Finishing the year strong: Top 10 TLC stories from 2018

Updated Dec 15, 2020
shutterstock_319119668

Finishing up Total Landscape Care’s look back on 2018, here are the top 10 stories for 2018.

10. Bobcat expands R-Series excavator lineup with E85 model

Bobcat Company expanded its R-Series excavator lineup with the new E85, which the company says is the largest machine in its compact excavator family.

Redesigned with performance, uptime protection and operator comfort in mind, Bobcat says the 8.5-ton E85 features the distinct design and other cab upgrades as the E32 and E35 R-Series compact excavators introduced in 2017.

Click here to read the full story.

9. New minimum wages, employment laws for 2018

The new year rings in some new laws for 2018, including labor and wage laws.

The entirety of the federal, state and local laws taking effect in 2018 isn’t listed here, but it’s still important to know which ones will be affecting you and your business. Employers should seek knowledgeable counsel on how certain laws will apply this year.

Click here to read the full story.

8. How to: Restoring your clients’ crape myrtles after they’ve been murdered

It’s that time of the year again and the crape murderers are out in force topping trees and disappearing into the night.

As severe as the name sounds, it is rare indeed that homeowners or professional landscapers are actually topping these plants with malicious intent, but if this practice is continued on an annual basis, the damage will still be done.

Click here to read the full story.

7. Industry specialist warns leaf blower bans are coming if changes are not made

Photo: Ed Dunens/FlickrPhoto: Ed Dunens/Flickr

Do you blow dirt into the street or on neighboring properties?  Do you blow sand and debris on to automobiles? Are you idling down the blower and pointing it away when someone walks by?  Have you ever started using your blower before 8:00 a.m. or run it past 5:00 p.m.?  Do you use it on Sundays or holidays? How about running more than one blower at a time in a residential area?

Okay, maybe you don’t do any of these things, but if you have even one noisy leaf blower on the job, all leaf blowers are reviled and therein lies the main reason for people wanting to ban them.

Click here to read the full story.

6. Southern California turf removal rebate returns in July

The Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors recently approved a new turf removal program. Through this program, interested businesses and residents across Southern California can swap out their grass for more water-efficient California Friendly plants.

This revamped landscape rebate was among several modifications to Metropolitan’s water use efficiency incentives approved by the board on April 10.

Click here to read the full story.

5. Lawn care: Removing not-so-lucky charms from the yard

Photo: PixabayPhoto: Pixabay

It’s the time of year when white clover begins to appear all around the yard, but some customers might not find it as appealing when present in their landscape.

These cool-season perennials go dormant in the winter and appear in full form in the spring. White clover reproduces by both seeds and creeping runners, and it is low-growing with leaves composed of three leaflets.

Click here to read the full story.

4. Salt shortage: What you can expect this winter

Person holding rock salt used to salt road

Snow and ice removal services are fickle on more than one level for landscapers. Not only do you have to try to plan correctly for what Mother Nature will bring in the winter, but you also have to make sure you have the supplies to get the job done.

Salt is a staple material when it comes to snow and ice management but in past few years, it has not always been readily available for contractors, leaving some high and dry during heavy snow seasons. As the 2018/2019 winter approaches, reports of salt shortages are circulating once more.

Click here for the full story.

3. Here’s the scoop: Diving into pre-emergent herbicide practices

When it comes to applying pre-emergent herbicides, customers can sometimes be split on whether or not this service is necessary or even helpful.

To help shed some light on the subject, experts in the green and chemical care industry have weighed in on how pre-emergent herbicides work, why they are helpful, the equipment required to apply them, when to apply and which myths have merit and which are way off base.

Click here to read the full story.

2. To plant or not to plant: The best time to plant roses

Contrary to popular belief, February and March are excellent times to start planting roses.

Many landscapers will wait until April and May to begin planting roses because this is when the plants are already in bloom, and many nurseries will get their stock of roses in around January and February. But when planted early, like in February and March, rose bushes have the chance to produce roots into the soil, and they will be well settled by the time they begin to bloom.

Click here to read the full story.

1. Clearing up confusion: The pros and cons of thatch

Tool thatching grass

Like many other landscaping practices, there is a fair amount of misinformation spread via word of mouth and by what neighbors have seen others doing in their lawns.

As spring draws near, you could be facing some difficulty selling certain services due to these fallacies, so take this opportunity to educate clients on thatch and when and why dethatching needs to be conducted

Click here to read the full story.

The Attachments Idea Book
Landscapers use a variety of attachments for doing everything from snow removal to jobsite cleanup, and regardless of how often they are used, every landscaper has a favorite attachment.
Download
Attachments Idea Book Cover