The Scoop Online – September 2012 by Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association

ADVERTISER INDEX

THE

From the Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . 8 Garden Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 12, 21 DC Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20, 30, 66 Government Aﬀairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 24 Landscape Contractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32, 33 Super Tuesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Shootout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Careers Outreach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Widmer Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38-39 Certiﬁcation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41, 47 Trends Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Greenhouse Growers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Business Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63-64 Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Plant of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

A Top Notch Equipment ..........................................19 Albert J. Lauer, Inc. ................................................55 Anchor Block Company...........................................15 Ancom Communication & Technical Center ..............................................18 Aspen Equipment ....................................................4 Astleford International. .........................................10 Belgard Hardscapes - Northfield .............................52 Berger Horticultural Products Inc. ..........................63 Bridgewater Tree Farms .........................................39 Brock White Company ............................................61 Bullis Insurance Agency .........................................20 Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ ProGreen Plus..................................................67 Casualty Assurance ................................................22 Central Landscape Supply ......................................30 Collyard Landscaping .............................................46 Crysteel Truck Equipment.......................................44 Cushman Motor Co. Inc...........................................16 D. Hill Nursery Co. ..................................................27 Dailey Data............................................................57 Dayton Bag & Burlap..............................................40 Evergreen Nursery Co., Inc......................................37 Fury Motors...........................................................49 Gardenworld Inc. ...................................................20 Glacial Ridge Growers ............................................48 Gopher State One-Call............................................43 Great Northern Equipment Distributing, Inc. ...............................................9 Haag Companies, Inc..............................................25 Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies .................64 Hoffman & McNamara Nursery and Landscape................................................40 Jeff Belzer Chevrolet................................................7 Johnson's Nursery, Inc. ...........................................26 JRK Seed and Turf Supply .......................................60 Klaus Nurseries......................................................47

Kubota Dealers ......................................................17 Landscape Alternatives ..........................................53 Lano Equipment, Inc. .............................................21 Liberty Tire Recycling.............................................29 Maguire Agency.....................................................30 McKay Nursery Co. .................................................44 Midwest Groundcovers ...........................................54 Miller Auto Plaza ...................................................52 MN Equipment Solutions, Inc..................................50 North Central Truck Equipment...............................43 Northern Christmas Tree & Nursery.........................30 Out Back Nursery ...................................................43 Plaisted Companies ...............................................58 RDO Equipment Co. ................................................28 RDO Integrated Controls.........................................22 Rock Hard Landscape Supply division of Brian's Lawn & Landscaping, Inc. .................29 Sterling Arbor LLC ..................................................43 Synthetic Turf Solutions of MN ...............................12 TerraDek Lighting, Inc............................................40 The Builders Group ................................................24 The Mulch Store.....................................................51 The Tessman Company ...........................................56 Titan Machinery ......................................................2 Towmaster, Inc. (Big Tow).......................................41 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc. ........................................11, 65 Truck Utilities & Mfg. Co. ........................................53 United Label & Sales ..............................................44 University of Minnesota Continuing Education ......................................23 University of Minnesota Hort Sci ...........................................................44 Vermeer Sales & Service .........................................31 Walters Gardens Inc. ................................................5 Wheeler Landscape Supply.....................................59 Wolf Motors...........................................................54 Ziegler Cat ..............................................................3

event calendar SEPTEMBER 13

Clean Water Summit 2012 - Green Infrastructure for Clean Water: The Essential Role of Soil Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska www.arboretum.umn.edu

24-26

Hardscape North America

Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY www.hardscapena.com

29-31

Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference (UMISC) La Crosse Center, La Crosse, WI www.umisc2012.org

Open House Days at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Grass Collection

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska www.arboretum.umn.edu

MNLA Sporting Clays Shootout

NOVEMBER 2-6

2012 Irrigation Show & Education Conference

South St. Paul Rod and Gun Club www.mnla.biz

Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL www.irrigation.org

27 Dig, Drive and Demo

8-10 TCI Expo 2012

Minnesota State Fairgrounds www.mnla.biz

The Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD www.expo2012.tcia.org

OCTOBER

Pesticide Recertification

University of Minnesota , St Paul www.mnla.biz

ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Specialist, and Municipal Specialist Exam

JANUARY

Chanhassen www.isa-arbor.com

3-5

WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition Southpoint Hotel and Conference Center, Las Vegas, NV www.WaterSmartInnovations.com

Open House Days at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Grass Collection

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska www.arboretum.umn.edu

24-26

GIE + Expo 2012

Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY www.gie-expo.com

8 Super Tuesday (Programs this year: PPS Certificate Program, PLT Relicensure, and Best Management Practices for MN Invasive Insects and Diseases) Minneapolis Convention Center www.mnla.biz

8 MNLA CEO Symposium Hyatt Regency Hotel, Minneapolis www.mnla.biz

9-11

Northern Green Expo

Minneapolis Convention Center Exhibit contracts available www.northerngreenexpo.org | 651-633-4987

Visit www.mnla.biz for registration and details for MNLA programs! Questions? Call 651.633.4987. Sponsorships are available for selected seminars. Call Betsy Pierre at 763-295-5420 or e-mail betsy@pierreproductions.com. 6

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

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The Scoop | FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MNLA’s New Plan is Not Sitting on a Shelf

Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association 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

MNLA Mission The mission of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is to help nursery and landscape related companies in Minnesota and the surrounding region operate their businesses more successfully.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Debbie Lonnee, MNLA-CP, President Bailey Nurseries, Inc. 651-768-3375 debbie.lonnee@baileynursery.com Heidi Heiland, MNLA-CP, Vice-President Heidi's Lifestyle Gardens 612-366-7766 • heidi@BloomOnMN.com Herman Roerick, Secretary-Treasurer Central Landscape Supply 320-252-1601 hermanr@centrallandscape.com Bert Swanson, MNLA-CP, Past President Swanson’s Nursery Consulting, Inc. 218-732-3579 • btswanson2@gmail.com Randy Berg, MNLA-CP Berg’s Nursery, Landscape/Garden Center 507-433-2823 rberg@smig.net Scott Frampton Landscape Renovations 651-769-0010 sframpton@landscaperenovations.com Tim Malooly, CID, CLIA, CIC Irrigation By Design Inc. 763-559-7771 • timm@ibdmn.com Mike McNamara Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscaping (651) 437-9463 mike.mcnamara@ hoffmanandmcnamara.com Bill Mielke Waconia Tree Farms LLC 952-442-2616 billmielke@waconiatreefarms.com Bob Fitch MNLA Executive Director 651-633-4987 • bob@mnla.biz All original works, articles or formats published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 2012, and may not be used without written permission of MNLA. The Scoop is published 12 times per year by MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville MN 55113. Address corrections should be sent to the above address. News and advertising deadlines are the first of the month preceding publication.

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

By Bob Fitch, MNLA Executive Director ights, camera, ACTION! You’ve been reading a lot about the MNLA Strategic Plan here in The Scoop over the past couple of months. Organizations are Bob Fitch notorious for creating strategic plans and then putting them on a shelf. MNLA is NOT one of those organizations.

•

During my time here at MNLA, the Board of Directors approved strategic plans in 1996, 1999, 2004, and 2008. And those plans did not sit on a shelf – they were put into action. The same is true already for the 2012 plan. Although it’s a multi-year plan, a lot has happened in just a few short months. Much of the plan was inspired by input from a member and nonmember “Ideation” focus group which came together back in January. Here’s an update I provided to the focus group recently to demonstrate actions taken so far.

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To Ideation Focus Group: I wanted to follow up with you regarding developments occurring as a result of the new MNLA Strategic Plan which you played such an important role in developing. As reported earlier, the Board of Directors adopted the Strategic Plan on April 3. Since that time, volunteers and staff have been moving rapidly into the implementation phase, including these actions: •

Our committee system has been streamlined so we can make changes faster and be as responsive and proactive as possible to member concerns. We’ve gone from 16 standing committees to 6. We expect all of these

•

committees to meet this fall. For those who only want a temporary volunteer commitment, we’re making it easier to be involved by doing more work via task teams which have a very specific purpose and limited lifespan. If you want to know more about these volunteer opportunities, call or email me. We’re starting 10 new networking groups. Groups expected to meet this fall are Commercial Arborists, Garden Centers, Nursery Growers, Irrigation, Sustainable Environment, Professional Gardeners, Commercial Flower Growers, Landscape & Hardscape Contractors, Landscape Designers, and Landscape Management. Let me know if you’re interested in attending one of these peer-to-peer discussion groups. Plus our new Networking Committee will be exploring other avenues of small group networking based on geography, age, need for business coaching, or other identifiers/interest areas. We are close to signing an agreement for an online “learning management system” which will provide the webbased infrastructure through which we’ll be able to offer on-line, ondemand training and other education in the near future. We’ve improved our collection of information on industry events so that our upcoming events calendar is more complete at MNLA.biz and in e Scoop. We’ve created a “Trends Team” of industry thought leaders who are identifying key economic and business information for our members. Look in the September Scoop for the first article which includes Trends Team info. We’re planning to work with the Continued on page 9

Continued from page 8 Minnesota Department of Agriculture Marketing Division to provide garden centers across the state the opportunity to take part in a professional research project that will deliver vital consumer input about their individual garden

•

centers, as well as on the collective information from all participants. ere will be no cost for members to participate! Earlier this year, we sent you a sample of the revised format of MNLA eNews which built in “starting points” for members based on their industry segment. I’m pleased to announce that we’ve implemented a change to MNLA.biz so that it also provides industry segment starting points. (Note we still have a ways to go in

•

completing all of the links and new information we want to include in the site.) Likewise, look for a new, more colorful Scoop come January. We’ll have a new look and new types of content to make this an even more valuable source of information.

•

A new app will premiere late this year which will make it easier for you to plan your activities at the Northern Green Expo and check for needed information while you are at Expo. • We’re doing a better job of listening to members by spending time visiting operations throughout the state. There are many other areas we haven’t started on yet or are in very preliminary stages – production of online educational content, creating standards for being an MNLA member, greater members-only

content on MNLA.biz, better on-line member directory, better social media presence, creation of a “marketing toolbox” resource for members, new venues for members to interact with association leaders on government affairs, and others. But we wanted to report to you on the association’s great progress since you so

generously gave of your time back in January and in the four short months since the plan was approved. Again, thank you for providing the ideas and inspiration for many of these strategic changes which will enhance MNLA’s ability to help members grow successful businesses. q ________________________________ Bob Fitch is executive director of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association. He can be reached at bob@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987.

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The Scoop | GARDEN CENTER

Friend Request Pending By Amanda Clark, Malmborg's Garden Center - Shakopee any of you know what "friend request pending" means in the social media scene of things. But others of you wonder why the request is pending much less why there is such a request. I know some of you feel that social media has been beaten to death and that it is over rated. But, have you tried it? Have you Amanda Clark explored all of your options? I have not tried everything, but I have found a new world out there and believe many of you and your businesses would benefit if you did some more exploring.

Yes, I am speaking about Facebook and all of the different aspects that are available there. I have joined several groups from MMA (mixed martial arts) fighting (I do have a brother who is a veteran of the UFC, to Eagle’s Nest-group of people from high school), to IGC Talk! (a marvelous group of people who all work at independent garden centers), to Carver Scott Master Gardeners (where I am an active member). I also follow

several pages including Malmborg’s Garden Center. Now you probably don’t care about the MMA group or the Eagle’s Nest, BUT, I hope you care about IGC Talk!, different Master Gardener groups, and your company’s own Facebook page. I would like to take just a moment to talk about the last three items and just throw a few things out to each of you. IGC Talk! Nope nobody is paying me to talk about them. I want to share with you the wealth of information that this group has. There are 223 members in this group and they come from throughout the United States and, frankly, the world. We throw about ideas and ask questions, and everyone is free to answer and give their two cents. It is amazing how much knowledge there is in this group and how freely it is all shared. Right now, there is a discussion on the first gaggle of geese flying south, garden hose maintenance-how to keep them healthy in a greenhouse, the new Plant Pie that is coming out, and about seven or eight other things. Who would have thought that we could all share information and assist each other—it is great! We would love to get more industry oriented team members/managers/owners involved. If you are interested, let me know. Local Master Gardener Pages. Some of you go hmm, do I want to be involved with them? Yes, I believe-you do. Why? Well, Master Gardeners are all gardeners and who better to promote our new items and plants. Our group tends to ask where they can get certain plants and other garden related items. So, this is a perfect opportunity for me to promote Malmborg’s, or if we don’t carry the item, another independent garden center in the area. I have taken the time to call other garden centers to find different plants because I know that Master Gardeners are willing to spend money and will come back if you assist them properly.

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And, how about your company's Facebook page? Do you have someone who is devoted to updating it once a week, twice a week or is it just another dead space that just sits there? I hope it is not dead space! Here is a cheap way to promote your company and keep people in “the know.” No, you don’t want to do advertising on there, but you can post many other news worthy items... from an article on how to handle Japanese beetles to what the lack of water does to newly planted plants. Use articles like these to educate and assist the gardeners of this world. So, to wrap up my whole Facebook push, I say go for it. Check out what is available, try something new, and contact me to get onto IGC Talk! Glean information from others and share a bit of your experiences. q _________________________________________________ Amanda Clark can be reached at aclark3@charter.net.

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The Scoop | GARDEN CENTER

Independent Garden Centers and the Illusion of Excellent Customer Relations By Amy Tremmel, California State Polytechnic University arden centers believe they are doing the best they can when it comes to building customer relationships. However, when the extent of relationship building in garden centers is analyzed, results show several deﬁciencies. is is a problem since long term customer relationships are critical to an organization’s success (Bhardwaj, 2007).

Background A survey of fifteen (15) questions was conducted nationwide by an undergraduate student at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, to identify the extent to which customer relationships are used in garden centers. Between the dates of April 18 and May 14, 2012, garden center staff was surveyed on their use of customer relations. From the outset of the survey, the goal was to identify areas within customer relations that could be improved and ultimately benefit the

business of garden centers. Questions were derived from a study that measured Customer Relationship Management (CRM) capabilities. The capabilities included the organization’s ability to interact with customers, upgrade their relationships, and regain lost customers (Wang & Feng, 2012). The study also measured the degree of customer orientation, customer centricity, the extent of technologies used and how the business was performing (Wang & Feng, 2012). This survey was completed by 54 participants across the United States that have worked in the nursery industry. The participants included any staff members of independent garden centers, not limited to owners, managers and customer service employees. Participants were contacted in person, via telephone, email, LinkedIn or through nursery association newsletters. Survey participants were asked to rank their perception of customer relations within their garden center from strongly

agree to strongly disagree. A majority of participants were managers, closely followed by an equal number of owners and sales representatives. There were 41% online and 59% offline respondents. The majority of online surveys were filled out by owners and managers. They tended to respond in a way that deviated further away from the strongly agree response. The offline responses were mainly from customer service representatives, who tended to strongly agree with most statements. It would have helped to look at financial statements to ask whether a business has grown or not in the past year for a more accurate response to question 15. The owners tended to respond to that answer with somewhat agree, whereas the sale representatives usually said strongly agree. Owners most likely know the true situation of their growth better than sales representatives. Online participants were contacted via e-newsletters and LinkedIn, and have a tendency to be active on the Internet. Their results were Continued on page 15

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Continued from page 12 more technologically inclined than the general population of garden centers. Results and Discussion Please see pages 13, 14 and 17 for the questions and graphical representations of the responses. The Perception The first noticeable result of the survey is that garden centers believe they know what they are doing when it comes to customer relationships. For the most part, in questions 3-6, participants responded in ways that claimed their nurseries excelled at customer relations. It is predictable that respondents would give positive ratings. The Reality An inconsistent response to the above was given to the question 7, “we measure customer satisfaction often and in a systematic way.” The responses were extremely mixed, where 29% disagreed with the statement, 28% somewhat

agreed, 15% agreed and another 15% strongly agreed. Another 11% stated that they did not know. This was an interesting result, because it showed that questions 3-6 were answered in a very subjective way since the respondents had little empirical data to base answers on. Garden centers cannot know if customers are getting the service and products they want if they are not regularly asked. Customers are more polite in face-to-face interactions, and it is impossible to entirely remove one’s own bias when judging relationships (Wood & Kirsch, 2002). Therefore, it is highly likely for one to think their garden center is performing at the best that it can, when it actually has plenty of room for improvement. “Customer relations…constitute an important asset that should be monitored just like physical assets,” (McColl-Kennedy & Schneider, 2000). A good business practice is to keep track of revenues and expenses. Similarly, a forward thinking business should

systematically track customer relations. Customer satisfaction is a part of customer relations, and it can be readily surveyed by any garden center. In fact, several nurseries in the Southern California area were visited and it appeared that customer relationships were in need of being assessed. There is a conflict of how management wants to implement customer relations and what is being done in reality. The survey results show that independents believe they have top notch service. With a few exceptions, I mostly experienced sub-par service. For instance, there were a few occasions where I was immediately greeted, but other times when I had to walk through an entire store before being greeted, and they were not even busy. Customer relations is beyond trying to make a sale, it is creating a relationship. A relationship is not transactional, but something that creates a connection. This brings people back to Continued on page 16

SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Continued from page 15 the store and increases positive word of mouth. In the process of doing this research I made a number of calls to nurseries, as a student surveyor. I clearly explained my student status and that I was interested in helping their business with customer relations. Several times, I was rejected as soon as I mentioned student project. Other times, managers and even owners hurried me off the phone, or flat out hung up on me. What they did not realize is that I am a garden shopper as well as a potential customer. I could have been a free word of mouth marketer, now I am a critic. Even if they did not have time to help me answer questions, they need to handle these types of calls politely, and even strategically. They could have invited me to stop by their store. Perhaps these businesses do not believe in customer relationships. Customer Retention The survey results for questions eight

to ten indicate that staff believe customer retention and customer relationships are valuable to their independent nursery. They also claimed that they immediately take corrective action when there is a problem.This is great to do because it “costs five times as much to recruit new customers as it does to keep an existing one” (Wood & Kirsch, 2002). Answers to question 12 showed that nurseries tended to not have a process to reestablish relationships with lost customers. Though some reasons for leaving, such as moving, are beyond a garden center’s control, other reasons may be due to dissatisfaction in service or product offerings. Inviting valuable customers backshould be considered in a customer relationship strategy. If customers were dissatisfied, it may cost a business with damaging word of mouth. Though there will always be critical customers who will never be satisfied, they should be minimized. The store needs to ensure that what caused the

customer dissatisfaction is appropriately dealt with. Technology and Customer Relationships There were mixed views in questions 13 and 14 on the use of technology in garden centers, and technology that allows for customer feedback. While many nurseries at least have an email, which qualifies them to agree with question 14, they do not necessarily use the Internet to its fullest potential. Email is only a small part of what modern day technology offers to customer interaction. In several interviews that were conducted, managers had a difficult time using new strategies that involve technology to strengthen their relationships. They mentioned that sending out emails and newsletters was something they were interested in doing. Unfortunately, it was something they have not done, or been able to do, mostly due to time constraints. In some cases, their use of the Internet was very limited because they did not fully possess the knowledge to implement a CRM system, as a CRM system would help organize customer information. Business Growth Finally, most of the surveyed businesses agreed that their business experienced growth in the last year. Yet 30% only somewhat agreed, 11% disagreed and another 11% did not know. This indicates that some of these independents are facing problems. Recommendations One of the most important things a garden center can do is assess customers’ satisfaction. These stores may not know what can really make a customer happy. Do not limit customer satisfaction survey questions to whether the service was satisfactory. Try to use the survey as a way to get ideas to enhance communication with customers. Ask customers if they would like to get additional information on their purchases and gardening. From this the organization may want to consider Continued on page 19

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Continued from page 16 writing up informative newsletters that enlightens customers on garden topics that interest them. The garden center may want to integrate CRM systems and Point of Sale (POS) to help track and maintain customer relationships. POS allows for customer data tracking and enables easier business-to-customer communication. This is used to assist garden centers to have more effective relationships with their customers, and is not used to alienate a customer. Based on a study in Today’s Garden Center, a nursery in Colorado took advantage of a variety of communication tools that were part of their successful strategy. The nursery has been involved in Facebook, Twitter, blogging and posting videos (Jones, 2011, p. 16). They also incorporated barcodes for smartphones to scan so customers can learn more about a product in store (Jones, 2011, p. 16). They emphasized

that when sending out e-newsletters, the content needs to be valuable. Interestingly, newsletters can be two-way communication tools that enhance customer relationships. In the newsletter, the owner asked a simple question about a product or the staff, and in turn received 25-30 responses a month (Jones, 2011, p. 16). At the time, the owner stated that this helped to prevent “potential problems before they are broadcast to the whole world” (Jones, 2011, p. 16). In conclusion, it is of utmost importance to understand customers’ wants and needs. To do this, garden centers need to have open channels of communication. Customer relationships contribute to the long term success of any business. If a customer is dissatisfied because of poor expertise, then no amount of customer relation management will help the business succeed.

References: Bhardwaj, D. (2007). Relationship Marketing in Context to the IT Industry. VISIONe Journal of Business Perspective, 11, (2) (April - June), 57- 66. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Jones, R. (2011, May). Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery: Garden Center 2.0. Today’s Garden Center, 14-16. McColl-Kennedy, J., & Schneider, U. (2000). Measuring customer satisfaction: Why, what and how. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 11(7), S883-S896. Retrieved from ABI/Inform Complete. Wang, Y., & Feng, H. (2012). Customer relationship management capabilities: Measurement, antecedents and consequences. Management Decision, 50(1), 115- 129. doi:10.1108/00251741211194903 Wood, L., & Kirsch, M. (2002). Why you need a customer satisfaction survey. Agency Sales, 32(1), 38-39. Retrieved from ABI/Inform Complete.

SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

The Scoop | DC UPDATE

Farm Bill Languishes in the House By Craig Regelbrugge, Joe Bischoff, American Nursery and Landscape Association he 2012 Farm Bill continues to languish at the collective feet of the U.S. House of Representatives leadership. The Senate version passed the full Senate (64-35) with broad bipartisan support and contained over $23 billion in savings. The House version of the bill made it through the Agriculture Committee with broad bipartisan support (35-11), as well, and about $35 billion in savings. All seemed to be going well and in collegial fashion, which in this atmosphere of highly partisan politics, is rarely seen. Then House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) signaled no interest in bringing the bill to the floor for debate and a vote, a necessary step to negotiating and approving a final Farm Bill package. With barely 15 days of Congressional business on the calendar before the November elections, the window for Congress to pass a 2012 Farm Bill before the current bill expires on September 30 is closing fast. Farmers in some of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;reddest statesâ&#x20AC;? are suffering through the worst U.S. drought in decades and are pressuring their lawmakers to move forward with the Farm Bill. So why would House Republican leadership resist moving a bill that has broad support and saves money? The answer is, in part, the November elections. A large chunk of the budget savings, especially in the House version, are from cuts to the food stamp program, also known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. (Imagine the political ads depicting Republicans taking food away from the hungriest Americans.) The other side of the vise squeezing the leadership is the more fiscally conservative House members, especially members of the so called Tea Party, who want even deeper cuts to the Farm Bill. In the hopes of avoiding an intraparty dog fight on the House floor, Boehner and Cantor hope to move the issue off the table until after the election. With worsening drought and the political perils of inaction, Republican leadership is considering an extension that would essentially fund current Farm Bill programs for one more year at the same level as they were funded in 2012. As part of the extension they would also offer a disaster assistance program to deal with drought losses. Generally speaking, a one year extension of the Farm Bill would not be in the interest of the nursery and greenhouse industry. The extension would not ensure funding for important programs like the National Clean Plant Network and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. There is also a chance that parliamentary maneuvers could be used to appoint a Senate and House conference committee that would negotiate a full five-year bill that would then have an up-or-down vote in the Senate and House, either before or more likely after the November elections. Both versions that have passed the Senate, and the House Agriculture Committee, maintain infrastructure investments for our industry while saving taxpayer dollars.

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

GARDEN CENTER | The Scoop

Inventory—Do You Use It Wisely? By Amanda Clark, Malmborg's Garden Center - Shakopee he other day I went back to my notes from the Northern Green Expo and thought, let’s take a look and see what I was able to follow through on. What tidbit of Amanda Clark information did I gather, and actually use this year? Do you ever do this? What do you find when you do? Or, what do you think you would find if you did do it? I remember really enjoying the sessions that Paul Erickson of RMSA, Retail Solutions did and that I had all sorts of great ideas. Let me share with you some of these ideas and maybe it will get you to thinking again. One of the issues that Paul pushed is inventory and how many “turns” it makes. In other words, how long the merchandise sits or doesn’t sit on the shelf. The longer the merchandise sits on your shelves, the more money your company loses. In this day and age of computers, people in our industry track their inventory quite closely and are aware of what is selling. I have heard time and again, never keep inventory past a year. It just gets old, loses value and you have to put more money than necessary into its upkeep. So, keep those shelves making money for you by having wanted merchandise not duds that go nowhere. We all have those duds. What do we do to get rid of them? We clearance or mark down the merchandise, right? How do we sign them, how low do we go, how do I get my cost out of these duds? All good questions, but remember to look at it in the eyes of our customers. So, signing is a key thing. Instead of saying all merchandise in this area is 20/30% off, how about saying “Just Reduced” and putting an actual tag with the price on it. Why do this? How quickly can your customers figure out how much 20, 30, 40% off is? If they are like me, not very quickly. Also, remember that cost really

doesn’t have a lot to do with it at this point. The merchandise is a slow mover, just get it gone. Always remember that carrying over merchandise is worse than taking mark downs. Your inventory is what brings customers into the store and keeps them coming back. You do not want to disappoint them with items that look old, worn, abused. Keep your inventory fresh and clean, basically maintain it! Bring in new and fresh merchandise throughout the season. Ask your team what they would like to see your store selling. Your team is an asset to your business and they are your customers, as well. Listen to what they are suggesting you carry doesn’t mean you have to carry everything, but try some new items. It is giving them true “ownership” of your store. They will get excited when the merchandise that they suggested is purchased by one of your

customers. Trust me, they really will! This year I changed the signing in our mark down area to “Just Reduced” and our customers looked at the area a bit more. With the help of our team, I took a look at our inventory and marked some “duds” that had been around for many years and placed them at a “take me home price” in our mark down area. And, when I was ordering statuary, I listened to my team and they picked out some great pieces. These pieces actually sold before a lot of other items - yeah to my team! So, I did follow through with some of the ideas and I am glad I took the time to attend Paul’s seminar and take some notes. Don’t you think it’s time that you took a look at your notes and followed through on some good ideas? q ________________________________ Amanda Clark can be reached at aclark3@charter.net.

SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

The Scoop | GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

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www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Are You An Independent Contractor Involved In Building Construction or Improvement? By Tim Power, MNLA Government Affairs Consultant he 2012 Minnesota Legislature mandated a pilot project to register independent contractors who Tim Powers subcontract on building construction or improvement contracts. The Legislature’s intent was to stop the misclassification of construction employees as independent contractors. Few MNLA members will be affected by

this change, but those who are affected must register with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) by September 15, 2012, unless they have a current Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate (ICEC). Even so, those who have a current ICEC will need to register with DLI when their ICEC expires. Background The 2007 Minnesota Legislature adopted a new law (MS 181.723) requiring independent contractors in the construction industry to obtain an Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate (ICEC). Landscaping was

largely exempted from this requirement, with one exception. Here is the language of that exemption: This section only applies to individuals performing public or private sector commercial or residential building construction or improvement services. Building construction and improvement services do not include (1) the manufacture, supply, or sale of products, materials, or merchandise; (2) landscaping services for the maintenance or removal of existing plants, shrubs, trees, and other vegetation, whether or not the services are provided as part of a contract for the building construction or improvement services; and (3) all other landscaping services, unless the other landscaping services are provided as part of a contract for the building construction or improvement services. Bottom Line MNLA members who were affected by this 2007 law were those who provided “new landscaping performed as part of a contract for the construction or improvement of a building,” as shown above. An example of affected members would be those who contract with a new home builder to plant landscapes on each new home constructed by the builder. Irrigation and landscape lighting contractors should not need to register, assuming that they are already licensed with DLI as Technology Systems Contractors. Affected members should register with DLI by September 15, 2012 by going to www.dli.mn.gov/register. The 2012 changes to the Independent Contractor Law do not affect the landscaping exemptions written in 2007. Rather, they replace the ICEC program with a new DLI registry, which will be free during the pilot project. Construction subcontractors will need to register to avoid being classed as employees of the general contractor, and general contractors must check the registry before hiring subs to avoid significant penalties. DLI’s summary of the changes can be found at: dli.mn.gov/ccld/PDF/misclassification.pdf. q ________________________________ Tim Power can be reached at timpower@powerconsults.com. SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

The Scoop | GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

The Story of XYZ Landscape Co. vs. The Cable Company By Bob Fitch, MNLA Executive Director hen it comes to utility locates and related problems, MNLA knows well the story of many frustrated landscape contractors. The following story seems to be happening a little less often in the past two years than in the previous decade, but this example still occurs . . .

“XYZ Landscape Company” has a residential landscape installation project. The customer shopped around, so the bidding was tight and the margin on the job will be thin. XYZ’s office administrator calls Gopher State One Call to have the utilities on the property properly marked more than two business days in advance of the job’s start. “Joe Crew Leader” reminds the install team to use hand tools within 24 inches of the utility markings – and not the skid steer or backhoe. The veteran crew follows the letter of the law. But, 90 minutes into the work day, one of the crew members hollers, “Hey Joe, we cut the cable TV line.” Joe follows the law and calls the cable TV

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

company to let them know XYZ had cut their line. Meanwhile, all work stops – that’s three crew members idled at an hourly rate that XYZ will never recover. Joe takes photos of the damage and has the homeowner come out and take a look. “Wow,” says Jane Homeowner, “that was right below the sod.” XYZ shifts their schedule so they can work around the cut cable line. They succeed in finishing the job the next week– and do so in full compliance with the state’s utility locate laws. Three weeks later, a bill arrives at XYZ Landscape Co. for $450 for the damage caused to the cable line. “Frank Owner” is infuriated – after all the crew adjustments, $450 is pretty much all the company made on the job. Joe documents for his boss Frank that all the proper locating and hand-dig steps were taken. Frank calls the cable company to complain, but their voicemail system routes him around in a circle. He writes a letter to the cable company. He calls Gopher State One Call and the Office of Continued on page 26

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Continued from page 24

Currently, the office is considering several law and rule changes, including:

Pipeline Safety, both of which say they have no authority in this area. Frank’s only recourse seems to be a lawsuit. His lawyer says it will be a minimum of 4 hours work (@ $200 an hour) to get the case started. Meanwhile, the cable company has someone calling every three days asking where the $450 is at and threatening to turn it over to collections.

• •

Frank Owner throws up his hands. He grudgingly pays the $450 rather than racking up legal fees. The big national cable company wins one more over the local, family-owned landscape contractor. For more than a decade, MNLA has been working on these issues behind the scenes. The association pushed hard for the landscape industry to get a seat on the Gopher State One Call Board of Directors. While Gopher State is in the business of promoting and ensuring safe utility location and is not a regulatory body, having a member here helps MNLA keep tabs on the issues and the players. For years, MNLA has looked for better protection for its contractor members. We’ve often concluded it may take a class action lawsuit to achieve justice. But a series of proposals from the Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety may offer an opening for broader discussion.

Mandatory damage reporting procedures. Increases in civil penalties for utility operators out of compliance. • Information required for a one call ticket. • Deﬁnition of excavation. • Excavation exemptions as they relate to windbreaks and shelterbelts. MNLA will fight any requirements which would increase the time or personnel expense for excavators such as landscape and irrigation contractors. In discussions with the Office of Pipeline Safety, it appears that these proposals will have negligible impact on our industry, although MNLA is monitoring them closely. However, the MNLA Government Affairs Team sees the opening of this entire discussion by the Office of Pipeline Safety as a chance for MNLA and its allies to tell our industry’s story about the problems with Minnesota Statute 216D. We will push for due consideration to be given to providing reasonable recourse for contractors when a utility company or its sub-contractors have failed to comply with burial requirements. Minnesota Statutes section 326B.35 clearly identifies that communication utility (telephone and cable TV) work is covered by the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC). NESC table 352-1 requires communication cables to be installed at a 24" burial depth. A lesser depth is allowed if the cable is provided with supplemental protection. If you have utility locate horror stories, please share them with MNLA to help us build the case. Click on the “business resources" button within the “landscape & hardscape install & design” section of MNLA.biz for a “utility locate trouble sheet.” Return the info to bob@mnla.biz or via fax to 651-633-4986. MNLA’s point person on the issue is Tom Faust, head of the landscape division at Bachman’s Inc. He is on the Board of Directors of Gopher State One Call and attends 216D review meetings. Faust is assisted by MNLA Regulatory Consultant Tim Power and MNLA Government Affairs Committee Chair Tim Malooly, Water in Motion Inc. MNLA will keep you updated as the issue progresses. q ________________________________________________ Bob Fitch can be reached at bob@mnla.biz.

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS | The Scoop

9 Steps To Signing A Successful Construction Contract By George Hedley he construction business is risky enough without contractual unknowns. Lower your risk by using this basic checklist for reviewing a contract.

Often times, general contractors and subcontractors are so excited to get a new job they will sign any contract put in front of them. I have even seen contractors sign lengthy contracts containing clauses that make it next to impossible to finish ontime, make a profit or ever win a contractual dispute in court. We were once asked to sign a general contract that included a little clause hidden in the fine print: “The owner has no obligation to pay unless the bank funds the payment.” Luckily, before signing, we followed our 9 Steps To Signing A Successful Construction Contract. We had that unacceptable payment clause changed to: “The owner IS liable to pay for the work regardless of whether the bank funds or not.” Most contracts are never awarded until the last minute. This often occurs the day before you’re needed out on the jobsite. Pressure is on to get started and sign the contract as fast as possible before you have adequate time to read it. But contractors must take the time and effort to review every contract before signing them.

asked the job superintendent if the rebar called out on the architectural plans had been installed in the freshly poured site concrete. The general contractor had never cross-checked the civil plans with the architectural plans, nor were any architectural plans ever issued to the site concrete subcontractor. Three weeks and $40,000 later, the contractor’s error was fixed. NEVER - NEVER - NEVER sign a contract without reviewing the complete set of plans. 3. REVIEW ALL SPECIFICATIONS Because specification books are often 3 inches thick, many contractors only read the section that affects their trade. It is imperative, however, to review ALL specification sections before you sign a contract. The general conditions section, for example, contains contractual requirements for jobsite safety, submittals, cleanup, change orders and how to get paid.

Continued on page 28

For every project, large and small, go through each step in the following checklist before putting your pen to paper and celebrating a new job. CONTRACT SIGNING CHECKLIST 1. REVIEW YOUR BID When you get a called that you are the successful bidder, don’t get excited and put the cart before the horse. Before gearing up to start work, review your bid carefully. Have your bookkeeper check the math. Have your field superintendent and foreman check the labor and equipment figures. Call your major suppliers and subcontractors to confirm their bids. If all looks good, go on to the next step. 2. REVIEW COMPLETE PLANS Subcontractors don’t often get to see the complete set of plans when asked to submit their bids. Before signing a contract, review ALL plans and project documents including: architectural, structural, civil, plumbing, mechanical and electrical plans; soils reports; addendum’s and finish schedules. On an office building project, the site concrete subcontractor poured the curbs, gutters and sidewalks exactly as shown on the civil-grading plans. The next day, the architect SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Continued from page 27 On a school project several years ago, an asphalt paving subcontractor got a call from the project superintendent that the locker room floor was ready to pave. Unfortunately for the paver, the asphalt flooring was called out in the finish schedule section of the specifications, and not shown on the civil or site plans! A complete set of plans, specifications and the finish schedule would have eliminated this problem. NEVER NEVER - NEVER sign a contract without reviewing the complete specifications. 4. VISIT THE JOBSITE Always send your field superintendent to the jobsite to look for any unforeseen conditions, conflicts with the project plans and logistic concerns that can cause you grief later. Every jobs look different in person than they do on paper.

5. REVIEW THE JOB SCHEDULE Before committing to any project, make sure you completely understand and agree with the project schedule. Lost job profits generally can be attributed to improper scheduling of crews, poor supervision and lack of field coordination. And a schedule that’s too optimistic will result in a crunch at the end of the project which costs everyone money. 6. COMPLETE A PROJECT CHECKLIST When reviewing contracts, use this simple project checklist so you and your project team won’t overlook any important items. On the list be sure to include: • • • •

Scope of work, inclusions & exclusions Insurance requirements Bonding requirements Payment procedures & cash ﬂow requirements

•

Person(s) authorized to approve ﬁeld changes, etc. • Project schedule & long lead items • Shop drawings & submittals • Meetings required to attend • Permit requirements • Site access, logistics & parking • Special tools & equipment requirements • Contract close-out procedures 7. VERIFY PROJECT FUNDING Every general contractor and subcontractor has the right to know that a project has adequate funds. So, ALWAYS ASK FOR PROOF OF FUNDING. It can be awkward to ask, so I often tell customers that my banker or bonding company won’t let us sign a contract without assurance there is money set aside to complete the project. Doing jobs without getting paid isn’t any fun. 8. READ COMPLETE CONTRACT Signing a contract prepared by someone else can be scary. The days of a handshake contract are long gone. Today, CONTRACTING Is About CONTRACTS! If you don’t understand what you are signing, you won’t stay in business very long. Many contacts contain clauses that are one-sided and unfair. Carefully look over contract clauses dealing with such issues as: • • • • • • • • • • • •

Payment, retention & pay when paid Indemniﬁcation Authorizations, notices, approvals & administration Conﬂict resolution and disputes Arbitration vs. court Schedule issues: Failure to perform Delays and weather Acceleration & termination Liquidated damages Change orders & back-charges Cleanup & supervision Continued on page 29

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Continued from page 28 Every construction company must have a good construction attorney. Meet with your attorney at least twice a year. List out the most important "red-flag" clauses to look for and decide what you will and will not sign. Remember, you have the right to sign only what you agree with. Never sign an unfair contract. Cross out and change what you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t agree with, initial the changes and then sign the contract. 9. EXECUTE CONTRACT The construction business is risky enough without unfair contracts. So, before you execute the contract, follow the 9 Steps To Signing A Successful Contract and start out every project on a fair and level playing field. q _________________________________________________ George Hedley owns a $75 million construction and development company and Hardhat Presentations. He speaks to companies on building profitable businesses, leadership, and loyal customers. He holds 3-day in-depth "Profit-Builder Circles" open to construction company owners in an interactive roundtable format every 3 months. His "Profit-Builder System" includes proven tools to always make a profit, build equity, create wealth, win profitable jobs, motivate your people, and enjoy the benefits of owning a profitable company.

SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

The Scoop | ANLA UPDATE

In Defense of H-2B… From the American Nursery & Landscape Association he fate of the H-2B program – practically the only legal work visa option for seasonal employees of landscape contracting, maintenance, and other non-agricultural businesses – rests in the hands of a federal district court judge in northern Florida. The judge is considering challenges against a new rule that drastically alters how H-2B wages are determined; and, a rule that would result in a sweeping program rewrite touching virtually every aspect of the program beyond wages. She has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the program rule, while Congress has temporarily delayed the wage rule. The cases are proceeding well, and positive outcomes from an employer perspective appear to have good odds. However, the litigation has been complicated by unsuccessful intervention efforts by organized labor interests, as well as government appeals.

9:18 PM

and Nationwide Agribusiness

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Financial support for the litigation is now critical as it nears the finish line.If you are currently using H-2B, or are considering using it and want the program to remain viable as a legal labor safety net, please consider supporting the litigation. For questions or details on how to help, please contact Craig at the American Nursery & Landscape Association Regelbrugge Page 1 (cregelbrugge@anla.org).

SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

The Scoop | EDUCATION

MNLA Summer Tours Provide Learning & Networking Opportunities By Cassie Larson, MNLA Associate Director oth the Rolling Retail Experience Tour and Landscape Design Tour provided great learning experiences and networking opportunities for attendees this summer. Both tours took place on Thursday, July 26.

The Rolling Retail Experience had 2 in-person site visits and 3 virtual site visits. Special thanks to the following garden centers for opening their locations for the tour, either in person or by video: •

Linder’s, St. Paul • Highland Nursery, St. Paul • Sargent’s Landscape Nursery, Rochester • Sargent’s Sue Hustings, Highland Nursery, Inc. welcomes the on 2nd, Rochester MNLA Retail Tour attendees. • Houston’s Garden & Gift, Kasson Also, thanks to Garden Center Committee member Amanda Clark, Malmborg’s, Inc., for her work in helping to coordinate the tour locations. The MNLA Landscape Design Tour, with a charter bus full oof attendees, went to sites in tthe southwest metro area. T The tour had a wide variety oof landscapes including a ccorporate headquarters, a p prairie garden, and a bbackyard oasis.

Tour attendees all commented on these beautifully colorful pots that welcome customers at Linder’s. 32

Walking through the beautiful prairie designed by Prairie Restorations, Inc.

Inc., worked diligently throughout the winter months to ensure that the sites for this tour were exciting and beautiful. Special thanks to the following MNLA firms and designers who took the time to prepare a site for this year’s tour: • • • • •

Scott Frampton, Landscape Renovations Adam Newton, e Corduroy Studio, Inc. Scott Reynolds, Creative Habitats, Inc. Becky Kullman, Dirtﬂower LLC Tom Whitlock, Damon Farber Associates, Inc and Scott Adams, Cargill, Inc. • Mike Evenocheck, Prairie Restorations, Inc. • Alyson Landmark, Bachman’s Landscape If you’d like to see more photos and videos from these events, visit the MNLA Facebook page (www.facebook.com/MNLA1) to see what you missed out on! Don’t miss your chance to jump on the bus to tour some great sites in 2013. Watch for information in the Scoop and at www.mnla.biz.

Members of the MNLA Landscape Design L Committee, including Dr. C JJim Calkins; Jan Klaus, JK Garden Design; Craig G Trenary, Terra Forma Design T LLC; and Stephen Volkenant, L Visionary Landscape Design, V

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Tour attendees gather to hear a history and background on the design project.

September 27, 2012 | 10:00am—3:30pm | Minnesota State Fairgrounds

Join us for this outdoor product showcase that puts you in the driver’s seat. FREE when you register by September 26. Onsite $20 per person. • • • •

HE T R K FO LOO TRATION S REGI IN THIS ! FORM ’S SCOOP TH M ON

Move dirt with a skid steer Take a mower for a spin Test drive that vehicle you’ve had your eye on Try out a weed whip, chainsaw or blower

Skid Steer Rodeo Compete against your colleagues in a time-trial and show-oﬀ your skills! The obstacle course will run at 11am and 1pm. MNDOT Mock Inspections Ask questions about how to safely secure your trailer and equipment on the road. Plus, get a hands-on demonstration of how to secure trailers and equipment correctly. Take care of your purchasing decisions for next season and network with friends and colleagues. Contact Betsy Pierre at betsy@pierreproductions.com or 763-295-5420 for exhibit information.

November 16, 2012 | 9:00am—3:30pm | Continuing Education Center, University of MN, St. Paul

MNLA and the Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation (MTGF) are excited to again present this Pesticide Recertiﬁcation session. The session will be applicable to those seeking to gain recertiﬁcation credit for category A (general) and E (turf and ornamentals). There will be two tracks available at this session, one for those interested in turf related topics and one for those interested in woody plant topics as they pertain to pesticides.

Visit www.MNLA.biz for registration and details for these and other programs! Questions? Call 651.633.4987.

Sponsorships are available for these seminars. Call Betsy at 763-295-5420 or e-mail betsy@pierreproductions.com. SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Sporting Clays FUNdraising Event ***NEW LOCATION*** South St. Paul Rod & Gun Club 600 Gun Club Road • South St. Paul, MN Wednesday, September 19, 2012

NEW THIS YEAR: More Shooting Games - like the Crazy Quail, the Wild Card Shoot, the Duck Flurry and the Boat Shoot. Games will open early and be available throughout the day. 10:15am - 11:00am - Shooting Games Open • 11:00 am - 12:30 pm - Registration & lunch served. Optional shooting games for prizes. • 12:30 pm - Safety talk & course/station assignments • 12:45 pm - Sporting clays shooting begins • 4:00 pm - Social hour (& Shooting Games) • 4:30-5:30 pm - Dinner • 5:30 pm - Awards, raffles and door prizes •

$80 per shooter includes: • 50 TARGET sporting clay course. Shooters furnish their own guns and shells. Minimum 75 shells. There will also be various games for which you should have approximately 25 shells per game. Shells are available for purchase on-site for $6 per box of 25. • PRIZES…Scoring will be on a per team basis with one score for the entire team. • BEVERAGES, LUNCH and STEAK/CHICKEN DINNER.

This course will be run at the beginner level for sporting clays. Difficulty level = FUN. Bring a hunting vest or wearable shell container to hold your unused and used shells. Eye and ear protection is highly recommended; ear plugs are available at the club for a small fee. Proceeds support MNLA Foundation scholarships. REGISTRATION increases to $95 after SEPTEMBER 10th SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

CAREERS OUTREACH | The Scoop

Schools Are Excited About MNLA! By Jodi Larson, MNLA Foundation Program Director It has been a busy summer for the MNLA Foundation’s careers outreach efforts. At the end of June, I exhibited at the American School Counselor Association’s National Conference and did a presentation on Green Industry Careers in a workshop entitled “Careers

e Land Lovers display at the ASCA National Conference in June.

Your Students Need to Know About.” The presentation was well received and I was amazed by the overwhelming enthusiasm that school counselors had for our industry. Many were drawn into the booth by the plants (provided by Malmborg’s) but then stayed to talk about theLandLovers.org and careers in our industry. Overall: School counselors are excited about plants and about green industry careers! In early July, I attended the MNLA Foundation Program Director Jodi Annual Summer Conference for Larson talking with agriculture instructors the Minnesota Association of about green industry careers. Agricultural Educators and had MNLA is working hard to support another great show of support from teachers of agriculture and we recognize teachers of agriculture. At this conference that many of the students they teach are my purpose was to showcase MNLA’s and will be working as a part of our new high school curriculum in industry. e workshop I did at this horticulture and landscaping, and to talk conference was well attended and I with teachers about MNLA and the learned a lot about how MNLA can resources we provide. Many of these work with teachers of agriculture to help instructors end up teaching horticulture prepare our future industry leaders. and landscaping at their schools but Overall: Teachers are excited about the don’t have much experience or resources MNLA has to oﬀer! q background.

SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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Current, cutting-edge, relevant information handpicked for you and delivered right to your door. ONLINE: Available 24/7 at MNLA.biz ON FACEBOOK: Weekly updates via major social media channels IN YOUR INBOX: Monthly in MNLAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eNews & the SCOOP Questions, comments & suggestions welcome. Research@MNLA.biz

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The Scoop | CERTIFICATION

Magic from the Manual: Fertilizer Application By Bert Swanson, Swanson's Nursery Consulting, Inc. rees in urban and suburban landscapes are often under stress. Low moisture and fertility levels, soil compaction, competition from Bert Swanson nearby trees, diseases, insects, damage from vandalism, and other factors can have a negative impact on plant growth. Under stress situations or poor soil conditions, fertility problems may increase. If growth is minimal, then it is necessary to determine the cause, and whether fertilizer will improve plant

growth. Stress conditions often predispose trees to other problems; thus with good cultural methods, such as watering and fertilizing, trees are more likely to resist certain insect and disease problems. Fertilizer applications will ameliorate, but may not eliminate environmental stress. As a general guide, terminal twig growth should be six to 24 inches per year on young, healthy, deciduous trees and four to twelve inches per year on conifers. Growth is less on mature trees. A tree under nutrient stress may show a slow or stunted growth rate; reduced leaf, ďŹ&#x201A;ower, or fruit size; a pale green or yellow green coloration of the foliage, or early fall defoliation. Nutrient stress can also be induced by poor drainage, incorrect pH, and other soil

and plant factors. î &#x201C;us, soil tests should be used to develop a fertilization program. Soil type is important in determining the need for fertilizer. A fine-textured, clay-loam soil will hold more nutrients than a coarse-textured sandy loam. However, a tree growing in a heavy, compacted soil may still be stunted because of restricted root growth and lack of soil oxygen to facilitate nutrient uptake. Light, sandy soils will be low in nutrients, and may also restrict growth because of low moisture levels. Soils with a pH greater than 7.0 which is alkaline may cause deficiencies of micronutrients such as iron and Continued on page 42

SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Continued from page 41 manganese in pin oak, river birch, red maple, silver maple, and other susceptible species. Deficiencies of these micronutrients, as well as nitrogen deficiencies, produce a condition known as "chlorosis," or a yellowing of the foliage. Nitrogen deficiency is characterized by uniform yellowing of the entire leaf, whereas the area surrounding leaf veins remain green when iron and manganese are deficient, thereby causing interveinal chlorosis. Low soil oxygen caused by excess water from poor drainage, flooding or compaction can also cause chlorosis. Soil tests and/or plant tissue tests should be used to determine the cause of chlorosis in commercial tree and shrub production and in large landscapes. A light fertilizer application can usually be applied to the home landscape without a soil test. Fertilizer solubilization and subsequent plant absorption requires adequate levels of soil moisture and oxygen. If excess moisture or a lack of oxygen exists, nutrient uptake cannot take place even with adequate nutrients available. Continued fertilization under such conditions will result in excess fertilizer levels. Then, as the soil dries or becomes aerated, excess uptake may occur. Excess uptake will stimulate excessive succulent growth that is structurally weak, less likely to produce flowers, and more susceptible to diseases and insects, such as fire blight or aphids. The high soluble salt concentrations caused by excessive fertilization may also damage the tree causing root or leaf injury. Newly planted trees and shrubs should be fertilized at planting time. Fertilization at this time allows deep placement of phosphorus and potassium. Because these nutrients do not move readily in the soil, deep placement will make them immediately available to the new plant to enhance root and top growth. It is extremely important, however, that the fertilizer be mixed into the bottom of the hole and into the backfill and not placed in direct contact with the roots. A slow release fertilizer is most desirable for mixing with the backfill. Slow release fertilizers supply only small amounts of nutrients at any 42

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

one time, so the possibility of root damage is eliminated and a longer-term response is obtained. When to Fertilize Most trees in Minnesota have a single flush of growth in the spring, and spring is the time when trees have the greatest need for nutrients. Early spring, consequently, is the time when nutrients must be available. Fall fertilizer applications are easiest and can be the most effective, because the ground is easier to work and nutrients will be available to the tree very early in the spring when growth begins. Fertilizer may be applied from late September until about mid-November. To avoid

CERTIFIED Professional runoff problems, do not apply fertilizer to frozen soil. Spring applications may be made as soon as the ground is workable until late April or early May. If soil conditions are extremely dry, irrigate prior to and after fertilization. On sandy soils, nitrogen should be applied only in the spring or much of it will be leached out of the soil in the late fall and early spring. If soil is extremely sandy, leaching can be minimized by applying a half rate in early spring and a half rate in late spring. However, this adds to the cost of application. If a plant is showing symptoms of nutrient deficiency, fertilizer may be applied at any time during the growing season to correct the problem. Care must be taken, however, to provide sufficient water for absorption of the nutrients by the plant and prevent fertilizer injury to the roots. During

periods of hot, dry weather, two to three inches of water should be applied every two to three weeks to wet the top 12 to 18 inches of an average soil. Heavy clay soils require more water at less frequent intervals, while light, sandy soils require less water at more frequent intervals. Do not apply fertilizer to non-stressed plants in late August as plants may force a new flush of growth in early September. However, do not allow plants to go into the winter under a nutrient stress, as this will also increase winter injury. A light application of fertilizer may be necessary in late August or early September to alleviate such stress. What to Apply Unless a tree is deficient in some other element, increased nitrogen provides the most pronounced effects on the growth of all plant nutrients. Just because an increase in nitrogen produces a more visible increase in growth, however, does not mean that other elements are not required. Phosphorus, for example, is essential for good root growth. A soil test provides the best indicator of elements that may need to be added to the soil to prevent nutritional problems. High rates of P fertilizer should not be used unless a need is indicated by a soil test. If the soil test is high in phosphorus, then it is best to use fertilizers such as 24-0-15, 32-3-10, 273-3, or 16-4-8 with a high rate of N and a low or zero rate of P. High rates of P can negatively affect the environment by causing excessive algae to grow in nearby lakes and streams, which will in time, kill fish and other aquatic life. If phosphorus is needed, an excellent fertilizer to use is 18-18-8 with iron and sulfur. It is 50 percent slow release. Plants in sandy soils will require more fertilizer; however, it is easy to over fertilize in sandy soil as it moves quickly into the root zone. Soils with more organic matter, not only hold more fertilizer, but they also tend to release some nutrients as the organic matter decomposes. Thus, the use of slow release or partially slow release fertilizer is much more critical in a low organic soil containing less than three percent organic matter, compared to a Continued on page 45

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Continued from page 42 medium or high organic soil containing four percent or greater organic matter. Most soil tests will provide the percent organic matter content of the soil. For nursery production, the recommended rates of fertilization are three to four pounds of actual nitrogen (N) per 1,000 ft2 per year. When needed, 3.6 pounds of phosphate (P2O5) per 1,000 ft2 and six pounds of potassium (K2O) per 1,000 ft2 should be applied. The above rates must be applied to a non-turf area or placed in holes drilled or punched into the soil under the tree to prevent injury to the turf or a cover crop. Established trees in the landscape require less fertilizer wherein one to three pounds of actual nitrogen will be sufficient. The recommended rate for application over turf is one lb N/1000 ft2 at one time. Any rate greater than two pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 ft2 in one application will result in injury to turf. Table 1 in Chapter 26 of the Manual indicates some common fertilizer analyses and rates of each formulation that will give the recommended rates for application. Whenever possible, use a slow release or partially slow release fertilizer such as 1818-8 or 25-3-7 to reduce the amount of fertilizer immediately available and to extend its feeding duration. Products that combine fertilizers and herbicides such as "Weed and Feedâ&#x20AC;? should not be used on or around trees and shrubs. Such products will injure or kill trees, shrubs and perennials in the same way that they kill weeds. How to Apply Apply a complete fertilizer (N, P, and K) at the time of planting. Care must be taken to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed with the backfill and it is best to use a slow release or partially slow release product. Do not apply fertilizer of any type directly to the roots. Fertilization should occur at planting time in the nursery and in the landscape. If the proper amount of fertilizer is thoroughly mixed with the backfill soil, no root injury will occur. The fertilization should be based on results of

a soil test to avoid under or over fertilizing any tree or shrub. After planting, the easiest and most convenient method of applying nitrogen fertilizers in the landscape is to spread the fertilizer on the soil under the tree canopy with a standard lawn spreader. Although two pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 ft2 is the maximum rate that can be applied to turf in this manner, it is better to apply one pound of nitrogen per application and make more applications. Higher rates must be incorporated (drilled) into the soil in a landscape setting. To promote good, healthy, vigorous, rapid growth in a nursery production situation, three to four pounds per 1,000 ft2 of actual nitrogen can be applied in a band in the nursery row or to individual trees. Surface applications will not readily supply phosphate and potash because these two nutrients do not readily move down to the tree's root zone. In the landscape, determine the area under the tree to be fertilized by marking off a square that encompasses the spread of the tree several feet past the dripline. Multiply the length by the width to determine the area in square feet. The spreader should be calibrated to deliver the recommended amount of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet. For example, if the area under the tree is 40 feet by 40 feet or 1,600 square feet, 3.2 pounds of nitrogen is needed to provide two pounds of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Six pounds of ammonium nitrate will supply two pounds of nitrogen (See Table 1 in Chapter 26 of the Manual). Therefore six pounds of ammonium nitrate (2 pounds of nitrogen) should be spread over that 1,600 square foot area. This can be repeated again in three weeks to obtain the four lbs/1,000 ft2 rate for faster growth rates on younger trees. This surface application should be done when the grass blades are dry and then followed with a deep watering. Note that much of the fertilizer applied to the surface will benefit the grass rather than the tree. If chips or gravel cover the entire area to be treated, the total four pounds can be applied in a single application. For mature landscape trees, the one to two pounds of actual nitrogen may be sufficient.

If higher rates of nitrogen, or if phosphate and potash are to be added, it is best to place the fertilizer in holes drilled or punched in the soil. Drill holes are two feet apart with a soil auger in a series of parallel lines under the spread of the tree and extending two feet past the dripline, or four to six feet if the tree has an upright or columnar form. The holes should be two inches in diameter and 12 to 18 inches deep. No hole should be within three feet of the trunk to prevent damage to the root collar. Avoid damaging major roots when drilling. Too much nitrogen close to the surface of the soil will cause spotty turf growth. Place the recommended amount of fertilizer (See Table 1 in Chapter 26 of the Manual) in each hole, water it in, and fill the holes with sand, compost, or peat; in heavy soils, leave the holes open to improve soil aeration. In addition to getting phosphorus and potassium down into the root zone, this method has an added advantage because the holes help decrease soil compaction and increase air and water penetration, both of which are essential for nutrient uptake by the tree. Holes may also be made with a punch bar, crowbar, or pipe. However, removing the core of soil with an auger is most beneficial. Liquid injection root feeders are also acceptable provided that recommended application rates are maintained. This treatment effect may be less persistent than that of a dry fertilizer and, costs increase with the use of specialized equipment and fertilizers. Large, slow-release pellets or spikes of fertilizer are available. They do provide nutrients to the tree, but the nutrient distribution may be somewhat limited compared to soil incorporation unless an abundance of spikes are used. Fertilizer release from spikes is very slow. Fertilizers may be injected directly into the trunk of the tree either as a liquid or a slow release capsule. This method is commonly used to apply micronutrients. Repeating the injections over many years will cause some damage Continued on page 46 SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Continued from page 45 to the tree trunk. Micronutrients also may be applied to the soil or foliage using a dilute rate of 200-400 ppm soluble solution or by using a "chelate" formulation. A chelate is a chemical that combines with a nutrient element to make it available to the plant under a wider pH range. Various chelates are available at most landscape supply or fertilizer dealers. Follow label instructions for proper application. Foliar applications of iron chelates are effective, but repeated applications are necessary. Foliar applications of all nutrients are effective for a short term only, and usually have to be repeated several times during the season. Incorporation of iron sulfate, sulfur and/or acid peat into the soil to lower the pH before planting may alleviate most micro¬nutrient problems on high pH soils. The best way to avoid micronutrient deficiency problems is to avoid planting sensitive tree species in high pH soils.

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Nursery and landscape plants are easily stressed from fertility deficiencies or excesses. Apply appropriate amounts of the right nutrient at the right time to provide for optimum plant growth and vigor. ________________________________ Bert Swanson can be reached at btswanson2@gmail.com Certiﬁcation Questions 1. T F Trees, shrubs and perennials should be fertilized at the time of planting. 2. T F Ten pounds of 18-18-8 provides approximately two pounds of actual Nitrogen. 3. T F Nutrient stress is not caused by poor drainage and incorrect soil pH levels. 4. T F ree pounds of actual Nitrogen can safely be applied to Turf. 5. T F Nitrogen and Phosphorus move readily through inorganic and organic soils. Answers 1. T; 2. T; 3. F; 4. F; 5. F.

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CERTIFICATION | The Scoop

Are You a Professional? By Deb Kvamme, Hennepin Technical College s I write this article for the September issue of “The Scoop,” I feel the summer slipping away. It is time to start thinking about fall curriculum, and students coming back to college to either finish a career path or to begin journey into the world of the Green Industry. Students are concerned about the job market. Will they Deb Kvamme find a good job? I am often asked how they can compete with other people trying to seek the same “good” jobs in our industry. I tell them two things: it is what and how much you know and whom you know! The MNLA can help with both! Staying connected with people in the industry is paramount in finding your ideal job. But more important, it is the education you receive along the way.

Education comes in many forms. It starts in elementary and high school. It is during these early years that we are introduced to the plant world…it may be your grandma’s flower garden or your mom and dad’s vegetable garden. Or maybe your first job was working on a landscape crew or for the neighborhood garden center. Whatever gave you the start… and believe me it is only the beginning… there are so many ways to add to that education. Since I am a college instructor at Hennepin Technical College, I encourage a two or four-year education. But to be a true Certified Professional in our industry in Minnesota, you need to take the exam offered by the MNLA.

So, I encourage you to purchase the Certification Manual and READ it. Also get connected with a study group to review the manual. The exam is broken into 2 parts: the Basic Knowledge exam and the Specialization exam (Garden Center; Grower or Landscape). There is an exam training session on January 11, 2013 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. During this session, there will be training on the exam structure; on plant identification; and finally a mini exam will be given to see how much you have learned or have yet to learn. It is recommended to review the manual before the training session, and it is VERY important to study hard for this exam so you can pass. The dates for the exam in 2013 are yet to be determined, so watch for more information in the upcoming issues of “The Scoop” and on www.MNLA.biz. q _________________________________________________ Deb Kvamme can be reached at Debra.Kvamme@hennepintech.edu.

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The Scoop | TRENDS TEAM

Local Industry Experts Cautious About Economy By Bob Fitch, MNLA Executive Director Editor’s Note: As part of the new MNLA Strategic Plan, the executive director has created an ad hoc “Trends Team” comprised of some of the industry’s business and thought leaders. The opinions of the Trends Team will be shared regularly in The Scoop and other MNLA communications. n a recent column on FoxNews.com, economist Peter Morici, a professor at the Smith School of Business at the Universityy of Maryland, painted a picture of a “coming economic collapse.”

According to Morici’s July 23rd column, “The The U.S. economy is teetering on the brink of another recession ... The expansion has been terribly disappointing—growth rowth is hardly 2 percent and jobs creation barely keeps unemployment ployment steady at 8.2.

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“Manufacturing and exports powered the recovery but are now weakening. Consumer spending and existing home sales are flagging, because policymakers failed to aid underwater homeowners as generously as the banks.” Morici throws bricks at both political parties: “President Obama is doubling down on slow growth policies—new offshore restrictions on off ffs ff fsh oil and CO2 emissions, and pushing fforward fo rward with financial regulations that haven’t stopped Wall Street banks from trading recklessly rigg markets as indicated by the Libor and rigging scandal. Governor Romney has reverted to shopR Re worn Republican prescriptions—tax cuts, free trade and de deregulation. With the federal government spendin spending 50 percent more than it takes in, no sane econom economist could endorse big rate cuts, beyond renewing the Bush tax cuts.” The economist says sa that online technology innovations like Yahoo, Y h Facebook F b k and Twitter “have made great contributions to the economy and culture but simply don’t have business models that generate enough revenue and sustainable jobs growth.” Morici is preaching doom and gloom across the board: “Having failed to adequately address what caused the Great Recession—China’s trade surplus and the imbalance in demand between the Middle Kingdom and the United States, the cowboy culture on Wall Street and the plight of underwater homeowners—not much can be done, having squandered the grace created by stimulus spending and easy money. Get ready for a bad ride.” What’s the reaction from some of the members of the MNLA’s Trends Team to these prognostications? Tom Whitlock, Damon Farber Associates Landscape Architecture: “I believe FoxNews.com paints an overly pessimistic view of the economy. We are Tom Whitlock seeing local private corporation expansion at Target, Eco Lab, 3M, St. Jude, and United Health Group. Institutional work coming out of the State Designer Selection Board also continues to trend much better than the past two years, as well as higher density housing expansion. I am optimistic the Bush tax breaks will be reapproved in some form after the election is over. We are seeing slow and steady growth. Cautiously optimistic…” Continued on page 49

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Continued from page 48 Dave Kleinhuizen, Margolis Company Landscape Contractors: “The Germans save on the order of 11% of their annual personal income while the German government encourages its citizens to spend. The German economy has remained stable and seen growth in spite of the euro zones issues. Since the beginning of the recent economic Dave Kleinhuizen downturn American consumers have been reminded of how important saving is. For those who have been fortunate to keep their jobs and have the ability to save, they have done a better job in recent years and, as a result, fewer dollars go back into the economy. Americans now save on the average 4.5% of their income which is up from a dismal 2% of 5 years ago. This alone will slow economic growth. Much lower market returns have instilled a new, yet old concept of saving. “I expect recovery rather than another deep recession, but it could be a longer than expected cycle. Add to this dynamic the fact that boomers are beginning to contribute less spending to our economy and this cycle could last another 10 years. However, what we don’t need is more Keynesian economic policy. I can’t convince myself that government can spend its way out of a deep recession.”

Steve Sylvester, S&S Tree and Landscaping Specialists: “I think he paints a very true picture of what is to come, even though we are in a presidential election year and those tend to be better for everyone as incumbents give away our tax dollars trying to get re-elected. We at S&S are having a very Steve Sylvester good revenue year, BUT a great deal of that was due to the storms that rolled through earlier this summer. We are still seeing our commercial customers hanging onto their money and their customer’s money. After this country-wide drought is over and the cost of food and fuel go through the roof, we probably will be in for a huge setback. We are preparing our 2013 budgets now and we are anticipating a downturn next year and are planning accordingly. Hate to sound like Danny downer but those that think this thing is over are in for a huge surprise in 2013.” Steve Hedberg, Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies: “While we witnessed growth the last nine months, June and July have shown us that we are still in a very weak economy. While I don’t believe it to be near recession, I do believe it has cooled, and we are in for a slow, weak recovery.” Steve Hedberg

Continued on page 50

SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Continued from page 49 Andy Petersen, Spectrum Sales: “Remind me again why we are supposed to be giddy about 1.5% - 2% growth? Oh yes . . . there is no inflation (when you exclude food and fuel.) Just to pile on, factor in the following: Virtually failed Midwest corn crop due to drought. This will drive up the cost of food worldwide. At home it will mean significantly higher prices Andy Petersen on beef, poultry, pork and dairy. Massive tax increases will automatically kick in on 1-1-13. This will suck what little capital is left into the government and further slow whatever progress might have been made. “The ObamaCare bomb will go off on 1-1-14. The preparations for implementation will be taking place in 2013 and some of the taxes will begin to kick in further sucking capital out of the private sector. This single law, if implemented completely, will be the knockout blow to the country's intentionally weakened economy. “Europe is the 800-pound gorilla in the room no one will talk about. The whole mess over there is going to blow up and will splatter the U.S. There has never been a country or countries that have taxed, over-borrowed, over-spent, printed money and redistributed wealth on their way to prosperity. It has simply never happened. We work in an industry that is dependent upon disposable income. When the choice is food or flowers, I know where that shrinking income is going to be

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

spent. What are the answers? Well, we seemed to have tried almost everything but freedom and empowerment of the individual.” John Mickman, Mickman Brothers Inc.: “All of what he says is basically correct – without including other recent historical perspectives. The ‘glaring hole’ in his synopsis is that he does not offer the most gloomy information which is the aging boomers and their effect on the health care systems, Social John Mickman Security, the lack of savings by this group, etc. Future generations are going to pay for the massive deficits we have accumulated over the past dozen years. In addition, the investment we are making in our educational systems are not sufficient to supply the type and quantity of educated workers and innovative entrepreneurs .needed to develop the needed revenue for future generations. “All this said, I continue to believe that our recovery from the crash of 2008-09 will continue to be slow, with bumps in the road – like what we are seeing now. When and if we finally pull all the way out of the hole, I don’t believe we will ever see the headstrong days of the late ‘90s and early-mid 2000s. Ever. We all need to readjust our psyches to a slower economy that will never recover the manufacturing jobs of days gone by. And without generating jobs/incomes at that level, my read is that we will become, increasingly, a service economy.” Continued on page 51

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Continued from page 50 Jeﬀ Pilla, Bachman’s Inc.: “I would guess if we searched MSN we could find an argument that things are turning around. Bottom line though, unemployment hasn't budged in months, GDP hasn't grown enough to sustain growth and many in political office believe the only way out of this trend is to rely on government spending. On the plus side we are Jeff Pilla starting to see housing starts gain traction and for us, our landscape and wholesale departments have experienced a nice rebound in sales this year. For many of us in the industry, housing is one of the most, if not the most, important piece of the puzzle for financial health.” Brad Tabke, Ethical Landscapes: “From a business standpoint, property managers are still having some difficulty with leasing, but have seen dramatically more activity than the past years. From a governmental perspective, Shakopee is experiencing more development and building activity than we have since 2008. Commercial development and tire-kicking has increased Brad Tabke dramatically as well as residential single-family home developments are starting to come through the system. It feels to me like we are still very much on the upswing.” q _________________________________________________ Bob Fitch can be reached at bob@mnla.biz

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

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The Scoop | GREENHOUSE GROWERS

Types of Photosynthesis

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By Jesse Hawker, Malmborg's Inc. tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a good idea to open some of your old text books every once in a while to review, relearn, or better understand a given topic. As I was paging through part of my plant biology book I came across the chapter, Plant Metabolism. It occurred to me how important it is to understand the basic idea of the three types of photosynthesis.

Jesse Hawker

The three types of photosynthesis are C3 (3 carbon fixation), C4 (4 carbon fixation), and CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism). About 85% of plant species are C3 plants. C3 plants stomata are typically open during the day so the plant can take in CO2 during photosynthesis. However during hot and dry conditions C3 plants may close their stomata to prevent water loss. The closing of the stomata leads to photorespiration which causes a certain enzyme to grab oxygen instead of CO2. Photorespiration is in competition with photosynthesis which causes respiration to occur instead of photosynthesis. Photorespiration slows the production of sugars. C3 plants tend to thrive when there are moderate temperatures and sunlight intensities, along with plentiful moisture in the soil. C3 plants can lose up to 97% of the water taken up by the roots due to transpiration. Some examples of C3 plants include: Wheat, rice, soybeans, barley, cotton, tobacco, many cool season grasses and dandelions.

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C4 plants have the advantage of using a different enzyme to create a four carbon organic acid (oxaloacetic or Malic acid) to avoid photorespiration during times of hot dry conditions when the stomata are closed. C4 plants can produce more sugar than C3 plants in conditions of high temperature and light. C4 plants can take in CO2 more efficiently which allows the stomata to be open less, resulting in less water loss through transpiration. C4 fixation is more common in monocots than dicots, with only 4.5 % of dicots using the C4 pathway compared to 40% of monocots. Some examples of C4 plants include: Maize, millet, sorghum, sugar cane, crabgrass. The third type of photosynthesis is CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism). CAM plants are adapted to extremely hot and dry environments. In CAM photosynthesis the stomata in the leaves remain closed during the day and open at night. This allows the plant to reduce evapotranspiration during the hot dry day and collect carbon dioxide at night when it is relatively cool. The CO2 is stored as malic acid and is then used during the day when photosynthesis occurs. This is one reason why Continued on page 54 SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Continued from page 53 certain plants can taste sour at night and become sweeter during the day as the Malic acid is being used up. Some plants are considered “inducible CAM” meaning they can switch between C3, C4 or CAM depending on the environmental conditions. The Dwarf Jade plant is an example of a plant that normally uses the C3 pathway but can use CAM if drought stressed. When conditions are extremely arid another group of plants may use “CAM-cycling” in which the stomata remained closed during the day and night. CAM-cycling plants recycle C02 produced by respiration as well as storing some C02 during the day. Plants of this group often have thick, reduced leaves with a low surface-area-to volume ratio. Examples of CAM plants include: Cacti, orchids, pineapple, some ferns, Spanish moss, and many succulents. We see examples of the differences in the 3 types of photosynthesis all the time. In the spring the Kentucky Bluegrass can outgrow the crabgrass while there is still plenty of moisture. When it starts to get dry and hot later in the summer the crabgrass is thriving, while the bean fields show drought damage before the corn fields. Under temperate, moist conditions C3 plants are the most efficient at photosynthesis. However when it is hot and dry C4 plants flourish while CAM plants thrive under desert conditions. q _________________________________________________ Jesse Hawker can be reached at jesse@Geraniumsbygeorge.com.

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www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT | The Scoop

Fire Your Dad? By George Hedley grew up in a home where my Dad was an entrepreneur. He owned, managed, built and developed mobile home parks. He worked hard, lots of hours and often from his home office. After graduating from high school, I attended the University of Southern California (Go Trojans!) so I could play on the water polo team and get a civil-structural engineering degree. As an engineering student, I figured I would learn how to design building projects and then go to work for my Dad as a project manager after graduation. But after the graduation ceremony, my Dad didn't offer me a job! Now what? With no money and no means of support, I had to go out and get a real job, work for a real company and live on the money I earned!

In retrospect, this was the best career builder I could have experienced. I had to find a company to hire me, work within their system, do what they wanted me to do and get promoted based on my merits and contributions as an employee. Many of my college friends took the easy route and went to work at their Dad's companies. Thirty-five years later they're still working for the family business. They complain as they continue to wait for their Dad to retire or die so they can finally take over, make some real money, enjoy their lives, not live under the shadow of Dad's success and have some freedom. Most of them are unhappy and unfulfilled as their dream to become a partner with their Dad hasn't materialized yet. They postponed their lives and personal achievement waiting for unspoken promises their Dad never communicated nor offered. 60 and still waiting! A sixty year old totally ran his Dad's excavation contracting company for over twenty years. His Dad is eighty five years old, has medical problems and hasn't been able to come into the office for the last five years. Twenty years ago the company was small and doing $250,000 in sales. Today, under the son's leadership, it averages $4,000,000 in volume per year and makes a net profit of around $400,000 annually. But the son is fed up and tired of the situation. His Dad still owns 100% of the company and only pays his son $4,000 per month plus the use of a company pickup truck. The son works eighty hours per week, is not trusted to sign checks and can't make any decisions or major purchases without Dad's blessing. The son wants to quit, start his own company and fire his Dad. What would you advise him to do? I get lots of emails from young sons and daughters who work for Dad in the family construction business. They write because they are disappointed with their situation, unhappy how they're treated and not respected by other employees since Continued on page 56 SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Continued from page 55

They want more and don't know what to do. But, they also don't want to upset or confront their Dad, so they write and hope for a magic solution to the problem.

they're the owner's son or daughter. Some comments and complaints I get include:

Sons must earn ownership!

•

My Dad promised me ownership, but I can't pin him down when it'll happen. • My Dad is stuck in the past and won't try any new ideas. • Our company isn't on the cutting edge of technology. • My Dad won't let me make any decisions without his input. • My Dad makes all the money and I do all the work. • My Dad barely pays me enough to live on. • I want this company to grow and my Dad won't hire any new people. • How can I get my Dad to listen to me and change his ways? The consensus for these sons and daughters caught in a bad situation is a common desire to do more, want more and get more than they are currently getting. They see their Dad stuck in the past, not letting go, not trusting them to make major decisions or take over anytime soon. They are tired of working lots of hours, getting jobs nobody else wants, not participating in profit sharing and not seeing immediate or long term rewards for their efforts and contributions. They are frustrated reaching for the carrot that doesn't ever seem to be available.

Before sons or daughters are given ownership, they must answer these questions: • •

How do you contribute to the bottom-line? Do you bring in new customers and business opportunities? Are you an expert in managing and leading a company? Do you understand ﬁnancials and accounting procedures? Do you understand risk, banking, bonding and insurance? Do you understand legal contracts and commitments? What ﬁnancial strength do you bring to the table? How much are you willing to pay for stock or ownership? Are you willing to lose everything if the company goes broke? Why do you have the right to tell your Dad what to do? Why should he have to listen to your ideas? Why do you deserve to be an owner in your Dad's business? Why should Dad give you more than his key employees?

• • • • • • • • • • •

Continued on page 57

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Continued from page 56

My three sons!

Commit or say good-bye! Before sons or daughters should be considered for ownership of any company, they must earn their position of leadership and contribute to both the bottom and top line. If earned, the Dad must be then willing to sit down with his son or daughter and tell them the straight truth about his ownership transition plan. Often the Dad strings his kids along by never making a decision when or if the transition will take place, how the ownership will be earned or distributed and when the Dad will step back and retire. These unclear plans and unstated promises cause the son or daughter to get frustrated and unhappy. The Dad must take responsibility and write out his plans and review them with his son or daughter early in their careers. If this doesn't happen, they will finally confront their Dad and can cause the family to split. My recommendation for sons or daughters who don't clearly understand Dad's transition plan is to ask for one. If they don't get satisfactory answers, amounts and dates, start looking for new jobs. I have heard too many stories of sons waiting for their Dads to give them the company only to find out it won't happen for twenty or thirty more years.

Three brothers in their forties ran and managed their Dad's plumbing company. The three sons do everything including sales, customers service, operations and management. As Dad got up into his seventies, he still hadn't offered profit sharing or ownership to the boys and pays them less than they could get with other companies. Dad uses the old line "hang in there and eventually you'll get it all." The Dad only comes in one or two times a week to approve major decisions the boys need to make. The Mom continues to come in on Thursdays to pay the bills and sign the checks. Dad also pays himself a six figure salary, has three company owned vehicles and takes lots of company expensed trips. This causes the company to struggle and be tight on cash-flow which doesn't leave much for business growth. The three sons know they're in a bad deal but don't want to upset the family. Eventually, the youngest son quits and starts a competing plumbing company. He becomes very successful on his own and makes four times the money the remaining boys make working for their Dad. Now the problem worsens as the Dad promises the remaining two sons he will think about some new financial arrangement if they continue to run his company. So they keep working without additional compensation, stock or ownership. What should the boys do? Is it time to fire the Dad and quit working under a promise they might get some more money some day? Continued on page 58

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Continued from page 57 People don't change! People don't change unless they want to change. You can't change people unless they see the need to change. The Dad in these stories doesn't have any reason to change, let go or give his boys profit sharing or ownership. Sons or daughters who want more, won't get it until they confront their Dad, communicate exactly what they want and tell him the consequences if they don't get it. For them to get Dad to change and offer ownership, more accountability and additional responsibility, they must lay out a positive plan for their increased role in the company. Then they can hope Dad agrees. If Dad won't agree or doesn't want to change, they must be willing and ready to quit working for the family business and get on with their lives. Should I work for my Dad?

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A high school senior wants to work for his Dad's construction company some day. He can't decide if he should go to college or start working right out of high school. He is leaning towards starting work without college. His Dad says he could use him out on the jobsite now. Plus, he argues, a college degree is expensive and won't really matter if he works in the family business. Continued on page 59

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Continued from page 58 Why would a young high school son or daughter want to start working immediately for their Dad after graduation? To me, going to work for Dad is the easy way to go instead of doing what's best for his son or daughter. By going to work for his Dad, the son won't have to take any employment risks, won't have to experience the challenges of college or worry about finding a job in the future. And the son thinks he might get to run his Dad's company some day. But does the son have any assurance the company will fulfill his dreams and promises? Will the company still be around when his Dad finally turns it over to him fifty years later? Will not having a college degree hurt him in the future? What if the son doesn't like construction and wants to change his career path? Why do dads hire their children too early? • • • • • •

ey are easy to hire. It eliminates interviews and looking for qualiﬁed employees. Untrained sons will do things Dad's way without questions. Employees make demands, must be respected and treated fairly. Sons can be asked to work lots of hours without compensation. Sons don't have the right to complain or make demands on parents.

•

Sons can be asked to do anything for the good of the business • Sons can be trusted even if they're not qualiﬁed. • Sons can be paid less than they're worth. • Sons will keep working without ownership or proﬁt sharing forever. • Sons won't ask for too much money as long as Dad acts poor. What should my boy do? My advice to sons and daughters of construction company owners is to go to college and get a degree in what they feel is best for their future. If construction is their career path, get a degree in construction management or civil engineering. After graduation, go to work for a major construction company that has an intern training program for college engineering graduates. Learn as much as you can from the professional company, their managers and systems. Work hard and get promoted to Project Manager, Superintendent or Estimator. Practice and perfect your newly acquired skills and grow into a valuable management team player and contribute to the bottom-line in a major way. When you become a success on your own, you're ready to apply for a leadership position at your Dad's company. But only accept an offer under your terms with a written agreement Continued on page 60

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Continued from page 59 about your responsibility, stock ownership and profit sharing will occur in the future. Be ready to work harder than anyone else in the company. Expect no special favors and earn your pay like a professional. Get promoted to stockholder and help the company grow to the next level as your Dad backs off and let's go. When a son or daughter works for their Dad's company, they should always ask themselves if they could do better, make more money, have more fun or get ahead faster at another company. They should never postpone their future waiting for Dads to potentially give them a piece of the company someday. Fathers and sons should discuss, agree on and put the following into writing: • • • • • • •

Stock ownership transition plan Buyout options Compensation packages Management accountability transition Chain of command & authority Joint review of ﬁnancials monthly Participation in major decisions Sons and daughters, if your Dad isn't willing to be open and honest with you about the future of his company, ownership, transition and compensation; you have no choice but to fire him by quitting. Aren't family businesses fun?

George Hedley owns Hedley Construction and Hardhat Presentations. He is the author of the "The Business Success Blueprint Series" now available in 8-workbook & audio CD sets. E-mail him to receive a free copy of his book entitled "Everything Contractors Know About Making A Profit", signup for his free management e-newsletter, visit his online bookstore, or receive more information. Call 800-851-8553, visit his website at www.hardhatpresentations.com or e-mail George at gh@hardhatpresentations.com. George Hedley owns a $75 million construction and development company and Hardhat Presentations. He speaks to companies on building profitable businesses, leadership, and loyal customers. He holds 3-day in-depth "Profit-Builder Circles" open to construction company owners in an interactive roundtable format every 3 months. His "Profit-Builder System" includes proven tools to always make a profit, build equity, create wealth, win profitable jobs, motivate your people, and enjoy the benefits of owning a profitable company.

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Submit Nominations for MNLA Board Now usiness members of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association who are interested in serving on the MNLA Board of Directors should request a "Nomination Commitment Form" from the MNLA office. The signed form, along with a biography and photo, must be submitted to the MNLA office by September 30 to be considered by the MNLA Nominating Committee. Board and officer elections are conducted in December. Results are announced at the MNLA Annual Meeting on January 9, 2013 during the Northern Green Expo.

To be considered by the Nominating Committee, a member must: (1) Be an owner or employee of a business that has been an MNLA member for at least eight years immediately preceding the election; (2) Have business member status and have paid appropriate dues; (3) Have a history of service to MNLA, which is defined as having successfully served in a leadership

role in MNLA (i.e. committee service); (4) Persons nominating themselves, or being nominated by someone other than a member of the Nominating Committee, shall provide at least three written references from MNLA business members in good standing with not greater than one of the three references originating from a current Board member. Valid write-in candidates must meet requirements #1 and #2. The nine-member Board of Directors is the governing body of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association. Five at-large members are elected for two-year terms. Officers (president, vice president and secretarytreasurer) serve for one year, but most often run for a second term. The Board sets general association policy and oversees the on-going operations of the association. For a detailed set of Board responsibilities and the Nomination Commitment Form, call MNLA Executive Director Bob Fitch at 651-633-4987 or, outside the metro, call toll-free 888-866-6652. q

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I JJanuary, MNLA In L willll bbe introducing LA d a redesigned Scoop. Our goal is to provide even greater value to you, the member, through this vital communication service. To do that, we need to know what your current needs are! We would like to gather your feedback on how you read The Scoop, which content you value most, and what you wish we would include. Please take five minutes and give us your opinions via a quick 5-question survey found here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ScoopFeedback. If you’d rather forward your comments via email, send those to jon@mnla.biz. WRITERS WANTED We’re also looking for members who love to write – members who want to share useful information, ideas, and innovations with their fellow members in the association’s monthly magazine. Write from the perspective of your industry segment (landscape install, garden center, grower, etc.); share knowledge on business management or human resources; or offer insights via our soon-to-premiere features “Ideas That Work” and “My Favorite Tool.” To offer your services and/or receive information on deadlines and other parameters, email susan@mnla.biz or call Sue Flynn or Jon Horsman at 651-633-4987.

Each poster includes many beautiful color photos of plant species found in the northern landscape. Thirteen titles of woody & herbaceous plants. Visit the MNLA.biz Store or call Sue at 651-633-4987.

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Keeping in Touch with Members

MEMBERSHIP | The Scoop

MNLA President Debbie Lonnee with Jeﬀ Farber, Greenwood Nursery of Tracy and Marshall.

Herman, Pauli and Paul Roerick, Central Landscape Supply, greeted Executive Director Bob Fitch in St. Cloud.

Randy Schmitz, Scenic Specialties, visited with Bob Fitch at Randy’s St. Joseph garden center and landscape ﬁrm.

Dennis Ullom, St. Croix Service, and Herman Roerick, Central Landscape Supply, at the Bailey Nurseries Expo.

Bob Fitch was welcomed to Fairview Gardens in Sauk Rapids by Christopher Day.

MNLA Associate Director Cassie Larson stopped at a job site to visit with Rob Johnson, The Paver Doctor of Plymouth

SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

MNLA Welcomes New Members! Berry Family of Nurseries of Ames, Iowa

Contour Concepts LLC of St. Paul, Minnesota

Copper Creek Landscaping of Nisswa, Minnesota

Ethical Landscape Consultants of Shakopee, Minnesota

Frenchtown Greenhouse of Withee, Wisconsin

Liberty Tire Recycling of Savage, Minnesota

Tom Tom Business of Concord, Massachusetts

www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Nominations Open for Todd Bachman Award

Nominations Open for 2013 Friend of the Environment Award The MNLA Friend of the Environment Award honors an MNLA-affiliated company or individual for outstanding environmental efforts, a personal commitment to environmental protection and enhancement, or demonstrated leadership on a specific environmental issue in their field of work. The application is now available online at www.MNLA.biz. Nominations are due in the MNLA office no later than October 1 and must be accompanied by a signed letter of support from the nominator. Support documentation and/or an essay are also encouraged. The MNLA Awards & Nominating Committee, made up of past MNLA presidents, selects a winner from among the nominees. If you have questions, please contact the MNLA office at 651-633-4987 or visit us online at www.MNLA.biz.

Nominations are now being accepted for the annual Todd Bachman Award for Innovation in Horticultural Business. Created by the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association and the MNLA Foundation to honor the legacy of the late Todd Bachman, the award annually recognizes a young individual whose innovation in private enterprise has positively influenced one or more horticulture and/or green industry businesses in the region. The award recipient will receive a plaque and will be recognized in trade and consumer publications. In addition, the MNLA Foundation will make a $1,000 cash award in the recipient’s name to his or her alma mater. Qualifications for Todd Bachman Award Owner or employee of a horticultural business in the north central region (MN, WI, IA, ND, SD). • Recipient of an associate’s or bachelor’s degree or greater in horticulture, business or related ﬁeld from an accredited institution of higher learning. • Demonstrated innovation in business, marketing, horticultural production, ﬂoral, or landscape practices For all details and nomination instructions, visit MNLA.biz. •

SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Impatiens Down-y but Not Out By Joe Bischoff, American Nursery & Landscape Association

STAFF DIRECTORY 651-633-4987

Order forms or links for many of the services listed below can be found at www.mnla.biz Companies endorsed by MNLA:

Executive Director Bob Fitch • bob@mnla.biz Associate Director Cassie Larson, CAE • cassie@mnla.biz Membership Director & Trade Show Manager Mary Dunn, CEM • mary@mnla.biz Communications Director Jon Horsman • jon@mnla.biz Executive Assistant Susan Flynn • susan@mnla.biz

Credit Card Processing (THE CREDIT CARD DR./ Better Business Solutions) 651-207-6867 877-272-0741 (Toll Free) dan@the CCDr.com www.TheCCDr.com Business Legal Services (Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC) 651-331-6500 Fuel Savings (Holiday Stationstores) 952-830-8889 Workers Compensation Insurance (The Builders Group) 651-203-6793

Staﬀ and Member Services

Accountant Norman Liston • norman@mnla.biz MNLA Foundation Program Director Jodi Larson • jodi@mnla.biz

Advertising & Sponsorship Sales Pierre Productions & Promotions 952-903-0505 Betsy Pierre, Advertising Manager, betsy@pierreproductions.com Erica Nelson, Advertising Sales, erica@pierreproductions.com Government Affairs Consultants Doug Carnival, Legislative Affairs Tim Power, Regulatory Affairs Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association 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

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www.MNLA.biz | SEPTEMBER 2012

Contact the MNLA office at mnla@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987 or toll-free 888-886-6652 for information on the following products or services.

Catalogs/Outdoor Living publication series Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge Fleet Program Educational Programs/MNLA Academy Employee Recruiting/ On-Line Job Board Garden Center Plant Posters Garden Center Carryout Trays Northern Green Expo Trade Show Booths MNLA Certified Professional manuals, exam Sales Tax Rules / Nursery-GreenhouseLandscape (www.MNLA.biz.) Spanish Pocket Reference Guide

oncern surrounding Impatiens Downy Mildew (IDM) was palpable at the OFA Short Course in mid-July. Conversations with greenhouse growers regarding current challenges, frequently turned to discussions regarding how cope with IDM. There were some important takeaways from those conversations and useful information that should be shared with customers if and when the topic of IDM comes up. 1. Despite the broad brush the name “Impatiens Downy Mildew” suggests, of the cultivated species, only Impatiens walleriana (the common garden species) and its hybrid varieties are susceptible. 2. New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) is resistant and, if necessary, can be used in rotation with susceptible impatiens in planting beds. Without a susceptible host the pathogen will eventually die oﬀ in the planting bed and I. walleriana can be safely planted again. 3. e disease can be recognized pretty easily and if acted upon quickly, the overwintering capacity of the pathogen can be signiﬁcantly limited. 4. Michigan State University and Cornell University, in collaboration with plant pathologists in industry, have developed fungicide protocols to be used in the prevention and management of Impatiens Downy Mildew. If left to its devices and under appropriate environmental conditions, Impatiens Downy Mildew can wipe out a bed of Impatiens walleriana with a vengeance, causing all leaves and flower petals to drop off. However, if you buy from a reputable grower, take some preventative measures, and are careful to watch out for the signs and symptoms of the disease there’s every reason to believe that the common garden impatiens will continue to be a mainstay of our landscapes. Additional resources are available at the American Floral Endowment (AFE).

The Scoop | PLANT OF THE MONTH

AMELANCHIER - SERVICEBERRY

melanchier - Serviceberry is an interesting native plant that can be used in a variety of settings. It can be grown as a large shrub or a small tree. Serviceberry grows best in moist, well drained soils. They will grow in full sun to partial shade. They are found growing in the wild in northern Minnesota.

"Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries"

The cultivar that seems to be most common in this area is Amelanchier x grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance'. Living

up to its name, the leaves turn bright red and orange in the fall. The dark to silver green foliage is mostly clean in the summer with some chance of powdery mildew. Small white flower clusters appear in the spring. These flowers produce fruit that matures to a purple color in late June, thus, an alternate common name for this species is Juneberry. The fruit is edible, sweet and tastes a little like a blueberry with larger seeds. The birds love this fruit and if you want to eat it or use it to make pies or jam, you have to be quick. Its bark is gray and mostly smooth. Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry is hardy to zone 3 and reaches 20 -25 feet tall with a spread of 15-20 feet. It is a fairly fast growing plant that does well in the shrub form. As a small tree, it can be slower to reach caliper. It is a more free-formed tree, so "Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries"

By Susan Jelks, Law's Nursery Inc.

Plant of the Month iit isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always perfectly ssided with a strong ccentral leader.

'Spring Flurry' SServiceberry is an Amelanchier laevis A ccultivar. This is a J. Frank Schmidt F iintroduction that is ggrown in the tree form. IIt has a strong central lleader and is more uniform in its growing u habit. Spring Flurry h llives up to its name with many small white m flowers that dominate the tree in the spring. Its fruit is also edible and the leaves turn orange in the fall. It has an upright oval shape and grows to 25 feet tall with a spread of 20 feet. There are other varieties of serviceberry available, but these are two that will be winners in your landscape. ________________________________ Susan Jelks can be reached at susan@lawsnursery.com

SEPTEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association 1813 Lexington Avenue North Roseville, MN 55113-0003

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