The Scoop - June 2021

JUDGES’ CHOICE

TIMELINES TO REMEMBER

CULTIVATING THE CURIOUS

NEW COFFEE CHAT MINI SESSIONS PLUS:

COMING OUT OF THE DEEP FREEZE

ALSO INSIDE:

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR POSITION

june 2021 n v44 n6

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MINNESOTA NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION

WHOLESALE & PROFESSIONAL TURF SUPPLY

ALL OF YOUR HARDSCAPE SUPPLY NEEDS

PAVER BRICKS, RETAINING WALL BLOCK, OUTDOOR LIVING KITS & NATURAL STONE.

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gertenswholesale.com | 651-450-0277

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

june 2021 n v44 n6

12 18

8 Events 23

10 Strategic Sprint: A Focus on Apprenticeship Executive Director Larson reports on the Board’s directive for the coming year following their latest planning session.

14 Bid, Win, and Donate with the Surplus Auction Do you have surplus supplies, materials, plants, or

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12

Coming Out of the Deep Freeze

Faith Appelquist reflects on the changing climate and recommends trees that are better adapted to the shift in temperature.    

20

Where Have All the Students Gone?

The green industry, including nursery production, landscaping, and garden center sales, is experiencing exponential growth. 

23

What Have We Learned Since the Last Economic Downturn? Pt. II

Dr. Chengyan Yue shows how much consumers spend on gardening and lawn care services.  

34

Judges’ Choice Award Project Profile

A beautifully executed design from Tim Johnson, LIVIT Site + Structure seamlessly ties together a number of outdoor spaces.  

43

How to Protect Your Position as a Market Leader

Chris Heiler gives you five strategies for keeping your company at the top of the game. 

53

Cultivating the Curious

equipment? Funds raised go toward green industry workforce development.

16 Two More Counties Quarantined for Emerald Ash Borer Efforts to prevent the spread of this destructive pest to new areas is still an important goal.

18 Get Inspired at Northern Green Virtual Be inspired by plant and design experts any time day or night; from anywhere with internet access until September 1, 2021.

29 Timelines to Remember This Season The information which follows could save you a lot of money, or help you collect money which you are owed.

58 Coffee Chat Mini Sessions Free Mini Education Sessions are being offered from 7:30 AM—8:30 AM at the MNLA Office this summer and fall.

59 The Online Session: Heading for Special Session(s)?

Kym Pokorny digs into how retailers can engage with a flourishing generation

In 2020, seven special sessions were called, and

of new gardeners.  

2021 could see that many again due to the unfinished business that remains.

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

Cover photo: iStock.com/Nodar Chernishev. Table of Contents Images: Top: huyenhoang/Shutterstock.com. Middle: iStock. com/erlucho. Bottom: LIVIT Site + Structure.

june 21 MNLA.BIZ

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DIRECTORY

june 2021 n v44 n6

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 Terri McEnaney Bailey Nurseries (651) 459-9744 • terri.mcenaney@baileynursery.com Patrick McGuiness Zlimen & McGuiness PLLC (651) 331-6500 • pmcguiness@zmattorneys.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 june 21

Ancom Communications Inc and Midwest Radio Rentals .......... 40 Arborjet .................................................................................................. 25 Bachman’s Wholesale Nursery & Hardscapes ................................ 3 Borgert Products, Inc. ......................................................................... 49 Bullis Insurance Agency ..................................................................... 22 Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ProGreen Plus ................................ 56 Central Landscape Supply ................................................................. 46 Contree Sprayer & Equipment Co, LLC ............................................ 40 Cushman Motor Company ................................................................. 44 Edney Distributing Co., Inc. ............................................................... 17 Environmental Design Inc .................................................................. 26 Fury Motors ........................................................................................... 15 Gertens Wholesale & Professional Turf Supply .............................. 2 Gopher State One-Call ....................................................................... 17 Green Turf Sod Farms ........................................................................... 4 Haag Companies, Inc. .......................................................................... 57 Hedberg Supply/SiteOne Landscape Supply ............................... 61 Jeff Belzer Chevrolet ...................................................................... 32–33 Keen Edge Company ........................................................................... 22 Kubota .................................................................................................... 28 Landscape Alternatives Inc. .............................................................. 40 Monroe Truck Equipment ................................................................... 11 Out Back Nursery ................................................................................. 22 Plaisted Companies ............................................................................... 7 Rock Hard Landscape Supply ............................................................. 9 SMSC Organics Recycling Facility ....................................................... 9 Sunbelt Midwest .................................................................................. 61 Synthetic Grass Supply ......................................................................... 9 The Resultants ...................................................................................... 44 The Tessman Company........................................................................ 46 Toft’s Outdoor Supply ......................................................................... 50 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc. .......................................................................... 42 Unilock Chicago, Inc. ........................................................................... 45 Versa-Lok Midwest .............................................................................. 21 Wheeler Landscape Supply ............................................................... 55 Ziegler CAT ............................................................................. Back Cover

CONSISTENT QUALITY

HARDSCAPES

CUSTOM BLENDED MIXES

Plaisted Horticultural mixes are like no other — they contain highly sought after ingredients. We custom blend mixes using a computerized Accublender™, controlling quality & consistency.

OUTDOOR LIVING

We are the midwest's largest resources for quality residential hardscapes.. We offer 3,2000 in-store, quality brands that offer exceptional strength, durability that can withstand Minnesota’s harsh winters.

HORTICULTURE

SATISFIED CUSTOMERS • Bachman’s

• Baker Lake Nursery • Cross Nursery

• Tangletown Gardens

• Twin Orchard Nursery • Varty’s Greenhouse

RESPONSIVE DELIVERY

Experienced drivers operate a fleet of more than 45 trucks. Our GPS locator helps us set the standard for the most responsive delivery in the 5-state area.

763.441.1100 • plaistedcompanies.com info@plaistedcompanies.com

WE WE ARE ARE SOIL EXPERTS SOIL EXPERTS

UPCOMING

MNLA continues 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.

SUMMER COFFEE CHAT SERIES

JUN

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The Coffee Chat Mini Sessions begin at the MNLA Office on June 24. See the full schedule at mnla.biz.

MNLA.biz

MNLA FOUNDATION WIDMER GOLF TOURNAMENT

JUL

20

Mark your calendars and get your foursomes together! All proceeds benefit the MNLA Research Fund.

Crystal Lake Golf Club, Lakeville ➽MNLA.biz

SIMA SYMPOSIUM ROADSHOW

JUL

27 –28

In 2021, SIMA will pilot the Symposium Roadshow — four smaller, strategically located events that will bring all the things people love about the show into a smaller footprint, possibly closer to home.

Earle Brown Heritage Center, Minneapolis, MN ➽SIMA.org

PLANT COMBINATIONS WITH STEVE KELLEY AND ARLA CARMICHIEL

JUL

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On this learning garden tour, we will visit both Noerenberg Gardens, a public garden on Lake Minnetonka, and the home garden of Steve Kelley and Arla Carmichiel. Both gardens are known for their diverse collection of plants and stunning combinations.

Noerenberg Gardens, Minnetonka ➽Kelley & Kelley Nursery, Long Lake

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LANDSCAPE DESIGN TOUR

The design tour will look a little different this year. It's a drive yourself tour that will include MNLA member gardens and more! ➽MNLA.biz

AUG

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MNLA MEMBER APPRECIATION

MNLA will be celebrating our members with a full day of fun. Stop by the MNLA Office during the day for treats, then continue the fun into the evening at CHS Field for MNLA Night at the Saints Game!

MNLA Office, Roseville ➽ MNLA.biz

MNLA NIGHT AT THE SAINTS GAME

AUG

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The Scoop, June 2021, Issue 6 is issued monthly, 12 times per year. All original works, articles or formats



published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery &

You are invited to the 6th Annual MNLA Night at the Saints Game. Price includes game ticket and dinner — and tons of fun with colleagues and MNLA friends!

CHS Field, St. Paul ➽ MNLA.biz

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

2021 MNLA seminars generously supported by:

Lexington Ave N., Roseville, MN 55113.

Editorial Contributions. You are invited to share your expertise and perspective. Article ideas and manuscripts

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

Your Trusted Partner

should, whenever possible, reflect real and specific 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 june 21

Business

 Skills Training

 Networking



Leadership Development

General

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Strategic Sprint: A Focus on Apprenticeship Cassie Larson

MNLA Executive Director

The ongoing pandemic thrust businesses into a period of constant change. And that is not always bad, sometimes being shaken from “but, we’ve always done it that way…” isn’t negative. It can, however, be challenging.

One of the primary challenges for MNLA has been not being

able to have a defined time horizon for planning activities, events, and programs. Had a longer time horizon been available, the year 2021 would typically have brought about a strategic planning year for MNLA. However, the Board of Directors agreed that taking a 3-year or longer outlook during the pandemic was probably not the right approach.

In lieu of a longer-term strategic plan, the Board elected to complete a 12–14-month strategic sprint in 2021–2022.

So, what is a strategic sprint? It refers to a planning period adopted by an organization with a very focused project(s) or outcome. The Board discussed several options for what could realistically be accomplished during the next 12–14 months that would widely benefit the membership.

After discussing several ideas for the focus of the strategic sprint, the Board began to come to consensus around the idea of a workforce development initiative, namely developing a state-endorsed apprenticeship program for segments of the green industry. The board directed staff and volunteers to focus both money, time, and resources on developing this program over the next year.

An apprenticeship program was selected as it hit on several elements that members have identified in membership surveys, policy surveys, and in past strategic

planning endeavors as highly important. Those elements include increasing the professionalism of the industry both from an employee and a consumer perspective, creating a more defined career path for those who have already chosen or may still be considering the green industry as their career choice, providing educational opportunities for members to increase their knowledge, skills, and business acumen, and providing a reliable skilled workforce for businesses.

The first step is to meet with the Department of Labor and Industry to discuss requirements for a state endorsed apprenticeship program. This meeting will likely have already occurred as you are reading this article. We do know that we will need members to serve as technical advisors as this apprenticeship program is put together.

Interested in participating on a technical team? Please reach out and let us know!

Finally, should the pandemic subside in 2022, please be assured that the MNLA Board of Directors will undertake a longer-term strategic plan at that time. More details to follow on the apprenticeship program as well as longer term strategic planning in future issues. Please feel free to reach out to any member of the MNLA Board of Directors, listed on page 6, or to me at any time with questions, comments, or concerns.

➽ MNLA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CASSIE LARSON can be reached at 651-633-4987 or cassie@mnla.biz.

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MNLA.BIZ june 21

FREEZE Coming Out of the Deep

Faith Appelquist Tree Quality LLC

“WE DRIVE AND CHOP AND BURN AND FLY, WHILE THE PLANTS AROUND US FREEZE AND DIE.” Hope Jahren, The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here

We can have tremendous temperature fluctua-

Left: iStock.com/LanceB. Top: huyenhoang/Shutterstock.com

tions in Minnesota. I remember February days

in short sleeves and April days where I froze to death. It doesn’t seem to matter with the teenagers next door though, they wear shorts and flip flops regardless of the weather.

The bitter cold, extending into Texas this winter, has me thinking more about climate variability and what effect this will have on the trees. What are trees doing to prepare for winter? What physiological changes do to they need to go through? They can’t put on a coat.

The first thing trees do is get rid of the water in their cells, because it is going to rupture like a frozen water pipe. They have to turn into a Pringles potato chip. Better not have a lot of water in the cell, because if that freezes, then it’s certain death. This is why I stopped a young woman leaving Home Depot with a cart of houseplants on an 11 below zero afternoon and suggested she cover them up.

Trees need to be warned of approaching winter before it arrives. This process of acclimating in autumn starts as soon as the days begin to shorten, somewhere around June 21. Trees are reading daylength but are also sensing temperature and looking for frost exposure. Warm days and cold nights below 28 degrees is what they want. Get enough of those conditions and trees are ready for winter.

How do trees know to come out of winter?

They need to be exposed to a certain number

of hours between 33–45 degrees. This is known as the chilling requirement. For example, a tree grown in Minnesota might require 1,200 chilling hours while a tree in Texas might require 50. Once they’ve got enough hours at cold temperatures, they are ready to grow. This dormant period ensures that trees don’t get duped and start growing during a warm autumn or a mild mid-winter spell. What are they looking for then? They are looking for warm temperatures. That’s all they need.

Ironically, while decades of global warming have decreased the duration of cold air outbreaks in North America, they are increasing in frequency and intensity as climate change tampers with the polar vortex. I’m not worried about the deep cold of January, but the spring and fall that are atypical. Like the aircraft carrier effect, most accidents happen at takeoff and landing. How often do we get trees budding out in the spring, then we get that frost that knocks them back? Or the warm autumn till mid-November, then a blast of snow while the leaves are still on?

I once saw a magnolia tree blooming a full month early on the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus. Because of you and me, and the 10 billion tons of carbon that we put into the atmosphere last year, the flowers of the near future must rely more and more on dumb luck as their tried-and-true blooming

strategies leave them stranded and vulnerable to the unnatural climate that we have foisted upon them.

I can tell you what the daylength will be 200 years from now, but not the temperature.

You want a tree that goes to bed early and gets up late, in other words, more influenced by daylength and less influenced by temperature. Trees such as oak, ginkgo and Kentucky coffeetree. Avoid trees such as pagoda dogwood, magnolia and quaking aspen which are experiencing severe declines with climate change. Make sure your trees are healthy going into winter by giving them plenty of water. Dry conditions going into the winter can make plant tissues more susceptible to cold damage. Cover sensitive shrubs with burlap.

The Texas palm trees are probably ruined, but what about the oaks? Are they adaptable to withstand zero degrees? Only time with tell. Climate change is a reality affecting not only people but our plants that live with us, too. Let’s hope they can adapt fast enough.

➽ FAITH APPELQUIST is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, an ISA Municipal Specialist MN, and an ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist®. Faith can be reached at faith@treequality.com.

Left: Palm trees are not adapted to cold winter temperatures as northern trees are.

Top: Warm autumn temperatures can delay trees dropping their leaves and the process of getting ready for winter. Snow and cold coming on too early or too fast can mean trouble for trees. june 21 MNLA.BIZ

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Su rplu s AUCTION

BID. WIN. DONATE.

We are pumped to announce an EASY way to donate unused items!

1

 Donate it online

2

 Deliver it to Fahey Auctions

Want to clean out surplus supplies, materials, plants, or equipment?

We have two great no-fuss solutions! Donations will be used toward green industry workforce development! Plus, get a charitable donation receipt.

When can I donate? When are the auctions?

Donations will be taken the first 3 weeks of every month. An auction will be held the last week of each month. Donations need to be submitted a minimum of 2-weeks ahead of a given auction to be included. Ongoing auctions year-round make this EASY! • May Auction Donation Deadline: May 21, 2021, Auction held May 24-31 • June Auction Donation Deadline, June 19, 2021, Auction held June 20-30

What can be donated?

• Nursery stock, trees, shrubs, perennials, native plugs, plants of all sorts.

• Landscape/Nursery Supplies; new containers, landscape fabric, edging, tarps, wire baskets and burlap, Sisal twine, bagged mulch, etc.

• Hard Goods: tools, lumber, pavers, irrigation supplies, etc.

• Equipment: new or used trucks, trailers, landscaping, nursery equipment, attachments, tires, mowers, blowers, rollers, sprayers, etc.

• Office Equipment: computers, printers, copy machines, furniture, etc.

• Personal recreation, home goods, boats, docks, hunting and fishing, campers, ATV’s, patio furniture, etc.

• ANYTHING YOU WANT TO LET GO OF! Go to these websites How do I donate online?

Donate surplus from your phone or computer. Go to www. biddingforgood.com/mnla to log on, enter your items, and upload a photo. Items donated must be available to be picked up from the donor’s location in Minnesota.

to donate or bid:

WEB: www.biddingforgood.com/mnla MOBILE: bforg.com/mnla

Want to drop off your donation instead of posting it online?

Take it to Fahey Auctions for a drop-off and indicate you’d like the proceeds to go to the MNLA Foundation.

Questions?

Contact Paulette at 651-633-4987 or email paulette@mnla.biz

Than k you!

PROCEEDS BENEFIT INDUSTRY RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE MNLA FOUNDATION.

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RESEARCH FOR THE REAL WORLD

Two More Counties Quarantined for Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) James Calkins

Although I am writing this update on April Fool’s Day, the latest finds of emerald ash

MNLA Regulatory Affairs

borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis) in Minnesota are not a joke.

James Calkins

Manager

Figure 1a & 1b:A sign of spring, the flower buds on ash trees, like the male flower buds on this tree with their purple-tinged anthers, are just beginning to open; although ash trees are dioecious (individual trees male or female), emerald ash borer beetles, unlike the ash flower gall mite (Eriophyes fraxiniflora; synonym – Aceria fraxiniflora), a microscopic, eriophyid mite that only attacks the flowers of male ash trees, do not discriminate based on sex since they attack and kill both male and female trees equally.

Earlier this spring, EAB was reported for the first time in Cottonwood County in southwestern Minnesota and just yesterday another EAB infestation was confirmed in Blue Earth County in southcentral Minnesota. As a result, EAB has now been documented in 27 of Minnesota’s 87 counties since EAB was first documented in the state nearly twelve years ago in May 2009, and emergency, county-wide quarantines have been declared in both of these southern Minnesota counties to help slow the spread of this devastating insect.

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MNLA.BIZ june 21

On February 4th, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) announced the discovery of a new EAB infestation in Cottonwood County after MDA staff conducted a visual survey of a group of ash trees just south of the BrownCottonwood County line south of the city of Comfrey.

Woodpecker damage was the first indication that EAB might be present and MDA staff were ultimately able to find live EAB larvae and collect samples for federal identification.

Emerald ash borer was confirmed in Blue Earth County on March 31 after a homeowner in the city of St. Clair

“

EMERALD ASH BORER WAS CONFIRMED IN BLUE EARTH COUNTY ON MARCH 31.

”

noticed insect galleries under the bark of an ash tree that had been cut down. They reported the find to a local Department of Natural Resources forester who then notified the MDA. MDA staff were once again able to find live EAB larvae and collect samples for formal identification. The news releases for Cottonwood County and Blue Earth County EAB finds can be assessed at https:// www.mda.state.mn.us/emerald-ash-borer-con-

firmed-cottonwood-county and https://www. mda.state.mn.us/emerald-ash-borer-found-blueearth-county, respectively.

A recording of a virtual EAB informational meeting that was held for Cottonwood County residents and tree care professionals can be viewed at https://minnesota.webex.com/

No other mower can match the smooth, even cut of a Grasshopper zero-turn mower. In fact, very few carpets can, either. Which is why Grasshopper mowers remain a top choice among turf care professionals.

minnesota/lsr.php?RCID=c5f3c627268f4a779c-

9ca2ea99e1f963. Additional information about these open houses and the proposed formal quarantines for both counties is available on the MDA Emerald Ash Borer Program webpage at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab. The purpose of the existing emergency quarantines and the proposed formal quarantines is to limit the movement of ash trees and limbs and hardwood firewood that may harbor EAB out of the quarantined counties. A map showing the EAB infested and quarantined areas in Minnesota is available at https://mnag.

www.grasshoppermower.com www.edneyco.com • 888.443.3639

maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index. html?id=63ebb977e2924d27b9ef0787ecedf6e9.

Nursery and landscape professionals and homeowners are encouraged to report suspected EAB infestations in areas that are not within the quarantined areas of the state to the MDA using the Arrest the Pest reporting system at 1-888-545-6684 or arrest.the.pest@ state.mn.us. Questions and comments may be submitted to Kimberly Thielen Cremers at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture; 625 Robert Street North, St. Paul, MN 55155; Kimberly.TCremers@state.mn.us, 651201-6329 (phone), 651-201-6108 (Fax).

Although these new EAB finds are not good news, most of the state, including the majority of the area within the quarantined counties in the state, remains non-infested and efforts to prevent the spread of this destructive pest to new areas is still an important goal. ➽ JIM CALKINS is MNLA’s Regulatory Affairs Manager and can be reached at jim@mnla.biz. june 21 MNLA.BIZ

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Be inspired by plant and design experts! Available any time – day or night; from anywhere that you have internet access until September 1, 2021. Buy an All-Access Pass for only $150 and view nearly 60 sessions now on www.NorthernGreenVirtual.org!



INSPIRATION FROM PLANT AND DESIGN EXPERTS

C. Colston Burrell, MS, MLA Nature as Gardener: Working with Natural Process for Beauty and Reduced Maintenance

Picture-perfect plant combinations make for beautiful gardens, yet keeping every plant in its place is a lot of work. If you grow native and site-adapted plants, and long to lower your maintenance time and budget, this lecture is for you. Join Burrell to learn tips and techniques for working with Mother Nature to create a beautiful, reduced maintenance garden by augmenting and editing. Using layering, under planting, free seeding perennials and annuals, and a little benign neglect, you can reduce the amount of time spent working in your garden.

Finishing Touches: The Power of Details in Garden Design

Ever wonder why some gardens make your heart sing? Chances are you are responding to details. All gardens have well defined spaces and good planting – great gardens stand out because of details. From paving patterns to stonework, fencing, containers and sculpture, the details in both functional and artistic elements make a garden personal and magical. This lecture celebrates spaces of various sizes that combine form, color and texture in hardscape and plants to fashion memorable places.

Burrell also presented the session Evolving Gardens: Reimagining a World of Design Inspirations.

THE SHOW LIVES ON!

ON-DEMAND ACCESS UNTIL SEPT. 1 GIVES YOU GREAT OPPORTUNITIES!

REGISTER NOW AT NORTHERNGREEN.ORG Creating Stonework and Hardscape as Integral and Not Just a Landscape Upsell Daniel Arabella, Arabella Stone Co.

Have you ever designed something special and unique in your design that you just know the client will omit from the project; or a landscape feature you are not sure how to actually build? From a simple retaining wall to a complex stone sculpture, Daniel Arabella will give ideas of how to help the client understand the need for these ideas and why it is important to keep them in the budget. In addition, he'll discuss the approach to constructing and pricing them for your landscape designs.

New Generations of Oaks to Know and Grow

Kris Bachtell, MS, The Morton Arboretum There is a myriad of new hybrid white oak group selections coming our way. Following a review of the “building block species” Bachtell outlines some of the most promising selections and covers their specific traits to aid in their best landscape placement and use.

Shoreline Design and Restoration

Michael Keenan, PLA, Urban Ecosystems , LLC Shorelands are naturally full of a rich diversity of life: plants, animals, and microorganisms, including humans. As we understand more about the structure and function of shoreland, we also become aware of the importance of our role in keeping these systems healthy. Our efforts can lead to the restoration of a quality outdoor resource, and a community full of life and beauty. Join Keenan to learn more about the design as well as restoration of these essential spaces.

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY:

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

Your Trusted Partner

FOUNDATION

Where Have All the Students Gone?

Paulette Sorenson MNLA Foundation Program Coordinator

The green industry, including nursery production, landscaping, and garden center sales, is experiencing exponential growth.

The demand for nursery stock, goods and services has exceeded all expectations the past year. One result of this growth has been increasing need for trained personnel. But there are not enough of them to satisfy that demand. Student enrollment in undergraduate horticulture and landscape programs is declining at a time when demand for such graduates exceeds supply. Many programs have such low enrollment they are on the verge of closing the doors.

Currently, there are approximately 5–10 job openings for every graduate.

In 2020, the MNLA Foundation awarded 26 College Scholarships and 5 High School Scholarships. MNLA members have sponsored these scholarships and the MNLA Foundation matches them. College scholarships have steadily grown year over year. Since inception of the Scholarship Program in 1996 the MNLA Foundation has awarded 576 scholarships.

All this is good news; however, it has been a struggle to award high school students with scholarships. There are many reasons for this. First, there are fewer Agriculture programs within high schools and even fewer qualified teachers. High School Agriculture teachers tell us that many students choose this elective study because they think it will be easy curriculum and be less work for a passing grade. We have talked to hundreds of high school teachers that tell us they have a very limited time period to know if a student wants to further their studies in the green industry.

Is there a better way to reach high school students?

The MNLA Foundation Board of Trustees has recognized that perhaps a change in programming would better

expose students to potential green industry careers. After consulting with high school teachers, the MNLA Foundation is set to create a High School Grant Program that exposes students to green industry careers and allows teachers to share resources. The program would allow local agriculture and high school teachers the opportunity to fulfill educational objectives that may be shared and re-created and used again by other Agriculture instructors. Examples of projects that may be supported include: • Promotes career awareness and stewardship • Understanding diverse aspects in plant cultivation and environmental impact • Education for sustainable landscapes and design, installation, and maintenance • Production of plants for landscapes and greenhouses • Experiential green industry activities • What is the High School Grant Program?

Similar to the current MNLA Scholarship Program, the High School Grant Program will be a dollar matching opportunity. Members can sign up to support the High School Grant program for $250. The MNLA Foundation will then match that amount. The amount awarded to a High School will be determined by the number of member sponsorships are received. Members receive the benefit of supporting and inspiring young adults, helping improve the labor force, being recognized as a supporter, and receiving a charitable tax donation.

Starting in August, we will be inviting members to consider supporting this new grant program. It offers the opportunity to make an impact and demonstrate your commitment to the future of the region’s green industry!

➽ FOR MORE INFORMATION, email Paulette Sorenson at Paulette@mnla.biz.

20

MNLA.BIZ june 21

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ECONOMIC REPORT

HOW MUCH DO US AND MIDWEST CONSUMERS SPEND ON GARDENING OR LAWN CARE SERVICES? A CASE ANALYSIS FOR 2009–2019 Gardening and lawn care services play an important role for enhancing

outdoor lawn and landscape, providing specialized services ranging from designing and creating landscapes to mowing lawns. The gardening and landscape service sector was impacted by the 2007–2009 economic downturn, similar to other service industries. It would be interesting to see how this sector did as the economy recovered from the previous recession. This report summarizes U.S. and Midwest consumer gardening and lawn care service expenditure trends between 2009 and 2019.

The Consumer Expenditure Survey is a nationwide household survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. When taking the survey, participants report expenditures for goods and services for the previous three months. In the survey, gardening or lawn care services (hereafter referred to as “landscape services”) include fertilizing, lawn cutting, snow plowing, tree pruning, hedge trimming, planting, tilling, and tree removal provided under service contracts. In this report, we use the rich panel data with observations for four consecutive quarters from 101,726 U.S. households (between 2009 and 2019) to examine the landscape services consumption patterns and trends in this post-recession decade. The expenditure data were adjusted for inflation based on the 2009 Consumer Price Index.

24

MNLA.BIZ june 21

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SIGN UP FOR A FREE ACCOUNT Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC have 25 years combined experience as small business owners in construction and landscaping. They understand what green industry business owners face on a regular basis: Contracts, Construction Law, Mechanics Liens, Business Formation, Collections, and Employment Law.

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9/4/2020 2:36:28 PM

ECONOMIC REPORT

Geographic Differences of Landscape Service Consumption In the United States, the average monthly expenditure for landscape services was about $100 in the past decade (Figure 1), and around 23% of the population used landscape services (Figure 2). The expenditure pattern on landscape services varied greatly by region. Among the four regions in the United States, participants from the Northeast spent the most on landscape services, with a monthly average of $140, while participants from the Midwest, South and West spent about $100 or less per month. In terms of percentage of population who used landscape services, the West has had the highest percentage for the past ten years (Figure 2). However, since 2016 the gaps between the West and other regions started to narrow down.

Landscape Service Consumption Trends by Age Cohort Consumers’ age is a major factor impacting landscape service consumption. Overall, the average monthly expenditure and the percentage of population purchasing landscape services have been increasing slightly for all age cohorts (Figures 3 and 4). The age cohort of 40-years-and-younger spent the least on landscape services and had the lowest percentage of purchasers. Participants who aged 55-yearsand-older spent an average of $111 on landscape services per month and over 30% of them used the services in 2019, suggesting this age group was the major purchasers for landscape services. The Midwest consumption patterns by age cohort had similar trends.

Figure 5 shows the transaction percentage of monthly expenditures by each age cohort from 2009 to 2019. Participants aged 55-yearsand-older had the highest proportion of monthly expenditures, which also increased from 56% to 66% during the decade. The transaction percentages for the other two age cohorts had decreased by 3% to 7% over time for the national sample as well as the Midwest subsample.

Seasonal Trends of Landscape Services Consumption Similar to other horticultural products, the consumption of landscape services is seasonal. Spring and summer months are the peak seasons for this sector. Compared to participants from the United States, who spent the most on landscape services in May, Midwest purchasers had another peak of consumption around October and November (Figure 6).

Takeaways The consumption patterns of landscape services show significant geographic differences and vary by age cohorts. Here is the summary of the key findings of this report: • The average monthly spending on landscape services increased slightly between 2009 and 2019.

• The percentages of population purchasing landscape services increased between 2009 and 2019, indicating an increasing demand for landscape services.

• As of 2019, the age cohort of 55-years-and-older is the major purchasers of landscape services.

• The younger age cohorts (younger than 55-years-old) have increased their spending on landscape services in recent years (since 2013).

• In 2019, the 40-55 years old age group’s average spending caught up with the 55-years and older age group.

• Gardening or lawn care services providers should develop marketing strategies to meet the needs of the rising younger age groups. june 21 MNLA.BIZ

27

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LEGAL ISSUES

Timelines to Remember This Season Patrick McGuiness, Zlimen & McGuiness PLLC

The busy season is in full swing! In fact, if you are reading this article I am impressed, thank you for reading!

The information which follows could save you a lot of money,

or help you collect money which you are owed. Here are two important timeframes to keep in mind as the season continues.

Mechanic’s Liens In order to be able to put a lien on a residential property, the owner must have received a “pre-lien notice.”

The law is very specific in what the notice must say, and the time frames are strict as well. If you are not a subcontractor and you want to have lien rights, you must provide proper pre-lien notice to the homeowner within 10 days of agreeing to do the work. The best way to do this is by simply making the pre-lien notice a part of the written contract you use.

If you do not get paid for your work, you have 120 days to file a lien on the property from the last date of substantial work. This means the day you finished the project, not

the date you last visited the project, or the last date you were there to fix something small that the homeowner complained about, otherwise known as the “punch list.”

Once again, it is important to note that in order to file a mechanic’s lien you must have given the homeowner the proper pre-lien notice or your lien will not be valid.

I know how busy the season gets and how things can quickly fall by the wayside with the intention of figuring it all out later. Don’t lose your mechanic’s lien rights

just because you kept putting it off until things slowed down. If you install a project in late April, your lien rights will expire in late August, so keep an eye on who owes you money and don’t give up your lien rights even if the homeowner says, “the check is in the mail.”

Statute of Limitations for Breach of Contract If you are not paid for the work you did, then the property owner has breached the contract you had with them. A contract can be oral or written, but enforcing a written contract is much easier because it has the specifics of the project on it and hopefully a date too.

If you want to sue a homeowner for breach of contract, you have six years from the date of the breach. I know, six years seems like a really long time, but every year I am amazed when a client comes into my office and only has a couple of months left before the statute of limitations runs out. Besides, the longer you wait, the less likely you are to get paid. If the homeowner owes you money, chances are that they owe other people money as well. In this situation, the sooner you get in line to get paid the better.

Also, keep in mind that the property owner may say that you didn’t do the work properly, which would constitute an earlier breach of contract than non-payment would.

Keep these timelines in mind this season as you begin work. Don’t give up your lien rights simply because you forgot about them!

➽ THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES GENERAL LEGAL INFORMATION on 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 before legal advice can be given. If you would like more information regarding anything here, please contact Patrick McGuiness at Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC at 651-206-3203 or pmcguiness@zmattorneys.com.

june 21 MNLA.BIZ

29

CORRECTION

CORRECTION:

Incorrect photos printed on page 42 of April 2021 Scoop In the April 2021 issue of The Scoop, Dr. David Roberts’ article (It’s an Emergency!! Hurry Up… AND WAIT … ASAP: Common Tree Healthcare Scenarios) contained an error in the layout, which was missed in our proofing process. On pages 41 and 42, the photos on page 41 were duplicated again on page 42, and photos 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E and 9 were left out of the article. As this article was a reprint originally published in Michigan Nursery & Landscape Association’s The Michigan Landscape magazine, we offer apologies to the association and Dr. Roberts for the error. The updated page with the correct photos is shown on the right. In addition, the April edition of The Scoop Online has been updated and shows the correct photos.

TREE HEALTH

Photo 8A

Photo 8B

Photo 8C

ing into sidewalks and streets. Furthermore, there are abundant diseases and pests that need attention if the decline of the trees is to be stopped or reversed. I’m planning to bid on the maintenance contract but think they also need to be encouraged to budget for and implement a tree replacement program. I thought if I hired you to provide an independent evaluation of their needs, perhaps they could be convinced of the need to gradually invest in their landscape and trees now rather than wait for disaster to strike with the accompanying costly investments to restore the community to its former glory. The name of the place is Tiffany & Kardashian Estates. What do you think?

– Crystal Rothschild, Discount Tree & Landscape Experts Discussion: While we might expect affluent communities to invest greater budget allotments in trees than less affluent ones, such is not always the case. It is not unusual for arborists to contact me and seek help by asking me to give independent, unbiased evaluations on trees at specific locations.

Condominium HOAs often believe arborists and landscapers are out to sell more or unnecessary work when, in fact, there usually are legitimate reasons for a comprehensive program.

Their rationale is, “If we haven’t needed to budget for tree work over the last 30 years, why should we need it now?” Arborists obviously know more about trees than the typical property owner who may not understand the plethora of issues that trees encounter. If nothing else, it is wise for members of our industry to provide options as insurance against forgetful members of the community or HOAs who might claim they were never warned about impending issues, which could become rather costly to fix the longer the procrastination occurs. Some of the more common issues we may encounter at neglected sites, even affluent sites, include: “outgrown” trees (Photo 8A), lack of proper pruning resulting in girdling branches and bad structure (Photo 8B), girdling roots (Photo 8C), and tree/ shrub decline (Photos 8D & 8E).

Many of these issues could have been averted with moderate investments in tree care on an annual basis rather than panic when major problems develop.

Regardless of the concerns at hand during my visits, I can usually count on the lawn receiving meticulous attention while trees and shrubs, like Rodney Dangerfield, “don’t get no respect” (Photo 9). ➽ DR. ROBERTS retired from Michigan State University in 2018 after committing four decades to advancing MSU’s Land Grant Mission, originally signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln during the midst of the American Civil War. He has published hundreds of articles and has taught hundreds of lectures and workshops. Dr. Roberts has researched many issues in Michigan’s plant industry, including Oak Wilt, Dutch Elm Disease, Diplodia Tip Blight of Pines, along with a variety of cultural problems such as plant nutrition and herbicide toxicity. During his career, he has

Photo 8D

discovered a variety of new diseases and pests such as Phomopsis Canker of Spruce and the first bacterial wilt disease of turfgrasses in North America. In the early 2000s, his research on Ash Decline in Southeast Michigan led to the discovery of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer in North America. You can reach The Plant Doctor at (248) 320-7124, treedoctordave@gmail.com or robertsd@msu.edu.

Photo 8E

Photo 9

42

30

MNLA.BIZ april 21

MNLA.BIZ june 21

8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E: At an affluent condominium site established 25–30 years ago, many trees are now outgrowing their rather confined sites; note proximity of spruce to the residential home (8A).

Due to neglect, serious branch strangulation from lack of proper pruning (8B) and girdling root issues (8C) are resulting in tree decline. In Photo 8D, many of the conifers (spruce and pine) are declining due to confined conditions, age, stress, poor irrigation management, etc. Years ago, this utility (8E) was initially hidden by an installation of three Taxus shrubs; the one on the left is now barely surviving, the one on the right is dead, and the one in the middle has been taken over by a boxelder tree and a buckthorn, both of which are being pruned by someone into the shape of the

original shrub! Apparently, these clues suggest these condo owners may not be that persnickety about their trees and shrubs.

9: When managing trees and landscapes, one foregone conclusion is that we can usually expect lawns to receive more attention and investment than trees. In general, I think consumers expect trees to be with us forever and that they should require little maintenance. In contrast, our clients have been conditioned to expect that lawns require constant inputs such as mowing, fertilization and weed control. It is our challenge to help the public understand the importance of the care of trees.

Photo 8A

Photo 8B

Photo 8C

ing into sidewalks and streets. Furthermore, there are abundant diseases and pests that need attention if the decline of the trees is to be stopped or reversed. I’m planning to bid on the maintenance contract but think they also need to be encouraged to budget for and implement a tree replacement program. I thought if I hired you to provide an independent evaluation of their needs, perhaps they could be convinced of the need to gradually invest in their landscape and trees now rather than wait for disaster to strike with the accompanying costly investments to restore the community to its former glory. The name of the place is Tiffany & Kardashian Estates. What do you think?

– Crystal Rothschild, Discount Tree & Landscape Experts Discussion: While we might expect affluent communities to invest greater budget allotments in trees than less affluent ones, such is not always the case. It is not unusual for arborists to contact me and seek help by asking me to give independent, unbiased evaluations on trees at specific locations.

Condominium HOAs often believe arborists and landscapers are out to sell more or unnecessary work when, in fact, there usually are legitimate reasons for a comprehensive program.

Their rationale is, “If we haven’t needed to budget for tree work over the last 30 years, why should we need it now?” Arborists obviously know more about trees than the typical property owner who may not understand the plethora of issues that trees encounter. If nothing else, it is wise for members of our industry to provide options as insurance against forgetful members of the community or HOAs who might claim they were never warned about impending issues, which could become rather costly to fix the longer the procrastination occurs. Some of the more common issues we may encounter at neglected sites, even affluent sites, include: “outgrown” trees (Photo 8A), lack of proper pruning resulting in girdling branches and bad structure (Photo 8B), girdling roots (Photo 8C), and tree/ shrub decline (Photos 8D & 8E).

Many of these issues could have been averted with moderate investments in tree care on an annual basis rather than panic when major problems develop.

Regardless of the concerns at hand during my visits, I can usually count on the lawn receiving meticulous attention while trees and shrubs, like Rodney Dangerfield, “don’t get no respect” (Photo 9). ➽ DR. ROBERTS retired from Michigan State University in 2018 after committing four decades to advancing MSU’s Land Grant Mission, originally signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln during the midst of the American Civil War. He has published hundreds of articles and has taught hundreds of lectures and workshops. Dr. Roberts has researched many issues in Michigan’s plant industry, including Oak Wilt, Dutch Elm Disease, Diplodia Tip Blight of Pines, along with a variety of cultural problems such as plant nutrition and herbicide toxicity. During his career, he has

Photo 8D

discovered a variety of new diseases and pests such as Phomopsis Canker of Spruce and the first bacterial wilt disease of turfgrasses in North America. In the early 2000s, his research on Ash Decline in Southeast Michigan led to the discovery of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer in North America. You can reach The Plant Doctor at (248) 320-7124, treedoctordave@gmail.com or robertsd@msu.edu.

Photo 8E

Photo 9

8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E: At an affluent condominium site established 25–30 years ago, many trees are now outgrowing their rather confined sites; note proximity of spruce to the residential home (8A).

Due to neglect, serious branch strangulation from lack of proper pruning (8B) and girdling root issues (8C) are resulting in tree decline. In Photo 8D, many of the conifers (spruce and pine) are declining due to confined conditions, age, stress, poor irrigation management, etc. Years ago, this utility (8E) was initially hidden by an installation of three Taxus shrubs; the one on the left is now barely surviving, the one on the right is dead, and the one in the middle has been taken over by a boxelder tree and a buckthorn, both of which are being pruned by someone into the shape of the

original shrub! Apparently, these clues suggest these condo owners may not be that persnickety about their trees and shrubs.

9: When managing trees and landscapes, one foregone conclusion is that we can usually expect lawns to receive more attention and investment than trees. In general, I think consumers expect trees to be with us forever and that they should require little maintenance. In contrast, our clients have been conditioned to expect that lawns require constant inputs such as mowing, fertilization and weed control. It is our challenge to help the public understand the importance of the care of trees.

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302 302 302

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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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.

Stock None Live None 8.25” x 10.75” kdenmark Acct Mgr Svc afinnan cube_0758.jpg RGB Folded Size Prod GM_business_choice.ai RoundStep_3in_Chevy_Silverado.jpg RGB Family_shot cube_exprss_slvrdo_a6.tif RGB Stock Live None 8.25” x 10.75” kdenmark Acct Svc cube_0758.jpg RGB Tonneau_Chevy.jpg RGB Folded Size None afinnan Mgr TBD 1 RoundStep_3in_Chevy_Silverado.jpg RGB Finishing Buyer To qualify, vehicles must be None used in day-to-day operations of your business and notArtProd solely for transportation purposes.

Must provide Family_shot cube_exprss_slvrdo_a6.tif RGB Family_Option_a3.tif RGB Tonneau_Chevy.jpg RGB None Folded Size None afinnan ProdBuyer Mgr TBD RoundStep_3in_Chevy_Silverado.jpg RGB 4320G_cs.tif CMYK Finishing Art Family_Option_a3.tif RGB Colors Spec’d 4C TBD Copy Edit Visit gmbusinesschoice.com or your Chevrolet or GMC dealer for details.

Tonneau_Chevy.jpg RGB 4320Gss.tif CMYK 4320G_cs.tif CMYK Finishing None TBD Art Buyer Colors Spec’d Family_Option_a3.tif RGB 4C TBD 1PROCS.tif CMYK Copy Edit nminieri/pm Mac with Business Central Special Instr.

4320Gss.tif CMYK 4320G_cs.tif CMYK 1PROSS.tif CMYK Colors Spec’d 1PROCS.tif CMYK 4C Business Central TBD CopyMac Edit nminieri/pm Special Instr. with 4320Gss.tif CMYK BasePkg_ss.tif CMYK Publications None 1PROSS.tif CMYK 1PROCS.tif CMYK 12KTFLCHEV021.tif RGB Mac nminieri/pm with Business Central Special Instr. None BasePkg_ss.tif CMYK Publications

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

Colors In-Use Cyan Colors In-Use

Last Modified 4-17-2012 3:37 PM 4-17-2012 3:37 PMDate Last Modified Printer Output 4-17-2012 3:37 PMDate Last Modified TITAN 4-20-2012 1:48 PM Printer Output

User ma-klane User

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CMYK RGB RGB CMYK RGB RGB RGB

Magenta Cyan Yellow Magenta Cyan Black Yellow Magenta Black Yellow Black

proof of business.

ma-klane Mechd By: nminieri ma-klane Mechd By: nminieri

TITANRTVd By: None TITANRTVd By: None

Mechd By: nminieri

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PROJECT PROFILE

Retreat COASTAL

JUDGES’ CHOICE AWARD PROJECT PROFILE

By Tim Johnson, LIVIT Site + Structure

Judges' Choice Award Project Profile

june 21 MNLA.BIZ

35

E

PROJECT PROFILE

ach year the MNLA Landscape Awards program judges choose their top three projects as they review and evaluate all entries. These votes are tallied and the winning project is announced first at the Green Industry Awards Celebration held the Tuesday of Northern Green week. This project represents the jury’s favorite project, chosen from all entries that year. The winner of the 2021 Judges Choice Award is Coastal Retreat by LIVIT Site + Structure. The judges said this project was a beautifully executed design that respects and enhances the original architecture, and seamlessly ties together a number of outdoor spaces. They also appreciated the great craftmanship that was taken to make this into a charming project.

Judge’s Comments • This design really enhances the house and surroundings. Close attention was paid to the details so that the new and existing are a unified whole.

• Large spaces that have an intimate feel is tricky, but the designer pulled it off.

• I was encouraged that the Minnesotabased designer enlisted local garden centers in California to help with plant selection.

• A very difficult site with close proximity to existing matures trees, and a drastic change in topography all addressed with sensitivity.

Project Description A long-owned beloved family retreat in Coastal California was restored and enhanced by a younger generation owner who wanted to keep making memories for years to come.

NEWS & NOTES

36

MNLA.BIZ june 21

The design brief was extensive: • Keep the aesthetic of the home true while also improving functionality, safety, and appearance.

• Create diverse outdoor living and play areas, including a pergola area, kitchen, and Bocce court, while preserving ancient oak trees on the property.

• Provide appropriate solutions for the arid and hot climate, including shady areas and proper water management and plantings.

The overall cohesion and improvement of the aesthetic and functionality were paramount.

We accomplished this by: • Sourcing stone materials to be a similar color range with the current stone, which no longer existed.

• Ensured that the paint and new structure beams tied into the original.

• Used timbers for the pergola that mimic the existing indoor beams.

Box Tree Moth Situation Unfolding

of boxwood (Buxus

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Photo 1: A long-owned beloved family retreat in Coastal California was restored and enhanced by a younger generation owner who wanted to keep the spirit of the original home, take every advantage of commanding views, create multiple exterior spaces for relaxation, entertaining and play, and improve the safety of all exterior structures.

Photo 2: Pre-construction front elevation

Photo 3: Over 100 lighting fixtures were added to the project which are zoned for entertaining and positioned around the main living areas to ensure good direction in the evening hours. The lighting helps detail the property and make it more welcoming.

• Used composite decking, which complimented the exterior paint with minimal maintenance • We used similar stone materials for the new flagstone patio, caps, columns, seat walls, bocce court and surround areas tying them into existing flagstone and helping to lighten the dark exterior.

• Introduced a custom twisted picket rail and stone columns for architectural interest.

• Designed custom plant hangers that complimented the railings.

• We removed two west walls and replacing it with one large engineer stone wall.

This provided added living space and premier sunset watching.

• Installed two flagstone walkways adding charm and breaking up the sea of concrete of the driveway and walkways in the front.

• Removed deck supports that were blocking views and limiting living space on the north side and transferred the support to new stone columns in that part of the pergola.

• Installed a bocce court with a specialized clay mix surface. Consulting with an arborist, we hand-dug, and hand removed materials to preserve the oaks and their

shallow root system and boast custom seating areas for players.

• Added 100+ zoned, LED lighting fixtures around the home for safety and ambiance.

• Worked with local engineers to ensure that the pergolas, decks, and retaining walls could withstand earthquakes.

• Worked with the local fire marshal to establish appropriate sub-pergola fire pit BTUs. The need for indoor/outdoor living was a crucial need for this client. They wanted maximum outdoor entertaining and play areas directly off their indoor living spaces.

04 nursery was infested

conducting trace-

Euonymus spp. until

the hopes of putting

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knowledge and

GROUNDSCAPE;

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these destinations.

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Outdoors Again;

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before the pest

Pray Farm; Prissel Transport.

suggests the problem may be of larger scope.

What’s next? While

Horticultural

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official word, USDA is

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Michigan). State and

all Canadian imports

pest life cycle and

federal officials are

of Buxus, Ilex, and

control options, in

june 21 MNLA.BIZ

37

PROJECT PROFILE

Photo 4: Two ancient Oaks were lovingly protected. Prior hardscapes existed that had prohibited root growth in the area of the Bocce court which allowed us to construct the court between the home and the trees. We consulted with a local arborist to ensure our efforts would enhance their ability to thrive.

Photo 5: Preconstruction area that will become the Bocce court

Photo 6: The bocce ball court adjacent to the oaks was hand dug and materials hand removed to ensure that root systems did not incur damage.

Photo 7: The new Bocce Court features a rock base with a Hartru playing surface. The surroundings have Flagstone landings/patios and custom seating for guests and players to take in the game. Under the front covered porch a new sea-salt concrete patio was renovated to match the existing front walk and driveway.

Photo 8: The original pavilion offered limited shelter, entertainment areas and was distinctly “separate” from the home. It would soon morph into an outdoor kitchen, dining and relaxing areas all taking advantage of the magnificent views.

Photo 9: The new living room and kitchen area featuring multiple sitting and eating areas, a custom kitchen area and fire table now bring sophistication and entertainment to this space.

Photo 10: The dining/living room/kitchen boasts phenomenal views and ample custom seating, lighting and furnishings. We installed a Boxwood hedge along the space to provide seasonal color, but that are low enough to not impede the view.

Photo 11: The kitchen area showcases two custom designed removable, live succulent walls which have drip irrigation to maintain their lush color.

These frames soften the surrounding stone and bring life to the space.

Photo 12: The living room also allows for quiet nights by the fire table or watching bocce with a glass of wine. This multiple use space is designed for a party but is equally fitting for intimate outdoor dinners.

38

MNLA.BIZ june 21

Photo 13: We removed and replaced the surrounding and dilapidated wall supporting the pavilion area.

Photo 14: We designed/engineered/built one wall to recover more living, court, and landscaping space. Adding stone to the wall and a custom fence for safety helped tie the architecture of the new wall and fence/railings together with the rest of the project details.

• We created both a larger entertaining dining space and a more informal and intimate dining area.

• A north-facing fire pit was placed just off the home’s kitchen and living room.

• There are five patio spaces for lounging right outside the home’s four bedrooms.

• The outdoor kitchen and west pergola areas were situated to capture the evening sunsets and be an excellent spot to watch bocce.

Photo 15: Working with a local nursery, we sourced locally to fit the coastal climate ranges.

Plantings included Boxwood, Palms, Crape Myrtle, Camellia’s, Roses for a cutting garden, Strawberry Trees, and Japanese Maples.

Photo 16: Pre-construction north deck. The existing roof supports took up valuable living space and the bulky railing obstructed the views.

This climate of central California required additional thought for water management and plantings.

• We installed drip irrigation for all hanging planters, pots, succulent walls, and garden beds.

• Turf irrigation was rebuilt to fit the new design.

• All areas are zoned for their conditions for better water management.

• Water runoff was collected and redistrib-

uted to rock basins and tall grass areas to capture water.

• Carefully selected plantings of bushes, trees, annuals, and perennials sourced from local nurseries and chosen to withstand the climate. The client also wanted some plantings from their native Minnesota and replicated her Aunt’s previous choices The result is a magical transformation that captures the original home’s essence, allows june 21 MNLA.BIZ

39

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PROJECT PROFILE

Photo 17: New composite decking was added, and various support posts replaced to evolve the aesthetic of the outdoor space and enhance vistas. Five intimate seating areas surround the main home for private contemplation or one-on-one morning coffees. Custom designed plant hangers and railing complete the space.

Photo 18: Evening views of this exceptional vista. The lighting program enhances the deck and surrounding landscaping.

Photo 19: The new stone columns and eyebrow pergola help frame the sublime view. We also worked with the local fire marshal and vendors to ensure that the fire table was the correct spatial relationship to the pergola.

for play, entertaining, relaxing, and taking advantage of the glorious views. The new space is treasured by the family and is both safer and modernized. Surely family predecessors would be proud of these improvements, and the family’s future generations will continue to enjoy this beloved property.

Photo 20: Inside and out of doors living become seamless in this home as one area opens to the next and beckons one out. june 21 MNLA.BIZ

41

PROTECT How to

YOUR POSITION AS A MARKET LEADER

Chris Heiler

iStock.com/BrianAJackson

Landscape Leadership

BUSINESS

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I want to tell you a story about a landscaping company that no longer exists. A short time before their demise they were regarded as the most creative and successful design/build company in their local market. They were one of the three largest as measured by annual revenue. They were the company to work with and work for.

I worked with this company. Unfortunately, I was there to see it come to an abrupt end when it was sold for peanuts and absorbed into another local landscaping company. It didn’t have to happen that way.

What a leader looks like This was a firmly established market leader with a twenty-year pedigree. They had market share and share of mind. Let’s define these two terms before moving on with our story.

Market share represents the percentage of an industry, or a market’s total sales, that is earned by a particular company over a specified time period. Market share is calculated by taking the company’s sales over the period and dividing it by the total sales of the industry over the same period.1 If total lawn care sales in the Minneapolis market was $200 million in one year and your lawn care sales were $10 million in that same time frame you would have a 5% market share.

Mindshare — or share of mind — is a term that describes the amount of consumer awareness or popularity surrounding a particular product, idea, or company. It is the consumer perception of a particular brand compared to their rivals.2 This is much more difficult to quantify compared to market share, though still very important.

[Insert Market_Share-share-of-mind.tif] This company had top revenues and the top rung of the ladder in the mind of their prospects. So, what happened? Both the company’s market share and share of mind were eroded over a number of years as, simultaneously, key employees left to join competitors or start their own companies in the same market, and the company changed ownership three times. That’s a lot of turmoil, but not so much that it should have buried the company.

The real problem was that this once-strong landscaping business got complacent and did absolutely nothing to protect their leadership position in the market as operations were

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“

IMPORTANT: HOW YOU MARKET YOUR BUSINESS AS THE LEADER IN YOUR MARKETPLACE SHOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT COMPARED TO HOW YOU PROMOTED YOUR SERVICES WHEN YOU STARTED YOUR COMPANY AND WERE CHASING THE TOP COMPANIES.

becoming unhinged. They had a giant target on their chest, and instead of fighting back, they sat in their corner and took all the best punches from their competitors (many of whom had once worked at the company!).

I watched all this happen. I heard customers calling to complain and cancel maintenance contracts. I heard past employees disparaging the company and taking clients. I saw the leads dry up. It was brutal.

Protecting your leadership position The company-wide ego clouded the reality of the situation. They thought once at the top of the mountain, always at the top. Wrong-o! You must protect your position at the top!

As a leader in your marketplace there are numerous things you need to do to maintain your position. Recruiting, culture, quality of service, pricing strategy... all of these things are important. However, in this article, I’m going to focus strictly on what you can do from a marketing perspective.

Marketing — or lack thereof — is exactly where this company dropped the ball. They did absolutely nothing as it relates to marketing. As I’ve described, they thought they could survive on reputation alone.

You need to shift your marketing strategy for the present reality, not stop marketing all together like this company I’ve described.

When I think about this “shift”, I put the various marketing strategies and tactics into five big buckets: 1. Polish your brand 2. Advertise your leadership position 3. Stay involved in your community 4. Promote your industry 5. Promote your thought leadership As you can probably see, maintaining your leadership position in your market comes down to elevating your visibility. Let’s go in-depth into each of these...

1. Polish your brand You know what it takes to protect your leadership position? Money! Now is the time to spend that profit, not hoard it for your exit. If your visual brand identity (i.e.- logo and other assets) is a bit outdated, then now is the time to refresh it. Wrap those vehicles. And do it in a way that screams, “We’re the leader!” (i.e., not cheap asses) and elicits a heavy sigh of disdain from your competitors.

How you present your company online — namely your website — should reflect your

”

position in the marketplace. In other words, you should have the best damn website in your market. After all, isn’t that what your customers and prospects expect from the leader?? I can say the same about your visual assets like photography and video.

Spend the money to keep your competitors a step or two behind. If not now, then when?

After your competitors knock you off the mountain top? Then you’ll open your wallet??

That’ll be too late.

2. Advertise your leadership position Starbucks spent less than $10 million on advertising in its first ten years. They relied on publicity and word of mouth to grow their brand. Wal-mart, Microsoft, and Google did the same. Only recently have you seen paid advertising from Amazon on your television.

There’s a reason for that... and a lesson for you.

Today, all of these companies advertise.

But, they don’t advertise to build their brand, they advertise to defend their brand from competition and to maintain their leadership position in the minds of consumers.

ABC Home and Commercial Services is a do-it-all kind of landscaping company here in Austin, Texas. They may be the largest comjune 21 MNLA.BIZ

47

iStock.com/anyaberkut

BUSINESS

pany, as measured by total revenue, in Central Texas. They advertise regularly on television, radio, and billboards throughout Austin. They spend considerable advertising dollars to defend and protect their leadership position.

Speaking of spending... Throw out the idea of return on investment (ROI) as it relates to paid advertising channels like television, radio, and print. Starbucks and Amazon don’t spend millions of dollars on advertising to grow their brand and capture more market share.

Remember, they spend those millions to protect their brand. They don’t expect a return on their investment in the traditional sense.

As the leader in your local marketplace, this should be your mentality too. If contemplating a radio advertising campaign for $20,000, the primary question should not be, “Hmm, well, are we going to sell $80,000 worth of work to pay for this campaign?” The question to ask is whether or not your ads are going to reach the right audience first of all.

Assuming this to be the case, then your strategy should be to promote and reinforce your leadership position in the mind of consumers.

48

MNLA.BIZ june 21

Side note: Direct response advertising, like post cards, is completely different. You should absolutely consider ROI with a direct response advertising campaign. Back to the company I worked for who eventually went under...

As I’m sure you can guess, they didn’t spend a dime on advertising. Their mentality was, “Why would we spend money on advertising when everyone already knows who we are?” I guess they thought they were smarter than Starbucks and Amazon.

3. Stay involved in your community When this company was quietly acquired and had to move its longtime office and three acres of plant inventory and hard goods over the course of a summer, they didn’t even bother to put a sign in front of the property telling onlookers what was happening. Unsurprisingly, the word around town and throughout the industry was that the company was going out of business. But that wasn’t the case at the time.

Can you imagine a scenario like this? Such complacency that even a sign was too much

of a bother! Don’t be like this, please. Leaders don’t hide away in a basement. They are front and center. They sponsor events and causes in their local community.

In May 2020, ABC Home & Commercial Services pledged to donate a portion of its sales to local food banks through June, 2020, resulting in $82,380 in donations, which provided nearly 330,000 meals across Texas.

Leverage your leadership position in the community for media opportunities and free publicity. Bobby Jenkins, owner of ABC, was recently interviewed on television about their involvement in the annual KVUE 5 Who Care Awards, in which they are a lead sponsor. Be active and be visible.

4. Promote your industry The lawn and landscaping industry is not a zero-sum game. There’s no consumer spending cap. Because of this your company’s growth strategy should include promoting and growing the entire market for your services while protecting and maintaining your position as the leader. Would you rather have

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6% market share in a $200 million marketplace or 5% in a $300 million marketplace?

Do the math.

It’s the ole’ “grow the pie” metaphor in action. See the illustration above. “Growing the pie” requires innovation and leadership on your part as the market leader, not stagnation and complacency. This is one reason I appreciate professionals like Mike Rorie, Marty Grunder, and Jim McCutcheon who understand what it means to grow the pie and don’t shy away from a leadership position in promoting the lawn and landscaping industry as a whole. It helps their companies... and everyone else.

Participate in your state and local industry associations. Take a leadership role to spur innovation in others. Showing up and being visible within your industry helps protect your position as the market leader.

5. Promote your thought leadership There was so much turnover in ownership and key employees at this doomed company that all credibility, authority, and thought

leadership slowly drained away. There was no leader or figurehead. It’s impossible for a company to maintain market leadership without this.

Be a thought leader in your market. This is where content marketing comes into play, whether that’s through writing, video, or even podcasting. YOU, the owner or executive, should be front and center in this initiative.

This can include speaking at local or industry events if you are comfortable in that role. You are a recognized leader. Your peers and prospects want to hear your insight. This strategy supports the previous two points I made: Stay involved in your community and promote your industry.

Wrap up At the time, the fall of this company I was working for seemed very dramatic. But, in hindsight, it was a slow progression rather than a sudden push off a cliff. Their market share decreased little by little while slowly moving down the ladder of consumer awareness until they were merely an afterthought,

rather than the leader like they once were.

This story should serve as a cautionary tale for any of you who currently find yourselves as one of the leading companies in your marketplace. This fall can happen to any company.

You must be proactive and purposeful in protecting your leadership position. I hope this article provided you some insight into how you can do exactly that.

References: 1. Definition of market share (https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marketshare.asp) 2. Definition of mindshare (https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/mindshare.asp) ➽ CHRIS HEILER is the founder and CEO of Landscape Leadership. He has been in the green industry for over 20 years.

Aside from leading the team at Landscape Leadership he enjoys speaking at green industry events across the country sharing his insights on marketing and sales. Chris now lives in Austin, TX, a transplant from the Midwest. This article was first published at landscapeleadership. com/blog/protect-your-leadership-position.

TIME TO RENEW! GREAT INCENTIVE FOR ONLINE RENEWAL! The first part of June you should receive an email with information about renewing your 2021–2022 MNLA membership. If you renew your membership online by July 31, 2021 you will be entered in a drawing for $150 CASH! (This does not apply to delayed payment option.)

DID YOU KNOW? You have the option of delaying your dues payment until August 15, 2021.

Feel free to contact the MNLA office if we can be of any assistance to you during the renewal process or for more information on any of our products and services. We are available at 651.633.4987 or mnla@mnla.biz.

Your continued support and involvement as a member of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is greatly appreciated! Providing you with education, legislative support, networking, and other member services is why MNLA exists.

june 21 MNLA.BIZ

51

CURIOUS Cultivating the

HOW RETAILERS CAN ENGAGE WITH A FLOURISHING GENERATION OF NEW GARDENERS

Kym Pokorny

iStock.com/FatCamera

Oregon State University Extension Service

RETAIL

This article first appeared in Digger magazine, published by the Oregon Association of Nurseries. Subscribe to Digger at www. diggermagazine.com.

As the pandemic gripped the world in early

spring 2020, toilet paper, yeast and canning supplies weren’t the only products disappearing off shelves. Plants flew out of many garden centers at an unprecedented, or at least unexpected, pace. All of a sudden, everyone in the country wanted to garden — and many in the nursery industry were caught by surprise.

Growers struggled to get plants to garden centers as the pandemic drug on and retailers scrambled to get them to the consumer. The garden centers that were allowed to stay open saw sales jump 25% to 30% in March and April. Sales for online companies went up a staggering 300% to 400%, according to Diane Blazek, executive director of the National Garden Bureau.

Edibles drove a lot of those sales. Not only do people want to pick high-quality fresh produce feet from their kitchen, they want to be sure they don’t run out. “Developing a green thumb is a way to pass the time for some people, but for others they are using it as a way to attempt to make sure they have access to fresh food after the panic buying that led to shortages in grocery stores,” said Suzy Hancock, general manager of Portland Nursery in Portland, Oregon.

The spike in edible gardening reminds some people of the ‘victory gardens’ of World War I and II, a hugely successful campaign to get Americans to grow and donate fresh food that was scarce at the time. James H. Burdett, founder of the National Garden Bureau, which is celebrating its centennial this year, wrote the Victory Garden Manual in 1943. As Blazek was sitting at her desk last March, she spied the book on a shelf and decided to bring it back to life. Excerpts and tips from the manual now live on the National Garden Bureau website and give people an easy entrée into gardening. New gardeners love it and the organization’s social media accounts have blossomed. That success could be mirrored by others in the industry.

Hordes of young gardeners

About 20 million new gardeners joined the fold last year, adding to the 50 million people already engaged in the pursuit, according to Katie Dubow. She is the president of Garden Media Group, a nationwide marketing agency that conducts annual surveys for the green 54

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industry. A majority of these new horticulture adherents are under 35 and find themselves with time on their hands, particularly on the weekends that were usually filled with kid events or social obligations. “The biggest competition in the industry is outside activities,” Dubow said. “People are busy with weekend activities and all of a sudden they stopped. Now they have time to garden or to learn to garden, and bring their kids into gardening, too.”

In her research, Bridget Behe, professor of horticultural marketing at Michigan State University, found that bored millennials turn online to find out more about gardening.

Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram inspire them, and blogs and other reliable sites show them how to turn that inspiration into reality.

Behe underscores the importance of driving customers to informative sites. If your website is one of those — and it should be — then it makes sense to have a business card to hand out to customers. “Millennials are very social, and they can’t be social while we’re in this pandemic,” Behe said. “But they can be social online and explore information. I know people on Instagram that have millions of followers.”

If you think you can go without social media, spend some time with Dubow. It can make the difference between a ho-hum business and a thriving one and will be an important factor in holding on to last year’s growth.

She used the example of influencer Timothy Hammond, the Big City Gardener, who uses social media and the internet to share gardening tips, teach growing techniques, and chronicle his garden. His Instagram followers sat at about 2,000 for a year. Then, almost overnight, his followers rose to almost 70,000. That’s just one example, she pointed out. There is a whole slew of potential Martha Stewarts out there. Hitch your star to one of them, and it could shine pretty bright.

Social media influencers make a job out of spreading their — or many company’s — message through their many platforms. They often have blogs and make money or accept products in exchange for touting your business. Think of them as brand ambassadors.

Dubow encourages nurseries to work with these social media influencers. They can be found by checking hashtags — #gardening, #pollinators, etc. — and taking note of who has the most followers. One can then message them directly to see if they’re interested in a working relationship. “There are so many examples,” Dubow said. “People are

on the internet and looking for education and inspiration. Companies are behind the scenes helping influencers grow, and vice versa. You can do that, too.”

Being ready for customers online Facebook, which is where the customers are, should be part of your business plan.

Yes, it takes time, but according to Dubow, it’s effective. When using Facebook, she strongly suggests boosting posts, a practice that costs about $25 or less a post. See which posts do the best and use that information to inform future decisions, not only about what to post, but also possibly about what to grow. “Facebook is like a vacuum,” she said. “Boosting posts reaches much more people. Boost one post a week. Post, see what does best, and boost that one.”

Brian Bauman, owner of Bauman’s Farm & Garden in Gervais, Oregon, was an early adherent to Facebook and finds the payback worth the effort. “We stress to customers to go to our Facebook page,” he said. “All of a sudden, you’re there and see beautiful photos and you can get your questions answered.

The engagement is phenomenal.”

Even if you don’t want to go that route, you can up your online presence by producing a clean, attractive, easy-to-navigate website. It can be basic, but Dubow believes it’s necessary. Adding a blog or sections of tips, plant lists or garden calendars can be s good driver for customers to come back to your website.

Good photos are a must. People want to see what you have to offer, especially mail-order customers.

If education is key, Dubow recommends that the number one component going forward and the best way to offer education is through a newsletter. Start to capture emails at point of sale or have a sign-up on your website. Decorate your newsletter with beautiful photos and have customers share theirs.

Reader-generated content gets a lot of eyes.

Capitalizing on ‘The Great Reset’ Dubow’s agency called this year’s survey The Great Reset, and it indicates big change in the industry. “We were all tracking the rat race, going through the motions of life,” Dubow said. “I think COVID made us stop.

We had to. It gave everyone the chance to reset. One big lesson the industry is learning is that change is a good thing. People are still hesitant about having a website or being on Facebook, but this has forced us to pivot and enter the new world. We should have done it a decade ago.”

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MNLA Certified Professional Fellows

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In January 2020, the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association instituted a Certified Professional Fellow designation for MNLA Certified Professionals who are in good standing (e.g., not lapsed or expired) and who have maintained their status as an MNLA Certified Professional for at least 20 consecutive years.

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Certified Professional Fellows are longstanding nursery and landscape professionals and are recognized as industry leaders. Their commitment to uphold, improve and promote standards F E L L O W of professional excellence, and consistent participation in professional development activities and service to the green industry is being recognized with this Fellow designation. MNLA would like to congratulate the following Certified Professionals who achieved the Fellow designation as of May 2021: • Donna Atallian, Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery, Inc. (MNLA CP since 1998) • Dale Bachman, Bachman’s Inc. (MNLA CP since 1983) • Richard Brickley, Jr., Bachman’s Inc. (MNLA CP since 1995) • Ron Davidson, Amity Creek Landscaping of Duluth, (MNLA CP since 1997) • Ken Dehkes, Hamline University (MNLA CP since 1989) • Kimberly Gaida-Wagener, Rock Hard Landscape Supply (MNLA CP since 1999) • Steven Hutton (MNLA CP since 1990) • David Lange, Lange’s Nursery & Landscaping, Inc. (MNLA CP since 1995 • David Lewis, Sargent’s Nursery, Inc. (MNLA CP since 1995) • Debbie Lonnee, Bailey Nurseries, Inc. (MNLA CP since 1995) • Jeff Pilla, Professional Turf, Inc. (MNLA CP since 1998)

• Lori Reiland, Custom Retaining Walls & Landscaping, Inc (MNLA CP since 1993) • Rich Schillinger, Professional Turf, Inc. (MNLA CP since 1994) • Scott Solomonson, Living Space Landscapes, Inc. (MNLA CP since 1995) • Cheryle Wilke, Flying W Gardens LLP (MNLA CP since 1995) • Paulette Wozniak, Environmental Care Nursery & Landscaping (MNLA CP since 1982) • Bruce Zeman, Lakeside Lawn & Landscape, Inc. (MNLA CP since 1999)

june 21 MNLA.BIZ

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RETAIL

More than 80% of those surveyed by Garden Media Group who had picked up gardening during the pandemic said they would continue to garden. That’s a huge business opportunity. “I really believe 2020 can be looked at as a foundation year,” said Bauman, “The pandemic got people into gardening. We have a lot of opportunity for that growth to continue. Customers are given the opportunity to be successful because they have the time. We are trying any way and every way we can to feel better. Once you garden and feel better, it’s been a success. They get their toe in and will keep doing it.”

Catering to changing habits The pandemic has also shifted people’s shopping habits with an explosion of mail-order online plant shopping and curbside pickup.

Bauman thinks those trends will continue.

Blazek agrees. “Garden centers were forced to recognize that they need a good online ordering system,” she said. “More garden centers should also offer preordering to customers. I needed red and white flowers for my daughter’s wedding, and I couldn’t go to the garden center and get them. Preordering took

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the chance out of it, and I got what I wanted.

These are changes that are needed.”

At Portland Nursery, sales were high even though doors had to close for two beautifully sunny weeks in March to prepare for proper distancing and other safety protocols and again during Oregon’s summer wildfires.

Parking spaces were lost when the lot was rearranged for curbside pickup. Still, profits equaled last year’s bottom line, according to Hancock. “For all that time being closed, we’re ending up the same last year, which is absolutely phenomenal in my mind,” she said.

“We had a stupendous year.”

So did Bauman’s, where they modified the shop for personal distancing so that customers had to walk by every item. The idea was wildly successful, resulting in higher-than-average individual tickets sales, which offset fewer in-store shoppers because of COVID. Bauman saw vegetable plant and seed sales take off, as well as houseplants and containers.

“People who would have been saving up money for a trip are spending it on plants,” Bauman said. “They’re working from home, on Zoom calls, and looking out the window

and see a plant they need to water. It’s possible for them to do that. Our customers are more successful gardeners because they have more time than in the past.”

Sustaining the boom Hancock and others worry about the supply chain for spring, but are planning ahead so that shortages don’t occur. If there’s ever a year to do careful buying, this is it, she said.

“We don’t want shortages this spring,” Hancock said. “We are going to buy in a way that we can back out and slow down if we need to.” Chances are she won’t need to, though. “If I had a crystal ball — although everyone’s is a little cracked right now — I’d say we definitely had a shift,” professor Behe said. “Going into spring, people are still restricted. The stimulus was passed. Unless they’re unemployed, people are going to keep gardening. Odds are in our favor that we could sustain this.” ➽ KYM POKORNY is a garden writer with more than 20 years’ experience writing for The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon) and other publications. She is currently a communications specialist with Oregon State University Extension Service.

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COFFEE CHATS

Something new this summer at MNLA! Free Mini Education Sessions are being offered from 7:30 AM—8:30 AM at the MNLA Office this summer/fall. Balance is important—even during a busy summer season. We invite you to take time to attend a session or demo in the MNLA landscape, meet up with industry colleagues, and grab a togo coffee and donut before heading to work.

Sessions will begin in June and will be posted on the MNLA Event Page and Facebook page as they are scheduled. Please RSVP at MNLA.biz.

2021 Summer Coffee Chat Mini Sessions JUNE 24 Irrigation Smart Controllers

AUGUST 12 Rain Gardens

Steve Pallas, Hunter FX Luminaire. will be on hand to discuss smart controllers—new features, how they are being used in the MNLA landscape, and how and why you should use them in your landscapes.

A well designed rain garden will help manage stormwater, provide habitat and floral resources for pollinators, and add curb appeal. Michael Keenan, Urban Ecosystems, will take a comprehensive look at rain gardens—from watershed analysis, to design, install, and maintenance.

JULY 15 What’s New in Hardscaping Craig Vardy with Techniseal will introduce us to two new products: 1) DriBond which installs like sand, but preforms like mortar; and 2) NOCO—a “nocompaction” polymeric sand that is the only poly sand on the market that can be considered an alternate to mortar. Learn about polymeric sands and what they do to preserve the structural integrity longevity of paver projects.

Lighting is an important feature of landscape design. Learn from Steve Pallas, Hunter FX Luminaire, how lighting design was incorporated into the MNLA landscape. New lighting products and elements related to lighting design will also be discussed.

JULY 29 IPM in the Landscape

SEPTEMBER 9 Fall Container Demonstration

Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is a strategic approach to pest problems in the landscape. Erin Buchholz, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, will share the concept of IPM and how it is used at the Arboretum to deal with pests from pathogens to wildlife. Learn how you can use IPM to effectively deal with pests using research based knowledge and the safest techniques.

Take your containers to the next level. Anita Volkenant, President of Pleasant View Gardens, will provide a container demonstration just in time for your fall creations. Anita’s demo will include everything we love about the season—kale, pumpkins, gourds, and more!

2021 Summer Coffee Chat Mini Sessions Generously Sponsored By: 58

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MNLA.BIZ june 21

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

The Online Session: Heading for Special Session(s)?

Forrest Cyr

MNLA Director of Government Affairs

With the 2021 Minnesota legislative session constitutionally mandated to conclude at the end of May, as of today (May 14) much work still needs to be accomplished before the legislature can conclude for the year.

In 2021 (and every year ending in an odd number), the Minnesota Legislature works to produce the Minnesota state budget, funding state agencies, programs, and the government for the following biennium. If this work is not finalized by the end of the regular legislative session, a special session, or multiple special sessions, are called by the Governor to conclude the unfinished legislative business and set the budget.

The legislative budget process is a massive undertaking during normal legislative operating protocols, and is a massively daunting task for the legislature when conducting legislative business online, as was demonstrated by the legislature during the 2021 session. At the time this column was written, the legislature still had several days left in the regular session; however, with little progress from the legislature on the overall budget and even less agreement between the House and the Senate on key issues such as PPP tax relief and vehicle emissions standards, the likelihood of a special session remains high.

While there were challenges and growing pains to adapt to the new reality of an online session, the legislative process was largely unobstructed by technical roadblocks. However, as the legislative session concludes with large parts of the budget yet to be finalized and agreed upon, lawmakers begin preparations for the legislative and budgetary work to extend into the summer. In the past few years, every budget session has ended with a special session, and 2020 (a non-budget year) set a record for special sessions in a year mired by COVID-19.

Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, seven

special sessions were called to address the unfinished businesses of the 2020 regular session as well as to continue the Governor’s ongoing COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency. Given that Minnesota has a split government with the House controlled by the DFL and the Senate controlled by the GOP, 2021 may see a similar outcome, with many sessions possibly needed to address the issues facing Minnesota and to finish the budget for 2022–2023.

If an agreement cannot be reached in a timely manner, many important programs will lack funding and cease operations.

MNLA is working with legislative stakeholders to urge passage of the final budget which includes many provisions of interest to the Green Industry. For example, the Environment and Natural Resources Conference Committee is considering numerous provisions with direct impacts on MNLA members statewide, including funding for Emerald Ash Borer mitigation, continued funding for the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pest Center (MITPPC) funding included in the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF), and other important LCCMR funding projects seeking final legislative budget approval. Without the funding for MITPPC, successful research efforts, like the development of genetic tests to detect Palmer amaranth seeds in seed stocks, will stop, existing, interdisciplinary research teams will fall apart, and researchers will be unable to progress to the next phases of their research. The state’s budget has realworld impacts and MNLA is working to ensure that the budget is completed in a timely manner with funding for programs that help the Green Industry thrive.

➽ 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. june 21 MNLA.BIZ

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GILI

GILI is a unique leadership development program custom designed with a Green Industry focus. It is open to a select cohort each year.

The course meets 10 times during the year, one time per month February to December (except May). The curriculum is founded on the power skills (referred to by many as “soft skills”) needed for leaders in today’s workplace, tailored for the MNLA community.

HOW TO LEVERAGE YOUR INVESTMENT DURING (AND AFTER) THE GILI YEAR The investment of money that GILI requires is substantial (currently $1,400 per student), but so is the time required to make the training truly successful.

Ensuring your company receives the full value of the program means giving extra focus and energy into developing your chosen candidate this year. It’s only one year, but it can go by very fast as the intensity of the season hits and more immediate concerns take center stage.

To leverage your investment the sponsor (the final decision-maker that sends an employee to the Leadership Institute) AND the direct manager (the supervisor who works directly with the employee on a daily basis) play key roles in embedding the employee’s learning curve back into the organization, helping them connect the dots in application as well as offering them new opportunities to challenge themselves.

These are the best practices we’ve seen and now recommend to all companies who choose to invest in MNLA’s Leadership Institute. Creating accountability by defining roles and responsibilities is key.

1. SPONSOR: Check-in with the student-participant a minimum of 3 times within the 11-month course.

2. DIRECT MANAGER: Communicate each month with your student-participant about their course learning and project so that the student does not feel they are being left to fend for themselves. These checkins, if more frequent, do not need to be lengthy. By establishing a touch-base cadence you reinforce new habits and help to connect the dots between the class and their daily work.

3. BOTH SPONSOR AND DIRECT MANAGER: • Make sure the student feels they can attend the Institute sessions each month and that the work schedule will allow for this. At times, the student may feel obligated to remain at work due to what is happening on the day of a session. Remind them that attendance in the course is important to the company and it’s okay to leave work.

• Offering up your observations (feedback) and asking questions to allow the student to share their progress is especially important. During the course of the 10 sessions, the facilitator will send to the sponsor an email with a check-in question that connects to some of the course topics.

MORE INFO & APPLICATION FORM AT WWW.MNLA.BIZ/LEADERSHIP. For questions contact Jon Horsman, MNLA Associate Director: 651-633-4987 or jon@mnla.biz.

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SAMPLE 1:1 CHECK-IN SESSION 1. Review the student’s progress in completing the project • How well is the project progressing?

• Is it on track or what might be causing the project to be off track?

• How can I support your efforts?

2. Review the student’s progress and attitude toward the course • How’s it going? What have you learned or what are your “take-aways”?

• How can we/you put the skill or concept learned into practice…apply to your job?

• What are your challenges or concerns with this course?

• Give Candid Feedback: “Since you’ve started this course, I’ve noticed this about the way you…”

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Convenience, control, and a fuel rebate up to 5¢ per gallon with the SPEEDWAY BUSINESS FLEET CARD program!

MNLA CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL MANUAL is online and FREE for members.

Save 10¢/gallon for the first 90 days, then save 6¢ on every gallon purchased at CIRCLE K/HOLIDAY STATIONSTORES.

Receive a discounted rate from ZLIMEN & MCGUINESS, PLLC, attorneys who understand the green industry.

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PLUS, save on registration for events, tours, seminars, and conferences, including Northern Green.

Marketing Discounts: Want to reach members with your product, service or message?

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For more information, visit www.MNLA.biz or contact Mary at 651-633-4987 or mary@mnla.biz.

Upcoming Classes & Events WIDMER GOLF TOURNAMENT

PLANT COMBINATIONS

CRYSTAL LAKE GOLF CLUB, LAKEVILLE

JUL 20

JUL 28

LANDSCAPE DESIGN TOUR

MEMBER APPRECIATION DAY

AUG 11

MNLA OFFICE, ROSEVILLE

SAINTS GAME

JUMPING WORM SEMINAR

AUG 18

AUG 25

CHS FIELD, ST. PAUL

MNLA SHOOTOUT

SEP 21

GAME UNLIMITED GUN CLUB, HUDSON

Go to www.MNLA.biz/events to sign up for these events and more!

AUG 18

NORTHERN GREEN

JAN 11-13

MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER For these events, 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.

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At Ziegler Rental, our fleet stays on the job in Minnesota and Iowa, ensuring quick availability at our 25 convenient locations. From a wide array of attachments, loaders, skid steers, telehandlers, and more, we can provide you with a solution. In addition to the full line of Cat ® equipment, we also carry equipment from leading industry brands. We’ve got it all at Ziegler Rental.

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