Tips for Parting Ways with Employees
Also Inside
New Big Bluestem Cultivars
Member Profile Resistance is Futile Out & About
RETAINING BEATS RECRUITING Understanding motivation can help you hold on to your employees
Vol: 37 No: 11 Nov 2014 t h e o f f i c i a l p u b l i c at i o n o f t h e M i n n e s o ta N u r s e r y & L a n d s c a p e A s s o c i at i o n
CEO SYMPOSIUM: WHAT I WISH I KNEW…
LOW VOLTAGE IRRIGATION TROUBLESHOOTING (PLT RELICENSURE)
4:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Millennium Hotel Cost: $129 (includes a networking hour, dinner and presentation)
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Minneapolis Convention Center Cost: $129 for MNLA & MTGF members (includes lunch) Instructor: Andrew Lindquist This class provides a total of eight hours of continuing education credits for the Power Limited Technician license, with material orientated specifically towards the irrigation specialist. Lindquist will focus on the following topics: wiring, troubleshooting of the controller and circuits, wire location; and grounding. Take away greater knowledge of irrigation troubleshooting and get continuing education credits for your PLT license.
Sponsored by:
The MNLA CEO Symposium has become the “place to be” on Tuesday night. This is an opportunity for CEO-level members to connect and network. The evening includes a social hour, dinner, and a presentation. This year, in coordination with the MNLA 90th anniversary celebration, our presenters will be the veterans of this great industry. They will share what they wish they knew when they were first starting out, lessons learned, and ‘aha’ moments from their careers.
Join us for a full day of education prior to the Northern Green Expo. Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Register online at MNLA.biz! There will be NO onsite registration.
Please note that registration fees are separate from those for the Northern Green Expo.
THE FASTEST GROWING LANDSCAPING TREND: EDIBLES! 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Minneapolis Convention Center Cost: $119 for MNLA Members (includes lunch)
Landscape design, professional gardening services and garden center professionals should attend. This day will be all about food! Rosalind Creasy, pioneer in the field of edible landscaping, award-winning professional photographer, and author of the Complete Book of Edible Landscaping, will discuss beautiful edible plants for home gardens, provide an overview of the wide variety of edible landscapes, as well as the principles of landscape design particular to edibles. Emily Tepe, University of Minnesota fruit researcher and a former exhibit designer and mural artist, will discuss how to creatively incorporate edibles into containers and home landscapes. The day will end with a panel of experts discussing the hottest trends in fruit and vegetables on the horizon for 2015.
PRESENTED BY
MTGF will also present a fullday Super Tuesday education program on January 13, 2015. Please watch for details to come in your inbox, The Scoop, MTGF’s Clippings, and on www.MTGF.org!
Volume 37 No. 11 Nov 2014
T ED IN HE 60 N I
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contents 20
1960’s 34
62
IN THIS ISSUE 8
Events
Stickers.indd 5
10/13/2014 5:06:10 PM
10 From the Executive Director Just Thank You
38
15 Rewards Programs: Retaining Beats Recruiting How can you keep your best employees? Understanding what motivates them is the place to start.
20 Effectiveness of Permeable Pavers Jim Calkins examines how much maintenance is required to keep permeable pavement systems performing successfully.
34 Biggest Losers in a Changing Climate? Faith Appelquist predicts which tree species will survive long term in Minnesota.
38 New Big Bluestem Cultivars Mary Meyer’s landscape grass research continues to yield improved versions of these sustainable plants.
12 Member Profile B&B Hoffman Sod Farms 29 Noxious Weed Advisory Committee Comments on their recommendations are solicited from the MNLA community. 46 Summer Education Report A visual retrospective of MNLA’s summer educational offerings 50 Official Notice: MNLA Annual Meeting Take a look at the proposed changes to the bylaws and the amended and restated articles of incorporation. 58 Out & About Photos from visits with MNLA members 62 90th Anniversary Celebration Events
43 Tips for Parting Ways with Employees Patrick McGuiness lists four things that are helpful to know when employees quit.
56 Resistance is Futile Expo speaker Jody Shilan wants us to deal with this reality: there will always be “low ballers.” Landscape & Hardscape Install & Design Garden Services & Landscape Management Garden Centers Growers: Nursery & Greenhouse Irrigation & Water Management Arborists & Tree Services All
The Scoop, November 2014, Issue 11, is issued monthly, 12 times per year. All original works, articles or formats published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 2014, and may not be used without written permission of MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville, MN 55113. Subscription price is $99 for one year, which is included with member dues. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Scoop, MNLA, 1813 Lexington Ave N., Roseville, MN 55113. Editorial Contributions. You are invited to share your expertise and perspective. Article ideas and manuscripts should, whenever possible, reflect real and specific experiences. When submitting an article, please contact the publisher at jon@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987. MNLA reserves the right to edit all Scoop content.
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Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association Successful Businesses Grow Here! 1813 Lexington Ave. N. Roseville, MN 55113 651-633-4987 • Fax: 651-633-4986 Outside the metro area, toll free: 888-886-MNLA, Fax: 888-266-4986 www.MNLA.biz • www.NorthernGreenExpo.org
MNLA Mission: The mission of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is to help members grow successful businesses.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
heidi heiland, mnla-cp, president Heidi’s Lifestyle Gardens 612-366-7766 • heidi@BloomOnMN.com
herman roerick, vice-president
Central Landscape Supply 320-252-1601 • hermanr@centrallandscape.com
ad list
Volume 37 No. 11 Nov 2014
➾ sect i on title
A Top Notch Equipment .................................................................................. 24 Arborjet ............................................................................................................ 27 Aspen Equipment ............................................................................................ 19 Bullis Insurance Agency ................................................................................... 59 Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ProGreen Plus .................................................... 42 Central Landscape Supply ............................................................................... 41 Cushman Motor Co. Inc. .................................................................................. 18 Edney Distributing Co., Inc. ............................................................................ 57 Fury Motors ..................................................................................................... 37
scott frampton, secretary-treasurer
Landscape Renovations 651-769-0010 • sframpton@landscaperenovations.com
Gardenworld Inc. ............................................................................................. 59
debbie lonnee, mnla-cp, past president
GM Fleet and Commercial ................................................................................. 3
Bailey Nurseries, Inc. 651-768-3375 • debbie.lonnee@baileynursery.com
randy berg, mnla-cp
Berg’s Nursery, Landscape/Garden Center 507-433-2823 • rberg@smig.net
tim malooly, cid, clia, cic
Great Northern Equipment Distributing, Inc. ................................................... 42 Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies ....................................................... 40
Water in Motion 763-559-7771 • timm@watermotion.com
Jeff Belzer Chevrolet ................................................................................. 32–33
patrick mcguiness
Minnesota Propane Association ...................................................................... 19
Zlimen & McGuiness PLLC 651-331-6500 • pmcguiness@zmattorneys.com
mike mcnamara
Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscaping 651-437-9463 • mike.mcnamara@hoffmanandmcnamara.com
jeff pilla, mnla-cp
MTI Distributing, Inc. ....................................................................................... 59 Northern Family Farms ..................................................................................... 41
Bachman’s Inc. 612-861-7600 • jpilla@bachmans.com
Nuss Truck & Equipment ................................................................................. 42
cassie larson, cae
Out Back Nursery ............................................................................................. 51
MNLA Executive Director 651-633-4987 • cassie@mnla.biz
Staff Directory
Plaisted Companies ........................................................................................... 7
executive director:
RDO Equipment Co. ....................................................................................... 57
membership director & trade show manager:
Resultants for Business, Inc. (RFB) ................................................................... 18
communications director: Jon Horsman • jon@mnla.biz education/cert manager: Susan Flynn • susan@mnla.biz government affairs director: Tim Power • tim@mnla.biz administrative assistant: Jessica Pratt • jessica@mnla.biz accountant: Norman Liston • norman@mnla.biz mnla foundation program director:
Specialty Turf & Ag ............................................................................................. 4
Cassie Larson, CAE • cassie@mnla.biz Mary Dunn, CEM • mary@mnla.biz
Jodi Larson • jodi@mnla.biz • www.TheLandLovers.org
advertising sales: 952-934-2891 / 763-295-5420
6
Tri-State Bobcat, Inc. ................................................................................. 14, 45 Truck Utilities & Mfg. Co. ................................................................................. 59 Versa-Lok Midwest .......................................................................................... 28
Faith Jensen, Advertising Rep • faith@pierreproductions.com Betsy Pierre, Advertising Mgr • betsy@pierreproductions.com
Walters Gardens Inc. ....................................................................................... 11
legislative affairs consultant: Doug Carnival
Ziegler CAT ........................................................................................ Back Cover
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➾ calendar
MNLA Event
➾
NOV19
NOV21
LANDSCAPE AWARDS DEADLINE
Pesticide Recertification Workshop
5:00 pm MNLA Office 651-633-4987 MNLA.biz Entries in the 2015 MNLA Landscape Awards program will be accepted up until 5:00 p.m. on this day. Submitting companies in this program of recognition for installed landscapes must be MNLA members who offer design, installation, bid/build, design/build, or other landscape specialty to their clients.
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MNLA Event
jan13
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MNLA & MTGF Event
CEO Symposium: What I Wish I Knew…
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TIES Conference Center, St. Paul MNLA.biz This workshop meets the MDA Pesticide Applicator Recertification Requirements for categories A (Core) and E (Turf and Ornamentals). This is the last opportunity to recertify in 2014.
Millennium Hotel MNLA.biz The MNLA CEO Symposium has become the “place to be” on Tuesday night. This is an opportunity for CEOlevel members to connect and network. The evening includes drinks, dinner, and a presentation. This year, in coordination with the MNLA 90th anniversary celebration, our presenters are veterans of this great industry. They will share what they wish they knew when they were first starting out, lessons learned, and ‘aha’ moments from their careers.
jan 14–16 Northern Green Expo
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Minneapolis Convention Center Northerngreenexpo.org Attend the premier event for green industry professionals in the northern region. Exhibit Contracts are available.
Generously supported by:
2014 MNLA seminars generously supported by John Deere Landscapes
MNLA Event
jan13 JAN5 ➾
Restoring Minnesota Ecological Restoration Online Courses 612-624-3492 cce.umn.edu/restoringminnesota/ The Ecological Restoration Training Cooperative has developed five online courses that each focus on specific aspects of restoration practice.
Minneapolis Convention Center 651-633-4987 MNLA.biz This class taught by Andy Lindquist provides a total of eight hours of continuing education credits for the Power Limited technician license, with material orientated specifically towards the irrigation specialist. Lindquist will focus on the following topics: wiring, troubleshooting of the controller and circuits, wire location; and grounding. Take away greater knowledge of irrigation troubleshooting and get continuing education credits for your PLT license.
Generously supported by: Key:
MNLA Event
Low Voltage Irrigation Troubleshooting (PLT Relicensure) ➾ (pending DOLI approval)
jan13 ➾
The Fastest Growing Landscaping Trend: Edibles! Minneapolis Convention Center 651-633-4987 MNLA.biz This day is all about food! Rosalind Creasy, a garden and food writer, photographer, and landscape designer with a passion for beautiful vegetables and ecologically sensitive gardening will talk about edible landscaping and the new American garden. Emily Tepe, author of The Edible Landscape, will discuss how to incorporate edibles into containers. We’ll also hear about the hottest trends in fruits and vegetables from local experts.
Event Education ➾ ➾
All information on these and other industry events are online at MNLA.biz. Did you miss a webinar? ALL of our webinars are recorded and available for viewing afterwards. Login to MNLA.biz to learn more! november 14
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➾ from the executive d i rector
Just Thank You Life is moving at an outrageous pace, and as technology creeps into every aspect of our lives, it seems the pace accelerates even further. In the rush of moving from one item to the next on our never ending to do list, many of us have forgotten to stop, breathe, and say “thank you.”
Cassie Larson
MNLA Executive Director
i find myself saying to my two young children nearly every day when they receive something “and, what do you say?” as they dutifully recite “thaaannk youuuu” for the item or service. And, I remember my mom and dad teaching me the importance of this simple kindness at a very young age, as do many of you I’m sure. Yet, I read the other day that most surveys of the American workplace find that employees wish they were more appreciated. I believe a simple sincere “thank you” with a smile could go a long way toward making those employees or co-workers feel valued. And, what about your clients? The same holds true. They want to feel valued and wouldn’t a hand-written “thanks for your business” note go a long way? So, today, I would like to stop and say a sincere “THANK YOU.” • THANK YOU for being a member of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association. • THANK YOU for taking the time to volunteer for board, committee, and task team service.
• THANK YOU for attending educational events to increase your professional knowledge. • THANK YOU for showing up at the MNLA Day on the Hill and/or responding to that legislative alert to lobby on issues that impact your business. • THANK YOU for exhibiting at or attending the Northern Green Expo. • THANK YOU for reading this issue of the Scoop so that you can stay up to date with the latest industry news. • And, THANK YOU for entrusting us to work with you and for you. We’re all in this rat race together, so it pays to take the time to say thanks. To quote current MNLA President Heidi Heiland “all ships rise” so, why not rise together in a sea of gratitude. can be reached at: cassie@mnla.biz.
cassie larson
support student scholarhips! The MNLA Foundation is striving each and every day to ensure a bright future for the green industry. The Foundation values students who have chosen to pursue horticulture or landscaping careers and are furthering their education. To fulfill the mission and continue this work, we need your help and support in growing minds for 10
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a greener tomorrow! Please join us in supporting student scholarships in the green industry and call today’s youth to consider a career that they too can be passionate about. On November 13, Minnesota’s Give to the Max Day, your $100 gift may help us win an extra $1,000 for our work. Beginning on November 1, 2014, individuals may schedule
their gifts on www.GiveMN.org to be transacted on November 13 — Give to the Max Day. Credit cards will be charged on November 13. Visit www.MNLA.biz to learn more and schedule your gift to the green industry’s future today!
TM
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WALTERS GARDENS, INC. P: 888.WALTERS (888.925.8377) // F: 800.752.1879 // E: sales@waltersgardens.com WaltersGardens.com © 2014 Walters Gardens, Inc.
➾ Member Profile
member profile B&B Hoffman Sod Farms Molly Altorfer
Photos courtesy of B&B Hoffman Sod Farms
Ted Schroeder
B & B Hoffman Sod Farms
Owner: Bob Hoffman, Scott (“Bucky”) Hoffman Date company started: 1989 Location: Elk River, MN Key Employees: Robin Hoffman, Craig Engel, Ted Schroeder Number of Employees in Peak Season: 12 FT Areas Served: Minnesota and the Dakotas Member Category: Business Products or Services Website: www.bbhoffmansod.com
Charles Rising
Bob Hoffman and his son, Scott, are survivors. Their company, B&B Hoffman Sod Farms, located in Elk River, has weathered a confluence of events that have driven many of their sod industry competitors out of business in the last few years. “There’s been a drastic sod shortage this summer,” explains Bob. “There are quite a few reasons for the shortage and unfortunately they all came together at the same time.” Bob notes that many of Minnesota’s sod growers left the industry during the economic recession of the late 2000s. Other sod growers also switched to farming row crops, like corn and beans. With the drought last fall and a wet spring — coupled with a now booming housing market in the Twin Cities — sod is in great demand. Bob estimates that, over the last 10 years, Minnesota has lost more than half of its sod acres, resulting in a serious sod shortage. “Overall, the inventory just isn’t there,” says Bob. Still, the third generation business continues to churn out high quality Kentucky Bluegrass Turf for residential and business customers in Minnesota and the Dakotas.
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“Our business philosophy is to provide the best quality sod possible. If it is not up to my standard, then I won’t sell it.”
years. We are fortunate on that end. They know what to do and I’m comfortable they can get the job done.” Q: What is it like to be in business with members of your family? Scott Hoffman (Bucky)
A: “Being in a family business can be stressful, but also very rewarding. I get to see my son everyday and that’s a good thing. A lot of times on the weekends when he is working, he will have his kids with him, so I get to see the grandkids, too. Of course it can be challenging when I have to have difficult conversations with Scott or Robin, my wife, who runs the office side of things.”
Scott Reams (Stroker) Question: Thank you, Bob, for agreeing to be profiled in this edition of The Scoop. Your business has survived the recession and a tough time for sod growers. How did B&B Hoffman Sod Farms survive? Answer: “We tightened our belts as tight as they could be tightened during the recession. A lot of our competitors are gone now. We knew during the tough times that if we had a product, we needed to go where the market was. So we knocked on doors in Williston and Minot, North Dakota to expand our market there. That probably saved the farm. Luckily, demand has now come back locally in the Twin Cities.”
Q: Does B&B Hoffman Sod Farms have a business philosophy or business plan that serves to guide the company? A: “Our business philosophy is to provide the best quality sod possible. If it is not up to my standard, then I won’t sell it.” Q: What is your primary area of service? A: “Our primary business is residential and commercial buildings. We do the elite lawns versus the road ditch work like highway or municipal work.” Q: What are some essential business practices that help differentiate B&B Hoffman Sod Farms?
Q: Tell us about the genesis of B&B Hoffman Sod Farms.
A: “Quality and service are our two most important qualities.”
A: “I started in 1989 as B&B Hoffman Sod Farms with my brother. Ten years later we split the farms for the sake of family continuity. We continue to raise strictly Kentucky Bluegrass Turf. We have about 350 acres in production and all of our turf grass delivered in Minnesota is cut within 24 hours of delivery.”
Q: Do you have difficulty hiring talented or trained staff? A: “Our biggest issue has been finding truck drivers. It’s sort of a seasonal position and there has been turnover in that position. But most of the help we have has been with us for more than 10
Q: What is the biggest mistake people make when they select their sod or start a sod project? A: “The number one thing homeowners believe is that sod is sod. It’s the biggest mistake. They often don’t realize that there is a difference in quality. They open up the computer and price shop. And too many times they get what they pay for. If they’re a one-time customer, I’d encourage them to look at what they are buying before they spend $2,000–$3,000. I am always happy to show people our sod.” Q: How has MNLA helped B&B Hoffman Sod Farms through the years? A: “We have always been active in the Minnesota Turf Association, and MNLA. Both have really helped with networking. We attend the Northern Green Expo and have a booth each year. There’s great exposure when you’re involved with the MNLA.”
Interested in being profiled in The Scoop?
Our writer is always looking for a good story. Email jon@mnla.biz and we’ll add you to our pool.
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CHIP IT. GRIND IT.
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Rewards Program:
Retaining Beats Recruiting Beginning in the late winter and stretching through spring, landscape companies flood the back pages of our association’s magazine with classified ads. Companies look to replenish their ranks after the long off season or to hire for new positions to meet or to anticipate for growth. The classified ads ring with action words and adjectives as each company looks to stand apart and land the next great hire. (Editor’s note: MNLA offers an online job board which is similarly inundated in late winter and spring!) Scott Grams | Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA)
Reprinted with permission of The Landscape Contractor and ILCA
âžž retai ning beats recr ui t i ng
T
his is often the time when the association’s phones ring with dozens of companies asking the exact same question: What is this position worth? This seems like a strange question to ask a nonprofit association. The companies themselves should know what the position is supposed to do and what resources are available to fund the position. These companies want to know if we maintain any comparative salary data they can use to benchmark the position. They want to know if the pay scale being considered will lure the expected game changing candidates to their front doors. We tell them of the surveys done by PLANET, the current collective bargaining rates being used by the unions, and other anecdotal information found on the internet. The inquiring companies are mostly interested in intensely local information that we simply cannot provide: What is the hourly rate of a foreman for a mid-sized landscape company in the northwest suburbs? We also get calls from companies asking the same question, but for an entirely different purpose. They want to know why five of their employees left this offseason to join up with another landscape company. They want to benchmark their pay rates to other companies to determine if they are too far off in their pay scales. We again point them to the same resources in a quest for answers that, unfortunately, comes too late. Regardless of the reason for the calls, each of these companies will agree that hiring in this industry has become impossible. This feeling is supported by a multitude of statistics that impact the entire construction industry. The entire construction industry, regardless of the trade, is about to face an unprecedented hiring crisis that has multiple causes, but the same result. Nationally, the construction industry lost over two million jobs during the great recession. Also, one in five construction laborers is over 55 and looking to retire. Further, there is a timidity to return for tradesmen who are likely working for less money in non-construction jobs, but have gotten a taste of stability and set hours. In landscaping, we lost almost 20% of the workforce since 2008 and many will not return to the industry. A construction labor shortage has been discussed since the early 1990s. This is tied back to a variety of factors, but many place the blame at the feet of colleges and universities. There has been a change in thought that success in America now comes with a college education. Colleges and universities are now required to fund their massive campuses and operations with millions of new undergraduates per year. They have convinced every child, and more importantly, every parent that college stamps the passport to success. The real root cause lies not with college, but with high school. The most startling statistic is that the share of Americans without a high school diploma has dropped from more than 50% in the 1960s to a little over 10% percent today. Society collectively decided to move the goalposts. College became the new high school and a high school degree the new standard. This has posed challenges to businesses who employ tradesmen and teach skills on the job. Construction businesses embrace hard workers with a willingness to learn regardless of credentials. That crop has shrunk every decade for the past 55 years. We are becoming a more educated society, but that has left gaping workforce gaps.
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Yes, overflowing horticulture programs and an outreach program in grammar schools would help, but all construction trades are seeing shortages. Most kids don’t need a national program to understand the importance of electricity, water, or buildings, but those trades are suffering right alongside landscaping. Also, landscape businesses cannot sit around and wait for 3rd graders to evolve into their workforce of the future. The crisis is now, impacting capacity, and is terrifying. This means construction businesses must shift towards a retention rather than recruitment strategy — and retention is a whole different ballgame. Salary, whether hourly or annual has tremendous power in recruitment. It sets the parameters for the types of employees one wishes to hire. If the salary is too low, it will prevent certain candidates from expressing interest, if the salary is too high, it will cause a business to overspend on an employee they could have gotten for much less. The good news and bad news is that salary has very little to do with retention. This is good news because it helps constrain personnel costs. This is bad news because in order to motivate employees, for many, the quick fix of a salary bump has no impact. There have been hundreds of academic studies on the impact of salary on motivation and retention. Most have found no impact. Some have even found a detrimental impact. What that means is that motivation decreases the more an employee earns. As the research science matures, it is becoming clear that it’s not how you motivate employees, it is who you choose to motivate and what method you employ. Employees who are motivated are more productive and stay longer at one company. It turns out, every employee responds more favorably to one of two types of rewards: intrinsic rewards or extrinsic rewards. Intrinsic rewards are the self-empowerment, challenge, and pride they get from their jobs. Extrinsic rewards are the rewards the employer provides for a job well done. Trying to reward an intrinsically-rewarded employee with extrinsic rewards is like trying to feed cat food to a dog. It will nourish them, but not for long. This is the same in reverse. The key to a business’s salvation is knowing the difference. Most businesses have encountered the following situations:
1. A long-time employee inexplicably leaves for what would appear to be a lateral move. 2. An employee will head to the landscape company down the street for 50¢ more per hour. 3. An employee will leave for a position you deem well above their expertise at a business without the same prestige as yours. These are all very common scenarios in landscaping. Assuming all other factors are the same, the most common cause is a lack of motivation. The attempts at keeping the employee motivated and satisfied did not achieve the goal. Extrinsically motivated employees are often looked down upon in businesses. It appears they only work for the money. This is a poor way to perceive these employees. When the rewards are reframed, it looks much different. For example, a person who exercises five days a week because he values his health and living longer would never be looked down upon. Yet, those are extrinsic rewards offered by exercise. People who exercise for fun or for a challenge are viewed as being a little nutty, yet those are intrinsic rewards. The key for employers is separating employees into buckets and rewarding them based on their needs. Take the job-hopper who just left for 50¢ more per hour. Likely, he is extrinsically rewarded. However, his extrinsic reward may be more money for his family and not for himself. He is willing to take a risk because he values the small increase in salary more than his present job security. Understanding why an employee would leave helps employers before motivation dips. Other extrinsic rewards are more time off, benefits, bonuses, gifts and prizes, etc. that can satisfy a potential job-hopper. Intrinsically-rewarded employees are a tougher nut to crack but are fiercely loyal when you do. Intrinsic employees love challenges, responsibility, new tasks, recognition, and adulation. This is why employees leave comfortable professional situations for riskier ones. They love the challenge of a new job and will burn out over time if new challenges are not given to them. These employees respond more to training and education than those who do not. It is often viewed as higher risk to lose an intrinsically rewarded employee because he or she is less disposable than an extrinsically rewarded employee. However, it is much more difficult to find the november 14
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➾ retai ning beats recr ui t i ng
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right package of rewards especially over years of continued employment. The best, first step is for employers to sit down and determine what group each employee falls into. There are even quizzes or direct questions employers can ask employees to help make this determination. Every workforce is actually two camps of employees — intrinsic and extrinsic employees — hiding in the same uniforms. Yet, most businesses reward employees the same way. This is done to preserve fairness when really it either benefits one group fully, or both groups only partially. The next step is for employers to create a suite of benefits for each employee and discuss those options during performance evaluations. Even if businesses crack the motivation riddle, this is still not the primary reason employees leave. Research shows that the biggest organizational cause of disengagement is poor leadership. Thus, as a manager, it’s your personality that will have a significant impact on whether your employees are engaged at work, or not. Even a manager must know how he or she is motivated in order to be the productive, satisfied manager he or she needs to be in order to inspire others. Many business owners were forced to become different people during the recession. We incorrectly assumed most business leaders were extrinsically motivated and needed more money to be happy. What really occurred was that owners lost the security of a stable company which caused them to experiment less, take fewer risks, and offer fewer rewards to their employees. These intrinsic motivators disappeared and the employees left soon after. Understanding why we get up in the morning will be the key to surviving the next great recession: the labor crisis. There was always the promise of more clients hiding on the other side of the darkness. The same is not true for employees. They are about to become the most valuable commodity in our industry. If you can’t find out how to motivate them, make no mistake, someone else will. Scott Grams is
Executive Director of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) and can be reached at sgrams@ilca.net.
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Go Propane and SAVE!! Up to a $1500 Incentive
• On the purchase of a new propane powered commercial mower. $750 incentive available for conversion of existing gasoline powered mower.
Up to a $3000 Incentive
• On the purchase of a new propane or dual-fueled pickup or conversion of a 2010 or newer model. Lesser amounts available on older models.
Talk to your dealer about going propane today!! For more information call the Minnesota Propane Association at 763-633-4271
EFFECTIVENESS OF PERMEABLE PAVERS Dr. James B. Calkins
AquaRock. Photo courtesy of Belgard速 Hardscapes 20
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Left: Pervious Pavers. Photo by Jim Calkins. Above: With the right equipment, permeable pavers can be cleaned. Photo courtesy of Morton Arboretum.
W
ith the ultimate goal of creating more sustainable landscapes, permeable paving systems, bio-swales, raingardens, stormwater capture and reuse, LED (light-emitting diode) lighting, smart irrigation systems, green roofs, laundry-to-landscape (graywater) irrigation systems, recycle/reuse/repurpose policies and specifications, and drought-tolerant and otherwise low-input landscapes are in the news and continue to enjoy, albeit slowly, increased acceptance by landscape design and installation professionals and landscape consumers. Few would argue that the green industry has an important leadership and educational role to play in reducing the impacts of development and commercial and residential landscapes on the environment and is in the forefront of these relatively new, innovative, and developing technologies. Impervious surfaces like streets, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, patios, roofs, and even compacted soil result in increased runoff rates and volumes of runoff and are significant contributors to erosion, pollutant loading, elevated water temperatures, and downstream flooding and have negative effects on the quality of surface waters and the ecosystems of which they are an integral part. As imperviousness increases, decreased infiltration and increased stormwater runoff also have the potential to reduce groundwater recharge which is an important source of water for vegetation and surficial and deeper aquifers. Research indicates that the negative effects of increasing imperviousness start to become quantifiable, based on measurable adverse effects on runoff and water quality, when landscape imperviousness reaches about 10% and the impacts continue to intensify as imperviousness increases. The reality that the threshold for negative environmental impacts caused by imperviousness is so low (10%) presents a significant challenge to all who manage or develop land and highlights the need to minimize imperviousness wherever possible or, alternatively, to mitigate its effects. Fortunately,
imperviousness is a metric that can be quantified, analyzed, and managed for landscapes that are thoughtfully designed to minimize their effects on the environment. Pervious pavements are one of several options that can be used to minimize imperviousness and diminish the effects of impervious surfaces that are necessary and cannot be completely mitigated by other means (e.g., roofs). Used alone or in combination with other stormwater management practices, the use of permeable pavements — permeable pavers and pervious asphalt and concrete — are increasingly being installed in commercial and residential landscapes in an attempt to reduce imperviousness and the negative effects of the runoff generated by impervious cover on flooding and water quality. Although permeable pavements have been documented as effective stormwater management practices, concerns about their performance and longevity in cold climates, clogging with sediment, and long-term maintenance requirements are sometimes barriers to the acceptance and use of porous pavements. To overcome these concerns and hopefully increase the use of pervious pavements in designed landscapes such that their benefits can be more fully realized, it is important that these practices be functional, cost effective to install, long-lasting, and easy and inexpensive to maintain; of course, it is also important that pervious pavements be attractive and achieve the runoff and water quality outcomes intended. To this end, research efforts are increasingly focused on the development of superior permeable pavement products (including pavers produced using recycled materials like worn-out rubber tires and plastics) and improved specifications for their installation and maintenance. Researchers are also increasingly interested in documenting the effectiveness of permeable pavements and the findings are generally quite encouraging. Several studies, including a representative study entitled “Field Investigation of Clogging in a Permeable Pavement System” published november 14
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➾ permeable pavers
infiltration performance. Double-ring infiltrometer and inundation infiltration methods were used to gather this data. Representative sections of the PICP surface were investigated forensically to determine the sediment and organic matter accumulation patterns within the pavement layers. This was accomplished by carefully excavating the pavement by hand and observing and collecting the particulate matter (sediment and organic particulates) that had accumulated within each layer. In addition to sediment accumulation analysis, the hydraulic conductivity (infiltration capacity) of the geofabric was also determined prior to sediment removal. Notable findings of the research included: • The integrity of the concrete pavers was unaffected after eight years of service; there were no visible signs of wear or deterioration.
Sediment only collects on the top part of the paver. Photo courtesy of Morton Arboretum.
in the peer-reviewed journal Building Research & Information, have investigated the accumulation of sediments within pervious pavement installations and their effects on stormwater infiltration. Building Research & Information is an international, refereed journal dedicated to original, cutting-edge research on buildings and their supporting systems with a unique focus on a holistic, trans-disciplinary approach to buildings and the complexity of issues involving the built environment. The research involved a 700 m2 (7581 ft2) parking lot with an impervious, asphalt section (470 m2/5059 ft2) and a down-gradient, permeable interlocking concrete paver (PICP) section (225 m2/2422 ft2) resulting in a ratio of impervious to pervious area of about 2:1 and a ratio of total area to pervious area of about 3:1. The PICP installation included a paver layer (approximately 80 mm/3 in thick), a 2–5 mm diameter (0.08–0.2 in) aggregate bedding layer (50 mm/2 in deep), a geofabric sediment barrier (pore size = 110 µm), and an aggregate base course composed of 20–63 mm diameter (0.8–2.5 in) aggregates. The PICP section of the parking lot was also lined with an impermeable polyethylene membrane to prevent contamination by the surrounding clay soil and the infiltrated water was directed to an adjacent bioretension system. The parking lot was well-used on a year-round basis and, in addition to material deposited by vehicles, received significant amounts of wind-blown sediment from the surrounding landscape. No maintenance was performed between the time when the parking lot installation was completed and the investigation of the sediment accumulation and infiltration capacity of the pervious pavement (eight years). Based on a visual inspection of the surface, the researchers noted that there was considerable variation in the accumulation of sediment in the joints between the concrete pavers across the pervious section of the parking lot surface. Infiltration rates were determined for 1 m2 (10.8 ft2) at 12 locations across the PICP surface and accounting for the apparent differences in sediment accumulation using to quantify 22
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• The accumulation of sediment in the joints between the concrete pavers varied considerably across the permeable interlocking concrete paver (PICP) surface based on visual inspection; sediment accumulation varied from what appeared to be a fully blocked condition to a complete lack of visual sediment (unblocked). • The sediment accumulation patterns within the pavement layers were distinct and resulted in a clear grid pattern of sediment accumulation on the surface of the bedding layer associated with the joints between the pavers; the area underneath each paver was clean and resembled a newlyinstalled condition. • More than 90% (91.7 to 95.7%) of the sediment was trapped in the paver and bedding aggregate layers of the PICP profile; the majority of the sediment was trapped in the bedding aggregate layer followed by the paver and geofabric layers, respectively; not surprisingly, the largest sediment particles (all particles greater than 4.67 mm/0.18 in) were exclusively trapped in the paver layer; essentially no sediment was observed within the base course layer or on the polyethylene liner; the average organic content of the sediments was 6.2% (dry weight). • A limited amount of sediment (4.3-8.3% of the trapped sediment) accumulated at the geofabric layer between the bedding layer and the underlying, base course; this finding supports the idea that the use of geofabric to protect the integrity of the base course may not be justified and the authors suggest not including a geofabric layer may also improve the stability of permeable pavements. • The PICP system effectively filtered sediment and organic particulates from stormwater runoff and, although infiltration capacity was reduced over time, the infiltration capacity was still sufficient and the pervious pavement remained functional after eight years of unmaintained service. • Additional detail, including pictures showing the sediment accumulation patterns, specific infiltration and graphical representations of the particle size distributions of the trapped sediments within the various pavement layers, are presented in the paper. (continued on page 25)
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➾ permeable pavers
• The results are consistent with other research efforts designed to evaluate the effectiveness of permeable pavements. Additional research findings related to pervious pavements include: • Properly designed, installed, and maintained permeable pavement systems can function well as hardscapes in designed landscapes and as an effective stormwater management practice in both warm and cold climates. • Sediment deposition and clogging are of concern, but tend to be overly exaggerated so long as pervious pavement systems are designed and maintained properly and precautions are taken to avoid erosion from adjacent, up-gradient areas and prevent the transport and deposition of excessive amounts of sediment on pervious pavements. • Permeable pavements can effectively trap sediments and other pollutants (with the primary exception of sodium chloride and other deicers) and prevent them from reaching surface and groundwater resources (pollutant removal rates of 80 to 95% or higher are common); other benefits include reduced runoff rates and volumes, reduced downstream erosion and flooding, reduced thermal effects of runoff on surface waters (heating), and improved groundwater recharge; permeable pavements composed of concrete pavers or paver units made of other materials including recycled materials can also be an important design element and result in improved landscape aesthetics; interlocking concrete paver systems are also easily repaired. • Although permeability and infiltration capacity of pervious pavements can be significantly reduced by the accumulation of sediment, so long as pervious pavement systems are designed, installed, and maintained properly the ability of pervious pavements to effectively infiltrate runoff typically remains intact for many years and much longer than was expected (decades and perhaps indefinitely); in fact, because the infiltration capacity of pervious pavements can be incredibly high (infiltration rates of 140 inches or more per hour), even though significant reductions in hydraulic conductivity resulting from sediment accumulation within permeable pavements often have little or no meaningful impact on the ability of pervious pavements to function effectively based on their design specifications. • When designed, installed, and maintained properly, pervious pavements are an effective stormwater management option for cold-weather climates; concerns related to diminished permeability during freezing, and worries that the materials will not be durable enough to withstand freeze-thaw conditions, have generally be proven to be unwarranted; in fact, the improved drainage characteristics of pervious pavements tends to reduce the likelihood of damage caused by freezethaw cycles and permeable pavements are likely to have a longer life cycle compared to standard, impervious pavements. • No special maintenance is required for pervious pavements that do not receive applications of sand or otherwise
experience excess sediment loading; since most sediment is trapped near the surface of pervious pavements, in areas where pervious pavements are sanded during the winter, vacuuming each year after snowmelt should effectively maintain the perviousness of permeable pavements. • Winter data show permeable pavements function well during the winter; snow and ice melts faster and infiltration occurs in winter even with significant frost penetration; refreeze is also mitigated and pedestrian and vehicular safety can be improved by pervious pavements as water infiltrates rather than ponding and refreezing on the surface of the pavement. • Although pervious pavements, like all other physical stormwater management practices, do not directly mitigate sodium chloride or other deicer levels and their impacts on surface and groundwater, salt use can be significantly reduced on pervious pavements; in the absence of effective technologies for removing salt from runoff permeable pavements, and though they do infiltrate dissolved deicer materials and have the potential to deliver these materials to groundwater aquifers, they are a suitable option for managing stormwater runoff and reducing salt contamination as a result of reduced salt usage. • Pervious concrete costs about 20% more than standard, impervious concrete, the cost of pervious asphalt is about half the cost of pervious concrete and, depending on the paver used, the cost of pervious concrete paver installations is about the same or up to about 1/3 more than the cost of pervious concrete; the added cost of pervious pavement systems is typically more than offset by the stormwater management and other benefits realized during the life of the pavement. • Organic matter deposited on pervious pavements by overhanging trees degrades to become a minute fraction of its original volume and should not be a concern for permeable pavement installations that are maintained properly. • Relatively speaking, permeable interlocking concrete paver (PICP) installations that have wider joints or gaps generally perform better than those with narrower openings. • From a regulatory perspective, based on a preponderance of scientific evidence, pervious pavement installations that are properly designed, installed, and maintained will exhibit infiltration rates greater than any other surface that is considered pervious and should receive 100% credit based on perviousness as would a forest or a meadow (Bruce Ferguson, FASLA; University of Georgia). Just as for raingardens and other biofiltration practices, when permeable pavements are designed to receive and manage stormwater from adjacent areas, pretreatment of the runoff to reduce sediment loads can be helpful in reducing clogging, maintaining effective infiltration rates, and reducing maintenance requirements and costs. It is clear that stormwater management practices must be carefully november 14
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➾ permeable pavers
Pezzaniti, D., S. Beecham, and J. Kandasamy. 2009. Influence of Clogging on the Effective Life of Permeable Pavements. Water Management 162(3):211-220. (abstract only) Kachchu Mohamed, M.A. T. Lucke, and F. Boogaard. 2014. Preliminary Investigation Into the Pollution Reduction Performance of Swales Used in a Stormwater Treatment Train. Water Science Technology 69(5):10141120. (abstract only) Vancura, M., L. Khazanovich, and K. MacDonald. 2010. Performance Evaluation of In-Service Pervious Concrete Pavements in Cold Weather. University of Minnesota Department of Civil Engineering and Chemstone Products, Inc. Beecham, S., D. Pezzaniti, B. Myers, B. Shackel, and A. Pearson. 2009. Experience in the Application of Permeable Interlocking Concrete Paving in Australia. 9th International Conference on Concrete Block Paving, Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 18-21, 2009. Houle, K.M. 2008. Winter Performance of Permeable Pavements: A Comparative Study of Porous Asphalt, Pervious Concrete, and Conventional Asphalt in a Northern Climate. Master of Science Thesis, University of New Hampshire. Roseen, R.M., J.J. Houle, T.A. Puls, and T.P. Ballestero. 2013. Final Report on a Cold Climate Permeable Interlocking Concrete Paver Test Facility at the University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center. University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center, Durham, NH. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2014. Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement. Last Updated: July 02, 2014. Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute. Subterra stone pavers. Photo courtesy of Belgard® Hardscapes
National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA). Porous Asphalt. Accessed July 15, 2014.
designed as integral landscape components in order to be attractive and effective and to encourage wider acceptance and use in designed landscapes. Landscape designers and installers should keep up with the latest research findings and the newest permeable paver products and recommendations for designing and implementing permeable pavement systems to better serve their clients and maximize the effectiveness of permeable pavement installations. Our clients will be happier and the negative impacts of impervious surfaces in designed landscapes will be reduced.
Gunderson, J. 2008. Pervious Pavements: New Findings About Their Functionality and Performance in Cold Climates. Stormwater 9(6); September 2008.
Citation: Lucke, T. and S. Beecham. 2011. Field Investigation of Clogging in a Permeable Pavement System. Building Research & Information 39(6):603-615. For additional information on the effectiveness of pervious pavements, consult the following selected references: Drake, J., A. Bradford, and T. Van Seters. 2012. Evaluation of Permeable Pavements in Cold Climates – Kortright Centre, Vaughan (Final Report). Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Kachchu Mohamed, M.A. and T. Lucke. 2013. Extending the Service Life of Permeable Pavements Using Swales to Pre-treat Stormwater. Stormwater Industry Association of Queensland (SIAQ) Conference, Townsville, Australia. 26
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North Carolina State University. Permeable Pavement Research. Hunt, W.F. and K.A. Collins. 2008. Permeable Pavement: Research Update and Design Implications. N.C. State University, N.C. Cooperative Extension Service. Ferguson, B.K. 2010. Porous Pavements Q&A: Answers from the Man who Wrote the Book on the Subject. American Association of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Water Conservation Newsletter; Winter 2010. Ferguson, B.K. 2005. Porous Pavements. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. PR Newswire. 2013. AZEK Permeable Pavers Endure Six Years of Harsh Conditions at University of Minnesota Duluth. May 30, 2013. PR Newswire. 2013. Lumbermen’s, Inc. Awards AZEK Pavers as Most Innovative Product of the Year. February 7, 2013.
To comment on this research update, suggest research topics of interest, or pass along a piece of research-based information that might be of interest to your industry colleagues, please email us at Research@MNLA.biz.
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➾ government affa i rs
Noxious Weed Advisory Committee Makes 2014 Recommendations MNLA Comments Solicited: Minnesota’s Noxious Weed Advisory Committee (NWAC), comprised of 16 stakeholder organizations including MNLA, makes recommendations concerning noxious weeds to the Commissioner of Agriculture, who has sole authority in Minnesota to list or de-list terrestrial noxious weed species. MNLA has been an active member since NWAC’s inception, and I have represented MNLA since 2010. Tim Power
MNLA Government Affairs Director
as a part of their annual species review cycle, NWAC held its first of two fall meetings in September 2014 to discuss new recommendations for the noxious weed lists, as shown near the end of this article. NWAC will meet again in late November or early December to vote on final recommendations for this year. In the meantime, stakeholder organizations like MNLA have a period of a few weeks to discuss these initial recommendations and to either endorse them or to oppose them and offer alternatives for NWAC to consider prior to their final vote. In a change from the way things have worked in the past, NWAC will then hold their 2014 recommendations until late 2016, presenting three years of work to the Commissioner at one time and allowing the Noxious Weed lists to remain stable for three years at a time. However, NWAC’s past recommendations have been largely endorsed by the Commissioner, so the recommendations shown below are a very strong indication of what actions the Commissioner is likely to take once he receives NWAC’s recommendations. Based on these recommendations, growers and retailers who want to plan production and/or sales strategies for future years should expect the Asiatic bush honeysuckles, tree-of-heaven and porcelain berry to become Restricted Noxious Weeds in Minnesota effective January 1, 2017. See www.mnnoxiousweeds.wikispaces. com and scroll to “Noxious Weed Categories” for further information on what that means.
One remaining hold-over from past NWAC recommendations is the status of Japanese barberry going forward. In late 2013, NWAC recommended listing Japanese barberry as a Specially Regulated Plant, with a proposed management plan of phasing out the sale in Minnesota of the 25 seediest cultivars over 3 years, beginning January 1, 2015. After 2017, those 25 cultivars of Japanese barberry would will be added to the Restricted Noxious Weed list. MDA Commissioner Frederickson signed the order to accomplish that listing on September 22, 2014. NWAC operates on an annual cycle, as I began to describe above. The full committee votes early each year on a list of roughly a dozen plants to be reviewed during the calendar year. Then, much of the legwork during the year is done by two NWAC subcommittees, whose missions are explicitly written to support NWAC’s role rather than to supplant it. Members of the Listing Subcommittee prepare risk assessments on the individual species being considered, for review first amongst themselves and then by the full committee in September. After NWAC’s final votes are taken in November–December, their recommendations are forwarded to the Ag Commissioner for his review and action, with sufficient time to educate County Agricultural Inspectors about list changes prior to the next growing season. Then the cycle begins again. The second and much newer subcommittee, the NWAC Policy and Management Subcommittee, reviews policy issues for NWAC and will eventually make november 14
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➾ government affai rs 2014 Draft Recommendations from NWAC are as follows, ready for stakeholder discussion: Species – Common Name
Scientific Name
Recommendation
Bell’s Honeysuckle
Lonicera x bella Zabel
Restricted
Notes
Photo credit: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Morrow’s Honeysuckle
Lonicera morrowii
Restricted
Photo credit: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Tatarian Honeysuckle
Lonicera tartarica L.
Restricted
Photo credit: Patrick Breen, Oregon State University, Bugwood.org
Amur Honeysuckle
Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Herder
Restricted
Keys out to Prohibited Eradicate, but due to difficulties with telling apart, all honeysuckles should be listed as Restricted.
Photo credit: Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
Palmer Amaranth
Amaranthus palmeri
Prohibited Eradicate
Photo credit: Wikipedia user Pompilid.
Russian Knapweed
Acroptilon repens (L.) DC
Prohibited Eradicate
Photo credit: Norman E. Rees, USDA Agricultural Research Service Retired, Bugwood.org
Diffuse Knapweed
Centaurea diffusa Lam.
Prohibited Eradicate
Photo credit: Eric Coombs, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org
Elecampane
Inula helenium L.
NWAC Watch List
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Ken will update RA with information based on current MN DOT management.
2014 Draft Recommendations from NWAC are as follows, ready for stakeholder discussion: Species – Common Name
Scientific Name
Recommendation
Notes
Tree of Heaven
Ailanthus altissima
Restricted
One plant known in MN, but fear of shifting hardiness zones could result in more establishment of this plant in MN if sold and distributed.
Photo credit: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Porcelain berry
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv.
Restricted
Key’s to Prohibited Eradicate, but suggested to be Restricted because it is close to the edge of hardiness zones and could become a strong competitor over time in MN.
Photo credit: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org Burnet saxifrage
Pimpinella saxifraga L.
Continue reviewing in 2015. Also, consider reevaluation of the wild carrot risk assessment completed in 2011 since both species behave and look similarly.
Not much known at this time about the species. More information continues to come into the MDA from Hennepin, Pennington, Beltrami, and Clearwater counties suggesting this species is more widespread and potentially problematic than available literature indicates.
Photo credit: Downloaded from Wikimedia, photo by Udo Schmidt
recommendations regarding management criteria for each of the various noxious weed categories (Prohibited:Eradicate, Prohibited:Control, Restricted and Specially Regulated Plants). An example policy issue for this subcommittee is how individual weed species should be treated in the state when part of the state is infested and the rest of the state is uninfested by that weed. For example, common buckthorn heavily infests the understories of the entire Twin Cities metro area and southeastern Minnesota, but has not yet reached some other parts of the state. Should management criteria be different based on those different infestation levels? This may be a long discussion, but the affected parties are the very stakeholder groups that are already represented in NWAC.
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âžž cli mate change
Biggest Losers
in a Changing Cl
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Faith Appelquist
Climate?
“Time is the essential ingredient, but in the modern world there is no time.� Rachel Carson (1907–1962) writer, scientist, ecologist and author of Silent Spring
Oaks have evolved a higher tolerance for drought. Healthy trees can better defend themselves against most native insects and diseases.
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âžž cli mate change
It is likely that our north woods of pine, fir, aspen and birch will not survive the warming climate. Pictured here is a white pine stand along the Mississippi river in Minnesota. These will eventually be replaced by a mix of other trees like oak and hackberry.
O
ver the lifetime of a species, on the order of millions of years, long term temperature changes come into play. Any species that can’t cope with some variation in temperatures is not a species whose fate we need to be concerned about right now, because it no longer exists. Everywhere on the surface of the earth temperatures fluctuate. How did the trees of an ancient world cope with warmer temperatures? They did so by migrating or staying put and adapting. They could manufacture special proteins, they could change their metabolism, things like that. But thermal tolerance can be costly by requiring energy and time. Warming today is taking place at least ten times faster than it did at the end of the last glaciation, about 12,000 years ago. Things are moving too fast for slow acting forces to keep up. Some tree species such as spruce, birch, fir and aspen will disappear completely from their current growing range. Global warming is mostly seen as a threat to cold loving species and these trees are adapted to cooler conditions. How many tree species overall will be capable of moving fast enough remains an open question. In the coming decades we are probably going to learn the answer whether we want to or not.
Faith Appelquist is
an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, an ISA Municipal Specialist MN, and an ASCA Registered Consulting ArboristÂŽ. Faith can be reached at faith@treequality.com.
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Drought stress predisposes birches to bronze birch borer (BBB) injury or death. Tell-tale signs of impending doom for birches is here; there are miles and miles of dead birches on the north shore.
Predicted Minnesota survivors of climate change: Oaks Hackberry Eastern Cottonwood Boxelder Honeylocust Black Locust Red Mulberry Silver maple Hybrid Elms (ie: Patriot) Eastern Red Cedar
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NEW BIG BLUESTEM CULTIVARS Mary Hockenberry Meyer, Professor & Extension | Horticulturist, University of Minnesota
B
ig bluestem, Andropogo gerardii, was one of the main grasses of the tallgrass prairie that once dominated much of Minnesota. You could tie a knot over the saddle of a horse with the abundance and height of big bluestem in the tall grass prairie, according to the pioneers. Minnesota big bluestem was taller in the southern part of the state, and shorter in the Red River Valley, ranging from 3 to 7 feet in height. This bunch grass has slowly spreading rhizomes that formed the sod that was used to cover the dirt homes of the early settlers. Flowers of big bluestem are easy to identify with their three or more finger-like spikes that originate from one central point, resembling a turkey’s foot, which is another widely used common name. Garden and landscape use of big bluestem has been limited due to the tall stature and open plant form that often lodges or falls over by the end of the summer. Plants that are large and floppy are not appreciated in public or private landscapes where we expect plants to be neat and tidy. Neat and tidy, however, has little to do with environmental value or the ecological health of a landscape. We know that people need to feel comfortable with the landscape in which they live. Maintaining ecologically healthy landscapes that match human values is a balancing act. These new cultivar of big bluestem can be sustainable landscape plants that improve soil organic matter, require little water after establishment, need no fertilizer and require only a spring cleanup. Three new cultivars can be seen at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s Grass Collection. We planted ‘Lord Snowden’ in 2012 and find it grows to 6–7 feet by mid-September. ‘Lord Snowden’ big bluestem has distinctive powdery blue foliage. The tall flowering stems wave in the wind and do not lodge or fall over. The light blue foliage stays clean and does not get rust or leaf spot disease that 38
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Andropogo gerardii ‘Red October’.
Plants that are large and floppy are not appreciated in public or private landscapes where we expect plants to be neat and tidy. Neat and tidy, however, has little to do with environmental value or the ecological health of a landscape.
New selections of big bluestem show color variation and more upright a form that will allow for more use in garden and landscape settings.
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SAVE the DATE
➾ new cultivars
TM
CONTRACTOR EDUCATION DAY Thursday, March 12th 2015
25
TH
ANNUAL
“Red October” was planted at the Arboretum Grass Collection in 2013 and is much shorter, forming a clump of dark burgundy foliage that tops out at 3 feet with sparse flowers to 5' in height. ‘Red October’s’ smaller stature makes it much more manageable in garden settings. Brent’s comments on ‘Red October’: “It has really outstanding fall color. In August, it has burgundy highlights, burgundy stems and burgundy flowers. By October, the whole plant is basically burgundy. After the first frost, it turns to a scarlet red. can discolor other grasses. Planted with other perennials, I imagine many gardeners would ask “What grass is that?” and admire the clear blue color and dancing flowers. Brent Horvath, owner of Intrinsic Perennials in Hebron, Illinois, has introduced two new forms of big bluestem: ‘Indian Warrior’ in 2011, and ‘Red October’ in 2013. ‘Indian Warrior’ was planted at the Arboretum’s Grass Collection in 2011 and is a standout with dark purple foliage and tall dark flowers. Plants grow 6–7 feet in height and are dark purple throughout the year. The tall flowers arch and sway in the wind, but do not lodge and fall over. “Red October” was planted at the Arboretum Grass Collection in 2013 and is much shorter, forming a clump of dark burgundy foliage that tops out at 3 feet with sparse flowers to 5' in height. ‘Red October’s’ smaller stature makes it much more manageable in garden settings. Brent’s comments on ‘Red October’: “It has really outstanding fall color. In August, it has burgundy highlights, burgundy stems and burgundy flowers. By October, the whole plant is basically burgundy. After the first frost, it turns to a scarlet red. It grows approximately 6 feet tall and a couple of feet wide at maturity. Like any ornamental grass, you could plant it as a specimen, but it would definitely be outstanding in a mass planting.” All three of these forms of big bluestem have survived well in Minnesota winters, although to date, this is only two or three winters, but we all remember 2013–14 was a significant winter. Look for these grasses in the future to add to what you can sell and grow in Minnesota landscapes. The Grass Collection is open to the public at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and is free with gate admission. Open Houses are held in the Grass Collection in the fall.
For more information contact Mary Meyer, meyer023@ umn.edu. See also grasstalk.wordpress.com. Meyer will be speaking at the 2015 Northern Green Expo on “Landscape Management of Annuals and Perennials.”
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Shade Trees
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Ornamental Trees
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Topiary
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Fruit Trees
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Evergreens
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Flowering Shrubs
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Shrub, Climbing & Patio Roses
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Small Fruits
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Wreaths & Garlands
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W10757 Jeffrey Road, Merrillan, WI 54754
sales@northernfamilyfarms.com
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Proud to be a HGTV HOME Plant Collection Partner
marketing options inClude: MNLA Membership Directory The Scoop MNLA.biz MNLA eNews MNLA Seminars Northern Green Expo
ContaCt us for more information: Faith Jensen Sales Representative 952-934-2891 faith@pierreproductions.com Betsy Pierre Sales Manager 763-295-5420 betsy@pierreproductions.com
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➾ legal iss ues
4 Quick Tips for Parting Ways with Employees in Minnesota Employees in Minnesota are considered “at will” employees. This means they can quit for any reason. It also means that an employer can terminate an employee for any legal reason. Provided the termination is not for a discriminatory reason (race, creed, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status), then employers have a lot of leeway in deciding who to terminate and when to terminate them. Bryan Zlimen
Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC
No Two Week Notice
But Why Was I Fired?
Under Minnesota law there is no such thing as a “two week notice.” Industry customs and courtesies often lead to such notices being provided, but they are not required. Employers can request advance notice that an employee plans to leave their position by including the request in the employee handbook, but once again, any notice given is simply a courtesy and not required by law.
Employees often want to know why they were terminated. Minnesota law requires that employers must give a truthful answer if an employee inquires in writing. The employee has 15 days from separation to make such a request, and then the employer has another 10 days from the receipt of the request to provide a truthful response.
Paying Wages at Termination
This article provides general information on employment law and should not be relied upon as legal advice for every situation. 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 employment law or other legal matters, please contact Patrick McGuiness at Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC at 651-206-3203 or pmcguiness@zmattorneys.com
If an employee quits, they must be paid within the next pay period after the employee leaves. If an employee is terminated, they must be paid within 24 hours of a demand for payment. However, if the employee was entrusted with company money or property during the course of their employment, then the employer may have an additional 10 calendar days following the date of the employees separation, during which time the employer may audit the accounts of the employee. Benefits Payments
Beyond what is required by law, each business can determine what benefits employees are offered. If any of these benefits have payout options, they must be paid within 30 days of when they become due.
McGuiness will be speaking at the 2015 Northern Green Expo on the following topics: “Trees and the Law: Whose Tree is it Anyway?” and “Liabilities in a Park/School Setting.”
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➾ sh ootout recap
2014 MNLA Shootout Congratulations to all the winners that walked away from this year’s Shootout with their arms full! We couldn’t have done it without our fabulous sponsors!
Congratulations to our winners! Champion Team
second place Team
For the third year in a row, the team from Rainmaster Irrigation took first place. These boys can really shoot!
The team from Klaus Nurseries shot their way to second place.
A special thank you to all of our sponsors for helping to make this event possible! Station Sponsors: Floral Plant Growers Instant Green Tree Planting Swanson’s Nursery Consulting The Mulch Store
Dinner Sponsor Bailey Nurseries Foundation
General Sponsors Tessman Company Unique Lighting
Prize for Champion Team Carlin Sales Featured Raffle Prize Klaus Nurseries Lunch Sponsor GM Fleet and Commercial
Game Sponsors BFG South St Paul Gun Club
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Equipment Demo Sponsor A Top Notch Equipment Inc. Fury Motors
And to those who donated prizes: Anchor Block, Andy Petersen, Cherokee Manufacturing, FX Luminaire, Grand Casino, Marie Schmitz, Mark Vierow, MTI Distributing, NuFarm America’s, Rain Bird, Toro, Unique Lighting, Vermeer.
➾ su mmer ed ucation report
MNLA Summer Education Report
Rob Langer, Natural Shore Technologies, Inc. explains how a Minnesota Native Plant buffer between the tart and rip-rap softens the shoreline of this Lake Minnetonka property.
Landscape Design Tour July 31 The focus of this year’s landscape design tour was sustainable landscape designs. The event was well received and attendees were treated to a warm, sunny day. The tour included both residential and commercial sites throughout the Twin Cities, and design professionals saw how rain gardens, cisterns, permeable pavers, high efficiency irrigation, native plants and green roofs can be incorporated into landscape designs. A special thanks to Jim Calkins for locating the sites for this year’s tour. Attendees stroll through the design created by Biota Landscape Design + Build.
The beautiful gardens of the Charles H. Burwell House in Minnetonka.
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The green roof of the Anderson Center at Hamline University features a pre-vegetated modular system grown locally by Bachman’s.
Permeable pavers and a 3,000 gallon cistern were highlights of this home in Excelsior.
There were many photo opportunities at this modern landscape designed by Phillips Garden.
Designed by Barr Engineering, this project at Maplewood Mall reduces and filters rainwater runoff before it leaves the mall’s parking lot.
Pollinators & Pesticides: A 360 Degree Perspective. August 5 This event, moderated by Jim Calkins and Debbie Lonnee, included a day of expert speaker panels providing their perspectives on the pollinator and pesticide issue. Attendees were given a historical overview, and then heard perspectives from the following: ecological, entomological, apicultural, political, plant protection and green industry business segments. Attendees left with a greater awareness of the pollinator and pesticide issue.
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➾ su mmer ed ucation report
The Garden Center Tour offered ... Display and merchandising ideas,
Garden Center Tour August 14 This year’s tour was sold out! It was a perfect day to tour five of MNLA’s premier garden centers. This year we visited: Otten Bros. Garden Center & Landscaping, Bachman’s — Plymouth, Dundee Nursery & Landscaping, Tonkadale Greenhouse, and Kelley & Kelley Nursery. It was a great opportunity for garden center professionals to network and share ideas. Thanks to the garden centers on the tour for their hospitality! … Beautiful plants,
… and lots of opportunity for networking. In this photo Gill Landis of Dundee takes a moment to for a photo with Kelly, Colleen & Laura from Untiedts Garden Market. 48
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… Fairy Gardens,
Steve Kelley, Kelley & Kelley Nursery chats with Steve Burich and Alicia Morarie of Sargents Landscape Nursery.
➾networking news
networking news Professional Gardening Services Date: 8/15 Location: Jim Naye’s property, Sunfish Lake
The Professional Gardening Services networking group met at the property of Jim Nayes, owner of Living Sculpture Tree Care, and got an in depth tour of his gardens. Jim has tackled a forest of buckthorn and honeysuckle and created a variety of habitats and gardens. These included a shoreline restoration project, a reforestation project, a pollinator habitat, raingardens, shade gardens, fruit and nut trees and a very impressive vegetable garden.
Commercial Arborist/Tree care Date: 9/18 Location: Dangerous Man Brewing,
Minneapolis
The Arborist/Treecare networking group met at Dangerous Man Brewing in NE Minneapolis for our first Third Thursday Arborist Networking Meeting. Fourteen people attended, including representatives from Bratt Tree Service, Mickman Brothers, Northeast Tree, Rainbow Treecare, Treecology and Vineland Tree Care. Topics discussed included — beer, brewing, hops and universal displeasure with the proposed changes to the Minneapolis Tree Service License.
Watch for networking groups meeting on the Campfire areas on the tradeshow floor at the 2015 Northern Green Expo.
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Official Notice: Annual Meeting on Jan. 14 at Convention Center
Notice is hereby given that the annual membership meeting of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, 2015, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. During the annual meeting, the results of the Board of Directors election will be announced. An electronic ballot will be sent the first week in December to the primary contact provided to MNLA by each business member. Also at the meeting, members will consider the following proposed changes to the association bylaws, see pages 52–55, and the amended and restated articles of incorporation below:
tion, all of the work of this corporation shall be carried on, and all funds of this corporation, whether income or principal and whether acquired by gift or contribution or otherwise, shall be used and applied exclusively for exempt purposes directly or indirectly benefiting this corporation within the meaning of Section 501(c)(6) of the Code, and in such manner that no part of the net earnings of this corporation will in any event inure to the benefit of any Member, officer or director of this corporation or of any other corporation, organization, foundation, fund or institution, or any other individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for this corporation in furtherance of one or more of its purposes).
Proposed Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation ARTICLE I NAME
The name of this corporation shall be Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association. ARTICLE II PURPOSE
This corporation is organized as a nonprofit business league or trade association within the meaning of Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or such other provisions of Minnesota or Federal law as may from time to time be applicable. ARTICLE III POWERS
Notwithstanding any other provisions of these Articles of Incorpora50
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ARTICLE IV DURATION
The duration of this corporation shall be perpetual. ARTICLE V REGISTERED OFFICE
The registered office of this corporation shall be located at 1813 Lexington Ave. N., Roseville Minnesota 55113. ARTICLE VI CAPITAL STOCK
This corporation shall have no capital stock but shall have such classes of Members as provided in the Constitution and Bylaws of the corporation. The conditions and qualifications for Membership of this corporation shall be as provided for in the Constitution and Bylaws of this corporation. Members of this corporation shall have no personal liability for corporate obligations.
ARTICLE VII DIRECTORS
Section 8.1. The management of this corporation shall be vested in a Board of Directors elected as provided in the Constitution and Bylaws of the organization. Section 8.2. The number, qualifications, and terms of office of the directors shall be fixed by the Constitution and Bylaws of this corporation. ARTICLE VIII DISSOLUTION
Upon the dissolution of the corporation, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all the liabilities of the corporation, dispose of all the assets of the corporation exclusively for the purposes for which this corporation was organized in such manner as the Board of Directors shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the District Court of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
A Deeper Shade of Green Local Genetic Origins
TM
ARTICLE IX AMENDMENT
A. Amendment by Members. Amendments to the Articles must be approved by a majority of the directors and a majority of the Members with voting rights. If an amendment is initiated by the directors, proper notice of the proposed amendment must precede a member meeting at which the amendment will be considered and must include the substance of the proposed amendment. If an amendment is proposed and approved by the Members, the Members may demand a special board meeting within 60 days for consideration of the proposed amendment if a regular board meeting would not occur within 60 days. B. Amendment by Board. When authorized by the Members, these Articles may be amended by the Board of Directors by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then in office who are present and entitled to vote at a duly held meeting of the Board of Directors for which notice of the meeting and the proposed amendment have been given. A majority of Members with voting rights voting at a meeting duly called for the purpose, may prospectively revoke the authority of the Board to exercise the power of the Members to amend the Articles.
Native Minnesota Woody & Herbaceous (651) 438-2771 • Fax (651) 438-3816
www.outbacknursery.com
Call us first for all your native planting needs november 14
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➾ P ROP OSED CHAN GES
PROPOSED CHANGES
MINNESOTA NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION Constitution & Bylaws Adopted 1978. Revised 1988, 1990, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015
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➾ P ROP OSED CHAN GES
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Resistance is Futile:
There will always be “low ballers” Jody Shilan | FromDesign2Build.com If I hear one more contractor use the excuse that they can’t get work because of so-called “low ballers,” I think I am going to scream. Believe it or not, there will always be companies working without insurance, or licenses, and paying their employees cash. There will always be people who have regular full-time jobs that do “landscaping” on the side. Many of them are your own employees. There will always be new startup companies and kids out of high school or college who are going to jump into their own landscaping business only to run it into the ground within the 3–5 year average. Always. You have two choices.
1. Continue to stomp your feet and complain to anyone who will listen, or 2. Accept it and focus on growing your business. But, but, but. “But” nothing. It’s how it was, how it is and how it will be. Period. End of story. If you’re still reading this, I have made my point and you have come to the realization that, as the Borg say, “Resistance is Futile.” You have also taken the first step in solving this dilemma: finally admitting that «you» have a problem. The real question and focus of today’s article is what can you do to overcome this problem, yet still keep your margins where they need to be (and believe me you can). The first thing that you need to do is get in the right mindset and realize that not everyone wants the cheapest price all of the time. It’s true. Think about your own purchasing experiences. Do you always buy the cheapest and least expensive products? Will you go to the ends of the earth to get the cheapest tools, cheapest truck and cheapest labor or have you learned that “the cheapest” is sometimes the “most expensive” in the long run? Let’s look at something all hardscape contractors use, diamond blades. You can spend $50 up to $350 (or more) for a 12" diamond 56
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blade. The fact of the matter is that they all pretty much look the same. The packages tell you that they can cut through any concrete up to 2" thick in minutes. They might even have a sticker that says something like “lasts 3x longer than other diamond blades.” Naturally, spending $50 is better than spending $350 if the products are the same. But they are not the same. There is no way that a fifty-dollar diamond blade is going to cut as well or last as long as a $350 blade. I can tell you from experience that (7) $50 blades will not last as a long as one $350 blade. Plus, when you calculate how much longer it took you to make your cuts, you will quickly see that when you factor in your labor, the more expensive blade was actually the better deal. Now let’s get back to design/build. Just as you realized using the cheapest blade doesn’t make sense, many potential customers also realize that buying the cheapest patio or hiring their own day laborers or working with a company that has no insurance is also a bad idea. Maybe they don’t care because they don’t know the difference between a well-built patio, with the proper base, solid edging and tight cuts. Maybe they just don’t know what to look for when hiring a landscape contractor or why it is so important to have proper pitch on a patio (and what could happen if you don’t). There are dozens of reasons why they go with what they believe is the cheapest price or best value; however, most of those reasons have to do with the fact that no one helped them understand why going with the lowest price just doesn’t make sense and actually incurs many risks. What if the company is uninsured or underinsured and there is an accident where someone loses a finger? Between the medical bills, new insurance premiums and a guaranteed lawsuit, the homeowners are going to be paying out plenty. Depending on which finger it was, they could be liable for $100K. Factor that into the patio price and all of a sudden, you’re paying $2,015 a square foot instead of $15 a square foot. Plus, you still have to remove the blood stained pavers.
What about the newer company that doesn’t really understand their costs or how much labor and material is needed to do the work? Halfway through they could tell the client, “Oops we made a mistake and the price is double what we thought it would be.” If they aren’t worried about their reputation, they could also just walk away and leave the property a complete mess, as the homeowners now have to scramble to find someone new to finish the job or redo the work, which is even more expensive. Remember, there will always be “low ballers” and customers who want everything on the cheap. That’s just the way it is. There will also always be people who want top quality work, from a reputable company and are willing to pay for it. That’s just the way it is too.
Shilan will be speaking at the 2015 Northern Green Expo on “Design/ Build: How to Perform the Perfect Kitchen Table Presentation,” “It’s Not the Economy, It’s You,” and “Creating the Unbiddable Landscape Plan.
Welcome new MNLA members! Donnay Homes; Maple Grove, MN; Chad Donnay, 763-531-0714 Dynamic Sealing Technologies Inc.; Andover, MN; Troy Land, 763-786-3758 JH Landscaping; Shakopee, MN; Jesse Hennen, 612-751-6029 Miller Farms; Belle Plaine, MN; Val Miller, 507-665-2881 Plowz and Mowz; Manlius, NY; Conor Byrnes, 315-484-5098 S. Robideau Construction; Elk River, MN; Scott Robideau, 763-434-1418 Southwinds Outdoor Services; Hastings MN; Matthew Fritz, 651-356-4227 Stonecrop Design MN; Minneapolis, MN; Cary Anderson, 612-281-2875
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➾ out & about
&
AN INITIATIVE OF THE MNLA MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE IS TO STAY IN TOUCH AND THANK MEMBERS WITH OCCASIONAL VISITS.
Dave Kleinhuizen of Margolis Company stands with MNLA Executive Director Cassie Larson in the Margolis staging area.
Bob Lindgren, owner of Minnehaha Falls Nursery & Garden Store took some time out to visit with Membership Director Mary Dunn. Bob and his wife are the second generation owners of the Nursery.
Education Director Sue Flynn with Wagner Greenhouses owner Ron Wager. Ron gave Sue and Membership Director Mary Dunn a very informative tour of the Minneapolis garden center and nursery.
Keri and Van Cooley of Malmborg’s served up smiles and free lunch for their customers during a recent party.
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Rich Diegre of MIDC Enterprises welcomed MNLA Communications Director Jon Horsman to their shop for a quick visit.
Education Director Sue Flynn looks on as Sarah Davis assists a customer at Sunnyside Gardens.
Albrecht Company’s Matt Johnson visited with Cassie and Jon on a recent sunny afternoon in Roseville.
January 14–16, 2015 | Minneapolis Convention Center | www.NorthernGreenExpo.org
Campfires New in 2015!
Be sure and visit Expo’s new “campfire” spaces on the trade show floor! These hubs for gathering and learning will include hosted discussions, trade show floor walkabouts, demonstrations, featured project displays, and peer networking meetings.
Lakeshore Campfire
Backyard Campfire
Campfire Schedules Lakeshore Campfire Wednesday
• 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Plant Walkabout with Allan Armitage • 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Show & Tell: Latest Golf Technology • 12:45 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Peer Networking: Landscape and Turf Management • 1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. The Latest News on Pollinators & Pesticides • 2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. One-on-One with MNLA Landscape Award Winners (Group 2) • 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Employee Handbooks with Patrick McGuiness • 3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Elm Pruning Demo with Chad Giblin
Thursday
• 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Q & A: The Status of Federal
Immigration Reform with Craig Regelbrugge
• 10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Peer Networking: Landscape
Designers
• 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. One-on-One with MNLA
Landscape Award Winners (Group 3)
• 12:15 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Maintaining Walls/Pavers • 1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Peer Networking: Arborist & Tree
Care
• 1:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Gopher State One Call • 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. A Hosted Discussion on Fuel
Mixtures
• 4:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Peer Networking: Garden Center
Friday
• 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. One-on-One with MNLA
Landscape Award Winners (Group 5)
• 10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. DOT Certification – How to
Get It • 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Show & Tell: Air Tools • 12:15 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. A Hosted Discussion on Insects with Vera Krischik
Backyard Campfire Wednesday
• 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. One-on-One with MNLA Landscape Award • • • •
Winners (Group 1) 1:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Peer Networking: Professional Gardening Services 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Don’t Get Zapped – Stay Safe Around Power! 3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Don’t Get Zapped – Stay Safe Around Power! 4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Peer Networking: Landscape Contractors, with special guest Jody Shilan
Thursday
10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Q&A: Container Sizing 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Equipment Walkabout 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Peer Networking: Nursery Growers 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. “Plant Geeks Unite” with Debbie Lonnee 1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. One-on-One with MNLA Landscape Award Winners (Group 4) • 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Q & A: Tree Wounding with Faith Appelquist • 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Show & Tell: Reels/Blade Sharpening • • • • •
Friday
• 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Q & A: ADA Compliance for Parks/Grounds • 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. One-on-One with MNLA Landscape Award
Winners (Group 6)
Other Sessions Back of 1700 Aisle
• Wednesday, 11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
MN State Patrol Commercial Vehicle Inspection Information & Demo • Thursday, 3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. MN State Patrol Commercial Vehicle Inspection Information & Demo • Friday, 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. MN State Patrol Commercial Vehicle Inspection Information & Demo
Landscape Awards Room
• Wednesday, 8:45 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
One-on-One with MNLA Landscape Award Winners (Group 7) • Thursday, 8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. One-on-One with MNLA Landscape Award Winners (Group 8)
➾ last word
HAPPY 90th Anniversary MNLA! There are several events happening Expo week to help celebrate MNLA’s 90th year in 2015. You are invited to joins us for these activities and events.
Where: Millennium Hotel, Minneapolis When: Tuesday, January 13, 2015 beginning at 4:00 pm. Who: Executive and managerial level employees of MNLA member companies
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Cost: $129 (includes a drink ticket, reception, dinner, and seminar)
THURSDAY, JAN. 15: 90th Anniversary Party Let your hair down and celebrate with us! Where: Ballroom A, Minneapolis Convention Center When: Thursday, January 15, 2015 beginning at 5:30pm Who: All Northern Green Expo attendees are invited to attend
T ED IN HE 60 IN
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The MNLA CEO Symposium has become the “place to be” on Tuesday night. This is an opportunity for CEO-level members to connect and network. The evening includes drinks, dinner, and a presentation. This year, in coordination with the MNLA 90th anniversary celebration, our presenters will be the veterans of this great industry. They will share what they wish they knew when they were first starting out, lessons learned, and ‘aha’ moments from their careers.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 14 – FRIDAY, JAN. 16: Display, Stickers, and Video Interviews at the Northern Green Expo JO
TUESDAY, JAN. 13: CEO Symposium
Look for a display in Lobby C at the Minneapolis Convention Center that will highlight MNLA activities throughout the decades. It will also feature member contributed memorabilia.
1960’s
Each decade will feature its own color and associated sticker. Be sure to stop by and pick up a sticker at the display and wear it proudly to let Expo attendees know the year your company joined the MNLA! Not sure when your company joined? Stop by MNLA Member Central and staff will tell you! 10/13/2014 5:06:10 PM
In addition, there will be a board where we encourage you to stop by and write your hopes and dreams for the green industry and MNLA for the year 2025. We hope to pull these wishes back out when MNLA turns 100 years old to see how many came true. MNLA partnered with a local company, Video My Story, to produce interviews with several long-time members. We’ll be releasing short versions of these videos online in the coming weeks and the full videos will be featured onsite at the Northern Green Expo.
Cost: Entrance, concert, and snacks are all FREE (while supplies last)! Relax and catch up with green industry colleagues or get your dance moves on with entertainment provided by the local band Slip Twister! Cash bars will be available and snacks provided. Entertainment Sponsored by:
Watch the full version and other interviews at www.mnla.biz!
Event Celebration Sponsors: 1914 ·CENT ENNIA L·2 014
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mnla .biz
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Prove what you know.
Become a Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association Certified Professional.
Who is eligible?
Who?
You are eligible to register for the exam if you meet the following requirements: • Have either two years of study in an accredited post-secondary nursery and/or landscape program that includes a structured internship, OR • A minimum of 2000 hours in nursery or landscape-related employment. A signature of an educational advisor or work supervisor is required on the exam registration form to verify completion of the prerequisite.
When & Where?
When and where are the 2015 exams?
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January 27, 2015, and March 10, 2015. Both will be held at the TIES Event Center, 1667 Snelling Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108.
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MNLA CERTIFICATION SAME VALUE, NOW IN A NEW FORMAT Why is it worth my time to become an MNLA-CP?
Why?
How does it benefit me in my career?
How?
Achieving MNLA certification status benefits individuals by: • Instilling pride and confidence. • Establishing your ability to bring greater value to the nursery and landscape industry. • Demonstrating commitment to the nursery and landscape industry. • Enhancing employability within the industry.
• Makes you distinct. • Sets you apart. • Identifies you as a professional. • Gives you credentials and proves your qualifications. • Provides you instant credibility with your clients and employers. • Contributes increased opportunities for advancement with many employers. • Demonstrates your commitment to your profession. • Distinguishes you from the competition. • Qualifies you to do expert work and give advice. Become MNLA-certified and advance your career!
How does it benefit MNLA member companies?
MNLA member businesses that employ certified professionals enhance their professional image, increase customer recognition and respect, provide a consumer marketing tool, and offer an additional tool for employee motivation, evaluation, and advancement.
What’s new?
What?
A brand new electronic format with immediate results and integrated photos and videos. The MNLA Certification Exam is still a two-part exam: you must pass a Basic Knowledge Exam and a specialty of your choosing (Landscape, Garden Center or Grower) to become MNLA Certified. To maintain their certification status, all individuals must compile at least 18 continuing education points every three years.
HOW TO PREPARE USE THESE RESOURCES TO PREPARE FOR THE EXAM
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Online chapters Practice test Plant I.D. webinar Watch for more online training modules coming soon!