Photo: Grass Seed USA

While the approaching summer time will coax more homeowners outdoors with warmer temperatures and longer days, it is important to take advantage of the remaining springtime to prep your clients’ yard for summer stressors.

Turfgrass is resilient and can take a beating but increased temperatures and high foot traffic can make even the hardiest lawn deteriorate if the proper care and precautions are not applied.

While these steps may sound like a broken record to you, you cannot assume your client knows better unless you educate them. This is especially important if you don’t handle their lawn care maintenance.

Mowing

Whether you’re working with cool-season grasses or warm-season grasses, mowing at the tall end of the mowing height can help improve the lawn’s wear tolerance. This allows for more leaf tissue to endure compaction and protects the growing point of the plant.

“I’d start rolling into that now in preparation for the summer,” said Geoff Rinehart with the University of Maryland.

Another important element to keep in mind when it comes to mowing is having sharp blades.

“Especially when we get into the summer, things start to dry out,” Rinehart said. “The grass blades become a little bit tougher to clip. They’ve got less water content in them. Those mower blades can really dull out by midsummer so being able to sharpen the mower blades and avoid fraying the end of the leaf is important.”

This can help prevent diseases that tend to gain entry via frayed grass blades. Sharp blades also result is a much cleaner, neater cut in general. Rinehart adds that cleaning the mower decks out will help the blades spin better.

Watering

While lawns are often portrayed as water-guzzling plots of land that must be irrigated on a daily basis, experts agree turfgrass actually does better when watered deeply and infrequently.

“Sometimes folks will get into where they have their irrigation set for a couple minutes every day and the water really doesn’t move very far into the root zone,” Rinehart said. “It just gets caught up in that upper layer and it’s not getting water down to the roots that are deeper that could better sustain that deeper root system.”

Most cool-season grasses can thrive on about 1 inch of water, with rainfall, per week during the summer and more drought-tolerant grasses need even less. By getting water to the roots that are deeper, there is a better chance of sustaining them over the summer.

Frequent irrigation can also lead to promoting certain turfgrass diseases if the blades are often left wet.

As for why the idea that grass needs frequent watering has been so perpetual, Rinehart believes it’s because of people’s natural tendency is to worry or overmanage. Watering every day also prevents the lawn from having a chance to dry out. This inhibits the amount of air space in the soil.

“The average person doesn’t have a really good understanding of our soil needing air space and not liking it saturated all the time,” Rinehart said. “If it’s saturated all the time, you’re encouraging certain disease pathogens.”

Fertilizing

For cool-season grasses, it is not advisable to fertilize in the summertime, but if applied at the proper time, they can help with stress tolerance.

“With cool-season grasses, you want to time that spring fertilization so it’s after the flush of growth but before things get hot,” Rinehart said. “If you fertilize too late and it starts to get hot, you can actually stimulate brown patch disease within cool-season grasses.”

Rinehart advises opting for slow-release fertilizer because fast-release fertilizer is more likely to cause brown patch.

Meanwhile, mid-spring through summer is the optimal time to fertilize for warm-season grasses like Bermuda grass, zoysiagrass, St. Augustine grass and centipedegrass. This should be started after the turf has completed its spring greening.

Heavy nitrogen fertilization can have a negative effect by causing an excess of spring shoot production and in turn reducing root formation. Weak root systems will become apparent in hot dry summers. If your client wants early-season color, foliar applications of iron can provide greening without an increase in shoot growth. However, this tends to be short-lived.

Best grasses for high traffic areas

Like most things in life, there is no one perfect option but everything has its tradeoffs. For example, Rinehart says that perennial ryegrass has the top wear tolerance, but it doesn’t have very good recuperative capacity because it is a bunch type grass and it is more prone to disease.

Kentucky bluegrass tends to be the cool-season choice for high-traffic, high-performance situations because it has the capacity to recover, yet doesn’t have as much wear tolerance as ryegrass does.

Yet both of these types of grasses are not recommended for residential homes in transition zones, as they are prone to diseases. Growing a warm-season grass for the summer and overseeding with a cool-season grass in the winter can be a solution in this situation.

Meanwhile, warm-season grasses like Bermuda grass boast of a high-traffic tolerance but will struggle to recover if it does get worn out. The same can be said for zoysiagrass. Bahiagrass and centipedegrass, which both spread by stolons, are vulnerable to damage and do not recover well.

Crews aerated various lots in need at Arlington National Cemetery.
Photo: Jill Odom

Landscapers gathered in Washington D.C. once more on July 15-17 for the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ (NALP) 22^nd annual Renewal & Remembrance event.

One of the iconic events the organization hosts in the year, approximately 400 members of the green industry and their families gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to serve.

Projects varied from applying lime and phosphorus to certain lots, aerating, installing irrigation systems and more. The organization also worked in the Soldier’s and Airmen’s Home Cemetery for the second year.

One of the landscaping projects required the removal and replacement of a poorly constructed retaining wall.
Photo: Jill Odom

Volunteers also had the opportunity to handle three different landscaping projects, including replacing a retaining wall and tree work.

According to Renewal & Remembrance chairman, John Eggleston, around 80 percent of the participants are individuals returning from previously serving.

While the day of service may pass in a blur, NALP begins working with Arlington National Cemetery in January to determine what tasks they’ll do that year and plan accordingly.

This year the opening ceremony was held at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial because the traditional location at the amphitheater was under construction. Workers both young and old gathered to hear Colonel Jerry Farnsworth, chief of staff for the Army National Military Cemeteries, Jeff Buhler, NALP president, and Priscilla E. Quakenbush, retired Lieutenant Colonel for the United States Army Nurse Corps.

Farnsworth thanked the landscapers for their contribution and Buhler challenged the workers to take a moment during the day and pause.

“Life’s biggest moments can be missed if you don’t pause and reflect,” Buhler said.

Quakenbush shared the benefits green spaces have on injured soldiers and the meanings of the coins often seen placed on headstones.

After the dedication led by Tom Shotbarger, with Shotzbarger, Inc., a swath of neon vests bunched together for a group photo before scattering like ants to their various assignments.

Employees from various Ruppert Landscape branches volunteered at this year’s Renewal & Remembrance.
Photo: Jill Odom

The sun had only risen slightly in the sky, but the temperature was already causing team members to sweat as the high heat index remained a point of concern throughout the day.

While some landscapers brought their employees to participate like YardApes and Ruppert Landscape, others brought their families.

Children of landscapers were able to do their part during the Children’s Program, where they learned about caisson horses, and Roger Phelps, corporate communications manager for Stihl, shared with them the history of the USS Maine.

Over 200 people died during the sinking and Phelps shared the power and importance of remembering the fallen, including those whose identities are unknown.

“They were somebody’s son, somebody’s husband or somebody’s brother, but they served with honor,” Phelps said.

Kids had the opportunity to feed peppermints to the caisson horses.
Photo: Jill Odom

The kids planted annuals near the USS Maine Memorial and left bouquets of flowers at the grave markers of unknown soldiers from the tragedy.

One example of a landscaper who has been serving Renewal & Remembrance for years is Miles Kuperus Jr., CEO of Farmside Landscape & Design, based in Sussex, New Jersey. Not only does Kuperus volunteer, but his entire family serves as well.

His wife, Lisa, believes they have been coming for at least 15 years, as her youngest son, Wesley was just a baby during their first time attending.

The Kuperuses started attending Renewal & Remembrance when Farmside Landscape & Design joined NALP, which was known as PLANET at the time, just trying to get an understanding for the event.

Children left bouquets for unknown victims of the USS Maine.
Photo: Jill Odom

There was no Children’s Program back then, but this changed shortly after with Lisa Kuperus taking the lead to help run this portion of the event. As the Kuperus children grew older, each found their own reason for why they continue to participate.

“A lot of my siblings are now older, so we don’t have time in our schedule, but we make time because it has such a high value of importance to us, and it’s just something we value and we love and we love meeting new people,” said Racheal Kuperus, who is 22 years old and the third oldest in the family. “We love seeing old faces and our community here.”

Racheal started out planting annuals as a participant of the Children’s Program, and as she has grown up, she has taken on leadership roles with the program alongside her mother.

“I just really picked it up because I love sharing the knowledge of plants and everything and I just love kids,” she said. “I’m going into teaching, so being able to continue in the kids’ program, I love it. I love seeing the kids learning and that’s why I’m here at the Children’s Program. (I’m) amazed that these children are here so young and exposed to something so raw, and honestly, it’s beautiful to see.”

Racheal’s older sister, Anna Marie, who is 24, started out helping collect trash with her father and transitioned over to the Children’s Program a couple years ago. Despite living and working in Michigan now, Anna Marie still makes a point to return for Renewal & Remembrance.

Racheal Kuperus instructs the children on how to construct their bouquets.
Photo: Jill Odom

She enjoys seeing the progress over the years as Arlington continually grows to trust the organization more and allows them to do more complex projects.

“Ultimately, it comes back down to serving and volunteering for all those who gave much more so that’s really what it comes down to, but it’s really cool to see other people and see it through their eyes for the first time because that’s how we were the first time when we first started,” Anna Marie said.

Wesley, who is 15 and the youngest, also enjoys seeing the progress NALP has made over the years. He helps out by cleaning up trash that is left over from the volunteer work, such as liming.

“I’ve been here a long time and I can remember where it was in the beginning, and I see projects from the past to the future now and it looks so nice and that’s why I think it’s good,” he said.

Richard, who is 20 and the second youngest in the family, worked as a co-champion with his eldest brother Miles Kuperus III this year on sustainability and hydration. The goal was to leave no trace behind and to ensure the cemetery looks cleaner when they leave it. They also want to recycle as much as possible, with last year having a 90 percent recycling rate.

“We want to get to that 100,” Richard said. “That’s what sustainability is all about. We’re in the green industry. We want to be green and recycling as much as possible.”

Richard is currently involved in the family business and going to school for a degree related to the green industry.

“Every year, I always look forward to coming back and stepping up to more leadership roles,” Richard said. “It’s all about giving back. That’s the main reason. This is what I know, this is what I love, and for those who have given everything, this is the best that I can do in return.”

For more pictures of Renewal & Remembrance, check out NALP’s Flickr page here.
Photo: Jill Odom

Photo: Pixabay

Summer is one of the most popular seasons for nuptials, and customers might already have or will soon begin to ask you whether or not your landscaping company offers outdoor wedding preparation.

If this isn’t currently a service you offer but you’ve considered diving into it, take a look at some of the ideas and options you’ll need to keep in mind when determining what all you’ll be able to offer. Whether you strictly provide design ideas, strictly construction and installation or design and installation, having a plan in action ahead of time and understanding the intricacies of wedding planning and preparation can help the process go more smoothly.

Planning

Whether your company is only providing designs for a wedding or another outdoor event, only doing the installation work or will be performing it all, it’s important to begin the process with a well-thought-out plan.

Taking time to meet with the couple and wedding planner will help you and your team get a better sense of the space you’ll be working with, the amount of work ahead of you, what you will and won’t need to add to the space and more along those lines.

Be sure to see the site for yourself before making any kind of plans or promises to the couple, as photos of the space could be outdated or unreliable with scaling and sizing, and verbal descriptions can be equally as off the mark.

According to Arlene Pond, landscape designer with J. Montgomery Designs in Alamo, California, the planning process can be a bit different depending on your company’s role in the process.

For projects that will only involve softscaping, such as adding in plant material, pots, beds and more, the planning process is more simplistic. For this, she says, landscapers will typically only need to see the site, have a basic sketch of what the couple wants for the layout, then order the necessary plants. When said plants arrive, Pond says that typically, everyday landscaping tools will be used for the installation process. She also stresses the importance of checking to see whether or not irrigation will need to be installed and used throughout the event, as well as any water fixtures that will require refilling and electricity.

For projects where hardscaping is required, Pond says the process gets a little more complex. These types of projects, she says, require planning, drawing up sketches and designs, obtaining construction documents, being aware of what type of lighting will be used, the installation process, taking bids and more.

Preparation

For companies doing both the planning and installation work, there are a few details to keep in mind when looking at the space.

First of all, be sure to look closely at the grass and surrounding grounds. If the grass could use a little watering, fertilizing and mowing, don’t hesitate to jump in and start preparing. Take stock of any weeds or patchy areas in need of tender love and care, and try to begin the reseeding process in enough time to let those areas fill back in before the big day.

Likewise, be on the lookout for ant beds and other pests that could potentially put a damper on the outdoor festivities.

Applying pesticides in a timely and safe manner can help keep creepy crawlies from making an unwelcomed appearance on the couple’s big day and finding ways to add in candles and plants that ward off insects can be a creative way to add to the decorations while also providing functionality.

After reviewing the site, sit down and talk to the couple and the wedding planner about the theme and color schemes of the event. When preparing the designs, don’t be afraid to incorporate their ideas into the overall design to make a more cohesive look.

For most outdoor events, lighting will be a major focal point, especially if the shindig runs over into the evening hours. With the simple addition of some artful lighting throughout the venue, the area can go from an afternoon wedding to the serenely lit place for a reception.

Adding in a few artful light displays can create a completely different environment for your clients and their guests, and it can also act as a more aesthetically pleasing way of beckoning visitors to explore and wander when they have a spare moment or two during the festivities.

If there are concrete areas or patios that will be used, be sure that these are cleaned properly before the big day. If your customers have always wanted to add in a patio to their yard but never really saw a need for it until now, consider adding in a new patio or outdoor kitchen to the space while you’re in the preparation process. This can give guests more seating and an area to relax in during the rehearsal dinner, reception or another type of party.

Along with these details, Pond recommends taking stock of just how big or small the event will be.

“I think the main thing (you need to do) to be successful is to really think about how many people are going to be in that space and how functional it’s going to be for hosting a wedding,” Pond said.

Low cost of ownership makes the Knikmops Elite KM100 series a good fit for landscaping companies.
Photo: Knikmops

The Texas-based importer and distributor Miniloaders.com (formerly Compactgiant) has begun distribution of a new mini-loader from Knikmops.

The Belgian manufacturer offers the KM100 Intrepid series with two different models, the Intrepid KM100 has the standard boom while the Intrepid KM100 Tele has a telescoping boom. The standard boom reaches 80 inches and the telescopic reaches 108 inches.

The machines both weigh 2,300 pounds and run on 25-horsepower Kubota engines. They have a top travel speed of 11 mph. Both units use a universal attachment plate with manual locking.

According to Knikmops, the Intrepid KM100 machines use less fuel, have a longer tire life and are easy to enter and exit compared to a skid steer. The telescopic version is $36,000 and the standard boom version is $33,000.

For more information, click here.

Echo introduces new trimmer series

Echo says that its new X Series SRM-3020 offers top engine and cutting performance for professional landscapers and right-of-way crews.

The SRM-3020 trimmer, SRM-3020T high torque trimmer and SRM-3020U brushcutter were designed with heavy weeds and thick grass in mind, making them ideal for maintaining spaces such as overgrown areas, parks, preserves and ditches.

The hand-held equipment features a 1.8-horsepower two stroke engine and 20-inch cutting swath. According to Echo, this is a 17 percent larger swath and provides double digit improvement in cutting torque compared to competitors.

“The introduction of the SRM-3020 once again demonstrates Echo’s commitment to providing the best quality and highest durability products for professional users,” said Wayne Thomsen, vice president – marketing and after market, Echo Incorporated. “In a league of its own with category leading engine performance, the SRM-3020 sets a new industry benchmark.”

The gear ratio for the standard trimmer and brushcutter is 1.62:1 and the high torque trimmer has a 2.07:1 gear ratio. Each model features the Speed-Feed 450 trimmer head and comes with a 2-year commercial/5-year consumer warranty.

Spiio releases second-generation wireless sensor

Spiio has introduced the SP-110 to enable a new data dimension for smart irrigation in the green industry.

Photo: Spiio

The new wireless sensor will help landscapers, horticulturists and others in the green industry use smart irrigation to maintain their projects and make better decisions on water usage.

Approximately 70 percent of the water used around the world is for irrigation, and about 60 percent of that water is lost due to evapotranspiration or inefficient watering methods, yet with better data this can be improved.

“Access to more data will not only help us immediately save water in commercial greenscaping, but over time boost the landscape architect’s possibilities when it comes to greening our future data-driven and sustainable super-cities,” said Martin Dal, CEO and co-founder of Spiio.

The SP-110 features four sensors: soil moisture, temperature, light and nutrients. It has the highest possible IP grading (IP69K) making it particularly durable. It has a battery life of five to six years.

The sensor combines with various smart controllers on the market allowing for full automation.

Joe Zazzera, founder of Plant Solutions in Arizona, has used the sensors to help improve his biophilic designs in office buildings.

“There’s nothing more discouraging than trying to connect people with poorly installed or maintained living walls,” Zazzera said. “Using Spiio sensors has enabled us to monitor our living walls remotely 24/7. Having this technology enhances our maintenance skills and fulfills our mission, creating happier, healthier building occupants.”

Steel Green Manufacturing to build zero-turn sprayer and spreaders

Startup Steel Green has announced it will begin operation is Lebanon, Indiana, manufacturing equipment for the professional lawn care industry.

The company was founded by Scot Jones, Matt Smith, Michael Floyd, Craig Conyer and Brent Mills, all previous employees of the Z-Spray manufacturers, L.T. Rich Products, Inc.

Jones was a parts manager for the last 15 years and has also worked in the parts departments for Ag-Chem Equipment Company and Big A Equipment.

Smith has over a decade of experience in sales and retail management and will serve as sales manager for Steel Green Manufacturing. Floyd, inventory control manager at Steel Green Manufacturing, has worked eight years in various departments including parts and service, shipping and receiving and warranty.

Conyer will bring over 20 years of experience to his new position as production manager for the company. He is certified in Panasonic Robotic Welding and Autodesk Inventor CAD.

Mills has been in the industry since 1987 and spent the last 10 years performing tech support on zero-turn sprayer spreader machines.

“With over 100 years of combined experience in the landscape equipment industry, our team understands the needs of landscape contractors and grounds professionals, and we’re proud to build equipment with them in mind,” Jones said.

Rust is a fall disease of Kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass, infecting turf that is slow-growing from limited irrigation and/or nitrogen.
Photo: Bayer

It is officially the fall season and with it comes homeowner beliefs that there’s nothing left to do in the yard.

Yet after the stress of summer, your client’s turfgrass is more vulnerable than ever to certain fall lawn diseases, so it’s your job to educate them on the need to keep up the good fight and continue to prioritize proper lawn care.

 “Maximizing plant health year-round is critical for minimizing diseases in lawns all season long,” says Zac Reicher, Ph.D., Bayer Green Solutions Team specialist.

Common diseases to look for

For the most part, cool-season grasses don’t have to deal with many diseases in the fall, according to Reicher. One of the few diseases that can be common in early fall is rust.

Rust is a fungal disease that appears as yellowish-orange powder on grass blades. Low fertility and low water availability can slow down turf growth, allowing rust to appear. Excess rain can deplete available nitrogen making rust more likely in cool-season turf.

“It is most common on Kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass with dry weather and poor growing conditions,” says Jamie Breuinger, technical leader for Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, Turf & Ornamental division. “Although the disease is mostly cosmetic, homeowners can be annoyed with the yellow/orange pustules that can leave a distinct orange color on your shoes. To address this issue, it is recommended to increase the growth of the turfgrass through fertilization and irrigation.”

Another fungal disease cool-season grasses can experience in the fall is necrotic ring spot. This disease is characterized by ring-shaped patches of dead or dying turf. These patches may at times coalesce, or they may stand out as individual dead rings. It is most commonly found in Kentucky bluegrass.

Environmental conditions for necrotic ring spot vary with it being more severe in some locations during spring and fall, while in other regions it only appears in midsummer.

It tends to be more problematic in lawns with significant thatch or poor soil structure, according to Reicher.

Large patch affects almost all warm-season grasses, including St. Augustine in this picture, with infection in the fall well before symptoms are usually seen in the spring.
Photo: Bayer

As for warm-season grasses, fall lawn diseases are far more problematic as they are entering the slower growth period from the fall to the spring.

Some of the diseases that are commonly spotted are large patch and take-all root rot.

Large patch features circular patches that turn yellow, then reddish brown, brown or straw-colored as the grass dies. According to Matt Giese, technical services manager at Syngenta, large patch can develop on zoysiagrass during wet, cool fall weather.

Take-all root rot causes brown dead spots in turfgrass and early symptoms are patches of turf appearing yellowish green. If left unchecked, it will result in severe thinning of the grass.

“Last year, Hurricanes Harvey and Irma caused tremendous problems with take-all root rot in warm-season lawns, but we have been lucky in 2018 with no major outbreaks in warm-season turf to date,” Reicher says.

Last but not least is dollar spot, which is prevalent in the fall and affects both warm- and cool-season grasses. Dollar spot is recognizable by tiny yellow spots on individual blades and as the grass dies, straw-colored spots 2 to 3 inches in diameter begin to appear in the lawn.

This disease can become widespread if summer conditions were harsh and supplemental fertilizer was not applied, according to Giese.

Dealing with ID difficulties

When it comes to identifying some of these fall lawn diseases, it can be challenging. Reicher says necrotic ring spot is the hardest to ID in cool-season turf, as it can be mistaken for drought damage, white grubs or fairy ring.

“Necrotic ring spot is a root-infecting disease that does not produce above ground mycelium or lesions on turf leaves, but it does produce characteristic frog-eye patterns in the turf with thin or dying rings up to three feet in diameter with healthy turf in the center,” he says.

Because turf diseases may not match their textbook appearance, Giese advises enlisting the help of your local turf disease diagnostic clinic to help identify the issue.

Sometimes it can also be hard to determine if the aesthetic issues your customer’s lawn faces are the result of a fungus or just poor cultural practices.

“Diseases or other biotic problems will typically form irregular patterns that may follow shade, traffic or soil wetness patterns,” Reicher says. “Conversely, man-made problems like inconsistencies in application or improper irrigation will be in more regular patterns and may be in straight lines depending on the cause.”

Giese adds that diseases typically show foliar patterns of necrosis, and moisture stress symptoms appear consistent and evenly brown.

Best practices

In order to reduce the risk of fall lawn diseases, there are a number of best maintenance practices landscapers can follow.

“Most, but not all, diseases in turf are a reflection of previous maintenance, both long- and short-term,” Reicher says. “Rust is a classic example of a disease attacking almost exclusively under-fertilized Kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass lawns.”

A majority of the cultural practices are pretty straightforward, including mowing frequently enough at the highest recommended height for different grasses. Reicher says to avoid removing more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at a time.

Another important factor is monitoring irrigation and avoiding overwatering.

“All lawn diseases are favored by moisture extremes (too wet or too dry), so it is important to monitor irrigation distribution and regularly adjusting irrigation frequency and volume throughout the year,” Reicher says.

Matt Giese
Photo: Syngenta

As you go into fall, there may be turf loss from various summer stresses like drought, heat, disease, traffic or insects. Applying the proper amount of fertilizer can promote recovery.

“Lawn care professionals need to think of fall as a time for turf renewal for cool-season grasses,” Breuninger says. “Fertilization at this time will help to stimulate growth and turf recovery. For management of Kentucky bluegrass, aeration or raking out the dead debris will help healthy turf spread into damaged areas. As a good rule of thumb, if there is more than 50 percent thinning of the turfgrass, reseeding may be needed.”

Speaking of dead debris, managing thatch and maximizing sunlight and air movement are two other important maintenance practices to follow.

“Established turfgrass builds up thatch over time and creates perfect breeding grounds for diseases,” Giese says. “Aerification, de-thatching or power raking can help reduce environments conducive to disease.

As for what to do when there is a lawn disease already present, Giese says treating turfgrass depends on the disease present.

“Foliar diseases are easier to control because fungicides can directly contact the pathogen on the plant’s surface,” he says. “Applying at first detection can be effective. However, soil-borne diseases require a preventive approach since fungicides need to absorb into plants long before symptoms show for optimum control. Curative fungicide applications to soil-borne diseases are generally not effective.”

When dealing with large patch or take-all root rot in warm-season grasses, Reicher suggests applying fungicides like Armada preventatively for effective control.

Photo: SiteOne

Winter can be a slow time for business, especially if you don’t offer snow removal or Christmas lighting services, but there are still ways to keep your employees busy.

While your sales and design teams can plan out the jobs for the upcoming new year, your installation crews may be looking for something to do.

Depending on the area you are located in, you can actually get a head start on next spring by planting trees as long as the ground is not frozen. George Wolf, SiteOne’s senior director of category management, says any species can be planted in late winter as long as it is appropriate for the USDA zone you’re working in.

He does warn that late winter planting isn’t exactly the ideal time, but it is doable.

“I don’t see a true cultural benefit to planting in late winter in terms of blooming, establishing roots or increased survivability,” Wolf says. “Only real benefit I can see is that a landscaper could level out peak labor demands by planting trees prior to the spring season kicking in. There is no horticultural benefit that I am aware of to be gained from planting in late winter.”

Issues to be aware of

If client or labor needs cause you to need to start planting trees in late winter, here are some of the issues you need to be prepared for and may prevent you from starting at all.

1. Availability of stock

Wolf says that container stock or trees that have been harvested and burlapped during the fall digging season are ideal for late winter planting.

“Planting trees in the winter would be similar to being ‘mulched in’ at a nursery yard or grower for protection from the winter elements,” he says.

Photo: SiteOne

The problem that might occur, depending on your location, is if the nursery has already winterized their operations. If the plants are already mulched in for the season, you might not be able to start installing in the winter, even if you wanted to.

Wolf also says you should determine if what you are planting is fresh or tired stock from the prior season.

“Not all product leafs out in spring, so what is your course of action if the tree does not leaf out?” Wolf says. “If you wait until spring, you can think about using trees of a greater caliper, such as SiteOne specimen trees, to give you a jump on the season.”

2. Frozen soil

If the ground is frozen, digging will be nearly impossible and the tree will likely suffer from reduced root growth and eventual tree decline.

Wolf adds that frozen soil will prove challenging to get a good mixture of soil and soil amendments mixed in the planting hole between the native soil and the root ball.

3. Winter threats

Just like how summer has a number of stressors, winter comes with its own set of factors that can prove challenging for trees just getting settled in. These include late winter storms, the ground freezing again and bark splitting just to name a few.

Winter burn, or desiccation, can happen when evergreens lose considerable amounts of moisture through their leaves due to strong winds or sunlight while the roots are frozen, preventing the plant from replacing the lost water.

Sun scald tends to appear on the south or southwest side of a tree during the late winter and early spring. Direct sun can heat the bark enough that the tissue becomes active and breaks dormancy, but freezing temperatures at night kill the active tissue.

One of the most obvious causes of winter damage to plants is snow and ice. Heavy snow and ice can cause tree branches to bend and break.

Newly planted trees and shrubs can allow cold air to penetrate the root zone if cracks in the soil are not properly filled. Mulch and leaf litter tend to keep the soil insulated and prevent the temperature from fluctuating in the winter.

4. Irrigation

While you might not think of winter as a dry time, but it can be a challenge for trees to get the moisture that they need. Wolf says this is more of an issue when planting evergreens in late winter.

“Deciduous trees are dormant in the winter and require very little water,” he says. “Evergreen trees keep their needles and leaves and as a result have a much greater need for moisture. If there is a late freeze or the ground is still partially frozen, it makes it much more difficult for an evergreen tree to get the moisture it needs to support the needles or leaves.”

He also notes it’s important to have irrigation in place for when the tree does break dormancy.

One thing to make clear to clients who may be wanting a tree planted early for spring blossoms is that many transplanted trees or containerized trees do not bloom heavily the first year of planting.

“This is primarily a result of the tree using its energy to establish roots to provide moisture and nutrients for the plant during the upcoming summer season, so in many cases rooting takes priority over blooms and flowers,” Wolf says.

Photo: Carhartt

Carhartt recently announced it will launch its Carhartt Company Gear program on Jan. 16. With the new Carhartt Company Gear service model, the company says its 130-year-old brand will provide a wide range of businesses with its familiar, rugged, durable products.

Along with its most popular styles, Carhartt says businesses across various trades and sectors will also have access to the new Rugged Professionals Series, which they say will give uniformed associates a sharp, professional appearance.

“With the launch of Carhartt Company Gear, our brand now offers one of the most comprehensive and innovative workwear solutions in the marketplace,” says Andi Donovan, senior vice president of Carhartt Company Gear. “The reorganization of our service program will allow Carhartt to accommodate customers’ workwear demands whether they need pants for a crew of 20 or need to outfit an entire operation. So far, the reaction from the market has been very positive.”

To service customers in search of customized workwear programs, Carhartt says it set out to expand its well-known consumer collection of industrial products to fit the uniform needs of businesses.

With the launch of Carhartt Company Gear, the company says the brand also introduced its Rugged Professionals Series. The company says this product collection comes in nine styles and features rugged flex and stain breaker technologies, along with wrinkle resistance and superior colorfastness to maintain a professional look after dozens of washes.

The Rugged Professionals Series includes button-up shirts, work pants and shorts and a baseball cap, and Carhartt says it will be available in a complete array of sizes to accommodate both men and women.

The company says the Carhartt Company Gear will also include products under every category of industry and specialty from standard uniforms to more specific clothing requirements, such as flame resistant and high visibility gear designed to comply with federal and state employee safety standards.

Natural Paving USA introduces new firepits

Photo: Natural Paver USA

Natural Paving USA recently revealed their newest offering: firepits. The company says these natural stone firepits are pre-made, hand-cut and come in simple-to-assemble kits.

The company says they are a perfect complement to any outdoor living area and blend perfectly with the company’s natural stone pavers. These firepits are available in the colors lakeland and promenade, measure 36 ½” across and inside diameter and stand 17” tall.

FLOMEC introduces ultrasonic flowmeter

The FLOMEC team at Great Plains Industries, Inc., recently introduced the FLOMEC QS200 insertion ultrasonic flowmeter for commercial irrigation applications. The company says the QS200 provides an accurate reading of liquid flow rate and accumulated flow.

“The irrigation market has shifted to the need to measure flow, especially in low flow situations like drip irrigation,” says Kevin Symens, director of sales at GPI. “The QS200 was designed to do just that.”

FLOMEC says the QS200 has no moving parts and utilizes ultrasonic technology to measure flow instead of simply sensing it. The company says the QS200 provides high accuracy and extended leak detection down to 0.1 fps.

The company adds that it measures flow rates five times lower than current flow sensors on the market, as low as 0.22 GPM and is compatible with most common name brand irrigation controllers. Additionally, FLOMEC says it offers LED indication of power and flow activity and retrofits into data industrial PVC tees.

“Current flow sensors in the industry cannot read low flows required in many irrigation applications,” says Edwin Fetzer, QS200 lead engineer. “Even at their lowest detectable flows, the accuracy is extremely poor, basically making them flow switches. This dramatically limits the ability of finding leaking valves or other irrigation system leaks.”

Green & Growin’ 19 kicking off soon

Green & Growin’ 19 will kick off on Monday, Jan. 14, in Greensboro, North Carolina. The event has been around for more than a decade and includes some of the biggest names in the green industry.

Attendees are able to share trends, new products, inspiration and services with professionals from the plant nursery, irrigation, landscape and horticulture industry from across the nation. In 2018, it was reported that the event attracted more than 4,500 participants from 38 states plus Canada and Australia.

The educational portion of the event takes place at the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons Hotel Jan. 14-16. Attendees can choose from more than fifty classes that provide CEU credit toward state and national accreditations and licensure in eight disciplines. Specialty classes and certifications are offered both Monday and Tuesday featuring a range of CEU credit classes interspersed over both days.

Attendees can choose from a range of educational programs providing continuing education credits. Attendees will see those required for a Pesticide or Landscape Contractor License along with programs such as “Planting Pollinators for Well-being,” “Drones for Landscapers and Nurseries” and “Art and Horticulture Collide: The World of Living Walls.”

On Tuesday, Bryce Lane, famed horticulturist and host of two-time Emmy award winning show, “In the Garden with Bryce Lane,” will be a popular highlight speaking on “In Pursuit of Excellence: Cultivating Leadership in Your Organization.”

Ron Rosenberg, nationally recognized expert on marketing and customer service, presents “Outrageous Marketing: How to Dominate Your Market Niche!” and promises a highly entertaining program.

The Marketplace exhibition, Jan. 17-18, at the Greensboro Coliseum, runs from 7:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. each day. Attendees will enjoy 167,000 square feet of exhibit space complete with greenery and plants. They can place orders, see new products, assess services and meet industry professionals. The 2018 event attracted more than 400 exhibitors in plant, shrub, tree and turf businesses. To register for Green & Growin’ 19, click here.

ARA releases new strategic plan

The American Rental Association (ARA) has released a new industry-wide strategic plan that they say will drive program initiatives over the next three years. ARA says this is the first revision to its strategic plan in more than a decade.

The ARA board of directors met for a two-day session led by a professional facilitator to discuss common issues within the industry and discover common themes in which an action plan could be developed around.

“As the industry continues to grow and change, so do the needs of the members we serve,” says Tony Conant, ARA CEO. “After nearly two years of research and compiling data, the five key areas where the association can make a significant impact have been identified for inclusion in the strategic plan.”

ARA says the result is a simple, straightforward plan that communicates with clarity the purpose, focus areas and values that will drive ARA into the future:

• Education: Position ARA as the primary source for education and training in the equipment and event rental industry.
• Industry workforce: Raise awareness of careers in rental and ensure a qualified and sustainable workforce for rental business owners.
• Technology: Encourage rental business owners to effectively use technology to increase operational performance.
• Market intelligence: Provide industry metrics, forecasting resources and market intelligence tools for the industry.
• Consumer awareness:Promote the value proposition of equipment and event rental so that consumers think of rental first.

“ARA’s volunteer leadership changes each year and without a multi-year strategy, the direction of the association and its priorities could change frequently,” says ARA president Kevin Hoffman. “This consistent plan allows staff to advance the priorities set by the membership through board representation. I’m extremely pleased with the outcome and to have worked with bright and talented individuals to establish a plan that will carry the association forward.”

“Operationally, the association is doing very well,” says Conant. “The ARA Show continues to be a success, membership is growing and our publications division leads the market. However, these are five major focus areas in which the association can make a significant impact toward the long-term success of the equipment and event rental industry.”

Landscape and irrigation contractors given 2018 Mighty Oak award

Eight irrigation and lawn and landscape companies across the U.S. and Canada were awarded the Jeffrey Scott 2018 Mighty Oak, which is based on their performance as a business leader and outstanding achievements made by their companies.

These awards were announced at Scott’s recent Leader’s Edge peer group meetings held across the USA and Canada, and criteria for this award are as follows:

• Serving as a positive example to others in the profession.
• Working with the highest levels of integrity, ethics and accountability.
• Achieving significant growth benchmarks.
• Contributing to the advancement of the landscape industry.
• Engaging in continual personal and professional development.

Honorees are chosen from the international participants in the Leader’s Edge peer groups for landscape business owners run by Scott.

The 2018 winners are as follows:

• Richard Wynia and his firm Landart in Ontario, Canada.
• Chris Cotoia and his firm Executive Landscaping in Dennis, Massachusetts.
• Trevor Lively and his firm BlueJay Irrigation in Ontario, Canada.
• Dave Wright and his Wright Landscape Services in Ontario, Canada.
• Darin Brockelbank and his firm Metrogreenscape in Charlotte, North Carolina.
• Martin Silverman and his firm Martin John Company in Libertyville, Illinois.
• Pam Dooley and her firm Plants Creative Landscapes in Decatur, Georgia.
• Tim Stevens and his firm F&B Landscaping in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Photo: Pexels

When time is money, webinars might seem like the last thing you think you need to be spending your time on.

Yet they can provide valuable information for crews, owners and business managers. These are learning opportunities that do not require any costly travel and some can even count for continuing education credits. The key is selecting the right webinars to attend.

Depending on what services you offer, and your target client base can direct you to sources of good webinars. For example, the Irrigation Association and RainBird offer a number of webinars related to irrigation if this is an area where you are trying to increase your skills or knowledge base.

Many webinars are free, but even if they are not, they can be well worth the cost to attend as successful industry professionals are providing valuable information. Also, webinars leave room for a question and answer segment, which is a perfect time to get some important questions answered or get feedback from others.

However, it’s important to avoid one key mistake many landscape professionals make while attending the webinar is continuing to do work.

It’s very tempting to sit at a desk and continue to work while half listening in on a webinar. However, half listening is like doing a job half way.

If you’re going to invest time into a webinar, make sure to really invest your time.

Here are a few tips from the Harvard Business Review on how participants can maximize their webinar experience:

• Choose webinars carefully. Time is limited and not all webinars are created equal. When selecting which webinars to attend, consider how much value each will provide for particular projects with which you’re involved.
• Watch the webinar with a group. Not only does this practice make employees more likely to attend and pay attention during webinars, but it also signals the importance of the topic and the value that the organization’s leadership places on professional development.
• Take and distribute notes. Taking notes helps participants pay attention. Distributing them to relevant colleagues is not only helpful for those who weren’t able to attend the session, but it also gives the note-taker recognition as someone who has learned and synthesized the material presented during the webinar.
• Use the webinar to network. When presenters and other registrants distribute their contact information, don’t be shy about following up with questions or ideas. It’s perfectly acceptable to use the shared experience of the webinar to present queries on other topics, too.
• Ask questions. Take advantage of technologies that allow you to ask questions of presenters, following up in an email if your question doesn’t get asked or answered. In addition, talking to colleagues about questions or themes that emerged from the webinar can be an important piece of understanding the information and making it work for your organization.

Upcoming webinars

Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019, at 1:30

How Apprenticeships Can Change the Face of Employee Recruitment

This webinar will be presented by Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). This webinar will introduce landscapers to the Landscape Management Apprenticeship Program which is registered by the Department of Labor and sponsored by NALP.

Henriksen will cover how the program works, what the curriculum looks like, how to get started and how it will help with the current workforce shortage. This webinar is free. Click here to register.

Thursday, March 7 & 28, 2019, at 1 p.m. ET

Contractor Conversation Series

This is a two-part webinar series hosted by Jeffrey Scott that features four industry veterans discussing their strategies for success in 2019. Mike Rorie, CEO of GroundSystems in Ohio and Chris Senske, CEO of Senske Lawn & Tree Care, Washington will speak during the first webinar on March 7.

Jim McCutcheon, president of High Grove Partners in Georgia and Will Pereira, aa branch manager with BrightView in Colorado will speak during the second webinar on March 28.

Attendees will learn how to overcome employee challenges, pricing issues, and training obstacles. These webinars are free. Click here to register.

Friday, March 29, 2019 2-3 p.m. ET

Pumps in Irrigation

This webinar will cover the potential electrical hazards you could be exposed to during the operation, maintenance, inspection and testing of center pivot systems.

It will touch on how the human body responds to electrical current in wet or damp areas, electrical hazards commonly identified around center pivot irrigation systems, how to identify suspect equipment installations, potentially unsafe conditions and hazardous conditions around center pivot irrigation systems and safety practices and equipment needed to work safely.

This webinar is worth one CEU in the Tier 1 – Irrigation Training category. Click here to register.

If for whatever reason you cannot clear your schedule to watch webinars live, take advantage of the multiple organizations that keep archives of their previous webinars. Some may still charge you to watch these old webinars, but others like the ones on the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association’s site are free to view.

Photo: BrightView

Independence National Historic Park (INHP) is getting some much-deserved TLC courtesy of BrightView Landscapes this spring.

Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the park is one of over 400 places within the National Park Service (NPS) and is considered the birthplace of the nation.

“The buildings of INHP are authentic and unique places of national and international importance,” says Gina Gilliam, a public affairs officer with NPS. “Here, people can connect with the stories of the founding of the United States and its early growth, against many odds, to be the most powerful country in the world. The centerpiece is Independence Hall where both the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the United States Constitution (1787) were debated and signed.”

Photo: Pixabay

INHP is also home to other National Historic Landmark buildings and sites, as well as the famous Liberty Bell, which was one of the many historical artifacts highlighted in the movie National Treasure. The number of visitors annually has ranged from over 4.3 million to nearly 5.1 million.

“One of the goals of the NPS at INHP is to have the grounds be as beautiful as the buildings are important,” Gilliam says. “BrightView offered to assist the NPS in a major rehabilitation of the grounds of a highly visible area of INHP, allowing NPS staff to focus on other parts of the park in pursuit of that goal.”

BrightView is headquartered in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, and is donating landscape rehabilitation work to the park. Crews got started working this week and the project is expected to finish at the end of April.

“We’d like to thank the National Park Service for the privilege of working on this historic site and for helping to improve the experience for everyone visiting Independence National Historical Park,” says Andrew Masterman, president and CEO of BrightView. “BrightView is a national company, but Philadelphia is our home. INHP is a source of pride for everyone living in this community and for those who travel here from around the world to experience the history of America’s independence.”

The rehabilitation work includes the replacement of sod in the park’s most frequented area, Block One of Independence Mall, which has the Liberty Bell Center on South Sixth Street and Independence Hall on Chestnut Street.

“When the lawn is not growing grass and the soil is densely compacted, a big intervention is obvious,” Gilliam says. “The decision to remove the lawn entirely was based upon tests of the chemical composition of the soil. Tests showed that the soil was contaminated with salt from snow melting compounds and chlorine from the municipal water supply.”

Along with the sod replacement, BrightView will also work to repair or replace the irrigation system for Block One.

“The lawn rehabilitation will involve replacing much of the subsoil, to the degree that the existing irrigation system will be disturbed and need to be extensively redone,” Gilliam says. “We will have the opportunity to make sure the system is as effective and efficient as it can be through improved technology as well. The system needs a spring tune-up every year after the winter season when it is turned off and it inevitably suffers damage from freezes, mud and trauma to the heads annually.”

Other work BrightView volunteered to handle includes improving the gardens and hardscape along South Independence Mall East, improving the beds surrounding the Liberty Bell Center and providing arbor care for trees along the east and west sides of Block One.

BrightView has committed to maintaining the Block One landscape for a full year at no cost.

Photo: BrightView

“We are sincerely grateful to BrightView for this much needed in-kind donation,” says Cindy MacLeod, park superintendent. “This landscaping project in front of Independence Hall – a World Heritage Site and the birthplace of our nation – will beautify the park for our millions of visitors to enjoy as they move through the grounds and make their connections with history. We truly appreciate Independence Historical Trust for facilitating the relationship between INHP and BrightView.”

This isn’t the first historic landscape BrightView has worked on, as the company has installed new sod at the National Mall in Washington D.C. in 2011, and it currently maintains the landscapes at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia and Green-Wood Cemetery, a National Historic Landmark in Brooklyn, New York.

Gilliam says the NPS doesn’t see working with historic sites as a challenge in negative terms.

“We appreciate the special skills required to work on the maintenance and preservation of historic structures, and we take pride in caring for the grounds that provide a welcoming space for millions of people each year without the intrusion of commercial advertising or activity,” she says. “We enjoy telling the stories of our founding history and connecting them to people’s lives today in meaningful ways, and we appreciate hearing stories from visitors about their connections and stories that haven’t been heard as much.”

In the past, it was a common occurrence to have customers who wanted the biggest and most impressive lawns around. While it’s still true that they want their spaces to stop traffic, having a larger lawn has become a less popular option, as more customers are living in smaller homes and spaces.

Tiny gardens, while smaller than a traditional garden, have many benefits that come with them that customers might not think of initially. With larger scale gardens come a higher price tag for maintenance and larger applications of water to maintain a lush, green look. With a tiny garden, customers can still have the appeal and enjoyment of a garden without the larger hassle.

Take a look at a few reasons why your customers might ultimately love having a tiny garden if they are questioning the concept and how it will play out in their available space.

Your own green space

For customers just taking the leap into the world of gardens, starting off with a tiny garden could be a great step. Instead of immediately going all out and investing in a huge garden space, dipping a toe into the water and testing it out with a tiny garden could prove ideal.

Along with providing beginners with a less hectic way of starting out with gardening, having a tiny garden in a space located in an urban area can help customers make the most of the space they have available.

Talk to them about taking advantage of this space to create a beautiful and inviting green space that will allow them the opportunity to grow anything from flowers to vegetables, all in one smaller space.

Don’t forget that adding in grasses and other ground covers can create a lush, carpeted space to allow customers the chance to sit and relax after a hard day, and to help add more height to the space, consider the use of climbing plants and vertical gardens.

Vertical gardens can showcase narrow trees, arbors, climbing vines and more, and they will definitely show off height change without taking up a lot of ground space. If your customers live in a particularly small area, having multiple vertical gardens scattered around the landscape could be the ideal solution. Keep in mind that irrigation will be necessary for vertical gardens, and it’s important to establish a watering schedule from the beginning, as gravity may cause plants to fall out of the wall as the soil dries.

Personalize it

Regardless of how your customers plan to use the space, tiny gardens can really be used for anything, whether as a relaxing oasis or an adventurous little jungle.

Tiny gardens not only offer a size space that easier to maintain and keep up with, but they also offer a more intimate setting for getaways and rendezvous.

If the space is big enough to add in one or two comfortable lounging chairs, take advantage of this and create a more intimate space for your customers to enjoy, whether alone or with their loved ones.

Even if the space isn’t necessarily large, having a smaller patio lined with greenery and beautiful pops of colorful flowers can make the space feel like a secret garden where they can escape the trials and tribulations of their day.

If your customers really want to lean into the secret garden escape aspect, talk to them about adding in some taller trellises, raised beds, hanging leaves or potted plants that could help create a canopy of green all around them.

Even though the space is literally smaller, that doesn’t mean it will actually feel small once customers begin using it. Having the right type, amount and placement of plants in the area can really make the space look more spacious when placed perfectly in the garden.

To create a space that’s lush and jungle-like, layer different plant types to create more height and depth in the space. Incorporate climbing plants to draw the eyes upward while filling the bottom spaces with plants that have dense, larger leaves to have a more grounded look towards the footpaths, and bring in perennials to fill in the bed spaces to help create interest all throughout the year.

Since customers will more than likely be saving money by not having to put in as much maintenance and water care into their tiny garden, that could mean they would have a little money left over if they wanted to splurge on some higher quality materials for decorating.

If customers want to invest in some stepping stones to lead the way throughout the area or even have a small pond or water feature installed, it could be feasible for them.

No matter how your customer wants to use the space, be sure to let him/her know that it’s all about personalizing the space to fit his/her needs. Allow customers the opportunity to be creative and show off their individual taste with plant, furniture and water feature options.

Photo: Anthony & Sylvan Pools

Hurricane season officially started not too long ago and while there aren’t any particular storms just yet, it’s a good practice to already have a hurricane preparedness plan when it comes to your customers’ landscapes and pools.

Prepping the landscape

When designing a landscape in a region that often deals with hurricane threats, it’s best to focus on installing wind-resistant tree species such as sabal palms and sand live oaks. No tree is utterly wind proof, but they have better chances than other species that fail frequently and pose a considerable threat like Chinese elm and laurel oak.

Planting trees in groups also increases their odds of wind resistance. They can also serve as a buffer for other plants. It’s also suggested to switch any garden beds that have gravel in them to mulch for the season, as flying rocks can become dangerous projectiles.

Before a hurricane becomes an imminent threat, take the time to monitor your customers’ properties for any dead branches that need to be removed or those that are too close to the roof of the house. Trees that are sickly or showing termite damage should be removed by arborists if they pose a threat to the property.

Advise your customers to make a list of the outside elements that will need to be secured and which ones can be brought inside if a hurricane making landfall seems likely.

If a hurricane or tropical storm is on the horizon, go ahead and skip any fertilizing you planned to do, as it will only be washed away during the storm.

Once a hurricane is actually approaching, customers need to use their list to secure the loose objects in the landscape, including but not limited to hanging baskets, toys, bird feeders, wind chimes, grills, doghouses and container plants.

If the customer has an edible garden, they should also harvest any fruits and vegetables they have growing. Otherwise, these will be lost to the storm.

Remind your clients to shut off their irrigation controllers before the storm as well so they don’t run during a hurricane. The controller should be unplugged to protect it from lightning strikes or power surges.

For customers with ponds with fish, suggest bringing these fish inside in a large bucket of water from the pond. Electrical pond equipment should be turned off and secured.

Prepping the pool

Likewise, electrical pool equipment should also be turned off prior to a hurricane.

“What you would do in that situation is you would shut off all the breakers in the panel box so there’s not a continuous flow of electricity going to the equipment during the storm,” says Tom Casey, vice president of sales at Anthony & Sylvan Pools, based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

According to Casey, there’s very little structural damage that can occur to an in-ground pool during a hurricane. However, there are still some best practices you can share with customers who are trying to be hurricane prepared.

If your customer doesn’t have a storage area for their pool furniture like lounge chairs, Casey advises placing them in the pool to protect them from the winds.

“Take a few inches of water out of the swimming pool if you know the storm is going to bring with it a lot of impact in terms of rainfall,” he says. “That would be a good idea.”

While draining the pool slightly to offset the rainfall is a good idea, this is by no means encouragement to completely drain a swimming pool.

“A swimming pool is a lot like a boat,” Casey says. “It will float if the hydrostatic pressure from beneath the vessel is greater than what’s within the vessel. It would push it out of the ground. Draining the pool completely at any time is really not a good idea. The storm will dump tons of water into the surrounding topography and increase in all likelihood the hydrostatic pressure, which could push the pool out of the ground. If the pool is pushed out of the ground, it’s a total loss.”

Another step of preparation prior to a hurricane should be the addition of extra chlorine to the pool.

“It’s good because lots of airborne debris and a lot of the water that gets dumped in a hurricane may have a different chemical complexion than what we’d normally want in a swimming pool,” Casey says. “If we lose power in an area, we wouldn’t be able to re-filtrate the pool, so the water could sit stagnate for a while. So, if you hit it with some extra chlorine before the storm, that’s probably a good idea to keep the chlorine content high enough that you’ll keep control of bacteria and algae and those types of things.”

For customers thinking that covering the pool to keep debris out is a good option, it is actually the opposite. Falling branches can damage the cover and it is more expensive to replace a pool cover than clean the debris out of a pool.

Photo: Conserva Irrigation

Since 2006, AK Irrigation has been serving the Columbus and central Ohio market reaching $1.8 million in sales.

The company was started by Aaron Knepp who had 15 years of experience with servicing and installing irrigation systems and his soon-to-be wife, Lee, who had almost 10 years of experience in customer service and marketing.

As the couple’s family grew, so did their business as they now service over 2,500 residential and commercial clients.

Aaron and Lee Knepp with their five kids Brock, Connor, Parker, Taylor and Decker.
Photos: Danielle Kravec with Live. Laugh. Photograph

“It really came down to customer service,” Knepp says. “At the beginning, we took the hardest jobs that no one wanted. We outworked the competition. I didn’t do any rain days. We still don’t do rain days. We’re working. And in the seasonal industry, that’s just how we built it.”

At first the company simply had so much work sold they couldn’t afford to take a rain day, but now Knepp sees it as a way to get ahead.

“Every time it rains, and I know we have 17 people out there getting work done and I see other companies sitting at home,” Knepp says. “I know we’re getting ahead and we’ll continue to do that.”

Yet despite their growth, the Knepps knew they needed to partner with an industry leader in order to reach their goal of $4 million in sales.

When Knepp first met Conserva Irrigation founder Russ Jundt in 2016, he says he looked at the company differently and was not on board at first. However, as Conserva continued to grow, Knepp knew he did not want to compete with them and looked into buying a territory.

As he researched the company, he began to like it more and more.

“I like how they focus on the water conservation side of irrigation, which is very similar to what we were doing, but our branding, didn’t speak about it that way,” Knepp says.

Knepp says he’s always been passionate about water conservation.

“I’ve felt like I’ve always been ahead of the curve on irrigation or a trendsetter in this industry,” he says. “And I think this is one more thing that I’m doing that going to be a trend, but I’m very passionate about it.”

One way Knepp has made an effort to improve water conservation is doing Wi-Fi control panels as standard for irrigation systems, rather than an option for customers.

“We’re trying to automate it even more,” Knepp says. “I mean, I’m looking at ways to be able to shut the water off in the inside of the house without the homeowner being there for the ease of scheduling where it’s just taken care of. So, we’re hoping to automate that without losing that personal touch, though.”

The rapid growth the Knepps saw in Conserva’s other franchises was also very appealing to them. When a recruiting coordinator reached out to Knepp, that’s when things became serious as the couple was considering rebranding at the time as well.

When they were just getting started, the Knepps selected used Knepp’s initials ‘AK’ as the business name for better placement in the Yellow Pages. Now the Knepps’ company is known as Conserva Irrigation.

“Conserva has more of a water friendly or water saving name to it and it really shows the direction that we’re going,” Knepp says.

“We still have both websites,” Knepp says. “It’s the same phone number. It’s the same trucks. It’s same people. It’s really just rebranding. But when we started this, we needed a new website. So, what I felt like what Conserva really brought to the table was a better marketing plan. That’s not my strength. My strength is in irrigation and customer service.”

All of the Knepps’ trucks were stripped down and rebranded with the Conserva logos, but they still keep a small AK logo on the trucks to help current clients understand. Knepp says that once customers realize it’s the same ownership and same employees, they love it.

Photos by Danielle Kravec with Live. Laugh. Photograph

Knepp says it’s a daily task of communicating with the homeowners on the name change despite having sent out letters and emails explaining the switch.

“We aren’t losing customers,” Knepp says. “We’re only getting more, and will continue to grow it and go from there. The main thing that homeowners want to understand is that my wife and I and our family are still involved. That’s the number one question is, ‘Oh, did you sell?’ Once they understand that we’re rebranding, it’s still us, we aren’t going anywhere, it’s all good.”

As for the employees’ response to the rebranding, Knepp was worried they wouldn’t respond well to the changes in operations, but he says that everyone is on board and they didn’t lose any employees during the transition.

“There’s a lot of training to it and it’s a little bit more technical, but everyone’s on board,” Knepp says. “I think it shows that we do take care of the employees; we just ask that they take care of the homeowner. And that’s why we didn’t lose anyone. We’re only growing from this. We were able to hire on a few more people and I like to hire on more, actually.”

Currently Knepp says they have a lot of density where they are at but as Columbus continues to grow, he plans to grow his Conserva territory with it. He says there’s also opportunities outside of their territory.

“Something I discussed with my wife, and I feel like Conserva Irrigation has all this open territory,” Knepp says. “I’m working on right now a three-year plan to take a person that has no irrigation experience into more like apprenticeship role and be able to get them into more of a seasoned irrigation technician, where they’re very trained and get paid year round, great benefits, different things like that. And then taking my technicians that have been with us 10 plus years, who know the ins and outs of this and have their team, and be able to put them into different markets with our office handling the backend of things.”

Photo: Rain Bird Corporation

It’s Smart Irrigation Month once more and this month of awareness towards water conservation is becoming even more relevant with changing environmental conditions.

“Alarming drought conditions, warmer temperatures and water restrictions are now a new normal,” says Russ Jundt, founder of Conserva Irrigation. “These drastic weather conditions, as well as a high demand for water, are pushing the topic of water conservation to the forefront of our industry and forcing us all to ask ourselves, how we can make sure we work efficiently?”

The EPA says that as much as 50 percent of the water used outdoors is lost due to wind, evaporation and runoff caused by inefficient irrigation methods and systems. A household with an automatic landscape irrigation system that isn’t properly maintained and operated can waste up to 25,000 gallons of water annually.

As customers look for water savings in their landscapes, you and your landscaping company can come alongside them to educate them on all the opportunities they have without having to remove every square inch of lawn on their property.

What does smart irrigation mean?

The term smart irrigation gets thrown around a lot, especially during this month. But what does it really mean? Depending on who you ask, the response will vary but it basically comes down to water savings.

Mitch Heiner, national irrigation product manager for Ewing Irrigation and Landscape Supply, says smart irrigation means “that the entire irrigation system was designed from the beginning with water efficiency and deep healthy root growth in mind. How can water be transferred in the most efficient method directly to the roots with limited to zero waste, and how can the changing weather pattern be tracked and implemented to ensure the system is delivering the appropriate amount of water when the plant material needs it?”

Jessica Case, product manager for Rain Bird Corporation, adds that smart irrigation means to take a proactive approach in water conservation by investing in quality irrigation products.

Because smart irrigation is talked about frequently, there are also misconceptions about it. One common misunderstanding is the belief that the only way to have a smart irrigation system is with a smart controller.

Photo: Rain Bird Corporation

“Sure, the brains of the system can make a huge difference, but there are often overlooked opportunities of: pressure regulation, check valves, drip systems, high efficiency nozzles and a number of difference sensors that can used as well,” Heiner says.

Aaron Knepp, owner of a Conserva Irrigation franchise in Columbus, Ohio, adds that another misconception is the belief that all Wi-Fi control panels are the same.

“They are not created equal,” Knepp says. “There’s some brands out there that are going to be obsolete two years after putting it on the wall. So, we want to go with the brand that we’re able to put on the wall, and it’s going to stand the test of time. It upgrades instantly as long as there’s a Wi-Fi connection.”

When it comes to finding the right smart controller for your clients, Case says to find one that matches the number of unique plant materials on site.

“This will ensure optimal water application for healthy plants and won’t waste water,” she says. “It’s also a good idea to choose controllers with weather- and flow-sensing capabilities to maximize potential savings. Keep in mind, weather is more than rain. Wind and temperature play a large role in water requirements for landscaping.”

Case adds another misconception is the belief that lower precipitation rates are always better.

“It is true low precipitation rates are best for slopes to avoid run-off, but there are also trade-offs like longer watering times,” she says. “Nozzles that emit water more slowly require longer run times, which can be problematic in cities that require short watering windows. Know your site-specific conditions like soil type and slopes and your local water usage requirements to choose the best products for the job.”

Easy starting places  

If you have a client interested in smart irrigations systems or just wanting to improve their water conservation, they can often be overwhelmed and not know where to start.

The two best options for homeowners to start with if they can’t fix all their irrigations issues at once are smart controllers and high efficiency nozzles.

“Installing smart controller technology is highly recommended, as these utilize weather data and gauge how much water should be used for that location based on past weather conditions and patterns,” Jundt says. “The onsite weather sensor will also adjust and modify to exact weather factors at that time.”

Knepp says after making sure the homeowner’s irrigation infrastructure doesn’t have any leaks, he focuses on installing a Wi-Fi control panel.

“These new controllers, once we plug it in, you’re instantly saving water,” Knepp says. “And I can literally walk away knowing they’re going to save at least 40 percent of their water going forward.”

Yet it is still important to program the control panel properly and prevent overwatering. Knepp says he prefers to do the cycle and soak method.

Meanwhile, high-efficiency nozzles make sure the right amount of water is sprayed at an optimal rate to prevent runoff. Case also suggests investing in pressure-regulating devices as an easy fix.

“One of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to make a difference if a customer can’t fix everything at once is to add pressure-regulating devices,” Case says. “Swap out spray heads and rotors for versions that have in-stem pressure regulation and/or add a pressure regulator to the valve. Adding pressure regulation provides instant water savings, and it does not require changes to the entire irrigation system.”

Check back for part two of this article where we look at some of the overlooked water conservation methods and the worst practices when it comes to smart irrigation.

Photo: Belgard

Smart Irrigation Month means a focus on conserving water and while having an efficient irrigation system plays a major part, there are other methods landscapers can employ as well when helping their customers optimize their water usage and prevent runoff.

“Droughts and water regulations often drive the irrigation industry to provide more training and develop new products/technologies that support water conservation,” says Jessica Case, product manager for Rain Bird Corporation. “I think the increased focus on conservation and available resources encourage customers to try new things.”

Whether your customers are just wanting to lower their monthly water bills or genuinely want to cut back on water wastage, here are some different water conservation options you can work into the landscape. 

Methods for conserving water

According to Mitch Heiner, national irrigation product manager for Ewing Irrigation and Landscape Supply, a majority of the new irrigation technology comes from the golf industry and trickles into commercial and residential applications as the technology becomes cost efficient to produce. Because of the continual improvements, it’s important to stay up to date with what’s new on the market.

Photo: Rain Bird Corporation

“One of the best ways to conserve water with irrigation systems is to stay informed,” Case says. “Some innovations, like pressure regulation, have been on the market for 20+ years. Other technologies, like smart controllers, are constantly evolving. Regularly take classes and attend irrigation shows to see what’s out there.”

Take the time to educate customers who might want to make improvements but are afraid they’ll have to make a huge investment that there are a considerable amount of small changes they can opt for that will still make a difference.

“Sometimes customers think they have to upgrade their entire irrigation system to smart devices to see any results,” Case says. “While this is a best practice to maximize water and energy efficiency, you can realize substantial savings with small changes over time. For example, with pressure regulating spray heads and nozzles, any reduction in pressure towards 30 psi saves water and increases the system performance.”

Aside from simply having an efficient irrigation system, talk to customers about replacing plants with high water needs with less water dependent varieties. It’s also a good rule of thumb to practice hydrozoning by grouping plants with similar water requirements together.

Another practice that can help with water conservation is installing permeable hardscaping when possible. Permeable pavers utilize highly permeable aggregate as a base and in between the paving units to filter and store rainwater, eliminating most surface runoff.

“One hundred percent of the water that hits a surface with a traditional pavement will run off into some form of drainage system, such as a storm drain, retention pond and ultimately into a local stream or river,” says Kevin Earley, director, Commercial Belgard Pavers. “With traditional pavements (asphalt and concrete or non-permeable pavers), water runs off these materials and, in turn, does not directly replenish the supply of ground water. Instead, polluted water flows into lakes and rivers from streets and sewers. With permeable pavers and surfaces, almost 100 percent of the water will filter through the pavers themselves into the substrate, allowing the water to eventually seep back into the local aquifer.”

Graphic: Belgard

Because the water can percolate through to replenish groundwater, commercial projects are able to develop land that originally would be allocated to retention ponds and water collection areas as required by government regulations.

“Permeable pavers are an excellent choice for water conservation,” Earley says. “Allowing rain water to drain through pavement prevents runoff and allows for water to recharge the underlying aquifer. The distributive nature of introducing rainwater through infiltration is why permeable pavers are considered Low Impact Design (LID) and are considered Green Infrastructure by most stormwater regulatory agencies.”

Earley adds that permeable surfaces are especially beneficial in areas with sensitive waterways, such as Philadelphia and the Chesapeake Bay area.

“Over time, bacteria grow within the aggregate below permeable pavement,” he says. “These bacteria breakdown materials, like oil and gas, as well as harmful toxins as water percolates through the permeable surface. This process filters the groundwater so that the aquifer is restocked with clean, clarified water. Permeable pavement allows for water to be treated and clarified of nonpoint pollution and toxins that would otherwise be almost impossible to treat.” 

Worst practices

While those are some of the possibly overlooked options when it comes to water conservation, there are also some worst practices that landscapers need to avoid.

This water is able to reach the groundwater thanks to permeable pavers.
Photo: Belgard

“The opposite of smart irrigation best practices is taking no action to conserve water because you don’t think one irrigation zone, or home, or park can make a difference,” Case says. “Every small change can lead to another, and before you know it you’ve made a significant impact.”

Aaron Knepp, owner of a Conserva Irrigation franchise in Columbus, Ohio, says a major mistake is failing to look at the irrigation system’s design before adding efficiency upgrades. He says he always looks at the infrastructure and ensures there aren’t any flaws or troubled areas before installing a Wi-Fi control panel.

Heiner adds that another bad practice is “using a traditional ‘dumb’ controller on a system with too much pressure that runs a zone for way longer than necessary, only to lose most of the atomized water droplets to the wind carrying it somewhere else other than where it was intended to delivered.”

For more information of proper irrigation design, installation, maintenance and auditing, check out the Irrigation Association’s technical resources page.

Not every customer will desire the same large lawn look as his/her neighbor or even have as much free space to utilize for such a green space, but he/she may still want to have an element of green in the landscape.

For customers facing these problems, the simple answer could be to turn to container gardens. Container gardens offer customers the beautiful look and functionality of a garden, the versatility of being able to move the planters around and the option of more easily changing out the plant selection when the seasons begin to change.

Plus, if your customer does have a smaller yard and not a lot of room for additions, it gives him/her just enough green to make the space seem not as drab.

To help create and maintain a container garden your customers will want to show off and engage with, take a look at a few tips that can help keep these containers looking fresh and healthy.

Decisions, decisions

When choosing containers or advising clients on what kind of container is needed, remember that it’s much easier to grow plants in larger pots than in smaller ones, as larger pots will hold more soil, stay moist longer and will be able to resist fast fluctuations in temperature. Smaller hanging baskets will especially be more prone to drying out in extreme summer heat.

It’s good to talk with your customer ahead of time to see what plant varieties he/she will want in his/her containers, as the size and shape of the plant’s root system, whether it’s an annual or perennial and its growth rate will determine what size container will be most beneficial.

If a plant becomes rootbound, the soil will dry out quickly and the plant will no longer grow well, so be sure to allow each plant more than enough room for root growth. Also, keep in mind that light colored containers will keep soil cooler than dark containers will, so consider this when choosing where plants will be located in the space. 

Container care

Container care will be similar to the care given to any traditional landscape, which means you need to carefully evaluate the lighting, water and fertilizer needs of the plants before choosing where they will be placed in the landscape.

Pay attention to what kind of sun exposure the plants will need and be sure not to put plant types with differing lighting needs in the same container. While it’s true your customer can ultimately move these containers around if he/she sees that a plant will need more or less sun exposure, it can save a lot of time and hassle to go ahead and do this research beforehand and plan the placement accordingly.

Unlike traditional gardens, container gardens will require more frequent watering, so make sure customers regularly check the soil of their pots and raised beds. If the soil surface is dry to the touch, it’s time for some water. When the temperatures get increasingly hot, it’s possible that customers may need to irrigate their containers on a daily basis. Be sure to let clients know that this will ring especially true for hanging baskets, as they are more affected by wind and will dry out faster.

Routine fertilization is also necessary, as this will help keep your customer’s plants in tip-top shape for the entirety of the season. There are many types of potting soil that will contain slow-release fertilizer in the mix, but it still couldn’t hurt to add in a few extra drops of liquid fertilizer whenever the plants are watered.

When you see your customer’s plants have started blooming out, it’s a good time to start removing any faded or dead blooms. Deadheading will help encourage new flowers to emerge and can help keep plants living longer into the season.

For plants that are larger, you could easily pull old blooms off with your fingers, but when dealing with smaller plants, it’s recommended that scissors or clippers be used.

Decoration

Along with the practical uses that accompany container gardens comes the purely aesthetic element of providing beautiful decorations.

If your customer’s space is limited horizontally, consider utilizing pedestals, windowsills or hanging baskets to add in a vertical layer to the space. This can not only help your customers get more containers into the space, but it can also help create height and depth to an otherwise flat area.

Larger single pots can be used as a standalone focal point in a landscape, or you could cluster a few smaller pots together to create a new look. If your customers are avid chefs, they could also incorporate a small kitchen garden in a raised bed or vegetable containers in one section of the space.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to choosing what plants can be showcased, as each container could have only one plant type serving as an accent plant, or they could have multiples grouped together to make a more exotic look.

Having layers present in your customer’s container design is also a beneficial way to create eye-catching focal points that everyone will enjoy. When creating these designs, be sure to include the thriller, filler and spiller options, and be sure to choose complimentary varieties when picking out leaf forms and colors.

Cardinal Lawn and Landscape, Inc. based in High Ridge, Missouri, and its president, William J. Richardet, have pled guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit visa fraud.

From January 2012 to December 2017, Richardet leased 74 H-2B workers to seven different companies. According to court documents, he had Cardinal Lawn and Landscape submit false and fraudulent claims on both Form 9142s and Form I-129s related to the company’s application for H-2B workers.

Both the company and Richardet claimed they would employ the foreign workers seasonally to provide landscaping and grounds care labor for Cardinal, while Richardet intended to lease the workers.

“William Richardet and his company, Cardinal Lawn and Landscape, submitted false documents to the U.S. Departments of Labor and Homeland Security to perpetrate a scheme by illegally subcontracting foreign workers he sponsored for H-2B visas,” Irene Lindow, special agent in charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General said in a statement. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who defraud worker visa programs for their own personal gain.”

Cardinal Lawn and Landscape has been in business for over 15 years and was founded by Richardet after the success of his other business, Bi-State Landscape Supply.

The president of Cardinal faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. The company could receive a maximum fine of $500,000 and 5 years of probation. A judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines to determine the actual sentence.

Richardet appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Henry Autrey, who accepted his plea and set sentencing for Nov. 12, 2019.

School sues BrightView over hiring convicted rapist who allegedly raped an employee

Greenspring Montessori School in Brooklandville, Maryland, is suing BrightView Landscapes of Rockvillle, according to The Baltimore Sun.

The lawsuit accuses the company of hiring Allen W. Hicks, a convicted rapist, to work on school property. Hicks was indicted for six armed rapes over the span of six months in 1996 and 1997. He was convicted for one armed assault and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He was paroled in March 2015.

A few months later, BrightView Landscapes hired Hicks and stationed him at the Greenspring Montessori School, according to court documents.

On Dec. 23, 2015, he held a woman at gunpoint walking to her car outside the school that evening. He robbed her, bound her hands and sexually assaulted her repeatedly. He put her in the backseat of her car and drove her to a location 8 miles away.

He was convicted of first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sexual offense, kidnapping and robbery in June 2017. He was sentenced to three life sentences without parole and Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Paul Hanley called Hicks a “hunter of women” and that the 2015 rape was a “three-hour ordeal of a sadistic and horrible crime,” according to WBAL NewsRadio 1090.

Greenspring claims BrightView should have been aware of Hicks’ criminal record, as it can be found on Maryland’s Judiciary website. The school is suing BrightView for breach of contract, negligent hiring, negligent misrepresentation and gross negligence.

The school alleges that is has suffered damages, although “not even comparable to the damages suffered by the school’s employee,” the damages include “decreased student enrollment, loss of tuition, loss of capital campaign contributions, negative publicity, expenses to enhance security, legal costs and related expenses.”

Fred Jacobs, vice president of communication and public affairs for BrightView, says since the matter is in litigation, they cannot comment.

OSHA fines New Jersey landscaping company for carbon monoxide deaths

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited AJR Landscaping, Inc. a Cresskill, New Jersey-based landscaping company for exposing its employees to carbon monoxide and not training them on recognizing the hazard.

An OSHA inspection was conducted after the Washington Township New Jersey Police Department notified the agency of the death of two workers.

The two employees died from CO exposure after a gasoline-powered lawnmower was started inside an enclosed trailer that transported the crew to a jobsite. The men were trying to stay warm inside the trailer on Dec. 11 when someone started the mower, according to NJ.com.

AJR faces $17,051 in penalties and has until Aug. 29 to contest OSHA’s findings.

“Any time there is a gas-powered motor or engine running in an enclosed space, there is risk of exposure to exhaust fumes, which contain carbon monoxide, an odorless and poisonous gas,” says Lisa Levy, OSHA area office director in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. “This tragedy was preventable if the employer had adhered to basic safety and health practices.”

For resources on preventing carbon monoxide poisoning, click here.

California to regulate new spray sprinkler bodies

California officials have adopted new regulations, which establish an efficiency standard for new spray sprinklers to reduce irrigation system misting and overspraying that commonly occurs.

The California Energy Commission estimates the water savings will be over 400 million gallons per day statewide within 10 years and it will also save an estimated 543 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year by 2030.

These new standards have been under development for nearly three years. The new state standards apply to new spray sprinkler bodies that are purchased or installed in California, starting next year.

The new required spray sprinkler bodies come with built-in pressure regulation so the water pressure reaching the sprinkler nozzle is always close to the manufacturer’s recommending operating pressure.

These regulated sprinklers are expected to use 20 percent less water and add about $3 to the cost of a sprinkler body.

“But adopting efficiency standards for landscape equipment, beginning with spray sprinklers, is clearly a policy that other states can implement now to achieve substantial savings over a relatively short period of time,” the Natural Resources Defense Council writes. “Pressure-regulating technology pays for itself within a year.”

Early to mid-September is an optimal time to talk to customers about the importance of overseeding or interseeding their lawns, as the benefits of performing these services now are more substantial than when they are done in the spring.

Find out what makes this time of year the best for seeding your customer’s lawn, as well as what to do if you see there are areas of the landscape that are in need of grass re-establishing.

Timing and type

Overseeding, simply put, is planting grass seed directly into existing soil without tearing the soil or turf, which can help give your customer’s lawn thicker growth, better color and resistance to disease and drought.

As grasses age, the reproduction rate will slow down, which can cause the grass to begin to thin and allow room for weeds to grow. The process of overseeding will help your customer’s lawn compensate for the slowing down of the turf’s reproduction and create a thicker grass.

Interseeding, according to the Center for Urban Agriculture, is the practice of seeding the same grass species into itself to create a more dense look and recover any grass that’s been lost.

For cool-season grasses, early fall is ideal for growth because the soil is still warm from the summer. These seeds will germinate best when the soil reaches between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, which coincides with the daytime air temperatures reaching between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

“The warm days and cool nights of early fall promote rapid turfgrass growth,” the Iowa State University Extension says online. “The growing grass also has less competition from weeds as few weed seeds germinate in fall.”

Overseeding a different turfgrass species into your customer’s lawn can help the area withstand heavy traffic, disease, insects, shady conditions and drought, and experts agree that the investment for this service will pay off for your customers, as it can help reduce the amount of fertilizer, pesticides and water the lawn will need. Not to mention the fact that renovated lawns can stay greener and can retain their look and health longer.

Grass will grow strongest and more quickly when the planting season aligns with the natural periods of the seeds’ active growth, and depending on your location, lawn grasses will vary in their growth cycles.

Cool-season grass seeds, such as Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, will germinate quickly in the late summer’s warmer soil and tend to grow best during the cooler temperatures of early fall. If possible, cool-season grasses should be planted at least 45 days before the estimated date of the first full frost.

“Successful overseeding involves growing healthy grass prior to overseeding, proper seed and seeding rate selection, overseeding timing and preparation, post-planting maintenance and spring transition,” the Center for Urban Agriculture says online. “It is particularly important to maintain proper soil fertility, to relieve soil compaction and to prevent excessive thatch development.”

According to the Michigan State University Extension, one advantage of overseeding your customer’s existing lawn is that it can help act as a mulch cover that can help retain the moisture in the soil.

As a general rule of thumb, the Kansas State Extension says that no chemical applications can be used during this process, and no herbicides should be applied until the new grass has been mowed a minimum of two times.

Once the area is properly seeded, it’s important to make sure the area stays moist throughout establishment, which may require watering multiple times a day.

“Timely irrigation is also very important,” the Kansas State Research and Extension says online. “Once the seed is sown, the upper surface of the soil should remain damp at all times. This may require daily, light applications. It all depends on the amount of sun and wind. Be prepared to water when needed as lack of water will slow establishment.”

Re-establishing grass

If your area of the country has seen its fair share of scorching summer heat, it’s possible that your customer’s lawn could be in need of re-establishing grass in some of the dead areas.

“If the turf is thin or there are small patches of dead grass about the size of baseballs, a fertilizer application and cool temperatures should help the existing turfgrass to recover and spread into the bare spots,” the Michigan State University Extension says online. “If the bare areas are the size of soccer balls or larger, or if the area only has sporadic green patches of turf, then interseeding is necessary to restore the area to turf.”

Proper site preparation is a must when working to re-establish grass in a dead area of the lawn, and depending on the size of the lawn, the preparation process could vary slightly.

For smaller areas, the Iowa State University Extension says to begin by raking the dead spots, as this will break up the soil’s surface. Sow the seed and then work the seed into the soil by lightly raking over the area a second time.

Larger areas, the Iowa State University Extension says, can be prepared by using a core aerator, which will remove the soil plugs when it’s run over the lawn.

The Center for Urban Agriculture says that core aeration can provide numerous benefits to the lawn, such as soil air exchange, improved water infiltration, relieving compaction and more. Additionally, it can also help improve the condition of the seed bed and the planting as a whole.

“To prepare the site, go over the lawn three or four times with the core aerator,” the Iowa State University Extension says online. “When finished, there should be 20 to 40 holes per square foot. Apply the seed with a drop seeder. Afterward, drag the area with a piece of chain link fence or drag mat to break up the soil cores and mix the seed into the soil.”

When the seeds have been sown, be sure to keep the top layer (about 1 inch) of soil frequently moist. With the right amount of moisture and good soil temperatures, the turfgrass seeds should begin to germinate within two to three weeks, according to the Iowa State University Extension.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

The desire to be sustainable is something that is becoming quite common among consumers. One area that often gets targeted as being particularly wasteful is a home’s landscape but it doesn’t have to be this way.

There are a number of ways you can help your customers reduce waste, conserve energy and save water. However, not every homeowner wants to simply let a landscaping company do everything for them. If you have clients who have do-it-yourself inclinations and they are wanting to work on their water conservation, discuss the possibility of xeriscaping with them.

“Xeriscaping means you’re conserving water,” says Bodie Pennisi, a professor and extension landscape specialist at the University of Georgia. “We’re talking about beautiful, healthy, functional landscapes that use little water, no matter where you live.”

If some of your customers want to take a crack at xeriscaping on their own, share this infographic with them to get them on the right track with these basic steps and plant suggestions.

Graphic: The Zebra

Pretty in pink, WIGI attendees helped fix up Kennedy Park in Tucson, Arizona.
Photo: Jill Odom/Total Landscape Care

SiteOne Landscape Supply hosted the 24^th annual Women in the Green Industry Conference (WIGI) in Tucson, Arizona, on Sept. 19-22, providing tools to increase attendees’ leadership abilities, renew their confidence and build their network.

“All of our attendees, no matter their role, are leaders in this industry,” said Amber Baker, division marketing manager – West for SiteOne Landscape Supply. “Even if they’re not managers, they’re leading with their contributions by coordinating something that other people touch. This event absolutely offers support and actionable education for women to become leaders in their space.”

Susan Packard spoke about the importance of emotional fitness.
Photo: Jill Odom/Total Landscape Care

On Thursday, Sept. 19, 167 women gathered and met with SiteOne’s supply partners Hunter Industries, FX Luminaire, NDS, Belgard Hardscapes, Bayer, Syngenta, NuFarm, Epic Plastics, GPH, Global Syn Turf, Brinly Hardy and Project EverGreen during a mini tradeshow.

Afterward, keynote speaker Susan Packard, author and co-founder of HGTV, presented on the topic of “Emotional Fitness.”

Packard discussed the importance of not only identifying and managing your own emotions but being able to identify and respond well to others’ emotions as well. Her three steps to better EQ fitness are willingness, trust and using ‘We Principles.’ First, a person has to be willing to identify, confront and dispel unproductive emotions. Next, they must build authentic relationships founded on trust and then as a leader, focus on the “we” of the group instead of “me.”

“I think with technology it can be easy to forget your interactions in business are with other people,” Baker said. “Emotional intelligence is especially important in our business, ours more than a lot of other industries, because we’re so relationship based.  Even if you’re not naturally a people-person, having these skills can benefit your career.”

Industry veteran Judy Guido called on women to speak up and use their voices.
Photo: Jill Odom/Total Landscape Care

Kicking off the next day packed full of educational sessions, Judy Guido of Guido & Associates spoke to the attendees on how to leverage and align in the green industry. Guido encouraged women in the industry to build their own brands and create opportunities in their lives.

“If you want to be heard, you have to use your voice,” Guido said.

Guido pointed out that many of the companies that are the most successful in the industry are competing on a different plane and to be successful, you have to find ways to do things differently from the other businesses. She also touched on how the labor shortage is more of a leader problem than a people problem.

Guido said that if you make your company a great place to work, people will want to come work for you. Because workplaces are a major source of stress and unhappiness, Guido advised leaders to work to remedy this. She added that owners need to invest in their workforce, as smart talent is critical to success.

“Trust and respect come from putting in a real effort to understand people,” Guido said. “Listen and speak from an understanding of the individuals’ needs and mindset.”

Breakout sessions were held throughout the day on Sept. 20.

Multiple educational sessions were held on Friday.
Photo: Jill Odom/Total Landscape Care

“Growing Your Business Through Digital” looked at how technology can be used to find and keep customers. The five digital essentials are to know your customer, have a well-built website, create compelling content, use the right digital channels to spread your message and measure your performance.

“Building a Healthy Sandbox” focused on the communication touchpoints both customers and employees experience and how attendees should find the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats within their own companies when it comes to communication.

“Using the Voice of the Customer” covered the methodology needed to get an accurate account of your customers’ likes and dislikes and how to make meaningful changes in response.

The session “Serving the Millennial Customer” dove into what millennial customers are interested in and their communication preferences. Some points made are that millennials like companies that give back to the community, they expect a mobile-responsive website and prefer easy payment methods.

On Friday during a lunch hosted by Hunter, WIGI’s longest-running sponsor, women were encouraged to ask five ice breaker questions related to personal and professional growth. Throughout WIGI, there were many networking opportunities, which many of the attendees say is their favorite part.

Women from across the country were able to network and share advice.
Photo: Jill Odom/Total Landscape Care

“It’s an opportunity to build long-term friendships and work relationships, mentors and to hear how other people have succeeded, how they’ve failed, how they overcome those and to take little nuggets from all of those aspects and be able to take them back and put them in their businesses,” said Deidre Eidson, a general manager with Massey Services, based in Orlando, Florida.

Tauny Nevius, a landscape consultant with Eternal Eden Landscaping based in San Antonio, Texas, has come to WIGI three times. She says women-focused events are important due to the support they provide.

“Women don’t process things the same ways as gentlemen do and it gives us other people to lean on but also to say ‘Hey, I’ve had that issue too,’ ‘Okay, what are you doing about it?’ so you get to converse and have some support,” Nevius said.

Saturday morning, Sept. 21, 77 of the women signed up to participate in Project EverGreen’s service project at Kennedy Park in Tucson.

Baker says that since Project EverGreen is a new partner with SiteOne, they wanted to take it to the next level and do a service project with them as well. Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen, says she worked with the city of Tucson and Mike Hayes, deputy director of parks and recreation for the city, to find a park that was in need.

Volunteers replaced sprinkler heads as part of the Project EverGreen event.
Photo: Jill Odom/Total Landscape Care

“We always look for lots of things to do because no one wants to stand around,” Code said. “It was just a good fit, him knowing what our needs were and who was going to be here, and this was just a good fit size-wise and scope-wise”

The women divided and conquered, with some picking up trash in the park while others painted worn benches. Women with Hunter Industries instructed participants on the basics of single-stream rotors and then teams replaced sprinkler heads and made sure they were at grade. The team tested the new heads to make sure everything was running correctly.

“There’s no ego in irrigation,” said Christine Hawkins, a specifications manager with Hunter Industries. “There is fact. It either works or it doesn’t, so that is why you always have to test it after repairing the system. You can’t assume it works.”

Eileen McDargh finished the event discussing the importance of resilient energy.
Photo: Jill Odom/Total Landscape Care

To bring the event to a close, Eileen McDargh, chief energy officer of The Resiliency Group, spoke on the mental hardiness needed to bounce back from difficulties. McDargh discussed how connections either deplete or give energy, and how to form connections that provide energy.

“I think it’s important to lift up women in the industry,” Code said. “A lot of them own their own companies or some are in management positions. Some are just starting out, but I think it’s a good network to develop for professional development. You get a different experience when it’s just all women, so I think there’s an opportunity to be more honest and you can really share how difficult it really can be to be a woman in any business but specifically in our industry. I think that everybody’s going to go home with a renewed spirit to create change where they can.”

Photo: FX Luminaire

FX Luminaire has introduced several new products designed to increase landscapers’ design possibilities.

One new product is the HP-48 in-grade paver light, which can be used in both classic and contemporary designs. It is engineered with durable glass and polycarbonate construction and has rating of IP68.

M-PK
Photo: FX Luminaire

It has a patent pending system for installation where the construction sleeve is installed first, and then the light fixture can be inserted.

The fixture is capable of zoning, dimming and color control with Luxor technology.

FX Luminaire also expanded its path lighting, offering with three new fixtures for contemporary designs. The M-PJ, M-PK and M-PZ all have a specific look and a different lighting purpose.

“These highly anticipated products offer unique, modern looks – in a category that has featured traditional styles for a very long time,” says Chad Watters, product manager.

They have nine finish options and the highest output option in their class, up to 6 LED with the M-PJ. These lights are also compatible with Luxor technology.

EZ Decoder System
Photo: Hunter

As for Hunter Industries, it showed off its EZ Decoder System (EZDS) which brings the simplicity of two-wire technology to up to 54 stations. EZDS is compatible with the Hydrawise-enabled HCC controller and the ICC2 controller.

It does not require any special wires or connectors. EZ Decoders are small, waterproof and come with color-coded wiring and a convenient LED status light.

Hunter has also updated its Hydrawise irrigation management platform so contractors can set up irrigation schedules either by program or by zone. Other improvements include a menu divided into three sections: Controllers, My Account and Multi-Site Manager and the ability to send messages to customers through the Hydrawise app.

There are also new remote management functions for four styles of manual watering, an upgraded Help button and improved layout.

Michelin adds to its portfolio of Tweel tires 

Michelin rolled out three new Tweel Turf products at GIE+EXPO.

The new 15-inch ZTR caster is set to debut in 2020. The 15x6N6 size is designed for enhanced performance and more stability. It can fit a variety of mowers, including the John Deere Z997R Diesel. It has a load capacity of 370 pounds and a 16-mph speed rating.

15-inch Tweel caster
Photo: Michelin

The 22-inch Turf size is built for prosumer ZTR models. These are rear tire/wheels with 4×4 or 5×4.5-inch bolt-pattern. They will be available in the first quarter of 2020.

The 4×4-inch bolt pattern has a 529-load capacity and the 5×4.5-inch bolt pattern has a 727-pound load capacity.

“We continue work with commercial mower manufacturers to supply the Tweel no-compromise solution for larger and heavier commercial mowers as well as smaller mowers for the prosumer market,” says Justin L. Brock, Michelin marketing manager for the construction and Tweel segment in North America. “As a result, we are expanding Michelin’s award-winning airless solutions for the turf community.”

Additionally, Michelin has developed an electric-motor green-wheel hub for 4x12N12 turf tires, which are exclusive on the 52-inch or 60-inch Mean Green Rival mower. The hub will have a 5×6.5-inch bolt pattern and a 1.70-inch offset and will be available starting in the second quarter of 2020.

Buyers Products releases new snow and ice management products

Buyers Products recently released several new snow removal products, including the expansion of the SaltDogg Pro Series electric spreader line.

The new addition is a 6 foot/1.5 cubic yard spreader that is designed to fit in trucks with a short bed.

Photo: Buyers Products

“The new 1.5 cubic yard option opens up these powerful spreaders to a whole new market,” says Bryan Burckart, Buyers Products director of snow and ice sales. “If you have a short bed truck, now you can add a heavy-duty electric hopper spreader to your arsenal of snow and ice management tools.”

The Pro Series is engineered to spread bulk salt or a 50/50 salt/sand mix. Chain models can also spread bulk sand. The spreaders feature the company’s patented double-wall poly hopper. Each model comes with a top screen, stainless-steel inverted Vs and a fitted tarp.

Buyers also announced two new SAM universal LED snow plow lights. These lights can be installed on most plows, providing an easy upgrade for those looking to replace their halogen lights.

A full lens defrosting system helps prevent the lights from icing over, which is a common problem with LEDs and their lower operating temperatures.

Photo: Buyers Products

“LED plow lights are one of the best upgrades a snow contractor can make,” says Burckart.  “The difference is literally like night and day. Up until now, however, LED options have either been prohibitively expensive or lacked the reliability that an operator needs when it’s 3 a.m. and they’re in the middle of a snowstorm. These new SAM options change all that – they’re bright, they won’t break, and they won’t break the bank either.”

Also recently unveiled was the SnowDogg SuperJ plow.

This plow is designed for urban or expressway use. It has a hydraulically-reversible plow that features outboard angle cylinders that provide a tight turning radius. The plow is available in 10, 11, 12 foot lengths with UHMW polycarbonate, Tuff-Koted carbon steel or 304 stainless-steel moldboard.

The SuperJ can pivot up to 35 degrees left or right from bulldoze position. A fully-boxed A frame reduces strain on the vehicle’s front axle and keeps the plow close to the truck for enhanced maneuverability.

H. Jaclyn Ishimaru-Gachina recognized as Woman Entrepreneur of the Year

During Landscapes 2019, H. Jaclyn Ishimaru-Gachina was recognized by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) as the 2019 NALP Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.

This award recognizes an NALP member who has shown an entrepreneurial spirit while advancing the landscape industry by actions and endeavors while providing an example for current and future females in the industry.

Ishimaru-Gachina is president and co-founder of Gachina Landscape Management. She has been named in the top 25 woman and minority-owned companies in the San Francisco Business Times the past four years. In September 2019, Ishimaru-Gachina completed the NALP Emerging Leaders Program at Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.”

“Creating a work environment that promotes diversity, that couples ‘The Gachina Way’ – Respect, Courtesy and Professionalism, has allowed women to thrive within our organization,” Ishimaru-Gachina says. “It is very inspiring to see so many women at the National Collegiate Landscape Competition, who have chosen the landscape industry. When interviewing female candidates, I am encouraged by their greater numbers. These women are self-confident, knowledgeable, driven and prepared/inspired to make an impact. We encourage them to intern with us and after graduation join our team. The fact that 45 percent of the senior management team is female speaks volumes.”

Propane Education & Research Council donates $5,000 to Project EverGreen.  

Project EverGreen’s GreenCare for Troops received a boost from the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) as the organization donated $5,000 to the Project EverGreen during GIE+EXPO.

The amount was reached after tallying the total number of entries to its trailer giveaway sweepstakes. On behalf of each contractor who entered the in-booth trailer giveaway sweepstakes, PERC donated $5 to the GreenCare for Troops program.

The giveaway included a 16-foot Big Tex trailer, an Exmark Lazer Z S-Series propane mower, a Spartan RTHD 61” propane mower, a Stihl cordless blower and trimmer, a water cooler, 25 safety vests and 25 pairs of work gloves

GreenCare for Troops is a program that connects professional lawn care volunteers to families of active-duty deployed service members. Volunteers provide free services to eligible families in their area for the length of the deployment, typically nine to 12 months.

“Propane is an all-American fuel, with the majority of the United States’ supply produced on American soil, and with much of the propane industry made up of family-run, small businesses for whom supporting service members and veterans is important,” says Jeremy Wishart, director of off-road business development. “We felt these goals really aligned with Project EverGreen’s GreenCare for Troops program, which is highly regarded in the lawn care community.”

The winner of the giveaway was Jim Langendorf, with Olympic Lawns from Springboro, Ohio.