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

ADVERTISER INDEX

THE

From the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Landscape Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Trends Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 34 Research for the Real World. . . . . . . . . . 12 Sustainable Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 22 Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17 MNLA Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 MNLA Shoot out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21 Super Tuesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Northern Green Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-27 Commercial Flower Growers. . . . . . . . . 28 Word on the Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 MDA Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31-33 Business Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 New MNLA Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 MNLA Dig, Drive & Demo . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Plant of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

A Top Notch Equipment...................40 Aspen Equipment.............................4 Belgard Hardscapes - Northfield .....32 Bullis Insurance Agency..................19 Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ ProGreen Plus............................28 Casualty Assurance.........................34 Central Landscape Supply...............19 Cushman Motor Co. Inc ...................16 Gardenworld Inc.............................19 Great Northern Equipment Distributing, Inc.........................18 Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies ....................................33 Jeff Belzer Chevrolet.................19, 30 JRK Seed and Turf Supply .................9

Kraus-Anderson Insurance ..............38 Kubota Dealers ..............................42 Liberty Tire Recycling .....................35 Out Back Nursery ...........................29 Plaisted Companies........................13 RDO Integrated Controls .................37 Specialty Turf & Ag...........................5 Sterling Arbor LLC ............................9 Titan Machinery ..............................2 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc. ..................7, 20 Truck Utilities & Mfg. Co..................38 University of Minnesota Continuing Education ..................................36 Vermeer Sales & Service .................11 Ziegler CAT.......................................3

event calendar 9-11

NOVEMBER

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

8-10 TCI Expo 2012 The Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD www.expo2012.tcia.org

Pesticide Recertification

University of Minnesota , St Paul www.mnla.biz | 651-633-4987

DECEMBER

Northern Green Expo

22 NJ Plants - Professional Landscape & Nursery Trade Show Edison, New Jersey www.njplantshow.com |

25 MNLA Certification Exam Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park www.mnla.biz | 651-633-4987

2-4 MASWCD Annual Convention & Trade Show Double Tree Hotel, Bloomington, MN www.maswcd.org

JANUARY 8 Super Tuesday Best Management Practices for Minnesota Invasive Insects and Diseases Minneapolis Convention Center www.mnla.biz | 651-633-4987

8 Super Tuesday Permeable Paver Certificate Course

Sponsored by County Materials Corporation. Minneapolis Convention Center www.mnla.biz | 651-633-4987

8 Super Tuesday Landscape Irrigation Troubleshooting (PLT Relicensure)

January 2013 9th thru the 11th Minneapolis Convention Center

Sponsored by John Deere Landscapes and MTI Distributing, Inc. Minneapolis Convention Center www.mnla.biz | 651-633-4987

8 MNLA CEO Symposium Hyatt Regency Hotel, Minneapolis www.mnla.biz | 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 | NOVEMBER 2012

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The Scoop | FROM THE PRESIDENT

Explore New Worlds in Horticulture

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 612-237-1728 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 | NOVEMBER 2012

By Debbie Lonnee, Bailey Nurseries, Inc. ave you survived the 2012 season? Perhaps this late autumn, early winter you finally have time to catch up on trade magazines, including Debbie Lonnee The Scoop! I know I have a pile of them sitting on my desk. And while most ‘civilians’ think that most of us in the nursery and landscape industry have nothing to do all winter, most of us are busy with wrapping up the previous season and planning for the next.

It’s been an interesting and busy summer, and balancing a ‘real job,’ like I have here at Bailey Nurseries, along with being the president of the MNLA, has been a real challenge, especially with all the changes happening with our new strategic plan. I have had a busy travel summer, with trips to our farms in Oregon and Illinois, as well as trips to the Perennial Plant Association Symposium in Boston, and a trip to the ISU Congress in the Netherlands in August.

Jayne Roberts, Barb Dunsmore, Nico Rijnbeek, Mary Walters, Debbie Lonnee

Those of you who know me well know that I am a ‘plant geek’ at heart. Please indulge me in sharing just a few highlights of my trip to the Netherlands.

The ISU stands for International Stauden Union (Hardy Plant Union), which is essentially the European equivalent of the Perennial Plant Association. About 100 professional perennial growers met for an intense five day Congress which included a lot of touring of perennial nurseries, test gardens, botanical gardens, as well as a visit to the Floriade and the Plantarium, a new plant trade show. This Congress is a great way to learn about European growing techniques, new varieties and some incredible packaging and marketing techniques. There were some fantastic new varieties at the Plantarium show, including some new perennials that won gold medals that I think will work for us here in the United States. One gold medal winner was from my friend Nico Rijnbeek, from Rijnbeek and Sons, a large perennial nursery in Boskoop. Veronica longifolia ‘Charlotte’ is a variegated variety, with a crisp white edge to the leaf; full, branchy habit and pretty purplish blue flowers. I can’t wait Veronica Longifolia 'Charlotte' to get some plants in next spring and give this new variety a try here in Minnesota. I hope you have had some time to get out and explore new worlds in this wonderful world of horticulture that we work in, even if it is a bit difficult to balance with your own real job. I also hope you can catch up on all your reading this winter! q ________________________________ Debbie Lonnee can be reached at debbie.lonnee@baileynursery.com.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN | The Scoop

A Tale of Clients Begging to Give Companies Business By Nichole Koustrup, Linder's Landscaping Have you ever had to beg a business for their help? Called or emailed several times and never received a response? Felt as if you were a bother when you did speak with a person? During this past summer, I have met with many clients. Some clients looking for advice, some looking for design and some looking for help with an install. I greet them all with an open mind trying to help them with their landscaping needs. I try to be punctual, upbeat, open minded, professional, listen well, ask questions and give advice. Some conversations lead to bigger projects. Some stay focused on one area at a time. This being said, I have had several clients say, “I called company ‘X’ and never got a response” or “I shouldn’t have to chase them down to hand them my business.” In this economy, I find it hard to believe that businesses are not responding to potential sales. As I mentioned, this was not one conversation with one client, it has been several. Each and every time I have heard this, I was more amazed. Now these are not always contractors in the green industry, but I still find it interesting and disappointing.

As someone in a customer service based position, I try to treat people how I would like to be treated. Calling a business with a full voicemail box, having to call multiple times, never hearing back or being made to feel that you are a bother are all deterrents as a consumer. If these things happened to me, I would most likely not use the company. Some of the clients did end up working with the company, others didn’t. The ones who did also shared stories of not receiving returned calls, scheduling issues, and hiccups throughout the entire experience. Word of mouth is powerful for both positive and negative feedback. I know I am not the only person to whom the clients told their stories of poor customer service. I am guessing most of you reading this are like me and do what you can to treat every call as an important one. You also pride yourself and your businesses on customer service. As we close this season and head into winter, remember each call is an important one and don’t let your clients beg to give you their business. q _________________________________________________ Nicole Koustrup can be reached at nicholekoustrup@linders.com.

NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

The Scoop | TRENDS TEAM

How Will Big Trends Affect Local Green Industry? By Bob Fitch, MNLA Executive Director A recent report by Eric Platt, Matthew Boesler, and Max Nisen for Business Insider identified "The U.S. 20: Twenty Big Trends That Will Dominate America's Future." (See the story at www.lnkd.in/ZFkSEf.)

Members of the MNLA Trends Team were asked to comment on several of the trends. Trend #1: e End of the Big Box Retailer.

John Mickman, Mickman Brothers Inc.: "is is a very broad statement. A broad reply is that for broad swaths of products this statement is correct. Many, if not most of us, order online whenever John Mickman possible. e statistics presented bear that out. Clothing, electronics, sporting goods – items such as these are easier to purchase online for an educated consumer. ‘Time is of the essence’ and online shopping is a huge time saver. "However, there are also broad swaths of products that people will continue to shop for in big box stores. Fresh groceries and inexpensive sundries are a couple of examples. In addition, many fashion conscience people want to ‘shop’ the current trends enabling big boxes that have a website that complements their ‘brick & mortar’ shops will continue to prosper.

Brad Tabke, Ethical Landscape Consultants: "I think this is more like the end of the radio than the end of the local butcher. Big box retailers are learning how to customize to the new consumers and Brad Tabke become more personal in their interactions. Many have lost that ability and may leave us (Best Buy) while others who embrace service will make it."

Trend #12: e Housing Market Recovers.

Andy Petersen, Spectrum Sales: "First of all, these are not big trends - this is quantifying the obvious. e Big Box will morph, change and adapt. Assuming they are allowed to. I do not see a demise, Andy Petersen but an evolution."

Tabke: "We are seeing this in Shakopee right now with three new housing developments under way and very little room for people to build right now. is is good for our industry and as the new housing sector strengthens, so will the existing houses who want to sell. Another help is that apartment vacancy is so low in the Twin Cities right now,

www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

"All this said, online shopping will certainly continue to grow. is is a boon to shipping companies such as UPS and FedEx, and even smaller, regional transportation ﬁrms such as SpeeDee Shipping will continue to grow and prosper."

many homes that couldn't sell are off the market and being rented out." Petersen: "is ties several points together. ere will be no drastic improvement until we get our private and public debt in order. Student loan debt is terrible and is now virtually totally controlled by the federal government. is is the worst kind of debt because you can never get out from under it. It follows you forever until you pay it off. is ties up available credit to buy houses, not to mention cars and other consumables. Mickman: "I believe this assessment is correct. However, the recovery is fragile. As interest rates rise, the market will slow down again. I do not believe the market will ever again return to the hyper-inflated levels of the mid-2000’s; much of this was driven by the gross deregulation of the mortgage industry, a huge contributor to the Great Recession from which we are still recovering. "e second factor which will inhibit growth are the multiple affects of the aging of our population as well as the downsizing of family sizes and the impact the recession has had on income levels and balance sheets of the middle class. e effects of each of these three things will be long lasting." Trend #17: American Cities as Economic Juggernauts. Tabke: "As long as the state and federal government keep fighting and not moving forward, local governments and regions will fill the leadership void and the Twin Cities are really Continued on page 11

Continued from page 10 well-positioned for this change." Petersen: "Really? Not until they rid themselves of their progressive / liberal leaders and create a business friendly tax and regulatory environment. I give you California and Detroit as examples. How much tax money did Washington throw at Detroit alone? What do we have? A city that would be the proud capitol of any third world country. "If a government were put in charge of the Sahara Desert, within ďŹ ve years they'd have a shortage of sand." (Milton Friedman) î &#x201C;e federal government is involved in every aspect of our lives. Why do we think things are going to drastically improve?"

NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

The Scoop | RESEARCH

Emerald Ash Borer: Another Damaging and Costly Introduced Pest By Dr. James Calkins, Research Information Director, MNLA Foundation lthough the public may not recognize it yet, Dr. James Calkins Minnesota is unfortunately at the cusp of what will likely be a serious battle with another introduced pest – Emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis). All three species of ash (Fraxinus spp.) native to Minnesota are susceptible to this destructive pest and the impacts will be significant and widespread. No community or part of the state is likely to escape the impacts of this Asian, phloem-feeding beetle and the same is true for the nursery and landscape industry which has already suffered as the demand for ash trees evaporates, but also has the potential to benefit from increased demand for trees to replace lost ash trees. How the economics will ultimately balance out from an industry perspective is unknown, but, without a doubt, the costs to individuals, communities, and the state will be large.

While the loss of trees in developed areas, for whatever reason, might be viewed as an opportunity to increase sales and revenue, few would probably argue that the loss of trees, especially larger, established trees that make a statement and have greater value, is a net benefit. Research that helps quantify these relationships and costs can be of value as a wake-up call and may help in the development of policies designed to prevent new introductions of destructive pests and better manage the management strategies and costs associated with existing threats. A paper by researchers from the University of Nevada, the U.S. Forest Service, and Michigan State University provides perspective and 12

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valuable information in this regard specific to the EAB infestation we are facing today. Significant points/findings: • e paper begins by briefly summarizing the history of EAB in the United States and Canada at the time of the study; EAB was first discovered near Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, in 2002 and was confirmed in 10 states and two Canadian provinces by 2009; as of 2007, it was estimated that over 53 million ash trees had been killed in Michigan and the adjacent states of Ohio and Indiana. • Emerald ash borer has the potential to expand its range and kill ash trees across the contiguous United States where ash has been extensively planted in urban and suburban areas and is often present in large numbers in native plant communities. • Adult females lay eggs on the bark of ash trees 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter and larger; the larvae feed on phloem and cambial tissues and ultimately girdle and kill infested trees in 3-4 years. • New infestations typically aren’t discovered until significant damage has already been done and adults have dispersed to other trees in nearby areas; movement to new areas is relatively slow if other ash trees are around, but longer distance movement is possible as adults search for ash trees and when humans move infested ash materials like trees and firewood. • e primary goal of the research was to quantify the costs associated with the management of EAB in

•

developed communities over a 10year period based on fairly complicated and detailed modeling of the spread of EAB and estimates of the cost of preventive treatments and the removal and replacement of infested ash trees. e research predicts that EAB will spread across 25 states by 2019; essentially the entire northeastern quadrant of the United States from Maine to Minnesota and south to Arkansas and South Carolina. Based on estimated ash tree populations in developed areas within the projected boundaries of the EAB infestation by the year 2019, it is estimated that 38 million ash trees within established communities are at risk and that more than 17 million trees (47%) will require treatment or removal and replacement at an estimated cost of $10.7 billion. When developed areas outside deﬁned communities are included, the estimated number of trees at risk increases three-fold to 125 million trees, the number of trees treated, removed, and replaced nearly doubles (just under 33 million trees), and the cost of management increases to $18.5 billion; the authors also point out that if all 38 million ash trees in developed communities were removed and replaced at one time, the estimated Continued on page 13

Continued from page 12

Jim Calkins

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cost would be $25 billion. Minnesota is one of the states within the study area and data speciﬁc to Minnesota and neighboring states is reported in the study; an estimated 1.8 million ash trees are at risk in developed areas in Minnesota and another 2.2 million trees in developed areas are at risk in Iowa and Wisconsin; of these trees it is estimated that 583,000 trees will be treated or removed and replaced in Minnesota by 2019 at a projected cost of $260 million and 1.6 million trees will be impacted at a cost of $887 million in Iowa and Wisconsin; when developed areas outside deﬁned communities are included, these numbers increase to over 12 million trees at risk and 3.6 million trees that will

•

likely require treatment or be removed and replaced at a cost of $1.9 billion. ese estimates do not account for the trees lost and the management costs associated with EAB prior to the start of the study and only address impacts in developed areas. e researchers believe the high cost of doing nothing to address the spread of EAB justiﬁes investments

to slow the spread of EAB and delay the costs associated with preventive treatments and the removal and replacement of ash trees killed by EAB. It is important to note that the modeling and analysis involved in this research only addresses the costs associated with the treatment, removal, and replacement of infected trees during a 10-year period and only those trees in developed areas that are likely to be m managed. The numbers of t trees lost and management c costs would continue to mount i future years and the value of in t aesthetic and ecological the b benefits of trees which is also lost, l but is even harder to quantify, are not addressed. q The T impact to native plant communities in non-developed c a areas also isn’t addressed. This i a criticism of the present isn’t r research; it is simply a Continued on page 38

NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

The Scoop | SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

Be a Part of the Theater of Nature By Heidi Heiland, Heidi's Lifestyle Gardens n August, my husband and I took a journey to The Netherlands on a trip organized by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and lead by Director Emeritus Peter Olin. Amongst other destinations, of primary interest to the 24 attendees, was The Floriade, a horticultural world expo that occurs only every 10 years. I didn’t make it when I

was 40 and heck if I was going to wait until I was 60! Floriade 2012 was in Venlo, which is one of five greenports in the Netherlands. These are areas where all of the links in the horticultural chain are clustered together so that organizations and companies can support each other and work together. Floriade 2012’s central theme was: Be a part of the theater of nature, get closer to the quality of life!

www.MNLA.biz www MNLA biz i | NOVEMBER 2012 iz

The 160 acre park was created for enjoying, expanding and empowering this season and then will become a green office park complete with solar panels (some floating in the water), grey water used to its fullest, trees adopted by companies or individuals, office gardens (imagine holding an outdoor meeting in a cutting edge landscape), bike paths and w water features. The F Floriade 2012 had five ccentral theme areas to explore: E Environment, Green Engine, R Relax & Heal, Education & IInnovation plus World Stage. The architects and landscape aarchitects masterfully designed ssustainable gardenscapes, all the while maintaining the natural w ccontours of the land and kkeeping the forest virtually untouched. They used the u ‘‘Cradle to Cradle’ philosophy of American architect, William McDonough and German chemist, Michael Braungart. The main principal of this philosophy is that materials, after they have been used in one product, can be utilized as the raw materials for another product. This can be done without any loss of quality or negative consequences for ffuture generations. ‘‘Cradle to Cradle’ has tthree basic rules: w waste is food, the sun is a ssource of energy and there must bbe respect for diversity. The V Venlo region is the first region i the world to use this in p philosophy in urban planning. O small example of this was One t they designed gullies under that t boardwalk in specific areas the o the coniferous woods in the of

hopes of fi ffinding nding the protected red wood ant. Resident mammals, denizens of birds and even frogs are embraced as parts of the experience. The trees and plants themselves had the theme of pioneers; plants that can grow and survive in the tiniest crack in the pavement, plants that can grow alongside others, plants that can colonize wasteland… and suddenly burst into a mass of blooms. The Floriade is open from April to October and focus was given to Dutch bulbs, certainly tulips

d daffodils d ff f dil in i the h early l season and d in i and August, we enjoyed many dahlias, calla, canna, lilies as well as regional perennial and annual combinations. Edibles were prominent throughout, in mass borders of asparagus, in hydroponics and interiorscapes, in edible green walls, in 1 gallon finished product of herbs, and in Continued on page 36

CEO Symposium January 8, 2013 Hyatt Regency Hotel, Minneapolis

Great Ideas Aren't Enough Selling Ideas to an Indifferent World Inside Organizations To sell new practices up and down the internal pyramid at your company or corporation, you need to motivate others to change, and to market your ideas to a complex and often indifferent clientele. This fast-paced talk offers a proven framework that separates company departments into four types based on their values, then gives a concise explanation of how to best interact with each type. This session then reviews proven marketing techniques that apply, and teaches an executive sales practice that is effective at selling concepts to your co -workers and employees.

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credible is the development of a strong, positive personal brand. Who are your clients? Recognize that individuals and departments have differing styles and cultures, and therefore will better respond to different messages. Define their style. Based on your need for information and desire for a personal relationship, a four quadrant model is built that explains the best way to sell an idea to the different groups. Adjust your message to their style. Learn concise, practical skills that work with each population.

Key points in this presentation: •

•

It is getting tougher to sell ideas. All audiences have higher standards and shorter attention spans, and are becoming very selective about the messages they will "hear.” A quick review of basic motivational theories provides the learning foundation. To break through the barriers, we review the theories behind personal motivation. Consciously branding yourself is vital. The ﬁrst point in getting others to see you as

Karl Ahlrichs is a national expert in the people side of business. He is first and foremost a human resource consultant, but also has a broad range of experience in a wide range of business roles. He has trained management in Chicago, marketed software in Orlando, and launched an office of Right Management Consultants in San Diego. Karl is an SPHR (Senior Professional, Human Resources), and is qualified to administer many assessment tools.

Schedule of Events 4:00pm-4:45pm: Networking Reception 4:45pm-5:45pm: Presentation by Karl Ahlrichs 5:45pm-6:30pm: Q & A and Networking Time 7:00pm: Dinner

The Scoop | CERTIFICATION

Who is Tending to Your Garden? By Tom Haugo, Bachman's Inc.

prepare for the exam.

tudying and learning as one prepares for the MNLA Certification test is a journey. I recommend you find a Certified Professional to become your Tom Haugo mentor. Passing the MNLA Certification test requires effort, patience, and persistence. The recommended approach is to read the entire Certification manual. Highlight the portions that need your additional studying. Then read those portions again. Use the learning objectives for each chapter to create questions with answers from that chapter. If you understand the learning objectives, you will be on the road to success as you

The plant ID portion will require you to review all of the plant pictures on the MNLA plant ID CD. The exam will have photos from the plant CD and live plants (perennials, evergreens, shrubs, and trees). Work with a certified professional to ID plants around your home or office. This is more difficult, but it will help you learn plant material in both the growing season and in dormancy.

Be sure and review the learning objectives for each chapter. They are available on the MNLA Certification web site www.mnla.biz. These objectives will assist you as you read and prepare/study each chapter. I suggest you understand the learning objectives and look for them as you read each chapter.

The MNLA Certification Committee will conduct Certified Professional training at the Northern Green Expo January 11, 2013. We recommend you attend this training as you prepare for the next MNLA Certification Exam.

"Creating a positive learning environment with few discipline problems is a goal of any teacher. We all want to give our young learners the best opportunity to succeed, but sometimes we forget that building this type of environment, much like tending to a garden, takes planning, effort, consistency and a fair amount of time and patience. Any missed step can lead to a reactive environment, or a garden full of weeds." Eric Kane The plant material for the identification portion of the training will be available during the Expo. One will find the study materials on the trade show floor back right corner on Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday the plant material will be moved to the back of room 103 BCD.

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www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

The next Certification Exam will be held at Hennepin Technical College on Friday, January 25. The exam will be four hours in length. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the exam starts at 8:30 a.m. and runs to 12:30 p.m. At 2:30 p.m. the results will be available for review. Another Certification exam will be held on March 15 at Dakota County Technical College. MNLA Certification information is available at www.MNLA.biz q ________________________________ Tom Haugo can be reached at THaugo@bachmans.com.

CERTIFICATION | The Scoop

Magic from the Manual: Occupational Health and Safety By Ed Plaster, MNLA CP hapter 7.0 of the MNLA Certified Professional manual reviews some occupational health and safety issues as well as relevant regulations. Ed Plaster Your author (me, that is, a retired college instructor) leads teams that review certified college landscape programs for the Professional Landcare Network. One recommendation or requirement that appears in almost all our reports is that the program review their safety instruction and safety in their facilities. For good professional, legal, financial, and yes, moral reasons, both the MNLA and PLANET stress workplace health and safety.

While I strongly urge you to study the entire chapter, here is an excerpt for you to review. At the end you will find five review questions of the sort that might appear on the certification test.

required to prevent employees from exposure to moving machine parts that could cause entanglement, disfigurement or amputation. The Guarding Standard requires employers to maintain proper guards on farm field equipment including tractors, implements, and similar vehicles, and farmstead equipment which includes stationary equipment such as soil mixers and potting machines, as well as homemade equipment. Areas to be guarded include power take-off (PTO) shafts, pulleys, chains, sprockets and similar hazards. Employers are also required to disconnect the power source during servicing to prevent accidents. This standard requires agricultural vehicles to carry a slow-moving vehicle emblem. In most states this means any equipment that travels on public roads at less than 25 mph must have a prominently displayed SMV emblem.

Despite the existence of the above six specific Agricultural Standards, the most prevalent citation in the green industry is for a The ROPS Standard CERTIFIED violation of the General requires agricultural tractors Professional Duty Clause in the manufactured after October standards because of the 25, 1976, to have a widely varying work conditions, and the structure, such as a roll bar or protective make-shift equipment often found in the case, to prevent injury to the operator in green industry. The General Duty Clause the event of a rollover. The standard also requires all employers to identify and requires the tractor to have a seat belt address hazards found at their worksites that is used whenever the tractor is that may cause serious injury or death, operated. Low profile tractors used in even if no standard applies. Thus, one of greenhouses are exempt. Under this the best ways to avoid a general duty standard, employees must review a set of citation is to conduct and document a relatively straightforward operating thorough walk-around survey of all instructions when they are initially activities and equipment before the end assigned to drive the tractor, and at least of each year, and then develop a plan of once annually thereafter. action for addressing any deficiencies Growers, like other employers, are that are discovered.

Review Questions True/False 1. T F For convenience, it is usually acceptable to remove guards from power-takeoff shafts on equipment. 2. T F Only those specific hazards listed in OSHA or other regulations require action by an employer. 3. T F When servicing equipment, power sources must be disconnected first. 4. T F It would be wise for an employer to inspect all equipment for moving parts that could entangle an operator. Multiple Choice 5. Which of the following statements about operating a skid loader is false? a. e loader must have roll-over bars or a protective cage. b. Seat belts must be worn. c. Generally a slow moving vehicle emblem need not be displayed when on public roads. d. e employer must review operating instructions when an employee is newly assigned the task of operating the loader. e. Low profile tractors used in a greenhouse are exempt from many of the regulations about skid loader use Answers: (1) F, (2) F, (3) T, (4) T, (5) c ______________________________ Ed Plaster can be reached at edward.plaster@gmail.com.

NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

The Scoop | MNLA

Fitch Resigns as MNLA Executive Director ob Fitch has resigned as executive director of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association. He has purchased a business that specializes in working with non-profit organizations on issues such as board orientation and training, strategic planning and organizational policies (www.cain-consulting.com). Fitch will depart Bob Fitch MNLA in mid-December. Fitch joined MNLA in 1996 as its first full-time employee, following upon Jim and Gen McCarthy, whose management company, McCarthy Communications, previously filled the executive role. During his tenure, MNLA continued a remarkable run of growth and enhanced its position as one of the leading green industry organizations in the country. Since 2000, MNLA’s total number of members has typically ranked in the top five among state organizations, its budget has grown significantly, and its grassroots member involvement has thrived at the same time it has added professional association staff. On behalf of MNLA, Fitch served as president of the Minnesota Grown Promotion Group from 2000-2004; and as

www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

president of the Nursery & Landscape Association Executives of North America from 2005-2007. The work of the MNLA team received numerous awards from the Midwest Society of Association Executives for publications, marketing, membership and communications. In his letter of resignation, Fitch said, “Serving as the executive director of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association has been a phenomenal experience. I will always cherish the friendships I’ve enjoyed here with many volunteers, staff members, fellow association professionals and others.” His new company, Cain Consulting Group, serves associations, foundations and other non-profits across the United States and Canada. However, it is based in the small northwestern Iowa town of Hawarden, which is just 10 miles from Fitch’s birthplace in Hudson, S.D. “My family has had 20 great years in Minnesota. First Mankato and then the Twin Cities have been awesome places to live and work. But we’re really looking forward to being nearer to family.” His parents farm near Hudson and his wife’s parents live less than an hour away in Sioux Falls. Cassie Larson has been named the interim Executive Director. (See story on page 36)

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NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Green Industry

SHOOTOUT! Despite the somewhat daunting presence of morning storm clouds, over 70 green industry professionals gathered at the South St. Paul Rod & Gun Club for the 5th annual MNLA Shootout on September 19. e clouds quickly gave way to an absolutely perfect fall day as shooters enjoyed shooting games like the ﬂurry and the skeet walk, 50 rounds of sporting clays on a beautiful course, lunch, dinner and unlimited beverages. e setting and the group could not have been better, and together we raised over $6,000 for MNLA Foundation scholarships!

! T U O T SH OO

www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

Blue skies provided a nice backdrop for the shoot.

South St. Paul Rod & Gun Club Team: Take a good look at these pro’s faces….rumor has it that you may be able to hire a pro to add to your team next year (including their score)!

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! T U O T SH OO Featured Raﬄe Sponsored by Second Place: Tony Heilman, Network Fleet; John Richards, Orijin Stone, LLC; and Ryan Boomer, Patrick Anderson and Bill Kerker, Kerker, Inc.

Lunch

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BBryan Br ry Zlimen, Mike Edman (Zlimen & McGuiness) ry and Jesse Anderson (Gardenworld)

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NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Get Your CEU’s at Green Expo The Northern Green Expo will once again afford you the opportunity to maintain many common green industry certifications and licensures. If you’re looking to stay current, be sure to attend one of the following programs: 1. Increase your chances of passing the MNLA Certified Professional exam by attending a training program on Friday at Expo. Running from 7:30am – 10:30am and 1:00pm – 3:30pm, the hands-on, in-depth training will help prepare you for either the January or March 2013 exams. Be sure to read the manual ahead of time! 2. Need Aquatics Recertification (category F)? ere will once again be a 2 hour aquatics recertification program available on ursday from 2:00pm – 3:50pm. In addition to this course, you must also attend the pesticide applicator recertification track on Friday to obtain recertification credit. 3. As always, CEUs to maintain your pesticide applicator license will be available between 7:30am – 3:35pm on Friday. In addition to these opportunities, many programs during Expo will qualify for CEUs. Check with the governing body of your certification to determine criteria for CEU applicability. Some that may qualify include: • International Society of Arboriculture • ASLA-MN • Irrigation Association • MNLA-CP • MGCSA • MN Tree Inspector Recertification • National Concrete Masonry Association Visit www.NorthernGreenExpo.org to learn more! 26

www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

Job Boards at the 2013 Northern Green Expo • • • •

•

Guidelines for posting positions on the Job Boards at Expo ere is no official form for job postings. Bring your own job posting (no larger than a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper) to place on the boards any time after 7 am on Wednesday, January 9th. e Jobs Boards are located in the Hall E Lobby. Please list only one job description per posting to ensure that your posting can be put under the correct category heading. Expo staff will place empty acrylic holders on the boards along with category headings at the beginning of the show. Feel free to bring several copies of the posting which will allow potential employees to take a copy of your posting with them for response after the Expo. Acrylic holders will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Once they are full, a single posting can be tacked up to the board, but multiple copies cannot be left. It is your responsibility to keep tabs on the job posting. If your copies run out, Expo staff will not be responsible for filling them. However, if you'd like to make additional copies, there is a Kinko's available onsite. Note: Please do not include confidential information that you might not, for any reason, want available to the general public. Book Your Hotel Rooms Now for Green Expo!

The hotel blocks at the Northern Green Expo hotels often sell out early, so don’t be left out in the cold. Book your hotel rooms now! e Hyatt Regency Hotel Minneapolis is the headquarters hotel and is connected by skyway to the Convention Center. The newly renovated Hyatt lobby features Prairie Kitchen and Bar and a deli-style market. Room Rate: $98. Reservation Phone: 1- 888-421-1442. e Hilton Minneapolis is connected via skyway to the Convention Center and features an indoor pool, fitness center, saune and whirlpool. It also hosts Skywater Cuisine and Cocktails. Room Rate: $98. Reservation Phone: 1-888933-5363. e Holiday Inn Express is just across the street from the Convention Center. The hotel features free continental breakfast as part of each room reservation! Room Rate: $85. Reserve your room by calling 1-800-870-0114 or online at www.hiexmpls.com (code: MNL).

Rebates range from $1,000 − $6,000 on your choice of Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler vehicles. Available to all MNLA members! Contact Mary at the MNLA oﬃce for more information 651-633-4987.

Please note: e Millennium Hotel will be CLOSED FOR REMODELING during this year’s Northern Green Expo. NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

The Scoop | COMMERCIAL FLOWER GROWERS

Review 2012 as you plan for 2013 By Jerod Fehrenbach, Twin Orchards Nursery nother season of planting is slowly coming to a close. It’s time to take stock in the past year and see where we can change things for the following season. For some of us, Jerod Fehrenbach it’s a given that we will sit down and talk it over with our co-workers and find out what worked and what didn’t. For some, it doesn’t seem to be as important. Self critiquing your own work and business is possibly one of the best ways to improve your performance for the following season. This is important whether you are an owner, foreman, or general labor.

On the surface you will probably know where the greatest gains of the season were. They can be the addition of a great new account, a new product that has drawn in revenue, and maybe just as important as the rest, the addition of a new employee who improves the overall performance of the company. If you are really looking to fine tune your company, you have to really take a look under the hood and have your mind wrapped around every facet of where your income is coming from and going to. One of the best investments you can make as a business owner would be in a good quality software that tracks everything that

www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

comes in and out of your business. It takes a little bit of learning to get used to it and a lot of time to master all the charts, graphs, and timelines, but it enables even the smallest of businesses to understand on a financial level where their efforts are going and how they are doing overall. For our business it is extremely helpful in managing inventory and every cost input that you can imagine. Perhaps the biggest help in addition to this, is the ability to track itemized costs over a period of years, as many as you have entered in. This can help in the future to determine where maybe you need to work on either lowering costs as you see them rise in one category or perhaps raising prices if there are no other viable options. Don’t forget you have valuable resources in your employees as well. Their continued happiness with their career and employment with you is contingent on how the business is managed as a whole. Sit them down one on one and get their input on what may need to be worked on and why. After all, these people are often the only connection you have with some of your customers. They will often have some pretty useful insight into what the customers are asking for and where you may be lacking. Make sure they have the resources they need readily available to help them and also make sure they know what goals you have set for them and your expectations going into 2013.

Lastly, never neglect the final user of your product or service, the customer. If you aren’t out in the field yourself on a regular basis, make sure you take a personal interest in speaking to them and find out their thoughts on how you are doing. Sure you can mine data from the register and send out survey’s, but never ever underestimate talking to the customers one on one and, if possible, foster a long term relationship with them. They can see how your business changes over the years and may have some positive or negative insights into where you are heading. We are so wrapped up in what we do on a daily basis that an outside voice can be brutally honest when we need them to be. So take a look at your business from the macro side, your customers, all the way down to the micro minutia of long-term shipping cost. If you can truly practice this and not just think about it, you can gain that slight edge and maybe even more in a market that is very competitive. As the nights are getting colder and there are fewer and fewer green things out there, I am excited and very optimistic about a 2013 that promises to create its own unique challenges. I am already ready for the frost to leave the ground and to start potting for another season. q __________________________________ Jerod Fehrenbach can be reached at jfehren@aol.com.

MNLA Word on the Street – November 2012 Question: What were your biggest pest or disease problems in 2012 and how did you solve them? Keeping Japanese beetles under control and limiting their damage. Knowing which species they seem to prefer (Tilia, Roses, Birch, Sam Drahn et. al.) and spraying when the adults were detected helped. Targeting the grubs which typically overwinter in the turf helps reduce the population as well. -- Sam Drahn, Landscape Renovations

We have seen a lot of ﬂetcher scale showing up on our arbs in recent years. Using Safari 20SG in the past helped but in no way Tim Swaback eliminated the problem. is year we are seeing better results by spraying 1% Hort Oil. Timing the applications with the crawler emergence and thoroughly covering the plant is key. -- Tim Swaback, Bailey Nurseries, Inc.

e most frightening current tree health threat, in my view, is Bur oak blight (BOB). If there is a most valuable and ubiquitous shade, shelter and wildlifeMark Stennes supporting tree in Minnesota, it is arguably bur oak; and while there are promising treatments for especially valuable trees, the problem is far from solved. It is important to pay attention and absorb every new shread of information about BOB that comes around. ere is no functional equivalent to bur oak in the broader sum of Minnesota landscapes. – Mark Stennes, S&S Tree & Landscape Specialists

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MDA UPDATE | The Scoop

Nursery Inspection 2012 Summary Warm, Cold, Wet, Hot, Dry By Steven Shimek, Nursery Certification Program Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Agriculture eather dictates the plant pest pressure that nursery inspectors find during inspections. Historically, when the weather conditions are dry, plants are stressed and attractive to insects. These dry conditions are typically not suitable to disease development. Most plant disease organisms thrive in moist Steven Shimek conditions. Rainy weather favors disease development. The 2012 growing season started out with record warm temperatures - in March with eight days of temperatures exceeding 70 degrees followed by a hard freeze in April that killed many fruit blossoms. Many tree fruit crops were lost and many plants that were fooled into thinking it was spring began to grow earlier than normal and were damaged. Most ornamentals recovered but foliage may have been distorted or burned back. May brought record rain in most of the state with the exception of the northwest. This moisture provided ideal conditions for diseases to thrive. Plants already stressed by fluctuating temperatures were ideal hosts for diseases. July was the second warmest on record reaching 80 degrees or warmer on all 31 days. This led to moisture stress and leaf scorch. Very dry conditions followed through Photo from: MDA August in most of the state.

Due to the early warm temperatures, nursery stock began arriving in early to mid-April. Nursery sales and dealer inspections were in full swing by the end of April. Packaged stock was replaced quickly with container stock arriving earlier than normal. Retailers did a better job maintaining packaged stock though plants were found with significant growth and were removed from sale. Dealer inspections continued through June with many temporary sales sites remaining open well past the Memorial Day weekend. Plant hardiness labeling was found to be incorrect at a number of sites. MDA maintains a list of plants that have

commonly been found being offered for sale and are not cold hardy for Minnesota. The list has been developed over many years and has been regularly reviewed by the University of Minnesota and Minnesota Landscape Arboretum horticulturists. This list was sent to all Minnesota nursery stock dealers with more than one sales outlet in March to encourage selection of cold hardy stock and proper labeling. Some labels were ordered to be changed or removed. A few suppliers contacted MDA to question some of the content of the hardiness list. They were encouraged to provide credible independent hardiness information to support their claims. However no one provided any credible information. Beginning in 2013, stock offered for sale must have accurate cold hardiness labeling or must be labeled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Non Hardy.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Nursery certification numbers remained very consistent with a 2 percent drop in Nursery Stock Dealers from 2,140 in 2011 to 2,099 in 2012. Nursery Stock Grower certificates decreased just j 3 percent from 301 to 293 and a acres of nursery stock went from 5,985 to 5,963. Some f businesses reported an b improvement in plant sales and i many in the green industry m expressed a cautious optimism. e However, prices of trees are still H l relative to where they were in low 2 2007 and 2008. Some growers s scaled back planting nursery stock i favor of corn or soybeans. in M Many continued cutting back on r routine maintenance including p pruning, weed control and ssanitation of dead or nonm marketable stock in efforts to save Lirula Needle Blight money. In a few cases, inspectors determined sites too weedy to inspect. Certification of this stock was withheld pending weed control and request for re-inspection. Chest high weeds, tree spade holes and reduced removal of dead or dying stock make inspections dangerous and difficult. Dry conditions in mid and late summer forced some growers to irrigate which also took time and resources away from regular maintenance. Most notable plant pests found in the spring were foliar diseases such as Anthracnose sp. on maple and oak, Pseudomonas syringa on lilac and fire blight Erwinia amylovora Continued on page 32 NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Continued from page 31 Photo from: MDA

Flat Headed Apple Borer

Photo from: MDA

Japanese Beetle

Continued on page 33

www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

Continued from page 32 on apples, crabapples and other susceptible hosts. Powdery mildew, other leaf blights and black spot were also found severe enough to require treatment before sale. Among the most significant finds was Lirula needle blight, Lirula macrospora on ‘Black Hills’ and white spruce. This fungal foliar disease has not been found as often as Rhizosphera needlecast which is very common on spruce. This disease likely benefited from weather conditions as described above. Other pests found include Nectria canker, Nectria cinnabarina and honey locust borer Agrilus difficilis on Honeylocust. Linden with linden borer Saperda vestita. Clear wing oak borer Paranthrene simulans on oaks. Bronze birch borer Agrilus anxius, and flat headed apple borer, Chrysobothris femorata were also found throughout the state. Spruce gall midge Mayetiola piceae continued to cause damage to white spruce. This gall forming insect has been confused with Spruce gall adelgid, Adelges abietis which was also found on spruce. Some trees were found with both of these insects present. Although these gall makers do not seriously injure trees, they do affect the ornamental quality and require control before sale. Japanese beetle populations continued to grow in some areas. Damage appeared the worst in the east metro area. Defoliation of lindens, birch and grapevine were also reported in scattered pockets around the Twin Cities and in some outlying areas. A common theme was beetles were drawn to areas with turf that was intensively managed with fertilization and irrigation. Adult beetles seek out these areas to lay eggs. Larvae feed on turf roots as they develop. Some retailers and growers began treating stock to kill adult beetles and maintain plant appearance and quality. Inspectors were assigned to do phytosanitary growing field inspections to support the export certification program. These inspections of field crops are required for crops intended for export. Approximately seven weeks of staff time was spent on field inspections of corn, soybeans, sunflowers and small grains across Minnesota. Even though grower inspections were started earlier than normal due to weather, this additional inspection work set nursery inspection schedule back. Inspectors also issued Phytosanitary certificates (phyto’s) and conducted inspections for agronomic crops throughout the year. Inspections and related documents for seed shipments were constant beginning in fall, continuing through spring. In southern Minnesota, inspections were mainly in Renville, Watonwan, Le Sueur, Steele counties. Inspector Lola Youngblom logged 7,333 miles from October through March, with 98% of those miles being for phytos for seed. One lumber company, and a few nurseries also shipped in October through March. Phyto requests continued well into June, making scheduling very challenging. q _________________________________________________ Steven Shimek can be reached at steven.shimek@state.mn.us. NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

The Scoop | TRENDS TEAM

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www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

recent ruling by the Minnesota Supreme Court on the state's agricultural overtime exemption should have little effect on the state's nursery and greenhouse operations, according to several members of the MNLA Trends Team.

The Court off Appeals Th Minnesota Mi C A l recently ruled that all agricultural workers in the State of Minnesota that are paid an hourly rate are subject to the overtime pay requirements of the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act (MFLSA). Only salaried agricultural employees are exempt from the overtime pay requirements of the MFLSA. According to Patrick McGuiness, an attorney with Zlimen & McGuiness PLLC, "I don't think this case will have a very big impact on Minnesota nurseries for several Patrick McGuiness reasons. There are very few nurseries to my knowledge that have been taking advantage of the agricultural exemption. Most nurseries do not qualify for the exemption. "In order to even come close to qualifying, the workers must only partake in the production and propagation of plant material," said

McGuiness. Any work which is performed in support of retail operations (bringing plants to the sales floor/line, maintaining existing stock on retail space, etc.) immediately brings the worker outside of the agricultural exemption, he said. "Many Minnesota nurseries have retail operations attached, thus making it very hard for the employees to be separated and qualify for the exemption." Mike McNamara, Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscape, said, "Yes, we are a seasonal industry, and it is important to recognize that, but many of us are Mike McNamara successfully operating in this seasonal industry while paying everyone time and a half after 40 hours and I say that as both a contractor and a grower. I feel that paying overtime after 40 hours should be something our industry should embrace. Asking employees to work more than 40 hours in a week without compensating them for that premium will make it difficult to attract talented and skilled workers moving forward." John Mickman, Mickman Brother Inc., agreed with McNamara. "If company owners in the nursery and greenhouse industries John Mickman do not pay at least minimum wage and overtime, they may want to reexamine their business models. Ag employees should still be able to ‘make a living’ performing these worthwhile endeavors."

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT | The Scoop

Minnesota DUI Basics By Michael Edman, Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC ith the holiday season right around the corner, I’d like to take a moment to remind folks about the consequences that can come with drinking and driving. Each year, approximately 30,000 Minnesotans are charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. The legal limit for alcohol concentration in your blood Michael Edman in Minnesota is .08%. If you’re over that limit, you cannot legally operate any motor vehicle. This includes snowmobiles, boats and ATVs. You can be charged with a DUI even if you are not driving your car, but are merely in “physical control” of the vehicle, which can include sleeping it off in the back seat. If you have one too many drinks at a holiday party, I strongly urge you to find a ride home from a sober friend or call a cab.

If you do make a mistake and are arrested for driving under the influence, I strongly encourage you to contact an attorney. The consequences of a DUI offence can vary wildly, depending on the circumstances surrounding your operation of a vehicle and your criminal history. A first time offender, who has a blood alcohol concentration between .08% and .20% will likely be facing a misdemeanor 4th degree DUI charge which can be punishable by a 90 day license suspension, $1,000 fine, and up to 90 days in jail. If you have children in the car, are over .20%, or have one prior alcohol related driving offence in the past ten years, the charge can be “enhanced” to a 3rd degree gross misdemeanor, punishable by a license suspension of 1 year, up to a $3,000 fine, and up to 1 year in jail.

Most Scoop readers will know somebody who has been charged with a DUI. Many Scoop readers will have employees that have faced DUI charges and have had to deal with the issues surrounding license suspensions and work permits. Given the many factors that make each DUI unique, and given the potentially very serious legal consequences, it is important that you talk with an attorney to protect your rights. And above all else, this holiday season, please don’t drink and drive. This article provides general information on employment matters and should not be relied upon as legal advice. A qualified attorney must analyze all relevant facts and apply the applicable law to any matter before legal advice can be given. If you would like more information regarding DUI law or other legal matters, please contact Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC at 651-331-6500 or info@zmattorneys.com q _________________________________________________ Michael Edman is an attorney working with Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC. His law practice focuses on assisting business owners, their employees and family members with their criminal, family law, and litigation needs. He can be reached at medman@zmattorneys.com.

We all know the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when the red lights start flashing in your rearview mirror. You start asking yourself, “How fast was I going,” “Did I remember to pay my insurance,” or “I shouldn’t have had that last drink.” If an officer begins to question you about your alcohol consumption while standing next to your car, it is not a crime for you to refuse to answer his questions. If he asks you to walk on one foot, say the alphabet backward or blow into a handheld device called a preliminary breath test (or “PBT”) it is not a crime for you to refuse, though doing so will likely get you a ride to the police station where you will be asked to take an official blood, breath, or urine test. Failing to submit to those official tests is a crime under Minnesota’s Implied Consent Law and can have consequences equal to or worse than a DUI. You will be given a sheet of paper informing you of this fact if you decide to refuse to test. You should be given the opportunity to consult with an attorney at the police station and I strongly urge you to do so in order to protect your rights. NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

Continued from page 14 proper veggie beds that looked like anything but! Water was also an important element in the displays, whether in minimal use applications and capturing ideas, or in experiential opportunities of fountains, bubblers and misters. Chances to be IN the landscapes were often and awesome as well, from a barefoot path to exercise your feet and offer a Zen focus to grass chairs that begged to be sat on. It was apparent that the Europeans’ understanding of the garden as a healing tool is far more advanced to our typical American view. I am confident I am preaching to the choir of MNLA members who are kindred spirits to this much needed viewpoint. Here is to helping our bread basket of the Midwest embrace these principles and bring main stream landscapes that benefit the environment and its people while leaving a legacy for the next generation. Be a part of the theater of nature, get closer to the quality of life! q ___________________________________ Heidi Heiland can be reached at heidi@bloomonmn.com.

Larson Interim MNLA CEO NLA Associate Director Cassie Larson has been named as the interim executive director of MNLA, to serve between the time Bob Fitch departs (see story on page 18) and when the new executive begins, which should be no later than April 1.

Cassie Larson

Larson joined MNLA in 2004 as communications director, moved to become education and industry advancement director in 2008, and was promoted to associate director in 2011. She is a native of Faribault and a graduate of Gustavus Adophus College in St. Peter. Prior to joining MNLA, she worked for Marathon Multimedia and Accenture. She and her husband, Mark, have two daughters, Shelby and Sidney, and live in Vadnais Heights. “MNLA is fortunate to have a veteran professional staff and I know Cassie, Mary, Jon, Sue, Norm and Jodi will ensure smooth sailing during the transition,” said MNLA President Debbie Lonnee. 36

www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

NURSERY | The Scoop

Promoting Careers in the Green Industry here are diverse career choices within the green industry that offer tremendous opportunities. These professions are fulfilling and Vickie Pondell challenging. However, many times companies have issues with overcoming common misperceptions of our industry when recruiting new talent. This issue was further complicated in the spring of 2011, when Newsweek published that horticulture was the second most useless degree. The study ranked the majors by median starting salary-$35,000, median mid-career salary-$50,800, and the percentage change in number of jobs-1.74%. This has deterred many students (and parents) from finding employment in the green industry. The enrollment of horticulture majors at universities, who are a large percentage of our labor, is declining.

careers in the green industry. There also needs to be an emphasis on career development and promotion for our prospective associates in the form of scholarships, educational workshops and seminars, mentoring seasonal workers, and programs in schools that educate students as well as their parents about

opportunities in the green industry. In fact, the MNLA offers the program LandLovers. The website theLandLovers.org is a resource to inform high school students, as well as others, about the diverse career options in the green industry. In addition, the MNLA Foundation also provides materials to aid in classroom presentations.

Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nursery

Vickie Pondell, Bailey Nurseries, Inc.

As green industry professionals, we need to promote our careers and companies and attract new talent by presenting the image of our industry as a promising path for professional, satisfying, and challenging career choices. q ________________________________ Vickie Pondell can be reached at vickie.pondell@baileynursery.com.

One technique to attract new employees is to promote the valuable skills and knowledge needed for our positions. Areas of study that are consistently ranked as the most useful such as math, business, finance, environmental science, and languages are consistently utilized in the green industry. Most positions require supervisory skills, innovative thinking, mechanization, and decision making as well as technical plant knowledge. We need to educate the public that green industry careers are more than seasonal, manual labor jobs that only involve planting and harvesting. To advocate a professional image, we must endorse programs such as the MNLA Certification Program that promotes professionalism in green industry vocations. We also need to provide our potential future coworkers positive experiences and exposure to NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz 37 12:31 PM

Continued from page 13 recognition that the damage and costs associated with the introduction of EAB into the United States are much greater than the estimates included in this analysis. How do you put a price tag on the value of nature and native ecosystems that accurately reflects the value and importance of these resources and the services they provide to people and ecosystems? Specific to EAB, how do we put a value on the trees that have been and will continue to be lost relative to things like home values, reduced stormwater runoff and flooding, cleaner air and water, nutrient cycling, quality of life, and the provision of wildlife habitat? This is one of the reasons why the added benefits of trees are so difficult to quantify. Yet, unless we can find a way to quantify these benefits and the impact of their loss, it is unlikely that communities will take these benefits seriously from a policy and budgeting perspective. The research summarized

here is the kind of research that is needed to provide information that will be helpful in answering these questions and making these important decisions. Perhaps the most significant point in all of this is the reality that we haven’t learned the important lessons that should have been learned long ago and there is little evidence that this will change any time soon. This isn’t the first time a destructive pest has been introduced, and it unfortunately isn’t likely to be the last time either, and the financial and ecological costs continue to rise. And for all the talk about the increased diversity needed to help mitigate the effects of another introduced pest, achieving this goal remains a significant challenge. Research that attempts to quantify the value of trees and the financial and ecological costs associated with the damage caused by introduced pests can hopefully make the discussion less abstract and provide the foundation for a new paradigm. As highlighted by this research and other studies, these kinds of analyses are starting to show up (see the

i-Tree analysis for Milwaukee referenced below) and the nursery and landscape can play in important role in addressing the challenges posed by introduced threats to native and designed plant communities and ecosystems. For additional detail and information about this study on the cost of EAB damage, see the following selected references: Kovacs, K.F., R.G. Haight, D.G. McCullough, R.J. Mercador, N.W. Siegert, and A.M. Liebhold. 2010. Cost of Potential Emerald Ash Borer Damage in U.S. Communities, 2009-2019. Ecological Economics 69(3):569-578. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/ pii/S0921800909003681 (abstract only) i-Tree Ecosystem Analysis – Milwaukee: Urban Forest Effects and Values September 2008. http://www.itreetools.org/resources/reports/M ilwaukee%20Ecosystem%20Analysis.pdf To comment on this month’s update, suggest research topics of interest, or pass along a piece of research-based information that might be of interest to your industry colleagues, please email us at Research@MNLA.biz.

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www.MNLA.biz | NOVEMBER 2012

OFFICIAL NOTICE TO MEMBERS e 2013 Board of Directors election will be conducted via an electronic ballot again this year. e primary contact of record which each member has provided to MNLA will receive access to the ballot via a notice which will be emailed between December 1-5, 2012.

STAFF DIRECTORY 651-633-4987 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

If you have an email address on record with MNLA, but do not receive the ballot electronically by Dec. 5th, please contact MNLA Associate Director Cassie Larson at cassie@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987 or toll-free 888-886-6652. If your company does not have an email address on record at MNLA and you wish to vote in the election, please mail or fax a request for an oﬃcial ballot by Dec. 5, 2012, to: MNLA Election 1813 Lexington Ave N Roseville MN 55113 or fax 651-633-4986 or toll-free 888-266-4986. Results of the election will be announced at the MNLA Annual Membership Meeting to be held at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Executive Assistant Susan Flynn • susan@mnla.biz Accountant Norman Liston • norman@mnla.biz

MNLA Welcomes New Members!

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

www.MNLA.biz www.NorthernGreenExpo.org www.TheLandLovers.org

Garden Stories Apple Valley, MN

General Motors - Fleet and Commercial Blaine, MN

KMR Design Group Minneapolis, MN

Mutual of Omaha Bloomington, MN

Twin Cities Wrecker Sale St. Paul, MN

Twin City Lawn Maintenance Shoreview, MN

Editor’s Note An incorrect link was provided on page 18 of the October 2012 issue of e Scoop. While the author provided the link correctly, the formatting of the article broke the link in the online version. We will take steps to correct this type of error in the future. e correct link to EAB quarantine information at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture website is: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pestmanagement/eab/eabquarantine.aspx NOVEMBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

MNLA Dig, Drive and Demo anks to exhibitors and sponsors who participated in the MNLA Dig, Drive and Demo event on ursday, September 27, 2012. Izzo was the first place winner of the Dig, Drive and Demo Skid Steer Rodeo. In the early days of his landscaping career with Linder’s the crew used to refer to him as Ivan “Mad Man” Izzo when he got into a skid steer. He proved himself worthy of the nickname at this event!

One of the featured events at the Dig, Drive and Demo was a Skid Steer Rodeo. Congratulations to our winner Ivan Izzo of Linder’s Landscaping who received a $250 cash prize, a first place trophy and bragging rights!

•

First Place: Ivan Izzo, Linder’s Landscaping Time: 55.5 seconds Second Place: Joe Meyer, Prescription Landscape Time: 56.16 seconds ird Place: Lonnie Luce, Exmark Time: 58.9 seconds

The Scoop | PLANT OF THE MONTH

GEUM TRIFLORUM PRAIRIE SMOKE

Plant of the Month

By Cory J. Whitmer, MNLA- CP, The Mustard Seed Landscaping & GardenCenter eum triflorum commonly known as Prairie Smoke, Threeflowered Avens, or Old Man’s Whiskers is a prairie perennial native to Minnesota. Debbie Lonnee Though threatened in Michigan and New York, prairie smoke still has a wide range growing in the Northern United States and throughout Canada. If you want to add some color to your early spring this is a great low maintenance option for you.

The lleaves off G Geum triflorum are Th ifl if fl mostly basal with an occasional tuft on the flower stalk. These leaves form in rosettes that might rise up in a wet spring then lay flat as it dries out. The leaves are 6-8” long and as the plant grows it forms a nice semi-evergreen groundcover. In midMay Prairie Smoke produces masses of reddish-pink nodding flowers in clusters of three. Though these flowers appear to look like buds that have not yet

opened they are the mature flowers. f owers fl opened, These flowers form anywhere from 8”16” above the foliage. As the flowers turn to seed they begin to turn upright and grow hairs from the pistils. In masses these hairs resemble plumes of smoke or whiskers of an old man, hence two of the common names. These hairs are used for dispersal of the seed either by animals or caught by the wind.

Prairie Smoke prefers prefe f rs to grow in full fe f ll fu sun but will handle a little shade. It prefers to grow in a well drained sandy/loam soil and would also be the perfect choice for that dry hotspot in the planting bed. In their natural setting, they are usually found early in the spring in a dry prairie setting as one of the first green plants among the dried grasses. With the small stature of this plant, it w works well in the front of a flower bed. IIt combines well with other dry loving n natives such as Wild Flax, Yellow C Coneflower, Dotted Blazing Star, and B Blue Grama Grass. Whether you are into natives or not, tthis is an excellent choice. It is an unusual plant that will thrive in tough u llocations and make people take a second llook. So if you want something a little different, give Geum triflorum a try. You d will w love it is much as I do. _______________________________ C Whitmer can be reached at Cory c coryw@themustardseedinc.com. OCTOBER 2012 | www.MNLA.biz

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