The Scoop Online – October 2013

Before & After Plant of the Month Word on the Street

Volume 36 No. 10 Oct 2013

Call for Entries for MNLA Awards

Also Inside

Edibles Earn More for Retailers

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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Silver Creek Stoneworks, Inc. 7200 N. Hwy 63, Rochester, MN 55906 800-535-2375 • www.silvercreeksw.com ©Copyright 2013. Silver Creek Stoneworks. All Rights Reserved. The information and product applications illustrated have been carefully compiled and to the best of our knowledge accurately represent Silver Creek Stoneworks product use. Final determination of the suitability of any information or material for the use contemplated and its manner of use is the sole responsibility of the user. Product availability including color are subject to change without notice. Made in the USA.

Volume 36 No. 10 Oct 2013

contents 26

41

52 HIGHLIGHTS

19 Entrepreneurhalism Expo speaker Monroe Porter has no holds barred advice for the green industry.    

26 Food Gardening Earns More than Flowers This year’s National Gardening Survey highlighted the growth in food retailing.  

34 How to Make Your Own Nematode Bubbler These microscopic worms are a simple, effective addition to your insect management program.   

41 The Chemistry of Natural Repellents Research for the Real World on why bunnies and birches don’t get along. 

52 Understanding the Issue ANLA’s Joe Bischoff addresses questions about neonicotinoid insecticides and concerns about pollinators. 

62 IN THIS ISSUE 8

Events

10 From the Executive Director 12 Before & After Biota transforms a playground.

14 Out & About Staying in touch and saying “Thank you.”

17 Plant of the Month Ann Standish writes about Anemone.

37 MNLA Awards Program Calls for Entries The revamped landscape awards online entry form opens October 15 on MNLA.biz.

48 Photos from the Garden Center Tour 60 MNLA News MNLA welcomes its first-ever government affairs director.

62 Word on the Street Which hardgoods and giftware were the most successful this year?

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

october 13

mnla .biz

5

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

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

A Top Notch Equipment ................................................................................... 18 Arborjet ............................................................................................................ 61 Aspen Equipment ............................................................................................. 11 Astleford Equipment Co. .................................................................................. 25 Bachman’s Wholesale Nursery & Hardscapes .................................................. 16 Beberg Landscape Supply ................................................................................ 22 Bridgewater Tree Farms ................................................................................... 24

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ProGreen Plus ..................................................... 31

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

Central Landscape Supply ................................................................................ 38

debbie lonnee, mnla-cp, president

heidi heiland, mnla-cp, vice-president

Cushman Motor Co. Inc ................................................................................... 22

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

Dailey Data ....................................................................................................... 45

herman roerick, secretary-treasurer

Edney Distributing Co., Inc. ............................................................................. 24

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

Frontier Ag & Turf ............................................................................................. 38

bert swanson, mnla-cp, past president

Gardenworld Inc. .............................................................................................. 38

Swanson’s Nursery Consulting, Inc. 218-732-3579 • btswanson2@gmail.com

randy berg, mnla-cp

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

scott frampton

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

tim malooly, cid, clia, cic

GM Fleet and Commercial ................................................................................. 3 Great Northern Equipment Distributing, Inc. ................................................... 11 Haag Companies, Inc. ...................................................................................... 47 Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies ........................................................ 36 Jeff Belzer Chevrolet .................................................................................. 32–33

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

JRK Seed and Turf Supply ................................................................................ 40

mike mcnamara

Klaus Nurseries ................................................................................................. 57

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

Landscape Alternatives Inc. .............................................................................. 31

bill mielke

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

Waconia Tree Farms LLC 612-237-1728 • bill.mielke@waconiatreefarms.com

cassie larson, cae

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

Staff Directory

executive director:

Cassie Larson, CAE • cassie@mnla.biz

membership director & trade show manager: Mary Dunn, CEM • mary@mnla.biz

communications 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: Jodi Larson • jodi@mnla.biz

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

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

legislative affairs consultant: Doug Carnival 6

ad list

Volume 36 No. 10 Oct 2013

➾ section title

mnla .biz

october 13

Plaisted Companies .......................................................................................... 15 RDO Equipment Co. ........................................................................................ 45 Rochester Concrete Products ............................................................................. 4 Specialty Turf & Ag ........................................................................................... 55 The Builders Group .......................................................................................... 40 Titan Machinery .................................................................................................. 2 Towmaster, Inc. (Big Tow) ................................................................................. 49 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc. .................................................................................... 7, 51 Truck Utilities & Mfg. Co. .................................................................................. 31 Xylem, Ltd. ....................................................................................................... 57 Ziegler CAT ......................................................................................... Back Cover All original works, articles or formats published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 2013, and may not be used without written permission of MNLA. The Scoop is published 12 times per year by MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville MN 55113.

Address corrections should be sent to the above address.

➾ calendar

MNLA Event

OCT30

OCT 22–25 Hardscape North America Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY hardscapena.com Hardscape North America is the only national trade show devoted entirely to the hardscape industry.

Indoor and outdoor exhibits display state-ofthe-art tools, products and services and the latest equipment.

➾

Webinar Wage & Overtime Laws for the Green Industry 1:00 pm Presented By Patrick McGuiness, Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC MNLA.biz Find out which employees must be paid overtime and which ones qualify for salary. Chances are you will be surprised!

MNLA Event

➾

jan7 Super Tuesday: Landscape Lighting Design & Technology: PLT Relicensure Minneapolis Conv Center 651-633-4987 MNLA.biz Learn landscape lighting design, installation and technology, and get a total of eight hours continuing education credits for your PLT license.

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mnla .biz

october 13

MNLA/MTGF Event

➾

jan7

NOV4–7 Irrigation Show and Education Conference Austin Convention Center, Austin TX irrigation.org The irrigation show is an opportunity to investigate the latest the industry has to offer across agricultural, landscape and golf irrigation products, technologies and services. The education conference offers classes, technical sessions and seminars that offer industry professionals continuous learning opportunities through technical training classes, idea and research sharing forums and “how-to” seminars.

Super Tuesday: Water and its Effect on the Green Industry Minneapolis Conv Center 651-633-4987 MNLA.biz Topics discussed in this informative seminar will be stormwater and environmental concerns, the environmental benefits of trees and landscape plantings, wetting agents, climatology, legislative issues and more!

Key:

Event Education

2013 MNLA seminars generously supported by John Deere Landscapes

MNLA Event

NOV12

MNLA Event

Webinar Colorful / Blooming Shrubs for Minnesota Landscapes

➾

MNLA & MTGF Event

NOV22

1:00 pm Presented by Debbie Lonnee, Bailey Nurseries MNLA.biz Color is the name of the game, in the garden center as well as the landscape. In this webinar, Lonnee will present the best of the best in shrubs that will provide a pop of color to Minnesota landscapes.

➾

TIES Conference Center, St. Paul MNLA.biz This workshop meets MDA’s pesticide applicator recertification requirements for Categories A (Core) and E (Turf & Ornamentals).

MNLA Event

MNLA Event

➾

jan7 Super Tuesday: A New Era of Leadership in the Green Industry Minneapolis Conv Center 651-633-4987 MNLA.biz Join John Kennedy, as he brings both depth and understanding to this vital aspect of any successful business: leadership.

➾

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

Super Tuesday: Save the Date!

MNLA.biz Attend one of the excellent pre-Expo education sessions.

Seminars include: Landscape Lighting Design and Technology (PLT Relicensure); A New Era of Leadership in the Green Industry by John Kennedy; MTGF – The Impact of Water; and an evening CEO Symposium.

See more on page 13

Pesticide Recertification

➾

jan7

MNLA/MTGF Event

jan7

➾

Super Tuesday: CEO Symposium Workforce 2020: Preparing for What (and Who) the Future will Bring Hyatt Hotel, Minneapolis 651-633-4987 MNLA.biz In this presentation, CEO’s will learn about the chief workforce indicators of change, how to position their companies to be innovative and responsive to these changes to attract top talent and win in the marketplace.

jan8–10 Northern Green Expo: Save the Date!

Exhibit Contracts Available Minneapolis Convention Center NorthernGreenExpo.org

october 13

mnla .biz

9

➾ from the executive director

Be a World Changer “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Ghandi as i prepare to send my oldest daughter off to preElmo for the zillionth time with a willing heart, because school in a few days, I think about all the changes she you’re rearing a fellow world changer, and reading it will see during her lifetime, both good and bad. I hope matters (even though it never feels like it). It might not that she will be a positive force for change in the world. be curing cancer, but it all matters just as much.

As we enter another new season, I would also like to When you offer to hold the door for an elderly client Cassie Larson challenge you to be a world changer. who needs a helping hand, you’re changing the world.

MNLA Executive Director It’s simply a matter of reflecting on what it means When you bring an ice cold bottle of water to your to be the change we wish to see, and remembering in co-worker who is out in the 100 degree heat, you’re #8 which spheres you’ve been placed to exert that influchanging the world. ence. Most of us could never even begin to aspire to be When you take a minute to tell a child about that Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela, but to some flower you’re planting and how it grows, you’re changing people in your life, you might as well be. Your family. the world. #10 Your kids. Your employees and co-workers. Your new Even when you go to work, go home, play with your neighbor. That one person in your life that could use a kids, make dinner and then wake up to do it all over word of encouragement. You know the one. again, you’re changing the world.

In the midst of your week’s everydayness, don’t forget So, don’t forget about the little everyday things. Or, to change the world around you, even if it’s in the small- be brave, think big, and maybe you’ll be the one to solve est of ways. Give a compliment to your co-worker who world hunger! But, if you wish to see change in the world, #7 just did an outstanding job; offer to help an employee there’s nowhere better to start than in your own backyard. who might be struggling; smile at that client who has always made you a little bit crazy; cut your neighbor’s cassie larson is MNLA’s Executive Director and can be reached at cassie@mnla.biz. lawn, just because; or for me, read that book about

Before & After Plant of the Month Word on the Street

Volume 36 No. 10 Oct 2013

Call for Entries for MNLA Awards

Also Inside

#9 Edibles Earn More for Retailers

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

on the cover

Jim Calkins writes in this month’s cover article about birches and their naturally occurring antifeedant properties. This article is part of the MNLA Foundation’s Research for the Real World, which delivers research-based information and insights you need for your environmental horticulture and landscape business. Jim Calkins, as the MNLA Foundation Research Information Director, compiles and distills research reports on various green industry topics and writes articles which appear in The Scoop and on MNLA.biz. See full article, page 41.

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➾ before & after

Before & after

after

Steve Modrow

before

Member C ompany: biota | L andscape D esign + Build

situation:

solution:

We were contacted by the Jeremiah Program in Minneapolis. The program provides a safe place for single mothers and their children to live while getting life skills training and guidance. Their playground had a puddle all the time, creating a muddy spot that the kids were not allowed to play in. This shrunk the size of the playground and caused the teachers to focus on keeping the preschool-aged kids out of the mud. This is no small feat!

They were also having a difficult time growing any grass.

As part of our biota Gives Back volunteer efforts, our crew came in on their own time to till the soil and adjust the drainage. We created a very subtle swale that carries the water away from the playground areas. The swale had to be kept to a minimal slope so the preschool kids wouldn’t fall on uneven around. We also created an interactive path from the building to the play area — attempting to keep the kids on the path so they don’t wear a trail in the turf. results:

diagnosis:

The soils of the playground were compacted from many little feet running around. The site grading was poor and inhibited proper drainage.

The kids now have a dry, soft, green space to play. As part of our volunteer efforts, we also installed a “hopscotch” path between the building door and the sandy play area.

Every time the kids come out the door, they hop along the path toward their playground.

oversees design services at biota and is member of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

He received his master’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Minnesota after completion of his bachelor’s degree in environmental design. Steve can be reached at contactus@biotalandscapes.com.

steve modrow

do you have photos that show a dramatic change? Send us your best before/after photos and tell us how you overcame the challenge shown in the before photo. What was the situation, your diagnosis and solution, and what was the result? Sharing these challenges and how they were overcome helps all MNLA members to learn and our entire industry to grow professionally. Send your photos and notes to MNLA Communications Director Jon Horsman at jon@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987.

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➾ out & about

&

An initiative of the MNLA Membership Committee is to stay in touch and thank members with occasional visits.

MNLA Communications Director Jon Horsman and Jeremy Langank of Beniek Property Services, Inc. wrap up their conversation at Beniek’s company headquarters in Chanhassen.

MNLA’s Executive Director Cassie Larson and MNLA Education and Certification Manager Sue Flynn caught up with Gregg Funfar of Funfar Landscaping, LLC.

MNLA Membership Director Mary Dunn got a chance to visit with Mark Prince of Prince Contracting.

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Wendy Laughter of Truck Utilities, Inc. took a couple of minutes out of her busy day to meet with MNLA staff.

WHOLESALE NURSERY & HARDSCAPES

➾ plant of the month

plant of month the

Anemone

Anemones appreciate a well-drained garden soil and full sun to part shade growing conditions, are deer and rabbit resistant, and have no significant disease or pest problems. Plant and divide in the spring.

after the first frost settles and so many perennials are ready to be put to bed for the winter, I have stopped to admire Anemone, in full bloom against a background of rich fall colors. One last breath of summer still standing!

Grape Leaf Anemone, Japanese Anemone and Chinese Anemone are the common names of several different types of fall blooming Anemones that announce their presence in the garden in late summer and continue blooming well into fall. These perennials can be slower to establish than others but they are well worth the wait! Fall blooming

ann standish

Anemone tomentosa ‘Robustissima’ or Grape Leaf Anemone is cold hardy to zone 3 and the hardiest of the fall blooming Anemones for Minnesota.

Anemone ‘ Robustissima’ has soft, dusky pink, single blossoms borne on slender stems held 3–4 feet above the foliage, perfect for a fall bouquet. As the name implies the leaves are similar in shape to grape vine leaves and form a large clump which can spread up to 3 feet across.

The plant is an excellent choice for late season color in the sunny border or edge of the woodland and may reward you by attracting a late passing butterfly.

Although this perennial is not noted for winter interest the seed heads are small cottony puffs and do not detract from

the winter landscape if left up. Anemone ‘Robustissima’ also does well in moist soils and can tolerate some periods of wet making it an excellent choice for the pond edge.

If you want to try something a little different look for Anemone hupehensis.

Its common name is Chinese Anemone or Anemone x hybrida, the common name for the Hybrid anemone. Both of these Anemone are hardy to zone 5 (4 with winter protection). Anemone hupehensis var japonica ‘Pamina’ has a lovely semi-double, deep violet-pink bloom. This plant is definitely sure to attract attention from plant enthusiasts.

If you are a fan of the spring blooming Anemone you may like Anemone x hybrid ‘Honorine Jobert’ This cultivar was first discovered in Verden, France in 1858. The single bloom is pure white, 2–3" across with a yellow center, and practically glows in the late fall landscape.

can be reached at ann@bloomonmn.com.

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EntrepreneurHalism a disease that can ruin your life When you own a business, your business life and personal life can all mesh into one giant ball of string. It can be tough to tell where your business life begins and the personal life stops. If your business is messed up, your life is messed up and vice versa. I want to dedicate this article to unraveling this giant mess and using some basic business practices suggestions that I feel can help you get off this entrepreneurial treadmill.

Monroe Porter | PROOF Management

âžž entrepreneurhalism

I

have been a business consultant for over 30 years. I have worked with all kinds of contracting and service trade businesses. I have spoken live at seminars to over 200,000 contractors. For the last few years, I have been focusing on landscape businesses and how to help landscape business owners. I have to tell you; of all the businesses I have ever worked with, landscapers are some of the hardestworking, intelligent, and burned out folks I have ever encountered.

How such smart folks could end up lost in a sea of green workaholics is tough to figure. Maybe it is the seasonal nature of the business. Maybe it is because all it takes is a lawnmower to get started.

Who knows and does it really matter? Whether you are dead by manslaughter or murder, you are still dead. You, your children, and spouse all deserve better.

Do you run your business or does it run you? How is tomorrow going to get better unless you learn to change? The following tips can you help change your business and they will help change your life.

Learn your numbers: How do you control that great entrepreneurial enthusiasm? By knowing your numbers. Know where you make and lose money. Get rid of the pieces of the business that are not profitable.

What were your numbers last year? How much money did you lose, make, etc? How much more would you like to make? Add up all your costs line-by-line and decide what costs will go up, what will go down, etc. Focus on reality and not pie-in-the-sky. The numbers will hold your optimism in line.

Keep a time card on yourself: Entrepreneurhalism is a time- related disease and understanding where you invest your time is critical. Keep a time card on yourself for three days. Do it in 30-minute increments to see where you are spending your time. Put a dollar value on what you do. If you are worth $50 an hour when you are selling or running jobs, and someone else could pick out plant materials for $15 an hour, you are losing $35 an hour. If you want to make 100k a year, you cannot be an overpaid delivery person and babysitter. You must make the maximum use of your time. This is one of the first things we teach people in our networking groups. You can’t be financially successful by doing the job of a laborer, babysitter, or delivery boy or girl.

Raise your prices: If you are going to go broke, do it playing golf, not cutting lawns and planting trees. I talk to landscapers everyday that are absolutely convinced they can charge no more, yet 80% or more of their maintenance accounts renew each and every year.

Why are you so intent as an industry to cut rich people’s lawns, plant their trees and ruin your life while they are on a cruise or playing golf? It can be this simple: if you do $250,000 a year in sales and make $40,000, raising your prices by 10%, makes you 65k. What about the people you lose? Market to new people and sell the holes where people drop out. Also, the people who are the greatest pain are using the people who want it done cheaply. Stop making rich people richer and instead charge more and find the people who will pay for it.

Know your renewal and closing rates: For maintenance, take a hard look at your renewal rate. For landscaping, look at your closing ratios.

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Let’s talk about maintenance first. If you have an 80% or more renewal rate, raise your prices, particularly if you are not financially successful. If you have been in business a while and have a good name, don’t underestimate the value of that good name. If people will pay you $50 to cut their lawn, they will pay you $55. I talk daily with landscapers who have not raised their prices in five or more years on certain customers for fear they will lose business.

Track your closing ratios for landscape sales. What percentage of the jobs that you quote do you get the job? It is important to track this information by lead source, not just as a total percentage. For example, if you win four out of 10 bids, that sounds okay; but you may find you win three out of ten referrals, one out of 20 yellow page calls; you never get a seeding job, or you win all your pond and water work. You need to use this information to drive your marketing effort. You’ll be able to easily tell where you can bump your prices and where you cannot. You also need to track closing ratios by sales dollars. What percentage by dollar volume do you win?

Suppose you are awarded 40% of your quotes by number of quotes but only get 20% dollar-wise (you quoted 200 jobs and got 80 of them, but you quoted 2m and were only awarded 400k of that work). This shows a sales weakness or maybe you are over designing what the customer can afford.

Much of your time is spent selling, thus there is no such thing as a free estimate. You also have to have a handle on design expense, but don’t let your ego get in the way of the real numbers. If you have a design degree, great; but at the end of the year, how much money do you have in the bank and what was your lifestyle like? Yes, you can charge a design fee, but are you in the business of charging design fees or are you a landscape contractor? If you call yourself a landscape contractor, installation should be your profit source and design should be a way to sell jobs and drive people to your firm.

Yes, you also make money on design but if design is your main focus, you are a landscape architect, not a contractor. Track your time and track the income.

Make sure you get the structure right. This is the absolute most important thing I want to discuss. Too many contractors try to solve their stress issues by throwing bodies and middle managers at the problem. Too many field people think all you have to do to be a manager is ride around with a cell phone and white hat. The solution to growth issues is not more middle managers. The solution to growth is better structure and control.

Your growth path should look something like this. When you get more than you can do as owner, you need to hire a part time office person to help you. This person should answer the phone, track costs, qualify leads on the phone, help with customer contact and scheduling, help order materials, and in general run your life. Most contractors are disorganized. If you are disorganized, accept it and hire someone to help run your life. While this might be your spouse, this can be difficult as the two of you may resent your telling each other what to do. Hire a good office person prior to hiring a salesperson or field supervisor. Get your house in order prior to growing. Again, a part time person can be a huge help, but pay them well. Use what you pay a lead person as a pay guideline. Later you can hire a full time person. I would rather see you have a great

Why are you so intent as an industry to cut rich people’s lawns, plant their trees and ruin your life while they are on a cruise or playing golf?

Stop making rich people richer and instead charge more and find the people who will pay for it. person at $15 an hour for 10 hours a week, than a weak person at $8 for 25 hours. You have a strong personality; you need someone you cannot sell or boss around. This needs to be a team effort, not a dictatorship.

You and an office person should be able to easily do 500k a year.

We have contractors doing a million with an owner, a strong office manager and good foremen. Don’t do more work than your infrastructure can support. You probably do production and sales best. Focus on those skills as you grow.

Work Set Crews and Hold Foremen Accountable: Everyone knows it is difficult to find good help but you have to get a handle on the realities of field leadership prior to growth. If you are not going to be in the field making decisions, you must have someone else take your place. It is just that simple. If your plan is to ride around and baby-sit the crews or hire someone to do this for you, you are spending a ton of money trying to make someone else accountable. Each crew needs a leader who is held responsible for what they do. Think in terms of crew leaders, not employees. Don’t mix people from crew to crew. This makes it too difficult to hold the foremen accountable.

Simplify don’t diversify: Don’t let your customers and operations drive your business plan. Slow down. Another division, more growth, another service is not going to help. And for heavens sake, don’t open a retail location. Twenty five percent of the landscape contractors I work with destroyed their business, finances and lives with a final nail in the coffin by opening a retail location.

Many contractors start out by cutting grass, then chemical, then leaf clean up, then plants, then trees, then ponds, then a retail october 13

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➾ entrepreneurhalism

Your One Tractor Solution ProPane Power Optional on the 4500Z*

One Tractor, Over 30 Commercial Grade Attachments

center. Wait. Wait. Wait. What is driving your business plan? Don’t let the next idea of the month run your business plan. Learn to say NO. Being an entrepreneur is addictive, don’t let the juice of the next venture mess up your life.

Don’t buy equipment when you cannot afford it. A left handed, four-wheel drive purple backhoe with a CD player and satellite remote control is not going to help you unless you are a good businessperson with a good business. It is not about the next idea or miracle cure but rather about building a business.

Ask yourself these questions prior to starting any new business venture: • What new skills and types of employees will I need to do this type of work?

Schedule a Ventrac Demo with:

Cushman Motor Company, Inc. 2909 E Franklin Ave • Minneapolis, MN (612) 333-3487 • 1-800-759-5343 www.cushmanmotorco.com

• What type of equipment and cash do I need?

• Realistically, how much of this work can I do in a year and how will I market to find it?

• How is this going to detract from my existing business?

• Who can I run this idea by that will give me honest and independent advice?

Learn to play “what if ” not “oh no”. It is so much easier to stay out of financial trouble than it is to get out of trouble once you are in the red.

In summary, quit messing up your life by selling and trying to work yourself out of a financial hole. Stop the bleeding. Fix what is wrong; growth is not your friend. Never try to grow to make money. Get the numbers right, get the structure right, get how you spend your time right; life will immediately get better.

Admit it, you are entrepreneurholic. Stop looking for the next business idea or quick fix and build a real business.

Entrepreneurhalism is a crippling disease, it may not kill you but it can destroy your life. Working with networking groups has forced me to confront customers, their businesses, and relationships in a different way. As a speaker, the customers do not return. You tell a few funny stories, participants obtain some great ideas, but no one really holds them or you accountable.

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Networking groups are different. The customers come back each and every year. If you do not make them more profitable, you have to figure out what their issues are. You always have a couple of folks sitting around the group of 12 who struggle the most to change and their stinking thinking is in the way of their success. So why do so many landscapers suffer from entrepreneurhalism?

Several reasons really. Let’s start with ease-of-entry. If you have a lawn mower and are a kid that hustles, off you go. Work hard and you are in business. Starting up as a landscaper really does not require you to have a lot of self discipline. You don’t have to go to trade school and an apprenticeship approach is rare. (Please do not jump me about this, I understand that the technical knowledge required in the green industry can be enormous) So, if you lack the self-discipline to have a real job, can’t stand authority or are just a plain old fashioned dreamer, off you go into the world of entrepreneurhalism.

I have been amazed at the number of contractors who year after year did not improve their performance, and further investigation showed the cause to be a personal health or personality issue. Ten years of working with contractors in an intimate manner has uncovered numerous cases of sleep apnea that can cause ADD-like symptoms. Others suffered from adult ADD. Others were depressed because of the years of hard work and no money. Of course you have to throw in a couple for addictive behaviors like alcoholism.

Or maybe even the addictive behavior of being in business and the rush of the sale. We even found a contractor who was going deaf

GARDEN CENTERS

CEO

Entrepreneurhalism is a crippling disease, it may not kill you but it can destroy your life. I have been amazed at the number of contractors who year after year did not improve their performance, and further investigation showed the cause to be a personal health or personality issue. and that was driving many of his issues. What is interesting is that almost everyone has some type of issues but if you work on the assembly line at the local factory, you can hide these problems much easier than a business owner can. It is also hard to tell which came first, the chicken or the egg. Did the contractor’s personality cause the entrepreneurhalism or did a poor business model break the contractor down and cause the disease over time? Regardless of the cause, if you do not have your head screwed on right, you cannot expect to be successful.

Another scenario we see is folks who are too smart for their own good. Contractors who make money one year and then get bored and buy a new piece of equipment or start a new division only to shoot themselves in the foot and start the problem all over again.

Self-discipline makes you successful in business. Being smart can be as much, if not more, of a curse than being dumb.

What about those guys who are so driven that they are trying to prove something? Maybe their brothers and sisters are doctors and

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âžž entrepreneurhalism

Having a good business can help with the disease, but I also have customers who have spent their whole life trying to make their business successful. Suddenly they make more money than they ever dreamed possible, and now they have to deal with the real problem which is themselves. lawyers and they are trying to prove something. Maybe he or she was dirt poor growing up and they are scared to death of poverty. We all have snakes in our head that can drive us to be entrepreneurs. I think we all grow up thinking the Brady’s were the perfect family and if we have a personal issue we are a little nuts and an exception.

Little did I know that the Ozzie Osborne family might be more the norm? I was a smart kid and athlete who grew up in a semi-rural setting with few friends and a depression era Dad who did not attend my football games because he was too busy working. I saw it as lack of support and he just did not understand. It took me years to figure out that I needed to do things for me, not to please him. It is important to understand that motivational seminars can help feed your issues and lack of balance. If you are not careful, motivation becomes just another form of denial and not the inspiration it was intended to be.

Having a good business can help with the disease, but I also have customers who have spent their whole life trying to make their business successful. Suddenly they make more money than they ever dreamed possible, and now they have to deal with the real problem which is themselves. So with all this said and done, I have to do what I best and that israte offer advicereach. and For A truly out of this do world interest is business within your solutions to help cureofthe0.0% disease. a limited time, you can take advantage APR financing on

a new 2006-2007 Isuzu diesel-powered N-Series truck. But you must move quickly. This offer expires 6/30/08. is president of PROOF Management Consultants (www.proofman.com). He will be a speaker at the 2014 Northern Green Expo and can reached at 804-267-1688 or monroe@ proofman.com. monroe porter

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âžž GA RDEN IN G SURVEY

National Gardening Survey: food gar

Earns More Than

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rdening

Ian Baldwin | Reprinted with permission from Today’s Garden Center

n Flowers

This year’s survey highlights the growth in food, the perception of box stores among gardeners and a surprisingly strong demographic: young men. 

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➾ G AR DEN IN G SURVEY

M

ost readers will be familiar with a couple of statistics from the National Gardening Association’s research (GardenResearch. com), such as the annual household spend per year on “gardening” or the total size of the market each year. The National Gardening Survey (NGS) has been tracking both gardening activity and money spent by American householders since 1981, and for the last three years I have been able to analyze and comment on this 260-page national treasure trove of data and trends.

This year’s survey has some big surprises, including why what I call “food gardening” is out earning flower gardening and how young males are the new power gardening spenders. But first, some basics.

More Buying, But Not For Big-Ticket Items

Individual Spending Is Down, But More Are Buying

Food Gardening Drives More Than Just Plant Sales

The key number the industry hears every year, the Lawn and Garden spend per household, dropped for the fifth year in a row (by $4) to a miserly $347, the lowest since the mid-1990s. However the size of the total DIY market rose to $29.4 billion because more households participated.

This is very encouraging. Not only did more consumers — now 85 million or 72 percent of all U.S. households — get out in the garden, 15 out of 16 categories (“Bird & Pet” was flat) saw increases in gardening activity.

So if participation is up, why does spending continue to decline?

The overall spending picture is dominated by the two big ticket categories: lawn care and DIY landscaping (which includes trees and shrubs), accounting for around 48 percent of total DIY market. The sales in these two categories alone have declined by $6.4 billion, or 30 percent, since 2007.

Once again, food gardening, including vegetables, fruit and herbs, gets the headlines and is at a six-year high.

Retailers tell me that this is all well and good, but their hanging basket sales are still bigger than all their veggies and herbs, which are small and low-ticket.

So why is there a difference between what retailers are saying and what the survey shows? It’s because NGS records all the spending on an activity, not just the plant. For vegetables and herbs sales, the actual plant can be a minor cost compared to the amendments, raised beds, irrigation, fertilizers, cages, pest and disease control and so on.

In fact, when compared like this as activities and not POS sub-class reports, the national food-gardening spend is $1.2 billion larger than the nation’s flower-gardening spend! Retailers must look long and hard at how much business they are missing by not

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In the 16 gardening categories, the picture is different. Spending increased in 12 of the 16 activities tracked. We saw standout growth in the four categories I call “food gardening,” now a traffic driver for many lawn and garden retailers, together with container gardening and water gardening (which also includes fountains, even small table-top bubblers). The growth in these activities, together with the continued decline in big ticket activities, suggests that the consumer is not yet ready for large scale capital investment in their gardens.

They are loosening the purse strings a little and increasing the decoration and self-indulgence products.

carrying all the non-plant products consumers need for food gardening, including all those harvesting and preserving supplies.

how lawn & garden retail outlet total sales changed from 2011–2012 Total Sales 2011 (in millions)

Total Sales 2012 Change (in millions) in %

Home Center

$8,729

$7,951

-8%

Mass Merchandiser

$6,110

$5,890

-3%

Garden Center

$4,947

$5,006

+1%

Hardware Store

$4,074

$4,417

+8%

Supermarket/ Drug Store

$1,745

$2,061

+18%

Mail-Order/ Internet

$873

$1,178

+34%

Other

$2,619

$2,945

+1%

TOTAL (Net)

$29,097

$29,451

+1%

Local Garden Centers Are Not Preferred By Gardeners

In the last two years the NGS has added a question investigating where householders buy their lawn and garden supplies. No surprise to see that 54 percent of the market now lies with the home centers (including Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards and Orchard Supply Hardware), mass merchants (Walmart, Kmart and similar stores that sell gardening supplies) and supermarkets, which gain sales through easy, quick-turning color on the sidewalk. If we add in some of the larger chains of farm/ranch/pet, that figure probably climbs over 60 percent.

Independent garden centers win 17 percent of the market, but independent hardware stores are only 2 percent behind. That’s remarkable, considering few of them do a significant plant business.

Is that where all those non-plant supplies for food gardening are sold?

One of the most strategy-challenging sections of the NGS is where it asks respondents how their lawn and garden spending is divvied up by the different places they can buy garden supplies (using the same choices as above — home centers, mass merchants, independent garden centers, etc. Their responses reveal where their buying loyalty lies.

Many people in the garden center world would probably assume that the core garden center shopper, who already accepts they will pay more in return for better service and quality, gives most of their lawn and garden business to that channel. Not so. In fact the home centers win that battle, easily capturing 59 percent of their customers’ yearly lawn and garden dollars. That compares with 51 percent at the mass merchants, 48 percent at garden centers and 47 percent at hardware stores.

My question to garden center owners, buyers and managers is: Why do full-service garden centers customers choose to spend 52 percent of all their lawn and garden dollars in other channels?

This one single NGS stat shows how far many garden centers have moved from being the local go-to gardening shop.

Under 34 And Over 55 Gardeners Are The Most Avid

An immediate, striking demographic fact in this year’s NGS is that household participation in lawn and garden shows a very large increase at opposite ends of the spectrum. The 18–34 and over 55 groups both reached a six-year participation high. Obviously one year’s statistic is not enough to draw long-range conclusions, but it would appear that the polarization of garden activity shown in the last two years of NGS continues.

Does this point to a lack of interest or a lack of disposable income in the middle two demographic age groups from 35 to 54? The NGS also shows that householders from 35 to 54 have a steady six-year decline in lawn and garden spend, too. Maybe we have not made the sale to these cash-strapped groups. They are not convinced that activity in the garden is worth spending any more time or money on.

It may be worse; gardening may be an aspect of discretionary spending they are consciously reducing when faced with more appealing things like movies on demand, concerts or eating out.

National Garden Association’s 2013 National Gardening Survey

A Key Group Is Spending Less

Traditionally the older males spent most as they replaced machinery and continued larger projects involving trees, shrubs and landscape supplies. In fact by 2011, male and female over 55 together constituted a massive 46 percent of the entire lawn and garden market in the country, with males taking 29 percent and females 17 percent.

The industry is worryingly dependent on an age group heading for retirement, life on a fixed income and a significant health changes.

Interestingly spending declined last year among men over 55, who up to now had still been driving the maintenance and big-ticket categories. And for several years now, females over 55 have reduced their spending. Even though females over 55 are still very active in gardening participation, their spending is in decline. Maybe they are decorating more now with flowers, containers and accents rather than constructing whole perennial borders, à la Martha.

Some might use this as a reason not to feminize our stores and to reduce the gifts, décor, accents and froofroo, as some call it, but I would urge just the opposite. Older females are generous grandmothers, homemakers and retirees with disposable time and money.

They are influencers on Facebook, Pinterest, etc., and are frequent garden retail customers. Also, the desire for a clean, modern, inviting shopping experience is not age or gender specific. So I am not advocating replacing gift and accents with mountains of lawn food or raised beds. We have to provide both.

Young Men May Be The New Power Customer For Garden Centers

Given the lawn and garden industry’s age dependency, the biggest ah-ha moment for me was when I drilled down in the 260-page NGS and realized the biggest spending demographic group, and biggest spending increase in any group in 2012, were males under 34.

These younger males with a household spend of $441 (beating the national average by almost $100) outspent men over 55, the traditional winner, and women of all ages.

Anecdotally, I hear of younger males showing strong interest in classes, workshops and online information. And they clearly are a october 13

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➾ G AR DEN IN G SURVEY

what you need to know about the national gardening survey The survey, handled by a professional polling company, asks a balanced sample of householders for information on what they did in the garden, what they bought, how much they spent and where they shopped. It is important to point out that the survey breaks gardening into 16 categories of activity such as lawn care, container gardening, growing vegetables and so on. The survey asks if a respondent actually participated in an activity at all, and if so, what they spent on it in total.

So the answer from a householder who replied “yes” to the “growing berries” category would include the cost of the plant, the planting mix, the shovel, mulch, soil, fertilizer, bird netting and so on — the whole activity. These spending trends may not align with retail POS reports, which tracks plant sales separately from fertilizers (but most good POS systems could run a report that way if asked to…). Those surveyed are grouped demographically by age, gender, earnings, education, employment status and whether there are children at home or not.

It is also important to say that this entire survey is about Do-ItYourself (DIY) gardening and does not include spending on Do-ItFor-Me gardening — though the NGS does ask if the householders used contractors, lawn/tree service, etc. Neither does the NGS track casual furniture, patio, gift, personal or Christmas.

big part of the food-gardening movement. So this is great news for the garden center industry right?

Not so fast. This age group (including both genders) is the only demographic in the NGS to choose independent hardware stores as their No. 1 lawn and garden provider. For the second year in a row, the hardware store wins the younger vote.

Is it simply that many of these consumers don’t own a home yet and are shopping for small items and they will move to a more complete lawn and garden retailer when they buy a house, fix up a lawn and plant a garden? Time will tell.

Use These Results To Create A Plan

As in previous years, this NGS analysis reveals some stunning truths. This year we find that our latest knight in shining armor is the 18–34 year old male. Who would have predicted that?

This report can be sliced and diced a hundred ways, but there’s no doubt that lawn and garden is coming back driven by two groups almost from different planets. One message will no longer fit all.

Thankfully, there’s no sign in the NGS that gardening will fade away if we can make the sale and create a compelling value proposition.

That’s the next step in our journey. is a renowned garden industry consultant who has been training garden retailers how to be better business managers for more than 30 years.

ian baldwin

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How to Make your own

Nematode bubbler Working with beneficial nematodes may take a little extra effort to ensure application success. For instance, the method you use to prepare and mix your application solution can play a large role in the efficacy of the nematodes. When mixed and applied correctly, beneficial nematodes provide effective insect control. These microscopic worms are a simple, effective addition to your insect management program.

Joe Lara | BASF

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Figure 1

I

t is important to keep nematodes uniformly dispersed throughout the solution during application. If you do not use some sort of mixing method, nematodes will rapidly settle to the bottom of the solution, resulting in uneven pest control. Mixing the nematodes by hand will provide temporary dispersion, but nematodes may settle shortly after mixing.

The most effective methods of mixing nematodes for application are with a mechanical circulation device or with an air circulator.

Mechanical circulation devices such as a recirculation pump or paddle mixer will maintain uniform distribution of nematodes in the solution. Using mechanical circulation devices for too long can increase the temperature of the solution and cause mechanical stress to the nematodes. However, temperature increases can be offset by placing the ice pack you received with your nematodes into the solution, which will help keep the nematodes viable.

To maximize nematode viability while keeping nematodes suspended throughout the solution during application, your best option is air circulation.

Air circulators are typically composed of an electrical air pump attached to a bubbler. Instead of using some sort of object to agitate the nematodes, air bubbles keep the nematodes dispersed throughout the solution.

In a study performed by researchers at Becker Underwood, three different circulation treatments were compared in their ability to keep nematode solutions cool and uniformly dispersed. A concentrated solution of nematodes was prepared and monitored over a period of 8 hours. The circulation treatments they compared were no mixing, mechanical circulation (battery powered bilge pump) and air circulation (electrical air pump attached to a bubbler).

The results of the study showed that air and mechanical circulators maintained uniform dispersion of the nematodes. Air circulation maintained constant temperatures and live nematodes the entire time, while mechanical circulation increased the temperature of the solution and showed a decline in nematode viability over time.

Air circulators provide a more effective method of keeping the nematodes cool, while at the same time uniformly dispersing nematodes throughout the solution. Using this method of mixing will result in better pest control.

How to Make a Five Gallon Nematode Bubbler

Instructions listed below can be used to create a stock tank bubbler for a five gallon bucket that can be used to agitate nematode stock solutions.

Supplies Needed to Make a Nematode Bubbler

• Five ¼ inch tee compressor fittings • 3½ feet of ¼ inch ID plastic tubing • Electric drill and 1⁄16 inch drill bit • Cut the following pieces of plastic tubing: Four 6 inch, one 7 inch, one 3 inch, one 2½ inch Assembly (Figure 1):

Assemble according to diagram above. Liquid hand dishwater detergent may ease assembly. Thoroughly rinse all detergent from bubbler prior to first use. Once assembled, drill regular holes along entire length of the bubbler at 1 inch intervals. Fasten bubbler to the bottom of the bucket by drilling two holes one inch apart. Use a zip tie to secure the bubbler in place. Use, epoxy, bondo or hot melt glue to fill holes.

Note: Larger bubblers can be created to accommodate larger volumes. Bubblers should cover the bottom of the tank in order to prevent settling of nematode solutions.

Air Supply (Figure 2):

Compressed air or an electric air pump can be used to provide air for the bubbler. Small aquarium air pumps are not suitable as they do not provide sufficient air volume to keep nematode solutions in suspension. Minimum acceptable air pump rating is 2.5 cfm (70 L per minute).

Supplies Needed to Connect Bubbler to Compressed Air (Figure 3)

• ⅜ inch air compressor hose cut to length needed retaining male end • Threaded female quick disconnect • Female-female quarter turn valve october 13

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35

➾ nematode bubbler

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

• Threaded male air fitting • Two ⅞ inch diameter hose clamps • Teflon tape Assembly:

Take ⅜ inch air compressor hose, with male air fitting attached to one end, and cut to desired length. If male air fitting is not present attach one using a ⅜ inch brass ferrule. Using teflon tape, connect female-female quarter turn valve to threaded female quick disconnect and threaded male air fitting. Attach air compressor hose to female quick disconnect and join the other end of the air compressor hose to the bubbler. Secure cut end of air compressor hose to bubbler by using two hose clamps.

Adjust air volume with quarter turn valve to keep nematode solution agitated but not so much that froth is created.

Supplies Needed to Connect Bubbler to an Electric Air Pump (Figure 4)

• ¼ inch ID plastic tubing • Air pump with minimum output of 2.5 cfm (70 L per minute).

Suitable air pumps are available from Dramm Corp. as well as other manufacturers.

Assembly:

Take ¼ inch ID plastic tubing and cut to desired length. Attach one end of the plastic tubing to the electrical air pump and the other to the nematode bubbler.

Caution:

If creating a bubbler for volumes larger than 5 gallons, a larger pump may be needed to supply sufficient agitation.

As always, the most important things to remember when mixing and applying nematodes are: • Effective mixing of nematodes is essential for uniform application and maximum pest control.

• Air circulation is generally the best method for keeping nematodes viable and solutions properly agitated.

• Becker Underwood, now part of BASF, recommends that nematode solutions be used immediately. Apply nematode solutions within two hours for mechanical circulation and within four hours for air circulation.

• Adding ice packs to nematode stock solutions will maintain cool temperatures and nematode viability. joe lara is a Product Manager with BASF and can be reached at joe.lara@basf.com or 919.659.3922.

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Announcing a Call for Entries for MNLA Landscape Awards 2014 On October 15, MNLA will open its new online entry portal and begin receiving entries for a new landscape awards program. You can find the link to the online entry form on the home page of www.MNLA.biz. The entry process will all be done via software designed specifically for awards programs, making the entry process more streamlined, and save a trip to the mail box or the MNLA office. Full rules will be posted on the entry form.

There are no categories in the new program. Entrants won’t have to choose where their project fits, and no entry will be judged against another; each entry will be judged solely on its own merits. Each winner will receive a plaque, marketing materials, a MNLA ticket to the MNLA Gala, a badge on their profile in Landscape the MNLA directory, a crest to display in print and Awards 2014 for posting on their website, and a bound photo book displaying the winning entry.

A program of recognition

for installed landscapes.

Enter your finest projects!

Submitting companies must be MNLA members who offer design, installation, design/ build, bid/build, or other landscape specialty to their clients.

The deadline for entry is November 20.

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

MNLA Member of Excellence Awards 2014 MNLA is also rolling out a brand new company-based awards program this year. This program will recognize excellence in all types of members based on criteria such as safety standards, customer service, profitability, how challenges have been overcome, environmental responsibility, ethics, employee care, and more. There will be a distinction made between companies with less than 25 employees, and those with more (as measured during the company’s peak employment season). Full rules will be posted on the online entry form.

Each winner will receive marketing materials, a ticket to the MNLA Gala, a badge on their profile in the MNLA directory, a crest to display in print and for posting on their website, and a a feature article in the Scoop. Entries will be received online starting on November 1. The link to the online entry form will be on www.MNLA.biz.

➾ legal issues

Minnesota Sick Leave Extends to Family Members The Minnesota Parenting Leave Act (MPLA) has long required employers to allow their employees to use personal sick leave to care for the employee’s minor child due to illness or injury. As of August 1, 2013, that sick leave also extends to the sickness or injury of the employee’s family members.

Casey L. Pettersen

Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC

qualified family members include the employee’s sibling, parent, grandparent, or stepparent. In addition, the Act previously extended only to minor children under 18 years of age, but now also extends to children under age 20 who are still attending secondary school.

This change to the MPLA is not without its limits, however. First, the Act does not cover all employers, but only to those that employ 21 employees or more at any single site. Second, for those employers that are covered, they can limit an employee’s use of sick leave to 160 hours in a 12-month period. Third, the Act applies only to employees that have worked for the employer for 12 consecutive months and work at least at a 50% level of full-time employment. Finally, the Act itself does not require employers to offer employees sick leave, either paid or unpaid, but instead requires employers that do offer sick leave to abide by its requirements.

In light of this change, employers must be sure to review their employment policies to ensure they are abiding by Minnesota law.

For more additional information on this or other employment law matters, see the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry website at: www.doli.state.mn.us.

This article provides general information on employment law matters and should not be relied upon as legal advice.

A qualified attorney must analyze all relevant facts and apply the applicable law to any matter before legal advice can be given. is a law clerk at Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC. She assists the firm with a wide range of legal issues which affect green industry businesses. If you would like more information regarding employment law or other legal matters, please contact Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC at 651-331-6500 or www.zmattorneys.com.

casey pettersen

october 13

mnla .biz

39

A Deeper Shade of Green Local Genetic Origins

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cover story: Research for the Real World

Why Bunnies and Birches Don’t Get Along: Understanding and Using the Chemistry of

natural repellents Dr. James Calkins | Research Information Director, MNLA Foundation

➾ cov er story

Figure 1. Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) is a favorite of Midwestern homeowners who love its beautiful, white bark, but paper birch is usually short-lived when planted in residential and commercial landscapes, and especially when surrounded by competitive turf, where they are typically exposed to hot dry conditions; here we see white birch planted along with sugar maple (Acer saccharum), another favorite with homeowners that isn’t adapted to urban conditions (hot, dry, compacted soils) and generally isn’t a good choice for most urban and suburban landscapes (Photo Credit: James Calkins).

I

, like many Minnesotans, love birches. Their habitat value, interesting catkins, attractive foliage, handsome golden, yellow, or orange-red fall color, graceful, often multi-trunked form, and, in most cases, showy, exfoliating bark make them important components of native ecosystems and popular landscape plants. Five species of birch (Betula spp.) are native to Minnesota and other parts of the Upper Midwest including yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis; sometimes called gray birch), river birch (Betula nigra; sometimes called red or black birch), paper/canoe birch (Betula papyrifera; also called white birch), Swamp/bog birch (Betula pumila), and Sandberg birch (Betula × sandbergii (a naturally-occurring hybrid between B. papyrifera × B. pumila). Other members of the birch family (Betulaceae) are also native to Minnesota including alders (Alnus spp.), hazelnuts/filberts (Corylus spp.), ironwood (Ostrya virginiana; also called American hop-hornbeam), and American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana; also called blue beech and water beech).

The birches are important wildlife species being used by over 400 species of Lepidopteran (butterflies and moths) larvae, a variety of other insects, and numerous species of birds and mammals including songbirds, small mammals, ruffled grouse, and turkeys which primarily eat the catkins and seeds. Birch, alder, and willow pollen are also important early spring sources of food when few other plants are blooming. Lepidopteran larvae are also a key component of the food chain; their importance as a food source for many songbirds and their young is a premier example. Birch species with exfoliating bark provide valuable hiding and overwintering sites for a variety of insects which are also important food sources for woodpeckers and other birds year-round and especially during the winter. In addition to their value in native ecosystems and designed landscapes, birches have also been used by indigenous peoples, and human beings in general, for a variety of cultural, manufacturing, and medicinal purposes including woodworking (wood and veneer), canoe building, shoes, receptacles, cording, teepees, and tanning (bark), syrup, beer, wine, and vinegar (sap), treatment of gastrointestinal and other medical conditions (bark, catkins, and roots), and as a survival food (inner bark). Young leaves, buds, and catkins of some species are sometimes eaten raw or cooked. The buds and young twigs of yellow birch have a distinct wintergreen taste and have 42

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historically been used as a source of wintergreen flavoring. For these many reasons, the birches are an important group of plants.

Although they benefit wildlife and make attractive browse-resistant landscape plants, care must be taken when choosing to plant birches in residential and commercial landscapes. In general, birches prefer full sun and cool, moist, acidic soils and should be sited and managed properly in designed landscapes. When used, be sure to plant birch where their shallow roots are shaded and unlikely to be disturbed or exposed to compaction and where they can be mulched; avoid planting in exposed, hot, dry, windy locations and especially where they would be in competition with turf. Irrigation can be helpful during hot, dry periods. Even though it is typically found in riparian environments, river birch is the most heat and drought tolerant species, but requires an acid soil and is likely to develop interveinal chlorosis (yellowing between the veins) resulting from reduced uptake of essential micronutrients on high pH sites; these nutrient deficiencies can result in necrosis (localized death of tissues), chronic decline, and even death with time. Similar to river birch, bog birch is typically found on wet soils (bogs and swamps) in the wild, but it performs perfectly well on moist, well-drained soils and deserves to be used more than it is in designed landscapes.

A number of other non-native birches are also hardy in Minnesota and are suitable for use in Minnesota landscapes.

Birches also have some pest problems. Bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius; Buprestidae — jewel or metallic wood-boring beetles from the same family as the nonnative emerald ash borer — Agrilus planipennis) can attack all species of birch and birch leaf miner (primarily Fenusa pusilla; Tenthredinidae — sawflies; a European species that feeds within the leaves and causes blotchy mines) can be a problem on river and paper birch. White barked birches tend to be most susceptible to attack by bronze birch borer with paper birch being the most susceptible of our native species. Birch trees are most likely to be attacked by bronze birch borer when plants are stressed which is almost always the case in residential and commercial landscapes. River birch has the highest level of resistance to bronze birch borer; the cultivar ‘Cully’ (Heritage®) is slightly smaller and has larger leaves than the species and is very resistant to bronze birch borer. Yellow birch is highly resistant to birch leaf miner and

moderately resistant to bronze birch borer. Be sure to site and manage birches properly to reduce the likelihood of attack by bronze birch borer and help ensure longevity in the landscape.

In addition to the attributes already mentioned, another important and desirable characteristic of birches is their resistance to browsing by rabbits and deer which can cause significant damage to landscape plants. This innate characteristic is interesting given the number of insects that feed on birch trees, although most native insects that have evolved with native birches do not cause major damage under normal circumstances. It is also interesting as a potential technology for the protection of plants from herbivores. In addition to the browsing damage caused by rabbits and white-tailed deer in landscapes, damage inflicted by deer in native ecosystems has also become a significant challenge relative to the natural regeneration of species like white pine (Pinus strobus) in native ecosystems and the re-establishment of native species following the removal of non-native buckthorn (Rhamnus spp.) and other invasive species when deer populations are high. Damage caused by rabbits, deer, and other herbivores can also be a significant problem for nursery growers.

Preventing browsing damage when rabbit and deer populations are high can be an expensive and very frustrating challenge. Take it from one who knows; I have had as many as 23 deer in my yard at one time and my hopes of having a hosta glade were dashed when the first 30 hostas I planted the year after moving into my home were completely wiped-out in one night 25 years ago and learning to live with these beautiful creatures has been a challenge ever since.

Experience and research indicates the effectiveness of repellents is variable at best and most simply don’t work or are ineffective when deer populations are high. Though research has shown some repellents can be effective in the short term (generally a few days), long-term control is unlikely. Yes, some gardeners swear by certain repellents, but it’s more likely than not that deer simply haven’t been in the area when damage hasn’t occurred. Fencing is the only reliable method of preventing browsing damage in urban areas and barriers, including fencing, are the only way to prevent antler rubbing damage. Depending on the types of barriers used this obviously can be expensive. Reducing populations is another option, and a must in native ecosystems, but can only be implemented by state and local governments and can be controversial. Depending on the types of barriers used and the obviously can be expensive. Research is clearly needed to find better ways to solve this perennial problem.

Research focused on the natural defenses of plants to combat damage caused by herbivores is not new, but a growing body of research is providing valuable information about the naturally occurring antifeedant properties of a variety of plants. Studies involving snowshoe hares and the antifeedant properties of birches, including a recent study published last year in the Journal of Chemical Ecology, are good examples of the ongoing research in this area. Based on this research it appears papyriferic acid, a triterpine which makes birch unpalatable to rabbits, is one of the principle substances involved and has been suggested as also being a deterrent to deer and other herbivores. Other research has identified a number of mechanisms involved in plant defenses against herbivores including morphological (e.g., pubescence, thorns, etc.) and biochemical adaptations involving a variety of chemical compounds. These

Figure 2. Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) has wonderful exfoliating bark that can range from nearly silver, to gold, to copper-orange; although most homeowners prefer the white-barked paper birch, the bark of yellow birch and the cinnamon-colored bark of river birch (Betula nigra) are beautiful in their own right and these species are better choices for designed landscapes; here we see the bark of a young yellow birch that is just beginning to exfoliate (Photo Credit: James Calkins).

Figure 3. Expanded male (pendulous) and female (upright) catkins of yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) provide great early spring interest, are a valuable food source for ruffled grouse and other wildlife during the winter, and are an important early-spring source of pollen for bees when few other species are in bloom (Photo Credit: James Calkins).

Figure 4. Most birches have good fall color; yellow for paper birch (Betula papyrifera) and river birch (Betula nigra), yellow-orange and orange-red for bog birch, and a rich, golden yellow for yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) as seen here (Photo Credit: James Calkins).

Figure 5. No, this isn’t the beginnings of fall color; here we have an example of interveinal chlorosis (yellowing between the veins) resulting from a landscape design mistake where a river birch (Betula nigra) was planted on a site with alkaline soil in Edina, Minnesota; river birch requires and acid pH (Photo Credit: James Calkins).

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âžž cov er story

Figure 6. Although it is most often found growing in floodplains in the wild, river birch (Betula nigra) is surprisingly drought tolerant as can be seen in this hot, dry, concrete and asphalt-dominated landscape in Roseville, Minnesota; birches prefer cool, moist conditions (Photo Credit: James Calkins).

Figure 7. Birches tend to be resistant to browsing by rabbits and white-tailed deer and research has documented naturally-occurring, antifeedant chemicals in the tissues of birch trees; the buds and young twigs of yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis; seen here) have a distinct wintergreen taste and have historically been used as a source of oil of wintergreen (Photo Credit: James Calkins).

defenses can vary between species and at different stages in the life cycle of a given species. For example, the levels of defensive compounds, including papyriferic acid in birch, are often higher in juvenile compared to older plants which makes sense from a survival perspective. Further identification and investigation of these biological deterrents holds promise for the development of more effective repellents for use in landscapes and nursery production systems based on odor, taste, mouth feel, irritation, disrupted digestion, nutritional barriers, and other modes of action. The resulting repellent technologies might include deterrents that are applied as a spray or via other standard methods currently used for most repellents available today or might involve the genetic modification of plants to create plants that produce antifeedant compounds as part of their metabolism.

Although no landscape plants are completely deer proof, resistance to browsing and the level of damage caused by herbivores often depends on herbivore populations and the availability of food plants. There are a number of plants in addition to birch that tend to be avoided and are good choices for landscape use. Examples include magnolias (Magnolia spp.), catalpas (Catalpa spp.), wafer ash (Ptelea trifoliata), spireas (Spiraea spp.), peonies (Paeonia spp.), and daffodils (Narcissus spp.). Interestingly, spireas are rarely eaten by deer, but are relished by rabbits as a winter food; understanding the reason for this difference could be potentially instructive.

Continued research with birches and other plant species that have antifeedant properties could provide the basic knowledge needed to promote exciting advances in antifeedant technology and reduced levels of damage caused by herbivores. This is an important area of research that has the potential to benefit nursery and landscape professionals, conservationists, and property owners.

Forbey, J.S., X. Pu, D. Xu, K. Kielland, and J. Bryant. 2011. Inhibition of Snowshoe Hare Succinate Dehydrogenase Activity as a Mechanism of Deterrence for Papyriferic Acid in Birch. Journal of Chemical Ecology 37(12):1285-1293. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2 Fs10886-011-0039-9 (abstract only)

The body of research related to herbivory and plant defenses against herbivory is extensive and complicated; some selected references that might be of interest include:

Jogia, M.K., A.R.E. Sinclair, and R.J. Andersen. 1989. An Antifeedant in Balsam Poplar Inhibits Browsing by Snowshoe Hares. Oecologia 65(1):58-69. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00388477 (abstract only)

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Steve K. Windels, S.K. and David G. Hewitt. 2011. Effects of Plant Secondary Compounds on Nutritional Carrying Capacity Estimates of a Browsing Ungulate. Rangeland Ecology & Management 64(3):264275. http://www.srmjournals.org/doi/abs/10.2111/REM-D-1000078.1?journalCode=rama Curtis, P.D., E.D. Rowland, M.M Harribal, G.B. Curtis, J.A Renwick, M.D. Martin-Rehrmann, and G.L. Good. 2003. Plant Compounds in Pachysandra terminalis That Act as Feeding Deterrents to Prairie Voles.

HortScience 38(3):390-394. http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/ content/38/3/390.full.pdf+html Richard W. Watkins, R.W., D.P. Cowan, and E.L. Gill. 1996. Plant Secondary Chemicals as Non-Lethal Vertebrate Repellents. Proceedings of the Seventeenth Vertebrate Pest Conference 1996. Paper No. 56. http:// digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontentcgi?article=1055&context=vpc17 Thomas P. Sullivan, T.P., D.R. Crump, H. Wieser, and E.A. Dixon. 1992.

Influence of the Plant Antifeedant, Pinosylvin, on Suppression of Feeding by Snowshoe Hares. Journal of Chemical Ecology 18(7):1151-1164. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00980070 (abstract only) Reichardt, P.B., J.P. Bryant, B.R. Mattes, T.P. Clausen, F.S. Chapin III, and M. Meyer. 1990. Winter Chemical Defense of Alaskan Balsam Poplar Against Snowshoe Hares. Journal of Chemical Ecology 16(6):1941-1959. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01020507 (abstract only) Reichardt, P.B., J.P. Bryant, B.J. Anderson, D. Phillips, T.P. Clausen, M. Meyer, and K. Frisby. 1990. Germacrone Defends Labrador Tea from Browsing by Snowshoe Hares. Journal of Chemical Ecology 16(6):19611970. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01020508 (abstract only)

There are a number of plants in addition to birch that tend to be avoided and are good choices for landscape use.

Sinclair, A.R.E., M.K. Jogia, and R.J. Andersen.

1988. Camphor from Juvenile White Spruce as an Antifeedant for Snowshoe Hares.

Journal of Chemical Ecology 14(6):1505-1514. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/ BF01012422 (abstract only) Reichardt, P.B., J.P. Bryant, T.P. Clausen, and G.D. Wieland. 1984. Defense of Winter-Dormant Alaska Paper Birch Against Snowshoe Hares. Oecologia 65(1):58-69. http://link. springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00384463 (abstract only)

To comment on this month’s update, suggest research topics of interest, or pass along a piece of research-based information that might be of interest to your industry colleagues, please email us at Research@MNLA.biz.

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➾ G AR DEN CEN TER TO UR

2013

If you missed the 2013 Garden Center Tour on August 1st you missed a lot!

It was a perfect day to visit five of MNLA’s finest garden centers: Bachman’s in Fridley, Waldoch Farm in Lino Lakes, Malmborg’s in Blaine, Green Valley Garden Center in Ramsey, and Mickman Brothers in Ham Lake.

Tour

The variety of sites this year, from large corporate to family-run garden centers, made for a very diverse and interesting tour. It was a great opportunity to network and share ideas on display, signage, plant health, garden center management, greenhouse growing and more! Participating garden centers received feedback from the attendees, and attendees left with ideas to implement at their own garden centers.

Thank you to Bachman’s, Waldoch Farm, Malmborg’s, Green Valley, and Mickman Brothers for your wonderful hospitality!

Otten Bros. employees checking out the plants at Bachman’s in Fridley.

Van Cooley, Malmborg’s, is giving some details on the history of their new garden center location in Blaine.

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Sharon Rowe, Green Valley Greenhouse, describing their large greenhouse growing facility next to their retail garden center.

John Mickman welcoming the tour to Mickman Brothers, Inc.

Mary Joyer, Waldoch Farm, chatting with some of the tour attendees.

➾ NOMIN ATION S

job boards at the 2014 N orthern G reen Ex po

Guidelines for posting positions on the Job Boards at Expo There is no official form for job postings. Bring your own job posting (no larger than a 8 ½ × 11 sheet of paper) to place on the boards any time after 7 am on Wednesday, January 8th.

The Jobs Boards are located in the Hall E Lobby.

Please list only one job description per posting to ensure that your posting can be put under the correct category heading.

Expo staff will place empty acrylic holders on the boards along with category headings at the beginning of the show. Feel free to bring several copies of the posting which will allow potential employees to take a copy of your posting with them for response after the Expo.

Acrylic holders will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Once they are full, a single posting can be tacked up to the board, but multiple copies cannot be left.

It is your responsibility to keep tabs on the job posting. If your copies run out, Expo staff will not be responsible for filling them. However, if you’d like to make additional copies, there is a Kinko’s available onsite.

Note: Please do not include confidential information that you might not, for any reason, want available to the general public.

accepting nominations N ominations O pen for Todd B achman Award

Nominations are now being accepted for the annual Todd Bachman Award for Innovation in Horticultural Business. Created by the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association and the MNLA Foundation, the award annually recognizes a young individual whose innovation in private enterprise has positively influenced one or more horticulture and/or green industry businesses in the region.

The award recipient will receive a plaque and will be recognized in trade publications. In addition, the MNLA Foundation will make a $1,000 cash award in the recipient’s name to his or her alma mater.

Qualifications for Todd Bachman Award Owner or employee of a horticultural business in the north central region (MN, WI, IA, ND, SD).

Recipient of an associate’s or bachelor’s degree or greater in horticulture, business or related field from an accredited institution of higher learning.

Demonstrated innovation in business, marketing, horticultural production, floral, or landscape practices.

For all details and nomination instructions, visit MNLA.biz.

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➾ section title

Neonicotinoid Insecticides and Concerns about Pollinators:

Understanding the Issue In recent weeks we’ve seen a parade of media reports and commentary regarding neonicotinoid insecticides and their potential impact on bees. Many of these stories provide important information for us to consider and reflect upon, while others represent sensationalized perspectives with the intention of driving a political agenda.

Joe Bischoff | ANLA’s Director of Government Relations

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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, they 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 directly connected to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) of bees — a phenomenon in which worker bees do not return to their hive after foraging. Another frequently associated term is Bee Decline, a more general term meant to reflect the decreasing number of managed honeybee hives over the course of decades due to a multitude of issues — including urbanization and fewer beekeepers in the workforce, as well as environmental and pest stresses.

However, research and peer-reviewed publications, including those from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (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 the 1987 introduction of the destructive Varroa mite, bee pathogens and the constant stress of transporting hives to new locations by beekeepers. Fortunately, our native bees do not appear to be impacted by CCD despite dealing with many of the

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 nontarget 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. (continued on page 54)

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➾ Neonicotinoid Insecticides

frequently asked questions (continued from page 53)

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.

Why has there been 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 going forward.

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.

same parasites and pathogens and similar exposure to pesticides.

This is not to say that pesticides play no role in CCD or Bee Decline in general — the truth is we don’t have all of the answers at this point.

Based on current science, EPA continues to allow application of neonicotinoids with appropriate guidelines because they are among the safer chemicals available to combat many pests. We encourage the research community to pursue its work on this issue without bias and identify the necessary steps to alleviate Bee Decline.

As a proud part of U.S. agriculture, we certainly understand the importance of pollinators to the agricultural industry and our natural environment. We also recognize 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 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 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, 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.

We must acknowledge our stewardship role in using these chemistries, deploy them as part of a management strategy, and always remember to use them only as directed by the EPA-approved label.

for more information, contact Joe Bischoff, ANLA’s Director of Government Relations (jbischoff@anla.org) or Lin Schmale, SAF’s Senior Director of Government Relations (lschmale@safnow.org).

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infiltrated) before it leaves the property, and how can the quality of runoff that does leave the site be managed?

Where soils are not cooperative or space for managing runoff is limited, capture and reuse may be the best or only Golden Valley Hardscapes option. Interest in rainwater harvesting is growing and the www.GoldenValleyHardscapes.com variety and quality of rainwater collection, storage, and reuse CarrieGV@IowaTelecom.net products is increasing in response to this increased interest and 515-328-3162 866-455-1086 demand.

Systems likeorContainment Solutions’ rainwater harvesting tanks, designed specifically use in residential Call Us For All Your Mulch andforRock Supplies! landscapes and sized to collect and store 300 to over 1,000 gallons of roof runoff or more for later use when connected in series, are a good example (www.containmentsolutions.com).

Landscapes should always be designed to be functional, maintainable, environmentally sound, cost effective, and visually pleasing. Effective stormwater management should be a functional requirement of every landscape to reduce the effort and cost of maintaining a landscape with supplemental irrigation and prevent the negative environmental impacts and costs associated with increased runoff that will otherwise occur.

Managing runoff should also be accomplished in a way that is visually pleasing and seamlessly integrated into the overall landscape plan. Rain gardens are a good example. While they have become one of the most cost effective and widely used and accepted runoff management tools in residential and many commercial landscapes, rain gardens often seem to be an afterthought rather than an integrated part of a unified landscape. Most often they exist as a separate entity, an island within the landscape that was obviously designed to capture Continued on page 29

www.MNLA.biz | ocTober 2012

New!

2014 Model Year Exclusive Allowance. Save up to $6,000 on select GM models.

This moneysaving partnership between GM Fleet and Commercial and MNLA will save members thousands of dollars! You

will receive a credit on your purchase of up to $6,000 on select 2014 GM models. For more information, contact Mary Dunn at mary@mnla.biz.

Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC have over 20 years combined experience as small business owners in construction and landscaping. They understand what green industry business owners face on a regular basis: Contracts, Construction Law, Mechanics Liens, Business Formation, Collections, and Employment Law.

MNLA members receive a discounted rate.

Contact Bryan Zlimen or Patrcik McGuiness 651-331-6500 | info@zmattorneys.com | www.zmattorneys.com

➾ v olunteer

mnla

member

volunteers needed for networ king groups

The best part about belonging to MNLA is the opportunity to participate. When you give your time to make MNLA and the green industry better, you’ll find personal connections, knowledge, and wisdom you won’t gain anywhere else. Personally and professionally, you will grow with MNLA.

Looking for a fun, informal way to connect with industry professionals and get “just-in-time” answers to nagging questions? Get involved in MNLA’s networking groups. There are a variety of groups to choose from!

Get involved! We know you’ll take away more than you were expecting.

What is a networking group? It is an informal, volunteer, special interest group made up of MNLA members.

Networking groups were created at the request of members and serve several purposes including: Creating more ways for members to connect with each other…peer-to-peer interaction.

Providing opportunities for enhancing organizational and personal success.

Producing a vehicle for special interest group input to MNLA on educational, government affairs, and professional development programs.

Being a platform for future leader development within the organization.

The following networking groups are currently recruiting new members!

Garden Centers

Landscape Designers

Landscape/Hardscape Contractors

Professional Gardeners Landscape Management

Commercial Arborists Sustainable Environment Nursery Growers CEO Commercial Flower Growers Irrigation

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

THANK YOU

to these companies who donated time and materials to the MNLA State Fair garden this year: Bachman’s, Inc.

Lan-De-Con

Tim Power

Bailey Nurseries

Maddell Companies

Twin Orchards Nursery

Dundee Nursery & Landscaping Co.

Margolis Company, Inc.

Waconia Tree Farms LLC

Heidi’s Lifestyle Gardens

Rum River Tree Farm and Nursery

Hoffman & McNamara Nursery and Landscape Irrigation by Design

Pine Products, Inc.

Timberwall Landscape & Masonry Products Inc.

A full list of companies that have donated to this garden since 2006 is inside the garden’s gazebo.

➾ mnla news

mnla news MN L A Welcomes N ew G o vernment A ffairs D irector

We are pleased to announce that Tim Power will be the new Government Affairs Director for the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association (MNLA). Power has served as a regulatory consultant for MNLA since the fall of 2010. Before his consulting work with MNLA, he was co-owner of Law’s Nursery in Hastings, Minn. for 26 years and worked for Law’s for eight years prior to that.

He has served on and led MNLA committees for over 30 years and is a Past President of the MNLA Board of Directors. During his service, he developed a keen interest in government affairs. In 2010, Power sold his interest in Law’s Nursery and began working for MNLA as a part-time regulatory consultant. In December 2012, Power added the role of MNLA’s interim government affairs director. Among his other responsibilities with MNLA, he represents the green industry on the Minnesota Invasive Species Advisory Council, Minnesota’s Noxious Weed Advisory Committee and the board of the Midwest Invasive Plant Network. Power will now serve as MNLA’s first-ever Government Affairs Director.

This hiring marks another step forward in MNLA’s Government Affairs program, and signals a continued

strategic focus on influencing green industry issues in legislative and regulatory affairs.

Power holds a B.A. in biology from Grinnell College and did graduate coursework in plant pathology at the University of Minnesota before buying his business.

He served four years active duty in the U.S. Navy and completed his Reserve career as an intelligence analyst, manager and commanding officer. He is currently board vice-president of the Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center and served in the past on the Afton Planning Commission and the Lower St. Croix Watershed Management Organization. Power and his wife Bonnie are technical coaches with the Stillwater High School nordic ski team. They enjoy road biking in the summer, cross-country and backcountry skiing in the winter and attempting to keep up with their young German shorthair pointer year-round. of legislative or regulatory issues that MNLA should be made aware of, feel free to reach out to Power at 651-633-4987 or tim@mnla.biz.

if you know

Board elections Official N otice to M embers

The 2014 Board of Directors election will be conducted via an electronic ballot again this year. The primary contact of record, which each member has provided to MNLA, will receive access to the ballot via a notice which will be e-mailed between December 2–6, 2013.

If you have an e-mail address on record with MNLA, but do not receive the ballot electronically by December 6th, please contact MNLA Executive Director Cassie Larson at cassie@ mnla.biz or 651-633-4987.

If your company does not have an e-mail address on record at MNLA and you wish to vote in the election, please mail or fax (651-633-4986) a request for an official ballot by December 6, 2013 to:

FOR SALE: 1997 FL80 w/20' Aluminum Dump and Side Lift Gate $31,900. Call Mark at 952-261-9654.

MNLA Election 1813 Lexington Ave N Roseville, MN 55113

Come grow with us @ our new store!

The Mustard Seed is now hiring a Landscape Foreman, Landscape Designers & Garden Center Management. Apply online at: themustardseedinc. com or call us @ 952-445-6555.

Results of the election will be announced at the MNLA Annual Membership Meeting to be held at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

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➾ the last word

word on street the

question: what types of hard goods and giftware

were the most successful for you this season? scott moon, sargent’s on 2nd

The Expandable Hose was a big hit at our store this spring/summer. I was somewhat skeptical of bringing them in and was very surprised to see them sell as quickly as they did. A 50' hose retailed for $39.99. A great gift item was Ghana Crazy Baskets …it has done very well. Baskets are made in Ghana, Africa and all are one of a kind. They come in many shapes, sizes and colors.

jeff pilla, bachman’s inc.

Raised beds hit a home run this year in the hardgood category.

As for gifts it was water bowls; affordable price points & a very approachable way to add water to any garden.

andrew meidal, tamarisk gardens

Since we do not sell hardgoods, what has been popular for me in the giftware this year is micro-green kits, and anything that has to do with miniature gardens.

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david j linder, linder’s

We saw a lot of interest in our “self-watering” style pots, although I don’t like that they call them self-watering; you still have to water!

Misleading is not what we’re looking for in our products. We’ve also noticed an uptick in our food category. Artisan foods and quality chocolates (careful they’re not in a hot spot!) and caramels have made a positive impact on our average ticket, and are a great addition to bouquets.

Incredible educational value at Northern Green Expo 2014 – just look at these landscape speakers!

Plus many more great seminars and speakers! To view the entire preliminary schedule-at-a-glance, visit NorthernGreenExpo.org. Join the conversation on Twitter #GreenExpo14.

1. How to Get the Job at Your Price

Tired of the bidding race and cutting your price to get the job? This seminar will teach you to sell the value of your company rather than defend the cost of your work. The program emphasizes professional sales and marketing strategies that can be put to immediate use. Learn how to connect with customers and build a more efficient sales process. It is ideal for anyone who sells or presents your company to customers, including owners, estimators, designers and salespeople.

2. How to Find, Train, Motivate and Retain Employees

Interested in building (and keeping) the perfect team? This program addresses proven recruiting methods, leadership skills, productivity enhancement, and motivational technique you can immediately put to work. Learn the latest research on what drives high performance and myths regarding pay and reward systems. Anyone who manages people including business owners, field foremen, office managers, department heads, superintendents, and estimators will benefit from this program.

3. Wonder, Blunder, Plunder, Thunder...Do You Have the Right Business Structure?

Want to build a more efficient business structure and organization? As contractors grow their business, many hire managers in an effort to have a less stressful job and more profitable organization. Unfortunately, too many contractors create an inefficient business and profits decline as sales grow. Attendees will learn how to avoid pitfalls that may keep them from taking home a six figure income. This structure helps you build a more profitable and less stressful structure. Since this program is geared to teach business owners how to make more money, attendance should be limited to business owners and general managers.

Renowned for his innovative, practical solutions to the problems that businesses face, Monroe Porter has been conducting seminars and consulting business owners and employers about the value of their organization for over 20 years. His entertaining and insightful convention presentations have earned him an international reputation as a top speaker, while his problem solving skills have made him an in-demand consultant for businesses hoping to improve their operations or open new opportunities for growth and marketing. Monroe Porter is president of PROOF Management Consultants, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

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Landscape Design - Integrating Sustainable Features, Part 1

This is the “what” & “why” portion of a two-part presentation on the integration of sustainable features in landscape design. The presenters will discuss the basic definition of sustainability and its applicability to landscape design. This presentation will review the breadth of sustainable landscape features available to landscape design professionals, including how sustainable landscape design can influence LEED point production in building projects.

Landscape Design - Integrating Sustainable Features, Part 2

This is the “how” portion of a two-part presentation on the integration of sustainable features in landscape design. The presenters will dig into the methods used to incorporate sustainable landscape features, particularly the installation, establishment and longterm management of native species. This presentation will review the complexities of native plant establishment, give tips for plan and specification production and will review completed successful projects as case studies.

Regarded as the expert in successful natural areas restorations, Jack Pizzo’s expertise is scientifically evaluating current ecological restoration practices, identifying and implementing the improvement of methods, materials and processes used for the enhancement and/or establishment of native flora and fauna. In addition to serving as Senior Ecologist for ecology + vision, llc, Jack is president of Pizzo & Associates, Ltd., the midwest’s largest ecological restoration contracting firm.

With over a decade of award-winning experience as a design professional, both in the public and private sectors, and in the restoration ecology contracting industry, Andy J AC K I Z ZO Stahr offers a unique perspective on the successful implementation of natural areas by P providing field-tested insight as to what works, both on paper and in the field. He holds a bachelor of landscape architecture from the University of Illinois, is a registered landscape architect in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Missouri, and is a LEED accredited professional.

January 8–10, 2014 Minneapolis Convention Center www.NorthernGreenExpo.org

Northern Green Expo 2014 Is Generously Supported By:

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