The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) released a new online video featuring footage captured by GoPro cameras shot from the equipment operator’s point of view to show what it’s really like to use a propane commercial mower. PERC is a nonprofit that provides propane safety and training programs and invests in research and development of new propane-powered technologies. PERC is operated and funded by the propane industry. “We were looking for a fun way to show equipment fleet managers, department directors, and professional landscapers what it’s really like to operate with propane,” says Jeremy Wishart, PERC director of off-road business development. “These first-hand accounts are really incredible and we hope the video can serve as a virtual demonstration to those who might be considering a move to commercial propane mowers.” Read more at FacilityExecutive.com.
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Contributed by Landscape Leadership Landing a large commercial account is at the top of many landscapers’ wish lists. But transitioning into the commercial landscaping market requires more than buying larger mowers and trucks. You have to change the way you and your team manage projects to truly be successful. Before jumping into commercial landscape work, do your homework. Compared to residential work, “it’s a totally different animal,” says Gib Durden, vice president of business development at HighGrove Partners in Austell, GA. “It’s still cutting grass, pruning, and planting flowers, but commercial landscaping is a totally different mindset.” Switching between commercial and residential work can be difficult. “Don’t try intermingling the same guys doing commercial and residential work,” says Jim Schill, vice president of Schill Grounds Management in North Ridgeville, OH. One major variant is that you rarely deal with the owner in commercial work. The point of contact is probably not the decision-maker and could be replaced at any time, says Terry Delany, president of ServFM in Fayetteville, AK. Profit margins are typically lower with commercial, but these are counter-weighted by higher contract dollar amounts. It’s a low-margin, high-quantity set-up, Delany says. Finding New AccountsFind out if existing residential clients have any connections to commercial accounts. “A lot of the time, if you’re new to the business, it might take time to gain traction,” Durden says. “Start small, and start working on that.” When trying to identify prospective accounts, look for locally owned places. “These are the best because you often have a chance to deal directly with the owner,” Delany says. You can also try to find properties that have the highest up-sale potential. Once you decide on the type of business you’d like to approach, gather information on all of these in your service area, Delany says. Create a pamphlet aimed at that market, and start visiting the properties. “We offer to bring lunch by for the office staff,” Delany adds. “That nearly always gets us in the door.” A big part of finding accounts is connecting with the right people. “Cold calls and emails don’t work that well,” Durden says. Instead, he says attending community events or meetings allows you to talk directly with property managers. “Then, if you follow up with a call, it’s a warm call.” There are also organizations that can put you in contact with the decision makers. Durden suggests getting involved with real estate groups, such as Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW). Another organization he recommends is Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International. Chamber of Commerce meetings, CEO forums, and other networking events are also good places to meet potential clients. “Build your sphere of influence, and the world gets much smaller,” Delany says. After you’ve laid the groundwork, turn your attention to the bidding process. “If you’re bidding commercial maintenance and landscaping jobs like you bid residential, you won’t get the work,” Schill says. “Most commercial accounts are chasing the bottom dollar.” It’s very important to have a good grasp on every aspect and expense of your business. “You’re better off trying to take the scientific approach,” Durden says. That includes taking good field measurements and knowing the number of man-hours the task will require. “It costs time and money to put a bid in on a property, so make sure you truly understand the specs and the client’s expectations,” Schill says. When working on a contract, Delany says to add a clause giving you the right to pause work until you get paid. “If you don’t have that in your contract and you stop working, you’ve breached it first,” he explains. One of the main numbers to look at when bidding commercial lawn maintenance and landscaping jobs is your profit. “Since all landscape contractors are paying approximately the same amount for trucks, mowers, labor, overhead, and fuel, the deciding factor is often how much profit do you want/need to make on this job,” Delany says. Here are questions he suggests asking yourself when deciding how much profit to add to your bid: How many competitors are submitting proposals? Which competitors are they, and how do they usually price work? Was this a cold call or warm referral? What is your financial position as a company right now? Do you need to buy new equipment or hire more employees to add this maintenance contract to your book of work? What are the up-sale potentials? Who will be your contact if you land the account? How long has this potential account been in business? Does the individual or committee have any landscape knowledge? How often does the account switch landscape contractors? Avoid These PitfallsWhen you’re first starting out, it may be tempting to “buy” a job to get a foothold with an account. But, that’s a lose-lose situation. Stick to your set profit margins. You also have to educate your employees. Just because your sales team is good at landing residential accounts doesn’t mean they’ll be as successful in the commercial sector. Commercial lawn accounts and landscaping contracts can bring in large checks, but make sure your business isn’t too dependent on one account, or property type. “You don’t want to have all of your eggs in one basket,” Schill says. With the right preparation, you can make commercial accounts a profitable part of your landscaping company. “If you have the patience and are willing to deal with slow payments and losing/replacing large accounts,” Delany says, “go commercial.” Landscape Leadership is a sales and marketing agency specializing exclusively in lawn, landscaping, and tree service companies. Do you have a comment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below or send an e-mail to the Editor at [email protected]. The post Capturing Commercial Work appeared first on Turf. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2O0txfk If you’re a landscape contractor looking to extend your revenue stream, then you might be considering municipal and other government contracts. However, even if you’re an experienced commercial landscape professional it’s important to recognize that this line of work can be quite different. Before transitioning into municipal/government work, you must first determine if you even qualify for it. According to industry consultant Fred Haskett, head harvester with The Harvest Group, municipalities, as well as state and federal agencies, often have a very clear set of specifications that a landscape company must be able to meet in order to qualify for the work. Bonding is usually part of that process and may require you to consult with legal and financial advisors. Surety bonds guarantee that your company will live up to its contract and legal obligations. Another key difference with municipality work is that it often requires adhering to prevailing wage, something that many landscape contractors are not accustomed to doing. Prevailing wage is defined as the hourly wage, usual benefits, and overtime, paid in the largest city in each county, to the majority of workers. Prevailing wages are established by regulatory agencies for each trade and occupation employed in the performance of public work, as well as by State Departments of Labor or equivalents. “Oftentimes, the government sets these jobs at a prevailing wage that is significantly higher than what local jobs are bidding out at,” Haskett says. “If you understand prevailing wage and are prepared for it, it’s not a problem. But if you don’t, it can be a trap. You must agree to let the government audit your payroll, and you don’t want to be caught not adhering to prevailing wage.” Haskett says that you’ll want to consider how prevailing wage might impact paying your crews going forward. If they’re going to get what they view as a “raise” for municipal work, are they going to struggle with returning to their “regular salary” for other jobs? And will other crews not on that job hear through the grapevine that they’re making less? Haskett says he has seen these scenarios play out, and landscape business owners must be prepared with answers. For Bill Horn, east branch manager for Gachina Landscape Management in Menlo Park, CA, the answer has always been “transparency.” Horn has many years of experience estimating, negotiating, staffing, and performing on municipal work ranging from $100,000 per year to $3 million per year with Gachina as well as for a previous employer. He says that trying to obscure the fact that municipal jobs mean crews on those jobs get paid more will ultimately backfire. He also says that having crews specially designated for municipal work can keep the entire process smoother. “Instead of flip-flopping crews back and forth between municipal and standard commercial work, we have always had designated crews,” Horn says. “There was an understanding that their trade craft—usually trades like heavy equipment operators or pipe fitters—were ones that paid higher prevailing wages. I don’t think there have been hard feelings when it’s usually understood that specialty trades naturally make more money.” A Close EyeWhether it’s payroll audits or just a close eye on operations, Haskett says to be prepared to be “under scrutiny.” “Public works contracts, in particular, have a lot of audits and inspections as well as penalty clauses stating if you miss a deadline or score below a quality level upon inspection that they can perform deductions from your bill,” Haskett says. “I’ve seen companies get burned on this. You send out a bill for $14,000 and they pay you $7,000 because they say you missed two completion deadlines—even though perhaps it rained. You must be very aware of the language in the contract.” Ben Carruthers, owner of Carruthers Landscape Management Inc., in Dallas, TX, says that performing municipal work is “like having a big magnifying glass on you.” “You need to be sure you’re set up to handle it correctly,” he says. “There is a very small margin for error.” Carruthers says that his company got into municipal work about 20 years ago on a small scale and grew it very slowly—which he recommends is the way to go. Make sure you have a good grasp on what’s required and whether you like the work before you start bidding on too many jobs, he adds. “If you have performed commercial contracting for large clients then it’s going to be more familiar to you and an easier transition,” he adds. “That’s really the only way to do it because most municipal contracts are going to want to see you’ve done work like this before. If you are bidding on a $2 million municipal job, you’re going to need evidence that you’ve handled a $2 million commercial account and that you’re up to the task.” Horn agrees and says that references are a big deal. “You can be sure they are going to pursue your references—they want to see that you’ve done comparable work and done it successfully,” Horn says. “They’ll also find out where you’ve worked, even if you don’t include it. It’s best not to try to omit information. If you had a bad experience with a former client, it’s best to be upfront and tell them why so that they hear your side of the story first.” Your safety record will also be reviewed, adds Horn. A poor record could easily disqualify you from a municipal job—where exposing the general public to any risk is a concern. Going After Municipal ContractsWhile there are clearly a lot of factors to address before making the leap into municipal, Haskett says that for landscape contractors who are “set up to handle it,” these contracts can be quite profitable. He says that RFPs (or, Request for Proposals) are public information. Therefore, you could call local or state entities and ask for their ground maintenance department. If you qualify, they are required to place you on the bid list, says Haskett. But you must ask to be placed there. Horn’s best advice for contractors going after municipal work is to look for opportunities where you can negotiate—not those where they have historically gone with the low bid. “We cannot compete in the low bid arena, nor do we want to,” he adds. “Fortunately, the cities we have worked with have come to recognize that type of bidding is not good for anyone.” Once you put your hat in the ring, Horn also advises to be prepared for an extensive interview process. You’ll have to sit in front of a panel and be able to represent your company—and know the client—extremely well, in order to remain a serious contender. “Know the site, know your business, and make positive personal connections with the people you’re sitting with,” Horn says. “You must be able to establish those connections almost immediately. We set up a mock interview with our team and throw the hard questions at them. We commit a lot of time to rehearsing but it is better to be overprepared than underprepared. When it comes to this line of work, you must always put your best foot forward. It’s great work and it’s long-term work—if you do it right. Getz is an award winning freelance writer based in Royersford, PA. Do you have a comment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below or send an e-mail to the Editor at [email protected]. The post Should You Consider Municipal Work? appeared first on Turf. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2xRNkmo Curtis Industries, LLC manufacturer of cab enclosures, attachments and accessories for compact vehicles, announces the release of its cab system for the Mahindra 1626 compact tractor. The cab fits the 1626 HST OS and 1626 Shuttle. It retails at $3,312.00 and includes a 12-volt heavy-duty front wiper and cab heater. Curtis Industries, LLC, an ISO 9001 certified company, is recognized as the most innovative designer and manufacturer of compact vehicle cab enclosure systems, attachments and related accessories that enhance user comfort and productivity. The frame, doors and roof are constructed of corrosion-resistant powder-coat commercial grade steel for durability and long life. The steel roof overhangs both the doors and the windshield for superior weather protection. The Curtis cab is color matched Mahindra red for factory look. The cab features the Curtis exclusive clear poly cowl providing exceptional forward visibility of loader arms, hoses and bucket. The Curtis cab is also backhoe compatible. Furthermore, windshield and rear glass panel open for venting. Doors and rear panel are pin hinged to lift out in seconds, making it ideal for open air operation in warmer weather. Doors are assisted with gas shocks for smooth opening and better control in windy conditions. The Curtis cab height is 60 inches floorboard to roof, below the vehicle Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS), allowing the vehicle to clear low obstructions and fit in most standard garages. In addition to standard features Curtis accessories such as roof mount LED strobe and work lights, rear work lights, mirrors, dome light, rear wiper and seal kit are available options. The cab is sold exclusively through Curtis/Mahindra dealers. The post Curtis Industries Introduces All-Steel Cab for the Mahindra 1626 Compact Tractor appeared first on Turf. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2lFZQCv Real Green Systems, a Detroit-based field service software company and a member of the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), joins forces today with hundreds of lawn and landscape professionals from across the country to volunteer at Renewal & Remembrance, organized by the NALP. This is an annual day of service at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. The event marks the 23rd year industry professionals have come together to help enhance the national burial site. Arlington National Cemetery serves as the final resting spot for more than 400,000 military service men/women and their spouses. This year, more than 400 professionals – including three employees from Real Green Systems – will volunteer their time. The volunteer activities include: mulching, upgrading sprinklers, cabling and installing lightning protection for the trees, pruning, and planting liming. In total, NALP members will help to enhance more than 200 acres of the vast grounds at Arlington National Cemetery. Volunteering will also take place in parts of Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemeteries. “Our industry is proud and humbled to volunteer our services at Arlington National Cemetery every year,” said Carol Keeling, interim CEO for NALP. “While the cemetery is beautifully maintained all year long, it is an honor for our industry professionals to lend their expertise and skills to enhancing the grounds. This service event allows the lawn and landscape industry to honor our nation’s heroes and put our professional knowledge and skills to work for good.” Members of the National Hispanic Landscape Alliance and the Professional Grounds Management Society will join NALP members. The post Volunteer Event at Arlington National Cemetery for Fallen Heroes appeared first on Turf. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2Ge113w By Shannon Junior Herbicides and algaecides have traditionally been used to maintain balanced ecosystems in lakes and ponds—but wouldn’t it be exciting if there was a new technology or process that could totally revolutionize the way we approach environmental problems around our lawns and golf courses? Industry leaders have long understood that proactive, holistic management strategies are the key to achieve long-term balance in our aquatic environments; however, our toolbox of sustainable solutions has not always grown at the same pace as our knowledge. That’s why we are so excited about recent advances in aquatic habitat restoration. EPA-registered herbicides and algaecides are generally only used as a last resort solution—but sometimes they are necessary and valuable tools. Just as you might take an antibiotic to recover from an infection, pesticides help your waterbody recover from nuisance and sometimes harmful aquatic weed infestations. Now, new herbicide technologies are optimizing the safe eradication of undesirable plant species with very limited impact on native vegetation, wildlife or recreational activity. These highly-targeted herbicides combine the best features of traditional options to target the unique growth processes in undesirable aquatic weeds and achieve more selective and long-lasting vegetation control. Thanks to their favorable environmental profile, they require 100-1000x lower use rates than traditional herbicides and have been designated by the EPA as a “Reduced Risk” solution that is virtually non-toxic to humans, pets and wildlife.
Reduced Risk herbicides can be highly successful for the management of many species and may provide exceptional multi-season control when applied by specially certified professionals at the appropriate growth stage and dosing rate. Properties suffering from chronic milfoil species, hydrilla, crested floating heart, watershield, parrotfeather, creeping primrose, slender spike rush, yellow floating heart and similar species are excellent candidates for management with these highly-selective, low-impact herbicides. For any new technology, it is important to evaluate its niche within our “toolbox” and to understand the best fit among the available water quality management strategies. There are many factors to consider when developing a comprehensive aquatic resource management plan, such as the target weed or algae species, the presence of beneficial native vegetation, and the goals and budget of the stakeholders. While reduced risk herbicides offer a new and exciting option for our clients with severe nuisance or invasive aquatic weed issues, it’s important to establish long-term control by addressing the true root of the problem: unbalanced water quality. Water quality restoration is one of the most frequent and important challenges that we face as lake and pond managers, and should be a high priority for every waterbody. Poor water quality due to nutrient loading is a constant issue, as runoff containing fertilizers and other pollutants from agricultural farm fields, suburban lawns and gardens, and urban streets and parking lots drains into lakes, ponds, and stormwater management facilities. Even natural areas can contribute to water quality degradation through the deposition of sediment, leaf debris and other organic matter to our waterways. These pollutants are the ultimate source of nuisance lake and pond weeds, harmful cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms and other complications that impair waterbodies for municipal and recreational uses, and may also make them less habitable for fish and other wildlife. As a golf course superintendent or property manager, you may have already implemented numerous aquatic management tools such as aeration and nanobubble technology, biological augmentation, nutrient remediation, and innovative sediment and vegetation removal techniques such as bioengineered shorelines and hydro-raking. Another new technology for the sustainable removal of nutrients and other pollutants is generating excitement within our industry. Similar to activated charcoal, this new technology has highly adsorbent properties that allow it to remove impurities from water. These charcoal-like particles can be placed in large, porous bags in moving water, and the particles will attract and trap nutrients, metals and other pollutants. The bags are then removed from the water when they are full, resulting in the physical elimination of the trapped material from the waterbody. The contacts of the bag can be discarded, or better yet, used strategically as a soil amendment for natural fertilization and as a substrate for beneficial microbes to enhance plant growth. This new technology is most effective in flowing waterbodies so that there is constant circulation of water around the socks for nutrient adsorption. More stagnant basins would benefit from the installation of a fountain or aeration system to move the water and enhance the effectiveness of this method. The number and size of the socks required is also site-specific, and the longevity of the socks could be several weeks up to an entire season depending on the severity of water quality impairment. The increasing problems of anthropogenic and climatological water quality degradation have brought us to a critical time in the pond and lake management industry, but new technologies like these are making the management of aquatic resources easier and more sustainable than ever. When implementing any sort of aquatic weed or water quality solution for your waterbody, it’s extremely valuable to consult with an aquatic biologist or ecologist who is on the leading edge for innovative solutions to age-old challenges. Your greens—and your long-term budget—will thank you!
Junior is an Aquatic Ecologist at SOLitude Lake Management, an industry-leading environmental firm. She specializes in all facets of lake management, with a specific expertise in ecological assessment and restoration. Shannon has Master of Science degree in Environmental Science and Public Policy from George Mason University. This article is the third in a series featuring new break-through technologies that will revolutionize the management of lakes, stormwater ponds, wetlands and fisheries in 2019.
Read more from Solitude Lake Management experts at: (Published on April 10, 2019) (Published on May 9, 2019)
The post New Innovations in Your Lake Manager’s ‘Toolbox’ appeared first on Turf. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2XKj5rN As a Bergen County homeowner, you know how much a beautiful lawn and landscape enhances the beauty of your home, but you also know that it takes a lot of time and effort to keep it that way. Keeping your lawn and landscape green and healthy year-round is a full-time commitment that requires professional landscape services in NJ. By hiring a professional, full-service landscape company, you can devote your free time to enjoyable activities and provide numerous benefits for your landscape. Regular Landscaping ServicesOne of the biggest advantages of hiring a professional landscape service in NJ is the consistency of regular lawn care and landscaping services throughout the year. When you hire a professional landscape company to take care of your landscaping needs, you can expect regular, reliable service come rain or shine. A knowledgeable, skilled landscape crew will be assigned to your home on a weekly basis. They will take care of your lawn care, maintenance and landscaping needs as scheduled, per your contract agreement terms. Regular lawn care and maintenance services typically include:
Outdoor Pest Control ServicesIf you are looking for a way to prevent unwanted mosquitos, fleas and ticks in your landscape year-round, Borst Landscape has a natural, organic pest control solution that will work in your yard. Small insects like mosquitos, fleas and ticks are difficult to see and can invade your lawn. Borst’s environmentally-friendly sprays are safe for your family and pets. Organic Lawn Care ServicesOrganic lawn care promotes root growth with natural aeration in your lawn that helps to control weeds by improving the soil conditions. Custom organic nutrient mixtures promote healthy root systems, increase plant stability and add protection from lawn diseases and harmful insects that can quickly destroy a beautiful lawn. Your plants, shrubs and trees will also benefit from organic lawn care services. Organic fertilization will add nutrients to your existing soil that promote strong, healthy root systems and foliage. Plants, shrubs and trees will grow faster and be less susceptible to fungal diseases, insects and outdoor pests that can cause significant damages to your landscape. Strong, stable roots will allow your plants, shrubs and trees to tolerate environmental stress from extreme weather conditions like sun, heat and drought in the spring and summer, as well as snow, ice and freezing temperatures which are common in Northern NJ winters. Design and Build ServicesAnother great benefit of hiring a qualified professional for your landscape services in NJ is design and build services. Adding special outdoor features to your home will boost curb appeal and property value, create outdoor entertaining areas and enhance comfortable outdoor atmosphere. Just imagine adding some or all of these great outdoor features to your Bergen County landscape: Outdoor KitchenWhether you prefer a fun cookout with the kids or an elegant dinner with friends, an outdoor kitchen is a wonderful outdoor feature for any Northern NJ home. When you build an outdoor kitchen, you can select a gas grill, electric grill, wood-fired grill or hybrid-fired grill that cooks with gas, charcoal and wood. Depending on your needs and budget, you can also select from a variety of outdoor kitchen appliances including cook tops, side burners, rotisseries, smokers, deep fryers, pizza ovens, griddles and warming drawers. You can also install under-counter refrigerators, ice makers, freezers, wine coolers and beer kegerators. Convenient kitchen accessories include sinks, dishwashers, blenders, storage drawers and cabinets, cutting boards, trash bins, lighting and cooking utensils. Outdoor Fireplace or Fire PitAn outdoor fireplace or fire pit will add immediate outdoor ambiance to your Bergen County back yard. There’s nothing better than gathering around a warm, cozy fire after dinner or roasting marshmallows with the kids on a quiet summer night. Whether you choose a custom-built fireplace for the patio or terrace or a simple fire pit for the backyard, your family and friends will love relaxing around a beautiful, crackling fire. An outdoor fireplace or fire pit is an outdoor feature that you will enjoy for many years through every season. Talk to your landscape contractor about the differences in fireplace and fire pit requirements such as building permits, utility expenses and other restrictions that may impact your landscape services in NJ. Swimming Pool and SpaSwimming pools and spas can be designed and built in various sizes and shapes with beautiful custom features like water slides, waterfalls, fountains, underwater jets and lighting, tanning ledges and steps. If you have a large back yard, a rectangular or square-shaped pool can be built larger and deeper. For a small yard, an oval- shaped pool or a lap pool will take up less yard space. A heated pool and spa will allow you to enjoy the outdoors all year, even during a cold New Jersey fall and winter. Outdoor Waterfall or FountainBuilding an outdoor waterfall or fountain in your backyard will immediately create an outdoor atmosphere of tranquility and a special landscape focal point. Imagine the relaxing sounds of water trickling down a beautiful custom waterfall or fountain in your landscape. There are many options for style and materials, as well as sizes and shapes. If you want to conserve water and save money, ask your contractor to add a pump that re-circulates water or connects to some type of irrigation system for your landscape. Outdoor Driveway and WalkwaysIn the front yard, a pristine driveway and walkway bordered by beautiful plants or flowers and landscape lighting will create a welcoming ambiance and boost curb appeal. In the back yard, a custom walkway will provide visual interest, texture and color to the landscape. Landscape LightingLandscape lighting is a simple, inexpensive outdoor feature that will have a big impact on your landscape. When the sun goes down, it will highlight interesting architectural materials and features on your house, create soft, inviting atmosphere in your landscape and provide extra safety around your home. Retaining WallsRetaining walls require specialized construction knowledge, so it’s best to hire a reputable, experience landscape contractor like Borst Landscape & Design who has built them before. It’s important that the wall is built high enough, strong enough and with proper materials to ensure that it does not crack or collapse under pressure. The post The Best Landscape Services for Your NJ Home – 2019 appeared first on Borst Landscape & Design. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2O5Tomf By Christine Menapace From financial pundits to environmentalists, most seem to agree that water, particularly in its use, management, and distribution, is the new gold. Water scarcity is the fourth global risk in terms of impact to society, reports the World Economic Forum. While the situation can be one of life and death in Sub-Saharan Africa, the United States is not immune to water issues. Just ask those in Flint, MI or California. Unfortunately, the problem isn’t likely to go away anytime soon and will likely become more widespread. The Union of Concerned Scientists predicts that while some wet and warmer areas may experience heavier precipitation in the future, the periods between rains are likely to become longer, warmer, and drier. Scientists also expect the amount of land affected by drought to increase by mid-century—and water resources in affected areas to decline as much as 30%. In other words, dry areas will get drier. With landscape irrigation accounting for most of the nearly nine billion gallons of water used by U.S. residences outdoor daily, it surpasses the amount of water used for showering and washing clothes combined, according to the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense program. And in a facility, landscaping water usage can easily account for 20% or more of water consumption, according to the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG), a program of the National Institute of Building Sciences. Thus, landscapes, especially those with thirsty turfgrass, are increasingly becoming a key target for water conservation. California Water LawsNone of this is news to Californian landscapers who experienced the worst drought in the state’s history from December 2011 to March 2017. Moderate drought persisted until a wet winter this year alleviated conditions, though some parts of Southern California were still deemed “abnormally dry” as recently as this past March. By April of 2015, in reaction to the ongoing drought, former Governor Jerry Brown had imposed a 25% reduction in water usage, stating “The idea of your nice little green lawn getting watered every day, those days are past.” As a result, in July of 2015, the California Water Commission issued an updated Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO), designed to help reduce the amount of water used for landscape irrigation. Under the 2015 rules, which still apply today:
“This is another giant leap forward in responsible water use,” Esther Margulies, an instructor in the landscape architecture program at USC, told the LA Times in a July 15 article at the time. “This means people will have to get to know their California-friendly plants. They’re going to have to think more specifically about the open space around their houses.… There’s no debate: The lawn will continue to shrink.” Last year, California took it farther, with tough, new permanent water conservation rules. SB606 and AB1668 require water districts to set targets for water use by 2022, including a daily allowance of 55 gallons per person for indoor water use, and outdoor water allowances based on regional differences in climate. “In preparation for the next drought and our changing environment, we must use our precious resources wisely,” Brown said in a statement. So though California’s immediate water crisis may have had a reprieve, authorities know that challenges lie ahead, especially with a growing population. MWELO BasicsExisting laws, evolving ones, and differences within local jurisdictions have made water usage and management a key consideration for California landscape contractors. As the rest of the nation faces increasing pressure to preserve resources, what can we learn from California laws and practices? For one, the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) has embraced what it calls the “new normal.” Practices within the new normal include:
How is this achieved? Under MWELO, it starts with a signed “Landscape Documentation Package” at the design phase. “Whatever the landscape type or style, CLCA members know the key to landscape water conservation is water-efficient design, installation, and management. A water-efficient landscape design ideally includes a Grading Plan, Landscape Plan, and Irrigation plan as described in the state’s MWELO. This design should be accompanied by a Water Budget,” says CLCA. So yes, on a basic level, reduce turfgrass and plant natives, but you also need to do the math. The Water Budget involves calculating such data as the Maximum Applied Water Allowance (MAWA) and the Estimated Total Water Use (ETWU). Even plant selection under MWELO is a calculation based on the plant’s water needs relative to ETo, the evapotranspiration (ET) rate for a cool season lawn. (MWELO requires that the water budget for a landscape equals not more than 55% of ETo for most residential projects.) If this all sounds a bit confusing, it’s why groups such as CLCA offer courses on Mastering Model Water Efficient Landscapes (MWEL) as well as a CLCA Certified Water Manager program. The good news is that water use and efficiencies, once an educated guessing game, are becoming quantifiable. The Watershed ApproachAnd more landscape water-related bills are still under discussion. SB 780: Water Conservation in Landscaping Act deals largely with promoting a concept gaining momentum in California—the Watershed Approach to landscaping. It’s a developing model that considers every garden, regardless of size or location, as though it were a mini-watershed. In a healthy balanced watershed, rainwater passes through plants and soil before moving into local waterways or returning to the sky. The plants and soil make a huge sponge and filter for the rainwater, holding onto or cleaning all the water that falls onto it. The Watershed Approach was developed by G3, Green Gardens Group in Los Angeles, CA, a group of landscape professionals dedicated to creating, promoting, and educating about sustainable landscapes. In fact, G3’s development of the Watershed Wise Landscape Professional (WWLP) designation earned EPA’s 2017 WaterSense Professional Certifying Organization Partner of the Year. Pamela Berstler, CEO and co-founder of G3 and a former licensed landscape design/build contractor, has also received personal accolades for her work in sustainable landscaping and the Watershed Approach. “The fundamental rule for CA landscapers is: thou shalt not waste water. MWELO addresses the efficiency of the landscape system’s use of [irrigation]… we’re waking up to the idea that water budgeting is the only way we can achieve conservation,” says Berstler. But what’s not addressed in MWELO, she says, is how the landscape holds and retains rainwater. “We do active rainwater harvesting for later use through cisterns and rain barrels, but we realized that a landscape itself can give us a greater capacity for passive capture. And we end up solving common problems like polluted runoff… the landscape itself is the cistern…that is a shift for a lot of people.” These are four key elements to the Watershed Approach: 1) Build healthy, living soil; 2) Capture rainwater as a resource; 3) Select local, climate-appropriate plants and 4) Use highly efficient irrigation only when necessary. Here are some basics.
Permeable surfaces, aerating soil, and rain gardens are also effective practices within the Watershed Approach. Recycling graywater (the relatively clean waste water from baths, sinks, washing machines, and other appliances) is also being talked about in California, and while Berstler embraces this as a highly efficient means of supplemental irrigation, she emphasizes that the Watershed Approach is really about trying to avoid the need for extra water in the landscape. And it seems to be catching on. Watershed Approach principles have been adopted into guidelines to qualify for turf replacement rebates through the Metropolitan Water District (www.bewaterwise.com), says Berstler. While turf replacement is key in California, Berstler points out that the Watershed Approach is not necessarily anti-turf. “There are many climates where turf is appropriate. The Watershed Approach is a set of principles, not a dogma. It needs to be appropriate for every place,” she says. In the meantime, sustainable and water wise landscape education within California and beyond is ongoing. “Most people appreciate the beauty of a landscape, but an understanding of it as a piece of the environment is sometimes missing,” says Berstler. “Landscaping is becoming a thinking person’s business and that excites me.” Menapace is a professional freelance writer and editor with over 25 years of experience in publishing, journalism, copywriting, and marketing. Do you have a comment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below or send an e-mail to the Editor at [email protected]. The post Water Efficient Landscape Design appeared first on Turf. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2YQZg3o Contractors and organizations that have built water-saving and sustainable projects have a chance to be recognized with the Water & Sustainability Innovation Award this year. Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply and Audubon International are now accepting nominations for the 2020 Water & Sustainability Innovation Award through Sept. 13, 2019. Audubon International is a not-for-profit environmental organization that creates environmentally sustainable environments where people live, work, and play. Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply is the largest family-owned supplier of landscape and water management products in the country. The company offers products and education for irrigation and landscape, turf and land management, outdoor living, sports fields, golf and sustainable solutions. The winner of the 2020 Water & Sustainability Innovation Award will be brought to Phoenix in January for an award ceremony, and Ewing and Audubon will also produce a video about the winning project, among other prizes. The Water & Sustainability Innovation Award was created by Ewing and Audubon to recognize projects including landscapes, parks and other green spaces that contribute to more sustainable communities with an emphasis on water efficiency. There is no cost for submissions, but projects must have been supplied in part by Ewing to be eligible. The entry form and guidelines can be found at EwingIrrigation.com/award.
The Water & Sustainability Innovation Award first launched in 2018, with the Corica Park South Course renovation in Alameda, Calif. selected as the first winning project. The golf course was completely renovated with an extensive storm water collection system, water-efficient sprinklers and climatically suited turfgrass and native plants, reducing water use by about 34 million gallons per year. Two additional Awards of Distinction were also given to Katella High School in Anaheim, Calif. for its comprehensive storm water infiltration project, and to Jovial Concepts in Colorado which installed drip irrigation in 75 community garden beds saving an estimated 320,000 gallons of water per year. “We hope to see even more nominations this year to shine a spotlight on the ways companies, municipalities and other organizations are improving sustainability in communities across the U.S.,” said Doug York, president of Ewing Irrigation.
The post Award Nominations Open for Water Saving and Sustainable Projects appeared first on Turf. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2JrHUop In 1830, when the first known patent application for a lawnmower was submitted, it couldn’t have been imagined how far that piece of equipment would evolve. Such evolution is not limited to mowers, however—and extends to virtually all aspects of turf care and landscape maintenance today. That first lawnmower patent was submitted by Edwin Budding, a mechanic in Britain. But the ingenuity around that piece of equipment and the vast number of innovative products that we’ve seen developed since spans the globe. The internationally-recognized turfgrass scientist, Dr. James B Beard, says, “It is evident that for many, many hundreds of years, man has been willing to invest time and money in improving turfgrasses to achieve better functional, recreational, and aesthetic benefits. Why? Basically, turfgrasses were developed by modern civilizations in order to enhance the quality of life of humans. The more technically advanced a civilization, the more widely turfgrasses are used.” What’s more, he adds, “Grasses have effectively functioned in protecting our environment for centuries.” In “The Evolution of Turfgrass Sod,” Dr. Beard shared his extensive research into the story of the lawn’s role in fulfilling these functions. As Beard reported, “The first mechanical lawn mower was invented by Edwin Beard Budding in 1830. Invention of an effective mechanical mowing device allowed more extensive use of mowed turfgrass areas as part of ornamental gardens and larger recreational areas such as parks, the latter allowed less affluent persons to enjoy mowed lawns.” By 1890, the mass production of mechanical mowers at an affordable price made them available to the public. Beard says, “This was an era in which numerous trial-and-error approaches were attempted by practitioners to develop specific turfgrass cultural practices to improve the density and functional performance for sports, recreational, and ornamental uses.” Highlighted in this article are several companies in the industry that have grasped the opportunity to bring their products to the market in the United States and are continuing to grow their businesses. We welcome readers—product manufacturers, service providers, lawn and landscape contractors, and others—to share their Made In America connections. If you have a story to share, send a brief overview of your firm’s background to the email address listed at the end of this article. Ecologel: Water Conservation Tools Come To AmericaBased in Ocala, FL, Ecologel Solutions, LLC is a manufacturer specializing in environmentally responsible chemistries for commercial and residential application in the areas of agriculture, lawn care and surface coatings. Ecologel’s products focus on drought mitigation, dust control, fertilizers and nutrients, and algae blockers, as well as advanced hormone growth regulators for the turf care industries. Ecologel’s story actually begins outside of the U.S., with a chemist in Australia developing a unique approach to dust mitigation. This product, GelTrak®, utilizes humidity and soil moisture to minimize dusting and reduced the need for frequent watering on dirt roads, construction sites, arenas, and the like. During a dry spell, this chemist, Ron Hansen, tried GelTrak on his home lawn. After six weeks of drought, the treated section of lawn maintained its health and color while the remaining turfgrass turned brown. Hansen learned that when applied to turf and landscape plants, this same base chemistry utilizes soil moisture to minimize plant wilt and reduce the need to water lawns and gardens. At this time, Rick Irwin, President of Ecologel Solutions today, was working with Hansen to promote several of the chemist’s industrial coating products for Irwin’s company in the U.S. “Ron introduced me to Hydretain when I commented that Florida was in the midst of a severe drought,” explains Irwin. “Although water conservation had not yet become a significant topic of conversation, as it is today, I felt that this product had tremendous potential to improve landscape quality, particularly during dry periods or prolonged drought.” This was the genesis of Ecologel’s Hydretain product. In the 1990s, Hydretain was brought to the U.S., and tested at the University of Florida, where it was proven to reduce the watering requirement for ornamental plants. “After initial testing at the University of Florida proved Hydretain’s efficacy on bedding plants, I formed Ecologel USA, Inc. to move forward with manufacturing and marketing of Hydretain in the United States,” says Irwin. “ After a few years of development, and with the use of U.S.-based raw materials, we were able to strengthen Hydretain to be cost-effective for large scale turf applications. In 2012, we further developed the technology by working with U.S.-based granular formulators to develop granular options designed to improve application flexibility for landscape contractors.” In 2008, Ecologel acquired the BioPro line (developed by The Toro Company in 1994), and today the line represents nearly 30 NPK blends, biostimulants, soil remediation products, and micronutrients that are manufactured in central Florida. Last year, Ecologel partnered with Arborjet, Inc. which also has products manufactured in the U.S., including a recent advancement in trunk injection technology. The QUIK-jet Air® is machined in Woburn MA, near the Arborjet office and assembled in Woburn as well. Of this partnership, Russ Davis, CEO of Arborjet and Ecologel Solutions, says, “We were always impressed with the Ecologel technology and by combining Hydretain and CytoGro with other tree specific products, we were able to build a very high quality product for planting trees, shrubs and other plants. NutriRoot, was the first product we built together; this product is also made in the U.S. Several years later, in 2017, we began talking about our synergies. In early 2018 we came to an agreement on a full service plant-health partnership.” Altoz: A Mower Whose Time Had ComeHeadquartered in Greenbush, MN, Altoz, Inc., is a mower manufacturer relatively new to the market. Five years ago, the company entered the outdoor power equipment market by introducing its line of 15 wheeled zero-turn mowers at GIE+EXPO. The Altoz XC, XP, XE, and XR mowers comprise the company’s wheeled mower line today, and in 2017 Altoz introduced the TRX, the world’s first tracked zero-turn mower. Two models have been added to the TRX line in 2019. Featuring chassis, suspension, engine, and transmission specific to the tracked design, the TRX mowers provide the ability to mow on steeper inclines or over soft terrain that wheeled mowers may not handle safely or efficiently. Before launching Altoz, Dennis and Terri Brazier already owned Central Boiler, a successful outdoor furnace company they established in 1984. Born and raised in northwest Minnesota, Dennis was following his lifelong interest in outdoor power equipment (in fact, he built his first zero-turn mower before the boiler business). Altoz was founded with a fundamental goal of delivering something different to the market, and the company’s mowers are engineered and crafted with cutting edge features and styling. Karl Bjorkman, sales and marketing director at Altoz, says, “We manufacture commercial mowers that are used by municipalities, government entities, commercial cutters, multi-acre homeowners or farmers who are working in areas that may be more rugged than a typical suburban lawn. We’ve designed mowers with features to handle that.” The region in and around Greenbush is one familiar to the outdoor power equipment industry, with well-known industry players operating in northwest Minnesota. As a homegrown company, Altoz leadership puts high importance on supporting the local communities, and that includes employees and their families. Turning back to the equipment, the engineering, R&D, and field testing are done in-house, says Bjorkman. The company’s headquarters and manufacturing facility is 300,000 square feet, with 250 employees. Delta Systems: OEM Supplier For America’s LandscapeHeadquartered in Streetsboro, OH, Delta Systems, Delta Systems is a component supplier that designs and manufactures switches and electronic components for leading outdoor power equipment manufacturers. The company’s origins go back to 1972 when James A. Barry began designing and building switches for niche markets, mainly the outdoor power industry. The early operation was in a small garage with eight employees; today Delta Systems occupies a 133,000 square foot facility in Streetsboro, with 200 employees. Company leadership briefly considered moving overseas several years ago and ultimately decided that “overseas manufacturers were unable to achieve the level of quality and consistency that we achieve in our Ohio facility. Overseas manufacturers were also not able to offer a price improvement, validating the excellent work that we’ve achieved here in the U.S.” Delta aims to focus on the development of its employees, for the overall health of the company. Employees are offered educational reimbursement, and there are also summer internship programs for local high schools and co-op engineering programs to college students. “It sharpens all of our skills, and we are fortunate to be able to provide these opportunities,” says the company. “These activities support one of our foundational cornerstones, which is ‘collaboration.’ We have a shared commitment of pulling together as a team for each other, our customers and our community.” Looking ahead as Delta Systems approaches 50 years in business, the company is pushing toward electrification. “Listening to our customers and our own market research, most mower manufacturers either have battery-powered units or have them in their product planning,” shares the company. “As a leading solution supplier to all of the major OEMs, we have decided to make complementary versions for all of our key components, including PTO switches, ignition switches, advanced displays that will be compatible with 48V systems. We’ve been in the OPE business for more than 45 years, and we’ve honed a design-thinking approach with our customers, working closely with them to bring these new visions to fruition.” Looking ForwardAs stated by Dr. Beard in The Journal of Environmental Turfgrass, “Through education about proper turf grass selection, irrigation equipment selection and use, man can also realize increased benefits from turfgrass. That little grass plant most of us take for granted may help make this planet more liveable, especially if we learn to give it a chance to give us all of the benefits it is capable of.” And it’s interesting to see what Made in America equipment is capable of with the right mix of knowledge, ingenuity, and experience. Cosgrove is Editor-in-Chief of Turf magazine and is interested in hearing from product and service providers, as well as lawn care operators and landscape contractors about their Made In America background stories. Send an email to [email protected]. Do you have a comment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below or send an email to the Editor at [email protected]. The post Made In America: Homegrown Power Behind Turf Care appeared first on Turf. via RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2XBsCWZ |