Nursery & Landscape Notes Spring 2020

Publication of the North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association, Inc.

Spring 2020

RECAP

Automation

at Old Courthouse Nursery

#GreenIsEssential Protecting Plants this Spring

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Spring 2020

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COMMENTARY President’s Message

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Executive Vice President’s Message

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NCNLA NEWS NCNLA Member Spotlight: Greenline Design, Inc.

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NCNLA News

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In Memoriam

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AROUND OUR INDUSTRY Industry News

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Best Practice: How Grants Creek Nursery Uses Instagram

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INDUSTRY RESEARCH Protecting Plants this Spring: Two Nursery Pests on the Horizon

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A Late Spring Disease and Insect Emerging in Nurseries

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New Members

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Calendar of Events

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Advertisers’ Index

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OLD COURTHOUSE NURSERY INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY WITH AUTOMATION 14 Jeff Allegood recently purchased a potting machine to get more done with less labor.

SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 3

A Better Blue

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Available from these suppliers

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• Dwarf

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Published by North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association, Inc. 968 Trinity Road, Raleigh, NC 27607

NCNLA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

NCNLA Staff Richard Lawhun Executive Vice President Kathryn Stansbury Director of Business Development Victoria Torino Chief Financial Officer Cindy Whitt Director of Marketing & Communications Christine Wilks Director of Lifelong Learning Nursery & Landscape Notes is published quarterly by the North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association, Inc. especially for nursery production, nursery research, interior and exterior maintenance and design build contractors in the landscape industry. The publication is distributed to approximately 1,200 horticulture producers, landscape professionals and industry suppliers.

NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES is provided as a member service.

Our Never Quit, Can Do Attitude

I

would like to start by saying I hope you and your family are safe and well. Secondly, I hope you and your business have been able to navigate the chal-

lenging circumstances we have been facing. Amid one of the most robust economies in history, spring was the kick-off for another dream year for our industry.

Unfortunately, in March our dreams quickly turned

2020 NCNLA Board of Directors

into a nightmare few could have imagined.

Hugh Crump President Greenline Design, Inc. Charlotte, NC

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, we have

Leslie Herndon Vice President/Secretary/ Treasurer Greenscape, Inc. Holly Springs, NC Jamie Thomas Past President Swift Creek Nursery Clayton, NC Jeff Allegood Old Courthouse Nursery, LLC Warsaw, NC

Kevin Cagle Greenthumb Nursery, LLC Ether, NC Tim Johnson, II Tim Johnson Landscaping Statesville, NC Trey Warrick Scottree & Shelby Nursery, Inc. Shelby, NC William "Bill" Bynam SiteOne Landscape Supply Pineville, NC John Clark Pro Green, Inc. Morganton, NC

Educational Advisors Justin Snyder Alamance Community College Graham, NC

learned new terms like “social distancing,” “shelter in place” and “an abundance of caution.” Of the new phrases in our vocabulary, the one that resonates with me most is, “we are all in this together.”

When I heard this phrase I immediately thought about my family, community and this industry. We as an industry celebrate prosperity together, and even more so, come together in times of need. We have endured tough times before. Because of our members and association, I know we are well positioned to face the days ahead. It is encouraging to see our industry continue business practices in more safe and conscientious manners.

Dr. Joe Neal North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC

Advertising

For advertising inquiries and publication schedule, please contact Cindy Whitt at cwhitt@ncnla.com or 919-819-9119, ext. 102.

The inclusion of products or brand names in this publication is not an endorsement by the editor, or the North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association.

Mission: To provide essential value to our members through

Hugh Crump Greenline Design, Inc. Charlotte, NC

As the incoming president I must say, despite the unprecedented times, I have a great sense of pride in our industry with our never quit, can do attitude. I have

Because of our members and association, I know we are well positioned to face the days ahead.

It is encouraging to see our industry continue business practices in more safe and conscientious manners.

been impressed by how quickly we anticipated the potential challenges we could face. Once these issues came to fruition, we were positioned to properly deal with the “new normal.” This is why we exist as an organization.

In closing, I would like to express gratitude to our

education, marketing, and advocacy.

members for sharing information to help ensure our

Vision: To promote and protect the interests of North Carolina's Green Industry.

industry was included in the essential services designation. I would also like to thank the NCNLA board and Rick Lawhun for their leadership and prompt

Connect to NCNLA  facebook.com/NCNurseryandLandscapeAssociation/  twitter.com/tweet_ncnla 

instagram.com/ncnla ncnla.com | BuyNCPlants.com GreenandGrowin.com | NCGreenprints.com

action. Words cannot adequately express my gratitude to the staff for their tireless efforts and superior communication. Thank you for being a part of this great organization.

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. Proverb

©2020 NCNLA.

SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 5

January 11-15, 2021 | Greensboro, NC

Sow the Seeds for Success

www.greenandgrowin.com 6 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2020

NCNLA EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Life in the Time of COVID-19

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t is hard to imagine how much life has changed the past few months. What started as an upbeat, promising year turned into a daily effort to minimize concerns and fears regarding the health and safety of our friends and families. Venturing outside to perform an ordinary task, whether a work responsibility, household chore or regular exercise, became a risk, especially for the elderly and the immunocompromised. Life as we know it came to a screeching halt.

As an industry, we are fortunate to have been designated an essential service. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) was instrumental in working with Governor Roy Cooper’s office to establish stay-at-home guidelines that allowed the continued operation of nurseries, garden centers, greenhouses, landscapers and other green industry businesses. The support of NCDA&CS and Commissioner Troxler positively impacted hundreds of small businesses that help to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public – and are highly dependent on seasonal work to pay the bills and stay in business.

As a green industry, we are extremely thankful for everyone at NCDA&CS for their readiness, accessibility and support during this difficult time.

We are also fortunate to have an active, caring membership that understands the benefits of the green industry. When the threat of COVID-19 was becoming a reality, many NCNLA members contacted state and local officials to discuss how the industry could help residents of North Carolina cope with a potential stay-at-home order because of the following reasons:

Nurseries, garden centers and greenhouse operations provide fruit and vegetable plants that not only provide sustenance, but also distractions from daily activities that may become mundane or challenging.

Colorful, well-maintained greenspaces provide outdoor sanctuaries that help to boost morale and improve mental wellbeing during this unprecedented time.

Landscape companies treat greenspaces to reduce the transmission of dangerous diseases through pests like ticks, mosquitos and fleas.

Regular maintenance of greenspaces to cut grass and remove damaged/diseased vegetation helps to protect public safety.

The outreach by NCNLA members did not go unnoticed. An individual with NCDA&CS commented to me, “Your folks are very passionate about their businesses. We have had more calls to the main line on nursery and landscaping than any other commodity.”

By the time you read this, I am hopeful the curve will have flattened and we will be on our way to some sort of new normal that includes less restrictive guidelines for daily activities. Until then, stay well and stay passionate in representing the industry you love!

Richard Lawhun NCNLA Executive Vice President

As an industry, we are fortunate to have been designated an essential service. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) was instrumental in working with Governor Roy Cooper’s office to establish stay-at-home guidelines that allowed the continued operation of nurseries, garden centers, greenhouses, landscapers and other green industry businesses.

SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 7

NCNLA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Five Minutes with Greenline Design, Inc.

Greenline Design, Inc. Charlotte, NC President and Lead Designer Hugh Crump In business 29 years NCNLA Member 4 years Services Full-service landscape design Favorite NCNLA benefits Green & Growin’ and getting to know colleagues from across the state

Hugh Crump

Walkway

How did you get into the business?

rarely turned down an opportunity, so we were able to expand our abilities and skills. We built a portfolio of work to reference that allowed us to gain higher profile opportunities.

My entry into the industry was unconventional. After a few years of sales related jobs, I decided to go back to an occupation I enjoyed when I was younger. From as early as I can remember, I was the kid in the neighborhood mowing lawns and tending gardens.

When I was in high school, I worked part time during the school year and full time in the summer at Tar-Heel Natural Turf (later acquired by Budd Services). At the time they were among the largest commercial landscape management companies in the region, so I learned how a large operation was managed. I also saw that my interests could be a career.

When I found myself back in the world of lawn and landscape, I held several different jobs with smaller companies where I was exposed to a completely different way of business after having worked for a large company. After a couple of years of exploring different options, I decided this industry was what I loved and where I wanted to be.

When I started Greenline Design in 1991, I applied what I learned with the large corporate business and what I learned from the smaller, owner/operator businesses. We grew the company by always looking for the next new challenge. In the early years, we

8 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2020

What is a typical day like for you and your staff?

A typical day consists of client meetings, contractor meetings and site visits. Design implementation can range from a day to several months, all based on the size and scale of the project. Â With new construction projects, some designs take up to 2-3 years from start to finish. When working on existing properties it could be a simple consultation or a quick plan started and completed in a matter of hours. I coordinate with my office assistant to keep me on track with upcoming deadlines and responsibilities. My design assistant helps keep the projects progressing by providing feedback and necessary information.

What has been the most rewarding part of your career?

Several things come to mind; the first is that I love what I do. I have no desire to do anything other than landscape design, and I want to continually get better.

Another huge reward is the amount of freedom that comes with the job.

Projects completed by Greenline Design.

Early in my career, I worked closely with a talented and charismatic designer named John Byrd. He shared advice that helped me be much more aware of details and scale. John was masterful and sought inspiration from a wide range of sources, including travel, publications and sometimes through simple observations of nature. He also had an impressive way of being brutally honest with his thoughts.

I simply paid attention and learned as I saw his landscape designs evolve from an initial conversation to completion. John unfortunately passed away too soon, but he left a legacy of incredible gardens.

What have you gained from your involvement in the NCNLA?

What is your company best known for?

As an obnoxious teenager working part time at Tar-Heel Natural Turf, I once told my crew leader with high expectations for me that “for you this is a career, but for me it’s a summer job.” I am now embarrassed by that comment, but it is funny and a little bit ironic considering where I am now. If my old crew leader reads this, please accept my apologies, and thank you for teaching an obnoxious teenager a few things about a great industry.

Our work is approximately 85% residential and 15% commercial, so we are known for great residential projects and heavy use of many varieties of Boxwoods.

What issues are you concerned about as a company in the green industry?

This will come as no surprise to anyone when I state the obvious and say LABOR. Along the same lines, I am concerned about the small number of students pursuing horticultural related degrees and careers.

The greatest takeaway from the association is having a better understanding of the industry by being able to talk to people in the industry on a regular basis. I have developed a strong sense of community within the industry on a state level since becoming involved. I am thankful to be a part of this industry.

What advice do you have for someone interested in or just starting out in the industry?

I love what do. I have no desire to do anything other than landscape design, and I want to continually get better.

Another huge reward is the amount of freedom that comes with the job.

I would advise someone interested in the field to just start.

Then, focus on what you can do within the industry, not what you cannot do. Focus on being hardworking and dependable, and the rest will take care of itself.

Get in touch 704.392.5433 | office@greenlinedesign.net | www.greenlinedesign.net SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 9

2020

NCNLA ROBERT CAGLE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT Friday, August 7, 2020 1:00 PM Shotgun Start

Join NCNLA members and industry colleagues for an afternoon of golf followed by a casual dinner and awards ceremony.

Proceeds of the event benefit the NCNLA Scholarship Fund.

Visit www.ncnla.com for more information or to learn about sponsorships.

10 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2020

Lochmere Golf Club 23511 Kildaire Farm Road Cary, NC

MEMBER NCNLA NEWS NEWS

MEMBER IN MEMORIAM NEWS

Coronavirus Resources NCNLA created a resources page to help members stay informed as COVID-19 threatened to close green industry businesses. As of this writing, nurseries, landscapers, greenhouses and retail garden centers are considered essential businesses and are allowed to stay open if they practice suggested measures to keep employees and customers safe. To stay informed on any new developments, please visit www.ncnla.com/ coronavirus.

NCNLA Events Due to the coronavirus pandemic, events scheduled for early this summer have been postponed or cancelled.

Green Industry Council Water Symposium The GIC’s annual Water Symposium in June has been cancelled to protect the health and safety of the green industry community. NCNLA is pursuing future online learning opportunities.

Robert Cagle Memorial Golf Tournament The 2020 Robert Cagle Memorial Golf Tournament will be held Friday, August 7 if government stay-at-home orders have been lifted at that time. Visit www.ncnla.com/golf-tournament to learn about sponsorship opportunities for this event, which helps fund scholarships for horticulture students.

Alexander Dean “A.D.” Burt, Jr. of Chestertown, Maryland, 38, passed away April 25, 2020 as the result of a motor vehicle accident. A.D. was a sales representative for Pacific Organics, a supplier of pine bark potting media base in Henderson, North Carolina. He covered the northeast territory of the U.S. but also knew and worked with many NCNLA members.

A.D. got his start in the nursery business as an inside salesman for Ingleside Nurseries in Virginia in 2004. He later moved to the production end of the business and managed their pot-in-pot tree division, where he developed his love for nursery production. He took a job as an outside salesman with Pacific Organics in February 2012, and covered sales to nurseries from Virginia to Connecticut, along with select accounts in North Carolina and the Midwest U.S. region.

A.D. loved working in the nursery business and truly valued all the great customers and friends he met along the way.

When he was not working, he spent most of his time pursuing his other passions of hunting and offshore fishing.

He worked as a mate in billfish and other offshore fishing tournaments out of Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina and Costa Rica, and helped win many tournaments over the years.

His obituary and information about donations in his honor can be found at www.fhnfuneralhome.com.

NCNLA’s mission is to provide essential value to our members through education, marketing, and advocacy

ncnla.com

SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 11

MEMBER NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS Green is Essential

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f you follow NCNLA’s social media accounts, you probably noticed the #GreenIsEssential series promoting green industry businesses. When our industry was confronted with the potentially devastating consequences of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent statewide shutdown, NCNLA worked quickly to remind state and local officials that green industry businesses are essential.

are operating with appropriate safety measures. However, the businesses must occasionally address questions from the public on why they remain open.

Beginning one week after the shutdown began, NCNLA

posted a series of 14 messages to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram highlighting how green industry businesses contribute to their communities.

The series was created to address questions about the essential

nature of the industry and are relevant year-round. You are welcome to download the photos and share them on your social accounts as a reminder that #GreenIsEssential and green businesses matter.

As of this writing, nurseries, greenhouse operations, landscape companies, retail garden centers and suppliers have been deemed essential and

Landscape workers keep neighborhoods and essential businesses safe by providing regular maintenance and pest control.



Well-maintained greenspaces provide large outdoor sanctuaries to boost morale and improve mental well-being during difficult times while maintaining social distancing. 

12 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2020

Agribusinesses in the green industry provide essential services that protect the public’s health, safety and welfare. 

Follow us on social if you do not already!  facebook.com/NCNurseryandLandscapeAssociation  twitter.com/tweet_ncnla 

instagram.com/ncnla

 linkedin.com/company/ncnla

The growing season does not stop during a pandemic. Plant nurseries, garden centers and greenhouses continue to cultivate plants for the spring, summer and fall. 

SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 13

By Anthony V. LeBude, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Nursery Crops Extension and Research NC State University Photos: Bryan Regan

Old Courthouse Nursery Increases Productivity with Automation

A

working group of nursery faculty from major universities were on a conference call with growers from around the country to learn about their priorities, challenges and the top issues they thought we should tackle for a recent grant proposal. We talked for an hour about various topics, including pest control, shipping, definitions of quality and business expansion. Then, we politely we asked if labor was an issue. They all erupted into laughter for about 30 seconds.

“Hell, if we knew you were interested in labor, we would have said that hours ago,” replied one of the participants. “We didn’t think you cared about that or could do anything about it. It’s our number one cost and our biggest challenge to maintain.”

They are right, labor is a contentious issue full of pitfalls, policy, competition and shortages, and it is the biggest cost for the green industry.

14 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2020

SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 15

Old Courthouse Nursery Production Manager Bryan Naylor (left) and General Manager Jeff Allegood (right).

Finding and retaining full- and part-time labor is the main challenge to remaining profitable.

In some cases, it prevented the nurseries we spoke with from expanding because they could not find anyone to manage and work in the newly constructed growing areas.

16 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2020

Green Industry Economic Impacts

The results of a 2013 national survey found that the U.S. green industry and its input purchases were responsible for approximately $200 billion in revenues annually and supported over two million jobs, or 1.1% of all jobs in the nation.

The foundation of this sector of agriculture is nursery production of trees, shrubs, vines, groundcovers and perennials, which exceeds $16.7 billion in economic impacts. In 10 states, the green industry was responsible for 1% of gross domestic product (GDP) and 1.25% in five states. North Carolina was one of those states.

Employment contributions averaged 0.6 jobs/ square mile of land area and 6.4 jobs per 1,000 persons in the U.S. population, while GDP contributions averaged $34,176/mile2 and $382 per capita. Since the Great Recession of 2007-08, green industry contributions in 2013 increased by 4.4% for employment

and 2.7% for GDP in inflation-adjusted terms.

Growth in the industry was highest for wholesale and retail trade, whereas production and manufacturing declined.

Essentially, the green industry is a vital contributor to both state and national GDP and is responsible for providing many rural jobs and improving economic impact in those communities. Finding and retaining full- and part-time labor is the main challenge to remaining profitable. In some cases, it prevented the nurseries we spoke with from expanding because they could not find anyone to manage and work in the newly constructed growing areas.

Using Machinery to Increase Labor Outputs Uncertain labor situations combined with the inability to expand have driven some producers to consider mechanization or automation for some nursery tasks. These decisions are not taken lightly because of

planning, changes to workflow, employee morale and the cost to purchase and install new equipment.

When nurseries were originally constructed, producers may not have envisioned using a potting machine, so adding one would require considerable retrofitting to suit the original layout. There are other barriers that affect growers’ purchasing decisions, which include taking on more debt, laying off workers, being the first nursery in a region to adopt a new technology, and simply, fear of change. Potting machines are one piece of technology that could affect every aspect of production in a container nursery since every plant has to be potted.

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 25:805-814. Access at https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH.25.6.805.

A Conversation with Old Courthouse Nursery

NC State Nursery Crop Science spoke to Jeff Allegood, general manager of Old Courthouse Nursery, a large propagation and container nursery in Warsaw, N.C., about his nursery’s recent purchase of a potting machine. The conversation highlights a few challenges, unintended consequences and his clearer vision for the nursery with the addition of the equipment.

When did you decide to install a potting machine?

We have been looking for ways to get more done with less labor, and get potting done more efficiently, for years. We had decided we wanted to add a potting machine to our operation several years back but then the hard freeze of 2018 hit, and we lost a ton of plants.

We could have purchased several potting machines with the dollar value of what we threw away, so we had to put our plans on

hold. We had a strong 2019 and finally had the funds to pull the trigger. We got it set up and installed in late 2019 and started using it in early 2020.

Did you do any research beforehand to help you decide?

Most of our research was asking other nurseries what they have experienced and what had and had not worked for them, to see how it related to what we needed to get done (container sizes that machines could handle, scale of operation in both numbers of plants and amount of labor, etc.). We also asked them about the durability of their machines, customer service and support after purchase, and availability and turnaround on parts and service.

We plan on having the machine for a long time, so we wanted to make sure we got one that matched our needs. NCNLA member Hunter Latham at Latham’s Nursery uses a lot of AgriNomix™ (Machine Tools for Growers) SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 17

I tell everyone they are welcome to come see what we are doing and will answer any questions we can. We learned a lot from other people in our research for this project (and in the nursery industry in general), so we are happy to help other people if we can.

products and he let us visit to see his machine running. You can only get so much out of watching videos and looking at CAD designs, but talking to him and seeing a machine like we wanted actually running sealed the deal for us.

We also talked to the manufacturers and their salespeople, but of course, they all want to sell you their product, so you have to consider that with what they are telling you. You can get good information from them, like prices and references to people who are using their product, but we prefer to talk to the nurserymen and women who are actually running equipment in the real world to see how they work. You get more useful information (good and bad) from people who are actually using the equipment in a real-world setting.

What benefits did you think the potting machine would provide your nursery?

We are hoping the potting machine will let us shrink the window of time it takes to get potting completed. Using less labor and running more efficiently will help in any industry, but with nursery production, you also gain growing time sooner in the season if you are able to get something potted up.

If we can get all of our liners potted to one gallons by early summer versus late summer 18 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2020

then those plants get more growing time, so they are better prepared for winter and will be finished and sellable sooner. If one-gallon plants finish earlier than previous scheduling, we can pot them to three gallons sooner, which lets them finish sooner and so on. We shorten the overall production timeline and have quality plants earlier than before.

How were you potting plants previously?

A hopper, filled by a skid steer loader, gravity fed our mix down to a flat deck. The deck had interchangeable inserts for different sizes of pots (e.g., one to seven gallons, we did not use it for our 15- or 25-gallon pots). The pot sat on the insert and was flush with the deck so you could pull soil into the pot by hand, tamp it in and then take the plant to trailers to be watered in and taken out to the field.

The new machine makes our old system look inadequate and antiquated.

Is there a difference in labor between the two systems?

In the short period of time we have used it, we have seen that a 10-person crew running the potting machine is turning out the same number of plants in one day as a 14-person crew did before we got the machine. If we had 14 people running the potting machine,

we think we could get 35-45% more plants potted per day.

What are you going to do with your labor if it requires fewer people to pot plants, or you complete potting earlier?

Getting potting finished earlier frees up labor to help with other production tasks like pruning, spacing, etc. If we can finish the bulk of our potting and then shift that labor to production by mid-summer, then it will help us catch up on other tasks earlier and add value to plants sooner or possibly to other plants we wouldn’t normally touch.

The potting machine should help us in lots of ways other than just improving the actual efficiency of potting. That is the plan anyway, but we will see how things play out in reality through the course of the year in 2020 and beyond.

Are you concerned about morale, laying off workers or disgruntled employees?

Our employees took to it quickly and have really liked it. We were worried they may resist it or feel like we were trying to cut them out with mechanization, or run them to death with the speed of the conveyors, etc. They can see that they are getting more done in less time with less physical work and

they still have their jobs, so there has been no real resistance to it at all. As a manager I always want to improve production, but I also want my employees to be happy and be on board with changes we implement so it looks like I will get both with this upgrade.

Any unintended consequences as a result of adopting the technology?

A machine like this speeds everything up so you have to adjust on the front end feeding it substrate and on the back end moving the plants out or else you will limit what you can get out of it. We had to buy more tracking trailers to help keep up with the plants the machine turns out and will probably have to get more Kubota RTVs or trucks for pulling trailers to keep up.

What about hidden installation costs?

Luckily, we already had a big pole barn and concrete pad in place, so we did not have that cost with the potting machine project.

We knew three-phase would be expensive, but then the actual wiring of the barn cost just as much as getting the three-phase power installed. It also took forever to get the contractor to install the three-phase. It is important to plan ahead if you are going to need power upgrades for your project.

Any more plans for technology adoption now that you can see the future clearer with this machine?

One good thing about this system is that it has many compatible upgrades and options you can add later. After we see how our one-gallon potting goes this year we may decide to add an auger/drill attachment to open holes in the bark for potting plugs. We may look at bumper tables and forklifts at some point, but that would be another big investment so that is probably further out. Additionally, adding conveyors to our truck loading process would cut down on the time and labor used to carry plants into trucks.

Have other growers talked with you about adopting automation since you installed this equipment?

I tell everyone they are welcome to come see what we are doing and will answer any questions we can. We learned a lot from other people in our research for this project (and in the nursery industry in general), so we are happy to help other people if we can. The main thing I tell people is to explore lots of options to make sure they get something that fits their operation and production. Nurseries are all so different, something that works great for one operation might not work well for someone else.

SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 19

NCGreenPrints.com NCNLA’s consumer website is an update to TarheelGardening.com.

It’s purpose is to engage both “next generation” young consumers and traditional audiences by connecting the quality of life, economic and environmental benefits that come from a well designed/maintained landscape using NC nursery crops. In addition to increasing the perceived value of NC trees and landscape plants, the site emphasizes the importance of hiring certified professionals and promotes green industry businesses across North Carolina.

NC GreenPrints.com is designed to provide next generation consumers with a clear, straightforward and easy way to learn more about NC nursery crops — and to connect with NCNLA’s community of members as the people who can provide those products and services. It offers all the knowledge, tools and product information consumers need on an accessible digital platform.

48 || NURSERY NURSERY & & LANDSCAPE LANDSCAPE NOTES NOTES || SPRING SPRING 2020 2017 20

BEST PRACTICE

How Grants Creek Nursery Uses Instagram

I

nstagram is a great tool for promoting your green industry business. The photo-sharing app is one of the fastest-growing social networking platforms with over one billion active users per month.

Unlike Facebook and Twitter, there are no clickable links to share, but by using the platform as a portfolio, you can engage with audiences by showcasing your products and services.

Meredith Croom of Grants Creek Nursery has been managing the company’s Instagram account (@ GrantsCreekNursery) for six years and has more than 1,500 followers.

“We had an existing Facebook account, so adding Instagram was just a natural progression,” said Croom. “I’m a very visual person, and the platform lends itself very well to visual representation – more pictures, less verbiage.”

SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 21

Hashtags Round-Up Here are a few popular hashtags for different segments of the green industry.

Be sure to also use the Instagram search function to find hashtags that work with your content.

Landscapers

Garden Centers

#LandscapersOfInstagram

#HangingBaskets

#NCLandscapers

#ContainerGardening

#WhyILandscape

#GardenDesignIdeas

Growers

Local

#PlantNurseries

#ShopLocalNC

#WholesalePlants

#BuyLocalNC

#FlowersOfInstagram

#gottobeNC

Because the platform is focused on sharing photographs, it is an ideal spot for landscapers, nurseries and retail garden centers to share completed projects, new plants and supplies and to promote events and sales.

You can also share behind-the-scenes images to give followers a glimpse into how your operation runs.

Instagram can also help position you or your company as an authority on a subject. By sharing tips and resources, you can provide useful content for your followers and demonstrate that your company is knowledgeable about various topics.

Croom also suggests that if you are showcasing another company’s product, you should tag them in your post.

You can search for their account to ensure you tag the correct one.

“Most companies love seeing you use their product,” Croom explained. “It gives them free exposure – and they will often share your post on their social media platforms, which also helps you.”

Adding Hashtags

One of the ways Instagram sets itself apart from other social platforms is through hashtags, which are topics tagged with a pound symbol (#) at the end of your post. New users can find your account by searching for hashtags of interest to them. You can look up a hashtag to see how popular it is by using the search feature in the app.

To help get you started, check out the sidebar for popular hashtags used by green industry businesses.

Once you find the hashtags that are appropriate for your business, plan to use them in every post for maximum exposure to potential followers. Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, but only use tags that work for the content in your post.

“Use your ‘notes’ app in your phone to list your most used hashtags so you can just copy and paste those instead of having to type them out each time,” suggested Croom.

Using Instagram Stories

The Stories feature on Instagram can be used as realtime marketing for your business. Your Stories show up as a highlighted circle around your user profile picture – and in an age where metrics can determine what a user sees, Stories can help get your account in front of followers faster.

Stories are only on your profile for 24 hours before they disappear. Information that may not be relevant later is appropriate for Stories because those entries will not appear on your profile permanently. With the Stories feature, you can promote sales and events, or provide a video of a project being completed.

The Stories feature is also useful for getting immediate feedback from customers on products and services.

22 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2020

Croom likes to use polls and ask questions in Stories so she can discover what her customers are most interested in seeing the company offer.

When to Post

With any social platform, on-going posts will keep your account relevant. Instagram is no exception. Find a schedule you can maintain, and then plan to post regularly so that your audience is continually engaged with your content, and to keep your company top of mind with followers.

Croom said she tries to post three times a day, but you can aim for three times a week at first. Give yourself time to find content and write your posts in advance, then create a schedule for when you want to post.

“If I post to Instagram Stories, I can take a few quick pictures from our retail store and post them. Regular posts take a few minutes because I try to utilize hashtags and a little verbiage,” explained Croom.

You can create your posts manually each time you want to share one, or use a social media management program like Hootsuite, which allows you to schedule content weeks in advance.

How to Get Followers

Once your Instagram account is up and you’ve made a few posts, be sure to share the link for your account.

You can put the link on your website, in your email signature and on your other social media accounts.

Croom advises green industry businesses to at least give the platform a try to help gain more exposure for your business.

With any social platform, on-going posts will keep your account relevant. Instagram is no exception.

Find a schedule you can maintain, and then plan to post regularly so that your audience is continually engaged with your content, and to keep your company top of mind with followers.

“You have nothing to lose,” she said. “It is very user friendly.”

SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 23

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24 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2020

INDUSTRY RESEARCH

Protecting Plants this Spring: Two Nursery Pests on the Horizon Multiple generations of Japanese maple scale makes a tree’s bark look crusty, because the old scale does not fall off.

Japanese Maple Scale

Japanese maple scale (Lopholeucaspis japonica) has been a problem for several years. It is a tiny (1-2mm) armored scale with a wide host range, including maples, dogwoods, hollies and boxwoods. Populations often go unnoticed until there are so many that they form a crustiness on the bark. Scouting is easiest in the dormant season and should be focused on branch crotches and buds on the oldest part of the tree.

Scale insects are protected with a coating of wax most of the year, so they are one of the more difficult pests to control. Insecticides must be chosen carefully and timed correctly, or they are a waste of money.

Crawlers start hatching around the time that oakleaf hydrangeas bloom and emerge over a long period of time, making single applications of contact insecticides limited. A second-generation hatches in late summer (August).

Dr. Karla Adesso’s lab at Tennessee State University has been trialing treatments. Their research has shown that the insect growth regulators Fulcrum and Talus

work best to control the insect. The first application should be applied with a dormant oil in late winter.

A second application of Fulcrum or Talus should be made when crawlers emerge. Systemic products like the neonicotinoids Merit or Marathon (imidacloprid) and (Safari) dinotefuran work well when used to target the crawler stage. These products should be put out about two weeks before crawlers emerge.

European Pepper Moth

European pepper moth (Duponchelia fovealis) is a new pest on the nursery scene in North Carolina. It is a major pest in container production, especially woody shrubs, perennials and annuals. Cooperative Extension set up a network of traps across the state last year and found that it is present in a significant number of container operations.

By Amanda Taylor Area Specialized AgentCommercial Ornamental Nursery & Greenhouse, Western Region

Damage caused by EPM resembles that caused by a root problem. It can also resemble nutrient deficiency, drought stress and root rot. Plants will begin to look thin, and outer leaves of perennials may die.

Leaves may also turn brown on the edges as the

SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 25

caterpillar feeds on the stem, interfering with the flow of water and nutrients out to the leaves, eventually girdling the stem. Plants grown in nurseries are often growing so fast that the plants will callus over the site where larvae have fed.

To find larvae, pull back the lower leaves and look for fine webbing mixed in with dead leaves and bark. Caterpillars will be found within the webbing and range in size from 1/8” to 3/4” and may be cream to brown to near black with a dark head capsule.

Traps can be used to see if you have European pepper moth at your nursery and to decide when to treat. Delta traps outfitted with a lure that attracts European pepper moth works well. Once European pepper moth becomes established at a nursery, it is extremely difficult to eradicate. Keep it out by scouting plants that are brought in and refusing infested stock.

Larvae of the European pepper moth are the most damaging life stage. Larvae have a dark head and cream to brown bodies. A European pepper moth larva (top) is pictured here with a fungus gnat larva (bottom).

Pesticide applications are most effective when targeting the larvae and, to a lesser extent, the adult stage of the pest. Because the larvae are down around the base of the plant, sprenches (spray to the point of runoff ) are most likely to contact them. Insecticides to sprench for larvae include Thuricide, Orthene, Intrepid, Mainspring, Acelepryn or Safari. Night sprays of Orthene or bifenthrin will target adults. Spraying for adults without also treating for larvae is not recommended.

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INDUSTRY RESEARCH

A Late Spring Disease and Insect Emerging in Nurseries Adult feeding damage from red-headed flea beetle

Cercospora Leaf Spot

Cercospora leaf spots on hydrangeas, particularly on bigleaf hydrangeas, are often seen as a concern later in summer or fall. However, initial infection usually occurs in May, but symptoms do not show up until later in the year. Initial spots are usually visible on older leaves later in the year and are purple and small. They later become tan in the center and have a purple or brown border. Plants in late summer or fall may develop leaves that yellow due to a high level of leaf spot infection. Excessive overhead irrigation and rainfall can increase infection.

Sanitation is an important part of management of this disease. Dead leaf debris in the growing area should be removed. Drip irrigation can also help prevent severe outbreaks.

There are several fungicides that have shown to be effective in IR-4 Trials (FRAC codes listed for rotation): azoxystrobin (11), chlorothalonil (M5), myclobutanil

(3), propaconazole (3) and thiophanate methyl (1) are the active ingredients that have done well in past tests.

There may be newer products that work well also, but I am not aware of research with newer products. These products work best if applied just prior to or at first sign of leaf spot development. Repeat applications should be made every 10-14 days as labeled if environmental conditions are right for development.

Red-headed Flea Beetle

By Danny Lauderdale

In late spring and early summer, one of the most damaging pests to be on the lookout for is red-headed flea beetle in container ornamental nursery production. As early as 500 GDD (growing degree days based on 50 degrees Fahrenheit) adults can emerge from plants overwintered in protection houses, but it can be as late as 900 GDD if plants were kept outdoors during the winter.

Area Specialized AgentCommercial Ornamental Nursery & Greenhouse, Eastern Region

This is usually May or June, depending on where you are in the state. I have reviewed the lifecycle of this SPRING 2020 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 27

Leaf feeding beetles (such as cucumber beetle, elm leaf beetle, willow leaf beetle, flea beetles, weevils, Japanesee beetles)

Insecticide

Recommended Exposure Index

Insecticide IRAC # for rotational purposes

Products can be used in Greenhouse, Landscape, and/or Nursery

acephate (Orthene)

12hr

1A

G, L,N

acetamiprid (TriStar)

12hr

4A

G, L, N

azadirachtin (AzatinXL)

4hr

18B

G, L N

Beauveria bassiana (BotaniGard)

4hr

bilenthrin (Onyx,Talstar)

12hr

3

Follow label

bilenthrin + clothianidin (Aloft)

12hr

4 +4A

L

bilenthrin + lmidacloprid (Allectus)

12hr

3 +4A

L

carbaryl (Sevin )

12hr

3

L ,N

chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryn)

4 hr

28

L

cyfluthrin + imidacloprid (Discus)

12hr

3+4A

N

dinoetluran (Safari)

12hr

4A

G, L, N

horticultural oil (various)

4hr

imidacloprid (Merit, Marathon 11, others )

12 hr

insecticidal soaps

12 hr

lsaria fumosorosea (NoFly, Preleral)

4-12 (see label)

UN

Follow label

spinosad (Conserve SC)

4 hr

5

G, N

spinetoram + sulloxaflor (XXpire)

12 hr

4C + 5

G, L, N

thiamethoxam (Flagship)

12 hr

4A

G, N

G, L,N

G, N, L 4A

Follow label G, L N

insect here before, and that article can be found in the Winter 2017 edition of Nursery & Landscape Notes or on my website at https://wilson.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/ uploads/2017/02/2017-Nursery-Landscape-Notes-RHFB-Article.pdf Adults are exceedingly difficult to control if targeting them with foliar sprays is your only approach. The table above shows a list of products labeled for treating foliage for leaf-feeding beetle management in ornamentals from the 2020 NC Agricultural Chemicals manual.

Note that the list is not all inclusive, as there are other products on the market that are labeled to manage flea beetles in ornamentals. The list is included for reference of some of the products available. Rotating among IRAC # groups is important to prevent resistance.

Cercospora leaf spot damage showing purple or brown spots

My research work has shown that drench or granular application of systemic insecticides can greatly reduce populations and damage, but they are best used at very specific times and in ways that I do not have space to cover here.

If you have questions about managing cercospora leaf spot or red-headed flea beetles, contact me at danny_ lauderdale@ncsu.edu

28 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2020

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National Events Cultivate ‘20

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