join the chapter for a tour of toro’s irrigation...
TRANSCRIPT
May 2011
A PEEK INSIDE . . . 2011 Legislative Conference Highlights ......... 2-3
A Word from the President ................................. 5
Supplier Showcase: Best Fertilizer ..................... 7
9th Most Serious HR Mistake ............................ 8
Water Smart Innovations Conference ................. 9
Business Tips .................................................... 11
1st Annual Green City Fair ............................... 12
Legalese ............................................................ 15
The Newsletter for the California Landscape Contractors Association - Inland Empire Chapter VOL. 11 / NO. 4
Join the Chapter for a Tour of Toro’s Irrigation Facility
in Riverside on Tues. , June 21• Discussions wil l be held on such topics as:
Water Conser vation, Current and Pending Legislation, Rainwater Har vesting. . .and More!
RSVP by June 15 and Get FREE LUNCH!
This issue of the Daily Plant-It is Only Available Online.
Sign up to get email alerts aboutupcoming Chapter activities
and monthly magazine availability at our website:
www.clca-inlandempire.org
COZy QUaRTERS in the upper room at Frank Fat’s restaurant, adds to the informal atmosphere at the Grass Roots evening reception and makes for great networking and one-on-one chats with legislators.
NETWORKING during a break in the Day One schedule, are CLCA staff member Stephanie King, San Diego’s Steve Jacobs, and CLCA Ambassador Charles Nunley.
2 May 2011 IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT
industry newsCOMinG eVents
POLITICaL HUMORIST Will Durst lampoons politicians of all persuasions during the Day at the Capitol luncheon.
CLCA Legislative Conference
PERSONaLLy sharing ideas and concerns with state legislators is the focus of the conference held in Sacramento April 11-12. Here, Director of Legislation Shari Collins meets with Senate Majority Leader Charles M. Calderon.
UNDERGROUND ECONOMy Task Force rep Catherine Greer awards CSLB’s Chief of Enforcement David Fogt some lawman props for his excellent work, and proclaims, “There’s a New Sheriff in Town.”
CLCa LOBByIST Parke Terry addresses a much larger Day Two group at “Day at the Capitol” organized by the Construction Industry Legislative Council. CLCA is one of several participating organizations.
IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT May 2011 3
DELTa WaTER is the subject of this Grass Roots evening reception discussion between Past State President Pete Dufau, Assemblymember Bill Berryhill, and Yosemite Chapter’s Tim Pflueger.
STaTE aSSEMBLy Principal Consultant Alf Brandt unravels the complexities of how laws are proposed and passed, and offers helpful insight into the workings of state government.
aSSEMBLyMEMBER Kristin M. Olsen sheds light on the state’s budget negotiations and the most effective ways to communicate with legislators, during Grass Roots activities.
HaTS OFF to those Chapters that were represented at the Legislative Conference. Special kudos go to the San Diego Chapter for their large entourage at the Sacramento event.
CLCa aSSISTaNT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Larry Rohlfes handles introductions and orientation during Grass Roots training on Day One of the Legislative Conference held in Sacramento April 11-12.
PaNEL on Grass Roots Personal Victories and Defeats includes Theresa Sears of OC Fairgrounds Preservation, Legislation Committee Chair Cathy Gurney, SFV’s Mickey Strauss, and State President Bob Wade.
Demystifies Sacramento
4 May 2011 IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT
COMinG eVents & MOre!
June 21
July 13-16
July 19
Aug. 16
Nov. 16-19
Toro Facility Tour & Chapter Lunch Meeting.
CLCA SFX, Oxnard, CA
Chapter Lunch Meeting, Business Strategies, Part II
Chapter Lunch Meeting, HR Issues
CLCA State Convention, Maui, HI.
2011 STaTE aND LOCaL EVENTSInland Empire 2011 Chapter Officers & Directors
CHAPTER PRESIDENT - Richard Daigle Irrigator Tech
[email protected] (951) 538-3575 • fax: (909) 947-2345
PAST-PRESIDENT - Steve Fessler Sunshine Nurseries [email protected]
(951) 780-8791 • fax: (951) 789-1068
TREASURER - Mark Pedicone ET Water
[email protected] (714) 343-7770
SECRETARY - Marcie Daigle Irrigator Tech
[email protected] (951) 232-6429 • fax: (909) 947-2345
V.P. MEMBERSHIP - Pam Kinne Landscape Contractors Insurance Services, Inc.
[email protected] (866) 330-3177
V.P. EDUCATION - Frank Fontes Casa Verde Landscape
[email protected] (909) 749-3535
V.P. COMMUNICATIONS/EDITOR - John Hernandez El Dorado Communications, Inc.
[email protected] (626) 965-5015 • fax: (866) 591-5093
V.P. EVENTS - Mike Garcia Enviroscape
[email protected] (310) 420-8507
V.P. SPECIAL EVENTS - Ted Byrne Christy’s
[email protected] (951) 452-1500 • alt.: (714) 507-3315
V.P. SENIOR ADVISOR - Charles Nunley Lakshmi Landscape
[email protected] (626) 676-1505
ASSOCIATE MEMBER REP. - Juan Robles Best/Simplot
[email protected] (909) 322-9593
DIRECTOR - Andrew Baker Ewing Irrigation
[email protected] (714) 814-9535
WEBMASTER/ASSOCIATE EDITOR - Bronwyn Miller Eyescapes
[email protected] (949) 466-1222 • fax: (413) 215-7081
www.clca-inlandempire.org
WANT MORE INFO ABOUT STATE & LOCAL EVENTS?
For more information about State CLCA events, call HQ at (800) 448-2522, or email [email protected].
Also check their website at www.clca.org.For more Chapter information, visit our website at
www.clca-inlandempire.org or contact any Board Member on this page.
Everyone’s invited to join us for lunch and an educational tour of Toro’s Irrigation Division
Headquarters in Riverside on Tues., June 21. Come on out from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and enjoy lunch, a tour of the
facility where you’ll get an insider’s view of the making of their large variety of quality products, and learn about what’s up-and-coming from Toro rep Dennis Pittenger. There will also be discussions on water conservation, current and pending legislation, rainwater harvesting and more!
This meeting is not-to-be-missed! RSVP to Marcie Daigle at (909) 947-1234 or [email protected] on, or before, June 15, 2011 and get lunch FREE. After June 15, lunch is $25. The Toro company is located at: 5825 Jasmine Street Riverside, CA 92504. A 10 a.m. Chapter Board meeting will precede the lunch meeting at the Toro facility.
Don’t Miss the Chapter Tour of Toro’s Irrigation Headquarters in
Riverside, Tues., June 21• Discussions will be held on such topics as: Rainwater Harvesting, Water Conservation, the latest Irrigation Controllers...and More!
IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT May 2011 5
The Green Industry Hall of Fame Induction Dinner, held on May 7 at The Odyssey Restaurant
in Granada Hills, was fantastic! It was awe-inspiring to see over 140 in attendance at the 2010 induction ceremonies where some of the most distinguished names in landscaping and related fields were recently inducted into the Green Industry Hall of Fame. Also in attendance was literally a “Who’s Who” of other
industry leaders. Words cannot convey the feelings I had when looking around the room that night and seeing Charles and my dream of a Green Industry Hall of Fame becoming so big.
Previously, Hall of Fame inductees have been honored at the Irrigator Tech Educational Conference generally held in the fall. But this year the committee was expanded to include past honorees and additional top-notch technical support. This hard working group, led by past inductee and Green Industry Hall of Fame co-founder Charles Nunley, included Lebo Newman, Marcie Daigle, Mickey Strauss, Mark Pedicone, John Hernandez, Bronwyn Miller and James
Hasler. You all did an amazing job of elevating the induction process to a level that could produce the amazing program held on May 7. I was privileged to be part of the effort.
Full photo coverage of this gala will be showcased in our June issue of the Daily Plant-It, which is a print edition, so be sure to keep an eye out for it.
In Other NewsI’d like to invite everyone out to join us as we tour Toro’s Irrigation Division Headquarters and get educated on the latest and greatest in the irrigation world on June 21. Toro has graciously offered to sponsor lunch allowing those who RSVP by June 15 to have a FREE LUNCH! You aren’t going to want to miss this fun and educational upcoming lunch meeting.
See you there! ~Richard
President’s MessAGe
Irrigator TechRICHaRD DaIGLE
History in the Making
2011 CLCa STaTE BOaRD• PRESIDENT - Robert Wade, CLP, CLIA (949) 494-2130
Wade Landscaping Inc. • [email protected]
• PRESIDENT-ELECT - Eric Watanabe (818) 831-1390 Majestic Pools & Landscapes Inc. • [email protected]
• IMMEDIaTE PaST PRESIDENT - William Schnetz, CLP (760) 591-3453 Schnetz Landscape Inc. • [email protected]
• SECRETARY-TREASURER - Ted Sandrowski (530) 345-6101 Sandrowski Landscaping, Inc. • [email protected]
• ASSOCIATE MEMBER DIR. - Tom Noonan (916) 652-9530 Ewing Irrigation Products • [email protected]
a• DIR. OF CHAPTER SERVICES - Kevin Fairchild (714) 541-1000
Illumiscapes, TLC • [email protected]
• DIR. OF COMMUNICATIONS - Chuck Carr (818) 300-0176 Carr Landscape Management Inc. • [email protected]
• DIR. OF EDUCATION - Stephen Jacobs, CLP, CLT (760) 945-4321 Nature Designs Landscape • [email protected]
• DIR. OF EVENTS - Michael Hertzer (800) 761-9191 Modern Landscaping Inc. • [email protected]
• DIR. OF LEGISLATION - Shari Collins (805) 552-9457 Verdant Landscaping • [email protected]
• DIR. OF MEMBERSHIP - Javier Lesaca (661) 836-0229 Lesaca Landscape Company • [email protected]
• DIR. OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Frank Niccoli (650) 592-9440
The Village Gardener Inc. • [email protected]
• DIR. OF CHAPTER PRESIDENTS COUNCIL (SOUTH) Rene Emeterio, CLT (805) 823-5603
Specialized Landcape Management Service • [email protected]
• DIR. OF CHAPTER PRESIDENTS COUNCIL (NORTH) Mike Mitchell (916) 501-5393
MJM Lighting • [email protected]
• EXECUTIVE DIR. - Sharon McGuire (800) 448-2522 x 13 CLCA Headquarters • [email protected]
• Group Insurance• Political Advocacy• Expert Advice• Certification
• Education• Networking • Awards Program• And More
Benefits of CLCa Membership
Gold – $800
• All General Meetings• Name on Banner• 2 Baseball Tickets• 2 Holiday Dinners• 2 Golf Round Fees• Website Logo w/Link• 8x Business Card Placement in Chapter Magazine• Link on Membership Emails• One time, one page company profile in Chapter Magazine
Contractor – $500
• All General Meetings• Name on Banner• 2 Baseball Tickets• 2 Holiday Dinners• 8x Business Card Placement in Chapter Magazine• Link on Membership Emails• One time, one page company profile in Chapter Magazine
Platinum – $1,000
• All General Meetings• Name on Banner• 4 Baseball Tickets• 2 Holiday Dinners• 4 Golf Round Fees• Website Logo w/Link• 10x Business Card Placement in Chapter Magazine• Link on Membership Emails• One time, one page company profile in Chapter Magazine
Silver – $500
• 3 General Meetings• Name on Banner• 1 Baseball Ticket• 2 Holiday Dinner• 1 Golf Round Fee• Website Logo w/Link• 6x Business Card Placement in Chapter Magazine• Link on Membership Emails• One time, one page company profile in Chapter Magazine
2011 Inland Empire Chapter Patriots Program
6 May 2011 IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT
ie PAtriOts PrOGrAM
The Inland Empire Chapter is excited to announce its 2011 Patriots Program. We’ve made a few changes to the program from last year, so please take a look at the levels below and choose your degree of participation. The Chapter appreciates any and all sponsors and welcomes you to join our growing list of
sponsors for the 2011 calendar year. Contact Mark Pedicone at (714) 343-7770 for information on enrolling in this program. Don’t miss this opportunity!
Your commitment in this program will underwrite our calendar of events, Chapter administration expenses, State participation expenses for Board Members, and educational scholarships. The following table shows the sponsorship levels. Again, thank you for your continued support of our CLCA Chapter.
Become a 2011 IE Patriot!
Erosion ControlWildflowersRevegetationNative GrassesTurf Grasses
CARPINTERIA, CATel: 805.684.0436 • Fax: 805.684.2798
Email: [email protected] • Website: www.ssseeds.com
Dean Williams
Office: (760) 398-3400Cell: (951) 377-5451Fax: (760) 398-2434
85230 Avenue 50Coachella, CA 92236
These days more people are asking for information regarding organic fertilizers and “Growing Green.” Fertilizers are basic building blocks of our environment,
and can either be inorganic or organic. Inorganic fertilizers are composed of minerals rather than living things and are typically used in traditional lawn care maintenance, and can better be described as soluble fertilizers that need water to become available for plant absorption. Organic fertilizers are derived from living things such as animal manures, compost, bone and blood meal. Organic fertilizers have the same chemical make up as inorganics, except they have not been processed to the degree inorganic fertilizers have.
For organic fertilizers to be useful they need to go through their own process which is performed by microbes living in the soil. As microbes get near the roots of turfgrass, the roots stimulate the microbes producing organic acids, enzymes and chelates that convert nutrients into a solution that can transfer from the soil into the root system. This concentrate from the microbes helps breaks down organic matter.
Like most things in life there are pros and cons to using an organic fertilizer. An organic fertilizer’s main advantage is that its natural minerals must break down in order for the nutrients to be released in a form that turfgrass roots can use. This takes place gradually meaning the process is slower and longer lasting than with immediately available water soluble inorganic fertilizers. The other immediately noticeable drawbacks to using organic fertilizers are that some have a manure smell, and they are usually more expensive per bag than inorganic fertilizers. The nutrients in organic fertilizers are less concentrated so you need to apply more for the same amount of nutrients you would apply with an inorganic fertilizer.
With these pros and cons in mind BEST Professional Products has recently introduced a bridge product called BEST 12-4-4 with NutriPeaK organic to help meet the demand for an organic based fertilizer. BEST 12-4-4 with NutriPeaK organic is not 100% organic it is a 50/50 mix of a BEST homogeneous pellet for quick greening and NutriPeaK organic which is Feather Meal. The organic portion of BEST 12-4-4 with NutriPeaK is made from processed chicken feathers (Feather
Meal) that have been thoroughly cleaned, heated with steam and ground into a powerful organic fertilizer that has very low odor. The organic portion of this product from feather meal will stimulate microbial activity and microbes will release compounds like organic acids, enzymes, and chelates that will solublize plant nutrients.
Whether a fertilizer is organic or inorganic after it’s applied it must be converted into a form turfgrass can use. The plant doesn’t know the difference if the conversion is accomplished bysoil microbes or water. Organic fertilizers can add beneficial agronomic compliments to an annual fertility program, and should be evaluated for organic and microbial benefits to the soil. Combining both an organic and inorganic fertilizer such as BEST 12-4-4 with NutriPeaK is a good compromise, and should result in better soil management which could help the plant utilize nutrients more efficiently from the soil, and should leave your customers with a happy healthy lawn.
Written by: Don Mulcahy: BEST Area Manager Central Valley & Coast of California: Simplot Professional Products: BEST Fertilizers.
IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT May 2011 7
suPPLier sHOwCAse
Combining an Organic with an Inorganic Fertilizer a Good Compromise
Southern California Hydroseed & Hydromulch, Inc.
CA Cont. Lic. # 469555NV Cont. Lic. # 41319
Green Turf Hydroseed, Inc.AZ Cont. Lic. # 111980
42396 Rio Nedo • Temecula, CA 92590(951) 296-0650 • (760) 747-1166 • FAX (951) 296-0653
Toll Free from NV and AZ (888) GRN-TURF
MICKE SANTORO
8 May 2011 IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT
Business 101
There are several reasons why employee leaves of absence are important to landscaper contractors.
• Many landscapers think that employee leaves of absence include vacation and sick time, when in fact there could be as many as 20 different types of leaves of absence that an employee may be legally entitled to take. • Understanding employee leaves of absence is becoming increasingly complex because many state governments have specific employee leaves of absence that may be partially redundant yet still unique when compared to federal employee leaves of absence. • A recent survey showed that the average legal fees for a company to defend itself against a single Family and Medical Leave Act violation approached $78,000, not including costs related to the employee’s lost wages and benefits, administrative penalties, or emotional distress.
Common Types of Employee Leaves of absence There are three types of employee leaves of absence: federal, state and employer discretion.• The federal government requires that employers provide employees with multiple unpaid leave programs including: the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA), and Federal Jury Duty. • Beyond the federal laws, each state has its own unique set of employee leaves of absence, some of which are unpaid, while others require that their employee get paid while off from work. One example is the California Time Off to Vote Leave. And of course, each state has its own Workers’ Compensation leave program. • The final leave of absence category is employer discretion. This type of leave is not required by law, but if offered, must be applied without any type of discrimination. Employer discretion leave includes: vacation, sick leave, bereavement leave and personal time off.
Three Common Mistakes Landscapers Make about Federal and State Leave Programs• Negligence: Negligence is when the employer does not offer, communicate or approve the available leaves of absence as defined by law. For example, if an employee was injured on the job and the employer did not inform the employee of his/her rights to Workers’ Compensation. • Improper administration: This occurs when an employer does not abide by the legal procedures outlined by the particular leave of absence program. For example, not using correct administrative forms, violating employee privacy rights (e.g., HIPAA and FMLA) and not continuing medical benefits while an employee is on a leave of absence. • Retaliation: Retaliation against employees who take leaves of absence. Many recent court decisions have ruled in favor of employees based on employer comments (e.g., “Aren’t you back from medical leave yet?” “What am I going to do to cover your work while you are out on Workers’ Compensation?”). Similarly, an employer must
never document any aspect of a leave of absence in an employee’s annual job performance review.
Basic Steps to Minimize Risk Exposure in this area• Take an inventory of all federal and state leave programs that may affect your company. Document them in your employee handbook, and develop procedures to ensure legal compliance. • Understand the criteria for taking each specific type of leave of absence. • Identify which employees are eligible for all of the available leave programs. Some programs are extended to all employees, while others have limitations based on length of service. • Determine the duration of leave program. For example, time off to vote is usually two hours, while the Family and Medical Leave Act is 12 weeks. • Make sure you know if the employee will be paid or unpaid on the leave, and if the employee can continue to receive their benefits while on a leave of absence. • Specify the right to return to work after the leave is completed. For example, can the employee return to an “equivalent” position or does the employee have to return to the “same” position after the leave has been completed.
a Few Landscape Industry Best Practices:• Training: Leading companies train all appropriate staff on the subject of leaves of absence. • Communication: These companies have all of the required state and federal employment posters in place, an employee handbook and policy manual that addresses each available leave of absence. • Employment Practices Liability Insurance: This protects companies against various human resources issues including violations of federal and state leave of absence laws. • Established Procedures: Detailed procedures that track all aspects of each type of leave of absence for every employee across all legally required time frames. Some leaves of absence can overlap with certain leaves of absence, but not overlap with others. • Legal Guidance: Rely on expert legal guidance when appropriate when confronted with the technical complexities inherent within many leaves of absence programs.
Steve Cesare is The Harvest Group’s point person to help companies improve their human resources programs. He is also writing a monthly series for Lawn & Landscape magazine identifying the “Top Ten Most Serious Human Resources Mistakes” that companies typically make, from which this article is developed. Bill Arman, a frequent speaker at CLCA State and Chapter meetings, is Head Harvester West Coast. He can be reached at (949) 466-8837.
9th Most Serious Human Resources Mistake: Employee Leaves of Absence
From an article and Podcast by Steve Cesare, The Harvest Group
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IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT May 2011 9
JAY MARQUEZBranch Manager
81245 Highway 111Indio, CA 92201
(760) 347-0968FAX (760) 342-7072
friendLy COMPetitiOn
Registration is now open for the fourth WaterSmart Innovations (WSI) Conference and Exposition, slated for October 5-7 at the South Point Hotel
and Conference Center in Las Vegas. Last year’s WSI conference and exposition drew nearly 1,100 participants from 40 states and 10 countries. WSI 2010 featured more than 130 professional sessions and an expo hall with 100 exhibitors.The Southern Nevada Water Authority is presenting WSI 2011 in partnership with the Alliance for Water Efficiency, American Water Works Association, Audubon International, California Urban Water Conservation
Council, the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense Program, Green Plumbers USA, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, International Center for Water Technology, International Code Council and the Irrigation Association.The world’s pre-eminent urban water efficiency conference, WSI is offering an early bird registration fee of $330 through Thursday, June 2. Beginning Friday, June 3, the full registration fee will be $390. For more info., and to register, visit the website: www.WaterSmartInnovations.com.
Early Bird Registration Opens for WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition
• Event Set for Oct. 5-7 at South Point Hotel, Las Vegas
Soil analysis Service• National Independent Certified Lab
• Analysis Recommendations with Graphics• Reports can be sent via email or U.S. mail
• Fast Turnaround • Consulting Services
www.gropower.com • (800) 473-1307 • (909) 393-3744 • FAX (909) 393-2773
10 May 2011 IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT
Business sense
You undoubtedly went into landscaping at least partly because you wanted to work
outdoors rather than be stuck in an office behind a desk all day under fluorescent lighting doing paper work. You may have resented school because it kept you from being outside working with your hands. You realized you are a visual person that finds beauty being outdoors and in nature. Going inside to do the record keeping
for your business gives you the same feeling of having to do homework. You may even resent that this is part of running your business; you would prefer to be in motion.
The unfortunate part of running your own business is that you do have to spend some time indoors. The homework never goes away entirely. Unless you can afford to have all of that done for you, you have to find time to not be in motion. Even if someone else is taking care of the record keeping, you still need to check in from time to time to make sure everything is being done correctly.
As a business coach, I’m the first to tell you how much I appreciate being outside and not in the office doing administrative work. Unless I’m inside doing actual phone coaching or leading a webinar, I’d rather out on the road meeting with clients and prospects. I also like to be in motion. Over the years I’ve found ways to create incentives for myself, so that sitting at my desk doing paper work is not the worst thing in the world. Here are some techniques:
1) Reward yourself for taking the time to sit down and focus on the paper work. Sit down with a cup of coffee, a beverage, or a snack so that you’re getting a little extra boost of dopamine to the brain.
2) Place photos of your loved ones at your desk. Remind yourself visually of why you’re in business for yourself. The people in the pictures may be depending on you to do the paper work so that you keep bringing in money to pay for the things you all enjoy together.
3) Bring some nature inside your office. Have plants near or on your desk. Place your desk near a window if possible. Get a fish aquarium.
4) Remember how great it will feel to know that you got job costing, budgeting, work estimates and proposals behind you. This feels better than the alternative – to be in the field knowing your business is suffering because of poor record keeping.
5) Have a priority list – either written or in your head – so that your office work takes less time. You can go in, do what needs to be done, and get back in the field.
6) Remind yourself that sometimes for your business to move ahead in an organized fashion, you can’t always be in motion.
7) Be grateful for the office work. It’s always amazing what gratitude can do for your perception. The occasional office work is part of what allows you to keep the business going so that you’re not forced to look for an alternative job. You can’t guarantee that the job you might have to take wouldn’t keep you inside all day every day.
8) Remember you can always stand and not sit when at your desk. If you’re desk isn’t high enough, then find a desk or flat surface area that is. This way you feel less confined. (Maybe confinement is why you resent going into the office in the first place.)
Effective business owners evaluate what provides them with long-term meaning and short-term happiness. They don’t spend all their time avoiding the underpinnings of what keeps their business running smoothly. Taking some time to work “on” your business – and not just “in” it – will save you time and aggravation in the long run. You owe it to yourself, your clients, and your employees to make some time for the office.
Jonathan Goldhill, The Growth Coach, teaches owners, managers and sales people in construction and service businesses in lead generation and lead conversion strategies as well as methods to build better teams. Jonathan can be reached at (818) 716-8826 or [email protected]. To learn more about his unique coaching programs and services, visit www.TheGrowthCoachLA.com
The Goldhill GroupJONaTHaN GOLDHILL
Making Time in the Office a Less-Gloomy Priority
IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT May 2011 11
If your business is like mine, you are presently experiencing an increase in business activity. Since the
rainy season ended and the sun came out, we’ve started to see many familiar faces in our stores that we hadn’t seen for months. I was beginning to think that I’d lost all my customers, but now I’m a happy camper once again...more or less. The increased business does
present some problems, but they are good problems to have in these tough times.
Like many businesses during this economic downturn, we have had to become “lean and mean” to survive. That meant reducing staff and/or staff hours, and adding a few more personal work hats to our already full work schedules. You’ve probably had to make similar adjustments. But now that business is picking up, we and our lean staffs are finding ourselves buried with work. So, what do we do now? Do we increase staff size again to handle the increased business…or do we wait to see if this turnaround can be sustained? That’s the million dollar question!
As for our company, there’s one thing for sure: We don’t want to go back to the same staffing patterns and business practices under which we were operating before the crash. It’s not that they were bad by any means. They worked, but I see now that things could have worked better. What happened is because of the downturn, I had more time to work ON my business rather than IN my business. I was then able to fine-tune our operations, discovering several ways to increase efficiency and productivity. With these new procedures now in place, I believe we will be able to handle any increased business this improving economy might send our way. That is, if we can begin to rebuild our staff to handle the load. I hope the same will be true for your business.
I’ve talked to people in other industries and they are facing the same problem: Their current staffs are maxed out, but they’re afraid to…or can’t afford to increase staff size. Sound familiar? So what’s the solution? Each business is different, but for Landscape Warehouse we are beginning to increase our staff SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY – closely monitoring all aspects of our business…especially the bottom line. If things start going south again we will be prepared to act more quickly than in the past.
We are also looking into alternative employment options that we hadn’t considered before, like internships from foundations and colleges. And we are investigating those employment programs that were not available to employers prior to the recession. Some of these, such at the National Emergency Grant Program, will actually SUBSIDIZE part of a new employee’s salary for a certain number of months, basically in order to get him/her off of unemployment and back on the tax-paying rolls. Hey, if I only have to pay half of a new employee’s salary for the next six months, increasing my staff size right now sounds like a pretty good idea to me. – Jose
Business tiPs
Landscape WarehouseJOSE ROBLES
‘Lean and Mean’ May Not Be Working Anymore…and Why That’s a Good Thing
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12 May 2011 IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT
industry HAPPeninGs
On Saturday, June 4, from 10 to 4 p.m. TreePeople will host the 1st annual Green City Fair, a free family-friendly event, at their headquarters in Coldwater
Canyon Park located at 2600 Franklin Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills. Hosted by celebrity and environmental guru, Ed Begley, Jr. and sponsored by The Gas Company, The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Energy Upgrade California, Southern California Edison, Boeing, Wells Fargo and Whole Foods, the Green City Fair will bring together residents from all across Los Angeles to empower them with the knowledge and resources to implement sustainable solutions at home, work and in their community to grow a greener city.
Inspired by the core elements of a functioning community forest – trees, water, soil and people – visitors will learn how to green their home, campus or workplace, by harvesting rainwater, conserving water and energy, reducing waste and preventing pollution of stormwater, cooking eco-friendly cuisine, and more easy choices that make a difference.
Known for their free Community Greening and Community Sustainability workshop series, TreePeople will offer mini-versions of all of their programs throughout the day plus, additional workshops from some of the best green vendors L.A. has to offer, such as:• Greywater in Black & White: Learn how to recycle the water you use by Scott Mathers of HeyTanksLA• Drip Drop: Learn how to save water and time with drip irrigation by Russell Ackerman - Water Resources Specialist for the City of Santa Monica• Citizen Forestry and Trees for a Green LA: Learn how to bring trees to your community by TreePeople’s Julie Prejean and Michelle Bagnato
Want to install a compost bin? Need to find just the right rain chain? Who can help you install solar panels? The Green City Fair will provide the resources to make healthy, sustainable changes. Vendors and partners include Form LA Landscaping, PermaCity Solar, HeyTanksLA, Farm Fresh
to You, Natural History Museum, Coalition for Clean Air, Roots and Shoots, Children’s Nature Institute and more!
In addition to fun, interactive workshops and vendors, there will be fun, family-friendly activities, great food and entertainment, including:• Delicious food from Whole Foods• All-day music sponsored by $2 Shows in the S. Mark Taper Amphitheatre• Upcycling crafts with the reDiscover Center - just in time for Father’s Day!• Forest-inspired face painting• Hikes with TreePeople’s famous Dirt Doctor
By bringing together the best knowledge and resources L.A. has to offer, TreePeople’s Green City Fair makes it easy and fun to find the best, sustainable solutions for your home, work or campus.
TreePeople, is an environmental nonprofit that unites the power of trees, people and technology to grow a sustainable future for Los Angeles. For 38 years now, TreePeople has served to heal the environment while improving the lives of individuals and communities. TreePeople has a long-range vision to green Los Angeles by establishing a Functioning Community Forest in every neighborhood of the city. Please visit www.treepeople.org for further information.
TreePeople Hosts 1st Annual Green City Fair June 4 with Ed Begley Jr.
L.A.’s premier nonprofit brings together sustainable solutions and resources in one fun-filled day
(800) 542-0209(714) 279-3100 / FAX (714) 279-31991589 N. Main Street, Orange, CA 92867
www.villagenurseries.com
Brad Sanders Sales Representative
IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT May 2011 13
I am at the doctor’s office as I write this article. Don’t worry, I am O.K. But I have been here since
10:00 a.m., and it is now 4:00 p.m. Let me give you some background as to why I’m here…
As you know, we are in a drought and California native gardens are getting very popular. Native gardens need
very little water, which will save your clients and mine a lot of money. Here’s the problem: Part of the low-water use family of plants are succulents and cactus. When handling cactus, BE VERY CAREFUL. You may think, and rightly so, that getting poked by a cactus needle hurts, but it may not end there. If any of the needle gets stuck inside of you, IT WILL GET INFECTED. It is organic and decomposes. While decomposing inside of you, it will get infected and could lead to your losing your finger or hand, if that is where you got stuck. There are many stories about this and many of them are true.
If you try to pull out a cactus needle which has penetrated into your hand or somewhere else and are unsuccessful, do not hesitate to go to the doctor. This is why you or your boss pays for Workers’ Comp insurance. Paying for Workers’ Comp insurance means your employer cares for you and wants to DO THE RIGHT THING. “What if I can’t afford to pay for Workers’ Comp insurance?” you ask. A better question is, “Can I afford to NOT pay for and have this insurance?” Let’s get back to the doctor’s office. A good friend and employee got stuck with a cactus needle that broke off deep
in his hand. He tried to dig it out himself. After realizing how deep it was, he asked me what to do. I said that he needed to see a doctor. We called our insurance carrier (Landscape Contractors Insurance Services – LCIS) and since this was not a bloody emergency, I got their advice on the best route to take, as we all work together to keep costs down. They directed me and my friend to a medical provider in my area. The first doctor did not have the expertise to go as deeply as needed to get the needle out. He told me that going in too deeply in the hand could cut the nerves and lead to possible paralysis of that hand. I am sure glad we carry Workers’ Comp insurance! We ended up going to a hand surgeon ten miles away. Thankfully, I was just told that my friend and employee is going to be fine, due to the careful and knowledgeable work of an expert surgeon.
Why do some businesses carry Workers’ Comp insurance and others do not? They may think it’s too expensive. Company owners who do pay for the insurance may need to charge their customers a little more, but they can sleep at night, knowing they are covered if something goes wrong. I’m happy to be among that group.
To find out more about the benefits of carrying Workers’ Compensation insurance, visit an upcoming ALL-PRO or CLCA meeting and speak to other Green Industry professionals to see how Workers’ Comp insurance saved their business and reputation.
COMMentAry
EnviroscapeMIKE GaRCIa
Why Carry Workers’ Comp Insurance?• Or, Beware of the Cactus Needle
RECOGNITION
Thank You 2011 IE Chapter Patriots:
ET WaterHydro-Scape Products
We appreciate your continued support of our CLCA Chapter
14 May 2011 IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT
Cheryl K. Roberts1-800-9SEEDING(951) 461-9745(951) 461-0964 fax
(800) 233-5452PO Box 130 • Perris, CA 92572
Riverside CountyJOY FRONTE(951) 634-4860San Bernardino CountyPAUL GAUDET(951) 906-5746
Growers of Quality Fescue & Bermuda Sod
Where Quality GroWs...
RICK GRIFFIN, Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
DV
ERTI
SERS
IND
EXA-G Sod Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Aqua Conserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Artesia Sawdust Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Bamboo Pipeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Best/Simplot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Boething Treeland Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Briggs Tree Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Creative Hydroseed, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14DIG Irrigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16DM Color Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11El Dorado Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3ET Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Ewing Irrigation Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Green Desert Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Gro-Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Hydro-Scape Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Irrigator Technical Training School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
John Deere Landscapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Kellogg Garden Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16KRC Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Landscape Contractors Insurance Services. . . . . . . . .2Netafim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Olson Irrigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Performance Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Redwood Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6S & S Seeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Smith Pipe & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9So. Cal. Hydro-Seed & Hydro-Mulch . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Southland Sod Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Southwest Boulder & Stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Tri-State Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Village Nurseries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12West Coast Turf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
2011 DAILY PLANT-IT ADVERTISING RATES & INFORMATION
Deadline for stories and advertising materials:15th of the month prior to publication.
All advertising is to be paid in advance unless otherwise arranged with Mark Pedicone. Checks made out to CLCA may be sent to Mark at address below. All invoice charges for advertising are due in full upon receipt. Ad schedule charges are prorated for the year. Advertising Agencies: Rates are NET.
Technical Information: Supply ads and photos in camera-ready artwork, CD or e-mail in a TIFF, JPEG or PDF format for either Mac or PC. (300 dpi min.) E-mail stories in MS Word if possible. E-mail to Editor John R. Hernandez at: [email protected]. For inserts, please send 550 copies to Editor at mailing address below.
Frequency: 10 times per year. Mailing Address: Direct your checks to: Mark Pedicone, Inland Empire Treasurer, at 634 Pine Ave., Brea, CA 92821. Direct your advertising inquiries and materials, and mailing list changes or additions to: Daily Plant-It Editor John R. Hernandez, 19055 Abdera Street, Rowland Heights, CA 91748; (626) 965-5015, Fax (866) 591-5093.Note: Articles submitted are subject to approval and modification. Chapter or Editor are not liable for misprints or errors, and do not necessarily agree with opinions expressed in byline articles. Articles may be used by other CLCA chapter newsletters, giving proper credit to their source.
ad agencies: all the listed rates are NETRates are prorated for the calendar year.
SIZE 1 Month 3 Months 6 Months 1 year 10xBusiness Card $ 3951/4 Page (B/W) $90 $255 $ 495 $ 8751/4 Page (Color) $ 625 $10901/2 Page (B/W) $175 $495 $ 955 $15751/2 Page (Color) $1200 $1975Full Page (B/W) $330 $975 $1895 $2890Full Page (Color) $3500
Inserts - 600 Copies Classified ads (8 1/2” x 11”) $295 1x Biz Card Size $45 1x(11” x 17”) $350 1x 1/4 Page $85 1x
Size - Width x Height
Business Card (3 5/8” x 2”) 1/4 Pg (3 5/8” x 4 5/8” 1/3 Pg horizontal (6 1/8” x 3 3/8”)1/3 Pg vertical (3 5/8” x 7”) 1/2 Pg horizontal (7 1/2” x 4 5/8”)1/2 Pg vertical (3 5/8” x 9 1/2”)Full Pg (8 1/2” x 11” + 1/4” bleed all around)
IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT May 2011 15
Snider Lumber Products, Inc. and Sierra Pacific Industries (Snider and Sierra) owned a sawmill in Tuolumne County, which was retooled, and some of the
work became unnecessary, including some lumber drying kilns. These huge kilns were bolted on an 80-foot concrete slab, constructed with steel frames, and aluminum walls with foam insulation. When the kilns were installed, they were deemed “improvements” on the land for property tax purposes.
Snider and Sierra hired Midway United to remove the kilns and oversee the sale to a group of buyers. Midway subcontracted the job removal of the kilns to John Stewart Mechanical who entered into a series of contracts with United Rentals to rent the equipment to remove the kilns. John Stewart carried out some of the dismantling of the kilns.
A dispute arose between the parties and United Rentals was removed and a new subcontractor was hired to finish the job. United Rentals was never paid for the rentals and recorded a Mechanic’s Lien against Snider and Sierra’s land in the amount of $60,602.99.
When United Rental filed its complaint to foreclose on its Mechanic’s Lien, Snider and Sierra filed a Motion to remove the Mechanic’s Lien stating that the kilns were personal property. The trial court agreed and ordered the lien removed.
The Appellate court held that the only question was whether the facts of this case gave rise to a Mechanic’s Lien in favor of United Rentals under the Civil Code.
Civil Code section 3106 provides that a “work of improvement” includes but is not restricted to construction, alteration, addition to or repair, in whole or in part, of any building, the demotion of buildings, and the removal of buildings and that it means the entire structure or scheme of improvement as a whole.
The Appellate court stated that the removal of the kilns were covered by Civil Code section 3106 since the metal structures were two stories tall, attached to the concrete foundation, enclosed thousands of square feet of space, had windows and doors and staircases, etc. There was no doubt they were buildings.
It is a general understanding that a work of improvement results in the permanent improvement and can give rise to a Mechanic’s Lien.
Therefore, the requirement of removing the lien and judgment in favor of Snider and Sierra was reversed, the case was sent back to the lower court and United Rentals was awarded its costs.
Works of ImprovementBy Sam K. Abdulaziz & Kenneth S. Grossbart, Abdulaziz, Grossbart & Rudman
LeGALese
IE • THE DAILY PLANT-IT May 2011 16
industry news
The Feijoa sellowiana, also known as the Acca sellowiana (Pineapple Guava), is featured as the tree of the month at Briggs Tree Company. Native to
South America, this versatile plant can easily be trained as a small tree, bush, hedge, screen or trellis. With a moderate growth rate, this tree will grow to a size of 15’ - 25’ with equal spread. You can keep it smaller with pruning.
This tree showcases foliage that is glossy green above, silvery below, 2-3” long oval leaves and a flower that is fleshy white petals crowned with red stamens, which are edible. This plant is drought tolerant, but you’ll want to water regularly for fruit production. Prune in the spring before blooming for best results. Fragrant, edible flowers attract bees and birds and are commonly used in salads or to make jellies. Fruit ripens 4-7 months after flowering. Feijoa is remarkably pest and disease resistant.
Briggs Tree Company, Inc. supplies both landscapers and homeowners with quality plant material at wholesale prices. Briggs Tree Company operates as a grower direct, full-scale wholesale nursery supplying: 4-inch annual and perennial color, groundcover, shrubs, vines, palms, succulents, water-efficient plants, citrus, a premier line of trees in various sizes. More information, including a complete product list, can be found online at: www.briggstree.com.
Briggs Tree Company’s Featured Tree of the Month:
Feijoa sellowiana DIG Corporation announces the hiring of Nina Colasurdo as a Commercial Sales
Representative. Nina will be traveling throughout the Southern California area meeting with distributors, architects, and landscape contractors.
Colasurdo brings an extensive background in irrigation. Nina has over 8 years of irrigation industry experience, along with a Masters in Agriculture from Cal Poly Pomona with an emphasis on landscape irrigation. Colasurdo will draw upon this education and experience as she works to provide practical solutions for her customers’ needs. DIG Corporation specializes in providing innovative and green irrigation solutions for their customers. DIG strives for excellence on all levels of customer service and satisfaction offering an extensive line of alternative powered ambient LEIT controllers, battery operated controllers, and a complete line of drip irrigation products for use in various irrigation applications.
For more information, contact Nina Colasurdo at (760) 727-0914 or [email protected].
DIG Hires Nina Colasurdo as Sales Representative