Pro Grow News Fall 2023 DIGITAL EDITION

pro grow news FALL 2023

www.mnla.com

Pollinator Hotels Winter Conference Preview — Doug Tallamy Trees for Tough Situations

Our Products...Your Workmanship Create Beautiful Outdoor Spaces IDEAL BLOCK IdealBlock.com 800-24-IDEAL info@idealblock.com Waltham and Westford, MA

pro grow news Fall 2023

contents

Features 10 Nature’s Best Hope 16 Pollinator Hotels 22

Trees for Tough Situations

30

Who Needs Another Spirea?

34

Strategic Rewards and Recognition

36 A Late Season Tribute to Fall 42

Need Emplyees? Have an Open House

Departments 6 President’s Message 8 Government Relations Committee Report 9 MCH Corner 38 In Memoriam — Neil Van Sloun 40 Safety Sense 46 Plant for Success —

Rose ‘Teasing Georgia’ On the cover — Brilliant Fall Color on Witch Hazel

Fall|2023

by Trevor Smith, Weston Nurseries

|

3

pro grow news Fall 2023

committees

board PRESIDENT Chris O’Brien, MCH Howard Designs, Inc. Tel: (617) 244-7269

EDUCATION & RESEARCH COMMITTEE Deborah Trickett, MCH — Board Liaison The Captured Gardens (781) 329-9698

VICE PRESIDENT Kerry Preston, MCH Wisteria & Rose, Inc. (617) 522-3843

FINANCIAL COMMITTEE (FINCOM)

SECRETARY/TREASURER David Vetelino, MCH Vetelino Lanscape Inc. Tel: (781) 826-0004 PAST PRESIDENT Peter Mezitt, MCH Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 435-3414

Steve Corrigan, MCH — Chair Mountain View Landscapes & Lawncare, Inc. Tel: (413) 536-7555 Chuck Baker, MCH — Vice Chair Strictly Pruning Tel: (508) 429-7189

Deborah Trickett, MCH The Captured Garden Steve Davis, MCH Bigelow Nurseries, Inc Justin Mortensen Farm Credit East Patrick Parent Mahoney’s Garden Centers

Corinne Jean, MCH — Chair Wisteria & Rose (617) 522-3843 Advisor: Jack Elicone, MCH

John R. Elicone Consulting MEMBESHIP COMMITTEE David Ahronian, MCH - Chair Ahronian Landscape & Design, Inc. (508) 429-3844

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE Peter Mezitt, MCH Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 435-3414

PUBLICATIONS:

HISTORY COMMITTEE

DIRECTORS

MASSACHUSETTS CERTIFIED HORTICULTURIST BOARD (MCH)

Editor in Chief: Rena Sumner Advisors: Ron Kujawski, Rick Reuland, Trevor Smith, Beverly Sturtevant

Philip Boucher, MCH — Chair Elysian Garden Designs Tel: (508) 695-9630

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Skott Rebello, MCH — Vice Chair Harborside P.S. Tel: (508) 994-9208

Rena M. Sumner Tel: (413) 369-4731 mnlaoffice@aol.com

MARKETING COMMITTEE Justin Mortensen - Chair Farm Credit East Tel.: (508) 946-4455

LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR John V. Fernandes Attorney at Law

David Anderson Mayer Tree Service

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

|4

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.

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

Inspiring Quality. Exceptional Value.

40 Frankland Road, Hopkinton 3 River Street, Middleboro 160 Pine Hill Road, Chelmsford

(508) 293-8028 (508) 946-1505 (978) 349-0055

*Also serving wholesale customers at our garden center, located at 1099 Main Street, Hingham. (781) 749-3773 Fall|2023

|

5

President’s Message

Begin Your Personal PEC

By Chris O’Brien, MCH

W

inter is arriving, and for many MNLA members in the nursery and landscape industry, things may slow down a bit. Frantic schedules are less frequent, and perhaps there is a chance to relax. But it is also a good opportunity to take care of those things that seemed less urgent until now and to look forward to the upcoming year.

MNLA directors and staff are moving forward with strategic planning around a theme of PEC: Participation, Education, and Contribution, a concept introduced to MNLA members by the late Henry Gillet, who served as the organization’s legislative agent for many years. We will be asking the board of directors and committees, our ad hoc groups, and the general membership to assess how they can practice those themes going forward.

Membership in an association means more than just paying dues. Participation in member events creates networking opportunities and an organizational dynamism that adds to the likely success of the association and its members.

Educational opportunities provide a way to keep up to date with best practices, new techniques and materials as well as current laws and regulations. However, an active organization makes it a two-way street. Active members can present that special knowledge in seminars. Others may confer with lawmakers and regulators to refine rules toward workable solutions.

Contribution also has several facets from business sponsorships to donations to personal time commitments.

Successful business organizations rely on those types of commitments. Sometimes they are corporate, but each

|6

personal contribution is important, and it is often the difference between a successful event and a failure.

There are several ways to begin your personal PEC right now: 1. Renew your membership and pay your dues.

2. If you’re not a member, begin your participation with the new year.

3. If you are an MCH, be sure to renew your Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist accreditation in this last quarter so your certification does not lapse.

4. Plan to join us on February 14 & 15, 2024, at the Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center in Framingham, Massachusetts, for our Winter Forum Trade Show & Annual Meeting.

Finally, I invite you to take a moment to look at the completely redesigned MNLA website. It has been reorganized to make it more informative and useful. We welcome your comments on the changes.

Wishing you and yours a great fall and a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Chris O’Brien, MCH Howard Garden Designs MNLA President

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

MORE YOUR ALLY

THAN YOUR

AGENT With AMERICAN NATIONAL, you’ll get an agent who has the know-how and products to help you properly manage your family’s risks. An open appointment book, along with options for home, auto, life, farm and business coverage, means you can feel good that you’re getting more an ally than just an agent.

Endorsed Insurance Provider of the

Wherever you are in Massachusetts, there’s a American National agent close to you. Give us a call for more information.

Don Ludwig Boxborough 978.467.1001

Sheila McCarthy Medway 508.321.3288

Richard Blair Carver 508.866.9150

Andrew Brodeur Middleboro 508.747.8181

Tim Viles South Deerfield 413.665.8200

Mark Sylvia Centerville 508.957.2125

Marcia Hawkins Williamstown 413.374.2100

Rick Green Hadley 413.416.1234

Thomas Carroll Worcester 508.752.3300

Bob Sinopoli

Kevin Sullivan Middleboro 508.998.0512

Eric Mason Southwick 413.569.2307

Patrick Ofobi Worcester 774.530.6433

Dominic Sinopoli Great Barrington 413.528.1710

Kim Perry North Adams 413.398.5011

Jason Charette Topsfield 978.887.8304

Chris Wadsworth Carver 781.208.0520

Martin West Marlborough 508.485.3800

Jeff Pichierri Northborough 508.393.9327

Scott Brockelman Topsfield 978.887.8304

Steve Charette

Associate Agent

Great Barrington 413.528.1710

Fall|2023

Richard Simonian Associate Agent

Northborough 508.393.9327

Sean Rooney Wilbraham 413.887.8817

Maureen O’Mara Associate Agent

Williamstown 413.458.5584

General Agent

Newburyport 978.225.1511

|

7

American National is a group of companies writing a broad array of insurance products and services. Products and services may not be available in all states. Terms, conditions and eligibility requirements will apply. Life insurance and annuity products may be underwritten by American National Insurance Company, Galveston, Texas. Property and casualty products and services may be underwritten by Farm Family Casualty Insurance Company, Glenmont, New York.

17-048-21-277517-1022

Committee Reports

Government Relations Update — NALP Endorses Rep. Correa’s Federal Tax Credit for the Purchase of Zero-Emission Equipment for Landscape Businesses

T

he National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) has endorsed Representative Luis Correa’s (D-CA) introduction of the Promoting Reduction of Emissions Through Landscaping Equipment Act, which creates a federal tax credit to enable landscaping businesses of all sizes to transition to zero-emission equipment.

The bill provides a 40% credit for businesses on the purchase of zero-emission equipment, such as mowers, leaf blowers, hedgers, and accessories up to $25,000 every year and up to $100,000 over the course of 10 consecutive years.

The tax credit, which applies to any equipment purchased on or after January 1, 2023, also extends to retrofitting equipment that transforms gas power devices to zero-emission.

“This bill, which would help landscape companies offset some of the cost of transitioning from gas to zero-emission equipment, is an important model for legislation supporting the business community while also protecting the environment,” says Britt Wood, CEO of the National Association of Landscape Professionals. “We applaud Rep. Correa for his leadership on this important issue.”

“Landscape professionals work every day to take care of our nation’s green spaces,” explains Andrew Bray, NALP senior vice president of government relations and membership. “NALP supports a responsible transition to zeroemission equipment, which takes time due to needed electrical infrastructure updates, new equipment purchases, and technician training. The proposed bill will help speed the transition by providing resources through tax incentives that support quicker transition.”

“NALP appreciates the support from many of our federal and state allies that have also endorsed the Promoting Reduction of Emissions Through Landscaping Equipment Act,” Bray continues. Endorsing organizations include: National Association of Landscape Professionals, American Lung Association, Environmental Defense Fund, Earthjustice, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Sierra Club, American Green Zone Alliance, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, AmericanHort, California Landscape Contractors Association, California Alliance for Golf, California Golf Course Owners Association, Golf Course Superintendents Association of Northern California, Golf Course Superintendents Association

|8

of Southern California, Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association, Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association, Georgia Urban Ag Council, Georgia Green Industry Association, Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association, Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, Kansas Nursery and Landscape Association, Maine Landscape and Nursery Association, Maryland Nursery, Landscape, and Greenhouse Association, Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association, Michigan Green Industry Association, Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association, Montana Nursery & Landscape Association, New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association, New York State Nursery and Landscape Association, NorCal Sports Field Management Association, Ohio Green Industry Association, Oregon Association of Nurseries, Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association, Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association, Washington Association of Landscape Professionals, Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association, West Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association, and Wisconsin Landscape Contractors Association.

For more information, contact Andrew Bray at andrew@ landscapeprofessionals.org.

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

MCH Corner — Plant Geek Day and New MCHs

W

hat a great Plant Geek Day we had in August! Prides Corner Farm went above and beyond hosting an event that captivated all of us plant geeks. I personally was fascinated by the plant cultivation lab and how it takes five years for the small cutting to end up in the nursery yard. So much goes into having certain varieties and guaranteeing they would have some in case other vendors do not. Of course, seeing all the beautiful plants flowering in the displays will always be a highlight, and I could not possibly pick a favorite. If you find inspiration in a plant, let us know. We would love to feature it in our next MCH e-blast.

The MCH board is looking for new members to help with MCH exams and a couple of events a year. If you are already coming to MNLA events, why not join us? We will start planning next year’s Plant Geek Day this fall, so it’s a perfect time to jump in.

Please join the MCH board in congratulating the nine new MCHs from our August exam at Bigelow Nurseries. If you see these folks during the season, be sure to applaud their success and recognize their accomplishment.

Jack Beresford Barbara Briggs Ashlin Davis Gianna Desrochers Katherine Haggerty Evan Hendra Annie McElaney Joseph Moreno Arryan Murphy

Offshoots, Inc. Tree Specialists, Inc. Northeastern University R.P. Marzilli & Company Thorn & Thistle Landscaping R.P. Marzilli & Company Parterre Garden Services Essex Horticulture, LLC R.P. Marzilli & Company

I am looking forward to seeing you all.

Corinne Jean, MCH, MCLP MCH Board Chair

Fall|2023

|

9

MNLA Winter Conference Preview

Nature’s Best Hope —

A Conversation with Doug Tallamy

By Meta Levin

D

oug Tallamy has loved nature since he was a little boy. It wasn’t, however, until the year 2000, when he moved into a home on a 10-acre plot that everything he had learned over the years clicked. The land had been farmed for 300 years and was loaded with invasive species.

During the ensuing 23 years, Tallamy has worked to return the land to its native state, documenting the 62 species of birds now bred on his property, as well as 1,257 species of moths happily living there, and not incidentally, providing food for some of those birds.

You’ll get a chance to see his pictures as part of his presentation, “Nature’s Best Hope,” when he gives the keynote

|10

speech during MNLA’s Green Industry Winter Forum and Annual Meeting, Dreams and Solutions, February 13 and 14.

We are, he says, in the midst of the sixth great extinction, in which we have seen a sharp insect decline and the loss of three billion birds or one third of the bird population in the world.

You do not need 10 acres to make a difference, says Tallamy, an entomologist, who serves as the T.A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the University of Delaware’s Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology. The author of 112 research publications, he has taught insectrelated courses for 42 years. His research focuses on better understanding the ways in which insects interact with plants and the relationship with the diversity of animal communities.

Tallamy envisions a network of viable habitats linking natural parkland throughout the United States. “In the past,

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

landscape contractors, architects, and designers had one goal: make it pretty,” he says. That often meant using nonnative plants. “Chinese plants belong in China,” he says.

Professionals can make it pretty while making a difference by shrinking the lawn size, removing invasive species, modifying the lighting, and using keystone plants — 14 percent native plants, which can support most others.

“Our current landscape designs are ineffective at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us,” says Tallamy. That is why he is intent on talking to landscape architects and designers, whose work can influence those who influence others. “I am getting the message to those who can influence those who set the tone.”

His students at the University of Delaware are excited about his ideas, but, he says, we don’t have time to wait for them to grow up and become influencers. The need is now. By and large, the Baby Boomers are the ones with Fall|2023

the most disposable incomes. Many still live in single family homes and use the services of landscape professionals to keep them looking good. Those who do not are in condominium apartments or retirement communities, where they still can make a difference, if only in the kinds of plants they put on their balconies.

He doesn’t mean using only native plants and is, in fact, aware that in some areas native plant gardens are viewed as messy. People value the neat, precisely designed gardens that have become the norm in most areas. And yet, says Tallamy, Europeans consider using North American native plants as desirable. “They love them,” he says. “These plants thrive there, although they do not support the insects and birds that are native to that part of the world.”

But they do in North America. He recommends beginning with the kinds of plants that allow property owners to see the difference quickly. Oak trees, for

|

11

MNLA Winter Conference Preview instance, drive the food web for certain kinds of caterpillars. The caterpillars feed on the leaves, then drop to the ground and burrow into the soil below the trees, where they pupate. They are food for certain types of birds.

He’s had landscape designers enthusiastically talk about the changes they’ve seen in just one year after including oak trees in their designs. “If you put an oak tree in the yard, you can see the difference in the first year,” he says. “They are native, and they are resilient.”

Tallamy talks about starting small. Reduce the amount of lawn, but make the lawn that is there into paths to guide owners through the garden. And keep it neatly mowed. This encourages property owners to walk through their land and interact with the plants.

Add a pocket prairie and/or a pollinator garden.

If you are going to include a pocket prairie or pollinator garden and there is concern that neighbors or the local HOA will see it as less than desirable, put it in the back yard, says Tallamy.

He points to the fact that changing the way we design gardens affects much more than insects and birds. It affects the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the amount of water we use. “It’s a wonderful solution,” he says.

“You don’t have to fix the whole planet,” says Tallamy. “You only have to fix your part of it.”

See more about Doug Tallamy’s mission on page 14.

|12

Nature’s Best Hope

D

oug Tallamy awakened thousands of readers to an urgent situation: Wildlife populations are in decline because the native plants they depend on are fast disappearing. His solution? Plant more natives. In this new book, Tallamy takes the next step and outlines his vision for a grassroots approach to conservation. Nature’s Best Hope shows how homeowners everywhere can turn their yards into conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitats.

Because this approach relies on the initiatives of private individuals, it is immune from the whims of government policy. Even more important, it’s practical, effective, and easy — you will walk away with specific suggestions you can incorporate into your own yard.

“Tallamy lays out all you need to know to participate in one of the great conservation projects of our time.

Read it and get started!” —Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction.

Nature’s Best Hope is the blueprint you need to preserve our precious wildlife for future generations.

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

TRIED & TRUE

PERFORMANCE

0 PERCENT.* 0 DOWN. 0 HASSLE.

+ U P T O $ 5 0 0 U S D T O WA R D S A P R O T E C T I O N PA C K A G E * Unlike the quality and dependability of Cat ® equipment, this offer won’t last a lifetime. It’s high time you connect with your local Cat dealer for huge savings and an unbeatable Protection Package.

Good things come to those who wait. act now .

Call your sales representative or nearest location.

Milford 100 Quarry Drive (508) 634-3400

North Reading 84 Concord Street (978) 276-2400

Wareham 14 Kendrick Road (508) 291-1200

miltoncat.com *Offer valid on new small (Compact Track Loaders, Compact Wheel Loaders, Micro/Mini Excavators, Skid Steer Loaders) and compact (Backhoe Loaders, Telehandlers, Small Track Type Tractors, Small Wheel Loaders) Cat machines sold by participating Cat dealers to customers in the USA or Canada. Purchase and delivery must occur during offer period. Offer subject to machine availability and credit approval by Cat Financial. Not all customers will qualify. Length of contract is limited. 0% offers may vary by model and dealer. Payments are based on term length. Payments do not include taxes, freight, set-up, delivery, document fees, inspections, additional options, or attachments. The credit of up to $500 USD can only be applied toward the purchase of a qualifying Cat Customer Value Agreement (CVA) or qualifying Equipment Protection Plan (EPP). Amount of the credit cannot exceed the price of qualifying CVA or EPP. CVA must include 1-year Preventative Maintenance Parts Kit, TA1 annual Inspection, signed CVA contract, and Product Link. Amount of credit towards CVA or EPP is the same for all models. In some areas, EPP might be sold separately from the CVA. Offer may change without prior notice and cannot be combined with any other offers. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Contact your Cat dealer for details. © 2022 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, LET’S DO THE WORK, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Corporate Yellow”, the “Power Edge” and Cat “Modern Hex” trade dress as well as corporate and

product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission. www.cat.com / www.caterpillar.com Fall|2023

|

13

MNLA Winter Conference Preview Time Is of the Essence

D

oug Tallamy, MCH, CLP, PhD, is a founder of Homegrown National Park.

About Homegrown National Park

Homegrown National Park® is a grassroots call-to-action to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants and creating new ecological networks.

The Mission

To regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function because every human being on this planet needs diverse highly productive ecosystems to survive.

Call to Action

Catalyzing a collective effort of individual homeowners, property owners, land managers, farmers, and anyone with some soil to plant in…to start a new habitat® by planting native plants and removing most invasive plants. It is the largest cooperative conservation project ever conceived or attempted.

The Goal

Our initial goal is 20 million acres of native plantings in the u.S. This represents approximately half of the green lawns on privately-owned properties.

|14

We are at a critical point of losing so many species from local ecosystems that their ability to produce the oxygen, clean water, flood control, pollination, pest control, carbon storage, etc — the ecosystem services that sustain us — will become seriously compromised.

No worry, this isn’t a “bad human” moment. Instead, have some fun while doing good. Stewardship is the answer.

Doug’s message is a solution based action — small efforts by many people. Together, we will create new ecological networks that will enlarge populations of plants and animals, enabling them to weather normal population fluctuations indefinitely.

The Map

Homegrown National Park® is a term coined by Doug and is the key to our call-to-action: “Our national parks, no matter how grand in scale are too small and separated from one another to preserve species to the levels needed. Thus, the concept for Homegrown National Park, a bottom-up call-to-action to restore habitat where we live and work and to a lesser extent where we farm and graze, extending national parks to our yards and communities.”

The map is an interactive community-based visual that will show each person’s contribution to planting native by state, county, and zip code.

A gauge will show progress towards our goal of 20 million acres of native planting in the u.S. Importantly, the map is a way for individuals to see their part in the greater whole — creating new ecological networks and restoring biodiversity.

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS

LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES

NURSERY STOCK

Established in 1910, Cavicchio Greenhouses is a fourth-generation New England farm working more than 250 acres in Sudbury.

As a horticultural grower and landscape distributor, we cultivate and supply an extensive variety of annuals and perennials, nursery stock, stone, masonry and landscape materials. With a hard-earned reputation for service, quality, selection and sustainability, we work with professionals and garden centers throughout the area to keep our region beautiful.

STONE YARD

SEASONAL DECOR

110 Codjer Lane, Sudbury, MA 01776 978.443.7177 www.cavicchio.com

|

15

Everyday Sustainability

Pollinator Hotels What’s the buzz?

By Mark Dwyer

W

hile touring gardens in the Netherlands in the spring of 2012, I ran across an odd structure placed in a small community garden. Nearby interpretive signage (thankfully in English too) supported my initial theory that I was viewing a pollinator hotel. I had heard the term previously and was happy to stumble upon one to view in person.

The goal of structures like this is primarily to support local native bee populations, particularly those solitary species that are cavity dwellers. Honeybees and bumble bees aren’t interested in these accommodations but many others will arrive if enticed with a proper marketing approach!

Over the last decade, I’ve been observing and photographing dozens of these structures — also called bee hotels and nesting boxes — as I run across them in public settings. My first exposure to a pollinator hotel domestically was in 2015 at the 4-H

|16

Children’s Garden at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, which had some great signage as well. I also continue to see an increasingly wide range of prefabricated versions of these pollinator structures at garden centers and nurseries.

Structures such as these have a long history, particularly in research and specific conservation efforts, but have become more mainstream in residential settings as a tool to help support native, solitary pollinators. With the increasing concern regarding wild bee populations, it’s likely and essential that more focus and associated research with these pollinator hotels will occur in a significant manner as there is admittedly a dearth of scientific literature defining and quantifying the specific benefits of pollinator hotels.

The big question in our landscape settings is whether these structures are effective in supporting populations of target

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

|

17

Everyday Sustainability pollinators. With declining populations of beneficial insects in human-dominated environments, the question of whether the pollinator hotel is an effective urban solution becomes increasingly more important. In my experience and research, Im finding the answer is not clear-cut and is directly dependent on a wide range of factors including an understanding of the best designs, proper planning, utilization, and commitment to maintain these structures.

WHY BOTHER? Native bee populations depend on finding suitable nesting sites as well as materials for nest construction.

Materials such as leaves, resins, and mud for remodeling efforts in close proximity to the chosen nesting site become imperative. Food resources will also have to be within foraging range. Our gardens and landscapes may become the perfect settings to help support these target populations.

The intent of a pollinator hotel is to provide cozy nesting cavities for solitary bee species; essentially creating space for females to lay eggs where larvae can safely mature.

These bee species are those that would ordinarily nest in hollow plant stems, dead wood, or other natural nooks and crannies. It is important to note that these structures will also naturally attract non-native solitary bee species as well as a wide range of solitary wasp species. Pollinator hotels provide a significant amount of variable nesting sites well above the densities typically available for cavity-nesting bees. Population dynamics certainly come into play, and it’s important to note that one pitfall of an aggregate situation like this is the potential for pathogens and parasites to inflict widespread damage and casualties in a denser population setting.

SET-UP AND FEATURES That first pollinator hotel I saw was of sturdy wood

|18

construction. It faced south with various compartments that featured a wide variety of logs with drilled holes of variable diameters. Stacked materials, hollow bamboo tubes, paper tubes, roofing tiles, and many other materials were arranged

in compartments within the narrow structure, which also featured a slanted overhanging roof to shed water and outer protective metal mesh (to exclude birds and other predators). A hardware cloth with half-inch grid spacing is adequate for excluding predators but allows hotel residents access and egress. In terms of lumber selection for creating a pollinator hotel, avoid using any treated lumber or materials treated with solvent-based products.

I’ve since learned that the diameter of a specific tunnel (whether drilled or provided as a tube or stem) determines the nesting species with bees prudently selecting cavities that match their own body width. Most holes are between 5/64 inch and 1/2 inch in diameter with a depth of 3 to 8 inches; a 6-inch depth is a good average. The back of any nesting tunnel, regardless of material, should be solid. Drilled holes should be smooth and splinter-free along their entire length. I’m not an entomologist but understand that solitary female bees will construct brood cells in a linear series from the back of the tunnel to the front. Partitions are likely, and a plug or cap typically made of leaves or mud at the nest entrance — which is later the exit — means someone is home Hollow and pithy stems can be targeted from certain plants like elderberries, raspberries, and blackberries and should be kept as dry as possible. Cardboard or paper tubes with appropriate dimensions and sealed on one end can be effective but need to be replaced annually. They also work well as replaceable liners for wider, drilled holes. All nesting materials should be situated, settled, and secured well.

Pollinator hotels should ideally face south or southeast for adequate sunlight and should not be obscured by vegetation.

Elevating the structure at least three to five feet above ground level is recommended along with proper securing so the hotel won’t sway in the wind. Small www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

The finest Taxus and Boxwood in the industry and so much more.

Miss K

im Lila

c Spirea To

r

Cornus Florida

Sugar Ma

Spring|2021

ho assion R Purple P

ple

dodendro

n

See Availability List on our website!

FairviewEvergreen.com

|

19

7463 West Ridge Rd. P.O. Box 189 Fairview, PA 16415 800.458.2234 e-mail: info@FairviewEvergreen.com

Everyday Sustainability holes in the bottom of the structure will help with drainage although a significant roof overhang will also be beneficial. The entrances to all cavity tunnels should be tucked away from inclement weather that might infiltrate the edges of the structure.

PITFALLS TO AVOID The factors that most impact the effectiveness of these pollinator hotels include materials, dimensions of the nesting cavities, and positioning and orientation of the structure. A high loss of resident pollinators has been observed in badly designed and/or poorly placed pollinator hotels, so doing it right is paramount.

Some materials being promoted for these structures have no value for pollinators. Research has shown that pinecones, loose bark, and moss, all frequently included as compartment fillers, have no value as nesting sites. Other inadequacies include insufficient protection from wet weather and holes that are drilled too large or not smoothly or with no back wall. Glass and plastic tubes are not recommended either — only breathable materials.

MAINTENANCE Frequent observation and maintenance of these structures is mandatory. Nesting materials should be replaced every year or two, and the timing of this process is important. Keep in mind that inhabitants don’t return to old cavities to effectively reduce the chance of transmitting diseases or parasites to the next generation.

Ease of cleaning in terms of access and the availability of replacement materials becomes integral in the management plan for proper maintenance. Cleaning and sanitation in late summer, after young bees have emerged, is recommended, particularly when replacing drilled wood blocks/logs. Drilled wood sections and logs should minimally be replaced every two years. Cardboard and paper tubes should be replaced annually. Moisture should be excluded as much as possible with proper roofing and hotel siting, so adjustments and improvements should be made to accomplish this goal. Wet winter

|20

conditions should be avoided, and some nesting elements can even be brought into a cool, dry space to protect overwintering inhabitants from wind and rain.

CONCLUSIONS Much of the research in pollinator hotel design comes from just a few commercially managed species or short-term studies. The reality is that pollinator hotels only cater to a small fraction of the pollinator diversity in the area in which they are placed. Much more research is needed to determine the optimum size and features of the most effective structure. The potential pitfalls and benefits of using these structures in the conservation and population dynamics of applicable bee populations also need further investigation.

Pollinator hotels are certainly useful for ecological and behavioral studies and have a long history with these projects.

Outreach in citizen science and pollinator campaigns is also a potential benefit of promoting these structures.

Research has shown that smaller pollinator hotels with 100 or fewer nesting sites tend to be more effective if used in multiple locations. The larger hotels with multiple compartments have experienced more significant negative impacts from disease and parasites, which can spread quickly, particularly in unmanaged settings.

Unfortunately, many of the pre-fabricated pollinator hotels are designed more to appeal to human aesthetics and are less focused on being functional and actually beneficial for solitary bees.

The single most important factor in pollinator hotel success is sanitation and ability to replace materials.

Most manufacturers don’t provide proper instructions about how to manage these structures. The premise that these structures may help resident populations is sound although any promotion of these structures as essential in saving pollinators has been proven to be exaggerated.

Evidence-based studies and new applications will help increase and expand best-use scenarios for pollinator hotels throughout our landscapes.

North Carolina State Extension has a wonderful publication worth reading on this topic. See https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/ how-to-manage-a-successful-bee-hotel.

Mark Dwyer is the founder of Landscape Prescriptions by MD in Janesville, Wisconsin. He has a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and a master’s degree in urban forestry from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Dwyer’s professional experience includes time spent working at a garden center and nursery followed by a transition to public horticulture. He worked at Fernwood Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve for two years as a grounds horticulturist.

More recently, he served 21 years as director of horticulture at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville, Wisconsin, where he designed the last seven gardens. Dwyer was heavily involved with volunteer recruitment, management, and retention as well as a wide range of special events management and facilitation. He has consistently been involved with private landscape design (residential and commercial) for over 25 years. www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

Always a Great Selection!

Come Visit Catalog & Availability upon request SPECIALIZING IN SEASHORE, NATIVE, HEATHER & HEATH, AND LANDSCAPE SIZED PLANTS 1028 HORSENECK ROAD | WESTPORT, MA 02790 | 508-636-4573 FAX 508-636-3397 VISIT OUR WEB SITE - SYLVANNURSERIES.COM

New England Wetland Plants, Inc. Wholesale Native Plant Nursery Your source for...

Trees, Shrubs, Ferns, Flowering Perennials, and Grasses Coastal and Inland Wetland Plants Specialty Seed Mixes Coir Logs, Straw Wattles, Blankets and Mats

14 Pearl Lane, South Hadley, MA 01075 Phone: (413) 548-8000 Fax: (413) 549-4000 Email: info@newp.com Web: www.newp.com Fall|2023

|

21

Trees for Tough Situ

By Heather Prince

S

cott Beuerlein recently treated audiences to a highly opinionated program celebrating tough trees that have what it takes to survive in all kinds of tricky places. If you’re looking for a tree to thrive in the parking lot of a grocery store or a strip mall, keep this list handy!

Beuerlein is the manager of Botanical Garden Outreach at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden in Ohio. He is involved in running the zoo’s botanical garden educational programs as well as overseeing their plant trialing programs.

We narrowed down his initial list to 7 species that will grow in USDA Zone 5 and shake off Midwest winters, droughty summers, and everything in between.

THE TREES Acer griseum or Paperbark Maple Zone: 4 to 8 Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Average to moist, well-drained Size: 20 to 30 feet high; 15 to 20 feet wide; cultivars may be larger Bark: Rich cinnamon-brown exfoliating bark with hints of caramel and nutmeg Fall Color: Paperbark maples turn color late in the season and reward us with red-purple tones. Cultivars may vary and be more red.

Why We Love It: This slow-growing specimen tree will quietly fill a space before surprising you with its spectacular bark on a winter’s day. “My city planted it in a sort of working-class neighborhood in the parkway hell strip,” recalls Beuerlein.

“They survived and had a sort of clubby look to them due to the crappy soil conditions, but they hung in there. I find that the hybrid crosses like Girard’s Hybrid, Cinnamon Girl, and Gingerbread grow faster and have more vigor with a similarly attractive bark.”

|22

Acer griseum

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

uations Acer miyabei ‘Morton’ or State Street Maple Zone: 4 to 8 Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Average; tolerates brief periods of drought Size: 30 to 40 feet high and wide Bark: Rough, corky gray bark eventually develops orangey fissures with age.

Fruit: Two-winged samaras are abundant, but reseeding is usually not a problem.

Fall Color: Rich, clear golden-yellow Why We Love It: A selection from The Morton Arboretum, where you can still find the parent tree planted in 1929, State Street maple is a charmer for its oval to pyramidal shape, rich gold fall color, and easy-going nature. “I see it a lot as a street tree,” comments Beuerlein. “It’s a beautiful tree, and it grows really fast. I have one right outside my window here at home. It was one of the earlier ones I put in and now it’s probably 50 feet tall. The fall color comes late, but it always turns a nice, rich gold.”

Acer miyabei

Ulmus parvifolia or Lacebark Elm Zone: 4 to 9 Sun: Full sun Water: Average; adaptable to any Size: 40 to 50 feet high; 25 to 40 feet wide; cultivars may be smaller Bark: Spectacular mottled bark in shades of cream, brown, green, and orange Fruit: Seeds are formed in late fall, and they can spread by seed Fall Color: Yellow to reddish-orange Why We Love It: Dutch elm-resistant, lacebark elm also features tiny leaves that provide dappled shade.

“For me, it’s the bark,” said Beuerlein. “It has really beautiful bark on an incredibly tough tree. It’ll handle the most miserable post-construction soil and be fine.” A smaller elm, the cultivars tend to have the showiest bark and most organized shape.

Ulmus parvifolia

Fall|2023

|

23

Tough Trees Celtis occidentalis or Hackberry Zone: 2 to 9 Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Any Size: 40 to 60 feet high and wide Bark: Deeply ridged and warty bark even at a young age Fruit: Small, dark-purple drupe that while edible, contains a large seed Fall Color: A slight greenish-yellow Native: Native to all of the Midwest, Northeast, and parts of the South Why We Love It: Hackberry is tolerant of compacted soils, salt, and urban pollution. “They’re absolutely great for wildlife,” Beuerlein points out. They aren’t the loveliest of ornamental trees, but they make up for it in durability and wildlife value, supporting a number of butterflies and moths. Mature trees also have an elegant cragginess about them. “You can justify that sacrifice of a little bit of beauty for the sheer functionality of it and the importance of supporting the landscape. That’s a good thing. I think in Chicago, because you’re on the prairie and you have all these prairie plantings and restorations, you’ve been doing naturalistic landscaping for decades.

Consequently, it makes you a little ahead of the curve.”

Ginkgo biloba or Maidenhair Tree Zone: 3 to 8 Sun: Full sun Water: Average to dry Size: 50 to 80 feet high; 30 to 40 feet wide; cultivars tend to be smaller Fall Color: Rich, golden fall color lasts until the first hard frost when trees will drop all their leaves at once.

Why We Love It: Tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, ginkgoes also thrive in salt, air pollution, and heat. “Ginkgoes are one of those trees that makes an impressive allée. It’s an archaic or anachronistic way of planting, but when you see it, it gets your attention, and it’s just cool,” observed Beuerlein. “It’s been on the planet somewhere between 150 to 200 million years.

That’s always a good sign. A ginkgo survived an atomic bomb in Hiroshima, less than a mile away from ground zero, and lived. You can plant it anywhere from an industrial wasteland to a downtown to a backyard.”

|24

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

S EE

RE M O V D

R

E

“T

The most cost-effective way to remove dangerous or dead trees MASSACHUSETTS CERTIFIED

See our machines in action!

I

N

”

ARBORISTS MI

NUTE

S

TREE SERVICE

“TREES REMOVED IN MINUTES”™ We deliver quality, reliability and solutions to meet your specific needs.

The distinctive green machines is the Sennebogen. Mayer Tree has changed Sennebogen from an obscure German word into a household name in the tree care industry. Our expert operators have years of experience with these machines. Whether The Sennebogen, The Albach chipper or The Falbach crane grapple, we have the equipment to eliminate problem trees safely and efficiently. Don’t take chances and don’t settle, call Mayer Tree Service today!

BE CONFIDENT ABOUT REMOVING UNSAFE TREES. START WITH MAYER TREE TODAY.

978-768-6688 mayertree.com |

25

Tough Trees Gymnocladus dioicus or Kentucky Coffeetree Zone: 3 to 8 Sun: Full sun Water: Average, yet drought-tolerant Size: 60 to 80 feet high; 40 to 55 feet wide Bark: Richly rough gray-brown bark even at a young age Flower: Female flowers are fragrant and greenish white and up to 12 inches long, blooming in May, usually at the top of the tree.

Fruit: Large leathery pods contain flat seeds that Native Americans and pioneers traditionally roasted and ground to create a coffee-like drink.

Fall Color: Yellow Native: Native to a large section of the Midwest and Northeast Why We Love It: A fast-growing large shade tree, Kentucky coffeetrees always have character. “In spring, it transforms from basically a dormant hat rack into this stunning tropical tree,” enthuses Beuerlein. “The double pinnate leaves are huge, loose, and sort of frilly.

Incredibly tough, they just live and live and live with nobody watering them in medians, parking lots, etc. The females do produce a lot of fruit, so perhaps not the best for next to the swimming pool.”

GET READY FOR FALL PLANTING WITH

Prescriptive Fertilization and Soil Enhancement Program Products designed to maximize tree, shrub, and plant health by combining plant nutrition with solutions to enhance soil quality, stimulate root growth and improve water availability.

arborjet.com/ArborRx |26

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

Quercus bicolor or Swamp White Oak Zone: 3 to 8 Sun: Full sun Water: Average to wet Size: 50 to 60 feet high and wide Bark: Gray bark is flaky and fissured on young trees and young branches.

Foliage: Leaves are dark, shiny green on the upper side and whitish on the underside, making them attractive in any breeze.

Fall Color: Russet and leaves will dry and hold on the tree until bud break in the spring.

Native: Swamp white oak can be found mostly east of the Mississippi throughout the Midwest and East.

Why We Love It: Swamp white oak has tremendous versatility in nearly any soil and is fast-growing. Plus, as a native oak, it feeds an incredible amount of wildlife while looking stately. “It has that classic tree shape,” commented Beuerlein. “They do get big, but it doesn’t take the biggest oak to sort of knock you down with a sensation that it’s awe-inspiring. It just gives a feeling of size. There’s a presence to oaks, a stateliness. The fall color is sort of reserved, classy russet, or dusty yellows, and browns. Swamp white oak is marcescent, so they hold their leaves all winter. I love the rustle of the leaves. Plus, it can be a handy screen in a wet spot where a conifer won’t live.”

PREPARE FOR WINTER. VENTRAC and OREC can handle winter’s worst.

The Ventrac SSV (Sidewalk Snow Vehicle) has a 36” working width, so sidewalk snow and ice management are easy and efficient.

Orec’s Snow Bull’s dual tracks provide great traction, even in heavy, wet snow. The plow angle is easily adjustable.

Orec’s Snow Rhino Zero-Turn Plow is compact and powerful.

Experience its Zero-turn maneuverability! Its trackdrive can power through even the most brutal of snowstorms.

Call 800-634-5557 8 Ashfield Rd., Rt. 116, P.O. Box 540 Conway, MA, 01341 www.oescoinc.com

OREC Snow Bull Fall|2023

Ventrac SSV

OREC Snow Rhino

|

27

Bust Out of Service Fatigue

The What, Where, Why, and How Behind a Declin

By Laurie Guest

D

oes it feel like no matter how hard you try to please your customer, it isn’t enough? Are you in charge of leading others, and the faster you train teams and build energy, the quicker it seems to fade? Are you a business owner feeling hopeless about the never-ending needs of staff and customers while trying to achieve a profitable bottom line? You’re exhausted, right?

This exhaustion is what’s called “service fatigue,” defined as that feeling that keeps you from delivering the excellent customer service your staff and patrons have come to expect. Left unchecked, this weariness can impact your business in many negative ways, from short tempers to lost business.

Let’s unpack the what, where, why, and how of service fatigue and get on the path to busting out of it.

WHAT DOES SERVICE FATIGUE LOOK LIKE? You know what customer service delivery should look like.

Attentive. Proactive. Genuine. Service fatigue is “less than,” and it presents in many forms. It’s when your customer experience is less than you — or they — expect. It’s a lack of energy, elevated stress, constant ambivalence, difficulty concentrating, missed deadlines, frequent mistakes, or safety compliance issues. The trickiest kind of service fatigue to spot is the kind the team thinks they can hide from guests.

It’s still there, lurking beneath the surface, threatening to bring everyone down in its undertow.

WHERE DOES SERVICE FATIGUE COME FROM? After a stressful few years, various challenges have caused service fatigue levels to skyrocket. But the truth is, service fatigue can strike at any time, and much of it is really nothing new. It’s short-tempered customers who escalate to anger quickly. It’s trying (and usually failing) to juggle multiple priorities at a time. It’s navigating ever-changing business policies. It’s responsibilities that outnumber hours in the day. It’s one bad attitude draining a team’s morale.

Service fatigue can come from anywhere and knowing how to identify it is half the battle.

|28

WHY DOES SERVICE FATIGUE MATTER? The short answer: It matters because it impacts your bottom line. When service fatigue takes over at your business, everything is at risk. You can play a huge part in lessening that burden for your team and your customers. If it’s possible, make work a welcoming, encouraging environment for your staff so they can give your customers a reason to crow about the great experience they had. By recognizing service fatigue and equipping your team with the tools to bust out of its grip before it’s too late, you’ll ensure that everyone’s experience is that much better.

HOW CAN YOU MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF SERVICE FATIGUE? There are countless ways to bust out of service fatigue, and no two businesses will adopt exactly the same solution.

Decades of experience in the customer service industry prove that there’s no silver bullet to finally overcoming exhaustion. Instead, it takes a combination of strategy, patience, and commitment to bolster your team and get them back on track to deliver the kind of remarkable customer service you and your customers expect.

To get you started, here are a few ways to start busting out of service fatigue as soon as today: Build Better Boundaries Professional boundaries can be the single best tool to help bust out of service fatigue, whether you need to put them in place with your boss or you need to ensure your team knows that work/life separation is a good thing. Unless it’s imperative to your industry, do you really need to reply to emails at 8:00 PM? Is that gap or hiccup in a process at work really yours to lose sleep over?

We all can and should go above and beyond to deliver customer service excellence. But when you’re doing far more than is expected, you may be bringing service fatigue on yourself. Be honest: Are you guilty of your own boundary breakdowns? Are there honest conversations you can

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

e:

ne in Customer have to get those boundaries — and your energy levels — back on track?

Re-evaluate your boundaries today and find where you can firm them up. You’ll soon see what a difference they make in boosting your energy and positive attitude.

Grant Yourself Rest!

Who doesn’t love rest? While some have mastered the art of taking breaks, Americans tend to do things fast —often by multitasking. We like the concept of rest, but the demands on our time often get in the way of our ability to truly take a break.

There are as many as seven types of rest, from physical and emotional to creative and spiritual. The truth is, they’re all important, and giving ourselves the space to breathe when things get stressful is imperative. Rest can mean putting down your phone an hour early and reading a book instead or using your shift break to do a brief silent meditation so you’re prepared to head back to work.

When we prioritize rest and start to see it as doing good for ourselves, we are more energized to deliver customer service excellence.

Laurie Guest, CSP, CPAE, a Hall of Fame keynote speaker and author, is an authority on customer service excellence. Guest blends real-life examples and proven action steps for improvement. She is the author of two books and is writing a third on the topic of service fatigue. To learn more or connect with Guest,

BONUS: WHEN DO I NEED TO ADDRESS SERVICE FATIGUE? No surprises here: If you recognize the signs of service fatigue, now is the time to bust out of it! Start by identifying what’s causing the fatigue, then set aside time to plan for change, including big and small steps to reinvigorate your team and return to delivering customer service excellence.

When you commit to the change, the hardest part is already over. All it takes from there is digging in to bust out of service fatigue once and for all.

Fall|2023

|

29

Who Needs Another Spirea?

Double Play® Spirea: More Tha

by Tim Wood, Spring Meadow Nursery

A

s a general rule, spirea is known as a hardy, adaptable, and attractive ornamental shrub, and of the 90 different spirea species, few are as colorful and useful as Spiraea japonica. The species is very hardy, adaptable and offers a wide range of flower and foliage colors. Add to this the ability to cross with other species and you have an array of breeding opportunities.

With spirea, as well as other species, observation and imagination are the first steps in plant breeding, so looking for and noticing things that others may miss brings new opportunities.

One of our early discoveries was a rich, pink-flowered Spiraea fritschiana that we named Pink Parasols® (‘Wilma’).

Known for its excellent hardiness and attractive autumn foliage, Spiraea fritschiana is a low-mounded, Korean native with large, attractive blooms that are normally pure white.

By pure luck, I found a pink-flowered anomaly in a batch of seedlings at a local university. I suspect it might have been an

‘S. Big Bang’

|30

accidental hybrid with Spiraea japonica.

Further observation revealed that some seedlings had especially good, colorful foliage when leafing out in the spring. This is especially useful because spirea is typically sold in the spring, well before the flowers appear. So the color, texture, and health of the foliage are how most consumers judge the plants they are buying.

Such was the case when we crossed Pink Parasols Spiraea fritschiana with a yellow-leafed Spiraea japonica variety and came up with a number of unique, colorful hybrids.

After evaluating the top selections, we introduced Double Play Big Bang® (Spiraea x ‘Tracy’). The spring flush of foliage is a vibrant orange. As the foliage matures, it turns bright yellow with contrasting red new growth. The pink flowers are extra-large, getting this trait from Spiraea fritschiana. The plant cultivar was named in honor of my wife Tracy and has proven itself to be a first-class garden and landscape plant.

Thank goodness for that, because you don’t want to name a

S. ‘SMNSJMFR’

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

an Just Pretty Flowers bad plant after your wife!

Another in the series is Double Play® Red (Spiraea japonica ‘SMNSJMFR’). It has beautiful cherry-red spring foliage, but it was primarily selected for its uniquely colored, sangria-red flowers. It is the truest red I have ever seen in a spirea.

While most of the plants in the Double Play® series were developed by Spring Meadow in our internal breeding program, two varieties were developed by North Carolina State University. Several years ago, we had funded Dr. Thomas Ranney’s plant breeding team to develop sterile cultivars of potentially invasive plants.

One of the common methods for sterile varieties is to create a triploid (3x) plant which has three sets of chromosomes instead of the normal two, a diploid (2x). This was the technique used to create seedless watermelons. The process starts by treating young seedlings with colchicine or oryzalin, which doubles the chromosomes, thus creating a tetra-

S. ‘Blue Kazoo’ bloom

Fall|2023

ploid (4x) plant. The tetraploid plant is then crossed back with a normal diploid plant. The resulting triploid seedlings are often seedless.

Double Play Doozie® (Spiraea japonica ‘NCSX2’) is a seedless triploid, as well as a wide cross containing genes of more than one species. One of the added benefits of seedless plants is that they put their energy into flowering instead of setting seed. With Double Play Doozie® Spiraea, this results in a spirea that flowers all summer long.

This plant is a game-changer in the landscape market because it is so easy to grow and because it looks just as good in flower in August as it does in June when it first flowers. There is no need to shear it to get it to rebloom. The new growth continues to produce flower buds and flowers that cover and hide the older flower heads. The flowers are a vivid dark pink making it the perfect plant to replace ‘Anthony Waterer’.

Double Play® Candy Corn® (Spiraea japonica ‘NCSX1’), is another Tom Ranney triploid hybrid, but it is not noted for

S. ‘Blue Kazoo’ foliage

|

31

Who Needs Another Spirea? being a rebloomer. This plant variety was selected for its unique colorful foliage. In the spring, the first flush of foliage emerges a fiery orange-red. As spring, progresses, the foliage color changes to a bright yellow and then eventually to a butter yellow, while constantly being accentuated with bright reddish-orange hues in the new growth. The color combination is quite unique and pleasing.

There is one more spirea in the Double Play® series that is not a Spiraea japonica, but rather a selection of Spiraea media, a species that is native to Eastern Europe. Some years back, we grew and sold a Darthauzer nurseries variety named Snowstorm™ (Spiraea media ‘Darsnorm’). After three or four generations of inbreeding and selection, we singled out a dwarf plant with notable blue foliage. We introduced it with the name Double Play® Blue Kazoo® (Spiraea media ‘SMSMBK’) a silly, but memorable name based on the children’s musical instrument. I love plants with colorful foliage, especially blue foliage, and I believe

S. ‘Candy Corn’

TAX PLANNING BUILT TO SAVE YOU MONEY. Our ag tax specialists deliver money-saving strategies.

Loans & Leases Financial Record-Keeping

The taxes you owe don’t have to be a surprise – at least not with a defined tax strategy from Farm Credit East. Our ag tax specialists can work with you to develop a tax strategy that minimizes the taxes you pay. Contact the tax specialists at Farm Credit East for a plan that works for you.

farmcrediteast.com

|32

8 00.5 62.223 5

Payroll Services Profitability Consulting Tax Preparation & Planning Appraisals Estate Planning Beginning Farmer Programs Crop Insurance

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

this is a special plant. It is a low-mounded beauty with waxy, blue-green foliage that is randomly air-brushed with a cast of purple hues. The large white spring blooms contrast wonderfully with the richly colored foliage. Like all spirea, it looks best when planted en masse.

It is a bit humorous looking back because so many people told us we were wasting our time breeding spirea. They said, “Who needs another spirea?” But like all plant breeding, there is always room for new plants if they are improvements. Growers continue to look for plants that finish faster and that have fewer production inputs. Retailers, with a limited number of salespeople, are looking for plants with greater impulse appeal. Consumers want shrubs that offer more than just two weeks of flowers. They are looking for reliable plants that earn their keep all season long, and these new Double Play® spirea do just that.

S. ‘Doozie’

PEOPLE

PLANTS

PARTNERSHIPS

We are Better Together with you!

Your Prides Corner team is focused every day on making your life easier and your business more successful pridescorner.com Fall|2023

|

33

Business Minute

Strategic Rewards and Reco

By Steven Cesare, PhD

A

business owner from the free state of Florida called me the other day to talk about his company culture and more specifically about how to leverage his rewards and recognition program to embody the desired culture as a salient driver of employee recruitment, development, and retention. It is a noble undertaking by an innovative thought leader.

Unlike the Florida business owner, many companies — and most notably their leadership teams — do not incorporate an authentic rewards and recognition program into their organizational culture, while still others cryptically conduct such meetings merely out of obligation and duty, rather than as a personal emblem of their passion, commitment, and vow to the company, its employees, and their collective future.

Don’t you think the employees can pick up on a synthetic, emotionally bankrupt performance?

During our discussion, I reminded the business owner that these events should be permanent fixtures on the company calendar (you mean you don’t have a company calendar?), scheduled on a quarterly basis, with an emphasis on rewards AND recognition. Ideally, these 2–3 hour paid events should include food and beverages, with field and office staff in attendance. Call it team building; call it a bonding event; call it an all-hands meeting. Call it anything you want, as long as you know it actually characterizes your company culture. Take pictures, capture videos, interview employees, and put that footage on your website. And of course, publicize it as part of your company’s social media campaign.

As a capitalist, I told the owner the distributed awards (e.g., bonuses, gift cards, plaques, and various gifts (e.g., hand tools, attire, electronics)) should be linked to either a celebrated performance goal or one of the company’s core values. I heard the light bulb come on as he raised his eyebrows over the telephone.

To emphasize that point, I suggested he outline the entire event to ensure it would be well-planned and executed.

Central to that outline is the actual awards ceremony. Here, I directed the owner to: •

Identify the unsuspecting recipients.

•

Determine the basis for the award: tenure, goal attainment, special effort, safety, or cultural alignment, etc.

•

Develop a brief speech documenting why each honored employee was being edified.

NOT STAGED. PREPARED. For example: •

In support of our company job retention goal, we are recognizing Johnny for the great work he did as a foreman on the ABC job that produced his crew’s third consecutive job quality score of 87 and above.

•

In support of our core value of customer service, we are recognizing Luis for the great effort he provided when he responded to an emergency call and repaired a homeowner’s broken valve last Saturday.

•

In support of our core value of employee safety, we are recognizing Mateo for achieving his OSHA 10-hour certificate last month.

•

In support of our labor efficiency goal, we are recognizing Joe because no one on his crew has missed a day of work in the last six months.

•

In support of our job quality goal, we are recognizing Manuel, who has come in every Saturday for the past six months to sharpen all the lawn mower blades.

•

In support of her commitment to the company culture, we are recognizing Mary for being a conscientious,

Call it team building; call it a bonding event; call it an all-hands meeting.

Call it anything you want, as long as you know it actually characterizes you company culture. |34

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

ognition detail-oriented, office employee for five years.

•

In support of our company staffing goal, we are recognizing Ricardo for bringing in four new employees (Tomas, Antonio, Jose, and Rene) to our company this calendar year.

The takeaways from these celebrations highlight the behaviors the company cherishes and rewards those deserving employees who now are positioned as role models to their peers. Don’t think for a minute that other employees will not soon replicate those identified behaviors that will be viewed approvingly by the owner, their co-workers, and themselves.

The impact bestowed on the recipients and witnessed by the audience characterizes your company culture.

If you have any questions or comments about this topic or anything else related to human resources, sign up for Steve’s HR Helpdesk!

Fall|2023

|

35

A Late Season Tribute to Fall

Photos by: Trevor Smith and Rick Reuland

|36

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

Check our website for our most recent availability (PW: pni2022 -in the new year we’ll update the password to: pni2023) Or contact our office if you would like to receive our weekly availability emails CARRYING A FULL LINE OF B&B AND CONTAINER LANDSCAPE PLANTS READY TO BE DELIVERED TO YOU   

SHADE TREES BROADLEAFS FLOWERING SHRUBS

  

GROWING FOR OVER 40 YEARS

EVERGREENS PERENNIALS & GRASSES NATIVE & WETLAND PLANTS

P: 207-499-2994 F: 207-499-2912 sales@piersonnurseries.com • www.piersonnurseries.com Mailing Address: 24 Buzzell Rd, Biddeford ME 04005 Physical Address: 291 Waterhouse Rd, Dayton ME 04005

Fall|2023

|

37

In Memoriam Neil Van Sloun Neil J. Van Sloun, 90, of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, formerly of Westport, passed away on Friday, October 6, 2023.

He was the husband of the late Sylvia A.M. (Maxwell) Van Sloun.

Van Sloun was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of the late Joseph and Anna (Lass) Van Sloun. He served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1952–1955.

He completed a master’s degree in horticulture at Montana State University in 1958 and went on to a successful career in the nursery business.

Van Sloun was the co-founder and owner of Sylvan Nursery in Westport. He visited the nursery and checked on the day’s sales up until the last month of his life. He is a past president of the New England Nursery Association, past president of the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association, and

Ź Ź Ź Ź Ź

Rhododendrons Pieris Azaleas Perennials Nature’s Classics

past governor of the American Nurseryman’s Association.

Survivors include his brother, Dennis L. Van Sloun (Doloris) of Minnesota; two nieces, Amy Van Sloun (Kent Johnson) and Nancy Van Sloun (Paul Barnard); and his nephew, Joseph Van Sloun (Benita Bjorgo). He is also survived by his family at Sylvan Nursery and many good friends Van Sloun enjoyed giving to others and touched many lives over the years at Sylvan Nursery and through the Van Sloun Foundation. The Van Sloun Foundation, which hasestablished in 1991 in Massachusetts by Neil and Sue Van Sloun, provides grants to more than 35 organizations annually. The Foundation supports established and developing charities in veterinary and medical sciences, botanical and horticultural development, land conservation, and education.

MEDFORD NURSERY

NORTHERN NURSERIES INC.

A DIVISION OF THE ROBERT BAKER COMPANIES

WHOLESALE HORTICULTURAL DISTRIBUTION CENTERS

Ź Ź Ź Ź Ź

Flowering Shrubs

Ź

Premier Supplier of Green Goods

Evergreens

Ź

Grasses

Grass Seed and Fertilizers

Ź

Hydroseeding Materials

Ź

Extensive Selection of Stone Products

Ź Ź

Landscape Lighting

Proven Sales Team Branded Partnerships

Roses

OVE R 40 0 AC R E S o f Q u a l i ty P la n t s

Ź

Knowledgeable Technical Support

Ź

Professional Customer Service

Ź Ź

Reliable Availability

Ź

Spyder Delivery Available

Timely Delivery Service

Turf & Nursery Sales Specialists

We h ave THE L AR GEST SELECTION of N urser y Sto ck an d H or ti c ul tural Sup p l i es i n th e N or th east!

Thank you for growing with us!

|38

NorthernNurseries.com

560-A Eayrestown-Red Lion Rd. Lumberton, NJ 04048

1320 Mountain Rd. West Suffield, CT 06093 • (860)-668-5225

(609)-267-8100

67 Pinkham Rd. Barrington, NH 03825 • (603)-868-7172

Toll Free: 800-443-3314

115 Cordell Rd. Schenectady, NY 12304 • (518)-382-1600

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

ATTENTION MNLA MEMBERS: GET AN AVERAGE COST SAVINGS OF

$3,938 OR (14%) PER YEAR BEFORE REBATES



10% REBATE



FREE



REPORTING



HELP LINE



60/90 DAY

Annually for Members

Equipment Loaner Program Free “AccessOne” Enhanced Online Reporting

With Dedicated Representatives 855.632.9862

60 Day Trial Period & 90 Day Pilot Program for Members New to Credit Card Acceptance

For questions or additional information call 855.632.9862 SFProcessing.com / 1315 N Federal Highway Suite 200 Boynton Beach FL, 33435

Safety Sense

SAFELY OPERATE RIDE-ON AND LARGE EQUIPMENT

S

erious or fatal accidents in the landscape industry often involve ride-on and other types of large machines: mowers, skid-steer loaders, compact excavators, trenchers, compact utility loaders, and woodchippers. Rollover, struckby, caught-between, and pulled-into accidents are among the most common.

Such accidents can be prevented when company leaders provide well-maintained machines equipped with working safety devices and when employees follow safety guidelines, use caution, and are alert to the presence of fellow workers, other machines, and their surroundings in general.

The following checklists can help leaders and employees along those paths.

Note: All machine models are different, and this information is not a substitute for reading operating manuals for the particular machines your company uses. This information is meant to supplement specific information contained in those manuals. Additional precautions are necessary, and some instructions might not apply, depending on the equipment and attachments.

CHECKLIST FOR SUPERVISORS • Remember you are responsible for properly training employees to operate each machine they use. Since operation varies by manufacturer and model, employees must receive specific training for each particular machine they use.

• Ensure employees read operating manuals and safety

|40

decals attached to machines. If an employee can’t read the manual, have someone explain the safety messages and ensure the employee 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 appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) given the types of machinery they are operating or working near.

• Don’t allow employees operating woodchippers to wear jewelry, loose clothing, gloves with cuffs, or tree-climbing equipment that could get caught in the machines.

• Make sure machines are maintained properly and safety guards and mechanisms remain in place. This includes systems that shut off ride-on trenchers when weight is not detected in the seat.

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

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

• Make careful determinations regarding the operation of

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

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

• Closely supervise new hires and those new to operating particular machines. Ensure they follow safety training.

•

Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) given the types of machinery you are operating or working near.

• Train employees to be aware of machine load capacities. They should know these capacities change when they operate on slopes. Make sure they have access to and can correctly interpret rated lift-capacity charts for applicable machines.

• When an employee engages in unsafe work practices, take immediate corrective action. This could include refresher instruction and/ or disciplinary measures.

•

Inspect each machine according to your training and/or the machine’s operating manual before you operate it. Bring any problems to your supervisor’s attention.

• Hold refresher training. Routinely and as related situations arise, supervisors and crew members should review general safety procedures regarding operating equipment as well as manufacturers’ manuals that deal with this topic. Reinforce training through regular safety talks.

Fall|2023

CREW MEMBER GUIDELINES: •

Do not operate a machine until you have been properly trained.

You should receive training specific to the particular model you will be operating and fully understand this training.

RESOURCES

For specific guidelines and checklists on compact excavators, trenchers, compact utility loaders, skid-steer loaders, and woodchippers, visit https://www. landscapeprofessionals.org//LP/Safety/ Ride_On.aspx.

For additional safety information, visit https://www.landscapeprofessionals. org/LP/Safety/LP/Safety_NALP.aspx

|

41

Tree Talk

By Dave Anderson

A

re you looking for good people? That’s a rhetorical question, obviously — who isn’t? Another great recruiting tool and, by extension, a retention tool is to put on an open house at your business.

Set a date and advertise well in advance. Post flyers with your agenda on your website, social media, and LinkedIn. Reach out to your local high schools, colleges, and industry professionals — especially local agriculture and tech schools. Tchukki Andersen, staff arborist at the Tree Care Association, was gracious enough to come to both of ours. If you don’t already have a strong relationship with local

schools, this gives you a great reason to develop one. Teachers love these events because they know their students love these opportunities to meet industry professionals and be involved in tangible learning.

Involve your key people. Ask your best people to be involved, especially your younger people who are more relatable to students. This allows your guests to relate to your staff because they can see how their career track could be similar.

“I was really impressed by Gear Guru at Professional Tree Care. All the climbing equipment he showed me was really cool,” said a happy high school student and hard worker.

Translation: I want to work here and learn from her.

Set up learning stations and a live demonstration. The learning stations could be chain saw maintenance, plant identification, plant health care, knots, and climbing gear, etc. A demonstration could be rigging or pruning — do what you

Gear and Knot Demonstration by Andrew Keenan and Zac Gadourey

|42

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

are best at. Obviously, safety is the most important thing so make sure everyone has PPE or, better yet, keep your guests at a safe distance. By picking your best and brightest people to run these stations, you allow them to feel important, recognized, and respected Supply swag. Students love swag. Plus, if you hand out T-shirts or hats, you have a walking-talking billboard to advocate for you. Have plenty of job applications and a signup sheet so you can follow up with people. Be sure someone is responsible for following up and reaching out to say thanks for coming. You can also add them to an email or text list so you can stay in touch and add value by sending them your electronic newsletter. This keeps your brand and website on their radar. If they don’t need a job now, they may someday.

Be sure to have enough staff on hand to make everyone who shows up feel welcomed, engaged, and important. You don’t want to do an open house if people wander through and no one speaks with them.

An open house is another tool in the recruiting and retention tool kit. Yes, it is a big investment, but if done well, it can provide you with great young help immediately because it creates a lot of good PR. The teachers and industry leaders you invite will be impressed and grateful for your efforts.

When our company has held an open house, the tangible and less tangible benefits have been phenomenal.

David M. Anderson has over 30 years of experience in horticulture, client service, and public relations. He works for Mayer Tree Service. He is a Massachusetts Certified Arborist, Certified Landscape Professional, and a Certified Tree Care Safety Professional. David was the chairman of the Massachusetts Certified Arborist Board for three years and is currently a board member of the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association. He has authored several articles for trade publications and frequently gives presentations to garden clubs, trade organizations, and students on a variety of topics. In the last several years, he has become more involved in and passionate about employee engagement.

Fall|2023

Open House Saturday 2/11/23 9:30-1:00 9 Scotts Way Essex MA 9:30 Coffee and snacks 10:00 Sennebogen demonstration 11:00-12:00 Information Stations • Plant Identification • Decay Fungi of Trees • Knot’s you should know • Common Insects and Diseases in our area 12:00 Visit Mayer Power Company

Example of an agenda to post and email as a save the date card

Students from Norfolk Agriculture High School, Walpole, Massachusetts, Showing off Their Mayer Shirts

|

43

Advertiser Index Acorn Tree and Landscape .......................... 47

MARKETPLACE

American National ...........................................7 Amherst Nurseries .........................................44 Arborjet ...........................................................26 Ballard Truck Center ......................................35 Bigelow Nursery ............................................29 Cavicchio Landscape Supplies, Inc. ............15 Connecticut Mulch Distributors, Inc.............35 Fairview Evergreen Nurseries ......................19 Farm Credit East ...........................................32 Ideal Concrete Block ........................................2 Mayer Tree Service ........................................25 Medford Nursery ...........................................38

Hortus humorous —

Milton Cat ......................................................13 New England Wetland Plants .......................21 Northeast Nursery ........................................48 Northern Nurseries .......................................38 OESCO..............................................................27 Pierson Nurseries, Inc. ..................................37 Prides Corner Farm ........................................33 Read Custom Soils .........................................37 Service First Processing ................................39 Sylvan Nursery ...............................................21 We Find Plants ................................................17 Weston Nurseries .............................................5

|44

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

Special Announcement

pro grow news Committment to Qualtiy

The Massachsetts Nursery and

Landscape Association has a

long history of innnovation.

pro|grow|news is simply a

reflection of MNLA and its position in the industry. Its purpose is to promote the environmental well-being of the state as well as the highest levels of business ethics within the profession.

pro grow news

2023 brings renewed commitment to quality for pro|grow|news readers and advertisers will see: • larger issues • enhanced enhanced content • larger pictures • more features • greater variety • focused issue content • on-time delivery • deadlines you can count on • seasonal content and ads delivered on time

Advertising Opportunities

2023 Display Advertising Rates — pro|grow|news pro|grow|news delivers loyal and active readers to its advertis4x ers. Our policy remains — keep ad $613 rates affordable in order to attract more product choices for mem510 bers. This commitment has not wavered.

427

Display Advertising Rates 1x Page

$635

1/2

526

1/4 439

For B/W rate subtract $200

Down to Earth Preview Creating a Sustainable Bird-Friendly Garden Underused Ornamental Plants

Four Seasons Guide The MNLA Four Seasons Guide provides a complete up-to-date 4x listing of MCHs and members.

The annual publication is mailed $613 to members.

510

Display Advertising Rates 1x Page

$635

1/2

526

1/4 439 427

For B/W rate subtract $200

Membership Directory The Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association

Four Seasons Guide pro grow news 2022 pro grow news WINTER 2021

SPRING 2021

www.mnla.com

www.mnla.com

Winter Hardiness Don’t Fence Me In

Fire Pit Plantings

Coloring the World with Plants

Earthworm Invasion

A Year Long Resource — Looking Back: Plant Geek History

2 PGN_SUMMER.21 FINAL 32 pages.indd 1

7/20/21 11:01 AM

Complete MNLA Membership Massachusetts Certified Horticulturists UMASS Green Industry Resource Guide

For Advertising Information — Call Debbie Rauen (817) 501-2403 • debbie.parksandrec@yahoo.com Fall|2023

|

45

My Favorite Plant

Rosa ‘ Teasing Georgia’

by Jonathon Daniels, MCH, Sudbury Design Group

Reasons This Plant Shines

Teasing Georgia English tea rose is an an absolutely stunning plant that is reliable and easy to grow. It provides a pleasant smell and makes for an excellent cut flower. Or it is great when used in beds, borders, or as a flowering hedge.Plant it in full or partial shade, and in rich, fertile, well-drained soils.

Facts and Features

This rose’- light-yellow flower blooms from late spring until frost. Looks best with salvia, nepeta, or lavender.

|46

Plant Culture

Rosa ‘Teasing Georgia’ Plant type: Shrub Size: 3-4 feet H / 3-4 feet W Growth rate: Average Soil: Average Exposure: Full to partial shade Zone: 5–10

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

"ĔĠģğ 5ģĖĖ Ēğĕ -ĒğĕĤĔĒġĖ %ĖĤĚĘğ Ēğĕ $ĠğĤĥģĦĔĥĚĠğ 0ėėĖģĚğĘ -ĒģĘĖ 5ģĖĖ 5ģĒğĤġĝĒğĥĚğĘ

7JTJU PVS NBUVSF TQFDJNFO USFF GBSN 0WFS NBUVSF USFFT UP JOTUBOUMZ FTUBCMJTI ZPVS MBOETDBQF 3FMPDBUF ZPVS NBUVSF QMBOU NBUFSJBM DSFBUF JOTUBOU TIBEF QSJWBDZ BOE CFBVUZ 8F PGGFS B XJEF TFMFDUJPO PG NBUVSF TQFDJNFO USFFT +BQBOFTF .BQMF %PHXPPE #FFDI 4VHBS .BQMF 4QSVDF FUD t ." $FSUJmFE "SCPSJTU t 0XOFS 0QFSBUFE t )PSUJDVMUVSBM $POTVMUBOU t 1MBOUJOH 1MBOT " MFBEFS JO /FX &OHMBOE JO MBSHF USFF BOE TISVC USBOTQMBOUJOH

)BSWBSE ." t 5FM t 'BY t BDPSOUSFF!BPM DPN Harvard, MA • Tel: 978.635.0409 • Fax: 978.635.9840 • acorntree@me.com

Learn more about our products and services at:

Established 1982

www.northeastnursery.com Wholesale: 8 Dearborn Rd, Peabody MA (978)-854-4520

Retail: 234 Newbury St, Peabody MA (978)-535-6550

Northeast Nursery Pro Divisions

Northeast Greenhouse & Nursery Supply

Northeast Arbor Supply

Northeast Golf & Turf Supply

Northeast Masonry Supply

Northeast Lighting Supply

Northeast Turf & Irrigation Supply

For 38 Years, Northeast Nursery has supplied landscapers and homeowners with the finest bulk goods, plant materials, and gardening supplies that the industry has to offer. With unparalleled product selection and industry-leading expertise, our team is poised to help with your next landscaping project.

• • • • •

Centrally Located Off Rt 1 & I 95

Nursery Stock Bulk Goods Hardscapes Pest & Disease Control Irrigation Supplies

• • • • •

Planters & Garden Features Arbor Supplies Winter Products Rental Equipment Custom Grass Seed Blends