Central Ohio Evening Meeting Growing In Leadership / March 20, 2025 / Columbus, OH (See page 7)
Crew Leader Training Clinics (English & Spanish) March 31, 2025 (Independence, OH) / April 1 & 2, 2025 (Columbus, OH) (See page 29)
J.F.D. Landscapes, Inc.
By now, most of us have stopped writing 2024 on everything that requires a date. If you are one of those who was able to stop this habit immediately, kudos to you! But, for those still stuggling – just remember – trees go in the ground green-side up.
Change can be a difficult process, and this time of year is fraught with it. In the landscaping industry, while we always have a Plan A and a Plan B, usually it’s Plan G that gets implemented. Mother Nature deals us blows all the time, as do equipment breakdowns, employee issues, and clients that can’t make up their mind between the black or the bronze light fixtures. Trying to control these changes is equivalent to a daily game of whack-a mole. If only our changes were as easy – and as satisfying – as hitting a rodent over the head with a hammer.
For some of us change comes easy. For others, we fight it tooth and nail. Most of the time it comes down to how much pain we are willing to put up with until we make that change. It is the old adage of the dog laying on a porch nail. It doesn’t hurt bad enough to move... until it does.
Personally, I tend to accept change fairly easy, but not until I’ve been whacked over the head once, or twice. For me, it all comes down to results. While I can often be closed minded at first, I tend to buy-in once I’ve seen positive results. To that end, it’s important that we are willing to listen to our team members and give their ideas a try, because those who are
on the front line may just have a better way, which warrants hearing them out.
That said, sometimes a little bit of resistance can be a good thing. If we’ve been doing things a certain way and continue to get consistently positive results... not much reason to change. It’s when those results start to diminish, or more efficient/less labor intensive processes become apparent that change is warranted.
Most of the time, change is necessary for success. Just ask Blockbuster how sticking to their guns went. The great thing about our industry – and other trades – is that, by and large, we will always be needed. The way in which we complete our jobs however, should evolve.
When I first started performing lawn care work, dragging a hose around to spray weeds was not the easiest, or most efficient way to treat the large square footage properties I was maintaining. For the smaller postage stamp lawns it worked just fine, but for the larger properties – not so much.
continued on page 6
COVER: Landscape Ohio! Awards submission in the category of Show Gardens, submitted by Brothers Grimm Landscape & Design Co.
OHIO’S PROFESSIONAL GREEN INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
OHIO LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION
9240 Broadview Road
Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147
Phone: 440.717.0002
Toll Free: 1.800.335.6521
Web: www.ohiolandscapers.org and www.myohiolandscape.com
DESIGNER / EDITOR
Rick Doll
REGULAR WRITERS
Michael J. Donnellan, M3 Wealth Management
Dr. Jim Funai, PhD., Cuyahoga Community College
Shelley Funai, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
Ryan Drake, J.F.D. Landscapes, Inc.
Sandy Munley, Ohio Landscape Association
Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, Bobbie’s Green Thumb
ADVERTISING INFORMATION
Submission deadline: 10th of the month, prior to the month of magazine publication. For advertising rates and ad specs, please call 440.717.0002, or email Rick Doll Jr. at rick@ohiolandscapers.org.
Melissa Roberts 3 5 8 12 16 20 24 30 31 PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Change
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
PERENNIAL FOCUS
Do You Know These Natives? Part II
FISCAL FITNESS Proper Diversification
FOR SAFETY SAKE
OSHA Recordkeeping
PLANT OF THE MONTH
Ptelea trifoliata: Hoptree
FEATURE ARTICLE
Transitioning a Landscape Business from Gas to Electric
DIRECTIONS
ADVERTISING INDEX
DISCLAIMER
The Ohio Landscape Association, its board of directors, staff and the editor of The Growing Concern neither endorse any product(s) or attests to the validity of any statements made about products mentioned in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication. Similarly, the opinions expressed in The Growing Concern are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Ohio Landscape Association.
OFFICERS
President Ryan Drake
President – Elect Brandon Barker
Treasurer Matt Malone
Immediate Past President
Cameron Maneri
DIRECTORS
Jeffrey Ardo
Amy Gatoo
Jason Deuble, LIC, OCNT
Fred Krause
Tim McCaskey
Tom Rieder, LIC
OLA STAFF
Executive Director
Sandy Munley
Associate Director
Rick Doll
Membership Coordinator
UPCOMING OLA MEETINGS, EDUCATION SEMINARS & EVENTS
FEBRUARY 2025
FEBRUARY 13 & 27, 2025
LANDSCAPE DESIGN & ENHANCEMENT CLINIC
Kickstart the new year with a masterclass in plant community design. Learn to strategically place shrubs, trees, and perennials to create stunning visuals and resilient landscapes. Instructed by Kevin O’Brien of Lifestyle Landscaping.
FEBRUARY 19, 2025
OLA COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Joining an OLA committee is a wonderful way to get involved – not only within the association – but in the industry you love. It is also a great way for a potential board member to get a feel for the association’s work and needs. Join us for our kick-off meeting, prior to our evening meeting. RSVP is required. If you are interested in joining a committee, please contact the OLA at 440.717.0002, or register online at www.ohiolandscapers.org/ committees using the “Join a Committee” option.
FEBRUARY 19, 2025
OLA EVENING MEETING (NE Ohio)
Foundational Business Building Blocks
The OLA welcomes Ben Gandy of Envisor Consulting who will help you paint a clearer picture of the fundamental building blocks of business and how to create clarity when it comes to the next steps in maturing your business. Held at St. Michael’s Woodside in Broadview Hts., OH.
MARCH 2025
MARCH 20, 2025
CENTRAL OHIO EVENING MEETING
Growing In Leadership
To grow as – or become – a leader, you must lead by example while empowering your team to reach their full potential. Brian Knauer (The Pattie Group) provides an engaging, interactive look into recognizing and nurturing leadership potential at virtually every level in the green industry. See page 7 for more information.
MARCH 31, 2025 (NE OHIO)
CREW LEADER TRAINING (ENGLISH)
Crew Leaders work side by side with employees while having to direct and motivate them. They will learn how to effectively manage their team, handle tight deadlines, all while increasing customer satisfaction. See page 29 for more information.
APRIL 1 & 2, 2025 (CENTRAL OHIO)
CREW LEADER TRAINING (ENGLISH & SPANISH)
We’re happy to announce a Spanish speaking option of this course, as part of a pilot program to determine the interest in holding Spanish courses.
Crew Leaders work side by side with employees while having to direct and motivate them. They will learn how to effectively manage their team, handle tight deadlines, all while increasing customer satisfaction. An English version of the course will be held on April 1st, and an ALL SPANISH version of the course will be held on April 2nd. See page 29 for more information.
APRIL 2, 2025
TURF INSTALLATION CLINIC
A hands-on training opportunity for field technicians to learn the basics of irrigation repair and troubleshooting. Participants will learn to identify the components of an irrigation system, operate and adjust irrigation controllers, and troubleshoot irrigation issues that commonly occur on job sites. Information will be available on our website later this month. Visit www.ohiolandscapers.org/education.
APRIL 8, 2025
IRRIGATION CLINIC
A hands-on training opportunity for field technicians to learn the basics of irrigation repair and troubleshooting. Participants will learn to identify the components of an irrigation system, operate and adjust irrigation controllers, and troubleshoot irrigation issues that commonly occur on job sites. See page 28 for more information.
The OLA is delighted to welcome the following new members to the association:
REGULAR MEMBERS
GroundSmith LLC PO Box 181
Lewis Center, Ohio 43035
614.504.0565
Scott Smith
continued from page 3
Back then, ride-on sprayer/spreaders were not as prevalent as they are today. Once we got one though, wow, what a difference! The same can be said for our stand-on blowers. I can’t remotely fathom reverting back to the use of push blowers, nor can my back, for that matter.
In today’s day and age, we should all be looking for ways to become more efficient and to do more with less. Whether it’s using robotic mowers to maintain large municipal parks, growth regulators to reduce the pruning hours at HOAs, or software to make our mowing routes more efficient, coaching you as to how and when to take advantage of these advances is something the OLA is committed to assisting you with. I cannot tell how many great ideas, or lessons I’ve learned from either attending an OLA event, or talking to someone who has.
In 2025, I want to encourage everyone to reimagine how they interact with the OLA and its members, because quite honestly, access to our members is one of – if not our greatest – member benefit. And, like most things in life, you get out what you put in.
This year, I’m challenging you to not only be present, but to actively participate. Join a committee. Volunteer to help at an event. And please, when it comes to evening meetings and educational events, gather some phone numbers and offer assistance. I love it when a newer members calls on me for some help/advise. There is really nothing more rewarding.
This association was founded on the principle that we help ourselves by helping others – making our entire industry better. And, while the OLA exists to Educate, Advocate, and Elevate, part of that work falls on you! It is up to you to educate people in your community about the great benefits of a well-maintained landscape. It is up to you to advocate to your elected officials about the impact landscaping has on our economy and society. It is up to you to help elevate our industry to create that sense of pride in being a part of it.
In closing, great leaders can produce great changes, which lead to even greater results. As a reminder, Brian Knauer will be speaking on leadership at our March 20th meeting in Columbus, and I hope to see many of you there!
DATE & LOCATION
MARCH 20, 2025
GRANGE INSURANCE
AUDUBON CENTER
505 W WHITTIER ST. COLUMBUS, OH 43215
AGENDA
REGISTRATION / NETWORKING FOOD
6:00 PM TO 7:00 PM PROGRAM
7:00 PM TO 8:45 PM
COST TO ATTEND MEMBERS: NO CHARGE NON MEMBERS: $50
REGISTER TO ATTEND BY MARCH 13, 2025
SPONSORED BY EMERALD SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS
BRONZE SPONSORS
A great leader creates more leaders. Yet, to grow as – or become – a leader, one must first focus on developing key skills, such as: effective communication, active listening, building trust with your team, providing constructive feedback, delegating tasks effectively, embracing diversity, fostering a culture of learning, and continuously seeking opportunities to expand your own knowledge and network. Essentially, you must lead by example while empowering your team to reach their full potential.
Join us on March 20, 2025, as Brian Knauer (The Pattie Group) provides an engaging, interactive look into recognizing and nurturing leadership potential at virtually every level in the green industry.
Brian will look to educate those in attendance on the fundamental skills and attributes that define a great leader using real-life examples and potential ways to develop and grow those skills. Additionally, he will emphasize the importance of developing future leaders to ensure smooth transitions and sustainable growth within your organization.
Topics of discussion will include:
• What makes a good leader: From crew leaders to upper management
• What leadership skills are necessary at various levels.
• How to teach and learn those skills.
• How to develop your replacement as you move up, or on.
GUEST SPEAKER
BRIAN KNAUER: PROJECT DIRECTOR / THE PATTIE GROUP
Brian joined The Pattie Group with over 18 years of landscape industry experience. He has worked in almost every position of a landscape company, including running his own successful business for 15 years. Whether he is working on a design with the team, or strategically thinking through the nuances and technicalities of an installation, his immense knowledge, experience, client focus and incredibly high standards are ever apparent.
Brian’s passion for the landscape industry shines as he constantly pursues additional education, personal growth, and industry promotion. In addition to his director duties, he continues to give back through his work with the OLA, volunteering at local schools, vocational programs and youth centers. Wherever his focus, Brian’s leadership is a force that drives the entire team forward. He encourages a culture of collaboration and excellence that inspires his colleagues. With a deep understanding that true leadership is about serving others, he exemplifies a commitment to mentorship, often spending extra hours nurturing the potential of new talent and fostering an environment where skill and creativity can flourish.
As discussed last time, many clients ask for natives in order to help the environment even though natives may not be the best answer for a particular situation. However, there are many natives available with which many designers and gardeners are not familiar. I am continuing to make it my mission to acquaint you with some of these. This time, I will discuss perennials for shade.
One of my favorites belongs to a genus known as sun loving but Sedum ternatum is a species that is a shade lover. Only a few inches high, it is an excellent evergreen groundcover with lovely white flowers in May and competes well with tree roots. As with other groundcover Sedums, this one seems to be completely ignored by deer.
The cultivar named ‘Larinem Park’ is supposed to be more compact than the species and significantly more tolerant of shade and moisture, making it a better choice for planting in areas with less sunlight and slightly wetter soil conditions compared to the typical Sedum ternatum that prefers drier,
well-drained soil and more sun exposure. I’ve grown it for years at the base of ancient Burning Bushes (inherited) and watered only by Mother Nature.
A native perennial with which I have not been acquainted until recently is Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort). This past summer, I visited the Meadow City Native Plant Nursery in the Collinwood area of Cleveland. They grow a vast array of native plants.
Semi-evergreen, heart-shaped basal foliage forms rosettes and the stem leaves are delicate and finely divided. From them, arise purple flower buds (1 to 2-feet tall) that open to starry
continued on page 10
continued from page 8 yellow flowers in April. This plant will self-seed and spread by rhizome so you could end up with a carpet. (All the better to defeat the incipient weeds). Although Packera is quite happy in shade, it will also grow in full sun with enough moisture. It is an excellent springtime source of pollen and nectar for a variety of small bees and flies that are emerging from hibernation at approximately the same time. It is also another deer-resistant plant.
I have a shady moist area on the east side of my front yard, under an old crabapple, that is not colorful until mid-summer with Adenophora. I thought about purchasing some Packera for that spot but I’m afraid it will be more invasive than I would like so I settled on another native instead, Zizia aurea (Golden Alexander) which is a clumper.
Also, a May and June bloomer, the foliage is quite attractive. Swallowtail caterpillars will feed on its leaves. The yellow umbels on two to three foot stems will need deadheading before the seeds mature in the fall to control spread. However, this perennial is known to be short-lived so you do want some seedlings.
As a landscape designer, one of the most frustrating aspects of designing is knowing that I want a particular form or texture or height for a site and not finding what I want. I love ornamental grasses but ones with any height for shade are few and far between. I still love Chasmanthium latifolium, a lovely native, but it has one huge drawback: it seeds voluminously unless you cut off the oats mid-fall.
At Meadow City, I discovered Elymus (Leymus) hystrix, the Bottlebrush Grass. It will grow in full to part shade and average to dry soil. The foliage will be 3-feet tall and, when in bloom, the plant will be 4-feet tall. A cool season grass that blooms in June, it has striking seedheads that last all summer. I thought about buying it but for the site I had in mind, the height (4-feet in bloom) is probably too much; however, it could be just right for you. It is possible that cutting it back before winter is a necessity to keep it in check.
I hope I’ve given you some additional plants to add to your design palette.
Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, owner of Bobbie’s Green Thumb in Shaker Hts., Ohio, is a landscape designer, consultant, freelance writer, and lecturer whose specialties are perennial gardens and four season landscapes. In addition to being an Ohio Landscape Association (OLA) member, she is an active member of the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association (ONLA) and Perennial Plant Association (PPA). Bobbie is a Past President of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD).
With more than 282,000 readers, your ad will reach the region’s best customers, all with the purchasing power to buy your products and services. Landscape Ohio! is produced in partnership with the Ohio Landscape Association.
With more than 282,000 readers, your ad will reach the region’s best customers, all with the purchasing power to buy your products and services. Landscape Ohio! is produced in partnership with the Ohio Landscape Association.
Cleveland Magazine readers are educated consumers who take the time to research investments in their homes and property.
With landscape specific content that will provide context for your advertising message, Landscape Ohio! Magazine is the ideal way to reach the widest audience of potential customers.
With landscape specific content that will provide context for your advertising message, Landscape Ohio! Magazine is the ideal way to reach the widest audience of potential customers.
The magazine will showcase member projects in feature stories, trend pieces and products highlights, putting you in the spotlight.
The magazine will showcase member projects in feature stories, trend pieces and products highlights, putting you in the spotlight.
89% own their own home or condo $183,000 average market value of home.
As an added bonus, an electronic edition of the section will be produced:
• Available at ohiolandscapers.org and at clevelandmagazine.com
As an added bonus, an electronic edition of the section will be produced:
• Fully interactive with hyperlinks from all ads to the advertiser’s web site
• available at ohiolandscapers.org and at clevelandmagazine.com
• fully interactive with hyperlinks from all ads to the advertiser’s Web site
$129,000 average family income.
With more than 282,000 readers, your ad will reach the region’s best customers, all with the purchasing power to buy your products and services. Landscape Ohio! is produced in partnership with the Ohio Landscape Association.
34% plan to purchase landscaping and maintenance services in the next 12 months..
LANDSCAPE OHIO!
With landscape specific content that will provide context for your advertising message, Landscape Ohio! Magazine is the ideal way to reach the widest audience of potential customers.
38% plan a home remodeling project in the next 12 months.
The magazine will showcase member projects in feature stories, trend pieces and products highlights, putting you in the spotlight.
As an added bonus, an electronic edition of the section will be produced:
• available at ohiolandscapers.org and at clevelandmagazine.com
• fully interactive with hyperlinks from all ads to the advertiser’s Web site
| adsales@clevelandmagazine.com Issue Date: May
16% plan to build a new home in the next 12 months. Your
Please
Cover positions are available.
Please contact your account representative for digital file requirements.
Cleveland Magazine readers are educated consumers who take the time to research investments in their homes and property.
89% own their own home or condo
*Pricing is discounted for OLA Members. Non-members, add 10% to earned rates.
$183,000 average market value of home.
*Ad design services available starting at $85. Discount applied to design fee when materials are provided by the ad due date.
$129,000 average family income.
34% plan to purchase landscaping and maintenance services in the next 12 months..
traffic to the landscape industry.
38% plan a home remodeling project in the next 12 months.
16% plan to build a new home in the next 12 months.
DUE: 3/12/25
MICHAEL J. DONNELLAN M3 Wealth Management
The S&P 500 is the main stock market index tracking the stock performance of 500 of the largest companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. This index has always been thought of as a diversified benchmark, but it is increasingly less so. While there is no black and white test for diversification, it seems time to ask: Is the S&P 500 still a diversified benchmark?
Large-cap growth managers have wrestled with this phenomenon for many years.
Because market-cap-weighted indexes are frequently used as benchmarks for diversified portfolios, increasing concentration creates challenges for active portfolio managers. Portfolio managers are primarily judged based on their relative performance. As stocks become bigger and bigger in the index, one must take bigger and bigger positions to keep up. As a handful of the largest names have powered the index higher, most active managers have underperformed. Few managers are overweight Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Meta, Alphabet and Tesla, which together have powered 80% of the recent returns of the S&P 500.
While it is no fun to trail a benchmark, the inability of portfolio managers to keep up in a surging market should be of secondary concern. The average core portfolio may have lagged the S&P 500 over the last two years, but clients have likely made good money. It seems to me that outperforming the S&P 500 in this environment requires embracing a level of concentration and risk that should be unacceptable for a risk-averse investor. Should diversified investment managers put 10%+ in each of Apple, Microsoft and Nvidia? Or putting more than 40% of a “diversified” portfolio in the IT sector? The market consists of 11 sectors. Would a risk-averse investor put over 40% of their assets into just one of them?
continued on page 14
continued from page 12
Previous periods of extreme market concentration have proven to be short lived, but ultimately the bubble bursts and concentration recedes.
The current cycle may end the same way, but this time may also be different. The network effects and scale advantages of the largest technology companies have proven profoundly durable, and their massive investments in artificial intelligence (AI) seem likely to only reinforce and extend their competitive moats.
However, just because a handful of tech companies have grown to dominate their industry does not mean they must dominate our portfolios. There is no logical reason why an investor should own more of a certain stock simply because it represents a large weighting in well-known indexes. Benchmarks were introduced to measure performance, not drive it.
As the largest names in a cap-weighted index soar, they pull the valuation multiple of the overall index higher. The PriceEarnings (P/E) ratio of the S&P 500 is near its highest level of the last 30 years. With that as a headline, the average investor would be forgiven for assuming that the entire market is
expensive—but that is not the case! There is tremendous divergence between the valuation of the 10 largest companies in the S&P 500 and the other 490 companies.
Investors indexed to the S&P 500 are putting nearly 40% of their money into companies trading at 29x earnings. The other 490 companies in the S&P 500 are trading at 16x, a significant discount to the top 10. It is possible to buy stocks at 29x and make money, but I believe it is a lot easier, and a lot less risky, to do so buying stocks at 16x earnings.
While relative underperformance on the way up is frustrating, the risks involved in matching concentrated benchmarks are of greater concern. Today’s mega-cap companies might be magnificent, but they are not diverse. Investors looking to maintain diversification and control risk might consider decoupling from cap-weighted indexes and look hard at the rest of the market.
Now, I’m not saying to ignore the big-cap technology companies; quite the contrary. There could be more risk in being out of the market longer term. But be aware of the risk and volatility when a portfolio is heavily weighted in one area.
As always, talk to your financial professionals and tax advisors, to determine your specific needs and goals.
Scenarios illustrated are hypothetical in nature, results may vary. Investing is subject to risk which may involve loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
The M3 Wealth Management Office does not provide legal or tax advice. Consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific situation. The information herein is general and educational in nature and should not be considered legal or tax advice.
Michael J. Donnellan specializes in stock selection and retirement planning. Feel free to contact him with any questions or comments at the M3 Wealth Management office at:
17601 W. 130th Street – Suite 1 in North Royalton, Ohio. Phone number (440) 652-6370
Email: donnellan@m3wealthmanagement.com
Securities and advisory services offered through L.M. Kohn & Company
Registered Broker/Dealer
10151 Carver Rd. Suite
(800) 478-0788
The beginning of 2025 is here and that means your OSHA (private employers) recordkeeping logs, summary and online reporting will be due soon (March 2, 2025). Throughout the year, you should be updating your OSHA logs as injuries occur. OSHA requires employers to evaluate injuries and determine if they need to be recorded on the log within 7 days of being notified of an injury.
To keep injury records for a small business, you should use OSHA’s standard forms (300 Log, 300A Summary, and 301 Incident Report) to document all work-related injuries and illnesses, ensuring you record details like the employee’s name, date, time, location of the incident, nature of the injury, and any medical treatment provided. Always follow OSHA guidelines to determine which injuries are recordable and which are not, and be sure to post the annual summary (Form 300A) in a visible location for employees to access. Remember, you must report any workplace incident that results in a fatality, in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye.
Use the correct forms: OSHA provides specific forms for recording injuries and illnesses: Form 300 (Log of WorkRelated Injuries and Illnesses), Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses), and Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report).
Identify recordable injuries: Understand which injuries need to be recorded based on OSHA criteria, including injuries requiring medical treatment beyond first aid, lost workdays, restricted work activity, or job transfer.
continued on page 18
continued from page 16
Record accurate information: Include details like employee name, date, time, location of incident, description of injury, treatment provided, and any witnesses.
Post the annual summary: Once a year, complete Form 300A summarizing your recorded injuries and illnesses and post it in a visible location for employees to view.
Keep records: Maintain records for at least five years.
Consider electronic recordkeeping: For easier management, you can use an electronic system to store and access your injury records.
Company size and industry: Depending on your company size and industry, you may be exempt from certain OSHA recordkeeping requirements.
Employee training: Train employees on how to report injuries and illnesses properly.
Incident investigation: Conduct thorough investigations into all work-related injuries to identify root causes and implement preventive measures.
The final step in the process is to determine if you must file online. To determine if your organization is required to do so, enter the following information for your facility at the following link https://www.osha.gov/itareportapp:
1. “State” in which your facility is located.
2. “Peak Employment from the previous year” – Be sure include temporary and seasonal workers.
3. “Is the establishment a government facility” and
4. Your “NAICS Code”.
Once the information is entered, click the “Submit” button and it will identify what, if any, information your facility needs to submit online. There will be one of four replies:
1. You are exempt from completing the OSHA Log and not required to submit online.
2. You will not be required to submit anything online.
3. You will be required to submit information from your OSHA 300A form.
4. You will be required to submit information from your OSHA 300, 300A and 301 Forms.
If your establishment is required to submit, then you must create a secure account on OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application found here: www.osha.gov/injuryreporting/ita, if you are a new user. Once you have successfully set up an account, then you can submit your OSHA Log, OSHA 300A Summary or OSHA 301 Injury Information. If you are only required to submit your OSHA 300A Summary information, the process is a fairly straight forward, just be sure to have your NAICS number, average number of employees and total work hours entered on your OSHA 300A Summary report.
If you are required to submit your OSHA 300 and OSHA 301 information you have two options. You can either choose to input each recordable injury individually or perform a batch upload. The batch upload can save time for establishments with numerous recordable injuries.
One final note, even if you have not completed your logs or online reporting in past years, it is a good idea to get these completed ASAP. OSHA recommends creating your logs and submitting your data, if possible, even if you are past the due date – remember better late than never!
If you need help identifying potential hazards in your workplace, please contact Andy Sawan, Risk Services Specialist at Sedgwick at andrew.sawan@sedgwick. com or 330.819.4728.
JIM FUNAI, PhD
Cuyahoga Community College
SHELLEY FUNAI, LIC
Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
Plants in the family of Rutaceae are a vast, interesting group of plants. With at least 160 genera in the family, there is a lot to learn. By far the most famous genus is Citrus, which is one of the most economically-important, woody plants in the world. A deep dive into the family Rutaceae reveals a lot of unique plants, all with a common trait – they smell.
In fact, other than Citrus and a few other obscure tropicals, most plants in this family downright stink! That said, we’d still like to share a Native-to-Ohio member of the family with you, which we believe deserves more love in our landscapes, despite its odorous traits. We’d also like to mention – before you turn your nose up at our plant of the month – that you would really have to crush the leaves or scrape the bark of this plant to bring out its smell, so unless you are pruning the plant, you will never notice it.
Ptelea trifoliata is the only member of the genus Ptelea, so perhaps out of pity of being a loner, we’ve given it numerous
common names including Hoptree (fruits were a substitute for hops), Wafer-Ash (fruits look like little flat wafers), and Stinking-Ash (kind of looks like an Ash tree and it smells).
Hoptree is a small, low-branched, rounded-crown tree reaching around 15 feet tall and wide. It is a fairly adaptable plant, but will perform best in a soil that drains well. It does fine in full sun to a fair amount of shade. The specific epithet is a direct reference to the three-part, compound leaf that resembles three separate leaves (tri = three, foliate = leaves).
continued on page 22
continued from page 20
Some references describe the flower as fragrant, but we find that word to have a connotation of pleasant smelling, which this flower is not. While it isn’t a very powerful scent, the flower is pollinated by Carrion Flies, a group of flies that like to eat dead meat. It’s probably safe to surmise that because the pollinator is attracted to dead animals, this may explain the attraction to the flower. These flowers, greenish-yellow in color, form in panicles in June and are not overly showy. (We’re really selling the flowers here if you haven’t noticed.)
In August the fruit becomes apparent in a very well-ordered, round, flat wafer. With a small seed in the middle, this fruit will dry to a light brown and persist into winter. They are really an interesting winter feature, for a small native tree.
While this isn’t a tree that is going to knock people over with ornamental features, we think it is important to remember that we are also planting to improve our failing ecosystems. As this plant is the sole member of the genus, that lends to some evolutionary benefits. Think of the major, species limiting, insects and diseases that have come through our
country. They are all foreign pests/diseases that our native species have never been exposed to, thus don’t know how to defend against. The trouble is, these foreign pests figure out how to attack our natives by training on cousins to our plants. Dutch Elm? Yeah, it had Ulmus species to figure it out. Emerald Ash Borer? There were Asian Fraxinus to help figure ours out.
There are no other Ptelea in the world, which means that the only pests that attempt to attack this plant are native and thus have evolved with the plant. Hoptree is virtually pest free and will likely stay that way. Add to this a native range from South-East Canada south down to Florida, reaching in bands west towards Arizona and into Southern Mexico, and it becomes apparent that global warming should not become an issue either.
There may be some medicinal properties yet to be discovered in this plant. Many plants in Rutaceae have been found to have unique properties including high amounts of vitamin C in Citrus. Another member of the family, Angostura, has
Check us out on the web: www.davistreefarm.com sales@davistreefarm.com
6126 Neff Road Valley City, OH
PH: 330-483-3324
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Trees – (Shade, Ornamental & Evergreen) & Shrubs
Ornamental Grasses & Perennials
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been used in some traditional medicines for centuries, with the bark still being the primary flavoring agent in Angostura Bitters, used in a number of cocktail drinks including a nice Old Fashioned (muddle sugar and bitters, then add whiskey) or perhaps you fancy a Manhattan, for less effort (bitters and sweet vermouth with a rye whiskey). Another member of the family, Orixa, has been found to produce compounds that can kill the protozoan pest that causes malaria in humans.
There are a few other members of this family – also ornamental in size – that are deserving of a place in the landscape, such as Poncirus trifoliata (Hardy Orange), especially the cultivar ‘Flying Dragon’. If you find yourself starting conversations at your own parties, plant one of these in the middle of your landscape and it will have the entire party talking about its crazy curved stems and medieval thorny branches. Or perhaps plant the arguably-native Phellodendron amurense (Amur corktree). While it is considered to be native to the Amur River Valley in Mongolia, there are fossil records of this plant in North America from the Early Oligocene period. (OK, so maybe that was around 30 million years ago)
But, it helps prove the point that “native” is a moving target and to fix a line in the ground now is pretty silly of us.
Fact of the matter is, we need more plants, we need more trees, and we desperately need to increase the urban canopy. Ptelea trifoliate is a plant that has trained for millennia to rise to the challenge of global climate change and increasing global trade – which is how the invasive pests arrive in the first place.
Jim Funai, PhD, is full-time faculty at Cuyahoga Community College, a NALP accredited associate of applied science in hoticulture degree program. He has a PhD in Landscape Engineering and Forestry and is a Licensed Arborist. Shelley Funai is Grounds Manager at Stan Hywett Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio, which offers a historic estate designed by Warren H. Manning and a beautiful manor house museum. She is Landscape Industry Certified in Ornamental Plant Care.
You may have already heard the rumors of electric landscaping becoming the future standard for commercial mowing companies, but most likely this is as new to you as it was to everyone else just a few years ago. Currently, the residential DIY marketplace is being inundated with electric options from simple batterypowered hedge trimmers to full-scale battery-powered lawn mowers. It’s only been in recent years that landscaping companies have had a viable option for fully battery-powered lawn care fleets. As technology advances each month, more and more lawn services are offering clients electric, quieter landscaping options. This article aims to be a resource for folks considering a plan to transition.
This plan is organized in several time-based sections, for 18 –24 months, to achieve the objective of moving away from gaspowered to all electric devices. Moving from using gas-powered tools to all-electric machinery serves the larger goal of reducing environmental impact, offers a potentially improved customer experience, and aligns with evolving market preferences.
1. Business Assessment
• Inventory Audit: List all current gas-powered equipment (lawnmowers, trimmers, blowers, etc.) and assess their condition, age, and frequency of use.
• Cost Analysis: Calculate the operating costs (fuel, maintenance) for current gas-powered tools and compare them to potential costs for electric equivalents.
• Customer Survey: Engage with paying customers to gauge their interest in and willingness to pay for eco-friendly, zero-emissions services; seek to understand if existing customers would be willing to pay more for this service if the transition was made to using battery power.
2. Market Research
• Equipment Research: Identify leading brands and models of electric landscaping tools that meet the business’s operational needs (e.g. Ego, Greenworks, Stihl); research
1.
• Incentives and Rebates: Research available incentives, rebates, or grants for businesses transitioning to electric equipment.
• Research and understand which onboard charging systems will be needed to support the demand of the daily in field operations.
• Environmental Goals: Set clear goals related to environmental impact (e.g., reduce energy costs (gasoline expenses-electricity) by X dollars within Y months, or reducing carbon footprint by X% within Y months).
• Financial Goals: Establish a budget for the transition, including upfront costs, long-term savings projections; costs of servicing, and net ROI calculations; include estimates for selling gas-powered equipment after acquisition of battery powered equipment to recoup some investment costs.
• Select Pilot Equipment: Purchase a limited number of electric tools, batteries and charging stations for testing, focusing on high-use handhelds, like trimmers and blowers.
• Training: Train staff on the use, maintenance, and safety of electric equipment. Organizations such as AGZA (American Green Zone Alliance) may be able to help with training and certification program.
• Test Runs: Implement the electric equipment in select customer properties and routes, starting with smaller or less demanding jobs.
• Performance Monitoring: Track the performance, reliability, and customer feedback on the electric equipment; track total charging times.
3.
• Cost-Benefit Analysis: Review the costs and benefits from the pilot, including any unexpected challenges or savings.
continued on page 26 and understand warranties as there are different warranty periods for commercial companies such as EcoMow compared to residential consumer use.
continued from page 25
1. Gradual Rollout
• Expand Equipment Purchase: Based on the pilot’s success, purchase additional electric tools, batteries and charging stations to replace aging gas-powered units.
• Phased Replacement: Gradually phase out gas-powered equipment, prioritizing older or less efficient units.
2. Customer Communication
• Marketing Campaign: Launch a marketing campaign to inform customers about the transition, highlighting the environmental benefits and any potential price adjustments.
• Customer Incentives: Consider offering discounts or incentives for customers who opt into all-electric service packages, if impact aligns with growth and financial metrics.
3. Infrastructure Upgrades
• Charging Stations: Install charging stations at the business’s main facility and, if necessary, at satellite locations. This is a criticial piece.
• Battery Management: Develop a battery management plan, including charging schedules and backup systems for extended jobs; provide proper field training using the “ABC (Always Be Charging)” method and mantra coined by the Electric Lawn Talk podcast hosts.
1. Performance Review
• Operational Review: Conduct a comprehensive review of the transition’s impact on operational efficiency, cost savings, and customer satisfaction. – Include employee and crew satisfaction as a result of making this switch as well in your research.
• Environmental Impact: Measure the reduction in emissions and other environmental benefits; while this can be a difficult metric to specifically dial in, there are websites and software systems out there to help with this.
• Feedback Loop: Create a system for ongoing staff and customer feedback on the new equipment and processes. It is very important to understand which equipment the crew prefers to use and why. You will find that when it comes to lawn care and landscaping it can be hard to teach an old dog new tricks. It’s important to remind the crew coming into this that it will be different and change is hard. But the long term benefits of the transition will be realized after a very short period of time and training.
• Technology Updates: Stay informed on advancements in electric landscaping tools and update the equipment as needed.
• Expansion Goals: Set long-term goals for expanding sustainable practices (e.g., water conservation techniques, organic fertilizers, solar panel installation).
• Certification: Explore certifications as additional feather in one’s cap (e.g. Green Business Certification or AGZA (American Green Zone Alliance) to further promote the business’s commitment to sustainability.
The next phase of the industry shift, which has already slowly begun, is happening more due to the opening of a new market niche where brand-new companies can capitalize on pitching quiet, eco-friendly lawn care. As these new companies spring up and begin to take market share, more stable companies will be forced to adapt the new technology into their service offerings.
This article was written by Razvan Dominic Ionescu. Originally from Romania, Razvan pursued graduate studies in London, United Kingdom and now lives in Pennsylvania, in the Greater Philadelphia area. He is a business professional with 20+ years of experience in international markets. Passionate about the natural world and volunteering, in 2023 he founded OneBeautifulPlanet.org with a mission to inspire, perform, and support restorative environmental action.
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APRIL 8, 2025
TRI-C’S EASTERN CAMPUS 4250 RICHMOND ROAD ROOM# EHCT 20 HIGHLAND HILLS, OH 44122 AGENDA
8:00AM – 8:30AM
Ever had a crew member inadvertantly damage a sprinkler head? Ever had one get a machine stuck in an area that’s being drastically overwatered? Or perhaps your clients are just in need of some basic irrigation controller programming? This practical course on Irrigation Repair and Troubleshooting will help teach your technicians the basics, while ensuring your customers stay happy!
The OLA is happy to offer this hands-on training event as an opportunity for field technicians to learn the basics of irrigation repair and troubleshooting. Participants will learn to identify the components of irrigation systems, operate and adjust irrigation controllers, and troubleshoot irrigation issues that commonly occur on residential and commercial job sites.
NOTE: Registration for this clinic will be capped at 30 attendees in order to keep groups small.
AFTER 03/25/25 CLINIC INSTRUCTOR JIM FUNAI, PHD., CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Jim Funai, PhD., is the Assistant Professor of Plant Science and Landscape Technology at Cuyahoga Community College. In addition to being a Licensed Arborist, Jim has a PhD of Philosophy in the field of Urban Forestry through the Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry. He also holds a Master of Science in the field of Agricultural and Extension Education Services from Colorado State University and an honorary degree in Urban Forestry from the China Agriculture University. He was named Outstanding Educator of the Year for 2022 by NALP.
Sponsored by
ROAD INDEPENDENCE, OH 44131
APRIL 1, 2025
CREEK
6700B HUNTLEY ROAD COLUMBUS, OHIO 43229
APRIL 2, 2025
CREEK COMPANY 6700B HUNTLEY ROAD COLUMBUS, OHIO 43229
AGENDA REGISTRATION / BREAKFAST 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM CLINIC 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM LUNCH (PROVIDED) 11:30AM – 12:15PM COST
NEW THIS YEAR: We’re happy to announce our first CENTRAL OHIO SPANISH SPEAKING ONLY CLASS ON APRIL 2nd as part of a pilot program to determine the interest in holding spanish courses.
Landscape crew leaders have to wear two hats: worker and leader. They also must walk a fine line in working side by side with other employees, having to direct, motivate and critique at the same time. Managing former peers and friends can be difficult and dealing with issues takes skills that can only be developed by stepping out of the work environment, learning best practices, applying it through role play, and then going back and applying it on the job. In this seminar, crew leaders will learn how to:
• Act as a “worker-leader”
• Supervise friends and peers
• Communicate with their superiors
• Generate accountability
• Motivate and delegate responsibilities
INSTRUCTED BY ARMANDO ACTIS / PROFESSOR
• Implement and follow schedules
• Budget and complete jobs on time
• Manage problem behavior
• Produce client focused work
• And more....
Professor Actis provides management, inside sales & public relation training based on his education & experience in the landscaping & construction industry at Rendel’s Inc, where he is currently the Training & Project Manager for the Joliet Branch. He provides end user operation, application and maintenance training – training anyone from the casual user to the professionals in OSHA, safe & correct usage of landscaping and construction equipment. He was Equipment Manager and judge for ILCA’s (Illinois Landscape Contractors Association) Certified Landscape Technician exams at Joliet Junior College.
The OLA is having a garden at the Great Big Home and Garden Show at the I-X Center in Cleveland as it has for many years. The show is totally rearranged this year, because the I-X Center has made for changes to the footprint of the expo space. You can visit the show January 31 through February 9, 2025.
This year’s garden is beautiful! With all the cold this winter, it was a welcome site. Ken and Kevin Sasak of Sasak Landscaping spearheaded the garden. They have taken on this huge undertaking for us for 10 years now. As always, they did a wonderful job and we really appreciate all they do!
We had a lot of members help with the garden and we are appreciative of everyone’s efforts. Here is the full list of those that contributed:
Ken Sasak & Kevin Sasak – Sasak Landscaping, Inc.
Ken Sasak & Kevin Sasak – Sasak Landscaping, Inc.
J.A.G. Lawn Maintenance & Landscaping
Northern Territory Lighting
Sasak Landscaping, Inc.
Weaver Craft Structures
SANDY MUNLEY
Executive Director / OLA
Beardslee Nursery
Bedford Glens Garden Center
Belgard Hardscapes
Burns JCB
Davis Tree Farm and Nursery
Empaco Equipment Corp.
Grace Brothers Landscaping
Great Big Home & Garden Show
Italgranite LLC
Northern Territory Lighting Sasak Landscaping, Inc.
SiteOne Landscape Supply
Smith Bros., Inc.
Smith Evergreen Nursery
Uncle John’s Plant Farm
Unilock
Valley City Supply
Weaver Craft Structures
At the garden, we promote using a member of the Ohio Landscape Association when the services of a landscape contractor are needed. This year, we created a QR code that brings you to the referral section of the OLA website. We had 5,000 postcards printed for the public to pick up at the show and had signage that incorporated the QR Code.
No matter where your business is located in the state, if you have not given us your referral information (six zip codes that you would like referral work in and the type of services you that your company provides) you can update this information yourself. To do this, log into your company profile on our website. If you need assistance, just give us a call in the office and we will help!
I hope to see you all at our upcoming spring and summer events! Spring cannot get here soon enough!
