TNLA Green Magazine January/February

TNLA

Green Jan/Feb 2020

TEIL AWARD WINNERS

This year’s Texas Excellence in Landscaping (TEIL) Awards winners poured their creativity, time, and skills into crafting some of the most amazing outdoor spaces we’ve had the pleasure of seeing.

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE A

TNLA Green January/February 2020

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TNLA Green January/February 2020

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12 Cover Story:

TNLA

Green

TEIL Awards Winners

This year’s Texas Excellence in Landscaping (TEIL) Awards winners poured their creativity, time, and skills into crafting some of the most amazing outdoor spaces we’ve had the pleasure of seeing

Jan/Feb 2020

CONTENTS 04 Economic Impact Report:

A growing horticultural services sector and higher production and manufacturing sales in 2018 are good news for the green industry

02 President’s Letter:

TNLA celebrates the new year ahead and the incredible projects highlighted among the TEIL Awards winners

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11 TNLA Talks:

Ryan Skrobarczyk, TNLA Legislative and Regulatory Affairs director, provides an update on the green industry labor force

28 Green Vision:

Ms. Margie Jenkins and What We Learned at IPPS

30 Bugs & Fuzz:

30

34

Mealybugs Are Expensive

34 N otes From SFA Gardens: Planting Texas Highways

Cover photo by Vernon Wentz, Ad Imagery Photography, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX

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January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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PRESIDENT’S Letter

TNLA

Green

The official publication of the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association January/February | Vol. 23 No. 1

Directors

Chairman of the Board ... Jay Williams, League City Chairman-Elect ... Tim Little, Dallas Immediate Past Chairman ... Joshua Bracken, TMCNP, Dallas President/CEO ... Amy Graham, Austin

DEAR TNLA MEMBERS, Happy New Year! We have much to celebrate as we embark upon 2020. We are approaching a new year full of hope for great sales and production numbers.

We also hope for few weather incidents, consumers who are ready to buy our products, and inspiration that drives growth in our business operations.

If you’re looking for innovative projects that will get your creative juices flowing, look no further than the Texas Excellence in Landscaping (TEIL) Award winners, featured in this issue. Many of the TEIL projects are new installations someone contracted to have completed. New implies fresh, a starting over. That is a wonderful feeling, but also one that can begin with trepidation and some unsure footing.

These feelings may not be on the contractors’ part, but they could be on the owners’ part.

I recently moved into a new house. The same feelings and cycle of emotions occurred as new became less new, less mysterious. There are many times in our daily lives we experience new feelings and experiences, yet we forge ahead with great energy and courage. What differentiates those from the times when we don’t? Perhaps it’s risk and reward or fear of failure. How we move forward is important to our success.

We wish you all great success in the coming year as you conquer this new year with enthusiasm and vigor.

Amy Graham

Amy Graham TNLA President and CEO

Board of Directors

Region I Kevin Grossberndt, Big Foot Region II ... Mike Hugg, TCNP, TCLP, Houston Region III ... Nigel Clark, Winnsboro Region IV ... Craig Duttarer, TCLP, Carrollton Region V ... Jackie Smith, Santo Region VI ... Steven Akers, Slaton Region VII ... Gerry Bower, Weslaco Region VIII ... Brad Seever, Austin Supplier Director ... Jerome Alder, Cedar Park Grower Director ... Kevin Norris, Coppell Landscape Director ... Scotty Rigsby, TCLP, Midlothian Retail Director ... Dean Warren, Kingwood Director At-Large ... Adrian Muehlstein, TMCNP, Carrollton Director At-Large .... Rachelle Kemp, TCLP, TMCNP, Waco Director At-Large ... Bobby Eichholz, ASLA, San Antonio Director At-Large ... Devin Gunn, Dallas

TNLA Staff

President/CEO ... Amy Graham Director of Finance ... Cheryl Staritz Director, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs… Ryan Skrobarczyk Director, EXPO Exhibits and Membership... Amy Prenger, CEM Director, TNLA & EXPO Marketing/Communications... Sarah Riggins, CEM Director, Industry Education and Certifications…

James Theiss, TCLP, TCWSP, Certified Arborist Business Development/Sales Executive... Mike Yelverton, TCNP & TCWSP Office Operations Assistant... Nancy Sollohub Event Specialist… Sara Fern Specialist, TNLA and EXPO Marketing/Communications… Ashley Pettibone Administrative Assistant… Debra Allen Event Exhibit Specialist...Trevor Peevey

Magazine Staff

October Custom Publishing Editor ... Crystal Zuzek Creative Director ... Torquil Dewar Art Director ... Shelley Lai Production ... Zach Scouras 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, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM CST. Copyright 2018 Texas Nursery Landsape & Association

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TNLA Green January/February 2020

January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT

By Dr. Marco A. Palma and Dr. Charles R. Hall

The Green Industry’s Contributions to the Texas Economy BACKGROUND

While 2018 was a good year, it also marked the return of significant volatility. For example, the S&P 500 saw three corrections (February, October, December), yet it also reached all-time peaks. We are always quick to point out that stock market performance does not equal economic performance, but it is a good measure of uncertainty and volatility.

Households were especially confident in 2018, as the two most well-regarded monthly consumer sentiment indices pointed out. For example, the University of Michigan’s index topped 100, twice (March, September) and fell below

96 only once (January); its historical average reading is 86.4. However, we care little about how people feel; we care about how they spend their money.

In 2018, consumer sentiment and expenditures were highly correlated, and personal spending affirmed the strength of the economy. In the first three quarters of the year, spending contracted just once (0.1% in February).

From March through November, consumer spending rose 0.4% or better every month.

This spending was also evidenced in the green industry, with 95 million households (HH) participating in lawn and gardening (L&G) activities,

Table 1. NAICS Codes for Green Industry Sectors Industry Sector

NAICS Code

Nursery & Greenhouse............................................................................ 1114 Lawn & Garden Equipment Mfg.............................................................. 333112 Greenhouse Manufacturing (Prefab. Metal Buildings)*......................... 332311 Landscaping Services.............................................................................. 561730 Landscape Architectural Services........................................................... 541320 Flower, Nursery Stock, & Florist Supplies Wholesalers.......................... 424930 Lawn & Garden Equipment & Supplies Stores........................................ 4442 Florists.................................................................................................... 4531 Building Material & Supplies Dealers*.................................................... 4441 Food & Beverage Stores*......................................................................... 445 General Merchandise Stores*................................................................. 452 Farm & Garden Machinery & Equipment Wholesalers*......................... 423820 * Green industry represents a portion of overall business activity (sectors not included in previous scope reports).

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TNLA Green January/February 2020

averaging $503 in expenditures per HH. The South, West, and Northeast regions were up, but the Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions suffered from poor weather conditions in the spring.

Retail L&G spending (and transaction count) was up about 4%, and there was about a 13% increase in do-it-forme landscaping expenditures. Married 45- to 64-year-olds were spending the most. Expenditures among the 18–34 millennial cohort was at an all-time high, a hopeful L&G trend for the future.

The green industry is strongly correlated with housing, and expectations of home sellers and buyers differed in 2018, and that difference affected the pace of existing home sales.

Prospective buyers found few affordable properties and went to the sidelines; in other words, sellers waited a little longer for their homes to move. Existing home sales in November were about 7% down year-over-year (YOY); new home sales were down almost 9% YOY. Although these are obvious signs slowing growth in the residential real estate market, other economic gauges Acknowledgements A grant from TNLA funded this report. Data came from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The Green Industry Research Consortium National Nursery Survey was the source of baseline data. Additional contributors include Daniel Hanselka, Dean McCorkle, Rebekka Dudensing (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service), and Alan Hodges (University of Florida). This report complies with the terms of the TNLA contract. The authors welcome comments or information about the usefulness and implications of these findings.

ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT are still strong, which gives green industry firms something to be bullish about. Greater uncertainty exists in the global marketplace, and input costs for many green industry firms will likely continue to rise, exacerbating the costprice squeeze already being experienced (input prices are 22.7% higher than they were before the recession).

INTRODUCTION

Total green industry sales in Texas were $19.5 billion in 2018. Production and manufacturing sales increased 5.3% to a total of $2 billion in 2018. Adjustments in the comptroller’s office sales numbers for the past three years reveal that production and manufacturing sales have grown since the previous low point

of $1.5 billion in 2014.

Like previous years, the lawn and garden equipment manufacturing sector is significantly lower compared to the levels prior to 2014. Prefabricated metal buildings experienced an increase of 19.3% in 2018 relative to 2017. The nursery and greenhouse sector sales increased 4.2% from $1.57 billion in

Table 2. Total Green Industry Gross Sales in 2018 Sales in the Texas Environmental Horticulture Industry, 2018 Sector (NAICS code) Sales Establishments Production/Manufacturing............................................................................................. 1,950,151,758.............................. 3,191 Nursery & Greenhouse (1114)^.................................................................................... 1,751,066,467............................. 2,848 Lawn & Garden Equipment Mfg (333112)^.................................................................. 173,163,972................................. 276 Prefabricated Metal Buildings (332311) (Greenouses)^*............................................. 23,921,319.................................. 67 Horticultural Services..................................................................................................... 5,715,698,078............................ 51,707 Landscaping Services (561730).................................................................................... 5,371,670,445............................. 49,517 Landscape Architectural Services (541320)................................................................ 344,027,633............................... 2,190 Wholesale & Retail Trade Horticulture Products (Gross)............................................... 11,799,964,783........................... 78,789 Flower, Nursery Stock and Florist Supplies Wholesalers (424930)............................ 659,466,705............................... 1,817 Lawn & Garden Equipment & Supplies Dealers (4442).............................................. 6,090,096,993........................... 8,837 Florists (4531).............................................................................................................. 548,238,242............................... 12,151 Building Material & Supplies Dealers (4441)*............................................................. 1,835,090,933............................ 6,687 Food & Beverage Stores (445)*................................................................................... 452,453,727................................ 11,377 General Merchandise Stores (452)*............................................................................ 1,434,932,845............................ 37,001 Merchandise Stores (452)*.......................................................................................... 779,685,338................................ 919 Total All Sectors.............................................................................................................. 19,465,814,618........................... 133,687 ^ Estimated from baseline data from National Nursery Survey, and Texas comptroller’s office data. * NAICS represents a portion of total green industry sales.

Table 3. Total Green Industry Sales 2012–18

2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012

GROWER LANDSCAPE $1,950,151,758 $5,715,698,078 $2,138,895,933 $5,661,293,068 $2,052,700,913 $5,463,941,197 $1,987,750,169 $4,763,827,857 $1,505,326,681 $4,465,856,219 $2,100,242,682 $4,550,424,995 $1,804,926,582 $4,054,303,568

RETAIL (Gross) $11,799,964,783 $12,297,271,716 $11,883,918,182 $12,141,826,310 $11,713,810,871 $11,721,100,798 $10,857,786,292

RETAIL (Net) $3,573,346,273 $3,723,944,170 $3,598,769,617 $3,676,871,125 $3,547,256,554 $3,549,464,140 $3,288,029,320

TOTAL $11,239,196,109 $11,524,133,170 $11,114,411,727 $10,428,449,152 $9,518,439,454 $10,200,131,818 $9,147,259,470

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ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT Figure 1. Grower Sales 2009–18 Million Greenhouses (Metal Buildings)

Lawn Equipment Manufacturing

Nursery & Greenhouse

2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Figure 2. Landscaping Sales 2009–18 Billion Landscaping Architectural Services

Landscaping Services

METHODOLOGY

6 5 4 3 2 1 0

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Figure 3. Retail Sales 2009–18 Billion Farm Equipment

General Stores

Food Stores

Building Materials

Florists

Lawn & Garden Suppliers

Flower Wholesalers

14 12 10 8 6 2

6

To estimate the green industry’s economic contributions in Texas, sales by each green industry sector need to be measured. We gathered data on total green industry sales, including all sectors related to the green industry, from the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), which classifies every business in the state and country. Data in this report, which includes industry sales through the end of fiscal year 2017, came from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The Green Industry Research Consortium National Nursery Survey was the source of baseline data. The United States, Canada, and Mexico developed NAICS to provide comparable statistics on business activity across North America.

Green industry firms fall within one of the NAICS codes in Table 1 (page 4).

GREEN INDUSTRY SALES IN TEXAS

4 0

2017 to an all-time sales peak of $1.75 billion in 2018.

The horticultural services sector grew 4.2% with an all-time record of $5.72 billion in 2018. Wholesale and retail had an increase of 3.1% to a total of $11.8 billion in 2018. The net margins attributed to the retail sector accounted for more than $3.6 billion. Net margins represent the share of sales attributed to the retail sector, not accounting for the portion of sales included in the production and manufacturing sector or the horticultural services sector.

This study measures green industry sales in Texas by sector and then estimates economic contributions to the Texas economy in terms of output, employment, and value added.

2009

2010

2011

TNLA Green January/February 2020

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

When reporting sales to the state comptroller’s office, each firm must report all sales, including those with sales taxes and those without sales taxes

ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT (wholesale). The reporting system has an area of potential slippage. For example, since wholesale growers do not collect any sales tax (for the state), some smalland medium-size growers are unaware of their reporting responsibilities. Not all these firms realize their services are subject to sales taxes. Therefore, unintended noncompliance has been a source of underreporting, which would underestimate green industry sales in Texas.

Due to this this potential slippage problem, additional data supplements this report’s methodology. Table 2 (page 5) shows total green industry gross sales in 2018, and Table 3 (page 5) shows sales from 2012–2018 for each green industry sector. Table 3 shows sales for the retail industry, including gross sales and net sales. Net sales represent the margin sales that correspond to the retail sector only.

Total industry sales, including grower, landscaping, and retail sales increased 3.7% in 2018 for a total of $19.5 billion in gross sales. The grower sector experienced an increase of 5.3% to a total of $2 billion. The landscaping sector increased sales by 4.2% to a total of $5.72 billion. Gross retail sales increased 3.1% to a total of $11.8 billion in 2018. Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 represent industry sales for growers, landscaping,

Figure 4. Total Industry Sales 2009–18 Billion Wholesale and Retail

Production and Manufacturing

Horticultural Services

25 20 15 10 5 0

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Figure 5. Total Green Industry Sales in Texas by MSA 2018 San Antonio

Houston

Austin

Dallas

Fort Worth

12.3% Other

37.6%

32.7%

12.6%

MSA

13.8%

62.4% 28.6%

Table 4. Total Green Industry Sales by MSA 2018 MSA GROWER LANDSCAPE Austin $94,843,967 $794,173,906 Dallas $225,480,455 $1,434,095,830 Fort Worth $121,370,135 $446,909,490 Houston $284,312,511 $1,633,081,150 San Antonio $77,400,691 $429,251,279 Other $1,146,744,000 $978,186,423 Total

RETAIL (Gross) $789,347,165 $1,818,466,538 $956,361,447 $2,048,758,049 $987,844,592 $5,199,186,991

$1,950,151,758 $5,715,698,078 $11,799,964,783

TOTAL % OF TOTAL $1,678,365,083 8.62% $3,478,042,823 17.87% $1,524,641,072 7.83% $3,966,151,710 20.37% $1,494,496,562 7.68% $7,324,117,414 37.63% $19,465,814,618 100.00%

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ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT Figure 6. Green Industry Sales by Outlet and MSA 2016–18 2016

2017

2018

GROWER Million 500 400 300 200 100 0

Austin

Dallas

Fort Worth

Houston

San Antonio

Houston

San Antonio

LANDSCAPE Million 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0

Austin

Dallas

Fort Worth

ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE GREEN INDUSTRY TO THE TEXAS ECONOMY

RETAIL Million 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0

Austin

Dallas

Fort Worth

Houston

San Antonio

Figure 7. Green Industry Economic Output Contributions in Texas 2018

$11.21

Horticulture Services

billion

Production & Manufacturing

$3.88 billion

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retail (gross), and total gross industry sales, respectively, broken down by subsectors.

Table 4 (page 7) presents green industry sales by sector and by major Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

Texas has 27 MSAs. The major MSAs are Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. The economic scope reports sales in five of the major MSAs. Dallas and Fort Worth are combined into one area; together, the five major MSAs included in this report represent more than 60% of total industry sales as shown in Figure 5 (page 7).

Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston hold the largest share of green industry sales in 2017 with 41.2% and 32.7%, respectively. Figure 6 (left) is a graphical representation of grower, landscaping, and retail sales by MSA in Texas.

$8.02 billion

Wholesale & Retail

The net sales data from the previous section were used to estimate total economic contributions of the green industry to the Texas economy.

To evaluate the economic impact contributions of the green industry to the Texas economy, economic models were developed using the Implan software system and associated Texas datasets. The Implan system includes more than 500 industries. Inputoutput models represent the structure of a regional economy in terms of transactions, employees, households, and government institutions (Miller & Blair, 1985).

The economic multipliers derived from the Implan model were used to estimate the total economic activity generated in the state by sales (output) to final demand or exports. This includes the effects of intermediate purchases by green industry firms from other

ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT economic sectors (indirect effects) and the effects of green industry employee household consumer spending (induced effects) in addition to direct sales by industry firms. The wholesale and retail sectors use products from the production/manufacturing and horticultural services sectors. Therefore, when calculating the impacts for the wholesale and retail trade horticulture products, output (retail sales) is reduced

to reflect only the gross margin on sales to those sectors. Otherwise we would be double counting the economic impact stemming from those products.

Economic impact multipliers vary based on data about actual relationships in the economy. The total economic contributions of the green industry in Texas were estimated at $23.12 billion in output. Employment impacts were 226,772 jobs, and value-added impacts

were $13.4 billion as shown in Table 5 (below).

For the production and manufacturing sectors, including nursery and greenhouse, lawn and garden equipment manufacturing, and metal building manufacturers, total output impacts were $3.9 billion, employment impacts were 32,170 jobs, and valueadded impacts were $1.9 billion. For the horticultural services sectors, including

Table 5. Economic Contributions of the Green Industry in Texas 2018 Output ($Mn) Employment (Jobs) Value Added ($Mn) Production/Manufacturing......................................................... 3,889............................. 32,170.................................1,853 Nursery & Greenhouse............................................................ 3,592............................. 31,283.................................1,725 Lawn & Garden Equipment Mfg.............................................. 248................................ 669.....................................106 Prefabricated Metal Buildings................................................ 49.................................. 218......................................21 Horticultural Services................................................................. 11,213............................. 125,235...............................6,664 Landscaping Services.............................................................. 10,438........................... 120,288..............................6,208 Landscape Architectural Services........................................... 775................................. 4,947..................................456 Wholesale & Retail Trade Horticulture Products....................... 8,016............................. 69,367................................4,885 Flower, Nursery Stock and Florist Supplies Wholesalers....... 227................................ 1,118....................................150 Lawn & Garden Equipment & Supplies Dealers...................... 4,154............................. 31,680................................2,504 Florists.................................................................................... 1,116............................... 15,958................................689 Building Material & Supplies Dealers ..................................... 1,252.............................. 9,546..................................754 Food & Beverage Stores.......................................................... 249................................ 2,467..................................156 General Merchandise Stores................................................... 751................................. 7,267...................................456 Farm & Garden Equipment Wholesalers ............................... 286................................ 1,322...................................177 Total (All Sectors)....................................................................... 23,119............................ 226,772...............................13,402 * Figures may not sum due to rounding

Table 6. Green Industry Economic Impact Contributions in Texas by MSA 2018 Output ($Mn) Employment (Jobs) Value Added ($Mn) Austin.......................................................................................... 1,993.............................. 19,553.................................1,156 Dallas.......................................................................................... 4,131.............................. 40,518................................2,395 Fort Worth.................................................................................. 1,811............................... 17,762.................................1,050 Houston...................................................................................... 4,710............................. 46,205................................2,731 San Antonio................................................................................ 1,775.............................. 17,411..................................1,029 Other........................................................................................... 8,698............................. 85,324................................5,042 Total............................................................................................ 23,119............................ 226,772...............................13,402 * Figures may not sum due to rounding

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ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT landscaping services and landscape architecture services, total output impacts were $11.2 billion, employment impacts were 125,235 jobs, and value-added impacts were $6.7 billion. For the wholesale and retail trade sectors, total output impacts were $8 billion, employment impacts were 69,367 jobs, and value-added impacts were $4.9 billion. The largest economic impact contributions for individual sectors were landscaping services, lawn and garden stores, and nursery and greenhouse.

Economic impact results are also reported by MSA as summarized in Table 6 (page 9). The MSAs with the greatest economic impact contributions to the state’s economy are Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston with $5.9 billion and $4.7 billion, respectively. Austin generated $1.99 billion in output impact, and San Antonio had $1.77 billion of output impact.

QUIZ According to the article Planting Texas Highways, in 2017 how did Texas rank in the number of miles of roads?

1. First 2. Second 3. T hird 4. Fourth

According to the article Planting Texas Highways, what is one reason Dr. Creech gave that suggested wildflower production alongside highways may not be the best idea?

1. It’s too expensive.

2. It creates too many people pulling off on the side of the road.

3. I t creates the perfect situation to hurt vital pollinator populations.

4. T he flowers never really bloom like they are supposed to.

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TNLA Green January/February 2020

Figure 8. Employment Contributions by the Green Industry in Texas 2018 140,000 120,000

125,235

100,000 80,000 69,367

60,000 40,000

32,170

20,000 0

Production & Manufacturing

According to the Economic Impact Report, what was the average expense for households participating in lawn and gardening in the U.S.?

1. $86.40 2. $95 3. $100 4. $503

According to the Economic Impact Report, total green industry sales in Texas were $19.5 Billion in 2018.

1. True 2. False

According to the Economic Impact Report, which of the following urban areas had the highest MSA as summarized in Table 6?

1. Houston 2. Dallas/Ft. Worth 3. Austin 4. San Antonio

Horticultural Services

Wholesale & Retail

According to TNLA Talks, the H-2A program stands to be drastically improved through the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019.

1. True 2. False

According to TNLA Talks, what are TNLA grassroots advocates using to urge Texas elected officials to keep H-2B cap relief as a part of any final funding package?

1. AmericanHort Lighthouse Program 2. TNLA Legislative Action Center 3. NALP-Pac 4. None of the above

According to the article Mealybugs Are Expensive, is the male or female mealybug more limited in movement?

1. Male 2. Female

Ryan Skrobarczyk, TNLA Legislative and Regulatory Affairs director, provides an update on the green industry labor force and drives home why the issue remains a priority for the association. ¶ What is the latest news on the labor front for the

H-2A program are expected

to make compliance and

participation cheaper. The bill

also includes a newly dedicated

40,000 green cards for H-2A

workers so there are pathways to year-

round legal status for workers. TNLA endorsed

the bill at the beginning of the legislative process and hopes the Senate will improve the bill as it

advances. ¶ Is Congress going to act on H-2B cap

relief for 2020? TNLA continues to advocate a long-

green industry? The need for labor in Texas is as

term cap relief to the H-2B program as a standalone

twofold, with action happening on H-2A and

however, and has left our industry to worry about

great as ever, and the legislative news is currently H-2B policy in Congress. While TNLA continues to promote the appeal of the green industry to

American workers, the H-2 visa programs remain

vital components of our state’s workforce. The H-2A program stands to be drastically improved through

the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019. On the H-2B side, we are urgently requesting Congress act and extend cap relief into the 2020 fiscal year.

Employers have hit the first part of the FY 2020 cap, and our industry is going to need the relief

of extra visas as it continues to exceed the cap in record time. ¶ What is in the Farm

Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 that benefits Texas growers? Coming out of the

House, the bill would streamline the petition

and recruiting process for employers in the H-2A program, as well as give more certainty to

measure. Congress has not taken this course,

the issue year after year in the appropriations or

funding process. To date, congressional leadership has agreed to pass the major funding bills for FY

2020, a rare display of bipartisan agreement, but only included the same discretionary language

for an additional 69,000 H-2B visas that has been used for the last several years. While it was a

disappointment for the bill to not include the stronger House

language of “shall”, requiring

the immediate release of more visas, a coordinated effort has

already begun to pressure the administration to release the additional visas as soon as possible.

future wage increases. In addition to more federal funding for rural housing, these changes to the

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2019-2020 The moment we’ve been waiting for is finally here: the winners of the Texas Excellence in Landscaping (TEIL) Awards!

Inspiring work by premier landscaping firms throughout Texas fill the pages that follow. This year’s winners poured their creativity, time, and skills into crafting some of the most amazing outdoor spaces we’ve had the pleasure of seeing. We hope you enjoy learning more about each of these award-winning projects, and we know this crowd will especially appreciate the labor, planning, and attention to detail that went into each work of art.

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TNLA Green January/February 2020

ABOUT THE AWARDS Projects are judged by a panel of green industry experts, and each project is scored on its own merits, not against other submissions.

Judges can give a Gold, Silver, or Bronze award in one or more of the project categories. Notable projects may receive an Honorable Mention in lieu of an award.

AWARD CATEGORIES INCLUDE: A. Commercial Installation (with or without design, must include design plan) A1. Under $100,000 A2. $100,000–$500,000 A3. Over $500,000 B. Commercial Maintenance C. Residential Installation (with or without design, must include design plan)

C1. Under $50,000 C2. $50,000–$150,000 C3. Over $150,000 D. Residential Maintenance E. Special Project F. Unique Features G. Design

IN THESE TEIL AWARD PROJECTS, YOU’LL FIND INSPIRATION AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS! To see more of these award-winning projects, and find out the category winners, be sure to attend the special TEIL presentation at the 2020 Nursery/ Landscape EXPO this August.

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GOLD AWARD

Superscapes, Inc. The Star

Commercial Maintenance THE STOREFRONTS AND RESTAURANTS that

call The Star home prioritize curb appeal. This 91-acre retail space is a high-traffic campus that hosts large events, often seven days a week. That means maintenance crews work early morning shifts before the large crowds of spectators arrive. The Superscapes team has established a custom chemical program to keep the Bermuda grass immaculate year-round.

In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, clay soils must be combatted with aeration, micronutrients, and other soil amendments.

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GOLD AWARD

Matt W. Stevens Landscape Architect, LLC

Miller Residence

Residential Installation $50,000–$150,000 AFTER DESIGNING AN overall master landscape plan in coordination with the

clients, the implementation of the plan took place in two main phases. Phase I began with much needed tree trimming and removal, fence work, installation of an Ipe wooden balcony deck, front island softscape and hardscape embellishments, as well as lower courtyard transformation with the sprucing up of hardscape and the installation of an artificial turf putting green. In Phase II the focus was the backyard. New pool and negative edge construction went first, followed by a new Ipe deck and guardrail installation. The Ipe boards were custom cut prior to installation to suit the client’s request for a narrower width. Detailed galvanized cabling for the guardrail maintains an unobstructed view of the back ravine.

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GOLD AWARD

Moss Landscaping Tanglewood Gardens

Residential Maintenance UNIQUELY DESIGNED, this contemporary garden offers everything a family could want for outdoor enjoyment and entertaining. The team designed and installed the gardens in 2013 and continues to care for the property each week. Specialty maintenance techniques include hand-trimmed boxwoods using a string line and bubble level to achieve a consistent, flawless shape. Zoysia lawn joints surround the pool and must be maintained with a hedge trimmer to prevent chipping the concrete stepping pads with the mower. The entire property receives a specialized insect prevention plan, and trees are trimmed regularly to maintain health while allowing enough dappled light for a successful lawn.

Seasonal color beds are changed out four times annually, always with white blooms.

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TNLA Green January/February 2020

GOLD AWARD

Alterra Design, LLC Barn Beam Pergola

Special Projects ALTERRA DESIGN, LLC, designed and installed an outdoor living area with the goal of building an outdoor living space that would enhance an already beautiful property in North Dallas. The client wanted a pergola, firepit, sitting area, custom lighting, and screen to block the street view. The client, who loved barn beams and timber frame structures, was an orphan living in foster homes before being adopted. Alterra Design sourced circa 1820 barn beams salvaged from a Pennsylvania orphanage.

The space now functions as a beautiful family retreat for the client.

January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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GOLD AWARD

Matt W. Stevens Landscape Architect, LLC Arnold Residence

Design MATT W. STEVENS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, LLC, worked closely with the clients to update

a dated pool and patio. That process required extensive design and review sessions to visualize a fully redesigned backyard and front entry. Elevation changes from the house to pool patio required special attention. The lower-level terrace was furnished with a newly designed fireplace, and one of the customized lower-level retaining walls displays a family plaque honoring the client’s grandfather. Drought-tolerant and native plantings embellish the hardscape in South Texas style. The addition of a rainwater cistern featuring carefully routed downspouts and drains within beds helps water the new landscape design and minimize cost and effort.

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TNLA Green January/February 2020

GOLD AWARD

Jason Osterberger Designs, LLC Crooked Lane

Design THE CLIENT’S HOUSE was set high to make the backyard level, leaving a problem in the front yard. To level the front yard, Jason Osterberger Designs, LLC, made a retaining wall, which also serves as a bed that ensures privacy from the street. The client, an art collector, did not want symmetry, but desired order. To accomplish this, Ipe wood decks and a firepit area were installed level with the turf, resulting in what appears to be a floating plane. The gabion wall features steel tubes, a wire cage, and colored glass. Little gem magnolias provide privacy from the busy alley behind the yard. Wet deck seating moved to the back of the pool so guests could see art in the home when looking back at the house.

January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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SILVER AWARD

Clean Scapes, LP Galatyn Commons

Commercial Maintenance THIS FACILITY IS a large multioffice campus in Richardson. The four levels of the lawn require a dedicated team from every department to help with the rehabbing on the courtyard. Clean Scapes, LP, set monthly meetings with a landscape consultant to ensure the property looked its best and to identify any potential pests or diseases before any damage could occur.

SILVER AWARD

Superscapes, Inc.

Children’s Health Specialty Center Dallas Campus

Commercial Maintenance THE TEAM AT SUPERSCAPES, INC., takes tremendous pride in this maintenance project for the Children’s Health Specialty Center in Dallas. Porters clean the entry of the hospital twice daily to make sure the patients and families always feel welcome when visiting the hospital. The maintenance team keeps the landscape bright and inviting for patients and their families.

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TNLA Green January/February 2020

SILVER AWARD

Moss Landscaping Shadow Lawn Historic Gardens

Residential Installation $50,000–$150,000 ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1929, the gardens were redesigned for the new owner in 2017. The original architect was Cameron D. Fairchild, who made his reputation in the 1920s as an architect of singlefamily homes. This residence, positioned in Houston’s esteemed Shadow Lawn neighborhood, was one of many houses Fairchild designed for the Trueheart family of Galveston. Renovations respect the home’s historic importance. An all-star cast of architects and interior designers updated the home, with Moss Landscaping leading the charge on the exterior. The homeowner presented the team with a conceptual design. From there, Moss Landscaping elaborated on this concept and created a final design with architectural plans ready for installation. Installed in January 2018, the firm continues to maintain the property today.

SILVER AWARD

Weisz Selection Lawn & Landscape Service, Inc. Cadillac Project

Residential Installation over $150,000 THE CLIENTS INITIALLY wanted a complete deck remodel.

After seeing several different designs and estimates, they couldn’t decide which design they liked best. After one of the homeowners fell through the existing dilapidated wooden deck, they decided to move forward with the proposed project.

Shortly thereafter, a careful demolition of the backyard began.

What began as a complete deck remodel went through many design changes throughout the construction of the project and became a complete backyard overhaul.

January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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SILVER AWARD

EcoSystems Landscape Services Sweetwater Hill Top Oak Installation

Special Projects THE CLIENT DESIRED a feature specimen red oak to top the large hill that centers the new section of this neighborhood. EcoSystems Landscape Services installed a 33-foot-tall Shumard red oak, weighing about 22,000 pounds and boasting a 15-and-a-half-inch caliper. The team began by excavating a 12-foot-wide by 5-foot-deep hole that would allow for installation of soils and the large root ball, which was 8 feet square by 3 feet deep. The team used a combination of skid steers, lifts, and a front-end loader to truck the tree to the top of the hill. With the severe slope and extreme weight of the tree, spotters and safety coordinators were paramount at every step.

SILVER AWARD

Native Edge Landscape, LLC Zilker Native Chic

Design THIS YARD WAS transformed from a bland builder basic to a fun and lush entryway with xeriscape.

To make the yard feel bigger, Native Edge Landscape, LLC, removed the driveway and used gravel from end to end, creating an open, borderless planting and patio space across the entire front yard.

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TNLA Green January/February 2020

SILVER AWARD

Native Edge Landscape, LLC Native Modern Mueller

Design THE HOMEOWNERS WERE looking for drainage solutions, lowmaintenance plantings, and an outdoor entertainment space. Mowing the grass had been a pain in the past, so with this design Native Edge Landscape, LLC, decided to remove it entirely. A new fence modernized and updated the space and allowed the interior of the backyard to be leveled.

This added more opportunities for design elements like a floating bench and custom built firepit.

SILVER AWARD

Jason Osterberger Designs, LLC Nighthawk Court

Design JASON OSTERBERGER DESIGNS, LLC, worked closely with a contractor and interior designer to ensure the inside and outside of the home suited the clients’ needs. They wanted to be outside and have places for large and small gatherings. The new outdoor living area with glass walls doubles the home’s living space and overlooks the redesigned pool. Throughout the backyard, the team leveled multiple green spaces and created a creek bed to fix drainage issues.

The path through the backyard guides guests to a new communal area that includes a gas-fueled firepit and a low stone wall for additional seating. From conception to completion, solutions that created an inviting, private backyard meshed with the clients’ needs.

January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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SILVER AWARD

Alterra Design, LLC Texan’s Carmel Retreat

Commercial Maintenance ALTERRA DESIGN, LLC, created a retirement oasis at the clients’ home base in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Goals included renovating the pool, spa, and fountain; expanding the living area; adding a pergola, kitchen, and fireplace; significantly improving the landscaping; providing easy access to the golf course and grassy areas for people and animals; and incorporating wind art.

BRONZE AWARD

Southern Botanical, Inc. The Union

Commercial Installation over $500,000

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TNLA Green January/February 2020

BRONZE AWARD

Clean Scapes, LP Blue Skies of Texas

Commercial Maintenance

BRONZE AWARD

Clean Scapes, LP Holt Cat HQ

Commercial Maintenance

BRONZE AWARD

FiveSTAR Landscape Moore

Residential Installation under $50,000

BRONZE AWARD

BRONZE AWARD

Moss Landscaping Pemberton Gardens

Residential Installation under $50,000

Guillen Landscape Contractor, LP Residence in River Oaks

Residential Installation $50,000 - $150,000

January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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BRONZE AWARD

Guillen Landscape Contractor, LP Residence in Memorial

Moss Landscaping River Oaks English Gardens

Residential Installation over $150,000

Residential Maintenance

BRONZE AWARD

BRONZE AWARD

Southern Botanical, Inc. Park Lane Estate

Residential Maintenance

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BRONZE AWARD

TNLA Green January/February 2020

Alterra Design, LLC North Dallas Elegance Design

TNLA Green January/February 2020 Advertiser Index Horizon Irrigation...........inside front cover TreeTown USA.......................................... 03 ROMCO.................................................... 03 Hotchkiss Insurance ............................... 29 Spring Meadow Nursery...........................32 Texas Mutual............................................ 35 Creekside Nursery...................... back cover

BRONZE AWARD

Alterra Design, LLC Small & Mighty Design

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Email us: advertising@tnlaonline.org

HONORABLE MENTION

HONORABLE MENTION

400 South Record

Domain Northside

Southern Botanical, Inc. Commercial Installation over $500,000

Clean Scapes, LP Commercial Maintenance

January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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GREEN Vision

By Mengmeng Gu, Ph.D., and Ping Yu

Ms. Margie Jenkins and What We Learned at IPPS PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS THE MOST valuable assets. In October, we attended and presented at the International Plant Propagators’ Society (IPPS) Southern Region of North America annual conference in Baton Rouge, La. Of course, this is a valuable professional learning experience as IPPS is a place for “sharing plant production knowledge globally.” Meeting new people and old friends is absolutely the best part of this conference.

Charlie Parkerson, owner of Lancaster Farms in Virginia and co-author of “That Ain’t No Deal,” shares a good laugh with Ms. Margie.

Dr. Yan Chen of Louisiana State University AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station is holding the mic for Ms. Margie as she stands in front of her plants.

PASSION IN HORTICULTURE

Hearing Ms. Margie Jenkins talk about her beloved plants was priceless. A nonagenarian, Ms. Margie stood among her plants and told us about the unique details of her azaleas and Gordonias. I really don’t know whether much of that plant knowledge sank into my brain, but her passion did. She has always been growing plants. She started the nursery after she retired, and she is still practicing horticulture with her granddaughter, even after her daughter retired from the nursery. Attendees adored her presentation, and many got to take home a nice plant from her selection.

A CLEAN NURSERY OPERATION

My visit to Bracy’s Nursery, LLC, was inspiring. I had been there when I was working for Mississippi State University. This time I had the opportunity to visit the home of owners Randy and Regina Bracy. Their residence houses an impressive collection of Scotch whisky. Three family members are responsible for maintaining the tens of thousands of Scotch varieties. I also marveled at how clean their nursery operation was. Weeds are a big problem in nursery production, and I

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Dr. Allen Owings now works for Bracy’s Nursery, after retiring from Louisiana State University’s AgCenter.

Buddy Lee, a breeder of Encore azaleas, is telling Ms. Margie Jenkins a little secret.

All students in the IPPS oral competition are sharing a good laugh. The one in green is Texas A&M University Ph.D. student Ping Yu, who placed second.

GREEN Vision remember workers pulling weeds by hand from the plug trays to have a clean start the last time I visited.

IPPS STUDENT COMPETITION

MENGMENG GU, PH.D., is associate professor/ extension specialist in theTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Department of Horticultural Sciences. Email her at mgu@tamu.edu.

PING YU is a doctoral student working on using biochar in potting mix in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M University. Email her at yuping520@tamu.edu.

All three of my Ph.D. students presented at the IPPS student competition. Ping Yu gave an oral presentation on her biochar as potting mix research and won second place. Runshi Xie and Bin Wu presented their posters on their crapemyrtle bark scale (CMBS) research.

Ping was inspired by people she met and talked to during the bus tours and was so excited to meet Tom Yeager, Ph.D., nursery specialist in the Environmental Horticulture Department at the University of Florida. She has been citing Dr. Yeager’s research a lot. Ping told him she wanted to be an extension specialist when she graduated.

STUDYING CMBS

Although we’re pioneering CMBS research, we may not always have the best solution. We held a stakeholder meeting to update nurserymen about our research and to seek advice. California-based Windmill Nursery uses sea salt solution as its routine insect control. The nursery doesn’t have CMBS. Would that be applicable to CMBS? We’ll find out.

In the last issue of TNLA Green, I warned you about CMBS on Callicarpa. We have morphological confirmation of a landscape infestation of CMBS on spirea in Arkansas. We will be monitoring the situation and sharing updates with you. We also have a lot of information on our CMBS Facebook page and at www.stopcmbs. com. As always, please share your comments with me.

January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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BUGS FUZZ

Focus on disease and insects

By Kevin Ong, Ph.D., and Erfan Vafaie

Mealybugs Are Expensive IF YOU’RE A GROWER OR landscaper, you’re far too familiar with mealybugs. These true bugs are sucking insect pests that typically excrete a waxy coat, protecting them from several insecticides that rely on smothering, such as oils. Female mealybugs can lay several clusters of eggs (See Figure 1), resulting in rapid population growth, and newly emerged mealybugs are rather mobile, known as “crawlers” (See Figure 2).

Female mealybugs don’t develop wings, whereas males do, allowing them to find new partners with whom to mix genetic material. Due to the quick population growth of mealybugs and difficulty getting good contact insecticides to work, an effective management strategy relies on multiple approaches.

LOOK CLOSELY AND SYSTEMATICALLY

You can’t rely solely on watering hands; they are not ideally suited for finding mealybug populations early enough.

They will notice them when it’s too late (See Figure 4), when populations are covering upper foliage, and honeydew has already formed on the leaves. It’s not that the watering hands aren’t doing their jobs; watering and scouting are two different functions. Asking watering hands to effectively monitor for populations of mealybugs would slow them down substantially because they would need to use a hand or head lens, pick up plants, and look under leaves and pots. You’re never going to get the watering done that way.

Think about the costs related to insecticides used and plants culled due to mealybugs. If it’s enough to pay for

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several scouts, consider getting just a few to start off and see whether it helps save on pesticide applications.

It’s worth a shot and necessary for discovering mealybugs when there are only a few adults laying clutches of eggs, and crawlers are just starting to take hold of the plants. They won’t be obvious to watering hands at this stage.

Only a dedicated scout, systematically monitoring plants for different pests, would really notice it at this stage.

Scouring the scientific literature, I have not found too much information on mealybug diapause, but it’s feasible they suspend development when on empty pots and come out to feast as soon as some delicious plant materials have been deposited nearby. If you’re reusing pots, be aware of this potential issue and either clean/sanitize those pots well before reuse or don’t reuse pots. The same can also be the case for greenhouse benches. Sanitation is key.

START CLEAN

LIMIT MOVEMENT

I’m not just talking propagative materials but reusing pots has been a recurring problem, as well. If you have a history of getting mealybugs on specific plants that are coming from elsewhere, develop a habit of checking them in quarantine before moving them in with the other plants. Many insects can also undergo what’s known as diapause, suspended development during adverse environmental conditions. In other words, they stop developing, feeding, and greatly reduce physiological functions when there’s no food, during poor temperatures, or short-day lengths.

Earlier I mentioned only males have wings. Females are going to be limited in their movement, unless of course, we help them move around. If you’re growing a plant that needs to be spaced (such as poinsettias), consider leaving room to space them within the same area. If you’re spacing in such a way that plants are going to intermingle across different sites, you’re not helping your mealybug problem.

Crawlers can also grab onto clothes or other easy-to-grab accessories, so limiting movement of labor and/or watering hands from least infested to most infested will reduce movement of

Focus on disease and insects mealybugs into clean areas. Additionally, don’t try to recover highly infested plants. Also, don’t give them a personal tour of your farm on the back of a buggy.

Bag them up. Waxy-covered mealybugs + air velocity = flying around the air to greener pastures.

BUGS FUZZ

2

1

PROTECT THE ALLIES

I would consider this section more applicable to landscapers. Although growers can purchase and release some beneficial insects to manage mealybugs, I have difficulty suggesting them without data supporting their efficacy in our Texas conditions. The landscape, however, is a slightly different story.

Many coccinellids, also known as lady beetles, feed on many pests, such as aphids, scales, and mealybugs. In fact, one of the most cost-effective successful management strategies of the cottonycushion scale, a scale insect devastating the California citrus industry, was partly due to the release of a beneficial lady beetle.

I’m not familiar with any data supporting the purchase and release of beetles to manage mealybugs in Texas landscapes. Data does, however, support unrestrained use of pesticides to kill the lady beetles, thus promoting the pests — a bit opposite the intended effect. One such example is the prolific use of the active ingredient carbaryl in the landscape, which is highly effective against beetles, but has little effect on scales and mealybugs. In some cases, we have found up to a three-fold increase in scale insects due to applications of carbaryl compared to trees that were not sprayed at all, presumably due to its negative effects on lady beetles.

EFFECTIVE PESTICIDES

If you skipped everything above and just came to this section, go back. This war is not won on chemical warfare alone. You’ll

3

4

Figure 1. Madeira mealybug egg sac on a coleus plant. The eggs are covered in thick wax, and lack of feeding makes them involnerable to many pesticides applications at this point.

Thus, management often requires mutliple applications, seven to 14 days apart to get newly emerged crawlers.

Figure 2. Mealybug crawlers are small and hard to notice when merely passing by.

Magnification with a lens can help find these immatures on the undersides of leaves before their populations explode.

Figure 3. Like other sucking insect pests, ants will herd mealybugs. By moving mealybugs around to a suitable habitat and protecting them from predators, ants can secure a long-lasting supply of sweet, delicious honeydew (mealybug poop). Effective mealybug management can involve an effective ant management strategy as well.

Figure 4. Mealybugs approaching maturity. At this point, the mealybugs are much more noticeable (i.e., to passing watering hands), but as you will notice, the population is already rather high, making quick and effective control much more challenging.

need to scout, catch populations early, start clean, and prevent spread for the insecticides to do the final cleaning. If you’re one of the fortunate growers who can still use neonicotinoids and you’re protecting nonflowering plants, they are still considered some of the most effective and long-residual insecticides, with Thiamethoxam and Acetamiprid having data to support good efficacy

against madeira mealybugs, commonly found on ornamentals.

Strictly based on data generated from the IR4 program, a federally funded project that aids facilitation of pesticide and biopesticides on specialty crops, the following have good to great efficacy against madeira mealybugs (with a number of independent researchers confirming the findings

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BUGS FUZZ

Focus on disease and insects

in parentheses and mode of action group): Acetamiprid (2; MoA 4a), Acephate (2; MoA 1B), Afidopyropen (2; MoA 9D), Buprofezin (3; MoA 16), Cyclaniliprole + Flonicamid (2; MoA 28 & 29), Dinotefuran (4; MoA 4a), Pyrifluquinazon (2; MoA 9a), spirotetramat (3; MoA 23), Thiamethoxam (3; MoA 4a), and Tolfenpyrad (1; MoA 21a).

As a sidenote, I highly recommend checking out the IR4 database for efficacy data of different insecticides.

Visit ir4project.org and click Environmental Horticulture under the Program Database box to access the full database.

I have firsthand experience with several of these insecticides, with two of

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the most recent being Cyclaniliprole + Flonicamid (“Pradia” by OHP, Inc.) and Afidopyropen (“Ventigra” by BASF), which were quite effective in our greenhouse trials at managing madeira mealybugs on coleus. The important thing when applying these pesticides is good coverage. When we conduct research trials, we are typically working with broad-leaved plants, making it easier to see and count the mealybugs.

Change the plant to a branchy, dense, small-leaved plant, and coverage can become an issue.

To bring it all together, management of mealybugs is possible, but requires a multifaceted approach. Relying on conventional pesticide rotations is not only insufficient, but quite expensive.

Use a combination of systematic scouting, starting clean, removing infested materials, reducing plant movement, and implementing effective pesticide rotations with good coverage to manage mealybugs. =

BUGS (ERFAN VAFAIE) and FUZZ (KEVIN ONG) work for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Vafaie is an extension program specialist (IPM) located at the Texas A&M Research & Extension Center in Overton. Ong is the associate department head for extension programs in the Department of Plant Pathology & Microbiology based at Texas A&M College Station, where he also directs the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab.

NEW MEMBERS

TNLA would like to welcome its new members. If you would like to become a member or if you have any questions 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 member of TNLA. REGION 1 Educator Dustin Rogers Highlands High School 16015 Ponderosa Pass San Antonio, TX 78023 Supplier Best-1 Hummingbird Feeder William Arlitt III PO Box 998 Poteet, TX 78065 Douglass King Seeds Dean Williams 4627 Emil Street San Antonio, TX 78219 www.dkseeds.com REGION 2 Educator Ikenna Ikwuemesi Houston Community College 18930 Morant Bay Dr. Richmond, TX 77407

Landscape Archer Services 17010 Lazy Hill Lane Spring, TX 77379 www.archerlawns.com Cody’s Tree Service, Inc. Bethany Geiman 3550 Schlipf Rd. Katy, TX 77493 Flocke Lone Star Irrigation and Landscaping Timothy Flocke 8395 Old Voth Road Beaumont, TX 77708 The Grounds Guys of Memorial Park Tricia Montalbano 10322 Eddystone Dr. Houston, TX 77043 https://www.groundsguys.com/ memorial-park/?L=true

Jomoso Wilson Texans Can Academy – Houston 9745 Bissonnet St. Houston, TX 77036

Student Willie Sykes Fuller PO Box 821087 Houston, TX 77282

Grower Plant Resources, LLC Colin Kenjura 12620 FM 1960 W, Ste A-4, Box 556 Houston, TX 77065

Supplier Bayou City Hemp Company, Inc. Jeromy Sherman 9219 Katy Fwy., Ste. 144 Houston, TX 77024 www.bayoucityhemp.com

REGION 4 Supplier Sleeper Sewell Insurance Michael Ansley 12400 Coit Rd., Ste 1100 Dallas, TX 75251 www.sleepersewell.com

Supplier The Nitsche Group Jason Pfaltzgraff 783 CR 3150 Kempner, TX 76539 Triple Oak Environmental Solutions Jerome Alder 3824 Sapphire Loop Round Rock, TX 78681

REGION 5 Landscape Fort Worth Land Design Collin Alexander 8904 Crosswind Dr. Fort Worth, TX 76179 Supplier Southwest International Trucks Dylan Meador 617 N. Freeway Fort Worth, TX 76102 www.southwestinternational. com REGION 6 Educator Alan Davis Windham School District 15845 FM 164 Childress, TX 79201 REGION 8 Educator Elena Ruiz Texans Can Academy – Austin 2406 Rosewood Dr. Austin, TX 78702

OUT OF STATE Grower Normans Nursery Kevin Chesshir 8665 E. Duarte Rd. San Gabriel, CA 91775 www.nngrower.com Supplier Unique Stone Doug Henson 395 Ledbetter Rd. Rockingham, NC 28379 www.uniquestone.com Weber MT, Inc. Angela Ellingwood 4717 Broadmoor Ave. SE St B Grand Rapids, MI 49512 www.webermt.us

Twin Wood Farms Jonathan Judice 9426 FM 1489 Simonton, TX 77476

NEW TNLA CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS TMCNP Texas Master Certified Nursery Professional Sandra De Britain - Calloway’s Nursery TCNP Texas Certified Nursery Professional Adam Ergas - Calloway’s Nursery Ronnie Abbe TCLP Texas Certified Landscape Professional Clee Mogonye - Mogonye Land Tech, LLC

Texas Certified Landscape Associate (TCLA) Christopher Burt Baldi Gardens, Inc. Andy Gatica Texans Can Academy – Austin Alyssa Gonzalez Texans Can Academy – Austin Daniel Gonzalez Texans Can Academy – Austin Jose Infante Texans Can Academy – Austin

Mayolo Loza Texans Can Academy – Austin Oscar Moreno Texans Can Academy – Austin Hector Olvera Texans Can Academy – Austin Ebony Trevino Texans Can Academy – Austin

January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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NOTES FROM SFA Gardens

Planting Texas Highways I SUSPECT MANY OF YOU remember the downturn in 2008. If you were in horticulture at the time, you saw one-third of the landscape workforce leave the scene, and nurseries large and small either failed or barely managed to get by. The construction starts, new homes and businesses weren’t in robust enough supply to support the volume of trees and shrubs hitting the market. In some cases, big container trees were tossed.

I remember a giant bonfire at one Central Texas nursery. It was depressing. As the recession settled in, the words “stimulus” and “bailout” were on the news. A $787 billion stimulus package passed in early 2009 to stop the bleeding. About one-third of that was touted for “shovel-ready” projects.

Well, I had this idea, as did others, that all we needed for the Texas nursery industry was about $1 billion to take that excess tree product and lay it out on our interstates and highways. The

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idea was to use the freshly printed stimulus money to buy the trees (saving the nursery industry) and then turn the landscapers and contract mowing force into a planting and maintenance crew of epic proportions. People stay employed, trees are planted, the nursery industry is saved, our carbon footprint is better, highways are beautified, mowing costs and road noise are ultimately reduced, air pollution is lessened in nearby properties, and those enthusiastic about ecological services are happy. I thought it was a brilliant idea.

Fast forward to 2020. Having a shovel-ready proposal might be prudent if the economy goes south. TNLA and Texas A&M University take the lead, of course, and the industry is poised to act.

All this got me thinking. Roughly how many trees are we talking about?

In 2017, the U.S. had 4.16 million miles of public roads. Texas is No. 1 with 314,319 miles. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintains 80,444 centerline miles (miles traveled in a one-way direction regardless of the number of lanes in a roadway). Break it down a little more, that number is composed of 3,459 miles of interstate highways, 11,851 miles of U.S. highways, 16,391 miles of state highways, 40,849 miles of farm or ranch

By David Creech, Ph.D.

to market roads, 7,546 miles of frontage roads, and 349 miles of park roads.

If we look at just the interstates, we can assume a wide median and a reasonably wide swath on each side, often maintained by TxDOT or contract mowers. If we imagine a 40-foot-wide swath of trees on each side and a 20-foot-wide swath in the medians, that works out to about 12 acres planted per mile. If we pick a 20-foot-by-20-foot spacing, we would need 1,308 trees for every mile of interstate planted. If we planted the entire 3,459 miles of interstate, we’d need 4.5 million trees.

Add in the U.S. highway system, with 11,851 miles, drop the median out of the picture, and that same roadside treatment would require 12.4 million trees. Add in the 16,391 miles of state highway, and you’ve got a little over 17 million trees. Add it all up, and the interstates, U.S. highways, and state highways have a grand total of over 33 million trees needing a spot.

Of course, that number can go up and down. There are stretches not planted for various reasons (near on and off ramps, bridges, utilities, vistas and views to keep, etc.). Still, even if we cut it all in half, we’re talking 17 million trees.

The current strategy to mow is an issue. The argument is, mowing keeps grass and vegetation from interfering with drivers’ sight distance. Drivers get a feel for the road layout, can see fixed objects near and far, and thus feel safer.

Not everyone buys this.

Many years ago, I picked up our first entourage of Nanjing Forestry University colleagues from the airport. If you’ve been to China, you know every highway, road, city street, canal, or railroad track is or will soon be planted with trees.

There’s a huge nursery industry to feed it. The sides of the road are forested, and the medians are landscaped with

NOTES FROM SFA Gardens evergreen trees and shrubs, which stop the blinding lights of oncoming traffic.

As we were cruising north from Houston to Nacogdoches, my Chinese guests were amazed by Highway 59.

As land use vegetation managers, it confused them. What is all this grass?

Why aren’t you planting trees? I replied that in America when we are driving and have an accident on the highway we like to glide gently to a stop in a prairie. This made no sense to my friends.

Of course, lovers of Texas wildflowers and pollinators might argue against tree plantings of the scale suggested here. You’re messing with Texas on that one. However, there are compelling reasons to perhaps de-emphasize roadside flowers on highways and interstates.

The data on pollinator mortality on highways is grim.

A recent Texas AgriLife Extension study concluded road mortality accounts for 2%–4% of the total migration. Other studies conclude roadkill contributes to pollinator decline. It’s intuitive, really. With that in mind, perhaps a better place for wildflowers might be under high- and low-voltage transmission lines and above crude and refined product pipelines. This makes sense.

After all, Texas has the largest pipeline infrastructure in the nation, with 469,737 miles of pipeline representing about one-sixth of the total pipeline mileage of the entire U.S. As for electricity, Electric Reliability Council of Texas dispatches power on an electric grid that connects 46,500 miles of transmission lines and serves about 85% of the state.

But that’s a totally different proposal.

I’m interested in trees. I’m not sure

how many pounds of wildflower seeds or how many dollars that is, but Charlie Hall can do the math, and Dawn Stover can manage the project. Until next time, let’s keep planting.

DAVID CREECH, PH.D., is regent’s professor emeritus at Stephen F. Austin State University and the director of SFA Gardens.

January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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February 26-27, 2020

! o e d o R s Let’

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The Product Rodeo & Education Corral is TNLA’s newest event, designed to give attendees an up-close experience with the latest products and technology. Participants can test equipment right in the rodeo arena, watch live expert demonstrations, attend hands-on education sessions, and more. Texas’ premier indoor Product Rodeo will showcase outdoor innovation the way it was meant to be experienced.

Two Days of LIVE Product Demonstrations, Over 15 hours of CEU opportunities, Instant Connections ALL UNDER ONE ROOF! Saddle Up and Register Today! To register, book your hotel, or view up to date speaker and event information visit www.tnlaonline.org!

REGISTRATION PRICING Product Rodeo Pricing Two Days of Product Rodeo $35 INCLUDES: • Access to the Product Rodeo Exhibits & Arena • Free Drink Ticket to Cowboys & Cocktails Welcome Party

Education Corral Pricing Landscape/Retail Sessions $125 INCLUDES: • Education Corral Retail/Landscape Sessions • Chuck Wagon Chat Keynote & Lunch • Access to the Product Rodeo Exhibits, Arena & Cowboys & Cocktails Welcome Party Drink Ticket • Business Savvy Education on Thursday

BOOK YOUR STAY

Special Hotel Discounts end February 3, 2020 RESIDENCE INN MARRIOTT FORT WORTH CULTURAL DISTRICT 2500 Museum Way, Fort Worth, TX 76107 $169/Night Host Hotel

COURTYARD MARRIOTT FORT WORTH UNIVERSITY DRIVE 3150 Riverfront Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76107 $139/Night

Irrigation Sessions $125 INCLUDES: • Education Corral Irrigation Workshop • Catered Lunch on Wednesday • Access to the Product Rodeo Exhibits, Arena & Cowboys & Cocktails Welcome Party Drink Ticket • Business Savvy Education on Thursday Don’t have time to attend a full session, but want to join for they Chuck Wagon Chat Keynote and Lunch? Add it to your Product Rodeo admission for just $30.

Thank you to our Product Rodeo & Education Corral Sponsors: Southwest Wholesale Nursery Leaf Landscape Supply Landscape Art, Inc. The Nitsche Group Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply Keystone Hardscapes

36 MORE TNLA Green January/February 2020 FOR INFORMATION contact the Rodeo Team rodeo@tnlaonline.org or call (512) 579-3862

January/February 2020 TNLA Green

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TNLA Green January/February 2020