Turf December 2022 Issue
Editor’s Letter
In With The New
The ending of a year and dawning of a new one is always bittersweet–especially for lawn or landscape business owners. It’s a time of reflection, evaluation, and if needed, the chance to buckle down and approach Spring as a fresh start with new employees, new equipment, new accounts, and maybe new services. Yet in an Industry so accustomed to seasonal reinvention, with endless opportunities for expansion, we can be surprisingly averse to change.
Before writing “What’s in the Market for 2023?” I gathered quotes from a range of manufacturers and attended events where I talked to a variety of Industry professionals. What I came away with is the importance of this moment in time to the Green Industry. We are on the brink of a major shift as battery power and autonomy go from novelty ideas to mainstream practices. Through legislative action, we are being forced to defend or rethink the chemistry used on lawns and gardens. We are tasked with rebranding the Industry to attract qualified, lifelong employees. We are in need of ever more storm hardy and drought-resistant landscape solutions. I can’t help but envision that the next decade will bring a level of change unlike any seen in previous decades for the Industry.
How do you survive? With a team approach. In this month’s Yardstick, John Guth, VP of Operations for Green Lawn Fertilizing, says, “I have come to realize that professionals within our Industry love to share their best practices with each other and really do enjoy helping others in the business do better.” Indeed. John and I randomly met while in line for an NALP event at Universal. After riding and screaming (me) on Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure together, he’s now sharing his professional experiences in the pages of Turf. Yet I almost didn’t attend that event. Yes, change is coming, but opportunity and resources are everywhere. You’ve just gotta get on the ride—even if you scream a bit.
cmenapace@groupc.com
Twitter: @TurfMagazine
Turf December 2022 Issue | Table of Contents
FEATURES
WHAT’S IN THE MARKET FOR 2023? | Bigger, badder battery-operated everything. And robots!
COST SAVING EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE | How fleet software can make preventative maintenance truly proactive.
TURF DESIGN BUILD®: BEST OF TIMES, WORST OF TIMES | Despite challenges, design-build thrived in 2022. An Industry expert weighs in on current trends.
PRICING JOBS IN 2023 | Supply chain disruptions, increased material costs. and the labor shortage will make estimating more complex. Here’s a guide.
TURF CARE: SUCCESSFUL SOD INSTALLATION | Secrets and strategies on getting it right.
TREE SERVICES®: STORM PREP & CLEANUP | Lessons from Southwest Florida landscapers in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian’s devastation.
A BRIGHT IDEA | A landscape business owner reveals how he earns revenue year-round with a holiday lighting add-on service.
TURF DESIGN BUILD®: EVERGREEN ENCHANTMENT | A rustic mountain home enjoys four-season beauty thanks to over 15 years of award winning property design and maintenance from Designscapes Colorado.
THE YARDSTICK: JOHN GUTH | The Vice President of Operations for Green Lawn Fertilizing in West Chester, PA shares his path to success in the Industry.
GET EQUIPPED | TRUCKS, TRAILERS & UTVS
GET EQUIPPED | EMPLOYEE THANK YOUS
GET EQUIPPED | LANDSCAPE LIGHTING
Read the full article “Turf December 2022 Issue” on Turf Magazine.