May/June TNLA Green Magazine

M AY/JUN E 20 1 7

Forging Forward STA RTING ON PAG E 6

ICE Is Coming for Undocumented Workers – How to Prevent Corporate Frostbite PAGE 14

The Sky’s the Limit with Drones PAGE 18

A Labyrinth is Not a Maze page 27 CEU Quiz page 35

Official Publication of the

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6 Forging Forward with TNLA

TNLA is working hard to achieve the five year goals that were set last year. Find out how we’re doing on forging forward!

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14 ICE Is Coming For Undocumented Workers – How To Prevent Corporate Frostbite Is your business ready for the new regulations and enforcement policies that are being rolled out? by Michael Kelsheimer

18 Drones in the Green Industry

Drones are making waves in the Texas Green Industry!

Learn about their applications from a leading expert.

by James Robbins and Mengmeng Gu

X 18

25 GreenVi$ion

by Mengmeng Gu, PhD What’s the Buzz About Bees?

27 Notes from SFA Gardens

by David Creech

A Labyrinth is Not a Maze

31 Bugs & Fuzz

by Dr. Kevin Ong What Happened To The Cypresses, Cedars And Junipers?

35 36 36 37 38

CEU Quiz New Members New Certified Professionals Calendar of Events Advertiser Index

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7730 South IH-35 | Austin, TX 78745-6698 | (512) 280-5182 or (800) 880-0343 fax: (512) 280-3012 | email: info@tnlaonline.org | www.tnlaonline.org M A Y/ J U N E 2 0 1 7

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TNL A Green

The official publication of the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association May/June | Vol. 19 No. 3 OFFICERS Chairman of the Board. . . .

Chairman-Elect. . . .

Immediate Past Chairman. . . .

President. . . .

Billy Long, TCLP, San Antonio Bill Carson, Austin Johnette Taylor, Dallas Amy Graham, Austin

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Region I. . . .

Region II. . . .

Region III. . . .

Region IV. . . .

Region V. . . .

Region VI. . . .

Region VII. . . .

Region VIII. . . .

Supplier Director. . . .

Landscape Director. . . .

Grower Director. . . .

Retail Director. . . .

Kevin Grossberndt, San Antonio Jay Williams, League City Herman Vess, TMCNP, Edgewood Jason Craven, Dallas Mike Whisenand, Fort Worth Steven Akers, Slaton Todd Kinney, TMCNP, Donna Jared Pyka, Austin Tim Little, Dallas Scotty Rigsby, TCLP, Midlothian Kevin Norris, Coppell Joshua Bracken, TMCNP, Dallas

A Video Message from Amy Graham, TNLA President

TNL A STAFF President/CEO. . . .

Director of Finance. . . .

Accounting Assistant. . . .

Director, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs. . . .

Director, Industry Education and Certifications. . . .

Administrative Assistant, Strategic Initiatives. . . .

Director, TNLA & EXPO Marketing/ Communications . . .

Director, Expo Exhibits and Membership. . . .

Business Development/Sales Executive. . . .

Administrative Assistant, EXPO . . .

Office Operations Assistant. . . .

Region Field Manager. . . .

Communications Specialist. . . .

Sales Specialist. . . .

Amy Graham Cheryl Staritz Aimee Luna Jeff Stokes James Theiss, TCLP, TCWSP, Certified Arborist Debra Allen Sarah Riggins ,CEM Amy Prenger, CEM Mike Yelverton , TCNP & TCWSP Trevor Peevey Nancy E. Sollohub Nathan Flint Molly Wallace Mark Studer

MI SSIO N STAT E M E N T

MAGAZINE STAFF

The Texas Nursery & Landscape Association’s mission is to enhance members’ business success through legislative/ regulatory advocacy, education, networking, and promotion of professionalism.

Editor. . . . Molly Wallace Graphic Designer. . . . Marie Leonard Ad Sales. . . . Mark Studer

TNLA Green magazine is a member service of the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association, and is published bi-monthly. Advertising information is available from TNLA, 7730 South IH 35, Austin, Texas 78745, online at www.tnlaonline.org, or by calling (800) 880-0343. TNLA office hours are weekdays, 8:30AM - 4:30PM CST. © 2017 Texas Nursery & Landscape Association

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Forging Forward with TNLA “TWO YEARS AGO, TNLA PUSHED THE RESET BUTTON,” SAID TNLA BOARD CHAIRMAN BILLY LONG, REFLECTING ON THE LAST YEAR, “TODAY IT’S EASIER THAN EVER BEFORE TO BE INVOLVED AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP.”

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n 2016, TNLA turned to the future. Five year goals were crafted, rebranding efforts were launched and the changing needs of Members were reconsidered. The goal was to make Membership more meaningful, more valuable, more useful to businesses in the Texas Green Industry. 2017 has arrived, and we want to share what we’ve accomplished and what we are striving to do better this year.

In 2016, we outlined three goals to be accomplished by February 2021.

These goals were created using our Vision Statement which reads, “To be the essential resource providing the framework and foresight for the success of our Members, as well as the foremost authority on issues that impact the Texas Green Industry,” as a guide.

We hope that you’ve noticed some of the changes happening at TNLA over the last year and that you’ve been able to take advantage of your Member benefits more easily because of them. We’re looking forward to collaborating with our Members to continue working to achieve these goals over the next four years! For now, here’s an overview of the steps we took toward achieving those goals over the last year. TNLA looks forward to partnering with you as we all forge ahead into the bright future.

Five Year Goals: 1.

TNLA WILL BE A UNIFIED ASSOCIATION

BY CHANGING ITS GOVERNANCE TO BE STATE DIRECTED.

2.

TNLA’S ACTIONS WILL CULTIVATE MEMBERS, INCREASE PARTICIPATION, COLLABORATION AND FOSTER FUTURE LEADERS FROM OUR MEMBERS.

3.

TNLA WILL BUILD A RESOURCE FRAMEWORK (ESSENTIAL TOOLS) THAT WILL BENEFIT ALL MEMBERS AND ESTABLISH TNLA AS THE FOREMOST AUTHORITY ON GREEN INDUSTRY ISSUES. (continued on page 9) M A Y/ J U N E 2 0 1 7

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The first step in becoming more unified as an Association was an aesthetic one.

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his year TNLA underwent a rebranding effort. A refreshed, modern logo was created, a color palette was chosen and an official font was selected. Although these changes were purely superficial, the Association hopes they will serve as a visual reminder that this is a new era, with changes being made to better serve Member businesses.

TNLA Will Be A Unified Association By Changing Its Governance To Be State Directed.

In order to become fully unified by 2020, the Association wanted, and needed, to cultivate closer relationships with Member businesses across the State. In order to do this the TNLA Board of Directors, as well as TNLA Staff, began traveling more often. By visiting Members on location, attending TNLA Region Meetings and developing relationships with other organizations Members regularly interact with the Association hoped to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing Green Industry businesses.

Although this is a goal that will require continued effort and further changes, the Association remains committed to its goal of unification.

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Cultivating Members is essential to TNLA because we provide a stronger front by working together.

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NLA has begun looking forward with the future of the industry in mind when developing every event, program and opportunity the Association offers. Efforts are focused on opportunities that address critical areas needed to develop the Texas horticultural industry, Member businesses and students.

The future success of Member businesses is at the forefront of all Association strategies. Last year, TNLA restructured programs to ensure that every offering actively serves that purpose. The Texas Excellence in Landscaping (TEIL) Award program is one example of a program restructured last year. A Member Task Force was formed to evaluate the TEIL program to see how it could be made more effective. Significant changes were suggested, and made, to allow Members to better utilize the program, including the addition of new categories such as Unique Features, Design and Special Project. The changes have allowed more landscaping firms to participate in the program, and allowed the firms to better utilize the awards as powerful marketing and sales tools. In addition to revamping old programs, TNLA has focused on creating powerful, new programs.

TNLA’s Actions Will Cultivate M Collaboration And Foster Futu re

One of the programs developed last year was the Landscape Challenge at the Stock Show & San Antonio Rodeo. Teams of students created plans and installed landscapes that were then scored. The winning teams received scholarship funds to help them pursue careers within the industry. This allowed students to connect with the Association, the industry and Members, in a new way.

This is just one of the new programs 10

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cultivating student interest to work in the industry, help students develop strong skills and connect students to employers.

From managing scholarship programs to helping students enter and complete horticultural education programs, to posting student resumes on the TNLA Job Bank to help them find their first job in the industry, TNLA is reaching out to help students find their future.

The Association hopes to help more than just students find their way in the Green Industry. One of the greatest barriers to success for Members is finding enough exceptional employees. TNLA has begun partnerships with AmVets, Texas Can Academies and State prisons to help prepare more individuals to become successful, educated employees, and leaders in the industry.

te Members, Increase Participation, tu re Leaders From Our Members.

Although bringing new talent to the Green Industry is a focus, the Association recognizes that there are exceptional people working in it already. TNLA has been developing specialized events, and programs, that help employees of Member companies to truly find their niche in the Texas Green Industry. From the Certified Professionals Reception and the Women in Horticulture Get Together at Nursery/Landscape EXPO to growers’ tours to the Leader List, TNLA strives to connect Members to the things they care about the most.

This allows Members to make powerful connections with key people in key positions throughout the Green Industry and become leaders themselves.

Long strides have been made towards cultivating Members, increasing participation and cultivating future leaders by 2020, but the Association is continuing its efforts to expand and enhance its programming in order to strengthen the future of the industry and Members. (continued on page 13)

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For the first time, the TNLA Board of Directors visited the Texas Tech University horticultural research facilities and developed valuable contacts. TNLA received its second Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Partnership Award in recognition of the “new endeavors to educate green industry growers, retailers, service providers, consumers, and students�.

The Association also continued to work with the International Society of Arboriculture, the American Society of Landscape Architects and Texas Water Smart.

TNLA Will Build A Resource Framework (Essential Tools) That Will Benefit All Members And Establish TNLA As The Foremost Authority On Green Industry Issues.

In order to become an essential resource to all Members, TNLA has prioritized partnerships.

S

pecial efforts were made to forge new, and strengthen existing, partnerships allowing Members to tap into more resources.

The most important partnership TNLA has is its partnership with Members. This year, TNLA overhauled its website to make Membership benefits and resources easy to access. Members can now easily find upcoming Green Industry events across the State of Texas, read current and past issues of TNLA Green Magazine, find information on Member discounts and endorsed service providers, post job openings and browse resumes, watch hundreds of Webinars and much more.

This has been an exciting, and transformative, year for the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association.

By partnering together, we can build a strong and sustainable industry.

Continue with us on the journey as we forge forward!

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ICE Is Coming For Undocumented Workers How To Prevent Corporate Frostbite WHATEVER YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS, UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS AND THE BUSINESSES THAT KNOWINGLY OR UNKNOWINGLY EMPLOY THEM ARE COMING UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.

BY MICHAEL KELSHEIMER, GRAY REED & MCGRAW LLP

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f you compile recent headlines, you’ll know the President has implemented two immigration bans, is challenging so-called “Sanctuary Cities� that do not help Federal immigration enforcement, has instructed government agencies to become more aggressive in enforcement of immigration laws, and is already reviewing proposals to strengthen the border wall. On top of this, the E-Verify program for verifying worker status is likely to become mandatory.

Further, employers who try to do it right by using the H-2B program have

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been dealt a stiff blow. The Returning Worker Program, which dramatically extended the stingy 66,000 nationwide cap on H-2B non-immigrant workers, has not been renewed. The H-2B cap has already been reached for 2017, so the hope for help there is gone.

According to a Pew Research Study conducted in 2012, undocumented workers represented 24 percent of the workforce in the landscaping industry.

The national unemployment rate is presently at 4.7 percent, almost at a 10-year low. If all the undocumented workers vanish, there will be hardly any place to find replacements.

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Some landscapers will raise wages and prices to attempt to secure a documented workforce, but only the most elite clientele will be able to bear such increases.

Making things more risky for businesses, fines are up. Knowingly hiring undocumented workers carries fines between $539 and $4,313 per worker on a first offense. Failing to properly complete the Form I-9 carries a fine of $216 to $2,156 per document. Employers found to engage in a pattern or practice of hiring or recruiting undocumented (continued on page 16)

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(continued from page 15) workers may be penalized up to $3,000 per undocumented worker and receive six months in jail.

Finding employees to replace immigrant workers is primarily business-driven issue, but protecting your business from fines and you from jail can be addressed with some legal guidance.

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To see how safety can grow your dividend, contact your agent or Becky Walker at (972) 512-7770 or info@tgiwcgroup.com.

While we can’t guarantee dividends every year, Texas Mutual has returned more than $2 billion to safety-conscious policyholder owners since 1999. © 2017 Texas Mutual Insurance Company

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Develop an I-9 Compliance Program Compliance is not just about making sure to follow the I-9 directions. It is about making sure your business is not letting applicants get by with shoddy documentation, no documentation, or requiring extra proof if they suspect someone is undocumented; while at the same time, not imposing requirements above and beyond what the I-9 requires, which can result in a lawsuit by the government or an applicant.

To protect against these issues, funnel handling I-9 issues through one person within your organization and make sure that person is trained to properly handle completing I-9s. The government finds, on average, five errors in each I-9 when it does an audit and each error can result in a fine.

Create and maintain an internal I-9 compliance policy and mandate that it be followed by all hiring supervisors to ensure consistency in handling I-9s (this will even be helpful to protect the owners from liability if they consolidate handling I-9s with one person and that person does not follow the policy).

Note, there is a new I-9 form for 2017.

Be sure it is used with all new hires.

A good I-9 compliance policy will: • Control who completes the I-9 paperwork; • Mandate the timing to complete the I-9; • Outline the correct procedure (and clarify incorrect procedures like asking for additional information, accepting suspect documents, or preferring certain documents over others); • Arrange for the retention of I-9s;

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• Mandate the re-verification of temporary employment authorizations. Failure to re-verify documents that expire is a huge issue and a solid compliance policy will include a procedure to calendar and follow up on reverification; and • Plan for an I-9 self-audit once a year.

Let me also offer a word about using independent contractors. Many businesses try to avoid the I-9 and other issues by treating individuals who should be employees as contractors.

They assume that doing so will protect them from violations. That is a fantasy.

The government will also pursue business owners who intentionally circumvent the I-9 rules by trying to treat undocumented workers as contractors. It may be wise to require all contractors to ensure I-9 compliance for their employees and provide access to their I-9s on request for verification.

Conduct an I-9 Self-Audit It is wise for business owners to conduct an I-9 self-audit on a regular basis to be sure their records are in top shape for an audit. This is especially true for business owners who delegate the responsibility to complete I-9s to another employee.

A second set of eyes with the goal of making sure the forms are perfect will usually find some errors.

In addition to examining each form to be sure it is correctly filled out, employers should check whether I-9s on former employees are properly retained, how no-match communication from the government has been handled, and whether re-verification procedures are on schedule. If you find any errors, initiate correction procedures immediately.

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Prepare for an Audit or Raid

Provide Guidance for Workers

Audits are conducted both by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and, on a cursory level, by the Department of Labor. In either case, employers are entitled to three days’ notice before an I-9 audit. Raids are a different story. If ICE appears with a warrant, you will not have any notice and the agents will not care about interrupting your business operations.

If you are audited or the subject of a raid, government representatives may seek to speak with your employees about your procedures and their status.

You can provide guidance to all your employees to help them avoid issues with government officials, but do not single any employee out for advice.

Singling an employee out suggests you think there is a problem and can be used against you.

If you receive notice of an audit, immediately contact your employment or immigration lawyer. They will protect you from inadvertently making mistakes with the auditor. Then work with your lawyer to conduct an I-9 audit immediately and correct any errors before the audit begins.

Years ago the Maryland Court Appointed Special Advocates created a guide for citizens that spread across the country. That advice still warrants consideration. Individual who have concerns when faced with an ICE raid should: (1) stay calm and not run away; (2) exercise their right to remain silent; (3) refuse to sign any document without showing it first to a lawyer; (4) carry all legal identification documents at all times, implying fake or illegal documentation should not be carried; (5) identify a well-qualified immigration attorney who can represent the employee if issues should arise and keep the lawyer’s contact information handy at all times.

If ICE appears for a raid, immediately contact counsel and ask them to come to the site. ICE will not wait for your lawyer to arrive if they have a search warrant, so it will be necessary to examine the warrant yourself. Carefully review the warrant to ensure it is genuine. If you observe agents exceeding the warrant authority, ask to speak to the agent in charge and raise the issue. If you do not stand up for your rights, you may lose the opportunity.

If you are concerned a raid might happen, keep a current copy of all I-9 records and related documents on a flash drive to provide the agent in charge when they arrive. This may help minimize the time the agents spend at your facility.

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Michael Kelsheimer is a Partner at Gray Reed & McGraw LLP and focuses his practice on the employment law needs of Texas businesses and executive employees.

Michael attended Texas Tech University and then Baylor Law School. Michael is also the author of TexasEmployerHandbook.com, a guide from Texas business owners. mkelsheimer@grayreed.com

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Drones in the Green Industry

BY JAMES ROBBINS AND MENGMENG GU

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/JAG CZ

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f you don’t currently own a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS), or drone, for recreational or business use, you will. In just a few years, sUAS have gone from being an expensive novelty for research applications to extremely affordable systems that have diverse applications in journalism and entertainment, mining, archeology, law enforcement and rescue operations, real estate, utilities and agriculture to name just a few.

Since the audience (Green Industry) of this article would be considered a ‘commercial’ user by the FAA, we will focus our discussion solely on commercial applications and skip ‘recreational’ and ‘public’ users.

Until recently, commercial use of sUAS in the U.S. has been limited due to the lack of clarity on rules and regulations.

Prior to August 29, 2016, commercial users had to go through a very time consuming and expensive process called a ‘333 Waiver’. After that date, the FAA released ‘permanent’ regulations for ‘commercial’ use of sUAS. The new regulations, referred to as ‘Part 107’, provide a relatively simple and rationale approach to fly sUAS commercially. Remember that if you are flying a sUAS for your business, even if flights are on your own property, the FAA considers you a ‘commercial’ users.

So how might you use a sUAS in your Green Industry business? Some specific horticulture applications include: 1) crop monitoring/scouting (including nutrient status, water status, disease, insect, and weed incidence), 2) pesticide and nutrient applications, 3) asset tracking and monitoring, 4) crop inventory, and 5) sales and marketing.

Let’s quickly go through each one of these horticulture applications starting with crop monitoring or scouting for things such as nutrients, water stress, disease and insect incidence and weed infestation. In the short-term, many growers and turf managers may use remote sensed imagery from a sUAS to simply make a quick assessment on ‘general crop health’. Imagine using a sUAS as an efficient ‘early warning system’. Data collected by specific sensors [e.g. modified red/green/blue (RGB) camera; multispectral] can be processed to yield various “vegetation indices” (e.g. NDVI) which can then be correlated to useful plant parameters such as nutrient level and water status. The key here is making sure we understand what the pretty output image means and this will depend on research-based information.

It may sound a bit farfetched but because the acreage on many of our horticulture crops is small, we may soon be applying chemicals and

nutrients using unmanned aircraft.

Several small commercial aerial spray units are currently available and would be ideal for targeted applications on golf courses or open-field nurseries.

Due to precision autonomous flights the aircraft could get very close to the target foliage and the flightpath could be designed to minimize worker exposure. It is likely that chemical and nutrient applications will play a more critical role in sectors with smaller fields and higher value crops.

Another exciting potential use of sUAS in the Green Industry is asset tracking and management. Imagine using a sUAS to estimate materials such as sand in sand traps on a golf course or substrate at a bark processing company; monitoring glazing, structures, and systems in traditional and retractable roof greenhouses; monitoring fence integrity; and monitoring irrigation systems and application patterns. This may not be so farfetched. An example of how 3-D mapping and analytics can be used to estimate raw materials is illustrated by CloudD8ta (http://www. cloudd8ta.com/how-to-measurestockpile-volumes-with-drones/; accessed on 17 Feb 2017). Using their services, for example, a bark processing company could better estimate the volume of available raw materials in stockpiles. (continued on page 22)

Data collected by specific sensors can be processed to yield various “vegetation indices” which can then be correlated to useful plant parameters such as nutrient level and water status.

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(continued from page 19) The next application for the Green Industry will be easier to envision.

Collection of plant inventory (i.e., count, grade, plant size) data is time consuming, often inaccurate, and costly. Although improvements in the processes have been made (e.g. bar coding; RFID), they still rely heavily on manual methods.

Combining a sUAS with image processing software may prove beneficial to horticultural producers in obtaining inventory data in a more efficient and cost-effective manner. It is also worth noting that developing automated and accurate methods for monitoring plant

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inventory and yields (plants or plant products) will provide valuable tools to both the grower and the insurance industry (i.e., crop insurance). Growers and insurers will benefit greatly if crop status is able to be validated preand post-catastrophic events (such as hurricanes). The field of tree care (arboriculture) will certainly be an early adopter of sUAS for a variety of tasks including tree inventory (classification, count, mapping), tree health monitoring, and pest treatment. Researchers have already reported on UAS-based aerial images for tree classification and tree height estimation.

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The most likely ‘low hanging fruit’ application for the Green Industry will be for marketing a business or to sell crops since the cost to accomplish these tasks is so affordable. The ability to obtain and develop high-quality videos of production fields and facilities from a low altitude will provide customers with a unique perspective of a Green Industry business. Neil Marek of Magnolia Gardens Nursery (Magnolia, TX) is already taking advantage of this ‘drone’ application in promoting his nursery.

It is almost a certainty that sUAS will play some role in your Green Industry business in the very near future. Since

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this is an emerging technology we may not yet know the full potential of this technology at this time. For example, the University of Arizona is conducting preliminary investigations using a sUAS to evaluate options for pollinating commercial Medjool date palms (eXtension UAS in Agriculture webinar, 21 Apr 2016, Kurt Nolte, Univ. of Arizona) as an alternative to the traditional method which uses a leaf blower. A small sachet of pollen is delivered to the inflorescence, and then the pollen is distributed by the “propeller wash” of the aircraft. Does this inspire you to think of other exciting uses for sUAS in the Green Industry?

For more information on the process to achieve ‘Remote Pilot Certification’ and to register your aircraft, consult this Fact Sheet: http://www.uaex.edu/ publications/pdf/FSA-6150.pdf.

Small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) (J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., Boring, OR)

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Dr. James Robbins works for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. He has been involved with drones (sUAS) since 2010. He has held a Certificate of Authorization and more recently Remote Pilot Certification for drone use. His sUAS research is focused on plant count and monitoring for plant stress.

Near infrared image used to evaluate software-based counting of plants (McCorkle Nurseries, Dearing, GA) M A Y/ J U N E 2 0 1 7

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G R E E NV I$ IO N

What’s The Buzz About Bees?

BY DR. MENGMENG GU

W

Dr. Mengmeng Gu, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

e just had a second ‘first’ only six months after the first ‘first’. On September 30, 2016 for the first (the first ‘first) time, bees, specifically seven species of Hawaiian yellow-faced bee (Hylaeus spp.), were declared endangered in the U.S. by the Fish and Wildlife Service. By March, 2017, for the first (the second ‘first’) time, a bumblebee species, specifically the rusty patched bumblebee (Bombus affinis), was declared an endangered species in the U.S. What’s significant about the second ‘first’ is the importance of bumblebees as pollinators to some very important crops such blueberry, cranberry and clover. This is almost the only insect pollinator of tomatoes.

You may say, “oh, she’s going to blame the neonics (short for ‘neonictinoids’)”. No, at least that is not the only reason. Loss of habitat, diseases and parasites, pesticides and climate change are the main threats to the bees and bumblebees in these two cases. These two types of bees are different from the honeybees in headlines of bee colony collapse disorder (CCD). Since neonics have been blamed a lot, I wanted to do a little digging on CCD. Let’s look at two events. The first occurred in southern Bavaria and the Upper Whine Valley of Germany in 2008. Bees dropped dead and bodies piled up in over 11,500 colonies, and they were killed by dust from clothianidin-treated corn seeds.

The other occurred in 2013 at a parking lot in Wilsonville, OR where 25,000 bees dropping dead under a flowering linden (Tilia spp.) tree being treated with dinotefuran (active ingredient of Safari). Should we blame the two neonics found at the crime scenes? I don’t think so. In my article in the 2017 March/April issue of GREEN, I used the label of Safari as an example---- it says specifically on that “(t)his product can kill bees and other insect pollinators… Do not apply Safari 20 SG Insecticide to plants that are flowering”. Now we know why the bees under the flowering linden trees were dead. As for the case in Germany, a seed company neglected to use an adhesive to bind the pesticide to the seeds. So you could imagine what happened to bees when exposed directly to the extremely toxic dust. I don’t think the tools (neonics), but the operators, are to blame.

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/MARIA STEZHKO

Earn CEU credits on page 35

CCD, a syndrome defined as a dead colony with no adult bees but with a live queen, and usually honey (food) and immature bees (task) still present, has caused a lot of buzz since the winter of 2006. A beekeeper found 400 hives out 3,000 vanished in their overwinter location in Florida.

New York Times reported similar incidences in (continued on page 26) M A Y/ J U N E 2 0 1 7

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TNLAGREEN (continued from page 25) 24 states, which we now know as CCD. Scientists went on a CSI. Scientists found many things that may have led to CCD. Roughly the same amount of varroa mites (notice these ‘ticks’ on bees around 0:26 of this bee hatch time-lapse https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=f6mJ7e5YmnE) were found in both CCD and healthy colonies. Israeli acute paralysis virus was found but not as the cause of CCD. Bee nutrition or diet may have contributed to CCD. Bees forage nectar of honeydew, natural carbohydrates, to make honey, and the only natural protein source is pollen. Only few uniform pollen diets ----sweet clover or mustard---- are considered better than a diet of mixed pollens. Now imagine eating something for a whole month.

That’s more or less what

happens to bees when brought to the orchard as pollinators. Imagine you’re a bee brought to over 650,000 acres of almond orchard in California, which supply almost 80% of world’s almond.

All you can have is almond pollen, for a month. Beekeepers could provide supplemental nutrition, but this is still very boring diet.

Another stress is long distance travel.

Let’s use the beekeeper whose 400 hives vanished as an example. Here’s the bees’ travel to ‘work’ schedule: February- CA (almond), March- FL (citrus), April/May- PA& NY (apple), June- ME (blueberry), July/August- PA (pumpkin), and September-January- FL (Brazilian pepper). The colonies may travel up to 11,000 miles by truck across the coast every year, at 60 MPH that’s 183 hrs on the road. Don’t forget after each long travel, bees are exposed to ‘mono-diet’.

Earn CEU credits on page 35

Climate change may have an impact on colony health too. The changed weather/temperature pattern will for sure change bee behavior, physiology and distribution. For instance, bee’s development cycle may be affected.

Changes in flora and plant phenology (cyclic and seasonal plant behaviors, such as leafing out and flowering) will affect bees too. A cold snap (imagine all the brown plants with dead flowers) may leave bees with nothing to harvest.

Then bee’s relationship with diseases and insects may also be altered.

Of course, there are pesticides. A study found 121 different pesticides and metabolites within 887 wax, pollen, bee and associated hive samples from beekeepers in 23 states, one Canadian province and several agriculture cropping systems. Fluvalinate, coumaphos, chlorpyrifos (insecticide), chlorothalonil (fungicide) and pendimethalin (herbicide) were found in more than 100 pollen samples. The first two pesticides are not common in the green industry. Beekeepers apply these two pesticides inside beehives to protect against varroa mites. What about neonics? Thiacloprid was found in 19 samples, acetamiprid 11, imidacloprid 10, two imidacloprid metabolites 1, and thiamethoxam 1 among 350 pollen samples tested. Such low percentages of neonics occurrence may exonerate them from the cause of CCD. Contributing factors? Maybe.

Full disclosure: I’m a horticulturist by training and interest. I have no formal training in apiculture, but since Ph.D. stands for ‘Doctor of Philosophy’, hopefully my Ph.D. training has helped me during this journey of literature research on bees and neonicotinoides to present to you a full picture. Let’s talk about plants next time!

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N OTES FRO M SFA G A R DE NS

A Labyrinth Is Not A Maze

BY DAVID CREECH

F Dr. Dave Creech is Professor Emeritus and a Regents Professor of Horticulture in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas dcreech@sfasu.edu

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eeling a bit stressed? Are you too darn busy? Do you turn on the news and get depressed? Think things can’t get any worse and then they do? Well, there’s a possible cure. Take a walk in a labyrinth. So, what is a labyrinth? Well, a labyrinth is not a maze and a maze is not a labyrinth. Even though early writings suggest that a Minotaur was trapped in a complex branching maze, from Roman times till today labyrinths have almost always been unicursal. Garden mazes became popular during the Renaissance, and it’s true the term labyrinth is often used synonymously with a maze. However, contemporary scholars, enthusiasts and the Labyrinth Society observe a distinction between the two. A maze typically refers to a complex branching multicursal design with choices of path

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and direction. You can get lost in a maze. You can’t get lost in a labyrinth. It’s easy to navigate. A labyrinth enjoys only a single path to the center.

Follow the path.

Laybrinths are old world with over four thousand years of history. There are ancient labyrinths to the time of the Greeks, Romans and they can be found in the early history of India, China, and the American Indians of the southwest. Labyrinth designs appeared early as designs on pottery, baskets, body art and in drawings on walls of caves, churches and other structures. Labyrinths have been used historically in group rituals, for private meditation and science suggests there’s great therapeutic value in hospitals and hospices. The

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TNLAGREEN (continued from page 27) path is typically only wide enough for one person to walk. This is not a hand in hand stroll with a friend.

Our 70’-wide labyrinth in the Gayla Mize Garden is a classic seven course design with an East Texas look. It’s surrounded by a circle of ‘Slender Silhouette’ sweetgum trees which is enclosed in another circle of evergreen Chinese magnolias. It’s a cloistered labyrinth.

It’s a circle in a circle in a circle. It’s generated local excitement, TV and press coverage and in some circles a frown or two. No, it’s not a place for wickens to hang out. There are no sacrifices here. Forget any secular or non-secular discussion. It’s just a labyrinth. It’s a place to relax, stroll and empty the mind.

Even though we’ve talked about building a labyrinth for many years, it wasn’t until

Your Landscaping Essential

Eagle Scout Luke Stanley approached me about a project that this came together.

Most Eagle Scout projects involve building picnic tables and boardwalks.

When I mentioned building a labyrinth, Luke jumped at the chance. He didn’t know what he was getting into. The project required nine pallets of red river rock for the courses and about 30 cubic yards of pea gravel. Total cost of materials came in at about $6000. Of course, the labor for this was formidable.

Luke had fellow scouts who helped out.

We found some volunteers. Luke’s Dad was recruited. Staff got involved in the project. Laying out the circular paths for the courses took time. Moving the rocks into place took time. Moving wheelbarrows of pea gravel to create a three-inch deep path took time. Finally, as kind of icing on the cake, Tim Howell’s donation of a Klingstone Paths treatment was a real boost. This chemical application bonds all the pea gravel into a concrete hard surface, one that is permeable to rain. It breathes.

When you visit, we encourage you to saunter to the middle and then saunter out. The best advice is to approach the labyrinth, spend a little time emptying your mind and then begin the walk. It takes about five minutes to make your way to the center. Sit a spell and then take the five minute stroll out. It’s a fifteen minute break. Science indicates that your blood pressure will drop, your focus will return, your mood will improve, and all will seem right with the world.

(800) 441-8482

Always ahead in science and value.

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We hope you make your way to SFA Gardens in Nacogdoches, Texas for the June 30, 2017 “Wild about Woodies” field day. The program calls for morning tours of the gardens and afternoon lectures from four speakers representing Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. After all the learning and gathering a few CEUs, a fifteen minute stroll through the labyrinth might be just what you need.

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You can’t get lost in a labyrinth. It’s easy to navigate. A labyrinth enjoys only a single path to the center.

Follow the path.

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B U G S & FU ZZ

What Happened To The Cypresses, Cedars And Junipers?

BY DR. KEVIN ONG

E

Dr. Kevin Ong directs the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology & Microbiology at Texas A&M University. Check out the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab facebook page (http://facebook.com/ TXPlantClinic)

very spring, the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab at Texas A&M in College Station receives some samples and inquiries about problems on cypress (mostly Italian cypress), cedars and various junipers. This year, those inquiries flooded in during the month of March and it does not appear to be slowing down. The complaints that we have heard about the symptoms include brown dying tree, foliage that looks grayish brown, one-side of the tree is dead, brown patches in the tree and many more. Let’s explore some of these inquiries and allow me to share with you my thought process in trying to determine what might be the issues.

FIGURE 1. Dead trees in a windbreak suspected to be due to severe drought condition. Please note that not all trees died.

One of the first questions that has to be asked is “How widespread is it?” If damage is occurring on more than 1 tree in a larger area (several lots or neighborhoods), then I would be looking for a widespread traumatic environmental incident.

The Whole Plant Is Turning Brown What is the pattern of damage? If it starts from the bottom, moving upwards – look to see if there are any obvious damage on the trunk or lower branches. Also, investigate if there were any inadvertent use of herbicides or fertilizers. If it starts from the top, moving downward – look closely at trunk or dying branches for obvious signs of cankers or physical damage. If none are found, look for evidence of lightning strike. If no evidence of lightning, then it is likely that problem is root related issue. This can be due to failure of roots due to adverse conditions or pathogenic attack.

FIGURE 2. Row of trees that were suspected to be stressed when in containers showing various stages of damages.

There were evidence of Seiridium canker in the brown patches (localized affected branches).

(continued on page 32)

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TNLAGREEN

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FIGURE 3: Finding the canker can be difficult as it may not be very obvious. Look for discoloration or depression on the branch. Peel or remove some bark to expose the wood. Plant tissue affected by canker is dead but surrounding tissue appears to be healthy.

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C : 50 M : 0 Y : 99 K : 0 | R:141 G:198 B:63

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(continued from page 31)

My Tree Has Brown Patches What is the pattern of damage? If the brown (dead) patches appear on one side of the tree, then look for possibility of chemical or environmental influence. I recall one instance that there were brown patches on several trees on the side facing the house. It was suspected that reflected heat was the contributor

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to the damage. If the patches are scattered, look at the foliage to see for evidence of spider mites. And also look along the affected branches to see if you can see signs of cankering.

The Bottom Of The Tree Is Dying Investigate for potential abiotic causes such as inadvertent herbicide use under the tree. Also, look at the base and along the branches that are affected to see if there is any evidence of cankering or physical damage.

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FIGURE 4: Spider mites can cause tip dieback as well as patchy damage areas on the plant.

Sometime, webbing is visible when infestation is severe.

The Top Of The Tree Is Dying

FIGURE 5: Part of the top of an Italian Cypress dying and defoliating.

Often when just the top is dying, it is a root related problem. This can happen when the tree is unable to acquire and deliver sufficient water to all parts of plant. This is common in areas where the soils are somewhat shallow and there is a hardpan. This is also an issue that is observed where there have been excessive rains, where I suspect that part of the roots were “drowning”.

The bottom line is that I suspect that there will be more of such inquiries in the coming months because I believe that the weird weather conditions that we had been experiencing in many parts of Texas, particularly North Texas, are stressors that contribute to the damage seen in these types of plants. Whether we find a pathogens or insects, one must always ask “Why did the pest or pathogen attack the tree?” And the key to any treatments must include strategies that help the plant to stay vigorous and healthy, by minimizing and eliminating the stressors.

FIGURE 6: This was a possible reason that may damage the plant’s vascular system and resulted in the top of the tree dying.

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TNLAGREEN

CE U Q U IZ Questions are worth 10 points each; must score a 70 or higher to gain 1 CEU towards your TNLA Certification. We encourage you to return the completed quiz by September 1, 2017.

Generously sponsored by E. Curtis Tabor, TMCNP

1.

5. Which of the following attributes

According to the article, how many species of bees in the US have been declared endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service? a. 2 b. 4 c. 6 d. 8

of bees are not altered due to climate change? a. Bee physiology b. Bee behavior c. Bee distribution d. Pesticide effects

6. According to the article, which of the

2. According to the article, were the

following is the only natural source of protein? a. Nectar b. Honey c. Pollen d. Carbohydrates

bees listed on the endangered species list effected by CCD? a. Yes b. No

3. Which of the following best

defines CCD? a. All adult bees are found dead except for the queen and the immature bees. b. 100% of the bees are found dead in the hive. c. Only the queens and immature bees are found dead in the colony. d. No honey is found in the colony.

4. According to the article, which of

the following is not considered one of the main threats to bees and bumble bees? a. Loss of Habitat b. Neonics c. Climate Change d. Pesticides

7. Which of the following can cause

adverse effects on bees’ forage due to changes in flora and plant phenology? a. Bee nutrition and diet b. Long distance travel c. Climate Change d. Pesticides e. All of the above

9. Of the 350 pollen samples discussed in the article, how many total instances was a neonicotinoid found? a. 100 b. 42 c. 121 d. 19

10. According to the article, what is the best solution when applying a pesticide? a. Don’t use a neonic b. Don’t worry about using any pesticides c. Read the label of all pesticides used d. Don’t use a dust pesticide around bees

8. According to the article, which of

the following pesticides found in 100 pollen samples are commonly used in the Green Industry? a. Fluvalinate b. Coumaphos c. Chlorothalonil d. Acetamiprid

Return the Completed Quiz to: James Theiss | Texas Nursery & Landscape Association | 7730 South IH-35 | Austin, TX 78745 Email: james@tnlaonline.org | Fax: 512.280.3012 NAME: ________________________________________________________

CERTIFICATION TYPE:

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COMPANY: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PHONE: __________________________________ EMAIL: ___________________________________________________________________________

PLEASE RETAIN A COPY FOR YOUR RECORDS

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TNLAGREEN

NE W ME MB E R S

Welcome!

TNLA would like to welcome its new members. If you would like to become a member, or if you have anyquestions or concerns about your current membership, please contact us at 800.880.0343.

Visit www.tnlaonline.org to learn about the benefits of becoming a part of TNLA.

REGION 1 Landscape

Little Acre Nursery Enriquie Galvan 3709 Veterans Blvd.

Del Rio, TX 78840 www.littleacrenursery.com Fairway Landscape & Nursery, Inc. Estela Garcia-Perez 12850 Robert Glenn San Antonio, TX 78252 www.salandscape.com

Non-Profit

San Antonio Arborist Association Jacob West PO Box 201531 San Antonio, TX 78220 www.sa-aa.com

Retail

Newsome Landscape Support Systems Paul Newsome 2519 Blue Quail San Antonio, TX 78232 www.newsomesystems.com

REGION 2

Non-Profit – Associate Moody Gardens Danny Carson One Hope Blvd.

Galveston, TX 77554

Landscape – Associate Miramont Country Club Micah Hale 4133 Bonneville Bryan, TX 77802

Associated Landscape Services Kevin Brown 1947 Boren Dr Katy, TX 77493

Landscape

Impec Landscape Conservation Clayton Olvera 22838 Red River Dr. Katy, TX 77450 www.impeclandscape.com Petals & Leaves Landscape Glenn Becker 5008 Tamarisk Bellaire, TX 77401 Glenwood Weber Design Glenwood Weber 805 Hyde Park Blvd.

Houston, TX 77006 www.glenwoodweberdesign.com

Supplier

Instafuel Ben Pondratz 312 Bell St Houston, TX 77019 www.instafuel.com

Supplier – Associate

Eason Horticultural Resources Bryan Estell 6218 Hickorycrest Dr. Spring, TX 77389

Government

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Brazoria County Stephen Brueggerhoff 21017 CR 171 Angleton, TX 77515-8903 brazoria.agrilife.org/

REGION 4

Landscape - Associate Desiree Ballard 231 Wilson Dr. Prosper, TX 75078 Kathy Cinquemani 4606 Cedar Springs Rd, #214 Dallas, TX 75229

Landscape

Brothers Outdoor & Landscape Danniel Grimaldo 113 Garvon St. Garland, TX 75040 www.brothersoutdoorandlandscape.com

Retail

The Changing of the Garden Robert Pickett 222 N. Main St Corsicana, TX 75110 www.thechangingofthe garden.com

REGION 5

Landscape – Individual Sandy Rogers 2432 Chesnut Way Bedford, TX 76022

Landscape – Business

Valhalla Landscape & Design Pierce Hutchens 207 Belmont Park Ponder, TX 76259

REGION 8

Ginger Tree Innovations Roger Cunningham 13800 Paisano Cir Austin TX 78737

From the Ground Up Ryan Burkhart 10310 Bickham Rd., Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75220 www.fromthegrounduplandscape. com

REGION 9 Supplier

Sioux Corporation Tara Schmidt One Sioux Plaza Beresford, SD 57004 www.sioux.com The Aspire Software Company Kevin Kehoe 17107 Chesterfield Airport Road Suite 210 Chesterfield, MO 63005 www.youraspire.com Bill Moore & Co, Inc Jillian Smith 1413 Lithia Pinecrest Road Brandon, FL 33511 www.billmooreco.com Kirk Company Inc. Kim Duvall PO Box 547 Beavercreek, OR 97004 www.kirkcompany.com Arrow Seed Co., Inc Debra Girardin PO Box 722 Broken Bow, NE 68822 www.arrowseed.com Banas Stones Inc. Firoz Khan 8144 King St. Bolton ON L7E 0T8 Canada www.banasstones.com

New TNLA Certified Professionals TCLP Cassie Cobb, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

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C A LEN DAR OF EVE NT S

May

WAT E R M A N A G E M E N T S O L U T I O N S

05/09/17 6:30-8:30pm TNLA Region II Meeting at The Ground Up

PRODUCT GUIDE

Includes all you need for the ultimate water management systems: Driplines, Valves, Sprinklers, Controllers, Injectors, Sensors, Tubing and much more.

05/09/17 6:30-8:30pm TNLA Region IV Meeting at the Dallas Arboretum 05/10/17 11:00am-12:00pm TNLA Webinar: Introduction to Green Walls

APOLLO DISC FILTER Reaching for the Stars

Greenhouse & Nursery Systems • For misting, humidifying, fogging and sprinkling

Bridgeless Micro Sprinkler

05/15/17 Deadline to submit Young Leader & Summit Award nominations

mini-wobbler

(100 micron fog)

• Bridgeless design - no dripping • Flat trajectory • High distribution uniformity

05/17/17 11:00am-12:00pm TNLA Webinar: Introduction to Green Roof Part I

Container Systems Self-flushing

05/24/17 11:00am-12:00pm TNLA Webinar: Introduction to Green Roof Part II

• For ponds, canals and rivers • 50 to 3,500 GPM and up • Automatic and pre-assembled • Compact - fits in 14’ x 6’ area or less • Quick backflush

05/27-29/17 Lawn & Garden Water Smart Tax Holiday

June

Twist Weight Assemblies • On/Off feature • Highly versatile

Spray Stakes

• Unique oval pattern • Multiple flow rates

PC and non PC

3804-D Woodbury Drive • Austin, TX 78704 www.submatic-usa.com 512.440.7744 • Fax 512.440.7793

06/13/17 6:30-8:30pm TNLA Region II Meeting at Newton’s Nursery 06/15/17 6:30-8:30pm TNLA Region VI Meeting at Ruby Tequila’s 06/16/16 6:30-8:30 TNLA Region IV Meeting at Lone Star Park

July 07/21/17 Deadline to receive the Early Bird Registration rate for the Nursery/Landscape EXPO

To see the most up to date event information please visit the Events Calendar on tnlaonline.org!

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Classified Ads

A DV E RT I SE R S INDE X For media kit and advertising information, email advertising@tnlaonline.org

For the latest job listings visit our online opportunities.

Assistant Horticulturist San Antonio Country Club.

Performs daily grounds maintenance tasks as requested by the Horticulturist and/or Golf Course Superintendent.

The Assistant Horticulturist participates directly in the daily procedures helping to maintain the club grounds, landscape beds, seasonal containers and plantings, as well as some arboriculture duties. General knowledge of plant material, planting and pruning techniques, watering requirements, fertilizer needs and weed control methods are necessary. Degree in Horticulture or related field. $14-$16/hour + benefits.

Please send resumes to Mark@sanantoniocc.com or Daniel@sanantoniocc.com

DynaSCAPE Software www.dynascape.com

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Organix Recycling 24 www.organixrecycling.com

Ewing Irrigation 2 www.ewingirrigation.com

Sod Solutions 30 www.sodsolutions.com

Granite Trucking, Inc. 38 www.granitetrucking.com

Spring Meadow Nursery 24 www.springmeadownursery.com

Groundworks Texas 40 www.datepalm.com

Submatic Technologies 37 www.submatic-usa.com

Horizon Irrigation 30 www.horizononline.com

SUPERthrive 28 www.superthrive.com

Hotchkiss Insurance Agency www.hiallc.com

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Landscape Contractors Insurance Services, Inc. www.lcisinc.com Living Earth Technology Co. www.livingearth.net

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Texas Mutual 16 www.texasmutual.com

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The Thompson Group 20, 21 at Classic Chevrolet www.classicfleet.com Vital Earth 32 www.vitalearth.com

OHP, Inc. 39 www.ohp.com

To place a Classified Ad in TNLA GREEN Magazine or online, please contact Mark Studer at mark@tnlaonline.org (512) 579-3866

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Biathlon

Herbicid e

Biathlon® herbicide Engineered for your weed control program

#biathlon @OHPSolutions ohp.com (800) 356-4647

INSECTICIDES FUNGICIDES MITICIDES PGRS HERBICIDES

Controls broadleaf and grassy weeds Uniform low dust, low odor granule Minimal PPE for ease of application Nursery and landscape use ohp.com

© 2016 OHP, Inc. Biathlon is a registered trademark of OHP, Inc.

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