Green Report

Sponsored by Hotchkiss Insurance Agency

In this TNLA webinar, industry experts share the latest research and innovations in thrips management and biological control. Learn how to identify thrips, strengthen integrated pest management programs, and apply practical, sustainable solutions for greenhouse and controlled-environment operations.

Panelists include, Katerina Velasco-Graham, M.Agr., M.S., Subin Neupane, Ph.D., and Pedro Toledo, Ph.D.

Sponsored by Hotchkiss Insurance Agency

In this episode, learn how to attract and convert high-end landscaping clients without wasting time on unqualified leads. Discover why traditional marketing falls short with affluent buyers, how to position your company as the obvious premium choice, and ways to prequalify prospects, improve pricing transparency, and close bigger, more profitable projects.

Sponsored by Hotchkiss Insurance Agency

In this episode, Dr. Rafia Khan provides a critical update on the invasive two-spot cotton leafhopper recently detected in Texas. Learn how to correctly identify this emerging pest, recognize early signs of infestation, and implement effective management strategies to protect plants, nurseries, and landscape operations. This episode is essential listening for growers and green industry professionals navigating this new and evolving threat.

Sponsored by Hotchkiss Insurance Agency | Presented by TNLA + LeanScaper | Hosted by Tommy Cole

Running a business shouldn’t mean sacrificing your time or personal life. In this episode, Tommy Cole reframes productivity as a systems problem—not a hustle problem—and shares practical ways founders can redesign how they work.

Listeners learn how to escape the busyness trap, audit where their time is really going, and rebuild their schedules around values, priorities, and purpose. The session explores the F.L.O.W. productivity model, the power of eliminating, automating, and delegating effectively, and how AI can serve as a personal time coach to keep systems running smoothly.

Designed for business owners and leaders feeling stretched thin or out of alignment, this episode offers a clear, structured path to reclaiming time, gaining clarity, and leading with leverage—not burnout.

In this episode, Curtis Smith (TNLA Director of Legislative & Regulatory Affairs) sits down with Arnulfo Hinojosa, COO of FEWA, to break down the latest changes to the H-2A program following the U.S. Department of Labor’s new Interim Final Rule.

In just 30 minutes, we cover what employers in the nursery, greenhouse, and landscape sectors need to know heading into the 2026 filing season — including new wage calculations, advertising requirements, incidental tasks, staggered start dates, interview waivers, and the broader legal landscape surrounding H-2A.

Topics include:

A timely conversation for anyone navigating seasonal labor, compliance, and workforce planning under the evolving H-2A program.

Water took center stage in Texas this year. In this episode of The Green Report Podcast, we sit with Jeremy Mazur, Director of Infrastructure and Natural Resources Policy for 2036, to unpack the constitutional amendment on water, the groundwater fight from the regular and special sessions (including Rep. Cody Harris’s efforts), and what it all signals for next session—with a focus on real-world impacts for TNLA members.

This episode of the Green Report takes you inside the fast-paced world of the Texas Legislature with TNLA’s Director of Legislative & Regulatory Affairs, Curtis Smith. From a record-setting water infrastructure win to stopping dangerous licensing and pesticide bills, Curtis breaks down how TNLA successfully defended the green industry at the Capitol. Plus, hear how TNLA members made a direct impact through advocacy and grassroots outreach—and what’s next for protecting your business. For more information on TNLA and Advocacy, visit www.TNLAonline.org.

In this episode of the Green Report Podcast, we head out on the 2025 Texas Plant Trial Road Trip with Paul Winski, Program Specialist for the Green Industry at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Recorded live from the Houston-area stop at Brookshire’s 1502 Farm to Market 1489, Paul walks us through how more than 60 plant varieties are performing in real-world Texas heat and humidity. He also shares timely updates on collaborative research with TNLA members—including work on boxwood, biochar, and root growth regulators—with Native Texas Nursery, Lone Star Trees, and Everde. Discover what’s growing strong in Texas and what it means for your landscape or nursery business.

Get the inside scoop on this year’s highly anticipated Plant Trial Roadtrip with Dr. Andrew King, Assistant Professor at Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center in Overton. In this Green Report Podcast episode, Dr. King previews what growers, retailers, and landscapers can expect when the tour kicks off June 26 in Overton. Discover which plants are standing out in both container and landscape trials, and learn about key insights shaping the season's top performers.

Listen in and plan your visit: Watch the Overton Plant Trial Preview

In this episode, we sit down with Savanna Taylor Thornton, Business Development lead at Lone Star Trees, to get an insider’s look at how the 2025 spring season is shaping up for one of Central Texas’ premier wholesale tree growers. Savanna shares what’s flying off the field this year, the growing demand from landscape and nursery professionals, and what trends are taking root when it comes to tree types and sizes.

Special Thanks: