It’s the first time in 35 years that lawn care industry veteran Bob Mann hasn’t kicked off spring by pushing a fertilizer spreader. In his relatively new role as director of state and local government relations for the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), he’s been spending his time at local and state legislature meetings to advocate for the industry,... read more
In my line of work, I attend a lot of hearings—state legislatures, city councils, county commissions and everything in between. Recently, I traveled to Florida where a county commission was deciding whether to impose fertilizer application blackout dates during much of the growing season. The science is on our side; the judicious use of fertilizer on turfgrass is a net... read more
Bob Mann, LIC, formerly the agronomist for Lawn Dawg, joined the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) in the newly created role of director of state and local government relations. Mann is a graduate of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture with a degree in turf management and a 1985 graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a degree... read more
The questions you need to ask yourself before opening a new satellite or branch. As a company grows, it can reach a point where it outgrows its facilities and is ripe for expansion. If your shop is full and your crews are spending more time getting to their routes than actually working on them, it might be time to consider... read more
As many turf and ornamental pesticide active ingredients have gone off patent, LCOs have more choices when it comes to product selection. How do you decide whether to use a patented or off-patent pesticide product? 1. Consider profitability. Most lawn care companies operate on slim margins and are affected by factors outside their operational control—such as the weather or how... read more
