Offering turf aeration services can be daunting for a lawn care operator (LCO) because customers often don’t understand how aerating can benefit their lawns. LCOs may opt out of offering aeration because they have limited manpower or a competing lawn care company offers cheaper services, says Rich Clark, account manager for Billy Goat Industries. Aeration can be a lucrative add-on,... read more
Chinch bug damage to lawns can range from subtle to dramatic, resulting in brown turf that can be confused with drought stress or leaf spot disease. Here, David J. Shetlar, Ph.D., professor emeritus of urban landscape entomology at The Ohio State University, offers some recommendations for how you can ID and control a chinch bug infestation. Identify the culprit. Chinch... read more
Crabgrass and goosegrass are two of the most prevalent turf nuisances in the country. Here are a few tips LCOs can use to identify and control these troublesome grassy weeds. Crabgrass Know your enemy: Upright-growing, summer annual grassy weed that grows in patches; Yellowish-green in color; As it germinates, the wide leaf blade is generally wider than turfgrasses; Large crabgrass... read more
In the hustle and bustle of serving lawn care customers and managing employees, it can be daunting to streamline operations and track where crews and equipment are at any given moment. Integrating GPS tracking into your operation can help — and will pay off in the long run. “Lawn and landscaping companies have a lot of challenges to solve,” says... read more
Lawn care operators (LCOs) invest a large part of their budgets into equipment like aerators, spray rigs and spreader-sprayers. According to some experts, they often miss a key component — preventive maintenance — especially over the winter months in colder areas of the country. “Many LCOs aren’t doing enough preventive maintenance on their equipment,” says George Kinkead, president of turf... read more
Arborjet released AccuFlo, a flow meter made from 3D-printed carbon fiber. The AccuFlo meter is lightweight and durable, and its electronic control system can adapt and be calibrated to most spray tanks, the company said. The product weighs several ounces and runs on a watch battery with a micro-USB charger. Additionally, because fluid doesn’t run through the device, there are... read more
