PRO GROW NEWS Spring 2019

pro grow news SPRING 2019

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Gardening Trends for 2019 Transitioning Container-Grown Plants

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pro grow news Spring 2019

contents Features 8 Gardening Trends for 2019 14 Transitioning Container-Grown Plants

in the Landscape 18 Green Industry Economic Outlook 24

MNLA Summer Conference Preview

Departments

5 President’s Message

6 Government Relations 30

Ad Index

On the cover — Bright pansies for spring ­Photo courtesy of Gaele McCully, MCH, MCLP

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pro grow news Spring 2019

committees

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

EDUCATION & RESEARCH COMMITTEE

VICE PRESIDENT Peter Mezitt, MCH Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 435-3414

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

SECRETARY/TREASURER Chris O’Brien, MCH Howard Designs, Inc. Tel: (617) 244-7269

Kathy Bergmann, MCH — Chair Bergmann Construction Tel: (508) 435-3414

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

PAST PRESIDENT Jim Stucchi, MCH Stucchi Landscape and Design, LLC Tel: (774) 233-2151

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

DIRECTORS

HISTORY COMMITTEE

Deborah Trickett, MCH The Captured Garden

Kerry Preston, MCH Wisteria & Rose, Inc. Steve Charette Farm Family Insurance Family

David Vetelino, MCH Vetelino Landscape, Inc Jean Dooley, MCH Mahoney’s Garden Centers

MASSACHUSETTS CERTIFIED HORTICULTURIST BOARD (MCH) Jack Elicone, MCH — Chair John R. Elicone Consulting Tel: (617) 527-5706 PRODUCTS COMMITTEE Peter Mezitt, MCH — ­­ Chair Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 435-3414

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR Jason Wentworth Tel: (617) 417-4050 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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

Rena M. Sumner Tel: (413) 369-4731

Skott Rebello, MCH — Vice Chair Harborside P.S. Tel: (508) 994-9208 MAGAZINE COMMITTEE Gaele McCully, MCH MCLP — Chair Mahoney’s Garden Center Tel: (781) 729-5900

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

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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.

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President’s Message

And Spring Is Here Again ByTim Hay, MCH

W

e know spring will come every year. It seems that the downtime between the holiday rush and the spring rush just keeps getting shorter, or maybe I am just getting older, or both. I do know that there is no longer downtime in our industry.

The green industry is a 12-month journey through organized chaos. Hopefully, MNLA can help you keep it better organized.

The Education Committee and the MCH Board did an outstanding job putting the Winter Forum and Job Fair together.

The education and networking were top notch. As MNLA continues to be your “Resource for Success,” education is always at the top of the list. I hope you all will be able to attend the Down to Earth Summer Conference in July. We will be back at a member location in Westport, Massachusetts. Thank you to Sylvan Nursery for hosting us. There will be plenty of time for catching up with colleagues as well as some great educational opportunities.

I will not take too much thunder from Jason, but Mass Ag Day was a great success this year. MNLA leadership attended meetings with the Senate president, the House speaker, and other

key committee chairs. Keeping a face with a name is so valuable when dealing in politics. I encourage you all to contact your local representative and senators. Many do not realize what the green industry contributes to the state’s economy and job market.

As we journey through organized chaos, remember to take a few minutes to breathe deep and find a special moment that reminds us why it is we love what we do. Take time to admire that finished project, the blooming of your favorite tree, warm sun on your face, the newborn goat running in the barn, or whatever can bring that “this is why I do this every day” feeling to you.

MNLA is a member-driven association. I encourage you to attend, participate, and get involved. MNLA is always striving to be that “Resource for Success” for each member.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any question, concerns, or just to catch up.

Tim Hay, MCH Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. MNLA President

Mark Your Calendar­ Meet your Board of Directors at July 25, 2019 - Down to Earth Summer Conference & Trade Show, hosted by Sylvan Nursery, Westport, MA August 7, 2019 - MCH EXAM Elm Bank, Wellesley, MA August 21, 2019 - Plant Geek Day, Location to be confirmed November 6, 2019 - Plant Healthcare Day at Elm Bank, Wellesley, MA February 25 & 26, 2020 Dreams & Solutions Winter Forum & Trade Show Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel Marlborough, MA Spring|2019

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Government MNLA Committees Relations Committee Advocacy: Make Your Voice Heard

F

inding common interests among a wide swath of agricultural commodities in Massachusetts can sometimes seem like a daunting task. However, on Agriculture Day at the State House, MNLA President Tim Hay, Government Affairs Committee Chair Chris O’Brien, and I walked the hallways with our counterparts from forestry, aquaculture, cranberries, dairy, and other agricultural stakeholders to advocate for policies that overlap within a wide array of Massachusetts agriculture.

We visited with House Speaker Robert DeLeo; Senate President Karen Spilka; Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Committee Senate Chair Anne Gobi; Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Michael Rodrigues; Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr; House Minority Leader Brad Jones; Representative Brad Hill; and staff from the offices of House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michelwitz and Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture House Chair Smitty Pignatelli. One of our members’ key requests was to support the institutions that support our industry. Whether that is a government agency like the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) or UMass Extension, Massachusetts agriculture and horticulture needs the strength, knowledge, and support our Commonwealth can provide. In return, we continue to employ thousands, add to the tax base, and beautify the world around us. Not a bad trade-off.

While it was a generally positive, albeit exhausting day, I noticed a juxtaposition that was probably right in front of my face in past Ag Days. Throughout the Great Hall and walking the halls, I noticed many friends and acquaintances from agriculture. Salty veterans of Ag Day, they knew exactly where to go and when without being prompted. This advocacy has become a seasonal inevitability, and they have long ago come to grips with the importance of speaking truth to power. On the other hand, I noticed the young Aggie students and Future Farmers of America walking around with a palpable enthusiasm. For some, it may have been the first time they set foot in the State House. I hope it was a powerful and instructive moment in making their voices heard as a citizen.

Those two groups are important for the future of agriculture and should continue to be engaged. What I would like to see in MNLA members in the coming years is the same level of enthusiasm as those students combined with the wisdom and understanding that can only be achieved through hard work and sacrifice. Basically, we need more of our MNLA members to walk those halls and speak truth to power.

It’s a lesson that my dear friend Henry Gillet espoused incalculable times: The legislator doesn’t want to hear from me, but from you. If you own a business or work in a legislator’s district, there is an instant connection waiting to be made. If you’ve tried your hand at being an advocate for the industry in the past only to be left with a sour taste, why not try again?

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State House people and personalities are always changing, and I am happy to help make introductions.

If you’re reading this article, you are part of an association that is bigger than the individual. Let’s use that platform to the fullest. Legislators spend significant amounts of campaign money trying to figure out what their constituents think about issues. Bring your voice to them, and they’ll remember that.

Neonic Review It’s a process seemingly as old as time, or at least older than me: As the tulips of Massachusetts begin to emerge and stretch to meet the sun, so too does the Great and General Court. With committee appointments made, offices assigned, and the promise of warm weather to come, the Massachusetts legislature once again takes up annual budget appropriations legislation. It’s a process that began with the governor, but truly heats up in the House of Representatives in April. After the House released its version of the Fiscal Year 2020 budget bill, individual members were able to file amendments for consideration. Most amendments dealt simply with adding or adjusting line items to the budget. Some were outside sections that intended to use the budget legislation to change policy.

As usual, the vast majority were not adopted (i.e., attached to the final bill).

Only one of the amendments that could impact our members was adopted. Representative Michael Finn’s Neonic Review amendment calls for a scientific review of neonicotinoids by the Pesticide Board Subcommittee and administered

by MDAR. The amendment adds and appropriates $100,000 to MDAR’s budget for this study. Like many MNLA members I’ve spoken to, I have mixed feelings on this effort.

In a perfect world, the agency and government structure tasked with making policy on pesticides would make those decisions based on a combination of new and existing scientific study, and the decision would be accepted by all stakeholders. This has always been the path I’d prefer. Wherever we are on the political spectrum, I’m sure we can all agree that the world of 2019 we live in is not perfect. Some pollinator stakeholders are skeptical of MDAR’s impartiality. I wouldn’t have believed it unless I heard it, but some have said MDAR favors policies that aid pesticide companies. I don’t know where this comes from, but I wholeheartedly disagree with that opinion. In my time at MDAR, I learned quite a lot about the pesticide enforcement team. Regardless of where in the Commonwealth they were directed, they followed every lead and answered every complaint. They took various actions, some that were not looked at kindly by some in agriculture, and were not punitive but thorough.

However, the reality is that in 2019, people sometimes become frustrated by the pace and direction of government and take it into their own hands. I’ve already heard that the gears are moving in preparation for a ballot petition to ban neonics if the legislature does not restrict them this session. www.mnla.com

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What would that mean? Well, don’t just throw science out of the window. Throw debate and compromise out, too. If there was a question on the ballot titled Act to Protect Massachusetts Bees, does anyone doubt that the question would win in overwhelming fashion? Anyone who doubts this need only look back a few years to the animal-cruelty ballot question that created statutes with far-reaching implications, especially for out-of-state agriculture bringing products into Massachusetts. The fact that the practices outlined in the ballot petition did not reflect practices in Massachusetts was immaterial in the eyes of the voter (or at least the ones who read the language). If you think this won’t happen with neonics, you haven’t been paying attention.

MNLA and the Massachusetts Flower Growers’ Association support Rep. Dykema’s legislation because it represents a compromise. It is a restriction that would enable professionals in our industry to maintain this important tool in their toolboxes. It just takes it out of the hands of Joe Public, who probably doesn’t read the warning labels. Does maintaining the use, albeit restricted, of these products seem better than an outright ban?

Many on the board feel it is better, and I’m inclined to agree with them.

UMass Extension Soil Lab As we move toward Senate budget at the end of May, we maintain hope that positive amendments like the UMass Extension Soil Lab, which was not adopted in the House, will be filed and adopted. It was an amendment without any opposition, and it also dovetails back to our key advocacy point of supporting the institutions that support our industry. The Commonwealth should continue to invest in agriculture and horticulture, not just in the short-term, but for the long-term viability of our industry. Therefore, I ask my friends and MNLA members to renew your investments of time and resources toward advocacy. Help our great association shape policies that will ensure that viability.

Jason Wentworth MNLA Government Relations Director

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Gardening Trends for 2019

By Leonard Perry, PhD

E

ach year for the past couple decades, experts from the Garden Media Group — a marketing firm for the home and garden industry — identified key gardening trends for the coming season. For 2019, they’ve pegged eight trends based around the overall theme of people reconnecting with the natural world.

Gardening is one way many are awakening to connect with nature, often to combat work, stress, and excessive internet time. The report’s authors state that these trends will create new environmentalists awakened to our responsibility to save the Earth. According to author Michael McCarthy, a modernday Rachel Carson, “finding joy in nature will help save the environment, and in turn, save us.” The report describes this as a trend from self-care to care for Mother Earth; a trend from ME to SHE. More people are gardening — and gardening more than ever before — according to the National Gardening Association’s annual survey. Many of these people are millennials (also called Gen Y) born roughly between 1981 and 1996. “Average households set a spending record of $503, up nearly $100 over the previous year,” the survey states. “Almost a third of all gardening households were those 18 to 34 years old — another record.” Within gardening, one of the hottest trends is sustainable landscapes using native plants.

Trend 1

The first of the specific trends pegged for 2019 is the “Indoor Generation.”

This generation consists of nearly 90 percent of people worldwide who spend at least 22 hours a day inside.

Americans spend most of their time (93 percent) either indoors or in vehicles.

Children spend less than one hour daily outside, which is

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50 percent less than their parents did as children.

The result of all this time inside is higher rates of obesity, high cholesterol, and mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Yet there is hope as the indoor generation brings nature indoors in the form of houseplants. Last year, 30 percent of households bought at least one houseplant, with terrariums, cactus plants, and tropical plants among the top sellers. Previously considered old-fashioned, houseplants have become the new connection with nature, with about one third of purchases by millennials.

Trend 2

The second trend, “Screen Age,” refers to too much time in front of computer screens and similar devices, an addiction that can cause physical and psychological problems. “Blue light from screens can cause lack of sleep, obesity, stress, and depression,” the report states. One fact from this report is that adults now spend, on average, 11 hours a day looking at screens, and they check their phones every 10 minutes.

Gardening is recommended to counteract the screen age, especially for younger generations. It can teach many skills and habits, from responsibility to patience, trust, confidence, and good earth stewardship. The report suggests several means to engage youth, including choosing colorful fruits and vegetables and planting containers with kid-friendly plants such as compact berry plants.

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Trend 3

The third trend — “Golden Hearts” — refers to “the new environmentalist…looking for fulfillment outside of themselves and turning to caring for the earth.” A study

by Unilever found that about one-third of people worldwide “choose brands for their social and environmental impacts.”

Volunteerism among millennials set a record, beating the national average. Generation Z — those born after the millennials in the late 1990s and early 2000s, currently roughly 12 to 21 years old — are becoming the new environmentalists. They’re involved in environmental movements and are choosing schools based on sustainability.

Trend 4

“Root to Stem,” as the fourth trend is called, refers to waste that has previously ended up in landfills now being upcycled or eliminated entirely. It can be as diverse as brewery grain flour or plastic straws.

“Zero Waste,” “Recommerce,” and “Conscious Consumption” are other terms for this trend. Globally, one third of all food is wasted each year.

Each American wastes 4.4 pounds daily, or the weight of a 22-foot U-Haul truck each year.

Only nine percent of plastics are being recycled, with eight million metric tons dumped into the oceans each year.

In response to the 500 million plastic straws discarded daily, plastic bans are spreading nationwide. Major corporations are committing to products such as single-use plastics and practices such as zero-emission deliveries. At homes, composting is the new recycling, and it can reduce household waste by up to 40 percent. Food is the largest waste in landfills, “more than diapers, Styrofoam, and tires combined.”

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Trend 5

“Silence of the Insects” refers to global insect collapse, why this is important, and techniques to reverse this fifth trend of 2019, including defensive gardening and changing habits.

This trend is dangerous, according to a Harvard biologist: “Insects are the foundation of our ecosystem.” The plight of pollinators is one example familiar to many gardeners, with 40 percent — particularly bees and butterflies — risking global extinction.

Invasive species of plants and insects are one reason for this pollinator decline.

The National Wildlife Federation reports that 42 percent of threatened or endangered species are at risk due to invasive species. Early detection, rapid response, and preventing the spread of invasives are the main ways to deal with this threat. Planting insect gardens; selecting insect-friendly native trees, shrubs, and flowers; adding a compost pile; being mindful of pesticide use; adding a pond or water feature; and letting some of your landscape go wild are all means to help reverse the decline of beneficial insects.

Trend 6

“Robo Gardening” — the sixth 2019 trend — refers to the increased use of technology in gardening. High-tech tools can free gardeners from unpleasant or boring tasks, or just make them better gardeners.

Smartphone apps help organize plant information, a solar-powered robot can weed whack for up to three hours, wireless plant sensors and sprinkler systems often water more effectively. Experimental mini-drone bees have been 37 percent successful in pollinating flowers. Drones are being used to monitor crops for pests, and to apply controls.

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Trend 8

Trend 7

The “Moon Struck” seventh trend refers to our reconnection with the moon, from its appearance on watches to wedding gowns. The saying “what goes around comes around” applies to moonphase gardening — the idea of timing planting, pruning, weeding, and harvesting based on moon phases — an idea as old as agriculture itself but being rediscovered.

More gardeners are installing moon gardens — those with white flowers or light colors that reflect moonlight such as lamb’s ear, night-blooming fragrant flowers such as evening primrose, and flowers such as nicotiana for night-time or crepuscular pollinators.

BARTLETT S

Finally, the experts note the trend of vintage, cool mint green making a comeback both indoors and out. This neomint is the new neutral. If you wonder why this color, the report explains: “This oxygenating, fresh tone of mint harmonizes science and technology with plant life and nature.” In addition to mint-colored accessories and plants, the herb mint is multifunctional — good for drinks and cooking, of course, the flowers are attractive to pollinators, deter biting insects, and have been used since ancient times for various healing benefits.

Horticulture, through these eight trends the report explores, can help solve climate change, stop biodiversity loss, and provide urban eco-system services. Consider which of these you can incorporate into your own gardens, landscapes, and even interior living and work spaces.

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Leonard Perry, PhD, served as an extension horticulture specialist at the University of Vermont for 35 years until his retirement in 2016. He continues to teach online courses as horticulture professor emeritus. He was familiar to home gardeners from his frequent television appearances on the regional “Across the Fence” program, periodic radio interviews, monthly news articles, and local and regional gardening tours. As a professor, he led a research program on all aspects of perennial production and overwintering, and continues to collaborate with Burlington Parks and Recreation on the Waterfront Display Gardens. Perry is the author of The Fruit Gardener’s Bible — a total revision of Lewis Hill’s Fruits and Berries for the Home Garden.

He also serves as horticulturist in residence for the King’s Garden at Fort Ticonderoga and has become known across North America and globally for Perry’s Perennial Pages, which features information, links, news articles, research, and more on herbaceous perennials.

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Transitioning Container-Grown Plants to the Landscape

By Mandy Bayer, PhD

T

he arrival of the spring planting season is a great time for a refresher on best practices for planting and establishing container-grown plants in the landscape. It is important to keep in mind how production impacts plants when installing them in the landscape. Irrigation frequency during production, soilless substrates, and circling roots should all be considered when transitioning container-grown plants to the landscape.

Container plant production is a resource-intensive process, with water and fertilizer generally applied in large amounts.

The soilless substrates used in containers are meant to be lightweight, making them easier to handle and transport. The materials used in these substrates, such as bark, peat, and perlite, are meant to aid drainage, but their water- and airholding capacities can be highly variable. Daily (or up to several times a day) irrigation is common. The combination of soilless substrates and frequent irrigation during production can result in increased water stress during landscape establishment.

Although producing plants in containers benefits the grower and consumer, the container itself can create plantgrowth problems because containers have limited rooting volume. In the ground, roots can grow horizontally, anchoring the plant and providing water and nutrient uptake. In a container, roots reach the side of the container and begin to circle around the pot. Failing to address circling roots before installation in the landscape can result in stem-girdling roots that disrupt water and nutrient flow in the xylem and phloem. Over time, this causes crown dieback, early fall color, canopy thinning, and eventual death. Newer containers such as fabric containers and containers with air holes help reduce circling roots. Root issues such as circling or girdling should be addressed during planting. Circling roots should be cut, shaved, or teased apart. Stem-girdling roots should be removed.

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Root establishment is important for plants to succeed in the landscape.

For a container-grown plant to maintain its growth, it must receive similar irrigation in the landscape (i.e., daily irrigation). This is generally not realistic, but should be kept in mind, as irrigation frequency will determine how vigorously the plant grows. Irrigation should be monitored closely during the first growing season and adjusted according to rainfall and again as plants become established.

Keep in mind that more frequent irrigation (around every 4 days) will result in more vigorous plant growth and that applying large volumes of water will not make up for infrequent irrigation. Less frequent irrigation can be adequate depending on rainfall, but will impact how rapidly the plant grows. As roots grow out into the native soil, irrigation demand lessens, and frequency should be reduced. It

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can take months for a plant to become established in the landscape, and larger plants take longer to establish.

Directed irrigation applications, via drip irrigation or hand watering, should be used to ensure water is applied to the root area. Overhead irrigation often falls on areas with no plants roots or is intercepted by the plant canopy, not making it to the root area where it is needed.

The trunk flare on trees should be located to ensure trees are not planted too deeply. Buried trunk flares are unfortunately common and are a major reason for tree decline or death. The planting hole should be 2–3 times wider than the root ball and 1–2 inches less than the height of the root ball. The hole should be backfilled with existing soil. Do not overcompact the soil when backfilling, as this removes all air pockets. Water can be used to help settle the backfill,

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Resources Gilman, E.F., A.L. Shober, K.A., Moore, C. Wiese, M. Paz, and S.M. Scheiber. “Planting Shrubs in Florida Landscapes.” UF/IFAS Extension ENH1129

eliminating large air pockets without over-compacting.

Mulch should be applied at a depth of 2–3 inches and should be kept away from the base of trees and shrubs. Mulch provides many benefits including maintaining soil moisture, preventing erosion, and controlling weeds.

A little extra effort will help ensure that container-grown plants become healthy, established landscape plants and will help improve landscape sustainability.

Gilman, E.F., A.L. Shober, K.A., Moore, C. Wiese, M. Paz, and S.M. Scheiber. “Establishing Shrubs in Florida Landscapes.” UF/IFAS Extension ENH1130

Mandy Bayer, PhD, is Extension Assistant Professor of Sustainable Landscape Horticulture at University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

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Green Industry Economic Outlook

By Chris Laughton

F

or businesses in the green industry (nurseries, greenhouses, landscapers, and garden retailers), three things seem to matter most: weather, the overall economy, and consumer spending. It’s difficult to forecast the weather, but we can make some predictions about the economy and consumer spending.

The US general economy has shown strong performance lately.

Gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2018 was 2.9 percent, a healthy rate for a developed economy such as ours, and significantly higher than 2017’s 2.2 percent growth. One consequence of this economic growth has been a tightening labor market.

The US added more than 2.6 million jobs over the course of 2018, and unemployment fell to below 4 percent, a level many economists consider full employment.

Inflation is beginning to show up in the economy. After an extended period of very low inflation, inflation rates have hovered around 2 percent for the past couple of years. While still not a major concern from a macroeconomic standpoint, it means your costs, particularly labor costs, are increasing, which can squeeze margins.

Consumer confidence in the economy has been strong, which in turn has led to robust consumer spending. As seen below, US consumer confidence has pretty much steadily increased since 2010, reflecting the general economy.

Source: The Conference Board

Source: US Department of Commerce This trend, of course, is a knife that cuts both ways. While a robust labor market is good for consumer spending, which creates demand for plant materials, it makes it hard to attract and keep good workers in our businesses. This was especially true in Massachusetts, where the unemployment rate fell from 3.8 percent to 3.3 percent over the course of 2018. This means virtually everyone who wanted to work had a job.

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Consumers also put their money where their mouths are.

Overall retail spending grew by roughly 3 percent in 2018.

While this figure includes everything from automobiles to dinners out, lawn and garden spending increased as well. Across the country, 95 million households reported participating in yard and garden activities, averaging more than $500 in expenditures per household. While married 45- to 64-year-olds spent the most, expenditures among the 18-34 millennial generation also increased, which bodes well for the future of our industry as they begin to get married and purchase homes.

The green industry is strongly influenced by housing markets; home construction and renovation are major drivers for lawn and landscape spending. The US Census Bureau reports that housing starts came in at slightly over 1.2 million in 2018, a healthy rate for the US housing market (for reference, during the unsustainable housing bubble of the 2000s, housing starts topped 2 million annually). In the largely built-out Northwww.mnla.com

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east, home renovation and remodeling are equally important.

Harvard University’s Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity projects we will see in excess of $350 billion in remodeling activity nationwide in 2019, a 5 percent increase over 2018 spending.

Things look pretty good for 2019: strong economic growth, robust employment levels, an upbeat consumer willing to spend money, and forecasts for growth in remodeling and renovation. But there are also reasons to be cautious. Trade wars and stock market volatility may not directly impact the green industry, but they certainly influence the general economy and give investors pause, and this trickles down to consumers. Rising interest rates have led to a slight cooling off of real estate markets. And while consumer confidence remains high, the Consumer Expectations Index, which represents consumers’ view of the future, has fallen over the past year. Consumer spending accounts for roughly 70 percent of our economy, so consumer dial-back on spending can create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This brings up the issue of recession. While we may not see one this year, a recession is inevitable. Historically, recessions or economic corrections occur every few years. The current economic expansion (2009–present), is one of the longest cycles we have seen since World War II. So by histori-

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cal standards, we’re due. My projection is that we’re unlikely to see a recession in 2019, but economic growth may slow toward the end of the year. By 2021, we could find ourselves in an economic slowdown or mild recession.

All-in-all, it looks like 2019 (weather permitting) will be another good year for the Massachusetts green industry, but it’s unclear what the future will bring in 2020 and 2021. There are reasons to believe we are better positioned to withstand a coming recession than we were the last time around. For one, the industry’s production capacity has been reduced. Many green industry businesses, large and small, downsized or went out of business following the Great Recession of 2008–2009.

In retrospect, we were probably over capacity as an industry, and indications are that productive capacity is in closer alignment with today’s demand. Businesses that survived the last downturn are generally better positioned to deal with a slowdown this time around.

Chris Laughton is director of knowledge exchange at Farm Credit East. He previously was president/CEO of Laughton Garden Center & Nursery in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Chris has a BS in horticulture from Cornell and an MBA from UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management.

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In Memoriam: Sylvia Van Sloun Sylvia A.M. (Maxwell) Van Sloun, 91, of Dartmouth, formerly of Westport, passed away on February 24, 2019, at Residence at Cedar Dell.

She was the wife of Neil J. Van Sloun.

Sylvia was born in New York, daughter of the late Eugene L. and Sylvia A. (Lathrop) Maxwell.

She worked as a physical education teacher at Friends Academy from 1964–1969. She was coowner of Sylvan Nursery in Westport and cofounder of Sylvan Clinic, which is part of the Animal Rescue League in Fall River. Sylvia served on the board of directors of the Faxon Animal Rescue League of Fall River and was awarded the Arthur F. North Jr. Canine Service Award from Baker Institute in 1998 for her role in aiding “recognition and elimination of heritable eye diseases in dogs.” She was a founding member

and first president of the Novia Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club (USA) and owned and trained many tollers over the years. She also cofounded the Van Sloun Foundation.

Survivors along with her husband include two nieces, Amy Van Sloun and Nancy Van Sloun, and a nephew, Joe Van Sloun. She was the sister of the late Eugene L. Maxwell Jr.

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HORT OLYMPICS 11:00am–3:00pm Join us outdoors for some fun/laughs! Prizes too!

SESSION C 11:30am–12:30pm

2019 Annual Summer Conference & Trade Show Where green industry professionals meet!

REGISTRATION 7:30am Coffee, tea, fresh fruit, and breakfast bars available for all registrants.

SESSION A 8:30am–9:30am A Simple Recipe for Social Media Success • Susan Finn, Chief Connector, Rise Above Noise • Barn Classroom A As a small business, social media is overwhelming and often feels like you’re just spinning your wheels. You have to figure out where to be, how to be engaging, and how to get results—all with a limited amount of time and resources. In this session we’ll provide a recipe for social media that saves time and gets results to grow your business.

Pest Resistant Bulbs • Brent Heath of Brent & Becky’s • Barn Classroom B Learn about flower bulbs that naturally resist attacks by deer, rabbits, squirrels, voles and insects. Find out how to make edible bulbs like lilies, tulips and crocus more pest-resistant with an assortment of remedies that make bulbs or leaves taste or smell bad to foraging pests.

Thwart “bulb monsters” and keep them at bay by creating physical barriers.

Try these solutions to enjoy your flowers and make the world a happier, more beautiful place.

Pesticide credit requested.

SESSION B 10:00am–11:00am Hydrangeas Pest and Disease Control • Mal Condon, the Hydrangea Guy • Barn Classroom A Walk the Sylvan Nursery, Inc. gardens with Mal Condon, Heritage’s Hydrangea Curator to learn about the pests and disease issues that most commonly affect hydrangeas.

Learn how Heritage uses a more sustainable approach to control pest problems and how you can utilize these same practices within your systems.

Pesticide credit requested.

Perennial Bed Maintenance For Pros • C.L. Fornari, The Garden Lady • Barn Classroom B Our clients often think that perennials are “plant and forget” but we know better. Hear how to keep your customers’ flower gardens looking their best as C.L. gives “the need to do, the nice to do, and the nuts to do” about these plants. Learn how to manage weeds, deal with plants that are ugly after flowering, and keep soils fertile and healthy. Discover which perennials are less work while making your clients smile. Book signing available.

Non-native Shrubs in the Urban Environment • Mandy Bayer, Assistant Professor, UMass Extension • Barn Classroom A The use of non-native plants in urban landscapes is looked at less favorably because of the belief that non-native plants do not support biodiversity and are less sustainable in the landscape. We will discuss the assumed benefits and shortcomings of non-native and native plants in the landscape. Factors other than nativity that influence plant sustainability in the landscape will also be considered.

Storm Water Management • Trevor Smith of LandEscapes • Barn Classroom B Water manages to be both, the stuff of mystery, and of our daily routine. We use it to cook, wash dishes, and brush our teeth, but very few can stand on the beach and not lose themselves watching breakers roll in. In the face of climate change, water is becoming more of an issue: we either have too much, too little, and never when we really need it. Water bans, flooding, and erosion have become common. Get reacquainted with water and learn simple methods to capture and reuse or slow stormwater runoff. We will discuss rain harvesting, permeable pavements, green roofs and rain gardens.

Solution Central • Chris Kennedy, MCH, Kennedy Country Gardens • Outdoors Summer conference exhibitors have the tools, services, and products to help you succeed! Join Chris Kennedy, MCH, of Kennedy’s Country Gardens, as we explore what’s new, improved, and exciting for 2020.

SESSION D 1:00–2:00pm Spotting the Spotted Lantern Fly (SLF) • Javier Marin, MDAR Forest Pest Outreach Coordinator • Barn Classroom A The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that is spreading throughout the Northeast and is poised to establish itself in Massachusetts. This pest feeds on over 70 kinds of plants and will affect our economy, environment and communities alike. Awareness is key to early detection and management.

Pesticide credit requested.

Designing with Bulbs “Potentials & Possibilities” • Brent Heath of Brent & Becky’s • Barn Classroom B Flower bulbs lend themselves to endless numbers of design principles that can create spectacular plantings as diverse as a naturalized meadow, to a formal knot garden, and many other designs in between. We will take a trip through a number of beautiful gardens where bulbs are used in many different ways and will discuss labor-saving planting techniques to achieve these designs. We will point out the most effective, long-lasting and long-lived cultivars. With an unsurpassed color spectrum and numerous shapes and sizes, we can help you to envision a successful display. Get your writing pads and pens ready for a host of bulb design ideas.

Hydrangeas Plant Selections • Mal Condon, the Hydrangea Guy • Outdoors Mal Condon, Heritage Museums & Gardens Curator of Hydrangeas, will review the major species and share the significant details about climatic influences and plant siting, and what you can do to enhance plant performance. Specific plant selection criteria will also be discussed.

INTERACTIVE EDUCATION & DEMOS 8:00am–2:30pm Plant I.D. Challenge & Demo • sponsored by Sylvan Nursery, Inc. and the MCH board MCHs will have a rare opportunity to take the Plant I.D. Challenge for an MCH recertification credit from 8:00am–10:00am. Plant I.D. Demo will open to all attendees at 10:00am and run until 2:00pm for hands-on education.

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Tours of Sylvan Nursery, Inc. • 8:30am–3:00pm Includes educational stops that will showcase operations, plant material, plant handling, inventory management, order & sales processing, solar systems and electric carts.

Brought to you by our Solution Central Exhibitors.

Check mnla.com for updates and to register. www.mnla.com

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

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How Do You Use Neonics?

Please Let HRI Know!

AmericanHort and the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) seek to better understand our stakeholders’ use of the following nitroguanidine neonicotinoids: • Clothianidin (Arena) • Dinotefuran (Safari) • Imidacloprid (Merit, Marathon, others) • Thiamethoxam (Meridian, Flagship) We anticipate that the EPA will announce proposed registration changes to these four products in the near future.

Survey responses will better help us represent you and your needs.

This short survey should require no more than two minutes of your time and is completely anonymous. Take it here: www.americanhort.org/surveys/Default.asp?id=insecticides.

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Advertising Opportunities pro grow news pro grow news

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The Massachsetts Nursery and Landscape Association has a

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1

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Spring

Garden Tips for

by Geri Jones, Churchill Gardens, Lenox, MA

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Pinch off side buds of peonies to encourage larger blooms.

7

Prune roses by cutting back all brown, dead canes to live green stems.

A soil test before planting as well as annually thereafter, will aid in establishing the correct soil pH for whatever plantings are planned.

Recommendations will be outlined on the pH test results. UMASS soil diagnostic lab offers soil testing at a very reasonable fee. Visit https://ag.umass.edu/soil-plant-tissue-testing-lab/fact-sheets/sampling-instructions-for-routine-soil-analysis for more information.

8

Apply a professional perennial grass seed over bare or thin spots in the lawn. Scratch the surface of the soil first and water the seed in lightly. A thin layer of straw will help with moisture retention and keeping the birds away. Remove the layer of straw very carefully so as not to disturb the new seedlings approximately 7 – 10 later.

Forsythia should be pruned immediately after flowering. Their new flower buds form by early June. The branch tips of forsythia will root where they touch the ground if not pruned back. Prune forsythia removing the new growth to maintain size and shape. Be sure to remove the dead wood in the center of the plant to let light in and provide adequate air circulation. Using pruners rather than hedge trimmers offers the best results.

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9

10 2019 | MNLA | Membership | Directory

Either put up or clean out nesting boxes for birds. The birds are searching out nesting sites now and you can attract them with a clean bird house and perhaps some nesting materials such as lint from the dryer. Place any nesting materials either on the ground, in the crotch of a tree or hanging on a tree limb.

When mulching your landscaped beds, remove the top, compacted layer of the existing mulch first. Loosening the mulch in this way allows for better absorption of water and nutrients to your plantings.

A light, layer (2”-3”) of a fresh shredded bark mulch may then be applied.

Now is a great time to clean out the toolshed. Look carefully at your gardening tools and decide if anything is in need of replacing. Some essential tools to consider for the gardening chores this year include an iron rake; a long-handled, round-pointed shovel; a square garden spade; hand pruners; a long-handled pair of loppers for larger branches; a small, curved pruning saw and a bamboo lawn rake.

Check on your compost pile. If it is not frozen, use a garden fork and dig into it and flip the compost over and over as much as you are able.

To prepare your lawn and landscape for the season, complete a spring clean-up of your gardens by cutting back any foliage left from perennials last year. Rake all debris from lawns and landscape beds when the soil has dried. A bamboo or other soft rake is less apt to tear at sod.

Visit your favorite nursery/garden center and purchase a flat of pansies to plant outdoors. Fill a beautiful container or accent the border of your landscaped beds. Look for heat-resistant varieties to extend the bloom time. Pinching off each flower as the spent petals curl will encourage new flowers to bloom.

www.mnla.com

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WAlPolE

NatureWorks landscape Services, Inc.

natureworkslandscape.com • 508.660.3139 Employment Type: Internships available | Part-time positions available | Full-time positions available Work Categories: Landscape: Design/Sales | Landscape: Installation | Landscape: Construction | Landscape: Maintenance/ Irrigation | Arborists | Lawn Care | Seasonal Decor | Irrigation | Arboriculture

outside of Massachusetts

Education/Government

SouTH WIN DSor, CT

BElCHErToWN

FarmTek farmtek.com/farm/supplies/home 860.528.1119

A & B Insurance Richard Bourgault 235 Littleton Road, Unit 3 Westford, MA, 01886 richard@abinsgroup.com http://www.abinsgroup.com a Blade of Grass James Douthit 9 Old County Road Sudbury, MA, 01776 508-358-4500 info@abladeofgrass.com https://abladeofgrass.com A&J Landscape Services LLC Jessica Krupa 27 South Street South Hadley, MA, 01075 413-4277045 art@ajlandscapeservices.com http://www.ajlandscapeservices.com A. Bonadio & Sons, Inc. Michael Bonadio 35 R Albert Street Waltham, MA, 02453 781-893-7912 info@abstoday.com http://www.abstoday.com/ A. Thomas & Sons, Inc. Bunny Thomas 1240 Randolph Ave. Milton, MA, 02186 617-698-3348 athomasandsons@comcast.net http://athomasandsons.com/ Acorn Tree & Landscaping Sean Bilodeau, MCH 513 Codman Hill Road Boxborough, MA, 01719 978-635-0409 acorntree@me.com http://acorntreeandlandscape.com Agresource, Inc. Dave Harding 110 Boxford Road Rowley, MA, 01969 978-388-5110 dharding@agresourceinc.com

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Ahronian Landscaping & Design, Inc. MarkBoro Ahronian, MCH WEST 107 Concord Street rosado and Sons, Inc. Holliston, MA, 01746 rosadoandsons.com • 508.366.3700 508-429-3844 Employment Type: Internships available | Part-time mark@ahronian.com positions available | Full-time positions available http://www.ahronian.com/ Work Categories: Landscape: Design/Sales | Landscape: Installation | Landscape: Construction | Allandale Farm Landscape: Maintenance/Irrigation | Lawn Care

Helen Glotzer 259 CHESTEr Allandale Road WIN Brookline, MA, 02467 Mahoney’s Garden Center 617-524-1531 mahoneysgarden.com • 781.729.5900 Helen@allandalefarm.com

Employment Type: Part-time positions available | Full-time positions available

American National and Farm Family

Work Categories: Garden Center/Retail | Landscape: Insurance Design/Sales | Wholesale Nursery: Sales

Steve Charette 10 State St., Ste #213

WorCESTEr Newburyport, MA, 01950

Ford’s Hometown Services 978-269-4764 fordshometown.com • 508.852.4066 steve.charette@farm-family.com

http://farmfamily.com Employment Type: Full-time positions available Work Categories: Lawn Care | Tick & Mosquito Control

American National Property & Casualty, Co.

Vista Services JanetHorticultural Brooks vistahorticulturalservices.com • 617.308.4929 1949 East Sunshine Employment Type: Part-time Springfield, MO, 65899positions available | Full-time positions available

518-431-5253

Work Categories: Landscape: Installation | janet.brooks@americannational.com Landscape: Construction | Landscape: Maintenance/ http://www.americannational.com Irrigation | Arborists | Lawn Care

Four Seasons Guide

A Year Long Resource —

Work Categories: Horticultural Supplies/Horticulture Broker Sales

Hometown Horticultural Guide by City Landscape and Nursery “Job Openings”

ag.umass.edu/risk-management 413.320.1718

Education & Research | Land Grant University

WIN DSor, CT

BoSToN

Four Seasons landscaping, Inc.

Massachusetts Department

MASSACHUSETTS Amherst

UMass Extension Crop Insurance/ Risk Mgmt. Education www.umass.edu/risk-management

of Agricultural resources/uSDA Angel’s Garden Center • 860.688.3856 Bayer Ornamentals fourseasonsland.com mass.gov/agr • 617.626.1754 Jeffrey Doherty Employment Type: Part-time positions available |Bob Froelich ALB Program—USDA | Government 285Full-time West Main St.available positions 5565 Hardwell Dr Hopkinton, MA, 01748 Hilliard, OH, 43026 Department Work Categories: Landscape: Construction | Massachusetts 508-3282900 Landscape: Maintenance/Irrigation 614-969-9040 of Agricultural resources angelsgardencenter@hotmail.com mass.gov/agr • 617.626.1753 bob.froelich@bayer.com

WIN DSor loCk S, CT

Ashland

GroundsKeeper www.groundsinc.com 508-881-4136

State Resources | Pesticide Licensing | Government

Arborjet, Inc Bemis Farms Nursery Northern Nurseries, Inc. Kristin Nikodemski EdwardBrAIN Bemis,TrEE MCH robertbaker.com • 860.623.9697 99 Blueberry Hill Rd 29 North Brookfield Road Employment Type: Part-time positions available | u.S. Department of labor—oSHA Woburn, MA, 01801 Spencer, MA, 01562 Full-time positions available osha.gov • 781.801.4507 781-935-9070 -508-885-4247 Work Categories: Horticultural Supplies/Horticulture Workplace Safety & Health | Government Agency knikodemski@arborjet.com tina@bemisfarms.com Broker Sales http://www.arborjet.com http://www.bemisfarmsnursery.com

Boston

BrightView Landscape Services www.brightview.com 617-516-8126

CoNWAy

Landscape: Installation | Landscape: Construction |

Employment Type: Internships|Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: design/sales|Landscape: installation|Landscape: construction|Landscape: maintenance/irrigation|Arborists|Lawn care

Boston

Massachusetts Department of labor—

BigelowoSHA Nurseries, Inc. Program Consulting Tim Hay mass.gov • 617.626.6476 455 West Street Program | Government Agency FreeMain Osha Consulting Northborough, MA, 01532 508-845-2143 PAlAT INE BrIDG E, N y TimHay@BigelowNurseries.com http://bigelownurseries.com Country Folks Grower

cfgrower.com Arrowwood Landscape, Inc. Bilowz Asociates, Inc. Industry Magazine Robert Libby Greg Bilowz 321 Brockton Avenue Amherst Landscape “A Mountain P.O. Box 1326 Abington, MA, 02351 View Company” Sterling, MA, 01564 781-878-0316 Steve Corrigan, MCH 978-422-5040 you for attending our Green Industry Job Fair! Visit mnla.com/jobs for current job opportunities info@arrowwoodlandscapeinc.com 67Thank Old James Street greg@bilowzassociates.com Chicopee, MA, 01020our members. For http://www.arrowwoodlandscapeinc.com from an up-to-date list of exhibitors go http://www.bilowzassociates.com to mnla.com/exhibitors18.

413-536-7555 Bird House Ecological Landscaping Artistic Landscapes LLC stevec@mountainviewinc.com Tony Hurley, MCLP http://www.mountainviewinc.com/ Andrew Covell 111 Newburyport Turnpike P.O. Box 842 Need Nurseries assistance paying for Rowley, higher Save the date MA, 01969 Amherst Acton,for MA,these 01720 green industry 978-317-9875 John Kinchla in the green industry?

978-263-1628 education events sponsored

by MNLA! Tony@artistic-landscapes.com 199 Belchertown Rd apcovell@gmail.com http://www.Artistic-Landscapes.com Amherst, MA, 01002 http://www.ecolandscaping.net Visit mnlafoundation.org to learn Interested in the green industry? Attend green industry events!

413-549-8873 B more about the MNLA Foundation jwk@amherstnurseries.com Down to Earth: Blair Annual Summer Agency Inc. Conference & Trade Show scholarship program and other Ballard Truck Center Thursday, July 26,Lisa 2018 • Wachusett Mountain Blair Richard Boucher Anderson Landscape 145 South Main Street scholarships as theyConstruction, Inc. Become a Massachusetts Certified Horticulturalist 442 SW Cutoff Fred Anderson Carver, MA, 02330 become available.

MCH Exam: Wednesday, August 1, 2018 • Wellesley, Massachusetts Worcester, MA, 01604 P O Box 930 6 Beverly Dr 508-8669150 508-753-1403 Sterling, MA, 01564 Plant Geek Dayblairagncy@comcast.net cswift@ballardtrucks.com Wednesday, August 22, 2018 • Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, 978-422-6500 http://www.ballardtrucks.com fred@andlc.com Blueview Nurseries Boston, Massachusetts Anthony Cogliano For information, visit mnla.com/events Bartlett Tree Experts Angela Rose Gardens, LLC 200more Bay Road Gary Nedorostek Angela Rose Norton, MA, 02766 240 Highland Avenue P.O. Box 733 508-230-2139 Seekonk, MA, 02771 Falmouth, MA, 02541 anthony@blueviewnurseries.com 508-336-8242 508-444-6703 gnedorostek@bartlett.com angelalandscapes@gmail.com https://www.bartlet.com

MA Department of Ag Resources www.mass.gov/agr 617-626-1753

Work Categories: MDAR resources for growers including crop and pest services, ag conservation and technical assistance and marketing

Boston

Perennial Gardens LLC www.perennialgardens.net 617-293-7262

Job Fair Directory

Employment Type: Internships|Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: design/sales|Landscape: installation|Landscape: construction|Landscape: maintenance/irrigation|Lawn care|OtherHigh end container and roof gardening

as of February 20,2019 2018 as of February 18,

Boxborough

Acorn Tree & Landscaping inc acorntreeandlanscape.com 978-635-0409

— — 2019 20 18 SSponsors P oN So rS — —

Employment Type: Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: design/sales|Landscape: installation|Landscape: construction|Landscape: maintenance/irrigation|Arborists

Braintree

U.S. Department of Labor - OSHA www.osha.gov

www.mnla.com

33

Cambridge

Holliston

Employment Type: Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: installation|Landscape: construction|Landscape: maintenance/irrigation|Interior plantscaping|OtherEcological Services

Work Categories: Landscape: design/sales|installation|construction|maintenance/irrigation|Arborists|Lawn care

Parterre Garden Services www.parterregarden.com 617-492-2230

Charlestown

Employment Type: Internships|Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: installation|Landscape: construction|Landscape: maintenance/irrigation|Lawn care

G IlForD,Landscaping NH Archambault BeulahMassachusetts Land Maintainers Nursery Belknap landscape Company Ryan Archambault landscape Harry & Brown, Sr. Association belknaplandscape.com • 603.528.2798 mnla.com • 413.369.4731 P.O. Box 28 229 West Main Street Employment MA, Type: 01833 Part-time positions available |Orange, Georgetown, State Association MA, 01364-9705 Full-time positions available 978-352-6634 978-544-6677 Work Categories: Landscape: Design/Sales | ryan@archambaultlandscaping.com info@beulahlandmaintainers.com WEST Borou GH Landscape: Maintenance/Irrigation | Arborists | Arnold Arboretum Lawn Care Karen Pinto 1300 Centre Street Roslindale, MA, 02131 617-384-5765 karen_pinto@harvard.edu http://arboretum.harvard.edu

Complete Membership of MNLA

Four Seasons of Gardening Tips from MNLA Pros

uMass Crop Insurance/ risk Management Education

Employment Type: Full-time positions available

Current Membership

A

The Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association, Inc.

Offshoots Inc. Productive Landscapes + Pleasant View Nursery www.offshootsinc.com 617-500-6530

Employment Type: Internships|Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Garden center/retail|Landscape: design/ sales|Landscape: installation|construction

Chestnut Hill

Chestnut Hill Realty www.chestnuthillrealty.com 617-323-2100

Employment Type: Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: construction|Landscape: maintenance/irrigation|Lawn care

Chicopee

Mountain View Landscapes & Lawncare, Inc. www.MountainViewInc.com 413-535-0279

Employment Type: Internships|Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: installation|construction|maintenance/irrigation|Lawn care

Granville

K & S Associates 413-357-8706

Hanover

Paragon Landscape Construction, Inc. www.paragonlandscape.com 781-834-1000

Employment Type: Internships|Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: design/sales|installation|construction|maintenance/irrigation|Lawn care|Interior plantscaping

Harvard

SOD Inc. http://sodinc.net/ 857-600-6991

Employment Type: Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: design/sales|OtherLandscape Designers without sales Systems Design Engineers

Stucchi Landscape & Design, LLC www.stucchilandscape.com 774-233-2167

Employment Type: Internships|Part-time positions|Full-time positions

Hopkinton

Weston Nurseries, Inc. www.westonnurseries.com 508-293-8032

Employment Type: Internships|Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Garden center/retail|Wholesale Nursery:field/container|Wholesale Nursery: sales|OtherWholesale Operations Supervisor

Hopkinton

Michael S. Coffin Landscape Construction www.michaelscoffin.com

Employment Type: Internships|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: design/sales|installation|Landscape: construction|maintenance/irrigation|Arborists

Jamaica Plain

Wisteria & Rose, Inc. www.wisteriaandrose.com

Employment Type: Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: design/sales|Landscape: installation|Landscape: construction|Landscape: maintenance/irrigation

Marshfield

Landscaping by J. Michael www.landscapingbyjmichael.com 781-834-5700

Employment Type: Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: design/sales|installation|construction|maintenance/irrigation

Medfield

The Garden Continuum www.TheGardenContinuum.com 508-359-8200

Employment Type: Part-time positions|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: design/sales|Landscape: installation|Landscape: construction|Landscape: maintenance/irrigation

Medway

RP Marzilli www.rpmarzilli.com

Employment Type: Internships|Full-time positions Work Categories: Landscape: installation|construction|maintenance/irrigation|Arborists|Lawn care

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2019 | MNLA | Membership | Directory

2019 | MNLA | Membership | Directory

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11

www.mnla.com

pro|grow|news

Advertiser Index A&B Insurance Group ...................................19

MARKETPLACE

Acorn Tree and Landscape .......................... 31 American National .........................................11 Amherst Nurseries .........................................29

For Advertising Information—

Call Debbie Rauen (817) 501-2403 debbie.parksandrec@ yahoo.com

Motz & Son Nursery

Arborjet ...........................................................23

Wholesale Growers of ...

Bigelow Nursery ..............................................7

Shade and Flowering TreeS

Cavicchio Landscape Supplies, Inc. ..............9

FruiT TreeS dwarf, Semi-dwarf & Standard

Fairview Evergreen Nurseries .......................13

combinaTion FruiT TreeS (4 in 1)

Farm Credit East ...........................................27

eSpalier appleS

Ideal Concrete Block ........................................2

Semi-dwarf, combination & one Variety

JP Bartlett’s .....................................................12

walnuTS and FilberTS

Medford Nursery ...........................................23

deciduouS ShrubS Write for our stock and price: 11445 N.W. Skyline Blvd.

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

Milton Cat ......................................................21 Motz & Son Nursery ......................................29 New England Wetland Plants .......................26 Northeast Nursery ........................................32 Northern Nurseries ......................................23 OESCO..............................................................17 Pierson Nurseries, Inc. ..................................22 Prides Corner Farm .......................................27 Savage Farms ...................................................7 Sylvan Nursery ..................................................5 Valley Green ....................................................16 Weston Nurseries ....................................15, 26

Spring|2019

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Plant for Success

Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ — Weeping Redbud

by Megan Montefusco, MCH

A

s a landscape designer, I am always on the lookout for small, decorative trees that provide a two-punch impact. Ruby Falls definitely delivers by shining in all seasons. From the early bloom of the lavender-red, sweet-pea-like flowers along the weeping stems to the burgundy leaves in the summer, yellow leaves in the fall, and the silhouette of the cascading branches in the winter, she does not disappoint.

This is an easy-care plant, tolerant of most soil conditions and resistant to most pests and diseases. Ruby can tolerate shade, but I find it is most spectacular in full sun. In addition to the beauty Ruby Falls adds to any garden, it is also a pollinator.

This petti-plant with its weeping habit and deep color will fit into any residential garden as a specimen plant or as an accent in a foundation planting or garden. While many residential landscape plantings seem limited to the standard planting of rhododendrons, arborvitaes, and Japanese maples, it is always my goal to find a plant that is not in the neighborhood. I have yet to plant a ‘Ruby Falls’ and not receive multiple compliments from both the client and their neighbors.

Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ Weeping Redbud Type: Deciduous Tree Exposure: Full sun to partial shade Size: 6 feet high; 3–4 feet wide Hardiness Zone: 5–7 Soil: Well-drained, acid, alkaline, or neutral Fall Color: Yellow Growth Rate: Slow Megan Montefusco, MCH, is the owner of Cultivation, Inc. in Randolph, Massachusetts

Facts and Features ‘Ruby Falls’ was introduced in 2009 by North Carolina University. Her parents are ‘Covey’ and ‘Forest Pansy.’ Her grandparent is the species Cercis canadensis, which is native to New England and grows from southern Ontario to northern Florida. I like to plant low-growing perennials or dwarf ornamental grass or an evergreen ground cover around the base to highlight the tree.

Initially, this was not an easy tree to find, but as it gains popularity, it is becoming easier to purchase.

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

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