UAC Magazine - March/April 2017 by Georgia Urban Ag Council

Focus on

horticulture

PLUS

GALA results GEORGIA URBAN AG COUNCIL

GEORGIA LANDSCAPE AWARDS

URBAN AG COUNCIL MAGAZINE GEORGIA

Keeping Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s green industry informed

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

MARCH/APRIL 2017

Advocate. Educate. Promote.1

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

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 Sod Atlanta Chris Nelson Chattahoochee Nature Center Bob Scott Irrigation Consultant Services Ray Wiedman Outdoor Expressions Ron White TurfPride Dixie Speck, Past President Solterra Landscape

Ex Officio Ellen Bauske UGA Extension Public Service Assistant Bodie Pennisi UGA Extension Horticulturist Clint Waltz UGA Extension Turf Agronomist

URBAN AG COUNCIL MAGAZINE GEORGIA

MARCH/APRIL 2017

UAC NEWS

Executive Director message

6 GALA 2016 Georgia Landscape Awards results

REGULAR FEATURES

Save the date

10 Me & my mentor Pruning with a purpose 13

Have you met...Scott Barnard, Colorworx

14 Health & benefits Coming to terms with terms 18 Pro project The Fockele Garden Company 20 Safety works Personal Protective Equipment 22 What the tech? Beginner’s guide to Yelp

BUSINESS 24 Just like me How to avoid interview bias

Staff

26 What’s keeping you up at night? Top 10 concerns

Mary Kay Woodworth Executive Director Kathy Gatten Johnson Marketing Director & Editor

28 Workplace safety By design or by accident?

A member of:

2017 Sod Producers’ Report Survey examines inventory and price

Herbicide pipeline Why is it empty?

URBAN AG

Foundation plants Tolerating hot conditions and hard soil

40 2016 Classic City Awards Best plants of the summer 43 Cape plumbago Your ticket to the butterfly wild kingdom 44 Dazzling color Native blue mistflowers 46 Aerification never hurts And should be a benefit this spring 50

Think outside the boxwood Alternative plants

Organic gardening Soil prep is the key

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

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 Southern Nursery Association

INDUSTRY

UAC NEWS

Dear UAC Members and Supporters,

Drought Monitor - Georgia D3 (Extreme Drought)

The state of Georgia received a nice Valentine’s gift in February,

with the water war judgement that D1 (Moderate Drought) Florida’s case didn’t D0 (Abnormally Dry) hold water (no pun intended). To recap, Florida sued Georgia four years ago in a dispute that has seen decades of previous litigation. Florida claimed that Georgia “diverts too much water from the ApalachicolaChattahoocheeFlint river system and that the diversions have damaged Apalachicola Bay and Franklin County’s seafood industry,” according to the Miami Herald. Florida claimed that Georgia’s water use should be capped. D2 (Severe Drought)

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Judge Ralph Lancaster, the Special Master (appointed by the U.S. Supreme Court) said Florida has not proven “by clear and convincing evidence” that imposing a cap on Georgia’s water use “would provide a material benefit to Florida.”

“Because Florida has not met its burden, I recommend that the court deny Florida’s request for relief,” Lancaster wrote in a 137-page report. The decision doesn’t put an end to the tri-state water war (Georgia, Florida and Alabama), but Lancaster’s recommendation will go to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2017, where the final verdict will be determined. It is expected that Florida will appeal, and Alabama is watching closely. An easy to understand refresher course, “Making Every Drop Count: The Employee’s Role in Water Conservation” can be purchased from UGA: www.caes.uga.edu/departments/horticulture/extension/ educationalprograms-and-resources/supercrew.html

What does this mean to us as Georgia residents, businesses and our industry? While we celebrate this interim victory, we should pay close attention to Governor Deal’s comments: “Georgia remains committed to the conservation efforts that make us amicable stewards of our water. We are encouraged by this outcome which puts us closer to finding a resolution to a decades-long dispute over the use and management of the waters of the basin.” While the spigot has not been turned off, don’t let it run wildly! As of mid-February, we are still operating under Level 2 Drought restrictions. While much of Georgia has received decent winter rainfall, Metro Atlanta and north Georgia counties continue to be listed as “Severe” and “Extreme” drought – and the rainfall is elusive. We are watching very closely as we move into what appears to be a very early spring and warm daytime temperatures, and must be diligent about “preaching” efficient water management and best practices to our member companies, employees and their customers. Brush up on irrigation retrofits to conserve water, pay attention to those clocks, and please visit the www.outdoorwateruse.com website often to determine if water restrictions have changed. Speaking of celebrations – join us to officially kick-off Spring on March 28 at Piedmont Park’s Magnolia Hall! The annual GALA (Georgia Landscape Awards) banquet will feature award-winning projects, and we are very pleased that so many new companies entered their work! Come celebrate the winners and get inspired for your 2017 entries! Online registration is open now (UAC members Mary Kay Woodworth get a discount): Executive Director urbanagcouncil.com.

The secret of our strength is YOU! As a member of Georgia’s premier association for green industry professionals, you have the power to make your industry stronger. Networking & marketing

Diverse educational opportunities, from monthly dinner meetings to workshops that help you meet licensing requirements

Meet industry leaders and get your product or service in front of our growing membership

UAC Magazine

Trade show & ﬁeld days

Six issues/year packed with the information you need on business, industry, and urban ag topics

PLUS:

Legislative support

Education

State and national governmental aﬀairs/legislative monitoring

Judges Choice

The latest trends, newest equipment, and cutting edge research, all brought together for you

Awards From design/build to maintenance to community service to green innovations to safety, UAC awards programs give you a chance to shine and be recognized

Reduce your costs UAC Workers Compensation and Health Beneﬁts programs through WS Pharr/Snellings Walters oﬀer competitive rates and outstanding customer service.

PO Box 817 Commerce GA 30529 | P: 800.687.6949 | E: info@urbanagcouncil.com | urbanagcouncil.com

Tell a colleague about Georgia UAC today!

Your continued support of the Georgia Urban Ag Council shows your commitment to a strong industry.

With your help, we can grow even stronger. Your industry. Your passion. Pass it on.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Advocate.Educate.Promote.

UAC NEWS

GALA

GEORGIA URBAN AG COUNCIL

GEORGIA LANDSCAPE AWARDS

2016 Judges

Judging procedures

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

1. Entries do not compete against each other; they are evaluated using the judging criteria. 2. Judges may designate multiple entries to receive awards within any category. 3. All entries are judged without knowledge of who entered the project. 4. A panel of professionals representing various aspects of the industry evaluate the entries. 5. All judges’ decisions are final.

Bruce Holliday

Greg Huber

Holliday, a landscape architect, is a 40-year veteran of the landscape industry. He is known for his unique on-site scaledsketch design format, and has prepared thousands of his “walk away” plans for homes and businesses, not only in Atlanta, but in Alabama, and the Carolinas.

Huber is a University of Georgia public service faculty member and a registered landscape architect with a 25-year career that blends industry and teaching experience. He leads the Georgia Certified Landscape and Plant Professional Certification Programs through the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture.

Eric King, PLA

Walter Reeves

Jeremy Smearman

For decades, King has been creating award-winning landscapes that work with nature to reduce maintenance. He is a frequent contributor to both local and national magazines and TV stations. He teaches landscape design at Emory CE and consults with local governments on best management practices.

Reeves is retired from 29 years with the UGA Extension Service. He now hosts a call-in radio show, writes a newspaper column for the Atlanta JournalConstitution, manages his extensive website, and writes gardening books.

Smearman has a landscape horticulture degree from North Carolina State University. In the 29 years he has owned Planters, his firm has won over 25 UAC/ MALTA awards and competed for high-end residential projects in seven southeastern states. He enjoyed being on the other side of the judge’s table for a change.

UAC NEWS UAC NEWS Awards

Design/Build/Installation: Small-space

Distinction Floralis Garden Design................................ Yarbrough Residence

Design/Build/Installation: Residential, under $50,000 Merit Merit Merit Distinction Distinction Distinction Grand Green Star

Unique Environmental Landscapes........... Barrett Residence College Pro Landscaping............................. Borth Residence Champion Distinctive Landscaping........... Coffman Residence Under $50 K Classic Landscapes, Inc............................... Cozy Contemporary Fire and Water Art of Stone Gardening............................... Lake Lanier Unique Environmental Landscapes........... Levinson Residence Unique Environmental Landscapes........... Oja Residence Merit Caldwell Tree Care....................................... Velimesis Residence Met the standard for the category

Design/Build/Installation: Residential, $50,000 - $150,000

Merit Art of Stone Gardening................................ Backyard redo Merit Southern Trillium LLC................................ Overcarsh Residence Distinction Southern Trillium LLC................................ Beach Residence Distinction Ed Castro Landscape.................................... Douglas Residence Distinction Unique Environmental Landscapes........... Ortman Residence Plants Creative Landscapes......................... Hendricks Residence Grand

Design/Build/Installation: Residential, over $150,000 Merit Distinction Distinction Grand

Ed Castro Landscape.................................... Weger Residence Bennett Design & Landscape...................... Monical Residence Bennett Design & Landscape...................... Powell Residence Floralis Garden Design................................ Singer Residence

Design/Build/Installation: Commercial, under $75,000

Grand

Plants Creative Landscapes......................... Mindpower

Design/Build/Installation: Commercial, $75,000 - $200,000

Grand

The Fockele Garden Company.................... Smartville Garden

Design/Build/Installation: Seasonal Color - Residential Merit Simply Flowers.............................................. Johnson Residence Merit Simply Flowers.............................................. Van Epps Residence Distinction Simply Flowers.............................................. Suthard Residence

Design/Build/Installation: Seasonal Color - Commercial

Merit Merit Merit Grand Grand Grand

Chatham Landscape Services...................... Post Alexander Highrise Gibbs Landscape Company......................... One River Place Simply Flowers.............................................. Laurel Canyon Simply Flowers.............................................. Hartsfield Jackson Airport Simply Flowers.............................................. The River Club Simply Flowers.............................................. Walton Westside

Landscape Management: Residential Distinction Russell Landscape......................................... Lenbrook

Superior overall

Grand Greatly exceeded criteria

Green Star

Projects that used innovative sustainable solutions

Judges’ Choice

The grand award winner(s) that “WOW”ed the judges, revealed at the awards banquet.

Community Stewardship Projects that improve the residents’ quality of life; promote a safe, healthy, and sustainable environment; contribute to the social and economic well-being of the community; and demonstrate innovative examples of doing well and doing good. Chatham Landscape Services Post Hope 2017

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Distinction

Landscape Management: Commercial

Merit

New Leaf Landscape Services..................... NEGA Braselton Hospital

UAC NEWS

GALA 2016 Grand Awards

GEORGIA URBAN AG COUNCIL

GEORGIA LANDSCAPE AWARDS

Unique Environmental Landscapes

Plants Creative Landscapes

Floralis Garden Design

Plants Creative Landscapes

Singer Residence

Mindpower

The Fockele Garden Company

Simply Flowers

Oja Residence

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Smartville Garden

The River Club

Hendricks Residence

Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Walton Westside

Two grand awards also won Judgesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Choice Awards. Which ones are they?

Come to the banquet and find out! Register now at urbanagcouncil.com

Visit urbanagcouncil.com for updates and to register.

GALA

Sponsored by

UAC Networking + Education Dinner: DATE: Tuesday, April 18 TIME: 5:30 cash bar | 6:30 dinner PLACE: Topiary Courtyard

APR

3045 Jones Mill Rd, Norcross GA 30071 Don’t miss the Safety Zone Awards presentation!

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

ME & MY MENTOR

Pruning with a purpose

Resources for this important training by Bodie V. Pennisi, UGA Horticulture Department Q: “I have been doing a little pruning from time to time in my job but I’ve never had any special training. If I want to learn more, what resources are available to me?” One of the most valuable investments in the landscape is trees; from stately oaks and quintessentially southern magnolias, to colorful maples and graceful birches and willows, these amazing plants give us beauty, shade, clean air, and connection to nature. We surround ourselves with them, we admire their blooms and leaf color through the seasons, and we fret over them during the hot and dry summers. When we plant a young tree we take on a responsibility to make sure it grows into adulthood. Not unlike our own children, urban trees need attention and proper care, sufficient space, light, water, and nutrients. And yes, just like children, they need training in order to behave well and reach their fullest potential.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

This training starts early in the tree’s life; nursery growers take special care to ensure a healthy root system belowground and promote a strong trunk and crown aboveground. This structural framework should be able to withstand wind, snow and ice loads without breaking major

limbs and causing damage to the entire tree. The growers’ responsibility ends with the tree leaving the nursery and being planted in the landscape. The young tree however, is just starting to grow; from now on, it will have to be tended to by us, the landscapers and arborists. So it is our responsibility to ensure that it continues to form that strong structure and is able to meet whatever nature throws at it head on. So we come to pruning - one of the most important jobs (and duties) we have to offer our trees and our customers. Pruning requires more skill and knowledge than most other landscape management practices. When we do it properly and at the right time, pruning results in healthy vigorous trees, improved growth form, and optimum beauty in the landscape. When we prune, it is critical to know where to make proper cuts and how and when to prune for maximum benefits.

The University of Georgia just released the video, Pruning 2. Ornamental Trees, part of the popular SuperCrew series. Written for the landscape employee, it discusses:

Bodie V. Pennisi is Extension Horticulturist and Landscape Specialist in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia. She earned both Master of Science and Doctoral degrees from the University of Florida’s Environmental Horticulture Department. Pennisi joined the Horticulture Department at UGA in 2000. She has statewide responsibilities for the Georgia landscape industry and also teaches Herbs, Spices, and Medicinal Plants, and Plant Physiology. She is responsible for planning and coordinating a statewide Extension program to support the professional landscape industry, and conducting applied research with emphasis on sustainable outdoor and indoor landscapes including plant, water, nutrient, and soil interactions. She assists county Extension agents with landscape trouble-shooting, landscape planning, and local programming. In addition, she teaches Master Gardener training classes on landscape installation and maintenance, WaterSmart landscapes, interiorscapes, herbaceous and woody ornamental plant selection, plant propagation and plant physiology.

ME & MY MENTOR > Proper pruning tools > Types of pruning cuts > Basic tree biology applicable to pruning > Proper techniques for removing large limbs > Timing of pruning Each DVD includes both English and Spanish versions of the training, and includes discussion questions and a quiz, also in both English and Spanish.

More SuperCrew training

In addition to pruning, SuperCrew videos for training landscape employees include nine other titles:

          

Being Safe with Grounds Equipment Job Safety for the Professional Landscape Employee Installation and Establishment of Turfgrasses Making Every Drop Count: The Employee’s Role in Water Conservation Annual Bed Preparation and Installation The Employee’s Role in Landscape Problem Solving Introduction to Pesticide Safety Quality Landscape Management: The Employee’s Role

Pruning Ornamental Plants in the Landscape: Part I: Basic Principles and Techniques of Pruning Ornamental Plants Pruning Ornamental Plants in the Landscape Part 2: Basic Principles and Techniques of Pruning Ornamental Trees For more information and to order, visit: http://www.caes.uga.edu/departments/ horticulture/extension/educationalprograms-and-resources/supercrew.html or just google “UGA super crew.”

The University of Georgia just released the video, Pruning 2. Ornamental Trees, part of the popular SuperCrew series.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Planting Procedures for Woody Ornamentals

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

This is an annually renewable program, beginning on the contribution date.

Available to current UAC business-level members only. Sponsorship levels and benefits

Contribution

DIAMOND $3000 Company name and logo will appear on UAC printed materials, the UAC website (with link to your website), and graphics at UAC-sponsored events; choice of three full-page color interior ads in UAC Magazine OR web banner ad for six months on UAC website (your choice of issues/months). Total maximum value of additional benefits: $1500. TITANIUM $2000 Company name and logo will appear on UAC printed materials, the UAC website (with link to your website), and graphics at UAC-sponsored events; choice of two full-page color interior ad in UAC Magazine OR web banner ad for four months on UAC website (your choice of issues/months). Total maximum value of additional benefits: $1000. PLATINUM $1000 Company name listed on UAC printed materials, the UAC website (with link to your website), and graphics at UAC-sponsored events; choice of one full-page color interior ad in UAC Magazine OR web banner ad for two months on UAC website (your choice of issue/months). Total maximum value of additional benefits: $500

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

GOLD $500 Company name listed on UAC printed materials, the UAC website (with link to your website), and graphics at UAC-sponsored events; one month web banner ad on UAC website (your choice of month). Total maximum value of additional benefits: $250.

SILVER Company name listed on all UAC printed materials, the UAC website (with link to your website), and graphics at UAC-sponsored events.

$250

BRONZE Company name listed on UAC printed materials and the UAC website (with link to your website).

$100

Thank you to all of our SEED Sponsors! Diamond tree_logotypeUpdateGENERIC.pdf

Platinum C

3/3/08

9:40:37 PM

Buck Jones Nursery Plants • Sod • Landscape Supplies

CMY

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

HAVE YOU MET

Scott Barnard Flowerworx, LLC

My first job in the green industry was... hand watering plants at a family-owned nursery in Marietta.

The biggest challenge in my career has been...learning how to incorporate technology

into the floriculture design process to create the most appealing and functional package for customers and production staff.

The people who have influenced my career are...every designer and architect

that I have ever worked with. Absorbing their knowledge and practices helped make me a better designer.

My biggest career success so far has been...remaining relevant, designing award-

winning projects and being recognized by my peers in the industry.

If I had to do it all over again I would... have gone into teaching and coaching college soccer and work my way up into the Men’s National Team Soccer Program.

One piece of advice I would give to someone entering the green industry today is...embrace and absorb as much

knowledge from your peers and classroom as possible. Always learn new things that will

benefit you in the future. Do what you love and it will never be a job.

My least favorite part of my job is....

too many emails and phone calls.

The things most responsible for my success are...passion and persistence.

If I could change careers, just for a month...I would be a race car driver.

One thing that really annoys me is...Atlanta traffic! When I’m not working, I like to...spend time

Scott Barnard Address: 5820 Kayron Drive

Sandy Springs GA 30328

Phone:

404.308.3128

Fax: 404.257.6357 Email:

scottyb@flowerworx.net

Web:

www.flowerworx.net

with my wife and four daughters, taking our huskies (Sasha and Meeko) for walks, playing tennis and soccer, and watching American and English football.

especially in Punta Cana and Costa Rica. Can’t wait until the next trip.

The things I like most about my career are....getting to work in the great outdoors,

the creative process, watching projects evolve into landscape art.

Scott enjoys surfing on Macau Beach in Punta Cana with daughters Sage (left) and Lillie (right).

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

One thing most people don’t know about me is...I love surfing,

HEALTH & BENEFITS

Coming to terms with terms A health care vocabulary

Information provided by Snellings Walters Insurance Agency While searching for the right employee benefit advisor, the jumble of industry

CDHP: Consumer-driven health plan - a type of health care plan that allows participants to use personal health savings accounts (HSAs) or employer-funded health reimbursement arrangements (HRSa) to pay for routine health care expenses directly, including a high deductible that protects members from catastrophic medical expenses.

acronyms and jargon can quickly become confusing to even the most seasoned human resources professionals.

Included below are definitions for some of the more common terms in the employee benefit brokerage world.

ASC: Ambulatory surgery center - facility for

COBRA: Consolidated Omnibus Budget

Reconciliation Act of 1986 - a federal law that allows a person covered under the company’s health plan who leaves his or her job for any reason the right to continue health insurance coverage for 18 months.

outpatient or same-day surgery.

Capitation: An annual fee paid to a health

care provider for continuous care based on the number of patients for whom he or she agrees to provide care.

Choosing the right benefit advisor

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Employee benefit brokers offer a wide range of services – and a wide range of ability when it comes to delivering them. Choosing the right advisor requires creating an unrushed, structured evaluation process that defines your overall benefit objectives.

This information is general and is provided for educational purposes only. It reflects United Benefit Advisors’ understanding of the available guidance as of the date shown and is subject to change. It is not intended to provide legal advice. You should not act on this information without consulting legal counsel or other knowledgeable advisors.

Once you’ve dissected the written proposals and narrowed your list of advisor candidates to two or three, invite each of the finalists to a separate face-to-face interview with your organization’s key personnel. To add consistency to this evaluation process, make sure the same individuals from your organization attend every interview. How each candidate firm answers your standardized list of questions will help to facilitate a true apples-to-apples comparison, allowing you to make an educated decision about who to engage as you move forward in designing a benefits plans.

Questions for potential advisors



What do you know about our individual business and how might that knowledge translate into better understanding our employee benefit needs?

 

How would you improve upon our current employee benefit plan?

What is your basic philosophy and approach to the employee benefit selection process, particularly cost containment and consumer-driven and wellness offerings?



Why do you believe your firm has the best marketplace relationships, leverage and knowledge to negotiate the most favorable terms for our organization?



What kind of benchmarking and accountability tools do you use, if any, to help employers analyze information and make better-informed decisions moving forward?



What type of financial reports/

HEALTH & BENEFITS COR: Cost of risk - a calculation that accounts

for all costs associated with an organization’s insurance and risk management program. Expenses include losses falling below a company’s deductible or within a selfinsured retention; uncovered losses; administrative costs required to manage the program; and lost productivity and retraining expenses.

DME: Durable medical equipment - includes items such as wheelchairs.

FFS: Fee-for-service - a type of health care plan

where a patient can select the physician and hospital of his or her choice. In this arrangement, generally the patient is responsible for paying the copayment and deductible, and the insurance company pays the remainder up to the policy’s limit.

First-dollar care: Recommended preventative care such as immunizations and annual

summaries do you provide, and how often do you provide them?



How do you keep up with trends in the industry, such as legislative or underwriting changes, and new or innovative products?

 

How many key people at your company will work with this account?

 

Outline for us your firm’s financial stability.

Do you outsource any of your functions to other brokers or firms?

Questions for advisors’ references

  

What is the size of your firm?

How long have you had a relationship with this advisor? Would you characterize your benefits brokers as more of a partner or vendor?

FSA: Flexible spending account HDHP: High deductible health plan - a type

of health care plan with a high minimum deductible but a lower premium, making health care coverage more affordable. HDHPs are thought to lower overall health care costs by forcing individuals to be more conscious of medical expenses.

HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and

Accountability Act of 1996 - a federal law that allows for a tax deduction of certain medical expenses and also addresses the security and privacy of individual health data.

HMO: Health maintenance organization - a

type of health care plan where insurance premiums finance curative and preventative



How effective has your current benefits advisory firm been in negotiating or renegotiating your employee benefit plans?

 

What is this firm’s greatest strength? Its greatest weakness?

How well do you feel they have kept themselves and you informed of changes in the employee benefit space, including product updates, regulatory changes, and industry trends?

Questions for internal discussion



Did you find that the presentation contained good information, data, and details, or was it more fluff and personality-driven?



Was there chemistry between the presenter(s) and your key internal team members?



What was unique about this firm compared with others?

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

What are their areas of expertise, and how many years of experience does each of them have?

physicals that are covered at 100 percent regardless of whether a plan’s deductible has been met.

HEALTH & BENEFITS

Most days,

medicine administered by physicians and professional staff within certain limits (financial, geographic, etc.) to enrolled members and/or their families.

you probably don’t even think about insurance.

HRA: Health reimbursement arrangement HSA: Health savings account MAC: Maximum allowable cost

But when

MCO: Managed care organization

all hell

PBM: Pharmacy benefit manager - a contracted

breaks loose, Who do you want as your

WARRIOR? EMPLOYEE BENEFITS | PROPERTY | AUTO WORKERS COMPENSATION

PHO: Physician-hospital organization - a

partnership between a hospital and the physicians who carry admitting privileges there.

PMPM: Per member per month - a common

unit of measurement related to health care costs.

POS: Point of service - a type of health care

plan that mixes aspects of HMOs and PPOs.

PPO: Preferred provider organization - a type

of health care plan where members receive additional coverage if they choose health care providers approved by or affiliated with their specific plan.

l in cia

ﬃ

When a battle takes place, we are stronger together

administrator of prescription drug programs. Their primary responsibility is to process and pay prescription drug claims, develop, and maintain the formulary, and negotiate discounts and rebates with drug manufacturers.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Steve Harmon Will Pharr

770-396-9600 | snellingswalters.com

Let’s talk

Cost Containment | Flexibility

Association Strength | Industry Expertise

QME: Qualified medical expense RFP: Request for proposal - a document sent

by a potential buyer to potential vendors soliciting a proposal to do work. It includes a description of the buyer’s product or service requirements and the required format and timing of the price quotes to be submitted. RFPs are especially important for complex products or services requiring customization to meet the buyer’s unique needs.

TPA: Third-party administrator

Specifically selected by renowned turfgrass researchers for drought and wear tolerance from 27,700 other genotypes. Strenuously tested for two decades under extreme stresses in both research and real world production environments. A scientific breakthrough in performance and sustainability, tIftuf™ Certified Bermudagrass uses 38% less water

than tifway and is more drought tolerant than Celebration™, Latitude 36™ and all other tested bermudagrasses. fine textured and dense, tIftuf™ powers through cold, shrugs off traffic, spreads with incredible speed, greens up early and retains its color well into fall. Science has just delivered it all — tIftuf™.

Exclusive Licensing Agent: The Turfgrass Group, Inc. 1225 Savannah Lane • Monroe, Georgia 30655 (770) 207-1500 or (770) 710-8139 www.thEturfGrASSGroup.com

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

ForGed From ScIence

SAVE THE DATE PRO PROJECT

Maintaining perfection

The Fockele Garden Company | fockelegardencompany.com Before

Included on this property are over 150 species of plants and our crew performs plant maintenance as indicated by the growth characteristics of each. We deadhead, transplant, divide, redistribute, prune, fertilize and replace plants. Providing new installations in conjunction with our management services allows us a very effective opportunity to guarantee the health of the plants that we install.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

In sync with Corps of Engineers guidelines, we are protecting water quality by reducing the size of lawn areas and adding hardy shrubs and perennials. This allows us to greatly reduce our water, chemical, and labor use.

At the head of the driveway, we frame the seasonal color with perennials. Maintenance requirements include keeping the dead pruned out, encouraging new growth, deadheading, and maintaining good visual balance between all the textures and colors.

PRO PROJECT

We fertilize with a custom blend of macro- and micro-nutrients. For disease prone dogwoods and hemlocks, we produce compost tea and inject it within the drip line. We fertilize turf 3 times a year; shrubs, groundcovers and perennials twice annually.

Our goal in managing the landscape lighting is to provide and install energy efficient products that provide dependable, attractive, and trouble-free light. All the lamps and fixtures we use in both installation and renovation are LED technology.

We renovated the irrigation system rearranging zones based on plants water requirements. When we design and install enhancements, we group the plants according to their water needs.

Plants in the shoreline buffer must be hand pruned. We keep bark mulch on the sloping hillside to integrate the formal landscape with the natural area. Stone pathways are kept clean.

We manicure the detailed plantings in and around the water feature and keep the water levels right while the owners are away from their lake home.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

At the front door, an elegant grotto invites visitors to see more beauty ahead. Crews prune to maintain good separation between the colors and textures, and manage size and shape on plants that are overgrown and targeted for renewal or replacement.

SAVE THE DATE SAFETY WORKS

Personal Protective Equipment Requirements and costs

by Risk Management Partners on behalf of Snellings Walters Insurance Agency Have you ever completed a hazard assessment, either

Did you make the decision to wear sunglasses on sunny days or a hat for protection to limit or eliminate the exposure to the sun’s UV rays? If so, you completed a hazard assessment.

formally documenting the assessment or just a quick mental evaluation? It’s likely that you have completed one, either at home or at work at some point in your life. Maybe you just didn’t call it an assessment.

Have you ever gone to the beach for vacation with your family? Did you make the decision to wear sunglasses on sunny days or a hat for protection to limit or eliminate the exposure to the sun’s UV rays? If so, you completed a hazard assessment: you evaluated the area, determined that there was a hazard and took steps to protect yourself. Think of the sunglasses or cap as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Guidance from OSHA

OSHA requires an employer to conduct a hazard assessment of the workplace to determine if hazards are present: 1910.132(d)(1) Hazard assessment and equipment selection The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). If such hazards are present, or likely to be present, the employer shall……...

Hierarchy of Controls OSHA’s Hierarchy of Controls is helpful when making a decision about what action to take to deal with a hazard: Elimination/Substitution. This is the most effective way to control a hazard. For example, when working with a toxic chemical for cleaning, research and find an adequate replacement that is toxin-free and has no harmful ingredients.

Engineering controls. This requires a physical change to the workplace. For example, adding a simple guard to a power tool or other piece of equipment that effectively places a barrier between the hazard and the employee would be an engineering control.

Administrative controls. This requires a worker or employer to do something. For example, on loading docks, employees are exposed to a fall hazard. The administrative controls that are typically put in place are signage to warn of the fall hazard and a yellow chain to help alert the employee if they are too close to the edge.

Personal Protective Equipment. This requires the worker to wear the PPE when exposed to a hazard. For example, when employees are cutting the lawn, they are exposed to flying debris and particles. To make sure they are properly protected when conducting this task, they must wear safety glasses (ANSI Z87+).

Focusing on PPE

Now that you know the hierarchy of controls, let’s go over in more detail the requirements and costs of PPE. On any given day, you have multiple tasks to conduct for each client. We’ll cover a couple of examples here. Once you have conducted a hazard assessment of a task and decided that you can only protect the

SAFETY WORKS employee from a hazard with PPE, it’s time to select the proper PPE for the job.

Hedge trimmer PPE Let’s look at the PPE requirements when using a hedge trimmer. First, we want to be sure that the operator is wearing is head protection, hearing protection, and eye protection (all must meet the ANSI requirements for the type of protection required). Often, employees do not have the required type of eye protection on hand. Remember, safety glasses must have Z87+ somewhere on the glasses, usually found on the frames. ANSI Z87+ means the glasses have been tested and meet the requirements of the ANSI standard. Safety glasses meeting this standard will deflect a direct blow from a flying object and protect the wearer’s eyes as designed. If the glasses do not meet the requirements of the ANSI standard, you employee could be injured if hit by a flying object. Some hedging equipment manufacturers recommend a face shield also be worn. Face shields are not designed to protect the wearer from a direct blows, so be sure employees also wear safety glasses. Below are some statistics from Kimberly-Clark Professional Education: If you think safety is expensive try having an accident – workplace injuries and illnesses can have a major impact on your bottom line. As you read these, remember that you can purchase a pair of safety glasses for about $2.

• The average cost of an eye injury is $1,463, when you consider all the costs involved. • More than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day. About 1 in 10 injuries require one or more missed workdays. Of the total amount of

An additional PPE requirement related to hedging involves protecting the hands. Typically heavy-duty gloves, usually leather, are worn.

Chainsaw PPE Maybe the most dangerous piece of equipment used in the industry is the chainsaw. Are you aware of all the potential hazards that the employee can be protected from by simply wearing the proper PPE? Flying debris. The proper PPE to protect your worker would include: • Eye protection (safety glasses) and face shield Hand vibration, splinters, and other sharp items from the tool or item sawed. • Heavy-duty gloves with anti-vibration, make sure the gloves have a good grip Overhead hazards, falling objects. • Hard hat Exposure to high noise levels. Chainsaws create high noise levels, typically ranging between 95 to 115 dBA. • Hearing protection that will decrease the level of sound to a safe level, such as ear muffs Exposure to sharp edges, blade, sharp wood, and other sharp objects. • Trousers or chaps (sewn-in ballistic nylon pads are recommended) Blade and other falling objects. • Heavy-duty well-fitted steel-toe boots (do not wear a composite safety toe boot when operating a chain saw) In conclusion, all of the above PPE is relatively inexpensive, especially when considering the cost and impact of an injury to your employee. Laws require that you assess your work processes for hazards and provide appropriate personal protective equipment for your employees when necessary.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Every day, an estimated 1,000 eye injuries occur in American workplaces. The financial cost of these injuries is enormous – more than $300 million per year in lost production time, medical expenses and Workers’ Compensation.

work-related injuries, 10-20% will cause temporary or permanent vision loss.

WHAT THE TECH?

Beginner’s guide to Yelp

Take advantage of this marketing tool by Kevin Bossons, WebTech Marketing Services Yelp is a great resource for those browsing the web in search

of local businesses, especially when they want to research the quality of products or services based on By claiming your business’ Yelp listing, customer reviews. you are able to respond to reviews or This site allows for comments, edit business information, those who have used and use this to your advantage by a company’s product or service to write mentioning your excellent Yelp rating personal reviews on your website or to current and on their experience. potential clients. Newcomers to Yelp can search area businesses and compare them to others, based on quality. Here’s why Yelp is important for your business - and how to use it.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Why it’s important

Yelp is a great site for businesses to take advantage of 120 million monthly unique visitors. By claiming your business’ Yelp listing, you are able to respond to reviews or comments, edit business information, and use this to your advantage by mentioning your excellent Yelp rating on your website or to current and potential clients. Yelp is a social media platform that primarily uses reviews for the core focus. You can essentially encourage more reviews of your business using the following tactics:

   

Add a Yelp link to your website Add a Yelp link to email signatures for you and your staff Add your Yelp review rating and link to office materials such as brochures, flyers, etc. Post Yelp signage within your location (i.e., on tables and in windows)

  

Promote your business on Yelp by offering special deals, etc. Use keywords within your listing Send a follow-up email blast to encourage reviews

Always remember to encourage reviews in person or online, but not ask for them directly. A genuine review is the goal. Reputation of your business is key, and Yelp can help build a wellearned reputation via reviews.

The best businesses for Yelp

Being a part of any social media network takes work and time. Yelp offers a robust set of fields you can complete including company information, logo, photos and a short form interview of the business owner. Yelp is unique because it’s one of the most active platforms on the internet when it comes to reviews. As a result, many consumers flock to Yelp to research companies before contacting them. Companies who benefit the most from having active Yelp accounts are: • Landscaping/lawn care companies • Attorneys/law firms • CPA firms • Contractors/construction companies • Restaurants • Roofing companies • Painting companies

Yelp profiles and business listings Yelp has a general sign-up page for their site where you can create an account, but they also have a site for business owners to create an account.

With the general sign-up directly from yelp.com, you create a profile by inputting your

name, email, and desired password. This profile is meant for users who are seeking business reviews and/or those ready to write a business review.

When you select “Add Your Business to Yelp,” you will be able to fill out all information for your business and add it to Yelp.

Steps to create a basic profile:

Yelp’s main focus is on reviews, so it’s important for you to respond to reviews - both good and bad. When responding to a negative review, always think about the tone of your message first, and be sure to thank them for their patronage and feedback.

1. 2. 3.

Go to the yelp.com home page. Click the “Sign Up” link in the top right corner. Enter your first name, last name, email, desired password, zip code and birthday (optional).

4. You are then asked to upload a photo and

select your gender. (You have the option to skip).

Your profile has been created. You are then able to invite friends, update profile information, and write reviews and more.

Business owners may create an account through the Yelp for Business Owners website (biz.yelp.com), where you are asked to start the profile process by finding your business. This site allows business owners to claim their business listing, edit information, add photos, and more. If your business is not listed, you may simply click “Add Your Business to Yelp.”

Steps to create your business profile:

1. 2.

Click the “Sign Up” link in the top right corner. Search for your business by name and location.

By responding to negative comments, you also create a more genuine relationship for the future; you have the opportunity here to change their overall perspective for the better. Always provide a simple solution to help ease their unpleasant experience and make the necessary changes so that this experience will not happen again in the future. When responding to negative reviews try to address the other potential customers reading the reviews. Make sure you apologize for their bad experience, offer something if possible, then add a note about making sure the issue won’t happen again. Yelp is a great tool to get in front of your target audience. Many businesses have recently taken advantage of it. It’s easy to navigate and set up, while giving you the opportunity to expand your company’s presence on the web. By using Yelp for your business, you can manage your online reputation by interacting with your clients based on their overall view of your business.

4. Select the “Claim” button to claim your

business listing or “Add Your Business to Yelp” link at the bottom of the page.

When you select the claim button for your existing business listing, you are then prompted to create a business owner account where you will enter your first name, last name, email address and desired password. After clicking continue, Yelp have you verify your business by entering a pin number.

About the author

E: kevin@wtmarketing.com P: 404.348.4921 W: www.wtmarketing.com

Kevin is WebTech’s go-to guy for all things marketing and designing/building websites. Since joining the WebTech team in 2008, Kevin has continuously worked with clients on setting up marketing strategies and then assisting the team to help turn those ideas into reality.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Go to the biz.yelp.com home page.

Negative reviews/comments

BUSINESS

Just like me

How to avoid interview bias by Erin Saunders Job interviews are stressful situations for interviewers and candidates alike.

When considering candidates, it’s important to look for their strengths while also considering the areas where they would need development.

The interviewer has a very short period of time to determine whether the candidate is the best choice for the position, and the candidate wants to make a good impression.

Beware of biases

As you begin the selection process, it’s important to recognize that there are some common biases that we all may bring to the recruiting and selection process. Here are some of the most common biases and strategies to avoid them.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

“Just like me” bias

The “just like me” bias occurs when the candidate has interests or other characteristics that are the same as yours and may cause you to overlook negative aspects. These characteristics can be as simple as rooting for the same football team, or relating to the way the candidate communicates. If you find yourself quickly relating to a candidate, take a step back and ask if what you are connecting with is job-related.

Halo effect The halo effect is when the interviewer evaluates a candidate positively based on a single characteristic. For example, a candidate’s

engaging approach may overshadow a lack of experience. When considering candidates, it’s important to look for their strengths while also considering the areas where they would need development.

“What you want to hear” bias The “what you want to hear” bias occurs when a candidate is answering based on what they think you want to hear. For example, if the job is very team oriented, the candidate may say they love working in teams, when they really prefer to work alone. To help alleviate the “what you want to hear” bias, make sure you ask for specific examples of the candidate’s past experience.

The “contrast” bias The “contrast” bias occurs when an interviewer compares the candidates to each other instead of to the job requirements or needs of the team. For example, if one candidate is very weak, the other candidates may appear more qualified than they really are. To help avoid this, make sure you are evaluating the candidates on the needs of the job, not against one another.

Setting yourself up for success

You’ve received applications or resumes and are ready to begin interviewing. There are key things can do prior to the interviews to help you make the best hire.

First, evaluate the needs of the job. What are going to be the most important skills or characteristics you’re going to need from your candidates? Use these skills and

BUSINESS characteristics to build your interview questions. Ask each of your candidates the same basic set of questions, although follow-up questions may vary. This will provide consistency in evaluation and will help avoid some of the biases. conducting behavioral2. Consider based interviews. These interviews are based on the premise that past behavior predicts future behavior. Behavioral-based interview questions ask candidates how they have handled specific situations in previous jobs. Often, candidates describe a past situation or problem, the actions they took to resolve it, and what outcome resulted. This will allow you to drill down the answers to determine how the candidate’s experience matches the role. It also helps prevent “what you want to hear” bias.

questions. Be on the lookout for any potential internal bias that would prevent you from selecting the best candidate for the role.

Prepare and be rewarded

Oftentimes, being aware of potential interview biases can go a long way toward alleviating them. With careful preparation prior to the interview, and self-awareness during the interview, you’ll be able to quickly assess and select the right candidates for your roles in no time.

Learn to identify your biases. Both during and after the interview, pay attention to your own reactions to the candidates’ body language and response to

ICC2

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About the author Erin Saunders is Sr. HR Business Partner with JLL. P: 303-931-0923 E: erin.saunders@am.jll.com

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ICC2 EXPANSION MODULE

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UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

simple to install and program. And

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL IRRIGATION |

BUSINESS

What’s keeping you up at night?

Top 10 concerns for small business owners by Jim Blasingame, The Small Business Advocate The top challenge will surprise you … only if you haven’t bothered to ask what challenges small businesses really face.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

If you ask any small business owner “How’s business?” invariably they will Kathy G. Johnson respond: “Well, I But operating a small business in can always use more the 21st century has become more customers.” So, if someone asked you complicated than ever before, which is what’s the greatest why people who know small business concern of small know the best way to find out what’s business owners, you really going on is to ask the owner could be forgiven for what keeps them up at night. being wrong if you said they need more sales, because that’s what most people think— especially politicians.

Small business owners are actually pretty good at buying and selling—every company has been built to do those things. But operating a small business in the 21st century has become more complicated than ever before, which is why people who know small business know the best way to find out what’s really going on is to ask the owner what keeps them up at night.

Asking the right question

One organization that knows how to ask the right questions is the National Federation of Independent Business. As you may know, the NFIB’s monthly Small Business Optimism Index has been the gold standard for such research for 43 years. They also have a quadrennial report that speaks directly to the question, “What keeps you up at night?” It’s the NFIB’s Small Business Problems and Priorities survey, and you may be shocked to learn that “more sales” came in

at No. 45 out of 75 possible concerns in the 2016 report. The 2,831 small business owners who responded to the survey told the NFIB that their greatest challenge isn’t competition (No. 31), or social media (No. 64), or online retailers (No. 61). What about poor profits? Nope, that’s No. 16. Even the most experienced observers of small business would feel safe in presuming that cash flow would be No. 1, but this primordial Main Street challenge is actually No. 25 on the list of top concerns. If you listen to politicians, you’d think needing a loan is what makes small business owners wake up at 2 a.m. Surely you know better than to listen to politicians when it comes to small business, because needing a loan is almost last, at No. 70. That monthly NFIB index has reported that since 2007, established small businesses have been adhering to what I call “The Great Deleveraging.” They don’t want no stinkin’ loans. So what is the No. 1 greatest small business challenge? Drum roll, please: the cost of healthcare.

   

No. 2 is oppressive government regulations.

No. 3 is federal income tax on businesses. No. 4 is uncertain economic conditions. No. 5 is tax compliance complexity.

And numbers six through nine are also all government related. This next point is very instructive: The first operating challenge to rank on the list is No. 10—finding qualified employees.

BUSINESS Let’s review: Nine of the top 10 greatest small business challenges are directly associated with government. Some might say healthcare costs are not the government’s fault, but that would be Rip Van Duffus who just woke up from a seven-year nap and never heard of Obamacare. To be fair, let me hasten to add the cost of healthcare was a small business challenge prior to Obamacare. And this law did “bend the price curve,” as promised. Unfortunately, for the small business sector, Obamacare bent the cost curve up, not down.

repeal and replace, but half said, “Take the time to do it right this time.” There’s no doubt that 26 million American small business owners—with healthcare costs on their minds—had a significant impact on the November election. So my advice to the political class of all three parties—Democrats, Republicans and Trumpicans—is to take the time to get healthcare right this time. And then quickly start reducing the other eight nonoperating challenges government is imposing on the most important job creators in America: the heroes of the Main Street economy—small businesses.

Published by Manta February 2, 2017. Manta is one of the largest online resources dedicated to small business. Create your free company profile at manta.com.

About the author

Thanks to the NFIB Survey, President Trump and the 115th Congress can’t say they don’t know where to start helping small business owners. Indeed, they’re neck deep in the Obamacare “repeal and replace” debate right now. But here’s some breaking news: We polled our online audience about that issue and 94% said “Yes” to

Jim Blasingame, one of the world’s foremost thought leaders on small business and entrepreneurship, is the author of “The Age of the Customer: Prepare for the Moment of Relevance.” Jim helps small business owners have the maximum opportunity to be successful, and teaches big businesses how to speak small business as a second language.

A Smarter Way to Landscape

FROM START TO FINISH

NorthsideToolRental.com

RENT NOW 404-870-7088 Hablamos Espanol

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• Inventory for any size landscaping project • Daily and weekly rentals, plus open Saturdays • Fast, on-site delivery & pickup when you need it most • 5 Convenient Metro Atlanta locations

BUSINESS

Workplace safety

By design or by accident? by Steven Cohen, Consultant, GreenMark Consulting Group

Two months ago I received one of the most difficult phone calls I have ever received from a client. He simply

said, “We’ve had an accident and I need you to fly out to me immediately.” While The essence of this article is this: I will not discuss specific details of workplace safety must be designed, it what happened, I must not occur by accident. will tell you that my client suffered a tragic workplace accident where there was a fatality. This accident did not take place on the road or at a job site, it took place right in his shop area. For two days following that call, I worked with the owner and his team to deal with an OSHA investigation, addressing workplace safety concerns and employee grief counselling. While my client’s company will survive the incident, emotional scars will take much longer to heal. The essence of this article is this: workplace safety must be designed, it must not occur by accident.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Is your business safe and sound?

Smart landscape businesses must practice safety with a purpose in mind, not by default. Safety is a cultural mindset that must be instilled at all levels within the organization. Successful safety and company health plan policies are built around three key principles:

  

ownership mindset; worker participation; and asystematic approach to finding and fixing workplace hazards

While entirely voluntary in nature, these types of programs demonstrate a company’s commitment to worker safety and health from the top-down.

They also recognize that workers know their jobs and the hazards they entail. Who better to suggest ways to eliminate those risks?

It’s a win-win

From the smallest landscape companies to the largest, employee safety, health and welfare programs help improve injury and illness records and workman’s compensation ratings. When employers and employees combine forces to make their workplace safer, productivity increases, quality increases and employee recruitment and retention is easier. The trickle-down effect is your company’s enhanced reputation and most likely an improved bottom line.

Safe-culture mindset

Implementing effective safety strategies within your landscape company begins with a safeculture mindset.

Have employee training meetings When hiring new employees, the employer has an obligation to train the employee in proper safety practices. Employees should receive complete training in using equipment such as mowers, trimmers, and edgers. Training should be conducted by someone knowledgeable in the safe use of the specific piece of equipment. Employees also should be advised how to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses, ear plugs, gloves and approved footwear. Weekly or bi-weekly safety meetings are essential to both enforce and remind employees of safe workplace procedures.

Maintain accurate daily records Landscape business owners must maintain a record of injury incidences in the workplace to

BUSINESS supply to authorities, but also as protection from lawsuits. Records are necessary concerning the maintenance of all equipment, along with the manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name and address to avoid claims of faulty equipment in the event of an injury. In addition, if an employee is injured, certain protocols and documentation are necessary to confirm that medical protocols were followed and to prevent financial losses from lawsuits. All employers must maintain an OSHA 300 safety log documenting lost time from work due to workplace accidents.

Observation and inspections Routinely inspecting the workplace environment is vital to find problems that require repair or safety intervention. Everything in a landscape company, internally and externally, needs to be observed at all times. Landscape business owners, managers, and employees should continually observe all employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; workplace and job site habits to verify that safety and health regulations are followed. When infractions by employees are noticed, immediate action is necessary to remedy the situation.

Build a safety mindset Accidents can happen at any time and to anyone. According to the regulatory agency OSHA, more than three million workers are injured each year in work-related accidents. In the landscape industry the accidents often fall into two categories: lawn mower accidents involving rollover incidents and fatalities by motor vehicle.

9 tips to promote your safety culture

Develop a site safety vision including key policies, goals, measures, and strategic and operation plans.

Evaluate current safety efforts, and review and update rules as necessary.

Lead by example. Demonstrate a commitment to employee health and safety by implementing safe work practices and prescribing the mentality that unsafe actions are not tolerated.

Provide ongoing safety and health training. Ensure that employees have the skill, knowledge and understanding they need to work safely and avoid accidents. Employees who are well trained are more likely to make safety a top priority. Establish a safety committee in which experienced individuals are paired with new workers to serve as role models and demonstrate safe work procedures.

6. 7.

Ensure that the organization has a system for reporting near-miss accidents, injuries and the need for first aid. Reward employees for safe performance. Employees who receive pay increases, promotions and other rewards that are contingent on having a proactive safety attitude tend to take workplace safety more seriously.

Communicate your expectations often with employees to encourage they are following safe procedures. Looking to learn more about building a safe landscape business culture, you can email GreenMark Consulting Group at www.greenmarkgroup.com for a FREE workplace safety checklist.

About the author Steven Cohen, Principal of GreenMark Consulting Group, is a business management/operations consultant with more than 25 years of industry experience. GreenMark specializes in helping growth-oriented companies see through challenges, mapping out operational and growth strategies.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

The number one, most important thing for safety is awareness. Every day we must remind our landscape workforce the importance of using PPE, as well as equipment safety features such as automatic cut-off switches and roll-over protection.

Develop safety campaigns such as promotional activities, contests, awards or safety awareness days.

INDUSTRY

2017 Sod Producers’ Report

Annual survey examines inventory and price by Clint Waltz, University of Georgia

In November 2016, the Georgia Urban

Ag. Council conducted their twenty-third consecutive survey of sod producers. The purpose of the survey was to determine the status of inventory levels and projected price changes for Spring 2017.

Survey details

Twenty-one producers participated by online and telephone survey, representing farm sizes which were: • less than 300 acres (11 participants) • 300 to 600 acres (5 participants) • 601 to 900 acres (2 participants) • more than 900 acres (3 participants) Figure 1. Percentage of bermudagrass producers projecting adequate to excellent supply for the past five years.

Inventories

The survey obtained estimates of the inventory for bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, and tall fescue based on estimated sales for the first five months of 2017 as excellent (more than 10% of demand), adequate (equal to demand), and poor (more than 10% shortage). Pricing information included farm price and price for truckload orders to the Atlanta area or within 100 miles of the farm, all costs were reported as price per square foot of sod. Bermudagrass is being grown by 100% of the surveyed producers. Seventy-one percent of the producers rated their inventory as adequate to excellent this year, continuing a two-year increase in inventory (Figure 1). Eighty percent the growers with greater than 600 acres expect an adequate to excellent bermudagrass supply, while 69% of producers with 600 acres or less project having sufficient inventories. For early 2017, bermudagrass supply should meet market demand.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

* Projected supply for the first five months of the calendar year.

Figure 2. Percentage of zoysiagrass producers projecting adequate to excellent supply for the past five years.

* Projected supply for the first five months of the calendar year.

According to this year’s survey, the number of producers growing zoysiagrass (76%) was a decrease over last year but is still relatively high. This is a species that continues to grow in popularity across the state and number of cultivars available to the consumer. There are at least sixteen zoysiagrass cultivars being grown in Georgia. Of the producers responding, 81% estimate an adequate to excellent inventory, which is up from last year’s estimate and is equal to 2013 levels (Figure 2). Of the 21 producers surveyed 10 (48%) were growers of centipedegrass. Sixty percent of the growers had adequate to excellent inventory compared to 50% in 2016, and 33% in 2015. Of the larger growers, two of three growers

INDUSTRY with greater than 900 acres expect an adequate centipedegrass supply.

Table 1.

St. Augustinegrass is being grown by four of the 21 producers surveyed. Fifty percent reported a sufficient supply.

Similar to previous years, tall fescue was grown by 43% of producers. Seventy-eight percent of tall fescue producers reported excellent to adequate inventory, which continues a thirteenyear trend of sufficient tall fescue supply. The amount of tall fescue sod grown in Georgia meets demand.

Change in prices from Spring 2016 to 2017 On-the-farm Delivered*

Turfgrasses 2016 2017 % change --- cents / ft2 ---

Bermudagrass 25.5 24.5 -3.9 Zoysiagrass 42.6 42.5 -0.2 Centipedegrass 26.9 25.1 -6.7 Tall Fescue 29.3 29.2 -0.3 St. Augustinegrass 39.3 32.5 -17.3

2016 2017 % change --- cents / ft2 ---

31.7 29.6 -6.6 49.4 47.3 -4.3 33.9 30.1 -11.2 34.9 35.1 0.6 45.3 36.5 -19.4

* Delivered price includes freight and pallets. The delivered price included the Atlanta area or within 100 miles of the farm.

Pricing

For 2017, the on-the-farm and delivered prices are expected to remain relatively unchanged or decrease compared to 2016.

Table 2.

Comparison: Farm to delivered prices, 2017

Price drops could range from 4% to 20% over last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prices (Table 1). Figure 3 provides a five-year perspective of sod prices. Of the five species, only St. Augustinegrass is forecast to have a lower price than it did in 2015. The average price per square foot for a truckload of bermudagrass delivered to the Atlanta area, or within 100 miles of the farm, is expected to fall 7% (Table 1). The 2017 survey indicated prices varied from 19.0 cents to 40.0 cents, with an average price of 29.6 cents (Table 2). The average price in 2016 was 31.7 cents per square foot and ranged from 25.0 cents to 41.0 cents.

Turfgrasses Price (avg.) Range Price (avg.) Range -------------------------------------- cents / ft2 -------------------------------------------

Bermudagrass Zoysiagrass Centipedegrass Tall Fescue St. Augustinegrass

24.5 42.5 25.1 29.2 32.5

16.0 - 32.0 32.0 - 55.0 21.0 - 32.0 23.0 - 35.0 30.0 - 35.0

29.6 47.3 30.1 35.1 36.5

19.0 - 40.0 36.0 - 59.0 24.0 - 36.0 27.0 - 43.0 35.0 - 38.0

* Delivered price includes freight and pallets. The delivered price included the Atlanta area or within 100 miles of the farm.

Figure 3. Historical perspective of sod prices in Georgia, 2013 to 2017

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

The 2017 average price for a delivered truckload of zoysiagrass decreased from 2016 levels. The average price of delivered zoysiagrass in 2017 was 47.3 cents and ranged from 36.0 to 59.0 cents. In 2016 zoysiagrass prices ranged from 35.0 to 57.0 cents and averaged 49.4 cents. Centipedegrass prices fell too. Prices in 2017 ranged from 24.0 cents to 36.0 cents and averaged 30.1 cents, compared to 2016 when the average delivered price was 33.9 cents and ranged from 30.0 to 38.0 cents.

On-the-farm Delivered*

INDUSTRY Table 3.

Percentage of survey respondents that grow certified grass and the additional charge for certified grass

Growers with certified grass Growers that charge a premium

Year

2017 71 15 2016 88 15 2015 76 19 2014 54 19 2013 57 24

85 87 55 47 54

11 13 11 9 13

Average Range -------------- cents ---------------

4.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 3.0

2.0 - 10.0 1.0 - 7.0 1.0 - 6.0 2.0 - 3.0 1.0 - 10.0

* Total number of respondents 21, 17, 26, 35, and 42 for 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013 respectively

Table 4.

Historical freight rate for sod deliveries Year

Range

Average

% Change

--------------------- $ / mile --------------------

2017 2016 2015 2014 2013

1.25 - 5.00 3.00 – 4.50 2.00 - 5.86 1.00 – 5.50 1.00 – 6.00

3.50 3.70 3.74 3.20 3.19

-5.4 -1.1 16.9 0.3 7.8

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

* Delivered price includes freight and pallets. The delivered price included the Atlanta area or within 100 miles of the farm.

Projected increases

Regarding grower price expectations, most growers (95%) are not forecasting a price decrease in 2017. •

Twenty-four percent of bermudagrass producers expect rising prices during the first five months of 2017. This is a decrease from the previous three years where greater than 50% of the growers expected prices higher than what they reported for this survey.

• For zoysiagrass, 74% of producers anticipate stable prices during the first five months of 2017; 27% of producers forecast higher prices. • For centipedegrass and tall fescue, nearly 50% of all producers expect prices to remain constant in 2017. •

Sixty-seven percent of St. Augustinegrass producers expect constant prices.

Certification

2017 had 15 producers representing 71% of the respondents with some certified grass on their farm (Table 3). Eighty-five percent of these growers charge a premium for certified grass. The remaining growers either do not place an added value on certified sod or do not participate in the certification program.

Although the 2017 average delivered price for tall fescue (35.1 cents) was unchanged from last year (34.9 cents), both the low- and high-end prices were greater than 2016. This year, prices ranged from 27.0 cents to 43.0 cents.

In 2017, the typical extra cost ranged from 2.0 to 10.0 cents per square foot and averaged 4.0 cents. This translates to between $10.00 and $50.00 on a 500 square foot pallet.

The price of delivered St. Augustinegrass decreased in 2017. The average price of delivered St. Augustinegrass in 2017 was 36.5 cents and ranged from 35.0 to 38.0 cents. In 2016, St. Augustinegrass prices ranged from 38.0 to 55.0 cents and averaged 45.3 cents. This past year, one relatively large producer announced they were discontinuing production of St. Augustinegrass. It is unknown what a drop in inventory will do to St. Augustinegrass prices in 2017.

The 2017 low and high end of the range increased dramatically over last year (1.0 to 7.0 cents). The price point where consumers (i.e. industry practitioners and homeowners) value varietal purity is unknown. But a two-year consecutive average of 4.0 cents per square foot may indicate it is near $20 per 500 square foot pallet.

INDUSTRY

Freight and unloading fees

Freight rates per mile shipped to Atlanta, or within 100 miles of the farm, fell in 2017 (Table 4). Costs ranged from $1.25 to $5.00 and averaged $3.50, from the last two year’s average fee. A separate freight rate is charged by 48% of the respondents. Four respondents (19%) reported charging an unloading fee in 2017, down from 2016. The minimum unloading fee ($75) rose from 2016 with producers now charging between $75 and $150. Most producers (95%) will make additional drops on a load. The low-end charge was down to $25 in 2017, compared to $35 in 2016. The high-end charge increased from $75 in 2016 to $250 in 2017. The average cost for additional drops in 2017 was $76.19; an increase from last year’s cost of $63.50.

Figure 4.

Ten-year comparison of average sod price with fuel cost

* Average grass price was calculated for the five turfgrass species commonly grown in Georgia. ** Average annual retail fuel cost for the Lower Atlantic region was found at www.eia.doe.gov. For 2016, the average retail fuel cost was calculated through December 12.

Fuel surcharge

No respondent reported adding a fuel surcharge to a load in 2017. Figure 4 compares the average sod price for all species grown with the average annual retail price for gasoline and diesel fuel. For two consecutive years sod prices have outpaced fuel prices.

Ranking of industry segments for sale of turfgrass Industry segments

2017 2016 Rank

Landscape contractors Sports/athletic fields Garden Centers Golf courses Homeowners Existing Developers Brokers Landscape designers

Average*

1 49.0 1 43.1 2 23.0 2 18.9 3 17.0 6 12.2 4 15.3 4 14.7 5 13.1 7 11.4 6 13.0 5 12.7 7 10.9 3 15.5 8 5.0 8 10.5

* Average percentage of total sales.

Markets

The 21 producers who participated in this survey estimated that the highest amount of sod was sold to landscape contractors (Table 5). This industry segment continues to be the perennial leader. In 2016, sports / athletic fields moved into the second position and remain there this year. The groups that gained in rank for 2017 were garden centers and homeowners. This could indicate a shift of sod consumers to the “DIYs” and an interest in upgrading home landscapes.

Rank

Acreage in production

Sixty-three percent of the growers indicated they plan to add acres in 2017. The volume of new grass potentially being added to production fields ranged from 10 acres to 200 acres with a total of 340 acres potentially being added this coming growing season. This is a decrease from 2016 which forecast greater than 700 acres being added to production.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

This survey was conducted prior to OPEC members agreeing to reduce oil production by 1.2 million barrels a day starting January 1, 2017. There is wide speculation as to what this will do to fuel prices in the U.S., but if prices increase dramatically, fuel surcharges could return to the cost of delivering sod.

Table 5.

INDUSTRY Figure 5. Rainfall totals through the primary growing season for three of Georgia’s sod production areas.

* Data from The Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network (www.GeorgiaWeather. net) ** Weather station sites: FVSU = Fort Valley State University; Tifton = Coastal Plain Experiment Station; and Calhoun = Northwest Georgia Research and Education Center.

Summary

From this survey it appears that prices for all species will hold steady and possibly decrease relative to last year. Similarly, inventory for all warm-season species is expected to meet market demand during the first part of 2017. However, as a result of previous sod inventory and pricing reports, drought has shown to impact sod inventory and price, inventory

generally declines and prices subsequently rise. During the growing season (May through October) of 2016, the cumulative rainfall total within the primary sod production areas was lower than for 2015 and 2014 (Figure 5). Mid-September through October is an optimum time for fields to regenerate and make significant growth toward the next season’s crop. During this period in 2016 rainfall totals in central (FVSU), southern (Tifton), and northern (Calhoun) Georgia were 0.03, 0.19, and 1.07 inches respectively. With the Calhoun site receiving no measurable rainfall during the month of October. Couple minimal rainfall that recharges irrigation reserves with higher temperatures during the primary growing season and it is foreseeable that grass growth was delayed resulting in sod inventories mid- to late2017 potentially being tight. If projects are planned for 2017 where sod will be needed, it would be prudent to get price quotes regularly. Not all producers will “book” or presale grass at a locked price, but if they will, contacting them early may help ensure availability and the best price. Also, 2017 may be a year to encourage grassing projects to occur from mid-spring through early summer. It’s unclear what impact the 2016 dry fall may have on production.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

2017 Sod Producers’ Report overview

> Supply of warm-season turfgrasses looks to be sufficient for early 2017. > 2017 continues a two-year increase in bermudagrass and zoysiagrass inventory. > The delivered price for all grasses is expected to be lower in 2017 than 2016. > Most growers are not forecasting a price decrease later into 2017. > For two consecutive years, certified grass has averaged a premium of 4.0 cents per square foot. > Paying more for certified grasses provides the end-consumer assurance they are receiving varietal purity.

> Freight rates per mile shipped to Atlanta, or within 100 miles of the farm, declined. > A fuel surcharge has become an uncommon delivery expense. > More turfgrass acreage will come into production in 2017. > The primary markets for Georgia sod are landscape contractors and sports fields. > Get price quotes regularly. > If possible “book” or lock prices to ensure availability and price.

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INDUSTRY

Herbicide pipeline Why is it empty? by Prairie Farmer

It’s been 30 years since the last new class of herbicides, HPPD inhibitors, launched, says Rex Liebl, herbicide global product development manager for BASF. Many of today’s “new” chemistries are really old chemistries, such as 2,4-D and dicamba, now paired with tolerant traits. So where’s all the new chemistry? What’s up with the 30-year gap?

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Many of today’s “new” chemistries are really old chemistries, such as 2,4-D and dicamba, now paired with tolerant traits. So where’s all the new chemistry? What’s up with the 30-year gap?

John Combest, communications manager with Monsanto, says it’s not for lack of trying.

“We’re always looking to discover new chemistries and new classes of chemistries. That’s part of what we do. It’s really challenging, scientific work.” John Combest, Monsanto

Five obstacles

Here are five reasons why discovering and launching new herbicide chemistry is so difficult: It takes time. From discovering a compound to launching a new product, companies put in 10 to 14 years of research and testing, says John McGregor, early product

development manager with Bayer. And in that time, companies like Bayer comb through 100,000 substances that may or may not fit the bill for a potential new herbicide. “There are many successes and many failures,” he notes.

Herbicide discoveries wax and wane. During the 1980s and 1990s, new mode-of-action discoveries led to multiple new chemistries, McGregor explains.

“There are only so many pathways or processes in the plant that you can exploit.” John McGregor, Bayer And those pathways are already the target of existing chemistries. Today, product development teams focus on unearthing any other possible pathway that could be used to control weeds. And that, McGregor notes, takes time. Companies hit the brakes. When Roundup Ready launched in 1996, glyphosate-tolerant corn, soybeans and cotton flooded the marketplace, and glyphosate quickly devalued the herbicide market, Liebl notes. Crop protection companies cut back on herbicide research in the early 2000s. Research efforts ramped back up after “holes” in glyphosate programs became clear. Today, BASF is funding herbicide research at preboom levels, Liebl adds.

There are fewer players. More than 20 crop protection companies worked on new product development during the herbicide boom of the 1970s and 1980s, Liebl notes. Today, only a handful of companies remain. He adds that a year from now, there could be four companies if pending mergers and acquisitions go through.

INDUSTRY

“Clearly, to some degree, it’s about numbers. When you have fewer companies involved, there are less opportunities to find [new active ingredients].” Rex Liebl, BASF

Regulations complicate the process. The timeline isn’t longer, but the process is more complicated, Liebl notes. Regulatory agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency require additional studies to address honeybees, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity and how the new active ingredient may impact non-target species, Liebl explains. “We have to demonstrate the compound is beneficial and that it should be commercialized,” he says. “And we have to prove the compound is safe for humans and the environment.”

Facing the challenges

Even though the quest to discover a new pathway and a new active ingredient is time-consuming, complicated and expensive, crop protection companies say they are up for the challenge. “There may be fewer targets in the plant than we originally envisioned, making it harder to find the next generation. But we’ll find them,” Liebl says. “It’s an exciting time to be involved in herbicide development.”

Originally published January 5, 2017 by Growing Georgia. Reprinted with permission. For more, visit growinggeorgia.com.

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Foundation plants

Tolerating hot conditions and hard soil by Paul Pugliese What makes a good foundation plant for a home landscape? Any

plant that can tolerate extreme heat, highly compact soil and a highly alkaline soil pH is a good candidate.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Plants like loropetalums, abelias, crape myrtles, hybrid hollies, maples, This abelia shrub is suitable for planting by spiraeas and yews are a home’s foundation because it can adapt suitable foundation to extreme conditions. Many plants cannot plants because they tolerate the high heat, compact soil and can adapt to the highly alkaline soil often found beside home extreme conditions foundations. often found around house foundations. Builders spend a lot of time making sure the soil around a home’s foundation is highly compacted in order to stabilize the house. A solid, firm foundation is needed so that the underlying slab or footer walls don’t settle and crack.

Ironically, this is where homeowners want to place plants. Many landscape plants need moist, well-drained soil to grow healthy roots. This is the exact opposite of what’s available at a house’s perimeter.

The problem with foundations

Excess water from downspouts, clogged gutters and air conditioner condensate can overwater plants. Even where the landscape is properly graded and the water appears to run away from the foundation after heavy rains, there’s still the potential for overwatering, especially in heavy clay soils. Clay soil has the highest waterholding capacity of any soil type, so it stays wet for a very long time compared to sandy or loamy soils.

During periods of frequent rainfall, the volume of water coming off the roof can quickly saturate the soil around a house’s foundation. It may take several days to dry out. Back-to-back rain events may keep the soil saturated for longer periods, creating an anaerobic (lack of oxygen) soil condition. Many plants cannot tolerate being in saturated soils for extended periods of time. Their roots will either die or rot. Another problem often found around house foundations is masonry work — stones, bricks, sidewalks, patios, retaining walls and concrete driveways. Each of these can leach limestone and calcium into the surrounding soil and raise the soil pH too high for many plants. Many acidloving plants prefer a low soil pH. Popular landscape plants, such as gardenias, camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, leucothoe, pieris, mountain laurel and blueberries, should never be planted close to the foundation of a house, sidewalk or driveway. These plants should be segregated from other plants to avoid soil pH conflicts. Frequently, these plants will have yellow leaves and contrasting dark green leaf veins. This is a symptom of a nutrient deficiency — usually iron or magnesium — that results from a high soil pH. Extreme temperature fluctuations are also a problem around house foundations, especially along the southern or western exposures. Houses with dark shingles, brick or stone siding radiate heat. Even sun-tolerant plants can suffer from heat stress during the summer without some afternoon shade, mulch and supplemental irrigation. Consider building an arbor or planting taller deciduous trees along the southern and western boundaries to help lower the temperature. This will help reduce heat stress on landscape plants and will help lower summer power bills.

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Increasing chances of survival

There are some things homeowners and landscapers can do to help foundation plants better adapt to the difficult environment.

  

Ensure that water from downspouts, gutters and air conditioners drains away from the foundation.

 

Install plants an inch or two higher to ensure good drainage. Dig a wide planting hole for trees and shrubs, at least two to three times wider than the root ball. This loosens the soil and helps with establishment. Research shows that there is no benefit to adding topsoil amendments or compost to the planting hole for trees and shrubs. These added materials can actually act as a sponge and disrupt soil drainage.

Determine the mature size of the plant and allow enough space for the plant to grow without crowding into the foundation. After planting, maintain a 3-inch layer of mulch or pine straw around plants and provide supplemental water during drought conditions to minimize plant stress. For more information, read University of Georgia Cooperative Extension publications and fact sheets on landscape trees and shrubs: extension.uga.edu/publications About the author Paul Pugliese is the agriculture & natural resources agent for the University of Georgia Extension office in Bartow County.



Before selecting plants, have the soil tested to learn the pH level. Then decide which plants are best suited for the site’s soil.

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2016 Classic City Awards

UGA Trial Gardens’ best plants of the summer by Merritt Melancon, UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Every summer, the staff of the Trial Gardens at the University of Georgia raises hundreds of varieties of new ornamentals, and the best of those plants become Classic City Garden Award winners. Calibrachoa ‘Cabaret® Lemon Yellow’ was a crowd favorite at the public open house before being selected as a Classic City Garden Award winner. It was quick to grow into a mound of deep green foliage that became covered in deep lemon-yellow flowers. This plant remained in full bloom all summer.

2016’s top picks survived sweltering conditions — Athens, Georgia, saw more than 100 days over 90 degrees in 2016. Even with the best care, only wellbred, healthy plants thrive in those torturous temperatures.

The gardens’ plant evaluations are respected across the globe. Commercial nurseries nationwide depend on the staff ’s recommendations to determine what they will grow for sale the following season, which means that many of this year’s hardiest plants will be available in stores next spring. Plants labeled “Classic City Garden Award winner” have a better-than-average chance of surviving the typical Georgia garden and gardener. For more information about the Trial Gardens and this year’s trial results, visit ugatrial.hort.uga. edu. All plants are listed by their trade names followed by the nursery that developed them. Ruter and gardens manager Meg Green provided plant descriptions.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017



“We pick Classic City Award winners every year to recognize the 10 or 12 best plants in the garden. Breeders send us their plants because they want to see if they can grow in the heat and humidity of a Georgia summer … These plants did the best, even under this summer’s extreme conditions.” John Ruter

Calibrachoa ‘Cabaret® Lemon Yellow’ Ball FloraPlant

This summer’s weather allowed the calibrachoa to flourish. It was a hot and dry summer, but by late July welcome rain began to fall frequently enough to sustain the garden. The calibrachoa rewarded us with months of flowering cultivars. ‘Cabaret® Lemon Yellow’ was a crowd favorite at the public open house before being selected as a Classic City Garden Award winner. It was quick to grow into a mound of deep green foliage that became covered in deep lemon-yellow flowers. This plant remained in full bloom all summer.



UGA professor of horticulture and director of the gardens

Since 1982, the Trial Gardens on UGA’s Athens Campus have been used as a literal testing ground for plants from around the world. By evaluating new selections of annuals and perennials, the staff of the gardens helps to introduce new plants to the Southeast’s green industry and the general public.

Calibrachoa ‘Calibasket™ Sunny Side’ Westhoff

‘Calibasket™ Sunny Side’ calibrachoa has been in full bloom for over three months. The plants grew together quickly and wasted no time in showing off their superior ability to withstand the most gruesome weather. The flowers were a clean white, with yellow descending deep into the flower’s center. Bees cover themselves in pollen as they harvest it from the seemingly infinite supply of blooms.

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

Callerya reticulate Developed by John Ruter

Callerya reticulate is a wonderful evergreen vine in warmer climates known as “evergreen wisteria.” This particular selection came from Taiwan and was the only seedling in the batch to survive the 6 degree winter low that Athens had a couple of years ago. The single-digit temperatures knocked the foliage off, but it came back the next spring with vim and vigor. Starting midsummer, the plant produces numerous 12to 15-inch flower clusters, which feature purple blooms with a green spot on the upright banner petal. In China the native range of this plant reaches from upper zone 8 down through zone 11. It provides great summer color.

the other. A good balance of the three colors of angelonia was maintained throughout the summer, which is seldom the case. ‘MixMaster™ Summer Bouquet’ is immensely deserving of this great award.



Canna ‘Toucan™ Rose’ Proven Winners

The gardens housed over 10 cultivars of the newest and most dwarf cannas, and all performed excellently. ‘Toucan™ Rose’ grew quickly and began producing its large rose flowers in no time. The plants grew to 4 to 5 feet tall and were covered in large, deep rose canna flowers. Every week, this canna outshone its neighbors.



Capsicum ‘Hot Pops Purple’ PanAmerican Seed



Combos ‘MixMaster™ Summer Bouquet’ Ball FloraPlant

Orange

The gardens has never had a combos comprised of only coleus, but Confetti Garden ‘Trafalgar Square’ has proved to be a successful mix for planters. This mix of yellow, green, bronze and orange shades blended together to create a stunning, bold statement. The coleus varieties included in this mix grew consistently and appeared uniform throughout the summer. Not one overgrew its space. This combo flourished effortlessly from spring through late fall.



Since angelonia arrived in the garden in the late 1990s, it has been a favorite crop of the staff. These plants have been perfected over time to be amongst the most carefree crops to grow. The combination basket ‘MixMaster™ Summer Bouquet’ was composed of spreading pink, white and purple angelonias from the Angel Mist® series. All this combo’s components grew and flowered consistently with no one outdoing

Canna ‘Toucan™ Rose’ grew quickly and began producing its large rose flowers in no time. The plants grew to 4 to 5 feet tall and were covered in large, deep rose canna flowers. Every week, this canna outshone its neighbors.

The combination basket Combos ‘MixMaster™ Summer Bouquet’ was composed of spreading pink, white and purple angelonias from the Angel Mist® series. The combos’s components grew and flowered consistently with no one outdoing the other. A good balance of the three colors of angelonia was maintained throughout the summer, which is seldom the case.

Portulaca ‘ColorBlast Tangerine’ Westhoff

Portulaca ‘ColorBlast Tangerine’ was the best portulaca that we have had in our trials in decades. It produced countless large, deep orange flowers that opened earlier and remained open longer than other varieties. ‘ColorBlast Tangerine’ was covered in these large, vivid orange flowers constantly from beginning to end

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Not only was ‘Hot Pops Purple’ a popular plant among visitors to the garden this summer, but its performance was also flawless. The plants were compact, reaching heights of less than 6 inches, and were more sprawling than upright. By early summer, these diminutive plants were covered with hundreds of small, perfectly round purple and orange orbs. ‘Hot Pops Purple’ continued to show off its flair into the fall.

Combos Confetti Garden ‘Trafalgar Square’ Dümmen

URBAN AG of our 2016 trials. It was an early favorite of our visitors as well as a superb garden performer.



Scaevola ‘Scalora Pearl’ Westhoff

Our scaevola performed pretty well this hot, dry summer; however, many cultivars had

withered by September. ‘Scalora Pearl’ was the lone exception. This ultra-compact creamy white scaevola grew into a vibrant, flowing mound of fan flowers. For months, ‘Scalora Pearl’ quickly and effortlessly remained in full bloom. It withstood midsummer rain deluges as well as the summer’s predominant drought.

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Cape plumbago

Your ticket to the butterfly wild kingdom by Norman Winter, Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens Growing cape plumbago is like having your own ticket to the butterfly wild kingdom. Not only will you be the proprietor

of the daily nectar café, but depending on where you live, you will also celebrate young ones, as this is a host plant for the cassius blue butterfly. If you are just a lover of color, then know you will be offered the rarest of blue for the garden from late spring through frost. This means that, whether you grow it as a returning perennial, shrub or treat it as an annual, you can relish the beauty of the sky blue flowers. This South African native plant is tough as nails and a persevering performer, even in the torrid temperatures so prevalent during late August and early September. Botanically speaking, it is known as Plumbago auriculata. Its common names are “leadwort,” which I hate; “plumbago,” which is OK; and “cape plumbago,” which I like best. The cape plumbago was chosen as a Texas Superstar plant in 2005, meaning it was promoted from the citrus area of the Lower Rio Grande Valley to the far north reaches of the Texas Panhandle. This also demonstrates that it can be grown in just about any good draining soil with most any pH.

They are very tolerable of a partial-sun environment. We have experienced 18 and 22 degrees Fahrenheit in two of the three winters since I’ve been here, and our cape plumbagos have rebounded nicely. Most sources promote zone 8b root hardiness, those in slightly colder zones are finding success with an added layer of mulch in the winter.

Norman Winter

Campfire coleus and cape plumbago intermingle for a thrilling combination of color.

In much of the Savannah area, deer have become way more than a nuisance, and it gives me great happiness to say the cape plumbago is not on their menu. We grow ours with the yellow shrimp plant, Justicia brandegeeana, and ‘Black and Blue’ salvia, Salvia guaranitica, which are also both deer resistant.

There is one last plumbago I want to mention. Doctorbush is known botanically as Plumbago scandens. It is native to Arizona, Florida and Texas, and you occasionally find it or the named selection, ‘Summer Snow,’ at specialty garden centers. When I was the director of the National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas, it fulfilled its mission, bringing in all sorts of butterflies, including the cassius blue. Rare color, butterflies, deer resistance and summer-long performance are strong attributes of the award-winning cape plumbago. I hope you will give it a try and see if you agree that it is great value for your landscape dollar.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

We are growing ours at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm as a 36-inch tall shrub in full sun. It blooms on new growth and it will reward you with more blooms when you feel the need to shape it or prune lanky growth.

The sky blue color of the cape plumbago offers many choice partnerships, whether in mixed containers or in the garden. Over the years, I’ve seen them grown artistically with pink wave petunias. My favorite may be to see them combined with the rustic orange of the ‘Beyond Paradise’ copper plant or the fairly new ‘Campfire’ coleus.

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Dazzling color

Native blue mistflowers by Norman Winter

When I moved into my new house in Fall 2015, I was

Norman Winter

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

A monarch butterfly finds the palmleaf mistflower to be a tasty treat.

quick to notice my neighbor’s flowers across the street. I could see drifts of wonderful, tall, blue flowers coupled with the complementary orange of swirling Gulf fritillary butterflies. I knew immediately that my neighbor was a real gardener, as those showy blooms could be identified as the native blue mistflower known botanically as Conoclinium coelestinum.

There is something special about gardeners who grow native perennials like blue mistflowers, Joe Pye weeds and goldenrods. Thanks to my neighbor’s generosity in sharing some emerging spring volunteers, the Rain Garden at the University of Georgia’s Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens now has large patches of blue partnered with goldenrod, liatris and white boneset. Like my neighbor’s blooms — and the native blue mistflowers you see on the roadside — ours too are butterfly magnets.

Three varieties

There are three species of mistflowers native to the U.S., and Texas is the only state that can lay claim to all three. Beyond the blue mistflower, there is the betony-leaf mistflower, C. betonicifolium, native only to Texas; and palmleaf mistflower, C. dissectum (formerly C. greggii), native to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. I treasure all three.



The blue mistflower is native in lands from Texas to Nebraska, northward to New York and virtually every state south. Among the three mistflowers native to the United States, blue mistflower has the largest range. It starts blooming toward the end of July, yielding dazzling, frosty-blue blooms until November, which lines up perfectly with peak butterfly season.



Palmleaf mistflower, sometimes known as Gregg’s blue mistflower or Texas Ageratum, has the same cool, blue flowers borne on two-foot-tall plants. They are cold hardy through zone 7. The leaves are deeply dissected, giving it even more landscape appeal. It has an unbelievably long season of bloom and has performed wonderfully in the humid Southeast. They not only attract queen and monarch butterflies, but all kinds of suphurs, skippers, crescents and fritillaries.



The betony-leaf mistflower has foliage similar to a succulent’s. It thrives in the sandier soils along the Texas coast, and I desperately want to try it in Savannah. Most report that it is hardy to zone 9, but I want to test it myself. When I worked at the National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas, we grew betony-leaf mistflowers close together. They pushed upward to form a 2- to 3-foot hedge of glorious, blue blooms packed with butterflies.

Growing mistflowers

I’m touting the blue mistflower, but regardless of the one you want to grow, select a site in full sun for best blooming and to keep the plants compact and better branched. The soil should be moist and fertile and not prone to drying out like a brick.

URBAN AG You will want to space plants 12- to 18-inches apart. Conocliniums spread by both rhizomes and seeds, so plan on doing a little garden management. It is well worth it for these terrific flowers.

About the author

The blue mistflower and palmleaf mistflower respond well to any cutting back, so feel free to do so if the plants begin to look a little leggy or if you simply wish they were bushier. Blue mistflowers, palmleaf mistflowers, and betony-leaf mistflowers are great choices for cottage gardens and wildflower meadows, and they’re unbeatable for the butterfly garden or backyard wildlife habitat. Despite the fact that these are such persevering, beautiful perennials and bloom for months, they are typically only available from specialty native suppliers or passalong plants from friends or neighbors. I hope you will search them out — the butterflies will love you for it.

Norman Winter is director of the University of Georgia’s Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm in Savannah, Georgia. Follow him on Twitter @CGBGgardenguru. For more on the Coastal Georgia Botanical Garden, please visit the website: coastalgeorgiabg.org

Norman Winter

Mistflowers (foreground) and knockout roses create a cottage garden look in this landscape.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

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Aerification never hurts

And should be a benefit this spring by Clint Waltz, University of Georgia

Summer 2016 was hot and dry!

Figure 1. Maximum air temperature for the past three years when warm-season species were actively growing in Griffin, GA. Data from the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network <www.GeorgiaWeather.net>.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Figure 2. Total monthly rainfall for the past three years when warm-season species were actively growing in Griffin, GA.

Georgia is a large state and weather conditions were variable from South Georgia to North Georgia but in general, the average, monthly, maximum air temperatures were higher than the previous two years. Figure 1 shows temperatures during the growing season for warm-season grasses for the last three years in Griffin, Georgia. Compound hot temperatures with low rainfall (Figure 2), and the result was weak turf as it entered dormancy last fall.

In Georgia, irrigation is a supplement to rainfall. When Data from the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring rainfall and irrigation Network <www.GeorgiaWeather.net>. cannot meet plant needs the result can cause the grass to enter into a drought-induced dormancy (Figure 3). Through altering various physiological processes within the plant, even warm-season grasses will protect themselves during periods of drought stress. Environmental and biochemical signals trigger the plant into a “conservation mode” where it only uses the resources it needs, ensuring the survival of the species.

Signs include grass losing color, a thinning canopy, and ability to see soil that is typically covered by turf. The grass plant does what it can to keep areas like the crown, stolons, and rhizomes minimally hydrated to sustain life. Fortunately, species like bermudagrass and zoysiagrass have stolons and rhizomes, which allow them to tolerate stresses and resume growth once environmental conditions become favorable. Centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass do not have below-ground rhizomes, making them more susceptible to stresses. However, all warm-season species are fairly resilient to environmental extremes but prolonged stress can have a compounding effect on recovery. This compounding effect can be worsened when the stress, in this case heat and drought, extends into the time of year when the grass should be producing and storing reserves. For warm-season species, late summer and throughout the fall is when grasses accumulate carbohydrates in stolons and rhizomes to aid in spring green-up. In 2016, for many lawns across the state there may not have been sufficient opportunity, too little rainfall, for the grass to grow, photosynthesis, and make carbohydrate reserves. If that was the case, lawns will likely be slow to green-up this spring. If environmental conditions are “normal” this spring, lawns will recover but it could be at a slower rate because the production of reserves was compromised last fall. For example, a lawn that would typically be fully green and growing in mid-May, it might be late May or June before it is covered. A two- to four-week delay in green-up of warmseason grasses might be common this spring.

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Aerification to the rescue

Is there anything that can be done to improve green-up and growth? There is. Core aerification is a cultivation practice that opens the soil, allowing moisture and air into the root zone. Timed and performed correctly, aerification can stimulate rhizomes to initiate growth, causing the grass to grow sooner. Aerification never hurts, but the “typical” warmseason lawn does not need regular, or annual, aerification. However, this spring may be an exception. To stimulate growth and achieve surface coverage as early as possible, core aerification in late April through mid-May will likely benefit many lawns that suffered through one, or multiple, drought-induced dormancy periods last summer and fall.

If ever there was a year to seriously consider core aerification, this is the year! Would core aerification help centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass that does not have rhizomes? The simple answer is “Yes”! While the practice would not stimulate shoot growth from rhizomes that these species do not have, aerification relieves compaction that generally stimulates rooting and promotes deeper roots that pull water and nutrients

Figure 3. Non-irrigated bermudagrass suffering from drought-induced dormancy.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

URBAN AG from a greater soil volume. For the stoloniferous species the typical result from aerification is increased lateral growth and a healthier plant.

Two types of aerification Figure 4. Hollow tine aerification of residential lawn.

There are two basic types of aerification: hollow and solid tine.

With hollow tine aerification, a soil core is removed (Figure 4), while with solid tine aerification a hole is created and no core is removed. With both types, a void in the soil is created that allows air and water to more deeply penetrate the root zone. However, with hollow tine aerification the aeration benefits are longer lasting due to the removal of the core.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

With either technique, the deeper the aerification holes the better. Ideally, cores, or plugs, are 3 to 4 inches in depth and a half-inch diameter. With time, the surrounding soil relaxes back into the void, opening pore space in the surrounding soil. This lends toward an overall improved air exchange and better water infiltration within the soil.

If there is a choice between hollow tine and solid tine, choose hollow tine and remove a soil core. Soil wears metal tines. To optimize the benefits or core aerification, tines should be changed regularly and once they cannot effectively pull a 3-inch core. If homeowners choose to rent an aerifier and do the job themselves, they should inspect the tines and choose the piece of equipment with the longest tines. Or, ask the rental agency to replace the tines with a new set.

Best management practices

Core aerification is only part of a sound agronomic program. This spring it can aid in green-up but other basic turfgrass management practices are also important.



The fertility program specific to the each turfgrass should not be neglected. Visit www.GeorgiaTurf.com to find lawn care calendars that include fertility recommendations for each grass species. Keep in mind the grass is likely less vigorous this spring as a result of last summer, avoid applying nitrogen fertilizer to warm-season grasses until soil temperatures at the 4-inch depth are consistently 65° F and rising. This will likely coincide with the appropriate timing for core aerification.

 

To check if the soil pH, phosphorus, and potassium levels are within recommended ranges for optimum growth, contact your local county extension agent <http:// extension.uga.edu/> for submitting a soil sample to the UGA Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratories.

Preparing for the next stress

Not only could aerification hasten green-up and coverage, but by stimulating the grass to produce more shoots it can make the grass more sustainable. Once the grass has leaves, it can begin photosynthesizing and producing carbohydrates. In the spring and summer the plant will use some of these reserves and some will be partitioned to rhizomes and stolons. With a potential depletion, or decrease of accumulation, of carbohydrates as a result of 2016, restoring carbohydrate reserves is important to help the grass make it through the next stress.

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UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Loropetalum

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Think outside the boxwood

Alternative plants for gardens and landscapes by Bodie Pennisi, Greg Huber, and Gary Peiffer, University of Georgia 2014 boxwood blight disease was confirmed in the Buckhead area of Georgia and additional samples of the disease have since been identified in other parts of the state. The sticky spores of this fungus readily adhere to birds, animals, pruning tools, shoes, clothing, and leaf litter, and can be easily transported and introduced to new locations. All species of boxwood are susceptible to the disease, although certain cultivars of Littleleaf boxwood (Buxus macrophylla) and Korean boxwood (Buxus sinica) do not show symptoms of the disease as readily as the dwarf English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Suffruticosaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;). Dr. Jean Woodward, University of Georgia

In July 2014 boxwood blight disease was confirmed in the Buckhead area of Georgia and additional samples of the disease have since been identified in other parts of the state.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) has been an iconic fixture in the garden for centuries. The fine-textured evergreen foliage

and compact growth habit of this shrub make it an excellent choice for borders, hedges, and topiary. The boxwood is used as a bold structural element for defining beds, creating interesting lines and shapes, and establishing the evergreen framework that unifies the landscape.

Boxwood blight in Georgia

Gardeners have sculpted boxwood hedges and topiary into every shape imaginable and it has been a cornerstone of tradition in the formal garden. This tradition may be taking a turn in the future with the dreaded arrival of boxwood blight disease to U.S. gardens. The disease was identified in Europe a decade ago and was observed in the Unites States by 2011. In July

Due to this fact, certain plants have the potential to harbor undetected spores at the nursery and spread the disease into existing landscapes as new plantings. Once infected with the disease, there is no curative treatment. A regular rotation of preventative fungicides may reduce the chances of infection, but can be an expensive and time-consuming solution. Additionally, if the proper rotation of fungicides is not carefully followed, it can lead to the development of resistant strains of the pathogen. All this translates to bad news for boxwoods.

Fighting back

To combat the spread of this disease, follow a strict regimen of sterilizing pruning equipment and be conscientious of any practices that might transport spores and leaf litter to other sites. Dead plants should be removed and destroyed. Avoid using replacement groundcovers and shrubs from the boxwood family (Buxaceae)

URBAN AG Examples of boxwood alternatives Dwarf Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) cultivars such as: ‘Schillings Dwarf ’, ‘Nana’, ‘Stokes Dwarf ’ Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra) cultivars such as ‘Compacta’, ‘Shamrock’ Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata ) numerous cultivars such as ‘Hoogendorn’, ‘Helleri’, ‘Convexa’, ‘Hetzii’, ‘Soft Touch’ Little-Leaved Viburnum (Viburnum obovatum) Dwarf Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense) cultivars such as: ‘Purple Pixie’, ‘Purple Diamond’ Dwarf Evergreen Azaleas (Rhododendron sp.) Yellow Rim (Serissa foetida)

2) Course-textured broadleaf evergreens or needle leaf evergreens that naturally grow in a formal to semi-formal shape.

Distylium (Distylium x) Carissa Holly (Ilex cornuta ‘Carissa’) Spreading Yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia) Japanese Falsecypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera) cultivars such as ‘Golden Mop’, ‘Filifera Aurea’ Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) cultivars such as ‘Gracilis’, ‘Nana Gracilis’, ‘Rheingold’, ‘Golden Globe’ Dwarf Oriental Arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis) cultivars such as ‘Aurea Nana’, ‘Westmont’ Japanese Skimmia (Skimmia japonica) Dwarf Arborvitae (Thuja sp.) Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis umbellata, R. delcourii) Dwarf Aucuba (Aucuba japonica) Dwarf Cryptomeria (Cryptomeria sp.) Dwarf Juniper (Juniperus davurica) ‘Parsonii’ Common Waxmyrtle (Morella cerifera) cultivars such as ‘Don’s Dwarf ’, ‘Tom’s Dwarf ’ Dwarf Waxmyrtle (Myrica pumila) ‘Fairfax’ Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira)* ‘Wheeler’s Dwarf ’ Podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus) ‘Maki’* Pineapple Guava (Acca sellowiana)* Butcher’s Broom (Ruscus aculeatus)

3) Evergreen shrubs with fragrant or showy flowers

Camellia (Camellia japonica, C. sasanqua) Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) Abelia x (Abelia x grandiflora) Winter Daphne (Daphne odora) Soft Leaf Mahonia (Mahonia eurybracteata) ‘Soft Caress’ Japanese Andromeda (Pieris japonica) False Holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus) Fragrant Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans) Knockout Rose (Rosa x ‘Knockout’ TM)

4) Non-traditional alternatives with distinct character to replace formal hedges

Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ (Euphorbia x) Alexandrian Laurel (Danae racemosa) Drooping Leucothoe (Leucothoe axillaris) Holly Fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) Yucca ‘Tricolor’ (Yucca sp.) Bottlebrush (Callistemon sp.)* Saw palmetto (Serenoa sp.) Germander (Teucrium fruticans) Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) Kuma Bamboo (Sasa veitchii) ** Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)**

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

1) Boxwood “lookalikes” having similar texture and compact form.

* limited to the Coastal Plains of Georgia ** for shaded areas

URBAN AG Plants not recommended as boxwood alternatives Japanese Spirea (Spiraea japonica)

Category 2 Invasive plant

Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)

Category 2 Invasive plant

Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

Category 3 Invasive plant

Leatherleaf Mahonia (Mahonia japonica)

Category 3 Invasive plant

Spreading Liriope (Liriope spicata)

Category 3 Invasive plant

Clumping Liriope (Liriope muscari)

Category 3 Invasive plant

Otto-Luyken Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Otto-Luyken’)

Prone to shot hole fungal disease

Boxleaf Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus)

Prone to scale insects

Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra terminalis)

Susceptible to Boxwood blight

Sweetbox (Sarcococca sp.)

Susceptible to Boxwood blight

such as Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra terminalis) and Sweetbox (Sarcococca sp.), as the disease can persist in the soil and leaf litter and infect new plantings. In addition, avoid the introduction of new (or transplanted) boxwoods into existing plantings. For detailed information and updates concerning boxwood blight disease, visit the UGA Extension publication website at http://extension.uga.edu/publications.

Until an effective solution for managing this disease is available, it might be best to “think outside the boxwood.” Included in this article is a list of plants to consider as alternatives to boxwood ranging from conservative “lookalikes” to distinctly non-traditional options. When selecting plants, choose a species that is well-suited for the specific site conditions and meets the goals of the project.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

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Organic gardening Soil prep is the key

by Timothy Daly, Gwinnett County UGA Extension Organic gardening has become quite popular among gardeners, but a

considerable amount of confusion exists about exactly what it is and what it is not. Organic gardening uses a combination of methods and strategies to produce healthy plants. It also requires a thorough understanding of the ecological relationships among soil, plants and other organisms in the garden. Contrary to popular belief, organic gardening is neither a method of pest control, nor the avoidance of the use of all chemical pesticides. Organic gardening requires a long-term outlook in regard to soil preparation. Developing healthy, fertile soil helps provide plants with necessary nutrients. Organic gardeners use natural, organic fertilizers and mineral amendments to improve the overall quality and fertility of their soil. Most synthetic fertilizers provide nutrients that are immediately available to the plant. However, they do not contribute to the overall health and long-term fertility of the soil.

The first key to successful pest control is to begin by purchasing healthy, quality plants that are free of insects and diseases. Next, encourage beneficial insects, such as lady beetles, lacewings and certain species of wasps, to stay in your garden. Certain herbaceous plants, such as dill, wild mustards and yarrow, provide shelter and food for these beneficial organisms. Plant these among your vegetables. Choose plants that have varieties with known resistance to diseases and insects as a method

Organic gardening requires a long-term outlook in terms of soil preparation. Developing healthy, fertile soil helps to provide plants with necessary nutrients.

Remove and dispose of plant material, such as leaves, branches and fruit, that has fallen to the ground. Reduce the incidence of disease by keeping plant leaves and stems as dry as possible. Use drip irrigation rather than overhead watering to conserve water and reduce the amount of time plants remain wet. When necessary, use organic pesticides. There are several choices available. Botanicals, such as rotenone, pyrethrum and neem oil products, are plant-derived materials. Microbial pesticides that control certain insect pests are formulated from microorganisms or their byproducts. An example is DiPel, which contains a species of bacteria that targets certain caterpillar pests.

Minerals, such as sulfur and copper, are the primary organic materials used to control fungal and bacterial diseases. Always remember that even if a product is considered to be organic, it is still a pesticide. Exercise caution when using these products. Some organic pesticides are as toxic as or even more toxic than many synthetic chemical pesticides. There are pros and cons to organic gardening. Understanding the basics of this practice and what it involves will help you succeed in having healthy, productive plants no matter what growing method you follow.

UAC MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017

Organic matter in the soil is important because it breaks down and releases nutrients for the plants. It also improves the soilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water-andnutrient-holding capacity and provides a habitat for beneficial microorganisms. Organic matter in the soil can be increased by the addition of manure, topsoil, peat moss, compost and other suitable materials.

of reducing pests. For example, some varieties of tomatoes have been bred to resist certain fungal diseases.

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