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Author: Sarah Webb

Sarah Webb

Sarah Webb

Sarah Webb is Landscape Management's former managing editor. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University, where she studied journalism and Spanish. Prior to her role at LM, Sarah was an intern for Cleveland Magazine and a writing tutor.

People on the Move: Ruppert Landscape promotes branch manager; Profile Products hires director of business development; Little Beaver welcomes new product engineer

Ruppert Landscape promoted Kyle Meissner to branch manager in the company’s Forestville, Md., landscape management branch. Meissner holds an associate degree in business administration from Carroll Community College and is a Landscape Industry Certified Technician (CLT). He began his career at Ruppert in 2013 as a crew member in the Laytonsville branch, where he was […]

Basement courtyard (Photo: MRD Landscaping)

Hardscape Solutions: Landscaping in layers

Location: Vancouver, Canada Company: MRD Landscaping While tackling a small basement courtyard may seem like a challenge, it was no match for the team at MRD Landscaping. “To maximize this small basement courtyard is to make every inch count,” says Frank Shang, owner of MRD Landscaping. The team also had to contend with poor existing […]

Cut the cord: What’s new in cordless equipment

Landscape Management attended the Home Depot Spring Backyard event and learned what companies are bringing forth cordless innovations to the market.

Companies in the News: Case celebrates 50 years of skid-steers; Kohler Co. moves engine manufacturing plant and more from Davey Tree and Husqvarna

Case Construction Equipment celebrated 50 years of skid-steer manufacturing with a ceremony on April 3 at its Wichita, Kan., plant. Case first built skid-steers in 1969 at its Burlington, Iowa, facility, before eventually moving production to Wichita. “Skid-steers completely transformed the construction equipment landscape, and Case has played a leading role in the evolution and […]

Photo: iStock.com/petarlackovic

Experts’ Tips: Safely mowing steep grades

The challenge: How can landscape pros insure safety when mowing on slopes and steep grades?

Photo: iStock.com/Pinkypills

Irrigation distributor partnership tips

What to consider before partnering with an irrigation distributor

People on the Move: Aquatrols appoints territory manager; ASV Holdings promotes new testing manager; Primera adds director of member engagement

Aquatrols, manufacturer of soil surfactants and related technologies, has appointed Jay Lewis as its newest U.S. territory manager. In his new role, Lewis will be responsible for overseeing the company’s business in the Pacific Northwest region including western Canada and Hawaii. Lewis joins the Aquatrols team from Textron Specialized Vehicles where he worked most recently […]

People on the Move: Davey names new district manager; Hunter’s industry relations manager announces retirement; Ruppert promotes 3

The Davey Tree Expert Co. promoted Eric Countryman to district manager of the east Pittsburgh residential/commercial (R/C) office. “Eric has a strong resume and a history with many great operations and managers that will serve him well in his new role,” said Jeff Crites, operations manager, Great Lakes east R/C region. “I’m confident that he […]

Striping with a walk-behind (Photo: iStock.com/Nastco)

Experts’ Tips: Striping using a walk-behind

The Challenge: Striping using a walk-behind John Deere Carl Agee Product marketing manager DO ensure the mower is equipped with a striping kit and that it provides smooth steering, allowing the operator to maintain straight lines. DO keep cut widths consistent on each pass and keep in mind that varying the applied pressure will change […]

Companies in the News: ASV Holdings adds more dealers to its network; Isuzu celebrates 35th anniversary in U.S.; and more from Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado, Kioti Tractor and Case

ASV Holdings added several new dealers to its dealer network in Q4 of 2018: R&S Industries, Robin Rents and Kruseman Implement, plus new locations for Heavy Machines, Buckeye Power Sales and Delta Power Equipment. “At ASV, we understand that the customer experience starts with the dealer,” said Justin Rupar, ASV vice president of sales and […]

Crew member changing air filter (Photo: Ruppert Landscape)

In-house maintenance musts

Grease-stained hands, deflated tires and broken belts are just a few images that come to mind when discussing mower maintenance. For many landscape companies, mower maintenance amounts to much more. “Mowers are the most important piece of equipment for a company,” says Marc Fisher, mid-Atlantic region general manager for BrightView Landscape Services in Sterling, Va. […]

People on the Move: SiteOne elects new director to its board; OPEI appoints members to its board of directors; Davey appoints new operations vp; and more from WorkWave and Munro

SiteOne Landscape Supply’s board of directors has nominated Larisa J. Drake to be elected as a director at the company’s annual meeting of stockholders on May 15. “We are excited to announce the nomination of Larisa Drake to our board,” said Doug Black, chairman and CEO of SiteOne Landscape Supply. “Her wealth of experience in […]

The Domain (Greg Yount, Native Land Design)

The Big One: No small feat

Company: Native Land Design Location: Austin, Texas With 800 luxury residential units, 120 stand-alone landscape containers, 100 high-end retail stores and two acres of turf, The Domain poses several maintenance challenges. Based in Cedar Park, Texas, Native Land Design is up to the task and has been since it started maintaining the popular retail center […]

Handheld tool (Photo: Honda Engines)

Fuel for thought

Gasoline has served as the go-to fuel option for many years when it comes to handheld equipment. However, the recent rise of battery-powered equipment — and subsequent use of propane-powered generators to recharge that equipment — has stoked the number of choices landscape contractors have at their fingertips. Gas ’em up While gasoline-powered equipment no […]

Blue Skies of Texas lake (Photo: Clean Scapes)

The Big One: Out of the Blue

Location: San Antonio Company: Clean Scapes A call out of the blue was what it took for Clean Scapes, a landscape firm in San Antonio, to win the maintenance contract for the Blue Skies of Texas retirement community in 2009. Clean Scapes Principal Brett Nichols says he made the cold call after he found out […]

Kubota mower (Photo: Kubota)

Cutting Edge

Andrew Morse of Belknap Landscape Co. in Gilford, N.H., compares operating a mower from a few decades ago to driving a tank. Paul Fraynd, co-owner of Sun Valley Landscaping in Omaha, Neb., jokes that the machines’ seats resembled those found in football stadiums. Stephen Crowell, director of Maui operations for SGS Hawaii in Maui and […]

Experts’ Tips: Stand-on mowers

Stand-on mowers Bob-Cat Co. Ron Scheffler Senior product manager When working with stand-on mowers, make sure to plan for fuel fill-ups. Whether you have a reserve tank or a fuel gauge on your mower, always make fuel checks part of your daily routine. This includes having an emergency gas can on your trailer. When you […]

The Grounds Guys crew and equipment (Photo: The Grounds Guys)

A road map for franchising

For contractors who want to scale their business but feel stuck in a rut, franchising may be a viable route to consider. Franchising is also an option for startup landscapers, who may need help learning how to run an effective business and understanding the ins and outs of the green industry. “The franchise system is […]

PCT walkway (Photo: LandCare)

The Big One: Class A act

Location: El Segundo, Calif. Company: LandCare, Culver City Originally a strawberry patch, Pacific Corporate Towers (PCT) is a Class A commercial office space, located between the Los Angeles International Airport and the Pacific Ocean. The LEED Gold property is home to more than 90 tenants. LandCare has maintained the site since November 2009. It secured […]

Navistar trucks (Photo: Navistar)

A truckload of tips and trends

Purchasing a new landscape vehicle can be a weighty decision. That’s why we spoke with experts Chad Semler, director of product marketing for medium duty at Navistar, and Brian Tabel, executive director of marketing at Isuzu, to get the lowdown on purchasing new vehicles. The first factor for contractors to consider is the truck’s application, […]

Fountain (Photo: Blue Thumb)

Wonders of water

The outdoor living boom has created demand for water features to swell in recent years. “People are drawn to water and naturally enjoy sitting by and listening to it,” says Demi Fortuna, director of product information at Atlantic Water Gardens, a water feature manufacturer based in Mantua, Ohio. Water features can be a smart add-on […]

SafetyWatch in Spanish: Safely sharpen blades

The following is a Spanish version of SafetyWatch from the October 2018 issue of Landscape Management. It discusses blade sharpening safety. Find the original SafetyWatch in English here or see page 16 of the magazine. Afilar las cuchillas seguramente Hay ciertas cosas que debe recordar cuando esté afilando la cuchilla de sus herramientas. Asegúrese que […]

Employee appreciation picnic (Photo: Color Burst Landscapes)

‘Burst’ of growth: Color Burst by the numbers

Brian Edwards, partner at Color Burst Landscapes in Brentwood, Tenn., began his career at McDonald’s, starting out as a burger flipper and ascending to area field consultant by the end of his tenure. With dreams of owning his own business, he bought Color Burst Landscapes in 2003 with his business partner, Frank Chalfont. Armed with […]

Destination Companies unite at Nashville event

One landscaper shared his experience of running a debt-free company. One discussed his company’s initiative to hire veterans in response to the troublesome labor issue. Another brought up her company’s decision to hire a bilingual HR specialist to serve as the go-between for Hispanic employees. Despite the differences, all these companies had one thing in […]

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