Nursery Views - Winter 2019

VOL. 49/NO. 2

WINTER 2019

The Official Publication of The Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association

YEW DELL BOTANICAL GARDEN

– Charting a New Course for This Plant and History Lover’s Paradise Don’t Miss KNLA’S 2020

WINTER EDUCATIONAL OUTING & EXPO

January 22 – 23, 2020

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VOL. 49/NO. 2

WINTER 2019

TOP FEATURES

8 UPCOMING

2020 Winter Expo

12 COVER

EVENT

STORY

Yew Dell Botanical Garden – Charting a New Course for This Plant and History Lover’s Paradise

16 FEATURE

STORY

8

Safety Update: We’re Killing Ourselves Out There

18 RECENT

EVENT

2019 Summer Outing

12

NURS ERY VIEWS • WINTE R 2019

DEPARTMENTS

6 NEWS FROM KNLA 7 FROM THE PRESIDENT, Michael Mueller 18 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

The Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Nursery Views, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this bi-annual publication. Copyright © 2019 by the Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association. Nursery Views is published bi-annually. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association.

We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs.

Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

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18 The official publication of the Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association

P.O. Box 5006 l Frankfort, KY 40602-5006 502-330-8300 Email: knla.org@gmail.com www.knla.org KNLA OFFICERS PRESIDENT JEFF WALLITSCH (2018) Wallitsch Nursery & Garden Center 2608 Hikes Lane • Louisville, KY 40218 Tel: 502-454-3553 • jeff_wallitsch@live.com PAST PRESIDENT MICHAEL MUELLER Inside Out Design, LLC 100 Old Georgetown Road • Frankfort, KY 40601 Tel: 502-695-7020 michaelm@insideout-design.org SECRETARY STEPHANIE TITTLE (2019) 4716 Greenhaven Lane Goshen, KY 40026 Tel: 502-303-4852 • wfarmgarden@gmail.com TREASURER CRAIG GRIGSBY Abrams Nursery 4609 Glenarm Road • Crestwood, KY 40014 Tel: 502-241-4996

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MELANIE FRANSEN Tel: 502-330-8300 melanie@knla.org DIRECTORS ROSCOE KLAUSING Klausing Group rklausing@klausinggroup.com Tel: 859-254-0762 ext 104 ADAM MCCLANAHAN Carlton Plants 299 Hill Ave • Franklin, OH 45005 Tel: 800-442-1453 amcclanahan@carltonplants.com JACOB STIDHAM Yew Dell Gardens jacobs@yewdellgardens.org Tel: 502-241-4788 DAVID WRAITH Site One Landscape Supply 13909 Aiken Road • Louisville, KY 40245 Tel: 502-245-0465 • dwraith@siteone.com

Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC

206 Bridge Street l Franklin, TN 37064 615-790-3718 l Fax: 615-794-4525 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com www.leadingedgecommunications.com EDUCATIONAL ADVISORS DR. WINSTON DUNWELL UK Research & Education Center P.O. Box 469 • Princeton, KY 42445 Tel: 270-365-7541, ext. 209 wdunwell@uky.edu DR. DEWAYNE INGRAM University of Kentucky, Horticulture Dept.

N-308F Agri. Sci. Center • Lexington, KY 40546 Tel: 859-257-8903 • dingram@uky.edu DR. ROBERT (BOB) E. MCNIEL (Emeritus) Highland Moor 226 Shady Lane • Midway, KY 40347 Tel: 859-509-2719 • rmcniel@highlandmoor.com

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NUR SERY VIEWS • WIN TER 2019

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NEWS FROM KNLA

EXCITING CHANGES for our KNLA Board!

Tammy Carey Passing the Baton to a New Executive Director

Goodbye to Board Member, Patrick Carey

I prefer to say “See You Later” as opposed to “Goodbye”! As a married, busy mom of two teenagers, it has been quite a job to handle the many responsibilities that I’ve had over the past two years. I loved getting to spend lots of time with our members and developing new relationships, as well as strengthening existing ones. I knew this would be a tough transition, but I didn’t quite expect the volume of ideas and execution necessary to drive a ship of this size with the type of passion that we have in the nursery industry. There are good things to come, so please help me in welcoming Melanie Fransen to the team as the new Executive Director!

Patrick has been on the KNLA Board many different times over his career at Riverfarm Nursery. He has been a valued member of the team, always provides good ideas, and never fails to follow through with his plans of action. He is very well connected to many areas of horticulture and has been a huge success in procuring sponsorships, speaker ideas, determining venue choices, and is in all things dependable. We will miss Patrick as he gets back to work to focus on the nursery and his family.

Introducing Melanie Fransen

We are so excited to welcome Roscoe Klausing to our team!

Roscoe owns Klausing Group, a commercial landscape and grounds management company in Lexington and Louisville. In addition to his work at Klausing, Roscoe has been very involved in the NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals), which is an organization that supports the education and welfare of horticulture professionals across the country. In addition, Roscoe has been the face of the KNLA at meetings with the Kentucky Fatality Task force; a Labor Cabinet division that focuses on Fatalities in the different industries in Kentucky.

Through his work with the NALP and this task force, we will provide educational opportunities and training to our members to hopefully lessen the number of work-related deaths in the horticulture industry and encourage growth in learning.

Melanie Fransen is the new Executive Director as of early October. Melanie is the Logistics Manager/Assistant to a family from Florida, with a focus on accounts receivable/ payable, managing horses, staff, vendors, travel arrangements, business meetings and a variety of other duties. For the past 14 years, she has done extensive event planning for small to large events, worked for non-profit, membership-based organizations and served on numerous volunteer committees. Melanie is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a BA in Agricultural Communications. In her free time, Melanie enjoys riding and competing her double registered paint and quarter horses. In the coming months, Melanie will be working with the Board to develop new membership initiatives and plans for the Winter Showcase and Summer Outing.

Please do not hesitate to contact her at melanie@knla.org if you have any questions or suggestions.

NURS ERY VIEWS • WINTE R 2019

New President — Jeff Wallitsch Jeff Wallitsch has been a well known and loved member of our Board of Directors for many years. The last two years, Jeff has served as KNLA Vice President. You know him best for his work at the KNLA check-in for any of our events or you may have interacted with him while assisting customers at Wallitsch Nursery and Garden Center. Jeff has been a “behind the scenes” awesome contributor to the KNLA and has taken the lead on many of our new projects. Have you taken the time to check out the new website? Jeff has been working diligently to get it transferred to something more user friendly, easier to update, and with the ability to work in direct conjunction with our membership and events software. Take a look if you haven’t already at www.knla.org. We are looking forward to a great two years with Jeff at the reins!

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Welcome New Board Member, Roscoe Klausing

Welcome New Board Member, Jacob Stidham We are very excited to welcome Jacob to the Board! Jacob is the Nursery Manager at the historical Yew Dell Gardens. Jacob is interested in all things horticulture and has been very involved in our Board since he began over the past year. Jacob is championing the idea to hold silent plant auctions at our events! Please contact Jacob at jacobs@yewdellgardens.org if you would like to donate or offer support of any kind.

Thank you, Kim Fritz We would like to thank Kim Fritz for her long-term commitment to the KNLA. She was with the team as President through a rough transition and helped pull the Association back to what it once was. The past two years, Kim has been a helpful Past President and also served as our Treasurer, taking care of filing taxes, paying bills, and with all things financial. We will miss Kim as she gets back to running her business, Village Green Wholesale Nursery, in Springfield, KY.

FROM THE PRESIDENT l Michael Mueller

ALL GOOD THINGS All

good things must come to an end. As I approach the end of my term as the Kentucky Nursery Landscape Association president, I would like to say “Thank you.” Thank you to the wonderful Board of Directors that makes the association better every day. These are your peers that have taken time out of their own businesses to help our industry become stronger.

Our annual summer outing was held on September 5th at the beautiful Floyd Fork park in Louisville, Kentucky. The event was well attended with enthusiasm and a lot of new faces. We are excited to see everyone at our winter show that is at the Holiday Inn in Louisville on January 22–23, 2020. Our education will be offering many pesticide, Landscape Architect, and arborist continuing education credits.

Just because my term as President is finishing up doesn’t mean I won’t be involved. I plan on serving on the board as Past President. The KNLA and all members will be in good hands with Jeff Wallitsch. Jeff is currently on the board of directors and has his own vision for our association. He is a hard working business owner in Louisville and takes this role very seriously. I look forward to working with him and the current Board of Directors to advance the landscape and nursery industries in Kentucky.

Specializing in Bareroot Fruit, Shade, Ornamental Trees

A Peach of a Nursery!

3075 West Greenhill Rd. McMinnville, TN 37110 (931) 939-2572 • Fax (931) 939-2577 mangrumfarms@blomand.net www.rustymangrumnursery.com

Michael Mueller Inside Out Design El presidente

NUR SERY VIEWS • WIN TER 2019

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NURS ERY VIEWS • WINTE R 2019

UPCOMING EVENT

8

We welcome YOU to join us January 22nd – 23rd, 2019 to attend our annual Winter Educational Outing & Expo!

We had such a successful event last year, that we are planning to set up shop in the same location: The Holiday Inn, Louisville East, just off of Hurstbourne Parkway.

If you are planning to attend for the first time, or if you are a long time attendee, you will not be disappointed! The event space is just the right size for our group and we are planning a great couple of days of learning, friendship making, business handling, and CEU acquiring FUN!

SIGN UP TO ATTEND TODAY! You can log on to KNLA.org to get you and/or your employees registered! Details for registration are listed below: Full 2 Day Education Registration Members....................................................... $220 Full 2 Day Education Registration NonMembers................................................ $250 Full 2 Day Registration for 4+ Persons....... $199 Wednesday Only Education Member............ $115 Wednesday Only Education NonMember...... $130 Thursday Only Education Member................ $115 Thursday Only Education Member................ $130 Expo Only........................................................ $20 Expo w/ Lunch................................................ $30 Kentucky Certified Nurseryman Exam Member.......................................................... $75 Kentucky Certified Nurseryman Exam NonMember.................................................. $100

JOIN THE FUN AND BE AN EXHIBITOR! You can log on to KNLA.org to get signed up for your booth! Details for registration are listed below: Member Exhibitor Booth............................... $375 Member Exhibitor Booth w/ Electricity......... $385 Non-Member Exhibitor Booth........................ $525 Non-Member Exhibitor Booth w/ Electricity................................................. $535

Go on over to KNLA.org to get that done as well!

Continued on page 10

Office: 803-826-6464 Cell: 803-837-1820 Fax: 803-826-6465

Trey Shirer Cell: 803-707-2262

email: lowfallsnursery@windstream.net 28 Boxwood Trail Lone Star, SC 29030 9

NUR SERY VIEWS • WIN TER 2019

IT LITERALLY PAYS TO BE A MEMBER!

George Stoudenmire

UPCOMING EVENT l Continued

CREW ACADEMY TRACK DOT Regulations and CMV Safety in a World of Landscaping

Sgt. Jason Morris, KSP A general overview of DOT and CMV laws and regulations with a focus on how they apply to landscaping and nursery related businesses and their vehicles.

Topics covered will include: General applicability, vehicle registration, driver licensing, credentials, hours of service, and load securement. An ask anything Q&A will follow the presentation!

Considerations for Disease Diagnostics.

Where do you start? What do you see?

Nicole Ward Gauthier, Ph.D. Plant diseases are caused by microscopic pathogens that can only be seen with aid of a microscope. Their symptoms often are not diagnostic. Proper disease diagnosis requires a combination of site detail, proper sample, and examination of structures like spores with a microscope. Green industry professionals begin this process with a broad overview of sites and situations, followed by a closer examination of specific problems. This session will present a streamlined approach to site analysis, data gathering, and sample collection. Discussion will include “what to do first” and “what to do next” guidance, as well as example scenarios.

Principles of Pruning in the Nursery and Landscape

William Fountain, Ph.D. Pruning is either one of the best things we can do for a plant or one of the worst things that we can do to a plant. This presentation will discuss the need for pruning with a purpose, how it should be done, and unintended effects when it is not done correctly.

Pest Detectives: Recognizing Insect Pest Symptoms

NURS ERY VIEWS • WINTE R 2019

Jonathan Larson, Ph.D. This presentation will focus on recognizing chewing and sucking damage symptoms and figuring out which bugs cause what problems.

Chainsaw Safety and Operation

Cody Dunkin Students will gain knowledge of how to safely start and operate a STIHL chainsaw, including the reactive forces as well as the proper PPE to wear.

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PRODUCTION/BUSINESS TRACK Boxwood Blight Status in 2020 and the Impact on Production and Landscapers Brian Decker

Review of all current research data from HRI • Genetic testing • Disease transmission • Disease sites and extent of the spread • Prevention protocols Tolerance vs Immunity • Best tolerant varieties for mid and northern usage • New introductions Business Opportunity • Blight prevention in the landscape (spray programs for consumers) • Blight prevention protocols in the Nursery (People buy with confidence) Potential Legal Liability Issues • Can you be held liable for installation of susceptible varieties?

Poly and Plastic Container Recycling Panel

Gregory M. Butler Communities throughout Kentucky and the United States are questioning – is recycling a viable endeavor? National studies continue to show that residents desire recycling at their homes, businesses, and throughout their community. We will share insights on the state of recycling today and look into the future together (hint: recycling is here to stay).

We will explore the merits and costs of single-stream recycling, how to maintain or expand recycling programs, and provide insights and best practices for recycling programs in Kentucky.

Ben Pedigo Rumpke specifically handles post-consumer plastic bottles and jugs. This presentation will focus on existing markets for post-consumer plastic bottles and jugs and address the challenges with handling plastics generated from the nursery and landscaping industry.

Systems Approaches for a Better Future

Tom Buechel The green industry is thinking big in order to diminish present and future invasive pest, disease, and plant problems. As interstate e-commerce (online) and wholesale sales continue to increase at a rapid

pace, new pests, diseases, and invasive species do too. Until recently, there were no viable tools for growers to easily navigate the regulations in the fifty states. This made it especially difficult for growers with a diverse plant inventory. Now, however, the cooperative efforts of the industry—including organizations and regulation by use of systems approaches —are vastly improving odds to fend off future invasive problems and eliminate existing ones. The evolution of SANC (Systems Approach to Nursery Certification) and Plant Sentry™ is changing the game on growing and shipping plant product. These methods not only allow growing teams to excel, but they bring everyone together to focus on the common goal: minimizing, reducing, and eliminating the spread of serious pests, disease, and invasive species. These programs certify that teams have learned the tactical approach necessary to triumph over the next encounter with pests, disease, and invasive species. SANC has been certifying a few wholesale production nurseries each year for a few years. Plant Sentry is new to the market place.

Optimize the compliant wholesale shipping of plants with up-to-date plant nomenclature and terminology coupled with up-to-date state by state current regulations and issues. Ship with no worries.

Kentucky Fatality Prevention Task Force

Colonel Danny Davis, USAF retired This briefing provides an overview of Kentucky fatality trends and prevention efforts among the most fatal industries: landscaping, roofing, site preparation, logging, and manufacturing.

Overview of hemp production and the Kentucky hemp program

Doris Hamilton This presentation will cover the basics of hemp production for all three types: grain, fiber, and floral material. We will discuss the growth and changes in the industry as well as the regulations governing the 2020 Kentucky hemp licensing program. If you are interested in becoming a hemp grower, this presentation will outline the steps to obtaining a hemp license.

Opportunities in Commercial Hemp Propagation

Robert Geneve, Ph.D. Bob will provide a prospectus on opportunities to provide seedling plugs and rooted cuttings for the emerging hemp industry. Preliminary research on seed germination and cutting propagation will be included.

UPCOMING EVENT l Continued

PLANT AND DESIGN TRACK Garden Innovations: The Golden Age of Plant Breeding

Tom Ranney, Ph.D. The golden age of plant breeding is upon us. Never before has there been such a groundswell of exciting new plants, and we have barely scratched the surface. Tom will touch on new developments, recent innovations, and future potential of diverse genera.

Underutilized Landscape Plants for Zones 5 and 6

Jake Shreckhise, Ph.D. We all have our “go-to” plants that seem to make their way into nearly every landscape design. While plants like Red Sunset maple, China Girl holly, and ‘Green Giant’ arborvitae have their merits, there are a plethora of less mainstream alternatives that can set your landscapes apart from the rest. This presentation will delve into the qualities and applications of some underutilized landscape plants hardy to USDA Zones 5 and 6.

Building the Botanical Garden: Beyond the Name and Expectations

James “Jamie” Burghardt There is no certification required to use the name “botanical garden,” which leads to a broad array of experiences for visitors to such places across the U.S. The most successful and renowned botanical gardens master their role as leaders in public horticulture as well as embracing their part as centers for culture, natural beauty, human well-being and “what is possible.” Louisville’s Waterfront Botanical Gardens is in its infancy and joins a tiny number of gardens in the country that are atop former brownfield sites. While there indeed are physical and engineering challenges in development, there also are hurdles of meeting expectations, overcoming assumptions and anecdotes, finding scientific information to inform decisions, desiring best horticultural practices and praying visitors understand our values.

Creating and Managing Green / Natural Spaces in Your Community – Basics of Why and How

Jack Pizzo, PLA, ICN Jack will discuss the design, installation and management of sustainable landscapes, naturalized landscape, stormwater management areas and ecological restoration.

Thinking Beyond the Conventional: Decoding Landscape Performance Metrics

B. Scott Southall, PLA, LEED AP BD+C, ASLA, AICP We live in a closed loop environment, so we need to think, learn and act in this circular economy. Landscape Performance Metrics aims to qualify and quantify the multiple benefits of the natural environment with the manmade built environs. The session will provide attendees with an overview of the Landscape Performance Metrics system. As with most new systems, a number of questions arise: Why are metrics or baseline assessments important to our future landscapes? How do we apply systems approach thinking to landscape design, development and maintenance? What do landscapes look like that follow Landscape Performance Metrics? What is the future of landscape design and maintenance?

These questions and others regarding Landscape Performance Metrics will be discussed during this session.

Nature, Health, and Well Being

Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar This talk will address how different elements of nature affect the risk of chronic disease, particularly heart disease. It will also cover the contribution of the urban environment in moderating the effects of nature and present to the audience an overview of the Green Heart Project, which is a unique study designed to investigate how increasing vegetation and greenspaces in a neighborhood affect the health and disease risk of the community living in the area.

PEST MANAGEMENT TRACK Water Molds and Root Rot Disease: Getting to the Root of the Problem

Nicole Ward Gauthier, Ph.D. Water molds (aka oomycetes) are not fungi. These soilborne pathogens are most commonly known as root rot pathogens. They are water lovers that require wet conditions in order to complete their life cycles.

This session will focus on root rot diseases of woody and herbaceous plants. Pathogen life cycles, spread, overwintering, and host susceptibility will be covered, and disease management will be discussed.

Weed Control for Landscapes and Field Nurseries

James Atland, Ph.D. Weed control in field nursery production shares many similarities to weed control in urban landscape beds. This presentation will discuss weed biology and how understanding the life cycle of troublesome weeds can be used to limit their establishment and growth. It will also address cultural practices and herbicide usage for preventing and reducing weed growth in these settings.

It’s Not Easy Being (ever)Green: A Closer Look at Needle Cast and Pine Decline

Nicole Ward Gauthier, Ph.D. Evergreens are susceptible to a range of diseases, much like other landscape plants. However, the most common diseases of evergreens are typically host specific. Kentucky’s environmental conditions often lead to higher incidence of many of these diseases.

It is important to understand disease risks and to prevent infection by their causal fungi. This session will examine some of the most common and most destructive diseases of evergreen trees. The first portion will focus on needle cast diseases of spruce, and the second will examine disease and decline problems of white pine. Management options will be discussed, and references will be provided.

Dealing with Invasive Species in Landscapes Jonathan Larson, Ph.D. This presentation will focus on pests such as Japanese beetles, Japanese maple scale, brown marmorated stink bugs, and European elm flea weevil.

NUR SERY VIEWS • WIN TER 2019

11

COVER STORY

YEW DELL BOTANICAL GARDENS

– Charting a New Course for This Plant and History Lover’s Paradise Pictured above: Theodore Klein (L) caught in an uncommon moment of rest in his Crestwood nursery around 1940.

Yew Dell nursery & greenhouse manager, Jacob Stidham, in the current recreation of Yew Dell’s nursery

NURS ERY VIEWS • WINTE R 2019

In

many ways, Yew Dell’s origins and recent developments seem to be following the same path. Theodore Klein started his Crestwood based Yew Dell Farm in the early 1940s as a small operation that grew into one of the leading nurseries in the region. Over the years it developed into a working farm and homeplace with acres of yews and hollies destined for the wholesale trade.

Following Klein’s death in 1998 at the age of 93, the property had lost a bit of its luster, but still proudly showed the bones of what had been extensive display gardens, plant collections and exquisite and functional buildings he had crafted and spotted around the property. Amidst mounting development pressure, a newly formed board of directors created a non-profit in 2002 and

worked with the Klein family to save the grounds and develop a public botanical garden for the region.

Fast forward 17 years and Yew Dell now boasts an exploding plant collection, renovated and new award-winning architecture and rehabilitated gardens, a staff of more than 20 and a volunteer corps of more than 300. And among all the expansion sits a new nursery operation focused on offering up the fruits of Yew Dell’s growing plant collection, evaluation and introduction program. Headed up by KNLA board member, Jacob Stidham, the nursery focuses on woody and herbaceous ornamentals that have made it through rigorous testing and evaluation in the region.

The overall goal is to fill the void that often exists between research, introduction and availability.

Continued on page 14

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COVER STORY l Continued

Expanding the Garden Market – Education and Community Programs at Yew Dell

A happy Yew Dell plant sale customer and volunteer heads home with new plants to try in her home garden.

An initial and guiding mission of Yew Dell is to raise the horticultural bar in the local community by helping to inspire and educate the general public. Classes for all levels from kids and beginners to avid plant collectors and professionals range from national-level lecturers (including collaborations with Fine Gardening Magazine, Horticulture Magazine, the American Horticultural Society, International Plant Propagator’s Society and more) to intimate hands-on workshops. Community-wide events such as the annual Hellebore Day and spring and fall plant sales are designed to build the buzz around new and better plants. Local, regional and international garden tours and trips expose members and donors to new and emerging trends from other regions. An intern and apprenticeship program helps to attract, train and provide opportunity for tomorrow’s plant industry leaders.

It’s All About the Plants

An 18'-tall specimen of Parrotia subaequalis (Chinese Ironwood) holds fabulous fall color for up to 2 months

Yew Dell’s commitment to new and better plants doesn’t stop at the Kentucky or even the U.S. border. Always on the lookout for adaptable, attractive and sustainable additions for the region’s plant palette, Yew Dell staff members scour near and far to collect plants for testing and introduction. Among its collections is one of the first specimens of the Chinese Ironwood (Parrotia subaequalis) grown outside its native range in western China. Yew Dell works with private breeders, nurseries and collectors around the world to bring in plants for evaluation. Two evaluation gardens, one for shrubs and the second for herbaceous perennials, will provide space to conduct side-by-side comparisons of all available cultivars of a given species. Initial plantings will be installed in spring of 2020.

NURS ERY VIEWS • WINTE R 2019

Gardens Galore!

Yew Dell’s acres of gardens provide the perfect opportunity to test plants and offer the public examples of how to use plants and hardscape in their own gardens. Garden tours, design workshops and demos send visitors home with a wealth of information and a bit more confidence to try new things at home. And while the overall structure of the gardens remains fairly constant, the plants in those gardens change from year to year, giving visitors new ideas each season. Yew Dell garden manager, Sayde Heckman, works with nursery & greenhouse manager, Jacob Stidham, each year to select unique varieties to grow and exhibit on the grounds. The newest project, Klein’s original walled garden, now gets a complete annual makeover of in-house grown annuals and tropical in a unique color theme each year.

14

FEATURE STORY

We’re KILLING OURSELVES Out There

NURS ERY VIEWS • WINTE R 2019

F

atalities of landscapers have become all too common. Landscaping now ranks as the most fatal industry in Kentucky for fiscal years 2014 – 2019. Even when excluding fatalities related to tree care, mowing related fatalities alone earn landscapers a place on the list of the top 5 most fatal industries in the state.

Are each of these deaths the result of operator error, or is there something more pervasive that is contributing to the accidents?

What I have seen points to an industry-wide disposition toward ignoring equipment manufacturer’s safety warnings and dismissing the operational limitations established for the safe use of mowers on embankments and near water.

Five mower operators died in separate incidents between 2014 and 2019. Three of the deaths occurred when men were cutting along an embankment and the mower they were operating rolled over, pinning them underneath. One drowned when the mower flipped over into a pond, trapping the operator under the machine.

Another man fell from a 250-foot cliff after misjudging the edge of the area he was mowing. He died.

While I have not read the incident investigations for all of these workplace fatalities, they are likely the result of one of three factors — an employee’s willful disregard of safety policies, an employer’s failure to develop and implement a safety policy, or leadership’s failure to enforce a safety policy. Sadly, I would argue that it is common throughout our industry for employees and employers to prioritize efficiency over health and safety. To be clear, I do not believe that most employees are insubordinate and that they refuse to comply with safety policies. Instead, when faced with the choice of string trimming a steep embankment or cutting it with a mower, they are more likely to choose the mower. As for employers, I do not believe that they consciously disregard the health and safety of their employees. Instead, I believe they fail to make time to properly assess risk.

Consider this: a riding mower operator’s manual provides instructions for safe operating practices and many safety warnings.

Every manual I have ever seen instructs operators to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), to use factory installed safety features (e.g., seat sensors, debris guards, deck discharge chutes, etc.), and to engage the roll over protection system (ROPS) when in use. Yet, these safe practices are routinely ignored by operators and employers. Take for example a mower’s ROPS, which many operators never engage. When asked why, they explain that the mower will not easily cut under low tree limbs or, that the mower will not fit into their enclosed trailer or box truck with the ROPS engaged. They recognize that using the ROPS can create inefficiencies by increasing string trimming and by wasting time engaging and disengaging the ROPS when you load and unload a mower. Does this sound familiar? This is what prioritizing efficiency over health and safety looks like in our industry.

A journalist who reported on one of the two mower related fatalities in 2019 opened her report saying, “A landscaper’s loved ones are grieving after this bizarre workplace death.” This workplace death was not bizarre. Those of us in the industry know that mower rollovers are a real safety hazard and they are a common cause of death that it is preventable. If any of this is speaking to you and you are thinking, “Am I doing enough?

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If a workplace fatality occurred in my company, could I say I’d done my part to prevent the accident?” I urge you to reassess your company’s approach toward workplace health and safety.

• Does your company have a safety policy and an active safety program?

• Do you routinely communicate safety policies to your employees?

• Do you provide safety training for all equipment?

• Does your company safety training adhere to the warnings and guidance provided in the manufacturer’s operator manual?

• If you operate mowers, do you teach safe slope mowing practices?

• Are you willing to use more labor hours to trim a steep embankment when using a mower is unsafe?

• Do you train employees not to operate a mower on a slope that exceeds the angle limits specified by the lawn mower manufacturer?

• Are riding mowers equipped with roll-over protective structures (ROPS) and seat belts? Do you require their use?

• Have you identified and communicated known hazards for each job site such as steep slopes, cliffs or walls, and water hazards?

• Do you train supervisors to look for safety violations and enforce the company’s safety policy?

When each of us can answer “yes” to the questions above, you can know that you’ve done your part to prevent the next riding mower fatality.

Roscoe Klausing, LIC is the founder & CEO of Klausing Group

North Pole Arb

Franklin’s Gem Boxwood

China Girl Holly

Emerald Green Arb

Sullivan Cypress

Winterthur Viburnum

Excelsa Arb

OFFICE PHONE: 606-346-0863 • FAX: 606-346-2139 • MIKE’S CELL: 606-706-1620 EMAIL: brownsnursery@yahoo.com

Green Giant & Nigra Arbs

Sprinter Boxwood

American Boxwood

Gem Box Inkberry

Nova Taxus

Uptight Boxwood

Green Mtn. Boxwood

Green Gem Boxwood

Steeds Holly

Popcorn Viburnum

Chicagoland Green Boxwood

Hicksi Taxus

Firelight Hydrangeas & Sprinter Boxwoods

Densiformis Taxus

Pragense Viburnum

Polar Gold Arb & Sky Pencil Holly

Wintergem Boxwood

MIKE BROWN’S WHOLESALE NURSERY, LLC. • 525 HOLTZCLAW LANE • HUSTONVILLE, KY 40437

RECENT EVENT

Thank you to the following businesses who kept us fed, watered, entertained, and educated:

T

hank you so much for those of you that came from near and far for our Annual Summer Outing held at The Gheens Foundation Lodge in the Parklands. This year, we tried something new and included demonstrations in our day of learning. CEU credits were once again provided for both classroom instructional time as well as hands-on learning time outdoors with the demonstration specialists. In all things, when trying something new, there are lessons learned and things you might tweak and/or do a little differently. However, a great time was had by everyone who came. New friends were made, old friends got reacquainted, and new business relationships were formed. This is the point of attending a trade show these days — to build relationships and see new and inventive products and practices!

Another new idea was hosting a dinner/happy hour for our presenters and exhibitors the night before the event. It was a blast and we had quite the showing. Thank you to Michael Mueller from Inside Out Design and Patrick Carey from Riverfarm for hosting such a fun night! We think this is something we will definitely continue.

One photo that really summed up the way we all attend these special days is above. It isn’t very often when all of these guys are able to get around a table and talk plants… for hours!

We would like to thank our presenters for coming to WOW us with new information and keep us in the loop with new practices in the industry. I’d also like to thank our sponsors for helping us to put on such a fun and productive day.

ADVERTISERS INDEX ANDERSON MULCH & SOIL, LLC...................15

EVINS MILL NURSERY.......................................5

MILLCREEK GARDENS, LLC.............................5

BOBCAT ENTERPRISES, INC......INSIDE FRONT COVER

FAIRVIEW EVERGREEN NURSERIES.............13

RICHEY NURSERY COMPANY, LLC...............11

HORTICA..............................................................3

RUSTY MANGRUM NURSERY...........................7

JELITTO PERENNIAL SEEDS............................9

SMITH SEED SERVICES....................................7

LANDSCAPERS CORNER, INC.........................7

TREE EQUIPMENT DESIGN, INC......................5

LOW FALLS WHOLSALE NURSERY.................9

WELLMASTER CARTS................. BACK COVER

www.ralumber.com

NURS ERY VIEWS • WINTE R 2019

www.bobcat-ent.com

BOSHANCEE NURSERY, INC............................5

www.boshanceensy.com

BROWN’S NURSERY........................................17 BUCKEYE RESOURCES INC............ INSIDE BACK COVER

www.buckeyeresources.com/contact.htm

www.evinsmillnursery.com

www.fairviewevergreen.com www.hortica.com www.jelitto.com

www.landscaperscorner.com www.lowfallsnursery.com

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www.millcreekplants.com www.richeynursery.com

www.rustymangrumnursery.com www.smithseed.com www.treeequip.com www.wellmaster.ca