Pro Grow New Winter 2021 issue

pro grow news FALL 2021

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Creative Recycling Effects of Cold on Landscape Plants

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pro grow news Fall 2021

contents Features

8

Members Enjoy MNLA Live

14 Creative Recycling 16 Effects of Cold on Landscape Plants

24

Safety Sense: Fall Hazards

Departments

5 President’s Message

6 Government Relations Director 30

Ad Index

On the cover — A lovely poinsettia display at Weston Nurseries.

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pro grow news Fall 2021

committees

board PRESIDENT Peter Mezitt, MCH Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 435-3414 VICE PRESIDENT Chris O’Brien, MCH Howard Designs, Inc. Tel: (617) 244-7269 SECRETARY/TREASURER

Kerry Preston, MCH Wisteria & Rose, Inc. (617) 522-3843 PAST PRESIDENT Tim Hay, MCH Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 845-2143 DIRECTORS Deborah Trickett, MCH The Captured Garden

EDUCATION & RESEARCH COMMITTEE Deborah Trickett, MCH — Board Liaison The Captured Gardens (781) 329-9698

FINANCIAL COMMITTEE (FINCOM)

Steve Corrigan, MCH — Chair Mountain View Landscapes & Lawncare, Inc. Tel: (413) 536-7555 Chuck Baker, MCH — Vice Chair Strictly Pruning Tel: (508) 429-7189 GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE Chris O’Brien, MCH — Chair Howard Designs, Inc. Tel: (617) 244-7269 HISTORY COMMITTEE Philip Boucher, MCH — Chair Elysian Garden Designs Tel: (508) 695-9630

Steve Charette Farm Family Insurance Family Skott Rebello, MCH — Vice Chair Harborside P.S. David Vetelino, MCH Tel: (508) 994-9208 Vetelino Landscape, Inc

MASSACHUSETTS CERTIFIED HORTICULTURIST BOARD (MCH) Jack Elicone, MCH — Chair John R. Elicone Consulting Tel: (617) 527-5706 Corinne Jean, MCH — Vice Chair Wisteria & Rose (617) 522-3843 PRODUCTS COMMITTEE Peter Mezitt, MCH — ­­ Chair Weston Nurseries, Inc. Tel: (508) 435-3414 GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR Jason Wentworth Tel: (617) 417-4050 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Rena M. Sumner Tel: (413) 369-4731

Jean Dooley, MCH Mahoney’s Garden Centers David Anderson Mayer Tree Service

pro grow news Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association P.O. Box 387 Conway, MA 01341 mnlaoffice@aol.com www.mnla.com www.PlantSomethingMA.org www.mnlafoundation.org

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ProGrowNews is published quarterly by the Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association (MNLA), P.O. Box 387, Conway, MA 01341, tel. (413) 369-4731.

Articles do not necessarily reflect the view or position of MNLA. Editorial coverage or permission to advertise does not constitute endorsement of the company covered or of an advertiser’s products or services, nor does ProGrowNews make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of the advertiser’s offer. (c) 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in print or electronically without the express written permission of the MNLA.

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President’s Message

Reflecting and Looking Ahead ByPeter Mezitt, MCH

L

ooking back over the past few months, it was great to see members come together again at Plant Geek Day in Beverly and at the MNLA Live Event in Hopkinton.

These two events were very well-attended and were great opportunities to reunite with people we haven’t seen in a while. It is remarkable how much we have in common and the amount of information we have to share. Thank you to everyone who attended and to our wonderful sponsors who helped support MNLA. For those of you who couldn’t make it, we hope to see you at upcoming events.

Looking ahead, the board is excited about our plans for the winter months. MNLA will continue to offer remote learning opportunities through the Virtual Forum Portal, but we are also planning to hold the live events that we typically enjoy including our Annual Winter Forum and Trade Show in February. Be assured there will be a lot of opportunities to learn and connect with industry peers in 2022. We will be sure to send out updates as things develop.

Speaking of 2022, I am sure we are all curious about what next year will bring. While demand seems to be tempering a bit in the second half of the year, it really has been two strong years for our industry. Supply and labor shortages seem to be the biggest challenges to most of us. As a buyer of green goods, I can tell you that the shortages on trees and shrubs with a longer growing cycle look to be getting worse while supplies of shrubs, perennials, and annuals with a shorter growing cycle look to be OK. What we are experiencing here is happening throughout the country. On a recent buying trip to Oregon, I was not

Fall|2021

surprised to experience a seller’s market with very few items available from the growers, higher prices, and higher expected shipping costs for next year. I was surprised to learn that unlike in previous periods of high demand, nurseries are generally not able to expand and grow more plants to meet the higher demand. The main reasons for this lack of expansion are not enough labor to do the work and the high cost of land and materials. I believe this is the case around the country and not just isolated to the Northwest region. You would think that with the stimulus programs ending, we would see more people coming back to work. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be the case and there are not enough people to fill the need.

So when we have a limited supply with high costs of materials and labor to do the work, we see inflation. It looks like most growers are raising prices next year and rightfully so. Therefore, we will all be faced with raising our prices as well. But how much will the customers be willing to pay for our products and services?

I think we don’t really know the answer to that question, but I do think we are all expecting to pay more for things we buy, whether it be food, gas, clothes, etc., and consumers will be expecting to see higher prices from garden centers and landscaping services, as well.

For a start, let’s see how it goes with Christmas trees!

I hope everyone has a great holiday season.

Sincerely, Peter Mezitt, MCH Weston Nurseries, Inc. MNLA President

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5

Committee Reports

Government Relations Update Finding the New Normal

by Jason Wentworth

D

espite the fact that the Massachusetts State House remains closed to public access, government seems to be close to achieving its usual, sometimes inexplicable pace. News trickles here and there and, whether it’s committee hearings or announcements regarding the “recovery budget,” there’s no shortage of activity. This activity doesn’t make me worried. The Legislature generally works in a deliberative fashion, allowing for many hands and many eyes to have at it. What concerns me more are the conversations we are not privy to — discussions of matters that could have a grave impact on our industry.

Such has been the case with some on the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) who, after being tasked via working group with developing policies toward the burgeoning cannabis industry, have insisted upon pushing regulations regarding “indoor agriculture.” We were

first apprised of this exceeding of their mandate in 2019 and have been fighting to have some kind of more formal say in the matter. Some members of this working group see no distinction between commercial greenhouses and the industrial production facilities utilized in the cannabis industry, and would like to regulate ALL indoor agriculture in the same manner of industrial manufacturing.

You don’t need to use your imagination long to know that this is a bad idea for our industry and for Massachusetts agriculture. Thankfully, our concerns have finally brought us to a more formal meeting (to be held on December 9), where MNLA leaders will fight for our sector and common sense, once more.

Jason Wentworth, Peacefield Strategies MNLA Government Relations Director

March 2 & 3, 2022—Winter education at its finest!

Education Innovation Networking Inspiration

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Join MNLA for two days of education and exhibits as you learn from the finest in the industry and prepare for a successful spring! Our education is designed to raise your professionalism and profits. Together for two days are educators, speakers, authors, professionals and industry leaders.

Connections

Save the date and don’t miss this great winter opportunity!

Certification

Visit mnla.com/wf2022 for the most up-to-date information.

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The Best Plans Deserve the Best Landscaping Products

40 Frankland Road, Hopkinton 3 River Street, Middleborough 160 Pine Hill Road, Chelmsford 1099 Main Street, Hingham commsales@westonnurseries.com westonwholesale.com Fall|2021

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Members Enjoy

By Rena Sumner

E

arly this fall, MNLA began a new program. It was a purely social event, created by the MNLA Board of Directors to provide MNLA members an opportunity to mix and mingle, catch up on business and life, and generally spend time with each other. After careful deliberation, Start Line Brewing in Hopkinton was selected for this inaugural event.

The event drew a beyond expectation crowd and attendees were treated to a commemorative glass marking our inaugural event, laughs during our cut-throat live auction, tactical competition on the silent auctions, great food & drinks, and the enjoyment of the camaraderie of having a live event celebrating our association and industry.

Suddenly the evening took an unexpected turn (unexpected for me). Under the cover of darkness and with great stealth, the MNLA Board of Directors had planned a special recognition celebrating my anniversary of 25 years plus as MNLA’s executive director. The event also had some very special guests attending, including Representative Carolyn Dykema, and Commissioner John Lebeaux and of course the “in on the secret” many MNLA past-presidents and long- time members.

I am still absolutely stunned by the thoughtfulness that went into this clandestine undertaking and thank you all for your generosity.

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By Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD

T

he earth used to have room for everything and everyone, but now we’re running out of space for landfills and no one wants hazardous waste disposal sites near them. The oceans are full of pollutants and trash — so much so that fish die because they swallow plastic bags. As landscape designers, we have little control over any of these problems but, as individuals, we can participate in programs that recycle paper, metal, glass, and plastic. If your community doesn’t have a recycling program, I urge you to talk to your local council to try to initiate one.

As landscape designers, we should be using our creativity to keep as many products as possible out of landfills. I will give you a personal example. When he was six, we purchased a blue enamel-coated steel bunk bed for our youngest son. Once he went off to college, we would only see him on holidays but, of course, we kept his room for him. When he turned thirty-six, I decided to appropriate his bedroom as my office since it was twice as large as the cubicle I had been using. We moved the

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bunk bed into my former office, turning it into a guest room.

We finally dismantled the bed, which had seen better days, a year ago. We gave away the springs (which I now regret — more on that later) and the mattresses, but I kept the long round bars that were the base for the mattresses. At the time, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with them, but I was determined not to put them in a landfill.

At the APLD conference in Cleveland, one of the gardens we saw had a “mishmosh” wall. Mishmosh is a Jewish soup that consists of chicken broth, matzo balls, kreplach, rice, and noodles. The term, however, can be used to mean a little of this, a little of that. The mishmosh wall consisted of concrete, brick, and stone boulders of varying sizes. The wall retains the soil beside a set of winding concrete steps.

Reuse and Recycle A few months later, as I was driving (that’s when inspiration often comes to me), I envisioned the bars as upright poles spaced

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out along the side-yard path. I’ve wanted an arbor there for quite a while. It still isn’t built, but the poles act as an inducement to follow the path. I still play with the idea of having wrought-iron arches constructed that will attach to the fence on one side and to the blue poles on the other.

Only after I had disposed of the springs, did I realize that I could have used them vertically as trellises or horizontally as a low fence for a client who loves to recycle materials as an inexpensive alternative.

When I was in Dallas for an APLD conference, I saw

some amazing reuses of discarded material. We visited the compound of Robert Bellamy, a local designer and artist who has an incredible talent for conceiving new uses for old materials. There were several different walls. One was composed of seven sets of huge, rectangular, old iron panels that were set horizontally on top of each other in twos to achieve a height of approximately six feet. The panels were then painted with blue and pink washes.

Left of this visually lovely but opaque wall was a set of old wrought iron fences set at angles to achieve height while still

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as mulch in some of his containers.

On a sloped path through a woodland garden, stone slabs used as widely spaced steps with bark mulch between them were accented at alternating sides with former stone eave brackets that were probably found in an architectural salvage yard.

I hope I’ve given you some food for thought. I know that all of you can find other ways to creatively reuse and recycle materials that would otherwise be thrown away.

allowing glimpses of the interior gardens. Around the corner at the top of the driveway was a set of metal industrial gates on rollers that did not allow any peeking, and to their left was a wall of Arundo donax that is probably evergreen all year around in that climate.

Everywhere you looked in the compound, there was another example of recycled materials. Steps were created using concrete edging as risers and gravel as the treads. Old metal tubs and troughs, probably formerly used on farms, had been recycled as containers. Old, imperfect, large concrete urns were overturned and used as pedestals for other containers.

As an artist, he used broken ceramics to create mosaic columns, tabletops, fireplaces, containers, and patio insets. A wooden table with an inlaid tile mosaic circle was surrounded by old metal chairs that had been painted to match one of the colors in the mosaic. Broken pieces of colored glass were used

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Effects of Cold On Landscape Plants

By Ron Kujawski

S

ome New England winters are characterized by relatively mild temperatures, or at least by a lack of extreme cold. It is also not uncommon, however, for temperatures to dip to near record-breaking levels.

Following periods of extreme cold, many in the green industry ask about the impact such temperatures may have on plant materials in the landscape. That kind of question is always difficult to answer with any certainty, as there are just too many variables to be definitive.

Cold injury varies with plant species, age, general vigor of the plant, and site and soil characteristics. Still, a review of potential damage to trees and shrubs may be beneficial to those in the field. Keep in mind that much of the damage will not become apparent until spring when new growth begins. By then, many people will have forgotten about a cold snap, especially during a mild spring, and may not relate the visible damage in spring to the extreme events of winter.

Before proceeding with a discussion of potential cold injury, some factors may be eliminated. First, if the weather conditions of the previous fall favored proper hardening of plants, it is much less likely that cold injury would have occurred in mid-winter because plants were not properly hardened. When a warm period occurs prior to the onset of frigid weather, however, there is increased potential that physiological changes in plants could result in a reduction of hardiness. It is also unlikely that the cold could have much if any impact on native plant materials in their natural habitats.

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Native Plants The geographic range of native plants is determined by extreme temperatures and not by average temperatures.

Having said that, it is entirely possible that native species that have been planted in urban or suburban landscapes where soils and environmental factors are vastly different from their normal habitat could experience cold injury due to stresses on the plants imposed by these exotic habitats.

Most woody ornamental species used in Massachusetts landscapes are non-native species.

Nursery operators and landscape contractors rely on hardiness ratings to determine the potential survivability of each species in particular regions of the state. The ratings are usually based on field trials of the species in USDA-defined hardiness zones. Hardiness zones are determined by average low temperatures for a given region of the country, and not by extreme low temperatures. As such, planting a species rated hardy to Zone 6 in a Zone 6 area does not guarantee survival when the plant is exposed to extreme temperatures. Those species that are marginally hardy to a particular zone are especially vulnerable to cold injury. Keep that in mind when assessing plant problems in the spring.

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feeder roots, which are typically closest to the surface. The amount of damage will depend upon many factors: root hardiness, general depth of rooting for the species, soil texture (most root kill in response to cold seems to occur in sandy soils rather than clay soils), and the presence or absence of mulch. It should be noted that death of feeder roots during winter is not unusual.

Kozlowski and Pallardy (Physiology of Woody Plants, 1997,Academic Press) state: “The greatest mortality of small roots occurs during the cold months.”

Therefore, the question is not whether roots have been killed but to what extent they have been killed. The answer is normally apparent in spring.

While roots of plants in the landscape are afforded some protection against low temperatures by the surrounding soil, the roots of plants in above-ground planters or containers are much less protected. All of the roots within the container are subject to direct injury or death from the cold.

It may be that the greatest damage to roots will happen as a result of frost heaves. The lifting of soil that occurs when it freezes can break apart roots.

Unmulched fall-planted trees and shrubs are most susceptible to injury from frost heaves because of the absence of extensive anchoring roots.

The amount of injury to aboveground parts of plants in direct response to low temperatures is as uncertain as is the amount of damage to roots. As with roots, shoot injury will not usually become apparent until spring.

Cold Injuries One type of cold injury that is most certain is the killing of flower buds on trees and shrubs that are marginally hardy. Flower buds are typically less hardy than leaf buds. It has often been stated that the flower buds of Forsythia and peaches are prone to winter kill when temperatures drop to minus 15° F. The precision of that temperature threshold can be argued, especially when one considers cultivars and site factors.

Buds are not the only structures where differences in hardiness exist. In mid-winter, living xylem tissue tends to be less hardy than cambium and phloem

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tissue. It is xylem in smaller branches that is most prone to damage from low temperatures.

If such damage has occurred, affected branches will be slow to leaf and/or flower in spring, or they may die. The xylem of cold-damaged branches will appear to be black or darkened.

Cold injuries such as sun scald and frost cracks often occur in response to sudden and wide fluctuations in the temperature of the wood. This typically takes place on cold days when the sun warms the sunny side of the trunk to a temperature above freezing, causing some expansion of the wood. According to Harris (Arboriculture, 1992 Regents/ Prentice Hall Publishing), the temperature of wood may differ by as much as 18° F from the air temperature on sunny days. For expansion of wood to take place due to warming, the temperature of the wood would have to rise to above freezing. If the temperatures during a cold spell remain far below freezing throughout the period, then warming and expansion of wood on sunny days may not be widespread. Nevertheless, such injury could occur and practitioners should examine the trunks and branches of woody plants for sun scald and frost cracks each spring.

Assessing Winter Injury Because of limited root growth, it is not unusual to see newly planted specimens die after a brutal winter. In the worst years, longestablished plants may die, including some native species. In most cases, species that marginally hardy experience the most losses.

Winter damage usually does not become apparent until spring, when growth normally resumes. Typically, winter damaged plants are slow to initiate growth and may show distorted growth, death of leaf and flower buds, or dieback of shoots and branches. In more challenging years, the plant species that have been damaged are often remarkably consistent across Massachusetts and the region.

Below is a list of plants widely observed to have died in the last several years as a consequence of winter damage or have had significant winter injury (brown foliage, branch dieback, etc This list is compiled from observations by the Landscape, Nursery, and Urban Forestry team of UMass Extension: www.mnla.com

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• • • • • • •

Arborvitae Boxwood Burning bush Butterfly bush Heathers Heaths Ilex (crenata, opaca, glabra, meserve) Juniper Lavender Leyland cypress Microbiota Oakleaf hydrangea Perennials: many species, especially silver and gray leaf species such as Artemisia and Achillea Rhododendrons roses will not be true to variety.

Roses: note that new shoots can • Yew appear at the base of some heavily damaged roses. On grafted roses, these shoots can often be Treating Injured Plants seen to originate from the root- The options for dealing with severely stock. Therefore, the resulting injured plants are limited. Basically, care

• • • • • • • •

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pruning, the shoot-to-root balance shifts to the roots. Food reserves in roots — assuming there are ample roots that have not been winter killed — should support new growth in the remaining living parts of the shoot system. Addition of fertilizer will not influence the transport of food reserves to growing points on the shoot system.

The impact of winter events on the subsequent health and survival of woody plants is difficult to predict prior to spring growth.

However, those events and the possible kinds of damage that they could cause to plants should be kept in mind when evaluating plant growth or death in spring.

Ron Kujawski spent his formative years working on the family onion farm in Florida, New York. He went on to earn his BS, MS, and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the State University of New York at Albany. After five years of developing and directing the environmental studies program at Simon’s Rock College in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, he moved on to the University of Massachusetts as extension educator in the

Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program. Now retired, Ron continues to work part time for UMass Extension and as a horticultural consultant, writer, and lecturer when he is not tending his vegetable garden. He and his daughter, Jennifer, co-authored Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook, published by Storey Publishing.

Note: The UMass Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment is the home of UMass Extension and the Massachusetts Agriculture Experiment Station.

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23

Safety Sense

Fall Hazards

By Deborah Swanson

I

n the autumn, many gardeners and homeowners are gearing up for winter by pruning trees and shrubs, cleaning gutters of plant debris, etc., and many of these activities require the use of a ladder.

Many people think nothing of getting on a ladder or roof to prune a tree without taking the necessary safety precautions — not realizing or even thinking about the possibility of what might happen.

I was taken aback recently after hearing two cautionary tales about gardeners who had suffered horrific accidents while pruning. One slid off a roof after pruning overhanging branches; the other had fallen off a ladder while pruning. Both suffered broken bones and lengthy recuperations and were lucky to be alive. Both had undertaken their pruning alone and had difficulty reaching a phone to call 911. One of the gardeners faced the possibility of a life-threatening infection due to the amount of dirt and plant debris that had entered

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the wound from the fall off the roof and subsequent crawling around the yard to enter the house to call for help.

Evaluating trees that are hazardous or may have deadwood or branches that are overhanging roofs, gutters, and utility lines is a good thing, especially when we look back to the amounts of snow, ice, and wind that have occurred over the past few winters and the high winds and rain from recent summer storms. The damage to trees from those storms, and the subsequent damage to property and loss of power, justifies and reinforces the need to be proactive in removing hazard trees, branches, etc. and to develop a plan to do so.

When it comes to pruning trees, Dr. Dennis Ryan, UMass, says, “Safety first. Everyone thinks that they will not be the victim of a pruning accident. Unfortunately, many people have been proven wrong.” In the September 2010 issue of Hort Notes, Dr. Ryan reported that “The U.S. Consumer Product

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Safety Commission records more than 164,000 emergency room treated injuries in the United States relating to ladders.” Dr. Ryan feels so strongly about the possibility of crippling accidents or deaths resulting from the unwise decision to prune a tree from a roof or ladder, that he offers the following advice: “If when pruning a tree, you feel the need to lift the second foot off the ground, it is then time to call in a Massachusetts Certified Arborist (MCA), who has compensation and liability insurance.”

According to Dr. Ryan, “Many people do not realize that they may be held liable if someone is injured on their property while performing work like pruning trees.” That is why when removing large branches or dead trees, it is important that the work is done by someone who is experienced, follows safety procedures, uses safety equipment, and carries the proper insurance.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offers the following safety precautions to help prevent these injuries: • •

• •

Make sure the weight your ladder is supporting does not exceed its maximum load rating (user plus materials).

There should only be one person on the ladder at a time.

Use a ladder that is the proper length for the job. Proper length is a minimum of 3 feet extending over the roof line or working surface. The three top rungs of a straight, single, or extension ladder should not be stood on.

Straight, single, or extension ladders should be set up at about a 75-degree angle.

All metal ladders should have slip-resistant feet.

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Safety Sense • Metal ladders will conduct electricity.

Use a wooden or fiberglass ladder in the vicinity of power lines or electrical equipment. Do not let a ladder made from any material contact live electric wires.

• Be sure all locks on extension ladders are properly engaged.

• The ground under the ladder should be level and firm. Large flat wooden boards braced under the ladder can level a ladder on uneven ground or soft ground.

• A good practice is to have a helper hold the bottom of the ladder.

• Do not place a ladder in front of a door that is not locked, blocked, or guarded.

• Keep your body centered between the rails of the ladder at all times. Do not lean too far to the side while working.

• Do not use a ladder for any purpose other than that for which it was intended.

• Do not step on the top step or bucket shelf or attempt to climb or stand on the rear section of a stepladder.

• Never leave a raised ladder unattended.

• Follow use instruction labels on ladders.

Besides ladder safety, another good practice when doing fall cleanups, especially if doing them alone, is to carry a phone. Not all aspects of fall cleanups pose threats to life and limb, but it is best to be prepared. Fall is a great time of year to be out in the landscape, so enjoy it and make wise decisions to avoid accidents.

Deborah Swanson retired from Plymouth County/UMass Extension, where she served as an extension specialist for over 34 years and was an educator with UMass Extension for 40 years, starting her career at the Waltham Field Station. She also served as director of the Plymouth County Cooperative Extension. Deborah’s expertise in perennials and woody ornamentals is highly regarded, and she now looks forward to continuing her contributions to the landscape message while enjoying more time in her own gardens.

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Advertiser Index

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29

Plant for Success

Common Witch Hazel

By Ellen Menounos, MCH Why This Plant Shines Common witch hazel manages to be something different and something common at the same time. It’s a shrub or understory tree that grows all the way from Florida to Maine, pushing west to Texas and the Great Lakes region. This is a huge range, which bodes well for this plant’s adaptability in a changing climate.

This witch-hazel sets itself apart by flowering in late fall. This is the same plant used to create the astringent sold at drug stores.

The witch hazel growth habit is open and somewhat irregular, so it fits in well in a naturalistic setting. Use it in a mixed hedgerow or border when the planting bed is at least 8–10 ft. deep. This plant needs little to no pruning. It looks nice among evergreens and makes a bold statement paired with oakleaf hydrangea or evergreen hollies.

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Facts and Features Botanical Name: Hamamelis virginiana Common Name: Commomn witch hazel Type: Deciduous shrub Exposure: Sun to part shade Fall Color: Yellow-gold Size: 15–20’ x same Growth Rate: Moderate Soil: pH adaptable, but not necessarily tolerant of high pH Moisture: Prefers moist-to-moderate, but tolerant of dry and city conditions Ellen Menounos is a programs associate at Grow Native Massachusetts.

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