Posts by Mary Kay Woodworth
CALL TO ACTION: Landscape equipment theft crisis – help needed!
Many UAC member companies have reported an increase in equipment theft, both at worksites and at their offices/storage facilities. The thieves are becoming bolder, and there is growing concern about the safety of employees. We need your help. It is extremely important to quantify the equipment losses. Please click here for the 2016_Landscape Industry _EQUIPMENT THEFT, and…
Read MoreThe value of membership
As we begin a new year – 2016 – on behalf of the UAC board, thank you for your continued membership and involvement in the Georgia Urban Ag Council. Why belong? According to a 2014 survey by Wild Apricot (a web-based association membership tool), there are six main reasons to belong to an industry association:…
Read MoreMay 7, 2015 – UAC Comments: Proposed Amendments to the Rules for Outdoor Water Use, Chapter 391-3-30
The Georgia EPD is in the process of revising Rules for Outdoor Water Use, Chapter 391-3-30 The proposed Rules can be found here: PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION RELATING TO OUTDOOR WATER USE, CHAPTER 391-3-30 UAC provided public comment (May 5, 2015), joined by several industry…
Read MoreLegislative advocacy for our industry
Get involved or get run over As green industry business owners, managers, employers, and employees, you are aware of the multitude of benefits our industry provides to the economy and the environment of our nation, our state, our cities, and our local communities. Unfortunately, many of our elected officials, municipal leaders, and government agencies do…
Read MoreGrowing outdoor walls and floors
Vines and groundcovers for the southern garden. When I think about vines and groundcovers, I remember my favorite childhood book — “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It’s the story of Mary Lennox, a not-too-nice orphaned girl who is sent to live with her uncle in England. She discovers an overgrown and neglected garden…
Read MoreSouthern grapes for southern gardens
Choose the best grapes to grow in your garden. Growing up in an Italian family, my mother would reminisce about my grandfather’s grapevines and the annual ritual of stomping on the grapes to make wine in the basement. While this memory always brought to mind a favorite “I Love Lucy” episode with Lucy and Ethel…
Read MoreErosion, flood plains, and other landscape disasters
Solutions for erosion and drainage problems in the landscape. As a Master Gardener volunteer, one of my responsibilities was to answer landscape and gardening questions from metro Atlanta residents. Questions such as “what’s eating my peppers and tomatoes?” and “why won’t my hydrangea bloom?” were fairly easy to answer. Recommending insecticidal soap or horticultural oil…
Read MoreSpice up your life with herbs
Grow your own herbs for freshness and flavor. If you’ve ever worked in the kitchen of a fine restaurant, you know that professional chefs demand and accept from their suppliers only the freshest fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices available. They recognize that the degree of freshness of these products has a tremendous impact on the…
Read MoreThe awful truth about roses
Choose wisely to minimize problems with roses. Want to know the awful truth about roses? They are a lot of work—if you don’t choose the right ones! With our mild winters and balmy spring and autumn weather, Atlanta’s climate seems ideal for successful rose gardening. It would be, if not for the summertime. Unfortunately, our…
Read MoreGot shade?
Celebrating the shade in your landscape. Here’s a question for you: Would you rather spend a sweltering hot July afternoon battling weeds in your perennial bed, sweat dripping down your face, or would you prefer to relax in the 10-15 degree cooler shade of dogwood trees, admiring the magnificent foliage of your shade garden? I…
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