Landscape Management articles from August 2001

Landscape Management archives from August 2001

Events : WHAT, WHEN & WHERE.
August 1, 2001... August 16 MNLA Summer Field Day Grand Rapids, MI; 800/879-6652; www.mnla.org 17-19 WALP Retreat / Coeur d'Alene, ID; 800/833-2186 17-19 Nursery/Landscape Expo / Dallas, TX; 512/280-5182; www.txnla.org 17-19 ALCA...

His business runs him.(managing a contract landscaping business)(Brief Article)(Column)
August 1, 2001... Which is worse: too little work or too much? I suspect most of you think not having enough is worse, and you're right -- it's horrible to scramble for business. In fact, it's a direct cause of many sorry practices: * low-balling to "buy"...

Why do we put up with bullies?(use of lawn chemicals)(Brief Article)(Column)
August 1, 2001... I hate bullies. Stupid me, though -- I didn't learn how to deal with them until after I'd suffered months of silent anger and personal anguish. While it took a neighborhood bully's actions to open my eyes, we in the professional...

Maintenance does matter : Maintain good records on all pieces of equipment, and put them in a separate storage area.(lawn and garden equipment)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... From 21 years of trial and error, here are a few things about equipment maintenance that I've learned the hard way. 1. Don't wait for downtime to perform needed maintenance. The longer you let something go, the worse it gets. 2....

Bayer buys Aventis.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... LONDON -- Aventis CropScience, one of the world's three biggest makers of farm chemicals, will be sold to Bayer. Some wire reports put the unit's estimated value at around 3.7 billion euro ($3.14 billion) plus about 2 billion euros in debt....

ALCA premiers 'Business Boot Camp'.(Associated Landscape Contractors of America conference)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Herndon, VA -- Business basics on marketing, management and finances will be featured at ALCA's first 'Business Boot Camp,' scheduled for Sept. 26 in Baltimore and Oct. 6 in Chicago. Landscape Management is a media sponsor of this event,...

Griffin registers new product.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... VALDOSTA, GA -- Griffin LLC received registration for a dry flowable formulation of its chlorothalonil fungicide. This new product, called Concorde DF, is available from distributors.

SRO cuts royalty check for U of A.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... TUCSON, AZ -- Seed Research of Oregon (SRO) representatives recently delivered a $13,507 royalty check to the University of Arizona's turfgrass research program. The money represented 100,000 lbs. of seed sold by SRO in 1999.

Canadian Supreme Court upholds Quebec ban on residential use of pesticides : Decision may give broad control to Canadian municipal authorities.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... OTTAWA, CANADA -- The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that local authorities have the right to ban the residential use of pesticides. The court dismissed the appeal of two Canadian lawn care companies, Spraytech and Chemlawn (now Greenspace...

Weed Man spokesman calls for lawn care operators to mobilize.(laws to ban of pesticides in Canada)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Canadian lawn applications companies are bracing for a rash of local laws aimed at restricting or banning the use of pesticides following a decision announced June 27 by the Supreme Court of Canada. "We've been expecting this decision for...

Surfin' Turf : Who's got personality?
August 1, 2001... Tell a Green Industry professional that it's tough to find good employees these days, and you're likely to hear him reply, "Tell me something I don't know." That's when you can tell him about www.fitability.com, a Web site that claims to be a...

Loads of information on grounds management.(Review)
August 1, 2001... Loads of information on grounds management... can be found in "Operational Guidelines for Grounds Management," jointly published by PGMS, APPA and NRPA. It's organized to allow managers to build operational and staffing-level plans that can...

Get language tutoring.(Review)
August 1, 2001... Get language tutoring... through the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association's four-part Interactive Language Tutorial in both English and Spanish. It provides an easy way to improve communication skills, whether the "native" language is...

Comprehensive construction lessons.(Landscape Construction, Vol. 3)(Review)
August 1, 2001... Comprehensive construction lessons...are contained in "Landscape Construction, Vol. 3 - Earth and Water Retaining Structures," by C.A. Fortlage and E.T. Phillips. The four volumes cover all aspects of hard landscape building and construction...

Insecticides, herbicides and fungicides.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Insecticides, herbicides and fungicides... can be accessed through Thompson Publications' 2001 Quick Guide. Products are listed by their different trade names and what pests they control, then by U.S. registered crop usages. To buy a copy...

Organic's elusive promise : Promoters of commercial bio lawn care say the public likes their message, and they think the industry is missing an opportunity.(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2001... Organic landscape/lawn service providers claim the public's acceptance of their services is growing. Concerns over the safety of synthetic lawn care products and ongoing regulatory activity will continue to drive demand, they're convinced....

When things go wrong : Three Green Industry veterans explain how to turn tragic business events into triumphs.
August 1, 2001... It's the "Age of Customer Satisfaction," and your customer isn't happy. Something has gone wrong, and the customer is blaming you. What do you do? How do you make things right? More importantly, how do you make things right in a way that...

Award-winning landscape management : Sinai Samaritan Medical Center.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... A 2000 Honor Award Winner of the Professional Grounds Management Society for Hospital or Institution One good thing about doing landscape work on the grounds of a hospital is that, if you get injured, you're literally steps away from...

Success in irrigation : Three irrigation contractors discuss the keys to making irrigation installation work for you.
August 1, 2001... Irrigation design, installation and maintenance is an exact science that some say is best left to the experts. That's why the American Society of Irrigation Consultants (ASIC) urges landscape contractors and architects to consult them before...

Easy does it : Manufacturers discuss end users' desire for irrigation products that are easier to use and easier to install.
August 1, 2001... With thousands of irrigation components on the market, it can get confusing and costly if you don't keep up with the latest information on these products. Purchasing substandard or too complicated systems can become your worst nightmare. ...

Drip for beds or turf.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Netafim's Techline drip irrigation system features embedded drip emitters inside the 1/2-in. polyethylene pipe, giving durability. Contractors can place these pipes on the ground or in shallow, 4-in. deep trenches using quick-install,...

Go with the flow.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... With the Model Ir220B sensor, Data Industrial's Model 1500 wall-mounted flow monitor displays both flow rate and flow total on its two-line LCD. The 1500 can be programmed for units of measure, pipe size and sensor type. They may have a pulse...

Global irrigation.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Rain Master's Evolution Central System is based on a graphical user interface enabling global functions to be easily performed. Most are performed with a single mouse click. Flexible report processing gives instant access to water usage...

Monster rotors.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Rain Bird's 7005 and 8005 heavy duty rotors fit large-scale commercial turf sites. The 7005 has a radius of throw of 39 to 71 ft.; the 8005 reaches 50 to 80 ft. Both have Rain Curtain nozzle technology for effective water distribution. The...

In control.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Irritrol Systems' Rain Dial Plus controller has a 365-day calendar, water budgeting, advanced surge protection and nonvolatile memory. Three independent programs offer concurrent operation capability. The calendar has automatic weekday...

Fits like a glove.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Lasco Fittings' Snap-Lok and Male Brass Stabilizer elbow work together to prevent the quick coupler body from unthreading from the swing joint. The elbow attaches to the quick coupler, and Snap-Lok snaps around it plus the coupler to lock...

Drip drop.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... AIDL Co.'s Plant-Drip watering system for potted plants has the properties of a soil moisture sensor and the ability to release water to the plant according to its exact needs. Its reservoir requires refilling only once every 10 to 15 days....

PROFIT FROM IPM : New products, equipment and techniques make Integrated Pest Management a viable, and profitable, option.
August 1, 2001... Pest control techniques have certainly changed over the years. Having learned from our mistakes, we no longer look for the biggest hammer to strike the pest. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) allows improvements in both pest control and...

Handy tools for handling plants.
August 1, 2001... Efficiency is the reason many new products that handle plants are designed the way they are. Two elements in particular -- tires and tire size -- can make a difference in plant handling. Al Keefer, vice president of R.B. Stout Inc. in...

Ask the expert.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Suspicious browning A 50-ft.-tall ash tree has been cut to 15 ft. to allow more light to reach a neighbor's vegetable garden. The plant now has five large branches growing from the cut end. The leaves of the branches on the neighbor's...

Buzzin' around.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... STIHL says its new MS 191T chain saw has 11% more power than its predecessor. It also has 1.9 bhp and weighs 8.8 lbs. for an excellent power-to-weight ratio. The MS 200T is STIHL's lightest gasoline-powered chain saw -- at 7.9 lbs., it's 24%...

Crisp lighting.(Midvo collection by Architectural Landscape Lighting)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Architectural Landscape Lighting's Midvo collection of accent floodlighting luminaires have compact cylindrical or rectangular housings that blend quite well into any landscape. Deep diecast ribs around housing add an architectural element....

Survival of the fittest.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
August 1, 2001... New four oz. packets of ROOTS 1-Step for transplanting contain the ROOTS biostimulant to boost root growth and increase stress tolerance, water-holding gels to decrease risk of drought-related stress and yield losses, and 17 species of...

Stones to pathways.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Vengeance Creek Stone's stepping stones are specially cut for laying in sand or soil without the need for concrete or mortar. They are hand split to an average thickness of 1-1/2 to 2-in. with a width of 14 in. The stones can be easily added...

Superior outdoor lights.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
August 1, 2001... ExceLine's new "Geoscape" outdoor luminaires are available in three different designs and cancomplement any building exterior or premises. The lights have a die-cast aluminum housing and door frame, a corrosion resistant polyester powder coat...

Gifted ground stake.(Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting )(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
August 1, 2001... Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting's GS-200 is a 14-inch ground stake for mounting low voltage lighting fixtures. The GS-200 features a quad blade which "locks" into position when placed into the ground and is designed for use on sites where...

Step it up.(Earthly Creations Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Earthly Creations Inc. offers a new line of stepping stones that includes dragonfly, butterfly, frog and aged mortared designs. The stones measure at least a foot in diameter and come in gray or tan. Basic color is "cast in" for superior...

A sporty aerator.(from AerWay)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
August 1, 2001... AerWay's new "Sportstine" option in aeration equipment is perfect for use on any large area of maintained turf grass. This new tine can be used mid-season when the need is greatest and it will not take the course or field out of play. Also,...

Stripe like a pro.(book on lawn mowing techniques)(Review)
August 1, 2001... Have you ever been out on your mower and had the sudden urge to get artistic? Okay, maybe getting the job done efficiently is top priority, but you know you're just dying to put one of those striping patterns you've seen on television on your...

On a roll.(landscaper's work thwarted by raccoons)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... One thing everybody hates is having to do the same job twice because of a screwup. It was nice, then, that crew members of Hawkins Landscaping, Frederick, MD, could laugh at having to do their work all over again. They'd laid down some sod on...

Forget your worries, mon!(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Foul weather, AWOL employees, broken mowers, complaining customers...don't you want to just run as far away as you can from the pressures of running a landscape/lawn business? Hey, why not support a former Green Industry professional by...

Overseeding of Bermudagrass Fairways with Perennial Ryegrass.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... On-site testing of bentgrass and bermudagrass on putting greens has led to further interest in on-site studies on golf courses. One such study examined the use of ryegrass for overseeding bermudagrass fairways in the fall. The overseeding...

TALL FESCUE.
August 1, 2001... Because of its tolerance to wear, drought, heat and water, this variety is adapted to a range of uses, from athletic fields to golf course roughs. The cool-season grasses are used for general purpose turf and erosion control throughout the...

Fine Fescue.
August 1, 2001... Because of their tolerance to wear, drought, heat and water, the fine fescues are adapted to a range of uses from home lawns to athletic fields to golf course roughs. These cool-season grasses are used for general purpose turf and erosion...

Bermudagrass.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... This widely adapted warm-season turfgrass is found throughout most of the warm, humid, tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It has excellent heat and drought hardiness, but poor low-temperature tolerance. It forms a dense, uniform...

Bentgrass : (putting green).
August 1, 2001... Bentgrass forms an extremely fine-textured, dense, uniform high-quality turf. It is found on fine home lawns. It is a cool-season grass that is most tolerant to continuous close mowing to height as low as 0.2 inches. Bentgrasses are tested in...

Bentgrass : (tees and fairways).(turf grass)
August 1, 2001... Bentgrass forms an extremely fine-textured, dense, uniform high-quality turf. It is popular on fairways in the North and South through the transition zone, and is also found on fine home lawns. It is a cool-season grass that is most tolerant...

Perennial Ryegrass.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Perennial ryegrass forms a medium-textured turf of good shoot density and uniformity. It is best adapted to cool, moist regions with mild winters and cool, moist summers. It adapts to a variety of soil types. Because it establishes rapidly,...

Zoysiagrass.(turfgrass)
August 1, 2001... The tough leaves and stems of zoysiagrass make it popular in warm, humid and transition zone locations. It survives heat and drought well and can tolerate some cold but it does not do well where summers are cool. It grows slowly and forms a...

Buffalograss.(turfgrass)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... This warm-season grass is native to the Great Plains and it forms a fine-textured, low-growing, grayish green turf. It is well adapted for use on unirrigated lawns, parks, cemeteries, and sports fields in warm, semi-arid regions. This...

St. Augustine.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2001... This overview shows how various varieties of St. Augustine grass fared against each other nationally. Results are also given for each test location and subcategories of special interest. Trained observers evaluated the attributes of the...

Turfgrass Blends : A blend is a combination of different varieties of the same species of turfgrass.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Perennial Ryegrass Blends Pleasure+ (Ampac) Any three of these four: Nobility, Delaware, Dwarf, Pleasure and Pleasure XL. VIP III (Turf Merchants) 1/3 Pizzazz, 1/3 Paragon and 1/3 Promise. Professional Select (Pennington) A blend...

Turfgrass Seed Mixes : A mix is a combination of different species of turfgrass seed.
August 1, 2001... Dot (Ampac) A three-way mixture of Stonehedge hard fescue, Silhouette chewings fescue and Claudia creeping red fescue. Mid-America Classic (Pennington) A mix of Kentucky Bluegrass and Perennial Ryegrass. Mid-America Super Shade...

New Turfgrass Seed Varieties.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Turf managers in cooler climates will be interested in a new tufted hairgrass available this fall. The grass, Shade Champ, performs well in dense shade and tolerates traffic, according to Turf-Seed in Hubbard, Ore., making it a serious...

Best of the Web.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2001... Visit these links for more information: www.ntep.org -- National Turfgrass Evaluation Program www.seedquest.com -- Seed Quest iaa.umd.edu/umturf -- University of Maryland www.ianr.unl.edu.edu/pubs/horticulture/#turf -- University of...

Turfseed Suppliers.(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2001... Oregon Fine Fescue Commission 1193 Royvonne St. Suite 11 Salem, Oregon 97302 Phone: 503/585-1157 Fax: 503/585-1292 See our ad on page s19 Pennington Seed P.O. Box 290 Madison, Georgia 30650 Phone: 800/285-SEED Fax:...