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pro grow news Summer 2014

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pro grow news Summer 2014

contents Features

8

Plant Something MA Day 2014

It’s not too late to get involved in this great program.

14 Mulching and Weed Management in the

Urban Landscape

By Richard W. Harper and Randall G. Prostak Mulch management strategies give plants an advantage.

20 Garden Center Success in an

Ever-Changing Retail Market Success lies in appealing to stimulus-driven consumers.

Departments 5 President’s Message

6 Government Relations Committee 12 History Committee 21 Education Committee 27 Certifiable: The MCH News Corner 28 MNLA Product Update 29 Ad Index 30 Membership Committee On the cover— garden phlox closeup Photo courtesy of Rena Sumner.

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pro grow news Summer 2014

committees

board PRESIDENT Mary Jesch Cornucopia Gardeners Tel: (508) 879-1822

EDUCATION & RESEARCH COMMITTEE

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Katherine Bergmann, MCH - Chair Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 435-3414

Rene Fontaine, MCH — Chair New England Botanicals, Inc. Tel: (508) 962-1064

VICE PRESIDENT Tim Lomasney One Source Horticulture Tel: (978) 470-1934

Tim Hay, MCH - Vice Chair Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 845-2143

David Ahronian, MCH — Vice Chair Ahronian Landscape & Design, Inc. Tel: (508) 429-3844

TREASURER Jim Stucchi, MCH Ahronian Landscape and Design, Inc. Tel: (508) 429-3844

FINANCIAL COMMITTEE (FINCOM) Steve Corrigan, MCH — Chair Mountain View Landscapes & Lawncare, Inc. Tel: (413) 536-7555

MASSACHUSETTS CERTIFIED HORTICULTURIST BOARD (MCH)

SECRETARY Tim Hay, MCH Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 845-2143

Chuck Baker, MCH - Vice Chair Strictly Pruning Tel: (508) 429-7189

PAST PRESIDENT Jim Connolly, MCH Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 293-8028

Chris O’Brien, MCH — Chair Howard Garden Designs, Inc. Tel: (617) 244-7269

DIRECTORS Karen Howard, MCH Howard Garden Designs, Inc. Kerry Preston, MCH Wisteria & Rose, Inc. Peter Mezitt, MCH Weston Nurseries, Inc. Walter Swift, MCH Swift’s Creative Landscape, Inc.

David Vetelino, MCH Vetelino Landscape, Inc. Jean Dooley, MCH Mahoney Garden Centers

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE

Walter Swift, MCH — Vice Chair Swift’s Creative Landscape, Inc. Tel: (508) 478-3768 HISTORY COMMITTEE

Cheryl Salatino, MCH — Chair Dancing Shadows Garden Designs Tel: (908) 460-2180 Jack Elicone, MCH — Vice Chair J.A. Crowdle Corporation Tel: (617) 527-5706 PRODUCTS COMMITTEE Mark Ahronian, MCH — Chair Ahronian Landscaping & Design, Inc. Tel: (508) 429-3844 Peter Mezitt, MCH - Vice Chair Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 435-3414

Philip Boucher, MCH — Chair Elysian Garden Designs Tel: (508) 695-9630 Skott Rebello, MCH — Vice Chair Harborside P.S. Tel: (508) 994-9208

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR Henry Gillet Tel: (508) 567-6288 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Rena M. Sumner Tel: (413) 369-4731 Fax: (413) 369-4962

DIRECTOR Michelle Harvey, MCH Lakeview Nurseries Tel: (978) 342-3770 EDUCATION COMMITTEE Katherine Bergmann, MCH Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 533-3831 Tim Hay, MCH Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 845-2143 The Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association, Inc. is proud to be a founding partner of New England Grows.

pro grow news Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association P.O. Box 387 Conway, MA 01341 mnlaoffice@aol.com www.mnla.com www.PlantSomethingMA.org www.mnlafoundation.org

ProGrowNews is published quarterly by the Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association (MNLA), P.O. Box 387, Conway, MA 01341, tel. (413) 369-4731.

Articles do not necessarily reflect the view or position of MNLA. Editorial coverage or permission to advertise does not constitute endorsement of the company covered or of an advertiser’s products or services, nor does ProGrowNews make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of the advertiser’s offer. (c) 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in print or electronically without the express written permission of the MNLA.

President’s Message

Four Ideas to Refocus Your Life These points can help you simplify your life and focus your energy where it will be more productive.

By Mary Jesch

D

uring the long days of summer, courtesy of Daylight Saving’s extra hours, there still doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to accomplish everything on our schedules. At the same time, however, we really want to take the time to focus our energies on the things that matter to us: reconnecting with all of the people and activities we have neglected since the beginning of our season.

I often think that if I could just get caught up with this endless paperwork, these endless phone calls, the endless review and organization, then I would have time to relax and enjoy the things I look forward to doing. It seems we never get caught up, and the infernal “To Do” list goes ever on and on. I’m afraid that we often fall into the habit of being reactive rather than proactive in our decisions, and settling for efforts that are not our best.

Perhaps a little refocusing could help.

I am always a fan of ideas that can help us to become better at what we do and can bring out our best selves. I was recently inspired by the commencement speaker at a university graduation ceremony. The speaker encouraged graduates to live purposeful and focused lives. Even though many of us are looking at college graduation days in the rear-view mirror, the advice seemed opportune, not only in our personal and professional lives, but in the operation of our association as well.

The remarks we heard that day were based upon a book titled “The Four Agreements” by Miguel Ruiz. Briefly summarized, they are: 1. Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity and truth, and say only what you mean. Avoid gossip.

2. Don’t take anything personally. You are not the cause of others’ decisions or actions.

3. Don’t make assumptions. Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really think.

Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings.

First of all, it is imperative that we act and speak with integrity. MNLA’s success is based upon the mutual trust that exists among the members of the association. Just as your family, friends and business associates need to know that their trust is well-placed in you, so too should you bring that trustworthiness to your participation in MNLA. I am reminded of Dr. Seuss’ “Horton Hatches the Egg” where we hear Horton repeat time after time: “I meant what I said and I said what I meant.”

Secondly, don’t let yourself get bogged down in taking offense when things don’t go your way. I am as guilty as anyone of taking things personally, and it is a struggle for me to understand some people’s behavior, but I think it is sometimes necessary to just…let…it…go. This is certainly true in our own professional lives and the life of MNLA. We must keep our eyes on the goal when we are working on a project and seek the support of our fellow members to achieve what we have planned.

Thirdly, assumptions about what others may think can be problematic in our personal and business lives, and certainly in the life of our association. We need to counter this with clarity in our thoughts and words, both spoken and written. By clearly expressing what we really think as plainly as possible, we can avoid all sorts of complications and misunderstandings.

And finally, always do your best. I hear the echoes of my mother’s voice in this, as I’m sure you do as well. Some days, your best is better than others, but if you can be assured you have done the best you could, there is no room for regrets.

MNLA strives to operate with this kind of commitment to excellence, and even when we fail, we get up and try again.

It has been an enormous privilege for me to work with the many inventive and dedicated leaders among our membership.

And it is a pleasure to see how they bring their very best selves to our association. My deepest thanks to you all.

Have a great summer!

Mary Jesch, Cornucopia Gardeners MNLA President

4. Always do your best. This will vary from moment to moment, but in all circumstances simply do your best, and you will avoid regret.

Each of these points can help us to simplify our lives and to focus our energies where they will be most productive.

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Government Relations

Support Builds for UMass Center for Urban Sustainability Rep. Lawn testifies at environmental hearing.

By Chris O’Brien, MCH

R

ep. John J. Lawn testified and declared his support for the proposed project at the environmental bond hearing in May. The MNLA team was led by Rep. Paul Schmid (D-Westport). Panel members who offered testimony included American Farmland Trust New England Director Cris Coffin; Ed Bemis, Bemis Farms Nursery; and 4H Director Kent Lage.

The Waltham panel was led by Sen. Michael Barrett (D-Lexington). Other panel members who spoke were Rep. Thomas Stanley (D-Waltham); Rep. John J. Lawn (D-10th Middlesex District) and Catherine Cagle, representing Waltham Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy.

Below is the excellent testimony presented at the hearing

by Rep. Lawn on behalf of the UMass Center for Urban Sustainability in Waltham: “I am here today in support of House Bill 4009, an Act providing for the preservation and improvement of land,

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parks and clean energy in the Commonwealth. Particularly important to my district are lines 438-449 for the construction of a 20,000-square-foot research building at the UMass Center for Urban Sustainability in Waltham. I fully support this project, as it will have a tremendous impact for Waltham and all of Massachusetts.

“This Center for Urban Sustainability will benefit citizens and economic life throughout Massachusetts. The center will be a home to industries, businesses, municipalities, government agencies and citizen groups, all of which will be involved with priorities related to food security, urban workforce development and agriculture in urban settings.

This will be a place for citizens to access information and learn about urban sustainability.

“This center will teach urban agriculture practice to growers and citizens who grow, process and sell food in cities. The Commonwealth’s food security and natural resource management concerns are very critical today and impact almost everyone in the state. This project will allow agricultural and green businesses to maintain their economic viability while preserving the state’s natural resources and will provide safe and nutritious local food to the people of Massachusetts.

“The Center will serve as a place for education and research on urban sustainability. It will contain organizational offices, conference and learning spaces inside the building, as well as community supported farming, agricultural incubator enterprises practicing urban farming of the future, and applied research and demonstration of the best green landscape practices for urban as well as suburban residents. The technology infrastructure in this building will deliver academic, public and workforce development programs and will have a positive impact on the entire state.

“The center will partner and collaborate with other Massachusetts businesses in the area, as opposed to compete with them. This land will be used in the educational interests of the farmers, landscapers, residents, communities and all the citizens of Massachusetts.

“This will be an amazing use of the agricultural land and an excellent opportunity to create solutions to sustainability problems, and will have a positive economic and environmental impact throughout Massachusetts. Thank you for your time and consideration for this investment.”

Chris O’Brien, MCH, Howard Garden Designs, Inc. Government Relations Committee Chair www.mnla.com

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Plant Something MA

Plant Something MA Day Even if you missed Plant Something MA Day, you can still get involved in this program to build consumer awareness and generate new business.

By Kim LaFleur

S

ome 99 member businesses, public and private schools, community groups and green industry advocates participated in Plant Something MA Day on May 15, 2014.

Once again, our members found creative ways to get involved with the program. From community garden plantings to

planting trees on city property to working with a group of special-needs students at the local high school, and even a “phantom” planting for your friends and town, there was no shortage of clever projects on our special day.

Some of the events included:

• Chelmsford: Weston Nurseries planted fruit trees and

blueberry bushes with local Brownies and Boy Scouts at Sunny Meadow Farm. Additionally, Garden Center Manager Jim Connolly was featured on the Garden Variety segment on Fox 25 News with Meteorologist Shiri Spears.

• Holyoke: Mountain View Landscape planted trees as

part of a city-wide initiative to reduce runoff, lower heating and cooling costs, and beautify the community.

• Newton: Jack Elicone of J.A. Crowdle Corporation planted annuals with children at the Lincoln Eliot School.

• Woburn: McCue’s Garden Center invited customers

to send them a photograph of a barrel planter in their community that was in need of attention. McCue’s then recommended and donated plants to their customers for a surprise make-over planting.

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MNLA Executive Director Rena Sumner and Plant Something MA Program Coordinator Kim LaFleur celebrated the day at the Massachusetts Envirothon. This statewide high school environmental/natural resources competition at beautiful Sholan Farms in Leominster featured 250 students from more than 30 Massachusetts communities, from Boston to the Berkshires. The theme was sustainable local agriculture. What better way to celebrate the day than to plant seeds with an exciting group of young people? Flowers were also planted on the cityowned farm for visitors to enjoy throughout the season.

Plant Something MA also teamed up with the South Shore Great Pumpkin Challenge program to distribute more than 400 giant pumpkin seedlings to children and families across the state. The seedlings, which were grown at Quansett Nurseries in South Dartmouth and Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton, were distributed by a variety of garden centers in eastern Massachusetts, as well as at the Envirothon.

Thank you to all participants for making this joint project possible. Plant Something MA has also been increasing consumer awareness through its presence on social media. We maintain active roles on Facebook and Twitter and reached more than 14,000 people through targeted advertisements for the period of April 15 – May 15. Would you like to capture part of that audience? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter so we can share your great work, too.

Plant Something MA is a collaboration between the Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association and the Massachusetts Flower Growers’ Association to build consumer awareness and generate business for you. The program provides added value to your membership by helpingto drive customers to your place of business. Would you like to get involved? Contact Kim LaFleur, kim@plantsome thingma.org, for more information.

Kim LaFleur Project Coordinator for Plant Something MA.

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MNLA/MFGA Summer Conference and Trade Show at Savage Farms Save the Date: July 24, 2014

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Operating Safely

Operating Landscaping Equipment on Slopes

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ere are tips to prevent rollover accidents that frequently result from improper operation on slopes.

According to a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health fact sheet, 45 percent of fatal injuries among landscape workers occur when crew members are operating tools or machinery. Serious or fatal accidents involving the types of machines typically used in our industry — mowers, skid-steer loaders, compact excavators, trenchers, and compact utility loaders — often involve rollovers and result from improper travel or operation on slopes.

When on a slope, a machine’s stability and load capacity are altered. Some machines should not be operated on slopes, and most others require operators to use extreme caution and adhere to specific guidelines (found in operator’s manuals) when performing work on slopes.

Routinely, and as related situations arise, supervisors and crew members should review general safety procedures regarding operating equipment on slopes as well as portions of manufacturers’ manuals that deal with this topic.

Photo courtesy OnlyLawnmowers.org

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Employers’ and Supervisors’ Checklist

3 Remember, you are responsible for properly training

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3 3

employees to operate each specific machine they use. Since operation varies by manufacturer and model, employees must receive specific training for each particular machine they use. This training should include whether/how to operate the machine on slopes.

Ensure employees read operating manuals and safety decals attached to machines. If an employee can’t read the manual, have someone explain the safety messages to him/ her and ensure he/she understands. For employees who speak little or no English, provide training in their native languages. Federal OSHA requires you to ensure employees understand training in safe work practices and hazards.

Provide workers with — and make sure they wear — necessary personal protective equipment (PPE).

Inspect job sites and take progressive disciplinary action when employees break safety rules regarding operating equipment on slopes.

3 Make sure machines are maintained properly and safety

3 3 3

3

guards and mechanisms remain in place. This includes systems that shut off ride-on mowers and ride-on trenchers when weight is not detected in the seat, and walk behind mowers when the operator releases the handle.

Provide machines equipped with TOPS (tip-over protective structure) or ROPS (roll-over protective structure) and seat belts whenever possible.

Before allowing an employee to use any machine on a slope, determine whether the operation can be performed safely.

Ensure employees are aware that machine load capacities change when they operate on slopes. Ensure they have access to, and can correctly interpret, rated-lift-capacity charts for applicable machines.

Replace any ROPS/TOPS that has been subjected to a rollover or damage. Do not attempt to repair it, as welding, drilling, cutting or adding to the structure could weaken it.

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History Committee

What If...

As MNLA approaches its 105th anniversary, here’s a look back at its founding

By Phil Boucher, MCH

A

playful question: What if our association was not formed in 1910 — or ever? A question like this can lead to a better understanding of the historical forces and deeper motives that make up our history. This is quite a year to consider “What if?” The Cape Cod Canal turns one 100, Gloria Steinem reached her 80th birthday, the Ford Mustang turns 50, and Peter Pan is forever young at 110. As we approach our own 105th anniversary, it may be a time for us to examine our mission and reflect on what has produced the association of today. To better understand this, let’s take a look back at the events and reasons that led up to the founding of our association.

After the Civil War, an industrialized America was tired of war and social conflict. Our destiny as a country was about to unfold in ways no one imagined, and it was the cast of characters that fulfilled this prediction that were most

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interesting. In the 35 years after 1865, the United States experienced growth and prosperity as it pushed westward. As Cornelius Vanderbilt said, “America…was the land of the selfmade man.” He and his contemporaries were unchallenged and untaxed, and they exploited this young country to its limits and for their own benefit. Common people, small businesses and Congress had great concerns, but authoritative moves were in vain. It was a time in which monopoly was not a board game, but a time of conspiracies and plunder by the empire of the parvenu.

In 1880, it was the revolt of Kansas farmers that brought attention to the difficulties and lack of choices that they faced as they moved their grain and cattle to market. All attempts at control put forth by the government were foiled by superior wealth and the heavily controlled newspapers of the time. In sharp contrast, this was also a time in which many communities

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across the nation were supporting poor farms for a growing lower class. The country was struggling with immigration issues, lack of government representation, multiple bank crises and repetitive economic panics that left many with a feeling of helplessness. America’s opportunity and abundance were not available to all.

Although times were often tough, there were many examples of collective organizing for business protection and economic leverage. So as the large growers of orchard and nursery stock talked, a national association was organized in 1876. Several regional and state groups soon founded associations to fight issues like unfair taxation, trade barriers and transportation.

They battled to have a collective voice in government affairs, and to deal with plant grades and standards. In 1910, the Massachusetts Nurserymen’s Association was organized and immediately dealt with interstate and international trade barriers.

That situation points out a key element of our current association: one of doing what needs to be done, when it is needed. That has long been our strength and our commitment to our members as we look to protect business and strive for success. As you read of the pitfalls and evils that might have beset us, I hope you can see that our first 100-plus years have not been simply a story of longevity, but one of relevant continuity to our members.

In the evolution of any organization, its mission requires that it hold steady to the positive aspects it has established.

To flourish, it also requires an examination of strategies that put it on the successful path. Through its volunteers, MNLA is fulfilling that mission. What makes an association great and workable is that those who understand and have worked within it must be vocal. They must make the compelling case for living up to our legacy of being a resource and for being the force behind industry excellence. This is a resolution worthy of our next 105 years.

Foremost, we should be ever thankful to the original 11 intrepid men who chose to establish the association when they did. Consider the consequences of this question: “What if we stop doing what we are currently doing as an organization?”

The association persists because of member commitment and a communal sense that we can accomplish many important things that affect our industry. With your support, we will continue to advance the green industry for years to come.

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pro grow news Exclusive

Mulching and Weed Manageme Urban Landscape

The right mulch management strategies can give plants a competi

By Richard W. Harper and Randall G. Prostak

W

ith increasing concern around the use of pesticides in the urban environment, experts usually agree that landscape mulches should be the first line of defense against weeds. The proper use of mulch, after all, can go a long way to preventing the need for herbicide applications, especially around newly planted trees, in landscape beds and along outdoor trails or paths.

Mulch — which comes from the term “molsch” meaning soft — may be separated into two fundamental categories: organic and non-organic. Organic mulches are plant derivatives and include chipped or shredded bark, cocoa or buckwheat hulls, hay, straw, deciduous leaves, conifer needles, grass clippings and compost. Their non-organic equivalents include stone aggregate, river rock or pebbles, marble chip, crushed brick and recycled shredded rubber. Each type of mulch offers positive and negative characteristics that should be given careful consideration before use.

Though low-maintenance, the use of an inorganic Shredded rubberized mulch is generally discouraged.

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rubber for example, may be persistent and inherently lowmaintenance, but was determined to be more combustible than other types of mulch and may ultimately create a serious disposal problem.

The timing of a mulch application may also be critical relative to weed control. If summer annual weeds are the dominant herbaceous weed problem, mulch should be applied in the spring. Alternatively, mulch should be applied in late summer or early fall if winter annual weeds are the main concern. Urban trees and other woody ornamentals that are being established in a park or landscape location such as a greenway or garden setting should be mulched after planting to a depth of three to four inches, with no mulch contacting the bark of the tree. Herbaceous perennials, on the other hand, require an application of only two to three inches of mulch.

Once mulch is placed, disturbances like hoeing, hand weeding and foot traffic should be avoided as much as possible, since the mulch barrier performs best relative to weed prevention when left undisturbed. Finally, while mulch can be used to smother very small summer and winter annual weeds and perennial weed seedlings, it should not be applied over established perennial weeds. They should be eliminated before mulching is initiated.

A ring of mulch being established around a tree planting in an urban strip.

Weed Management and Mulch Performance From a weedmanagement perspective, nonorganic mulches will usually offer superior performance.

Materials like stone and marble

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nt in the

of the freeze-and-thaw cycle, landscape fabrics may end up inevitably being more trouble than they are worth.

Though not foolproof, these mulch management strategies will reduce weed germination and establishment, giving the plants that we desire a competitive advantage and giving us as the plant tenders more time to respond.

itive advantage

Richard W. Harper is the UMass Extension assistant professor of Urban & Community Forestry. Randy Prostak is the weed specialist with UMass Extension.

Richard Harper

chip do not hold moisture, and are therefore not as conducive to weed germination, establishment and growth as the organic, plant-based mulches. Organic mulches that are lighter in color typically perform better than those that are darker in color. Lighter-colored mulches absorb less solar radiation, and therefore tend to be cooler. Since there is a direct relationship between temperature and microbial activity, they provide less favorable conditions for weed germination, establishment and growth.

Coarse-textured organic mulches will normally perform better than finer-textured mulches. The larger, coarse-textured fragments of mulch dry out more readily after irrigation or rainfall and — similar to temperature — there is a direct relationship between moisture and the germination of weed seeds and seedling survival. Regardless of texture, however, organic mulch products typically require more attention than those that are non-organic, since they inevitably break down and require reinforcement. Compost mulches are typically dark in coloration, readily retain moisture, and are usually fine-textured. They may contain a significant amount of nutrients (i.e., nitrogen, phosphorus) as well as viable weed seed. Thus, compost is generally not recommended as a suitable mulching material in most situations.

Landscape fabrics are a form of ground covering, which means their use may be technically viewed as a form of mulching. Over time, however, weeds may root directly into the landscape ground cover fabric and show themselves to be very difficult to remove — especially perennial weeds that reproduce vegetatively. Fabrics can create a barrier that impedes water infiltration and hinders gas exchange between the soil and atmosphere. Fabrics can also pose a challenge in windy locations, as a traditional mulch covering that may be placed on top of the fabric will be more likely to blow offsite.

Though perhaps best used beneath a layer of a non-organic mulch to prevent the loss of material from sinking as a result

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Note: Massachusetts has a mulch safety regulation in effect (2012) and readers are encouraged to learn more by searching ‘MA Mulch Safety’ or by visiting: www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/ dfs/dfs2/osfm/pubed/fs-topics/fs-topics-a/mulch-fire-safety.html.

Example of inappropriate mulch application (i.e. over-application or “volcano”) around the base of the tree.

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pro grow news Exclusive

Mulch FAQs The following is a condensed excerpt from the summary of a scientific literature review pertaining to mulch by Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott of Washington State University that attempts to answer many of our common questions about mulch.

Too mulch mulch at the base of the trunk.

Concern: Woody mulches will acidify soils.

Evidence: None; it is typically difficult to significantly

alter soil pH. Transient changes in pH may

be found in the decomposing mulch layer

itself, but these usually have little effect on underlying soils.

Concern: Wood chips could be a fire hazard.

Evidence: Coarse-textured organic mulches, like

wood chips, are the least flammable of the

organic mulches. Fine-textured mulches are

more likely to combust, and rubber mulch is most hazardous.

Concern: Woody mulches may leach harmful allelopathic chemicals.

Evidence: Many plant materials do contain allelopathic

chemicals, which can prevent seeds from

germinating or kill young seedlings. Most

compounds have no effect upon established plants.

Concern:

Evidence:

Wood chip mulches will tie up nitrogen and cause deficiencies in plants.

Many studies have demonstrated that woody mulch materials increase nutrient levels in soils and/or associated plant foliage.

Concern:

Evidence:

Mulch will attract termites, carpenter ants and other pests.

Many wood-based mulches are not attractive to pest insects but are actually insect repellent (i.e. thujone produced from Thuja spp.). Termites typically prefer higher nutrient woody materials such as cardboard .

Concern: Mulches made from diseased trees can infect healthy trees.

Evidence: Most studies indicate that diseased mulch

cannot transmit pathogens to the roots of healthy trees.

We know you work hard.

Let us work harder.

Lean on us for some of your business demands - we know we can work harder for you. This is why we’ve implemented the Partners Program and Business Solutions, and the Px3 Maintenance Package.

Px3 helps you with the planning process by providing customized bids for each project. We can accurately estimate the square footage of any property.

Customers who join our Partners Program earn points on every John Deere Landscapes purchase and redeem those points at an online store, for various industry events, or for cash on account. Program members are also eligible for our Business Solutions, which can help reduce your day-to-day business expenses.

Please contact your local branch to learn more about these opportunities. We are eager to help you with as many of your business challenges as possible!

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800-347-4272 www.JohnDeereLandscapes.com

www.mnla.com

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R EGISTER BY JUNE 27 FOR THE BEST PRI CE! Who should attend

Garden centers, retail and wholesale nurseries, greenhouse growers, landscape contractors, maintenance, designers, and architects. If you are in the green industry, you won’t want to miss this great opportunity for education, re-certification and networking!

Get

Down to Earth!

JULY 24, 2014

2014 Annual Summer Conference & Trade Show

Get Down to Earth with us this July Summer is for holidays and all things fun. For green industry professionals it’s a great time to take stock and learn about new products, trends and business solutions.

• Find business knowledge about new plants and products, sales, operations and profitability • Attend education sessions organized by UMass Extension • More than 60 exhibitors and attendees including growers, independent garden centers and landscape firms

“Down to Earth” reflects our commitment to bringing relevant, timely and practical educational and networking opportunities to our members.

The entire event has been retooled to offer a full day dynamic experience. Join us this July at a unique venue featuring: • Amazing speakers • Hands-on product demos • A great lunch and lively afternoon of networking

We’ve put together a program packed with MCH and pesticide recertification credits!

WHERE: Our 2014 host site is the expansive and lush green turf fields of Savage Farms in Deerfield. Founded in 1910, since 1963 Savage Farms has pioneered cutting edge turf products for New England. Attendees will get an up-close look at sod production. From premium bluegrass and drought tolerant RTF (rhizomatous tall fescue) sod to advanced generations of athletic and sports field products, this Massachusetts farm offers an unparalleled product mix.

WHO’S THERE: Our featured keynote speaker, Michael

A. Dirr, is the author of seven books, including “Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Summer|2014 Ornamental Characteristics, Culture and Propagation and

Uses,” a widely used and best-selling reference text.

A Mercer scholar, Dirr is considered one of the green industry’s most celebrated plant experts. A professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia, his teaching, lectures, seminars, garden study tours and plant introduction programs have contributed to industry awareness.

WHY: The 2014 Educational Program will be dynamic and innovative with expanded hands-on demonstrations.

• Take a ride in a sod cutting machine • Participate in a hands-on practical pesticide sprayer demonstration • Get dirty using a new bark blower Have fun while learning about new products and plants offered by our exhibitors. New demonstration programs promise to be a lively addition to your conference experience.

Visit mnla.com for details and registration. 17|

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www.mnla.com

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Summer|2014

19

|

Education Committee

Training Then and Now Supporting our workforce with education and training has always been a priority. Are you taking advantage of it?

P

By Philip Boucher, MCH

art of the mission of the association is the educational outreach that goes on during the year. MNLA’s Summer Conference is no exception; its pertinent learning experiences and sharing network make it one of the true positives of our year.

Education and training support of our workforce has long been on the minds of industry people and state associations. As early as 1919, records from the AAN annual meeting show “a need for trained individuals (propagators, managers, etc.) for the future of a changing industry.” Where — and how — would these young people be coming from to our industry? The charm of the West and more attractive jobs in the cities were rapidly breaking down the formerly strong agrarian portion of our society.

Even today, this same concern has been raised about every 12 or 15 years since World War II: How do we find a reliable workforce? Managing our ever-changing industry has always been challenging. The birth of the “consumer” changed our industry significantly as we converted our push

Summer|2014

of the producer-to-consumer business model of ornamental horticulture. Fortunately, our state and federal governments partnered to develop training programs in the 1960s and the 1970s that benefited many facets of the green industry, bringing in newly-educated and eager trainees to a vocation that readily needed them and their talents.

The other side of the story is what we are doing with our educational outreach now. Along with these learning moments, our casual summer education sessions are meant to focus attention on the variations and vitality that exist in our industry. Perfect? No. Our hope is that they are meaningful and on topics that will answer immediate concerns to stimulate further learning or conversation among the participants. So come, recharge your batteries, enjoy the day and help make this a year of true relevance.

Phil Boucher, MCH, Elysian Garden Designs History Committee Chair

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Special Retail Report

Garden Center Success in an The key to garden center success lies in appealing to

By Walter Swift, MCH

D

uring my travels this past year, I had the opportunity to visit some of the most successful garden centers in the United States. The one constant they all shared was an inviting appeal and a stand-out image that attracted the public.

The image of a successful garden center is vitally important because it appears that the product line alone may not attract the public. A great garden center offers much more — stimulating all of the consumer’s senses. I realize that most people go to a garden center

A planned greenhouse display

for a specific purchase. The key is to keep buyers there longer — beyond the purchase of that one item. Let’s face it, we now live in a world where consumer tastes and interests are driven by short-lived stimuli, and that fact is not going away.

The key to success To be successful in today’s market, a garden center must be more than just another retail location. It has to become a destination point that not only offers a product for sale, but also entertains and informs the consumer. This does not mean that every garden center has to become an amusement park.

However, it does mean that a garden center should be more engaging than simply display-

ing a product on a shelf, table or in the field. When a visit to a garden center is entertaining or relaxing, it stimulates the release of mood-enhancing endorphins that often lead consumers to additional purchases. When this happens, the likelihood of repeat business is almost always enhanced.

Anecdotal evidence I stress these points due to the fact that, in the past 20 years, I have witnessed 15 mom-and-pop garden centers close their doors. And much to my surprise, these closures occurred within a 12 mile radius of my landscape office.

I have no hard data on similar closures statewide during that same period, but I do tend to

A long line at the cash register is what we all hope to achieve

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www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

Ever-Changing Retail Market the senses of today’s stimulus-driven consumer.

believe in trends, so I assume that the number of garden center closures across the Commonwealth is in line with my observations. There are many factors that have led to these closures. The one factor that tends to be universal across the retail world is the arrival of the big-box stores. This shift in retailing has impacted far more than the world of garden centers. We see it across the retail spectrum as mega retailers have hastened the closure of family-owned hardware stores and pharmacies.

Some of my fondest child-

hood memories harken back to the day when the local economy of every town was centered around Main Street.

This central shopping district was the hub of entrepreneurial spirit led by the locally owned hardware store on one side of the street, with a grocery market on the other, and a drugstore on the corner. Today, these local momand-pop businesses are few and far between. In many towns across the Commonwealth, they simply linger as a bucolic memory.

As an industry, we must

All photos courtesy of Walter Swift, MCH.

A miniature garden center display

A retired tractor used as the centerpiece of a display Summer|2014

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23

Special Retail Report

A small food court in the garden center

not let this happen to the treasured local garden centers that dot the retail landscape across Massachusetts. We must continue to be innovative, inspiring, and most of all continue to create a solid foundation of appeal that will attract and hold interest while serving the needs of today’s stimulus-driven consumer. We must also try to alter the perception that the big-box store offers more value.

For this to occur, we must educate the consumer. There is a difference between a low price and genuine quality, and between professional advice and the common response that says “There is a plant description tag in the pot.�

Beating the Big Box It is possible to find a good bargain at almost every retail venue at some point in a year.

The biggest misconception that has been successfully drilled into the mindset of the general public is that the big-box store offers the best price and value on all products all the

time. Those of us in the green industry can read between the lines of pricing a four-pack of annuals versus a six-pack, or a one-gallon container versus a three-gallon, or even a grade-one product versus a grade-two product. The pricing tricks of the trade within the big-box chains are designed to distract the consumer from the fundamental price versus value proposition.

So how do we continue to compete in a world of big-box stores? It is relatively easy. As an industry, we are strengthened by our MNLA membership, and within that membership, we all have the opportunity to become Massachusetts Certified Horticulturists. The title of MCH alone speaks volumes to an educated consumer who looks to the professional to answer questions. The MNLA MCH Board is working feverishly at expanding the opportunities for MNLA and industry members to become certified. The opportunity is there. You just

Community involvement is a key to garden center success

Exotic birds and koi in a greenhouse pond

|24

An interesting display of mixed succulents www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

have to reach out and take hold of it. As an industry, we have to become a certified powerhouse.

Every garden center across the Commonwealth needs to become an MNLA member and employ an MCH. As this is accomplished, the MNLA membership logo and MCH certification logo will become universally known. And this in turn will — without a doubt — increase credibility and ultimately draw in business.

Finding your niche Some of the most successful garden centers I have had an opportunity to visit all have one thing in common.

They have an appeal that encompasses more than just a product. I have sat at tables in a Japanese tea garden sipping the tea of the day. I have walked among beautifully landscaped scenes and fed ducks, geese, goats, sheep, chickens and koi. And admittedly, I have sat for hours mesmerized by the garden railroad.

One of the latest trends is

the butterfly garden, which draws in volumes of potential customers. The butterfly garden is an easy addition to garden centers that may have an unused greenhouse or an old hoop house. Such an addition can stimulate the sales of perennials that attract butterflies.

The outdoor classroom is an interesting concept that draws in potential customers to listen to the latest seasonal topic. Creating a bond or association with a local school or charitable organization will also stimulate interest in the industry, which in turn will help strengthen our ranks in the future.

Do not underestimate the buying influence of a child.

An aviary filled with exotic birds can easily be added to any greenhouse. Locating such a display next to bird houses, feeders, bird baths and seed supplies has proven to increase sales on these and other products.

As retail space is para-

Reflections in a garden center pond

A butterfly garden in a greenhouse

Succulents displayed in an antique stove Summer|2014

A lecture to students on plants

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25

Special Retail Report mount when it comes to sales, I certainly understand that not all garden centers have the room to accommodate such additions. There are, however, many other ways to draw in the public, and they may be as simple as serving coffee or warm cider on a chilly day or ice cream, ice tea or lemon-

ade on a hot day. The winter months also offer an opportunity to open the greenhouse to classes and lectures on everything from landscape design to winter pruning techniques.

Retail spaces To incorporate an attraction to your garden center, you

must first assess your retail space availability. Even if you do not have the space to add some of these attractions, you can create appeal simply in the manner you display a product.

Do not just stack product on shelves or lined up in rows.

Create product displays that catch the eye such as mixing

a group of compatible perennials, shrubs or trees together.

You can also create unique display platforms by using an old wagon, sleigh, truck, tractor, stove or bathtub. Be innovative and think outside of the proverbial box. The simplest thing you can do to create image and appeal is to keep your garden center neat and clean.

The key to garden center success is image and appeal.

As a former owner of a garden center for some 15 years, I appreciate your challenges. Good luck, and have a stimulating, successful year.

Walter Swift, MCH, is owner/ operator of Swift’s Creative Landscape, Inc. He is vice-chair of MNLA’s Government Relations Committee and serves on the Board of Directors.

The garden center railroad — an exciting display that attracts both children and adults

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www.mnla.com

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Certifiable: MCH NEWS Corner

Excellence Abounds!

Here’s all the latest news about MNLA’s MCH program.

By Cheryl Salatino, MCH

W

elcome to the quarterly column dedicated to updating the MCH community and MNLA members about what’s happening in the MCH program.

In the previous two issues, we recognized our 25-year-plus MCHs. I hope you were able to let them know you noticed their accomplishments. This quarter we want to recognize another group of longstanding MCHs. These are the folks who continue to define the standards for achievement in our industry. Please join the MCH Board in recognizing this group of MCH stalwart professionals who received their certification credentials in 1988 and 1989. Each year since earning the MCH credential, they have shown us how professionalism in our industry is achieved.

Thank you for your years of dedication.

25 years: Paul Shea, MCH Fred Dabney, MCH Peter Thornton, MCH

Paul J. Shea & Assoc.

Quansett Nurseries Sylvan Nursery, Inc.

24 years: Herbert Prew, MCH David Ellis, MCH Tim Ramey, MCH Dennis Mareb, MCH Howard Wilson, MCH

Prew Landscaping Roseland Nursery Tim Ramey Horticulture Creations Windy Hill Farm, Inc. Windy Hill Farm, Inc.

Recertification Credit Tip — 1 Point Submit an article to Pro Grow News. We’ve even made it easy to share information about the plants you love to put in the ground. Just download the Plant for Success article template from the MNLA website (www.mnla.com/mch). Provide information about your favorite plant including its basic botanic information, what makes it successful in the landscape, overall plant features, and a photo. Email your submission to the MNLA office.

Next MCH Exam: Wednesday, August 6, 2014, at Marriott Courtyard, Westboro, MA. Save the date for Plant Geek Day! Wednesday, August 20, 2014, from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM at Berry’s Greenhouse at Belkin Lookout Farm, 89 Pleasant Street South, Natick, MA 01760.

Summer|2014

Berry’s Greenhouses, Inc. is a family-owned wholesale grower and distributor of plants and other quality horticultural products and supplies. Richard and Helaine Berry started the business in 1990 and last year their daughter Emily joined the team. The Berrys continue to grow and diversify the company and their product line with a talented team of co-workers including PJ Molloy, who has lead the team for more than 18 years. Be sure to join us for a day of knowledge, networking and fun! Register online at www.mnla.com.

If you have questions you would like answered in this column, email Cheryl Salatino at cheryl@dancingshadowsdesign. com. Please put MCH in the subject line of your message.

Cheryl Salatino, MCH, Dancing Shadows Garden Designs Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist (MCH) Board Chair

Please accept our apologies to these MCHs who were mistakenly omitted from the 2014 MNLA Directory listing.

1995 Tina Rovito Bemis, MCH 2004 Maria Ryder, MCH 1982 Michael Sahagian, MCH 2005 Cheryl Salatino, MCH

1997 D.J. Salmon III, MCH

2012 Kristine Salters, MCH 2003 Michael Sarowsky, MCH 2005 Chris Saunders, MCH 1996 Mark Sawyer, MCH 2002 Barby Shaw, MCH 2004 Eric Shaw, MCH 1995 David Shea, MCH 1988 Paul James Shea, MCH 1981 Shawn Shea, MCH

2003 Matthew Sheehan, MCH 2002 Chuck Sherzi, Jr., MCH 2014 Corinne Slessler

Bemis Farms Nursery Maria Ryder MGS Landscaping Dancing Shadows Garden Design D.J. Salmon Lawn & Landscape Inc. Wisteria & Rose, Inc. Hart Farm Nursery Saunders Consulting Weston Nurseries Inc. Sylvan Nursery, Inc. Eric Shaw Landcaping Co. Crocker Nurseries Paul J. Shea & Assoc.

Misty Hill Landscape Design, Ltd. Kennedy’s Country Gardens Tree Specialists, Inc. Valley Crest Landscape Maintenance

27

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MNLA Product Update

Plant-o-Ganic and Turf-o-Ganic Pallet challenge Here’s a way to satisfy your customers and help MNLA at the same time

T

by Mark Ahronian, MCH

o stay healthy and vibrant, it’s critical for our association to increase non-dues revenue, and your customers want healthy and vibrant lawns, too. To help meet both goals, MNLA’s Products Committee offers you a challenge: Try just one pallet of either Plant-o-Ganic or Turf-o-Ganic in 2014.

There is an added benefit for our association. Every time a bag is sold, MNLA earns a royalty that helps keep educational programs for our members affordable.

These organic-based products were designed for Massachusetts soils by UMass Extension specialists with your bottom line in mind.

MNLA products give you a members-only marketing advantage second to none. They sell themselves, and once your customers try these two products, they will want more. And since they aren’t found in big-box stores, the professional brand gives a retail garden center a line to be proud of and a new marketing niche.

I can tell you first-hand that MNLA products have provided my company another example of professionalism. When my

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customers see the bags while we’re planting and ask where they can buy some for themselves, I refer them to the nearest MNLA member’s garden center where the products are carried. This is what I call a member-to-member benefit.

To order, call Doug Dondero, your MNLA sales representative, today: 508-944-3262 Mark Ahronian, MCH, Ahronian Landscaping & Design, Inc. MNLA Products Committee Chair

www.mnla.com

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Advertiser Index

MARKETPLACE

Acorn Tree and Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Amherst Nurseries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Bigelow Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Bisco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Coronis Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Farm Credit East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Farm Family Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Ideal Concrete Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 John Deere Landscapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 JRM Chemical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 MNLA Summer Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Motz &Son Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Netafim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

New England Wetland Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Northeast Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Prides Corner Farms, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Savage Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Sylvan Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

coronis consulting __________________

Valley Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Sharing over 35 years of business & landscape success

Weston Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Laurence S. Coronis 603.721.9812 www.coronisconsulting.com

Always well stocked!

And backed by experience...

Motz & Son Nursery

51 employees with 10 + years - 15 are MCH’s

Wholesale Growers of ...

Shade and Flowering TreeS FruiT TreeS dwarf, Semi-dwarf & Standard combinaTion FruiT TreeS (4 in 1) eSpalier appleS Semi-dwarf, combination & one Variety walnuTS and FilberTS deciduouS ShrubS Write for our stock and price: 11445 N.W. Skyline Blvd.

Portland, Oregon 97231 Phone 503-645-1342 Fax 503-645-6856

Catalog & Availability upon request

1028 Horseneck Road Westport, MA 02790

508-636-4573 Fax 508-636-3397

Visit www.sylvannursery.com Summer|2014

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Membership Committee

Your Network Leader MNLA is your best path as you cultivate productive relationships for your business

By Rene Fontaine, MCH

H

ello, fellow Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association members. Thank you for being participants in the largest green industry networking vehicle in the state. Networking is a word we hear daily in conversations about computer networks, social networks and business networks, but what does this all mean? According to Merriam Webster, the real definition is: “the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups or institutions; specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business.”

In a computer network, computer devices pass data to each other along a shared data connection. Social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn allow individuals to share personal information with others online. In a business network, ideas are created and acted upon to drive new business opportunities. Clearly, you can see how MNLA is considered to be

BISCO The Job Starts Here

The "go to" supply house for the green industry professional since 1985

a great networking vehicle that allows our members to easily share information and ideas amongst each other.

On July 24, please join us at our annual Summer Conference & Trade Show at Savage Farms in Deerfield, Mass.

Participants will benefit from cutting-edge ideas, information and pesticide credits; tours are also available. Additional education programs will be dynamic and innovative with many hands-on demonstrations. The highlight of this year’s conference is our keynote speaker, Michael Dirr. Following Michael’s presentation, why not stay and enjoy some local craft beers and music, all in the company of great friends?

Sounds like an amazing event!

As networking goes, MNLA leads the way for the green industry. Where else can you get such a beneficial return on your investment? If you really want the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups or institutions and the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business, MNLA is your network leader. We provide valuable resources and programs to make you and your business more successful.

If you know someone from the green industry who could benefit from all that MNLA has to offer, why not bring them to one of our next events and introduce them to one of our membership committee staff? We will be happy to share all that our organization has to offer.

ResideNtial, CommeRCial & Golf CouRse iRRiGatioN

Rene Fontaine, MCH, New England Botanicals Membership Chair

laNdsCape liGhtiNG & pRoduCts touRNesol sitewoRks pump systems dRaiNaGe RaiNwateR haRvestiNG Now with 5 convenient locations!

New braNch iN rochester, NY!

Annual Summer Conference

Thursday, July 24, 2014 Save the Savage Farms, Deerfield, MA

Registration & Information: 800-225-8006 www.gobisco.com

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Date!

www.mnla.com

Get

www.mnla.com

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(978) 535-6551 www.northeastnursery.com