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04 | From the editor
Equip Expo had something for all
Human rights and promoting a
Gasoline still viable as battery grows Equip Expo in Louisville, Ky. showcased the best of both worlds for users of gasoline and battery-powered products
Meeting the demands of cricket user groups Cricket clubs are very particular about how their fields are maintained
DEPARTMENTS
06 | In the news
Equip Expo sets new attendance record for second straight year 25 | Research
An evaluation of retail fertilizers for home use
By Mike Jiggens
Equip Expo had something for all
October’s Equip Expo in Louisville, Ky. was many things to many people. It was the chance for landscapers to see and demonstrate new equipment ready to be introduced to the market in 2024. It was the chance to see what advancements have been made in robotic and autonomous machinery over the past year. It was the chance to see how much more life has been added to batteries over the past 12 months and what type of charging solutions are currently available.
The record-setting number of attendees also learned that, despite continued advancements in battery-driven equipment, there is still a large demand for traditional gasoline-powered products.
More and more manufacturers of landscaping equipment have been transitioning toward battery-powered products, realizing that some gasoline-powered equipment is being outlawed in many municipalities and regions as a means of abating noise and emissions. Landscapers have also expressed their frustration over escalating gasoline prices, giving manufacturers another valid reason to redirect their product line toward battery.
The number of landscaping businesses wishing to trend toward battery is on the rise, but there are many long-established companies which have relied
on gasoline for years and years that aren’t quite ready to make the move. They’re still enjoying the power output and run times they find unbeaten with certain gasoline-powered products. They also find price to be somewhat more palatable and are prepared to live by gas for as long as possible.
Many of the exhibiting manufacturers at Equip Expo made no bones about the lingering demand for gasoline-powered products and are prepared to continue giving their customers a choice.
Unlike the auto industry, which isn’t even close to going all battery anytime soon, the landscaping industry is moving in that direction at a greater
Autonomous mowers are expanding their reach, making their way onto golf courses
speed. But it’s apt to be a gas/ battery split for some time yet.
In the meantime, manufacturers of gasoline-powered products will continue to have a healthy share of the market.
Some of the cool things we’ve seen in recent years at Equip Expo include the ability of autonomous mowers to cut in patterns while no longer requiring job sites to be boundary wired. Although the wired, random-cutting, Roomba-like units are still available at a cheaper price point, the advancements in autono -
mous offerings make mowing significantly more efficient.
Zero turn mowers – both ride-on and stand-on – are the preferred choice of landscapers, but operators usually opt for one over the other. Among the models exhibited at Equip Expo was a mower that can convert from one type to the other, giving operators a choice that best suits his or her individual comfort level.
Equip Expo included some first-time exhibitors, including new start-up companies. Last year we saw Kress make a big impact in its debut at the event, showcasing its array of battery-powered products and state-of-the-art charging solutions. This year, Yakta was among the newcomers. Headquartered in Woodlands, Man., the zero-turn mower manufacturer has, for now, only gasoline-powered models available, but noted it’s keeping a close eye on the growing battery market, hinting that one day it may venture in that direction.
Autonomous mowers are expanding their reach. They are now making their way onto golf courses to cut fairways and roughs. Because they’re autonomous and don’t require an on-board operator, these machines are addressing labour shortages that have plagued the industry the past few years.
Bethesda, Md.’s Congressional Country Club – home of three U.S. Open championships and a PGA Championship – is already utilizing autonomous mowers. So, too, is Boston’s Fenway Park, home of Major League Baseball’s Red Sox.
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Gasoline still viable as battery grows
Equip Expo in Louisville, Ky. showcased the best of both worlds for users of gasoline and batterypowered products.
By Mike Jiggens
The move to battery-powered equipment in the landscaping and turf maintenance industries continues to pick up speed. More and more equipment manufacturers have either expanded their electrified offerings or have become the latest to enter the battery market. Despite significant advances made of late in battery technology, a large market still exists for gasoline-powered products, and many major manufacturers are determined to give their professional customers a choice.
October’s Equip Expo in Louisville, Ky. showcased the best of both worlds. The largest trade show of its kind in North America set another attendance record with more than 27,000 people on hand from the United States, Canada and 45 other countries who viewed and demonstrated the latest commercial-grade, outdoor power equipment available on the market.
Husqvarna has been a leader in recent years in the manufacturing of battery-powered products aimed at the landscaping industry. It offers a full range of equipment, including mowers, blowers, trimmers and edgers. Much of the company’s attention of late, however, has been focused on battery charging solutions, says Carlos Haddad,
vice-president and general manager for North America’s professional business unit.
“The biggest challenge landscapers face is to charge those batteries, especially overnight,” he said.
With more battery-powered commercial-grade equipment available on the market today, Husqvarna provides char-
ging solutions that allow six, eight, 10 or 12 batteries to be charged overnight with a low, slow charge. Haddad said a slower charge allows batteries to be charged repeatedly, reducing the risk of damaging the battery and extending its life.
“We believe a slow charge overnight keeps the battery much more intact and
Randy Jensen, technical sales specialist at Oregon Tool, demonstrates the performance of the company’s Speed Cut Nano blade at Equip Expo in Louisville, Ky.
Exploring the golf market
Kress, another leader in battery-powered turf maintenance equipment, is also planning to venture into the golf market.
“Robotics lends itself well to golf course maintenance,” Phil Fitzpatrick, general manager and vice-president of Kress’ Canadian operations, said.
The company, which had expanded its network of Canadian dealers to almost 140 at the time of Equip Expo, has expanded its battery-powered product line to include snow blowers, recently launching a two-stage machine under the Kress name. Although the equipment is part of the company’s “prosumer” line, commercial-grade versions of the snow blowers are expected to hit the market by next year, Fitzpatrick said.
Kress, a part of the Positec Group, made a big splash at the 2022 Equip Expo with its battery lineup and charging solutions, including its Cybertank system which allows batteries to be recharged in minutes.
“We’re replacing the gas tank, if you will, with our Cybertank and the ability to charge batteries in quick time,” Fitzpatrick said. “Now, you have a charge time that is quicker than the amount of time it takes to run out your battery.”
keeps the life of the battery for much longer,” he said.
The company also has fast-charging options available that allow landscapers to recharge low-running batteries during a lunch period on a job site. Haddad said Husqvarna has 30-minute chargers that can restore a battery to full power, but added the option should be used sparingly and only on an emergency basis.
In addition to recent advances in battery charging technology, innovations in robotic and autonomous products have abounded in only a few short years. Haddad said there were few conversations about robotic and autonomous technology only a handful of years ago, but today there is a broader acceptance of such products, especially in the landscaping industry.
Almost every robotic mower required the installation of perimeter wiring only a couple of years ago, and their movements were random. Most robotic mowers today don’t require boundary wiring and can cut in programmed patterns, increasing the capacity of areas that can be mowed.
Being able to mow large acreage within a shorter time reduces the dependency on labour and promotes environmental sustainability, Haddad said.
This has allowed Husqvarna to move into the sports turf and golf course maintenance markets with robotic mowing. The company’s Ceora model can cut fairways as short as .3 inches and has been adopted at Boston’s Fenway Park – home of Major League Baseball’s Red Sox.
The company conducted a series of trials with landscapers during the past year, putting Kress-branded products in their hands and garnering feedback from their experiences. Mostly positive feedback was generated by the participating landscapers, he said, acknowledging that the process of getting crews to tap into battery technology is ongoing. Some landscaping employees wish to continue using gasoline-powered equipment until they’re obligated to adopt battery.
Fitzpatrick said he figures that mindset applies to only a small percentage of landscapers.
“We continue to think we’re in the right place at the right time with the right technology,” he said.
Looking at battery cautiously
Yakta, a relative newcomer to the landscape equipment manufacturing industry, has been producing gasoline-powered zero turn mowers for the past year. The Woodlands, Man.-based company has been taking a hard look at the battery-powered market but is approaching it cautiously.
“There’s still a lot to learn about that technology,” CEO Andrew Firth said. “We believe it’s the way of the future, but we need to do it right.”
Yakta gets its name from Australian-rooted terminology that translates into “hard work” and “thank you.”
In addition to its Canadian location, Yakta has a plant in Australia and another that is starting up in Tennessee. The company is a sister enterprise of Arrowquip which
A robotic mower is now cutting the field at the fabled Fenway Park, home of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox.
Aaron Griffith, director of professional dealer sales for Stanley Black & Decker, with the DeWalt Ascent C60 ride-on/stand-on hybrid battery-powered mower that can be configured from one type to the other in less than 30 seconds.
was founded in Australia by Firth’s father and manufactures animal handling equipment. The junior Firth said the decision to form a sister company that specializes in zero turn mowers was made just prior to last year’s Equip Expo.
“After Equip Expo, we went home with a fairly clear map of what we wanted to do and where we wanted to position ourselves in the market,” he said.
The first four employees Yakta hired were engineers.
“We’re an innovation-focused company.”
Obstacles to battery
Senix Tools, a fairly new brand from China-based parent company Yat, is also carefully treading into the battery-powered market, manufacturing outdoor power equipment for both commercial customers and consumers.
Rocky Reynolds, vice-president of sales
and marketing, admitted robotics are currently a hot topic today, “but the adoption rate is very low.”
He said gasoline-powered mowers are still dominating the consumer market as price point and performance remain as obstacles.
While significant improvements have been made to robotic mowers in recent years – with their ability to cut in programmed patterns without the need for boundary wiring – the wired version’s cheaper cost continues to make them a popular choice, Reynolds said.
“That’s a major barrier,” he said. “They (customers) don’t mind putting down some wire for a small yard.”
Senix Tools, however, prefers to promote robotic mowers that cut in patterns rather than those that mow by random movement, Reynolds said, noting they also produce a better quality of cut.
“There are people who don’t want to take that leap straight to all batteries, so we decided if it works in the car industry it should work in the mower industry.”
Reynolds said with many of Senix Tools’ competitors going 100 per cent battery, plenty of market space has remained for companies that still offer gasoline options.
Gas and battery options
Companies under the Stanley Black & Decker umbrella also wish to provide both battery and gasoline options to their commercial customers.
“The growth rate of battery is moving at a higher rate, but it’s not every market,” Aaron Griffith, director of professional dealer sales for Stanley Black & Decker said. “The big cities is where it’s really taken off, but it’s growing at a faster rate than gas power because it’s new technology and is gaining traction.”
He said there are several markets that still prefer gasoline-powered equipment, figuring it won’t be anytime soon when the industry moves exclusively to battery.
The company’s DeWalt brand is actively promoting its battery-powered products while the Hustler and Cub Cadet brands continue to give customers
gasoline-powered options.
“We’re still investing in gas because we know that’s the product we have to have,” Griffith said.
Transitioning to battery
Some companies that have traditionally offered gasoline-powered equipment are transitioning to battery, acknowledging it’s the direction the industry is heading. Such is the case with Stihl, whose transition is in full swing, says company president and CEO Chris Keffer.
He said the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute reports that more than half of the outdoor power equipment purchased today in the United States is powered by battery. Reduced noise output, ease of use, longer run times and lower maintenance are among the contributing factors driving sales among consumers. Commercial operators are more concerned about power, performance, charging solutions and cost, Keffer said.
“This is a pivotal moment in our company’s history,” Keffer said, noting Stihl will continue to invest in battery technology while still supporting the “sustainable and environmentally friendly advancement” of its gasoline-powered products to meet the demands of commercial customers who wish to choose their preferred power source.
Going all out in battery
One manufacturer that has never produced a gasoline-powered product is Greenworks Commercial.
“We’ve spent the last 21 years developing battery products which gives us a competitive edge over other brands,” Per Kvarby, vice-president of product management and marketing, said.
He noted batteries are one thing, but how they’re charged is another.
“This is a question that is mostly unanswered in the market today,” he said.
Greenworks has addressed ordinances outlawing blowers and other equipment that exceed decibel levels of 65. The company has responded with blowers and chain saws that meet mandated noise thresholds and deliver the needed power.
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Meeting the demands of cricket user groups
Cricket clubs are very particular about how their fields are maintained.
By
Mike Jiggens
Cricket field maintenance – and cricket pitch maintenance, in particular – is a much different ball game than that of other sports fields. There is perhaps no other community in Canada that understands this more than Brampton, Ont.
The self-proclaimed “cricket capital of Canada” was the host municipality for Sports Turf Canada’s sports field training day in October. Brian Macklin, Brampton’s supervisor of parks maintenance, presented a primer on cricket field maintenance at the event.
The city is home to 18 cricket facilities, including its premier field at Teramoto Park – site of the field day activities. Five of Brampton’s fields are full size while others include minor and junior fields.
Macklin said cricket is “exploding” in Brampton while baseball is on the decline and soccer is holding steady. Several of the city’s fields were once side-by-side soccer fields that have been transformed into
cricket fields with the addition of a pitch installed in the middle.
The city’s cricket fields feature a variety of different pitch types, including jute mats, coco fibre mats, synthetic turf atop a screenings base, synthetic turf atop a concrete base and natural pitches.
The pitch is regarded as the most important component of a cricket field, and it must be constructed and maintained to exact specifications to allow the ball to bounce at a precise height when it’s thrown by the bowler toward the batsman. Cricket user groups tend to be “demanding” about the upkeep of their facilities, Macklin said.
For example, all sports fields in the city were once mowed at two inches, but the cricket groups wanted a shorter cut. Cricket fields are currently mowed at three-quarters of an inch, and Macklin said they are in arguably better shape at the shorter height than they were when cut at two inches. This, however, requires ample staff to achieve as well as regular maintenance, he said.
The premier field is lit and irrigated, but Macklin said even the city’s non-irrigated fields must also be cut at the lower height. The nature of the game demands turf is cut shorter. Taller grass will slow down ground balls, preventing them from rolling beyond the outfield line and denying the offensive team four points. Achieving a lower height of cut was the city’s biggest success with its user groups, he said.
Fields are overseeded with a dwarf lowmow bluegrass.
Playing the game
In cricket, the bowler runs up the pitch and hurls the ball toward the batsman, bouncing it on the hard surface where the batsman will attempt to hit it. If he hits a ground ball, he and another batsman at the opposite end of the pitch – a 66-foot distance between wickets – will run towards each other, attempting to make it safely back to their respective wickets before the ball is fielded. Each successful crossing of one another to the wickets
Brian Macklin, supervisor of parks maintenance in Brampton, Ont., speaks about cricket pitch and field maintenance at Sports Turf Canada’s fall field day at the city’s Teramoto Park.
counts for one point. If the batsman flies the ball over the outfield line, he is awarded six points for his team. A ball that rolls along the ground and crosses the outfield line without being fielded counts for four points. The centre point of the field is 65 metres from the outfield perimeter line.
Cricket contests can vary in playing time, depending on the format of the game. Longer games can take several days to play while adjusted formats can abbreviate playing time to between eight and four hours.
“We have 18 facilities and that’s still not enough,” Macklin said. “We’re converting baseball diamonds left, right and centre.”
New land for cricket fields continues to be sought, but the challenge is that a massive amount of space is required for a full-size field. The addition of lights at the premier field has probably been the single biggest asset from a programming perspective, he added, noting there were about 600 permitted hours allotted prior to it being lit. The lights have allowed permitted play to reach upwards of 1,300 hours Monday to Friday.
Multiple pitches and varieties
A full-size cricket field tends to have multiple pitches, although only one is ever in play at any one time. This promotes a rotation of game pitches, allowing a pitch time to recover and be provided the maintenance it needs before it is used again. Play will take place on a single pitch for a full week. At Teramoto Park, the middle concrete pitch covered in artificial turf is flanked on either side by three natural turf pitches.
Pitches undergo significant wear during a week of play from the running of both batsmen and bowlers as well as the impact made from the balls bounced into the pitch. Other factors such as rain can alter the consistency of a natural pitch or one on screenings.
Baseball mound clay, from which grass can grow, is used for natural pitches. These require precise moisture management, Macklin said, with the goal of achieving a compact enough pitch that allows the ball to bounce at a height like that atop a concrete pitch. This requires plenty of rolling to achieve the right level of compaction as well as the necessary water management to keep grass
alive. The pitch must be dry enough and sufficiently firm to prevent the ball from “dying” when it’s bounced before the batsman.
Natural pitches are grown to perennial ryegrass to prevent thatch buildup and are mowed at an eighth of an inch when in play. They are rolled for about three hours by a
three-ton roller to achieve maximum compaction. A 1.5-ton roller had been used previously, but Macklin said it wasn’t heavy enough to achieve the desired amount of compaction.
Concrete pitches, by comparison, require less maintenance but must be inspected.
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GLAGS nips KEGS to take back hold of Honey Cup
Friendly match play event honours life of former Sarnia golf superintendent
By Mike Jiggens
The Kent-Essex Greenkeepers’ Society’s (KEGS) possession of the Paul Brown Honey Cup came to quick end in October, following only one year of retention. The neighbouring Greater London Association of Golf Superintendents (GLAGS) recaptured the annual match play championship at London’s Sunningdale Golf Club, winning for the fourth time in five years.
GLAGS’s 10-8 victory at the Envu-sponsored event has put the association back in the driver’s seat, with a commanding 9-6 series lead.
The friendly series involves 12 members from each superintendents’ association, paired in twosomes, taking on their counterparts in a series of six matches involving three different legs for a possible three points. The first six-hole leg of the event was a best ball showdown for one point. Six holes of alternating shots served as the middle leg while a six-hole scramble completed the series of matches – each worth a point.
For the first time in the event’s 15-year history, no one twosome swept its opponent. Three of the matches ended in ties and
only one match was lopsided.
Golfers played in favourable conditions for mid-October. The last time the event was played at Sunningdale, the high temperature for the day was only three degrees Celsius, requiring golfers to dress in several layers.
Although the private golf course is currently 36 holes, it is being reduced to 18 holes to make way for new residential development on part of the property. Members have had to adapt to a rerouting of holes this past season to accommodate the development. Long-time superintendent Tim Webb said hole numbers have changed four times this season, and he expects further alterations
in hole numbers to be the norm again next year.
Ryan Beauchamp, golf segment manager for Envu in Canada, said the philosophy behind the annual match play competition is about giving back.
“This event is about giving back, and everyone in this room has given back, and that’s why you’re here,” he told the gathering at the post-golf dinner.
Greig Barker, superintendent at the Highland Country Club in London and the host for the 2025 Honey Cup matches, echoed Beauchamp’s sentiments, adding, “We’re all here for one reason – to honour Paul Brown. When Ryan mentions giving back, etiquette, camaraderie – all those things – it just lays
Doug Wilson, superintendent at Black Horse Golf Club in Kincardine, Ont., tees off on the 18th hole at Sunningdale Golf Club in London at the Paul Brown Honey Cup match play challenge.
out what Paul was to everybody.”
Brown was the superintendent at the Sarnia Golf & Curling Club, who died in an on-course accident in 2017. The reference to honey in the event’s title came from his passion for beekeeping and honey production. His son Greg, superintendent at Maple City Country Club in Chatham, has played for the KEGS team the past several years.
“Today, what we’re here for is to remember one of our own who had passed away,” Steve Hatch, superintendent at Windsor’s Ambassador Club, said in leading a toast to the late Paul Brown.
The 2024 Paul Brown Honey Cup competition will be played at the Essex Golf & Country Club in Windsor.
Competition results
Match 1: Greg Brown (Maple City Golf Club) & Dan Friesen (Orchard View Golf Club) of KEGS defeated Mark Durand (Envu) & Mark Gibson (Green Hills Golf Club) of GLAGS 2-1.
Match 2: Tim Webb (Sunningdale Golf Club) & Greig Barker (Highland Country Club) of GLAGS defeated Ryan Beauchamp (Envu) & Matt Erickson (Pointe West Golf Club) of KEGS 2-1.
Match 3: Jamie Spencer (Echo Valley Golf Club) & Doug Wilson (Black Horse Golf Club) of GLAGS tied with Bryan Hunter (Seven Lakes Golf Club) & Mike Jiggens (Turf & Rec) of KEGS 1.5-1.5.
Match 4: Sean Van Beurden (Envu) & Dave Kaminsky (Pine Knot Golf Club) of GLAGS tied with Steve Hatch (Ambassador Golf Club) & Derek Brown (Talbot Trail Golf Club) of KEGS 1.5-1.5.
Match 5: Joel Johnston (West Haven Golf & Country Club) & Fred Schmoelzl (Blue Water Golf Club) of GLAGS tied with Gregg Menard (Wildwood Golf & RV Resort) & Joel Henderson (Sarnia Golf & Curling Club) of KEGS 1.5-1.5.
Match 6: Kevin Collier (RiverBend Golf Community) & Dan Lavis (Tarandowah Golfers Club) of GLAGS defeated Brad Hern (Sutton Creek Golf Course) & Chris Andrejicka (Essex Golf & Country Club) of KEGS 2.5-.5
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Get systems in place before growing a company
KW-area landscaper says a business must be systemized before it should consider growth.
By Mike Jiggens
Alandscaping business won’t grow without the right systems in place, the owner of a Kitchener-Waterloo-area
company says, adding chasing growth without being systemized is a recipe for disaster.
“It’s not all about growth,” Derek Lippert, owner of Quiet Nature Ltd., a predominantly design/build landscaping business in Ayr, Ont., told an audience of landscapers at last winter’s Landscape Congress in Toronto. “You need to be systemized, then grow. Don’t do it the wrong way.”
Having the right people is the foundation for a successful business, he said, but the right processes must first be in place.
Lippert founded his business in 1999. He said the business wasn’t sufficiently systemized at the outset which hindered its success. If a business focuses on profit before caring about its systems, its employees and its customers, its business ethics could become compromised, he added.
Quiet Nature employs about 20 people, specializing in naturalistic landscapes such as ponds and other water features. It does between $3 million and $3.5 million in sales. Some of its specialty work can take crews as far northward as Collingwood.
Lippert said most people don’t purposely seek careers in landscaping, but “stumble” into the profession one way or another. They may have started by mowing lawns during their youth or working for someone else. They found the work paid the bills and inspired them to remain in the industry.
“People are willing to pay you with their hard-earned money to do things for them.”
Lippert said the company owner may then wish to grow his business by taking on more jobs yet finds that although many have gone well, some haven’t. He warned that one bad job could mean the end, putting a company out of business.
At the same time, many of those employed by the business may be considered as ideal workers while some tend to cause grief.
Some clients might also be good customers while others “might put you in a corner.”
The business owner might find he needs to grow his company to keep up. He gets more leads and hires more staff but soon finds his people are stressed.
“So, how do we short-circuit this flawed trajectory and move in a more linear path to sanity?”
A business can’t focus solely on the process and the systems without the people, Lippert said, adding a business also can’t only have great people without the processes.
The pillars of a successful business include team and leadership, finance, operations, marketing and sales.
Importance of good people
Getting good people who make a connection and are on the same wavelength will treat their employer well if they’re treated well.
“That’s the foundation for everything. Without that, you don’t have a real business.”
Lippert said that once Quiet Nature be-
Having good people on staff is the foundation for a successful landscaping business.
came a $500,000 business, it had one returning staff member. A consultant was hired to guide that individual. If one good idea comes from hiring a consultant or a coach, the investment is worth if that idea generates revenue beyond the investment of hiring someone, he said.
“You have to become a slightly better version of yourself every single day.”
When a team sees its employer become more of a well-rounded person who can deal with his own stresses and anxieties that can be shared with the team, it becomes a self-development journey for the business owner, Lippert said.
One A-level employee will help to make a business more successful than several C-level employees, he said, adding the A-level players tend to act as a magnet by bringing B and C-level players forward. The employer himself is no longer the only “magnet.” Others are filling the role.
“The reason other good people are coming and staying is no longer because of you. You want your lead hands to be the quality of employee that any other company around you would put as a crew leader in a heartbeat.”
Lippert suggested companies refrain from hiring new crews until they first have “rock solid, killer people” in the field.
He added that businesses should avoid having a personality monoculture, noting it’s good to have a diversity of opinion and personality among staff. Creative types tend to develop business while conservative types keep businesses running. They need each other, he said.
Lippert encouraged using sub-contractors to outsource things “you’re no good at.”
Landscape contractors should treat recruiting as they do marketing by dedicating a website page that tells prospective employees why they should want to work for that company and why they would fit into
the company’s culture.
“When you have good employees who don’t cause drama, be sure to pay them well and listen to what they have to say. It’s easy to overlook the ones who are quiet and steady.”
Weekly or bi-weekly staff meetings keep everyone informed, Lippert said, and are also opportunities to praise, motivate and keep everyone engaged.
Key staff can be taken on company retreats as a means of “tapping into their brains,” he said. “Move out of the environment you’re in and maybe get some ideas flowing.”
Staff retention can be helped when a business provides its employees with the right equipment. If a piece of equipment prevents an employee from doing the work by hand, the worker will experience less strain on his body and will be more apt to stay with the company, Lippert said. Working with the right equipment is also a good marketing tool, he added.
Extend the life of artificial fields with proper care
Regular field maintenance can add a few years to an artificial field’s life expectancy
By Mike Jiggens
Artificial turf sports fields, on average, will have a lifespan of eight to 10 years, depending on their amount of use and how well they’re maintained. Regular maintenance practices that include some of the finer, often overlooked details can extend the life of a synthetic field a little longer, saving the municipality several thousands of dollars.
“A good, robust maintenance program of some very basic things is the key to longevity on all your turf fields,” Cam Lawrie, facilities supervisor for outdoor sports fields at the University of Guelph, says.
Lawrie was one of three key presenters in October at Sports Turf Canada’s sports field training day at Brampton’s Teramoto Park. Maintaining artificial turf is not difficult, he said, as long as the work is done regularly and short cuts aren’t taken.
All four of the University of Guelph’s
full-size artificial turf sports fields are in the process of being replaced, but they’ve lasted longer than average.
“We’re proud to say they’ve lived well past their suggested lifespan,” Lawrie said, noting they have reached their 11th and 12th seasons of play.
If not overused yet maintained regularly, artificial turf fields can achieve similar lifespans. The owner’s manual provided by the synthetic turf vendor is the most important tool to have on hand, he said, adding it contains everything needed to know about proper maintenance. Log sheets documenting all maintenance practices – no matter how big or small –
rank second in importance. Good record-keeping will also help to stave off potential lawsuits and litigation.
“The most basic thing you can do every day is walk your fields. We aim to do every field every day at the University of Guelph.”
Maintenance employees walk the entire field from top to bottom or side to side in five-yard-wide passes, looking for anything out of the ordinary, including the presence of garbage, sharp objects and damage to the turf. Lawrie said “damage” is a broad term that might include divots in the infill, a separated seam, burn marks, fluid leaks or melted turf fibres. Walking a field offers a better vantage
Cam Lawrie, facilities supervisor for outdoor sports fields at the University of Guelph, says the owner’s manual provided by the artificial turf vendor is a field’s maintenance staff’s most valuable tool.
point to detect inconsistencies.
Lawrie suggested taking photographs of anything out of place, including a reference point of something in the background that will help dial in the precise location of the inconsistency.
Multi-sport synthetic fields will exhibit different wear patterns, depending on the sport. The corners of a field will undergo more wear when soccer is played than when the field is used for football. Soccer players taking corner kicks tend to make practice kicks before striking the ball, creating divots in the infill.
Infill divots are easy to spot, Lawrie said.
“When the infill is removed from in between the fibres, the spot will look very bright.”
Repairing divots
A sturdy push broom is usually all it takes
to repair infill divots. The infill is simply swept back into the cavity using a circular motion. Maintenance personnel will become more familiar with detecting divots the more they walk their fields, he said, and will become more adept at repairing the damage. It’s important the right broom is utilized, however. One with stiff, plastic bristles will work better than a broom with limp bristles.
“The stiffer the bristles, the easier it is to push the infill back into the hole.”
An understanding of how the field was constructed will also help with divot repair, Lawrie added, noting it’s not as easy as simply sweeping infill back into a hole. A deeper divot might be realized on a sandbased field, requiring additional sand to help support the turf fibres. He recommends overfilling with sand – by about a millimetre or two – followed by an overfill of infill by the same amount.
A sand leveling rake will help to ensure the divot is properly filled.
A magnet bar is an easy-to-use tool that will pick up sharp metal objects which might not be readily seen during field walks. Screws, nails and pins are among the metallic objects most tracked or discarded onto a field. Magnet bars are especially invaluable on artificial turf fields surrounded by a track, Lawrie said.
At the Guelph campus, the first order of business following a track meet is to walk the field while pushing a magnet bar. Track and field athletes usually have a number pinned to their shirt during competition, but the safety pins can sometimes fall off or are haphazardly disposed of at the end of competition. They can easily be tracked onto the interior field and may blend in with the infill if they’re black in colour.
“Some of the things you find on these fields is horrifying.”
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Infill can also be compacted in certain high-traffic areas of a field, such as goal mouths or team bench areas where a coach might constantly walk back and forth. A leaf rake can be used to loosen up smaller packed-in areas, Lawrie said, but he cautioned they might not be as effective in larger areas where a power broom is recommended.
It’s easy to see if infill compaction has sufficiently been loosened by looking at the turf fibres. He said if they are no longer matted down, raking was successful.
Other forms of maintenance must be adopted, depending on the circumstances. Sunflower seed shells and confetti are often strewn about a field with little regard to how they must be removed. Lawrie said sunflower seed shells usually need to be removed by hand.
“I haven’t found a real good way to get rid of sunflower seeds from an artificial turf
field in an automated or large-scale way.”
Confetti is often tossed on a field during a celebration and is especially difficult to remove when wet as it sticks to the field’s turf fibres.
Lawrie said the best measure to prevent sunflower seed shells or confetti from littering a field is to instruct staff to politely ask players, coaches and spectators to move elsewhere if they wish to indulge.
Other challenges
Artificial turf fields can also be compromised by nature. During the field day, a large flock of seagulls congregated at one end of the park’s artificial field.
“They’ll poop all over your field and leave feathers all over your field,” Lawrie warned, adding athletes don’t want to slide into or be tackled atop bird excrement. Scaring birds away from fields works effectively, especially if border
collies are put to work.
Nets and uprights must be anchored and well inspected regularly. Cracks in the infrastructure or missing bolts must be detected to prevent an accident from happening.
Chewing gum, broken glass and vomit are among other challenges confronting maintenance crews. Chewing gum is a particular concern, Lawrie said, but he noted placing a big bag of ice atop gum for about 20 minutes will help with its removal.
“When that gum is frozen, it pretty easily pries out of an artificial turf field. It’s much easier than trying to do it when it’s warm and soft and sticky.”
The propellant in aerosol cans, such as computer keyboard dusters, can also work effectively to freeze gum.
Athletes will occasionally get sick on a field, requiring sanitizing with a disinfectant solution.
2024 industry events
The turfgrass industry’s conference and show season gets underway in the new year, with several events slated for January and February.
Landscape Congress
Canada’s largest conference and trade show for the landscaping industry will be held Jan. 9-11 at the Toronto Congress Centre. A series of education sessions will be held during the morning on each of the conference’s three days while the trade show will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the first two days and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the final day. www.locongress.com
Ontario Golf Course Management Conference
The centennial event of the Ontario Golf Superintendents Association will be held Jan. 16-18 at the Hilton Fallsview Casino Conference Centre in Niagara Falls. The conference includes 2½ days of education sessions, the OGSA annual awards ceremony and the association’s annual general meeting. www.ogsa.ca
WCTA conference
The 60th anniversary conference of the WCTA will be held Feb. 14-16 at the Victoria
Conference Centre and Fairmont Empress Hotel. Among those who will present at the education sessions include Dr. Thomas Nikolai of Michigan State University, Dr. Guillaume Gregoire of Laval University, Chris Zerebeski of the City of Saskatoon Parks Department and Stan Kazymerchyk of Kwantlen University. www.wcta-online.com
Ontario Turfgrass Symposium
Aimed at the golf, lawn care, sports turf, municipal turf and sod-growing sectors of the professional turfgrass industry, the annual event will be held Feb. 21-22 at the University of Guelph.
The symposium features two days of education sessions for which attendees can earn IPM and continuing education credits. www. opened.uoguelph.ca/ Ontario-Turfgrass-Symposium
Canadian Golf Course Management Conference
The conference will be held Feb. 27-29 in Montreal and is being co-sponsored by the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and the Quebec Golf Superintendents Association.
Education session presenters include scientist Micah Woods, consultant Adam Moeller and meteorologist Kevin Mahoney. www.golfsupers.com
OUT FRONT DECKS
Well-wishers from Canada, U.S. honour retiring golf super
Golf superintendents, industry suppliers, family members and other well-wishers from both sides of the Southern Ontario/ Western New York border visited the Park Country Club of Buffalo in early October to honour its retiring superintendent.
Scott Dodson, a native Canadian who has been the Park Club’s superintendent the past 30 years, has called it a career. A golf event and dinner in his honour were jointly organized by the New York chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and the Western
Ontario Golf Superintendents Association (WOGSA).
“It’s been quite a ride,” Dodson told the roomful of well-wishers. “I’ve enjoyed it immensely. It’s been a great career. To be able to go out on your own terms, especially in this business, is not easy.”
The golf industry is in Dodson’s blood. His father Arthur was a superintendent for about 30 years, most notably at Maple Downs Golf Course in Maple, Ont. Dodson’s great uncle Charles (Bill) Bluett was superintendent at the Mississaugua Golf & Country Club and hired Arthur as his assistant
Dodson’s older brothers Paul and Bruce have recently retired as the respective superintendents at Calgary’s Silver Springs Golf & Country Club and Heritage Hills Golf Club in Barrie, Ont. They and their wives attended the Park Club send-off for their younger brother. Dodson’s nephews Michael and Mathew (Paul’s sons), who are also in the industry, were on hand to help honour their uncle.
“It’s always nice when you can celebrate something like this with family,” Dodson said, also acknowledging his wife Brenda, who joined the large group of Dodson family members.
While reflecting on his career, Dodson paid special tribute to industry colleague Brian Conn who, in early 2018, donated one of his kidneys to Dodson, whose organs were rapidly failing.
Conn, who was superintendent at the time at Transit Valley Country Club in East Amherst, N.Y., learned of Dodson’s condition and his need for a new kidney through an email sent by fellow superintendent Thad Thompson. Conn was tested and discovered he was a compatible donor.
Although Dodson and Conn were industry colleagues at the time, their paths rarely crossed. Dodson said Conn’s “selfless act” has brought the two closer than ever.
Speaking on behalf of WOGSA and as a close friend of Dodson’s for the past three decades, John Taylor,
Scott Dodson, left, is retiring as superintendent at Buffalo’s Park Country Club at the end of this season. The Canadian superintendent was honoured in October with a golf event involving members of superintendents’ associations from both Western New York and southern Ontario, including his good friend John Taylor, president of the Western Ontario Golf Superintendents Association.
superintendent at Grand Niagara Golf Club, recalled how their respective golf superintendents’ associations have worked together to launch two significant events over the years. A superintendents hockey tournament has been a popular event over the past 25 years as well as a Ryder Cup-like match play golf competition between the two neighbouring superintendents’ associations. The latter event was paused during COVID, but Taylor said discussions are taking place to resurrect it in 2024.
Adam Mis, superintendent at the Transit Valley Country Club, spoke on behalf of the New York chapter of the GCSAA, calling Dodson “a great superintendent” and “a great guy,” adding he’s known Dodson for about 30 years since working his internship at the Park Club.
An evaluation of retail fertilizers for home use
GTI study looked at different fertilizers for cost, turf quality and ease of application.
By Dr. Sara Stricker
Ahealthy, lush green lawn is the goal for many homeowners, and achieving this often requires the use of fertilizers. In Canada, especially in regions with pesticide application bans, homeowners rely on fertilizer products to ensure dense turf growth that out-competes weeds and maintains the functionality of their home lawn.
In a recent study at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, we looked at a range of fertilizer products available in retail stores and evaluated cost, ease of application, and effects on turf quality. We hope to shed light on the commercial fertilizer products available, so homeowners and lawn care professionals can make more informed choices for their turf management practices.
In this study, we assessed the impact of 12 different fertilizer treatments on a non-irrigated, three-year-old stand of Kentucky bluegrass established from sod, with no herbicides or insecticides applied. To ensure reliable and accurate results, we used a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments represent a range of options available to homeowners and lawn care professionals. These treatments included various formulations, nutrient ratios, and application schedules.
Cost consideration
When it comes to purchasing fertilizers, cost is often a significant consideration. Some of the products used in this trial were donated by industry suppliers, and, since their retail price is not posted online, we have omitted the price from this article. The most expensive retail fertilizer products were GolfGreen Bone Meal and Acti-Sol Mother Hen Fertilizer, which admittedly are not designed to be applied in bulk, but they were included in this study since the package instructions included home lawns. The most inexpensive product per square metre was GolfGreen Nitrogrow with GolfGreen Fall Fertilizer.
Ease of application
Granular fertilizers (treatments one, three, five, six, eight, nine, 10) were easily applied using a whirl hand-held spreader (retail price is $30.50).
Drone photos taken before the trial started (April 25, 2023) and at the end of the season (Oct 27, 2023).
Dr. Sara Stricker is the communications and outreach co-ordinator at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute.
RESEARCH
Since the nutrient guarantee on GolfGreen Bone Meal, Acti-Sol Mother Hen Fertilizer, and MinRock Ultimate Compost is so low, the rate of application (~1000 g / 10 m2 plot) was nearly 10 times higher than other products. Ensuring this amount of product was evenly distributed and incorporated into the turf canopy was notably more difficult. This was also true for Bella BioChar (2241 g /10 m2 plot), which is designed to be incorporated into the soil before turf establishment, and, unfortunately, that was not an option for this trial. The Bella BioChar treatment was messy to apply, resulting in clouds of black dust which required the use of mask and goggles, but the BioChar treatment only needs to be applied once in the lifetime of the turf.
The EarthAlive Soil Activator treatment was the only product applied as a liquid. The fine powder gave us some difficulty when mixing, since it would form hydrophobic
clumps if mixed too quickly. This treatment was applied using a three-gallon hand-pump sprayer (retail price is $36.15), and unfortunately the sprayer needed to be refilled for each 10 m2 plot which would be inconvenient when treating larger areas. The choice between solid and liquid fertilizers ultimately comes down to the applicator’s comfort level. Solid fertilizers are user-friendly and require minimal effort, while liquid fertilizers may be better suited for those willing to invest more time and effort to ensure proper calibration of their equipment.
Turf quality
Each of the treatments were applied according to the label instructions between April 25, 2023 and Sept. 13, 2023. A digital image was taken using a drone at 17 metres altitude weekly from April 25, 2023 to Oct. 27, 2023. These images are available on our social media platforms
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(@GuelphTurf on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook). The plots were two metres by five metres, and each image was digitally analyzed for average red/green/blue colour content using devpicker.com/image-average-color. The colour values were standardized for blue content and the green:red ratio was used as an estimate of turf quality (higher value equals brighter emerald-green colour).
The average greenness value was calculated from the three replications across the study, and the performance of the products was then ranked from high (#1) to low (#12). When averaged across the entire season, the treatment rankings from highest to lowest are as follows: Vigoro Lawn Fertilizer, Mother Hen Fertilizer, Mother Hen + Bella Biochar, Ultimate Compost, Nutryon HiViz / GreenTRX/C2Charge, Bone Meal, TurfBuilder Pro, Bone Meal + Biochar, Turf
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Builder Summerguard, GolfGreen NitroGrow & Fall Fertilizer, 10-0-0 with PBS150, EarthAlive Soil Activator.
Several treatments were impacted by their application schedule. For example, the turf quality of Treatment 1 (Scotts Turf Builder Summerguard) peaked two weeks after the second application. The quality of GolfGreen Nitrogrow was at the highest at the beginning of the season, and then fell in rankings over time. EarthAlive Soil Activator, which contains soil microbes, was consistently ranked low likely due to the lack of macro-nutrient content. This product may be more effective in combination with irrigation and/or additional fertilization.
Iron content
Iron content in fertilizers plays a pivotal role in enhancing turfgrass quality. Iron is an essential micronutrient that helps to maintain the vibrant green colour of the grass. It aids
in chlorophyll production, which is crucial for photosynthesis and overall plant health. By ensuring the grass receives an adequate supply of iron, it not only regains its lush green appearance but also becomes more resilient to environmental stresses. Thus, the iron content in fertilizers is a key factor in promoting the optimal aesthetic and health of turfgrass. It cannot be overlooked that some of the top-performing products contained iron. Acti-Sol Mother Hen, MinRock Ultimate Compost, and Nutrite Nutryon HiViz /GreenTRX/C2Charge were ranked within the top five treatments throughout the season and have some iron content (0.1% Fe, 0.8% Fe and 0.9% Fe, respectively). Iron content wasn’t a consistent predictor of turf quality, but it is something to consider when purchasing fertilizer products.
Cost/performance considerations
Of the products purchased from retail
stores, Vigoro Lawn Fertilizer gave the biggest “bang for its buck.” Mother Hen Fertilizer resulted in a surprisingly nice dark green colour which was maintained throughout the season, but the fact that it needed to be applied four times, plus the cost, and the effort needed to handspread the product (it doesn’t fit properly in a whirl hand-spreader), means that Mother Hen Fertilizer might not be worth effort and cost for turfgrass use. MinRock Ultimate Compost and the Nutrite product are next in line but are exempt from the cost/performance analysis since they were donated products. GolfGreen Bone Meal alone was in the top six for turf quality, but the price is 15 times higher than that of traditional synthetic granular fertilizers. This project was made possible thanks to our industry donors and Landscape Ontario. Visit www.Lawn.Science.
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The ways human rights relate to a safe and inclusive workplace
One might wonder, what do human rights have to do with workplace health and safety?
Everyone in Canada has human rights that entitle them to equality, dignity, and freedom from discrimination in life and at work. Canadian employers also have legal and ethical obligations to promote diversity and inclusion in their workplaces, arising from various federal, provincial, and territorial legislations.
Employers’ obligation
Human rights legislation requires employers to build equality into workplace standards so that, as much as possible, the governing of the performance of work reflects all members of society. Employers and service providers have a legal obligation, called the duty to accommodate, to enable workers to participate fully in the workplace. This duty may include the need to adapt rules, policies, practices, or physical spaces that negatively impact individuals or groups based on one or more prohibited grounds of discrimination, including race or ethnicity.
The duty to accommodate may require treating someone differently to prevent discrimination, where treating everyone the same, or “equally,” would result in discrimination. For example, asking all job applicants to pass a written test may not be fair to a person with a
visual or learning disability. In such cases, the duty to accommodate may require that alternative arrangements be made to ensure that a person or group can participate fully. Employers should also consider how conscious and unconscious bias factor into certain assumed required conditions of employment, such as credit and background checks.
The Supreme Court of Canada has explained that the essence of true equality is to be treated according to one’s own merit, capabilities, and circumstances. True equality requires that differences be accommodated.
Regardless of policies that may exist in the workplace to prevent discrimination, instances may happen. Workers may not always understand that types of behaviour may be seen as discriminatory and psychologically unsafe – it’s important to provide education and training about what the appropriate actions are. Everyone in the workplace should be trained on how to recognize discrimination
and understand their duty to come forward when they see it happening. Workers experiencing discrimination need to know their concerns will be taken seriously and that they will not experience retaliation for coming forward.
Understanding legislation
There are several types of legislation that cover human rights and foster inclusive workplaces in Canada, including federal, provincial, and territorial human rights legislation, occupational health and safety legislation, common and human rights case law, and employment equity legislation.
Canadian employers must comply with applicable federal, provincial, and territorial human rights legislation, which prohibits discrimination based on protected grounds. For example, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and corresponding provincial or territorial human rights legislation, provide comprehensive protections against discrimination in employment.
These legislations emphasize the importance of creating inclusive workplaces and outline the employers’ responsibilities in preventing discrimination. They also include the duty to accommodate.
Occupational health and safety legislation includes provisions that pertain to diversity and inclusion. Employers have a responsibility to maintain a safe and inclusive work environment that is free from harassment and violence. They must take steps to prevent and address incidents of harassment to ensure the well-being and safety of their workers.
In addition to statutory obligations, Canadian employers must consider common law principles and human rights case law when addressing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Courts have interpreted human rights legislation and established legal precedents that guide employers’ obligations in preventing discrimination, accommodating disabilities, and promoting inclusivity.
Canadian federal employers, and provincially regulated employers (who are covered by the Federal Contractors Program) are subject to federal employment equity legislation. These laws require designated employers to take proactive measures to address systemic barriers and promote representation of designated groups such as women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minorities in their workforce.
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