Issuu

Growing Concern

The

NOVEMBER 2015

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

Annual Meeting November 19, 2015 PAGE 7

Dormant Pruning Clinics December 1, 2015 – NE Ohio

December 3, 2015 – Central Ohio PAGE 30

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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

THE PROFITABLE “S” WORD

STEVE MOORE S.A.M. Landscaping, Inc.

Preparations should be long underway or nearly complete for everyone involved in snow and ice management. Three things come to mind when I think about snow: 1) Are we prepared? 2) Are we making money? 3) When is it going to stop? Why lie, we normally aren’t 100% prepared until the night before the first snow. I am always a little nervous and worried about the logistics of the first snow event of the season.

There is no reason to work long hours and beat up your equipment and staff only to break even.

Here are two of the latest forecasts for this coming winter:

with where the owner parks their car can be a real plus. You will want to make sure that spot is always clean.

NOAA.com: Ohio – Government forecasters announced today that a strong El Nino developing in the Pacific Ocean could have a temperate effect on winter in the Midwest, possibly bringing less precipitation and warmer-than-normal temperatures to Ohio. Farmer’s Almanac: The winter of 2015–2016 is looking like a repeat of last winter, at least in terms of temperatures with unseasonably cold conditions over the Atlantic Seaboard, including eastern portions of the Great Lakes which include Ohio. In other words, count on it snowing and count on it melting at some point. In preparation for winter, many companies not only prepare their equipment and staff but they also prepare their customer. Talking to your customer about their property prior to the snow piling up can save a lot of headaches at a later date. Finding out a client’s business opening and closing times, along

A few things to keep in mind when servicing your accounts include the location of fire lanes, fire hydrants, dumpsters, and emergency exits. When customers find that you have blocked one or all of the above, they get a little upset . . . and rightfully so! To avoid confusion, many companies will provide their drivers with a map of the properties. Often these maps show where to push the snow and obstacles within the area. Other companies have area managers to double check that all the work was done properly. However your company functions, preparations are always important. I always want to make sure we are profitable. There is no reason to work long hours and beat up your equipment and staff only to break even. Over the years, I have heard so many people say that they “barely pay the bills during the winter months or make just continued on page 6 The Growing Concern x November 2015 x 3

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 5 W W W. O H I O L A N D S C A P E R S . O R G

OHIO’S PROFESSIONAL GREEN I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I 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 or www.myohiolandscape.com REGULAR WRITERS Michael J. Donnellan, King Financial, Inc. Jim Funai, COLP, Cuyahoga Community College Shelley Funai, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Sandy Munley, Ohio Landscape Association Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, Bobbie’s Green Thumb Steve Moore, S.A.M. Landscaping, Inc.

ON THE COVER — Landscape Ohio! Award Entry – Yard Solutions, Inc.

FEATURES

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

The Profitable “S” Word

FISCAL FITNESS

SIMPLE IRA Plans

FOR SAFETY SAKE

Win The Safety Lottery In Your Green Industry Business This Year

ADVERTISING INFORMATION Submission deadline: 10th of month prior to publication month. For advertising rates, please call 1-800-335-6521 DISCLAIMER The Ohio Landscape Association, its board of directors, staff and the editor of The Growing Concern neither endorse any product(s) or attest 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 Steve Moore President-Elect Bryan Taynor

Cotoneaster – Not a Disaster

PLANT OF THE MONTH

Treasurer Cathy Serafin, ASLA, RLA

PERENNIAL FOCUS

Immediate Past President Joe Twardzik, CID

Drought Tolerant Perennials

26 USE PRODUCTION HOURS WHEN ESTIMATING YOUR WORK

DIRECTIONS

Milestones

INSIDE EVERY ISSUE

6 33

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS ADVERTISING INDEX

OLA STAFF Executive Director Sandy Munley Communications and Events Manager Darlene Hess Membership Coordinator Sue Whitlam

DIRECTORS Eric Brubeck, ASLA Adam Capiccioni Jacob Grimm Nathan Kowalsick Marie McConnell

CALENDAR OF EVENTS U P C O M I N G O L A M E E T I N G S , E D U C AT I O N S E M I N A R S A N D O T H E R G R E E N I N D U S T R Y E V E N T S

NOVEMBER

OLA Annual Meeting NOVEMBER 19, 2015 This meeting will feature Charles VanderKooi as he delivers “Three Cultures That Run Through All Successful Companies.” This meeting will be held at St. Michael’s Woodside in Broadview Hts., OH. For information, contact OLA at 1-800-335-6521, or visit OhioLandscapers.org.

DECEMBER

OLA Pruning – NE Ohio DECEMBER 1, 2015 Learn proper pruning techniques to promote plant health and control the size of plant material. Classroom and outdoor hands-on session included. Hosted by Willoway Nurseries in Avon, OH. Participants will receive pruning tools compliments of AM Leonard. For information, contact OLA at 1-800-335-6521, or visit OhioLandscapers.org.

OLA Pruning – Central Ohio DECEMBER 3, 2015 Learn proper pruning techniques to promote plant health and control the size of plant material. Classroom and outdoor hands-on session included. Hosted by Willoway Nurseries in Hilliard, OH. Participants will receive pruning tools compliments of AM Leonard. For information, contact OLA at 1-800-335-6521, or visit OhioLandscapers.org.

OTF Trade Show DECEMBER 8-10, 2015 49th Annual OTF Conference and Trade Show now featuring the OSU Green Industry Short Course! Held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. OLA is partnering with OTF for this event, and OLA members will receive member pricing on this event! Visit the OLA Booth at this show! For more information, contact OTF at 614-285-4683, or visit OTFShow.org.

OLA Drainage Workshop – NE Ohio DECEMBER 15, 2015 Learn the latest techniques and products in drainage in this design and basic installation workshop. Held at Wolf Creek Company in Oakwood Village. For information, contact OLA at 1-800-335-6521, or visit OhioLandscapers.org.

OLA Drainage Workshop – Central Ohio DECEMBER 17, 2015 Learn the latest techniques and products in drainage in this design and basic installation workshop. Held at Wolf Creek Company in Columbus. For information, contact OLA at 1-800-335-6521, or visit OhioLandscapers.org.

Landscape Ohio! Awards Program Entry Deadline DECEMBER 11, 2015 All submissions are due in the OLA office by 5 pm. No Exceptions! Be sure to enter Ohio’s most prestigious landscape enhancement awards program. Winning projects are featured in Landscape Ohio! Magazine, a supplement to Ohio Magazine and Cleveland Magazine. For more information, contact OLA at 1-800-335-6521, or visit OhioLandscapers.org.

JANUARY

CENTS Trade Show and Conference JANUARY 11-13, 2016 Visit the OLA booth at CENTS. Held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. For more information about the show, contact the ONLA at 800-825-5062.

OLA Meeting JANUARY 21, 2016 Back by Popular Demand – Roundtable Discussions. This meeting will be held at St. Michael’s Woodside in Broadview Hts., OH. For information, contact OLA at 1-800-335-6521, or visit OhioLandscapers.org.

FEBRUARY

Great Big Home and Garden Show FEBRUARY 5 - 14, 2016 Visit the OLA garden at the Great Big Home and Garden consumer show at the I-X Center in Cleveland, OH. featuring home improvement and landscape solutions for homeowners. Members are invited to help build and staff the OLA garden. For information on the show, visit greatbighomeandgarden.com.

MARCH

OLA Meeting MARCH 10, 2016 Jeffrey Scott will be joining us to help kick off your spring season! This meeting will be held at St. Michael’s Woodside in Broadview Hts., OH. For information, contact OLA at 1-800-335-6521, or visit OhioLandscapers.org.

The Growing Concern x November 2015 x 5

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN continued from pg 3

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enough to just get by.” I hate to be rude, but either they aren’t prepared or don’t know what it actually costs them to perform per hour, per piece of equipment, or per storm. And yes, all of those are part of being prepared…know your direct costs! When is the snow going to stop? This is the question we will all be asking ourselves the first week of March. At this point the only thing we have to look forward to is a possible El Nino, whatever that will mean to Ohio’s weather, and attending events provided by the OLA, such as the upcoming November meeting featuring Charles VanderKooi as he presents “Three Cultures That Run Through All Successful Companies,” our January Meeting that will include the opportunity to learn from your peers in roundtable discussions, and our March Meeting that will feature Jeffrey Scott. Other events over the winter months are currently being prepared. Check our website for updates!

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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

The Ohio Landscape Association is delighted to welcome the following new members to the association: REGULAR MEMBER:

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS:

DISTINCT DESIGNS RESIDENTIAL ENHANCEMENT

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STUDENT MEMBERS: KNOX COUNTY CAREER CENTER Cody Bevington Jonathan Brooks Roger Douglas Brown III Mark Davidson Brock Denman Hailey Fultz

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TOLLES CAREER AND TECHNICAL CENTER Garret Buehl Armando Cardone Yusef Kesnk

6 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

Philip Lichwa Austin Long Colton Perdue

James Timmons Alec Wendel

OLA ANNUAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT THREE CULTURES THAT RUN THROUGH ALL SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES. November 19, 2015 Featuring

Charles Vander Kooi Vander Kooi and Associates

Financial success is no accident. It takes building the right culture with your organization and executing a good plan to succeed.

Charles Vander Kooi

will share with us the three cultures that he has witnessed in every successful and profitable landscape company that he has dealt with. Join us to learn what these three cultures are and find out if you are on the track to success or if you need to make some changes in the way your company runs. Charles has been involved in the construction industry for over 4 decades as an estimator and upper-management employee of companies as well as a professional speaker and consultant. He has bid over a billion dollars in work over his career. As a private consultant, he has helped over 1,500 companies in their estimating/bidding systems and has lectured to over 200,000 people nationally and internationally. This presentation promises to be informational and entertaining. Please join us for a session that might change the future of your business!

7:00 pm to 7:30 pm OLA Annual Meeting

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FREE to OLA Members NON-Members $30

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FISCAL FITNESS

MICHAEL J. DONNELLAN King Financial, Inc.

SIMPLE IRA PLANS SIMPLE IRA Plans (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) allows employees and employers to contribute to traditional IRAs set up for employees. It is ideally suited as a start-up retirement savings plan for small employers not currently sponsoring a retirement plan. SIMPLE IRA plans can provide a significant source of income at retirement by allowing employers and employees to set aside money in retirement accounts. SIMPLE IRA plans do not have the start-up and operating costs of a conventional retirement plan. • A vailable to any small business – generally with 100 or fewer employees • Easily established by adopting Form 5304-SIMPLE, 5305-SIMPLE, a SIMPLE IRA prototype or an individually designed plan document • Employer cannot have any other retirement plan • No filing requirement for the employer

• C ontributions: o Employer is required to contribute each year either a: • M atching contribution up to 3% of compensation (not limited by the annual compensation limit), or • 2% nonelective contribution for each eligible employee o Under the “nonelective” contribution formula, even if an eligible employee doesn’t contribute to his or her SIMPLE IRA, that employee must still receive an employer contribution to his or her SIMPLE IRA equal to 2% of his or her compensation up to the annual limit o E mployees may elect to contribute o E mployee is always 100% vested in (or, has ownership of ) all SIMPLE IRA money continued on page 10

8 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

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The Growing Concern x November 2015 x 9

FISCAL FITNESS continued from pg 8 Employee salary contribution limits for the 2015 tax year are $12,500 and a catch-up provision of $3,000 for employees 50 years of age or older. SIMPLE IRA plan contributions can be put into stocks, mutual funds and other similar types of investments. The investment options available at the institution where the SIMPLE IRA is located will determine what kinds of investment choices are available to the employee as he or she makes decisions about investing his or her SIMPLE IRA accounts. Employers and employees will receive a statement from the financial institutions investing your SIMPLE IRA plan contributions both at the time you make the first SIMPLE IRA plan contributions and at least once a year after that. Each institution must provide a plain-language explanation of any fees and commissions it imposes on SIMPLE IRA assets.

SIMPLE IRA plans do not have the start-up and operating costs of a conventional retirement plan. More information can be found at the Small Business Administrationâ€™s website at www.sba.gov or the IRS website at www.irs.gov. Discuss your options with your tax and financial advisors. If you would like a free consultation regarding your current plan or if you are looking to establish a new plan, feel free to call.

Michael J. Donnellan is President of King Financial, Inc., in Strongsville, Ohio specializing in stock selection and retirement planning. Feel free to contact him

In review, SIMPLE IRAs offer small business employers and employees many benefits. They are easy and inexpensive to set up and operate. Employees share responsibility for their retirement. No discrimination testing is required. On the other hand, they may not be the best plan for employers in certain circumstances, mainly because of the inflexible contributions and lower contribution limits than some other retirement plans.

10 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

with any questions or comments. Phone number (440) 878-9676.

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FOR SAFETY SAKE

WIN THE SAFETY LOTTERY IN YOUR GREEN INDUSTRY BUSINESS THIS YEAR BY DAVID CRARY, HINDSITE SOFTWARE Have you won the lottery lately? No? Well, somebody did. In fact, more than one person wins every year. Unfortunately, most people do not win the lottery. In fact, you’re much more likely to get struck by lightning than to win the lottery. How does this apply to safety? Well, it’s simple: many people don’t follow safety procedures because they don’t think they will get hurt. They’ve mowed lawns or trimmed bushes a million times without getting hurt, so they think they don’t have to be careful. What they’re forgetting is one simple fact: more than 230,000 people get hurt every year in the U.S. using lawn and garden tools. Just as someone will eventually win the Powerball, many more people are likely to be injured while doing the tasks that the workers in your green industry business perform every day. Let’s look at how we can help prevent your workers from becoming one of those statistics, and protect your business from the hardship that would follow.

Provide checklists for your crew leaders to make sure that safety rules are followed every day by every worker. 1. ESTABLISH AND ENFORCE SAFETY RULES Make sure you have a written rulebook of the safety procedures for your green-industry business. Create these rules based on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s safety manual. Ensure that all your workers know how people can get hurt doing the tasks they are doing. Then, make sure they know how to prevent those accidents. Also, never allow employees to work if they don’t have their safety equipment, such as sturdy, slip-resistant shoes, safety glasses, ear protection or gloves. Provide checklists for your crew leaders to make sure that safety rules are followed every day by every worker. Inform your workers of the continued on page 14

12 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

OLA EDUCATION SERIES

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December 15, 2015

December 17, 2015

8:30 am to 12:00 pm

Held at Wolf Creek Company

Instructed by Brad Guggenbiller & Joe Twardzik, CID

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Learn to use the latest techniques and products in drainage to your advantage in this design and basic installation workshop. Whether you are new to drainage or have been offering it for years, discover how you can make drainage a profitable part of your company’s services. You will learn how to solve problem drainage areas using: • Catch Basins and Grates Qualifies for 3.5 CEUs for Landscape Industry Certified

• Gravel Free French Drains • Manufactured Dry Wells • Trench Drain Systems You will be shown how to “control” the water on a property using the latest technology in order to complete your drainage installation with less labor and more profits.

Cancellations made 8 to 14 days prior to the course start date will be subject to a 30% cancellation fee. NO refunds 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. December 15th Workshop - Oakwood Village

December 17th - Columbus

OLA Members $ 69

NON Members $ 99

OLA Members $ 99

NON Members $ 129

Firm Address City Phone (______)

Contact State Fax (______)

NAME OF ATTENDEE

Zip

Email FEE

more than one attendee may appear on a line

 Check No. ___________ Enclosed

Charge to my

 MasterCard

 Visa

Acct. No.

OAKWOOD COLUMBUS OAKWOOD COLUMBUS

TOTAL DUE

Exp. Date

Name on Card

Signature

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Last Three Digits on Signature Line

DRAINAGE WORKSHOP Make checks payable and send to: Ohio Landscape Association, 9240 Broadview Rd, Broadview Hts., OH 44147 Register online, by mail, by phone or fax: Phone 440-717-0002 or 1-800-335-6521 • Fax 440-717-0004 • www.ohiolandscapers.org

FOR SAFETY SAKE continued from pg 12 disciplinary action that will follow any failure to meet safety standards. Make sure you follow with the rules every time, so your employees know how important the rules are.

2. HAVE A SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAM Regularly train your employees on your safety practices and rules. Hold a safety meeting once per week or month to demonstrate a safety procedure and review what your workers have done well and what could use more work. Show them real-world examples of what can happen if those safety procedures aren’t followed. Our 2015 Green Industry Benchmark Report showed that businesses that don’t have recurring formal staff training are less likely to experience revenue growth. Make sure all employees are trained carefully using the four-step method: trainer explains how to do the task safely, trainer shows how to do the task safely, trainee explains how to do the task safely, trainee shows how to do the task safely while the trainer observes. Don’t forget to reward your employees for following safety procedures.

3. LOWER THE EMR OF YOUR BUSINESS Experience modification rate (EMR) is a number calculated by insurance companies to gauge the probability of future injuries at your business. This number determines how much you will pay for worker compensation insurance. It is based on how dangerous an industry you work in and how many work injuries have been reported in your business over a three year period. An EMR of 1.0 is considered the industry average. Implementing and following a thorough plan for keeping your employees safe will lower the likelihood of injury and keep your EMR low. This will save you lots of money on your worker compensation insurance. An injury will increase your EMR for three years, so don’t wait until someone gets hurt to start worrying about your EMR. Plan today to keep your employees safe.

4. KNOW AND UNDERSTAND OSHA’S NEW REPORTING REQUIREMENTS On January 1, 2015, OSHA changed their reporting requirements. The new rules state that employers must report any work-related employee in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of eye within 24 hours of learning of the situation. Also, employers must report to OSHA within eight hours of learning of any work-related employee death. Make sure to keep up with all required OSHA reporting and recordkeeping for your industry. Check out their webpage (www.osha.gov/employers/) to learn more about the new requirements and safety help they provide.

14 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

Work-related injuries are very common. You can lower the chances of your employees getting injured by creating a great safety program at your green industry business. Keep your operating costs low by preventing employee injuries and high worker-compensation insurance premiums. If you keep your employees safe, you will be putting money in your pocket that might have gone to insurance premiums or lawsuits. This is how you can win the “safety lottery” every year. David Crary is founder of HindSite Software LLC in St. Paul, Minnesota. HindSite provides paperless solutions for service industry companies to manage and streamline their business. His irrigation business struggled with paper work orders and timesheet management, killing his growth. After 10 years of pulling out his hair, he decided to invest in a technology solution. It worked so well at solving his paperwork problems and growing his business that he decided to sell it to other service businesses facing similar issues. And HindSite was born. To learn more, visit www.hindsitesoftware.com or phone 1-888-271-4076

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The Growing Concern x November 2015 x 15

PLANT OF THE MONTH

JIM FUNAI, COLP, LIC Cuyahoga Community College

SHELLEY FUNAI, LIC Cotoneaster horizontalis

Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens

COTONEASTER – NOT A DISASTER

Fashion trends are funny aren’t they? Any time you look at how we dressed in decades past you just have to laugh and wonder, how did we think that looked good? In theory, the function of the clothing has always been the same – to cover up the bits and pieces and provide protection from various environmental conditions. We’d add comfort in there as well, but looking at some fashion trends this may not be part of the equation (neither one of us has an extensive high heel collection, but we’re pretty sure they aren’t worn for their wonderful comfort!). Fashion trends seem to have a way of coming full circle as well. A new generation comes along and decides they want to go against the current trends and often draw inspiration, if not outright copying, from trends of the past. Have you ever noticed we have the same habit of jumping onto trends in the plant world? How many roses did you plant in the 90s? How many did you plant in the 2000s? Granted, Knock Out Rose was an improvement on many of the shrub roses available, but we had some pretty good options prior that simply fell out of favor. Victorian gardens were ripe with hydrangeas and lilacs which eventually gave way to other shrubs. However, look at the Proven Winners catalog now and they’ve certainly been spending a lot of time pushing these “new” plants. Well, this month, we’re talking about a group of plants that had quite a heavy rotation through the 1980s and 1990s (perhaps longer

16 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

It is a good organic soil, that stays moist but drains excess water … and full sun that make most of the family of Roseaceae do their best. in some circles) — the cotoneasters. Lacking a common name, all we have ever called these plants are Cotoneaster (ko – tone – e – ASS – ter) also sometimes, mistakenly, called “Cotton Easter.” We’d bet that a number of our readers rolled their eyes when they saw we are writing about Cotoneaster. Perhaps due to experience with the plant, perhaps due to peer influence about the (over)use of this plant. Like most fashion trends, Cotoneaster found itself so popular continued on page 18

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PLANT OF THE MONTH continued from pg 16 for a time that it was part of every homes “outfit.” It is easy to see how overused the plant was when reading through any of Dr. Dirr’s entries on the group of plants. He all but condemns the entire genus for no other reason than it is overused. He claims issues with fireblight (Erwinia amylovora) as well, but that is likely a condition of overuse. (Which ALWAYS leads to putting plants in less than ideal conditions, stresses them, and makes them susceptible to pest issues.) Like all plants, Cotoneaster has its uses, as well as its limitations. For any of the available species we would recommend planting in very well-drained soils. These are members of Roseaceae (apple, rose, spirea, pear, plum, cherry, and peach) and we know that this family is temperamental about planting sites. Drought conditions are not ideal nor are wet soils; these extremes stress the plants and open the door for diseases such as fireblight. Have you noticed the heavy onslaught of fireblight (especially in your flowering pears) this year? Think about that crazy wet spring we had. The wet spring stressed the plants into having a tough time fighting off the disease. The same applies to Cotoneaster. We’d recommend giving the plants as much sun as possible as well. It is a good organic soil, that stays moist but drains excess water (has lots of oxygen) and full sun that make most of the family of Roseaceae do their best. While there are at least several hundred species of Cotoneaster in the world we only have a small selection available for use in the Midwestern garden. Many of the species are large shrubs and small trees but these species do not do well in our (too cold and/ or too humid) climate. Cotoneaster apiculatus – Cranberry Cotoneaster This species grows the tallest reaching a maximum of two to three feet and spreading out up to six feet. If you are looking for a slightly taller groundcover option, this makes a great choice. Planting them about four feet on center allows quick coverage of an area, especially at the top of a wall or on a slope. This species has a late spring bloom of small pink flowers followed by a strong red fruit display in late summer. Many types of wildlife are fans of the fruits (think of them as tiny, tart red apples) and will pull many of them off by snowfall. Fall color is a sporadic turn from green glossy leaves to beautiful bright red. Cotoneaster dammeri – Bearberry Cotoneaster Receiving its common name as a nod to a similar looking plant, Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) this cotoneaster usually stays under 24 inches tall and four to five feet wide. There are likely two cultivars you will come across. ‘Coral Beauty’ is a fast grower that may hold onto some leaves well into winter. Fruits are more persistent as well, while fall color is not as impressive. ‘Lowfast’ is condemned by Dirr as practically junk, but we’ve found that planted in the right site, as mentioned above, this cultivar is great. Growing to perhaps 18 inches it makes a very fast growing

18 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

groundcover that arches over itself looking similar to many of the groundcover junipers, but with bright red fruits lasting into winter. Cotoneaster horizontalis – Rockspray Cotoneaster The straight species may be harder to find, but will be the largest of the cotoneasters available topping out as a mid-sized shrub around six to eight feet tall and wide. More likely available is the cultivar ‘Perpusillus’ which shrinks the species down to 24 inches tall with long sprays of branches reaching out to five feet. This species has a unique architecture to the branches resembling a herringbone pattern of smaller branches perfectly spaced and parallel to each other at a 30 degree angle. All three of these species are of some garden value to us. Your native-only fanatical client is not your target as all three are native to western and central China and were introduced in the early 1900s to trade. In their native habitats they face less humidity than they are likely to find here and for that reason we also recommend you plant them in a location with good airflow. Tucking them under an ornamental tree is probably not a great idea. Some of the best plantings we have encountered involve the use of a wall – either planted on top and allowed to weep over, or planted at the bottom and allowed to “self-espalier” up the wall. Perhaps do both! A common complaint regurgitated by many is what lead to the name “Cotoneaster Disaster.” These are dense shrubs with very tight branching and hovering very low at the ground. Trash and fall leaves can become a concern as the plants have a slight Velcro effect on them. It isn’t that hard to take the backpack blower to them and dislodge the majority of leaves. If you find a client who is quite particular about a blemish-free landscape (can nature even do that?) these should not be part of the discussion. Perhaps, the better discussion to have is helping clients adjust their expectations of nature and finding the beauty in her “imperfections.” Do we really need to keep acting like we can control everything? Relax about the couple of leaves stuck in the shrub and enjoy the awesome beauty we just created for you! We are professional landscapers and can do darn near anything… except make nature succumb to our client’s beck and call. Help them understand that in your discussions.

Jim Funai is full-time faculty at Cuyahoga Community College, a NALP accredited associate of applied science in horticulture degree program offering many paths to higher education in the green industry. He is pursuing a PhD in Landscape Engineering and Forestry and is a Licensed Arborist. Shelley Funai is Grounds Manager at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio that offers a historic estate designed by Warren H. Manning and a beautiful manor house museum. She is Landscape Industry Certified in Ornamental Plant Care. Both are graduates of The Ohio State University. Contact Jim and Shelley via email at hortsquad@gmail.com.

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6126 Neff Rd. Valley City, OH PH: 330-483-3324 Fax: 330-483-4483 The Growing Concern x November 2015 x 19

DoN’T ForGET The Time is Now to Take Photos of Your Jobs! Rules and Entry Forms Available Now! visit www.ohiolandscapers.org or call the OLA at 1-800-335-6521 Entries are due Friday, December 11th by 5 pm at the OLA office.

TIPS To ENTEr Fight the Urge to Procrastinate • Keep designs current and show the job as it was actually installed. • Take pictures throughout the different seasons-especially if entering for seasonal color! • Always carry a camera with you. It is easier than finding time to get back at a later date and missing that perfect photo opportunity. • Take plenty of shots so that you can submit the very best. • Take pictures early enough so that you have time to shoot again if needed. • Take before and after shots from the same location. Let the Picture Tell the Story • Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words. • If you framed a great view, created an outdoor room or have a great focal point, allow the picture to show it. • Use appropriate lighting - Judges can’t make out details of dark or bleached out pictures. Morning, late afternoon, or cloudy days are often better for your photo shoot. Allow the Jobs to Mature • Sometimes a season or two of growth on plants or aging of fresh cut stone can make an average job a great one. (Make sure that the project is maintained.) • Projects that are up to 5 years old qualify to enter. Help the Project Look "Lived In" • You created an outdoor room. If the grill is in the garage, move it out to the patio. If the table umbrella is closed, open it. Cushions can also add color and warmth. • Also, an empty bench or table looks better with a pitcher of iced tea and a pair of drinking glasses on it. Tidy Up Before You Shoot • Remove any debris or clutter such as litter, leaves, garbage cans, children’s toys or hoses. • Shoot High - Shoot Low • Sometimes the angle of a shot can make a nice picture even better. • Be creative - take aerial shots from a ladder or rooftop, but remember to put safety first! • Shoot low to the ground or from inside a planting bed with the tops of a tree, shrub, or some flowers framing the picture.

Sell the Project • Explain how you solved a unique problem, met some unusual challenge, or worked out a difficult client request. • Be sure to note if you feel one part of the garden is of questionable taste, but was a client’s desire or own addition. • If you enter a project in more than one category, always write a new description that relates to the category and describes details relevant to that category. Make the Judges' Job Easy • Your photos and descriptions should represent the work you did on the property. Work done by others should not be the focal point of your entry photos and descriptions. • Be very concise and to the point in the descriptions of your project. Do not exceed the word limits, but do tell your story. However, be sure to explain your project thoroughly. Saying only “view from the east, view from the west, etc.” does not help the judges understand your project. • Make sure that designs are readable and that the photos are in their proper sequence. Think BIG • Even the smallest of jobs can be an award winner! • Occasionally, it may be advantageous to enter a particular section of a larger project. • Be confident! If you have never entered in the past, don’t be intimidated. Never, Never, Never Quit • If at first you don’t succeed, try again. • Network with association members and others who have entered projects in the past.

Ohio's most prestigious landscape enhancement awards program. Winning projects will be featured in the Spring/Summer 2016 Landscape Ohio! Magazine â€” a supplement to Ohio Magazine and Cleveland Magazine. Entrants will be invited to join us in March 2016 for a dinner and awards presentation.

9240 Broadview Road Broadview Heights, OH 44147 Phone: 440-717-0002 Toll Free: 1-800-335-6521 Fax: 440-717-0004 OhioLandscapers.org MyOhioLandscape.com

dEadLinE TO EnTER dEcEMBER 11, 2015 Rules, Regulations, and Entry Forms Available Now.

PERENNIAL FOCUS

BOBBIE SCHWARTZ, FAPLD Bobbie’s Green Thumb

DROUGHT TOLERANT PERENNIALS Over the years, most of my gardens have been heavily amended with organic material but when we changed our asphalt driveway to concrete and replaced rotting timbers with sandstone blocks, I gained a foot of gardening space the length of the driveway. Like any normal gardener, who always wants to grow plants not heretofore possible, I filled this new space with gravel and builder’s sand to create a strip with perfect drainage. The key to growing plants that love sunny, dry conditions is not zone hardiness but perfect drainage. Many of these plants are cold hardy but their roots rot during our wet winters. I always wanted to grow lavender but the only one that ever survived was the one thriving in a crack in the old asphalt driveway. I lost that one when the building inspector wouldn’t give me a variance for the cracks. I, therefore, determined that my new swath

22 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

of bed would ensure the survival of the lavender that I would plant. Several years ago, when I was visiting Provence, I stepped out of the car and walked into a field of lavender. That experience was an “Ah-ha!” moment; the lavender was growing in a bed of broken stone. Since then, I’ve discovered expanded aggregates like Haydite and Turface that are even better than sand and gravel. continued on page 24

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The Growing Concern x November 2015 x 23

PERENNIAL FOCUS continued from pg 22 I now grow an array of sun plants, mostly perennials and ornamental grasses that are drought tolerant. This part of my garden is colorful from early spring through late fall and still has structural interest with a bit of color during the winter. In April, the north end of my driveway bed features the variegated foliage of Yucca ‘‘Color Guard’ and the rose flowers of the evergreen Arabis caucasica ‘Compinkie,’ the bright yellow flowers of Euphorbia polychroma, the soft lavender flowers of Phlox subulata, and the purple tulip ‘Shirley.’ The foliage of each of these components is different. The leaves of Arabis are soft and fuzzy, those of the Euphorbia are oval and shine, and those of the Phlox are small and linear. In June, when the Yucca blooms and in the fall when the foliage of Euphorbia polychroma ‘Bonfire’ turns maroon, this area will be a focal point again. All of these perennials must have well-drained soil. In late May, color moves to the middle and south end of the bed where the white and yellow Iris siberica ‘Snow Queen’ is finishing but Allium nigrum, Aquilegia vulgaris pink, red Penstemon barbatus, and orange Papaver orientale ‘Pizzicato’ are just hitting their stride. The perennials in this grouping are drought tolerant and need good drainage but, with the exception of the penstemon, they will also survive in soil that is irrigated. Penstemon barbatus is one of my favorites for long lasting color that hits you in the eye. The orangey-red, tubular flowers bloom in flushes from late May until mid-September. Just cut the stalks back to the base when they have no color left to encourage new stalks.

24 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

The key to growing plants that love sunny, dry conditions is not zone hardiness but perfect drainage. I like to mix late spring and early summer bulbs with my perennials for additional color. Most of the alliums are particularly drought tolerant and, in fact, disappear, if they are too wet during the summer. Allium nigrum has white, golf ball-sized heads on two-foot stems and mix well with everything. My pink columbine was a seedling from a client’s garden that continues to thrive and seed throughout my garden. In late June, color moves further south in the bed with seedlings of double coral Papaver somniferum (Opium Poppy), the yellow Verbascum bombyciferum ‘Polarsommer,’ yellow Echinacea paradoxa, blue Platycodon, and the purple foliaged Sedum ‘Black Jack.’ Anyone who sees my Verbascum wants to know its identity because it is so spectacular. It has very large fuzzy silver leaves and the flowering stalk grows six feet tall. Unlike most Echinacea, this one has petals that droop. I’ve now taken you through the first half of the growing season with several drought tolerant sun perennials. You’ll have to wait until 2016 for the continuation of the performance.

Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, owner of Bobbie’s Green Thumb in Shaker Hts., Ohio, is a landscape designer, consultant, free-lance 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 currently serves as chair of the ONLA Plant Selection Committee. Bobbie can be reached at (216) 752-9449.

www.willowaynurseries.com Corporate Offices / Main Nursery 4534 Center Road Avon, Ohio 44011-0299 Email: sales@willowaynurseries.com Toll Free: 866-934-4435 / Fax: 440-934-5826

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Columbus

6981 Scioto Darby Creek Road / Hilliard, Oh. 43026 Toll Free: 888-593-5999 / Local: 614-777-9859 Fax: 614-777-1276 E-mail: Jack@willowaynurseries.com Jack Johnston, Manager

The Growing Concern x November 2015 x 25

USE PRODUCTION HOURS When Estimating Your Work BY CHARLES VANDER KOOI As I have told over 200,000 contractors across North America, I have yet to meet the contractor I can’t make profitable if he or she will focus on just two things: the control of labor and overhead. Sad to say, most contractors focus on something else: getting work and growing the company. A major bonding company (an insurance company that guarantees that a contract will be performed at the original bid price even if the contractor goes bankrupt) conducted a survey of contractors who had declared bankruptcy to discover why they went bankrupt. Do you know how many contractors they found who had gone broke due to lack of work? NONE! Do you know how many contractors had gone bankrupt because they had taken on too much work too fast and for too cheap? LOTS OF THEM! A

contractor’s primary focus must be on the control of labor and overhead. I will discuss the control of labor first. The greatest risk in your estimating strategy is labor. I have never stayed up nights worrying if I had enough materials for a bid. If you can’t take-off material from a drawing, get out of town. I have never stayed up nights worrying about subcontractors. If I know what the subcontractors have included and if I have covered what continued on page 28

26 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

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continued from pg 26 they have excluded, I can sign them up and get them to do their work. Equipment follows labor, so if labor is right, then my equipment will be right. However, I have stayed awake many a night worrying if I had enough or too much labor in an estimate. When I deal with labor on an estimate, I never deal in dollars and cents. Rather, I use production hours. Production hours are the most stable way of estimating labor for the long term. If I pour 30 square feet of concrete per hour and I have 300 square feet to pour, then I need 10 production hours, or if I can put in five feet of water line per hour, and I have 50 feet total, I need 10 production hours. I deal in production hours for three reasons. First the dollars-and-cents labor costs become antiquated very quickly. You could show me labor for a job you did yesterday, but as soon as you give anyone a raise on that crew, your costs will be out of date. If you had a foreman with five low-priced laborers—who lower your labor costs per hour—doing the work on one job, but on the next job that same foreman has only two low-priced laborers, your costs will be antiquated. I know how many production hours are necessary to form and pour and finish small concrete slabs so I have been using the same production rates for years. Workers form and pour and finish small concrete slabs the same way today that they did 20 years ago. Do you think that labor costs are the same today as they were 20 years ago? Of course not! What has changed? The cost of labor per hour has. I can use the same production rates and be current on my labor costs by multiplying the production hours by today’s average wage. The second reason I use production hours is that it is easier to vary production hours than to vary dollar-and-cents labor costs. For example, if I am a landscape contractor, I can plant a tree every hour and 30 minutes if I can get a tree on a truck and get that truck near the hole. I have 10 trees to plant, and five that I can get near with the truck. I will need to tractor five others into another area and carry them the last 50 feet. It will take an extra 30 minutes on those five trees. I can vary my final production hours by figuring 15 hours to plant in normal conditions and another 2-1/2 hours for the five that are more complicated. Total: 17-1/2 production hours. Finally, the reason I use production hours is because field people think production. Still assuming you are a landscape contractor,

28 x Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

Production hours are the most stable way of estimating labor for the long term. let’s say you have done a bid based on dollars-and-cents labor costs and you have arrived at a total labor cost of $900 to do some planting. If you go to your foreman and tell him to get that truckload of trees planted for $900, what will he say? “What do you mean $900? Who is paid what?” But, if you have arrived at your labor costs and by production hours multiplied by the average wage and you have calculated 80 production hours, then you can tell him that with a four-man crew working ten hours a day, he has two days to do the job. Does your foreman understand that kind of goal? Of course he does, because that is the way field people think: “How many people are you giving me and what’s my deadline?” I love job costing, but the problem with it is, when you finally get the figures, the job is over. I have clients who know how much material needs to be installed in a day to stay on schedule. Based on the production hours in the estimate to install that material, they can determine how large a crew to send out to the job to finish the work in a day. They can check on that job in the middle of the day and quickly see what has been installed and the hours used to see if that job is on target. If the crew doesn’t get all the material installed in a day, it’s obvious to everyone that they’re overrunning the estimate. This kind of labor control only happens when a contractor deals with labor on their estimate in production hours, not in dollars-and-cents labor costs. Once I have arrived at the production hours for a certain type of work, I multiply those hours by the average wage for that crew. To find the average wage for bid purposes, I put together an average crew with their different hourly wages. These wages totaled will tell you the cost of that crew for one hour’s work. By dividing that amount by the number of people on the crew, you arrive at the average wage. Now add a factor for overtime to that hourly cost. For example: If you’re working your crews 50 hour per week, you’re paying them time for 55 hours per week. That means you’re paying for five hours of time each week from which you are receiving no

production. In order to compensate, you will need to add 10 percent to the crew’s average wage. (Five hours is 10 percent of 50 hours). To this figure I also add a “Fudge Factor.” This number compensates for the difference between how long you think something will take and how long it actually takes. For example, your foreman comes in and says he can’t find the key to the skid loader. The crew looks in the ash trays of the trucks and their pockets. After 15 minutes with four people looking, the crew finds the key. It was in the ignition of the skid loader. The crew tries to start the skid loader, but it won’t turn over. They ran the battery dead. Someone is sent to get the jumper cables out of a truck, but someone else has taken the jumper cables. The foreman sends someone to the nearest discount store to get jumper cables. (Sounds like one of your jobs?) The crew hooks up the jumper cables, but the skid loader still will not start. The gas tank is empty. Someone goes to the company truck to get their extra five-gallon can of gas, but someone else forgot to fill it up after they used it, so someone else heads off to a gas station. Four people just spent an hour to get the skid loader started. Where is that in your bid? Or, here is my favorite: You’re on the job, rain clouds move in and it begins to sprinkle. However, other than your area, there is blue sky all around. Your foreman looks up and sees all the blue sky and determines the storm will not last long. Then he says the worst thing he can say, ‘Let’s get in the trucks and wait it out.” He was right, the storm only lasted half an hour and they were going to get out and go back to work, but their favorite song came on the radio. It’s another ten minutes before they get out of the truck and go back to work. Where is that time in your bid? I suggest that if you know your crew’s production rates and are very comfortable with them, you still add a five-percent Fudge Factor to the average wage. If you feel moderately comfortable with them, add 10 percent. If you have never estimated in production hours before—and you will be trying to determine them as you estimate—add 15 percent until you get more comfortable with the process. Now, it is very important to add this Fudge Factor to the wages and not the hours. The reason is because I want to hide that Fudge Factor from two different groups of people. The first is the owner or manager. Let’s say you have a bid with 1,000 production hours and you would add 10 percent or 100 hour for

EXAMPLE OF AN AVERAGE WAGE CALCULATION: FOREMAN.....................................$14.00/HR. LEADMAN.....................................$12.00/HR. LABORER......................................$10.00/HR. LABORER......................................$ 8.00/HR. TOTAL CREW COST......................$44.00/HR. ÷ 4 = $11.00/HR. AVERAGE WAGE..........................$11.00/HR. +10% OVERTIME.........................$ 1.10/HR. SUBTOTAL....................................$12.10/HR. +10% FUDGE FACTOR.................$ 1.21/HR. AVERAGE WAGE..........................$13.31/HR.

the Fudge Factor. As you begin to think about the job, you might say ‘I want this job. I need this job.’ You get the job. How long does it take to do the job? 1,100 hours. Crews are still going to misplace the key to the skid loader, have trouble starting it, and run to get jumper cables and gas. It is still going to rain and workers will still sit in the trucks. The other group of people that I want to hide the Fudge Factor from is field people. Can you imagine telling a foreman that he has 1,000 hours to do a job, but you have also added 100 hours for wasted time and mistakes? He’ll say, “No problemo, I’ll take care of those 100 hours.” I don’t add the Fudge Factor to the hours but to the average wage so that neither the owner or manager nor the field people can see it and take advantage of the extra hours.

Charles Vander Kooi has been involved in the construction industry for over four decades as an estimator and upper-management employee of companies as well as professional speaker and consultant. He has bid over a billion dollars in work over his career. As a private consultant, he has helped over 1,500 companies in their estimating/ bidding systems and has lectured to over 200,000 people nationally and internationally. Visit www.vanderkooi.com for more information. Charles will be our guest speaker at the OLA Annual meeting on November 19th.

OLA EDUCATION SERIES

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December 1, 2015

December 3, 2015

8:30 am to 12:00 pm

Held at Willoway Nurseries

NORTHEAST OHIO