2016
Journal Photos courtesy of Thunderwood Farms
Table of Contents 03 Calendar of Events for 2016
04 Partnership in Sustainability 06 2016 Board of Directors 08 Letter from the Chairman 09 A Message from the Executive Director 10 2015 Award Winners 15 2016 Academy of Crop Production 16 Hoke Smith 18 GGIA Recognizes CES Specialists 19 Legislative issues 20 Water: Conflict or Collaboration? 26 Capitol Day 27 Infographic on GA’s Green Industry 28 Disease Update: Boxwood Blight in Georgia 32 2015 Landscape Industry Hidden Gems 34 Status Check on Overtime Rules 35 Spring Into Color 5K Dash 36 UGA Ag Forecast 37 Important Herbicides Update 38 ANSI approves standards 39 Center for Applied Nursery Research 40 GA Gold Medal Plants for 2015 44 GATE 46 AmericanHort’s SHIFT Initiative 48 Wintergreen Exhibitors 49 WINTERGREEN Schedule of Events 54 GGIA Membership Benefits 55 GGIA Membership Application
Photoscourtesy of Thunderwood Farms
2016
Calendar of Events
JANUARY
January 27-29: WINTERGREEN Wednesday, January 27 Exhibitor Move-In Day Education Sessions Thursday, January 28 AGNGA/Harrell’s Breakfast Trade Show Ribbon Cutting Board Member Legislative Update Education Sessions Friday, January 29 GGIA Annual Business Meeting Trade Show Open Education Sessions
FEBRUARY February 2: Georgia Agribusiness Council Annual Meeting February 3: Georgia Agribusiness Legislative Breakfast at the Freight Depot at the Georgia Capitol February 17: GGIA’s Plant Day at the Georgia Capitol
MARCH March 8: GGIA Board and Council Meeting Location TBA
APRIL April 23: Spring Into Color 5K Dash in the Town Center Park in Suwanee, Georgia
For times, see pages gia.org! More info at www.g
MAY
May 24: GGIA Executive Council Meeting at Hills and Dales Estates
JUNE June 12: GGIA Roundup at the GGIA/UGA Academy of Crop Production in Athens, Georgia June 13-14: Educational Tracts June 15: UGA Trial Gardens Industry Open House in Athens, Georgia June 21-22:
GGIA Planning Retreat at the UGA Bamboo Gardens in Savannah, Georgia. All current and new 2016-2017 board members are encourgaged to attend.
OTHER EVENTS January 11-15: Green and Grow Show Greensboro, North Carolina January 20-22: Gulf States Horticulture Expo Mobile, Alabama January 21-23: South Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association Show Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
PARTNERSHIP IN SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM CHAMPION
GUARANTOR
GUARDIAN
PATRON Abbey View Farm • Buck Jones Nursery • Going Green Horticultural, LLC • Alex Smith Garden Design, LTD • Ganious Shade Trees, Inc.
SPONSOR Cofer’s Home & Garden Showplace • Eason Horticultural Resources, Inc. • Foothills Compost • Graco Fertilizer Co. • Granite Industries • Griffin Green House • HORTech LLC • Lake Tree Growers • Sun Gro Horticulture
FRIEND Horticultural Specialty Services • The Henry F. Michell Company • Wolfskin Growers, Inc. • Going Green Horticulture, LLC • Hulls Treeland • Nursery Supplies • Summit Plastic Co.
(Letter from Chris re: PISP)
Board of Di
irectors 2016
Letter from the Chairman
Reflecting back on the time that I have spent on the Board of Directors for GGIA I can now realize that things have come a long way! We struggled through a terrible drought and a recession unlike most people have ever seen or lived through. We fought battles for water, labor, and immigration. Recently, we have hired a new Executive Director, relocated our office, changed our accounting system, revamped ggia.org and added a new website for the public, plantsomethingga.com. How did we do all of this? Commitment to the Green Industry. Our new Executive Director is not new to us. He has served on this Board or worked for the Board since 2008. After a nationwide search to find the most qualified person to run GGIA, our suspicions were correct. Chris Butts is our guy. His experience as our lobbyist and Director of Legislative Affairs and his contacts in the industry and at the State Capitol made Chris the obvious choice. Since taking over, Chris has been busy realigning our focus and our association. Support has come from many different avenues such as more participation at board meeting, more committee involvement from non-board members, and of course your financial support. During this time we moved our office to Blue Ridge and adopted a new accounting system that will let us bill electronically, saving paper and postage, and allow us to keep up with our members and their individual needs. One thing did remain the same during this time. We are grateful and fortunate to have Jennifer Addington and Sarah Mickens remain with GGIA through the transition. These ladies have done a great job amidst a sea of change and we are glad that they will be with us going forward. Have you been to ggia.org lately? It is better, faster and more user friendly. There is advertising space for our members, a job board, and an area for forums. And because it is linked through our accounting system, you can log in and pay your membership fee, Wintergreen booth fee or make a donation to our Partnership in Sustainability Program! Another site we are working on is plantsomethingga.com. This site is going to be our outreach to the public. The site allows users to find a landscaper, garden center, irrigation specialist, or landscape designer in the area near them. All GGIA members will be able to input their individual business offerings into the database and the public will be able to search for Green Industry professionals specifically suited to their needs. Not open the public? No problem! Our data base allows us to block your business offerings from the public, but you can still be found by your peers. That's right folks, things have changed a lot. The one thing that has not changed is our focus. Our Board of Directors is more focused now than ever before. Now I am asking for your help! The war is not over. We are still fighting for water, labor and immigration. We have new challenges with technology, consumer misinformation, and new production crops possibly coming to Georgia in the near future. We need good people that want to see our Industry succeed and flourish in the coming years. Your Board of Directors meetings are open to any member that want to participate, and I promise that your input will be valued and your voice will be heard. We also have a few vacancies on the Board that need to be filled. The only requirements are your time and passion for your Industry. Thank you for this wonderful experience and allowing me serve this Industry,
Gray Riner
A Message from the Executive Director
Thank you for being a part of the Georgia Green Industry Association. The staff and I are grateful for the trust you place in us in order to operate your association. The past year has seen many changes within GGIA and thanks to the support of our members, we have embraced that change and vowed to push further. Sherry Morris had held the post of Executive Director since the inception of GGIA 28 years ago. There would be no GGIA without Sherry. She guided the association from its humble beginnings, working with leaders like Jake Tinga, Bill Craven, Larry Ward and Skeetter McCorkle. Through mergers and growth, Sherry helped grow GGIA from a small organization representing growers and landscapers to the association that today represents all of the diversity that is the Green Industry. We owe Sherry for her years of service and dedication and we have her to thank for the vibrant association we know today. But even as we celebrated the past, we realized that it was time to move GGIA forward. Our mission as a staff is to evaluate every function that we perform as GGIA and to insure that everything we are doing is in the best interest of GGIA. If it’s not, we ask ourselves why we are doing it. If it is something we feel we need to do, we ask if we are doing it in the most efficient and productive way. The word sustainable is clichéd in today’s society and in business in particular. But sustainable serves as a good measuring stick for all we do at GGIA. Once we determine that we are doing the right thing and doing so in an efficient matter, our final metric is sustainability. Can we keep doing this way? When all three answers are yes, we know we are on the right path. We have had a productive and fruitful year. With support from the industry we completed an incredible landscape on the campus of The University of Georgia at the home of Cooperative Extension, the Hoke Smith Building. In October, the industry gathered at the home of Dr. Michael and Bonnie Dirr for an evening of fellowship that benefited the GGIA Partnership in Sustainability. The Wintergreen Conference boasts a strong education program and booth sales have outpaced the every year since we moved to the Gwinnett Center. As an industry, we will face our share of challenges in 2016. Pollinator health, labor, immigration and other legislative issues will continue to command our attention and action. Rest assured that your association will be there for you, working for the betterment of all of the industry. With your continued support and the help of our partners, we will continue to tell the story of the green industry and work for the benefit of all. As we are enthused about GGIA, we are also enthused about 2016. The economy is on a steady path of improvement, the housing market in Georgia looks poised for growth and we hear from our members that sales forecasts can once again look for growth in the new year. We are excited about the future and hope that you will join us for the ride. Sincerely,
Chris Butts
2015 AWAR The Georgia Green Industry Association awards recognize excellence in the industry as well as those who selflessly give back to support the greater good of horticulture and landscaping in Georgia. This year’s winners are an exemplary group who do that and more. They were recognized at GGIA’s “An Evening in the Dirr Gardens” in October 2015.
JEFF FISCHER
Jake Tinga Distinguished Young Professional Award The Jake Tinga Distinguished Young Professional Award was presented to Jeff Fischer of FIS Outdoors. Jeff Fischer made his entry into the green industry as a delivery driver for FIS Outdoors. Since then he’s worked his way up the ladder having held six different management roles within the company. During part of that time he also served as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. Once he moved to Georgia he retired from that service to focus full time on his career in the green industry, redirecting his focus to sales. Jeff’s commitment to the industry is illustrated in his view of sales which he sees not in terms of dollars and cents but as industry growth through relationships. Jeff is married to Dani and is father to Kyleigh. He supports Dani’s home business and says that she and Kyleigh help keep him grounded even when often away from home. Jeff has been involved with GGIA for over three years and has been a driving force within GGIA’s Irrigation Division. He says that his passion for the industry grows every day and that he feels like he has spent a decade helping to grow the awareness of our industry and has many more ahead of him. He singlehandedly secured Toro and FIS Outdoor as the donors of the entire irrigation system at UGA’s Hoke Smith project, designed the system and oversaw every piece during the installation. We are fortunate to have Jeff working for and in the Green Industry. We know that he will be around for a long time to come and we look forward to watching his continued growth.
RD WINNERS BRIAN JERNIGAN
Jake Tinga Distinguished Professional Award The Jake Tinga Distinguished Professional award goes to the person who contributes the most to the advancement of the industry. Brian Jernigan from McCorkle Nurseries will humbly tell you that he just does his part. But when you step back and consider the many hats that Brian wears, you wonder how he has enough hours in the day to make all the contributions he makes in all the different ways he makes them. As a family man, you rarely see Brian without his wife Maria and daughters Kimberly and Bella. As director of the Center for Applied Nursery Research, Brian spends those hours looking for projects, looking for ideas and looking for people to help him improve the industry. As a GGIA transitioned to a new executive director, Brian single handedly took over the associations’ finances, logging each invoice, each payment and each receivable by hand and quietly molded that into a working budget, week by week, month by month for the transition and then for all of the next fiscal year. When GGIA has a need, we turn to Brian. When others in the industry have a need, they turn to Brian too. He describes his role at McCorkle as including production management, propagation, potting and plant health and then adds that he has picked up a few more things along the way to include planning and shipping. His leadership within GGIA and CANR make both organizations better. But most telling is this, among all those tasks and skills Brian says that it’s the people that make the industry and GGIA special, doing what they can for the betterment of others. It’s certainly something for the rest of us to strive for, to give back to those special people as much as Brian does.
Photo courtesy of Thunderwood Farms
MATTHEW CHAPPELL
Communicator of the Year Award
The Communicator of the Year Award was presented to Matthew Chappell from The University of Georgia-College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences- Horticulture Department. Effective communication is important. So much so that we annually recognize those individuals who do so for the industry. Dr. Matthew Chappell serves the industry in so many ways that he realized that it was best to communicate in a way that is easily understood so that he doesn’t have to repeat himself. Dr. Chappell has held the position of Assistant and now Associate Professor of Horticulture and Statewide Cooperative Extension Specialist of Commercial Nursery Production since August 2007. Since his hire, Dr. Chappell has been actively involved in many state and regional Green Industry organizations including the Southern Nursery Association (SNA), Georgia Green Industry Association (GGIA), Center for Applied Nursery Research (CANR), Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council (GA-EPPC), and Georgia Gold Medal Plants committee. He has authored 22 Extension Publications that have been viewed 165,216 times (CAES) as well as 22 refereed scientific publications, 20 scientific abstracts, 21 proceedings articles, 27 popular press articles – he also edits 2 reoccurring newsletters. Dr. Chappell has also participated in a push to move nursery producers toward sustainable production practices that has resulted in the “Moving Nursery Producers Toward Sustainable Practices” website that serves as the only Nursery Industry sustainability website in the world. This website is home to over 300 links to sustainability documents and websites in 19 categories as well as sixteen refereed and ADA compliant videos on sustainable practices. There have been 11,524 unique visitors to the site (Google Analytics) and 19,471 video views (YouTube). As his credentials illustrate, Matthew is a busy man and an asset to the industry. Most importantly, Matthew genuinely cares about the industry and its members. His dedication and long hours prove this. He provides a great service by helping all of the industry keep up to date on his research and other findings and is a tremendous representative for Cooperative Extension. We know that we will be hearing much more from Dr. Chappell in the future.
TODD HURT
Educator of the Year Award
The Educator of the Year Award was presented to Todd Hurt from The University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences- Office of the Associate Dean for Extension.
Many in the industry got to know Todd through his role as Training Cordinator for the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture in Griffin. Under Todd’s watch, these programs have flourished. There are now over 1,900 certified professionals in GCLP and GCPP. Todd joined GGIA in 2002 and has served on the board as certification chair for ten years. Todd has always looked for ways to improve access to education by making Super Crew Training available online, creating landscape Jeopardy games, the GGIA Golf outing tee box pesticide CEU quiz, he has built 5 green industry related online classrooms, and worked with Extension specialist to host monthly webinars. Gary Wade, Teri Hamlin, Wayne Juers, and Todd developed the GGIA Jr. Certification program in 2007 and hosts two exams a year for the students and a three-day workshop for teachers every summer. Todd coordinated the Extension Booth at Winter Green for over a decade and one of the craziest years Todd, Jenny Hardgrave, and Becky Griffin dressed as pirates and handed out keys to a treasure chest filled with horticultural books. This native of Cordele Georgia has 22 years of varied experience in the green industry. He has worked as a county extension agent in Florida and Georgia, was a general manager of a foliage greenhouse operation in Apopka, worked as a horticulturist for a landscape pest control company, and was the training coordinator for the Georgia Certified Landscape and Plant Professional programs for nearly a decade. Todd completed his PhD. In Higher Educational Leadership in 2014 and is currently working in Athens as the Program Development Specialist developing training programs for Extension Agents statewide. GGIA has been blessed in our long relationship with Todd. As he moves on to other endeavors within UGA, we know that we can still call on him when needed. His dedication to certification set the program up to excel into the future and for this we owe Todd a tremendous debt of gratitude.
CLARK HOWARD
Environmental Friend of the Industry Award The Environmental Friend of the Industry Award was presented to Clark Howard- Atlanta Radio Personality. If you have been a GGIA member for very long, you know that we have a long standing relationship with Clark Howard and his Clark Builds for Habitat for Humanity. Working with Clark, GGIA and its members have been honored to provide plant material and volunteers for numerous Habitat Houses. Wintergreen Exhibitors have the option each year to donate their booth materials to Habitat and these contributions along with those from our members have made quite a difference in Clark’s projects. In 2016 GGIA will once again be coordinating donations for yet another set of homes with Clark as the driving force. We salute Clark for his contributions to Georgians in need of a helping hand.
SCOTT ANGLE
Vivian Munday, Buck Jones Lifetime Achievement Award The Vivian Munday, Buck Jones Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Scott Angle, Former Dean of the UGA College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences who is now with the International Fertilizer Development Center. Many people in the industry were disappointed when they learned that Dean Scott Angle would be leaving the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences in late 2015. During Scott’s ten year tenure with UGA, he made quite an impact on the industry. Despite crippling budget cuts and lean economic times, Scott was a tireless champion for agriculture and horticulture in general. During his time at UGA, significant hires were made that directly impacted the horticulture industry including Donglin Zhang who serves in the Michael A. Dirr Endowed Professorship for Woody Plant Instruction and Introduction. Dean Angle played a part in the naming of John Ruter as Allan M. Armitage Endowed Professorship for Herbaceous Plant Instruction and Introduction. He is also to be commended for keeping the horticulture faculty intact and at home at UGA during these difficult times. While Scott is already missed, he has followed his passion and his heart to the International Fertilizer Development Center. Here he will have the opportunity to help people in impoverished areas around the world develop the infrastructure to have readily available fertilizer to help grow crops and feed their families. Something we take for granted here at home. He will also be able to spend more time with his wife Teresa for whom he has also been a fierce protector and devoted husband. The next Dean at UGA will have big shoes to fill. As an industry we are thankful that we got to enjoy Scott as long as we did.
2016 Academy
HOKE SMIT
TH SPREAD
RECOGNIZES CES SPECIALISTS
GGIA recently recognized four specialists from the University of Georgia as Advisors to the GGIA Board of Directors. From the very beginning, professors and extension specialists from the UGA have played a vital role in GGIA. Dr. Jake Tinga, the namesake of two GGIA awards presented annually, cranked out copies of a handwritten newsletter in the early days of the Association. In the years since, these dedicated professionals have developed education events, headed committees and worked behind the scenes at many GGIA functions. Never afraid of hard work and never asking for recognition, the GGIA Board decided that it was time to officially recognize those specialists who work closely with the board and staff on a regular basis. GGIA would once again like to give our sincere thanks to these individuals for their tireless dedication to the industry. We look forward to working with these professionals as we strive to improve Georgia’s Green Industry. Those recognized as advisors:
Nursery Production Advisor Dr. Matthew Chappell UGA Athens Campus
Landscape Advisor Dr. Bodie Pennisi UGA Center for Urban Agriculture Griffin Campus
Floriculture Advisor Dr. Paul Thomas UGA Athens Campus
Certification Advisor Greg Huber UGA Center for Urban Agriculture Griffin Campus
Legislative Issues
Water: Conflict or Collaboration?
Tim Thoms
You might have heard the old western saying, “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting,” widely attributed to Mark Twain, though never actually verified as have been spoken or written by him. As I write this article on the eve of the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party”, those words rain down more true than ever. As Georgia and Florida revelers down their whiskey and cheer on their teams, both state governments continue a decades old fight over the rights to water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin. Instead of an old-fashioned western gunfight, this conflict entails lawyered-up legal contestants in a lawsuit, Florida v. Georgia, in the Supreme Court of the United States. The Florida/Georgia suit is only one of the cases filed in the SCOTUS and was a Complaint for Equitable Apportionment and Injunctive Relief filed by the State of Florida “to equitably apportion the interstate waters of the ACF Basin”. There are other cases that have been heard over the years prior to
this Complaint, and an additional case that was filed by the State of Georgia involving the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Lake Allatoona in the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) Basin. All of these cases are, in essence, a fight over the same thing. Who has the right to how much water that flows from Georgia into Alabama and Florida? Currently this ACF case is the headliner act and has been turned over from SCOTUS to a Special Master, the Honorable Ralph Lancaster, to collect evidence and develop an opinion for presentation to the Supreme Court. Even though Special Master Lancaster has explicitly stated that he urges parties to settle this case because “if it continues in its present order, before this case is over, both states will have spent millions, perhaps even billions of dollars to obtain a result which neither one wants.” And “when this matter is concluded— and I hope I live long enough to see it happen— when this matter is concluded, at least one and probably both of the parties will be unhappy with the Court’s Order.” The process of reaching a
conclusion to this litigation will be slower than the movement of water through the ACF Basin from above Helen to the Gulf of Mexico, and like the water cycle itself, will probably fall again as rain in the form of some other litigation from a different source. The extreme consumption of resources in the sense of lost productivity and tax dollars (requiring payment for literally hundreds of lawyers at overtime rates reviewing millions of pages of documents) is mind boggling and could serve as a totally separate topic of discussion. You can delve more into the SCOTUS case at the website of the Special Master, http://www.pierceatwood.com/ floridavgeorgia142original. In a state that has abundant (approximately 50”/ year) rainfall as compared to many other areas, how in the world did we get to this point? First is that the rivers that lie in the upper portion of these basins are comparatively small for a metropolis like Atlanta. Add to that the explosive population growth of Atlanta in the past couple of generations, growth which is projected to continue for several decades. This growth drives increased needs for water from citizens, businesses (just think of the number of new green industry businesses in our state alone in the past three decades) the generation of supporting services and business that go beyond Atlanta to include areas of the entire ACF Basin and the Southeast. This requires increases in almost all aspects of life from more landscape plants, more food and fiber production from farms, more traffic and urbanization, to more power through coal, nuclear and hydroelectric dams to power all this growth. Throw in a few years of extreme droughts, and outdated and constrained management of basin operations and use of resources, and you create a scenario for a perfect storm where water really is for fighting. The beginnings of this Water War probably date back to the time of building of the Buford Dam and the politics that surrounded that congressional authorization. Although the conflict itself did not start really claiming casualties until the mid-tolate 1980’s, when the combination of drought and rampant growth led to actual water shortages, and the first use of outdoor water bans and limitations in landscape. This early problem was mainly due to water distribution limitations rather than supply which is what the current fight is about. There were not enough treatment plants and distribution lines to reach all the areas of new
growth in the dry summer periods when demand peaked. The green industry was targeted as a highly visible alleged culprit of wasting water to maintain lawns and plants. The answer from many water providers was to limit or ban outdoor watering or use the odd/even policy as to when you could water. With customers and clients unable to water new plantings, green industry companies had to adjust to survive. Some retailers even sold thousands of cases of Coca-Cola just to provide some type of income. Landscape companies offered services other than planting. Wholesale growers saw orders ready to be delivered cancel and crops wither away as those orders never came through. The industry started an aggressive campaign to educate customers and clients on proper water use and also started educating political leaders as to the effects of water bans and non-science based restrictions on our industry’s ability to earn a livelihood as well as effects on the urban environment. Do you recall the Water Wise campaign and the owl who pointed out the 10 basic principles of how you could be Water Wise and thus have your landscape survive droughts and water restrictions? This was a cooperative effort between water providers and the green industry to educate and propose the idea that water decisions should be based on sound science. This period also saw the development of permits for agricultural water use on wells that use over 100,000 gallons per day. Time rolled on and droughts and wet years came and went. Meanwhile some major policy steps were enacted as law. The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District was established. A Comprehensive Drought Management Plan along with the Flint River Drought Act were adopted. 2004 saw the adoption of the State Wide Water Management Planning Act creating the Regional Water Planning Councils. Then came the long term drought of 2006-2008 and beyond. The Governor proclaimed boldly that “brown yards and dirty cars” were the new symbols of water conscientious Georgians. Total outdoor water bans were the new mantra of many municipalities and counties. In one instance of response, several hundred landscape industry members showed up one night in the landscape hot bed of the time, Alpharetta, where the City Council was considering their total water ban, one of many government authorities proposing such action. The idea that these bans would take food off the table of thousands of green industry members was advanced in a very visual
manner. In addition, policies across the over one hundred municipalities across the Atlanta region varied widely and were almost impossible to determine when you were compliant with the restrictions and when you were not. Still little relief for our industry was obtained. Enter the education of political leaders that GGIA and the industry had been building on for two decades. In 2008, H.B. 1281, which among other things prohibited local governments from enacting outdoor water restrictions more severe than those imposed by the State, was passed. This offered some relief to the beleaguered green industry who by now was also suffering the effects of the recession. Then in 2010 a more comprehensive law regarding water was enacted. The Water Stewardship Act (WSA) finally addressed long needed conservation strategies beyond just outdoor water bans and restrictions. Strong efforts of education and compromise working with elected leaders in the legislature along with allied green industry members led to the adoption of a sound water management policy that would allow green industry members to proceed in business without the threat of water bans and restrictions so severe that they were unable to do business. This incorporated into State law such things as exemptions for Commercial agricultural and horticultural operations, turf on athletic fields, golf courses and other public recreation areas, turf being planted and established through hydroseeding techniques, newly installed plants, seeds or turf during a 30-day establishment period after the
initial planting date, personal food gardens, drip and soaker hose irrigation systems, hand watering with a hose that has an automatic cutoff nozzle, or with hand-held containers, and irrigation system installation and repair. Opinions vary as to the reasons behind it, but per capita water use, as well as total water withdrawals in the Atlanta Metro District have continued to decline since 2007. The climate of conservation has taken hold and water use has dropped. Atlanta is now one of the leaders across the country in reducing water use. The green industry has been a leading partner in promoting water efficiency and in educating the public on proper watering of plant material. However, that has still not stilled the conflict over water either locally or across state lines. Inside the state, in 2014 the Georgia EPD proposed to re-write the Drought Management Rules (DMR) which were part of the WSA. After several informational gatherings among stakeholders which were attended and followed closely by GGIA, the new DMR was adopted in June 2015. Originally proposed to modify and eliminate the exemptions so important to the green industry, the version finally adopted kept in place the exemptions listed above only in Pre-Drought (a constant level which we are in currently) and Drought Response Level One. In Drought Level Two the exemptions are valid only two days a week on an odd-even address basis and in Drought Level Three the exemptions are not allowed at all. It was
Photo for article
argued with EPD to no avail that this defeats the intent of the WSA and puts our industry at severe jeopardy. The Drought response level is declared by the EPD Director and can be put in place at any time as the Director sees fit. Also, among other requirements of local water withdrawal permittees, it does allow local governments to petition EPD for more stringent local restrictions putting us back into the situation of 2007 of having multiple types of landscape watering scenarios in place. Of course with higher than average rainfall there had been no test to determine how the new DMR will be handled. The DMR can be found here: http:// rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/391-3-30. On a much larger scale, while the conflict over ACF water has continued to be litigated, there has been a substantial effort to collaborate and encourage policy decisions based on science while accommodating the needs of ACF Basin stakeholders to the greatest extent possible. In May of 2015 a Sustainable Water Management Plan (SWMP) was adopted and presented by the ACF Stakeholders (ACFS). It provides a suite of recommendations that help sustainably manage the waters of the ACF Basin and is a reasonable alternative to the continued course of litigation. If you read Special Master Lancaster’s comments to attorneys representing both Florida and Georgia, you can almost imagine that his comments are directly referring to a settlement scenario such as that which is presented in the ACFS SWMP. One may ask why the SWMP is a reasonable solution and what does it mean to the green industry? Those answers come from the process and proposal that created the SWMP. Formed in 2009, the ACFS is a private non-profit corporation and has representation from 14 different stakeholder interests from each of four sub-basins. The author is a member of ACFS as an urban ag stakeholder in the Flint sub-basin. Stakeholders worked together over five years to fund this nearly two million dollar effort (all through private donations). During that time, with costly help from consultants, had to propose, determine, collect, analyze, model, debate and agree by unanimous consensus of 56 governing board members upon facts, data, metrics, needs, and management alternatives. The final SWMP provides a wealth of basis for informed water policy. Though not perfect, Brad Currey, an Upper Chattahoochee sub-basin member, described it well, “what we started out wanting was a beautiful mermaid and what we have is a big
ol’ catfish, but they can both swim and thus can help solve the problems the ACF basin faces”. It is certainly a point of beginning to develop a path forward outside of SCOTUS handing down a decision that neither side will like. Although all recommendations must be considered as a whole and not implemented on a pick-and-choose basis, the themes of the recommendations follow, but because of space limitations for this article, specifics, other than a couple of general examples, are left for you to view in the document itself. A full copy of the SWMP is available online at http://acfstakeholders.org/swmp/
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Recommendations are grouped into five themes: • Achieve Sustainable Use and Return Achieve Water Efficiency and Conservation Improvements which include among other items, maximize water returns wherever possible • Improve Water Storage and Control Operations USACE adopt a policy of adaptive management in the revisions to the Water Control Manual • Target Dry and Drought Years The states of Alabama, Florida and Georgia should collaborate in the development of a drought management plan, perhaps in the context of a regional MOU that includes the following: • Defines drought conditions, using NOAA as a resource • Identifies triggers for actions • Delineates responses by water use sector • Documents changes in operational strategies •Advance Scientific and Technical Knowledge for Future Decisions ACFS members recommend that investments in the knowledge about the Basin be made in the following areas: • Environmental and ecological studies • Climate variability studies • Shared real-time water use/return/ storage/flow information • Improvements in modeling • Strengthen Basin Coordination Establishment of a transitional organization that brings together stakeholders with state and federal agency representatives to develop a common vision and framework for a future permanent transboundary institution to facilitate sustainable and adaptive management of the Basin that shares water equitably among stakeholders, balancing economic, ecological and social values Also on the larger scale of water policy, the USACE recently released the initial draft EIS of the new Water Control Manual for public comment. In it they recognize, among other things, metro Atlanta’s need for water withdrawals and have proposed adjustments to their operating procedures to accommodate such. The extensive
document is also available at http://www.sam. usace.army.mil/Missions/PlanningEnvironmental/ ACFMasterWaterControlManualUpdate. This document is still being analyzed by several agencies and groups including ACFS. From the initial review it also includes several operational procedures similar to recommendations that are in the SWMP. This is the first real revision to the WCM in over 40 years and provides an opportunity to revise the way the USACE operates their facilities in relation to the current needs of stakeholders. This affects all of us in the basin as the amount of water that is able to reach downstream users while accommodating those upstream user needs is the crucial aspect in the whole picture. Because of the USACE dams there is the ability to mitigate impacts caused by man and nature. The less impact that upstream use has on flows downstream, the better the green industry ability to have water when and where it is needed. Water fights back when I was a kid were fun. Water balloons and water guns made for a great play date and there was not that much mess to clean up. As an adult, this water fight has all the fun of a slow drowning. Fighting over water has not seemed to work for several decades, except for the attorneys who argue the various cases. Is it not time for us to become responsible grownups and utilize all the resources we are putting into the fight to better use by managing our shared resource to the best benefit and least pain to all of those in the ACF Basin? Let’s try a different sane path since fighting through the courts seems to meet the definition of insanity of doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results. I encourage you to be a voice of reason and urge our leaders to adopt a different approach.
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BOXWOOD BLIGHT Disease Update
Jean L. Williams-Woodward Extension Plant Pathologist
Boxwood Blight, caused by the fungus, Calonectria pseudonaviculatum (syn. Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum and Cylindrocladium buxicola) has been confirmed in multiple commercial and residential landscapes in GA. The disease could be found throughout the state; however, most of the confirmed detections have been within metro-Atlanta and the surrounding counties where boxwoods are common in formal gardens. Boxwood blight also has been detected on plants brought into GA for resale. Often the source of the introductions is unknown. In some cases new boxwood plants were recently planted. In others, it may be from pruning or other garden maintenance operations. The spores of the pathogen are very sticky and they can stick to worker’s tools, clothing, or even animal fur (cats, dogs, rabbits, etc.) that may move through the garden. Once introduced, the disease
can be devastating to boxwood in landscapes and nurseries. Hosts: Dwarf English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’) is highly susceptible and develops severe symptoms and rapid leaf drop. American or common boxwood (B. sempervirens) cultivars are also very susceptible. Cultivars of Littleleaf (Japanese) and Korean boxwood (B. microphylla and B. sinica, respectively) appear less susceptible because they don’t show severe symptoms and leaf drop, but they are still susceptible. None of the commercial boxwood cultivars are immune to this disease. In fact, lesser susceptible (e.g. tolerant) cultivars may act as a ‘Trojan Horse’ introducing the disease into landscapes containing more susceptible cultivars. The value of lesser susceptible cultivars is in the establishment of new boxwood hedges. If planting a new area,
use a more tolerant cultivar to lessen your disease pressure in subsequent years. The disease also affects other plants within the Buxaceae family, including Pachysandra terminalis (ground spurge) and Sarcococca sp. (sweet box). History: Boxwood blight was first identified in the USA in the fall of 2011 in NC and CT. Since then, it has been identified within nurseries and/or landscapes in numerous states (AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, KS, KY, MA, MD, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, TN, VA, WV) and several Canadian provinces. The disease is spreading to new states each year (FL and WV were added to the list in 2015). Spread is most likely through the movement of infected plants. The disease has been known for over decade in the UK and Europe. Symptoms: Initial symptoms of boxwood blight include circular, tan leaf spots with a dark purple or brown border. Leaf spots may or may not have yellow to reddish halos surrounding the spot. Black stem lesions or blackening of the stems is often seen. This can be confused with black lesions due to Colletotrichum stem canker, a relatively new disease also affecting boxwood stems. Boxwood blight Infected leaves become tan and readily drop from the plant leaving bare stems. Rapid defoliation is
a characteristic symptom of boxwood blight that separates it from other boxwood diseases. Sections or whole plants turn tan and eventually die. The disease can resemble Volutella blight, except that with Volutella blight, as well as with symptoms of root stress or Phytophthora root disease, the leaves often remain attached to the stems. Box blight can move quickly through infected plants, gardens, and nurseries under favorable environmental conditions. Disease Cycle: Low light (shade), humid, warmer and wet conditions favor disease development. The pathogen requires extended periods of leaf wetness (24-48 hrs) to infect. Under these conditions, leaf spots can develop within days of infection. Disease is favored by moderate temperatures of 41-86°F, with an optimal temperature of 77°F. The fungus is sensitive to high temperatures and can be killed after 7 days at 91°F. This does not mean that the fungus can’t survive hot GA summers. The fungus produces structures (called microsclerotia) that allow the fungus to survive adverse conditions. Once favorable conditions and a host are present, the disease will develop again. In GA, the disease is likely most active during the late summer, fall, winter and spring months. Disease development may be slowed under relatively dry, hot conditions or where fungicides are used.
Symptoms graph
Boxwood blight symptoms clockwise from upper left: Tan to gray leaf lesions with a darker purplish border on an English boxwood; Circular, tan spots with a brown border on upper leaves; Tan blighted leaves and bare stems on an infected plant; blackening of stems and browning foliage; and black stem lesions on bare branch tips. (Images by Jean Williams-Woodward)
Spread: The disease is primarily spread via infected plants and plant debris. Infected leaves drop and can contaminate the soil beneath the plant. Infected leaves may also be carried by water, wind, on shoes or tires, or on animal fur as they rub against infected plants. The fungus produces white tufts of clustered spores on the underside of infected leaves and on stems under wet conditions. The spores are very sticky and they will stick to pruning tools, shovels, worker’s clothing and hands, as well as fur and feathers of wild and domestic animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, wild turkeys, etc.). Although it is very easy to spread this disease, the spores are not wind-borne. They must be moved on plants, on tools, etc. or by splashing of irrigation or rain water.
Spread photo
White tufts of conidiophores and spores of boxwood blight produced from black stem lesions. The darker tufts are plant trichomes. (Image by Ansuya jogi)
Management: The best control is exclusion. Do not introduce the disease on infected plants or tools. Inspect all new boxwood plants for symptoms of the disease. Be sure to check the lower leaf canopy and interior stems. Keep new plants isolated and separate from existing boxwoods. Do not apply fungicides to plants in isolation that would mask symptom development. Monitor plants for at least four weeks prior to introducing them into existing plantings. If Boxwood blight is detected, the infected plants and all fallen leaf debris needs to be bagged on-site and removed from the area to be buried in a landfill to prevent its spread. Transport plants in closed bags. Leaf litter blowing from open trucks could spread the disease to plantings along the roadway. Fallen leaf debris should be vacuumed and bagged, burned on-site or buried. Debris should not be composted. The fungus also produces microsclerotia (small clump of fungal hyphae) within roots and leaf debris of infected
plants that allows the fungus to survive for years. Removal of existing garden soil and replacing with new soil is an option, but there is no guarantee that this will completely remove the pathogen. Boxwood blight cannot be controlled with curative fungicide applications. Fungicides are only effective when applied preventively. Fungicide efficacy trials have shown that fungicides containing chlorothalonil (Daconil, Spectro, Concert II) and fludioxonil (Medallion, Palladium) provided the best control when applied preventively. To a lesser extent, fungicides containing azoxystrobin (Heritage), metaconazole (Tourney), pyraclostrobin (Pageant), tebuconazole (Torque), thiophanate methyl (Cleary’s 3336, OHP 6672), trifloxystrobin (Compass), provided fair to good preventative control. Most are not labeled for use on either boxwood, Calonectria (or Cylindrocladium) or both; however, this is changing, so check labels. Remember, spraying plants after the disease is present will NOT control this disease.
Management Photo
Fallen leaf litter beneath boxwood blight infected plants. Debris must be removed or buried to reduce disease spread. (Image by Jean Williams-Woodward)
Summary: Boxwood blight is an extremely contagious disease of boxwood and pachysandra. It was first detected in GA in an established landscape where new plant introductions have not occurred. It is likely that the disease is present in other locations and may be mistaken for more common diseases such as Volutella blight and root disease. Landscapers and growers need to be vigilant in scouting for disease symptoms and take all precautions to avoid introducing the disease into nurseries and properties.
Recommendations for Landscapers: • Inspect boxwoods on all properties. Look for symptomatic plants. As weather patterns become conducive (wet, humid, warm), disease symptoms may become noticeable and spread rapidly. • Submit suspect samples to the UGA Plant Disease Clinic in Athens through county extension offices for disease identification. • Train employees and clients on how to identify boxwood blight. Educate them on how easily the disease spreads. • Only purchase plants from nurseries that have a Boxwood Blight Compliance Agreement through their State Department of Agriculture. Many plants are brokered, so ask where plants were grown. Keep new plants in isolation and monitor for symptoms prior to installation. • Never install or prune or work in boxwoods when plants are wet. • Always visit non-infected landscape sites first. Move healthy to suspect diseased areas; never the other way around. • Disinfect pruners and other tools frequently within and between different blocks of plants within the same landscape, and especially when moving to different landscapes. The best product is Lysol Concentrate Disinfectant (containing 5.5% O-benzyl-p-chlorophenol). Mix 2.5 Tbsp per gallon of water. This can be made and kept in spray bottles. Tools need to be wet for at least 10 seconds and allowed to dry to be effective. A 10% bleach solution (1:9 part Clorox or 1:14 part Clorox Concentrate) for at least a 10 second soak can also be used, but this will oxidize tools. Soak and then let dry. • When leaving a site suspected or known to have boxwood blight, all tools, shoes, and clothing must be disinfected. • Get in the habit of wearing clean disposable booties or washing off debris and dirt entirely from soles of shoes between landscapes. • Changing and laundering clothes between sites would be ideal; however, it’s impractical. Wearing disposable paper pants is an option. Recommendations for Nurseries: • Follow the same recommendations as for landscapers. • Start with disease-free propagation stock. If you only propagate in-house, continue this practice. If purchasing propagative material, only purchase from GA nurseries, which are not known to have the disease. If purchasing from out-of-state, only purchase from nurseries with a
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state Boxwood Blight Compliance Agreement. Contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture to obtain a Compliance Agreement for shipment of Boxwood blight hosts for your nursery. Keep new plant introductions in an isolated holding area on a surface that can be easily cleaned of fallen plant debris. Debris should be vacuumed or swept regularly. Avoid blowing debris. Plants should be held for at least four weeks to monitor for symptom development. Avoid co-mingling plant material from different sources. Follow good sanitation practices. Clean debris and disinfect tools between blocks. Do not accept boxwood plant returns onto the nursery. Trucks, racks, carts and other equipment should be disinfested regularly (use Lysol Concentrate Disinfectant). All plant debris should be cleaned from the area. Avoid overhead watering and do not work in blocks when plants are wet. Train all employees on boxwood blight symptoms. Scout plants regularly. Submit any suspect plants to the UGA Plant Disease Clinic in Athens for identification. Remove suspect plants from blocks to reduce possible disease spread. Keep in isolation or discard by burning on-site or bagging and burying. Do not put infected plants into a cull pile. Establish a preventive fungicide spray program to reduce disease development. Keep records of all chemical applications, rates, and dates of application. Keep detailed records of incoming and out-going boxwoods and where plants have moved within the nursery. Don’t forget to inspect any boxwoods planted on the grounds of the nursery. These too could become infected.
Useful sites and links: North Carolina cultivar evaluations, fungicide efficacy, management guidelines: • http://plantpathology.ces.ncsu.edu/pp-ornamentals/ • http://plantpathology.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/ uploads/2013/05/Box-blight-Guide-07.22.13.pdf • http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/ uploads/2013/05/final-Cult-trials-summary-2013.pdf University of Connecticut Boxwood Blight information and fact sheets: • http://www.ct.gov/caes/cwp/view. asp?a=3756&q=500388
2015
LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY Hidden Gems
Gregg Wartgow and Maile Bucher
With another comeback year just about in the books, it's time to unveil our 2015 Landscape Industry Hidden Gems. This year we've highlighted 20 landscaping and lawn care companies that, from 2012-2014, outpaced the average industry growth rate of roughly 15%, and have continued growing sales and setting a good example for the industry this year.
Perfect Turf Landscaping in Dallas, GA. "It’s not what you know, it’s who you know and how you treat them," says Chad Smallwood, owner of Perfect Turf Landscaping in the northwest Atlanta suburb of Dallas. That philosophy has helped Smallwood and his team of now 12 employees quickly build a million-dollar business since opening in 2010. "We've been very blessed," Smallwood adds, referencing the significant presence his design/build/maintenance company has established in the affluent Atlanta neighborhood of Buckhead. Yes, they've been blessed—but also, what goes around comes around. The Perfect Turf team serves at an event call Community Makeover which is held every year throughout the NW Metro Atlanta Area. Perfect Turf has also mowed and provided general maintenance for up to 50 homes of the elderly, unable and underprivileged.
Outdoor Expressions in Canton, GA, has their customers coming back for more. Co-owner Ray Wiedman says that around 95% of their business comes from repeat customers or customer referrals. They service both residential and commercial properties and make communicating with customers a breeze. “Our customers know they can reach their project manager, account manager or even one of the owners virtually around the clock, and they know they will get a timely response. All of these key positions are filled with veterans from several different backgrounds encompassing design, construction, horticulture and maintenance,” says Wiedman.
Landscape Creations in Calhoun, GA, creates their designs to flow with nature so that the blend of indoor and outdoor living spaces don’t have a negative impact on the environment. Additionally, their organic land care program operates with the goal of maintaining soil health, increasing landscape diversity, and improving the health and well-being of their customers. That's not to say that using organic methods was an easy sell in the beginning. “The hard part was getting people to understand that grass clippings are actually good for the soil," explains co-founder Andrew Davis. The company also pushes native plantbased landscaping, though this too was no easy sell in the beginning. "We encourage people to add native plants because they don’t come under attack like the non-native, ornamental varieties that host pests. But people are reluctant to change,” Davis adds. Printed with approval of Green Industry Pros magazine and greenindustrypros.com.
Status Check: Overtime Rules and Regulations As reported here before, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has proposed regulation changes affecting the executive, administrative, and professional exemptions from overtime. We’ve heard from a number of concerned retail and landscape company members. (The agricultural exemption, which covers many AmericanHort members, is statutory, and so unaffected by this action). So here’s a brief update on where things stand. The revisions would more than double the salary threshold for the overtime exemption to $50,440 per year from $23,660. WHD also proposes to increase this threshold annually. No changes to the duties test were proposed; however, WHD may be considering
a duties test “quantification,” where employees have to perform the primary duties “more than 50%” of the time. The administration’s regulatory agenda projects a final regulation in July 2016; our sources suggest a final regulation will be released by late 2016. As part of an ongoing effort to push back against the rule, AmericanHort joined like-minded business advocates on a recent letter urging Members of Congress to contact the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, urging the powerful OMB that the rule needs to be held back and reconsidered. Watch for more details.
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Line Blaster cleans up micro irrigation systems and emitters of all types. Highly concentrated (1:6,000) 1 gal of Line Blaster for every 6,000 gals of irrigation water makes Line Blaster so much cheaper than replacing parts and the labor. Line Blaster is a real bargain and it works. Inject Line Blaster into the irrigation lines for 15-30 minutes, allow contact time of 4-8 hours. No flushing & no heavy duty labor costs. Repeat 2-3 more times and the system will be working like the first day. If you want to flush to do a better job, flush before applying Line Blaster to remove the large free deposits that will pass out. Then apply the Line Blaster as above. Line Blaster is indiscriminate, that is, it breaks up the first deposit it comes in contact with, then proceeds to the next, and so on. The closer to the pump, the quicker the emitters get clean. Line Blaster has many purposes as it will tackle any deposit and break them into microscopic dust. Growers tell us that they have a higher survival rate when using Line Blaster. We have customers inject Line Blaster at 30 times the recommended rate with no harm. Growers also report that Line Blaster removes everything it touches, except the plants.
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7470 Hickory Flat Hwy. Woodstock, GA 30188 770-345-5506 buckjoneswoodstock.com bjones@buckjones.com
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Exhibitors 3 Rivers Nursery Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Ag-Pro Agworks H2, LLC Angel Creek Nursery, Inc Athens Wholesale Nursery Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore Atlas Manufacturing, Inc. Bailey Nurseries, Inc. Baker Environmental Nursery Inc BASF Black Fox Farms Bottoms Nursery, LLC Boyd & Boyd Nursery Bracy’s Nursery LLC Brantley Farms, Inc. Brantley Nurseries Buck Jones Nursery Buffalo Horticulture Sales BWI Companies, Inc Byron Lakeview Nursery, LLC Cam Too Camellia Nursery Inc Carolina Native Nursery Center for Applied Nursery Research Charlie’s Creek Nursery, Inc Cherokee Manufacturing Classic Groundcovers, Inc Cleveland Tree Company Concrete Creations Cool Springs Nursery County Line Nursery, Inc Cowart Mulch Products, Inc. Davis Floral Company, Inc. Daylily Nursery Dayton Bag & Burlap Co. DeVroomen Garden Products Diebel Nurseries / J. Frank Schmidt Diversified Trees, Inc Don Marjama Nursery Co., Inc. Dorsey Farms Doug Young Nursery Dry Shave Mountain Eason Horticultural Resources ECO Wholesale Nursery, LLC Evergreen Nursery, Inc Ewing Irrigation Products Farmers Organic Faron Green Nursery Fernwood Nurseries, Inc FIS Outdoor Flat Rock Nursery Company Flint Equipment Company, Inc. Flowerwood Nursery, Inc Forest Hill Plant Ceaux Frank A. Smith Nurseries Gainous’ Shade Trees, Inc Garden Design Nursery
Georgia Department of Agriculture Georgia Farm Bureau Georgia Green Industry Association Georgia Grown- Georgia Department of Agriculture Georgia Pecan Trees Georgia’s Integrated Cultivar Release System (GICRS) Goldleaf Farms Goodness Grows, Inc Graco Fertilizer Company Grandiflora Grasshopper Company Green Nurseries/ Wintergarden Greenleaf Nursery Company Griffin Greenhouse & Nursery Supplies Gro South Inc Gwinnett County Master Gardeners H & H Farm Machine Co., Inc. Hackney Nursery Hahira Nursery, Inc Hamner Tree Farm Harp’s Farm Market & Nursery, Inc Harrell’s Fertilizer, LLC Haviland Plastic Products Co. Hawksridge Farms Helena Chemical Company Holloway’s Nursery Homeplace Garden Nursery Hortica Insurance & Employee Benefits Hulls Treeland J & L Growers, Inc Jack’s Creek Farm Kinney Nursery Lake Tree Growers Lakeside Trees, Inc. Line Blaster Liner Source LT Rich Products Mack Bros Landscape Nursery Marlboro Bulb Company Mason Tractor May Nursery, Inc McCorkle Nurseries, Inc Merchney Greenhouses Mid Georgia Nursery Mingo Nursery Mize Farm & Garden Supply, Inc. MNI Direct Mobley Plant Farm, Inc. Moon’s Tree Farm, Inc Nature’s Tree Farm North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association North Georgia Turf Nursery Supplies, Inc. NYP- Corp
Oak Pond Nursery, LLC OHP, Inc OldCastle Lawn & Garden Pacific East Nursery, Inc. Palms Unlimited Pattillo Tree Farm, LLC Plant and Supply Locator plantANT Post Oak Farms Premier Growers, Inc. Prichard’s Nursery Equipment Putnals Premium Pine Straw, Inc. Quail Hollow Nurseries, Inc. R.A. Dudley Nurseries, Inc Red Pebble Trees Redbone Nurseries River’s Edge Nursery, LLC Robert J Jones Nursery Co. Shoemaker Irrigation Silver Bait, LLC Simpson Nurseries SiteOne Landscape Supply SNF, Inc. Southern Growers Southern Nursery Association Specialty Converting & Supply, Inc Specialty Tag & Label, Inc Star Equipment, Inc. Star Rose & Plants Starling Nursery Stockhaven Nursery,LLC Stovall & Company, Inc Stuppy, Inc. Sumter Gardens Tree Nursery Sun Gro Horticulture, Inc Sunbelt Turf Farms Swafford Nursery, Inc. Sweetwater Creek Nursery The B. Bejie Herrin Agency, Inc. Allstate The Green Reyno The Greenhouse Company of South Carolina, LLC The HC Companies The Peed Company, Inc. The State Botanical Garden of Georgia UGA Thunderwood Farms, LLC Timberline Nursery Tom Dodd Nursery Topiary Courtyard Transplant Nursery, Inc Tropic Traditions Nurseries UGA Extension Underwood True Value USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office Wagon Hammock Nursery, Inc. Windmill Nursery
Wednesday, January 27 NEW PLANTS 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Room 6ABC - Downstairs See the latest and greatest in new plants from some of the most renowned plant developers in the trade including: Dr. Michael Dirr, Dr. Donglin Zhang, Dr. John Ruter, Dr. Matthew Chappell, Jessica DeGraaf from Walter’s Gardens and Jeff Gibson from Ball Seed. Advanced Pest & Disease Management of Floriculture & Nursery Crops CEUs 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Room 2BCD - Upstairs
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Keeping track of nursery and greenhouse pests and the best methods to treat them can be a daunting challenge. Join a team of UGA’s best bug busters and disease doctors to learn how to develop an effective management program to keep pests at bay. Presenters: Dr. Ron Oetting, Dr. Kris Branman, Dr. Will Hudon, Dr. Jean Woodworth, Dr. Elizabeth Little and Dr. Virginia Brubaker.
Center for Applied Nursery Research Open House 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Room 7AB - Downstairs The Center for Applied Nursery Research (CANR) is a unique non-profit organization that provides a managed facility and funding for ornamental horticulture research based on grower needs and conducted under commercial growing conditions. The goal of CANR is to generate information to keep growers in Georgia and the southeast on the cutting edge. Research projects focus on agricultural engineering, environment and plant microclimate monitoring, entomology, plant pathology, soil science, horticulture, plant breeding and evaluation, new product evaluation, propagation, and water management. The open house provides updates on research projects and other center activities.
The Good News and Bad News on Government Regulation 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Room 7AB - Downstairs AmericanHort’s Craig Regelbrugge serves as the organization’s boots on the ground in Washington D.C. and he’s there advocating for the industry when rules or regulations are considered that might impact how we do business. Learn the latest out of DC on issues like i mmigration, water and pollinator health. Then go a step further by learning how to find opportunities resulting from these rules like the need for pollinator habitat and gardens, turning bad news into good. Learn how to find opportunities resulting from these rules like the need for pollinator habitat and gardens.
Continuing education courses noted with a
AT A GLANCE New Plants 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Room 6AB - Downstairs Advanced Pest & Disease Management of Floriculture & Nursery Crops 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Room 2BCD - Upstairs The Good News and Bad News on Government Regulation 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Room 7AB - Downstairs Center for Applied Nursery Research Open House 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Room 7AB - Downstairs
Pesticide Applicator CEUs Applied for with GA, AL, NC, SC, TN Department of Agriculture. CEUs applied for with International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), and the Irrigation Association (IA). All room slots and times are subject to change. Class availability is first-come, first-serve. Classes are subject to cancellations due to insufficient number of participants and/or non-arrival of speaker. Participants who have pre-registered for a class with a cancellation will be refunded. NO OTHER REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN AFTER JANUARY 6. NO EXCEPTIONS. To ensure class availability, please pre-register at www.ggia.org or by calling 706-632-0100 and speaking to a customer service representative.
AT A GLANCE Wintergreen Kick Off Breakfast 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Trade Show Hall Past Chairman Meeting 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Room 4AB - Upstairs Trade Show Open 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Trade Show Hall GCLP and Junior FFA Certification 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Salon 6 & 7 - Downstairs GGIA Urban Landscape and Tree Pest Management Seminar 2016 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Room 2BCD - Upstairs Using Edibles in the Landscape: Fruits, Herbs, and Vegetables 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Room 6AB - Downstairs
Wintergreen Kick Off Breakfast 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 am. Trade Show Hall Presented by the Athens Georgia Nursery Growers Association and Harrells. Come for a hearty breakfast served on the tradeshow floor to help us kick-start Georgia’s premier horticulture trade show! Visit with colleagues, friends, customers and suppliers before the doors open for attendees at 9:00 am. This session is limited to 200 people and will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. Breakfast compliments of AGNGA and Harrell’s but registration is required. Past Chairman Meeting 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Room 4AB - Upstairs GCPP and Junior FFA Certification 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Salon 6 & 7 - Downstairs
3
CEUs
Since 1972, over 1,600 Georgia green industry professionals have been certified. Certification offers proof to your customers you have the knowledge to make their landscapes sustainable and environmentally responsible. The UGA Center for Urban Agriculture administers the Georgia Certified Landscape Professional GCLP program for landscape contractors and the Georgia Certified Plant professional program for nurserymen. Both programs are self-study courses that can be completed without interrupting your work schedule. Junior Certification kicks off at 9:00 concluding with a presentation from Going Green Horticulture’s Betsy Norton. GCPP testing begins at 1:00 after lunch. To register contact Tami Boyle at tadams@uga.edu or visit ugaurbanag.com/certification. GGIA Urban Landscape & Tree Pest Management Seminar 2016 CEUs 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Room 2BCD - Upstairs
3
Finding and effectively treating plant pests in the great outdoors presents a wide range of challenges with new pests and products to eradicate them
emerging at an ever-quickening pace. In this session you will learn about the latest in insecticides and fungicides and how to use them without ending up on the evening news! Presenters: Pat Mawhinney, Steve Pettis, Gretchen Pettis. Using Edibles in the Landscape, Fruits, Herbs and Vegetables 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Room 6AB - Downstairs Edibles are not relegated to the garden plot anymore as more and more people look to know the source of their foods. Using edibles in the landscape can serve as the ultimate in locally grown and farm to table food efforts. It also gives you an expanded pallet of plant materials to sell from in your wholesale, retail or landscape operations. Learn from extension specialists and industry leaders in the movement. Presenters: Bob Westerfield, Gareth Crosby and Pam Butts from the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia, Dr. Paul Thomas, Dr. Erik Smith, Dr. Dario Chavez. The Matchmaker: How to Connect With Buyers Online Through the World’s Largest Search Engine 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. New Th is Ye Room 4AB - Upstairs ar! Look in the mirror – the way we buy products and services today has changed. Have you changed the way you market and sell your services? It’s time to face this reality and connect with buyers on their terms, not yours. It’s time to leverage the power of the world’s most powerful matchmaker: Google. In this special presentation by Chris Heiler from Landscape Leadership you will learn: what makes a website great in the eyes of a buyer (not in your eyes), we will demystify SEO and learn how search engines really work (and what they want), how to leverage your unique knowledge and expertise to attract buyers, and how to turn objections into sales.
Thursday, January 28 Walkabout with Dr. Michael Dirr and Vince Dooley 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Trade Show Hall Walk the show with the Georgia’s resident horticultural celebrities. See the plants, products and people that catch your eye and get a jump start on what you see as emerging trends that will help grow your business in the future. Please meet inside trade show hall main entrance. There will be signage. Georgia Gold Medal Plants 1:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. Room 4AB - Upstairs The Gold Medal Plant Program promotes the use of superior ornamental plants in Georgia. It represents the combined effort of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia; the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension; University faculty members; and nurserymen, flower growers, garden retailers and landscape professionals across the state. Winners are chosen from five categories: Natives, Annuals, Perennials, Trees, Shrubs and Vines and Groundcovers. Presented by Shelly Matthew Prescott from The State Botanical Garden. This event is FREE and does NOT require a ticket. Making More and Keeping More in The Green Industry 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ar! is Ye Room 2CD - Upstairs w Th Ne
Putting more money into your pocket doesn’t happen by accident. To grow your profits, your business and your future, you need a plan. This three part session is tailor made for the business owner and landscape contractors in particular and features a trio of speakers at a price that makes this class a terrific value. Sharpen your pencil and prepare to take home the knowledge that will give your business a jump start for 2016.
1:00 p.m. - Allan Armitage The world renowned plantsman and gardening ambassador has a new app that puts powerful information in the hands of landscapers, growers and retailers. An ever growing list
of Allan’s favorites and trade staples includes growing information, habit and much more. But that’s not all. Dr. A will also share with you the new plants coming to market that will help set you apart from your competition and put higher margins into your pockets.
2:00 p.m. - Chris Heiler from Landscape Leadership Selling in 2016: It’s Not 1986 Anymore. With total control over the buying process, consumer habits and expectations are changing at a rapid rate. Are you keeping up? In this presentation, we will look at how selling has changed over the past 10 to 20 years. What this shift means to your business right now and how you can prepare your business for the future. Attendees will learn how consumer buying habits have changed and how to adapt your sales approach, how to bring hiring and compensation in line with today’s reality, and how to leverage new technology to increase closing rates while shortening the sales cycle.
3:00 p.m. - Peter Holton from Caber Hill Advisors What comes to mind when you think about buying or selling a business? Valuation and purchase price are normally at the top of the list for most people, regardless of whether they are buying or selling. Buyers then tend to think about their acquisition criteria – location, service lines, price range, etc. Sellers on the other hand think about money, retirement, and all the potential their business possesses for a new owner who really knows how to capitalize on it.
AT A GLANCE The Matchmaker: How to Connect With Buyers Online Through the World’s Largest Search Engine 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Room 4AB - Upstairs Walkabout with Dr. Michael Dirr and Vince Dooley 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Trade Show Floor Georgia Gold Medal Plants 1:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. Room 4AB - Upstairs Making More and Keeping More in the Green Industry 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Room 2CD - Upstairs GCPP Exam 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Salon 6 & 7 - Downstairs
Friday, January 29 AT A GLANCE GGIA Annual Meeting 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Room 4AB - Upstairs Trade Show Open 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Trade Show Hall Pesticide Applicator Training and Review 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Room 6AB - Downstairs Water Smart Irrigation for Profit 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Room 2AB - Upstairs Walkabout with Dr. Allan Armitage 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Trade Show Hall Georgia Water Wise Council 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Room 4AB - Upstairs GA EPPC Workshop 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Room 2C - Upstairs
GGIA Annual Meeting 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Room 4AB - Upstairs All members of the association are invited to our annual business meeting. Hear updates on GGIA, AmericanHort, The UGA College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and more. We will also be nominating board members for the 2016-2017 term. Pesticide Applicator Training and Review 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Room 6AB - Downstairs
Walkabout with Dr. Allan Armitage 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Trade Show Hall Walk the show with a renown horticulturist who teaches online courses and has developed a popular app called Armitage’s Greatest Perennials and Annuals. Please meet inside trade show hall main entrance. There will be signage. Georgia Water Wise Council 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Room 4AB - Upstairs
Pesticide application isn’t very exciting but this isn’t the place to cut corners in your training regimen. Attend this session to insure now that you and your staff are up to date on regulations to avoid trouble and expense later. Presenters: Paul Pugliese, UGA Bartow County Extension; Keith Mickler, UGA Floyd County Extension; Michael Wheeler, UGA Hall County Extension; Amanda Tedrow, UGA Athens-Clark County Extension. This session is the pest applicator exam review (General Standards and Category 24) and the training for General Standards and Ornamental and Turf pesticide license Category 24. Water Smart Irrigation for Profit Irrigation 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Hours Room 2AB - Upstairs
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Georgia has some of the highest water prices in the region. How can irrigation contractors use this to their advantage? Learn the basics of Watersmart. In this session irrigation pros will learn the basics of water management practices, Water Smart system components and how to calculate their customer’s return on investment in these efficient systems. Presentation and lunch sponsored by
The GWWC is a collaborative effort between the green industry, water providers and conservationists. The group looks for ways to promote water conservation and efficiency and to provide educational materials to the general public, regulators and elected officials. If you have an interest in irrigation efficiency, water rules or conservation, this group is for you. Registration for this meeting is separate from WINTERGREEN registration. Please register at www.GAWP.org. GA EPPC Workshop 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Room 2C - Upstairs
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CEUs
Invasive plants are an ever present issue in the industry. Learn how to recognize the most important invasive non-native plant species in GA and understand their impacts in natural ecosystems, and how general control and management options can be used in natural areas. Updates on new threats as well as efforts underway to address this critical issue will also be covered. Presented by Bodie Pennisi.
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Why Join GGIA? PROVIDING MEMBERS the Tools to Better Their Business & Industry The Georgia Green Industry Association (GGIA) is a statewide trade association whose mission is to promote and advance the economic, lifestyle and environmental benefits of Georgia horticulture for our members, our families and our communities. Through education, legislative monitoring, certification exams, trade shows, and conferences for the horticulture-related industries in the State, the GGIA is deeply rooted in the industry and continues to grow for the betterment of the industry’s future.
of the industry and insures that decision makers are aware of the consequences legislation may have on the Green Industry businesses and constituents in their district.
With members from the landscape trade, irrigation contractors, wholesale nursery growers, greenhouse operators, retail garden centers and allied sales companies, GGIA serves as an umbrella association for the entire horticulture industry.
THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIPS - Strategic relationships with other agriculture interest groups, UGA’s College of Agriculture, The Technical College System of GA and our neighboring Green Industry associations bring resources and shared strength to our members. AmericanHort’s Lighthouse Program gives our members experienced representation in Washington DC and exclusive resources to help you keep up with changes and issues at the national level.
GGIA’s membership reflects the rich diversity of the industry in Georgia. Horticulture is a leading segment of agriculture which remains the major economic engine of the state. And with members from all areas of the industry in all corners of the state, you can rest assured that we are looking out for your interests and have right the connections to keep a finger on the pulse of the issues that can impact your business. Our strength as an organization is derived from that unity. And that unity makes finding a colleague, a customer or a supplier that much easier among your fellow members. NETWORKING - GGIA’s diversity also increases your chances for networking with a greater range of people who may be in the same segment of the industry as you. Interacting with peers who share similar challenges and opportunities is a proven way to learn more about your business. At the same time, our size and diversity mean meeting potential new customers or suppliers at any of the GGIA events held throughout the year is an almost certainty. LEGISLATIVE RELATIONS - Our Executive Director, Chris Butts, first served with GGIA for 8 years as Director of Legislative and Public Affairs. During that time, he played a key role on important issues like water regulations, immigration and taxes. That experience and the lasting relationships with legislators means that our members can count on GGIA being there when decisions are made in Atlanta that effect the industry. KEEPING YOU INFORMED - Our members receive timely updates on industry news, regulatory and compliance issues, and legislative action. Our E-news format, delivered directly to your computer or smart phone, means you receive information critical to your business on a real time basis. Our legislative alerts allow you to quickly and conveniently communicate with your elected officials with just a few simple clicks. Empowering you to be heard and coordinating state wide responses leverages the influence
A UNITED VOICE - The misinformation surrounding events like the droughts of the early 2000’s and issues like immigration highlight the need for the industry to speak with one voice. As a member of an organization representing all of the interests of the industry, we stand together and leverage our influence when we speak as one.
EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION - GGIA works closely with UGA Cooperative Extension, The Center for Urban Ag and Georgia’s Technical Colleges to give Green Industry professionals access to the latest and pertinent information on issues and training in your area of focus. Certification programs help members set their businesses apart from the competition by demonstrating advanced professionalism and a commitment to learning. We also work closely with Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture in Forestry, 4H, FFA and Junior Certification programs helping to inspire and educate tomorrow’s green industry leaders. THE WINTERGREEN CONFERENCE AND TRADESHOW - The annual event for the Green Industry, by the Green Industry. The tradeshow features exhibitors from across the country and from all segments of horticulture, landscaping and irrigation. If you are looking to buy or sell green goods, hard goods, supplies or products associated with the trade in Georgia, Wintergreen should be part of your plans. GGIA Members enjoy exclusive pricing on booth spaces that make membership a net gain. The education tracts at Wintergreen likewise offer something for everyone, no matter your focus in the industry. From learning to better manage your business, to brushing up on rules and regulations, we aim to provide attendees with real-world knowledge that you can take back to your business and improve your operations. THE ACADEMY OF CROP PRODUCTION - A joint effort of GGIA and UGA Cooperative Extension, all new for 2016. It’s the place you go to learn to grow. Look for more information coming soon on this education event offering advanced content, tours and professional development for growers of floriculture and nursery crops. Stay tuned for more information.
Membership Application _______________________________________________________________________________ First Name Last Name
________________________________________ Referred By
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Company Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address Mailing Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City State ZIP Code County __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone Fax Mobile __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Email
MEMBERSHIP DIVISIONS ( ) Floriculture
( ) Irrigation
BUSINESS FEATURES
(Check all divisions that apply to you.)
( ) Landscape
( ) Retail
( ) Sales & Marketing
( ) Wholesale
(Check all features that apply to you.)
( ) Retail Grower
( ) Garden Center
( ) Instructor
( ) Turf
( ) Equipment
( ) Extension Agent
( ) Maintenance
( ) Student
( ) Supplier
( ) Wholesale Grower
( ) Landscape
Other ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES AND ANNUAL DUES
(Check only one. Prices are totals for the year.)
( ) Active Membership See location chart below Open to all firms, corporations, or individuals actively involved in the green industry. 1 per firm. Active members have voting privileges in association affairs. ( ) 1-5 Locations $250 per location/year ( ) 6 -11 Locations $1125/year ( ) 12-20 Locations $2000/year ( ) 21-35 Locations $3000/year ( ) 36+ Locations $3050/year + $50 per location greater than 36
( ) Out-of-State Membership $200 Open to firms not located in the state of Georgia. A firm who qualifies may choose to be an Active or Allied member, or choose the lower cost of Out-of-State membership. Out-of-State members are non-voting members in the association affairs.
For voting purposes please fill out names below: Appointed voting member___________________________________ Alternate voting member____________________________________
( ) Student Membership $15 Includes all email communication and a GGIA Hat. Students are non-voting members in the association affairs.
( ) Associate Membership $50 Open to EMPLOYEES of a CHARTER, ACTIVE, ALLIED, or OUT-OF-STATE member. Associate members are non-voting members in association affairs.
IRS 1994 regulations disallow the portion of dues used for lobbying expenses. Due to this regulation, 75% of your dues may be tax deductible. Please consult your tax advisor. Contributions or gifts to the Georgia Green Industry Association are not tax deductible as charitable contributions; however, they may be tax deductible as ordinary business expenses.
PAYMENT INFORMATION Payment Plan:
( ) Monthly
Payment Type:
( ) Check
( ) Educational Membership $50 Open to extension, teaching, and research personnel engaged in the pursuit of activities relating to the green industry. Educational members are non-voting members in the association affairs.
(Fill out completely. Fax form to 706-632-0100 or mail to PO Box 396, Epworth, GA 30541)
( ) Quarterly ( ) Visa
( ) Yearly
( ) MasterCard
( ) Discover
( ) American Express
( ) Money Order
( ) Cash
Credit Card Information: Name on Card ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Card Number _____________________________________________________________________________ Expiration Date _______ / _______ Signature ___________________________________________________________________________________________SEC Code ____________
(Back of V/MC/D, Front of AMEX)
Photos courtesy of Thunderwood Farms