The Scoop - June 2023

MANAGING YOUR BUSINESS

PLUS MNLA FOUNDATION MID-YEAR OUTREACH REPORT

ALSO INSIDE: WE DID IT! WE ENDED DUTY TO DEFEND

Clearance Sale

In stock items only. Not valid with any other specials or discounts. While supplies last.

8 Events

10 We Need Your Help: Take the Wage Survey! President Randy Berg encourages green industry professionals to participate in the wage survey.

23 The Impacts of EAB Research

Multiple key research projects about EAB are being completed by the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants & Pests Center.

48 GILI: How to Leverage Your Investment

Business Owners Make That Hurt

Formerly

Be

Check-ins during and after the GILI year can ensure your company receives the full value of the program.

51 We Did It! We Ended “Duty to Defend”

The 2024 legislative session saw the end of the long-attested Duty to Defend.

57 Is There an Easy Solution for Training Your Staff? MNLA Associate Director, Jon Horsman, highlights the benefits Greenius provides through training, education, and onboarding assistance.

61 MNLA Foundation Mid-Year Outreach Activities Report

The Foundation is putting your dollars to work with events and initiatives that invest in the future of the green industry.

62 3 Good Reasons to Renew MNLA Membership

Legislative advocacy, timely industry news, and vetted partnerships are just a few of the benefits offered to MNLA members.

Cover photo: iStock.com/shuoshu. Table of Contents Images: Top Left: MDA. Middle: Courtesy of Mike Goergen. Bottom: MTStock Studio.

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

Susan Bachman West

Bachman's, Inc.

612-861-7600 • sbachman@bachmans.com

Kim Gaida-Wagener

Rock Hard Landscape Supply

612-619-3312 • kgaida@rockhardmn.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

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

The Scoop, June 2023, Issue 6 is issued monthly, 12 times per year. All original works, articles or formats published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 2023, 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.

33RD ANNUAL WIDMER GOLF TOURNAMENT

Shotgun Start at 8:30am. The Widmer Golf Tournament is an 18-hole, best ball scramble tournament with great networking, prizes, contests, golf, and more! Proceeds support research activities and education important to the green industry.

Crystal Lake Golf Club: 16725 Insbrook Drive, Lakeville, MN 55044 ➽ mnla.biz/events

COMO JAPANESE GARDEN MAINTENANCE TOUR & SOCIAL HOUR

Join us at the Como Japanese Garden for a maintenance-focused tour with horticultural staff followed by a social hour hosted by MNLA at the Como Lake Pavilion. Como Park, Saint Paul, MN ➽ mnla.biz/events

MNLA NIGHT AT THE SAINTS

Take a break from your busy season to enjoy a game at CHS Field. CHS Field, Saint Paul, MN ➽ mnla.biz/events

MN GREEN INDUSTRY CANNABIS FORUM

Join us for a full-day educational forum on the cannabis growing industry. Topics include marketing and selling, insurance and banking, cultivation, and more. There will be networking opportunities throughout the day, as well as an ask-the-expert break-out session. Register now.

Columbia Golf Course Manor, Minneapolis, MN ➽ mnla.biz/events

MNLA FOUNDATION SHOOTOUT

This sporting clays tournament is fun for everyone and is a great way to spend time with colleagues and friends this fall. This is a 75-round course and the difficulty level is FUN! First time shooters are welcome, and guns are available for rent. Proceeds support workforce development.

Game Unlimited: 871 County Road E, Hudson, WI 54106 ➽ mnla.biz/events

MNLA PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION EXAM

Save the date! Sit for the exam to become an MNLA Certified Professional in 2023. Additional test dates on Oct 13 & 20 and Nov 3 & 17.

MNLA Office, Roseville, MN ➽ mnla.biz/events

PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION WORKSHOP

Obtain recertification credits by attending the Pesticide Recertification Workshop and have your current license scanned and checked by MDA. Applicators MUST bring their license identification card.

Wilder Foundation, Saint Paul, MN ➽ mnla.biz/events

2023 Widmer Golf and Shootout generously supported by:

2023 MNLA education generously supported by:

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

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We Need Your Help. Take the Wage Survey!

How did you become interested in the Green Industry? Why did you stay involved? Was it a summer job? Did a friend or relative offer you a job? Is your job a family affair?

Over the years I have heard all the above. Some people never intended for the green industry to become their career. Once in the business, the people they met and worked with were the reason to stay. “Great people, this industry is filled with great people,” I hear long-time industry members saying. Unfortunately, ‘stumbling’ into the green industry is an all-too-common way for practitioners to get started.

This year, like many others, we find ourselves scrambling to fill positions in our landscape, maintenance, and garden center divisions. The transient workforce, the nature of the job, hard work, and long hours, leave us with a small pool of applicants to choose from. I can’t help but believe that if more people were aware of this great industry we are members of, they would look closer at it as a career option. To this end, we started to look at ways to encourage young people to enter the industry. The obvious avenue was high school agriculture and horticulture programs. We also investigated grade school programs.

Efforts have been underway for some time to make progress in these school programs.

Recently it came to our attention that these programs need up-to-date and accurate wage and benefit information to continue to grow programs and to pass onto children and parents the kind of rewards that are possible in our industry. Many things have changed in the past two to three years regarding costs, prices, and wages making it necessary to launch another wage and benefit survey. We need a rapid response as this information will be used to furnish schools with current career-influencing wage information. Without a rapid response, we are in jeopardy of some of these school programs discontinuing agriculture and horticulture programs altogether; something none of us want. Please, I urge you to take the time to fill out this survey quickly and help the industry. Participants receive wage information that may help your businesses retain employees. This industry is filled with great people so come on great people, join in on this survey!

Randy Berg Burg’s Nursery & Landscape

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5 COMMON MISTAKES BUSINESS OWNERS

MAKE THAT HURT THE ORGANIZATION

Steve Wilcox The Resultants

Making mistakes is just a part of business ownership. A few, or even several mistakes, doesn’t necessarily spell the end of an organization. What does have the potential to make or break an organization, however, is the ability to recognize and rectify those mistakes.

The Resultants are accountability partners to our clients. It’s our job to uncover mistakes and bring them to the attention of leaders and executives. From our 20+ years of experience, here are the five most common mistakes we see businesses making across industries — and how to avoid them.

1. Poor Talent Positioning

At The Resultants, we’re always talking about the importance of having the right people in the right roles. The “right people” refers to talent who fits in with the company culture, while “right roles’’ means placing that person in a role that capitalizes on and amplifies their talents.

One of the main problems organizations face is usually some form of poor talent positioning, which can go either way: Companies will either have the right person in the wrong role (a turtle-on-a-post situation), or the wrong person in the right role (someone who is technically proficient and gets results but doesn’t fit with the company culture).

When you don’t have the right people in the right roles, the entire organization suffers. Either your throughput will suffer due to poor job performance, or your team’s health/ culture will suffer damage because of a mismatch in values.

How To Avoid This: Team health begins with having the right strategic structure in place so that the “right roles” exist. So, if you need to reassess the structure of your organization to create these roles, then do so. Then, when hiring new talent, emphasize your core values. Ask yourself if the talent fits well with those values so they will easily fit within the existing company culture. Once we have the right people in the right roles, success becomes much easier to achieve.

2. Undefined Core Values

Of course, you can’t match your talent with your core values if you don’t have any. I once

stood in the lobby of a potential client and noticed a large plaque on the wall. On it was a list of some impressive company values. I complimented the receptionist on them, but she rolled her eyes: “The owner saw those values at the business two blocks down in their lobby,” she said. “He asked me to take a picture of them and put them up in ours.”

Having no core values – or having them just for show – demonstrates that your company culture is not a priority. In the above situation, not only were these values not derived from the company’s leadership team (rendering them pointless), but the act of stealing them from another company had clearly cost them the respect of their employees.

Needless to say, that company wasn’t a good fit for The Resultants.

How To Avoid This: Gather your leadership team and sit down for a brainstorming session: What is your company’s greater purpose to the community? What do you strive to help your customers with, beyond providing a product or service? How do you intend to create a healthy work environment for your team, and what would that look like? Answering these questions will help your leadership team come up with fundamental values and the definitions of each as they apply to your company. Make sure to communicate those values to your entire staff and weave them into your operations moving forward.

3. Lack of Coachability Owners, leaders, and entrepreneurs are usually independent people – sometimes, to a fault. Because of this, many are under the impression they can do everything themselves and don’t need outside help.

For example, you’re an entrepreneur who’s operational-focused: You invented the widget and you know how to build the widget. You may not know how to mass distribute or sell it, and you’re not doing a good job of keeping track of inventory or accounts receivable, but boy can you build that widget!

These blind spots can cripple your organization if left unaddressed. Being “coachable” is about the willingness to fill those blind spots by relying on professional resources. Without the willingness to learn from others,

even the most well-intentioned owners can drive their businesses into the ground.

How To Avoid This: Cultivate and maintain a professional resource, whether it’s an accountability partner like The Resultants, or an advisory board of professionals. Learn to be coachable, to ask for help, and to ask questions. As a business owner, you should always be learning, and your ability to learn from people who’ve come before you can expedite your own success.

4. Staring at the Rearview Mirror

Another common mistake we see businesses make is in the area of metrics, regarding what we define as “Windshield” vs. “Rearview Mirror,” or leading indicators vs. trailing indicators.

When businesses work too hard with trailing indicators, they focus all their attention on their income statement, balance sheet, financial picture, and the like, but these will only tell you what’s already happened. While this information is useful, becoming too preoccupied with it is like staring out of the rearview mirror while driving. It has the potential to derail, or worse, bring the organization to a crashing halt.

How To Avoid This: Focus on the Windshield — i.e., your leading indicators – to gain insight into what will happen in the near future of your company. This includes your sales pipeline, marketing initiatives that are producing results and other elements that feed into your company’s sales engine. The key is to find a healthy balance between both the leading and trailing indicators to keep your organization moving forward.

5. Under-Capitalized For Growth

Everyone knows it costs money to run an organization, but a common mistake is being undercapitalized going into new periods of expansion. If you don’t have built-in capital reserves or an adequate line of credit, then you’re going to be handcuffed in your growth. However, don’t lose sleep trying to capture that last 5–10%. Trying to pick up pennies and getting bogged down in details will take too much time and effort for the reward, grinding you and your business to a halt. You will lose

LEADERS, AND ENTREPRENEURS ARE USUALLY INDEPENDENT PEOPLE – SOMETIMES, TO A FAULT.

momentum, and in an early-stage company, you need that momentum to overcome those first hurdles of business ownership.

How To Avoid This: It’s extremely important to have adequate capitalization for the type of growth you’re expecting and intending. Intention is driven by marketing and sales, while expectation can be driven by historical patterns and performance. Once you have the appropriate capital, focus on keeping your momentum by prioritizing the 80% and not worrying about the last 5–10%. Remember: Momentum over perfection!

The Bottom Lines

Owning a successful business goes hand in hand with owning one’s mistakes. And while these five mistakes can represent major stumbling blocks for an organization, with the right mindset and knowledge, they can be easily fixed.

I once heard the quote, “Wisdom has been chasing me, but I’ve always been faster.” It makes me chuckle, and many executives I’ve met over the course of my career resonate with it as well. That being said, may this wisdom catch you — wherever you are in your journey of business ownership.

➽ STEVE WILCOX is president and senior business advisor with The Resultants®. To learn more visit www.theresultants.com.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

RED STAR RUST

Red Star Rust (formerly known as Japanese apple rust) was first found in Minnesota in 2022. This disease is caused by the fungal plant pathogen Gymnosporangium yamadae, which is native to Japan, China, and Korea. Red star rust can infect crabapple, apple, and several species of juniper. As this plant pathogen is an emerging pest in Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is working hard to survey and mitigate for this plant pathogen.

Red star rust acts very similar to Minnesota’s native cedar apple rust. Spores produced on infected junipers infect the leaves of apple and crabapple trees resulting in bright red, orange, or yellow leaf spots. Fruit and twigs of Malus spp. are very rarely infected. Spores from infected crabapple or apple trees are carried by wind to infect nearby junipers in late summer. These infections produce small round woody galls. Juniper galls produce a gelatinous orange mass in warm, wet spring weather. Spores from these galls can be carried up to three miles by wind and rain to infect crabapple and apple trees.

Leaf spots will appear on apple and crabapple leaves in May or June. In early summer, leaf spots caused by red star rust look like spots caused by cedar apple rust and hawthorn rust. By August, long finger-like spore-producing structures can be seen below leaf spots of red star rust. A lab test is the best way to confirm the presence of red star rust.

Susceptible cultivars of Malus spp. may prematurely drop infected leaves, resulting in reduced tree vigor and yield loss in apples and edible crabapples. Currently, it is unknown how resistant or susceptible commonly grown apple and crabapple cultivars in Minnesota are to red star rust. Several species of juniper can be infected by red star rust, including Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), Sargent juniper (J. chinensis L. var. sargentii), Savin juniper (J. sabina), Flaky juniper (J. squamata), and Garden juniper (J. procumbens). Minnesota’s native juniper, the eastern red cedar (J. virginiana), is not susceptible to red star rust.

Growers should scout for red star rust infections on susceptible junipers from mid-April through June. Woody galls are small (<0.5 inches diameter) and will be easiest to see after rain or irrigation, when the galls produce a bright orange gelatinous mass. If galls are found, they can be pruned off, double bagged, and

MDA

disposed of. Sprays should be used to protect Malus spp. on site if infected junipers are present. Although galls can hydrate and dehydrate several times during wet spring weather, once the weather becomes hot and dry, the galls stop producing spores and die.

In 2023, MDA nursery inspectors will be looking for red star rust infections in Malus spp. and Juniperus spp. during routine nursery inspections. If found, infected plants will be removed from sale and treatment orders will be issued. Malus spp. can be protected from infection by red star rust by using fungicide spray programs recommended for cedar apple rust (https://content.ces.ncsu. edu/cedar-apple-rusts). Currently, there are no fungicide recommendations to protect junipers.

The MDA is working to determine how widespread the red star rust fungus is in Minnesota. In 2022, red star rust was found in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Le Sueur, Ramsey, Rice, and Scott counties. If you suspect you have found red star rust, take pictures of the symptoms. Email pictures, your name, and the location to reportapest@state.mn.us or report online at www.mda.state.mn.us/reportapest. The MDA may contact you to request a sample for further laboratory testing to confirm the diagnosis.

MDA

NATURAL INSPIRATION: 5 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE THE

GOODNESS OF GARDENING

By The National Garden Bureau

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Gardening can have a significant, positive impact on people’s lives. During the pandemic, 18 million new gardeners turned to their outdoor spaces to relieve the stress and anxiety caused by isolation. In addition to the calming effect that working in and visiting gardens can have on mental and physical health, gardening also teaches valuable life skills. For example, at a community garden in Detroit, homeless women and mothers gained confidence and self-reliance by learning how to grow their own vegetables. Whether for your own benefit, or your customers, here are five vital ways gardening can enhance your well-being, along with just a few examples of how they’ve changed many lives for the better.

1. Boost your physical health

Working in your garden is a great way to be more active. According to the CDC, gardening is the second favorite physical activity of older adults (behind walking), providing moderate physical activity which may help reduce stress, lower your blood pressure and maintain a healthier weight — all factors that can reduce your risk of heart disease, among other benefits. Being outdoors helps you obtain vitamin D from sunshine, boosting your mood and contributing to your body’s ability to absorb calcium, which is crucial for bone health, according to the National Institutes for Health. Physical therapy in a garden setting is a proven technique for faster recovery times. As an added bonus, you can grow vegetables and fruits for a more nutrient-rich diet.

2. Make social connections

At a vocational therapeutic garden in Chicago, one young man with autism relearned how to communicate verbally after years of being unable to use his voice. This helped him socially, as well as enabling him to get and keep a job. To create your own social connections, try joining (or volunteering at) a gardening club, working in a community garden or chatting with a neighbor while you’re working in your yard.

3. Stimulate your brain

Gardening keeps your brain active. Planning your garden, researching plants and methods to help them thrive all increase your scientific knowledge. Learning how plants grow, understanding their life cycle and their impact on pollinators are all vital for appreciating

what the earth needs — and how everyone can contribute. At a prison in Texas, they’ve reduced the recidivism rate from 35% to 4% thanks to the job training skills parolees learned during a one-year horticulture training program that enabled the parolees to get and keep jobs after release.

4. Grow your mood

The Japanese concept of “forest bathing” means immersing yourself in the natural world. Japan made this part of their national health program due to research showing the many health benefits of being in nature. The therapeutic benefits of gardens are widely appreciated, which is why you see therapeutic gardens at hospitals, rehabilitation centers, hospices and other facilities. Research reveals that those who spend time outdoors may experience better recovery, less anxiety or depression and reduced reliance on pain medication. Children in a homeless center in Dallas were given the opportunity to work in gardens, leading to a marked reduction in their aggressive tendencies caused by the uncertainty in their lives.

5. Elevate your experience

For many, spending quiet time in nature also helps foster a feeling of connection with all living things. Gardens have long been a feature of spiritual retreats and sanctuaries. If you want to experience calm and tranquility, gardens provide uplifting, serene environments that can help you attain that sense of inner peace.

Create your ideal garden

Knowing what an impact gardens and gardening has on people’s lives, you may be inspired to create your own, or to reimagine your existing garden. Want to enhance your physical well-being? Grow healthy food, or expand your garden to provide more opportunities for exercise. Looking for connections? Join a garden group or invite friends to garden with you. Aiming to stimulate your brain? Research what grows best in your region or learn about new plants. Interested in boosting your mood? Plant colorful flowers that make you smile and create spaces to relax and enjoy nature. Want to feel uplifted? Create a sanctuary with space for practicing yoga or meditation.

LEARN MORE about the goodness of gardening at NationalGardenBureau.org

KNOWING WHAT AN IMPACT GARDENS AND GARDENING HAS ON PEOPLE’S LIVES, YOU MAY BE INSPIRED TO CREATE YOUR OWN, OR TO REIMAGINE YOUR EXISTING GARDEN.

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THE IMPACTS OF

EAB RESEARCH

Brought to you by:

By Dr. James Calkins Research Information Director MNLA Foundation

IMPROVES OUR UNDERSTANDING OF EAB, ITS IMPACTS, AND POTENTIAL MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR THIS DEVASTATING PEST Canker & wood decay fungi, systemic insecticides, herd immunity, and woodpeckers

As nursery and landscape professionals in Minnesota and throughout the eastern and midwestern United States and southeastern Canada are well aware, emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrillus planipennis Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is an incredibly destructive invasive insect that has killed millions of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) since it was introduced to North America from Asia about 25 years ago. In fact, this little green, buprestid (jewel or wood boring beetle) has become the most destructive non-native forest pest that has been introduced to North America where it has already killed hundreds

of millions of ash trees and caused tremendous economic and ecological damage, damage that is likely to increase exponentially in coming years. First documented in Michigan and across the border in neighboring Ontario, Canada, in 2002, this devastating pest has spread on its own locally and with human assistance long distance and has now been documented in 36 states (including Minnesota) and the District of Columbia and five Canadian provinces in North America. Most recently, and likely with human assistance via the movement of firewood or other ash-related materials, EAB has

EMERALD ASH BORER WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN MINNESOTA IN ST. PAUL’S ST. ANTHONY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

ST. PAUL CAMPUS AND THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIRGROUNDS IN 2009 AND HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN FOUND IN 40 OF THE STATE’S 87 COUNTIES WITH FINDS IN SIX NEW COUNTIES LAST YEAR AND THREE NEW COUNTIES SO FAR THIS YEAR.

made a big jump to eastern Oregon where it will not only pose a threat to native and introduced ash trees in Oregon and other western states and Canadian provinces but also to olive trees (Olea europaea) in Oregon and California which are closely related to ash trees and susceptible to attack by EAB; the European olive tree is the namesake of the olive family (Oleaceae) of which the genus Fraxinus is a member.

Emerald ash borer was first discovered in Minnesota in St. Paul’s St. Anthony Park neighborhood near the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus and the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in 2009 and has subsequently been found in 40 of the state’s 87 counties with finds in six new counties last year and three new counties so far this year. Although EAB is not a serious pest in its native range in Asia, ash trees that are native to North America, including all three species that are native to Minnesota, have little resistance and mortality has been reported to be nearly 100%. As a result, EAB threatens the approximately one billion black, green, and white ash trees (Fraxinus nigra, pennsylvanica, and americana, respectively) growing in Minnesota’s woodlands and designed landscapes (roughly one of every five trees or 20 percent of all the trees growing in the state).

Although research has taught us a great deal about this invasive and damaging insect including information about its life cycle, host preference, cold hardiness, spread, impacts,

James Calkins

Figure 1. An example of a hazard tree in a residential landscape that was a casualty of emerald ash borer and should be removed from a safety perspective.

and management, much remains to be learned. As a result, research efforts continue with the goal of improving our understanding of EAB, its impacts, its weaknesses, and potential management options. A growing body of this research is being performed in Minnesota through the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (MITPPC) which is based at the University of Minnesota. MITPPC was created by the Minnesota Legislature and its purpose is to research the prevention, detection, and control of terrestrial invasive species in Minnesota including invasive plants, plant pathogens, insects, and other invertebrates, species that cost the state about $3 billion annually by damaging Minnesota’s agricultural resources, forests, prairies, and wetlands. In short, the purpose of the center is to develop multidisciplinary, research-based solutions to the problems caused by terrestrial invasive species in Minnesota. The MITPPC is supported by funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission for Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) and approved by the state legislature using money generated by the Minnesota State Lottery. The ENRTF was created in 1988 based on a voter-approved amendment to the state constitution and is dedicated to funding activities that protect, conserve, preserve, and enhance the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources. Since its inception, the center has funded 48 research projects focused on prioritized invasive species in relation to one or more of the center’s eligible research themes – early detection, management alternatives, response to climate change, and socio-economic impact.

Given the significant and ongoing threat of EAB to ash trees in Minnesota, it is not surprising that several research projects that have been funded by the MITPPC have focused on this devastating insect. The findings of two research projects that have been completed in recent years are highlighted and briefly summarized below and both projects had multiple collaborators.

Optimizing Tree Injections Against Emerald Ash Borer — Research performed in the Forest Entomology Lab directed by Dr. Brian Aukema, University of Minnesota Department of Entomology.

The focus of this MITPPC-funded research project was the optimization of treatment protocols for treating ash trees to protect as

many trees as possible from attack by EAB in the most sustainable way (effective with reduced costs and minimal environmental impacts) based on the hypothesis that treating a subset of an urban population of ash trees can confer protection to untreated trees. Most of us have probably heard the term “herd immunity” in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and this is the same principle applied to ash trees to provide protection from attack by EAB. The term “herd immunity” is typically used in relation to contagious diseases like COVID-19 or the flu (influenza) and can be defined as the

sites, 50% of the trees were treated with emamectin benzoate while 50% of the trees at the remaining four sites were treated with azadirachtin leaving 50% of the trees at each site as untreated controls. In addition to the twelve sites, a group of untreated, reference trees were selected in the same communities but about 3 kilometers from the treatment sites to measure EAB activity and crown health compared to the treatment sites. Crown health for all of the trees was monitored for five years. The key research questions were:

1. What proportion of trees must be treated to achieve herd immunity against EAB?

protection of individuals that are not immune as a result of vaccination or natural immunity and a resulting decrease in the spread of the disease once a large enough proportion of the population has immunity. In the case of plants (in this case ash trees), the term “population immunity” may be a better term than “herd immunity.” The primary goal of the research was to see if the principle of herd immunity could be applied to ash mortality caused by EAB and to determine the percentage of trees in a population that must be treated with a systemic insecticide to achieve EAB herd immunity by conferring immunity to untreated trees. Other research objectives included a comparison of the effectiveness of trunk-injected emamectin benzoate (TREE-äge® G4 - Arborjet) and azadirachtin (AzaSol®) (the two systemic insecticides used in the study) and an assessment of the possible impacts of the treatments on bees and other pollinators. The study involved ash trees that were growing at twelve urban sites in Minnesota that had signs and symptoms of early EAB infestation but where canopy decline was not yet widespread. At eight of the twelve

2. Do the treatments pose a danger to non-target insects like bees and other pollinators, either through ingestion of plant material or contact with foliage? The results indicated that the crown health of all of the trees (treated and untreated) at the treatment sites was maintained or improved compared to the reference trees which declined quickly in response to attack by EAB. This outcome suggests that protection from attack by EAB was conferred to untreated trees by treated trees (i.e., herd/ community immunity) and supports the idea that treating a subset of a population of ash trees (rather than all of the trees) may help protect untreated trees. It was also determined that protection from EAB could be achieved with minimal risk to non-target organisms. These findings provide a starting point for the development of a more cost-effective and environmentally sound protocol for managing EAB. And finally, while both emamectin benzoate and azadirachtin provided protection, emamectin benzoate was more effective and would be a suitable and effective alternative to neonicotinoid-based insecticides. This information may help municipalities develop effective protocols for protecting ash trees from attack by EAB.

Related research performed by the Forest Entomology lab investigated the impacts of systemic insecticides (again emamectin benzoate and azadirachtin) used to manage EAB on the phenology of ash trees including bud swelling, bud-break, flowering, leaf out, leaf color, and leaf abscission, and the whether the strategic removal of ash trees in isolated, satellite infestations of EAB can reduce population growth. Regarding the effect of systemic insecticides on penology, only budbreak and flowering were affected, occurring seven and five days earlier, respectively, for treated trees compared to untreated trees. It

GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT AND ONGOING THREAT OF EAB TO ASH TREES IN MINNESOTA, IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT SEVERAL RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED BY THE MITPPC HAVE FOCUSED ON THIS DEVASTATING INSECT.

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was postulated that delayed bud-break and flowering may be early symptoms of EAB, the delay in budbreak and flowering observed for untreated trees was likely in response to EAB infestations, and treatment with emamectin benzoate and azadirachtin simply preserved the natural phenology in the absence of EAB. Regarding the potential effects of the strategic removal of EAB-infested host trees (i.e., sanitation), it was found that removal of about 63% of the trees over a period of four years reduced the number of adult beetles produced by about 54%. In addition, it was found that trees with signs of woodpecker foraging in search of EAB larvae (pecking that results in the removal of the outer bark called flecking or blonding) had an average of 2.4 more larvae per square meter of phloem compared to trees without pecking and if trees were preferentially selected for removal based on woodpecker activity, beetle production could be reduced even further. These findings indicate that the aggressive removal of infested trees in satellite populations of EAB infested trees can slow the increase in the beetle population by about 54% and that preferentially removing ash trees with evidence of woodpecker activity is the best option.

Several peer-reviewed publications have resulted from this research (see citations) and additional information about this research is

directed by Dr. Robert Blanchette, University of Minnesota Department of Plant Pathology

available on MITPPC’s website: Optimizing tree injections against emerald ash borer.

Fungal Biocontrol for Emerald Ash Borer / Fungi in Ash Trees: Towards Protecting Trees from Emerald Ash Borer and New Diseases – Research performed in the Forest Pathology and Wood Microbiology Research Lab

The focus of this MITPPC-funded research project was to identify and investigate the various fungi that are associated with EAB-infested trees, and especially the galleries produced by feeding EAB larvae, to determine whether they are wood decay fungi (fungi that digest moist, usually dead wood, causing it to rot), canker fungi (pathogenic fungi that invade bark or woody tissues and form cankers — areas of diseased and dead tissue), entomopathogenic fungi (fungi that can attack and kill or seriously disable insects), or saprophytic fungi (non-pathogenic fungi that feed on non-living organic matter) and their roles or potential roles in EAB infested ash trees. As EAB larvae feed on the plant tissues under the bark (phloem and outer xylem), they create serpentine galleries that disrupt the vascular tissues and the damage increases with continued feeding and as the larval density increases resulting in canopy decline and the death of infested trees over a period of 2–4 years or more. The compounded damage caused by larval feeding, including the larval galleries and cracked bark, woodpeckers searching for EAB larvae, and the

James Calkins

Figure 2. A scene that is becoming increasing common in EAB infested areas in Minnesota as EAB populations increase and large numbers of ash trees are being killed by this devastating pest.

REGARDING THE EFFECT OF SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDES ON PENOLOGY, ONLY BUD-BREAK AND FLOWERING WERE AFFECTED, OCCURRING SEVEN AND FIVE DAYS EARLIER, RESPECTIVELY, FOR TREATED TREES COMPARED TO UNTREATED TREES.

exit holes created by emerging adult beetles have been hypothesized as points of entry for fungal spores. To pursue the objectives of the research, fungi were isolated for identification from the larval galleries of EAB-infested ash trees in the areas from Duluth to Rochester where EAB is present and causing ash mortality in Minnesota. The key research questions were:

1. What fungi occur in ash trees infested with EAB?

2. Do any of the fungi found contribute to canker formation, wood decay, and tree death following EAB infestation?

3. Are any of the fungi associated with EAB capable of infecting and killing the insect?

Fungal cultures representing an amazing 1,126 fungal species were isolated from the EAB larval galleries sampled and DNA sequencing identified fungi from a diverse group of canker, wood decay, and entomopathogenic fungi. Canker fungi were the most abundant fungi that were isolated and would likely invade the tissues wounded by the feeding EAB larvae causing additional damage. Cytospra, which has a wide host range, was the most common canker fungi found, followed by Phaeoacremonium, Paraconiothyrium, Coniothyrium, Nectria, Diplodia, and Botryosphaeria. Purpureocillium lilacinum (reported as a pathogen of a variety of insects) was the most common entomopathogenic fungus found followed by Beauvaria

bassiana (a pathogen of a wide variety of arthropods including insects) and the genera Clonostachys, Lecanicillium, Acanthomyces, Cordyceps, Microcera, Tolypocladium, and Pochonia. Although, like me, you are probably unlikely to remember most of these names, the findings of this research confirm the presence

of a variety of fungi in ash trees as a result of attack by EAB, including fungi that may accelerate the decline of trees infested with EAB, cause decay and increase the likelihood that dying and dead ash trees may become hazard trees more quickly, and have the potential to serve as biocontrol agents for EAB.

Based on the research that identified the presence of canker fungi in EAB larval galleries, a subsequent study was designed

to investigate the pathogenicity of seven of the fungal species that were isolated from EAB galleries and the possibility that these fungi could contribute to the ash tree dieback and mortality associated with EAB infestation. Three-year-old, Autumn Purple® white ash trees (Fraxinus americana ‘Junginger’) were inoculated with seven of the pathogenic canker fungal isolates from the previous study and were grown under field conditions for a full growing season to allow for canker development. The fungal species studied included Cytospora pruinosa, Diplodia multila, Diplodia seriata, Paraconiothyrium brasiliense, Phaeoacremonium minimum, Phaeoacremonium scolyti, and Thyronectria aurigera. The inoculated sections of the trees were subsequently brought into the laboratory where the cankers were measured observed for canker development under field conditions. The fungi were re-isolated from the cankers to confirm the identities were the same. Although none of the fungal species studied have been reported to cause cankers on ash trees, all seven species caused cankers to varying degrees compared to the controls with the largest cankers being produced by Diplodia multila, Cytospora pruinosa, and Diplodia seriata. These results suggest that canker-causing fungi found in association with EAB larval galleries may have the potential to take advantage of the stressed condition of EAB-infested trees and magnify the damage caused by larval feeding to enhance

REGARDING THE EFFECT OF SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDES ON PENOLOGY, ONLY BUD-BREAK AND FLOWERING WERE AFFECTED, OCCURRING SEVEN AND FIVE DAYS EARLIER, RESPECTIVELY, FOR TREATED TREES COMPARED TO UNTREATED TREES.

and accelerate the decline and death of ash trees in the presence of EAB.

And finally, in addition to the entomopathogenic and canker-causing fungi discussed above, a number of wood decay fungi were also isolated from EAB galleries, mostly white rot fungi but other species as well. Although ash trees are ranked as intermediate in terms of their susceptibility to breakage compared to other trees, it is well-known that when ash trees are attacked and killed by EAB they lose structural integrity and quickly become hazard trees. And although this loss of structural integrity has usually been attributed to the damage caused by the feeding of EAB larvae, the isolation of wood decay fungi from larval galleries raised the question of whether these fungi might be involved. To answer this question, the ability of wood decay fungi that had been isolated from EAB galleries to degrade ash wood samples was investigated under laboratory conditions. Many of the wood decay fungi isolated from the EAB galleries were identified as aggressive wood decomposers and three of the 13 fungal species tested – Phlebia radiata, Trametes versicolor, and Phlebia acerina –were among the top decomposers resulting in as much as 72%, 70%, and 64% weight loss for the wood samples, respectively, after six months of incubation. Micromorphological observations using electron microscopy confirmed that significant degradation of the cell walls had occurred.

Based on these research results, the researchers believe these wood decay fungi are largely responsible for the rapid loss of structural integrity of ash trees attacked by EAB resulting in hazard trees that threaten structures, vehicles, and people as a result of the significant risk of branch and whole tree

DISCUSSED ABOVE, A NUMBER OF WOOD DECAY FUNGI WERE ALSO ISOLATED FROM EAB GALLERIES, MOSTLY WHITE ROT FUNGI BUT OTHER SPECIES AS WELL.

failure. This information should be of interest to municipalities, land managers, arborists, property owners, and others relative to their understanding of what happens to ash trees that have been attacked by EAB and the need to remove these trees before they become hazardous which happens quickly. It is also important to avoid such trees where they have been left standing and in woodland and forest settings to avoid possible harm. Interestingly

in this regard, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WI DNR) has issued warnings to deer hunters about the potential hazards of ash trees. Recognizing that dead and dying ash trees that have been attacked by EAB are not as structurally sound as healthy trees, the WI DNR has cautioned against placing deer stands in or near ash trees since 2019 as a safety precaution. More generally, being cautious when near ash trees is also encouraged, and especially during windy conditions because ash trees infested with EAB can fall unexpectedly or branches can snap off and fall to the ground. Of course, being able to identify ash trees is important in this regard and especially when trees are dormant and not in leaf. I have not seen similar notices from the MN DNR, but EAB is currently more widespread in Wisconsin than in Minnesota (currently documented in 68 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties). It is however a good example of the need to be aware of the hazards posed by ash trees that have been attacked by EAB.

Regardless of the fungal associations involved, and although researchers have suggested some possibilities, how the fungi that have been isolated from the galleries produced by EAB larvae become associated with these galleries is essentially unknown and the relationships between these fungi and EAB adults or larvae, including whether or not EAB is a vector of these fungi, is not understood and more research is needed.

AND FINALLY, IN ADDITION TO THE ENTOMOPATHOGENIC AND CANKER-CAUSING FUNGI

As for the entomological research discussed above, several peer-reviewed publications have resulted from this research (again, see citations) and more information about this important research is available online at Fungal biocontrol for emerald ash borer | Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (umn.edu).

Although these studies have provided important, foundational information about EAB and the management of this invasive pest and the trees it has attacked, much remains to be learned. EAB is spreading and devastating ash trees in Minnesota and elsewhere and solutions are sorely needed. It is hoped that subsequent research will build on the findings of these and other studies to improve and expand our understanding of the relationships between fungi and the health and mortality of ash trees and the options for managing EAB.

These are just a few of the studies that are part of a much larger body of MITPPC-funded research focused on the management of invasive species. More broadly, the invasive species, including EAB, that have been or are the focus of research projects funded by the MITPPC thus far include:

Invasive Plants

• Hybrid Barberry (Berberis x ottawensis); Berberis vulgaris x Berberis thunbergii) – 1 project

• Buckthorn (Frangula alnus, Rhamnus cathartica) – 8 projects

• Common Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) – 4 projects

• European Common Reed Grass (Phragmites australis subsp. australis) – 1 project

• Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) – 1 project

• Honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii, L. tatarica) – 1 project

• Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) – 2 projects

• Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula) – 2 projects

• Lodgepole Pine Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum) – 1 project

• Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) – 3 projects

• Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) – 2 projects

Invasive Plant Pathogens

• Ash Dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) – 1 project

• Corn Tar Spot (Phyllachora maydis) – 2 projects

• Dutch Elm Disease (Ophiostoma novo-ulmi) – 1 project

• Heterobasidion Root Disease (Heterobasidion spp.) – 1 project

• Japanese oak wilt (Raffaelea quercivora,  Geosmithia morbida) – 1 project

• Oak Wilt (Bretziella fagacearum) – 3 projects

• Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome (Fusarium virguliforme) – 1 project

• Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora ramorum) – 1 project

Invasive Insects & Other Invertebrates

• Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) – 1 project

• Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) – 2 projects

• Egyptian Cottonworm (Spodoptera littoralis) – 1 project

• Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennnis) – 4 projects

• European Grape Berry Moth (Eupoecilia ambiguella) – 1 project

• Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica) – 1 project

• Jumping Worms (Amynthas spp.) – 1 project

• Mountain Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) – 1 project

• Old World Bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) – 1 project

• Sirex Woodwasp (Sirex noctilio) – 1 project

• Soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) – 5 projects

• Spongy Moth (formerly Gypsy Moth; Lymantria dispar var. dispar, Lymantria. dispar var. asiatica) – 3 projects

• Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) – 5 projects

Nursery and landscape professionals will recognize a number of species on this list that are of importance to the industry. Additional information, including summaries of all of the research projects (completed and ongoing) that have been funded by the MITPPC, is available online on the MITPPC website at Research projects | Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (umn.edu)

Additional research funded by the MITPPC on other invasive pests of importance to the Minnesota nursery and landscape industry is ongoing and a new batch of research proposals are currently under review for potential future funding. More about the activities of the center, including research accom-

plishments are available on the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center website, www.mitppc.org.

Citations for “Optimizing Tree Injections Against Emerald Ash Borer”

Fahrner, S.J., M. Abrahamson, R.C. Venette, and B.H. Aukema. 2017. Strategic Removal of Host Trees in Isolated, Satellite Infestations of Emerald Ash Borer Can Reduce Population Growth. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 24:184-194 (abstract, introduction, and brief summary only).

Mwangola, D.M., A.M. Kees, D.M. Grosman, and B.H. Aukema. 2023. The Impact of Systematic Insecticides Against Emerald Ash Borer on Phenology of Urban Ash Trees. Journal of Economic Entomology 116(2):478–485 (abstract only).

Mwangola, D.M., A.M. Kees, D.M. Grosman, K.E. Norris, M.P. Maddox, and B.H. Aukema. 2023. Associational Protection of Urban Ash Trees Treated with Systemic Insecticides Against Emerald Ash Borer. Frontiers in Insect Science 3:990909.

Citations for “Fungal Biocontrol for Emerald Ash Borer / Fungi in Ash Trees: Towards Protecting Trees from Emerald Ash Borer and New Diseases”

Held, B.W., S. Simeto, N.N. Rajtar, A.J. Cotton. D.N. Showalter, K.E. Bushley, and R.A. Blanchette. 2021. Fungi Associated with Galleries of the Emerald Ash Borer. Fungal Biology 125(7):551-559.

McNee, B. and A. Diss-Torrance. 2019. Dead and Dying Ash Are Hunting Hazard. Wisconsin DNR Forestry News, October 29, 2019.

Rajtar, N.N., B.W. Held, and R.A. Blanchette. 2021. Fungi from Galleries of the Emerald Ash Borer Produce Cankers in Ash Trees. Forests 12(11):1509.

Simeto, S., B.W. Held, and R.A. Blanchette. 2023. Wood Decay Fungi Associated with Galleries of the Emerald Ash Borer. Forests 14(3):576-593

The following, selected resources may also be of interest:

Emerald Ash Borer Information Network – http:// www.emeraldashborer.info/

USDA National Invasive Species Information Center - https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/ invertebrates/emerald-ash-borer

Emerald Ash Borer in Minnesota (University of Minnesota Extension) –https://extension.umn.edu/ tree-and-shrub-insects/emerald-ash-borers

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources) –https://www.dnr.state. mn.us/invasives/terrestrialanimals/eab/index.html

➽ To comment on this research update, suggest research topics of interest, or pass along a piece of research-based information that might be of interest to your industry colleagues, please email us at Research@MNLA.biz.

BY MIKE GOERGEN

SOUTHVIEW DESIGN

Congratulations!

We would like to congratulate MNLA Board of Directors member, Susan Bachman West, for being named one of Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal’s 2023 Women in Business honorees in May. This award honors industry-leading executives, entrepreneurs, and

TThis year’s winner of the Newcomer of the Year Award is Mike Goergen of Southview Design for the project “Afton Oasis”. This special designation is given to the top-scoring project from a first-time entrant.

Project Description

This luxurious lakeside resort features a swimming pool, pool house, party barn, fire patio, and beautiful softscape. This is a summer home for our clients. They live in the city and found a quiet, country, lakeside setting to relax with family and friends. Their wishlist included a swimming pool, pool house, and a new front entry. The yard had some pre-existing amenities, but the space was disjointed and had no “flow” to it. As part of their wishlist, they wanted all the spaces to be connected and cohesive. The project presented a few challenges. The homeowners originally wanted the pool in their backyard near the red ‘party barn’. However, the lake setback (blue line on the plan) made that impossible. The pool was moved to the north side of the driveway. Additionally, the clients were adamant about including a pool house but the city would not permit a third outbuilding on the property. The solution? We connected the pool house to the home with an enclosed walkway. The pool house has a bathroom, two refrigerators, an

indoor shower, an outdoor shower, washer/ dryer, and storage for poolside furniture, pillows, towels, and toys.

Connecting the pool area and the backyard was accomplished with a breezeway. To fulfill the homeowner’s vision of ‘cohesiveness’ bluestone was used throughout all the outdoor living spaces (i.e. pool deck, walkways, stairs, patios, etc.).

The red barn is a game house with big screen TVs, a bar, luxury seating, game tables, a jukebox, and darts. Using bluestone, we expanded the patio area outside the game house and included space for a fire table. We rebuilt the retaining walls with Moss Rock stone to match the home’s exterior. We added bluestone steps closer to the lower-level walkout door for easy access to the patio and game barn, and bluestone landings along the outer edge of the walls. Night lighting on the masonry walls highlights the texture and color of the veneer stone. Additionally, we added mass plant material for maximum effect of color and texture.

business owners for their professional successes and community involvement. If you would like to read more about her and her nomination, visit: https://tinyurl.com/ 43tuyn4s. Also, congratulations to Patrick McGuinness, MNLA Board of Director member, for receiving

an Outstanding Directors Award from Twin Cities Business. He will be recognized in September for his work on the Hiway Federal Credit Union Board of Directors. The award is described as recognizing some of the most accomplished members of local business boards.

Honorees are individuals who truly bring a standard of excellence from their day jobs to the corporate boards they serve on. To read more, visit: https://tcbmag.com/ events/oda23/.

MN Greenhouse Growers on the Top 100: Greenhouse

Grower magazine recently released their complete list of the top 100 greenhouse growers in the green industry. Not surprisingly, four Minnesota growers made their list again. Here are the four companies (with their total environmentally controlled square feet): 19. Dan

Photos and plan courtesy of: Mike Goergen

As for the front entry, the original landscaping included a typical concrete sidewalk and oversized beds with random boulders and scattered Hosta. The vibe was very “blah” and did not match the style of their home. Keeping with the bluestone theme, we added a bluestone walkway with seat boulders cut into the corners. Smaller beds and fewer plants across the front. Cedar mulch was selected to compliment the cedar shakes above the front door. Night lighting “extends” the front entry to the driveway.

For softscape, we used a large mix of colorful perennials and evergreens. Around the pool, we selected a plant palette of Dakota Pinnacle Birch, Mugo Tannenbaum Pine, Boxwood, and Hydrangea. These selections were based on privacy/screening as well as their modern and sophisticated aesthetic.

Regarding best management practices, we held standing weekly meetings with the builder, client, landscape designer, and project manager to keep on top of current production and where things were headed. We also installed a large rain garden behind the pool house to collect runoff from the additional square footage of the pool house and pool deck. Furthermore, we exclusively used wood mulch to help plants retain moisture, gain nutrients, and moderate soil temperature. Plantings were selected to thrive without as much water/nutrient input, lessening the watering burden. In-ground drip irrigation was installed for plant beds to lessen moisture loss while irrigating.

The result is a functional, connected backyard resort with an elegant flair.

and Jerry’s Greenhouses (2,657,160). 20. Bergen’s Greenhouses (2,592,937) 40. Bailey Nurseries (1,560,754). 59. Green Valley Greenhouse (1,112,000). In the announcement on GreenhouseGrower. com, Brian Sparks wrote, “The ebbs and flows of the ornamentals market

over the last few years have led to a sense of uncertainty among growers in the industry. After all, it’s tough to plan ahead when you’re unsure where consumer demand might fall.”

Based on these largest four Minnesota growers, however, we can see that the Minnesota market is healthy and

Judge’s Comments

• “The designers paid particular attention to unifying the different areas, new and existing, through the use of the chosen materials. I also like the thoughtful solutions to accessibility and flow from what started as a very disjointed and disconnected space.”

• “This design meets the functional considerations as per the client’s wishes. The designer also solved some real sticky issues in functionality such as using the breezeway, connecting the house and poolhouse, and where to locate the pool.”

• “This project fits with its surroundings very well both in design aspects and materials used.”

• “It dealt with challenges that could make or break this project, and they were executed very well!”

• “Beautiful workmanship. I like that the existing steps were given a facelift instead of ripped out. The bluestone pavers are great and fit with the property.”

• “This project exhibits great workmanship.”

• “An excellent job! Really made use of the space well, incorporated existing elements, and checked all the boxes for the client. Low-maintenance materials and plants were used which is important as this is not the primary residence of the client.”

• “Hardscape is beautifully executed. The walls and flat work are well done.”

• “This is an overall beautiful project with some very nice detailing. The hardscape is well executed. The repetition of plant and hardscape materials, colors, and textures hold this design together well.”

optimistic, as these growers either maintained or increased their square footage from 2022. Green Valley Greenhouse made the biggest jump on the list from last year, going from 67 to 59. Last summer, Greenhouse Grower also named GVG’s Andrew Butler as their 2022 Head

Grower of the Year for, “…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.” With the kind of talent, longevity, and business strength the greenhouse community enjoys in Minnesota, the national recognition can only continue to grow.

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BEFORE: This is where we started. Walkout level access to the game barn (the red structure) was either through the house or by stone steps in the middle of the yard. Our job was to make these spaces feel more connected. The random floating deck in the middle of the yard did not match the home’s aesthetic, but it covered an old silo. It was removed.

Craftmanship/Function: We added bluestone steps closer to the lower-level walkout door for easy access to the patio and game barn. New masonry retaining walls replaced old boulder walls. The veneer stone on the walls matches the stone on the home and pool house. Night lighting on the masonry walls highlights the texture and color of the veneer stone.

This is a summer home for our clients. They live in the city and found a quiet, country, lakeside setting to relax with their family and friends. The house itself was move-in ready, but the outdoor living spaces were lacking the amenities and functionality the homeowners desired.

The original wishlist included a swimming pool, pool house, and a new front entry. Additionally, they wanted all the outdoor living spaces to feel connected and unified.

The new challenge was the pool house. The city permitted a maximum of two outbuildings — the existing Red Barn and the storage building meant that a free-standing pool house was not an option. The solution? Connect the pool house to the home with an enclosed hallway. The pool house has a bathroom, two refrigerators, an indoor shower, an outdoor shower, washer/dryer, and storage for poolside furniture, pillows, towels, and toys.

Detail shot. We re-used the concrete steps that run along the edge of the wall and added bluestone landings, making it easier to climb the steps.

A detailed design plan is required for project entries.

BEFORE: This aerial before image shows how the spaces were disconnected and scattered throughout the yard.

Progress: The home and pool house are connected by an enclosed hallway. This satisfies code requirements that state a property can only have two outbuildings.

We used Moss Rock stone for the walls, columns & pool house. This is the same stone used on the exterior of the house and walls.

BEFORE: With the pool now located on the north side of the driveway, the next challenge was connecting the pool area to the rest of the backyard.

AFTER: Connecting the pool area and the backyard was accomplished with a breezeway. Trees had to be cleared but we kept the larger ones to maintain a portion of the wooded area. Bluestone walkways illuminated by path lights connect the backyard patios and game house with the pool area. The garage door to the left opens to the driveway.

There are two fire tables on the property. The space above is located off the red barn in the backyard. It overlooks the lake.

The second fire table is on the pool deck. Behind the wall above, you’ll find the pool equipment. There’s a gate on the far side for easy access when maintenance is necessary.

BEFORE: Front entry had random boulders and plants with a concrete sidewalk. None of it matched the style of the home. The oversized beds did nothing to enhance the front entry.

AFTER: Bluestone walkway with seat boulders cut into the corners. The bluestone matches the pool deck and breezeway. Smaller beds and fewer plants across the front. Mulch is a nod to the cedar shakes above the front door. Night lighting “extends” the front entry to the driveway.

• “The naturalistic planting design fits very well in the wetland context of this property. Reducing the amount of turfgrass would greatly improve the contextual relationship, however, this is likely a choice of the client.”

• “Steep slopes and limiting building requirements contributed to the challenges that this design solved with elegance.”

• “The hardscape was installed with precision. They are in scale with the site and architecture.”

• “The design and installation of that not only unify previously disorganized site elements, but they do so in a way that dramatically improves the outdoor spaces for the clients.”

• “Materials relate nicely to the architecture and the choice of natural materials is in harmony with the surroundings”

• “Excellent build quality. The retainment of the grades was resolved in a creative way without being overly built.”

• “Excellent execution of design and installation. good job of keeping materials consistent and relatable to the existing surroundings.”

• “The design does a fantastic job linking spaces together. Materials are appropriate and details are well thought-through. The overall design is cohesive and makes me want to see more!”

• “The function of the pool deck is fantastic. Nice work thinking through the enclosed walkway to connect the pool house to meet code.”

• “The recreation area looks welcoming and fun. There is adequate space for games and get-togethers.”

• “The walkway connecting the home, garage, and pool area is a nice garden walk. The bluestone walk functions very nicely.”

• “The screening and buffer areas work very well to separate the property from the surrounding areas. From the photos, it all works well and fits very well in context to the surroundings.”

➽ SPECIAL THANKS TO the 2023 Landscape Awards Program Sponsors: Bachman’s Wholesale Nursery & Hardscapes and Gertens Wholesale & Professional Turf Supply.

Cedar shakes on the gable pool house roof match the front of the garage and home. Though we faced a handful of project challenges, we were able to fulfill all of the client’s wish list items. Minnesota summers just got a whole lot better for this family!

The evergreens and grasses along the pool deck on the right separate the pool area from the driveway, provide privacy, and block the view of cars during a party.

The landscape hugs the home and the outdoor living spaces are connected. Even if you are inside the house, you can see everything going on. The small door leads to the main floor of the home.

An outdoor shower is nestled into the corner along the breezeway. The shower drains to the rain garden on the northeast corner of the property. The rain garden was installed to collect runoff from the additional square footage of the pool house and pool deck.

TRIALED. TESTED.

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Her quote offers sage advice with a dash of caution. The quote means that people often provide early glimpses into their true selves. When we care about those people, we tend to ignore or dismiss signs. It is only when we revisit these early interactions that we realize the facts were staring us in the face the entire time.

Maya’s advice is not always negative. We can just as easily cross paths with strangers or those we misjudge only later to realize they have hearts of gold. We got too distracted by outward appearances, stereotypes, or preconceived notions to realize the merits these people have. In fact, it’s probably easier to find examples of close friends we first misjudged or mischaracterized. It is always a humbling exercise to ask a spouse or dear friend, “Ok, be honest, when we first met what was going through your head.” Just brace yourself for the answer.

Outside of the “Contact” page, the “About Us” section of a website is almost entirely ubiquitous across the commercial internet. Some websites have gotten more creative in

their nomenclature such as “Who we Are”, “What we Stand For” or “Our Story.” All these pages essentially perform the same function - it is a short, inspirational page that tells a company’s story. It is often not the page businesses and brands use for the hard sell. It does not advertise. It barely markets. It is all branding. It tries to invoke an emotion directly related to why the company exists. It is a little vain and self-indulgent and that’s ok.

Over the span of a few weeks, I had to organize two panels of business owners and senior managers. The first was a panel at our Spring Training event in Eureka, IL. The second was our Hot Topics panel in Glen Ellyn. I knew some of the panelists well, I knew some moderately well, I knew some by reputation, and others I had never met. Having to moderate one of the panels and write questions for the other, I started in the most logical spot, their About Us pages.

I am a huge business culture nerd. Landscaping is a very competitive field with a high degree of consumer choice. When a consumer starts seeking a landscape professional, I am sure they assume all of them are pretty similar. Landscapers dig holes and lay sod and install brick.

If a client seeks multiple bids, he or she will have their eyes opened a little wider that each

landscape company has a unique culture. Contractors have different design and maintenance principles, styles, philosophies, and, of course, costs. Many consumers probably visit their prospective contractor’s website and hop around a few pages before making that final spend. Consumers want to see some photos, meet the team, learn some history, and understand what makes this company tick. In short, they want to learn a little About Us.

ILCA has learned a thing or two about panels and having a pre-meeting helps everyone get comfortable. This leads to interplay between the panelists and the moderator. Further, it relaxes the panel and humanizes them. We used to send the questions and tell them we’d see them there. We then would quickly find out some panelists are much more passionate about a certain question than others. Some are more comfortable talking about sales while others love automation and ops. Some use a lot of business technology while others wing it. Asking the exact same questions to each panelist without background context is a disservice to them and the audience.

As I gathered intel for my report on each panelist, I saw how each company used those 200-400 word About Us sections very differently. The commercial landscape compa-

MAYA ANGELOU once said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them...”

Dolmatov

nies recognized their cut-throat competition and used words related to price, efficiency, and technology. The design-build firms were more artistic - some invited their clients into a collaborative project while others informed the client their needs would be taken care of. Older, more established companies relayed they were old and established. The younger upstarts explained how they are young and different. The large, multi-branched organizations talked about the advantages of being big. The small, boutique companies relayed the advantages of being tiny.

Almost all of them followed the same formula. They established credibility - often with the age of the business and how they are established in the community. They transitioned into an overview of their services. Next, a brief summary of the professionals who work there. Then, on to a quick discussion of the client/contractor dynamic. Finally, they ended with words of inspiration and whimsy. The skeleton was the same. It is the same whether looking at landscape companies, automobile manufacturers, restaurants, or beer brewers. It is only the word choice and what they choose to spotlight that sets each one apart.

This column is not about writing a better About Us section of a website. There are thousands of webpages dedicated to how to do that. I would wager that most people reading this column already have an About Us section of their website that they haven’t read in many years.

Instead, open a Word document on your computer right now and write a brand new About Us section without looking at the previous one. No cheating! Use about 300 words and break them into 3-4 short paragraphs. I’ll give you 30 minutes. Dog-ear this page and come back to it.

Hopefully, before you go and bang out some words because Scott Grams gave you homework to do, you spend 10-15 minutes thinking about your organization. You don’t have to be an owner. In fact, it probably helps if you aren’t. Think about what you see in your business. How do you approach clients and customers? What motivates you and your team? What does success mean? We are talking about big answers to big questions. In short - why do you exist and why should anyone care?

Now, write those 300 words. It is ok to use a few drafts. Make sure you try and look through the eyes of the reader. Will they understand all the terminology? Is it all about

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• Track transactions

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• & much more!

tbenson@kwiktrip.com.

HOW TO LEVERAGE YOUR INVESTMENT DURING (AND AFTER) THE GILI YEAR

The investment of money that GILI requires is substantial (currently $1,400 per student), but so is the time required to make the training truly successful. Ensuring your company receives the full value of the program means giving extra focus and energy into developing your chosen candidate all year. It’s only one year, but it can go by very fast as the intensity of the season hits and more immediate concerns take center stage.

To leverage your investment, the sponsor (the final decision-maker that sends an employee to the Leadership Institute) AND the direct manager (the supervisor who works directly with the employee on a daily basis) play key roles in embedding the employee’s learning curve back into the organization, helping them connect the dots in application, as well as offering them new opportunities to challenge themselves.

These are the best practices we’ve seen and now recommend to all companies who choose to invest in MNLA’s Leadership Institute. Creating accountability by defining roles and responsibilities is key.

1. SPONSOR: Check-in with the student a minimum of three times within the 11-month course.

2. DIRECT MANAGER: Communicate each month with your student about their course learning and project so that the student does not feel they are being left to fend for themselves. These check-ins, if more frequent, do not need to be lengthy. By establishing a touch-base cadence you reinforce new habits and help to connect the dots between the class and their daily work.

3. BOTH SPONSOR AND DIRECT MANAGER:

• Make sure before you sign up that the student feels they can attend the Institute sessions each month and that the work schedule will allow for this. At times, the student may feel obligated to remain at work due to what is happening on the day of a session. Remind them that attendance in the course is important to the company and it’s okay to leave work.

SAMPLE 1:1 CHECK-IN SESSION

1. Review the student’s progress in completing the project.

• How well is the project progressing?

• Is it on track or what might be causing the project to be off track?

• How can I support your efforts?

2. Review the student’s progress and attitude toward the course.

• How’s it going? What have you learned? What are your “take-aways”?

• How can you put the skill or concept learned into practice…apply to your job?

• What are your challenges or concerns with this course?

• Give candid feedback: “Since you’ve started this course, I’ve noticed this about the way you…”

• Offering up your observations (feedback) and asking questions to allow the student to share their progress is especially important. During the course of the 10 sessions, the facilitator will send the sponsor an email with a check-in question that connects to some of the course topics.

contact Jon Horsman, MNLA Associate Director: 651-633-4987 or jon@mnla.biz.

Develop the next leader in your business next year with this proven MNLA program!

you or all about them? The correct approach to an About Us section should be about buyer and seller meeting in the middle.

Think about the past few years. Consider the most successful, lucrative, and stress-free clients and what went well. Then, consider those awful, frustrating dogs of clients and what went so poorly. How do you communicate better to the good ones and avoid the pitfalls of the bad ones? Finish your final draft and walk away from your computer for an hour.

Now, here is the fun part. Open up your About Us page on the website and compare your drafts. How close are they? How did you start? Did you mention your start date? Years of service? A multitude of satisfied customers? Notable projects in the community?

Look at the specific adjectives you used to describe your services. Are they artistic? High end? Commoditized?

How do you describe your people? Are they Craftsmen? Professionals? Artists? Family? Team members? Are they mentioned at all?

How do you describe your client relationships? Are they stress-free? Hands-off? Hands-on? Do you mention their budgets? Do you boast they will be the envy of the neighborhood? Are they collaborators? Does your work make their dreams come true?

How do you end it? Do you leave it on a high note? Is there a call to action? Is there a quote? Is there a tagline? Does the conclusion circle back to the introduction? Do you encourage prospective customers to contact you or already assume they did?

Here is where it comes full circle. That About Us section isn’t just a page on a website - it’s you. As I participated in these panels, those About Us sections morphed into people who shared those values and perspectives. The differences in sales philosophies, client relationships, maintenance, and how they viewed their own employees were in those About Us sections all along. Of course, these panels added depth and nuance, but the core values of those 300-400 words were wrapped around every response.

The images these panelists portrayed in those sections were authentic and personal. Those 300-400 words weren’t bland marketing copy - they ARE the business. They are probably the most important 400 words a business writes. You can’t reshape a business by changing the About Us section. It is just a mirror. It is a reflection of what a business values down to word choice, length, and flow. Every business has friendly and unfriendly competition. There are companies we admire and attempt to emulate. There are others who make us shake our fists and our heads. Make a list of the top 3 companies you admire and three you don’t. Now, it’s time to review their About Us sections. How do the companies you admire present themselves versus the ones you don’t? Is your About Us section more or less similar than the ones of your biggest competitors? Do you now have a better understanding of why you lost that client or employee to them?

These are not just words written by copywriters and marketing firms. This is an entire culture, history, and philosophy tied up in a nice, digestible package. The easy part is writing the About Us section. The hard part is honestly changing it if we don’t like what those words say about us. Regardless of how we name them, the link on our webpages will never read “The way our business turned out because of factors beyond our control.” It has been, is, and always will be About Us. So, believe it when you read it.

Scott Grams is the Executive Director of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association and can be reached at sgrams@ilca.net.

DISCOVER THE

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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.

➽

Felipe Illescas Government Affairs Director

We Did It! We Ended “Duty to Defend”

Very soon after starting my position at MNLA, I learned “Duty to Defend” clauses in contracts between general contractors and subcontractors was a very big issue that affected our members. This one-sided practice gave huge negotiating power to the general contractors and left the subcontractors in a “take it or leave it” situation.

This is why, in collaboration with the Minnesota Subcontractors Association, we formed a coalition comprised of 26 entities representing the subcontracting, labor, nonprofit, and state government sectors. The opposition was very strong, we went against the MN Dept. of Transportation, MN Dept. of Administration, MN Airports Commission, League of MN Cities, Association of MN Counties, and the Associated General Contractors. However, aside from great coalition members, we also had excellent champions as chief authors of our bill – Sen. Jennifer McEwen and Rep. Athena Hollins.

The Coalition did a tremendous amount of work on this issue. We had countless conversations with elected officials, the Governor’s Office, Committee Administrators, and allies to make sure that the intent and language of our bill prevailed. We also asked for your help in reaching out to the Governor’s Office and you came through in a big way. The messages that members sent to the Governor’s Office made a huge difference this year in letting him and his staff know the impact of this legislation. Additionally, we had a great testifier in Paulita LaPlante from Prescription Landscape, who shared her direct experience with

Committee members during four different occasions.

All this to say that, after nearly a decade of trying, we finally passed this bill during one of the busiest and fastpaced legislative sessions the state has seen. Our Duty to Defend bill was included in the Jobs & Labor Omnibus bill, which the Governor signed into law the week after the legislative session ended on May 22nd.

Here are the key takeaways of the bill:

• Minnesota’s new statute will make unfair defense obligations in construction contracts unenforceable, except to the extent of your own acts and omissions.

• The “project-specific” insurance loophole will be closed and limited to the extent of claims arising from your own acts and omissions.

• This new law applies to public and private construction contracts, under MN337 & MN15.72, entered into effect May 25th.

• Even if unfair defense provisions are in a contract, the provision will only be enforceable to the extent of a subcontractor’s own negligent acts or omissions. On behalf of MNLA, THANK YOU for all your work and participation during this legislative session.

be reached at 651-633-4987 or felipe@mnla.biz

REACHING YOUR AUDIENCE

REACHING YOUR AUDIENCE HAS CHANGED A LOT!

If we could turn back time about 20 years, we would see Garden Centers reaching their audience in almost completely different ways... such as through direct mail, newspaper ads, local radio stations, and email as it was becoming more widely used.

Fast-forward to today and the list has changed almost completely. There is very limited direct mail being used, and most of those are postcards and Every Door Delivery (EDD). A few centers are still using local radio but streaming services such as Spotify and SiriusXM are attracting larger audiences. Social platforms have reached new heights of influence.

Email has certainly become today’s base of reaching your current audience — it’s a direct connection. But even for all of them being sent, the audience is shifting and seems to be more so by age group.

This past week, I connected with Becky Paxton at Garden Media Group and she shared some of what they monitor on a regular basis. Garden Media Group is an industry PR and Marketing firm that works for a number of well-known brands and producers. I feel what she shared should be important to you. Below are some details she provided.

Each quarter, Garden Media Group dives deep into the world of social media to put a finger on the pulse of the global discussion on plants. Using cutting-edge social listening tools, they measure the volume of social media posts about gardening and houseplants and analyze trends within the online conversation. These social trends are reflected across our industry, from the number and types of plants sold to landscaping trends to floral designs.

Becky said, “In watching the volume of plant social posts rise and fall each month, the flow often closely mirrors what our industry experiences in sales. With the pandemic gardening boom in the rearview mirror, we’re now looking to predict what lies ahead for our industry. Social media listening is a critical lens through which we can see what’s new, now and next for consumer gardening.”

Garden Media screens millions of social media posts, images, videos, and web articles to measure the number of people who are talking about houseplants and gardening online. Key platforms they track include Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Reddit and the vast

KNOWING WHICH SOCIAL PLATFORM TO USE TO REACH YOUR AUDIENCE MAY VERY WELL BE BASED ON WHICH AGE GROUP OF YOUR AUDIENCE YOU ARE WANTING TO REACH. FOR THIS REASON, ALL OF THE ABOVE (OR MOST) IS MOST LIKELY THE BEST STRATEGY.

majority of posters are consumers, with a smaller percentage representing trade. They also strategically track within Facebook and TikTok, two platforms that limit large-scale data access for third parties. This information is then measured against Google search trends.

“Once we have a sense of how many people are talking about houseplants and gardening, we then drill down into what they’re actually posting. It’s fascinating to watch micro-trends, like goth gardens or uber-rare houseplants, flash in the pan and how these drive sales,” said Paxton. “If Garden Centers take away just one thing from our research, it’s that video is the biggest winner in 2023. Video is driving views, engagement, and followers across all platforms. Most importantly, social media users are hungry for sources that provide engaging, educational, and inspiring content — the kind of content Garden Centers are perfectly positioned to provide.”

The latest overview of Garden Media’s data study of the first quarter of 2023 shows some shifting in some of the social platforms.

I asked Becky about Facebook and any trends there. She said, “Facebook (or Meta) is not as open and keeps a lot of their audience tracking data for their own use.” She pointed us to a source they watch for Facebook and that is Sprout Social. In a recent article Sprout Social published entitled “26 Facebook Statistics Marketers Should Know in 2023,” it said, “Facebook continues to be the most popular social media platform. In fact, the Sprout Social Index found that it’s the top platform for both consumers and marketers. It’s the platform that 71% of consumers and 65% of marketers plan to use the most in 2023.”

In the same article, you will see: “Know whether your target audience is still on Facebook? Or if you should keep investing in Facebook ads? Staying on top of the latest Facebook statistics will give you the insights you need to update your Facebook marketing strategy.”

Knowing which social platform to use to reach your audience may very well be based on which age group of your audience you are wanting to reach. For this reason, all of the above (or most) is most likely the best strategy.

Reviewing the Sprout Social article mentioned above, here are a few key points that jumped out:

Facebook Users ages 25–34 years represent Facebook’s largest audience. Despite the platform’s reputation as a seemingly “older” network, 23.7% of Facebook users in the United States are between the ages of 25 and 34. Moreover, the platform sees higher usage among people below the age of 44.

Overall, 18.4% of users belonged to the 18 to 24-year age group. Facebook’s smallest audience can be found among teen users, with around one in every twenty users being aged between 13 to 17 years. Additionally, women were slightly more likely to use the platform than men.

Usage among teens has dropped sharply. The platform’s popularity among teens has seen a significant drop. Only 32% of teens were using Facebook as of 2022. This is a sharp decline compared to the 71% who were using the platform between 2014 and 2015.

Spending time to analyze all these details on social platforms on a regular basis should

give us several major thoughts...

1. One social platform does not cover all age groups of your audience.

2. This is an area of change, so this is something you need to watch — often.

3. The heart of your current audience may be Facebook users now but each year how you reach them will most likely be different.

Here’s one additional thought I have after reviewing all of this...

While leveraging social platforms can help you reach new audiences, a major objective for your Garden Center should be to continue to develop your own direct path to reach your audience. Today, email is certainly on top for this and texting is gaining acceptance, especially with younger age groups.

If you want to read more details in the articles I have referenced above, here are resource links for you:

• Garden Media Group

• Garden Media Group’s State of Social Report - Q1 2023 (PDF)

• Sprout Social - 26 Facebook statistics marketers should know in 2023

Reaching your audience continues to evolve and staying on top of the changes will help continue to build the relationships that are so important for you and your audience. Your whole team should be aware and watchful of changes for how best to reach your audience.

➽ DANNY SUMMERS is the Managing Director & Chief Instigator at The Garden Center Group. He can be reached at danny@thegardencentergroup.com.

Jon Horsman, CAE MNLA Associate Director

Is There an Easy Solution for Training Your Staff?

Time is scarce and it’s difficult to find opportunities to train your staff, develop your own training materials, and track the training progress of your staff, whether they’re seasonal or year-round. That’s why MNLA has partnered with Greenius to bring you the training program you need (in English AND Spanish), and at a member-friendly price, too.

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit with MNLA members at several supplier shows this spring. It’s always great to see everyone getting ready for the new year at these shows, and to feel the excitement in the air. I’ve been on staff at MNLA since 2006, and it’s always fun to catch up with MNLA members. In my new role directing our membership programs I am privileged to almost always be the staff person in attendance. (By the way, if you’re a vendor to the MNLA community and you host an event for your customers, let me know! I’d love to be a part of it.) I enjoy learning more about the vendors in this industry and the needs of their customers, and connecting green industry businesses to the amazing community within MNLA and Northern Green.

The biggest area of need I heard about this year was in workforce recruitment, retention, and training. So many green industry businesses are hurting for employees, and once they make new hires, many are in need of a consistent and substantial training program for those employees. It’s not a new need, but is becoming more acutely felt by our community. The competition for employees is becoming fierce, both within the green industry, and from other industries. The green industry has some built-in advantages with our outdoor work, including the chance to get paid to exercise and to work on your tan at the same time.

Have you wondered where to start when creating a training program for your green industry employees? Here is an easy place to begin creating your customized

The Ultimate Bagger for the Ultimate Mower.

The all-new WrightVac system is designed to meet the demanding needs you face everyday as a professional landscaper. Our goal was to create a bagger system to match the performance of the mower. This means the WrightVac was engineered to produce enough airflow to prevent clogging even when mowing at max speed. In addition, the WrightVac shares the same heavy-duty low-maintenance elements as our other mowers resulting in a truly commercial-grade powered bagger. WrightVac is now available on WSZK, WZXL and WZXT model Wright Commercial Mowers.

training program. This past year MNLA formed a new partnership with Greenius, an online video training program created 100% for the green industry. It was designed with us in mind! Greenius has:

• 144 video courses available in English

• 88 video courses available in Spanish

• 117 English and 117 Spanish Tailgate Talks with worksheets Greenius allows you to tailor training tracks for your employees in a way that fits in your green industry business. They understand the issues you face as a green industry manager, as well, as shown in their acronym for TRAIN — they know your pain points!

• Train — “It’s hard to find time to train — we’re busy running the business”

• Resources — Training resources and tools are missing. There’s no system in place.

• Accountability - Nobody “owns” training and onboarding.

• Information — A lack of available data that can be used to improve systems and processes.

• Nurture — It’s hard to keep staff engaged without a program or culture that benefits them.

I think almost every green industry business would become better by using Greenius. It’s all about growing your people as you grow your business. And it was made just for us! Our entire green industry community needs more companies to invest in training their staff, and creating not just jobs, but careers.

If you’re new to Greenius, as a member of MNLA, you will receive:

• Free 2-month license of Greenius PRO ($97/month savings)

Distributor: Keen Edge Company

Email: sales@keenedgeco.com

Find a dealer near you at www.wrightmfg.com

• Free Unlimited users for 2 months ($200+ savings)

• Free Unlimited Training Courses

• Free Custom Implementation ($497 savings)

Our mission is simple: Improving your productivity and bottom line through reliable supply and support of premium outdoor power equipment.

➽ TO LEARN MORE and to sign up for Greenius, go to www.MNLA.biz/Greenius.

MNLA Membership Helps You

• 10% off most in-store products including car washes and auto supplies.

• Track transactions, customized security and restrictions, detailed expense reporting, online account management, & much more!

CONTACT: Tanner Benson with questions or to apply: 608-793-4826 or tbenson@kwiktrip.com.

Paulette Sorenson MNLA Foundation Program Manager

MNLA Foundation Mid-Year Outreach Activities Report

The MNLA Foundation fundraisers are great fun for members as well as the means to fund outreach activities focusing on industry careers, scholarships, and high school grant awards. Don’t miss the Bowling Tournament Golf Tournament, Shootout, and Silent Auction. By attending or sponsoring, you help us improve the workforce. Below are some examples of career outreach and partnership undertaken in recent months:

• Awarded 26 college scholarships to promising industry related students. MNLA members sponsored $500, and the MNLA Foundation matched with another $500.

• Awarded Turf Management Scholarship — Funds raised by the MNLA Foundation and MTGF at the Bowling Tournament funded a $2,000 scholarship to a student in the Anoka Technical College Turf Management Program this year.

• MNLA Foundation High School Grant Awarded – Academy of Sciences and Agriculture (AFSA) for modernizing their greenhouse and improving community plant sales. The award was partly funded by MNLA members and the MNLA Foundation.

• Attended MN FFA Convention — Interacted with over 600 students and teachers as they planted seeds. We were joined by Travis Grieger, Anoka Technical College Turf Management faculty, who grew the heaviest pumpkin in the US last year. He shared his growing story and hopefully inspired students to

consider a job in horticulture or related field.

• Attended Minnesota Agricultural Educators Conference distributed Pathways Through Horticulture curriculum books to new teachers. To date, approximately 425 Minnesota agriculture programs are using our curriculum. The curriculum was developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association. The MNLA Foundation purchased and adapted the curriculum to align with the Minnesota school standards. and re-written to be Minnesota specific and align with the Minnesota School Standards in Education. Currently, the most visited MNLA webpage is the free High School Curriculum.

• Sponsored MN Construction Teachers Conference to help bridge careers in both industries.

• Central Lakes College Student Landscape Design Contest was designed to offer a real-life experience by creating a garden design and working with a professional landscaping company for installation. A small plot will be a permanent garden for thousands of attendees at the MN State Fairgrounds and is located adjacent to the annual FFA plots. This project was inspired by the FFA Minnesota High School Landscape Design and Construction Contest and is located next to the Miracle of Birth Center.

➽ QUESTIONS? Contact Paulette Sorenson, MNLA Foundation Program Manager, at 651-633-4987 or at paulette@mnla.biz

Over $10,000 has been raised for green careers in raffles alone.

3 GOOD REASONS TO RENEW MNLA MEMBERSHIP

1. Effective advocacy for your chosen industry

MNLA’s hundreds of member-businesses combine their unique voices to speak loudly in legislative and regulatory affairs. When ill-advised Covid-19 policy threatened your business in the spring of 2020, MNLA made sure policymakers knew you were essential. Your continued membership builds capacity for MNLA to remain deeply involved at various levels of government, representing your interests, and advocating for the green industry. Your renewal helps MNLA prepare for the next time your business is threatened by ill-advised policy.

2. Up-to-date industry news, issues, and trends

Regular electronic newsletters and the monthly magazine, The Scoop, (available in print and online) provides you with the latest industry trends to give you an edge in a competitive market.

3. Vetted industry partnerships

Multiple organizations offer members discounts. Save money training your team with Greenius; save thousands on a new Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep vehicle; save on fuel and more from Holiday/Circle K and Kwik Trip, save on legal services through Zlimen & McGuiness; save on garden center pop-up trays; and more. It all adds up!

MNLA NIGHT AT THE SAINTS

CHS Field: 360 N Broadway St, St Paul, MN 55101

Pre-game meal at 5:30pm; Game starts at 7:00pm

Take a break from your busy season to enjoy a game at beautiful CHS Field. We've reserved space for our group in the SPIRE Sun Deck. We'll gather there to enjoy a pre-game picnic dinner at 5:30pm before the game at 7:00pm. Register now, this event sells out fast!

AUGUST 16TH Visit

for more information and to buy your tickets!

MNLA FOUNDATION

Improving the Environment by Investing in Research and Education

PARTNERS FUND

You are encouraged to participate in the MNLA Foundation Workforce Development Partners Fund at one of the participating suppliers recognized below.

Your voluntary donation of ½ of 1% (0.5%) on purchases of plants and other nursery, greenhouse and landscape products at these suppliers is used by the MNLA Foundation to grow a brighter future for the industry. On an invoice totaling $1,000 at one of these suppliers, your contribution will be only $5.00. Small, individual contributions add up quickly to make a real difference!

Partner Suppliers:

Research for the Real World

Career Development & Promotion

Scholarships