The Scoop Online – April 2012

VOLUME 35, NUMBER 4 April 2012

MINNESOTA NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION . . . SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES GROW HERE!

Insights and Information for Green Industry Professionals

From Landscaper to Lawmaker . . .

Denny McNamara Enters MNLA Hall of Fame PAGE 31

Judge’s Choice Honors

Customer Connections

“Plant Something!”

Campaign

PAGE 16

PAGE 21

PAGE 40

THE

Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 From the Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . 8 Greenhouse & Herbaceous Growers . 10 CertiďŹ cation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 14-15 Awards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 30-31 MNLA Foundation Research . . . . . . 17-19 Landscape Contractor . . . . . . . . . . . 20, 37 Garden Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-28 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Expo New Plant Forum . . . . . . . . . . . 33-35 MNLA Foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Plant Something . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Landscape Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Commercial Arborists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Business Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Immigration Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Plant of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

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ADVERTISER INDEX A Top Notch Equipment............................17 Anchor Block Company.............................21 Baker Lake Nursery..................................18 Belgard Hardscapes - Northfield...............19 Borgert Products, Inc...............................10 Bridgewater Tree Farms...........................28 Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ ProGreen Plus.....................................40 Casualty Assurance ..................................38 Central Landscape Supply ........................42 Crow River Greenhouse & Nursery.............37 Cushman Motor Co. Inc.............................38 D. Hill Nursery Co. ....................................15 Dayton Bag & Burlap ...............................36 Farber Bag & Supply Co. ...........................27 Fireside Hearth & Home...........................31 Gardenworld Inc......................................43 Great Northern Equipment Distributing, Inc. ................................27 Haag Companies, Inc. ................................7 Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies ...39

Jeff Belzer Chevrolet .................................5 Johnson's Nursery, Inc..............................15 Kage Innovation......................................20 Klaus Nurseries .......................................32 Miller Auto Plaza .....................................26 MN Equipment Solutions, Inc. ..................29 Out Back Nursery.....................................30 Pine Products Inc.....................................35 Prairie Restorations, Inc...........................36 Quality Insurance Service.........................18 Rock Hard Landscape Supply division of Brian's Lawn & Landscaping, Inc............4 Synthetic Turf Solutions of MN .................45 TerraDek Lighting, Inc..............................32 The Mulch Store.......................................13 Titan Machinery ................................23, 48 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc.............................9, 25 Truck Utilities & Mfg. Co. ..........................43 University of Minnesota Continuing Education .........................11 Ziegler Cat ................................................3

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Upcoming Events April 5-

Permeable Paver Certificate Class. TIES Conference Center, St. Paul. For more information, see page 24 or visit www.mnla.biz. Sponsored by County Materials Corp.

19 - How to Hire Immigrants: Must Do’s and Don’ts. 8:00-11:50 a.m. Presented by the Minnesota Business Immigration Coalition at Hospitality Minnesota in St. Paul. For more information, email bob@mnla.biz.

25-26 - ICPI Level I Installer Certification. TIES Conference Center, St. Paul. For more information, call 262-305-7422 or e-mail david.otter@oldcastlapg.com.

26 - Raingardens Webinar. For more information visit www.mnla.biz.

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. Gordie Bailey's home. More information available online at www.MNLA.biz.

July 4-10 - Perennial Plant Symposium. Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, Mass. For more information, see www.perennialplant.org.

14-17 - Ohio Shortcourse. Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio.

For more information, see www.ofa.org.

24 - Annual Widmer Golf Tournament. University of Minnesota Golf Course, Roseville. Watch for more information at www.mnla.biz.

August 9-

2012 Wisconsin Nursery Field Day. Wayside Nurseries, Mequon, Wisc. More information available online at www.wgif.net.

September 19 - MNLA Sporting Clay Shootout. South St. Paul Rod and Gun Club. Watch for more information at www.mnla.biz.

January 8-

Super Tuesday. Minneapolis Convention Center. More information coming soon!

9-11 - Northern Green Expo. Minneapolis Convention Center. Exhibit contracts available online at www.northerngreenexpo.org or call 651-633-4987.

If interested in sponsoring, please call Betsy Pierre, 763-295-5420 / betsy@pierreproductions.com MNLA Events - Visit www.MNLA.biz for registration and details for these and other programs!

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

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 Debbie Lonnee, MNLA-CP, President Bailey Nurseries, Inc. 651-768-3375 debbie.lonnee@baileynursery.com Heidi Heiland, MNLA-CP, Vice-President Heidi's Lifestyle Gardens 612-366-7766 • heidi@BloomOnMN.com Herman Roerick, Secretary-Treasurer Central Landscape Supply 320-252-1601 hermanr@centrallandscape.com Bert Swanson, MNLA-CP, Past President Swanson’s Nursery Consulting, Inc. 218-732-3579 • btswanson2@gmail.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 Mike McNamara Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscaping (651) 437-9463 mike.mcnamara@ hoffmanandmcnamara.com Bill Mielke Waconia Tree Farms LLC 952-442-2616 billmielke@waconiatreefarms.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 | APRIL 2012

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The Scoop | FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

No Flashy Headlines, But Still Lots of Action

By Bob Fitch, MNLA Executive Director

in a micro-climate, but to draw attention to the fact that too much nursery stock that is not truly hardy here is being brought in from mid-South states and sold to unsuspecting consumers. Contact: Tim Power, timpower@powerconsults.com.

2012 has been a quiet year for MNLA at the Minnesota Legislature. While we don’t have any flashy headline issues, there is still a lot of action behind the scenes where your association government affairs team is working to protect and advocate for the collective interests of companies like yours.

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Immigration – As always, MNLA is working with the MN Chamber and the MN Business Immigration Coalition to monitor any anti-business immigration enforcement measures at the state legislature. Meanwhile, Congress and the president continue to provide frustration on the issue, particularly right now on H2B.

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Permeable Paver System Municipal Education – e committee is finalizing its PowerPoint presentation and related details. e effort to educate municipal officials about the environmental value of permeable paver systems will get a shot in the arm in the foreseeable future when the Minnesota Stormwater Steering Committee is expected to outline how PPS can obtain “hardcover credits.”

Contact: Matt Mallas, mmallas@hedbergaggregates.com.

•

Comprehensive Irrigation Licensure – A small task team is currently working its way through details and strategy on this issue. Contact: Jeff Latterell, jeff.latterell@mickman.com.

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Tree Removal and Replacement Cost-Share Programs – MNLA alerted legislators to a potential effort to shift bonding money designated for community/urban reforestation to other purposes. e association, in cooperation with its allies at the Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee (MnSTAC), opposes any use of these funds beyond the original intent of helping cities address reforestation in the wake of Emerald ash borer, oak wilt, Dutch elm disease or other urban forest threats.

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MGI-PAC – e Minnesota Green Industry Political Action Committee has gotten off to a good fundraising start, although it still has a long ways to go if it hopes to be impactful in the 2012 election cycle. Contact: Patrick McGuiness, pmcguiness@zmattorneys.com; Jeff Pilla, jpilla@bachmans.com; Jennifer Wilson, wilsontrees@gmail.com, or Tim Malooly, timm@ibdmn.com.

Bob Fitch

•

•

Sales Tax Simplification – MNLA recently had a meeting with the assistant commissioner for business taxes at the Minnesota Department of Revenue to discuss the need for simplification/clarification of sales tax advice to lawn/tree/garden maintenance companies and landscape contractors. MNLA is working on a draft of a revision of the department’s fact sheet. is may take a year or more to implement. Contact: Bob Fitch, bob@mnla.biz or Heidi Heiland at heidi@bloomonmn.org.

Noxious Weed Advisory Committee (NWAC)/MN Dept of Agriculture – NWAC will continue its review of Japanese barberry for invasiveness and potential listing as a noxious weed. NWAC is also seeking input from the Green Industry about how to implement a management plan for Japanese knotweed and Giant knotweed that would prohibit their future planting in riparian areas.

Contact: Tim Power, timpower@powerconsults.com.

•

DNR State Forest Nurseries – MNLA is playing some defense on last year’s successful effort to rein in the DNR Nurseries. Some interests from the Soil & Water Conservation Districts want to basically reverse last year’s law. We don’t believe reversal bills will get a hearing.

Contact: Bob Fitch, bob@mnla.biz.

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Irrigation / PLT Enforcement / Department of Labor & Industry – ere is an effort to restore $1.5 million to the department for enforcement measures. Contact: Bob Fitch, bob@mnla.biz.

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Irrigation / State Plumbing Board – ere is concern about the state plumbing board potentially adopting unionslanted codes and standards vs. the more widely accepted International Codes Council standards. Contact: Tim Malooly, timm@ibdmn.com.

•

Plant Labeling / MN Dept of Agriculture – MNLA is supporting an MDA proposal to require better labeling of non-hardy plants. e goal is not to prevent growers or retailers from selling any nursery stock that might be used

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MNLA lobbyist Doug Carnival, regulatory consultant Tim Power, the Government Affairs Committee, other key volunteers and I are doing our best to be the voice of green industry companies like yours. If you have questions or comments about any of these issues, please contact me or any of the persons listed here.

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The Scoop | GREENHOUSE & HERBACEOUS GROWERS

Phenomenal Promotion of Plants

By Mike Heger, Ambergate Gardens n addition to serving on the Greenhouse & Herbaceous Growers Committee, I have been part of the Publications Committee since the early 1990s. Having worked on numerous Mike Heger editions of the popular plant catalogs that the Publications Committee is responsible for, I felt it might be appropriate to share some thoughts. If you are wondering how this might relate to the grower end of our business, I hope that this brief article will point out why.

I

It is no secret that sales of printed MNLA publications have been very

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sluggish the last couple years. A tight economy and the internet certainly play a significant role in this phenomenon. I just finished proofing the soon to be published revised edition of the Perennials – Plants for Outdoor Living catalog. As I was carefully reading the text and scrutinizing images, it occurred to me, once again,

what phenomenal w publications these p aare and how much qquality information tthey contain. I also wondered to myself w how many MNLA h members have m ccarefully studied tthese publications.

IIf you haven’t, I w would encourage yyou to do so. You m may think that tthese catalogs are qquite expensive bbut, if you take ttime to review the iinformation they ccontain, I think you will find that they are actually quite a steal.

You may question how publications such as these service the production end of our industry. I would argue that such catalogs could help answer many specific plant questions that you and your employees might have. As growers, we should be promoting these catalogs to our customers who sell to the general public. Seasonal retail sales employees (who are often not highly knowledgeable about plants) would find these catalogs most helpful in answering specific plant questions that customers might have.

After all, properly selecting plants for specific sites leads to customer success, customer satisfaction and return business.

It behooves every industry member to do as much as they can to enable consumer success, and publications such as these catalogs are one tool to aid in this effort. At our nursery, we often send our novice customers home with a free copy. It really doesn’t cost that much, helps broaden the customer knowledge base and, since they were given sound guidance, they usually return to purchase again. I know that some of the same information can be found on the internet but I would argue that accurate printed information such as this plays a vital role.

The specific plant information in MNLA catalogs represents many decades of hands-on experience by expert industry members.

I hope the production side of our industry will be just one segment of MNLA membership that will rally to the cause of these superb printed publications. If you want to continue to sell plants to consumers and develop them as life-long gardeners, we must also help educate them using tools such as these. It is one thing to successfully produce a crop, but it is another to market and sell it and, at the same time, build future generations of successful gardeners. Best wishes for a highly productive 2012 season! q ________________________________ Mike Heger is a member of the MNLA Greenhouse & Herbaceous Growers and MNLA Publications Committees and can be reached at info@ambergategardens.com.

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | CERTIFICATION

CERTIFIED Professional

Magic From the Manual: Landscape Grasses

By Laurie Robinson, Bailey Nurseries, Inc. andscape grasses have been used in Europe and Asia for centuries.

Landscape grasses are commonly sold in the perennial section of garden centers and are being used extensively in landscape plantings, perennial borders, highway plantings and large commercial sites.

L

Many characteristics make grasses desirable for landscape plantings. Grasses have more than one season of interest: the flowers of summer turn into interesting seed heads that are beautiful through fall and into winter, the foliage is attractive whether it is green, yellow, blue, red or variegated, and the movement of the foliage in the wind is a sight to behold. Culturally, many grasses are easy to grow and maintain, as they have few insect or disease problems and they have low nutrient requirements.

Landscape Grasses True grasses are members of the plant family Gramineae, but generally more than true grasses are used as landscape grasses. Sedges, rushes and bamboo are also considered part of the group of landscape grasses. Grass-like plants, such as Hemerocallis (daylilies), Phormium (New Zealand flax) and even Yucca can be classified as landscape grasses.

In general, landscape grasses are grasses and grasslike plants that are used primarily for aesthetic and site stabilization purposes. They are a large and complex group of plants with a wide range of habitat, culture and use.

Growth of Grasses Landscape grasses grow as perennials or annuals.

Annual grasses live a complete life cycle in one year or one season. Many perennial grasses that are not hardy in 12

www.MNLA.biz | APRIL 2012

Minnesota are being used as annuals in the bedding plant industry. Although they do not complete their life cycle in one year, they will freeze and die with fall frosts, effectively making them an annual. Some examples of commonly used annual grasses in Minnesota include Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ (Purple Fountain Grass), and Scirpus cernuus (Fiber Optic Grass). Annual grasses are used in the landscape and in garden beds, as well as vertical accents in container plantings.

Perennial grasses live and grow for more than two seasons. Many perennials are long-lived, persisting for decades.

They can be herbaceous, woody or semiwoody. Many grasses are perennial in one climate and annual in others.

Seasons of Growth Grasses are classified as either warmseason or cool-season species, depending on when they are in an active growth phase.

Warm-season grasses grow when temperatures begin to warm in spring.

They flower and set seed in summer and fall, and go dormant with the onset of winter.

Cool-season grasses begin growth in early spring. They flower from early spring into early summer, and go dormant or are slow growing in summer.

They resume active growth with cooler fall emperatures.

Growth Habit Two types of growth habits characterize grasses. “Running grasses” spread by creeping stems or rhizomes, forming dense mats. Many running grasses can be very invasive. “Clumping grasses” grow in tufts, slowly increasing in size. There is a place for both types in the landscape.

Grass Form Grasses also exist in many shapes and sizes. There are six primary categories used to define the shapes of grasses.

These categories describe the form of the foliage, not the flowering stems or seed heads.

1. Tufted: Spiky foliage that can be fine textured with upright leaves that arise from a basal clump.

Example: Festuca (Blue Fescue).

2. Mounded: Mounding foliage that weeps wherein the top growth covers the lower leaves.

Example: Pennisetum alopecuroides (Fountain Grass).

3. Upright: Erect foliage that grows vertically.

Example: Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ (Feather Reedgrass).

4. Upright Divergent: Foliage grows up and out in an erect or stiff manner.

Example: Helictotrichon (Blue Oat Grass).

5. Upright Arching: Foliage grows upright and then becomes fountain like at the top.

Example: Miscanthus ‘Silberfeder’ (Silverfeather Miscanthus).

6. Arching: Foliage arches up and out, in somewhat equal proportion.

Example: Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed).

Designing with Landscape Grasses Grasses are wonderfully diverse, and offer a myriad of possibilities for landscape design. They are probably most effective when combined with other perennials, annuals, trees and shrubs. Their vertical form, interesting flowers and seed heads, winter interest, Continued on page 14

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Continued from page 12

Maintenance of Landscape Grasses

color, and texture add variety to the landscape.

Most landscape grasses require relatively low maintenance, but some cultural practices and basic maintenance is required.

Grasses can be used as textural accents in the landscape. Their linear form, their fine or coarse texture, and their color contrast blend with perennials and woody plants. The play of light on grasses is an added element that can be delightful. Grasses can be used individually or in large sweeps or masses to play upon their design strengths.

Planting Landscape Grasses When to Plant – Most grasses are best planted in early spring, so that they establish a root system before the heat of summer. Fall planting can be successful if container plants are used, but winter protection may be necessary in some cases.

Soil – Most grasses can grow in most soil types, but grow best in a soil that is rich in organic matter and is well drained.

Many grasses will not grow well with high fertility as too much nitrogen results in tall, floppy plants, which are not desirable in the landscape Spacing – Spacing of plants will depend on the species chosen, the desired landscape effect, and the plant’s setting.

In many cases, it is a matter of personal taste rather than following a hard and fast rule. It is important to know the mature height and width of the grass species when making spacing decisions.

Planting – When planting grasses, avoid planting too deeply or too shallow.

Observe the crown line and place it at the soil line. Many grasses will not tolerate being planted too deeply. Water newly planted grasses immediately, and monitor water needs throughout the growing season.

Mulching – Landscape grass plantings will benefit from an application of an organic mulch such as wood chips, bark chunks or cocoa bean mulch to help keep the soil cool and moist. These products also suppress weeds. Most grasses will grow best with a two-inch or three-inch layer of mulch over the soil surface.

Watering – Once plants are rooted in and established, adjust watering levels to the requirements of the grass plant based on soil type. In the Midwest, grasses do not need great quantities of supplemental water, as many are quite drought tolerant.

Pruning – Probably the most important maintenance aspect of grasses is to cut back the foliage at least once a year. Cutting back substitutes for the natural process of burning that takes place in prairies and grasslands. Cut back landscape grasses just before, or as the new season’s growth begins to appear in early spring. This will allow enjoyment of the grasses during the previous winter, yet allow clean up of the garden in early spring. Most grasses should be cut back to within a few inches of the ground.

However, cool-season grasses should not be sheared too closely. Generally, cut back cool-season grasses to about two thirds of their mature size.

Propagation and Transplanting Landscape Grasses Grasses are propagated mainly by two methods: seed and division. Named cultivars are propagated by division to ensure uniformity. Seed-grown varieties may show some natural variation, but variation can have a positive effect, depending on the end use.

Grasses can be divided, and should be divided for many reasons. Division can be used to propagate more plants, to renew existing overgrown clumps, or to relocate improperly placed plants. Warmseason grasses are best divided in early spring, and cool-season grasses can be divided in fall and early spring.

It is best to divide grasses just when the plant is starting to actively grow.

When dividing grasses, cut back the foliage by one fourth to one third to help reduce loss of moisture through transpiration.

Always keep newly divided plants moist

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and shaded until they are replanted.

Generally, grasses are free of pest and disease problems. Potential insect pests include mealy bugs and aphids, which can be easily controlled. Rust is a fungal disease that can infect some landscape grasses, showing up as orange spots on the foliage. Rusts can be prevented with periodic applications of sulfur and other fungicides, but also by watering with drip irrigation rather than overhead irrigation. q ________________________________ Laurie Robinson is a member of the MNLA Certification Committee and can be reached at laurie.robinson@baileynursery.com Practice Questions 1. T F Landscape grasses typically have 3 seasons of interest since there is very little showing in winter.

2. T F Warm-season grasses flower and set seed in summer and fall then go dormant with the onset of winter.

3. Landscape grasses add variety to the garden with: A) Flowers and seed heads B) Color C) Texture D) Vertical form E) All of the above 4. Cutting back the foliage is probably the most important maintenance aspect of landscape grasses. e best time to cut back warm-season grass is: A) Late Summer B) Early Fall as the flowers fade C) In early spring just before or as the new season’s growth appears D) Early winter before the temperatures go below freezing E) Before the flower stalk appears to rejuvenate the plant 5. T F e 2 types of growth habits of landscape grasses are “running grasses” and “clumping grasses.”

Answers: 1-F; 2-T; 3-E; 4-C; 5-T

CERTIFIED Professional

Congratulations!

New MNLA Certified Professionals Passing the Exam on March 9, 2012

Pictured from left to right, first row: Joseph Munson, General Mills; Alisha Painschab, Maple Crest Landscape; Laura Zimmerman, Land Elements. Second row: Catherine Hildebrandt; Anne Matzek, Sargent's Nursery; Katherine Casci, Sargent's Nursery; Deb Flanders; Abigail Debner, North Dakota State University; Laura Schwarz, Sunnyside Gardens; Ella Collins, City of Burnsville. ird row: Wayne Huhnke, Kinnickinnic Natives; Chris Barber, Linder's Landscape; Greg Matthews, e Mustard Seed Landscaping & Garden Center; Adam Shaw, King Scapes LLC; Jon Erickson, Envirolawn; Daniel Guhanick, Guhanick Gardens.

Also passing, but not pictured: MatthewLevchak, Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery; Louise Levy, Levy Tree Care

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

15

T

Judges Choice Award

he MNLA L LA Landscape ape Gala was held March W men’s Wo 10, 2012 at thee Women’s two Club of Minneapolis. Twenty-two Landscape Awards were presented, as well as the Committee Member of the Year and the Hall of Fame Award. At the end of the program, the Judges Choice winners were announced. The winners were: LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION

Clayton Johnson Yardscapes, Inc. Project: St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church

LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT

Mindy Zittel Designing Nature Inc. Project: Osseo Boerboom Veterans Park

LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Glenn Switzer Switzer’s Nursery & Landscaping Inc. Project: Durkin Residence

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RESEARCH | The Scoop

Research Characterizes and Highlights Trends Within the Nursery Industry

By Dr. James Calkins, Research Information Director MNLA Foundation ngenuity and the ability to embrace change, try new ideas, and take managed risks, based on a clear understanding of markets and market trends and an everchanging production environment, are the keys to current and future success in the nursery and landscape industry. Survival, Dr. James Calkins and any potential for new growth, will be dependent on having the requisite skills needed to respond to change and maintain profitability in an increasingly competitive environment.

With a new growing season fast approaching, and with continued uncertainty about the U.S. and global economy, understanding the status of the nursery industry and current production, marketing, and employment trends should be of interest to all sectors of the nursery industry and its partners as

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they consider and plan for the future. With the goal of gathering baseline and trend data to help understand the status of the nursery industry and its contribution to the United States economy, and to assist growers with strategic planning, the Green Industry Research Consortium has completed its most recent survey of the nursery industry. The survey is the fifth in a series started in 1988 and reported in 1990 followed by subsequent reports in 1995, 2000, 2005, and this most recent report in 2011 which is based on 2008 data. Thus, the Research continues on page 18

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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Research continued from page 17 researchers have now tracked nursery industry data and trends at five year intervals for 20 years (1988-2008).

SigniďŹ cant points/ďŹ ndings: After significant increases in the number of nursery firms in the 1980s and 1990s, this trend appears to have slowed considerably.

Total nursery industry sales are estimated to be $27.14 billon and total industry employment is estimated to be 262,941 workers; nearly 56% are permanent employees and just over 44% are part-time employees; Minnesota is ranked 23rd based on sales ($308.7 million), third based on average number of permanent employees (23.2%), and second based on temporary employment (39%).

The Pacific and Southeast regions account for the highest annual sales of nursery products at $1.11 and $1.06 billion, respectively, and are dominated

by California ($841 million) and Florida ($698 million); on a regional basis, the Midwest region is third in total sales

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($646 million); just over 60% of Minnesota nursery firms have annual sales of less than $250,000 and nearly 16% have sales between $250,000 and $1 million.

Over time, the leading plant type based on sales and the number of firms involved in their production has been deciduous shade and flowering trees and this trend continues; based on the most current information available, deciduous shade and flowering trees account for 11.8% of total sales and are grown by 37.5% of firms; the sale of native plants is increasing and now accounts for 13% of total sales across all plant types.

The trend toward increased container production continues with containergrown plants accounting for 65% of total sales; 77% of sales are through wholesale outlets although retail sales appear to be increasing as a percentage of total sales; trade show sales have decreased, but trade show advertising has increased; exports to foreign countries account for 3.7% of sales; most sales (70%) involve repeat customers.

Although alternative sources are increasing, wells are the primary source of irrigation water (53.1%) and overhead sprinklers remain the most common method of irrigation; natural surface water is the next most important irrigation water source (24.3%) followed by recaptured water (10.1%); in general, water use has remained steady or increased.

Cost of production, market demand, and grade of plants are the primary factors that determine the pricing of nursery products.

In general, and not surprisingly, the factors responsible for the most significant impacts to the nursery industry are market demand and weather uncertainty.

Other factors of interest tracked include establishment year, computer use, integrated pest management practices, regional and interregional sales, sales transaction methods, discounting practices, distribution of wholesale sales, marketing practices, advertising expenditures, and others.

Primary take-home message – The

nursery industry has experienced significant changes over the past couple of decades and faces a number of important threats in the near and expanded future. Still, the nursery industry remains an important segment of the U.S. economy based on economic impact and employment. Understanding the status of the industry and evolving trends in production, marketing, and management will be needed to enable wise decision-making for the future and ensure profitability within a dynamic and ever-changing industry.

Citations: Hall, C.R., A.W. Hodges, and M.A. Palma.

2011. Sales, Trade Flows and Marketing Practices within the U.S. Nursery Industry. Journal of Environmental Horticulture 29(1):1424. Available at http://www.hriresearch.org.docs/HRI/J EH%2029(1)%2014-24.pdf.

Additional sources of research information on marketing, production, and technology use in the U.S. nursery industry include: Hodges, A., M. Palma, and C. Hall. 2010.

Trade Flows and Marketing Practices

within the U.S. Nursery Industry, 2008.

Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin 411, University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station. http://saaesd.ncsu.edu/docs/National% 20Nursery%20Survey%202009.pdf Campbell, B.L., C.R. Hall, and B.F. Combs. 2009. Regional Structural Change in Production and marketing Practices for the Nursery and greenhouse Industry: 1998-2003.

Journal of Environmental Horticulture 27(3):139-144. http://www.hriresearch.org/docs/publica tions/JEH/JEH_2009/JEH_2009_27_3 /JEH%2027-3-139-144.pdf Brooker, J.R., D. Eastwood, C. Hall, K. Morris, A. Hodges, and J. Haydu.

2005. Trade Flows and Marketing Practices within the United States Nursery Industry: 2003. Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin 404, University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station. http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/hall/publi cations/SCB404.pdf Brooker, J.R., R.A. Hinson, and S.C. Turner. 2000. Trade Flows and Marketing Practices within the United States Nursery Industry: 1998.

Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin 397, University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station. http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/hall/publi cations/SCB397.pdf Brooker, J.R., R.A. Hinson, and S.C. Turner. 1995. Trade Flows and Marketing Practices within the United States Nursery Industry: 1993.

Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin 397, University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station.

Brooker, J.R. and S.C. Turner. 1990.

Trade Flows and Marketing Practices within the United States Nursery Industry. Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin 358, University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station.

(Based on 1988 survey data)

Remember, the MNLA Foundation’s new research focus and these research updates are intended 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 research-based information that might be of interest to your industry colleagues, please email us at GreenIndustryScience.MNLA@gmail.com

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR

Long-Term Help in Finding the Right People

By Mike McNamara, Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscape n article in the February 2012 edition of The Scoop highlighted the findings of the 2011 MNLA Landscape Industry Pulse Survey.

I find it very Mike McNamara noteworthy that many respondents stated labor continues to be one of their biggest struggles. Maybe you can relate. While you may have fewer employees than you did five years ago, like our company, you continue to struggle to find the right people with the right skills to fill various seats in your organization. This is happening while unemployment levels continue to be much higher than Minnesota’s long term average.

Well, good news, the MNLA with major help from the MNLA Foundation is doing some really big things to make a positive long term impact on increasing the number of students interested in the green industry and the rewarding careers we offer.

The MNLA Foundation has funded a school curriculum created by the

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University of Wisconsin - River Falls that is available for teachers who want to teach third and fourth grade children about the positive impacts of plants, landscaping, and working outdoors. A high school horticulture and landscaping curriculum has been purchased and will be unveiled later this summer to Minnesota teachers.

The MNLA has been instrumental in the creation and continued success of theLandLovers.org, a website devoted to helping students break down stereotypes and misnomers, as well as get facts about careers in our industry.

MNLA staff and volunteers equipped with free materials readily available from the MNLA have attended career fairs and spoken to classrooms of students discussing career paths within the green industry.

MNLA member companies, along with the MNLA Foundation, continue to award scholarships to college students planning to enter our industry, or that have already entered our industry and have recognized the positive benefits of formal training. These scholarships act as olive branches to welcome the future leaders of our companies into our industry, as well as help to make their education a little easier for them to afford.

Various MNLA committees and groups are discussing career path development and ways to make it more apparent to our existing and potential employees what the career steps look like in our industry. By more clearly illustrating to an individual that they can do more than just labor in our companies gets them more motivated and excited to help us take our businesses to the next level.

To those of you who have contributed to the MNLA Foundation and supported these efforts in any of the many ways possible, THANK YOU! Your foresight is helping to assure that we can continue to advance the green industry even as a large and very instrumental group of leaders is beginning to retire. For those of you interested in helping out, please contact the MNLA Foundation at 651633-4987 or Jodi@mnla.biz and let us know you want to invest in developing our industry’s future workforce. q ________________________________ Mike McNamara is a member of the MNLA Landscape Education Committee and can be reached at mike.mcnamara@hoffmanandmcnamara.com

GARDEN CENTER | The Scoop

Spring Doesn’t (All) Happen on a Computer Screen…

By John P. O’Reilly, Otten Bros. s I type this article, we’re scraping away remnants of the recent ‘major’ winter storm, and our retail and landscape divisions are in full preparation John P. O’Reilly mode, gearing up for the three months of the year when we make the majority of our income. We’re placing orders, store layouts are being finalized, and marketing plans are in full swing.

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Plants still come off trucks and into the ground essentially the same way they

did when I started at Otten Bros. 20 years ago. But one of the major changes to ‘how we do business’ (and one that’s still evolving) is how we connect with customers. The rise of the ‘connected customer’ online (and on their smartphones in store) is the most significant evolution we’ve seen in how customers interact with our business, and I must admit that we’re still trying to get our arms around it. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I have been doing a lot of thinking about it, and I’d like to use this article as an opportunity to share with you some of the things that are on my mind on this important and quicklychanging subject.

Let’s not get Distracted by Shiny ings I saw an interesting comment on Facebook the other day, from Sid Raisch: “I recommend that any green industry business that cannot afford to miss the ball this spring put Pinterest -- and any other new or social media that they don't already have a working knowledge of (and know that it is helping their business) -- on hold until July.” This really resonated with me. Spring is so crucial to us that it’s not a time to be ‘testing out’ shiny new tools that we don’t know will drive sales. (NOTE: As of this Continued on page 22

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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Continued from page 21

Let’s Admit that We Need to Be Online…

printing, there are a lot of new concerns regarding Pinterest’s copyright and possible legal issues for business use.) As with any new tool for our business, it’s important that we conduct some due diligence before jumping into what may be a financial, legal, or resource drain. I think that the point Sid was making is that between now and July the time for due diligence may not exist: exploring new business tools should be a summer and winter strategic project.

Let’s Make the Most of EVERY Customer Conversation

Are we monitoring what people are saying about us online? Are we responding where appropriate?

One of the opportunities and challenges of the new ‘connected consumer’ is that the avenues for customer interaction have multiplied. Angie’s List, Kudzu, YELP reviews, Facebook, Twitter… … the list changes and multiplies daily. Are we monitoring what people are saying about us online? Are we responding where appropriate? Like most of you, we have an existing Facebook page. We’re still learning how to best generate customer conversation and interaction, but it’s also provided us with a few lessons in how to respond to negative feedback. If a customer takes the time to post a complaint on Facebook, we need to view it as an opportunity to show how we can go ‘above and beyond’ in our attempts to make people happy. The point here is that it’s not just about this ONE person – (some do just want to complain) – rather, it’s about showing every other member of the community who may be listening to that same conversation how we can go above and beyond to make a customer happy.

More and more, it seems that customers want to have conversations online: both positive and negative. Both are opportunities to show off. It’s our job to be there, where conversations are going on: no different than making sure we answer the phone when it rings. I try to remember that any interaction that someone posts about online is actually started IN the store, so when we focus energy on being better in store, we win on many levels.

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But let’s acknowledge that we can’t be everywhere. We need to have people on our staff who are well-versed in these tools (and how to apply them for business) even if we aren’t ourselves as proficient in each of them. As a manager, I find myself constantly challenged to learn new things – and that’s what keeps my job exciting. The internet certainly has given me plenty of learning opportunities in the past few years, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.

how our company is perceived by the consumer should have a policy in place to protect us – just like uniforms or attendance. If you don’t have one yet, this coming summer would be a really good time to put one together. Jennifer Kane of Kane Consulting (who spoke at “Super Tuesday” at Green Expo this year) has a really informative and instructional blog post on this issue, here: http://kaneconsulting.biz/blog/2012/it% E2%80%99s-alive-creating-your-socialmedia-frankenpolicies/. Jennifer goes more in-depth, and our more basic p policy probably could use an u update, but if you drop me an e email at j.oreilly@ottenbros.com ( connect with me on (or L LinkedIn), I’ll be happy to send y a copy of ours. you

One of my biggest challenges is determining where our company needs to be spending time online – because not every ‘cool website’ out there necessarily has business application for us. Where are our customers? (That answer is different for every business segment, of course.) I would add the important qualifying question – if our customers are there, is it somewhere that they WANT to interact with companies/brands? Chris Heiler, owner of LandscapeLeadership.com, posted recently about this very question and shared an interesting infographic from the Wall Street Journal about where users are spending time online. This coming summer, we will be taking a closer look at making sure we’re well-aligned on where our business is spending time online, too.

Let’s Have a Policy We have people in our company actively interacting on behalf of the company online, our spokespeople. Most of our employees have social media profiles of their own, too. I was recently at an industry meeting of about 20 companies, and we were one of the few who had a written social media policy in place (one that another MNLA member gave us). Something that this many people are doing that has an effect on

It’s a lot to think about. But let’s l keep it in perspective: all of the h comments, questions, interactions, YELP reviews, Angie’s List referrals, Facebook posts – it all starts by customers having an experience IN YOUR STORE. Making it an inspiring and profitable spring needs 100% of our focus right now. I hope you have a great one. q ________________________________ John O'Reilly is a member of the MNLA Garden Center Committee and can be reached at j.oreilly@ottenbros.com.

"Making it an inspiring and profitable spring needs 100% of our focus right now."

April 3, 2012 | 8:00am—5:00pm | TIES Conference Center, St. Paul

This one-day classroom course is designed to enhance the knowledge of individuals involved in the construction of permeable concrete paver systems. The following topics will be addressed in the curriculum: The three different PPS systems and why to use them, soil & site characteristics and which system to use for the soil you have, sub base and base materials, edge restraints, bedding and joint materials, installation of pavers, and maintenance. Following a period of instruction, a test will be offered to attendees to verify comprehension. Participants who take the course and earn a passing score on the exam (at least 75%) will receive a Certificate of Completion for the course.

Sponsored by:

Please note: This is not a hands-on course. It is a knowledge based classroom course.

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: •

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.

Watch for the following tours coming this summer! Dates and details to be announced shortly.

Landscape Design Tour July 2012

Garden Center Tour August 2012

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 763-295-5420 or e-mail betsy@pierreproductions.com.

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www.MNLA.biz | APRIL 2012

MNLA Learning On Demand: Live and Recorded Webinars Can’t get away from the office for training? MNLA is making it easy for you to train right from your desk or conference room!

This spring we’ve featured several webinars including topics like collections and hiring practices. The following webinar is still on tap for this spring: •

Raingardens (April 26)

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? Not only are you reducing time away from the office, but you’re also saving money and boosting productivity.

Plus, check out our NEW webinar archives online. Purchase a recorded version of a webinar to view at your convenience. Use it for education of crews on a rain-day or to get a new hire up to speed quickly. Recorded versions are available online for $39.60 and are available for 30 days from the date of purchase. All you need is an internet connection! Check back often, as new topics will be added as they become available.

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | EDUCATION

April Classes Sponsored by 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.

Seed Starting with Mini Greenhouses Tuesday, April 3, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Location: MSHS Classroom, 2705 Lincoln Drive, Roseville. $17 members, $22 nonmembers In this workshop, we will discuss the benefits of starting seeds indoors and construct "mini-greenhouses" out of plastic cups to take home. Bring your own seeds or use the ones provided.

Instructor: Sarah Halvorson-Fried has home gardening and smallscale commercial organic farming experience. She recently graduated from Macalester College and currently works for Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and the University of Minnesota's Organic Farm.

e Development of Small Fruit and Tree Fruit Cultivars at UW-River Falls ursday, April 5, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Location: MSHS Classroom, 2705 Lincoln Drive, Roseville. $15 members, $20 nonmembers Learn more about fruit breeding with Brian Smith of UWRiver Falls and what they do to achieve new fruit cultivars.

Brian will tell you what is involved in the hybridization process, how they maintain the parental stock, seedling growth out in the field, identification of selections, and evaluation of those elite selections. He will also discuss grower and university testing and the release process. Find out what cultivars have already been released and which ones are upcoming releases.

Instructor: Dr. Brian Smith is an Extension Commercial Fruit Specialist who helps growers make improvements in cultural efficiency to remain competitive, improve their profitability, diversify their operations, and respond to changing government regulation of pesticide usage. He has conducted many in-depth fruit schools, organizes the berry portion of the Wisconsin statewide grower conference, and regularly teaches Master Gardeners.

Any Tree Can Become an Espalier Tuesday, April 10, 6 to 8 p.m.

Location: MSHS Classroom, 2705 Lincoln Drive, Roseville. $15 members, $20 nonmembers Add interest to a wall, side of a building, or fence by planting a young tree and training an espalier. is class covers non-fruit bearing espaliers for part-sun or shady spots: easy to prune, disease-resistant and twelve months of charm every year.

Instructor: Katherine Aby has initiated and maintained over 80 espaliers for private and institutional clients in the last 15 years.

She is the author of Espalier: Essentials of the Candelabra Pattern.

For more information, visit www.espalierservices.com.

Designing a Perennial Herbaceous Border Tuesday, April 17 and Wednesday, April 18, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

(2 sessions) Location: MSHS Classroom, 2705 Lincoln Drive, Roseville. $26 members, $31 nonmembers Learn the basics of designing a perennial border including layout, proper spacing, and the use of various bloom types to capture your eye to move from one area to the next. An illustrated discussion of native and non-native perennials from A to Z along with some recommended Blooming Bed Partners will be provided.

April classes continues on page 27

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April classes continued from page 26 Instructor: Mary Maguire Lerman is a retired horticulturalist from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. She is a designer of private and park gardens and a contributing writer to Northern Gardener.

Conserving Butterflies, Bees & Good Bugs—and Killing the Pests Tuesday, April 24, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Location: MSHS Classroom, 2705 Lincoln Drive, Roseville. $15 members, $20 nonmembers Sharing your garden with butterflies, bees, and bugs that will eat your pests requires an understanding of how insecticides work. It is easy to manage for good bugs once you have learned the details provided by this workshop. Also, Vera will explain how to add certain plants to the garden to provide food for good bugs to reduce pest numbers.

Instructor: Dr. Vera Krischik is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota in the Department of Entomology. She is interested in increasing the use of Integrated Pest Management to reduce insect problems in the Twin Cities.

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | EDUCATION

April Exhibits and Classes at the Arboretum isit the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen for the following April exhibits and classes! For details, visit the website at www.arboretum.umn.edu.

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Saturday, April 14

Saturday, April 21

Rose Society Demo 8 a.m. Wilson Rose Garden Minnesota Rose Society demonstrates how to "Lift buried roses."

ursday, April 5

Pruning Trees and Shrubs 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $35 member/$45 non-member, Snyder Building In this class, you will learn the latest theories and practical applications for pruning and training from expert Arboretum landscape gardener Jeffrey Johnson.

Minnesota Rose Society Demonstration 8 a.m. Wilson Rose Garden Learn all about "planting bareroot and potted roses" with rose society members.

Free to the public.

Orchids Up Close: An Evening of Macrophotography 6:30-9:30 p.m., $45 member/$50 nonmember, Oswald Visitor Center Take advantage of exclusive access to the Great Hall of Orchids Exhibit in the Visitor Center as part of a small group of photographers who will have the exhibit after hours and to yourselves. Expert photographer Ben Manlove will provide instruction and guidance.

Saturday, April 7 Grow Your Own Food 10 a.m.-noon, $35 member/$45 nonmember, Snyder Building Learn about some of the best choices for your vegetable garden from lifetime gardener and Arboretum Director of Education Tim Kenny.

Wednesday, April 18 Inside the Collection: Wild About Wildflowers Noon-1 p.m., $7.50 member/$10.00 non-member, Snyder Building Get an exclusive viewing of treasured books on wildflowers with Andersen Horticultural Library head Kathy Allen.

ursday, April 19 Orchids Up Close: An Evening of Macrophotography See April 5

Orchid Culture 101 9:30 a.m.-noon, $45 member/$50 nonmember, Oswald Visitor Center Growing orchids in a Minnesota home environment is easier than in a Florida backyard. Orchid grower and expert Jerry Fischer will show you how in this class, held during the Arboretum's Orchid Exhibit. Learn tips and techniques, and take home a small plant to bring the long-lasting exotic beauty of orchids into your life.

Sunday, April 22 Earth Day Guided Walk 10 a.m.-noon; Ordway Parking Lot; $5 member/$7.50 non-member

Friday, April 27 Arbor Day Guided Walk noon-2 p.m.; Ordway Parking Lot; $5 member/ $7.50 non-member

Call Bridgewater Tree Farms for Your Spring Tree Orders Please call for Field Direct Pricing.

Delivery Available 5’ to 14’ Spruce & Pine 5’ to 12’ Techny Arborvitae Shade and Ornamentals too

Carefully grown on heavy southern Minnesota loam soil.

Just off Interstate 35 in Northfield, Minnesota.

Dave Maloney office (507) 663-0393 • cell (612) 221-0514 or email il davem@bridgewatertreefarms.com d @b id t t f 28

www.MNLA.biz | APRIL 2012

SAFETY | The Scoop

Ladders – Maintenance Trumps Replacement

By Adam Tripp, TBG Loss Control Representative ew pieces of equipment on a jobsite are as ubiquitous and essential as ladders and few pieces of equipment receive the use and abuse that they do as well. Therefore, having a thorough ladder safety program is essential. Proper use, training, selection, inspection, set-up, replacement, etc. are just a few of the topics that need to be addressed to keep people safe while using ladders. Ladders are a significant investment and need to be properly maintained otherwise unnecessary replacement costs quickly add up. This is especially true if your crews are using fiberglass ladders. Ways to reduce the expense of replacing ladders would be to have an active maintenance program.

Few companies want to take on the

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liability of fixing them in-house and therefore there are service companies available that will come to your office to inspect, fix any ladder defects, and recertify the ladders for service. With the rough nature of the construction industry, one can expect the average lifespan for fiberglass ladders to be anywhere between two and four years.

Wear and tear, UV degradation, paint overspray, etc. all decrease the life expectancy. Therefore having someone that is certified to fix and maintain a ladder is essential. One such company is Batavia Services, Inc. According to Batavia, an average inspection/repair program costs roughly $40 to $60 per ladder per year. New fiberglass ladders are a significant investment and can easily cost between $150 and $350 apiece. If not properly maintained,

having to purchase new ladders every three years on average is a staggering at best and not likely to fit easily into the budget. By using Batavia’s services, you can hopefully expect to see the average lifespan of a ladder increase to four times that. Not only is it cost effective, in the long term it will improve the safety of your jobsites by providing safe equipment for your employees. q ________________________________ For contact information, visit Batavia’s website at www.laddermatters.com The Builders Group (TBG) is a self-insured 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.

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | MNLA AWARDS

Sayward Wins Committee Member of the Year ill Sayward, owner of Itasca Greenhouse in Cohasset, received the Committee Member of the Year Award during the MNLA Landscape Gala on March 10.

Bill and his wife Cathy moved to Minnesota from Maine in 1987, when Bill became manager of Itasca Greenhouse, Inc. In January 1989, they purchased Itasca Greenhouse. They have grown the capacity of the operation to over 6 million containerized tree seedling and added cold storage, holding areas, processing, and storage.

In the late 1990s, the Saywards purchased GreenWorld Project from a long-time customer and moved to Minnesota.

This part of the operation packages seedlings for weddings, funerals, promotions and other special occasions.

Prior to coming to Minnesota, Bill was the research forester for the Woodland Division of Georgia Pacific. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forestry from the University of Maine.

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A Deeper Shade of Green Local Genetic Origins

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

www.outbacknursery.com

Call us first for all your native planting needs 30

www.MNLA.biz | APRIL 2012

Bill Sayward accepts the Committee Member of the Year Award from MNLA President Debbie Lonnee Bill has been active on the MNLA Commercial Seedling Growers Committee since the early 1990s, and he is the association’s longest serving committee chair. In this role, he has been a tireless champion for private seedling growers as they’ve tried to compete with the DNR State Forest Nurseries.

He was very involved in the negotiations which led to the 1997 legislation to cap the DNR’s seedling sales.

Years of determination on behalf of free enterprise by Bill and others were rewarded last year when legislation which greatly restricts the DNR’s sales to private landowners was passed into law. The effect of the law will be to free up market share for private growers in the coming years. According to MNLA Executive Director Bob Fitch, Bill was in the middle of the effort at the capitol – he testified, he personally lobbied legislators, he rallied his fellow growers, and he provided crucial background information for staff.

Hand-in-hand with Bert Swanson of Swanson’s Nursery Consulting, who was then president of MNLA, Bill’s grassroots efforts paid off in a major victory, changing the face of an 80year-old entrenched institution. q

MNLA AWARDS | The Scoop

Denny McNamara Enters MNLA Hall of Fame enny McNamara was inducted into the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association Hall of Fame during the MNLA Landscape Gala on March 10.

Denny McNamara is the former co-owner of Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscape, a company he founded with business partner Gary Hoffman 35 years ago. The company grows B&B trees and has long been one of the most prominent contractors in the state doing major commercial landscape work, including lots of work on Minnesota Department of Transportation projects.

Denny has a degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota. He was an active leader in the growth of MNLA’s Landscape Contractors Committee in 1980s and 1990s. He eventually distinguished himself on the MNLA Board of Directors and as association president in 2000-2001.

In 2002, Denny was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, serving the citizens in the Hastings area. He also became known as the nursery-landscape expert at the State Capitol.

According to MNLA Executive Director Bob Fitch, Denny has promoted many MNLA causes at the State Capitol, including running interference with state agencies and protecting the interests of small business operators. He has championed the green industry on many issues – rain sensor legislation, EAB readiness and response dollars, immigration, workers compensation insurance, wise and prudent investment in the state’s environmental infrastructure, and many other issues large and small.

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Following the 2010 elections, Denny was named to the powerful position of chair of the House Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee.

In 2011, years of effort paid off when he helped to shepherd a bill into law which reined in the operations of the DNR State Forest Nurseries. Publicly and behind the scenes, Denny was an advocate for free enterprise and the capabilities of private nursery growers.

During his Hall of Fame induction, MNLA President Debbie Lonnee said, “As a representative for nursery and landscape companies, Denny has ‘done us proud’ at the State Capitol and has earned his place in the Hall of Fame.”

Denny is a life-long resident of Hastings, where he and wife Lynne raised their sons, Mike and Brian. Mike now owns Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscape, and Brian is project superintendant at the company. q

Your Outdoor Room Specialists

Fireside Hearth & Home Denny McNamara accepts the Hall of Fame Award from MNLA President Debbie Lonnee

7937 Wedgewood Lane N • Maple Grove, MN 55369 763-425-9656 • olearyj@fireside.com www.Fireside.com APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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DNR names Forrest Boe Director of Forestry Division he Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has named Forrest Boe as director of the DNR's Forestry Division.

For the past 29 years, Boe has worked for the DNR in numerous leadership positions, most recently as the deputy director of the Parks and Trails Division. He spent 20 years of his career in northern Minnesota with the agency’s former Trails and Waterways Division.

One of Boe’s first jobs during and after college was operating his own forestry business, which included tree planting and management. The business was inspired by his father, a DNR forester for 39 years.

Boe said one of his main goals will be to balance needs of the forestry industry with the environmental aspects of forestry.

As Forestry Division director, Boe will oversee a $70 million annual budget and a staff of 350 employees. The division is responsible for protecting people, property and natural resources from wildfire on 45.5 million acres of land in Minnesota.

Boe earned a Bachelor of Science degree in natural resource management from the University of WisconsinStevens Point. He lives in Hastings, Minn.

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www.MNLA.biz | APRIL 2012

#3 in a

The Scoop | EXPO

series

Expo New Plant Forum Editor’s Note: During the course of this year, e Scoop will feature information and photos from the New Plant Forum held at the 2012 Northern Green Expo. anks to MNLA President Debbie Lonnee, Bailey Nurseries, for organizing this session with presenters from around the world. e New Plant Forum is an educational session that was developed for the Northern Green Expo to highlight and bring to attention new plant cultivars for landscapes and gardens in the Upper Midwest. e person who presented the plant is listed just prior to the plant name.

Russell Emerson, Ball Horticultural Co.

Petunia x hybrida Suncatcher™ ‘Pink Lemonade’ Suncatcher™ ‘Pink Lemonade’ petunia Origin: introduced by Ball FloraPlant as part of the Simply Beautiful® program USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: annual in the Midwest Height and Spread: 8-12” X 8-12” Availability: Ball Propagation method: vegetative cuttings e beautiful habit and a great flowering plant brings a new level of quality to yellow petunias. e blush pink edges make a unique look at retail but the performance makes this a winner. e mounding trailing habit and easy to grow nature makes this a perfect hanging basket or combo plant.

Brent Gustafson, Midwest Groundcovers

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Jane’ PPAF Little Lime™ panicle hydrangea

Bob Cashman, Ball Horticultural Co.

Origin: bred by Tim Wood, Product Development and Marketing Manager at Spring Meadow Nursery USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 3-8 Height and Spread: 3-5’ X 3-5’ Availability: most growers of PWCC shrubs Propagation method: softwood cuttings Little Lime™ hydrangea is one of the best new plants to be released into the market over the past few years. ‘Limelight’ hydrangea has been the standard in the market for Hydrangea paniculata for many years; but for most landscapes this plant grew too large without a lot of maintenance. is is a dwarf version that fits into our smaller yards and little to no maintenance is needed. is p plant has performed well in the sshort time it has been aavailable throughout the Midwest region. e plant M ccan be used in many ssituations and is very d drought tolerant. It adapts w well to most soils, pH cconditions and is tolerant oof urban pollution. Easy tto grow and blooms rreliably every year with no iinsect or disease issues.

Origin: introduced by Darwin Plants USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 4-9 Height and Spread: 12-18” X 24-30” Availability: Ball Darwin liners, Fast Finish™ P Propagation m method: softwood ccuttings  is truly dwarf P Perovskia is half the ssize of other ccultivars on the m market, and has the llargest flowers of any ccultivar with very iintense color. With tthat classic lacy ssilver foliage of R Russian sage, this llittle plant blooms iin July and August.

Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Lisslitt’ PP20,845 Lacey Blue Russian sage

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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Brent Gustafson, Midwest Groundcovers B

W Weigela florida ‘Sunset’ PPAF M My Monet® Sunset weigela O Origin: developed by Dr Tom Ranney at NCSU in Fletcher, North Carolina USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 5-8 (potential zone 4) U H Height and Spread: 12-18” X 12-18” A Availability: most PWCC shrub growers P Propagation method: softwood cuttings n A very new plant to the market and still needs time for testing. Attractive gold variegated foliage and nice orange to red fall color.

Will occasionally produce soft, rosy pink flowers sporadically throughout the season. e flowers will attract butterflies and hummingbirds. is plant is primarily a color foliage plant in the landscape.

Jim Stolzenburg, Bailey Nurseries, Inc.

Prunus maackii ‘Jefspur’ PP19665 First Editions® Goldspur™ amur cherry Origin: a seedling selection discovered in Saskatoon, SK, Canada, by Dr Philip Ronald USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 2-6 Height and Spread: 10-15’ X 6-9’ Availability: Bailey Nurseries, Inc, Jeffries Nursery Propagation: tissue culture or softwood cuttings A unique selection of amur cherry with dense peach-like foliage. Mature plants reach only half the size of straight species. Creamy white spring flowers produce compact racemes of tiny black fruit in mid-summer. e golden exfoliating bark is a desirable winter feature.

Dr Jim Luby, University of Minnesota

Bob Cashman, Ball Horticultural Co.

Vaccinium ‘Superior’ Superior blueberry

Echinacea Sombrero™ series Sombrero™ ‘Hot Coral’ PPAF Sombrero™ ‘Salsa Red’ PPAF Sombrero™ ‘Sandy Yellow’ PPAF

Origin: bred at the University of Minnesota USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 3-7 Height and Spread: 4-5’ X 4-5’ Availability: Bailey Nurseries, Inc., De Grandchamps Inc, Fall Creek Nursery, Inc. Propagation method: tissue culture An excellent producer in cold climates, including zone 3, Superior matures about one week later than other blueberry varieties than can be grown in zones 3 and 4. It has been the most productive cultivar in trials at Grand Rapids and Becker, MN. Reaching a mature height and spread of 4-5’ x 4-5’ in zone 4, it will be slightly smaller in zone 3 – 2 ½-3’ X 3-4’ in diameter. e berries are light g to medium blue, similar to P Polaris and C Chippewa and llighter than Northblue. e N flavor is fl bbalanced and pleasant, less p aacidic than Northblue.

N

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www.MNLA.biz | APRIL 2012

Origin: introduced by Darwin Plants USDA Cold Hardiness Zone: 5-9, testing in zone 4 now Height and Spread: 22-24” x 16-22” Availability: Ball Darwin liners, Fast Finish™ and bareroot Propagation method: vegetative, using TC mother stock is very well-branched series is well-matched for habit and timing, and perfect for us in spring planted programs.

Sturdy, compact plants that are very floriferous and in bright rich colors.

Jim Stolzenburg, Bailey Nurseries, Inc.

Pinus strobus ‘Paton’s Silver Splendor’ Paton’s Silver Splendor white pine Origin: Wisconsin USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 3 Height and Spread: 50-80’ X 20-40’ Availability: B il Nurseries N i Inc I Oregon Pride Nursery, Bailey Propagation: grafting A fast growing white pine selected for its excellent resistance to white pine blister-rust. It has been tested for many years. e tree has a more silvery appearance than the species. Fast growing, up to 12” of growth per year.

Dr Jim Luby, University of Minnesota

Malus ‘MN 447’ Frostbite™ apple Origin: unknown USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 3b Height and Spread: will vary depending on understock Availability: Bailey Nurseries, Inc., Propagation method: budding Producing a small to medium apple, from 2.2 to 2.6” in diameter, that has a firm but crisp and juicy flesh that is sweet, aromatic and very unusual. e flesh color is cream to light yellow. e skin color is 80 to 95% maroon red over a yellow gold background. e pattern of coloration is striped, often with a dappled appearance.

Ripens ranging from the last week of September to the middle of October in east central Minnesota.

Usually one to three weeks after Honeycrisp.

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

35

Top Reasons to Attend the Garden Party • Party-hardy at Gordie Bailey’s home! In itself, an opportunity not to be missed. Combined with great food and networking opportunities for only $50: Unbeatable.

• Mingle with stars like Belinda Jensen. Who knows who else you might bump into as leaders in the industry set aside a night to celebrate the future of the industry?

• What could possibly be more fun? Treat your significant other to an enjoyable evening of mixing and mingling with enthusiastic industry professionals (the movers and shakers of the industry).

• Benefit a cause that fights for your success. Your ticket purchase supports the efforts of the MNLA Foundation to recruit, engage and educate the next generation of green industry professionals.

• Take time to celebrate the season! Hopefully, June 20th will mark the passing of a successful spring into a profitable summer.

• Grow and strengthen your business! e Garden Party offers you and key employees a chance to connect, network and interact with top business leaders.

MNLA Foundation Garden Party: Wednesday, June 20th at 6:30pm at the home of Gordie & Jo Bailey.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call Jodi at 651-633-4987 or visit the events page of mnla.biz.

Call for Spring Specials

36

www.MNLA.biz | APRIL 2012

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS | The Scoop

Remember When!

By Todd Peterson, Todd's Landscaping ast fall I was sitting eating lunch on a beautiful day on my client’s deck overlooking the lake, listening to the birds, feeling the cool breeze on my face, admiring the work in progress on the job, when out of the sky over some trees a bald eagle swooped down and grabbed a fish out of the water. I turned to my crew and said “WOW, this is why I enjoy being outside landscaping!”

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Remember when you first decided to become a landscaper, the hopes and dreams you had? Being able to work outside and enjoy the nice days? When you couldn’t wait to work for yourself, or work for someone that appreciates you and the work you do? When going to the jobsite and seeing nothing but weeds and dirt and a few days later the yard being transformed into a beautiful landscape that you and the homeowner were proud of?

When we are in the so called "heat of the battle" in the middle of summer we sometimes forget who we are working for and start the complain train. Looking at all the negative things that are happening around us like all the hours, the hot days, the

Fun Events!

Contact Jodi @mnla.biz or 651-633-4987 for more information.

• June 20 - Garden Party • July 24 - Golf • August TBD - Girls Night Out Boat Cruise • September 19 - Shootout

Mark your calendar now!

employees are not happy, and that one customer you just can’t seem to satisfy.

What do you do? Take a breath and look around you. There is nothing more satisfying then looking at a job when done and taking in what you just accomplished. So many times I am under the gun getting to the next job that I pack up and move on without stopping and taking a look. I have tried very hard to take my crew and walk around a work site for 15 minutes after being done and just take it in. It is hard, but try to do it!

“ere is nothing more satisfying then looking at a job when done and taking in what you just accomplished.”

A number of years ago I was working at a supermarket and carrying out groceries for a lady when she taught me a lesson I will not forget. I proceeded to talk to her about the weather, the day, and some pleasant things that were

happening at the time. She had a negative comment about everything that I brought up and no matter what I said she had that type of a response.

The lesson I learned is that sometimes you just can’t please some people. No matter what, we all have bad days. But, how do we handle them?

I challenge each one of you reading this to take 10 minutes out of your schedules and do the following, this will help you later! Write on the top of a small piece of paper “Remember when.” Then answer these questions; What brought me to landscaping?

Why do I like landscaping? What is the best thing I have done while landscaping? What are the two most positive things I have been told about my landscaping ability? After doing this, put this paper in your truck or wallet and this summer during the busy season pull that out during a bad day and remind yourself how great you are!

May God bless you during this coming year! q _______________________________ Todd Peterson is a member of the MNLA Landscape Professional Advancement Committee and can be reached at todd@toddslandscaping.com.

Techney Arborvitae, Most sizes available, from container grown 12-15" to 10' B&B. Call for sizes and prices.

Container Grown & B&B Minnesota Grown

Crow River Greenhouse & Nursery 8320 Co. Rd. 33 New Germany, MN 55367

Phone/Fax 952-353-1505 Cell 952-607-9241 crowrivergreenhouseandnursery@frontier.com APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

37

The Scoop | NURSERY

Our goal is to exceed your expectations.

I Wear My Sunglasses at Night

By Kendall Klaus, Klaus Nurseries

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!

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

Casualty Assurance of Chaska, LLC 101 West 3rd Street Chaska, MN 55318 38

www.MNLA.biz | APRIL 2012

Wear My Sunglasses at Night is a great song recorded by Canadian singer Corey Heart. In August of 1984, the song rose to number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is considered by many to be a classic ‘80’s pop rock song. You may wonder why I bring this up – continue reading – it will all come together shortly.

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I was lucky enough to grow up alongside a small lake in the Twin Cities area. Like many of you who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, when I wasn’t in school, I was outside. Much of my youth was spent on the water - winter and summer, fishing, swimming, water skiing, playing hockey, etc. I can still remember being outside on a sunny

winter’s day, having fun. Upon returning to the indoors, you wouldn’t be able to see anything for 10 minutes, after having been outside with the sun reflecting off all of that snow. I’m sure sunglasses had been invented, but I don’t remember ever wearing any as a kid. I don’t think I had my first pair of sunglasses until I could drive a car.

Last June, after returning from a fishing trip, I noticed a white growth on my right eye. It had been a particularly windy week up north and I assumed my eye irritation was a result of being out in all that wind. After a week of Visine use, it still felt like I had sand in my eye, so I made an appointment with my optometrist. Much to my surprise, he informed me that I had something called

Pterygium! Not only had I never heard of it, I couldn’t even pronounce it! Definition: Pterygium (noun, pronounced te-‘rijē-um) “a fleshy mass of thickened conjunctiva that grows over part of the cornea usually from the inner side of the eyeball and causes a disturbance of vision.” Sounds lovely, huh?! In severe cases, Pterygium can block your vision completely. After a visit with a surgeon of Ophthalmology it was confirmed – not only did I have it in my right eye, but also my left.

It became clear that relief would come only through surgery, which I did have this past January. He only operated on my right eye, since the growth on my left eye is not yet big enough for surgery. My surgeon used the “no-stitch, amniotic graft method” and it went beautifully. For anyone interested in seeing this type of procedure, there is a You-Tube video; however, it is graphic and not for the squeamish!

The primary cause of this condition is ultraviolet radiation from sunlight. Other causes include exposure to dusty, dry environments; spending significant time on or in the water may double your exposure to ultraviolet rays. My surgeon believes that 90% of my exposure occurred before I was 16 years old!

Although I don’t ‘wear my sunglasses at night,’ I do wear them from sunrise to sunset, sunshine or clouds. Please have all of your employees put those sunglasses on when they’re outside, and by all means, if you have kids or grandkids, get some good sunglasses on them whenever they are outdoors.

Just remember the song, “And I wear my sunglasses at night, so I can, so I can Keep track of the visions in my eyes.”

Protect your vision – wear those sunglasses whenever you are outdoors! q _________________________________________________ Kendall Klaus is a member of the MNLA Nursery Committee and can be reached at Klausnurseries@aol.com.

To MNLA Members: Sargent's Gardens in Rochester, MN hopes to correct some misleading information recently published in IGC 100 Magazine (AKA Nursery Retailer Magazine ). is magazine's listing of the 100 largest garden centers in America mistakenly ranked Sargent's at #20 in America with a sales number that has no basis in fact. Sargent's is unaware of the origin of this information, which did not come from our company.

Sargent's has never publicized sales numbers to any public organization. We are embarrassed by this error made by IGC 100 magazine as we only wish their numbers were correct!

Nick Sargent, Sargent's Gardens APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz Hedberg Scoop April 2012.indd 1

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3/1/2012 1:19:03 PM

Plant Something MNLA takes part in a national public awareness campaign NLA is excited to announce the launch of a new campaign to spur the public to do more gardening and landscaping. The "Plant Something" campaign started in Minnesota earlier this spring and will ramp up as spring continues. The effort has several threads, which have been woven into a tapestry of an exciting public awareness campaign.

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A USDA Specialty Crop Grant and a marketing grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Minnesota Grown program are funding MNLA’s campaign. In addition, MNLA is leveraging an investment made over the past two years by the Arizona Nursery Association, who hired a professional marketing agency to develop the look and messages of the Plant Something campaign.

The campaign is designed to communicate the benefits of planting trees, plants, flowers and vegetables. By adopting the Plant Something philosophy, residents can improve their home, their community and their quality of life.

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www.MNLA.biz | APRIL 2012

MNLA is utilizing the grant funding to spread this message via StarTribune.com, Midwest Home magazine, the Minnesota Grown directory and website, Garden Minnesota Yearbook, and GardenMinnesota.com. The heart of the campaign is a 10-week run on StarTribune.com, the region's #1 source of online news. Plant Something ads will run on StarTribune.com from April 9 through June 16, and a mobile campaign will run from April 16 through May 26.

Readers clicking on the ad will be taken to a Plant Something landing page on GardenMinnesota.com where they can learn more about the value of plants, as well as then follow the links through to the MNLA member directory.

The goal of this campaign will be to inspire customers to invest time and money in planting something in their own landscape. As such, the retail companies within MNLA should benefit more directly, but as the message of the value of landscaping seeps into consciousness, demand for professional landscaping should also increase.

Instead of blowing money on air conditioning, invest in some shade trees to cool and insulate your house and yard naturally. With the right plants surrounding your home, you can cut up to 25% off your energy bill.

Uncover a wealth of cool tree ideas at GardenMinnesota.com

LANDSCAPE DESIGN | The Scoop

Ole Man Winter What Hand Have You Dealt?

By Jan Klaus, JK Garden Design, LLC n the various games of cards, one never knows what hand you have until the last card is dealt. Similarly, we do not know the hand that Ole Man Winter will have dealt us until we see how things turn out this spring and summer.

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Last winter with the deep snow cover, I had a lot of vole damage on my yews, Jan Klaus necessitating some judicious pruning in the spring. I saw tremendous tree girdling on well established crab trees forewarning almost certain death to the trees. We have not had deep snow cover this winter so various animals should have had plenty of things to eat besides our desirable plants.

With the warmer winter temperatures, we have seen TV coverage of azaleas in bloom a month early in some of the southern states as well as large areas of daffodils blooming, again earlier than usual. According to a local meteorologist, we have had only three nights with below zero temperatures, the second-fewest on record. To be honest, I have enjoyed a milder winter. I like that I was able on occasion to grab a sweater, scarf and vest and let my winter coat hang in the closet.

The lack of significant precipitation since early last summer and through the fall and winter is also of concern to Jim, especially for recent plantings and for the upcoming growing season.

The early leaf break, followed by frosts, was also a concern echoed by Dr. Jeff Gillman, a U of M Professor. He feels ‘it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but it could set the trees back a little’. He doesn’t ‘think the lack of snow cover will mean as much damage as it normally might because our temps never got really cold for an extended period of time.’ He is concerned about the lack of moisture in the form of snow this winter, which means less water moving into our lakes, and ‘the dry fall could mean that trees suffered more this winter than normal.’

After thirty plus years being in the horticulture industry and seeing some winter damage most every year, I am hopeful that since this winter was mild, the damage will be minimal. Will Ole Man Winter have dealt us a good hand? It remains to be seen. q _________________________________________________ Jan Klaus is a member of the MNLA Landscape Design Committee and can be reached at jklaus1147@aol.com.

But with these warm winter temperatures, did insects have a better chance of survival? Will we see greater numbers of the Japanese Beetle and Emerald Ash Borer? I spoke with Jeff Hahn, a U of M entomologist and he says it is not as simple as saying that having a mild winter more insects will survive. The lack of snow cover might balance the mild conditions, i.e. the lack of snow means less insulation. If the insects were healthy and the numbers were high going into the winter, it may mean we could see at least similar infestations as last year.

Mark Stennes, plant pathologist of S&S Tree Specialists, is very concerned about injury to newly planted large evergreens.

With the dry fall, if they did not get any extra water and with the evaporation draw on these trees we could see a lot of brown branches this spring. He is hopeful that the slushy snow fall in late February could help alleviate the problem. Well established Arborvitae appear to be okay, as we are not seeing browning evidence yet, according to Mark, but thinks we will soon see if that remains the case.

Dr. Jim Calkins doesn’t ‘expect any serious landscape plant issues as a result of the winter conditions we’ve experienced so far this winter. Minnesota typically experiences a fairly open (snowless) winter every five years or so and it hasn’t been very cold in the southern two-thirds of the state’ so he doesn’t ‘expect significant damage to roots and crowns.’ He is ‘guessing the primary issue is going to be precocious bud-break and emergence of herbaceous perennials (especially bulbs) growing in warmer microclimates, these plants will be more susceptible to damage should we get a significant cold snap.’

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Contact Mary at 651-633-4987.

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

41

The Scoop | ARBORIST

Competitive Advantage in the Green Industry

By Chris Romer, Treecology frequently visit a “dollar store” after working out at my local fitness center. It is very common that the cashier does not smile, does not say “hello” or “thank you” as I check out. I often get my change handed to me as the cashier looks down, having not even acknowledged me as a customer. While the store is conveniently located next to the Chris Romer fitness center, the main reason I put up with the lacking customer service is the $1 bottles of Gatorade and diet Mountain Dew. The dollar store is utilizing a clear competitive advantage, which is charging the lowest possible price. If the dollar store started focusing on improving customer service or quality of goods, which in turn raised the prices, they would lose their only advantage.

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There are three main types of competitive advantages, which are (1) cost, (2) differentiation, and (3) focus. Just like in the example above, some companies are strictly tying to provide services at the lowest possible cost. Companies that focus on differentiation try to set themselves apart from competitors with “non-price” attributes such as location, credentials, speed of service, consistency, reliability, performance or unique features. Competitive advantages relating to focus can deal with price or differentiation, but only for a narrow target market.

For companies that cannot (or do not wish to) compete with cost as their main competitive advantage, most of their emphasis will be geared towards differentiation. Four main areas of differentiation that a company can utilize relate to service, people, image and quality. If you answer “yes” to the following questions, your company is probably dominating the market and you can stop reading this article.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Do you provide better service than your competitors?

Do you hire and retain better people than competitors?

Is your image better than competitors?

Is your quality better than competitors?

The ultimate goal for any company would be to get to a level of “sustainable competitive advantage.” This would be achieved when other companies are not able to duplicate the value and benefits that your company is providing. It must be said that once a competitive advantage is gained, it is not guaranteed to last. Companies need to continuously look inward and outward for industry and consumer trends. A hot topic in the business world today is “adaptability” which is what some people are now considering the fourth type of competitive advantage. As new companies enter the market or other companies change for the better, your company needs to be adaptable to retain, adjust or change your advantages.

To figure out your competitive advantages, create a “Competition Matrix,” which should be considered a vital part of any company’s business plan. This is a list of your company’s top competitors (usually 5-10) in your industry. For each company, evaluate their unique features, strengths, weaknesses, pricing, quality, and other differentiations. Then create a list of competitive advantages that these companies might have over your company. After some analyzing of the Competition Matrix and your company’s strengths and weaknesses, create a list of competitive advantages that you 42

www.MNLA.biz | APRIL 2012

have over each of the listed companies. The majority of your marketing and operational planning should be based around these advantages.

Truck Utilities, Inc. Your Knapheide Distributor for 19 years

Many companies use this information regarding their competitive advantages to help improve their company weaknesses. Many people in the business world believe this is a mistake. Many people believe that successful companies should develop and exploit their strengths, rather than trying to fix their weaknesses. There is some debate regarding this idea, but it is commonly believed that weaknesses can rarely become strengths. However, a company’s strengths can become even better strengths. Weaknesses can be improved, but commonly not beyond a “base-line” level. Any effort to help improve a company’s weakness beyond this line is a waste of time and creates an opportunity cost to further develop company strengths.

Whether your company has one or dozens of “similar” companies operating in the same area, many of these companies are not truly competing with you. There are several levels of competitors all trying for certain pieces of the market share. Many companies will compete strictly on price, while others will compete with differentiation. Each company will need to compete on whatever level they are best suited for. In general, the more competitive advantages that your company has over the general population of similar companies, the higher up the “competition ladder” your company will move.

Many companies spend a great deal of time, money and effort to focus on differentiation. This may include becoming accredited, retaining top-end employees with industry certifications, improving their safety culture, continued membership with green industry organizations, or offering different services for clients. What happens in a market when many companies appear to all have the same competitive advantages?

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For companies that have similar credentials to their competitors, you must understand your own strengths and weaknesses, and those of your rivals. Only then you will be able to gain additional competitive advantages. This may be with adaptability, unique customer service, value-added services, or a completely new way of looking at your operations. Often the best way to compete with other similar companies is to “out-purpose” them by connecting your employees to your company’s vision, mission, and purpose.

When all employees buy in to a company, it is much easier to develop competitive advantages. It doesn’t matter if you are a 1-person company or a large national company; you will have and can exploit competitive advantages to find success in your business. q _________________________________________________ Chris Romer is a member of the MNLA Commercial Arborist Committee and can be reached at romer.treecology@gmail.com.

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Federal Workplace Posters

By Patrick D. McGuiness, Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC ou have probably received an email, direct mailing or phone call telling you that “Labor Law posting notices are always changing” or something similar. These solicitations attempt to scare you into purchasing “the complete set” of posters from their company so that you will be in compliance. Should you purchase posters from these companies? That is up to you, but before you do, please read the rest of this short article.

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Why so many posters?

Historically, workers and employees have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous business owners and managers. Sometimes, the legislature’s response to this has been to require that posters be posted in a conspicuous place at the workplace so that workers can be informed of their rights. g

Both the State of Minnesota and the Federal Government have requirements for what posters must be displayed. This month I am covering the Federal Poster Requirements. What follows is a helpful table from the U.S. Department of Labor, listing information about posters and requirements. It is available online at: http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/osd bu/sbrefa/poster/matrix.htm Where to Get Posters Sure, you could pay $50 to $100 to purchase all of the required posters in one package. Hopefully the posters will have the correct information and you will be all set. Alternatively, you could save a bunch of money by getting the required posters from the Department of Labor for FREE! Simply print or download them from: http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/osd bu/sbrefa/poster/matrix.htm

Please keep in mind that this article only covers the required Federal posters and not any state posters. q This article provides general information on employment matters and should not be relied upon as legal advice. A qualified attorney must analyze all relevant facts and apply the applicable law to any matter before legal advice can be given. If you would like more information regarding employment law or other legal matters, please contact Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC at 651-206-3203 or pmcguiness@zmattorneys.com Patrick McGuiness is one of the founding partners of Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC. His law practice focuses on assisting contractors & other small business owners.

He is also part owner of One Call Property Care, LLC a Minneapolis landscaping & property management company.

Federal Poster Requirements: Poster

Who Must Post it?

Penalties?

Other Info

JOB SAFETY AND HEALTH PROTECTION Occupational Safety and Health Administration 29 USC 657(c), 29 CFR 1903.2

Private employers engaged in a business affecting commerce.

Does not apply to federal, state or political subdivisions of states.

Any covered employer failing to post the poster may be subject to citation and penalty.

Employers in states operating OSHA-approved state plans should obtain and post the state’s equivalent poster.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Minimum wage poster Wage and Hour Division

Every private, federal, state and local government employer employing any employee subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 USC 211, 29 CFR 516.4 posting of notices.

No citations or penalties for failure to post.

Any employer of employees to whom sec. 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act does not apply may alter or modify the poster legibly to show that the overtime provisions do not apply.

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Poster

Who Must Post it?

Penalties?

Other Info

YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT Wage and Hour Division 29 CFR 825.300, .402

Public agencies (including state, local, and federal employers), public and private elementary and secondary schools, as well as private sector employers who employ 50 or more employees in 20 or more work weeks and who are engaged in commerce or in any industry or activity affecting commerce, including joint employers and successors of covered employers.

Willful refusal to post may result in a civil money penalty by the Wage and Hour Division not to exceed $100 for each separate offense.

Where an employer’s workforce is not proficient in English, the employer must provide the notice in the language the employee speaks. e poster must be posted prominently where it can be readily seen by employees and applicants for employment.

NOTICE: EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT Wage and Hour Division 29 CFR 801.6

Any employer engaged in or affecting commerce or in the production of goods for commerce. Does not apply to federal, state and local governments, or to circumstances covered by the national defense and security exemption.

e Secretary of Labor can bring court actions and assess civil penalties for failing to post.

e Act extends to all employees or prospective employees regardless of their citizenship status. Foreign corporations operating in the United Status must comply or will result in penalties for failing to post. e poster must be displayed where employees and applicants for employment can readily observe it.

NOTICE MIGRANT AND SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKER PROTECTION ACT Wage and Hour Division 29 CFR 500.75, .76

Agricultural employers, agricultural associations and farm labor contractors.

A civil money penalty may be assessed.

Each employer covered by the Act who provides housing to migrant agricultural workers shall post in a conspicuous place, throughout the occupancy period, information on the terms and conditions of occupancy of such housing.

Keep in mind, there are also additional posters and requirements for businesses that do work for the federal government and other governmental entities. Take time to look at the Department of Labor’s website to find out if those posters may apply to your business.

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952-679-4748 APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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Immigration Hiring and Compliance Training

STAFF DIRECTORY 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

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.NorthernGreenExpo.org www.TheLandLovers.org

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Order forms or links for many of the services listed below can be found at www.mnla.biz Companies endorsed by MNLA:

Credit Card Processing (THE CREDIT CARD DR./ Better Business Solutions) 651-207-6867 877-272-0741 (Toll Free) dan@the CCDr.com www.TheCCDr.com Business Legal Services (Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC) 651-331-6500 Fuel Savings (Holiday Stationstores) 952-830-8889 Workers Compensation Insurance (The Builders Group) 651-203-6793 Contact the MNLA office at mnla@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987 or toll-free 888-886-6652 for information on the following products or services.

Catalogs/Outdoor Living publication series Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge Fleet Program Educational Programs/MNLA Academy Employee Recruiting/ On-Line Job Board Garden Center Plant Posters Garden Center Carryout Trays Northern Green Expo Trade Show Booths MNLA Certified Professional manuals, exam Sales Tax Rules / Nursery-GreenhouseLandscape (www.MNLA.biz.)

Spanish Pocket Reference Guide

The Minnesota Business Immigration Coalition will present a seminar on Immigration Hiring and Compliance on Thursday, April 19 from 8:00-11:50 a.m. at Hospitality Minnesota’s classroom at 305 Roselawn Avenue East, just off I-35E in St. Paul.

Immigrants play an increasing role in Minnesota’s workforce. Yet the complicated federal laws governing the hiring of immigrants can be confusing to many employers. This forum is designed to help human resource specialists better understand the laws and be assured that they have dotted the “I”s and crossed the “T”s in completing the necessary paperwork and other requirements. The timing of this forum is opportune for employers as seasonal workers typically join the workforce in the spring, summer and fall.

The forum is divided into two panel presentations. The first panel will provide an overview of “best practices” for hiring and retaining immigrant workers. The second panel will focus specifically on the I-9 audit process. Join us for either or both panel presentations.

Panelists are: · Karla Richards, director of human resources, e Saint Paul Hotel · John Velgersdyk, vice president of business administration, Davisco Foods International, Inc. · Michael Davis, attorney, Davis & Goldfarb · Chris Oelkers, group supervisor, Homeland Security Investigations · DeAnne Hilgers, attorney, Lindquist & Venum Employers bear responsibility for verifying that all workers, including immigrants, have proper credentials, noted Bill Blazar, senior vice president of public affairs and business development at the Minnesota Chamber. “There remains much confusion among employers in terms of what they can and cannot do,” he said. “At this forum, you’ll learn the best practices when it comes to immigrant workers.”

Cost is $30 for members of any of the sponsoring organizations, $45 for others. To register, go to www.mnchamber/events/ <http://www.mnchamber/events/> .

Minnesota Business Immigration Coalition member organizations: Minnesota Chamber, Minnesota Agri-Growth Council, Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, Minnesota Milk Producers Association, Midwest Food Processors Association, Minnesota Restaurant Association and Minnesota Lodging Association

The Scoop | PLANT OF THE MONTH

BRUNNERA MACROPHYLLA ‘JACK FROST’

By Jerod Fehrenbach, Twin Orchards Nursery his year we have a new and fantastic introduction for the Perennial Plant Association’s plant of the year in Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ PP 13859 CPBR1799. This is a wonderful, zone 3 hardy, perennial that is a great addition to any shade garden.

It was introduced in 2000 by Walters Gardens and has produced a few sports but none have been as popular or hardy as the original. We have been growing this variety for six years now and have had great success with ‘Jack Frost’.

T

‘Jack Frost’ brunnera works very well in deep shade conditions and some partial shade conditions as well. We have found that it likes to have wet feet pretty consistently and if you let it dry out to

Plant of the Month

the point where the leaves are wilting some damage to the plant may occur. It also works best to keep it out of direct afternoon sun where the heat can burn the leaves in late summer. There are a few diseases that affect it and mildew and rusts may appear on leaves that are wet too often. They also show great resistance to rabbits and deer due to the rough furry texture of the leaves once they are fully formed.

These plants are relatively slow to divide but after time you can split the clumps and add to other areas of the garden. They w will also send oout runners and fform new cclumps but this ttakes a little more time to d develop, especially in our rrelatively short season.

You can pair this plant well with hosta, pulmonaria, w fferns, and especially with ssome of the new varieties of heucherella. The h heucherellas have vibrant h bblue flowers that usually bblooms in mid- May here in Minnesota. When paired M with pulmonaria you can w eexpect an awesome early sshow of color in the shade w when they bloom together.

IIn addition to the great bblooms, the silver foliage sstays strong throughout the yyear and does not revert back tto its green parent.

As well as being a great perennial garden selection this plant performs well in porch containers in shadier areas. I’ve seen ‘Jack Frost’ brunnera combine well with varieties like X Heucherella ‘Yellowstone Falls’, Pulmonaria ‘Mrs Moon’, Hakonechloa aureola, and Hakonechloa ‘All Gold’. The contrast between the solid silver foliage of ‘Jack Frost’ brunnera and the hachonechloa really draws your eyes to these containers. The added benefit to these perennial pots is they can be transferred to the garden in the fall to continue your enjoyment of this solid perennial.

If you haven’t tried Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ in your gardens and containers yet, now is the time. q ________________________________ Jerod Fehrenbach is a member of the MNLA Nursery Committee and can be reached at JFehren@aol.com.

APRIL 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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

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