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TNLA is thrilled to introduce our new "Working for You" Blog!
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What will 2027 bring for your business, your employees and the Texas Green Industry?At the 2027 Lone Star Hort Forum, we're challenging professionals across the industry to Dare to Be. ready for what's next, willing to lead and prepared to approach today's business and industry challenges with new ideas. From the economic outlook and workplace challenges to leadership, business strategy and the future of plants in Texas, this year's education is being built around issues that affect the work you do every day. And it begins with a look at what's ahead. Dare to Be Ready: Economic Forecast for 2027 Dr. Charlie Hall of Texas A&M University will open Lone Star Hort Forum on Monday, February 22, with an Economic Forecast for 2027. For business owners and industry professionals, understanding what's ahead can help inform the decisions being made today. The opening keynote sets the stage for a Forum focused not simply on what's happening now, but on how our industry prepares for what's next. Dare to LeadLeadership isn't just about a title. It's about communicating clearly, navigating change, managing difficult situations, building stronger teams and knowing how to respond when workplace challenges arise. The 2027 education program is being developed with practical leadership and management topics designed for the people responsible for moving teams and businesses forward. Dare to Think Differently About BusinessRunning a successful Green Industry business takes more than technical expertise. Lone Star Hort Forum education will explore issues surrounding business relationships, execution, decision-making, negotiation, compensation and other challenges affecting how companies operate and grow. Dare to Build a Stronger WorkplaceToday's workplace continues to change. HR and workplace education at Forum will address topics ranging from employee engagement and succession to employment law, accommodations, investigations, workplace behavior and emerging issues such as AI in HR. Whether you work directly in HR or manage employees every day, these are conversations that can affect your business. Dare to Grow What's NextWhat will the Texas landscape look like five or ten years from now? Forum will also look ahead at the plants and environmental challenges shaping our industry, with education being developed around Texas heat, water restrictions, native plants, future Texas Superstar® plants, new plant genetics and more. Dare to Be Part of ItBut Forum is also about something bigger: bringing the Texas Green Industry together. It's where we learn from one another, strengthen relationships, exchange ideas and celebrate the people and companies helping move our industry forward. That includes the TNLA Awards Festival on February 23, when our community will come together to recognize outstanding achievement, service and leadership across the Texas Green Industry. So the question isn't simply what sessions you'll attend. What will you Dare to Be? 📅 February 22–24, 2027📍 Waco Convention Center | Waco, Texas
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As summer winds down and temperatures begin to moderate, fall is an excellent time for nursery and landscape professionals to review pest management practices and prepare plants and production areas for the next growing season. Although pest activity may decline with cooler temperatures, many insects and other pests can survive the winter in plant debris, weeds, soil, bark crevices, greenhouses, and other protected areas. A few simple integrated pest management (IPM) practices now can help reduce pest pressure next spring and make future management easier. Sanitation should be one of the first priorities during fall clean-up. Fallen leaves, spent flowers, dead plant material, weeds, and other debris can provide shelter for overwintering pests and pathogens. Remove heavily infested plant material and dispose of it properly rather than allowing it to accumulate around production areas. Pay particular attention to greenhouse interiors, nursery blocks, container yards, and landscape beds. However, before removing plant material, take time to scout. Inspect stems, branches, leaves, and the soil surface for signs of insects such as scale, aphids, whiteflies, thrips, spider mites, and caterpillars. Look for honeydew, sooty mold, stippling, distorted leaves, feeding injury, and other symptoms that may indicate pest activity. Fall is also a good time to pay special attention to scale insects on woody ornamentals. Carefully inspect trunks, branches, and areas where branches meet the main stem. Identifying an infestation now can help determine whether additional monitoring or management will be needed next season. Avoid making pesticide applications simply because a pest is present. Consider the pest species, life stage, population level, plant condition, and timing before selecting a management strategy. When possible, use cultural and mechanical practices to complement chemical control. Greenhouse sanitation deserves additional attention before plants are brought inside for winter production. Remove old plant material and weeds, clean production areas, inspect irrigation and drainage, and carefully examine plants before moving them into protected environments. Treat, isolate, or remove infested plants as appropriate. Establishing sticky cards and a regular scouting program can also help detect flying pests early. Monitoring records from the fall can provide valuable information about pest trends and help guide decisions during the next growing season. Finally, use fall as a time to review what happened during the current season. Which pests caused the greatest problems? When did populations increase? Which plants were most affected? Were management practices effective? Recording these observations can help identify recurring problems and improve next year's IPM plan. Fall management is not about eliminating every insect; it is about reducing pest reservoirs, improving early detection, and making informed management decisions. Scout, sanitize, monitor, and plan now; small steps in fall can prevent bigger pest problems next spring.
Leadership doesn’t always come with a certain title or number of years in the business. Sometimes, it’s the person who steps forward with a new idea. The one who brings others along, gives back to the industry or community, mentors the next generation or takes on greater responsibility when there is work to be done. Those are the leaders TNLA wants to recognize through the TNLA Young Leader Award. Established in 1996, the award recognizes young professionals for outstanding achievement and service to the Texas Green Industry, with special consideration given to involvement in TNLA and the community. And if you’re wondering what that kind of leadership can look like, our 2025 recipients offer two very different examples. Leadership That Creates Opportunities for OthersLauren Kirchner, President of Spring Creek Growers, has spent years growing within her family’s Waller, Texas, business from Sales and Marketing Director to President.
For Lauren, receiving the Young Leader Award represented something larger than individual recognition. “Winning the Young Leader Award as a woman in horticulture is an incredible honor. It reflects not only my own journey, but also the growing recognition of the vital role women play in shaping the future of this field.” She hopes that recognition encourages other women to pursue careers and leadership opportunities in horticulture with confidence. And her focus reaches even further ahead. “For me, it’s also about inspiring the next generation, teaching children the value of horticulture and showing them that their ideas and passion can help shape a more beautiful future.” Leadership That Builds MomentumOur other 2025 recipient, Matthew Hogue, President & CEO of Hogue Landscape Services, demonstrates another side of young leadership.
For Matt, the Young Leader Award wasn't an endpoint. It was motivation to keep going. “For me, winning the Young Leader Award was more than an honor — it was a spark. It reminded me that our industry thrives when we’re willing to innovate, mentor, and set bold goals.” He also pointed to something important about leadership: its impact extends beyond the individual. “The recognition gave me fresh energy to keep building teams, serving clients, and giving back through TNLA programs and in my local community.” Young Leadership Doesn't Look Just One WayLauren and Matt have different stories. And that's the point. A Young Leader nominee doesn't need to follow one particular career path or hold one particular job title. Look around your company, your TNLA Region and the professionals you work alongside.
Help Us Recognize the Next Young LeaderNominees must be under age 41 at the time of nomination and must own or be employed by a TNLA Member firm, or be a TNLA Member. Nominees should demonstrate outstanding leadership in the Texas Green Industry.
Any owner or employee of a TNLA Member firm, or a TNLA Member, is encouraged to submit a nomination. The nomination gives you an opportunity to tell us about the individual's contributions to TNLA, their business and their community and why you believe their leadership deserves to be recognized. Nominations close October 31, 2026. Some companies make an impact that goes far beyond their own business. They show up. They share their time and expertise. They support education, advocate for the industry, encourage others to get involved and give back to the communities around them. The TNLA Summit Award recognizes a TNLA Member firm that demonstrates that kind of commitment through exceptional service and contributions to TNLA and its members. It is the highest honor TNLA bestows on a Member firm. What Does “Showing Up” Look Like?There isn’t one single way. Take Austin Wood Recycling, the 2026 Summit Award recipient.  A TNLA member since 2015, Austin Wood Recycling has built a long history of involvement with the association and the Texas Green Industry. Their team has served on the TNLA Board of Directors and Education Committee, volunteered at TNLA events, contributed to educational programming and advocated for Green Industry businesses at the Texas Capitol. Their involvement is also easy to spot at the Nursery/Landscape EXPO. For more than 15 years, Austin Wood Recycling has supported the event through booth displays, sponsorships and volunteer support. Their team is known for embracing the EXPO theme, and they have even hosted EXPO Rallies that bring members together through food, music and community. Beyond TNLA, the company supports the communities where its employees live and work through local organizations, schools, youth programs and other community efforts. It’s not one activity that makes the difference. It’s a pattern of showing up. More Than a Single AchievementThat’s also how Austin Wood Recycling described receiving the Summit Award: “This award represents much more than a single achievement. It reflects years of hard work, innovation, service, and a shared commitment to doing things the right way.” For their team, being recognized by their industry peers made the honor especially meaningful. "To be recognized by this group, the people that represent the very best of our industry, truly means the world to our team" And that’s an important part of the Summit Award. It gives TNLA members the opportunity to recognize companies whose contributions they’ve seen firsthand. Who Have You Seen Showing Up?Think about the TNLA Member companies you’ve worked with, served alongside or gotten to know over the years.
Don’t assume someone else will nominate them. The nomination is simple. Tell us which TNLA Member company deserves to be considered and briefly share why. Summit Award nominations are due October 31, 2026. Please email [email protected] or call 512 579 3852 if you have any questions on submitting a form. Texas green industry businesses are facing rising production costs, persistent workforce challenges, and an increasingly unpredictable operating environment. The Texas Nursery and Landscape Association is making sure state lawmakers understand what those pressures mean for our members and what Texas can do to help keep the industry competitive. On August 18, TNLA submitted written testimony on behalf of the Texas green industry to the Texas House Committee on Agriculture and Livestock as the committee examined the resiliency and future competitiveness of Texas agriculture. TNLA thanks Chairman Ryan Guillen for holding the hearing and providing Texas agricultural industries the opportunity to share the economic and regulatory challenges affecting their businesses. Putting the Green Industry’s Economic Impact on the Record In its written testimony, TNLA highlighted the green industry’s significant role in Texas agriculture and the broader state economy. According to a 2025 Texas A&M University economic impact study, the Texas green industry supports 224,490 jobs and generates $35 billion in total economic output. Nursery and greenhouse crops also rank as Texas’ third-largest plant-based agricultural commodity by cash receipts, behind only cotton and corn. But the cost of doing business continues to climb. Production costs for nursery and greenhouse growers increased 67% between 2007 and 2025, including increases of 95% for labor, 68% for containers and 67% for freight. At the same time, industry operating margins have tightened, leaving businesses with less room to absorb additional costs or uncertainty. What TNLA Asked Lawmakers to Consider In its written testimony, TNLA urged lawmakers to consider several practical solutions that could strengthen the long-term resiliency of growers, suppliers and landscape businesses:
Working for You The House Agriculture and Livestock Committee’s interim work will help inform legislative discussions heading into the next legislative session. TNLA will continue engaging lawmakers throughout that process to ensure the green industry’s perspective is represented. Our members grow the plants, supply the materials, build the landscapes and maintain the green spaces Texans interact with every day. TNLA will continue making sure policymakers understand both the industry’s significant contribution to the Texas economy and what our businesses need to remain resilient and competitive. Read TNLA’s full written testimony below. |
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September 2026
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