Growing Concern
The
JU L Y 2 0 2 0
A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E O H I O L A N D S C A P E A S S O C I AT I O N
OLA Education: Plant I.D. Clinic
NE Ohio - July 9, 2020 / Davis Tree Farm & Nursery / PAGE 7 Central Ohio - July 21, 2020 / Premier Plant Solutions / PAGE 7
20th Annual Scholarship Golf Classic August 6, 2020 / Bob-O-Link Golf Course / PAGES 20 & 21
DYED PRODUCTS
TRIPLE GROUND SCREENED NATURAL DARK BROWN BARK GROUND WOOD LEAF HUMUS SCREENED FOR MAXIMUM CONSISTENCY
100% BARK SCREENED MULCH SCREENED FOR MAXIMUM CONSISTENCY
YARD OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 7 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M. SATURDAY 7 A.M. TO 1 P.M. DELIVERY OR PICK-UP Phone: 440.338.5005 Address: P.O. Box 91, Newbury, OH 44065 Web: vancurentreecare.com
PR ES I DEN T’S COLUM N
DOMENIC LAURIA Vizmeg Landscape, Inc.
WHO IS YOUR IDOL? By definition, an idol can be a religious image, or a person whom people admire and maybe even seem to worship. While a statue of a God is a religious idol, Madame Curie is also an idol to aspiring scientists. Admittedly, I am a history nerd. It was – by far – my favorite class in school and continues to intrigue me to this day. So, it is no wonder why some of my biggest idols are those rooted in history books. That said, based on the recommendation of a colleague of mine, I recently watched a three-part mini-series on the History Channel called Grant documenting the life of our eighteenth President, Ulysses S. Grant. Upon completion, I was pretty taken back by how little I actually knew about Grant, the man. His sheer genius in the western theater of the war, along with the capture of Vicksburg, helped propel him to Commanding General of the Union Army, which was the first time anyone had been given complete control of the entire army since George Washington. It’s an incredible story that I would recommend to anyone with an interest in history or historical figures.
In talking to my wife, Rachel, regarding this documentary, and more specifically Ulysses S. Grant, the person, she asked me a rather simple, though extremely challenging question: “Why do you idolize such people?” Her point being was that while this man helped the Union Army win the Civil War, in doing so, he sacrificed many of his soldiers to accomplish this feat. In fact, following The Battle at Cold Harbor, where the Confederates slaughtered the Union Army, he was labeled a “butcher,” a nickname that has stuck with him ever since. To her point, I had to ask myself why I idolize men such as Ulysses S. Grant, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Chester Nimitz, continued on page 6 The Growing Concern | July 2020 | 3
TAB LE OF CON TEN TS J U L Y 2 0 2 0 WWW. OH I OLA N D SCA P E R S. OR G OH I O’ S P R OF E SSI ON A L G REEN I N D U ST R Y A SSOCI AT I O N OHIO LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION 9240 Broadview Road Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147 Phone: 440.717.0002, or 1.800.335.6521 Fax: 440.717.0004 Web: www.ohiolandscapers.org and www.myohiolandscape.com DESIGNER / EDITOR Rick Doll, Jr. REGULAR WRITERS Adam Capiccioni, Ohio CAT Michael J. Donnellan, King Financial, Inc. Dr. Jim Funai, PhD., Cuyahoga Community College Shelley Funai, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Sandy Munley, Ohio Landscape Association Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, Bobbie’s Green Thumb COVER: 2019 Landscape Ohio! Awards entry from The Bremec Group, in the category of Show & Display Gardens.
FEATURES
3 8 12 16 22 26 30 31
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
Who is Your Idol?
PERENNIAL FOCUS
Clematis: The Lesser Known Ones
FISCAL FITNESS
Diversification
FOR SAFETY SAKE
The Pros & Cons of Award & Recognition For Safety Incentive Programs
PLANT OF THE MONTH
Pinus banksiana: Jack Pine
FEATURE ARTICLE
Creating Balance Through Labor Forecasting
DIRECTIONS ADVERTISING INDEX
4 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
ADVERTISING INFORMATION Submission deadline: 10th of the month, prior to the month of publication. For advertising rates and ad specs, please call 440.717.0002, 1.800.335.6521, 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 Domenic Lauria
OLA STAFF Executive Director Sandy Munley
President – Elect Dr. James Funai, PhD.
Communications & Events Manager Rick Doll, Jr.
Treasurer Brian Maurer, LIC Immediate Past President Adam Capiccioni DIRECTORS Keith Clapper Ryan Drake Stephanie Gray, LIC Cameron Maneri Rob Morel
C AL ENDAR OF EVENTS U P CO M I N G O L A MEETINGS , EDUC ATION SE MI N A R S, A ND O TH ER GREEN INDUS TR Y EVE N T S PLEASE NOTE: As the OLA resumes our events schedule for 2020, we will be implementing extra safety precautions to keep you, your staff, our instructors and our volunteers safe. Because each event is different, we ask you to review the calendar of events on our website, located at https://www.ohiolandscapers.org/calendar, along with each event’s registration page for any special instructions. If you have further questions, please call the OLA office at 440.717.0002.
JULY
klynnurseries.com Over 1800 Different Species And Cultivars To Meet Your Needs!
JULY 9, 2020 (NE OH) / DAVIS TREE FARM & NURSERY JULY 21, 2020 (CENTRAL OH) / PREMIER PLANT SOLUTIONS PLANT I.D. CLINIC / DAVIS TREE FARM & NURSERY
bamboo grasses perennials
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. Many of the plants that will be covered are on the plant list for the Landscape Industry Certified Technician’s Test. NOTE: Due to state social distancing guidelines, registration for these events will be limited. See Page 7 for more info.
ferns vines roses dwarf conifers bog & marginals
JULY 16, 2020 23rd ANNUAL AWARDS GALA
shade & ornamental trees
This year’s Landscape Ohio! Awards have been rescheduled for July 16, 2020. In order to adhere to the necessary state social distancing requirements, we will no longer be accepting registration for those who did not take part in this year’s program – Companies that entered, Sponsors, Scholarship Winners – unless you have already registered. Winners of this year’s Awards’ program will be featured in the August issue of The Growing Concern and will be available online at www.ohiolandscapers.org/landscapeohioawards.
AUGUST
Visit Our Website For Product Availability, Our 2020 2016 Catalog, Quote Form, And More!
(contact us to receive your username and password.)
AUGUST 6 OLA SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC Join us at Bob-O-Link 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. Note: Due to state social distancing guidelines, teams will be assigned tee times, rather than the normal shot-gun start. Tee times will be assigned – earliest to latest – based on order of registration, soon after the registration deadline.
klyn nurseries, inc.
1-800-860-8104 klynnurseries.com
AUGUST 20 SNOW & ICE MANAGEMENT CLINIC (NE Ohio) We will have more information coming in the near future, once our committee has an opportunity to convene. 0116 Klyn Half.indd 1
The Growing Concern | July 2020 | 5 12/16/2015 3:27:07 PM
PR ES I DEN T’S COLUM N continued from page 3 Thomas Jefferson, and so on. Admittedly, I’ve never looked at it from her perspective. I’ve always been more focused on the characteristics these individuals possessed, as leaders. Without them, history books would tell a very different story and the United States of America – and quite possibly the world – would not be what they are today.
BUYANSKY BROTHERS Dyed Black & Brown Mulch Screened Topsoil
So, why do I idolize these historical figures? Primarily, I believe, it is because they all possess tremendous leadership skills which they’ve leveraged to accomplish a magnitude of difficult tasks and objectives. Among the skills they share, which I admire, are; fortitude, strategic thinking, the ability to remain calm under pressure, determination, guts, and the rejection of “failure as an option.” If you start to think about the just simply the guts these guys had as leaders it’s incredibly impressive. Imagine being Dwight D. Eisenhower and being the sole individual who pulls the trigger on D-Day? Could you imagine the guts that had to take, on that morning, to make that decision knowing what the death toll would likely be? It’s the fortitude that these leaders have which has shaped the course of history as we know it, being able to make the tough decisions when they need to be made. As I’ve continue to examine these leadership qualities, I’ve begun to recognize those which I embody, along with those that I have yet to develop. And, while I don’t have any grand notions of being a strategic genius on the battlefield any time soon, the forethought these individuals had prior to the battle, and the ability they had to maneuver and adjust to accomplish their goals as battles unfolded, is something I am extremely interested in. So, for comparisons sake, let’s liken the idea of a battle to our projects for a moment. Obviously, when it comes to War vs. Business there are vast differences, but there are also many similarities. As I mentioned in my last article, the book Extreme Ownership takes lessons learned from Seal combat training and relates them to business, especially when it comes to leadership and processes. The obvious difference being that the decisions that business owners make normally don’t result in life or death consequences. That said, if you bid and sell a job – planning it for it to go one way, but it starts to go another – what do you do? Do you keep going in the current direction, accepting defeat and
6 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
Double Shred Organic Bark Mulch * Volume price discounts available
Mon – Fri 8am – 5pm Saturday 8am – 12pm 9400 Broadview Rd. Broadview Heights, OH
(216) 524-3100
The Landscape Materials You Need, From a Name You Can Trust MATERIALS •
Black, Brown, Red Mulches
•
Natural Organic Bark Mulch
•
Screened Topsoil
•
Leaf Humus
•
Limestone and Wash Gravels
•
Recycled Concrete
•
Aggregates
•
Granite and Sandstone
•
Boulders
•
Seed & Straw
BUYANSKYMATERIALS.COM the loss of revenue that comes with it? Or, do you make the strategic adjustments necessary to come out on top? Part of this challenge, at least for me at this stage in my career, is realizing that strategic adjustments need to be made before it’s too late. As I conclude this month’s article, I find that it’s both interesting and helpful to reflect back on how I have always idolized and respected what our great generals and leaders have done for this country. I am 31 years old, and it took me all 31 of those years – and an incredible wife asking a simple question – to realize why I idolized them and then use it for personal development. It’s actually pretty simple at its core; we idolize people because they possess characteristics or skills that we have yet to develop, or because they have accomplished something that we cannot fathom accomplishing ourselves. That being said, think about who your idols are, why they are your idols, and what skills or characteristics they have that you want to develop. It will be the key to pushing yourself to another level and accomplishing something you never thought you could.
PL ANT OF THOLA E M ON TH EDUCATION SERIES
Sponsored & Hosted by
COURSE INFO JULY 9, 2020 DAVIS TREE FARM & NURSERY 6126 NEFF RD. VALLEY CITY, OHIO 44280 (40 PERSON CAP)
PLANT I.D.
JULY 21, 2020 PREMIER PLANT SOLUTIONS 6981 SCIOTO DARBY RD, HILLIARD, OH 43026 (30 PERSON CAP)
Those who should attend are plant installation staff, maintenance staff, garden center staff, foremen, and anyone studying to take the Landscape Industry Certified Technician’s Test.
AGENDA STAGGERED STARTING TIMES 8AM TILL 9:45AM (REGISTRANTS WILL BE ASSIGNED START TIMES ONCE REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED.)
This Plant ID Clinic is a hands-on training opportunity for you and your crews that will cover the basics of Plant ID for plants typically used in Ohio. Many of the plants that will be covered are on the plant list for the Landscape Industry Certified Technician’s Test, including: perennials, groundcovers, ornamental grasses, as well as trees and shrubs – both evergreen and deciduous.
GENERAL INFORMATION: This seminar is hands-on training with live plant material. Attendees will need their own notepad and pen, and will need to dress appropriately for outdoor practical training. Due to current social distancing requirements, class/group sizes are limited and will be delegated starting times on a first come, first serve basis.
INSTRUCTED BY
STAGGERED ENDING TIMES 1:45PM TILL 3:30PM CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST & LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED COST OLA MEMBERS - $79 NON MEMBERS - $109
Wendy Moore Davis Tree Farm
Marie McConnell Lake County Nursery
Jack Johnston Premier Plant Solutions
Jason Veil Secrest Arboretum
Robin Knaup Premier Plant Solutions
Jim Funai, Ph.D. Cuyahoga Community College
Cancellations made 8 to 14 days prior to the course start date will be subject to a 30% cancellation fee. NO refunds or credits will be issued for cancellations 7 days or less prior to the course, no shows, or cancellations on the day of the course. If, for any reason, the course is cancelled, enrollees will be notified, and fees refunded in full. Register early as class size is limited and will sell out quickly.
2020 PLANT I.D. CLINIC / REGISTRATION CLOSES 07/02/20
(Make checks payable and send to: Ohio Landscape Association, 9240 Broadview Rd, Broadview Hts., OH 44147)
Company Contact Address City State Phone (______)
Zip
Fax (______) Email
NAME OF ATTENDEE
FEE
July 9th, Valley City, OH
July 21st, Hilliard, OH
$
July 9th, Valley City, OH
July 21st, Hilliard, OH
$
July 9th, Valley City, OH
July 21st, Hilliard, OH
$
July 9th, Valley City, OH
July 21st, Hilliard, OH
$
Check No. (Enclosed)
Charge to my:
Acct. No. Name on Card
Exp. Date
Security Code
Signature
Billing Address + Zipcode for Card 5 CEU’S
MasterCard Visa AMEX Discover
REGISTER ONLINE AT OHIOLANDSCAPERS.ORG/EDUCATION/PLANTID
PEREN N I AL FOCUS
BOBBIE SCHWARTZ, FAPLD Bobbie’s Green Thumb The small bells and wispy deadheads of Clematis ‘Rooguchi’ hover above the large blossoms of Rosa rugosa ‘Coeur d’Alène’.
CLEMATIS
THE LESSER KNOWN ONES
Most gardeners and landscape designers know and love the large-flowered, vining Clematis that we train to grow on trellises and fences as well as up and over shrubs and on the garden floor through other perennials or as ground covers. Sadly, many of those are subject to clematis wilt. However, do not despair. There are some other wonderful species and cultivars that survive for many years against all odds. When visitors come to my garden, one of the first plants they ask about is Clematis ‘Rooguchi’. It has been in my garden since 2008 and its dark purple, downward-facing bells bloom from June until October and twine themselves into my Rosa
rugosa ‘Coeur d’Alène’. In ensuing years, it has extended its reach into a neighboring Amorpha that is also visited by Clematis ‘Piilu’, a large-flowered, pale pink. Although Clematis ‘Sapphire Indigo’ wasn’t patented until 2006, it is only within the past few years that it has drawn attention and become readily available. It is a cross between a vining and a non-vining species. The medium-sized recurved petals are a deep blue and, once established, it sprawls through other perennials and shrubs or can be used as a weedsmothering ground cover. I have two of them that I grow on very short (18 inches) obelisks that raise their stems high continued on page 10
8 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
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 at 440.338.5005 today for a free consultation. • Complete Tree Maintenance Programs
• 75’ Bucket Trucks
• Certified Arborists on Staff
• Deep Root Fertilization
• Tree Removal
• 24-Hour Emergency Service
• Tree Trimming
• Stump Grinding
• Land Clearing
• Tree Moving
• 178’ 50 Ton Crane SALES REPRESENTATIVES: Michael Sowul, Certified Arborist James DiRosa, Certified Arborist David R. Van Curen
PHONE: 440.338.5005 FAX: 440.564.9319
Your Complete Tree Care Specialists www.vancurentreecare.com
PEREN N I AL FOCUS
A closeup of Clematis ‘Sapphire Indigo’.
Clematis ‘Stand by Me’ at Chicago Botanic Garden.
Clematis ‘Sweet Summer Love’ in grass garden.
continued from page 8 enough to let them twine through other plants in the garden. Since ‘Sapphire Indigo’ has no tendrils, I attach the stems to the obelisk with orchid clips. This Clematis blooms from June until at least September. Another non-vining clematis that is becoming popular is ‘Stand by Me’. This one has small, light blue to medium blue flowers and cream, thread-like seed heads from mid-July through September. I regard Clematis terniflora, formerly called C. paniculata, as a noxious weed. It is gorgeous in bloom but it seeds everywhere and is very difficult to get rid of. I’ve purchased its cousin ‘Sweet Summer Love’ but I am withholding judgment until I have more experience with it. I love the magenta-purple color and the fragrance but fear that it will seed like Clematis terniflora. Supposedly, it has very low seed set but only time will tell.
Some of my favorite Clematis belong to the Viticella species. They never get clematis wilt, they are strong growers, and, with one exception, they bloom from July until October. The exception is Clematis viticella ‘Alba Luxurians’ which blooms in June and is a collector’s item. Some of the cultivars, like ‘Warsaw Nike’ and ‘Polish Spirit’ are readily available. Both have medium-sized, dark purple flowers. My favorite is probably ‘Venosa Violacea’ which has white petals with a wide purple edge. Although Clematis rarely do well in shade, my ‘Betty Corning’, with her pale pinky-purple, down-facing bells, thrives at the back of my driveway under a Heptacodium. She covers the ugly chain-link fence and swirls up into the Heptacodium as well. Now that you are acquainted with more than the largeflowered Clematis, please make room for some of the lesser known cultivars.
Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, owner of Bobbie’s Green Thumb in Shaker Hts., Ohio, is a landscape designer, consultant, freelance writer, and lecturer whose specialties are perennial gardens and four season landscapes. In addition to being an Ohio Landscape Association (OLA) member, she is an active member of the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association (ONLA) and Perennial Plant Association (PPA). Bobbie is a Past President of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD). Bobbie’s new book, Garden Renovation: Transform Your Yard into the Garden of Your Dreams, was published in November 2017 by Timber Press.
10 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
NOW SERVING 2 LOCATIONS!
OPEN YEAR-ROUND • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Mulch Topsoil Limestone Grass Seed SWEET PEET Washed Gravel Sand & Boulders Organic Fertilizer Decorative Stone Natural Stone - Palletized Ground Rubber Mulch Bulk Salt De-icing Chemicals (Bag & Bulk)
BROOKPARK LOCATION 11444 Brookpark Road Cleveland, OH 44130 866.666.7258
NORTH ROYALTON 11528 Royalton Road North Royalton, OH 44133 440.582.5200
W E B: W W W. ROYALTO N S U PPLY.CO M E M A I L : I N F O @ ROYALTO N S U PPLY.CO M
Come See All The Quality Plant Material!
Check us out on the web at www.davistreefarm.com sales@davistreefarm.com
6126 Neff Rd. Valley City, OH PH: 330-483-3324 Fax: 330-483-4483 The Growing Concern | July 2020 | 11
F I SCAL FI TN ESS
MICHAEL J. DONNELLAN King Financial, Inc.
DIVERSIFICATION Diversification has been called “the only free lunch in finance.” A lot of hard data illustrate the benefits of building a portfolio that’s diversified across asset classes and investment styles, and dividing your eggs across multiple baskets has commonsense appeal, too. If you don’t know whether stocks will continue their current run or take a breather, if small caps will outperform large, or when interest rates will start to rise – and no one truly knows those things – diversifying is a sensible way to hedge your bets. Most investors only think of diversification as the construction of their portfolios. Investors could benefit by construing it even more broadly. Here are some examples of diversification interpreted more broadly.
TIME DIVERSIFICATION What if you are concerned about the timing of your purchase? If you buy at the wrong time, when the asset is richly valued and could be due for a fall, you could lose part of your money right out of the box.
In such instances, dollar-cost averaging – or diversifying your purchases by buying smaller pieces of the investment at multiple predetermined intervals rather than adding a position all in one go – can be a good strategy. Of course, there are no guarantees – you might buy an investment that subsequently goes up and up and up, in which case you would have been better off buying the position all at once. But the bottom line is that you don’t know what it will do, so diversifying your purchases across multiple time frames helps accommodate a range of outcomes. continued on page 14
12 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
The Growing Concern | July 2020 | 13
F I SCAL FI TN ESS VEHICLE DIVERSIFICATION Most investors’ portfolios are constructed with individual stocks, mutual funds or ETFs, or actively managed funds. Adding a slice of a passively managed index fund or ETF to a portfolio anchored in actively managed funds can help improve the portfolio’s risk/reward profile, according to many studies. Broad stock-market index funds and ETFs can also be the better choice for your taxable accounts because they tend to distribute few capital taxable gains on a year-to-year basis. By the same token, index enthusiasts might consider steering at least a small share of their portfolios to actively managed funds with sensible strategies and low costs.
“ALL-IN” DIVERSIFICATION Most of this article has focused on various levels of diversification when it comes to your investment assets. But diversification can also be a useful concept when thinking about your total money picture: any real estate or business interests you own, for example, as well as the stability of your own earnings.
continued from page 12 The same concept holds true for any investment that offers a fixed payout, such as an annuity or individual bonds or CDs. You may be able to obtain a higher rate down the line by waiting, particularly if interest rates go up, but it’s hard to know that for sure. Laddering your purchases across multiple time frames can give it exposure to multiple interest-rate environments and increases its potential for higher payouts down the line.
For obvious reasons, if a lot of your personal wealth is tied up in your home or business, a big priority for you should be to diversify into more liquid assets that have little correlation with real estate or with your firm. Creating a net worth statement can help you get your arms around how well-balanced your whole portfolio is. Talk to your financial and tax advisors to determine your specific needs and goals.
Diversification of tax treatment is another way to spread your bets around, and that’s why I’ve been urging investors to obtain Roth treatment for some of their retirement assets.
Michael J. Donnellan specializes in stock selection and retirement planning. 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
I don’t know for sure that tax rates in general will go up (though there are certainly good reasons to expect that they might). Nor do I have a clue about whether any of you will be in higher or lower tax brackets in the future.
Securities & advisory services offered through L.M. Kohn & Company Registered Broker/Dealer Member FINRA/SIPC/MSRB 10151 Carver Rd. Suite 100 – Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 (800) 478-0788
TAX DIVERSIFICATION
If you’ve been working, saving, and investing, your retirement assets will be taxed when you begin taking withdrawals – whether you hold the money in traditional IRAs, SEPs, Simple Plans, 401(k)s or other company retirement plans. For that reason, it’s a good strategy to get at least some of your retirement assets into the tax-free withdrawals column—in a Roth IRA.
14 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
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. 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.
Beautiful Landscapes Start with Quality Materials from...
We carry a complete line including: • • • • • • •
Topsoil Mixed Soil Landscaper Blend Leaf Humus Sands Grass Seed & Straw Hardwood Bark Mulch
• • • • • • •
Colored Hardwood Mulches Cypress Mulch Limestone Washed River Gravel Decorative Stones Sweet Peet Custom Z Mulch Big & Sm all We also offer Equipment Rentals (operators included): Loads for Bobcats with Rockhounds; Trenchers and Augers; Pick-up or Backhoes; Dozers; Excavators; Landscape Tractors; Delivery Loaders and Dump Trucks
Main Yard & Office
West Side Yard
8700 Heinton Road, Valley View
34020 Royalton Road, Eaton Twp.
Between Rockside & Granger Roads
Between Island & Hawke Roads
Call or Visit Us Online Today!
216-524-4544 • www.three-z.com THREE-Z-SUPPLY 216-524-4544 • FAX 216-524-5876
Three Z Reg Qtr.indd 1
2/4/2015 3:00:29 PM
REPAIRS - SALES - PARTS OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT Most makes and models
Al Pniewski & his son, Allen Jr., look forward to serving your lawn equipment needs in their new location!
12126 York Rd., Unit A, North Royalton, OH 44133 440.230.3807
w w w. A 1 p o w e r. u s
Large selection of new machines year round
The Growing Concern | July 2020 | 15
F OR SAFETY SAK E
THE PROS & CONS OF AWARD & RECOGNITION FOR SAFETY INCENTIVE PROGRAMS The primary function of award and recognition programs is to raise awareness of safety issues. While reducing the number of accidents often is a side effect of the incentives, too often competition leads to cover-ups and unreported incidents. When safety recognitions are fun and promote a cooperative spirit in the workforce, they can be successful. But when they adversely affect employees, they actually can be harmful and increase the risks of accidents.
CHANCE INCENTIVES
IDEA-BASED REWARDS
Programs requiring employees to meet certain criteria to get a chance at winning a prize raise awareness and induce workers to follow safety protocols. You might offer workers who have gone accident-free for a certain period of time entry into a prize drawing. Unfortunately, the prize doesn’t recognize the level of effort employees put into the risk reduction campaigns. Instead, it’s based solely on chance. Those who excelled during the period may not receive any reward.
Competition can push some employees to succeed in a way that proves detrimental to your company. For example, a team close to winning a prize for being accident-free for three months may get so invested in their big win that they cover up an incident rather than risk losing the reward. Programs that reward workers for prevention, on the other hand, merely call for a roster of ideas from various teams. For example, each department can turn in an idea every quarter continued on page 18
16 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
SWITCH TO THE GREEN INDUSTRY RISK EXPERTS NOW! Before your crew gets busy. EASIER, SAFER AND BETTER WITH BOTSON! At Botson Insurance we see beyond insurance to provide you with practical solutions to the problems that face the Green Industry—and we may be able to save you money while doing it.
(440) 537-2292
greg@botsoninsurancegroup.com
✓
Lowest General Liability Rates in Ohio up to 50%-80%
✓
Faulty Workmanship Coverage for as little as $425 per year
✓
botsoninsurancegroup.com
We’v protect e been in Industry g the Green great ra and providing tes for 2 8 years!
Over 160 Green Industry professionals in our program.
GREG BOTSON MORE THAN A TRUSTED ADVISOR
EASIER
Provided expert advice and built strong client relationships over 28 years.
SAFER
Free distracted driving and safety seminars, resources, training and more.
BETTER
Replacement cost coverage on equipment and more flexible driver requirements.
FOR SAFETY SAKE
continued from page 16 that could result in reduced accidents. The company owner or a team of managers read the ideas and choose the best one to implement and reward.
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT Awards and incentives should be given only for positive results, not to reward the absence of negative behavior. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, truly effective safety programs reward changes in behavior that mean employees are being compliant with safety rules and regulations. Rewarding the absence of accidents leads instead to not reporting those accidents. Positive reinforcement that rewards best practices leads to sustainable changes in behavior. Therefore, programs designed to recognize positive safety practices are more effective for building a safe workplace.
THE BENEFITS OF SAFETY RECOGNITION
• Save lives: Apart from any cost or business considerations, observing proper safety procedures saves lives. • Reinforce safe work as a priority and organizational value: Recognizing and rewarding employees for safe behavior sends the message that it’s a priority for your company, and that it should be one for them as well. • Save money: Preventing accidents and injuries helps your company avoid dealing with unplanned absences, workers compensation payments, and other related healthcare costs. Repairing faulty equipment before it breaks can also save you from more expensive repairs or replacement. • Educate: A recognition platform provides an easy way to disseminate safety information, administer quizzes, and ensure that everyone is up to date on the latest procedures. • Increase employee engagement: When you show that you value your employees’ safety and that you take their input seriously, it increases their investment in contributing to a safe and productive work environment.
18 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
SIZE OF REWARD The most effective safety incentive programs are those that reward every employee who achieves a certain level of safety behavior. Unfortunately, low budgets often preclude companies from getting the most out of an incentive program, which leads to programs of chance, according to Occupational Health & Safety. Whatever incentive is used, the reward must have perceived value from the participants. Employees may say they want cash incentives, but money has little long-lasting value. Point systems that allow employees to earn points for positive behavior that they can accrue and save to get a certain item work best. This provides long-term planning and goals for workers to achieve. For example, you might offer dinner for two at a popular local restaurant for accumulating 25 points and a weekend at a resort for 100 points. Too often companies give out cash in safety reward programs, which end up having little residual effect.
IN CONCLUSION Implementing formal safety recognition programs can be an effective way of encouraging employees to adopt safe behaviors and avoid the costs associated with accidents and related injuries. The best practice for structuring a safety recognition program is to encourage reporting of “near misses,” or possible safety issues before they turn into accidents. But, with these types of programs, companies have to be careful that they are not encouraging non-reporting of issues. This article was written by Linda Ray, an award-winning journalist who covers business for newspapers and magazines, including the “Greenville News,” “Success Magazine” and “American City Business Journals.” This article appeared in the small business section of the Houston Chronicle, located at https://smallbusiness.chron.com.
&
Beauty Fences of
Quality
• Cedar fences (Many styles available). • Aluminum & Vinyl fences (In stock). • Several styles and colors to choose from.
Wholesale Prices to OLA Members, or Professional Installation by our Crews. 1053 Bank St. Akron,OH 44305 330-784-0456 www.acmefence.com
Flagstone Wallstone Outcropping Boulders Chunks Step Treads
(Sawn, Snapped, Irregular)
Travertine Natural Stone Veneer Barnstone Decorative Gravel
REAL STONE REAL STYLE
ADDRESS: 9718 AVON LAKE RD, LODI, OH 44254 PHONE: (330) 948-1006 EMAIL: DOUG.FRANKBROS@GMAIL.COM W W W . F R A N K B R O T H E R S . C O M The Growing Concern | July 2020 | 19
REGISTRATION PL ANT GOLFER OF TH E M ON TH
August 6, 2020 Bob-O-Link Golf Course Avon, OH
4-person Scramble Assigned Tee Times starting at 9am (Tee times assigned - earliest to latest - based on order of registration.)
Each Golf Registration Includes: • • • • • • •
18 Holes of Golf Golf Cart Game Day Contests Continental Breakfast Lunch Dinner Beverages
20th Annual OLA Scholarship Golf Classic 2020 OLA SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC / REGISTRATION CLOSES 07/23/2020
(Make checks payable and send to: Ohio Landscape Association, 9240 Broadview Rd, Broadview Hts., OH 44147)
Firm _______________________________________________________ Contact ____________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ City ________________________________________________________________________ State ___________ Zip _______________ Phone (______)____________________ Fax (______)____________________ Email ___________________________________________
NAME OF GOLFER (Correct Name is Mandatory or Forfeit Shall Occur)
COMPANY
____________________________________________
___________________________________________________
2
____________________________________________
___________________________________________________
3
____________________________________________
___________________________________________________
4
____________________________________________
___________________________________________________
wName of Team Captain _____________________________
Email Address of Team Captain __________________________________
1
PAYMENT INFORMATION
Register Today!
...
On or Before July 16 - $100 per person After July 16 - $110 per person
Number of Golfers
____
X $ ___
= $ ______
Don’t Golf? Join us for dinner!
...
$30 each
Number of Dinner Only
____
X $30
= $ ______
Tee Sponsorship (includes signage)
...
$100
Number of Tees
____
X $100
= $ ______
TOTAL
Check No. (Enclosed)
Charge to my:
Acct. No. Name on Card
Exp. Date
MasterCard Visa AMEX Discover Security Code
Signature
Billing Address + Zipcode for Card
REGISTER ONLINE AT OHIOLANDSCAPERS.ORG/OLAGOLF
$ ______
GOLF SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES 2019 LIST OF SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC SPONSORS DINNER SPONSOR
TROPHIES SPONSOR
CLOSEST TO THE PIN SPONSOR
LUNCH SPONSOR
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST SPONSOR
CORNHOLE SPONSOR
COMMEMORATIVE GIFT SPONSOR
HOLE-IN-ONE SPONSOR
LONG PUTT CONTEST SPONSOR
GOLF POKER SPONSOR
LONG DRIVE CONTEST SPONSOR
DRIVING RANGE SPONSOR
BEVERAGE CART SPONSORS
Thank You
TO OUR MAJOR AND CONTEST SPONSORS Sponsorship Opportunities We are excited to be holding our 20th annual golf outing at Bob-O-Link Golf Course on August 6, 2020. But, we need your help to make it a success! This event helps to generate funding for our scholarship program, targeting qualified students interested in a vocation within the green industry. Call us to find out more about sponsorship features and benefits. Tee Sponsorships
(Your company name will appear on a sign at your designated tee)
Door Prize(s) Please Specify: Item(s) will be: shipped to OLA
$100
dropped off at OLA
Cash Donation $ Let us shop for you!
The OLA allows right of first refusal to those companies who sponsored the previous year’s event. We are currently contacting last year’s event sponsors concerning the 2020 event. Once their involvement has been confirmed, we will post an up-to-date list of available sponsorship opportunties in the June Issue of The Growing Concern, and online at https://www.ohiolandscapers.org/olagolf.html. For more info, you can also call the OLA office at 440.717.0002.
CONTACT INFORMATION Name Company Address City State
Zip Code
Phone Email Address
Payment Information
Check No. (Enclosed)
Charge to my:
Acct. No. Name on Card
Exp. Date
MasterCard Visa AMEX Discover Security Code
Signature
Billing Address + Zipcode for Card OLA SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC Make checks payable and send to: Ohio Landscape Association, 9240 Broadview Rd, Broadview Hts., OH 44147 Register online, by mail, by phone, or by fax: Phone 440-717-0002 or 1-800-335-6521 • Fax 440-717-0004 • www.ohiolandscapers.org
PL ANT OF TH E M ON TH
JIM FUNAI, LIC Cuyahoga Community College Unusual for a pine, the cones of Jack Pine normally point forward along the branch, sometimes curling around it.
SHELLEY FUNAI, LIC Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
PINUS BANKSIANA JACK PINE
It is estimated that prior to European expansion westward into Ohio, some 200 years ago, our state was mostly forested with somewhere between 90% to 95% of the land covered in trees. Pretty hard to imagine as you cruise down I-71, right? The 19th century brought rapid change to Ohio’s land use, with a solid 100 years of forest removal for industrial and agricultural purposes. By the early 1900s, our great state was decimated of tree cover, down to less than 10% of total area having been forested. Basically, we clear-cut the state of trees for financial gain and then continued west, doing the same to Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and so on. Kinda makes you question how we can shame farmers for cutting down the Amazon forest today, so that they can make money feeding the United States’ beef addiction, rather than supplying us with free oxygen – or not. Today, our state is holding steady at around 30% forested, mostly in the non-glaciated east, southeast and the northeast. So, what happened in the last 80 to 90 years that brought back 20% of our tree cover? Much like today, the 1920s and ’30s saw a drastic social and economic explosion that changed life as we knew it. The second industrial revolution pulled people
from the farms to the factories, as production was booming in our country. People gave up a life that followed the sun for a life controlled by the time clock. Following decades of boom, the Great Depression struck our world and caused rapid change. In respect to land use, many of those who had not already abandoned the farm quickly fled for the city to find work. continued on page 24
22 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
ROSE AT LAST® tried & true top performers!
Avon | Broadview | Hilliard WWW.PREMIERPLANTSOLUTIONS.COM
PL ANT OF TH E M ON TH
continued from page 22 Around that time, Ohio found a perfect opportunity to support the fledgling State Forestry Agency and teamed up with the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) to begin official survey and analysis of our forest cover in effort to execute plans to reforest the state. While nature was busy performing natural succession, slowly reclaiming abandoned farms and turning them back into forests, the Division of Forestry was hard at work planting and growing trees… trees for homeowners, landowners, state lands… wherever they could plant them and as many as possible.
This culture shift is evident today in the legacy plants surrounding our urban areas of various pines. Perhaps not the original plants from the efforts of the ’30s and ’40s, but lasting impressions of easy to grow and plant trees of the ’50s through the ’80s, and perhaps ’90s. We bet you’ve cut down a lot of Scotch and Austrian Pines due to Diplodia, or other fungal infections, but didn’t replace them with same species. It is a shame, because they are beautiful pines, and when used sparingly (to help prevent spread of fungal infection) may still be of value.
So, what trees were quick and easy to reproduce and grew quick enough to increase cover, reduce erosion, and protect habitat? Mostly pines. The Division of Forestry nurseries cranked out our native White Pine (Pinus strobis), non-native Austrian Pine (P. nigra), non-native Scotch Pine (P. sylvestris), and not-really Ohio native Red Pine (P. resinosa). This created a cultural shift within our nurseries and in the demand and use of trees in Ohio. What’s important to note is that the forest that was cut down originally was dominated by Oak (Quercus), Beech (Fagus), and Maple (Acer) throughout most of the state, with the northwest being dominated by Elm (Ulmus) and Ash (Fraxinus) through the boggy lowlands. Nevertheless, pines were easy to reproduce, fast to grow and better than nothing.
Pines are a beautiful type of tree – and shrub – and in their native stands create a vastly different, quieter, more prehistoric feeling forest. Like all landscape planning, pines do best in the landscape by being sited in the proper conditions and with a diversity of plants around them. Even windbreaks and screens should be made of at least 5 different species breaking up the mass effect.
24 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
This month, we introduce a pine that may find a great place in your landscape planning. Pinus banksiana, the Jack Pine, is a North American native pine, but not native to Ohio. This is one of the coldest hardy trees of North America, reaching just below the Arctic Circle through much of Canada and
Your Outdoor Living Headquarters 7500 Northfield Road • Walton Hills, OH 44146 into Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. There are some scatterings in Maine, as well. Surprisingly, this tree can be found in gardens into Zone 6, but any warmer and they just won’t make it. This is a two-needle pine with 2-inch long, yellow-green needles that have a slight curve. Leaves are held for 3 to 4 years, which helps keep the overall look of the pine fuller than those that drop after 2 years. Unlike most pines, this tree does not just grow in annual whorls. This pine will develop internodal branches – known as lammas growth – where the next year’s terminal growth buds open and develop during the current season. This also creates a denser looking pine than many. Expect a mature size in the 30 feet tall and wide range, with very quick growth in youth. The habit will be unique to each plant, usually kind of wild or shrubby looking, unless careful pruning guides it.
(440) 439-1040
www.masonsteel.com
it up North. Be mindful of White Pine Weevil, as it may attack this pine, though is easily treated. In the native range, this plant reseeds heavily, causing large colonies. This is only accomplished by forest fire with the cones waiting decades to release seed until a fire comes through and opens them to reforest the area. So, unless your client has a habit of burning their landscape down, you will not find this plant reseeding in the landscape! Think about adding this tree to a design where you need a little less formal shape with some pine tree/evergreen effect. Perhaps a client that likes the aesthetic of the Rockies? Mixing this with some Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) and some large boulder outcrops along a large stream, pond, or water feature will create an instant mountain scene! Jim Funai, PhD, is full-time faculty at Cuyahoga Community College, a
While this plant is extremely adaptable, there are three things you must avoid to keep it happy. No shade, no wet feet, and no heat. This is more of a suburban tree; the urban heat island will kill it. Wet soils will kill it. Shade will stunt it to useless. However, here, outside its native range, it likely won’t encounter the few insects and issues that cause problems for
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.
The Growing Concern | July 2020 | 25
F EATURE ARTI CLE
HOW MANY LANDSCAPING EMPLOYEES DO I NEED ?
CREATING BALANCE THROUGH LABOR FORECASTING
Do you ever wish you could predict the future? After all, planning for your company’s future when you have no idea what it holds is challenging. It can feel like quite a bit of pressure to make decisions that impact the future of your business (and its people) when you’re not sure what to base them on. It’s certainly no different when it comes to the important decisions related to hiring landscaping employees. If you’re experiencing a labor shortage, then you know you need to hire more workers. But chances are, you don’t know how many people you need and you’re not sure how to accurately figure it out. The last thing that you want to do is hire a bunch of people, burn through the work and then have to lay them off. With an experience like that, you’d worry if they’d ever come back! But you also don’t want to keep employees on staff and struggle to find things for them to do. If only you could develop some vital labor forecasting techniques that would help give you an idea of how many employees you really need. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to get a better grasp on labor forecasting. There’s no reason to be making these decisions in the dark when there are tools available to help you.
26 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
COMMON MISTAKES MADE WHEN HIRING Hiring too many employees—or too few—is a common mistake made by landscaping companies. So where do things usually go awry? There are definitely a few scenarios that will make hiring mistakes more likely. Here are some that landscape business owners have shared with us.
RELYING TOO HEAVILY ON H2-B If you’re like a lot of landscape companies, then you might rely on the H2-B program to make up for labor shortages. But as has been painfully demonstrated in the last few years, when the promised workers fail to come through for many companies, you may be left in a pinch. That’s why you need a back-up plan to recruit landscaping employees. You must be careful not to make the H2-B program your primary source of workers and put yourself in a position where you’re going to be unable to complete jobs if something falls through.
for
rcpw.com
Parts & Diagrams
sohars.com for
Equipment & Repair
(330) 467-1332
SALES
We sell only the highest quality products at our store, ones that you won’t find in box stores.
SERVICE
Not only are we an authorized service center for all of our equipment lines, but we are also authorized to perform warranty service for many other brands of equipment.
PARTS
Need a part? We’re here to help! We stock original (OEM) replacement parts for most major brands of outdoor power equipment. Aftermarket parts are also available for all brands of equipment.
WHERE IT ALL STARTS 600 HIGHLAND RD MACEDONIA OH, 44056
And More!
FAILING TO CONSIDER THE VARIABLES In 2018, for example, the rain was a huge variable. We had so much rain that many landscape companies ended up with a serious backlog of work that they were completely unable to keep up with. That led to an astronomical amount of overtime, most of which wasn’t accounted and/or planned for, and in turn really hurt profits for some. While there’s nothing that can be done to control the weather, you have to at least take that variable into account when making hiring decisions. Be prepared for tasks that your laborers can perform when they’re sitting around due to rain which will make you more efficient later (such as servicing vehicles and equipment). Have a plan and you’ll fare better when you’re faced with unwanted variables.
NOT STAYING ON TOP OF YOUR SALESPEOPLE’S PROMISES Another common mistake that we’ve seen impact hiring is when salespeople overpromise. Are promises being made that can’t be kept? It happens fairly often when landscape companies aren’t using any data to back up their decisions.
If your people are selling without any support from a tool such as labor forecasting software, then there’s a good chance they may be making dangerous guesses about just how much work can get finished. They don’t actually know if you have enough manpower to complete all the work they’ve sold in the time period in which they’ve sold it, and that can be a major problem that could leave you scrambling to find last-minute labor.
MAKING EDUCATED, DATA BASED DECISIONS While it’s true that many of these circumstances are unpredictable, your best bet in making smart hiring decisions still comes down to data. If you’re not analyzing your sales data and using it to help you predict the future, then all you’re doing is guessing and that can go miserably wrong. For instance, one of the best ways to know how much manpower you’ll need is to use labor forecasting software to take a look at your sales pipeline and get a strong sense of how much work is likely to actually come through. You should be looking at closing percentages as well as your opportunities to close. By looking at the work that has already been sold as well as the projected amount of additional work coming in, you can continued on page 28 The Growing Concern | July 2020 | 27
F E AT U R E A R T I C L E
continued from page 27 determine how many hours of labor you’ll need to get the work completed. Based on the time frame that the job was promised in, you can then forecast how many people you’re going to need to achieve those hours. You should also use landscape business management software to look at your history. Look at what you did in sales last year and how many hours were used. • • • •
How many people did you hire and during which months? How many people out of those hired did you retain? How many hours were budgeted vs. actually performed? Are there recurring maintenance contracts that will renew and require the same hours this year? • Are any routes or schedules changing? Do they need to? • Software can provide you with all of the data to answer these questions and make labor forecasting predictions.
A WORD ON EMPLOYEE RETENTION In talking to landscape business owners, they often tell us that one of their biggest fears is losing key foremen and other leaders in their company during the offseason. Those who have been successful in retaining these key employees are those that are able to provide job security during traditional downtime.
28 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
How exactly can you provide job security when there are no active landscape jobs? Obviously, if you’re a company that performs snow plowing then many of your employees will stay busy when it snows. But what if it is not snowing? Or, what if you don’t offer snow services? How can you keep your people employed, performing jobs that are actually beneficial to your company? The answer lies in forecasting other “winter projects” that you have planned ahead for within the company. While these will not have an immediate impact on profitability, landscape business owners tell us that they absolutely make an impact on efficiency, and that helps them in the long-term. Some of the common winter tasks that landscape business owners tell us are beneficial to complete in the offseason include the following. • • • •
Cleaning the shop Painting Equipment and vehicle maintenance Planning ahead with marketing efforts, sales strategies, and other “internal issues” such as scheduling and routing
Performing tasks like these during the offseason, rather than during the busy season, will allow you to focus solely on selling and getting jobs completed when the weather breaks. By planning ahead to keep your team members employed and busy, you’ll be able to do it in a way that doesn’t hurt your profitability but actually helps it in the long run. However, planning ahead is key. If you try to scramble to come up with jobs for your team to do once winter has already rolled around, chances are you might not have enough work to keep everyone busy. Spend time brainstorming and developing a quality list of tasks that can be performed, an idea of how long they’ll take to do, and who you can assign them to. Like anything in business, it helps to be prepared.
This article was written by Nanette Seven, Vice President of Include Software. Since the 1980s, Include Software has helped landscape companies make smart decisions that directly impact their profitability. Today, 250 companies throughout North America use their software to run successful organizations, making more money and reducing frustrations. For more information about Include Software, visit their website located at https://www.include.com.
Hours of Operation Monday thru Friday 8am-5pm Saturday 9am-2pm / CLOSED on Sunday Topsoil, Blended Soils, Premium Bark Mulch, Colored & Landscapers Choice Mulch, Seed, Sweet Peet, Straw, Fertilizer, Gravel, Limestone & Much More ALL OF YOUR LANDSCAPE PRODUCT NEEDS • Quick & Easy Loading for your pickup needs • Delivery to job sites • Open an account with us for “best pricing.”
4762 Ridge Rd., Wadsworth, Ohio 44281 (330) 864-8031 (330) 760-7301 www.fmlsupply.com / sales@fmlsupply.com The Growing Concern | July 2020 | 29
D I RECTI ON S
SANDY MUNLEY
Executive Director The Ohio Landscape Association
CERTIFICATION Last year, we let you know that The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) was permanently suspending their hands-on Landscape Industry Certified Technician (LIC) exterior exam. This decision was made, by NALP, in effort to make certification more accessible – not just limiting it to those with access to a hands-on testing site. (Historically, we offered this testing, every summer, in partnership with ONLA and OSU/ATI.) In 2020, the LIC exam has now been revised and will only be available as an all-written, online test, which should allow candidates to test for the exam anywhere. They may take the exam at home, or in the office, as long as they have a computer with a webcam and internet access. Unfortunately, if you were partially through the “old” test, you will need to start over again, from the beginning. There is currently no way to separate out the different sections, or “test problems,” that you may have already passed. The new format utilizes multiple choice, drag and drop, and video to formulate the questions on the exam. Candidates will be challenged to do things like watch a video and answer questions about the video, or drag and drop answers into a proper order, in addition to your typical multiple choice type questions.
30 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
There will still be (5) specialty areas to choose from: • Hardscape Installation • Softscape Installation • Ornamental Maintenance • Turf Maintenance, and • Irrigation To register for the exam, go to www.landscapeprofessionals. org/certified. Click on the Program Enrollment button and you are on your way to register. You can order study material on NALP’s website, or if you are not a member of NALP, we can order your study guides for you at NALP member pricing. Recertification will be necessary to maintain your credentials, just as it has been in the past. If you completed the handson test and are currently a Landscape Industry Certified Technician (LIC) your credential is still valid and maintained in the same manner. NALP requires 24 hours of continuing education every 2 years and a recertification fee. You can log into your account and add your CEUs from a portal on the NALP website. Certification sets you and your company apart as a true professional. Let’s keep raising the bar!
ADVERTI SI N G I N D E X
15
A-1 Power Equipment
11
Abraxus Royalton Landscape Supply
19
Acme Fence & Lumber
17
Botson Insurance Group, Inc.
6
Buyansky Brothers Landscape Materials
Custom Cut Stone Fabrication
11
Davis Tree Farm & Nursery, Inc.
13
Earth N’ Wood Landscape Supply Center
Valley City Supply specializes in custom cut limestone and sandstone fabrication and engraving. SAVE on time and labor and let our expert stone fabricators help put the finishing touches on your projects!
29
Fairlawn Medina Landscape Supply
19
Frank Brothers Landscape Supply
◆ Wall & Pillar Caps ◆ Step Treads ◆ Hearth Stones
◆ Pool Coping ◆ Fire Pit Caps ◆ Water Feature Spillways
5
Klyn Nurseries, Inc.
29
Kurtz Bros., Inc.
25
Mason Structural Steel, Inc.
15
O’Reilly Equipment
23
Premier Plant Solutions
27
Sohar’s / RCPW, Inc.
15 Three-Z-Inc. 31 Call Today! 330-483-3400 • ValleyCitySupply.com
Valley City Supply
9
VanCuren Tree Services, Inc.
2
VanCuren / All Organic Mulch
13
Zoresco Equipment Company The Growing Concern | July 2020 | 31
9240 Broadview Road Broadview Hts., OH 44147-2517
07/20
ENTER TODAY ENTER TODAY
BECOME A
Landscape Industry Certified Exterior Technician
The Ohio Landscape Association (OLA) is proud to partner with the National Association of Landscape Professionals to promote the new Landscape Industry Certified Exterior Technician program. Please be sure to select the OLA as your Referring Partner when enrolling.
WHY CERTIFY?
An NALP certification is:
• A globally recognized certification • A distinction of excellence that sets you apart from the others • An investment that is guaranteed to have a positive return
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Landscape Industry Certified Exterior Technician program is the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) flagship program for the lawn and landscape industry and is highly sought after as an essential credential nationwide. The Exterior Technician program has five (5) specialty areas:
• • • • •
Hardscape Installation Irrigation Ornamental Maintenance Softscape Installation Turf Maintenance
The exam has moved to an all-written, online platform which removes the barriers to access and makes the test available to everyone. Exam candidates enroll online and test from the convenience of a home or work computer: Anywhere, Anytime.
To learn more or enroll, please visit landscapeprofessionals.org/certified
