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LandOpt, which helps independent landscape contractors nationwide increase revenue, cash flow, and profitability, is welcoming three new green industry leaders to its Channel Partner network. Joining LandOpt are Aspire Software, Rancho Mesa Insurance, and STIHL. They will exhibit at LandOpt’s annual Principals Meeting & Success Celebration in Phoenix, AZ held in conjunction with  Rock On! a prospective members workshop February 22-23.

LandOpt Channel Partners provide members with a wide array of  products and services. Many offer preferred pricing and discount programs. “Channel Partners are increasingly important to our members as they navigate through economic challenges,” said LandOpt president Jim Westover. “Whether it’s saving them money, keeping them abreast of industry trends, or providing advice, Channel Partners really contribute to our members’ bottom lines.”

Other Channels Partners attending the Pheonix conference include Ariens Co/Gravely, Corkboard Concepts, Ewing Irrigation, K-Rain Manufacturing, SiteOne Landscape Supply, and Velocity Truck Centers/Isuzu. Prospective LandOpt members will have the opportunity to meet with them. They also will receive a complimentary business review, get advice from coaches on a variety of key business topics, and network with current members. Registration includes attending a sales workshop presented by industry marketing expert and author Jack Jostes. For details on the prospective members’ workshop and to register visit: https://landopt.com/rock-on-prospective-members-workshop.

Read the full article “Aspire, Rancho Mesa, and STIHL Join LandOpt Network” on Turf Magazine.

Ruppert Landscape Partners With Knox Lane

Vectorworks Design Scholarship Celebrates 30 Talented Students with Awards

With over 1,000 submissions, Vectorworks Inc. awarded scholarships to 30 students around the world for 22 projects in the architecture, interior design, landscape and entertainment industries. Winners received the equivalent of up to $3,000 USD in their local currency, free Vectorworks educational software licenses for their schools and complimentary virtual workshop training.

The full list of Landscape Category winners includes:

“Site, Sight, Insight” by Chui Shan Tsang, University College London
“Ingolstadt – On the Maelstrom into a Challenged Future” by Lea Jaud, University of Copenhagen
“Rising with the Phoenix: The Next Generation of Blue-Green Infrastructural Design in its Re-Integration with Social & Cultural Realms” by Lok Tim Chan, Cornell University
“Rain Park” by Marta Szar, University of Technology in Cracow
“Nature in a Grid- Transformation of a Ruin” by Simeon von Russow, Berlin University of Applied Sciences (BHT)

The selected winners represent a wide range of countries worldwide including Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. An expert panel of international judges evaluated all submissions on five main criteria: design, technology, originality, presentation and writing.

Davey Tree Experts Promotes Four Managers in R/C Services

Vince Distrola has been promoted to market manager, Colorado, Residential/Commercial (R/C) services. Distrola started his Davey career in 2002 as a plant health care (PHC) technician trainee. He was promoted to assistant district manager of the West Denver office in 2012 before being promoted to district manager of the South Denver office in 2018.

Distrola is a 2004 graduate of the Davey Institute of Tree Sciences (D.I.T.S.), which is Davey’s flagship training program in biological sciences, safety, tree and plant care and management techniques. He is also an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist® and a Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) Certified Tree Safety Professional.

Sean Hoes has been promoted to district manager, South Denver, R/C services. Hoes started his career with Davey in 2017 as a climbing arborist trainee in the Dallas office. He moved to the South Denver office in 2019 and was promoted to assistant district manager in 2022. He is an ISA Certified Arborist, and he is TCIA Aerial Rescue certified and TCIA Electrical Hazards Awareness certified.

Kevin Marks has been promoted to operations manager, Western operations, R/C services. Marks started his Davey career in 1996 with the East Denver office as a plant health care (PHC) technician trainee. In 2012, he was promoted to assistant district manager of the Boulder office. Marks was promoted to district manager of the North Denver office in 2016 and market manager of the Colorado market overseeing CO and Omaha in 2019. He is an ISA Certified Master Arborist.

Dan Gillen has been promoted to district manager of the newly acquired Arboristry, a Davey company, Residential/Commercial (R/C) Charlottesville, Va., office. Gillen started his career with Davey in 2014 as a landscaper in the Albany office, before being promoted to sales arborist in 2019.

Gillen is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist®, a 2017 graduate of the Davey Institute of Horticultural Sciences (D.I.H.S.) and a 2019 graduate of the Davey Institute of Tree Sciences (D.I.T.S.), which is Davey’s flagship training program in biological sciences, safety, tree and plant care and management techniques.

Profile® Products Hires Young as Chief Human Resources Officer

Rebecca Young has joined the Profile® Products team as chief human resources officer. Ms. Young will be responsible for all human resource activities across Profile, including employee attraction and retention, organization and talent development, as well as compensation, benefits, and recognition programs. Additionally, Young will focus on key initiatives supporting Profile’s ESG platform.

Most recently, Young was the vice president of HR business operations at Bright Spring Health Services. Young began her HR career in GE’s prestigious Human Resources Leadership Program. She holds a master’s degree in human resource management and bachelor’s degree in psychology, both from Purdue University.

PBI Gordon Hires Salois, Segars, and Strano

The employee-owners of PBI-Gordon Corporation announced that Dan Salois has joined the company’s sales team as regional sales representative for the Pacific Northwest. Chrissie Segars, Ph.D. has joined the research and development team as western research scientist. Sal Strano was promoted to marketing product manager.

As regional sales representative for the Pacific Northwest, Dan Salois will be based in Washington and have responsibility for PBI-Gordon product sales to golf course and turfgrass management customers in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Hawaii, Utah, and Alaska. Salois brings more than 20 years of experience in the turf, ornamental and agricultural industries including as a sales professional, supplier representative, and golf course superintendent. Most recently, he worked as senior account manager of agriculture and turf for Milliken and Company. Prior to that, Salois served as territory manager for Planet Turf. Salois recently served as Northwest Turf Association president and currently serves on the board. Salois earned his bachelor’s degree in crop science from Washington State University.

As western research scientist, Chrissie Segars, Ph.D., will be based in Oregon and conduct her research in the western region of the country. She will primarily focus on product development and research related to sod production and sports turf product applications. Prior to joining PBI-Gordon, Segars was an assistant professor and extension turfgrass specialist at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension located in Dallas, Texas. Segars earned her Ph.D. in crop science with an emphasis in turfgrass science from Oklahoma State University. She also holds a Master of Science in kinesiology from Louisiana State University, Master of Science in horticulture from Oklahoma State University, and a Bachelor of Science in agricultural education from Clemson University.

In his new role as marketing product manager, Sal Strano will develop and communicate product strategy for PBI-Gordon’s portfolio of herbicide products. Strano joined PBI-Gordon in May of 2020 as a National Key Account Manager. Prior to PBI-Gordon, Strano spent ten years as a turf and ornamental product manager for Gowan Company. Strano’s experience in the turf industry also includes previous roles as regional sales manager, account manager, and territory sales representative. Strano earned his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Studies from State University of New York.

Mike Lane Joins Altoz

Altoz, manufacturer of outdoor power equipment, has announced that Mike Lane has joined the Altoz team as the Events and Merchandising Manager. Mike’s responsibilities will include managing Altoz events, including industry trade shows, and corporate and dealer events. He will also oversee merchandising efforts for the brand.

Mike has over 30 years of experience in the power sports industry where he worked with dealerships to develop merchandising strategies that maximized their showroom potential.

Wilbur-Ellis Joins PROKOZ

PROKOZ, Inc., a cooperative group of  independent distributors in the Turf and Ornamental Markets, announces that Wilbur-Ellis and PROKOZ have reached an agreement in principle for Wilbur-Ellis to become the newest owner to join the family of companies. All PROKOZ owner companies work together on opportunities with select Supplier Partners. Owners add value to the industry by representing best-in-class branded products, with local service, agronomical support, and training.

For Turf’s November industry news round-up, click here.

Yanmar CE NA Wins Minnesota Award

The Minnesota Trade Office selected Yanmar Compact Equipment North America (Yanmar CE NA), encompassing the Yanmar Compact Equipment and ASV brands, as a recipient of the 2022 Governor’s International Trade Award in the Large Company category. The prestigious award honors companies that have made foreign direct investments in Minnesota with a continued likelihood of growth. The award stems from Yanmar CE NA’s upcoming 32,000-square-foot expansion project in Grand Rapids, MN. The project is estimated to be completed in the spring of 2024. Applicants for the Governor’s International Trade Award are judged on a variety of criteria, including significant advancement in exports to foreign markets as well as exceptional economic contributions through investments in the state of Minnesota.

GPS Insight Wins Innovation Award

GPS Insight has been named a winner in the 2023 BIG Innovation Awards presented by the Business Intelligence Group. Organizations from across the globe submitted their recent innovations for consideration in the BIG Innovation Awards. Nominations were then judged by a select group of business leaders and executives who volunteer their time and expertise to score submissions. As companies that utilize vehicles and assets in the business of performing home and commercial services struggle to reduce carbon footprint and manage volatile gas prices, GPS Insight’s innovations around improving visibility and controlling costs were key to earning this award.

For Turf’s November industry news round-up, click here.

Read the full article “Recent Green Industry News” on Turf Magazine.

What are phantom energy loads?

A phantom load refers to electricity that’s being consumed by electronic devices and appliances even when you’re not using them. It’s easy to assume that just because a printer isn’t actually switched on that it’s not using any power. Or  when a cell phone charger is plugged into an outlet, but not charging a device, then no electricity is being used. But this is usually not the case.

Read the full article “Save Money On Electricity Bills By Stopping ‘Phantom Loads’” on Turf Magazine.

Landscapers are always on the hunt for that game-changing piece of equipment that earns its worth every day and lasts for years. Don Ventling, president and founder of Landform, and Calvin Douglas, owner of Douglas Small Engine Repair, both bought a hooklift back in the 1990s, and they’re both still using those same hooklifts in their daily operations.

Landform

Founded in 1988 by Don Ventling, Landform of Fairfield, OH, stays busy all year long. In Spring and Summer, their 12-person crew is busy with mulching, mowing, pruning, weed control, and more. In Fall, they do leaf cleanup and landscaping, and in Winter, they focus on snow and ice relief services. They primarily serve commercial clients, institutions, and government agencies.

Ventling bought his first shuttle hooklift in 1993 after seeing his brother’s. “At that time, I needed a truck that would handle a lot of different jobs and serve a lot of different purposes since I was a one-man show,” says Ventling. “The Stellar Shuttle looked like a good option for one truck that could tackle many things…. My brother bought one from an auction that had a Chevy truck with a Stellar Shuttle on it, and I fell in love with the concept.”

Ventling’s Stellar hooklift has exceeded his expectations. “It’s like having another person on our team,” he says. “It has basically replaced several trucks due to its versatility and functionality. One guy can go out with just a truck bed loaded with material and equipment and drop the bed off, do his work, load everything back up, put the bed back up on the truck and go. The functionality of this one truck is equivalent to several trucks — it reduces labor and increases productivity.”

Ventling’s hooklift has required minimal upgrades and repairs over the years. “We’ve put it on a different chassis and replaced pumps and one tilt cylinder, but those were the only parts in 30 years that I’ve had to deal with,” he says. “Then we repainted it as well. We still use the hooklift daily, and we couldn’t be happier with it.”

Douglas Small Engine

In business since 1983, Douglas Small Engine Repair is a lawnmower and landscaping equipment repair company in Rutherford County, TN. In the late 1980s, Douglas realized lawnmowers were getting bigger and heavier and he needed a solution to make picking up, hauling, and delivering his customers’ mowers and equipment easier. After all, some equipment he transports can weigh in at 1,000 to 1,500 pounds. Plus, when he picks up mowers, they are often disabled and not running. He needed a solution that could be maneuvered through crowded city streets and in tight backyards. Hauling a trailer behind a truck simply wasn’t cutting it anymore.

Douglas became acquainted with Stellar at the International Lawn and Garden Show (now called Equip Expo) and purchased his hooklift in the early 1990s. Today, Douglas appreciates that his hooklift allows one person to do the job that otherwise would require two or three employees. It allows him to pick up and drop off equipment effortlessly and efficiently.

“Picking up the mowers and equipment that are disabled makes my job so much easier,” says Douglas. “All while staying in the cab, one person can simply drag the broken-down equipment onto the bed by letting it down, where it would otherwise take two or three of us to push it onto a trailer. Every time I let that bed down, I wish I had a dollar for everyone who says, ‘Wow, I really like that,’” continues Douglas. “It gets a lot of great comments from people.”

To this day, Douglas uses the hooklift three to four times a week and more during the busy season. Of course, he knows proper maintenance is key to helping his hooklift run as efficiently as it can and making it last as long as possible. “I grease and lubricate my hooklift on a regular basis, but there’s not a lot of maintenance to it,” he says. “I’ve replaced one cylinder in the last 20 years and that was it. There was also a product upgrade in the ‘90s on the control switch that Stellar improved from the original switch system.”

For more on Stellar hooklifts, see the article “100+ Different Uses For A Hooklift.”

For more products, see “Get Equipped: Trucks, Trailers & UTVs”.

Read the full article “These Landscapers Are Hooked On Hooklift Trucks” on Turf Magazine.

The western bumble bee was once common in western North America, but increasing temperatures, drought, and pesticide use have contributed to a 57% decline in the occurrence of this species in its historical range, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey-led study.

Using data from 1998-2020, scientists determined that increasing summer temperatures and drought partly drove declines of the native bee in recent decades, with rising temperatures being particularly important.

The decline in pollinators is a cause for concern because most flowering plants depend on pollinators to promote reproduction. Pollinators are also essential to our agriculture industry and economy and provide fruits, seeds and nuts that both humans and wildlife rely on. To further complicate matters for this western bee, climate change continues to make rising temperatures and drought more common in the western states.

“There has been an ongoing global decline in pollinators, including in North America,” said Will Janousek, USGS scientist and co-lead author of the study. “The decline in the once common western bumble bee shows that common, widespread species are not excluded from this trend and our study showed that climate change is an important reason for the decline of this native bee species.”

The research team found another reason for the reduced distribution of the once common native bee in a pesticide use dataset spanning 2008-2014: a group of insecticides called neonicotinoids, which are commonly used in agriculture. In areas where neonicotinoids were applied, the western bumble bee was less likely to occur and as the rate of neonicotinoid application increased, the bee’s presence declined further.

The scientists also projected the future status of the western bumble bee in 16 regions of the western United States in the 2050s under different future scenarios, considering increasing levels of future climate stressors, changing forest and shrub cover, and other factors.

“Even considering the most optimistic scenario, western bumble bee populations are expected to continue to decline in the near future in nearly half of the regions across the bumble bee’s range,” said Tabitha Graves, USGS scientist and co-lead author on the study. “Considering the more severe, but probably more likely scenarios, western bumble bee populations are expected to decline an additional 51% to 97% from 2020 levels depending on the region.”

This study was a collaborative effort between the USGS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service, Dickinson College, Canadian Wildlife Service, Montana State University, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, University of Colorado Boulder, The Ohio State University, and the University of Wyoming. It is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. For more information on bee research in the West, please visit the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center website.

Read how Minnesota is helping to save the rusty patched bumblebee (which has declined by 87% in the last 20 years), with its Lawns to Legumes landscape grants.

Read the full article “New Study Shows 57% Decline In Western Bumble Bee—And Why” on Turf Magazine.

Do you plant vegetable gardens for clients as part of your landscaping services? Or do you intersperse edibles with other perennials and herbs? Or maybe you just want to introduce something new to your own vegetable garden?  Burpee, has introduced 67 brand-new trailblazing innovations for the 2023 season. Leading the pack are:

‘Vivacious’ Hybrid Tomato: This Burpee-bred super-fruit (pictured above) spent five years in development before its debut this year. This superstar tomato’s luscious, orange-scarlet fruits feature a meaty texture, a sweet, balanced flavor, and out-of-this-world nutrition. These oval-shaped fruits are power-packs of Vitamin A (beta-carotene). Each ‘Vivacious‘ tomato delivers:

40% of daily intake of Vitamin A in one tomato*
Vitamin A promotes eye health and glowing skin
70 bright beautiful fruits per plant for both fresh eating and cooking
Meaty yet juicy with balanced sweetness and acidity

Rise and Shine’ Squash: Things are looking up for small-space squash lovers. Recently viral on social media, this revolutionary, vertical-growing variety provides tasty, bright-yellow fruits. Ideally configured for small gardens and patios, the bushy 4’ tall plants spread about 3’. These gorgeous 4-8” spineless fruits are saturated with a big, rich, buttery flavor.

‘Two Tasty’ Hybrid Tomato: This two-bite cherry tomato stands out for its flavor. The fruits’ color of sweet rich-red and savory purple-black notes impart a third bonus flavor, unlike any other large cherry tomato. It yields clusters of firm, juicy, round 1 ½-2” tomatoes and was voted best-tasting tomato out of hundreds rated by Burpee interns.

‘Bliss’ Hybrid Tomato: These almond-shaped, lightly sweet 1 oz. tomatoes ripen to a dazzling yellow with unique green stripes. ‘Bliss’ hybrid tomatoes are snackable fruits that are irresistible fresh off the vine. These heavily yielding plants offer a happy windfall of tomatoes from the height of summer until frost.

‘Party Time’ Cucumber: These sweet, seedless, fun-size 4” cucumbers with thin skins are perfect for summer party trays or as grab-and-go lunch box bites. A favorite for containers and small gardens, these easy-to-grow plants produce 30-40 cucumbers per plant. Pick basketfuls of spineless mini cukes for snacking all summer long.

‘Fignomenal’ Fig: Pick sweet figs from patio-sized trees. ‘Fignomenal’ yields delicious fruits year-round, both indoors and outdoors. These dwarf plants max out around 30” tall and offer an abundance of rich-brown, medium-sized figs with reddish interiors and honeyed flavor. Small-space gardening just got sweeter.

“As a gardening innovator since 1876, Burpee has originated many of America’s best-known vegetable, flower, fruit, and herb garden varieties,” notes George Ball, executive chairman and proprietor of Burpee. “This year is no exception. Our star offering for 2023, the radiant orange ‘Vivacious’ tomato stands out for color, flavor, and nutrition. We can’t wait for our loyal band of gardeners to experience ‘Vivacious’.”

For a complete list of new vegetables, flowers, herbs, fruit, and gardening supplies for 2023, visit www.burpee.com/new/.

* An average Vivacious tomato (120g) contains about 360 mcg of vitamin A, which is 40% of recommended daily value.

For more plant articles in Turf magazine, click here.

Read the full article “New Burpee Stars Of The 2023 Vegetable Garden” on Turf Magazine.

Aspire Software, a ServiceTitan company and software provider for commercial landscaping businesses, today announced the launch of PropertyIntel, a cloud-based measuring and estimating solution. This property measurement and estimating system helps landscape companies collect, connect, and visualize essential data to drive new levels of profitability and performance.

“The integration of PropertyIntel with Aspire’s business management software demonstrates our dedication to providing landscape contractors with valuable end-to-end solutions,” said Mark Tipton, CEO of Aspire Software. “We are excited to offer Aspire customers an integrated property intelligence tool that combines the features of a property measurement service with advanced design capabilities, from a single platform.”

PropertyIntel allows landscape contractors to create takeoffs for maintenance, design-build, and enhancement opportunities. Users can simultaneously automate data insights, reports, and optimization suggestions through a direct integration with the Aspire platform.

With this solution, users can also access and submit orders to PropertyIntel Complete, Aspire’s new automated measuring, estimating, and takeoff service. PropertyIntel Complete allows landscape contractors to provide property addresses and receive precision-measured takeoffs directly within their account.

For more information on software for landscapers, read “Which CRM Software Is Right For Your Landscape Business?”

Read the full article “Aspire Announces Launch Of PropertyIntel” on Turf Magazine.

Husqvarna Group, a manufacturers of innovative outdoor power equipment products, has launched a comprehensive two-year warranty program designed to provide extended protection for equipment used by commercial green space and tree care professionals. The two-year warranty is a significant benefit for professional chainsaw customers, as the coverage is the longest in the commercial market.

Additionally for commercial zero-turn mowers and stand-on mowers, the first two years of ownership will be covered with no hour limitations on usage. Customers can immediately take advantage of this program and benefit from two full years of  coverage for Husqvarna 300 and 500 series professional handheld* and wheeled products.

“Husqvarna’s revamped warranty program is another demonstration of our commitment to our commercial customers,” said Carlos Haddad, vice president of North America, Professional Products at Husqvarna Group. “Green space and tree care professionals can continue to count on an exceptional level of coverage for tools being used as designed and can rest assured that their vital equipment is protected.”

Professional Husqvarna products covered under the program include:

300/500 Series Handheld**
Pro Batteries (BLi100-Bli950x)
Pro Split Boom Attachments
W500 Walk-behind Mowers
Z400 Zero-Turn Mowers
V500/Z500/P500D Stand on, Zero Turn and Articulating Riders

Husqvarna’s warranty services cover defects in machinery or workmanship that may occur under normal use during the Warranty Period. During this Period, Husqvarna will repair or replace any defective product or part because of a defect in material or workmanship, under normal use and maintenance, at no cost to the owner.

Visit any Husqvarna dealer or click here to learn more about Husqvarna’s warranty program, find out whether your purchase qualifies, and how to activate the service. Husqvarna’s new warranty program is available for customers in North America.

*The warranty length for professional handheld power cutters (a.k.a. cut off saws) is one year as defined by Husqvarna Construction Division.
**Excludes Husqvarna 330 series trimmers.

For more information on Husqvarna, see the January 2023 article: “Husqvarna’s CEORA™ Available To Purchase This Month.”

Read the full article “Husqvarna Launches Two-Year Warranty Program For Professionals” on Turf Magazine.