B&B Online - April 2016

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WSNLA

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association

(Left) Get the highest quality plants for your projects produced in a way to minimize negative impact on the earth.

Flip to page 10 to learn more. (Below) WSNLA continues Washington Community Tree Recovery Campaign Partnership. Turn to page 8-9 to read more.

Cover: Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center. Photo Credit: Bridget McNassar.

Contents

10 Some

considerations when sourcing native plants

Get the highest quality plants for your projects produced in a way to minimize negative impact on the earth.

APRIL 2016 VOL 68. NO. 4

Published Monthly By: Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association 34400 Pacific Hwy S., Suite 2 Federal Way, WA 98003 800.672.7711 fax 253.661.6058 Subscription Price: $39 Annually Deadlines:

8 Washington

Rebuilding & beautifying communities one tree at a time in Okanagon County.

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association

Editor Breanne Chavez

Features Community Tree Recovery Campaign

The Official Publication of

News, Classified ads Advertising

Columns 4

From the President

5

Legislative & Regulatory

6

Executive Director

14

CPH of the Month

Departments 12

ecoPRO Certified

13

Industry News

16

Chapter News

16

WSNLA Marketplace

5pm the 1st of the month preceding the first-of-the-month publication.

To place an advertisement, contact Breanne at (800) 672-7711 or breanne@ wsnla.org.

WSNLA reserves the right to refuse any ads which are misleading, unethical, contrary to WSNLA policy, or which do not pertain to the nursery and landscape industry.

WSNLA

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association

Growing the Success of our Members

www.wsnla.org

Executive Director Breanne Chavez e-mail breanne@wsnla.org Finance & Operations Director Holly Osborne, CPH e-mail holly@wsnla.org ecoPRO Administrator Jeanne McNeil e-mail jmcneil@wsnla.org

Interested in sharing your opinions and comments with B&B readers? If you take the time to share your thoughtful comments, WSNLA will be sure to share them with B&B readers. Please submit to breanne@wsnla.org or by fax at (253) 661-6058.

Deadine: 1st of each month.

B&B Magazine Content Coordinator Dawn Clarke email dawn@wsnla.org Š 2016, Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association - 3

[ From the WSNLA President ]

Time to move some product & make landscape designs a reality!

April is Earth month. I like to think we are some of the people in the world who are working hard to make the Earth a better place in which to live. Our plants help absorb the carbon dioxide and put out more oxygen. Our outdoor living spaces can add a lot of pleasure and beauty to individuals’ homes. Little by little, plant by plant, or brick by brick, we leave the earth just a little better.

Ingrid Wachtler, CPH WSNLA President Woodbrook Native Plant Nursery Gig Harbor

At the start of the calendar year, we have the home and garden shows. Then as the calendar progresses towards spring and the weather warms a bit, the plant sales begin. As I write this I am sitting during a slow moment at the Kitsap Conservation District bare root plant sale. Other nurseries are also invited to display and sell their plants. Kind of fun, really. Two other smaller Gig Harbor nurseries and another small native plant nursery are here as well Ryan from Sunbreak Nursery and another non-native nursery. These events are a good time to catch up and visit!

I know that a lot of other sales are coming up. The Master Gardeners have sales all over the place. Same with the Native Plant Society. Also, there is a huge sale at the Bellevue Botanical Garden in April and usually another sale at the Weyerhaeuser Rhododendron Gardens. I know some of our members attend and show at the Spring Puyallup Fair with very good results. It is a good time for the customers to get excited about spring and get some new plants in their yards.

It is good for us nurseries, designers, landscapers and suppliers too. Time to move some product and make landscape designs a reality! And it is busy. Each business is trying to balance the work load with the number of staff we have. Grow what we can, buy in what we can’t and be sure to make at least a little profit along the way.

(Enthusiasm and enjoying our work won’t pay all the bills!)

Did you know that we have a Career Center online on the WSNLA website at which we can post job opportunities? Just one of the many ways our Association is helping us do our jobs. I see quite a few posting today. If you do not put in any criteria, you can see them all. There are definitely some openings this spring in our trades.

4 - The B&B Magazine

Legislative & Regulatory WSNLA Works To Protect Your Business quarantine areas.

Department of Agriculture - Asian Gypsy Moth Eradication - The Asian gypsy moth is a nonnative moth that feeds on most of the native trees of Washington. With this one-time funding, the Washington State Department of Agriculture will design and implement an eradication program for the Asian gypsy moth to take place in the spring of 2016 and spring of 2017.

Washington State University - Funding for a honeybee research biologist position.

Heather Hansen WSNLA Lobbyist Olympia The regular session of the legislature concluded on March 10 without a new budget agreement. A biennial budget was passed last June. This year’s budget is supposed to be limited to emergencies, but the House and Senate disagree on what constitutes an emergency. Both sides include such items as paying for last summer’s wildfires and funding to eradicate gypsy moths. Many other issues such as funding for programs for the homeless and how and when to increase teachers’ salaries are still in dispute.

As soon as the session ended, the governor immediately called a special session to continue work on the budget.

In his frustration, the governor vetoed 27 bills that were awaiting his signature.

Most of the bills had passed with bipartisan support. One of the vetoed bills was ESSB 6206, which authorized the growing of industrial hemp as a legal, agricultural activity.

Some of the items expected in the final budget are: Department of Agriculture - Apple Maggot Control - Ongoing funding for control procedures and inspections at compost facilities in areas currently free of apple maggots, which receive municipal solid waste from apple maggot

Parks Department – Funding to control noxious weeds along the John Wayne pioneer trail with priority in areas where there is adjacent agricultural use.

Department of Labor and Industries – Funding to create a pilot project to deal with catastrophic injuries in the workers’ compensation system. The proviso requires the department to partner with an experienced firm to manage care involving catastrophically injured workers. For each injured worker referred by the department, the firm must propose a contract identifying a case outcome, the treatment needed to achieve it and a fixed price for doing so.

If this project remains in the final budget, it could result in substantial cost savings for some of the highest cost claims.

Bill of interest that passed and are awaiting the governor’s signature: EHB 2478 requires the state noxious weed control board to conduct a pilot project that evaluates the options, methods and costs of replacing pollenrich and nectar-rich noxious weeds with plants that can produce similar levels of pollen and nectar with a similar bloom succession to support populations of honeybees and other pollinators. It also requires all state agencies, when controlling noxious weeds, to give preference to replacing pollen-rich or nectar-rich noxious weeds with native forage plants that are beneficial for pollinators.

HB 2565 reduces the frequency of local sales tax changes. Currently, cities can change sales tax rates on the first day of January, April, July or October. The bill removes October.

EHB 2959 creates a Department of Revenue led task force to evaluate and recommend legislation to simplify the administration of local business taxes and licensing. The task force must evaluate the following: (1) Options to coordinate administration of local business and occupation taxes; (2) Options for centralized administration of local business and occupation taxes for those cities and towns that desire to participate in a state-provided alternative; (3) Options for all cities and towns to partner with the state business licensing service; and (4) Implementing data sharing and establishing a seamless state and local user interface for those cities and towns participating in FileLocal. Legislation to implement task force recommendations will be introduced in 2017.

ESSB 6605 requires local governments that prohibit the disposal of food waste and compostable paper as garbage to ensure that its solid waste management prevents the spread of disease, plant pathogens and pests to areas that are not under a quarantine. In addition, the local government must consult with the department of agriculture to determine if the plan complies with this act before submitting the plan to the department of ecology for approval. This bill grew out of a situation where waste from Seattle, containing apple maggot larvae, was disposed of in apple growing regions of central Washington.

Minimum Wage Initiative An initiative was filed to raise the state minimum wage to $13.50 over 4 years.

It would also require employers to pay sick leave at a rate of 1 hour for every 40 hours worked. If backers of Initiative 1433 gather enough signatures, it will be on the November ballot.

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association - 5

[ FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ] Enjoy your bustle & know we are pushing out referrals made to the WSNLA office to our member nurseries & landscape businesses!

Breanne Chavez WSNLA Executive Director Spring Has Sprung! Plants, trees, landscape services and all things gardening are in high demand. I love this! And, find so much joy in hearing member stories about their bustling businesses. << smiley emoji inserted here. >> Here in the office we are taking a quick pause from the bustle. Below is an overview of activities, working to protect and promote our local horticulture industry, that have taken place since January.

NW Green Industry Conference: Kicking off the year, this 2-day event, brings nursery and landscape professionals together to learn, network and have fun!

UW School of Forestry Career Fair: The WSNLA booth promoted our scholarship offerings, horticulture careers, and connected students with internships and employment opportunities.

Legislative Day: Advocating for our industry is imperative. Each year, WSNLA visits every legistorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office, delivers messaging about our industry, issues and needs, and leaves a plant behind to be enjoyed throughout the year.

NW Flower & Garden Show: Maintaining a presence at one of the top gardening shows in the world has remained a priority for WSNLA. We do this by promoting the CPH Certification with an educational booth, and inspiring attendees through plants and design at the Solera Wine Garden.

CPH Preview, Exam & Committee Meetings: 9 nursery and landscape professionals passed the exam. The CPH Committee met to review and plan for marketing and outreach through the year and into 2017. ecoPRO Training, Exam: Our partner, Thurston County Public Health, hosted the Spring ecoPRO Training. 17 landscape professionals were trained.

WSNLA Board Meeting: Your WSNLA Leadership has met two times to ensure the financial and strategic health of our Association.

WSNLA Scholarships & Grants: The Scholarship Board met and awarded funding for student scholarships, research, and special projects. << insert gasp for air. >> Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now time to gear up for member visits, new member outreach, WSNLA PROseries planning and promotion. Enjoy your bustle and know we are pushing out referrals made to the WSNLA office to our member nurseries & landscape businesses!

6 - The B&B Magazine

DON’T JUST

STAND THERE

WSNLA

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association

2016 WSNLA Officers Ingrid Wachtler, CPH, President Woodbrook Native Plant Nursery 253-265-6271 | woodbrk@harbornet.com Duane Job, President Elect Job’s Nursery 509-547-4843 | duanejob@gmail.com Lucinda McMahan, CPH | Vice President Lucinda’s Landscapes 425-773-4237 | lucinda31@comcast.net Bill Raynolds, My Garden, Treasurer 206-406-3487 | mygardennursery@gmail.com Tim Gray, Past President Pacific Stone Company 425-258-1911 | timg@pacificstoneco.com

WSNLA Board of directors Peter Van Well, III, Van Well Nursery 509-886-8189 | pete2@vanwell.net North Central Chapter President Scott Pringle, CPH, Paradise Lake Nursery 206-930-4132 | paradiselakenursery@gmail.com Northwest Chapter President Megan Pulkkinen, CPH | Megan Pulkkinen Landscape Design 360-698-1865 | megancph@hotmail.com Olympic Chapter President Kirsten Lints, CPH, Gardens ALIVE Design 425-318-2971 | kirsten@gardensALIVEdesign.com Seattle Chapter President Toni Cross, CPH, Toni Cross Seasonal Color Pots 206-781-1060 | toni@seasonalcolorpots.com Design Caucus Chair Chris Smith | Lake Washington Institute of Technology 425-739-8424 | chris.smith@lwtech.edu Horticulture Educator Caucus Chair Mary Ranahan, Cedar Grove Composting 206-963-0428 | mary.ranahan@cgcompost.com Horticultural Supplier Caucus Chair Gregory Smaus, CPH, Native Root Designs 206-227-4458 | gregory@nativerootdesigns.com Landscape Caucus Chair Ben DeGoede, CPH, Windmill Gardens 253-863-5843 | info@windmillgardens.com Retail Caucus Chair Shannon Grina, CPH, Grina Landscape Design (425) 736-5170 | shannon99@comcast.net CPH Caucus Chair

Open Positions:

WSNLA

-

Mt Rainier Chapter President Greenhouse Grower Caucus Chair Wholesale Grower Caucus Chair Out of State Caucus Chair Southwest Chapter President

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association - 7

Washington Community Tree Recovery Campaign Rebuilding & Beautifying Communities One Tree at a Time in Okanogan County

The Washington Community Tree Recovery Campaign – a partnership between the Arbor Day Foundation, the Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association, the Okanogan Conservation District and the Methow Conservancy– will distribute 8,300 new trees this year to residents in Okanogan County who were affected by record-breaking wildfires in 2014 & 2015. include native Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana). Landscape tree varieties Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Littleleaf Linden (Tilia cordata), and Scarlet Oak (Quercus Arbor Day Foundation’s Community Tree Recovery, a national program underwritten coccinea) will be available at the Pateros and Tonasket distributions.

by FedEx and foundation members, aims to replace trees in communities “Trees are assets to a community when affected by natural disasters throughout properly planted and maintained,” the United States. The program assisted said Dan Lambe, president, Arbor Day more than 200 communities in planting or distributing more than 2.8 million trees Foundation. “They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood or since its inception in 2012. shopping district, increase property values, reduce home cooling costs, remove air The first trees will be distributed on April pollutants, and provide wildlife habitat, 2 in Okanogan, and Twisp, WA. These will followed by a third and fourth distribution among many other benefits.”

These new trees will be free of charge, and help to replace trees damaged and destroyed by back-to-back “megafire” seasons.

in Pateros on April 29, and Tonasket on April 30th. All of the distributions will 8 - The B&B Magazine

The 2014 and 2015 wildfires have

impacted 21% of the land in Okanogan County, the largest county in Washington State (5,315 square miles). More than 500 homes have been lost, along with millions of dollars of both public and private infrastructure. Businesses from agriculture to tourism to retail have been severely impacted by the destruction spread over more than half a million acres.

“For decades, FedEx has served as a first responder in disaster relief efforts,” said Jenny Robertson, FedEx Director of Citizenship & Reputation Management.

“We are committed to helping communities on their road to sustainable recovery by connecting them with the resources needed to foster stronger and more resilient ecosystems.”

National Arbor Day is April 29, 2016

The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.

- U.S. Department of Agriculture Trees can boost the market value of your home by an average of 6 or 7 percent.

- Dr. Lowell Ponte

There is still time to donate to this year’s efforts. With your help, we can begin to restore this nations beautiful landscapes, including your local state of Washington.

Donations can made online at WSNLA. ORG. Click on the ‘Donate Now” button located on the homepage. 100% of donations go towards recovery effort and are tax deductible.

Landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values as much as 20 percent.

- Management Information Services One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen.

This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people.

- U.S. Department of Agriculture There are about 60–200 million spaces along our city streets where trees could be planted. This translates to the potential to absorb 33 million more tons of CO2 every year and saving $4 billion in energy costs. - National Wildlife Federation Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20–50 percent in energy used for heating.

- USDA Forest Service

Donations can also be made to the recovery efforts supported by this campaign or others across the country please visit www.arborday.org/recovery.

Trees can be a stimulus to economic development, attracting new business and tourism. Commercial retail areas are more attractive to shoppers, apartments rent more quickly, tenants stay longer, and space in a wooded setting is more valuable to sell or rent.

- Arbor Day Foundation

2016 DISTRIBUTIONS EVENTS

Shade from trees could save up to $175 per year (per structure) in air conditioning costs.

- Dr. Lowell Ponte

Please see below for addresses and times of distributions: April 2: Okanogan – Rawson’s Store Outdoor Lot, corner of 2nd Ave and Rose St. from 11:00-12:00 PM Twisp – TwispWorks, 502 S. Glover Street from 10:30-12:00 PM.

Healthy, mature trees add an average of 10 percent to a property’s value.

- USDA Forest Service The planting of trees means improved water quality, resulting in less runoff and erosion. This allows more recharging of the ground water supply. Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams.

- USDA Forest Service

April 29: Pateros – Memorial Park, Lakeshore Drive from 3:30pm-5:30pm.

In laboratory research, visual exposure to settings with trees has produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes, as indicated by changes in blood pressure and muscle tension.

- Dr. Roger S. Ulrich, Texas A&M University

April 30: Tonasket – Triangle Park, Highway 97 from 10:00am-12:00pm.

Nationally, the 60 million street trees have an average value of $525 per tree.

- Management Information Service Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association - 9

Recent years have shown quite a rise in demand for native plants in our industry. Increased interest in native plants is due both to increased funding and interest in ecological restoration and to the appeal of having wildlife-friendly, low maintenance home landscape options. Native plants in our gardens help preserve our sense of place in the Pacific Northwest.

In the same way more food consumers are asking questions about their food sources – e.g., “Was this locally produced?” “What is the ecological impact of that production?” “Is this the healthiest option?” -- I encourage native plant consumers to develop a savviness about sourcing natives. Here are some factors to consider when purchasing native plants to help ensure that you get the highest quality plants for your projects produced in a way to minimize negative impact on the earth.

GENETIC DIVERSITY

Genetic diversity in a planting is desirable in that you have a greater chance that some of your plants will be resilient to unpredictable future conditions present at a planting site, such as a harsh winter or a new pest. A crop of plants grown from seed will generally exhibit more genetic diversity than a crop grown from vegetative propagation. Ideally, seed used to produce a crop will come from numerous parent plants and a variety of sites in a given area to provide the most genetic variety.

Where seed is not practical, cuttings and divisions should come from as many different plant sources as possible.

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Bridget has been the manager of the native plants and conservation program at Oxbow since 2013 with the completion of the new native plant nursery. After nine years as a middle school science teacher, Bridget spent some time traveling and working at various forestry and botany projects, before returning to school for a Master’s degree. At the University of Idaho she gained experience in s c i e nt i f i c r e s e a r c h an d n u r s e ry production, as well as serving on a student-run organic vegetable farm.

Work at Oxbow integrates many of her passions, including propagation from seed, sustainable land practices and native plant education.

Support nurseries using practices that reduce negative ecological impact and positively enhance the local flora and fauna.

Additionally, aim for plants grown from seed (or other plant material) obtained as close to your planting area as possible, in order to assure that your plants are adapted to the particular climate, soils and pests of the region, and thus better suited to thrive. Ask your grower about where and how their seed is obtained, and make the choice for local, genetically diverse plants when possible.

ROOT STRUCTURE AND HEALTH

Plants are often specified for a project based on above ground features, such as height, or the container in which they are grown.

But don’t forget that a healthy root system is often the factor that determines a plant’s success on the site.

In general, an ideal container plant has a fibrous root system with many fine roots throughout the entire pot and no root circling, which allows the roots to more quickly egress into the planting site, accessing necessary nutrients and water for establishment and growth. Using longer containers with open bottoms allows for air pruning and encourages secondary root growth. Breaking up and lightly pruning roots when transplanting up, as well as taking precautions against overwatering, also help produce ideal roots. Talk to your grower about what they do to encourage healthy roots and ask if you can see them! Consider using plants grown in container types that may be new to you, but produce more robust root systems, like cones, band pots or tall pots, and ask growers about them.

NURSERY PRACTICES

We are all in the business of bringing more plant life to this highly disturbed world, and it certainly doesn’t make sense to negatively impact one area in order to restore or beautify another. Many native plant nurseries are very cognizant of this concept, and are taking actions, such as using more durable containers which are returned by customers, using media and fertilizer from renewable sources, and relying on beneficial insects for pest management. Clients may be interested in having the choice of choosing plants grown with a low impact on the earth for their projects, and in the long run, moving towards such practices will assure the longevity of this industry. Find out what your growers are doing to work towards more sustainable practices, and support these when possible.

Admittedly, just as we find when grocery shopping, there are times when you can’t get everything that you want. Some species are tricky to grow from seed, some practices are too labor or cost intensive to employ at this time, sometimes we are limited by the timing of a project. But, whenever it is possible we can use these principles to make decisions, as well as continue to support our local native plant growers and keep asking questions that lead the industry where we want it to go.

(TOP LEFT) Containers with open bottoms promote air pruning of roots and help prevent root circling, which in turns helps the plant roots more quickly egress and establish into the planting site soil.

(TOP) What some might see as an unevenly germinating tray actually shows us the genetic diversity in our seed, which will create a more resilient crop of plants.

(BOTTOM) Locally collected native seed assures genetics that are adapted to your particular climate, soils and other conditions specific to the region.

ABOUT OXBOW: Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center is a non-profit organization that includes a 30-acre organic production farm, a native plant nursery and environmental education programs. Our mission is to reconcile humans’ land use needs with environmental conservation. We do this by applying eco-friendly growing practices, both on the farm and in the native plant nursery, as well as through restoring degraded habitat.

Our summer camp and school programs emphasize kids’ enjoyment being in nature and help them understand our strong connection to and dependency on a healthy environment for our own wellbeing.

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association - 11

Why We Support ecoPRO...

Mike Brent Water Resources Manager Cascade Water Alliance

WHY BE ecoPRO CERTIFIED?

ecoPRO Steering Committee Member & 2015 Training Partner

STAND FOR EXCELLANCE in sustainable landscape management HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT on our Washington environment & communities.

INCREASE YOUR CREDIBILITY among your peers, customers and clients.

INCREASE MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES for your firm and personal career growth.

Sustainability is defined as design, construction, operations, and maintenance practices that meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

- Brundtland Commission of the United Nations 1987.

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ecoPro is vitally important to the future of sustainable landscape management in Washington. Peak season demand for water utilities is caused primarily by landscape irrigation, which is often very inefficient and wasteful. If we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get a better handle on irrigation management, water utilities will eventually be forced to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to develop new sources of water supply. Most cities and utilities are not inclined to take this step due to the cost and because the time for reckless and wasteful use of our limited resources is over. We must do better. Any landscape or irrigation company serious about preparing for the challenges of tomorrow should get their staff trained and certified through ecoPRO.

Industry Announcements A new consortium has been launched where nurseries and greenhouse operations work together to deploy Lean principles in their businesses. Leaders with the Oregon Nursery Lean Consortium have committed to learning and applying principles of lean – or the Toyota Production System – together for one year. Top practitioners in each company meet for one-day sessions at a hosting nursery. Each session involves rapid training on a continuous improvement principle or tool, followed by immediate application and improvement.

Lean is a proven method for eliminating waste that results in more value to customers delivered at a lower cost, in a shorter time, with fewer defects and less human effort.

Initial results are often dramatic. It is common to see productivity improvements from 40 – 70 percent the first time Lean principles are effectively deployed in an area.

The first consortium session was held at an Oregon greenhouse operation on February 3. Two teams focused on a planting process, targeting the time it takes to change from one product type to the next, and the time and steps starting up the line at the beginning of each day. Company leaders determined to cut these times in half. The teams exceeded these expectations, reducing changeover time by 67 percent and startup by 56 percent. If the crew is able to apply the changes recommended by the teams, the company expects to benefit from staff time savings equivalent to $16,000 in the next six months.

“The challenge of Lean is sustaining the gains over the long term,” said consortium instructor Rick Peters. “Many resist change because it’s uncomfortable—it’s human nature. We will spend a lot of time this year working to develop and help leaders drive a culture of continuous improvement, which is key to making this work. It takes strong leadership and tenacity to make significant, ongoing improvements in an organization.”

Four companies are currently involved in the consortium: Smith Gardens Aurora, Robinson Nursery, PRT Oregon, and Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas. Companies interested in participating can contact Elizabeth Peters, 503-250-2235 or epeters@ petersco.net for information and an application form.

Washington State University announced its 11th president, Dr. Kirk Schulz. President Schulz comes from

Kansas State University, where he has served as president since 2009 and is a very accomplished academic administrator and scholar.

In a note about the new president, Interim President Dan Bernardo says, “Dr. Schulz has had experience at three land-grant universities and truly believes in the special mission that is shared by all land-grants. He is a chemical engineer by training, and has an impressive record of accomplishment and service to industry. Bringing technology and research-based information to industry is at the heart of who he is as an academic leader.” “My contacts in Kansas indicate that Dr. Schulz is very supportive of agricultural research and extension, and I can assure you that no president can be successful at K-State without a close and successful relationship with agriculture.”

Dr. Schulz’s is known as an open and honest communicator. His Kansas State webpage says, “I welcome your notes and e-mails on any thoughts you may want to share with me.”

As details become more clear about his official start date (anticipated in mid-June) WSU will be looking for opportunities to have him engage with stakeholders. You can read more about him at https://president.wsu.edu/transition/.

Celebrate

Native Plant Appreciation Week April 24 - May 1, 2016

Native Plant Appreciation Week for State of Washington is April 23 - May 1, 2016.

COMPOSITAE Gaillardia aristata Photographer: © Ted Alway.

Oregon Nursery Lean Consortium Launched

Governor Jay Inslee proclaims April 23 - May 1, 2016 Native Plant Appreciation Week and the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS) is gearing up to celebrate. Now in it’s 13th year, Native Plant Appreciation Week includes outreach to 75+ nurseries around the state who provide native plants to their customers, and over 70 conservation organizations providing activities in the outdoors to educate the citizens of Washington in the biodiversity and natural resources of our state. The goal of Native Plant Appreciation Week is to raise public awareness about the importance of native plants, the value of healthy ecosystems and biodiversity in Washington State.

Washington’s Nursery and Landscape Industry Featured on Washivore.

Washington grows a myriad of beautiful, productive plants in nurseries. The Washington ornamental nursery industry has an economic impact of $3.2 billion on the State’s economy. But ornamentals aren’t the only plants grown in nurseries.

Throughout the year, everything from new orchards to new forests are being carefully grown under tightly managed conditions.

This is the message that Washivore shared with legislators, media, consumers and other agriculture industries. WSNLA would like to thank you Washivore for helping our members inform the public about our Washington nursery and landscape industry.

Learn more at www.washivore.org/nurseryand-landscape.

Q&A | TREVOR CAMERON, CPH SUNNYSIDE NURSERY CPH Since 1991 Why did you become a CPH and how has this certification helped you?

TC: Originally I looked at then “WCN” exam to challenge myself and well honestly to get a raise! Seriously though it is a way to evoke professionalism and show you have the skill set and interest to work in the horticultural field. As a long time retail nurseryman I can tell you it is an essential way to gain the respect and loyalty of fellow employees and more importantly your customer base and clients. Knowledge has been and always will be king. It has helped me immeasurably over 25 plus years.

What advice would you give to someone studying for the CPH exam?

Be the Next Featured CPH.

Are you interested, or would you like to suggest a colleague, employee, or your employer to be our next featured Certified Professional Horticulturist? If so, please contact Elaine Sawyer, CPH and CPH Committee member at elaine. sawyer@lwtech.edu.

ABOUT ELAINE. Elaine Sawyer is the Horticulture, Instructional Support Technician at the Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Kirkland.

She has been a Certified Professional Horticulturist since 2011 and is currently serving on the CPH Committee.

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TC: My first advice would be don’t stress out! You have chosen to immerse yourself in the world of horticulture so relax and make it fun. Go walk around a retail nursery and practice your ID and Latin skills. Study the reference manual. Ask lots of questions. And then after you pass you will discover all the “other” plants not in the manual and the thousands of cultivars that keep coming to keep you on your toes.

Where did you get your horticulture education? When you need an answer, where do you turn for information?

TC: I have always enjoyed gardening and have worked in nurseries beginning my junior year in high school and continuing in college. After studying Environmental Chemistry at CWU, I realized I hated working inside as a chemist. I loved plants more and liked the challenge of retail.

Speaking about all things science in relation to gardening on a daily basis – what can be more fun than that! You talk bugs and fungus one minute, then it’s off to a discussion on soils, then pruning of fruit trees, perennials for dry shade, and on and on.

When I need to find information on plants I use many of our grower’s websites as well as Great Plant Picks, RHS, Hortsense, American Rhododendron Society, Greer Gardens, and many others. I hate to say it but googling just about anything these days seems to work if you sift through some of the nonsense. I have to admit I am old school and have a number of plant texts I use as well. And some forums are also useful – I love the UBC site for good feedback on plants. If you are a conifer/maple/ rare plant addict nothing is more informative and funny than Buchholz and Buchholz Flora Wonder Blog.

[

We are always advertising it {CPH} to our customers as well as encouraging existing and new staff to look at attaining CPH status.

All of the nurseries I have worked for offered to pay for the study materials and the exam if employees were interested as well as a raise when it was passed.

Tell us about your job at the nursery and how long you’ve been there?

TC: I was the Nursery Manager and plant buyer at Wight’s Home and Garden in Lynnwood for nearly 20 years – which provided me experiences in just about everything – certainly what to do and also some of what not to do. Currently I am the General Manager for Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville – a fabulous plant place that is branching out into all things retail. My job is awesome – choosing plants that we carry, stocking garden products with an emphasis on organics, displaying the property, managing staff and trying to pass on our love of gardening to our customers. Perhaps the best part is teaching – speaking to numerous garden clubs and groups each year and conducting 30-40 free Saturday classes at the nursery each year.

CPH Committee Members

What do you love the best about your job?

Lucinda McMahan, CPH Lucinda’s Landscapes lucinda31@comcast.net CPH since 2001

TC: There are probably too many things I love about my job to list but how about three – seeing all the new plant treasures and gardening products arrive each year. Helping customers solve problems or find that perfect plant for their yard, and conducting classes and seminars.

What’s your biggest challenge at the nursery?

TC: As with most businesses - staffing for sure. It is always hard to find good reliable folks with plant knowledge. As with most nursery businesses – add in the weather. Retail nurseries are so sunshine dependent sometimes it is almost funny. How about it only rains from 10pm until 6am and never on the weekends? On a yearly basis it is always about locating top quality inventory for our customers - some years are certainly easier than others.

What’s your favorite plant right now and why?

TC: Way too hard to choose for this guy. Any Japanese Maple or Dwarf Conifer for sure. I have a severe case of Heuchera-itis among other plant addictions. I may start the 3-H club – Hostas, Hellebores, and Heucheras – you can never have enough. Always too many Dahlias. Love fall color of any kind. Can’t have enough grasses in the landscape. Foliage Rhododendrons of any kind. Itoh Peonies. Eternal Fragrance Daphne. Can I keep going? How about I am just a plantophile?

Does your employer recognize your CPH designation?

TC: Absolutely and we actively promote the fact we have a number of CPH’s on staff. Not only are both our owners CPH’s but three more on our current staff are as well. Three others are taking the exam in 2016 if all goes well. We are always advertising it to our customers as well as encouraging existing and new staff to look at attaining CPH status. All of the nurseries I have worked for offered to pay for the study materials and the exam if employees were interested - as well as a raise when it was passed.

What is one garden or place in the world that you have always wanted to visit?

TC: Again hard to choose but may have to say the Chelsea Flower Show in the UK. They are always ahead of us in the states in terms of variety and practice. Then in UK I can see some original garden centers with the family and tote my clubs along with my two boys for some links golf. Perfect trip someday!

Nicole Miller, CPH, Committee Chair nlovejoymiller@gmail.com CPH since 2013

Andrew Barker, CPH Cloud Garden Landscape Design candrewbarker@gmail.com CPH since 2011 Don Marshall, CPH Lake Washington Institute of Technology don.marshall@lwtech.edu CPH since 1983 Heather Harris, CPH callunagarden@gmail.com CPH since 2013 Dana Blaskovich, CPH T&L Nursery ronanddanablasko@gmail.com CPH since 2002 Marybeth Hilliard, CPH m_hilliard@yahoo.com CPH since 2006

2016 WSNLA Chapter Activities

WSNLA MARKETPLACE PLANTS & TREES AVAILABLE

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Mt Rainier Chapter

For more information or to be added to the email list to receive chapter meeting notice announcements, contact Ingrid Wachtler, Woodbrook Native Plant Nursery at woodbrk@harbornet.com.

Northwest Chapter

For more information or to be added to the email list to receive chapter meeting notice announcements, contact Toni Cross, CPH at toni@seasonalcolorpots. com.

Olympic Chapter

For more information or to be added to the email list to receive chapter meeting notice announcements, contact Gayle Larson, CPH at dancingravendesign@ gmail.com

Seattle Chapter

For more information or to be added to the email list to receive chapter meeting notice announcements, contact Kirsten Lints at Kirsten@gardensALIVEdesign. com.

Host or Sponsor a Chapter Meeting Hosting a chapter meeting at your business is a great way to introduce your plant availability, products and services to potential clients and customers. By inviting nursery and landscape professionals to your business site, it provides an opportunity to share your expertise and build valuable relationships to grow your business.

NURSERY MANAGER AT OUR OLYMPIA NURSERY - LAWYER NURSERY, growing 150+ species of woody plants in cultivated fields and greenhouses.

Production includes seedlings, rooted cuttings, and transplants. Ultimately responsible for all aspects of production including propagation, growing, plant nutrition, pesticides, irrigation, harvesting, grading, inventory, cold storage, shipping, equipment and facilities, personnel, and regulatory compliance. Visit the WSNLA Career Center at WSNLA.ORG to learn more about the requirements, knowledge, compensation, and benefits. To Apply: Please email or mail complete professional resume and letter to: johnl@lawyernursery.com Do not telephone. www.lawyernursery.com

MORE NEW JOB POSTINGS ONLINE NOW, INCLUDING: - Farm and Garden Assistant at The Herbfarm Restaurant - Crop Protection Specialist, Olympia - Grounds & Nursery Specialist, Tacoma Community College - Landscape Design/Build Positions - And, More!

Check out the wSNLA ONLINE CAREER CENTER at WSNLA.ORG for current openings.wsnla.org.

HOLLAND-AMERICA NURSERY. Now Available: Van den Akker weeping Alaska cedar 6’ thru 10’. Snowberry 1 gal. & 2 gal. Thuja plicata zebrina 5 gal. Red twig dogwood 1gal. Mahonia aquifolium 1 gal & 2 gal. Mahonia repens 1 gal & 2 gal.

Mahonia aquifolium 5 gal. Rosa nutkana 1 gal. Rosa Rugosa 1 gal. English laurel 2 gal. & 5 gal. b&b. List available. (360) 794-6549, or akker4@gmail.com.

Specimen Street and landscape Trees in large Root Control Bags. Year around availability, easier shipping, handling and establishment. Mount Vernon. (800) 827-4067. Fax (360) 4281822. www.urbanforestnursery.com.

WSNLA MEMBER.

FOR SALE FLAT FILLER FOR SALE -used MJF flat filler: great for filling flats up to 5.5” sq. gallons. Hardly used. Also used tissue culture equipment- Laminar flow hood, scale, test tubes, autoclave, etc. Call Rob @ 206-794-6035.

Let WSNLA help promote your job openings, plants and trees for sale, and other classified listings! Job openings can be uploaded directly to the WSNLA Career Center. Be sure you are logged into your WSNLA member account to ensure your special member pricing.

Other classified listings can be emailed directly to breanne@wsnla.org.

New Job Listings Online Now! Visit WSNLA.ORG

MUKILTEO CEDAR PRODUCTS Wholesale to the Trade 425-353-1382

M A D E I N T H E U S A

“CEDAR-TIQUE COLLECTION” Mukilteocedar@aol.com

www.BIRINGERNURSERY.com

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association 34400 Pacific Hwy S., Ste 2 Federal Way, WA 98003 Address Service Requested