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Female spongy moths (above) lay hundreds of eggs in large masses this time of year. Their offspring will wreak havoc next Spring. Photo: Tim Tigner, Virginia Department of Forestry, bugwood.org

This Summer, the East Coast again battled the spongy moth*, but the damage is spreading. The destructive pest also did damage in the upper Midwest, where a drought worsened the problem. Officials in Minnesota laid more than 20,000 traps after a record outbreak last Summer. The invasive pest, which can damage more than 300 tree species, has spread to nearly half of U.S. states.

In a particularly bad infestation, the caterpillars can defoliate a tree in a couple of weeks in Spring. Photo by Karla Salp, Washington State Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org

The insects do the most damage in their caterpillar stage in early Summer, when they can defoliate and kill key U.S. trees like oak, willow, apple, birch, pine, and dozens of others. In August, the now-adult moths laying masses of 100 to 600 eggs each. The eggs are protected by a light-colored, almost hairy covering. They are often on tree trunks, but moths also deposit them on the side of buildings, signs, trailers, or other outdoor surfaces.

So far, inspectors have found moths in counties in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service maintains an updated list of US counties that are under quarantine against spongy moth. Green Industry professionals should be aware of some rules associated with the quarantine. It’s forbidden for anyone to move certain articles between quarantined and unquarantined counties without an inspection and a permit. These include: trees without roots (like Christmas trees); trees with roots; shrubs with roots and persistent woody stems (unless they are greenhouse grown throughout the year); logs, pulpwood, and bark and bark products.

An APHIS spokesperson explained that although there are no specific rules that apply to landscapers, everybody must follow the quarantine requirements for the pest in quarantine areas.

What To Do

The most effective active interventions for L. dispar involve aerial spray applications of chemical and biological insecticides. Pros most commonly use Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki (Btk), a bacterium that kills caterpillars upon ingestion, and tebufenozide. However, both of these are most effective when used early, such as in May.

Penn State Extension suggests monitoring all trees for damage and defoliation. Trees often recover the next year if another infestation can be avoided. Manually removing egg masses or trapping the insects can help, but it’s impractical for large or multiple properties. The most effective plan this year? Maintaining overall tree health, since healthy, unstressed specimens are better able to fight off pests and recover from damage.

*Formerly known as the gypsy moth.

Opening photo credit: Adobe Stock by ondreicka

For more on the spongy moth:

Sentinel Gardens: Growing Native Trees In Foreign Lands To Predict Invasive Threats

A New Name For An Old Pest & A Treatment Reminder

By Todd Reinhart
From the August 2023 Issue Of PLOW®

Since 1986, Reinhart Landscaping & Snow has been plowing our way (literally) through the ever-changing snow removal industry, exploring every type of contract imaginable. Through trial and error (and a lot of seminars and conferences), we have used a wide variety of contracts from hourly to seasonal, then per-inch agreements, and every combination in between.

A few years ago, we were challenged by several of our commercial clients to produce a different type of snow contract that would help protect their budgets in a larger than average Winter snowfall season. So we set out to create a comprehensive solution to balance the inevitable uncertainties of unpredictable snow seasons. After several years working on the contract model, we came up with a different, but successful, approach. We named it the “Readiness Fee Contract.”

(Photo: Reinhart)

The Readiness Fee

This Readiness Fee model now forms the backbone of our snow strategy. In this approach, customers pay a monthly fee, which essentially reserves equipment exclusively for their property. But beyond the expense of just equipment rental/use, we factor in estimated fuel, repairs, staging/ pickup equipment, maintenance, etc. to provide a more realistic number of what it actually costs us to be ready for a snowfall all Winter long. These costs, excluding labor, are the Readiness Fee. (More on how labor is factored in later.)

The Readiness Fee contract is a game-changing tool in managing snowfall uncertainties. It shields the contractor from devastating losses during light snow seasons and offers customers financial relief during heavy snowfall.

However, the Readiness Fee Contract is by no means a universal remedy. Instead, it serves as a strategic tool to limit both the contractor’s and the customer’s financial exposure. It shines most prominently when used on properties requiring one or more pieces of dedicated equipment—a scenario that can be particularly burdensome during low snowfall seasons if the contractor has provided a straight per-inch contract to the client.

Let us delve into a hypothetical scenario, purely for illustrative purposes. Keep in mind, these are NOT REAL numbers! You need to produce your own numbers and develop your own pricing structure based on the following example.

Example #1: Per-Inch Contract

Consider a skid steer and plow rental cost $3,500 per month for four months. The total seasonal rental would be $14,000.
The contractor must cover the equipment rental (or use if owned) in each level of the per-inch pricing, hopefully considering the potential for a low-snow season.
However, this pricing will be a significant hit to the client’s budget in a year of above-average snowfall, even though the equipment rental/use was covered already once the average snowfall was reached.
Conversely, this contract type puts the contractor at a significant loss in a low- to-no snowfall year because the contractor must cover the cost of this equipment in the per-inch pricing. In this instance, since the in case of a snowfall all Winter, they take a significant financial loss.

Example #2: Per-Inch Contract With Readiness Fee

We start by dividing the costs into fixed (Rental) and variable (Labor).
Consider the same equipment from example #1. The seasonal rental rate would be $14,000.
To cover the fixed cost—plus estimated fuel, repairs, staging/pickup equipment, maintenance, etc.—the price is marked up by a factor of the contractors’ choice. For this example, lets consider a factor of two times the rental. This yields the readiness fee of $28,000, which is then spread over the con- tract’s duration, billed monthly to the client. This Readiness Fee is paid by the customer irrespective of snowfall.
Now, the primary variable left is labor, which is payable on actual snowfall events and the per-inch pricing. Since it’s the only major variable, this approach enables the contractor to offer a much lower per-inch price.
In a heavy snowfall season, for instance, clients will see a significant reduction in their bills due to the lower per-inch cost, while contractors have already covered their equipment and operational costs.

The Readiness Fee contract, thus, serves as a game-changing tool in managing snowfall uncertainties. It shields the contractor from devastating losses during light snow seasons and offers customers financial relief during heavy snowfall. With its focus on dedicated equipment, it also promotes a more efficient and effective approach to snow removal. This win-win model is another tool in the arsenal of the contractor, allowing us all to weather financial uncertainties, no matter how heavy or light the snow.

Reinhart Landscaping & Snow has developed a “Readiness Fee” contract to cover the uncertainties of seasonal snowfall for both contractor and client. (Photo: Reinhart)

Dedicated Equipment

In addition to less financial burden during heavy snowfall years, with a Readiness Fee Contract the customer also receives the assurance of dedicated equipment to their site.

In addition to less financial burden during heavy snowfall years, with a Readiness Fee Contract the customer also receives the assurance of dedicated equipment to their site. In our contracts, we guarantee that the equipment the customer is paying for is reserved exclusively for the customer’s property throughout the contract period. Thus, the contract ensures that, irrespective of snowfall conditions, site operations will not be disrupted due to the allocation of equipment to other properties.

This guaranteed service level is an invaluable peace of mind that the Readiness Fee Contract delivers to a customer. Additionally, it allows us to only sell the snow capacity that we have secured, limiting the overcommitment of resources. Once a con- tract is signed, equipment dedicated to that property is removed from our inventory. When all the capacity has been sold, the sales season is over.

Selling The Readiness Fee

Don’t miss this!

New Hampshire Salt Symposium

September 13, 2023
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (ET)

Presented by SIMA & NH Department of Environmental Services, the New Hampshire Salt Symposium is a regional education, networking, and outdoor trade show event.

Snow and ice management managers, operators and municipalities from around the region won’t want to miss this year’s signature regional training and networking event.

Communicating the nuances and benefits of the Readiness Fee Contract to customers is paramount. It’s more than a standard transaction—it’s an investment in predictability and dedicated service, which requires a thorough explanation. As contractors, we must break down and explain the elements of the contract to the client: our fixed cost (readiness fee) and the variable cost (labor).

We should illustrate, with hypothetical scenarios, how the Readiness Fee Contract provides financial stability for both parties across varying snowfall conditions. It is crucial to highlight the security it offers—guaranteed equipment, faster response times, and reduced per-inch costs during heavy snow seasons.

Above all, we must emphasize that this is not merely a cost or expense—it is a commitment to their business continuity, safety, and operational efficiency. Using relatable language, numerical examples, and focusing on the value proposition can help customers see beyond the traditional contract structures and appreciate the win-win situation the Readiness Fee contract provides.

Reinhart is the owner of Reinhart Landscaping & Snow in Bloomington, IL. Since 1987, the company has provided reliable, innovative landscaping services, including maintenance, design-build and bid-build, and snow removal. Today, the company uses robotics, automation, and green technology, including the use of battery-powered trimmers, brine application, paperless communication, autonomous mowing, geo-tagging, drone project monitoring, and more.

Do you have a comment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below, or send an e-mail to the Editor at cmenapace@groupc.com.

Over 400 swamp white oaks are located in the 9/11 Memorial. Photo: Christine Menapace

In honor of 9/11, Turf is rerunning this post from 2020 about the swamp white oak trees planted at the Memorial.

Today marks a day of tragedy when 2,977 people perished in four coordinated terrorist attacks. Now the 9/11 Memorial, located where the World Trade Center Towers once stood, uses the language of landscape and the healing power of Nature to honor those victims lost. Designed by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker of PWP Landscape Architecture, the Memorial includes a dense forest of 416 swamp white oak trees that creates a sacred space for contemplation and remembrance. The Memorial grove resembles a “natural” forest, yet the trees also align to form arching corridors, recalling the arches that architect Minoru Yamasaki placed at the bottom of the original towers.

Working in collaboration with arborist Paul Cowie, PWP selected swamp white oaks because they’re considered more disease resistant than red or pin oaks, yet they provided the strength, longevity, and symbolic weight PWP was seeking.

Over 400 Swamp White Oaks

The oaks at their holding site before installation. Photo Credit: Bartlett

Before installing on site, the trees were cared for at a holding yard in Millstone Township, NJ leased from Halka Nurseries, where they adjusted to the local climate for three years. (Trees were sourced from six different nurseries in states where the attacks took place.) It was during this time, in 2006, that Bartlett Tree Experts entered the picture, meticulously pruning, irrigating, and fertilizing the trees to maintain optimal tree health and generate consistent canopies in form and height. In fact, a Bartlett technician was at the field tending the trees nearly every day for nine months of the year, and once a week in deep winter. The first 16 trees were planted at the Memorial in late August of 2010.

Since installation, Bartlett has provided the same ongoing care for the oak trees as they did in the holding yard. It includes preventatively treating for pests and diseases, monitoring soil quality, fertilizing, pruning, and more, says Wayne Dubin, who has been involved with the Memorial trees from the beginning and serves as a VP and Division Manager with Bartlett.

Have there been any pest or disease issues with the oaks? According to Dubin, spider mites are an issue on trees in the vicinity, so they carefully monitor for those as well as reaching out to neighboring property owners. Since swamp white oaks are susceptible to anthracnose, the trees are also monitored for that foliar disease. “A handful were having some difficulty,” reports Dubin, but says overall health is great.

Overall, the 415 trees have a team of Bartlett arborists that care for them, and each tree has its own record of care and observation. Charles King and Jeremy DeSimone are two of the main caretakers. With the trees located in a busy plaza, Dubin says DeSimone “works almost exclusively overnight… He’s become somewhat nocturnal.”

With a lifespan of 60 to 80 years, the swamp white oaks should be around for quite some time. “There’s every reason to believe they’re going to live a long, long time,” comments Dubin.

The Survivor Tree.

The Survivor Tree

Distinct from the forest of oaks is a unique and meaningful tree that is also being cared for under the watchful eye of Bartlett. Dubbed “The Survivor Tree,” it’s a Callery pear that was nearly dead after the World Trade Center attacks. With charred bark and many limbs reduced to stumps, it was removed from the site and nursed back to health by the NYC Parks Department while the 9/11 memorial was built. Now replanted at the Memorial, it stands as a “living symbol of resilience.”

But as anyone familiar with Callery—or its cultivar Bradford—can attest, these trees often have weak wood and branch structures that are susceptible to storm damage. When asked if this tree requires more care than the oaks, Dubin emphatically replies, “It does.” He explains, “Because we don’t want to leave it vulnerable to breakage, we’re constantly maintaining the size… not letting branches overextend. We treat it differently from other Bradford pears and prune it three or four times a year.” Support cables are also used for extra reinforcement and an eye is kept out for pear trellis rust. “We monitor like crazy,” says Dubin.

The Survivor Tree is doing very well, but with a species lifespan of 15 to 25 years, I can’t help but ask if there’s a long-term replacement plan. Dubin said he’s actually never been asked. “We’re carrying on blissfully, but still know that no tree lives forever. We’ll take every measure we can to preserve and prolong its life,” he comments.

Students from JBHS repot Survivor Tree seedlings. Photo Credit: Bartlett

A logical option may be found one day in the Seedling program. During the Survivor tree’s rehabilitation, scientists at Bartlett collected seeds and propagated 450 descendants. Now, each year, the 9/11 Memorial gives seedlings (collected annually) from the Survivor Tree to communities that have endured tragedy in recent years. The Survivor Tree Seedling Program was launched on September 11, 2013 in partnership with Bartlett and John Bowne High School in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens.

“It’s an honor to be part of this,” Dubin says of the Memorial tree care. “It definitely stands alone as the most meaningful project in my time at Bartlett.”

All the votes have been tallied, and Bobcat Company is thrilled to announce the winner of the Bobcat Backyard Makeover Contest. Julie Rummer of Turlock, CA will receive a $25,000 backyard makeover. Bobcat equipment will help transform her property into a gorgeous, fully wheelchair accessible dream garden.

Julie and her husband, Rich, will have a more beautiful and more accessible yard for her to indulge her favorite outdoor hobby, gardening.

Julie had an auto accident in 1995 that left her with paraplegia. As a result, she now uses a power wheelchair to help her get around, and often encounters challenges maneuvering in her own weedy, dusty backyard.

“I have been stuck, literally spinning my wheels deep, on many occasions in the dirt and thorny vegetation,” says Julie. “Gardening is a big passion. I would love to have a completely accessible yard to allow me to finish my dream garden. Being out in the sunshine and enjoying nature’s beauty makes my heart sing.”

Julie’s Bobcat makeover will help make her Central Valley property completely wheelchair accessible. Julie hopes she can spend more time outdoors, which she says helps her forget about her mobility limitations.

As part of the prize, country star (and Bobcat equipment user) Justin Moore will drop by to meet Julie and lend a hand with the makeover.

In addition, Julie will get to meet country music superstar Justin Moore, a Bobcat brand ambassador. Justin, who operates Bobcat equipment on his own Tennessee property, will stop by Julie’s California yard. Justin will also lend a hand during the makeover.

Bobcat chose five finalists for the contest earlier this summer based on the originality and creativity of their entries. The company also considered the impact of how a makeover would empower each entrant. The public was able to read about all five finalists on the Bobcat website. Julie’s powerful story received the most votes.

For other Bobcat news, see:

Bobcat Cultivates Community With $250K Grant To Parks

Get Equipped: Design-Build Equipment

Early birds will get big rewards from Nufarm. The company is launching its Nufarm Edge Rewards early order program, which offers savings across its lineup of new and trusted solutions. The program includes product savings, new volume bonuses, and solutions bundles across an extended program period to deliver turf pros more flexibility and value.

Lawn care operators can get individual product savings with Nufarm Edge Rewards. Just register and purchase two or more products, with a $2,500 minimum, during one of two order periods:

Extended Period 1 starts early and provides the maximum savings: September 1 – October 31, 2023
Period 2 extends rebate savings: November 1 – December 8, 2023

Nufarm has introduced three new liquid products to the program: Anuew EZ for turfgrass regulation, Tourney® EZ Fungicide for turf, ornamental, and greenhouse, and SureGuard ® Xtra Herbicide for nursery and landscape. The program also features EZ Solution Savings, offering product pairings as well as solution bundles spanning proven weed, insect, disease and PGR solutions. Additionally, the company is offering Volume Bonus Rewards on popular brands including Anuew, Anuew EZ, Tourney EZ, SureGuard Xtra, Traction™, Pinpoint®, Millennium Ultra® 2, Sure Power®, Cool Power®, Horsepower®, 4-Speed XT®, Aloft®, Escalade® 2 and Spirato® GHN. For a complete list of Nufarm products that are part of the early order program, visit NufarmRewards.com.

To participate, visit NufarmRewards.com and register by December 8, 2023. Previous registrants are automatically registered and do not need to register again. Customers can browse eligible products and build a qualifying order with ease using the online or downloadable Nufarm Edge Rewards Calculator Tool.

For more about Nufarm, see:

Benefits and Drawbacks of Plant Growth Regulators

Get Equipped: Pesticides

By Bill King
From the August 2023 Issue

Landscape business owners have many considerations when it comes to purchasing insurance. They need policies that provide important coverages, but with the flexibility to meet specific business needs—all at a competitive price.

Of course, every business owner needs to reduce expenses and operate efficiently. However, it’s important to ensure you purchase the right type and amount of insurance coverage to adequately protect your business if the need arises. This will help reduce both your long-term expenses and potential shock to your bottom line should an accident occur.

There are many factors that impact your insurance premium, including the type of coverage and its respective limit. The following are five key considerations when determining your landscape business insurance coverage needs.

(Photo: Adobe Stock / Budimir Jevtic)

1. General Liability vs. Commercial Property Coverage

Many landscapers and other contractors purchase a general liability policy with limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. This means that in any one instance, the policy will cover up to $1 million of damages, and for a whole policy term, the policy will cover up to $2 million of damages.

A business insurance policy is typically 12 months long. Most contractual obligations require landscapers to carry a general liability policy in the above amounts. General liability insurance typically provides coverage for bodily injury and property damage claims from the business’s operations, personal and advertising liability, and defense costs of a claim.

Do you operate your business out of your home? Then you do not need commercial property coverage if you have a homeowner’s policy already. At Progressive, as we designed the Business Owners Policy (BOP), we had such contractors in mind and offer policies with exclusively general liability coverage.

However, a Business Owners Policy could be right for you if your landscape business has a dedicated office or owns a property other than your home. This can cover your general liability needs as well as your business building and the business personal property located within the building.

It is important to ensure your limits cover the value of your building and business personal property. There is often a deductible for your commercial property coverage. A typical deductible for a contractor’s BOP is $500 or $1,000. However, many companies, including Progressive, offer higher deductibles that should result in a lower premium for your policy.

2. Protect Your Tools & Business

Many contractors, especially landscape pros, need to protect the expensive tools and equipment their business depends on. Landscapers can purchase blanket tools and equipment coverage, which is more convenient than scheduling each piece of equipment on the insurance policy.

It’s important to read your policy, since many insurers require individual pieces of equipment valued at more than a specified dollar amount to be individually scheduled. If you don’t schedule equipment above that specified amount, your coverage may be capped at an amount inadequate to cover your loss.

If your business temporarily rents equipment, then you should consider coverage for non-owned tools. This can cover tools rented for a short period of time and may be more cost-effective than purchasing the insurance ad hoc at the retailer.

Another consideration is to ensure you have coverage for your employee-owned tools if they use them in your business.

A commonly requested coverage endorsement for landscapers and other contractors is Waiver of Subrogation. This is often required for contractual agreements because it helps to minimize lawsuits between parties that are working together.

Another commonly requested endorsement is a blanket additional insured endorsement. This is a convenient way to extend coverage without having to individually name each party you work with throughout your policy term.

Primary and noncontributory endorsements are also commonly requested. This means your policy will respond first to claims arising out of your operations. Often the waiver of subrogation, blanket additional insured, and primary and noncontributory endorsements are required when entering contractual agreements.

Progressive offers a Business Select package that provides many different coverages at a more competitive price than purchasing each individually. It helps ensure business protection, but reduces overall costs. It provides blanket tools and equipment, waiver of subrogation, blanket additional Insured, employee tools, and more.

Yet another consideration for landscapers when purchasing insurance is the use of subcontractors. Many carriers require your subcontractors to carry insurance policies with limits at least equal to yours and require written agreements to be in place.

3. Understand Cost Influences

To help keep your costs reasonable, a landscape business owner should ensure they purchase insurance immediately when establishing their business. If a business operates without insurance, even for a short period of time, it could impact both the ability to find coverage as well as the cost of the policy. Why is this?

It’s due to one of the more complex aspects of insurance for landscapers: prior work could impact your current insurance policy, even if the work was completed before the policy was purchased. It’s one of the major reasons carriers focus on gaps in insurance, especially for contractors.

Other factors influencing price include the years of experience in the trade as well as any prior claims. Insurance carriers will typically ask about any business claims within the past three to five years.

The types of operations performed also factor into the insurance costs. Generally, the riskier the services provided, the higher the costs of insurance. Landscapers who only mow lawns will find their insurance costs will typically be lower than those who also install hardscape or do tree work.

The size of a landscape operation may also impact insurance costs. For contractors, payroll and number of employees is commonly used by insurance companies as an indicator of business size. Other factors include total sales or business income. These numbers are important for insurers to help understand how large an exposure exists for your specific business. For this reason, it’s important to list payroll updates since changes may impact the coverage provided.

4. Consider Tech Insurance

Cyber insurance is becoming increasingly important for all businesses, including landscapers. If your business takes payments via an app or credit card, or stores client information electronically, cyber insurance may be an important consideration. Unfortunately, cybercrime can interrupt your business, cause a leak of customer information, or hurt your reputation, among many other issues.

Documenting Landscape Damage For Insurance Claims

At Progressive, we are seeing an increased number of landscapers using drones in their business for advertising purposes, to check on sprinkler system coverage, and other tasks. But what if the drone malfunctioned or fell, causing property damage such as breaking a glass table on a patio? A drone is considered aircraft, which many insurance policies exclude. (Progressive offers liability coverage for businesses using a drone in their operations.)

5. Determine What Works For You

To help reduce costs, landscape business owners should research discount programs at prospective insurance companies. Ask about discounts related to paying your policy in full or bundling your auto policies with your Commercial General Liability or Business Owners Policy.

As your company grows, expands, or even reduces services, there are many factors that can impact your insurance premium and coverage. Meet with your insurance agent and review your policy regularly to ensure you are properly covered and receiving the best rate from a company you trust.

King is the director of Underwriting for the commercial lines of Progressive Insurance. In business insurance for over 13 years, he is energized by providing insurance solutions for small and medium size businesses.

Do you have a comment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below, or send an e-mail to the Editor at cmenapace@groupc.com.

As the lawn and landscape industry continues to face challenges in finding employees, staff shortages are a key reason for employee burnout, according to new research from Eagle Hill Consulting. Employee burnout among the U.S. workforce remains high at 45%, but is trending downward. Burnout dropped slightly during the past year, from 49% in August 2022, and more substantially since the early months of the pandemic at 58% in August 2020. Younger workers (52%) and women (48%) continue to report the highest levels of burnout.

Top sources of burnout include workload (51%), staff shortages (45%), and juggling personal and professional life (42%). When asked how to reduce burnout, 67% said a four-day work week would help. Other solutions included increased flexibility (65%), decreased workload (65%), better health and wellness benefits (60%), working from home (56%), reduced administrative burdens (53%), more on-site amenities (50%), and the ability to relocate or work from multiple locations (39%).

Among those who experience burnout due to staff shortages, 84% said the impact is covering the workload for unfilled positions. Thirty-nine percent said the impact is helping others learn their job, 36% said it’s training new hires, and 22% said it’s recruiting and interviewing new hires.

Additionally, employees who report burnout signal they are less comfortable telling their manager or employer they feel burnt out as compared to six months ago, with 57% of employees saying they’re open to the conversation, down 5% from August 2022.

The research also found nearly a third of the workforce (32%) plans to leave their job in the next 12 months.

These findings are from the 2023 Eagle Hill Consulting Workforce Burnout Survey conducted by Ipsos from August 3-8, 2023. The survey included 1,347 respondents from a random sample of employees across the U.S.

For more on hiring within the landscape industry, see:

Your Website Is The Key To Recruiting

Why Recruiting Women Is Your Next Power Move

Tech & Attracting Young Talent

Need Employees? Check Out The National Collegiate Landscape Competition & Career Fair