Growing Concern
The
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A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E O H I O L A N D S C A P E A S S O C I AT I O N
Landscape Ohio! Award Winners 2017’s LO! Award Results / PAGE 17
Plant I.D. Clinic
July 12, 2018 / Davis Tree Farm & Nursery / PAGE 7
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PR ES I DEN T’S COLUM N
MARIE MCCONNELL Lake County Nursery
VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS It’s that time of year… again. The phone will ring – dreaded sales person on the other end – attempting to push their wares on you. Inevitably, you will probably want to toss your phone out the truck window. “Why are they calling and bugging me?” “Don’t they realize that I have work to do?” “If I need them, I will call them!” Familiar phrases we’ve all uttered at some point, but I’m sure not as colorful as a few of you have come up with. Unfortunately, this is a frustration everyone in the business experiences. I am one of those dreaded sales people. My day in three words: Smile and Dial! Every morning – with a smile on my face – I sit down at my desk, take in the beautiful view out my window, drink a cup of coffee and call on my customers. And while it may be tough to convince you otherwise, I can assure you that I didn’t choose my career path to upset, disrupt or alter my customer’s plans. I can guarantee you that it is never my intent to make another person’s job more difficult. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. We (most sales people) chose our career path with one goal in mind – success! And while a good percentage of us have the answers to all your problems, sometimes our timing just isn’t the best. So, how do you view your vendors? Are they trusted partners? Can you call and ask for their help problem solving? Do they give you yes/no answers and hang up, or do they give you
actual information that helps make your job easier? I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that how you interact with your vendors can make or break your business. As a vendor, asking questions at the beginning of any meeting helps me to formulate a plan for you. When customers come to tour our nursery (my favorite part of the day) I have a captive audience and try to ask the hard questions. And in the end, while product size, price and timing – among many other things – are all items I need to go over, they all come secondary to what the true obstacle is: What does your company have to do to complete the job that has your name on it? Any quality vendor, myself included, should always aim to be an extension of your staff – not just the girl/guy on the other end of the phone asking for an order. continued on page 6 The Growing Concern | April 2018 | 3
TAB LE OF CON TEN TS A P R I L 2 0 1 8 WWW. OH I OLA N D SCA P E R S. OR G OH I O’ S P R OF E SSI ON AL G REEN I N D UST R Y A SSOCI AT I O N OHIO LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION 9240 Broadview Road Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147 Phone: 440.717.0002, or 1.800.335.6521 Fax: 440.717.0004 Web: www.ohiolandscapers.org and www.myohiolandscape.com EDITOR Rick Doll, Jr. REGULAR WRITERS Michael J. Donnellan, King Financial, Inc. Jim Funai, LIC, Cuyahoga Community College Shelly Funai, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Sandy Munley, Ohio Landscape Association Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, Bobbie’s Green Thumb Cathy Serafin, ASLA, RLA, Suncrest Gardens COVER: Landscape Ohio! Judges’ Platinum Award winner, Bulone Brothers Landscaping, Inc., for their submission in the category of Water Features.
FEATURES
3 PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Vendor Relationships
8 PERENNIAL FOCUS
Arisaema: Jack-in-the-Pulpit
12 FISCAL FITNESS
Proper Portfolio Diversification
23 PLANT OF THE MONTH Cultivating Variety
28 SPECIAL GUEST COLUMN
Four CORE Elements to Business Success: Surround Prospects with Marketing
ADVERTISING INFORMATION Submission deadline: 10th of the month, prior to the month of publication. For advertising rates and ad specs, please call 440.717.0002, 1.800.335.6521, or email Rick Doll Jr. at rick@ohiolandscapers.org. DISCLAIMER The Ohio Landscape Association, its board of directors, staff and the editor of The Growing Concern neither endorse any product(s) or attests to the validity of any statements made about products mentioned in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication. Similarly, the opinions expressed in The Growing Concern are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Ohio Landscape Association. OFFICERS President Marie McConnell
OLA STAFF Executive Director Sandy Munley
President – Elect Adam Capiccioni
Communications & Events Manager Rick Doll, Jr.
30 FOR SAFETY SAKE
Treasurer Domenic Lauria
32 FEATURE ARTICLE
Immediate Past President Cathy Serafin, ASLA, RLA
35 ADVERTISING INDEX 35 WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
DIRECTORS Doug Ellis James Funai, LIC Philip Germann Stephanie Gray, LIC Brian Maurer, LIC Joshua Way
Safe and Courteous Leaf Blower Operation 4 Ways Landscapers Can Improve Field Service Efficiency with Technology
4 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
C AL ENDAR OF EVEN TS U P CO M I N G O L A MEETINGS , EDUC ATION SE MI N A R S, A N D OT H E R GREEN INDUS TR Y EVE N T S
APRIL
AUGUST 14, 2018 NGLCO FIELD DAY
APRIL 5, 2018 CDL TRAINING (POSTPONED)
JULY
Join the Nursery Growers of Lake County Ohio for an informationpacked day at the 51st annual Summer Field Day! Visit old friends, make new ones and network with the best of the best. Held at Chalet Debonne Vineyards in Madison, Ohio. For more info, call Annette Howard at 440.241.7969.
JULY 12, 2018 PLANT I.D. CLINIC
AUGUST 23, 2018 SNOW & ICE CLINIC
This clinic is a hands-on training opportunity for you and your crews covering the basics of Plant ID for plants typically used in Zone 6 in Ohio. Many of the plants that will be covered are on the plant list for the Landscape Industry Certified Technician’s Test. Sponsored by Davis Tree Farm & Nursery. See page 7
Join us at St. Michael’s Woodside in Broadview Heights for our annual Snow & Ice Management Clinic, featuring industry experts, a panel discussion with your peers, our mini trade show, and more. Registration and sponsorship opportunities are available. Register online, or call the OLA offices at 440.717.0002.
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCT. 2, 2018 WRITTEN TEST @ 9 AM
AUGUST 2, 2018 OLA SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC
SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 (TENTATIVE) OLA MEETING (NE Ohio)
9:00am @ Ohio State ATI, Wooster 1328 Dover Rd, Wooster, OH 44691 Application Deadline: 09/11/18
Join us at Mallard Creek Golf Club in Columbia Station for the OLA Scholarship Golf Classic! Proceeds from this event benefit our OLA Scholarship Fund. Our golf outing was created to help generate funding for our scholarship program, targeting qualified students interested in a vocation within the green industry. Registration opens in spring/summer of 2018. Call the OLA at 800-335-6521 for sponsorship opportunities.
Joins us for our annual Landscape Facilities Tour. Location TBD. For more info call the OLA Office at 440.717.0002.
OCT. 9, 2018 WRITTEN TEST @ 9 AM
The Clinic originally scheduled for this date has been postponed. We are in the process of reviewing potential dates for a make-up and will post it to our website as soon as possible. Thanks!
OCTOBER OCTOBER 11, 2018 (TENTATIVE) OLA MEETING (Cental Ohio)
TEST DATES & APPLICATION DEADLINES AUG. 8, 2018 WRITTEN TEST 2:30pm @ Ohio State ATI, Wooster 1328 Dover Rd, Wooster, OH 44691 Application Deadline: 06/08/18
AUG. 9, 2018 WRITTEN TEST Day Long @ Ohio State ATI, Wooster 1328 Dover Rd, Wooster, OH 44691 Application Deadline: 06/08/18
AUG. 9, 2018 HANDS-ON TEST Day Long @ Ohio State ATI, Wooster 1328 Dover Rd, Wooster, OH 44691 Application Deadline: 06/08/18
9:00am @ OLA Offices, Broadview Hts. 9240 Broadview Road, Broadview Hts., OH 44147 Application Deadline: 09/11/18
Subject matter and location TBD. For more info call the OLA Office at 440.717.0002.
NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 15, 2018 OLA ANNUAL MEETING Subject matter and location TBD. For more info call the OLA Office at 440.717.0002. The Growing Concern | April 2018 | 5
P RESI DEN T’S COLU M N
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continued from page 3 Speaking of which, there are many ways to communicate your needs to your vendors (e.g. in-person, phone, email, text, snail mail, etc.) Sometimes, with all of the avenues afforded to us, lines can get crossed. Great companies spend time training their employees in many areas, and communication shouldn’t be any different, though it’s usually the last on the list. So, is the way you are communicating with your vendors working for you? I am amazed at the responses I get when I ask someone what communication is. The most common answer I get is “talking and telling a customer what we have.” If your vendor is using this technique, they are not working for you – they are working for themselves. I’m a firm believer that communication should be more about listening than talking. Formulating a well thought-out plan can only happen once we truly understand what our customers are after. And, when we actually listen, it is much easier to decide if we can be a part of the solution for the customer, or if the expectations may be something we cannot fulfill.
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I also tend to get to know my customers on a personal level, not to be nosy, but to become a more valued part of their team. More than anything, understanding their personal preferences helps me plan for their future projects. Let’s face it; we are such an “instant society” that many times in our industry we forget that perishable goods take time. Production schedules vary; perennials and annuals need 1 year lead time, shrubs can be 3-5 years and the trees and evergreens can be 5+ years. With that in mind, most vendors need to be able to read into the future a bit to keep your business, and there’s no better way to do that than to get to know YOU. In the end, everyone faces different challenges working closely with those who can make or break you. This concept seems simple; make sure your vendor is working for you as hard as you are working for your clients. You stand behind your work – do they? You offer a warranty – what is theirs? Chances are, if you don’t have the answers to these and many other questions before beginning a relationship, you will be disappointed when they can’t assist you with a problem in the future. ”Failure to plan is planning to fail.” – John Wooten Spring, Marie
6 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
OLA_halfpage_BV1.indd 1
3/1/18 2:13 PM
PL ANT OF THOLA E M ON TH EDUCATION SERIES
Sponsored & Hosted by
COURSE DATE JULY 12, 2018 LOCATION DAVIS TREE FARM & NURSERY VALLEY CITY, OHIO 44280 AGENDA 8:30AM – 9:00AM REGISTRATION / BREAKFAST 9:00AM – 3:00 PM CLINIC 12:15PM – 1:00PM LUNCH COST MEMBERS BEFORE 06/28/18 - $79 AFTER 06/28/18 - $109 NON MEMBERS BEFORE 06/28/18 - $109 AFTER 06/28/18 - $139 A P P R O V E D
PLANT I.D.
This Plant ID Clinic is a hands-on training opportunity for you and your crews that will cover the basics of Plant ID for plants typically used in Zone 6 in Ohio. Many of the plants that will be covered are on the plant list for the Landscape Industry Certified Technician’s Test, including: perennials, groundcovers, ornamental grasses, as well as trees and shrubs – both evergreen and deciduous. Those who should attend are plant installation staff, maintenance staff, garden center staff, foreman, and anyone studying to take the Landscape Industry Certified Technician’s Test. GENERAL INFORMATION: This seminar is hands-on training with live plant material. Attendees will need their own notepad and pen, and will need to dress appropriately for outdoor practical training. Continental breakfast and lunch are included. Register early as class size is limited and will sell out quickly. Register online at www.ohiolandscapers.org/education/plantid.html
INSTRUCTED BY
Wendy Moore Davis Tree Farm
Bridget Comes Portage Lakes Career Ctr.
Russ Luyster, OCNT Impact Grounds Maint.
2018 PLANT I.D. CLINIC / REGISTRATION CLOSES 07/05/18 Company Contact Address City State Phone (______)
Zip
Fax (______) Email
NAME OF ATTENDEE (S)
FEE
$
$
$
TOTAL DUE
$
Check No. (Enclosed)
Charge to my:
Acct. No. Name on Card
Exp. Date
Security Code
Signature
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REGISTER ONLINE AT OHIOLANDSCAPERS.ORG/EDUCATION/PLANTID
PEREN N I AL FOCUS
BOBBIE SCHWARTZ, FAPLD Bobbie’s Green Thumb Native to eastern North America, Arisaema triphyllum. occurs in moist woodlands and thickets from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota, and south to southern Florida and Texas.
ARISAEMA JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT
There are many harbingers of spring such as the little bulbs (Galanthus and Eranthis), early Narcissus and the hellebores, but one of my favorites is a wildflower that is not an ephemeral, namely Arisaema triphyllum. Jack-in-the-Pulpit, an Ohio native, started life in my shade garden as one small plant many years ago. Sheltered under an old Pieris japonica, the large, tripartite leaves and the spathe emerge in April and are about 12 inches high. In May, the green spathe rises above the foliage to 2 feet and becomes striped with purple. The spathe acts as a shield for the spadix that resembles a finger. This finger is composed of many tiny flowers that become red berries, very similar to those of Arum italicum ‘Pictum’, by late summer. Since first planted, this perennial wildflower has seeded into the initial location and moved across the stone path, almost always in the shade of other Pieris under which the soil is very humusy. These beds are irrigated so the ground is usually somewhat moist, a condition that favors plant happiness.
8 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
There are a multitude of Asian species that are much showier than our native Jack but, with one exception, I have either killed them or been unwilling to pay the high prices that they demand. The exception is Arisaema angustatum var. peninsulae DJHJ01010, purchased from Heronswood many years ago when it was still in existence. This Japanese species is very similar to our native but much taller at 3 to 4 feet. I may have to break down and try Arisaema consanguineum (Palm Tree Jack) again because its variegated foliage is so beautiful. I was reminded of its beauty on a garden tour in Baltimore in 2015. This is a Chinese species that is hardy to zone 5 and will grow 3 to 5 feet tall.
continued on page 11
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10 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
PEREN N I AL FOCUS
Arisaema consanguineum is a tall growing summer bulb, great for the woodland garden. The leaf stem emerges in spring to early summer reaching 2 to 3 feet tall with a tuft of leaflets at the top resembling a palm tree!
continued from page 8 Try combining any of the Jacks with more perennials or shrubs that are variegated. For instance, my native Jack in underlaid with Lamiastrum galeobdolon ‘Variegatum’ and Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’. The bold leaves of my Japanese Jack look great next to the yellow foliage of Deutzia ‘Chardonnay Pearls’. If you have a woodland site, design some Jacks into it. Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, owner of Bobbie’s Green Thumb in Shaker Hts., Ohio, is a landscape designer, consultant, freelance writer, and lecturer whose specialties are perennial gardens and four season landscapes. In addition to being an Ohio Landscape Association (OLA) member, she is an active member of the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association (ONLA) and Perennial Plant Association (PPA). Bobbie is a Past President of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD). Bobbie’s new book, Garden Renovation: Transform Your Yard into the Garden of Your Dreams, was published in November 2017 by Timber Press.
Native Americans cooked the corms of Jack-in-the-Pulpit after soaking and drying them, as preparation for both medicinal and culinary uses (thus the common name, “Indian turnip.”) Only experts should try this.
The Growing Concern | April 2018 | 11
FI SCAL FI TN ESS
MICHAEL J. DONNELLAN King Financial, Inc.
PROPER PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFICATION The good times that have recently prevailed in the markets make it easy to forget that the investment landscape today remains very unusual. The so-called “new normal” of low rates and low growth appears to be changing, yet the Fed still has years of stimulus to unwind. Dramatic changes in the tax code have implications that won’t be clear for months, if not years. Volatility, unusually low for months, has now surged dramatically. And the global economy is more intertwined than ever. Though this has generally been positive for markets, it’s a scenario not seen in our lifetime. Change could erupt in ways not easily anticipated – by investors or traditional diversification schemes. So whether the goal is to improve return or manage risk, it can make sense now to consider strategies that can add a deeper level of diversification – focused on specific investor objectives.
12 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
One of my main topics of discussion is always to be diversified. In principle, diversification seems simple enough to execute: Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket, but instead spread your risk across various sectors and asset classes. True diversification reduces portfolio volatility, or the ups and downs that can occur in the financial markets. But a portfolio that looks diversified may in fact be masking false diversification. Your baskets are all alike. False diversification is when investors distribute their eggs among a number of different baskets but don’t realize that the baskets are all very similar. For example, you may be invested in a dozen mutual funds and think yourself adequately diversified because each mutual continued on page 15
The Growing Concern | March 2018 | 13
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14 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
FI SCAL FI TN ESS continued from page 12 fund holds hundreds of underlying securities. The more securities you have, the more baskets your eggs are in and the more diversified you are, right?
realize. It’s incredibly important to understand how all your investments combine to create a diversified portfolio with balanced exposure to sectors and asset classes.
If all of your funds have similar objectives or invest in similar securities, the baskets containing your eggs may be essentially the same type of basket. This could result in a belief that a portfolio is diversified when a deeper look at the underlying holdings show an unintentional concentration in one or more areas. Your funds might hold many of the same stocks.
There are different online tools investors can use to evaluate a portfolio’s diversification. The most common tool for nonprofessional investors is Morningstar’s Instant X-Ray. It allows investors to evaluate their portfolio’s asset allocation and exposure across various sectors, geographic regions and investment styles.
Don’t let positive returns fool you. It’s easy to overlook the signs of false diversification in a bull market. After all, if your entire portfolio is up, you must be doing well. Unfortunately, if everything goes up at the same time, they’ll probably go down at the same time. Investors learned this lesson the hard way during the 2008 crisis, when it seemed there was nowhere to hide from the tanking market. Before the crash, no one wanted to invest in gold or cash because other asset classes were performing better. But when things took a turn for the worse, the only investors who didn’t lose tremendous amounts were the ones who had gold and cash in their portfolios.
The most important aspect of diversification – and portfolio management in general – is ensuring that you have an appropriate asset allocation mix for your goals and time horizon. Your asset allocation will be the primary driver of a portfolio’s returns and volatility. Talk to your financial advisor for specific analysis of your portfolio. Feel free to call for a no obligation, no cost review of your portfolio or retirement plan. Michael J. Donnellan is President of King Financial, Inc. specializing in stock selection and retirement planning. Feel free to contact him with any questions or comments at the M3 Wealth Management office at 17601 W. 130th Street – Suite 1 in North Royalton, Ohio. Phone number (440) 652-6370 Email: donnellan@m3wealthmanagement.com
The real problem is that investors’ assets are too highly correlated during financial crises. When diversifying, investors should look for negative correlations between investments because this means they’ll have offsetting risks. When one investment is down, another will be up, so the whole portfolio won’t fall at the same time. With a properly diversified portfolio you’ll never get all the upside, but hopefully you’ll never get all the downside either.
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How to spot false diversification. One way to spot false diversification is by auditing your individual holdings. If everything is up by similar amounts, that could mean you might not have proper diversification. Next take a deeper look at your exposure to asset classes and market sectors. Without knowing your asset class and sector exposure, you could be taking on much more risk than you
The Growing Concern | April 2018 | 15
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THE AWARD FOR LIFETIME CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY
Mary Wheeler
Mary Doerfler grew up in Wooster, Ohio. Little did she know that when she met John Wheeler, who was studying Landscape Contracting at Ohio State’s Agricultural Technical Institute (in Wooster), she would not only fall in love with him but also the landscape profession. guidelines and requiring CDL drivers to be fully compliant. Along the way, Mary made many improvements that she felt could be applied to the entire industry. Being the type of person to not pass-thebuck, she began doing just that. Noticing deficiencies in Ohio’s workers compensation system, she began working with the National Federation of Independent Businesses and the Bureau of Workers Compensation to begin making improvements. Mary and John tied the knot in 1973 and moved to St. Marys. In 1976, John started Wheeler Landscaping in Chagrin Falls, where Mary raised their 3 children while serving on Kenston’s Board of Education. In 1995, Mary “officially” began working for Wheeler Landscaping, as Director of Human Resources. As such, she was responsible for hiring the full-time year-round staff, along with all seasonal employees. She also managed the H2B Guest Worker Program, while at the same time ensuring the company was a safe place for employees, adhereing to OSHA
When PUCO threatened to create new regulations for small commercial trucks, Mary worked diligently with the OLA’s Executive Director to create the framework necessary for our industry to comply, even teaching classes on the topic. As the Chair of OLA’s Legislative Committee from 2007-2015, she traveled to Washington, D.C. countless times to advocate on behalf of the landscape industry, becoming instrumental in the crusade to keep the H2B visa program alive.
Also in 2007, Mary joined the Geauga Safety Council, taking on an active role in planning safety programs and recruiting speakers and sponsors. She is a Past President of that organization. Mary has also served for many years on the Auburn Career Center’s advisory, for their Landscape Horticulture Program. She is currently an Auburn Career Center Board Member. In 2013, when Wheeler Landscaping joined forces with Impullitti Landscaping, Mary began working with Impullitti Landscaping as their Safety Consultant. Above all, Mary enjoys the time she gets to spend with her family, most of which remain local to the area. Mary’s current goal is to work as a safety consultant for various landscape contracting companies within the Ohio Landscape Association. Congratulations to Mary Wheeler, The Ohio Landscape Association’s 2018 Lifetime Contributions Award winner!
THE 21st ANNUAL LANDSCAPE OHIO! AWARDS
THE 21st ANNUAL LANDSCAPE OHIO! AWARDS
AWARD WINNING PROJECTS COMMERCIAL MAINTENANCE
SPONSOR: ALVORD’S YARD & GARDEN EQUIPMENT AWARD OF MERIT Buck & Sons Landscape Service, Inc. IBM
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY III SPONSOR: PREMIER PLANT SOLUTIONS AWARD OF HONOR Hedge Landscape, LLC The Bundy Residence
AWARD OF MERIT J. Barker Landscaping Company A Private Residence in Lakewood, OH
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY IV SPONSOR: LAKE COUNTY NURSERY
AWARD OF MERIT KGK Gardening & Design Corporation The Dudick Residence
AWARD OF MERIT Rice’s Landscapes Redefined The Zito Residence
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY V SPONSOR: DAVIS TREE FARM & NURSERY AWARD OF MERIT KGK Gardening & Design Corporation The Organ-Nash Residence
RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY VI with SWIMMING POOLS SPONSOR: VALLEY CITY SUPPLY
AWARD OF HONOR KGK Gardening & Design Corporation The Awender Residence
AWARD OF MERIT TLC Landscaping, Inc. An Executive Retreat
AWARD OF MERIT J. Barker Landscaping Company A Private Residence in Lakewood, OH
THANK YOU TO THIS YEAR’S SPONSORS EVENT SPONSORS
CATEGORY SPONSORS
VISIT WWW.MYOHIOLANDSCAPE.COM TO VIEW THE PROJECTS
THE 21st ANNUAL LANDSCAPE OHIO! AWARDS
AWARD WINNING PROJECTS COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY I SPONSOR: KURTZ BROS., INC.
AWARD OF MERIT The University of Akron The H. Peter Burg Memorial Garden
AWARD OF MERIT Lifestyle Landscaping, Inc. Schieffer Insurance
COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION, CATEGORY II SPONSOR: KLYN NURSERIES, INC.
AWARD OF MERIT Suncrest Gardens Bud & Susie Rogers Garden/Akron Art Mus.
AWARD OF MERIT KGK Gardening & Design Corporation The Hudson Memorial Stadium
WATER FEATURES
SPONSOR: BEDFORD GLENS GARDEN CENTER AWARD OF HONOR (BEST OVERALL PROJECT) Bulone Brothers Landscaping, Inc. A Private Residence in Aurora
AWARD OF MERIT Landscape Design Associates The Muhvic Residence
AWARD OF MERIT Suncrest Gardens, Inc. The Bennett Residence
AWARD OF MERIT KGK Gardening & Design Corporation The Matthews Residence
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SPONSOR: WOLF CREEK COMPANY AWARD OF MERIT KGK Gardening & Design Corporation The Organ-Nash Residence
SPECIALTY GARDENS
SPONSOR: GREAT BIG HOME & GARDEN SHOW AWARD OF HONOR Rice’s Landscapes Redefined Secrest Arboretum Health & Wellness Grdn.
AWARD OF MERIT The University of Akron The H. Peter Burg Memorial Garden
THE 21st ANNUAL LANDSCAPE OHIO! AWARDS
AWARD WINNING PROJECTS GARDEN STRUCTURES/PAVEMENTS, CATEGORY I SPONSOR: VAN NESS STONE
AWARD OF HONOR Rice’s Landscapes Redefined The Hostetler Residence
GARDEN STRUCTURES/PAVEMENTS, CATEGORY II SPONSOR: UNILOCK OHIO, INC.
AWARD OF MERIT Moscarino Outdoor Creations, Inc. The Rottinger Residence
AWARD OF MERIT Jackie Ansara Landscape The Hilltop Patio
GARDEN STRUCTURES/PAVEMENTS, CATEGORY III SPONSOR: BELGARD HARDSCAPES AWARD OF HONOR Exscape Designs A Pepper Pike Residence
AWARD OF MERIT Moscarino Outdoor Creations, Inc. The Hopp Residence
AWARD OF MERIT KGK Gardening & Design Corporation The Hudson Memorial Stadium
AWARD OF MERIT Exscape Designs A Cleveland Heights Residence
AWARD OF MERIT Exscape Designs A Private Residence in Bentleyville
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SPONSOR: MEDINA SOD FARMS, INC. AWARD OF HONOR BrightView Landscaping Services Legacy Village
This awards program was created to increase awareness of quality landscaping and how it improves our environment. The annual competition recognizes designers, installers, and property owners. The program is open to all Regular member companies of the Ohio Landscape Association. Project sites must be located in Ohio or in a state that borders Ohio, and a major portion of the project must be the work of the entrant. Projects are eligible for up to five (5) years after completion. Project previously entered may be reentered, as long as the project has not received an Honor or Judge’s Special Award in the past.
JUDGES’ PLATINUM AWARD BEST OVERALL PROJECT Bulone Brothers Landscaping, Inc. A Private Residence in Aurora
VISIT WWW.MYOHIOLANDSCAPE.COM TO VIEW THE PROJECTS
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
E
ach year, the Ohio Landscape Association has scholarship monies available for selected students who are interested in pursuing horticulture in college. Our Annual Scholarship Golf Classic was created to help generate funding for this program, targeting qualified students interested in a vocation within the Green Industry. Eligible recipients/applicants include high school seniors who are enrolled in a horticulture program, as well as college students currently studying horticulture. Applicants must also be either an OLA Student Member, an employee of an OLA Member, or a child of an employee of an OLA Member firm. To apply, please visit www.ohiolandscapers. org/pdfs/scholarship_application.pdf and fill out our online scholarship application. Applications for the 2019/2020 year will posted soon. We are pleased to announce this year’s scholarship recipients. Congratulations to you all!
Christian Jay Moore $1,500 Scholarship
Christian is a graduate of South Range High School in Canfield, Ohio. He currently attends Ohio State University. Along with procuring a number of notable awards and scholarships in 2017, Christian was one of six students chosen to redesign the Olentangy River Corridor and is a current member of OSU’s 15 person Honor Student Advisory Board.
Stacey Lorenz
$1,500 Scholarship
Stacey is a graduate of Normandy High School in Parma, Ohio. She currently attends Cuyahoga Community College. She left an already successful and estabished career to pursue her love for the Green Industry. She has been described by her peers as an exemplary student and by her mentors as someone we “absolutely need as the future of this industry.”
Kerry Nickles
$1,250 Scholarship Kerry is a graduate of Brunswick High School in Brunswick, Ohio. She attended Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and currently attends Cuyahoga Community College, majoring in Plant Science and Landscape Technology. She has taken part in both the 2017 and 2018 NALP Competitions, as well as the 2017 TCI Expo Climbing Competition.
Creighton Bradley $1,000 Scholarship
Creighton is a Senior at Triad High School in North Lewisburg, Ohio and currently takes vocational training courses at Ohio Hi-Point Career Center. He was a member of the 2016 2nd place team at the Ohio High School Landscape Olympics, as well as a member of the 2017 1st place team. He is planning to attend Clark State Community College in the fall.
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22 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
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PL ANT OF TH E M ON TH
JIM FUNAI, LIC Cuyahoga Community College
SHELLEY FUNAI, LIC Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
CULTIVATING VARIETY Every month, the two of us put our heads together to come up with a topic we think is: A) Fun to learn about; B) Helps our readers learn something new; C) Reminds them of something they may have forgotten. Our hopes are that whatever the topic may be, it gets everyone excited about diversifying our landscapes. With that said, we humans can be an opinionated species, and often put FACT on the back burner to personal conviction. We will both openly admit that there are plants we simply don’t like because, personally, we just think they’re ugly (cough, cough… Yucca.) We’ll do so even though their performance is great in the garden. Conversely, we’ll also admit that there are plants we love, even though we simply cannot and should not grow them because of where we live, usually due to climate… not our hardcore neighborhood. One of the things we love about this process is the feedback that we receive from readers who have differing opinions and would like to discuss those opinions in a civil manner. What a great industry we have where we can help each other by sharing our experiences using different plant materials, while expanding our collective knowledge of diversity in the plant
kingdom. It wasn’t too long ago only a fringe element were using Sedges. And now? Now, we have a ton of landscape worthy Sedges to incorporate into the garden. It really is a neat process. With that in mind, every now and again we get a note from a “strongly opinionated’ reader telling us we are flat out wrong. It usually plays out similar to having a debate about Ford vs. Chevy, or Stihl vs. Husqvarna. Everyone has a favorite and a story to back-up why their favorite is the best. For our purposes, this happens most often in the form of a disgruntled reader citing a story of how they have used a plant – one we cautioned against – for decades, and that it has performed exceptionally. Sometimes, it is the opposite. Someone tried to plant a plant we recommended “a million times” and it failed every time. We thought this month, instead of writing about a specific plant, that it would be a good time to remind ourselves that we are working with nature and she has a way of humbling us all. Perhaps the most important concept to keep in mind throughout this entire article is that of the mighty cultivar. continued on page 24 The Growing Concern | April 2018 | 23
PL ANT OF TH E M ON TH
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Last month, we discussed the existence of a natural “variety” that occurs in Balsam Firs. In binomial (two-name) nomenclature, we use the genus and specific epithet together to form the species name. A familiar example being Acer rubrum; where Acer is the genus, rubrum the specific epithet, and the combo of the two identify the species. At the species level, there is wiggle room for how we draw lines in what groups a plant into one species, or another. Nature does not have a need to define things in black and white like we do, though. For any species, remember that the description of any feature it holds fits into a bell shaped curve, with the majority of the species in the middle having very similar features – but there will always be a few outliers, or extremes. In February, we discussed Colorado Spruce (Picea pungens). In our discussion, we pointed out that there is a large variance in the amount of blue one may see in the species. When writing about, discussing, planning, and planting plants, we are discussing the middle of the bell curve with the understanding that there are outliers. For every plant that people say prefers full sun, sure enough, there is likely an individual rocking out in some serious shade. To that we say, “Good for that one!”
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5/14/2015 11:31:24 AM
A variety, sometimes called a sub-species, is a group of plants within a species who all share a unique difference that sets them apart from the species and are able to pass that difference on to their offspring. We don’t have all of these identified and named, nor do we need to, but a perfect example would be Red Maple, which grows happily along the entire eastern half of the country, from far north to far south. Take one from Florida and try to growing it in Ohio though, and it likely dies. Ecologists call this provenance, and it is the living example of a slight difference within a species at the variety level. When we enter the ornamental side of horticulture, there is a constant search for a variety within any given species that offers something new. Take Coneflowers, for example. There seems to be an unquenchable thirst for a variety that is slightly different than the hundreds that came out the year before. When a variety is discovered – and found to be reproducible – it is called a cultivated variety, or cultivar. The cultivar is probably the most important identifier when we discuss plants in our industry. Something about that particular group of plants has led the industry to cultivate it and then reproduce it. It may be its size, color, or some other ornamental feature. Or, it may be a physiological difference that allows for improved disease or continued on page 26
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PL ANT OF TH E M ON TH continued from page 24 pest resistance, or makes the plant more adaptable to various growing conditions. Case-in-point: The article discussing our caution against the widespread use of Blue Spruce. We knew such a caution would ruffle some feathers – so much so that it was the opening line of the article. Notwithstanding, we received feedback from a few of our readers citing plenty examples of happy, healthy Blue Spruce. To that we say, “Of course there are some Spruce doing great! It is a tough plant that earned its place in our industry for good reason.” The details of our article may have been missed though, in that we wanted to stress that “cultivar” remains at the forefront of the discussion. Some readers mentioned any number of the dwarf cultivars of Blue Spruce that have been used extensively – without disease concern – wondering how we could be so bold as to condemn the species. Picea pungens (Colorado spruce) was the species under discussion. There is a lot of natural variety in the species, as indicated by various amounts of wax on the needles, lending the blue to the “Blue Spruce.” There is no room for opinion about how this non-native (to Ohio) Spruce performs in our climate and soils. The facts are in. There are a number of diseases that easily take advantage of a stressed Colorado Spruce. Thus, we cautioned against the wholesale planting of this tree without understanding the cause of the stress.
Cultivars of Picea pungens can help save this species from being kicked off the island. The many dwarf cultivars are genetically different than the species and seem to have much greater tolerance to these diseases. We went as far as to specifically mention that in the article, as well. Finally, we have a constant theme in our articles which should be everyone’s mantra in this industry, “The right plant, in the right place.” This means we do not overextend ourselves trying to amend the soil. Understand the soil that the plant must live in and select the right plant for the site. The truth of the matter is, once the roots grow beyond amended soil, the plant still has to survive, so you are better off picking the right plant for the right place. Cultivar use is how we accomplish that. Take advantage of the great discoveries in cultivated varieties and expand your arsenal of “right plants” for all of the places you work. We hope this helps clarify how and why we share plants each month, and we encourage you to keep the discussion going. We are an industry of professionals who are constantly learning and improving, and thankfully we have organizations like the Ohio Landscape Association to foster our professional development. Stay tuned next month, when we’ll return to sharing a specific plant – and we have a great one picked out!
Jim Funai is full-time faculty at Cuyahoga Community College, a NALP accredited associate of applied science in hoticulture degree program. He is pursuing a PhD in Landscape Engineering and Forestry and is a Licensed Arborist. Shelley Funai is Grounds Manager at Stan Hywett Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio, which offers a historic estate designed by Warren H. Manning and a beautiful manor house museum. She is Landscape Industry Certified in Ornamental Plant Care.
26 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
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The Growing Concern | April 2018 | 27
4
THE CORE ELEMENTS
TO BUSINESS SUCCESS
CORE #3 / GETTING THE BUSINESS
Surround Prospects with Marketing Last month we started on CORE process 3 – Getting the Business. Building on last month’s brand conversation, how do we go about surrounding potential customers with messages that impact their buying decisions?
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO 1. Define Your Sweet Spot. Start with separating business customers from consumers. Selling to businesses is about competitive advantage – how does your offer improve theirs. Selling to consumers is all about lifestyle – how does your offer enhance what they and others think:
The challenge today in marketing – and to a certain degree sales – is that it requires permission. This has a huge impact on acquiring new customers. What you did in the past is no longer enough, and perhaps illegal. Given this landscape, successful businesses use online (website, blogs, social media) to surround their prospective customers and gain permission to start talking. A smart approach is to use both covertly (create impressions without selling) and overtly (direct touches with potential customers).
B2B Demographics: Physical Characteristics of the Business? B2B Psychographics: Character of the Company? B2B Competitive Advantage: What value do they receive from your Core Products / Services? B2C Demographics: Physical Characteristics of the Individual? B2C Psychographics: Emotional Characteristics of the Individual? B2C Lifestyle: H ow will your Core Products / Services impact their self-image and image with others?
Everything starts with defining your sweet spot – who are your perfect customers? When you have clarity on your company’s brand and core offer, the next task is to identify potential customers with unmet, or undermet, needs that have the financial ability to buy, and are frictionless in your system. These targeted accounts are known as your “sweet spot,” or perfect customers, and are the group to target in all initial marketing and sales efforts. The marketing function has two goals; Create awareness with your “sweet spot,” and place qualified leads into the sales funnel. View awareness as a pyramid, with Unknown at the bottom, Aware in the next level up, level 3 as Preferred, and the cap stone as Top of Mind.
2. Understand Your Brand’s Awareness. How aware is your “sweet spot” of your company, its products & services, and you: Unknown: Don’t know you exist, no inbound calls, never considered in their buying process. Known: Know you exist, might call you, and you might be in their buying process. Preferred: Know about your brand, a good balance between inbound and outbound calls, and part of their buying decision. Top of Mind: You have an existing relationship, more inbound calls to you than out to them, and your company is their first choice – it is your business to lose.
WILLIAM EASTMAN GreenMark Consulting Group
3. Plotting the Perfect Customer’s Molecule. This is a simple but powerful exercise to look at your customer’s world. Draw a picture for each targeted customer that shows. B2B examples: Professional & Trade Association’s, Customers, Suppliers, Legal & Insurance, Finance & Banking, Office Management, Healthcare, etc. B2C examples: Professional & Trade Association’s, Social & Religious Associations, Family, Friends, Hobbies, Legal & Insurance, Finance & Banking, Office Management, Healthcare, etc.
Summary Today we must receive permission to market and sell. Given this environment, successful businesses are using online (website, blogs, social media) to surround their prospective customers. A smart approach is to use two methods – covert (create impressions without selling) and overt (direct touches with potential customers). For more information contact William Eastman @844.RUGREEN.
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The Growing Concern | April 2018 | 29
FOR SAFETY SAK E
SAFE AND COURTEOUS LEAF BLOWER OPERATION Leaf blowers are an essential time and labor-saving tool on the job, but landscape contractors are facing increasing pressure from homeowners associations, municipalities and other government agencies about equipment sound. Blowers are especially targeted due not only to the sound level at which they operate but also their sound frequency. In some cases, bans or severe limitations on blowers have been enacted. By adhering to the courtesies and guidelines below, not only do you protect yourself, your employees and the environment around you, but you help avoid controversy surrounding blower use, keep your clients happy, add to your bottom line and maximize efficiency.
COURTEOUS OPERATION • Follow local rules—do not use very early or late in the day unless using a low noise product with a dB(A) within the city ordinance. • Check wind direction and intensity—never point the nozzle toward people, pets, cars or houses.
30 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
Additionally, do not: • Blow debris toward open windows or doors • Leave blower running while unattended • Use blower to spread or mist fertilizers, chemicals or other toxic substances, unless it is designed for these purposes and in an appropriate area.
REDUCING NOISE • Use lowest possible throttle speed (this also saves on fuel). • Use nozzle attachments that help reduce sound. • Avoid using more than one blower at a time whenever possible—especially in neighborhoods or around buildings where sound can be intensified. • Check the condition of the leaf blower muffler, air intakes and air filter to make sure they’re in good condition.
• Pay attention to sound levels when shopping for your next blower. Also, take a look at a battery-powered options, as many of today’s models, particularly from Stihl, boast solid power but greatly reduced noise levels.
REDUCING DUST • Start with nozzle close to the ground at first and then raise it to a height where it doesn’t generate dust. • Use the full lower nozzle extensions to control sound and minimize dust. • Practice by moving grass clippings or a paper cup without moving dust. • Wet dusty areas down before using. • Leaf blowers should not be used to clean up gravel, construction dirt, plaster dust, cement and concrete dust and dry garden topsoil.
EFFICIENTLY OPERATING A LEAF BLOWER Follow these simple instructions, along with the manufacturer’s instruction manual: • Learn to control air velocity at the end of the nozzle to lift leaves without lifting dust. • Practice leaf blower nozzle movement/throttle control. • Practice up/down and left/right motions starting close to the ground and the debris but not close enough to lift excess dust. Also, it is important that when using a blower, the operator wear protective glasses, gloves and hearing protection to help protect eyes, hands, and hearing. When operating any outdoor power equipment, you should wear the personal protective equipment (PPE) as outlined in the manufacturer’s instruction manual. This artilce originally ran on the GreenIndustryPros.com website at http:// www.greenindustrypros.com/article/10257651/leaf-blower-safety-andoperator-tips. Green Industry Pros magazine is a national publication that keeps landscape contractors and equipment dealers on top of the latest products, trends and business strategies that will help them grow their companies.
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The Growing Concern | April 2018 | 31
F EATURE ARTI CLE
Four Ways Landscapers Can Improve Field Service Efficiency with Technology In 2018, the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) noted the major technology evolution in landscaping. Up and coming business technologies such as 3-D mapping, mobile apps and even drones are beginning to find a home in landscape design and build. However, the force in the field, management and maintenance teams often continue to limp along with outdated means of managing the field service operation. Landscaping project leaders often manage large crews of maintenance, snow removal and design-build professionals, among other crews, while also working cross-functionally with architects, sales and other back-office teams.
32 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
Strides in capability and availability of cloud and mobile technologies now make serious gains in field service efficiency and customer communication available to landscapers of all sizes. How? Here are four ways landscapers can apply technology to improve and grow field service operations:
IN THE OFFICE Have a bird’s eye view of the field & reduce manual data entry. Schedulers can reduce data entry and improve visibility. Scheduling mobile employees and landscaping crews who travel all day is harder than scheduling in-office employees.
Today, many mobile apps integrate with a desktop version, which lets dispatchers and managers use a visual map to see where each landscaper is in proximity to the customer calling for service. With visual drag-and-drop calendars, the desktop user can schedule employees much faster than with Outlook or Excel. Additionally, most field service apps are cloud-based, which means lawn care techs can view their schedules on their tablet or phone, rather than coming in the office. And by not having to come in every day, landscapers have more time to help more customers daily. Employee-business contracts can be digitally managed. Many field service clients may request service on a regular schedule. In the landscaping business, this can go from a quick seasonal touch-up, or twice a week visits over the course of a year (104 service visits). Certain automation software can manage the whole process without paperwork or manual service scheduling. Nothing makes it harder to manage contracts than messy file cabinets. A cloud-based system can keep digital customer records with aspects including: • • • •
Terms of contract Equipment, inventory, crews and parts Warehouse locations Service history
IN THE FIELD Track labor time, appointments, routes and more, all in a single app. Digital punch clocks simplify billing and record keeping. Lawn care professionals travel all day and must log every aspect of every project, just like service technicians in other industries. Different duties in a landscape, hardscape or maintenance job vary in cost, and recording work hours on paper is hard. Payroll specialists may spend excess time entering time sheets into a system or may even misplace sheets, and the company loses profit. An app with a punch clock lets landscapers and crew leaders “clock in” for each duty within a job, from an inspection to an installation. Even better, an app with a camera or video recording lets workers document processes for both managers and customers, which helps a lot in design-build. These orders on a central network are easier to view and manage than file cabinets or spreadsheets. continued on page 34
The Growing Concern | April 2018 | 33
F E AT UR E AR T IC L E
klynnurseries.com Over 1800 Different Species And Cultivars To Meet Your Needs! bamboo grasses perennials ferns vines roses dwarf conifers GPS mapping ensures faster arrival & accurate ETA windows. Using a map or GPS app on a mobile device not only makes it easier for landscapers to navigate customer sites but also provides ETA time slots. Customers appreciate accurate time slots so they know when they should be home for landscapers to arrive. Once landscapers view their schedules via an app, they can get driving directions via a GPS or maps app on their smartphone. Some apps can even find the fastest route based on traffic and weather conditions. This way, landscapers can call and tell the customer ahead of time that they may arrive late. When landscapers tell customers when and why they’re arriving late, the company is set apart from a competitor that doesn’t use technology to predict accurate ETA windows.
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CONCLUSION: EMPOWER THE FIELD Opportunities abound for landscapers to utilize technology to positively impact their customer’s experience and operational efficiency. Whether it’s for design, installation or maintenance, empowering field employees and operations staff with technology can open a new frontier of competitive advantage.
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Permission to reprint this article was granted from Total Landscape Care Magazine. Read more at https://www.totallandscapecare.com.This article was written by Mrinal Gokhale who works in content marketing at MSI Data. MSI is a field service automation software company that strives to eliminate paperwork in field service
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ADVERTI SI N G I N DE X
GOLF REGISTRATION OPENS SOON SPRING/SUMMER 2018 OLA’s NEW MEMBERS
The Ohio Landscape Association is delighted to welcome the following new members to the association:
REGULAR MEMBERS Asturi Landscape Group 30942 Bel Aire Circle Westlake, OH 44145 216-704-5820 Massimo Asturi C & J Property Maintenance, LLC 9289 Basswood Dr. Olmsted Falls, OH 44128 440-799-3940 Chris Polcar Great Lakes Grounds Management PO Box 384 Amherst, OH 44001 440-584-0556 Greg Taylor Trim Neat LLC 2477 Sourek Drive Akron, OH 44333 234-200-6003 Andrew White True Finish Landscaping LLC PO Box 631 Ashtabula, OH 44005 440-992-5830 Tangerine Tirado
14 10 16 29 6 22 31 34 14 29 24 22 29 31 27 9 24 13 27 27 2 10 25 33
Abraxus /Royalton Supply Landscape Center All Organic Mulch, LLC Botson Insurance Group, Inc. Boyas Excavating Cascade Lighting, Inc. Davis Tree Farm & Nursery, Inc. Fairlawn/Medina Landscape Supply Klyn Nurseries, Inc. Mason Structural Steel, Inc. Medina Sod Farms, Inc. Millcreek Gardens, LLC MRLM / JTO, Inc. National First Equipment, LLC O’Reilly Equipment, LLC. Oliger Seed Co. Premier Plant Solutions Shearer Equipment Snowfighters Institute Sohar’s / RCPW, Inc. Three-Z Supply, Inc. Unilock Valley City Supply VanCuren Tree Services, Inc. Zoresco Equipment Company The Growing Concern | April 2018 | 35
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