The Scoop Online - May 2014

Green Industry Benchmark Report

Also Inside

Biodegradable Containers

Plant of the Month Out & About Photo Flashback

POLLINATORS

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Vol: 37 No: 5 May 2014 t h e o f f i c i a l p u b l i c at i o n o f t h e M i n n e s o ta N u r s e r y & L a n d s c a p e A s s o c i at i o n

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Volume 37 No. 5 May 2014

contents 14

23 36

IN THIS ISSUE 8

Events

10 From the President What Will Your “Event” Be?

55

14 Will Consumers Pay More for Biodegradable Containers?

Researcher Chengyan Yue compares several different pots and finds out which went for the highest price.  

18 Pass the Torch The graying of the horticulture industry requires action right now. 

24 An Opportunity for Leadership With water resources under pressure nationally, Tim Malooly believes Minnesota can play a role in wise management practices. 

26 Green Industry Benchmark Report Here are seven things gleaned from a green industry benchmark survey.   

36 Pollinator Section

23 Many Fertilizer Ideas Are Based on Myth, Not Science Faith Appelquist explains why.

30 Out & About Photos from visits with members.

34 Minnesota Grown Directory Are you utilizing this valuable marketing program?

58 MNLA Landscape Award Winners Photos from seven more projects.

61 Space at the State Fair Market your company at “The Great Minnesota Get-Together.”

62 Photo Flashback

Luke Midura reflects on the impact trees, horticultural research, and Mark Stennes has on Minnesota landscapes.  

The Scoop, May 2014, Issue 5 (USPS # Pending) (ISSN # Pending), is issued monthly, 12 times per year. All original works, articles or formats published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 2014, and may not be used without written permission of MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville MN 55113.

Subscription price is $100 for one year, which is included with member dues. Application to mail at Periodical Postage Prices is Pending at St Paul, MN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Scoop, MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville MN 55113.

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

Editorial Contributions. You are invited to share your expertise and perspective. Article ideas and manuscripts should be submitted to the publisher at jon@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987. MNLA reserves the right to edit all articles.

We must become well-informed about neonicotinoids and pollinators and what recent events have occurred to bring them into focus nationally and locally.

How can we approach this issue with balance; what is to be our response? 

13 Plant of the Month Jarod Fehrenbach loves to recommend pulmonaria for shady spots.

55 Cultivating a Legacy

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Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association Successful Businesses Grow Here!

1813 Lexington Ave. N. Roseville, MN 55113 651-633-4987 • Fax: 651-633-4986 Outside the metro area, toll free: 888-886-MNLA, Fax: 888-266-4986 www.MNLA.biz • www.NorthernGreenExpo.org

MNLA Mission: The mission of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is to help members grow successful businesses.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

heidi heiland, mnla-cp, president

Alliance Designer Products ................................................................................ 4 Arborjet ............................................................................................................ 12 Astleford Equipment Co. .................................................................................. 50 Berger ............................................................................................................... 39 Borgert Products, Inc. ....................................................................................... 17 Bullis Insurance Agency .................................................................................... 22 Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ProGreen Plus ..................................................... 40 Central Landscape Supply ................................................................................ 52 Cushman Motor Co. Inc ................................................................................... 56

Heidi’s Lifestyle Gardens 612-366-7766 • heidi@BloomOnMN.com

D. Hill Nursery Co. ............................................................................................ 22

herman roerick, vice-president

Edney Distributing Co., Inc. ............................................................................. 46

Central Landscape Supply 320-252-1601 • hermanr@centrallandscape.com

Evergreen Nursery Co., Inc. ............................................................................. 54

scott frampton, secretary-treasurer

Everris ............................................................................................................... 17

Landscape Renovations 651-769-0010 • sframpton@landscaperenovations.com

Farber Bag & Supply Co. .................................................................................. 40

debbie lonnee, mnla-cp, past president

Gardenworld Inc. .............................................................................................. 40

Bailey Nurseries, Inc. 651-768-3375 • debbie.lonnee@baileynursery.com

randy berg, mnla-cp

Berg’s Nursery, Landscape/Garden Center 507-433-2823 • rberg@smig.net

tim malooly, cid, clia, cic

Water in Motion 763-559-7771 • timm@watermotion.com

patrick mcguiness

Zlimen & McGuiness PLLC 651-331-6500 • pmcguiness@zmattorneys.com

mike mcnamara

Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscaping 651-437-9463 • mike.mcnamara@hoffmanandmcnamara.com

jeff pilla, mnla-cp

Bachman’s Inc. 612-861-7600 • jpilla@bachmans.com

cassie larson, cae

GM Fleet and Commercial ................................................................................. 3 Gopher State One-Call ..................................................................................... 56 Great Northern Equipment Distributing, Inc. ................................................... 48 Haag Companies, Inc. ...................................................................................... 31 Jeff Belzer Chevrolet .................................................................................. 32–33 Johnson’s Nursery, Inc. ..................................................................................... 48 Jokela Power Equipment .................................................................................. 52 Kage Innovation ............................................................................................... 54 Kline Nissan ...................................................................................................... 44 Landscape Alternatives Inc. .............................................................................. 39 Maguire Agency ............................................................................................... 48

MNLA Executive Director 651-633-4987 • cassie@mnla.biz

Out Back Nursery ............................................................................................. 40

Staff Directory

Prairie Restorations, Inc. ................................................................................... 22

Cassie Larson, CAE • cassie@mnla.biz

RDO Equipment Co. ........................................................................................ 16

membership director & trade show manager:

Rock Hard Landscape Supply division of Brian’s Lawn & Landscaping, Inc. .... 54

executive director:

Mary Dunn, CEM • mary@mnla.biz

Plaisted Companies ............................................................................................ 7

communications director: Jon Horsman • jon@mnla.biz education/cert manager: Susan Flynn • susan@mnla.biz government affairs director: Tim Power • tim@mnla.biz administrative assistant: Jessica Pratt • jessica@mnla.biz accountant: Norman Liston • norman@mnla.biz mnla foundation program director:

Resultants for Business, Inc. (RFB) .................................................................... 16

advertising sales: 952-934-2891 / 763-295-5420

Unilock ............................................................................................................. 25

Jodi Larson • jodi@mnla.biz • www.TheLandLovers.org

6

ad list

Volume 37 No. 5 May 2014

➾ section title

SRW Products ................................................................................................... 57 Titan Machinery ................................................................................................. 2 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc. .................................................................................. 11, 47 Truck Utilities & Mfg. Co. .................................................................................. 22

Faith Jensen, Advertising Rep • faith@pierreproductions.com Betsy Pierre, Advertising Mgr • betsy@pierreproductions.com

Versa-Lok Midwest ........................................................................................... 63

legislative affairs consultant: Doug Carnival

Ziegler CAT ......................................................................................... Back Cover

mnla .biz

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➾ calendar

jul 12–15 ➾

MNLA Event

OFA Short Course is now Cultivate 14 Columbus, Ohio Cultivate14.org It is a dynamic experience designed to offer interactive learning, community building, and it celebrates all of horticulture.

jul24

JUL22

➾

24th Annual Widmer Golf Tournament

Horticulture Night at the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris wcroc.cfans.umn.edu Several hands-on children’s activities will be available along with Ag Tours, live music, food and vendor booths.

Oak Marsh Golf Course, Oakdale, MN MNLA.biz Join your fellow Hackers for Horticulture at the 24th Annual Widmer Golf Tournament! An awards reception will immediately follow the tournament with a chance to win great prizes.

MNLA Event

➾

aug7

➾ garden

center Tour 651-633-4987 MNLA.biz We will tour several MNLA garden center locations in the Twin Cities. Network with other professionals and take away great ideas to implement at your own garden center.

➾ 8

mnla .biz

➾

aug21 –sept1

➾

MNLA Garden at the State Fair 651-633-4987 MNLA.biz Promote your business — register to take a shift during the Fair!

Did you miss a webinar? ALL of our webinars are recorded and available for viewing afterwards. Login to MNLA.biz to learn more! may 14

2014 MNLA seminars generously supported by John Deere Landscapes

JUL 27 –aug1

MNLA Event

➾

JUL 31

➾ Landscape

Perennial Plant Symposium Perennialplant.org The Perennial Plant Symposium is the only symposium devoted entirely to perennials.

Enjoy learning about and observing perennials, gardens, and production facilities all across the USA and Canada.

Design Tour

➾

651-633-4987 MNLA.biz This year’s tour will highlight outstanding sustainable landscape designs in the metro area.

MNLA Event

➾

!

SHOOTOUT

sept17

➾ MNLA Shootout South St. Paul Rod & Gun Club 651-633-4987 MNLAfoundation.com Don’t miss this annual sporting clays charity event that raises money for scholarships! This course runs at a beginner’s level – the focus is on fun. Proceeds benefit the MNLA Foundation Scholarship Fund.

MNLA Event

➾

oct2

➾ MNLA Snow Day MN State Fairgrounds 651-633-4987 MNLA.biz Snow Day is back! Learn what’s new in equipment and supplies and education to gear up for the next snow season.

Key:

Event Education ➾

All information on these and other industry events are online at MNLA.biz. may 14

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➾ from the PRESIDEN T

What Will Your “Event” Be? When I was pregnant with my first born 25 years ago, I didn’t quit smoking. When my brother was dying of lung cancer 20 years ago, I didn’t quit smoking. I know, I know, pretty lame of me. It took my own health issue of having a TIA (transient ischemic attack, or mini stroke), for me to quit smoking 17 years ago. I needed to experience my own “event” to change my bad habit.

Heidi Heiland

Heidi’s Lifestyle Gardens

Learn more Turn to pages 36–53 for more perspectives and information on pollinators and pesticides.

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i used to consider myself a pretty “green” homeowner.

We have a handful of raingardens, maintain a bank for shoreline stabilization and use drought tolerant succulents in containers. We installed a permeable paver driveway, recycled our old house before we rebuilt and even bought bees. I would say that we were pretty green, right?! Think again!

The very first year that we had our bees they experienced colony collapse. As it turns out, we were part of the problem. We periodically applied imidacloprid, the lawn was treated and we used chemicals to knock down the lake weeds. All of this is toxic for bees, harmful for human health and destructive for our planet. I boasted that we were green on our property because of some of our practices yet we had not properly assessed all of our typical modes of operation.

Being a professional in the green industry, one could assume that I would have a better handle of living lightly on the land. Sadly, I needed to experience my own personal event (this time of watching our bees decline) before I would recognize and then change my bad habits. Do you need your own event to effect change?

As an industry, many of us take pride in staying ahead of the curve environmentally; we sell diverse and cutting edge green products; we focus on storm water mitigation; we plant trees for energy conservation; we keep current on invasive issues; and so on and so forth.

Nevertheless, some of our typical modes of operation are not green at all!

Many companies in our industry use copious amounts of water, apply toxic chemicals and rely on non-renewable resources as part of their daily practices. This is neither

environmentally sound nor sustainable for the long haul.

My own company installs an abundance of annuals, many of them in containers, which require significant watering, leaving us to explore these and other services to ensure we remain relevant. Through honest dialogue we can create improved opportunities and be the catalyst of change for our businesses and for our lives.

We continue to experience noteworthy environmental “events” that could have influenced change, yet our collective head remains in the sand. Locally and globally we are aware of pollinator concerns and water scarcity.

My fear is that our industry’s standard practices are not prepared for these dramatic shifts and it will take the next generation of decision makers to change our bad habits. Unfortunately, we do not have the luxury of time.

“IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN”, said in my best Kermit voice. It may not be easy but we need to reposition our businesses so that we are the first consideration when an individual says they want to live more green! Opportunities to transform the landscape industry are numerous and happening every day. You may not agree nor want to partake in change but we need to get rid of the elephant in the living room!

Our original green industry has amazing potential. We can’t afford to wait for another event or the next generation to get our green on. It is our responsibility to regularly audit our business practices, guaranteeing that we stay of service to our clients, our planet and Mother Nature. I challenge us to change the world, one landscape at a time!

Heidi Heiland

can be reached at:

612.366.7766 or Heidi@BloomOnMN.com

work

ArBorjet And our SerVice ProViderS

Better together

Schedule Hands On Training Now.

Call Jeff Palmer Today!

Upper Midwest Regional Technical Manager and Certified Arborist

651-955-3319 jeffpalmer@arborjet.com

Jeff will provide you with Hands On training using Arborjet’s trunk injection equipment and formulations. Jeff is a certified arborist and holds a Bachelor’s in Forestry. He has over 20 years of experience diagnosing and solving tree care issues in the Midwest.

Visit www.arborjet.com or call 781.935.9070.

LEADER IN TREE INJECTION TECHNOLOGY • TREE CARE CONSULTING • INVASIVE PEST MANAGEMENT

➾ plant of the mont h

plant month of

the

Pulmonaria

“Shade plants” are not dirty words! I know it is difficult to find good color for the shade and even more difficult to find something that blooms early. We often mutter and curse at the daunting task of putting color in the most difficult area to beautify. Most perennials don’t start blooming until May at the earliest and you certainly aren’t going to find much that blooms in April.

But there is a solution: pulmonaria. It is an underutilized plant in today’s shade gardens.

Pulmonaria, or more commonly known as lungwort, is native to Europe and Western Asia. It was mistakenly thought to have some medicinal properties for your lungs, which is from where the name of the plant is derived. There are approximately 11 wild varieties and a sizable number of hybrids available for sale today that meet differing needs of today’s gardeners.

complete wimps when it comes to sunlight.

Do not be afraid if the leaves wilt with direct sunlight in the spring before the canopy of other plants has developed. It is only a response to direct sunlight on the plant and will not damage the foliage at all. The leaves on the plant are anywhere from long lance shaped to shorter and more round in appearance. Most cultivars stay under 12 inches tall and have a slight but manageable spreading habit through rhizomes underground. The leaves themselves have a prickly fur on them, which is a great deterrent to rabbits and deer. They are somewhat susceptible to downy mildew, especially in nursery settings where water tends to sit on the leaves more regularly than in the garden.

There are a few worms that will damage the plant but they are few and far between and most years never bother the plants.

The ornamental plant world has a few wonderful cultivars that work wonders in the shade. They prefer deep shade with well drained soil in the garden. They are

Pulmonaria varieties such as ‘Mrs Moon’ pair very well with and are often mistaken for hosta. Their leaves offer great contrast in the shade because they are mottled

Jerod Fehrenbach

with silver patches over the dark ever green foliage. Some varieties such as ‘Moonshine’ offer a leaf that is almost completely silver and goes very well with Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’.

The real reason for adding these to a shade garden are their flowers. They are almost always the first plant to bloom in the spring. Usually within a week or two of warm weather hitting your garden they are in full bloom. Make sure you clean off your mulch early on these or you may even miss them. The flowers range in color from vibrant blue and purple to white. The average bloom count for a plant is 30–40 blooms in tight golf ball sized clusters of flowers. They do not last a long time but are more than worth it to get that early spring pop of color.

The next time a customer comes to you looking for something different for the shade, don’t hesitate to suggest this great perennial. Don’t forget to pair it with your favorite hostas and brunnera as well!

of Twin Orchards Nursery can be reached at jfehren@aol.com.

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Are consumers

willing to pay more for biodegradable containers than for plastic ones?

Nearly every floral crop and many nursery crops are grown in plastic containers. It is often challenging to recycle or reuse agricultural plastics because of contamination problems or UV degradation.

Chengyan Yue | Associate Professor at the Department of Horticultural Science and Department of Applied Economics and Bachman Endowed Chair in Horticultural Marketing, University of Minnesota

T

ypically, these non-reusable or nonrecyclable plastic containers are disposed of by consumers and landscapers, thus presenting a significant disposal issue for the horticulture industry. What alternatives do professional plant producers and consumers of nursery and floral products have? One alternative might be biodegradable containers. Biodegradable containers are those that can be planted directly into the soil or composted and will eventually be broken down by microorganisms.

Consumers think and act differently in response to ideas and products; ornamental plant containers are no different.

Some questions that arise naturally are: will consumers be willing to pay a premium for biodegradable containers in comparison to the traditional plastic containers? If they are, what are the premiums? Will the premium they are willing to pay be the same for biodegradable containers that are made of different materials such as wheat starch, straw, and rice hulls? If not, which types of biodegradable containers glean higher premiums? The objective of this study is to find answers to these questions.

The Method and Findings

Experimental auctions were conducted with 113 consumers in Minnesota and Texas, whose average demographic characteristics were representative of the population at large in the two states. Researchers have used experimental auctions to elicit people’s true values for products because experimental auctions involve the real exchange of money

Figure 1. Price premiums participants are willing to pay for biodegradable containers with different attributes (in comparison with a plastic container that is carbon neutral and with 0% waste materials).

and goods. The products used were mature, yellow blooming chrysanthemums in fourinch containers. The attributes included material type (wheat starch, rice hull, straw and plastic), carbon footprint (carbon neutral, carbon saving and carbon intensive), and waste composition of a container (0% waste, 1–49% waste, and “> or = 50% waste).

The results indicated the average price participants were willing to pay for the chrysanthemums in a plastic container (that was carbon neutral and with 0% waste materials) was $2.06. Figure 1 shows the price premiums participants were willing to pay for containers with different attributes.

Compared with plastic containers, participants liked rice hull pots the best and they were willing to pay the highest premium which was around $0.58 per pot. Participants were willing to pay about $0.37 pre-

mium for straw pots, and $0.23 premium for wheat starch pots compared with the plastic containers. The composition of waste materials in a given container also affected consumer willingness to pay. We found that the higher the percentage of waste materials in a pot, the higher the premium. For example, compared with 0% waste material, participants were willing to pay about $0.16 for a pot comprised of 1–49% waste materials and about $0.23 for a container comprised of 50–100% waste materials.

As expected, carbon footprint level also significantly influenced participant willingness to pay for a container. Specifically, we found that compared with a neutral carbon footprint, participants were willing to pay about $0.17 more for a container that was carbon saving and they discounted carbon intensive containers by around $0.43. may 14

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➾ biodegradable containers

Takeaways

The presence of environmentally sensitive or “green” consumers has been acknowledged for some time and such consumers are more likely than the general population to take environmentalism into account when purchasing goods. The presence of such consumers has also been assumed to generate profits for companies with a track record of environmentally-friendly practices. The results of the study show that participants were willing to pay a price premium for biodegradable containers and their revealed willingness to pay was heterogeneous for biodegradable containers that were made from different materials. The composition of waste materials in a given container also affected consumer willingness to pay. Lastly, as expected, the carbon footprint associated with a given container also significantly influenced willingness to pay.

Previous research has shown consumers are reluctant to purchase low-quality products, even if the products have green attributes. The biodegradable containers must perform as well or better than plastic containers in order to generate price premiums. Understanding the premiums consumers are willing to pay for biodegradable containers has important implications for firm-level pricing strategies.

Chengyan Yue is

Associate Professor at the Department of Horticultural Science and Department of Applied Economics, as well as the Bachman Endowed Chair in Horticultural Marketing at the University of Minnesota and can be contacted at yuechy@umn.edu.

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THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS

âžž pass the torc h

Pass the torch

The graying of the horticulture industry requires action right now Reprinted with permission from www.NurseryMag.com

Joe Janscurak, editor of Greenhouse Management, talked to Todd Downing, director of Key Corporate Services, an executive search firm in Fishers, Ind., about the immediate need to attract Gen X and Y to the green industry. Todd Downing has more than 29 years of horticultural and lawn and garden consumer product experience. This includes seven years working as a talent acquisition and management consultant for companies in this sector.Â

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Q: How exactly have you been involved with the horticulture industry and for how many years have you been involved?

A: Like so many professionals in the horticultural industry, my first exposure came at a young age, while working at The Andersons [a diversified agribusiness] in Maumee, Ohio, which led to a lifelong love for horticulture. I had the great fortune to gain experience on the retail side (even cob division) in high school, and then I took a marketing role supporting the team that rolled out Greensweep, the first liquid hose end fertilizer, to the consumer market. Shortly after Monsanto acquired this brand, I joined Total Marketing Associates, a highly reputable national manufacturer’s rep group that specializes in lawn & garden and horticulture. Due to the size and scope of Total Marketing, I experienced 18 years in the sales and marketing of just about every horticultural product to nearly every market channel. This depth included partnering with companies manufacturing fertilizers, soil amendments, chemicals, gardening tools/accessories, garden dÊcor, organics and growers ranging from bedding plants to Christmas trees. Such a vast range of products, companies, and channels led to working side-by-side with an immense array of people. At one point at Total Marketing, I think we had identified well over 500 companies we had represented in this ever-changing industry. Thus, I was fortunate to gain insight into a wide range of leadership traits, human capital org charts and management behaviors.

This meant being a direct part of a host of strategic implementations and experiencing how human capital would positively or negatively affect the outcomes of these strategies.

Q: What changes in the industry have you noted over the years when it comes to mid- and upper-level positions among growers, horticulturists, breeders and suppliers to the industry?

A: The changes in mid- and upper-level positions have, in part, stemmed from increased technology capabilities, increased scientific knowledge, and margin erosion with the pace of this change and change drivers escalating every year. It has created more of a demand on upper-level leaders to get out in front of their businesses, be more globally aware of business opportunities and collaborative relationships, and serve as visionaries as to how to best position the business and be financially astute. Thus, the stronger leaders are increasingly delegating more responsibility to the mid-level professionals in their organizations. Depending on their role, mid-level professionals have increased their expertise in Six Sigma application; solution-based selling, logistics and warehousing ERP systems; consumer insights; and R&D, among many other skills. Even the necessity for a professional to have an advanced level of Excel modeling has become more and more important to the success of some roles.

Amidst all of this, technology continues to escalate so that everyone is working in real time via Skype, the Internet and smart phones.

Q: Is the graying of the horticulture industry progressing faster or slower than other industries? On what do you base that? And why should this be a concern?

A: The graying of the horticultural industry (and agriculture) is not necessarily progressing at a faster rate than other sectors, but it is

Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

more advanced. Just take a walk around an industry trade show and you will gain a subjective view of this fact. USDA figures for agriculture, which are inclusive of horticulture, indicate that the average age is 57.1. Depending on what source is reported, 40 percent to 60 percent are 55 years and older. Compared to the median age of the entire labor force of 41.7, yes, we are aging faster. The graying of all industries is indeed occurring at a similar rate, but horticulture is simply further along this curve. The concern comes from how we are attracting younger professionals into the industry to make up the eventual retirement gaps, as we do not have as much time to address this issue as other industries do.

Q: As Baby Boomers retire, is it likely that Gen X and Gen Y will provide enough talent to fill the ranks? On what do you base that? And why should we be concerned?

A: Every 10 seconds a Baby Boomer turns 65, a rate of about 10,000 a day, and we will continue reaching retirement age at this rate for the next 20 years. The forecasted gap being created with such high retirements and lower numbers of professionals entering the horticultural industry (and agriculture) is progressing faster than many other sectors. However, the actual rate is being superficially alleviated by Baby Boomers in horticulture working well past 65.

This is a short-term fix and, at this time, the Gen X and Gen Y (or referred to as Millennial) generations do not appear in a position to close this gap in horticulture or agriculture. There are traits and behaviors within these generations that have drawn them to other industries. These range from rural-versus-urban living preference, diversity, technological sophistication, work/life balance, work place expectations, and how they view money. The concern grows past simply replacing the numbers of those retiring. We must attract enough Gen X and Gen Y (Millennial) who find the horticultural industry meeting the dominating needs of these generations.

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➾ pass the torc h

Q: Are young people less likely than in the past to pursue horticulture (and agriculture) as a career? On what do you base that?

A: The number of students pursuing horticultural- or agricultural-

related degrees is decreasing annually as indicated by drops in enrollment in these programs. The allure of what drew many of us into the industry does not have nearly the pull on the Gen X and Gen Y professionals. While there are many reasons for this, there are two specific generational views (work/life balance and money) that are near the top of the list.

The Baby Boomer generation saw work as an exciting adventure.

Many viewed it as their hobby, which led to workaholic tendencies and work/life imbalance. Gen X and Gen Y emphasize work/life balance. Gen X views work as a difficult challenge or a contract, while Gen Y views work as a means to an end. The long work hours with a higher manual-labor quotient we seasonally experience in horticulture do not align with these generations’ perception of work/life balance. Compensations in horticulture compared to other industries have diminished due to margin stress. When Gen X and Gen Y professionals look at money as a means to an end, they gravitate to where they can earn the most money for energy invested.

Consequently, software technology, investment banking, pharma/ biotech, oil & gas, and other industries have become much more attractive to young professionals for their higher earning power.

Q: What does the horticulture industry need to do in order to generate greater industry interest among young people seeking a career path?

A: Creating greater interest in horticulture as a career will take continued efforts of outreach not only just to college students, but high school students, as well. Some of our agriculturally focused 20

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states are designating education budget dollars for improving or restarting high school agricultural or horticultural classes. I have a nephew starting one such high school program in North Carolina.

Universities with horticultural programs are doing as much as budgets allow in terms of publicizing horticulture degrees. Associations such as the OFA have created programs such as Generation Next, and the USDA has developed a formal public relations program focused on Gen Y and beyond. However, PR is just one part of the solution.

We also must be ready to change how we hire, manage, and compensate the human capital in the horticultural industry which is much easier said than done. To highlight this, let’s follow the two predominate Gen X and Gen Y traits we used earlier. How will seniors in college weigh career options when they learn that the horticultural industry compensation is below other industries and that they will also be expected to work six or seven days a week for an extended period? The practice of working that many days a week for months at a time does not meet the work/life balance traits of these generations. Some growers are now using a rotating schedule to provide better time off during these peak months to address this work/life balance and keep a fresher employee. Other manufacturers are more mindful of these generations’ sometimes-fierce protection of days off. Increasing industry compensation is a much tougher challenge. The margin pinch throughout the entire industry is well noted and we must all work together to identify how to turn this trend. That said, there are compensation strategies inclusive of accrued paid time off, profit sharing, retention bonuses and continued educational reimbursement that we can begin using to attract younger employees.

Q: What are some strategic human capital management resolutions you’ve indentified that will help our readers address the challenges that come with the graying of our industry?

A: From a human capital perspective, “change” remains a key word.

The years of hiring a professional for a role who knows your exact “widget,” your exact customer, and your exact industry are fading quickly or are already gone. This is a result of the gap being created.

Fewer professionals available to fill the number of jobs needed puts pressure on human capital management to adopt an evolving 360-degree approach. One of the integral starting points is identifying the behaviors that are deemed most successful within a company’s culture and the specific role. We are trying to attract not just recent graduates, but Gen X professionals already in the work force who do indeed have skills that will transfer successfully. We understand better than ever today that it is a person’s behaviors that are the best predictor of future success, not whether they know our “widget” or customer. The core behaviors are ranked in order of importance and assessed through a behavior-based interview process. (As a side benefit, this provides companies standardized interview documentation.) I would not necessarily identify the BBI as the first step, as a formal and ongoing succession plan for the entire organizational chart should be well defined and reviewed annually. Job descriptions evolve to include specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that professionals will be expected to metrically accomplish in their role – not just a description of what they will do. Candidates are assessed for how their careers have successfully accomplished similar KPIs during the interview process. These KPIs are metric-based evaluation foundations for annual performance reviews which are conducted timely and collaboratively inclusive of career growth planning of the professional within the organization. All new hires participate in a detailed on-board schedule inclusive of specific metrics that both the new hire and hiring manager achieve together. These are followed up on at regular intervals to make sure the new hire and hiring manager are on track for successful integration into the company.

The on-board program involves identifying a long-term mentor for the new hire and is a critical employee-retention tool. There are additional human capital management strategies to adopt in a 360-degree approach that include new, evolving approaches to the graying issue, such as compensation strategies, workplace environment, continued training and education, and employee retention.

Q: Mentoring has been for years an important part of the business culture. Now, however, it seems there are great opportunities for reverse-mentoring involving young people who are more Social Media “literate” than the people to whom they report. Do you agree? Are companies adopting reverse-mentoring practices? Are horticulture companies doing so?

A: Part of the formalized on-board process I noted above is the designation of a long-term mentor, especially when hiring younger professionals. We have much to learn from each other generationally, and it is no secret that social media literacy is just one aspect that Gen X and most specifically Gen Y can teach Baby Boomers.

Expanded reverse mentoring benefits in other areas as well. It helps Baby Boomer managers understand the different approach to business these generations bring with them so that hopefully they are becoming more adept leaders. It also fulfills Gen Y’s participative interaction style as well as their desire to work collaboratively with

We are trying to attract not just recent graduates, but Gen X professionals already in the work force who do indeed have skills that will transfer successfully. the brightest people in an organization. More companies in certain industry sectors or with progressive leadership are adapting this reverse-mentoring approach and hopefully we will see more horticultural companies doing so as well. (I have not yet witnessed a horticultural company with this specific program in place.) However, those with mentoring programs may already be benefiting from the reverse effect unknowingly.

Q; As for those of us who fall into the “graying” category, from your perspective, what do we need to do in order to be more effective mentors?

A: Be open to change and communicate properly. Accept change as the new normal of business so that, when mentoring, we help mold the ideas of Gen X or Y properly and do not dismiss their ideas too quickly. Mentoring is communication and the age-old fundamental of proper communication is effective listening. We must first listen to understand so that we can then be understood. Mentoring communication even presents an interesting challenge in that the dominant communication style of Baby Boomers is in person while the dominant Gen Y’s is email and text. Are we as mentors ready to blend the two?

Q: What does your crystal ball show lies ahead for the horticulture industry and its labor pool?

A: I am quite positive that we will handle the labor-pool shortage as long as the horticultural industry does implement continued human capital change. Whether it is QR codes, social marketing, or ERP systems, the industry is indeed embracing changes in technology and social media. Thus, we are doing a better job “talking to” the Gen X and Gen Y professionals. Continue to extend this to human capital. The strategies noted earlier are available to help identify the next generation of leaders, reward them, and improve their retention in the horticultural industry, but they do challenge us all to view human capital management in a different light. These strategies will vary with each company based on what their specific needs are or whether the company has already adopted some of these approaches.

First steps first: Company leaders must self-assess their companies’ 360-degree human capital strategies. This calls for simply answering a few questions and then follow up on what may be missing. Do you have a succession plan for the entire org chart that you revisit annually? Are you exploring options to schedules and compensation? Have you benchmarked key behaviors for the positions in your company? Can you communicate specific KPI metrics for each position? Do you have an extended formalized on-board plan for new hires? Does it include a long-term mentoring program? Do you conduct formal and timely performance reviews? Do these reviews include employee career planning?

How horticulture business leaders answer and act upon those answers will help determine the industry’s success moving forward.

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Many Fertilizer Ideas Are Based on

Myth, Not Science Faith Appelquist | Tree Quality

T

“Properly fertilized trees are better able to ward off both insects and disease.”

“Fertilizing landscape plants promotes their general health and vitality, making them more resistant to insect and disease attack.”

hese are among the myths and unproven assumptions about fertilizing perennials, shrubs and trees in the landscape. There is this notion about fertilizer, and it stems from the thought that it makes plants more vigorous and better able to ward off pests.

The data does not bear that out in every case, especially when it comes to trees.

Think about where trees evolved…the forest. Trees grow in balance with the available mineral elements. Fertilizing creates shoot growth (foliage) that the tree cannot support with the existing root system. If given nitrogen, a tree will automatically take it up even if it does not need it. There are no shut-off valves. The “doors are always open” so to speak.

Metabolizing nitrogen takes energy that could be used instead for growth or fighting disease.

Trees that are already stressed become even more so. The result is an increased need for water, which makes trees more susceptible to drought, disease and insect damage.

Before you fertilize, ask the tree: • How’s your incremental growth?

• What color are your leaves?

• What are you doing?

Let the plant tell you. Remember, the strategy for an annual plant is to have explosive production of flowers and fruit, and then the plant dies. Fertilize the heck out of it. That’s what it wants. Trees and shrubs have learned how to survive on a very low nitrogen budget.

If you must fertilize, do it on a case-by-case basis preferably after a soil test. Do not blanket fertilize. And remember, proper plant health always starts with healthy soil.

Faith Appelquist is

“Fertilizer is tree food.”

an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, an ISA Municipal Specialist MN, an ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist®, and a member of MNLA’s Communications + Technology Committee. Faith can be contacted at faith@treequality.com.

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➾ leadership

An Opportunity for Leadership “Whatever starts in C alifornia unfortu nately h as an inclination to spread . ” – J imm y Carter Tim Malooly

Water in Motion

The severity of California’s drought is visible at Folsom Lake, near Sacramento. On July 20, 2011, the lake was at 97 percent of capacity (left); on Jan. 16, 2014, it was at 17 percent (right). Image Credit: California Department of Water Resources Recently the Irrigation Association sent a letter to the Director and members of San Juan California’s Water District urging calm decision-making regarding outdoor water use in light of the worsening drought in California.

Why should you care about what happens in California?

What does the drought on the west coast of America have to do with us here in the north-central states?

There was an old saying that “what’s good for GM is good for America”. In a rapidly changing world, GM is no longer relevant to that statement.

A similar saying is “as goes California, so goes the nation”. Ideas that start on the west coast tend to move inland. These views don’t migrate quickly and sometimes not at all; but what becomes policy in California often tends to influence opinions and actions in the rest of the United States.

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may 14

Then there’s the 38 million people of California and its urban landscape. California and Texas vie for the largest markets in landscape irrigation in the U.S. Thinking only of landscape, California is one of if not the largest market among the states.

Will the Green Industry in California today work effectively to protect the importance of the urban landscape as the state faces severe water shortages? Does the industry deserve any respect for its BMPs in the face of very low voluntary compliance to BMPs? Can the Green Industry “compete” with agriculture?

The important question: how will California’s decisions affect the rest of the nation?

What will California do if there is no water? (There is almost NO snowpack this winter in the mountains east of California. Look for yourselves at current satellite images.)

Will cool heads prevail?

California’s central valley is 450 miles long and 60 miles wide at its widest point (22,500 square miles, 1% of the nation’s cropland). It used to be a desert with a giant lake oasis in the center. It was Tulare Lake, one of the largest lakes west of the Mississippi measuring 690 square miles at its peak in 1879.

I believe we in Minnesota have a local and national role to play in helping make good decisions in regard to the future of the managed landscape. It is big stuff; lots of work.

By 1955, it was drained – dry. It is now part of the central valley cropland. In 2002 that 1% cropland produced about 8% of the nation’s crop output. Its output exceeds that today. Much of the central valley is irrigated. Up to

24

40% of California’s energy production goes to moving water; much of it to the Central Valley. Billions of dollars in revenues annually — growing food.

We’ll see…

How shall we participate? How shall we lead?

Tim Malooly is chair of MNLA’s Government Affairs Committee and can be reached at timm@watermotion.com

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âžž section title

7 Things We Learned from the 2014

Green industry Benchmark report In January, we conducted our second annual Green Industry Benchmark Survey, a survey we sent to thousands of green industry professionals that asked questions related to their business practices, their outlook for 2014, and the challenges they face in their business.

David Crary | HindSite Software

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In 2014, my business expects revenue to:

M

ore than 200 green industry professionals — the majority of which are business owners — completed the survey. Here are seven key findings from the report:

#1

Green industry businesses are very optimistic about 2014.

The number one takeaway from the 2014 Green Industry Benchmark Report is that 2014 is shaping up to be a good year. Consider:

Grow by 20% +

13%

Grow by 11–20%

23%

Grow by 6–10%

37%

Grow by 1–5%

20%

Stay the same

6%

Decrease by 11–20%

1%

• 96% expect the economy will improve or stay the same.

Just 4% expect it to worsen.

• 93% of respondents expect their business to grow revenue in 2014, up from 75% in last year’s report.

• 75% expect to grow their staff in 2014, up from 54% a year ago.

Grew by 20% +

14%

• 69% plan to raise prices, with a few saying that they hadn’t since the Great Recession began, another sign of an improving economy.

Grew by 11–20%

23%

Grew by 6–10%

20%

Grew by 1–5%

16%

Stayed the same

10%

Interestingly, last year’s benchmark report was very accurate when predicting what percent of respondents would see revenue growth. Last year, 75% of respondents expected revenue growth in 2013, while the actual results from this year’s survey show that 73% experienced revenue growth.

Let’s hope that accuracy proves true in 2014 as well.

#2

Decreased by 1–5%

9%

Decreased by 6–10%

4%

Decreased by 11–20%

2%

Decreased by 20% +

2%

Green businesses value great service above all else.

Considering green businesses deliver a service, it shouldn’t be surprising that satisfying their customers is of great importance. We decided to test that theory by asking whether they preferred to make the margins they expected or budgeted on a job, or whether they would rather have a satisfied customer.

We expected the majority to say they would rather have a satisfied customer. We didn’t expect it to be such a landslide, though. 94% of respondents said they would rather have a satisfied customer than meet the margins they expect.

#3

in 2013, my revenue:

Finding good employees is a significant pain point.

Finding good employees is a major concern for many green industry businesses. 55% said it was somewhat difficult, while 24% said it was very difficult. Just 18% said it was somewhat easy, while 3% said it very easy. Additionally, attracting and retaining employees was cited by 22% of respondents as the area of their business most in need of improvement, second behind only marketing to acquire customers.

how hard is it for you to find good employees?

Very easy

3%

Somewhat easy

18%

Somewhat difficult

55%

Very difficult

24% may 14

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➾ benc hmark surve y

Part of the reason may be because many small green industry businesses lack the resources to provide health benefits for their employees, which puts them at a competitive disadvantage. 44% of respondents said they offer no health benefits, while 29% offer individual insurance coverage and 17% expand that insurance coverage to families.

if i could improve one area of my business, it would be: Marketing to acquire new customers

29%

Attracting / retaining employees

22%

Inefficient operations

13%

No free time /doing much of the work myself 12% Low margins

8%

Difficulty getting capital / financing

5%

Retaining customers

5%

Regulatory compliance

1%

Many respondents pointed to Craigslist and referrals from current employees as a good source of new employees. Other ideas range from trade schools to union halls to state workforce centers to employment agencies.

#4

Email marketing is underutilized.

According to a study by the Direct Marketers Association, email marketing has an average return on investment of $43.52 for every dollar spent, near the top for any marketing tactic. So it’s surprising that green industry businesses typically aren’t using email to market their business. Consider: • Less than 40% of respondents have an email newsletter • Less than 30% send transactional emails to customers — like appointment confirmations, reminders, or emails after a service has been completed • Less than 25% send bulk email promotions.

Other 5%

Interestingly, more than 60% are using social media as a marketing tactic. Yet, recent reports continue to show that email offers a much higher rate of return than social media.

Granted, it’s hard to measure social media ROI, but even given that, email marketing is a tool that — if used properly — can generate revenue.

Marketing tactics:

Email is a huge missed opportunity for many green industry businesses. And it doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. You can purchase mass email solutions like Constant Contact or MailChimp for under $20 a month and easily send mass emails.

#5

Green businesses heavily attend educational events.

Green industry business owners are very active within their industry according to the 2014 Green Industry Benchmark Report. When we asked how many trade shows or educational conferences they attended in the past year to improve their business knowledge, we were surprised to find that: • Just 5% of respondents hadn’t attended a trade show/ educational conference in the past year.

• 58% had attended 2 or 3 • More (44%) attended three or more events than attended one or less (23%) The numbers are obvious: green industry businesses are actively seeking information that will help them improve and grow their businesses. If you’re in the group that isn’t attending conferences or trade shows, you may be at a competitive disadvantage.

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#6

#7

QuickBooks dominates the accounting software market.

If you own a green industry business, odds are you’re using QuickBooks to manage your financial accounting. 80% of our respondents indicated that they use QuickBooks, while 17% are using some other solution. Just 3% are using nothing at all.

One of the benefits of QuickBooks is that it serves as an integration point for a number of other software solutions for your business. Some field service software integrates with QuickBooks, as do inventory solutions, vehicle maintenance solutions, and a host of other software solutions small and large.

Field service software makes a difference.

This is the second year that we’ve completed the Green Industry Benchmark Report and the second year in a row where those who use field service software are more likely than those who don’t to experience revenue growth. That’s an exciting statistic if you sell field service software (like my company does).

The differences are significant, too. 79% of HindSite customers reported revenue growth in 2013, compared to 62% of those who don’t use field service software. We hear it all

the time from our customers when we ask for referrals — they don’t want to tell their peers about HindSite because it’s a competitive advantage. The revenue growth numbers certainly back up that story.

But that’s not the only advantage. The numbers also show that those businesses using field service software tend to be less owner-centric. For example, we asked how comfortable a business owner would feel going on vacation in the middle of their busy season. 66% of respondents using field service software would be very or somewhat comfortable leaving the business in the middle of the busy season. Conversely, just 43% of respondents not using field service software would feel comfortable leaving the business in the busy season.

David Crary

is president of HindSite Software: www.hindsitesoftware.com

DID YOU KNOW? MNLA has compiled 2014 Wage Statistics as a “member-only” benefit. Search for the file download after logging in to MNLA.biz.

Welcome new MNLA members!

Advanced Irrigation, Inc; Albertville, MN; Chris Swanson, 612-599-8675 Apex Energy Solutions; Bloomington, MN; Curt Collar, 651-688-2739 Bumble Bee Landscaping LLC; Minneapolis, MN; Paul Tennant, 612-730-9397 DMR Enterprises; Lino Lakes, MN; Dan Ramsden, 612-919-4378 Doehling Landscape Services, Inc.; Shakopee, MN; Matt Doehling, 952-445-4336 Doug’s Lawn & Landscaping Service; Redwood Falls, MN; Douglas Marks, 507-637-5653 Exterior Design Studio; Edina, MN; Mark Ritter, 952-922-4445 Farm Bureau Financial Services; New Brighton, MN; Peter Friend, 763-400-7620

Meyer Outdoor Services; Rochester, MN; Ryan Booth, 507-226-8833 M.T. Carpenter Landscape; Isanti, MN; Jethro Carpenter, 763-444-6103 North Oaks Landscaping Service; Columbus, MN; Tim Carver, 651-248-8194 NPM Landscape’s; Mayer, MN; Nate McNeilly, 952-412-9253 Pro Point Lawn Care; South St. Paul; Ted Peltier, 612-716-6084 Quality Lawn Care & Landscaping Service; Plymouth, MN; Stefan Ciumac, 763-568-6679 Rockworks Landscaping LLC; Ellsworth, WI; Brian Pieper, 715-273-5415 Team Lawn and Landscape; East Grand Forks, ND; Nicholas De Rosier, 218-399-2222 Yardsmith, Inc.; Le Sueur, MN; Joseph Eibs, 612-242-2907

JMJ Landscape Supply; Rochester, MN; Joe Jones, 507-272-2939

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➾ out & about

&

MNLA staff appreciates the opportunity to visit with members and prospective members at industry supplier shows every year.

MNLA Executive Director Cassie Larson greets Pam Mitchell of Garden Solutions and Design.

Larson with landscape designer Rob Morse.

The crew from Hedberg’s Stillwater location welcomes MNLA Communications Director Jon Horsman to the Hedberg Contractor Education Day.

Andy Petersen , MNLA Membership Committee chair, talks with Nicholas Tipler and Tyler Furch from Chores Outdoors.

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Deb and Leif Knecht, Knecht’s Nurseries & Landscaping.

Jason and Benjamin Pokorny, Karl’s Landscaping, Inc.

Mike Clarkson and Chris Halvorson, Bailey Nurseries, Inc.

Mitch Bauer and Sarah Belcher, S & S Tree and Landscaping Specialists.

Stephen Volkenant of Visionary Landscape Design and MNLA President Heidi Heiland of Heidi’s Lifestyle Gardens.

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2014–15

Minnesota Grown Directory The 2014–15 Minnesota Grown Directory is HERE! As always, the latest and greatest edition is the best!

Jessica Miles | Minnesota Department of Agriculture

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I

t was a little more rushed to get together, as we bumped up our print deadlines to meet a full month earlier distribution deadline — but it was well worth it! It boasts the largest number of farms with 978 and the highest number of CSA farms, farmers markets, wineries and Christmas tree farms.

The 2014–15 Directory was available starting April 1st. We decided to make the jump to an April release, instead of our usual May release. Despite what the weather forecast may be, many consumers start to plan their summers (or is this called day dreaming?) during April/May and we wanted to be the first on their list for ideas. We introduced our readers to a more family-friendly style of Directory in the last edition and moved even further in that direction this year. We included more fun facts, agriculture-related trivia and family-friendly activities. We kept the Directory organized by regions, so consumers can find what is available in their area quickly and easily. If consumers are looking for a specific product or farm, they may also search the product index or the alphabetical index in the back of the Directory.

With the help of our partner, Minnesota Cooks, we added five recipes and a few regionally-inspired restaurant recommendations.

Each of the recipes and restaurants was featured with Minnesota Cooks on their website. For those of you who don’t know, Minnesota Cooks is an education outreach program of Minnesota Farmers Union that celebrates Minnesota’s dedicated family farmers and the talented local foods-minded chefs and restaurant owners. Their website, www.minnesotacook.org, includes lots of recipes and a map indicating restaurant/chefs they have worked with. They also produce a calendar each year featuring a farmer/chef for each month!

Carrie Tollefson graces our cover again this year and her daughter, Ruby, is making her second appearance. This year’s cover also debuts appearances from her husband, Charlie and son Everett. This is in line with our transition from using our spokeswomen as a “worldclass athlete” to a “world-class mom”. Carrie’s athletic accomplishments and her genuine passion for local farms continue to make her an ideal spokeswoman for the Minnesota Grown Program. She believes whole-heartedly in eating healthy, local food whenever possible and knows the importance of serving that to her children.

Carrie and her family play a prominent role as we strive to make the Directory not only the top place to find your local farmer, but also a great source of good, local fun!

You may order copies to distribute at your farm or market by calling 1-800-657-3878 or by going online to: www.minnesotagrown. com (Please order in multiples of 50 if possible!).

Are you a member of Minnesota Grown? There are a few simple ways to make sure our members get full advantage of all Minnesota Grown has to offer. We have lots of FREE promotional materials to help you promote your products. We have multiple kinds of stickers, price cards (dry-erase), plant stakes, laminated posters and more. Every item has the Minnesota Grown logo on it to help your product stand out. You can place your order online or by calling 651-201-6050.

You can also download the Minnesota Grown logo to use on your website, flyers or advertisements. We have a few different versions on our website to choose from.

One of the most important ways to promote your farm/nursery is on our website. You can add up to 3 logos/photos to your detail page for free. It’s a great way to personalize your page, show readers what makes you different and get them to visit you! Just attach photos/logos to an email and we’ll add them for you. Another way to make your detail page stand out is by using the announcements section. Are you opening soon? Do you have an event you’re hosting?

Will you be at a different farmers market next month? Let the customers know by filling out the announcement form on our website and we’ll add the information for you.

Do you want to join Minnesota Grown and add a listing? There is still time to add you to the online Directory! Directory listings are available to Minnesota growers including nurseries, fruit and vegetable growers, meat markets selling Minnesota Grown meats, farmers markets and others who raise or grow agricultural products and sell them direct to consumers. Christmas tree growers who have additional retail lots may list those individually. Membership is only $20 and the Directory listing is only an additional $40. The online directory has had over 200,000 unique visitors this year! Adding pictures of your farm, your logo or your products to your online listing is FREE! You also have the ability to post upcoming events or needed information in the News & Events section of your page.

Jessica Miles

is a member of MNLA’s Communication + Technol-

ogy Committee, and can be reached at jessica.miles@state.mn.us

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âžž P OLLI NATORS SECTI O N

Be Informed About

Neonicotinoids

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Dennis Crum | Four Star Greenhouse Reprinted with permission from GreenhouseGrower.com

& Pollinators

As most people in our industry are probably well aware by now, there has been a large and, at times, vocal concern raised over the use of neonicotinoids in the greenhouse industry and within all areas of agriculture. This concern revolves around three separate but somewhat related subjects: bee decline, colony collapse disorder and pollinator deaths due to both acute and chronic exposure to pesticides.

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➾ P OLLI NATORS SECTI O N

approved by the EPA, we as growers can be both successful in our crop production and good stewards of our environment.

As I think about the possibility of actual chronic insecticide exposure to honeybees and other pollinators, I have a few questions.

Can exposure to or ingestion of nectar and pollen from greenhousegrown flowering plants treated with neonicotinoids harm pollinators?

If so, why have only laboratory trials produced confirming results and not actual field trials?

Having owned two honeybee hives when I was younger, I have a fairly good background in the nature of honeybees. Recently I also conducted a quick search of bee facts. Here are some interesting facts that I would like to share:

A

brief review of the development and use of neonicotinoid products shows that these products were approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and first used in the mid 1990s. Through the introduction of these products, the pesticides that were replaced were not only less effective in many cases, but also potentially more dangerous to humans and the environment.

The neonicotinoids are systemic materials that are absorbed by the plant and move through it to provide effective pest control. Studies have shown that when mixed and applied properly, these materials are safe to humans and pollinators.

Logically, as with all insecticides, these products are toxic to honeybees and other pollinators if not used properly. Directions by the manufacturer need to be followed correctly and all responsible steps taken to protect beneficial and non-targeted creatures from exposure to these products when applications are made. Furthermore, studies have shown these chemicals can be transferred into the pollen and nectar of treated plants. Pollinators, through the course of their contact with blooms on treated plants, can then be exposed to any tainted pollen and nectar.

Laboratory studies have shown that honeybees and bumble bees exposed to high sub-lethal levels of these products can experience problems flying, navigating, learning new tasks and experience reduced food consumption. But, if proper application rates are applied, no studies have shown acute or chronic toxicity to pollinators if levels were even detectable. To date, no effects have been observed in field studies with field realistic dosages. Also, to date field trials in comparison to laboratory studies have shown no negative effects from chronic exposure to neonicotinoids again when applied at recommended rates and application methods.

Where Does Our Industry Fit Into The Discussion?

The question before all of us now is, where does the commercial horticulture industry fit into the discussion of neonicotinoid use and its effect upon pollinators? Do the plants we grow for personal and commercial landscaping purposes in any way harm these creatures? It is again my hope that all applicators first read each pesticide label closely before treatments are made and then follow recommendations as listed. With correct use as listed by the manufacturer and 38

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• The average honeybee colony consists of 50,000 bees. Of that population, there is one queen, 50 to 100 drones (males) and the remainder of the population are the worker bees (non-fertile females).

• The queen lays 1,000 to 2,000 eggs per day to maintain the hives population of worker bees.

• The average life span of a worker bee is four to six weeks during spring/summer.

• On average, 2.5 million flower visits are required by honeybees to produce one pound of honey.

• The average honeybee hive produces 50 pounds of honey per year.

• The average honeybee harvest range in a nonagricultural setting is 2 miles.

After reviewing these facts, I have some compelling doubts about the impact any greenhouse-grown flowering plants treated with neonicotinoids may have on the overall health of honeybees. If we assume, and hope, the plants were treated properly with these materials at the greenhouse, and if any chemical was transferred to the pollen and nectar, it would be at very low, nonthreatening and EPA acceptable levels. Any direct or indirect exposure to these low, if present, levels would constitute a minimal, sub-lethal exposure that to date even controlled laboratory studies have shown little or no negative effect to the honeybee. Furthermore, considering the natural mortality rate of worker bees at approximately 17 to 20 percent per week in peak flight season, how much of an impact does any low level chronic exposure have upon the bees if such an effect were to even exist?

It has been written that any and all primary food sources for pollinators must be protected from chemical contamination. What constitutes a primary food source, 20 percent of overall hive food supply? If this is the case for honeybees, this figure would equal 10 pounds of honey produced, or the equivalent of 25 million flower visits, and all derived from harvesting nectar from within a 4 square mile urban or residential area. Now I would love to say that our industry is successful to such a point that the density of greenhouse grown and chemically treated plants were at such a density to supply 20 percent of the food needs to all pollinators, but I’m afraid reality

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Dr. Marla Spivak’s TED talk has garnered over 1.4 million views since last fall. In it, she reveals four reasons behind colony collapse disorder. Find her talk at http://www.ted.com/talks/marla_spivak_ why_bees_are_disappearing. Online readers can click the graphic above to watch now.

does not support the math. Plus again, no studies have shown that responsible use of these products taint any potential food sources.

Contact him today with your growing needs.

What’s Next?

Where do we go from here?

1) I believe our industry needs to unite and fund research to determine the actual effect, if any, that our greenhouse usage of neonicotinoid products has upon pollinators. This work needs to be conducted in the field, under actual urban and residential situations, and not solely under controlled laboratory conditions.

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Dave Ferris 2109 Vining Drive Unit G Woodbury, MN 55125 USA Tel.: 651-398-9183 Fax: 651-389-0515 davef@berger.ca

2) Trials need to be conducted, which reaffirm or adjust the recommended application rates for safe and effective pest protection from the use of these products.

3) All methods and timing of applications need to be studied to determine the safest and optimum techniques of usage. This is especially true in regard to drench applications.

4) Our industry needs to reach out to the environmental groups and express our sincere desire to seriously address this subject.

We are all stewards of this earth and need to protect it.

5) When comprehensive facts are determined from actual field trials, we need to supply both the retailer and consumers with the studies facts and guidelines that have been determined for ensuring the safety of our environment.

d v c w y c i o h y t

6) We as an industry must diligently and consistently follow these guidelines for the safe and effective use of these products.

We are all in the business of growing and selling plants that improve the life experience of the citizens in our community.

We must continue to offer plants to consumers which are of the quality and value that they have come to expect. But, we must also do so in a manner that does not harm our environment or the pollinators upon which our very food supply depends.

Dennis Crum is the director of growing at Four Star Greenhouse in Carleton, Mich. You can reach him at dcrum@pwfourstar.com.

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Timeline OF RECENT EVENTS

5/18/2013

Tim Power | 3/27/14

2013 legislation in MN legislature Legislation passes requiring MDA to write a pollinator report to the Legislature by 1/15/14, in conjunction with MN DNR, DOT, BWSR, UofM. Report addresses 1) a proposal to establish a pollinator bank to preserve pollinator species diversity, 2) a proposal to create and enhance pollinator nesting and foraging habitat and the establishment of pollinator reserves or refuges, 3) the process and criteria to perform a special review of neonicotinoid pesticides registered for use in this state.

8/14/2013 The report Gardeners Beware: Bee-Toxic Pesticides Found in “BeeFriendly” Plants Sold at Garden Centers Nationwide is released by the Pesticide Research Institute and Friends of the Earth.

Their pilot study finds that 7 of 13 samples of garden plants purchased at retailers in Washington D.C., the San Francisco Bay Area and Minneapolis contain neonicotinoids. Minnesota’s CBS affiliate runs a story with the title “Home Gardeners’ New Plants Could Be Killing Off Bees” on this evening’s television news broadcast.

Aug 2013 6/15/2013 Oregon Incident Dinotefuran spray of blooming linden trees in Wilsonville, OR kills 50,000 bumblebees. The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) implements a temporary rule outlawing use of products with dinotefuran. When the temporary rule expires in December 2013, ODA requires Oregon-specific pesticide labels on dinotefuran and imidacloprid, prohibiting their use on Tilia (linden) species.

9/16/2013

EPA Label Changes August 2013 – EPA mandates revised neonicotinoid labels, with “bee box” warnings that limit the circumstances of application.

fall 2013 Pesticide Applicator Training in MN Pesticide applicator training materials are required to include specific language on pollinators as manuals are updated. MDA begins a rewrite of the Category E (Turf and Ornamental) Pesticide Manual

Minneapolis Incident The Minnesota Daily reports on the University of MN Bee Lab’s investigation of bee deaths in the Kenwood neighborhood in Minneapolis. U of M researchers suspect pesticide poisoning, and the MN Dept. of Agriculture takes hive samples for pesticide testing. In March 2014, MDA results show that the Kenwood bees were killed by exposure to fipronil, a pesticide used in structural pest control.

11/14/2013 MDA Pollinator Habitat BMP’s MDA convenes a stakeholder meeting for the development of pollinator habitat BMP’s. Three stakeholder subcommittees are formed to address and develop BMP’s related to urban habitats, roadside habitats and habitats near agricultural land. MNLA has representatives on two of the subcommittees.

march 2014 5/18/2013 Neonicotinoid “Special Review” by MDA MDA produces a document entitled “Scoping a Review of Neonicotinoid Use, Registration and Insect Pollinator Impacts in Minnesota”, beginning the mandated special review process, which may take up to six months after the scope is determined.

2014 bill introductions and current status April 2014 – Bills still alive in the MN legislature: 1) “Pollinator lethal insecticide” bill, making it illegal for nurseries to label plants as bee-friendly if they have been treated with and contain detectable levels of pollinator lethal insecticides. Suggested changes would eliminate term “pollinator lethal insecticide” and tie applicability to the presence of a “bee box” on the systemic insecticide’s product label. 2) “Bee death compensation bill,” modeled after the wolf depradation compensation process at DNR. Bill modifications suggested by traditional ag groups and MDA produce a bill that is much more palatable.

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➾ P OLLI NATORS SECTI O N

Pollinators and Pesticides:

What’s Next for Neonicotinoids?

From AmericanHort

D

espite mounting evidence that neonicotinoid pesticides (e.g. clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam) are not a significant actor but more likely a bit player in the challenges facing pollinators, activist groups have continued and even expanded their efforts to ban the chemicals through picketing campaigns and working with elected officials who are sympathetic to their agenda.

Seven states (AK, MD, ME, NJ, NY, OR, VT) and Puerto Rico are currently considering or have considered legislation that would ban or significantly limit access to neonicotinoid insecticides.

In Oregon, a bill written to largely ban the use of neonicotinoids was significantly altered and instead creates a working group to identify ways to increase safety to bees and other non-target invertebrates when using neonicotinoid pesticides. Jeff Stone, Executive Director of the Oregon Association of Nurseries, provided testimony to the Oregon House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee in support of a well-reasoned and collaborative approach to better understanding the issue by stressing, “Oregon’s efforts must be science-based, and include stakeholders from industry, the environment, and academia.” His sentiments and those of many 42

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other stakeholder groups are reflected in the augmented bill that eventually passed both chambers of Oregon’s legislature (H.B. 4139).

Although unlikely to pass, there is legislation pending before the House Agriculture Committee (H.R. 2692, the Saving America’s Pollinators Act). The bill would effectively put a national moratorium on most neonicotinoid applications until an array of studies, including multi-year “residue build-up” evaluations, were completed and only if a final determination is made that the pesticides, “will not cause unreasonable adverse effects on pollinators.”

These calls to ban neonicotinoids continue despite a cadre of reports that suggest their role in declining bee health is small. The USDA’s 2013 report on Honey Bee Health put pesticides, in general, near the bottom of the list of factors impacting bee health.

The report highlighted other issues like colony management, viruses, bacteria, poor nutrition, lack of genetic diversity, and habitat loss as more impactful; the report continued to stress that, “the single most detrimental pest of honeybees” is the parasitic Varroa mite, first discovered in the U.S. in 1987. Recent reports from the Australian Governments Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority

Frequently Asked Questions What are neonicotinoids?

They are a class of insecticides, developed in the 1990s and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). When applied appropriately, neonicotinoids are vital in controlling harmful and often invasive insect pests with reduced impact on non-­target insects (e.g., bees).

Why are you using pesticides, especially neonicotinoids?

Controlling pest populations is vital to a healthy agriculture system and pesticides are often one of the important tools for that purpose.

Neonicotinoids are frequently used in combination with other strategies as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) approach to reduce pest populations while managing against pesticide resistance development. In some cases, neonicotinoids are approved regulatory treatments for certification and interstate movement of nursery and greenhouse crops.

Are neonicotinoids safe for the environment?

It is important to remember their purpose — they do kill insects.

However, when used as described on the EPA approved label, as is required by law, they are shown to have reduced impact on non-­target insects and represent a significant improvement over older chemistries.

Furthermore, they are an important tool in defending our environment against invasive species such as Japanese Beetle, Asian Longhorned Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer and Hemlock Woolly Adelgid.

Are neonicotinoids dangerous to humans?

Neonicotinoid chemistry, first developed in the 1990s, represents a tremendous advancement in insecticides. The chemical is based on the nicotine molecule that has been altered so as not to impact human nerve endings but to retain its ability to impact insects. The chemical’s ability to act systemically in the plant means that applicators do not need to spray broadly but instead can target applications and let the plant move the insecticide around. In addition, the residual control means fewer applications and less applicant exposure. Thus far, all the scientific evidence suggests that when neonicotinoids are used as described on the EPA-­approved label they are safer for humans, safer for the environment, and safer for non-­target insects — including bees.

(equivalent to our EPA) supported the conclusions of the USDA report and cited that despite the fact that neonicotinoid pesticides are used there, they have not suffered from honey bee colony declines, as have been seen in Europe and the U.S. On February 24, the Pollinator Protection Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives, chaired by Congressmen Denham (R-CA) and Hastings (D-FL) held a briefing on pollinator health and invited four groups to participate. AmericanHort’s regulatory and legislative affairs director, Joe Bischoff, was asked to present the horticulture industry’s perspective on the issue. During the briefing, Dr. Bischoff emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to research on the issue and stressed that, “no concerned communities, including the bees themselves, would be served if we chase a red-herring and point a fingers at an easy target like pesticides, for the purpose of political expediency.”

Neonicotinoids, when used properly, are vital to the success of the horticulture industry. They are important tools in defending trees, shrubs, and plants against destructive invasive species like the Japanese beetle, hemlock woolly adelgid, and Asian longhorned

Why is there so much effort to discourage or ban neonicotinoids?

Some people in the conservation movement in the U.S. and European Union embrace what is referred to as the, “Precautionary Principle.” This term has been interpreted by many to mean that any new action or policy should be prohibited unless all of the possible consequences are known in advance. However, the precautionary principle approach actually inhibits research, innovation and incremental improvements. We fear that decisions made without scientific justification to restrict or prohibit use of materials like the neonicotinoids will undermine research and development into other new and reduced-­risk materials.

Why were 50,000 bees killed in Oregon?

Initial reports suggest that the accidental killing of bees in Oregon would not have occurred if the label instructions had been carefully followed and the appropriate site, plant, pest, and timing considerations properly taken into account. This unfortunate event serves as a sobering reminder of the need to closely follow manufacturer and EPA-­approved labeling.

What happens if growers and landscapers can’t use neonicotinoids?

Some insects can cause significant damage to crops and their populations must be controlled. If growers and landscapers cannot include neonicotinoids as part of their pest management strategy they will have to turn to other chemicals, which are more likely to interfere with beneficial insects and other IPM options. Neonicotinoids are an important and advanced tool in our toolbox, so long as they are properly used. What is the difference between Bee Decline and Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)? “Bee Decline” is a more general term that reflects the decreasing number of managed honeybee hives over the course of decades due to urbanization, pests, pathogens, beekeeper retirements and other causes — including CCD. Colony Collapse Disorder is a syndrome where worker bees from of a European honeybee colony do not return to their hive after foraging. The cause for this abrupt change in behavior remains unknown but is believed to be associated with a number of interacting factors like — parasites, pathogens, genetics, malnutrition, migratory beekeeping, habitat loss, and environmental stresses, which does include pesticides.

beetle. They are effective in dealing with invasive and often chemicalresistant whitefly species. In some cases, neonicotinoids are approved regulatory treatments for certification and interstate movement of nursery and greenhouse crops. In others, they are critical to managing the development of pesticide resistance to other modes of action.

The neonicotinoids represent a tremendous advancement over older pesticide treatment options. When used properly and as described on the label, neonicotinoids effectively control problem insects, while exhibiting less impact on non-target insects (including bees).

Their ability to provide residual control means fewer applications and less applicant exposure. We fear that decisions made to restrict or prohibit use of such materials, without scientific merit, will undermine research and development into new and reduced-risk materials going forward. According to Bischoff, “if we allow activist groups to influence the system and effectively remove neonicotinoids from the toolbox applicators will look toward other chemistries, which frequently have greater negative impact on pollinators and humans.”

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➾ P OLLI NATORS SECTI O N

TREES AND Pesticide Use: FINDING A BALANCE Jim Walsh | Vineland Tree Care

I

try to see both sides of most issues. I’m willing to consider two seemingly contradictory, yet only contrary, viewpoints at the same time. I’m a Vikings fan, but I don’t hate the Packers. (I do hate the Cowboys since in my youth Drew Pearson did push off.) I think the conservatives have great ideas; I think the liberals have great ideas. I might be the most middle-of-the-road guy you will meet. Hopefully, I won’t get driven over by the traffic from both directions.

There is a place in a tree’s ecosystem for limited pesticide use, including neonicotinoids. All pesticides are not bad. But, to the extent they are being used now, overuse and misuse is a real problem.

Insecticides are bad for insects, including the beneficial insects like bees and other pollinators. The bee population in the United States has been reduced at an alarming rate for the past few years. Pointing fingers at where the larger source of pesticide use occurs will not do any good. We need to reduce all sources of overuse. Any reduction in stresses to bee habitat will help, including, among other things, less pesticide use and increased use of native wild flowers — things most people can do to help.

Trees are a part of the pollinator habitat as well. I’ve met many customers who will not use pesticides of any kind until they learn that their tree may die without chemical treatment. Then, because most people do not want lose their tree, they are willing to use a pesticide.

The problem is that many trees are treated for things that will never kill them. I understand people have an aesthetic threshold for treatment as well; it’s part of the Integrated Pest Management equation.

To avoid the misuse and overuse of pesticides, applications should only be made within a rigorous Integrated Pest Management framework. Our company’s policy, before proposing pesticide may 14

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➾ P O L L I N AT O RS S E CT I ON

Volume Discounts on Garden Center Trays Visit MNLA.biz or contact Mary at 651-633-4987.

applications, is to provide the customer with the options involved with not treating. In short, we propose chemical treatments only when they are absolutely required. We are not actively seeking out every tree that could be treated. Bucking a common industry practice, we do not incentivize our arborists through higher commission rates for chemical treatments.

Emerald Ash Borer — Even though our company does not plant trees, we believe planting a new tree is the best option for EAB control. We will treat trees through trunk injection if the customer cannot lose the tree.

Japanese beetle — We encourage customers to wait it out, though it may take years. Japanese beetles sure like linden trees and treating linden trees can be horrendous for the pollinators.

The term, “tank mix” aka “spray and pray”, refers to mixing a tank with an insecticide, a miticide, a fungicide and whatever else you have on the shelf, and heading out to spray.

Spray and pray you fixed the plant problem.

It’s an ecologically destructive short cut that is part of the mess of the over use of pesticides. Sadly, this outdated practice continues.

A tree does not stand alone in a yard. A tree is the essential part of the ecosystem that surrounds it. As I write this article I see on the bookshelf, A New Tree Biology

by Alex Shigo published by Shigo & Trees, Associates. It’s the associates that are getting short shrift in the discussion of pesticide use.

Jim Walsh

of Vineland Tree Care can

be reached at jim@vinelandtree.com.

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âžž P OLLI NATORS SECTI O N

A MEMBER’S PERSPECTIVE ON DECIDING to eliminate all

Foliar Neonicotinoid Treatments Jean-Marc Versolato | Plant Health Manager, Bailey Nurseries

Recently we all have seen a spate of media reports and commentaries regarding neonicotinoid insecticides and their potential impact on bees. Many of these stories provide important information for us to consider and reflect upon. We have also received several questions from our valued customers about the use of neonicotinoid insecticides in nursery production.

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➾ P OLLI NATORS SECTI O N

G

rowing plants, tending crops and managing greenhouses and landscapes are roles for responsible stewards, and our industry’s access to and use of insecticides must be approached with the same level of respect. Neonicotinoids are insecticides capable of killing various insects and, when used appropriately and as directed by the approved EPA labels, are useful tools in the fight against invasive insect species and in ongoing efforts to manage pests.

Some recent reports suggest that plants treated with neonicotinoid pesticides are connected to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) of bees, a phenomenon in which worker bees do not return to their hive after foraging. However, research and peer-­reviewed publications, including those from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the EPA, strongly contradict the finger pointing at neonicotinoids. Rather, the research suggests that CCD of managed hives is likely caused by a combination of factors including pests and parasites — similar to the 1987 introduction of the destructive Varroa mite, the #1 bee killer according to the USDA — combined with bee pathogens including diseases and viruses. Other factors include nutrition problems caused by large monoculture associated with the disappearance of wild flowers.

Certain bee management practices, like the constant stress of transporting hives to new locations by beekeepers, loss of natural habitat and climate change conclude the list. This complex issue of pollinator health is that of managed bees, not those found in and around home yards and landscapes. In 2011, CCD in managed bees was linked to corn or sunflower seeds treated with neonicotinoids.

Fortunately, our native bees do not appear to be impacted by CCD despite dealing with many of the same parasites and pathogens and having similar exposure to pesticides. This is not to say that pesticides play no role in CCD; the truth is that we do not have all of the answers at this point.

Research has shown that neonicotinoids represent a tremendous advancement over older pesticide treatment options. When used properly, neonicotinoids effectively control problem insects, while exhibiting less impact on non-­target insects (including bees). Their ability to provide residual control means fewer applications and less applicant exposure. Other alternatives are more harmful to the environment and beneficial insects, do not provide the same level of control, require repeated applications, leave pesticide residuals on the foliage impacting the aesthetic value of the plant material, and may also cause more plant phytotoxcicity.

Our industry recognizes the importance of having effective pesticides with low environmental impact. Neonicotinoids, when used properly, are vital to the success of our industry. They are important tools in defending trees, shrubs, and plants against destructive invasive species (like the Japanese Beetle, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Emerald Ash Borer and Asian Longhorned Beetle), in dealing with invasive and often chemical-resistant whitefly species and preventing the spread of these and other pests. In some cases, neonicotinoids are approved regulatory treatments for certification and interstate

Member Quotes in the Media From Greenhouse Grower (March 18, 2014): Bailey Nurseries, Inc. — “Bailey Nurseries says it will eliminate all foliar treatments made with the three named neonicotinoid insecticides — Dinotefuran, Imidacloprid and Thiamethoxam — from container and bareroot fields. ‘Foliar applications of any insecticides are now known to be the most harmful to bees, and as a result we are ceasing this practice’ said a statement from the company. ‘We must acknowledge our stewardship role in using these chemistries, deploy them as part of a management strategy like Integrated Pest Management or Best Management Practices and always use them only as directed by the EPA-approved label.’”

From the Star Tribune as reported by Kim Palmer (March 24, 2014): Bachman’s, Inc. – “Minneapolis-based Bachman’s recently announced that it had removed products containing neonicotinoids from its store shelves, and was eliminating the use of neonicotinoids in its nursery stock and outdoor plants at its growing range in Lakeville. ‘It was not an easy decision,’ said John Daniels, vice president of production and wholesale. ‘We spent all winter talking about it.’ He noted that other factors are suspected in bee decline, including loss of habitat. ‘This is a fast-moving story, and the story is way ahead of the science,’ Daniels said.”

Mother Earth Gardens — “Last year, Mother Earth contacted growers to seek further information, and stopped purchasing perennials from one local grower who could not assure them that plants were not being treated. All of Mother Earth’s current suppliers for seeds, vegetables and herbs are 100 percent organically grown, and annuals and perennials are 90 percent organically grown, according to owner Paige Pelini. But sourcing organically grown trees and shrubs has proven to be a much bigger challenge, she said. Because of the length of time and financial commitment it takes to grow large plants, and the distance they’re often shipped, pesticide use remains the industry standard.”

Gertens — “’I’m not an organic chemist,’ said Lewis Gerten, part owner and general manager of greenhouse production for Gertens, based in Inver Grove Heights. ‘We have to refer back to the EPA.’ But in the meantime, Gertens, too, has decided to err on the side of caution, eliminating the use of neonicotinoids on bedding-plant crops. Vegetables and ‘flower-garden plants, like marigolds, impatiens and petunias’ sold at Gertens this year will be neonicotinoid-free, Gerten said. ‘But if you’re picking up a tropical plant from Florida, we won’t be able to tell you. It’s a big world in horticulture, and I can’t speak for all vendors. The whole industry is adjusting very quickly. It was probably a good wake-up call.’”

movement of nursery and greenhouse crops. In others, they are critical to managing the development of pesticide resistance to other modes of action.

Based on the current science, combined with the public interest, the EPA will continue to allow application of neonicotinoids with appropriate guidelines because of the fact that neonicotinoid insecticides are among the safer chemicals available to combat many pests.

The image on the following page is the language that now appears may 14

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RESEARCH FOR THE REAL WORLD

ďƒ†

Information compiled by the MNLA Foundation to help the success of your business today

MNLA.biz | The Scoop | MNLA eNews

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4/7/2014 11:28:07 AM

agricultural industry and our natural environment. Our industry must lead the way by providing solutions to improve the health of the bees we enjoy in our own backyards. Bee nutrition and health in general can be improved by advocating for mass planting of perennial shrubs in and around municipalities. Diversity of flowers over a long period of time ➾ P OLLI NATORS SECTI O N (spring, summer, and fall) will improve bee immune systems. Providing artificial habitat options and managing them accordingly will also improve bee survival over our long winters.

New Neonicotinoid Label FOR FOOD CROPS AND COMMERCIALLY GROWN ORNAMENTALS NOT UNDER CONTRACT FOR POLLINATION SERVICES BUT ARE ATTRACTIVE TO POLLINATORS

Do not apply this product while bees are foraging. Do not apply this product until flowering is complete and all petals have fallen unless one of the following conditions is met:

• The application is made to the target site after sunset • The application is made to the target site when temperatures are below 55˚F • The application is made in accordance with a government-­‐initiated public health response • The application is made in accordance with an active state-­‐administered apiary registry program where beekeepers are notified no less than 48-­‐hours prior to the time of the planned application so that the bees can be removed, covered or otherwise protected prior to spraying • The application is made due to an imminent threat of significant crop loss, and a documented determination consistent with an IPM plan or predetermined economic threshold is met. Every effort should be made to notify beekeepers no less than 48-­‐hours prior to the time of the planned application so that the bees can be removed, covered or otherwise protected prior to spraying.

on the label of 3 neonicotinoid insecticides (Dinotefuran, Imidacloprid and Thiamethoxam) produced after February 2014. These insecticides are used in the agricultural and ornamental industry.

Please note that the bee picture that will also appear on the labels.

How can we help?

As a proud participant in United States agriculture, we certainly understand the importance of pollinators to the agricultural

KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON THE ISSUE

industry and our natural environment. Our industry must lead the way by providing solutions to improve the health of the bees we enjoy in our own backyards. Bee nutrition and health in general can be improved by advocating for mass planting of perennial shrubs in and around municipalities. Diversity of flowers over a long period of time (spring, summer, and fall) will improve bee immune systems.

Providing artificial habitat options and managing them accordingly will also improve bee survival over our long winters.

Photos by Jim Calkins

component of an integrated pest management strategy, but users The MNLA Foundation’s reports on neonicotinoids QUALITY NORTHERN GROWN * SINCE 1905 should always understand the benefits and potential unintended have been keeping you informed ofBAILEY the latest on*this WWW.BAILEYNURSERY.COM effects of .aCOM particular pesticide prior to its use.” important topic. Have you been reading them?

EMAIL: MAIL@BAILEYNURSERY Research-based articles on this and many other important topics are regularly posted to MNLA.biz, The Buzz on Neonicotinoid Insecticides published in The Scoop, and linked to in MNLA eNews On April 12, 2013, Dr. Calkins reported on and as an outreach of the MNLA Foundation. All the stories summarized at least 24 current reports on the possible below can be found by logging on to www.MNLA.biz. link between neonicotinoids insecticides and colony collapse disorder. “European honey bee collecting pollen from willow catkins; colony collapse disorder Pesticides and Bee Pollinators (CCD) is a serious concern for honey bee populations and the successful On April 19, 2012, Dr. James Calkins, Research Information Director for production of many fruit, nut, and vegetable crops; although some the MNLA Foundation reported on studies that investigated the research has suggested a possible link between imidacloprid and effects of sub-lethal doses of insecticide on bees. “Based on the other neonicotinoid insecticides, which show up in pollen and nectar, findings of their research, the authors of the studies suggest that and CCD, the research is generally mixed and inconclusive.” there is a need to develop alternatives to neonicotinoid insecticides for use on flowering plants. The manufacturers of thiamethoxam and imidacloprid — Syngenta and Bayer CropScience, respectively — The Latest: What You Need to Know About have questioned the methods used in the respective studies and Pesticides and Pollinators stand behind their products and consider them to be safe for bees On November 25, 2013, Dr. Calkins offered a brief when used properly and the U.S. EPA agrees.” bullet-pointed history of recent events and regulatory developments related to insecticides and pollinators, and gave details on the new pesticide labeling Unintended Effects of Pesticide Use requirements. “Concerns about pesticides, including On June 26, 2012, Dr. Calkins wrote an article that neonicotinoid insecticides, on European honey bees and other covered some basics of the issue. “The systemic, pollinators has fostered a number of regulatory actions including new neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid is found in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency labeling requirements for both commercial and homeowner products labeled for products that contain nicotine-based insecticides.” the control of a variety of insect pests including emerald ash borer (EAB), but can also have unintended effects on non-target insects and ecosystems; when used properly, pesticides can be an important

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➾ legacy

Cultivating a Legacy Luke Midura | Natural Creations

This year the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association recognized Mark Stennes with its Special Service Award, an honor earned by MNLA members and friends who have selflessly given of themselves personally and professionally to the nursery and landscape industry over a long period of time.

I

first met Mark during my initial trip to the Green Expo about ten years ago, when I stuck around after his session to pester him with a couple questions pertaining to his presentation. He patiently answered my inquiries and encouraged me to learn more about the topic. I’ve since forgotten my questions, but memories of that presentation remain prominently etched in my mind. He spoke primarily about elm trees, and the importance of their promotion and preservation in the landscape. Specifically, the images he shared of magnificent elms that once graced the Minnesota State Fair grounds and were lost to poor management practices and priorities awakened me to how dramatically the architecture of a mature tree can affect a designed space.

With few exceptions, a properly planned, planted and protected tree has the potential to persist longer than any element of the landscapes we conceive of, create, and care for as professionals in this industry. Mature trees are the only element of city infrastructure that can’t be readily remanufactured or replaced. This concept is slowly but surely entering our consciousness as the financial benefits of trees via their direct environmental services to our communities are more fully understood and utilized. Mark Stennes was among the few that truly grasped these principles well before most professionals and politicians began to put them in practice.

My enthusiasm for landscapes became rooted in the realization that my career could grow at their intersection in nature, art and science. I began to understand that the lasting impacts of a well conceived and executed landscape design could have the potential for exceptional endurance and could provide future generations with important environmental assets. At the time of that first trip to the Green Expo, I was still dusting myself off from the wreckage of my initial college experience. I was in no rush to hurry back to school, but my desire to learn was still strongly intact. It was this first encounter with Mark that encouraged me to continue learning more each season through the short courses offered by the MNLA and University of Minnesota.

Last year I finally returned to the University of Minnesota to complete the undergraduate degree that I had embarked on years earlier. There, I began working with the Urban Forestry and Horticulture Research team in the department of Horticultural Science as a research assistant responsible for the collection of elm specimens that were suspected to be tolerant may 14

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➾ legacy

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of Dutch elm disease. I was hired for my skills as a tree climber, but soon found that proficiency with a pole saw is often the most imperative skill in obtaining optimal material. The cuttings procured from these trees to produce the many multiple clones are necessary to perform trials proving whether a tree is truly resistant to disease.

Through my work at the University, I learned that Mark had discovered a truly magnificent elm specimen that routinely tolerates Dutch elm disease inoculation and is native to our state and region. He partnered with the owners of the tree and researchers from the University of Minnesota to advance research on the tree, named the St. Croix elm, which has helped to fuel and expand research to dozens of other trees native to our state. There is a palpable excitement arising from the possibilities that elms could regain a foothold with the Minnesota public, and I haven’t met anyone in the course of the project who isn’t thrilled to be involved. Last spring, I had the privilege to work with Barry Waters of the Plant Management Division at the Minnesota State Capitol and Chad Giblin of the University of Minnesota to plant the very first St. Croix elm on public land. The event was a celebration of the relationships behind the research leading to the production of the remarkable tree, and it was widely agreed among attendees that the entire process was initiated by the work of Mark Stennes. Several weeks later, in a much smaller gathering, a second St. Croix elm was planted across from the first, prominently in the south lawn of the capitol in a direct tribute to Mark.

Real role models impact the people around them much more than they acknowledge or often know, and Mark Stennes has embodied that ethic for me and countless others who care for trees through his exemplary work as a plant pathologist, professional arborist, and educator. I’m proud to know Mark and thankful that he has taken the time to encourage and inspire my colleagues and me by his work and actions throughout the years.

www.gopherstateonecall.org of Natural Creations can be reached at: luke@naturealcreationsmn.com

Luke Midura

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2/25/14 8:16 AM

2014 SRW Products Catalog Available Online: Scan code below to view

➾ landscape awards

2014 MNLA Landscape Award Winners

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Congratulations to all the winners of the 2014 MNLA Landscape Awards! The April issue of the Scoop highlighted seven winners, as will this issue, while the final seven will be highlighted in the June issue. All 21 winning projects received recognition during the Northern Green Expo and at the MNLA Awards Gala with a display of 21 posters showing images and the plan of each project. Winners received their posters to utilize in promoting their companies at trade shows, or to hang on an office wall.

Did you know?

In any given year, ALL entries could win awards, or NO entries could win an award. Entries are not judged against each other; rather each entry is judged against the standards of excellence.

Judges must decide whether an entry, in their opinion, meets or exceeds those standards.

 Firm: Ground One Enterprises

Project: Krueger McMullen Residence

Entrant: Nathan Anderson Team: Nathan Anderson, landscape architect; Pat Weiss, project manager; Jeff McCabe, construction coordinator < Firm: Mom’s Landscaping & Design, LLC Project: Charlson Meadows Entrant: Becca Bastyr Team: Daniel Wellens, Foreman Subcontractors: Nelson Masonry and Concrete for concrete installation of parking spaces, walkways, and steps, seat walls at pergola; Oh’Landscapes for fieldstone wall installation; Outdoor Designs, LLC built and installed the carpentry portion of the pergola; Lisa Elias is the artist who built and installed the railings

 Firm: Ground One Enterprises

 Firm: Phillips Garden

Project: Weiss Residence

Project: Cedar-Isle Residence

Entrant: Pat Weiss

Entrant: Tyler Grissman

Team: Pat Weiss, project manager; Santosh George, landscape designer; Jeremy Kox, landscape architect; Derek Harwood, landscape designer; Nathan Anderson, landscape architect; Jeff McCabe, construction coordinator

Team: Ed Burke, Designer, Tyler Grissman, Designer/Project Manager

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Subcontractors: Paul Sylvestre, Fencing (Wood), Keller Residential, Fencing (Metal), Kelly Green Irrigation, Irrigation, Cavanaugh Masonry, Stone walls

< Firm: Mom’s Landscaping & Design, LLC Project: Moulton Front Yard Entrant: Heather Grossmann Team: Mike Weckman-Forman Subcontractors: Edgework Builders (Dave Stockdale) – Front Porch Construction

 Firm: Mom’s Landscaping & Design, LLC Project: Kevin and Suzie Johnson Entrant: Heather Grossmann Team: Anthony Solis-Forman Subcontractors: Performance Pools – Brett Macnally

The MNLA Landscape Awards is

a program of recognition for installed landscapes. Submitting companies must be MNLA members who offer design, installation, design/build, bid/build, or other landscape specialty to their clients.

a special thank you to our sponsors:  Firm: Sarah’s Cottage Creations Project: A European Garden Build Entrant: Sarah Buerkley

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➾ mnla news

networking news DID YOU KNOW?

MNLA Networking Groups were created at the request of MNLA members and serve several purposes including: • creating more ways for members to enjoy peer-to-peer interaction • providing opportunities for enhancing organizational and personal success • producing a vehicle for special interest group input to MNLA on education, government affairs, and professional development programs • being a platform for future leadership development within the organization

DID YOU KNOW?

Most meetings focus on a general topic. Some meeting topics over the past year have included: • Bees — why they’re at risk and how we can protect them • Ways to expand and improve work efficiencies • Displaying nursery stock • What’s new at the U of M Urban Forestry Outreach, Research & Extension Nursery • Updates on Barberry • Searching for Employees/Hiring Issues

DID YOU KNOW? DID YOU KNOW?

Some groups have planned tours including: • The coolers at Bailey Nursery • Poinsettia openhouse at Bachman’s – Lakeville • Tangletown Growing Range in Plato • Gertens • Lynde Greenhouse

Regional all green industry groups are also forming and have met in the following areas: Duluth, Mankato and Rochester.

Attend an MNLA Networking group meeting in 2014!

You will walk away with ideas you can implement and life-long industry contacts!

Visit MNLA.biz for a list of upcoming MNLA networking group meetings/events.

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New Certified Professionals!

Congratulations to the following MNLA Certified Professionals – Passing the Certification Exam in 2014!

Passing the Exam on January 24, 2014: from left to right: Bernadette Emery, Knecht’s Nursery & Landscape; Alex Jerome, Curbside Landscape & Irrigation; Karina Greenwood, Field Outdoor Spaces

Passing the Exam on March 7, 2014: from left to right: (first row) Kimberly Collins, Bachman’s, Rita Minnichsoffer, Sarah’s Cottage Creations; Katy Diers, All Seasons Garden Center. (back row) Dean Schwerin, General Mills; Sarah Blue, Sargent’s Nursery, Inc.; Kate McDonald, Bailey Nurseries, Inc.; Conn Winge, Bailey Nurseries, Inc.; Jeremy Hogan, Bailey Nurseries, Inc.

space at state fair Mar keting Space Available for M N L A M embers

What if you could promote your business to 1,731,162 people this summer? Well, you can!

Beginning in 2014, you can utilize the MNLA Garden at the Minnesota State Fair to promote your company to the many potential customers passing by this beautiful landscape. How? Sign your company up for a shift to staff the garden during the 12 days of the Fair (your choice of day and time — as available). This year you’ll be able to wear your company clothing, pass out business cards and brochures, plus engage with garden visitors as a representative of your company.

Each company will also need to donate four hours of labor per three-hour time slot. Your involvement will cost you money and time, but the return on your investment will be a smart addition to your

company’s marketing mix, will help support MNLA, and will aid in promotion of the careers available in the green industry. Free State Fair tickets and one free parking pass will be provided to each company purchasing a time slot.

BONUS OPPORTUNITY for those who sign up for a time slot: You’ll have the opportunity to provide a 20-minute presentation on the State Fair’s “Dirt Stage”. Availability of speaking times will be dependent on the Fair’s scheduling, but every effort will be made to schedule it during the time your company is staffing the garden. Visit MNLA.biz for more information on this MNLA member opportunity at the MNLA Garden at the State Fair.

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â&#x17E;ž last word

photo flashback The year 2015 marks the 90th Anniversary of the association, and we want to celebrate our past and energize our future! This is the first in a series of photo flashbacks you will see as a Scoop feature during the upcoming year that helps to celebrate our past. This issue focuses on the current MNLA Board of Directors and their upbringing.

Match the baby pictures below with the photos of your current MNLA Board of Directors: Hint: Two baby pictures are missing; board members Patrick McGuiness and Herman Roerick.

2

A

B

Randy Berg

3

4

C

D

Heidi Heiland

5

6

8

F

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Tim Malooly

G

H

Jeff Pilla

62

Cassie Larson

E

Debbie Lonnee

7

Scott Frampton

Mike McNamara

Answers: 1A, 4B, 3C, 6D, 7E, 5F, 2G, 8H.

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