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Author: Danielle Pesta

Danielle Pesta

Danielle Pesta

Danielle Pesta is the senior digital media manager at Landscape Management's parent company, North Coast Media. She started writing for the green industry in 2014 and has won multiple awards from the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA). She can be reached at dpesta@northcoastmedia.net.

Photo: Control Solutions Inc.

Webinar to cover intricacies of pesticide labels

On April 1, Dr. Janis Reed, BCE, will present the webinar “Labels: Beyond the Basics” in conjunction with LM’s sibling magazine, Pest Management Professional.

A wet spring in many parts of the country hindered some landscape companies. (Photo: Willowpix/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images)

LM 2019 Industry Pulse: Weather report

During 2019, landscape professionals had to contend with whatever weather Mother Nature provided, which varied across the country.

MORE MOW TIME Airless radial tires help eliminate downtime on mowers and reduce many maintenance costs. (Photo: Exmark)

Increase efficient mowing with airless radial tires

Airless radial tires aim to keep mowers in the field and out of the shop so landscape contractors can have more productive and efficient mowing.

Tropical plants line the park's lazy river and show the plants' proximity to the chlorine-filled water. (Photo: Steven Wagner)

The Big One: An indoor paradise

Location Monticello, N.Y. Company Wagner Landscaping New York’s Catskill Mountains are home to a tropical paradise. Even during the winter, guests at the Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark enjoy a warm climate with lush landscaping. Since opening in March 2019, Wagner Landscaping has maintained the property’s indoor and outdoor landscape. Owner Steven Wagner says the […]

At Briggs & Stratton’s facility in Sherrill, N.Y., Richey Plemons saw firsthand how Ferris machines are built. He credits the opportunity to the nearly 7,000 followers of his YouTube channel. (Photo: Richey Plemons)

Brand U: Finding Ferris

Richey Plemons appreciates equipment that can withstand just about anything. That’s why his company, Plemons Lawn & Landscape in Chatsworth, Ga., uses Ferris. “I’m always willing to push the equipment to its limits,” he says. “We now use a stand-on unit for hills that we wouldn’t normally put a machine on other than a walk-behind.” […]

Pacific Landscape Management’s crew uses Oregon’s 120V Professional Series on a job site in Beaverton, Ore. (Photo: Oregon Outdoor Power Equipment)

Charged up: The future of battery-powered equipment

Manufacturers share upcoming trends and predictions for battery-powered equipment that landscape contractors need to know.

After Hurricane Harvey, the office building closed due to flooding and other issues, which affected the retention of tenants. The client's intent was to renovate the landscaping as quickly as possible. Photo: Bryan Malloch

Recovering a property after Hurricane Harvey

Location Sugar Land, Texas Company Lawn Management Co. In 2017, when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, the Sugar Creek on the Lake office complex received severe rain. “We had a year’s worth of rain in three days,” says Adam Purnell, branch manager at Lawn Management Co. (LMC). The property was underwater for six days, he says. […]

Photo: Oregon Outdoor Power Equipment

Durability drives production for handheld equipment

Landscape contractors need reliable and durable handheld equipment, says Jack Easterly, product manager for professional handheld products at Husqvarna. “Landscaping is a productivity-based profession, and getting work done the fastest is at the top of contractors’ minds,” Easterly says. “The goal with battery equipment is to be able to substitute tool by tool and not […]

Photo: Hunter Griffith

Brand U: Choose equipment with a support system

Hunter Griffith says his company stays loyal to Hustler Turf because of great dealer support. Griffith founded Simply Green Lawn Care & Landscaping in 2018 and the Nicholasville, Ky.-based company has used Hustler equipment since the beginning. Griffith says his local dealer, HUS Equipment, ensures he receives reliable service and helps him maintain consistent production. […]

Photo: Brendan Sheehan, Town and Gardens, Ltd. staff

Installing an irrigation system out of sight

Location New York City Company Town & Gardens Ltd. Installing irrigation on a 14th-floor roof terrace comes with challenges. But Town & Gardens had additional obstacles to face, according to Design Director Brendan Sheehan. “The irrigation system had to be retrofitted under an existing porcelain paving system,” he says. Along with the low-volume drip irrigation […]

Irrigation installation (Photo: Brittany Carr Seely)

Water World: Climate conquered

Location: Palmdale, Calif. Company: Stay Green California’s High Desert climate makes for a challenging work environment. Dave Colburn and his crew confronted extreme weather conditions while installing an irrigation system for a community in Palmdale, Calif. Four full-time crew members installed 78,000 feet of Rain Bird XFS tubing to replace existing sprayheads. Varying temperatures made […]

(Photo: David J. Frank Landscape Contracting)

Route to safety: Vehicle inspection checklist

Landscape crews are constantly on the road traveling to the next job site. Efficient routing is important for production, but maintaining safety during a route may be even more vital. Not only could crew members be at risk, but downtime on the road will result in a loss in production. David J. Frank Landscape Contracting, […]

Maintenance project (Photo: David Brown)

The Big One: Creating community

Location: Stafford, Va. Company: Heritage Landscape Services Spending time outside with family and friends is better in a well-maintained landscape. Creating the perfect place to unwind is the goal of Heritage Landscape Services (HLS) for all of its clients, including Embrey Mill, a “community-driven neighborhood” where the firm maintains more than 285 acres of open […]

Adapt safety to growth

Company growth and expansion means systems and processes need to accommodate growth. The safety training at Signature Coast Holdings (SCH) is getting a refresh. The company formed from a merger about two years ago with Signature Landscapes, based in Reno, Nev., and Coast Landscape Management, based in Napa, Calif. With nearly 600 employees under the […]

Doing things right: Where safety starts

Holding team members accountable for their actions can enforce safety protocols. Sometimes, accountability means punishment for not following the rules. But there’s another way to implement safety standards. Brandon Rushing, president and founder of B. Rushing Lawn & Landscaping, rewards his employees for maintaining safety standards and incentivizes safety among his crew leaders with recognition. […]

Train for safety

Creating a culture of safety starts with communication and training. Todd Meyer, vice president of operations at Clarence Davids & Co., headquartered in Matteson, Ill., says there are many facets to safety. “Our focus is always on the safety of our employees, our clients and the general public,” he says. “That’s first and foremost.” With […]

The dedicated safety team at Park West ensures crews get home safely every day. (Photo: Park West)

Safety: The most valuable time investment

Park West Cos. — a West Coast landscape contracting firm headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. — values safety so much that it has a dedicated safety department for its more than 1,600 employees. The safety culture spans across divisions throughout California, as well as Las Vegas. The man in charge of it all is […]

Taking a preventive approach to dealing with grubs is often the most effective control method. Photo: Bayer

Get grubs gone

Here are a few tips for controlling European chafers and Japanese beetles, two prevalent types of grubs lawn care operators may encounter.

PRIME WINDOW Dallisgrass typically rears its ugly head the most in June, July and August. Photo: Syngenta

Dominate postemergent dallisgrass

Manage dallisgrass, one of the most aggressive grassy weeds that lawn care operators face, with postemergent persistence.

Steve Cianci, Case Construction Equipment

People on the Move: Case names North American VP, Fecon appoints CEO, and more from NALP, Bayer and The Harvest Group

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Case names North American VP, Fecon appoints CEO, NALP announces board of directors nominees, and more from Bayer and The Harvest Group.

Skid-steer (Photo: Bobcat)

Experts’ Tips: Selecting the right attachments for skid-steers

Choosing the right equipment and attachments gives contractors better efficiency and versatility on the job. James Jones, operations manager at the Phoenix branch of Gothic Landscape, says using skid-steer attachments helps save labor. “We are in such a labor crisis that if we can add more equipment, maybe instead of having eight crew members, we […]

The Vermeer campus after the July 2018 tornado. (Photo: Vermeer)

National news roundup

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We take a quick look at the industry news happening around the nation over the past month that landscape contractors should be aware of.

Photo: Corteva Agriscience

Better manage Poa annua

It’s time to stand up to that widespread weed, Poa annua. Read on for some management tips from experts at Corteva and Quali-Pro.

Photo: Dean Mosdell, Syngenta

Bug off: Treat and control billbugs

Technical managers from Syngenta and Nufarm share management advice for billbugs, one of the most widespread and damaging insects for turfgrass.

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