May 2013
The Official Publication of the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association
Vol. 24, Issue 4
Tracking Plants& Promoting Plant Diversity
Managing Highly Alkaline Irrigation
WATER
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CONTENTS The Buckeye is published 10 times per year by The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association, Inc. 72 Dorchester Square Westerville, OH 43081 p 614.899.1195 f 614.899.9489 www.onla.org info@onla.org EDITORIAL / ADVERTISING ISSN 1536-7940 Subscriptions: $75/year jennifergray@onla.org, editor
OFFICERS Jim Searcy, President Hyde Park Landscaping, Inc. David Richards, President-Elect South Ridge Farm
Spring 33 Pictorial
Mark Reiner, Board Member Oakland Nursery, Inc.
9
ONLA Office Update Advocating for Your Success
24
Legislative Hotline Nutrient Management Draft Bill Being Circulated; Fertilizer Applicator Certification
departments 25
Educational Update Improving Your Landscape or Nursery Weed Control
29
Retail Roundtable Impatiens Downy Mildew
32
In Memoriam Harry Mottlow III; Thomas Ray Winn
33
Why Trees Matter First Things First
39
Safety First Prevent Eye Injuries
25
Weed Control
22
Tracking Plants& Promoting Plant Diversity
features 5 5 5 11
David Listerman, Board Member Listerman & Associates, Inc.
Dr. Hannah Mathers, Board Member The Ohio State University
President’s Perspective Making Connections
DIRECTORS Jason Bornhorst, Board Member JB Design Group, LLC
Steve Maddox, Board Member Rice’s Nursery & Landscaping, Inc.
6
Andy Harding, Immediate Past President Herman Losely & Son, Inc.
Bill Mainland, Board Member Klyn Nurseries, Inc.
5 The Year of the
Wildflower
On Your Mind Boxwood Leaf Miner The Year of the Wildflower I Sprayed It. It Died. Why am I not covered for this?
12 13 14
Get Your Projects Ready
19
Google It How Google Analytics can improve your website performance
22 41 42
Tracking Plants & Promoting Plant Diversity
Mike Satkowiak, Board Member Markman Peat
In the spirit of land stewardship, please consider recycling this publication.
Vol. 24, Issue 4
association news
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. STAFF Kevin Thompson, Executive Director Jennifer Gray, Associate Executive Director Amanda Domsitz, Communiciations Assistant Roni Petersen, Membership & Certification Heather Eberline, Accounting
May 2013
Professional Expectations Managing Highly Alkaline Irrigation Water Fertilizer formulations offer plant nutrition and help manage water quality
Play a Key Role in Workplace Success Farm Bill Funds Nursery Research front cover: magnolia in ONLA’s landscape
also in this issue
4 Industry Calendar • 12 Members on the Grow • 12 New Members • 13 ONLA Certification • 38 ONLA Member Benefits • 42 Classified Ads • 42 Advertisers’ Index
Industry Calendar
View www.onla.org for seminars, events, trade shows and more! O designates qualifying OCNT recertification events May 8, 2013 Get Your Green Industry Fix Webinar, ONLA is pleased to once again offer a series of 50-minute webinars, in cooperation with OSU extension. www.onla. org
August 1, 2013 OCNT Test, Butler County Extension Office, Hamilton, OH. The Ohio Nursery Certified Technician (OCNT) Garden Center, Grower & Landscape tests. www. onla.org
O June 6, 2013 Diagnostic Walkabouts for the Green Industry, Cleveland Metropark Zoo, Cleveland, OH. Tim Malinich, Horticulture Educator with Ohio State University Extension, and other horticulturalists will lead in-depth discussions of the art and science of scouting, diagnostics and control of landscape pests. www.onla.org
O August 1, 2013 Diagnostic Walkabouts for the Green Industry, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, Akron, OH. Tim Malinich, Horticulture Educator with Ohio State University Extension, and other horticulturalists will lead in-depth discussions of the art and science of scouting, diagnostics and control of landscape pests. www.onla.org
June 12, 2013 Get Your Green Industry Fix Webinar, ONLA is pleased to once again offer a series of 50-minute webinars, in cooperation with OSU extension. www.onla. org
August 6, 2013 OCNT Test, Holiday Inn Worthington, Worthington, OH. The Ohio Nursery Certified Technician (OCNT) Garden Center, Grower & Landscape tests. www.onla.org
O June 27, 2013 Diagnostic Walkabouts for the Green Industry, BGSU Firelands, Huron, OH, Tim Malinich, Horticulture Educator with Ohio State University Extension, and other horticulturalists will lead in-depth discussions of the art and science of scouting, diagnostics and control of landscape pests. www. onla.org July 10, 2013 Get Your Green Industry Fix Webinar, ONLA is pleased to once again offer a series of 50-minute webinars, in cooperation with OSU extension. www.onla. org O July 18, 2013 Diagnostic Walkabouts for the Green Industry, Mingo Park, Delaware, OH. Tim Malinich, Horticulture Educator with Ohio State University Extension, and other horticulturalists will lead in-depth discussions of the art and science of scouting, diagnostics and control of landscape pests. www. onla.org O July 31, 2013 OSU Annuals Trial Open House, The OSU Dept. of Hort. & Crop Science, Columbus, OH. OSU’s Annual Trial Garden is where YOU can get info on annuals to include in your sales plans. www. onla.org
4  The Buckeye
August 7-8, 2013 Landscape Industry Certified Technician Test, OSU/ATI in Wooster, OH. www.landscapecertifiedohio.org O August 12, 2013 NGLCO & ONLA Grower Bus Tour, Lake County, OH. Join the Nursery Growers of Lake County Ohio and the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association for the 2013 Ohio Grower Bus Tour. www.onla.org August 13, 2013 NGLCO Summer Field Day, The Holden Arboretum, Kirtland, OH Sponsored by: NGLCO, www.nglco.com August 13, 2013 OCNT Test, Holden Arboretum, Kirtland, OH. The Ohio Nursery Certified Technician (OCNT) Garden Center, Grower & Landscape tests. www.onla.org August 14, 2013 Get Your Green Industry Fix Webinar, ONLA is pleased to once again offer a series of 50-minute webinars, in cooperation with OSU extension. www.onla. org O August 15, 2013 Diagnostic Walkabouts for the Green Industry, Toledo Botanical Gardens, Toledo, OH. Tim Malinich, Horticulture Educator with Ohio State University Extension, and other horticulturalists will lead in-depth discussions of the
art and science of scouting, diagnostics and control of landscape pests. www.onla.org September 11, 2013 Get Your Green Industry Fix Webinar, ONLA is pleased to once again offer a series of 50-minute webinars, in cooperation with OSU extension. www.onla. org O September 12, 2013 Diagnostic Walkabouts for the Green Industry, Inniswood Metro Gardens, Westerville, OH. Tim Malinich, Horticulture Educator with Ohio State University Extension, and other horticulturalists will lead in-depth discussions of the art and science of scouting, diagnostics and control of landscape pests. www.onla.org O September 26, 2013 Diagnostic Walkabouts for the Green Industry, Sunset Memorial Park, North Olmstead, OH. Tim Malinich, Horticulture Educator with Ohio State University Extension, and other horticulturalists will lead in-depth discussions of the art and science of scouting, diagnostics and control of landscape pests. www.onla.org October 9, 2013 Get Your Green Industry Fix Webinar, ONLA is pleased to once again offer a series of 50-minute webinars, in cooperation with OSU extension. www.onla. org October 24, 2013 PLANET Green Industry Conference, Louisville, Kentucky, https://www.landcarenetwork.org O January 12-15, 2014 OSU Nursery Short Course, in conjunction with CENTS 2014, Columbus, OH, www. onla.org January 13-15, 2014 CENTS 2014, Columbus OH, Attend the Central Environmental Nursery Trade Show (CENTS), with over 225,000 square feet of exhibition space, and soak up the innovation and ideas in an expanded market. www.onla.org
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Boxwood Leafminer The Official Publication of the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association
The Buckeye is the nursery and landscape industry’s authoritative voice in Ohio. Second to none in editorial and graphic quality, The Buckeye publishes a wide range of editorial features on the green industry’s key issues. The Buckeye is another example of how the ONLA leads, promotes, and facilitates the success and growth of green industry businesses.
Dr. Dave Shetlar (Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University) recently reported that boxwood leafminer midge flies (Monarthropalpus flavus) have completed their spring larval development and are now pupating in their leaf mines in central Ohio. This non-native leafminer was accidentally introduced into North America from Europe and has become common in the southern and central parts of the state. It was rarely observed in the northern part of the state; however, Curtis Young (Extension Agent, The Ohio State University) observed heavy populations last year in northwest Ohio (BYGL 2012-08, 05/24/12).
The Buckeye is published 10 times each year with a circulation of over 5,000 each
Except for their bright orange abdomens, adults superficially resemble miniature mosquitoes. The females use their sharp ovipositors to insert eggs between the upper and lower surfaces of boxwood leaves. Several eggs may be laid per leaf. The resulting yellowish-orange larvae (maggots) spend the remainder of the season developing through the 1st and 2nd instar stages as they consume interior leaf tissue to produce blister-like mines. Winter is spent as 3rd instar larvae inside the blister mines. In the spring, the larvae resume feeding and they develop through a 4th instar stage. During this time, mines expand rapidly, and damage becomes evident. Indeed, as mined leaves turn from yellow to orangish-brown, the leafminer damage mimics winter injury.
Access Ohio’s $4.9 billion industry. Contact Jennifer to learn how your business can benefit from becoming an advertiser in The Buckeye.
Effective control options for this leafminer involve applications of neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid (e.g. Merit and generics), clothianidin (e.g. Arena or Aloft), and thiamethoxam (e.g. Meridian). An application this spring will prevent damage during the upcoming season by killing 1st instar larvae. An application of imidacloprid made in October will kill the 3rd and 4th instar larvae next spring. The fall application does not prevent damage from 1st and 2nd instar leafminer larvae. However, it will carry the added benefit of controlling BOXWOOD PSYLLID (Psylla buxi) before these aphid relatives produce their characteristic leaf-cupping damage. B Source: BYGL
issue and an estimated readership of over 10,000. Advertisers benefit from an industry-specific audience, with distribution to professional nursery, landscape and independent garden center businesses and individuals, certified green industry professionals, educators/researchers, and subscribers.
800.825.5062 jennifergray@onla.org
On Your Mind
The Year of the Wildflower The National Garden Bureau has declared 2013 as The Year of the Wildflower, saying: “Wildflowers are one of Mother Nature’s loveliest gifts. Their changing panorama of colors, shapes, sizes and heights provides delight throughout the seasons. Wildflowers can be used anywhere. In the home landscape they are ideal for creating colorful beds and borders, as well as offering a lower-maintenance alternative for large areas or replacing turf grass. Wildflowers can be planted to cover large, open areas or assist in the recovery of a landscape that has been damaged or destroyed by the actions of people, a natural disaster or the spread of invasive plants. Wildflowers and native plants have continued to attract attention throughout U.S. gardening history. They are currently experiencing a resurgence in popularity by both gardeners and public officials for their beauty and their valuable contributions to the environment.” Read more on buckeyegardening.com
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Grateful “Thank you for the Phil Kozel Memorial Scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year! It was an honor winning this scholarship. Your generosity has helped me achieve my dream of obtaining my college education. I will work very hard to make my education at ATI successful!” —Hillary Rader
JOIN THE CONVERSATION Share your thoughts with The Buckeye team by emailing jennifergray@onla.org
QUESTION OF THE MONTH “What do you miss about being a kid?” Send your answer to jennifergray@onla.org
We Asked. You Answered. What is the difference between a “good” leader and a “great” leader? “Two thoughts come to mind. A great leader leads by example and does the right thing even when nobody is watching. Great leaders are ‘more plow horse than show horse’ (quote from Good to Great by Jim Collins). A great leader gives all they can back to their company, community and industry regardless of time constraints or financial considerations.” —Bill Gerhardt GreenScapes Landscape Co.
May 2013 5
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President’s Perspective
Making
connect
6 The Buckeye
onla.org
Jim Searcy Hyde Park Landscaping, Inc. ONLA President jim@hydeparklandscaping.com
ions
Some opportunities present themselves more often than others. Members of several green industry organizations had an opportunity this past February to meet at the State House in Columbus and make connections with leaders in state government. The Ohio Green Industry Advocacy Day takes place every other year and is worthy of a place on your calendar for early in 2015, exact date to be determined. My first experience participating in Ohio Green Industry Advocacy was informative and beneficial. Dave Daniels is Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture and spoke to our group about the 2013-2014 state budgets, Asian Longhorned Beetle eradication, the positive economic impact our industry has in the state of Ohio, and the Phosphorus issue that may well impact our businesses. Director Daniels is a strong and positive leader for the Agricultural Department of our state.
Dave Daniels was followed by Senator Cliff Hite who is Chairman of the Ohio Senate Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resource Committee. As Chairman of this important committee, Senator Hite is in a position that interacts with anyone who grows, installs, or cares for green products in the state. He is a legislator who is not fearful of connecting with citizens in the state. Senator Hite made sure everyone in the room knew they could contact him and provided contact information. It is not often citizens of any state find a state representative so open to contact from his constituents. Our last two speakers of the morning session were Representative Jack Cera and Belinda Jones of Capitol Consulting Group, Inc. Representative Cera comes to the State House as the Representative of Ohio District 96.
please see page 8
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onla.org
May 2013 7
continued from page 7
His hometown is Bellaire, Ohio and he is an experienced legislator who served in the Ohio House in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. He returned home for a few years to work in the private sector and is back for a second opportunity to affect Ohio laws and have a positive impact on the state. Representative Cera spoke of the need for “common ground” amongst the various Representatives and Senators who are in Columbus to work for the citizens. He is in a unique position having had the earlier experience in government and now seeing some of the earlier legislation have an affect on the state. Representative Jack Cera is the Ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee and in that position he can and will have an impact on our industry. The final speaker of the morning session was Belinda Jones. Belinda has been the connection for the ONLA to state laws, legislators, and regulators for many years. Her knowledge and contacts are invaluable to our association and she is highly respected by all the people we met in Columbus this year. Belinda explained the procedures for the afternoon session when those of us in attendance had an opportunity to meet one to one with our Representatives and Senators. As always, we received excellent information and direction from Belinda and her staff. If this sounds like a busy and productive morning, it is an accurate description and we all were ready for lunch. The 2013 Ohio Green Advocacy Day luncheon included a special treat, an opportunity to hear The Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, Mary Taylor speak. Mary Taylor is an extremely impressive individual who spoke to us about state government and expressed how pleased she was to see our group participate in the governmental process. It seemed to be especially gratifying to her that many in our group this day were “first time” participants in Advocacy Day. I was personally impressed that the Lieutenant Governor took questions “unscreened” from the audience. She is a leader in Columbus not afraid to say what she believes and not fearful of possible embarrassing questions. The Lieutenant Governor heads up the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) group in Columbus. This is a group of business leaders who review possible regulations and how they affect the growth and ability of Ohio businesses to prosper and expand enabling job creation. I am pleased to inform you that the ONLA is well represented at Common Sense Initiative meetings. Past President of the ONLA and owner of Willoway Nurseries, Tom Dema-
8 The Buckeye
line, is a member of the CSI group. We thank Tom for being willing to serve this important role in our state. Of the many things I have heard out of governments the last several years, a “common sense” approach to items that affect the citizens of the state is one of the best concepts to come forward in a long time. Lunch was completed and it was time to meet our legislators. I was able to meet with the Representative from my home district and with the Legislative Aide to the Senator from my district. The Senator was in committee meetings so the Aide met with myself and Tom Hilgeman of White Oak Garden Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. I can tell you from experience it is very beneficial to have made a “personal” connection with individuals who are in state office and can have an impact on businesses. These individuals take their positions seriously and are pleased to interact with their constituents. The Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association is one of several green industry organizations to participate in Advocacy Day. Our partners for this significant event were: • Golf Course Superintendents Association – Ohio Chapters; • Nursery Growers of Lake County Ohio; • Ohio Landscape Association; • Ohio Lawn Care Association; • Ohio Professional Applicators for Responsible Regulation; • Ohio Turfgrass Foundation; • Winegrowers of Ohio; and • Ohio Pest Management Association. My personal thank you goes out to these associations and their members for supporting Ohio Green Industry Advocacy Day. In addition, it would be remiss not to mention the work and effort of the ONLA staff in preparing for this conference. The ONLA staff and the many efforts of the staff at Capitol Consulting Group make this event possible on a biennial basis and we hope you will mark your calendar now for February 2015. Your ONLA Board of Directors also has been active in their respective positions and businesses throughout the state. The next meeting of the Board of the ONLA is scheduled for June 12, 2013. If you have any issues that are significant to you or your company, please feel free to contact me and we will work to have your issue on our agenda in June. B Jim Searcy ONLA President jim@hydeparklandscaping.com
onla.org
ONLA Office Update
Advocating for
Your Success
A lot goes on around here at the ONLA, much of which our members may not always be aware. When you’ve got nearly 200 volunteers serving on the board of directors and/or sixteen committees, often working on various projects and initiatives, it can sometimes be difficult to keep up. Legislative advocacy is one area that always seems to keep us on our toes. We continue to maintain a strong presence at the Ohio Statehouse building relationships with members of the General Assembly and following issues that affect our industry. With this in mind, we’ve made it a goal to keep you informed of important issues as they arise. In the last several weeks you should have received “Legislative Issue Briefs” in the mail on various topics, including: • Backflow Certification for irrigation contractors • Updated Underground Damage Prevention Laws • Municipal Tax Reform Other issues we’re currently following or participating in discussions include: • Nutrient Management/Water Quality bill • Ohio Pesticide Applicator Insurance Coverage (see related article page 11) One interesting example of the reputation we have earned with our state government was evidenced recently in a project on which we were consulted with by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). ODNR reached out to us for advice on how to proceed with a project that is important to Governor Kasich - planting more trees at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. While visiting the 2012 Ohio State Fair on a hot summer day, the Governor aptly noticed how pleasant the ODNR area was compared with much of the asphalt-laden fairgrounds. Why? Because there were shade trees. So he became determined to have more trees planted throughout the fairgrounds. Who did the Administration turn to for resources and advice? The ONLA. Additionally, we are also the first to be notified by the ODA and ODNR when a new plant pest is discovered in onla.org
Kevin Thompson ONLA Executive Director kevinthompson@onla.org
Ohio. Recently, the ODA reached out to us about Hemlock Wooly Adelgid and Thousand Cankers Disease because of their interest and concern about their effects on Ohio’s nursery and landscape industries. Are you aware that we have an ODA Advisory Committee that ODA officials turns to when plant pest issues arise? Not only are we a regular resource for the Administration and state agencies, we are also a resource for legislators. Over the years, through member involvement in testifying in committees, and though our relationship with Capitol Consulting Group, the ONLA has garnered
please see page 10
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continued from page 9
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10 The Buckeye
a reputation of being a reliable, smart resource for policy makers as they address our issues. Often, BEFORE legislation is even introduced, we are consulted on DRAFT legislation so that the introduced version of the bill will pass the “common sense test” (see the Legislative Hotline article on the upcoming introduction of nutrient management legislation). In fact, our legislative committee chairman Tom Demaline was chosen by the Ohio Senate to serve on the Small Business Advisory Council as part of the Common Sense Initiative. These examples are some of the many dividends we receive as a result of our long-standing interaction with the legislative and political process. One of the ways we have been engaged in the political process is through the ONL-PAC (Political Action Committee). ONL-PAC was formed many years ago to ensure a sustainable funding source for our industry to support state House and Senate candidates who support the green industry and small business issues. The PAC raises funds by holding events and/or actively soliciting donations. While only individuals may contribute to a PAC, corporations may sponsor events to help offset expenses. There are very strict rules for donating to a PAC and how contributions may be made to elected officials. They are closely monitored by the Ohio and Federal Elections Commissions. This article is not intended as a solicitation. Rather, it is intended to help illustrate one of the many values of ONLA membership that often goes unnoticed. Yes, the more funds we raise for the PAC the more effective we can be at protecting our industry. We will continue to hold fundraising events, and we will continue to seek donations. We do realize, however, that many of you are not in position to make personal contributions or may simply be opposed to making political contributions. But if you look at it as an investment in your industry’s future, or perhaps as a business expense such as insurance coverage, it may help you see the value. Collectively, we are able to do far more than any of us are able to do on our own. Thank you to all who have participated in the PAC in the past. If you have not done so before, we hope you will consider doing so in the future. We need you. The legislative Committee and ONLA board are constantly looking for new and improved ways we can make PAC donations easy and fun so your industry can be as strong as possible to take the bullet for you. As much as we may wish that regulators would stop regulating, or pests would stop pestering, chances are that issues will continue to surface that will impact your livelihood. And when they do, you can rest assured that the ONLA will be there to help. B
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I Sprayed It. It Died.
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Why Am I Not Covered for This?
Last Spring, two of my long term clients had incidents that lead me to discover the limitations in coverage for property damage caused by the application of pesticides. Since then, while working with the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and the ONLA to get this coverage gap fixed, I’ve criss-crossed the state trying to educate landscapers and lawn maintenance companies to let them know how dangerous this problem can be.
Some background information If you’re a licensed pesticide applicator in the State of Ohio, you’re required to carry insurance coverage for bodily injury and property damage caused by the application of pesticides. The ODA requires a coverage endorsement called Ohio Pesticide Applicator Coverage (CG 2687/10 04). However, as this coverage is currently written, the courts have ruled it only provides damage for third party coverage. As you may know, the company applying the pesticide is the first party. The client that hired the company to provide a service is the second party, while the adjoining neighbors or general public would be considered the third parties. So what does this mean to you? If the neighbor’s dog (or child, etc; i.e. a third party) comes onto a treated property and becomes sick, there is coverage for this incident. If the wind disperses the chemical onto a neighboring property (third party) and causes damage, this incident is covered. However, if the plant material that you treated for hire (on the property of the second party) is damaged or dies, there is NO coverage. This is not good.
A tale of two claims and an “aha” moment April 2012, I received a call from one of my clients. The client had a faulty metering device that improperly mixed chemicals being blended in their application tanks. In one afternoon, they treated four different condo complexes and killed off all of the trees and shrubs they treated. In total, this caused over $209,000 in damage. Fortunately, I had the coverage written with the ONLA’s Green Industry Insurance Program (OGIIP) and this loss was covered. Two weeks earlier, one of my other clients had accidentally mixed their application chemicals with a brine solution instead of clean water. The brine had been left over from their snow removal operations and was improperly labeled. They used this bad mix to treat a condo complex and did around $27,000 in total damage. They were not in the OGIIP and
their insurance company adjuster denied coverage for the damage to the trees and shrubs they treated. However, they covered the damage to the turf caused when the solution dripped off of the treated trees (incidental damage). Needless to say, my client was both confused and upset. “How can I not be covered? The name of the endorsement is Ohio Pesticide Applicator Coverage,” she yelled. She could not understand how the turf could be covered but the trees and shrubs weren’t. That’s when I went to work, questioning the adjuster, his manager and anybody that would listen. Over the next several weeks, I discovered how the coverage is poorly written, how and why the courts decided to limit coverage, and just how troubling this is to my green industry clients. I met with the ODA, and the leaders of the ONLA and the OLCA to make them aware of this problem. I also found that the vast majority of pesticide license holders thought they had second party coverage but did not. Further, I discovered how difficult it is to even find coverage. I knew I never wanted another client to go through a claim nightmare like this again.
Now that the problem has been identified, what is the solution? Last week, I spoke with officials at the ODA. They are working on a letter that will be sent to all pesticide license holders in Ohio to notify them of this coverage issue. The ONLA, its primary lobbyist Belinda Jones and I are working with them to craft a long term solution and change the endorsement language. This fix will take time. While the OGIIP provides coverage for this, most all other insurance carriers will either not cover this damage at all or will only cover this at a much lower limit. Further complicating the issue, unfortunately, not all landscapers and lawn maintenance contractors qualify for the OGIIP. This is a complex issue with a complex set of solutions. There aren’t enough pages in The Buckeye to go over everything. I urge you to ask your insurance agent about your current coverage or you can email me at mmcteague@bhmins.com. I’d be glad to discuss some solutions that may be currently available. B Marc McTeague Best Hoovler McTeague ONLA Green Industry Insurance Program (OGIIP) mmcteague@bhmins.com
Marc McTeague is President of Best Hoovler McTeague. While the ONLA partners with Best Hoovler McTeague to provide a Property/Casualty Insurance program for its members, this is not an endorsment per se of this company and should not be construed as an attempt to get members to change carriers. However, due to the severity of damages that can result from improper insurance coverage, we offer this article as important information. We urge you to consult with your agent immediately to determine your coverage limits and applications. And we thank Marc McTeague for informing the ONLA of this complex and important problem.
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ONLA Members On The Grow! The ONLA would like to extend “Congratulations” to the following companies that experienced growth in the last year! They have reported to us on their ONLA membership renewal form that they have moved to a higher dues category (based on the gross dollar volume of all sales for the previous fiscal year.) New Category 1 Members: Bladecutter’s Lawn & Landscape, Inc. Dayton, Ohio C. M. Brown Nurseries, Inc. Perry, Ohio Terra Horticultural Services, Inc. Plain City, Ohio New Category 2 Members: Hedge Landscape, LLC Westerville, Ohio JCR Landscape Services, LLC New Albany, Ohio
New Category 3 Members: Kleinhenz Landscape Powell, Ohio Landscape Design Solutions, LLC Plain City, Ohio Maki Services Monroe, Ohio New Leaf Landscape Construction, Inc. Marysville, Ohio North Shore Stone, Inc. Columbus, Ohio New Category 4 Members: American Classic Lawn Care Ltd. Columbus, Ohio Brengelman Young Landscape Services, LLC Amelia, Ohio Delventhal Landscaping & Nursery, Inc. Waterville, Ohio
Kevin Flory Landscape & Lawn Care, Inc. Greenville, Ohio
Kevin Masters Certified Arborist, LLC Worthington, Ohio Premier Landscapes, LLC Hamilton, Ohio
Rindler Landscape, LLC Kettering, Ohio
Reynolds Landscape Co. Belpre, Ohio
Unique Landscape LLC Pataskala, Ohio
Ryan’s Landscaping Dublin, Ohio Wilson’s Country Creations Killbuck, Ohio B
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LandscapeAwards celebrate excellence
Get your projects ready. The ONLA’s Landscape Awards Program, the oldest and most prestigious professional landscape awards program in the Midwest, is planned with some surprises in store. You don’t want to miss out because you didn’t have your projects lined up for entry. Begin thinking RIGHT NOW about the fabulous jobs you’ve designed, installed, or maintained. Get out there and start taking photos this week. You’ll want to return and photograph them again later in the summer. Remember, a good portfolio of photos is critical in the landscape profession: the time you take to get good photos will help you win business down the road. Download the entry form at www.onla.org. B
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: Boulders Direct 3025 Denne Drive NW Canton, OH 44709 Doug Baum, Category 5 Ames Arboreal Group 482 Tibet Road Columbus, OH 43202 Nathan Ames, Category 5 Outdoor Sensations Landscape 4596 Indianola Avenue Columbus, OH 43214 John Blake, Category 5 JTS Tree & Landscape LLC 3420 East Dublin Granville Westerville, OH 43081 Jobie McCoy III, Category 5 B onla.org
Professional Expectations You wouldn’t expect someone without a medical degree to perform surgery. It’s not considered a good idea for someone without a law degree to practice law. Customers are growing to expect their landscape contractor or garden center to have certified personnel on staff. How will your customers know that you are a green industry professional rather than someone with less knowledge?
Professional certification is one of the most important steps an individual can take to demonstrate knowledge and commitment to his or her career. Certified individuals are able to stand “Out In Front” as examples of excellence in the Green Industry. Certification reflects achievement and establishes professional credentials. The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association is proud to offer the only all encompassing green industry certification program in Ohio,
the Ohio Certified Nursery Technician (OCNT) program. We, as an industry, believe that the OCNT program gives certified individuals, as well as the companies that employ them, the opportunity to increase knowledge and the ability to perform to set standards while also enhancing the overall image of the Green Industry Profession. Call ONLA and learn how you, and your team, can become a credentialed green industry professional. 800.825.5062. B
New ONLA Certified Professionals! Garden Center Samantha August, M. J. Design Associates, Inc. Jeff Bartley, Meadow View Growers, Inc. Sandy Curtis, Berns’ Greenhouse & Garden Center, Inc. Sam DeCola, The Andersons Mark T. Ehret, The Andersons Kelsey Gahler, North Branch Nursery, Inc. Amanda Greve, Kah Nursery John Gronnett IV, Denny McKeown, Inc. Virginia Hertenstein, Delhi Flower & Garden Center Patrick Hoehn, Oakland Nursery, Inc. Todd Keferl, Acorn Farms, Inc. Dionna Lanovara, Industrial Landscaping Eric Parsons, Thomson’s Landscaping Shaun R. Reed, Straders Garden Center Terry Romans, White Oak Garden Center, Inc. Kelly Slaughter, Kah Nursery Richard E. Solether Jr., Envirocare Lawn & Landscape, LLC Steve Taylor Jr., Wilson’s Garden Center Randall Vecchio, D & R Contracting Grower Samantha August, M. J. Design Associates, Inc. Jeff Bartley, Meadow View Growers, Inc. Andrew Bartram, Oakland Nursery, Inc. Aaron Flick, Strader’s Garden Centers, Inc. Lance Gallaher, Grunder Landscaping Co. Andrew Howland, Viox Services, Inc. Samuel Wilkins Jolley, The Siebenthaler Co. Diane Jones, WinnScapes, Inc. Todd Keferl, Acorn Farms, Inc. Dionna Lanovara, Industrial Landscaping John J. Loflin, WinnScapes, Inc. Shaun R. Reed, Straders Garden Center-Broad Stephanie Schelhorn, Delhi Flower & Garden Centers David J. Smith, WinnScapes, Inc. Richard E. Solether Jr., Envirocare Lawn & Landscape, LLC Jeremy K. Swihart, Grunder Landscaping Co. Steven Wilczynski II, WinnScapes, Inc.
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Landscape Thomas L. Archer, GreenScapes Landscape Co. Samantha August, M. J. Design Associates, Inc. Jeff Bartley, Meadow View Growers, Inc. Scott E. Blair, Franklin Park Conservatory William Bolton, Quality Lawn, Landscape & Fence, Inc. Wesley D. Bowles, Detillion Landscaping Co., Inc. Tyler S. Bowman, Daniel’s Landscaping Amanda Broering, Webber’s Landscaping James Corbett, Five Seasons Landscape Management, Inc. Richard Coyle, Wood Landscape Services, Ltd. Jeffery R. Cromwel,l Acorn Farms, Inc. Randy L. Detillion, Detillion Landscaping Co., Inc. Zackary K. Dixon, Wood Landscape Services, Ltd. Kevin Falasco, Garden Design Joe Daubel, LLC Keith Fulton, Ponzani Landscape Co. Brad Garvin, Wood Landscape Services, Ltd. Steve Grimm, Spring Grove Cemetery Blake Hedge, Hedge Landscape, LLC Joseph M. Jones, Wood Landscape Services, Ltd. Jamison K. Jones, Wood Landscape Services, Ltd. Todd Keferl, Acorn Farms, Inc. Michael Knisely, North Branch Nursery, Inc. Dionna Lanovara, Industrial Landscaping Jarrod Litzinger, Five Seasons Landscape Management, Inc. Gareth Martin, Shearer Landscaping Inc. Robert Maxson, Personal Touch Landscaping & Consultations, Inc. Ryan McMichael, Portage Lakes Career Center Donald Medders, Wood Landscape Services, Ltd. Joan Moore, Turkey Island Club Wyatt Morris, McIreland, Inc. Wil M. Mowry, The Siebenthaler Co. Chris Odom, Five Seasons Landscape Management, Inc. Makayla Phillips, Kah Nursery
Tanner Pritchard, Detillion Landscaping Co., Inc. Shaun R. Reed, Straders Garden Center Charlene Richardson, Franklin Park Conservatory Aaron Rush, WinnScapes, Inc. Matthew Schumacher, GreenScapes Landscape Co. Kris Serdy, Ponzani Landscape Co. Craig Shearer, Shearer Landscaping Inc. Charlie Simmons, Five Seasons Landscape Management, Inc. Richard E. Solether Jr., Envirocare Lawn & Landscape, LLC Derek F. R. Stone, ProScape Lawn & Landscape Services, LLC Kevin C. Temple, Dan Druffel, Inc. Alicia Layne Thomas, Five Seasons Landscape Management, Inc. Anthony Trumpower, Industry’s Best Landscape Services, LLC Jeffery L. Turney, Trees and Plants Frank M. VanSkoyck Jr., Grunder Landscaping Co. Chase Williams, Franklin Park Conservatory Kurtis Young, First Impressions Lawn & Landscape Co. Master Samantha August, M. J. Design Associates, Inc. Jeff Bartley, Meadow View Growers, Inc. Andrew Bartram, Oakland Nursery, Inc. Aaron Flick, Strader’s Garden Centers, Inc. Lance Gallaher, Grunder Landscaping Co. Diane Jones, WinnScapes, Inc. Todd Keferl, Acorn Farms, Inc. Dionna Lanovara, Industrial Landscaping John J. Loflin, WinnScapes, Inc. Shaun R. Reed, Straders Garden Center Stephanie Schelhorn, Delhi Flower & Garden Centers David J. Smith, WinnScapes, Inc. Richard E. Solether Jr., Envirocare Lawn & Landscape, LLC Steven Wilczynski II, WinnScapes, Inc. B
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Feature
Managing Highly Alkaline
Fertilizer formulations offer plant nutrition and help manage water quality. Ornamental growers have long struggled with managing growing media pH. Maintaining correct growing media pH is critical for many crops especially if production time is greater than six to eight weeks. Today, numerous popular crops have difficulty absorbing iron — especially when pH levels in their root zones are high. High root-zone pH can tie up micronutrients, especially in crops with a high demand for iron, such as petunias. When media pH rises excessively, micronutrients become less available and young leaves on affected plants turn chlorotic (Figure 1).
Unfortunately, many growers of such crops often treat the resulting high pH symptoms by applying high concentrations of chelated iron instead of proactively managing the underlying cause — the growing media with high pH levels itself. “The most frequent cause of high root-zone pH is poor irrigation water quality, especially high total alkalinity or bicarbonate levels that can cause media pH to skyrocket over time,” said Chris Buchheit, marketing manager for Everris’s ornamental horticulture nutrition products. “Highly alkaline water can also clog injectors and drip lines
with calcium carbonate deposits. Current practices to manage high alkalinity are complicated, costly and can potentially create liability issues.”
Defining Water Types The first step in managing alkalinity in water is to determine how alkaline the water really is. Table 1 shows how Everris defines typical water types, likely root-zone pH management issues and suggested remedies. Irrigation waters with high total alkalinity (Types 3 and 4) are very common, especially in noncoastal USA areas. Additionally,
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Irrigation Water Type 2 water is widespread throughout the entire United States, and it can often benefit from some acidification depending on a grower’s crop or cropping system. Growers who find themselves in a situation with highly alkaline irrigation water tend to fall into three groups: 1. Some growers don’t acidify their irrigation water and allow their crops to suffer from rootzone pH rise (iron deficiencies). They have to accept poor plant quality and the resulting lost profits. 2. Other growers wait until they observe obvious deficiency symptoms before they react. They ignore water alkalinity and allow growing media pH levels to rise too high, treating symptoms with higher concentrations or frequent applications of chelated micronutrients. 3. Still other growers test their water and devise management programs that include the following elements: • Consider alternate water sources with lower alkalinity levels. • Fight growing media pH rise by using fertilizers with higher Potential Acidity values (listed on fertilizer labels). • Set up acid injection systems. • Modify lime charge in growing media. “All these strategies have downsides,” Buchheit said. “Growers who ignore the problem and suffer economically may do so because a simple, easy to implement solution isn’t available. Those who ignore the onla.org
high alkalinity but treat the symptoms on selected crops must scramble to apply additives like chelated iron sprays. This makes their fertilizer programs more costly and complicated — especially when they grow a variety of crops that react differently to rising pH levels in growing media. Those growers who take the trouble to test water and devise a management system still could be taking on additional costs, complexity, labor and potential risk.”
Fertilizer Formulations Growers need to simultaneously provide proper nutrition for their crops and manage irrigation water alkalinity (maintaining growing media pH control). Sometimes these two goals may be at odds, and meeting one objective can often compromise the other objective. For example, using fertilizers with high potential acidity to maintain an acceptable growing media pH range may be a viable option for water types with alkalinity levels below 150 ppm. The key word here is “potential,” as the acidification happens over time as plants take up these fertilizers and the roots themselves acidify the soil. The plant must actively uptake nutrients for this action to occur. These fertilizers have a higher content of ammoniacal (NH4+) and ureabased nitrogen, and their use may not always be desirable depending on crop stage and time of year as high NH4+ nitrogen can lead to lush soft growth. Sometimes highly alkaline waters are calcium deficient, but the only way to add calcium is to add a potentially basic fertilizer. Unfortunately using a calcium-containing fertilizer with this type of water will further contribute to rising root-zone pH levels whenever it’s applied. Acid injection causes
Figure 1. Micronutrient deficiency due to high growing media pH. other issues. It can be complicated to mix, corrode equipment, require the use of protective equipment, create handling and storage hazards and increase costs. Furthermore, commonly used acids such as phosphoric and sulfuric acids are not always compatible with all fertilizer formulations, often contributing significant levels of sulfur or phosphorus that can compromise nutritional programs. To address this issue, Everris has developed Peters Excel pHLow, a water soluble fertilizer line using technology based on PekAcid, a proprietary raw material invented by its parent company (ICL) that helps manage high alkaline waters. This unique component is a pure, highly acidic, non-corrosive white crystalline raw material that contributes significant levels of phosphorous and potassium is highly soluble, fast-dissolving, and when added in stock tank concentrate forms, phosphoric acid. It imparts active acidity properties to Everris’s products that will reduce water alkalinity at the point of injection, reducing or eliminating the need to use mineral acid. please see page 16
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“The Peters Excel pH Low watersoluble fertilizer line offers growers a complete, one-bag nutrient solution and an effective tool to help manage irrigation water alkalinity that’s safer-to-use than conventional liquid acids,” Buchheit explained. “These new products are available in a variety of nutrient formulations to match crop nutrients needs: Cal-Mag, High Mag and All Purpose. At the same time, they help manage moderate to high alkalinity water, therefore helping control growing media pH.” Buchheit says that Everris tested its new formulations on spring crops sensitive to iron toxicity — marigolds and geraniums, for example — to ensure that the active acidity would not cause any production problems. He says that Peters Excel pHLow treated plants achieved very high quality grades while maintaining acceptable growing media pHs even when higher alkaline water was used. Everris’s research and development team also tested various formulations with different nutrient contents
to determine their effect on reducing excess irrigation water alkalinity levels. Regardless of nutrient content, all Peters Excel pHLow formulations have roughly equivalent active acidity of 1/3 fl. oz. of 85 percent phosphoric acid or 0.4 fl. oz. of battery acid. These predictable reductions in alkalinity while fertilizing are significant enough to be used to manage growing media pH, but not too excessive to cause problems such as low media pH: • Concentrations of 100-ppm nitrogen reduces total alkalinity by 19 ppm • Concentrations of 200-ppm nitrogen reduces total alkalinity by 40 ppm • Concentrations of 400-ppm nitrogen reduces Total Alkalinity by 72 ppm According to Everris, products like Peters Excel pHLow can be a useful tool for growers who want an alternative to liquid acids, who use high ammoniacal nitrogen fertilizers or who are not currently doing anything
to manage irrigation water alkalinity in Water Types 2, 3 and 4. For growers who are acidifying now, the use of this type of product should reduce or eliminate the amount of acid being injected. Additionally this type of treatment is well-suited for crops that require lower root-zone pH’s. Obviously if water alkalinity levels are extremely high, acid injection remains the most viable option. “This technology gives growers a unique opportunity to tackle high water alkalinity management, a critical factor for growing success,” Buchheit added. “Peters Excel pHLow is a reliable nutrition source that matches the needs of the plants they are growing. It’s also an effective tool to help manage moderate to high alkalinity water — and it’s a safer alternative to liquid acid.” B Fred Hulme Technical Services Director, Everris NA Inc. fred.hulme@everris.us.com
Table 1: Water Types and Management Suggestions Water Types
Alkalinity Level
Type 1
Very Low: 0 to 60 ppm
Type 2
Pure water — use of acidic fertilizers will likely result in low root-zone pHs. Select neutral or potentially basic fertilizers.
Moderate buffering — select fertilizers that fill Moderately Low: 60 to 150 nutrients gaps. Some crops/ situations may require ppm more acidifying fertilizers.
Type 3
Moderately High: 150 to 200 ppm
Type 4
Very High: 200 to 240+ ppm
16 The Buckeye
Issues/Suggestions for Managing
Moderate to high buffering — Many crops/ situations may require more acidifying fertilizers and/ or acid injection. Excess buffering — for best result consider injection of mineral acid.
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u n n A
l a i r T la s
H n o e use p O
growth habit tolerances
visual characteristcs Register Today! Space is Limited! $10 on or before July 22nd; $15 after July 22nd (includes lunch, program, handouts, parking permit, refreshments)
sponsored by
July 31, 2013
OSU’s Annual Trial Garden is where YOU can get info on annuals to include in your sales plans. Growers, independent garden center buyers, landscape designers and installers are encouraged to visit and take note of the new varieties being grown and to observe and study the different growth habits, tolerances and visual characteristics of the many different varieties that have been put on display. In addition, 2013’s trial celebrates the Year of the Coreopsis, and attendees will have access to the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center’s coreopsis displays and research. A wide variety of annual plant material will be presented so industry professionals can evaluate and note those that have commercial application in Ohio.
Return this form, along with checks payable to the Ohio State University (attention Claudio Pasian), 2001 Fyffe Court, Columbus, OH 43210. Ph: (614) 292.9941. Name(s): __________________________________________________________________________ Company Name: ____________________________________________________________________
annuals in ground beds and containers trial
JULY 31, 2013
The Ohio State University Department of Horticulture & Crop Science 2001 Fyffe Court Columbus, OH 43210 Schedule of Events 10:00 a.m.: Trials Presentation 10:30 a.m.: Trials Tour (Annuals in ground beds and in containers) 12:00 p.m.: Box Lunch (included with registration) 1:00 - 3:30 p.m.: Classes* *three sessions to be announced; 1 OCNT credit, 1 HSW credit, Landscape Industry Certified credit available; pesticide certification credits pending
Address: __________________________________________________________________________ City, State & Zip: ____________________________________________________________________ Email (required): ____________________________________________________________________ Phone: (_____) ____________________________ Fax: (_____)_____________________________
onla.org
For additional information, contact Dr. Pasian at 614.292.9941 or pasian.1@osu.edu or Lindsay Pangborn at 614.292.3319 or diewald.10@osu.edu
May 2013 17
WHAT OUTDOOR LIVING SHOULD BE®
www.oberfields.com www.discoverrosetta.com 614-252-0955 • 740-369-7644 • 419-225-6761 • 937-885-3711 • 800-845-7644
Feature
How Google Analytics can help improve your website performance Google Search
“If you build it, they will come,” is the famous line from the movie Field of Dreams. It’s a statement that has been parodied several times over by numerous industries and is often associated with having a website. However, it’s also highly inaccurate- having a website DOES NOT guarantee that people will come. How do you know people are actually visiting your site? Where are they coming from? What are they using to access your site? How are they finding your site? What information are they finding on your site? These are all viable questions every website manger should ask.
I’m Feeling Lucky
Answers to these questions can help determine important directions you can take concerning content, structure, marketing and overall website value. The question is HOW can you get reliable answers on the “traffic” coming to your website? Enter the power of Google Analytics- a FREE tool that tracks detailed data regarding visitors to your site. It’s simple to set up and configure within your website. And more importantly, it can provide valuable information regarding user activity on your site such as: what area of the state/country/world visitors are located, what brows-
Please see page 20
STONE DIVISION
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ers they are using, what time of day they are accessing your site, how much time they are spending on your site, what pages are most frequently accessed, along with entry and exit pages- and much more. Best of all- it’s FREE (provided your account has less than 10 million hits per month)! Below are some highlights of what GA tracks and how this information can be helpful in understanding both your association members and overall visitors to your website.
BEHAVIOR This section depicts new vs. returning
The audience analytics section is broken down into demographics, behavior, technology, mobile and visitor flow:
users (based on their network IP). It also breaks down number of visits and how often returning users return (frequency) and how long visitors remain on your site (engagement) broken down in time segments starting with 0-10 seconds, 11-30 seconds, 31-60 seconds, etc. If you have a low percentage of returning users, it could be an indicator that you aren’t providing information that users want or can easily survey your members and determine why they aren’t using the site, what information is missing, etc. Another value with the visitors count is comparing these statistics to your actual membership counts, then you might have a need to “lock down” some of your content for members only so you’re not giving away the value of membership.
DEMOGRAPHICS This section shows you the
TECHNOLOGY/MOBILE Although GA lists
Audience Analytics
physical location that visitors are coming from; starting at country, and refining it down to state/province and city. This gives you insight to where the majority of your traffic is located. It can help you cater information and possibly events to your highest traffic areas. Of course this will vary greatly depending on whether your organization is national/international or state/local based. It can also give you an opportunity to discuss why traffic might be low in certain areas (membership, content, accessibility, etc.)
GETTING STARTED
Visit www.google.com/analytics and login to your existing Google account or create a new account. Enter the account name and website URL you want to track. If you own multiple domain names, you can add more sites once your account has been set up. A tracking ID will be created along with a section of JavaScript code.
these as two separate sections under Audience, they are very similar. The Technology section tracks the operating system and browsers that your visitors are using, You can also drill down and see the versions of the web browsersthis is especially helpful in identifying the various versions of Internet Explorer. The Mobile section identifies which type of mobile device- both brand and model- that users are using to access the site. It’s important to look at the browsers and determine if visitors are using older or newer versions. Or are the majority of users accessing the site via mobile devices? If visitors are using the latest and greatest browsers and devices you can incorporate newer technology that older browsers don’t notice. You might also encourage your members to upgrade their browsers. If mobile usage is exceeding desktops/laptops then it’s extremely important that your site is optimized for mobile friendly viewing- such as paring down your site navigation to fewer items.
VISITOR FLOW This section tracks how visi-
tors first access your site, and follows the pages where they click once they are there. This provides great insights into how visitors navigate through your website. It’s a good idea to structure your website such that the most frequently accessed pages are accessible with three clicks or less. Do visitors click certain links because they are prominent on your home page? If you have a private Members Only Section, are those pages actually being accessed or are you preventing your members from getting to this important information? B Lisa Snide TCS Software, Inc.
20 The Buckeye
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r u o T s u B r e w o r G o i h 2013 O Registration Form
t n e s e r P A L N O NGLCO &
3 1 0 2 , 2 1 t s u g Monday, Au
Earlybird Registration: $20/person by July 26
Join the Nursery Growers of Lake County Ohio and the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association for the 2013 Ohio Grower Bus Tour, Monday, August 12, 2013. Here are some key reasons why you should attend this event: AgriBUSiness – As an agribusiness professional, your mission-critical knowledge encompasses more than just business acumen. Attending this bus tour gives you the opportunity to find out new methods to conquer those issues that give you heartburn. RoBUSt – Whether it’s marketing, technology, or human resources, you’re bound to find common ground with your peers on this tour. Increase your effectiveness as a leader by brainstorming with top performers. OverBUSy – In a business culture that thrives on a narrow window of opportunity, we know your time is limited. Take advantage of the networking opportunities you’ll have with fellow bus tourists! BlockBUSter – A full schedule of stops at a mix of facilities: greenhouses, garden centers, and nurseries. Different products, different styles, different scale, different marketing, means you’ll drive away from this tour with new ideas and new enthusiasm.
Late Registration: $25/person after July 26 Last day to register: August 2
This is THE tour for owners, managers, crew leaders, garden center managers, garden center staff, production managers, growers., greenhouse managers... DON’T MISS IT! Space is very limited; register today! REGISTRANTS: Complete the following information and return this form, to the NGLCO office (address below). Company Name: ______________________________________________ Names of Attendees: __________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________
Here’s a tentative schedule of the day: 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. (bus departs at 9!)
Registration at Dino’s Catering & Restaurant, Rt. 306; bus boarding
City, State & Zip: ______________________________________________
9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Art Form Nursery tour
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Breezewood Garden Center tour
Email: ______________________________________________________
12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch (included with registration) at Petitti Garden Center
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Petitti Garden Center tour
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Lowes Greenhouse & Garden Center tour
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Bremec Greenhouse & Nursery
5:30 p.m.
Return to Dino’s Catering & Restaurant
For those out-of-town tourists attending the NGLCO Field Day on August 13th, special rates are available at two hotels on Rt 306 in Willoughby: Red Roof Inn (866-356-6852) and Days Inn (440-946-0500).
onla.org
Phone: (______) ________________ Fax: (______) ________________
PAYMENT INFORMATION: Number of Attendees ______ x $_____ (either $20 or $25) = ___________ Return this form, along with check payable to NGLCO, P.O. Box 555, Perry, OH 44081. Ph: (440) 241-7969.
For additional information, contact Annette Howard at (440) 241-7969 May 2013 21
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Feature
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Tracking Plants
Promoting Plant Diversity
While in college, Brandon Jones went above and beyond as an exceptional student. In addition to pursuing his degree in Horticulture at the University of Cincinnati, he had a full time job in the information technology field. He decided to take on another project that would greatly benefit the Green Industry. Brandon created a website called Plant Places. It is a purely plantrelated website that includes photographs of plants and details where they are located. Tracking plants in various regions was an idea that came out of my time spent on the ONLA Plant Selection Committee. We would visit a region of the Eastern United States and tour the very best arboretums, gardens, nurseries and individual plant specimens known to grow in the From top: region and bring that information back to Ohio to give Cornus florida our membership. Plantplaces ‘Cherokee Chief’ is a way to capture that information in a much more Hydrangea detailed way. quercifolia ‘Vaughn’s Lillie’ Abies cilicica Prunus okame
22 The Buckeye
Back to the Roots Brandon and I started with the Cincinnati Region tracking plants at places like the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum, Rowe Arboretum and Mount Airy Forest. We have found that it is a great way for gardens to promote their plants to the
public. It is important to capture the most common plants in the region as well as those that are extremely rare. This website will help individuals that just want to know what is growing in their neighborhood.
Features There are many ways this website can be used. Simply clicking on the “Search Plants” function is the most common search. Within this search you can narrow your choices to native plants, recommended plants, trees only, evergreen, shrubs, vines and many more. You can make your own “Favorite Plants” list as well. Once the data is in the computer, we can gain access to the information and create many different types of search options. The website is designed to be user friendly for many different types of people in the green industry including Landscape Contractors, Arborists, Landscape Architects and Landscape Designers, Nurserymen and even homeowners. Another great benefit of the website is access to many large, high quality photos for education purposes. When the website was introduced, the thought was that it would mostly be used for searching in the Cincinnati area. But now, test plants have been located on GPS in places like Kew Gardens in England, and other countries like Costa Rica and Australia. onla.org
The “Plant Trials” section of the database is being developed to track new species and cultivars that may or may not be suitable for a region. This may include plants that have been planted in a region that haven’t stood the test of time. For instance, Cincinnati has not had a -20 degree winter since 1994. If planted after 1994, these plants have not truly been tested for winter hardiness. When the temperature drops and the plants are tested, this will be recorded and published on the site. From 2006 to the present, PlantPlaces has been a labor of love. It was primarily established to educate the public and the industry on where plants can be located. The site consists of over 1200 plants and over 2,000 photos. Many students, horticulturists and Master Gardeners have all contributed to the success of the website with information and photos. For more information or if you are interested in contributing to the website contact Steve Foltz at stephen.foltz@cincinnatizoo.org. B Steve Foltz Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Co-founder, plantplaces.com 7463 West Ridge Road P.O. Box E Fairview PA 16415 0805 800.458.2234 Fax 800.343.6819 e-mail: info@fairviewevergreen.com www.fairviewevergreen.com
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Legislative Hotline
Nutrient Management Draft Bill Being Circulated; Fertilizer Applicator Certification Continuing with their quest to be responsive to the harmful algae blooms (HAB’s) in Grand Lake St Mary’s and Lake Erie, the Kasich Administration is working on draft legislation that will likely establish, among other things, a new certification program for fertilizer applicators who apply fertilizers on land over 10 acres. The draft bill is a continuation or culmination of the discussions lead by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) through the Directors Ag Nutrient Water Quality Work Group. The draft bill reflects many of the findings submitted to Gov Kasich in the final report of the work group. As expected, the bill addresses a vagary in current law by establishing the framework for a certification program for fertilizer applicators. The draft is relatively short on details but gives authority to ODA to establish the details of the program by rule. Unclear is whether the new program applies exclusively to agriculture or whether lawn applications could be added to the “mix”. Having been in regular communication with ODA, we feel comfortable that in general the agency is planning a program that will not be overly burdensome and that it will tie-in with the pesticide applicator training, etc... The draft bill also makes changes to ODNR’s statute. Again, much of the “devil” will be in the details, as the specifics are left to rulemaking. For example, in the draft, ODNR’s chief of Soil and Water Conservation will be able to designate a “critical natural resource” or “watershed in distress”. The bill is vague as to how those terms are defined, etc... Your ONLA Legislative Committee Chairman Tom Demaline took significant time to read through the bill and attend meetings on this issue (THANK YOU, TOM!). The ONLA submitted comments on the draft bill to the three directors. The Administration is in the process of convening industryspecific “one-on-one” meetings to discuss
24 The Buckeye
potential changes to the draft. While early on it was believed that the bill would be introduced in April and on a “fast track” for passage before the summer recess on June 30, agency spokespersons are now pushing back the date of introduction until summer or early fall.
House Amends Budget Bill To Increase OSU-E Funding And Bridge ATI Funding A hearty “THANK YOU” to all of you who participated in the Green Industry Advocacy Day Event for your efforts have been successful. Thanks at least in part to awareness raised by you, the Ohio House amended HB 59, the biennial operating budget, to make some of the changes we requested. The House added funding to the OSU-E line item but the additional funds were tied to new programs. Specifically, they added $30,000 in FY 14 to develop an agriculturally based curriculum in Cleveland and Cincinnati school districts. They also added $146,900 in each fiscal year to establish Cleveland and Cincinnati program managers and set forth the general tasks for such managers. The House also addressed an inequity in higher ed funding that was created as a result of the new State Share of Instruction (SSI) formula. Specifically, the House added language to “bridge funding” to ATI and any campus that is to be used by the Chancellor of the Board of Regents to supplement each campus receiving a SSI allocation in 2014 that is lower that the campus’s SSI allocation in FY 2013. Restated, the House basically maintained current funding levels for the first year of the biennium to “bridge” the campuses as they move to the new formula. Of course, we will continue to monitor these and other budget line items as the bill has hearings in the Ohio Senate. As always, if you need any further information on these matters, please contact Belinda Jones at bjones@capitol-consulting. net. B
Belinda Jones ONLA Legislative Consultant bjones@capitol-consulting.net
Dan Jones ONLA Legislative Consultant djones@capitol-consulting.net
onla.org
Educational Update Improving Your Landscape or Nursery Weed Control
This article is provided to you as a benefit of membership in the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association. Content for this issue provided by: Dr. Hannah Mathers and James Beaver The Ohio State University basicgreen.edu mathers.7@osu.edu
If your weed control program is working optimally, the only time you should need to hand weed would be 1-2 days before each herbicide application. Your scheduled applications would be in the spring, summer and fall for most Midwest container nurseries and spring and fall for landscapes and nursery fields. Sometimes, however, weeds seed before a scheduled application, requiring supplemental hand-weeding and a half rate pre-emergence herbicide application to re-establish the “chemical barrier” in the top half of media. The major cost of your landscape or nursery weed control program is labor to hand-weed when your pre-emergence herbicides fail. The relative cost of the pre- and post- herbicides is small by comparison to labor. Reducing your hand-weeding to those events indicated above, with the best herbicides, methods and timings are essential to saving money. The cost of herbicides, however, also includes labor for the application. The number of applications can be reduced via new methods and equipment. Applying at the correct time will also reduce your application costs by increasing the efficacy of the application.
When Are Pre-emergence Herbicides Effective? Many of the pre-emergence herbicides used in landscape or nursery must be applied before weed seeds germinate as they are inhibitors of microtubule assembly, Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) Group 3 herbicides. The germinating seed must contact the “chemical barrier”, the top layer of the container media surface, where the Group 3 herbicide (ex. the dinitroaniline herbicide family), has been incorporated. If the seed is not in contact with the “chemical barrier” germination will not be inhibited. Some other pre-emergence herbicides, (non-Group 3) however, will kill “small” weeds post-germination. These exceptions are Goal (oxyfluorfen) and SureGuard or BroadStar G (flumioxazin) which are Group 14, protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitors. PPOs are found in the plant chloroplast and their inhibition leads to (among other things) lack of a precursor of chlorophyll. PPO inhibitor damage can appear as leaf crinkling and malformation from the rapid destruction of the contacted tissue (Fig. 1). Please see page 26
Fig. 1. Application of PPO inhibitor (SureGuard) on Spiraea sp. causing necrosis of contacted tissue. (Photo by H. Mathers, 2011).
EDUCATIONAL UPDATE
continued from page 25
Gallery is another ornamental pre-emergence herbicide that can kill “small” weeds. Gallery (isoxaben) is a Group 21 herbicide that includes the herbicide family benzamide. Benzamides inhibit cell wall synthesis causing mottling and random leaf chlorosis on susceptible contacted plants (Fig. 2A, B and C). In general, if even small weeds are present at time of application, unless the product you are applying contains oxyfluorfen, flumioxazin and/ or isoxaben alone or in combination, your pre-emergence applications will be unsuccessful. Again, Group 3 herbicides such as Barricade 65WG (Prodiamine); Pendulum 2G, Pendulum 3.3 EC, PreM 60DG, Pre-M 3.3 EC, or Corral (Pendimethalin); Surflan T/O (Oryzalin); Treflan 5G or Trifluralin EC (Trifluralin); Dimension (Dithiopyr) or Dacthal (DCPA) “must” be applied and incorporated pre-emergence!
Fig. 2. (below; left to right) A. Leaf crinkling mottling and random leaf chlorosis caused by the cellulose inhibitor Gallery on three gal containers Rosa ‘Knockout.’ B. Gallery at 4 rates (left to right) control, 1X, 2X and 4X rate, showing progressive stunting and chlorosis on Spiraea sp. as application rate increases. C. Highest rate of Gallery application (4X) showing extreme chlorosis and growth reduction (Photos by H. Mathers).
Star Trek and the Q Continuum: Ornamentals and the Weed Emergence Continuum! There are two big times in container nursery weed control based on weed life cycles, namely the emergence of summer and winter annuals. These two life cycles dictate, two of the three “scheduled” herbicide applications noted in the introduction for containers and the two for landscapes and nursery fields. Summer annual (SA) weeds germinate in spring and die by winter, such as lamb’s-quarters (Chenopodium album) or Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) (Table 1). Pre-emergence herbicides need to be applied and incorporated in mid to late March or following removal of poly-coverings from container overwintering houses to control the SAs. Winter annual (WA) weeds germinate in fall, overwinter as seedlings and set seed and die in the summer, such as shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) or Pennsylvania bittercress (Cardamine pennsylvanica) (Table 1) (Fig. 3). Pre-emergence herbicides need to be applied and incorporated by mid to late August or prior to applying poly coverings to overwintering houses (September to November) to control WAs.
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Fig. 3. Bittercress (Cardamine pennsylvanica) is a very problematic winter annual weed, especially in nursery containers. The long, thin seed pods or siliques are shown. When dry the siliques are dehiscent fruits that split down the two long sides causing the seeds to “explode” from the two halves of the silique.
The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association’s The Buckeye, May 2013
Table 1. Common nursery and landscape weeds listed by family and life cycle (Source: Altland 2003; Gilliam et al. 1990; Norcini and Stamps, 1994). Scientific name
Division or family Life cycle
Smooth pigweed
Amaranthaceae
Summer annual
Redroot pigweed
Amaranthus hybridus Amaranthus retrofl exus
Amaranthaceae
Summer annual
Silver thread mosses
Bryum argenteum
Bryophyta
Perennial
Hairy bittercress
Cardamine hirsuta
Brassicaceae
Winter annual
Pennsylvania bittercress
Cardamine pennsylvanica
Brassicaceae
Winter annual
Prostrate spurge
Chamaescyce maculata or Euphorbia maculata
Euphorbiaceae
Summer annual
Horseweed or Marestail
Conyza canadensis
Asteraceae
Summer or winter annual
Yellow nutsedge
Cyperus esculentus
Cyperaceae
Perennial
Large crabgrass
Digitaria sanguinalis
Poaceae
Summer annual
Eclipta
Eclipta prostrata
Asteraceae
Summer annual
Northern willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
Onagraceae
Summer annual
Mulberry weed
Fatoua villosa
Moraceae
Summer annual
Ground ivy
Glechoma hederacea
Lamiaceae
Perennial
Prickly lettuce
Lactuca serriola
Asteraceae
Henbit
Lamium amplexicaule Marchantia polymorpha
Labiatae
Winter or summer or biennial Summer or winter annual
Hepatophyta
Perennial
Creeping red woodsorrel Longstalked phyllanthus
Oxalis corniculata
Oxalidaceae
Perennial (spreads by stolons)
Phyllanthus tenellus
Euphorbiaceae
Perennial
Annual bluegrass
Poa annua
Poaceae
Winter annual
Common purslane
Portulaca oleracea
Portulacaceae
Summer annual
Birdseye pearlwort
Sagina procumbens
Caryophyllaceae
Perennial
Common groundsel
Senecio vulgaris
Asteraceae
Winter annual
Annual sowthistle
Sonchus oleraceus
Asteraceae
Summer annual
Common chickweed
Stellaria media
Caryophyllaceae
Summer or winter annual
Dandelion
Taraxacum offi cinale
Asteraceae
Perennial
Liverwort
2A
Fig. 4. Marestail (Conyza canadensis) an increasingly problematic nursery weed that has two life cycles summer and winter annual.
To control Prostrate or Spotted Spurge (Fig. 5) and Purslane, preemergence herbicides need to be applied in June before temperatures rise to levels adequate to germinate these weed species. Because these late and early emergence weeds do not fit into the “scheduled” application times, the herbicides that control them best are products that contain oxyfluorfen, flumioxazin and/ or isoxaben. The best herbicides for spurge control are oxyfluorfen combination products (Rout or OHII) or Goal alone (Goal Tender). Biathlon (oxyfluorfen + prodiamine), a new herbicide by Bayer and distributed by OHP, will also provide control. BroadStar (flumioxazin) has also been shown to be very effective for spurge control. The best herbicide for Marestail is BroadStar or SureGuard (flumioxazin). In fields it Please see page 28
The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association’s The Buckeye, May 2013
27
EDUCATIONAL UPDATE
Common name
As with any continuum, some winter annuals are emerging before their counterparts (e.g. Marestail, Table 1, and Fig. 4) and some summer annuals after their counterparts (e.g. Prostate or Spotted Spurge and Purslane). To control Marestail, herbicides need to be out and incorporated by early August.
EDUCATIONAL UPDATE
continued from page 27
Fig. 5. Prostrate spurge (Euphorbia marculata) a difficult summer annual weed in containers, container yards (shown here) and landscapes due to its late germination.
Table 2. Granular preemergence herbicides registered for outdoor ornamental use. Note many are combinations of products that have selectivity on broadleaf and grasses in order to increase their spectrum and flexibility of control. These combo products [indicated by a (+)] are listed by their trade name and the common names of their broadleaf (+) grass active ingredients. BroadStar is the only granule listed below that controls broadleaf and grassy weeds with a single active (flumioxazin*). If the product has only one spectrum of control no (+) is indicated. Trade Name
Common Name Broadleaf active
Grass active
Rout
Oxyfluorfen
+
Oryzalin
Regal 0-0
Oxyfluorfen
+
Oxadiazon
Showcase
Isoxaben + Oxyfluorfen
+
Trifluralin
Jewel
Oxadiazon
+
Pendimethalin
Harrell’s 75 or 63
Oxyfluorfen
+
Trifluralin
Corral
Pendimethalin 2.68G
Snapshot 2.5 TG
Isoxaben
+
Trifluralin
Pendulum 2G
Pendimethalin
Barricade 65WG
Prodiamine
Treflan 5G (TR10)
Trifluralin
Ronstar G
Oxadiazon
Regal Star G
Oxadiazon
+
Prodiamine
OH2
Oxyfluorfen
+
Pendimethalin
Devrinol 2G
Napropamide
XL 2G
Oryzalin
BroadStar
Flumioxazin *
Freehand
Dimethenamid- p
+
Pendimethalin
Biathlon
Oxyfluorfen
+
Prodiamine
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The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association’s The Buckeye, May 2013
is best to combine with glyphosate to ensure burn down of any germinated seedlings. Other weeds that don’t fit the “scheduled” herbicide applications are those that are dose responsive such as Crabgrass and Bittercress. Products such as OHII or BroadStar versus Snapshot have been shown to provide sufficient residual to control these dose responsive weeds. FreeHand 1.75G, a new herbicide from BASF (Dimethenamid- p + pendimethalin), applied at 150 lb/ac is another option for dose response weeds. FreeHand is proving to be an excellent, broad-spectrum weed control and at 150 days of control it is one of the longest-lasting preemergence herbicides in container nurseries. Because it is a continuum of weed emergence and of weed species, combination herbicide products are often superior. They contain one of the three “burndown” potential herbicides for seeds already germinated at time of application, and usually contain grass and broadleaf active herbicides (Table 2). Table 2 lists the most commonly used landscape and nursery container granular preemergence herbicides.
Summary As a general rule, every pound of weed growth reduces crop growth by one pound. The relative growth rate (RGR) of a plant (the rate of increase in plant mass per unit of plant mass already present) is primarily driven by leaf area ratio (LAR) (the leaf area per unit total plant mass). Thus, there is a positive correlation between plant weight and shoot growth. The fastest growing plants (high RGR’s) are the ones putting on the most leaves. If your selling price is based on inches of top growth (such as with Buxus or Taxus) shrub sales, or if you want to speed up your RGR to establish the landscape site sooner, or if you want to obtain earlier tree calipers (in nursery) , look to improve your weed control program. Usually, early weed competition reduces crop growth far greater than late season weed growth. Early weed control is very important to RGR. Late season weed growth is also important and critical in reduction of the weed seed bank. Using modern chemicals at the proper time provides excellent weed control, reduces the need for hand weeding and increases crop productivity. B
Retail Roundtable
downymildew
impatiens
Spring has arrived and once again one of our spring ‘staple’ plants is being faced with another potentially devastating setback – Downey Mildew on shade Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana). Now let’s face it folks. Nothing provides brilliant colors in the shade like shade Impatiens. But Downey Mildew is here, and really took a toll on many Impatiens plantings last year across the state and other states as well. Impatiens are being wiped out by it, and some facilities, parks and botanical gardens have decided to not plant them anymore. So, what about the independent retail garden stores? Are they selling them? Should their customers be warned about it? Should they even have shade Impatiens available? Well, let’s ask our panel of retailing extraordinaires, as well as a ‘major’ annual grower, to see what their plans are for 2013 and beyond, dealing with Downey Mildew on shade Impatiens. “Over the past couple years, it has become evident that Downey Mildew on shade Impatiens has indeed become a serious problem. Our questions to you are: 1. Are you growing / selling shade Impatiens this spring? If yes, is it the same amount as the past or cutting back? Will you continue to grow / sell them? 2. Will you be informing your customers about Downey mildew and the potential of getting it on their shade impatiens? If so, what will you say and how will you let them know? 3. Nothing flowers in the shade like shade impatiens. What will you be recommending as alternatives?” Please see page 30
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continued from page 29
White Oak Gardens / Tom ‘Don’t Call Me Donny Osmond’ Hilgeman “We will sell shade impatiens this spring. We have cut orders by 50-60% on them for this spring and will continue to monitor the disease this summer to determine our plan for 2014 and beyond. The plan is to inform our customers that there may be a problem with shade impatiens after they leave the store, using in store signage along with employees doing their best to talk to customers who decide to try impatiens. This disease with shade impatiens will be an opportunity for us to sell more of the alternatives we suggest. So we have planned promotions using our website and email newsletter to promote some of these alternatives. A few of these alternatives are Sunpatiens, New Guinea Impatiens, Coleus, Fuchsia, Begonias and Lobelia. The first step (and we are finding the most difficult) is finding the time and best way to communicate this plan to all of our team so that everyone is on the same page and giving the same advice.”
Oakland Nurseries / Jodi ‘Little Bit’ Dawson “Oakland Nursery (Oakland Park Ave.) will grow and sell impatiens this spring. We will take extra precautions to identify any problems. We also want to make certain that our customer can still plant impatiens because sometimes you can’t talk someone out of the flowering power of this annual. Varieties such as the doubles, minis, and fushion have been trimmed from our inventory seeing that they are more susceptible to the disease. I believe the public needs to be educated about the issue. Signs will be posted to inform our customers of potential problems. Advise the Impatiens loving customers about cleaning debris, overhead watering, and good air circulation. This is key information to help prevent this aggressive disease. An alternative is to suggest the beautiful array of New Guineas, begonias, caladiums and coleus that we have stocked our shelves with! The customer may have planted impatiens for 30 years and didn’t realize the other beautiful choices available. You could open a whole new world for them!”
Benken’s / Tim Clark “We are growing and selling the shade impatiens this year. We grew approximately 50% less this year. They will be treated chemically before they are brought into retail for sale. We will inform the customers via signage about the potential problems with shade impatiens. They will be informed about the disease and how it spreads along with color photos of an infected plant. Customers will be told about how the disease spreads and informed about the potential for possible infection outside of our
30 The Buckeye
control. This will be done via signage as well as salespeople. We will be recommending numerous plants to take their place. The most logical choice would be a wax begonia. We will really try to find out what kind of shade the customer has so we can recommend an appropriate plant. Caladiums, New Guinea Impatiens, and Torenia all are options for them depending on the time of the shading.
Oakland Nursery / Andy ‘Nitro Circus’ Bartram “As spring is finally upon us we are again questioned with the Downey Mildew problem. We will be carrying impatiens this season in similar quantities to previous years. Our strategy here at New Albany will be in thoroughly educating our sales staff about Downey Mildew for signs, symptoms, and ideal cultural practices. We will then be able to inform customers on an individual basis of these risks and the proper cultivation to reduce these risks. Once engaged with the customer we will be able to also suggest other options such as New Guinea Impatiens, Begonias, Lobelia, Coleus, and even foliage and flowering perennials. However, we will also be placing some signage around the Impatiens to pass along additional information.”
Knollwood Garden Center / Rob ‘ Bier Garten’ Scott “Yes, we will still be growing and selling shade Impatiens. We have cut back on what we are growing by about 30%. For the moment, until the problem increases, we will continue to sell them. We will inform our customers of the potential for a Downey Mildew problem so they are aware that they are taking a chance. We’ll have signage and handouts available to educate customers so they can decide whether to take the chance or not. On our handouts, we will inform them of the alternatives available, such as various Begonias, Torenia, Devine New Guinea Impatiens, and Coleus.”
DeHaven Home & Garden Showplace / John ‘Kewpee Burger’ DeHaven “I believe it is being blown way out of proportion. We don’t grow impatiens. I can’t comment on growing issues. I do know that the growers are taking precautions and are buying the fungicides to combat the problem. I am still buying them and will continue to buy impatiens. As for alternatives if customers ask and want something different I am there to sell them what ever they want. The key is get the customers in the store, selling them has never been a difficultly for me.”
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How about some feedback from a grower’s perspective? Let’s ask!
Elmer ‘Viva Las Vegas Eldorado’ Grosser of Diefenbacher Greenhouses “We are growing and (hopefully) selling shade Impatiens for 2013. We cut back our numbers only slightly as we feel that the end consumer will be looking for them, regardless of the problem. They (the retail customer) seem to be a persistent bunch and if you don’t have it, they will go elsewhere. So, since we are speculators, we are speculating. We are speculating that a bunch of them will blame last year’s problems on the hot summer or their “black thumb.” Also, even if they are armed with information, we feel they will “gamble” again. This, we believe is because of the Impatiens’ beauty beyond all other annuals in the shade. We are following a strict, regimented spray program to ensure that we are shipping clean Impatiens. These sprays, however diligent only last so long, once out of the greenhouse. With that, we are (and have been) in contact with our customers to explain the disease, its effects and the ramifications of selling said plants. We feel that in no way, can the retailer “guar-
BOULDERS DIRECT “Supplying Nature Stone Products” - SANDSTONE PRODUCTS - OUTCROPPINGS - BOULDERS - HAND STACK /LARGE WALL STONE - FLAGSTONE - NATURAL STEPS - MACHINE CUT/SAWN STEPS - VENEER - CUT DRYWALL
antee” the success of the Impatiens this year. We have spoken about it at our open house and with telephone contact. We will send a flier or email to further emphasize this problem. For recommendations, we are all over the board pending amount of shade. Recommendations include Torenia, Salvia splendens, Coleus, Begonia, Caladium, Hypoestes, Nicotiana, New Guinea Impatiens and the Sunpatien/Fanfare type.” Everyone is being up front, informing the customers about the ‘potential’ of Downey Mildew on shade Impatiens, still offering to those who have not experienced it (and may not) or want to take a chance, and offering a few alternatives, which very well may turn them on to other new and exciting options for the shade (although I still say nothing does what the shade Impatiens can do in the shade). So good for us! Now, what are you going to do when Rose Rosette begins to show up more and more in your neighborhoods? Talk to you next time! B Ron Wilson Personal Yardboy and ONLA Retail Committee Ghost Writer in the Sky rwilson@natorp.com
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In Memoriam
Harry Mottlow III
Thomas Ray Winn
Harry Mottlow III, 45, of Columbus, passed away March 22, 2013 at Ohio State University Medical Center. Harry was born in Blue Island, Illinois and raised in the suburbs outside of Chicago, son of “Buddy” Mottlow Jr. and Karen Lindskog Reid. Harry attended Naperville High School and graduated from Dundee-Crown High School, Class of 1985 in Illinois. He was currently working as an irrigation tech for Environmental Management Inc. Harry was a tender, funny and strong man who had a big personality. He wrestled throughout high school and was an Assistant Wrestling Coach at Hilliard Davidson High School. Harry also played in numerous softball leagues and was a NY Yankees, Columbus Clippers, and Ohio State football fan. He was preceded in death by his step-mother Linda Mottlow and motherin-law Joan Commons. He will be greatly missed by his loving wife of 16 years, Rebecca Mottlow; parents, “Buddy” Mottlow and Karen (Bill) Reid; father-in-law, Kent (Gladys) Commons; sisters, Allison (Wendell) Faulkner and Tracy (Doug) Everhart; brother, Billy (Tiffany) Reid; sisters-in-law, Wendy (John) Salyer, Jilian (Brian) Pestotnik and Kathy (Santi) Espinosa; many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members and dear friends. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Capital Area Human Society, 3015 Scioto Darby Executive Ct., Hilliard, Ohio 43026. To share memories or condolences, please visit www.schoedinger.com. B
Noted nurseryman Tom Winn unexpectedly passed away on March 8, 2013 at his home in Stewart, Ohio. Born in 1945 to Ray and Marjory Winn in Maine, Tom grew up in Kansas City before graduating from MacMurray College in Illinois. While working on advanced degree programs at Ohio University, where he was an instructor in the English Department during the late 1960s, he taught in child development programs. Gradually starting a modest greenhouse nursery with longtime partner Ken Frieling, the Glasshouse Works evolved into the nationally known business based in great part on the remarkable website he created. He is survived by a niece, Jennifer of Shawnee Mission, Kansas. His parents and sister preceded him in death. Share a memory, a note of condolence or sign the online register book at jagersfunerahome.com. B
N U R S E R Y
Quality and Service G A R D E N C E N T E R is the Nature L A N D S C A P E of our Business
Call Us for all your nursery needs including Quotes, Availability or a Catalog
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32 The Buckeye
New Carlisle, OH 45344 www.scarffs.com
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W h y Tr e e s M a t t e r
First Things First by Jim Chatfield
In a most wonderful development, The Ohio State University’s Department of Plant Pathology announces a new Extension and Research plant pathologist in the nursery/landscape, turf, and floricultural area. Dr. Francesca Peduto Hand received a M.S. in Agricultural Science and Technology (2003) and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology (2008) from the University of Florence, Italy. From 2009 - 2012, she conducted Post-doctoral research at University of California Davis, and in March 2013, she was appointed Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology at OSU where her research, extension, and teaching responsibilities include ornamentals (floral, nursery, landscape) and turf disease problems. Over the last 10 years, she has conducted research on diseases of woody plants in nursery and crop production systems. Her research has been focused in identifying, characterizing, and managing fungal and bacterial pathogens associated with grapevines and other economically important fruit crops. She used conventional and molecular techniques, combined with greenhouse and field studies, to investigate disease epidemiology, biology and ecology of plant pathogens in an effort to improve disease control strategies with an emphasis on Integrated Pest Management programs. What an opportunity for us all. Let us welcome her and wish her the best in her new position with OSU.
Welcome to the Show
Dr. Peduto-Hand
…And Now For The Annual Spring Tree Pictorial. Those trees (and a few shrubs)…those trees…all our lives we’ve been looking for trees such as these…For most in the green industry, springtime is so busy it is hard to keep up with the wonders of flower and leaf buds as they swell and burst into elegance and with colors almost too beautiful to comprehend. Here is a short photo review from last month’s debut to a new growing season… Please see page 34
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May 2013 33
Previous page: (background) Magnolias near DUMBO in New York City. That stands for Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass (inset) Dr. Francesca Peduto Hand, new assistant professor of plant pathology, OSU
This page: (clockwise from top) Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ in their April glory at the Chadwick Arboretum Saucer magnolia flowers and leaves emerge (NYC) in April Acer triflorum leaf buds and soft leaves emerge Serviceberry blooms with redbud in background in mid-April
continued from page 33
Magnolias
The beauty of magnolia flowers and their aromas is truly one of the prime harbingers of spring and this year was, well it is silly to say it was no exception, since magnolias are so exceptional. Star magnolia, the Loebner hybrids such as ‘Leonard Messel’), large-leaved types all introduced us to a new year in trees.
Buckeyes The flowers of buckeyes and horsechestnuts are quite exotic, but the first act is the almost prehistoricappearing sight of the unfurling of new foliage. O-H-I-O.
Riots of Spring Clethra with its chartreusecolored new leaves glistening in the sun matched with the creaminess of birch bark and the finery of emerging foliage and remnant catkins…
34 The Buckeye
More chartreuse-yellow in the rarely-noticed blossoming of sassafras matched with large magnolia leaves rising…delicate serviceberry blooms backed by the dark purples of redbud. All these combinations of native plants were featured along the inspired linear High Line Park near the Hudson on the lower west side Manhattan this spring.
“Rarely Seen By the Initiated”… Michael Dirr turns this memorable phrase in his Manual of Woody Landscape Plants when speaking of pawpaw flowers in spring, but the fact is we often blink and miss many flowers in the early season. We note those magnolias, but what of the deep burgundies of ash flowers, the glowing yellows of symmetrical Norway maple blooms, the glorious spring blooms (and remnant fall fruits) of katuratrees…not to
mention the mini-wings of new red maple fruits, the rose-tinged leaves of katsuratree leaves in spring, the bright yellow of corylopsis (winter hazel) flowers bursting from the bud, the paired, pink-tinged leaf buds of hornbeam maple, the quercoid lobes of oakleaf hydrangea leaves birthing from the bud, and a sight from the Chatscape I had certainly never noticed and a reminder to look closely when you can, the strange trip of three-flowered maple leaf buds complete with dark leaf scales, what a revelation! The true voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes, but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust. B Jim Chatfield Ohio State University Extension Nursery Landscape and Turf Team chatfield.1@osu.edu onla.org
This page: (left column, top to bottom) Oakleaf hydrangea emerging Norway maple flowers and stipules in Smithville, Ohio A view through the windows of the Miller Pavilion at Secrest Arboretum on Arbor Day 2013. Over 1500 trees were lost right in this tornado alley during the Wooster Tornado of September 16, 2013. Thanks to many, including ONLA and the Ohio green industry more than were lost have now been planted. (center column, top to bottom) Katsura flowers in northeast Ohio Majestic beech and leaf buds grace northeast Ohio Red maple fruits Three-flowered maple leaf buds in northeast Ohio in late April (right column, top to bottom) Katsura leaves in northeast Ohio in April Corylopsis (member of the witch hazel family known as winter hazel) blooms at Secrest Arboretum in early April
This page: (left column, top to bottom) Buckeye leaves unfurl in mid-April in NYC Birches and clethra in New York City Serviceberry blooms against NYC multistoried garagebackground (center column, top to bottom) Ash flowers live on in Smithville Ohio, Springtime 2013 Another view of Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ Hornbeam maple (Acer carpinifolium) leaf buds (left column, top to bottom) Another view of NYC Buckeye leaves unfurling
36 The Buckeye
Magnolia stellata Royal Star at Chadwick Arboretum in April Sassafras and bigleaf magnolia bloom with view into NYC along High Line Another view of Norway maple flowers and stipules in Smithville Ohio onla.org
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Don’t miss out! Join these Ohio growers already on www.NurseryStockSelect.com A. Brown & Sons Nursery, Inc. Acorn Farms Arcola Creek Nursery Art Form Nurseries Ball Ornamentals Beardslee Nursery Bogue Farms Inc. Brotzman Nursery Dantzer Nursery Decker’s Nursery Deeter Nurseries DeMuth Nursery Dogwood Creek Nursery Double D Plant Ranch Eagle Creek Wholesale Ernest Scott, LLC Eddybrook Tree Farm Fairview Evergreen Nurseries, Inc. Fullmer’s Landscaping, Inc. Galehouse Tree Farm Gilson Gardens Herberts Pine Hollow Farm Herman Losely & Sons, Inc. Holly Ridge Nursery John B. Jacobs and Son Nurseries, Inc. Klyn Nurseries, Inc.
Lake County Nursery Melragon Landscape Nursery Millcreek Gardens Nancy’s Plant Farm Natorp’s North Branch Nursery, Inc. Pams Perennial Plant Farm, LLC Paradise Tree Farm Pickens Tree Farms Pine Crest Tree Farm R&J Farms, Inc. Roemer Nursery, Inc. Scarff’s Nursery, Inc. Scioto Gardens Smith Evergreen Nursery Smith’s Gardens, Inc. Springlake Nursery Studebaker Nurseries Sugargrove Tree Farm Sunbeam Gardens Inc Sunleaf Nursery, LLP The Siebenthaler Company Vizmeg Landscape Willoway Nurseries, Inc. Wright Nursery
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ONLA Membership: Plans For Success Exclusive Member Benefits Business Apparel - Land’s End
Trust Lands’ End Business Outfitters for all of your business clothing, uniform clothing, corporate gift and promotional product needs. 10% off full price retail and logo application fees.
Cell Phone Service - Sprint
ONLA members can receive a 12% discount on corporate Sprint wireless accounts, and an 8% discount on personal Sprint wireless accounts.
Credit Collection - Cash Flow Management (CFM)
With CFM, a trained collection specialist is assigned to bring in your past-due accounts before they fade away as bad debts.
Credit/Debit Card Processing - Merchant Services
ONLA members can take advantage of credit and debit card merchant service processing program through Merchant Services. Merchant Services brings electronic processing programs specifically designed to fit the needs of your business.
Energy Program - Growers Energy Solutions (GES)
Grower Energy Solutions (GES) helps manage an energy program designed to help save on your natural gas and electric bill by utilizing the strength of group buying. Average savings between 8 and 15%.
Federation of Employers & Workers of America
FEWA is an internationally recognized non-profit association which provides members with educational and informational services related to cultural and non-immigrant and immigrant labor management issues.
Fuel/Fleet Program - SuperFleet®
Office Supplies - Friends Business Source
Friends Business Source is a leader in providing office supplies and equipment with ONLA member discounts on over 35,000 products. Receive 30-55% off list price!
Online Safety Training- LS Training
LS Training offers 23 high-quality online videos; complete with online exams and field checklists to make your employees more efficient. Save 5% off the total invoiced price.
Payroll/Human Resource Services - Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP)
(ADP) offers a range of payroll, payroll tax, and human resources services to assist ONLA members with staffing, managing, paying, and retaining employees.
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% with the best coverage rates for your liability, fleet and equipment.
Safety Services - American Safety & Health Management Consultants, Inc./American Premier First Aid
Save up to $.05 per gallon on all fuel purchases at SuperFleet® (Speedway, Marathon and Rich Oil) locations with no minimum purchase required.
American Safety & Health Management Consultants, Inc. (ASH) fills the growing need for professional safety and health management services for companies of all sizes. Meet requirements and reduce costs using first aid products from American Premier First Aid, Inc.
Green Industry Networking
Shipping Solutions - PartnerShip
Attend educational and social events hosted by the ONLA and engage with fellow green industry professionals.
Health/Life/Income Insurance - TAH Benefits
The ONLA Group Benefit Programs has partnered with various health plans to offer a variety of plans with many optional benefits such as vision, dental, life, and disability.
Legislative Advocacy
Full-time lobbyist, Capitol Consulting Group, is employed by the ONLA to ensure green industry legislative involvement.
Long Distance/Local Telephone
First Communications provides full telecommunications services: long distance, data services, conference calling and toll free service.
Take control of your shipping costs and add profits to your bottom line. PartnerShip delivers effective discounted shipping services to small- and medium-sized businesses nationwide, save up to 20%.
Soil & Plant Tissue Testing/Ag Hort. Consulting Services - CLC LABS
Through CLC LABS, ONLA members receive various laboratory services at a 10% discount off list prices including testing of soil nutrients, soilless media, soil texture, fertilizer solution, plant tissue, irrigation water suitability and dry fertilizer analysis.
Workers’ Compensation - CareWorks Consultants, Inc. The ONLA Workers’ Compensation Group Rating Program has saved its members over $21.4 million in the last 12 years.
For more information on ONLA member savings visit onla.org or call 614.899.1195
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Safety First
Prevent Eye Injuries Proper eye protection can prevent serious injuries to your employees. According to Prevent Blindness America, more than 2,000 workers injure their eyes on the job every day, and 10-20 percent of those injuries cause temporary or permanent vision loss. Follow these guidelines so you and your employees don’t add to those statistics: • Take full precautions. The most common causes of eye injuries are: flying objects (bits of metal or glass), misuse of tools, particles, dust, chemicals, and harmful radiation. Identify workplace operations and areas that present eye hazards, and enforce safety programs requiring use of protective eyewear. Enforcing safety standards is easier if they’re applied consistently throughout the organization.
• Perennials • Herbs • Ornamental Grasses • Hardy Ferns
• Make sure employees have adequate eye protection. If they’re working in an area where flying objects or particles are present, they should at minimum wear safety glasses with side protection. Employees who work with chemicals should wear goggles. Close to hazardous radiation (welding, lasers, or fiber optics), workers need special-purpose safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or helmets designed for the task. Remember that if protective gear is ill-fitting and uncomfortable, workers will be more likely to discard it when you’re not looking. • Address vision protection in safety meetings. Include information on eye safety and preventing eye injuries in your regular safety and training discussions. To reinforce what workers
have learned, regularly review safety procedures and revise accidentprevention strategies as needed. • Educate your workforce on preventive measures. Display prevention strategies and safety warnings in work areas, break rooms, and cafeterias. Include copies of your policy in orientation materials. • Prepare for the worst. Set up eyewash stations where hazardous chemicals are used, train workers in basic first aid, and identify those workers who have more extensive knowledge of first-aid techniques. Distribute information on how to respond when an eye injury occurs. B
• Edibles • Stepables® • Peonies • Annuals • Vines
Premium Quality Container Plants
Prevent Eye Injuries
Millcreek Gardens LLC
15088 Smart Cole Road • Ostrander OH 43061 P (800) 948-1234 • F (877) 964-6446 www.mgohio.com • sales@mgohio.com
onla.org
May 2013 39
Green Industry Fix get your
ONLA Webinar Series
AONLAquick, affordable, convenient way to learn is pleased to once again offer a series of 50-minute webinars, in cooperation with OSU extension. These Series Schedule
8:00 a.m. - 8:50 a.m. May 8, 2013 June 12, 2013 July 10, 2013 August 14, 2013 September 11, 2013 October 9, 2013
educational webinars tell you WHAT you need to know, WHEN you need to know it. We will cover five ‘hot topics’ each webinar, which will be delivered to your computer on the second Wednesday of every month, May 8th through October 9th.
“What Will I Learn?”
Our webinars will cover topics that are prominent this year (ie: impatiens downy mildew), topics that continue to be of interest, and topics that will emerge throughout the growing season. It’s a short course class delivered to your office! Webinars are visual and will include many images of pests and plants. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions before and during the class. Speakers from the Ohio State University Extension Nursery, Landscape & Turf Team will be the hosts for the informative lessons. You will be given timely and useful information on current and emerging issues critical to your green industry business including: 1. Diseases 2. Insects 3. Plant Selection 4. Current Happenings 5. Q & A from the participants
40 The Buckeye
How it Works:
To get your company involved in these beneficial webinars, you can sign up online at www.onla.org. Registration is $50 and includes all six webinars. Registration is priced per computer; but you can have multiple people at each terminal. (System requirements are listed on the registration page.) After you’ve registered, you will receive instructions on how to access the webinar each month. The week of the webinar, you will receive an agenda of up-to-the-minute topics and you can submit questions before and during the class.
Subscribe Today!
Unable to attend any of the live webinars? All subscribers will receive a recording of each webinar to view at your convenience.
The webinar series is $50/computer (ONLA member rate) or $125 (non-member rate)
For additional information, contact ONLA at 800.825.5062 or register at onla.org onla.org
Feature
Play a key role in workplace success As a manager, your job is to get work done through other people. You don’t do it all yourself, but you also can’t sit in your office (or cubicle) shouting orders to your employees. It’s a team effort. Roll up your sleeves, and follow this advice: • Enlist your workforce in planning. A strategic plan can be a useful tool for achieving goals, but thrusting a plan on your employees won’t motivate them very well. Instead, sit down with your people, discuss the issues facing your organization and team, and work together on a road map that you can follow toward success. • Resist perfectionism. Employees who worry that they’ll be punished for mistakes won’t take chances or try very hard to achieve something new. Discourage sloppy work, but don’t
onla.org
expect instant results or 100 percent perfection right away. Tell workers you want their ideas, even in rough form, and work out the details as you go along. They’ll feel liberated when they realize they don’t have to defend themselves for expressing their creativity. • Take up the slack. No, you can’t be expected to do employees’ work for them, but don’t hold yourself above anything that needs to be done. Be willing to help employees and your organization in any capacity as long as it furthers your goals—and as long as you’re assisting, not doing the employee’s work yourself.
monitor progress and compliance, of course, but don’t stifle your employees by insisting on excessive documentation or constant check-ins. Focus on results—within reasonable guidelines—not on following a rigid path. • Celebrate progress. Don’t wait for the end of the quarter or the completion of a project to recognize employees for their efforts. Establish some milestones along the way so people can see and feel a sense of progress. They’ll be motivated to keep working hard when they see their goals grow closer. —Adapted from the VentureBeat website
• Simplify as much as you can. Red tape and bureaucracy are inefficient and demoralizing. You’ve got to
May 2013 41
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Feature
Advertisers’ Index
Farm Bill Funds Nursery Research USDA-APHIS recently announced the spending plan for section 10201 of the Farm Bill – funding intended to tackle pest and disease prevention and management issues impacting specialty crops. Through collaboration and advocacy efforts the American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) successfully highlighted the threats Boxwood Blight and Impatiens Downy Mildew pose to the industry and helped to guide over $1 million in research funds to address them. The $385,000 awarded to Impatiens Downy Mildew research efforts represents new funding and the first time that Farm Bill dollars will be provided to deal with this particular disease. The $660,000 given to two coordinated projects on Boxwood Blight is a continuation of the collaborative effort that began last year with $550,000 in Farm Bill support. According to Dr. Joe Bischoff, ANLA’s Director of Government Relations, “The nursery and greenhouse industry is a vital component of our nations agriculture, and these two pathogens are new challenges facing our growers and impacting two important crops.» Boxwood (Buxus spp.) and common impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) are cornerstone crops in the industry. Together these popular plants represent over $275 million in annual sales. Bischoff added, “For too long, specialty crops did not have access to the research support enjoyed by commodity crops but that is starting to change. It’s our job to make sure that the policymakers are aware of the importance of our industry and the crops we grow.” Specialty crops, which include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, floriculture, and nursery crops, make up almost half of all farm gate receipts. Nursery and greenhouse crops represent roughly one third of the value of all specialty crops. ANLA will continue to advocate for the foundational support needed to tackle emerging issues like boxwood blight, impatiens downy mildew, and whatever the next pest challenge may be. B
Acorn Farms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC acornfarms.com Boulders Direct. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 330.324.5336 Buckeye Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 buckeyeresources.com Decker’s Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 deckersnursery.com Ernst Seeds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 ernstseed.com Fairview Evergreen Nurseries. . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 fairviewevergreen.com Grayhawk Greenhouse Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . 32 grayhawkgreenhousesupply.com JRM Chemical Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 soilmoist.com Klyn Nurseries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 klynnurseries.com Medina Sod Farms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 medinasodfarms.com Miami Nursery Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 miaminurserycompany.com Millcreek Gardens, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 mgohio.com NurseryStockSelect.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 nurserystockselect.com Oberfield’s LLC .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 oberfields.com Ohio Mulch Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 ohiomulch.com
ONLA Classified Advertising: onla.org
The online classified service can be found on onla.org along with the complete postings. New ads will be added as soon as they are submitted to the ONLA. For more information, please contact the ONLA office at (614) 899-1195. The ONLA reserves the right to refuse ads. As we go to press, here are the ads posted on onla.org’s online Classified Section:
Help Wanted • Crew Leaders & Technicians Hemlock Landscapes, Inc., Chagrin Falls, Ohio • Independent Sales Representative/ Distributors Paygro- Division of Garick, Charleston, Ohio
• Landscape Crew Foreman Beining Nursery & Landscaping LLC, Cloverdale, Ohio • Landscape Designer/ Estimator Todd’s Enviroscapes, Louisville, Ohio
• Landscape Supervisor KGK Gardening & Design Corp., Hudson, Ohio For Sale • Vermeer Model TS32 Hydraulic Tree Spade Vogel’s Nursery, New Lebanon, Ohio
ONLA Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annuals Trial Open House. . . . . . . . . . . . 17 NGLCO/ONLA Summer Bus Tour. . . . . . . 21 Webinar Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 ONLA Publications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OBC onla.org Pickens Tree Farm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 pickenstreefarm.com Scarff’s Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 scarffs.com Spring Meadow Nursery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 colorchoiceplants.com Unilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC unilock.com
Ad Rates & Info Contact Jennifer Gray 614.899.1195 jennifergray@onla.org
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FIELDS OF JOY Field & Container Grown Trees: Shade, Ornamental, Evergreen and Specimens Field & Container Grown Shrubs: Deciduous and Evergreen
Perennials & Grasses Roses, Vines & Groundcovers Annuals & Seasonal Plants Complete Hardgoods Line Weekly Specials & Discounts
Acorn Farms offers you unmatched quality. Diverse selection. Knowledgeable sales assistance. Volume discounts. Convenient pick up location. Timely delivery.
Comprehensive Website
We keep you happy, your customers will be happy with you.
Flatbed or Shelved Delivery
See how easy it is to get more joy from your job. Visit us at Acorn Farms. 7679 Worthington Rd Galena, Ohio 43021 614.891.9348 800.340.9348 ďż˝
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Increase Spring Sales With ONLA Tools!
SUGGESTED USES: RESELL IN YOUR STORE SUPPLEMENT YOUR CATALOG LEAVE BEHIND WITH A PROPOSAL STAFF TRAINING
Visit onla.org or call 614.899.1195 to order your spring publications
Choose the ONLA publication that suits your sales needs!