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2015 VNLA Officers & Directors OFFICERS President SONYA L. WESTERVELT Public Relations ‘10 Saunders Brothers Inc 2717 Tye Brook Highway Piney River, VA 22964 (434) 277-5455 sonya@saundersbrothers.com Vice President BILL GOULDIN ‘12 Strange’s Florist/Garden Ctrs 12111 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23233 804-360-2800 wjg@stranges.com Secretary/ Treasurer ‘12 VIRGINIA ROCKWELL Gentle Gardener Green Design PO Box 191 Montpelier, VA 22957-0191 (cell) 434-531-0467 gentlegardener@gmail.com Past President MATT SHRECKHISE Communications ‘08 Shreckhise Nurseries PO Box 428 Grottoes, VA 24441-0428 540-249-5761 Matthew@shreckhise.com
2 YR DIRECTORS
TOM THOMPSON, Environmental Affairs ‘10 Natural Art Landscaping 3540 S Belmont Rd Richmond VA 23234-2912 (804) 674-5703 Christopher@lancasterfarms.com Naturalartlandscaping@yahoo.com CRAIG ATTKISSON ‘13 Grower Guide AARON WILLIAMS ‘14 Green Side Up Landscaping Education Committee PO Box 2026 Williams Landscape & Design Glen Allen, VA 23058-2026 PO Box 7001 804-514-4610 Williamsburg VA 23188-7001 craig@gsulandscaping.com 757-564-7011 aaron@wldgreen.com JOSH ELLINGER, Environmental Affairs‘15 MANTS’ Directors Waynesboro Nurseries PO Box 897 Waynesboro VA 22980-0987 JOHN LANCASTER‘02 540-946-3800 Bennett’s Creek Nursery Cell: 540-836-6851 3613 Bridge Road Josh@wnurseries.com Suffolk, VA 23435-1807 757-483-1425 BRENT HUNSINGER, john@bcnursery.com Legislation’15 Brent's Native Plantings ROBIN RINACA – 15 10715 Hamilton's Crossing Dr Eastern Shore Nursery of VA Fredericksburg, VA 22408 PO Box 400 443-655-3410 Melfa, VA 23410-0400 brenthunsinger@gmail.com 757-787-4732 CHRISTOPHER BROWN ‘13
Research Committee Lancaster Farms 5800 Knotts Neck Rd Suffolk VA 23435-1353 757-484-4421
DOUG RODES, Membership ‘15 Executive Director James River Nurseries 13244 Ashland Rd Ashland VA 23005-7504 JEFFREY B. MILLER (804) 798-2020 Horticulture Management Cell: (804) 380-5259 Associates LLC drodes@jamesrivernurse383 Coal Hollow Road ries.com Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721 1-800-476-0055 Educational Advisors Fax: 540-382-2716 info@vnla.org DR. ROGER HARRIS VA Tech Horticulture Dept. Head Saunders Hall (0327) Blacksburg, VA 24061-0001 540-231-5451 rharris@vt.edu
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rrinaca@esnursery.com
DANNY SHRECKHISE Shreckhise Nurseries ‘12 PO Box 428 Grottoes, VA 24441-0428 540-249-5761 Danny@shreckhise.com
Educational Advisors DR. JIM OWEN HARAREC 1444 Diamond Springs Rd Virginia Beach, VA 23455 (757) 363-3804 jim.owen@vt.edu
July/August/September 2015 October / November / December 2015
REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS Central Virginia Nursery & Landscape Assoc. Warner Winthrop warner@colesvillenursery.com 804-798-5472 Eastern Shore Nurserymen’s Association Stuart Burnley 757-442-3548 hermfarm@verizon.net Hampton Roads Nursery & Landscape Assoc Wes Bray (757) 422-2117 wemows@aol.com Northern Virginia Nursery & Landscape Assoc Chuck Wood (703) 641-4790 chuck@wheats.com Piedmont Landscape Assoc Jessica Primm 434-882-0520 info@piedmontlandscape.org Shenandoah Valley Nursery & Greenhouse Assoc. Matt Shreckhise 540-249-5761 matthew@shreckhise.com
Directors at Large MIKE HILDEBRAND ‘12 James River Nurseries 13244 Ashland Rd Ashland VA 23005-7504 804-798-2020
mchildebrand@ jamesrivernurseries.com
DUANE SHUMAKER Interim Certification Chair
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Table of Contents Ad - Bennett's Creek Nursery ...................................... 67 Ad - Bremo Trees......................................................... 68 Ad - Carolina Bark Products ........................................ 55 Ad - Eastern Shore Nursery of Virginia....................... 36 Ad - Farm Credit .......................................................... 68 Ad - Goodson and Associates ...................................... 35 Ad - Gossett's Landscape Nursery ............................... 53 Ad - Guthrie Nursery ................................................... 41 Ad - Hanover Farms..................................................... 7 Ad - Hawksridge Farms ............................................... 43 Ad - Johnston County Nursery Marketing Assoc ........ 45 Ad - Lancasster Farms ................................................. 61 Ad - Mid-Atlantic Solutions ........................................ 19 Ad - OHP - Segway MarengoO.................................................... 2 Ad - Pender Nursery .................................................... 48 Ad - Plantworks Nursery.............................................. 57 Ad - Shreckhise Nurseries............................................ 15 Ad - SiteLight Id .......................................................... 23 Ad - Spring Meadows Nursery .................................... 51 Ad - Turtle Creek Nursery ........................................... 37 Ad - Waynesboro Nurseries ......................................... 9 Ad - Willow Springs Tree Farms ................................. 12 Ad - Fair View Nursery ............................................... 55 Events - Calendar ......................................................... 66 Editorial - Is the ACA affordable for your business? . 9 Events - MAHSC ......................................................... 64 Events - McDuffie Tours 2016 .................................... 62 Events - National Collegiate Landscape Competition Returns to Mississippi State ........................... 61 Events - Shenandoah Valley Plant Symposium 2016 .. 60 Legislation - Bill to Reform H-2B VISA Program ...... 38 Letter - Agribusiness .................................................... 8 Letter - Tidewater Community College ....................... 7 Letters - Agriculture in the Classroom ......................... 7 Letters - CALS & Hahn Garden .................................. 8 Letters - Hahn Horticultural Garden ............................ 8 Letters - Thank you Shoosmith Scholarship ............... 8 Member Profile – Doug & David Phillips Phillips and Turman Tree Farms .................... 20 News - Extension Publication: Showy Flowering Shrubs .............................. 18 News - 2016 Garden Trends Report ............................ 40 News - Ball Acquires Conard-Pyle .............................. 13 News - Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Program Update ................................. 16 News - EPA final revisions to the Worker Protection Standard (40 CFR 170) ............................... 35 News - EPA Proposal to Revise the Certification of Pesticide Applicators Rule ......................... 37 News - Governor Announces AFID Grant to Greenhouse in Culpeper ............................. 13 4 4
News - Grow Wise, Bee Smart™ Website Launches. 18 News - Hahn Horticulture Garden Tree Move Video.. 13 News - Hortica Exciting News to Share with You! .... 14 News - Landowner's fight against invasive plants turns into regional effort ................................ 46 News - Leigh Townsend Recognized for Business Turnaround.................................. 10 News - National Gardening Bureau Announces 2016 Year of Begonia ..................................... 39 News - Saunders Brothers, 2015 Agribusiness of the Year Award .......................................... 11 News - VDACS New Program Manager .................... 16 News - VDOT'S Pollinator Habitat Program Moves toward Statewide Implementation ............... 39 News - Ward and Haymore: Virginia agriculture, farmers plow ahead for the bay .................... 14 Profile - VAC - Staff Profile: Katie Frazier................ 12 Research - Irrigation Water Quality for a Sustainable Green Industry .................. 51 Tips - Are You Reporting Your Groundwater Withdrawals? ................................................. 52 Tips - Experts Directory from Virginia Tech CALS ... 52 Tips - Leading with a Purpose, Growing Our People by Intention................. 56 Tips - Pomegranates .................................................... ..42 Tips - There's an App for That! ................................... 53 Tips -Media Interviews ................................................ 60 Tips -Soils & Conservation Landscape Management.. 23 VNLA - Certification Class/Test Schedules ............... 65 VNLA - Certification Quiz # 74 .................................. 34 VNLA - Certification Quiz Article #74 ....................... 28 VNLA - Digital Image Guidelines for Newsletter....... 58 VNLA - Plant Something Marketing Benefits ............ 63 VNLA - Quiz Article ................................................... 24 VNLA - Photo Contest Winner ................................... 17
Save the Date! Thursday, August 11, 2016 VNLA Field Day Grelen Nursery, Somerset, VA
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VNLA VNLA Mission, Mission, Vision and Objectives Vision and Objectives for for 2015 2014 VNLA Mission, Vision and Objectives for 2014 Mission Statement: To Enhance and promote Vir-
Mission Statement: To Enhance and promote Virginia’s ginia’s nursery nursery and and landscape landscape industry. industry. Mission Statement: To Enhance and promote VirVision: leader andand resource for the Vision:totobecome becomethethe leader resource forVirthe ginia’s nursery and landscape industry. ginia nursery and and landscape industry. Virginia nursery landscape industry. Vision: to become the leader and resource for the VirObjectives Objectives ginia nursery and landscape industry. Educated, Available Educated, Available Skilled Skilled Labor Labor Force Force -- Goal: Goal: Objectives VNLA VNLA will will continue continue to to promote promote programs programs that that will will Educated, Available Skilled Labor Force - labor Goal: education, train and anan available skilled education, train andprovide provide available skilled laVNLA force. bor force.will continue to promote programs that will education, train and provide an available skilled labor Effective Effective Communication and and Advocacy Advocacy GOAL: GOAL: force. Communication VNLA VNLA will will effectively effepctivelycommunication communicationamong among staff, staff, Effective Communication and Advocacy GOAL: board, members, partners board, members, partners and and the the community. community. VNLA will effepctively communication among staff, Maximizing and Allocation Resources -- GOAL: Maximizing and partners Allocation Resources GOAL: board, members, and the community. VNLA VNLA will will secure secure increased increased funding funding from from diverse diverse Maximizing and Allocation Resources - GOAL: sources thethe necessary staff,staff, boardboard and comsourcesand andsecure secure necessary and VNLA will secure increased funding from diverse mittee members to runtoarun dynamic organization. committee members a dynamic organization. sources and secure the necessary staff, board and com-
Classified ClassifiedAds Ads Classified Ads
mittee members run a dynamic organization. Expand Membership and -- GOAL: Membership andtoOutreach Outreach GOAL: Expand and and communicate the value of membership. communicate the value of membership. Membership and Outreach - GOAL: Expand and
communicate-- GOAL: the valueVNLA of membership. Stewardship will Stewardship GOAL: VNLA will promote promote adoption adoption of Best Practices. ofStewardship Best Management Management Practices. - GOAL: VNLA will promote adoption of Best Management Strategic Marketing Strategic Marketing -Practices. - GOAL: GOAL: VNLA VNLA will will promote promote itself as the itself as the the leader leader and and resource resource ofVNLA thegreen green industry. Strategic Marketing - GOAL:of willindustry. promote itself asWhat the leader and resource of the green industry. What are are members members problems? problems?
How are to them What aregoing members problems? How are we we going to help help them become become more successful? How are we going to help them become more successful? more successful?
Support VNLA Member Growers! Online at www.VNLA.org New Native Plant Section!
VNLA ForSupport a print copy
Support VNLA call 1-800-476-0055 Member Growers! Support VNLA email info@vnla.org Member Member Growers! Online at Growers! www.VNLA.org
Online at www.VNLA.org Online at Plant www.VNLA.org New Native Section! New New Native Plant Section! Native Plant For a print copySection! calla For 1-800-476-0055 For print copycopy a print Fall Review Class and Test for email info@vnla.org call 1-800-476-0055 call 1-800-476-0055 info@vnla.org email email info@vnla.org Virginia Certified Horticulturist
Crozet, VA Monday’s, 5:30-8:30 p.m. We Want to Hear From You! October 20 – December 8 Send you comments and suggestions to Exam, Saturday,1-800-476-0055 December 13 info@vnla.org Location TBA VNLA VNLANewsletter Newsletter VNLA Newsletter
VNLA Newsletter
October / November / December July /August / September 2014 20152014 October/November/December July/August/September 2014
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Editor: Jeff Miller
Hopefully by the time this newsletter is published, we will have unveiled new sponsorship packages for annual renewal. The idea being that no one likes to be asked to give multiple times a year, even though so many of you faithfully oblige. So, we’re going to try to make it easier for all parties and ask just once. And offer a discount for your early commitment! It will be totally new, so please offer any suggestions or feedback you have. The idea is to make it easier, not harder, so let us know if we’ve missed the mark.
383 Coal Hollow Road; Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721
We’ve still been hard at work on all of the other initiatives I mentioned in the last newsletter with the Virginia Certified Horticulturist program at the forefront of our efforts. Continue to expect big changes and great improvements as we move into 2016.
Vol. 85, No.4; October/November/December 2015
Internet E-mail Address: info@vnla.org www.vnla.org (Association Info) https://www.facebook.c om/VNLA1932 Twitter: @vnla1932 www.VirginiaGardening.com (Consumer Info) Telephone: 540-382-0943 or 1-800-476-0055 Fax: 540-382-2716 Disclaimer: Published for your information, this newsletter is not an endorsement for individual products or editorial comments.
President’s Message What a difference a year makes! Whether in my now two year old daughter, a business, or in this case, the VNLA, it’s amazing how much can change. As this is my last message as President, I’d like to thank our members and board members for their support, insights, opinions and passion for this great industry and this great organization. It has been an honor to serve with such fine folks. While I am looking forward to taking a tiny step back, I am also looking forward to continuing to help shape this organization as we move forward with substantial improvements to our Virginia Certified Horticulturist program and as we begin to usher in a new era of leadership. With the mention of leadership – I hope you all know what terrific work Jeff Miller does for us. He has been faithfully serving this organization for over 29 years and as I sign his final contract at the close of 2015 (Jeff will continue with us through June 2018), it will be with great admiration and appreciation for all he has done.
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We hope to see you at MANTS this year, where we will unveil our new mobile app for the Virginia Growers Guide. Now, you can easily search for any plant (including natives!) and see quickly who grows it in the Commonwealth of Virginia and how to get in touch with them. We will of course continue to hand out hard copies at MANTS so if you prefer paper, just stop by our booth. Finally, please come to our annual breakfast meeting! It is free to all members (an RSVP is encouraged so we have enough food!) and it’s a great way to catch up on what we’re doing, receive updates from other industry leaders, and support your peers in our award recognition. At this meeting, we’ll also be asking you to vote on some changes to the bylaws. We have been working with legal counsel to make some long overdue updates. You will receive an email about this in advance of the meeting for review, so stay tuned. I hope 2015 finishes strong for all and you have a very happy holiday season filled with family, love, joy and lots of good food! Many blessings to all now and always. See you all on the trade show floor! All the best always,
Sonya Lepper Westervelt, VNLA President 2015 sonya@saundersbrothers.com, 434-277-5455
Annual Membership Breakfast Meeting Thursday, January 7, 2016 7-9 a.m. Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel 2nd floor - Harbor View Room
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Letter – Tidewater Community College
Letters – Agriculture in the Classroom
The Tidewater Community College Educational Foundation Board of Directors joins me and our college colleagues in offering sincere appreciation to Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association for its recent gift of $1,000.00 to the Greenhouse Complex Fund.
On behalf of the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) thank you for your generous support in helping us reach our mission. We sincerely appreciate your partnership as we promote the awareness and understanding of Virginia Agriculture.
TCC now ranks in the top 20 of two-year associate degree programs in the United States. Community support like that from Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association has helped make that distinction possible and ongoing support will continue to positively impact the college's educational quality well into the future.
Your donation of $1500 will help us provide teacher education programs, lesson plans, classroom resources, books, and grants to teachers and students across the Commonwealth. It is gratifying to have the financial support from individuals who recognize that education is a powerful tool to ensuring the future of agriculture.
Again, thank you for investing in student success at Tidewater Community College.
You make a difference. We look forward to sharing AITC's success with you through quarterly newsletters and an annual report; information about our progress may also be found on our website at agintheclass.org. Once again, thank you for your support of AITC and the future of the agriculture industry. If you are interested in hearing more about our program or volunteer opportunities, please feel free to contact Tammy Maxey at 804-290-1143 or via email at tammy.maxey@vafb.com .
Sincerely, Felicia Blow, APR, Vice President for Institutional Advancement & Executive Director of the Educational Foundation
Wayne F. Pryor, Virginia Farm Bureau President
Ad – Hanover Farms
Hanover Farms Fine Ground Covers Liriope, Vinca, Pachysandra, Ferns and Natives Our 32nd Year!
13262 Spring Road, Rockville, VA 23146 (804) 749-4304 • FAX (804) 749-4350 www.hanoverfarms.com
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Letters – CALS & Hahn Garden On behalf of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and its students, faculty and staff, we would like to thank the Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association for its recent support for the Peggy Lee Hahn Horticulture Garden's 11th Annual Garden Gala as a Garden Gold Sponsor. The Gala is the highlight of the year for the Garden and the generosity realized during the event helps provide support not only for the maintenance and operations of the Garden, but also the many educational programs, campus and community events and other outreach activities held there. As you know, the facilities are a tremendous asset to the college, the university, and the community. Your contribution will play an important role in preserving and enhancing the beauty of the Garden. We deeply appreciate your support and commitment to the Peggy Lee Hahn Horticulture Garden and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. If you should have any questions about the Garden or any of the college's other programs, please contact us. Alan L. Grant, Dean, VA Tech CALS
Letters – Hahn Horticultural Garden On behalf of the Hahn Horticulture Garden and the Department of Horticulture, I would like to thank you for your generous Gold sponsorship of the 2.015 Garden Gala. Being a gala sponsor makes you a very important partner in our fundraising efforts. I hope you enjoyed all the festivities. I'm honored that you all were here for my first Gala as Director of the Hahn and I hope you and Sandy had a wonderful time. The 11th annual Garden Gala was a tremendous success, thanks to the generosity of sponsors and auction item donors. We had a record crowd (262!) on hand to enjoy the delightful weather, beautiful gardens, and the food, drinks, music, and fun. In total, more than $20,000 was raised to help with an array of operation expenses — everything from printing our Garden Guide to wages for our student workers. Garden improvements such as new plants, renovated paths, and more help us fulfill our educational mission as a living laboratory for both university students and the community. The Garden is one of the best faces of Horticulture and Agriculture on the Virginia Tech campus. Again, from all of us that work at, study in, and enjoy the garden, thank you for your continued support. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have comments and suggestions that could help the Gala in the future. I look forward to seeing you at next year's Gala! Robert F. McDuffie, Landscape Architect and Associate Professor Director, Hahn Horticulture Garden, Department of Horticulture
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Letters – Thank you Shoosmith Scholarship I am sincerely honored to have been selected as the recipient of the Albert James (Bert) Shoosmith Scholarship for the 2015-2016 academic year. With your support, you have lightened my financial burden which allows me to focus more on the most important aspect of school, learning. This scholarship has helped me pay for college expenses and reduced the hours needed to work. This will also allow more time for community involvement and participation in leadership opportunities. I am a second year student at Virginia Tech enrolled in the Agriculture Technology Program specializing in Landscape and Turf Management in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. This summer I have been working at Heart Seventeen Produce in Deltaville, Virginia to complete my internship required by the Agriculture Technology Program. Throughout my first academic year at Virginia Tech, I was recognized for my GPA and included on the Dean’s List. I became a member of FarmHouse Fraternity my second semester at Virginia Tech where I participated in numerous projects and benefits to help support the community. Besides living in Franklin County, Virginia with my parents, I get to enjoy hunting, fishing, riding four wheelers, and playing ball. After acquiring my degree I would like to gain employment where I can use my skills and knowledge in this occupation. Joshua Washburn
Letter – Agribusiness October 15, 2015 - On behalf of the Virginia Agribusiness Council, we want to thank you again for supporting us through your Team and Stand sponsorship, as well as Lunch sponsorship, at our Annual Sporting Clays tournament. It is only through the generosity and support of members and industry partners like you that the Council can continue to excel in representing our industry’s interest with the legislature. Although it may seem to be a social event, our Sporting Clays Tournan1ent provides our members with a rare opportunity to speak one on one with legislators who have great influence in creating agriculture and forestry policies. This year, we moved our tournament to Shenandale Gun Club, a private facility in Swoope, Virginia. Both our staff and participants were thrilled with the upgrade in amenities and the helpfulness of the club members there. It was a
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beautiful fall day in the Valley and the grounds were in perfect condition, despite the recent rain! We had almost 60 shooters, including Delegates Matt Fariss and Tony Wilt. As always, our guests left full and happy after an amazing rib lunch, graciously provided by Houff's Feed and Fertilizer, Shreckhise Nurseries and Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association! Following the tournament, we enjoyed another delicious meal courtesy of Mennel Milling as Katie Frazier presented the awards. Thank you again for your generous contribution to our Annual Sporting Clays Tournament. Your sponsorship enables our efforts to promote and defend the business interests of our members and ensured that we were able to provide a day of fun for so many of our members and special guests. Your support is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Katie K. Frazier, President, Virginia Agribusiness Council
Editorial - Is the ACA affordable for your business? Four months ago when I lost health insurance coverage, I never imagined that my on-going battle for re-instatement would cost me financially, affect my credit ratings, further the decline of my health and cause me to possibly close my business of 22 years. Many of us held on by a thread during the downturn of the economy of 2008 and I continue to struggle. Why am I still here? I cannot imagine working in any other industry. Plain and simple, it's what I love and had planned to do for the rest of my life. The ACA has changed my plans. How could this happen? I obtained healthcare coverage in Feb. 2015 (this was not an easy process) and they wanted to verify income four months later in May 2015. I never received the letter. I did recognize something was wrong when my monthly health insurance premium was increased by hundreds and that is where the nightmare began. In our industry and especially during a bad winter we do not recognize much income by May. In my 2nd business of farming, I have no income by May. During my self-employment verification, it was found that my monthly insurance premium would actually drop from my initial enrollment rate and the insurance company would have a credit balance for me. That sounded good to me and
Ad – Waynesboro Nurseries
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I thought everything was fine. The Marketplace representative never re-enrolled me for coverage after the income verification process; the nightmare began to snowball and has continued ever since. His actions caused me to file a required appeal for coverage to be re-instated and retro activity granted. I had mounting unpaid bills, the risk of credit rating ruination, no insurance coverage, no RX coverage and a debilitating disease. Filing an appeal to become re-instated is a very confusing process that can take over 3 months to complete while you have no insurance coverage. Healthcare.gov/Marketplace and the Appeals Center are two separate government entities. They DO NOT and WILL NOT talk to one another. I heard countless claims about how sorry everyone was for the misrepresentation but with the unwillingness of these agencies to communicate with one another and your insurance company, nothing is accomplished. I have spent so much time, money and lost so much time and money over this issue that I have determined the ACA is not affordable for my companies but rather may cost me my landscape design company of 22 years and my farm of 5 years. I wear many of the hats in my small business and in most years I cannot accurately verify income until year end during tax prep with my accountant. I do not comprehend the practice of self-employment income verification after four months of insurance coverage. I know I am not the only self-employed person feeling the crunch of the ACA, there is a backlog of Appeal cases based on this income verification process. Are you are being affected by these ineffective legislative practices? These agencies have controlled my health care, my ability to get the high priced drugs I require and literally caused the downward spiral of my life. I enlisted the assistance of my Congressman's office and they readily assisted me. While I am cautiously optimistic that an informal resolution in my favor is pending, small business owners of Virginia need protection. I urge small business owners to request these policies be carefully reviewed and the issues addressed. My experience has been a four month battle that was laborious, frustrating, discouraging, infuriating and I am saddened for other individuals that are not as tenacious as I am. I am a rebel with a cause for all of us! A voice for the green people, won't you join me? Contact your Congressperson or Senator and make your voice heard about the ACA that may not be so affordable for your business. Virginia Certified Horticulturist, Audrey Hodges Daisyhead, LLC., Faith Flower Farm, LLC.
News – Leigh Townsend Recognized for Business Turnaround Virginia Contractor Presented with “The 2015 Mighty Oak Award” for Outstanding Achievement in the Landscape Industry Eight outstanding lawn and landscape companies across the United States were awarded Jeffrey Scott’s “2015 Mighty Oak”, based on their performance as a business leader and outstanding achievements made by their landscape companies. These awards were announced at Jeffrey Scott’s recent Leader’s Edge peer group meetings held across the USA and Canada. Criteria for winning this prestigious award are: •
Serving as a positive example to others in the profession. • Working with the highest levels of integrity, ethics, and accountability. • Achieving significant growth benchmarks. • Contributing to the advancement of the landscape industry. • Engaging in continual personal and professional development. Honorees are chosen from the international participants in the Leader’s Edge peer groups for landscape business owners run by Jeffrey Scott. Here is the 2015 Virginia winner with an excerpt of their citations: Leigh Townsend and his firm (J.W. Townsend, Charlottesville, VA) were awarded the Mighty Oak two years in a row. Last year it was for leading a small turnaround with profound results. After a small set back Leigh and his company lifted the per(l) Leigh Townsend formance of every division with Jeffrey Scott including their 3 new innovative divisions – beyond expectations. This past year Leigh and his father Jay enacted a company transition in record time, with a win-win approach that had full buy-in of their staff. They are market leaders internally and externally. Jeffrey Scott Consulting, 203-220-8931, www.jeffreyscott.biz jeff@jeffreyscott.biz
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News - Saunders Brothers, 2015 Agribusiness of the Year Award
(l-r) Jim Saunders, Doug Phillips, Brad Copenhaver (VAC)
This year at the VNLA Field Day, the 2015 Agribusiness of the Year Award was presented by Doug Phillips, Virginia Agribusiness Council Director, to Saunders Brothers with Jim Saunders accepting the award. The Presentation follows:
Today I’m here to present the Virginia Agribusiness Council’s Agribusiness of the Year award to a very deserving Council member, and as it happens, a long-time leader in the nursery industry. It’s my pleasure to recognize Saunders Brothers for their many outstanding contributions to both the Council and the industry as a whole. I would like to invite all of the Saunders Brothers group in attendance today to join me as I continue the award presentation. To say that 2015 is a big year for Saunders Brothers would be quite an understatement. This year marks their OneHundredth anniversary, and we are all excited to be celebrating this great achievement with them. Nestled in the foothills of the “Sunrise Side” of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Nelson County, Saunders Brothers began as a partnership of five brothers in 1915. Today, third generation brothers, Tom, Bennett, Jim and Robert, with their dad, Paul, operate the wholesale nursery, orchard, and farm market. The wholesale nursery operation now consists of approximately 75 acres of container production and 75 acres of field production. They ship over 1,000 products to garden centers, landscapers, and re-wholesalers throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Their 125 acre orchard provides fresh fruit for our farm market as well as other wholesale and retail markets and provides some of the most delicious apples, peaches, and Asian pears around. Saunders Brothers has also become an industry leader in boxwood production, which has been the foundation of their nursery operation for over 60 years now. They work
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with the National Boxwood Trials to continuously evaluate different cultivars for measures including aesthetic appeal, grower friendliness, and landscape performance. The consumer face of Saunders Brothers’ operation is their Farm Market, which provides fruits from their orchard, and also their own jam, jellies, ciders, relishes, and salsas. Saunders Brothers uses this market to provide a connection with local consumers and to educate them about how their food is raised. When we asked industry leaders to tell us a little bit about their experiences with Saunders Brothers we were not surprised to receive words of praise for the company. Danny Shreckhise, of Shreckhise Nurseries, and a former Council Board Chairman, said “Saunders Brothers epitomize what is good in our industry of Agriculture and Nursery Production. They are creative and innovative, always on the cutting edge of the industry. They don’t just adopt new production techniques they work to make them better and often they introduce them. While they work hard to run an efficient business they know that there is more to a successful business than the bottom line. They understand that what is good for the industry as a whole is good for Saunders Brothers and vice versa. Our industry is better because of the contributions of Saunders Brothers and their team.” Katie Frazier, who is the President of the Virginia Agribusiness Council said that “you would be hard pressed to find a more engaged industry leader and involved Council member than Saunders Brothers. Apart from the tremendous success they’ve enjoyed in all of their businesses, they remain committed to participating in the Agribusiness Council and offering their support to our work. They are a model operation in the state of Virginia.” Along these lines, Saunders Brothers has been a long-time active member of the Council and a constant supporter of council events and activities. They have representatives serving on the Council’s Board of Directors; they actively participate in Council meetings and activities, and offer their support of Council legislative activities and events. Paul Saunders was a long time member of the Council’s Board, and served as Chairman—as did his son Jim. Furthermore, when we call upon them for expert advice, legislative testimony, or action to contact legislators and regulators, they willingly respond to the request – over and over again. In recent years, Jim, and even many of his sons, have made the trek to both Richmond and Washington, DC to communicate with our Congressional delegation about many of the issues facing their industry. Their commitment to the agribusiness community has had a lasting impact upon Virginia’s economy and agribusiness industry. For their dedication to the agribusiness industry and to the Council, it is with great pleasure that we recognize Saunders Brothers with the 2015 Virginia Agribusiness Council’s Agribusiness of the Year award. Brad Copenhaver, Virginia Agribusiness Council
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Profile - VAC - Staff Profile: Katie Frazier Katie grew up in Bridgewater in the Shenandoah Valley, where there were (and still are) horse posts for the horse and buggies at the post office right around the corner. Her grandfather still lives on the remaining 120 acre farm that was part of the original family land. With a father who served on the Rockingham County Board of Supervisors for most of her life, it shouldn't have surprised her parents when she came home in 3rd grade and announced she wanted to be a lobbyist when she grew up.
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When she was in college, Katie spent a summer on a mission trip in Thailand. While there, she taught English in Thai schools, helped rebuild structures in a remote village, and even planted rice for a few days. Katie tries to train and run 3-4 half marathons a year, and if she had it her way, she'd run through the farming community of Montezuma in Rockingham County almost every day. Her favorite running partner is her mother, Maggie, a marathon runner herself. Crediting her husband, Katie has an eclectic musical taste that she is happily passing on to their drumplaying son Palmer. When the Fraziers are home, you'll find a mix of Loretta Lynn, Michael Jackson, Old Crow Medicine Show (Palmer's favorite of the moment), and Christian artists playing! Provided by the Virginia Agribusiness Council
Katie credits her high school FFA advisor for encouraging her to consider what she wanted to lobby for telling her it should be something she had a passionate belief in. This passion led her to Virginia Tech, where she graduated in 2004 with degrees in Agricultural and Applied Economics and Political Science. From 2004- 2011, Katie served as the Council's Vice President of Public Affairs. She left in the summer of 2011 to join the Alliance Group where she managed and lobbied for the Virginia Wine Council and the Virginia Grain Producers Associations. Since returning in July 2012, Katie has served as President of the Council. She is responsible for administration, oversight, board and member relations, and lobbying on behalf of the Council's members. Katie has spent much of her career focusing on environmental issues, including the Chesapeake Bay TMDL, and spends quite a bit of time speaking to groups in and outside of Virginia about water quality impacts. Katie also works on state budget issues, where she readily admits it takes more time than most other lobbying!
Ad – Willow Springs Tree Farms
Katie celebrates her son Palmer's pre-K graduation with husband Eric this summer. If you ask Katie what she's doing outside of work, it will involve time with her immediate and extended family. Katie and her husband Eric, also a Hokie, have been married for almost 10 years, and are the proud parents of an active and engaging son, 5 year old Palmer, and their 13 year old dog Toby. When she's not with her family, Katie loves to exercise, be outside, try her hand at cooking and gardening, and enjoy good wine, beer, and football (especially the Hokies). Three Things You Might Not Know About Katie: 12 12
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News – Ball Acquires Conard-Pyle Ball Horticultural Company announced the purchase of Conard-Pyle, a century-old plant development company, which brought the Knock Out® family of roses to market. Conard-Pyle specializes in the genetics and sales of proprietary roses, perennials and woody plants, and is headquartered in West Grove, Pa. Among the acquired assets of the sale are Conard-Pyle's in-house breeding division NovaFlora and its intellectual properties, which have strengthened the Star® Roses and Plants brand over the years, as well as the distribution, production and administration facilities of its wholesale division. "Conard-Pyle's leading genetics, long-standing relationships and nationwide network of customers have made it a valuable brand in the marketplace," says Cees Boonman on behalf of Ball Horticultural Company. 'The company is a true pioneer in the industry and we are thrilled to add them to Ball's portfolio of top quality breeding and distribution companies." "Over its history, Conard-Pyle has introduced some of the most popular lines of roses ever brought to market. Now combined with Ball's strong reputation of research and development, distribution and marketing, we are confident the next several years will be exciting for the company," says Steven Hutton, current president and CEO of Conard-Pyle, and third-generation Hutton family member at the company. Ball intends for Conard-Pyle to operate as a division of Ball, retaining ConardPyle's staff, name and facilities. Ball plans to integrate its Ball Ornamentals division's strength in woody ornamentals and sales into Conard-Pyle in the coming year. The sale is scheduled to close by the end of September 2015.
News - Governor Announces AFID Grant to Greenhouse in Culpeper Governor Terry McAuliffe announced last week that WDC Greenhouse, LLC (dba BrightFarms) will locate its newest greenhouse production facility in Culpeper County. The company will invest $7.35 million to construct and operate two new greenhouses and create 24 new jobs. In addition, BrightFarms will produce 750,000 cases of Virginia-grown green leaf produce and 30,000 cases of Virginia-grown tomatoes over the next three years. Speaking about the announcement, Governor McAuliffe stated, "The attraction of BrightFarms to Culpeper County represents another step in strengthening Virginia's agricultural economy. This project, with its investment in innovative technology, new jobs being created, and commitment VNLA Newsletter VNLA Newsletter
to the environment, represents another economic win for this region. My administration is committed to utilizing fully our diverse agriculture industry, one of the Commonwealth's greatest assets, to help build the new Virginia economy." A cutting-edge, scalable solution to Americans' increasing demand for local and sustainable food, the BrightFarms Capitol greenhouse will use 80 percent less water, 90 percent less land and 95 percent less shipping fuel than conventional produce companies. It will create permanent green collar jobs, significantly reduce food miles, and improve the overall environmental impact of the food supply chain. The project will grow baby greens, basil and tomatoes exclusively for Ahold, one of the largest and most successful food retailers in the eastern United States. Slated for completion in December 2015, the greenhouse will provide produce for Ahold's Giant Food and Martin's supermarkets, as well as Peapod, a leading online grocery service, in Virginia, Maryland, D.C. and Delaware. "BrightFarms' entrepreneurial spirit and reputation make it a model for the role that agribusiness will play in helping to build the new Virginia economy," said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore. "The company has established itself as a significant player across the country for its innovative business model, sustainability practices, and quality product line. Lastly, BrightFarms' investment in Culpeper will fuel the company's expansion into the greater Washington, D.C. market, which is the nation's seventhlargest metropolitan area, thus bringing high-quality, Virginia-grown products to more than six million citizens." The Commonwealth is partnering with Culpeper County and BrightFarms on this project through the Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund, which is administered by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Governor McAuliffe approved a $75,000 grant from the AFID Fund to assist with the project, which Culpeper County is matching with $75,000 in local grant funds. ~BrightFarms, Recently Cited as One of World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, to Invest $7.35 Million, Create 24 Jobs~ - See more at: http://governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/newsarticle?articleId=13015#sthash.ksO8nAxW.dpuf
News - Hahn Horticulture Garden Tree Move Video We moved our Kousa dogwoods from their location on Washington St. to near the stream garden. Read more about it and watch the video here: https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/garden/2015/10/22/kousa-dogwoods-moved/
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- Robert McDuffie
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News - Hortica Exciting News to Share with You! On July 1, Hortica officially became a member of the Sentry Insurance Group after the affiliation between our two mutual companies was approved by the Illinois and Wisconsin Departments of Insurance. Hortica's financial strength ratings were upgraded to A+ (Superior) with a stable outlook by A.M. Best, the leading insurance industry rating organization. This news came within a week of the affiliation. "Florists' is expected to benefit from the shared expertise, services and financial support of Sentry," A.M. Best said in a news release. A.M. Best's entire release can be read online at: http://www3.ambest.com/ambv/bestnews/presscontent.aspx?refnum=22843&altsrc=23 We had hoped this action would result from our affiliation. Our combined forces create a much stronger and better resourced Hortica and our policyholders will continue to benefit from Hortica's unparalleled expertise in the horticultural industry, along with Sentry's business systems, technology and superior financial strength. Hortica and Sentry are dedicated to continuing our long histories of service to policyholders. We are both committed to Hortica's continued success. Our teams will work together to grow Hortica as never before. Mona Haberer, Hortica Insurance, CEO; Pete McPartland, Sentry Insurance, President, CEO and Chairman of the Board
News - Ward and Haymore: Virginia agriculture, farmers plow ahead for the bay Virginia's farmers have long been quality stewards of the land. Now, in growing numbers, they are becoming stewards of the Chesapeake Bay as well. Adapting to this new role has not been easy. Agriculture is Virginia's largest private industry, and for decades increased yields, flocks and herds meant increased fertilizer application, manure and field denuding.A boat heads off the Chesapeake Bay As a result, agriculture became a large contributor toward landfall near White Stone. of the commonwealth's nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment that makes its way into the Chesapeake Bay. As the Old Dominion continues its transition away from federal dependence under Gov. Terry McAuliffe's new Virginia economy push — an initiative that relies on increased 14 14
investment and jobs-creation in agriculture and agribusiness — agricultural productivity will only increase. That productivity must grow hand in hand with environmental responsibility. As science has demonstrated the relationship between certain agricultural practices and impaired water quality — both in streams and in the Chesapeake — our farmers have for many years voluntarily implemented measures designed to reduce the nutrient and sediment loads into surrounding waterways and, ultimately, into the bay. Virginia has supported these efforts with cost-share funding for the exclusion of livestock from streams, the use of cover crops and no-till farming, the installation of riparian forest buffers and other best-management practices. These practices are showing a measurable impact on the health of the bay. A representative of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation stated on June 17 that "Virginia has definitely made great progress in reducing bay pollution, especially from waste-water treatment plants and agriculture." These positive signs indicate that the efforts of our farmers are bearing fruit, but more needs to be done, both within Virginia and throughout the 64,000-square-mile Chesapeake Bay watershed. Here in Virginia, we have a number of tools available for our agricultural producers. Large animal feeding operations and poultry operations are required to implement nutrient-management plans and other water-quality protection practices as a part of their permits. For animal operations of smaller scale that do not require permits, the Department of Conservation and Recreation has dedicated staff to develop such plans at no cost. This is of particular benefit to Virginia's robust dairy industry. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services also works directly with farmers to improve their operations. Resource Management Plans are designed to provide regulatory certainty for farmers and ensure that they receive credit for doing their part to improve water quality. In exchange for implementing best-management practices on their property, these farmers are shielded from additional state regulation for up to nine years. The commonwealth has also committed significant resources toward assisting farmers in excluding their livestock from streams. This is one of the highest-impact and most cost-effective measures fanners can implement. However, Virginia alone cannot restore the bay.
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and the Virginia Farm Bureau. All the Virginia MarketMaker partners welcome the support and participation of all interested parties and agencies for future programming."
The national MarketMaker portal operates in several states in the Southeast and the District of Columbia, and stretches from Florida to Texas and from Ohio to Wyoming.
The benefits for producers are many. For example, a rancher can search for very detailed information about a beef processor including types of cuts and packaging offered, pricing options, and which facilities offer processing that best meets the needs of their customers.
"This is good business for producers and buyers alike," said Shaena Muldoon, owner and operator of the Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston, Virginia. "Being able to get our name out there so farmers know that we are a buyer for their products would also be important to us. Researching takes valuable time that we don't have to spare in the restaurant business, so this puts all the pieces in one place. It's a great idea and I'm looking forward to using this resource."
Once producers register they have access to an account they can be updated up-to-the-minute to make restaurateurs and consumers aware of their selections of herbs, meats, and produce. Consumers who have struggled with scanning markets far and wide for a fresh or hard-to-find ingredient can now locate them without leaving home, saving the added costs and time of driving to Saturday farmers markets in hopes of finding specific ingredients. "The MarketMaker website will be a valuable marketing tool for our Northern Virginia constituents," said Kenner Love, agricultural and natural resource Extension agent for Rappahannock County. "I have a lot of interest in a tool like this as an agent because I know how difficult it is to run a farming operation and still have time to turn your product into a profit. It's a great marketing tool that will assist farmers and buyers to form profitable business alliances."
Zeke Barlow, 540-231-5417, zekebarlow@vt.edu
Related Links
Agritourism can boost farmers' revenue, Virginia Tech study finds (http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2015/02/021115-cals-agritourism.html)
Kimberly Morgan named David M. Kohl Junior Faculty Fellow (http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2014/11/111714-cals-morganfellow.html)
Ad – Shreckhise Nurseries
Since 1936 Growers of Quality Trees & Shrubs, Conifers, Flowering Shrubs, Broad Leaf Evergreens, Shade & Flowering Trees, B&B Taxus & Thuja. Specializing in Container Grown Trees Located in the Heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
1903 Forest AVE | PO BOX 428 | Grottoes, VA 24441 nursery@shreckhise.com 540-249-5761 | 800-628-5871 | fax 540-249-5762
www.
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News - Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Program Update Much progress has been made over the last year, since our open forums in Virginia but the delays in finding our Lead Coordinator, Beth Ginter, caused about a 6 month delay in our original program development timeline. We want to assure you that the CBLP Program is continuing to move forward and we expect to start ramping up the development work now. Since completing our series of Open Forum meetings in August, we compiled the information received from approximately 200 attendees of the five Open Forums. We have attached a refined mission statement and a top-line summary of the combined notes from those Virginia and Maryland meetings. Detailed notes from the Open Forums are provided in the resources of the CBLP Certification Workgroups group on the Chesapeake Network. You may be interested to see our Open Forum online survey results. We have also been busy building awareness about the program and meeting with additional key stakeholders across the Bay region. Concurrent with that work, we have expanded the Steering Committee and are working to finalize decisions that frame the administrative structure for the credential, evaluate potential collaborations, and develop the outline of CBLP standards and outcomes. We will invite technical advisors to the table in January as we create the program content, partnering strategies, outreach, and piloting plans. The technical advisory group will be comprised of representatives from our supporting partners and a few key individuals with the needed expertise to accomplish the following goals over the next 12 to 15 months: •
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Develop a core set of standards and outcomes, online manual, exams and application for three separate credentials: design, installation, and maintenance. Establish minimum qualifications and a means for demonstrating hands-on experience. Align the program with existing trade certifications and training and educational partner programs. Develop credentialing assessment and recertification processes. Test and measure all of the above through a pilot program in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia to be launched in mid-2016. Build an online database of credentialed CBLPs and list of ongoing, consistent training opportunities. Build name recognition and promote CBLP to landscape professionals, regulatory agencies and potential clients.
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Develop a self-financing, sustainable plan for program administration. • Assess and refine the credentialing process and components. • Develop and implement a strategy to expand the program Bay-wide. Thank you again for your continuing interest in CBLP. Please keep in touch. Shereen Hughes, Virginia Coordinator, Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Program & Beth Ginter, MPSLD, Assistant Director, Wetlands Watch, Norfolk, VA, Beth@thehoneybeegroup.com
News – VDACS New Program Manager I am pleased to announce that Deb Martin has been selected as the new program manager for VDACS’ Office of Plant Industry Services. Deb has a long history with VDACS - 23 years working as a nursery inspector and most recently working as the coordinator for VDACS’ Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey program. We are very fortunate to have someone with Deb’s abilities as the program manager. I have worked closely with Deb for many years as program manager, I relied on her guidance and didn’t make many decisions without consulting with her first her knowledge, experience and leadership abilities will make her a great OPIS program manager. Please help me in congratulating Deb on her promotion! Larry M. Nichols, Division of Consumer Protection, Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Richmond, VA, (804) 786-3515 larry.nichols@vdacs.virginia.gov
Save the Date! Thursday, August 11, 2016 VNLA Field Day Grelen Nursery, Somerset, VA
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Winner of the Photo Contest
VNLA - Photo Contest Rules The contest is open to any photographer (amateur and professional) except members of Board of Directors of VNLA and their families. Entries are limited to VNLA members and their staff. Each photographer may enter up to three (3) digital images per Newsletter deadline (see #6). Email images to info@vnla.org . Include your name, phone number, company, and email. One winning entry per photographer per year. You may re-enter non-winning entries. Please e-mail images separately. Feel free to elaborate on any story surrounding the photograph. Photos should be 300 dpi high resolution. All photographs must be related to the Green Industry. The subject can be located in a nursery, back yard, or in a landscape-just so it is obviously related to the green industry profession.
Monarch enjoying a garden of Zinnias
Photo Winner: Karen Payton Owner of The Noble Gardener specializing in premier estate gardening, Madison, VA iPhone camera
Win $50, submit your photos! Good Luck and Happy Photographing! If you don’t see your ad here, neither does anyone else! Call 800-476-0055 or email info@vnla.org for advertising information, today!
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Deadline for submission is 5:00 p.m. on the Newsletter Copy Deadline, which is the 15th of January, April, July, and October. All submissions become the property of the VNLA. Model Release forms are required with each photograph which contains a clearly identifiable person. Release forms are available from the VNLA office, on request, and are also available for download from the VNLA website at Model release in MS Word format or Adobe PDF format. Judging is done by the VNLA Communication Committee. All decisions are final
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New Extension Publication: Showy Flowering Shrubs
News - Grow Wise, Bee Smart™ Website Launches
Recent Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication:
Horticultural Industry Resource on Pollinator Health
Selecting Plants for Virginia Landscapes: Showy Flowering Shrubs
WASHINGTON and COLUMBUS, OH – June 29, 2015 – The Horticultural Research Institute, the research affiliate of AmericanHort, today announced the launch of the Grow Wise, Bee Smart™ website [www.growwise.org ]. This resource is a key component of the Horticultural Industry’s Bee and Pollinator Stewardship Initiative, which was created to provide leadership and guidance to the industry on pollinator health. The site serves as the communications hub for the latest research and developments related to the role horticulture plays in supporting pollinator health. Grow Wise, Bee Smart™ currently features information on the importance of bees and pollinators, threats to their health, and steps everyone can take to improve habitat and forage. Links to the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge and Pollinator Partnership further guide retail and landscape firms and their customers on how to plant and register new gardens and habitats for pollinators.
Alex Niemiera, Professor of Horticulture at Virginia Tech, has recently authored an e-book publication (also available in pdf format) that features numerous shrubs with showy flowers for Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic States. The publication first covers general shrub information such as landscape size, appearance, uses and functions, and pruning. Then five shrubs of each size category (small, medium, and large) are presented in detail (e.g., culture, cultivars, and flower and other showy aspects) with photos depicting showy characteristics. A table at the end of the publication lists at least eight species of each shrub size category noting flowering time and color, hardiness zone rating, and cultural information. The publication can be found at https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/HORT/HORT-84/HORT-84.html
As the Grow Wise, Bee Smart™ stewardship program for plant production is launched, and as funded and directed research yields results and guidance, the site will feature timely new information and insights.
The Horticultural Industry’s Bee and Pollinator Stewardship Initiative has three goals: 1. fund and guide research to answer urgent questions regarding impact of pest management practices and bee and pollinator attractiveness of major plants we grow and sell; 2. develop a plant production stewardship program based on best practices; and, 3. partner with other interested groups to improve and expand pollinator habitat and forage. Great progress is being made on all fronts. The Horticultural Research Institute has directly funded five related research projects totaling $160,100. AmericanHort and HRI helped to secure another $272,000 for a priority project that received special Farm Bill funding. A grower and scientist task force has developed key components for the stewardship program. And, AmericanHort was one of eight founding partners of the National Pollinator Garden Network, which in early June launched the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge. (Continued on page 35)
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Member Profile - Douglas R. Phillips
White Pine available. Yes, and sometimes you sell trees when you are on an elevator.
(Doug) Managing Partner, Phillips and Turman Tree Farms, Floyd, VA Doug attended Floyd County High school and al New River Community College studying accounting, drafting and marketing. He has been with Phillips and Turman since 1978
I bought a larger level farm for cattle in 1976 and in 1977, I planted 40,000 White Pine on a more rolling farm that I owned in Floyd Co, Virginia. The next year, Michael Turman (my cousin) and I bought three farms and planted more White Pine. We have continued to plant Pine and Norway spruce. In 1980 we sold some trees. In 1981, with the help of Carville Akehurst and Ben Williams, I got a booth and exhibited at the Baltimore Show. I spent a lot of nights in cheap motels while trying to sell White Pine in the Northeast. Andy Adams, owner of Ten Oaks Nursery, told me who would not pay well (that sure did help). By 1983 we had a good year and throughout the eighties, we sold B & B and Christmas trees. In 1990, we stopped growing Christmas trees and added Norway spruce to our B & B. You need to continue selling no matter where you are. Once I was going in to the Oregon show and a buyer from the East Coast walked to me near the door and asked if I had 10,000 20
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The most trailer loads we ever moved out of Floyd County was twenty-five in one week. We had eighteen people working full and part time. I was involved in planting, maintaining, harvesting, selling, delivering some myself, and done all of the collecting. This led me down a lot of roads and alleys! Our son, David, has helped in the nursery business since he was young and started going to the trade shows when he was only one year old. What a good place for a young person to be – with other exhibitors and customers. He attended Floyd County High School, graduating Valedictorian of his class. He attended Virginia Tech and graduated with degrees in Civil Engineering, English, MBA, and Masters of Accounting. Now he works for the lumber company in the land division. He has his Virginia Real Estate Associate Broker’s License. He still helps dig trees if needed. The evergreen business has slowed down but there is some still needed. Shirley, my wife, was a secretary in the Foreign Language Department at Virginia Tech for two years (1970-1971) and then from 1972 – until retirement in 2000, worked as a secretary/bookkeeper at Indian Valley Elementary School in Floyd County for 28 years totaling 30 years in Education. After retirement, she was called back to work in the school system’s Central Office as a substitute secretary at different times until she fully retired in 2013. Shirley has always been by our side at trade shows and always supported us in the business. Lena Gray has been the bookkeeper / office manager for our various companies since 1979. She works out of our Floyd office, and she keeps Dad and I on track when we're at the office (much the same way my mother keeps us on track at home!). We wouldn't be able to come close to doing what we are able to do each day if it wasn't for her.
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I am Vice-President of Turman Lumber Company. We harvest the trees, a lot of Oak. We then saw, kiln dry, and make hardwood flooring that is sold in the United States, and the sawdust is made into wood pellets. The bark waste is sold to Blackberry Mulch. We own an exporting company that ships lumber internationally.
Helpful Hint When Handling Employees: Ask their opinion Best Advice: I have had so much good advice from so many good people that it would be hard to pick one good thing How or why your Company Managed to stay in Business so long: by working long hours. Biggest Challenge: To buy what was needed for the nursery and have a cash flow
Shirley and I attend a lot of local elementary and high school activities. We also attend athletic events at Virginia Tech. I have a team of Percheron work horses. David and I have two herds of Black Angus cattle which is work, but enjoyable.
Future Plans: I am in good health now and will do whatever it takes to stay strong and healthy
Organizations that Doug has been interested include;
Where do you thing green industry is going in the next 10 years: There will always be a need for Evergreens
Present
President of the Virginia Nursery Association 1994 Chairman of the Virginia Agribusiness Council in 2004; present: Member of Virginia Nursery Association, board member of Virginia Agribusiness Council; Board member of Agriculture in the Classroom President of Phillips Real Estate and Auction since 1978 Member of the Floyd County Rotary Club Director of Citizens Telephone Cooperative, Floyd, Virginia
How has Industry changed: Technology
Edited by Sandy Miller
Member Profile – David Phillips Phillips and Turman Tree Farms
Past:
Master Sergeant of the United States Army Reserve 29 ½ years Floyd County School Board (Chairman 18 ½ years) did not seek re-election after 25 ½ years Member of Governor’s School of Southwest Virginia (Chairman three years) Member of the volunteer Floyd County Rescue Squad Member of the Floyd County Board of Supervisors (Chairman one year) Member of the Floyd County Public Service Authority (Chairman two and ½ years)
Doug’s Favorites: Favorite Plant: White Pines, of course! Favorite Flower Color: Red Hibiscus Hobbies: Reading, attending land auctions Dream Vacation: Tour England
David Phillips is an integral part of Phillips and Turman. He attended Floyd High School and Virginia Tech. His current positions at the company are Land Sales and Acquisitions / Associate Broker Company, Phillips & Turman Tree Farms, Phillips Real Estate, & Turman Lumber He has undergraduate degrees at Virginia Tech in Civil Engineering and English and a minor in Mathematics and graduate degrees of MBA with a concentration in Finance and Global Business from Pamplin School of Business at Virginia Tech in 2006. Masters of Accounting and Information Systems from Virginia Tech in 2009.
Whenever people ask me what I do, I point to Dad and tell them “Whatever he tells me to do each morning.” I couldn’t ask for a better learning tree to sit under. I’ve been going to Best part of Workday: Everything is good industry trade shows since I was a year old, and like a lot of other people just grew up in this business. Still remember as VNLA Newsletter October/November/December 2015 21 VNLA Newsletter October / November / December 2015 21 Hardest Part of Workday: I just take whatever comes my way!
a little kid sitting underneath the tables in Dad’s booth at the MANTS show reading books, or watching the booth while Dad would grab some food. Occasionally he would send a customer over to give his order to me, and I would think that I had done a good job watching the booth. As I grew older I would always help with what he needed, and then the summer I was 16 he put me out working with our field crew, and told the foreman to make sure I had as tough a job as anyone else. And I sure learned a lot from working with those men.
also looking for good properties to buy, mostly for the lumber business Dad is a part of. That is the next step in my education, learning how to effectively buy properties.
The week I turned 18 Dad informed me I was getting my real estate license. I didn’t see the reason for it and wanted spend my time working with our crew and not taking two weeks of real estate classes during my summer before college started. But he is the boss, so off to real estate school I went, and as it turns out, Dad knew what he was doing. Funny how that always seems to happen. I chose to go to Virginia Tech instead of a number of schools that were pursuing me based on academics, mainly so I could stay close to the business and be able to help Dad out whenever needed. Turns out that was a great choice too, and I loved VT so much I now make Blacksburg my home.
All throughout college and graduate school I would help as needed, mainly working the trade shows with Dad during the winter (at one time we were going to so many trade shows because of our geographic reach that he would be in Kansas City exhibiting while I was holding the fort down at MANTS till he could arrive). During those years, the month of January was usually spent living out of a suitcase, with occasional trips home for a couple days to do laundry and pack up again for the next one. I talk below about what times were like during the Great Recession, and cutting my teeth on that real estate market. As for what I’m doing now, it’s still whatever he tells me to do each day. While keeping our production levels to what the market is currently demanding, we still have some properties I’m working on selling for us (Each time I sell one, Dad says that we just sold a “job”). At the same time we are 22 22
And whenever we have a tight deadline for getting a load of trees out, I’m helping dig and load to get it out as soon as we can. Besides that, I am trying to help my cousins in the lumber business with anything they need, and I also am selling a number of houses in Blacksburg. In the past 6 months I’ve had roughly $2 million in sales of houses in Blacksburg, plus everything I’ve been doing “in house” for our companies. So even though I’m becoming an established name for real estate in the Blacksburg area, I’m only doing it because of how real estate has been such a large component of what our other businesses are doing, and they sort of go hand in hand. My current success here is just an off-shoot of everything I set up to help with our own businesses, and the lumber and nursery industries will always be my main focus. It’s just nice how we’ve been able to make everything work so well together, and use our unique experience to do business in a number of different fields. Favorite Quote: From the great philosopher “Iron” Mike Tyson… “Everyone has a game plan until they get hit in the mouth”. He was talking about boxing, but it’s true in life. Everything is easy until you’re unexpectedly hit with adversity, and from there it’s all about how you have prepared yourself to handle that, and how quickly and effectively you can adapt to the new challenges. Dad didn’t need me helping full time when things were going great, so I continued my education. Then when the “Great Recession” hit, it was time to earn my keep. We had bought more farms to put in production because no one saw the downturn coming. But when it happened, I was tasked with selling the hardest property type to sell (large tracts of land) in the worst real estate market in a lifetime. Dad told me if I could make things happen in that environment, then hopefully everything in the future would be easy. It was A LOT of hard work, but after bringing in new technology and marketing that Dad just didn’t know, I managed to make a bigger land sale than he had ever made. Since then I’ve become one of
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the top sellers of large acreage in the region (and selling it at a high price), and to this date haven’t had to pay another agent for bringing a buyer to me, it has all been my advertising, and something I take great pride in. Now that I feel I’m on par with Dad on the selling side of it, I still need to get more lessons from him on how to buy property! Accomplishments:
Valedictorian FCHS Class of 1998 while also All-State wrestling and football 2 terms as a Cabinet Officer in Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta Currently on the MLS committee for New River Valley Association of Realtors Currently nominated for Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce New Member of the Year
Aspirations: Hearing what people tell me about my Dad, I hope to one day be even half the person he is.4
it’s where my phone doesn’t get service. That way I am getting to enjoy the beautiful surroundings God has blessed us with, and not worry about all of the office type work that always needs to be done. But overall, the best part is getting to work with my Dad. Very few people are afforded that in their lives. Both of my parents lost their fathers at an extremely young age, so I know it means a lot to them also, being close and so involved. And I couldn’t ask for a better learning tree to sit under. Probably the best is when we’re discussing things, and Dad tells me “That’s exactly what I would do. You’re thinking more like me every day.” That’s such a confidence boost. Plus, who doesn’t want to be like their Dad? Helpful Hint When Handling Employees: Don’t ask them to do anything that you wouldn’t do yourself. When I first started with our crew during the summers as a teenager, Dad told the foreman to give me the toughest jobs I could handle. Edited by – Sandy Miller
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HEALTHY SOILS A conservation landscape promotes healthy soils.
Healthy plants begin with healthy soil. Soil contains a complex balance of minerals, water, air, and organic material (including living organisms). Soil supports plant roots and supplies nutrients, oxygen, and water. The structure and composition of the soil—the size and proportion of soil particles and the amount of organic material—affects how well the soil does these jobs. Large particles, such as sand, help soil drain quickly but do not store water or nutrients for plants. Small particles, such as clay and silt, hold nutrients and water well but drain poorly, and clay is hard to dig. Organic materials in the soil hold water, improve soil structure, nourish plants, and support the living organisms that keep the soil loose and fertile, and thus help plants fight pests and disease. Loamy soils that contain a balance of sand, silt, and clay and include organic matter are generally loose, well drained, and are able to store moisture and nutrients for plants. A loamy soil structure provides channels through which water and air can filter to greater depths. Air and water are, of course, essential; ideally they comprise about half of the volume of soil. Soil composition varies considerably within a region and supports different plant and animal communities. Some soils are particularly unique and support unusual or rare plant and animal communities [See Rare Soils, below]. Native soils require thousands of years to evolve and can be destroyed in a moment. Disturbances can result in a breakdown of soil structure and create an imbalance of plant and animal communities. These disturbances may include compaction by heavy equipment or foot traffic, changes in nutrient cycling and pH from runoff and air deposition, removal of topsoil, erosion, and plowing. Thus, a cornerstone of conservation landscaping is the proper protection and ongoing care of the soil.
HOW
Soil Conservation Before and During Building Construction Perhaps the greatest opportunities to protect native soils occur prior to and during building construction. Construction impacts soil in myriad ways. Natural soils are directly impacted as they are bulldozed, regraded, and paved over and topsoil can erode or become compacted or even be stripped from the site and sold. Conservation landscaping sensitivity during construction will protect the topsoil and native plant material through these important considerations:
Take measures to minimize grading damage. Topsoil is a valuable resource, yet it is often damaged by grading during building construction. Design for minimum building and hardscape footprints and little or no grading. Make an explicit written agreement with grading contractors that topsoil is to remain onsite.
Store topsoil during construction. Setting aside topsoil to be reapplied after construction is an option. Identify areas that will ultimately be paved as a place to store topsoil during construction. Store topsoil in piles no larger than six feet high to avoid suffocating the important soil organisms and to protect the piles from erosion. Topsoil stored during construction should be mixed with compost—one cubic yard of compost into 3–5 cubic yards of topsoil— before respreading.
Prevent compaction. Air spaces in soil are important for plant health, soil organisms, and water infiltration, and activities that compress the air spaces out of soil must be avoided. Compaction causes damage that can take years or decades to recover, and it can be fatal to older trees at a construction site. Activities that cause soil compaction include grading, heavy equipment use during construction, heavy foot traffic, and parking.
Minimize the effect of vehicles and foot traffic during construction. Before construction begins, designate parking areas away from trees and other planting areas. During construction, direct vehicle driving routes away from areas to be planted. Locate walkways in the most direct, convenient path so people don’t create their own. Use plywood or a six‐inch layer of bark mulch as a soil cushion (remove after work is completed). Avoid working with wet soil or during rain events.
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Protect existing trees and their root zones during construction. Install temporary fencing to keep construction activity from compacting the soil surrounding trees. At minimum, protect the area inside the dripline—the vertical line projected downward from the outermost edge of a tree’s crown or canopy of the tree. Store equipment and materials elsewhere—areas that will be paved or built over are good sites for parking equipment. If spreading soil during construction, do not bury roots of existing trees and shrubs under more than 2 inches of added soil. Contact a certified arborist or tree specialist for onsite assistance.
Prevent erosion. Soil washed from a site by erosion is a wasted resource. As it enters local water bodies, it carries pollutants, clouds the water, and can be damaging to aquatic resources. During construction, and to the fullest extent possible, cover bare ground with organic mulch or biodegradable geotextile fabric. Bare ground on steep slopes, near waterways, and soils that are easily eroded are of special concern. Replant these areas as soon as possible to help stabilize and reduce erosion of soil. A number of stabilization methods can be used while larger trees and shrubs become established: short‐lived perennials such as black‐eyed Susans or annual ryegrass can be used to fill in areas; any herbaceous plants can be installed, keeping in mind that they may become shaded out once trees mature. Applications of mulch may continue to be necessary to cover the soil until plants are well established.
Soil Care after Construction or in an Established Yard Ultimately, your soil management program must respond to your existing site conditions. Conservation landscaping stresses working with existing conditions rather than trying to bend the site to suit desired plants. If you are fortunate, the topsoil wasn’t stripped from your site or severely compacted during building construction. But some sites with extreme soil conditions may require altering in order to reestablish a healthy soil. Such conditions include compaction, low organic content, pH of less than 4.5 (highly acidic) or greater than 8.0 (very basic), sites where topsoil has been removed, etc. A basic soil test will provide critical information on soil composition, pH, and natural fertility. Amend soil only when existing conditions are severely limiting. If necessary, steps can be taken to reestablish a healthy soil.
If the soil is compacted, then it needs improvement. As a basic test, poke a screwdriver into the soil. If you cannot achieve this without some effort, then the soil is compacted and requires some level of aeration. The easiest way to improve the soil is to add leaf mulch annually as a top dressing, and allow the natural processes of soil organisms to aerate the soil. Core aeration, rototilling, plowing, turning with shovels, or breaking the soil with a fork will reintroduce spaces for movement of water, oxygen, roots, and soil organisms. Choose first the least intrusive measure for aerating. For any method, organic matter will need to be added to improve the soil structure (see below). If improving the compacted condition is not possible, then raised planting beds are an alternative. Mechanical aeration such as tilling or double digging, if needed, should be done only in the year the planting bed is to be established—it does not need to be done annually, and, in fact, over tilling is detrimental to the soil. See separate guidelines for farming or vegetable gardening soil improvements, as these activities require more intervention than recommended for conservation landscaping.
Do not till if the soil is not compacted. If you can slip a screwdriver easily into the soil, then it is not compacted and therefore does not need tilling. Although tilling can result in an immediate increase in air spaces, these cavities are not sustainable. Over the long term, tilling destroys soil structure and causes compaction. Tilling also accelerates the loss of soil organic material through decomposition. Soil organic material is critical to soil structure, soil organisms, and soil fertility. Tilling leaves the soil bare and susceptible to erosion, and brings weeds and other buried seeds to the surface where they will sprout. There are instances where tilling or another measure for aeration is appropriate, such as establishing a new planting bed.
Add organic matter where it is lacking. In many landscapes, particularly around new construction, it may be necessary to add organic matter such as mature compost, composted manure, or leaf mold to rebuild soil structure. For soils that are extremely sandy, the organic material will help improve moisture retention and hold soil particles together better; for extremely clayey soils, it will help break up the clay and allow water and nutrients to move through the soil. The quantity and type to use depends on the existing soil and plans for landscaping. Consult with a local Cooperative Extension Service for recommendations.
Import soil as a last resort. If there is little or no topsoil in which to plant for successful growth, consider bringing in soil from elsewhere. Keep in mind that you may be bringing in a source of undesirable weeds or invasive plants. Imported soil must be carefully selected to ensure good quality—this cannot be overstressed. Choose a reliable, VNLA Newsletter
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knowledgeable source (for large site construction, the provider must certify that the soil is weed free). Inspect the soil before purchasing or accepting it. It should have good structure, friable (loose, crumbly) texture, an earthy smell, a brown (not gray or black) color, and it should be free of debris. Have the soil tested as you would test soil onsite, for its type or content (clay, loam, sand), pH, nutrients, organic matter, etc., and choose soil that best matches the subsoil at the site. The new soil should be lightly worked into the surface of the existing soil.
Ongoing Soil Maintenance in the Conservation Landscape “Traditional” landscaping practices may base soil preparation on soil test results that describe how to change or amend the soil to make it appropriate for crop production (including ornamental plants). Conservation landscaping, by contrast, focuses on working with the existing soil conditions and choosing plants that will thrive in the site conditions with little or no intervention. Amendments are necessary where soil disturbances or extreme conditions severely limit native plant selection.
Choose native plants suited for the existing soil conditions. Native plants have co‐evolved with native soils and are adapted to grow in these soils without amendment. The best way to conserve a native soil is to keep it covered with native vegetation. A wide selection of native plants will thrive in sites with conditions most “traditional” gardeners would cringe at—hot, dry, sandy, acidic, nutrient‐poor. Do not alter soil conditions to feature specific plants in a soil that otherwise would not support them. It is simpler and more sustainable and economical to simply use natives that are adapted to the ambient conditions. Exceptions, to some degree, must be made for turf areas and vegetable or cut flower gardens.
Change the pH only if absolutely necessary. For conservation landscaping, a pH anywhere in the range of 4.5 to 8.0 can support a wide range of native plants. A soil test will reveal the pH of your soil and guide your plant selection. If the soil test reveals a pH that is so extreme that it severely limits plant selection, then the soil can be altered by adding appropriate amounts of limestone to raise pH or elemental sulfur to lower it. Compost also helps ameliorate pH extremes. The soil test results will provide the appropriate recommendations for changing the pH, but this will likely not be necessary for most of your conservation landscape (only for extreme conditions). You may need to manage the pH in a vegetable garden, where the ideal pH for fertile soil is 6.5 to 7.0 (neutral). After applying amendments, it is important to test the soil again before finalizing the planting plan. Remember, the soil pH will not change overnight, and it may need testing and further amending in future years. Retest the soil every 3 to 5 years, and adjust accordingly.
Limit fertilization. Conservation landscapes that use native plants suited to the existing site conditions are self‐ sustaining and do not benefit from fertilization. Small lawns and vegetable or cut flower gardens may require some fertilization, depending on the needs of the soil compared to the requirements of the plants to be grown. For these areas, test the soil to determine what nutrients are lacking and apply amendments accordingly. In some older neighborhoods, decades of lawn over‐fertilization have caused phosphorus to build up in soils, making further applications unnecessary. In any case, applying excess fertilizer can be bad for plants and soil life, wastes money, and leads to water pollution. Too much fertilizer results in weak and tender plants that are especially appetizing to pests. Nitrogen that cannot be used by the plants leaches into groundwater or runoff, and excess phosphorus can be carried away with eroding soils. It is also important to fertilize at the appropriate time. For example, fertilizing cool‐ season grasses in spring can actually help weeds outcompete the grass. Retest the soil every 3 to 5 years, and adjust accordingly. For more information on proper timing and amounts of fertilization, see University of Maryland Extension’s Home and Garden Information Center, www.extension.umd.edu/hgic.
Conservation landscapes recycle organic materials onsite. Whenever possible, use organic material from the site itself, such as fallen leaves and needles from trees onsite. This debris is part of the natural process of decomposition that is important to the soil and the needs of those trees. If mulch must be brought in, purchase from a reputable or known source to be sure of the quality of material. Some mulches, particularly those that are dyed (red, black, or other colors), contain shredded material from old wooden pallets, discarded furniture, demolished buildings, or lumber scraps. These are not appropriate quality to use with plants because they may contain toxins, nails, and other debris. Mulch applied for weed prevention needs to be free of weed seed, an occasional problem with free mulches such as those obtained from community leaf collection or composting programs. Do not use peat moss, as it is mined from living bogs and is not a renewable resource.
Use mulch judiciously. The use of mulch can be desirable in landscaping beds and vegetable gardens to help prevent weed growth, retain soil moisture, and encourage soil structure to develop over time. Soil surfaces should be covered
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with mulch, organic debris, or a dense cover of plants at all times to prevent erosion and control weed growth. However, excessive use of organic matter is discouraged because it contains nutrients and organic compounds that will become part of the site runoff and contribute to water pollution. Symptoms in plants of excess organic material include unusual height, breadth, and falling over. Some native plants require less fertile soil conditions, and compost may not be necessary. Soil that is too rich also promotes weed growth.
Determine the appropriate type of mulch to use. The type of mulch used needs to be appropriate to the requirements of the plants in the landscape. Acidic mulch, such as pine needles or bark, is appropriate for plants that prefer acidic soils but will damage plants that require more basic conditions. Hardwood bark mulch (pH 7.0‐8.0) may be used for newly installed landscaping or plants that require basic conditions, but should be applied to a depth of only one inch so it will remain drier and therefore will not decompose quickly. For annual (or as needed) mulching, larger particle size mulches (wood chips or bark nuggets) will last longer in your landscape but may be more susceptible to washout. Smaller particle size mulches (shredded bark/wood/leaves or pine needles) will be more resistant to washout. Wood chips or bark can be excellent choices for lining garden paths and will promote beneficial fungi and microorganisms that help nourish native woodland plants.
Determine the appropriate amount of mulch to use. To figure out how much organic material a plant species needs, take a look at the plant’s natural habitat. Native plants that thrive best in rich, organic soils require more mulch. Many woodland and wetland species appreciate organic matter, whereas plants native to dunes, steep slopes, and dry meadows do best in lean (nutrient‐poor) soils and thus require less mulch. In any case, the depth of mulch around plants should not exceed 2 to 3 inches, and it should be cleared from direct contact with plant stems, trunks, or bark. See the table below for a formula to calculate the amount of mulch needed for a given area.
LEARN MORE ABOUT IT
RARE SOILS
Some soils are unique and should be given great consideration when planning construction or landscaping activities at a site. Examples of unusual soils in the Chesapeake watershed include organic soils (outside of the tidal zone), soils developed over ancient shell middens, and soils over unique bedrock (such as thin soils over serpentine bedrock). Unique soils are often associated with unusual plant and animal communities. For assistance inidentifying soils and appropriate conservation strategies, consult with natural resource experts such as state or federal soil scientists, wetland delineators, foresters, and botanists. Good contacts include the Natural Resource Conservation Service or your local Agricultural Extension Agent.
SOIL AMENDMENTS FOR FARMING OR VEGETABLE GARDENING See University of Maryland Extension publications links (Soil Fertility/ Irrigation and other factsheets): pubs.agnr.umd.edu/Category.cfm?ID=L#subCat24 and other state extension publications.
TILLING
See also links above to general soils information. Owen, Marion. “Roto‐tilling is a No‐No”: www.plantea.com/no‐tilling.htm
SOIL TESTING LABS Maryland: www.hgic.umd.edu/_media/documents/hg110a_007.pdf Pennsylvania: www.aasl.psu.edu/ssft.htm Virginia: www.soiltest.vt.edu/ West Virginia: plantandsoil.wvu.edu/research_areas/soil_testing_lab
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Page 5 REFERENCES AND RESOURCES Building Healthy Soil: pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426‐711/426‐711.html Saving Your Soil and the Chesapeake Bay: extension.umd.edu/learn/saving‐your‐soil‐and‐chesapeake‐bay Soils for Salmon (guidance from Washington State for homeowners and others to protect water quality): www.soilsforsalmon.org/how.htm#homeowners Nutrient Management In Your Backyard: www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/newsroom/features/?cid=nrcs143_023538 Lowenfels, J. and W. Lewis. Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web. Timber Press 2010. Symphony of the Soil Project (Films about healthy soils and sustainable soil practices) http://www.symphonyofthesoil.com/
To calculate AMOUNT OF MULCH NEEDED (or amount of topsoil for filling an undesirable depression or creating a raised bed)
The volume is measured in cubic yards (CY) = # cubic feet 27 [* square feet: Sq Ft, SF, or ft2] Cubic feet (ft3) = square feet (*) x feet (ft) Formula:
Planting Area (SF) x (Depth in feet) = # CY 27
Depth for mulch is a matter of inches, but it needs to be converted to feet for the calculation: 1 inch deep = 1 12 = .083 ft. 2 inches deep = 2 12 = .16 ft. 3 inches deep = 3 12 = .25 ft. To calculate soil volume for a raised mound, use the desired height: 8 inches high = 8 12 = .67 ft. … and so on.
If not using bulk mulch, then determine the appropriate number of bags of mulch needed: 1 CY = 9 bags mulch or soil if each bag holds 3 cu ft. = 13.5 bags if bags hold 2 cu ft. each
VNLA - Certification Quiz Article #74
[Editor’s Note: Previous Elements 1-6 were covered in previous issues of the VNLA Newsletter starting with the January/February/March 2015 issue. This issue covers Elements 7-8] 1.
Design to Benefit the Environment 2. Native Plants 3. Invasive Plant Management 4. Wildlife Habitat 5. Healthy Air Quality 6. Clean Water 7. Healthy Soils 8. Management
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Virginia Certified Horticulturist Complete the attached quiz postcard on page 30 and earn 1 CEU!
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MANAGEMENT
A conservation landscape is managed to conserve energy, reduce waste, and eliminate or minimize the use of pesticides and fertilizers.
How we all live on the land is important, so how each of us manages our property is important to all of us. How you manage your own or your client's landscape can have an important impact on the health of your local environment and the Chesapeake Bay. Embrace that responsibility; be a guardian of the property. Your landscape may be the one piece of land you have full opportunity to manage well.
The rewards of a well‐maintained conservation landscape are many. It reflects positively on its owner and the professional who maintains it. It beautifies the home and neighborhood. It affords a comfortable place to entertain and offers a place for relaxation. Most importantly, it provides and promotes a safe environment for the property owner to use and enjoy. Nothing worth having comes for free, and no conservation landscape happens without some work. But conservation landscaping doesn’t have to require more time than a conventional landscape. Setting up an endless cycle of continual human intervention wastes both time and resources. Furthermore, intensive maintenance practices such as overuse of chemical pesticides and herbicides, excessive or poorly timed watering, and frequent mowing and trimming tend to be environmentally damaging. To reduce the need for intensive maintenance, develop a site management program that works with natural processes, recycles resources onsite, and achieves a self‐sustaining landscape.
HOW
Reduce Your Waste Stream Prevent fertilizer, pesticides, yard debris, and pet waste from entering the waste stream or becoming pollution in local waterways. Reduce, reuse, and recycle are watchwords in conservation landscaping. Reducing waste starts with not generating it in the first place.
Select the right plant for the right place. Plants suited to the site conditions will thrive and are less susceptible to disease and pests. Carefully chosen plants, placed where they can grow to their natural size and shape, are healthier and more attractive.
Prune selectively to complement the natural form and strengthen the structure of your plants. Selective pruning avoids unnecessary plant debris. Watering and fertilizing wisely prevents rampant plant growth that weakens the plants and generates plant waste. In particular, don’t overwater or over‐fertilize lawn, as these practices create the need to mow more frequently.
Practice grasscycling. When mowing lawn, cut the grass at the highest setting and allow the clippings to filter down into the turf as a natural fertilizer.
Compost plant and grass trimmings, leaves, and other organic material. Using the compost as mulch or natural fertilizer improves soil structure and fertility. Build a compost pile or participate in local yard waste collection programs to keep plant material out of local landfills. Dumping yard waste offsite is discouraged!
Get creative in your material use. Material use is another important consideration in conservation landscaping. Using recycled content and salvaged, durable, or local materials conserves resources and reduces the amount of embodied energy that is consumed by the landscape.
Water wisely. Overwatering wastes resources, is not good for the lawn or the garden, and spreads pollutants to other sites and to waterways as wastewater leaves the site.
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Manage Garden Pests with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) The ability to identify specific pest or disease problems and treat them effectively is key to maintaining a healthy landscape. Pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides are toxic and can pollute groundwater and nearby waterways, and harm wildlife, pets, and family members. To keep your landscape safe and healthy for your family’s enjoyment, practice integrated pest management. IPM offers an ecological approach to controlling pests and disease. For more information on IPM, see the links at the end of this section.
Monitor regularly for signs of plant problems and insect pests. Apply controls before pest or disease problems get out of hand. Obviously it is critical to know the pest and its life cycle; contact your local Cooperative Extension for help identifying the pest before choosing a control method.
Pesticides should not be used routinely or indiscriminately. It is unrealistic to expect a totally pest‐ and disease‐free landscape. IPM advocates the tolerance of occasional minor pest outbreaks wherever possible. Recognize that some plant damage is okay and will likely not affect the long‐term health of the plant. In fact, allowing a low level of pest presence will attract beneficial insects and songbirds that will aid in controlling the pests.
When control is necessary, use the least toxic methods of pest control first. Hand picking insect pests and diseased leaves from plants will often be sufficient. Removing weeds when they are young and tender requires less effort. Insect traps and weed barriers are non‐toxic control options. When necessary, use environmentally friendly and/or organic pesticides such as horticultural oils and soaps, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), and botanical insecticides whenever possible. Other pest prevention ideas include removing plant debris and diseased plants to prevent the spread of disease from one season to the next; choosing resistant varieties of plants, especially local native plants; and using plants (such as members of the mint and aster families) that attract beneficial insects to the garden.
Use pesticides ONLY when and where they are absolutely needed and only as instructed on the label. Before using pesticides or fertilizers, read and follow the label. The label is the law. Dispose of unused pesticides and fertilizers through local hazardous waste recycling programs. By all means, keep pets and children away from areas treated with pesticides. Remember, it is poison!
Control Undesirable Vegetation A “weed” can be any plant that is out of place, growing where it doesn’t “belong,” ecologically speaking, or where it is not wanted in landscaping. Some tolerance for weeds helps to reduce the tendency to overmanage the landscape. Furthermore, the prevalent human preference for “tidiness” in the landscape is contributing to a reduction in our regional biodiversity. Developing an understanding of plant values and allowing some areas to remain “naturalized” as appropriate will help to remove the stress on natural resources. Many native species that some people consider “weeds” are important to the survival of insects and other wildlife. However, there are certainly situations where vegetation removal or control is necessary. Unwanted plants that volunteer in a planting bed and outcompete what was planted, or detract from desired aesthetics, will need to be removed. Aggressive and invasive plants (especially state‐designated “noxious” weeds) will require control. When removing vegetation, choose the method that will have the least negative effects on the soil, plants, animals, local water or air quality, and people. (For more information on these measures, see Element 7, Healthy Soils, and Element 3, Invasive Plant Management.)
Manual plant removal. o Pulling is advisable for small, manageable situations. Be sure to remove as much of the roots as possible. Gloves and protective clothing help prevent skin rash, irritation, or injury from many types of plants.
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Smothering or solarizing plants and seeds with materials such as layers of paper, heavy mulch, fabric, or black plastic is an environmentally sound option that requires time—possibly several weeks. Solarizing must be done in the heat of summer and requires soil moisture for success. Dead vegetation will need to be removed by raking or allowed to decompose fully into the soil. Solarizing will not effectively control plants with aggressive root systems.
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Mechanical plant removal.
o
Use hand tools such as shovels, cultivators, hoes, and weed‐pulling devices to remove entire plants. Propane torches or steam may be used for spot‐treating individual plants or small areas. Fire protection measures and permits are necessary for flame use. Burning is not suitable for poison ivy as it spreads toxic fumes.
o
Use machinery to mow or cut vegetation to prevent seeding and vegetative spread, such as by rhizomes or vines. For some plants, cutting only multiplies their sprouting, so proper plant identification and control information are important to successful removal. Some woody plants can be removed with one cutting. Other plants, particularly herbaceous species, will require repeated cutting and may need complete removal by another means.
o
Shallow tilling, while not promoted because of its ability to destroy soil structure and contribute to compaction, may be prescribed to eradicate weed seeds present in the soil, particularly to prepare a site for lawn or meadow seeding. A program of repeated tilling, or alternate tilling and herbiciding, may be needed. Shallow tilling means a maximum depth of one to two inches. Remember that tilling is a disturbance that brings weeds to the surface where they will grow, so it can increase the weed problem if not done repeatedly to fully eradicate weeds.
Chemical control. In an IPM program, chemical measures may be a last resort, and organic alternatives such as corn gluten products or natural acetic acids are encouraged when appropriate. For large areas impacted by invasive species, the application of herbicides is often less harmful than the long‐term negative effects of the invasive plants.
Do your homework before using any chemical. Check the manufacturer’s website for specific information on contents, safety, and use; consider side effects to non‐target plant species, children, adults with chemical sensitivity, pets, and wildlife including insects and aquatic life; determine the chemical’s effectiveness and specificity for the plant(s) to be controlled, application method and timing of application, and its breakdown time or persistence in the soil. For specific advice, it is best to consult a weed specialist through the state or local agriculture department.
General considerations. Minimize soil disturbance, as it invites more weeds. Prevent further spread by cleaning seeds and root material from clothing and equipment prior to moving to another site. Do not compost weeds or chemically treated vegetation. Bag invasives and dispose in a landfill so they will not resprout or spread seeds.
Conserve Energy With the use of mowers, blowers, weed whips and saws, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides, conventional landscape maintenance is very consumptive of fossil fuels. The need to conserve energy is as important in conservation landscaping as the need to conserve water.
Well placed trees can reduce energy use in buildings. When properly placed, mature trees can reduce the interior temperature of a building by as much as 20 degrees, reducing summer cooling costs by 25–40 percent. Select and place trees to shade adjacent buildings in the summer or protect them from prevailing winter winds. It’s also helpful to shade your air conditioner and paved areas. Plant trees to the west and southwest of a building for maximum shading benefit. Avoid planting trees that block solar collectors or in front of south‐facing windows that allow the low winter sun to warm a home. Large deciduous trees will be of greater value for summer cooling and winter solar gain. Select native evergreen trees for windbreaks, and plant them on the north and west sides of your property where they will shield your home from chilling winter winds.
Reduce the amount of lawn in your landscape. Lawn mowing is easily the most energy consumptive routine landscape maintenance practice. The unavoidable fact is that reducing the amount of lawn in the landscape is an important step toward reducing energy consumption. Keep enough lawn for specific recreational or aesthetic needs, and convert the rest to more environmentally friendly plantings. Lawns also provide relatively little habitat or food value for wildlife.
Choose and maintain your garden equipment with energy conservation in mind. When using machinery, choose the smallest, most fuel efficient, lowest emission machinery required to get the job done. Use hand‐powered VNLA Newsletter
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equipment whenever possible. Electric garden tools using energy produced in regulated power plants is inherently less polluting than small gas‐powered equipment. While they tend to be less powerful, they are more than adequate to the task for most small landscape settings.
Use recycled materials, and avoid petroleum‐based products, including synthetic fertilizers. Remember, recycling plant debris on site will minimize fuel consumption for creating manmade products. What’s more, buying local products reduces the hidden environmental costs of transporting materials, such as pollution and energy consumption.
Tell the Neighbors and Your Clients about It Neighbors will be curious about conservation landscaping activities, especially as a yard takes on some new characteristics. Their curiosity is an opportunity. Tell them about it. You can help educate them about your process of creating a conservation landscape. Ideally, the conservation landscape will become an example that encourages other members of the community to follow suit, and conservation landscapes are even more effective when they occur in groups or corridors. The more people that know about conservation landscaping, the better. There is strength in numbers. Spread the word! Check out one community example—Naturescaping: Appreciating, Preserving and Restoring Reston’s Natural Resources, Reston Association (Virginia), and more publications: https://www.reston.org/ParksRecreationEvents/Nature/Publications/Default.aspx?qenc=HzT9ACzZbNs%3d&fqenc=j1xqX3FCgD vWnUYCHXVUsw%3d%3d
LEARN MORE ABOUT IT
A Few of Many Resources for Garden and Landscape Management and Care Pruning Ornamental Plants: http://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_images/programs/hgic/Publications/HG84_Pruning%20ornamental%2 0plants.pdf Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs: http://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_images/programs/hgic/Publications/non_HGIC_FS/EB150.pdf Lawns and the Chesapeake Bay: extension.umd.edu/publications/PDFs/FS702.pdf How to Choose a Lawn Care Service That's Right for You...and the Chesapeake Bay: www.hgic.umd.edu/_media/documents/HowtoChooseaLawnCareServiceMDA15.06.06_000.pdf Landscapes that help the Chesapeake Bay: extension.umd.edu/publications/PDFs/FS701.pdf University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) factsheets and more: http://extension.umd.edu/hgic/information‐library/home‐and‐garden‐information‐center‐publications Integrated Pest Management o HGIC: and click on the IPM link; o National IPM Center: northeastipm.org/whatis.cfm; o U.S. Environmental Protection Agency IPM principles: www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/ipm.htm. A Few of Many Conservation Landscaping Programs including links to references, nurseries, and more Audubon at Home, National Audubon Society and Audubon Maryland‐DC: www.audubonathome.org Backyard Conservation, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service: www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/newsroom/features/?cid=nrcs143_023574 BayScapes Program, The Alliance for Chesapeake Bay: www.allianceforthebay.org BayScapes Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: www.fws.gov/chesapeakebay/Bayscapes.htm Bay‐Wise Program, Maryland: www.extension.umd.edu/baywise Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council: www.chesapeakelandscape.org Ecological Landscaping Association: www.ecolandscaping.org/ MidAtlantic Ecological Landscapes Partnership (MAEscapes): extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/maescapes
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SEASONAL MAINTENANCE: A Sample Conservation Landscaping Calendar
Maintenance such as pruning requires knowledge of specific plant species and their habits and requirements, while some maintenance practices are more generally applied. In conservation landscaping, some “traditional” practices may be left out altogether. If you are used to regularly scheduled cutting, shearing, clearing, fertilizing, and so on, you will find this approach very different. The schedule described here is only an example, taken from a model conservation landscaping project. A customized schedule could be developed for each site as a new service to offer customers, or you may find some common practices here to promote and use more widely. LATE FALL/WINTER (late October/early November): Leave most plants standing throughout winter, as long as is aesthetically possible, to provide cover and food/seed for birds and overwintering insects. remove dead canes that have fallen over; leave all remaining plants standing; dig fresh edges of garden beds (trenches) as necessary; manually remove remaining weeds and stray turfgrass such as crabgrass; mulch bare areas 1 to 2 inches deep with an appropriate organic mulch to improve appearance, help prevent late season weeds, and provide winter protection; identify problem areas from the growing season and plan management strategies before the spring season (for example, recurring weeds that will need early spring direct application of a specific, safe pre‐emergent herbicide); divide/ remove plants that have spread as necessary/as appropriate, depending on species (divide some species in spring); remove and dispose of plant parts that are harboring pests, such as overwintering borers, or disease that could spread, such as fungus (do not compost these materials). WINTER (November through February): monthly, check for any areas needing early removal of spent vegetation for aesthetic reasons—such as after a particularly heavy snowfall (after snow melts); confirm and/or adjust management plans for upcoming year; prune shrubs and trees minimally as necessary and as appropriate to particular species, using naturalistic/ selective pruning (as opposed to shearing and shaping), some multi‐stemmed trees are desired. LATE WINTER/EARLY SPRING (mid‐ to late March): cut back all perennial plants and remove cut vegetation—bunch grasses should be cut back to a height of 4‐6 inches; leave all green basal leaves of plants (such as black‐eyed Susans); rake area lightly (thorough cleanup is not necessary; some organic debris such as light leaf litter is desired and necessary for plant and animal health, though diseased plant material may be clipped and disposed of; add 1 to 2 inches of an appropriate organic mulch to all bare, open areas of garden beds, being careful not to bury seedlings or new growth of emerging perennials (do not create mulch “volcanoes” around trees or pile mulch up against tree trunks/bark)—if mulch was applied in the fall, this may not be needed, do not re‐mulch if a healthy layer exists; dig new trench edge to garden beds; if adjacent turf areas or paths require spot overseeding, avoid spreading seed in garden areas. SPRING/SUMMER (April‐September): weed (manually) once per month (twice monthly may be necessary April through June) to remove commonly recognized weeds— identification is important for allowing the native species planted in the garden to spread as desired; divide/remove plants that have spread as necessary/ as appropriate depending on species (divide some species in fall); mow grass paths or edges as needed; maintain garden edge as needed; water ONLY during extended periods of drought, as plants begin to show signs of stress—many native plant species tolerate normal periods of hot, dry weather; a few will not survive over‐watering; trim asters, removing up to a third of the plant’s height every 2 weeks mid‐May to July 1 to promote branching so plants will support a heavy bloom; lawn treatment (if any) should be part of an approved IPM program, and only prescribed where lawn health and annual soil tests deem necessary.
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VNLA - Certification Quiz # 74 If you are a Virginia Certified Horticulturist, answer the following questions from the previous article, mark your answers on the card insert in the center fold and mail or fax back to the VNLA office towards your recertification CEU’s for your Virginia Certified Horticulturist.
a. Traditional landscaping. b. Conservation landscaping. c. Responsible landscaping. d. Agri landscaping.
7. Soil tilling accelerates the loss of soil organic material through decomposition. a. True b. False 8. When inspecting imported top soil, one should look for: a. A black color b. A sweet smell c. A friable texture d. All of the above
Conservation Landscaping Guidelines Chapter 7 & 8 Quiz Prepared by: Nanette R. Whitt 1. Soils which are primarily composed of clay and silt hold nutrients well. a. True b. False 2. Soils which contain a balance of sand, silt, clay and organic matter and drain well are called: a. Large particle soils. b. Complex soils. c. Loamy soils. d. Native soils. 3. When building, the best time to protect native soils is: a. Prior to construction. b. During construction. c. All of the above. d. None of the above. 4. Storing topsoil during construction should be done by: a. Placing soil in covered dump trucks. b. Mounding in piles no larger than 6 feet high c. Placing soil in trenches and covering with a tarp. d. Mounding in piles no larger than 20 feet high. 5. Soil compaction is harmful to plant life because it: a. Reduces water infiltration. b. Compresses the air space out of soil. c. All of the above. d. None of the above.
9. The PH range to support native plants in conservation landscaping should be: a. 4.0 – 6.0 b. 4.5 – 8.0 c. 6.5 – 7.0 d. None of the above. 10. An excess application of fertilizer results in stronger plants: a. True. b. False. 11. Which is NOT a way to reduce your landscape waste system: a. Practicing grasscycling. b. Selecting the right plant for the right place. c. Pruning to reduce plant size. d. All of the above 12. Smothering or solarizing plants is a type of weed control. a. True b. False
13. A well placed mature tree can reduce the interior temperature of a building by as much as: a. 5 degrees b. 10 degrees c. 15 degrees d. 20 degrees 14. IPM is the acronym for: a. Internal pest management. b. Integrated pest management. c. Internal plant management. d. Integrated plant management.
6. Working with existing conditions rather than trying to bend the site to suit desired plants is known as: 34 34
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(Grow Wise, Bee Smart™ continued from page 18) “Horticulture, the health of pollinators, and the success of our industry are intertwined,” said Harvey Cotten, past president of the Horticultural Research Institute and a leader in the Bee and Pollinator Stewardship Initiative. “We are the original green industry, and our plants and expertise can make a difference for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators,” he added. Funded by hundreds of green industry philanthropists and businesses, HRI provides effective, efficient, and relevant solutions for horticultural business. Supporting research and guiding efforts that form best practices is exactly how HRI helps build prosperous businesses, advance the green industry, and fulfill its core vision. www.hriresearch.org The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), founded in 1962, has provided more than $7 million in funds to research projects covering a broad range of production, environmental, and business issues important to the green industry. Nearly $11 million is committed to the endowment by individuals, corporations, and associations. For more information about HRI, its grant-funded research, or programming, visit www.hriresearch.org or contact Jennifer Gray at 614.884.1155.
News - EPA final revisions to the Worker Protection Standard (40 CFR 170) On Monday, September 28, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced final revisions to 40 CFR Part 170. The federal regulation is also referred to as the Worker Protection Standard (WPS). WPS is referenced on many agricultural pesticides, specifically those used in crop production agriculture. EPA, state and tribal regulatory agencies and cooperative extension programs will be working together to provide outreach and education related to the revisions as they are implemented over the next two years. Growers are encouraged to stop at WPS outreach exhibits at grower events and to attend WPS presentations at growers meetings to learn more about the revisions. It is important to note that the current WPS regulations will remain in effect until 14 months after the revised regulations are published in the Federal Register. EPA published the following information in a fact sheet titled “Changes to EPA’s Farm Worker Protection Standard” (Published September 28, 2015). The Environmental Protection Agency has revised the 1992 Agricultural Worker Protection Standard regulation to increase protection from pesticide exposure for the nation’s two million
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agricultural workers and their families. These changes will afford farmworkers similar health protections that are already afforded to workers in other industries while taking into account the unique working environment of many agricultural jobs.
istration standards for ensuring respirators are effective, including fit test, medical evaluation and training. Specific amounts of water to be used for routine washing, emergency eye flushing and other decontamination, including eye wash systems for handlers at pesticide mixing/loading sites.
The regulation seeks to protect and reduce the risks of injury or illness resulting from agricultural workers’ (those who perform hand-labor tasks in pesticide-treated crops, such as harvesting, thinning, pruning) and pesticide handlers’ (those who mix, load and apply pesticides) use and contact with pesticides ESN-117 Map Ad/4.5x7.25 8/30/04 10:27 AM Page 1 Ad – Eastern Shore Nursery of Virginia on farms, forests, nurseries and greenhouses. The regulation does not cover persons working with livestock. Major changes to the regulation:
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Annual mandatory training to inform farmworkers on the required protections. This increases the likelihood that protections will be followed. Currently, training is only once every 5 years. Expanded training includes instructions to reduce take-home exposure from pesticides on work clothing and other safety topics. First-time ever minimum age requirement: Children under 18 are prohibited from handling pesticides. Expanded mandatory posting of no-entry signs for the most hazardous pesticides. The signs prohibit entry into pesticide-treated fields until residues decline to a safe level. New no-entry application-exclusion zones up to 100 feet surrounding pesticide application equipment will protect workers and others from exposure to pesticide overspray. Requirement to provide more than one way for farmworkers and their representatives to gain access to pesticide application information and safety data sheets – centrally-posted, or by requesting records. Mandatory record-keeping to improve states’ ability to follow up on pesticide violations and enforce compliance. Records of application-specific pesticide information, as well as farmworker training, must be kept for two years. Anti-retaliation provisions are comparable to Department of Labor’s (DOL’s). Changes in personal protective equipment will be consistent with the DOL’s Occupational Safety & Health Admin-
WH O C A R E S T H AT WE’RE PLANTED ON THE EASTERN SHORE? Maybe you should care. The Eastern Shore of Virginia is unique place – a narrow peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, we’re blessed with temperate growing conditions, refreshing shore breezes and plenty of sunshine year round. Which gives us the perfect environment Eastern for growing happy, healthy plants. Plus we’re in Shore the ideal location to get our plants to you ASAP. Nursery Of Call Eastern Shore Nursery of Virginia Virginia today to order plants that have the best start in life money can buy. Keller, Virginia • 1-800-323-3008 • www.esnursery.com
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Continue the exemption for farm owners and their immediate family with an expanded definition of immediate family.
Additional information on the rule is available at:http://www2.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/revisionsworker-protection-standard Contributed by Micah Raub, WPS Coordinator, VDACS
News - EPA Proposal to Revise the Certification of Pesticide Applicators Rule Notes for VA--‐Certified Private Applicators On August 5, 2015, EPA issued a proposal to revise the Certification of Pesticide Applicators rule. The proposed revisions have been published in the Federal Register, and are available online at www.regulations.gov , under docket ID # EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0183. EPA is accepting comments on the proposal until November 23, 2015. Most of the proposed federal-level changes do NOT affect VA-certified Private Applicators. However, here is a list of those that will, if the rule goes into effect “as is”:
• •
No certification for non-readers Minimum age for Private Applicators (and uncertified persons handling restricted-use pesticides under the direct supervision of a certified PA) = 18 • Additional Private Applicator Categories - Soil fumigation - Non-soil fumigation (ex. stored raw commodities) - Aerial application • All certified applicators must recertify every 3 years…but…some VA-certified private applicators will need to spend more time at recertification programs due to proposed contact time/credit requirements: 50 minutes of active training time = one continuing education unit (CEU). To recertify, private applicators must earn 6 CEUs dealing with general core content. In addition, those that hold one or more of the proposed added categories must earn 6 “core” 3 category-specific CEUs on a 3-year cycle. [Alternatively, a person can retake and pass written exam(s).] Currently, most VA-approved PAR courses provide at least 3.5 hours of instruction; many are approved for both VA PA categories: Food/Fiber (90) and Ornamental (91).
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6 Core CEUs = 5 hours of instruction in 3 years. This works out to 3.3 hours in 2 years…which is “on par” with what VA currently requires. However, for example - growers who hold one of the proposed added categories must earn 6 Core + 3 category-specific CEUs; this entails 7.5 hours of instruction in 3 years, which works out to 5 hours every 2 years and must include category-specific instruction. Applicators must earn at least half of the required CEUs in the 18 months preceding certificate expiration date. Recertification program participants must present identification (government issued w/ picture). As a result, VDACS Office of Pesticide Services may need to restructure PA categories, and modify course approval and training tracking procedures. Agencies and organizations that offer continuing education opportunities will see an increased demand for programs. For additional information on the rulemaking:
http://www2.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/epa-proposes-stronger-standards-people-applyingriskiest-pesticides
Legislation - Bill to Reform H-2B VISA Program H-2B Workforce Coalition Applauds Introduction of House Bill Washington, D.C. – November 5, 2015 – The H-2B Workforce Coalition, an alliance of more than 40 various industry associations focused on protecting American workers by ensuring American small and seasonal employers have access to legal short-term temporary employees during peak business periods, issued the following statement supporting H.R. 3918, the Strengthen Employment and Seasonal Opportunities Now Act, which was introduced by Small Business Committee Chairman Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Congressman Andy Harris (R-Md.), and Congressman Charles W. Boustany, Jr., MD (RLa.). The legislation would reform the H-2B temporary nonagricultural visa program and provide business owners with the certainty they need to hire seasonal workers in high demand. The House bill was introduced on the heels of similar legislation introduced in the Senate earlier this week by Senators Tillis, Mikulski, Cassidy and Warner.
“As a member of the National Association of Landscape Professionals and employer who relies on H-2B workers to fill seasonal vacancies when I cannot find American workers, I am extremely grateful to House Judiciary Chairman Goodlatte and Reps. Chabot, Harris and Boustany for introducing the SEASON Act. The bill will right the uncertainties and frustration that have plagued the program for the past several years, allowing me to grow my company and expand my American workforce,” said Virginia-based James River Grounds Management President and CEO Maria Candler. “Forest industry is this country’s seventh largest manufacturing sector, and without H-2B tree planting workers from Central America and Mexico supporting it, we would not be able to fulfill our sustainability commitment,” stated Forest Resources Association President, Deb Hawkinson. “We commend everything Congressmen Chabot, Goodlatte, Harris, Boustany and other leaders have done with this bill. We need a practical H-2B program, providing protection to workers while removing obstacles and restoring flexibility to contractors.” “The hotel industry has seen five years of economic growth, which is attributable in many ways to the hardworking employees and workforce that run and operate our lodging facilities, especially during peak tourism seasons,” said Brian Crawford, vice president of Government and Political Affairs at the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Co-Chair of the H-2B Workforce Coalition. “First and foremost, hotel industry employers look to the U.S. workforce to fill critical job functions during high-demand seasons, but in many cases across the country those workers are simply not available. The H-2B program provides clarity and much-needed reforms to the H2B program in order to ensure our communities remain vibrant and our business running and provide American employers the tools they need to recruit workers for temporary employment in this country. We thank Representatives Chabot, Goodlatte, Harris, and Boustany for introducing this important legislation and look forward to its swift passage.” To learn more about the H-2B Workforce Coalition, please visit our website. Davi Horta Bowen, Government Relations & Grassroots Representative, AmericanHort®, 202-789-8112, DaviB@AmericanHort.org
“The SEASON Act is balanced and common sense legislation that will restore clarity and predictability for the landscape industry and others relying on the H-2B program. Our national association, AmericanHort, my colleagues across Maryland, and I join in thanking Representative Andy Harris, and Reps. Chabot, Goodlatte and Boustany, for their leadership,” said Alan Jones of Manor View Farm, Maryland.
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News – National Gardening Bureau Announces 2016 Year of Begonia The National Garden Bureau recently announced its “Year of the” crops for 2016. In the annuals category, 2016 will be Year of the Begonia.
Pollinators such as butterflies and bees are necessary for growing crops, but their population has been steadily declining. Waystations filled with pollinator-friendly plants like milkweed provide those species the environment needed for survival.
Judging by all the exciting new begonia introductions this past year, I think the organization definitely went with a great choice. Growers have a lot of impressive options when choosing which begonia varieties to add to their production. And begonias are also trending at garden centers, as landscaping becomes more important to homeowners and they see begonias as one of the more fool-proof crops. As always, the National Garden Bureau selects crops that are easy to grow and genetically diverse with a lot of new varieties to choose from. Breeders, brokers, seed companies, growers and garden centers are encouraged to consider highlighting these crops when planning for the 2016 season. To view publicity generated from past programs, click here. Will you take advantage of the Year of the Begonia program for 2016? Have you seen recent success with begonias? If you need some inspiration for your upcoming season, here are some recent begonia introductions to consider:
http://www.gpnmag.com/2016-year-begonia
The photo in this news release is from the meadow restoration project at Dale City. Volunteers planted more than 8,000 plants to create a new pollinator habitat.
The Dale City project features a 15,000 square-foot meadow restoration, along with two smaller plantings near the rest area building which will serve as educational stations with interpretive signage for visitors. It is expected the habitat will become naturalized over the next few years. Three other new pollinator habitats have been seeded with native plants this month in southwestern Virginia. A Scott County site will be seeded in the spring, through a partnership with the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
News - VDOT’S Pollinator Habitat Program Moves toward Statewide Implementation
VDOT provided project management, site preparation, and volunteers for the Dale City project. Dominion Virginia Power provided volunteers, and Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy provided additional technical expertise. Valley Land provided mulch for the project area.
More than 8,000 pollinator-friendly plants added at Dale City Rest Area; Seeding projects completed in southwestern Virginia
"We owe it to our children and their great grandchildren to leave our planet in the wonderful condition in which we inherited it. That means we all must do everything we can to insure that the Monarch Butterfly, in all its splendor, will be around forevermore," said Carolyn Moss, Dominion senior policy advisor for federal, state and local affairs.
DALE CITY- Monarch butterflies appear to flutter carefree with the breeze, but their survival is under constant threat due to dwindling habitats and food supplies. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Dominion Virginia Power teamed up with the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, Native Plant Society and Valley Land on Tuesday to plant more than 8,000 pollinator-friendly plants at the Dale City Rest Area on Interstate 95 north in Northern Virginia. This project is part of VDOT’s Pollinator Habitat Program, which aims to create “waystations” or refuges for Monarch butterflies and other threatened pollinators.
“With its thousands of miles of medians and roadsides, VDOT is uniquely positioned to be a leader in monarch and pollinator recovery,” said Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy President Nicole Hamilton. “This project is a wonderful example of the plants and habitat that is needed to bring back the Monarchs, bees and other pollinators.”
“We have been working with experts to enhance our understanding and knowledge of pollinator needs and habitats over the past year,” said VDOT Commissioner Charlie Kilpatrick. “We’re incorporating what we’ve learned into projects that will protect these crucial habitats for butterflies and other pollinators.”
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News – 2016 Garden Trends Report It began as a conservation movement to get the land back to its natural state Now millions of people are “rewilding” to do the same. Whether it’s syncing to the iCloud, sinking their toes in the grass or syncing plants with local ecosystems that support wildlife, people want to get back in sync with nature. People are connecting with Mother Nature, both in an au natural way - camping, hiking and gardening - and in a connected state using technology, to create a more personalized experience. Our connection with nature is hardwired. So much so, that going on a strenuous hike is considered fun, whereas weeding a garden for the same amount of time is seen as work or a chore. “Nature” is easy and open to everyone. Gardening is seen as a chore. And people are taking technology into nature for exploration, education and entertainment. Whether catering to an adult demographic or younger groups, these initiatives and outdoor excursions encourage people to feed their need for technology while at the same time breaking from their tech obsession and opt for fresh air. Connected, Greenery We walk, talk and sleep with our phones. Now, people are getting plugged-in outside, too, syncing garden habits with technology and garden hobbyist with each other. People want to be successful with plants without a lot of work or information. To do this, they are turning to technology to help grow plants both indoors and in the garden. Newly enhanced digital tools make gardening more approachable for younger generations with limited gardening knowledge. Modern systems, like the sleekly designed Nest, work on the ‘one home, one app’ model. They are focused on ease of use and connectivity in which people can wirelessly and remotely control what happens in their home and garden. Don’t count boomers out of the connectivity. Despite popular opinion, 46- to 64-year-olds spend more money on technology than any other demographic. And one in five of them now use social media every day, up from one in 10 last year. They see social as a way to get something done -whether that's something at work or staying in touch with gardening peers.
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The in-store shopping experience has gone from purchasing to browsing. To continue driving sales, independent retailers must provide the customer with two experiences: one they interact with digitally from their home and one that inspires them in-store. Mobile coupons and proximity marketing are growing as a driving force in purchasing decisions. NaTECHure NaTECHure is the intersection of two of the hottest trends in education: technology and nature. It combines virtual and augmented reality to engage kids with gardening, health and fitness in fun, new ways. With Generation Z, born 1995-2009, being the most sedentary generation in American history, It’s vital to get children, and their parents outdoors. Create adventures that layer mysteries, stories, and puzzle-solving over unpredictable environments – or backyards. Whether it’s camping on The White House lawn, attending outdoor kindergarten or using a motor-sensory shovel, experiences that heighten the senses and get people outside playing are necessary. Whether running, playing, storytelling, or even geocaching, NaTECHure has the potential to mobilize a new generation of nature lovers. It will get people off the couch, outside and digging in the dirt again. Welltality Horticulture is intrinsically tied to health and wellness. People are putting their health first, from what we put in our mouths and on our bodies or the environment, even when we’re on vacation. Welltality, a trend in the hospitality industry, is cashing in on the benefits of plants. Hotels are becoming destination locations with living walls, indoor forests and serving locally grown food. From helping people heal faster, concentrate better and elevating people’s moods, greenery is incorporated throughout the guest experience. With the help of O2 For You® ‘Plants with a Purpose,’ consumer awareness of the benefits will only grow. A healthy staple in every kitchen, berries are essential in the garden, too. Blueberries, packed with nutrition and antioxidants, are easy to grow in containers to support the garden to table movement. New from the BrazelBerries® Collection is Perpetua, a delicious blueberry that produces fruit in mid-summer and then again in the fall. The Makers Lifestyle The DIY movement gets a facelift as people shift from “doing” to “making.”
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Homeowners and renters alike want to experience outdoor living in a way that maintains a sense of home and familiarity but personalized to their tastes. Called Yuccies, they are cultural offspring of yuppies and hipsters. They like to be makers – taste makers, craft makers – not just making things, but experiences. They engage with nature hands-on through projects like growing hops for backyard brewing and testing out natural dyes with fruits and vegetables. They want to get down and dirty and engage with outdoor environments in a more hands-on way. How much it costs, be it high or low, is immaterial. What is important is if what bought validates their intellect, taste and lifestyle. Backyard Boldness Taking a bolder approach to outdoor living, people are turning to new customization, lighting and movement to add a sense of whimsicality to their backyards. Transforming porch swings and swimming pools, homeowners are moving away from subtle, minimalist aesthetics toward designs that heighten sensory appeal. Toss boring planters and make a statement with a combination LED and speaker container
Nightscape, A light and Sound Experience Stages are being set with light graffiti, multifunctional planters and colorful plants that make a statement. At first glance, an LED Tree Swing might look like a typical rope swing found in a quaint backyard, but upon closer inspection it’s clear that it’s not. It has been wrapped with Electroluminescent Tape with RGB LEDs on the bottom that creates a striking glow at night. Longwood Gardens’ Nightscape exhibit is drawing record breaking crowds to the gardens after dark. The outdoors returns as a destination. People are making childhood memories and family experiences that offer the nostalgia of catching fireflies and reminiscing at summer BBQ’s. Bold colors of red, orange and purple flower bulbs from Longfield Gardens planted close together in varying patterns can make a major personality statement – and get kids in the garden. Layered Landscapes The landscaping trend is shifting from green deserts to ‘Living Landscapes.’ Doug Tallamy, professor of entomology and wildlife ecology at the University of Delaware, says people want to bring their yard back to its natural habitat as
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each plant serves a purpose in supporting local, natural ecosystems, pollinators and other wildlife.
from Vita Gardens uses up to 80% less water than a traditional garden bed.
Dr. Tallamy says a living landscape starts with trees and is layered underneath with shrubs and flowers. World renowned garden designer Andrew Fisher Tomlin says design trends are shifting. People want a hardy combination of trees, conifers, shrubs and perennials, rather than endless meadows of perennials.
Based on an ancient African gardening technique of growing in dry conditions, it combines a raised bed with a builtin composter that turns biodegradable scraps into rich soil. People are making small changes in the landscape that have a big impact on Earth’s precious resources.
Tomlin says this move is driven by a desire to create more impactful, lasting and sustainable plantings which will last not just throughout the year -- but for many years to come. As people’s passion for preserving the earth increases, they will see and purchase plants for their function as well as their beauty. A grass roots gardening movement is just beginning and with it, a relaxed look and feel. Dogscaping Pets run through the lawn, roll in it, dig in it and often eat it so it’s no wonder that pet owners are thinking more and more about how to make their gardens pet friendly and pet safe. Petscaping to protect dogs and cats from poisonous plants and harmful chemicals is as important as protecting precious plants from pets. According to the 2015-2016 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 65% of U.S. households own a pet. Pet owners spend about $60 billion dollars on their pets each year, second only to Christmas spending. And they’re gardeners. A survey by the Philadelphia Flower Show and Subaru found a direct correlation between pet owners and gardeners. Creating a chemical free environment from the ground up is key for a safe lawn and garden. With 1 in 3 dogs getting cancer each year, pet parents believe, like eating nutritious food, the safest practice is to use organic lawn products and limit the use of potentially harmful garden chemicals. Espoma’s Safe Paws program helps pet parents make the switch from chemical to organic lawns, safe for people, pets and the plan Precious Resources The resources that we depend on to garden, particularly water, are limited and need protection. Precious resources is a trend where necessity meets innovation. New technologies and plants offer the opportunity to protect and conserve resources with small lifestyle changes that will make an evolutionary impact on the gardening experience. Brownscaping is becoming more acceptable. In California, cities and towns have been ordered to cut water consumption by 25%. How to garden with less water continues to be a top priority. The new Keyhole Garden 42 42
Drought tolerant plants such as Costa Farm’s new Drop and Grow sedum tiles and the new Desert Escape collection of cacti and succulents are smart choices to save time and water. Being mindful of Earth’s precious resources enables brands to foster a new connection with consumers and create a better environment.
Tips - Pomegranates The Wonder Fruit of Our Time Does it really prevent disease? Was it the real "apple" in the Garden of Eden? Do we have winter because Persephone tasted its pleasures and went back for another each year? These questions were not what tweaked my interest in pomegranates. As a VA Tech Extension Agent and then a garden center owner in Tidewater VA, I often saw the Lisa Lipsey & I harvested this one bewilderment when I from test site at NBG on October 11, handed a gardener the 2013. Very tasty! Fruit Tree Spray Schedule for apples, peaches, pears, plums and grapes. What a complicated and laborious job to keep these fruits free of pests anywhere on the east coast. I would provide my list of low maintenance fruits for zones 7 & 8 — pomegranates, Rabbiteye blueberries, muscadine (scuppernong) grapes, figs and kiwis. These fruits were much easier to grow. After retirement and involvement with the Beautiful Gardens® program for statewide "Worthy Plants", I encountered pomegranates that were cold hardy than the typical `Wonderful' cultivar most available to plant or eat. Michael McConkey of Edible Landscapes and BG® director Rumen Conev agreed that BG® would test the Russian pomegranate `Salavatski'. Dr. Conev also had acquired a "cold Hardy" pomegranate from the Botanical Garden in Beijing, China. The Russian and the Chinese fruits would be tested together. The Russian plants were planted in June of 2010 and the Chinese pomegranates in June of 2011 at the 3 test sites – Blacksburg (zone 6), Bedford (zone 7) and Norfolk (zone
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The Russian plants not only survived in zone 6, they actually produced fruit. The Chinese pomegranates did not fare as well and are not recommended for colder parts of the state. This extra hardiness of the Russian fruits does not mean that one should not try to maximize fruit production by creating a microclimate for these plants that prefer Mediterranean type growing conditions – full sun, loamy soil, good drainage, pH 5.5-7, protection from winter winds, additional winter mulch, and no wet soils in winter. Even with this, the shrubs (12-20 ft. in time) will take a few years to become established and get over the fruit drop stage so typical in the early years. The plants may even die back to the ground in especially hard winters, but will regrow if sited properly. Pomegranates like infrequent deep watering. Even though they are drought tolerant, fruit production and taste will be much better if the plants receive adequate moisture during the growing season. Start pruning pomegranates when they are about 3 years old. McConkey recommends 3-4 well-spaced main trunks rather than more so breezes can flow through the plants and the sun can reach all branches. Michael McConkey of Edible Landscapes in Afton,VA, on Remove any suckers that August 11, 2014, showing how appear and cut the branches big the ‘Salavatski will get by back during the dormant harvest time. season. The plants bear fruit on old and new growth for 6-7 weeks after the flowering starts. The fruits will ripen over the same period of time and can be left on the plant well past the first frost. `Salavatski' has proven to be an excellent choice for an "eating" pomegranate in Virginia. Edible Landscapes also carries other cultivars that are especially good for juicing or eating as dessert, but they are not as cold hardy. A visit to their web site (www.ediblelandscaping.com ) or nursery in Afton, VA, provides much information.
northern Iran border, which was the birthplace of the pomegranate. When the USSR broke up in the 1990s, his funding declined drastically. Before his agricultural station was closed he disseminated many of his plants to the US and other countries so his life's work would not be wasted. Many of his selected cultivars are housed at the National Clonal Germplasm Repository of the USDA/ARS at Davis, CA. His was a process of selection rather than breeding. He traveled to regions where pomegranates naturally grow and chose from those the best he could find. After particularly cold winters, he would travel to places like Afganistan to choose the plants that best survived. `Parifianka', one of Dr. Levin's favorites is also carried by Edible Landscapes and possibly hardy in Zone 6. This one was not tested by BGÂŽ, but would be worth a try by interested home gardeners. Pomegranates are such a treat in the late fall and winter for eating outright, using in various recipes, juicing or decorating. Monrovia Nursery is now offering an early cultivar named Red SilkTM. It is listed as hardy to Zone 7. The fruit are bright red and the plant is said to be one of the heaviest fruit producers. A visit to 18th century Colonial Williamsburg in December to see the wreaths decorating the colonial doors will find many pomegranates used. It is believed that the Spanish brought them into the US during the latter half of the 18th century. Pomegranates are mentioned in the Koran, the Bible, and Greek mythology. The fruit itself is so appealing that you will see it in carved Della robbia wreaths and in paintings from many eras. It is symbolic of prosperity and abundance in virtually every civilization. As well as edible pomegranates, there are many ornamental ones on the market. Norfolk Botanical Garden displays Purple Ball, quite showy through Christmas. Some are known for their unusual flowers in colors of peach, white or both. The fruiting pomegranates have beautiful orange-red single blooms, but some of the ornamental ones have double flowers of the same color. Linda Pinkham, lindapinkham@me.com
Punica granatum comes from the French pomme grenate, meaning "seedy apple" The fruit contains over half its weight in seeds and has a long storage life of about 7 months. Under its red leathery skin, the seed is surrounded by sweet tart pulp and juice. When should you harvest the fruit? The California Rare Fruit Society says "The fruits are ripe when they have developed a distinctive color and make a metallic sound when tapped." McConkey was able to acquire pomegranate plants from Russia through an interesting route. A Soviet botanist, Dr. G. M. Levin, spent his career studying pomegranates in the mountains of Central Asia in Turkmenistan near the 44 44
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News - Landowner’s fight against invasive plants turns into regional effort
actively manage the land for timber, trout and other native species. But he made a startling discovery.
Summer interns from Virginia Tech work with farm manager, Paige Raines, to remove ailanthus and other invasives from a meadow at Middle Mountain Farm. (Leslie Middleton)
There were sections on his property that were completely overgrown with oriental bittersweet — places where bittersweet and grapevines, each thick as fists, were intertwined, growing up and over the trees, effectively smothering them. Over 20 years, two small patches of bittersweet had become three 10– to 20-acre sections, with vines so thick that bulldozers were needed to get to the interior so workers could cut the vines and paint their stumps with herbicides.
Rod Walker stretched his arm out toward the mountains north of his 1,500 acres abutting Shenandoah National Park in Albemarle County. The view was possible because of an opening where dead trees, strangled by oriental bittersweet and grapevine, had been removed.
Walker, whose land shares more than a mile of boundary with Shenandoah National Park’s eastern slopes, knew that controlling the bittersweet — which is spread by wildlife that eat the seeds, as well as sprouting from the roots — wouldn’t mean much if only he defended his borders.
Bittersweet, ailanthus, Japanese stilt grass, garlic mustard — these are some of the invasive species that Walker has targeted in a control plan he’s implementing a step at a time.
In 2013, Walker met with Jake Hughes, Shenandoah National Park’s lead biological science technician, who agreed that the park’s efforts — and Walker’s — needed to be coordinated lest the plants ping-pong across their borders.
Blue Ridge partnership encompasses Shenandoah Park, the 10 counties that surround it
It’s no easy task, because invasive species — defined as a nonnative species that when introduced causes economic or environmental harm or harm to human health — often outcompete natives, thus interfering with ecological succession and, in turn, promoting other invasive plants and animals. Invasives significantly affect the food web; alter soil chemistry and nutrient cycling; change hydrology; and increase the severity of fires. But Walker’s interests go much further than the boundaries of his land. A retired executive, Walker is the driving force behind the creation of the Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management, or Blue Ridge PRISM. PRISMs are one of several types of cooperative weed management organizations. They are prevalent in Western states, and starting to gain a toehold in Eastern states. Walker’s interest started with his desire to better manage his own land, but has grown into almost a full-time job as he helps launch an organization that is focused on the 10 counties that surround Shenandoah National Park: Nelson, Augusta, Rockingham, Albemarle, Greene, Madison, Rappahannock, Page, Warren and Clark. Walker grew up on 18 acres in Pennsylvania where hunting, fishing and making the most of the outdoors was a way of life. As he moved into business after college, he continued to nurture his love of the outdoors — purchasing 180 acres in West Virginia so he’d have an outdoors weekend retreat. A subsequent purchase of acreage in Wisconsin led him to learn about timber and land management. Walker retired and settled on Middle Mountain Farm in Albemarle County, land he bought 20 years prior with plans to 46 46
They also discussed the possibility of wider, regional efforts. Hughes, who manages invasive species in the 200,000-acre park with a small staff and ever-shrinking budget, said, “I told him about these cooperative weed management areas that are a big thing out West — and he just took it and ran with it.” In spring 2014, the Blue Ridge PRISM went from casual discussions to a serious meeting to determine if there was enough regional interest to create a multi-county collaborative partnership. Representatives from state and federal agencies, local land preservation nongovernmental agencies, along with private landowners and service groups like Virginia Master Naturalists, answered with a resounding “yes.” It has been a little more than a year since that first meeting, and Blue Ridge PRISM has developed a strategic plan as well as organized working groups and a steering committee of lead agencies and landowners who are poised to sign a memorandum of understanding to formalize the organization. The group has identified their top 11 “bad actors” (all herbaceous), and is plugging into state and national networks to assist in rapid response efforts when new species of concern are confirmed. Ruth Douglas, longtime board member of the Virginia Native Plant Society and the Mid-Atlantic Invasive Species Council, said, “The task of creating a cooperative weed management area is so daunting, but, even though it is a lot of work, the regional approach is really the way to go.” Susan Sherman, president of the Shenandoah National Park Trust, which serves as the new organization’s fiscal agent,
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said that Walker’s style — and his background in systems and business – has been an asset, adding, “I sit on a lot of volunteer committees, and this one has quickly established operating procedures and is getting to work helping local landowners and coordinating efforts at this regional level.” Walker knows that his background has been helpful. “I am a problem solver by training, so this is another problem. It’s big, it’s complicated, it’s daunting and you may never win. That doesn’t mean you can’t have an impact. I believe we can have an impact.” And Blue Ridge PRISM isn’t working in a vacuum. Walker credits a wealth of fact sheets and other information from Midwest cooperative weed management areas that the group has adopted so as not to reinvent the wheel. Being a landowner, Walker has made sure to network with other landowners. “Some of these cooperative weed management areas do seem like they are arms of state or federal land management agencies. The Blue Ridge PRISM is really unusual in having such a strong landowner focus,” Hughes said. “One of the programs we’re trying to start is specifically for landowners who want to understand — and maybe control — how invasives are affecting their properties,” Walker said. The group hopes that local master naturalists can be used to meet with landowners, walk the land and advise about invasive species controls. “Sharing information is one of the most important things that these kinds of groups can do,” said Jil Swearingen, integrated pest management and invasives species coordinator for the National Park Service’s National Capitol Region. Having informational tools — guides, fact sheets, online resources, digital apps — is essential for local groups to be able to figure out how to deal with specific local situations and coordinate with larger efforts, especially in developing rapid response teams, key to managing invasive species before they gain traction in a region. Swearingen is also active with the Mid-Atlantic Invasive Species Council, which collaborates on issues in each Bay watershed state. The states all have some efforts to control invasive species. Maryland prohibits the sale of certain nonnative species. The District of Columbia has a cooperative weed management group that oversees rapid response and control as well as groups of trained Weed Warriors. Pennsylvania relies on a statewide coordinating council. Though Virginia wrote an invasive species management plan and has employees dedicated to invasives control, Blue Ridge PRISM is Virginia’s only weed management partnership. The Potomac Highlands Cooperative Weed and Pest Management Area, which covers the headwaters of the Potomac River in both Virginia and West Virginia, operates out of West Virginia. VNLA Newsletter VNLA Newsletter
Most invasive species activities are strongly linked to efforts to maintain and restore native plants. This makes sense: Invasive species, by definition, crowd out native species — and native species are key to restoration work. Not everyone agrees that invasive species should be controlled. Some believe that nature should be allowed to take its course, and that the methods, especially chemicals, used to control native species may create worse problems. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup – one of the most widely used chemicals by land managers, landscape maintenance companies and homeowners — has been linked to the decline of pollinators. The ultimate fate of — and effects from — most of the chemical compounds in use to control invasive plant species are unknown and still under study. In the July issue of Harpers, David Theodoropoulos, author of “Invasion Biology: Critique of a Pseudoscience,” is quoted: “Thirty years ago, the greatest threats to nature were chainsaws, bulldozers and poisons. Now the greatest threats are wild plants and animals. And what do we use to fight them? Chain saws, bulldozers and poisons.” But Walker said, “I don’t think any of us really want to use herbicides. And certainly no more than absolutely necessary.” But for large areas, removing invasive plants by hand or machine simply costs too much. “Most of us look at the individual species and make judgments as to whether it is possible to suppress (but not eliminate) them, the seriousness of the damage they will cause if untreated, the costs of treatment, safety issues and any fallout or side effects,” Walker said. Empowering landowners to make individual choices is what Blue Ridge PRISM is about. For those who have no doubt that controlling the worst invasive species is the right way to go, this growing collaboration has brought hope in the face of what can seem like a Sisyphean task. Energetic conversations on the PRISM’s e-mail list, such as how to control Japanese stilt grass in different settings, bear witness to the eagerness for sharing techniques. Douglas said, “There is now a much bigger community, and being part of Blue Ridge PRISM has brought me some hope.” Resources
Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, 2014 edition: To download information on invasive species, groups and resources in the Bay www.watershed:maipc.org/PlantInvadersMidAtlanticNaturalAreas5thEdition.pdf Atlantic Early Detection Network: To report invasive species observations via computer or smartphone: www.eddmaps.org
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Virginia Invasive Plant Species List Mountain
Piedmont
Coastal
REGION
Ailanthus altissima
Tree-of-heaven
High
•
•
•
Alliaria petiolata
Garlic Mustard
High
•
•
•
Alternanthera philoxeroides
Alligator-weed
High
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata
Porcelain-berry
High
Carex kobomugi
Japanese Sand Sedge
High
Celastrus orbiculatus
Oriental Bittersweet
High
•
•
•
Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos
Spotted Knapweed
High
•
•
•
Cirsium arvense
Canada Thistle
High
•
•
•
Dioscorea polystachya
Cinnamon Vine
High
•
•
•
Elaeagnus umbellata
Autumn Olive
High
•
•
•
Euonymus alatus
Winged Euonymus
High
•
•
Ficaria verna
Lesser Celandine
High
Hydrilla verticillata
Hydrilla
High
Iris pseudacorus
Yellow Flag
High
Lespedeza cuneata
Chinese Lespedeza
Ligustrum sinense Lonicera japonica
Scientific Name
Tree-of-heaven
Common Name
Virginia Invasiveness Rank
• •
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
High
•
•
•
Chinese Privet
High
•
•
•
Japanese Honeysuckle
High
•
•
•
Lonicera maackii
Amur Honeysuckle
High
•
•
•
Lonicera morrowii
Morrow's Honeysuckle
High
•
•
Lythrum salicaria
Purple Loosestrife
High
•
•
•
Microstegium vimineum
Japanese Stiltgrass
High
•
•
•
Murdannia keisak
Marsh Dewflower
High
•
•
•
Myriophyllum aquaticum
Parrot Feather
High
•
•
•
Myriophyllum spicatum
Eurasian Water-milfoil
High
•
•
•
The Virginia Invasive Plant Species List comprises species that are established — or may become established — in Virginia, cause economic and ecological harm, and present ongoing management issues.
Persicaria perfoliata
Mile-a-minute
High
•
•
•
Phragmites australis ssp. australis
Common Reed
High
•
•
•
Pueraria montana var. lobata
Kudzu
High
•
•
•
Reynoutria japonica
Japanese Knotweed
High
•
•
•
Rosa multiflora
Multiflora Rose
High
•
•
•
Rubus phoenicolasius
Wineberry
High
•
•
•
The list is for educational purposes only and has no regulatory authority.
Sorghum halepense
Johnson Grass
High
•
•
•
Urtica dioica
European Stinging Nettle
High
•
•
•
Acer platanoides
Norway Maple
Medium
•
•
•
Agrostis capillaris
Colonial Bent-grass
Medium
•
•
•
Akebia quinata
Five-leaf Akebia
Medium
•
•
Albizia julibrissin
Mimosa
Medium
•
•
•
Arthraxon hispidus var. hispidus
Joint Head Grass
Medium
•
•
•
Berberis thunbergii
Japanese Barberry
Medium
•
•
•
Cirsium vulgare
Bull Thistle
Medium
•
•
•
Dipsacus fullonum
Wild Teasel
Medium
•
•
•
Egeria densa
Brazilian Waterweed
Medium
•
•
•
Euonymus fortunei
Winter Creeper
Medium
•
•
•
Glechoma hederacea
Gill-over-the-ground
Medium
•
•
•
Hedera helix
English Ivy
Medium
•
•
Phragmites
Wavyleaf Grass
To be included on the list, there must be demonstrable evidence that a species poses a threat to Virginia’s forests, native grasslands, wetlands or waterways. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Invasive Species Assessment Protocol was used to conduct a risk assessment for each listed species. Species were ranked as exhibiting high, medium or low levels of invasiveness based on their threat to natural communities and native species. www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/invspinfo.shtml
continued
Invasiveness rank is higher for species that: Scientific Name
Common Name
Virginia Invasiveness Rank
Mountain
Piedmont
Coastal
REGION
Holcus lanatus
Common Velvet Grass
Medium
•
•
•
Humulus japonicus
Japanese Hops
Medium
•
•
•
Ligustrum obtusifolium var. obtusifolium
Border Privet
Medium
•
•
•
Lonicera tatarica
Tartarian Honeysuckle
Medium
•
•
Lysimachia nummularia
Moneywort
Medium
•
•
•
Miscanthus sinensis
Chinese Silvergrass
Medium
•
•
•
Najas minor
Brittle Naiad
Medium
•
•
•
Paulownia tomentosa
Royal Paulowina
Medium
•
•
•
Persicaria longiseta
Long-bristled Smartweed
Medium
•
•
•
Phyllostachys aurea
Golden Bamboo
Medium
•
•
•
Early detection species
Poa compressa
Flat-stemmed Bluegrass
Medium
•
•
•
The list includes a subcategory of invasive plants that are considered early detection species. These are species not yet established or, if established, are not yet widespread in Virginia but known to be highly invasive in habitats similar to those found here. If discovered in Virginia, these species need to be quickly mapped, photographed and reported to DCR. The management goal for early detection species is eradication, as preventing the establishment and spread of newly arrived species will save valuable natural and economic resources.
Poa trivialis
Rough Bluegrass
Medium
•
•
•
Pyrus calleryana
Callery Pear
Medium
•
•
•
Rhodotypos scandens
Jetbead
Medium
•
•
•
Rumex acetosella
Sheep sorrel
Medium
•
•
•
Spiraea japonica
Japanese Spiraea
Medium
•
•
Stellaria media
Common Chickweed
Medium
•
•
•
Veronica hederifolia
Ivy-leaved Speedwell
Medium
•
•
•
Viburnum dilatatum
Linden arrow-wood
Medium
Wisteria sinensis
Chinese Wisteria
Medium
•
•
•
Commelina communis
Asiatic Dayflower
Low
•
•
•
Elaeagnus pungens
Thorny Olive
Low
•
•
•
Lespedeza bicolor
Shrubby Bushclover
Low
•
•
•
Lonicera fragrantissima
Winter Honeysuckle
Low
•
•
•
Melia azedarach
Chinaberry
Low
•
•
INFORMATION
Morus alba
White Mulberry
Low
•
•
•
Perilla frutescens
Beefsteak Plant
Low
•
•
•
For more information, or to report early detection species, contact Stewardship Biologist Kevin Heffernan with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation at 804-786-9112 or kevin.heffernan@dcr.virginia.gov
Phleum pratense
Timothy
Low
•
•
•
Populus alba
Silver Poplar
Low
•
•
•
Rumex crispus ssp. crispus
Curly Dock
Low
•
•
•
Securigera varia
Crown-vetch
Low
•
•
•
Trapa natans
European Water Chestnut
Low
Ulmus pumila
Siberian Elm
Low
•
•
Vinca major
Greater Periwinkle
Low
•
•
•
Vinca minor
Periwinkle
Low
•
•
•
Wisteria floribunda
Japanese Wisteria
Low
•
•
• Alter ecosystem processes, such as succession, hydrology or fire regime. • Are capable of invading undisturbed natural communities. • Cause substantial impacts on rare or vulnerable species or natural communities or high-quality examples of more common communities. • Are found widely distributed and generally abundant where present. • Disperse readily to new areas. • Are difficult to control.
Photo credits:
Tree-of-heaven, Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org. Phragmites, Jil M. Swearingen, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org. Wavyleaf grass, Kerrie L. Kyde, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org.
Citation:
Heffernan, K., E. Engle, C. Richardson. 2014. Virginia Invasive Plant Species List. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage. Natural Heritage Technical Document 14-11. Richmond.
www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/invspinfo.shtml
•
•
EARLY DETECTION SPECIES - not yet widely established in Virginia Aldrovanda vesiculosa
Waterwheel
High
•
Eichhornia crassipes
Water Hyacinth
High
•
Imperata cylindrica
Cogon Grass
High
Ludwigia grandiflora ssp. hexapetala
Large Flower Primrose Willow
High
•
•
Oplismenus hirtellus ssp. undulatifolius
Wavyleaf Grass
High
•
•
Vitex rotundifolia
Beach Vitex
Heracleum mantegazzianum
Giant Hogweed
Medium
•
•
•
High
• •
Ipomoea aquatica
Water Spinach
Medium
•
•
•
Salvinia molesta
Giant Salvinia
Medium
•
•
•
Solanum viarum
Tropical Soda Apple
Medium
•
•
Research - Irrigation Water Quality for a Sustainable Green Industry Integrated Management of Zoosporic Pathogens and Irrigation Water Quality for a Sustainable Green Industry
This SREP project addresses three SCRI focus areas and aims to improve and maintain the health of nursery and floral crops from the time of production to delivery to the consumer, to protect water quality and to increase water use efficiency by the green industry. The ultimate goals are to move horticultural production and distribution towards greater sustainability and enable nurseries and greenhouses to better compete in global markets. Supporting objectives are to: 1. Characterize zoosporic pathogens found in irrigation systems and assess their potential impact on ornamental crop health 2. Understand water quality dynamics, develop guidelines to assist irrigation managers in improving crop quality and productivity, and assess the environmental benefits of increased water recycling practices 3. Significantly increase the understanding of the aquatic biology of Phytophthora and Pythium species and develop
protocols for risk assessment and mitigation of these pathogens in irrigation systems 4. Identify and enhance naturally-occurring pathogen-suppressing microbes in reservoirs 5. Assess the changes in production costs and revenue enhancements when the resultant knowledge and technologies are implemented as best management practices (BMPs) 6. Develop and use an online knowledge center to deliver information and education programs and facilitate BMP implementation. This project will increase the profitability and sustainability of the green industry, enhance the aesthetic value of recreational parks and landscapes, and improve consumer satisfaction with the plants they purchase. It will reduce the risk of dissemination of quarantine pathogens (e.g., Phytophthora ramorum) through trade of ornamental plant stocks. These benefits will extend to other specialty crop producers facing similar crop health and water. All webinar recordings have been moved to the project outreach website www.irrigation-pathogens.info for permanent housing. The complete report can be accessed at http://www.vnla.org/Research/Irrigation-Water-Quality-forSustainable-Green-Industry FINAL REPORT SCRI Project (Agreement #: 2010-51181-21140):
Provided by Dr. Chuan Hong, chhong2@vt.edu
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™
Lagerstroemia
A new series of dwarf crapemyrtle, the Infinitini™ Lagerstroemia are fast-growing plants that will grow from a spring liner to a finished, flowering plant in one season! Terri Vander Meulen, Southeast Account Representative, 616-223-3377 www.springmeadownursery.com 800-633-8859
100c / 0m / 81y / 66k
45c / 15m / 90y / 20
Download the iBook at http://tinyurl.com/o3lvskn Learn about these and other Proven Winners plants with the new iBook for landscapers. Easy-to-read overviews of each genus lead to detailed, downloadable pdf sheets for individual varieties.
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Tips - Experts Directory from Virginia Tech CALS
Tips – Are You Reporting Your Groundwater Withdrawals?
BLACKSBURG, Va., Aug. 3, 2015 – Need to find an expert on agricultural productivity or animal genetics? Bioengineering or bioluminescence? Climate change or community development? Diabetes or drought?
The Virginia Water Withdrawal Reporting Regulation (9VAC25-200-10, et seq.) requires the annual reporting of surface and ground water withdrawals. Withdrawal reports for the previous calendar year are due on January 31. The purpose of withdrawal reporting is to enable appropriate planning for the Commonwealth's future water needs through the collection of accurate information. Information collected is summarized and included in the Annual Water Resources Report.
Look no further than the new Experts Directory[2] that contains detailed descriptions of nearly 300 authoritative sources from the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences[3] and Virginia Cooperative Extension[4]. Members of the media, fellow scientists, and others can easily find the expert they are searching for using keywords, departments, subject area, or names. A new Newsroom site[5] also is available where you can learn about the latest news from the college, trends in agriculture, upcoming events, videos, research blog posts, and more. Go online[6] to learn about the world-class research being conducted by faculty members and the wide array of experts in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Virginia Cooperative Extension. Nationally ranked among the top research institutions of its kind, Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences[7] focuses on the science and business of living systems through learning, discovery, and engagement. The college's comprehensive curriculum gives more than 3,100 students in a dozen academic departments a balanced education that ranges from food and fiber production to economics to human health. Students learn from the world's leading agricultural scientists, who bring the latest science and technology into the classroom. Links [1]. http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/media-contact/barlow-zeke-res.html [2]. http://news.cals.vt.edu/experts/ [3]. http://www.cals.vt.edu [4]. http://www.ext.vt.edu [5]. http://www.cals.vt.edu/news/index.html [6]. http://news.cals.vt.edu/experts/ [7]. http://www.cals.vt.edu/ [8]. http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2015/05/052015cals-nsf.html Contact: Zeke Barlow, 540-231-5417, zekebarlow@vt.edu
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Withdrawals in Virginia for crop production (including nurseries and sod farms) must be reported for withdrawals of one million gallons or more in a single month. Withdrawals in Virginia for ALL other purposes (including, but not limited to, livestock production, mining operations, public water supplies, manufacturing, power production, and golf courses) must be reported by users whose average daily withdrawal exceeds 10,000 gallons per day in any single month. It is important to note that the regulation requires the use of a methodology or the installation and operation of a gaging device at or near the withdrawal source to measure the cumulative volume of groundwater and/or surface water withdrawn. The gage or methodology used must be consistent with sound generally accepted engineering practice and produce volume determinations within 10% of accuracy. In addition, the regulation requires retention of water withdrawal and gage calibration records by the user for a period of three years. Voluntary reporting of withdrawals that are lower than the reporting thresholds is encouraged and appreciated. "Get the Facts" is an informational brochure that encourages the reporting of all withdrawals, even those below the reporting threshold, to provide valuable information in support of Virginia's water resource management efforts. Data collected
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includes monthly and annual withdrawal amounts and identifies the owner, source, source type, subtype, and category of use. Instructions for estimating raw water withdrawals for irrigation or agriculture include methods for estimating withdrawal amounts for these categories.
Tips - There’s an App for That! Smartphones not only help you work smarter, they can help you work more productively and efficiently as well. An online search for mobile apps will yield a plethora of choices. We’ve selected a few that will be of particular use to landscape contractors and designers and listed them below – some are free and others have a nominal fee.
If your facility withdraws enough water to meet the mandatory reporting threshold and you are not yet reporting its water withdrawals, then you must register your facility by filling out a New Facility Registration Form and submitting it to DEQ. Once registered, annual water withdrawal reporting may be completed online at http://deq1.bse.vt.edu/vwuds/. A username and password is required for entry into the online reporting system. Please contact the appropriate DEQ representative to submit your Registration Form and to obtain entry into the online reporting system. More information can be found at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterSupplyWaterQuantity/WaterSupplyPlanning/AnnualWaterWithdrawalReporting.aspx
PLANT MATERIAL Landscaper’s Companion Having a hard time identifying a plant, remembering its water usage or whether it’s deer reVNLA sistant? This app gives you a daGuide to Virginia Growers tabase with more than 26,000 mobile-friendly online plant plants AND 21,000 photos in 17 material look up categories from annuals to ground covers to ornamental grasses. It provides general plant information from its USDA zone to sun exposure to water usage and growth rate.
Ad – Gossett’s Landscape Nursery
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GOSHIKI OSMANTHUS CAMELLIA JAPONICA CAMELLIA SASANQUA BLUE STAR JUNIPER
OVER 200 OTHER VARIETIES CONTAINER GROWN LOCATION: NC 68, TWO MILES SOUTH OF I-40 AVAILABILITY AND PLANT PICTORIAL BUYERS GUIDE AT WWW.GOSSETTSNURSERY.COM
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The search function allows you to look up plants and grasses multiple ways, such as by their common or scientific name or even the plants’ USDA zone or color. $4.99 and a pro upgrade gives users the ability to add their own plants, pictures and notes. New plants and photos are updated periodically free of charge. Platform: iOS.
landscape professionals since it allows users to design, organize and save information on multiple gardens. Free. Platform: Android and iOS.
Dirr’s Shrub and Tree Finder
Turfpath assists with the visual identification of turfgrass pests. It hosts a database of diseases, insects and weeds with a description and image gallery to aid in identification. Turfpath is also integrated with various social networks and allows users to share their own images for help from others in troubleshooting the cause and help with tracking infestation trends. Free. Platform: Android and iOS.
This app is a pocket version of the renowned Dirr’s book with 1,670 species and 7,800 cultivars with 7,600 highquality images and more than 1,120 line drawings. The plant database is searchable by 72 criteria, including hardiness zones, water and light requirements, growth characteristics, flowers, fruits and fall colors. The app offers the latest and most reliable information on woody landscape plants. $14.99. Platform: iOS Armitage’s Greatest Perennials and Annuals In this app, Dr. Allan Armitage shares his knowledge and allows users to search plants and filter searches for annuals, perennials, full-sun, shade and other categories. $4.99 Platform: Android and iOS. Leafsnap Using visual recognition software, the software identifies trees from photographs of their leaves. Place the leaf from the tree in question on a white background and snap away! Currently only covering tree species of the Northeast United States, it will soon cover the entire USA as it is further developed by Columbia University, University of Mary-land and the Smithsonian Institution. Another similar app worth checking out: Tree ID for Northern America. Free. Platform: iOS Audubon Mobile Field Guides If it grows, crawls, slithers, wiggles, flies, swims, bites, or hops, it can be found in one or more of the Audubon Nature Guides. Visit http://www.audubonguides.com/fieldguides/mobile-apps.html for a listing of guide topics and prices. Platform: Android and iOS. RAIN GARDENS
PESTS & PATHOGENS Turfpath
ID Weeds Developed by University of Missouri Extension, this app helps to identify more than 400 plant species common to fields, pastures, lawns, gardens and pond areas. You can search for weeds by their common or Latin name, view a list of weeds, or identify weeds based upon 28 different characteristics. Details about each weed are presented, along with photographs of the weed specified. There are also “what’s this” links to provide more information to narrow your choices during the identification process. While developed for Missouri weeds, there are many weeds in the app common to the northeast. Free. Platform: An-droid and iOS. Purdue Tree Doctor, Purdue Annual Flower Doctor, and Purdue Perennial Flower Doctor A Purdue University entomologist, and plant pathologist teamed up to trees, annuals and perennials. Each application is searchable by the type of plant, symptoms, insects or disease and includes extensive images for comparisons to help users identify the problem. These apps provide the latest science-based recommendations on how to manage the specific pests. Recommendations start with cultural practices that prevent or minimize the problem, along with pesticide recommendations, if needed. Tree Doctor $1.99. Annual Doctor and Perennial Doctor $0.99 each. Platform: Android and iOS.
UConn Rain Garden
IRRIGATION
This app includes basic information about what rain gardens are and how they work, tools to help select a site and size of garden based on the area draining to it, guidelines to properly design and install a rain garden, and tips on maintaining your rain garden. There’s also a simple cost calculator to gauge cost. The app includes multiple short video tutorials to help users with each step of the process. Through the searchable Plant Selector tool, users can select native, noninvasive plants and their cultivars that are known to work well in rain gar-dens. The app is particularly useful to 54 54
Sprinkler Times Developed by a landscape contractor, this app uses regionally based, historical climate information and combines that with plant type, sprinkler type, soil type and sun exposure to generate a customized monthly schedule to determine the best watering settings for clients’ irrigation systems. $5.99, Platform: Android and iOS.
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PRODUCTIVITY
for small paragraphs of text when you don’t want to waste paper photocopying. Platform: Android and iOS.
Landscape & Garden Calculators This app provides 41 landscape and garden calculators and estimators and offers tools for many types of calculations based on feedback from professional users. You can use it to calculate areas for hardscape, softscape, walls and decks as well as calculate time, materials and expenses. $3.99. Platform: Android. Planimeter So you’re out on site and you want to do a rough measurement of the site boundary quickly? Planimeter takes measurements off satellite maps (imperial & metric) and will calculate a site’s distance, perimeter and area. The app allows you to not only measure the site but also the surrounding area in context, enriching the experience of your first site visit. It can give a quick impression to the professional of the scale of work that needs to be done while also being on site. $3.99 Android. $7.99 iOS.
Bubble Level This app allows users to hold any of the phone’s four sides against an object to test it for level or plumb or lay it down on a flat surface for a 360-degree level. Free. Platform: Android and iOS. Evernote Although this is not a landscape-orientated app, we all need a bit of organization, and this app allows you to save, sync, and share files and, with an upgrade, you can take your notes offline. Free. Platform: Android and iOS. Also, many manufacturers offer mobile apps with proprietary information for their products.
Mini Scanner This is a simple app in which you can “scan” text or pictures and turn them into simple black and white drawings that are clear to read. The app is free, but you can upgrade it and gain the ability to email your images. This app is very useful
Ad – Carolina Bark Products
Ad Fair View Nursery
P.O. Box 395 Seaboard, NC 27876 Phone: (252) 589-1324 Fax: (252) 589-1642 •
Suppliers of bulk aged pine bark fines.
•
Custom mixes available containing lime, sand and/or minors.
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Fast, dependable service Memberships: North Carolina Association of Nurserymen Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association
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partner with them to grow their skills. As they learn the "key points, major steps and reasons why" for each task your people will grow in their position and perform beyond your expectations. Take the time to train and turn them loose only when they are up to speed for each task.
Tips - Leading with a Purpose, Growing Our People by Intention At JP Horizons we have been committed to highlighting and celebrating the power of people. When we look at what is taking place and the challenges that companies are facing, the best solutions usually come back to people. Think about the things I hear every day within the walls of companies around the country ... "Our quality is not where it needs to be ... we're not able to get to our customers in a timely manner ... our margins are slipping ... our revenue is not what we want it to be ... we don't have time to get everything done we are working too many hours." When we look at what is taking place and the challenges that companies are facing, the best solutions usually come back to people. The GREAT question to consider is what will we do about the challenges? We have to make some choices to improve our situation. For each of you that are on the Lean Journey with us participating in the Working Smarter Training Challenge, you know the power of having great processes in place. The other key issue is having the right people on your team taking ownership of their roles. What we want to focus upon today is how we can expedite the development of our people so they can better tackle every problem we are facing. The right people in place and following the right processes, allows dynamic action to result. Consider the four following steps that can help you grow your people by intention. As you and those you lead put each into action, you will all enjoy better performance that will improve your business.
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Have a compelling vision for your business. If you want to attract talented people and energize your staff, you need to be able to communicate clearly where your company is going. An important role for the company leaders is to define your company vision and direction and share it in a compelling manner. You have to bring in good talent and they have a lot of choices of where they can work. The clear vision of the organization and each individual's belief in where they fit in will assure you keep the qualified people that are an asset to your company. Be willing to invest in your people. There is no better use of your time and resources than to invest in the people that make your organization succeed. Working with your people in a hand-over-hand way in training so that they master their positions and own their responsibilities will assure their success. It is so important that we don't just throw people into their jobs and hope that they can swim ... all too often they will sink with the best intentions. You want to break the job into key tasks that they have to perform, frame the expectations, and then
Provide focused coaching conversations to continually measure the business outcomes. It is crucial that we keep score for the entire team and then measure how each individual is performing. These coaching conversations will also help the employee to create a plan for the time ahead. This plan builds a road map for how they will win in the future.
Insure that you are taking a customer-focused approach to sales. We need individuals in the business that are able to generate leads, build solid relationships with prospects, create a plan for service, continually give the clients what they need, and finally grow the business through the referrals that you get from your Raving Fans. As you educate your people on the fact that "everybody sells," employees will personally feel responsible in representing the company and serving your customers.
Building leaders by intention is just that ... intentional. If you leave the development of your people up to chance, the future success and stability of the organization is left to chance as well. We need to not only prepare our people to take on the issues that are in their path but also help them develop the skills to think through what might lie ahead. Each supervisor needs to be proactive in working in these four areas to build a team around them that works smarter by instinct as they continue to seek the best solutions. To be a star as a leader or manager you want to be able to master the people side of your business. You want to look at how you can grow your skills in these areas and take steps for personal improvement that will allow you to help your people do the same. Start with the one or two things that are most important that you need to address and then take things one step at a time until you master your role.
Will You Lead? Although some people may seem to have "natural" ability to lead others, we are all capable of leading. Some leaders are born of necessity and circumstance, while others push themselves to step up and say, "I can do this!" Either way, when individuals learn to think beyond today's constraints to identify tomorrow's challenges and then act upon solving those challenges, they are deciding to lead others. At that point where vision, passion and purposeful action meet, you will find leaders inspiring others by what they do. It isn't a question of "Can I lead?" but simply "Will I lead?
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Lead by Being Led (An except from Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips) Lincoln had the enviable quality of being able to listen to people and then be guided by them without being threatened himself. He possessed the open-mindedness and flexibility necessary for worthwhile leadership. Frequently he would listen to his subordinates' suggestions and recommendations. If they made sense, and if their course of action matched his own ideas, he would let them proceed with the knowledge and belief that it was their idea. However, if he was uncomfortable with what was being suggested, Lincoln would focus, direct, or point his people to what he viewed as the proper path. Lincoln Principles
If you are a good leader, when your work is done, your aim fulfilled, your people will say, "We did this ourselves."
Try not to feel insecure or threatened by your followers.
Let disputing parties work out their differences by bringing them together and guiding their dialogue.
Always let your subordinates know that the honor will be all theirs if they succeed and the blame will be yours if they fail.
Write letters to your subordinates making the personal acknowledgment that they were right and you were wrong.
When your subordinates come up with good ideas, let them go ahead and try. But monitor their progress.
If your commanders in the field can't be successful, neither can you or your executive staff.
Never forget that your organization does not depend on the life of any one individual.
The greatest credit should be given to those in your organization who render the hardest work. JP Horizons Inc., 8119 Auburn Road, Painesville, OH 44077, Phone: (440) 352-8211, Fax: (800) 715-8326, e-mail: jim@jphorizons.com, web site: www.jphorizons.com
VNLA – Plantworks Nursery
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VNLA Newsletter and Growers Guide digital image recommendations Most important settings for capturing images 1) size and, 2) quality or file type. 1. Size (resolution) - You always want to shoot the largest possible size. This will set your camera to capture the most pixels of information possible. Your camera’s settings may represent size as either (L) large (M) medium (S) small, or in pixel dimensions such as 4928 x 3264 2. Quality - The most important setting apart from image size is the type of file your camera creates and saves when capturing an image when you release the shutter. Choices for this setting are usually RAW, TIFF, or JPEG. For reproducing your images in commercial printing, please always capture in your camera’s RAW format whenever possible. If not RAW choose an uncompressed TIFF. If neither of these choose the best quality JPEG possible. Common file extensions for RAW formats are: Canon: .CRW, .CR2 Nikon: .NEF, .NRW Olympus: .ORW Sony: .ARW, .SRF, .SR2 Fuji: .RAF Pentax: .PEF Kodak: .DCR, .KDC If you use any image editing software, please also send us a copy of the original file that came from
your camera. Editing for commercial printing has its own best practices. If you’re sending us an image you worked on at all and saved, send us both that image and a copy of the file before it was altered. Resizing an image is only reliably successful when resizing down, making the image smaller, or only slightly enlarging. If you’ve captured a lot of information (size and quality) when creating your image, software can throw any amount away, and accurately reproduce the image smaller. If however you have only captured a little information, (smaller dimension and/or smaller file size) computer software cannot accurately create pixels that were never captured in the first place for drastic enlargement. If you created an image by originally capturing 1600 x 900 pixels, software can resize slightly larger without great loss of detail. In this example, resizing up to 1760 x 990 is a 10% increase, and software will make a pretty good guess at what those extra 160 pixels in length and 90 pixels in height would look like. If however, you want to resize up to 3200 x 1800, realize you only captured half that many when you released the shutter. You’re asking the computer software to create half of the pixels you want.
File Size and Image Dimension When talking about the size of an image it’s important to distinguish between the size of the electronic file, usually expressed in kilobytes kb, or megabytes MB, and the dimensions of the image in pixels, usually expressed as Megapixels. The size of an electronic image file depends not only on the number of pixels in the image (dimension), but also in the type of image file: JPEG, TIFF, or one of the many RAW formats. The file size of an image with 10 megapixels will be much bigger if it is a RAW, uncompressed file than if it is a JPEG file that compresses the pixel information when it is created.
Think of image dimension as you would any other two-dimensional area such as square feet or square inches. In this example the image is 4x3, whatever the unit; inches, centimeters, or pixels. Let’s say each unit is 1000pixels, 1000px. That makes this image 4000px x 3000px. Using basic math to determine the area, we get an area of 12,000,000px, that is 12 million pixels, or 12 megapixels, 12MP. Megapixels stands for million pixels. Megapixels represents area only, that is the number of pixels.
Let’s say this image is an orchard. Each square is an acre containing a variant of apple trees. You make detailed notes over the entire year for each variety of tree to track its progress. Let’s say at the end of the year you’re asked to write a summary of your findings in 100 words. The complete volume of your notes on that orchard represents an electronic RAW image file. It contains all of the information that was created concerning that orchard at that time. Nothing is lost and all the details and data are there for analysis and any type of report or output you wish to produce. That 100word summary represents a JPEG file. The orchard has not changed. The information in that summary is about the exact same orchard, but it only contains the most basic information. Someone looking at that summary knows they’re looking at the same orchard, but a lot of details are not there. The length of that summary represents the quality of JPEG chosen. When a JPEG is created, be it in a digital camera, or on your computer, you have a choice regarding the quality of that file represented by a numbered scale usually from 1-10 or 0-100. In your digital camera this is usually chosen when you set up what type of file you want to create when you take a picture. If you choose JPEG, you’re given a choice. It’s a trade off. The higher quality of JPEG (the longer your summary on the orchard) the more space it takes up, and therefore the fewer you can fit on your memory card. So if your only concern when you set your camera is to get the most images you can on your card, each image is going to be very low quality because the file (orchard summary) is going to be very small (short).
That’s why JPEG files are referred to as LOSSY files. When they are created a lot of information is lost. You can choose the highest possible quality JPEG, (a very long summary of your orchard notes) and it will be a lot better than a low quality file, but still some information is lost. That happens every time you save a JPEG file. Therefore, even if you take a picture with your camera set to the highest possible quality JPEG, when you load it on your computer and make any change to that image with any type of image editing software, if you save it as a JPEG you are throwing away yet more information. Every time you save a JPEG information is lost. It’s like making a copy of a cassette tape, then a copy of that copy, and so on, and so forth. JPEGs are only intended to be the type of file you create when all of your image work is done and you’re ready use it on a web page or send it via email. That’s why JPEGs are not recommended for print use. That being said, if you already have an image saved as a JPEG and want to consider using it for print, you need to know if it’s big enough, that is are there enough pixels there (dimension) for it to print well. This is where the discussion turns to resolution, or pixels per inch, ppi. For quality printing an image needs 300 pixels per inch, 300ppi. Though in a pinch, we can go as low as 240ppi. It depends on the quality of the pixels. Let’s say your image is for an article in the newsletter. If we want the image to be 3 inches wide in that article, the image should be 900 pixels wide. Or if it’s a good image, possibly as low as 720 pixels wide, that is 240 pixels for each of the 3 inches in width.
SUMMARY 1. Send orignal files 2. Camera Set up: File Types preferred in order: RAW, TIFF, or best JPEG possible 3. Image Size: Largest Possible Size 4. Check pixel dimensions. Prefer 300 pixels for every inch of final printed size. Sometimes as low as 240 ppi acceptible depending on the image. 5. For Newsletter and Growers Guide cover, shoot Portrait format compared to landscape. Taller than wide. 6. Color: In camera, choose Adobe RGB over sRGB as color space. Send original RGB file. Do not convert to CMYK.
Tips -Media Interviews 1. BE PREPARED: Be sure to do your research before the media interview. Learn about the specific reporter’s style, recent stories and the media outlet. Don’t be afraid to ask questions: What’s the angle of the story? Who else is being interviewed for the story? What’s the deadline for the story? 2. BE SURE TO DELIVER YOUR KEY MESSAGES: This is an opportunity to deliver your story and share your industry expertise. Select three key messages and deliver them in the interview. When possible, share facts and figures to support your message. 3. REMEMBER YOUR AUDIENCE: This is your opportunity to reach an audience with your message. If working with a specific media outlet or industry publication/outlet, be sure to tailor and customize your message when possible to connect with that audience. 4. BE POSITIVE & ASSERTIVE: Be sure to stay positive and assertive in your responses as you will connect more with the reporter and the audience, viewers, readers, etc.
Events – Shenandoah Valley Plant Symposium
CRAIG – Change VNLA Logo to new logo and bottom of this Events Ad
5. USE INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES AS NEEDED: Remember to use bridging and flagging techniques as needed. Signal that key messages are coming in the interview and bridge to positive messaging when needed. 6. BE HONEST: Don’t ever lie in an interview. If you don’t know the answer to a question, it is OK to say so and let the reporter know you will look into it further and get back to them later with more information and details. 7. AVOID INDUSTRY JARGON: Be sure to speak in a way that the average reader or viewer can understand so that you don’t confuse them with technical industry buzzwords. 8. FOCUS ON YOUR OBJECTIVE: Speak briefly and to the point. Do not get distracted by off-topic questions or trying to share too much detail. Be sure to remember your main key messages. 9. BEWARE OF TRAPS: Be sure to use your own words. Don’t fall into traps from negative questions from the reporter. Don’t let the reporter put words in your mouth. 10. FOLLOW-UP AS NEEDED: Be sure to drop the reporter a note of thanks after the interview to build a relationship for the future. Use the opportunity to reinforce or clarify any interview points and ask any follow-up questions. www.MaroonPR.com 60 60
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Events - National Collegiate Landscape Competition Returns to Mississippi State
“Everyone will want to be at this year’s event because we have a number of surprises and special events planned,” said Sabeena Hickman, CAE, NALP CEO. “We are really pleased to celebrate the impact that this event has had on so many students who have built careers in the industry.”
For its 40th Anniversary, March 16‐19, 2016 [Editors Note: The VNLA provides a $1,000 sponsorship each year for Virginia Tech Horticulture students participating in this event.]
The National Collegiate Landscape Competition is supported by sponsors STIHL, Inc. (Platinum); JOHN DEERE (Gold); Caterpillar Inc., Gravely, Husqvarna, and New Holland Construction (Silver); and Anchor, Belgard, Brickman, the Toro Company and ValleyCrest (Bronze).
HERNDON, Va., Nov.10, 2015— The National Collegiate Landscape Competition (formerly Student Career Days) will take place in March, where it all started 40 years ago, at Mississippi State University.
For more information about sponsorship, securing a booth at the Career Fair, or registering for the event, visit www.landscapecompetition.org , or contact Anna Walraven at anna@landscapeprofessionals.org or 800-395-2522.
The event has grown from its beginnings as a friendly competition between the Mississippi State, Ohio State, and Michigan State University horticulture programs to become the signature recruiting and career building event in the landscape industry.
The National Association of Landscape Professionals (formerly PLANET) represents an industry of nearly one million landscape, lawn care, irrigation and tree care experts who create and maintain green spaces for the benefit of society and the environment. The association works with law makers and the public to protect and grow the industry and offers education, networking, training and certification programs that increase the professionalism in the industry and inspire its members to excellence.
This year, approximately 800 horticulture and landscape students from more than 60 schools will test their skills in real-world, competitive events, and interview with landscape, lawn care, tree care, irrigation, and other companies at the Career Fair, which will be held on Thursday, March 17.
For more information visit www.landscapeprofessionals.org
Ad – Lancaster Farms
Quality is a Matter of Choice
5800 Knotts Neck Road Suffolk, Virginia 23435
(757)484-4421 (800)336-2200 www.lancasterfarms.com Annuals ❀ Azaleas ❀ Broad Leafs ❀ Conifers ❀ Fruits ❀ Perennials ❀ Roses ❀ Shade & Flowering Trees
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Events – McDuffie Tours 2016
Robert McDuffie, Landscape Architect and Director of the Hahn Horticulture Garden at Virginia Tech, will be hosting three garden tours in 2016. From Italy to Ireland to Japan, these garden tours are tailored to allow you to explore great gardens with other garden lovers, while enjoying travel in first class accommodations. Besides air and boat travel, most transportation is by luxury motor coach. Robert McDuffie is the host for all of these tours, and having lectured on garden design and history for over 30 years, he is eager to share these gardens with you. He has led garden tours for the past 18 years to Italy, France, Ireland, all of Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Canada and the Netherlands. For more information on these great tours, check out our website: www.mcdufftours.com/2016
The Italian Garden at Ilnacullin in southwest Ireland, is an island garden with a unique microclimate that supports many exotic species of plants.
Gardens of Ireland July - 3-16, 2016
You’ll get a full dose of Irish hospitality as we see more than a dozen great public and private gardens on the Emerald Isle. The tour begins in Dublin and moves counterclockwise around the coast to Belfast, Galway, Killarny, Kilkenny and back to Dublin. Besides gardens, there are also visits to some of Ireland’s most scenic areas including the Cliffs of Moher, the Giants Causeway, the Burren, and the Ring of Kerry. Come to Ireland to see the “forty shades of green” and some wonderful gardens along the way. The cost is $5050 per person (double occupancy) and it includes airfare from Dulles.
Villa del Balbianello on Lake Como is just one of the great gardens we see on our Italy tour.
Gardens and Culinary Delights: Venice and the Lake District - May 17-27, 2016
This tour begins in Venice, proceeds out in the countryside to a former monastery--now a 5-star hotel--and ends on Lake Maggiore. Along the way there are great gardens and delicious culinary experiences. It is ten days of the best of northern Italy and some of the finest gardens Italy has to offer. In addition to gardens and food, there are at least four boat rides: in Venice, on Lake Garda, Lake Como and Lake Maggiore! The cost is $5050 per person (double occupancy), which includes airfare from NYC.
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1The Golden Pavilion Garden in Kyoto is one of the first gardens we see on this tour.
Gardens of Japan – October 2 – 13, 2016
Fall is the perfect time to see the wonderful gardens of Japan. From the naturalistic strolling gardens to the symbolic dry Zen gardens, Japan offers a host of unique garden experiences. The tour begins with a direct flight from Dulles to Tokyo with time spent in Kyoto, Hakone and Tokyo. The high art of Japanese garden design is on display everywhere.
October/November/December October / November / December 2015
2015
VNLA Newsletter VNLA Newsletter
Plant Something is a national effort to educate consumers on the many benefits plants, flowers, shrubs and trees provide – and it can boost your bottom line. Membership in the Virginia Nursery & Landscape Associationgives you access to turnkey tools and marketing materials you can use to promote your business, including the Plant Something logo. Our goal is simple: to help Virginia members like yours increase sales.
PLANT SOMETHING AND WATCH YOUR REVENUE GROW CONTACT info@vnla.org
1-800-476-0055
VNLA Newsletter
October / November / December 2015
63
JANUARY 19-21, 2016 INVITED SPEAKERS
THE FOUNDERS INN & SPA • VIRGINIA BEACH, VA PRESENTED BY
REGISTER PER DAY NO INDIVIDUAL CLASS REGISTRATION Registration is now open for early-bird savings.
ALL DAY LEARNING = MAX CEUS 6+ CEUs daily plus workshops day & evening!
NEW PRODUCT & EQUIPMENT DISPLAYS & DEMOS
REGISTER TODAY
Judith Alberts Alpha-Oh eMarketing & Social Media Pam Beck Garden Writer, Lecturer, Photographer Karen Bussolini Garden Coach, NOFA Organic Land Care Pro Yolima Carr Curator, Hermitage Museum & Gardens Linda Chalker-Scott Urban Horticulture, Univ. of Washington Eric Day Insect Identification Lab, Virginia Tech University Bernie Erven Emeritus, HR, Ohio State University Bonnie Gale Willow Artist, American Willow Growers Network Billy Goodnick Landscape Architect, Santa Barbara, California Thomas Hudgin President, Wilmington Quality Associates John Kartesz Director, the Biota of North America Program David McCall Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Tech University Thomas Rainer Principal, Rhodeside & Harwell Vincent Simeone Horticulturist, Planting Fields Arboretum Douglas Tallamy Entomologist, Univ. of Delaware Claudia West Horticultural Consultant, North Creek Nurseries Eric Wiseman Urban Forestry, Virginia Tech University Ellen Zachos Founder, Acme Plant Stuff
SPECIALTY WORKSHOPS
Beneficial Insect ID, Dia de Habilidad en Horticultura en Español , Diagnosing Plant Problems & Practice, Garden Orbs- Dried Willow Sculpture, Insect Pest ID, Kusamono Bonsai, Living Willow Sculpture, Photographer’s Eye Design School, Sales Tips for Lawn-less Landscapes, Traditional Bonsai
LUNCH & LEARNS
Achieving High Performance Levels with the Millennial Generation Extraordinary Customer Service
CEUs, CERTIFICATIONS and PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATIONS
ASLA / LA CES; APLD; Crew Manager & Advanced Crew Manager; GCSAA; ICPI; ISA; Landscape Industry Certified; SAF; PGMS; NCMA; Certified Horticulturist of VNLA, DCR Nutrient Planners, VA DPOR, VSLD
(757) 523-4734 www.mahsc.org
The Virginia Horticultural Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
2016 Virginia Certified Horticulturist Review Class/Test Schedule
Review or Test
Dates 2016
Location
Time
Fees Mmbr
Fees Non Mmbr
Check Pay to
Class/Test Registration Deadline
Hampton Roads
TEST
January 20 Wednesday
Mid-Atlantic Horticulture Short Course, Founders Inn, VA Beach
6-9 pm
$ 55
$ 250
VNLA
January 8, 2016
Hampton Roads
Review
February 9 March 10 Tues/Thurs
Lancaster Farms' Conference Room, Suffolk
6-9 pm
$ 125
$ 150
VNLA
January 19, 2016
Hampton Roads
TEST
March 12 Saturday
Lancaster Farms' Conference Room, Suffolk
8am - noon
$ 55
$ 250
VNLA
February 26, 2016
Hampton Roads
TEST
June 8 Wednesday
Lancaster Farms' Conference Room, Suffolk
6-9 pm
$ 55
$ 250
VNLA
May 25, 2016
Northern VA
Review
February 2-18 Tues/Thurs
Merrifield Garden Center - Fair Oaks
6 -9 pm
$ 75
$ 150 NVNLA
January 19, 2016
Northern VA
TEST
March 3 Tuesday
Merrifield Garden Center - Fair Oaks
5:30 - 9:30 pm
$ 55
$ 250
VNLA
February 18, 2016
Leesburg
TEST
May 20 Friday
Monroe Technology Center
10 am - 2 pm
$ 55
$ 250
VNLA
May 6, 2016
Richmond
Jan. 25 - March 7 Mondays
6:30-9:30 pm $ 75
$ 150
VNLA
January 11, 2016
Richmond
TEST
March 14 Monday
February 29, 2016
Charlottesville
Charlottesville
Lynchburg SWVA Lynchburg SWVA
6-10 pm
$ 55
$ 250
VNLA
Review
TBA
Charlottesville
5 - 8 pm
$ 125
$ 200
VNLA
TEST
TBA
TBA
9 am - 1 pm
$ 55
$ 250
VNLA
Review
TBA
TBA
TEST
Henrico County Government Complex Henrico County Government Complex
TBA
TBA
$ 55
$ 250
VNLA
Knowledge is Power!
Region
Review
Make Your Buisiness Stand Out! Sign Up Your Staff to Become Virginia Certified
You MUST pre-register with the VNLA Office, 2 weeks prior to the test/review class.
For updated information, go to the VNLA website Certification page at www.vnla.org/ VCH Certification Study Manuals are available from the VNLA Office for approximately $135.00 including tax and shipping; Plant ID Study Photos online, FREE to members. Contact the VNLA Office for login information (vch@vnla.org) November 20, 2015
TestClassSchedule2016.xlsx
12/4/2015 10:26 PM
Upcoming Events January 5, 2016, VNLA BOARD MEETING, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD, info@vnla.org 1-800-476-0055. January 7, 2016, VNLA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP BREAKFAST MEETING, Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel, Baltimore, MD, www.vnla.org 1-800-476-0055, info@vnla.org January 6-8, 2016, MANTS TRADE SHOW, Baltimore Convention Center, www.MANTS.org January 11-15, 2016, GREEN & Growin’ 16 – Educational Conference and Marketplace, Greensboro, NC, 919-816-9119, www.ncnla.com January 18-20, 2016 AMERICANHORT NEXT LEVEL 2016, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, http://americanhort.org/
March 18, 2016, SHENANDOAH VALLEY PLANT SYMPOSIUM, Waynesboro, VA, Sponsored by the Waynesboro Parks & Recreation Dept. in conjunction with the (VNLA) Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association www.waynesboro.va.us 540-942-6735 April 21-24, 2016, American Rhododendron Society, hosted by the Virginia ARS Chapters at the Fort Magruder Hotel & Conference Center, Williamsburg, VA, www.arsaconvention2016.org www.macars.org August 10, 2016, VNLA LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP, location TBA. www.vnla.org August 11, 2016, VNLA ANNUAL FIELD DAY at Grelen Nursery, Somerset, VA (near Charlottesville) www.vnla.org August 12, 2016, VNLA SUMMER TOUR, Charlottesville area, www.vnla.org
January 19-22, 2016, (MAHSC) MID-ATLANTIC HORTICULTURE SHORT COURSE, Founders Inn & Spa, Virginia Beach, www.mahsc.org January 20, 2016, VNLA VIRGINIA CERTIFIED HORTICULTURIST EXAM, at the MAHSC, Founders Inn & Spa, Virginia Beach, www.vnla.org, 800-476-0055, vch@vnla.org January 20-22, 2016, GULF STATES HORTICULTURAL EXPO, Mobile, AL, www.gshe.org/ January 24-26, 2016, NEW JERSEY PLANTS TRADE SHOW, Edison, NJ, www.njplantshow.com January 25-28, 2016, Mid-Atlantic Turfgrass Expo (M-A-T-E) in Fredericksburg, VA www.turfconference.org February 10-12, 2016, (CVNLA) CENTRAL VIRGINIA NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION SYMPOSIUM/WINTER SHORT COURSE, “Toward Beautiful and Resilient Compositions”, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, http://www.lewisginter.org/adult-education/sponsoredsymposiums.php February 12-14, 2016, MAC EVENTS HOME AND GARDEN SHOW, Richmond, VA
http://macevents.com/show.cfm/eventID/124
February 17, 2016, PIEDMONT LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION SEMINAR, Paramount Theater, Charlottesville, VA
http://www.piedmontlandscape.org/seminar.html
February 20, 2016, VSLD WINTER MEETING, “Garden Transformed”, at Paramount Theater, Charlottesville, VA, 10am-2pm www.vsld.org 66
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Test Schedule 2016 ___ Virginia Beach, MAHSC, Wednesday, January 20, 6-9 pm, (Deadline 1/8/16) ___ Fair Oaks, Merrifield Garden Center, March 3, 2016, 5:30-9:30 pm (Deadline 2/18/16) ___ Suffolk, Lancaster Farms, Saturday, March 12, 2016, 8 am – noon (Deadline 2/26/16) ___ Richmond, Henrico County Gov’t Complex, March 14, 2016, 6-10 pm (Deadline 2/29/16) ___ Charlottesville, TBA ___ Lynchburg, at CVCC, TBA ___ Leesburg, Monroe Technical Center, Friday, May 20, 2016, 10 am–2 pm (Deadline 5/6/16) ___ Suffolk, Lancaster Farms. Wednesday, June 8, 2016, 1-5 pm, (Deadline 5/25/2016)
Are You a Professional Virginia Certified Horticulturist? For a Current Calendar of all Green Industry Events, go: http://www.vnla.org/Calendar
NEW Interactive Calendar!
October / November / December 2015
October/November/December 2015
VNLA Newsletter
VNLA Newsletter
VNLA Newsletter
October / November / December 2015
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Prsrt. Std U.S. Postage PAID Blacksburg, VA Permit No. 107
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