Turf April 2022 Issue

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Editor’s Letter: April 2022 Issue

“It’s not that easy being green.” – Kermit The Frog

Turf February 2022 Issue

Perhaps no one empathizes with Kermit right now better than lawn and landscape professionals. Everywhere one turns today there is new green legislation targeting the Green Industry—an irony lost on no one. Gas-powered equipment, neonicotinoids, and even amounts of turfgrass are increasingly being scrutinized for their effects on the environment. It’s a tough position to be in—especially for a group of professionals who love the outdoors so much, they chose it as their workplace.

Yet even as work methods and profit sheets hang in the balance, most seem to agree we can do better. And there are those blazing a path for the rest to follow: such as McCoy Horticultural’s commitment to sustainable practices; the use of robotic mowers by Langton Group and others; Southern Landscape Pro’s recycling of yard waste into organic soil; and J.M. Baker Company’s use of a solar charging station co-developed by former University of Tennessee Turf Manager Matthew Layne to support robotic mowers. Then there are the equipment manufacturers, too, who are pushing out bigger and better battery-powered options in an effort to meet the more rigorous demands of commercial users.

It’s a lot to take in and we currently stand in the crossroads. Turf’s first issue on Sustainability was an examination of best practices. Just one year later, this issue’s coverage feels more urgent. There’s likely a curve ahead and you can choose to be ahead of it, or behind it. But roadmaps exist and opportunity abounds for those who want it. Staying informed and getting involved in industry advocacy is one way to ensure a variety of routes and rest stops along the way. Even Kermit, whose green lament is well known, followed up with this: “But green’s the color of spring. And green can be cool and friendly-like. And green could be big, like an ocean, or important like a mountain, or tall like a tree.” Big ideas from a small frog on the importance of perspective when faced with a challenge.

Turf issue

 

 

 

Managing Editor, Turf
cmenapace@groupc.com


Turf April 2022 Issue | Table of Contents

Turf April 2022 Issue

Bans, Laws & Legislation | A New Jersey ban on neonicotinoids, a California ban on gas-powered equipment, and local blower bans are having large impacts on the industry.

Journey To Sustainability | Richard McCoy and his team at McCoy Horticultural have practiced sustainable landscaping since 2005. Here’s why they made the transition and the results.

The Robots Are Here! | But who’s using them and how? Hear from landscape firms leading the “charge” on robotic mowers.

Get Equipped: Battery Power

Creating A Culture Of Safety | Learn the strategies Ruppert Landscape has in place to protect workers on the job.

Seeding & Fertilization | Spring overseeding tips for the best chance of success.

5 Trends In Landscaper Workwear | Gemplers reports in on the latest performance brands, styles, and truly breathable rain gear.

Get Equipped: Workwear And Gear

Yard Waste Recycling | Southern Landscape Pros creates a closed loop system of collecting lawn debris, transforming it to organic soil, and applying it back to customer lawns.

My Landscape | A Turf Manager co-invents a solar charging solution for robotic mowers: Powershed.