The Buckeye Jan/Feb 2017

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017

The Official Publication of the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association

Vol. 28, Issue 1

ONLA HOSTS FIRST OHIO HIGH SCHOOL LANDSCAPE OLYMPICS

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January/February 2017 Vol. 28, Issue 1

The Buckeye is published six times per year by The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association, Inc. 72 Dorchester Square, Westerville, OH 43081 614.899.1195 | www.onla.org

EDITORIAL / ADVERTISING ISSN 1536-7940 Subscriptions: $75/year alana@onla.org

30

OFFICERS Steve Maddox, Jr., President Michell’s Josh Posey, President-Elect Buckeye Resources, Inc. Michael Dues, Immediate Past President Dues Nursery & Landscaping, Ltd. DIRECTORS Hillary Henry The Pattie Group, Inc. Tom Hilgeman White Oak Garden Center, Inc. Ryan Kolb Ryan Kolb Co. LLC Adam McClanahan Carlton Plants, LLC Mindy Moore Cardinal Landscape, Tree Service & Lawn Care Steve O’Neal Columbus State Community College Ellen Gallucci Purcell Riepenhoff Landscape Ltd. STAFF Roni Petersen, Interim Executive Director, Membership & Certification Karen Lykins, Accounting Keith Manbeck, Sales Lydia Phillippi, Education Alana Settle, Marketing & Communications Tracie Zody, MGIX THE FINE PRINT The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, directors or staff and do not constitute an endorsement of the products or featured services. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as members of the ONLA does not constitute an endorsement of the products or featured services.

contents

2 President’s Perspective 4 Branches of Government 7 Green Industry Advocacy Day 9 Certification Equals Graduation 10 ONLA Member Spotlight 28 Business Buzz 30 Retail Roundtable

features

13 19 23 34

A Year of Trees Ohio High School Landscape Olympics Be A Difference Maker

By Design: Creative Fencing

FRONT COVER OHLO Champion Team, Knox County Career Center

also in this issue 12 OCNT Registration Form • 37 ONLA New Members 40 Classifieds • 41 Calendar of Events, Advertising Index

Retail Roundtable Native Plants

PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE A YEAR IN REVIEW

2016 ONLA President

Steve Maddox smaddox@michells.com

As I reflect on the past year, it is amazing how quickly it has gone by. I vividly remember accepting the position of president at ONLA’s Business Meeting last January. I accepted the gavel from Immediate Past President Mike Dues, and then left it on the podium as I finished my speech and walked off the stage—a big no-no if you have been in this position before.

When you become president, you instantly look at everything a bit differently— the tradeshow, the staff, our committees and legislative functions, and our membership. The key to making any decision is to keep the membership in mind. As long as you take that approach, you will be able to stay focused and on track.

In 2016, participation in CENTS leveled off and we decided it was time for a change. We changed the name to Midwest Green Industry Xperience (MGIX) and reorganized the show floor. The new name was much more encompassing for not only our vendors but for attendees throughout the region. A reorganization of the show floor allowed us to focus on a different traffic pattern within the changing convention center.

We also hired an Executive Director after months of searching. Frits Rizor provided guidance that helped reshape the ONLA office staff and provided a number of fresh ideas that inspired us. After getting the association steadied, Frits realized his calling was to help young people, and returned to the field of Education. Our Executive Team and Board are searching for a new director and feel that we are getting close to finding the next leader for our team.

The ONLA Golf Outing this past summer was a hit, and more than $3,000 was raised in support of the Ohio High School Landscape Olympics (OHLO). ONLA’s first annual OHLO competition in November was a huge success and we look forward to continuing and growing this event for years to come (check out page 19 for a recap).

As I write this in December the MGIX tradeshow is only a month away and the staff is working tirelessly on

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the final details. We are hearing a lot of positive buzz from attendees and exhibitors. If you are a regular attendee, or perhaps have not been in a few years, we encourage you to register online and check out everything MGIX has to offer.

The line up of speakers is impressive, there are a lot of new exhibitors this year, and even a party or two to attend!

At the Business Meeting at MGIX, we anticipate the election of a very dynamic leader, Josh Posey, as your next ONLA president. He will certainly lead us in the right direction and keep us on the right track.

I would like to thank all of you for supporting the association over the last 12 months. I also want to extend my appreciation to Mike Dues for his service to our association and his guidance over the past year. I am sorry to see him leave the Executive team but I know he’s looking forward to refocusing on his business and spending more time with his family.

I am very proud to have served as president of the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association and I look forward to what’s ahead for the association. I hope to see each of you at MGIX. B

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BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT The legislature is back in full swing as the 131st General Assembly comes to an end. Lame duck has drawn our attention to several issues.

CAUV ONLA Legislative Consultant

Belinda Jones Capitol Consulting Group, Inc. bjones@capitol-consulting.net

Our Ohio Farm Bureau friends, allies and all other agriculture groups have been working tirelessly in the Ohio Senate to get Senate Bill 246, CAUV legislation, passed during lame duck. The proposal modifies the Current Agricultural Use Valuation (CAUV) formula which determines the value of farmland for property taxation purposes.

Thus far, SB 246 has had five hearings in the Senate Ways and Means committee, with the most recent hearing taking place on December 1, 2016.

In early November, 2016, Chairman Hite of the Senate Ways and Means committee commented that the bill may be “pushed to the front yet, before we get done with lame duck”.

When Senator Hite first introduced the bill in November, 2015, he said, “Many farmers simply could not afford to keep farming their land without CAUV. This legislation will make minor adjustments to the formula that will make the taxes our farmers are paying more accurately reflect the value of their land.”

The coming days are critical for this legislation. If passed by the Senate, the bill would travel to the Ohio House, and likely be referred to the House Government Accountability and Oversight committee where the companion bill, House Bill 398 was referred.

OHIO HOUSE BILL 566 House Bill 566, nursery stock labeling and pollinator legislation, received its first hearing in the House Agriculture and Rural Development committee on November 29, 2016, where the bill’s sponsor, Representative Ramos, gave testimony and answered questions from the committee.

The legislation, if passed, would prohibit the labeling and advertising of nursery stock as pollinator beneficial under specified conditions.

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Image courtesy of Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board

In sponsor testimony, Representative Ramos said the bill would "prevent any plant advertised as 'beneficial to pollinators' from having been treated with insecticides. It follows the lead of legislation passed in 2014 in Minnesota where bee populations were hit hard by use of certain insecticides. There, the bill has been seen as beneficial to their efforts in saving pollinators." He said the reason for the bill is that it has been found that some of the "pollinatorfriendly" plants "are not so bee-friendly. There are no regulations regarding the handling of this specific type of nursery stock, such that they do not harm the pollinators they purport to attract. Specifically, in some cases these plants advertised as beneficial to pollinators have been treated with insecticides which would actually harm the pollinators."

This bill places the responsibility on nurseries to properly label plants they sell although, "they are not punished if they had no reason to know" about a plant's origins. He said, in answer to a question from Representative Christina Hagan, that this puts the onus on the nurseries, not the consumers.

Representative Boose asked about the impact of interstate, and even inter-country, commerce because plants come to Ohio from many places. Ramos agreed that a national policy is needed but said it has made a difference in Minnesota.

Representative Patterson asked about stakeholder support with Ramos saying he hopes to reach out further in the next General Assembly. "This is the beginning of the process and conversation..."

Given that, we are committed to working with Representative Ramos on this topic in the future. onla.org

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY – POLLINATOR HEALTH, PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION PLAN Meanwhile, off Capitol Square, there is an initiative at the Ohio State University, called the Ohio Pollinator Health, Protection and Conservation Plan. As stated on the Ohio State University’s Bee Lab website, this plan “is a communication tool and guide for action to improve the health and survival of pollinators across Ohio. The plan is being guided by the Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative (OPHI), with writing team staff from ODA, ODOT, ODNR, OSBA, OSU, US FWS and other partners.”

Additionally, there is a student-led effort to get the University to sign a Pollinator Protection Pledge.

OHIO’S 132ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY January 2017 will mark the beginning of the 132nd Ohio General Assembly. With that will come new faces in the legislature, and we are already working to introduce ourselves to those members, making our Ohio Green Industry Advocacy Day on February 22, 2017 in Columbus ever more important. Please make plans to register and participate in the day as we engage in creating and growing relationships with our legislators to provide education and promotion of our industry. B More information about this year's Ohio Green Industry Advocacy Day can be found on page 7.

January/February 2017

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OHIO

GREEN INDUSTRY

Advocacy Day

February 22, 2017 COLUMBUS, OHIO

The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association • Nursery Growers of Lake County Ohio • Ohio Landscape Association • Ohio Lawn Care Association • Ohio Pest Management Association • Ohio Professional Applicators for Responsible Regulation • Ohio Turfgrass Foundation • Ohio Irrigation Association You are invited to join us for the “2017 Ohio Green Industry Advocacy Day” on February 22 in Columbus. This is a great chance to partner with fellow green industry colleagues to explain issues critical to your business and the size and importance of Ohio’s Green Industry to our state legislators.

With new legislators being sworn in to the 132nd General Assembly, and a new leadership slate in the Ohio House, your participation in this grassroots effort is more important than ever before. Here are some key reasons why you should attend this event: • WHO YOU ARE – When surveyed, green industry association members regularly list legislative and regulatory advocacy as one of their key member benefits. The best way to strengthen this critical member benefit is to become an active participant in legislative events.

Advocacy Day is your opportunity to carry the message of “who we are” and have an impact on legislation that will affect green industry businesses. No one tells your story better than you!

• WHO YOU KNOW – As is the case in your business, advancement is heavily based upon relationships. Green Industry Advocacy Day affords you the chance to build relationships with two important groups: green industry business partners; and, members of the Ohio legislature and their staff. * WHAT IS GOING ON - The morning session will feature key legislative speakers like ONLA Legislator of the Year, Senator Bob Peterson (R; Sabina), Craig Butler, Director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and others. You will also be briefed on issues to discuss in legislative meetings in the afternoon.

• WHAT YOU KNOW – The biennial operating budget bill will be “in play” in the Ohio House. Thus, Advocacy Day is the perfect time to affect change in this important legislation. Additionally, meetings with your elected officials give you the opportunity to offer to be a resource to policy makers on issues like water quality, water quantity, immigration, workers compensation and/or environmental reforms.

Legislators want to make informed decisions. They want to hear from you. YOU have the knowledge that can help advance decisions that are favorable to our industry.

Here’s a tentative schedule of the day: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m.

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

1:00 - 4:30 p.m.

4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Registration & continental breakfast Guest Speaker or Panel Discussion Briefing Session – Learn about bills and issues and how to best communicate with your legislator Guest Speaker from the Legislature (TBD) Lunch and networking Pre-scheduled meetings with Legislators Legislative Reception

Vern Riffe State Office Tower

Ohio Statehouse/Vern Riffe State Office Tower Ohio Statehouse

REGISTRATION DUE JANUARY 25, 2017 onla.org

January/February 2017

7

OHIO

February 22, 2017 COLUMBUS, OHIO

GREEN INDUSTRY

Advocacy Day

REGISTRATION FORM REGISTRANTS:

Complete the following information and return this form before Janaury 25, 2017, to the ONLA office (address below).

Participant Name: Company Name: Address: City, State & Zip: Email: Phone: (

)

Cell: (For changes in meetings on day of event):(

)

Full Home Address:

(Address will not be published or shared. We need this to identify your voting district.)

City, State & Zip: Name of State Rep & Senator: (or please indicate any legislators you would like to visit) I am a member of (please select): □ Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association □ Ohio Landscape Association □ Nursery Growers of Lake County Ohio □ Ohio Lawn Care Association

REGISTER BY JANUARY 25 For more information, contact Roni Petersen at 800.825.5062 or roni@onla.org 8 The Buckeye

□ □ □ □

Ohio Irrigation Association Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Ohio Professional Applicators for Responsible Regulation Ohio Pest Management Association

PAYMENT INFORMATION: Return this form, along with payment of $89, to the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association, 72 Dorchester Square, Westerville, OH 43081. Ph: (800) 825-5062. Checks made payable to the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association. MasterCard and Visa payment accepted.

Check Visa

MasterCard

Card Number: Exp. Date: 3-Digit Code: Cardholder Name: Signature: onla.org

CERTIFICATION EQUALS GRADUATION - Jody Germann, Penta Career Center, jgermann@pentacc.org I teach Landscape & Turfgrass at Penta Career Center in Perrysburg, Ohio. We are a state of the art career and technical education center that serves five counties and 16 school districts in Northwest Ohio. Just as new trees and plants are introduced to the market place every year, there are changes in education, too. Most of the changes in education come from the Federal and Ohio Departments of Education. Some of the most recent and important changes are the graduation requirements for our current Junior class.

These new regulations have made schools retool the entire graduation process.

In the past, students needed to pass the Ohio Graduation Tests (OGT), and achieve sufficient academic course credit to graduate from their high school. With recent law changes with ORC House Bill 487 enacted in 2014, all of that has changed. Now, students need 20 credits of academic coursework and completion of one of three alternative graduation pathways. These 20 credits include all credits earned in subjects like Math, Science, Social Studies, English, Physical Education, Health and other electives.

The three pathways include: 1. Each student will achieve a total score of 18 on all end-of-course achievement tests in basic core subjects. 2. Each student will earn an Industry Credential and pass the Workkeys Readiness Test. 3. Each student will earn a remediation-free score on the ACT or SAT (which equals a 22 on the ACT).

These changes are considerably more difficult than prior requirements. Because of these changes, educators are working tirelessly to graduate our students.

The Ohio Certified Nursery Technician Program is part of my solution to making sure my students graduate. By provided students with the opportunity to get certified, we are given an additional opportunity to have our students meet all the State of Ohio Graduation Requirements. There are several career pathways in the state of Ohio that have no qualifying industry credentialing programs, thankfully the Landscape and Nursery Production industry is not one of those. Thank you, ONLA, for being ahead of the curve in your certification program. Students who may not have had the opportunity to graduate will be able to meet their goal of a high school diploma. B

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ONLA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Ryan Harrell, Owner of Ryan's Landscaping

ONLA: How did you get involved in this industry?

Ryan: I started when I was 14 years old, mowing the grass of two neighbors. My dad had some golf course maintenance experience, so he showed me how to stripe and edge a lawn and how everything should look when you are done. When I turned 16, my dad helped me finance my first Exmark walk behind mower, and by the end of that summer I had 20 clients, which kept me pretty busy after school. After graduation, I attended Columbus State’s Landscape Design-Build program, which really got me excited about the industry and showed me the potential my business had.

ONLA: What do you like best about working inlandscaping?

Ryan: I like that every day is something different and you have the opportunity to work outside on a regular basis, but the thing I like most about the Landscape Industry though, is the industry itself.

Everyone knows everyone and watches out for each other. There is a strong sense of family and community within the Landscape Industry, which is not something you see in every profession.

ONLA: What do you like the least about working in landscaping?

Ryan: Dealing with the current labor shortage our industry and trade industries as a whole are facing. It is becoming an epidemic and we as employers, and an industry, need to work to encourage more young people to seek out careers in our field.

ONLA: What is the biggest challenge that you face?

Ryan: Right now our biggest challenge is positioning our company as a “Destination Company” to attract talented and motivated individuals looking to grow in the industry.

ONLA: What is something that might be surprising for our readers to know about you?

Ryan: I am an avid golfer; I started golfing when I was 7 years old and when I was 25 I shot my first hole in one.

ONLA: What is your favorite plant or design trend?

Ryan: Bald Cypress is by far my favorite tree.

One current design trend that I am following is the use of vertical gardens in the landscape. I think that they have a lot of versatility and function. They have many uses and can be worked into many landscapes, either as a way to break up a large stucco exterior, adding a splash of color to a fence, or incorporating a variety of edibles in a small urban landscape. B

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Ryan's Landscaping employees at CENTS, 2016

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GET CERTIFIED IN 2017!

Become an Ohio Certified Nursery Technician WHY? • Improve your skills and increase your worth as an employee •

Gain recognition from the public, your colleagues and competitors

•

Provide professional development for your employees

For more information on the OCNT program, email roni@onla.org or call 614.899.1195

2017 TEST DATES January 16, (MGIX) Garden Center

OCNT SPECIALIZATIONS

January 17, (MGIX) Grower January 18, (MGIX) Landscape & Core

Garden Center The retail garden center is the information center on which homeowners have come to rely for dependable horticultural expertise. In order to provide sound scientific horticultural advice to customers, garden center employees must be knowledgeable in a wide variety of subjects including proper plant usage, plant health, soils, turfgrass management, landscape design, proper planting and maintenance of nursery stock and more.

Grower The grower is the base of the green industry. In order to have healthy plants to sell, the nursery employee must be knowledgeable in a wide variety of subjects including plant identification, development and health; growing and harvesting techniques; plant nutrients; pest and disease elimination; plant maintenance and more.

Landscape The public, architects and contractors have come to rely on landscape contractors and installers for dependable landscape construction techniques and horticultural expertise. In order to provide sound scientific horticultural advice and proper installation, the landscape installer must be knowledgeable in a wide variety of areas including plant identification, plant usage, plant health, soils, turfgrass management, use of pesticides, construction techniques, design, sales and more.

February 16, (ONLA offices)

Core Core is important to all aspects of the Green Industry. Plant ID, Professionalism, Safety & First Aid are examples of the Core chapters of which all nursery and landscape professionals should have knowledge.

Thursday, November 16, (ONLA offices)

March 16, (ONLA offices) April 20, (ONLA offices) May 18, (ONLA offices) June 15, (ONLA offices) July 20, (ONLA offices) August 17, (ONLA offices) September 21, (ONLA offices) Thursday, October 19, (ONLA offices)

NEW! LANDSCAPE & CORE STUDY COURSE January 16 & 17 at MGIX. Visit mgix17.com for details

TRAINING MANUAL ORDER FORM NAME: COMPANY: ADDRESS:

CITY:

STATE:

PHONE #:

E-MAIL:

Check enclosed Check #:

Card Number: Exp. Date: Card Holder:

3-digit:

VISA

MasterCard

ZIP:

MEMBER RATES (Call for non-member pricing) * Landscape + Core ______ x $125.00 = $_______ Garden Center ______ x $75.00 = $_______ Grower ______ x $75.00 = $_______ All Manuals ______ x $250.00 = $_______ Replacement CD Rom ______ x $25.00 = $_______ Total = $_______ * Written Manual and Computer Based Training CD Rom for each

Signature:

Return to: The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association • 72 Dorchester Square • Westerville, OH 43081-3350 Ph: 614.899.1195 • 800.825.5062 • F: 614.899.9489

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A YEAR OF TREES - Jim Chatfield, The Ohio State University Extension, chatfield.1@osu.edu I was reviewing images from the OSU Buckeye Yard and Garden Line conference call inservices the other day, many of which were used in BYGL-alerts, and they tell a story of the Season of 2016. So, with a great deal of editing, here is a mostly visual start to a Year of Trees.

But, before we begin back in April, let’s take a moment.

Writing this in early December, only one week after the attack on the OSU campus, this thought from BYGL-alerts and Pete Seeger’s Letter to Eve: Oh, pacem in terris, mir, shanti, salaam, hey wa. Six thousand languages in this world – means the same thing to every boy and girl.

Peace on earth. Buddhists. Jains. Muslims. Christians.

Jews. Atheists. O, pacem in terris, mir, shanti, salaam, hey wa!

APRIL

Buds of Red Elm

Red maples fruits (not everyone likes them) were stunning in Manhattan’s Central Park. The soft new foliage of three-flowered maple. Some late frosts knocked out pawpaw buds; snows topped off the forsythia blossoms. Red elm buds ready to burst on the College of Wooster campus.

Red maple fruits light the sky

Forsythia in snow

Soft, new three flowered-maple foliage

Cedar apple rust

MAY

Heptacodium leaf

Cedar quince rust

Gymnosporangium is a genus of rust fungi that includes a number of different species. In fact, Gymnosporangium sabinae, the cause of pear trellis rust, is one I did not learn of until I saw it this year in central Ohio. The rust pictured here is cedar quince rust, caused by Gymnosporangium clavipes. This fungus cycles between junipers and rosaceous hosts such as hawthorn and differs from cedar apple rust caused by Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae in that it does not have large galls and fungal horns like cedar apple rust and on hawthorn is most evident on fruits and stems rather than leaves.

May also brought us healthy plants, such as Heptacodium with its attractive leaves that appear to have an “inner willow leaf” and the beautiful red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) which has been christened “scarlet” buckeye at Ohio State’s Secrest Arboretum. Visit Secrest at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster and check out the new signage and the welcoming wisdom of Joe Cochran, Paul Snyder, and Matt Schultzman.

Scarlet or red buckeye

JUNE

Cicada ovipositing

Cicada damage

Poor tree planting

Elderberry rust

Weeping White Pine

June: At Mohican State Park, there is a marsh filled with wet-tolerant plants including elderberry (Sambucus) and—a big draw for a plant pathologist—bright orange stem knobs of Sambucus rust. Wow! This was also the month, for much of Ohio, for the 17-year emergence of Magicicada septendecula.

The female's egg-laying causes branch dieback that results in minor damage in woodlands, but big problems relative to twig death for nurserymen and, for example—blueberry growers.

So, fungi, insects...what other problems are out there: well, take a look at the planting to the left.

Arrgggh.

Finally, one positive picture for June: The Fighting and Weeping White Pine of Otterbein University!

Stay tuned for the next edition of The Year of Trees in ONLA’s The Buckeye.

And remember to tune in to the BYGL website (bygl.osu.edu).

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All images from Jim Chatfield, except Cedar Apple Rust from Curtis Young, OSU Extension.

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JANUARY 16–18, 2017 | COLUMBUS, OHIO 5,000 ATTENDEES From an opening night party to annual industry awards, MGIX is packed with events and opportunities to connect with the best in the industry.

90+ SESSIONS Education sessions are curated with your needs in mind, whether you’re a grower, landscape architect, contractor, arborist, or turf and pest management pro.

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OHLO 2016 ONLA HOSTS FIRST ANNUAL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL LANDSCAPE OLYMPICS

The Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association welcomed 150 high school students from across Ohio for the first annual Ohio High School Landscape Olympics (OHLO) on Thursday, November 3 and Friday, November 4, 2016 at OSU ATI in Wooster, Ohio.

Ohio high schools and career centers with horticulture programs were invited to participate in OHLO, an educational competition where students interested in careers in the green industry can test their hands-on skills.

OHLO 2016 began with a pizza party on Thursday afternoon to welcome the students. A career exploration event with more than 25 companies gave students the opportunity to meet with green industry leaders and learn more about careers available to them in the industry.

Competetive Events: • Compact Excavator Operation • Hardscape Installation • Construction Cost Estimating • Irrigation Assembly & Troubleshooting • Sales Presentation • Landscape Maintenance Operations • Skid Steer Operation • Landscape Plant Installation • Plant ID • Truck & Trailer Operation onla.org

Events were planned, implemented and scored by industry sponsors using guidelines generated by ONLA and the OHLO planning committee.

Participating Schools • Ashtabula County Technical and Career Campus • Auburn Career Center • Buckeye Career Center • Delaware Area Career Center • Gates Mills Environmental Center • Jackson High School • Knox County Career Center • Marysville High School • Medina County Career Center • Ohio Hi-Point Career Center • Patrick Henry High School • Penta Career Center • Portage Lakes Career Center • Talawanda-Butler Tech • Trumbull Career and Technical Center • Upper Valley Career Center • Wayne County Schools Career Center.

Planning is underway for the 2017 OHLO games. For more information, or if you would like to be involved, please contact Roni Petersen at roni@onla.org or call 614.899.1195.

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Above, left: Cost Estimating Medalists; Right: Truck & Trailer Operation Medalists; Below: Landscape Plant Install Medalists

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Above, left: Irrigation Assembly; Right: Compact Excavator Operation, Below: Top Scoring Individuals

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22  The Buckeye

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BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER Jim Scott, Instructor, Knox County Career Center, jscott@knoxcc.org

Nearly thirty years ago, I heard a student state in a speech, “If people who can make a difference don’t make a difference, what difference will it make?” I often reflect upon that quote and what it means to me personally and how it reminds me to remember my purpose as a citizen, mentor, and as a member of society. When I share this quote with my students, I challenge them to be difference makers and not simply wander through life with no purpose or goal.

As members of the green industry, this quote allows each of us to reflect upon the impact and the potential impact we can have on our fellow colleagues, employees, customers, and communities as a whole. What impact are we making with these stakeholders? Are we taking advantage of the opportunities our professional organization – ONLA – affords you and your company? Are we merely focused on the ‘now’ and ignoring the future of our industry and its growth? As we approach the start of 2017 we have the opportunity to reflect on the aforementioned questions and more importantly to make a positive difference.

This past summer, ONLA staff met with a group of industry leaders and discussed the concern about how to attract potential students into the high school landscape programs across Ohio. Their companies, like many others in our state and even across the nation, are experiencing a lack of trained entry employees that can help sustain and grow their businesses. The committee discussed strategies to find a new and exciting way to reach current and potential students, while at the same time make it interactive and engaging. Thus was born the concept of hosting a statewide event where students could interact with industry leaders and demonstrate their skill level based upon state and national onla.org

certification standards. This past November, a number of our green industry partners chose to invest in the future by supporting the first-ever Ohio High School Landscape Olympics (OHLO) event presented by ONLA. Competitive events were selected that are consistent with the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ LIC certification and with the National Collegiate Landscape Competition. Students competed in ten events: Sales Presentation, Compactor Excavator Operation, Construction Cost Estimating, Hardscape Installation, Irrigation Assembly and Troubleshooting, Landscape Maintenance Operation, Landscape Plant Installation, Skid Steer Loader Operation, Truck & Trailer Operation, and Woody Plant Identification. In addition, a career exploration event welcomed more than 25 green industry partners and colleges to share with the students the abundance of excellent career opportunities that await them.

Over 150 contestants from 17 schools participated in the inaugural OHLO event hosted at The Ohio State University ATI campus. Reaction by the industry partners, participants, and teachers was sternly supportive of the event and the level of enthusiasm was elevated about the potential for expanding the event offerings.

As a teacher who had students participating in this event, and on behalf of all the teachers and competitors, I want to thank the Ohio Nursery Landscape Association Board of Directors, ONLA Staff, event sponsors, and other industry sponsors for investing in the future!

Thank you for being Difference Makers! B January/February 2017

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OHLO 2016 WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THESE GENEROUS SPONSORS Silver Sponsors: Sales Presentation Medalists

Columbus State Community College Columbus State Landscape Alumni Association GreenScapes Landscape Co. Bronze Sponsors:

Skid Steer Operation Medalists

Brightview Landscaping EMI - Environmental Management Services, Inc. Hemlock Landscapes, Inc. Ohio Chapter International Society of Arboriculture Rice's Nursery & Landscaping, Inc. Ryan's Landscaping Wolf Creek Company Competition Event Sponsors:

Plant ID Medalists

Hardscape Installation Medalists

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Landscape Maintenance Medalists

Benchmark Landscape Construction, Inc. Bobcat Company Columbus Builder Supply Columbus State Community College EMI - Environmental Management Services, Inc. Hidden Creek Landscaping Ohio CAT The Ohio State University ATI Peabody Landscape Group & Willoway Nurseries, Inc. Wolf Creek Company Additional Support:

Five Seasons Landscape Management Grunder Landscaping Co. Hidden Creek Landscaping M.J. Design Associates, Inc. Mike & Paula Lynch The Ohio Turfgrass Foundation

Thank you!

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Top Five Teams Above: Champion Team: Knox County Career Center Below: Second Place Team, Ohio Hi-Point; Third Place Team, Medina County Career Center; Fourth Place Team, Talawanda-Butler Tech, Fifth Place Team, Upper Valley

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BUSINESS BUZZ

BY MARTY GRUNDER

In my work coaching other landscapers to success, I find myself getting asked the same questions over and over again. Often they’re the same questions I’ve grappled with in building my company into an industry leader in the Midwest, so I know firsthand the challenges they present.

Here are the three I’ve heard the most and the answers I’ve arrived at, through trial and error, in 34 years of business.

See if my hard-won knowledge can help you, too.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE WINTER? Landscaping is a seasonal business; there’s no getting around that, especially in Ohio. Over the years I’ve exhausted every avenue I know to try to turn a profit in the winter months. We cleared snow: okay when and if it snows, but you can’t depend on the weather. We sold Christmas trees: disastrous. We sold gift baskets: even more disastrous. We explored the possibility of laying everyone off until spring: the most disastrous of all. Your team is your most important asset—it’s literally what determines if your business will succeed or fail—and you can’t build a strong, experienced, loyal one by leaving them in an off-season lurch.

Instead, at Grunder Landscaping we work our tails off for nine and a half months of the year and then we turn the remaining down time up. In the winter we review and fine-tune our systems. We perform maintenance on our 28 The Buckeye

equipment and replace what has run its course. We train and develop our team members. And we network to develop new leads and strengthen our relationships with our existing client base.

The result? We have a whole system of standard operating procedures in place that have improved our efficiency and profit margins year over year. We have some of the cleanest trucks and equipment in the business; in fact, we’re known for this. Take pride in your appearance and clients will trust that you’ll take pride in the work you do for them. Our team members are up-to-date on the latest advancements in the field and have real opportunities for professional growth. And we’ve set ourselves up for sales success come spring.

HOW DO YOU FIND GOOD PEOPLE? This is a challenge many of us are struggling with now.

We’ve taken a multipronged approach at my company.

We’ve reached out to colleges to let young people know of the career opportunities that a degree in horticulture makes possible. We’ve reached out to technical schools to encourage their students to consider a future in landscaping. This year we’re using the H2B program, too. And we’ve implemented a referral program, rewarding our team members when we hire an applicant they’ve sent our way. onla.org

All of these approaches have helped us attain and retain a strong team, but the most important thing we do to find good people is to make our company a good place to work.

We pay a competitive wage. We reward our staff for delivering good work. We treat them with respect. We provide paths for advancement. We throw pizza parties. When people like where they work, word gets around. And we’re always, always looking.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN? Anyone who runs their own business knows how fast it can become an all-consuming pursuit. After all, your future and that of your family’s and your team’s rides entirely on your success. Add to that the digital revolution that’s enabled us to send or answer a work e-mail at anytime and anywhere—and which has led colleagues and clients both to expect we’re available 24/7—and you can find the very idea of fun a thing of the past, like the rotary telephone.

(Remember those?!)

Now those of you who know me know I’m a bit of an intense, focused fellow. I’ll readily admit I used to suffer

from a serious case of workaholism, and my wife and kids will readily confirm that’s true. But I’m 48 now and I’ve come to realize that the best thing I can do for my business and myself is to go home at the end of the day and on weekends and relax. This gives me time to recharge and enables me to return to the office the next day or week with new energy. It’s also true that I’ve had some of my best business ideas when I’m not thinking about work at all and instead am out and about enjoying myself or going for a run. The mind can be funny like that.

But by far the greatest benefit I get from my time off the clock is getting to be with my wife and kids. I’ve got one daughter just out of college, two more in, and a son in high school. Fun to me is just being around them (when they let me!) and helping them become good, productive people.

Miss those moments and you won’t get them back.

And now I’m going to heed my own advice and sign off.

See you next time. B - Marty Grunder, Grunder Landscaping Co., Marty.Grunder@grunderlandscaping.com

Restoring the native landscape Training Manual Order Form

ernstseed.com sales@ernstseed.com 800-873-3321

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Retail Roundtable Native Plants

Hey Kids! It's time for another round of ‘"Let’s Ask the Retailers!" You know the rules; we ask the questions and our retailing aficionados provide their thought provoking, brain stimulating answers, sure to be changing your retailing ways.

Aficionados, are you ready? Then grab your buzzers and let’s play! Here is your question. Good luck!

Q.

Native plants have become a major topic in gardening articles, workshops, and seminars, and have created buzz with many of today’s gardeners. How has your garden center taken on the increased interest in natives? How do you choose the ones you grow or sell, and how do you let your customers know that you have them (if you do)? Do ‘nativars’ work for your native seeking customers? Talk to us about native plants at your retail location!”

Jeremy Newell, White Oak Gardens “One of our perennial buyers, Micki Bigner, has a personal interest in native perennials and is continually educating herself on the subject. Natives have their own separate benches in the perennial area at White Oak. The signage isn't exactly huge for the natives, but anyone searching for natives specifically won't have to walk all over the perennial area.

We don't have a big number of people asking just for natives— it's a pretty select audience of our customer base. Customers like the idea of planting natives but if the growth habit is too tall, spindly or “wild looking”, it is a hard sell. Our customers seem more interested in flowers that attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.

Overall, our native sales are slowly but continually increasing each year. In our nursery (trees and shrubs) we have seen an increase in interest in natives from customers. We don't separate the trees and shrubs that are natives from others. Our nursery employees have started making deliberate intentions in recommendations for trees and shrubs that are natives if they are the right plant for the right spot.

Jodi Dawson, Oakland Nurseries “We have a small clientele that show an interest in Ohio native plants. They tend to be well informed and environmentally conscious. These customers are typically age fifty-five and under. Through conversations with customers, we find that they live in particular communities. We also learn their preference for plant material.

Gardeners can find a listing of native plants on our website or join us in seminars held at the nursery each season. In our perennial section at the nursery, about 30% of sales are native plants. This has been on the increase each season. Most of these plants are supplied from local growers and small wholesale nurseries, so stock can be

very limited. Trees and shrubs are located throughout the nursery and labeled as native plants. The signage has useful growing information for each plant. In the perennial section, all plants are located in a designated area.

Our employees are very passionate and well educated about Ohio native plants. I believe the growing interest in planting natives shows promise for an earth-friendly future.

Dave Evers, Bzak Landscaping, Inc. “First and foremost, we listen to our customer requests for new plants. Customers can add plants to a wish list in our garden center, which we combine with social media requests to generate special orders on plants we may have overlooked. We also pay attention to articles in local newspapers and radio shows which will drive trends. Once plant requests hit a certain threshold, plants will be evaluated for availability, quality, shelf life, presentation and profitability.

We will then run the plant for a trial period to see whether it will have seasonal interest or long term popularity, or if it is just a fad. We will also see if it has any other traits that have gone unnoticed, such as fall color, salt tolerance and hardiness.

This year the zoo had a wonderful program promoting natives and pollinators and worked with several local garden centers using local advertising, social media and merchandising to bring awareness to the benefits of the honeybee.

True natives, while being better for healthy ecosystems because of bio-diversity, tend to lack the “wow” factor we need for our retail and wholesale sales. So for our garden center, nativars are the answer. However, with continued research, education, expanded propagation and distribution, the general public is moving toward taking better care of the environment in which we live. This trend may move more toward native plants in the very near future.

Noelle Clark Akin, Petitti Garden Centers "Unfortunately, I have not seen an up-tick in native plant interest. I hate to write this, but all plant categories are trumped by deer resistant species! We have tried to introduce and re-introduce the importance of using natives/nativars in the landscape, in rain gardens, diversifying your plantings, and attracting beneficial insects with natives, but the number one topic of discussion is “What do deer not eat?”. We’ve tried explaining that many natives also have deer repellent qualities, which helps slightly, however the non-native, deer resistant, cultivated variety usually wins in our customers’ selection process.

32 The Buckeye

We host seminars on native plants, on site and off site. I have published an online and hardcopy gardening guide, Growing Natives [http://www.petittigardencenter.com/ planting_guide/GrowingNatives.pdf], that includes a list of native/nativars we grow locally at Petitti’s.

We include an icon on our plant tags and signage to assist in easily identifying our available Ohio natives. We invite L.E.A.P., Lake Erie Allied Partners, to the Great Big Home + Garden Show in Cleveland every February where they present their Native Plants of the Year.

Despite our best efforts to inform and educate I still have not detected increased interest. On the professional side of things, our production models are based on sales data.

Our customers just want to be successful growing something that is attractive to them, so ‘nativars’ sales exceed straight native species. Nativars tend to be easier to grow in production environments. I’m looking forward to a shift in customer interests to natives; then I can increase production numbers on some wonderfully hardy, underused plants that shouldn’t go unnoticed!

Mike Ennemoser, Greenleaf Landscapes and Garden Center “Native plants have become more popular over the last few growing seasons. I believe plant customers are requesting natives mainly for pollination purposes, insect/disease resilience, and heat/drought tolerance. Native plants are tough plants that typically require less care. The landscape plant trend seems to meet these same criteria of customers (landscape or retail) desiring low maintenance plants.

On the landscape side, native plants are being utilized and designed into plantings more than ever before. As the demand grows for natives, so will the availability. As a result, our plant vendors have added more natives to their mix of plant material to meet this new demand.

At the garden center, we are cautiously stocking more of the commonly requested native plants to meet this demand.

All of the native plants are merchandised right into the mix with the rest of our plants. We constantly review and evaluate plant inventory to determine what varieties should be brought in for the following season. Native varieties make the list every year and continue to grow.”

Darlene Cooper, Sharon Nursery “We try to be sensitive to folks who want to plant natives.

We have big POP material listing natives for our area. I know there must be a huge base of informed customers

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who actually know the difference between natives and nativars, but very few of them shop with us. When people ask for native plants we try to focus on the planting conditions to ensure they know that while natives are tough and fairly forgiving, they still need water and maintenance from time to time. I encourage the use of nativars as I find many have superior qualities, be it flower color, fruiting, or hardiness.

I think that, as an industry, we should offer natives while being mindful of invasive natives. People need to know there is a difference! They also need to know that natives can be quite aggressive and that thoughtful placement and quantity will make for a much prettier outcome. As so many of our important pollinators are challenged, I believe we should teach good stewardship to our customers. Including natives in the landscape is a good thing. Mindfulness and awareness about what’s being planted is a VERY good thing.

Ron Wilson, Natorp’s Nursery Outlet "Slowly but surely we have worked our way into growing and providing a fairly decent selection of native/nativars, and we are looking to expand as the demand for these plants increases. We have signage which denotes natives, as well as a brochure of the natives/nativars which we grow (and of course there are more available which we have brought in from other nurseries), although a recent customer survey shows we need to do a better job letting them know which are which! And yes, natives and nativars seem to be equally accepted. With more books and articles being written about natives, more seminars and classes being focused on the use of natives, and more people getting involved with helping the environment, addressing climate change, and helping the pollinator populations, I think it’s safe to say native plants are here to stay (and rightfully so!). On the same token, I still promote plant diversification when it comes to planting gardens, perennial beds, landscapes, trees, etc. There are a lot of great performing non-natives which have had and still have a lot to offer as well. Diversification, I say! B

7463 West Ridge Road P.O. Box 189 Fairview PA 16415 800.458.2234 Fax 800.343.6819 e-mail: info@FairviewEvergreen.com FairviewEvergreen.com

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Ask about our 3-point hitch model!

BF400 (shown) has auto feed for high tunnel covers.

Hey Retailers…can we talk? - ONLA Retail Committee Member Ron Wilson (personal yardboy & ONLA Retail Committee ghost writer in the sky) rwilson@natorp.com • Bales are 40” cube, 1,000+ lb.

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800-645-2591 • Sales@KenncoMfg.com See more at KenncoMfg.com Call our friendly and helpful staff today! onla.org

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By Design

Creative Fencing

Although many landscapes have beautifully designed planting plans, creativity seems to be lacking when it comes to designing the fencing. We are used to seeing picket fences, stockade fences, split rail fences, and perhaps even bentwood fences, but why do those types of fences have to be the only ones we use? Why are the designs always vertical? And why are they always white, black, or gray?

A woman who used to be in manufacturing took materials with which she was familiar and made them into something special. She used royal blue Eco-Mesh, wire mesh and frames that are powder coated in a wide variety of colors. It can be used for plant facades, screens, trellises and more that are strong and sustainable, but she used it to create a tall fence that separates her driveway from her backyard.

One of ONLA’s award-winning landscape designers, Reuben Huffman, sparked a commercial landscape with a fence composed of orange metal panels. How’s that for something different?

A modern take on the picket fence, particularly appropriate for a contemporary house, would be a fence composed of steel rods. This would only work where division of space is the issue rather than privacy.

Vertical fences, such as the frequently used board-onboard, are incredibly boring. Why not add another material to make the fence more interesting? We’re always looking for materials that will last so why not use bamboo which is rot and pest resistant? In an oriental-style garden, a fence that intersperses wood boards with bamboo stalks creates a study in textural contrast.

Photos courtesy of Bobbie Schwartz Right, top to bottom: This lovely horizontal fence was designed by Deborah Silver of Detroit Garden Works.

The lattice topper provides something onto which the Sweet Pea tendrils can cling.

A blue metal door and Eco-Mesh fence in a Virginia suburb.

A stand of dwarf bamboo echoes this Asian-themed fence that is partially composed of bamboo.

It seems to me that a fence of horizontal design would greatly enhance a small space because it would give the illusion of greater width. I’ve encountered this type of fence made of irregular boards in England and here in the States, usually with a lattice topper.

The typical bentwood fence is made out of relatively thick branches but one that I saw in Detroit was more like woven willow. It was very graceful but also provided total privacy.

This metal rod fencing divides the house and pool from the beach beyond.

In my travels, I’ve seen an infinite variety of fences. These are only a few of the more unusual ones. I hope you will be inspired to create some distinctive fences of your own. B

The orange fence will provide color all year round.

- Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, bobbie@bgthumb.com

Exclusive Membership Benefits ONLA members are entitled to the following benefits and services, designed to reduce company expenses while addressing the specific needs of Green Industry businesses. ONLA strives to bring the most relevant and useful benefits and services to its members. To receive important member updates, please make sure your correct email is on file with ONLA. For more information about ONLA member savings, visit www. onla.org or call 614.899.1195.

Credit Collection - Cash Flow Management (CFM)

Online Training - Greenius (formerly LS Training)

CFM’s collection system is geared to your individual operation, serving your specific business needs. With CFM, a trained collection specialist is assigned to bring in your past-due accounts before they fade away as bad debts.

Bill Bosch, bbosch@cfmcollect.com

Greenius is a suite of online tools for landscape contractors for the purposes of onboarding, training with performance excellence as a goal. With over 30 videos for the workers, in English and Spanish, and 8 videos for Crew Leaders/Managers, Greenius is for those company owners who want to work smarter, not harder. All videos, exams, field checklists and tailgates can be viewed on all devices including tablets, phones and Apple products. Field checklists and tailgate talks come in a convenient web-based app that is fisherprice easy. Arden Urbano at 877-482-2323 ext 108 or arden@ gogreenius.com

Credit & Debit Card Processing - Merchant Services Merchant Services will provide the ONLA membership with merchant accounts and credit and debit card processing. Other services include online reporting, check guarantee service and working capitol funding. Scott Norris, scott.norris@merchantsvcs.com

Energy Program - Growers Energy Solutions (GES) Grower Energy Solutions (GES) programs help manage your energy costs by bringing ONLA members together as one buying group.

GES is an energy program that provides the opportunity to manage your energy needs and save on your natural gas & electric costs.

Our programs can offer pricing to members located in all Ohio gas and electric utilities that allow third party supply.

Joe Perlaky, perlaky@bex.net

Fuel/Fleet Program - SuperFleet Save $.05 cents per gallon after on all fuel purchases at Speedway, Marathon and Rich Oil locations with no minimum purchase required. This card can be used for shops and services or can be restricted to fuel use only. Also receive discounts on oil changes and car washes. John Kennedy, jmkennedy@speedway.com

Health/Life/Income Insurance - TAH Benefits ONLA Insurance & Employee Benefits Programs has partnered with various insurance plans to offer a wide variety of benefit options for members including medical, vision, dental, life, and disability. Our insurance representatives will help tailor-make a program specifically to fit your needs, including advanced plan designs, management techniques, and improved benefits administration that can result in substantial cost savings and reduction of employee benefits liability exposure. Jay Hazelbaker, onla@tahins.com

Legislative Advocacy ONLA provides legislative information and plans advocacy events.

Visit onla.org to learn about current elected officials, issues and legislation, candidates and upcoming elections, as well as links to media sources in your area.

36 The Buckeye

Property/Casualty Insurance - Best Hoovler McTeague Save on your property and casualty insurance with BHM. BHM’s group program is designed for ONLA members to save at least 15 percent with the best coverage rates for your liability, fleet and equipment. Marc McTeague, mmcteague@bhmins.com

Safety Services - American Safety & Health Management Consultants, Inc. American Safety & Health Management Consultants, Inc (ASH) fills the growing need for professional safety and health management services for companies of all sizes. ASH has the capabilities to provide Total Safety Management, from working on a single problem area to evaluating, developing and administering an entire comprehensive safety and health problem. Gary Hanson, ashmci@aol.com

Soil & Plant Tissue Testing/Ag Hort. Consulting Services - CLC LABS Through CLC LABS, ONLA members receive various laboratory services at a 10 percent discount off list prices including testing of soil nutrients, soil texture, soilless media nutrients, plant tissue nutrients and irrigation water suitability testing, plus consulting services on all aspects of testing. Chuck Darrah, clclabs@aol.com

Workers’ Compensation - CareWorksComp The ONLA Workers’ Compensation Group Rating Program has saved its members over $21.4 million in the last 11 years. Through CareWorksComp, members are offered multiple savings levels, ranging from the BWC maximum to a lesser percentage, for companies with claims. Free, no obligation analysis of potential workers’ comp premium savings.

Cordell Walton, cordell.walton@careworkscomp.com

For more information on ONLA member savings visit onla.org or call 614.899.1195

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ONLA Welcomes New Members The following firms and individuals have been approved for ONLA membership, pending the completion of the application process, which includes requesting comments from the current ONLA membership regarding the qualifications and/or dues classifications of applicants within three weeks following receipt of this issue of The Buckeye.

The following companies are applying for ACTIVE membership:

The following students are applying for STUDENT membership:

Bull Country Compost Jonna Cronebaugh 10316 Kohr Rd Dundee, Ohio 44624

A-TECH Zach Bousquet Matthew Conley Timothy Holcomb Adam Jent Logan Jent Herbie Johnston Sandro Mannarino Corey Marcrom

Joe White Landscaping Joe White PO Box 195 Sidney, Ohio 45365 Moonscape LLC Matthew Moon 1937 Rt. 303 Streetsboro, Ohio 44241 New Growth Strategies, LLC Joel Korte 636 Cardinal Hill Lane Powell, Ohio 43065 Ohio Valley Lawn Care Martin Lowery PO Box 299 Chillicothe, Ohio 45601 Sal's Landscaping & Construction Co. Sal Monera 4540 E Boston Rd Brecksville, Ohio 44141 SummitView Landscape and Design Philip Hatfield 18430 St. Rt. 501 Wapakoneta, Ohio 45895

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Auburn Career Center Desmond Bentley Mary Brent Robert Couch Dylan Cozens Taylor Franz Andrew Gandolf Norberto Morales Sabrina Rahz Veronica Rollins Jessica Sharp Jacob Tolflinski Max Zugan Gates Mills Environmental Ed. Center Kai Beller Joey Cardarella Darius Harrison David Sallach Robert Woods Jr Jackson High School Karson Bryzcki Fiona David

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Jackson High School Caden Dotson Justin Eckman Jaime Finger Julie Hanlon Casey Harst Kobe Heckman Grace Kushner Jeremy Lyons Brooke McDaniel Madison Moore Colin Nabours Alanna Sey Jordan Teixeira Nolan Van Brunt Nadia Wiegreff Joey Wise Xavier Xeloures Alexis Morgan

Jakob Tidd Cody Venham Kaylie Wittekind Chris Yaney

Portage Lakes Career Center Erica Crank Jason Daniels Sierra Ganley Madison Goldsmith Brandie Hercules Nathan Hollis Dylan Miller Nathaniel Miller Kennedy Sorm Sydney Stone Ashley Yeager

The following person is applying for PROFESSIONAL INDIVIDUAL membership:

Washington County Career Center Matthew Borman Adam Brooks Dale Caldwell Taylor Carpenter Robert Carpenter Dylan Chesser Nicole Constable Ethan DuVall Airetta Eales Dakota Groghan Marissa Hupp Michael Jarvis Dakota Lee Dylan Lipscomb Bill Lumley James Moore Tristen Pryor Ben Robinson Haley Smith

38 The Buckeye

Wayne County Career Center Bryan Fishburn Glen Flight Roy Hall Nicole Irwin Andrew Lake Sharon Lewis Glen Pope Jacob Schiefer William Shearer Ian Skye Jake Daniels, Chagrins Falls HS Nathan Whitt, Clark State Community College

Dee Dirksing, Vinni Brown Design Studio

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SAFETY FIRST TREE CARE WORK

Falls, electrocutions, and falling objects account for a high proportion of the tree care fatalities investigated by the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Your employer is responsible for your safety! Employers must provide free protective equipment (hard hat, climbing spurs, and harness) and train you to: • • • •

Identify fall and electrical hazards.

Know proper climbing techniques.

Use protective equipment — climbing lines can save your life during a fall!

Stand clear of the drop zone.

Supervisors must: • Check the worksite for workplace hazards.

• Make sure the climbing gear provided is right for the tree size.

• Assume that all power lines are energized and can electrocute a person at any time.

• Know if workers will need to climb or use lifts.

• Provide equipment that is in good working condition.

• Ensure that ground and elevated workers can see and hear each other.

• Provide protections to prevent injuries.

Supervisors also need to: • Have a trained professional check falling tree hazards before starting work.

• Keep work at least 10 feet away from electric power lines — or call the power company to de-energize and ground the line.

• Secure a drop zone with cones that is at least two times the height of the tree.

• Determine if rigging is necessary.

As a worker, you have the right to: • A safe and healthy workplace. Your employer is required to provide a workplace that does not put you at risk of injury, illness or death.

• Say something about safety concerns without being punished. If you see hazards or an injury, speak up!

• Receive information and training in a language and vocabulary you understand. This includes information on workplace hazards, how to prevent them, and the OSHA standards that apply to your workplace. By law, your employer cannot retaliate against you for exercising your rights under the law.

• Ask OSHA to inspect your workplace if you think it’s dangerous. To request an inspection, call 1-800-321OSHA (6742).

This article is for informational purposes only. For more information on tree care work-related safety, visit OSHA.gov.

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Classified Ads

GREENHOUSE GROWER Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Columbus, Ohio

LANDSCAPE/HARDSCAPE FOREMAN The Bremec Group Chesterland, Ohio

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens seeks a full-time Greenhouse Grower to safely and efficiently plan and administer all aspects of growing operations at the support greenhouse. They will be responsible for plant production to support Horticulture seasonal and collections displays as well as other interdepartmental needs. This candidate will also support departmental and facility goals, mission and values with a strong emphasis on customer service.

The Bremec Group is seeking a skilled and experienced Landscape/Hardscape Foreman. The Landscape/ Hardscape Foreman manages a team to install landscape elements such as patios, walls, outcroppings and landscape lighting. This position also coordinates landscape enhancement tasks including planting, seeding, mulching and pruning.

Requirements: • Associates or Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Greenhouse Production or a related field • Minimum two years’ experience in plant maintenance, plant identification and pest and disease identification and treatment in a greenhouse environment • Intermediate knowledge of varied greenhouse production crops, ie. Vegetables, annuals, and poinsettias • Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Windows • Obtain and maintain a valid Ohio Certified Pesticide applicator’s License within six months of employment • Valid driver’s license For complete description, visit onla.org/careers

The ideal candidate will possess at least 3 years of experience in the industry, ability to operate heavy equipment (skid steer, excavator, truck and trailer, tamper, etc.) and highly-developed leadership skills.

The Landscape/Hardscape Foreman must have the ability and confidence to motivate employees while initiating project tasks and meeting deadlines.

The Bremec Group is seeking a self-motivated, energetic and high performing individual who takes initiative with excellent attention to detail. A valid driver’s license with a good driving record is required.

The compensation package is based on experience and includes a signing bonus, paid holidays, vacation time, health insurance and 401k profit sharing. After proven success, this position has opportunities for growth within the company.

For complete description, visit onla.org/careers

Ads listed here were current as of press time. For more information, please contact the ONLA office at 614.899.1195 or visit onla.org/careers

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Post your open positions on onla.org. Listings are posted for 60 days online, and included in The Buckeye, ONLA's email newsletter, and social media posts. ONLA reserves the right to refuse ads. $50 ONLA members, $100 non-members

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O designates qualifying OCNT recertification events.

Buckeye Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 O MGIX, the Midwest Green Industry Xperience, January 16–18, Columbus, Ohio OCNT Exam January 16, 17 & 18, MGIX

buckeyeresources.com Bull Country Compost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 bullcountrycompost.com Ernst Seeds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 ernstseed.com Evergreen Seed Supply.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

OCNT Exam February 16, ONLA offices O Green Industry Advocacy Day February 22, Columbus, OH

evergreenseedsupply.com Evergreen Nursery Company, Inc. . . . . . 27 evergreennurseryco.com Fairview Evergreen Nurseries. . . . . . . . . 33 fairviewevergreen.com

OCNT Exam March 16, ONLA offices OCNT Exam April 20, ONLA offices

Green Velvet Sod Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 greenvelvet.com Kennco Mfg, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 kenncomfg.com Medina Sod Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

OCNT Exam May 18, ONLA offices O NGLCO Summer Field Day August 8, Madison, Ohio

medinasodfarms.com Millcreek Gardens LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 millcreekplants.com Oberfields. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 oberfields.com Pine Hollow Farm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 pinehollowfarmltd.com

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Spring Meadow Nursery. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 colorchoiceplants.com Unilock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC

ONLA member companies are encouraged to submit industry-related news and upcoming events by emailing press releases and event information to alana@onla.org. S Submissions may appear in the News section of ONLA's website, in the Calendar of Events, and may be included in additional print or digital communications. Published at ONLA's discretion.

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Ad Rates & Info Contact Alana Settle alana@onla.org, 614.899.1195

January/February 2017

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The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association 72 Dorchester Square Westerville, OH 43081-3350 Address Service Requested

January 16–18, 2017 • Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus, Ohio • mgix17.com Formerly CENTS, MGIX is presented by the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association

PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO 1560 COLUMBUS OHIO