While leaning against the side of our deck, the rails popped off like they were connected with flimsy tape. We didn’t fall and had no injuries, but that isn’t to say I felt any better about the situation. When I called my dad to give him a good laugh at our expense, he jokingly said, “I guess you should sue the homeowners.”

Although bringing charges against myself didn’t seem like a great idea, it did make me think. Bad things can happen, even if you do everything right with a project. Hopefully you would create a deck better than the one in my backyard, but it is a good idea to have coverage for your business and employees.

Insurance companies, like Progressive, have tailored packages for your landscape business. You can get coverage for everything from vehicles and workers compensation to liability. Not only does insurance cover you with accidents, it also gives your business credibility. And in some states, having general liability issue is required by law.

In some plans, you can also specialize your plan to include tools and equipment, auto pollution liability, workmanship error and herbicide and pesticide application.

So, make sure you and your business are covered — and not falling apart like my deck.

No matter where you live, you’re bound to weather some sort of storm. Here in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, we have had our fair share of tornadoes. If you live up north, you have to deal with blizzards and flooding. And for those coastal cities, hurricanes are a constant threat. While some storms leave only fallen branches, others can damage structures, cause power outages or even claim lives.

So to better understand what can be done to prevent some of these things, we chatted with Maggie Lawrence, with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), yesterday on ValleyCrest’s and Corona Tool’s Twitter #LandscapeChat.

On the top of her list of things that cause trees to fail is root damage during the construction process. Other culprits include having a mature tree within 10 feet of a paved surface (without prior design), installing the wrong type of species for the site and having only one tree, instead of group plantings.

Also, maintain the trees and make sure they are healthy. Dead trees are much more likely to be uprooted than a well-grounded, healthy one.

Keep these things in mind when you’re installing trees on your next project. These tips won’t prevent the storms, but they can reduce the aftermath of a storm and save lives and properties.

The Principium Group

Green Exit University is way for landscapers to not only create an exit strategy, but it teaches them how to execute that exit strategy.

The goal is to help landscapers transfer or sell their business on their own schedule.

In a survey conducted by The Principium Group, only 40 percent of business owners in the green industry have an exit strategy and only 13 percent have an exit plan in place.

The program includes a textbook, a workbook, 10 video presentations, unlimited email consultation, a limited amount of telephone consultation, a review of your completed plan and a one-year follow up to see the progression.

Participants will also have the opportunity to receive a market value assessment of their business.

Beginning on July 1, video lesson will be available for 10 weeks, and the first 20 business owners who enroll will receive a special reduced price.

Deck & Engine Options:

•  36-inch deck: 15 hp Kawasaki engine
• 40-inch deck: 15 hp Kawasaki engine
• 48-inch deck: 22 hp Kawasaki engine
• 52-inch deck: 23 hp Kawasaki engine
• 60-inch deck: 24 hp Kawasaki engine

Electronic fuel injection (EFI) models:

•  52-inch deck: 25 hp Kohler Command EFI engine
• 60-inch deck: 27 hp Kohler Command EFI engine

The mower line includes a platform suspension system, which is self-compensating to accommodate different weights.

U.S. Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank presented Venture Products with the President’s “E” Awards for Exports, which is the highest recognition for any U.S. entity to receive in the expansion of U.S. exports.

According to Dallas Steiner, president of Venture Products, the company exports to more than 20 countries with the strongest being Sweden, Japan, South Korea and Australia.

Venture Products is a manufacturer of Ventrac compact tractors and commercial grade attachments.

Last year marked an all-time record high of U.S. exports by reaching more than $2.2 trillion and supported approximately 10 million American jobs.

The “E” Award Program was established by Executive Order 10978 on De. 5, 1961. A total of 57 U.S. companies were presented with the President’s “E” Award this year.

U.S. companies are nominated for the “E” Award for Exports through the Department of Commerce’s U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service office network, located within the Department’s International Trade Administration.

Four years of successive export growth and an applicant’s demonstration of an innovative international marketing plan that led to the increase in exports is a significant factor in making the award.

Source: Washington State Department of Agriculture

Caterpillars are climbing the list of pestering insects after one species began to devastate a schoolyard in Washington.

Tent caterpillars started burrowing into newly planted Yoshino cherry trees and started to move to the birch trees and laurel shrub at Charles Wilkes Elementary School, according to the Bainbridge Island Review.

The school will be using a mixture of insecticide and organic tea to remove the insects that started the infestation in early May.

Tent caterpillars eat all of the leaves on one branch on a tree before moving to the next. After splitting into smaller groups, the insects move to a variety of branches and can remove 20 percent of foliation on a tree.

“Forest tent caterpillars (Malacosoma disstria Hubner) do not form a true tent despite their name. Rather, they spin silken mats on tree branches or trunks. The mature caterpillar is about 2 inches long,” according to an article from the Washington State University Extension. “Its body is blue with black spatters and has white, footprint-shaped markings.”

The best time to prune or spray the caterpillars in when they return to their nests at night. 

Put safety first when working with power earth augers.

A power earth auger accomplishes its work beneath the ground, but the most important aspect of any project – making sure everything is safe for the operator and other crew members – starts before the machine’s point ever pierces the surface.

It sounds like common sense, but keeping safety in the front of your mind before starting any job is crucial to avoiding injuries, some of which can be serious. There are potential hazards for any digging job, and while most machines are designed with safety in mind, it’s always a good idea to review best practices and stay up to date with industry guidelines to protect everyone on the jobsite.

It’s All In The Call
Knowing the worksite and preparing accordingly is a crucial first step before beginning any digging project. Hazards may lurk just a few feet below the surface, where anything from utility lines to underground sprinklers, sewer pipes to transmission cables can be hiding. Inadvertently hitting any of them can cause a big mess, create a costly problem and, in the worst cases, cause serious injuries. Buried gas lines or power lines are the most dangerous, with the potential for electrocution, fire, severe burns or even fatalities.

Always call the national one-call line at 811 at least 48 hours prior to digging to have underground utilities marked. No exceptions, no excuses. When there are underground obstacles, allow an adequate amount of space around them. The general rule of thumb is a radius of 2 to 3 feet around a marked area.

After the site has been prepped, with the underground lines marked, it’s time to ready yourself and the machine for safe and effective digging.

A torque tube connecting the auger to the chassis-mounted engine prevents injury to the operator by absorbing dangerous kickback.

Check Yourself, Check Your Machine
Operators need to wear appropriate personal protective gear and follow basic dress code practices when operating a power earth auger. Instead of sandals, opt for work boots or quality athletic shoes. Avoid loose clothing and hanging shoelaces that could get caught in the auger. To protect against flying dirt and debris, wear safety goggles and work gloves whenever the unit is running.

Once you’ve read the owner’s manual, thoroughly inspect the auger for repairs or maintenance needs and to ensure all the necessary parts and pieces are intact. First, identify all instruction and warning labels and be sure they’re properly affixed to the unit. Anyone operating the machine must understand and be able to easily recognize these labels, which should be outlined and explained in the owner’s manual. Be sure all kill switches and wires are undamaged, properly connected and functioning. To ensure the throttle is working properly, start the engine and let it run for a few seconds before releasing the throttle. If the engine is functioning correctly, it will return to idle.

Next, check gearboxes and tighten loose bolts. Inspect both the leg pad and handle grips for tears and replace them if necessary. Be sure there are no cracks or other damage to handles or the gearbox housing.

Carefully ensure points and blades are tight and secure. Misalignment could cause the auger to vibrate excessively during use.

Misalignment of the point and blades might cause the auger to vibrate excessively or “walk” during use, so make sure they are tight and secure. Be aware of the sharp edges so you don’t get cut. If you’re installing these for the first time, follow the instructions outlined in the owner’s manual.

If the engine has a torque tube, a safety feature that protects the operator by absorbing dangerous kickbacks, properly connect and secure it. The procedure might vary slightly from one model to another, so follow the steps as outlined in the owner’s manual.

On models that have an engine mounted on a separate, wheeled chassis, it’s important to check the tire pressure. If there’s a tire blowout or the unit isn’t level during transport, it can tip over. That’s both a safety and environmental hazard you want to avoid.

Finally, check all the machine’s fluids and change or refill if necessary. Remember that trying to change or refill fluids when the machine is hot could result in serious injuries from accidentally touching a hot engine or hydraulic power deck. It’s best to change or refill fluids before you even start a job. If you have to do it mid-project, let the auger cool completely first.

Do It Right
Now that you’ve gone through all the machine and operator safety precautions, it’s important to also remember the safety of others. Always ensure bystanders are at least 10 feet away before starting the auger.

Once the auger is running, position it perpendicular to the ground for the best possible control and optimal results. For even greater control, adjust the downward pressure based on the soil conditions. If the soil is soft, ease up slightly. If the ground is harder, apply a little more pressure, but not so much that rotation slows or stops.

The most important tip to remember when using an earth auger is a variation of the common saying, “Lift with your legs, not with your back.” With an earth auger, all the power should come from the legs to avoid serious back strain and injury.

Once you’ve reached the desired depth, there’s a proper procedure for safely removing the auger from the ground. Because it spins at such a high speed, never remove an auger from the ground completely while it’s still running. The force from the revolution can easily cause loss of control, even for an experienced operator. When retracting the auger, release the throttle control and allow the auger to come to a complete stop. Once the auger has stopped turning, it can safely be removed from the hole.

If the auger hits a tree root or unusually hard piece of earth and gets stuck, turn off the machine and disconnect the handle from the auger. Turn the auger counterclockwise to free the unit. In tougher soils, it might be necessary to use a pipe wrench and, if you still can’t dislodge it, you might have to dig the auger out.

Certain applications call for a greater depth than the auger can reach, so many manufacturers offer extensions. When the auger reaches its maximum depth, it’s typically a fast and simple process to attach an extension, but don’t for

Competition in the community typically dictates the going price for landscaping companies, but there are several key factors an owner needs to address before moving that dollar sign up or down. 

A recent article from Entrepreneur addresses what company owners should look for when making that decision.

There is the standard question of how much to change the dollar sign, but have you thought about timing?

Timing is everything – especially when it comes to price changes.  

“If you’re lowering prices, choose a time when the change will have the most impact; if you’re raising prices, choose a time when you’ll encounter the least resistance,” the article states.

Landscaping has high and low seasons, so appropriately setting your prices around those times can be very beneficial for a company. 

We know we don’t want to enter back into our old high school economics classroom and address the supply and demand chain, but landscaping works around the same business model.

Have you ever thought about changing the value instead of the price?

The article addresses that consumers know the average price of a case of Coca-Cola, and if a retailer chargers more than that amount, a consumer will probably steer clear.

Landscapers face similar challenges. There are many price estimators, types of software and calculators that help clients estimate the value of a project. Landscapers are faced with being a competitor in the market, without setting prices so low that no profit is made. 

Many businesses are learning to change the value instead of changing the price. Change the amount of ounces in a product but keep it the same price. Competitors follow suite to steer clear from being the highest price on the shelf.  

Changing the price and value at the same time can be done, but it’s always imperative to keep the client in mind.

Don’t confuse and drive away your clients with unnecessary changes. Make the best changes to keep your company a steadily growing business. 

Fogarty, a Weed Man sub-master franchisor from Euclid, Ohio, is also the own of Crowley’s Vegetation Management in Cleveland, Ohio.

The program is in its 15th year of recognizing individuals in the green industry for outstanding communication efforts involving environmental issues.

“Thank you, TOCA, for being the unsung heroes of the Green Industry … and for making all of us better at our jobs and for making our industry bigger and for helping us help others to be better stewards of our environment,” he said after receiving the award at TOCA’s annual conference in Portland, Oregon. “You are so much more than communicators … you are all influencers of the future … a really, really bright one for the green industry.”  

Previous winners have included: Mark Welterlen, Bill Love, Tim Doppel, Doug Fender, Allen James, Rod Dodson, Jeff Gullickson, Kevin Trotta, Helen Stone, Allied Golf Associations of Colorado, Dr. Larry Stowell/Wendy Gelernter, Christopher Gray, Anthony Williams and Dr. Frank Rossi.

This number is a 7.3 percent increase from 2012 with revenue growth reaching 7.9 percent in the fourth quarter.

IHS Global Insight in Massachusetts compiles ARA’s Rental Market Monitor data.

The construction market and consumer spending is predicted to be the most important drivers for the rental industry for 2013.

According to the U.S. economic analysis from ARA, the U.S. equipment rental market is projected to increase in growth through 2017. Real residential construction will help the construction equipment industry, which is projected to grow 9.8 percent in 2014 and 11.8 percent in 2015, the report states.  

The equipment rental industry in Canada is projected to generate approximately $4.6 billion in revenue through 2013, which is a 3.1 percent increase.

North America is expected to see $38.2 billion in revenue from equipment rentals for 2013.

Source: LandscapingNetwork.com

LandscapingNetwork.com has implemented a new guide for users to help determine how much a project might cost.

The backyard landscaping costs guide is split into five cost categories starting at $5,000 up to more than $100,000.

The guide goes over 13 backyard options like patios, outdoor kitchens, swimming pools and lawns.

Users can browse each price point for a better idea of what he or she can expect when planning an upcoming project.

Each budget is broken down to include detailed information, and the site includes a backyard budget calculator that can also help in determining a budget.

Source: Aerate-Lawn

One landscaping company is giving a few tips and reasons on why aerating a lawn is crucial for creating a healthy growth.

Dynamic Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance says aerating a lawn prevents thatch from building up within the yard.

If the thatch is not properly maintained, the living and dead stems become intertwined below the surface resulting in a brown and brittle lawn.

By using an aerator, bits of soil are removed from the lawn creating airways for the fertilizer to get absorbed into the roots.

Soil and plugs that are also removed through the aerating process will act as natural fertilizer.

This process should be repeated every two years for the best results, and should be done before the weather becomes extremely warm through the summer months.

Don’t worry. I am also one of those people.

There always seems to be long paper work to fill out or some crazy catch right as you get to the end.

What I have found is that most companies don’t have the consumer in mind.

However, we tried to make it as easy and fun for our readers to win.

We’ve partner with Corona Tools to not give away just one shovel to one lucky winner, but we’re going to select 14 winners.

That’s right, 14 winners.

So, when we say winning a Corona Tools’ shovel is as easy as filling out this form, we really mean it. Not to mention you only have to fill out three boxes.

No gimmicks, no catches, no crazy long form you have to fill out, and you could be one of 14 landscapers to get a great new shovel. How easy is that?

Overcome the hesitation of entering a “silly” contest, and you could be one of the 14 to win a new tool to add to your business. 

Michael Madarash and Kokobo Greenscapes reaches new heights in urban landscaping by finding a niche and building a superlative creative team.

Hurricane Sandy made news in late October 2012 because of its spectacular devastation, particularly in and around New York City. While it was a Category 1 storm off the coast of the northeastern United States, the storm became the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, with winds spanning 1,100 miles.

One of the iconic images in the midst of the storm’s rage was a high-rise crane, buckled and dangling perilously above the skyline in Manhattan. Michael Madarash, principal designer of Kokobo Greenscapes and TLC Landscaper of the Year Finalist, remembers it well.

“We were hunkered down,” he says. “It was an anxious time because I worried about the damage it might do to our business, as well as the 10 or so projects we had underway in Long Island and the city.”

Kokobo had recently moved into its new main facility just a couple of weeks before the storm and hadn’t yet finished moving everything from the Long Island location, so they had the added complication of having staff, equipment and supplies in two places.

After little more than two weeks, the company was tending to clients’ needs again. Rooftop gardens and green walls, the specialty of Madarash and his team, were repaired, and as properties became accessible and the drying out process was complete, the office phone began to ring again. 

Star power

Kokobo is unique among most landscaping companies with its focus on urban landscaping, often in small, confined spaces or high atop building terraces and roofs in Manhattan. The company grossed $1.2 million last year and has experienced star-struck progress, working with celebrities and benefiting from exposure in magazines such as Architectural Digest and Better Homes and Gardens, and TV shows on HGTV and PBS.

The company’s team faces daily tasks not only of producing and selling beautiful designs but handling the complex logistics required to work in and around the city.

For example, Madarash is all too familiar with how cranes operate in Manhattan. He often employs them to lift tons of soil, lumber, metal, granite and fixtures such as spas and outdoor kitchen appliances. 

“Depending on the area, there can be complicated permitting processes, streets have to be closed, traffic rerouted and material delivery coordination issues. It’s demanding and expensive.” 

However costly and complex, using a crane has been a solution for Madarash and his team. “Six hours of crane time versus 11 days of manpower at almost triple the cost is an easy choice for our clients.”

Kokobo’s rooftop gardens are noted for their intelligent use of space while keeping proportions in line, which can be a challenge “because we have clients who want all the elements you would have in a large backyard in a space that might be as small as 300 square feet.” 

Recent projects include installations of a 30-foot tall, 650-square-foot green wall installation at 30 Rock (NBC’s headquarters) and several “pocket parks” in narrow spaces between buildings in Harlem for a nonprofit restoration project headed by the entertainer Bette Middler.

Grounded

While all of this may sound lofty, literally and figuratively, Madarash has had his share of experiences that kept his feet on the ground and perhaps a time or two on bended knees.

In 2009, Kokobo had to lay off 23 employees, and managing finances became a tightrope walk for Madarash. “We had a previous period of explosive growth,” he says. “We did virtually everything in-house.

“When the bubble burst in 2008 and the economy took a nosedive, we had major clients who went under in the middle or end of projects and who were either majorly delinquent or, in a few cases, completely unable to make good on payments. Philanthropic organizations and even government contracts we had under long-term contracts no longer existed.”

So, Kokobo regrouped and refocused. The company came back leaner, serving as a creative studio with the ability to design, expedite and manage project designs. On the installation side of work, they were more of a general contractor, while handling landscape-specific elements in-house, such as planting, irrigation, greenwall installations and horticultural maintenance. All of the carpentry, masonry, electrical, plumbing and arboriculture is handled by a select group of subcontractors who have proven track records.

“We became a specialty design house,” Madarash says, “with a phenomenal array of subcontractors who have special fortes.”

Head in the clouds

“The primary key to our success is the team that surrounds me. I work with people who have marvelous skill sets and the ability to share a vision for what needs to be accomplished and understand how to be on the same page with clients in the process.”

During his early years in the landscaping business, Madarash toiled like many others. “I started when I was age 14 with a 21-inch Toro mower,” he says. In 1996, he graduated to a 36-inch Toro mower, driving a Chevy C-20 and working with three high school friends.

“I thought I was king of the landscape world,” he says, building stacked stonewalls, planting unique designs and maintaining approximately 20 properties.

Madarash attended the University of Massachusetts, graduated with a degree in horticulture/agronomy and became an assistant golf course superintendent. He quickly became “bored out of my mind,” he says as the job duties were repetitive and the course was well-established and not planning renovation projects. 

In 2000, he left to work at another firm in New York and began to learn about interior plants, holiday decorations and the possibility of landscaping in the city. A year later, he left that company to start his own business and incorporated Kokobo Greenscapes in 2001.

He established work with clients across Long Island, the Bronx, Queens, Nassau and the Suffolk County’s north shore, doing mostly suburban landscapes and “whatever it took to please clients,” including once painting seats and decks at a baseball field.

The breakthrough came in 2004 when Kokobo took on its first rooftop garden in Manhattan. “I fell in love, working in the urban environment with the skyline in the background,” he says. 

While at the 2008 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) conference in Philadelphia, Madarash saw several displays that featured green walls, and he had a light-bulb moment. “They make perfect sense for many of the projects we do,” he says. “You’re faced with limited space and various obstacles.”

He realized a plain brick wall could be converted from an eyesore to a beautiful painting made with splashes of color provided by plants.

Future vision

Recently married, Madarash honeymooned with his wife, Lindsay, in French Polynesia and came home with not only a new bride but also a mind full of new ideas. “Visiting the islands and seeing the exotic foliage and settings was so invigorating,” he says.

“While snorkeling one day, I was in a coral garden under 5 feet of water and saw a transition of coral types that will be featured on a transition of ipe decking and limestone for an upcoming design.”

So it would not be surprising to see even more innovative uses of water and fire features, green walls, outdoor kitchens, entertaining areas and lighting in future projects by Kokobo. 

Madarash says 10 years from now he hopes to be doing “exactly what I’m doing now, but on a slightly bigger scale and in more locales. I want to be known as the urban landscape firm in North America and beyond.”

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

Twenty-Four award categories make up the sixth-annual contest, which consists of residential and commercial applications using a variety of products including concrete pavers, clay pavers and segmental retaining walls and projects of different sizes. 

The deadline to enter is Sept. 18. The early bird entry fee is $100 for members (ICPI, BIA or NCMA) and $200 for non-members, which ends Sept. 4th. After that, the entry fee is $140 for members and $240 for non-members. Projects for consideration must have been completed between Nov. 1, 2009 and June 30, 2013.

The winners will be announced during the HNA 2012 Awards Breakfast on Oct. 25 at the Hyatt Regency in Louisville, Kentucky. The breakfast is open to all HNA registrants and is an optional ticketed event. Tickets are $19 per person or $150 for a reserved table of eight. 

Source: How Stuff Works

A bill was passed in the House on Friday to prevent homeowner’s associations from restricting homeowners to xeriscape their lawns.

Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, said it’s unreasonable for a landscape design to be refused because it doesn’t fit in with the other lawns in the neighborhood, according to The Dallas Morning News.

One East Dallas resident entered into a debate with the Dallas Landmark Commission after they told him a water-saving lawn, including cactuses, would not fit with the rest of the lawns in the neighborhood.

The bill passed without debate on a voice vote and will now move on to the governor.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently conducted a report on how to do water-efficient landscaping.

In the report, it noted a U.S. Geological Survey that showed of the 26 billion gallons of water consumed on a daily basis in the United States, about 7.8 billion gallons, or 30 percent, is devoted for outdoor use.

Source: Kokobo Greenscapes, one of TLC’s Landscaper of the Year finalists.

Europeans have got the hang of things when it comes to outdoor living.

Outdoor dining in countries like France, England, Germany, Italy, Greece and Switzerland is very common, and each country captivates their own culture in the setting.

Landscapers can learn a thing or two from the cultures and styles incorporated into the outdoor-living settings across the world.

House Plans and More have come up with a few ways the outdoor experience can be captivated in the United States.  

Decide the Experience
Will the outdoor dining experience be designed for entertainment or will it be an intimate experience meant simply for the client’s own experience? If it is a place for entertaining, remember friends will need plenty of room to sit and eat.

Outdoor Design
There are a few things to consider when choosing table seating. You can choose a table large enough to accommodate guests, but a table that size may be a bit overwhelming. Another idea is to choose more than one table for guests. This will give guests a more intimate dining experience and can create different areas more viable for conversation, while enjoying their meal. For a personal dining experience, a small, intimate table is a suitable choice.

Best-selling dining sets are made of wood, metal or wicker. The natural look of wood fits in well with outdoor space, which is usually very rich in landscaping and vegetation. There are a few options when choosing a metal dining set.

Wrought iron has become popular and can be very elegant. It is heavy and would be more appropriate in harsh, windy climates. Another metal that is popular is aluminum. Aluminum dining sets may be much lighter weight and are usually price-friendly. The key when choosing a metal dining set would be the chair cushion.

A metal dining set can be beautiful and durable but may not be comfortable without a great cushion. Wicker dining sets are quite comfortable, casual and fit nicely into a naturalistic setting. Wicker sets come in a variety of colors and styles.

Keeping Cool
One important factor not to overlook would be sun exposure. Dining umbrellas come in various shapes, sizes, colors and materials. To choose an appropriate one, first take into account how much sun the dining area receives and how much shade is needed.

Umbrellas also come with the bases offset to give more room under the umbrella itself. Most umbrellas are made of durable polyester and are mildew resistant, but extreme climates may want to make sure that the umbrella will withstand the climate. 

Another shade choice could be a retractable awning. Retractable awnings are anchored on one side and roll out to provide shade as needed. Retractable awnings may range in size from 3 feet to more than 65 feet. An additional choice is a pergola.

A pergola offers the large shade of a retractable awning with the permanency of a porch. Pergolas are available in a variety of choices. Pergolas may be made of wood, wrought iron or aluminum.

Make It Inviting
Don’t forget about lighting when putting together your landscaping. Choosing the perfect lighting can keep the wonderful outdoor dining experience going well into the evening. Choosing solar lighting can eliminate the need to run wiring and is a smart, eco-friendly choice. On the other hand, choosing electrical lighting can give you more options and is typically brighter. 

Source: Engage Agro USA

Engage Agro USA has introduced turf soil adjuvants to the United States.

Originally used in England, the product has started to be implemented on golf courses in Florida, Arizona and the northeast.

Pisces EA is meant for greens and surrounds and is made up of surfactants and penetrants to improve plant productivity through stable water movement and retention.

Integrate is designed for fairways and larger turf areas and is a Tri-Block copolymer with gluco-ethers designed to prevent and control hydrophobic conditions. It’s available in 20- and 80-percent formulations.

Integrate P is designed for problem areas, bunker edges, slopes and hot spots. The product combines water management and plant health into a pellet. The blend of polyoxyalkylene glycol surfactants and Ascophilloum Nodosum help dry spots with no phytotoxicity. The pellet can treat six to seven average-sized greens. 

Source: Foster City Blog

Every successful landscaping company has experienced the painful, never-ending feeling of growing pains.

What may start out as a small ache in the beginning can quickly grow into a full-blown problem.

Many companies find that niche markets and businesses begins to boom. Even though the business is great to have in a fluctuating economy, not being prepared can destroy a company before it even gets started.

There are tips of the trade that help several businesses across the country, and landscaping companies are no exception.

Whether it would be managing the in-flow of income, dealing with too many clients or spreading crews too thin, growing pains can be avoided and alleviated with a little research and help.

Inc.com recently published an article describing ways business owners can avoid the dreaded growing pains.

By eliminating friction, choosing your partners wisely, holding your team responsible, getting to your own office, building a voice and keeping a scrapbook, landscapers can quickly manage an exploding business. 

There is always time to sit down and figure out the problem within a business, and the problem may be having too many clients. Saying “no” to more income and future repeat clients can be one of the hardest problems a landscaper has to face, but the rest of the company will be thanking you. Don’t take on more than you can handle, because in the long run, your company will benefit from that decision. 

A lawn can turn brown at the first sign of stress, whether that would be from over-watering or drought. If the lawn is mowed to low, the roots haven’t been established to pull water from the soil.

“Typically, you want to mow the lawn 2½ -3 inches long,” says Mark Sodja, outdoor power equipment specialist, eReplacementParts.com. “A lot of people like to mow their lawn really low. Yeah, it makes for a great looking lawn, but it doesn’t promote a healthy root system.”

If the lawn begins to brown, it needs to be watered, but Sodja says over-watering is just as dangerous as not watering. “Obviously, you can water too much,” Sodja says. “That doesn’t promote a healthy root system. If you’re watering excessively, like way too long every night, that water is going to stay on the surface of most soils.”

If the roots are only an inch or inch and a half into the ground, the lawn will dry out through periods of drought in the summer months.

Digging In
Determining what type of soil is the first step in factoring how much water is needed.

“If you have a heavy clay soil like we have in Utah, the water will stay in the soil a lot longer,” Sodja says. “If it’s sandy, water two or three times a day if you have water restrictions. It will take the maximum amount of water.”

Water becomes a little trickier as drought comes and goes through the hotter months. In drought areas, Sodja says make the mow height at least 3 inches, because the water will be retrained ultimately keeping the lawn healthy and creating a larger capacity to store water.

Going Native
Depending on the region of the country dictates the type of native grasses in the area.

Rye grasses are found up North, Blue Grass if found in the West and Mid-West and Bermuda grass is found down South.

“A lot of people avoid native grasses, because they’re not familiar with them,” Sodja says. “They do have different looks, but if you plant native grass, when you get to the drought times, it’s used to those types of conditions, and in drought or water restrictions, it’ll do better for you.” 

Timing is Everything
No matter how big a fleet may be, creating a maintenance schedule and sticking to that schedule will make a big difference through the busy season.

Waiting until the mower breaks could leave a company stranded for weeks without a key piece of equipment needed during the busiest time. “It’s the pit that people fall into, and they either don’t do the maintenance or wait until something goes wrong, and at that point it’s too late,” Sodja says.

The three biggest factors to address are changing the oil according to the engine manufacturers (typically about every 590 hours), changing the air filter and changing the spark plug about once a year as needed.

“Just get organized with a spreadsheet with each mower and what you have done on that mower,” Sodja says. “With a big fleet, it helps to have everything on the same schedule so that you’re doing your walk behinds together, your riders together and your stand-ons together.”

Buying equipment from the same manufacturer can help cut costs and downtime. “As you build a fleet, take a hint from the airlines and stick with the same models of brands, so you’re not buying different parts from different sources,” Sodja says. “It’s much less expensive and easier to maintain the inventory.” 

Here are some videos on how to help keep equipment properly maintained.