The Scoop - September 2022

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS

ALSO INSIDE: THIRTY YEARS AFTER THE FIRST GMO TOMATO

PLUS: JUMPING WORMS: THE BENEFIT OF BEING PROACTIVE

12 Jumping Worms: Benefit of Being Proactive

Nick Sargent shares how being transparent with customers has been beneficial to his business.

20

Frostkiss® Molly’s White Lenten Rose

Mary Maguire Lerman shares her success with Helleborus Frostkiss® after trialing it in her garden.

31 Head Grower of the Year

One of Cultivate’s highest honor was awarded to MNLA member, Andrew Butler of Green Valley Greenhouse.

Top 10 Performing Annuals

These WCROC Horticulture Display Garden annuals have scored the highest marks throughout the season.

Updated Best Management Practices for Reducing Spread of Jumping Worms

Jim Calkins discusses updated BMPs for avoiding jumping worms and how to handle materials that are infested.

Thirty Years After the First GMO Tomato

Read how consumer opinions drive the market for specialty crops.

8 Events

10 Deconstructing Barriers to Enter the Green Industry

President Randy Berg discusses the importance of changing mindsets that believe the green industry isn’t an intentional choice, rather stumbled upon.

16 Curb Appeal Matters

Want to get top dollar for your house? Faith Appelquist examines how keeping a tidy yard can increase its value.

18 Committee Openings

Want to get involved? Join a committee to help shape the future of MNLA.

24 New At Northern Green 2023

Gather at the Innovation & Inspiration Theater late Thursday afternoon for a chance to win a share of $5,000 cash!

32 Out & About Associate Director Jon Horsman saw lots of members at the BFG Expo.

70 Widmer Golf Tournament: Celebrating 32 Years of Golf

Another successful year of golf in the books with nearly $10,000 raised for workforce development!

Cover photo: iStock.com/bgfoto. Table of Contents Images: Top Left: iStock.com/Maksims Grigorjevs. Middle: Jim Calkins. Bottom: Alan G. Smith Lab. Top right: iStock.com/SurfUpVector.

MINNESOTA NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION

Successful Businesses Grow Here!

1813 Lexington Ave. N., Roseville, MN 55113 651-633-4987 • Fax: 651-633-4986

Outside the metro area, toll free: 888-886-MNLA, Fax: 888-266-4986 www.MNLA.biz • www.NorthernGreen.org

Mission: The mission of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is to help members grow successful businesses.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Randy Berg, President Berg’s Nursery, Landscape/Garden Center 507-433-2823 • randy@bergsnursery.com

Matt Mallas, Vice-President SiteOne Landscape Supply 763-512-2849 • mmallas@siteone.com

Terri McEnaney, Secretary-Treasurer

Bailey Nurseries 651-459-9744 • terri.mcenaney@baileynursery.com

Faith Appelquist, MNLA-CP Tree Quality LLC 612-618-5244 • faith@treequality.com

Greg Krogstad

Rainbow Treecare 952-922-3810 • gkrogstad@rainbowtreecare.com

Patrick McGuiness Zlimen & McGuiness PLLC 651-331-6500 • pmcguiness@zmattorneys.com

John O’Reilly

Otten Bros. Garden Center and Landscaping 952-473-5425 • j.oreilly@ottenbros.com

Nick Sargent, MNLA-CP Sargent’s Landscape Nursery, Inc. 507-289-0022 • njsargent@sargentsgardens.com

Jim Shimon

Willow River Company — Landscaping & Tree Farm 715-386-3196 • jimshimon@willowrivertree.com

Cassie Larson, CAE

MNLA Executive Director 651-633-4987 • cassie@mnla.biz

STAFF DIRECTORY

Executive Director: Cassie Larson, CAE • cassie@mnla.biz

Associate Director: Jon Horsman, CAE • jon@mnla.biz

Dir. of Government Affairs: Felipe Illescas • felipe@mnla.biz

Education & Cert Mgr: Hallie Chasensky • hallie@mnla.biz

Communications Coor: Brianna Burns • brianna@mnla.biz

Regulatory Affairs Mgr: Jim Calkins • jim@mnla.biz

Foundation Program Mgr: Paulette Sorenson • paulette@mnla.biz

Administrative Assistant: Louise Nemmers • louise@mnla.biz

Accountant: Pam Helgeson • accounting@mnla.biz

Advertising Sales: 763-295-5420

Betsy Pierre, Advertising Mgr • betsy@pierreproductions.com

Legislative Affairs Consultant: Doug Carnival

Albert J. Lauer, Inc. 15

Ancom Communications Inc and Midwest Radio Rentals 33

Anderson Nurseries, Inc. 52 Arborjet 19

Aspen Equipment 48

Bachman’s Wholesale Nursery & Hardscapes ............................... 3

Borgert Products, Inc. 67

Bullis Insurance Agency 48 Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ProGreen Plus 63 Central Landscape Supply 48 Compeer Financial 9

Cushman Motor Company 11

Davey Twin Cities Wood Products ................................................... 59 Dayton Bag & Burlap .......................................................................... 52

Edney Distributing Co., Inc. .............................................................. 22

Evergreen Nursery Co., Inc. ............................................................... 45

Fahey Sales Agency / Jeff Martin Auctioneers 54 Frost Inc 64

Gertens Wholesale & Professional Turf Supply 2 Glacial Ridge Growers 69 Gopher State One-Call 23 Green Turf Sod Farms 4 Haag Companies, Inc.

........................................................................ 60

Hoffman & McNamara Nursery and Landscape .......................... 63 Jeff Belzer Chevrolet 36–37 Keen Edge Company 54 Klaus Nurseries 9 Kubota 45 Landscape Alternatives Inc. ............................................................. 45 Lano Equipment, Inc. ......................................................................... 64

Maguire Agency 33

Midwest Machinery ............................................................................ 52

Minnesota Mulch & Soil 69

Minnesota Propane Association 14 Niebur Tractor & Equipment 63

Out Back Nursery 54

Plaisted Companies 7

Rock Hard Landscape Supply 33

SiteOne Landscape Supply 57

SMSC Organics Recycling Facility .................................................... 64

Spring Meadow Nursery/Proven Winners Color Choice ............ 50 The Resultants 22 The Tessman Company 9 Touchstone Accent Lighting 69

Tri-State Bobcat, Inc. ......................................................................... 43 Unilock Chicago, Inc. 38 Versa-Lok Midwest ............................................................................. 46 Ziegler CAT .............................................................................

Plaisted Horticultural mixes are like no other — they contain highly sought after ingredients. We custom blend mixes using a computerized Accublender

controlling quality & consistency

O U T D OOR L I VI N

We are the midwest's largest resources for quality residential hardscapes. We offer 3,2000 in-store, quality brands that offer exceptional strength, durability that can withstand Minnesota’s harsh winters.

Experienced drivers operate a fleet of more than 45 trucks. Our GPS locator helps us set the standard for the most responsive delivery in the 5-state area.

The Scoop, September 2022, Issue 9 is issued monthly, 12 times per year. All original works, articles or formats published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 2022, and may not be used without written permission of MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville, MN 55113. Subscription price is $99 for one year, which is included with member dues. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Scoop, MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville, MN 55113.

Editorial Contributions. You are invited to share your expertise and perspective. Article ideas and manuscripts should, whenever possible, reflect real and specific experiences. When submitting an article, please contact the editor at brianna@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987. MNLA reserves the right to edit all Scoop content.

OCT 21 

NOV 04

MNLA PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION EXAM

Sit for the exam to become an MNLA Certified Professional in 2022.

Additional dates: November 4, November 11. Registration is limited. MNLA Office, Roseville, MN ➽ www.mnla.biz/events

MNLA PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION EXAM

Sit for the exam to become an MNLA Certified Professional in 2022. Additional dates: November 11. Registration is limited. MNLA Office, Roseville, MN ➽ www.mnla.biz/events

NOV 11 

NOV 16

MNLA PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION EXAM

Sit for the exam to become an MNLA Certified Professional in 2022. Registration is limited. MNLA Office, Roseville, MN ➽ www.mnla.biz/events

MNLA LANDSCAPE AWARDS SUBMISSION DEADLINE

The MNLA Landscapes Awards is a program for installed landscapes. Entries due by 5:00 p.m. MNLA Office, Roseville, MN ➽ MNLA.biz/landscapeawards

NOV 18

JAN 10 –12

PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION

This workshop meets MDA’s Commercial Pesticide Applicator Recertification requirements for Categories A (Core), E (Turf & Ornamentals), and Category P (Vertebrate Pests). Registration is open until November 11th or until class fills. Wellstone Center, St Paul, MN ➽ MNLA.biz

NORTHERN GREEN 2023

Save the Date for the premier event for green industry professionals in the northern region. Exhibit booths are available. Registration will open in the fall. www.northerngreen.org

Information on industry events: MNLA.biz/events. Free, member-only videos: MNLA.biz/OnlineEducation.

Leadership

2022 MNLA seminars generously supported by:

LET’S MAKE YOUR PLANS A REALITY, TOGETHER. We see potential in your plans. With a unique perspective born from decades of working in agriculture, we provide insights and expertise through partnerships built on trust and respect. Our financial solutions are designed to give you the tools needed to succeed. And our experienced team will guide you every step of the way.

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Randy Berg Berg’s Nursery & Landscape MNLA President

Deconstructing Barriers to Enter the Green Industry

Over the years I have been fortunate to have employed a lot of very hard-working, talented people. Most of these people came to us in need of a summer job to assist in paying their educational expenses. In other words, they ‘stumbled’ into the green industry.

Our industry typically has been overlooked as a career path for these young, ambitious people and there are several reasons for this. Parents often discouraged their young people from entering our industry sighting low pay, hard work, and an unacceptably long winter layoff. In the eyes of the public, the green industry looks unprofessional. I have struggled with this perception all my career. The low ‘barrier to enter’ to this profession has helped to fuel this misconception of our industry. The thought that anyone can do this type of work was and is widespread. This was obvious in the residential new home landscape market. Some people would opt to install their own landscapes only to end up with very poor outcomes. Workers now faced a lack of active projects and consumer opinions said the work was easily done by anyone and training wasn’t required. This shift in thought caused many excellent workers to move on to ‘real’ jobs.

Fortunately, as more people began to struggle and realize these projects needed professional training, things began to improve quickly. We are gaining respect as an industry. Our industry is now ‘at the table’ in design development of projects. We are included as line-item budget figures for ongoing professional gardening skills and sprinkler system maintenance as the need to have an immaculate campus is now the rule and not the exception for most large businesses. The projects installed are now complex and extensive, involving hardscape and softscape that include complete watering systems designed to water

plants, not parking lots, and conserve our precious water resource. These landscapes complement the architecture and some of these design and installs have won recog nition for their creativity and originality. It is truly an art form. Our projects are now among the most extensive, commanding a substantial part of the building budget. We are marrying together creative design with plants, water, hard surfaces, and turf to create these very important functional spaces for people to live life in.

This does not sound at all unprofessional to me and in fact, it’s the opposite. Each of these disciplines requires highly skilled craftspeople with advanced training to achieve this level of skill. This training is now becoming available as MNLA teams up with the Minnesota Depart ment of Labor and Industry in creating our first appren ticeship program. The first segment is a landscape crew member program, with several planned segments to fol low. A lot of work by many industry volunteers pulled this program together and all this hard work will go to waste if we, the industry owners and managers, do not support this program. This program will only succeed if we accept it and offer it to our staff, then compensate them with wag es and benefits that should be given to skilled laborers. This is a must to entice them to enroll. This will benefit the entire industry and provide us with a future workforce. Please look at the program and consider enrolling your willing employees.

➽ RANDY BERG is the owner of Berg’s Nursery & Landscape in Austin, and a Certified Professional Landscape Designer. You can reach Randy at randy@bergsnursery.com.

Jumping Worms: BENEFIT OF BEING PROACTIVE

Nick Sargent Sargent’s Gardens

WHATEVER YOUR OPINION ON JUMPING WORMS (JW’S), they are here and they are spreading quickly. There is enough factual and scientific information out there for you to read, so

I am not going to add to that mountain of data. What I offer today is how my business chose to respond to the PR “crisis” that jumping worms caused, and report on the response we have received.

As a quick back-story, last summer in Rochester our landscape and garden service crews began finding jumping worms on many of our clients’ sites, twenty-one to be exact. With this knowledge, we went looking at our nursery and found them at both of our locations. To be clear, they were not in our products but rather in garden areas and our heal-in mulch.

We made the quick decision to report what we found to the MN Dept of Ag, and I immediately contacted any expert I could find online. To my surprise, I found the leading experts in the field to be very willing to share information and answer any question I could think of. The overwhelming response I received was “we are all in this together.” We have continued with that motto through this journey.

I do not diminish the impact these creatures have on gardens and woodlands, however, our industry’s biggest battle is with the strong emotions JW’s invoke in the public. While the strong impulse is to hide a JW find at your nursery to do damage control, we quickly decided that our company could survive whatever JW’s brought to us, but we could not survive losing the trust of the SE MN market.

OPINIONS VARY ABOUT WHAT THE TRUE IMPACT OF JW’S WILL BE. THIS ARTICLE IS MEANT TO DEAL WITH ONLY THE PR IMPACT ON THE GREEN INDUSTRY. AS WITH MANY THINGS, EACH OF OUR BUSINESSES, AND OUR INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE, HAS THE CHOICE TO COME AT THIS ISSUE WITH OPENNESS, HONESTY, AND HEAD ON. IF THIS HAPPENS, IN MY OPINION, WE WILL COME OUT THE GOOD GUY AND POSSIBLY TURN THE PROBLEM INTO AN ADVANTAGE.

Therefore, we hired a PR professional to design a response plan that included crafting an email to our entire 17,000-person email list describing exactly what we had and had not found regarding JW’s in Rochester and at our nursery. To our shock, we received no, that is correct, zero negative responses from this email. However, we did receive several words of thanks for being honest and transparent.

Early on we felt that we could take what seemed like a catastrophe and turn the tables to make it a positive for our business. We rapidly learned all we could on these worms and instituted Best Management Practices (BMP’s), and worked with experts and MNLA on research and BMP’s regarding JW’s. Our message to the community was loud and clear; many nurseries have jumping worms (whether they know it or not) and all certainly will encounter them. Therefore, Sargent’s is now the safest place to purchase goods because we know the problem and are working all angles to ensure JW free products. With this mes sage we have encountered no negative impact with our customer base, or with our sales.

This groundwork from the last 12 months became invaluable recently as we became aware that our company was being inaccu rately blamed for delivering mulch with JW’s to a site that was on our local garden club tour. With the knowledge I had gained I was able to quickly dispel the idea that these worms came in our mulch, show them where the worms likely came from, and get the chance to share what our company is doing about the issue to three local garden clubs. I have included the message crafted to these clubs on the next page of this article. It is the best example of our PR journey that I can share. Due to quick action, and having done our homework, we were able to turn a fiasco into a competitive advantage.

Opinions vary about what the true impact of JW’s will be. This arti cle is meant to deal with only the PR impact on the green industry. As with many things, each of our businesses, and our industry as a whole, has the choice to come at this issue with openness, honesty, and head on. If this happens, in my opinion, we will come out the good guy and possibly turn the problem to an advantage. However, if we sit back and let the public dictate the terms of the issue, each business will be “called out” on social media and word of mouth, and our industry will suffer the consequences.

➽ NICK SARGENT is the owner of Sargent’s Gardens. He can be reached at njsargent@sargentsgardens.com.

Sargent’s Gardens Response to Jumping Worms:

For several years Sargent’s has been aware of the Jumping Worm issue, however, 2021 was the first time we started to find them at our job sites on a regular basis. Also in 2021, we found Jumping Worms (JW’s) in specific areas at both of our locations. These worms were not found in our products, but in the surrounding areas. From this point forward Sargent’s, and myself personally, have taken the issue extremely seriously. On September 2nd of 2021 we emailed our entire list of 17,000 email addresses the information that remains included in this link on our website.

https://sargentsgardens.com/docs/jumping-worms/

Also included in this link are the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Associations Best Management Practices (BMP’s) that Sargent’s is following. In addition, each department at Sargent’s has its own specific BMP’s.

Because so much information is available in the link included in this email, I will not duplicate what can be found in this link.

At that time, our strong feeling was that Sargent’s can withstand Jumping Worms, but we can not survive losing the trust of the Rochester market. Therefore, we have been very open and honest in our communications since this time regarding JW’s. This remains the same today as we have implemented Best Management Practices (BMP’s) in all areas of our business to minimize the potential for the spread of JW’s.

Please know that the success of our client’s gardens is our top priority. With this in mind I have been very active in all areas of JW management including: Consistent communication and collaboration with the University of MN, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the MN DNR, the MN Dept of AG, and the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA). In addition to this, I have been leading experiments at my own nursery and have shared these promising results with researchers. I have also been in meetings to both apply for research grants, and to seek approval of several potential controls of JW’s. Lastly, I have collaborated with the MNLA in many areas on the JW front and creating BMP’s for the Green Industry that have been shared nationally.

All of that said, this is an evolving and elusive issue. Being on the leading edge of this, we know that difficulties remain with even the most educated and well intentioned of nurseries and gardeners alike. However, working together and collaborating with everyone invested in this issue I am confident we will find solutions. We truly are “all in this together.”

Sincerely, Nick Sargent

CURB

MATTERS

Faith Appelquist Tree Quality LLC

WANT TO GET TOP DOLLAR FOR YOUR HOUSE? Mow the lawn.

Analyzing Google Street View photos and sales data from 88,980 properties in the greater Denver area, researchers determined that on average a home with excellent curb appeal sold for 7% more than a similar house in the same neighborhood with poor curb appeal. In slow real estate markets (when buyers can afford to be choosier), that premi um rose to as high as 14%. That 7% figure also factors in the state of the home across the street which accounted for a third of the overall premium (Johnson et al., 2020). So, pick your neighbors carefully.

To get at the question of curb appeal, the researchers manually scored a set of prop erties, grading 400 images on a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 indicating the lowest appeal and 4 with the highest. Low-appeal properties had blemishes like broken pavement and over grown grass, while high-appeal properties were characterized by features like well-kept lawns and nice landscaping. The researchers then used these scored images to train their deep-learning algorithm to assign curb-ap peal values. Lastly, they used the algorithm to grade the photos. Comparing sales prices of homes with good curb appeal to those with bad curb appeal, they arrived at their finding of 7% (Johnson et al., 2020)

Everyone knows that curb appeal affects property value; now we know how much. Speaking of which-did you rake those leaves up yet?

Reference: Johnson, Erik B, Tidwell, Alan and Villupuram, Sri ram V, (2020), Valuing Curb Appeal, The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, 60, issue 1, p. 111-133.

FAITH APPELQUIST is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, an ISA Municipal Specialist MN, and an ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist®. Faith can be reached at faith@treequality.com.

➽

Curb appeal refers to the attractiveness of an exterior of a property when viewed from a public space such as a street or sidewalk.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Staff Liaison: Cassie Larson

3

Openings

Chair: Jim Shimon, Willow River Companies

• Create a career development model to assist with green industry employee retention and to promote employee advancement.

COMMUNICATION & TECHNOLOGY

Staff Liaison: Jon Horsman

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The MNLA Board of Directors forms committees to carry out the strategic direction of the organization. Below is a list of the committees with summaries of their mission and current openings. Apply today at www. mnla.biz/page/getinvolved.

5 Openings

Chair: Diana Grundeen, Trio Landscaping LLC

• Make MNLA a critical information hub for business trends, marketing expertise and consumer insight; increase the value of MNLA’s member communication resources; spur greater social media activity among members.

1 Opening EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION

Staff Liaisons: Hallie Chasensky & Cassie Larson

Chair: Mike Heger, Ambergate Horticultural Consulting

• Overall education program strategy and decision-making.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Openings

Staff Liaisons: Felipe Illescas & Cassie Larson

Chair: Tim Malooly, Water in Motion

• Recommend policy positions; set and implement strategy; represent the collective interests of MNLA members in legislative and regulatory affairs.

MEMBERSHIP

Staff Liaison: Jon Horsman Chair: Van Cooley, Malmborg’s Inc.

9

Openings

NETWORKING

Staff Liaison: Hallie Chasensky Chair: Elise Eide, Orijin Stone

Openings

• Hands-on outreach to members and prospective members via phone calls and in-person visits.

• Organize member-based business-tobusiness networks that promote profit opportunities for members; foster small group networking among members; organize cross-industry networks between MNLA members and related industries.

TRADE SHOW

Staff Liaison: Jon Horsman Co-Chair: Dave Kemp Co-Chair: Paul Griffin

• Ensure a smooth move-in and move-out process for Northern Green exhibitors.

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

Contact a board member, committee chair, or the MNLA staff member liaison with questions. To submit a volunteer application, visit mnla.biz/page/getinvolved.

The

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Helleborus x hybridus

FROSTKISS®

‘MOLLY’S WHITE ’

LENTEN ROSE

Mary Maguire Lerman Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board

HELLEBORUS FROSTKISS® ‘MOLLY’S WHITE’ WILL PUT ON A GREAT DISPLAY IN TWIN CITIES AND ZONE 4 GARDENS.

In September of 2020, I was sent this cultivar to trial in several locations in Saint Paul. Provided they were given humus-rich soils and moderate (morning or late afternoon) sun with good soil moisture, they thrived. When planting these in later fall, I put a teaspoon of Soil Moist polymer in the base of each planting hole as I was concerned about the roots getting fully established before winter. This acrylic polymer helps the roots get established when planted and persists for up to five years in the soil. The control group, where I did not use the Soil Moist in the planting holes, all perished.

Thinking back to 1971, when I was a horticulture student at the University of Minnesota, we were advised not to consider using Hellebores as they were simply not hardy in Minnesota. Since then, climate change and breeding have now made the Hellebores a delightful option.

Bred over a decade, the Frostkiss® series displays its blooms above the foliage, providing more enjoyment by gardeners. The Frostkiss® series blooms later than other Hellebore offerings, a benefit for Minnesota gardeners with springs that often revert back to winter. Additional benefits include the marbled foliage and the blooms that are attractive the entire growing season. It is hardy to zone 4, although listed as zone 5 on the plant tag. Perhaps those of you in Zone 3 with the site requirements noted above may want to give them a trial and report back to MNLA members. Plugs are available exclusively through Pacific Plug and Liner in Watsonville, California. The local sales rep can be reached at gportnoy@griffinmail.com

HELLEBORES ARE NOT ONLY GREAT LANDSCAPE PLANTINGS, THEY CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO SEASONAL CONTAINERS AND THEN REMOVED AND PLANTED INTO GARDENS IN LATER SEPTEMBER. THE FLOWERS AND CUT FOLIAGE ARE ANOTHER POTENTIAL INCOME SOURCE AS THEY ARE IDEAL FOR POSY BOUQUETS.

There are other colored cultivars in the Frostkiss® series, however, I did not trial them. I believe they may be just as hardy as ‘Molly’s White’. I am intrigued by the cultivar ‘Anna’s Red’ as the flower stems are deep red, further accenting the blooms. The other Frostkiss® Hellebore cultivars:

• ‘Bayli’s Blush’ — Violet blush with cream white blooms and marbled foliage

• ‘Cheryl’s Shine’— Light pink/coral blooms with marbled foliage

• ‘Dana’s Dulcet’ — Smoky pink with greenish-white blooms and marbled foliage

• ‘Dorothy’s Dawn’ — Light pink blooms with marbled foliage

• ‘Glenda’s Gloss’ — White blooms with a magenta edge with marbled foliage

• ‘Illumi Lime’ — Bright lime blooms with marbled foliage

IN ACTION!

HELLEBORES

Mary Maguire Lerman

• ‘Moondance’ — White, more compact and later blooming than ‘Molly’s White’

• ‘Penny’s Pink’ — Deep pink blooms with marbled foliage

• ‘Pippa’s Purple’ — Smoky pink blooms with marbled foliage

Planting in Containers

Hellebores are not only great landscape plantings, they can be incorporated into seasonal containers and then removed and planted into gardens in later September. The flowers and cut foliage are another potential income source as they are ideal for posy bouquets. Consider selling potted blooming Hellebore plants for sales near St. Patrick’s Day, as the Lenten Roses are popular garden plants in the Emerald Isle. I would recom mend for St. Patrick’s Day that you grow the cultivar ‘Illumi LIme’ and suggest to custom ers that they keep the plants indoors until mid-May and then plant outdoors. The many colored varieties would be great pot plant gifts for the Passover and Easter holidays.

Do be aware that some species of Helle bores are poisonous. Keep them away from your pets and children. In addition, some peo ple react to the foliage with a skin rash. So be certain that when planting or maintaining Hellebores that you always wear gloves! Visit posion.org to learn more about reactions to the skin from outdoor plants.

➽ MARY MAGUIRE LERMAN, B.S. Horticultural Science 1974, University of Minnesota Retired Horticulturist, Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Horticulture correspondent from Jerusalem, Israel. She can be reached at magui011@umn.edu.

LAURA KATEN has more than 20 years experience in the communication industry. She travels over 100 days a year for speaking engagements, and has spent the last 15 years specifically focused on helping individuals to increase self-awareness around communication habits that either support or unconsciously undermine their success.

GREEN INDUSTRY AWARDS CELEBRATION

RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE IN MINNESOTA’S GREEN INDUS TRY AWARDS

TUESDAY, JAN. 10, 4:30-6:30 P.M. TICKETS: $70 ($80 ONSITE)

Join colleagues and special guests in the Gallery at the Hilton Minneapolis for a celebration of Minnesota’s green industry on Tuesday, January 10, from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Enjoy an evening with your fellow professionals, delectable food, outstanding projects, and fun as we celebrate service, research, leadership, creativity, innovation, and dedication. Kick off your year in style at the Green Industry Awards Celebration!

$70.00 per ticket. One drink, all food stations, dessert & coffee included with ticket purchase. Cash bar is available throughout the event.

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Special thanks to our sponsors:

2023

Join us as we kick off the Northern Green in the main auditorium with international author and communication specialist, Laura Katen! Her talk titled Communicating for Maximum Impact! will highlight some of most important communication strategies that could mean the difference between your professional— and personal—success or stagnation. This talk will focus around:

• Critical characteristics assumed

• Reversing a negative impression

• Nonverbal messaging

• Undermining words to avoid

• Giving your message immediate value

• Communicating your credibility

• The dos and taboos of virtual communication We are thrilled to welcome Laura Katen as our 2023 Keynote Speaker!

Laura Katen

REGISTRATION OPTIONS

PRE-REGISTER MEMBER (ON OR BEFORE JAN. 3, 20221

3-Day (Tue–Th) 2-Day (Tue/Wed) 2-Day (Wed/Thur) 2-Day (Tue/Thur) 1-Day (Tue) 1-Day (Wed) 1-Day (Thur)

(Tue–Th)

Only (Wed/Thur)

(Wed/Thur)

3-Day (Tue–Th)

$349 $278 $199 $278 $189 $119 $119 $239 $50 $45 $224

PRE-REG. NON-MEMBER $369 $298 $219 $298 $209 $139 $139 $259 $55 $45 $224

REGISTER MEMBER ONSITE (JAN. 10-12, 2022) $429 $358 $278 $358 $269 $209 $209 $309 $50 $50 $319

REG. NON-MEMBER ONSITE $449 $378 $298 $378 $289 $229 $229 $329 $55 $50 $319

Choice of 1 Tuesday Master Class

Wednesday Educational Sessions in Seminar Rooms

Thursday Educational Sessions in Seminar Rooms

Thursday's Trade Show Grand Prizes

Access to all exhibits on the Trade Show floor

Access to Wednesday's Free Lunch on the Trade Show floor

Access to Campfire mini-sessions

Access to Hardscape LIVE! and Vehicle Inspection Demo

Access to mini-sessions in the Innovation & Inspiration Theater

& EXTRAS

PRE-REGISTRATION PRICE ON-SITE PRICE

GREEN INDUSTRY AWARDS CELEBRATION TICKET (Tuesday) $75 $85**

PREMIUM WEDNESDAY UPGRADE: INTERACTIVE TRACK - Name That PlantRequires Wednesday Registration Above

PREMIUM THURSDAY UPGRADE: CEO & MGMT TRACK - Inclusive LeadershipRequires Thurs. Registration Above - Includes exclusive access to CEO & MGMT Lounge!

Member: $99 Non-Member: $119 Member: $99 Non-Member: $119

Member: $99 Non-Member: $119 Member: $99 Non-Member: $119

Attention Snow & Ice Management Companies:

Worried about snow on the day of the show? Try our new "Snow Insurance" Rate Lock.

This non-refundable $20-per-person ticket qualifies the ticket holder for pre-registration rates onsite. Plus, your $20 advance payment will be applied to the onsite registration fee.

Offer only available during pre-registration dates. If ticket holder cannot attend show, $20 payment is non-refundable.

1Register on or before Dec. 19 to receive badges in the mail. The deadline for pre-registration is Jan. 3 and all who pre-register between Dec. 20 and Jan. 3 have the option of printing a name badge at the Self Check-In Kiosk onsite.

2 Available to the first 1,800 attendees on Wednesday.

*Group Discount: A 10% discount is available to an individual company registering 10 or more people for a 1-Day educational pass or greater. Not valid for student or trade show only passes. Valid only for pre-registration completed online with all registrants entered in one registration. Not valid with other discounts/promotions.

**A limited number of Green Industry Awards Celebration tickets are available onsite.

MASTER CLASSES

RELICENSURE

Speakers: Keith Radatz, and more Course Approval Code #: Pending on approval from MN Dept. of Labor and Industry

This course has been submitted to the Minnesota Dept. of Labor & Industry for approval for eight hours of continuing education requirements for the Power Limited Technician License, including 2 hours of code and 6 hours of technical training oriented specifically toward the landscape industry.

3SELECTION AND USE OF PLANTS IN THE LANDSCAPE

Facilitator: Dr. James Calkins, Sustainable Horticultural Solutions

The class will focus on the principles and theory of plant design, site analysis, and specifically plant selection. Attendees will also learn how to develop quality bedlines, mix and match plants based on function and landscape characteristics, how to build flexibility into the plant design process, and the importance of the relationship between design and implementation. Class includes lecture periods and in-class exercises.

GOING BEYOND LEADERSHIP

Think you already “know enough” about leadership? Well guess again. That attitude will cause poor leaders to fall behind the people who are open minded enough to realize that there will always be more to learn. This session will focus on helping you learn the right tools to be an inspiring leader, not just a manager.

Managing is about stuff, like budgets, buildings, inventories and spreadsheets. We manage stuff. Leading is about people and only people. No one leads a business, they manage the business. They lead the people who work at the business. Leadership at its core is helping people deal with what’s happening in their lives. It is about helping ordinary, often “messy” people achieve extraordinary results. Helping people achieve those results often means leading through change. With the speed that the marketplace is changing these days there has never been more for leaders to learn about how to lead effectively. Change is hard for most of us and leading through change is even harder.

Come and learn effective leadership tools and techniques to put to work every day. Plus, hear directly from four green industry leaders on what has worked successfully, and what has not, for them in their leadership journey.

Generously supported by:

Attend a Tuesday Master Class at Northern Green, Jan. 10, 2023 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

PESTICIDE RECERT. (CATEGORIES A, E, & P)

Cat. P: 7:30 9:00am Cat. A & E: 9:15am-4:00pm

Speakers: John Loegering, Angi Anbourn, Prof. Vera Krischik, Jolene Hendrix, Dominic Christensen, Nick Neylon, and more

Pending approval by the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture (MDA), this workshop meets Commercial Pesticide Applicator Requirements for Category A (Core), Category E (Turf and Ornamentals), as well as an option to add Category P (Vertebrate Pest Control).

Licensed applicators with Categories A and E who last attended a recertification workshop in 2021, and newly-licensed pesticide applicators in 2022, must attend an MDA-approved workshop by December 31, 2023. By attending the Pesticide Recertification class and scanning in and out onsite with staff of MDA, applicators will obtain recertification credit.

NATURAL STONE WALL BUILDING

Speakers: Daniel Arabella, Arabella Stone Co. and Scott Frampton, Landscape Renovations, Inc

Stonework has become the pinnacle of the greatest landscape work, but that is a misleading stereotype. It is what is on the inside that counts. How are your techniques in building helping create a legacy that we can look back on? No matter what material you choose to use in your construction techniques, there needs to be a greater emphasis on the depth of character in the design and installation.

10:00am - 4:00pm

In this session, local dry stone expert Daniel Arabella will cover topics from design and construction techniques to trends in natural stone, and the latest in tools, skills, and equipment for installation.

Additionally, local landscapers will present case studies on recent projects – they will discuss the projects from start to finish including successes and how they overcame obstacles along the way.

Finally, the session will cover how to estimate and bid these projects so they are profitable!

NATIVE PLANTS FOR MINNESOTA LANDSCAPES

Speakers: James Wolfin, Twin Cities Seed; Brandon Miller, University of Minnesota; Dan Shaw, Board of Water and Soil Resources; Mary Meyer, Retired – University of Minnesota; and Gary Johnson, Retired – University of Minnesota

As urbanization continues to expand, native plants are often displaced by highly cultured species in these unnatural landscapes. The utilization of native plant species – where appropriate – can have significant value to pollinators and wildlife, to name a few. In this Master Class you will learn from experts which native plants would be most appropriate in practical settings such as lawns, landscapes, prairies and wetlands. Topics will include:

• Lawns and pollinators

• Woody plants and managed landscape horticulture

• Native wetlands and prairies

• Native grasses

• Native trees

Speaker: Steve Keating, Toro, Inc.

This theater with a huge screen in the center of the action hosts a variety of live events, featured interviews, video highlights, and educational content all tailored for green industry professionals.

Come to booth 1127 and meet NASCAR driver, Jeffrey Earnhardt, grandson of racing legend, Dale Earnhardt Sr. Get your picture and an autograph, and a selection of Team Earnhardt swag!

TRADE SHOW FEATURES

Connect + Grow on the go! Campfires are hubs for gathering and learning, but they’re not your typical general session.

Lakeshore Campfire

SUPPORTED BY:

Innovation

Gather at the

& Inspiration Theater late on Thursday afternoon to win a share of $5,000 cash!

Generously

On Wednesday, grab a FREE lunch gift card* at a lunch sponsor's booth to use at the Mill City Grill concession stands, the trade show cafés, or the Dunn Brothers Coffee in Lobby C. Pick up your lunch gift card at one of the booths shown below!

*Available to the first 1,800 attendees. Only one gift card per person can be given. Redeemable on Wednesday ONLY. More details on the back of your gift card.

Inspiration Theater

by:

COURTESY

• Our Commercial Vehicle Inspection Demo includes a truck and trailer set up together.

• A Minnesota State Patrol officer will be on hand to discuss the most frequent types of commercial vehicle citations, and how to satisfy state and federal requirements.

SEEK & SEE

10 exhibitors have items hidden in their booths. Find them all, then drop off your completed card in the big drum in Lobby C to be entered into a drawing!

NEW in 2023!

THROUGHOUT THE TRADE SHOW!

Looking to grow more efficient on your hardscape sites? Join Frank Bourque and his team of presenters for live hands-on demonstrations and interactive sessions that will help improve your team's efficiency.

• Hardscape Tools & Technologies

• How to Significantly Increase Paver and Slabs Installation Efficiency

• New Technologies and Techniques to Increase Your Retaining Wall & Raised Patio Installation

• Features and System Automation for Outdoor Sound, Light, and Fire Features

HARDSCAPE

LIVE!

These unique learning spaces include hosted discussions, trade show floor walkabouts, demonstrations, and more…

Backyard Campfire

CONNECT WITH INDUSTRY VENDORS IN PERSON...

Visit hundreds of exhibitors in the 198,000 square-foot exhibit hall onsite at Northern Green 2023. For the latest listings, check www.NorthernGreen.org.

...AND VISIT THEM ONLINE. Connect with exhibitors all year long by visiting the Trade Show Floor online at www.NorthernGreen.org.

CEO & MGMT. TRACK

WED., JAN. 11 | 10:00am-12:00pm & 2:00-4:00pm

INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP

Dr. Jermaine Davis, Jermaine M. Davis Seminars & Workshops, Inc.

As the workforce sees the biggest shift in our lifetime, are you focusing on how to recruit and retain employees? Are you focusing on the right things to make sure your culture is attractive?

Is your organization’s climate friendly or unfriendly to diversity? Does your organization say you are welcoming to diversity when in reality you are not? As a leader, it is imperative all team members learn how to communicate inclusively and work effectively across ALL dimensions of diversity. “Treating everyone the same” may sound logical initially, however it is a plan for disaster and colossal failure within diverse environments. Leading with an inclusive mindset is the key to building culturally inclusive teams and work environments as well as recruiting and retaining employees.

In this engaging and thought-provoking workshop, the instructor teaches leaders how to behave, communicate, and think with an inclusive lens to create an environment that’s respectful of everyone. Identifying leadership blind spots is a key component to moving forward in this area. It’s important to engage in courageous conversations about diversityrelated issues. Dr. Jermaine teaches people how to address sensitive issues without feeling awkward, guilty, fearful, or uncomfortable.

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY:

INTERACTIVE TRACK

THUR., JAN. 12 | 8:00-10:00am & 1:30-3:20pm

NAME THAT PLANT PLANT ID TRAINING

Facilitator: Dr. James Calkins, Sustainable Horticultural Solutions

Plant identification can be challenging but is an important and essential skill for all green industry professionals. This hands-on training will cover plant identification basics of: Shrubs (deciduous and evergreen), herbaceous perennials, roses, vines, small fruits, and trees (both deciduous and evergreen).

This training is for anyone wanting to develop or improve their plant identification skills and will appeal to many green industry professionals including landscape management staff, garden center staff, landscape designers, landscape contractors, and professional gardeners.

Dr. Jermaine Davis

*Requires Thursday Registration, plus paid upgrade.

Dr. James Calkins

2022 Cultivate Head Grower of the Year

Excellence in Production: Andrew Butler, Green Valley Greenhouses

brace technology and innovation, lead, motivate and mentor others on staff, make valuable contributions to the operation’s management team, and are actively engaged in the industry. Greenhouse Grower published the following about Andrew and the award.

Butler and his growing team have a “no touch” policy on most crops. Proper and judicious use of plant growth regulators to eliminate touches has reduced crop times across the board, up to four weeks in some cases. This has fundamentally improved the company’s labor use and efficiency.

These individuals exemplify modern, high-quality production practices, em-

With help from his team, Butler led the development of an internal grower app for fertilizer, pesticide, and biostimulant applications. This has allowed for shared

information on applications, precise tracking of inputs, and compliance with pesticide recording requirements across the entire operation.

Andrew is constantly seeking out information to increase his knowledge, with an eye to greater efficiency and overall quality in his production. He has maximized his use of high-tech delivery systems and innovative, integrated fertility and IPM solutions on a large scale across a diverse crop.

“Many thanks to our owners who give me the freedom to do unique things at our company,” Butler said. “We have a culture that makes people want to come to work here.” A recap of the award ceremony winners can be read here: https://bit.ly/3B5EWQ6.

Greenhouse Grower’s Medal of Excellence program honors the top greenhouse operations and growers in our industry. The Greenhouse Grower’s Head Grower of the Year Award is presented annually to the head grower of an ornamentals operation who has been a leader in his or her own operation and serves as an example for growers everywhere to emulate.

Congratulations to MNLA member, Andrew Butler, Head Grower at Green Valley Greenhouses.

Dawn Horan, Green Valley Greenhouse

Tangletown Gardens stopped by the MNLA booth to say hi!

We were introduced to the next generation of Schumacher’s Nursery & Berry Farm — the future of the #greenindustry is bright!

We discussed plant health care with this group of experts from Bailey Nurseries and Bachman’s, Inc.

& BFG Expo

Some team members from Heidi’s GrowHaus & Lifestyle Gardens stopped to visit.

The team from Joel’s Greenhouse in Pine Island, MN.

SALES: 952-808-0033

RENTALS: 952-890-7570

SERVICE: 952-808-7699

ROCHESTER: 507-281-1917

MINI EXCAVATORS,

BIG IMPACT

Living in Minnesota, everyone knows that nice weather comes and goes in the blink of an eye. Winter drags on forever while spring and summer feel like they end before they even begin. Because of this, nothing is more important than efficiency when it comes to summer landscaping projects. The goal is always to get them done as quickly as possible, without sacrificing quality or vision. After all, you want to have time to enjoy the beauty of your work once it is completed, whether it is for yourself or a customer. When it comes to needing help with landscaping projects, the

mini excavator is one of the best. These machines are incredibly versatile and the perfect size for wherever your work is taking place. Whether a job is taking place on a front lawn in a neighborhood, or in the wide-open countryside, a mini excavator will get it done with ease.

Mini excavators hold a sizable amount of power in a smaller, more compact form. Because of this, they also tend to be less expensive, which is always something to take in to consideration when looking for new equipment. This smaller size makes them perfect for any location and easily transferrable from

worksite to worksite. These excavators are also compatible with a number of attachments that will help you achieve all your landscaping goals. Some of the most common and useful attachments for machines doing these types of jobs are rotating grapples, augers, and com paction plates.

The rotating grapple and mini excava tor are the perfect paring when it comes to detailed landscaping jobs. The rotat ing grapple will allow you to pick up objects and rotate them into position, while the mini excavator will allow you to transport them quickly and grant

All photos courtesy of Ziegler CAT

Mini excavators are small, mighty, and here to fulfill your landscaping needs.

access to any hard to reach places. This makes the job easier and more efficient by saving manpower and allowing the machine to do all the heavy lifting, so you can focus more on the aesthetics and making sure everything is placed as it should be. It also works well for smaller tasks such as cleaning up an area in preparation for other work to be done. It’s one of the most versatile attachment options.

Mini excavators and augers are also major time savers for landscaping proj ects. Anyone who has used an auger before knows how incredibly helpful they are. Using an auger attachment provides the option to dig holes quickly and efficiently. They are especially useful in cases where you need to be digging many holes at once, such as when you are planting trees or putting in a fence. It also holds the capability to dig through numerous different types of soil and dirt. This will save you hours of digging holes by hand.

Compaction plates and mini excavators are a dynamic duo when it comes to landscaping. They are perfect when you

are looking to pack down any amount of dirt, rocks, sand, or gravel prior to paving an area. Where bigger exca vators are heavy and can cause major surface disturbances, mini excavators are lighter weight, so they cause less disturbances on surfaces and keep everything nice, smooth, and ready to finish projects. It’s perfect to use for putting down driveways, sidewalks, or any other kind of walkway or path that you are looking to incorporate. This combination can be used to help elevate the look of any landscape. In addition, they are both great sizes for neighbor hood projects and any other projects taking place where space is limited, which is always a plus.

Mini excavators can be a very produc tive machine option for landscapers. When paired with the right attachment, they can deliver unmatched versa tility and utility in completing jobs.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the content of this advertorial, feel free to reach out to Ziegler CAT at info@ zieglercat.com or visit www.zieglercat.com.

George

ready for work at a moment’s notice.

trained to keep business owners happy.

facilities equipped for commercial applications.

50 years of Partnership

From the very beginning, our founder Ed Bryant recognized the role that installers had to play in building this industry. In 1987, he launched the Unilock Authorized Contractor program, creating a mutually beneficial partnership with the very best installers. At the time it was a groundbreaking idea. In recent years, competitors have launched copycats, but no one has yet to capture the true spirit of this program.

Learn more about what a true partnership looks like, by connecting with your local Territory Manager at 1-800-UNILOCK or UNILOCK.com. We look forward to paving it forward with you.

The personal relationships and genuine partnership we have with our Unilock Authorized Contractors remains uniquely Unilock.”

“

~ Ed Bryant, Unilock Founder

Performing Annuals from the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center

Nate Dalman, Co-Director Horticulture, Research Professional III Esther Jordan, Co-Director Horticulture, Communications Specialist

lant breeding companies from around the world send their annual flower seeds, vegeta tive cuttings, and unrooted cuttings to the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC), to be part of our prestigious annual flower trial. Seeds begin to arrive in January, while unrooted cuttings and vegetative plugs start to arrive in March, all with the goal of having healthy transplants by the end of May in time for Minneso ta’s growing season.

Annuals are grown in hanging baskets, containers, or planted into landscaped beds within the Horticulture Display Garden, which spans over four acres. All annual flowers are on display for public view ing from early June into September. Visitors can take note of their favorite cultivars and to see how plants respond to regional weather conditions.

ONLY THE HIGHEST RATING CULTIVARS EARN THE DISTINCTION AS A TOP TEN PERFORMING ANNUAL.

The 2022 growing season for west central Minnesota was drier and warmer than usual. The average temperatures for June and July were several degrees higher than historically average, and precipitation was several inches less. By late July, we were in a moderate drought. Despite regular irrigation, plants exhibited stress by having longer establish ment times after planting, slower growth rates, and less flowering while these condi tions persisted.

As part of the annual flower trialing process, plants are evaluated several times during the growing season in order to assess each variety’s performance. We use a 1 to 5 scale for providing a horticultural rating (1=poor, 2=below average, 3=average, 4=above average, 5=excellent). Plants are rated on performance, color, vigor, uniformity of habit and flowering, flowering numbers relative to others, insect and disease resis tance, and uniqueness. The data is taken by the same individual every time to reduce variability in scoring. Only the highest rating

cultivars earn the distinction as a Top Ten Performing Annual.

Plant breeding companies rely on the valu able feedback from our annual flower trial to market and improve their cultivars. Evalua tions from the WCROC annual flower trial are shared with participating plant breeding companies; they may in turn make plant improvements to their cultivars and enter the flower back into trial for another season. Our annual flower report is also made available to commercial nursery producers, floriculture professionals, grower associations, U of MN Extension and U of MN Master Gardeners to provide cultivar recommendations for Minnesota.

The 2022 Top Ten Performing Annuals

 Begonia Megawatt™ Pink Bronze Leaf Improved — A large, waxy type begonia with very sturdy stems that support an upright and strong branching habit. Large and abundant blooms with bright pink color all season long throughout varying temperatures. Flowers

NOTES

Species Feedback Form

The Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) is working with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) as part of a coalition in support of an initiative to reforest 1-million acres of private and public land in Minnesota by 2040

– the Minnesota Million Project. This is an ambitious initiative and a worthy goal and Minnesota nursery and landscape professionals will be invaluable partners in making the project a success as a primary source of seed, seedlings, and transplants. At this time, The Nature

Conservancy is seeking input on a preliminary list of tree species to be included in the Minnesota Million reforestation effort. As the industry experts, they need your feedback. Click here to complete the survey: https://tinyurl. com/3799cyj3

University of Minnesota CFANS Mentorship Program

The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) is currently seeking industry professionals to share valuable career insights and guidance with current

CFANS students. This program matches students and post-docs with industry professionals in the student’s interested field. This is a fulfilling opportunity for professionals to connect with young people and encourage them as they explore careers in their area of interest, as well as a

are held above the striking deep bronze foliage resulting in a nice contrast between flowers and foliage. Performed best in a container located in a shady location.

 Celosia Kelos® Candela Pink — A unique and vigor ous celosia that performed well in both containers and in the ground. The branching habit promotes multiple inflorescences that continue to grow all season long reaching nearly two feet in length! Despite its height, it stays upright due to it’s thick stalks. The foliage also has a combination of colors, being a dark maroon in the center and lighter green around the edges adding to this plant’s eye-catching ability. It performed best in full sun.

great investment in the future of our industry’s workforce. They are planning for a hybrid program year, with both in-person and virtual events, workshops, panels, and networking opportunities. They encourage matches to meet however best works for them —

whether through in-person, Zoom/ Skype/Google Hangout, or phone. Local and longdistance mentors are welcome! Mentoring doesn’t require a large time commitment and can make an enormous difference in a student’s professional growth.

To learn more about the program, visit z.umn.edu/mentor.

New Members Pfeffer Tree Service; Global Irrigation Solutions; Wilt-Pruf Products; Persolvent.

i Dahlia Labella® Maggiore Fun Flame — A dahlia with truly vibrant floral colors: a bright yellow center with scarlet tips. With flowers four inches in diameter, this dahlia is sure to catch your attention. These flowers are held nicely above the foliage on strong, sturdy stalks and remain clean looking longer than other dahlias and are slower to fade and lose their color. The uniform growth habit of this plant also adds to its appeal reaching about 18" wide by 18" tall. Performed best in the ground in full sun.

 Lantana Shamrock™ Peach Improved — This prolific blooming lantana has several qualities that set it apart from other lantanas. Most notably is its uniform mounding habit with even growth, and no branches that grow taller than others. The well-balanced com bination of pink and yellow flowers created an overall peach-colored appearance which stands above the foliage. Performed best in a container and full sun.

 Marigold Mary Orange — A hedge-type marigold intended to form a hedge-like appearance, and Marigold Mary Orange certainly delivers! Great vigor resulted in rapid growth with abundant foliage even in the center of the plant and abundant blooms held above the foliage. The strong stalks supported the tall growth of the plant without breaking or snapping off. This marigold had uniform growth habit across all plants and reached a size of 18" wide and 30" tall. Performed best in full sun and in the ground.

i Petunia Supertunia Mini Vista® Midnight —This spread ing type of petunia provides an endless supply of blooms all season long despite changes in weather conditions. The dark blooms stand out nicely against the foliage and attracts a lot of attention. This plant spreads evenly up to 24" wide and stays filled in all season without losing foliage at the plant’s center. It reaches a height of 8" which helps make it a great border. Performed best in the ground in full sun.

 Portulaca Mojave® Yellow 2023 — This portulaca pro duced large, bright, vibrant yellow flowers. Spreading to nearly two feet in diameter, the blooms covered the entire plant and not just the newer growth. Known to be very drought tolerant, this plant can handle conditions many others cannot. In addition to catching the eyes of numer ous garden visitors, it is a bee magnet for a multitude of species. It performed best in the ground in a retaining wall with dryer and warmer growing conditions.

j Scaevola Abanico Blue — An intermediate sized scaevo la and a strong trailing habit make it perfect for hanging baskets. Showing strong vigor from the start, it produced abundant light blue flowers early in the season and con tinued all summer long. The blooms covered the entire plant due to its branching and trailing habit. This plant performed best in a hanging basket in full sun.

 Vinca Mega Flow® Orchid — Mega Flow® Orchid is a trailing vinca with very uniform growth and is also self-cleaning resulting in flowers always looking very clean and neat. The large flowers stand out nicely against the dark green lush foliage. Abundant flowers are present all season long despite the weather and cover the plant thanks to the strong branching habit. It performed best in a hanging basket in full sun.

j Zinnia Zydeco™ Fire — This zinnia exhibits true fully double flowers. Not only that, but also great disease resistance which leads the clean appearance of both the foliage and flowers. The large, bright orange flowers standing above the foliage are sure to attract attention all season long. With a branching habit, this plant has uniform growth that appear compact despite its size of 18" wide and 12" tall. It performed best in full sun in the ground.

Even though the annual flowers are under evaluation, the plants are placed into an aesthetically pleasing design, allowing visitors to enjoy the beauty of the Garden. The Horticulture Display Garden has been an All-America Selections (AAS) Display Garden since 1990. The AAS award recognizes a flower or vegetable variety proven to have superior performance throughout the North American continent. An AAS Display Garden provides the public an opportunity to view the new AAS winners in an attractive well-maintained setting. Additionally, the Horticulture Display Garden is the only AAS Trial Ground site in Minnesota, where AAS entries are planted next to comparisons and evaluated by an AAS Trial Judge.

For a complete list of all trial results, please refer to www.wcroc.cfans.umn.edu/flower-research-results.

Voted as the “Best Public Display Garden in Minneso ta” by WCCO, the Horticulture Display Garden is truly a gem in the Upper Midwest.

All flowers in the Horticulture Display Garden are labeled, allowing visitors to take note of top performing cultivars under regional conditions. The Horticulture Dis play Garden is open daily from dawn until dusk; admis sion is free. The Garden is located at 46352 State Hwy 329, Morris, MN. For directions, visit wcroc.cfans.umn.edu.

MNLA Best Management Practices to Reduce the Potential for Spreading JUMPING WORMS

UPDATED

Dr. James Calkins Research Information Director MNLA Foundation

James Calkins

BLOOMINGTON, MN 952-888-2525 DAVENPORT, IA 563-949-4045

SOUTH ST. PAUL, MN 651-451-2264

RAMSEY, MN 763-441-4943

FRIDLEY, MN 763-786-6100

ST. PAUL, MN 651-488-2571

ST. CLOUD, MN 320-251-7252

OWATONNA, MN 800-385-3911

BURNSVILLE, MN 952-890-5337

LONG LAKE, MN 952-473-4898

WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN 651-426-4640

ROCHESTER, MN 507-252-8097

HASTINGS, MN 651-437-2305

PLATO, MN 952-686-8711

WILLMAR, MN 320-235-1146

NORTH BRANCH, MN 651-674-4000

WAVERLY, MN 763-682-5536

In response to growing concerns about jumping worms, including the negative impacts they can have on native ecosystems and designed landscapes, the potential for damage to the roots of plants in nurseries, the document ed role the nursery and landscape industry has played in the spread of jumping worms to new areas, and the gardening public’s concerns that landscape plants and other horticultural commodities like compost and landscape mulch might be a source of jumping worms, the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association developed and distrib uted a set of jumping worm best management practices (BMPs) in 2021 as guidance for MNLA members.

In response to ongoing research that has increased our knowledge about jumping worms and their impacts and management, the original guidance has been updated and the primary purpose of this article is to advise MNLA membership about the revised BMPs. MNLA continues to hope that this

BMP guidance will be helpful to MNLA members as they consider their response to the environmental, production, marketing, and landscape management threats posed by jumping worms and the potential role of the green industry in the spread of jumping worms to new areas. In addition, it is also hoped that these BMPs will be useful in answering questions about jumping worms from customers and others seeking infor mation about jumping worms, the nursery and landscape industry’s role as a potential pathway for the spread of jumping worms, and the industry’s response to this difficult challenge. It is important for the nursery and landscape industry to be proactive rather than reactive in its response to the jumping worm threat and the public’s concerns about jumping worms to demonstrate leadership with a thoughtful, consistent, and positive message. Although many questions about jumping worms and their potential impacts remain to be answered, including questions

about potential regulation in Minnesota and the critical need for effective and safe methods of control for established jumping worm infestations, the revised best manage ment practices are based on the most current information available and will hopefully be of value to MNLA membership.

Although jumping worms have been doc umented in landscape settings in Minnesota for years, they had not been reported in a nursery or garden center until last year (2021) when they were found in container and balled and burlapped nursery stock and on-site soils at several garden center and nursery operations. These jumping worm finds were bravely self-reported to the Minne sota Department of Agriculture (MDA) by the affected firms who have subsequently been working with the MDA to help prevent the movement of jumping worms off-site and to prevent the infestation of other nursery stock and horticultural commodities like compost and landscape mulch. Sadly, new green indus try jumping worm finds have been reported this year (container stock, houseplants, and compost) and jumping worms have also been discovered in truckloads of nursery stock and houseplants being delivered to Minnesota garden centers from other states. In addition, jumping worms have also been increasingly found in woodlands and other natural areas, and in residential and commercial landscapes where they have been found in wooded areas, landscape beds, lawns, and compost and mulch piles. Needless to say, this is bad, but not unexpected, news and these finds high light the importance of being aware of the jumping worm threat and being proactive in taking steps to prevent their introduction and spread to new areas.

As has been reported in the past, jumping worms are non-native, invasive earthworms from southeastern Asia (Japan and the Kore an peninsula) that were first documented in Minnesota, and specifically the Twin Cities area, when they were found in Loring Park in Minneapolis in 2006 and soon thereafter on the St. Paul campus of the University of Min nesota in 2007. Also known as Asian jumping worms, crazy worms, snake worms, crazy snake worms, Jersey wigglers, Georgia and Alabama jumpers, and, most recently, disco worms based on their wild and distinctive, jumping, thrashing, and snakelike movements when disturbed, and regardless of their age, they are members of the Megascolecidae (a family of earthworms) in the phylum Annel ida (segmented worms), the class Clitellata

Figure 1. The annual life cycle of jumping worms. Source: Amynthas agrestis, Amynthas tokioensis, and Metaphire hilgendorfi (McCay et al., 2020).

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(segmented worms that have a clitellum when mature; the clitellum is a distinct ring or saddle-shaped region of glandular tissue located toward the head-end of earthworms that is part of the reproductive system), the subclass Oligochaeta (hermaphroditic aquatic and terrestrial worms including earthworms), and the order Opisthopora (an order of most ly terrestrial worms), and are believed to be represented by at least two genera — Amyn thas and Metaphire spp. — and three species — Amynthas agrestis, Amynthas tokioensis, and Metaphire hilgendorfi — in Minnesota. Although they were first documented in the state 16 years ago, they didn’t get much attention until about nine years ago (2013) when they were discovered at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum and rec ognized as an invasive species of concern in Minnesota by the Minnesota Invasive Species Advisory Council (MISAC) in 2016. They have subsequently received considerable and increasing attention from extension educa tors, university researchers, the press (Rosen, 2020; Gamillo, 2021; Walsh, 2020; Hudson, 2021), the gardening public, and nursery and landscape professionals.

Thus far, jumping worms have been documented in 19 of Minnesota’s 87 coun ties extending from Houston, Fillmore, and Freeborn County in the southeastern corner of the state, up through the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area in east-central Minnesota (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington County), and

as far north and west as Stearns County in central Minnesota and in the city of Ottertail in Otter Tail County in west-central Minneso ta, the most recent (August 2022) and most northerly and westerly report of jumping worms in the state of Minnesota so far. The remaining counties where jumping worms have been reported to date include Dodge, Goodhue, Olmstead, Rice, and Winona Coun ty in southeastern Minnesota, and Sherburne and Wright County in east-central Minneso ta. Given this distribution, jumping worms are likely present in other areas, but their wider distribution in the state is unknown. Regardless of this uncertainty, it is clear that jumping worms are present and spreading in Minnesota and nursery and landscape profes sionals are encouraged to report suspected jumping worm infestations to help research ers document the status of jumping worms in the state and inform potential regulation. To learn more about where jumping worms have been found in Minnesota, visit the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) website (University of Georgia, Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health; EDDMapS, https://www.eddmaps. org/); the information for jumping worms can be accessed directly at jumping worm (Amynthas spp.) — EDDMapS Distribution — EDDMapS, https://www.eddmaps.org/ distribution/uscounty.cfm?sub=58695.

Additional information about reporting is included within the updated jumping worm BMPs at the end of this article.

Figure 2. Mature (reproductive) jumping worms collected from a residential landscape in late July 2020; note the well-defined clitella (singular –clitellum; the non-segmented bands that encircle the body of each jumping worm near the head-end) which are only present on adult jumping worms and is part of the reproductive system of an earthworm; compared to European earthworms where the clitellum is pink to reddish-brown, raised, and saddle-like on the upper surface of the body, the clitellum of a jumping worm is milky white or gray, flush with the rest of the body, and completely encircles the body located near the head-end of each worm.

The term jumping worms is the collective and most frequently used common name for several species of earthworms that have been introduced to North America from southeast ern Asia. Earthworms in two genera — Amy nthas and Metaphire — are the species of concern and they are the newest arrivals on a long list of invasive earthworms that have been brought to North America from Europe and Asia. As a result of these introductions, 60 of the 182 species of earthworms found in North America (33%), and all of the earth worms found in Minnesota, are introduced species. One of the most familiar and humble animals on earth, earthworms are often referred to as ecosystem engineers as a consequence of the foundational role of earth worms in many native and managed ecosys tems and the incredible soil mixing (bioturba tion) activities of earthworms combined with their impacts on the breakdown of organic matter, soil formation, and the soil physical and chemical characteristics that ultimately impact plant growth and performance and the function of ecosystems as a whole.

Historically, and especially in agroecosys tems, earthworms, including non-native spe cies, have generally been viewed as beneficial organisms, but this perspective has changed relative to some non-native species in recent years as a result of their negative impacts on native ecosystems and especially forest ecosystems. This has proven to be true for the European nightcrawler (Lumbricus terres tris) which is well-known to Minnesotans as

James Calkins

a common earthworm and as fishing bait, and even more so for jumping worms which are suspected of being much more detrimen tal. This fear is based on a growing body of evidence that suggests jumping worms can impact soil characteristics and ecosystems much more dramatically than European earthworms. For example, research indi cates that the Asian species of earthworms that have been introduced to North America develop and reproduce more rapidly than their European cousins. They are also more voracious feeders and can reach much higher densities than European species. As a result of these inherent abilities, jumping worms can consume organic matter more rapidly and impact the environment more quickly and dramatically, and in ways that are much more detrimental than European earthworms and can even outcompete and displace European species where they are already present.

While much has been learned about jumping worms and their impacts on North American ecosystems, especially forest eco systems where they are expected to have the greatest impacts, there are many questions about jumping worms that still need to be answered. Research will hopefully be able to answer these questions and provide the tools that will be needed to manage jumping worms effectively and thereby mitigate the damage they cause. The unfortunate reality is that there are currently no labeled prod ucts for the control of jumping worms and attempting to prevent their spread to new areas is the only option available at this time. Once they have become established, there are no feasible means of control and preven tion — taking steps to prevent the introduc tion of jumping worms to nursery production and garden center facilities and landscapes — is key.

Having a basic understanding of the life cycle of jumping worms is important from a prevention and management perspective. Unlike most European earthworms which can live for several years and have an average lifespan of two to eight years and up to 20 years for nightcrawlers (Lumbricus terrestris) if they are able to avoid predators and unde sirable environmental conditions including freezing, jumping worms have an annual life cycle. Immature and adult jumping worms live in the litter layer and top few inches of the soil and do not burrow deep enough into the soil to avoid freezing and are killed by freezing temperatures or possibly even by temperatures as high as 41 degrees Fahren

heit (5 degrees Celsius) based on laboratory testing. As a result, immature and adult jumping worms do not survive the winter but their eggs, which are enclosed in protective cocoons, do survive the winter to start a new generation the following spring. The eggs begin to hatch soon after snowmelt each year when the soil temperatures reach 50 degrees (10 degrees Celsius) and hatching increases rapidly as temperatures increase in May. It takes 60-120 days for juvenile jumping worms to reach adulthood and begin producing eggs. Although all earthworms are hermaphroditic (possess both male and female reproductive

Key Characteristics That Can Be Helpful in Identifying Jumping Worms:

• The bodies of jumping worms tend to be slender and firm and tends to be lighter in color on the underside and darker on top, and the skin is grayish or brownish in color, glossy but dry (not slimy like European earthworms), and often iri descent (especially on older individuals). See Figures 2 & 3.

• The clitellum (the collar-like band located at the head-end of the worm and closer to the head-end than the middle of the body) of jumping worms is milky white or gray (sometimes pinkish) and smooth and completely encircles the body (the clitellum of European earth worms is raised and saddle-like on the upper surface and tends to be similar in color to the rest of the body and closer to the middle of the worm than the headend). See Figures 2 & 3.

• Unlike European earthworms, and regardless of age, jumping worms thrash and jump wildly when disturbed and move in a snake-like fashion (although hatchings and immature individuals lack a clitellum, the distinctive movements of jumping worms can be helpful in identifying jumping worms of any age); jumping worms may also shed their tails as a defensive mechanism.

organs), jumping worms are parthenogenic and do not require a mate to reproduce. This means a single jumping worm - or a single cocoon — can start a new infestation. Needless to say, this is one of the reasons why jumping worms can be spread so easily by human activities. And finally, given this annual lifecycle, it should be noted that any adult earthworms (earthworms that have a clitellum) that are found before mid to late June are European species and not jumping worms. See Figure 1 for a graphic depiction of the annual lifecycle of jumping worms.

Knowing what to look for from an identi fication perspective and how to differentiate between jumping worms and European earth worms is also important. It is not necessary to become an expert and be able to differenti ate between the different species of jumping worms you might encounter. Simply knowing the basics so you can report suspected finds is all that is needed, and the following infor mation should be helpful in this regard.

• Established populations of jumping worms modify soil structure via the excretion of worm castings (technically called vermicast; i.e., worm poop) such that it becomes granular, resembling used coffee grounds, kitty litter, or cooked ground hamburger. See Figure 3.

• There are other differences that can be used to identify jumping worms, includ ing differentiating between species, but they are more difficult to see without magnification and genetic testing is help ful in identifying immature individuals. Although jumping worms are currently classified as unlisted non-native species by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and may not be intention ally introduced into the environment, the DNR is considering listing jumping worms as prohibited invasive species with the goal of preventing new introductions and the spread of jumping worms in the state. A prohibit ed listing would make it illegal to possess, import, purchase, transport, or introduce jumping worms in Minnesota without a per mit, prohibitions that would impact a number

ONCE THEY HAVE BECOME ESTABLISHED, THERE ARE NO FEASIBLE MEANS OF CONTROL AND PREVENTION — TAKING STEPS TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION OF JUMPING WORMS TO NURSERY PRODUCTION AND GARDEN CENTER FACILITIES AND LANDSCAPES — IS KEY.

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of Minnesota industries that handle commod ities that could inadvertently harbor jumping worms including the nursery and landscape industry. Additional and more detailed information about jumping worms is widely available online, including via Google Scholar (Google Scholar, https://scholar.google.com/), and in previous Research for the Real World articles published in The Scoop (Calkins, 2016, 2020, 2021).

As was the case after the original BMPs were developed last year, MDA nursery inspectors will once again be distributing the updated MNLA jumping worm BMPs during their visits to nursery certificate holders and will be on the lookout for jumping worms during their regular inspections. MNLA appreciates the MDA’s efforts to help prevent the spread of jumping worms.

The MNLA best management practices guidance will be updated as new information pertaining to the management of jumping worms becomes available. Comments or questions about MNLA BMP guidance are welcome and can be directed to Jim Calkins at jim@mnla.biz or 612-258-7744 (cell).

mental and socio-economic consequences.

As is the case for all invasive species, prevention is key and the best approach is to avoid the introduction of jumping worms into non-infested areas including nursery produc tion and retail facilities, designed landscapes, and natural areas; once present, they are difficult if not impossible to manage effective ly with the tools that are currently available. And because the activities of people, includ ing nursery and landscape practices, are

the jumping worm threat seriously. Edu cate yourself about jumping worms and be proactive in taking steps to keep them out of production and retail facilities and otherwise prevent their spread so you will be prepared to answer any questions that your customers may have about jumping worms and your response to the challenges they pose. Unfor tunately, jumping worms are in Minnesota and in the news; and from a public relations perspective, ignorance or indifference about the jumping worm threat is not advised.

Jumping worms live in the litter layer and the top few inches of the soil and voracious ly consume up to 95% of the critical litter (duff) layer in forest ecosystems. They do not create burrows and do not move deep into the soil like nightcrawlers. Instead, they rapidly devour surface and soil organic matter and change soil structure and chemistry. This includes destroying nutrient content and cycling, making soils more subject to erosion, inhibiting seedling establishment and the regeneration of native plants, damaging the relationships between soil fungi and plants, possibly reducing the soil’s ability to absorb and hold water, and even damaging the roots of plants in nurseries, gardens, and native ecosystems.

They can also displace soil fauna and other wildlife like salamanders and ground-nesting birds and thereby disrupt forest food chains. In combination, research suggests these effects could result in impacts on Minnesota ecosys tems that are greater than the impact of any of these factors alone resulting in wide-rang ing cascade effects with significant environ

IN RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC’S CONCERNS ABOUT JUMPING WORMS AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS THEY CAN HAVE ON NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS AND MANAGED LANDSCAPES, AND THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY THAT NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE PRACTICES ARE KNOWN TO BE AN IMPORTANT PATHWAY FOR THE SPREAD OF JUMPING WORMS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT GREEN INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS ARE AWARE OF AND TAKE THE JUMPING WORM THREAT SERIOUSLY.

The following best management practices are recommended to help prevent the introduction and spread of jumping worms to new areas:

primary pathways for the spread of jumping worms to new areas, and because there are currently no effective controls for getting rid of them once they have become established, it is important to be proactive in taking precau tions to avoid bringing jumping worms onto your property – including production, holding, shipping, and sales areas – and to avoid the introduction of jumping worms to the proper ties of others.

In response to the public’s concerns about jumping worms and the negative impacts they can have on native ecosystems and managed landscapes, and the unfortunate reality that nursery and landscape practices are known to be an important pathway for the spread of jumping worms, it is important that green industry professionals are aware of and take

• Be aware. Educate yourself, your em ployees, your customers, and others about jumping worms, including their impacts on natural environments and managed landscapes and their means of spread, and to identify jumping worms and recognize the telltale signs of their presence including granular soil that resembles used coffee grounds. The University of Minnesota Jumping Worms Project ( Jumping Worms Project, https://jwp.cfans.umn.edu/) website and the associated Worm Rangers Citizen Science Project provide a wealth of information on jumping worm identifi cation and how to look for them and is a good place to start; updated regularly, the website includes self-guided jumping worm training and weekly Zoom-based training sessions. The Invasive Species for Homeowners: Asian Jumping Worm brochure (FinalDraft_JWORMfactsheet, http://ccetompkins.org/resources/jump ing-worm-fact-sheet) produced by the Jumping Worm Outreach, Research, & Management Working Group at Cornell University ( JWORM Working GroupNew York Invasive Species Research Institute, http://www.nyisri.org/research/ jworm-2/) is a good resource to share with customers.

• Note: Jumping worms do not live in trees and woodchips that come directly from chipped trees and have not come in contact with the ground or other materials that may be infested with jumping worms, or been trans ported in contaminated equipment (trucks, trailers, etc.), should be safe to use as landscape mulch.

• Be vigilant. Always be on the lookout

The updated MNLA BMPs are as follows:

Nursery & Landscape Industry Best Man agement Practices (BMPs) to Reduce the Potential for Spreading Jumping Worms — Updated

for jumping worms and signs of their presence. Jumping worms have been found in compost, organic landscape mulches, container grown and balled and burlapped (B&B) nursery stock, yard waste, and landscape soils. Inspect all horticultural commodities and scout production facilities for jumping worms on a regular basis and be on the lookout for jumping worms when installing and managing designed landscapes, paying special attention to moist and shady areas. Jumping worms have an annual life cycle; adults die when exposed to freezing temperatures in the fall but leave behind eggs enclosed in protective cocoons that overwinter and typically be gin to hatch in late April or May to start a new generation the following year. As a result, adult worms will not be found until late June or July and any large earth worms found in the spring will likely be European species. Although jumping worms are typically found at or near the soil surface in the litter layer or in organic landscape mulches in managed landscapes, they can be found several inches deep in the soil or within the root ball of container stock where they are less visible. In such cases, drenching the soil with a mustard solution prepared by mixing one-third cup of powdered yellow mustard with one gallon of water and pouring the solution slowly into the soil can be an effective tool for finding jumping worms. One gallon of mustard solution is sufficient to treat an area that is about 14 inches square. If earthworms are present, they will be irritated, but not killed, by the mustard solution and they will come to the surface. The root balls of container stock can also be removed from the container and examined for the presence of jumping worms and can also be submerged in a bucket of mustard solution to saturate them and expel earthworms.

• Only buy horticultural commodities from reputable suppliers that are knowledge able about the jumping worm threat and the potential pathways for their introduc tion and spread and have procedures in place to help ensure their products are not infested with jumping worms.

• Only use, sell, purchase, and trade land scape plants and landscape and garden materials that are believed to be free of

jumping worms. In the case of jumping worms, appearances can be deceiving so err on the side of caution as newly hatched jumping worms (hatchlings) can be difficult to see in early spring and jumping worm cocoons are very small and difficult to detect.

• Cook them. Only use, sell, purchase, and trade compost, woodchips, and wood chip mulch that has been exposed to a

temperature of at least 40° Celsius (104° Fahrenheit) for a minimum of three days (based on initial research specific to jumping worms conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Cocoon Heat Tolerance of Pheretimoid Earth worms Amynthas tokioensis and Amynthas agrestis (bioone.org), https://bioone.org/ journals/the-american-midland-naturalist/ volume-181/issue-2/0003-0031-181.2.299/ Cocoon-Heat-Tolerance-of-PheretimoidEarthworms-Amynthas-tokioensis-and-Amy nthas/10.1674/0003-0031-181.2.299.

short) or even better to at least 55° Celsius (131° Fahrenheit) for a min imum of three days following the recommended processes to further reduce pathogens (PFRPs) included in US Environmental Protection Agency regulations (40 CFR Appendix B to Part 503 – Pathogen Treatment Processes, https:// irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/da2ded30/ files/uploaded/f1VYkAs7TxGx3aZT5jg f_625R92013chap7.pdf) to kill jumping worms and their eggs and other hor

ticultural pests. Although the effective temperature and timing may vary some what based on soil moisture conditions and other factors, jumping worms and their eggs and developing embryos are killed when exposed to a minimum temperature of 104° Fahrenheit for three days; while immature and adult jumping worms are killed at a lower temperature (29° Celsius, 85° Fahrenheit), effective control requires that both jumping worms and their eggs be killed. Com mercially processed compost, mulch, and manufactured growing media are typically exposed to temperatures and other processes that should kill jumping worms during production and should be free of jumping worms when they leave the manufacturer. To be safe, ask the manufacturer about jumping worms and how their products are processed rela tive to jumping worms and whether they might be subject to becoming infested with jumping worms during the curing/ finishing stage of composting when tem peratures have cooled down. Although it is understood that exposure to elevated temperatures can be difficult for larger volumes, similar precautions are also recommended for soil, growing media, and growing media components that might harbor jumping worms as feasible and appropriate. When feasible, expo sure to higher temperatures up to 82° Celsius (180° Fahrenheit) for a shorter duration (at least 30 minutes is typical) may also be an option depending on the material being treated, the facilities avail able, and the pests of concern. Whenever possible, horticultural commodities that are produced and managed with jumping worms in mind (exposure to sufficient heat to kill jumping worms and their eggs, proper storage, etc.) are the safer choice and nursery and landscape pro fessionals should choose the best course of action relative to jumping worms based on their individual circumstances.

• Use compost that is United States Com posting Council certified (USCC; US Composting Council, https://www. compostingcouncil.org/) through the USCC Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) Certified Compost Program (Compost Manufacturers STA (compostingcouncil. org), https://www.compostingcouncil.org/ page/CompostManufacturersSTA) and

ALTHOUGH JUMPING WORMS ARE TYPICALLY FOUND AT OR NEAR THE SOIL SURFACE IN THE LITTER LAYER OR IN ORGANIC LANDSCAPE MULCHES IN MANAGED LAND SCAPES, THEY CAN BE FOUND SEVERAL INCHES DEEP IN THE SOIL OR WITHIN THE ROOT BALL OF CONTAINER STOCK WHERE THEY ARE LESS VISIBLE.

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compost that is state regulated has been exposed to temperatures that will kill jumping worms and their eggs (as well as most pathogens) and commercially processed growing media and organic mulches (Mulch & Soil Council (mul chandsoilcouncil.org), https://mulchand soilcouncil.org/FAQs.php) are typically exposed to temperatures that exceed 40° Celsius (104° Fahrenheit) during production and should be much less likely to contain jumping worms so long as they are handled and stored properly to avoid subsequent infestation (Mulch and Soil Council; Mulch & Soil Council (mulchandsoilcouncil.org), https://mul chandsoilcouncil.org/). Individual green industry firms can also independently certify the quality of their products relative to jumping worms based on the implementation of production practices designed to reduce the likelihood that they will be a source of jumping worms including exposure to temperatures that are lethal to jumping worms and their eggs during processing.

• Use solarization for small volumes (using the energy of the sun to heat materi als covered with or enclosed in clear plastic to help control diseases and other pests). This can be an effective means for exposing relatively small volumes or layers of soil, compost, mulch, and other materials (including bagged materials) to temperatures that are sufficient to kill jumping worms and their eggs (again, a least 40° Celsius, 104° Fahrenheit, for a minimum of three days). The mate rial being solarized should be moist to enhance the process.

• Steam the soil. Steam is a tool that has long been used as a standard practice for managing diseases, insects, weeds, and other pests in greenhouse and nursery settings by using low pressure, aerated steam to pasteurize growing media, nursery pots and trays, and used growing media and plant wastes and can be used to produce temperatures that will kill jumping worms and their eggs. Depending on the pest or pests of concern, temperatures of 60–82° Celsius (140–180° Fahrenheit) for a minimum of 30 minutes are typically used.

• Ask suppliers how they are helping prevent the spread. On behalf of your customers and for your own due diligence, ask your

suppliers what they are doing to help prevent the spread of jumping worms when sourcing horticultural commodi ties and be prepared to answer questions from your customers about jumping worms.

• Inspect shipments of horticultural com modities, including delivery trucks and containers, for jumping worms (and other pests) before and during unload ing. Jumping worms have been found in trucks delivering nursery stock to Minne sota garden centers from out of state.

are reviewing disposal options for such soils to help manage this potential path way for the spread of jumping worms. These types of precautions should be standard practice for preventing the spread of jumping worms and other invasive species and pests.

• Do not sell, buy, or use jumping worms, or earthworms from sources that may be contaminated with jumping worms, for composting (vermiculture/vermicompost ing), soil improvement, or fishing bait. And since it is difficult to know if earthworms purchased for vermicomposting (typical ly red wigglers) are contaminated with other types of earthworms including jumping worms, earthworms used for composting should not be released into the outdoor environment. The addition of earthworms to residential compost piles is not required for backyard compost piles to function properly.

Adult jumping worms collected from a landscape bed on the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus; note the clitella (singular – clitellum; the non-segmented bands that encircle the body of each jumping worm near the head-end); also note the telltale, granular soil structure that is composed of casts (also called vermicast; i.e., worm poop) produced by jumping worms and can extend to a depth of several inches when jumping worm populations are high.

• Store contaminable products off the ground. Whenever possible, store bagged com post, bagged organic soil conditioners, bagged mulch, and landscape plants in a manner that avoids contact with the ground to help prevent infestation with jumping worms. Raised benches and el evated storage platforms for bagged hor ticultural commodities (compost, mulch, soil, etc.) and plants are a good idea.

• Arrive clean, leave clean; always clean soil and debris from vehicles, equipment, tools, and personal gear (footwear, gloves, clothing) before moving from one location or property to another and do not transport infested soil or landscape debris to new areas unless it has been sufficiently heat treated. The handling of soil from sites that may be infested with jumping worms is a concern, and MNLA is working with the state agencies that

• Report suspected jumping worm infes tations using the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System Midwest (EDDMapS Midwest); or the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Report a Pest webpage (a list of resources is available at the end of this article). A map of the current distribution of jumping worms in the United States (including Minnesota) is available on the EDDMapS website. For reporting suspected infestations on a specific property (i.e., not public land), contact the University of Minnesota Jumping Worm Project website, Laura Van Riper at the Minnesota DNR, or Jim Calkins at MNLA (contact information listed under resources for reporting jumping worms at the end of this article). Good quality pictures of the suspected jumping worms (be sure to rinse off soil and other debris) that provide a clear view of the clitellum (if present; the collar, or saddle-like band, located toward the head end of adult earthworms that is part of the repro ductive system and is only present on sexually mature, adult worms) in relation to the head end of the worm should be submitted along with reports of sus pected jumping worm infestations and a short video showing the movements of suspected jumping worms. It is also a good idea to preserve specimens in alcohol and refrigerate in case an expert would like to see the sample.

James Calkins

“MNLA did a great job of lobbying for and informing all garden centers during the initial phases of Covid shutdown. We all tried to do our part, but I know that a strong and healthy association like MNLA is essential to the wellbeing of all our industry businesses.”

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• Remove and destroy any jumping worms found by placing them in a sealed polyethylene bag and placing them in the trash. Adult and immature jumping worms may also be killed by placing them in a container of rubbing alcohol or vinegar or solarizing or freezing them in a polyethylene bag before disposing of them in the trash.

• Retain contaminated materials and soils where suspected of being infested. Whenever possible, retaining organic materials and landscape soils that are or are suspected of being infested with jumping worms (and other pests like noxious weeds) on the property where they originated, rather than moving them offsite, is generally considered the safest and, therefore, the preferred option for preventing the spread of these pests at this time. Unless the material can be iso lated and heat treated on site, it is risky to allow yard waste and landscape soil that is infested with jumping worms to be deposited at a nursery and landscape business facility and caution is advised. And while it is understood that client preferences and site conditions may make it difficult to leave infested materi als at some residential and commercial properties from a landscape manage ment perspective, it is important to have

a plan for handling such materials.

• Dispose of infested material at a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency site. Although composting is not the ideal solution, composting sites that meet the minimum temperature and other requirements specified by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA; 55° Celsius, 131° Fahrenheit, for a minimum of 15 days and a process that helps ensure all of the material being composted is exposed to such temperatures) are currently the best option for the offsite disposal of organic wastes that are or may be infested with jumping worms (and noxious weeds) with the exception of retaining such materials on the site where they originated. Information about composting sites registered with the MPCA, including a compost site locator tool, is available on the MPCA website (https://www.pca.state.mn.us/waste/com post-facilities). Contact information for these facilities is also provided. Only the composting facilities that have the apple core icons (sites that take food waste) and not the tree icons are required to follow the minimum temperature (131° Fahrenheit) and pile turning require ments under their MPCA permits. Other facilities that are not permitted for food waste by the MPCA may follow simi

lar procedures, but exposure to 131° Fahrenheit and regular turning of the piles are not permit requirements so you should explain your concerns about jumping worms and ask them about their process. Remember, too, that 131° Fahrenheit is a higher temperature than what is required to kill jumping worms and their eggs (40° Celsius, 104° Fahrenheit, for at least three days, and attempt to ensure that the entire pile is exposed to such conditions over time) and the process followed by other facil ities may meet this requirement. In all cases, it is recommended to call ahead to let the facility know you are bringing in yard waste material that is infested with jumping worms, or suspected of being infested with jumping worms, to make sure they will accept the material. None of the MPCA composting sites are appro priate for the disposal of landscape soils which is a concern that does not current ly have a good solution. Existing facilities that accept soil from landscapers and landscape managers (not a wise practice if the site is not already infested with jumping worms) and permitted landfills are currently the only offsite options for disposal. Permitted landfills are believed to be the best option, especially if the landfill site is already infested. As for

Figure 4. When possible, keeping landscape plants (like these daylilies; Hemerocallis spp.) and other horticultural commodities like bagged compost and woodchip mulch off the ground on raised benches or pallets is a best practice that can help prevent contamination with jumping worms.

James Calkins

yard waste, if soil is known or believed to be infested with jumping worms, it is recommended to call ahead to let the facility know this to make sure they will accept the material. A list of MPCA permitted landfills that accept mixed municipal solid waste is available on the MPCA website (https://www.pca.state. mn.us/sites/default/files/w-sw6-04.pdf ).

Once again, whenever feasible, retaining organic materials and landscape soils that are known or suspected as being infested with jumping worms or other pests on the property where they origi nated, rather than moving them offsite, is the safest option for preventing the spread of these pests at this time. MNLA and others continue to work with the MPCA with the goal of develop a plan for disposing of nursery and landscape materials that are infested with jumping worms. In situations where keeping infested materials on site is not possible, nursery and landscape professionals may contact the MPCA at 651-296-6300 to be directed to an MPCA represen tative who can work with you on a case-by-case basis to safely dispose of soil, container stock, and other materials that are infested with jumping worms until a more detailed disposal strategy is developed. As the available disposal options for materials that are contam inated with jumping worms indicates, the current waste management system has not been designed with the goal of preventing the spread of jumping worms and other invasive species. Consequent ly, the disposal options that are currently available are not perfect and discussions about the best options for handling yard waste, nursery stock, and soil that is infested with jumping worms and other pests continue.

MNLA understands that these BMPs are not perfect. They have been developed based on the most current information available on how to help prevent the spread of jumping worms. Jumping worms are a serious concern and a threat the nursery and landscape indus try cannot afford to ignore; instead, wisdom suggests the green industry should be an educated and proactive leader in helping to prevent the spread of jumping worms. To this end, and in lieu of formal regulation (which is being considered), nursery and landscape professionals are encouraged to determine how they will respond to the challenges posed

by jumping worms and how to share this information with their customers and clients.

MNLA is committed to supporting research on the management of jumping worms and these BMPs will be regularly updated based on the findings of jumping worm research. This includes the ongoing jumping worm research at the University of Minnesota that is being funded by the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center and more recently the Horticultural Research Institute which includes the development of improved jumping worm BMPs as an objective.

Literature Cited:

Calkins, J.B. 2022. Jumping Worms Found in Minnesota Garden Centers/Nurseries. The Scoop 45(2):31-41, 51 (February 2022). (Available to MNLA members via the MNLA website – Minneso ta Nursery and Landscape Association (mnla.biz), www.mnla.biz)

Calkins, J.B. 2021. Jumping Worm Management Guidance for Nursery and Landscape Profession als. The Scoop 44(8):53-59 (August 2021). (Avail able to MNLA members via the MNLA website – Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association (mnla.biz), www.mnla.biz)

Calkins, J.B. 2016. Be on the Lookout for Jumping Worms – Amynthas agrestis L. The Scoop 39(1):4346 (January 2016). The Scoop Online - January 2016 by Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Associa tion - Issuu, https://issuu.com/minnesotanla/docs/ mnnla_jan16_escoop_final

ALTHOUGH JUMPING WORMS ARE TYPICALLY FOUND AT OR NEAR THE SOIL SURFACE IN THE LITTER LAYER OR IN ORGANIC LANDSCAPE MULCHES IN MANAGED LANDSCAPES, THEY CAN BE FOUND SEVERAL INCHES DEEP IN THE SOIL OR WITHIN THE ROOT BALL OF CONTAINER STOCK WHERE THEY ARE LESS VISIBLE.

Gamillo, Elizabeth. 2021. Highly Invasive Jumping Worms Have Spread to 15 States. Smithsonian Magazine (History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places Smithsonian Magazine, https://www.smith sonianmag.com/), April 22, 2021). Highly Invasive Jumping Worms Have Spread to 15 States | Smart News | Smithsonian Magazine, https://www.smith sonianmag.com/smart-news/highly-invasive-jump ing-worms-have-spread-15-us-states-180977566/

Hudson, Gail. 2021. Minnesota’s ‘Jumping Worm’ Invasion Upends Spring Plant Sales. Star Tribune, April 24, 2021. Minnesota’s ‘jumping worm’ inva sion upends spring plant sales - StarTribune.com, https://www.startribune.com/jumping-worm-inva sion-upends-spring-plant-sale-season/600049305/

Rosen, Julia. 2020. Cancel Earthworms. The Atlan tic (The Atlantic, https://www.theatlantic.com/), January 23, 2020. Jumping Worms Are Taking Over North American Forests - The Atlantic, https:// www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/01/ jumping-worms-are-taking-over-north-american-for ests/605257/

Resources for Reporting Jumping Worms:

• EDDMapS Midwest — Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System Mid west; https://www.eddmaps.org/midwest/

• Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Report a Pest webpage; https:// www.mda.state.mn.us/reportapest

• University of Minnesota Jumping Worm Project website; https://jwp.cfans.umn.edu/

• Laura Van Riper, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; laura.vanriper@ state.mn.us

• Jim Calkins, MNLA; jim@mnla.biz June 28, 2021; revised June 23, 2022. Originally adapted from jumping worm best management practices developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and a committee of Wisconsin green industry professionals. If you have questions contact James Calkins at jim@mnla.biz, 952-9350682, or 612-258-7744 (cell).

Walsh, Paul. 2020. DNR Warns Minnesotans About Spread of Invasive ‘Jumping Worms.’ Star Tribune, September 2, 2020. DNR warns Minnesotans about spread of invasive ‘jumping worms’ - StarTri bune.com, https://www.startribune.com/dnr-warnsminnesotans-about-spread-of-invasive-jumpingworms/572283672/

McCay, T.S., G.G. Brown, M.A. Callaham, C.-H. Chang, A. Dobson, J.H. Gorres, B.M. Herrick, S.W. James, M.R. Johnston, D. Mchugh, T. Minteer, J.-D. Moore, M. N. Aiin, M. Novo, J.D. Ortiz-Pachar, R.A. Pinder, J.B. Richardson, B.A. Snyder, and K. Szlávecz. 2020. Tools for Monitoring and Study of Peregrine Pheretimoid Earthworms (Megascole cidae). Pedobiologia 83(November 2020):Article 150669. 10.1016/j.pedobi.2020.150669. (PDF) Tools for monitoring and study of peregrine pheretimoid earthworms (Megascolecidae) (researchgate.net), https://www.researchgate. net/publication/343684633_Tools_for_monitor ing_and_study_of_peregrine_pheretimoid_earth worms_Megascolecidae

Thirty Years After the First

Alan G. Smith, Marie Abbey, Corissa Marson, Carrie Stowers, and Chengyan Yue

It was one of the first genetically modified crops (genetically modified organism, GMO, or bio engineered) sold in grocery stores in the U.S. FLAVR SAVR™ tomato and other GMO crops are developed using genetic engineering by introducing modified DNA from bacteria, viruses and other plants into the tomato’s own DNA. The modified DNA that was introduced into the FLAVR SAVR™ tomato caused an enzyme that softens the tomato fruit to be less active. The result, a tomato that could vine-ripened longer developing the complex flavors we enjoy without becoming soft. The FLAVR SAVR™ tomato was sold in the US and the United Kingdom, but its story ends abruptly only a few years after its introduc tion into the marketplace. The cause of this tomato’s failure is difficult to pinpoint, but a significant factor was the development of a very successful anti-GMO movement.

The abrupt loss of the FLAVR SAVR™ tomato can be in part traced to anti-GMO organizations. Anti-GMO organizations developed a successful campaign sensational izing risks and raising fear in consumers, growers and retailers resulting in FLAVR SAVR™ being withdrawn from the market. A search of the internet for “FLAVR SAVR tomato” brings up several sites that use similar imagery to that shown in the photo captioned “Which would you choose?”, long after the FLAVR SAVR™ tomato is no longer being sold. The photograph accompanying this article is representative of the anti-GMO tactics used against the FLAVR SAVR™ tomato and other GMO crops. GMO crops and foods are portrayed as having been injected with substances unknown and therefore unnatural and risky.

Top: Bioengineered symbol

You will also find websites that are not antiGMO, but those pale when compared to the graphic imagery of hypodermics stuck into a tomato that evoke fear and distrust. Which tomato would you choose for your salad?

The anti-GMO campaign has been influen tial despite rigorous safety testing of FLAVR SAVR™and all GMO crops. Before any GMO crop can be commercialized, it must first meet the approval of the US Department of Agriculture, and depending on the type of crop, food, forestry or ornamental, it is also

However, the agronomic crops did not suffer the fate of the FLAVR SAVR™ tomato, quite the opposite, they were quickly adopted by farmers. Today, the vast majority of the listed agronomic crops are GMO. The conclusion of much scientific data and studies on GMO crops over more than thirty years concludes they are safe, can improve yields, increase profits and have other environmental benefits.

mandated

reviewed by the Food and Drug Administra tion and Environmental Protection Agency. Although FLAVR SAVR™ tomato was not long lived, several GMO agronomic crops have been very successful. They include crops such as corn, soybeans, canola, cotton, alfalfa and sugar beets grown on thousands of acres. Each GMO crop was approved by the same federal agencies for commercial use in the US. These agronomic crops have engineered foreign DNA that carries traits for resistance to herbicides for improved weed control, resistance to insect pests and other traits.

Although GMO foods are generally regard ed as safe, grassroots efforts were successful in several states to require GMO-containing foods to be labeled. The state legislation pushed the Agricultural Marketing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a consistent-interstate labeling requirement called the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard. “The Standard defines bioengineered foods as those that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature.” This redefined the term from GMO foods to bioengineered foods and set the standard for the levels and types of products that would require labeling in all states. However, you may not see many foods at your grocery store with the bioengi neered symbol (pictured). Although January 1, 2022 was the mandatory compliance date, the Standard has many variances that allow for a food that contains a product from a GMO crop to not be labeled (disclosed). Current lit igation on the new Standard for labeling may result in a broader definition of bioengineered and result in more foods being labeled.

In contrast to the thirty years of GMO success in agronomic crops, the application of GMO technology to horticultural, nursery and forestry crops has lagged. The USDA defines “fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture” as specialty crops. Specialty crops are different from agronomic crops. They include our garden

symbol that will be found on foods containing products from bioengineered foods.

YOU ARE UNLIKELY TO HAVE TASTED THE FLAVR SAVR™ TOMATO even though it was developed, grown and sold in the U.S. thirty years ago.

“THE STANDARD DEFINES BIOENGINEERED FOODS AS THOSE THAT CONTAIN DETECTABLE GENETIC MATERIAL THAT HAS BEEN MODIFIED THROUGH CERTAIN LAB TECHNIQUES AND CANNOT BE CREATED THROUGH CONVENTIONAL BREEDING OR FOUND IN NATURE.”

Table 1: Bioengineered Specialty Crops

Specialty Crop Year Deregulated Introduced trait

Squash 1994 Virus Resistance

Potato 1995 Insect & Virus Resistance

Potato 2015

Non-Browning, Lower Acrylamide, Late Blight Resistance

Papaya 1996 Virus Resistance

Arctic Apple 2010 Non-Browning

Rosé Pineapple 2016 Novelty and Enhanced Nutrition

Petunia 2019 Novelty and Enhanced Color

THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE VERY SUCCESSFUL GMO AGRONOMIC CROPS AND THE LAGGING GMO SPECIALTY CROPS HAS BEEN SUSTAINED.

plants, fresh market produce, perennial and annual ornamentals. Specialty crops have a more direct connection to us, our gardens, and our food. Despite these differences, specialty crops are plagued by similar diseases, insect pests, and environmental challenges, droughts and floods. However, the application of a potentially game-changing technology like bioengineering has been repressed due to the success of anti-GMO rhetoric. The contribu tion that biotechnology could make to novel characters in annual and perennial ornamen tals is particularly noteworthy. The manipula tion of genes to provide novel color, architec ture or size are well within the grasp of those skilled in the art. Additionally, the area of food and nutrition is well researched and many genetic modifications could be tested to provide enhanced nutrition. But the contro versy surrounding FLAVR SAVR™and other bioengineered crops has stifled research and development. An example of how anti-GMO controversy can impact the application of beneficial research is Golden Rice. Golden rice is a GMO rice with increased pro-vitamin A (beta-carotene), a precursor to vitamin A. Golden rice was bioengineered to combat the dietary deficiencies of people who consume rice as a large portion of their diet and are therefore Vitamin A deficient. Normal rice does not meet our nutritional needs for vitamin A and deficiencies are a problem in much of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, especially in children. Controversy and criticism toward the process through which

Golden Rice was developed (genetic engineer ing) has tragically delayed its application where needed most.

The contrast between the very successful GMO agronomic crops and the lagging GMO specialty crops has been sustained. There are no GMO tomatoes for sale in our super markets. Of the thousands of ornamentals propagated and sold there is only a single novel-colored petunia that is currently on the market. A current list of GMO-specialty crops is listed in Table 1. The table only lists the GMO specialty crops that have been success fully reviewed for commercialization in the US. The “Year Deregulated” refers to when a crop passed the US Department of Agricul ture’s review and could be commercialized. Potato is listed twice because the NewLeaf™ was first introduced by Monsanto Co., but suffered the same fate as the FLAVR SAVR™ tomato and more recently the Innate®potato was introduced by J.R. Simplot Co. and has been grown only in field trials.

In order to define consumer and grower perspectives on bioengineered crops, we undertook a research project funded by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Spe cialty Crop Block Grant and the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station. The project has the objectives to assess grower and con sumer stakeholder knowledge, motivators, barriers, and opinions through surveys on biotechnology specialty crops. The surveys were completed and conclusions will be presented in two subsequent SCOOP articles,

the next on grower perceptions and the last on consumer perspectives.

We are using the survey information to guide the development of educational mate rial to engage growers, consumers, research ers, regulatory agencies and educators on the application of biotechnology in specialty crop improvement. We are developing materials to better inform specialty crop growers and consumers to make more informed decisions on the risks and benefits of this technology.

We hope this article has piqued your inter est, if so, please check the Further Reading list below for more information on GMOs, bioengineering and its application.

Links to Further Reading

• GMOS 101: Your Basic Questions Answered

• What is a bioengineered food?

• List of Bioengineered Foods

• Genetically engineered soybean, cotton, and corn seeds have become widely adopted

• You Call That a Tomato?, The New York Times, Michael Winerip, June 24, 2013

• Learning to Love G.M.O.s, The New York Times Magazine, Jennifer Kahn. July 20, 2021

• GMO Crops, Animal Food, and Beyond

• How GMOs Are Regulated for Food and Plant Safety in the United States

• Feed Your Mind

• Golden Rice Project

The photo depicts the choice presented to consumers and growers when choosing their tomatoes. The syringe-stuck tomato represents the sensationalized risk of GMOs by anti-GMO organizations.

Alan G. Smith Lab

NATIVE

Dept of Ag. approved plant production “pollinator friendly” Wildflowers, Grasses, Sedges, Rushes

Wholesale native plants in 4” pots. NEW! Some of our natives will now be available in jumbo square pots from mid-June through the growing season. All native plants are tagged and bar-coded for retail sales.

Annuals, Baskets, Herbs, Vegetable Plants & Certified Organic Plants also available. Wholesale Minnesota hardy perennials in

count trays.

All of our plants are produced with sustainable, bee-friendly practices.

All plants are individually tagged for resale with color photo tags. Greenhouse 25132 250th Ave. Glenwood, MN 56334 Phone: 320.634.0136 Fax: 320.634.3931 Email: glacridgegrowers@aol.com Website: www.glacialridgegrowers.com

EARLY

CELEBRATING 32 YEARS OF GOLF!

Thank you to all who joined us for the 32nd Annual Widmer Golf Tournament on July 19, 2022. A beautiful day at Crystal Lake Golf Club made for a successful event. Over 125 people attended.

A warm thank you to all our sponsors for supporting this fundraiser! Funds raised from the golf tournament support the MNLA Foundation Workforce Development and Research Fund.

Longest Drive – Sam Schultz, Bachman’s Wholesale Nursery and Hardscapes

Longest Putt – Jerrod Fischer, Magnolia Landscape & Design Company

Closest to the Pin – Cody Olson, Olson’s Irrigation & Landscaping Inck

Amazing Race Drawing for $500 –Theo Lenneman (right), Southview Design. A special thank you for donating your winnings back to the Foundation!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS!

Champion Team – Score 55 (record breaking!) Kurt Stelten, James Stelten, Nick Omscheid, Brendan Sheehan – Urban Design Company, Inc.

Second Place Team – Score 56 Adam Tremaine, Urban Ecosystems, Brian Nelson, Nelco Landscaping, Ryan Herm, Urban Ecosystems, Michael Keenan, Urban Ecosystems

Mega Putt Winner – Michael Keran, SiteOne Landscape Supply

Hit the Keg – Jerrod Fischer, Magnolia Landscape & Design Company

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