FALL 2021 VOL. 9, NO. 4
A LANDSCAPE ALBERTA MEMBER PUBLICATION
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FALL 2021 VOL. 9, NO. 4
CONTENTS
Green Industry Show & Conference Pages 4 - 7 ADVANCING THE PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY MANAGING EDITOR Joel Beatson CONTENT & EDITING Kyla Hardon LAYOUT KWL Design Landscape Alberta Green for Life is a professional publication for the landscape trade in Alberta.
04 Virtual Conference Full Schedule 04 Pricing 05 Sponsors 06 Session Descriptions
Editorial and Advertising Landscape Alberta 18051 107 Avenue NW Edmonton, AB T5S 1K3 P: 780-489-1991 F: 780-444-2152 admin@landscape-alberta.com Landscape Alberta does not assume responsibility for and does not endorse the contents of any advertisements herein. All representations or warranties made are those of the advertiser and not the publication. Views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Landscape Alberta or its members. Material may not be reprinted from this magazine without the consent of Landscape Alberta. ISSN No: 1929-7114 (print) ISSN N0: 1929-7122 (online) Landscape Alberta Board of Directors Brian Gibson, Green Drop Lawns Ltd., Chair Ken Ruddock, ULS Maintenance & Landscaping Inc. Cody Brown, Tree to Tree Nurseries Ltd. Jeff Oudyk, CSLA, AALA, JLG, Land Tec Landscape Contractors Ltd., Vice Chair John van Roessel, CLM, CLT, JVR Landscape (2006) Inc., Treasurer Matthew Chausse, Seasonal Impact Laura Watson, Finning Canada Adam Jansen, The Jansen Group Landscape Alberta Staff Joel Beatson, CAE, CLM, CEO joel.beatson@landscape-alberta.com Marnie Main, Member Services Director member.services@landscape-alberta.com Valerie Stobbe, Trade Show Coordinator valerie.stobbe@landscape-alberta.com
Green for Life Magazine Pages 08 - 26
08 Industry and Association News 13 Product Showcase 16 Owner Health - Perseverance and Progress in the Midst of a Pandemic 18 Change is Hard 20 Organization and Tough Mental Tasks 22 “I’m Outta Here!” 24 Top 10 Garden Trends from Our Viewpoint 26 5 Tips to Grow More Food in Small Yards
Kyla Hardon, Communications Coordinator kyla.hardon@landscape-alberta.com Lisa Warner, Events & Relationship Coordinator lisa.warner@landscape-alberta.com Cheryl Teo, Bookkeeper accounting@landscape-alberta.com
Follow Our Social Media Instagram: @landscapealberta Twitter: @landscapeab
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS KEYNOTE: MARKETING IS ABOUT BELONGING: THE UNSEXY TRUTH THAT WILL GROW YOUR BUSINESS Alyssa “Twist” Light
Facebook: @landscapealberta
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 3
KEYNOTE: EMPOWERING LEADERS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES Robert Murray
VIRTUALLY
2021 GREEN INDUSTRY VIRTUAL CONFERENCE FULL SCHEDULE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2021 - ALL THINGS GREENHOUSE & GARDEN CENTRE KEYNOTE: MARKETING IS ABOUT BELONGING: THE UNSEXY TRUTH THAT WILL GROW YOUR BUSINESS Alyssa “Twist” Light
8:30 am - 9:30 am 9:40 am - 10:40 am
New Plants for 2022 Diane Blazek
Time Management & Priority Setting Fern Richardson
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Eat That Yard Steven Biggs
Are You Really Ready For 2022? Bill McCurry
1:15 pm - 2:15 pm
How Healthy Soils Support Plant Health Bob Reeves
Biocontrol Tips & Tricks Ken Fry
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 - OUTDOORS & MORE 8:30 am - 9:30 am
KEYNOTE: EMPOWERING LEADERS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES Robert Murray
9:40 am - 10:40 am
Native Vegetation “The Permanent Solution for Site Stabilization in Canada William Agnew
Lead with Emotional & Social Intelligence Fern Richardson
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Wildscaping: Explorations in Naturalistic Planting Design Tony Spencer
Developing Great Crew Leaders Grant Harrison
1:15 pm - 2:15 pm
Spotlight on Specials Diane Blazek
Seeing the Forest AND the Trees: Urban Canopy Growth Challenges and Opportunities Darby McGrath
GISC 2021 PRICING - VIRTUAL TYPE
MEMBER
MEMBER AFTER NOV 7
NON-MEMBER
NON-MEMBER AFTER NOV 7
Full conference
$95
$115
$115
$135
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! CONFERENCE PROGRAM SPONSOR
MEDIA SPONSOR
EDUCATION CHAMPION SPONSORS
EDUCATION SUPPORTER SPONSORS
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JOB BOARD SPONSOR
GISC 2021 SESSION DESCRIPTIONS VIRTUAL ROOM A – NOVEMBER 18, 2021 Room Sponsored by:
MARKETING IS ABOUT BELONGING: THE UNSEXY TRUTH THAT WILL GROW YOUR BUSINESS Alyssa “Twist” Light
8:30 AM
Let’s deflate the elephant in the room: Marketing doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated; it has to be strategic & intentional. In this session we’ll park the elevator pitches & put the accelerator on telling stories that draw people in. When you design marketing customers can see themselves in & a business where people feel like they belong, you’ve fulfilled on the #1 thing people want to feel. Belonging isn’t touchy-feeling; belonging = loyalty & loyalty = revenue.
Sponsored by:
EAT THAT YARD Steven Biggs
11:00 AM
With a burgeoning interest in growing vegetables, fruit, and herbs by gardeners with small urban and suburban lots, it’s time to think beyond the tradition stand-alone vegetable garden. You can make a visually stunning garden and yard—and eat it too. Use edible plants to create ornamental appeal as you incorporate edibles into existing garden beds. Or, add in ornamental plants that are also edible. Grow in unused spaces…like a driveway or on a rooftop. And maybe it’s time to give that front yard an edible makeover. If you have thought about helping clients grow more edibles but weren’t sure how or where to start, this talk will give you inspiration and ideas.
9:40 AM
Session Sponsored by:
ARE YOU REALLY READY FOR 2022 Bill McCurry
9:40 AM
Gardeners always like to know what’s new and if possible, put them in their own gardens. But how to keep up with all the “new” items? National Garden Bureau to the rescue! Through NGB’s connections with dozens of plant breeders, they compile lists of hundreds of new varieties and present them on their website via their “New Plants” program. But looking at them on the website versus hearing about them live, including personal stories, trend insights and experiences is a whole new level of excitement! Bring a pen and paper to this webinar to write down all the new varieties you’ll want to use in 2022!
Session Sponsored by:
Time is a precious non-renewable resource. We all have the same amount but use it very differently. We will look at priority setting, ways to defeat procrastination, and understand how our innate energy cycles impact peak performance.
Session Sponsored by:
11:00 AM
HOW HEALTHY SOILS SUPPORT PLANT HEALTH Bob Reeves
1:15 PM NEW PLANTS FOR 2022 Diane Blazek
TIME MANAGEMENT & PRIORITY SETTING Fern Richardson
Soil health is a term being talked about more and more by landscape professionals and by the companies that provide products to the landscape construction and maintenance industry. Exciting new technologies are emerging built on our growing understanding of the benefits of the ancient relationship between plants and living microbial soil communities. We’ll ‘dig deeply’ into Soil Health and see what Landscape Professionals need to know about what’s going on down there. *This session is eligible for ISA CE credits
Session Sponsored by:
Yes, 2020 and 2021 were challenging for us all. We hope 2022 will be better. Yet, we know hope is not an effective strategy. What does 2022 really look like and how should you be prepared for its arrival. You’ll participate in a discussion with Alberta’s best and brightest to be prepared to seize the upcoming year.
Session Sponsored by:
BIOCONTROL TIPS & TRICKS Ken Fry
1:15 PM
VIRTUAL ROOM B – NOVEMBER 18, 2021 Room Sponsored by:
Biological control in the greenhouse is an effective means of managing pests in your crop. However, biocontrol agents are dynamic living organisms that require proper handling to extract the greatest positive effects. This session will provide guidance on how to get the most out of your biocontrol program. We will discuss tips and tricks to ensure your biocontrol agents start strong and are allowed to continue to provide sustained effectiveness. *This is eligible for Pesticide Applicator CE credits
Session Sponsored by:
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VIRTUAL ROOM A – NOVEMBER 19, 2021 Room Sponsored by:
WILDSCAPING: EXPLORATIONS IN NATURALISTIC PLANTING DESIGN Tony Spencer
that allow an individual to succeed in work and life. This session will give participants a basic understanding of emotional and social intelligence; four practices to explore the concept and an awareness of the impact emotions have on the workplace.
Session Sponsored by:
11:00 AM KEYNOTE: EMPOWERING LEADERS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES Robert Murray
8:30 AM
Robert Murray will share his tangible tidbits of the proven strategies he has used to help landscape industry business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs grow their businesses so that they can make more money, have more fun, and empower leaders in their communities.
Wildscaping is about using plant-driven landscape design to create and sustain dynamic garden spaces, filled with beauty and wildlife, to rekindle our relationship to the natural world. Join writer and planting designer Tony Spencer for an encounter with some of the international designers, innovations, issues, and landscapes leading the way – along with a look at his own experimental design projects – to inspire garden-making with a sense of purpose on the wild side.
Sponsored by:
11:00 AM
Sponsored by:
SPOTLIGHT ON SPECIALS Diane Blazek NATIVE VEGETATION “THE PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR SITE STABILIZATION IN CANADA” Bill Agnew
9:40 AM
The use of native vegetation as the long term solution to stabilize smalls and large scale land disturbances is relatively new in both the US and Canada. In the US, the industry began a true focus on native plants with the passing of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977. Over time, significant quantities of native seed became both commercially produced and wild land harvested. Many improved cultivars/selections of native grasses and a select number of forbs are available in large quantities for sizeable projects. Recent focus has been directed at collections of local ecotypes to ensure genetic integrity. The collection of small quantities of seed from specific local sites and expanding those collections for large projects continues to be a challenge for land manager and practitioners. In situation where the plant growth medium is compromised (poor soil or substrate), the addition of slow release fertilizers and mycorrhizae inoculants can significantly improve plant establishment and successful reclamation outcomes.
Sponsored by:
DEVELOPING GREAT CREW LEADERS Grant Harrison Great crew leaders have the ability to help you grow your business and increase profitability. Attendees will learn what it means to be a great crew leader, what differentiates a great crew leader from a good crew leader, and what it takes to develop great crew leaders in your company.
Session Sponsored by:
1:15 PM
Talk about INSPIRATION! National Garden Bureau has a “Year of the” program where six different plant classes are featured for a 12-month time period. Every year brings new and interesting tips on how to garden with those plants, what to use in combination with those plants, new varieties in that class and many more helpful gardening tips related to the Year of plant classes.
Session Sponsored by:
SEEING THE FOREST AND THE TREES: URBAN CANOPY GROWTH CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Darby McGrath
1:15 PM
VIRTUAL ROOM B – NOVEMBER 19, 2021 Room Sponsored by:
LEAD WITH EMOTIONAL & SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE Fern Richardson
9:40 AM
Emotional and social intelligence refer to the array of personal management and social skills
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 7
The increasing demand for nature-based solutions to climatic and other challenges represents a significant opportunity for the Canadian urban tree value chain. A value chain is defined as all the activities required to create a product from start to finish. This growing demand, however, highlights several pressing questions. Who is part of the Canadian urban tree value chain? What are their key activities? And, what opportunities and challenges do they face? *This session is eligible for ISA CE credits
Session Sponsored by:
Industry and Association News EI & Covid-19 Vaccinations
The 2021 Green Industry Conference Has Gone Virtual! The Green Industry Show & Conference (GISC) will be proceeding as a virtual event, November 18-19, 2021, to ensure the health and safety of our attendees, exhibitors, and staff. The recent changes to COVID-19 protocols by the Government of Alberta has created a pathway to live events that was unlikely to be effective for our tradeshow and conference. The Landscape Alberta Board of Directors deliberated over many possible options to make GISC happen live this year. In the end the consensus was to move the conference to virtual in order to best provide value to industry by offering targeted education to the Prairie horticultural industry. GISC 2021 will features 14 hours of virtual conference sessions, including the inspiring keynote sessions: MARKETING IS ABOUT BELONGING: THE UNSEXY TRUTH THAT WILL GROW YOUR BUSINESS with Alyssa ‘Twist’ Light and EMPOWERING LEADERS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES with Robert Murray. There will not be a virtual trade show component to this year’s event and all exhibitors will have their booth fees fully refunded. Our generous sponsors and advertisers will be offered revised opportunities or refunds as appropriate to their needs. “It became clear that holding a live event this fall would not offer an optimal experience for our exhibitors and attendees – we pride ourselves on decades of success with this annual event and that continues as we plan for a live event next year. The current trends of COVID cases in Alberta and the likelihood of further changes to public health regulations made planning for a live event in November nearly impossible.” says Joel Beatson, CEO of Landscape Alberta, host organization for GISC. “Moving to a virtual conference this year allows us to best serve the industry and we look forward to returning to a live event with GISC 2022” he went on to say. We have a great line-up of presenters online this year so don’t miss out! The entire conference program and more info is included in this issue.
When the employee doesn’t report to work because they refuse to comply with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code E (quit) or code N (leave of absence). When you suspend or terminate an employee for not complying with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code M (dismissal). If you use these codes, you may be contacted to determine: • if you had adopted and clearly communicated to all employees a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy • if the employees were informed that failure to comply with the policy would result in loss of employment • if the application of the policy to the employee was reasonable within the workplace context • if there were any exemptions for refusing to comply with the policy https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-socialdevelopment/programs/ei/ei-list/ei-roe/notice-covid-19.html
Driving Back To Work Grant Available The Driving Back to Work Grant continues to help unemployed Albertans receive the necessary training and testing to become Class 1 commercial drivers and pursue a career in the commercial trucking industry by covering approximately 90 per cent of the costs associated with driver training and testing to become a Class 1 driver. This will help support our economy by keeping the province’s supply chain and economy moving by ensuring an adequate number of Class 1 drivers are available while maintaining safety on our highways. Up to 400 additional grantees will receive funding to complete the training and testing by March 31, 2022. Grant applications will be accepted until all funding has been awarded. For more information on the grant. https://www.alberta.ca/driving-back-to-work-grantprogram.aspx
Alberta Members Win 3 National Awards The National Awards of Landscape Excellence (NALE) were presented on September 15th. NALE recognizes the outstanding work of companies across the country that have actively participated in significantly raising the level of professionalism in the Canadian Landscape Industry, and beyond. Congratulations to all of the finalists including three winners from Alberta! VisionScapes, Calgary - National Winner for Landscape Design Eagle Lake Nursery, Strathmore - National Grower of the Year Millcreek Nursery, Edmonton - National Garden Centre of the Year
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 8
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 9
KUBOTA KNOWS LANDSCAPING.
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AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT YOUR LOCAL KUBOTA DEALER
KUBOTA.CA
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 10
Industry and Association News
New Telus Small Business Program Alert! TELUS Business is proud to announce its partnership with the CNLA. Our mission is to provide CNLA members and business owners with exclusive offers to help keep their business and team connected. TELUS Business is offering all Canadian Nursery Landscape Association members exclusive offers to the technologies and tools they need. Members of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association will be eligible for the following offers: Save up to 25%* on select business mobility plans when you activate with TELUS Plus, save up to an additional $20/mo per line* when you activate 4+ lines *Conditions apply. To access the exclusive offers, please login to the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association’s website www.cnla.ca/login. If you require a login, please contact the member services department at memberservices@cnla-acpp.ca
USDA Regulating Rubus, Fragaria, And Rosa: Attention Exporters to the US CNLA has been informed by CFIA that they have received a letter from USDAAPHIS Tuesday afternoon informing CFIA that they plan to publish a federal order on Friday that will regulate Rubus, Fragaria and Rosa plants for planting material for Anthonomus rubi (Strawberry Blossom Weevil, see Canada’s NAPPO pest alert from September 2020).
CFIA will be doing all they can to work with producers to get PFPP and PFPS in place as quickly as possible. This should be easier in provinces where the pest is not known to occur. To date it has only been detected in BC. CNLA will continue to work closely with CFIA to understand the implications and how growers impacted by this can resume exports. Those who do export any of these host plants need to be aware that once the federal order is published, exports to the US will not be allowed until CFIA implements the required certifications to meet the requirements in the federal order. If you have any questions, please contact Jamie Aalbers, CNLA Growers Manager (jamie@canadanursery.com or 647-724-8630).
The federal order will come into force upon publication which we have been told will be September 3rd and apply to all of Canada. The letter indicated that APHIS will require that material from all provinces in Canada be produced in a pest free production site (PFPS) or a pest free place of production (PFPP) as per ISPM 10. Material will also need to be inspected and found free from the pest according to the additional declaration that was shared in the letter. For growers on the Canadian Nursery Certification Program (CNCP) and the CanadaUS Greenhouse Grown Certification Program (GCP) the federal order will recognize facilities with an implemented pest module. This is the first time that a federal order recognizes these programs. The CFIA is working on getting the Export Certification System (ECS) updated and getting a listserv ready to be circulated. GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 11
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Product Showcase The HC Companies hc-companies.com/biobased/ 800-225-7712
Proven Winner’s Choice springmeadownursery.com/ 616-846-4729
Eagle Lake Nurseries Ltd. www.eaglelakenurseries.com 403-934-3670
What is BioPax? Made from sustainably-sourced wood pulp, BioPax™ growing containers are USDA BioPreferred® Certified and promote less waste while offering an optimized endof-life without compromising on strength and performance. • Designed for reuse and responsible disposal • Will break down over time with NO microplastics left behind • Non-GMO and non-toxic • No harmful PFAS nor heavy metals • Certified biobased material – not petroleum
Incrediball® Hydrangea arborescens Native, reliable, and long blooming, Incrediball® hydrangea is a dream come true. Massive white blooms are held aloft on extremely strong stems, with no flopping. Blooms open green, quickly turn white, and slowly mature to rich jade green. It’s not just an improvement over the original ‘Annabelle’ for its massive flowers, but for its performance as well. USDA Zone 3 – 8, height/width 4 – 5’.
Starlite Flowering Crabapple A beautiful cultivar with an upward, stately habit, covered in snowy white blooms in spring; fruit is bright red, small and persistent and adds ornamental value for fall and winter; excellent scab resistance and very cold hardy.
CHEYENNE TREE FARMS (2018) LTD. BOX 3060 24309 TWP RD 510 BEAUMONT, AB T4X 1K8 360 ACRES OF ALBERTA GROWN CALIPER TREES AND EVERGREENS, POTTED TREES, SHRUBS AND PERENNIALS
FIND US AT: CHEYENNETREE.CA (780) 929-8102 SALES@CHEYENNETREE.CA
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 13
Hort Protect www.hortprotect.com Property and Casualty Insurance 1-888-949-4360 / Life & Health Insurance - 1-800-459-8990 HortProtect was developed by the CNLA to offer a comprehensive group of insurance products designed specifically to meet the needs of individuals and companies operating within the horticultural industry. The program offers property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance, and RRSP plans for your company and its employees as well as personal home and automobile insurance. By using these industry designed products you are not only purchasing quality coverage, you are also supporting your association. Visit www.hortprotect. com for more information.
Container-Grown Shrubs ~ Roses ~ Evergreens ~ Pot-in-Pot Trees Fruit Trees ~ Native Plants ~ Vines ~ Aquatics Perennials ~ Grasses 1-800-831-9611 Email: info@bronandsons.com
Planning for Spring 2022? Order now for Best Availability! www.bronandsons.com
Toll Free Fax: 1-877-542-5936
Grand Forks. B.C.
Owner Health
Perseverance and Progress in the Midst of a Pandemic BY GRANT HARRISON
For most landscape companies, the impact of COVID-19 on the bottom line has been positive. With people spending more time at home, they’re choosing to do more work on their homes, and that includes landscaping. Many landscapers, pool installers, and concrete companies are booking well into 2022. Though we celebrate the financial blessing, business owners have paid a high price for the mental and emotional toll COVID has taken. Never have I spoken with so many business owners who are struggling with stress, anxiety, work/life balance, sleeplessness and exhaustion. At the beginning of COVID, landscapers were concerned that they would not be able to work. Then when they were able to work, they worried that there wouldn’t be enough work. When work started coming in – and lots of it – they were concerned that they wouldn’t have the staff to complete the work. Then there was the material shortage with owners concerned that they wouldn’t be able to get the supplies to finish the jobs they had. In the midst of all this, we were unable to operate our businesses or our lives as normal. No wonder we’re tired. What a roller coaster ride it’s been! The result is owners who are overwhelmed, stressed out, and struggling with mental, physical and emotional health. This leads them to not manage well, not make good decisions, struggle with relationships and feel lost. The health of one’s business is so often directly tied to the health of the owner/management. So let’s talk a bit about staying healthy so your business can be healthy.
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Owner Health Perseverance and Progress in the Midst of a Pandemic
“The health of one’s business is so often directly tied to the health of the owner/management. So let’s talk a bit about staying healthy so your business can be healthy.”
Physically This is usually the easiest area to make changes. As landscapers, we’re used to being outside and doing physical work. But as owners, we often find ourselves sitting at a desk or driving a truck more than doing any physical labour. Here’s some small changes you can make to improve your physical health:
• Turn off your phone. (Dare I suggest such an extreme measure?!) There are many studies that link phone usage to mental health. Set hours for your phone usage and stick to them. Let your phone charge in a different room, or at least across the room from your bed. Turn off unnecessary notifications. And put the phone away a half hour before you go to bed.
• Go for a walk or run. Get up half an hour earlier to get active in the morning. Or take a walk/run around the neighbourhood after dinner. Just get outside and move. I started taking morning and evening walks this spring and I can’t tell you how much better I feel, how it clears my head, and how it’s improved my overall health.
• Open up. I’m probably speaking to a mostly male audience and this is a tough one. But the older I get, the more I realize that whatever I’m feeling… someone else has been there and gone through it. When I open up about the struggles I’m having, I’m so often surprised by the response I get, the encouragement I receive knowing someone else gets it, the relief I feel knowing I’m not crazy, and some helpful advice for moving forward. Find someone who you trust and let them know how you’re doing. Allow them to be a friend to you. You are not alone.
• Park further away. This drives my wife nuts, but when we go to the grocery store, I park at the far end of the parking lot in order to walk more. It’s simple and doesn’t really take any more time. • Buy a pedometer. This has made the biggest impact in getting me moving. Perhaps it’s my personality, but when I’ve set a goal for myself, missing it is not an option. So when I purchased a Fitbit this year and set a goal for myself of 15,000 steps per day, I was not going to settle for failure. That has meant some late-night walks around the block or even around my yard. But I’ve rarely missed hitting my goal. • Find someone to exercise with and hold you accountable. It’s so much easier to stay on track with your physical fitness goals if there’s someone holding you accountable. It’s also more enjoyable to exercise with a friend. Mental health This is without a doubt the more difficult aspect of health, especially for men, it seems. Here’s a few tips: • Start by getting enough sleep. The aforementioned Fitbit lets me know how much I’m sleeping and how deeply I’m sleeping. It’s been very interesting to see how often I’m restless.
• Take time for yourself and your family. I recently recognized that I was getting close to burnout and needed a break. I told my wife that I would like to take a couple days to go away on my own for some silence, solitude and rest. She was delighted – not sure if she was delighted to see me go or delighted that I recognized my need and expressed it to her. Regardless, I spent a couple of days at a friend’s cottage all by myself. My time there included lots of walks, reading and napping. By the morning of my departure, I was ready to be home and ready to jump back into work with renewed perspective. I love my work. But it is not my life. I sometimes need to remember that. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one. If you’re feeling burned out, stressed out, tired out…you’re in good company. Take a walk. Take a nap. Talk to a friend. As the government keeps telling us during COVID, we’re all in this together. Grant, is a speaker at GISC 2021 Virtual, please check out their session live or on-demand with an event registration.
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 17
Change is Hard BY ALYSSA “TWIST” LIGHT
If you struggle to keep up with what the kids are doing these days, this article is for you. If you’re flummoxed by stories of young people making millions of dollars online by doing things that seem impossible, this article is for you. And, if you’re tired of hearing things like “Stop being a stick in the mud and start using social media!”, then this article is for you. Change is hard. It’s harder when we feel defensive, or when the people around us think we’re being defensive. Our outward expressions of defensiveness often occur to others as stubbornness or “old school thinking” because we are reluctant to change. Afterall, change can be exhausting — especially constant change, like that in the world of business. Gutenberg — a tradesman who worked as a goldsmith in the 1400’s — invented the printing press during a time when books were copied by hand; ink and quill scratching each and every word onto parchment, page after page after page. One might then assume that the printing press was a great invention that improved humanity in incredibly profound ways. And, it did — but it took a long time for literacy to become widespread and therefore the demand for books was slow.
It took twelve years for the press to put out its first book — a bible. There was reluctance to learn to read and write. Not everyone thought it was possible or necessary to educate the masses. And yet, it happened. As a child, I remember visiting the Royal Ontario Museum and learning that a certain library, in the same time period as Gutenberg, boasted about having eight books. Eight. Electricity, radios, television, computers and smartphones were all new at one time — just like the Gutenberg Press was. And just like the invention that changed literacy forever, the internet is here to stay. During that time in my life, my father worked in film and television as an editor. We often sat at the dinner table talking about big thinkers. On a particular night, Dad told us about how someone was inventing a way for computers to talk to all the other computers in the whole world.
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 18
Change is Hard.
“Just as people living 600 years ago rejected the “modern technology” of Gutenberg’s printing press, you may not want to embrace the internet. Both caused change.” As someone on the cutting edge of technology, this concept was mind boggling to him: In a time of printer paper with tear-away “holey” leads running up and down each side, and computer towers that weighed more than his children, my dad could not understand how that much information would be stored on every single computer — of course, it wouldn’t be: access would be made through wires, with the information stored on giant units, hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Sitting at that dinner table, dreaming of computers that could communicate, was like living in a fantasy land. Not a few years later, the information highway arrived and despite the reluctance of many people, this thing — this invisible connection to every person and every piece of information in the world — continues to baffle, amaze, delight, entertain, horrify, and educate us. The internet and the dawn of social media have forever changed the way we do business and go about life. Just as people living 600 years ago rejected the “modern technology” of Gutenberg’s printing press, you may not want to embrace the internet. Both caused change. And, change is hard. But it is not going away — it never has, and it never will. The thing that makes change hard is the inability to get used to something, to get comfortable with it before it changes again. Our reluctance to yet another new thing is often misinterpreted as defensiveness — when really it’s about our desire to protect something or someone. Think about it: People tell us “Go with the flow!” or “Adapt or get out of the way!”, when really what we want to do is keep doing business the way we always have — by doing good work, building relationships, and being referred to new customers. Underneath our perceived opposition to change is often one of these things: • We are afraid something will be lost — a tradition, memory, or way of doing something • We feel like we are being made wrong — because the “new” way is somehow superior • We are being told what to do — but why fix what isn’t broken, right? • We are tired of change — as soon as you learn something and get used to it there’s an update that requires more learning
I can. And, despite being what I referred to as “tech exhausted”, I have figured out how to use social media to grow a profitable business without paying for advertising. I want to help you start using social media in a way that gives you a little traction — would that be helpful? We are going to start right now! Whatever platform you use — facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or something else — find a photo that relates to landscaping. For example, a person watering a flower, kids walking on a beautiful retaining wall, or a backyard water feature. Put this caption on the photo: If a picture is worth a thousand words, what’s the first sentence of this story? Please share your ideas below. Respond to each comment as promptly as you can, and always with a thoughtful remark. For example: • You post a photo of a child standing beside a big construction truck looking amazed; a big smile sweeping across their face. • The first comment you get is: This little boy is dreaming of his future. • Your response is not: Thanks for commenting, Margie. • Your response is: And what a big future it is! Thank you for your story idea. The more you respond to comments, the more the algorithm (the elusive Artificial Intelligence everyone is trying to figure out) will show your content to more people. Change can be hard. Make it easier by connecting with people in meaningful ways online — because when you do, your “old ways” and “the new ways” work beautifully together. Alyssa, is a speaker at GISC 2021 Virtual, please check out their session live or on-demand with an event registration.
Can you relate to any of these? GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 19
Organization and Tough Mental Tasks BY FERN RICHARDSON MBA PHEC
We can do some things pretty much on auto pilot. Then Aim to do your most important work early in the day when your willpower is strongest. Be consistent with work breaks. Some there is the work that requires sustained, intense mental time away from the tough task can allow your unconscious to energy. How can you stay focused on challenging mental wrestle with the information. Often, after changing tasks for a few work and still avoid mental fatigue? One way is to reduce the minutes or taking a break, the obvious brain’s perception of the effort needanswer magically appears. ed. Whenever possible match your How you view the amount of effort rebest mental self with tough mental quired for the job seems to matter most. tasks and challenges in your day. “Step back, take an If you allow yourself to feel overwhelmed You are more likely to procrastiobjective look at the by a task you may be imagining it as nate and even quit the tough task harder than it actually is. Step back, take tough task and then early if you must make multiple an objective look at the tough task and decisions before getting to the break it down into then break it down into smaller bites. tough task. Do yourself a favour and smaller bites.” Bring your effectiveness “A game” routinize your low priority items and to the completion of tough mental unimportant tasks. This eliminates tasks. Save your brainpower for imthe need to use precious mental portant decisions, do tough tasks energy on less important things. For early in the day, take breaks to recharge and break the big example, pick out what you’ll wear to work the night before task down into smaller-sized chunks. and on workday mornings plan to eat the same healthy breakfast every day. This saves your all-important mental Fern, is a speaker at GISC 2021 Virtual, please check out their session live or on-demand with an event registration. energy for high priority decisions.
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 20
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GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 21
“I’m Outta Here!” BY BILL MCCURRY
Gustav wasn’t getting younger. He asked his twelve children who would take over growing potatoes and vegetables. Like many children raised on farms, not one of them wanted to get their hands dirty. Then in 1962, Gustav’s daughter Elizabeth married Dietrich Kuhlmann, a German immigrant. They rented the land from Gustav, starting small and working hard. Both their daughters worked on the farm after school, weekends and summers. Anita, the youngest remembers saying, “When I’m 18, I’m outta here!” Her sister Angela says, “We worked alongside our parents and complained we had to do everything. We thought it wasn’t fair. During high school, lots of kids our age were hired to work at Kuhlmann’s. My parents made sure we had fun. Both Anita and her sister married men who appreciated what a farm market/garden center work ethic was, enjoying the variety of outdoor work. It’s unusual to have multiple generations, including in-laws, successfully working together. Anita believes the younger generation must understand owning a business means hard work but also has benefits, including time to relax and renew. She and Angela each spend two winter months in Arizona at different times. The Kuhlmanns have “secrets” for working together harmoniously. Dietrich is the “buck stops here” CEO, but rarely says, “Do it my way.” Major decisions are discussed at length before reaching a consensus. Each family member’s responsibilities are delineated and there’s mutual respect. This prevents employee confusion. It holds family accountable. It lets family members take action knowing employees won’t hear contradictory orders. Monday through Friday, peak season or lull, an outside chef comes in and makes lunch. The family lunches together for fantastic food and interaction. There may be yelling, quiet
reflection or passionate debate. Ultimately everyone’s had their say. Issues don’t fester. Usually there’s consensus, if not unanimity. Elizabeth and Dietrich Kuhlmann are well known in Alberta, Canada, having helped start the Alberta Greenhouse Growers Association, a grower’s co-operative, and other industry organizations. Dietrich says,:
• “I share what I’ve learned with anyone who needs it. Industry people who know things I don’t know, share with me. I give time and knowledge to the community and it feeds back information making me a better grower and businessman.” • “You get a fresh start every year. Do something about it.” • “The lunches are meeting of minds. We identify common goals and recognize abilities of younger generations. Kids see and understand our values.” • “There’s only so much you can do with your own two hands. Imagine what can we do collectively!” • “The key is selling it, not just growing it. Sell what customers want. Without demand there are no sales.” • “Daily targets excite the crew. Determining what to do stimulates them.” • “Your family behind you means there’s strategic alliance and support when needed.”
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 22
“I’m Outta Here!”
Granddaughter Linda is the office manager and has taken over all the bookkeeping responsibilities from her grandmother. Grandson Curtis is responsible for vegetable processing, including 4-5,000 jars of Mrs. Kuhlmann’s Sauerkraut yearly. It was developed decades before when the cabbage heads split in the field and they couldn’t afford the loss. Curtis experiments with and develops whatever will benefit the company. Alberta’s short growing season, makes it hard to home-grow peppers, so Curtis now pickles Jalapenos, Habaneros, Carolina Reapers, Cayennes and others. Kuhlmann’s Market sells dried peppers for both culinary and decorative use. Curtis attended horticultural classes at Olds College, accelerating the farm’s move into biologicals and more natural growing. Customer comments and large quantity reorders energize Curtis. “Helpful fingers” reach into the new products as “taste testers.” The new pepper offerings bring in new customers, specifically younger customers open to unique tastes and those from cultures accustomed to spicier foods. The initial purchases are small. The re-purchases are multiple jars. The entire Kuhlmann family knows it must: Step back. Look around. And never say “This is how we’ve always done it.”
“Each family member’s responsibilities are delineated and there’s mutual respect. This prevents employee confusion. It holds family accountable. It lets family members take action knowing employees won’t hear contradictory orders.”
Opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Green Profit or Ball Publishing. Bill would love to hear from you with questions, comments or ideas for future columns. Please contact him at wmccurry@mccurryassoc.com or (609) 688-1169 Bill, is a speaker at GISC 2021 Virtual, please check out their session live or ondemand with an event registration.
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 23
Top 10 Garden Trends from Our Viewpoint BY DIANE BLAZEK
At National Garden Bureau and All-America Selections, we have multiple sources to track popular garden items and topics. NGB’s New Varieties program represents the new plants breeders are submitting. The AAS trials attract the newest genetics from breeders. Additionally, National Garden Bureau conducts proprietary market share surveys for our breeder members which shows the highs and lows by crop class. Lastly, and probably even more telling, are the social media interactions and reactions. Here are the top 10 trending items over the past 12-18 months.
1. Growing food/Victory Gardens 2. Tomatoes 3. Planting for pollinators 4. Unique color/shape 5. Perennials 6. Foodie favorites/herbs 7. Houseplants/home office plants 8. Replacing lawns 9. Container edibles 10. Flowering shrubs
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 24
Top 10 Garden Trends from Our Viewpoint Growing food/Victory Gardens Anytime there is a recession, our industry has benefited from an interest in growing one’s own food. But nothing prepared us for the surge in gardening newbies that 2020 brought. Because National Garden Bureau’s founder James H. Burdett, wrote the original Victory Garden Manual in 1942, we relaunched the concept of Victory Gardens in March 2020 and dubbed it Victory Garden 2.0. That original blog post got more than 4,000 shares on Facebook alone! Look at any gardening survey and you’ll see that food gardening remains the top area of interest for both new and experienced gardeners. Tomatoes never go out of style
featured recipes at home. It didn’t take long for them to realize they could grow their own ingredients and save money so herb and vegetables sales grew. The “grow your own” trend grew even faster in 2020 as people were stuck at home and began experimenting with all types of new cooking and baking styles. Houseplants/home office plants Although on the rise pre-pandemic, the interest in house plants surged when everyone was forced to work from home. If you’re going to be home all day you want your space to look good, especially when it’s in the background of your umpteenth Zoom call of the day. National Garden Bureau recognized this growing interest in houseplants and announced our Year of program, in 2022, will now include a houseplant category.
The number one crop for entries into the AAS Edible Trials? Tomatoes. The number one selling seed item for e-commerce retailers? Tomatoes. The number one “Be it the interest in bedding plant item at retail? Tomatoes or peppers. The ednatives and nativars, or the ible class with the most new pollinator support, or the variety submissions to NGB? Tomatoes. Today, hybrids are thought that a perennial is regaining favor as gardeners a no maintenance garden realize some of the challenges of growing heirlooms and the plant (!), the interest in benefits of growing hybrids.
perennials is
Planting for pollinators We must support those who support us! Our most popular blog posts over the past few years are always the ones about how to plant a pollinator garden or which plants are best suited to attracting pollinators. Our Year of the Monarda article got 1,300 shares on social media and the other pollinator blogs get just as much attention.
Replacing lawn with…
In honor of National Garden Bureau’s 100th anniversary in 2020, we conducted a “Future of Gardening” survey. In that survey, we asked what the survey participants thought the lawn of the future would look like. The majority felt we would still have a traditional lawn in 50 years, but it will be smaller than very high.” today’s lawns. What will replace the square footage that used to be green grass? Flowering shrubs (see below), pollinator friendly plants (see above) and vegetable/fruit producing plants (see above). Container edibles (compact)
Four specific varieties come to mind in the unique color/ shape category. Mad Hatter pepper (AAS Winner), Zinnia Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor (AAS Gold Medal Winner), Potato Clancy (AAS Winner) and the Mangave Praying Hands. Uniqueness is always an attention-grabber and gardeners love to show off the cool and unusual.
I hesitate to call this a trend because container edibles have been around for a long time, but it’s not going away. As more and more gardening is done on decks, patios and balconies, there is an increased need for compact plants and breeders are responding. Of note are compact berry bushes for containers (such as Midnight Cascade blueberries for hanging baskets and Bountiful Blue blueberries for containers and tubs), compact tomato plants (such as Siam tomato and Patio Choice Yellow tomato (an AAS Winner).
Perennials
Flowering shrubs
Be it the interest in natives and nativars, or the pollinator support, or the thought that a perennial is a no maintenance garden plant (!), the interest in perennials is very high. NGB Members who are perennial breeders continue to work on new genetics that are longer to bloom, have better disease resistance and stunning new color ranges. Foodie favorites/herbs
It’s not your grandmother’s yard! Or is it? Kudos to companies like the NGB members who are bringing out new flowering shrubs. There are so many new varieties that are more compact, more floriferous and uniquely colored that make them just too tantalizing to not purchase. So it is like grandmother’s yard, but better, when things like reblooming azaleas and hydrangeas or unique shrub roses are available.
In the 2000’s the Food Network and Cooking Channel viewership exploded and viewers started making the
Diane, is a speaker at GISC 2021 Virtual, please check out their session live or on-demand with an event registration.
Unique color/shape
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 25
5 Tips to Grow More Food in Small Yards BY STEVEN BIGGS WWW.FOODGARDENLIFE.COM
Don’t grow food by the book! Be creative and have fun as you explore techniques to harvest more from small spaces. And, most importantly, be prepared to fail occasionally as you figure out an approach that best suits both the yard and the gardener. There’s usually more than one way to successfully grow something. Below are five tips to get you started. 1. Keep Tree Roots at Bay
3. Repurpose Unused Paved Spaces
Root competition can be a big challenge for food gardeners in older neighbourhoods with large trees. Trees are beautiful, but they compete with food crops! Some gardeners dig tree roots from their gardens every year...but there’s another way to co-exist with your trees and hedges. When growing a crop near a big tree or beside a water-guzzling cedar hedge, don’t waste time constantly digging out roots. Instead, grow a container garden above the root-infested soil. If tree roots grow up into the container (and they sometimes do,) put a patio stone underneath your container.
If you have more driveway than car, you have growing space going to waste! It’s not necessary to remove a driveway to cultivate the space. Containers are a great option. We’ve turned half of our driveway into a tomato patch every summer with a temporary straw-bale garden. If you have a deck, patio, or balcony, see if there is space to fit in containers with food plants.
2. Weave Food Plants into an Ornamental Landscape Ornamental or Edible? It does not have to be an either-or decision. If your landscape is ornamental, weave in edible plants. • Many berry bushes have ornamental appeal (e.g. serviceberry has beautiful fall colour). • Asparagus ferns looks great at the back of a perennial bed (harvest the asparagus spears in the spring, and then let the tall ferns add texture to your perennial garden through summer and fall). • If you grow annual flowers, think about weaving in edible flowers such as nasturtium and calendula.
4. Tier your Garden using Containers Think of your garden as a layer cake. Plants that might be out-competed or shaded in the bottom layer just need some help to get more light or more space for their roots. You can do that by growing them in containers, right in the garden. You’re raising up the plants, making another layer in your garden and squeezing more plants into it. 5. Cheat on plant spacing Challenge the recommended spacing on seed packets and plant labels. I always sow carrots, lettuce, and beet seeds more densely than recommended…and then thin them out as they begin to grow, enjoying baby carrots, lettuce, and beets as I do. Steven, is a speaker at GISC 2021 Virtual, please check out their session live or on-demand with an event registration.
GREEN FOR LIFE FALL 2021 • 26
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Our Values • • • • • •
Prioritizing issues common to Canadian flower growers Acting as a non-partisan representative of flower growers Pursuing integrity in all relationships and practices Providing exemplary member service Serving all members equally Using resources responsibly
Our Vision Successful, Responsible, Profitable Canadian Flower Growers. For more info visit us at flowerscanadagrowers.com
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