President’s Message

Beating the Heat

Kevin Cagle

Greenthumb Nursery, LLC Ether, NC

Kevin

Ready or not, summer—and hot temperatures—are upon us! We’ve seen temps in the mid- to high 90s consistently, but thankfully we’ve also been seeing regular afternoon showers to help cool down our plants and landscapes. With all the heat and humidity we typically experience this time of year, I would like to give everyone a friendly reminder about the fungal diseases that come with the extra watering required. To prevent and combat these problems, it is very important to be prepared with the necessary chemicals. Another thing I’d like to talk about is labor, which is still a big issue for every industry, and a trend I don’t see changing anytime soon. My company is certainly struggling with labor shortages—while we’re getting all of our work done, it’s not always on time. To help alleviate the problem, my advice is to leave an open invitation for any qualified individual who may be willing to give our industry a try. With an open door and open mind, you may find a “diamond in the rough” who had never previously considered the green industry but may ultimately find a solid future here.

Now, with all of that hard summertime work and extreme heat comes the need for some playtime, right? So be sure to slow down, have some fun and get some relaxation for yourself. As for me, I’m taking a week off to go fishing with friends in a much cooler climate.

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend this year’s Technology Symposium and the Robert Cagle Memorial Golf Tournament. Both events were big successes (you’ll get to read more about them in this issue). Next up for us is NCNLA Day at Caterpillar and, of course, Green & Growin’ 23! I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at both events—they’ll be here before you know it.

I would also like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support of NCNLA. Please let me, our board members and staff know if there’s anything we can do to benefit you as our member.

I hope all of you enjoy the rest of your summer with friends and family— stay safe!