May 2015

Mole patrol

May 18, 2015By
Photo: Tuff Turf Molebusters

Michigan company makes a name for itself with unique ideas and high-quality service. Jim Zylstra recalls his foremen being less than enthusiastic about driving the company’s new fleet of vehicles. After all, each bright green and orange car, truck and van has a giant, helmet-wearing mole mounted to its top. But even the most skeptical crew member had to acknowledge... read more

Big Picture: Lighting virtuoso

May 17, 2015By

LOCATION: Bedford, N.Y. COMPANY: Cipriano Landscape Design, Mahwah, N.J. THE DETAILS: To the company’s knowledge, this is the first project ever to incorporate glass tile and fiber optic lighting in a swimming pool design. It all started with the client’s vision for a pool in the exact shape of a 1700s-era Stradivarius violin. The entire interior of the pool is... read more

SafetyWatch: Identify string trimming safety hazards

May 17, 2015By
Photo: Laura Watilo Blake

This photo was staged to show several safety hazards or dangerous work habits. How many can you identify? Click here for a list of potential hazards. Ed. Note: Thanks to Schill Grounds Management in North Ridgeville, Ohio, for participating in our SafetyWatch photo shoots. Schill and Landscape Management do not practice or condone the unsafe methods demonstrated during photo staging.... read more

Designs of the times

May 16, 2015By
Photo: Green Scene Landscape Group

What’s new with landscape design software. To land new projects, landscape professionals want to pull out all of the stops—from providing timely estimates to designs that wow. One tool that can help in the process is landscape design software. Here are trends, new features, what’s coming and how the industry is adapting to design software. Top trends For many landscape... read more

Case study: Slick service

May 15, 2015By
Photo: Target Lawn Care

A Kansas landscape company adds value by offering oil clean-ups. After cleaning up an oil spill from a car accident one day, firefighter Joe Flake had an idea. He often saw oil spots on drive-thru lanes and on residential driveways while on the job for his full-service landscape business. But he didn’t know of anyone who offered oil clean-up as... read more

Staying current

May 14, 2015By

Revised irrigation best practices focus on sustainability, technology and communication. The irrigation industry is constantly evolving, whether it’s with the release of new equipment or sustainable practices. To provide updated information for landscape irrigation contractors’ changing needs, the Irrigation Association (IA) and American Society of Irrigation Consultants (ASIC) released a new version of their Landscape Irrigation Best Management Practices (BMPs)... read more