Adding tree services to a landscape maintenance company is a big undertaking, but it can be a profitable one if done right. Justin Gamester always considered his firm to be a full-service landscaping company. Offering a mixture of maintenance, construction, irrigation, lighting and snow removal services, Piscataqua Landscaping in Eliot, Maine, could handle nearly all of its customers’ needs—except when... read more
Location: Essex County, N.J. Company: Landscape Techniques, Nutley, N.J. The details: A functional living space with bright color and family appeal was the goal for this backyard. The initial site visit presented a small and grade-challenged space with rock formations throughout. The team decided to tier and fill the center of the yard to minimize the slope of the adjoining property. Tiers included: Lower... read more
The Irrigation Association released its Drought Summit Report late last year. We break it down here. IA’s tips for the landscaping industry: Adopt a model irrigation ordinance at the local level to increase irrigation efficiencies in newly installed commercial and residential landscape irrigation systems. Authorize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program and incentivize the use of WaterSense-labeled technologies and... read more
Other than a paycheck, do you give your employees any good reasons to come to work each day? If your answer is “not really,” here are a few ideas to help you pump up employee engagement, which has a direct correlation to retention and makes recruiting new hires easier, too. 1. Differentiate yourself. What do you offer that other employers... read more
Keeping up with all the federal, state and local safety regulations can be a big task. If your company does design/build work involving silica-containing concrete and stone, it’s important to look at the new Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) rule. If you drill, cut, crush or grind silica-containing materials, the new rules require controls to keep workers from breathing... read more
Brent Paull Co-owner, Touch of Wilderness Anderson, Ind. “Husqvarna makes high-quality tools that professionals can count on. My 450 Rancher has a ton of torque but not so much I have to hold on for dear life. Also, our local big box store carries Husqvarna. It helps being able to run in there and grab a new bar or chain... read more
