TNLA Green May/June

TNLA

Green May/June 2019

TNLA IGNITES: A YEAR IN REVIEW LIGHTING A FIRE WITHIN OUR MEMBERS AND SPREADING A BLAZE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE A

TNLA Green May/June 2019

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

TNLA

Green

May/June 2019

CONTENTS

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Leveling the Field

For women in the green industry, the road to success is paved with mentorship, creativity, and acceptance.

10 TNLA Ignites: A Year in Review The organization was on fire last year, inspiring success among our membership.

02 President’s Letter:

22 Green Vision:

04 News:

24 Notes from SFA Gardens:

TNLA is helping you stay focused on priorities and finish the year strong.

22

The latest legislative and industry updates from TNLA.

08 Commentary:

More Americans are eating their yards.

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24

20 Q&A:

Practical business advice and ideas you can use now.

Benefits of sensor-based automated irrigation.

Is kiwifruit the next Texas gold?

30 Bugs & Fuzz:

Rose rosette disease is spreading in Texas.

32 TNLA Talks:

Bill Carson encourages green industry professionals to mentor the next generation.

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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PRESIDENT’S Letter

TNLA

Green

The official publication of the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association May/June | Vol. 22 No. 3

Directors

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

DEAR TNLA MEMBERS, The last few months TNLA has been working to help you do business better by staying vigilante at the Texas Capitol. Sometimes it’s not what does get done that matters but what doesn’t that’s even more important That is much unlike what you experience every day in your business. You try to figure out how to get things accomplished in the valuable time you have each day, and on top of that be innovative, progressive, and move the business or your position forward at the same time.

I have a sign on my desk that I read at least once a week that reminds me to look at what is really important. It’s four easy steps: •D o more of certain things.

•D o less of certain things.

•S tart doing the things you aren’t yet doing but

should be doing.

•S top doing the things you are doing but

shouldn’t be doing.

Businesses put together great plans before the year begins but tend to forget the priorities and direction they set when they become busy. Don’t forget to pull that plan off the shelf and read it. It will do you good even in the busiest of times. You started strong now. You need to coach employees to stay on track, so you, your team, and your company can finish the year strong.

Be sure to check out TNLA’s Year in Review. I think you will see that this year TNLA ended its year “hotter” than ever.

Amy Grah a m Amy Graham TNLA President and CEO

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

Board of Directors

Region I Kevin Grossberndt, Big Foot Region II ... Jim Curtice, TCLP, Houston Region III ... Herman Ray Vess, TMCNP, Edgewood 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 ... Tim Little, Dallas Grower Director ... Kevin Norris, Coppell Landscape Director ... Scotty Rigsby, TCLP, Midlothian Retail Director ... Kristi Long, TCNP, Kerrville Director At-Large ... Adrian Muehlstein, TMCNP, Carrollton Director At-Large .... Rachelle Kemp, TCLP, TMCNP, Waco Director At-Large ... Dan Green, TCLP, San Antonio Director At-Large ... Bobby Eichholz, ASLA, San Antonio

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 Region Support… Sara Fern Sales Specialist… Jake Kirby Administrative Assistant, Strategic Initiatives… Debra Allen Administrative Assistant, TNLA and EXPO Marketing/Communications…

Ashley Pettibone Administrative Assistant, EXPO...Trevor Peevey

Magazine Staff

October Custom Publishing Editor ... Crystal Zuzek Creative Director ... Torquil Dewar Art Director ... Shelley Lai Production ... Monica Valenzuela, Zach Scouras Ad Sales ... Jake Kirby 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

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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TNLA

Green

UPDATE

Members Flock to TNLA Day at the Capitol IN LATE FEBRUARY, TNLA held a membership-wide advocacy day at the Texas Capitol. Amplifying the presence and impact of the green industry, TNLA teamed up with the American Society of Landscape Architects to coordinate efforts and office visits.

Members started the day at a legislative briefing and breakfast, where attendees learned about the major issues of the 86th legislative session and studied TNLA’s efforts at the Texas Capitol.

House Chair Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio) and Senate Chair Bryan Hughes (R-Tyler) then joined the group and spoke about their top issues this session and responded to members’ questions about water supply and regulation, natural disaster recovery, property taxes, and more.

TNLA and its members were recognized in the House and Senate chambers in front of all legislators for the association’s work in leading the green industry and for member business’ contributions to the Texas economy. Following this recognition, attendees divided into groups, paired with TNLA staff, and visited legislators’ offices.

At each visit, TNLA members spoke directly to policymakers or key staffers about important legislative matters. Labor, water, and regulation were the primary topics for most meetings.

Ryan Skrobarczyk, TNLA director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, says many legislators and their staff told him throughout the week they greatly appreciated meeting with green industry members and learning about their priorities. With an impact like that, Skrobarczyk says TNLA plans to “grow advocacy day in the next legislative session.”

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

Subscribe to TNLA’s Podcast for the Latest Legislative News FOR MORE THAN 80 YEARS, TNLA has been a leader in the green industry and has served as a resource for members on the most important information for their businesses, including legislative and regulatory developments. Now TNLA has a new way to deliver the latest news and political headlines straight to you — “The Green Report” podcast.

Hosted by TNLA Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Ryan Skrobarczyk, each month’s episode focuses on an issue facing the green industry in Texas. From labor and water to taxes and regulations, there is no shortage of work TNLA does on members’ behalf, and the podcast will keep you up to date on what the association is working on.

You can listen to “The Green Report” on the Apple Podcasts app and Google Play. Subscribe online and receive new episode alerts. Current episodes include an overall review of TNLA’s advocacy efforts and the association’s recent fight for H-2B cap relief.

Stay tuned for more episodes focused on the Texas Legislature and insights from policymakers.

Don’t Miss out on Lawn and Garden Tax Holiday This Memorial Day Weekend THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND the Lawn and Garden Tax Holiday returns to Texas. It encourages responsible water use in Texas. Over Memorial Day weekend, retailers can sell select water-saving products without charging sales tax.

TNLA has resources to help you get ready for the sales tax holiday, from information on how to participate, to a free marketing toolkit — complete with logos, flyers, images, social media graphics, and pre-written social media posts. Access the marketing toolkit at www.tnlaonline.org/lgthmarketingtoolkit.

Items that are tax free include all products with a WaterSense label.

You can sell other water-conserving products tax-free if they are used in a residential property. You can sell items tax-free during the holiday that are used or planted for: •C onserving or retaining groundwater; •R echarging water tables; or •D ecreasing ambient air temperature (limiting water evaporation).

Examples of items that qualify for the exemption include a soaker or drip irrigation hose; a moisture control for a sprinkler or irrigation system; mulch; a rain barrel or an alternative

rain and moisture collection system; a permeable ground cover surface that allows water to reach underground basins, aquifers, or water collection points; plants, trees, and grasses; water-saving surfactants; and soil and compost.

Participation helps to increase instore traffic and drive sales. Your customers will save water and save money.

Let TNLA know you are participating, and we will add you to the participating retail garden center list.

For more information visit www.tnlaonline.org.

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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partners, Casey with with 2019 event ers.

Keep hers Brot

TNLA Green May/June 2019 Advertiser Index Creekside Nursery................................................ inside front cover

Texas Nursery & Landscape Association........................................3 Living Earth.......................................................................................5 Granite Trucking...............................................................................6 Hotchkiss Insurance.........................................................................7 Vital Earth Resources.......................................................................9 Texas Mutual.................................................................................. 21 Spring Meadows/Proven Winners................................................23

Horizon Irrigation...........................................................................25 OHP........................................................................inside back cover FIS Merchant Solutions....................................................back cover

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

Photos by Jesse Tallman.

Ewing Crawfish Feast Supports a Good Cause EVERY YEAR SINCE 2013, Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply has hosted the Ewing Cowtown Crawfish Palooza, an event that allows the business to show appreciation for its customers, showcase a variety of select vendors, and donate to a worthy cause while serving up an authentic crawfish boil.

TNLA was among dozens of vendors at the 2019 Cowtown Crawfish Palooza on May 10 at Ewing’s Fort Worth location.

“We like to have TNLA at our event to build awareness of the organization among maintenance contractors.

Those who are new to the industry may not be familiar with TNLA, so we want to introduce them to TNLA, the biggest and best in the green industry,” says Casey Strachan, manager of Ewing’s Fort Worth branch.

Money raised at this year’s event will be donated to BrothersKeepers, an organization that benefits veterans, first responders, and their families. Last year, Ewing raised $3,000 for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, with customers contributing a generous amount.

“We focus our charitable outreach on the local community. We know we can have a big impact by

helping those who are close by,” Strachan says.

Over the years, the event has grown, and in more ways than one.

“Of course, it’s always great to spend time with your customers, create product awareness, and sell some stuff. It’s an all-day event that we really enjoy hosting. But, to gain the commitment from our customers and business partners to go above and beyond to help out, that’s what it’s all about. In my opinion, that’s a true partnership and a better feeling,” Strachan says.

During the event, Ewing ensures no one goes hungry. With approximately 200 attendees, Strachan says Ewing’s North Texas staff will serve more than 500 pounds of crawfish and more than 50 pounds of sausage, potatoes, and side dishes — their way of showing thanks for the landscape contractors and green industry professionals.

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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COMMENTARY RECENTLY,

GREEN

INDUSTRY

gardening reports and magazine articles have focused on garden trends and an increased interest in food gardening in America. Last year’s survey by the American Society of Landscape Architects found 70.5 percent of its customers desired food/vegetable garden elements in their home landscapes. As a horticulturist with Texas A&M AgriLife’s Water University program, one of my main duties is interacting with the public, providing environmentally sound education for those wanting to grow lush lawns, heathy landscapes, and productive vegetable gardens in an urban setting.

This past year, we’ve taught more than 240 classes (reaching more than 20,000 homeowners), and some of the most popular programing involves edible gardening. Not only has there been increased interest in traditional vegetable gardening and fruit production classes, the popularity of attractive plants that have food value seems to be growing.

Herbs aren’t just for kitchen gardens anymore. Many herbs look great, in addition to providing fresh flavors. With a variety of cultivars, rosemary, lavender, sage, thyme, and chives are perennial and adapted to the tough Texas climate.

And they offer multiple uses.

Last summer at Texas A&M AgriLife’s horticulture field day in Overton, the new ornamental basils were a favorite of the pollinators and the people.

Variegated versions of our favorite herbs’ foliage also offer an alluring color contrast.

Ornamental versions of some of our favorite vegetables are gaining popularity. Quite a few more traditional cultivars can be used in an ornamental setting, mixed in with conventional ornamental plants.

This “edible landscaping” philosophy

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

By Daniel Cunningham

Thought for Food: More Americans Are Eating Their Yards

isn’t new, being practiced in some way for thousands of years. The limited space in urban areas and the desire to have a landscape that looks great and fits in with the neighborhood might be a driving factor in its resurgence.

One of the fastest-growing segments of the green industry is millennials (1834 years old), who make up an estimated 25 percent of the U.S. population, many just getting into gardening. Millennials’ parents and grandparents are still digging growing edible gardens.

A 2014 report by The National Gardening Association found one-inthree households is now growing some of their own food, the highest numbers seen in a decade. And from my personal experience, that trend seems to be holding true.

Many are learning there are plants, both old standards and promising new cultivars, that can look great and taste delicious. They’re using leafy greens like kale, Swiss chard, or cabbage as a cool season border or integrating perennial

COMMENTARY vegetables like artichokes, asparagus, sorrel, and Jerusalem artichokes to add color contrast and texture in the landscape.

And chefs are again incorporating edible flowers into dishes to add flavor or a bright garnish. It’s delightful to see more people using certain flowers — pansies, begonias (tuberosa), calendula, daylily (Hemerocallis), and hibiscus — from their landscapes, expanding their edible pallet.

Learning the story of plants, their ethnobotany (how they’ve traditionally been used in their indigenous lands or here in early America) has always been fascinating to me. I enjoy sharing that love of plants with others and am consistently surprised to find how many people are intrigued to find many of their traditional landscape plants also have edible value.

Of course, with any plant material, correct identification using scientific nomenclature is a must before ingesting or serving it to friends and family. It’s equally important to note that just because something is edible doesn’t mean everyone will find it palatable (cilantro and brussels sprouts, for example).

Most of us have enjoyed eating a pecan grown in the landscape primarily as a shade tree, but it’s something quite different to take advantage of the edible value of common landscape plants.

There is now a company in Texas that sells yaupon holly tea (made from the caffeinated leaves) from this popular landscape shrub. Other plants like autumn sage (a relative of culinary sage) have been historically used to season beans and meat and produce edible flowers.

There are also non-native plants that were once (and still are) used for their edible value in their home country, but those uses somehow didn’t make the transition to the horticulture trade

in America. One such specimen often found commonly in Texas landscapes is the silverberry (Elaeagnus pungens ‘Fruitlandii’). In early spring, their pleasantly sweet and tart fruits ripen and when soft remind me of a raspberry.

Their large seeds are also edible with a flavor similar to a peanut.

I know it seems strange to some, but for hundreds of years gardeners incorporated a mixture of edibles and ornamentals together in cottage gardens. During the dawn of America, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Madison incorporated edible plants throughout their more formal landscapes.

Edible gardening doesn’t have to be focused solely on function and production. It is important to put some thought into the design of an edible garden or foodscape to give you or your client the best chance for success.

Planting food with an eye for the overall beauty of the landscape in mind can and should utilize traditional design principles.

Consider structure and movement, layering heights, contrasting colors, and use evergreens for winter interest. A multitude of plants are both edible and highly ornamental with varying colors and textures of foliage, showy fruits, and different bloom times for an edible landscape that continues to cultivate enthusiasm for seasons to come.

DANIEL CUNNINGHAM is a horticulturist with Texas A&M AgriLife’s Water University program.

For more gardening advice, check out Cunningham’s Dallas Morning News articles, tune in to NBC DFW (Channel 5) on Sunday mornings, listen in to the “North Texas Ag Show” 95.3 The Range, or ask your plant questions to @TxPlantGuy on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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TNLA IGNITES: A LIGHTING A FIRE WITHIN OUR MEMBERS AND SPREADING A BLAZE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY This year TNLA and its members sparked a fire of innovation and inspiration across the Texas green industry. TNLA and its members continue to light the fire within. The organization tracked hundreds of bills 24/7 during the legislative session,

traveled to Washington, D.C., to talk with lawmakers about supporting a cap relief for the H-2B program, partnered statewide

with a variety of entities to increase their professionalism through TNLA’s certifications, and worked with youth to build their future careers within the green industry. The power of enthusiasm within TNLA carried on throughout the year, helping the green industry ignite momentum and grow stronger together.

SPARKING A

GROWTH MINDSET Our dedication does not end when the sun sets. One of the values permeating TNLA’s culture is “to be the premier resource providing essential tools for our members and the foremost authority on issues that impact the Texas green industry.” This year, growth for TNLA members and the industry would not have been possible without TNLA member volunteers who sparked the flame to inspire with their time, commitment, and talents.

This year’s audacious TNLA member volunteer groups included, but were not limited to:

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

• TNLA’S LABOR MINING TASK FORCE met several times to discuss initiatives to help our workforce and strategically plan for the future of labor within the green industry. Some of these initiatives include working inside the classroom to teach today’s students about what careers in the horticulture industry can do for them and working with partners across the nation to visit lawmakers to get support for legislation that would secure labor within the H-2B program.

This group continues to address labor issues that affect many

member business owners and plans to conduct a compensation study analyzing wage rates and salaries across the Texas green industry workforce. The information will help members ensure they are cultivating a competitive market for hiring and retaining labor.

YEAR IN REVIEW • EXPO AMBASSADORS around the state met consistently to help spread the word about EXPO, coming to San Antonio this summer.

Their efforts offer others in the industry the chance to get together, rally, network, and grow their businesses at EXPO.

TNLA FANS THE

FLAME IN OTHERS

• TNLA’S INDUSTRY TASK FORCE came together to tackle some of the issues confronting the industry today. Through these conversations, which included members from various segments of the industry, TNLA has instituted a variety of programs to meet these challenges head-on and lead the way in developing the green industry and the association of the future. These stakeholders also helped to determine the education offerings TNLA will be able to provide moving forward.

Each day presents an opportunity to help others strengthen their businesses and grow within their professions. This year TNLA offered new programs to help members stay engaged and gain knowledge from a variety of educational offerings, both in person and digitally.

• TNLA WOMEN IN HORTICULTURE, made up of women professionals from across Texas, ignited camaraderie as the group took part in conference calls throughout the year and in person at EXPO, sharing their experiences, engaging in conversation, and showing their industry support. We look forward to all these women coming together face-to-face at this year’s Nursery/Landscape EXPO during the Fifth Annual Women In Horticulture Get Together.

• EXPO EDUCATION CONFERENCE, which offers more than 400 participants access to 100 CEU opportunities and 32 breakout sessions on a multitude of green industry topics.

TNLA’s education and certification programs sparked a flame of knowledge through:

• TNLA GROWERS SUMMIT brings together growers from across the Lone Star State to talk about what’s cropping up in the industry and to stay up to date with current rules and regulations.

• McFARLIN STANFORD BUSINESS WEBINAR SERIES helps green industry professionals gain the tips they need to get an edge ahead of their competition, stay relevant and fiscally sound, and help their businesses grow — all over the course of this 12-month series.

• TNLA RETAIL/LANDSCAPE SUMMIT features more than 70 retail garden centers and landscape owners, crews, and staff, who meet for a full day of learning about the latest trends in the industry and earning CEUs.

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TNLA IGNITES: A YEAR IN REVIEW • WEBINAR ON THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE GREEN INDUSTRY WITH DR. CHARLIE HALL helped get members up to speed on the current state of the industry and explained how the Texas green industry generates $22.87 billion for the economy.

TNLA made the stand and did what counted to support our members through legislative actions by:

• ONSITE CERTIFICATION TRAINING, available to employees of major corporations such as H-E-B Backyard and some of Texas’ universities, promotes the power of having a TNLA certification and growing a higher level of expertise within a particular field.

• SUPPORTING H-2B CAP RELIEF with congressional delegation visits to Washington, D.C. TNLA got a sense of the House Democrats’ direction on H-2B and pushed hard for Texans in Congress to support cap relief. TNLA was successful in meeting directly with several of Texas’ elected officials and had productive conversations, putting the pressure on federally to save H-2B.

TNLA BRINGS THE LEGISLATIVE HEAT

• TRACKING OVER 300 BILLS DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION to determine how bills may impact every sector within the green industry.

FEDERALLY AND STATEWIDE

TNLA added fuel to the fire to keep the heat on lawmakers, both at the federal and state level this year. The entire industry came together as TNLA spoke up to protect our green industry businesses.

• ORGANIZING THE FIRST TNLA LEGISLATIVE ACTION DAY AT THE CAPITOL in which more than 50 TNLA members partnered with the Texas chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects to represent green industry professionals in Austin. Green Industry Advocacy Day at the Texas Capitol on February 26 featured a full day of meetings, including visiting with legislators and talking one-onone with key policymakers.

TNLA sat across the table with policymakers to have the hard conversations and face issues head-on while representing our members and ensuring Texas’ nursery, retail, and landscape sectors were maintained.

• PROVIDING A DIGITAL TNLA LEADER LIST allowed TNLA to keep the industry informed and engaged. Every Monday during the legislative session, the TNLA Leader List, emailed to member subscribers, provided the latest news, insights, and updates on bills affecting the green industry. TNLA tracked legislation 24/7 to protect members’ businesses.

‘ ‘ ‘

• PRODUCING TNLA’S FIRST-EVER PODCAST, “THE GREEN REPORT,” is a way to bring members up to date on the news and politics affecting the green industry in Texas. From growers to landscapers

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

TNLA IGNITES: A YEAR IN REVIEW and everyone in between, each business is affected by the politicians, legislators, and regulators of every stripe. Through the podcast, TNLA can keep you informed. Be sure to subscribe to “The Green Report” on iTunes or Google Play Music.

TNLA IS READY TO

IGNITE SUCCESS Success is forged by the fire within, and this year TNLA found that every day and moment held a new adventure, another opportunity to build the groundwork for members to discover the benefits TNLA offers, helping them light the fire within their companies.

TNLA continued to fan the flame and encourage members to grow their businesses by: • WORKING ONE-ON-ONE WITH STUDENTS, TNLA and its members continued to fulfill their mission to teach the next generation about what TNLA and the industry have to offer them in efforts to strengthen and build an elite workforce. For example, the Landscape Challenge at the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo featured a contest in which member volunteers worked with more than 60 students, putting their landscape knowledge to the test. TNLA also stepped inside high schools and college classrooms to teach youth and soon-to-be graduates about developing a successful career path in the green industry.

• REVAMPING, REFINING, AND REDESIGNING some of TNLA’s current offerings and rejuvenating them with a new look and feel provides a robust and user-friendly interface for members to stay up to date

on current TNLA happenings. These updates included providing a fresh look to TNLA Green magazine and its editorial content and also building a new, improved, and powerful Career Center website that is digitally friendly for job seekers and employers.

• ENDORSING A NEW SERVICE PROVIDER in FIS Global allows members to take advantage of credit card merchant solutions and much more.

• ADDING A CHILD FRIENDLY ICON TO THE BEST OF TEXAS PLANT DATABASE is just another way for the industry to provide added benefits to their product listings. TNLA’s Best of Texas Landscape Guide is a staple for industry knowledge on plants that perform best in Texas’ dynamic climate.

TNLA also saw an increase in a variety of areas, including: • TNLA MEMBERS SEE THE VALUE OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP with representation by 1,278 member companies.

• TNLA EXPERIENCED A SPIKE IN TEIL ENTRIES when more than 40 landscape companies submitted applications for their chance to win Gold in the Texas Excellence in Landscaping (TEIL) Awards and be recognized statewide among their industry peers and customers.

• INDUSTRY GROWTH REPORTED IN THE ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT showed that the Texas green industry generates $20.1 billion in sales.

As you can see, TNLA is shining hotter than ever with you as a member. For additional information to get the most from your TNLA membership, visit www.TNLAonline.org.

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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Leveli

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

ing the Field , y tr s u d n i n e e gr e h t n i n e , p om i w h s or For t n e m h t i w d e v a p s i s s e c c u s o t d a o . r e e c n th a t p e c c a d creativity, an

By SUSAN JOHNSTON TAYLOR

The nursery and landscaping industries have traditionally been male-dominated fields. But just as women are making inroads in other industries, they’re also making an impact in various sectors of the green industry and forging valuable connections with one another. TNLA Green talked to four professional women about how they’ve cultivated relationships, grown their careers, and more.

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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Leveling the Field

Lauren Kirchner

Director of sales and marketing, Spring Creek Growers in Waller

K

irchner’s parents started a Christmas tree farm 27 years ago, so she grew up surrounded by agriculture. (The family runs both the tree farm and a commercial nursery, which they started in 2004, under the name Spring Creek Growers.) Despite this, she envisioned a career for herself in corporate America.

After earning a business degree from Baylor University, Kirchner says, “I was on the top floor of a bigtime office building overlooking downtown and after a year I had had enough.”

As Kirchner’s father’s business took off, she noticed that he was still doing it all, so she offered to help. “He took me out for one day of field training, and that was pretty much it,” she said. “I didn’t have any plans to come into the industry, but it’s now been 10 years.”

Initially, many people viewed Kirchner as “Bob’s daughter” rather than a professional in her own right, but that impression has lessened over time.

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

Working on the wholesale side, Kirchner sees other women working in property management, on landscape crews, or as account managers — roles women hadn’t traditionally held.

“I sell seasonal color, and women are turning more into the buyers of seasonal color,” she says. “Women seem to have a natural eye for color palettes and color wheels. It’s been a nice trend to see as more women buyers come into play.”

For young women who want to break into the green industry, Kirchner encourages them to know their stuff. “That probably goes with any industry,” she says. “As a woman coming in there, you have to prove yourself before you get the job.” She recommends pursuing internship opportunities and attending career fairs and local TNLA events.

On the other hand, Kirchner believes the green industry could do more outreach to children so they see it as a potential career path.

“None of my friends knew that agriculture or commercial horticulture is even a career option,” she says.

“We really need to be going into the schools more.”

For instance, landscaping professionals could help at elementary school gardens or speak in home economics courses. “[Many people] think of landscaping as the guy mowing the lawn once a week,” she says. “It’s so much more than that. It’s beautiful and there are wellness benefits.”

g “As a woman cominto in there, you have e prove yourself befor you get the job.”

Kristi Long

Leveling the Field

General manager, The Gardens at the Ridge in Kerrville

A

ll her life, Long has tinkered with landscaping and gardening. She turned that hobby into a career starting in 2000. She worked as a designer and project manager for a Frisco-based landscape company until going to work with Billy Long in January of 2012.

With his tutelage, she helped to build and open The Gardens at the Ridge in 2013. During that time, she’s seen the landscape design, retail, and contractor fields become more open to women in professional roles.

“For a long time, it has felt like a man’s world,” Long says. “But when you stop and you think about it, women are incredibly creative.

“We, as a gender, ’s It are our customer. r important to have ou perspective.”

When you’re talking to someone about their landscape, the majority of the time, it’s the female who is the one who really has a strong opinion on what she wants done. We, as a gender, are our customer. It’s important to have our perspective.”

Long has found professional associations like TNLA to be invaluable as a networking tool.

“I would say the bulk of the women that I know in the industry, I have met them through TNLA, whether from being on the board or meeting at EXPO or something like that,” she says. “It’s an amazing network of very talented individuals and companies.”

She also appreciates the camaraderie of other TNLA members. “I don’t feel that we’re competing against one another,” she says.

“The kind of people that go into the green industry, they’re just good people. It’s not a competitive, cutthroat industry. It’s more like a big old family.”

For young women (and others) trying to break in the industry, she stresses that it is possible to make a good living doing something you enjoy.

“It doesn’t feel like work,” she says. “I look forward to it every day. I get excited about every truck that comes in, every trade show, every spring that rolls around.”

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Rachel Kaderka

Sales representative, Living Earth

Leveling the Field

K

aderka earned a Bachleor of Science degree in Agricultural Services and Development with an emphasis in Extension and Industry and a concentration in Soil Science from Tarleton State University. As part of a farming internship, Kaderka attended a compost seminar and met Lora Hinchcliff, municipal solutions manager at Living Earth.

Kaderka remembered that Tarleton State had a parks and patio booth at TNLA EXPO in 2015, so she contacted Hinchcliff after graduation. In February, Kaderka celebrated three years of employment at Living Earth, first in Houston, then in Fort Worth and Waco.

to “... don’t be afraid ys ask questions. Alwas an look at something a opportunity.”

“I’ve really enjoyed it,” she says.

“The networking, the teamwork — we’re like a big family.”

Kaderka’s advice for other women entering the green industry is to stay curious and look for opportunities to make new connections.

“No matter where you’re going, don’t be afraid to ask questions,” she says. “Always look at something as an opportunity. If you’re shopping at a place you enjoy, think about working there. Be kind to people you meet because you never know what kind of role they’re going to play in your life.”

Now as a green industry professional, Kaderka has gotten even more involved in TNLA. She serves on TNLA’s Parks and Patio Committee, Labor Task Force, and Region V board as vice chair.

“Being a ‘yes woman’ has opened so many doors for me,” Kaderka says. “I enjoy being a part of so many different committees in our industry.” She adds that putting yourself out there can “[create] learning opportunities for yourself and your business. Get involved. Stay involved.”

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

Leveling the Field

Alison Berry

Co-owner, Environmental Landscape Solutions in Lubbock

B

erry has always loved plants, but earlier in her career she worked in technology and operations. Her husband has a horticulture background, so about three years ago, when he decided to expand his small landscape design-build firm, Berry joined the business.

“There are so many things I love about the work that I’m doing now,” she says.

“The majority of our work is creating landscapes, and I enjoy being close to plants and the environment and having that touch point. And the people — I love the people we work with and our clients. It’s a science as well as an art and being a small-business owner. We get to touch so many different elements.”

Berry estimates about 80 percent of their projects are residential, while commercial projects make up the other 20 percent. “For us, landscaping is very personal,” she says. “That’s why we really focus more on the residential [projects].”

Berry attended the women in horticulture session at TNLA EXPO her first year in the business.

“The industry is so broad and so large. That to me was very eye-opening at the time,” she says, adding that she’s found men and women in the industry to be

welcoming, regardless of whether you have a horticulture degree or background. “Everyone’s willing to share their knowledge. It just seems like everybody wants to help one another, and everybody wants to see everyone else succeed.”

She encourages young women interested in green industry careers to join industry organizations like TNLA and meet other likeminded people.

“There are opportunities galore, regardless of your background, for women to grow within the industry,” she says. She recommends exploring certification opportunities as a way for women to grow their careers. (Visit www.tnlaonline.org/ certification to learn more.)

Berry also emphasizes the value of connecting with a mentor.

“For me, I think it’s about, ‘Who do you want to become and what do you want to learn’? Find someone who’s in a role that you feel you could learn from,” she advises. “I think one of the most important aspects in mentorships is having a connection with that person. Find that person you click with, that you admire, and establish the relationship so that you can have an open dialogue.”

Finding a more specific passion within the broader green industry is also helpful for career growth.

“It’s such a large, growing industry with a variety of jobs and disciplines,” she says. “It has a little bit of everything. It’s the environment; it’s nature; it’s something you can feel good about and it is a business. You’re doing something great for our world and helping to shape where we’re going to be.”

hing “You’re doing somet and great for our worldhere helping to shape w .” we’re going to be

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

19

Q A

Practical business advice and ideas you can use now

Getting the Most Out of Your Employees Finding qualified employees is no easy task. Cultivating a healthy work environment and inspiring loyalty among your staff are even harder. But with a little help from human resources expert Veronica Seever, Leaf Landscape Supply controller and TNLA Region VIII chair, you can make key changes that can result in improved employee retention rates and a more productive work environment.

Veronica Seever

Q: Why is it particularly important to foster a productive and constructive work environment in the green industry?

I think the most important reason is due to our shortage in the labor pool.

There’s a big gap of interest these days for people coming to our industry.

Whether it’s educated management positions or unskilled laborers, it’s a high-demand industry that can come across as thankless.

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

Q: What can companies do to foster a positive and functional work environment?

Communication is key. It’s human nature that you work more effectively when you understand the how and the why behind your job. It doesn’t help when a company or boss has the “because I said so” mentality. Take the time to explain why your company has certain policies and procedures and how workers can excel in their roles. That way, employees have clear expectations and know why their job is important.

Employees should also be celebrated for their successes. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like a monetary reward. I also don’t know anyone who doesn’t like to hear they’ve done a great job. Even just saying thank you can go a long way.

Q: How does Leaf Landscape Supply celebrate employees’ accomplishments?

Our company celebrates employees like crazy — from high fives, saying great job, and praising someone in our Monday morning meetings. We also offer profit sharing and reward those who meet monthly sales goals by buying lunch for the whole company.

One of my favorite things we do costs

us nothing, and yet our workers walk away with something. I have a credit card that lets me earn reward points. We redeem our points for gift cards, and we give them out for small achievements like stepping up when someone was out sick. Our employees love to choose out of all the different gift cards.

Q: What are some effective tactics businesses in the green industry can use to motivate employees?

The most effective tactic to me is to set clear, attainable goals. Make an action plan on how to reach the goals and have a defined way to gauge when they’ve been reached. Don’t forget to celebrate the entire staff, not just one person, when goals are reached.

In our company, if we reach a sales goal, we acknowledge that not just the sales person made it happen.

Other people on the team had to load, order, and deliver the plants to make it possible for us to reach our goal.

Q: What are some common reasons employees leave their jobs?

Most people think that employees leave a job because of pay, but research shows that’s true only 12 percent of the time.

The most common reason is because they don’t see any opportunity for growth within the company, followed by not feeling valued by their boss.

The green industry has more small businesses than large corporations.

That can be a challenge because those smaller operations may not offer a lot of room for career growth. So it’s even more important for those companies to foster a positive work environment.

Q: How can businesses within the green industry retain valuable employees?

I think the best thing we can do as an industry is to get up to speed with

Q A our competing industries (plumbers, electricians, other skilled fields). We need to appeal to the next generation of green industry professionals by offering competitive wages and benefits and by learning to utilize the latest technology.

them an important project. Something that makes them think, “I have to be there; they need me. I have to get this done.” Raising your expectations of

them and giving them a key project to accomplish can help.

by CRYSTAL ZUZEK

Q: What steps can managers take within their businesses to build loyalty and buy-in among their employees?

The most effective way to build loyalty among employees is for managers to be loyal to them. They need to know that their managers have their back.

They should feel respected and have mutual trust.

Buy-in all goes back to sharing your company’s mission, goals, and vision.

Communicate how and why those employees’ roles matter. It’s hard for someone to buy into something they don’t understand. Communication is the key to getting everyone on the same page.

Q: What are some signs that an employee isn’t being challenged, and what should managers do in those instances?

The most obvious sign is a lack of effort or a pattern of attendance issues. If an employee isn’t putting in as much effort, they’re probably bored. Someone may call off a lot because they don’t feel like what they do matters or that anyone cares.

Catching those red flags and addressing them will also help with retaining those employees in the first place. Once you’ve identified the behavior pattern, talk to the offending employee. They need to know that you acknowledge something has shifted and that you’re trying to get to the root of the problem.

The next thing I would do is give

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

21

GREEN Vision

By Mengmeng Gu, Ph.D., & Yuxiu Zhang

Sensor-based Automated Irrigation Monitoring and Control

Figure 4

Figure 3

Figure 2

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

Leaf net photosynthetic rate(Pn) in response to substrate volumetric moisture content (VWC) -Petunia 3.2 25 Pn,umol m-2s-1

IN MANY PLANT production sites (nurseries or greenhouses), plants are irrigated based on time, most commonly controlled by a timer. The timer is set to switch on and off once or twice (or maybe more often) during the day.

During each irrigation event, plants are often watered before the moisture level in potting mix reaches the permanent wilting point (the minimal amount of moisture in potting mix that plants need to avoid dying from wilting). The water will be on for a pre-set amount of time so that the container moisture reaches container capacity (the maximum amount of water a type of potting mix can hold after irrigation and drainage).

Even a small nursery may easily have over 200 SKUs (stock keeping units) of different plants in different container sizes. For example, the same Texas mountain laurel in 5-gallon,

20 15 10 5 0





y=-0.0498x2+2.6727x-13.134 R2=0.8102 5

10

15

 

20 25 VWC(%)

30

35

40

15-gallon, or 45-gallon containers will be considered 3 SKUs. Different SKUs will more likely have different water needs. For example, Texas mountain laurel in a 45-gallon container may need less frequent watering than those in 5-gallon containers if they’re being watered to container capacity each time.

Hydrangeas in a 5-gallon container may need to be watered more frequently

than Texas mountain laurel in a 5-gallon container. Growers may group plants based on their water needs so that plants are not “drowning” or “dehydrating” in the same irrigation block.

What’s the problem here? It is still timer-based, mostly. My graduate student, Yuxiu Zhang, measured the leaf net photosynthetic rate (See Table 1.) in response to substrate (aka potting mix) volumetric moisture content (VMC) of Hurrah White petunias in 5-gallon pots.

(See Figure 2.) In this potting mix, did the plant have the highest photosynthetic rate at the highest VMC? (See Table 1.)

No, and her prediction model (blue curve in the chart) illustrates that the highest photosynthetic rate is around 27 percent (about three-quarters of the highest VMC).

This 8-percent difference may not be much, and it’s about 0.4 gallons of water for this 5-gallon container. But quick math tells me it’ll be 168,000 gallons if 1,000 5-gallon containers are watered twice daily from mid-March to MidOctober (0.4 x1,000x 2x210=168,000).

By not watering plants to container capacity we could have huge water savings, potentially.

Also worth noting is the photosynthetic rate at 15 percent VMC (red arrow on the left in the chart) is 16 µmol m-2s-1, about 70 percent of the highest value. Photosynthetic rate correlates with plant growth. Normally higher photosynthetic rates could translate to faster plant growth. Ideally, we want the photosynthetic rates to stay at the highest level.

In typical timer-based irrigation, substrate VMC gradually drops lower than the ideal level range (the space between green arrows on the chart) and then reaches container capacity when water is turned on. Substrate moisture levels and photosynthetic rate fluctuate.

GREEN Vision How can we keep plants at their fastest growth rate while maintaining the highest photosynthetic rate? We need to maintain the ideal moisture level (space between green arrows on the chart).

The sensor-based automated irrigation system (See Figure 3.) is designed for just that. Substrate moisture sensors are embedded close to the plant root system in containers (See Figure 2.).

We program the ideal moisture range in the control system, which receives moisture readings from sensors continuously. The control system automatically turns on the solenoid (See Figure 4.) when the moisture level decreases to the lower level of the pre-set moisture range and turns off

the solenoid when the moisture level reaches the higher level.

There are many benefits of such sensor-based automated irrigation.

By maintaining the ideal substrate moisture range, plants are never thirsty, and we can avoid, or at least minimize, the soggy conditions. Having moist but not wet potting mix could reduce soilborne disease significantly. This may be important for some finicky plants like gardenia.

Plants are healthier and grow faster.

Instead of having one to two crops per year, growers may have three to four crops per year. Irrigation water is saved and so is fertilizer, as leaching is minimized. Savings on irrigation

water could mean less plumbing and larger production areas without having to pay for a new well. These benefits will likely result in financial benefits, such as savings in labor, materials, and resources.

We have been testing such sensorbased automated irrigation systems in our greenhouse. Once we install the system in a nursery in April, we’ll have more field experience to share.

MENGMENG GU, PH.D., is associate professor/extension specialist in the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Department of Horticultural Sciences. Her email address is mgu@tamu.edu.

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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NOTES FROM SFA Gardens

By David Creech, Ph.D.

Is Kiwifruit the Next Texas Gold?

A FEW MONTHS AGO, an email

arrived asking if I’d like to spend a week in Chile touring the kiwifruit industry. I replied, “Let me think about it, yes!” The invitation came from the owners of Miko Asia, Ltd., Ross and Colin Stevenson and Murray Malone.

This global kiwifruit growing/import/ export/marketing business is based in Auckland, New Zealand, with offices and interests worldwide, including Chile. They have been visiting the Southern Gulf of the U.S. for several years, most lately Texas.

The modest success of golden kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) plantings in Alabama and our small research planting at SFA Gardens in Nacogdoches has lured them to the Gulf South. Armed with climate models, spread sheets, and decades of experience, they hope to find a possible sweet spot in Texas for a significant commercial venture.

We are coconspirators for a Texas golden kiwifruit world. Of course, what drives the excitement is money.

With high management and a $2.99 per-pound retail value and potential production in the range of 40,000 pounds per acre, it’s easy to understand the interest in golden kiwifruit production. You do the math.

SFA Gardens has had a tortuous path into kiwifruit research with our first planting in 2011, first crops in 2014, and good crops three out of the past five years. For the past three years, we’ve

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

Dori golden kiwifruit

been fortunate to partner with Tim Hartmann at Texas A&M University to secure funding via a Texas Department of Agriculture Specialty Crops block grant, and we enter 2019 with research plantings in Morris, Smith, Nacogdoches, Brazos, Caldwell, and Waller counties. Another planting is

planned for Jasper County in 2020.

Our variety picture is limited to three golden kiwifruits: Golden Dragon, Golden Sunshine, and Gulfcoast Sunshine, and those three came to us via Jay Spiers, Ph.D., associate professor of horticulture at Auburn University. All three are patented by

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

25

NOTES FROM SFA Gardens Golden kiwifruit is a superfruit and relatively new to the world market. It is low in calories and low fat, and you can eat it with the skin.

Auburn University in partnership with the Hubei Fruit and Tea Institute in China.

Licensing can be described only as difficult. Further complicating the picture, kiwifruits are either male or female plants, and there has been one successful male at SFA Gardens, “CK3,” and it tends to bloom a bit too early. However, global production is increasingly moving to all female orchards with pollen applied by ATVmounted blowers or by hand at a cost of about $1,000 per acre.

Why Chile? Well, the country is situated on South America’s west coast and is one of the largest fruit exporters in the world, sending almost 3 million

tons of fruit annually to more than 100 countries across the globe. Besides green and golden kiwifruit, there are strong crops of cherries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, avocados, and citrus.

In many ways, Chile is the California of the Southern Hemisphere. In fact, it feels like California with a dry, highsunshine climate and irrigation water running off the mountains from the west.

Chile exports about 180,000 metric tons of green and golden kiwifruit.

Kiwifruit can be stored for four to six months and even longer if picked at the right stage, a critical factor for developing a constant supply for produce aisles.

Golden kiwifruit is a superfruit and relatively new to the world market.

It is low in calories and low fat, and you can eat it with the skin. Only in the past three years has Chile entered the golden kiwifruit market with

Dori golden kiwifruit orchard south of Santiago

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

the Italian-developed cultivar Dori, which was bred cooperatively by the University of Udine and with the University of Bologna in Italy. Prior to Dori, the breeding program there introduced Soreli, another golden kiwifruit variety.

Before these new varieties, there had been some production of the golden variety, Jingold, but it’s being reduced because of susceptibility to PSA (Pseudomonas syringae var. actinidia), and Verticillium. PSA is a devastating kiwifruit disease worldwide, and horticulturalists today have learned to manage the disease in kiwifruit orchards. PSA has not yet been found in the U.S. Whether that continues remains a question.

Although the varieties of golden kiwifruit at SFA have produced well on their own roots, this is probably not the best strategy for the future. I wish it were. They root easily and grow off fast. However, the definite trend is graft on PSA-resistant rootstocks, and we are using seedlings of Bruno as a foundation for future trials.

The only other significant golden variety is Sungold, which has limited acreage in California, but the production results are not yet in. Sungold is a New Zealand Zespri proprietary variety and not available even for trialing. That said, golden kiwifruit prefers a humid environment and tends to shrivel in the dry, high-sun climate of California.

The results of expensive high-shade and misting strategies are not yet proven. Add in the high cost of land and water, and California seems a less attractive location. Finally, we have six new varieties out of U.S. Department of Agriculture quarantine via our collaboration with Miko Asia, Ltd., and we can now say that the varietal picture is getting brighter.

Green QUIZ TNLA

In the article Leveling the Field, for women to break into the industry, Lauren Kirchner encourages women to: 1. H ave a four-year college degree in horticulture 2. H ave at least a two-year college degree in horticulture 3. Have some experience in horticulture 4. Know their stuff

In the article Leveling the Field, Alison Berry encourages young women who are interested in the green industry to do which of the following?

1. Join organizations for networking 2. Connect with a mentor 3. Explore certification opportunities 4. All the above

In the article Leveling the Field, finish Kristi Long’s statement. “We as a gender are our ________.

It’s Important to have our perspective.”

1. Future 2. Boss 3. Customer 4. Employee

In the article Getting the Most Out of Your Employees, what is key for companies to foster a positive and functional work environment?

1. Communication 2. Sales 3. Career ladder 4. Offer fun events

In the article Leveling the Field, finish Rachel Kaderka’s statement. “No matter where you’re going, don’t be afraid to ________.”

In the article Getting the Most Out of Your Employees, what does Veronica Seever say is the most common reason employees leave their job?

1. Stand up and be recognized 2. Ask questions 3. Challenge Status Quo 4. Fight your way to the top

1. Pay 2. Time Off 3. Benefits 4. Opportunity

In the article Sensor-Based Automated Irrigation Monitoring and Control, what is the permanent wilting point?

1. When moisture levels cause plants to die 2. The minimal amount of moisture needed to avoid dying from wilting 3. The moisture level point when plants start wilting 4. The moisture level is above the point that plants start wilting

In the article Sensor-Based Automated Irrigation Monitoring and Control, what does VMC stand for?

1. Volume Metric Controls 2. Valued Moisture Controls 3. Volumetric Moisture Content 4. None of the above

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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NOTES FROM SFA Gardens I have a dream. It’s walking into a Texas retail nursery and finding a six pack of kiwifruit varieties sold as tubelings for $49.95, four females and two males. You can root them quickly and sell them in the spring market. Never underestimate the resourcefulness of nurserymen.

As an old-timer, I lean toward the philosophy of skip the patenting, licensing, and branding, and let the homeowner and fruit industry sort it out. Get a wide range of varieties into the hands of growers and homeowners, and time is a friend.

It’s the old land grant model.

With the introduction of golden kiwifruit sporting a red center on the immediate horizon, I envision a stop light series — red, yellow, and green — as a brand. I think it’s a brilliant idea. You may not.

Unfortunately, with all varieties now in the U.S. and on the horizon highly protected by patents and a difficult licensing process, this may be a goal we never reach. There is one way, and that’s for some benevolent soul to grow off seed, grow off seedling selection blocks, make selections when they fruit, propagate the best, and trial them widely before letting them out to market.

My calculations show that if I started today, I’d be close to 90 before any might be ready for market. While my mom is quite frisky at 101, I suspect this is not a great idea. 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.

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

Jordan Cunningham, SFA Gardens technician, poses with the golden kiwi fruit harvest of September 2018

Janet Creech in a Dori golden kiwifruit orchard Subsole pack house

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 Texans Can Academy -San Antonio David Bowles 1807 Centennial Blvd.

San Antonio, TX 78211 Landscape Davis GardenCraft Sean Davis PO Box 12216 San Antonio, TX 78212 Green Goddess Designs Shennandoah Connor 9827 Autumn Valley Converse, TX 78109 www.greengoddessdesign.com Landera Design, LLC Phillip Hunter 831 Encino Dr. New Braunfels, TX 78130 www.laderadesign.com Student Michael Cook Palo Alto College 5942 Grandwood Dr. San Antonio, TX 78239 REGION 2 Educator Amanda Dutton Texans Can Academy – Houston Hobby 9020 Gulf Freeway Houston, TX 77017 Government Scott Lightfoot City of Pearland 3501 E. Orange Pearland, TX 77581 Grower Green Star Wetland Plant Farm, LLC Mary Carol Edwards 1300 W 19th St. #702205 Houston, TX 77008 www.greenstarwetlands.com Wilderness Farm Nursery Virginia Boone 5 Wilderness Trail Friendswood, TX 77546 Landscape Papescapes, LLC Ryan Pape 75 Memory Lane Burton, TX 77835 www.papescapes.com Sage Designs, Inc. Dana Bankston 2226 Quenby St. Houston, TX 77005 Green Side Up Landscaping, LLC Gregory White 4727 Trickle Creek Court Fulshear, TX 77441

Lone Star Legacy Otis V. Laird PO Box 1786 Hilltop Lakes, TX 77871 Non-Profit Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation, Inc. Adam Black 20559 FM 359 Road Hempstead, TX 77445 www.peckerwood.com Retail A & N Nursery Anthony Hutchison PO Box 451148 Houston, TX 77245 Supplier Triple-S Compost Ronnie Fletcher PO Box 940339 Conroe, TX 77306 www.triplescompost.com

REGION 4 Educator Saika Mirza Texans Can Academy – Garland 2256 Arapaho Rd. Dallas, TX 75044 Sandra Morscheck Texans Can Academy – Carrollton/Farmers Branch 2720 Hollandale Lane Farmers Branch, TX 75234 Kevin Safarik Texans Can Academy – Dallas Grant East 2901 Morgan Drive Dallas, TX 75241 Julian Spearmen Texans Can Academy – Dallas Ross Avenue 4621 Ross Ave. Dallas, TX 75204 Cormeer White Texans Can Academy – Dallas Oak Cliff 325 W 12th Street Dallas, TX 75208 Government Brent Jones City of University Park 3800 University Blvd.

Dallas, TX 75205 Grower Carlisle Tree Farm John Pearcy 7979 Inwood Rd., Ste. 225 Dallas, TX 75209 Landscape Carolyn Maas Designs Carolyn Maas 2816 Mayfair McKinney, TX 75071

Genie Construction and Landscape Betty Li 2800 W Parker Rd, Ste. 110 Plano, TX 75075 Smart Outdoor Services John Griffin 209 Austin St. Garland, TX 75040 www.save-both.com TBK Materials, LLC Brian Gatlin 5208 Tennyson Parkway, Ste. 130 Plano, TX 75024 www.tbkmaterials.om Student Ashley Contreras Collin College 3828 Lowrey Way Plano, TX 75025 Eric Howard Texas Tech University 2415 Searcy Dr. Dallas, TX 75211

REGION 5 Educator Jessica Forte-Guscot Texans Can Academy – Fort Worth Lancaster 1316 East Lancaster Ave. Fort Worth, TX 76102 Stacy Harkins Texans Can Academy – Fort Worth Lancaster 1316 East Lancaster Ave. Fort Worth, TX 76102 Nissi Joykutty Texans Can Academy – Fort Worth Westcreek 6620 Westcreek Dr. Fort Worth, TX 76133 Vance Christie Weatherford College 225 College Park Dr. Weatherford, TX 76086 Landscape Green Meadows Landscaping Kronda Thimesch 724 Holford’s Prairie Rd. Lewisville, TX 75056 www.greenmeadowslandscaping.com Maken’ Mudd Pies Darlene Widener 200 S Oakridge Dr., Ste 101-314 Hudson Oakes, TX 76087 Landscape – Individual Marcus McKee Twin Lakes Boyd Homes 2309 County Road 4690 Boyd, TX 76023 Lone Star Legacy Vicky Lindsey, TMCNP 22038 FM 2393 Wichita Falls, TX 76310

Retail – Individual Heather Love 4901 Bryce Ave, Apt. 9 Fort Worth, TX 76107 Student Lesley Brooks North Central Texas College 245 CR 2255 Valley View, TX 76272 Supplier GWG Wood Group Anthony Grady 2201 Long Prairie, Ste. 107, LB 310 Flower Mound, TX 75022 www.gwgorganics.com

REGION 6 Student Annette Argabright North Central Texas College 308 Wilson St. Lake Dallas, TX 75065 REGION 7 Landscape – Associate Doby Murr El Coyote Ranch PO Box 711 Kingsville, TX 78364 Ricky Moffitt El Coyote Ranch PO Box 711 Kingsville, TX 78364 REGION 8 Grower Lake Lea Farm Chris Marcum PO Box 1407 Dripping Springs, TX 78620 Landscape 5-0 Lawns and Trees Patrick Turck 1207 Rawhide Trail Cedar Park, TX 78613 Ambiente Land, LLC Jacques Adoue 15111 Sun Bird Lane Austin, TX 78734 OUT OF STATE Grower Ducote’s Tree Farm Kurt Ducote 4521 Wye Rd. Lakeland, LA 70752 Plug Connection Jon-Paul Williams 2627 Ramona Dr. Vista, CA 92084 Supplier Chemical Containers, Inc. Melissa Smith 413 ABC Road Lake Wales, FL 33859 www.chemicalcontainers.com

NEW TNLA CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS TCNP Texas Certified Nursery Professional Thomas Wright - Calloways Gilbert Barrueta - Austin Can Academy (student) Lorena Gorostieta - Austin Can Academy (student)

TCLP Texas Certified Landscape Professional Bruce Collins - L3 Designs Steve Kearney - Southwest Property Landscaping Megan Carpenter - Bonick Landscaping

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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BUGS FUZZ

Focus on disease and insects

Rose Rosette Disease in Texas YEARS AGO, around 2005, I (Kevin) made the pronouncement that rose rosette disease (RRD) would not be found very far south of the I-20 corridor. At this time most of this problem was found in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Fast-forward to 2019: In the past three years, we are detecting the virus that is causing this disease farther south and west than the DFW Metroplex. The RRD problem is not just a DFW or a Texas problem. This disease is found in many parts of the U.S. MANY

A BRIEF HISTORY OF RRD

This disease was found in North America (Canada and Western U.S.) and described in the 1940s. Early on, researchers recognized an association between an eriophyid mite and RRD. Only in 2011, there was evidence presented in a scientific report that showed RRD was caused by a virus.

This newly described virus was named the rose rosette virus (RRV).

A question that I often get asked is whether there are rose rosette-resistant rose varieties. The short answer to that is, currently, no. All cultivars are believed to be susceptible to this disease. In fact, there are ongoing trials at multiple locations in the U.S. trying to answer that very question.

I have also come to realize that different folks have different definitions of “resistant” or “resistance.” I am defining “plant disease resistance” as the ability to reduce growth and reproduction of the pathogen, ultimately resulting in less disease incidence. There are many who confuse “resistance” with “immunity.” I do not believe that there

Rose rosette resistance cultivar trial at the University of Delaware.

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

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

are any roses that are immune to RRD, but I do believe there are roses that may be resistant to RRD, and we are trying to look for them.

In the past four to five years, field trials and observation suggest there may be several cultivars that have performed well under disease pressure. In some, we have detected the presence of RRV when there are no disease symptoms on the plants. There are plans to release this information on the rose rosette website (roserosette.org) sometime this year after data analysis is complete.

MAPPING RRD

In Texas, RRD was confirmed in Houston, specifically in Harris and Llano counties, in 2016. In 2017, RRD was found in Fort Bend County. It was also detected in McLennan and Williamson counties in 2017. It was confirmed in Travis County in 2018. In all cases mentioned, the RRV was detected in plants that had been in the ground for more than two years. In 2018, RRV was detected in Bexar County on plants that had been in the ground for less than two years, leading us to believe it isn’t yet established in the San Antonio area.

Why does it appear to be moving and spreading from the DFW metroplex?

There are several possible explanations.

One is that the disease may have been present in these “new” areas, but it was only detected recently because we are taking a closer and more meticulous look at it. Another explanation is that the eriophyid mite that vectors the virus is more plentiful as RRD becomes more established in the DFW area and is carried farther away by the winds. Yet another explanation is that this virus could be moved into new areas on diseased (but asymptomatic) plant material. Or it could be some combination of all three.

Focus on disease and insects

BUGS FUZZ

Figure 1 PCR CONFIRMED. Plant > 2 years

PCR CONFIRMED. Plant > 2 years

PCR CONFIRMED. < 2 years PCR CONFIRMED. Plant < 2Plant years 2002 Article report. NOT CONFIRMED PCR

2002 Article report. NOT CONFIRMED PCR Suspicious

Suspicious NEGATIVE

Close-up of typical symptoms associated with RRD. (Photo by: M. Shires)

NEGATIVE Scouted. None found.

Scouted. None found.

Knockout rose with symptoms of RRD in a commercial landscape.

(Photo by M. Shires)

Nonetheless, we do see the appearance of a range of expansion when the distribution of RRD detection is viewed on a Texas map. (See Figure 1.)

SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS

You can help us look for answers as we try to figure out RRD in Texas. If you happen to see suspected RRD plants in counties where this disease has not been detected, please report it using the online reporting tool, roserosette.org, or inform the local county extension agent, who will then contact me. Often, we will want a physical sample to confirm the presence of RRV and to look for the eriophyid mites to see if we can ascertain their role in the spread of this virus.

I have learned my lesson about

making pronouncements prematurely, so I will not be saying that we wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be seeing RRD south of San Antonio.

I believe, however, we will see more incidences of RRD in Texas this year.

The good news is there is much research being done on this disease, the virus, and its vector. Also, scientists are looking at miticides and anti-viral plant protection products, which could result in some reliable solutions in the future to allow us to grow and enjoy roses.

KEVIN ONG, PH.D., is professor and director of The Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M University.

ERFAN VAFAIE is extension program specialist IPM, Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton.

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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TNLA

Talks Bill Carson, who co-owns Native Texas Nursery with his wife, Linda, is immediate past chair of the TNLA Board of Directors and has been a member of the organization since founding his business in 1987.

As chair of TNLA’s Labor Task Force Committee, he understands the important role a mentor can play in developing young workers’ interest in the green industry. ¶ What kind of mentorship did you receive when you started in the green industry? At the very beginning

I had no mentorship and didn’t know what I was

doing. If I’d started with a mentor, I would have saved a lot of time and money. I learned a lot the hard way.

Most people have a background in horticulture of some sort. I just enjoyed gardening and eventually realized it could be a

business. After two to three years in the nursery business, I came across peers

who had knowledge that I didn’t. They became mentors to me.

¶ How did the mentorship of others help you professionally?

It helped me in two

areas: the basics of

horticulture and the

business of running a nursery. My

more experienced mentors would

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TNLA Green May/June 2019

“We have a wealth of knowledge that’s not in books, that has been learned through experience.”

share their horticultural shortcuts. When it came to running my business, I can think back to one

individual who saved my company. I was floundering, trying to be all things to all people. I spread myself

too thin. My mentor told me to concentrate on what I do well. His advice helped me turn the corner on the profitability of the business.¶ Why are you

passionate about mentorship within the green industry? I’ve been the recipient of mentorship and

have seen the value. Many of the people who own

their own businesses are about to retire. They may

sell to whoever comes along, but that means years of advice and knowledge will disappear. If we can, we ought to share that information before we exit. We

have a wealth of knowledge that’s not in books, that

has been learned through experience. ¶ How do you

serve as a mentor to the next generation of green industry professionals? Being on the TNLA board, I

use my time to help the entire industry. If there was a

person who came in and wanted a mentor, I’ve offered myself through TNLA. I’ll be a mentor to anyone who wants it. Through my business, we’ve offered to take on two interns from a horticultural school for the

summer. They will learn the different functions of our business, and I will sit down and teach them business lessons once a week. ¶ Why should other

TNLA members serve as mentors? None of us got

here on our own. We all had some advantages that someone else gave us along the way. We’re in a

sharing business, so before we leave the stage, let’s

share what we’ve got so others can benefit from our years of knowledge.

Bill Carson, immediate past chair of the TNLA board, is passionate about mentorship.

May/June 2019 TNLA Green

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TNLA Green May/June 2019