Landscape Management articles from September 2004

Landscape Management archives from September 2004

Why stop now?(Professional Lawn Care Association of America merges with Associated Landscape Contractors of America)
September 1, 2004... It ain't over yet. And it shouldn't be. By now, the members of both the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) and the Professional Lawn Care Association of America (PLCAA) have spoken. My guess is that they've voted to combine the...

Build density to help profits.(Best practices: increasing profits)(Landscaping industry)
September 1, 2004... Many companies proudly say they grow their businesses by referral. They have a right to be proud because referrals are a real reflection of quality and service. However, there's a problem with this as a primary growth strategy. Referrals...

Sales symposium targets 'rainmakers'.(In the know: news you can use)(Associated Landscape Contractors of America)
September 1, 2004... JERSEY CITY, NJ -- The over 350 attendees of the Associated Landscape Contractors of America's (ALCA) Sales & Marketing Symposium held here in late July were in a New York state of mind. How could they not be with views of Manhattan across the...

Lawn pros hit Hill for work, politics.(In the know: news you can use)(Landscaping industry)
September 1, 2004... WASHINGTON, DC -- As a landscape contractor or lawn care professional, it's rewarding enough to participate in the Professional Lawn Care Association of America's Renewal and Remembrance Day of service at Arlington National Cemetery. But for...

Blue Yellow acquired by Koch.(Koch Cellulose, LLC)(BlueYellow)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... BRUNSWICK, GA -- Koch Cellulose, LLC will now manufacture and market BlueYellow, the new innovative turf establishment system, which combines high quality seed and fertilizer in a lightweight, biodegradable roll. Koch Cellulose acquired...

Rain Bird aids reforestation.(Rain Bird Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... TUCSON, AZ -- Rain Bird Corporation donated 800 quarts of Rain Bird Irrigation Supplement to Trees for Mt. Lemmon to aid in the group's efforts to reforest private land damaged in last summer's Aspen Fire near Tucson.

KTC opening Columbus site.(Clippings)(Kubota Tractor Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... TORRANCE, CA -- Kubota Tractor Corporation (KTC) broke ground in July on a new warehouse and distribution facility located in Columbus, OH. The new warehouse will facilitate the need for amplified distribution of Kubota's tractor equipment and...

Franks offers discounts.(Frank's Nursery and Crafts Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... TROY, MI -- Franks Nursery launched a "Business Benefits" program available to all licensed businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies. The program offers member companies a 10% discount on any purchase over $250 made at...

NIAAA spurs school field fixups.(In the know: news you can use)(National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association)
September 1, 2004... LOUISVILLE, KY -- The National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) is promoting an ambitious sports field improvement campaign among its 5,800 members, most of whom are high school athletic directors. Through its Sports...

Bayer Environmental Science.(People & companies)(Jeff Weld)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Bayer Environmental Science named Jeff Weld programs manager.

Peterson Pacific.(People & companies)
September 1, 2004... Peterson Pacific added Dave Sumner as Eastern Region Technical Support Representative.

Agri-Inject, Inc.(People & companies)(appoints Jim Fields)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Agri-Inject, Inc. named Jim Fields National Sales Manager of its Irrigation Injection Technologies division.

HydroPoint.(People & companies)(appoints Patrick Halahan and Robert Torre)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... HydroPoint appointed Patrick Halahan as Vice President, Engineering and Robert Torre as Vice President, Finance and Administration.

The American Nursery & Landscape Association.(People & companies)(board of directors appointments)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The American Nursery & Landscape Association elected a new Board of Directors: Peter Orum, president, Buzz Bertolero, president-elect, Tom Courtright, Region IV director, J. Frank Schmidt III, Region IV director, Greg Schaan, Region I director....

The Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association.(People & companies)(appoints Jason Schmaderer )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association named Jason Schmaderer of Swanson Russell Associates to its Board of Directors.

ValleyCrest adding OMNI to its fold.(In the know: business news you can use)(ValleyCrest Companies singed an agreement to acquired bankrupt company Omni Facility Services, Inc)
September 1, 2004... CALABASAS, CA -- ValleyCrest Companies, a privately held national landscape and horticultural services company headquartered here, signed an agreement on Friday, August 20, to purchase the landscape assets of Omni Facility Services, Inc. Omni...

Still on the 'grow': we're heading in the right direction with more work, more revenues and (surprise, surprise) more competition.(Outlook 2005)
September 1, 2004... Rochester, NY, with its sun-dappled streets, might be a lot like your town. Homeowners there, to a greater or lesser degree, take pride in their landscapes, particularly their lawns. Also, maybe again like your town, hundreds of former good...

H2B issue still hazy: in spite of industry's efforts, the seasonal worker issue worries landscape company owners.(Outlook 2005)(work visas)
September 1, 2004... In March, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it had received enough H-2B petitions to meet this year's congressionally mandated cap of 66,000 new workers. It quickly became apparent that a number of landscape...

Poll position: we surveyed grounds managers on everything from job satisfaction to job challenges. Here's what they had to say.(Outlook 2005)
September 1, 2004... You hear it time and time again from professional grounds managers. You're passionate about your job, you strive for perfection, but you're consistently forced to do more with less due to budget cuts. One would think these cuts would eventually...

Suppliers speak out: equipment and chemical manufacturers see increasing opportunity in an environment of moderate growth.(Outlook 2005)
September 1, 2004... Steve Stansell is bullish on the professional lawn application industry. Home building's frenetic pace the past several years, spurred by historically low interest rates, means... well, more lawns requiring care. "Lawn care is still...

A burning issue: Firewise landscaping can help your clients save their homes and properties ... if they're willing to accept it.(Customer Education)
September 1, 2004... "You mean we actually have wildfires in the East?" Aaron Kloss gets that comment all the time while educating people, including landscapers, about wildfires, which is part of his job as the Firewise Coordinator of the Ohio Division of...

Reduce injuries & fatalities: thorough safety programs can help landscape companies avoid OSHA-related litigation.(Safer Operations)
September 1, 2004... A 60-year-old worker who's trimming shrubs in a median strip returns to the company truck parked in the road. While behind the truck, he's struck and killed by a vehicle. The worker is not wearing a high visibility vest, and the high visibility...

Johnette Taylor: [C] Roundtree Landscaping.(Inside the owner's head: personality profile)(Interview)
September 1, 2004... Johnette Taylor owns Roundtree Landscaping, a $1.2 million full-service landscape company located in Dallas. Her company focuses on high-end residential design/build work (70%), but is aggressively growing its maintenance division. Taylor is a...

A-team's motto: 'get it done'.(My way: why teamwork matters)
September 1, 2004... In my five plus years of life in the real world, I've put time in as an excavation laborer for a small company, worked in a maintenance department, bartended and, for a spell, even drove a Zamboni at a hockey rink. It wasn't until I was hired...

Power trimming.(Innovations: hot new products)
September 1, 2004... 1 Husqvarna's new Mark II series of well-balanced, lightweight hedge trimmers provides enhanced power and durability. The series includes the 326HS99x, a single-sided hedge trimmer, and two double cutting edge trimmers, the 326HD60x and...

On the right track.(Innovations: hot new products)
September 1, 2004... 2 Club Car, Inc. officially entered the four wheel drive market with the unveiling of the Carryall 294 4x4 utility vehicle. The Carryall 294 uses Club Car's IntelliTrak system to deliver the industry's first fully automatic, on-demand 4x4....

Enhanced blower.(Innovations: hot new products)
September 1, 2004... 3 Schiller-Pfeiffer, Inc., manufacturer of Little Wonder and Mantis landscaping and gardening power equipment, has enhanced the design of its Little Wonder high-output blowers. This fall, the blowers will feature 12-in. rear pneumatic...

Move air fast.(Innovations: hot new products)
September 1, 2004... 4 RedMax says its new backpack blower is the most powerful in the industry and meets EPA Phase 2 and CARB Tier II standards without a catalytic converter. The new EBZ8000 is powered by a 4.6-hp, 72cc strato- charged two-cycle engine that...

Is this a training problem?(From the shop: non-training solutions)
September 1, 2004... Do any of the following scenarios sound familiar? In the last six months, two zero-turn mowing units suffered catastrophic hydraulic system failure because an operator "topped up" the hydraulic reservoir with diesel fuel. One of your...

The facts on fertigation: all you need to know about fertigation in a 10 question & answer session.(Turfgrass Nutrition)(Interview)
September 1, 2004... Fertigation has been used in agriculture for more than 40 years, but it's still a relatively new concept in the landscape industry. Therefore, some landscape professionals are still sketchy about what it is and how it can benefit their...

Buying tips.(Communication tools)
September 1, 2004... * Licenses increase costs, but guarantee a private radio channel * Unlicensed radios typically have distance limitations and anyone can use the channel * It might be cheaper to give a handful of key people cell phones, rather than buy...

Xplore Technologies [c].(Communication tools)
September 1, 2004... The rugged and wireless Microsoft Windows Tablet PC system works in harsh environments and stands up to harsh abuse like constant vibration or being dropped. The iX104 family has built-in wireless, docking stations, hot keys for specific tablet...

Motorola.(Communication tools)
September 1, 2004... The LCS 2000 is a compact mobile analog radio that offers both local and wide-area coverage capabilities. A single software package eliminates complicated buying decisions. It's compatible with company's LTS 2000 portable radio series and...

Relm/Uniden.(Communication tools)
September 1, 2004... Keypad programmable, the RPV599A+ allows remote programming and interaction with irrigation and other computerized systems. The basic unit is a 99-channel radio that operates in the 148-174 MHz range. It offers 5 watts RF power and tone paging....

Maxon.(Communication tools)
September 1, 2004... Maxon's Legacy ML-3200 series offers 45 watts of RF power on 32 channels. It comes available in both VHF (3215) and UHF (3245) versions. The units include audio compander, public address mode, adjustable squelch control and VOX operation. One...

Kenwood.(Communication tools)
September 1, 2004... The new TK-2200/3200 ProTalk radio from Kenwood Communications offers 2 watts transmit power. The units are available in 2- and 8-channel models. Both come with internal VOX, so radios are hands-free ready. Radio has "Super Lock" feature to...

Midland.(Communication tools)
September 1, 2004... Get up to a 7-mile range with the Midland GRMS G223 portable radios. Sold in pairs, they operate on 2 watts of power and have 22 channels. The units are water resistant and have a three-year warranty. They work with all FRS/GMRS. Other special...

Nextel.(Communication tools)
September 1, 2004... Service from Nextel's Nationwide Direct Connect is over the largest guaranteed all-digital wireless network in the country--serving 293 of the top 300 U.S. markets. The company recommends the GPS-enabled Motorola i305 phone for this...

See ya, slugs: Choosing the right brand of molluscicide is crucial in controlling plant-killing slugs.(Pest Management)
September 1, 2004... Few creatures are less welcome than slugs and snails. Indeed, many people find them disgusting. Not only do they leave shiny silver "slime" trails through gardens and over pavers and sidewalks, they very often chew and damage landscape plants....

An annual chore: the Atlanta Botanical Garden found the right plant mix to keep its annual displays looking good.(Solutions center: real answers to real challenges)
September 1, 2004... Amanda Briner's staff goes into a planting frenzy twice a year at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Each spring and fall, nine staff horticulturists switch out 40 to 50 three- to four-foot pots holding hundreds of flowering annual plants to...

Controlling nutsedge.(Ask the expert: Bal Rao provides the answers)
September 1, 2004... How do you clear nutsedge out of a lawn? One of our customers mentioned that they had a few in their lawn one year and pulled them to avoid them spreading by seeding. But now there are many in the lawn--why? What is the best way to control...

Bark beetle management.(Ask the expert: Bal Rao provides the answers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... A contractor in our area mentioned that Merit can be used to manage bark beetles on pines. Is this true? If yes, what can we expect as far as control? What other management options should we consider? --IL More than likely, the beetles...

Western Michigan University: 2003 PGMS Honor Award Winner for School or University Grounds.(Landscape management)(Professional Grounds Management Awards )
September 1, 2004... Tim Holysz remembers the late '60s and early '70s with fondness. He and his brother made a killing mowing and trimming lawns, and he recalls how satisfied he felt after completing a job. Today, as Director of Landscape Services for Western...

Terrific tarp.(Products: tools of the trade)
September 1, 2004... Pulltarps Mfg. introduces the Smart Switch family of tarp motor controllers. Smart Switch relay kits are available in seven models that can operate any brand of tarp motor. Choose from outside the cab, inside the cab and wireless remote control...

Walk this way.(Products: tools of the trade)
September 1, 2004... Aptly named Walker by Walker is a compact, mid-size unit powered by a 15-hp Kawasaki engine. Five 36-in. to 56-in. side-discharge and a 42- or 52-in. mulching deck is available. The Walker accepts the same full-floating decks used on the rider,...

Be on your guard.(Products: tools of the trade)
September 1, 2004... The irriGuard system is designed to precisely monitor temperature and rainfall from a remote location anywhere inside the home or in the yard, and automatically disable the irrigation system when watering is unnecessary. It's compatible with...

Let it snow [c].(Products: tools of the trade)
September 1, 2004... The Ultra Series is Snow Wolf's toughest snow plow specifically for the skid-steer, and now it has a tough two-year parts and labor warranty. Available in seven widths from 6- to 9-ft., the blade is specifically designed to scoop snow rather...

Seeding is believing.(Products: tools of the trade)
September 1, 2004... Finn Corp. introduces the T75 HydroSeeder that provides another option between the small tank sizes and larger trailer-mounted models. It weighs in as a trailer unit with a fully loaded weight of less than 10,000 GVW, satisfying the ideal...

Spray away [c].(Products: tools of the trade)
September 1, 2004... Shindaiwa's new SP 150 one-gal. ergonomically designed hand-held sprayer features a UV protected polyethylene tank, liquid levels in U.S. gallons, Imperial gallons and liters, and a large, independent filler opening. The pump handle doubles as...

Get the edge.(Products: tools of the trade)
September 1, 2004... Maruyama's ED2320 handheld edger has a fully-supported, heavy duty flex steel drive shaft and rugged steel clutch drum that's designed to withstand the stress of commercial operation without breakage or failure. The CARB-compliant machine has...

No pressure.(Products: tools of the trade)
September 1, 2004... Rain Bird Corp.'s Accessories Business Unit has introduced a new line of pressure regulating swing joints for rotors. The new Turf Swing Joint with Pressure Regulating System (TSJ-PRS) products are the first commercially available inline...

Great mate.(Products: tools of the trade)
September 1, 2004... Jungle Jim's Accessory Products has done it again by developing a utility box that enables either the driver or the passenger to get out of the truck and have all of their equipment on their side of the trailer. The Trailer Mate can carry two...

Events: what, when & where.(Calendar)
September 1, 2004... September 14 Clemson University Annual Turfgrass Field Day / Clemson, SC; 803/957-0616 20-23 NAWMA Conference & Trade Show / Rapid City, SD; Sponsored by the North American Weed Management Association; 970/887-1228 24-26...

Landscape contracting expenditures on the rise.(Statistics: industry trends by the numbers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... A recent survey conducted on behalf of the Associated Landscape Contractors of America revealed these facts about consumer spending on landscaping services: * 31% growth rate of consumer spending on lawn care, landscaping and tree care...

$200 million.(Statistics: industry trends by the numbers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... --Estimated damage done to the crops and facilities of Florida plant nursery owners by Hurricane Charley.

New home prices.(Statistics: industry trends by the numbers)(Illustration)
September 1, 2004... NEW HOME PRICES YEAR MEDIAN AVERAGE 1984 $79,900 $97,600 1994 $130,000 $154,400 2004 -- $252,000 SOURCE: NAHB

Survey says ...(Statistics: industry trends by the numbers)(Landscape architecture)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
September 1, 2004... Q As demand for water grows, so does its scarcity. Experts say there may be a full-blown crisis by 2025. If so, "waterwise" landscaping might be something everyone has to embrace. What do you think about the "water-wise" approach to landscape...

Gas vs diesel: gasoline-powered mowers remain far and away contractors' choice, but diesel machines are making gains.
September 1, 2004... For years the gasoline-powered mower has been the workhorse of the commercial mowing industry. Are we seeing signs that the picture is changing? Diesel engines and electronic fuel injection--unusual until recently on commercial mowers--are...

Battle on the front range: this veteran Denver landscape pro says that mower selection is vital to competing in a fiercely competitive commercial maintenance market.
September 1, 2004... Even an award-winning, long-established commercial landscape company must seek every efficiency to compete with national and larger regional companies. Daniel Beekhuizen, co-owner of Keesen Enterprises, Inc., Denver, CO, says the battle for...

Before you store your mowers: follow these tips by a guy that really knows equipment and you'll save yourself lots of time and money come next season.
September 1, 2004... Mark Nelson once drove a Ford Bronco II for about 230,000 miles before the vehicle died and went to the big junk yard in the sky. You're correct if you assume that Nelson knows something about running 'em forever--or close to it. So it's...