The Growing Concern April 2023

WINNING WITH PEOPLE & COMMUNICATION

Have you ever taken part in a conversation where there seemed to be a lot of unnecessary confusion, or perhaps it turned into a larger disagreement that could have been avoided? For example, something is REALLY important to you but doesn’t seem to hold the same amount of relevance with the person you are talking to. I’ll bet you have! I’ll also double-down that you probably thought to yourself, “How do they NOT realize how important this is to me?”

With more ways to communicate with each other than ever – face to face, texts, social media, etc. – perhaps we aren’t utilizing our current resources to their fullest potential. And, as we go about our day-to-day lives, maybe we need to stop and think about how our individual styles of communication are impacting our current – and future – relationships.

Woody Hayes is famous for a lot of things – some good, some bad – but one thing he always stressed was that “You win with people.”

Hayes knew that relationships were crucial to being successful in life, and that spending time building and maintaining those relationships doesn’t only make the individual successful, but the team (business), as well.

That being said, ultimately (as it applies to our businesses), if our employees and customers respect us, they will stick with

us over other options. So, how do we go about fostering these relationships through meaningful communication?

Especially with our employees, it is key to set expectations and communicate with them effectively. Everyone on our team should know what is required of them, as well as what our expectations for the tasks they are performing are. How to communicate this? Well, that all depends on your individual style.

Some people fall into the category of passive, or indirect. Passive/indirect communicators tend to avoid saying exactly what it is they think, or want, because they don’t want to rock the boat and potentially feel that their needs are not as important as other’s.

Other people fall into the category of passive-aggressive. Passive-aggressive communicators indirectly express negative feelings instead of openly addressing them, leaving a disconnect between what that person says and what he or she does. In this instance – I’ll be the first to say – that withholding information and opinions with our people is not the way to foster and/or build great relationships. Some examples of a passive-aggressive style are gossiping, making jokes at other people’s expense, or withholding needed information in effort to manipulate a situation. This type of behavior can often be subtle – we may not even realize it – but more often than not tends to lead to disengagement within the team.

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STEPHANIE GRAY BrightView Landscape

OHIO’S PROFESSIONAL GREEN INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

OHIO LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION

9240 Broadview Road

Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147

Phone: 440.717.0002

Toll Free: 1.800.335.6521

Web: www.ohiolandscapers.org and www.myohiolandscape.com

DESIGNER / EDITOR

Rick Doll, Jr.

REGULAR WRITERS

Michael J. Donnellan, M3 Wealth Management

Dr. Jim Funai, PhD., Cuyahoga Community College

Shelley Funai, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens

Stephanie Gray, LIC, BrightView Landscapes

Sandy Munley, Ohio Landscape Association

Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, Bobbie’s Green Thumb

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Submission deadline: 10th of the month, prior to the month of magazine publication. For advertising rates and ad specs, please call 440.717.0002, or email Rick Doll Jr. at rick@ohiolandscapers.org.

DISCLAIMER

The Ohio Landscape Association, its board of directors, staff and the editor of The Growing Concern neither endorse any product(s) or attests to the validity of any statements made about products mentioned in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication. Similarly, the opinions expressed in The Growing Concern are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Ohio Landscape Association.

OFFICERS

President

Stephanie Gray, LIC

President – Elect

Cameron Maneri

Treasurer

Ryan Drake

Immediate Past President

Brian Maurer, LIC

DIRECTORS

Brandon Barker

Tina Graver, LIC

Matt Malone

Tim McCaskey

Bob Ramser, LIC

Kate Stone, OCNT

OLA STAFF

Executive Director

Sandy Munley

Associate Director

Rick Doll, Jr.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

UPCOMING OLA MEETINGS, EDUCATION SEMINARS & EVENTS

JUNE

JUNE 15

26th ANNUAL AWARDS GALA

Join Ohio’s landscape community for an evening out as we reveal the 2022 Landscape Ohio! Award winners. This is a great opportunity for those of you who have been contemplating entering, or for those of you just looking to spend an elegant night out with industry leaders as we celebrate our industry! See page 7 for more information.

JULY

JULY 11 (Tentative)

PLANT I.D. CLINIC (Central Ohio)

This clinic is a hands-on training opportunity for you and your crews covering the basics of Plant ID for plants typically used in Ohio. Sponsored by Willoway Nurseries. Registration opens in May 1, 2023.

JULY 13 (Tentative)

PLANT I.D. CLINIC (N.E. Ohio)

This clinic is a hands-on training opportunity for you and your crews covering the basics of Plant ID for plants typically used in Ohio. Sponsored by Davis Tree Farm & Nursery. Registration opens in May 1, 2023.

AUGUST

AUGUST 3

OLA SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC

Join us at Mallard Creek Golf Club for the OLA Scholarship Golf Classic! Our golf outing was created to help generate funding for our scholarship program, targeting qualified students interested in a vocation within the green profession. Call the OLA at 440.717.0002 for available sponsorship opportunities.

AUGUST 23

SNOW & ICE MANAGEMENT CLINIC

Whether you’re an owner, operations manager, dispatcher, or anyone in between, the OLA’s annual snow and ice management clinic is a can’t-miss event for any company focused on improving how they handle the “white side” of their business. More information concerning this year’s event, including presenters, to come! Vendors may call the OLA at 440.717.0002 for available booth/sponsorship opportunities in our mini-trade show exhibit.

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On the other end of the communication spectrum are aggressive and assertive communication.

The aggressive style is just what it sounds like. It can be loud or demanding with a lot of eye contact that results in intimidating, or even criticizing the listener. Aggressive communication is often expressed by an immediate manifestation of feelings or strong opinions as a situation unfolds. This style can border on verbally abusive and – for example – may turn into a “my way, or the highway” type of conversation. One thing is for sure, this style does NOT communicate “I respect you and your opinions.”

Finally, having covered three types of communication styles that don’t seem like our best options, we’re left with the assertive style. This style allows us to express our thoughts and beliefs in an open and honest way while taking into consideration other people’s thoughts and feelings. Expressing our points of view in a way that is clear and direct is important, so others know what matters to us and what is most important.

Being assertive can also help minimize conflict and show respect to others. When communicating positively and respectfully, we

have the best chance of successfully delivering our message, as opposed to communicating in a way that’s either too passive, or too aggressive, where our message may get lost in reaction.

In closing, when speaking or directing others, always remember the 3 C’s of conversation:

Be Confident. Believe in yourself and your abilities.

Be Clear. Deliver your message in a concise manner that is easy to understand.

Be Controlled. No matter what the feedback, always remain calm and patient.

Our goal as communicators should be that both parties are satisfied with the outcome. If they aren’t, we should provide opportunities for follow-up conversation, so that either party isn’t left wanting more.

Thanks, everyone, and enjoy the spring weather!

- Stephanie Gray LIC

Spring Contractor Workshop

7300 Fair Oaks Rd, Oakwood Village, Oh 44146

Bigfoot Landscape Supply

holding a Spring Contractor Workshop geared towards contractors new to the business. We will be talking about patio paver installation basics, grass seed and fertilizer application along with Herbicides and insecticides, and will be demonstrating the benefits of a dump bed insert along with many other things. Lunch and Refreshments will be provided.

Thursday April 20th 9am -12pm

• FREE Lunch & Refreshments

• 50/50 Raffle

• Vendors in Attendance & Giveaways

( Buyers Products Company, Unilock, Alliance-Gator, Finn All Seasons, A.M. Leonard )

will be

EVENT INFO

THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2023

WINDOWS ON THE RIVER

2000 SYCAMORE ST, CLEVELAND, OH 44113

AGENDA REGISTRATION / COCKTAIL HOUR

4:30PM - 5:30PM (CASH BAR)

INTRODUCTIONS/ NETWORKING

5:30PM - 6:30PM (CASH BAR)

DINNER

6:30PM - 7:15PM

PROGRAM

7:15PM - 9:30PM

COST

MEMBER: $89 PER PERSON

* Includes champagne toast, dinner and awards show. CASH BAR.

REGISTER TO ATTEND BY JUNE 1, 2023

MEMBERS ONLY EVENT

* Members in attendance may bring a non-member guest

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

* Opportunities to sponsor this year’s event are still available and we are always happy to accept the donation of door prizes. For more information, please contact the OLA office at 440.717.0002.

LANDSCAPE OHIO! AWARDS GALA

Billing Address + Zipcode for Card

LANDSCAPE ENHANCEMENT AWARDS GALA

The Landscape Ohio! Awards Program is an annual landscape competition, created by the Ohio Landscape Association, in effort to increase awareness of quality landscaping and how it improves our environment. In conjunction with this program, the OLA hosts a prestigious Awards Gala to recognize our designers, installers, and property owners.

The 2023 Gala will be held in the breathtaking Bridge View Room, at Windows on the River, in the heart of Downtown Cleveland. It is a semi-formal event inclusive of a cocktail hour, dinner buffet and awards presentation. It is also an excellent chance for industry professionals to get dressed up and celebrate the work being done by their teams and their peers.

This year, the OLA is happy to announce that we will be able to offer a limited number of tickets to those who did not enter this year’s competition. This is a great opportunity for those of you who have been contemplating entering, but want to know more about the program, or for those of you just looking to spend an elegant night out with industry leaders and get inspired.

LAST YEAR’S

MAJOR EVENT SPONSORS

ALL ROADS

LAST YEAR’S CATEGORY SPONSORS

Alvord’s Yard & Garden, Bedford Glens Garden Center, Belgard, Bigfoot Landscape Supply, Davis Tree Farm & Nursery, Great Big Home & Garden Show, Klyn Nurseries Inc., Kurtz Bros., Inc., Lake County Nursery, Premier Plant Solutions, Snow & Ice Management Association, Unilock Ohio Inc., Valley City Supply, Wolf Creek Company

Due to the nature of this catered event, all sales shall be considered final. NO refunds, or credits will be issued for no shows, or cancellations on the day of the event. If, for any reason, the event is cancelled, enrollees will be notified, and fees refunded in full.

THE 2023 PERENNIAL PLANT OF THE YEAR

RUDBECKIA‘AMERICAN GOLD RUSH’

At the height of summer, ‘American Gold Rush’ black-eyed Susan turns up the volume for a long season of dazzling color right up to autumnal frosts. The bright golden-yellow flowers feature arching rays and a reddish halo surrounding dark chocolate cones. Three-inch flowers blanket the compact plant, only 22-27 inches tall with a broader width to 40 inches if given room to grow.

The green leaves and stems are covered in hairs, which gives them a silvery cast—on sunny days, peeking through the blooms to the leaves is a luminous silver-and-gold treat. More than just boosting the ornamental show, the hairy foliage is resistant to Septoria leaf spot—a debilitating fungal disease that causes unsightly black spotting and premature seasonal decline on some black-eyed Susans. ‘American Gold Rush’ is a reliable hardy perennial and a great substitute for popular, brassier ‘Goldsturm’, which is highly susceptible to leaf spotting.

‘American Gold Rush’ is a stunning focal point in perennial borders and meadows and is brilliant when massed in public or corporate landscapes. Butterflies caper over the blooms and songbirds feast on the plentiful seed long after the flowers have passed—the seedheads provide winter interest too. Garden companions are many, including alliums, asters, sages, and native grasses such as little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis).

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One Name, Same Great Service & Quality.

Premier Plant Solutions is continuing to merge with Willoway Nurseries, going by one name moving forward for one seamless experience.

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS. EFFORTLESS LOGISTICS.

Pick-up and delivery is available at all of our local distributions centers:

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‘American Gold Rush’ is also a 2020 AAS National Winner – one of the first winners from the collaborative PPA and AAS perennial trial. To top off the credentials of this awardwinning selection, the National Garden Bureau has named 2023 the Year of Rudbeckia in their perennial class.

FROM THE BREEDER

I’ve always liked my plant introductions to speak for themselves and this one speaks volumes. From start to finish this plant is generally trouble free and easy to propagate, grow and finish in a container and a breeze to garden with. It started as an open pollinated seedling among several other related seedlings but quickly distinguished itself with clean disease-free foliage, a naturally compact and rounded habit and beautiful presentation in a container over an extended bloom period.

It seems most attributes are improved with this hybrid of two Midwest US native plants and likely a third species was involved, only the bees know. Disease resistant thinner foliage, 2’ tall dome shaped habit, and a long bloom period of slightly lighter golden yellow colored flowers make this plant easier to combine with and stand out in the garden July into October.

PLANT DATA

Hardiness: USDA Zones 4 to 9; AHS Heat Zones 9-4

Light: Full sun to partial shade

Size: 22-27 inches tall and up to 40 inches wide

Origin: Originated from open-pollinated seed sown from the seed parent Rudbeckia fulgida var. deamii. Introduced by Brent Horvath, Intrinsic Perennial Gardens, Hebron, llinois. 2020 All-America Selections Winner.

Rudbeckia fulgida var. deamii is native to the central states of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.

Soil: Average, well-drained soils. Adaptable to clay, alkaline or acid pH, and gravelly soils. May flop in rich, fertile soils.

Maintenance: Low-maintenance perennial plant. Cut back in late winter to early spring. Good heat- and droughtresistance once established. Reseeding does occur. Divide as needed to maintain robust habit.

This article first appeared on the Perennial Plant Association’s website,located at www..perennialplant.org.The Perennial Plant Association is a trade association composed of growers, retailers, landscape designers and contractors, educators, and others that are professionally involved in the herbaceous perennial industry.

BOND STRATEGIES

Bonds usually make up a portion of my clients’ portfolios, though the percentage may be different for each person. After reviewing the risk characteristics and potential returns, the allocation decisions must be made; which ones and how much to put in each. Many times a client will ask, “Should I invest in individual bonds, or bond funds?”

SOME KEY DISTINCTIONS

Bond Funds and ETFs

Bond funds pool individual bonds into funds similar in most aspects to stock mutual funds. Bond funds have the advantages of daily liquidity, professional management and diversification. They are widely held in 401(k) and IRA accounts.

ETFs, or Exchange Traded Funds, represent “baskets” of securities typically linked to an index. They have the advantages of diversification and ease of execution (most trade directly on an exchange throughout the market day).

Individual Bonds

Principal Preservation. Individual bonds have the simple advantage of returning principal at maturity.

Predictable Income. Investors know the exact interest payment stream they will receive.

Portfolio Control. The investor has control over which bonds are in the portfolio. Bond funds and ETFs have an ever-changing assortment of securities under control of the fund manager.

Fully Invested. An investor’s money is completely invested in an individual bond. Bond fund managers must keep a portion of the funds ready for redemptions, reducing overall returns.

Yield To Maturity. With fixed-rate individual bonds, investors know the exact yield to maturity at the time of purchase. With bond funds, neither the income nor maturity value can be known in advance.

Ongoing Fees. Management fees and other operating expenses can drag on the performance of bond funds and ETFs. For individual bonds, a transaction fee is typically included in the purchase price of the bond.

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MICHAEL J. DONNELLAN M3 Wealth Management

Since 1986, VanCuren Tree Services has been Northeast Ohio’s complete tree care specialist. We provide comprehensive services for any residential, commercial, or utility tree care need.

The tree professionals at VanCuren Tree Services have helped home and business owners throughout Greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio maintain the beauty, vitality, and safety of their trees.

We are proud to offer a full range of tree care services, from tree and stump removal to storm damage clean up to utility work and beyond.

To find out more about what VanCuren has to offer, visit our website at www.vancurentreecare.com, or call us

a free consultation.

• 178’ 50 Ton Crane

continued from page 12

Taxes. The tax consequences of holding individual bonds are usually much clearer. Bond funds have an uneven income stream and can have end-of-year capital gains distributions (which investors would pay tax on for that year).

Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk tends to decline as a bond nears maturity. This generally makes individual bonds less vulnerable to changes in interest rates than bond funds. Due to a fund’s constant maturity, interest rate risk in a bond fund is likely to remain throughout the time the investment is held.

Diversification is an important consideration in building a customized portfolio of bonds. Laddered portfolios of 5-10 bonds are usually recommended to achieve a comfortable level of diversification. Some studies have indicated that holding 10-15 individual bonds of investment grade issuers will have a comparable risk profile to many bond funds.

With a laddered portfolio, you would realize greater returns than from holding only short-term bonds, but with lower risk than holding only long-term bonds. By spreading out the maturities of your portfolio, you get protection from interest rate changes. If interest rates rise, you reinvest the bonds that are maturing at the bottom of your ladder in higher-yielding bonds. If rates fall, you are protected against reinvestment risk because you have

longer-maturity bonds at the top of your ladder that are not exposed to the drop.

For example, you might buy equal amounts of a two-year bond, a four-year bond, and a six-year bond, so the average maturity of the entire portfolio would be four years. As each bond matures, you would replace it with a bond equal to the longest maturity in your portfolio. For example, when the twoyear bond matures, you replace it with a six-year bond. But your older bonds are now two years closer to maturity, so the average weighted maturity of the portfolio remains the same: four years. Laddering provides many advantages, including limiting reinvestment risk. That is the risk that, if your entire bond portfolio matures at once, you may have to reinvest it all at a time when interest rates are low.

The main disadvantage to laddering individual bonds is that it takes a lot of money – tens of thousands of dollars, at the very least – to build a diversified portfolio. A bond fund may have a minimum investment as low as $250.

Buy an individual bond and, provided the issuer doesn’t default, you can count on getting the full face value back on the day the bond matures. A bond fund, by contrast, can’t guarantee that your shares will be worth as much when you go to sell them

• Screened Topsoil (Stored in a hoop house on site.)

• Granite & Sandstone Boulders

From 8” to 12’+ priced per ton and per piece on request.

1’-2’ granite and 2’-3’ granite available, presorted, for immediate pick up.

• Mixed Boulders (Available for immediate pick up.)

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• Crushed Gravel & Limestone products available.

SAND& GRAVEL

as they were when you bought them. As interest rates rise, bond prices fall, but the individual bond has a specific maturity date, and you will know exactly how much you receive at maturity. The price of bond mutual fund will rise or fall in relation to interest rates indefinitely because they do not have a maturity date.

• Prioritize workplace flexibility. Workers prefer jobs that provide more flexibility over those that offer more vacation days. To the extent possible, give workers a say in their schedule, work conditions, work organization, work location, and work tasks.

rovide health promotion and lifestyle interventions including physical activity, healthy meal options, tobacco cessation assistance, risk factor reduction and screenings, coaching, and onsite medical care. Accommodate medical self-care in the workplace and time away for

As always, talk to your financial professionals and tax advisors, to determine your specific needs and goals.

• Match tasks to abilities. Use self-paced work, selfdirected rest breaks, and less repetitive tasks.

• Avoid prolonged, sedentary work. Prolonged, sedentary work is bad for workers at every age. Consider sit/stand workstations and walking workstations for workers who traditionally sit all day. Provide onsite physical activity opportunities or connections to low-cost community based options.

nvest in training and building worker skills and competencies at all age levels. Help older employees adapt to new technologies, often a concern for employers

Scenarios illustrated are hypothetical in nature, results may vary. Investing is subject to risk which may involve loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

The M3 Wealth Management Office does not provide legal or tax advice. Consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific situation. The information herein is general and educational in nature and should not be considered legal or tax advice. Trust services are provided by third parties. Neither our firm nor our financial professionals can serve as trustee

• Manage hazards. Including noise, slip/trip hazards, and physical hazards – conditions that can challenge an aging workforce more.

roactively manage reasonable accommodations and the equire aging workforce management skills training for supervisors. Include a focus on the most effective ways to

Michael J. Donnellan specializes in stock selection and retirement planning. Feel free to contact him with any questions or comments at the M3 Wealth Management Office at 17601 W. 130th Street – Suite 1 in North Royalton, Ohio.

Phone number (440) 652-6370 Email: donnellan@m3wealthmanagement.com

• Provide and design ergo-friendly work environments. Workstations, tools, floor surfaces, adjustable seating, better illumination where needed, and screens and surfaces with less glare.

Securities and advisory services offered through L.M. Kohn & Company

Registered Broker/Dealer Member FINRA/SIPC/MSRB 10151 Carver Rd. Suite 100 – Cincinnati, Ohio 45242

• Utilize teams and teamwork strategies for agingassociated problem solving. Workers closest to the problem are often best equipped to find the fix.

Phone:(800) 478-0788

This article first appeared on the The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) website, located at www.cdc.gov/niosh. NIOSH’s mission is to develop new knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and to transfer that

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PPE FOR WOMEN

When it comes to providing your women employees with personal protective equipment (PPE), the onesize-fits-all mentality doesn’t work anymore. As the number of women entering traditionally male-dominated fields like landscaping, construction, manufacturing and oil and gas grows, so too do the needs for employers to provide their female employees with personal protective equipment that fits their frames.

THE WORKFORCE NEEDS WOMEN

As the labor market in these industries shrinks and the population continues to age, more employers will need to expand their workforce to include more women in order to stay competitive. More than that, women are driving growth and taking leadership roles in many sectors. According to a Wall Street Journal report, 40% of the women in construction run their own businesses, and construction accounts for the largest growth in new women-owned business.

When women are on the job site and running the front office, creating a safety culture that keeps the specific needs of women in mind doesn’t just help your employees, it improves your bottom line.

ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL

Having women wear larger sized PPE isn’t safe and the solution isn’t as simple as having them wear a smaller size. For example:

According to a publication from the Industrial Accident Prevention Association and the Ontario Women’s Directorate, a typical woman’s foot is both shorter and narrower than a typical man’s foot, so a smaller boot may be the right length but not the right width.

A woman’s face is generally smaller than a man’s. If a woman is using protective eye wear that is sized for a man, the gaps they leave at her temples may allow flying debris from a machine to enter her eyes.

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When it comes to hand protection, a woman’s hands are smaller, “she has shorter, narrower fingers, and a smaller palm circumference,” so even a man’s small glove often does not fit. Instead, having gloves sized to a woman’s hand improves dexterity and reduces risk.

When it comes to slip and fall protection, an improperly sized safety harness can hinder a woman’s movements and affect the ability to work safely. It also can increase the worker’s risk of “suspension trauma” after a fall. This a potentially fatal condition in which blood pools in the legs and reduces the amount of blood in circulation.

A woman wearing a hard hat designed for a man may risk having her vision obscured by a hard hat that falls in her eyes. Many manufacturers recommend that women wear hard hats with a chin strap in order to improve fit.

Another issue related to ill-fitting PPE is that women who can’t find comfortable PPE are less likely to wear any PPE. This puts them at increased risk of injury.

ALTERATION ISN’T THE ANSWER

Often, women who are unable to get access to PPE that is sized for their bodies will try to compensate by altering available equipment. Big mistake. Safety equipment is specifically designed to protect the wearer as-is. Altering negates the protective property of the PPE at best and can even put a female employee at greater risk.

IT’S NOT JUST A “FEMALE THING”

While both men and women bring up issues related to PPE with their supervisors, women are often subject to derisive comments when issued ill-fitting PPE. According to a survey carried out by Women in Science and Engineering (WES), just over one-quarter of respondents (28%) reported that they had been subjected to unwelcome (mostly derogatory) comments as a result of ill-fitting PPE.

Comments reported in the survey included:

• You look like a kid playing dress up.

• Can you breathe in that?

• Are you wearing your dad’s clothes?

• Here comes the elephant.

• Your chest looks big in that.

•

Creating a safety culture that welcomes women employees requires more than providing the right equipment. It requires setting the right tone for employees and supervisors on the job site, making sure that everyone understands that concerns about PPE for women are not only valid but addressing them can help you to avoid safety issues in the future.

OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE

The good news is that one-size-fits-all doesn’t have to be a company’s default position. More and more providers are offering PPE that is designed and sized specifically for women. This includes everything from safety gloves and work boots to safety harnesses and fall protection equipment.

Talking to your PPE supplier is a great place to start. They often are familiar with different brand options, and if the equipment you need isn’t available, it’s easier than ever to create customized equipment that fits the needs of all of your employees.

This article first appeared on the Arbill Safety Blog. Arbill is a safety solutions company concerned with protecting your workers in the workplace. Their mission is to keep workers safe and return them home safely at the end of the day. Visit arbill. com for more information about being safe and subscribe to Safer Every Day, the definitive digital magazine for workplace safety.

JIM FUNAI, PhD

Cuyahoga Community College

SHELLEY FUNAI, LIC

Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens

CORNUS DRUMMONDII

GIANT GRAY DOGWOOD

How many times have you had a client mention they love Dogwoods? Few trees permeate into the non-plantnerd world better than dogwoods, with a vast majority of people at least being able to conjure up an image of a Dogwood blooming in spring.

From the plant geek side of things, we know our client is likely speaking about the traditional flowering dogwood, Cornus florida, with a chance of Kousa, Cornus kousa. If not speaking of the trees, then most certainly we shift our focus to the standby Red-twig Dogwoods of which a number of species could fulfill the order.

In the August 2013 issue, we discussed one of our favorite Dogwoods with you, the Pagoda Dogwood (C. alternifolia), as we’re certain you can recall such fine writing. In that article, we expounded on the great diversity that exists within the genus Cornus from tree, to shrub, to ground cover. There are more than 50 species within the Dogwoods, many having great

ornamental features worthy of the garden beyond the constant reuse of our standby flowering Kousa and Redtwig.

The Latin word, cornu, meant horn (as in cornu bovis, the horn on an ox). While we cannot find a direct reference to its use to describe the genus, we have a strong suspicion it refers to the shapes of the flower buds, which often have a swelling at the base and come to a fine point similar to many animal horns.

This month we’d like to direct your attention to a native, small tree form of Dogwood known as Cornus asperifolia var. drummondii. You’ll note that we shortened this to simply Cornus drummondii, which is fighting words to taxonomist

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Cornus drummondii, is a small deciduous tree that is native primarily to the Great Plains and Midwestern regions of the United States.

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types, but in one of Dr. Dirr’s greatest lines in reference to this very treatment he sums up the name confusion the best, “There are a number of related taxa (in cornus) that show minimal difference but have been listed as species and varieties by various authorities. They are included here so that the reader can practice splitting taxanomic hairs and become sufficiently insane to warrant government subsidies.” We like to use C. drummondii because it is shorter than the full name, plain and simple.

Named for Scottish botanist Thomas Drummond, this version of the Roughleaf Dogwood as it is also known as, will form a very attractive ornamental tree. Expect a height maxing out around 20 feet with slightly less spread in the crown. It can be trained as a single stem or multi trunk/low branched accent as well. One of the features we like with this tree over say, Gray Dogwood (C. racemosa), is that it learns the habit you’d like it to and will send very few suckers up to annoy you, should you desire a single stem.

The feature that likely keeps it from finding big box store approval and distribution is that the flowers are born in flattopped cymes, about 2 inches across. We find that to be a very attractive bloom of thousands of flowers across the plant in hundreds of cymes, but it doesn’t seem to have the same effect

as the cheaters from C.florida that use 4 giant white bracts to enhance the look of the flowers. If you look close at your Dogwoods in flower this spring, you will see that they are all clusters of many smaller flowers. The “flower” as seen by most people on C. florida and C. kousa are just 4 large bracts (modified leaf) that add to the visual attraction for pollinators.

We find the flower clusters, which come later in spring than C. florida, are very effective and will give way to a fall display of white berries which can last for well over a month of ornamental appeal. The summer leaf color of a clean, deepgreen gives great background to the bright white fruits. The fall colors of deeper-burgundy, red, and some orange will contrast just as nice through October. After leaf drop, and after the birds have discovered the majority of the fruit as they build up energy for the winter season or migration, the bright red pedicles remain for an encore of fall color through the first rounds of winter’s snow.

A few years ago, Klyn Nursery discovered, tested, and released for sale a unique cultivar that they named ‘Lemon Drops’. This cultivar adds a unique twist to the battle-tested ornamental by blooming in a soft yellow hue and producing a lemon yellow fruit that will jump out visually when backed by the consistent fall color on this plant.

Bulk

We are certain that this plant will not disappoint the viewer or the designer. Here in it’s native range, the plant it is typically found in wetter soils that tend toward a slightly acidic pH. However, a great feature of this plant is its adaptability to many types of soil, moisture, and from full sun to a fair amount of shade. Keep in mind, that all plants have a preference and a tolerance. Just because it will tolerate some conditions does not mean we should put it there. Can this ornamental tree tolerate a parking lot island? Probably. Should you plant it there? Nope.

This is the right plant for the homeowner who wants to see more natives used, and want to support butterflies, native pollinators, and a range of bird species. It is also a plant they may want when looking for a low-maintenance, beautiful, adaptable, hardy option with good flowers, good fruit, and beautiful fall color. Well discerning homeowner/designer, behold the beauty that is Cornus drummondii!

Jim Funai, PhD. is full-time faculty at Cuyahoga Community College, a NALP accredited associate of applied science in hoticulture degree program. He has a PhD in Landscape Engineering and Forestry and is a Licensed Arborist. Shelley Funai is Grounds Manager at Stan Hywett Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio, which offers a historic estate designed by Warren H. Manning and a beautiful manor house museum. She is Landscape Industry Certified in Ornamental Plant Care.

Members of the GCSSA, Ohio Turfgrass Foundation, and ONLA

Small-Business Tax Changes and Tips to Know in 2023

By Rosalie Murphy

As a small-business owner, working with a tax professional can help you understand what tax credits you qualify for and how to claim them.

Tax season brings rule changes for business owners, and this year is no different. For instance, you can deduct 100% of what your business spent at restaurants in 2022 on your taxes this year. But in 2023, that figure will return to 50%.

What never changes, experts say, is the need to keep accurate records and work with a tax professional you trust.

“Business owners are oftentimes viewing their financial record-keeping as the last thing to do on the list. And they do it themselves, and they do it at night over a cup of coffee while they’re watching TV,” says David Levi, a certified public accountant and managing director at CBIZ, a tax, accounting, insurance and HR firm with offices across the United States.

“[But] you don’t know what you don’t know. And the one thing that’s certain in the tax world is change,” Levi says.

Here are some key rule changes and deadlines to note as you file your 2022 taxes and plan for 2023.

FIND OUT WHETHER YOU CAN STILL CLAIM THE EMPLOYEE RETENTION TAX CREDIT

The Employee Retention Tax Credit — a policy meant to encourage business owners to keep staff during the COVID-19 pandemic — applied only to wages paid before Oct. 1, 2021, so you can’t claim it on your 2022 tax return.

But there’s still time to amend your 2020 and 2021 returns to claim the ERTC, which was worth up to $7,000 per quarter

per employee while it was in effect. You can generally amend tax returns within three years after filing your return.

“It’s probably one of the most powerful credits that I’ve seen in my 30 years with the [Internal Revenue] Service,” says Eric Hylton, the national director of compliance for Alliantgroup, a tax consulting firm, and former IRS commissioner for the Small Business/Self-Employed Division.

You might qualify for the ERTC if your business was ordered to fully or partially close in 2020 or 2021, or if your revenue compared to 2019 decreased by more than 50% in 2020 or more than 20% in 2021.

Talk to a tax professional about whether you qualify. Hylton notes, too, that there were “significant delays” in processing ERTC applications last year.

PREPARE FOR BONUS DEPRECIATION TO BEGIN FADING OUT THIS YEAR

From mid way through 2017 until the end of 2022, business owners who bought costly equipment could claim 100% of the asset’s bonus depreciation — which is usually spread out over the life of the equipment — in the same year they bought the asset.

That provision is going away unless Congress extends it. In 2023, bonus depreciation falls to 80%. It drops an additional 20% each year after that.

“People have been of the mindset that, ‘you know, if I go out and I buy a piece of equipment, or I go out and I spend something on my real estate, that’s going to be completely capitalizable; I might be able to take 100% bonus [depreciation],’” Levi says. “That’s not the case, [in 2023] it’s 80%.”

LOOK INTO STARTING A RETIREMENT PLAN FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES

Businesses with up to 50 employees can now claim a tax credit for 100% of the cost of starting a retirement plan, up to $5,000. You can also claim a credit for up to $1,000 in employer contributions to each employee’s plan.

The tax credit phases out for businesses with 51 to 100 employees. It previously covered 50% of retirement plan startup costs.

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“If a business owner is on the fence whether they should start a 401(k) or retirement plan, some of these credits could push them over the hump,” says Janel E. Carroll, a CPA and certified financial planner at Truepoint Wealth Counsel in Cincinnati.

PLAN AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT RENOVATION

If you’ve been thinking about going green, 2023 might be a good time from a tax perspective, Hylton says. The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in August 2022, included several tax credits and business deductions.

One change increased the size of the Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction, allowing owners to claim larger deductions per square foot of renovation if their projects qualify. In addition, tax-exempt organizations such as charities and religious institutions can now claim these deductions, too.

On top of that, in 2023, businesses can claim a tax credit of up to $7,500 when they purchase electric or fuel cell electric vehicles. For vehicles larger than 14,000 pounds, the credit can go up to $40,000.

Hylton encourages business owners to “probe your CPA or tax practitioner on some of these other credits [to see] whether your business actually qualifies” for these tax benefits.

GET READY FOR A MORE ROBUST IRS

The Internal Revenue Service has announced plans to hire 4,000 phone support staffers and 700 in-person support staffers for the 2023 tax season. It’s the result of a funding boost meant to help the agency provide better customer service and expedite processing times, Hylton says.

When waiting for a refund or tax credit, “time is money,” Hylton says.

While Hylton notes that a better-staffed IRS may also result in a “slight increase in audits,” he and Carroll don’t think most business owners need to worry.

“I think the focus is going to be on customer service — and based on the wait times that we have when we call the IRS, that’s definitely where the need is,” Carroll says.

This article was written by Rosalie Murphy for the Nerdwallet small business blog, located at www.nerdwallet.com/article/small-business. Rosalie Murphy joined NerdWallet in 2021 as a small-business writer and specializes in business insurance. Her work has been featured by The Associated Press, MarketWatch, Entrepreneur and many other publications.

ATTENTION LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALS

We’ll help make your properties outstanding.

Organics are included for dense lawns without excess growth. Weeds carefully spot treated.

Direct client billing makes it simple for you.

Landscape referrals to you.

ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

WHAT IT IS AND WHY IT’S CRITICAL?

Nearly 90% of consumers read online reviews to determine the quality of a local business before contacting them. Online reviews are the modern word-of-mouth referrals, with 79% of review readers considering them as good as recommendations from friends and family. These impressive stats show the impact online reviews have on consumers’ purchasing decisions.

Your green industry business may have a fantastic website with helpful content, the right calls to action, and a stunning digital portfolio of your outdoor living projects. Still, if your reviews aren’t good, you’ll lose.

DEFINING REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

Strategic online reputation management helps ensure you win the job by providing the social proof consumers want. Online reputation management helps influence people’s perception of your work, your values, your team, and how you do business. While online reputation management seems similar to public relations, they differ. PR is more public-facing and relationship-based, and online reputation management has a technical and content-oriented approach. Both help shape people’s opinions, but their strategies are different.

Your online reputation affects the quality and quantity of your leads and, ultimately, your revenue. With the use of content marketing and social media, online reputation management ensures the online image of your business is positive. A large part of this effort is collecting and responding to online reviews, primarily on two platforms: Google and Facebook.

THE BEST PLATFORMS FOR COLLECTING CUSTOMER REVIEWS

There are many platforms where customers can submit reviews, including Houzz, Yelp, Angi, Better Business Bureau, and more. However, Google and Facebook are the platforms where customer reviews are most impactful and should be where you request customers to review your business.

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BUILD HIGH PERFORMING TEAMS

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Deploy an automated training program that ensures your teams get the training they need, when they need. Eliminate jobsite bottlenecks and rework incidents.

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Keep your teams focused on the objective and safe on the job site.

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Over 1.3 MILLION Greenius training courses delivered.

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GOOGLE REVIEWS

More consumers use Google to evaluate businesses than ever before, with the percentage of reviews increasing by nearly 20% in 2021. 71% of all online reviews are written on Google, so it’s not surprising that it’s the most popular platform where consumers read customer reviews, as all reviews are public.

Authenticity is a factor for Google reviews, and studies indicate that Google is one of the top sources of fake reviews, according to consumers. Google does not verify if a reviewer is a customer, so your responses to all reviews are critical.

Google reviews are especially important for lawn, landscape, and outdoor living businesses because they help boost local search rankings. The factors influencing local SEO include the numerical rating, keywords in reviews, and the number of reviews. Higher rankings mean more clicks, web traffic, calls, and revenue.

FACEBOOK REVIEWS

With 70% of American adults using Facebook, no other social media platform can compare. Regarding homebuyers, millennials have the highest share of any generation. Combined with the fact that 84% of millennials are on Facebook and are more likely than any other generation to want to entertain outside, these stats demonstrate why Facebook is an excellent place for contractors to collect customer reviews.

In addition to the 5-star rating and review system, Facebook has an integrated recommendations feature where anyone can select yes or no for whether they recommend your business. The overall ratings for your business are calculated using the ratings, reviews, and recommendations. Only recommendations that are shared publicly are included in the overall rating.

Facebook does not verify whether users are customers, which explains why only 7% of consumers say they’re “not at all” suspicious of reviews on Facebook. However, the ability to click to view a reviewer’s profile allows users to trace authenticity by viewing their location and history.

HOW FIRMS BENEFIT FROM ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

Whether a prospect hires your firm or your competitor for their comprehensive outdoor living project is impacted by your online reputation, including your customer reviews.

Even the negative reviews help you demonstrate how you resolve customer concerns with transparency and accountability, helping you build credibility, authority, and trust with consumers.

Also, customer reviews are content. While a strategic content marketing plan may include a resourceful blog, high-quality landing pages, and social media posts, you can use reviews similarly. Displaying customer testimonials on your website helps reinforce for your prospect that they are making the right decision by choosing your company—something significant for high-end outdoor spaces with a high dollar amount. A study by Northwestern University found that conversions increased by 380% for higher-priced sales when customer reviews were displayed.

Finally, from a non-technical standpoint, insightful feedback lets you know what your customers are looking for. You find out what your landscape company is doing right and how you can improve, which is valuable information that can help you grow. Both positive and negative reviews are required for you to gain insight. Still, there are psychological reasons that make the balance of both types of reviews essential in attracting prospects to your business.

BEST PRACTICES

The first thing most customers do when researching a business, especially a business in the service industry, is read online customer reviews. Only after they’ve verified the company is reputable do they visit the business website to continue their research and proceed through the customer journey. Ensuring there are recent reviews is helpful.

REQUEST REVIEWS FROM CUSTOMERS

Collecting a steady flow of customer reviews is much more effective than getting 20 in a month and then not getting any for the next six months. Since the customers who are most likely to review your business unprompted will usually provide a negative review, soliciting reviews is essential in achieving the right balance of positive and negative reviews.

Studies have shown that when a customer reviews a business on their own, they are often affected by social influence bias and will adjust their opinions closer to the group norm of the reviews currently posted. To prevent this influence, it is recommended that you request customers to submit a review by directly asking your customer to review your business.

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Encourage your customers to include photos of their new poolscape, beautifully maintained landscaping, or new paver walkway—to help increase the authenticity of their reviews. When there is proof that a reviewer is a “verified buyer,” the probability of conversion increases by 15%.

One caveat is to only request reviews from satisfied customers and not from customers who had complaints at some point in the project, no matter how minor the complaint was or if you resolved it. This guideline applies even if you went above and beyond to rectify the situation. While you can’t control how your customers review your business, you can choose who you invite to do so with your business’s best interest in mind.

MONITOR ONLINE CUSTOMER REVIEWS

You risk a missed opportunity without an effective way to monitor your online customer reviews. Keep track of where your reviews are coming from and use a tool that helps you track reviews across multiple sites to identify trends. Automating the review collection process helps ensure that the process is done successfully and consistently.

RESPOND TO REVIEWS

57% of people say that they would be “not very” or “not at all” likely to choose a business that doesn’t respond to their customer reviews at all, while nearly 9 out of 10 people say they would be “highly” or “fairly” likely to choose a business that responds to all of its online reviews. These stats indicate that responding to all customer reviews (positive and negative) is the clear choice for owners who want to increase revenue.

30% of consumers admit to reversing negative reviews once they’ve received a response to their concern. Knowing that your company’s customer service skills are on public display, be mindful of the words you use in your response. Keep the tone of your message on brand, and when concerns are valid,

share how you are changing and improving your business to address them. This practice shows that you are open to feedback and care about your customers, often helping diffuse difficult situations.

CONSIDER THE SEO VALUE OF YOUR RESPONSE

While online customer reviews impact SEO, your responses to the reviews do too. Google suggests that responding to reviews will help maximize your visibility on SERPs. Since search engines index Google Reviews, prospects may find a review of your business before they see your business.

Lawn, landscape, and outdoor living business owners who are successful with online reputation management use this as an opportunity to include relevant keywords in their responses. While you should personalize your response to show a real person is responding, don’t regurgitate their complaint back to them. Instead, use words with positive connotations to offset the negative while still acknowledging their concern.

TAKE IT OFFLINE

Taking the conversation offline is the goal so that your back and forth with the customer are not on full display. Provide an email address or a phone number where the customer can reach you, or let the customer know you will reach out if you already have their contact information and know who they are.

Promptly responding to customer reviews, especially negative ones, is essential. When you reply within 24 hours, you have a greater chance of influencing the customer’s opinion, which could lead to them editing their negative review to a more positive one. More than 50% of customers expect a response within a week. Taking too long to respond can do more harm than good, so use this opportunity to build trust for your company—no matter what platform the customer leaves a review on.

This article was supplied to us by the Content team at Halstead Media Group. As one of the OLA’s newest member benefit providers, Halstead Media is a leading all-in-one digital marketing and recruiting solution for commercial and residential landscape, lawn care, and outdoor living businesses. Find out more at www.halsteadmedia.com

ARE YOU LEGAL?

Spring is a good time to remind everyone of some of the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s regulations that affect landscape companies. I typically receive a couple of phone calls about this time each year asking about the need to get a Nursery Dealer’s License and/or Applicator’s License.

If you are thinking, “I am not a nursery, I don’t need a Nursery Dealer’s License,” you may be wrong. If you sell or resell plant material, even if part of the installation of a landscape, you are required to have a Nursery Dealer’s License from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Whether you purchase your plants from a wholesale nursery, local garden center, or even a big box store, you must be licensed to resell those plants.

Growers have a different licensure and undergo periodic inspections to be sure their plant material is healthy before it is sold locally or shipped out of state. Other states do the same thing. This helps to stop, or at least slow down, the spread of pests and diseases. The fee for licensing of growers and sellers helps to fund this protection. The Nursery Dealer’s license is purchased through the Ohio Department of Agriculture and costs $125 per calendar year. The application is a very easy, one page document. The URL to find the application is a little long, so you can just Google, “Ohio Nursery Dealer’s License”; you will find complete information.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture is also the licensing body for Commercial Applicator’s Licenses and Pesticide Business Licenses. Again, you may say, “I don’t apply pesticide,” but if you use a product that contains an herbicide (like RoundUp®), an insecticide (grub or chinch bug control), or pre-emergent for hire, then you need to be licensed. Your company must hold a Business License and have a Licensed Applicator(s) to apply or supervise the application of these products. It does not matter where you purchase the chemicals, if they are granular or liquid, if they are organic, or if the homeowner purchases them; you must be licensed to apply these chemicals for hire.

This licensing is a little more complex. To get an Applicator’s License, you have to pass a test and to keep it, you have to complete continuing education. This is important for public safety. The ODA wants to be sure applicators understand the products they are using.

MUNLEY Executive Director / OLA

To hold a Pesticide Business License, you need to have the required insurance coverage. A few years ago, the ODA clarified the coverage that it requires. The revised rule in Ohio Administrative Code reads, “Every pesticide business shall have in force a commercial general liability insurance policy and, either a separate professional liability insurance policy or an endorsement covering the properties under the care, custody, and control of the pesticide application business as it relates to the application of pesticides, including but not limited to the damage to the actual properties the pesticide business is treating or working on...”

This means that your actual work must be covered. For example, if your employee accidentally uses a wrong product and kills an entire lawn, this type of insurance would cover that error as faulty workmanship.

This insurance does not replace the coverage that you have always needed for your Pesticide Business License, it is IN ADDITION to that coverage. Not all insurance companies offer coverage for faulty workmanship, but it is available. If you need assistance finding an insurance provider that can help you with this, please give me call at 440-717-0002 or send me an email sandy@ohiolandscapers.org.

The ODA really is our friend and does a darn good job when you consider the budget restraints it operates under. Their goal is to protect the public and our plants. Let’s be sure we are all doing our part to follow the law and help them meet that goal.

SANDY