The annual Lawncology event covered more than just green grass and dead weeds, although that was a common refrain throughout the event.
“My whole point to this was to bring in the business aspect along with the plant and soil science to give everyone a better view of the industry and then create working peer groups between attendees, so it’s more of a free-flowing informational seminar,” said John Perry, president, CEO and founder of Greene County Fertilizer Co.
This year’s event took place Jan. 29-31 in Athens, Ga., and saw about 130 attendees from around the U.S.
Topics during the conference included humic acids, turfgrass insects and weeds, state inspections, lawn diseases, liquid aeration, fertilizer restrictions, overcoming obstacles to business growth and more.
While some attendees have attended the event for six years, others joined the 2020 event as first-timers, including Rob Treppendahl, owner of Treppendahl Landscape near Baton Rouge, La.
“I want to be an expert in my market. I want to understand what’s happening and why, as well as all the soil science behind it,” Treppendahl said.
Other attendees, such as Justin Wagler, owner of Wagler Lawn Care in Evansville, Ind., and Josiah Thornton, owner of Thornton Advantage Lawn Care in Stone Mountain, Ga., hope to expand the turf and ornamental side and shrink the maintenance portion of their businesses within the coming years.
Apart from the education sessions, attendees also had the opportunity to tour Greene County Fertilizer Co.’s headquarters in Greensboro, Ga., and network with lawn care peers during meal times and happy hours.
Perry said he hopes attendees will continue to communicate with one another once they’ve gone back to their respective businesses.
“One of the biggest things missing in lawn care is there isn’t enough business-to-business sharing,” Perry said. “People tend to think they need to keep their stuff secret, and I think that restricts growth. In here, we have people from around the country you can lean into, from smaller companies to huge enterprises,” “I would encourage small business owners who aren’t part of groups or peer networks or associations to get involved so they can start those relationships.”
The 2021 Lawncology event is set for Feb. 3-5 in Athens, Ga.
