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.