The Scoop Online – January 2012

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THE

From the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Garden Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 MDA Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Day on the Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Landscape Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Herbaceous Growers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Irrigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27, 32 Public Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 29 Commercial Arborists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 MNLA Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31 Sustainable Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Stormwater Management . . . . . . . . . . . 36 University of Minnesota . . . . . . . . . 37, 40 Plant of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Landscape Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

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ADVERTISER INDEX A Top Notch Equipment.....................................7 Allstate Peterbilt Group ..................................32 Anchor Block Company....................................41 Ancom Communication & Technical Center........................................45 Anderson Nurseries, Inc. .................................18 Aspen Equipment ...........................................11 Bailey Nurseries, Inc. ......................................39 Baker Lake Nursery.........................................46 Belgard Hardscapes - Northfield......................19 Bridgewater Tree Farms..................................35 Bullis Insurance Agency ..................................42 Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ ProGreen Plus ...........................................33 Casualty Assurance .........................................20 Central Landscape Supply ...............................46 Central Wisconsin Evergreens, Inc....................42 Crow River Greenhouse & Nursery....................30 Crysteel Truck Equipment................................48 Cushman Motor Co. Inc....................................50 Custom Truck Accessories ................................18 D. Hill Nursery Co..............................................4 Dayton Bag & Burlap ........................................9 Evergreen Nursery Co., Inc...............................22 Fireside Hearth & Home..................................43 Gardenworld Inc.............................................14

Great Northern Equipment Distributing, Inc........................................49 Hal Tiffany Agency..........................................36 Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies ..........31 Hennepin Technical College.............................14 Jeff Belzer Chevrolet ........................................5 JRK Seed and Turf Supply ................................21 Kage Innovation.............................................10 McKay Nursery Co. ..........................................48 Natural Industries ..........................................16 North Country Ford.........................................42 Northern Christmas Trees & Nursery ................12 Out Back Nursery............................................43 Plaisted Companies ........................................29 Quality Insurance Service..................................4 RDO Equipment Co..........................................34 RDO Integrated Controls .................................44 TerraDek Lighting, Inc.....................................12 The Builders Group ...........................................9 The Tessman Company ....................................23 Titan Machinery .......................................25, 52 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc....................................2, 17 Truck Utilities & Mfg. Co. .................................24 Vermeer Sales & Service..................................47 Ziegler Cat .......................................................3

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©2009 General Motors

Upcoming Events January Super Tuesday. Minneapolis Convention Center. For more information www.mnla.biz!

MNLA CEO Symposium. Hyatt Regency Hotel, Minneapolis. For more information www.mnla.biz.

4-6 – Northern Green Expo. Minneapolis Convention Center. Exhibit contracts available online at www.northerngreenexpo.org or call 651-633-4987.

18-20 – Mid-Am Trade Show. Navy Pier, Chicago. More information available online at www.midam.org.

20 – MNLA Certification Exam. Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park. For more information, see page 26 or visit www.mnla.biz.

3– 3–

February 29 – Container Gardens through the Seasons. TIES Conference Center, St. Paul. For more information, see page 26 or visit www.mnla.biz.

29 – Meet the Press: Marketing via Media Relations. TIES Conference Center, St. Paul.

For more information, see page 26 or visit www.mnla.biz.

March MNLA Day on the Hill. Kelly Inn and State Capitol, St. Paul. For more information, see page 15 or visit www.MNLA.biz.

9 – MNLA Certification Exam. Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount. For more information, visit www.mnla.biz.

10 - MNLA Landscape Gala 2012. Woman's Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St., Minneapolis 55403. For more information, see page 51 or visit www.MNLA.biz.

13-14 or 21-22 – Pesticide Certification: Workshop & Exam. MN Dept. of Agriculture, St. Paul. For more information, see page 27 or visit www.mnla.biz.

20-21 - 50th Annual Minnesota Shade Tree Short Course. Bethel University, Arden Hills.

For more information, visit www.cce.umn.edu/shade tree.

21 – Spring Greenhouse Tour. Northern Metro. For more information, visit www.mnla.biz.

27 – Pruning Seminar. TIES Conference Center, St. Paul. For more information, visit www.mnla.biz.

28 – Irrigation: Grounding & Surge Protection (PLT Relicensure). Roseville Skating Center/Oval, Roseville. For more information, visit www.mnla.biz. Sponsored by John Deere Landscapes.

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April Permeable Paver Certificate Class. TIES Conference Center, St. Paul. For more information, visit www.mnla.biz.

10 – Hands-on Permeable Paver Installation. MNLA Garden at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. For more information, visit www.mnla.biz.

3–

May 8-10 – Minnesota Health and Safety Conference. Minneapolis Convention Center. More information available online at www.minnesotasafetycouncil.org.

June 20 - MNLA Foundation Garden Party. Gordy Bailey's home. More information coming soon.

If interested in sponsoring, please call Betsy Pierre, 763-295-5420 / betsy@pierreproductions.com

Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association 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 • GardenMinnesota.com

MNLA Mission The mission of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is to help nursery and landscape related companies in Minnesota and the surrounding region operate their businesses more successfully.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bert Swanson, MNLA-CP, President Swanson’s Nursery Consulting, Inc. 218-732-3579 • btswanson2@gmail.com Debbie Lonnee, MNLA-CP, Vice President Bailey Nurseries, Inc. 651-768-3375 debbie.lonnee@baileynursery.com Heidi Heiland, MNLA-CP, Secretary-Treasurer Heidi's Lifestyle Gardens 612-366-7766 • heidi@BloomOnMN.com Van Cooley, Past President Malmborg’s, Inc. 763-535-4695 van@geraniumsbygeorge.com Randy Berg, MNLA-CP Berg’s Nursery, Landscape/Garden Center 507-433-2823 rberg@smig.net Scott Frampton Landscape Renovations 651-769-0010 sframpton@landscaperenovations.com Tim Malooly, CID, CLIA, CIC Irrigation By Design Inc. 763-559-7771 • timm@ibdmn.com Bill Mielke Wilson’s Nursery, Inc. 952-445-3630 bill@wilsonsnurseryinc.com Herman Roerick Central Landscape Supply 320-252-1601 hermanr@centrallandscape.com Bob Fitch MNLA Executive Director 651-633-4987 • bob@mnla.biz The Scoop is published 12 times per year by the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 1813 Lexington Ave. N., Roseville, MN 55113.

Address corrections should be sent to the above address. News and advertising deadlines are the 5th of the month preceding publication.

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www.MNLA.biz | JANUARY 2012

The Scoop | FROM THE PRESIDENT

Celebrate Your Accomplishments

By Bert T. Swanson II, Swanson's Nursery Consulting

The 10 “Fundamentals of Growing Forward Leadership” are as follows:

n the past two years, we have discussed many aspects of leadership during challenging times.

Hopefully, these articles have helped your business improve your Bert Swanson communication, marketing, innovation, technology, human resources, and overall management. Have you really worked at creating significant improvements, or are your operations just better, faster and cheaper which only equals better sameness, and not revolutionary change? According to Guy Kawasaki in his article titled: What I Learned from Steve Jobs, big wins happen when you work to reach beyond better sameness. His example is: “While the daisy-wheel printer companies were introducing new fonts in more sizes, Apple introduced the next curve: laser printing.”

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What about your hiring practices? Are you an “A Player” that hires A Players, or better yet, an A Player that hires A+ Players? It is known that B Players hire C Players so the B Player can feel superior to the C Player. C Players hire D Players for the same reason. According to Steve Jobs, if you start hiring B Players, you can expect “the Bozo Explosion” to happen in your organization. I know that many of you have made some of those tough heartwrenching decisions over the last few years to ensure your survival and stability for that revolutionary curve in the road. You have realized that better sameness may not guide you through that revolutionary curve. For this accomplishment, you must celebrate.

For a good review and more detail of much of what we have discussed over the last two years, the Harvest Group, in their E-Newsletter on CNET Networks at new@harvestlandscapeconsulting.com has developed ten “Fundamentals for Growing Forward Leadership.” This is a Leader’s Guide for thriving in today’s challenging economy.

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Work Hard and Smart, and then Perform.

2. Radiate Confidence and Optimism.

3. Enlist and Enroll vs. Command and Control.

4. Drive Change and Innovation.

5. Foster Cooperation and Collaboration.

6. Sharpen the Saw – Your Saw. 7. Communicate and Communicate Some More.

8. Reflect, Connect, Decide and Do. 9. Surround Yourself with the Right People.

10. Celebrate!

Notice that the tenth fundamental is "celebrate!" Although you may feel that it is not yet the time to celebrate, based on my conversations with many of you, most of you have made significant changes and improvements in your business operations.

Whether it is information from Craig Chilstrom’s articles on becoming “Lean and Mean,” or some of the many other great articles from your colleagues, or some guidance and ideas from your customers or from within your company, certainly you have made some progress and thus, have a reason to celebrate. Just the pursuit of this information helps build self-confidence as well as confidence within your company.

This in turn, allows you to present a positive attitude and atmosphere to your customers and to your staff. This is a cause for celebration! This is the fun part of leadership, so make it positive, make it real and make it happen, then celebrate some more.

The Harvest Group proposes that one needs to make and take time to celebrate as follows: 1. Celebrate both Great and Small Victories.

Find simple things to celebrate and to be positive about; such as: we are persistent and we are persevering, thus we are moving forward in a positive manner, or on a specific project, no matter how large or small.

2. Be Thankful and Grateful for What You Do Have.

Do not wallow in woulda’, coulda’, shoulda’ scenarios. Think about what you do have and just be thankful for all of it.

3. Adopt an Attitude of Gratitude.

We, you, I have the opportunity to choose our attitude each and every day.

What attitude do you choose? Only you can set your attitude, and as a leader of your organization, your department or your activities, you need to set the right tone every minute of every day.

I have tried to maintain and to project to my colleagues in academia, in the military, in the industry, and in society that “80% of life is showing up, with the right attitude.” Celebrate when that happens!!

This is my last article as president of the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association. I cannot express enough sincere gratitude to all MNLA members for giving me the opportunity and honor to serve as your president for two years. This has been a very difficult few years for many of you and I sincerely regret that I could not have done more to ameliorate that situation. However, I know that our members are strong willed and dedicated to their business and to the industry. This has made some of these unbearable situations bearable via a lot of hard work and positive thinking. Congratulations to all of you for doing that for yourselves and your company. That is a cause for celebration!

I also want to thank all of you for your outstanding support of MNLA throughout these challenging times. Without that support in time, dollars, wisdom, leadership and action, we could not have endured these trying times. I sincerely thank the active and talented MNLA Board of Directors in and outside of Board meetings and for the “extra” meetings you attended as the need arose. Great thanks also go to the Board of Trustees of the MNLA Foundation for actions and activities in putting forth a new effort to support our MNLA members via

recruiting personnel, by finding information on new technology, and for providing scholarships. Super kudos are also due to all the committee chairs and their committee members for the significant accomplishments that they have spearheaded in all of their specialized activities.

Super thanks are due to our dedicated Executive Director Bob Fitch and MNLA's most energetic and talented staff for their great and innovative hard work and activities that they have all provided to all MNLA Members.

All of this makes it extremely easy to be mighty proud of MNLA, and mighty proud, thankful and celebratory we should be; I certainly am! We have a great story to tell. So be proud and thankful for what we have and celebrate to that end. With that in hand, go out and recruit one new member for MNLA. Then we can really celebrate!

Thanks again for giving me this great opportunity to serve as your MNLA president and for all of your great contributions to the green industry. You are in good hands with your new president Debbie Lonnie and a knowledgeable Board of Directors, executive director and staff. Although today’s success does not guarantee future success, I have great confidence in all of you to make it happen.

Call for Spring Specials

I pray for the best of everything to all of you in all that you do.

Thanks again! q

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | GARDEN CENTER

The Customer is Becoming Bored

By John Stanley his was the title to a presentation I made to the International Council of Shopping Centers Conference at their John Stanley 2011 conference in Istanbul, Turkey.”

When you look at the initial research on shopping centers and shopping you may believe customer boredom is not the case.

In Turkey in 2001 there were 53 shopping centers, now there are over 250 centers with more on the way [Ref Tuik Gyoder].

In India there is a new shopping center being opened every two weeks and in the UK the expenditure per square metre in Euro by consumers per year is 7,625 [Re Gyoder].

Having said that, pick up a recent edition of a UK newspaper and you see headlines such as “Many High Streets are Doomed to Die.” At the same time online shopping on mobile phones is growing with the average Brit spending £30 a year on mobile shopping via their phone.

Something is definitely going on and it is changing all aspects of retailing.

Recent research reveals that consumers

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are more disappointed with their shopping experience than in the past, a drop of 15% in customer expectations in the last year alone. Customers are saying they are getting bored with their shopping experiences and are looking for a new retail adventure.

Many retailers will agree that the main challenges in 2011 and beyond are: 1. Marketing and integrating social media marketing into their present marketing campaigns. This is a topic that we discussed on our Members Club in March (www.johnstanley.com.au ) 2. Customer service and how to improve the standards in shops to exceed the customer expectations.

3. How to become an integral part of the relevant consumer communities that are developing.

Everyone in retailing has to connect with the consumer and create something unique in the consumers eyes if they are to build customer loyalty.

A visit to Turkey and a visit around retailers in Istanbul reveals how the positive retailers are building on the opportunities. I was in Istanbul for the annual “Shoppingfest”, a promotion aimed

at getting locals and tourists to buy more in local shops. Some retailers grasped the opportunity whilst others looked on it as another opportunity to have a sale and could not think past the discount sale mentality. Alas, many retailers have trained their consumers to only spend when a sale is on and as a result any sale promotion quickly loses momentum.

Some retailers grasped the opportunity and introduced unique retail concepts that entertained the consumer.

40 Experiences This was a promotion developed by the Forum Istanbul, Europe’s largest shopping center. During the festival they offered customers “40 experiences”. For a consumer to achieve their selected experience they had to shop at the Forum, the experiences included dune buggy driving, swimming with sharks, scuba diving and learning to fly a plane.

Customers gained points in the shopping center at participating retailers and then applied for the experience when they had enough points. This is a wonderful way of building experience retailing for consumers and allows retailers to get involved. Some retailers grasped the theatrical opportunity

Continued on page 49

The Scoop | MDA UPDATE

Working Together to Reduce the Threat of Oriental Bittersweet

By Monika Chandler, Invasive Plant Early Detection Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Agriculture he green industry response to Oriental bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus, in Minnesota was exemplary. The industry acted quickly to reduce human-mediated spread of Oriental bittersweet, a highly damaging invasive liana (vine). It strangles and smothers forest stands. It can dominate tree canopies and reduce forest floor light to levels that prevent other plant species from growing. The vine weight compounded with snow and ice or high wind can break trees. We have swaths of forest downed by Oriental bittersweet in the City of Winona and rapidly developing infestations in the City of Red Wing.

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Oriental bittersweet is native to eastern Asia and was planted in North America for ornamental uses as early as 1736. The vines are easily propagated, grow vigorously in a wide range of environmental conditions, and produce attractive fruit that has been used by the cut-flower and craft industries. American bittersweet, C. scandens, is native to much of the temperate United States. American bittersweet vines are also vigorous but are much better behaved and produce larger and showier fruits. Both species are diecious and produce flowers but only female plants produce fruit. The species are easily distinguished by fruit (female plants) and flower placement (male and female plants) at the leaf axils of Oriental bittersweet versus only at the terminal ends of American bittersweet and fruit capsule

color. Oriental bittersweet has yellow fruit capsules and American has bright orange capsules.

Oriental bittersweet damage to eastern forests has been documented for decades.

There is some evidence that Oriental bittersweet has been incorrectly identified, named, and sold as American bittersweet.

It is important that American bittersweet is correctly identified and labeled. Oriental bittersweet is a Zone 5 plant and was not expected to thrive in Minnesota’s cold winter climate. It is unknown whether cold-hardy types were naturally selected or the zone rating was incorrect. In any case, the infestations in Winona are at least 30 years old and thriving in Zone 4.

Despite the age of our Winona and Red Wing infestations, they were not officially

documented until 2010 and 2011 respectively and were off our radar.

Minnesota Department of Transportation vegetation managers first alerted us to this issue. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and partners, including the green industry, responded promptly. An emergency noxious weed risk assessment and evaluation were performed by the Minnesota Noxious Weed Advisory Committee and Oriental bittersweet was designated a prohibited noxious weed on the eradicate list.

Comparison of Oriental and American bittersweet

infestations remains a dire challenge.

Oriental bittersweet continues to spread inadvertently by wildlife and people.

Wildlife, especially birds, consume the fruit and move the seed to new locations.

People collect the fruiting branches to make seasonal decorations and thereby move seed to new locations. Garden related publications and television programs do not always correctly distinguish bittersweet species and thus confuse the public. This complicates our educational challenge. Although we face these challenges, important first steps were Tree girdled by Oriental bittersweet

Noxious weed status prohibits the sale and deliberate movement of Oriental bittersweet, enables rapid response to new infestations, and facilitates qualification for federal programs that assist landowners with controlling existing infestations.

MDA, University of Minnesota Extension, and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) began training DNR foresters, Forest Pest First Detectors and Master Gardeners to identify and report infestations. We continue to work with the media to inform the public about this issue. The green industry took steps to ensure that only American bittersweet plants were sold. Some nurseries found Oriental bittersweet in their stock and notified their suppliers. American bittersweet species and cultivars were promoted as a desirable alternative. These actions greatly reduce human mediated spread of Oriental bittersweet.

Containing and controlling existing

taken. MDA commends the green industry for quickly and efficiently addressing human mediated spread of Oriental bittersweet and for developing beautiful cultivars of American bittersweet as excellent alternatives. Our concerted response positions us well to jointly address emerging invasive plant threats.

Additional information on Oriental bittersweet can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/en/plants/badplants/orie ntalbittersweet.aspx. q Monika Chandler can be reached at Monika.Chandler@state.mn.us.

Oriental bittersweet infestation in Winona JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT

“Old Age and Treachery Will Overcome Youth and Skill!” Really?

By Steve Hoogenakker, Concierge Landscape t was a Friday afternoon this past November. We were sitting down having pizza in the company “War Room.”

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A young man came in, a new employee on Steve Hoogenakker the rise. One of the managers introduced us. He introduced me as “e Big Boss.” People who know me, know I’m uncomfortable with titles, and I don’t think the statement is even important.

In business, titles can sometimes fool the new employees for a time and might scare some others. In both cases, demanding respect of my title will only hinder the efforts of the company and its employees

When it comes down to experience versus youth, consider one of my favorite beliefs from 1970, Shunryu Suzuki said this: “In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's mind there are few."

As we were eating the pizza, it got me to thinking. What does this young guy think of me, now that I’m the old guy (51 years old)? Also, what would make him respect me or even listen to what I might have to say? I mean, I was his age once. Granted I was better looking, more intelligent and knew what real music sounded like, could disco, and still believed the Vikings could win the SuperBowl in the 1990’s so surely, he would revere every word of advice, right?

It’s an amazing sentence that cuts both ways. Read it again slowly and read between the lines. In its simplicity, it is at once advocating youth with its many possibilities and also the expert’s ability to cut through the extra fat of too many possibilities. And it implies warnings for each position as well!

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Yes, my youthful counterpart has many ideas. Many ideas I might discount out of hand, using my experience to say

Y R E D POW EW? MILD

Send In T

he Troop

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why his idea wouldn’t work. Yes, the young man might see things that I have long forgotten. is brings me to my second point. I have forgotten more things about landscaping than this guy has learned. While true, what better opportunity for me to learn what I’ve forgotten than to listen to him?

Being a great leader is very important to your organization, no matter your position. Whether you are the CEO, the Office Manager or a guy with a shovel, leadership starts with you the moment you wake up each morning!

So, why should a new employee listen to someone like me? We’ve determined the title isn’t important. We’ve determined that they might have a different outlook than me, and in some things, even though they don’t disco dance, they may be correct. I think it boils down to this: “You should respect my ideas, not because of my title and not because of

my successes, but because of my failures.” e irony of this statement is that while the older readers are nodding their heads, the younger ones are saying “What a loser!”

Ask anyone who has worked for me. ey will tell you I have made nearly every mistake a leader can make! Not only that, but when it comes to decision making, I’m certain I have repeated more

In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities. In the expert’s mind, there are few. mistakes than my young friend has even had the chance to make. It’s those repeated mistakes that leave their lasting imprint. e scars and the wrinkles were hard earned with each learning experience. ese are the events that teach me the choices are few.

At the same time, I have to respect my young associate’s ideas. Not only do I want to encourage him, I have to work even harder than he at keeping an open mind. After all, his mind is a floodgate of ideas, while mine is a focused “narrow” stream with the emphasis on narrow.

Suzuki also said this: "Our tendency is to be interested in something that is growing in the garden, not in the bare soil itself. But if you want to have a good harvest, the most important thing is to make the soil rich and cultivate it well."

As green industry professionals, we know this to be true. It’s now 2012. To grow your business, feel free to make the soil rich with the wisdom of some and cultivate the ideas and enthusiasm of youth as the basis for your success! q Steve Hoogenaker is a member of the MNLA Landscape Professional Advancement Committee and can be reached at Steve@Landscape.pro.com.

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | HERBACEOUS GROWERS

46043

238th

Street

•

WentWorth,

SD

Stop Your Business from Shrinking

57075

e-mail: andnur@itctel.com • Phone: 605-489-2582 • Fax: 605-489-1300

Dependable wholesale grower of quality plants for over 30 years!

Field direct conifers and deciduous trees Container grown shrubs Successful grower since 1976

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www.MNLA.biz | JANUARY 2012

By Shayne Johnson, Fred C. Gloeckner & Co, Inc. ncreasing profits starts by lowering shrink. Shrink is a commonly used industry term that describes unmarketable plants that are discarded in compost piles for various reasons. Some of those reasons for being discarded could be that the crop is too tall, too short, diseased, low demand, or bloomed too early or too late. The goal should be to minimize large shrink and small shrink without negatively impacting your sales potential. By selling out of a crop too early, sales are lost because not enough was produced to meet the demand.

Producing too much of a crop can lead to your compost pile becoming your third largest customer. Effectively managing shrink will improve the profitability and growth of your business.

Shrink can be managed in a number of ways.

One way to manage shrink is through careful sales analysis.

Record how much of each crop was sold at full price, how much was sold at a discount and how much was thrown away.

The data collected can be used to determine how much to grow next season and maximize profit.

Another way to manage shrink is to study what is being directly marketed to consumers by the national brands and the garden writers. By marketing new plants, groups of plants, mixed planter ideas or new colors, it influences consumer demand. By knowing this information ahead of time, decisions can be made to include these items in the regular assortment.

Do some research by visiting gardening websites or paging through issues of Better Homes and Gardens to make sure

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some of what is being grown satisfies these needs.

Shrink can also be managed by having each crop ready for market at the optimum time. Scheduling crops to be at their prime during spring’s peak market window has always been a challenge for growers and there are many factors to consider.

Mastering these factors will improve crop quality, increase demand and increase sales.

One factor to consider is weather. Weather plays a key role in determining how and when crops will finish. Pay close attention to weather trends and future forecasts and use that information to make decisions about how to adjust the indoor environment to bring balance and keep the crops on track.

Another factor is crop culture. Study each crop’s culture requirements and arrange them in groups of similar need.

Crops should be grouped by temperature, moisture, nutrition and light requirements. After the groups have been formed, carefully plan how each of the crops will be placed in the greenhouse to easily manage and provide specific culture to each group.

Crop timing is also a factor. The length of time it takes to flower and grow to full size varies for each crop. The length of greenhouse time needed to reach full size and flower is also dependent on the liner size, the finished container, and the date the plant needs to be ready for market. Learn the number of weeks to finish for the liner size of each crop based on the finished container in which it will be grown. Be more specific when choosing starting and finishing dates. Without knowing

the target market date, it is impossible to plan how to get there.

Generally scheduling all of the crops to be ready for market near the same time in early May can be risky especially if early May weather ends up feeling more like early April. Having crops ready before the market will add cost, decrease quality and increase shrink. Detailed sales records will be a key factor to help determine what the market dates should be. Market dates are different for each Minnesota grower based on their geographic location in the state and whether their business is wholesale or retail.

The market is changing and the most successful businesses will change to meet the market needs. Selling products to consumers at prices they are willing to afford is a difficult challenge, especially as the cost of producing crops increases each year. If businesses continue to manage as they always have, margins will continue to erode until the business is just breaking even or losing money. So, if raising retail prices will lead to a potential decrease in sales, then keeping prices the same while input costs go up means in order to maintain margin and profit, businesses need to manage shrink, and become more efficient at producing the right amount, at the right time, of the right varieties, in the right colors, of the crops consumers want to buy. q Shayne Johnson is a member of the MNLA Greenhouse & Herbaceous Growers Committee and can be reached at shayne.johnson@charter.net.

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | IRRIGATION

Our goal is to exceed your expectations. or our agency, and Auto-Owners Insurance, 99.9% just isn’t good enough...we want to provide our customers with 100% service!

Contact our agency about our “Super Outstanding Service” today—we’ll work hard to exceed your expectations!

We have coverage for growing stock!

Circle the Wagons

By Greg McDonald, CIC, Automatic Irrigation Inc. I’m writing this today as we enter another winter in “the recession of our lives.” Sounds like a soap opera and if you are anything like me it feels like we, are living under a circus tent. We are working harder for less every year and we keep getting less for more.

Have you bought a burger lately? We should be outraged at the portion size and the super-size it attitude, it costs a limb for a good lunch. I am frustrated and amazed at the cost of doing business and the amount of inept government.

Register this and license that. Now the department of labor and industry is going to police the roofing and siding industry in Minnesota, and we know that the wise folks in St. Paul will continue to pass laws that they have no way of enforcing.

We have been paying our state for licensing with a hope that they would enforce the laws they have imposed upon us to no avail. Please keep this in mind when you elect the next round of minions.

Dan Greene, Commercial Specialist 952/448-3800 dan@caminnesota.com

Casualty Assurance of Chaska, LLC 101 West 3rd Street Chaska, MN 55318 20

www.MNLA.biz | JANUARY 2012

So how do we as irrigation contractors cut the size of our portions to keep our profits? Do we install inferior systems with the cheapest parts to cut our costs?

Our costs continue to rise and the cost of doing business is not going to come down, fuel prices fluctuate a little

but continue to trend higher. Our cost for wire with copper as a commodity will continue to rise. Pipe prices are also affected by oil and natural gas prices.

Other trades that are also feeling the pinch from this economy are looking for ways to expand their interests.

Our labor costs in training alone continue to rise. At one time we could retain some laborers for a few years until they decided to grow up and get a real job or just grew tired of being laid off all winter. e reality of being able to retain good employees and offer those competitive salaries and good benefit packages is fleeting to say the least.

Do we sacrifice our suppliers for one with the cheapest price? I, for one, have always worked with suppliers that were competitive in price and stocked the parts I wanted to sell with little regard to actual cost.

My point with all this babbling is to circle the wagons and make sure your financials are in order. Take the time and meet with your accountants, bankers and financial advisors, or anyone who can help to be sure you’re working for a future. Check your margins and make sure you shop your insurance, payroll, phone systems and anything else you can think of to maintain a profit.

Greg McDonald is a member of the MNLA Irrigation Industry Committee and can be reached at greg@automaticirrigationinc.com

The Scoop | SAFETY

Near Miss – Attention Drivers!!!

By Adam Tripp , TBG Loss Control Representative Fleet safety programs are in place to protect the company and employees alike. Besides having an educational component, it is important to have appropriate disciplinary procedures in place for when employees do not follow the safety program. According to MN DOLI, between 2003 and 2009, nearly 20% of employee fatalities were from highway type accidents. is is a sobering reminder that should be discussed with your employees to promote their awareness and safety.

Always being alert of your surroundings is essential while driving.

Whether it is a dashboard full of paperwork, using a phone while driving, or messing with the radio, everything can prove to be a distraction. In a recent accident, an employee turned onto a street that had received extensive storm damage. While the operator of the vehicle was distracted by using his phone, he ran headlong into a tree branch suspended across the road. As the truck’s momentum continued

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forward, it loaded the branch like a spring. e branch strained under the force of the vehicle and it slid up over the hood smashing all of bodywork along the way and slammed into the windshield. e windshield and front corner column fortunately deflected the branch enough to go up and over the truck. e employee had no idea what he had hit

At some point there needs to be consequences for choices that are made while working. because the impact was so great and he wasn’t looking at the time he struck the branch. e vehicle was totaled and the employee was fortunate to walk away with his life. e branch could have easily smashed through both the windshield and corner post and crushed him. e employer had a detailed fleet safety program complete with a disciplinary procedures. is employee had previous infractions on his record so

unfortunately, the employee had to be terminated. In no way this a success in that the employee was fired but at some point there needs to be consequences for choices that are made while working. is is a case where the employee chose to break the fleet safety policy (and Minnesota law) by using the phone at an inappropriate time while driving and endangered himself and those around him. Employees need to understand that behaviors like these will not be tolerated. ere are numerous resources provided by MNLA, insurance carriers, independent loss control consultants, etc. that will be able to assist your company in setting up a thorough fleet safety program. Take that first step to promote safety within your company. q e Builders Group (TBG) is a selfinsured workers’ compensation insurance fund that has been protecting Minnesota’s construction industry for more than 10 years. For more information, go to: www.tbgmn.com.

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

23

Christmas at the State Capitol

MNLA President Bert Swanson and his wife, Darleen, presented the tree to Gov. Dayton.

The Public Relations Committee helps MNLA make an annual holiday impact at the state capitol. Next month, look for a Scoop story from Colleen Moran about how that was accomplished.

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PARTS & SERVICE 7:30 - Midnight 24

www.MNLA.biz | JANUARY 2012

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LOCATIONS IN St. Paul, MN Fargo, ND Kansas City, KS

January 20, 2012 | 8:30am—12:30pm | Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park - or March 9, 2012 | 8:30am—12:30pm | Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount

Interested in sitting for the MNLA Certification Exam? You will have two opportunities this winter— one in January and one in March. Go online to www.mnla.biz to purchase your Certification Manual today and start studying to earn your MNLA Certification.

February 29, 2012 | 9:00am—11:30am | TIES Conference Center, St. Paul

Color in February? Join Heidi Heiland as she offers tips on great containers all year round.

Instead of from soup to nuts can we say from soil to berries?

Come have fun, share, explore and learn some of the latest and greatest as well as tried and true techniques, combinations and challenges in the container world. Many folks don't understand the sophistication required to be successful at this under-valued endeavor. But you do!

Join us for a morning of growth and color at the end of February!

February 29, 2012 | 1:00 pm—3:30pm | TIES Conference Center, St. Paul

A positive news story about your company on television or the radio or in the local newspaper can go a long ways towards building your professional credibility – and towards potentially generating sales. To garner media attention, you have to have a great story and tell it to the right people. Join us at this half day session to gather tips and best practices for working with the media. Come and learn: • • •

How to create a compelling story Make connections with journalists; and Track your progress.

A more complete schedule is available online at www.MNLA.biz.

Visit www.MNLA.biz for registration and details for these and other programs! Questions? Call 651.633.4987.

Sponsorships are available for these seminars. Call Betsy at 952-903-0505 or e-mail betsy@pierreproductions.com.

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March 13-14, 2012 | Day One: 7:15am—4:00pm; Day Two: 8am—3:00pm | Location: MN Dept. of Agriculture, St. Paul - or March 21-22, 2011 | Day One: 7:15am—4:00pm; Day Two: 8am—3:00pm | Location: MN Dept. of Agriculture, St. Paul

Looking to obtain a pesticide applicators license for the first time or need to re-take the exam?

Prepare for the category A and E pesticide applicator certification exam by attending this 1 ½ day study program. The workshop can also be viewed as a refresher course for those already certified.

Topics covered will include: • State Laws and Regulations • Integrated Pest Management (Insects, Diseases and Weed Control) • Pesticide Formulations • Health and Safety Issues (Toxicity, Heat Stress, Personal Protective Equipment) Taking the Exam on Day 2 is optional and will require an additional license fee due to the MN Dept. of Agriculture. Note: Attending this study course does not guarantee passing the category A & E exams.

1:00pm—2:00pm | Online

Looking for cost-effective timely training options? Try an MNLA webinar! The following topics will be offered this winter/spring to help you prepare for the 2012 season: • • • •

Collections—Show Me the Money! (February 1, 2012) Hiring Practices (February 23, 2012) Restoring Hardscapes (March 29, 2012) Raingardens (April 26, 2012)

The cost for MNLA members is only $39 per webinar connection. Why not put a computer in your conference room and have your employees gather and participate in the webinar together—just another way to cut costs.

Be sure to check online for more information on these classes coming in March and April of 2012:

• • • • •

Spring Greenhouse Tour - March 21, 2012 | 10:30am-2:30pm Pruning Seminar - March 27, 2012 | 9:00am-11:30am Irrigation: Grounding & Surge Protection (PLT Relicensure) - March 28, 2012 | 8:00am-5:00pm Permeable Paver Certificate Class - April 3, 2012 | 8:00am-5:00pm Hands-om Permeable Paver Installation - April 10, 2012 | 8:00am-5:00pm More details and registration for these and other programs available online at www.MNLA.biz!

Sponsorships are available for these seminars. Call Betsy at 952-903-0505 or e-mail betsy@pierreproductions.com.

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

27

The Scoop | COMMERCIAL ARBORISTS

The Many Benefits of Trees in the Urban Landscape Photos courtesy of Bailey Nurseries

By Mark Madsen, Bartlett Tree Experts his past summer’s parade of violent storms certainly brought into the spotlight the tremendous importance of trees to us as humans and to the urban landscape.

Mark Madsen When a tornado or other severe weather event rips your favorite tree out of the ground and leaves its remains behind for cleanup, it is as though a close friend has been taken from you.

Does it seem odd to call a tree your friend? I used to think so, but tree care customers are often extremely attached to their trees, some referring to them as their “friends,” others offering up memories of when their grandpa or father planted that tree, what the occasion was, what family events have taken place under it, kids who swung under its lowest branches. I have spent a long career in many areas of the landscape industry, and I must say that I never heard that about a customer’s patio, firepit or hostas!

Sometimes it takes something like a

T

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violent weather event to call our attention to the many silent benefits of trees that we may take for granted: • ey provide cooling shade, reducing our air-conditioning bill each summer; • ey cut the force of winter winds, reducing our heating bill each winter; • ey filter pollutants from the air (which we put there); • ey mitigate storm water runoff, reducing the amount that ends up in our lakes and streams; • ey help control soil erosion, also reducing the silt runoff into lakes and streams; • ey produce oxygen and consume carbon dioxide, acting as huge carbon “sinks”; • ey provide necessary habitat for wildlife;

In the urban landscape, they are a vital structural element, providing overhead canopy, a visual anchor, screening for undesirable views, framing for important ones, and are simply the most important single feature in the landscape. Oh yes, they also increase the value of our real estate.

Trees are truly the “silent workhorses” of our urban environment.

As landscape professionals, we are aware of all of these benefits. Financial considerations will often enter into a customer’s decision about whether to choose your company to care for their trees.

Keeping these benefits mentally close at hand when discussing the best tree care solution with a customer may reduce the significance of cost on their decision.

Make sure that you are the arborist who makes them aware of these. q Mark Madsen is a member of the MNLA Commercial Arborist Committee and can be reached at mmadsen@bartlett.com.

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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Sell the Value of Your Products, Services

By Dr. James Calkins, Research Information Director, MNLA Foundation elcome to the inaugural installment of the MNLA Foundation’s focus on research – one of the four focus areas included in the Foundation’s new work plan adopted in 2011.

Jim Calkins Our goal is to report on “research for the real world,” as in, research information that you can use today to increase your company’s prospects for success.

Research information will be reported in e Scoop, the five new and targeted versions of MNLA eNews, and through Twitter, Facebook, and Linked-In. My reports in e Scoop or MNLA eNews will hit the key high points. When you want to delve deeper, you can find a more detailed report in the members-only section of MNLA.biz where all Scoop articles and other research reports and links will be posted for future reference. e MNLA Foundation’s research updates are meant to serve you and we want your input. To comment on this month’s update, suggest research topics of interest, or pass along a piece of researchbased information that might be of interest, please email me at GreenIndustryScience.MNLA@gmail.com

W

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For this first update, I have chosen a review article with an optimistic and forward-looking focus on research that documents the value and benefits of green industry products and services and how such information can be used by green industry professionals. is compilation study was written by Dr. Charles Hall and Madeline Dickenson of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. It was published in the June 2011 issue of the Journal of Environmental Horticulture.

Significant points/findings: • Build a connection between green industry products and services and their ability to enhance the quality of life of potential consumers as a marketing strategy.

• MNLA and its members should position their products and services as necessities rather than luxuries.

• Historically, quality and service have been the basis for success for green industry firms, but now, regardless of generation – Baby Boomer, Gen X, Gen Y – quality of life is a high order need and all demographics are interested in enhancing their quality of life including improved health and well-being, enhanced environmental benefits, and an improved potential for economic payback.

Some health and well-being benefits associated with green industry products and services include:

• Improved concentration and memory.

• Environments that include plants enhance learning.

• Increased happiness and reduced stress.

• Enhanced recreation and improved health and accelerated healing.

• Reduced crime, increased community cohesion, and upgrade effects.

Some environmental benefits associated with green industry products and services include: • Carbon sequestration and improved air quality.

• Wildlife habitat and improved biodiversity.

• Energy savings.

• Reduced stormwater runoff and soil erosion and improved water quality.

Some economic benefits associated with green industry products and services include: • Beautification.

• Enhanced store appeal.

• Increased property values.

Citation: Hall, C.R. and M.W. Dickenson. 2011. Economic, Environmental, and Health/Well Being Benefits Associated with Green Industry Products and Services: A Review. J. Environ.

Hort. 29(2):96-103.

To read a more detailed summary, log in at MNLA.biz using your email address. On the left-hand side of the page, click on “Members Only Pages.” en click on "Research for the Real World." e MNLA Landscape Design Committee has developed a new marketing fact sheet based on this research and similar studies to help design firms demonstrate value to consumers. is new fact sheet is free for members and can be downloaded from the member only pages at MNLA.biz.

Again, to comment on this month’s update, suggest research topics of interest, or pass along a piece of research-based information that might be of interest, please email me at GreenIndustryScience.MNLA@gmail.com

SAVE THE DATE!

Garden Party The MNLA Foundation cordially invites you to join us for an evening of food, fellowship and fundraising as we celebrate scholars, donors, and the future of the Green Industry.

June 20, 2012, at the home of Gordon Bailey, Jr. Tickets will be available for purchase from the member services booth at Expo.

Are You Signed Up for the

Research Partners Fund? e most important source of revenue for the MNLA Foundation is the Research Partners Fund. rough this fund, customers pay the equivalent of 1/4 of 1% on their purchases at selected suppliers. On a purchase of $5,000, that’s just $12.50. e MNLA Foundation’s mission is to invest in research and education to improve the environment. All of the proceeds are used to build the long-term viability of the green industry via programs of research information (see page 30), career development and promotion (see eLandLovers.org at the MNLA schoolhouse at MNLA.biz), and the scholarships for two dozen deserving college students in the fields horticulture or landscaping. anks to the suppliers listed at right who participate in the Research Partners Fund. Be sure to thank them and ask to sign up if you aren’t already. If you’re a supplier and want to take part, contact Bob Fitch at 651-633-4987.

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

January/February Events at MSHS Classes are sponsored by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society, but are held at various locations, as noted. Enrollment is limited, and pre-registration is requested. To register, call 651-643-3601 or 800-676-6747, ext 211.

Kitchen, Small Space and Container Gardens. Saturday, January 28, 10 a.m. to noon. Location: MSHS Classroom, 2705 Lincoln Dr., Roseville, or Saturday, February 25, 10 a.m. to noon. Location: Chanhassen Recreation Center, 2310 Coulter Blvd., Chanhassen. $20 members, $25 nonmembers Are you starting a new garden or looking for a variety of ways to increase your veggie and herb yields from your small space garden? Join us for planning, designing and choosing seeds or plants for your garden. Get tips on tending plants and planting second crops. Share your experiences and leave with a plan and free seeds.

Visit our booth at the 2012 Northern Green Expo!

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Book Release and Reception—Decoding Gardening Advice: e Science Behind the 100 Most Common Recommendations. ursday, February 2, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Location: Bachman's Garden Center, 6010 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis. $5 members, $7 nonmembers Join us for a meet-the-authors reception with beverages and a presentation based on this just released book. Covering more than 100 universal gardening "dos and don'ts," Decoding Gardening Advice is the first book to provide gardeners with the real answers. Jeff Gillman, the bestselling author of e Truth About Garden Remedies and co-author Meleah Maynard back up every good recommendation with sound horticultural and botanical science.

Decoding Gardening Advice is the first and only hard-hitting, evidence-based book that every gardener needs for definitive advice on everything from bulbs, annuals, and perennials to edibles, trees, and soil care.

Book signing to follow presentation. Beverages will be served.

Decoding Gardening Advice will be available for purchase by cash, charge or check for $16.95 plus tax. Minnesota State Horticultural Society members will receive their 15% discount with their membership card.

“Class” never goes out of style!

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Instructor: Marty Bergland is a lifelong gardener and Master Gardener in Wright County. She is owner of Heirloom HouseMN and co-owner of Grow-Harvest-Eat.

About the Authors: Jeff Gillman loathes advice that is given without concern for the consequences. He wrote a tell-all book after hearing self-proclaimed experts spouting things such as feeding syrup to plants, and he lectures on a variety of topics including homebrewed remedies and organic pesticides. Meleah Maynard is a journalist, editor, and master gardener. Her work appears regularly in magazines, including Northern Gardener, e History Channel Magazine, Gardening How-To and Midwest Home. q

SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT | The Scoop

Five Ways to Save with Sustainable Landscaping

By Carolin Dittmann, Verbena Design and Landscaping, LLC

to the concepts of conservation and preservation.

ooking forward to the 2012 growing season, I ask myself what I learned in 2011. I consider how I met the needs of my urban residential landscape clients and Carolin Dittmann what I can do to make the process more efficient and cost effective this year. In today’s price conscious market, how can I offer the best value to my current and potential landscape customers by promoting a “return on investment” in sustainable landscaping? I decided to do some research and package the information into a short reference guide: Five Ways To Save With Sustainable Landscaping.

Cost efficiencies from conserving water are relatively easy to quantify. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average American household uses about 30% of its water outdoors and up to half of that goes to waste due to evaporation, wind, improper system design, or overwatering. The EPA reports that converting to a water-efficient landscape through proper choice of plants and careful design can reduce outdoor water use by 20 to 50%; and also that properly installed and maintained irrigation systems (featuring technologies such as moisture sensors) can reduce water consumption by an annual average of 20,000 gallons per household. Rainwater harvesting can also help homeowners save.

Average water bills in the US can range from $50 to $200. Because an inch of rainfall on a 1000 sq. ft. roof produces over 620 gallons of water, saving and using this water can greatly reduce costs.

L

Save On Water Costs The connection between sustainable landscaping and our water resource cannot be overstated. The impact of our stewardship of water is so wide-reaching that it makes sense to break it down further

The economic impact of water preservation is more difficult to calculate

because it so deeply linked to larger environmental costs. It is for good reasons that issues relating to stormwater management are at the forefront of green industry progress. As the term, non-point source pollution suggests, there are many causes and consequences associated with runoff. To fully appreciate the worth of clean water, one must consider the interrelationship of water, soil, vegetation and erosion on a global scale.

Cost share incentives through government agencies allow homeowners to save up to 50% on eligible landscape projects. The motivation for these grant programs is evident. Polluted and contaminated stormwater runoff accounts for 70 percent of water pollution in urban areas and is the leading cause of poor water quality and the degradation of aquatic habitat. This figure is cited by the Sustainable Sites Initiative which suggests that “As the value of water is recognized, the value of natural systems to store, clean, and distribute available fresh water must also be recognized.”

Continued on page 34

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

33

Sustainable Landscaping Continued from page 33 Save on Energy Costs Landscaping can change the microclimate around a building by 20 - 25 degrees F. According to the US Dept. of Energy, energy-efficient landscaping can save up to 30% on home heating bills.

Savings for cooling can be even more. On average, landscaping for energy efficiency provides enough savings to return an initial investment in less than 8 years. Heating and cooling costs can be reduced by the proper placement of shade trees, windbreaks and foundation plantings.

Deciduous trees will block solar heat in the summer but let much of it in during the winter. The UMN’s Sustainable Urban Landscape Series points out that shade trees should be planted due west and east of windows because they will shade the late morning and afternoon sun (which adds the most solar heat to homes in summer) without impeding passive solar heat gain from south facing windows. Trees, shrubs, vines and groundcover plants can also shade the walls, ground and pavement

controls. Taking our cue from nature by around the home, thus reducing urban maintaining a wide variety of healthy heat island effects. plants, soil organisms, beneficial insects Heating costs can be minimized by and animals can keep many pests and creating windbreaks to lower the wind chill diseases in check. near a home. Dense Reducing the evergreen trees and Re-allocating dollars spent amount of turf in a shrubs planted to the landscape can north and northwest of on chemicals toward more reduce the use of the home are the most labor intensive, manual water, fertilizer and common type of maintenance in windbreak. Trees, maintenance methods may (including bushes, and shrubs are be part of a gradual change general the use of gas often planted together powered to block or impede in consumer perception. equipment). EPA wind from ground figures indicate that level to the treetops. In a 1000 sq. ft. lawn consumes 10,000 addition to more distant windbreaks, gallons of water above and beyond planting shrubs, bushes, and vines next to rainwater each year. Material costs for your house creates dead air spaces that 2,000 sq.ft. of homeowner maintained turf insulate the home in both winter and (including water, fertilizer, pest control and summer. equipment upkeep) average $750 and do Save on Maintenance Costs not account for labor. In contrast, native A holistic approach to maintaining a plants are adapted to local soils and landscape can minimize inputs. IPM/Plant climatic conditions and typically require Health Care strategies such as selecting fewer fertilizer and pesticide inputs. A cost resistant species and building a healthy soil benefit analysis comparing natives to a with compost can eliminate much of the conventional lawn after 20 years reflected need for chemical fertilizers or pest an 80% savings in labor costs. Even selecting more drought tolerant or lowmow varieties of grass can make a difference.

The incorporation of sustainable elements does not need to be overwhelming. Increasing the size of planting beds and grouping turf areas can increase watering efficiency and significantly reduce evaporation and runoff, without sacrificing the lawn altogether. As we say, in the business, “no landscape is maintenance free.� Reallocating dollars spent on chemicals toward more labor intensive, manual maintenance methods may be part of a gradual change in consumer perception.

Save on Material Costs Recycling and reuse of materials can lead to savings by reducing waste on the one hand and reducing the need to purchase on the other. A good example of this is compost, which is made from recycled organic matter and has numerous beneficial effects both before and after planting as a soil conditioner and fertilizer.

An average household that composts food scraps and yard clippings will create about 700-1000 pounds of compost per year, keeping about that much waste out of the

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municipal curb-side pickup. The amount generated will translate into roughly one cubic yard of bulk compost that will not need to be purchased or transported annually. The UMN Extension Service advises that recycling of grass clippings can be done by simply leaving the grass clippings. If evenly distributed, clippings left on the lawn can be equivalent to one fertilizer application per year.

Transportation and carbon emission costs can be curtailed when using locally sourced landscape building materials.

These costs can be eliminated altogether when materials already on-site can be salvaged and re-used. Also worth consideration are recycled-content materials (such as recycled plastic decking) which save on the “embodied energy” and greenhouse gas emissions associated with making new products from virgin materials. As described by stopwaste.org: for every ton of plastic that is recycled, half a ton of greenhouse gas emissions are prevented. This figure brings to mind the savings generated when consumers and our member organizations participate in MNLA’s landscape pot recycling program.

Not helpful? You can block stopwaste.org results when you're signed in to search.stopwaste.org.

Save on Food Costs From Liberty Gardens in the First World War, to Victory Gardens in WWII, to the “back to the land movement” in the 1970’s; backyard “agriculture” has seen an upsurge whenever times get hard economically. Increasing demand for

information and supplies for kitchen gardening since the start of the recession in 2007, shows this trend in action once again. Rising fuel costs are leading to higher prices for any goods that need to be shipped. Fresh produce (especially organic produce) is typically more expensive than processed food. These consumer realities, coupled with concerns about food safety, global warming, carbon footprints, and pollution, give edible landscaping a broadbased, wholesome appeal.

The National Garden Association estimates that a well-maintained food garden yields $500 in returns if you consider the market price and gardener's investment. This number could be raised by adding “compound returns” that would accompany the long-term investment of perennial crops (such as fruit trees). Is it worth it to most homeowners? Converting a predominantly ornamental landscape into a permaculture “food forest” is an endeavor that requires a lot of personal commitment and many years to reap benefits.

In researching the possible return on investment for edible landscaping, I realized that there is a lot more to this sustainable strategy than meets the eye.

The level of education about which crops are most cost-effective and the amount of energy involved in planning and implementing a true “urban farm” are high.

The monetary investment of seeds/plants and inputs is generally outweighed by the investment of time. In the end, the hours spent maintaining, harvesting and also

utilizing the resulting produce must almost be their own reward. To make it work, homeowners need to buy into a different aesthetic and recreational use of their property.

As I look out at my own snow-covered piece of paradise and dream of getting back out there, I can only attest to the immense gratification of literally harvesting the fruits of my labor. Equally meaningful to me, is the positive gain in human well-being that I experience through interaction with my garden. The therapeutic and general health benefits of green spaces continue to be studied and while not easily measurable, deserve a mention in any conversation about sustainable environments.

In compiling this series of facts and figures, I was able to outline some real cost advantages gained through sustainable landscape practices. I also was able to put into perspective some of the advantages that are truly priceless. I hope to pass along what I learned to my clients and enhance their understanding of the value of sustainable landscaping. The transition from conventional landscape methods to a sustainable approach takes time, reevaluation of priorities, and re-thinking of how your money is spent. This kind of change is a process, much like landscaping itself.

Carolin Dittmann is a member of the MNLA Sustainable Environment Committee and can be reached at carolin@verbenadesign.com

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Dave Maloney office (507) 663-0393 • cell (612) 221-0514 or email davem@bridgewatertreefarms.com JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

MPCA Applies For Grant To Integrate I-Tree And MIDS Modeling

By Tim Power, MNLA Consultant NLA is an active participant in the legislatively-mandated and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency-led Minimal Impact Design Standards (MIDS) Project, which is based on low impact development (LID) — an Tim Power approach to storm water management that mimics a site’s natural hydrology as the landscape is developed.

MIDS is working to integrate new Best Management Practices (BMPs), including urban trees, into the stormwater design and regulatory framework. MIDS work products will include performance standards, pollutant reduction credits, a calculator for designers and regulatory reviewers, local ordinance support, and revisions to the Minnesota Stormwater Manual. See http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/water/water-types-andprograms/stormwater/stormwater-minimal-impact-design-stan dards-mids.html for more details on MIDS.

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As MIDS moves forward, one of the things that has become apparent is that there are significant research gaps regarding some of the BMP’s being considered for pollutant reduction credits. An example of this is that numerous studies have addressed the qualitative stormwater benefits of trees in the urban landscape, but few have addressed the quantitative benefits. As MIDS builds a credits calculator and attempts to assign credits to specific BMP’s, this lack of numerical data is a problem. However, MPCA and MIDS members saw an opportunity to help bridge this gap when Dr. David Nowak, US Forest Service Research Forester, addressed the Clean Water Summit last summer on recent developments in the i-Tree program. i-Tree is a state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed software suite from the USDA Forest Service that provides urban forestry analysis and benefits assessment tools. e i-Tree Tools help communities of all sizes to strengthen their urban forest management and advocacy efforts by quantifying the structure of community trees and the environmental services that trees provide. e beta version of the MIDS Credits Calculator already addresses soil volume and associated pore space in the rooting medium of tree trench plantings for stormwater mitigation.

However, there are currently no provisions in the calculator for canopy interception or for evapotranspiration.

To help resolve this gap, MPCA is applying for a US Forest Service Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry Competitive Grant. e goal of this grant project would be to apply the i-Tree model to stormwater calculations and credit estimates and incorporate the results into the MIDS Project work products. Based on conversations with Dr. Nowak, i-Tree has the capacity to address leaf surface area in addition to root zone volume water functions in the context of stream hydrology. Using leaf surface area as a proxy for interception and/or evapotranspiration would help to model those parameters. ese processes and materials would have immediate applications in stormwater regulatory modeling and frameworks nationwide. ey would address important challenges in urban stormwater management and promote the planting and growth of large, healthy urban trees at a significant scale. All of the Minnesota grant proposals are being aggregated and submitted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in December 2011. MNLA will keep you posted on the results. q

Contact Hal Tiffany Jr., CIC: hal@haltiffanyinsurance.com

2573B Hamline Ave. N. • Roseville, MN 55113 651-484-4002 • haltiffanyinsurance.com 36

www.MNLA.biz | JANUARY 2012

Tim Power can be reached at timpower@powerconsults.com.

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The Scoop | PLANT OF THE MONTH

Plant of the Month

WHITE FRINGE TREE CHIONANTHUS VIRGINICUS

by Dave Kleinhuizen, Margolis Company

Photo courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden

Chionanthus virginicus - White Fringe Tree (ki¯o¯nan’thus ver-jin-‘i-kus) I’ve been continually impressed with this plant since I first planted it in 1996.

Fringe Tree gets is common name from the fringe-like appearance of its flowers,

(6”-10” per year or 10’-12’ in 15 years).

Fringe Tree prefers slightly acid moist soils but is well adapted to a variety of soil and moisture conditions once established. In Minnesota, I would recommend planting it in full sun and in an area that is somewhat protected from wind, as strong winds will likely shorten the floral display.

Most writers would suggest that this plant is hardy to USDA zone 3 and I have seen no winter injury to several plants in my landscape over the last 15 years.

In August, the plant develops fruits that by late September turn a beautiful blueberry color. e fruits are fleshy, egg shaped, ½”-3” in length and are often overlooked as they can be hidden by the foliage. e beautiful blue-colored fruits will persist on the stems well into November if the birds do not find them.

Just as you might think this plant has already offered so much throughout the season, it still has more to offer. Fall color is, in my opinion, fantastic. It may be another yellow-colored plant but the yellow is mottled with coppery brown inter-vein patches. e contrasting colors are quite striking in appearance. Chionanthus virginicus is a plant for all seasons and will hold its leaves till late November in MN.

which can be prolifically borne in mid to late June in our area. e slightly fragrant blooms are borne in panicles and are cream to white in color. e floral display can be quite spectacular and lasts for 7-10 days.

Be patient as Fringe Tree is likely to be the last woody plant in your landscape to leaf out in spring. Leaves emerge from the past season’s wood and can be quite lustrous. e leathery leaves are generally 3” in width and up to 8” in length.

Fringe Tree is a relatively slow grower

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Photo courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden

Please understand that Chionanthus virginicus can grow to 20’ or more in height and can be equally as wide. Some specimens are quite open and straggly in appearance while others are more full and tree-like, rather than shrub-like.

Chionanthus is quite difficult to propagate from seed and will require two seasons to germinate due to double dormancy of the seed. When inquiring for this plant, please be aware that its close cousin Chionanthus retusus is considered zone 5 hardy and will most likely not perform to the extent of Chionanthus virginicus in Minnesota. q _______________________________ Dave Kleinhuizen is a member of the MNLA Nursery Committee and can be reached at dkleinhuizen@margolisco.com

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The Scoop | CROOKSTON

UM Crookston Hosts Conference U of M, Crookston Horticulture Club Hosts Students from Six Midwest Universities for the Mid-America Collegiate Horticultural Society 39th Annual Conference

The entire Mid-America Collegiate Horticultural Society crossing the headwaters of the Mississippi River on Saturday, October 22, 2011.

U of M, Crookston horticulture students with Sue Jacobson, horticulture instructor (in purple): Standing left to right: Michael Laurich, Alisha Aasness, Catlin Kersting, Chad Harrer, Mitch Sledge, Kristine Neu and Chancellor Charles H. Casey. In the front (left to right): Ashlynn Hartung and Amanda Thompson.

Hosting this event was the largest undertaking in the history of the club.

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he University of Minnesota, Crookston Horticulture Club hosted the Mid-America Collegiate Horticultural Society (MACHS) 39th annual conference from ursday, October 20 to Sunday, October 23, 2011. e theme was “Little Campus on the Prairie.” is was the first time the U of M, Crookston Horticulture Club hosted the event. ere were 33 students and 3 advisors from 6 universities in attendance including: Iowa State University, North Dakota State University, Northwest Missouri State University, South Dakota State University, the University of Wisconsin- River Falls, and Western Illinois University.

T

ursday night students gathered in the U of M, Crookston greenhouse classroom for registration, refreshments, and a campus welcome by Ron DelVecchio, U of M, Crookston professor and head of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department.

Friday morning began with the general

knowledge exam, plant identification, and plant judging. Each school had a team of 4 students whose individual scores contribute to the team total. is contest was designed to challenge the horticulture students and allow them to see where they stand in relation to other universities.

Swanson shared his industry perspective with the up and coming industry leaders.

Also taking place Friday afternoon was the planting of an apple tree in the U of M, Crookston Nature Nook to honor Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai. Friday evening included a banquet meal with keynote speaker Rusty Schmidt, natural resource specialist with the Washing Conservation District. Schmidt is one of three authors of the Blue umb Guide to Raingardens which has changed the way people think about using water in the Twin Cities area and beyond.

Friday afternoon included three guest speakers. Linda Kingery of the Northwest Regional and Sustainable Development Partnership talked to the students about the dynamic local foods in this region. Kathleen Brokke, historian and horticulturalist, performed her interpretation of Fannie Manhood Heath, a pioneer horticulturalist in the region. Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association President Bert

Saturday was a day of regional tours highlighting the diversity of Minnesota.

Students began the day with naturalist Rhett Johnson leading the group through the Agassiz Dunes Scientific and Natural Area in Fertile, Minn. Traveling south to Detroit Lakes, Minn., the group saw the poinsettia growing operation of Bergen’s Greenhouse, Inc. In Park Rapids, Minn., students visited the wholesale perennial growing operation of Bergen’s Nursery.

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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e final stop for the group was Itasca State Park where they took a tour of Minnesota’s conifers. All of the students had an opportunity to cross the headwaters of the Mississippi River which was a first-time experience for many students.

Sunday marked the end of the weekend conference as the MACHS students held their annual business meeting, elected the 2011-2012 officer team, and selected a host school for 2013. Awards from Friday’s team contest were presented. e top overall individual was Winston Beck from Iowa State University. e first place team was South Dakota State University. Iowa State University was the second place team with the team from Northwest Missouri State University placing third. e U of M, Crookston observed the MACHS tradition that the host school is allowed to compete but not receive awards. e entire event was planned by the U of M, Crookston Horticulture Club students with support from U of M, Crookston staff and faculty. U of M, Crookston senior Kristine Neu served as the chair of MACHS 2011. e MACHS annual conference is the largest undertaking in the history of the Horticulture Club, and they were excited to showcase their program, the campus, and the community to the visiting universities. e host school for the 2012 MACHS conference will be South Dakota State University chaired by Sarah Custer. e host school for the 2013 MACHS conference will be the University of Wisconsin- River Falls chaired by Joel Sehloff. For

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more information about MACHS and to see more event photos visit the group’s Facebook page: Mid America Collegiate Horticulture Society 2011.

MACHS is comprised of horticulture clubs from universities and two-year colleges in the Midwest Region including Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. MACHS is a branch of the Association of Collegiate Branches (ACB) within the American Society for Horticultural Sciences (ASHS). ACB is a national forum comprised of undergraduate horticulture clubs within ASHS. e objective of MACHS is to promote an awareness of the profession of horticulture, furnish a medium of communication for horticulture students, and exchange club and professional ideas. ese objectives are met through a variety of activities taking place throughout the weekend conference.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 26 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and 36 concentrations, including 10 online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,600 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. "Small Campus.

Big Degree." To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu. q

BFG Acquires J.R. Johnson Supply BFG Supply Co. recently announced the acquisition of Midwest Horticulture LLC dba J.R. Johnson Supply of Roseville, Minnesota.

Rob Glockner, president of BFG Supply Co. said, “One of the biggest benefits to this acquisition is the positive impact it will have on J.R. Johnson’s customers. e Roseville facility is only 10 minutes from our Minnesota branch, which means ‘will call’ pickups will be right around the corner from where they are today. Add the expanded product lines we offer as well as access to a larger group of industry experts, and J.R. Johnson customers should see the benefits of this acquisition immediately.”

BFG’s local predecessor company was Minnesota Distributing & Manufacturing (MDM), founded by Steve Grabski and Dave Rogowski, two former employees of J.R. Johnson Supply. BFG/MDM and JRJ have all been long-time members of MNLA. BFG Supply Co. has served the needs of the greenhouse, nursery and lawn and garden industries in the U.S. for nearly 40 years. Operating 14 fully-stocked service centers covering a 23-state region, BFG has grown into one of the three largest horticultural distributors in the entire U.S. For more information, please visit www.bfgsupply.com.

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The Scoop | LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Perseverance, Adapting to Change and Reasserting Your Value

By David Sonka, MNLA CP, Landscape Design Studios, LLC feel the need to open with the same statement I have made a few times before, almost like it is a creed. We landscape designers, collectively, are invaluable to this David Sonka industry, serving as a vital link between the diverse needs of our clients with the growers, manufacturers, suppliers, garden centers, and contractors of Minnesota.

Landscape designers employ many levels of knowledge and abilities in our

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44136445 www.MNLA.biz | JANUARY 2012 RDOIC Jan Scoop Ad.indd 1

services. It is important for us to uphold high professional standards and to recognize the value in the services we provide, so that the consumer will recognize the value in the services we provide for them. Don’t ever let yourselves be undervalued.

As the economic woes of the past three years ease up, and as I look ahead with optimism for an era similar to the glory days of the past, it is easy to be thankful. (It is anksgiving weekend as I write this, with the Scoop article being due a month in advance. erefore, I am in an extra thankful mood.) I can easily be thankful for the people who have forged ahead in this economy and have made a concerted effort to sacrifice,

11/29/11 2:59 PM

adapt, and change in order to renew their business. And, in renewing their business, they have grown in ways which enable them to hire people, to patronize other businesses, and to continue supporting the health of their communities while stimulating the growth of the economy. I am thankful for those who have found it foolish to sit back and be idle, cynical, and complacent. I am thankful for those who find it almost unpatriotic or even un-Christian-like to prevent growth and bury their talents in the sand (or buy fraudulent Goldline gold shares) rather than reinvest in real business and in the hiring of others to spur on growth. I am thankful for those who have persevered, who recognize that their home is a great investment, and that outdoor living is a great investment for their home. I am thankful for people who realize that outdoor living is an investment that they can immediately appreciate and enjoy, while their kids, friends, family members, and neighbors all can enjoy it with them. It is an investment that will certainly restore value into their home and improve their quality of life. I am certainly thankful for those folks who have hired me.

Persevering, to me, is adapting to change and reasserting your value. It is satisfying the innate need to survive, to press on, to succeed, and to win. And, if you happen to get knocked down you get right back up and try it again, but maybe try it a bit differently. It is what makes the inventors invent new products, the entrepreneurs unrelent in business, and the athletes circumvent the competition. It is what makes us, as an industry, produce things and constantly try to make them better, and effectively drive the healthy, production side of the American economy forward.

Since I am a fan of baseball, and the

landscape season in Minnesota often parallels the season of professional baseball, I can easily find inspiration in certain Major League Baseball players.

One player in particular that comes to mind is Joe Nathan, the former Minnesota Twins closing pitcher who is their all-time leader in saves with 260 in only 7 seasons. Unfortunately for me, Joe just signed a new $14.5M contract with the Texas Rangers.

But he will go down as one of the most memorable characters of the Minnesota Twins organization from the last several years. He is a true example of someone who has persevered through setbacks, and has learned to adapt and reassert himself in making great comebacks into professional baseball.

Joe Nathan was a high school baseball player with slightly above-average talent at shortstop, barely making his way onto a Division III program in upstate New York. As a college player, his talent developed to a level where he was drafted in the 6th round to the San Francisco Giants, but the scouts looked at his 6’-4”

frame and strong arm and wondered about his future as a pitcher rather than as an infielder. Joe’s dream was always to play shortstop in the major leagues, as he had only come in sporadically as a relief pitcher. But, as a mediocre rookie league player with a low batting average, he was told by the San Francisco Giants that he

their talent, command of the strike zone, and competitive edge against the batters they face. As a right-handed pitcher, it usually takes three dominating pitches to make the big leagues, including a precision fastball averaging 90+mph and at least two effective off-speed pitches that can hit the strike zone at-will.

Again, it was a long shot for Joe Nathan having very little experience compared to his competition. At the time, Joe decided it would be best if he left the game and returned to college to finish up his degree in business over the next two years.

Meanwhile, it seems that some soul-searching and training on his own reinvigorated his passion. He decided it would be best to adapt, to accept the changes that he needed to make, and to reassert himself in order to succeed at the next level. is commitment to persevere is a commitment that Joe would make time and time again throughout his professional career in baseball.

Persevering, to me, is adapting to change and reasserting your value.

It is satisfying the innate need to survive, to press on, to succeed, and to win. had no foreseeable future in baseball... unless he could take advantage of his build, strong arm, and raw talent in order to develop into a big league pitcher.

All players who get drafted into professional baseball as a pitcher have had dozens, if not hundreds of games under their belt where they have proven

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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A full two years later, he rejoined the Giants minor league squad, training hard in his new role as starting pitcher. In only two seasons, he advanced through the ranks of minor league baseball, making his major league baseball debut in 1999. By the 2000 season, he went from splitting time with the San Francisco Giants and their AAA team, and eventually earned a secure spot on the major league roster as a starting pitcher. However, by the end of the 2000 season, he required shoulder surgery which took the entire next two seasons to rehabilitate and regain his former capability. He did not return to regular duties with the San Francisco Giants until 2003, but in the process he struggled through miserable performances and pressed on, training, working, and recovering.

In the 2003 season, Joe saw action in 78 games, playing an effective role as a late-inning relief pitcher and setup man for closer Tim Worrell. His new role was to come in and throw his blazing 94

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mph fastball, slashing curveball, and often stepping back to towel off his own dropping change-up with the game on sweat with his jersey and take huge the line. For 0.1 to 3 innings he would exaggerated breaths as if he was going to exert everything he had, and that role have an anxiety attack. But you could would secure him see his on the Giants determination. He roster and payroll was going to give with $300,000. everything he had en, in 2004, with each pitch, the Minnesota and do everything possible to close the Twins traded A.J. Pierzynski in game and seal the order to promote win. And, 260 times over, that is a kid named Joe exactly what he did.

Mauer, and to In 2004-2009, bring Joe Nathan Joe Nathan serves as a great example and in as the hopeful Joe Nathan saved role model for somebody who can adapt to replacement for between 36-47 games each season “Everyday Eddie” change and reassert his value in his profession. for the Minnesota Guardado in the Twins, helping them achieve American role of their new, animated closing League Central Division titles in three pitcher. seasons. Joe earned a spot on the MLB Twins fans like myself took an All-Star Game four times, and received immediate liking to Joe Nathan. He was votes for AL MVP and the AL Cy Young a guy who was visibly nervous, twitchy, Award in two of those seasons. His and sweating buckets on the mound,

salary negotiations with the Twins went from $440,000 steadily up to $11.25M. He was one of the very elite and most effective in his profession. en, right at the start of the 2010 season, at 35 years old, Joe tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. is requires the procedure called “Tommy John Surgery” which involves transplanting a new ligament into the elbow followed by 12 months of intensive rehabilitation and conditioning.

Once again, Joe had to persevere. As a 36 year old man, he was once again fighting for his career. It was welldocumented that he worked through his rehabilitation and conditioning routines with diligence, making the commitment to get back with his friends on the ball field the following season. ough the 2011 season was a forgettable one for the Minnesota Twins, Joe made it back and showed his capability once more.

Unfortunately, the Texas Rangers were able to maneuver a deal with Joe Nathan,

132908 MNLA Ad.indd 1

placing him on a team with two consecutive World Series appearances and very likely improving his chance to be on a Championship team before he retires from baseball. e deal will also earn him another $14.5M over the next two seasons. Once again, he has hit the jackpot.

To me, Joe Nathan serves as another great example and role model for somebody who can adapt to change and reassert his value in his profession.

Translated to my profession, I don’t have anything close to $14.5M coming in the next two years, but I do have the ability to continue to adapt, and to improve what I do and how I do it, for the betterment of my career and for the betterment of others I work with.

I have the ability to help companies in need, getting their projects to move forward so they can grow their businesses. I have the ability to advance the concept of outdoor living and customized landscapes as a worthy investment, so that it can be seen as a

valuable asset for the home. I have the ability to illustrate landscapes in a way which homeowners can see the value in it, with landscape design being a vital service in a home improvement project… In fact, we all do.

We all can use landscape design as a way to add value in our services, as a valuable service, in order to grow business and increase project values. is will improve property values, increase jobs, and circulate dollars into the American economy to help finalize the economic recovery. We are small American companies with American workers, supporting American families, and installing American-made goods.

We have the ability, and we can do it. q Dave Sonka is a member of the MNLA Landscape Design Committee and can be reached at Dave@landscapedesignstudios.com.

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz 47 10/4/11 3:30 PM

Experiment Station Establishes Ken Anderson Garden e University of Minnesota’s West Central Research & Outreach Center recently established the Ken Anderson Memorial Garden. Ken was owner of Country Lane Nursery in Farwell, Minn., and was passionate about the nursery business. A member of the National Hosta Society, Ken hybridized a number of his own varieties. He truly enjoyed providing his plant material and knowledge with anyone fortunate enough to have known him.

Numerous friends and family members were extremely thoughtful and gave financially to this garden to construct and create an endowment to sustain this garden into the future. At the dedication four major contributors were specifically recognized: • e Ken Anderson Family • Colorful Seasons Garden Center, Alexandria, MN (Bob and Lynelle Brickweg and Holly Wallgren) • Douglas County Master Gardeners represented by Glen and Linda Huebner • Central Landscape Supply, St. Cloud (Herman and Pauli Roerick)

Arbor Day Poster Contest Deadline Approaching e deadline to turn in posters for the 2012 Arbor Day Poster Contest is February 17th.

If you know a 5th grade teacher, encourage them to participate in the contest sponsored by the MNLA. A lesson plan is provided, and it's a fun way to learn why trees are important to our environment. e contest winner gets a tree planted in their honor at their school on Arbor Day, and their poster is featured at the MNLA Garden at the Minnesota State Fair. e top three winning posters receive a prize, and all teachers participating will receive a gift card thanks to this year's sponsors S&S Tree Specialists and e Mustard Seed Landscaping & Garden Center!

Contact Sue Flynn at susan@mnla.biz or visit www.GardenMinnesota.com for contest information.

Hedberg Names New Sales Exec

Marcia Gibson 48

www.MNLA.biz | JANUARY 2012

Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies recently announced that Marcia Gibson has joined the company as its chief sales officer. Over the last 14 years, Marcia has been with Oldcastle Architectural Products Group. Oldcastle is the largest concrete products manufacturer in the country and owns the Belgard brand along with many others. Previously, she was the national sales manager for Anchor Wall Systems in Minneapolis.

e Customer is Becoming Bored, continued from page 10 to enliven their displays and merchandising to create awareness and interest with the experience and they really did create a point of difference.

The same shopping center has the only “Magic Ice” retail experience outside Norway. The owners of the famous ice hotel in Norway have developed an ice experience in the center. The visitor put on a snow cape and then walked through ice artworks, attended an ice sculpture school and visited the retail shop, another real unique experience that drew a crowd.

At the Kanyon Shopping Center they partnered with Virgin radio to develop their own radio station. This allowed retailers to promote their products between music that had been selected by consumers. This created an opportunity for both retailers and consumers to engage in the Kanyon brand.

According to Katherine Heiberg of Reteam, Denmark, the future trends that are important in all retail situations if retailers are to stop consumers getting bored with their retail offer is to: 1. Be aware that in urban communities the retail destination is a “third place” in consumers lives and is therefore becoming more important as a public space as well as a retail space. We need to consider this when we are designing store layouts in the future.

2. Phone shopping will be an integral part of retailing in the future and all retailers need to be gearing up to having this as part of their retail mix.

3. New communities are being developed all the time, some of these will be relevant to what you sell and you need to be part of that community. The consumers will start these communities rather than the retailer.

4. There is an age shift in many communities and we need to be aware that the Gen Y community will soon be the major customer focus for many retailers. At the same time we have to address the needs of other age profiles as well.

5. In the past, many architects built retail temples. They designed experiences for the consumer, often the consumer quickly got bored with the experience offer. In the future the aim must be to design the space where consumers can create their own experiences. By doing this the consumer will not get bored and will keep returning to the same space.

We are seeing a major shift in all aspects of retailing and it is consumer led. If we do not try to keep up with the consumer, they will get bored and shop somewhere else.

That is the challenge the consumer is presenting to every retailer and that will make retailing fun in the new marketplace. q John Stanley is a retail business coach, speaker and author. He has authored several successful marketing and retail books, produces a monthly internet TV program Retail Globe Report on retail trends as well as monthly e-training for his Club Members on his website. As a CSP John is considered one of the top ten percent of speakers in the world. John Stanley helps retailers: Increase sales per square metre, increase the average sale per customer, better manage stock, merchandise and display to maximise potential, market more effectively to convert lookers into buyers. Visit www.johnstanley.com.au to join his Members Club or for information on how he can help you grow your business or email linda@johnstanley.com.au.

JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | CERTIFICATION

Become an MNLA Certified Professional in 2012 Purchase a Study Manual • e detailed study manual is a cooperative effort between MNLA and the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Topics include: Minnesota laws and regulations, biology, plant materials, nomenclature and classification, plant production and culture, pest management, business operations, and landscape design.

Take the Exam in January or March • January 20, 2012 - Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park Campus • March 9, 2012 - Dakota County Technical College

651-633-4987 Executive Director Bob Fitch • bob@mnla.biz Associate Director Cassie Larson, CAE • cassie@mnla.biz Membership Director & Trade Show Manager Mary Dunn, CEM • mary@mnla.biz Communications Director Jon Horsman • jon@mnla.biz Executive Assistant Susan Flynn • susan@mnla.biz Accountant Norman Liston • norman@mnla.biz Receptionist Jessica Pratt • jessica@mnla.biz MNLA Foundation Program Director Jodi Larson • jodi@mnla.biz Advertising & Sponsorship Sales Pierre Productions & Promotions 952-903-0505 Betsy Pierre, Advertising Manager, betsy@pierreproductions.com Erica Nelson, Advertising Sales, erica@pierreproductions.com Government Affairs Consultants Doug Carnival, Legislative Affairs Tim Power, Regulatory Affairs

For information on the MNLA Certification Program and to order a Certification Manual visit www.MNLA.biz.

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In addition to association activities, the MNLA staff provides management for:

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Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association 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.GardenMinnesota.com www.NorthernGreenExpo.org www.TheLandLovers.org 50

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JANUARY 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association 1813 Lexington Avenue North Roseville, MN 55113-0003

GardenMinnesota.com www.MNLA.biz

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