Risks and Best Practices for Hazard Trees
Also Inside
The Culture Wars
Member Profile Out & About Master Classes
TOP TEN ANNUALS The cultivars that out-performed all others in 2017
Vol: 40 No: 10 Oct 2017 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
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Volume 40 No. 10 Oct 2017
CONTENTS 15
& 20
34
IN THIS ISSUE 8
Events
10 From the Executive Director & Government Affairs Director Cassie and Larry report on their visit with MNLA members to Washington.
51
15 Top Ten Performing Annual Flowers The WCROC Horticulture Display Garden in Morris, MN presents their highestrated cultivars of the year.
23 The Culture Wars How important is a positive company culture? It can reduce employee turnover from 48.4% to 13.9%.
34 Pollinators Remain in the Spotlight Jim Calkins’ role on the Governor’s Committee on Pollinator Protection has brought this important issue into focus.
44 Risks and Best Practices For Hazard Trees Diseased, damaged, or decaying trees can present substantial risk to their owners.
51 Crown Density — Let There Be Light! This Pruning Clips offers advice on making space for the catalyst for plant growth and development to infiltrate the plant.
Landscape & Hardscape Install & Design Garden Services & Landscape Management Garden Centers Growers: Nursery & Greenhouse Irrigation & Water Management Arborists & Tree Services All
12 Member Profile Plaisted Companies 20 Out & About Member Appreciation Day at the MNLA office and a beautiful night at the Saints Game. 28 Landscape Awards Call for Entries Do you have a landscape project you’d like to enter? The online entry portal opens October 2. 30 Summer Tours The Garden Center and Landscape Design tours continue to be a favorite way for MNLA members to find inspiration. 48 Northern Green Sessions At-a-Glance Take a peek at the chock-full schedule for Northern Green 2018. Then, head over to NorthernGreen.org to register! 58 Learn About Larry MNLA welcomes our newest staff member, Government Affairs Director Larry Johnson. 62 Master Classes Tuesday of Northern Green week offers a slate of full-day educational opportunities. The Scoop, October 2017, Issue 10, is issued monthly, 12 times per year. All original works, articles or formats published in The Scoop are © Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association, 2017, 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.
october 17
MNLA .biz
5
AD LIST MINNESOTA NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION Successful Businesses Grow Here!
A Top Notch Equipment ................................................................................... 22
1813 Lexington Ave. N. Roseville, MN 55113 651-633-4987 • Fax: 651-633-4986 Outside the metro area, toll free: 888-886-MNLA, Fax: 888-266-4986 www.MNLA.biz • www.NorthernGreen.org
Berger ............................................................................................................... 11
MISSION: The mission of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is to help members grow successful businesses.
Central Landscape Supply ................................................................................ 29
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
herman roerick, president
Central Landscape Supply 320-252-1601 • hermanr@centrallandscape.com
scott frampton, vice-president
Landscape Renovations 651-769-0010 • sframpton@landscaperenovations.com
tim malooly, cid, clia, cic, secretary-treasurer
Bridgewater Tree Farms ................................................................................... 26 Carlin Horticultural Supplies/ProGreen Plus ..................................................... 24
County Materials Corporation .......................................................................... 27 Cushman Motor Co. Inc. .................................................................................. 27 Edney Distributing Co., Inc. ............................................................................. 26 Frontier Ag & Turf ............................................................................................. 29
Water in Motion 763-559-7771 • timm@watermotion.com
Frost Services ................................................................................................... 58
randy berg, mnla-cp
Fury Motors ...................................................................................................... 50
Berg’s Nursery, Landscape/Garden Center 507-433-2823 • randy@bergsnursery.com
matt mallas
Hedberg Supply 763-512-2849 • mmallas@hedbergaggregates.com
mike mcnamara
Hoffman & McNamara Nursery & Landscaping 651-437-9463 • mike.mcnamara@hoffmanandmcnamara.com
john o'reilly
Otten Bros. Garden Center and Landscaping 952-473-5425 • j.oreilly@ottenbros.com
jeff pilla, mnla-cp
Gertens Wholesale & Professional Turf Supply .................................................. 2 GM Fleet and Commercial ................................................................................. 3 Haag Companies, Inc. ...................................................................................... 43 Jeff Belzer Chevrolet .................................................................................. 32–33 Klaus Nurseries ................................................................................................. 29
Bachman’s, Inc. 612-861-7600 • jpilla@bachmans.com
Midwest Transmission Center / DBA Clutch & U-joint Proven Force ............... 24
nick sargent
Northern Salt Inc. ............................................................................................. 22
Sargent’s Landscape Nursery, Inc. 507-289-0022 • njsargent@sargentsgardens.com
cassie larson, cae
Out Back Nursery ............................................................................................. 40
MNLA Executive Director 651-633-4987 • cassie@mnla.biz
Plaisted Companies ............................................................................................ 7
STAFF DIRECTORY
RDO Equipment Co. ........................................................................................ 11
Cassie Larson, CAE • cassie@mnla.biz
Resultants for Business, Inc. (RFB) .................................................................... 59
executive director:
membership director & trade show manager:
Mary Dunn, CEM • mary@mnla.biz communications dir.: Jon Horsman, CAE • jon@mnla.biz education/cert. manager: Susan Flynn • susan@mnla.biz Government Affairs Dir: Larry Johnson • larry@mnla.biz
regulatory affairs manager: Jim Calkins • jim@mnla.biz administrative asst.: Gayle Anderson • gayle@mnla.biz accountant: Kris Peterson • kris@mnla.biz foundation program coordinator: Paulette Sorenson • paulette@mnla.biz
advertising sales: 952-934-2891 / 763-295-5420
Faith Jensen, Advertising Rep • faith@pierreproductions.com Betsy Pierre, Advertising Mgr • betsy@pierreproductions.com legislative affairs consultant: Doug Carnival
6
Volume 40 No. 10 Oct 2017
➾ G OS C
MNLA .biz
october 17
Rock Hard Landscape Supply ........................................................................... 22 SMSC Organics Recycling Facility .................................................................... 40 The Builders Group .......................................................................................... 24 Tri-State Bobcat, Inc.............................................................................. 14, 39, 60 Truck Utilities, Inc. ............................................................................................. 40 Versa-Lok Midwest ............................................................................................. 4 Ziegler CAT ......................................................................................... Back Cover
➾ C ALE N DAR
OCT11
OCT 18–20
➾
PARKING LOT & SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE WITH REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
OCT 22–23
LANDSCAPES 2017
➾
Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY
Roseville, MN
Los Angeles Convention Center, CA
landscapeprofessionals. org
MNLA.biz Learn state of the art maintenance strategies for parking lots and sidewalks that will save money, time, and the environment. Opportunity to earn the MPCA Level I Certification in Winter Maintenance.
ASLAMeeting.com
GIE and Expo’s premier education and networking experience.
A wealth of education sessions, a vital EXPO, PPN meetings for special interests, fabulous tours, and multiple opportunities for fellowship and celebration await you at the ASLA Annual Meeting & Expo.
NOV7 MSA FALL CONFERENCE: SAFETY
The 2017 Irrigation Show is the place to be for top-notch professional development and networking opportunities.
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➾
TIFIE
MNLA CERTIFICATION EXAM Roseville, MN
FE
AL
Safety is at the core of arboriculture. Join us for this one-day conference to learn about the new ANSI Z133 standards, proper vehicle and machinery maintenance, promoting safety culture, and assessing a tree’s structural integrity. Speakers include John Ball, Joe Engberg, Steve Krueger, and Eric North.
ER
N
Irrigation.org
MSA-Live.org
O PR
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
➾
NOV10 D
IRRIGATION SHOW & EDUCATION CONFERENCE
University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus
C
NOV 6–10
ASLA ANNUAL MEETING & EXPO
SSIO
MNLA.biz Choose one of three dates this fall to sit for the exam to become an MNLA Certified Professional.
2017 MNLA seminars generously supported by:
SALES • SERVICE • RENTALS • PARTS
➾
TIFIE ER
D
C
OCT27
OCT31
MNLA CERTIFICATION EXAM
➾
Roseville, MN
AL
FALL GREENHOUSE PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION
Roseville, MN MNLA.biz Choose one of three dates this fall to sit for the exam to become an MNLA Certified Professional.
Plantgrower.org
Choose one of three dates this fall to sit for the exam to become an MNLA Certified Professional.
SSIO
MNLA CERTIFICATION EXAM
Midland Hills Country Club, Roseville
MNLA.biz
N
O PR
FE
NOV3
MDA-approved pesticide recertification focusing on greenhouse crop production.
NOV17 MTGF/MNLA PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION WORKSHOP
➾
New Brighton Community Center, New Brighton, MN MNLA.biz The workshop meets MDA’s commercial pesticide applicator recertification requirements for Categories A (Core), E (Turf and Ornamentals), P (Vertebrate Pest) and/ or J (Forestry, Rights-ofWay and Natural Areas). This is the last chance to renew in 2017!
KEY:
NOV29– DEC1 NEW ENGLAND GROWS Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Boston MA NewEnglandGrows.org New England GROWS 2017 is the biggest, most valued professional horticulture-related trade event in the Northeast.
JAN2–4 ➾
NORTHERN GREEN – WHERE OUTDOOR PROS CONNECT & GROW Minneapolis Convention Center Northerngreen.org Attend the premier event for green industry professionals in the northern region. Exhibit contracts are available.
Non-MNLA Event MNLA Education/Event ➾
All information on these and other industry events are online at MNLA.biz.
october 17
MNLA .biz
9
➾ F R OM THE EXECUTIVE DI R EC TO R
MNLA Staff and Members Blitz AmericanHort’s “Impact Washington” September 11–13 was a busy time on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Constituents, lobbyists, vacationers and others from all viewpoints, policy ideas and backgrounds were busily working to meet with their U.S. Senators and Members of Congress on issues ranging from budget concerns to hurricane funding and from immigration reform to issues in the upcoming tax reform debate. Cassie Larson
MNLA Executive Director
Larry Johnson
MNLA Government Affairs Director
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MNLA .biz
Staff from AmericanHort provided briefings on issues ranging from grants available in the farm bill to more difficult concepts like a provision to transition from cash accounting to accrual accounting in the upcoming tax reform debates. A wide range of speakers on multiple topics made sure the group was ready to advocate once legislative meetings began on the afternoon of the 12th. Cassie Larson led the team, including Tim Malooly of Water in Motion, Gordie Bailey of Bailey Nurseries, Larry Johnson, the new MNLA Government Affairs Director and Lisa Minter-Bustin who joined the group from British Columbia, Canada. The group met with staff representatives from Senators Klobuchar and Franken on day one and staff from the offices of Tim Walz, Betty McCollum, Rick Nolan and Collin Peterson on day two. Because there are no specific bills yet introduced, members of the group spoke in general terms
about concepts and ideas currently under consideration with the staff members who promised to pass along our comments. As the fall Congressional session begins to heat up with conversations regarding immigration, tax reforms, and federal budgets for various agencies and projects, you as members have an extraordinary opportunity to make your views heard. We encourage you to reach out to your state and federal elected officials and invite them to meet with you and learn more about the impact you have in their districts. The MNLA will be working to brief the elected officials and their staff on issues of importance and can assist you in arranging a great event and tour for both Congressional and State Legislative leaders in your area.
A hallway meeting with Representative Walz’s staff. We were able to discuss tax reform, workforce, and the farm bill with staff in several Minnesota Representatives’ offices. Thanks to AmericanHort for organizing the industry fly-in!
Over 100 participants from 26 states spent two days to lobby Congress. A win for the green industry! Here we are just before our meeting with Sen. Franken’s office.
october 17
CASSIE LARSON can LARRY JOHNSON
be reached at: cassie@mnla.biz. can be reached at larry@mnla.biz.
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➾ ME MBER PROFILE
MEMBER PROFILE PLAISTED C O M PAN I ES
Brennon, Alec, and Todd Plaisted. Katie Mills Giorgio
Photos courtesy of Plaisted Companies
Some twenty-five years ago, Todd Plaisted operated a small sand and gravel company. When a golf course approached him looking for products to create and maintain the course, Plaisted stepped up to the job and soon transformed the company into what is today: a full-scale business that offers more than 400 unique and innovative products for everything from a basic residential landscaping project, to city streetscapes and large athletic facilities, such as the Minnesota Twins baseball stadium and the Minnesota Vikings training camp. Plaisted now offers aggregates, boulders and river rock, engineered soils, horticultural products, landscape rock and mulch, road base materials, and sand and salt products. “Pretty much anything you can haul in a dump truck we are able to supply,” said owner Todd Plaisted. “And we are involved in a lot of high-profile projects around the Minneapolis/St. Paul area which is really a lot of fun.”
C OM PAN Y SN APSH O T
Company Name: Plaisted Companies Owner: Todd Plaisted Date Company started: 1990 Location: Elk River, MN Number of Employees in Peak Season: 120 Areas Served: Five-State Area Member Category: Hardscape Supply Center, Manufacturer Website: www.plaistedcompanies.com
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Q. Todd, thank you for making time to talk with The Scoop. Tell us more about how Plaisted Companies got started and how it has changed over the years. A. When we started in 1990, we were just a standard gravel company. But a golf course came in and asked if we had any sand they could use for bunkers. He wanted 500 tons, making that one of the biggest orders since I started my little company. That golf course loved it, so I started calling on other golf courses and because of their interest I started selling bunker sand. Then they asked if I had any peat we could add to the sand so they could make greens. So I bought a peat company in 1993. At the same time we started getting into a lot of the horticulture mixes which is what brought us into the MNLA. With our knowledge of blending, we kind of naturally moved into blending potting soils and greenhouse mixes. We began by supplying the components for
We have a defined set of values that run and grow the business: being a team player; being honest and having integrity; being enthusiastic, energetic and positive; keeping our customers above all else; and committing to excellence.
other companies to do their own blending but now we are doing a lot of custom blending for a lot of our customers. I had been selling to some of the big growing companies so then it was kind of a natural thing to start blending potting soils and greenhouse mixes for those companies as well. It’s just been one of those evolving things in growing this business of specialty soils. Now we’ve gotten into rooftop gardens and blending lightweight aggregates. We’ve also developed a soil that is used to grow trees in an urban environment, a specially designed mix that creates an avenue for the roots to grow under the sidewalk. Rain garden mixes are a hot item right now, too. I have really enjoyed growing the business. Right now my two sons are getting involved in the business so that is making it even more exciting for me. They both have business degrees and we are working them through the ranks which has been a joy. The people in my company have been the best, the most fun to work with. We have a close-knit management group that does a great job. Q. What are some of the values that Plaisted Companies feels are important in doing business? A. We are constantly training ourselves and our managers. Also, we operate our company under the entrepreneurial operating system called Traction. We have a defined set of values that run and grow the business: being a team player; being honest and having integrity; being enthusiastic, energetic and positive; keeping our customers above all else; and committing to excellence. We are always looking at and considering these values in everything that we do. Q. How does your company approach customer service? A. I love dealing with our customers to
DTECP Vikings Stadium Park.
grow the company and develop new products. Naturally, customer service has always been very important. We feel that every customer, big or small, is very important to us. We try to react and handle any complaints immediately. We research any questionable material and automatically replace it, no questions asked, if we are at fault. That’s pretty powerful, when we react immediately and try to help the customer whether they are going to come back to us again or not. We don’t lose very many customers because we jump on any issues right away. We basically supply contractors with all the materials to do a job. We also sell to homeowners that come and pick up materials. Our customers are everyone from landscape contractors, greenhouses and nurseries, golf course superintendents, and sports field contractors, to individual homeowners. Q. Can you share any examples of innovative or creative business practices? A. The first thing I did when we decided to supply golf courses with product was to
hire a golf course superintendent to sell to his peers. The golf business was good so when he got to be too busy I hired another golf superintendent. Because my first two salesmen were actually golf course superintendents they understood the industry, they listened to their peers and understood their problems. Then we designed products around that. We also went right to the USGA and the athletic field testing agencies to invite them to help us develop all our products. We have consultants — both in the fields of athletics and horticulture — who help us as well. We have a greenhouse where we are testing new greenhouse and horticulture mixes. We are always trying new things that grow better plants or need less water. We are constantly doing research and development. Our staff is very educated on blending and particle size and water retention. Most companies like ours don’t understand that language. INTERESTED IN BEING PROFILED IN THE SCOOP?
Our writer is always looking for a good story. Email jon@mnla.biz and we’ll discuss the next steps.
october 17
MNLA .biz
13
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âžž S E CT I O N TITLE
2017 TOP TEN
PERFORMING ANNUAL FLOWERS One of the largest and most impressive displays of annual flower varieties and cultivars in the Upper Midwest is at the University of Minnesota (U of MN) West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) Horticulture Display Garden in Morris, MN. University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center Steve Poppe | Senior Horticulture Scientis Esther Jordan | Communications Specialist
october 17
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➾ 2 0 1 7 TOP TEN AN N U AL S
The WCROC Garden serves as an All-American Selections (AAS) Display Garden and Trial Grounds. This Garden provides the public an opportunity to view the newest superior performers recognized by AAS. Additionally, the Horticulture Display Garden is the only AAS Trial Ground site in Minnesota in which AAS entries are planted next to comparisons and evaluated by an AAS Trial Judge.
Argyranthemum Pure White Butterfly boasts attractive large daisy
white flowers with a bright yellow eye. Can be planted in full sun to part shade, deadheading is not necessary and grows to a height of 18"–24". This Argyranthemum, which grows evenly and uniformly in the garden, is also a great thriller in a container.
T
he Garden features impressive displays of the newest annual flower cultivars from plant breeding companies around the world. Cultivars are grown from seed, or are vegetatively propagated in our greenhouse, and later transplanted into the Garden in late May. Only the highest rating cultivars earn the distinction of a Top Ten Performing Annual for Minnesota. Plants are evaluated three to four times during the growing season in order to assess each variety’s performance. The data is taken by the same individual each time to reduce variability in scoring. We use a 1 to 5 scale for providing a horticultural rating (1=poor, 2=below average, 3=average, 4=above average, 5=excellent). Plants are rated on performance, color, vigor, uniformity of habit and flowering, flowering numbers relative to others, insect and disease resistance, and uniqueness. All flowers are labeled, allowing visitors to take note of top performing cultivars under regional conditions. Even though the annual flowers are under evaluation, the plants are placed into an aesthetically pleasing design. The Horticulture Display Garden is open daily from dawn until dusk; admission is free. For a complete list of all trial results, please refer to www.wcroc.cfans.umn.edu/flower-research-results.
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offers striking, non-stop flowers which keep plants covered in huge color throughout the summer with no deadheading. Has sturdy flower stems that hold flowers above the lush foliage. Perfect plant for landscapes, hanging baskets and big containers.
Begonia Megawatt™ Rose Bronze Leaf
has attractive eye-catching single orange flowers with a dark red center with summer long performance. This semi-trailing Calibrachoa grows evenly and uniformly in a large hanging basket.
Calibrachoa MiniFamous® Neo Orange+Red Eye
is a high impact vigorous coleus that held its variegated foliage color throughout the growing season. Michigan Avenue was easy to grow, very uniform in growth and performs equally well in sun or shade. It’s also a perfect complement to other plants in the landscape.
Coleus Main Street Michigan Avenue
has very bright purple flowers over glossy green and bronze foliage. They thrived in our garden bed and were outstanding in a container. SunStanding Purple is naturally compact and uniform and can be grown in the sun or shade.
New Guinea Impatiens SunStanding Purple
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➾ 2 0 1 7 TOP TEN AN N U AL S
is smothered in stunning royal blue flowers from early spring to early fall. Its leaves remain green in color throughout the season. Grows to a height and spread of around 18".
Petunia Surprise Blue Sky
is an impressive salvia that has been improved for better summer garden performance, with flowers holding longer for a brighter blue flower color in the garden. The plants are sturdy. Dark green leaves add a dramatic touch to the plants. Mystic Spires Improved attracts bees and butterflies and is deer resistant.
Salvia Mystic Spires Improved
is a compact spreading groundcover with eye-catching violet flowers and unbeatable glossy green foliage. An ideal sun-loving plant for hanging baskets and landscape. Vinca tend to like dry soil, so don’t over water.
Vinca Cora® Cascade Violet
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is a very easy to grow zinnia that grows about 12–18" tall with large abundant fully double orange blooms all summer long. Magellan Orange is a vigorous variety with good disease tolerance and is well suited to challenging weather conditions. Occasional deadheading the old flowers will keep new buds coming, and you’ll get even more color.
Zinnia Magellan™ Orange
Zinnia Profusion Coral Pink is a compact bushy plant, 12 inches
high and 15 inches wide, is simply smothered nonstop all season with cheerful, 2-inch daisy-formed blooms. The petals are bright coral pink with hints of orange and salmon. Plant in large plantings for best effect. For optimum performance, plant zinnias in a well-drained garden soil.
STEVE POPPE,
Senior Horticultural Scientist and ESTHER Communications Specialist; University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center.
JORDAN,
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âžž OUT & ABOUT
MEMBER APPRECIATION DAY! The MNLA staff welcomed members at the Association’s
&
headquarters in Roseville on Wednesday, August 23rd. The morning started with Caribou coffee, along with donuts and cookies. The afternoon brought in members looking for an ice cream cone, sundae, float or a bowl of ice cream. The weather was perfect for networking outside in the sunshine. Look for another Member Appreciation Day next August!
The crew from Home Sown Gardens came by for some coffee and donuts in the morning and helped us develop a new creation: ice cream as coffee creamer.
Several members enjoying the beautiful weather after donuts, coffee, and ice cream at the MNLA office.
Terry Reiten, Dave Rott, and Al Jaques from Tessman Seed stopped by for some ice cream cones.
Ready for the morning rush with free donuts and coffee. We love our members!
Scott Frampton, MNLA Board Vice Chair, starting up his day with some coffee.
This girl was in the right place at the right time as her Mom brought her to work for the day!
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MNLA NIGHT AT THE SAINTS GAME! MNLA reserved the Star Tribune Skybox for the 3rd annual MNLA Night at the Saints Game (in conjunction with Member Appreciation Day this year). The over 75 members who attended enjoyed perfect weather at CHS Field and saw the Saints beat the Wichita Wingnuts 3-1. As you can tell from the photos below, fun was had by all!
The folks from Barrett Lawncare with their collection of Daryl Strawberry Bobbleheads.
Dee Ann Larson from Landscape Gal photobombing the crew from Otten Bros.
The group from Rock Hard enjoying the BBQ dinner.
“Date night” for Brian and Kim Zlimen and Jared and Ashley Nusbaum.
A beautiful night for the game.
The crew from Landscape Gal “representing.”
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THE CULTURE WARS “The beatings will continue until morale improves.” — Unknown
Scott Grams | Executive Director, Illinois Landscape Contractors Association Note: This article was first published in The Landscape Contractor, ILCA’s flagship publication.
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➾ T H E CULTURE WARS
N
o one is exactly sure as to the origin of this popular quote. Some have attributed it to Captain Bligh and the infamous mutiny on the Bounty. Others say it dates back even further to Voltaire. Some say the expression has more recent origins in the French or Japanese navies. The expression has since become a joke, but its early uses were not intended to be funny. There was a prevailing sentiment that the best way to make enlisted men love you, was to beat it into them. As the recession becomes a fading scar on the landscape industry, the entire employer-employee relationship has changed. Landscaping lost 20% of its workforce in five years and many have been reticent or unwilling to return. The gradual increase in client business has gone from being a welcome relief to a growing problem. The phone continues to ring, clients continue to refer, pent up demand continues to surge. Landscaping has come roaring back. The industry clearly is not ready to meet the demand due to a labor shortage. It has met that roar with a terrified meow. I have not heard a single contractor say they are hurting for work. The rainy spring has only put further demand on the labor force to catch up. Employees are not stupid. They understand there’s been a shift towards an employee-based market. Many of those employees are taking full advantage. This has manifested itself in a sense of entitlement for which most employers were not ready. Going from a crushing recession to a dire labor shortage in three years is enough to cause whiplash. I’ve fielded more calls this season regarding the labor force than the last three years combined. Dozens of landscape companies have called to express their difficulties navigating the new labor situation. It goes beyond just trying to locate people. Most employers feel taken advantage of by some of their current employees. They feel standards have dropped as employees become more empowered. Employees have grown lazy, disobedient, and show a blatant disregard for their equipment and work rules. Employers have complained that it’s become increasingly difficult to enact discipline when those employees know they can walk at any time. Now for the bad news. This is not going to change. Employers are not going to wake up tomorrow and find a line of prospective employees outside their chain-link fences. A new generation of American workers is not going to fall in love with landscaping as a vocation no matter how many politicians talk about the intrinsic rewards of hard work. Companies will succeed or fail in this era based on labor and labor alone. This is the new reality and it’s not the employees, but the employers who will need to adapt. Jobs no longer bisect our lives into two halves; professional and personal. Everything has now been blended together. The cliché of
the miserable worker with the shouty, demanding boss is gone. No one wants to live in a 1950’s comic strip. In reality, company culture is a manifestation of what we’ve been paying lip service to for years. We’d hear expressions like, “Do what you love and the money will follow” or “Follow your passion and you’ll never work a day in your life.” It was only a matter of time before we began to not only believe it, but demand it. Corporate, or the more generalized “organizational” culture, is defined by academic Richard Perrin as, “The sum of values and rituals which serve as ‘glue’ to integrate the members of the organization.” It is often noted that corporate culture is implied, not expressly defined, and develops organically over time from the cumulative traits of the people the company hires. In essence, leadership sets the tone, but employees either perpetuate or change the culture. So why did organizations get so concerned with their cultures all of a sudden? Many assume employees began to demand a more positive workplace culture. Employees make a lot of demands, but that is not often the reason why organizations change. In brief, companies focused on improving their corporate cultures because studies showed the financial benefits outweighed the drawbacks. A positive corporate culture helped with goal setting, strategic planning, finding personnel, innovation, and brand and image management. Consider this implication for landscape companies. A Columbia University study showed that the likelihood of job turnover at an organization with a rich company culture is a mere 13.9 percent, whereas the probability of job turnover in a poor company culture is 48.4 percent. Do I have your attention now? Now, many business owners or managers will think this focus on culture is just another example of how entitled workers have become. These businesses will inevitably ask, “Don’t they know I’m doing my employees a favor?” Anyone who works in a high functioning team environment knows that’s BS. Management is pure bliss when you are surrounded by a self-motivated team of professionals working towards common goals. Successful companies have stopped this silly, outdated charade that employees are replaceable drones. Employees are the most vital, non-renewable resource in the landscape industry. You know it, I know it, they know it. The best part about culture is that it is 100% within a company’s control. It is one of the few areas related to personnel that an employer has complete domain over. Tomorrow, any employer could walk into his or her office and make significant changes to the company culture. An employer, in one day, could decide to raise wages, increase break times, provide extra time off, update uniforms, sponsor a soccer team, arrange for a taco truck, have a family picnic, give out employee awards, or buy a super-cool foosball table. october 17
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➾ T H E CU LT U RE WA RS
Ok, I get it. Those cost money, take time, are blatant mollycoddling, and are difficult to support when an employer feels his employees haven’t earned them. I agree, those do help improve company culture, but are mostly symbolic. What academic John McLaughlin advocates instead is that employers should answer seven questions about their businesses and share their results. He says these are central to determining the organization’s culture: 1. Do I encourage my employees to innovate? 2. Do I care more about the details or the finished product? 3. Do I care more about results or the process in which those results are achieved? 4. Do I care how my decisions impact my employees? 5. Do I value team or individual accomplishments more? 6. How aggressive should my employees be in the marketplace? 7. How important are rules in my business?
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For example, if an employer cares more about results than process, stop micromanaging and vice versa. If an employer wants his employees to innovate, they need time to innovate and an environment and platform to pass along their thoughts to management. A company cannot make an unhappy employee happy by doing nothing, or worse, adopting draconian work rules. Morale will not improve regardless of the frequency or severity of the beatings. An employer is not going to make unhappy employees happy by telling them how easy they REALLY have it. You are wasting your breath with that, it’s a lot easier just to say, “Good bye.” Unhappiness starts a chain reaction in a business. An unhappy employee begins to become less productive. This leads to frustration and stress for management. That stress is relieved when the employee leaves, but a hole is created that needs to be filled by other employees. Those other employees are required to work harder and longer. They grow unhappy, and become less pro-
0053_0817_MNLA The Scoop 4.75” x 4.75” Due Date: 6/20/17 • Contractor ductive. The loop is closed on the vicious circle. Further, most landscape companies fill their ranks by asking current coworkers to reach out to family and friends. If the most effective recruiting tool is current employees, and those employees are miserable, the problem has been compounded. There are two reasons for a negative company culture. The first reason is ignorance — the employer is well-meaning he/she simply does not know the problems that exist. The second is ego — the employer senses there is a negative culture, but simply does not want to change. That would require an acknowledgment that something is wrong and ownership is the problem. That is really, really hard, especially for Type-A owners or those from the old school. I get that, but shake it off. The best way to determine the current culture is to ask someone who won’t lie to you. Don’t drag the most miserable foreman into your office and sweat him out under a hot light. Most likely, he will lie out of a sense of self-preservation. That lie will be deadly. It will only cause an employer to fold his arms proudly and assume nothing is wrong. A few weeks later, that employee is gone and could take three more with him. Just five years ago, the rules were different. Duds and low performers were let go, or, at least not missed. Everything has changed. An employer should look long and hard at the payroll and start with the premise, what if there is no “next guy.” The company must examine the list of low performers and determine how many can be saved by improvements to the company culture. If an employee is too far gone, he or she should be terminated. Nothing sends a clearer message that the culture is changing than cleaning house. For those who remain, the message should not be, “You might be next.” The message should be, “I believe in you. I want you to buy in.” Tell those employees what you value and have them tell you how they can help, perhaps, over an epic game of foosball.
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➾ LA NDSCAPE AWARDS
MNLA Landscape Awards 2018
Call for Entries
On October 2 MNLA will open its online entry portal and begin receiving entries for the 2018 Landscape Awards program. Go to www.MNLA.biz/landscapeawards to find the entry portal link. Full entry rules will be posted on the entry form.
If you’re not familiar with this program, you may not know that... It’s all online. The application process, judging, and viewing of winning entries — all of this is done online via software designed specifically for awards programs. You can start an entry, save your work, and return to it later as needed. It’s a learning opportunity. All entries and their judge’s notes will be available during Northern Green (nonwinning entries will be anonymously displayed). You get a second chance. If an entry is incomplete or incorrect, entrants will have one opportunity to amend their submission and resubmit their materials. Plus, if you’re not a winner this year, you are eligible to enter the same project in future years. There are no categories. Entrants don’t have to choose where their project fits, and entries are not judged against each other; every entry is judged solely on its own merits. Each winner receives a plaque, a ticket to the Green Industry Awards Celebration, a crest to display in print and for posting on their website, and other marketing materials. Plus, SPACES Magazine will feature the winning projects in an editorial package in their spring edition,edition, spring including including a feature a feature story on story the on Judges’ the Choice project. Choice project. Judges’
Notable dates:
Nov. 15, 2017: Submission Deadline Nov. 22-Nov. 29, 2018: 2017: Entry Judging Dec. 4-8, 2017: Entry Status Notifications Jan. 2, 2018: Green Industry Awards Celebration
Judging Reminders • Entries are judged anonymously. Judges do not know who submitted the projects. • The size and cost of a project are not part of the criteria for judging. • In any given year, ALL entries could win awards, or NO entries could win an award. Entries are not judged against each other; rather each entry is evaluated by judges who must determine whether an entry meets or exceeds the standards of excellence.
Questions? JonJon Horsman at jon@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987. Questions?Contact Contact Horsman at jon@mnla.biz or 651-633-4987,
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➾ S U MM ER TOURS
2017 SUMMER TOURS Mother Nature provided rain and cool temperatures for both the Gar-
MNLA
den Center Tour and Landscape Design Tour this August. Despite the less than perfect weather, attendees enjoyed the opportunity to connect with colleagues and found inspiration on both tours. Many thanks to each of the locations for your hospitality, and for allowing us to visit and learn from you.
Fun display ideas!
Ellen Dahl, Michaela Boesl and Taylor Wilke with AgStar Financial Services - Mankato.
Attendees enjoyed Heidi Heiland’s passion for the green industry.
Behind the scenes at Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery.
Attendees loved seeing the trial pots at Malmborg’s in Rogers.
Cory Whitmer, Mustard Seed Landscaping and Garden Center, provided an informative tour for attendees.
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Garden Center Tour (opposite page): Mustard Seed Landscaping and Garden Center, Bachman’s – Plymouth, Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery, Malmborg’s Inc. – Rogers, and Heidi’s GrowHaus Nursery & Garden Centre.
Landscape Design Tour (this page): biota Landscapes, Phillips Garden, Inc., Cuningham Group, and the Green Roof at the University of Minnesota Cancer & Cardiovascular Research Building designed by Damon Farber.
A hillside design by biota Design + Build.
The lush gardens of Fred Fitzgerald of the Cuningham Group.
Enjoying the gardens despite the rain.
A perfect example of small urban design by Phillips Garden, Inc.
Lane Rutherford, Bachman’s, and Doug Lauder, U of M Landcare, provided details about plant materials used and the maintenance of the green roof at the University of Minnesota.
Green roof at the University of Minnesota Cancer & Cardiovascular Research Building.
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âž¾ P OLLI NATORS
POLLINATORS REMAIN
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
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Dr. James Calkins | Research Information Director, MNLA Foundation
T Quality Habitat, Plant Diversity Are Key Given my recent appointment to Governor Dayton’s Committee on Pollinator Protection representing the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA), learning about the needs of Minnesota’s bees and other non-bee pollinators has become a much bigger part of my life on a number of levels.
Figure 1. Bumble bee (Bombus sp.) collecting nectar and pollen from Mexican zinnia (Zinnia haageana) flowers growing in a Minnesota deck garden container planting; note the pollen load on the right hind leg (Photo Credit: Jim Calkins).
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➾ P OLLI NATORS
Figure 2. Hoverfly (Order Diptera / Family Syrphidae) feeding on nectar from an aster (Aster sp.) flower in a Minnesota garden; common in Minnesota and often mistaken for bees, hoverflies are the second most important group of pollinators after bees (Photo Credit: Jim Calkins).
Although I have always had a keen and abiding interest in the connections between plants and animals, including pollinators and the role native and designed landscapes play in supporting pollinator fitness and healthy pollinator populations, I have become more aware than ever about these important relationships and that there is still a great deal to be learned. As a result, additional research is definitely needed, but, in some cases, time may be short as it is becoming increasingly clear that many bees and other pollinators are experiencing population declines in response to a variety of stressors and are in trouble. Of course, concerns about honey bee health have been in the news for some time, but ongoing concerns about the declining monarch butterfly population, and more recently the widely reported addition of the rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) to the endangered species list earlier this year, are indicative of the broader and expanding concern. The rusty patched bumble bee is native to Minnesota and is the first bumble bee, and the first bee in the continental United States to be listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Once native in 28 states and two Canadian provinces in east-central and central North America, the rusty patched bumble bee population has experienced a precipitous decline over the past 20 years and the species is now rare and is currently only found in scattered pockets in nine states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin) and one Canadian province (Ontario). In short, pollinators remain in the spotlight and concerns about the health and general well-being of pollinators, and the critical ecological and agricultural pollination services they provide for approximately 90% of the world’s flowering plants and roughly 30% of agricultural crops, are on the rise, and the search for the causes of declining pollinator populations and potential solutions continues. Specific to honey bees, and based on a growing body of research, a variety of factors, acting alone or in combination, have been implicated as stressors and potential threats to honey bee health 36
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and honey bee populations. Examples include pathogens (diseases caused by viruses, fungi, and bacteria), parasites (including mites, and especially Varroa mites – Varroa destructor), stressful beekeeping practices (migratory beekeeping, intermingling of hives, poor sanitation, use of miticides and antibiotics, supplemental feeding), stress-induced immunosuppression, inferior genetics and limited genetic diversity (including genetics related to cold hardiness and pest resistance), malnutrition and starvation (related to beekeeping practices like supplemental feeding and habitat loss including reduced plant diversity and a general lack of flowering plants the produce abundant nectar and pollen), climate change, and pesticide use (primarily insecticides and fungicides). Not surprisingly, given their economic importance, most research has focused on managed honey bees. And while it is suspected that some of the same factors may be involved in the declines of non-bee insect pollinators, little research data is currently available for most of these species, but this is gradually beginning to change. The Governor’s Committee on Pollinator Protection has been discussing these issues with the goal of recommending specific actions that will protect pollinators and increase pollinator populations. Thus far, there appears to be a general consensus that habitat degradation and loss has had a significant and negative effect on pollinator populations and that promoting quality pollinator habitat, including a diversity of plant species that provide sustenance for pollinators throughout the growing season, is paramount if further declines in pollinator populations are to be prevented and ultimately reversed. The nursery and landscape industry can certainly play a central role in achieving this goal. There has also been considerable discussion about the potential role of pesticides, and especially neonicotinoid insecticides, relative to honey bee kills and pollinator health in general. The representation on the Governor’s Committee on Pollinator Protection is diverse and the issues are complicated and sometimes divisive; it will be interesting to see what recommendations the committee can ultimately agree upon. Although bees, and primarily managed honey bees, tend to get the most attention as pollinators, and deservedly so given the important role they play in agricultural production systems, they are part of a much larger group of insects and other animals that facilitate pollination. Insect pollinators include a multitude of invertebrate species including bees, (Order Hymenoptera; honey bees, solitary bees, and bumble bees), wasps (Order Hymenoptera), ants (Order Hymenoptera), sawflies (Order Hymenoptera), true flies (Order Diptera; including hoverflies, mosquitoes, and others), lepidopterans (Order Lepidoptera; butterflies and moths), and beetles (Order Coleoptera). Vertebrate pollinators include birds, bats, monkeys, lemurs, possums, rodents, lizards, and even human beings for plant breeding purposes for certain cultivated crops, and in situations where native pollinator populations are limited. Interestingly, flies, and specifically hoverflies (Family Syrphidae), are generally considered to be the second-most important group of pollinators after bees. And while bees, and to a lesser extent butterflies, tend to get the most attention, the value and importance of pollinators in general is increasingly being recognized and appreciated as is the role of humans in the protection of these critical species. The focus of this Research for the Real World article is to highlight several research papers focused
on pollinators and a number of other resources related to pollinators that may be of interest to nursery and landscape professionals and their customers. Let’s begin with three excellent books that are packed with research-based information related to the provision of pollinator habitat in the form of nectar and pollen and the host plants that serve as the food source for pollinator larvae and primarily the larvae of lepidopterans (butterflies and moths); two of these publications are very new and one is a little older, but still very relevant. First, and specific to bees, Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide authored by Heather Holm (2017) is a new resource that is absolutely packed with research-based information about bees. Native to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East and now found on every continent except Antarctica as a result of human introductions, most people are familiar with the European or western honey bee (Apis mellifera), though they may be surprised to learn that they were introduced to North America from Europe and are not native to North America, and bumble bees (Bombus spp.). Most people would also be surprised to learn that there are approximately 3,600 species of bees in the United States and over 420 species of bees native to Minnesota and these numbers may be conservative based on a historical lack of information about the distribution, behavior, and abundance of these species. Worldwide, it is estimated that there are more than 16,000 species of bees that have been classified in seven families; five of these families are represented in eastern North America including Minnesota. Bee anatomy, life cycle and nesting habits, foraging behaviors, threats, bee/plant relationships, and designing and managing landscapes for bees are covered in the book, all with a focus on the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast regions. About one-half of the book is dedicated to information about the bees themselves (27 genera) and the second half to information about the trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants that are visited and pollinated by bees. The book is incredibly well-illustrated and contains a wealth of information about bees that should be of interest to anyone interested in pollinators including nursery and landscape professionals and the landscaping public. For growers, landscape designers, and homeowners, Native Plants of the Midwest: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 500 Species for the Garden is a new book about plants written by Alan Branhagen (2016). As the title suggests, the focus is unabashedly on native plants and the ability of these plants to enhance residential and commercial landscapes and attract and support wildlife and especially insect pollinators and birds. The book includes a brief discussion of the ecoregions and native vegetation of the Upper Midwest, the basic principles of plant selection and designing with native plants is followed by species-specific descriptions of plants with the majority of the book dedicated to the plants themselves categorized based on size, habit, and life cycle including trees, shrubs, vines (woody and herbaceous), herbaceous perennials (forbs and grasses; prairie, woodland, and wetland species), groundcovers, bulbs, and annuals and biennials. The idea that designed landscapes can help replace habitat and plant diversity that has been lost to development and agriculture is gaining traction with policy makers and members of the public who are concerned about pollinator health and interested
in creating pollinator habitat. Yes, nearly every landscape could benefit from a wafer ash (Ptelea trifoliata), New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), leadplant (Amorpha canescens), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata; an annual that reseeds itself ), or a native willow or two (Salix spp.). Grapes (Vitis spp.; including our native riverbank grape – Vitis riparia), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia; related to grapes), and virgin’s bower (Clematis virginiana) are additional examples of the many species that can be planted to support pollinators and other wildlife. All are native to Minnesota, easy to grow, and of significant benefit to a wide variety of insects and other pollinators. Willows, for example, provide a critical, early spring source of pollen and nectar for over two hundred species of insect pollinators and benefit an even greater number of other insects and wildlife and should be planted much more than they currently are in designed landscapes. Although it has been nearly a decade since the first edition was published, Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants by Douglas Tallamy (2009) is, perhaps, the most engaging and inspiring publication dedicated to the ecological relationships between plants and animals and the role designed landscapes can play in promoting ecological stewardship. Of course, insects, creatures that, more often than not and for a variety of reasons, tend to be regarded unfavorably by gardeners and something that needs to be eliminated rather than tolerated or even promoted, are an important component of this ecology. Although insect pollinators are also an important part of this ecology, we too often focus on the adults (the pretty butterflies and moths) and overlook the needs of the larval or nymphal life-cycle stages of these insects including the nectar and pollen requirements of bees and other pollinators and the plants that serve as the larval hosts for butterflies and moths. The special relationship between monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) and milkweed plants (Asclepias spp.) is a great example that has gotten people’s attention and resonates with a growing segment of the green industry and the gardening public. Another message, also highlighted by the monarch/milkweed relationship, is the shared of evolutionary history that exists for many insects and plants. Plant diversity, herbivore/predator/prey relationships, and the importance of native plants (especially as larval hosts for butterflies and moths) all play a role in this intricate balance and Dr. Tallamy brings it all together effectively and persuasively. He also makes a strong argument for the increased use of native plants and plant selections that retain their ability to provide pollen and nectar which can be reduced or lost when the reproductive parts (carpels/pistils and stamens) are converted to petals as is often the case for horticultural selections with double flowers; even when still present, pollinators may experience difficulty in accessing the nectaries in double flowers. This doesn’t mean double-flowered selections shouldn’t be planted, they just shouldn’t be planted exclusively when promoting pollinators is a goal. In today’s world, these are increasingly important messages that highlight the role the nursery and landscape industry can play in creating and maintaining landscapes that support pollinators and healthy pollinator populations. Without a doubt, Bringing Nature Home is an essential resource for october 17
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➾ P OLLI NATORS
Figure 3. Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) feeding on nectar from meadow blazing star (Liatris ligulistylis) flowers in a prairie garden on the grounds of the DNR building at the Minnesota State Fair; several species of Liatris (blazing star, gayfeather) are native to Minnesota and all are valuable pollinator plants (Photo Credit: Jim Calkins).
green industry professionals and the gardening public; it definitely provides an important and unique perspective. If you haven’t already read Bringing Nature Home, please do, and recommend it to your colleagues and customers. It is an informative and fun read and a book that can change people’s perspectives on the value of insects, including pollinators, in managed landscapes and gardens. The University of Minnesota Bee Lab (http://www.beelab.umn. edu) is also a leader in bee research and management and is an excellent resource for information about bees and promoting bee health and bee populations including plant recommendations that can help insure bees have the nectar and pollen they need to survive. Once again, a providing a diversity of plants that bloom throughout the growing season is emphasized. See the resource list for a few of these resources. The Bee Lab also helps individuals and groups establish honey bee colonies on their properties and manages those bees for the property owner through its Hive to Bottle (the property owner gets to keep the excess not need by the bees) program managed by the Bee Squad. To highlight the importance of pollinators and the role the nursery and landscape industry can play in promoting pollinator health, the MNLA is investigating the possibility of including a honey bee colony as part of the design for the exciting new 38
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landscape being developed for the MNLA office property. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation (http://www. xerces.org) is another valuable resource for information about bees and other pollinators as is the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the RHS Perfect for Pollinators label program (https://www. rhs.org.uk/science/conservation-biodiversity/wildlife/perfect-forpollinators) which has been created in an effort to help gardeners and retailers identify garden plants that are beneficial to pollinators. More specific links to pollinator resources from these organizations are included in the resource lists. Our neighbors to the east – Wisconsin – have developed some publications that are also applicable to Minnesota and may be of interest. An online publication entitled Wisconsin Native Plants: Recommendations for Landscaping and Native Community Restoration, developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WI DNR), is designed to help landowners select native plants that benefit native ecosystems based on soil, topographic, and climate conditions and the plant communities they are typically associated with (prairie, savanna, or forest). Also available online, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WI DATCP) has developed a statewide pollinator protection plan that includes a wealth of information related to pollinators and their protection. The primary goals of the plan include improving the public’s understanding of pollinator health issues and minimizing risks to pollinators and the plan highlights a variety of resources related to pollinators that may be of interest. See the resource list for more detail about where to access these publications. Researchers continue to search for answers to questions related to pollinator health and the potential causes of reported declines in pollinator populations. Pesticides, including neonicotinoid insecticides, remain a primary focus in this regard. While there is little doubt that these neonicotinoid chemistries can harm bees and other pollinators as a result of both acute and chronic exposures, the answers to questions about real world exposures and their effects on pollinator health are less definitive. Several selected research papers, accompanied by short summaries of the primary findings, are included in a separate section of the resource list. It should be pointed out, too, that understanding and protecting pollinator health is one of the current research emphases of the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the research affiliate of AmericanHort. The HRI has recently published a set of pollinator health best management practices (BMPs) specific to the horticultural industry (see resource list). The BMPs were developed by a team of researchers and apply directly to greenhouse and nursery growers and landscape managers and will be updated as new information becomes available. Information about HRI research, including this BMP document and additional research-based information related to pollinator health as it becomes available, can be accessed through the HRI and the new AmericanHort Knowledge Center at http:// www.hriresearch.org and http://www.americanhort.org, respectively. Although there is reason to be concerned about pollinator health and the status of pollinator populations worldwide and locally, there is also good news about the status of some pollinators and steps that are being taken to protect bees and other pollinators. While
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➾ P OLLI NATORS
the number of European/western honey bee colonies are down in some areas, including North America and portions of Europe, the number of managed colonies has increased worldwide by 45% during the last 50 years. In addition, the most recent report from the USDA (April, 2017) indicates the number of commercial honey bee colonies in the United States has increased by more than 3% since the same time last year and that the number of hives lost to colony collapse disorder (CCD) was down by 27% compared to a year earlier. Honey bees are still being lost to a variety of causes with Varroa mites being reported most often. In addition, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that it continues to work aggressively to protect bees and other pollinators from pesticide exposure. Most recently, the EPA has announced a policy intended to protect managed bees and other pollinators from agricultural pesticide applications; additional information about the EPA’s efforts to protect pollinators is available at https://epa.gov/ pollinator-protection/epa-actions-protect-pollinators. We will continue to update the MNLA membership as new information about the status and protection of bees and other pollinators becomes available and as the Governor’s Committee on Pollinator Protection continues its work and formulates its recommendations for the protection of pollinators in Minnesota. For more detail and additional information about pollinators and pollinator protection, consult the following citations and selected resources (note that a number of the resources cited might be good resources for garden centers and landscape designers to recommend to the landscaping public): Books Holm, Heather. 2017. Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide. Pollination Press LLC, Minnetonka, MN 55345. Branhagen, Alan. 2016. Native Plants of the Midwest: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 500 Species for the Garden. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, OR. Tallamy, D.W. 2009. Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. Timber Press Inc., Portland, OR. Some Selected Research Papers & Key Findings Brosi, B.J. and H.M. Briggs. 2013. Single Pollinator Species Losses Reduce Floral Fidelity and Plant Reproductive Function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110(32) 13044–13048. http://www. pnas.org/content/110/32/13044.full (Accessed August 19, 2017) The study focused on the interactions between bumblebees (Bombus sp.) and larkspur (Delphinium barbeyi) wildflowers in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. The results indicated that the ecosystem functional contributions of individual bee species dependent on interactions with competing species and that reduced competition among pollinators disrupts floral fidelity among the remaining bees in the system, leading to less successful pollination and plant reproduction. Specifically, onethird fewer seeds were produced in the absence of just one bumblebee species. Based on their findings, the authors suggest pollinator declines may have implications for plant communities that are more serious than currently presumed. Cowles, R.S. and B.D. Eitzer. 2017. Residues of Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Pollen and Nectar from Model Plants. Journal of Environmental
Horticulture 35(1):24-34. http://hrijournal.org/doi/pdf/10.24266/07382898-35.1.24 (Accessed August 8, 2017) The research used common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) as model species to investigate neonicotinoid insecticide residues (imidacloprid, dinotefuran, and thiamethoxam) in pollen (sunflower) and nectar (milkweed) when applied at labeled nursery rates (high compared to agronomic uses) as a foliar spray or soil drench. Residues were considered toxic to worker honey bees if they exceeded 25 ppb (parts per billion) for nectar — the no observable effect level (NOEL) for honey bee colony-level effects from chronic exposure to imidacloprid residues in nectar — or 100 ppb for pollen. The residues from pollen and nectar varied based on application method, insecticide, rate, and time following treatment. Drench treatments tended to result in higher residue levels than foliar applications. Bee-toxic residue levels were only observed in pollen from the sunflower plants treated with high-rate drench treatments while bee-toxic residues were found in milkweed nectar for both drench and foliar treatments applied up to six weeks before bloom. It was determined that the higher rate treatments allowed for nursery and greenhouse crops are of concern and should be avoided for crops that are attractive to bees. Klein, S., A. Cabirol, J.-M. Devaud, A.B. Barron, and M. Lihoreau. 2017. Why Bees Are So Vulnerable to Environmental Stressors. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 32(4):268-278. http://www.cell.com/trends/ecologyevolution/abstract/S0169-5347(16)30243-9 (abstract only) (Accessed August 19, 2017) This review paper provides a nice summary of the environmental stressors that are believed to affect the health and survival of honey bees, the cognitive adaptations and challenges associated with honey bee foraging activities, and the evidence that various environmental stressors can have negative effects on foraging success and colony survival. The authors believe most of the stressors that affect honey bees are humaninduced and can be overcome. Knop, E., L. Zoller, R. Ryser, C. Gerpe, M. Hörler, and C. Fontaine. 2017. Artificial Light at Night as a New Threat to Pollination. Nature 548(7666):206-209. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v548/n7666/ full/nature23288.html?foxtrotcallback=true (abstract, figures, and references only) (Accessed August 19, 2017) Although the specific effects have generally not been quantified, the global increase in artificial lighting at night has been hypothesized as a threat to pollination in terrestrial ecosystems. This research studied the effects of artificial night illumination (artificial light at night — ALAN) on pollination networks in native meadows in Switzerland. The findings indicated that night lighting reduced nocturnal pollination visits by 62% compared to dark areas, reduced the species richness of the pollinators that visited flowers in the presence of artificial illumination, and reduced fruit set by 13%. I was also demonstrated that these reductions in pollination by nocturnal pollinators cannot be compensated for by diurnal (daytime) pollinators. It is believed that this is the first time ALAN has been documented as a threat to pollination. How these initial, but interesting, findings will be viewed from a community perspective and relative to landscape lighting remains to be seen, but is something to think about. Potts, S.G., V. Imperatriz-Fonseca, H.T. Ngo, M.A. Aizen, J.C. Biesmeijer, T.D. Breeze, L.V. Dicks, L.A. Garibaldi, R. Hill, J. Settele, and A.J. Vanbergen. 2017. Safeguarding Pollinators and Their Values to Human Well-Being. Nature 540(7632):220-229. http://www.nature.com/nature/ journal/v540/n7632/full/nature20588.html (abstract, figures, and references only) (Accessed June 19, 2017) This review highlights the value of pollinators and pollination in wild and agricultural systems, the status of wild and managed pollinators and population trends, risks to pollinators from environmental stressors, and the policy and risk management options available and their poten-
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➾ P OLLI NATORS
tial effects relative to protecting pollinators and the pollination services they provide. Additional Selected Resources Focused on Pollinator Health Horticultural Research Institute (HRI). 2017. Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Bee Health in the Horticultural Industry (Version 1.0). 5 pages. http://growwise.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/HRI-Pollinator-BMPs-January2017.pdf (Accessed August 8, 2017) Adamson, N.L., B. Borders, J. Cruz, S.F. Jordan, K. Gill, J. Hopwood, E.L. Mäder, A. Minnerath, and M. Vaughan. 2015. Pollinator Plants: Great Lakes Region. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation; Portland, OR. 3 pages. http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/GreatLakesPlantList_web.pdf (Accessed August 8, 2017) Hooven, L., R. Sagili, and E. Johansen. 2013. How to Reduce Bee Poisoning from Pesticides. Pacific Northwest Extension Publication 591; Oregon State University Extension Service, Washington State University Extension, University of Idaho Extension, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 35 pages. https://catalog.extension. oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/pnw591.pdf (Accessed August 8, 2017) Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). Protecting Minnesota’s Pollinators. 2 pages. http://www.bwsr.state.mn.us/practices/ pollinator/pollinator_brochure_Feb25.pdf (Accessed August 8, 2017)
endangered/insects/rpbb/index.html (Accessed August 28, 2017) Watson, J. 2017. Bully for Bees: Help Save the Endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee. Natural Heritage Niche 8(Spring/Summer):3-4. http://dnr.wi.gov/files/pdf/pubs/nh/NH0207.pdf (Accessed August 28, 2017) Wheeler, J. 2017. The 2017 Perennial Plant of the Year, and Other Milkweeds You Should Know. https://xerces.org/2017/01/23/the2017-perennial-plant-of-the-year-and-other-milkweeds-you-shouldknow/ (Accessed August 8, 2017) Wild Ones Journal. 2014. Native Caterpillars, Moths, and Butterflies and Host Native Woodies. Wild Ones Journal 27(2):10-11 (March/April 2014). http://www.wildones.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Caterpillars-Moths-and-Butterflies.pdf (Accessed August 8, 2017) Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2016. Wisconsin Native Plants. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Conservation Program; Madison, WI. PUB-NH-936; 38 pages. http:// dnr.wi.gov/files/pdf/pubs/nh/nh0936.pdf (Accessed August 8, 2017) Christina Locke, C., E. Meils, and M. Murray. 2016. The Wisconsin Pollinator Protection Plan. Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. 51 pages. https://datcp.wi.gov/Documents/ PPPComplete.pdf (Accessed August 8, 2017)
Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). BWSR Pollinator Initiative. http://www.bwsr.state.mn.us/practices/pollinator/index.html (Accessed August 8, 2017)
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Wisconsin Pollinator Protection Plan Resources. https://datcp.wi.gov/ Pages/Programs_Services/PPPResources.aspx (Accessed August 8, 2017)
Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). 2017. How You Can Help Pollinators: Guidance for Using Pollinator Seed in Minnesota Home landscapes. 2 pages. http://www.bwsr.state.mn.us/practices/pollinator/Pollinator_Seed_Fact_Sheet.pdf (Accessed August 8, 2017)
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2017. Honey Bee Colonies (August 2017). https:// www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/hcny0817.pdf (Accessed August 29, 2017)
Minnesota Department of Agriculture. 2016. Review of Neonicotinoid Use, Registration, and Insect Pollinator Impacts in Minnesota. 119 pages. http://www.mda.state.mn.us/~/media/Files/chemicals/reviews/ neonicreviewsummary.pdf (Accessed August 28, 2017)
University of Minnesota Bee Lab. The University of Minnesota Bee Lab provides beekeeping courses, a how-to video series, a research database, a variety of bee-related publications, and more: http://www. beelab.umn.edu/
Olson. L. 2017. Power Plants: How to Fuel Your Habitat with Native Plants. Natural Heritage Quarterly 7(Winter):3-5. http://dnr.wi.gov/files/ pdf/pubs/nh/NH0206.pdf (Accessed August 14, 2017)
Plants for Bees; https://www.beelab.umn.edu/sites/beelab.umn.edu/ files/plants_mn_bees.pdf (Accessed July 28, 2017)
Perennial Plant Association. 2017. 2017 Perennial Plant of the Year: Asclepias tuberosa – Butterfly Weed. http://perennialplant.org/index. php/component/k2/item/190-2017-perennial-plant-of-the-year (Accessed August 20, 2017) Royal Horticulture Society (RHS). RHS Perfect for Pollinators – Garden Plants (https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/pdf/conservation-and-biodiversity/ wildlife/rhs-perfect-for-pollinators-garden-plants.pdf), RHS Perfect for Pollinators – Wildflowers (https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/pdf/conservation-and-biodiversity/wildlife/rhs-perfect-for-pollinators-wildflowers. pdf), RHS Perfect for Pollinators – Plants of the World (https://www.rhs. org.uk/science/pdf/conservation-and-biodiversity/wildlife/rhs-perfectfor-pollinators-plants-of-the-world.pdf). (Accessed August 14, 2017) Stewart, C. 2012. Supporting Native Bees: Our Essential Pollinators. University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension. 8 pages. https://learningstore.uwex.edu/Assets/pdfs/G4001.pdf (Accessed August 8, 2017) United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). 2017. EPA Actions to Protect Pollinators. https://www.epa.gov/pollinator-protection/ epa-actions-protect-pollinators (Accessed August 8, 2017) United States Fish & Wildlife Service. 2017. Endangered Species: Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis). https://www.fws.gov/midwest/
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More than Bumble bees; https://www.beelab.umn.edu/sites/beelab. umn.edu/files/cfans_asset_488210.pdf (Accessed July 28, 2017)
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.
ANNUAL MEETING Official Notice: Annual Meeting on January 4 at the MPLS Convention Center. Notice is hereby given that the annual membership meeting of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association will be held at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 4, 2018, 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.
➾ LE G AL ISSUES
Risks and Best Practices Regarding Hazard Trees Trees are a key element of our landscape. We all enjoy the beauty, shade, and other benefits they provide. Trees that are diseased, damaged, or decaying, however, also can present substantial risk to their owners.
Alexandra Zabinski
Law Clerk, Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC
In 2014, the City of Eden Prairie was sued when a decaying tree branch fell and fatally injured a woman in a City park. The woman’s family argued that the City should have marked the tree as a “hazard tree” posing special dangers to passers-by. While the City prevailed because of a law limiting cities’ liability for accidents in public parks, a private landowner might have been less fortunate. Definition
According to the U.S. Forest Service, “hazard trees” are trees that are structurally defective in a way that may cause personal injury or property damage.1 In other words, the tree has to be defective and situated in a way that poses a risk to people or their property. Common examples of defective include trees that are excessively leaning, cracked, or decaying. Hazard trees and the law
Minnesota state law does not criminalize or prohibit having a hazard tree on your property. Instead, landowners can liable for damage caused by the tree if it falls, whether the result is property damage or bodily injuries. Property damage
When a hazard tree causes property damage to surrounding properties, the owner of the tree is typically liable if he or she knew or should have known the tree was defective. For instance, if an owner observes substantial root damage to her tree but fails to address it within a reasonable time, she may be liable when the tree falls on a neighbor’s garage. On the other hand, if the tree appears healthy but abruptly collapses in a 44
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hailstorm, she’s less likely to be liable for whatever damage ensues. Personal injury
Minnesota courts have found that when a hazard tree on private property causes personal injury in Minnesota, the landowner/occupier is typically liable if the following elements are met: 1. The injured person was invited or allowed to enter the property (e.g. a guest, a postal worker), etc.), and 2. the danger posed by the hazard tree is unreasonable and non-obvious to the injured party (or the danger is obvious but the landowner/occupier anticipates that harm is likely to occur anyway). In these circumstances, the landowner/occupier has a duty to use reasonable care to protect the person. This most commonly includes roping off or otherwise keeping people away from the hazard, but can involve other steps, depending on the situation. Failure to use reasonable care to protect people in the tree’s vicinity may result in liability. Notably, landowners/occupiers are less likely to be liable when a particular property use is not foreseeable. For example, a Minnesota county was not held liable for a child’s tree-related injuries, where the tree did not encroach on a public walkway and the child ran directly under the tree’s branches, because it was not foreseeable that people would run under the tree. Best practices
It’s a good idea for landowners/occupiers to examine trees on their property for hazardous features, such as
Notably, landowners/ occupiers are less likely to be liable when a particular property use is not foreseeable. For example, a Minnesota county was not held liable for a child’s treerelated injuries, where the tree did not encroach on a public walkway and the child ran directly under the tree’s branches, because it was not foreseeable that people would run under the tree.
cracked or dangling limbs, signs of decay, root damage, or extensive storm or woodpecker damage. Winter weather conditions can weaken tree limbs and exacerbate existing damage. If structural defects can’t be immediately resolved, the landowner/occupier may want to post notices about potential danger or instruct entrants to avoid that area of the property. For property managers, tenants with no control over yard/landscape fixtures, tree professionals, and other third parties, it’s a good idea to notify landowners of any observed or suspected tree damage. 1. U.S. Forest Service, “Hazard Trees,” retrieved August 25, 2017 from https://www. fs.fed.us/visit/know-before-you-go/hazard-trees.
THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES GENERAL INFORMATION
about tree-related liability and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Alexandra Zabinski is a law clerk at Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC. She is not an attorney and cannot provide legal advice. A qualified attorney must analyze all relevant facts and apply the applicable law to any matter before legal advice can be given. If you would like more information regarding business law, collections, or other legal matters, please contact Zlimen & McGuiness, PLLC at 651-331-6500 or info@zmattorneys.com.
JOB BOARDS AT N O RT H E RN G RE E N 2 0 1 8
GUIDELINES FOR POSTING POSITIONS ON THE JOB BOARDS AT NORTHERN GREEN 2018 There is no official form for job postings. Bring your own job posting (no larger than a 8 ½ × 11 sheet of paper) to place on the boards any time after 7 am on Wednesday, January 3rd. The Jobs Boards are located in the Hall B Lobby inside Career Central. Please list only one job description per posting to ensure that your posting can be put under the correct category heading. Northern Green staff will place empty acrylic holders on the boards along with category headings at the beginning of the show. Feel free to bring several copies of your posting which will allow potential employees to take a copy of your posting with them for response after Northern Green. Acrylic holders will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Once they are full, a single posting can be tacked up to the board, but multiple copies cannot be left. It is your responsibility to keep tabs on the job posting. If your copies run out, Northern Green staff will not be responsible for filling them. However, if you’d like to make additional copies, there is a UPS Store available onsite. Please do not include confidential information that you might not, for any reason, want available to the general public. You might be interested in increased visibility for your job posting before, during, or after Northern Green. You might consider a Scoop ad, or utilizing the Northern Green Advance Program, Onsite Guide, App, or NorthernGreen.org. contact Faith Jensen at 952-934-2891 or faith@pierreproductions.com.
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REGISTRATION OPTIONS FEATURES PRE-REGISTER MEMBER
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(ON OR BEFORE DEC. 20, 20171) PRE-REG. NON-MEMBER
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GET YOUR BEST PRICE NOW. Go to www.NorthernGreen.org!
January 2–4, 2018
Minneapolis Convention Center info@NorthernGreen.org | 651.633.4987
Name badges will be mailed to those who register by December 1st...no waiting in line! Those who register between December 2nd and 20th will receive an email with their badge information. Bring the emailed badge information with you to the show and visit one of our Self Check-In kiosks in the Registration Center in Lobby B to print your badge. 2 Available to the first 2,000 attendees on Wednesday. *A limited number of tickets are available on-site. 1
More information about Northern Green at WWW.NORTHERNGREEN.ORG. 46
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GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY:
C E O
INTERACTIVE
Exclusive Content for Owners, CEOs, Managers and Top-Level Leaders, including access to the CEO Lounge.
Enjoy exclusive sessions and an upgraded experience.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018
THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018
TAKE YOUR LANDSCAPE BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL
THE SOIL/WATER EQUATION:
TRACK
TRACK
UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS AND EDUCATING YOUR CUSTOMERS
Ed Laflamme and Bill Arman Harvest Group Landscape Business Consulting
Stressed out and overwhelmed from running your landscape business? Struggling to grow and sustain your landscape business profitably? Having a hard time finding, hiring and keeping the right people? This track can help you: • • • •
Grow your landscape business and increase your profit Find, train and keep the right people Create a sustainable, money-making company Learn strategies to make running your business easier
The CEO Track includes the following topics:
Are you a Fierce Competitor?
Harvesters Bill Arman and Ed Laflamme will lead this session on what it takes to be a Fierce Competitor in any market, including yours. The session will focus on learning the 10 traits that you and your organization need to learn and practice to be a Fierce Competitor. These 10 traits will lead you and your organization to success, even in the toughest of competitive markets.
Recruiting to the Rescue: How to Find, Attract, Get On Board, and Keep the Right People
Find out how to set up a comprehensive recruitment program, including how to: source, screen, and select the right people. Learn the 10-step process to build your organization into a “Recruiting Machine!” Harvester Bill has successfully used these 10 steps for the past 40 years to find the best this industry has to offer. You’ll learn a whole new “way of life” thinking on recruiting and hiring.
Nothing Happens Without a Sale!
Your phone rings from referrals and your marketing program, but are you getting your share of the work? Are you: • Losing too many sales to “low ballers?” • Unsure about the sales process? • Giving a ton of proposals but not getting the jobs? Harvester Ed is a master at the sales process. You’ll leave this session learning: • The basics of the sales process. • How to give your potential customers trust so you win the jobs. • How to close more deals!
CEO Track & CEO Lounge generously supported by:
This track is all about soils, water and irrigation – and is directed at green industry professionals interacting with property owners.
PART I. UNDERSTANDING SOILS (8:00 AM – 10:00 AM) Get ready to get your hands dirty. You will spend the morning learning all about soils and the soil/water relationship. Dan Wheeler of the University of Minnesota, Department of Soil Water and Climate, will be the instructor. Interactive education stations will provide information on: • Soil Texture • Soil Infiltration and Moisture Holding • Organic Matter Measurements of pH and EC • Soil Bulk Density
PART II. UNDERSTANDING IRRIGATION (1:30 PM – 2:30 PM) The afternoon will provide opportunity for more hands-on learning. Attendees will assemble sprinkler heads, and learn about important trends in irrigation equipment and technology, including smart controllers and rain sensors.
PART III. HOW TO EDUCATE YOUR CUSTOMERS AND HOMEOWNERS (2:30 PM – 3:30 PM) Sam Bauer, Extension Educator in Turfgrass Science, University of Minnesota, will discuss how to educate your customers about water, and the best way to answer questions about important soil/water/irrigation topics: • Water Conservation – How to Reduce Water Use • The Soil/Water Relationship • Using SMART Irrigation Controllers • Rain Sensors, soil moisture sensors, and weather stations Bauer will also share information on irrigation research that is currently taking place at the University of Minnesota.
WEDNESDAY At-A-Glance COLOR KEY:
Premium Content Concurrent Session Ticketed Event Trade Show Campfire, Sandbox, or Theater Session
Legislative Breakfast | A panel discussion of local, statewide, and national issues | 101 FG 7:30 AM University of Minnesota Turf Research Update 8:20 AM Sam Bauer, Brian Horgan, Eric Watkins | Aud 3 7:15 AM 8:15 AM
8:30 AM 9:45 AM
1:45 PM 2:15 PM
OPENING KEYNOTE: Emotional Intelligence: Learn How to Interact, Communicate, and Collaborate Successfully with All Types of People | Dave Durham Main Aud | All attendees and exhibitors welcome!
10:00 AM 5:00 PM
Trade Show Open
10:00 AM 11:00 AM
Why Pavers are Your Best Choice | Bill Gardocki | 200 ABC
High Tech / Low Budget Jason Haines | Innovation Theater Putting the Fire in Musclewood: the Origins of Firespire(R), Fire King(R), and Wisconsin Red(TM) Carpinus carolinana | Michael Yanny | Lakeshore Campfire Top 10 Green Industry Legal Pitfalls to Watch Out For Patrick McGuiness | Backyard Campfire 2:00 PM: MNRC Meeting | Room 203
2:00 PM 3:00 PM
Hardscape Challenge Round 3 | The Sandbox
2:20 PM 2:50 PM
Northern Green Game Show: Industry Trends in a Family Feud Format | Innovation Theater Responsible Watering—How to Teach the Homeowner Julie Weisenhorn | Lakeshore Campfire Arborist/Treecare Networking | Backyard Campfire
3:00 PM 4:00 PM
YouTube Your Landscape/Hardscape Business Tom Gardocki | 200 ABC Tree Injection Best Management Practices Shawn Bernick | Aud 2 Rain Gardens: Evaluating 5-10 Year-Old Rain Gardens. What Worked? | Fred Rozulmalski | 200 DE MLSN Guidelines and Growth Potential Jason Haines | Aud 3 New Perennials from Around the World Dan Heims | Aud 1 A Not So Sustainable Landscape | Parry Webb | 101 CDE
Opportunistic Plant Selection | Michael Yanny | Aud 2 Critter Control | John Loegering | 200 DE It’s a Brave New Landscape World…Again! Parry Webb | 101 CDE Wicked Worms: New Approaches to Managing Difficult Earthworms | Ben McGraw | Aud 3 Pest Management Update: New Research, New Products and Pests We are Seeing Suzanne Wainwright Evans | Aud 1
3:00 PM 4:00 PM
11:10 AM 12:10 PM
CEO PREMIUM CONTENT: Are You a Fierce Competitor? | Bill Arman and Ed Laflamme | 101 AB
3:05 PM 3:35 PM
10:05 AM 10:35 AM
Next, Please: FFA’s Role in Preparing Young People for Careers in the Green Industry Juleah Tolosky | Lakeshore Campfire MNLA Certification Exam Study Tips Certification Task Team | Backyard Campfire
10:05 AM 11:05 AM
The Life Cycle of a Synthetic Field Roger Weinbrenner | Innovation Theater MNLA Foundation Grant Update—Clarification of the Identity, Epidemiology, and Host Range of Xanthomonas Blight of Hydrangea Angela Orshinsky | Lakeshore Campfire IPM and Organic Management for 10 Landscape and 10 Garden Insects | Vera Krischik | Backyard Campfire
Hardscape Challenge Round 1 | The Sandbox
3:15 PM 3:45 PM
Pruning Demo | Climbers Corner
10:40 AM 11:10 AM
New Plant Forum | Debbie Lonnee | Innovation Theater LEDs: The New Lighting | Lakeshore Campfire
3:40 PM 4:10 PM
11:15 AM 11:45 AM
Climbing Demo | Climbers Corner
11:20 AM 11:50 AM
New Plant Forum | Debbie Lonnee | Innovation Theater Top 10 Tips—Landscaping for Wildlife John Loegering | Lakeshore Campfire Landscape Contractor/Hardscape Contractor Networking | Backyard Campfire
CHS Field: The First Three Years Nick Baker | Innovation Theater University of Minnesota Stormwater U Workshop Series & Certification | Shahram Missaughi | Lakeshore Campfire Walkabout: What’s New in Hardscape? Scott Frampton | Backyard Campfire
4:00 PM 5:00 PM
Hardscape Challenge Round 4 | The Sandbox
4:15 PM 5:15 PM
CEO PREMIUM CONTENT: Nothing Happens Without A Sale! | Bill Arman and Ed Laflamme | 101 AB
4:15 PM 5:15 PM
Garden Center Panel: Events to Increase Sales Karen Bachman-Thul, Scott Endres, Scott Moon, Kelsey Sparks, Jeff Pilla-Moderator | 200 AB Minnesota’s Stormwater Manual - Connecting Stormwater Management to the Landscape Michael Trojan | 101 CDE Turfhacking Minimalism | Jason Haines | Aud 3 Protecting and Creating Pollinator Habitat in Lawns Sam Bauer | 200 DE Flash and Splash — Building the Color Story Dan Heims | Aud 1 Tree Safety | John Ball | Aud 2
12:05 PM 1:05 PM
Hardscape Challenge Round 2 | The Sandbox
12:15 PM 12:45 PM
New Plant Forum | Debbie Lonnee | Innovation Theater Maintenance of No Mow Lawns Andrew Hollman | Backyard Campfire
1:00 PM 1:30 PM
Beekeeping for Golf Courses Ben McGraw | Innovation Theater Professional Gardening Networking Lakeshore Campfire Building Credibility - A Story For Success Bill and Tom Gardocki | Backyard Campfire
1:15 PM 1:45 PM
Climbing Demo | Climbers Corner
CEO PREMIUM CONTENT: Recruiting to the Rescue: How to Find, Attract, Get Onboard and Keep the Right People | Bill Arman and Ed Laflamme | 101 AB
THURSDAY At-A-Glance COLOR KEY:
Premium Content Concurrent Session Ticketed Event Trade Show Campfire, Sandbox, or Theater Session
www.NorthernGreen.org January 2–4, 2018 Minneapolis Convention Center
11:20 AM 11:50 AM
7:00 AM: MNLA Annual Meeting | 101 FG 7:00 AM 8:00 AM
High Performance Putting Surfaces Frank Rossi | Aud 3
8:00 AM 8:50 AM
Color in the Contemporary Garden| Andrew Wilson | 200 ABC All About That Base: A Healthy Tree Story Begins Underground | Gary Johnson | Aud 2 Utilizing Data to Manage Natural Grass Fields: It CAN Be Easier! | Jerad Minnick | 101 CDE How to Properly Install Natural Gas Features Irv Geffre | Aud 1 Immigration & Health Care | Craig Regelbrugge | 200 DE Managing Safe Fields without Pesticides Frank Rossi | Aud 3
8:00 AM 10:00 AM
INTERACTIVE TRACK: Soils/Water/Irrigation – Handson Soils for the Green Industry Professional Dan Wheeler | 101 AB
9:00 AM 4:00 PM
Trade Show Open
9:05 AM 10:05 AM
Small Is Beautiful | Andrew Wilson | 200 ABC How to Lead your Team to Better Results in 2018 Jones Loflin | 200 DE Trees as a Stormwater Management Tool Randy Neprash | 101 CDE Ponds/Waterfalls/Pondless Waterfalls | Irv Geffre | Aud 1 Tree Risk Assessment Qualification Tom Smiley | Aud 2 Precision Disease Management for Golf Courses: Present Strategies and Future Research Needs Paul Koch | Aud 3
9:10 AM 9:40 AM
Flower Grower Networking | Lakeshore Campfire Research for the Real World: The Year in Review Jim Calkins | Backyard Campfire
9:45 AM 10:15 AM
The Evolution of a Container Garden Scott Endres | Innovation Theater Managing Japanese Beetles in Residential Turf Jeff Hahn | Lakeshore Campfire
10:00 AM 11:00 AM
Hardscape Challenge Round 5 | The Sandbox
10:40 AM 11:10 AM
Garden Center Technology & Change John Daniels, Jeff Pilla | Innovation Theater Landscape Design Networking Lakeshore Campfire The Challenges of Adopting New Technology Frank Rossi | Backyard Campfire
12:00 PM: MAC Luncheon | 202 12:15 PM 12:45 PM
Landscape Awards Presentations | Innovation Theater Landscape Diseases of 2017 Michelle Grabowski | Lakeshore Campfire
12:15 PM 12:45 PM
Climbing Demo | Climber’s Corner 12:30 PM: MGCSA Annual Meeting | 101 FG
1:00 PM 1:30 PM
1:30 PM 3:30 PM 1:45 PM 2:15 PM
Climbing Demo | Climber’s Corner
Landscape Awards Presentations | Innovation Theater OSHA Overview: An Overview of OSHA As a State Plan in Minnesota and Do the Regulations Apply to You? Lee Craig | Lakeshore Campfire Garden Center Networking | Backyard Campfire INTERACTIVE TRACK: Soils/Water/Irrigation – Saving Water, What to Tell your Customers, and Hands-on Irrigation | Sam Bauer | 101 AB Landscape Awards Presentations | Innovation Theater Annuals that Attract Pollinators Julie Weisenhorn | Lakeshore Campfire The White Menace: Strategies for Surviving Winter Injury on your Golf Course Paul Koch | Backyard Campfire
2:00 PM 3:30 PM
Hardscape Challenge Championship | The Sandbox
2:15 PM 2:45 PM
Pruning Demo | Climbers Corner
2:30 PM 3:00 PM
2:30 PM 3:20 PM
10:45 AM: MPSTMA Annual Meeting | 101 FG 11:15 AM 11:45 AM
Apps for the Green Industry Brandon Gallagher | Innovation Theater Women in Leadership Heidi Heiland | Lakeshore Campfire Invasive Species/Noxious Weed Status Update Jim Calkins | Backyard Campfire
3:20 PM 4:00 PM
Waterworks Park in Minneapolis Tom Whitlock | Innovation Theater Fountains and Aerators Todd Dilley | Lakeshore Campfire The Top 10 Color Shrubs for Minnesota Landscapes Debbie Lonnee | Backyard Campfire Designing a Chelsea Flower Show Garden Andrew Wilson | 200 ABC Finding the Right Time to Get the Right Things Done Jones Loflin | 200 DE Fraze Mowing: From Concept to Active Practice Jerad Minnick | 101 CDE Growing Vegetables: In Focus Dean Engelmann | Aud 2 Reduced Risk Disease Control: How To Do It and Why It’s Important | Paul Koch | Aud 3 MN State Building Code, Municipal Regulations & Difficult Sites | Roger Axel | Aud 1 Closing Keynote: Fun Is Good – Creating Joy & Passion in Your Workplace and Career Mike Veeck | Innovation Theater
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PRUNING CLIPS:
CROWN DENSITY — LET THERE BE LIGHT!
Snapshots of the Art, Science, and Practice of Pruning
Dr. Robert E. Schutzki, Department of Horticulture | Michigan State University
This article was originally published in The Michigan Landscape magazine, a bimonthly publication of the Michigan Nursery & Landscape Association.
➾ P RU NIN G CLIPS
W
here branches occur, how close they are together and whether they intertwine or overlap contribute to crown density. Genetically, its development is defined by the arrangement of leaves and buds on a stem (phyllotaxy) (Fig. 1). Environmentally, it is influenced by the growing conditions in a given season. Mechanically, it may be the consequence of pruning (Fig. 2 and 3). Regardless of the cause, crown density influences photosynthesis, leaf and flower bud development, flower and fruit displays along with contributing to conditions favored by insects or diseases. Light is the catalyst for plant growth and development. Researchers have extensively documented the interrelationship of light quality, intensity and duration on vegetative and reproductive growth. With respect to crown density, light entering the crown of a plant varies throughout the day (Fig. 4). The tighter the crown the less light. Low light has been shown to inhibit floral initiation, fruit set and fruit size. Shading also results in smaller and thinner leaves, less conductive tissue and reduced photosynthetic productivity and hormone synthesis. From an ornamental perspective, low light can influence curb appeal due to fewer and weaker flowers, limited seasonal fruit displays, less viable stems and reduced bud initiation for the following year.
High humidity and shade within the plant’s crown may be conducive to fungal disease development. Air circulation helps reduce the relative humidity and as a consequence reduces disease pressure. Fig. 1 — Phyllotaxy — alternate arrangement.
Fig. 2 — Heading cuts significantly increasing crown density. 52
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Fig. 3 — Successive years of shearing adds to density.
Fig. 4 — Light entering the crown.
Fig. 5 — Crabapple.
Fig. 6 — Forsythia.
Crown density also influences air circulation. High humidity and shade within the plant’s crown may be conducive to fungal disease development. Air circulation helps reduce the relative humidity and as a consequence reduces disease pressure. Modifying crown density through pruning enhances light penetration, improves air flow and contributes to overall health and development.
Assessing crown density is an important factor in developing a pruning strategy for individual or groups of plants. Ideally, the dormant season is the preferred time for examining branch density (Figs. 5, 6 and 7). Significant scaffolds, crossing and overlapping branches, excessive layering and potential gaps in the outer crown are readily visible. Unfortunately, time is not always on our side
Fig. 7 — Burning Bush.
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➾ P RU NIN G CLIPS
Fig. 8 — Light entering the crown.
Fig. 9A — Flowering throughout the Crabapple crown.
Fig. 9B — Inner flowering.
Fig. 10 — Opened crown with flowering throughout.
Fig. 11 — Increased crown density with aging.
Fig. 12 — Loss of internal foliage.
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Fig. 13 — Flowers limited to the outer crown.
Fig. 14 — Examine light coming through the entire canopy.
There are essentially three branch diameter classes. The two largest stem sizes were taken from the inside out, the smallest stems were removed from the outside in.
when it comes to scheduling work. Although foliage masks inner branch structure during the growing season, it adds another dimension to density and can be useful in guiding pruning cuts by identifying potential paths for light to enter the inner crown (Fig. 8). Crabapples are excellent specimens for discussing crown density. Young trees exhibit an open canopy with foliage and flowering occurring throughout the entire crown (Fig. 9A, 9B and 10). As plants age, internal branch density increases (Fig. 11) resulting in the loss of internal foliage (Fig. 12) and having blooms restricted to the outer crown (Fig. 13). Pruning to modify crown density couples working from the inside out and from the outside in. The first step is to examine the plant’s outer surface, look for visible light patterns coming through the crown. Light and dark areas in the crown earmark excessive foliage and branching and identify potential areas to be addressed (Fig. 14). The next step is to evaluate the crown from the inside out. Work your way underneath the branches and up into the interior of the crown. Look at the light coming through the outer branch layers. Again, areas with heavy branching will be easily identified (Fig. 15). Once you have assessed both from the outside in and the inside out, start pruning. Thinning cuts from the inside out can often remove large amounts of wood and make pruning from the outside in easier (Fig. 16). However, work in whatever order you prefer. Figure 17 shows branches that were removed from the Crabapple in Figure 14. There are essentially three branch diameter classes. The two largest stem sizes were taken from the inside out, the smallest stems were removed from the outside in. Keep in mind that
Fig. 15 — Examine light from the inside out.
Fig. 16 — Pruning from the inside out.
Fig. 17 — Three branch diameter classes removed.
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➾ P RU NIN G CLIPS
Fig. 18 — Pruning Completed.
Opening up the crown for light and air circulation benefits vegetative bud initiation and foliage on all plant types. Fig. 19 — Examine crown density from the outside in.
Fig. 20 — Shrubs from the inside out. 56
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Fig. 21 — Forsythia.
Fig. 22 — First cuts from the inside of the forsythia.
Fig. 23 — Cuts from the outside in.
it is always a good idea to step back periodically and reevaluate as you prune. Stepping back to observe keeps you on track and minimizes the potential of removing too much wood. Let light be your guide throughout the process. Light will aid in identifying where to focus and will also let you know where you took too much. Try to achieve a balanced light pattern coming through the entire crown (Fig. 18). Shrubs are approached in the same manner. Examine the plant from the outside in (Fig. 19) and the inside out (Fig. 20). The Border Forsythia in Figure 21 was evaluated to address crown density. The first cuts made were as low as possible from the inside out (Fig. 22). Removing these canes reduced the number in the inner crown, dropped the overall height and opened the top of the shrub. As evident in the image, these canes were void of laterals and foliage in the lower area of the crown. The second step was to approach the plant from the outside in (Fig. 23). Removal of this wood opened up the exterior and allowed light to penetrate deeper into the crown. Modifying crown density through pruning enhances light penetration, improves air flow and contributes to overall health and
development. Here are a few basics to consider. Opening up the crown for light and air circulation benefits vegetative bud initiation and foliage on all plant types. Spring flowering plants that form flower buds on both terminals and laterals will potentially flower deeper into the crown. Opening the crown may initiate more terminals for spring flower plants that only flower on terminals. Summer flowering plants that flower on current season’s wood will benefits from more productive buds and stems arising in the season. Remember, when it comes to crown density, Let there be Light! Pruning Clips is a series focused on mastering the art, science and practice of pruning.
is an Associate Professor in the Department of Horticulture at MSU. His research interests include plant exploration, plant evaluation and landscape development. All photos used in this article are used by permission of Robert Schutzki and may not be reused in any way without express written permission. DR. ROBERT SCHUTZKI
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➾ W E LCOME
MNLA WELCOME LEAR N AB O UT L AR RY
Please join us in welcoming Larry Johnson to MNLA as our new Government Affairs Director. Larry comes to us after nearly a decade lobbying for policy and finance issues related to longterm care and health care reform. Larry is a graduate of St. John’s University in Collegeville and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Hamline University in St. Paul. Following several years working on staff at the Minnesota Legislature, Larry worked with multiple member organizations defining and achieving legislative and regulatory goals in eleven Midwestern States on issues ranging from health care reimbursement to labor relations and waste disposal. Larry looks forward to working with MNLA to help stimulate green industry grassroots as we work toward reaching new heights in our government affairs programs. Larry’s first love is the outdoors. Growing up as a Boy Scout in Missouri, his Scoutmaster pointed him to Minnesota for the great outdoor opportunities to hike, camp, fish, and swim in the sky-tinted waters. Larry and his family live in Rosemount where he is a Cubmaster for his sons’ Cub Scout pack as well as an Assistant Girl Scout Leader for his daughter’s troop.
FR E E !
Proper plant selection is critical to long-lived, healthy and sustainable landscapes, and understanding the planting site itself — its soil, light, moisture, exposure, and size — is crucial to choosing plants that will thrive.
The Plant Elements of Design selection program will help you find plants that match the conditions of your landscaping site. This extensive database of plants includes photos and care information you can use with your clients. Go to www.landscapeplants.extension.umn.edu to try it today! 58
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➾ NORT HERN GREEN
Try our app!
NEW PLANT FORUM
CALLING ALL PLANT LOVERS! NEW PLANT FORUM RETURNS TO 2018 NORTHERN GREEN The popular New Plant Forum session will return to Northern Green in January 2018. This exciting session, moderated by Debbie Lonnee of Bailey Nurseries (our favorite plant geek), is for those who are all about plants! Participants will hear about cutting edge plants introduced within the past several years. Only plants that are readily available in the trade will be presented.
It’s easy, it’s free, and it will help you make the most efficient use of your time! • Organize your schedule. • Access session handouts. • Bookmark exhibitors and sessions you’re planning to visit. • Use the Activity Stream to follow the action. • Lighten your load – no need to carry around anything more than your mobile device.
So, we’re putting out a call to all MNLA members…do you have a new plant that you’d like to feature? Read on to find out how you can participate… Who can present? Growers, landscape or garden center professionals, and/or breeders at affiliated educational institutions.
Plus, follow us on Twitter:
@NorthernGreenMN Use the hashtag #NorthernGreen.
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9/20/2017 11:13:08 AM
When will the session occur? The session will take place on Wednesday, January 3 from 10:40 am–12:45 pm in the Innovation Theatre on the tradeshow floor. Imagine your plant photos on that huge screen! What will the session look like? The 2-hour session will highlight new plants including perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, and evergreens. Each participant will be given a specified amount of time to present their cutting edge new plant to the audience. How do I apply to participate? Individuals who want to participate in the New Plant Forum should complete the online submission form. You will find the link at www.NorthernGreen. org. A committee of industry professionals will pick the best of the applications to be presented at the Northern Green. Given time constraints, it’s possible that not all applications will be presented. What is the application deadline? Submissions must be received no later than November 20, 2017.
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➾ ME MBER N EWS
WELCOME NEW MNLA MEMBERS! Advanced Process Technologies, Inc. Craig Campbell Cokato, MN, 320-286-5060
Gores Farms Bill Gores Cannon Falls, MN, 507-263-2009
Pete Vreeland Construction, Inc. Peter Vreeland St. Cloud, MN, 320-259-0232
Chisago City Land James Meier Chisago City, MN, 651-263-9549
Harmon Concrete & Construction, Inc. Laurie Harmon Eau Claire, WI, 715-832-5606
Prososki All Care LLC Michael Prososki Pine River, MN, 218-947-4518
Connor Walsh Arborist Services Connor Walsh Minneapolis, MN, 612-328-5670
Hessler Gardens Tamara Smith Junction City, WI, 715-321-2862
Rice Lake Landscaping Blain Brunette Rice Lake, WI, 715-307-0050
Cornerstone Insurance Agency of Central Minnesota, Inc. Rich Hansen St. Stephen, MN, 320-202-8920
Innovative Landscapes Brett Kippley Princeton, MN, 763-333-4653
River City Erectors, Inc. Joseph Gallagher Elk River, MN, 612-282-0960
JB Services Joseph Amundson Inver Grove Heights, MN, 651-788-9528
Sand Construction LLC David Thelen Waite Park, MN, 320-202-3107
Jim Powell Company Jim Powell St. Paul, MN, 651-206-3534
Select Surfaces Mark Kroll Roseville, MN, 651-483-1576
KPH Enterprises Keith Helget Clearwater, MN, 320-558-9570
Soldier Trucking LLC Travis Smith Menomonie, WI, 715-505-3631
LT Rich Products Andy Walters Lebanon, IN 765-482-2050
Timothy Harris Consulting Tim Harris Kenmare, ND, 701-389-8650
Mill Street Apartments and Lawn Care Paul Reese Fertile, MN, 218-945-6036
Turf Tech of Mankato, Inc. John Thompson Mankato, MN, 507-345-4710
Northern Amusement Randy Baird Bemidji, MN, 218-751-5779
Your Story Photo Art Jeremy Keltner St. Louis, MO, 314-603-7814
CR Concrete, Inc. Brian Swanson Shoreview, MN, 651-775-0086 Croix Management, Inc. Stephen Miller Nisswa, MN, 612-850-8836 Duke’s LLC Matthew Ribar Centerville, MN, 651-402-0437 Ehlinger Lawn Service, Inc. Jason Ehlinger Sartell, MN, 763-202-1088 Geyen Group South Marleen Geyen Tampa, FL, 813-882-9655 Geyens Peter Geyen Minneapolis, MN, 612-386-3092 Golden Pond Landscapes John Childs Webster, WI, 715-491-8557
Novak-Fleck, Inc. Bryan Talbot Brooklyn Park, MN, 763-424-4955
EAB UPDATE MARTIN CO UN TY QUAR AN TI N ED FO R E M E RA L D A S H BO RE R
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has placed Martin County under an emergency quarantine after emerald ash borer (EAB) was found northeast of the city of Welcome. Several of the insects were captured in a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) trap in the area. Martin County joins 15 other counties in Minnesota that are quarantined for the
insect. All of the other counties are in the eastern part of the state. “Since the nearest EAB infestation we know of in Minnesota or Iowa is several counties away, we can be certain that emerald ash borer was brought to Martin County by someone moving infested ash,” said Kimberly Thielen Cremers, Supervisor of MDA’s Pest Mitigation and Regulatory Response Unit.
ment of ash trees and limbs, and hardwood firewood out of the county. The MDA will be hosting an open house and holding a comment period on a formal quarantine of Martin County. That information is still being finalized, but will happen this fall. More information on EAB and county quarantines can be found at www.mda.state. mn.us/eab.
The emergency quarantine limits the move-
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MASTER
CLASSES
Tuesday, January 2, 2018 Grow your skills as a green industry professional and attend one of the excellent full-day Northern Green Master Classes on Tuesday. NEW FOR 2018: ONE, TWO & THREE DAY REGISTRATION OPTIONS AVAILABLE! See www.NorthernGreen.org for details.
1 Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Design & Technology – PLT Relicensure Instructed by Dick Johnson, PLT Services, Inc.; Gerry De La Vega, TerraDek Lighting, Inc.; and Tim Malooly, Water in Motion Pending DOLI approval, this class satisfies eight hours of continuing education requirements for the Power Limited Training Licensure, including 2 hours of code and 6 hours of technical training. The information provided during this class is oriented specifically towards the landscape industry, and will focus on principles of landscape lighting design and technology. Time: 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Generously supported by:
2 Pesticide Recertification (Categories A, E, F or P) This workshop meets MDA’s Commercial Pesticide Applicator requirements for category A (Core) and E (Turf and Ornamentals). Recertification for optional Categories F (Aquatics) and P (Vertebrate Pest) will also be offered as part of this workshop. This workshop has been approved by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Licensed applicators with Categories A and E who last attended a recertification workshop in 2016, and new-licensed pesticide applicators in 2017, must attend an MDAapproved workshop by 12/31/2018. By attending the Pesticide Recertification track and completing the on-site attendance documentation, applicators will obtain recertification credit. For licensed applicators to receive credit for Category F – Aquatics or Category P – Vertebrate Pest, they must attend the entire Pesticide Recertification track (Category A and E, and F or P) and complete on-site attendance documentation. Category F and P (Choose One): 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Categories A and E: 9:15 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
3 Revolution in Planting Design | a master class with Thomas Rainer and Larry Weaner Presented by Thomas Rainer, Grounded Design and Larry Weaner, Larry Weaner Landscape Associates Spend a day learning from two nationally known landscape design professionals: Thomas Rainer and Larry Weaner. Rainer is a specialist in applying innovative planting concepts to create ecologically-functional designed landscapes. His recent work focuses on the artful interpretation of wild plant communities into designed plantings that thrive in the context of towns and cities. Weaner is nationally recognized for combining environmental science with the rich artistic traditions of landscape design. His firm assesses a site’s ecology to determine a plant palette that provides visually compelling compositions and meets their client’s functional needs. His designs are patterned after naturally occurring plant communities, with species selected for their functions as well as their ornamental qualities, resulting in dynamic, resilient landscapes that thrive with a minimum of care. Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
4 Urban Turfgrass: Benefits, Management, Environmental Issues Presented by: Dr. Brian Horgan, University of Minnesota Dr. Eric Watkins, University of Minnesota Sam Bauer, University of Minnesota Dr. Jon Trappe, University of Minnesota Andrew Hollman, University of Minnesota Dr. Dominic Petrella, University of Minnesota Dr. Paul Koch, University of Wisconsin-Madison The MTGF Master Class will be a Turfgrass Short Course with possible certification. Those taking care of parks, playfields, golf courses and school grounds will benefit from the training provided by this Turfgrass Short Course. Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
5 The Great Game of Business & The Great Game of Landscaping Presented by Dave Scholten, The Great Game of Business, and Jason Rathe, Field Outdoor Spaces Learn about the theory of The Great Game of Business: The best, most efficient, most profitable way to operate a business is to give everybody in the company a voice in saying how the company is run and a stake in the financial outcome, good or bad. Workshop attendees will spend the morning gaining a basic understanding of the origins and application of open-book management and learn how to create a custom, ready-to-implement incentive program that can be implemented in any type of organization. In the afternoon, the Great Game of Landscaping will be presented by Jason Rathe. Rathe will share his company’s 5-year effort to utilize open-book management. He will describe their use of project “Scorecards” and a cumulative “Scoreboard” to help them know how they are doing at any given time, motivate and create competition between crews, and provide incentives. Rathe will share lessons learned and difficulties encountered when taking on this project. Time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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