Solutions Center
1 Apr, 2006 By: Jeff Howard Landscape ManagementToo many plant replacement calls? Take a "bio" lesson from this Maine company
Chris Benn, one of the owners of North Yarmouth, ME's, Anderson Landscaping, knows that healthy plants lead to happy customers. Through an innovative mix of conventional planning and cutting-edge biological technology, Benn's suburban Portland business has found a method to reduce the amount of maintenance needed to keep plants healthy.
 Anderson Landscaping uses biological technology to give its customers healthier plants and lower maintenance costs. The company benefits too with fewer callbacks. |
Anderson Landscaping's secret to success begins with customer consideration.
"We start by choosing what plants and trees we'll be installing," Benn says. "Some clients have every single item picked out, but others just have a general idea of what they want."
The company recently put together a "Plant Book," that containing photos and descriptions of all available plants and trees. That helps a lot.
 The conifer on the left shows the positive effects of Roots Transplant 1-Step on the root mass. |
"It's like a dictionary," says Kristy LeClair, an Anderson Landscaping office manager who embraced the project. "People can see what a plant or a tree will look like; there are only so many ways to describe a leaf."
Photos of buds and blossoms, as well as the whole plant, are included, in addition to a size description. There's also a note about the roles different plants serve, such as a focal point or as an attractive border plant.
"After a client chooses what they want, it's up to us to make them look good," says LeClair.
Of course, each planting environment is unique. While sunlight is often a first consideration, other factors are taken into account before planting. Anderson Landscaping believes thoroughly analyzing the soil is vital, since it will have dramatic effects on the plants.
LeClair gives an example with hydrangeas.
"A more acidic soil will make the flowers more blue," she says. "Depending on what color you want your flowers, we can add elements to the soil to affect [things like] that."
The Problem: Ornamentals often need heavy maintenance or replacing
Commercial clients make up 40% of Benn's business. "With commercial clients, no one's going to be taking care of these plants and trees unless we send a crew," she says. "We guarantee our plants for a year, so we have to send back crews to water and replace the plants that start to look unattractive. "
The company looked for ways to keep plants healthier.
"I tried soil moisturizers," she says, "but they hold so much water that it gives the plants root rot. I also used a liquid root stimulant, but it was really expensive. It would bring back a plant great, but the plant would still wilt and stress."
The Solution: A versatile biological
The company found that the use of biostimulants and mycorrhiza can improve a plant's chances of survival. Mycorrhiza improve soil nutrients and moisture uptake and increase the plant's tolerance to a wide variety of environmental extremes, even in less-than-ideal soil types. Biostimulant technology improves plant growth and health by helping to supply the plant with the nonnutritional resources needed to grow, stay healthy and remain vigorous. Both technologies help plants establish and enhance roots and increase stress tolerance.
One product in particular has helped Benn and her team keep plants looking great.
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