2024 - Issue I - Launching Into Spring

Launching Into Spring

NW Flower & Garden Show inspires while creating buzz for sales & services.

Marketing tools to incorporate into your customer communications this spring.

Professional horticulture in the spotlight.

WSDA reports on online enforcement.

We support the lasting growth and success of agriculture. From the smallest operations to the largest, from the mountains to the valleys, we bring knowledge, insights, and financial know-how to help you grow your best future.

2024 | VOL 76. NO. I

Editor Breanne Chavez

Published Quarterly By: Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association. PO Box 219 Sumner, WA 98390-0040 253.661.6055, info@wsnla.org

Deadlines:

News, Classified ads, Advertising 5pm on February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1. To place an ad, contact Breanne at (800) 672-7711 or breanne@ wsnla.org. WSNLA reserves the right to refuse any ad which is misleading, unethical, contrary to WSNLA policy, or does not pertain to the industry.

Comments to the Editor:

Interested in sharing your opinions and comments with B&B readers? If you take the time to share your thoughtful comments, WSNLA will be sure to share them with B&B readers. Please submit to breanne@wsnla.org.

Executive Director Breanne Chavez e-mail breanne@wsnla.org

Finance & Operations Director Holly Osborne, CPH e-mail holly@wsnla.org

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association

(Above) Bricks featuring our pollinator friends, hand painted by Maria Bertucci, CPH, circled the center of the garden.

Message from the President ] WSNLA

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association Serving the green industry since 1937!

Katie Miller

WSNLA President

Retail Ready Sales Manager

Skagit Horticulture/Skagit Gardens

The only thing certain in life is change and our industry is no exception. Sometimes the changes are subtle, passing largely unremarked until one day we look up and the world around us feels different. Other times the changes are big and dramatic, leaving a sense of shock in their wake. 2024 has started off with several dramatic changes in the Puget Sound region with Molbak’s closing in January and Skagit Horticulture upcoming closure on April 7th. (Closures that are unrelated to one another might I add.) Both leave significant holes in the marketplace. A marketplace that is still hungry for plants. Just because the garden center goes away doesn’t mean the customers do too.

Spring is looming over our shoulders at this moment, it will be upon us by the time this article makes its way to the readers. There isn’t a spring season in my memory that has arrived without a challenge, that is just part of the business, but this year I expect we will see a shift in the marketplace not just around Puget Sound but across many of the western states.

Once the dust settles on spring there will be new leaders in the market. Growth and success will find those that have been working hard to achieve it. Those of us that have been forced to move on to new ventures by the closures will have found new opportunities, some in the industry, and some outside of it. Change is inevitable but in spite of change the sun still manages to come up in the morning.

I’ll be one of those people starting a new chapter. I don’t know yet what it is going to look like but I’m sure it will be in horticulture. Because of the uncertainty I may not be the one writing to you in the next issue of B&B magazine. I am proud to have been able to serve as a voice for our slice of horticulture paradise in Washington State. I appreciate the support of Breanne and the Board of Directors, and I am confident in their leadership and representation for all of the members in the months and years ahead.

The industry is small and tightly connected, I’m sure I’ll be around, but with new business cards. Wishing you all a warm spring, and sunny Saturdays!

Industry Spotlight

Meet Your 2024 WSNLA Grower Representative

Q&A with Candice Snedeker, Sales Manager, T&L Nursery, Inc.

Tell us about your professional background and how it has shaped your current work.

CS: My path to Sales Manager at T&L came through a variety of positions and experiences! While in college (WSU) I worked at a local retail nursery in Pullman for the “on the job” experience that could augment the classroom instruction I was receiving for my ornamental horticulture degree. Following graduation, I was hired in the R&D labs at Weyerhauser. While it was fascinating work, I knew quickly that the laboratory environment wasn’t for me. From there, I jumped eagerly into any hands-on experience available.

Over the next three years, I interned at a fully sustainable and accredited education center in rural Costa Rica; I was spearheading restoration and reforestation efforts in a teaching environment with college students.

Stateside, I worked the sales floor at Molbak’s, and then began a position as a buyer at a premier commercial landscaping company in Seattle (Botanical Designs). It was there that I settled for 10 years! The buying position taught me more about plants and design than anything else had at that point, and it eventually led into a promotion as a full-fledged landscape designer. Here, I was able to execute my passion for landscape and seasonal color design while also gaining a vast amount of experience in relationship management. I am very proud of the work I did there; some of my key accounts included University Village and the Amazon campuses.

Navigating those relationships successfully while providing the highest quality design work I could led me to be curious about what was next for me in this industry. I am a type of person who is always thinking “Okay if I accomplished that, how can I level up next?” At this point, I was nearly a daily customer at T&L and knew the staff and the facility inside and out. When the management position came available, I had all the nerves one usually does, but knew I needed to pursue it.

Today, I am in a place in the industry that I am excited about and proud of; T&L is where I have really been able to dive into personnel management experience and learn about the kind of leader I am and aspire to be. I am enjoying putting my own spin on leading through incorporating the greatness of those who have led me so well and eschewing the things I thought did not work so well. Without my prior experience, all the people I have known

along the way, and the broad skillset I was able to develop, I would not be where I am today! Much lies ahead in the future and I could not be happier to be continuing to level up in an industry in which I still have so much passion and love for after 20 years.

What do you love most about the work you do currently?

CS: I touched on this earlier; I love being able to lead people in a way that lets me incorporate all the positive leadership I have benefitted from in my life. When you can trust your leadership and know they are wholly committed to the product and the process, it removes a lot of doubt and questioning from your daily life and allows you to really focus on the quality of your own work. I want to foster that environment for my people. It helps that my team is truly fantastic and our product is the greatest thing ever—plants!

Through the eyes of a wholesale grower, what opportunities are you most excited about for the Spring 2024 season? What are you most concerned about?

CS: So much! Spring is here...and it is an early one! Over the last four to five years we have all been on quite a rollercoaster ride. Covid insecurity transformed into wildly booming business, and now the last year to year and a half we have seen a whiplash effect economically with sales right sizing themselves, people being far more conservative with spending, and some global issues like war and climate change...our heads are spinning! I do not think that is all “behind us”, but I am looking forward to the chance to continue to work with these trends across garden centers and landscapers as a way to learn how to keep best serving them. With some business closures thrown in there, we are going to continue to be working toward what our “new normal” is and that makes this work NEVER boring and always challenging. I look forward to that!

As you join the WSNLA Board of Directors, what initiatives are you most interested in working on behalf of the industry?

CS: Currently, I am a member of the Plant Your Career in Horticulture committee, and that is near and dear to my heart. When I was a student at WSU I invested my time into causes similar to this one. As a student studying Horticulture and hailing from a generic suburb of Seattle, I had NO idea what was out there for me before graduation. Fortunately, my parents always said “just study what you like and the rest will figure itself out.” That mantra got me through college, but I wasn’t always anxiety free about the future. I have great passion for a committe that is a resource for students that are having the same concerns I did. This committee is also an effort in ensuring our future; we need young people to continue to have passion for the work in our industry because plants equal life! Additionally, I am passionate about our Garden Washington program, that focuses on power up pollinators this year. The more we can do to bring gardening to the public, the more we are doing for our planet and our future!

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association

2024 WSNLA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Katie Miller

WSNLA President Skagit Horticulture katiemiller@skagithort.com

Trevor Cameron, CPH WSNLA President Elect Sunnyside Nursery trevor@sunnysidenursery.com

Kirsten Lints, CPH WSNLA Vice President Gardens ALIVE Design kirsten@gardensALIVEdesign.com

Megan Pulkkinen, CPH, EPC WSNLA Treasurer Megan Pulkkinen Landscape Design megancph@hotmail.com

Tim Gray

WSNLA Past President Pacific Stone Company timg@pacificstoneco.com

CHAPTER & CAUCUS LEADERSHIP

Peter Van Well

North Central Chapter President Van Well Nursery 509-886-8189 | pete2@vanwell.net

Candice Snedeker Wholesale Grower Caucus Chair T&L Nursery, Inc Candice@TandLnursery.com

Jami Burke

Horticulture Supplier Caucus Chair Walrath Soil Technologies 253-531-7499 | jami@tewalrath.com

Open Positions: Mt Rainier Chapter President Olympic Chapter President Seattle Chapter President Retail Nursery Representative Landscape Representative

Message from the Director ] WSNLA

Launching into Spring.

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” — John F. Kennedy

Breanne Chavez WSNLA Executive Director

In Katie’s presidential column, she mentions the certainty of change. I’m usually inspired by change, as I see it as an opportunity for personal or professional growth and transformation. It was quite the contrary upon hearing the news of Skagit Horticulture’s closure. I know I’m not alone in recognizing the sadness and shock I felt. It’s hard to imagine a Washington horticulture industry without Skagit Horticulture as a part of it. What they have contributed to this industry is immeasurable. As the turning of this page occurs, one thing is for sure, their legacy will live on through the literally millions of plants now found in personal and public gardens across Washington and the western regional states. These plants will continue to bring beauty and personal connections to people, habitat and nector for wildlife, and environmental and community benefits for years to come.

Themes of change also weaved through last month’s General Membership Meeting. Members came together to gain information on new WSNLA programs and campaigns being rolled out to serve your business and to help ensure a strong horticullture industry into the future. To applause, the Promoting Careers Task Force unveiled three videos produced by WSNLA, with funding from the WSDA Nursery Research Fund. For the past year, this Task Force has been purposefully engaging with students to ensure a strong future workforce for the horticulture industry. Watch the videos by using the QRcode on the opposite page, and read more about their work promoting careers on page 10 - 12.

Likewise, the Power Up Your Pollinator marketing toolkit was unveiled to members. It includes digital logos, infographics, social media content, and point of sale signage, to be used universally to spread the word that planting for pollinators benefits us all, to help identify pollinator plants and ease customer decision making, and to encourage overall sales and services. Download the Power Up Your Pollinators marketing toolkit using the QRcode on the opposite page. Thank you to Nicole Phillips, Sunnyside Nursery and Aimee Damman, Swanson’s Nursery for contributing their marketing expertise and leadership on the committee and to Rusty George Creative for their partnership in developing this exciting industry marketing toolkit!

Members also voted to approve changes to the WSNLA bylaws including modernizing the board structure, inclusion of position responsibilities, and updated election deadlines and communication requirements. These changes lay an improved foundation for WSNLA governance.

The Annual General Membership Meeting & Celebration is your prime opportunity to learn, and provide input, on how your dues are being invested to target promote, advocate & advance the success of your business.

Speaking of governance... evolution of leadership contributes to an Association’s strength. Fresh prespectives and ideas help renew energy and build upon current foundations. With the new board structure voted into place, two positions are now currently open - a retail nursery representative and a landscape representative. This means YOUR expertise is needed. Please consider serving. To review the updated bylaws and learn more about board service, please visit www.wsnla.org/Governance.

This year’s Northwest Flower & Garden Festival was buzzing with lots of people and lots of energy for plants!!! It was exciting to see the show thriving, as it built back up from the pandemic. It definately felt like the show is back in full force. It was also exciting to see so many new plant market booths and garden creators taking on the task of creating inspiration for Spring! Thank you to Juliana Bertucci, The Nonesuch, LLC, for her design and installation leadership of the WSNLA garden space. Turn to page 15 to learn more about her inspiration and experience.

People are truly the strength and vision of this Association. You all carry the torch to protect, advance and grow your industry. Please consider sharing your time and talent to ensure a stronger more vibrant industry.

Corrections: Information for the following members was printed incorrectly in the WSNLA Member Directory.

Wetlands & Woodlands Wholesale Nursery 23423 57th Ave SE, Snohomish 98072 425-338-9218, sales@wetlandswoodlands.com

Steve McGonigal

2267 Maryhill St. SE, East Wenatchee, 988022 253-740-6889, smcgonigal@comcast.net

Rosebriar Gardens & Design, LLC Rose Lee 206-331-7442, yesroses@earthlink.net

Find member contact information at www.wsnla.org.

Watch Videos Promoting Careers in Horticulture

WSNLA’s business membership includes a diverse community of large and small growers, garden centers, landscape professionals and suppliers. It is the intent of WSNLA Board of Directors to ensure legislative activities focus in on overarching WSNLA member needs, while effectively balancing the diversity in business scale and location. To that extent, the following priorities have been identified, with member input, to guide and strengthen WSNLA legislative and regulatory activities throughout the State.

WASHINGTON STATE NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

Washington Nursery and Landscape Association supports stewardship of the land and the plants and trees that grow upon it.

Our priorities include:

• Promoting a positive business climate for growing and marketing plants and landscape services.

• Protecting our industry from burdensome regulation, taxes and fees.

• Working in a bipartisan manner and focusing on results.

• Ensuring policies are reasonable and based on sound science.

WSNLA will coordinate with other affiliated professional organizations to support our members on agricultural and environmental issues such as:

• Water availability, management & quality

• Urban planning and the inclusion of green spaces

• Pesticide regulation

• Open space taxation

On general business issues, WSNLA will focus on impact to members. Such issues include but are not limited to:

• Labor: availability, training, minimum wage, workers comp, health care, benefits

• Simplifying business regulation including streamlining local jurisdiction business licensing

• Taxes

Legislative Update Protecting & Advocating for Your Business

Jesse Taylor Taylor Consulting, LLC WSNLA Lobbyist

The legislature is beginning to turn focus from lawmaking to campaigning as the supplemental session comes to an end on March 7th. Soon after the session is adjourned and the dust has settled you will begin to see mailings and activity from local candidates angling for all positions from city council to county sheriff and from State Treasurer to Governor.

Why are more ballots at my house when we just had an election in February? Some of you will recognize that on February 13th you were asked to vote in local elections mostly around school levy and bond votes. But before the counts were even final, more voter pamphlets and ballots were arriving at homes across the state. February 23rd was the beginning of our state’s presidential primary process where ballots are due on March 12th. If your ballot looks different this year, you aren’t alone. In this year’s presidential primary election you must mark, on the outside of your ballot envelope, which party affiliation you are with for your vote to count. The declaration of party is sent through the mail system and can be seen on the envelope with full view of your name and address as well. Without marking your chosen party affiliation your vote will not count.

As mentioned earlier the general election will begin to go full speed as well as federal presidential primaries. All candidates for local and statewide positions must file for candidacy by May 10th which sets up the summer Primary. This year’s statewide toptwo primary system opens to voting on July 19th and the 18-day voting window closes on August 6th. Certification of the August Primary will happen swiftly and then all eyes will turn to the November general election date of November 5th, 2024.

This year the Washington State Senate will have a total of 25 of 49 seats up for election and all of the 98 House seats are up as well. In our state, Senators serve a four-year term where the years are split up into overlapping terms. Currently our State Senate partisan breakdown is 29 Democrats and 20 Republicans while in the House the spit is 58 Democrats to 40 Republicans.

This primary and general election will also include all of our statewide elected offices. These include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General,

Lands Commissioner, Treasurer, Auditor and Superintendent of Public Schools. These will all be open offices with no incumbent running with the exception of Public Schools and Treasurer.

Be sure you are registered to vote by going to this page https://olvr.votewa.gov/

Stay Connected

Stay informed by following along with WSNLA’s weekly e-Legislative updates while session is in to stay apprised of the current flow and tracking of legislation this year. And look for a complete wrapup after the March 7 adjournment of the 2024 legislative session.

Learn how a bill becomes a law at Leg. WA.Gov/Legislature/Pages/Overview.aspx.

Find legislation on the issues important to you at App.Leg.WA.Gov/BillInfo.

Watch broadcasts and archived videos of committee hearings at TVW.org.

Testify before legislative committees at Leg.WA.Gov/Legislature/Pages/ Participating.aspx.

Fall ecoPRO Training

October 28 - 31, 2024

Register at wsnla.org/events

sales@urbanforestnursery.com

Plant A Career in Horticulture

WSNLA Career Task Force promotes professional horticuture!

Cascade Tropicals is a Supporter of Promoting Careers in Horticulture! In support of this industry effort, Cascade Tropicals donated 100 2 inch plants to distribute to students interested in horticulture careers. Thank you Cascade Tropicals for helping promote the awesome careers that make up the horticulture industry!

Plant a Career in Horticulture! Most people, including students studying horticulture, have a limited view of careers available in the horticulture industry. The WSNLA Careers task force is taking steps to change this.

Last month, WSNLA Promoting Careers Task Force members Kirsten Lints, CPH (Gardens ALIVE Design), Candice Snedeker (T&L Nursery) and WSNLA Treasurer Megan Pulkkinen, CPH, EPC connected with students at career fairs, networking events, and in the classroom through a panel discussion at Washington State University and University of Washington. The collective response - the future of horticulture is bright!

Plants provided by Cascade Tropicals helped to build excitement and played a key role engaging with students. Plants are the centerpiece of what connects us all to the industry. In order to receive the free plant, students were asked to complete a survey. Data collected from 193 students continues to inform task force outreach strategies. The two graphs to the right highlight some of the information collected. The graph on the top right highlights the why students visited the WSNLA table at WSU and UW career events. The top three reason being seeking internship opportunities, followed by the desire to generally learn more about careers in the horticulture industry, and to connect with growers and production nurseries for employment.

The Future of Horticulture.

Students seek information on horticulture careers.

The graph on the bottom right breaks down what segment of the industry students are interested in. The trend in interest from students majoring outside traditional horticulture continued at this year’s events. Task force members reflected back on the varied conversations with students feeling inpsired and ensured the future is bright for professional horticulture.

To reach even more students, the WSNLA Task Force is hoping to expand it’s outreach throughout the State at events hosted at colleges, universities and high school, but we need you! Here is how you can help:

1) Regional Ambassador to Connect with Local Students! Are you available to spread the word about professional horticulture at career events, or by participating on a virtual career panel session? To ease travel and time commitments, the task force is looking to create regional hubs for outreach. Please consider adding your name to the list of professionals interested in sharing their professional experience with students.

2) Join the Task Force

Have a passion for promoting horticulture careers? Join your peers in creating and implementing strategies to promote careers in horticulture! The promoting careers task force meets virtually at a frequency determined by the task force.

WSNLA’s participation in college career fairs was made available with funding support from WSNLA Scholarship & Research Charitable Fund.

(Top left) Students visit the WSNLA table at the UW Environmental Career Fair. (Top right) Task Force members Candice Snedeker (T&L Nursery) and Kirsten Lints, CPH (Gardens ALIVE Design) prepare to connect with students at the UW Enviromental Career Fair.

(Opposite page) Students stop by the WSNLA table at the WSU Career Fair.

WSNLA Launches Digital Campaign Promoting Careers in Horticulture

Over 100,000 reached in February!

WSNLA produced videos are taking center stage in an industry marketing campaign to spread the word about careers in horticulture! Last month, our Plant A Career in Horticulture message and videos reached over 100,000 Washingtonians and the over 2400 viewers dropped into the WSNLA Career Center to learn more. They will continue to run through June in a digital advertising campaign, spanning the state of Washington, to help drive traffic to WSNLA Career Fair job listings, career building resources and to generally plant the seed for a career in hort!

The videos, produced with funds granted by WSDA Nursery Research Fund, spotlight three professionals working in various segments of the industry.

We encourage you to help spread the word! Please share on your social media or other digital communications! You can view and access sharing links on the WSNLA YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@wsnla8353.

Let’s reshape society’s perception of horticulture careers through real stories told directly from professionals doing the work everyday. That means we need you - here’s how:

1) Create Your Own Career Video

More voices make for a stronger message! Let’s flood social media with how awesome the horticulture industry is! Capture a short & simple video (:15 to :30 seconds) of you, your staff and colleagues sharing what you love best about your career

in horticulture. Incorporate it into your communication and marketing plan. Sharing what you and your team love about your horticulture job is just good business. It not only promotes the industry, but also your business as an employer! Be sure to share it with WSNLA, so we can highlight your passion for horticulture, too!

2) Join the Task Force

Do you or a team member have a passion for promoting horticulture careers? Join your peers in creating and implementing strategies to promote careers in horticulture!

Thank you to everyone involved, especially to the following for their contributions:

Adam Attaway, Head Grower, and team at T&L Nursery, Aaron Means, Tree & Shrub Buyer, and team, at Watson’s Nursery & Greenhouse; Anju Neilju, CPH, Bhumi Gardens; Laura Wildfong, NW Nurseries; C. Andrew Barker, CPH, Cloud Landscape Design, and to the Promoting Careers Task Force Members: Katie Miller (Skagit Horticulture), Kirsten Lints, CPH (Garden ALIVE Design) and Candice Snedeker (T&L Nursery).

Join us in speading the word about the fulfilling careers that make up the horticulture industry. Contact WSNLA at 253.661.6055 or breanne@wsnla.org.

WSNLA’s produced career videos were made possible through funding provided by a Washington State Department of Agriculture Nursery Research Fund grant.

WSNLA Career Fair

2800 potential job seekers visit WSNLA online career fair!

WSNLA hosted its 3rd annual virtual Career Fair last month with over 2800 visitors dropping into the job board, access career building resources, and generally learn more about professional horticulture and the caeers that make up the industry.

Over the past month, job listigns posted to the WSNLA WSNLA Career Fair Job Board, were also shared on WSNLA social media platforms and promoted at career and networking events at Washington State University and University of Washington. Advertising reached over 100,000 potential job seekers across multiple social media platforms to and connected nearly 2500 with WSNLA Career Fair job listings. Advertising will continue through June.

The WSNLA Career Center remains open throughout the year. If you are hiring, please consider the WSNLA job board a resource to help get the word out. Members, CPHs and ecoPRO must be signed into online account to receive special pricing. Visit www.wsnla.org/networking to get started!

Download Your Power Up Your Pollinators Marketing Toolkit.

Our mission is to inspire and educate individuals to take action and become a hero of pollinator conservation. Aim to provide audiences with the knowledge, resources, and practical tips to transform their own backyards and gardens into pollinator-friendly havens.

By doing so, we can save the day for our local pollinators in Washington and beyond, so they can continue contributing to a healthier, more sustainable environment.

Materials in this toolkit were developed by WSNLA, with WSDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Funds, and are available universally to wholesale nurseries, growers, retail nurseries and landscape companies to incorporate in store and into customer marketing and communications.

Gardens Plant Inspiration & Deliver Excitement for Spring’s Arrival

WSNLA’s Garden Space at the NW Flower & Garden Festival Highlights Planting for Pollinators. Find out more on the next page.

Q&A

WSNLA garden lead, Juliana Bertucci, The Nonesuch, LLC, shares her experience planning and installing this year’s garden space.

What did you enjoy most about leading the design and installation of the WSNLA Garden Space at the NW Flower & Garden Show?

JB: I really enjoyed working with people in the industry that I haven’t had the opportunity to meet before. There are such wonderful, helpful people from all walks of life that participate in this show and lend their expertise; it is a joy to collaborate with them. I absolutely love the process of installing the garden itself too; I get such a sense of accomplishment from it!

What was your inspiration for the garden space? Do you have a favorite element of the garden, and why? What do you hope show goers take away from the garden?

JB: The primary inspiration for this garden was our plethora of gorgeous native pollinators, but more specifically... the ingenuity and determination of our local Seattle community who do DIY projects in their own backyards to support those pollinators. This year, my favorite element is the centerpiece sculpture habitat surrounded by the painted ‘Bee Bricks’; it is simple, practical, and exciting all rolled into one! I believe so many of us are working toward a sustainable future even without a background in plants or design and trying our best to plant natives, foster natural abundance, and reduce harm. This is a huge source of inspiration and joy for me and I hope that is the takeaway for show goers who see this garden.

What have you learned, personally or professionally, from this project? Have you honed any specific skill(s) and/ or gained new ones?

JB: Similar to last year, I gained a ton of experience in coordinating with so many people to pull this off; it requires good communication and perseverance to work together toward a common goal and have a

cohesive final result. I am really happy with how everything turned out and so grateful for all the help I received throughout this process. We used quite a bit of stonework in this design and I learned a lot about the specific products and how they work together.

What would you say the biggest challenge has been? Why?

JB: I would say the biggest challenge is in trying to design something in a very small space that captures some really big ideas. This year we were focused on supporting our pollinators in multiple ways…not just with blooms/flowers but also with habitat, food, and water sources, throughout the seasons. We wanted to show ways that people can accomplish this creatively without making it too complex for the average homeowner.

Would you encourage others to volunteer for this WSNLA project? If so, what would you say to encourage their involvement?

JB: Yes, for sure! It is a very unique experience to be building gardens alongside other incredible professionals. It’s exciting to meet others in the industry and come together for an event like this when many of us spend much of the year in our insular groups working away in the landscape. It is also a great opportunity to have fun and be creative with your work and share it with the larger community!

This being your second year, has your involvement brought you business?

As far as I know I haven’t received any new clients that specifically found me due to the show….but I do feel like I am becoming better known in the Landscaping community which is a always a plus, and hopefully my work can inspire people who see the garden with ideas for their own yards.

Thank you to all our volunteers that helped set-up, and teardown this year’s garden space! Juliana Bertucci, Timothy Gray, Kelly Cline, Stefana Bertucci, Scott Pringle, CPH, Ray and Holly Osborne, CPH; and, a huge thank you to all the volunteers that staffed the garden and handed out the GardenWashington Guide!

Thank you to our plant partners in helping to promote the industry & inspire PNW gardeners.

Listed counter clockwise from left:

HERE COMES THE SUN Devonshire Landscapes

AN OCTOPUS’ GARDEN IN THE (PARTIAL) SHADE Breathe Easy Gardening

PLANT FANTASY

Flower Growers of Puget Sound

GAME NIGHT

WA Association of Landscape Professioanls

A CELEBRATION DINNER FOR TWO

Ali Black Design

A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF YOUR GARDEN

West Seattle Nursery

WSDA Reports On Online Enforcement Efforts

By Scott Brooks, WSDA Plant Services Program Manager

The sale of garden plants and seeds via the internet has grown exponentially in recent years. Consumers can go online, choose a plant that appeals to them, and have it shipped directly to their doorstep. Although convenient, this method of sale comes with significant risks to Washington’s environment since there is little regulatory oversight or quarantine enforcement happening on plants purchased online. Unwanted, destructive plant pests or diseases could easily hitchhike on plants purchased through websites such as Amazon, Etsy or eBay.

To address this compliance gap, the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Plant Services Program began a two- year online enforcement program in 2020 with the help of $180,000 in grant funding from the USDA. The title of our project was, “A Novel Approach to Enforcement of Plant Health Quarantines”. Over the grant period, an inspector was hired to dedicate 60% of his time to conduct outreach and education to domestic internet sites, informing them of Washington’s 24 plant health quarantines. The result has been a very successful program that has significantly decreased plant material entering Washington in violation of a quarantine.

In an April 2022 B&B article, Tristan Carette-Meyers, our online enforcement inspector at the time, described the methodology used in working with large websites and plant vendors. He communicated with Amazon’s regulatory affairs staff to get filters in place on the sale of prohibited plants, such as Scotch broom. Today If you try to put Scotch broom plants or seeds in your Amazon cart, and have a Washington state address, you should get a message that says the plants can’t be shipped to your location. Depending on the

Final statistics of WSDA online enforcement work done under USDA grant funded project between July 1, 2021-June 30, 2023.

Number of Websites Contacted

1480

Potential Quarantine Violations Found 2275

Number of Violations Corrected 1204

Number of Websites Monitored

website, sometimes an educational approach had to be taken, rather than an outright restriction. For example, when violations were found on Etsy, Tristan would inform that plant vendor about Washington’s quarantines, and ask them to voluntarily restrict sales to customers in Washington. Compliance was usually high with this method since plant sellers in other states generally wanted to do the right thing, they just lacked the understanding of Washington’s plant health standards.

Tristan spent two years reaching out to websites large and small to get better compliance. During the first year, he likened the work to cleaning up an overgrown yard: pulling the weeds and getting old stumps out. There were many plant vendors and websites with potential violations. During the second year of the project, there were fewer websites to follow up with and fewer problems found. We considered this to be a good sign and that significant progress had been made. The focus shifted to making sure that any website filters or restrictions remained in place over time, and informing plant vendors if any new violations were found.

Above is a chart that shows the final statistics of our online enforcement work done under this USDA grant funded project between July 1, 2021-June 30, 2023.

394

The “Number of Violations Corrected” category details how many websites or plant vendors changed their policies to prevent non-compliant plants from shipping to Washington. But the actual number of non-compliant plants prevented from entering Washington was much greater because for every policy change or filter put on a website, that represented multiple customer orders that did not take place.

Outreach and education to industry stakeholders, other state regulators and interested parties was another facet of our online enforcement project. Presentations about our work were given to the National Plant Board, the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board, the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, the Great Lakes Commission and the Columbia River Gorge Invasive Species and Exotic Pest Workshop, among others. In addition, we created a training video that will be useful to other states or agencies that are interested in setting up similar programs.

The WSDA Plant Services Program will continue to do online enforcement in the future. Currently our inspector Anthony Ayers is carrying out these duties. We are very pleased with the successful outcome of this project and would like to thank the USDA for the initial funding support to make it happen.

The ‘Nursery Dealer’ license name is changes to ‘Nursery Plant Seller/ Installer’ license

Starting November 29, the ‘Nursery Dealer’ license will be known as the ‘Nursery Plant Seller/Installer’ license. Nurseries, landscapers and other businesses in Washington state will notice this when they renew their license with the Department of Revenue. The updated name will better reflect who is required to have a license.

According to RCW 15.13, any person who sells, plants, grows, holds, receives, or handles horticultural plants for the purpose of selling or planting for another person…needs a license.

Who needs a Nursery Plant Seller/Installer license?

The types of businesses required to have a license remains the same. Those include:

Wholesale and retail nurseries, growers and garden centers.

Landscapers who buy plants to install.

Landscapers who hold or grow plants for later sale or installation.

Maintenance companies who install plants for customers.

Brokers located in Washington who buy and sell, but do not hold plants. Grocery and warehouse stores that offer plants for sale.

Pet and aquarium stores that sell aquatic plants.

Reforestation companies and contractors.

What do the Nursery Plant Seller/Installer license fees support?

License fees, along with charges for certain types of inspections, help support the fair and orderly trade of horticulture plants in Washington.

Inspections help protect the nursery and landscape industries, as well as the consumer, by ensuring horticultural plants offered for sale are free from infestation by pests and diseases, are properly labeled and are not otherwise damaged or dying.

Plant Services inspectors also enforce agricultural quarantines to keep out such exotic pests as Japanese beetle and spongy moth, as well as provide inspection services to allow shipment of Washington nursery products to other states and countries.

WSDA Mission

Plant Services is part of the WSDA Plant Protection Division. Our program is committed to facilitating agricultural trade and ensuring consumer protection by providing accurate and reliable inspection, testing, and certification of agricultural plant products, and serving on the front line of defense against the introduction and spread of pests.

The Plant Services Program provides certification services to exporters of plant products, conducts regulatory inspections of nursery stock and licensed retail and wholesale nurseries, enforces plant quarantines to prevent pest introduction, and certifies disease-free planting stock.

Plant Services contributes directly to the Washington agriculture industry by certifying agricultural exports in excess of $2 billion annually.

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WSNLA MARKETPLACE posts begin at $30. Email your copy to breanne@wsnla.org.

WA State Nursery & Landscape Association

EVENTS

GROW YOUR KNOWLEDGE. FIND SOLUTIONS. CONNECT WITH PEERS. GAIN INSPIRATION.

March 2024 | How to Build A Successful Internship Program. Hosted via zoom. Members: FREE, CPH & ecoPROs: $15, Non Members: $45

April 9 | Conversations With Your Customers. Hosted via zoom. Members, CPH & ecoPROs: $35, Non Members: $45

October 28 - 31, 2024 | ecoPRO Certified Sustainable Training & Certification. Hosted via zoom. Cost: $195

August & October | Certified Professional Horticulturist Exam - Plant ID Exam To learn more & to register, visit WSNLA.ORG/Events

WA State Nursery & Landscape Association

CAREER CENTER

POST OPEN POSITIONS. FIND EMPLOYEES. SEEK EMPLOYMENT. SHARE YOUR RESUME.

Let WSNLA help spread the word about your hiring needs. Post your job openings on the WSNLA Job Board. Members: Free | CPH, EPC: $25 | Non Members: $50.

Listings Are Promoted

WSNLA Career Center listings will be promoted at career events hosted by WSU, University of Idaho and UW during February; shared with horticulture professionals and students across the state; and advertising on social media will help drive traffic to your listing.

Post Your Job Openings

Advertise to over 2500+ nursery and landscape professionals.

Post Your Internships

Internships are an opportunity to gain practical experience in the field. Share your internship opportunities on the WSNLA Career Center and connect with students and emerging professionals.

Get Started @ WSNLA.ORG/Networking