UAC Magazine - Fall 1019

URBAN AG COUNCIL MAGAZINE GEORGIA

Keeping Georgia’s green industry informed

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UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

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FALL 2019

Advocate. Educate. Promote.1

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UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

UAC Magazine Official publication of the Georgia Urban Agriculture Council

Board of Directors Todd Jarrett, President

Arbor Hill Nurseries Matt Lowe

Swift Straw Josh Morrow

Athletic Fields, Inc. Ken Morrow

The Turfgrass Group Chris Nelson

Chattahoochee Nature Center Bob Scott

Irrigation Consultant Services Ray Wiedman

Outdoor Expressions Ron White TurfPride

Ex Officio

Ellen Bauske

UGA Extension Public Service Assistant Bodie Pennisi

UGA Extension Horticulturist Clint Waltz

UGA Extension Turf Agronomist

Staff

Mary Kay Woodworth

Executive Director Kathy Johnson

Marketing Director & Editor

A member of:

Georgia Urban Ag Council PO Box 3400 Duluth GA 30096 New Phone: 706.750.0350 numbers!

Fax: 404.900.9194 Email: office@georgiauac.com Web: urbanagcouncil.com All contents copyright 2019

GEORGIA

FALL 2019

UAC NEWS

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Executive Director message ABC's top 20 16 UAC member companies made the list McCorkle Nurseries receives A rating Sustainable growing practices What did you miss? "Building a Market Leading Organization" dinner A peek inside...Super-Sod Looking to grow your team? UAC website job posting feature

REGULAR FEATURES

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Have you met Charles Brian Quinn (CBQ), Greenzie Pest 411 Sod webworm Save the date Pro Project Classic Landscapes Safety works UAC Safety School What the tech? Put the social media giant to work for you Directory of advertisers

BUSINESS 28 30 34 36 38

Professional juggling How to handle multiple competing priorities Telephone 101 Are your first impressions first rate?

Training for PMPs UGA Extension's online program save time, money May good management skills be with you Your Star Wars style Video marketing Strategies for any budget

INDUSTRY 40 New horticulture leadership Lombardi named head of UGA department 42 UGA scientist honored Wayne Hanna receives Lifetime Achievement Award 44 Suiter takes lead role UGA entomologist chairs Faculty Advisory Comm.

URBAN AG

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What are soil aggregates? And why are they so important?

New ornamental blueberries Bred by UGA for home landscapes Conifers bring joy Dressing up the cool-season landscape Fall containers Striking seasonal color combinations that sizzle Managing community forests, part 3 Risk hazard and assessment

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Atlanta Botanical Garden Georgia Agribusiness Council Georgia Arborist Association Georgia Association of Water Professionals Georgia Green Industry Association Georgia Urban Forest Council Georgia Water Alliance National Association of Landscape Professionals National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture Nursery & Landscape Association Executives Southern Nursery Association Tolar Capitol Partners

URBAN AG COUNCIL MAGAZINE

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UAC NEWS

Dear UAC Members and Supporters, Spring and summer 2019, no one was talking about drought or complaining about rain. This was a

relief after so many years of concern, but the extended, uncharacteristically high temperatures without rain since August is something to be concerned about.

Mary Kay Woodworth Executive Director

If you are designing landscapes and installing sod/seed, consider emphasizing the importance of soil improvements, both for better plant health and water conservation.

Make sure to recommend the appropriate plant materials for the specific installation location.

Design, install and calibrate irrigation systems to operate effectively and efficiently.

Educate your clients so that they’ll understand why they should spend more money to do it right! In the long run, it will pay off for you and your clients!

Industry Growth Initiative

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

A recent article in Irrigation & Green Industry magazine reads:

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“…qualified workers are hard to come by in the green industry. Another alarming thought is that the number of people retiring from our industry greatly outpaces the number of people entering it…it’s just a reflection of the industry.”

This is precisely why UAC has workforce development as a top priority, and why we have invested and will continue to support and invest in the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Industry Growth Initiative (IGI) and our shared goals for 2019-2020:

Promote the profession to develop a talent pipeline. Create awareness with students and their influencers, educators, career-changers, and those under-represented in the workforce about seasonal, entry-level, and management-level career opportunities in the professional landscape industry.

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Equip, unify, and mobilize the industry to take effective action.

Arm the professional landscape industry with the knowledge, resources, and workplan required to take unified, effective action in solving the workforce crisis.

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Support schools and students.

Provide information, resources, and a community for high schools, colleges, and universities with industry-focused curriculum and encourage the adoption of such curriculum by those without, while supporting educators and their students with the tools they need to propel their programs and professional lives forward.

The IGI is working diligently to grow the industry and its workforce. Through its national media relations, advertising and outreach

UAC NEWS campaigns, IGI is telling consumers, customers, and our future workforce that life – and life’s work – are best enjoyed outdoors. IGI showcases the value the industry offers families, communities and the environment and is taking bold steps to address the industry’s crippling workforce shortage.

The IGI is funded through an industry coalition of landscape and lawn care companies, manufacturers and suppliers committed

to raising the profile and recognition of professionalism in the industry. NALP’s Foundation leads the effort to raise $2 million dollars a year to support this major national campaign. For more information about IGI, go to: www.landscapeprofessionals.org/LP/ About/Industry_Growth_Initiative/LP/IGI/ Industry_Growth_Initiative We thank you for your membership and support of UAC!

ANNUAL

Sporting Clays Tournament

Blast EatBBQ BBQ Blastyour yourtroubles troublesaway away|| Win Win prizes prizes || Eat DATE: TIME: PLACE:

Wednesday, October 23 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Blalock Lakes

“Blalock Lakes is the Pebble Beach of sporting clays.”

4075 New Corinth Road, Newnan GA 30263

-- Garden & Gun magazine

Scoring: • Points will be added to your final score, based on the gauge of gun used (see website for details). > 12 gauge: + 0 points > 20 gauge: +3 points > 28 gauge: + 5 points > 410 gauge: +10 points > Pump action or side-by-side: +5 points Participants: • Please bring your own shotgun and eye protection. Indicate your shotgun gauge on the registration form.

• There will be limited number of shotguns available onsite and must be reserved in advance. If you or anyone on your team needs to rent a shotgun, please contact us directly: 706.750.0350.

For more info and to register: urbanagcouncil.com

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Sponsorships: Sponsorships are open to UAC business-level members only on a first-come, first-served basis.

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UAC NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS! 16 UAC members make the top 20 Rank

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UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

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Company name/Website

Russell Landscape Group russelllandscape.com

2018 Atlanta commercial landscape revenue

2018 total companywide revenue

Percentage of business which is commercial

$27,000,000.00

$32,000,000.00

100%

Gibson Landscape Services gibsonlandscape.com

$21,916,016.00

$21,916,016.00

100%

Gibbs Landscape Co. gibbslandscape.com

$21,000,000.00

$28,000,000.00

75%

Ruppert Landscape ruppertlandscape.com

$19,733,335.00

$184,900,000.00

100%

HighGrove Partners highgrove.net

$17,700,000.00

$17,700,000.00

100%

Crabapple crabapple.com

$16,559,590.00

$16,559,590.00

100%

Baytree Landscape baytreelandscape.com

$16,500,000.00

$40,600,000.00

100%

Tri Scapes triscapes.com

$15,433,502.00

$15,433,502.00

100%

Greenwood Group Landscape greenwoodgroup.net

$11,300,000.00

$11,300,000.00

96%

Nature Scapes nscapes.com

$11,200,075.00

$11,200,075.00

99%

Outdoor Expressions outdoorexpressions.net

$10,400,000.00

$11,970,000.00

87%

Davis Landscape davis-landscape.com

$9,060,000.00

$9,060,000.00

100%

SKB Industries skbind.com

$8,600,000.00

$9,100,000.00

100%

Atlanta Landscape Group atlantalandscapegroup.com

$7,500,000.00

$7,500,000.00

100%

Ed Castro Landscape edcastro.com

$7,317,000.00

$8,817,000.00

80%

Arborguard Tree Specialists arborguard.com

$6,000,000.00

$11,000,000.00

80%

UAC NEWS

Atlanta Business Chronicle's top 20 commercial landscape companies Number of full-time Partial listing of services or specialties Atlanta employees 315 landscape maintenance, irrigation installation and repair, landscape installation, seasonal color installation

Chief Atlanta officer(s)

William Russell William Russell II

Year established in Atlanta

1987

200 build and maintain commercial hardscapes, landscapes and Tony Gibson grounds maintenance for architects, owners and managers

1998

310 landscape maintenance services, landscape architectural services, seasonal color, water management

David Gibbs, Peter Copses

1965

215 commercial landscape, construction and landscape, management services

Kurt Myers, Michael Vispi, Adam Bennett

1993

190 maintenance, turf and ornamental care, design and build irrigation, water management

Jim McCutcheon

1989

125 landscape maintenance, design and installation, irrigation and water management, floriculture

William Coleman, Jay Prange

1992

110 commercial landscape installation and maintenance

Drew Watkins, Phil Walters, Todd Hunt, Matt Maurer

2014

80 general contractor services, commercial maintenance, utility Rebecca Martin, services Quinn Martin

1993

Chris Stephenson, Davis Morgan, Lee Cunningham, Jeff Creecy

2003

125 landscape maintenance, landscape and floriculture design and installation, irrigation management

Rick Upchurch

1983

62 landscape and irrigation installation, hardscape construction, landscape maintenance

Brian Beavers, Ramon Wiedman, Richard Marks, Julia Beavers

2000

45 commercial landscape maintenance and installation

Jay Stephens

1994

65 full-service landscape installation and maintenance

Steven Bell

1978

65 landscape management, irrigation management repair, seasonal color, landscape enhancements

Robert Russell, Brad Griffin, Bart Stanfield

2014

82 landscape maintenance, horticulture, installation, civil construction

Edward Castro

1992

60 tree preservation, construction and development consulting, Jamie Blackburn plan production, organically-based soil amendments Information provided by the Atlanta Business Chronicle

1981

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

120 landscape maintenance, landscape design and installation, irrigation services, seasonal color, environmental services

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UAC NEWS

McCorkle Nurseries receives A rating

Sustainable growing practices recognized with certification approximately 70 growers are participating currently in MPS-ABC. McCorkle Nurseries has been a pioneer in pursuing this standardized and measurable rating of sustainability in North America, and the first nursery shrub grower to receive an A rating.

McCorkle Nurseries has been a pioneer in pursuing this standardized and measurable rating of sustainability in North America, and the first nursery shrub grower to receive an A rating.

Georgia-based McCorkle Nurseries, Inc. is the first North American nursery shrub grower to receive MPS-A rating.

McCorkle Nurseries’ commitment to sustainable and environmentally responsible growing practices has been recognized by MPS (More Profitable Sustainability) with an MPS-ABC certificate, the international standard for sustainability in the flowers and ornamental plant industry.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

MPS-ABC provides a transparent, quantifiable look into the operational sustainability of each company involved in the growing process of a plant. The ratings of each company on a plant’s journey from seed to store can be tracked on the website www.followyourflowerorplant.com.

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Arthij van der Veer, General International Coordinator North and Central America for MPS, says, “I have seen the efforts and energy that the whole team at McCorkle has put into the journey to becoming more sustainable.

It is great to see that a grower can, with the help of management reports from MPS, be a good steward for the environment and be able to produce the high-quality products that McCorkle does.”

More than 3,000 growers in over 50 countries participate in MPS-ABC. In North America,

Skeetter McCorkle, CEO of McCorkle Nurseries, Inc. in Dearing, Ga., says, “As a family-owned company, we have always focused on leaving a legacy for our future generations, including a green and healthy earth. At McCorkle Nurseries, one of our guiding values is to serve as stewards of God’s creation. It drives our commitment to protect and improve the environment.”

McCorkle Nurseries has systematically improved its environmental stewardship in a number of ways, such as a plant health program that relies on careful monitoring and biocontrols, including beneficial insects, to guide and reduce the need for chemicals. As of 2019, all plants raised on site are grown without neonicotinoids in accordance with recommended management practices for pollinator safety.

Additionally, McCorkle Nurseries uses water reclamation ponds for the majority of the four million gallons of water required daily during the peak growing season, and conducts recycling and composting programs on site to reduce and reuse waste materials.

In February 2019, Acting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director Andrew Wheeler chose McCorkle Nurseries as the site to announce several Federal measures, including proposed reform, funding, and policy affecting water use, infrastructure, and quality across the nation.

UAC NEWS McCorkle Nurseries also supports innovation and breeding advancements that reduce the need for chemicals to grow healthy plants, both in its own operations and in consumers’ homes.

The company’s product mix, including the Gardener’s Confidence® Collection, focuses on locally-adapted, disease-resistant plants that help homeowners create “A Garden You Can Count On®.”

Through the Center for Applied Nursery Research (CANR.org), McCorkle Nurseries also sponsors research for new tactics for addressing pests and diseases, including non-chemical biocontrols, and development of resistant plant varieties.

About MPS

MPS (More Profitable Sustainability) develops and manages sustainability certificates for the international flowers and ornamentals industry and conducts certification through its sister organization MPS-ECAS. More information is available at https://www.my-mps.com/en/.

About McCorkle Nurseries, Inc.

McCorkle Nurseries, Inc. (www. mccorklenurseries. com) is a family-owned nursery business founded in 1942 located in Dearing, Ga. In addition to being a licensed grower for most major plant brands, McCorkle Nurseries launched its own line of top-performing plants, the Gardener’s Confidence Collection, which features more than 60 patented and trademarked selections. Now in its third generation of leadership, members of the McCorkle team have served in numerous roles in support of the green industry.

MPS-ABC provides a transparent, quantifiable look into the operational sustainability of each company involved in the growing process of a plant. The ratings of each company on a plant’s journey from seed to store can be tracked on the website followyourflowerorplant.com.

SEED sponsorship opportunities support | energize | enable | develop

SEED sponsorships offer our members an additional opportunity to promote their businesses and support UAC at a level beyond the membership dues.

seed support | energize | enable | develop

URBAN AG COUNCIL GEORGIA

Thank you to all of our SEED Sponsors!

Diamond

Platinum C

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3/3/08

9:40:37 PM

Buck Jones Nursery Plants • Sod • Landscape Supplies

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Grayson, GA Location 770-963-8227 Woodstock, GA Location 770-345-5506 Matthews, GA Farm 800-854-3646 – Wholesale only www.buckjones.com

Gold

Athletic Fields, Inc. | Chatham Landscape Services | Ed Castro Landscape | Falling Leaves Lawn Care | Greenwood Group | Hunter Industries | Landmark Landscapes | Legacy Turf Farms | Outdoor Expressions

Silver Classic Landscapes | Crabapple Landscape Experts | Sunbelt Greenhouses | The Outdoor Lights

Contact us today to see how you can become a SEED Sponsor!

800.687.6949 | info@urbanagcouncil.com | urbanagcouncil.com

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

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UAC NEWS

WHAT DID YOU MISS? UAC Networking Dinner Meeting

Building a Market Leading Organization Presented by Ken Thomas and Ben Gandy of Envisor Consulting Only a small portion of landscape companies grow beyond a million dollars and of the ones that do, most get stuck never realizing their business dreams. Ken Thomas and Ben Gandy of Envisor Consulting shared their insights around organizational development learned through the lens of business ownership and landscape business consulting throughout the country.

August 27 Heritage Sandy Springs Sandy Springs, GA

Photo by Madie Thomas

Law of Diminishing Return

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

In our business when we begin to grow things begin to get complicated. We can't seem to get things done so we tend to assume we can just work harder, work more hours, add more staff, add more equipment.

The inverted U Curve in this graph illustrates a phenomenon that happens when anyone adds resources to a perceived problem without a clear system. Because at the end of the day working harder is not the answer.

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Thank you to our dinner sponsor!

Casey Child Cell: 678-850-4220

Start Clean Finish Clean

Over the years, we have defined the product delivery system in the landscape industry. We believe a company is simply made up of a multitude of sales all stacked on top of each other, no matter the size of the company. All sales follow a predictable and consistent path as they flow through our companies, and each sale can be first of all grouped into one of six sales phases: lead, design, estimating, sold, wip, job close.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

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A PEEK INSIDE UAC NEWS

A peek inside...

Super-Sod

What we do Super-Sod is a family-run sod farm with supply stores throughout Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Our staff are experts who can help you problem solve the best type of grass for your job. We sell lawn care products and specialize in sod that’s available by the individual roll, full pallet, or truckload; all fresh from our farms. With our line of seven types of lawn grasses and our lawn care products, we will help you achieve the lawn of your clients’ dreams.

From left: Justin Mosley, Daniel White, Scott McElyea, Tony Roberts, Kevin Kilgore, and Tamara Green (kneeling)

Join us as we take a peek inside the operation and the people of UAC member company Super-Sod.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Meet our team

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Tony Roberts

Besides sod, we offer you grass seed, Soil3 organic compost, stone, mulch, robotic lawn mowers, and related landscaping products from six stores in Georgia. Call us for a delivery or pickup quote.

How we got started Our roots span from your front yard to over 100 years back. It all began as a general store in Lakeland, Georgia, and since then we have become one of the largest suppliers of sod in the nation.

Super-Sod of Marietta Store Manager

Responsibilities: Store Operations – Ordering grass, taking orders for customers, on site yard inspection, reconciling cash at the end of the day, loading customers, and handling with customer concerns. Favorite part of job: Working with the customer – Listening to customers explain their growing conditions and lifestyles to help them decide on the best lawn. Plus, I enjoy the problemsolving aspect of being a store manager, plus diagnosing problems with lawns. Last job before this: Store manager at PetSmart.

I started at Super-Sod on the yard loading customers 2011, so I know all aspects of this store very well. What I do when I’m not at work: I’m a big sports fan. My favorite football teams are the New York Jets and the Atlanta Falcons. For baseball, I root for the NY Mets and Atlanta Braves. Can you tell I’m from New York and now love Atlanta?

Tamara Green

Super-Sod of Atlanta, Inside Sales Supervisor

Responsibilities: dispatch and schedule trucks, customer service, sales, inventory, coordinate harvesting with farm. Favorite part of job: The people I work with and for.

I am very blessed to work with an amazing company that not only puts their customers first, but their employees as well. Last job before this: Whew, that was a long time ago, LOL! I was a shipping manager for a rug mill before I started with Super-Sod in 2005 when everything was still done on pencil and paper.

What I do when I’m not at work: I spend time with my husband, kids, and grandkids.

I am a cheerleader mom and a small group leader in our student ministry at church. I like to participate in different community outreach programs.

A PEEK INSIDE

How we do it We wake up before the birds and that means we get to see some spectacular sunrises when we cut sod fresh to order. From our farms in Middle Georgia and North Georgia, our fleet of tarped trucks then delivers pallets of sod to our five stores surrounding Atlanta and our store in Ft. Valley. We’ll also deliver them straight to your job site.

Daniel White

Super-Sod of Forest Park Store Manager

Responsibilities: Store Operations – Inventory, Sales, Customer Service, Quality Control, a lot more but don’t know how to word it . . . LOL. Favorite part of job: Interacting with people, developing sales skills and increasing sales, and guiding my team at the Forest Park store. Last job before this: Electrician. I started at Super-Sod as a fork lift operator in 2004. I’ve been here a long time, so you can tell I like my job! What I do when I’m not at work: Sports, family, friends, and church.

Justin Mosley

Robotic Sales Manager

Super-Sod of Alpharetta Store Manager

Responsibilities: The Alpharetta store is a new location for Super Sod. My responsibilities include everything related to establishing a new store. We are into our second year now and look forward to serving our customers for many years to come.

Favorite part of job: My favorite part of my job is the feedback from our customers.

Many of you customers are at their wit’s end when they stop by for the first time. Having the lawn of their dreams seems impossible. I love when they come back to tell us how much they love their new Super Sod lawn. Nothing beats the before and after pictures. Last job before this: Lowe’s Assistant Store Manager What I do when I’m not at work: I spend time with my wife and four children (three teenagers). With all of them playing sports and youth events at church that keeps us busy.

We enjoy hanging out together watching our favorite teams. We love the Braves and being from Florida that means we are Gator fans.

Super-Sod proudly supports the Georgia Urban Ag Council and the green industry.

Diamond Sponsor

seed support | energize | enable | develop

URBAN AG COUNCIL GEORGIA

Scott McElyea

Super-Sod of Gwinnett Store Manager

Responsibilities: I manage the Gwinnett Store, handling the day-to-day operations of the store. Favorite part of job: I love what I do because I love working with people and I believe that what we do adorns God’s creation! I feel I am a representative of three different people groups: our company, our employees, and our customers. I get to communicate and represent all three to the others at different points of the job. That gives me a great deal of insight into the full circle of our purpose of selling farm fresh sod. Last job before this: I worked for Chick-fil-A as a shift manager. What I do when I’m not at work: I am also a Youth Pastor at Cross Roads Baptist Church and the Run Group Coordinator for Classic City Running. I enjoy running and have completed four marathons to date. I’m married with four beautiful children (three boys and one girl). We enjoy camping together and have purebred Grand Champion American Bullies.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Responsibilities: Identify prospects and explain the benefits that robotic mowing offers to landscapers. Set up demonstrations for possible clients. Handle day-to-day operations within our robotics dept. Schedule installs and service calls. Assist our marketing department with campaigns. Continue to further my knowledge in robotic mowing and share that with our employees and customers. Favorite part of job: Being a part of a company that is blazing the trail around robotic mowing in our region. Making a difference in the industry and seeing the results of continuous mowing.

Last job before this: Small business owner in the automation and security industry. What I do when I’m not at work: Spend time with family and friends. Some of my favorite hobbies are hunting, fishing, grilling, golf, watching football, and tending to my vegetable garden.

Kevin Kilgore

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A PEEK INSIDE UAC NEWS Super-sod delivery trucks loaded and ready to roll from Cartersville, GA.

One thing that sets us apart With our six stores in Georgia, we have the ability to deliver farm-fresh sod to our stores for customers who want to pick up the sod themselves. Need one roll for that one bare spot? Come by and pick up a roll and other landscaping products you might need such as tools, sod staples, fertilizer, herbicides, fungicides, and Soil3 compost.

Why UAC is important to us... and why we're important to UAC members UAC is important to us because the educational material is top quality. UAC delivers current and relevant information through their magazine and meetings. We don’t miss an issue or an event. We encourage our employees to attend events to network and learn.

We wake up before the birds and that means we get to see some spectacular sunrises when we cut sod fresh to order.

Looking to grow your team?

Did you know that UAC's website has a job posting section?

If you're a business-level member you can post there for free.

Just follow the instructions below, enter your job and contact information, then your posting will be listed on UAC's website for 30 days. It will automatically expire, but you can always post it again if the position hasn't been filled.

Here's how to access:

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

> Go to urbanagcouncil.com

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> Use the "MEMBERSHIP" menu tab > Click on "Members-only content" under "MANAGE" > Log in as a member > Use the email address and password that is associated with your UAC membership > Need help? Contact us:

info@urbanagcouncil.com or 800.687.6949 > Under the "Business" category, click on

"Submit a job posting."

Phone: 1-888-360-1125 Web: supersod.com

Packs a Punch

Regular Bloom Size

JAZZ HANDS® BOLD

JAZZ HANDS® Mini Loropetalum chinense ‘Beni Hime’ pp#27,752 The purple leaves of Jazz Hands® Mini Loropetalum retain their rich color all season long, and at just 10-12” tall and wide, this little plant really packs a punch with outstanding form, flowers and foliage. If you need something larger, check out Jazz Hands® Dwarf Pink (1-3’) or Jazz Hands® Bold (5-6’). And if sassy foliage is your thing, Jazz Hands® Variegated (4-6’) might be the plant for you!

10’

JAZZ HANDS® SERIES SIZE CHART

Jazz Hands® Dwarf Pink

Jazz Hands® Dwarf White

Jazz Hands Night Moves®

Jazz Hands® Mini

Jazz Hands® Variegated

Available from these suppliers Hillside Ornamentals Byron • 478-956-0945 http://hillsideornamentals.com

MNI Direct Marietta • 770-578-4599 mnidirect.com

Scottsdale Farms Alpharetta • 770-777-5875

SiteOne Landscape Supply SiteOne.com www.provenwinners-shrubs.com

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Jazz Hands® Bold

JAZZ HANDS® VARIEGATED

15 Oct-Dec_Georgia UAC_Jazz Hands.indd 1

8/13/19 2:42 PM

HAVE YOU MET

Charles Brian Quinn (CBQ) Co-Founder and CEO, Greenzie

My first job in the green industry was...mowing lawns

Charles Brian Quinn

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Phone: 404-394-4935 Email: cbq@greenzie.com Address: 3423 Piedmont Rd NE

Atlanta, GA 30305 Web: www.greenzie.com

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in the neighborhood. I figured if I was going to have to mow mine, I might as well mow the whole street and make some money while doing it. I never charged enough, and I was always trying to be more efficient and find quicker ways of doing it.

I also loved doing stripes and remember experimenting on my lawn with different heights on each pass and burning up the grass.

The biggest challenge in my career…was when

I was CEO of Big Nerd Ranch. We were recruiting the smartest of the smartest software developers, but they were always being lured away to program at big companies. We really had to dig deep to showcase the benefits of working for our company. Labor challenges are no joke. When you have the work, but no one to do it, it hurts.

The people who have influenced my career include…

My mastermind group. I meet with a group of seven other CEOs/founders/ business professionals from all walks of life and industries. We started meeting back in 2011 and I can count on one hand how many times we’ve missed a meeting. They are that powerful.

Having a group of like-minded, always improving, true friends to hold you (and each other) accountable continues to be an amazing sounding board through each company I’ve built, and the many iterations of those companies, in addition to family and personal life milestones.

My Co-Founder at Big Nerd Ranch, Aaron Hillegass. He is brilliant. Together we were able to grow our company from 20 people up to over 100 and build brilliance for some of the best companies in the world building software, apps and training for Facebook, Google, Apple, and many more still today.

My Co-Founder at Greenzie, David Cummings. He thinks bigger than anyone I know and is a deep strategic thinker. He never holds back in sharing ideas on how to improve the company and the product, which helps me to continually push our team to do the same.

My biggest career success so far has been…starting Greenzie. The problem we’re

solving is extremely difficult. We are going to free humans from repetitive outdoor labor and I know we’ve only just begun to touch the surface of robotics in the green industry.

I recruited some top-notch strategic investors from the green industry to robotics to software to company building, and don’t tell anybody, but our last fundraising round was way too easy (and way oversubscribed).

One piece of advice I would give to someone entering the green industry today is…study technology and software.

There’s no reason not to always be looking for an edge, whether its using software like SingleOps to run your business, or simply apps or productivity hacks to give you a leg up, so you can focus on making beautiful outdoor green spaces. Also, don’t be afraid to be an early adopter, the industry needs you!

HAVE YOU MET The thing I like most about my career is…every day is a new challenge. I encounter

tough software problems and make solid business decisions every day for our customers.

It’s thrilling to be challenged in such a variety of ways and at such a quick pace. Because we are in startup-mode, we can be swift, agile, and always bias towards action. I love learning and the best way is by doing. The formula for my career is: Act. Learn. Build. Repeat.

My least favorite part of my job is….. watching our mower go back and forth in the hot sun (ha)! But truthfully, I can empathize with all of our customers who got into this business to work hard to make beautiful lawns and outdoor spaces for their customers. The summer heat is no joke and when we are out in the field testing and simply mowing with our robotic kit every week, it’s taste of reality that so many commercial mowers face today with labor shortages: I talked to a president of a lawn company who was out mowing and doing hedges because they were short a crew member. I won’t rest until we can give the repetitive, boring parts of lawn maintenance to the robots, so we can go back to being creative and making lawns look great, and going home at a reasonable time to play in the yard with our own kids.

But forcing someone who could be making lawns look beautiful and being creative when they instead have to just sit or stand on a mower and do repetitive motions back and forth all day in the hot sun—we gotta help! Robotics is the answer! I think we’ll look back and say: yeah of course we used to have to do that part, but now we just let the robots do it.

When I’m not working, I like to…program software! Believe it or not, I write software for fun. All the stuff in my house, including the window blinds, run on software I wrote. I also run long distances, too, though these days with a stroller and my daughter in tow. I do my best thinking and debugging of software on long runs outside.

What most people don’t know about me is…I have nine toenails.

Greenzie team, Summer 2019.

From Left to Right: Evan Davies, Matt Barulic, Jackson Stanhope, CBQ, Joshua Terrell, Oswin So, and Kevin Jin.

The one thing most responsible for my success is…my grit and determination. I have thick skin and tend to not let things get in my way. I choose to solve hard problems and will myself to succeed.

If I had it to do over again, I would…study UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

robotics in school! Or maybe party harder. I’ll admit I was (and still am) a nerd.

If I could change careers, just for a month, I would…be a professional e-sports

player, and stream myself playing video games all day. (Of course, then I’d have to actually be good, but one can dream!)

One thing that really annoys me is… repetitive outdoor labor—don’t get me wrong, I love labor and working hard. I love being outdoors and I love making things.

CBQ with his wife, Katie, and daughter, Marcie.

17

PEST 411

Sod webworm

Serious turfgrass pest in the fall

by Gurjit Singh, Shimat V. Joseph and Will Hudson, UGA Department of Entomology Sod webworms, including tropical sod webworm, are serious pests of warm-season turfgrass in Georgia.

They do extensive damage to turfgrass in warm tropical, sub-tropical and coastal climates. Even minor infestations in poorly managed turfgrass stressed by hot and dry weather conditions can cause severe problems for homeowners and sod producers. Challenges in early detection of this pest make management difficult.

Sod webworms, especially tropical sod webworms, Peak activity for the sod webworm occur throughout the is in the fall season, starting in southern U.S. from September and continuing through South Carolina to November.

Georgia and Florida, and West to Texas.

In Georgia. Peak activity is in the fall season, starting in September and continuing through November, then the population starts to decline with the onset of winter weather. Larvae overwinter in thatch, then start feeding again when the weather warms up in the spring.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

By Svdmolen - Own work, CC BY 2.5, https://commons. wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2164651

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Tropical sod webworm infests all warm-season turfgrasses including bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.); St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass, seashore paspalum, zoysiagrass, and bahiagrass, with a particular preference for bermudagrass, the most common turfgrass in Georgia.

Habit and identification During the daytime adults of most webworm species seek shelter in shrubbery and other damp places, emerging in early evening. The adult sod webworms are brown dingy moths, flying in a zigzag manner low over the grass.

The one diagnostic feature of the tropical webworm moth is that this moth holds its wings flat over the body whereas other North American webworm species partially fold their wings, giving them a tube-like appearance.

Life cycle Adult females of tropical webworm moths scatter their eggs in clusters of 10 to 35 over the turfgrass during their flight in the evening. The eggs are creamy white in color, laid on the upper surface of the grass leaf blades. These egg masses are generally flat, oval and overlapping in appearance, become brownish-red as they mature. Eggs hatch in about 10-14 days.

Caterpillars undergo five to six larval stages before turning into pupae. Larvae are whitish to light-green to yellowish-brown in color as they hatch, with a dark-brown head and brown spots on each segment. These spots become prominent as they develop into the final sixth larval stage or pre-pupal stage.

They web together small pieces of grass and other debris to prepare their cocoons for pupation, thus the name “sod webworms.” The pupa is reddish-brown in color, normally buried in the upper thatch.

It takes 21 to 47 days for the eggs to develop through larval, pre-pupal and pupal stages to become adults, depending on the temperature.

Adults are small brown to dull grey in color, growing up to the length of ¾" with a wingspan of approximately ¾". Some species of webworm adults have prominent forward pointing snout-like mouthparts on the head.

PEST 411

Damage

Management

The larval stages feed on grass leaves using their chewing and biting mouthparts and can cause extensive damage. They feed only after sunset during dusk or at night. They prefer hot and dry grass areas like banks or steep slopes where the grass struggles to fetch water. The first four larval stages feed superficially on the upper leaf surface of the grass so the injury is often overlooked. The fifth and sixth larval stages cause serious damage to the grass by chewing the entire leaf blades.

Well-maintained turfgrass is relatively resistant to webworm damage. Mow regularly but make sure the mower is set at the recommended height for the grass species. Do not over fertilize with nitrogen, which may enhance the growth of the grass and thatch accumulation near The general life cycle of sod webworms. the soil. Greater grass growth and thatch accumulation can ultimately increase the sod webworm attack.

The initial symptoms are small-sized patches, which become yellow-brown in mid-summer.

These patches quickly coalesce in dry weather to form large dry patches of turfgrass, which easily could be confused with drought symptoms.

Additional evidence can be provided by birds which feed more than usual on sod webworm larvae. Grasses can recover if the infestation is not too severe and if proper cultural practices have been followed.

Control Resistant grass cultivars could be a potential control measure. Commercial cultivars of bermudagrass such as ‘Common’ showed tolerance against this pest. St. Augustinegrass

(770) 607-0491

• • • •

EMPIRE Turf® Geo Zosyia® Bermuda 419 Meyer Zoysia

LegacyTurfFarms.com 850 Indian Mounds Rd SE, Cartersville, GA

Fresh-cut daily

Available for pick-up or delivery Call today for a quote

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Serving quality turf to the Atlanta Metro area since 1999

19

PEST 411 cultivars including ‘Amerishade,’ ‘Floratine,’ ‘Captiva,’ ‘Winchester’ and zoysiagrass cultivar ‘Cavalier’ are less preferred by tropical webworm larvae.

If the initial symptoms are already there, soil drenching with a soap solution (the “soap flush technique”) can be used for monitoring and spot treatment. Add one ounce of dish detergent in one gallon of water and pour this solution over one square yard area where the infestation is suspected. This soap solution should kill the pest but if not, then destroy them with a rake.

Insecticides should be used only as a last resort and when the identity of the pest is confirmed.

This is because insecticides may create more damage to the turfgrass ecosystem by harming various kinds of natural enemies that feed on the sod webworm larvae.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

If insecticides are necessary for management, timing the insecticide application is critical,

20

as insecticides are more effective on younger larvae (e.g., first and second larval stages) than older larvae. When you notice the zigzag flight of moths over the lawn during evening hours, apply insecticide two weeks later. Repeat the insecticide application at two-to-three week intervals as long as moths are active. Also, choose liquid-based insecticides over granular formulation as they will provide better coverage.

Do apply the insecticides in the evening when the activity of the pest is high. Various types of insecticides are available in the market such as spinosad, acephate (Orthene), carbaryl (Sevin), synthetic pyrethroids (such as bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, etc). Read the label instructions carefully before applying the insecticide. Apart from these synthetic insecticides, biorational insecticides such as nematodes that feed on insects (e.g., Steinernema carpocapsae), fungi that infect insects (e.g., Beauveria bassiana) and bacterial-based insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki and aizawai may help control sod webworms with minimum impact on the beneficial insects.

SAVE THE DATE

Visit urbanagcouncil.com for updates and to register.

7th Annual UAC Sporting Clays Tournament

OCT

Blast your troubles away | Win prizes | Eat BBQ GEORGIA

23

DATE: Wednesday, October 23 TIME: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm PLACE: Blalock Lakes

SOD PRODUCERS GEORGIA

November 6, 2019

Super-Sod Turf Farm | Ft. Valley GA

4075 New Corinth Road | Newnan GA 30263

UAC's Georgia Sod Producers Field Day

NOV

DATE: Wednesday, November 6 TIME: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm PLACE: Ft. Valley Conference Center & Super-Sod Turf Farm

6

Fort Valley GA

Landscape Pro University & Expo

The green industry's newest conference and trade show

DATE: Wednesday, January 29, 2020 PLACE: Cobb Galleria | Two Galleria Parkway | Atlanta GA 30339

JAN

29

Learn more on page 8.

Mid Tenn Turf, Inc. — 1/2 Page Horizontal Ad for Deep South Turf Expo Program

Daily Regional DeliveRy Tennessee Kentucky

The Southeast’s

800.782.4083 | midtennturf.com

PReFeRReD SouRCe for SoD & SeRviCe Since 1986

north Carolina South Carolina georgia

Commercial golf athletic Fields

Blue Tag Certified grasses ••• over 2,500 acres in Production

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

alabama ••• Residential

21

SAVE THE DATE PRO PROJECT

Polishing a diamond in the rough Project by Classic Landscapes classiclandscapesga.com

Existing drainage challenges and large specimen trees to be protected and highlighted.

This 1911 Jonesboro home had a date with the bulldozer but thankfully her remodeling professional relayed to the owner how solid the structure was and how much of a shame it would be to demolish it. After deliberating on what to do with the house, the idea of an event center was born.

Before

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Snow highlights the linear hardscape layout and site plan features.

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Before

Original building footprint before expansion, hardscape and softscape additions Pavilion integrated into garden with annuals and stone steps

PRO PROJECT A drainage field with large trunk lines and over 200 tons of 57 stone lie under the half of the turf closest to the back of the house to help drain a major portion of the turf and facilitate favorable conditions closer to rain events.

GALA

GEORGIA URBAN AG COUNCIL

GEORGIA LANDSCAPE AWARDS

AWARD WINNER: Distinction

Excavation, drainage, berm and back space layout begin to take shape as cut and fill balanced.

A private lawn area facilitates outdoor events surrounded by garden areas and reception space.

Outdoor weddings are a focus for the facility.

To provide a dark backdrop for weddings, the three back property lines were lined with 16’ Southern Magnolias while 14’ Nellie R. Stevens Hollies were planted along the rear property

line. Large traditional southern plants were featured at the owner’s request, at such a size that initial visitors asked how many years this facility had been open.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

The focal point at the back hosts weddings on a mini slate chip garden area surrounded by color.

23

SAVE THE DATE SAFETY WORKS

UAC Safety School

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

What do your employees need to know right now?

24

Keep your employees safe this fall. Every

work day comes with safety concerns. As a business-level UAC member, did you know that you have ready-to-go safety training available to you through UAC's Safety School? Sponsored

by Snellings-Walters Insurance Agency, Safety School makes it easier to keep your employees and your company - safe.

Each Safety School topic includes a trainer document, which guides the instructor through the training session, and a slide presentation to show your employees. All of this is available in both English and Spanish. Also included is an attendance sheet so you have a record of who received the training and when. Here are just some of the topics available to you:

Pruning safety

Leaf removal safety

OBJECTIVE: To help workers recognize, prepare for, and prevent hazards common to pruning.

OBJECTIVE: To be able to identify and prevent the potential hazards associated with fall leaf removal.

Hearing protection

Staying safe on the roads

OBJECTIVE: To know the effect of noise on hearing and to practice proper protection against unsafe noise levels.

OBJECTIVE: To help company drivers understand the risks and how to adjust their driving behaviors during adverse weather conditions.

SAFETY WORKS

Job hazard analysis

Hardscape installation safety

OBJECTIVE: To explain a job hazard analysis and encourage employees to recognize and evaluate workplace hazards.

OBJECTIVE: To identify potential hazards during hardscape installation and provide prevention and protection strategies.

Get the training Overhead power line hazards OBJECTIVE: To educate employees on the hazards of working near overhead power lines.

Visit UAC's Safety School to get training materials (training notes, slide presentation, attendance sheets) on a variety of safety topics.

Log in and start your safety training today!

UAC Safety School is available online to all business-level UAC members. Here's how to access: > Go to urbanagcouncil.com > Use the "MEMBERSHIP" menu tab > Click on "Members-only content" under "MANAGE" > Use the email address and password that is associated with your UAC membership

Hazard communication OBJECTIVE: To inform employees about the chemical hazards they face in the workplace, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), and labeling requirements.

> Need help? Contact us:

Call 706.750.0350 or

email office@georgiauac.com > Scroll to the "Safety" category on that list and click on "Visit UAC Safety School"

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

> Log in as a member

25

WHAT THE TECH?

Put the social media giant to work for you

6 reasons your company should be advertising on Facebook

by Sara Crawford, Digital Content Specialist, WT Digital Agency While other social media platforms may be on the rise, Facebook is still the most

popular network out there. After the second quarter of 2019, Facebook had 2.4 billion monthly active users. There are, however, only 7 million advertisers on Facebook (Statista), which presents a huge opportunity for businesses.

Facebook advertising is also still relatively affordable.

So there’s really no excuse not to advertise on this social media platform. But if you need more convincing, here are six reasons: Your audience is on Facebook.

What do a lot of people do when they first wake up? Check their preferred social media account on their phones. For many people, this is still Facebook so your business needs to be where your audience is.

1.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

No matter who you’re targeting, your audience is going to be on Facebook. Even though a lot of teenagers are gravitating towards Instagram and Snapchat, there are still many Facebook users in a younger age range. A recent study from Marketplace found that 62% of people aged 12 to 34 were on Facebook (Marketplace.org).

26

Advertising is necessary if you want to be seen. In the past few years, Facebook has become a pay-to-play environment. With a business page, a post will only organically reach about 6.4% of the total number of people who like the page (WeAreSocial.com). The best way to reach the audience you want to reach on Facebook is through paid ads.

2.

3.

You can target the audience of your choosing. It used to be that marketers and advertisers could only have ads on television, radio, billboards, etc. With these ads, there are a ton of people seeing your ad who are never going to be interested in your product or service. With Facebook, though, the more specific you get, the better. If you want to target young professionals in New York who have master’s degrees and own Kindles, you can.

You can target by age, gender, location, education level, interest, behaviors, recent life events, etc. You can also create a lookalike audience to reach followers of your competitors.

You can boost sales and brand awareness. Business owners can reach huge audiences with Facebook advertising. You can gear your ads toward specific goals like link clicks, conversions, or impressions. So whether you’re goal is to lead customers through a sales funnel or simply to promote your brand, you’ll be able to create an ad that will achieve that specific goal.

4.

5.

You can target by age, gender, location, education level, interest, behaviors, recent life events, etc. You can also create a lookalike audience to reach followers of your competitors.

You can do split testing to see which ads are performing better.

Not sure which design to use on your ad?

Are you second guessing the copy? Are you uncertain about the audience you’re showing your ads to? You can create split testing so that two different ads will run at the same time. You can either test the audience and show your ads to two different groups of people or you can test

WHAT THE TECH? the creative and switch up what your audience is seeing. Then Facebook will come back and tell you which ad is performing better.

These are just some of the reasons Facebook advertising is a great idea for your business.

As you play around with ads, you will likely discover several more things you love about them. They truly present a great opportunity to all sorts of businesses.

This information is invaluable. You can learn a lot about whether the ads you’re creating are speaking to people or whether you’re reaching the right people.

6.

It’s easy for your audience to reach out to you. It’s a simple process for your customers and clients to leave comments on your ads or reach out to you with questions or feedback. But be sure to respond quickly.

42% of businesses are able to respond to comments within the first minute of receiving a notification (Locowise.com) so consumers have begun to expect a quick response.

You can create split testing so that two different ads will run at the same time.

About the author Sara Crawford is an author and Digital Content Specialist for WT Digital Agency. In love with the written word, she strives to provide quality content for all of her clients.

The ads are also able to be shared easily.

Four billion posts are shared on Facebook every minute (Zephoria.com) so it’s easy to see how something could go viral quickly on the network. We’ve all seen those posts that suddenly seem to be shared by everyone.

E: sara@wtmarketing.com P: (404) 348-4921 ext. 112

Take your Lawns to the

Level

Concentrate Concentrate

Liquid Aeration

Soil & Plant Formula Directions For Use

SHAKE WELL!

Information regarding the contents and levels of metals in this product is available on the internet at http://aapfco.org/metals.html

Manufactured and Guaranteed by Greene County Fertilizer Company, Inc. P.O. BOX 1346, Greensboro, GA 30642 1-855-606-3378 ▪ greenecountyfert.com F2735

1.0 gal = 8.7 lbs

□

net volume 2.5 gal (9.5 l)

Compatibility: These concentrated materials are compatible with most fertilizers and chemicals but should not be mixed directly with other chemicals. Conduct a jar test as needed to ensure compatibility before tank mixing. Mix in spray tanks with water and proper agitation. Apply in accordance with best management practices (BMP’s) established by your Cooperative Extension Service.

Observe any State or Local fertilizer application regulations.

Caution: Apply only to turf, plants, and soil. If plants are flowering, apply to base of the plant to avoid staining of blooms.This product may stain concrete, wood and other pervious and impervious surfaces.

Keep out of reach of children. If product comes in contact with skin or eyes flush with water immediately.

□

net volume 5 gal (18.9 l)

□ net volume 275 gal (1041.0 l)

CONDITIONS OF SALE Seller warrants that this product consists of the ingredients specified and is reasonably fit for the purpose stated on this label when used in accordance with directions under normal conditions of use. No one, other than the officer or Seller, is authorized to make any warranty, guarantee, or directions concerning this product. Because the time, place, rate of application and other conditions of use are beyond Seller’s control Seller’s liability from handling, storage and use of this product is limited to replacement of product or refund of purchase price. Buyer assumes all responsibility for safety and use not in accordance with label instructions. The product names are registered trademarks of Greene County Fertilizer Company, Inc.

0-0-5

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS SOLUBLE POTASH (K2O)..............5.0% Derived from: Potassium Hydroxide ALSO CONTAINS NON-PLANT FOOD INGREDIENT(S): 8.0% Humic Acid (Derived from Leonardite) Information regarding the contents and levels of metals in this product is available on the internet at http://aapfco.org/metals.html

Manufactured and Guaranteed by Greene County Fertilizer Company, Inc. P.O. BOX 1346, Greensboro, GA 30642 1-855-606-3378 ▪ greenecountyfert.com F2735

1.0 gal = 8.1 lbs

□

Directions For Use

SHAKE WELL!

Tank Mixing: Apply at a minimum rate of 6 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft. and a maximum rate of 9 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft. Dilute with enough liquid to cover 1 acre. Do not apply with less than 7:1 dilution with water. Apply in spring or fall; however, liquid aeration can be done anytime during the growing season. Product is safe for use on all turf types and ornamental plants.

Product is intended to be used as an additive to current fertilizer program.

The mixed product should be agitated prior to and during application.

MIXING WITH FERTILIZERS: N-Ext AIR-8™ can be mixed with liquid fertilizers.

Apply in this order: 1) Water, 2) N-Ext AIR-8™, 3) Water Soluble or Liquid Fertilizer.

Mixing with Pesticide, Herbicide or Fungicide: N-Ext AIR-8™ can be mixed with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides and applied. We recommend the following: Use the product within 24 hours of mixing products (especially with fungicides). Do not over-apply pesticides, herbicides or fungicides as they can have an adverse effect e on the populations of soil organisms.

Store in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. Product will store for 2 years under warehouse conditions.

Compatibility: These concentrated materials are compatible with most fertilizers and chemicals but should not be mixed directly with other chemicals. Conduct a jar test as needed to ensure compatibility before tank mixing. Mix in spray tanks with water and proper agitation. Apply in accordance with best management practices (BMP’s) established by your Cooperative Extension Service.

Observe any State or Local fertilizer application regulations.

Caution: Apply only to turf, plants, and soil. If plants are flowering, apply to base of the plant to avoid staining of blooms. This product may stain concrete, wood and other pervious and impervious surfaces.

Keep out of reach of children. If product comes in contact with skin or eyes flush with water immediately.

net volume 2.5 gal (9.5 l)

□

net volume 5 gal (18.9 l)

□ net volume 275 gal (1041.0 l)

CONDITIONS OF SALE Seller warrants that this product consists of the ingredients specified and is reasonably fit for the purpose stated on this label when used in accordance with directions under normal conditions of use. No one, other than the officer or Seller, is authorized to make any warranty, guarantee, or directions concerning this product. Because the time, place, rate of application and other conditions of use are beyond Seller’s control Seller’s liability from handling, storage and use of this product is limited to replacement of product or refund of purchase price. Buyer assumes all responsibility for safety and use not in accordance with label instructions. The product names are registered trademarks of Greene County Fertilizer Company, Inc.

MAXIMIZE YOUR FERTILIZER PROGRAM’S POTENTIAL High Performance Plant Nutrients • Fertilizers • Specialty Products • Soil Amendments 1.855.606.3378 greenecountyfert.com Field/Tech Support Buy Direct/Ship Direct/Pick-up Corporate HQ/MFR: Greene County Fertilizer Company • 1490 Airport Road • Greensboro, Georgia 30642

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

CONTAINS NON-PLANT FOOD INGREDIENT(S): 6.0% Humic Acid (Derived from Leonardite) 3.0% Sea Kelp Extract (Derived from Ascophyllum Nodosum)

The mixed product should be agitated prior to and during application.

Do not exceed 3 ounces when daytime temps are above 85 degrees.

Tank Mixing: Apply at a minimum rate of 3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft. and a maximum rate of 6 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft. Dilute with enough water to cover 1 acre. Do not apply with less than a 7:1 dilution with water. wate Product is safe for use on all turf types and ornamental plants.

Product is intended to be used as an additive to current fertilizer program.

The mixed product should be agitated prior to and during application.

MIXING WITH FERTILIZERS: N-Ext RGS™ can be mixed with liquid fertilizers.

Apply in this order: 1) Water, 2) N-Ext RGS™, 3) Water Soluble or Liquid Fertilizer.

Mixing with Pesticide, Herbicide or Fungicide: N-Ext RGS™ can be mixed with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides and applied. We recommend the following: Use the product within 24 hours of mixing products (especially with fungicides). Do not over-apply pesticides, ove herbicides or fungicides as they can have an adverse effect on the populations of soil organisms.

Store in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. Product will store for 2 years under warehouse conditions.

27

BUSINESS

Professional juggling

How to handle multiple competing priorities under pressure

by Erin Saunders, ON Services There’s also science behind the power of the list.

Daniel Levitin, the author of The Organized Mind explains, “Most people can only hold about four things in their mind at one time. List-making takes that mental juggling out of the picture.

You don’t have to think about what you have to do, and you’re not distracted since it’s written down in front of you (Basu, 2016).”

Lists are a way to understand the tasks ahead, capture new things as they are thrown at you, and take the pressure out of trying to remember what you need to focus on.

2.

Valentin Salja and Kathy G. Johnson

There are things we can do with a little organization, planning, and strategic multitasking that can help us get through the busy times without missing a beat.

Customers are calling. Deadlines are

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

looming. Employees have questions. Positions are open. We’ve all been in situations where we feel like there is more on our plate than we can possibly tackle in one sitting. These times can feel overwhelming and stressful.

28

There are things we can do with a little organization, planning, and strategic multitasking that can help us get through the busy times without missing a beat.

First, understand what is really in front of you. Make a list of all the things you need to get accomplished. This is most likely going to be a fluid list, as demands are going to change. Lists create a tangible way to track our priorities and tasks ahead of us.

1.

Next, prioritize your list. Consider the urgency or deadline associated with each deliverable. Understand the impact of focusing on the task vs. delaying it. How important is it that you tackle that action item? Once you understand the urgency and importance, you can decide what to focus on first.

Don’t forget the power of tackling those small or quick items on your list. Studies have shown that each time we cross off a task on a list, our brains release a small amount of dopamine, a chemical in our brain that helps with motivation and positive reinforcement (Saez, 2019).

It also matters whether you like the task you’re completing. If there are things you don’t like to do, or are dreading, it’s best to complete them all at once. In her Yale Course, the "Science of Well Being," Professor Laurie Santos explains, “If you have a horrible problem set that you don’t want to do, do the whole thing at once.

Don’t break it up into 15-minute things where you take a break, because every time you go back to it, it’s going to be bad (Santos, 2019).”

BUSINESS When you tackle unpleasant tasks all at once, and cross things off your list, it’s going to reward your brain and make you more motivated to continue.

3.

Make the big small. Have a problem in front of you that feels unwieldy or insurmountable? Break it into pieces.

It can help to take a step back and think about what individual things need to be done to comprise the whole of the challenge. This can also help you figure out when you need to include others, when you need additional information, and when you can delegate pieces of the project.

Make sure you’re carving out time in the day to be able to focus on tasks and action items. Block time on your calendar specifically to tackle things on your list.

This will help prevent you from being caught up in so many meetings or unplanned tasks that you can’t focus on what you need to get accomplished for the day.

4.

Be on the lookout for problems.

Many of us work through our tasks hoping that problems won’t arise. While this may be true for some activities, it’s unrealistic to expect that every project will be problem free.

you letting people know you are focused on the results, but you’re also making sure everyone is clear on next steps and included in the process.

Finally, be flexible. As much as you plan, change is inevitable. When you know to expect it, you can adjust to it quickly and calmly. When expectations shift suddenly, it can be disconcerting. Counter the effects of stress by taking a step back and focusing on being calm. Shift your workload as needed, remembering to focus on what is most immediate and most important.

7.

When work feels overwhelming, view it as a challenge to be tackled. With a little organization and strategy, you can tame the unwieldy and restore balance to your professional life.

About the author Erin Saunders is Director of Human Resources with ON Services in Norcross, GA.

5.

Instead, be on the lookout for potential problems or challenges. This will help you spot them early and minimize their impact.

Get feedback. Lots of it. Loop in the people who are affected by your work.

If it’s customer focused, reach out to your client and let them know your plan. Manage their expectations and get input from them on your timing or approach.

The same thing holds true for internal stakeholders. Help your teams determine what’s important to focus on. When they are struggling, help them understand how to prioritize their day. When appropriate, delegate tasks to those on your team. By getting feedback, not only are

UAC has new numbers

Please make a note of them.

Phone: 706.750.0350 Fax: 404.900.9194

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

6.

P: 770-457-0966 E: Esaunders@ONservices.com

29

BUSINESS

Telephone 101

Are your first impressions first rate?

by Tom Borg Let’s talk about your green industry company’s first impressions.

Photo by Michal Bahn, FreeImages

Even if you think your company does a pretty good job managing this all-important step, you’ve probably not given it all the attention it deserves.

Experts agree that how your telephone is answered at your small business increases or decreases the possibility of gaining new customers.

In this article we'll look at just one aspect of this process: the way your telephone is answered. Experts agree that how your telephone is answered at your small business increases or decreases the possibility of gaining new customers.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

It has been said you only get one chance to make a good first impression, yet your managers and employees are giving first impressions every time they answer the telephone.

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Most business owners would concur that the first contact your prospects have with your company can make or break the relationship. When consistently done properly, it can be viewed as part of an all-important process that funnels more and more new clients into your business.

Imagine these scenarios 1. Your prospect picks up your beautiful color mailer describing your wonderful green industry services and decides to call your office number listed. The phone rings several times and then finally, one of your office staff answers the phone sounding rushed and frantic.

Your prospect calls your office. The phone rings three times and immediately they get a poorly recorded message asking them to leave their name, number and, nature of their request and that someone will get back to them at a “later time.”

2.

A potential customer calls your office and a gruff sounding person curtly tells them to hold. No, friendly greeting, just the words “please hold.”

3.

None of the three scenarios spell certain success for any green industry company hoping to gain new clients. Yet, this barrier to trust building and winning new customers plays out time and time again every day throughout North America.

Paying the price According to Susan Wilson Solovic, CEO, SBTV.com: “A customer may be impressed with your firm’s product or service, but their impression may change dramatically the first time they call your office. How your business phone is answered says a lot about your firm. If your employees are rude or mishandle customers, it could cost you more than one customer. Word-of-mouth can transform that one bungled call into ten lost contracts, because there is no fury like a customer scorned!”

Take that thought one step further. Today, with social media, one bad call response could be shared with thousands of potential customers in a matter of minutes.

The root of the problem Let’s look at some of the reasons why this happens all too often.

BUSINESS First on the list: many business owners don’t even realize it is happening. They don’t call their office or actually listen to how the telephone is being answered. They have not had anyone directly complain to them about the less than professional manner that is being used. They don’t have the foggiest notion that the people they have entrusted to answer their business phone are not doing it properly. Plain and simple, they don’t know they don’t know.

One suggestion would be to block your caller ID and from time to time call your office. Another approach is to have a friend call your office.

There are services that will record all of your business calls which can give you complete, firsthand recordings of what and how your line is being answered.

One caution here is to use it as an assessment and learning tool. If your staff is not answering the telephone properly, use it as an opportunity to teach them how to do it the right way. Do not penalize them for not possessing the knowledge

and skill sets they should have possessed, or been taught, before they started answering the office line.

Once you have assessed the situation and see the need for improvement, create a checklist of what needs to happen when that lifeline to your future and present clients is answered. Some of the items you can include on that list for answering the telephone properly are:

>

Maximum number of rings before call is answered.

> > > > > > >

Which employees should answer it.

Proper attitude.

Tone of voice.

Pace and tempo.

Words and phrases used.

Questions that should be asked.

Next steps to be taken.

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BUSINESS When it comes the number of times a phone should be allowed to ring, most experts would agree that between the second and third ring is about right. If you answer too quickly it could surprise the customers calling in. If it is more than three rings they may not wait for you to answer, assuming no one is there or you are too busy for them.

As far as who should answer the phone, this is something you will want to strategize.

Depending on the type of position your employees hold, it may not be practical for everyone to be assigned telephone duty. The main thing is that the phone is answered promptly and courteously by a knowledgeable representative.

Regarding a proper attitude, tone of voice and pace, the person answering the phone should be pleasant and have the mindset of wanting to help the caller. A moderate pace and tempo is best. Not rushed nor too slowly.

When it comes to the words used when answering your business line, there are a couple of ways to do it:

“Good afternoon, ABC Landscaping Company. This is Jeff speaking. How may I help you?”

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

For some companies this will work fine. For others it might be a mouthful, especially if they have a long company name. If that is the case, another approach could be to use the following approach:

32

“RT Benson Lawn Care and Christmas Décor, this is Jeff.”

This option offers the ability to shorten the number of words used when answering the telephone.

What the person answering the phone does here is eliminate the words “good afternoon” and the words “how may I help you.”

To compensate for this approach and give a professional impression, the person answering the telephone must make sure that they use a

cheerful and upbeat inflection in their voice when saying the words “RT Benson Lawn Care and Christmas Décor” to imply good morning.

When they complete the greeting with the words, “This is Jeff,” an inflection in the voice of the person answering the telephone should imply that he or she can help the person calling.

Your employees who answer the telephone should know which questions to ask and be well informed and competent, so they can assist the caller in getting what they need and want.

They should be well versed on which steps need to be taken to help the customer receive or begin receiving the service or products your company has to offer.

Start with a plan Of course none of this happens by accident.

Having a well thought-out plan to train every employee is a must. If you skip this step you are only asking for trouble. You will not get consistent quality from your team.

So, in summary, to make sure you and your team give a great first impression each and every time, take the time to train them on the proper way to answer the telephone. The results will speak for themselves with a happier client base and increased profits to your bottom line.

About the author Tom Borg is a team performance and customer experience expert who works with Green Industry business owners who want their leadership teams to connect, communicate and work together more effectively without all the drama. Tom does this through his consulting, training, coaching, behavioral, emotional quotient, driving forces assessments, and job benchmarking tools. To ask him a question please call (734) 404-5909 or email him at: tom@tomborg.com or visit his website at: www.tomborgconsulting.com.

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BUSINESS

Training for PMPs

UGA Extension's online program saves time, money

by Sharon Dowdy for CAES News In doing so, he has also opened up access to training from UGA Cooperative Extension to many more people and significantly expanded the reach of his program.

“No other state that I’m aware of does this for credit. It’s a good idea. They don’t have to leave their office or their home to get the education they need to do their jobs,” said Suiter, director of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ structural pest management extension and research program on the UGA Griffin campus. “And the instructors are all PhDs so you are getting highcaliber, research-based training.”

Getting the Best of Pests reaches out to the Georgia green industry offering CEU Category Credits from the privacy and luxury of a home or office environment. The pest control operators shown logged into a webinar from their Florida-based office.

Whether they are running an independent business or working for a large corporation, pest management

professionals (PMPs) know that time is money.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

For busy professionals, finding the time to keep certifications current by completing mandated continuing education units (CEUs) means finding time in busy schedules to attend classes, taking time away from work and possibly inconveniencing important clients.

34

To help make scheduling less of an issue, a University of Georgia entomologist took his training program for PMPs and private and commercial pesticide applicators to the web.

By offering a series of education courses online, including those for CEUs, Dan Suiter relieved the stress for license holders who are searching for continuing education courses, sometimes at the last minute.

The webinar series has now been educating PMPs in Georgia and beyond since 2013. The technical side of things is managed by the staff in the Center for Urban Agriculture at UGA-Griffin. The webinars average about 300 participants but have attracted as many as 572.

Since the program moved online, 29 webinars have been delivered to 4,700 people from 16 states and Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, India and Afghanistan.

“A pest control company employee can now sit in his or her office, watch a 55-minute webinar and get an hour of CEU credit,” ~ Dan Suiter “They don’t have to drive 60 miles to a class and miss a whole day of work. They can be in their truck, headed to a job 10 minutes later.

And their carbon footprint is much lighter now. Individual companies have enrolled as many as 90 employees among numerous offices throughout Georgia for a single webcast.”

The programs have included speakers from UGA and other universities in Georgia, Florida,

BUSINESS Tennessee, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia, Malaysia and Germany. Government agency and industry representatives who have contributed to the classes have come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Orkin, Rentokil, Univar and Douglas Products, as well as pest control industry consultants.

“These types of webinars are critical for our industry,” says Freeman Elliott, president of Orkin U.S. and a member of the CAES Advisory Council. “We use a blend of our own webinars we produce, as well as ones like Dan’s, for initial and ongoing training.

Whether a company has two employees or 2,000 employees, they all have the need for timely knowledge that meets them where they are. Most of the employees in this industry are route-based or are sprinkled across the state, so delivering knowledge remotely is a huge avenue for learning.”

In 2017, a series of webinars geared specifically to the green industry was added to allow professionals who hold licenses in a variety of categories to earn CEUs online.

UGA Extension agents, like Wade Hutcheson in Walker County, say the webinars are useful and time-saving.

“They provide an easy way for me to engage with green industry professionals and commercial and private pesticide licensees and deliver continuing education,” he said.

“The webinars are delivered by experts in the

The webinars are archived and are available on demand at www.gtbop.com for those who can’t log in on the day of the session. In Georgia, clients can also go to their local UGA Extension office and earn CEUs by watching the recording of a past webinar.

“This especially comes in handy for those who realize they quickly need two hours of credit,” Suiter said. “If a county agent’s schedule allows, the agent can proctor the webinar and the state has verification that the licensee watched the webinar. The archives also can be used by county agents to build or supplement new programming. In teaching, tenure-track faculty can use the archives as fillers during absences.”

Suiter set out to reach more Georgians, but the webinar series has attracted people from across the U.S. and Mexico. CEUs for Alberta, Canada, will be added in 2019.

Residents of Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee can also earn CEUs for attending or viewing the green series webinars. Structural pest control credits can be awarded to license holders in Alabama, British Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Nova Scotia and Labrador Newfoundland.

“We’ve even had someone log in from Afghanistan,” Suiter said. “He lives in Alabama but is working for a contractor based in Afghanistan. He still has to keep his Alabama CEUs current.”

About the author

Sharon Dowdy is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Coming in 2020:

Turf training webinars!

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

In 2017, six webinars were held for PMPs and six for the green industry. In late 2017, Suiter turned management of the green industry webinar series over to UGA-Griffin faculty members Bodie Pennisi, professor of horticulture, and Shimat Joseph, assistant professor of entomology, who have run the program since January 2018. In 2019, 12 webinars for pest control operators and six webinars for the green industry are scheduled.

field and are full of current, practical, solid information, techniques and methods that contribute to an applicator using pesticides wisely.”

35

BUSINESS

May good management skills be with you What's your Star Wars management style?

by Mary Elizabeth Williams-Villano

Darth Vader Autocratic

Photo by CloudyPixel on Unsplash

Autocratic managers rarely take council from anyone else, and when they do, they only approve previously-laid plans.

This management style used to be pretty popular back in the day, but current workplace practices have shifted to something less authoritative.

Managerial styles can be difficult to master, but with the right training on Dagobah

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

(or a quick self-assessment with help from this article), anything is possible.

36

Finding the right management style makes it less likely you’ll walk into that board meeting announcing, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

And while Han Solo’s advice of, “Don’t get cocky” definitely applies, we’ve got good reason to believe that the Force, and good management skills, will always be with you. (So long as you’re not attempting to rule the galaxy.)

Let’s take a look at the Star Wars Universe to determine who was the best boss in that galaxy far, far away.

You don’t become ruler of the Sith and the head honcho of the Galactic Empire without making a few enemies–or slaughtering hundreds of people with your lightsaber. Like Vader, autocratic managers rarely take council from anyone else, and when they do, they only approve previously-laid plans. Anything less than wholehearted support is met with serious consequences. Or, in Captain Lorth Needa’s case, a fatal Force-choke. Apology not accepted.

This management style used to be pretty popular back in the day, but current workplace practices have shifted to something less authoritative. We can’t say we’re unhappy about it–we’re not interested in losing a hand.

“I find your lack of faith disturbing.”

Episode IV: A New Hope

Emperor Palpatine Darth Sidious Persuasive Persuasive managers are some of the sneakiest.

While it appears they want to hear from others, they exert most of their energy attempting to show their subordinates why their own plan was the right one all along. This can work well if a leader allows others to ask them questions and offer suggestions, but Palpatine wasn’t known for that kind of merciful persuasion.

Instead, he uses his power to manipulate the Galactic Senate, eventually securing his role as dictator. It’s a slippery slope from persuasive to autocratic, and it took less than two films for Palpatine to arrive at the bottom of it.

“There is nothing I do not know.

Nothing that is worth knowing, anyway.”

Boba Fett: Pursuit

BUSINESS

Qui-Gon Jinn

Padmé Amadala

Laissez-faire

Democratic

Coming from the French for “let them do it,” laissez-faire managers act more as mentors rather than overt superiors, allowing their employees function more like apprentices in practicing their craft. As such, Jedi Master QuiGon Jinn is a perfect fit. He’s level-headed and incredibly talented, but he allows Obi Wan to be involved in their missions. He offers the younger Padawan opportunities to prepare to eventually become a Master himself. While laissez-faire approaches don’t work in every situation, they can be a limited-time option for certain projects.

They let less-experienced team members try their hand at something hard–like defeating a powerful Sith Lord by slicing him in half.

Despite her title as Queen of Naboo, Padmé earned all of her titles, both royal and political, through democratic election. This pattern of power was reflected in her leadership skills. She traveled to distant planets and appeared before important rulers to save her country. When acting as Senator, she pledged her support to anti-violence measures against the Separatist uprising. Modern-day managers can apply her wise approach to leadership by refusing to allow important titles to shield them from helpful critiques and by asking those with important information to share their input for the good of their team. We’re just hoping the average democratic manager dresses just as fashionably as Padmé.

“I’m not testing you, Obi-Wan. Life tests you! Every day it brings you new chances for triumph or defeat. And if you pass the test, it doesn’t make you a Jedi. It makes you human.”

Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Originally published by Manta at manta.com.

Manta is one of the largest online resources dedicated to small business. Learn more and create your free company profile at manta.com.

“All mentors have a way of seeing more of our faults than we would like. It’s the only way we grow.”

Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Yoda Consultative

“If no mistake have you made, yet losing you are… a different game you should play.”

Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Photo by Jim Tegman on Unsplash

While consultative managers tend to ask their employees for input, the decision ultimately rests in their hands.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

While consultative managers tend to ask their employees for input, the decision ultimately rests in their hands. In the case of Star Wars, those hands are tiny and green and only have three fingers. In Episodes I-III, Yoda sits as Grandmaster of the Jedi High Council. And while he takes advice from other members, his opinion always holds the most weight.

Even after his death, Yoda still goes against considerations offered by others if he believes his idea is right; his choice to burn the tree holding the Sacred Texts in The Last Jedi came as a shock to Luke (and honestly, to the rest of us watching in the theatres).

37

BUSINESS

Video marketing

Strategies for any budget

by David Lutkin, Manta Contributor If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many is a video worth?

Photo by Hello I'm Nik on Unsplash

For short-format videos which you will release directly on social media, smartphones and tablets are the quickest and most effective capturing methods.

The idea of video marketing might produce images of a huge camera on a dolly, with independent sound and lighting crew.

While this is often the case for high-budget advertisements, these are not essential for an effective video marketing campaign.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Web usage data suggests that users are shifting towards mobile device browsing over desktop browsing. Users also tend to access their mobile devices more frequently throughout the day, but for shorter spans. Given these trends, your video marketing strategy might be more effective if you regularly release content. This will allow you to appear more frequently on your target audience’s various social media feeds.

38

Here are some tools and strategies that you can use to create marketing videos to suit your budget.

Planning your shots A full storyboard is probably overkill for smallerscale videos. That said, you should have a clear idea of what story each video is telling.

With decreasing attention spans, shorter content is increasingly instrumental in keeping your audience engaged with your content.

You also need to be quick out of the gate with grabbing your audience’s attention. With scrolling feeds, it is easy for your audience to skip past your content if it is not quickly stimulating.

After an eye-catching introduction, you can convey the essence of your message. Be sure to use visuals which strongly enforce what it is you are saying.

On top of being catchy and memorable, try and produce something original. This doesn’t mean each video has to be unique, it means your brand videos should have an identifiable character. You should try to keep this character consistent throughout all your videos. This has the effect of creating a feeling of familiarity with your brand. A great example of this would be GoPro’s marketing videos. It doesn’t take long to recognize a GoPro video.

Distribution channels Where you are planning to share your videos will have a large effect on what tools you will use to create your videos. is the biggest name in video 4 YouTube consumption and discovery. This is on

top of being America’s most popular social media platform. The versatility and ubiquity of YouTube make it a good starting point for distributing your videos across multiple channels. The inbuilt data tools will also come in handy.

and Snapchat are great 4 Instagram for shorter videos, especially if you are targeting a younger audience.

Vertical vs. horizontal In days gone by, shooting video in vertical orientation was almost a cardinal sin. Presently, there are use cases where vertical videos are preferable.

BUSINESS The biggest factor here is how your audience will be viewing your video. A general rule of thumb is: if it’s for mobile consumption go for vertical, if it’s for desktop or TV, go for horizontal.

Do not switch between the two orientations in one video.

Video-capture hardware You should use the best-quality hardware that you can. Here are a couple of good options for the kinds of camera hardware you can use for capturing your shots. cameras. If you prefer and have 4 Digital time for capturing your shots on one device

and editing on another, a standalone camera will offer you better picture and sound quality. A DSLR camera like the Canon 80D or a compact digital camera like the Sony RX100-IV are two suitable and versatile options for easy video-capture.

and tablets. Companies 4 Smartphone like Apple and Samsung have both run

campaigns highlighting the video capture capabilities of their devices. For shortformat videos which you will release directly on social media, this is the quickest and most effective capturing method.

Factors to be aware of include the resolution and fps of the camera in your mobile device.

Optional extras

are great for producing establishing 4 Drones and transitional shots. They will definitely add variety but will also add to your budget and production time.

microphones can be useful if the 4 External audio you are capturing needs to be clearly heard.

Drones will definitely add variety but will also add to your budget and production time.

Editing software Once you have your shots you need to transform them into the story that you want to tell.

Apps like Instagram and Snapchat have their own editing options, which are usually sufficient for the type of content shared on their platforms. There are more options if you prefer more fine-grained control or for larger projects. iMovie is the perfect introduction to making video if you own an Apple device. It is available on both mobile and desktop.

Other desktop software options include Lightworks, Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro. Similarly, Android has a few dedicated options like PowerDirector or VideoPad.

Kaizen

(continuing improvement) For your first couple of videos, focus more on familiarizing yourself with the tools than on perfecting the details. Once you have found the video voice of your brand, you will improve with each successive video.

About the author

David Lutkin is a British Scotsman who enjoys the adventures and challenges of travel. Passionate about videography and literature, and has a habit of playing with, breaking and usually fixing anything mechanical or technical. BSc in Software Engineering and Business. In a long-term, obsessive relationship with music.

Originally published by Manta at manta.com.

Manta is one of the largest online resources dedicated to small business. Learn more and create your free company profile at manta.com.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

4

Tripods are recommended for static shots while gimbals are recommended for moving shots. A mid to high-end smartphone combined with a DJI Osmo Mobile 2 is a great toolkit for many video types.

Photo by Diana Măceşanu on Unsplash

39

INDUSTRY

New horticulture leadership

Lombardini named head of UGA Department of Horticulture

by Sharon Dowdy for CAES News Plant physiologist Leo Lombardini joined the University of Georgia as head of the Department of Horticulture on September 1.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Lombardini, who will lead the department in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), comes to UGA from Texas A&M University, where he served on the Plant physiologist Leo Lombardini joined the University of Georgia as head of the faculty for the past 17 Department of Horticulture on Sept. 1, years. Most recently 2019. He comes to UGA from Texas A&M he was a professor University, where he served as founding of horticulture and director of the Center for Coffee Research founding director and Education at the Borlaug Institute for of the Center for International Agriculture.

Coffee Research and Education at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture.

40

“When the opportunity came up to continue my career at UGA, an institution which is known worldwide for its excellence in research, education and extension programs, as well as its traditions, I knew I could not pass,” Lombardini said. “And now I can say that I could not be prouder to join this prestigious department and university.”

horticulturists who will form the foundation of the department’s future,” Lombardini said.

“Though we might have new faces in the future, I can assure you that our commitment to excellence, research and teaching will not change.” ~ Leo Lombardini He plans to spend the upcoming months traveling the state to learn more about Georgia’s horticulture industry and discuss ways to develop new relationships and strengthen existing partnerships with industry leaders.

A native of Italy, he received a laurea degree (equivalent to a combined bachelor's and master’s degree) in forestry from the University of Florence in Firenze, Italy, and a doctorate in horticulture from Michigan State University.

Lombardini joined Texas A&M University in June 2002 as an assistant professor of horticulture and pecan physiology. His research focused on plant physiology, especially in relation to plant responses to environmental stress and gas exchange. He also taught undergraduate and graduate courses in plant physiology and global issues in horticulture.

He joined the Borlaug Institute in 2014 as the director deputy director of world coffee research and became the founding director of the Center for Coffee Research and Education in 2016.

Looking ahead, he sees the next few years as a time of great change for the CAES Department of Horticulture as a few key tenured faculty members are retiring.

For more about the UGA Department of Horticulture, visit the department's website: hort.caes.uga.edu

“It will be challenging to replace so many outstanding scholars, colleagues and friends, but it will important to take advantage of those opportunities to invest in the next generation of

Sharon Dowdy is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

About the author

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41

INDUSTRY

UGA scientist honored

Wayne Hanna receives Lifetime Achievement Award

by Clint Thompson for CAES News University of Georgia scientist Wayne Hanna has

received his share of awards, but he says there’s something extra special about the Lifetime Achievement Award he received at the National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB) annual meeting on August 28, 2019.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Jim McFerson (right), director of Washington State University’s Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, presents famed USDA turfgrass breeder Wayne Hanna, UGA professor of crop and soil sciences, with the National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB) Lifetime Achievement Award at the NAPB's annual meeting in Pine Mountain, Georgia.

42

“I think the biggest satisfaction that comes from winning the award is that the efforts in Tifton are recognized and acknowledged,” Hanna said.

Hanna has served as a part-time professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences on the UGA Tifton campus since 2003. This followed a successful 32-year career as a research geneticist and research leader with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) in Tifton, Georgia.

Hanna, whose specialty is crop genetics and plant breeding, has authored or co-authored more than 670 scientific papers. He’s developed and released 31 cultivars and 35 parental lines, inbreds and improved germplasms of turf, ornamental and forage genera; this includes 27 plant patents and four plant patents in final review.

His cultivars are planted across the world as forage for summer grazing and on landscapes, golf courses and athletic fields — including those staging the World Cup and Olympics.

Hanna was well deserving of the award, according to Jim McFerson, professor of horticulture at Washington State University and chairperson of the NAPB Awards Committee.

“For more than 50 years at both the USDA ARS and the University of Georgia, Dr. Hanna has assembled and distributed forage and turfgrass germplasm, developed and released highly successful turfgrass varieties, published hundreds of papers on breeding and genetics, and trained numerous graduate students and postdocs. Dr. Hanna is exactly the kind of scientist, mentor and human being the NAPB seeks to honor with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.” ~ Jim McFerson

Professor of horticulture, Washington State University Chairperson, NAPB Awards Committee

A native of Texas, Hanna earned a doctorate in genetics from Texas A&M University in 1970.

During the first 32 years of his career, Hanna studied male sterility systems, reproductive and chromosome behavior, radiation and plant improvement, hybridization, gene action, linkage and inheritance analyses, alien germplasm transfer, and forage quality components.

INDUSTRY Over the past 16 years, he has developed seed sterile ornamental grasses, ornamental peanut, cold tolerant citrus, and coneless pine trees.

Hanna is a member of the NAPB, Golf Course Superintendents of America, Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association, Turfgrass Producers of America, American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America, and the Georgia Urban Ag Council.

He has received multiple awards during his illustrious career, including induction into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2011 and into the Agricultural Research Services Science Hall of Fame in 2006. He was named Inventor of the Year by the UGA Research Foundation in 2003, the same year he received the C. Reed Funk Achievement Award from the Turfgrass Breeders Association.

“Say, a lady calls me from north Atlanta and says, ‘Wayne, ‘TifBlair’ has given me the prettiest lawn I’ve ever had.’

That’s the best award you can get. Or you have a cattleman from Texas that says, ‘This grass that you developed has made me more money than anything I’ve ever done.’ Those are really good feelings.” ~ Wayne Hanna Professor of crop and soil sciences, University of Georgia

About the author

Clint Thompson is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences based in Tifton.

These awards recognize his impressive body of work, but Hanna is most proud of the impact his career has made on consumers.

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INDUSTRY

Suiter takes lead role

UGA entomologist chairs Faculty Advisory Committee

by Sharon Dowdy for CAES News University of Georgia Department of Entomology Professor Dan Suiter has been

named the chair of the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture Faculty Advisory Committee.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Suiter’s appointment will enhance the programming aspect of the center, according to Laura Perry Johnson, Dan Suiter is a UGA Extension entomologist based on the university's Griffin campus. associate dean for He directs the structural pest management UGA Cooperative program and was recently named the chair Extension in of the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture the College of Faculty Advisory Committee.

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). Suiter will work closely with center Director Sheldon Hammond, who will continue to oversee the business and personnel administration functions of the center.

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Based on the UGA Griffin campus, the Center for Urban Agriculture supports UGA Extension’s urban programs by providing county agent training programs, tools and resources; communicating the latest research-based urban agriculture advice through newsletters, articles, alerts, publications, videos and social media; organizing new initiatives; collaborating on interdisciplinary projects and research; advancing and updating current program training materials; and administering multiyear programs and projects.

“Our state continues to have population growth and most of that is in the nine largest counties in Georgia. Issues and problems associated with this urban growth come in many forms and cross many disciplines and departments,” Perry Johnson said. “Dan will work to build diverse teams around urban issues and coordinate programming efforts related to urban programs and projects.”

As director of the Georgia Structural Pest Control Training Facility at UGA-Griffin, Suiter coordinates activities at the 3,000 square-foot, partially-built home facility, which is designed to showcase many common construction practices and how they may be attacked by structural pests.

In 2014, mock residential and commercial kitchens and a residential bedroom were added to the facility to allow for the delivery of additional workshops on home integrated pest management (IPM), commercial IPM, school IPM, and controlling bed bugs and termites.

The facility is an invaluable tool used to train Georgia’s pest management professionals and county Extension agents.

In 2006, Suiter developed a 10-week Certificate in Urban and Structural Pest Management program that provides nontraditional students with a broad overview of the pest control industry.

Through his programs, Suiter teaches hundreds of pest control professionals each year and reaches thousands more online through continuing education classes organized by the Center for Urban Agriculture. Archived lessons from the webinar series on urban pest control, taught by faculty from major research universities, can be viewed at the Getting the Best of Pests website. Since 2007, Suiter has taught more than 30,0000 people in more than 20 states.

INDUSTRY Suiter was awarded the D.W. Brooks Award for Excellence in Extension in 2018 for his extraordinary commitment to the mission of UGA CAES. “Over the past couple of years, we have worked to broaden and strengthen the scope and resources of the Center for Urban

Agriculture,” Perry Johnson said. “We have added expertise in training and certification of landscape professionals and structural pest control operators, expanded our support of school and community gardens, local foods, and sustainability as a whole, and added capacity for urban water and homeowner and landscape irrigation, as well as other urban issues.”

Visit the Center for Urban Agriculture website to learn more: ugaurbanag.com

770/233-6107

ugaurbanag.com/certification

Test your knowledge > Gain professional credibility > Join the industry elite

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UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

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URBAN AG

What are soil aggregates?

And why are they so important?

by Nall I. Moonilall, The Ohio State University

These varied shapes allow for healthy soil to have pores spaces for air and water, needed for healthy plant growth.

Aggregate formation

Photo by Nall Moonilall

Soil aggregates retained on a 4.75 mm sieve after wet sieving experiment.

The ground beneath your feet might seem like a uniform material, but it’s really

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

a mixture of soil particles, organic matter, and other mineral/organic components. For a soil to be healthy, it must have good structure.

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Aggregate formation is a complex process.

Soil aggregates are formed through physical, chemical and biological activity below ground.

They are even influenced by human factors, like tilling, walking on the surface, or even how you fertilize your garden. Formation of aggregates begins with finer soil primary particles binding together. You may know that clay particles have a negative charge. And, the fertilizers you use include salts that have positively charged cations (things like potassium nitrate, etc.) The positively charged cations allow the negatively charged clay particles to bind together creating “floccules.” The type and amount of clay minerals in the soil often plays an influential role in aggregation formation.

The second part of aggregate formation deals with cementation. Here, the clay floccules and other soil particles are bonded together by some type of cementing agent. (Here we mean “binding” – not cement like in concrete!)

Examples of cementing agents include organic matter, and liming materials like calcium carbonate. Even types of oxides, like iron and aluminum, can help cement particles together.

Soil is made up of a combination of primary particles – sand, silt and clay. These particles can be bound together into what soil scientists call “aggregates.”

In the case of organic matter, it is broken down by the soil microorganisms and soil fauna (earthworms, etc.). When breakdown occurs, these organisms secrete organic compounds that are the “glue” that makes cementation occur.

These aggregates are clumps of soil that range from the micro level (less than 0.25mm in diameter) to the macro level (greater than 0.25mm in diameter). Furthermore, they can resemble various shapes: granular, blocky, etc.

Plant roots also play a role in aggregate formation by secreting organic compounds called root exudates. These help bind soil together near the root zone. Fungal hyphae also contribute to aggregate formation by entangling and weaving around soil particles.

URBAN AG As you can see, aggregate formation is the result of many interactions and feedback loops occurring below ground.

Soil health Soil aggregates play a major role in soil structure formation and soil health. In agriculture, the stability of aggregates is critical to how well an agroecosystem will function. The pore spaces in soil influence air and water storage, and gaseous exchange. They create habitat for soil microorganisms, and allow for plant root development and penetration. They also assist in nutrient cycling and transport.

Soils that have high aggregate stability are less susceptible to erosion. They hold their shape when exposed to disruptive forces, like water, and do not easily break apart.

Poorly aggregated soils disintegrate easily when exposed to erosive forces. They tend to break down faster, leading to soil degradation. Poor stability can lead to pore spaces being filled in and can ultimately result in the formation of soil crusts. This can lead to reduced infiltration and gaseous exchange. Poorly aggregated soils can reduce crop productivity.

Soil management Soil management often influences aggregate size, shape, and stability. Favorable practices that promote and maintain greater stability include:

Minimizing soil disturbance, like minimal 4 tillage. This reduces aggregate destruction

soil’s function is not reduced;

Managing for 4 grazing. Grasses

have strong root systems, but if animals graze too long, that can be disruptive to the forage system. There are many ways to graze animals and preserve or enhance soil stability; and,

Managing for 4 pest control. The

Photo by Nall Moonilall

Soil crust formation on a soil exposed to simulated rainfall. You can see the crust formation on the surface of the soil as well as how deep the crust extends. (This really is soil – not cement!)

choice of plants and how they are managed (e.g., annual vs. perennial, cover crops, rotation) are highly influential.

The bottom line To recap – soil aggregates are the building blocks that make up soil and their stability is extremely important in the long-term. Soils that are well aggregated exhibit greater soil health, ensure greater agronomic productivity, are less susceptible to soil erosion, and can play a role in carbon sequestration.

This article was originally published at https://soilsmatter. wordpress.com/2019/07/15/what-are-soil-aggregates/.

Reprinted with permission.

Adding organic matter enhances aggregate 4 strength and stability; Keeping soil covered is essential to keeping 4 soil intact. Vegetative cover on the soil reduces the impact of erosive forces;

Promoting a diverse cropping system.

4 Systems that promote perennial plants or

meadows have expansive rooting systems and require no tillage. Promoting this kind of diversity within a system will ensure that

About the Soil Science Society of America The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is a progressive, international scientific society that fosters the transfer of knowledge and practices to sustain global soils. Based in Madison, WI, SSSA is the professional home for 6,000+ members dedicated to advancing the field of soil science.

It provides information about soils in relation to crop production, environmental quality, ecosystem sustainability, bioremediation, waste management, recycling, and wise land use.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

because they are not physically or mechanically broken apart;

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URBAN AG

New ornamental blueberries Bred by UGA for home landscapes

by Sharon Dowdy for CAES News Commercial blueberry varieties must also ripen at one time. In a home setting, gardeners like to pick a bowlful at a time, so they don’t mind an extended ripening season, NeSmith said.

Taking a second look Many of the blueberry plants bred by NeSmith did not meet commercial standards but produced pretty and large fruit or a plant with an attractive shape or foliage. He decided to take a second look at these plants for home gardeners and the edible-ornamental market.

On the campus in Griffin, Georgia, UGA blueberry researcher Scott NeSmith typically breeds new varieties to meet growers' needs.

Now, he's released some ornamental blueberries that are perfect for growing in home landscapes and will help home gardeners grow their own fresh fruit.

For years, University of Georgia plant breeder Scott NeSmith has created

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

blueberry varieties for the commercial market.

Now, he’s introduced a series of blueberry plants bred for home gardeners.

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Blueberries have to travel long distances to get from farmers to consumers. These berries must be extremely firm when they’re picked so they can withstand mechanical harvesting, hold up through long-distance shipping and have a long shelf life, NeSmith said.

“You can’t have berries that leak and ooze while they are being shipped to market,” he said. “But in a home setting, it doesn’t matter because you are going to eat them right away.”

Representatives from the nursery industry also approached him and requested material specifically for home landscapes. They partnered with UGA to provide NeSmith with input and to test the edible-ornamental selections.

“A couple of these new ornamental blueberry releases are ultra-dwarfs and would make for a great patio plant.

Others have attractive foliage during the growing season. You can enjoy the beautiful, colored foliage in the fall and winter; flowers in the spring; and delicious berries in the summer.” ~ Scott NeSmith

“We wanted these plants to produce goodtasting fruit,” he said. “Some produce small, dark berries, and some produce multicolored berries. Above all, you don’t have to worry about whether your kids or grandkids pick and eat them because they are safe to eat.”

NeSmith continues to breed varieties for the home market, including a plant that produces clusters of blueberries and blue-green foliage and another that will hold berries on the bush

URBAN AG for two to three weeks while retaining a superior quality taste.

“Our goal is to help consumers surround themselves with flavorful beauty in their own home landscapes,” he said.

New ornamental options The following are a few of the blueberry varieties NeSmith has released especially for home gardens.

‘BLUE SUEDE’ is a highbush blueberry that produces a normal-sized home garden plant, has attractive, sky-blue fruit and attractive fall foliage, ripens over time, and is self-pollinating.

‘CUTIE PIE’ is a dwarf hybrid that’s compact, with small leaves, generally keeps attractive foliage into the fall, is very attractive during flowering because it puts on a lot of flowers, has small, darker berries, and produces a good crop load.

‘FROSTBERRY DELIGHT’ is a rabbiteye blueberry that produces large, sky-blue berries and blue, green and silver foliage, is self-pollinating, and is heat- and drought-tolerant.

‘SOUTHERN BLUEBELLE’ is a highbush blueberry that’s an ultradwarf plant, produces medium- to large-sized, light-blue fruit and an abundance of berries, and flowers profusely.

‘SUMMER SUNSET’ is a rabbiteye blueberry that has deep green foliage, multicolored berries that turn from light green to yellow to orange to sunset red to midnight blue as they ripen, and produces normal-sized berries with a full-flavored taste.

About the author

Sharon Dowdy is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

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URBAN AG

Conifers bring joy

Dressing up the cool-season landscape

by Norman Winter, Horticulturist, Author and Speaker There is nothing that adds a thrill to the winter landscape quite like conifers. Much

to the chagrin of my wife, I could be forever happy gardening among conifers. I love green selections, blue-gray varieties and there is nothing that causes my heart to race quite like the gold varieties.

Then to add the magic I would like as many shapes and sizes as possible.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

My son James, a landscape guru, just installed a cool-season Even in the South the dwarf Alberta spruce bed for a commercial will work great as a seasonal plant in a coolseason mixed container. client measuring several hundred square feet. Over the years this progressive business has given him the opportunity to use large woody nursery stock as a temporary or seasonal attraction to catch the eye and to make a statement with the hundreds of pansies, dianthus and snapdragons.

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This year a colorful conifer garden was planted and may draw the eye even more than the flowers. Forever Goldy arborvitae, Thuja plicata, a Southern Living Plant Collection conifer, stands out with its 24-karat foliage, making a dramatic statement. It is grown in combination with the blue gray of Carolina Sapphire Arizona cypress, Cupressus arizonica, and Emerald Green arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis.

The small round or compact conifers make just as big of an impact. Gold Mop or threadleaf

cypress, Chamaecyparis pisifera, and Pancake arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis - also a Southern Living Plant Collections conifer but with blue foliage - makes an electrifying, complementary partnership. Supplement with the golden chartreuse foliage of the dwarf Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica ‘globosa nana,’ and you have to bring out the camera.

You can do something similar in your area, whether permanent with your region's recommended conifers or seasonal like in Columbus, GA. You will want to select a site with as much sun as possible. This really allows the colors to pop. The conifers and cool-season annuals alike absolutely must have fertile soil with great drainage.

If your soil is tight, heavy clay and not well drained, then plan on amending it with 3 to 4 inches of organic matter and work the bed to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. The best idea might be to copy what the commercial landscapers do: plant in raised beds using a prepared soil mix.

Even though good drainage is paramount, water will be necessary to allow the conifers to maintain their health and appearance and to get roots acclimated and expanded in your bed.

It is likewise absolutely critical for the pansies and dianthus or the cool-season color of your choice to literally explode with new growth and blooms. Be sure and add a good layer of mulch to keep soil temperatures moderate, conserve moisture and deter weed growth.

In the South the winter season allows us to celebrate like our friends in the north or even the California west coast. If we want to plant a Douglas Fir or Alberta Spruce (or better yet a cluster of three) and grow them as an annual we can do that.

If you don’t think this is a trending idea you should look at how many Lemon Cypresses are being sold. This drop-dead gorgeous

URBAN AG conifer that is more at home along California’s Monterey Bay than the torrid heat and humidity of Georgia is nonetheless a must-have plant. We cannot pass these by; we love them if even for a season.

Conifers bring joy to the garden, porch, patio and deck. The more colors, sizes and shapes the happier we will be, whether we are growing them for a season or a lifetime.

About the author Norman Winter is the former director of the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm, now retired.

These days he is an author and speaker on horticultural topics.

Facebook: NormanWinterTheGardenGuy

Forever Goldy arborvitae and Pancake arborvitae make a picturesque complementary partnership.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Forever Goldy arborvitae and Gold Mop chamaecyparis seem to light up this cool season bed.

Lemon Zest Cypress is a must-have plant for the cool season landscape looking like a Christmas tree surrounded by purple leafed kale.

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URBAN AG

Fall containers

Striking seasonal color combinations that sizzle

by Scott Barnard, FlowerWorx

Autumn is a glorious and welcome season after a long hot summer and yet fall

container creativity can be overlooked at times.

As summer annuals wane, garden centers and growers lure us in with the usual suspects of pansies, violas, mums, ornamental cabbages and kales. It comes as no surprise that our fall containers tend to look increasing familiar throughout our landscape year after year.

Every fall season, I set myself a challenge to design with interesting new accent plant material to pair with flowering pansies and violas. In pursuit of expanding my color palette beyond the use of dusty miller, dianthus and Creeping Jenny, I look to add striking foliage plants like heuchera, euphorbia, carex, sedum and Dwarf Nandina.

In larger containers, the use of conifers such as Alberta Spruce, Blue Ice Cypress, Gold Crest Arborvitae and even a dissectum Japanese maple will anchor and add color, texture and structure while introducing winter interest to your planters throughout the season.

If veggies and herbs are your jam, try planting ornamental kales, cabbages, mustard, Swiss chard, parsley, and rosemary together along with ornamental peppers for a splash of color. This combination creates a colorful and functional container display.

For an early spring surprise in your fall container designs, I recommend planting early double-blooming tulips to make a bold, longlasting statement with a bold color impact.

Peony-shaped tulips such as fiery red Abba

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

As a short-term accent before the first frost arrives, you can use colorful tropical

foliage plants such as croton or Moonlight Philodendron to add a splash of fall color.

Gold Crest Arborvitae, violas and Dusty Miller

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Croton, Sedum Autumn Joy, heuchera, Toffee Twist Carex and dianthus

URBAN AG Tulips or bright yellow Monte Carlo are great performers for containers.

If you would like to add fragrance to your containers, inter-planting hyacinths such as Blue Jacket or Pink Pearl will create a welcoming atmosphere for front door entry and amenity areas.

Just remember, flowering color isn’t the only exciting thing fall has to offer. As color fades throughout the season texture, foliage, and interesting shapes can take center stage. Having a well-balanced mix of textures can be just as pleasing as a riot of warm hues.

About the author Scott Barnard is Owner/Designer of FlowerWorx, LLC, a floriculture design and consultation firm specializing in annuals and container design.

Burgundy Lace Dissectum Japanese Maple with Color Max Icy Blue Violas and Creeping Jenny

C: 404.308.3128 F: 404.257.6357 W: flowerworx.net

Euphorbia, Redbor Kale and pansies

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

Color Max Violas with kale, hyacinth, Monte Carlo and Abba Tulips

Kale Blues Mix with hyacinth

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URBAN AG

Managing community forests, part 3 Tree risk and hazard assessment concepts

by Dr. Kim D. Coder, Professor of Tree Biology & Health Care, Warnell School, UGA

Summing up Once all three hazard risk criteria have been evaluated, a careful and measured response is needed immediately. Figure 11 provides a combination graph of all three hazard assessment criteria, and a shaded area where structural integrity and target risks exceed the given RAT level. It is at this point the assessed tree has become a hazard.

Over quantification There are many ways of trying to assess structural failure in trees and determine risk levels. Presented here is a simple training method to get people started and to insure systematic inspections. Many companies and public entities have proprietary means of assessing risk. Examine different means of quantifying risk to fit your resource management situation.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

The most basic revolves around a simple physic equation. A scientifically based assessment

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system could be built around F = mv2, where “F” is the total force of the impact, “m” is the mass of the object, and v is the velocity upon impact of the object as accelerated by gravity.

In other words, “force equals mass times acceleration.” The bigger an object, and the farther it falls, the greater the force of impact.

No liability formula Using this equation, a risk manager would determine bigger mass and greater height (greater potential energy), as a greater liability risk. The problem with this pure scientific determination is force of impact (F) is not equal to specific damage awards, precise extent of medical injuries, or total liability costs and settlements. A free-falling, unencumbered limb is not normally expected because of other branches and other lines or objects in the way.

A small twig with perfect location of impact and high enough velocity can initiate severe damage and death just as well as a massive branch which crushes all below.

Liability case law paints with a wide brush. You cannot fine-tune tree hazards into a formula unless settlement values and associated costs are accounted for. Risk assessment remains a professional, subjective judgement based upon experience of the assessor and how well a manager/owner has communicated real management objectives and willingness to accept risk.

Risk assessment should not be considered solely a black and white, scientifically determined, decision-making process.

URBAN AG

Documenting risk & hazards Managers need to help owners and resource users to appreciate and understand risks involved with trees. When writing a report or letter describing tree liability risks, be cautious of several things.

The first is to carefully document how an assessment was performed by describing techniques, observations and judgments.

For example, were there ground and aerial inspections, a ground inspection only, or was a root crown excavation completed?

1.

Do not use emotional, subjective, or aesthetic opinions and descriptions of a tree in documentation. For example, a tree may be described as having a “nice, full crown,” but this tells nothing about the structural component of risk assessment completed.

2.

In documentation of tree risk assessment and in professional discussions, you must be able to discuss openly and fully your reasoning behind any risk assessment value.

Always use a standard form to insure coverage of important aspects of the assessment.

3.

Finally, it is crucial that you determine the actual owner of the tree and site. Trees on border lines, or trees treated as borders, need additional review with both owners.

4.

Get the facts, not someone else’s imagining when assessing a tree. Do not take lay-people’s opinions for tree occurrences and conditions — see for yourself !

Non-removal hazards

of pavement by roots (do not 4 buckling sacrifice a tree for $25.00 worth of cement); to building foundations, cisterns, 4 damage and septic systems (use root barriers, release

Check out the Spring & Summer issues of UAC Magazine. Past issues can be accessed by UAC members at any time. Just log in as a member at urbanagcouncil.com. fix engineering problems -- not 4 pressure, biological); of surface roots; 4 presence of small dead wood pieces and 4 presence litter (fruits, flowers, twigs, leaves); are living centers which house 4 trees vertebrates and insects that present injury, disease, and nuisance risks to humans;

in cavities, between branches, 4 entrapment and in soil openings for animals and humans;

branches (dependent upon means 4 face-level of conveyance — bike, skates, walking); to block views and interfere physically 4 serve with safe traffic movement; obstructions for safety and 4 line-of-sight security concerns; and, for property damage (fences, walls, 4 risks roofs, cars, etc.).

Clearly this is not a comprehensive list, but does provide suggestions for building awareness among employees, managers, owners, and users of community forest risks.

Specialty risk areas There are three additional specialty subjects which can generate tremendous risk exposures.

These subjects will not be reviewed here as they represent large areas of management in their own right.

These risk assessment specialty areas are:

> > >

storm damage management including lightning protection; development and construction activities including utility installation; and, maintenance and cultural activities on a site including pesticide and fertilizer concerns.

UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

So far we have discussed events leading to decisions regarding complete tree removal for reducing risk. There are many reasons for a tree to be considered as carrying significant risk, but these may not be enough for removal.

These problems occur commonly in managed landscapes and are termed “non-removal hazards.” Some of these non-removal hazards include:

Did you miss parts 1 & 2 of this article?

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UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

URBAN AG

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URBAN AG Of these specialty areas, storm damage assessments are probably the most universally important, while at the same time most poorly completed, especially for tree loading impacts.

Trees can be major aesthetic, social, and financial losses in storms. Trees can also be liability risks to primary access corridors, emergency personnel, and utility operations in storms. It is important to work with civil defense authorities to minimize storm damage potential, especially along prioritized access corridors.

Trees can be low risk as assessed under normal conditions, but become hazardous under extreme storm loads along primary access routes. Storm management objectives for a site and a tree determines liability risk acceptance levels.

Conclusions Site managers and owners can become confused and fearful of risk management inventories and mitigation processes. Increasing exposure

to liability risks is a fact of modern life. Be aware and positive about this management opportunity. Risk assessment is an integral part of a good community forest management program. To assist in conceptualizing risk management, Figure 12 provides key definitions.

Appendix 1, included in part 2 of this article (Summer 2019 UAC Magazine) provides a field assessment form.

A community forest resources management program includes: A) training and pruning; B) tree vitality maintenance (water, fertilizer, pest control, and preventing damage); C) planting and planting space development; and, D) early problem identification (including liability risks).

There is risk associated with all these program components, but all can be managed to minimize liability exposure.

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UAC MAGAZINE | FALL 2019

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