2024 - Issue III - The Future of Horticulture

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2024 | VOL 76. NO. III

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

State Nursery

(Above) Vassey Nursery in Puyallup.

Serving the green industry since 1937!

Message from the President ] WSNLA

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association

Greetings from the Garden

Center!

Trevor Cameron

WSNLA President

Sunnyside Nursery, Marysville General Manager

Greetings to all the members of the WSNLA! It is truly an honor to serve as your President, and I look forward to continuing to work this year and in 2025 with the WSNLA staff and the Board of Directors to maximize your membership value. These past few years of service on the Executive Board has opened my eyes to all that happens behind the scenes of our organization, and in particular how hard Breanne, Holly and the entire Board works for you and our industry.

I want to first thank Katie Miller, our outgoing President, for her service to the WSNLA. With the surprising closure this spring of Skagit Gardens, a WSNLA member business in which she had served as Sales Manager, the bylaws unfortunately dictated that she could no longer serve on the Board of Directors. Knowing Katie, we will still see her as she will continue to serve on valuable committees and help in anyway she can. Katie’s leadership and vision will be missed, and all of us involved with the WSNLA wish her the best in her new adventure.

Just recently the Department of Ecology declared an emergency drought for the State of Washington, with exemptions to the metropolitan areas of Everett, Seattle, and Tacoma. Speaking as a retailer, this could have been a devastating blow to the nursery business in the height of spring sales, as it could have been for many of you, our members, in all aspects of horticulture. I bring this up because this is yet another example of what the WSNLA is all about. Breanne was able through her connections to mold the message from what could have sounded like sheer doom and gloom into a positive one, steering the public towards safer planting techniques, mulching, better watering solutions, drought tolerant plants, and natives. Be sure to utilize the resources and links provided to all the great information from the WSNLA and its partners. Nicely done turning a negative declaration into a more positive one!

It is vitally imperative that all of us who care about the nursery and landscape industry share with each other, and strive to educate the next generation of industry professionals. You will see in this issue a theme of exactly that – education, research, and internships. The WSNLA is proud to announce the scholarship winners and highlight recently funded research projects. WSNLA staff does a wonderful job seeking out applicable grants and obtaining the funding

How to Get Involved: WSNLA Leadership & Volunteer Opportunities

Join The Board of Directors

Help Shape Your Industry. The WSNLA Board of Directors meets quarterly throughout the year and is responsible for setting policy, providing strategic direction and fiscal soundness of WSNLA. Current open positions include: Vice President II, Retail Nursery Representative, Landscape Representative and Member At Large II. Learn more about these roles at wsnla.org/Governance.

Plant a Career in Horticulture Task Force

Help inspire the next generation of horticulturist, by identifying, building & strengthening relationships with colleges, universities, technical schools, high school and career development organizations throughout Washington. Guide development of resources and build career pathways for emerging professionals. Help identify strategies for promoting horticulture careers.

as a non-profit to make these things a reality. This of course benefits EVERYONE in our industry. What can you do to help? Consider offering mentoring internships or simply encouraging the emerging professionals. Plant a seed with the younger ones – horticulture in all aspects is a wonderfully gratifying yet also challenging profession to get involved in, and certainly one that we never stop seeking knowledge and learning more year after year.

As the WSNLA continues to evolve you can help make progress happen. Few things are more gratifying than serving your industry and representing that industry with the knowledge, experience, and vision you have learned into the future. We need all of you to help cultivate the next generation of leadership, those that will help shape the WSNLA as we continue to evolve with time. Nothing is more important than passing on your passion and sharing that passion with your peers. Please consider serving on the Board or getting involved on a committee. I finally chose to after 20+ years as a CPH (I even go back to the WCN days!) and am very happy that I did. It doesn’t take as much time as you think, you will meet some great people and learn a bunch, and as a bonus you will have a warm and fuzzy feeling for helping a great organization, the WSNLA, continue to thrive into the future. A few volunteer opportunities are listed to the right, and you can learn about more at wsnla.org/GetInvolved.

Happy Spring to all the members of the WSNLA! I hope this season brings you success in your business and personal gardens as well.

Trevor Cameron

“The Golfing Gardener” trevorwcameron@gmail.com

Power Up Your Pollinator Task Force

Help guide grant funded project that aims at educating and encouraging consumers to Power Up Your Pollinators with practical tips and directing them to WSNLA members for plants and services to help. This task force will generate ideas to get our message out to consumers, identify advertising opportunities and strategies to increase consumer awareness.

WSNLA Industry Advancement Committee

Do you have a strong belief in continuing education and ongoing training in the field of horticulture? Help others stay informed on relevant issues and best practices of current concern pertaining to the horticulture industrry. Identify speakers and topics that support educational activities with WSNLA Staff.

Benefits of Board, Committee & Volunteer Service:

- Develop and enhance your leadership skills

- Share your business insight and skills

- Create a voice for your interests and passions

- Gain strategic knowledge and broaden your business skills

- Receive a deep sense of accomplishment & pride in results

- Influence senior decision-makers and work as a team toward a common goal.

Ready to get involved?

Contact Trevor at trevorwcameron@gmail.com or Breanne at breanne@wsnla.org.

Sunnyside Nursery engages kids by hosting preschool nursery tours and workshops tailored to young gardeners.

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association

Message from the Director ] WSNLA

2024 WSNLA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Trevor Cameron, CPH

WSNLA President Sunnyside Nursery trevor@sunnysidenursery.com

Kirsten Lints, CPH

WSNLA Vice President - I 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

Member At Large - I Van Well Nursery

509-886-8189 | pete2@vanwell.net

Candice Snedeker

Wholesale Grower Representative T&L Nursery, Inc Candice@TandLnursery.com

Open Positions:

WSNLA Vice President - II

Retail Nursery Representative

Landscape Representative

Member At Large - II

equals innovation.

Access to information & education is a key element in business growth, innovation, and success.

Breanne Chavez WSNLA Executive Director Research

Investing In Your Industry & the Future of Horticulture.

WSNLA and PNW Christmas Tree Association are working with Washington State University to establish the Gary Chastagner Endowed Chair to ensure scientifically based, locally relevant research serves our industry in perpetuity. To launch the fund, the WSNLA Scholarship, Research & Charitable Fund committed $100,000, the WSDA Nursery Research Fund $150,000, and additional funds have been raised by the PNW Christmas Tree Association. To reach our goal, $1.5 million is required within 5 years. This will be a heavy, but obtainable lift that will take ALL OF US!

Growing healthy plants and trees is essential to the profitability of nursery and landscape businesses. Our evolving climate continues to put pressure on plants, trees and green spaces throughout Washington. Through this endowment, research will work to improve the chances for survival of plants when they are faced with unfavorable environmental conditions and parasitic microorganisms that cause disease.

This is relevant whether it is a commercial grower managing inputs and outputs, managing our forests and public spaces for environmental optimization, or a retail or landscape business ensuring healthy plants for customer gardens for families and wildlife.

Research equals innovation. Horticulture depends on scientifically-based research that is locally relevant, such as management tools and effective practices, market knowledge, and improved cultivars. Access to information and education is a key element in business growth, innovation, and success.

Turn to page 10 to learn more about the Gary Chastagner endowment and how you can give to ensure a lasting legacy of research is a reality here in Washington State.

Investing In Your Future Workforce.

In this issue, 2024 WSNLA Scholarship, Research & Charitable Fund scholarship recipients are announced. In total, nearly $20,000 was awarded, funding 8 scholarships and 4 small grants. Reading through the applications and learning about applicants future plans is always inspiring. I hope you feel the same way!

In the last issue, you learned about the work of the Promoting Careers in Horticulture task force as they attended WSU and UW college career fairs and networking events, spoke to students directly in the classroom, and launched a social media campaign featuring the hort career focused videos. The task force continues it’s work as they look to attend new career fairs this fall and strategize reaching high school students. To support these efforts, the WSDA Nursery Research Fund awarded WSNLA $15,500 to continue promotion of horticulture careers.

Investing In Yourself & Industry.

Last month, I attended the Nursery & Landscape Executive conference. Every year I look forward to this event, as it is my most valued opportunity to network and collaborate with other industry executives across the US and Canada. It truly fills me up and energizes me with new ideas and solutions, and most of all reminds me that we are not in this alone! NLAE is a prime conduit in strengthening industry messaging, for effectiveness in advocacy, and overall raising industry experiences and professionalism!

This year was extra special, as I also stepped into the position of NLAE President. I’m honored to serve in a leadership role for this organization filled with some of the most committed, innovative, and collaborative people working on behalf of this industry. I’m equally honored to be the first NLAE President from Washington State. Service on this board has been an investment in myself and for WSNLA. To that extent, I encourage you to consider serving in a WSNLA board leadership role. You may not think you have the time or the contributions, but what you will find is the return will be far greater than you know. Learn more about the open positions at wsnla.org/Governance.

People are truly the strength and vision of this Association. We all carry the torch to protect, advance and grow our industry. Please consider sharing your time and talent to ensure a stronger more vibrant industry. I hope to see you at a WSNLA event this summer or fall!

Tacoma Public Schools Provide Opportunities to Build Skills & Plant Seeds For Hort Careers

This year’s Lincoln High School Plant Sale, located in Tacoma, was more than plants - it was a caree and technical education (CTE) showcase. Engineer design students created 3D-printed pots for succulents and cacti. In the metal shop, manufacturing students designed and built wood-burning barbeques. Students in construction trade classes built wooden birdhouses and planters. Custom seed packaging and stickers were created by business and marketing students. Food science students crafted garden-inspired Oreo dirt cups. The Teach 253 club created educational activity packets for kids, and JROTC students provided support loading and unloading.

An estimated 2,500 people shopped the sale, and by the second day, plants were sold out. The sale is a significant fundraiser for Lincoln High School; all proceeds go directly into programs and clubs. Silas High School and Mount Tahoma High School, also in the Tacoma Public School District, hosted plant sales and each one was a great success.

Source: Tacoma Public Schools Facebook.

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 & Industry

Jesse Taylor Taylor Consulting, LLC

WSNLA Lobbyist

Growing up in Sumner I had a seasonal springtime job working at Windmill Gardens owned by the DeGoede Brothers. The hustle and bustle of the greenhouses, watering lines, laughing kids and eager shoppers always told me it was a time of change. Springtime is the season of hope and for our industry it’s the season of commerce. This year will be a good one as an early spring has resulted in robust growth all over the PNW. At the time of this writing, Mother’s Day is approaching and I want to wish all the Mothers out there a very special day and opine that I believe Mothers deserve the entire month; but this year on May 12 I hope all of your hearts and cash registers were full.

Drought: The Department of Ecology issued a drought emergency declaration on April 16th after metrics were realized to trigger the declaration. In Washington, drought is declared when there is less than 75% of normal water supply and there is the risk of undue hardship. Declaring a drought emergency allows Ecology to distribute drought response grants and to process emergency water right permits. Another advantage of declaring the emergency is it makes up to $4.5 million available in drought response grants to public entities for drought condition mitigation. As of this writing, no restrictions have been put into place by Ecology or the Governor’s office. Areas guided by water management plans have been excluded from the new drought declaration including the Seattle, Tacoma and Everett corridor. The 2024 drought declaration is seen by Ecology as a continuation of the 2023 declaration. The 2023 drought declaration was scheduled to end June 30 this year. The new, statewide declaration will continue into next year as the previous year’s did. All up-to-date information about the declaration is being publicly updated at this link https://www.drought.gov/states/washington.

Japanese Beetle: Japanese beetle treatments began in April around parts of central Washington. The WSDA is conducting Japanese beetle treatments in part of the Yakima Valley including Mabton, Sunnyside, Wapato, Prosser, Grandview, and Pasco as part of a multi-year eradication effort. Applications on public properties began in early April followed by property owners who have land in the treatment area being encouraged to provide consent as soon as possible. WSDA is hoping to treat over 10,000 parcels in southeastern Washington. A certified pesticide applicator contractor is conducting the treatments on behalf of WSDA. The treatment is an insecticide called Acelepryn, which is a low-harm pesticide that offers low risk to humans, pets and wildlife.

Greenhouse Bill SB 5508 - Promoting local agriculture through greenhouses: After a long journey through the 2023 and 2024 session this Greenhouse permit bill ultimately

made it across the finish line and was signed into law by Governor Inslee in April. The law will take effect on June 6, 2024. The new law states that the State Building Code does not apply to any temporary growing structures used solely for the production of horticultural plants and goes further to establish that a temporary growing structure is NOT considered a permitted structure under the State Building Code. The effect of the bill reads as follow: State Building Code does not apply to temporary growing structures used solely for the production of horticultural plants, rather than the commercial production of horticultural plants. A temporary growing structure is not considered a structure under the State Building Code. Temporary growing structure is defined as a structure that has the roof covered, rather than the sides and the roof, with polyethylene, polyvinyl, or a similar flexible synthetic material, and is used to provide plants with either frost protection or increased heat retention.

Election Year

Being a presidential election year, this summer and fall will be full of primary and general election dates and events. Please see the upcoming election calendar below.

Primary Election July 19 - Start of 18-day voting period (through Election Day). Ballots are mailed out and Accessible Voting Units (AVUs) are available at voting centers.

July 29 - Online and mail registrations must be received 8 days before Election Day.

August 6 - Deadline for Washington State voter registration or updates (in person only).

August 6 - Primary - Deposit your ballot in an official drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

General Election

October 18 - Start of 18-day voting period (through Election Day). Ballots mailed out.

October 28 - Online & mail registrations must be received 8 days before Election Day.

November 5 - Deadline for Washington State voter registration or updates (in person only).

November 5 - General Election - Deposit your ballot in an official drop box. You can register to vote by going to https://www.sos.wa.gov/ elections/voters/voter-registration/registervote-washington-state.

Identifying the specific strain of a regulated pathogen—such as Phytophthora ramorum (left)—can help regulators avoid imposing broad quarantines, reducing the economic impact to producers. Dr. Chastagner’s research has led to effective methods (like steaming, inset) to help mitigate outbreaks when regulated pathogens and pests are detected.

The Gary Chastagner Endowment

AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF THE ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE INDUSTRY

Scott Weybright, Washington State University

Fighting disease or pest outbreaks, especially novel or emerging problems, is a huge challenge for anyone who grows or sells plants. Having a dedicated scientist with the right tools, skills, and knowledge benefits everyone whose livelihood relies on eliminating or at least managing those difficulties.

Since 1978, Gary Chastagner has been that scientist at Washington State University. A plant pathologist, Chastagner has worked closely with WSNLA as well as other associations, growers, and workers. His goal has been educating people and conducting research that makes a direct impact on the ornamental plant industry in Washington and the entire Pacific Northwest.

After nearly half a century working for WSU and helping the ornamental plant industry, Chastagner will retire in 2025. It’s a wellearned reward, but his departure will leave a large hole.

To help fill it, the WSNLA and the Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association are working with WSU to create an endowed chair position. Money raised to fulfill the Dr. Gary Chastagner Endowed Chair Fund will help his successor continue important research and education for the ornamental plant industry.

“The endowment is an investment in the future of horticulture because it ensures a legacy of scientific, locally relevant research that will serve the ornamental horticulture industry in perpetuity,” said Breanne Chavez, WSNLA executive director. “Our evolving climate continues to put pressure on plants and green spaces. The endowment will improve plants’ chances for survival when they are faced with unfavorable environmental conditions and parasitic microorganisms that cause disease.”

Chastagner’s work is as varied as the ornamental horticulture industry:

• He studies the life cycle of pathogens and how to optimize disease management programs. That work led to a 60% reduction in pesticide applications on tulips and lilies.

• He has helped identify new environmentally friendly tools to manage diseases and used DNA molecular tools to identify and track the spread of invasive pathogens.

• He used steaming to eradicate regulated pests and pathogens that cause sudden oak death when they are detected in Washington nurseries and landscapes.

• He searches for plant species with resistance to diseases like Phytophthora root rot.

The past few years, Chastagner, who is based out of WSU’s Puyallup Research and Extension Center, has increasingly delved into issues associated with Earth’s changing climate.

“Everyone recognizes the impact drought has on forest fire risk,” he said. “Extreme temperatures coupled with drought also predisposes plants to attack by pathogens and pests. Even increased precipitation patterns during the fall and spring increase the risk of diseases that are favored by saturated soils.”

A researcher like Chastagner provides a unique benefit to the industry: the privilege of looking at the long-term.

“By necessity, growers often focus on short-term issues: ‘How do I fix this problem right in front of me?’,” Chastagner said.

“While we work on short-term issues to help growers, we can see and work to solve long-term issues before they become impactful, ensuring growers can sustain their production of high-quality product.” ■

LEGACY OF SCIENTIFIC, LOCALLY RELEVANT RESEARCH

INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF HORTICULTURE

Dr. Gary Chastagner Plant Pathologist Washington State University

Nursery, landscape and Christmas tree professionals want to celebrate the career of Dr. Gary Chastagner for his contributions that have helped their industries—and beyond— by creating the Dr. Gary Chastagner Endowed Chair.

Your donation to the Dr. Gary Chastagner Endowed Chair will honor Dr. Chastagner’s nearly 50 years of contributions to the nursery, landscape and Christmas tree industries and ensure perennial funding for research capacity to address the priorities of industry stakeholders.

Nine years ago, the nightmare of Ramorum Blight struck Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island. Gary’s research and depth of knowledge of the plant disease were instrumental in helping us bring the problem under control. The botanical beauty of Bloedel Reserve owes a debt to Gary and his colleagues.

Darren Strenge

Gardens West Manager, The Bloedel Reserve

Bainbridge Island

Gary’s legacy is one of partnering with the horticulture industry to conduct research and find solutions for growers through direct, practical applications. Gary’s contributions have been immense, and his world-class research, locally tailored, has been an important factor in the success of the nursery and Christmas tree industries in Washington state.

Scott Brooks | Program Manager

Plant Services Program

Washington State Department of Agriculture

LEGACY OF SCIENTIFIC, LOCALLY RELEVANT RESEARCH “

Gary Chastagner has been an exceptional scientist and researcher for his whole career. He has been diligent, creative, practical, and always results oriented. Perhaps the biggest compliment I could give Gary is that most people in the industry would support Gary’s projects based only on his past results and his integrity! It is imperative to all sectors of the horticultural field that Gary’s work is carried on and we have someone to help us with problems that continue to evolve.

Richard Roozen RoozenGaarde

This endowment is crucial to fund the continuing research needed for the horticulture industry and allows pertinent concerns to be looked at specifically for our local region in a timely manner. Not only will this benefit all in the horticulture industry including nurseries, landscapers and growers of all kinds, the scientific research will help all citizens as well.

In a changing climate with new pathogens appearing and invasive non-native pests and plants continuing to threaten our local habitats, it is critical that we find viable answers and solutions that all can access.

This partnership with WSU, the preeminent Ag school in the PNW, will not only benefit all industry professionals but also home gardeners. Having run a retail nursery for over 30 years, I can attest to what homeowners want - knowledge first and foremost, specific safe and effective solutions to pests and diseases, and superior cultivars of plants that thrive in our local climate. This endowment strives to provide all these through research, truly a win-win for all of us.

Nursery, landscape and Christmas tree professionals want to celebrate the career of Dr. Gary Chastagner for his contributions that have helped their industries—and beyond— by creating the Dr. Gary Chastagner Endowed Chair.

Trevor Cameron General Manager

Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville WSNLA President

INVESTMENT

IN THE FUTURE OF HORTICULTURE “

Your donation to the Dr. Gary Chastagner Endowed Chair will honor Dr. Chastagner’s nearly 50 years of contributions to the nursery, landscape and Christmas tree industries and ensure perennial funding for research capacity to address the priorities of industry stakeholders.

Dr. Gary Chastagner Plant Pathologist Washington State University

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.

Meet The Future of Horticulture 2024 Scholarship Recipients Announced

Growing Our Industry, Together!

The WSNLA Scholarship & Research Charitable Fund is committed to ensuring a vibrant industry for the future. It’s mission of providing scholarships for Washington students studying in the fields of horticulture, floriculture and landscape design or management; and creating pathways for career placement and development helps achieve this.

On average, the WSNLA Scholarship Fund awards $20,000 - $30,000 annually. This makes the WSNLA Scholarship Fund the largest giver of horticulture & floriculture scholarships in Washington State. We count on generous donors –like you – to help continue this important work.

Please enjoy reading more about this year’s scholars and their vision and goals for their horticulture career.

Leiah Devoux

Leno Bassett Scholarship, $1000. School: Lake Washington of Technology. Area of Study: Environmental Horticulture. Anticipated Graduation: Fall 2025.

My goal in attending LWTech is not just to pursue an AAS and walk away, but to regain my knowledge about plants so that I can start my own business as an organic medicinal herb farmer and begin making my own organic beauty products using the herbs that I grow.

Jennifer Fisher

Fred Palmer Scholarship, $1000. School: Bastyr University. Area of Study: Certificate of Holistic Landscape Design. My educational goals are to learn about permaculture in the context of public landscape design ethics, and to facilitate community outreach with local government. Ideally to provide education about food security, habitat protection and environmental stewardship.

Permaculture seems to carry with it the intersection of beautiful landscape design, human connection, and environmental stewardship. I am passionate about creating outdoor spaces for people to connect. And to use beautiful thoughtprovoking landscapes as a means for activism and healing. Landscapes that can spark new ways of thinking.

Talia Halperin

Marland Edwards Scholarship & Jim Brown Scholarship, $1500. School: Edmonds Community College Study: Landscape Design and Sustainable Landscape Management. Anticipated Graduation: May 2026.

I would like to cultivate a career in horticulture that allows for creative expression, creation of environments and evocation of emotion – all while outdoors in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Sophia LeBard

Pauline Smith Scholarship & WAFlora Scholarship, $2000. School: Washington State University. Area of Study: Landscape, Nursery & Greenhouse Management. Minor: Music & Horticulture. Anticipated Graduation: December 2024.

I would like to pursue a career in the flower industry, growing and distributing flowers is my goal. After completing the genetics course, I would be interested in also looking into research opportunities or attending grad school to further this interest. My current career goal would be to own my own flower farm where I can produce high quality crops for florists. I would also like to use some of these flowers for my own floral designs to decorate weddings. Plants and agriculture are important to me and I cannot wait to dedicate my career and life to learning and understanding them and our ever changing environment.

Rachel Taylor-Carleton

Herbert & Marion Frost Scholarship & Windsor Bond Scholarship, $1500. School: Eastern Oregon University and Wenatchee Valley College. Area of Study: Agricultural Entrepreneurship. Minor: Business, with horticulture emphasis. Anticipated Graduation: June 2025.

My husband and I are excited about the future we can create in the tree fruit industry. I am from a ranching and agriculture family in central Oregon and he [ husband ] is from an apple orchard in Manson, Washington. During the pandemic we took a break from college, but when his parents began talking about selling their 40-acre apple orhard, we jumped at the chance to take on the opportunity. As with anything in agriculture, we quickly realized there was a lot to learn. For two years we have been living and working in Manson and immersing ourselves in the apple industry.

Continued on next page.

Natalie Valdez

Johnnie Holmason Scholarship, Peter Van Well Sr. Scholarship, Bert Snyder Scholarship, $2000. School: Washington State University. Area of Study: Environmental Science/Landscape, Nursery and Greenhouse Management. Minor: Horticulture

Anticipated Gradudation: May 2025

My dream job is to have a botanical garden where people can visit and have their special events. However, I also would like to be able to teach others how to garden and care for landscape sustainability. I plan to use my education and professional experience to make it a reality.

I believe that the most important thing we can do is take care of our land and environment and I appreciate every opportunity that allows me to do just that. Whether looking at fruit or creating landscapes that provide people a space to appreciate our Earth, I intend to improve the environment now and for the future.

Taylor Woodworth

George Gillett Scholarship & Junkoh Harui Scholarship, $2000. School: Washington State University. Area of Study: Landscape, Nursery and Greenhouse Management. Minor: Horticulture. Anticipated Graduation: December 2024

With this degree, I hope to work in a public garden or conservatory, where I can help educate the public and those with a passion for plants on how to care for them. With the ever-changing climate condition, I hope to be able to teach people how to care for and cultivate environments that bring joy to people while reducing environmental stress brought by some traditional methods of growing. In education and participation from the community, people will notice and aim to change current climate change policies to better regulate harmful inputs to our ecosystems.

Daniel N. Wright

Walters Family Scholarship, $1500. School: Lake Washington Institute of Technology. Area of Study: Environmental Horticulture. Anticipated Graduation: Spring 2025. Upon gaining my AAS in Environmental Horticulture from LWTech, I am seeking to take the Certified Professional Horticulturist exam and puruse an internship at a botanical garden. As a garden member I have always been very impressed and intrigued by the propagation work of gardens such as the Rhododendron Species Botanic Garden and Heronswood Garden. I am then interested in pursuing a Bachelor’s in Plant Sciences or Horticulture to further enhance my knowledge and better help me prepare for my career goals.

My eventual career goal is to work in the propagation of endangered species, as the loss of plant biodiversity is something I care deeply about, and I believe needs to be more thoroughly addressed. I would like to work at a nursery or garden gaining experience in propagation or rare species until I gain sufficient knowledge to pursue my own venture. At some point in the future, I would very much like to have my own botanic garden or conservatory specializing in woodland species, emphasizing landscaping and design inclusive for those with disabilities.

Elisabeth C. Miller Library

Olympic Chapter Scholarship, $515

Many of this year’s fifteen books feature design and cultural practices that will support and adapt gardens in a changing climate. Understanding botany and ecology of garden plants is an important part of this process. Tight urban spaces have increased this interest for gardening in pots, while entrepreneurial library patrons are looking for help managing cut flower farms or small forests of trees for profit or personal well-being. Finally, everyone loves new bulb books.

South Seattle Community College Arboretum Aboretum Management Internship

Greg Rosso Scholarship, $2,750

Beginning in Fall Quarter of 2022, we were able to expand our Arboretum Management Internship position into a larger Arboretum Internship Program that includes three part-time student positions. Last year, the WSNLA Scholarship Board agreed to fund our newly expanded Arboretum Internship Program. The three part-time student internships ensure continuity in the care and maintenance of the Arboretum, through student participation. The student interns oversee regular maintenance of the Arboretum, work with the LHO faculty Arboretum Coordinator in scheduling maintenance projects and priorities, participate in volunteer work parties with the general public, and assist in plant installations and garden renovations.

The Arboretum is a five-acre living laboratory for South’s Landscape/Horticulture students. It also serves as a public garden for the students, faculty, community and the Green Industry. The collection of plants includes many of those used in the Certified Professional Horticulturist examination and we have always encouraged and welcomed candidates to browse the gardens in their studies.

The Arboretum Coordinator selects and hires the interns, assuring that students meet the criteria to take on the role, and mentors them in a supervisory role. All three positions are part-

... I intend to improve the environment now and for the future.

- Natalie Valdez

time and are held for an entire academic year. The Seattle Colleges Foundation awards partial funding for this internship program and it is imperative that we add to this funding source with industry and individual contributions.

Rhododendron Species Garden Foundation

RSBG Retail Sales Internship

Ray Holmberg Scholarship, $2000

This internship introduces horticulture students to the practical aspects of managing a retail nursery through their actual management of the RSBG Garden Gift Shop Nursery located near the entrance to the RSBG.

The Garden initiated a Retail Sales Internship in 1997 for horticulture students with a grant from the WSNLA. Over the subsequent years, WSNLA has continued to generously support this program and we have been able to work with many fine young students during that time. Many of these students have gone on to successful careers in the horticultural industry. We currently have an excellent candidate who has recently finished her college coursework and is hoping for a career in horticulture.

The Retail Internship is designed to augment classroom training with actual work experience. The student will work with RSBG staff to price and arrange plants available for sale, assess effective plant sale strategies, and maintain the sales area in an attractive and professional manner. Students have the opportunity to work with unusual and rare plants and to take into consideration their care and landscape uses and to use this knowledge to assist our customers as they consider possible purchases from our extensive collection of unusual material.

WSNLA, for Industry Development.

Jeanne E. McNeil Scholarship, $1750

This funding is in partnership with WSNLA to ensure accessible education to the industry providing an opportunity for industry professionals from all across Washington to advance their skills and knowledge

Where Are They Now?

Juliana Bertucci Owner, Deaigner

The None Such, LLC

Past

Scholarship recipient

What is your current position/ title and who is your employer? Please tell us a little about what you are doing in this role.

JB: I am currently a business owner and my company is The Nonesuch, LLC. We are going into our 4th year of business here in the Seattle area. I started this company during 2020, fairly soon after acquiring certifications in Permaculture and Holistic Landscape Design from Bastyr University. I wear many hats in this business. I am a landscape designer and owner/operator but I also do plenty hands on work out in the field because I love to get me hands dirty and smell all the plants!

What do you enjoy most about working in the field of horticulture?

JB: This is a tough question because there are so many things to love about it… I think I will say my first love, the one that got me into it in the first place, working with PLANTS!

How did your WSNLA scholarship help support and encourage your education?

JB: The WSNLA scholarship was invaluable to me on so many levels. I was in a tough situation at the time and was trying to get back into the field of horticulture after several years as a stay-at-home mom. I went back to school to hone my skills in low maintenance and edible landscaping and this scholarship really made me feel valued and worthy of my chosen career, like I could really make it! Not to mention it gave me some much needed financial assistance to accomplish my educational goal. I am so grateful to have been a WSNLA Scholarship recipient!

What advice do you have for individuals interested in a career in horticulture?

JB: Follow your nose, do what you love to do, don’t be afraid of failing at something you want to try… or go ahead and be afraid but do it anyway! There is so much to learn in this field and so many great people who will help you along the way, and don’t forget to have fun!

Invest in the future of horticulture and help support students studying for a career in the horticulture field at www.wsnla.org/ MakeADonation

Continued on next page.

Nursery Advisory Committee Members

Roger Canfield, CPH - Puget Sound Plants Nursery Grower Representative

Dan Meier, Briggs Nursery

Large Scale Wholesale Nursery Representatve

Rick Longnecker, Buds & Blades Landscape Representative

Richard Roozen, WA Bulb Company

Bulbs Representative

Jeff Van Lierop, Country Green Turf Turfgrass Representative

Theresa Knutsen, Raintree Nursery

Online Nursery Representative

Breanne Chavez

WSNLA Executive Director - ex officio

WA State Department of Agriculture Committee Adminstrators:

Scott Brooks, Plant Inspection Supervisor

Lara Massey, Program Specialist

Open Position

Floricuture/Greenhouse Representative

Garden Center Representative

Fruit Tree Grower

Grape Grower

If you are interested in serving on the WSDA Nursery Advisory Committee, please contact WSNLA at (253) 661-6055 or email

Breanne at breanne@wsnla.org to learn more.

Nursery Surcharge Funds Industry Research

WSDA Nursery Research Fund Announces 2024 Funded Projects

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has announced the 2024 awardees to the annual Nursery Research Funding Grant. The WSDA Nursery Advisory Committee selected four of the seven applications to fund research projects totaling more than $48,000. There are more than 6,800 nurseries in the state of Washington, and each obtains a license to sell plants, and ensure they remain free of quarantined pests. The Nursery Advisory Committee advises WSDA’s director regarding the administration of the nursery inspection and licensing duties of the Plant Services Program and of the nursery research fund. WSDA collects a surcharge to the license fees of 20 percent and uses those funds to support research that benefits the state’s horticulture industry. Projects selected this year include: promoting careers in horticulture; advancing native plant propagation; and evaluating new stone fruit cultivars.

The full list of 2024 (fiscal year 2025) projects awarded are below. For more information on this grant program visit the WSDA Plant Services webpage.

Awardee Projects

Promoting Careers In Horticulture

WA State & Landscape Association

Objectives: Our goal is to promote careers in horticulture by overcoming current perceptions and bringing awareness to the scale and scope of careers, through promoting to and educating audiences throughout the Pacific Northwest. Participation at career events and survey data from students has provided valuable lessons on who and how we target students moving forward. The funds requested will build upon outreach efforts launched in 2024 and work to further establish the message, Including: career events; marketing campaign and materials; and video production.

Benefits to the Industry: This project has universal impacts with positive outcomes for all industry segments.Promoting careers is essential to growers, retailers and landscape professionals. Developing future professionals and ensuring a healthy workforce is vital to the overall health and growth of our industry.

This project will provide information about the survival of an emerging pathogen, C. corticale, which poses a potential human health risk to landscape professionals that are tasked with the removal of infected trees in in ornamental and restoration plantings.

WSNLA has already laid a foundation for promoting careers in horticulture, and this campaign will build upon those efforts where large strides and a continuous presence is needed. The deliverables of this project have a high outcome for success if ongoing outreach, messaging and promotion of careers in horticulture continue.

Evaluating New Stone Fruit Cultivars for Western Washington WSU IAREC

Objectives: Establish a replicated field trial for new peach, nectarine, and sweet cherry cultivars at the Northwest; Washington Research and Extension Center in Mt. Vernon, WA; Evaluate disease resistance, vigor, bloom/ripening time, and fruit quality in western Washington conditions; and Provide information on cultivar performance to nursery industry.

Benefits to the Industry: With the expertise of the NWREC staff and the experience of commercial nurseries and the WSU stone fruit breeding program, we expect that the trees will be of high quality and well-maintained during the project, resulting in reliable data. It has been many years since a public stone fruit variety trial has been held in western Washington. We expect the trial will result in the identification of new superior cultivars adapted to local growing conditions. This data will give confidence to both retail and wholesale nurseries to propagate and market these new varieties. Superior varieties increasing sales and profit margins for high-value trees.

Nursery Advancing Puget Sound Native Plant Propagation. SER-UW Native Plant

Objective: The SER-UW Native Plant Nursery aims to advance native plant production and interest in these plants with a unique combination of research, education, and outreach. We have identified an opportunity to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the plant production process by analyzing and reporting our propagation data through online platforms that are available to the nursery industry and interested members of the public.

Benefits to the Industry: The SER-UW Native Plant Nursery has already been conducting germination trials and recording propagation success, so the potential for successfully completing this project is incredibly high. This funding will allow us to continue summarizing past trials, complete existing trials, begin new trials, analyze and interpret our findings, and share our findings with relevant industry stakeholders. Our project will increase the understanding of stratification and scarification requirements and the duration of growth phases, allowing nurseries that propagate native plant species from seed to scale their production, reduce inefficiencies, and meet demand for native plant material.

Finally, our nursery has a unique and intimate relationship with the University of Washington, thus exposing staff and students to the importance of native plant production and training folks who may join the workforce of the nursery industry.

Sooty Bark Disease (Cryptostroma corticale) survival and sporulation.

WSU Puyallup Research Extension Center

Objective: Arborist and tree removal companies are unsure what to do with infested woody material associated with the removal of SBD trees. Chipping is the most common method for handling removed trees, but stakeholders are concerned about worker exposure to spores during chipping activities and while working with chips from infected trees. The ability of C. corticale to survive and sporulate on chips from removed trees is unclear. Understanding the risk with chipping or moving chips from infested trees is critical because they are commonly used as mulch in landscape and restoration sites.

This project addresses the research priorities “Pest & Disease Management in all sectors of the nursery industry, including emerging pest threats and their potential impact” and “Development of nursery best management practices for pest/ disease exclusion, or adaptation to changing climate conditions” by learning more about the survival and seasonal sporulation patterns of an emerging pathogen, C. corticale, on maple and other tree hosts used in ornamental and restoration plantings. We propose to investigate the ability of C. corticale to survive and sporulatate on chips from infested logs, and evaluate the effectiveness of steaming wood chips to kill C. corticale, thus reducing the risk of human exposure to spores and the risk of spreading this pathogen to landscape and restoration sites.

Benefits to the Industry: This project will provide information about the survival of an emerging pathogen, C. corticale, which poses a potential human health risk to landscape professionals that are tasked with the removal of infected trees in in ornamental and restoration plantings. These findings will be helpful for determining the optimum time and conditions for working with infested wood to reduce the risk of maple bark disease for workers and for spreading spores to other tree hosts in landscape and restoration sites. In addition, a steam treatment method for eradicating this pathogen from wood chips from infected trees will be developed, providing a tool for mitigating the potential risk of exposure to spores of C. corticale. This research will benefit landscape professionals and arborists that are involved in the removal and handling of declining and hazardous trees that are infected with an emerging pathogen.

Excellence in Sustainable Landscape Management

Congratulations to the following individuals on earning their ecoPRO Certified Sustainable Landscape Professional Certification.

Sean Gaddis, EPC

Garden Gnome Enterprises

Basil Mayhan, EPC

Rutheo Designs LLC

Erin Norman, EPC

Ursula Bertram, EPC

Maple Hill Gardens, LLC

Theodore Rutberg, EPC

Rutheo Designs, LLC

Kay Luft, EPC

Rutheo Designs, LLC

Justin Gaborit, EPC

Seattle School District

Grayson Snyder, EPC

Avid Landscape Management, LLC

Jody Blecksmith, EPC

City of Seattle Parks & Recreation

Aya Wolf, EPC

Orion Rockscapes

Ryan Seeberger, EPC

Nasim Landscape

Niwar Nisam, EPC

Nasim Landscape

Anthony Sacco, EPC

Tony Sacco Landscape Design

Ben DiFilippo, EPC

Essential Gardeners

Peter Van Nuland, EPC

New Story Landscapes

Dana Ecelberger, EPC

Danae Designs

Marco Downs, EPC

The Peoples Gardening Collective

Horticulture Mastery.

Congratulations to the following individuals on earning their Certified Professional Horticulturist Certification.

Fiona Aldrich Bainbridge Gardens

Nichole Anderson Kaleidoscope

Alex Bergman Watson’s Greenhouse

Ursula Bertram Maple Hill Gardens

Amber Boston Sunnyside Nursery

Justin Bow

Western Washington University

Jayde Carmean

New Dungeness Nursery

Frank Christiansen

Sunnyside Nursery

Stewart Cockburn

New Dungeness Nursery

Stephanie Davis

Rosedale Gardens

Tracie Dessart Sunnyside Nursery

Marcy Doersch Sunnyside Nursery

Hilary Ethe Fernweh Gardens

Jett Gagnon

New Dungeness Nursery

Elizabeth Heitkamp

Western Washington University

Charles Humphrey Valley Nursery

Isabel Juell

Seattle Children’s Hospital

Kyli Roche

Western Washington University

Taylor Shirley Valley Nursery

Juniper Smith Puget Sound Plants

Aya Wolf Orion Rockscapes

www.BIRINGERNURSERY.com

WA State Nursery & Landscape Association

MARKETPLANT

SALE: PLANTS, TREES, LANDSCAPE & NURSERY SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT, AND MORE!

Specimen Street and landscape Trees in large Root Control Bags. Year around availability, easier shipping, handling and establishment. Mount Vernon. (360) 428-5810. Fax (360) 4281822. www.urbanforestnursery.com. WSNLA MEMBER.

OREGON TURF AND TREE FARMS SPECIMEN SHADE TREES AVAILABLE in 25 gallon containers and B&B. Availability online at Oregonlawn.com or 800.426.1335

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.

ecoPRO Certified Sustainable Training & Certification. October 28 - 31, 2024 | Hosted via zoom. Cost: $195. Register at wsnla.org/events

Certified Professional Horticulturist - Plant Identification Exam. August 6 in Seattle | October 10 in Puyallup. Cost: $50 members, $100 non members. Register at wsnla.org/events

WSNLA PROseries

Scheduled August - December. Sessions are hosted virtually, with live and recorded options. Sessions and dates will be announced in July. Visit the PROseries Library to view archived sessions at www.wsnla.org/store

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