in our law office. So, what does a good contract look like?

Every contract is different and what works for some industries may not work in others. However, generally speaking, there are a number of things which should be addressed in every contract. What follows is a list of those topics as well as questions you should ask yourself when writing the contract.

Scope of Work: What will you be doing for the customer? What type of project is it? Be specific. The scope of work for each contract should be different and apply specifically to the customer you are working with. Let us use a patio as an example. If you are going to be installing Holland pavers, state that in this part of the contract. Better yet, state which manufacturer will be making the pavers, and what color choice you have agreed upon with the customer. Will you be basing the installation on a landscape plan? If so, reference the plan. Will there be a soldier course? How about sand? Will you be using regular sand or polymeric sand?

As you can see, there are many details which may seem inconsequential now, but could be important later. Writing it all out at the beginning will protect you from “He said, she said” later, if the project breaks down.

Timing: When will you start the job? How long will it take? When will you finish? Exact dates do not need to be assigned for these things, but timing should still be addressed. Also, delays can and do occur, so a general statement allowing for reasonable delays is a good idea.

36

MNLA.BIZ january 21

Change Order Clause: This clause is an agreement within the contract stating that it cannot be modified without the written consent of both parties. Once you put this clause in a contract, you need to start using change orders. Get a written change order form that can easily be filled out on site by the foreman and have them get the property owner's signature for changes.

Permits and Utilities: Are there any permits necessary to do the job? If so, who will be responsible for getting and paying for them? You should also address utility locations. Who is responsible for marking utilities, specifically the ones that Gopher State One Call doesn’t mark like low voltage lighting lines, irrigation lines, invisible fencing, etc? Make sure to address these items so that you are protected later if you happen to find an unmarked irrigation line.

Cleanup: Is that included in the cost of the project? Are you going to fill in & re-sod the ruts from the skid steer, or do you just seed them? Make everything as clear as possible so that there aren’t questions about what was agreed to.

Money & Payments: How much are you charging the customer? Is that total subject to change if you run into problems or other issues?

How much of a down payment is required to start work?

Will there be a schedule of payments along the way, or will the remainder be paid once work is finished? If you are going to charge late fees, interest, or other collections

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LEGAL ISSUES

costs such as attorney’s fees, that needs to be in writing as a part of your contract.

Warranties: What type of warranty do you provide with your work? Chances are that plants are guaranteed, but for how long and under what conditions will you replace them free of charge? How about warranties for hardscape work? How long is the work warranted for, and under what conditions will the warranty apply?

BRINE/DE-ICER 200 or 300 gal

BRINE/DE-ICER

BRINE/DE-ICER

500, 750, or 1000 gal

1300 gal

SKID UNIT

DUAL SKID UNIT

TREE SERVICE

30, 50, 100, 150, 200, or 300 gal

30, 50, 100, 150, 200, or 300 gal

Tank size options

NURSE TRAILERS

TRAILERS

1005, 1065, or 1300 gal

30, 55, 85, 100, 200, or 300 gal

THREE POINT

THREE POINT MISTER

55, 110, 200, 300, or 400 gal

40, 60, or 100 gal

UTV

50, 68, or 110 gal

ULTRA LOW PROFILE

Pre-Lien Notice: If you are not paid for your work, placing a mechanics lien on the property is a good way to help you get paid. There is specific language provided by Minnesota law which must be delivered to a customer in order for the contractor to later place a lien on the property. One of the best ways to deliver this notice to the customer is by putting it in the language of your contract.

Dispute Resolution: What happens if there is a disagreement during or after the project?

Will it be handled by mediation, arbitration, or in court? Who is responsible for paying the costs involved?

Other items: There are many other things that help make a good contract depending on the type and size of the project. Most notably, make sure the contract is written in plain language to minimize misinterpretation.

The subjects discussed here were just a general overview of topics which are important for a contract.

50, 68, or 110 gal

âž˝ THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES general information on contract & business matters and should not be relied upon as legal advice. A qualified attorney must analyze all relevant facts and apply the applicable law to any matter PEST CONTROL

SPACE SAVER

VIEW-SAVER

before legal advice can be given. If you would like more information regarding contracts, mechanics liens, or other issues, please contact Patrick McGuiness at Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC at 651-331-6500 or pmcguiness@zmattorneys.com

38

MNLA.BIZ january 21

Loaders and snow attachments: Angle broom, scraper, v-blade, pusher, blade, snowblower

Top selling Toro dealer Full line of snowblowers Huge inventory Fleet Quantity Discounts

Compact, lightweight, articulated steering, telescopic boom, snow attachments Authorized dealer for the snow containment system - a seamless transition from snow plow to box pusher!

We RENT loaders and attachments for the season!

Call for a quote on the equipment you need.

SALES • SERVICE • RENTALS • PARTS

www.tristatebobcat.com

1200 Highway 13 East 71 Minnesota Avenue Hwy. 13 and 12th Ave Hwy. 36 and Rice Street Burnsville, MN 55337 Little Canada, MN 55117 952-894-0894 651-407-3727 588 Outpost Circle I-94 and Hwy. 12 Hudson, WI 54016 715-531-0801

AUCTION SURPLUS AUCTION

Go Go Green.

Green. Clean Clean your your space. space. Save Save on on taxes. taxes. Help Help others. others.

WHY WHY • No admission nor RSVP • No admission nor RSVP required. required.

• Donate & receive a charitable • Donate & receive a charitable donation tax receipt. donation tax receipt.

• Clear the clutter in your shop, • Clear the clutter in your shop, garage, home and office. garage, home and office.

• Donations can be delivered to • Donations can be delivered to the auction site ANY TIME! the auction site ANY TIME! • Items that may not sell from • Items that may not sell from the Live Auction, have a the Live Auction, have a double opportunity to be double opportunity to be sold at other Fahey auctions. sold at other Fahey auctions.

EVERYTHING WITH VALUE SELLS EVERYTHING WITH VALUE SELLS

and benefits the Foundation and benefits the Foundation fundraiser. fundraiser.

WHAT WHAT

WHERE WHERE

HOW HOW

• Equipment: trucks, trailers, • Equipment: trucks, trailers, landscaping/nursery equip., landscaping/nursery equip., attachments, new or slightly attachments, new or slightly used tires. used tires.

• Medium to Small Trees/Shrubs • Medium to Small Trees/Shrubs (call for a plant material (call for a plant material application). application).

• Landscape/Nursery Supplies: • Landscape/Nursery Supplies: pallets of pavers, irrigation pallets of pavers, irrigation supplies. supplies.

• Hard Goods: tools, lumber.

• Hard Goods: tools, lumber.

• Office Equipment: computers, • Office Equipment: computers, printers, copy machines, printers, copy machines, desks, tables. desks, tables.

• Personal Recreation Goods: • Personal Recreation Goods: boats, docks, guns, hunting boats, docks, guns, hunting and fishing equip., campers, and fishing equip., campers, cars, patio furniture, grills, cars, patio furniture, grills, vacation homes. vacation homes.

MNLA Foundation is pleased to MNLA Foundation is pleased to partner with MNLA member, partner with MNLA member, Fahey Sales Auctioneers & Fahey Sales Auctioneers & Appraisers, to help us raise funds Appraisers, to help us raise funds that improve your business. For that improve your business. For more information about Fahey more information about Fahey and auction dates, visit www. and auction dates, visit www. faheysales.com. faheysales.com.

Bring your donations to the Bring your donations to the Fahey auction site. Let the Fahey Fahey auction site. Let the Fahey staff know it is a donation to the staff know it is a donation to the MNLA Foundation. Nursery MNLA Foundation. Nursery materials may be sold from your materials may be sold from your business; contact MNLA for a business; contact MNLA for a plant material application. After plant material application. After the items are sold, MNLA the items are sold, MNLA Foundation will send you a Foundation will send you a charitable tax-deductible receipt charitable tax-deductible receipt for your donation and mention for your donation and mention your business in the Scoop your business in the Scoop magazine thanking for your magazine thanking for your support. support.

Foundation Surplus Auction Scoop half-page.indd 1

SNOW ANDICE

Fahey Auction Complex Fahey Auction Complex

2910 9th Street East 2910 9th Street East (Hwy 212 East) (Hwy 212 East) Glencoe, MN 55336 Glencoe, MN 55336 (40 miles west of Minneapolis) (40 miles west of Minneapolis)

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MNLA.BIZ january 21

THE

Virtual TRADE SHOW GOES ON...

It’s a new year with a new resource for your business! The 2021 Northern Green Virtual Trade Show is accessible until September 1, 2021 via desktop, tablet, or mobile phone.

List BROWSABLE & SEARCHABLE

BY COMPANY, PERSON OR KEYWORD

�

◎

INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS

ALL YOUR FAVORITE VENDORS IN ONE PLACE AT ONE TIME

WITH VIDEOS AND OTHER RESOURCES

WHAT WILL I SEE ON BOOTH PAGES? Exhibitor Page Features 1 Company description

1 4

2

2 Searchable tags & links to company pages 3 Videos

3

4 View booth staff and find contact information 5

5 Download the exhibitor's materials

Special thanks to our generous Northern Green 2021 sponsors:

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

Your Trusted Partner

MNLA FOUNDATION

2020–2021 Collegiate Scholarship Winners NICOLE ARACHTINGI

RHONDA FRISCH

Sponsored by: Otten Brothers Garden Center &

Sponsored by: Home Sown Gardens LLC

Landscaping

School: Rochester Community and Technical

School: Hennepin Technical College

College

Major: Horticulture/Landscape Design &

Major: Horticulture

Greenhouse Management

Expected Graduation: 2021

Expected Graduation: 2020

Future Plans: I plan to work in the nursery

Future Plans: I want to work with plants in an

industry to gain experience before launching my

indoor setting, or working in the floral industry

own business in propagation.

where creativity and passion collide to teach joy to other people.

NATHAN BOROWSKI

HOPE HAGERTY

Sponsored by: Fred Holasek & Son Greenhouse

Sponsored by: Fred Holasek & Son Greenhouse

School: University of Wisconsin-River Falls

School: North Dakota State University

Major: Horticulture

Major: Horticulture - Urban Forestry and Park

Expected Graduation: 2021

Management

Future Plans: I continue to learn and I am

Expected Graduation: 2022

considering getting my Masters degree. My goal

Future Plans: I plan on becoming an Arborist and

would be running my own greenhouse business. I

working within an urban environment. I want to

would like find a career in either horticulture

own a plant store on the side and I would love to

marketing, landscape design or greenhouse

publish books using my science knowledge and

production and teaching through my experience.

to advocate for the environment.

CASSIE CIBUZAR

CHELSEA HALL

Sponsored by: Malmborg’s Garden Center and

Sponsored by: Wilson’s Nursery, Inc.

Greenhouse

School: Hennepin Technical College

School: Hennepin Technical College

Major: Horticulture/Landscape Design/Manage-

Major: Greenhouse Management Technician

ment

Expected Graduation: 2021

Expected Graduation: 2021

Future Plans: My future plans after graduating is

Future Plans: I have worked as a Detail Crew

to find a job in the green industry surrounded by

Leader for a major landscape company. I have

people who I can learn from. Whether I’d start out

also recently started my own landscaping

doing invasive removal, or working in a green-

company and have a working contract with a

house for a strong company. Additionally, I’d love

commercial real estate company doing Garden

to be an advocate for environmental health.

Maintenance, along with working on residential.

AARON DAUGHETEE

MEGAN HESSEH

Sponsored by: Bailey Nurseries, Inc.

Sponsored by: Tangletown Gardens LLC

School: Iowa State University

School: Hennepin Technical College

Major: Horticulture - Greenhouse Production

Major: Landscape Horticulture/Greenhouse

Expected Graduation: 2021

Management

Future Plans: I hope to find employment

Expected Graduation: 2021

opportunities in the Pacific Northwest. My

Future Plans: After graduation I hope to get a job

interests range from plug and seedling produc-

in landscape design, and I would also like to have

tion, hydroponics, and growing mushrooms. My

my own small greenhouse that I can care for my

main interest is the nursery production of natives

own plants on the side and do different

with a focus on regeneration. I plan on pursuing

experiments with.

my Master’s degree.

42

MNLA.BIZ january 21

202–2021 Collegiate Scholarship Winners QUINN JOHNSON

BETHANY KOZICKI

Sponsored by: Robin D. Linder Memorial

Sponsored by: Southview Design

Scholarship

School: Hennepin Techncial College

School: University of Minnesota - CFANS

Major: Landscape Design and Construction,

Major: Plant Science

Horticulture, Greenhouse Management

Expected Graduation: 2021

Expected Graduation: 2020

Future Plans: I plan to apply for graduate school

Future Plans: After graduation, I plan continuing

to continue studying plants and become a plant

to seek opportunities where I can learn more

scientist! I cannot see myself being in any other

about the green industry while gaining experi-

industry.

ence with design.

SARA JUNGE

DANTE LANGMADE

Sponsored by: Otten Brothers Garden Center and

Sponsored by: Natural Creations, Inc.

Landscaping

School: Hennepin Technical College

School: Hennepin Technincal College

Major: Landscape Design and Construction,

Major: Horticulture

Horticulture, Greenhouse Management

Expected Graduation: 2021

Expected Graduation: 2021

Future Plans: I’m looking forward to helping

Future Plans: I will work as a landscape designer

others through gardening. Perhaps partnering

for Tracer Landscape and Concrete. I am very

with organizations that address food access via

excited to get started in 2021! I will also have my

community gardening and growing programs.

own greenhouse to do personal research and work on pet plant projects, which hopefully will produce new data or new plant varieties for the industry.

EMILY KATH

BENJAMIN LEHMAN

Sponsored by: Southview Design

Sponsored by: Wilson’s Nursery, Inc.

School: North Dakota State University

School: University of Minnesota - CFANS

Major: Horticulture

Major: Horticulture

Expected Graduation: 2021

Expected Graduation: 2021

Future Plans: I plan to grow and expand the

Future Plans: I plan to work primarily in the plant

landscaping business my brother and I started up

conservation industry focusing on restoring

a few years ago. Also, I would like to eventually

Minnesota’s prairies and wetlands! I am also

open my own greenhouse.

interested in serving in the Peace Corps as an opportunity to travel and see agricultural systems outside of the country!

EMILY KOLBE

QUINN MATHISEN

Sponsored by: Heidi's Lifestyle Gardens &

Sponsored by: Robin D. Linder Memorial

Growhaus Garden Centre

Scholarship

School: University of Wisconsin-River Falls

School: Central Lakes College

Major: Horticulture

Major: Sustainable Landscaping

Expected Graduation: 2021

Expected Graduation: 2022

Future Plans: I am going to continue my

Future Plans: I plan to live in the Brainerd lakes

education in graduate school. After receiving my

area, and continue to grow my green industry

Ph. D in plant breeding and genetics, I plan to

business. I hope to own and manage a lawn care,

enter the world of academia as a professor and

landscaping, and snow management business

teach future horticulture students while also

that serves the outdoor needs of people in the

breeding roses and conducting research.

area.

january 21 MNLA.BIZ

43

MNLA FOUNDATION

2020–2021 Collegiate Scholarship Winners GRAHAM MONTEE

HAYDEN STECKER

Sponsored by: Hoffman & McNamara Nursery and

Sponsored by: Countryside Gardens, Inc.

Landscape

School: University of Wisconsin-River Falls

School: University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Major: Horticulture

Major: Horticulture

Expected Graduation: 2022

Expected Graduation: 2023

Future Plans: I plan on working in the green

Future Plans: I am planning on being a grower for a

industry no matter where that takes me. I hope to

large-scale nursery in the Midwest that supplies to

get involved in many different aspects and

many different stores. A bit further down the road

positions of the green industry. My end goal

I would love to start growing my own Hops and

would be to oversee greenhouse production.

open a brewery somewhere in Wisconsin, which has been a dream of mine for the past couple years.

LEAH REZAC

ZENA THOMAS

Sponsored by: Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery, Inc.

Sponsored by: Robin D. Linder Memorial

School: Hennepin Technical College

Scholarship

Major: Greenhouse Management

School: University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Expected Graduation: 2022

Major: Horticulture

Future Plans: My goal is to start a non-profit

Expected Graduation: 2023

organization centered around providing produce

Future Plans: I am interested in working in a

for those who are underprivileged and teach

greenhouse or nursery. Additionally, I have taken

others how they can grow food for themselves

classes and am interested in sustainable

and start gardens in various spaces.

landscape design.

LEAH SHERIDAN

JILLIAN TURBEVILLE

Sponsored by: Heidi's Lifestyle Gardens &

Sponsored by: Bailey Nurseries, Inc.

Growhaus Garden Centre

School: University of Wisconsin-River Falls

School: Hennepin Technical College

Major: Horticulture

Major: Landscape/Horticulture & Greenhouse

Expected Graduation: 2022

Management

Future Plans: I plan to transfer into a graduate

Expected Graduation: 2020

program to complete a Master’s degree in plant

Future Plans: After graduation I plan to continue

genetics. I would like the opportunity in my

to work for Heidi at Growhaus as her Assistant

future career to innovate and push the boundar-

Grower, and to keep learning and improving my

ies of our current knowledge in plant science. I

skills. Looking forward to what the future holds!

am inspired by the future of the green industry and the ability to uniquely make an impact.

KYLE SIM

MEGAN VOLKER

Sponsored by: Pleasant View Gardens, Inc.

Sponsored by: Countryside Gardens, Inc.

School: Rochester Community and Technical

School: Hennepin Techncial College

College

Major: Greenhouse Management

Major: Horticulture Science

Expected Graduation: 2021

Expected Graduation: 2021

Future Plans: I plan to eventually own my own

Future Plans: I am a life-long learner and will

business as a wholesale cut flower grower and

continue to seek to learn more about Landscape

designer. I believe there is a demand and support

Management, and start my own landscaping

for locally sourced plants and flowers and am

business. I am currently working with perennial

interested in providing those products to my

plant production department at Sargent’s

community.

Nursery.

44

MNLA.BIZ january 21

nativE Plants MN Dept of Ag. approved plant production “pollinator friendly”

Wildflowers, Grasses, Sedges, Rushes & Ferns

2020–2021 Collegiate Scholarship Winners

Wholesale native plants in 4” pots or economy plugs for larger projects.

NeW! Some of our natives will now be available in jumbo square pots throughout the growing season.

All native plants are tagged and bar-coded for retail sales.

MARINA WILEY Sponsored by: Hoffman & McNamara Nursery and Landscape School: University of Minnesota-Crookston Major: Horticulture Expected Graduation: 2021 Future Plans: After college, I hope to find a position as an assistant grower and work my way up to become a lead grower. My goal after I learn the ins and outs of growing is to open up my own flower farm and sell cut flowers to floral shops across the US.

BEN ZIEGLER Sponsored by: Bailey Nurseries, Inc. School: University of Minnesota - CFANS Major: Plant Science Expected Graduation: 2021 Future Plans: I hope to work in the Twin Cities in any of a number of fields including: plant

WHOlEsalE

BEdding Plants

Annuals, Baskets, Herbs, Vegetable Plants & Certified Organic Plants also available.

Wholesale Minnesota hardy perennials in 18 count trays.

Special order perennial 32 count trays are also available.

All plants are individually tagged for resale with color photo tags.

All of our plants are produced with sustainable, bee-friendly practices.

Greenhouse 25132 250th Ave. Glenwood, MN 56334 Phone: 320.634.0136 Fax: 320.634.3931 email: glacridgegrowers@aol.com Website: www.glacialridgegrowers.com

Early OrdEr discOunts cOntact us fOr a frEE catalOg

conservation, public garden management, local agronomic seed production, hemp research, or developing disease resistant and cold tolerant stone fruit and currants.

THE MNLA FOUNDATION PARTNERED WITH 16 MEMBER COMPANIES TO PRESENT 26 COLLEGIATE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE 2020–2021 SCHOOL YEAR. THANK YOU MEMBERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

This year’s High School Scholarship awards will be given out at the end of May 2021. Students will be invited to attend the Green Industry Awards Celebration at Northern Green in January 2022.

Thank you to the 2020-2021 High School Scholarship Sponsors: Gertens, Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscape; Landscape Renovations, Inc.; and Prescription Landscape.

january 21 MNLA.BIZ

45

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Virtual Advocacy in 2021 Forrest Cyr

MNLA Director of Government Affairs

On February 1, 2021, Day on the Hill is Virtual! Mark Your Calendars!

In 2021, the Minnesota Legislature convenes for a legislative session like no other. With many new faces joining the

Minnesota House and the Minnesota Senate following the 2020 election, the restrictions placed on in-person, face-to-face legislative work due to COVID-19 pandemic present the legislature with many challenges to overcome.

With the obvious challenges of conducting legislative proceedings over Zoom in mind, the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association (MNLA) continues to pursue policy victories for the benefit of MNLA members and the Green Industry in Minnesota. Despite the new digital venue for the legislature and for industry advocacy, one thing remains consistent with previous years: grassroots action and member involvement in MNLA’s Government Affairs Program is vital to the success of the program.

To facilitate this crucial grassroots involvement, MNLA has a slate of virtual advocacy events for members to learn, grow, and educate on issues central to business success in the Minnesota Green Industry. During the normal course of the year, MNLA’s Day on the Hill sees MNLA members join industry lobbyists at the Capitol to advocate for bills and connect with the members of the House and the Senate that represent them and their businesses. This year, of course, it is not possible to hold this kind of event.

However, Day on the Hill will be virtual! On February 1, 2021, join your fellow members and members of the Minnesota Legislature to hear from MNLA staff and volunteer

leaders about the latest from the Capitol, the importance of the work being done, and how you can make a difference and grow results in government affairs.

Additionally, at Northern Green Virtual, MNLA is working to host three separate policy webinars covering important topics to the industry, with leaders from the House and the Senate joining MNLA staff to discuss ongoing work in the areas of labor policy, pesticide and agriculture policy, and the ongoing work of the legislature on water issues in the state. As an attendee of Northern Green, these events are fantastic ways to get up-to-speed on what your representatives are doing in Saint Paul (or virtually!). On your Northern Green page, find the Legislative Action Center for more details about these events.

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way we approach many things, and conducting legislative affairs, lobbying, and grassroots mobilization is no different.

However, we are ready to adapt and seize opportunities to increase the visibility and impact of our industry in the public policy sphere within this new framework. With the House of Representatives conducting its business entirely remotely, and the Minnesota Senate will have some restrictions on in-person meetings, we must. However, to fully maximize the impact of our work, we need you!

Register for Virtual Day of the Hill today at www.mnla. biz/events, or call me at 612-248-4463. We look forward to seeing you online!

➽ TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN ADVOCACY can help your business and the green industry in Minnesota, contact Forrest Cyr at forrest@mnla.biz, or visit www.mnla.biz.

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MNLA.BIZ january 21

2021 GREEN INDUSTRY DAY ON THE HILL February 1st, 2021

Day on the Hill 2021 is Virtual! Register Today.

MNLA is hosting a legislative webinar to elevate industry issues and educate members and legislators about policy priorities of the Minnesota Green Industry.

This virtual MNLA legislative webinar enables members to connect with legislators, learn about industry priorities, and educate elected officials on the Green Industry’s legislative priorities in 2021. Register today!

Monday, February 1, 2021 Zoom Webinar at 5:00 pm

Be sure to register ASAP! The event is just around the corner.

Registrations can be submitted electronically by visiting the Day on the Hill event page on the MNLA.biz event calendar.

We look forward to advocating alongside you to grow results in government affairs!

Thanks to our MNLA Government Affairs Program Sponsor:

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