Nursery & Landscape Notes Spring 2016

Nursery Landscape Notes & Spring 2016 | Vol. 50, No. 2

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

Housing Outlook 2016 Finding Paths to Profits

SUCCESS IN A SNAPSHOT

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Nursery Landscape Notes &

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YOU’RE KNOWN BY THE

Spring 2016 | Vol. 50, No. 2

COMPANY YOU KEEP.

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FEATURED PRODUCT

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44 COMMENTARY

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President’s Message

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NCNLA Executive Vice President’s Message

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NCNLA NEWS

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Meet NCNLA's New Board Members

and prevents broadleaf weeds

Member Spotlight: Carl Meyers

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Vendor Spotlight: Cardinal Turf & Ornamental

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We proudly carry products from these manufacturers

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AROUND OUR INDUSTRY

Housing Outlook 2016: Finding Paths to Profits Economic Outlook 2016

Industry News: Current and Emerging Pests in NC

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Federal Update

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Part 1: NC Housing Market Overlook - Raleigh/Durham

Best Practices: Increased Smarts Pays Off in Profits

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Wake Up and Smell the Opportunity

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The Raleigh-Durham-Triangle housing market is booming — and landscapers are in short supply.

C O M M I T T E D T O T H E CA R O L I N A S

RESEARCH UPDATE

WILSON • GREENSBORO • ABERDEEN • WILMINGTON • LINWOOD • KINSTON

New Research to Help You Beat Ambrosia Beetles

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Plant Right: A Science-Based Protocol to Assess Plant Invasiveness

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Highlights from NCNLA's Record-Breaking Education Conference and Marketplace.

New Members

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Calendar of Events

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On the Cover

Advertiser’s Index

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©2016 Cardinal Turf & Ornamental. A division of Triangle Chemical Company. Always read and follow label directions.

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Jobs, Wages, Housing and the Green Industry.

Green & Growin’ 2016: Success in a Snapshot 24

On the Cover: Photo Courtesy of Greenleaf Services, 2015’s Excellence in the Landscape Awards Grand Award and Best in Show Winner.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 3

Supporting North Carolina Agriculture for 100 Years

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

NCNLA Staff Corey Connors Executive Vice President Cody Lewis Director of Finance & Administration Kakki Collins Director of Programs & Events Kaley Jacobs Manager of Marketing & Communications Judi Neff Manager of Member Services 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 1200 horticulture producers, landscape professionals and industry suppliers.

NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES is provided as a member service.

2016 NCNLA Board of Directors Brad Rollins, President Fairview Garden Center Raleigh, NC

Hugh Crump Greenline Designs, Charlotte, NC

Chad Gragg, Vice President/Secretary/ Treasurer Robert M. Gragg & Sons Lenoir, NC

Lynn McCleneghen Parker Landscape Services, Cary, NC

Kirk Davis, Past President Patterson’s Nursery East Charlotte, NC

Call us about financing for: • Equipment and nursery stock • Buildings and fences • Land and lots • Homes • More Farm Credit knows a thing or two about lending, and we’re a friend you can depend on. We’ve been a stable source of financing to North Carolina agriculture for 100 years. Whether it’s financing for your nursery business, land, a lot or a new home, we know your needs are as diverse as the landscape across our state. Call us. We’re the experts.

Conrad Hayter New Garden Landscaping & Nursery Greensboro, NC Jamie Thomas Swift Creek Nursery Clayton, NC Shanon Spivey Spivey's Nursery, Inc. Kernersville, NC

Chris Mitchell Ewing Irrigation and Landscape Supply, Garner, NC Educational Advisors Justin Snyder, Alamance Community College Graham, NC Dr. John Dole, NC State University Raleigh, NC

Advertising

Visit our website for more information.

For Advertising rates and content submission, contact the NCNLA office for a Marketing Opportunities Kit. 919-816-9119 ext 102 Kjacobs@ncnla.com The including of products or brand names in this publication is not an endorsement by the editor, or the North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association.

Purpose Statement

NCNLA's purpose is to be a flexible, knowledgeable, responsive, environmentally-conscious organization providing the nursery and landscape industries with leadership, technological and business advancement opportunities, and information services.

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Goal Statement

NCNLA's ultimate goal is to benefit its members’ economic, professional and personal growth ©2016 NCNLA.

NCNLA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Spring, the Two-Headed Monster

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y the time this edition of Nursery and Landscape Notes hits your desk, we will be in the heat of battle with the spring season at our store. In 2015, our garden center produced just a shade over 60 percent of our gross sales in the months of March, April and May. If you remove March, 53% came in during April and May alone.

I am sure that no one is surprised that the spring season is the money maker in a garden center, but I bet those percentages might have caught a few off guard. I lose sleep every time rain is forecast during an April or May weekend.

Years ago, the fall months provided a fairly decent boost in sales, but times (and our customers) are different. Fall can sometimes feel like nothing more than a bump in the road on the way to next spring.

How we diversify and produce other profit centers throughout the year is a conversation for another day. Today the issue is holding on to the money that we are producing this spring.

For us, the challenge is primarily a two-headed monster: inventory management and labor.

Managing inventory is a game we play on a daily basis. Knowing when to discount and move product is a learned skill and also a bit of a gift.

Sure, there is science in numbers and trends, but every season is different.

“Managing inventory is a game we play on a daily basis.

Knowing when to discount and move product is a learned skill and also a bit of a gift.”

For each of our product categories we have a ballpark figure that we would like to see at the end of every month. The number does not have to be exact, but it needs to be close. Staying slim and efficient with inventory while hitting margin goals helps us achieve a greater return on investment.

Labor budgeting on a retail level is a little easier than inventory management. Using past labor budgets combined with any major changes to sales goals can give a weekly labor budget number by department. Our department managers schedule their employees based solely on this number.

If you were to plot our weekly sales curve on a graph, the labor curve would, obviously, closely mimic the peaks and valleys of the sales curve. We typically go from around 45 full and part time employees on May 1st to roughly 20 combined during the off season. Ensuring that we stay within the parameters of the labor budget is the major key to our profitability, especially as a retail-grower.

There are many other aspects of our business that we analyze every day to maximize the fruits of our labor. Inventory and labor just happen to be the largest and most complex. What are the biggest hurdles for your company throughout the rest of the year? Have you forecast, budgeted and prepared to keep as much of your spring earnings as possible?

*not available at all locations

Ag L o ans / Hom e L o ans / L an d L o ans / Appr ais a ls Fin an c i a l Pl anning / C rop Insur an c e / L ife Insur an c e / L e a sing

Ag L oans / Home L oans / L and L oans / Appraisals / Financial Planning* / Crop Insurance* / L ife Insurance / L easing

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 5

NCNLA EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Segway O

Fungicide

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Greenhouse & Nursery Fungicide #segway_o @OHPSolutions ohp.com (800) 356-4647

have been speaking with a number of voicemail inboxes recently, yet another sign that spring has officially sprung across North Carolina. All indications suggest that the industry is off to a very strong start this year, building on the uptick in demand for products and services that we’ve seen over the last two. While optimism remains somewhat cautious, most folks report that they’re “wide open” right now.

I’ve come to understand that’s a good thing around these parts (being “wide open” in DC is generally considered not good).

Looking back on the last year-plus, it’s clear that your Board of Directors set a foundation for success through implementation of NCNLA’s FY2015-2016 strategic plan. The Board’s “fall back” to sound fundamentals coupled with greater focus of the resources needed to take NCNLA programs from good to great has paid off. The success of Green & Growin’ 16, with substantial growth across all metrics, is proof that our industry is a vibrant community with extraordinary potential energy.

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For NCNLA, its kinetic

2016 marks the time to “spring forward” and unleash NCNLA’s kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is energy that an object or system possesses by virtue of being in motion. Unlike potential energy, kinetic energy can be transferred from one object to another. In basic physics, a rolling bowling ball has kinetic energy as it travels down the alley. When the ball strikes pins, it transfers the kinetic energy necessary to knock them down. For NCNLA, its kinetic energy is transferred to our members when we provide impactful programs and services that make a positive difference on member business performance.

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6 | NURSERY LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRINGtrademark 2016 of Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. | MOA = Mode of Action © 2016& OHP, Inc. Segway is a registered

energy is transferred to our members when we provide impactful programs

Neat metaphors, but what does that all mean? In short, its “go time.” Within the next 12 months, NCNLA will be:

CMY

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Corey Connors Executive Vice President

Potential energy, by definition, is the stored energy in an object or system because of its position or configuration. Maybe the best way to describe potential energy is that a compressed spring (the object, not the season) contains more potential energy than a spring that has been uncoiled. In other words, it’s pent-up energy that is waiting to be released. The Board’s repositioning and reconfiguration of NCNLA’s resources has generated considerable potential energy for the organization to better serve its membership.

PERFORMANCE IN A

K

Time to Spring Forward

INSECTICIDES FUNGICIDES MITICIDES PGRS HERBICIDES

and services that make

Relaunching BuyNCPlants.com on a more innovative platform, enabling growers and suppliers to better market inventory to a larger number of wholesale buyers in real-time while providing greater insight for members to anticipate shifts in trends and demand.

a positive difference

Working with an outside marketing firm to establish a more substantial industry value proposition with the next generation of end consumers, communicating this enhanced value through new consumer facing websites and through advertising across a multitude of mediums in-state (TV, radio, social media, etc.).

on member business performance.

Taking our industry’s message on the road to well-regarded industry events in the midwest and northeast, positioning NCNLA members’ products as “musts” in an ever-evolving national marketplace that is seeking the quality and value that our members consistently provide.

Continued on page 8

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 7

As this dynamic industry continues to evolve in a changing marketplace, so too must the organization that supports its members’ economic, professional and personal growth.

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Expanding our knowledge base and more robustly informing NCNLA’s strategic direction through implementation of NCNLA’s new volunteer leadership structure, bringing together the industry’s best and brightest at this summer’s first Volunteer Leadership Summit.

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Rolling-out NCNLA’s new Scholarship Endowment to full scale, permitting our industry to better support the development of the next generation of owners and managers while allowing them to understand that commercial horticulture is a viable career choice.

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Creating more relevant and diverse educational opportunities across the scope of NCNLA member businesses and across the spectrum of each company’s people structure (owners, managers, technicians, etc.).

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Continuing to improve and invest in well-regarded NCNLA programs and services, including Green & Growin’, to ensure what NCNLA does delivers the highest possible value to all stakeholders to secure forward momentum.

MEET NCNLA’S NEW BOARD MEMBERS Three new members were elected to the NCNLA Board of Directors during the association’s annual membership meeting, Jan. 14 in Greensboro, NC. Beginning three-year terms are:

Past-President Kirk Davis Patterson’s Nursery, Charlotte, NC Director Conrad Hayter New Garden Landscaping and Nursery, Inc., Greensboro, NC

Your Board of Directors has empowered NCNLA not just to do stuff, but to take action in delivering programs and services that provide greater value to you, our members.



Launched in May of 2015 by NCNLA, in partnership with the Future Farmers of America (FFA), the Certified Young Plant Professional (CYPP) certification has certified eleven high school students from across the state of North Carolina. CYPP distinguishes young green industry professionals and provides the green industry with a means of identifying qualified young nursery professionals.

Upcoming CYPP Test Dates: Certified Plant Professional (CPP) is a North Carolina certification administered by the North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association (NCNLA). Certification recognizes proficiency in the nursery workforce, upgrades the status of the nursery professional, and provides the public with a means of identifying qualified nursery professionals.

To become a CPP, an applicant must: n

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Pass a two-part exam – comprised of a written test and a plant identification test.

Document 12 months of experience in plant production.

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May 17 - Graham

Hugh Crump Greenline Design, Inc., Charlotte, NC

Lynn McCleneghen Parker Landscape Services, Inc., Apex, NC

Crump is president of Greenline Design, Inc., the full-service landscape design-build firm he founded in 1991. An NC Licensed Landscape Contractor and life-long resident, he is a pastpresident of the American Boxwood Society.

McCleneghen is the landscape designer at Parker Landscape Services, Inc. She holds a B.S. in Ornamental Horticulture from Virginia Tech and previously served on the board of the North Carolina Landscape Contractors Board.

Chris Mitchell Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply, Garner, NC Mitchell is an account manager at Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply. He earned his B.S. in Horticulture/Landscape Design from NC State University. Mitchell is Secretary-Treasurer of the North Carolina Landscape Contractors Licensing Board and a past-president of the North Carolina Green Industry Council.

Director Shanon Spivey Spivey’s Nursery, Inc., Kernersville, NC Director Jamie Thomas Swift Creek Nursery, Clayton, NC

Kirk Davis passes the Gavel to new NCNLA President Brad Rollins.

Now online! Free for NCNLA members.

NC SALES & USE TAX WEBINAR VIDEO

North Carolina’s new Sales and Use Tax rules took effect March 1. Learn how they impact Green Industry businesses — and what YOU need to do right now!

The video of NCNLA’s Sales & Use Tax Webinar is now online, and members can watch it for FREE! The video of the original March 4 webinar presented by Ken Martin CPA includes: n

NC Sales & Use Tax law overview

Upcoming CPP Test Dates:

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What constitutes a "tax on services"

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May 17 - Graham

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Changes made by the NC General Assembly last fall

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September 15 - Asheville

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October 7 - Fayetteville

Types of industry businesses and activities to which the new law applies

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October 27 - Greenville

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NCNLA member Q&A

For more information on CPP & CYPP, please visit ncnla.com 8 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

President Brad Rollins Fairview Greenhouses and Garden Center, Raleigh, NC Vice-President/Secretary/Treasurer Chad Gragg Robert M. Gragg & Sons, Lenoir, NC

Every association does stuff. Unfortunately, too many associations underserve their membership and drift away from their mission by continuing to do stuff (or to do stuff in a particular way) that matters less than it once did. As this dynamic industry continues to evolve in a changing marketplace, so too must the organization that supports its members’ economic, professional and personal growth.

So that together, we will spring forward.

NCNLA’s newest board members join those who continue their terms of service:

About the presenter Ken Martin, CPA, is Senior Tax Partner at Stancil & Co., in Raleigh, NC

Visit www.ncnla.com and click “Sales & Tax Webinar” in the Latest News section.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 9

NCNLA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Five Minutes with Carl Meyers, Appalachian Naturescapes, Inc.

Appalachian Naturescapes, Inc. Morganton, NC Owners Carl P. Meyers Jr., and Terrel W. Knutson Services Custom landscaping Years in Business 20 Employees 15-20 Annual Revenue $1.5 – 3 million

Carl Meyers and wife Stephanie with their children Abby and Will.

Work in progress. Those boulders the crew is placing weigh 10-11 tons each.

Boulders and conifers feature heavily in the native style mountain landscapes that are Appalachian Naturescapes’ signature style.

Appalachian Naturescapes joined NCNLA four years ago because they wanted to get more involved in the industry. Right away they started networking with industry peers and attending NCNLA events, such as Green & Growin’. In 2014, they made waves by becoming a double winner of the Excellence in the Landscape Awards (EILA). We recently spent some time talking with founder and co-owner, Carl Meyers.

NC State and have been partners for 17 years. My role is mostly design and sales as well as oversight of the office.

us. Many times people call and say, “We want what you guys do.”

I try to schedule a couple of days per week for designing and estimating. Our excellent office staff usually schedules appointments for new clients on Wednesdays. The rest of the week is left for meeting with existing clients.

Since I am currently the only person in our company with a license to drive our 18-wheeler, I also do some logistics work moving boulders and equipment.

Describe your biggest challenge.

What led you to a career in the green industry and to form Appalachian Naturescapes?

When I was 13 my neighbors built a greenhouse where they grew annuals. I started riding my bike there and working after school and on weekends. I worked there all through junior high, high school and two years at Western Piedmont Community College.

As I learned more and more about plants, I noticed that the local “landscapers” didn’t know very much about the plants that we were selling them, but they all drove new trucks. So, I thought that somebody with a degree in Horticulture from NC State could probably make a good living, so that’s what I did.

After graduating I took a job in Seattle, thinking I would go to the University of Washington and get my masters degree in Landscape Architecture, but I got homesick.

So I moved back into my parent’s basement and started this company.

What are your main responsibilities?

I’m blessed to have a great business partner, Terrel Knutson, who runs the general operations. We met at 10 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

Tell us about a typical day.

Two or three days per week I take our kids, Abby (13) and Will (10), to school. My wife, Stephanie, works two days on/two days off at Baxter Pharma. If Terrel needs anything laid out for an install crew or help with logistics I try to work that in next if I have no meetings scheduled.

Having designated days for specific tasks really makes my week run more efficiently. It’s also easier for our office staff to schedule my time. I also conduct bi-weekly meetings with office staff and operations to make sure that everyone — maintenance, install, the nursery and operations are working together toward company-wide objectives.

Tell us about your business. What makes it stand out?

Appalachian Naturescapes designs, installs, and maintains native style mountain landscapes. We use lots of boulders and conifers. We build walls, steps, patios, stream beds — all with boulders. That is our brand. Our market knows our product before they even know it’s

Landscape contracting is a dynamic profession. Staff, clients, weather, equipment, plants — those are just a few of the constantly changing variables. You can’t be complacent. You always have to be ready to evolve and adapt.

Last year, the company's "Teeter Residence" submission netted two 2014 Excellence in the Landscape Awards.

What has been the most rewarding part of your career?

we need to be. We have way more overhead than those trades and a lot of our professionals charge about half.

In 2011 we realized that the market around Morganton was almost saturated with our work; and our competition was copying our look. We decided to try to branch out and become a more regional company. To do that, we improved our website; sponsored two seasons of “In the Garden,” with Bryce Lane, on PBS; and we joined NCNLA. We also took a booth at the Green & Growin’ Marketplace in 2012 and 2013.

It is an awesome feeling to be recognized by our peers.

We were pretty confident that our product was beautiful and unique, so we participated in the awards program.

Winning twice — over bigger companies serving much larger markets — was the most personally rewarding thing I’ve ever experienced. NCNLA’s awards banquet also is well done, and the G&G Marketplace trade show is first rate.

NCNLA strengthens our network in the horticulture industry and promotes higher levels of professionalism.

In Canada, landscape professionals are considered tradesmen like plumbers and electricians. That’s where

Do you have any advice for someone trying to start a business or career in North Carolina’s Green Industry?

1. Work for someone else. Spend just a few years early in your career working for an established business and you’ll learn a lot.

2. Visit other businesses. Find companies outside of your market that are not in direct competition with you and go learn from them. The green industry has great people who will share a lot of information with you.

At this year's Green & Growin' Awards Ceremony, Carl Meyers (left) and Terril Knutson (right) received the 2015 Excellence in the Landscape Distinction Award for their "Julien Residence" installation. NCNLA president Brad Rollins made the presentation.

"We decided to try to become a more regional company. To do that we improved our website... and we joined NCNLA." — Carl Meyers, Jr.

3. Build personal relationships. Tommy Massey, the owner of Wakefield Nursery and Landscaping, visited our class at NC State 20 years ago and his advice was this: When you have your own business you need three relationships — a banker, an accountant and an attorney — with people you can call or go to see at the drop of a hat whenever you need advice. You can’t be just a customer to them and get the best support; invest time in building relationships and it will pay dividends.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 11

NCNLA VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Sunjoy Tangelo ®

Cardinal Turf & Ornamental, a Division of Triangle Chemical Company

Berberis

A zingy orange accent to spice up any landscape! This new, bright and cheery, barberry has vivid orange foliage that develops a distinctive chartreuse margin as the season goes on. Stronger growing than other variegated cultivars, it is colorful in the landscape from spring to fall.

Terri Vander Meulen, Southeast Account Representative, 616-223-3377 Ornamentals Manager Cam Coor at the Green & Growin’ 2016 Marketplace.

On the job at the NCSU ‘Turf Grass Field Day’ (left to right): Bert Walton, Kyle Lancaster, Randy Brown, Brandon Britt, Paul Jett, Brian Hicks, Terry Kallam.

And joining the crew back at work (left to right): Randy Brown, Anthony Whitehead, Mark Sellers, James Duke, Terry Kallam, Thomas Page, Bert Walton, Brandon Britt.

With distribution centers across the state and strong support from a new “parent,” Cardinal Turf & Ornamental is on the move. Here’s a snapshot.

TCC). “Cardinal is firmly committed to the turf and ornamental business,” said Kallam.

Past, Present, Future Cardinal Turf & Ornamental A Division of Triangle Chemical Company Headquarters Macon, GA Top Team Gene Maddux, President Dick Maddux, Executive Vice President Terry Kallam, General Manager In Business Since 1974 (Cardinal was 1974, TCC was 1947) Employees: 200+

1974: Partners Joe Burks, Marshall Donovan, Fred Woodfin and Don Williamson go into the agricultural chemicals business, opening Cardinal Chemicals, in Kinston, NC. Under the guidance of Burks and with the support of Richard Maddux, owner of Triangle Chemical Company (TCC) in Macon, GA, Cardinal expands to 12 locations throughout the state.

2011: Cardinal’s focus shifts. The company invests heavily in the specialty side of the business and brings on a dedicated team of turf and ornamentals representatives to serve that market segment.

2012: Cardinal joins NCNLA. “It has been extremely valuable in helping us reach more customers,” said General Manager Terry Kallam.

2016: After acquiring Cardinal Turf & Ornamental in October of last year, TCC has begun to expand that side of the business into Georgia, Florida and Mississippi.

Distribution Warehouses NC: Aberdeen, Greensboro, Kinston, Linwood, Wilmington, Wilson

Products/Services

Atlanta, GA Mascotte, FL

Cardinal concentrates on specialty market clients — golf courses, lawn care, sports turf, sod and ornamental growers. (The agricultural segment is served through

Cardinal is a full service distributor of chemicals, fertilizer, seed and specialty products.

Key Customers

12 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

100c / 0m / 81y / 66k

45c / 15m / 90y / 20

www.springmeadownursery.com 800-633-8859

Chief Challenge Managing inventory in a cyclical market isn’t easy. The team at Cardinal works hard to make sure the right products are in stock at the right time, so that they can be delivered to customers in a timely manner.

Business Philosophy

NCNLA-April_Tangelo.indd 1

2/29/16 1:00 PM

Providing the Landscape & Garden Center Industry with Quality Plants Since 1985

“TCC and Cardinal operate as a family, and our customers are part of that family,” Kallam said. “We believe in going the extra mile for our customers, because that extra effort helps set us apart from the competition.”

The website puts it this way: We go by the “Cardinal Rules” and try to make your life a little greener, a little cleaner and a whole lot easier.

A Bit About TCC Triangle Chemical Company is a full service wholesale/retail distributor of agricultural chemicals, seed, fertilizer, and technology throughout the Southeast, providing services to the row crop, vegetable, tree crop, turf, and ornamental industries. Founded in 1947, the Macon, GA, family business now has its fourth generation actively involved. Triangle is also a founding member of Tenkoz Inc., the largest distribution entity for crop protection products in the United States.

Sampson Nursery, Inc. "Quality You Can Grow On"

CONTAINER GROWN:

AZALEAS I CAMELLIAS I CONIFERS I HOLLIES NATIVE I ORNAMENTAL PLANTS I AND MUCH MORE! Delivery Throughout Mid-Atlantic

Nursery Location: 350 Alvin Rd. Godwin, NC 28344. (50 miles south of Raleigh) Tel: (800) 567-2909 Fax: (910) 567-6011 Email: sales@sampsonnursery.com. Web: www.sampsonnursery.com SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 13

Economic Outlook

2 16

Jobs, Wages, Housing and the Green Industry

By Dr. Charlie Hall, Texas A&M University

In December, the Federal Reserve raised short-term interest rates for the first time in nine and a half years. In the statement, the Fed signaled that policy will still be accommodative, that future action will be data-dependent, and that the pace of rate increase is likely to be gradual. None of that should be a surprise, in that officials viewed the risks to growth and inflation as “balanced.�

14 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

January 2016 Single Family Home Building Permits US Overall and Top Five States (Data in Thousands) United States 45.679 Texas

7.301

Florida

5.268

California

2.726

North Carolina

2.510

Georgia

2.380

Source: National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 15

Single Family Home Sales in Thousands Total New 503

Existing 4,627

5,130

2016

592

4,681

5,273

2017

753

4,792

5,545

2015

National Association of Home Builders Housing Forecast

Top North Carolina New Home Metros

Total Housing Starts in Thousands Single Family

Multifamily

Total

2015

712

394

1,106

2016

817

396

1,213

2017

1,021

414

1,435

Source, NAHB Housing and Economic Forecast, March 2, 2016. Data are averages of seasonally adjusted quarterly data and may not match annual data published elsewhere

In September 2015, sales of existing homes rose to 5.6 million, nearly nine percent over September 2014, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). That’s the second-fastest pace since early 2007.

However, several officials noted lingering concerns, including the impact of a strong dollar and the lessthan-stellar prospects for China. There are also differing views on the amount of slack in the job market and the prospects for inflation returning to the Fed’s 2 percent goal.

I have a mildly optimistic outlook for 2016 in that I expect the broad economy to continue to expand at a moderate pace. Most macroeconomic modelers that I follow expect a growth rate between 2 and 2.5 percent, possibly a little higher.

That rate of growth should be sufficient to maintain positive momentum in employment conditions.

Growing employment—in both jobs and hours—adds to aggregate household incomes that, in turn, keep consumer activity growing and is very important politically in an election year.

16 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

The hiring trend in our economy has been quite encouraging. The official unemployment rate is 5.0 percent. This statistic doesn't tell the whole story, and there is still a gap to be closed, but we're making impressive progress. Over the next year or so, I believe we'll see measures of unemployment and under employment fall within the range most economists equate with full employment. Full (or maximum) employment is one of the two congressionally mandated objectives of monetary policy.

As we move through 2016, I expect to see growing signs of a tightening labor market. Wage growth, for example, should accelerate as labor markets tighten.

In fact, a lot of green industry business contacts have said in recent months that it is increasingly difficult to find and retain employees. There is not yet convincing evidence of faster broad-based wage growth, but there

Asheville Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord (SC) Durham Greensboro-High Point Raleigh-Cary Wilmington Winston-Salem Source: NAHB Total Housing Starts Forecast, October 2015

were some hints of a pickup in wage growth in the second half of 2015.

After more than a decade of head-snapping ups and downs, the housing market has settled into a steadier, less-spectacular groove. In 2015, home prices nationally rose 4 percent, following a 6.4 percent hike in 2014, according to Clear Capital, a provider of real estate data and analysis. Kiplinger forecasts that home prices will moderate even more in 2016, rising 3 percent — at the low end of the historical range.

In September 2015, sales of existing homes rose to 5.6 million, nearly nine percent over September 2014, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). That’s the second-fastest pace since early 2007.

NAR economists say the trend represents the release of pent-up demand by homeowners who have regained enough equity to sell and trade up. But when you

North Carolina New Home Starts Forecast for 2016

62,200 Up 22.7% over 2015

combine that with homeowners who might move but are stuck because they don’t have enough equity, plus a notable lack of newly built homes, you have a shortfall of homes for sale.

That tight supply is the speed bump for many home buyers, as well as for sellers who want to trade up.

Nationwide, inventory has hovered at about five months’ supply (the time it would take to sell the current number of homes for sale at the current pace), which is considered equally favorable for buyers and sellers. But inventory in many cities is much lower and strongly favors sellers.

As we move through 2016, I expect to see growing signs of a tightening labor market. Wage growth, for example, should accelerate as labor markets tighten. In fact, a lot of green industry business contacts have said in recent months that it is increasingly difficult to find and retain employees.

Homeowners who want to sell and have enough equity to cover the transaction costs face a chicken-and-egg situation. They won’t list their home until they’ve found their next home, and they can’t do that until there are more houses for sale. New construction will help break SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 17

2015 2016

Top 10 Significant Problems Builders Faced During 2015 and Expect to Face in 2016 Faced Last Year

Expected This Year 71%

Cost/availability of labor Cost/availability of developed lots

58% 59%

Federal environmental regulations and policies

55% 57%

Regulation of banking/ financial institutions

the stalemate but not anytime soon. A lack of buildable lots, skilled labor, and construction loans have held builders back.

Many homeowners don't have enough equity to move up, and that’s adding to the scarcity of homes, especially at the entry level. Meanwhile, as the economy has improved, members of the millennial generation are moving out on their own in greater numbers. They want to buy, but many aren’t ready yet. Burdened by student debt and high rents, they’re struggling to save for a down payment and qualify for a mortgage.

Housing starts are on pace to increase by more than 10 percent in 2015. And even after the significant increase over the last four years, the approximately 1.1 million housing starts in 2015 will still be the 11th lowest on an annual basis since the Census Bureau started tracking starts in 1959 (the seven lowest years were 2008 through 2014). The other lower years were the bottoms of previous recessions.

Most analysts are looking for starts to increase to around 1.25 million in 2016, and for new home sales around 560 thousand. This would be an increase of around 12 percent for both starts and new home sales. I think there will be further growth in 2016, but I'm a little more pessimistic than some analysts. Some key areas, like Houston, will be hit hard by the decline in oil prices.

To achieve double-digit growth for new home sales in 2016, builders would have to offer lower priced homes. In recent years the focus has been on higherpriced houses. There has been a shift to offering more 18 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

Expected This Year

65%

52% 48%

Concern about employment/ economic situation

Building material prices

Faced Last Year

53% 55%

Inaccurate appraisals

Local/state environmental regulations and policies

Share of Single-Family Builders Reporting Labor Costs/Availability Problems

53% 53%

Impact/hook-up/inspection or other fees

Gridlock/uncertainty in Wash. making buyers cautious

76%

47%

46% 44%

42%

51%

55%

53%

49%

68%

71%

76%

61%

53%

30% 21% 13%

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Source: HMI Survey, NAHB EcHp.

56%

affordable new homes, but it takes time.

My guess is growth of around 4 to 8 percent in 2016 for new home sales, and about the same percentage growth for housing starts. Also, I think the mix between multifamily and single family starts will shift a little more towards single family in 2016.

The downturn in housing and its less-than-stellar recovery have had a profound impact on green industry product sales in recent years.

Bedding plant growers have had an easier market in which to compete, as households have tended to downsize their plant purchases — choosing smaller but more numerous plants at lower price points in an attempt to maximize their purchasing power. Interestingly, the only plant categories that experienced increases in the number of households buying them during this time were in the edibles category.

In the next few years, however, current housing market trends point to an increased demand for green industry products and services.

Bedding plant growers have had an easier market in which to compete, as households have tended to downsize their plant purchases — choosing smaller but more numerous plants at lower price points in an attempt to maximize their purchasing power.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 19

NC Housing Market Overlook - Raleigh/Durham

Wake Up and Smell the Opportunity!

The Raleigh-Durham-Triangle housing market is booming — and landscapers are in short supply. Here’s perspective from folks in the field.

Part 1 of a series on housing markets around the state.

Watch for Part II in the next issue of NLN.

Low inventory and high demand for new and resale homes is a tough but welcome challenge for Wake County builders and realtors. We talked to four members of the local housing community about how 2016 is shaping up and what that means for green industry businesses.

President at The Jim Allen Group and Wake County realtor Jim Allen is the #1 Caldwell Banker agent in North America – a spot he’s held for the past three years.

Jay Colvin, a director of Metrostudy provides information on the Wake County housing market.

What do you see happening in the RaleighDurham-Triangle market this year?

KANE: Technology businesses are a very large part of the Wake County economy, so it doesn’t cycle the same as other areas. The entire Raleigh-Durham-Triangle area is very strong right now and I’m not seeing anything on the horizon suggesting it’s going to slow down anytime soon.

ALLEN: The Triangle is the strongest economic market in the country. There are more than 1,000 companies here with at least 100 employees. On the new homes side, a shortage of developed lots is holding us back.

We stopped developing new home lots for three years after the market dropped in 2008 and we’ve been behind the curve ever since. In places like North Raleigh, all the new homes are in the $800,000 to $1.5 million range. There are no lots available for new homes under $600,000.

COLVIN: It’s strong, but transitioning. New home production is up 3-5% over 2015. The supply of entrylevel homes is limited due to the high cost of development and construction. At the higher price points it’s more stable, but there’s still some softness. The southwest portion of Wake County continues to drive a majority of production.

KANE: Inadequate labor is a real thing — I haven’t talked to a builder yet who hasn’t felt that impact. It’s holding back the ability of us to grow as fast as we can.

MASSENGILL: I think it’s going to be a very good and busy year. There’s a lot of activity in the Triangle — not a

20 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

Paul Kane is executive vice president of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Raleigh – Wake County

Custom homebuilder Blake Massengill, owner of Massengill Design Build, is second vice president of the RaleighWake County HBA.

lot of housing inventory but a lot of demand. About 60 people move into Wake County every day. About half of my buyers are people moving around and the rest are people moving from out of state.

We build about 40 houses a year. Most of my buyers are empty nesters or young execs that travel constantly.

They’re looking for low maintenance, high quality homes on smaller lots.

“The Triangle is the strongest economic market in the country.”

— Jim Allen

What are the general building trends with relation to landscaping?

COLVIN: There are more empty nesters and downsizers as baby boomers age and retire, so there’s a higher proportion of housing products offering low/no maintenance. The density there is higher and there are more common areas and landscapes that are maintained by homeowners associations.

MASSENGILL: When we’re doing the yard maintenance, we want to keep HOA fee low, so we fully sod the yard with a warm season grass like Bermuda and very hardy plants that tend not to be too temperamental.

“The southwest portion of Wake County continues to drive a majority of production.”

— Jay Colvin

KANE: A bunch of builders and remodelers have become Certified Aging in Place Specialists and they’re busy retrofitting homes for people who don’t want to move. That obviously includes landscaping, because it usually means changing the entryway to get rid of steps.

ALLEN: Outdoor living has become the 4th most important thing in the sale of a home. Patios and terraces have become a real sales tool.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 21

3Q15 Triangle Market Overview Under Construction Inventory Under Construction Inventory

6.0

4,000 3,227 4.5

5.0

2,000

1,500

2.0

Inventory +24% MOS +23%

500

1.0

1,410

2.0

2.1

1,000

1.9

0.0

2,000

1.5

Inventory +15% MOS +14%

3Q15

2Q15

1Q15

4Q14

3Q14

2Q14

1Q14

4Q13

3Q15

3Q13

2Q13

1Q13

4Q12

3Q12

2Q12

1Q12

4Q11

3Q11

33

and responsiveness.”

— Bill Massengill

INV MoS

Raleigh/Durham Market Overview

 Copyright Metrostudy 2015 | November 11th, 2015 |

31

© Copyright Metrostudy 2015 | Raleigh/Durham Market Overview

How does that correlate to the economic welfare of the green industry?

Rank

Builder

Ann Starts

Market Share

Ann Closings

Market Share

1 2 3

Lennar Pulte/Centex/Del Webb CalAtlantic (StanPac+Ryland) Dan Ryan Builders M/I Homes Royal Oaks Homes Meritage Homes Beazer Homes NV/Ryan Homes KB Homes DR Horton/Emerald/ Regent Ashton Woods Wade Jurney Mungo Homes Savvy Homes K Hovnanian Homes By Dickerson Wynn Homes Toll Brothers Inc Chesapeake Homes Terramor David Weekley Garman (Incl Fresh Paint) Level Homes Eastwood Homes Total

701 693 665

7.4% 7.3% 7.0%

664 590 654

7.6% 6.7% 7.4%

COLVIN: With more centralized maintenance administrated by HOAs, my guess would be more opportunities for landscape business contractors. From individuals, there’s likely to be more niche or specialty buying.

454 394 292 247 244 193 191 177

4.8% 4.1% 3.1% 2.6% 2.6% 2.0% 2.0% 1.9%

347 354 279 200 230 185 201 181

4.0% 4.0% 3.2% 2.3% 2.6% 2.1% 2.3% 2.1%

ALLEN: I see several areas flourishing. There are rehabilitations of existing houses — where they’re retooling the landscape — and the whole new outdoor living category.

With few existing homes hitting the market, we are seeing a huge uptick in people staying where they and upgrading.

They’re adding patios, fireplaces and additional plantings — all of that’s being done by landscapers.

171 169 159 140 123 119 116 113 105 105 101 100 99 94 5,965

1.8% 1.8% 1.7% 1.5% 1.3% 1.2% 1.2% 1.2% 1.1% 1.1% 1.1% 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% 62.6%

189 144 178 102 101 87 120 120 95 92 87 66 50 101 5,417

2.2% 1.6% 2.0% 1.2% 1.1% 1.0% 1.4% 1.4% 1.1% 1.0% 1.0% 0.8% 0.6% 1.1% 61.7%

In residential construction, the market is literally exploding.

As subcontractors, landscapers have two options. They can bid on price and go after the large production builders; or they can charge more and work with smaller companies.

Custom homebuilders are paying good money and still constantly waiting three to four weeks to get landscapers on the job. Some of the smaller builders will pay as much as a 50 percent premium to control a sub-contractor. It’s worth doing the numbers because you might be able to make the same amount of profit working on fewer houses.

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

that emphasizes customer satisfaction

0.0

INV  Copyright Metrostudy 2015 | November 11th, 2015 |

Raleigh/Durham Market Overview

landscaping partner to me is a company

2.0

0

FV MoS

© Copyright Metrostudy 2015 | Raleigh/Durham Market Overview

companies partner with a builder. A good

1.0

3Q15

2Q15

1Q15

4Q14

3Q14

32

2Q14

3Q15

 Copyright Metrostudy 2015 | November 11th, 2015 |

1Q14

4Q13

3Q13

2Q13

1Q13

4Q12

3Q12

2Q12

1Q12

4Q11

3Q11

3Q15

Finished Vacant INV

I would recommend that landscaping

3.0

1,000

0.0

0

UC MoS

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

22 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

2Q15

© Metrostudy 2015

1Q15

Source: Raleigh/Durham Market Overview.

4Q14

Triangle – Builder Ranking by Annual Starts

3Q14

Raleigh/Durham 3Q15 Triangle Market Overview

2Q14

Raleigh/Durham Market Overview

1Q14

4Q13

3Q13

2Q13

1Q13

4Q12

3Q12

2Q12

1Q12

4Q11

Under Construction INV

5.0 4.0

0.5

0

6.0

3,000

1.0

Inventory -5%

500

2.5

6.8

for landscaping over the next 12 months.

7.0 Months of Supply

3.0 2,000

3.0

1,488

1,500

4,000 Months of Supply

2,500

8.0 7.8

3.5

4.0

“I think it’s going to be a great industry

9.0

4,942

5,000

4.0

Finished Vacant Inventory

3,000

4.5

2,500

Months of Supply

Under Construction Inventory

3,500

5,690 10.0

6,000

Inventory

4,013 5.5

3Q11

3Q15

3Q15 Triangle Market Overview Finished VacantVacant Inventory Finished Inventory

4,500

1,000

3Q15 Triangle Market Overview 3Q15 Triangle Market Overview Total Inventory (Models+Under Total Inventory (Models+Under Construction+Finished) Construction+Finished)

3Q15 Triangle Market Overview

There’s also a lot of commercial construction. Tons of buildings are going up that will need to have landscapes built and maintained.

“Outdoor living has become the 4th most important thing in the sale of a home. Patios and terraces have become a real sales tool. There’s also a lot of commercial construction. Tons of buildings are going up that will need to have landscapes built and maintained.”

— Jim Allen

MASSENGILL: I would recommend that landscaping companies partner with a builder. I think it’s going to be a great industry for landscaping over the next 12 months.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 23

“I loved being able to attend sessions in different education tracks.”

“Great variety of vendors in the Marketplace.”

SNAPSHOT OF SUCCESS

Attendee survey comments

Highlights of NCNLA's Record-Breaking Event

R

ising economic confidence and a host of business and

4,800 Attendance

up 17% over 2015

career-building opportunities brought the industry out in record numbers for Green & Growin’ 2016. Some 4,800

horticulture professionals from nearly 1,700 businesses in 31 states were in Greensboro, NC, for the January 11-15 event. Total attendance was up about 17 percent over 2015.

G&G’s Education Conference ran Monday through Wednesday, followed by the G&G Marketplace’s expansive green-goods tradeshow on Thursday and Friday. “It’s designed to be a very efficient event from a time and cost standpoint,” said NCNLA President Brad Rollins. “You can get first rate training and earn all the CEUs you

1,700 Companies Attended

need for the year, make a lot of connections, find products, meet with vendors and suppliers and place orders for the season ahead.”

“We were very excited about the education programs and impressed by the attendance this year. It was the best selection of classes we have ever seen,” said Hannah Singleton of of Landscape Design of Goldsboro.

In the Marketplace, exhibitors were similarly thrilled. “We saw

There was a packed house for Bob Dolibois’ keynote address.

some of the best traffic at the show this year. There were more

31 States Represented

highly qualified attendees who were serious about buying quality plants. We met new customers and made sales to states we’d never shipped to before,” said Peggy VanDevender of Jericho Farms.

“Green and Growin’ is always our best show, but this year we really saw an increase in sales,” she continued.

24 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 25

EDUCATION

NETWORKING “Great speakers, education and fellowship.”

“The classes and speakers touched on very important issues.”

“A good mix of new people to meet as well as current customers.”

Attendee survey comments

Welcome Party

The Green & Growin’ Welcome Party offered exhibitors and attendees a chance to network and socialize in a laid back, music-filled atmosphere. NCNLA’s Awards Presentations and a Silent Auction, which raised $1,100 for horticulture research, highlighted the Thursday evening event.

Building Professional Credentials

140 CEUs

80

10

seminars/ workshops

specialty/ certification classes

There were 1,688 individuals attending G&G’s education sessions this year — a whopping 62 percent increase over 2015.

With specialty education classes and certification courses offered early in the week, four education tracks on Tuesday and a stacked seven on Wednesday, Green & Growin’s educational options filled more than 180 program hours. The sessions also offered attendees more than 140 possible CEU credits toward eight different accreditations at national, regional and state levels.

Women in the Green Industry Bill and Libby Wilder enjoy the awards reception.

1,688

PEOPLE REGISTERED

The dynamic lineup included Keynote Speaker Bob Dolibois, foodscaping and landscape design expert Brie Arthur, and national award-winning NCSU instructor, Bryce Lane. Hands-on workshops and thought-provoking discussion gave attendees practical tools and valuable perspective to apply in their work.

“Hundreds of industry businesses entrust the Green & Growin’ platform to elevate their staff members to the highest of standards — ensuring they have the most up to date continuing education credits, relevant knowledge, and competitive edge that this industry demands,” said NCNLA Vice President Chad Gragg.

“Great to get all my CEUs in one day.”

Attendee survey comment

26 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

62%

62

More than 40 professional women shared experiences and networked over dessert during the Women in the Green Industry gathering. Speakers LaRue and Lisa Powell of Powell’s Nursery in Holly Springs, NC, offered advice and inspiration as they talked about how they got started in the business. LaRue took the helm after losing her husband unexpectedly. Lisa came on board later to help with the financial side. Today the company is a leading supplier of quality liners to the green industry. Lou Ballew, matriarch of Oakland Plantation, also made a special appearance to thank the younger generation for “stepping up into the role of women in green industry.”

% Registration increase over 2015

“Everyone we talked to was kind, patient and willing to share their knowledge.”

180

hours of business education

Attendee survey comment

The silent auction raised $1,100 for horticulture Industry research.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 27

NCNLA INDUSTRY AWARDS Honoring Our “Best and Brightest” Bill Wilder Outstanding Young Nursery Professional John Clark, of Pro Green, Inc. in Morgantown, NC, received the Bill Wilder Award. The honor is reserved for qualified young men and women who have demonstrated outstanding service in the field of environmental horticulture.

NCNLA recognized the exemplary achievements and dedication of eight industry members during the Awards Presentations at the Green

John Clark (left) accepts his award and congratulations from its namesake, NCNLA’s former longtime executive director Bill Wilder.

& Growin’ Welcome Party.

Here’s a bit about this year’s honorees.

From the time he began working at a local turf grass farm during high school, John Clark was determined to work his way up in the industry. After buying controlling interest in the farm, he pioneered new methods of harvesting sod and allowing bentgrass to be grown on native soils and used on USGA greens.

Clark went on to earn his Pesticide Dealer License and oversaw expansion and growth of his business. Like every Bill Wilder recipient, Clark has a strong record of industry leadership. He continues to share his growing expertise to help fellow nurserymen address disease and insect problems.

Kim Powell Award Oakland Award Kim Powell Award Dr. Barb Fair of NC State University received the Kim Powell Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Horticulture Industry.

Dr. Fair’s dedication to many industry organizations is well known. She has written numerous publications, papers, and manuals; and travels the state to give talks on landscaping, arboriculture and green infrastructure. She is an excellent leader and mentor to undergraduate students and future industry professionals at NC State.

Kim Powell Award winner Dr. Barb Fair with NCNLA President Brad Rollins.

In 2015, Dr. Fair was heavily involved in the coordination of PLANET's 2015 Student Career Days.

28 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

Connie Hoyes, president of Southern Garden, Inc., in Apex, NC, was honored with the Oakland Award for outstanding service to the landscape industry.

Hoyes’ enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and devoted service to the green industry highlight more than 25 years as a landscape designer, contractor, business owner & operator.

Hoyes has displayed exemplary leadership and dedication on several industry boards, including the North Carolina Landscape Contractors

Connie Hoyes accepts the Oakland Award from Brad Rollins.

Licensing Board. She is also a NC Landscape Contractor, a NC Irrigation Contractor, an ISA Certified Arborist, and a Certified Plantsman.

Libby Wilder Award

D.S. Copeland Lifetime Achievement Award

NCNLA honored Donna Williams, of Worthington Farms in Greenville, NC, with the Libby Wilder Award.

Named for long-time organizer for the North Carolina Association of Nurserymen, the Libby Wilder award recognizes women who have made an outstanding contribution to the industry.

Donna Williams was born into the green industry. She grew up on a farm in eastern North Carolina owned and operated by her family since 1852. Now at the realm of the very same family-owned nursery, she is dedicated to supporting the production of high quality trees and shrubs as the company’s secretary/treasurer.

Dennis Niemeyer laughs with Brad Rollins after accepting the D. S. Copeland Lifetime Achievement Award.

Libby Wilder (right) presents the award named in her honor to Donna Williams.

Williams’s long-term service to NCNLA and the industry demonstrates an on-going commitment to the success of North Carolina’s green businesses.

The D.S. Copeland Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dennis Niemeyer of Carlton Plants in Dayton, OR, in recognition of his service and dedication to the green industry.

Niemeyer has worked with nurseries, greenhouses and golf courses for 35 years. He has served the industry in

Grower of the Year Award

NCNLA Honorary Member

NCNLA’s Grower of the Year Award went to Jericho Farms in Pikesville, NC. The honor recognizes a high level of professionalism and leadership in the nursery industry through participation in local, regional, state and national organizations.

The NCNLA Board of Directors presented Doug Clark of C&G Nursery in Newland, NC, with an Honorary NCNLA Membership in recognition of his dedication and service to the green industry from early childhood to the present day.

Jericho Farms nursery owes its success to the VanDevenders’ dedication, hard work, and perseverance through the years. They are long time advocates of NCNLA and other green industry trade associations at every level.

They also played an integral leadership role in the

Danny and Peggy VanDevender of Jericho Farms accept the Grower of the Year Award.

development of statewide industry credentials and accreditations.

Clark has been committed to growing quality trees and shrubs at C&G Nursery for over half a century. His smart business tactics and willingness to adapt and diversify helped make his family’s more than 1800-acre nursery the success it is today.

Williams’s long-term service to NCNLA and the industry

official capacities on boards and industry associations and as an appointed industry representative to state government.

The presentation cited Niemeyer’s leadership skills, active mentoring of young professionals and willingness to share his knowledge both professionally and personally.

Dee Clark accepts the Honorary NCNLA Membership Award on behalf of his father, Doug.

demonstrates an on-going commitment to the success of North Carolina’s green businesses.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 29

NCNLA Honors Two Companies with Excellence in the Landscape Awards DISTINCTION Award

Appalachian Naturescapes, Morganton, NC Landscape Installation Residential

NCNLA’s Excellence in the Landscape Awards reflect a company’s commitment to promote high standards of quality landscape design, installation and maintenance. The program recognizes and awards landscape professionals who execute quality and sustainable landscape projects. In sponsoring the awards program, NCNLA is striving to increase the public’s awareness of environmental improvement through landscape contractors’ cognizance and commitment to excellence and sustainability.

The Larry D. Edwards Memorial Scholarship Fund In November 2015, the NCNLA Board of Directors created

This year the stunning design/ build project shown below netted top honors for Greenleaf Services.

Meanwhile, a residential landscape installation by Appalachian Naturescapes (at right) earned the company it's fifth EILA award in three years.

a new NCNLA Scholarship Fund.

The mission of the NCNLA Scholarship Fund is: to support Carl Meyers and Terrel Knutson with Appalachian Naturescapes receive their Distinction Award

the continuing education needs of qualified horticultural and landscape students in the state of North Carolina through an annual scholarship program.

GRAND Award and BEST IN SHOW

The general fund has been designated as the Larry

Greenleaf Services, Linville, NC Design/Build Residential

The NCNLA Board of Directors wishes to thank the following Green & Growin’ 16 exhibitors for their contribution to the Larry D. Edwards Memorial Scholarship fund: A.D.R Bulbs, Inc.

Harriman, Patricia

Sampson Nursery, Inc.

Accelerando

Kiefer Landscape Nursery

Sandy's Plants, Inc.

Back Road Farms

King’s Greenhouse, Inc.

Shemin Nurseries

Bennett's Creek Nursery

Lilley Farms & Nursery, Inc.

Signature Horticultural Services

Marian Gardens Tree Farm

SiteLight LD, Inc.

McCorkle Nurseries, Inc.

Southern Ag

McLamb Nursery, Inc.

Specialty Tag & Label, Inc.

ML Irrigation Systems, Inc.

Stalite Environmental (PermaTill)

C and J Nursery Cherokee Manufacturing Cold Mountain Nursery Country Ridge Nursery

D. Edwards Memorial Scholarship Fund, in memory

Currins Nursery, Inc.

of the founder of Turtle Creek Nursery in Davidson,

Ditch Witch of Charlotte, Inc.

NC and past president of both the North Carolina Association of Nurserymen and the Southern Nursery Association.

Upon Larry’s passing in late 2014, his colleagues

Ditch Witch of North Carolina

throughout the industry pledged $2,500 to

Eason Horticultural Resources, Inc.

establish the Edwards Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Fair View Nursery, Inc.

By resolution, the NCNLA Board has designated all contributions from Green & Growin’ Exhibitors towards supporting the Edwards Scholarship Fund.

Fertileeze Gilmore Plant & Bulb Co., Inc. Grants Creek Nursery, Inc.

NCNLA President Brad Rollins presents Greenleaf Services with Grand Award and Best in Show honors. Holding the plaque, left to right, are Eric Sorrow, Edward Snyder and Cody Burdiss.

30 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

Neuse Plant and Bark, Inc. North Carolina Christmas Tree Association Nufarm Americas, Inc. Panoramic Farm, Inc. Patterson's Nursery Piedmont Carolina Nursery

Star Ridge Aquatics, LLC Star Roses/The Conard Pyle Co. Swift Creek Nursery Taylor’s Nursery, Inc. The Xerces Society Thumb’s Up Nursery

Piney Mountain Tree Farm

Turf Mountain Sod, Inc.

Powell's Nursery, LLC

Turtle Creek Nursery, Inc.

R.A. Dudley Nurseries, Inc.

Valley View Nursery

Greensboro Shrub Nursery

Rainbow Trees

Vandemark Farms L.L.C.

Greenscape Tools, Inc.

Rimol Greenhouse Systems

Vermeer Mid Atlantic, Inc.

Griffith Propagation Nursery, Inc.

Robert M. Gragg & Sons Nursery

Wyatt-Quarles Seed Company

Hanes Geo Components SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 31

MARKETPLACE

2,400+

MARKETPLACE ATTENDEES UP 25% OVER 2015

4,437A

ttendance at the Green & Growin’ Marketplace was up some 25 percent over 2015. More than 2,400 buyers, decision makers and other professionals walked the floor during the two-day tradeshow. Among Marketplace’s 412 exhibiting companies were some of the strongest businesses in the industry.

“Exhibiting at Green & Growin’ is aAttendance* Average “It’s a well-attended event that brings growers, retail garden centers, landscapers and must... the value for suppliers together under one roof. It’s always a success for our company,” said Melissa Dudley of Fair View Nursery in Wilson, NC. Dudley said they also gain “a great deal of the time and money insight” about new plants and current marketing trends at the tradeshow.

Alan Erwin of Panther Creek Nursery in Willow Spring, NC, echoed Dudley’s thoughts, invested make it a praising the “quality of the trade show, abundance of our customers in one place and great event.” value for the time and money invested.”

— Alan Erwin, Panther Creek Nursery

Networking opportunities throughout the show made it a great place to connect and build relationships. One popular spot was the Putting Green 50/50 competition on the trade show floor. From 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. each day, attendees lined up to take their shot at a grand prize while supporting NCNLA’s advocacy efforts.

“Marketplace is a prime opportunity to see top products from a wide range of industry producers, chat with representatives and place orders for the coming year,” said NCNLA Vice President Chad Gragg. “We were pleased to see so many people out there networking and doing business.”

412 32 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

EXHIBITING COMPANIES

EXHIBITORS

A & A Plants, Inc. A-V International A.D.R Bulbs, Inc. * Aarons Creek Farms, Inc. Acer Acres, Inc. ACT Construction Equipment Adcock's Nursery After Hours Nursery, LLC AG3, Inc. Amplex Angel Creek Nursery Apex Nurseries, Inc. Arbor Fields Arborbrace Staking Systems, Inc. Arrowhead Ornamentals Audubon North Carolina Autrusa, Inc. Avera Products, Inc. Back Road Farms * Bailey Nurseries, Inc. Baker Environmental Nursery, Inc. Bandit Mid-Atlantic BASF Corporation - Raleigh Location Baucom's Nursery Ben's Creek Nursery Benchmark Tool & Supply, Inc. Bennett's Creek Nursery * Berry Hill Irrigation, Inc. Big Frog Nursery BioDirt, Inc. Biosafe Systems Bob Young's Nursery Bobbex, Inc. Bobcat Company Bottoms Nursery, LLC. Bouldin Nursery & Greenhouse Brantley Nurseries Breezy Acres Nursery Brookshire & Associates Brooksville Palms Brunson Wholesale Nursery Bryan Wagoner Tree Farm Buds & Blooms Nursery Buffalo Horticulture Sales BWI Companies

Fraser Knoll Freedom Tree Farms G&S Trees Inc. Gant's Nursery Garden Center Solutions Gardenscape Gilmore Plant & Bulb Company, Inc. * Go Pinestraw, Inc. Gold Hill Sales, Inc. Goodson & Associates Gossett's Landscape Nursery, Inc. Gra-Mac Irrigation Grants Creek Nursery, Inc. * Great Lakes Fastening Green Biz Nursery & Landscaping, Inc. Green Resource Greenleaf Nursery Company Greensboro Shrub Nursery * Greenscape Tools, Inc. * GreenSource Direct, Inc. Greenthumb Nursery, LLC Griffin Greenhouse & Nursery Supplies Griffith Propagation Nursery, Inc. * Gutter Dome Mid Atlantic H & H Farm Machine Company Hackney Nursery Haifa North America Hamner Tree Farm Hanes Geo Components * Harrell's Fertilizer, Inc. Harrell's Nursery Harriman, Patricia * Haviland Plastic Products Hawkins Nursery, Inc. Hawksridge Farms Hefner's Nursery Heritage Farms Hibernia Nursery Hickory Hill Nursery High Caliper Growing High Country Nursery Hillside Nursery Wholesale Company, LLC. Hoffman Nursery, Inc. Holloway's Nursery

Byron Lakeview Nursery LLC C and J Nursery * C.Pine Associates Caldwell County Nurserymen's Association Cam Too Camellia Nursery, Inc. Camellia Forest Nursery Cape Fear Turf Farm Inc. Cardinal Chemicals, Inc. Carlton Plants LLC Carolina Boxwoods Carolina Cat Carolina Cedar Planters Carolina Crepe Myrtle & Shade Tree, LLC. Carolina Golf Cars Carolina Landscape Supplies Inc. Carolina Native Nursery Carolina Perlite Company, Inc. Carolina's Composting Council Carolinas Irrigation Association Carroll's Plant Center, Inc. Casey Nursery, Inc. Cedarwood Nursery Charleston Aquatic Nurseries Charlie's Creek Nursery, Inc. Cherokee Manufacturing * City Nursery Farm, Inc. Clarity Connect, Inc. Clark's Liner Farm Classic Groundcovers, Inc. Cold Mountain Nursery * Colonial Acres Nursery/ Outdoor Power Equipment Commercial Nursery Commercial Pine Straw Company Wrench Concrete Creations

*Donated to the Larry D. Edwards Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Coor Farm Supply Service, Inc. Cottage Hill Nursery Country Folks Grower Country Ridge Nursery * Creekside Farms Nursery Currins Nursery, Inc. * Curv-Rite, Inc. Daddy Pete's Plant Pleaser Dave Wilson Nursery, Inc. Davidson Farm Davis Floral Company Day Lily Nursery, Inc. Dayton Bag & Burlap Designer Planters, Inc. Devroomen Garden Products Diddley Dadburn Tree Plantation Ditch Witch of North Carolina * Dixie Chopper Dothan Trees Dow Agro Sciences Dutchman Industries Inc. Dykes & Son Nursery Earth Graphics Eason Horticultural Resources, Inc. * ECO-Precise Irrigation Controls Ecologel Solutions, LLC. Evergreen Partners of Raleigh F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company Fair View Nursery, Inc. * Farm Credit Association Faron Green Nursery Fertileeze * Five Star Turf FleetSharp Flowerwood Nursery, Inc. ForeverLawn of the Carolinas Fowler's Nursery

Holmberg Farms, Inc. Hortica Insurance & Employee Benefits I Must Garden ICL Specialty Fertilizers Intelligro Irrigation Association Iseli Nursery ITB Company Inc. J & B Herb and Plant Farms J. Frank Schmidt & Son Company J. Parlier & Associates Jackson Nursery Jake A. Parrott Insurance Agency James Greenhouses James River Equipment Company, Inc. James River Equipment JC Raulston Arboretum Jericho Farms JLPN, Inc. John Holmlund Nursery Johnson and Company Irrigation Johnson Nursery Corp.

Johnston County Nursery Marketing Association JR/Mid Atlantic Sales JWD Trees Inc K & M Nursery K E A Growers KCK Farms, LLC Kelleygreen Nursery, Inc. Kenneth Myers and Sons Nursery Kiefer Landscape Nursery * King-Hughes Fasteners King's Greenhouse, Inc. * King's Sunset Nursery, Inc. Knats Creek Nursery KT Ornamentals L & H Enterprises Lake Oconee Tree Farm Lake Tree Growers Lambert Peat Moss Inc. Lanes Creek Trees Lathams Nursery, Inc. Leinbachs, Inc. Liberty Nursery, LLC Continued on next page

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 33

MARKETPLACE

THANK YOU SPONSORS!

Continued from previous page

FEATURED VENDORS

EXHIBITORS Lilley Farms & Nursery, Inc. * Liner Source, Inc. Little River Nursery LMN Long Pond Nursery Low Falls Wholesale Nursery LS Training System Luck Stone Center Mack Bros. Landscape Nursery Marian Gardens Tree Farm * Mark E. Snapp & Associates Marlboro Bulb Company McCorkle Nurseries * McHutchison McLamb Nursery, Inc. * McMakin Farms Inc. Mellow Marsh Farm, Inc. Michell's Mid-Atlantic Stihl Mighty Products Corporation Miller's Ground Cover Mize Farm and Garden ML Irrigation Systems, Inc. * Monrovia Moon's Tree Farm, Inc. Motz & Son Nursery MV Enterprises National Hispanic Landscape Alliance Native Forest Nursery NC Commercial Flower Growers Assn.

NC Community College Hort Instructors Assn.

NC Dept. of Agriculture Marketing Division NC Invasive Plant Council NC Irrigation Contractors' Licensing Board NC Landscape Contractors Liscense Board NC Pine Needle Producers Assn.

NC Sod Producers Association NC Urban Forest Council Nelson Nursery Netherland Bulb Company, Inc.

Neuse Plant and Bark, Inc. * New Market Agricultural Equipment Company Nicholson Farms Nicolock Paving Stones North 40 Nursery, Inc. North American Nursery, Inc. North Carolina 811, Inc. North Carolina Christmas Tree Association * North Carolina Composting Council North Carolina Native Plant Society North Carolina State University Nufarm Americas, Inc. * Nursery Supplies, Inc. NurserySouth, LLC NYP Corp.

OHP Old Courthouse Nursery Oldcastle Adams Products, Inc. Oldcastle Lawn & Garden Pack Manufacturing Company, Inc. PAK Unlimited, Inc. Panoramic Farm, Inc. * Panther Creek Nursery Parker Bark Company, Inc. Parsons Nursery, Inc. Patterson's Nursery * Pattillo Tree Farm, Inc. Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden Pender Nursery, Inc. Performance Outdoor Products Piedmont Carolina Nursery * Piney Mountain Tree Farm * Plant & Supply Locator Plant Source Nursery, LLC. PlantANT Plantworks Nursery, Inc. Poverty Hill Nursery Powell's Nursery, LLC * Premier Growers, Inc. Prichard's Nursery Equipment, LLC. Pritchett Farms Nurseries

Pro Green Inc. Pro-Attachments Puckett Greenhouses, LLC R.A. Dudley Nurseries, Inc. * Rainbow Trees * Ralph Modlin Farm Ray Bracken Nursery, Inc. Reaves Nursery Farm, LLC. Reddick Equipment Company of NC LLC Rhodes Nursery Rimol Greenhouse Systems * River's Edge Nursery, LLC Riverbend Nursery, LLC Riverside Plastics, Inc. Robert M. Gragg & Sons Nursery * Robinson Nursery Roger Coffey & Sons Nursery, Inc. RootMaker Products Co, LLC Rose Creek Nursery and Landscaping Roundstone Native Seed, LLC. Rusty Mangrum Nursery S & J Greens S Squared Green Goods Sammy Coffey's Wholesale Nursery, Inc. Sampson Nursery, Inc. * Sandhills Community College Sandy's Plants, Inc. * Saunders Brothers Scott Stone, Inc. Scottree SePRO Corporation Sester Farms, Inc. Shadow Nursery, Inc. Shady Grove Plantation & Nursery, Inc. Shady Rest Nursery Shemin Nurseries * Shenandoah Stone Supply, Company Shiloh Nursery Simmons Irrigation Supply Simpson Nurseries SiteLight LD, Inc. * Smith's Nursery, Inc.

South Mississippi Growers (Coosa Valley Growers) Southern Ag * Southern Pine Needles Specialty Converting and Supply Specialty Tag & Label, Inc. * Spivey's Nursery, Inc. Spring Creek Nursery Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. Springdale Water Gardens SRW Products Stalite Environmental (PermaTill) * Star Ridge Aquatics, LLC * Star Roses/The Conard Pyle Company * Starling Nursery Stephenson's Nursery, Inc. Steve Myers and Son Nursery STI Turf Care Equipment Stockhaven Nursery, LLC Stony Point Nursery and Farms Stuppy Greenhouse Sugar Mountain Nursery Sumter Gardens Tree Nursery Sun Gro Horticulture, Inc. Super-Sod Superior Greenery Superior Trees Swift Creek Nursery * Syngenta T.H. Blue, Inc. Taylor's Nursery, Inc. * Techo-Bloc, Corp.

Tedder Nursery Tennessee Valley Nursery, Inc. Teupen The Greenhouse Company of SC, LLC. The HC Companies, Pro Cal & Amerikan The Holly Factory The Plant Factory, Inc. The Sterling Nursery, Inc. The Xerces Society * Thomas Nursery

Three Volcanoes Farm, LLC. Thumb's Up Nursery * Tidwell Nurseries, Inc. Tinga Nursery, Inc. Todco Inc. Tom Dodd Nurseries, Inc. Tom Landreth Greenhouses Transplant Nursery, Inc. Tree Equipment Design, Inc. Tri-State Distributors, Inc Triad Irrigation & Landscape Supply Tropic Traditions Nurseries Turf Mountain Sod, Inc. * Turfgrass Council of North Carolina Turner & Sons Nursery Turtle Creek Nursery, Inc. * UpShoot, LLC. USDA APHIS Plant Protection Quarantine USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service V&G Topiary Nursery Valley View Nursery * Van Belle Nursery Inc. Vandemark Farms L.L.C. * Vans Pines Nursery Vereens Turf Products Vermeer Mid Atlantic, Inc. * Vole Control, Inc. Wagoner's Nursery, LLC Walnut Hill Farms Walters Gardens, Inc. Warren County Nursery Waste Reduction Partners Waynesboro Nurseries, Inc. Weeks Roses Wellmaster Carts Wetland Plants Inc. Willow Oak Nursery Wind Chime Nursery Windmill Nursery of Louisiana Windy Acres Nursery, Inc. Wood Trellis Designs Woodard's Farms & Nursery Worthington Farms, Inc. Wyatt-Quarles Seed Company *

Diamond

EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS Platinum

NCNLA Annual Meeting

Education

Gold Lanyards

Education Break

Silver Tote Bags

Marketplace Coffee & Donuts

Welcome Party

Bronze After Hours Nursery, LLC

Low Falls Wholesale Nursery

Arborbrace Staking Systems, Inc.

North Carolina Composting Council

Davis Insurance Agency

Parker Bark Co., Inc.

Fowler's Nursery

Rhodes Nursery

*Donated to the Larry D. Edwards Memorial Scholarship Fund.

34 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 35

INDUSTRY NEWS

AROUND THE SHOW FLOOR Winning at the Putting Green

“As a plant buyer, this show is one of the best for green goods.”

By Whitney Swink and NCDA Plant Industry Division Staff

Current and Emerging Pests in NC

Attendee survey comment

Tom Gilmore takes his shot during the PAC Put-Off on Thursday

NCNLA President Brad Rollins presents check to Friday's winner of the PAC Put-Off, Amy Priod.

Red imported fire ant. Photo: Eli Sarnat USDA APHIS ITP.

IFA Mound. Photo: USDA APHIS PPQ.

N

ew pests that threaten the nursery and landscape industry are continually emerging as nursery stock is moved both nationally and internationally. Here we highlight two pests: imported fire ant, which has been plaguing the nursery and landscape industry in North Carolina for some time and an emerging pest, crape myrtle bark scale, which is knocking at our door.

Imported Fire Ants

“As an exhibitor it is always a reliable show.”

“Great variety of vendors.”

Attendee survey comments

Imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta, S. richteri, and hybrids; IFA) are a nuisance and health concern to humans, livestock, and wildlife due to their painful sting and ability to damage crops and agricultural equipment. IFA was first detected in the United States in Alabama in the early 1900s. The pest was detected for the first time in North Carolina in Brunswick County in 1957. Now portions or entire areas of 73 of North Carolina’s 100 counties are considered infested with IFA and are under quarantine for this pest.

IFA spreads readily through human-assisted movement, especially via nursery stock such as plants with roots and soil still attached, grass sod, and baled hay and straw that has been stored in contact with soil.

Treatment with approved insecticides is required prior to moving these and other regulated articles out of the quarantine zone to IFA-free areas. Please visit ncagr. gov/plantindustry/Plant/entomology/IFA.htm (to see the full list of regulated articles and approved insecticides).

Crape Myrtle Bark Scale

Unlike IFA, which has been in our state for over half a century, crape myrtle bark scale (Eriococcus lagerstroemia; CMBS) is a relatively new pest in the United States 36 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

Crape myrtle bark scale. Photo: Gary Brooks, Bayer CropScience

HELPFUL LINKS n

Complete list of regulated articles and approved insecticides for IFA ncagr.gov/plantindustry/Plant/entomology/IFA.htm

n

Current recommendations for applying systemic insecticides to CMBS content.ces.ncsu.edu/north-carolina-agricultural-chemicals-manual

n

NCDA&CS Plant Industry Division website — ncagr.gov/plantindustry

n

Email inquiries to NCDA&CS Plant Industry Division— newpest@ncagr.gov

and has not yet been detected in North Carolina. First detected in Texas in 2004, CMBS has rapidly spread into Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Chesapeake, Virginia along the North Carolina border. CMBS is spreading at an alarming rate and causes heavy honeydew deposits followed by a disfiguring layer of black sooty mold which diminishes the landscape value of crape myrtles, an ornamental plant that dominates the southeastern United States landscape. Though research is still in the early stages, observations of this pest suggest that heavy infestations can cause reduction in the size of panicles, delayed flowering, and death of small twigs on crape myrtles.

Fortunately, identification of this pest is easy as it is the only known scale to occur on crape myrtles. Adult females appear as felt-like white or gray encrustations attached to woody parts of crape myrtles ranging from small twigs to large trunks. One of the first signs of a CMBS infestation is the appearance of black sooty mold on the bark. However, this is not to be confused with sooty mold that may appear as a result of an aphid or whitefly infestation. The presence of white or gray SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 37

2016 2015 SHOW

Regulated Area - Movement of regulated articles from this area into or through white area requires inspection.

Non-Regulated Area - Movement of regulated articles originating within this area does not requires inspection.

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control more effective and serves to remove the black sooty mold that can build up on the infested trees. n

n

Above: CMBS infestation Top right: CMBS tree damage Photos: Jim Robbins, University of Arkansas, CES

scales on the bark or twigs distinguishes the pests from one another. The current best suggestions (courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service) for controlling this emerging pest include: n

Thoroughly inspect the nursery crop for CMBS before purchasing crape myrtles and avoiding any crape myrtles with significant mechanical damage as that can provide an easy entry point for this pest.

n

Wash the trunk and reachable limbs with a soft brush and mild solution of dishwashing soap and water to remove many of the female scales and egg masses—this both makes subsequent insecticide

38 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

Applying systemic insecticides to the root zone as a soil injection (research thus far suggests the best control can be achieved between May and July by applications of clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, or thiomethoxam). Please consult the latest NC Agricultural Chemicals Manual available online at content.ces.ncsu.edu/northcarolina-agricultural-chemicals-manual/ for latest recommendations.

GROWERS OF SUPERIOR QUALITY WOODY ORNAMENTALS PLANTS, SHRUBS, AND TREES

Releasing lady beetles (e.g. the twice-stabbed lady beetle) which are predators of this scale insect. However, by the time the lady beetles start controlling the scale, cosmetic damage has typically already occurred on the plant.

NCDA&CS Plant Industry staff will be available to assist growers at any time plant pest issues arise in order to facilitate the movement of North Carolina nursery stock throughout the United States. For more information please contact NCDA&CS Plant Industry Division by calling 1-800-206-9333, by emailing newpest@ ncagr.gov, or by visiting our website at ncagr.gov/ plantindustry.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 39

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Jake A. Parrott Insurance Agency, Inc. P.O. Box 395 Seaboard, NC 27876

2508 N. Heritage Street P.O. Box 3547 Kinston, NC 28502

Phone: (252) 589-1324 • Fax: (252) 589-1642 email: Stephanie@carolinabark.com • Suppliers of bulk aged pine bark fines.

• Custom mixes available containing lime, sand and/or minors/ • Fast, dependable service

Memberships: North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association

NATIVE PLANTS FOR SALE

We Specialize in Herbaceous Native Plants for:

• Storm Water Management Ponds • Rain Gardens • Dune & Tidal Marsh Grasses • Upland Meadows

Toll Free:

Telephone: 252-523-1041

1-800-PARROTT

Fax 252-523-0145

1-800-727-7688

E-Mail: mparrott@parrottins.com Website: www.parrottins.com

Serving You Since 1937

CASEY NURSERY, INC. A family tradition since 1927

www.caseynursery.com

Growers of quality shrubs, trees, and groundcovers. email or call for a current availability 1-800-891-1801• Fax 919-735-2307

HORTICULTURAL SERVICES

Kevin T. Fabula

410-329-6466 Fax 410-329-2156

19960 Gore Mill Road, Freeland, MD 21053 www.signaturehort.com • kevin@signaturehort.com

40 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

Articles are provided by NCNLA and AmericanHort as a Lighthouse Program partner benefit. For more up-to-date information, visit www.AmericanHort.org

Amy Dill - caseynurserysales@gmail.com Lee Casey - leercasey@gmail.com Hunter Casey - hjcasey22@gmail.com Larry Watson - lww.caseynursery@gmail.com 1115 Claridge Nursery Rd., Goldsboro, NC 27530

Seasonal Labor Delays Becoming a Hort Business Nightmare As feared, H-2A and H-2B program processing delays have begun to severely impact AmericanHort grower and landscape members who rely on these programs for legally authorized seasonal workers. Labor certification processing delays at the Department of Labor and visa petition processing delays at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services could delay worker arrivals by 30 days or more.

AmericanHort is well aware of the enormous challenges, as delays challenge members’ ability to deliver plants to customers and to meet contract expectations. We are working with similarly affected interests to bring pressure on the federal bureaucracy to implement emergency measures and streamline processes. Last week, AmericanHort met with several influential Congressional offices as well as deputy secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, to urge timely relief.

More as the situation continues to develop.

Lower Court Ruling Stands in Chesapeake Bay Litigation The Supreme Court declined to hear an American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF)

challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Chesapeake Bay “pollution diet,” formally known as “total maximum daily load” (TMDL). AFBF had argued that EPA overstepped its authority when it established the Chesapeake Bay TMDL by encroaching on the rights of the states in the Bay’s watershed. The Supreme Court denial means that a 2013 lower court ruling, which found that EPA’s Chesapeake Bay efforts fall within the agency’s authorities under the Clean Water Act, now stands.

on the court’s decision; many observers expect either a 5-3 decision upholding the administration’s position, or a 4-4 tie, which would leave standing an appellate court ruling against the administration. A positive decision for the administration will likely mean a frenzied scramble to implement the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans policy, against the backdrop of the chaotic presidential race.

Some agriculture and development-oriented organizations are concerned that EPA will now use the Chesapeake Bay TMDL as a model for other watersheds, potentially even including the Mississippi River, where nutrient loads are responsible for a large anoxic (oxygen-deprived) zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

Nation’s Highest Court Prepares for Immigration Case The U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to take up the United States vs. Texas case, in which a group of states challenged the Obama administration’s executive actions granting a deferral of deportation for some unauthorized immigrants. March 8 was the filing deadline for amicus (friend of the court) briefs in the case, and at least 18 briefs – including a business-oriented brief – were filed in support of the legality of the administration’s actions.

Oral arguments in the case are scheduled to be heard in April, and a court decision is likely in June. The death of Justice Antonin Scalia is not expected to have a major impact

States Consider Neonic & Pollinator Legislation As reported previously, a number of state legislatures are considering bee, pollinator, and pesticide-related legislation despite the fact that EPA’s risk assessments are a work in progress, and early results do not seem to justify hasty action.

As just one example, the Maryland Senate has passed a measure rendering neonicotinoids unavailable for consumer purchase in 2018.

They would be available only for use by certified applicators, farmers, and veterinarians. If it passes the Maryland House, it would be the first measure of its kind in the U.S. As the Maryland bill was considered in the Senate, a provision was dropped that would SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 41

BEST PRACTICES

Increased Smarts Pays Off in Profits

Monarch Butterfly Numbers Increase According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and their Mexican colleagues at the Piedra Herrada monarch butterfly sanctuary, overwintering monarch butterflies occupied roughly 8 more acres of sanctuary habitat than last year. This accounts for a 255 percent habitat increase by the iconic migrant monarchs at this sanctuary. Since 1980, the Monarch Butterfly

have required an informational label to accompany all plants, seeds, and nursery stock produced using neonicotinoids.

Biosphere Reserve, high in Mexico’s Sierra Madre range, has dedicated a 138,000 acre reserve of oyamel fir forests (Abies religiosa) and several other species of trees. In the U.S., major efforts are underway to restore and expand summer habitat for the prized and beautiful species, which depends on just a handful of milkweed species in order to reproduce.

selected so far for 2016 funding, as well as interim and final research results for projects already funded by HRI. For More Information, visit http://www.hriresearch.org ⁄.

Protecting Farm Bill Programs

Horticultural Research Institute Advances Key Projects The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) Board of Trustees recently met to prioritize funding for research projects. As part of HRI’s continued efforts to advance the business of horticulture, an initial five projects have received funding for early 2016.

Through HRI’s direct funding of priority projects, HRI has nearly two dozen projects in the research pipeline at any given time, involving collaborating researchers across the United States. That enables ongoing sharing of results, knowledge, and applied recommendations to benefit horticulture businesses throughout the year.

In the coming months, HRI will share in-depth profiles of the five key projects 42 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

As the Congressional appropriations process shifts into high gear, lawmakers may be tempted to reopen hard-won agreements already in place. Exhibit A is the Farm Bill.

Tough bipartisan choices made in 2014 resulted in a 5-year Farm Bill that delivered an estimated $16 billion in budgetary savings.

Yet, agreements made are not always agreements honored.

Key Farm Bill research and pest prevention programs have become vital for the horticulture industry. For this reason, AmericanHort joined 251 agricultural, business, conservation, nutrition, and other groups on a letter urging

Since the 1990s, monarch butterflies have declined an alarming 90 percent due to habitat loss. Scores of agencies and nonprofit groups in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada are working together to reestablish and restore monarch habitat to ensure their phenomenal months-long migration from their Mexican overwintering grounds to the United States and southern Canada.

to urge Senate and House appropriators to respect the hard work already done, and resist the temptation to reopen the Farm Bill.

Global Honey Trade and Bee Declines Connected?

By Maria Zampini

I

n my mind, the more you can educate your staff AND your customers, you exponentially increase your chance of business success and a better bottom line.

However, we’re all doing more with less these days, so how and when do you make the time to train your employees? And how do you reach a new generation of customers — especially that millennial demographic everyone keeps talking about?

Customized Dictionary

When I ran my family’s wholesale nursery and garden center, I often hired people who had little or no background in the green industry. Horticultural jargon was hard for them to grasp, and I always wished I had a dictionary of terms as part of our employee manual.

I finally published one myself last year, Garden-pedia: An A-Z Guide to Gardening Terms. It includes more than 300 different horticulture related terms in an easy to understand format. It gives a brief one sentence defiTrade Publications nition for each term followed by a short paragraph of As simple as it sounds, S-H-A-R-E. You get trade journals why it is important. Many definiin print every day. What do you do tions are reinforced with photos with them? Do they sit in a stack or graphics. It’s meant to be an by your desk until you have time to inexpensive training tool for both An A-to-Z Guide to Gardening Terms reach them? Instead of letting them Accent • Acidic • Alkaline • Aerate • Aerobic • Anaerobic • AGGRESSIVE • employees and gardeners. That’s Amendment • Annuals • Arching • Aromatic/Fragrant • Ascending • Balled & Burlapped collect dust, route them to your key • Bare Root • BENEFICIALS • Biennial • Biodegradable • Broadleaved Evergreens • Budding • what it did for Anthony Hoke of Bulb • Bush • Chipping • Clay • Climbing • Clone • Cold Hardy • Conical staff or put them in the employee • Conifer • Container • Cool Season • Crops • Creeping • Crown • Cultivar •Sunflower Farms, a small garden Spots • DECIDUOUS • Desiccation • Dibbler • Dioecious • Disease • area so staff have something to read Dead Dormant • Drift • Dwarf • Erosion • Espalier • Evergreen • Exfoliating • Fastigiate center in Salem, Oregon. “We are • Fertilizer • Fruit • Girdling • Grafting • Ground Cover • Ha-ha • while they chow down at lunch or HARDPAN • Hardening off • Hardwood • Hardy • HEAVING • Heirloom plant in an area where I have a tough • Herb • Herbaceous • Hip• Insect • Integrated Pest Management break time. This goes for consumer • INTERNODE • Introduced • Invasive • Landscape • Larva • Lath House • time finding folks who want to Leader • Leaf Humus • Leggy • Loam • Macronutrients • Manure • Margin • gardening magazines too. It’s just Mature • Monoecious • Mound • Mulch • Mycorrhizal • Nativar • Native Plants • learn the nursery business on a NATURALIZE • NECTAR • NIDUS • NODE • NURSERY • NUTRIENTS • OPPOSITE/ as important to know what the end alternate • Organic matter • Overgrown • OverSeed • Panicle • Parasite retail level. Your book made an • Peat pots • Pendulous • Perennials • Perlite • Pesticide • Petiole • pH • Plant user is seeing as well.

Pathogen • Pollarding • Pollen • Pollinator • Porosity • Potting Mix • Predator ‘expert’ out of my new hires in 48 • PRUNING • Prostrate • Root stock • Runner • Runoff • SEED/SEEDLING • Soaker Hose • Soluble Salts • Specimen Plant • Spreader • Spreading • Spur • hours,” he said.

If nothing else, most trade journals Stolon/Stoloniferous • Synthetic fertilizer • Thinning • Thorn • Tissue culture • Top Pamela Bennett SOIL • TOPIARY • TRAILING • TRANSPLANT •Maria TROPICALZampini • VARIEGATED • VERMICULITE and consumer magazines have • Vines • Viticulture • Warm Season • Water soluble • Watering • WEEPING • Wildlife • Zone Here are a few quick and easy education ideas — some right at your fingertips and most at little or no cost.

A group of researchers point to a decline in beekeeping and an increase in the global honey market – not pests, pesticides, or loss of habitat – as a means to explain the reduction in reported honey bee colony numbers.

Researchers from Germany and South Africa sifted through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) massive database on honey bee colony numbers and honey production and trade. The data were collected from approximately 100 countries from 1961-2013. The authors suggest that major political and socioeconomic events impact colony numbers.

enews in electronic format, so have your staff sign up for them. They are free, so what do you have to lose?

Maria Zampini is Director of Plant Development for HGTV HOME Plant Collection & President of UpShoot, a horticultural marketing firm providing sales, marketing, licensing, writing & speaking on new plant introductions to consumers, growers & breeders.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 43

The way we are learning is changing. Today, technology drives how we gain knowledge (at a very rapid rate) and related to each other across a broad spectrum of subjects. Therefore, I offer up a couple apps for your consideration.

Armitage’s Greatest Perennials and Annuals allanarmitage.net

This app is like having your own horticultural professor in your pocket. It is user friendly and continuously updated with new plant content supported by other leading green industry experts in their specific field. It’s not just annuals and perennials.

You’ll find ground covers, bulbs, houseplants, herbs, veggies and much more. Plus you can search by ‘need’ like shade, drought tolerant, and foodscaping along with a deer and rabbit browsing rating as examples.

From the most general to the more nuanced, all customers’ inquiries can all be answered with a single swipe.

There is also a feature where users can source independent garden centers in their area. Your garden center can be listed for FREE. Sign-up on allanarmitage. net and drive

traffic to your store. A small investment in purchasing the Armitage app can fortify your employees’ tool belts and better equip their on-the-job training while simultaneously increasing your sales.

GrowIt! growitmobile.com An emerging social resource for gardeners, this app allows people to see plants that work well in their areas (within a 75 mile radius of the user), and to have plants identified. Through a partnership with MasterTag, GrowIt! provides followers in-depth plant information.

For almost 20 years of quality service and technical expertise.

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We stock all major brands • Arroyo Craftsman • Hadco • B-K Lighting • Hanover Lantern • CopperMoon • Hunza • Focus • Kichler • Greenlee • Kim and many more.

Additionally, GrowIt! helps make retailers and landscapers the experts for their geographic location. At no charge, you can create an account for your business just as home gardeners do. Your website and phone number can be on your profile page. From there you can post photos of plants that your business believes in, landscape jobs, etc. Each time you do, every person using the app in your area will be notified that there are new photos to check out, and every photo links back to your profile!

You can easily become the expert to anyone with a plant question! Type words like “what” and “why” into the app’s search tool to find people with questions you can answer. Helping gardeners out by answering questions like “What is this plant?” is a great way to build a relationship with existing or potential customers.

The best search word is often “where,” because Growit! members are looking to buy specific plants. This gives you the perfect opportunity to respond back and say, “At our IGC!”

44 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

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SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 45

INDUSTRY RESEARCH

New Research to Help You Beat Ambrosia Beetles

QUALITY FIELD GROWN SHADE AND ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS Birch • Crape Myrtle • Cryptomeria • Cypress

E

Holly – Single Stem Tree Form and Full Form

xotic ambrosia beetles attack hundreds of tree species and kill them quickly. For years ambrosia beetles have been one of the most costly and damaging pests of nursery trees.

Magnolia • Maple • Oak • Osmanthus • Red Bud and more

704-596-4516 Charlotte, NC pattersonsnursery@gmail.com

Visit our new website at www.fairviewnurseryinc.com old courthouse ads_Old Courthouse ad 2014 12/8/14 1:56 PM Page 1

OLD COURTHOUSE NURSERY Supplying growers, garden centers, landscapers and re-wholesalers with ornamental trees and shrubs

1 to 25 Gallon Containers 323 Old Courthouse Road Warsaw, NC 28398 www.oldcourthousenurserync.com oldcourthousenursery@embarqmail.com (910) 293-9374 Jeff Allegood

46 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

By Steve Frank, NCSU Department of Entomology

FAX (910)-293-9375 Earl McDonald

Fortunately, with the help of NCNLA research grants we have learned a lot about the biology and management of these pests over the past several years. We have even zeroed in on why ambrosia beetles attack particular trees and how to make trees less attractive. I will review the identification and biology of these beetles and bring you up to date on our latest research and management suggestions.

Left: Camphor shot borer. Photo: Doug Stone, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org.

Current and growing concerns

Right: An overwatered dogwood with ‘frass toothpick’ structures created when ambrosia beetles bore into trees. Photo: S.D. Frank, NC State University

There are several ambrosia beetle species that attack nursery stock. The most common and damaging species here are the granulate ambrosia beetle (Xylosandrus crassisculus) and black twig borer X. germanus. In the past few years we gained a new member of our ambrosia beetle community. Cnestus mutilatus, the camphor shot borer, is widespread in Asia and was first detected in Mississippi in 1999. It has spread through much of the Southeast and we found it in North Carolina four years ago.

Last year, instead of one or two of these beetles we captured a couple dozen. It remains to be seen if this trend will continue but C. mutilatus is expected to spread throughout eastern North America. The most important thing about this new species is its size.

Instead of the tiny 1 mm holes we are used to seeing, C. mutilatus makes holes three times as big.

The most damaging ambrosia beetles we are concerned with become active in early spring typically before bud burst of most tree species. Female beetles bore

into trees, excavate a gallery, and lay eggs. They also inoculate trees with ambrosia fungus. The fungus grows within the gallery and is food for the larvae. Around 60 days later adult females emerge from the galleries to find new trees and start a new generation.

Granulate ambrosia beetles, and the other spring pests, attack most deciduous ornamental tree species in nurseries including styrax, red bud, magnolia, red maple, dogwood, ornamental cherry and other fruit trees, Japanese maple, golden rain tree, and oak.

Prevention is the only option

Steve Frank

Ambrosia beetles damage trees by boring into them and also by infesting them with the ambrosia fungus that clogs tree vascular systems. As beetles bore into trees they push out sawdust and frass in the shape of toothpicks that stick out of the trees. Infested trees die or become unmarketable due to holes or dead branches.

Unfortunately, there is no way to kill the beetles or fungus once they enter the tree.

Since 1979, the North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association has provided over $1 million in funding to research, endowment and program activities at NC State University. This industry research, in part supported by NCNLA’s member dues premiums (silver, gold and platinum) and successful fundraising events throughout the year, demonstrates the effectiveness that private-sector collaboration with a world class public institution can provide. This is just one example of how NCNLA has partnered with NC State to provide solutions for green industry businesses here in North Carolina.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 47

INDUSTRY RESEARCH

Granulate ambrosia (Xylosandrus crassisculus)- Becoming active in early spring, one of the most costly and damaging pests of nursery trees, attacking over 200 tree species including many ornamentals. They damage trees by boring into them and also by infesting them with the ambrosia fungus that clogs tree vasulcar systems.

Prevention is the only method of defense.

Black twig borer (X. germanus)- Most common species (along with Granulate ambrosia beetle). Attacks most deciduous ornamental tree species in nurseries, including styrax, red bud, magnolia, red maple, dogwood, ornamental cherry and other fruit trees, Japanese maple, golden rain tree, and oak.

Since there is no way to ‘cure’ trees after attacks, growers need to prevent ambrosia beetle attacks.

The primary preventive measure has been permethrin applications in early spring when beetles become active. But our goal has been to figure out why ambrosia beetles attack nursery trees to begin with. In their Asian homelands they attack unhealthy, dying trees. So why do they attack our ‘apparently healthy’ nursery trees here?

Soil moisture control is critical

Last year I reported our research showing that many nursery trees don’t smell that healthy to beetles. Ambrosia beetles are attracted to ethanol – that’s what we use in ambrosia beetle traps. It turns out this is the same cue they use to find host trees. Trees produce ethanol when they are growing in soil that is too wet.

Waterlogged trees emit ethanol as a by-product of anaerobic root respiration and thus attract ambrosia beetle attacks. This explains why we found that ambrosia beetles waterlogged trees in experiments but never attacked trees with a reasonable amount of water.

What is reasonable? How wet is too wet? To answer this we grew dogwoods in pots with 10, 30, 50, 70, or 90 percent media moisture.

After eight weeks trees grown in 10, 30, or 50 percent soil moisture had no attacks. Trees grown in 70 or 90 percent all had dozens of attacks.

We recommend maintaining spring soil moisture below 50 percent as a first line of defense against ambrosia beetle attacks.

It is pretty clear based on our research and research by colleagues in Ohio, Virginia, and Tennessee that soil moisture is the primary factor influencing which trees get attacked and which don’t.

Our results suggest that if growers could maintain trees below the 50 percent media moisture threshold they may not even need to spray them. Of course this is probably not that easy.

We visited cooperating nurseries throughout Johnston and Wake counties for two years to measure the media moisture of trees in early spring. It turns out that most trees in most nurseries are growing in 70-90 percent media moisture in spring when ambrosia beetles peak.

48 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

Camphor shot borer (Cnestus mutilates)Widespread in Asia and was first detected in Mississippi in 1999. It has spread through much of the Southeast and we found it in North Carolina four years ago. Expected to spread throughout eastern North America.

Most impt thing about this species is its size. Instead of the tiny 1 mm holes we are used to seeing, C.mutilatus makes holes three times as big.

By Jennifer Gray, Horticultural Research Institute

Plant Right: A ScienceBased Protocol to Assess Plant Invasiveness

Some spraying may not be needed

Remarkably, during several years of research with dogwoods, red buds, magnolias, and maples we never had a tree attacked that was growing in media moisture of 50 percent or less. Not one out of hundreds of trees. So we wondered if growers could stop spraying trees altogether if water management was perfect.

To answer this we conducted an experiment with Florida dogwoods and styrax. We grew trees either flooded or in 30 percent media moisture. Half the trees in each water treatment were sprayed with permethrin the other half were not.

After eight weeks no dogwoods, sprayed or unsprayed, grown in 30 percent moisture were attacked. For dogwoods spraying provided no benefit if media moisture was controlled.

Styrax trees, however, were attacked in every treatment. Flooded unsprayed styrax were heavily attacked, but even sprayed trees that were flooded got attacked. They are just that attractive to the beetles.

In addition, even a few styrax grown in 30 percent moisture were attacked — but this was a couple attacks compared to hundreds in the flooded trees.

Thus we can’t disband spraying altogether even with water management but some species may not need it.

Exotic ambrosia beetles are not going away and we are likely to get more species over time. They are very good at being pests but we are getting better at stopping them. Think about what you could do to keep plants drier next spring so they do not smell sick to beetles.

This will give you a baseline level of protection from ambrosia beetle attacks.

About the Author: Steve Frank is Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Entomology at North Carolina State University. His ambrosia beetle research is funded by the Horticultural Research Institute and the North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association. You can find more information about his research on ambrosia beetles and other nursery and landscape pests on his website http://EcoIPM.org. Follow @OrnaPests on Twitter to receive alerts about nursery and landscape pest activity.

I

nvasive plants frequently make headlines in communities throughout the United States.

As more municipalities consider restrictions on what plant materials should be planted, nurseries need better tools to identify and qualify whether plants they introduce, produce, and distribute have the potential to become invasive.

To better understand the potential for a nursery plant to become invasive, the Horticultural Research Institute recently provided funding for a project to test an evaluation tool for the industry. The “PlantRight Plant Risk Evaluation (PRE) Tool” could provide the nursery and landscape industry with an accessible, practical protocol for determining invasiveness of new or existing ornamental plants and make this information available to the public.

The research project, titled “Grower-led development of PlantRight invasive-free certification program for orna-

mental plants,” has been very successful in meeting research objectives. With generous support from a Horticultural Research Institute grant, plant scientists at the University of California (Davis) have taken the PlantRight Plant Risk Evaluation (PRE) tool on the road to 22 states, screening 300 popular landscaping plants – half of which are ornamental invasive plants.

Above: An invasion of Scotch Broom

Proactive Prevention

The goal of this study, led by Ph.D. student Christiana Conser, is to test the accuracy of the PlantRight weed risk assessment model for use within the nursery and landscape industry nationwide, as a method to proactively prevent invasive landscape plant introductions.

The PRE model was first developed in 2008, for Sustainable Conservation, by the University of Washington’s Lizbeth Seebacher, a former doctoral student of UW Professor and Botanic Garden Director, Sarah Reichard.

Since 2011, Conser has led PRE Tool research at UC Davis, for Sustainable Conservation.

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), founded in 1962, has provided more than $7 million in funds to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Nearly $11 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 49

In California, the PRE Tool has already demonstrated a 98 percent and 95 percent accuracy rating for predicting invasive and noninvasive behavior, respectively. PRE can also screen at the species and cultivar levels (no plant material required, just the name). By screening in the Midwest, Northeast, and Deep South, Conser hopes to replicate this accuracy rating nationwide.

Clockwise from top left: Arrundo donax, ivy Vinca major, and Iceplant Photos courtesy of Plant Right

Conser is working with two nursery owners and a nursery and landscape trade association to cull the list of 300 popular regional plants. By testing PRE Tool findings against the results of known invasive plants, the tool’s accuracy throughout the United States can be determined.

Wide Industry Impact

Why is it important to the green industry? Historically, less than one percent of new plant introductions result in invasive problems. That’s the good news. However, that one percent can wreak havoc on biodiversity, local economies, recreational options, business reputations, and land management budgets. In California, 48 percent of the all known invasive plants were introduced via the nursery supply chain, not with malicious intent but simply due to lack of information and knowledge.

Many state and regional industry associations and industry professionals are proactively addressing the invasive plant issue. Industry leaders throughout the United States are working in partnership with regulators and the nursery industry. For example, the New England Nursery Association recently volunteered to phase out plants with invasive traits in that region.

50 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

The creation of a science-based tool can assist the horticultural industry in assessing plants, preventing invasive ornamental plant introductions, and educating and collaborating with local stakeholders and regulatory groups.

The PRE Tool is expected to provide the industry with multiple potential benefits, including: n

Giving plant developers the ability to identify problem plant behavior early in the evaluation process before making a significant economic investment;

n

Avoiding lengthy import delays (the PRE process takes two hours, on average, for a trained user of the tool to complete a screen);

n

Providing a voluntary process for certifying noninvasive plants.

In addition to helping the industry prevent invasive introductions and develop more non-invasive ornamentals, the PRE Tool provides a variety of information on taxonomy, reproductive characteristics, medicinal uses, patent information and more.

If you are a propagator or breeder of ornamental plants interested in beta testing the PlantRight PRE, please email PlantRight@suscon.org.

About the Author: Jennifer Gray is the Research Programs Administrator at Horticultural Research Institute. Article contributors: Christiana Conser, PhD student at University of California—Davis, Department of Plant Sciences; Jan Merryweather, Senior Project Manager, Sustainable Conservation.

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 51

Welcome New Members!

Member Name Phil Beaumont Tamara Blume Marabeth Carr Jeff Chandler Richard Coffey Edward Davis Carter Fore Bobbie French Barbara Freshcorn Ben Grandon Connie Hensley Al Hight Ran Johnston Karen Kottkamp Jeff Mason Wesley Mcfalls Michael Mcneil Veeta Parker David Payne Johnathan Pratt Troy Staller Jason Weathington Micah Weston

As of March 22, 2016

Organization Name Johnston Community College University of North Carolina at Charlotte Orange County Mountain Hort Research and Extension Center Davidson Landscape Nursery University of North Carolina at Charlotte Black Bear lawn Care

Randolph County Coop. Ext Service Brunswick Community College North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service Lasiter Mill Gardens, Inc.

Southern States Home and Garden Landscapes NCA&T Earthscapes Land Design Inc. NCSU Extenstion Weston's Landscaping & Nursery

Who is NCNLA?

By the Numbers

NCNLA members include:

450

n Wholesale

n Landscapers

Growers

n Horticulture

n Retailers n Suppliers

Students

Potentially save $450+ a year on education and events (per person)

n Educators

52 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

City

State

Premium Organic

Arden

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NC

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REL, LLC

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Wallace

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Roundtree Companies, LLC.

Charlotte

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NC

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Ryan Stepp Landscape & Lawn Care

Hendersonville

Alvarez Landscape & Lawn Maintenance LLC Atlantic Mulch

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Spartanburg

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NC

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State NC NC NC NC NC NC NC NC

Type of Membership Government/Educator Government/Educator Government/Educator Government/Educator Individual Government/Educator Individual Student

Matthews Asheboro Supply Wilmington

NC NC NC NC

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110

110+ hours of horticulture and business education offered to increase business knowledge

400,000 $400,000+ spent on National Industry Marketing

100+ hours of Continuing Education Credits

Ultimately, when you become an NCNLA member, you become connected to a network of peers, legislators, research and customers.

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Join Today  www.ncnla.com

GRA-MAC IRRIGATION Consulting * Design * Sales * Installation Since 1955 Complete Irrigation System for:

Complete Irrigation Agriculture • Fruits &Systems Vegetables for: GreenhousesAgriculture • Athletic Fields • Nurseries Commercial • Residential • Vineyards Fruits & Vegetables Specializing in:Greenhouses Portable Aluminum Pipe • PVC Pipe PVC Fittings • Hydrants • Travelers • Volume Guns Sprinklers • Drip &Athletic Micro Jet Equipment • Drip Filter Stations Fields Pumps for PTO, Diesel, Gas, Electric • Mini Travelers Nurseries Commercial 1-800-422-3560 | 336-998-3232 Residential Hwy. 801 North, Mockville, NC Vineyards SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 53

Specializing in

NLN CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Advertisers’ Index Bennett's Creek Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Cam Too Camellia Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . 18

NCNLA Events

National Events

2016 CPP Test Dates:

July 9 – 12, 2016 Cultivate ‘16

May 17– Graham September 15, 2016 – Asheville, NC October 7 - Fayetteville October 27, 2016 - Greenville, NC

2016 CYPP Test Dates: May 17 – Graham

January 16-20, 2017 Green & Growin’ Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel – Education Greensboro Coliseum – Marketplace Greensboro, NC (919) 816-9119 www.GreenandGrowin.com

North Carolina Events May 1, 2016 Gala in the Garden JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606 https://jcra.ncsu.edu/events/details. php?ID=1142

May 24, 2016 GIC Legislative Day & Ice Cream Social

Greater Columbus Convention Center 400 North High Street Columbus OH 43215 www.americanhort.org

August 25 – 27, 2016 FarWest Show Oregon Convention Center 777 Northeast M L King Boulevard Portland OR 97232 www.farwestshow.com

Casey Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Fair View Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Farm Credit Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Gossett's Landscape Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . 39 Gra-Mac Irrigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Hawksridge Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Jake A. Parrott Insurance Agency . . . . . . . 40 JOCO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Low Falls Wholesale Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

The Classic Center 300 N Thomas Street Athens, Georgia 30601 http://www.sna.org/

Old Courthouse Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

September 19 - 21, 2016 Grow Pro Series: Plug and Cutting Conference An AmericanHort Experience Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa 5480 Grand Pacific Drive Carlsbad, CA 92008 Americanhort.org

December 5 - 9, 2016 2016 Irrigation Show & Education Conference

June 16, 2016 NCGIC Water Symposium

Las Vegas Convention Center 3150 Paradise Road Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 • Irrigation Show | December 7 – 8 • Education Conference | December 5 – 9 www.irrigationshow.org

September 12 – 15, 2016 European Horticulture Inbound Trade Mission, North Carolina

Carolina Bark Products, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

August 30 – September 1, 2016 SEGreen

Legislature Building 16 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601 http://www.ncgreenindustrycouncil.org/

McKimmon Center NCSU 1101 Gorman St, Raleigh, NC 27606 http://www.ncgreenindustrycouncil.org/

Cardinal Turf & Ornamental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

OHP, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Parker Bark Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Pattersons Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Pender Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover Plantworks Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Proven Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Sampson Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Signature Horticultural Services . . . . . . . . 40 SiteLight Id . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Surface Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

For the latest events, please visit ncnla.com

For More Info, Email John Hammond at: john.hammond@ncagr.gov.

54 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016

SPRING 2016 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | 55

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

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PA I D Raleigh, NC Permit # 2255

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56 | NURSERY & LANDSCAPE NOTES | SPRING 2016