TNLA
Green May/June 2020
TOGETHER WE CAN RISE UP A Year in Review
TNLA and Its Members Rise Together and Come Out Stronger Than Ever
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE May/June 2020 TNLA Green
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TNLA Green May/June 2020
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CONTENTS
06 Cover Story:
Together We Can Rise Up
A Year in Review: TNLA and Its Members Rise Together and Come Out Stronger Than Ever.
02 President’s Letter
In these uncertain times, TNLA continues to represent.
04 Update
The latest legislative and industry updates from TNLA.
15 Wonder Women
Starting businesses and supporting others, these four women are changing the green industry.
20 Diversity & Inclusion
How increasing the number of minorities and women in the green industry helps everyone.
24 Green Vision
An introduction to biochar, the first in a five-part series about this multifunctional carbon-enriched material.
26 Notes from SFA Gardens
Ways nurseries and public gardens can manage in the era of COVID-19.
28 Bugs & Fuzz
Understanding pathogens as a way to prevent the spread of plant disease.
30 New Members 30 Quiz
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PRESIDENT’S Letter DEAR TNLA MEMBERS, Represent: to speak, act, or be present officially for another person or people. — Cambridge English Dictionary “Represent”: Go and be a good example to the others of your group or in your position. — Urban Dictionary Over the last several weeks, I have been thinking a lot about these two meanings for the same word. Navigating the changing landscape of our business and personal lives is, at times, a daunting task. TNLA has assumed the role of representing our members to local, state, and federal governments. It is a privilege to fight for your business interests. However, there are times when the road we must go down is not so straight, not so clear. At the time of my writing the letter for TNLA Green’s May-June issue, the COVID-19 crisis had only begun. While we are advocating for members to continue to work and supply the industry with the critical services we offer, there is an obligation as an industry to keep our people safe from this potentially devastating virus. The short- and long-term financial effects are currently unclear, but no business will be left the same. In this issue, we have tried to capture some of the strong elements of our industry and association. The Year in Review feature details the positive activities that took place last year at TNLA that help keep the industry strong. We also profile four very strong, special women who continue to break barriers and move the Texas green industry forward. Finally, Devin Guinn and Estela GarciaPerez provide way overdue perspectives about diversity and inclusion in our industry. My greatest hope is that members find TNLA has represented their interests well. I know that every day is a learning experience for us. As we navigate the road to a healthy recovery economically and in body and spirit, I hope you know that TNLA is here to answer questions and concerns, and provide you with necessary information. Then when we look back, you can say TNLA does “represent.” Amy Graham TNLA President and CEO
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TNLA
Green
The official publication of the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association May/June | Vol. 23 No. 3
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
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 ... John Leifester, TCLP, San Antonio 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 ... Sarah Thurmond 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 2020 Texas Nursery Landsape & Association
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UPDATE
#EmbraceYourSpace THIS SEASON, encourage your customers to embrace their space and take advantage of their own backyard. We all know COVID-19 has made a huge impact on communities and businesses. With schools shut down and working remotely the new normal for many, this is a great time to get your customers out in their gardens. Time spent in the yard with family is invaluable, and the benefits of gardening are bountiful. (For instance, did you know one hour of gardening equals about 35 minutes of jogging?) We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to remind people why it feels so good to get their hands in the dirt. TNLA has created a marketing toolkit with downloadable social media images to help keep your customers inspired. You can download the media kit templates at https://www.tnlaonline. org/embrace-your-space.html. Please share the information and kits on your social media platforms. Don’t forget to use #EmbraceYourSpace on your social media posts!
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FOR ANSWERS TO YOUR COVID-19 QUESTIONS, VISIT OUR RESOURCE CENTER
With the coronavirus outbreak impacting nurseries, landscape companies, and other green industry businesses, we have made it our priority to provide members with the most up-to-date and accurate information as possible. You can find resources on a range of topics including the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Best Business Practices from the Centers for Disease Control, the Family First Coronavirus Response Act, and the Paycheck Protection Plan. Also, through our TNLA COVID-19 Webinar Series, we are making sure you can stay informed on the latest orders, programs, and initiatives coming out of the Texas Legislature. We are offering webinars every Tuesday and Friday at 11 a.m. You can find all this information at https://www.tnlaonline.org/covid-19-resource-center.html
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TOGETHER WE RISE A Year in Review TNLA and Its Members Rise Together and Come Out Stronger Than Ever
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AS THIS YEAR marked the end of a decade, we should note that it went by incredibly fast. Over the past year, the Texas green industry rallied through many things. Summer brought drought and extreme heat; in the fall, some of our member companies endured the destruction from tornadoes; and now all of us have taken on COVID-19. Within a few short weeks of the coronavirus outbreak in Texas, our industry started a new survival mode. We quickly realized how categorizing our businesses as “essential” marked the dawn of a new era. Our member companies were fast at implementing best hygienic practices and social distancing in all aspects of their business. For growers, all motorized equipment became rigged with water tanks — not for hydration, but for mobile handsanitizing stations. Retailers opened up their product mix by offering at-home deliveries and curbside pickup and marking their cashier stations with 6-foot increments for their patrons to distance themselves from each other. Landscapers scheduled staggered site visits to ensure social-distancing protocols were
R CAN UP being met and completely sanitized equipment on a daily basis. Many converted overnight to teleworking from home. Decisions had to be made at lightning speed, and we as an industry had no choice but to adapt. As a result, the business of our industry has changed drastically. We are facing hardships, economic downturn, and labor shortages. Throughout, one thing remains true, the green industry in Texas and TNLA members know what it means to be “Texas Strong,” and it is at times like these that together we will continue to rise up and grow. TNLA is dedicated to serving our members, and we understand the magnitude of the challenge COVID-19 has presented. Throughout the winds of change, we will find a new normal. This novel challenge requires us to work together to solve formidable problems. And this is why now is the time to celebrate our Year in Review as we work together with our member companies to find the greatness within each other. This year more than ever, TNLA and its members have had to rise up to keep up with the new way of doing business.
Members have continued to put in the time, hard work, and motivation needed to succeed. Throughout the year TNLA put its member’s dues to work by cultivating an environment for the industry to connect, providing certifications to more than 500 professionals, and offering a variety of digital opportunities to gain Continuing Education Units (CEUs). TNLA also banded together on several occasions to advocate for our members in Washington, D.C., and talk to Congress about supporting a cap relief for the H-2B program. While our citrus growers underwent quarantines in the Houston area, TNLA was the first to rise up and offer a forum for producers to speak to a variety of state agencies to help facilitate a viable solution in order to effectively continue with business operations. As COVID-19 forced “shelter in place” amendments to disaster declaration orders across Texas, TNLA and its members took a stance quickly to ensure that our member’s businesses are “essential” by reaching out to federal, state, and local officials.
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RISE UP FOR TNLA DIVERSIFYING ITS MEMBER CATEGORIES
As the green industry continues to grow, so does the need to diversify the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association membership and make our programs more inclusive. Irrigation professionals play an integral role in the green industry. Due to this, TNLA members voted to change a bylaw to include irrigation as a member business category within the association. Irrigation members by definition are engaged in irrigation system design, consulting, installation, maintenance, and repairs or services, including the connection of such a system to a private or public, non-potable or potable water supply or any water supply. RISE UP FOR ACCESS TO TNLA’S DIGITAL OFFERINGS
As the demand for a strong workforce in the future continues to grow so, too, does the need to build knowledge from within. This year TNLA implemented a variety of measures to help industry professionals increase their knowledge base and provide important updates and news faster to members by: • Partnering with McFarlin Stanford for a series of webinars to help green industry businesses grow, with topics ranging from using your P&L to effectively run your business to making small changes for better management. • Launching TNLA Working for You, a biweekly e-newsletter providing the latest association and member happenings and getting you the news faster and more continuously. • Revamping Education On-Demand and offering more
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educational videos and white papers than ever before to help provide professionals access to a variety of education topics and gain CEUs on the go. • Enhancing Online Conversations Through TNLA Social Media Platforms, giving members the chance to check in and catch a glimpse of the member benefits TNLA has in store for them. TNLA this year has seen a significant increase in traffic and online conversation with more than 6,600 Facebook followers, 1,050-plus Instagram followers, and around 1,840 Twitter followers • Creating COVID-19 Resource Pages was one of the first steps TNLA took to provide important updates on regulations regarding “essential businesses” statements. These digital resources offered a platform for members to check in daily on what is happening within their region. • Developing #EmbraceYourSpace, which provided retail garden centers with a virtual marketing tool kit: downloadable, premade social media posts that encourage customers and followers to purchase materials and get outside and garden.
Stay on the lookout as TNLA launches a new association app, available this summer!
A Year in Review
RISE UP FOR IN-PERSON EDUCATION
• EXPO Education Offerings last August at the EXPO Education Conference gave more than 430 industry professionals from across Texas the opportunity to come together and gain knowledge on the latest trends in the green industry. EXPO Education offered 100-plus hours of CEUs from a variety of accreditors including TNLA, TDA, LA CES, and TEA. Participants kicked off their education experience by hearing from two powerhouse keynote speakers each morning: Thom Singer, who discussed “Give, Gain, Grow,” and John Kennedy, who talked about LeaderSHIFT. There were also more than 32 breakout sessions held over a two-day period with education for every segment. The most attended topics ranged from “Connecting to the Consumer through Social Media” to “Reigniting Your Plant Passion!”
• TNLA Hemp Production Workshop in Waco helped open the door to conversation among growers and a variety of professionals interested in learning more about this up-andcoming product. Industrial hemp experts from across the United States spoke to participants about laws, regulations, permits, and economic aspects. • Product Rodeo’s Education Corral brought together more than 100 participants, who were able to gain over 12 hours of CEUs through extensive sessions. These powerhouse mornings of education covered a wide variety of topics including “The Future of Retail,” “How To Elevate Your Brand Messaging,” “Plant Savvy Merchandising Madness,” and “Efficiency Through Technology.”
RISE UP WITH GREATNESS AS A TNLA CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL
• Hemp Education at EXPO was provided for the first time ever last August. Attendees packed the room to discuss hemp entering the Texas market and learn more about the legalization of hemp in the state from speaker Zach Guignardi, M.S., of RuBi Hemp Solutions.
• Over 500 TNLA certifications were obtained this year. A large portion of this increase was due to CAN Academies successfully adopting TNLA’s certification curriculum into their students’ academic program and studies. This year, TNLA certified nine students from CAN Academies across Texas.
• TNLA Grower Summit was conducted in the fall to provide an all-day educational experience, with featured topics including neonic, ornamentals, H-2B, biosecurity programs for pest management, and commercial vehicle enforcement with DPS.
• H-E-B Education incorporated TNLA’s Texas Certified Nursery Professional (TCNP) Certification Program, providing an increased academic platform for its staff to obtain a higher level of knowledge and professionalism.
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RISE UP FOR IMPROVED REGULATORY ACTIONS
• Citrus quarantines created an opportunity for TNLA to bring together a forum of industry and state and federal agencies to find a workable solution. • A Citrus Compensation Study is currently being conducted to help identify the value of retail citrus in Texas and the contribution citrus sales have on the economy. •T NLA attended an Immigration Summit in Houston to help the local business community bring positive reform to the immigration system in the U.S. Guest speakers included Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Congressman Will Hurd, along with members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Houston business leaders Stan Marek of MAREK Constructions and Massey Villareal of the Greater Houston Partnership.
RISE UP FOR ADVOCATING ON THE LEGISLATIVE FRONTLINES ON ISSUES IMPACTING MEMBER’S BUSINESSES
• Federal Priorities this Year included: o Providing H-2B cap relief and improving the H-2A program for employers. o Helping to establish Hours of Service (HOS) exemptions to trucks hauling horticulture products. o Securing investments in EPA’s WaterSense Program and increasing investments for improving our water supply.
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o T raveling to Washington to meet with Congressional leaders, staff, as well as the Department of Labor and USDA to advocate on behalf of our member’s companies. • State Priorities this Year Included: o W orking with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to offer more certification opportunities for high school students across the State and help increase the workforce for the green industry. o Collaborating with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to develop curriculum with the association in order to update the Industry-Based Certifications list for public school accountability and to offer students the opportunity to graduate with TNLA certification and further enhance the horticulture segment and labor pool in Texas. • Migrant Housing: TNLA led the effort to address Texas Migrant Labor Housing licenses for H-2A users. This year we met with the Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs (TDHCA) to ensure TNLA members within the H-2A temporary visa program were not being inspected twice. Through our advocacy efforts and comment, the TDHCA changed their licensing rules by narrowing the double inspections to only one inspection and decreasing the fees for our H-2A members utilizing this program.
A Year in Review
• Water Priorities this Year: o Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) held irrigation hearings to change the regulations for backflow prevention devices. TNLA took part in these hearings and as a result collaborated with TCEQ to conduct a webinar with our members to provide them with the latest details on these new changes. o Legislative Interim Studies with the Senate Committee on Water & Rural Affairs are being monitored as regulations are being discussed regarding the use of groundwater. TNLA will continue to review the committee’s actions as a report is due by the end of the year before the next legislative session starting in January 2021. • Landscape Architect Practice Act: TNLA organized a stakeholder group to offer input on negotiations with the Texas Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and on changes within the Landscape Architects Practice Act. Texas ASLA and TNLA have been working on identifying ways to strengthen the Practice Act and improve regulatory compliance in the next legislative session. • TNLA’s Leader List Newsletter is a TNLA member-exclusive benefit and is sent out with political notices, legislative alerts, and highlights of TNLA’s current advocacy work. Sign up and during the Texas Legislature’s new session, starting January 2021, you’ll receive a weekly newsletter featuring all of the green industry-related action.
• TNLA Legislative Action Center brought together members to participate in grassroots campaigns concerning federal and state issues. With the ease of pushing a button, members are able to send electronic communication directly to elected officials on the issues impacting businesses the most. • Green Report Podcast Top Hits for bringing member’s updates on news and politics affecting the green industry: o Issue Highlight: Hemp with Zack Guignardi o L egislator Spotlight: Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller o I nterview with Annie Spilman: The Texas state director for National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and spokeswoman for the ASSET coalition discussed cities requiring paid sick leave. Listen to the Green Report at any time through TNLAonline. org, Apple Podcasts, and Google Play Music.
RISE UP TO HELP MEMBER’S BUSINESSES PROSPER
• TNLA Member’s See the Value of their Membership: This year TNLA’s membership represented more than 1,278 member companies. • Compensation Study: Over 100 green industry companies participated in the TNLA Compensation Study. This report provides Texas-specific information on what industry
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colleagues are paying and the employee benefits they offer on need-to-know information for the discerning Texas employer. A complete report is available for purchase at TNLA’s Online Store (look for it under Resources at TNLAonline.org). • Economic Impact Report showed that the Texas green industry economic contributions resulted in a $23.12 billion output and 226,772 jobs.
RISE UP BY MAKING LONG-LASTING INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS AT TNLA’S BIGGEST INDUSTRY EVENTS
• 2019 EXPO in San Antonio: TNLA’s annual Nursery/ Landscape EXPO, held last August in the Alamo City, attracted green industry professionals from far and wide. This Texas-size event featured plants, hardscapes, equipment, and more than 450 companies exhibiting thousands of products and services. Attendees talked one-on-one with industry experts and learned about new products to grow their businesses. • Product Rodeo & Education Corral is TNLA’s newest event that launched in February. The Product Rodeo & Education Corral was held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center’s Watt Arena in Fort Worth. Several hundred industry professionals from across the state came together to be a part of the action. Product Rodeo shined a light on the industry’s latest innovations as outdoor equipment and machinery
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were powered up and put to work right before our eyes. Rodeo packed in demonstrations, hands-on product testing, competitions, and more. RISE UP TO THE CALL OF DUTY AS VOLUNTEERS HELPED FOSTER A BETTER TNLA AND WORKFORCE FOR TOMORROW
• Women in Horticulture: The Women in Horticulture Get-Together held at the 2019 Nursery/Landscape EXPO had its largest turnout ever. Over 400 women attended this fifth annual event to share ideas with their peers and make new business connections. This group of volunteers meets on a regular basis throughout the year through conference calls and keeps each other up to date on the latest industry happenings as they occur within their TNLA Region. • Labor Mining Task Force: These volunteers have worked hard to organize strategies to continue to strengthen the green industry’s workforce today and for years to come. Some of the initiatives this year included conducting the Compensation Study, addressing critical issues pertaining to the H-2B and H-2A seasonal labor programs, and helping to implement certification programs with regulatory agencies. • Youth Task Force: This group of industry volunteers is currently putting together a promotional video targeting youth to enhance their interest in obtaining a career in the green industry. The task force has also been in conversation with the Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association
A Year in Review
• Strategic Partners: These member companies play a critical role in helping TNLA and the green industry grow by providing continued financial support for the association’s programs and initiatives. The support helps the association increase value-added member benefits and continue to be at the forefront of providing quality programs and content. RISE UP FROM TNLA’S VALUED PARTNERS OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES Member firms who have contributed a minimum of $10,000 FOR MEMBER BUSINESSES per calendar year through sponsorships and contributions are placed as a TNLA Strategic Partner and listed on the walls at • Partnered with Alliance for Securing and Strengthening TNLA’s headquarters as being part of the Circle of Legends. the Economy in Texas (ASSET) to help several major cities, including Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin, enact ordinances Current partners include: requiring new employment policies to help protect members o Y ellow Rose Partner ($30,000+ Level): Landmark as jobs were threatened and costs were increasing for Nurseries, Inc. businesses. o B luebonnet Partners ($10,000-$19,999 Level): Southwest Wholesale Nursery, Creekside Nursery, TreeTown USA, • FWD.us: This political organization has offered TNLA a Texas Green Industry Safety Group, and New Earth grant to conduct new programs for our members to connect o C ircle of Legends ($100,000+ Lifetime Level): one-on-one with federal and state policymakers and agencies in a roundtable format. These conversations will address • Landmark Nurseries, Inc. the needed improvements to the existing H-2A and H-2B • Southwest Wholesale Nursery programs. Details and dates for these upcoming engagements • Creekside Nursery are coming soon. • Living Earth • Texas Green Industry Safety Group • Systematic Horticulture Operation Program of Texas • TreeTown USA (SHOP-TX): A collaboration between TNLA and the Texas Department of Agriculture, this new initiative will develop a This is the time to Rise Up, more than ever before. TNLA is here statewide program to help grower facilities incorporate better to stand strong for our member’s businesses. We are working for management practices that will assist in compliance with state and federal requirements and meet the need to not have you! For additional information to get the most out of your TNLA membership, visit TNLAonline.org. to obtain additional licenses in the future. of Texas (VATAT) and the TEA to get the TNLA Certified Professionals Program incorporated into the public school curriculum.
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n e m o W r e d Won
g others, in t r o p p u s , nonprofits d n a men are s o e s w s r e u in o f s u e Starting b done, thes b jo e h t g dustry. in n e e r and gettin g e th changing TAYLOR by SUSAN
N JOHNSTO
LIKE MANY INDUSTRIES, nurseries and
landscaping have historically been led by men. But as more women launch businesses and make inroads in the field, that’s all changing. TNLA Green caught up with four trailblazing women to find out why they got into the industry, how they’re forging valuable connections with each other, and more.
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WONDER WOMEN
B B U R G Y E L H S A
rdens ted Ga Richmond n a h c n er / E ket in Manag Farm & Mar g n i s a d Purch ustard See er / M n Fou d
NINE YEARS OF WORKING at Enchanted Gardens helped
plant the seeds for Grubb and her husband, Derek, to launch Mustard Seed Farm & Market, a nonprofit that provides work experience and employment resources for adults with disabilities. Her childhood best friend had a sister with Down syndrome, which fostered Grubb’s empathy from a young age. “I want to do all I can to help promote their independence and self-value, and provide opportunities for meaningful work,” she says. Growing up between Houston and Dallas, Grubb helped her parents around the yard. “My mom is an amazing gardener and my dad is an excellent wheelbarrow-andshovel technician,” she says. The activity showed her how working in the dirt and being outdoors can help clear the head. She went on to earn degrees in Conservation Biology & Biodiversity and Entomology from Texas A&M University. All the while, she felt a need to help others. “When I was in college and beyond, in the back of my mind, I always wanted to continue to work with people who have disabilities,” she says.
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After working at Texas Parks & Wildlife in their fish hatchery division and in the private lake management sector, Grubb took a job at a community for adults with disabilities, working as the team leader of their crafts and horticultural enterprises and helping to open a group home. She spent her days off at Enchanted Gardens. “I dreamed of working here for several years before I applied for a job and still love it as much today as I did when I was a customer,” she says. “The staff here are like family and the awesome owner has given me the ability to take on a range of responsibilities and challenges. I get to go home every day feeling like I’ve accomplished something.” Grubb sees strong examples of women leaders in this field and values the networking opportunities she’s found at Women in Horticulture events at EXPO. “Women have a different point of view and it’s important to have that insight represented when we are making decisions to target a female demographic,” she says. “We approach things differently, and I think the more different ideas you can bring to the table, the stronger your overall result will be.”
WONDER WOMEN
MANDY-JO LAUREN T Director of Sale s and Operation s JustPots in San Antonio
BEFORE JUSTPOTS LAUNCHED three years ago, Laurent earned an animal science degree from Texas Tech and worked for a food safety company. Then she was asked to serve as director of sales and operations for JustPots, a company founded by John and Gina Bellinger. Together, they saw a need in the market, especially in San Antonio. “There wasn’t a place that had a large selection of highquality pots,” she says. “We thought, Why not us? We had some connections that we discovered in Vietnam so we met with them. Now we’ve got about 15,000 pots.” While Laurent hadn’t envisioned herself in the retail and wholesale industries, she’s enjoying it. “Pottery is just fun,” she says. “It’s pretty. Every day we get to help a customer search through our 4 acres of pots and find the perfect piece to do what they’ve been dreaming of. It’s hard to have a bad day when we help someone find the perfect pot.” JustPots and Laurent got involved in TNLA soon after the business launched. “Here in Region I, we have a great group of women,” she says. “They’ve been an invaluable tool in helping us share customers and get involved in events,
whether it’s a local garden club or a plant sale.” JustPots has hosted several regional meetings and exhibited at the Nursery/Landscape EXPO in San Antonio and the Product Rodeo & Education Corral in Fort Worth. Laurent was also an educational speaker on how to purchase pottery for your nursery. “TNLA gives women and pretty much everyone a chance to network and an opportunity to share best practices that are going to benefit me and other females across the state,” she says. “It gives women the capacity to be heard. When there’s more than one of our voices, it’s more likely for us to be heard.” Laurent credits having a strong focus on customer service and knowing her inventory for helping her succeed in the green industry and as a businesswoman over these last three years. But she also believes a strong work ethic is invaluable for the job. “Coming from outside of the industry, there are very few occasions where I’m the most knowledgeable,” she admits, “but it’s easy to be the most passionate or the hardest-working.”
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WONDER WOMEN
S N O M M I S H T E MARY B ns
Simmo
r ingen Partne rsery in Harl g n i g a Man olesale Nu h rms W a Oak F
IN 2002, Simmons and her husband bought their farm from friends who were retiring. Prior to that, they worked in traditional agriculture. “We knew how to grow things but did not know much of anything about the industry,” she says. Fortunately, the previous nursery manager stayed on to help. From there, Simmons says, “we bumbled along and learned as we went.” At first, Simmons didn’t cross paths with a lot of other women. But, she says, “the longer that I have been involved, the more I see there’s women in every area of the industry. They’re designing, they’re installing, they’re running retail nurseries, they’re arborists, they’re growers.” She admits that there are many more women in the landscape industry than she expected, but she finds women are still “greatly outnumbered” by their male counterparts. She doesn’t want that to hold a woman back though, saying, “I would advise any young woman wanting a career in horticulture to set a goal for where you want to be in 10 years, determine the steps you need to take to get there, and go for it!”
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Simmons has served as the Region II chairman several times and on statewide committees, including one for staffing. Her farm has a staffing initiative to seek out part-time employees who are in high school or college and give them an introduction to the industry. “Each individual grower and nursery needs to be looking to the future and where both the staff and the leaders in 10 or 20 years are going to come from,” she says. “We need to start introducing those bright and energetic people that we know to the opportunities that they have here.” Beyond its staffing initiative, Simmons Oak Farms is also active in local educational events around trees and nature. “If there’s an event that has to do with trees and their importance and all of their benefits, we want to be involved in it, and we want to help promote it on all of our social media avenues with whomever is putting it on,” Simmons says. “We want all of the kids right now to get a passion for nature, for growing things, and for the beauty and benefits that nature and trees bring to each and every one of us.”
WONDER WOMEN
REBECCA WIN N Fo Whimsical under Gardens in
WINN’S FAMILY MOVED to Europe when she was in first grade,
so she grew up surrounded by the elegant gardens of Italy, Scotland, and England. She later received her degree in fine art at Southern Methodist University. When she became a stay-at-home mom, Winn got into horticulture as an artistic outlet. “When I bought my first house, I started gardening and discovered I had a real aptitude for that information,” she says. “I am completely self-taught horticulturally.” In the spring of 1996, Winn recalls how a friend visited her home and saw her garden, exclaiming, “This is amazing what you’re doing! I would like to pay you money to come help me in my garden.” Thus, Whimsical Gardens was born. To support herself after a divorce, Winn got more serious about growing the business in 2006, and eventually joined TNLA in 2014. “When you really commit to something, an energy shift can happen and a lot will unfold working in your favor,” she says. Not even knowing how to draw to scale when she started Whimsical Gardens in the mid-’90s, Winn has gone on to win multiple TEIL awards from TNLA and her business has grown from one crew to several crews
Dallas
doing multiple six-figure design installations. Winn remembers the early days, driving up to a nursery in her Volvo station wagon and not always being taken seriously, but she says things have improved over time. “The more women come into the industry and the more they are in leadership positions, I think it’s definitely shifting,” she says. “I’m thrilled to see that.” A multitalented dynamo, Winn has also forayed into writing. Between 2002 and 2006, she wrote for D Home Magazine. One of her sections, called Garden Diary, featured area gardens and the stories behind them. “I’d find gardens I thought were pretty and knock on their doors,” she says. “Of course, everybody said yes.” More recently, she landed a book deal with Grand Central Publishing. One Hundred Daffodils: Finding Beauty, Grace, and Meaning When Things Fall Apart is a collection of essays about finding resilience in nature. It came out in March 2020, just as much of Texas was slowing down due to COVID-19. “Nature plays into the book as this metaphor and teacher,” Winn says. “There’s very profound wisdom in nature.” TNLA
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Diversity & Inclusion
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How increasing the number of minorities and women in the green industry helps everyone. by Sarah Thurmond
May/June 2020 TNLA Green
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approach worked and she started feeling more respect from the DEVIN GUINN knew starting a landscape men. “Things changed and it was nice,” she says. design build firm in his early 20s would Even though both businessowners are quick to point out that be challenging. After all, it usually takes these kinds of incidents rarely happen to them, it demonstrates a while for any new business to establish the kind of implicit racial and gender bias that many people itself. Despite having a few major projects in the green industry face. “It’s 98 percent of the time that under his belt, he found new clients everybody is so nice and no one is ugly,” Garcia-Perez says. would occasionally show doubt in his “You have that two percent that maybe looks at you funny and ability to complete a job. He chalked this up to his youth and thinks you can’t do [the job].” lack of experience. But he recalls a couple instances when Guinn knows these are the “hard realities” minorities face, there was another motivating factor. but he prefers to look at the bigger picture: how a lack of A few years after launching his business, AquaGreen Global diversity and inclusion in any field or industry can do more in Dallas, Guinn was informed that a troublesome lead than damage relationships. It can be bad for business. “We’re superintendent on a lucrative hotel project had made racial missing out on opportunities that can make our state better slurs about him behind his back. It didn’t change the way and can better serve communities,” he says. “The more diverse Guinn, an African American, and his employees handled the staff you have with more opinions, more perspectives, and job, and the hotel eventually dismissed the superintendent more culture, it can make you not from the job for other reasons. only a better leader because you learn On another occasion, Guinn and how to deal with more people, but it an older, more experienced project makes you better serve your clients.” manager found themselves being Of course, the horticulture industry challenged more than usual during is not the only predominantly whitea meeting with a general contractor male industry grappling with racial and project superintendent. “After the and gender discrimination. A 2019 meeting, my project manager said, study by the Alliance for Board ‘You handled that so well. Those guys Diversity found that 38.6 percent were pushing for answers and you of Fortune 100 companies and 34 kept your calm. I would have percent of Fortune 500 companies had blown up,’” Guinn says. “Then women and minorities on their he goes, ‘I really think they’re “‘I really think they’re treating you like board. These numbers were an treating you like that because increase from the previous study you’re young and black.’” Guinn that because you’re young and black.’” in 2016, but they still fall short appreciated his colleague’s of equality in boardrooms. perspective. “That really helped me, Guinn and Garcia-Perez believe hearing that from a white individual. one reason for the lack of diversity and He was in the room and he saw it,” inclusion — where people of color he says. Devin Guinn and women are not just seated at the Estela Garcia-Perez, co-owner of table but also heard and involved in decision-making — is a Fairway Landscape and Nursery in San Antonio, can relate lack of exposure to the industry at an early age. Many people to the situations Guinn has faced. However, living in a of color and women don’t realize horticulture has many career predominantly Hispanic community, she knew her skin color opportunities, including manufacturing, distribution, landscape wasn’t the issue. “When I started, it definitely felt like running design, and nursery production. into a brick wall as a woman in this industry,” she says. “Going Guinn’s introduction to horticulture came when his mother out to job sites at the beginning, I wouldn’t say people were married a man who had been involved in the landscape and mean, but they weren’t always forthcoming with information.” irrigation business for decades. As a kid, Guinn “dreaded” Despite having a well-established reputation in the working outside and helping his stepfather. However, his community, Garcia-Perez recalls the difficult time she had attitude changed when he went to Tarleton State University managing a grounds maintenance crew of 21 men at Randolph on a football scholarship. Despite being talented enough to Air Force Base. “At the beginning, it was like pulling teeth. It be prospected for the NFL, he knew he needed a backup plan was pretty bad. They were not used to having a woman there and Tarleton had a reputable horticulture program. “It was because they were a lot older,” she says. She realized she needed all I had ever done,” Guinn says. “I could see myself thriving to get tough by establishing rules and sticking to them. The new
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is key. Garcia-Perez has noticed more young Hispanic women at it. But what I wanted to do is make sure I was extremely putting off marriage and starting families to get degrees in knowledgeable in the field.” construction management and construction science. Many are After studying horticultural landscape maintenance and now working as project superintendents, project managers, construction, he interned at a small nursery and learned and engineers. “I can’t say their moving up quickly,” she more about plants, plant material, and sales. When his NFL admits, “but I am seeing more woman in those management dream didn’t work out, he decided to round out his knowledge positions taking on bigger roles.” of horticulture and enrolled in the master’s program for Guinn advises young people who are pursuing a career in landscape architecture at the University of Texas at Arlington. the green industry to seek out organizations and associations He launched his business in 2010, his first year in grad school. like TNLA, which can provide networking and educational Like Guinn, Garcia-Perez grew up in the industry. Her family opportunities and some direction toward a successful career. owned a small nursery and tree farm, which blossomed into a He joined TNLA in 2015, and four years later was asked to landscape and irrigation operation with major projects all over join the state board of directors. Not only does he see taking a the city and South Texas. She remembers running around and seat on the board as a great opportunity for him to bring more playing at the nursery, and when she and her four siblings were diversity and a different perspective to the organization, but it old enough, they helped out — from digging holes at sites to may just encourage more young people of color into the field. working in the office. Eventually, she left home to study finance “I told the board members that in college. Then she got married and when I looked at this organization and had two boys. When she returned to I looked at the people in place, I saw San Antonio to raise her children closer no one who looked like me. Not even to her family, she knew a job would be brown skin. To me, if I’m a bystander waiting for her in the family business. and I’m looking at that, that’s a barrier. Today, she’s the VP of business Why do I want to be a part of an development and a co-owner with organization that doesn’t reflect me?” her sister, brother, and father. In he says. “As humans, we naturally March, the business celebrated its want to connect with people who look 51st anniversary, and Garcia-Perez’s like us or are in the same space as us oldest son is now working at the or have some commonalities. By TNLA company. “When we’re gone — incorporating me on their board, me, my brother, sister, and father “You have that two percent that maybe looks I think it will help break some — our hope is our children will barriers and we’ll see the benefit want to run the business and at you funny & thinks you can’t do [the job].” of that for years to come.” continue the legacy,” she says. When it comes to changes in Being introduced early in life led the green industry, Garcia-Perez Guinn and Garcia-Perez down a path and Guinn say they’ve seen more to a successful career in horticulture, advancement and increasing numbers so it’s no wonder they advocate for Estela Garcia-Perez for women and Hispanics, but there’s more educational programs and still a long way to go, especially for African Americans. “I workshops in predominantly minority schools, colleges, and haven’t seen any marginal changes from when I started college communities. They also recommend tapping into minority to when I really got professionally involved,” Guinn says. But college populations at career fairs. Even starting community he believes doing things like putting him on the board at TNLA gardens in neighborhoods that are often overlooked for such is a step in the right direction. “It’s so important that you have projects can provide needed exposure to young people. “It’s someone at the table that looks like them,” he says. “You have also a way to give back to the community, by creating green to have that person who they can look up to and say, I can do space for them,” Guinn says, adding that he’s often asked to that or I want to be apart of that.” contribute products or services to the creation of these gardens. Garcia-Perez is encouraged that more diversity is achievable For Garcia-Perez, she believes it’s important to demonstrate because she’s seen it in action. “Why can’t we all be in this to girls that they, too, can do this work. “I’m out there spreading industry together? It’s proven that it works. It’s proven that we mulch and helping the guys by putting on heads for irrigation, can be out there just like a man can,” she says. “As long as we whatever it is,” she says. “At the end of the day, we can do this; help each other out, we can get it done.” we just need these girls to know that it’s possible. It’s doable.” To advance in the field, they believe getting an education TNLA
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May/June 2020 TNLA Green
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By Mengmeng Gu, Ph.D., and Ping Yu
Using Biochar as Container Substrates in Horticulture Production Part 1: An introduction to biochar INTRODUCTION
This article is the first of a five-part series that focuses on using biochar as container media to produce greenhouse crops. The series contains research-based information, which has been generated by biochar researchers throughout the world including researchers from Texas A&M University Systems. There are still many myths on how to use biochar in greenhouse production, but this is an attempt to set the record straight. This first article provides introductory information on biochar, and the second will be on its potential (and limitation) to partially replace peat moss as container substrates. The third, fourth, and fifth articles will focus on the physical and chemical properties of biochar as container substrate amendments, the effects of biochar on container plant growth, and the potential of using biochar as container substrates to suppress plant pathogen. The series will give examples of a detailed biochar-based mix for greenhouse crop production practice. WHAT IS BIOCHAR?
The International Biochar Initiative defines biochar as a solid material obtained from the carbonization of biomass, which may be added to soil to improve soil functions and reduce emissions from biomass that would otherwise naturally degrade to greenhouse gas. Other researchers define biochar as a multifunctional material related to carbon sequestration,
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A
B
C
D
E
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Figure 1: Mixed hardwood biochar made from fast pyrolysis at temperature 550°C (A); sugarcane bagasse biochar made from fast pyrolysis at temperature 300°C (B) and 450°C (C); pine wood chips biochar made from pyrolysis (D, F); sugarcane bagasse biochar made from slow pyrolysis at temperature 350°C (E).
greenhouse gas reduction, soil contaminant immobilization, soil fertilization, and water filtration. By its nominal meaning, “bio” refers to life or living thing, and “char” refers to charcoal, which is a dark or black porous solid material. So biochar is basically charcoal derived from living things. But unlike charcoal, which is the only main product from the pyrolysis of wood chunks, biochar can be produced from pyrolysis of different kinds of materials such as pine bark, sugarcane bagasse, rice hull, and straws. Also, biochar is a byproduct of pyrolysis (heating biomass in a low oxygen environment), with bio-energy products such as syngas and bio-oil being the
main products. To make things easier, we’ll stick with the most commonly used definition: biochar is a carbon-enriched black solid with a porous structure, made from thermal decomposition of biomass materials at high temperature (300°~1,200°C) in an oxygen-limited or oxygen-depleted environment, with exclusive applications in agriculture and environmental industry. Bioenergy companies are major biochar producers as they produce bio-oil or syngas through pyrolysis, with biochar being a byproduct. The growing interests of biochar research and utilization date back to the 2001 energy crisis, when a significant number of bioenergy companies launched their
C A
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Figure 2: Biochar production system (USDA-ARS, New Orleans), consisting of three main parts: heating (A), conditioning control (B), biomass receptor and biochar collector (C).
Figure 3: Biochar production system (Texas A&M University, College Station), consisting of four main parts: heating (A), conditioning control (B), biomass receptor, biochar collector (C), and cooling system (D).
facilities for the thriving bioenergy market. However, in recent years, the price of fuel has become less of an issue, and the bioenergy companies are looking for new ways to license their product, especially biochar, to add extra value to their business. Biochar production system — pyrolysis system — normally consists of three basic parts: heating system (Figures 2A and 3A), conditioning control system (Figures 2B and 3B), biomass receptor and biochar collector (Figures 2C and 3C). In larger biochar
A
B
production systems, normally a cooling system is also included (Figure 3D). Industrial pyrolysis systems vary from what’s shown in Figures 2 and 3 in sizes, but the major components are similar. Additionally, the feedstock for biochar production can be subjected to pre-treatments, such as washing with distilled water, dilute alkali or acid, or tannery slurry. Biochar can be further treated with post-treatments such as pelletizing, grinding, or blending with other materials such as peat moss, perlite, fertilizer, wood flour, polylactic acid, starch, and soybeanbased bioplastics for different purposes (Figure 4). After biochar is produced, they’ll be collected, cooled down, and then stored. They can be either stored in open fields (industrial scale) or indoors. If they are stored indoors, they’re normally stored in barrels or plastic bags (Figure 5), which will not cause any dust and safety issues and will make transportation easier. As previously mentioned, biochar can be made from various feedstocks. For example, many agriculture byproducts could be used as feedstock, including
C
Figure 4: Biochar subjected to post-treatments: pelletized biochar (pelletized, A); pine wood chips biochar made from pyrolysis before post-treatment (B) and after post-treatment (ground, C).
A
B Figure 5: Biochar stored in barrel (A) or plastic bags (B, C).
green waste, wood straw, bark, sugarcane bagasse, rice hull, wood, wheat straw, and so on. For the same reason, biochar, the end production, can vary from feedstock to feedstock. The huge agriculture industry in Texas could potentially provide a tremendous amount of agriculture byproducts as biochar feedstocks, forestry industry wastes, cotton gin trash from the cotton farms, manure from dairy, cattle, or equine farms, sugarcane bagasse, pecan shell, rice hull (or other types of hulls), corncob, and crop residuals. Let us know if you have ideas of other (dirtcheap) waste products. In the next part, we will discuss biochar’s potential (and limitation) to partially replace peat moss as container substrates. Meanwhile, it would be great to hear about your experiences with biochar. TNLA
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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. PING YU is a Ph.D. student working on using biochar as container substrate in the Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University. Her email address is yuping520@tamu.edu.
May/June 2020 TNLA Green
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NOTES FROM SFA Gardens
Nurseries and Public Gardens in an Era of COVID-19 “When you go to war, it pays to be smarter than the enemy.” THE OLDER I GET, the more I question how much energy I need to put into planning. For the most part, I’d rather plant than plan. Experience tells me it’s usually the unanticipated that rears its ugly head, something out of the blue you never considered. That light at the end of the tunnel is actually a train about to run me over. That gentle rustling in the forest is actually a herd of wild hogs about to tear my life apart. COVID-19 is like that. Still, it’s not like we didn’t have a warning. I’ve been running back and forth to China on short-term consultancies since 1997, usually once or twice a year, working in the magical world of blueberries, Taxodium, nurseries, and landscape projects with colleagues at Nanjing Forestry University. China is a fascinating country. In January this year, my good friends in China began video and text chatting with me through WeChat about the hardships of a strange illness in the Hubei province. A friend wrote, “Dr. Creech, this is not your normal flu. One person gets it, whole family dies.” It didn’t take long before all of Hubei was a mess, which was followed by a country-wide issue. While China was slow out of the gate, what followed was amazing. Entire cities, then provinces were locked down. This wasn’t your everyday shelter-in-place. I received videos sent by friends taken
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from the balconies of their skyscraper apartments. Residents came to their balconies to sing, exercise, and play instruments. You could hear birds chirp and see a former gray sky turned blue. Some of my friends were in their apartments for five weeks, alerted every two days by WeChat texts that they could come down and buy groceries to stagger the numbers in stores. Masks were required and people’s temperatures were taken at the door of apartment buildings and businesses. City-wide lockdowns may seem Orwellian, but the strategy seems to have worked. As of this writing, Nanjing has been case-free for more than 35 days. My friends there think, We have starved the virus. All agree it isn’t over yet. There will be flare-ups, setbacks, and new cases, but my friends are convinced they are
By David Creech, Ph.D.
winning the war. As of this writing, the big problem is visitors from abroad, who have to voluntarily go into a 14day lockdown in hotel rooms, paying for their food, lodging, and laundry services. Now that the worst is over, the WeChat QR code on a cellphone is your passport to move about. It’s red, orange, or green, managed by a GPS system that determines your mobility, based on who you are, who you’ve come near, and where you’ve been. This ain’t your average Texas rodeo, that’s for sure. As of early April, Nacogdoches County is in a shelter-in-place mode and it may soon be the entire state. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know we’re late to the dance. COVID-19 made its debut in the United States with the first documented case in late January. It may have been here earlier. When it rolled into Texas, I queried gardens and nurseries in late February for what they were doing to minimize infection. For those ahead of the curve, there was a mix of responses: 1. Stagger work entry times, lunch, and breaks to reduce interactions 2. For clerical, sales, and other workers who can work remotely, encourage it 3. Eliminate lines to the time clock, vending machines, water fountains, etc. 4. Recognize worker “choke points” and “bottlenecks” and eliminate them 5. Design a system with workers working solo 6. Instead of stacking containers in a tractor trailer with a team, go with bins to keep workers separated 7. Communicate by text or group chats with workers rather than face-to-face 8. Provide masks and sanitizers to everyone 9. Provide workers with written documents explaining how COVID-19 is infectious
NOTES FROM SFA Gardens 10. R ecognize your compromised workers (diabetes, cardio pulmonary, age) and provide them with work assignments that include strong social distancing 11. B an “common areas” like the break or lunch rooms 12. A llow workers to go directly to a work site from their homes 13. A llow workers to have their own assigned ATV or truck — or allow workers to use their own vehicles to move about and compensate them for that 14. A ssign workers their own tools 15. A ssign workers sanitation duties in locations where workers interact 16. R ecognize “friend or family units,” meaning workers that live together who can work together
While it’s a long slog, this too will pass. Until next time, please stay safe — and let’s keep planting. TNLA
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DAVID CREECH, PH.D., is regent’s professor emeritus at Stephen F. Austin State University and the director of SFA Gardens.
While all this sounds Draconian, it’s prudent. This isn’t your everyday flu. Never forget COVID-19 is airborne. While the 6-foot rule works for droplets from coughs or sneezes, floating COVID-19 is another story. Washing your hands with soap and water, wearing a mask in public, and keeping your hands off your face are basic safety measures. It’s no secret that our garden relies on income generated from outside the university. Cancelling the plant sales, seminars, workshops, summer camps, and the environmental education programs means a dramatic loss of income. These funds pay staff salaries and keep the gardens sustainable. These are now out the window. That said, I’m convinced we will survive. It’s a public garden. The value of having such a beautiful and learning outdoor environment, one that’s safe and healthy for our visitors, is difficult to measure. I think it’s priceless.
May/June 2020 TNLA Green
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BUGS FUZZ
Focus on disease & insects
By Kevin Ong, Ph.D., and Erfan Vafaie
A Disease Is a Disease IN RECENT MONTHS, a novel disease known as COVID-19 dominated the news and our lives. This disease is caused by a virus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This human viral pathogen had a huge impact on our lives: how we behave, how we interact, and how we conduct business. Did you realize that all the guidance provided to us by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is based on scientific information and observations? You may also have noticed that recommendations kept changing as new information became available. The reasoning provided by these guidelines was to “flatten the curve” and reduce the severity of the disease outbreak. As a plant pathologist, someone who studies diseases in plants, I (Kevin) see many things that are similar when we have a plant disease outbreak. Let us explore and learn from this pandemic and see how it relates to things that could happen in greenhouses, nurseries, or landscapes. In the last issue of TNLA Green, Bugs (Erfan) and I shared a component from the Systems Approach to Nursery Certification (SANC), which was to identify critical points, or areas, where potential pathogens can enter. It was also mentioned that within a production system, there are many critical points where enhanced monitoring can occur to catch things early. A critical point is the origin of the pathogen — where it came from. In the COVID-19 pandemic, there were questions as to where it was first found and who might have been the first patient to contract this disease (a.k.a. “Patient Zero”). Having this information allows
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researchers to better understand how this pathogen infects and causes disease. Similarly, in a greenhouse, nursery, or landscape situation, knowing which plant is the first infected plant allows us to make decisions for the present and the future, such as how many plants to remove, if the crop is worth saving, or whether plant hair salons should be closed for a while. (I mean, really, my hair is sporulating from “Fuzz” to “Fluff” over here!) It also helps inform us about the cleanliness of the source.
“if you feel sick, stay home” or “if you have been exposed to a high-risk situation, self-isolate for 14 days.” Thankfully, this is much easier to manage with plants. I should also note that having an accurate diagnosis is critical. In the COVID-19 story, South Korea was given a lot of credit in managing to effectively reduce incidence through increased testing. Why? By extensive testing, they could figure out who was infected and who was not, regardless of symptoms. As a result, they could prescribe proper actions (i.e. quarantine) to limit the potential spread of the SARSCoV-2 virus. Similarly, in plant disease issues, accurate diagnosis is critical to implement effective management methods. If you know what you are dealing with, then you may have practices that have been known to work that can be put into action. Another
parallel is that extensive monitoring/ scouting for early detection of a plant or insect problem can greatly reduce a potential outbreak. Knowing the pathogen also allows us to learn and understand the nature of the pathogen. With SARS-CoV-2, a study suggested that humans could acquire this virus through air and after touching contaminated surfaces. Therefore, recommendations of social distancing of at least 6 feet and washing hands often are practices that are meant to reduce risk of disease spread. Similarly, in a plant-type situation, you may have heard of recommendations to space the plants properly to reduce disease incidences. The message of “keeping things clean” and good sanitation practices in a production system can help reduce risk of potential plant disease outbreaks. With COVID-19, I am sure that you heard the message “if you feel sick, stay home” or “if you have been exposed to a high-risk situation, self-isolate for 14 days.” Thankfully, this is much easier to manage with plants. If plants get sick, isolate them. Remove them from the general growing area, away from other healthy plants. Especially prevent your plants from going on an international spring break trip! If you catch this early in a nursery, you may have just prevented a much worse disease situation. Hence, a plug for the benefits of monitoring. I hope that this article will help you see the similarities in how we deal with disease, whether it is a human, plant, or animal disease. A key point is that we need to understand the pathogen to allow us to respond appropriately and effectively. Many mitigating actions may seem to be common-sense practices. Take similar approaches in how you produce plants or maintain a landscape, and you will have better odds at reducing risk to plant disease outbreaks.
May/June 2020 TNLA Green
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BUGS FUZZ TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION is there to serve the Texas public. Please visit the link below for more information about COVID-19 and also to access other AgriLife Extension resources. https://agrilifeextension. tamu.edu/coronavirus/
A reminder to you is that any mitigation practices are only as effective as the information and knowledge we have about the pathogen. There is still a lot of research taking place, so please understand that this is one reason why recommendations may change as new information becomes available. To successfully deal with insect and disease problems in plant production areas or landscape, do the following: • Monitor often • Get accurate diagnosis • Utilize latest information and recommendation for mitigation practices We understand this has been a difficult time for many — emotionally, mentally, and financially. On behalf of Bugs & Fuzz, we wish you all the best during this difficult time and looking forward to getting back to the normal! TNLA
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BUGS (ERFAN VAFAIE) & 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.
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QUIZ According to the article Diversity & Inclusion, Devin Guinn states that he looks at the “hard realities” in a bigger picture. What is that picture? 1. It can be bad for business 2. It can lead to insurance issues 3. It can lead to HR issues 4. It can lead to a lack of business sales According to the article Diversity & Inclusion, Devin Guinn again states that that more diversity in your staff can do what? 1. Bring in more opinions 2. Bring in more perspectives 3. Bring in more culture 4. Make you a better leader 5. All the above According to the article Diversity & Inclusion, what do both Guinn and Garcia-Perez say is the one reason for the lack of diversity and inclusion? 1. Lack of interest in the industry 2. Lack of exposure to the industry at an early age 3. Lack of opportunities the industry has 4. Lack of knowledge on diversity and inclusion According to the article Diversity & Inclusion, Garcia-Perez believes it is important to what? 1. Girls to grow up in the industry 2. For females to get tough on co-workers 3. Demonstrate to girls that they too can do this industry’s work 4. Let girls supervise while men do the work According to the article Using Biochar as Container Substrates in Horticulture Production, what is biochar summed up as? 1. Burnt wood 2. Charcoal derived from living things 3. Main product from pyrolsis of wood chunks 4. Useable carbon TNLA Green May/June 2020 Advertiser Index Creekside Nursery.........................inside front cover Hotchkiss................................................................ 01 Halleck Horticulture..............................................03 Spring Meadow Nursery........................................05 TreeTown USA .......................................................05
According to the article Using Biochar as Container Substrates in Horticulture Production, biochar production consists of three parts. Which of the following is not one of those parts? 1. Heating system 2. Cooling system 3. Conditioning control system 4. Biomass receptor and collector According to the article Nurseries and Public Gardens in an Era of COVID-19, identified “choke points” and “bottlenecks” were… 1. Outfitted with hand sanitizer stations 2. Outfitted with floor arrows 3. Outfitted with plastic barriers 4. Eliminated According to the article Nurseries and Public Gardens in an Era of COVID-19, the value for nurseries and public gardens to be places of beauty and outdoor learning environments that are safe and healthy is difficult to measure. 1. True 2. False According to the article A Disease is a Disease, a critical point of a pandemic or any disease is what? 1. Origin of the pathogen 2. Safety protocols 3. The curve 4. Monitoring According to the article A Disease is a Disease, what is much easier to manage with plants than with people during a disease outbreak? 1. Elimination of the diseased population 2. Self-isolation 3. Following the BMPs of a disease outbreak 4. Finding a cure
The HC Companies.................................................14 Texas Mutual ..........................................................27 GIE Expo................................................................. 29 Newton Nurseries...................................................31 OHP.................................................inside back cover 2020 Nursery/Landscape EXPO.............. back cover
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May/June 2020 TNLA Green
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NEW MEMBERS & NEW TNLA CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS 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 Grower Landscape Wholesale Distributors, LLC Melissa Tieken 25840 IH 10 W., Ste. C Boerne, TX 78006 www.landscapewholesale distributors.com Texana Henrichson Ranch, LTD Michael Paz 10107 Circle E Trail Helotes, TX 78023 Landscape Blue Lacy Landscape & Maintenance Damian Luna 8903 Quaker Ridge Selma, TX 78154 Sanford Irrigation & Landscaping Ann Sanford 4419 E. US Hwy. 90 Uvalde, TX 78801 www.sanfordlandscapes.com Saylee Greer Christopher Greer 4187 Stahl Road San Antonio, TX 78217 www.sayleegreer.com
The Ground Guys of Conroe Jason Anderson 1508 Memorial Drive Conroe, TX 77304 www.groundsguys.com/ conroe
Lindsey’s Lawn & Landscape, Inc. Byron D. Lindsey PO Box 59422 Dallas, TX 75229 www.lindseyslandscape.com
Supplier Bellstone Masonry Supply Ronald Bell 4801 E. I-20 N. Service Road Willow Park, TX 76087 www.bellstone.rocks
Boss LM Jack Garrett 714 Spirit 40 Park Drive, Ste. 150 Chesterfield, MO 63005 www.bosslm.com
The Ground Guys of League City Ryan Reed 4105 FM 2351 Friendswood, TX 77546 https://www.groundsguys .com/league-city/
The Side Porch Andrew Newsom 5430 Surrey Circle Dallas, TX 75209
The Law Office of Jason Mills Jason Mills 1403 Ellis Ave. Fort Worth, TX 76164 www.immigrationnation.net
i3 Verticals Jason Mutchler 40 Burton Hills Blvd., Ste. 415 Nashville, TN 37215 www.i3verticals.com
Landscape – Individual Olinda Lopez 133 N. Friendswood Drive Friendswood, TX 77546 Joshua Brodie 1 Pine Place Angleton, TX 77515 Lone Star Legacy Robert B. Buckner PO Box 1269 Bellville, TX 77418 Retail – Individual Leticia Cabrera 515 Brushy Glen Drive Houston, TX 77073 Student Will Bowling Texas A&M University 5012 Hatherly Drive Plano, TX 75023 Supplier Texas Garden Materials Elizabeth Hanks 13051 Old Richmond Road Houston, TX 77099 www.texasgardenmaterials .com
REGION 3 Educator Mark Blackmon Trinity Valley Community College Supplier – Individual 100 Cardinal St. David Johnson DTJ Executive Consultants, LLC Athens, TX 75751 510 Bluff Estates Will Hustead San Antonio, TX 78216 Trinity Valley Community College REGION 2 2970 N. State Hwy. 19 Government Palestine, TX 75803 Mackenzie Allison City of Sugar Land REGION 4 2700 Town Center Blvd. N. Government Sugar Land, TX 77479 Wesley Boren City of Plano Chuck Jennings PO Box 860358 City of Baytown, Parks Plano, TX 75086 Department 1210 Park St. Landscape Baytown, TX 77521 All Service Maintenance Providers (ASMP, LLC) Landscape James Sullivan Ace Scapes, Inc. 7750 N. Macarthur Blvd., Ste Ernesto Acevedo 120-164 6309 Grapevine St. Irving, TX 75063 Houston, TX 77085 www.allservices www.acescapesinc.com maintenanceproviders.com Alexander Michael’s Garden & Landscape Cindy Drisaldi 26081 Century Oaks Blvd. Hockley, TX 77447 www.amgarden.com
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TNLA Green May/June 2020
Superior Groundskeepers, LLC Stacy Landers 440 Marbella Drive Prosper, TX 75078 www.superlawnscapes.com Landscape – Individual Mary Mueller, TCNP M & M Irrigation & Illumination 912 Brestol Court W. Bedford, TX 76021 Amy Murawski 8709 Gladwood Lane Dallas, TX 75243
REGION 6 Landscape Robgo, Inc. Robert Gordon 1850 McCormick Road Amarillo, TX 79118 REGION 7 Supplier 5 Star Oils Josh Baietto 1701 S. Saunders St. Aransas Pass, TX 78336 http://5staroils.shopamsoil .com
Charles Cassel Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center 1716 S. Edmonds Lane, Apt. 47 Lewisville, TX 75067
REGION 8 Grower Hardwicks Mike Hardwick 3242 Hwy. 183 N. Early, TX 76802
REGION 5 Government John Habern Town of Flower Mound 3321 Brampton Drive Corinth, TX 76210
Landscape Classic Lawn Care Jonathan Abbott 6921 Larue Belle Cove Austin, TX 78739 www.classiclawncaretx.com
Landscape NDH Landscape, LLC Nicole Hawkins 3858 Lafayette Ave. Fort Worth, TX 76107
Urban Dirt Landscaping Jared Pyka PO Box 161687 Austin, TX 78716 www.urbandirt.us
Proper Deck and Fence Jeff Sutherland 428 Hemphill St. Fort Worth, TX 76104 www.properoutdoor.com
Valley View Landscaping Robbie Castille 401 Congress Ave., Ste. 1540 Austin, TX 78701
Landscape – Individual Peter Drogin 2016 Firewater Place Lewisville, TX 75067 Ashley Dunn 600 Harrold St., Apt. 276 Fort Worth, TX 76107 Retail – Individual Aaron Bennett 622 Huddleston Road Sunset, TX 76270 Student Jon Benavides Tarleton State University 1750 N. Graham St. Stephenville, TX 76401 Melissa Brown The University of Texas at Arlington 6618 Shorewood Drive Arlington, TX 76016
Landscape – Individual Adam Summerville PO Box 200471 Austin, TX 78720 Retail Littlejohn Farms, Inc. DBA Farmer’s Market Cathy Littlejohn 822 E. Main St. Hamilton, TX 76531 OUT OF STATE Grower Lamb Nursery Thomas Lamb 9750 S.W. 140th Ave. Dunnellon, FL 34432 Supplier Aivaka Ahmad Dowlatabadi 1791 Dalson Place Dalton Place? San Jose, CA 95124 www.aivaka.com
New TNLA Certified Professionals Texas Certified Nursery Professional (TCNP) Allie Balusek Southwest Wholesale Nursery Tom Pierce Southwest Wholesale Nursery Nathan Spillman Southwest Wholesale Nursery Charo Douglas Calloway’s Nursery Peggy Sweeney Calloway’s Nursery Lila Ford Calloway’s Nursery Nicholas Lovelady Texas Certified Landscape Professional (TCLP) Stephen Loranc ECOSystems Landscape Services Karen Beaty Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Casey Limerick The University of Texas at Austin
May/June 2020 TNLA Green
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TNLA Green May/June 2020