Sometimes you look at a business owner and wonder about his secrets for success. That isn’t the case with David Adams, owner of Landscape Associates in Aldie, Virginia. Even the most cursory inspection of Adams’s business will give you the answer: He is committed to executing every task at the absolute highest level achievable.

Striving for perfection
Adams developed an interest in landscaping as a teenager and worked a variety of jobs in the industry including landscape laborer, designer, sales and customer service – a background that has served him well since owning his business.

He considered both architecture and engineering, but they weren’t quite the right fit. “I liked working outside, and I liked working with my hands,” Adams says. “A friend suggested landscape design.”

After graduating from Temple University, he started his business in 1989, working up from small residential jobs to the array of projects he has today. He likes diverse projects that allow him to exercise his creativity to the fullest, and although his average size project is in the $150,000 range, many of his projects are in the $1 million neighborhood.

“Whatever the size, we’re going to provide the best possible project for their investment,” he says. Together with Joe Condie, a certified landscape architect who has worked for Landscape Associates for the past 14 years, he provides a top-notch experience for clients, says Wendy and Mark Stavish, who engaged them to complete their newly constructed home in Creighton Farms.

“It was an amazing experience,” Wendy says. “Working with Dave and Joe was the best part of building the house.”

And the Stavish home was quite a challenge. The couple had hired Allen Cochran, a legendary stonemason who specializes in restoration and preservation, to do the stonework on their home, and Adams was faced with the daunting task of matching Cochran’s work for the retaining walls, walkways and pillars.

“Since the Stavishes chose a mason who specializes in a historic look, I knew it would be difficult,” he says. “Cochran can make a new house look like a 200-year-old house.” He successfully completed the project – sourcing hand-collected, hand-chiseled native Virginia fieldstone. The end result was a seamless look the Stavishes loved.

Cornering the market
In addition to the Stavish home, Landscape Associates has performed a significant amount of work in the Creighton Farms community, handling most of the initial earthmoving and landscaping work during a two-year period.

“We moved about 1,200 large trees and only lost five,” Adams says. “I personally sourced and tagged every tree and plant we brought in.” Adams says his work is unlike landscapers attached to nurseries, who often want to use what they have on hand. “Our designs are driven by what’s appropriate for our client and their property – we do formal, naturalistic and everything in between,” he says.

Adams has noticed once he completes work for a client, he’s often retained to work for three or four of their neighbors. “Landscaping becomes contagious,” he says. “It may not necessarily trigger additional landscaping but triggers overall home improvements.”

The word-of-mouth advertising has enabled him to stay close to home. Although he used to work in a wide area, he now limits projects to about a 30-mile radius, primarily within Loudoun County. It’s a conscious decision with multiple benefits.

Not only does Adams maintain a reputation as the man to go to in Loudoun County, he keeps his employees off the heavily traveled roads in the Washington, D.C. area. “I’ve seen lots of fatal accidents, and I don’t want to subject my guys to that,” he says. “Not only is it a safety issue, I just can’t have six guys sitting in a truck for two hours to get to a jobsite.”

The decision was an easy one to make, he says, and was partially predicated on his feeling that Loudoun County was going to expand. “I realized early the county was about to take off,” he says. “I’ve put a lot of focus on this area.”

The strategy has worked well, as now Landscape Associates is considered one of the premier contractors in the area. “We had them right from the beginning,” says client Shannon Brown. “The Creighton Farms community gave us a list of several landscapers, and we definitely liked Landscape Associates the best.”

Overcoming obstacles
Even though Landscape Associates could serve as a blueprint for aspiring landscapers, Adams says there have been a few bumps in the road. He was able to weather economic downturns in both the early 1990s and in 2007 by making adjustments not only to the company’s structure, but also the types of projects he took on. Initially performing heavily on new home projects, Adams shifted the focus to homes in established neighborhoods.

The most serious challenges for Adams weren’t economic in nature at all. Following some serious health problems, Adams was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2005: a condition that took him a number of years to overcome. In 2007, he suffered a spine injury that made running his business quite demanding. Still, Adams was serious about the commitment to his business and has worked hard to return to health.

His toughest critic
Adams says he’s far more likely to have his employees rip out and redo work than a client is. “I have the experience to be able to tell when something is going to be a problem later,” he says. “I’m demanding, but that’s what my clients expect, and that’s why we have the reputation we do.”

There’s a hidden benefit to Adams’s approach. Because he has his employees redo work he’s not completely satisfied with, Landscape Associates’ warranty work is minor and limited.

As a result, he’s able to offer a better warranty than the industry standard. He’s often asked to go behind other landscaping companies to correct problems. “There’s never a dull moment,” he says. “It keeps us creative and sharp.

“Because we don’t specialize in a specific type of project, our niche really is our level of quality,” Adams says. “Our main focus is not to specialize, but to perform at the highest level.”

Want to be the next Landscaper of the Year? Apply for our Landscaper of the Year program, and you could be featured in the magazine and win an all-expense-paid cruise to the Bahamas.

Primera Technology

The system is an optimized version of the company’s DL500 Durable Label Printer.

The printer can produce up to 25 percent faster than the DL500 and utilizes a high-powered laser for marking instead of inkjet or thermal transfer inks.

The label maker can be used for in-house availability including VIN numbers, warning and instruction labels, serial tags for outdoor equipment, building materials and more.

The LP130 can be used on Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and the BarTender Primera SE UltraLite design program is included.

The system is priced between $18,000 and $22,000 in the USA and Canada.

Towmaster

Designed for iOS and Android devices, the app features Towmaster’s trailer models, a photo gallery, links to Towmaster’s social media and websites and a dealer-only button where dealers have access to prices books and training materials.

The app features email, PDF files and the ability to contact Towmaster’s sales representatives.

The iOS version is compatible with iPhone 3GS and above, including the new iPhone 5 and all generations of the iPad. The Android version works with phones and tablets with version 2.3 and above.

Towmaster’s app is available now for download within the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.

Keen Utility

Although summer may have just arrived, Keen has introduced a new boot designed for the fall.

The Tucson is an outdoor-inspired work boot that features waterproof material, nubuck leather, low profile midsole, open mesh inserts and a hydrophobic/hydropholic two-zone comfort technology lining to help feet keep cool and dry.

The boot also includes the asymmetrical steel toe that contours to the natural shape of the left and right food. The outside features the oil- and slip-resistant material.

The boot will hit retailers in August. 

Photo: bloomingtongardenclub.com

The 2013 Summer Garden Walk is in full bloom in Bloomington, Indiana.

In its 24th year, the Summer Garden Walk features yards full of flowers and unique landscape designs and sees between 700-1000 attendees each year, according to Herald Times Online.

Many of the yards will feature sustainable designs including bamboo fences and vegetables beds.

One garden will feature a design that moves from the front of the yard all the way to the backyard where the owners created a shady outdoor living area.

With the help of one landscaper, an owner transformed a yard into an Asian-influence garden featuring boulders, specimen conifers and Japanese maples.

The garden walk will be Saturday June 22 and Sunday June 23 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The History Center will be the setting of the special “Floral Apparel” exhibit and the event will cost $10.

There is no doubt about it.

And now is not the best time to test your luck with the sun’s rays.

The sun can be extremely dangerous and pushing yourself to get a job done can result in heat illness or worse, death.

The landscaping industry has no choice but to work outside, but that doesn’t mean owners and employees can’t be smart about beating the heat.

With temperatures creeping into the 90s and 100s, every piece of advice should be taken heavily before stepping outside.

Cintas Corporation released a few pieces of advice about understanding the importance of learning about heat-related illness. 

Just recently, PLANET and OSHA have joined the 2013 Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness to help raise awareness and educate those that work in the industry about heat illness.

OSHA reported that five to 10 million workers are exposed to the heat-related illnesses each year.

The Bureau of Labor reported that 4,420 workers alone experienced heat-related illness and 61 died.

There are so many ways to educate your employees about staying hydrated, taking breaks and keeping cool. There’s no excuse for employees to become ill from the heat when there’s so many resources out there, including an app for Android, iPhone and Blackberry devices from OSHA. The app calculates the heat index for your location and provides reminders about how to handle heat illness.

I urge all owners and employees to get this app and be responsible when it comes to the dangers of the sun.

Landscapers can beautify, manipulate and help control Mother Nature all day, but landscapers can’t control everything she produces – including the sun’s rays. 

For more safety tips, stay tuned for our July Safety Watch article.

Here’s how these machines are using attachments and features to leave a larger footprint on jobsites.

Whether it’s the need to fit through a gate or minimize ground disturbance, small equipment like compact excavators continue to have a well-deserved place in landscapers’ fleets. But these machines aren’t resting on their portable size to win over the industry.

In the past five years, the market has seen an increase in the variety of compact excavators available, says Katie Pullen, marketing manager, Case Construction Equipment. “Originally, compact excavators were mainly used with a bucket for trenching and digging,” Pullen says. “However, that has changed.”

This expanded applications list has created a stronger demand for extended features. “Some of our customers who use large excavators want compact excavators that work the same way,” says Mark Wall, product marketing manager for excavators, Hitachi and John Deere Construction & Forestry. “Features we saw only in larger excavators are now going to the smaller ones. Landscape contractors are expecting that level of productivity and up time.”

Landscapers can fill in trenches, move dirt around, transport materials and load trucks with these excavators. “Compact excavators’ popularity will continue to grow with contractors as they learn what all they can do with them,” Wall says.

As landscapers’ knowledge of this machine grows, so does its project portfolio, compatible attachments and features.

With zero tail swing, the Case CX36B compact excavator has a 10-foot 1-inch dig depth and 16-foot 9-inch reach at ground level.

Do more
Attachments have played a large role in adding to compact excavators’ range of tasks. “With a larger variety of attachments available for compact excavators, landscapers are using them for many more applications,” Pullen says. “For example, users can add a thumb on a compact excavator and use it for placing landscaping rocks.”

Landscape contractors can also attach augers to quickly plant trees or install fences. Other technologies, such as pattern control changers, are now standard and expected by many customers.

For trenching projects, angle backfill blades can help with trenching. “These (John Deere) models can be equipped with an optional, hydraulic, adjustable-angle backfill blade that feature 25 degrees of adjustment to both the left and right for more efficient trench backfilling,” Wall says.

To handle a variety of sites, landscape contractors can also choose the tracks that are best suited for the conditions: rubber, steel or rubber pads with steel tracks.

Evolving excavators
Improving the machine’s cab has become a priority when launching compact excavator lines, Wall says.

Joining Hitachi’s Zaxis Dash 5 lineup, the ZX35U-5, ZX50U-5 and ZX60USB-5 compact excavators include an updated door design, which provides improved visibility to the left side of the machine when the door is closed. This new door design also widens the door’s size, compared to the Dash 3 models. 

The John Deere 50G and 60G compact excavators also include a broader door, along with an updated operator station. A multifunction monitor provides a coolant temperature and fuel gauge, two trip meters, clock, regeneration inhibit, machine hours, auto shut-down control and other functions.

“With the advancements in hydraulics and electronics, more features are being integrated into the cab,” Pullen says, “allowing users to realize even more efficiencies.” 

Although more features are becoming standard across the board, there are still differences between compact excavator models. Wall suggests testing out the equipment before buying.

“Work with a dealer and try to put it on the jobsite and see what works for you,” Wall says. “You’re going to spend good money there. Machines last a long time. Make sure you get the right size and the right machine for the job.”

To see 10 forgotten applications, click here.

Felling Trailers

The company has redesigned its Compact Loader Trailer line to accommodate any type of mini skid steer.

The trailer’s redesign created sufficient space for a mini skid steer along with its attachments.

The trailer features solid steel pan style sides with multiple D-rings for the user to secure equipment.

Features Include:

• Models: FT-6 CL, FT-10 CL & FT-12 CL (GVWRS  7,000 – 14,700 lbs.)
• Full with spring-assist mesh ramp
• STD attachment mounts; removable trencher/auger tray, 3 auger bit holders, 1 land leveler or bucket rest loc, pallet fork holders with hold on chains

The company will be participating in the Belknap Mill Sumer Outdoor Concert Series by bringing two bands from BLC family and employees.

The concerts will be hosted in Laconia’s Rotary Park, which the Belknap Landscape Company built in the mid 1990s.

Rotary Park is a riverfront public park funded by the Laconia Rotary and built by BLC’s Hayden McLaughlin.

The bands performing from the BLC group will be the Michael Vincent Band and Acoustisaurus

The Michael Vincent Band member Danny Mack, who plays bass and offers vocals, is part of the McLaughlin family. The other Michael Vincent Band members are Michael Vincent on guitar and vocals and Dan Hewitt on the Drums.

Acoustisaurus Band members include Moir, along with Michelle Tilton, vocals, Herb Cameron on guitars, banjo and vocals, Ron Huizen on the drums and other percussion instruments and Rob Orfant who plays guitars, the mandolin and the flute.

As the days continue to get longer and hotter, organizations are looking to help keep landscapers safe.

PLANET, the Professional Landcare Network, and an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Alliance partner are supporting the 2013 Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness.

The campaign is to help raise awareness and educate those that work in the industry how to prevent illness and possibly death each year through the hotter months.

In 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 4,420 workers experienced heat-related illness and 61 workers died.

OSHA provides a variety of ways to help individuals stay cool including its education resources available in English and Spanish.

There is also a Heat Index, which is a guide to help owners create a heat-illness prevention plan. There are also training resources that include lesson plans and guides to help instruct workers on heat illness.

OSHA also has developed an app for Android, iPhone and Blackberry devices that allows users to calculate the heat index for their particular location and provide reminders about what to do to prevent heat illness.

Drafix Software has introduced Pro Landscape Companion for Android tablets.

Pro Landscape Companion for Android works with PRO Landscape Version 18 and above.

The app allows landscape designers to create designs from scratch on a tablet using photos he or she has taken on the tablet.

Designers then have the option to transfer the designs to a computer to finish it on Pro Landscape.  

If the design was originally created on a computer in Pro landscape, it can be transferred to the tablet to be edited or presented to a client.  

The app is available for free from the Google Play store and is available for all iPad devices.

Photo courtesy of Michael Epaul

Whether it’s a three-tiered fountain, a rambling stream or a spectacular waterfall, lighting shows off water’s magical qualities after dark. But you can’t just install a spotlight and call it a day. 

“Lighting water features is the most complicated kind of lighting,” says Janet Lennox Moyer, IALD, COLD, author of “The Landscape Lighting Book” and founder of the nonprofit Landscape Lighting Resource in Troy, New York. “You must take into account a number of issues such as the clarity of the water, the type of materials you’re lighting and where you’re going to hide cables and junction boxes. It takes a lot of thought and planning.” 

Here’s what to keep in mind when using low-voltage lighting for your water feature projects:

1. Create a mood
Proper lighting transforms a water feature. “Lighting should enhance the feeling of serenity,” says Phillip W. Costello Jr., COLD, owner of Illumascape Landscape Lighting in South Hadley, Massachusetts. “You get much more out of a water feature by being able to enjoy it at night, too.”

For example, when there’s water in front of a feature, such as a waterfall with a pond in front of it, position the light so it skims across the surface of the water. This creates a peaceful, mirrored surface when the water is calm and a glimmering effect when it’s moving.

To continue this relaxing mood with the feature, make sure people notice your vision, not the wires. When possible, get involved during the construction phase of a water feature so you can properly light the project and more easily camouflage fixtures. 

But if you’re called in after the fact, assume you’ll have to dig, disassemble and reassemble some aspects of the water feature to hide parts such as transformers and wires.

It’s also not necessary to submerse lights to achieve interesting effects. “Think about lighting a waterfall from behind or using a wash light,” says Andrew Coleman, outdoor lighting designer with McKay Lighting in Omaha, Nebraska. “If you stay out of the water, it’s far less expensive and less maintenance in the long run.”

Kichler Lighting’s pond, floating and underwater 12-volt water lights bring features to life at night.

2. Use adequate light
Not using enough light is one of the most common mistakes when lighting water features. “Water dissipates light,” says Paul Gosselin, president of NightScenes in Austin, Texas, and president of the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals (AOLP). “If you’re submersing lights, you’ve got to add a lot more light than you think you need.”

While there’s no specific formula to follow, figure on at least 1/3 to 1/2 more than you anticipated, Gosselin advises. You may have to boost it even more depending on the depth, clarity of the water and the material you’re lighting. For example, dark stone absorbs light, while light-colored stonework reflects it.

3. Experiment with design
Another way to get the desired result with the light is to play around with the fixtures, Moyer says. “You can’t predict what water will do with light.”

She suggests testing the effects of fixtures in a bathtub, using a hose to watch how the light looks with the fall or spray of water. Or, create a mock-up on the jobsite. Experimenting lets you see how everything pulls together.

For example, “when lighting a waterfall to highlight movement, aim the light where the falling water hits the horizontal surface so the light catches the air bubbles,” Moyer says. “Aiming at the edge where the water goes over doesn’t create the same effect. 

When submersing lights, you may not necessarily get light where you think you will. “You know how you’d aim light at a statue or a structure, but water bends light,” Gosselin says. “You’ve got to get in there and adjust placement. It’s a skill that comes with practice and experience.”

While you’re at it, be careful of glare. You don’t want to shoot light toward the feature, only to discover you’re blasting a bedroom window or creating a hazard on a walkway because the homeowner is blinded as he comes out the door to the patio.

To save yourself time and a lot of frustration, avoid doing permanent installs of fixtures until you’ve made nighttime adjustments. “The final adjustment is crucial,” Gosselin says. “You’d be surprised how many inexperienced designers don’t go back after dark and fine-tune their work.” 

Winning the 2011 Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals (AOLP) annual outdoor lighting design competition, this project blends architectural and landscape lighting with this water feature. Credit: Photo courtesy of Starshine of Texas

4. Accommodate pond life
Keep the environment healthy for fish by providing an area within ponds where it remains dark and quiet, Moyer advises. It can be a cave, a corner or even the stones under a walkway.

Be aware that in small ponds, lighting can change water temperature, which can be detrimental because fish can’t endure large temperature variations day after day. Also, avoid submersible fixtures made of copper or zinc, which can be toxic to fish. Stainless steel or polycarbonate materials are better choices. 

5. Maintain systems
Educate your clients about lighting and explain it requires ongoing care: Plants grow and cover lights. Mulch gets piled up in front of fixtures. Lenses get cloudy from calcium buildup. Cords get cut by animals or mowers.

“Avoid selling products or lighting systems as ‘no maintenance,’” says Bernie Granier, principal with Starshine of Texas in the Greater Houston area. “Typically, you need to get out there at least every three to six months to clean, re-aim and re-position your lights.”

 Consider offering a service contract that includes cleanings and adjustments on a regular basis such as at the start of the season and mid-season. In some markets where water features run year-round, more frequent maintenance calls may be necessary.

6. Get comfortable with lights
Many contractors and lighting designers are transitioning completely to the use of LEDs for landscape lighting. While LEDs cost at least twice as much as traditional fixtures, they cost less in the long run as they have less amperage pull, less energy use and a longer lamp life, Gosselin says.

In recent years, the color temperature has improved, as well, offering a mellow glow instead of the harsh, bluish tint that many people didn’t like when LEDs first entered the marketplace. Because the market is changing rapidly with many companies coming and going, stick with reputable suppliers and well-known manufacturers that offer warranties (many promise 40,000 hours or more).

You also need to be familiar with any lighting laws in your area. Check with your municipality or local building department about permit and licensing requirements. While many states have no or few requirements when it comes to lighting water features, other states, such as New Jersey, allow only licensed electrical contractors to install low-voltage lighting. 

Some communities also have Dark Sky regulations concerning the excessive use of lighting in the outdoor environment.

It’s also important to know that low-voltage lighting cannot be used in pools and spas; you’ll need a licensed electrical contractor and grounded line for lighting these features.

By Arricca Elin SanSone 

The company has created a variety of glass panels that can be added to exterior settings to help illuminate the area.

By crafting the glass to 1.5 inches or more, the glass can become extremely hard like stone.

The glass can feature a company’s logo or name and can be combined with stainless steal or stone for a different design.

The glass can be incorporated into fountains and outdoor living areas, and is environmentally friendly as well as 100 percent recyclable. 

The company will be giving three dads water-efficient drip irrigation kits from the Rain Bird Online Store.

Visitors who “like” the official Rain Bird Online Store Facebook page will have the opportunity to enter once per day for a chance to win a Garden Hose Sprinkler Timer and Gardener’s Drip Irrigation kit.

Those interested have until the end of June to enter the contest.

The drip kit includes tubing, connections, drip emitters and tools needed to water a lawn.

When attached to a garden hose sprinkler timer, the kit can automatically irrigate a 75-square foot area.

One winner will be selected per week and will be selected at random between today and July 1.

Models TS65 and TS85 offer approximately 75- and 120-pound capacities and come with powder coated frames.

Models TS65SS and TS85SS have matching specifications, but are equipped with stainless steel frames for corrosion protection.

All products in the line can distribute fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide and seed with a maximum spread width of 12 feet.

Other standard features include a 10-inch molded plastic spinner, pneumatic tires, a top screen and a clear poly cover. The spreaders are backed by a two-year warranty. 

One landscaping company and one of TLC’s Landscaper of the Year finalists donated time, effort and resources as part of PLANET’s Day of Service.

YardApes donated landscaping materials and helped manage 35 volunteers for a six-site community outreach landscaping and green-space renewal effort back in April.

The company held a contest to find local property owners who demonstrated a particular landscaping need.

Typically, the company tries to choose one nonprofit and one homeowner, but indecision from compelling stories typically leads to adding more projects, according to YardApes founder Shayne Newman.

The projects included: 

• The Education Center in New Milford, Connecticut, where a landscape renovation enhanced the school’s entrance, and installation of 23 yards of playground mulch created a safe play area for the nonprofit’s 81 children, including 6 special education children.
• New Milford Historical Society in New Milford, Connecticut, benefitted from a spring cleanup, and mulching of its boxwood garden in preparation for ‘Art in Bloom’ an exhibit celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Garden Club of New Milford.
• The Pratt Nature Center in New Milford, Connecticut, a 201-acre wildlife preserve and environmental education center had entrance gardens in need of pruning, cleanup and mulching. A garden installation from YardApes’ 2011 Day of Service initiative also received pruning, cleanup and mulching.
• Sarah Noble Intermediate School in New Milford, Connecticut, where the school’s courtyard was transformed by installations of a 16’ five-circuit Belgium block labyrinth, lawn, and pink-flowering dogwood. The labyrinth will serve as the center of an outdoor classroom and healing garden dedicated to the grand daughter of a Sarah Noble Intermediate School educator who died at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
• TheatreWorks New Milford in New Milford, Connecticut, received a landscape redesign and renovation of its theatre entrance.
• Homeowners’ site in New Milford, Connecticut, where volunteers weeded and edged all beds, pruned back overgrown shrubs, thinned and divided perennials in crowded garden, moved perennials to another bed and mulching.

To learn how to become a finalist in Total Landscape Care’s Landscaper of the Year program, click here.

Abe Hughes (right), VP of New Holland presents a check from the proceeds of past True Blue Salute Programs to David Coker, president of the Fisher House Foundation.

Those that serve or served in the armed forces are getting a little extra attention from New Holland lately, and I am blown away by the generosity.

New Holland, the official agricultural equipment of NASCAR, has partnered with the group for “NASCAR: An American Salute”.

“What we’re trying to do is recognize the servicemen and women who have served any time in history,” says Dan Valen, Pro Work Tools marketing segment leader, New Holland.

New Holland is asking individuals to visits its site, True Blue Salute, to write a “thank you” letter to a member of the Armed Forces. For each “thank you” letter, New Holland will donate $1, up to $10,000, for the Fisher House Foundation.

“Fisher House is a charity that builds housing near VA hospitals for families that have had a loved one injured overseas in the course of one of the wars,” Valen says. “They can live free of charge so that the families can really focus on taking care of their loved one.”

First of all, I had not really explored into the Fisher House Foundation, and after hearing from the president and learning about it, I have never been so touched by a program.

I learned The Fisher House Foundation does not spend a dollar in advertising and uses the word of mouth as its source of means. It’s truly dedicated to helping those that served.

Additionally, New Holland will be auctioning off a New Holland compact tractor hoods with 16 drivers’ signatures, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon. The hood is being auctioned off at NASCAR’s site and will close on July 6. 

Also ending on July 6, New Holland is offering active and retired military personnel and their families $750 off the purchase of a New Holland Boomer 30 to 50 compact tractor models, Rustler utility vehicles and selected New Holland utility tractors and New Holland light construction equipment. New Holland will donate $100 to the Fisher House Foundation for each tractor and utility vehicles sold in the United States.

Rooftop foliage

In areas where space is an issue, many landscapers are starting to look up for new project sites. A New York company, Rooftop Ready Seeds, answered this trend by offering a line of locally grown seeds tailored for the unique urban climate and container-planting conditions.

All of the seeds are open-pollinated and grown using organic methods in several rooftop locations in and around Brooklyn. A variety of seed types are available, including beans, chiles, flowers, greens, herbs, tomatoes and vegetables. More clients are also moving toward incorporating edibles into their landscapes, so these seeds can meet those growing needs. Planting instructions are available on the website, rooftopready.com.

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Lighten up

Super Bright LEDs introduced G-Lux, a professional-grade line of LED plug n’ play landscape lighting. The series features fixture housings made from solid brass, stainless steel and cast iron. Each light is IP68 rated with fully potted and sealed fixtures, and they have a range of color temperature choices and a variety of beam pattern options. For more information, visit superbrightleds.com.

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Stand-alone cutting

With a 48-inch cutting width, the Peco TBB-3002 Brush Blazer can clear underbrush and trees up to 4 inches in diameter. The rotary brush cutting system is available with a 28-horsepower Briggs & Stratton Vanguard or 27-horsepower Kohler EFI engine, and it is 59 inches wide and 96 inches long. Two levers for speed and steering operate similar to a zero-turn mower. For more information, visit brushblazer.com.

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Info on the go

Designed for golf-course superintendents and landscapers, Simplot’s Jacklin Seed agronomic seed application is available for iPhone and Android.

This app provides access to research data, product information and a variety of recommendations based on region, turf usage and specific growth traits. For more information, visit jacklin.com or download it for free from the App Store.

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AWD, diesel power

Maintain large properties with the Ventrac 4500Y tractor, which has a 25-horsepower, liquid-cooled, three-cylinder Kubota diesel engine.

The tractor includes hydrostatic all-wheel drive, a center-pivoting-articulating frame and integrated weight-transfer-traction control. With the optional dual-wheel kit, the 4500Y can operate on slopes up to 30 degrees. For more information, visit ventrac.com.

Away With Geese

Those that participate in the organization contribute one percent of annual sales directly to any of the approved non-profit environmental organizations in the network.

The non-profits are based on referrals, track records and sustainability focus. More than 3,000 non-profits worldwide are involved with the program.

Terry Kellogg, CEO of 1% for the Planet, says as that members of the company have contributed approximately $100 million of critically needed funds over a 10-year timeframe.