The Scoop Online - August 2016

Making Seasonal Employees Part of the Team

Also Inside

Work Ethic in the Emerging Workforce

Member Profile Plant of the Month Out & About

ECONOMIC STATUS OF THE GREEN INDUSTRY Positioned to provide growing value to society

Vol: 39 No: 8 Aug 2016 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

NEW TION LOCA PEN O NOW

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Volume 39 No. 8 Aug 2016

CONTENTS 17

!

SHOOTOUT 43

62

IN THIS ISSUE 8

Events

10 From the Executive Director Change Worth Celebrating 12 Member Profile Grussendorf Nursery & Landscaping

47

17 Dutch Elm Disease: Then & Now Brandon Gallagher Watson reflects on the most significant event in the history of urban forestry.  

22 Economic Value & Status of the Green Industry Dr. Jim Calkins brings us up to date on the green industry economy; there’s good news, and some bad news. 

36 How Does Minnesota Compare, Part IV An overview of Minnesota consumer expenditures on fresh flowers and potted plants from Chengyan Yue.  

43 Work Ethic in the Emerging Workforce Northern Green keynote speaker Eric Chester challenges employers to help instill work ethic in their employees. 

47 Rain Gardens: The “Natural” Way to Remove Stormwater Pollution Research is underway to identify alternative substrate components and additional plants for use in rain gardens.   

53 Make Seasonal Employees Part of the Team These four tips can keep your seasonal employees engaged, productive, and happy.   Landscape & Hardscape Install & Design  Garden Services & Landscape Management  Garden Centers  Growers: Nursery & Greenhouse  Irrigation & Water Management  Arborists & Tree Services  All

14 Plant of the Month Northern Green speaker Stephanie Cohen writes about Helenium ‘Short ‘n’ Sassy’.

30 MDA Update Pesticide Applicators License and Use Categories 34 Out & About An initiative of the membership committee is to stay in touch and thank members with occasional visits.

56 MNLA at the Fair Members can take part in the State Fair at the Minnesota Grown booth on Sunday, September 4.

59 Member News 62 MNLA Shootout A new location and new games will add to the fun as the MNLA Foundation raises money for scholarships.

The Scoop, August 2016, Issue 8, is issued monthly, 12 times per year. All original works, articles or formats published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 2016, and may not be used without written permission of MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville, MN 55113. Subscription price is $99 for one year, which is included with member dues. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Scoop, MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville, MN 55113.

Editorial Contributions. You are invited to share your expertise and perspective. Article ideas and manuscripts should, whenever possible, reflect real and specific experiences. When submitting an article, please contact the publisher at jon@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987.

MNLA reserves the right to edit all Scoop content.

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AD LIST MINNESOTA NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION Successful Businesses Grow Here!

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

Alliance Designer Products .............................................................................. 24 Arborjet ............................................................................................................ 57 Anderson Nurseries .......................................................................................... 42 Aspen Equipment ............................................................................................. 15 Beberg Landscape Supply ................................................................................ 44

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

Borgert Products, Inc. ....................................................................................... 38

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ProGreen Plus ..................................................... 42

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

Central Landscape Supply ................................................................................ 46

herman roerick, president

scott frampton, vice-president

Bridgewater Tree Farms ................................................................................... 61

County Materials Corporation .......................................................................... 52

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

Cushman Motor Co. Inc ................................................................................... 52

tim malooly, cid, clia, cic, secretary-treasurer

D. Hill Nursery .................................................................................................. 29

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

Edney Distributing Co., Inc. ............................................................................. 51

randy berg, mnla-cp

Erosion Products LLC ....................................................................................... 29

Berg’s Nursery, Landscape/Garden Center 507-433-2823 • randy@bergsnursery.com

matt mallas

Hedberg Supply 763-512-2849 • mmallas@hedbergaggregates.com

mike mcnamara

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

john o'reilly

Fury Motors ...................................................................................................... 20 Gertens Wholesale & Professional Turf Supply .................................................. 2 GM Fleet and Commercial ................................................................................. 3 Gopher State One-Call ..................................................................................... 51 Haag Companies, Inc. ...................................................................................... 60

Otten Bros. Garden Center and Landscaping 952-473-5425 • j.oreilly@ottenbros.com

Hedberg Supply ................................................................................................. 4

jeff pilla, mnla-cp

Jeff Belzer Chevrolet .................................................................................. 32–33

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

Klaus Nurseries ................................................................................................. 56

nick sargent

Kubota Dealers ................................................................................................. 49

Sargent’s Landscape Nursery, Inc. 507-289-0022 • njsargent@sargentsgardens.com

cassie larson, cae

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

Landscape Alternatives Inc. .............................................................................. 55 Lano Equipment, Inc. ....................................................................................... 29 Midwest Transmission Center / DBA Clutch & U-joint Proven Force ............... 42 Northern Salt Inc .............................................................................................. 15

STAFF DIRECTORY

executive director:

Out Back Nursery ............................................................................................. 46

membership director & trade show manager:

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

Cassie Larson, CAE • cassie@mnla.biz Mary Dunn, CEM • mary@mnla.biz communications dir.: Jon Horsman, CAE • jon@mnla.biz education/cert manager: Susan Flynn • susan@mnla.biz

regulatory affairs manager: Jim Calkins • jim@mnla.biz administrative asst: Gayle Anderson • gayle@mnla.biz accountant: Kris Peterson • kris@mnla.biz foundation program coordinator:

RDO Equipment Co. ........................................................................................ 61 Resultants for Business, Inc. (RFB) .................................................................... 54 Rock Hard Landscape Supply division of Brian’s Lawn & Landscaping, Inc. .... 42 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc. ............................................................................ 16, 41, 58

Paulette Sorenson • paulette@mnla.biz

Truck Utilities, Inc. ............................................................................................. 29

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

Versa-Lok Midwest ........................................................................................... 50

Faith Jensen, Advertising Rep • faith@pierreproductions.com Betsy Pierre, Advertising Mgr • betsy@pierreproductions.com legislative affairs consultant: Doug Carnival

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Volume 39 No. 8 Aug 2016

➾ G OS C

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Wheeler Landscape Supply .............................................................................. 21 Ziegler CAT ......................................................................................... Back Cover

➾ C ALE N DAR

MNLA Event MNLA Event

➾ Mem ber

AUG10

AUG11

MEMBER APPRECIATION SOCIAL

U of M/MTGF FIELD DAY

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MNLA Office, Roseville MNLA.biz

h Mont

Let’s celebrate your awesomeness! All members are invited to a Member Appreciation Social. The event will take place from 5–8 p.m. Food and adult beverages will be provided! Please RSVP at MNLA.biz.

AUG23 TURFGRASS MAINTENANCE WORKSHOP

TROE Center, University of Minnesota, St. Paul

MNLA Classroom, Roseville

MTGF.org

Learn best management practices for lawn/turf care maintenance. The workshop will save you money, protect our water, and allow you an opportunity to test for Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Level 1 Certification for summer turf care best management practices.

MNLA.biz

The face-to-face field day is back! See research projects conducted by University faculty and staff first hand. Focus areas will include both turfgrass research and landscape research.

MNLA Event

SEPT14 TREES IN AN URBAN SETTING: Guided Walking Tour

SEPT8–9 FOSTERS SPRING MARKET Mayo Civic Center, Rochester Fostersinc.com Experience first-hand the latest and greatest the lawn and garden industry has to offer for the 2017 spring season.

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➾

MNLA Event

Minneapolis

SEPT21

MNLA.biz

MNLA SHOOTOUT

The urban landscape can be a very harsh environment for many tree species. Gary Johnson and Chad Giblin of the University of Minnesota Urban Forestry Outreach, Research & Extension Nursery will be our guides on a walking tour which will feature the good and bad of urban tree performance, planting and maintenance.

➾

Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club, Prior Lake MNLA.biz Don’t miss this annual sporting clays charity event that raises money for scholarships!

The course runs at a beginner’s level — the focus is on fun. Proceeds benefit the MNLA Foundation Scholarship Fund.

2016 MNLA seminars generously supported by:

SALES • SERVICE • RENTALS • PARTS

MNLA Event

SEPT8

MNLA Event

AUG24

AUG24

MNLA NURSERY NETWORKING GROUP MEETING AND TOUR OF MIDWEST LANDSCAPES

MEMBER APPRECIATION SOCIAL

➾

Mem ber

Midwest Landscapes, Otsego h Mont

MNLA.biz Join us for the nursery networking group meeting and tour of Midwest Landscapes.

See their acres of nursery grown trees and large above-ground B&B heel area. Meeting discussion will focus on the current B&B season and trial work being done on new Grow Bags.

➾

Location: Miller Creek Lawn & Landscape / Garden Center, Hermantown

Historic Fort Snelling Visitor Center, St. Paul Ernest Wertheim is a licensed landscape architect with a remarkable 75-year career and one of the world’s first designers of garden centers. His love of plants sustained him during his years as a Jewish teenager in Nazi Germany.

MNLA.biz All members are invited to celebrate from 5–8 p.m. Food and adult beverages will be provided! Please RSVP at MNLA.biz.

MNLA Event

OCT22 MNLA SNOW DAY Dairy Building, Minnesota State Fair

SEPT22 ➾

ESCAPING HOLOCAUST TO SERVE IN THE U.S. ARMY

MNLA.biz

➾

2016 CLEAN WATER SUMMIT Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska

Snow Day is back!

Join us for a day of equipment, supplies, networking and education.

Generously supported by:

Arboretum.umn.edu

KEY:

Event Education

The Summit will feature national and local research and innovation in green infrastructure practices for retrofit and redevelopment sites in order to reduce surface runoff and improve water quality. ➾

All information on these and other industry events are online at MNLA.biz. august 16

MNLA .biz

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➾ F R OM THE EXECUTIVE DI R EC TO R

Change Worth Celebrating As I’ve said before, in 2017 the huge green industry event co-sponsored by Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association and the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation will seem somewhat familiar, yet new and improved.

You’ll still find the valuable content and rejuvenating experience you expect during three days of Cassie Larson the largest gathering of your green industry colleagues MNLA Executive Director in our region. But this refreshed event, Northern Green 2017, will offer even more opportunities to connect with the fantastic people in our professional industry.

I’d like to tell you about one of those this month.

This year marks the unveiling of an all-new event to celebrate green industry success. This new event, which for MNLA members will replace the former MNLA Awards Gala, will be held in conjunction with our Northern Green partners, the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation (MTGF). The Green Industry Awards Celebration will be held at Northern Green 2017 on the evening of Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

When the joint team of MNLA and MTGF volunteers were re-envisioning the 2017 Northern Green, they proposed a time to celebrate successes across all industry segments represented at the event. The Minnesota green industry partnership between MNLA and MTGF, which originated in 2003 with the first Minnesota Green Expo, has afforded both organizations the opportunity to do far more to benefit the industry than either organization could have accomplished alone.

So, why not celebrate together? We’ll be recognizing excellence in volunteer leadership, research, landscapes, and grounds management.

MNLA will continue to use this new platform to honor Landscape Award recipients, recognize deserving association volunteers through the Hall of Fame, Special Service, and Committee Member of the Year Awards, and reward the Green Industry Leadership Institute

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graduates in this new venue. In addition to these MNLA-distributed awards, MTGF and its individual associations will celebrate the distribution of research grants and other specific association awards, as well.

The event will occur in the new Innovation and Inspiration Theater on the trade show floor which includes a giant rear projected screen allowing for a fantastic visual display. There will be dinner, drinks, and a master of ceremonies to act as a host for the evening’s festivities. The Green Industry Awards Celebration will begin at 5:30 p.m., immediately following the (also new) Trade Show Preview Party.

Tickets are only $40 per person to attend and will be available for purchase on the Northern Green 2017 registration form. We hope the reduced rate from the former Awards Gala will allow more MNLA members to attend and celebrate the collaborative successes of the green industry.

There are many other new events and details associated with Northern Green 2017. Please visit the website at www.NorthernGreen.org for further details throughout the year.

CASSIE LARSON can

be reached at: cassie@mnla.biz.

➾ ME MBER PROFILE

MEMBER PROFILE GRUSSEN DO R F N UR SERY & L AN D SC A P I N G

Katie Mills Giorgio

Photos courtesy of Grussendorf Nursery & Landscaping

C O M PAN Y SN APSH O T

Company Name: Grussendorf Nursery & Landscaping Owner: Eric Grussendorf Date Company Started: 1952 Location: Hermantown Number of Employees in Peak Season: 8 to 12 Areas Served: Duluth area Member Category: Hardscape Contractor; Landscape, Greenhouse, Nursery Supply Center; Landscape Contractor; Landscape Designer; Landscape Management (including Lawn Care); Retail Nursery/ Garden Center Websites: www.grussendorfnursery.com

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Eric Grussendorf has worked at the family business — Grussendorf Nursery & Landscaping — his whole life. “I remember as a kid spying on customers, monkeying around in the barn building forts, and playing in the nursery all summer long,” he said. After having gone away to college and spending some time working in law enforcement, Grussendorf has found his way back and has recently taken over as owner of the Duluth area company.

FOUNDED IN 1952, Grussendorf Nursery & Landscaping offers services for residential and commercial customers. They have a garden and retail center, in an easy-to-get-to, country setting, where customers can stop in and browse the lot for do-it-yourself landscaping needs. And part of their landscaping division also focuses on hardscapes, such as retaining walls, sidewalks, patios, and driveways. Grussendorf also offers lawn care services as well as a pruning service.

“Our way of doing things for 64 years is a secret that is only ours,” said Grussendorf of the family business. “Our old school way of doing things has been proven. People wonder how we get trees planted so quickly and to thrive so beautifully, and I just tell them that is our old school way of doing things and that secret dies with us.”

“ There are only so many companies in this area that have the experience we have over all these years.”

Q. Eric, thank you for making time to talk with The Scoop. So tell us how Grussendorf Nursery got its start.

A. Well, it was started by my grandpa Deke Grussendorf. He started the company back then along with his four sons (my four uncles — John, Carl, Tom, and Jim).

Grandpa wanted to live out in a country setting and get away from city life, so he started a nursery. It was also a hobby farm at one time. From there, it went from grandpa to the four sons, to two of the brothers (Carl and Tom), then to Carl (my father), and then to me. I’m proud to be a third generation owner.

Q. What is it like to work in a family business and to deal with generational change?

A. Every time the business switches a generation, it goes with a new way of thinking. That’s the way the future rolls. So there are a few upgrades from when we got started, but we always keep the old fashioned way in mind. We are still doing a lot of the things that they did back in the 50s and 60s, such as the way we plant our trees and shrubs. We use that old school method because it's been proven and is what has worked.

Even though dad and my uncle John are retired, they are still around and still go out to inspect jobs. They have customers they built a rapport with years ago; they still go and have a cup of coffee with some of those long-time customers. There is always going to be a previous or current owner around when you come out to visit the store.

Q. Has your approach to marketing been one of the things that has changed over the years?

A. Yes. We like to try different marketing methods every year to see what works. As technology gets more popular, we’ve had to roll with the times, an online presence

has been pretty big for us. We make sure our website and social media marketing are out there, but we are still in the newspaper and run a few radio and TV ads here and there because that’s more old school. But really, we don’t invest a lot of our budget in marketing because we have been around so long that people know we are here.

Q. What do you think makes Grussendorf Nursery unique?

A. I would say that our number of years in business is pretty unique. There are only so many companies in this area that have the experience we do over all these years. And, something we really rely on is quality and workmanship. When we have crews going out and doing a landscaping job, the owners always go out and inspect the job and make sure it’s up to our old fashioned way of thinking. Also, each one of our employees learns in the interview process that Jesus Christ is our boss; we work for Him. That is the only reason we’ve been in business for so long.

Q. I’m sure you all take customer service very seriously as well. What does it mean to have repeat customers coming back year after year?

A. It means almost everything! When you get new customers, that is one thing, but when you get repeat customers that come back several times a year, that is absolutely wonderful. We will keep going out of our way no matter if they have been here once or 100 times in a week. We’ll give them the same service they deserve so they will be thoroughly happy when they leave.

Whether our customers spend nothing or $10,000, they are treated the same. That’s why people like to come out here. One of our mottos is, “Come on out and leave your checkbook at home.” We want them to just come sit on our patio and visit about landscaping and nursery materials.

Q. What do you enjoy most about your job?

A. Interacting with customers and people who have an idea and a vision of what they want their property to look like. They know they want to feel a certain way when they walk out into their yard in the morning. That’s when I get excited and we put a pot of coffee on and sit down and talk through it. Then we go out on the lot and make a mock landscaping design. We’ll take 30 or 40 different trees or shrubs and set it up in our yard for them so they can see what it looks like. It’s so fun. I could spend all day doing that.

I’m always at the shop in the retail center — 11 hours a day, six days a week. We aren’t open on Sundays because that’s the Lord’s Day. I get up early every morning, listen to the robins chirping loudly outside and I get out there and start watering the product for the day. I enjoy the quiet and the serenity and getting everything looking fresh for when we open for the day.

After that, I can devote my full attention to the customers.

Q. How has being a part of MNLA helped your business over the years?

A. We have been members since 1956.

They have been fantastic with all the research they have done with new products, the literature they send out, and the big convention every year. The classes MNLA provides have been proven to be a great asset to any landscaper’s business. We are very, very proud to be a part of MNLA and will continue to be for the next 60 years if we can.

INTERESTED IN BEING PROFILED IN THE SCOOP?

Our writer is always looking for a good story. Email jon@mnla.biz and we’ll discuss the next steps.

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➾ P LA NT OF THE MON T H

PLANT OF MONTH THE

Helenium ‘Short ’n’ Sassy’

that this is one of my favorite names for a new plant. It’s not food or drink, nor a color of the year, nor a place, but it’s just a very accurate description of one my new favorite plants. I consider myself in the same category. Maybe that’s why it caught my attention. Both the plant and I are vertically challenged.

I HAVE TO SAY

The bright orange and gold flowers will perk up any landscape and they have a showy chocolate cone that is a great contrast for the petals. This smaller version is compact and upright. It is 12" to 18" tall.

All Heleniums are beautiful, but the long, slender stems tend to produce leaning or drooping flowers. The taller ones look better in a meadow or a cottage planting.

This mighty mite starts to bloom earlier and much longer than its taller relations.

Heleniums have a tendency to put out a large flush of flowers in mid to late summer. This little sassy newcomer goes

through the summer into fall by producing new waves of blooms. It has extra sturdy stems, but it is only 12" to 16", so it’s too short to look like it’s going to blow over.

For those of you who have wanted to grow this plant, but were short on space, the plant needs only 24" in width. Even though it’s short, it is well branched and it seems to have taken its vitamins, as it is a most vigorous plant. Deadhead the first set of blooms and the new buds will form very quickly. It loves the full sun and the more sun it gets, the orange and red become the dominant colors. It is interesting when you see that although diminutive, it produces a 2" flower so that when in full bloom, the foliage is barely noticeable. Since its not showy foliage, just an average medium green, it works out perfectly. This hefty and hardy perennial reigns supreme in zones 4 through 8. The soil is not very demanding

and takes average garden soil, but can tolerate clay and sandy soil. It is also heat- and humidity-tolerant, which is great for any plant that goes through the dog days of August. Of course, this is a great front-of-the-border plant and plays well with short grasses and asters. However, it has enough curb appeal to look great in containers and window boxes. It also has a large group of fans, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It’s great to help our late-season visitors have a snack so late in the season.

It can be used as a cut flower, but it had better be a small vase! The mounding habit always gives it a tidy look. You don’t have to worry about staking.

As you can see, I’m enthralled with this short and sassy plant. You’ll have to admit: shorter is better!

STEPHANIE COHEN, the Perennial Diva, is speaking and will be the special guest of the MNLA Flower Grower Networking Group at Northern Green 2017. You don’t want to miss her sessions, New and Underused Perennials, and Potluck Container Combinations. Her unique lecture style combines her knowledge and love of plants, her own garden philosophy, her experience in the green industry, and is all tied together with a touch of humor. All photos courtesy of Skagit Gardens.

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CHIP IT. GRIND IT.

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There are many types and sizes of machines to suit every job.

Chippers have capacities from 6 inches all the way up to 21 inches and we have stump grinders small and nimble enough for yards or large and powerful enough for high production work.

Call or stop in to speak to a Rentals Specialist who will recommend the best equipment for your needs!

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DUTCH ELM DISEASE:

THEN & NOW It can probably be claimed, with little objection of hyperbole, that the introduction of Dutch elm disease (DED) to Europe and North America is the most significant event in the history of urban forestry.

Brandon M. Gallagher Watson | Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements

➾ DU T CH ELM DISEASE

Injecting a diseased elm on a golf course.

S

ounds lofty to say, but think about it — it affected everything from the way we view monoculture street plantings to our understanding of invasive pests. It forever altered urban forestry policy and law, and certainly changed the public’s awareness of street tree management. Arborists trying to combat the devastation of this disease pioneered the profession of ‘tree health care,’ opening up an entirely new industry for managing the care of urban trees. Even our current emerald ash borer pandemic is directly linked to Dutch elm disease, as the majority of today’s ash population are replacement trees for lost elms.

As the impact of Dutch elm disease is linked to the history of urban forestry, its introduction to America is intricately linked to the history of America, and in a way, the American Dream itself. World War I ends and American soldiers returning home were in need of housing. This caused a demand for timber required for the homes themselves and the furnishings that would go inside the homes.

American manufacturers began sourcing wood from other countries, including those in Europe.

Meanwhile, in Europe, elm trees had been inexplicably dying for nearly 20 years. The timing of the deaths around The Great War and 18

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Bark removed from trunk showing a DED growth pattern.

the way a seemingly healthy tree would up and die in midsummer led many to assume the deaths were related to nerve gas used by combatants. A young phytopathologist from the Netherlands named Bea Schwartz first isolated a fungus from the dying elms in 1921, which would give rise to the Dutch elm disease moniker.

Later, it was discovered the fungus originated in Asia where elms had evolved a resistance to the fungus over several millions of years.

The elms in Europe had no defense and thus were dying by the millions after it arrived. Britain alone lost more than 25 million elms in just a 30-year span.

Back in America, elms were being planted along pretty much every boulevard they could be planted along. Their durable nature, rapid growth, and pleasing vase-shape of the mature trees made them a seemingly perfect street tree. Many cities had hundreds of thousands of boulevard elms; in fact, to this day, Elm Street is the 15th most popular street name in the U.S. The house, the yard, the picket fence, and the stately street tree was the definition of “The American Dream.”

All was well until 1931, when a furniture company in Cleveland, Ohio unwittingly bought infected logs from France to build

(Above and left): Dead elms.

(Right): Spraying for beetles in the 1970s.

furnishings for all these new homes. Just like the European elms, our American trees had no resistance to the disease. To compound the problem for the trees, the European elm bark beetle was also introduced. This critter was much more efficient at spreading the disease than our native elm bark beetles, and got a head start each year by emerging almost a month-and-a-half earlier.

Within just a few decades, elm trees were dying by the hundreds of thousands in the United States cities from the northeast to the Great Lakes experienced catastrophic tree losses. In 1977 alone, the City of Minneapolis tagged a staggering 31,475 publicly owned diseased trees. Even if removal crews could work every day of the year, including weekends and holidays, this would require 83 trees per day to be removed and disposed of. Keep in mind these were not small trees. Most were 50+ years old with 35” diameter trunks and quarter-acre canopies. The amount of effort this required and the effect on the visual value of the city cannot be overstated. Many thought this would bring about the extinction of the American elm.

Early management efforts didn’t do much to give hope to those who feared the worst, as most were ineffective. These early attempts focused on killing the beetles with insecticides; but given the small size of the insects and the large size of the trees, this was doomed from the start. Nonetheless, spray programs to control the beetles went on for decades with little effect on the spread of the disease.

The breakthrough in protecting and saving the elms came when the focus went from stopping the beetles to stopping the fungus.

If enough fungicide could be injected into the tree’s vascular system, then a spore introduced by a beetle wouldn’t be able to germinate, thus the tree could not get infected. This method has worked at successfully saving tens of thousands of elms over the past three decades and it is currently considered the industry standard for Dutch elm management. To understand why certain tree injection techniques and chemicals are recommended and others are not takes just a little understanding of tree, beetle, and fungal biology.

The breakthrough in protecting and saving the elms came when the focus went from stopping the beetles to stopping the fungus. If enough fungicide could be injected into the tree’s vascular system, then a spore introduced by a beetle wouldn’t be able to germinate, thus the tree could not get infected.

First, regarding the fungus, it is important to know that trees must be treated prior to infection to be effective. Once a tree has the disease, the management becomes much more difficult as it must be physically cut out of the tree by a process known as ‘tracing.’ Tracing has been used to successfully save trees but it is difficult, costly to the client, and not a guarantee the tree won’t die anyway. Long story short: treat trees before they get infected.

The other fact important to know is that beetles begin emerging in April, ready to look for new trees to infect. The tree injection season for elm trees cannot begin until the tree has put out new xylem in the form of a new growth ring. A good rule of thumb is about the time American elms drop their seeds — often as late as Memorial Day in northern states. This means we have 6–8 weeks at the start of the season where the trees are susceptible, but can’t be treated yet.

Lastly, remember that tree injection is an invasive process that requires drilling into the tree for application. Giving the tree time to cope with the wounds associated with tree injection should be a consideration. Macro-infusion treatments call for 1.5 tees per inch of tree diameter, thus a 30-inch diameter elm would require 45 drill holes. In three years, that tree will have 135 drill holes to CODIT (Compartmentalization Of Disease In Trees, the process by which a tree heals itself ). august 16

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➾ DU T CH ELM DISEASE

Entire streets of diseased elms were cut down at the height of DED in the 1970s.

Arbotect is able to predictably protect elms against infection for two-and-a-half to three seasons.

Management of Dutch elm disease has come a long way since the days of spraying DDT from helicopters to kill beetles, but it still requires action on the part of homeowners and municipalities.

With these distinctions in mind, it is clear that a treatment for Dutch elm disease should prevent the fungus from getting established and protect it for several years. It should protect the trees from the beetles that emerge prior to the start of the treatment season, while also greatly reducing the number of drill wounds to the tree. Many treatments were tried during the 70s and early 80s and finally found success with thiabendazole (Arbotect 20-S), a fungicide commonly used in agriculture for fruit preservation.

When diluted in large volumes of water and injected into elms trees, thiabendazole is able to predictably protect elms against infection for two-and-a-half to three seasons. This is attributed to the chemicals’ ability to move into new wood the next season, protecting against the early season beetles. Annual treatments miss this window while inflicting three times the number of wounds.

Management of Dutch elm disease has come a long way since the days of spraying DDT from helicopters to kill beetles, but it still requires action on the part of homeowners and municipalities. Quick recognition and removal of diseased trees is key to the overall management, but individual trees still must be managed on an individual basis. Many elms still thrive in our urban forests and those that do tend to be high value, or significant trees. Dutch elm disease has certainly shaped the history of urban forestry, and not necessarily all in a bad way. It has taught many valuable lessons, including reminding us of the value and fragility of our city’s canopy. is the Director of Communication at Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements and can be reached at bgallagher@treecarescience.com.

BRANDON M. GALLAGHER WATSON

august 16

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âž¾ G RE E N IN DUSTRY

ECONOMIC VALUE & STATUS OF THE

GREEN INDUSTRY

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Dr. James Calkins | MNLA Foundation Research Information Director

Good news & bad news for the green industry economy.

august 16

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➾ G RE E N IN DUSTRY

N

ursery and landscape professionals are well aware that the green industry experienced a significant downturn during the 2008–2010 “great recession.” It was a difficult time and many green industry businesses didn’t survive. On average, it has been reported that 30% of nursery and landscape businesses failed nationally with higher failure rates in some areas. Though still struggling based on a number of metrics, and perhaps showing signs of slowing down over the past year or so, the United States economy has improved since the depths of the recession in 2009 and 2010. Although the rate of recovery has not been uniform for all sectors of the industry, the same has generally been true for the nursery and landscape industry since the industry variously began to show signs of recovery in 2011 and 2012. Most importantly, the green industry remains an important part of local and state economies and the national economy.

This is good news. The not-so-good news is that some sectors of the green industry are still struggling, and in some cases declining, and the industry as a whole continues to face significant challenges: • A shortage of qualified employees.

• A reduced academic focus on horticulture and the needs of the horticulture industry.

• Changing demographics/demographic trends.

• A fragile economy.

• Expanded government regulation.

• Increased competition.

• Shifting and more sophisticated consumer needs and preferences.

Estimates of the contributions of the green industry to the United States economy have been calculated and reported in several studies authored by Dr. Alan Hodges (Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida) and Dr. Charles Hall (Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University) and several of their colleagues. The first, base-line report estimated the economic impact of the green industry on the U.S. economy in 2002 (Hall et al, 2006) and updated estimates have subsequently been reported for 2007–2008 (Hodges et al, 2011) and most recently for 2013 (Hodges et al, 2015). A fourth paper by Hall (2010) suggests the green industry has entered a period of “hypercompetition” and provides some additional perspective relative to the U.S. economy and its effect on the green industry, including the nursery and landscape industry’s dependence on the housing industry and the potential effects of government stimulus efforts, consumer behavioral trends, and the value of the green industry to consumers and how that value might be used to improve sales and profitability. All four of these reports were published in the journal HortTechnology.

Employment within the principle sectors of the green industry (production and manufacturing; landscape design, construction, and maintenance services; and wholesale and retail distribution) generally increased from 2001 until 2007 when it peaked at 1.29 million employees (U.S. Department of Labor statistics) and then declined precipitously during the recession. Although employment

Figure 1. Landscapes that are beautiful and designed, implemented, and maintained properly are valuable to property owners and communities. Research indicates landscaping and horticultural services, including landscape design, construction, and maintenance, is the largest sector of the green industry in the United States based on its contributions to employment and gross domestic product (GDP) (Photo Credit: Jim Calkins).

had partially recovered by 2013, it had not returned to pre-recession levels. As most nursery and landscape professionals are well aware, the number of green industry businesses also declined significantly during the recession and has not recovered. An interesting graph showing employment within the various sectors of the green industry based on U.S. Department of Labor data (Hodges et al, 2015) highlights these trends nicely, and also shows both promising and worrisome trends. For example, while employment for the green industry as a whole was down slightly (-0.4%) for the period (2001–2013), employment within the landscaping services sector increased by nearly 25% and was the only sector within the green industry that had shown an increase in employment as of 2013. Still, employment within the landscaping services sector had not recovered compared to pre-recession levels as employment had increased by nearly 30% prior to the recession (2001–2007). Although the increases were much smaller compared to landscaping services, employment within the green industry as a whole and for two other industry sectors (nursery and florist wholesalers and landscape architectural services) also saw increases in employment prior to the recession, but employment within these sectors dropped markedly during the recession and had shown little improvement by 2013 (landscape architectural services down by 28%). With the exception of florists, where employment was down by nearly 50% and had been declining steadily since 2001, and farm and garden equipment wholesalers, where employment was about the same in 2013 as it was in 2001, employment within the remaining sectors of the green industry had variously declined between 2001 and 2007, before august 16

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➾ G RE E N IN DUSTRY

Table 1. Green industry direct contributions to the U.S. economy in 2002, 2007, and 2013 (2002 data inflation adjusted in 2004 dollars; 2007 and 2013 data not adjusted for inflation).

Year

Business Establishments

Employment

Industry Output

Value Added/GDP z

2002

255,389

1.24 million

$87.06 billion

$95.10 billion

2007

273,147

1.20 million

$117.40 billion

$107.16 billion

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2008–2010 Recession 2013 z

155,900

1.60 million

$136.44 billion

$120.71 billion

Gross Domestic Product

When considering the economic value of the green industry at the state and national level, we often think in terms of direct effects, but to get the full picture it is important to consider the multiplier effects that ripple through the broader economy. dropping significantly during the recession. Employment within some of these sectors had recovered to some degree by 2013, but remained down by between 9% and nearly 30%, including lawn and garden equipment manufacturing and nursery and floriculture production.

When considering the economic value of the green industry at the state and national level, we often think in terms of direct effects, but to get the full picture, it is important to consider the multiplier effects that ripple through the broader economy. For example, in 2013, green industry firms provided 1.6 million jobs directly (full- and part-time) and through multiplier effects supported a total of 2.04 million jobs in the U.S. economy and contributed $120.71 billion to the U.S. economy. Although it was estimated that direct employment for the primary sectors of the green industry had declined by about 0.4% between 2001 and 2013, the green industry’s value added economic contributions to the nation’s economy increased by 4.4% for employment, 2.0% for output, and 2.7% for gross domestic product (GDP) from 2007 to 2013. It was also estimated that the green industry’s inflation adjusted, value added contributions increased by 3.9% for employment, 10.9% for output, and 6.2% for GDP from 2002 to 2013; this equates to an average GDP growth rate of 0.56%/year. Further detail about the green industry’s contributions to the U.S. economy are summarized in Tables 1 and 2. (Special thanks to Dr. Alan Hodges for his assistance in the development of these tables.)

Some additional findings include: • Using a methodology that divides the United States into eight agroclimatic regions, the Southeast region was the biggest green industry contributor to U.S. employment and GDP in 2013, accounting for 1.51% of U.S. jobs and 1.08% of U.S. GDP, respectively; Florida was the biggest individual contributor, accounting for 1.87% of employment and 1.36% of GDP for the Southeast region.

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• In 2013, the green industry in the Midwest region accounted for 1.07% of U.S. jobs and 0.74% of U.S. GDP; the green industry in Minnesota accounted for 0.93% of the employment and 0.67% of GDP for the Midwest region; the neighboring states of North and South Dakota (Great Plains region) and Iowa and Wisconsin (Midwest region) accounted for 1.14, 1.02, 0.97, and 1.22% of the green industry employment and 0.83, 0.78, 0.66, and 0.93% of GDP, respectively, for their respective regions; employment and GDP generated by the green industry per square mile and per capita on a regional and state by state basis have also been estimated (see Hodges et al, 2015, for details).

• By region, based on employment contributions alone, the Midwest region (387,748 green industry jobs) was number one in 2013, followed by the Northeast (381,307 green industry jobs), Southeast (342,224 green industry jobs), Pacific (333,419 green industry jobs), Southcentral (214,372 green industry jobs), Appalachian (199,553 green industry jobs), Mountain (130,579 green industry jobs), and Great Plains (46,435 green industry jobs) regions; with the exception of the Great Plains region which was also ranked the lowest (8th) based on green industry employment in 2007 (30,308 jobs), these rankings were different compared to the rankings in 2007 when the Pacific (358,577 jobs), Southeast (351,489 jobs), Northeast (355,469 jobs), Midwest (335,252), Appalachian (208,391 jobs), Mountain (159,440 jobs), and Southcentral (154,270 jobs) regions were ranked 1–7; note that employment increased for the Midwest, Northeast, Southcentral, and Great Plains regions and decreased for the four remaining regions during this period (see Hodges et al, 2015 and 2011, for additional information).

• From a state perspective, California, Florida, and Texas have consistently been the top three green industry states based on employment impacts alone and had employment contributions of 245,357, 197,073, and 149,364 green industry jobs in 2013, respectively; in addition, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Georgia have also consistently been in the top ten with New York, Michigan, New Jersey, and Virginia also making it into the top ten (NY and MI twice and NJ and VA once); Minnesota falls a little

Table 2. Green industry metrics and value added contributions to the U.S. economy in 2002, 2007, and 2013 (2002 and 2007 data adjusted for inflation; 2013 dollars).

Year/Sector

Business Establishments

Employment Contribution

Industry Output

Value Added/GDP z

1,964,339

$176.73 billion

$113.71 billion

Production & Manufacturing

468,692

$57.64 billion

$35.22 billion

Landscape Services

1,123,428

$101.77 billion

$59.77 billion

Wholesale & Retail Distribution

357,515

$32.73 billion

$22.49 billion

Total

1,949,635

$192.14 billion

$117.48 billion

2002 Total

255,389

2007

273,147

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2008–2010 Recession 2013 Production & Manufacturing

291,853

$45.62 billion

$24.83 billion

Landscape Services

1,164,237

$91.69 billion

$58.96 billion

Wholesale & Retail Distribution

579,546

$58.76 billion

$36.91 billion

Total

2,035,636

$196.07 billion

$120.71 billion

155,900

% Change 2002–2007

6.5%

-0.75%

8.7%

3.3%

2007–2013

-42.9%

2002–2013

-39.0%

4.4%

2.0%

2.7%

3.6%

10.9%

6.2%

-3.5%

0.35%

Average Change/Year

0.99%

0.56%

(2002–2013) z

Gross Domestic Product

above the middle of the pack (19th; 33,437 green industry jobs) with Wisconsin ranked higher (16th; 43,452 green industry jobs) and Iowa (28th; 19,780 green industry jobs) and North and South Dakota (44th and 47th, respectively; 6,598 and 5,913 green industry jobs, respectively) ranked considerably lower in 2013 (see Hodges et al, 2015 and 2011, and Hall et al, 2006, for additional information).

• The top green industry business sectors based on employment and value added (GDP) contributions in 2013 were landscaping and horticultural services (1,105,526 jobs and $54.7 billion), greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture production (240,809 jobs and $20.4 billion), and lawn and garden equipment and supply stores (217,798 jobs and $12.9 billion); these three sectors, in the same order, have consistently been the top three green industry sectors based on their employment and GDP contributions; the contributions of the remaining green industry sectors have also been estimated (see Hodges et al, 2015 and 2011, and Hall et al, 2006, for details).

This is only a brief summary of some of the findings summarized in these research reports and readers are encouraged to read

The nursery and landscape industry is fortunate to have researchers that are interested in the current status and future of the green industry.

Unfortunately, these limitations often result in economic data that tends to provide a somewhat historical perspective rather than an analysis of current conditions. the research papers for additional detail and perspective. Not surprisingly, the reporting of these types of economic data has a tendency to take time, given the resources and time required to track, compile, and report the information, if it is followed at all.

The nursery and landscape industry is fortunate to have researchers that are interested in the current status and future of the green industry. Unfortunately, these limitations often result in economic data that tends to provide a somewhat historical perspective rather than an analysis of current conditions. Still, the data and their interpretation are useful in documenting the economic contributions of the green industry relative to state economies and august 16

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➾ G RE E N IN DUSTRY

the national economy; and educating government leaders and the public about the value of the green industry, including horticulture and urban forestry and related and associated fields. Hard data relative to the status of the green industry since 2013 is hard to come by and as a result, is primarily anecdotal, but new information should become available in future years. Dr. Hodges continues to follow green industry economics and believes the general outlook for the green industry in 2016 looks very good (personal communication). Specific to Florida, recent survey information indicates growth during the past two years has been good and industry professionals are optimistic about future growth. This belief is further bolstered by recent survey data that shows an average growth rate of 16% in 2015 for landscape management firms across the country (Palmeri, 2016). Looking ahead, these firms are also projecting an average growth rate of 12% in 2016. Clearly, this is good news.

As mentioned previously, the 2010 paper by Hall discusses how the value of the green industry’s products and services might be used to improve sales and profitability. Dr. Hall discusses two important economic principles that he encourages green industry professionals to consider when promoting their products and services to consumers: 1) expenditures rise to meet income; and 2) people afford what they want. In short, the green industry needs to understand and provide the products and services consumers want if it wants to be successful and profitable. From a marketing perspective, this means the green industry must do a better job of positioning its products and services as necessities, not just indulgences. While this may seem logical, if not obvious, to many, how to achieve these outcomes isn’t always obvious or easy. It is suggested that the “quality of life” and “ecosystem services” benefits associated with green industry products and services should be a primary focus when choosing which products and services to offer, and the marketing strategies that will be used to capture the interest of consumers, and ultimately convince them to purchase those products and services. Examples of these benefits include improved health and well-being, community pride, self-fulfillment, improved property values, carbon sequestration, energy conservation, wildlife habitat (including pollinators), and cleaner air and water. Additional detail is, of course, provided in the paper.

Although the green industry was one of the most robust sectors of the U.S. economy during the 1980s and 1990s, experience and 28

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economic research indicates growth has generally slowed in recent years. Research also indicates the landscape design, construction, maintenance, and wholesale/retail distribution sectors of the green industry are the largest economic contributors. In addition, the nursery and landscape industry remains an important component of the national economy and state and local economies. Yes, there are challenges, but this isn’t new as the nursery and landscape industry has successfully faced these types of challenges throughout its history. As always, working in partnership with others, striving for excellence, and making educated and thoughtful business decisions will likely be the keys to success.

For additional information and more detail about the economic contributions of the green industry in the United States and economic trends within the green industry for the period 2001-2013, consult the following references: Hodges, A.W., C.R. Hall, M.A. Palma, and H. Khachatryan. 2015. Economic Contributions of the Green Industry in the United States in 2013.

HortTechnology 25(6):805-814. http://horttech.ashspublications.org/content/25/6/805.abstract (abstract only) Hodges, A.W., C.R. Hall, and M.A. Palma. 2011. Economic Contributions of the Green Industry in the United States in 2007-08. HortTechnology 21(5):628-638. http://horttech.ashspublications.org/content/21/5/628.full.pdf+html Hall, C.R. 2010. Making Cents of Green Industry Economics. HortTechnology 20(5):832-835. http://horttech.ashspublications.org/content/20/5/832.full.pdf+html Hall, C.R., A.W. Hodges, and J.J Haydu. 2006. The Economic Impact of the Green Industry in the United States. HortTechnology 16(2):345-353. http://horttech.ashspublications.org/content/16/2/345.full.pdf+html Palmieri, M. 2016. Top Down: Our Annual List of the Largest Landscape Companies Mirrors the Overall Industry’s Growth. Landscape Management 55(6):Supplement. http://digital.landscapemanagement.net/ jun2016#&pageSet=0

TO COMMENT ON THIS RESEARCH 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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âžž MDA

MDA UPDATE APPLICATO R S L I C EN SE AN D USE C ATEGO RI E S ( BU L L E T I N 4 O F 8 ) Corinne du Preez

Agricultural Advisor/ ACI Minnesota Department of Agriculture Pesticide and Fertilizer Management Division

DO YOU HAVE A LICENSE TO APPLY PESTICIDES?

Licensees must complete an application, pay a fee, and pass at least two (2) certification exams: Core and one, or more, categories.

An unlicensed applicator is the most common violation documented by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) in this industry. Lack of pesticide applicator certification and training leads to misuse, human exposure, and environmental harm. Complying with Minnesota’s requirements will protect citizens and our resources. This article will describe license types most commonly used by the green industry, how to maintain a valid license, enforcement, and statutory authority.

MDA links that help applicators get started with licensing are:

LICENSES

The most common categories for the green industry are listed below:

Commercial Applicators License: Required for pesticide applicators that receive financial compensation/charge for their service or are for hire.

A. Core: Basic principles of pesticide regulation and application; required for all license categories.

Non-Commercial Applicators License: Required for applicators that apply Restricted Use Pesticides (RUP) on property owned or contracted by their employer.

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1. Pesticide and Fertilizer Licenses/Certification application fee 2. Online Licensing and Payment Options 3.Pesticide Applicator Licensing: See License Types

C. Field Crop Pest Management: For pesticide application to agricultural crops.

E. Turf and Ornamentals: For pesticide application to non-agricultural or ornamental areas including lawns,

parks, athletic fields, golf courses, nurseries and greenhouse.

F. Aquatic: For pesticide application to water areas or surface water to control aquatic pest organisms and plants.

J. Rights-of-Way: For pesticide applications to rights-of-way including roads, utilities, ditch banks, and other noncrop areas.

L. Mosquito Control: For mosquito and black fly control.

P. Vertebrate Pest Control: For pesticide applications to control vertebrate pests. Examples include liquid fence, dried pigs blood, geese, rabbit, or deer repellents; in addition to underground animals like gopher and mole.

This license does not include traps, unless poison bait is used in the trap.

In some cases, green industry applicators may need to be licensed in other categories not listed above.

To determine which License Categories are required for the work you do, see License Categories.

VALID LICENSE All Structural, Commercial and Non-Commercial licenses expire on December 31st and must be renewed annually. In most cases, applicators will be mailed a renewal form near the end of the calendar year to notify the applicator that the renewal fee is due.

Applicators must also recertify in each use category in which they are licensed.

The recertification also expires on December 31st and must be renewed on a cycle specific to the category. This may be annually, biennially, or other. In most cases, applicators will not be notified to recertify.

Printed on each license identification card is a Valid date and Categories/ Recertify-by date. To check the license status and Recertify-By date of an applicator, look on the license identification card or go to License Lookup.

In order to be qualified to renew, applicators must recertify each category before the recertify-by date.

Applicators recertify to renew an applicator license by attending a Recertification Workshop or by retesting.

Attendance at a qualifying workshop allows applicators to renew their license without retesting.

If a workshop is missed or is unavailable for that category certification, the applicator must pass the closed-book certification exams and pay a retesting fee, which is approximately equivalent to a workshop fee.

Applicators must notify MDA immediately when changing employers, as the license becomes invalid when an applicator leaves an employer. Licensed applicators must notify MDA of any change in address, name, change of employer, or change of license type (i.e. noncommercial to commercial).

NOTE: An applicator may not perform pesticide application work for a new company without first obtaining a license under that company’s name.

To make any of these changes, contact MDA at 651-201-6021, Pesticide.

Licensing@state.mn.us, or see License Changes.

Follow the link to learn more about pesticide applicator certification requirements: See Recertification Requirements

ENFORCEMENT Commercial applications of pesticides without the required license is one of the most common violations documented by the MDA. As stated, a Commercial Applicator’s License is required for pesticide applications made for hire.

More specifically, it is also required to apply weed and feed products such as ‘crabgrass control’, use general use pesticides to make spot treatments for weeds, and spray rock beds.

Be advised that documented noncompliance by the MDA will result in a Notice of Violation ORDER and may include additional enforcement or financial penalties.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY Follow the links below to read: Commercial Applicator License, Minnesota Statue 18B.33 https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/ statutes/?id=18B.33 Noncommercial Applicator License, Minnesota Statue 18B.34 https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/ statutes/?id=18B.34

can be reached at Corinne.dupreez@state.mn.us.

CORINNE DU PREEZ

august 16

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➾ OUT & ABOUT

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AN INITIATIVE OF THE MNLA MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE IS TO STAY IN TOUCH AND THANK MEMBERS WITH OCCASIONAL VISITS.

Cassie Larson, Van and Keri Cooley, and Jon Horsman at Malmborg’s Blaine location.

Cassie Larson visiting with Dave Schulte, Schulte’s Greenhouse & Nursery.

Paulette Sorenson, MNLA Foundation Program Coordinator at Branch Landscape Nursery with long-time employee Floyd Snider.

John Mickman, Mickman Brothers, shares the vision for the new building at the grand opening after giving MNLA staff a tour.

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MNLA staff attended the ribbon cutting of Mickman Brothers’ new building. L–R: Wendy & John Mickman, President Jeff Sutter, Chris Mickman, Lucy Mickman (mother), and North Metro Chamber of Commerce members Sheila Marquis & Mary Sutherland.

Dave Maloney of Bridgewater Tree Farms, Mary Dunn, and Terry Mulligan of Mulligans Landscaping and Bridgewater Tree Farms.

MNLA staff joins the party as Bill Webber of Backyard Paradise cuts the ribbon at its new location in New Richmond, WI.

The entire crew (including Tia the dog) from Green Value Nursery welcomed MNLA staff.

Ryan, Joe, and Kevin from Eull’s Manufacturing Company with and Cassie Larson, MNLA Executive Director.

Paulette Sorenson and Cassie Larson stand in front of Peterson’s North Branch Mill with General Manager Dennis Aulich.

Ed and Tim Lauer of Albert J Lauer, Inc. FUN FACT: Ed Lauer recently had some teeth knocked out playing hockey, hence the closed mouth smile.

Simon May of McCaren Design and Jon Horsman standing in the McCaren studio office, which features a gorgeous park-like sitting area with a koi pond.

Ivan Izzo from BFG Supply Co. and Jon Horsman enjoyed a visit in Ivan’s office.

Todd Smith and Peter Kern of Kern Landscape Resources/Kern Lawn Service, Inc. welcomed MNLA staff to their central St. Paul location.

Education Manager Susan Flynn with Knecht’s Nursery’s Garden Center Manager, Bernie Emery.

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HOW DOES MINNESOTA COMPARE?

PART IV: AN OVERVIEW OF MINNESOTA CONSUMER EXPENDITURES OF FRESH FLOWERS AND POTTED PLANTS. Chengyan Yue, Associate Professor | Department of Horticultural Science and Department of Applied Economics, Bachman Endowed Chair in Horticultural Marketing, University of Minnesota Shuoli Zhao, Ph.D student | Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota Mary Meyer, Professor | Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota

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Fig 1. Fresh flower and potted plants spending trend by age group over time.

S

ince the economic recession in 2009, the floriculture industry has adopted various strategies, including structural consolidation and marketing diversification, to rejuvenate the consumer demand for fresh flowers and potted plants. As the economy recovers, the sales of flowers start to increase and consumers are purchasing more floral products.

It is still critical for floral businesses to know their consumers and the market environment. The objective of this article is to provide insights into the state differences in terms of floral consumer characteristics and floral expenditures. Particularly, we compare Minnesota with Midwest states and other states across the nation to provide Minnesota and Midwest floral businesses with better understanding of their consumers, so that they can adopt appropriate market strategies.

The Method and Findings

Data used in this study is from the Consumer Expenditure PublicUse Microdata (CE PUMD) from 1996 to 2013 that was collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Out of 173,711 total survey participants, 56,148 of them (32.3% of the total sample) reported they have made at least one purchase of fresh flowers and potted plants. For Minnesota participants, 1,109 out of 2,354 (47%) have reported to be floral purchasers. This longitudinal data is collected on a quarterly basis. About 7,000 consumers are interviewed in each quarter on their monthly expenditure in that

quarter, and those participants are randomly chosen according to the stratification criteria determined by the U.S. Census.

Consumer Characteristics

During the past two decades, we see a trend in the complete data set that older consumers have been making more floral purchases while younger consumers have been making fewer purchases over time. As shown in Figure 1, consumers who are 55 and older have been accounting for an increasingly higher percentage of the annual floral expenditure, while the percentage of annual expenditure for consumers who are younger than 40 years old has been decreasing over time. In 1996, 27% of total floral expenditure was made by consumers older than 55 years, and this percentage increased to 45% in 2013. On the contrary, the percentage of floral expenditure made by consumers who are between 25 and 39 years old has been steadily declining from 36% in 1996 to only 18% in 2013. Meanwhile, the percentage of expenditure made by consumers who are younger than 25 years old decreased from 5.5% in 1996 to 2.1% in 2013. Lastly, for consumers who are between 40 and 54 years old, the percentages of floral expenditure were between 35% and 40% and stayed approximately the same over time.

A similar trend is also found for Minnesota floral purchasers over the past years. Those who were older than 40 years old dominated Minnesota’s floral expenditure by 67%, and only 3% of expenditure august 16

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Fig. 2. Percentage of fresh flower and potted plants purchasers by state according to an analysis of floral consumption patterns of 173,711 participants in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey from 1996 to 2013.

was contributed by consumers younger than 25 years old. Meanwhile, 51.3% of Minnesota purchasers were female, 64% were married, 94% were Caucasian, and the average household size was 2.5 people.

The mean education level was some college (less than college degree), and the mean household income was $45,000, which ranked 6th and 7th among all 41 identified states, respectively. For housing characteristics, 72% of Minnesota floral purchasers were living in single attached homes, while 7% were living in apartments and 6% were in multi-unit dwellings.

Percentage of Floral Purchasers

The expenditure survey data included consumers from 41 states.

Figure 2 shows the percentage of flower purchasers in each of these 41 states. Interestingly, Minnesota has the highest percentage of floral purchasers, while 47% of survey participants have reported that they have made at least one purchase of fresh flowers and potted plants, 15% higher than the national average. Connecticut, Oregon, and Washington followed Minnesota with about 43% of floral purchasers. Comparatively, floral purchasers were estimated to be less than 25% of consumers in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Georgia, Nevada, and Florida. Therefore, the states in Northeast, Midwest and Pacific Northwest regions generally have higher percentages of floral purchasers, while consumers in the southern states were less likely to purchase fresh flowers and potted plants.

Average Spending

In addition to the percentage of floral purchasers, average monthly expenditure among the floral purchasers were also estimated and are presented in Figure 3. While Minnesota has the highest percentage of the population that purchase fresh flowers and potted plants, floral purchasers in Minnesota spent an average of $43 on fresh flowers and potted plants each month, which ranked 18th out of the 41 states. Overall, there were no clear geographic patterns on a flower purchaser’s average expenditure. While some states such as Oklahoma, Nevada, Idaho, Louisiana, and New York had relatively lower percentages of floral purchasers (less than 30%), these states’ average monthly expenditures were among the highest, ranging from $46 to $53. In contrast, some states had more floral purchasers, but the average monthly expenditures were relatively low. These states included Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin. Lastly, Connecticut, Michigan, and Massachusetts had both high percentages of floral purchasers and high average monthly expenditures, whereas Arizona, Tennessee, and Alabama had a low percentage of floral purchasers along with low average monthly expenditures.

Takeaways

The floral industry is facing a rapidly-changing business environment.

On one hand, stimulated by the economic recovery, especially the restoration of the housing market, consumer demand for floral august 16

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➾ C ONS UMER EXPEN DI TUR ES

Fig. 3. Average spending per month on fresh flowers and potted plants among flower purchasers according to an analysis of floral consumption patterns of 173,711 participants in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey from 1996 to 2013. Spending information in WV is excluded due to insufficient data.

products is recuperating from the economic recession, and is projected to be continuously optimistic in the coming years. Meanwhile, advances in technology provide the floral industry with increased opportunities to reach to consumers through multiple channels, such as online and smartphone transactions. On the other hand, given the increasingly diversified gifting options, it is challenging to keep flowers as desired products in the minds of today’s consumers.

Compared to the Midwest and the United States at large, Minnesota stays ahead and has the highest percentage of floral consumers. The average monthly expenditure by floral purchasers is similar to the national average. This might be due to Minnesota’s northern weather conditions. Minnesota’s cold and long winter lead to fewer year-round outdoor landscape enjoyment, which may make more consumers purchase flowers as gifts and for indoor use, especially during the holiday seasons. Additionally, previous research has shown consumer socio-demographic backgrounds significantly affect their likelihood of purchasing flowers. Flower purchasers are more likely to be Caucasians and have a higher education level and higher income level. Compared to the national average, Minnesota has a higher percentage of Caucasians, a higher percentage of consumers with a Bachelor’s degree or higher, and a higher per capita money income and median household income (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015). These consumer characteristics might also contribute to the higher percentage of flower consumers in Minnesota.

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Statistics show that at the national level, younger consumers are purchasing fewer floral products, and in recent years this tendency has strengthened. Compared to two decades ago, younger consumers buy fewer flowers today. This is also true in Minnesota. Lack of use among young consumers gives floral retailers an opportunity to stimulate purchases among members of this age cohort. Floral retailers need to better understand the needs of the young consumers. They also need to explore and develop innovative strategies to not only keep the current floral consumers, but also attract young consumers.

Reference Yue, C., S. Zhao, M. Meyer and C. Hall. 2016. Factors Affecting U.S. Consumer Expenditures of Fresh Flowers and Potted Plant. Accepted

by HortTechnology.

U.S. Census Bureau. 2015. State & County QuickFacts: Minnesota. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/27000.html

TO COMMENT ON THIS RESEARCH 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. Photo credit: David Hansen.

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WHY EMPLOYERS MUST PICK UP THE SLACK AND INSTILL WORK ETHIC IN THE

EMERGING WORKFORCE Eric Chester | Center for Work Ethic Development

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➾ W O RKF O RCE

P

ull any green industry business owner or manager aside and ask them to describe the emerging front line workforce and terms like ‘entitled’ and ‘poor work ethic’ will enter into the conversation. I interact with thousands of managers each year, and this I can say with certainty. At a large management conference last spring, a regional training manager for an international wholesaler lamented to me, “The work ethic has gotten so bad that our people are in the perpetual mode of trying to get something for nothing!”

Getting something for nothing isn’t bad, or evil, or immoral. Who doesn’t appreciate a little good fortune coming their way?

However, when finding ways to separate effort from reward becomes a passionate pursuit, any treasure obtained in the process is marginalized.

There was a time when achievement meant more than possessions, and when character (a person’s qualities) was valued more than achievement. Americans felt good about putting in an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. This was the time when “Made in America” was the best label any product could bear, quality was everyone’s priority, and companies made decisions to ensure long-term stability — not short-term gains for stockholders. I’m north of 50 and I remember that time. My four children (ages 27 to 33) don’t.

They’ve grown up in a world where most people work hard to find ways of avoiding hard work. They’ve heard stories telling how lottery winners, day traders, bloggers, dotcommers, and Internet marketers have managed to beat the system and derive a huge bounty with little or no effort. They’ve been inundated with reality television that turns talentless fools into millionaires in the blink of an eye and with the greatest of ease.

To them, an apprentice is not a young worker learning a trade at the foot of a master craftsman but rather a devious schemer finagling to get a coworker fired by Donald Trump.

Is it any wonder there is a burgeoning entitlement mentality among the new workforce?

Work has degenerated to little more than a four letter word; a necessary evil. It’s no

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It’s time to stop complaining about the lack of work ethic you see in your emerging workforce and take steps to revive it. longer viewed as something to be proud of, but rather something to disdain, to shortcut, or to elude all together.

Employers can no longer afford to play employee roulette gambling on the chances that they can find good people who’ve already learned a proper work ethic at home or at school. Parents now focus most of their attention on ensuring that their kids are healthy, happy, and have a high self-esteem. Meanwhile, schools are facing widespread criticism and massive cutbacks, and are concentrating every available resource on increasing test scores and keeping students safe. So who’s teaching Johnny to work?

Obviously, the burden of developing work ethic within the emerging workforce has shifted to employers, i.e. owners, managers, supervisors, and trainers. Organizations that neglect this responsibility typically end up pointing the finger at parents and schools for the unsatisfactory product they are getting. But that does nothing to correct the problem and it exacerbates negative expectations.

Work Ethic, by the Book

Webster’s states that work requires activity, the exertion of energy, the process of doing. Ethic, it tells us, is based upon “ethos” or the knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. So simply stated, work ethic is knowing what to do and doing it.

What is it that every employee in every job in every industry needs to know and to do (take action on)? I’ve personally asked more than 1,500 employers and have aggregated their responses to create a list of seven indisputable core values that I firmly believe every employer demands: positivity (positive attitude), reliability, professionalism, initiative, honesty, respect, and gratitude (cheerful service).

Look over this list for a minute. Would you want someone on your payroll who demonstrated six of them, but was deficient in the seventh? (For example, they were strong in everything with the exception of reliability (you couldn’t count on them to show up).

Or they had six of these values, but were lacking in honesty?

Of course not. Regardless of the nature of your business, you demand all seven core values in every employee. And likewise, they want to work for a company — and a manager — that demonstrates all of those traits. They are non-negotiables.

Most training programs, unfortunately, assume employees already possess these core values, so they focus exclusively on developing job-specific hard skills. But if your worker is constantly complaining and bringing all those around him down, … or he arrives to the job site wearing a bath robe and flip flops, … or he cheats on his time card, his impressive skill set is not going to offset the negative impact he has on your bottom line.

It’s not enough to simply alert your workforce to the consequences (and requisite disciplinary actions) of absenteeism, dress code infractions, dishonesty, idleness, texting on company time, etc. You must have a plan and a process for developing and reinforcing work ethic values in your people. It’s too important to leave this to chance.

GAME ON! Here are 5 considerations to help you instill core work ethic values and develop them in your emerging workforce:

1. Revisit and recommit to the core values and character traits that your organization demands from every employee. (If you don’t already have one, create this starting with the non-negotiables of honesty, reliability, respect, etc.) Ask your senior leaders for input and invite open discussion as to why they believe each item on the list is crucial to the success of every employee on your payroll.

2. Revisit your hiring process to see how you’re evaluating job candidates. Make certain you’re asking questions that get them to describe in detail how their past work-related performance demonstrates the values you hold sacred. e.g. “Tell me about a time when you overcame a significant challenge to finish a project on schedule.” “Give me an example of a rule or policy in a previous job you found stupid or outdated.

Did you comply with it or find a way around it?”

3. Examine your training program to see how you can integrate these concepts into your present skills training. Remember, it’s not enough to simply mention values or provide a warning to those who do not exhibit them. For the values to be internalized and lived-out, they must be integrated into case studies, role playing, eLearning platforms, etc.

4. Take significant measures to foster a workplace culture that is centered around your non-negotiable core work ethic values.

Begin meetings and team huddles by allowing employees to share personal examples of how they went out of their way for a customer, overcame a challenge to arrive to work on time, chose to do “the difficult right” as opposed to “the easy wrong,” etc. Share your own personal stories as well.

5. Celebrate work ethic. Talk about people (employees, associates, even celebrities) who you believe exhibit great work ethic and provide examples. When you see great work ethic exemplified by your employees, recognize and reward it with praise, awards, impromptu celebrations, or even incentives. Remember that what gets rewarded gets repeated.

It’s time to stop complaining about the lack of work ethic you see in your emerging workforce and take steps to revive it. The payoff is huge. Your future depends on your ability to instill within them the work ethic they should have learned at home and school, but didn’t.

is a keynote and CEO Track speaker at Northern Green 2017 and the author of five books for business leaders, including his most recent, On Fire at Work: How Great Companies Ignite Passion in Their People without Burning Them Out. He is also the Founder of the Center for Work Ethic Development. He can be reached at 303-239-9999 or at eric@EricChester.com or follow him on Twitter at @eric_chester.

ERIC CHESTER

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EXCLUSIVE MEMBER CONTENT Do you know about the many resources available to you FREE with membership? You can access this valuable material anytime by logging in to www.MNLA.biz. Browse the MEMBERS ONLY dropdown on the far right of the menu bar.

 GARDEN CENTERS, CHECK OUT:

Customer Resource Sheets

Are you using fact sheets as a handout for your customers? We’ve noticed these flyers on many garden center walls, so we’ve made them into an even better resource. High resolution PDFs with bigger, clearer titles are now available for download. The collection includes 20 different sheets including the new sheet on pollinator-friendly plants! So, stop copying and start printing in high resolution today.

ator-Friendly Creating a Pollin in Minnesota Environment

plants in lawns • Control nuisance plants are once other flowering garden. blooming in your schedules to • Adjust mowing or evening when early morning not actively foraging. pollinators are within gardens.

• Hand pull weeds in the early Getting Started • Apply herbicides not pollinators are site conditions morning when 1. Determine your space, and light actively foraging. (soil type, garden when applying exposure).

• Spot-treat plants versus of plants that will herbicides or pesticides 2. Select a menu s. species broadcast treatment provide three flowering ent period to ensure Pest Managem in each bloom • Adopt Integrated s food source IPM uses garden. your in there is a continuou (IPM) season. pests to manage throughout the information about least possible the of plants with pest damage with 3. Select a variety property, and the and shapes. hazard to people, different colors ering plants environment. and 4. Selecting single-flow understand pests source of pollen • Identify and provides a greater wering beneficial insects. and nectar. Double-flo petals on with extra insect damage plants (flowers • Accept some large flower that that produce a plants. frequently lack plants resembles a rose) -friendly landscape of pesticides on • Avoid the use An ideal pollinator pollen and nectar. a healthy and diverse that are flowering. should support grass species to s by providing in the early 5. Select three different overwintering population of pollinatorand nesting and • Apply pesticides sources when provide nesting abundant food morning or evening them in clusters. keeping the aesthetic sites, and plant not actively foraging. habitats, while pollinators are of one In addition to clustered in clumps appeal of the yard.

Flowers s 6. of more pollinator s, benefits helping pollinator species will attract include improved l plants scattered diverse habitats than individua erosion, soil decreased garden. soil human health, throughout the quality, and better s improved water Management Practice plants – health. to -attractive comparable needs • Leave pollinator and clover – in Pollinators have Food s water, and shelter. such as dandelion full of humans: food, season blooms pollen, overripe lawns for early sources are nectar, leaves. Water is pollen and nectar. fruit, sap, and plant ponds and ate.mn.us org, www.mda.st ate.mn.us, www.xerces. supplied from shallow

-friendly Creating a pollinator and butterflies is bees n environment for for the productio critically important States. It is United of crops in the 30% of food crops reported that over s. Flowering depend on pollinator on pollinators for plants also rely a diverse Providing n. seed productio -friendly plants landscape of pollinator t action each of significan is the most strong crop and us can take to sustain n. seed productio

of within 200 feet birdbaths located area. Yards that a pollinator's nesting with trees, have a diverse landscape windbreaks, grasses, clumps of native nesting structures and manmade provide shelter.

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RAIN GARDENS: THE “NATURAL� WAY TO REMOVE STORMWATER POLLUTION

The Horticultural Research Institute is funding research to identify alternative substrate components and additional plants for use in rain gardens.

David Kuack

North Carolina State University horticulture professor Helen Kraus said that in order for rain gardens to be accepted by consumers in their home landscapes, the plants have to beautify and add value to the landscape.

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➾ RA I N GARDEN S

Kraus said that regardless of how much rainfall a region receives, rain gardens are designed to intercept the water runoff generated from rainfall and remove the pollutants in that water. “The purpose of the rain garden is to have that water filter down through the rain garden into underground water reserves in a clean state after the pollution has been removed from it,” she said.

Better rain garden substrates

Researchers at North Carolina State University are studying the use of compost, including yard waste, as a better source of organic matter to replace pine bark in rain garden substrates.

T

he U.S. Geological Survey reports that only 2.5 percent of all Earth’s water is fresh water. Almost all fresh water is locked up in ice (68.7 percent) and in the ground (30.1 percent). Just over 1.2 percent of all fresh water is surface water. With concerns about the availability and quality of water, more municipalities are looking to protect this limited natural resource. Government officials are increasingly passing legislation and regulations to protect fresh water sources.

With funding from the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), North Carolina State University horticulture professor Helen Kraus is studying how rain gardens can be used to protect fresh water sources from stormwater runoff. She said that all segments of the horticulture industry, from growers to end-users, face the same problems with water. “We all have to have water to grow plants well and it has to be good quality water,” Kraus said. “Rain gardens are a device that can help to remove pollutants from stormwater runoff. As rainfall runs across the hardscapes of the urban environment, it picks up nutrient pollution including nitrogen, phosphorus and metals like iron, manganese, and copper. It also picks up soil sediment that carries nutrients with it. Stormwater usually goes into a storm drain which carries that water directly into an open water source and pollutes that water source.”

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Kraus said that when a rain garden is being constructed, the existing native soil is removed creating a depression or pit in the landscape.

The depression, which is typically about 4 feet deep, is filled with an engineered substrate that is designed to have quick water infiltration.

“During a rain event, large volumes, literally hundreds of thousands of gallons of water, can enter the substrate,” she said. “The substrate is designed to slow the rate of percolation or movement down through the rain garden.”

Kraus said that the substrate should be biologically-rich, containing a wide array of beneficial fungi, bacteria and other micro-organisms that break down the pollutants in the water. She said that some rain garden substrates contain pine bark as their organic matter component, which isn’t ideal. “Pine bark does not bring a lot of this microflora to the substrate,” she said. “The water slowly inoculates the substrate with microflora over time.”

Kraus said that the nursery industry needs pine bark as a growing media component. Her research seeks to identify a better source of organic matter to replace pine bark. “Compost, such as yard waste, naturally brings the microflora with it,” she said. “Microflora develop during the composting process. Compost is a better source of organic matter for the chemical reactions that have to occur in order to break down stormwater pollutants. “Every municipality creates yard waste and many compost it. Yard waste compost could be a more effective substrate component and it would help to diminish the demand for pine bark that currently exists.”

Expanding rain garden plant choices

For the HRI-funded rain garden research project, Kraus is studying four plant species: Panicum virgatum ‘Shenadoah’, Monarda fistulosa, Itea virginica, and Betula nigra ‘Dura Heat’. “Over a combination of research projects, I have looked at about 25 species,” Kraus said.

“We are looking at a combination of trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and herbaceous flowering perennials. The plants that we are studying would grow anywhere from northern Florida all the way up into upper New York and westward until the environment becomes real dry. There might be a problem with some of these plants tolerating the drought conditions occurring in the Midwest.”

Kraus said that many of the plants produced by the nursery industry will be found to be very effective rain garden plants. “Just as we have been able to promote plants that attract pollinators, many of those plants were already being grown by the nursery industry,” she said.

“We only had to identify them as good pollinator plants. I think a similar situation exists for rain garden plants. The industry is already growing the ones that will work well.”

Although Kraus said that some nurseries may specialize in producing rain garden plants, the biggest issue is identifying the plants.

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SHAKOPEE Lano Equipment, Inc. 3021 133rd Street West (952) 445-6310

ST. MARTIN Arnold’s of St. Martin 374 Industrial Boulevard (320) 548-3285 www.arnoldsinc.com

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*For complete warranty, safety and product information, consult your local Kubota dealer and the product operator’s manual. Power (HP/KW) and other specifications are based on various standards or recommended practices. **BX2370 and BX2670 models only. Kubota Tractor Corporation Markets a Full Line of Tractors and Construction Equipment Through a Nationwide Network of Over 1,000 Authorized Dealers.

Optional equipment may be shown.

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© Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2016

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➾ RA I N GARDEN S

North Carolina State University horticulture professor Helen Kraus said that she expects that many of the plants currently produced by the nursery industry are going to be found to be very effective rain garden plants.

“Nurseries want to know that kind of information because they have landscapers asking them all of the time, “What is this plant and where and how can it be used?”

Unfortunately, the nurseries don’t have the answers yet for those questions. In some cases, the landscapers may be ahead of the growers because they are the ones installing the rain gardens.”

Kraus said in order for rain gardens to be accepted by consumers in their home landscape, the plants are going to have to look good. “The plants are going to have to beautify and add value to the landscape,” she said. “The only way that can happen is if there is a diverse collection of plant material so there is interest to meet garden customers’ needs. That is what I am hoping to develop.”

Increasing the demand for rain gardens

Kraus said that government agencies are currently driving the demand for rain gardens. “The demand is not necessarily generated because people want rain gardens, as much as having to comply with some kind of enforcement such as a government ordinance,” she said. “What we have to work on is educating home consumers of the potential danger to water sources from home landscapes so they will want to build rain gardens regardless of some government requirement. Rain gardens are most effective when everybody does a little bit of the process and there are a lot of rain gardens, instead of having one rain garden in a 50-square-mile radius.” Kraus said more consumer education about rain gardens

www.edneyco.com • 888.443.3639 For more information call Mike Peters at 651.328.1950

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➾ RA I N G A RD E N S

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As rainfall runs across the hardscapes of the urban environment it picks up nutrient pollution and soil sediment that carries nutrients with it. Stormwater usually goes into a storm drain which carries that water directly into an open water source.

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needs to be occurring at the retail level.

“Consumers need to know that by putting in a rain garden, they can have a droughttolerant garden and they can remove water pollution from the environment,” she said.

Kraus said that there is a fair amount of training going on around the country in regard to the installation of rain gardens.

She said that the extension service is a very good resource for rain garden information.

Another informational source is a state’s water quality division. “You can’t build a rain garden like you build a normal garden.

It’s a different concept,” she said. “You have to learn about rain garden components to really make them work.”

For more info contact Helen Kraus, North Carolina State University, Department of Horticultural Science at helen_kraus@ncsu.edu, or the Horticultural Research Institute at (202) 789-2900 or www.hriresearch.org.

Author: David Kuack, HRI Freelance Author. dkuack@gmail.com. © Horticultural Research Institute, www.hriresearch.org.

Photos courtesy of North Carolina State University horticulture professor Helen Kraus.

HOW TO MAKE

SEASONAL EMPLOYEES PART OF THE TEAM If you own a green industry business in Minnesota, you likely hire seasonal employees. It’s difficult for companies to afford to keep all of their employees on full time. As a result, smaller to medium-sized green industry businesses only pay a year round salary for one or two employees, if that.

Taylor Tuomie | HindSite Software

➾ S E A S O N A L E M P L O YE E S

S

easonal employees are a must. But they don’t always feel like or seem like they’re part of your team. That can cause issues. You might have uninterested, lackadaisical seasonal employees who cut corners and just don’t care about your customers since they’ll only be around for the season. How can you get past this and create a culture that enables and empowers even your seasonal green industry employees? Here are four tips to make them feel part of your team.

Communicate

Communication is one of the keys to building a successful team in general. With your seasonal employees, it is even more important. Since they are only going to be working for you for a limited time, you need to ensure that all of your expectations are clearly stated and that all of their expectations are understood.

Don’t lead seasonal employees on. If they’re needed for a two month duration, don’t leave the impression that there is a possibility for full time after their seasonal work is done if that isn’t the case. Before you hire any seasonal workers, make your needs clear and ensure that those needs align with their expectations.

Once they are hired, you need to make a conscious effort to communicate effectively.

If you have your seasonal employees on different crews, make sure that your crew leaders know this, too.

• A cost-effective workers’ compensation program for the construction industry of Minnesota.

• Cash Flow Advantage with pay-as-you-go premiums.

• Customized Loss Control Services designed for YOUR business.

• Member-focused Proactive Claims Management.

• 97% of businesses have stayed with TBG because they deliver a long-term solution to the specific needs of our industry.

Contact: Dennis Medo, TBG Director of Insurance

Include Them

In order to make your seasonal green industry employees part of your team, you need to include them in company meetings, events, and training. The last of the three is the most important. Your seasonal workers should be trained on your particular processes and on your equipment. In our 2016 Green Industry Benchmark Report, we saw a correlation between training and business growth. The companies that trained their employees grew at a faster rate.

651-389-1043 | Toll Free: 888-824-3923 | dmedo@tbgmn.com

Understand Their Motivations

It is important to understand what motivates your seasonal employees. Most likely, it will start with compensation, however, 54

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Hold weekly check-in meetings with your seasonal employees. Learn what they’re expecting to get out of the job. they might be more motivated if they have the prospect of being hired full time, or if they have the chance to be hired next season.

Hold weekly check-in meetings with your seasonal employees.

Learn what they’re expecting to get out of the job. Having weekly check-in meetings will also give you a good idea of whether or not you need to be training your team more, too.

Keep in Touch

After the season is over, keep in touch with your seasonal workers.

It is a good way of keeping a pool of qualified candidates for a full time position if that ever does come up. Also, keeping in touch with seasonal employees will help you find out if you’ll need to find other seasonal workers when it comes time to expand the team again.

Check in with them in the off season. I worked as a tennis court resurfacer for three summers, and in Minnesota that is very much a seasonal gig. But every winter our boss would get all the guys together for a holiday party. We just went out to eat and talked. It was a good way for him to gauge if we were happy with the position and to learn if we might be back.

TAYLOR TUOMIE is a Marketing Specialist at HindSite. You can learn more at http://www.hindsitesoftware.com or by calling (888) 271-4076.

W

SILENT AUCTION

DONATIONS NEEDED WHEN

January 11-12, 2017 at Northern Green Simple Ways Your Can Help   

Donate an item Ask neighbors, friends & family to help by donating an item Ask a business to donate a gift card

We are looking for an interesting mix of items that are attractive to all attendees of Northern Green. It could be an item in your Expo booth, plants from your nursery next spring, or items unrelated to the green industry, such as tickets to sporting events , concerts or theater event. Gift baskets, jewelry, wine, or a gift certificates are welcome.

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DON’T MISS IT

To participate, send in a completed form by October 14 for placement in the SCOOP. Items accepted until December 19 .

EXHIBITING?

Drive attendees to your booth on the trade show floor! Consider giving an item away from your booth .

BE SEEN

Be recognized in MNLA Scoop, member emails and at the largest gathering of horticulture industry partners.

BENEFITING

Funds are used to improve the environment by investing in the future of the green industry. Funds raised from the silent auction support MNLA Foundation scholarships, research grants and career development initiatives .

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➾ M E M BE R N E W S

MNLA FAIR AT

THE

In the Minnesota Grown Booth

Paul Hugunin

Minnesota Grown Program Coordinator MNLA members are invited to “take over” the Minnesota Grown State Fair Display on Sunday, September 4. The Minnesota Grown booth has a simple, straightforward message for fairgoers: buy locally grown and raised products! With approximately 1,250 members, the Minnesota Grown program promotes a wide variety of Minnesota products and businesses — including nurseries and garden centers, Christmas tree farms, meat and dairy producers, farm wineries, farmers market vendors, and pick-your-own farms.

Fairgoers who visit the booth can pick up a free copy of the Minnesota Grown Directory as they interact with membervolunteers that staff the booth from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day.

Instead of scattering their shifts throughout the 12 days of the fair, several organizations group their volunteers together on a single day to “take over” the booth for a day, and MNLA will be one of those organizations in 2016. Organizations that take a full day are invited to bring display items that highlight their industry and attract fairgoers interested in their particular products and services. The main task for booth volunteers is to hand out Minnesota Grown Directories, but they are also allowed to have business cards and/or flyers at the booth during their shift (they can’t leave them behind when they’re done, though) as long as they focus on the general message of “buy local plants.”

There are only three shifts available: 9 a.m.–1 p.m., 1 p.m.–5 p.m., and 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Shifts will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis. All MNLA companies that wish to be involved should contact MNLA staff member Jon Horsman (jon@mnla.biz) as soon as possible.

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 Patrick McGuiness 651-331-6500 | info@zmattorneys.com | www.zmattorneys.com

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Minnesota Grown provides volunteers with admission tickets (we give up to four tickets for a 4-hour shift). We also provide each volunteer with a Minnesota Grown hat OR t-shirt. We provide name tags for each volunteer, a daily sign for the booth indicating who is staffing the booth during each shift, and an additional sign declaring it to be “MNLA Day at the Minnesota Grown Booth” for days staffed by a single organization like MNLA. The Minnesota Grown booth is located in the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) wing of the Ag/Hort Building.

The MDA takes up the entire North Hall of the building. All MNLA companies that wish to be a part of the “booth take over” should contact MNLA staff member Jon Horsman (jon@mnla.biz) as soon as possible.

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Call or stop in to speak to an Avant Sales Specialist who can schedule a FREE DEMO and recommend the best equipment for your needs!

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➾ ME MBER N EWS

TIME TO RENEW!

SAVE DATE THE

E DEADLIN AUGUST 31st!

OCTOBER 12, 2016

RENEW TODAY!

10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Dairy Building Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul

Keep an eye out for your 2016–2017 membership dues renewal notice.

Save us printing and mailing costs by returning your renewal promptly.

Growing your Business to $1 Million+, Steve Rak, Rak Consulting, Inc. Rak Consulting helps the owners of small landscape companies (companies grossing less than $1 million) to profitably grow their firms to higher revenue levels. Learn from Steve Rak what you should do to build your company toward the $1 million level.

NEW THIS YEAR!

Brine Making/Using liquids for Snow and Ice Melt, Daniel Gilliland, SnowEx Have you considered adding salt brine to your deicing arsenal? Learn the value provided by different liquid strategies and how they can impact your top and bottom lines.

MNLA now offers a “Delayed Payment Option.” Provide your credit card information today and you won't be charged before August 15th (you must select option on renewal form).

FE

TIFIE

AL

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C

Generously supported by:

D

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

Interested in exhibiting? contact Faith — 952-934-2891 or faith@pierreproductions.com.

O PR

We encourage you to take a minute to reassess your business needs. Don’t pay more than you have to! Please take a moment to review the MNLA MemberOnly Exclusive Benefits at www.mnla.biz.

Sign in, and take a look under the “MEMBERS ONLY” menu. Let us help you save on your bottom line! Feel free to contact the MNLA office if we can be of any assistance to you during the renewal process or for any of our products and services offered. We are available at 651-633-4987 or mnla@ mnla.biz.

Only $39 for MNLA members. Includes tradeshow, seminars and lunch. A registration form is enclosed with this month’s Scoop or register online at www.MNLA.biz.

MNLA CERTIFICATION

SSIO

PROVE WHAT YOU KNOW Become a MNLA Certification Professional in 2017 August is a great time to begin preparing to take the 2017 MNLA Certification Exam.

Review the Certification Manual chapters.

Pay attention to the learning objectives.

Connect with a current certified professional. Ask them if they will mentor you.

Practice plant identification out in the field; both common and scientific plant names.

Gather a group and study together.

Meet once a month until the exam.

Current Certified Professionals: Online Recertification — Coming in 2017!

No more blue cards to keep track of! Easy log-in to enter your recertification points!

Option to journal other industry CEUs too! Watch your email this fall for details.

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➾ ME MB ER N EWS

WELCOME! WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS! Advanced Services Chad Walsh Cloquet, MN, 218-729-9689

Cloud 9 Property Services MN LLC Todd Fransen Wayzata, MN, 952-249-1000 CMC, Inc. Chris Murphy Stillwater, MN, 651-329-5972 Counselor Realty Chester Jones Anoka, MN, 612-518-3112 Craig Custom Tile LLC Bob Craig Orono, MN, 651-491-7616 Immaculate Spaces by Samantha Samantha Craig Orono, MN, 952-540-7679 Marco Co., Inc. Mike Marjama Minneapolis, MN, 612-379-2066 MD’s Heating and Air Services LLC Mathias Dalluhn Cottage Grove, MN, 651-815-9260 Olson & Sons Excavating Timothy Olson Fertile, MN, 218-289-0224 Outdoor Innovations Landscaping LLC Craig Palmer Hugo, MN, 651-983-1976 Ron’s Tree Service & Firewood Ron Rivetts Little Falls, MN, 952-838-5321 St. Croix Eric Piechowski Forest Lake, MN, 651-484-5664 Tim McCord Company Tim McCord Roseville, MN, 651-206-2956

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➾ LA S T WORD

MNLA SHOOTOUT

2016 MNLA SHOOTOUT: NEW LOCATION! The 8th Annual MNLA Foundation Shootout promises to be an event with memories, old and new friends, and fun. Novice and beginners welcome! Mark your calendars and join us Wednesday, September 21, 2016 from 10:00–3:30 p.m. Located in Prior Lake, it’s approximately 30 miles from the Twin Cities. This is a rain or shine event so come dressed for the weather.

SPONSORSHIPS Sponsorship gives you additional perks and benefits, along with recognition as a loyal Foundation sponsor. We encourage you to take a look at these new options and help us raise even more funds for careers in the green industry!

BENEFITS Featured in all communications: MNLA Scoop, website, Facebook beginning at the time of purchase.

Recognition onsite, signage as well as video projection, introduced at awards presentation, printed program brochure.

Post event marketing: photo of you and your company in The Scoop Magazine.

Complimentary registration for sponsorships $250 and over.

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Hosting one of the first sporting clay courses in the United States, The Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club outfits sharpshooters for afternoons of shooting sporting clays on more than 600 acres of private hunting preserve.

Across five angles and challenging positions, sporting clays of 50 targets shot from several stations present the shooter with different angles and challenges. 50 rounds of sporting clays, hearty lunch, refreshments on course are included. Shooters should bring their own firearms, shells (must be “target load”), or you can rent firearms from the club. Three boxes of shells per shooter are suggested.

Shells are available for purchase onsite for $8.50 per box.

Add to the fun, bring cash & ammo and play! Duck Flurry, Long Shot, Color Target, Grouse/Skeet, Multiple Trap Flurry, games range from $5–$10 per game to win cash and prizes!

REGISTRATION Register by September 9th at www.mnla.biz or complete the registration form inserted in this magazine and send it back to us.

Join in the FREE fun!

Mem ber

See you at the...

RSVP TODAY!

h t n o M

“Thank You” Socials It’s time to celebrate your awesomeness by joining in the fun during the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association’s Member Appreciation Month. The “Thank You” Socials will be held: • August 10th in Roseville at the MNLA office 1813 Lexington Avenue North, Roseville, MN 55113 (If you normally use Hwy 36 to drive to our office, please check our website for alternate routes due to construction on Hwy 36 which will impact the exits at Hamline, Lexington, and Dale.)

• August 24th in the Duluth area at Miller Creek Lawn & Landscape/Garden Center 4818 Swan Lake Road, Hermantown, MN 55811 Both events will take place from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m., and food and adult beverages will be provided!

RSVP on www.MNLA.biz or by calling 651-633-4987.

READY FOR THE JOB What you need, when you need it You’ll find everything you need to get the job done right at Ziegler Rental, starting with the youngest and largest rental fleet in the region. In addition to the full line of CatŽ equipment, our rental fleet includes machines and tools from other leading brands like Master Craft, Sullair, Toro, Vermeer, and Wacker Neuson.

Call 888.468.0177 or visit us online for instant price quotes.

www.zieglerrental.com