Tennessee Greentimes - Summer 2008

VOL. 9/ NO. 2

Summer 2008

An “All Points Bulletin” on Oriental Beetles

20 Fast Phrases...

Communicating with Spanish-Speaking Employees

Tennessee

GREENTIMES The Official Publication of The Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association

Table of Contents

BUSINESS MAT TERS Looking for Legal Labor...

Challenges of H2-A & H2-B Guest Worker Programs

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VOL. 9/ NO. 2

Summer 2008

PESTS IN THE SPOTLIGH T An “All Points Bulletin” on Oriental Beetles, an Economic Threat to TN

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more features RETAILER’S NOTES Boost Humidity to Enhance Quality of Retail Tropical Plants ...................................................................................... 17

G REEN GATHERINGS — RECENT EVENTS TNLA/HRI Golf Tournament ................................................................................ 18 Tennessee Green Industry Field Day .................................................................... 19

departments From the President, Aaron Swafford ............................................................................ 6 Industry News .................................................................................................................. 20 TNLA New Members .................................................................................................... 21 Calendar of Events .......................................................................................................... 22 Index of Advertisers ........................................................................................................ 22

IN THE LANDSCAPE 20 Fast Phrases...

Communicating with Spanish-Speaking Employees

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The Tennessee 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, Tennessee Green Times, or its editors.

Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication.

Copyright ©2008 by the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association. Tennessee Green Times is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association.

POSTMASTER: Send change of address notification to Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association, 115 Lyon Street, McMinnville, TN 37110. Postage guaranteed.

Third-class postage is paid at McMinnville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Tennessee Green Times allows reprinting of material. Permission requests should be directed to the Tennessee 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) 7903718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

f rom t h e p r e s i d e n t Aaron Swafford

Just My Opinion...

I

TNLA Business Meeting Friday, August 8, 2008 8:00 a.m.

Marriott Marquis, Atlanta, GA

don’t have to tell you that it is a hard time to be in business. Our industry is somewhat resilient, but with so many things out of our control, none of us are immune from rising costs at record levels (energy, fuel, supplies, etc.). Everyone has to cut corners and tighten the belt, but attending and exhibiting at tradeshows and educational programs are not the right items to cut.

Here are some reasons why: • To continue growing, we must continue learning. This business is unique in that people share what is and isn’t working for them. You can learn what other companies are doing to fight tough times and thereby receive an education not available anywhere else for any amount of money.

• There is something to be said for “being seen.” It lets your customers and vendors know that you are still alive and kicking, not to mention being a general boost in morale for all concerned.

• I can’t tell you how many times a customer has called or come by after finding us by picking up a catalog from years ago… and became a new customer.

At this point, we all need to keep our hands on the plough and maintain a positive attitude. We need to find creative new ways to be more efficient, while still remembering that it is a necessity to support our industry. This is all a fancy way of saying, “Please continue to attend tradeshows and to pay your association dues. We must stick together during these hard times.” Of course, it’s just my opinion.

Aaron Swafford 2008 TNLA President

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The Tennessee Greentimes is the official publication of The Tennessee Nursery & Landscape Association 115 Lyon Street McMinnville, Tennessee 37110 (931) 473-3951 Fax (931) 473-5883 www.tnla.com Email: mail@tnla.com Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com Editors Bill Klingeman, Ph.D. Bob Trigiano, Ph.D. Associate Editors Dr. Donna Fare Dr. Nick Gawel Mr. Mark Halcomb Dr. Frank Hale Mr. Gray Haun Dr. Sandy Reed Dr. John Sorochan TNLA Officers President Aaron Swafford Swafford Nursery, Inc. 1st Vice President Marshall Allen Allen Landscape Management, LLC 2nd Vice President Tim Gallagher Heather Farms Nursery, Inc. 3rd Vice President John Watson, CLP Common Grounds Landscape Mgmt.

Secretary-Treasurer Randall Walker Randall Walker Farms Associate Director Mary Strong Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil Mix, Inc. Ex-Officio Steve Bennett Riverbend Nurseries, Inc. Executive Director Louree Walker Administrative Assistant Pam Stern

B u s i n e s s M at t e r s

By Alina Campbell with Tish Sowards

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overnment surveys have shown that, within some sectors of U.S. agriculture, nearly 70% employees are not legally authorized to work in the United States. A lack of consistent enforcement in the past has led many people to think that workplace violations are not taken seriously. Recent headlines have demonstrated that this is not the case.

Employers found guilty of regularly hiring illegal workers can be sent to prison for up to six months. Fines for first-time offenders can reach $2,000 per violation.

These punishments are only expected to get worse. In December 2005, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill mandating tougher border enforcement and criminal action against illegal workers and their employers. If passed, the bill would have raised the maximum first offense fine to $7,000 per violation and extended mandatory minimum jail time for repeat offenders to no less than one year behind bars.

Increased severity of punishments for hiring undocumented workers makes it essential to know what legal labor options are currently available, how they work and how to initiate them. Despite reports of cumbersome paperwork and processing delays, H2-A and H2-B visa programs remain a valuable resource for green-industry businesses unable to meet their labor needs. These programs focus on matching foreign workers with companies needing temporary and seasonal labor. The enrollment process can be intimidating, but both programs are still considered viable ways to fill vacant positions. Understanding each step will make the process seem less daunting.

The alphabet soup-to-nuts of guest worker programs First, a business must decide whether an H2-A or H2-B visa is appropriate for the anticipated work.

The H2-A program is often overlooked because of its complexity, yet for agricultural positions of a seasonal or temporary nature, an H2-A visa is needed. The H2-A visa program has been designed to provide an adequate alien labor force, while protecting the jobs and wages of American workers.

H2-B visas are suitable for “temporary need,” nonagricultural positions lasting a year or less, such as labor recruitment for one-time occurrence (e.g., the result of a large project) or assistance during peak production, intermittent or seasonal labor cycles.

Under certain circumstances, it is possible to be granted an H2-B visa for up to one year; however, the seasonal nature of most work leads to close

scrutiny for positions requested to last for more than ten months. Numerous industries (such as landscaping, construction, hotel, food production and seafood processors) are eligible for workers through the H2-B visa program.

To be eligible for these employees through programs, each business must receive temporary labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor. This certification process is the most difficult part of the H2-A process, and it evaluates whether the position is agricultural, is open to U.S. citizens and if adequate housing and work conditions are provided by the company applicant. The business must also demonstrate that insufficient U.S. citizen workers are available and that the employment of foreign workers will have no negative impacts on U.S. citizens.

If hiring an agency that specializes in alien labor recruitment, representatives of that agency manage both the process and documentation of these steps.

Four different agencies are charged with determining employer certification eligibility: State Workforce Agency (SWA), U.S. Department of Labor’s National Processing Center (U.S. DOL-NPC), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Department of State Consular Offices (DSCO).

Applications for H2-A certification are encouraged to be submitted 45 days in advance of employer need.

Certification in the H2-B program has a longer cycle to completion. The employer must apply for H2-B workers no sooner than 120 days, and no later than 60 days, before the desired employment start date. The SWA has 30 days to process the application, and then it is forwarded to the National Processing Center (U.S. DOL-NPC).

These processing durations are lengthy in part because both involve a series of steps. First, a Labor Certification Application must be filed with the SWA that will direct the business in recruiting U.S. labor.

The NPC Certifying Officer (U.S. DOL-NPC) reviews the recommendation provided by the SWA and makes a decision regarding the employer’s certification. The U.S. CIS reviews the decision made by the NPC Certifying Officer and approves the application if it also deems the position temporary. The DSCO is the overseas consulate where workers apply for H2-B visas made available in the U.S. The DSCO begins recruiting once it has received position information and approval from the NPC Certifying Officer. To assist employers to negotiate with these processes, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification has posted answers to many Frequently Asked Questions on its webpage http://www.foreign laborcert.doleta.gov/faqsanswers.cfm#h2b.

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to the American consulates in their native countries and be interviewed individually. Extreme delays are common.

Though both visa programs have the potential for delays, only H2-B visa enrollments are capped. To illustrate the magnitude of this challenge to employers, only two H2-B visa disbursements were provided in 2008; the first 66,000 visa enrollments began October 1, 2007, and the second 66,000 visas were to conclude by April 1, 2008. For the entire 2008 season, all 132,000 visas were filled by January 3. Recent changes to the program, including not counting returning workers against the cap, initially helped, but since then, more seasonal industries have become dependant on the H2-B visa program.

Where do we go from here?

Upon certification, the employer (or agent) then files a visa petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service to allow foreign workers into the country. Once foreign workers have arrived, the employer is still required to recruit U.S. workers during the first half of the growing season. Even if U.S. citizens apply for jobs once H2-A workers have arrived on site, the Tennessee State Workforce Agency (SWA) must continue to make all reasonable efforts to refer interested U.S. workers either to a non-H2-A job in the area of intended employment or to an unfilled but pending H2-A position for which the H2-A workers have not yet arrived. For small growers, some exemptions to this policy may be available, but must be negotiated between employer and the representative labor agent.

Employers of H2-A visa holders are responsible for providing, at the employer’s own expense, transportation to and from the U.S. business location and the workers’ countries of residence. On-site housing must also be provided, and at least 75% of the hours guaranteed by the contract must be paid. In order to ensure that bringing in foreign workers does not depress wages, the Department of Labor mandates the payment of an Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) to both foreign and U.S. workers. The AEWR is higher than the Federal Minimum Wage and varies by state (Department of Labor). Workers on H2-A visas also pay no payroll taxes and are paid the same hourly wage rate for overtime as for regular hours worked. By contrast, H2-B workers receive overtime wages for hours worked exceeding 40 hours, and they pay the same payroll taxes as U.S. citizens. Wages of H2-B employees are also not constrained by the AEWR. Despite H2-A workers being more expensive to hire than unauthorized workers already in the U.S., most growers say that it is not the cost that deters them but, rather, the potential for delay. Criticism of guest worker programs has generally been centered on tremendous processing delays and cumbersome paperwork. In addition, all potential workers must go

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President Bush has affirmed that tightened bordered security and harsher employer punishments are inadequate to solve the labor-reform dilemma, and he perceives a need to increase legal channels for foreign workers to come to the U.S. as needed. Several programs have been proposed to accomplish this goal; to date, however, no temporary guest worker plan has been added or expanded.

Research has consistently shown that although most Americans want to limit illegal immigration, the public recognizes the importance of foreign laborers and is receptive to the expansion of guest worker programs. According to the National Immigration Forum, the majority of Americans also feel that unauthorized workers already in the U.S. should be given temporary work permits after paying a fine.

While many have disagreed that temporary workers will take jobs away from Americans, concern has emerged that simply providing growers with the number of laborers they desire will discourage them from pursuing technological solutions. Craig Regelbrugge, senior director of Government Relations at the American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA) and national co-chair of the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform, addressed some of these concerns in his presentation at the USDA Agricultural Outlook Conference. Regelbrugge described that growers have already taken huge steps toward increased mechanization, resulting in dramatically increased labor productivity.

He cited that, from 1999 to 2002, the agricultural industry experienced 15.4% increased aggregate outputs, while total labor inputs fell 9.2%. These numbers translate to a 29% increase in labor productivity. While Regelbrugge agreed that more research is needed, he stated that such experimentation is difficult to fund by an industry of many individual firms that operate with extremely narrow profit margins.

Another concern often cited about guest worker programs is that such programs create environments where workers can be easily exploited. Arguments have been made that a bad employer can simply mistreat workers or provide poor workplace conditions because the employee’s alternative is to go home. Some lawmakers have addressed this issue by proposing bills to give workers greater freedom to leave undesirable workplace conditions. Successful passage of these and other bills could allow guest workers to change employers without

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having to return home and apply for a new visa.

However, unlike employees in the H2-B program, H2-A workers can be transferred to other jobs and can do so for up to three years without a required return to the home country. After three years, H2-A visa holders must return home for at least six months before they can return to the U.S. on a new work visa.

This debate is ongoing and unresolved for 2008. The current status of ANLA’s lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C., including testimonial statements and official positions regarding H2-A and H2-B reform, can be accessed from the association webpage: http://www.anla.org/ (last updated 4-152008). For other news, proposals, discussion and public comment, visit the National Immigration Forum webpage at http://www.immigrationforum.org.

If a successful legislative solution can be found to provide adequate labor through the H2-A and H2-B visa programs, a large sector of our economy will benefit. Until then, current programs must be endured.

Biographical sketches Prior to graduating this May with two Bachelor’s degrees from The University of Tennessee, Alina Campbell accepted a position as a greenhouse intern with the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) at Oak Ridge National Laboratories. In her spare time, Alina has worked on translating several UT Extension landscaping publications into Spanish.

Most recently, Alina has applied to the UT Plant Sciences Department to study for a Master’s degree.

Tish Sowards has had extensive experience with the agricultural sector, first providing professional bookkeeping and auction sales services to tobacco warehouse owners, then with both agricultural and non-agricultural alien labor programs. In 1999, Tish formed KTL (Kentucky Tennessee Labor, Inc.) to assist employers as an agent negotiating H2A and H2-B guest worker programs. KTL has assisted hundreds of employers and has clients in 15 different states. For more information, contact Tish at (859) 272-4797 or by email at ktl@insightbb.com. C

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pests in the spotlight

A N A LL P O I NTS

BU LLETI N on Oriental Beetles Adopt preventive scouting of liners and plants shipped from NEUS markets for this non-native scarab pest that is “at home” in containers.

By Justin Clark, Graduate Student, and Bill Klingeman, Ph.D., The University of Tennessee

The Justin Clark, Graduate Student

Oriental beetle, Exomala orientalis (Waterhouse) (Coleoptera: Scarabeidae), is an exotic scarab pest that is native to Japan and the Philippine Islands, and it was probably first introduced into New Haven, CT, in the 1920s. Today, Oriental beetles (OBs) can be found throughout the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states, west to North Carolina and eastern Tennessee and north to Ohio. Small populations have been found in other isolated pockets within the continental U.S., as well as in Hawaii.

Localized hot spots are often cited to implicate pest spread by transportation of infested nursery stock. Yet, homeowners who relocate across interstate boundaries or who pack up their infested patio plants with them can also carry OB larvae to new locations.

Nursery growers and landscapers should familiarize themselves with this economically significant threat to ornamental plants and crops in Tennessee. Heightened awareness can help limit this pest’s spread. Producers and retailers should also follow Nursery Best Management Practices.

Vigilantly screen new purchases of potted liners and nursery plants, particularly those from infected regions. Ideally, your inspections should occur before you accept a truckload of stock and before new plants are integrated into your nursery, sales yard or customer landscapes.

Oriental beetle larvae and adult life stages Both the adult and larval stages of Oriental and Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica Newman) are about the same sizes. Adult OBs are about 1/2" long, vary in color from light brown to black and have yellowish margins on the thorax, with elytral wing covers that 12

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Adult male Oriental beetles are about the same size as adult Japanese beetles and often have distinct dark patches on the pronotum, behind the head (photo by J. Clark).

may be darkly mottled. Typically, two small black areas are on the pronotum behind the head, but these can become fused into a single dark patch.

The larvae of Oriental and Japanese beetles are both C-shaped and about 1" long as mature third instars, but the species can be differentiated by the raster hair patterns below the anal slit on the abdominal underside. Use a 10x hand lens to confirm the OB’s raster pattern, which has two parallel rows of 10–16 hairs pointing toward the median of the raster.

Common White Grubs of Northeast Ohio Nurseries is a publication that provides fantastic photographs and lifehistory details about scarab beetle pests. The publication can be accessed online at http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ atru/research/grubs.pdf.

Oriental beetle biology and behavior Like that of Japanese beetles, white-grub feeding of OB larvae damages the roots of turfgrass and ornamental plants. Unlike Japanese beetles, adult female OBs actively lay eggs in soil-less container substrates that are widely used in the nursery industry.

In the fall landscape, when soil temperatures reach 50º F, third instar OBs burrow 8"–16" below the soil surface to overwinter. In spring as soil temperatures rise, larvae move within about 3" of the soil surface and resume feeding. Pupation typically occurs in early June about 6" deep in soil and within a sealed soil pupal cell.

After a two- to three-week pupation period, adult OBs emerge during nighttime in late June to early July, and mating begins. The majority of adult OBs observed in flight are males; females remain close to ground level to mate and deposit eggs. Males fly low to the ground at heights seldom exceeding 4' and do not travel fast or cover great distances. Female beetles individually deposit 25 eggs, 1" to 9" deep below the soil surface. Eggs hatch in three to four weeks; afterwards, larvae begin feeding on plant roots near the soil surface.

Scouting for OB feeding injury to plants and turf Feeding activity is often greater at dusk and in open, sunny lawns and turf growing in moist, sandy-loam soil.

Soils with high organic matter and turf that is irrigated or recently fertilized present greater risks of damage.

OB injury to turf and nursery stock is often mistaken for feeding damage caused by Japanese beetle larvae. If larvae are recovered, remember to examine the abdominal raster pattern and confirm which species is causing the injury.

Most turf damage caused by OB larvae is observed on cool-season turfgrasses. Early in the season, populations of young OB larvae produce small chlorotic and necrotic spots of turf when feeding. As white-grub larvae grow, the spots coalesce into larger patches. Infested turf may show quick decline in response to drought stress. In the field, hand-pulling affected grass tufts in the chlorotic or “droughted” patches can help diagnose white grubs as the tennessee greentimes

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Illustration of the Oriental beetle (Exomala orientalis) larval raster pattern, showing the two parallel rows of 10-16 light hairs beneath the anal slit. OB larvae are smaller, and these parallel hairs are lighter in both color and texture, than on the larvae of the May/June beetle (Polyphaga sp.) (photo redrawn by W.E. Klingeman, after Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet # HYG-2510-94).

culprit. Severed grass stems may be apparent at or below ground level, and turf should be easy to remove by hand if larvae have severed their fine root anchors.

OB larvae also feed on blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and sweet potatoes, as well as hundreds of species of ornamental nursery stock and weeds. Most injury to non-turf plants occurs when larvae feed on the fine root tissues of actively growing plants, either in landscape soil or in containers containing a soil-less growing medium. Container-grown stock may be at particular risk of reduced growth or losses.

In the northeastern U.S., OB larvae are an ongoing management and economic challenge. In 2000, one container-nursery producer in New Jersey experienced about $40,000 of plant damage and crop losses attributed to OB larvae feeding.

OB population levels fluctuate from year to year, but they can be alarmingly high. In 1999 and 2000, traps placed in New Jersey nurseries caught (on average) between 12,000 and 17,000 male OBs per trap during the beetles’ summer flight period — and that’s just half the population that was feeding on plant roots.

Adult OBs will occasionally feed on plant foliage, with phlox and rose commonly reported as hosts, but usually no significant damage results.

Management/control strategies After beetle-feeding damage is detected, it is important to identify which white-grub species is causing the injury so that the best control method can be applied. Not all pesticides work equally well for all white-grub species.

Digging by raccoons, moles, opossums or skunks can help point to areas with high concentrations of grubs.

Cut a square-foot section (3" deep) inside the area of affected turfgrass, roll back the sod and count the larvae.

For lawns and managed turfgrass, the treatment threshold when pesticide applications are warranted to prevent injury 14

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is reached when counts average five to seven OB larvae per square foot. At outbreak levels, 40–60 larvae per square foot can cause extreme turf damage, allowing turf with severed roots to be rolled back like carpet.

Adult OB males can be trapped using a standard Japanese beetle bag or bucket trap with a pheromone blend specifically designed for OBs. Pheromone trapping will help identify the peak flight activity of male beetles and can be used to precisely time pesticide applications to achieve maximum effect. Between 2003 and 2006, OB flight activity in Knoxville occurred from the last week in May to the second week in August. Flight activity typically peaked during the second week of July.

Enhancing the populations of natural enemies or applying entomopathogens and insect-parasitic nematodes is often the safest management strategy for low levels of white grubs, but these options may be slow acting.

Entomopathogenic nematodes work best when air temperatures are above 50º F and below 90º F and when soil or soil-less substrates are thoroughly moist.

Natural OB enemies include carabid ground beetles, staphylinid rove beetles, ants and spiders. Biorational products containing Beauveria bassiana are also commercially available.

Turfgrass and nursery managers can also use cultural control measures, like manipulating irrigation and fertilizer use before and after flights have peaked.

Withholding these resources can make oviposition sites in turf and nursery borders less attractive to egg-laying females. Resuming these practices after peak flight activity has passed can help turf outgrow the effects of low-level feeding damage.

When managing OB in turfgrass, pesticides used to control larvae require precise timing in order to kill the smallest, most-susceptible larvae. Before treating with pesticides, mow and remove thatch to reduce the amount of organic matter available to bind the pesticide before it penetrates soil. Similarly, it often helps to irrigate after applying pesticides used to control larvae. Read and follow the guidelines on pesticide labels. The conventional insecticide trichlorfon will give curative white grub control.

If preventive management is needed for high-visibility areas, neonicotinoids like imidacloprid (Merit 75 WP, Merit 0.5 G), thiamethoxam (Meridian 25 WG, Meridian 0.33 G), clothianidin (Arena 50 WDG) or halofenazide (MACH 2, GrubEx 1.5 G) are recommended.

Larvicidal treatments work best if used in early August to manage OB grubs. If infestation levels were high the previous year and slower-acting imidicloprid is selected for control, treatments work best when applied from May to early August. Broad-spectrum insecticides like carbaryl or trichlorfon are generally used only in spring or fall to treat extremely high white-grub populations because these pesticides are highly toxic to earthworms, many beneficial arthropods and honeybees.

Work is underway to establish recommendations appropriate to Tennessee for treatment of OB grubs in

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nursery container-grown nursery plants. For more information about specific pesticide control recommendations, please see the UT Extension Insect and Plant Disease Control Manual (PB1690, available online at http://eppserver.ag.utk.edu/ redbook/redbook.htm), or contact your local county Extension agent.

Biographical sketch Justin Clark studied Agricultural and Extension Education while at The University of Tennessee. After graduating in May 2004, Justin served as a county Extension agent in Roane County. In August 2006, Justin returned to UT to pursue a master’s degree, and he currently works with Dr. Mark Windham in the Entomology and Plant Pathology Department in Knoxville. C

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In The Landscape

20 Fast Phrases…

Communicating with Spanish-Speaking Employees

By Tony Cortes, Turfgrass Management Student, The University of Tennessee

O

utlining goals and directing daily tasks to a grounds crew can be challenging if your employees are limited to communicating in Spanish. For landscape and turfgrass managers who may not be fluent, here are translations of 20 key phrases that were invaluable to me in preparing for the 2007 PGA Championship during my spring and summer internship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1. I need you to help me.

Te necesito que me ayudes.

2. Try to work as quickly as possible.

Intenta trabajar lo más rápido posible.

3. What days can you work next week? ¿Que diaz puedes trabajar en la próxima semana?

12. Mow three times a week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday [Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday].

Corta tres veces cada semana: Lunes, Miercoles, Viernes [Martes, Jueves, Sábado, Domingo] 13. Please help the other guys mow the turf.

Por favor ayuda a los otros muchachos cortar el pasto.

14. Mow around the trees with this machine.

Corta alrededor de los árboles con esta máquina.

15. Mow the grass on the hill.

Corta el pasto en la colina.

16. Please mow the ditches.

Por favor corta las zanjas.

17. Don’t mow the areas that are really wet.

No cortes las áreas que estan realmente mojadas.

4. Do you understand what you have to do? ¿Entiendes lo que tienes que hacer?

18. Please weed-eat around the ponds.

Por favor corta alrededor de los charcos.

5. Did everything go well today? ¿Todo estuvo bien hoy?

19. Use the hand blower to blow leaves off the grass.

Usa el soplador de mano para soplar las hojas de el pasto.

6. We are going to lay sod today.

Vamos a poner el pasto hoy.

20. Be careful not to spray the grass with this chemical.

Ten cuidado no sprayer el pasto con este químico.

7. Remove large rocks and sticks from the tilled area.

Quita las piedras y los palos grandes del área labrada.

Biographical sketch

8. Go spray the weeds on the flowerbeds.

Ve a esprayar (rociar) las hierbas en las áreas de flores.

9. Use this machine to spray the flowerbeds.

Utiliza esta máquina para sprayer las áreas de flores.

10. Try to trim all the bushes.

Intenta ajustar todos los arbustos.

11. Mow the turf every day.

Corta el pasto diariamente.

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Tony Cortes grew up in Parsons, TN, and had his first turf experiences working for Tennessee River Golf Club while attending Decatur County High School. In 2004, Tony started his Turfgrass Management studies with Dr. John Sorochan in the Plant Sciences Department at The University of Tennessee. Tony plans to graduate in December 2008, and he will return to work at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. C

Retailer’s Notes

Boosting Humidity to Enhance Pre-Sale Quality of Retail Tropical Plants

By June “Dolphin” Riggs

B

eing a horticulturist or a “plant specialist” in a massmarket retail store can certainly offer some interesting challenges, ranging from overcrowded plant material to inexperienced workers who can be either overzealous or under-enthused with the store’s watering program. Regardless, we employees are charged with properly caring for and maintaining our green garden-center tenants with as little pre-sale loss as possible. Obviously, the greater the amount of shrinkage, the greater the loss not only in profits and market share but also in customer perception of store quality.

The challenges One of the largest contributing factors to shrinkage is improper watering. Whether the plants are over-watered or under-watered, the result is the same — shrinkage and losses of money and customer confidence.

Over-watered plants typically will have yellow, chlorotic foliage that can resemble a nutritional disorder, followed by wilting and plant decline or death. Under-watered plants will usually express drought symptoms (brown or black leaf tips and, in extreme cases, wilted and dropped leaves).

Low humidity can cause many of our tropical plants to decline in quality the longer we hold them prior to sale.

Indoor (e.g., tropical) plants require about 70% to 75% humidity. Yet, the humidity in most garden-center retail spaces without greenhouses will be considerably drier, unless equipped with a super-efficient humidifier.

but I check each plant daily during misting. This easy management action has reduced our watering schedule to those plants by nearly 50%, and still the plants are flourishing.

Aged and stressed (previously drowned) plants have been revitalized and are showing new growth and bloom. If you expect to hold tropical plants for an extended duration, you might consider introducing a scheduled foliar feeding about once every three weeks into the misting program.

And when these plants sell, remember to educate your customers on the values of misting. It will be to their advantage to continue the misting program when they “adopt” your green buddies and move them to their new homes (which are also typically low in humidity). By implementing a regimen of misting into your watering program, I am confident that you can save both water and plants! C

A simple solution A few weeks ago, I rediscovered my fogger/mist nozzle in the bottom of my filing cabinet. I began misting our tropical plants twice daily, and within just a few days, I began seeing amazing results — more vibrant colors, greener foliage and increased vitality — a benefit of increased humidity around these plants.

According to the individual plant species/variety and pot sizes, I now thoroughly water two to three times weekly, and I continue to mist twice daily,

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Recent Events

T N L A H RI Golf Tournament June 9, 2008

❖

Forrest Crossing Golf Course

❖

Franklin, TN

Thanks to Our Golf Sponsors!

Congratulations to Our Winners!

1st Place Team Jim Denning, David Green, Allen Hitchcock, Vernon Keith

2nd Place Team Bill Arter, Terry Kidd, Michael Lorance

3rd Place Team Matt Cope, Justin Fisher, Wally Stern, Josh Young 1st Place Team for the 2008 TNLA/HRI Golf Tournament: (left to right) Vernon Keith, David Green, Jim Denning and Allen Hitchcock.

Closest to the Hole Fred Greene and Benny Shepherd

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SUMMER 2008

Allen Landscape Management BWI of Memphis Bouldin's Gateway Tire Botanico, Inc. Carolina Nurseries, Inc. Cherry Springs Nursery Dayton Bag & Burlap Company Dealer Consultant Services Denning & Cantrell CPAs, PLLC General Equipment Great Western Bag H Company, LLC Hans Nelson & Sons Nursery Haviland Plastic Products Huff & Puff Trucking Jay West, TNLA Lobbyist John Holmlund Nursery Kidd Ford Lincoln-Mercury L & H Distributing Nursery Supplies, Inc. Pleasant Cove Nursery Regions Bank Riverbend Nurseries, LLC Rogers Group, Inc. Scotts-Osmocote Security Federal Savings Bank Shady Valley Nursery Southern Insurance Group Speer & Sons Nursery, Inc. Surface Nursery / Don Brookshire & Assoc.

Totherow, Haile & Welch CPAs Underwood True Value Hardware Vaughn Nursery Walker Nursery Company Womack Printing Company

Tennessee Green Industry Field Day Williamson County Ag. Expo Center Franklin, TN ❖ June 10, 2008

Thanks to Our Field Day Exhibitors! ❖ Alley-Cassetty Truck Center ❖ BWI of Memphis ❖ Barky Beaver Mulch & Soil ❖ Bobcat of Nashville / Doosan Equipment Sales & Service ❖ Classic Groundcovers, Inc. ❖ D & D Agri ❖ Dickens Turf & Landscape Supply ❖ Dow AgroSciences, LLC ❖ Ewing Irrigation ❖ Griffin Greenhouse & Nursery Supplies ❖ H & H Farm Machine Co. ❖ Hayes Nursery Enterprises ❖ Heather Farms ❖ International Insurance Brokerage, LLC ❖ Pleasant Cove Nursery ❖ Randall Walker Farms ❖ Riverbend Nurseries, LLC ❖ Samara Farms ❖ Scenic Hills Nursery ❖ Sigma Organics ❖ Syngenta ❖ Walker Nursery Company

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SUMMER 2008

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Industry News

Record-Keeping Workshop for Nurseries & Small Businesses

The

4

University of Tennessee Extension will sponsor a financial record-keeping workshop on August 12–14 for nurseries and small businesses. This workshop will cover topics such as basic bookkeeping practices, payroll preparation, inventory management, invoicing and accounts receivable, accounts payable and marketinginformation management. This workshop will be held at the TSU Nursery Research Center in McMinnville.

This workshop will be hands-on in nature, with each company having the use of a computer during the workshop.

This allows participants to enter and analyze transactions for financial management and marketing purposes. Participants will receive a workbook detailing the procedures for company setup and for entering the various transactions commonly used in a small business.

The record-keeping software taught at the workshop will be QuickBooks Premier 2007. This is also an opportunity

for people to learn about QuickBooks Pro since both of these software programs are similar. However, QuickBooks Premier has some advanced inventory features that can improve inventory management.

There will be ample opportunity during the workshop for questions pertaining to particular business situations.

There will also be time during and at the end of the workshop for questions and problems regarding individual business practices.

Due to the attention given to individual companies, space will be limited, and participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost of the workshop will be $175 per company (for one representative) and an additional $90 for a second company participant. For further information about the Warren County workshop or reservations, contact the Warren County Extension Service at (931) 473-8484. Payments will be refunded if workshop enrollment is not sufficient. C

New TNLA Members

Welcome,TNLA New Members!

ACTIVE MEMBERS Little Hill Nursery Paul Little 5494 Raleigh LaGrange Rd. Memphis, TN 38134 Native Plantscapes Brandon Scott P.O. Box 1395 Cookeville, TN 38503

Scenic Landscapes Randal Norville 611 Scenic Hills Drive Newbern, TN 38059 Southern Roots, LLC Larry Pirtle 721 Ashfield Court Nashville, TN 37211

Spring Meadow Nursery Mike McDonald 12601 120th Avenue Grand Haven, MI 49417 Valent USA Greg Roman 126 Southwood Drive Cary, NC 27519

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Quality Christmas Trees Stanley Lyon 255 Childress Road Fayetteville, TN 37334

Bobcat of Nashville /Doosan Equipment Sales & Service Kim Linville 5818 Crossings Blvd.

Antioch, TN 37013

Samara Farms Matt Dawson 3952 Stewarts Lane Nashville, TN 37218

King-Hughes Fasteners Mark Filberth 550 Fourth Street P.O. Box 98 Imlay City, MI 48444

AFFILIATE MEMBERS Drew Jeffers 1305 Knotty Pine Way, Apt. 314A Knoxville, TN 37920

calendar of events

AUGUST 6–9

SEPTEMBER 18

January 13–14, 2009

2008 SNA Forum & Tradeshow Research Conference, Aug. 6-7 Tradeshow, Aug. 7-9 Atlanta, GA Contact: 770-953-3311 www.sna.org

UT Annual Turfgrass Field Day University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN Contact: 865-974-7201 http://turfweeds.utk.edu

Mid-States Horticultural Expo (a partnership of TNLA and KNLA) Kentucky Exposition Center Louisville, KY For advertising contact: Betsie A. Taylor, 800-735-9791 or KNLA@mis.net; http://www.knla.org For booth information contact: Louree Walker, 931-473-3951 or louree@TNLA.com

OCTOBER 3–4

AUGUST 12–14 Financial Record-Keeping Workshop TSU Nursery Crop Research Station McMinnville, TN Contact: 931-473-8484

AUGUST 16–18

MTNA TRADE SHOW McMinnville Civic Center McMinnville, TN Contact: 931-507-7322 Fax: 931-507-9601 E-mail: MTNA@blomand.net www.MTNA.com

NCAN Summer Green Show (North Carolina Assn. of Nurserymen) Greensboro, NC Contact: 919-816-9119

classified

American Wholesale Co. USED WALK-IN-COOLER-FREEZER BOXES REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS-EQUIPMENT. Large Inventory, All Sizes Buy • Sell – Nationwide Wholesale Prices Phone: 216-426-8882 • Fax: 216-426-8883 www.awrco.com

classified

Hayes Nursery Enterprises 1474 Old Well Road Morrison, Tennessee 37357 Trudie or James Hayes, 931-939-7945 Liners to Landscape.

classified

Vans Pines Nursery, Inc. West Olive, MI

Conifer Jiffy Plug Liners – Conifer Plug Plus Transplants – Deciduous Seedlings New 2008-2009 Catalog Now Available Call for yours at 1-800-888-7337 or www.vanspinesnursery.com

index of advertisers Boshancee Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover

D & D Agri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Ewing Irrigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover

www.boshanceensy.com Braun Horticulture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

www.ewing1.com Florida Pine Straw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

www.braungroup.com BWI Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 15

www.floridapinestraw.com Forrest Nursery Company, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

www.bwicompanies.com Carolina Nurseries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

Forrest Keeling Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 www.fknursery.com

www.carolinanurseries.com Central Landscape Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Freedom Tree Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 www.freedomtreefarms.com

www.centrallandscape.com Cherry Springs Nursery/Speer & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 .

John Deere Landscapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 www.johndeerelandscapes.com

www.speernursery.com Cleary Chemical Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Larry A. Gribble Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Crimson Dale Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Mid Tenn Turf, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 www.midtennturf.com

www.crimsondalenursery.com

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Sherman Nursery Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 www.shermannursery.com Surface Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 www.surfacenursery.com Swafford Nursery, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover www.swaffordnursery.com Swihart Sales Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 www.swihart-sales.com Syngenta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 www.syngentaprofessionalproducts.com Tree Equipment Design, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 www.treeequip.com Turf Mountain Sod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 www.turfmountain.com