AED Foundation & SkillsUSA Illinois Support Skilled Trades
Jessica Schwartz
Adding Design-Build Services
If you have a turf maintenance company, you may notice additional revenue opportunities on client properties that you wish you could take advantage of. However, you might feel unsure of the skill sets needed to take on those projects successfully. All landscape services are not created equal. As a matter of fact, running a maintenance business is quite different from running an installation business. And design, that’s a whole different animal. So how do companies find success in doing all three? As the founder of The Garden Continuum, Inc., a Medfield, MA based landscape design-build & fine gardening firm, I’m a firm believer in skill building by way of academic training, industry certifications, and aligning with professional associations. But I’m also an audacious entrepreneur. I’ve taken on projects that I was not yet fully trained to do. At some point, you have to make that leap into new challenges, but your approach makes all the difference. Here are some tips on the right way to build the skills you need to grow your business in 2020. First, it’s important to hold each of these landscape service skill sets in high regard. You can push the envelope and get curious about what services you can take on yourself provided you’re also honoring the expertise of individuals that are running businesses that specialize in these segments of the industry. Just as I know that I could aerate and slice seed a lawn if asked, I’m also clear that I’m neither an expert ...
Turf Spring 2020 Issue
Editor’s Letter: Where Will You Grow This Year? Keeping customer lawns and landscapes green and healthy keeps your business in “the green” and healthy, too. As you know, the right equipment is king. Buying the best mowers, for instance, is central to successful lawn care. Then, operating and maintaining that investment delivers satisfaction to your clients—and as a result, to you. This issue includes insights on buying mowers any time of year (page 12) and on pages 37-38, you’ll see a selection of mowers on the market (then click here for more new mower product coverage). Meanwhile, as you look to expand the level and scope of your services in 2020, you’ll find several articles in this issue to help in this journey. Are you thinking about exploring design-build business? Read the article that begins on page 6 to learn how one business owner made the move. Do you offer tree selection and planting services? A certified arborist shares a straightforward approach to working with customers (article begins on page 33). In this business, the weather and environmental factors have a significant impact, and as you’ve surely experienced those conditions are changing from years past. Turn to page 20 to read about a university team’s observations on herbicide use and effectiveness, and some observations on weather impacts. Plant disease is not new, but the practical advice provided by a horticulturist on caring for two garden classics (page 31) may arm your team with new tools against this challenge. Editor-in-Chief, Turf ...
Reviving A River With Landscape Design
There’s something about moose being one of the bigger challenges of a project that signals this isn’t an average landscape job. And, the Blue River Habit and Restoration project carried out in 2017 in Colorado certainly was not ordinary. Skiers likely recognize Breckenridge, CO for its world-class peaks, but what the snow covers in the winter doesn’t necessarily look quite as glorious come spring. Located just west of the Continental Divide, this area was originally settled by miners who stripped the land and left piles of rocky waste in their path. Work has been ongoing for more than two decades to clean up the rubble and improve fishing along the Blue River, which drains the area and provides drinking water for the Denver metro area. In fact, the 2017 version of the river restoration project earned a silver award for the Eagle, CO office of Rocky Mountain Custom Landscapes, Inc. This award was part of the 2018 Awards of Excellence (ACE) for the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). Brian Wells, Rocky Mountain Custom Landscapes’ construction manager for that segment of the project, says the goal was to create a natural park setting where people can hike along the Blue River north of the Breckenridge central business area and restore a stretch of the river along Coyne Valley Road and Colorado Highway 9. “We were recommended by (Denver-based) DHM Design, who did the overall design,” says Wells. “We had done some work with them over in the Aspen area. It ...
What’s Hot This Year? Top Five Landscape Trends For 2019
What do pergolas, pink, and metals have in common? They all make an appearance on the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ (NALP) official list of the top lawn and landscape trends of 2019. Drawing upon the expertise of the industry’s 1 million landscape, lawn care, irrigation and tree care professionals, NALP annually predicts trends that will influence the design and maintenance of backyards across America. “Homeowners yearn for beautiful outdoor spaces without the hassle of upkeep. With the rise of multifunctional landscape design and automated processes, consumers can spend more time enjoying their landscapes than ever before,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs, NALP. “This year’s trends reflect current lifestyle preferences as well as innovations happening in the industry that are transforming landscapes across the country.” The following five trends will influence outdoor spaces this year, according to NALP: Two-in-one landscape design. Functional elements are no longer a perk, but rather a necessity in today’s landscapes, as consumers desire stunning outdoor features that have been cleverly designed to serve a dual tactical purpose. An edible vertical garden on a trellis that acts as a privacy fence, a retaining wall that includes built-in seating for entertaining, and colorful garden beds that divide properties all combine function and style. Automated lawn and landscape maintenance. The latest technology and equipment allow tasks to be more streamlined and environmentally efficient than ever before. Robotic lawn mowers continue to rise in popularity among both homeowners and landscape professionals, and programmable irrigation systems and ...
Sealing And Dealing: Restoring Pavers With SEK-Surebond
Maintaining hardscapes has become a valuable add-on service for many landscape design/build companies as of late. While many surfaces installed these days, whether natural stone or concrete, can last years, if not decades, wear and tear can show through over time. Jim Scocozza, owner of Pennsylvania-based The Paver Savers Inc., said he’s started using a sealer on his projects. “We’ve worked with new installations and hardscapes that have considerable age. For new installs, we can protect the beauty of the surface. We can also restore older hardscapes to bring them back to life,” he says about using a sealer. “Either way, there is a real ‘wow factor’ when we are done.” SEK-Surebond, a 25-year-old company that offers hardscape installation products, acquired Surebond in 2010. This 30-year-old company manufactures sealers, cleaners and adhesive products for hardscapes, as well as joint stabilizing sealers and a line of sealers, cleaners and stain-blocking products in various finishes. Since leading sealer vendors will provide training on the application of such products, savvy contractors can pick up this add-on service to offer customers and extend the life of new installations, but also expand opportunities in restoring older projects. “Generally speaking, homeowners are not aware of the need to clean and seal,” Scocozza says. “Contractors can also be hesitant to offer the services because they lack experience, training and knowledge.” Scocozza acknowledges the learning curve involved. Some common difficulties associated with sealers include over-application of the sealer or applying it in poor weather. Moisture, for example, can ...
