Landscape Management articles from April 2003

Landscape Management archives from April 2003

Next month: what's coming up in May.
April 1, 2003... * Cover story--Certification: Does it matter? The programs and what they mean to the industry and its customers * Strategies to tame the morning circus You'll never have to crack a whip to get your team going ever again *...

And don't forget to write. (on the record).(Column)
April 1, 2003... I got a friendly card in our office mail the other day. I was surprised and delighted. Who takes the time to sit down and write a friendly note anymore? Think of the effort: You write it, sign your name to it, neatly fold it, put it in an...

Imagination builds a team. (inside the owner's head).
April 1, 2003... Remember working like the dickens to write a great term paper or to finish a big project? I bet you haven't forgotten the guilty pleasure of playing hooky a few days later, either. Gone fishin' One day each July, the "team" at Russo...

Needed: trained shop techs. (my way).(Column)
April 1, 2003... Demand for skilled turf equipment technicians and maintenance shop managers increases daily. The Green Industry offers these trained personnel a range of exciting career opportunities. Too bad that few young people recognize this. Working...

Shindaiwa teams with ServiceBench. (Clippings).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... TUALATIN, OR -- Shindaiwa, Inc. has teamed with ServiceBench for its online product registrations and electronic submission of warranty claims. The web-based technology of ServiceBench is a complete internet solution for manufacturers,...

Stihl to expand VA production facility. (Clippings).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... VIRGINIA BEACH -- Outdoor power equipment manufacturer Stihl Inc. announced it will be expanding its operations in Virginia Beach. Total cost will be $60.8 million, which will include adding 228,000 sq. ft. to its U.S. headquarters in the...

Encore has new MI distributor. (Clippings).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... WATERFORD, MI -- Encore Mfg. Co. has granted distribution rights for the state of Michigan to X-Sell Distribution. The Encore power equipment line includes riding and walk-behind mowers and dethatchers.

HSS RentX opens new branches. (Clippings).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... DENVER, CO -- National rental chain HSS RentX has recently opened tool and equipment rental branches in Longview, TX and Oakland, CA. The company says it expects to open additional branches in Virginia and Colorado by mid-year.

D'Avino leads Landscape Group. (Industry almanac: news you can use).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Advanstar Communications, the parent company of Landscape Management, Golfdom, Pest Control and the recently launched Landscape Design/Build, is pleased to announce that Tony D'Avino has been named Group Publisher for the Advanstar Landscape...

John Deere Landscapes acquires Overbrook Nursery. (Industry almanac: news you can use).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... John Deere Landscapes, a wholesale distributor of landscape and irrigation supplies, has acquired Overbrook Nursery in Round Hill, VA. The new John Deere Landscapes branch will feature a complete selection of nursery stock on the seven-acre...

ValleyCrest acquires The Impact Group. (Industry almanac: news you can use).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... CALABASAS, CA -- ValleyCrest Companies, the nation's largest privately held landscape services firm, has acquired The Impact Group, a landscape maintenance company headquartered in Delray Beach, FL. The acquisition is aimed at strengthening...

SIMA Symposium set for June 12-14. (Industry almanac: news you can use).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... BUFFALO, NY -- The Sixth Annual Snow and Ice Symposium unfolds in the Buffalo Convention Center here June 12 to 14. If you're in the snow and ice management business, this will be the place see the latest equipment, network with fellow...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2003... In last month's article, "Seed trade keeps innovating," Seed Research of Oregon's Showcase Kentucky bluegrass variety was mistakenly listed as a Patten Seed Co. variety. Also, SRO's SR 9554 variety was called "Providence." This was inaccurate...

RedMax.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... RedMax promoted Jim Gabrielson to Deputy General Manager of Sales and Marketing.

ValleyCrest Companies.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... ValleyCrest Companies was named recipient of the 2003 "Publisher's Award" from the San Fernando Valley Business Journal for leadership, longevity and continued community commitment.

Johnson Creek Mfg. Facility.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Jacobsen has awarded the employees of its Johnson Creek Mfg. Facility the 2002 Textron Award of Merit in recognition of achieving one million hours of operation with a lost time injury.

Jacto, Inc.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Jacto, Inc. promoted Lee Richey to Vice President.

ALCA.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... ALCA announced that James E. McCutcheon, Jr., of HighGrove Partners, LLC, Smyrna, GA, recently passed the Certified Landscape Professional exam.

Exmark.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Exmark named Blalock Mfg. Co., College Park, GA, as the 2002 Exmark Distributor of the Year. Blalock's Dale Stark was named Exmark's Salesperson of the Year for the Southeast Region.

Bozzuto Landscaping Co.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Bozzuto Landscaping Co., Greenbelt, MD, was named "Business of the Year" by the Baltimore/ Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce.

Skinner Nurseries.(Roger Claybaugh, Mike Vlcek)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Skinner Nurseries has hired Roger Claybaugh and Mike Vlcek as sales representatives.

Valent.(Valent U.S.A. Corp., Chris Threadgill, sales representative)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Valent hired Chris Threadgill as sales rep for the Midwest Division of the Professional Products Group.

Schiller-Pfeiffer, Inc.(Dave Navroth, Outdoor Power Equipment and Engine Service Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Schiller-Pfeiffer, Inc., manufacturer of Mantis and Little Wonder branded lawn & garden power equipment, has announced that Dave Navroth was named President of Associate/Affiliate Board of Directors for the Outdoor Power Equipment and Engine...

Stihl talks expansion, emissions on facility tour. (Industry almanac: news you can use).(Stihl Inc.)
April 1, 2003... VIRGINIA BEACH, VA -- In this cozy seaside town one name reigns supreme in the corporate world: Stihl Inc. It may not be the largest company in town, but its name is everywhere. Stihl Inc., a subsidiary of German-based Stihl Holding AG &...

Statistics: industry trends by the numbers.(Professional Grounds Management Society poll )
April 1, 2003... WHAT ARE YOU WORTH? The Professional Grounds Management Society recently polled grounds personnel on how much they get paid. The study, based on 2002 historical data, suggests the continued elevation of the grounds management profession as...

Unlock `hidden' revenue: read this if you're not generating 25% or more in extra revenues from each maintenance account. (Selling Enhancements).
April 1, 2003... Congratulations. One of your maintenance crews just began to service a new commercial account. You sealed the deal late this past summer and, because money was an issue (as it always is), you've contracted to provide just the basics: spring...

Property managers speak out: forget being the lowest bidder--here's the real lowdown. (Business Management).(Interview)
April 1, 2003... Editors' note: This is the second article in a two-part series. Last month, we let landscape contractors discuss how they successfully deal with property managers. This month, we let property managers do the talking. You'd love to land the...

10 killer marketing strategies: separate your company from the competition with these simple yet effective marketing tips. (Business Management).
April 1, 2003... Whether you're a landscape professional or the owner of a billion-dollar sporting goods empire, marketing means the same thing: creating demand for your products. It really doesn't matter whether you sell lawn care services or tennis rackets....

Customer sensitive service: follow these steps to match your service with your promises. (Operations Management).
April 1, 2003... In a quest to increase revenues, you put on your sales hat and seek out new maintenance clients with vengeance. You call on a long list of potential clients and set up appointments. You arrive 20 minutes ahead of schedule and walk their sites...

Win at the budget game: a step-by-step financial plan that gets the funds you'll need to provide your grounds services. (Grounds Management).
April 1, 2003... Grounds managers must maintain properties that measure up not only to their own standards, but also to the standards imposed by their employers. Then, of course, there are the expectations of their real customers, the people that visit or use...

Post Gardens: 2002 PGMS Grand Award Winner for Condominium, Apartment Complex or Planned Community. (award-winning landscape management).(Atlanta-area garden wins big)
April 1, 2003... Organic is the word at Post Gardens, a nine-acre apartment community set in the upscale neighborhood of Lenox Park in the the community of Buckhead. Post Landscape uses a 100% organic fertility program for trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials...

Contractor favorites: straight talk from three landscape professionals on what they like and don't like in pickups and vans. (Truck Guide).(Interview)(Buyers Guide)
April 1, 2003... Contractors expect a lot from their trucks. They want accessibility, good gas mileage and proven brands they can rely on--all for a fair price. However, there's always a new model that comes along that makes their "far-out" trucks seem...

Power, versatility, comfort: yesterday's options are today's standard features on many model year 2003 and 2004 trucks. (Truck Guide).(Buyers Guide)
April 1, 2003... Whether it's a Ford F-150 or a heavy-duty Dodge Ram, we've found that many truck manufacturers have packed their 2003 and 2004 lines with Herculean engine and hauling power, comfortable, spacious seating, greater handling capabilities and more...

Stay connected. (Stay in touch).
April 1, 2003... CLIP Connect from Sensible Software, Inc. offers real-time information exchange between the office and the job site, and simplifies business management to allow for efficient task supervision away from the office. It uses Web access platform...

Small talk. (Stay in touch).
April 1, 2003... Vertex Standard's VX-6000 Mobile Series is available in lowband, VHF and UHF models. The VX-6000 meets or exceeds Mil Std 810 C/D/E standards for dust, humidity, pressure, salt, fog, shock, solar radiation, temperature and vibration. It offers...

Be the boss. (Stay in touch).
April 1, 2003... Fleetboss's The Boss fleet management systems are based on Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology. These systems combine location tracking and vehicle event data with proprietary software that monitors and measures drivers' efficiency...

What's the frequency? (Stay in touch).
April 1, 2003... Motorola Spirit XTN Series radios are available in both one-watt and two-watt models with one-channel operation and user-selectable frequencies (56 UHF and 27 VHF). Available in VHF radios for use in and around wooden structures and forested...

Something in the air. (Stay in touch).
April 1, 2003... Airput Mobilizing Operations' Air Hours eliminates paper timesheets for field personnel in construction and other service-related industries. Exchange information between any Nextel Internet-ready phone and AirHours' Web site (www.airhours.com)...

Communicate great. (Stay in touch).
April 1, 2003... The Garmin Rino 110 combines the navigational capabilities of a full-featured, WAAS-enabled, 12-channel parallel GPS receiver with the reliable communication power of a 22-channel FRS/GMRS radio. This combination allows for peer-to-peer...

Really know your pest enemies: knowledge is the key to dramatically increasing your chances of controlling turf/ornamental pests. (Insect Control: IPM Review).
April 1, 2003... Get to know--really know--the pests that commonly damage the turfgrass and ornamental plants under your care. You will dramatically increase your chances of controlling them. It will take some training, but your customers, not to mention...

Beetle-mania: research and careful observation dispel some long-standing beliefs regarding Japanese beetles and their control. (Insect Control: Grubs).
April 1, 2003... The Japanese beetle is a destructive urban landscape pest in the eastern United States. This metallic colored beetle was accidentally introduced to a nursery in Riverton, NJ in 1916. It's likely that the beetle larvae (white grubs) arrived in...

Large `scale' woes: recognize a scale infestation and the type of scale before you begin treatment. (Insect Control: Scales).
April 1, 2003... When a customer called Jeff Hazlett and complained that her family couldn't use the front door due to swarms of bees and flies, he had his suspicions about what was attracting the insects. He inspected the customer's landscape plantings and...

Zero-turn tech zipping along. (LM Reports).(lawn mowers evolve)
April 1, 2003... The zero-turn industry is growing and evolving the same way minivans have changed since their introduction years ago by Chrysler. While many manufacturers changed both the look and role of minivans, look for zero-turns to change in the...

Ask the expert.(tree problems)
April 1, 2003... Oak infestation A number of oak trees in the San Francisco Bay area are infested with an insect. The caterpillars feed and cause extensive damage. When they're small, they feed on one surface of the leaf. As the larvae become larger, they...

The right fit. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Rain Bird's Landscape Drip Division has unveiled a new line of Easy Fit compression fittings engineered to reduce the amount of pressure required to insert tubing. Designed to accept a broad range of 1/2-in. tubing diameters, the fittings are...

What's at stake? (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Berkshire Products' Earthwings is a tree staking system available in three sizes: 3C for trees up to 3-in. caliper, 5C for trees up to 5-in. caliper, and 10C for trees up to 10-in. caliper. The tree anchors are made of steel with a pre-attached...

Map it out. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Garmin GPS Map 176 and GPS Map 176C Portable Chartplotter are 12-parallel channel. WAAS-enabled GPS receivers feature an extra-large display that makes keeping your eye on the map easy. Whether you choose the 12-level gray high-contrast FSTN on...

Shindaiwa heads. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Three popular Shindaiwa trimmer heads have now become much more user-friendly. Instead of ordering eight different part numbers--one for each arbor bolt size--customers now just need to order three part numbers for fit-up on all Shindaiwa...

Mow like lightning. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... The newest Dixie Chopper riding mower (Model XT3000) is able to cut an average of eight acres of grass in an hour and packs maximum performance in one package with a powerful Generac 30-hp OHV engine. Choose either a 60- or 72-in. deck width....

Green it up. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Woodstream Corp.'s Ringer All-Natural Restore Fertilizer is organically produced and feeds microorganisms in the lawn's soil, which in turn feeds the grass, reducing thatch. Its temperature-sensitive process feeds grass only when feed is...

Fill it up. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Treegator says that its drip irrigation bags are the fastest, easiest, most efficient means of watering any tree. The 20-gal. Treegator Original (green bag) is designed to irrigate one to four-inch caliper trees with branches at least 25 in....

No skids. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Penda Corp. says its Skid Resistor truck bedliner delivers two times the skid resistance of the next-best performing drop-in bedliner. The company also claims the non-abrasive skid-resistant texture of its bedliner won't wear away.The product...

Pond-cleaning power. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Aqua Products' new commercial Pond Power Vac cleans ponds without removing or changing the water. There's no need to catch or remove Koi or water plants. A built-in powerful pump (80 gal. per minute) and filter bag (2 micron) pick up all pond...

Punch in. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Exaktime Inc. says its Jobclock is the perfect solution to track the arrival and departure times of your workers without the need of an on-site supervisor. Attach the battery-powered, weatherproof Jobclock at the jobsite, and employees clock in...

Power up. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Exmark has powered up its Lazer Z EPS mower line with the addition of an available fuel-injected 28-hp Kohler Command Pro engine. When paired with Exmark's 72-in. Ultra Cut deck, the mower can cut up to six acres an hour. The new Kohler engine...

All in one. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Stihl introduces the STIHL KombiSystem, a complete family of multi-task landscaping tools using a split-shaft design and numerous attachments. Designed for multiple user levels, the KM 55R, KM 85R and KM 110R combine the functionality of an...

Watch 'em grow. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Becker Underwood's new product Rhizanova increases water absorption, nutrient availability and survival rates of trees, shrubs and ornamental flowers by putting the fungal inoculum at the roots where the opportunity for contact with feeder...

What a tool. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... The Mantis tiller/cultivator is powerful and rugged enough for daily use, and small enough to handle tight spaces in flower beds and gardens. The commercial two-cycle engine is rated for hundreds of hours of trouble-free use. It only weighs 20...

Cover-up. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Reemay's Typar Premium Landscape Fabric is a durable, nonwoven fabric that helps prevent weed growth for years when covered with mulch. A continuous filament, tough polypropylene fabric, it's porous to allow air, water and nutrients through so...

Just a trim. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Honda Power Equipment says its HHT25S four-stroke trimmer is the quietest of its kind with a weight reduction of 2.58 lbs. and a noise reduction of 2.1 decibels over the UMK422 model it replaces. The new 360[degrees]-inclinable unit features...

Aerate great. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... The new Ryan Lawnaire IV Plus and V Plus self-propelled, high-speed, core-type aerators offer updated styling, refined ergonomics, easier servicing and increased reliability. Improvements include a folding handle for lower transport height and...

Tough bird. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Koyker Manufacturing's new entry into the light utility vehicle category is the Raptor 4000 M-Series. Powered by a 16-hp twin-cylinder Briggs & Stratton engine, this four-wheel drive model features rack & pinion steering and MacPherson-type...

Aerate `n' ride. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Measure your aeration in acres per hour, not square feet with the new GatorRator from Ground Breakers Inc. The owner of the company, Bryant LaFlair, says the GatorRator fits most major ZTR riders because of its fully welded, patent-pending...

New and improved. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... BASF Professional Turf's new formulation of its Pendulum herbicide, called Pendulum AquaCap, features a patented micro encapsulation technology that delivers the performance and value of pendimethalin while offering enhanced application...

Seed with speed [C]. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... Sisis's Auto-Seeder is a maneuverable, self-propelled seeder that's well-suited for commercial properties, home lawns and sports fields. This unit, which fits on the back of a trailer, features contra-rotating tines that cut grooves two inches...

Don't get stumped. (Products: tech center).
April 1, 2003... BlueBird stump grinders offer the power and maximum cutting performance needed for the quick and safe removal of stumps. The SG1114 has an 11-hp Honda engine and the SG1314 has a 13-hp Honda engine. Both have cyclone air filters, Noram...

Events: what, when & where.
April 1, 2003... April 24 Managing Low-Budget Sports Fields / Davis, CA; 800/752-0881; www.extension.ucdavis.edu/agriculture 26-28 TOCA Annual Meeting / Charleston, SC; 952/758-6340; www.toca.org 27-30 North American Snow Conference / Quebec,...

Branch offices: no need to reinvent the wheel. (Best practices: guidelines to help an industry grow).
April 1, 2003... Opening a branch office is a big decision for a company. Here are some suggestions: * Don't open a branch office unless your current business is running smoothly and operating at a top tier profit level. * Develop a step-by-step plan...