Landscape Management articles from March 2002

Landscape Management archives from March 2002

Next month: WHAT'S COMING UP IN APRIL.
March 1, 2002... * Cover story: Beat low-ball competitors How to beat low-ballers at their own game * Insecticides A list of the latest new products for the most common turf pests * Marketing irrigation Tom Del Conte, president of Del...

We haven't seen anything yet.(innovations in landscape industry)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Palm trees in New Jersey? If you bet against that, you're wagering against a technology that's redefining agriculture and will, a few years down the road, give us some incredible turfgrass and ornamental plant material. The brave new world...

Communicate with your Hispanic employees.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... "Communication is key." That's the message, in big red letters, that Bruno Pillari sees every day on a message board at company headquarters. Bruno and brother Joe operate Pillari Brothers, Inc., Howell, NJ. They face the same problem...

Pre-season selling strong despite worries, say lawn care pros.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Despite a sluggish economy and unpromising economic forecast for 2002, lawn care professionals across the country are saying that business drummed up from early pre-season selling is falling right in line with last year. Some are even saying...

Deere folds in Century Rain Aid.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... MOLINE, IL -- Century Rain Aid is now part of John Deere Landscapes. Deere & Company acquired all 170 Century branches with the purchase of Century's parent company, Richton International Corporation. The Century locations were combined with 50...

Scotts acquires Ehrlich's division.(Scotts LawnService acquires J.C. Ehrlich lawn and tree services)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... READING, PA -- J.C. Ehrlich Co., the fifth largest company in the structural pest control market, sold its lawn and tree care services division to Marysville, Ohio-based Scotts LawnService. The sale did not include Ehrlich's tree surgery,...

Cebeco invests in Premier.(Cebeco International Seeds, Premier Pacific Seeds)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... HALSEY, OR -- Cebeco International Seeds signed a letter of intent Jan. 24, 2002 to purchase 40% of the issued and outstanding shares of stock of Premier Pacific Seeds, Ltd., Vancouver, BC.

Masterblend acquires Tyler.(Masterblend International, Tyler Enterprises)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... ELWOOD, IL -- Masterblend International, the largest custom formulator of water soluble fertilizers for the commercial horticultural industry, has finalized its purchase of Tyler Enterprises.

Industry braces for drought : NYC mayor to issue first drought warning since 1995.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Government authorities in New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania are stepping up moves to cope with an impending drought emergency. Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) held a live Webcast Jan. 28 to discuss current...

Correction.
March 1, 2002... In the January 2002 issue of Landscape Management, a "Clippings" item stated that FMC Corporation had changed its name to FMC2. This is incorrect. The company has not changed its name. We apologize for the error.

Try this to sell add-on services.(use digital photography)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CANCUN, MEXICO -- Having difficulty selling add-on services to your basic maintenance or lawn application package? Try this idea that surfaced at the recent ALCA Executive Forum here. Take a digital camera to some of your accounts, the ones...

LESCO, Inc.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... LESCO, Inc. named Jeffrey L. Rutherford chief financial officer.

Textron Golf, Turf & Specialty Products.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Textron Golf, Turf & Specialty Products named Dennis Schweiger executive vice president of sales and marketing-Turf and PLC, Joe Thompson vice president of sales-Turf, and Joe LaFollette vice president of customer care-Turf and PLC. Ralph...

Exmark.(Exmark Manufacturing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Exmark appointed Bruce Cooper national sales manager and Jim Lysle territory manager for the northeast U.S.

Growth Products.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Growth Products has added Gary Ackerson to its staff of technical sales representatives.

The J.R. Simplot Co.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The J.R. Simplot Co. named Lawrence S. Hlobik CEO-elect and Dr. David Rickard as product development specialist.

Aquatrols.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Aquatrols hired Mica Franklin as research agronomist. He will be engaged in product research and development.

The Toro Company.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Toro Company appointed Thomas J. Tootle southeast area business manager for its Irrigation Division.

Landscape Services.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Landscape Services, Las Vegas, NV, named Laura Stubbert business development manager.

Briggs & Stratton.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Briggs & Stratton appointed Richard Kolbe vice president of information technology.

Rex Dixon.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Rex Dixon, president of the Irrigation Association, formed The Rex Dixon Consulting Group offering consulting services at 972/250-0861.

Feuding neighbors spark blower fuss.(leaf blower noise)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... FAR HILLS, NJ -- A neighborhood flap over noise is causing this posh community of about 800 residents to consider legislation to ban leaf blower use outside of normal work hours. Mayor Carol Torsilieri, who owns a lawn maintenance company,...

www.landscapemanagement.net : WHAT'S NEW ON-LINE.
March 1, 2002... * "Ask the Expert" section coming April 1 -- review previously submitted questions and answers, and submit new ones! * Features from the February issue of LM * LM Week in Review * The latest Green Industry news

Surfin' Turf : The lost link?(LandscapeLink's Web site)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... LandscapeLink's Web site isn't very fancy, but maybe that's why the dot com is still in business. The company, which calls itself the "on-line informational landscape network," prefers to put its money into the features on its site, which...

Focus on your strengths : Successful owners reveal how they satisfy their customers without straying from their competencies.
March 1, 2002... Does "all things to all people" inevitably mean "jack of all trades and master of none?" Asking around among experienced Green Industry owners and managers, we got the impression that the answer might be yes. It appears that many...

Mow for more $$ : Use these strategies and build your own system to price work for profit.
March 1, 2002... The three most important words in real estate are location, location, location. In commercial mowing, they're production, production, production. There's no secret to running a successful landscape mowing/ maintenance operation -- you...

Avoid sod job screwups : ... or, 10 ways to not get paid for your next turf installation project.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Sod is a perishable product. It can die, but long before it dies it can be stressed, stunted or forced into dormancy. It contains more than just grass plants and soil. In fact, the soil contains millions of microorganisms, small animals and...

Infields to build reputations : Secrets to great infield soils from a former Major Leaguer and a master of the art.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Editor's note: This article is the second in a series of three that will discuss the basics of infield care. The soil type you use on your infields is vital to its playability and, ultimately, to your reputation as a grounds professional....

Strategies to combat traffic : It's up to you, the turfgrass manager, to say "enough is enough" in saving your athletic fields from long-lasting harm.(game field maintenance)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... How much play should be allowed on a game field, or even a practice field? No definitive answer to that question exists because field wear is determined by the size and intensity of the athletes, turf density and regrowth rate, and soil...

Yankees' field gets a facelift : Cleveland firm lowers, levels historic playing surface.(Yankee Stadium)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The New York Yankees baseball team plays in historic Yankee Stadium, one of the oldest remaining Major League facilities. But they'll be competing on one of the newest turfgrass fields. Cleveland-based contractor S.W. Franks Construction...

Skid-steers and their attachments.(Directory)
March 1, 2002... In a perfect world, tractor attachments would work on skid-steers and vice versa. Salespeople live in that perfect world. They'll always tell you it'll fit. Engineers, however, live in a less cooperative universe. Look at the bucket on a...

How to grow fast : Acquisition can increase your size overnight, but Jeff Aronson found it can also cause headaches.(As You Like It & Potomac Valley Landscaping)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... In 1998, Jeff Aronson found himself at a crossroads. He and a partner owned As You Like It, a $625,000 landscape company located in Rockville, MD. The partner decided he wanted to sell his stake in the business and try corporate life. If it...

Ferris mowers help one-person firm think big.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... When you're a one-person operation in the landscaping business, your mowers have to deliver top performance. So when Jack Carter, owner of Lawn & Land Scapes, Inc., in Hiawassee, GA, started his own business seven years ago, he looked to Ferris...

Get tough on weeds : Knock out dastardly ornamental weeds with an integrated approach.
March 1, 2002... Tough" weeds often require "tough" chemicals. Controlling weeds by only using herbicides, however, will fail to eliminate weed seeds from the soil seedbank. This practice will select for biotypes that are resistant to the herbicides used,...

Much at stake.(from Olson Irrigation Systems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Olson's Spike Stake has a streamline design and provides installation for micro-spray jets on risers. A collar support protects the riser from breaking off at the barb. Less than 1 in. of stake remains above ground. The stake's side barb allows...

Dig a hole.(from Yanmar Diesel America Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Yanmar's ViO50 11,000 class operating weight mini excavator has a left and right boom swing that allows the unit to operate close in and track adjacent to walls and foundations. A 3-pump hydraulic system, control pattern selector and dual...

Total control.(from Pursell Technologies Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Pursell Technologies' insecticide, Precise Acephate, controls fire ants, mole crickets, sod webworms, cutworms, armyworms, chinch bugs and more. While most insecticides have to be applied at a specific time in the growth stage of the insect,...

See the spread.(from FMC Corporation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... FMC Corporation's Talstar EZ Granular Insecticide's larger particle size makes it easier to see where it's being spread. It's available in 10- and 25-lb. resealable plastic packages. For more information contact FMC Corporation at...

Sense the rain.(Rain Bird Sprinkler Manufacturing Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Rain Bird's new MS-100 moisture sensor measures soil moisture levels and automatically supersedes scheduled watering cycles when a sufficient moisture level is detected. Moisture levels are detected by two sensitive carbon rod probes resistant...

Take a seat.(advertisement)
March 1, 2002... Earthly Creations' stone garden bench is designed to look like exotic quarried stone. Available in three styles of stone, these benches add rustic elegance to patio settings and other outdoor areas. For more information contact Earthly...

Utilize this.(advertisement)
March 1, 2002... Polaris' new line of utility vehicles include the All -Surface Loader (ASL 300), Utility Task Vehicle (UTV), the ATV Pro and Light Utility hauler, and the Professional Series pumps and generators. The ASL 300 is compact and runs on rubber...

Release me.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Aqua Aid's Proportioner System ensures effective application of Aqua-Aid products during routine watering by gradually releasing the ingredients from the concentrated pellets into the water stream at just the right rate. For more...

Get the load out.(advertisement)
March 1, 2002... NMC-Wollard's Swinger Model 2000 articulated compact loader/carrier now features a 65-hp Cummins 3.3-diesel engine standard. Other features include high fuel economy, good cold start characteristics, reduced engine noise levels and...

Events : WHAT, WHEN & WHERE.
March 1, 2002... March 11 NYSTA Western Regional Conference / Buffalo, NY; 800/873-8873; www.nysta.org 16 ILCA Equipment Auction / Crystal Lake, IL; 630/472-2851 21-24 ALCA Student Career Days / Peoria, IL; 800/395-2522 22-24 Capital...

Establish your rates.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... You might think Mike Russo overdid it. He doesn't think so, though. When Russo, president of Russo Lawn & Landscape, Windsor Locks, CT, set about to determine how much grass his operators could cut in an hour, he did it the old-fashioned...