Landscape Management articles from May 2002

Landscape Management archives from May 2002

NEXT MONTH : WHAT'S COMING UP IN JUNE.
May 1, 2002... * Cover story: The water report Industry's efforts to make sure that it's heard and understood in the growing tug-of-war over the nation's water * Franchise review Franchise activity in the Green Industry is at its highest...

Revived LESCO good for us.(Lesco Inc.'s new president, corporate strategy)(Brief Article)(Column)
May 1, 2002... LESCO, Inc., is our neighbor. It's always been our neighbor. Today, its headquarters are literally just down the road from us. The national Green Industry supplier was founded in 1962. Our magazine began just a few years later. Over the...

Let's hear it : YOUR OPINIONS, COMMENTS, & QUOTES.
May 1, 2002... Crazy prices $36.78 per hour for mowing in the small town of just over 1,000 people where I live? I don't think so. I wouldn't have any customers if I charged that price. Most people in my town must educate themselves on good lawn care...

Lowballers? Forget about 'em.(tips for competing with low bidders)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Everyone in the Green Industry knows lowballing is an unfortunate aspect of business that'll never go away. If that's the case, you'd think every business should develop a strategy for combatting lowballing, right? Wrong. It seems a...

Give them reasons to buy.(tips for promoting business, writing proposals)(Brief Article)(Column)
May 1, 2002... A question you should always be asking yourself is, "Why should someone select my product and/or service over my competition?" The answer won't only tell you what prospects are thinking when they consider doing business with you but also if the...

Minnesota limits phosphorus fertilizers.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... Adios phosphorus. Hello weaker turf, uglier lawns and more pollution. That will be the payoff if Minnesota legislators keep picking on the chemical lawn care industry, says Jim Skillen of Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE), the...

Harper Industries acquires Goossen.(Goossen Industries Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... HARPER, KS -- Harper Industries, Inc., acquired Gooseen Industries, Beatrice, NE, and its product line of straw blowers, chippers/shredders and power plate skid-steer adaptors.

Drew St. John joins Symbiot.(Symbiot Business Group names vice president)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- Symbiot Business Group has added Drew St. John to its management team as vice president. St. John, immediate past president of the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA), joins Steven Glover, Symbiot president,...

Shindaiwa awards Challenge groups.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... TUALATIN, OR -- Shindaiwa awarded prizes to Beautiful Landscapes, Issaquah, WA, Houston Landscapes Unlimited, Sugarland, TX, and Lawn South, Roswell, GA, for completing their first 52 weeks of consistent training in Round 1 and 2 of The...

Rockscapes moves headquarters.(Rockscapes L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... CHATSWORTH, CA -- Rockscapes, LLC has completed the move of its commercial and residential landscape lighting manufacturing and headquarters operations to an expanded facility in Chatsworth, CA.

New CEO plots LESCO's future.(Michael DiMino of LESCO)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... NEW YORK -- Less than a week after being named Chief Executive Officer of LESCO (NASDQ: LSCO), Michael DiMino laid out his management team's vision of the company's future. In a presentation to shareholders and the investment community here...

New bermudagrass book.(new book "Managing Bermudagrass Turf")(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Anybody serious about managing warm-season turfgrass should check out a new book by L. B. "Bert" McCarty, Clemson University, and Grady Miller, University of Florida. "Managing Bermudagrass Turf" is a 220-page hardcover book devoted to the...

Scotts asks for science in FQPA.(Scotts Co. and Food Quality Protection Act)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... BOWLING GREEN, OH -- Christiane W. Schmenk of The Scotts Company asked U.S. Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-OH) to urge the U.S. EPA to use "accurate, real-world data and sound science" in implementing the next phase of the Food Quality Protection Act...

www.landscapemanagement.net : what's new on-line.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... * "Ask the Expert" section coming soon -- review previously submitted questions and answers, and submit new ones! * Features from the May issue of LM * LM Week in Review -- Sign up today! * Green Industry news * Link to BASF's...

Optimism prevails at '02 ALCA Student Career Days.(Associated Landscape Contractors of America)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... PEORIA, IL -- The Associated Landscape Contractors of America's (ALCA) 26th Annual Student Career Days went off without a hitch here in late March with over 1,100 students, faculty and industry representatives gathering to discuss Green...

PLCAA adds football star Theismann to conference lineup.(Professional Lawn Care association of America, Joe Theismann)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... NASHVILLE, TN -- Two-time Pro Bowl NFL player Joe Theismann recently joined the lineup of speakers at the Professional Lawn Care Association of America's Green Industry Conference held in conjunction with the Green Industry Expo Nov. 13-16. ...

Valley Crest.(personnel appointment)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Valley Crest appointed Christina Briggs to vice president/national business development.

Tecumseh named Jonathan P. Gorman vice president.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Tecumseh named Jonathan P. Gorman vice president, marketing and product development-worldwide for its Engine & Transmissions Group.

ProSource One.(personnel appointments)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... ProSource One has hired several people as sales representatives. Mike Bailey will manage turf accounts in the Palm Beach Co./Vero Beach area. Virgil Beaven will cover Kansas City. Geer DuBose will handle the forestry, vegetation management and...

Play your game : How Troy Hall refocused his business and saved himself from financial ruin.(Hall's Horticulture Design Inc.)
May 1, 2002... Troy Hall started Hall's Horticulture Design, Inc., Charlotte, NC, in 1994 convinced he could parlay his commitment to service and quality to business success in landscaping. Five years later, exhausted from hard work, Hall found himself in...

Tough little brutes : Compact skid-steer and utility track loaders give landscapers small but powerful tools to reduce labor costs.
May 1, 2002... Compact skid-steer loaders and utility track loaders are the newest products on landscape contractors' wish lists. "They were going crazy for these in Las Vegas at Con Expo," says Brad Lemke, new product development manager for ASV, Grand...

ASV RC50.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] Maximum traction and support system undercarriage [C] 15-in. rubber tracks and 24-wheeled contact points [C] Loader transfers the weight of the machine to the ground, only 2.7 psi ground pressure. Contact ASV at 800/346-5954 or...

Antonio Carraro Supertrac.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] Towed or front-mounted attachments [C] Actio technology that allows the tractor chassis to oscillate or articulate for agility/grip on all terrain types [C] 48- to 75-hp engines available Contact Redexim Charterhouse at...

Bobcat MT50.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] Mini track walk-behind loader three ft. wide and under 70 in. long [C] Operating capacity of 500 lbs. and a 74.8-in. lift height [C] 20-hp diesel engine and 2,600 psi hydraulic system [C] More than 10 easy-to-change attachments...

Cat mini excavators.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] Swing boom to let the operator dig and work next to a wall or obstruction [C] 26-hp 303CR weighs 7,400 lbs.; 42-hp 305CR weighs 11,000 lbs. [C] Zero tailswing with swing radii within undercarriage width [C] 305CR has a dig...

Gravely skidster.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] Suited to small intensive finish-up projects [C] 1,500 lbs., only 38.5 in. wide and 77 in. long [C] 20-hp gas or diesel engine [C] Quick-release attachments, lightweight design with balanced weight distribution Contact...

Glenmac power box rake.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] Modular attachment lets you upgrade to rake right for your budget [C] Rhino-hide barrier lets operator adjust to soil moisture levels and choose size of material left in soilbed Contact Glenmac at 701/252-9300 or www.glenmac.com /...

Deere compacts.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] Compact tractors ranging from 20 to 48 hp [C] More than 40 implements can be hooked up fast, with three able to be attached at one time Contact John Deere at 800/537-8233 or www.deere.com / circle no. 279

Kanga Kid TK 113.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] 13-hp electronic start Honda engine [C] Attachments for digging, shrub planting, carrying, trenching, lifting, and topsoil spreading Contact Kanga at 866/875-2642 or www.kanga-loader.com / circle no. 280

Komatsu's WS50.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] Easier transport, less ground disturbance, higher travel speeds than a skid-steer [C] Hydrostatic transmission, automatic bucket leveler, rear axle oscillation Contact Komatsu at 847/573-3561 or www.komatsuutility.com / circle no....

Kubota compact loader L48TL.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] 48-hp engine [C] Bucket lift capacity of up to 2,540 lbs. [C] Self-leveling hydraulics maintain level loads to a height of nine ft. Contact Kubota Tractor Corporation at 888/4582682, ext. 900 or www.kubota.com / circle no. 282...

MultiTrac articulated loader.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] Three models to choose from, both gas and diesel engine, widths 39 to 47 in. [C] Units fit in an 8-ft. pickup bed, 60 available options Contact Stonebrooke Equipment at 800/905-2265 / circle no. 283

Polaris ASL300.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] R-Series traction and support system, only 2.5 psi [C] Undercarriage platform with 24 rubber-on-rubber track inserts [C] Powered by a Caterpillar three-cylinder diesel engine Contact Polaris at 763/542-0500 or...

PowerHouse Prowler utility loader.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] 24-hp engine and an expandable rubber track undercarriage [C] Allows access through 30-in. wide openings [C] 35 hydraulic attachments available Contact PowerHouse Equipment at 800/467-9673 or www.powerhouseequipment.com /...

Summit's IBEX 20PK.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] Rubber-track compact loader available in two track widths, 36 and 44 in. [C] 20-hp, three-cylinder, water-cooled Perkins diesel and hydrostatic transmission [C] Weighs 2,300 lbs., payload capacity of 1,750 lbs. Contact Summit...

Toro TX 425 utility loader.(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... [C] Stable on uneven landscapes and delivers in loose sand or mud [C] 25-hp gas engine [C] Mounts to over 40 attachments and exerts only 3.4 psi on turf Contact Toro Company at 952/888-8801 or www.toro.com / circle no. 287

Druid Ridge Cemetery : 2001 PGMS Grand Award Winner for Cemetery or Memorial Site.
May 1, 2002... Talk about the ultimate obstacle course for a landscaper. Can you imagine having to twist and turn a walk-behind between thousands of headstones, trying to avoid damaging them but at the same time trying to be fast and efficient? Then, of...

Fungicide resistance: Use chemical disease controls in moderation and prolong the life of these valuable tools.
May 1, 2002... When a product works well -- a pest control product, for example -- we're tempted to use it a lot, or even use it exclusively. That can be a mistake. In the case of pest control products, the result can be that, in time, the product doesn't...

Infields for truest play : Not too hard, not too soft -- here's how to get your infield just right.
May 1, 2002... Editor's note: This article is the third and final of a series on infield care. Many people complain that their infield skin surfaces are too hard, too soft, too tight or too loose. Some of these problems may be due to improper...

Mulch it up.(power mulchers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Mulching mowers are part of the answer to the landfill space crunch facing America. An analysis of residential waste composition in Cincinnati, OH, shows that yard debris accounted for nearly 20% of the total. A study in Plano, TX (population...

Ask the expert.(managing lichen-related problems on trees)
May 1, 2002... Mystery growth We take care of several large properties with trees on them. On some of the trunks, there's a mostly green, sometimes white fungus which appears to be mostly on the bark. It's not very thick and it grows in circular...

On the rail.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... L.B. Plastics' new aesthetically-pleasing SheerView glass railing system assures an optimum view for design/build contractors' residential and multi-family customers. Compatible with the company's 3250 Series railing system, it comes with a...

Bug off.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Environmetrics Systems' BugBarrier Tree Band eliminates the need for chemical pesticides against crawling and climbing insects. A dense, flexible, fiber barrier is wrapped around the trunk to fill bark crevices and cut off insects' escape...

A real cut-up.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... John Deere's two new additions to its Pro-Series chain saws, the CS46 and CS52, feature 45.01cc and 51.7cc engines with 3 and 3.4 hp, respectively. Powerhead weights are 10.8 lbs. and 11 lbs. A two-ring piston and closed port cylinder provide...

Grind it up.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Vermeer's HG525 trailer-mounted horizontal feed grinder for large-scale reduction and recycling of green waste and storm debris features a turbo-charged and air-to-air charge-cooled C15 ATAAC 525-hp Tier II Caterpillar engine. A 36-in. diameter...

Go configure.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Flowtronex says its new pumping system "Configurator" technology reduces the time required to specify and configure pumping systems for applications from 10 to 900 gpm. The company's landscape division offers FloBoy skid-mounted, prefabricated...

Rolling.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The 2003 Chevy Express and GMC Savana full-size van lineup features three "industry firsts" for the full-size van segment: all-wheel drive models, left-hand side 60/40 entry/load door availability, and side access panels on Express Access and...

Eye of the tiger.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Scag's Sabre Tooth Tiger zero-turn mower is now even better with a re-engineered main frame, lower center-of-gravity, and wide, balanced stability. Also featured is more leg room, an easier-to-operate cutter deck lift system, and wider front...

Steady as she goes.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Kaltec of Minnesota's new Forkster line of skid-steer attachments provides a safe and stable lifting media by providing load-stabilizing wheels on the lifting chassis. Its arms are adjustable from 44 to 88 in., and it can articulate 15 degrees...

Events : WHAT, WHEN & WHERE.(landscape gardening conventions, courses)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... June 14-15 Landscapes for Living & Learning / Greenville, SC; 864/294-2186; www.furman.edu/hortsym July 11-14 ANLA Convention & Executive Learning Retreat / San Diego, CA; 202/789-2900 15-16 Summer Express Short Course /...

What's your time worth?(getting the most out of time management in the landscape gardening business)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Please check our math for errors. There are seven days in a week, 24 hours in a day and so, by our calculations, each week contains exactly 168 hours. How valuable are these hours to us, particularly the 56 hours a week we spend running...