The New Jersey Landscape Contractor Magazine - Fall 2020 Issue

THE NEW JERSEY

Fall 2020

Landscape Contractor

The Official Publication of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association

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Lessons About Pricing Over 25 Years Fall Fertilization Hiring for Snow and Ice Consider EOS to Improve Operations, Culture and Financial Performance Ӽ and Much More!

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contents 2020 FEATURES fall

The New Jersey Landscape Contractor magazine is the official publication of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, dedicated to the professional landscape industry of New Jersey. NJLCA was founded in 1966 as the Bergen County Landscape Contractors Association, and is today comprised of over 550 member companies throughout New Jersey.

New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association 465 Mola Boulevard, Ste. 4, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407 Phone | 201-703-3600 -- Fax | 201-703-3776 E-mail | info@njlca.org Visit our website at www.NJLCA.org Publisher/Editor Gail E. Woolcott Contributing Writers Joe Bolognese | Dr. Leah Brilman | Greg Carpenter | Kenneth Cerullo | Doug Cherry | Domenic Chiarella | Bill Cook | Eric Cross | Madeline Flahive Dinardo | Neal Glatt | Phil Harwood | Chris Heiler | Bob Hibler | Nelson Lee | Andrew Longo | Monroe Porter | Melissa Riley | Gail Woolcott | Steven Yergeau NJLCA Combined Board President | Nelson Lee Vice President | Richard Goldstein, CLT Treasurer | Greg Carpenter, CLT Director | Jeff Baker Director | Justin Flatow, CLT Director | John Freitag Director | George Futterknecht, CLT Director | Michael McMorrow Director | Scott Hild, CLT Associate Director | Joe Bolognese Associate Director | Kenneth Cerullo Associate Director | David Gaynor Associate Director | Wade Slover Advisor | Dr. Bruce Clarke, Rutgers University Advisor | Dr. Steven Fischer, Bergen Community College Advisor | Dr. James Murphy, Rutgers University The New Jersey Landscape Contractor magazine is published triennially. 600 print copies are distributed to members and over 4,000 digital issues are sent to professionals in the Green Industry of New Jersey, as well as educational and governmental institutions. Subscription rates: $45.00 per year; $15.00 per copy. New Jersey residents only, please add 7% sales tax.

To advertise in The New Jersey Landscape Contractor, please contact Gail Woolcott at (201) 703-3600 or e-mail gwoolcott@njlca.org.

Article and photo submissions are encouraged and may be sent to NJLCA at the above address. Publisher assumes no responsibility for safekeeping or return of photos or manuscripts, and reserves all rights to edit material submitted for publication. Š 2020 New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

PUBLISHED October 2020 Cover Photo: DiTomaso Landscape Group - 2019

7 The Pandemic Ain't Over 'Til the

Fat Lady Sings

9 The Importance of Fall Fertilization

12 Landscape AlterNATIVES: Prickly Pear Cactus

15 Our American Workforce

17 The Top 3 Things That Help and Hurt Sales

19 Tomato Paste Leadership: Part Two

27 Are You a Gardener?

28 25 Lessons About Pricing Over 25 Years

31 Hiring for Snow and Ice

34 Consider EOS to Improve Operations,

Culture and Financial Performance

39 Learning to Love Snow

40 Winter Wellness for Landscape Ornamentals

43 Simple Financial Mistakes Contractors Should Avoid

47 Dormant Seeding and Cold Germination

for Repair and Change

IN EVERY ISSUE...

NJLCA News Briefs 4 President’s Message 4 Upcoming Events 5 Letter from the Editor 13 Product Spotlight: Toro Power TRX HD 16 Advertiser Index 22 Contractor Focus: CLC Landscape Design 23 Associate Focus: Frank's Truck Center 24 Back to School: Service Project in Fairfield 37 Welcome New Members

Columns

5 The Buzz: Industry News

11 Turf Talk

36 Insuring Your Future

44 Tales from the Landscape Side

45 Water Ways NJLCA.ORG

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President’s Message Greetings to all! I hope that you and your families are well and staying safe. What a rollercoaster ride of a season we have been having in this year of 20/20 "Clear Vision". Who would have though in March that almost all businesses in our state would be shut down and working from home? Thankfully we, the landscape industry, were spared from this unfortunate situation and it was business as usual for the most part, in our collective new reality.

It is my honor to address you as NJLCA’s President for the past 5 years and I am most grateful and humbled to have had the opportunity to serve our community. This, my last column in the New Jersey Landscape Contractor magazine, hopefully expresses my gratitude to you, our members.

As I reflect on the time I spent in service at the NJLCA, I feel honored to have met so many wonderful people and formed many new relationships which helped pave the way to a strong and united voice for our industry! I have found that the more you participate in the association, and attend the events, the more you get out of it, by way of relationships, money saving opportunities, money making opportunities and top notch education. From nuggets of invaluable information gained from a speaker or another member to referrals from others in the association, to having the

NJLCA fight for our rights as business owners, the value is there.

I would like to thank each and every one of you for supporting our association. Our efforts as a group made this all possible. Because of your thirst for knowledge and a better understanding of how important it is for our industry to become more professional; we have increased member participation in all events that the NJLCA has to offer.

This year in February, we had the largest attended trade show in our 40 plus year history of the show, We grew our membership, we were able to hire a lobbyist to help protect and move our industry forward and we have helped our members successfully navigate the waters of 2020.

One major action the NJLCA took was to fight the blower ban in Maplewood and sue the town. This is an example of the larger theme of why landscapers and allied industries need associations.

The NJLCA has also provided several service projects to the community worth well over $100,000 in value. We have recognized contractors who provide outstanding services, have legitimized our awards program and held a NJ State Board of Agriculture Meeting at our trade show, which had never been done before. We continue to raise the bar and push the envelope with our member events, mixers and educational opportunities throughout the year.

These five years have been valuable, interesting and fun for me. I hope that it has been that to the Association as well. Thank you all again, it has been a privilege to serve.

Good luck to the incoming leadership of the NJLCA in forwarding our efforts to professionalize the landscape industry and work together for a greater industry and association.

Sincerely,

Nelson Lee, President 2016-2020

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PCOMING EVENTS:

Join us on Zoom over the winter for special events and webinars!

November 12th - Member Meeting - TBD November 19th - Sustainable Webinar - Part II December - Virtual Awards Ceremony and Gala January - February -

Virtual Pest Week II (Tentative)

Virtual Plant Material Week (Tentative)

4 FALL | 2020

The Buzz

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amie Foley, CEO and Ryan Foley, President of Foley, Incorporated announced that they have opened up the Foley Used Equipment Sales Center at 974 Route 33 East, in Monroe, NJ. The Foley Used Equipment Center is one of six Foley branch locations. Other locations are in Piscataway, NJ, Hammonton, NJ, Bensalem, PA, Whitehall, PA, and Bear, DE. The new branch location is centrally located in Foley’s territory and will serve solely as a used equipment center for the company’s entire fleet of used construction equipment. The 70,000-sq.-ft. yard will be a retail center for customers to browse the equipment for sale. There are currently 175 machines in the yard, with a goal to increase that to 250 in the next few months.

Heritage Landscape Supply Group acquired the assets of Aquarius Supply, an independent distributor of irrigation, outdoor lighting, agronomics, and other landscape products. Terms of the deal were not publicly disclosed.

“After more than 50 years in business, I am honored and excited to announce our new partnership with Heritage,” Aquarius president Rob Beausoleil said in a news release. “Heritage is the only company that we believed would take care of our people, treat them like family, and maintain Aquarius’ reputation for providing outstanding customer service in our markets.”

Letter from the Editor

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t has been a long road since our last issue in May. Gladly, I must report that most of our contractor members are telling us that 2020 has been a banner year after the late start, with some stating they have projects booked through April 2021! That is the good news we like to hear, despite all that is going on in the world.

Most of society has accepted this "new normal" we're living in, with masks worn inside, outdoor dining much more common and the outdoors truly being the safest place to gather (socially distanced of course!). With that said, this has lead to people who had planned to go away on vacations staying home and making their yards a destination.

With social distancing and other requirements in place, we were finally able to invite members, in person, a few outdoor events this summer, which were fantastic. First, we held a meeting at Mr. C Fence in Garfield. Everyone's temperatures were checked and all wore masks until they were seated and eating their individually packed meals, while RJ Curcio of NJ Deer Control gave an excellent talk about landscaping with the deer in mind. Al Murray, former assistant Secretary of Agriculture and current executive director of the New Jersey Agricultural Society reviewed current legislation pending for deer control in NJ. Next, we held a member mixer in October in the parking lot and outdoor pavilion at the American Legion in Rochelle Park. It was a barbecue and cruise night, with some very cool hot rods, motorcycles, sports cars and more on display. Again, everyone was careful and respectful of others and we gave away trophies for the top three vehicles entered! Rich Goldstein, NJLCA VP served as the chef for the evening, while Associate Director Joe Bolognese acted as bartender! It was a fun event and we will likely do it again next year.

Unfortunately, we had to announce the cancellation of the annual Landscape New Jersey Trade Show and Conference, but we hope to have something very exciting next spring to offer instead. Stay tuned to your email and mail for more info!

Have a wonderful holiday season. Stay strong, stay healthy and we’ll see you soon!

Sincerely,

Gail Woolcott Executive Director / Editor in Chief

NJLCA.ORG

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Feature Story

The Pandemic Ain’t Over 'Til the Fat Lady Sings

by Bob Hibler, Gamka Sales Co.

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nd that reminds me of two things. Firstly, I am not sure that one can say what I just said about the fat lady and secondly, I don’t really believe the pandemic will ever be over regardless of who sings or when. The popular term for that nowadays seems to be the “New Normal”.

Last January and speaking for many, we were sitting cold, fat, dumb and happy. Then the enormity of the COVID-19 crisis struck. It is almost incomprehensible how quickly things changed to the “S” word, even for some of us deemed “Essential Businesses”.

With almost everyone in lockdown of one sort or another, owners and many employees were either furloughed or suddenly finding themselves toiling from home. That worked better for some than others. Doing estimating is one thing, doing lawn maintenance is another. The latter is an obvious impossibility.

Then there were so many instances of uncertainty.

“Follow the science,” we were advised. But what science?

Masks are bad, masks are good. Social distancing of 6 feet became the norm although some predicted initially that only 27 feet would protect one. Touch not those surfaces, the virus lives for days or hours! Now not so much, if at all. Children were disease ridden carriers but not today. Young adults are seemingly immune except they aren’t. Like Typhoid Mary, there are those who are without symptoms yet capable of contaminating others. How do you handle that? The major consistency of all of these contradictory scientific proclamations was mask, mask, mask and sanitize, sanitize, sanitize, all from 6 feet away.

There are still some businesses shut down by dictatorial governors who reacted without legislative approval. Other

places, like restaurants, are limited in how many people they can accommodate inside, just 25% at the time I pen this.

From what I have been told by people in the food business, 80% occupancy is more like what is needed just to break even. How many small outfits will be able to survive under these conditions isn’t doubtful, it is indubitable that they will fail. And just look at big outfits like the airlines, starting to drop like flies, probably not a good analogy, but accurate.

So here we are, sort of stabilized and in agreement on social distancing, mask wearing and frequent hand purification.

Life must go on! And it has, but only through the selfless efforts of countless individuals who worked through it in healthcare and mundane but vital activities such as stocking supermarket shelves and staffing check outs. That was a close one, I almost said “manning” --- but I digress.

A lot of landscaping activity has been postponed or put on the shelf for some indeterminate future startup as projects become luxuries with tight money. Even some municipal jobs seem to be in limbo or changing. Contractors put in a lot of time, especially now, doing estimates to complete bid requests, only to find that even though they were low bidder, funding is not available. Or the bid is sent out to be rebid.

Once the various bid amounts have been published, life becomes even more frustrating when your number is known to one and all. That is so true for public and private work!

So this appears to be the New Normal and for how long we do not know. Belt tightening and PPE seems to be the order of the day.

Our industry will get through it. Grass will grow, leaves will fall. Landscaping cannot be done from home, a very good thing.

NJLCA.ORG

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Feature Story

The Importance of Late Fall Fertilization

by Doug Cherry, Synatek Solutions

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all is the time of year when cool season Turfgrass recovers from summer stress-related conditions, such as: Drought, heat, humidity and disease. This year, turf-managers will be making late fall fertilizer applications with the hopes of improving turf vigor and recovery from injury next spring.

This article examines how late fall fertilizer applications influence turf performance, when to make your applications, as well as the recommended fertilizer and application rates to receive the best response to your turfgrass.

Why fertilize in late fall?

• Late fall fertilization has been promoted as a means of prolonging turf color of cool season grasses into early winter, without increasing the chance of winter injury and disease. • Late fall fertilization will also enhance spring green-up without the excessive growth that often accompanies early spring fertilization.

A small but potentially important increase in the plant’s carbohydrate reserves occurs when fertilizer higher in Nitrogen is applied in late fall instead of early spring. Turf accumulates carbohydrates in stems and rhizomes during fall. These carbohydrates help turf resist winter injury and aid in disease and environmental stress resistance the following spring and summer.

Because carbohydrates are tapped for energy by roots and shoots during periods of rapid growth, forcing excess growth with early spring fertilizer applications can deplete

carbohydrates quickly, leaving turf vulnerable to spring and summer stresses. Late fall fertilizer applications do not force as much leaf growth in spring as equal amounts of early spring fertilizer do; thus, carbohydrates are not exhausted as quickly.

The result is a slight advantage to the turf in the form of better stress tolerance and disease resistance.

Another reported benefit of late fall fertilization is an increase in rooting. Maximum root growth of cool-season turf occurs in spring and fall. Some root growth will occur in winter if temperatures are above freezing, whereas little if any growth occurs in summer.

One reported advantage of late fall fertilization is that roots are still growing at a time when shoot growth has ceased, thus allowing the roots to make full use of the fertilizer.

Late fall fertilization is occasionally blamed for increased winter injury, snow mold, and annual bluegrass encroachment. A few studies have been designed to examine the influence of late fall fertilization on winter injury. But to my knowledge, none have conclusively demonstrated detrimental effects.

When to apply:

Most experts agree that late fall fertilization should take place when foliar growth stops (or slows to the point that turf no longer needs to be mowed), grass is still green, and before the soil freezes and as the soil temperatures start to go below 50 degrees. In Northern NJ, this period usually occurs around Thanksgiving. Application timing may vary from year to year, depending on weather conditions.

NJLCA.ORG 9

Turf Talk

2

020!! No one has been spared the harshness of 2020, not even the lawns.

I started out with pre-emergent as early as legally possible and I’m sure I am not alone in saying I had breakthrough weeds everywhere. The heat and extended dry periods in June led to cinch bug sod web worm. Will someone re-introduce Dursban already? And 2020 brought us such relentless fungus, it looked like powdered sugar on a funnel cake.

To top that off, we only had 5 days in July and 4 days in August that were temperature friendly for applying weed killer. Oh, and how could I forget the nut grass. I’m beginning to think someone aerial seeded my lawns with nut grass seeds. September finally looked up as far as good weather for killing weeds and to begin to renovate lawns.

When we renovate lawns, it looks like the circus is in town. We show up with mowers to cut, aerators, rototillers to loosen up the really bad spots, slit seeders and topsoil.

Some customers insist on topsoil, however; slit seeding is just as good with less cost to the customer. Everybody has to throw their own 2 cents in to the mix. When you seed, don’t forget the lime. I know, you are sick of hearing me saying it…LIME, LIME, LIME. But it really does make the difference in your percent of germination and viability of the newly germinated grass.

News Briefs Fertilizer sources and rates:

• Most late fall fertilization programs include moderate amounts of nitrogen, minimal or zero phosphorus, and an adequate level of potassium.

• Controlled-release nitrogen sources may be a better choice than soluble sources on sandy soils because of reduced potential for leaching.

• Nitrogen fertilizer should never be applied to frozen soil due to the increased chance of nutrient runoff.

Although application timing is not as critical with phosphorus and potassium as it is with nitrogen, these elements can benefit turf when applied in the late fall. If your soil test report indicates a need for phosphorus, then it is a good time to fertilize for the phosphorous deficiency.

However, there is no need to apply additional phosphorus if it is present at sufficient levels.

Turf requires potassium in relatively large amounts, so annual applications are usually required. This element may enhance cold hardiness, disease-resistance, and wear tolerance. For these reasons, late summer and late fall are ideal times to fertilize with potassium.

Summary

Late fall fertilization should take place when shoot growth ceases, the grass is still green, and before the soil freezes.

Benefits of fertilizing in late fall include:

1. Better winter color.

2. Enhanced spring green-up.

3. Increased rooting.

Typically, moderate amounts of nitrogen provide good turf color without excessive shoot growth in early spring.

To avoid potential leaching and runoff problems, be sure to use slow-release nitrogen sources on sandy soils.

Do not apply fertilizer to frozen soils.

Good Luck and Keep Growing!

Greg Carpenter, CLT is co-owner of American Beauty Landscape since 1982. He attended the SUNY Farmingdale Turfgrass Program and is a Director of the NJLCA. Greg also serves on the Rutgers Turfgrass Advisory Board and the Bergen Community College Horticultural Advisory Board.

Doug Cherry is a graduate of SUNY Cobleskill with a Bachelor of Technology in Plant Sciences. Doug has been serving his customers providing education and solutions for 26 years now in the Green Industry. He is a Technical Sales Representative for SynaTek Solutions working in the Lawn and Landscape division. Doug has a true passion for Horticulture along with a serious dedication to helping and solving customer’s problems which adds unique value to the growth and overall success of their business.

NJLCA.ORG 11

Feature Story

Landscape AlterNATIVEs: A Guide to Native Landscape Plants: PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS (Opuntia humifusa)

by Steven Yergeau, Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent - Ocean & Atlantic Counties

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ative plants are a good way to incorporate sustainable vegetation into yards for clients who are environmentally minded.

Native plants are adapted to local climate and soil conditions, requiring less water, fertilizers, and pesticides than non-native vegetation.

For landscapers who have property owners looking for native alternatives to non-native vegetation, this column provides options to meet your client’s needs.

Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa) is a unique groundcover that can grow up to 2 feet high with a spread of several feet at maturity (Photo 1). It gets its name from the spines that dot the surface of its wide flat stems. These stems, called pads, contain clusters of spines which provide protection from grazing animals. One maintenance issue is the difficulty in removing weeds from between these spiny pads.

Photo 2: Close up of a prickly pear cactus flower (Credit: Steve Yergeau).

A native succulent, prickly pear is an unusual plant to find in New Jersey as it has reasons, prickly pear cactus is a good choice for groundcover specific growing requirements. Prickly pear cactus does best in many beachside or seaside areas. in well-drained, sandy soils that are slightly acidic (pH = The prickly pear cactus makes a great ornamental plant, 6.2-6.5). It is salt tolerant and grows well in open areas with especially in the summer when its showy yellow flowers full sun, but can tolerate partial shade (Photo 1). For these appear (Photo 2). These blooms appear in June to July and only last for a few days. Also, in June and July it can produce a bright red fruit that is edible if the plant has been grown without any pesticides or herbicides. The fruit is tart and is most often made into a jam or jelly. Prickly pear cactus is a good choice in xeriscaping (landscaping for low to no water usage) and to replace many non-native succulents, like sedum (Sedum species).

You can find nurseries in New Jersey that sell native plants by visiting the Jersey-Friendly Yards website at http://www.jerseyyards.org/jerseyfriendly-plants/where-to-buy-native-plants/.

Steven Yergeau, Ph.D. is the Dept. Head and Agricultural Agent for Rutgers Co-operative Extension of Ocean County. He is also Assistant Professor for Ocean & Atlantic Counties. For more info visit http://ocean.njaes.rutgers.edu.

Photo 1: Prickly pear cactus in mid-summer growing in a yard in Ocean County (Credit: Steve Yergeau).

12 FALL | 2020

Product Spotlight

Toro® POWER TRX HD Snow Blowers Tackle Over 20 Inches Of Snow With Ease

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arge areas with heavy snow and snowpacked slopes can now be cleared quickly, with power steering capabilities and unmatched stability for outstanding maneuverability thanks to two new commercial-grade POWER TRX HD Snow Blowers from Toro. Ideal for large lots and driveways, the 28” POWER TRX HD commercial snow blower has a wide 28” clearing width, and the 32” POWER TRX HD commercial snow blower covers still more territory with a 32” clearing width.

POWER TRX HD units feature a hydrostatic-powered transmission for self-propelled operation, and the track drive grips the surface for stability and traction on tough terrain and slopes. Toro’s Infinitely Variable Speed gives the operator total control over the machine’s speed and makes it a breeze to change speeds on the go.

“Users with slopes or steep terrain and heavy snow areas can clear large spaces in a short time with the POWER TRX HD series, which is also powered by a self-propelled hydrostatic transmission,” Christina Howell, marketing manager at Toro. “It’s a great solution for homeowners with steep driveways, in heavy snow areas that need to adjust their housing up or down, with a push of our quick-adjust lever they can easily go up for climbing or transport, flat to blow off a level surface and down to dig into the snow.

Driven by Toro’s 420cc premium 4-cycle OHV engine, both models have the power and capacity needed to clear snow more than 20” deep, hurling snow over 60 feet depending on conditions. The one-push electric start lets the operator get right to work, and the power steering ensures smooth, tight turns. Built-in handwarmers and LED headlights help ease the job in cold, dark conditions.

“The patented Anti-Clogging System also assures quick work in tough conditions, “It minimizes clogging and routes heavy snow away from the chute and back into the auger.”

Heavy-duty cast-iron skids with drift cutters help the POWER TRX HD snow blowers cut through heavy snow. The Quick Stick® chute control makes changing the deflector direction easy and smooth.

With all-steel construction and commercial-grade quality, both POWER TRX HD models are built for years of dependable service and reduced maintenance. More information on POWER TRX HD Snow Blowers can be found on Toro’s website or by visiting the Toro Locator to find a retailer near you.

About Toro: With roots dating back to 1914, Toro is a leading worldwide provider of innovative solutions for the outdoor environment including turf and landscape maintenance, snow management, rental and construction equipment, and irrigation solutions.

Through a strong network of distributors, dealers, retailers and rental stores in more than 125 countries, Toro helps customers care for golf courses, sports fields, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties, construction sites and agricultural operations. More at: www.toro.com.

NJLCA.ORG 13

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Feature Story

Our American Workforce

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or over 100 years, the United States has been the most productive nation in the world. Although we were well on our way during the late 1800s, it was the mass production of American industry during World War I, that launched us fully onto the world stage as the hardest working, most productive nation in history. That work ethic is the essence of the American culture.

The people who immigrated here, the people who populated this country, did not come here looking for a leisure life, they came here wanting the opportunity to work. They brought their inherent work ethic with them and pounded that into the foundation of the American culture.

That culture, that work ethic made America the most productive country in the world. That productivity is why we have the highest standard of living for the largest number of people, ever. It has made America the most desired destination in the world. Everyone wants to come here.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, ‘being on- line’ was how you were picked for the few jobs that were available and how you lined up on the bread lines if you were not.

Lack of work is the number one cause of poverty. That time without work for 10 years, is still considered the longest period of most misery in the 20th century for us. This was the time of the highest unemployment for the longest period of time in the country, before or since. The number of marriages plummeted, the birth rates dropped to the lowest in our history before or since. The average body weight went lower, the average life span was shortened. The number of homeless people grew to millions.

Most of those on the road then were not called homeless, they were ‘Hoboes’. The hoboes were almost all men and most of them still held tight to that culture of work ethic.

Their standard approach was to ask if they could clean your yard, shovel in your coal, fix your fence or do your chores for a sandwich. They mostly traveled and looked for work.

People in the towns and in the farmlands would find some kind of work for them to do. They wanted to earn their way and keep their self-respect.

During World War II in the 1940s, America did not win the war, that was the result of the combined ‘Allies’. We were a major part of that alliance. But we were the primary, and in most cases, the only, source for the ships, planes, tanks, cannons, guns, ammunition, medicine, clothing and food for Europe, England, and Russia, as well as for many other countries.

Americans built more factories, machines and war materials, then all the allies combined. We were the “Allies Quartermaster”. And “Rosie the Riveter’ proved that the work ethic was not just a man’s culture, but the American culture.

When the war was over, America’s “Marshall Plan’

by Bill Cook, Human Resource Associates produced millions of tons of food, medicine, clothing et al, to feed Europe. Americans continued to provide those badlyneeded products for over 10 years.

Work is the foundation of this country. We are not a top down government-controlled economy. It’s the work that you individually create. Combined with the work I create, combined with the team we work with and then with other teams in other companies in other industries and in other states. That combined total is the American economy; dependent on the individual work initiated by that first person, you.

No one hates work. All energy applied to move or alter anything is defined as work. Working on your hobby is work. Building a doghouse, making a cake with your son or daughter, or studying for a test is work. It’s not work people hate, it’s the surrounding conditions that they may not like.

Doing work you don’t like or aren’t good at can be pretty unlikable. But doing the work you like and are good at, is the surest way to success. The purpose of work is not just to make a living, the right work can develop your abilities and expand your accomplishments. It can broaden your world, change who you are and philosophers say it can grow your soul.

What makes work more enjoyable? Doing work you like and are good at, having control over what and how you do it, freedom to think and act, developing, improving, creating, advancing and succeeding make any work enjoyable.

Sometimes the best friends you make are those you accomplish something with. And sometimes just working with people you like and who like you is enough.

Work-life balance is a current concern and understandably so. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” said another philosopher. Family, recreation, distractions and work all have a place in our lives. How much you do of each is an individual choice. But, recognize that your focus is your future. The individual who swings that balance a little more

NJLCA.ORG 15

Feature Story

to the work side, who is focusing more directly on their work, who applies themself to it more diligently, who spends a little more time learning and developing their work knowledge and skill, are almost certainly going to succeed and advance more than others in their crafts and professions. Famous author and speaker Zig Ziglar wrote, “The harder I work, the luckier I get”.

At the end of the 2008 recession, I attended a seminar that included a panel of industrial engineers. They spoke on the

expansion of unemployment benefits and the effect it has on employees who were provided up to 5 years of continuous unemployment benefits. They reported that of individuals who are unemployed for two years, 18% will never again work on a full-time job for a full year. Of those who have been unemployed for 5 years, 21% will never work a full-time job again and 8% will never work on any job again. They also reported another interesting statistic; approximately 60% of all marriages occurred between those who attended school together or worked together.

The future of work will be full of change as it develops, referring again to the great depression and “being on-line”, it no longer means work lines or bread lines. It now refers to eyeballs on monitors and screens and that will be an everexpanding development throughout the 21st century.

The business owner who focuses most of his or her life on the work of keeping their business going and growing, is multiplying their individual productivity a thousand-fold by employing all the suppliers, subcontractors, bankers, local state and federal governments, consulting firms and employees.

God bless those who do the work and God bless those who provide it.

Advertiser Index Al D. Garden Supply Stop................................www.aldlandscapingandtree.com...........................................................................48 Association Master Trust.................................www.amt-nj.com.......................................................................................................38 Bergen Brick Stone and Tile............................www.bergenbrick.com..............................................................................................46 Braen Supply......................................................www.braensupply.com..............................................................................................18 Cambridge Pavers.............................................www.cambridgepavers.com.....................................................................................30 Cliffside Body Corp..........................................www.cliffsidebody.com...............................................................................................6 East Coast Salt Distributors.............................www.eastcoastsalt.com.............................................................................................42 Foley, Inc............................................................www.foleyinc.com.....................................................................................................14 MANTS..............................................................www.MANTS.com......................................................................................................8 Matera’s Nursery............................................... 201-493-8288................................................................................................................2 Oakland Marine & Equipment.......................201-337-7741..............................................................................................................20 Salt Depot..........................................................833-289-7258..............................................................................................................32 South Camden Iron Works.............................www.hometownvinyl.com........................................................................................10 Wallace Trucking..............................................www.topsoilstone.com..............................................................................................37

16 FALL | 2020

Feature Story

The Top 3 Things That Help & Hurt Your Sales

Y

by Melissa Riley, Constant Flow Marketing

our business is going places. It’s never stagnant. Where like the hero of their journey. Position yourself as their guide. it’s going is up to you. Put specific plans in place, and you Be their Yoda. Let them be Luke. can start closing a higher percentage of sales. Neglect them Landscape Management defined this idea in a recent arand you lower your chances of consistent sales. ticle: “People justify their buying decisions with stories. They want to live a bigger story — a better story — and you can 1. Answer the Phone help them with that.”1 The number one thing that can hurt your landscape busiThe great thing about this style is that you don’t come across ness is neglecting the phone. If it’s business hours, no phone as a salesperson at all. You come across as a helpful person who call should go untouched. Answering the phone opens the happens to have what they need. door to a business relationship or shuts it.

So leave space for them to talk. Then listen. This communiBut you’re busy. You have a business to run and many people cates you’re on their side instead of an obstacle. depend on you.

When you do talk, use So don’t answer the phone. it to ask questions to help Have someone else anthem clarify their needs. A swer the phone for you. design-build company asks The number one thing questions to understand the you can do to help your sales scope of their project. Then is having a dedicated person they determine if they are a answering the phone. This right fit for a client. For reperson is pleasant and ready tail businesses, this means to direct any conversation. understanding their problem In design-build firms, this or vision for their property. person is the filter for which View it as a problem you’re leads go further into the both solving together. sales funnel. They listen to the customer’s needs and 3. Follow Up determine if they’re a good The final thing that can fit for the company. hurt your sales the most is Sometimes landscaping giving up on leads. Busybusinesses offer a phone tree ness or indecisiveness might to incoming calls. Although this does guarantee the phone is have overtaken a lead. That doesn’t mean their need has been answered, it has a few key disadvantages. Phone trees have a met. If you don’t have a process for following up with leads, poor reputation as impersonal and dysfunctional. Leads ex- another company will help them meet their needs. pect gold standard treatment. Customers want to know you Instead, follow up until you get an answer. When a lead will handle their project with diligence and sensitivity. Phone comes to you, walk alongside them until their need has been trees do not communicate this. If you can’t have a dedicated met. You don’t have to be pushy. You just have to tell them person for the phone, consider a live phone answering service. how you can help achieve their goals.

The answer to busy-itis is a program of follow up. After an 2. Ask questions. Then Listen. initial call, call back three times within the week. Then once a The second thing that hurts your closing-sale rate is hi- week for four weeks, and then once a month for three months. jacking a customer conversation.

Consistency is key. Focus on making the calls instead of sales.

The customer should have the most talking time.

Following a process is what will develop leads into customers.

Resist giving your spiel about your company, its history, or even the clearance plants. Answer only the questions Citations: 1. Korhan, Jeff, “Communication Coach: Take the meaningthey’re asking. ful marketing risk,” Landscape Management, North Coast Media, Then stop. Stop talking after you’ve answered their question. 8/11/20, LLC, www.landscapemanagement.net/communicationGive them time to make a decision on how to move forward. coach-take-the-meaningful-marketing-risk/, accessed 8/24/20.

Each customer called you or walked in your business because they’re on a journey to fulfill their needs. Treat them

LISTEN YOU MUST

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NJLCA.ORG 17

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Feature Story

Tomato Paste Leadership Part Two: Are you Ready to Build your Business?

by Domenic Chiarella, 7 of 7 BEST Business and Life Strategies, LLC

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”

“I don’t much care where –“ “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

-Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

S

tarting and knowing you are going in the right direction are the most difficult parts of any project or business.

In the Italian world: How do you prepare tomato jars and cappuccinos?

In the business world: How do you start growing your company? And make more profit?

Many moons ago, my partner and I were searching for a way to take our company from a mom/pop company to a fullfledged business.

We would go to all the associations and talk to so many business owners. But I would see the same problem; not enough time, not enough of me to go around, and certainly not enough money for 7 days a weekday and night “career”.

For ten long years our sales didn’t go above $750K. We needed so many more days every week. We were working our tails off – fine when you’re starting out - but it was becoming very frustrating and extremely chaotic.

It was a business, where we were doing everything, managing everyone, starting very early in the morning, going all day, and then (if I was lucky) I’d catch a quick dinner with my family, say "I love you", and then straight back in to the office for a night of work.

I didn’t believe that this was what I’d signed on for. This frustration made me have an “enough” moment – I tell you; I was a wreck. I wasn’t prepared to take it anymore. I was going to find the solutions.

We knew the owner of one of the largest landscape companies in Connecticut and we asked him out of the kindness of his heart to meet with us for breakfast.

So here we are, two hard working Italian men, in our green garbage men outfits, construction boots, driving in our Datsun 1-ton pickup truck, meeting the owner of one of the biggest companies around.

We were dazzled as he drove up, got out of his Cadillac, in a suit and tie, and sat down with us.

"Holy shit" was all I could think. He gave us the gospel of business according to Ed. And he parted with a recommendation: Read the book The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It.

This book led me to the E-Myth program: Business Vocational Masters. It taught me not just the how and the what of business, but the WHY. Why is one of the most important parts for me of the program. It was finding out who I am and how I live as a man, father, and business owner. These were called the primary aims.

You learned about them in Tomato Paste Leadership Part One. The E-Myth also helped me understand and translate these primary aims into the values / culture of the company. And these values turned in a document that help me lead a business from a $750K company to a $15M company.

And it all started with: Strategic Objective A Strategic Objective is the first step for your business to make your vision and your dreams become reality.

A Strategic Objective is the clear written statement of what your organization will look, taste, smell and sound like, and how everyone acts in the FUTURE. Speaking to over 3,000 people and coaching over 15 business owners, there is one question that every entrepreneur / creative has asked.

The question? “Why do we need a strategic objective?”

The answer is that a written strategic objective will provide your organization a sense of direction and a way for the organization to act, a way to think, and a way to achieve your goals for the future. I am talking about a written statement, not a verbal strategy to your organization.

It is the start of all good to great businesses, because one, unless your employees, your vendors, your associates, and your clients read your mind, they will not understand or know what your vision is for the future.

These owners would say, “everyone should see what I am doing, how I am acting, what I say to clients / employees”. Yeah, just ask someone in the organization and see what they say...

A Strategic Objective comes from you and your primary aims.

It is THE starting point for your decision-making, planning, and what systems your organization develops. It is a written document for the owners to lead with, and for the organization to be able to work towards.

NJLCA.ORG 19

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Feature Story Think about it like this: If you were building a house would you just pay some tradespeople to show up and start working. Tell the builder, the plumber and the electrician that you want a house and then just let them go to work?

You wouldn’t because that would be absolutely crazy. I doubt that there is ever a house built in the world that doesn’t start with an image of what it’ll look like when it’s finished and some written plans. If there is, I certainly don’t want to live in any of that house.

So why is it when business owners get to work, we just tend to wing it? Building a successful business is much more complicated than building a house, yet most business owners try to do it without plans every day.

Since we want to build a successful business… one that doesn’t collapse or trap us inside for the rest of our life… we’re going to start with a plan.

And that’s exactly what our strategic objective is. A plan of what our business will look like when it’s “finished.”

I have a simple way to look at writing a strategic objective. It is a one-pager. Just use the following pronouns and voilà, a plan!!!

- Who:Who are we as a company and who are our clients?

- What:What do we provide to our clients?

- When:When will be the business we foresee the future? Ex. We will be a $5M company by 2025.

- Where are we located? Where are clients located?

- And Why: Our values, our culture, how we live and act.

That’s it!!!!

Now, I know what you’re really want to know more: Let’s continue the process of jarring tomatoes.

We left off with the grinding and the separation of the skins / seeds and the pulp / flesh of the tomatoes.

The halved tomatoes are ready for the grinder.

The pulp is ground out of the tomatoes and this process is repeated four times to remove every bit of flesh of the pulp.

We take the pulp and start the process of putting the pulp into a prepared mason jar.

A prepared mason jar is a clean jar that will have a bit of salt and fresh basil on the bottom.

And while Rachael, Toni, and Jessica prepare the basil and jars...Daisy and Jessica ladle the sauce into the jars as the leader, Annunziata mentors.

And Annuciatina is always QC’ing. Always.

The final preparation of the jars will be to add a bit more salt and a few sprigs of basil. Make sure the jar mouth is clean of any debris before sealing the top of the jar. Tightening the top of the jar is very important. The sauce will become sour if air can make it into the jar.

There is a so much more to leadership: What do you do with your primary aims? How do you translate your primary aims into values / culture and how do you create a more successful business for all involved with the strategic objective? And how do you become the leader that fulfills everyone’s success?

And there is so much more to finish the jarring tomatoes process: What do you do with all the tomatoes, the basil, and the salt in the jars? How do you get to the successful delicious sauce from the century old recipe? Want to know more? Stay tuned for Part 3 of Tomato Paste Leadership.

For more than 40 years, Domenic has served as Director of Operations and as Director of Business Development at one of the most creative and collaborative organizations in the New York and Connecticut areas, Ultimate Services Professional Grounds Management Inc. He is what people call a perpetual student. An alumnus from the University of Connecticut with a BS in Computer Science and the University of Florence, Italy with a BA in Italian. And then at a ripe young age of 53 returning to the halls of higher learning of Fairleigh Dickinson University with a Master Degree in Administrative Services.

NJLCA.ORG 21

News Briefs

Contractor Focus: CLC Landscape Design

Ringwood Water Garden

R

ich Cording, Sr. founded CLC Landscape Design on the belief that Great Landscapes Begin with Great Design Ideas. Within one company he combined the vision of the landscape architect and the craftsmanship of the landscape contractor. This concept of design/build landscaping produces superior landscapes because the designer’s vision is implemented by a team of craftsmen trained in installing his landscapes. The success of CLC’s design/build method is evident by the numerous testimonials from thrilled clients and number of prestigious landscaping awards they have won.

Coined in 1973, the name “CLC” comes from the names Cording, Laster, and Cording – those being Rich Sr., one of his best high school friends Art Laster, and Rich Sr.'s wife.

Today, CLC Landscape Design is run by Rich Sr., Rich Jr., and the wonderful employees that have made CLC their home for many years.

By including “Design” in their name from the very beginning, Rich Sr. wanted to make CLC Landscape Design a design-driven company. "What that means," says Rich Jr., "is that throughout everything we do, including during the in-

Lake Hopatcong Paradise on the Lake

22 FALL | 2020

stallation-phase and maintenance-phase of a landscape project, we are always honoring and embracing great landscape design concepts."

Rich Cording, Sr., LLA, ASLA, CNLP is a licensed landscape architect who founded CLC Landscape Design over 40 years ago. He oversees each landscape design, meets with clients, trains employees, and coordinates the production schedule.

Rich Cording, Jr., MLD, an Eagle Scout, studied at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts and Oxford University in England. He served as a US Navy officer on board the USS JOHN S. McCAIN (DDG-56) stationed in Tokyo, Japan. After those adventures, he completed his graduate work at Columbia University in New York City earning a Master of Landscape Design. At CLC, he works alongside his father, involved in all aspects of the business, from landscape design to project management.

After achieving a B.S. degree from Bloomsburg University, Eric Cording joined his brother and father, working in the construction division of CLC Landscape Design. He then earned a Landscape Design Certificate from Rutgers University, and for the last few years has been in charge of sales and designs. Eric and his father work with their team of seven full-time landscape architects and landscape designers to produce the majority of CLC’s finest work.

In case you are wondering, Art Laster (The “L” in CLC) has followed his passion for plants and created Plant Detectives (also an NJLCA member), a retail and wholesale nursery located in Chester, NJ, that offers the most beautiful landscape plants! Art personally selects the beautiful plants that CLC installs and he keeps them updated on the newest plants so they are always offering cutting-edge plant varieties. Rich Jr.'s mother has also followed her passion for children and teaching, where she now teaches 8th grade mathematics at a local school.

For more info, visit www.clcdesign.com.

News Briefs

Associate Focus: Frank's Truck Center

Frank Pezzolla, Sr. - Founder (left) with 2 employees - Circa 1930 Credit: Frank's GMC

B

en Pezzolla, (the grandfather of Frank Pezzolla, Jr., President of Frank's GMC) brought his family from the city to the country - Lyndhurst was the country then - in the latter part of the 19th Century and opened his modest "smith" business as the Twentieth Century dawned.

He built a home for his family on "the hill" with stones that he pulled from the Meadows and he fashioned his American dream on the back of his one man shop. There, in summer heat and wintry blasts, he held court, talking over the news of the day with neighbors and customers.

Ben never expanded his business, as with the advance of the horseless carriage, it became a dying trade. His son Frank, disciplined and steeled by the dedication and hard work of his parents, started his own business in 1930 when he rented an old, out-of-repair garage on Ridge Road in Lyndhurst. Like his father before him, his was a one man shop at the outset. At this garage, drafty and icy in the winter, an inferno in the summer heat, he worked day and night to build a business.

Unlike his father, Frank was preparing to rise with an industry that would reach enormous heights in the Twentieth Century. It was a bitter struggle at first. He worked hard to catch the crest of that wave and in two years he was able to acquire an old Buick that could be fitted with towing devices. He dug a pit with his own hands and fashioned steel ramps to set cars over while he repaired them from inside the pit. The metal turning knowledge that he picked up from his father had become quite an asset.

He made a critical decision when he decided to concentrate on trucks, believing that truckers needing to keep their business going would turn to him, knowing that he would

be open day and night. For, he was always been willing to work as long as it took to get them on the road again.

By 1937, Frank, Sr. was awarded a GMC franchise.

Expanding through the years with the help of his three sons, the business - known as Frank's GMC Truck Center - eventually moved in 1978 to a modern facility that they presently occupy on Orient Way in Lyndhurst.

Where once there was one employee, there are now over 100. Successful and well run by a third generation, Frank's still operates by a code of conduct and ethics driven by an immigrant spirit and an indomitable faith.

For over 80 years, they have built a reputation on honesty, fairness and quality service, storing up a lot of good will. The spirit of the blacksmith and founder still runs in their veins. It's this spirit that is the life source of their company where everyone is treated like family, where community and commitment to others matters, and where honesty, integrity and the 'best possible service' are operational mandates and not just words.

Frank's Truck Center, where our NJLCA contact Charlie Opalach hails, proudly carries Hino & Isuzu trucks in their inventory and have both Cab/Chassis and Van Truck models. The dealership also has service, parts and financing departments on site. Frank's Truck Center specializes in commercial trucks and have a large commercial truck parts department. Visit www.frankstruckcenter.com for more info.

Charlie Opalach, Sales Representative for Frank's Truck Center says, "Buy a truck!" Photo courtesy of Frank's GMC

NJLCA.ORG 23

News Briefs

Back to School: Service Project in Fairfield, NJ

by Gail Woolcott, NJLCA Executive Director

W

hen past President of the NJLCA, Tom Canete proposed a service project at the school his son Jake attends, how could the Service Project Committee say no?

Tom and his crews have assisted on every service project we have completed in the past ten years and anyone who knows his family knows how much they give back to their community and friends.

As Tom explained it, the playground at The Gramon School in Fairfield, NJ was having severe drainage issues, which caused large pools of water to form where the grass met the pavement, making both areas unusable for the students to play on during recess after a rainy day. The school was also looking to upgrade the property and install a greenhouse, re-mulch their playground equipment area and repair an uneven field. They were planning to install a few umbrellas and tables on an unused area of the field as well.

In typical NJLCA fashion, our “Day of Service” did turn into several “DayS of Service”, but the project was entirely worthwhile.

Thirteen companies volunteered and twenty-one companies donated material and equipment to complete this project, which is an estimated $90,000-100,000 project with time and materials.

Several major sections were completed, with Tom Canete and Dave Dacosta overseeing the project (and providing comic relief)! Paul Hewitt oversaw most of the drainage work as well.

Section 1: Revision of Drainage - Nearly 500 ft. of 8" reduced to 4" SDR drain pipe was installed from the side of and along the entire back of the playground to two 18" x 18" concrete catch basins. Encountered a 12" thick existing catch basin, which had to be hammered through to get to the other side. Deepest section was over 8' deep.

New catch basin installed

Section 2: Area for Outdoor Classes and Lunch - Installed a 1,000 sq. ft. patio with three shade trees for setting tables and chairs upon. Pavers were Cambridge Ledgestone 16 x 24 Smooth Sahara Chestnut. Several companies, including Exclusive Stoneworks and Wayne Jepsen Landscaping installed the patio over two days, including excavation, grading, prepping, installation, cutting and sweeping in sand.

Paver area before

Drainage excavation

Paver area after

24 FALL | 2020

News Briefs Section 3: Greenhouse - Grading of and prep for a large cement pad for the Greenhouse to sit on and greenhouse build (being installed first week of November).

Donors Al D. Landscape Supply - Rototiller All Service Equipment - Hammer Drill, Compressor and Compactor B & B Organic Recycling - Topsoil and Mulch Bergen Siteworks - RCA Bobcat of North Jersey - Excavator Braen Supply - Asphalt, Stone Dust and Polymeric Sand

Greenhouse pad

Cambridge Pavingstones - 1000 sf pavers Canete Garden Center - Quarry Process, Asphalt

Section 4: Raised garden beds - When we first arrived, we didn't even know there were beds in there! Clean up and prep of raised beds.

and Trucking Dan Como & Sons - Quarry Process Downes Forest Products - Topsoil Michells - Portion of Greenhouse Morris Brick and Stone - Paver Edging & Spikes NJLCA - Portajohns, Food, Drink and Concrete Peerless Concrete - Concrete Catch Basins RER Supply - Playground Mulch and Debris Hauling SiteOne Landscape Supply - Drainage and Trees Synatek Solutions - Seed, Hydromulch and Fertilizer

Raised gardens before

Volunteers Bergen Community College Canete Landscape CK Paving Exclusive Stoneworks Green Meadows Landscape Hewitt Landscape Horizon Landscape Kindergan Landscaping VIP Landscape Wayne Jepsen Landscape Wayne Wholesale Fertilizer

Raised gardens after

Yellow Wagon Landscaping NJLCA.ORG 25

News Briefs Section 5: Two playground areas - Re-mulched with over 100 yards of playground mulch between the two.

Section 7: Asphalt – To complete fixing the drainage issues, 2,200 square feet of asphalt was laid to refinish and extend the area where the basketball hoops are.

Asphalt being laid

Playground 1 - Repaired and mulched

Completed asphalt

Playground 2 - Repaired and mulched

Section 6: Field - Entire field was regraded to remove low spots by relocating top soil and adding where needed. Entire area of 14,000 sq. ft. was hydroseeded.

Original field showing drainage issue

26 FALL | 2020

Field - Newly hydroseeded

Feature Story

Are You a Gardener?

by Andrew Longo, Pruned Right!

T

he opportunity to write this article just happened to follow two infuriating recent work-related events. My company, “Pruned Right“, was contacted by two separate homeowners to hand prune their rhododendron, azaleas and other spring flowering shrubs and trees. It is late in the year, so with next year’s buds already set we simply hand pruned out dead wood and trimmed the plants back from the home’s windows, doors and walls. The clients were very happy with the natural appearance of the plant material and looking forward to seeing their homes surrounded by flowers in the spring of 2021. Sadly, in both instances the landscapers who cut the lawns weren’t specifically asked to not touch the shrubs and trees.

When those clients were not home the crews pulled up and not recognizing the natural appearance as appropriate, mutilated everything to the horror of the returning home owners.

There are landscape contractors who derive pleasure from seeing perfectly groomed healthy landscapes. They cringe or become enraged at the monstrosities once gorgeous plants are sheared into but, sadly not the majority of our profession.

Initial drafts of this article were versions like many others, imploring even pleading with landscape contractors to have more pride in their work and learn to prune correctly.

I decided to take a different approach!

This article is going to strongly encourage those of you who each year wait until the shrubs you butchered the prior year have almost filled in before destroying them again. You paid

good money for those gas trimmers, so don’t let anyone say you can’t use them. Those misguided [gahrd-ner] clients and defenseless noun shrubs are no match for the hordes of mechanical 1 a person who is emlocusts buzzing across ployed to cultivate or care properties large and for a garden, lawn, etc. small, creating flowerless 2 any person who is skillgreen meatballs and ful in gardening. soulless Japanese maple mushrooms.

There is no reason you can think of to let a severe drought, ninety degree plus heat, eliminating bloom cycles, increasing the likelihood of disease, insect or winter damage stop your minion from tearing into those plants. It is important to point out, the hard-working staff are being trained incorrectly if at all and it is absolutely not their fault.

With a home’s curb appeal and a significant part of its value directly connected to how well the landscape plants are maintained, shrubs and trees need to be treated as an investment?

In many cases it can be a tragic and expensive mistake to assume that everyone can do the job correctly!

This problem requires all of us rethink the way plant material and properties are being cared for. There is so much to learn and always room to improve on what you know and do. I am hopefully optimistic that landscape contractors will decide to educate themselves and their clients on proper plant pruning techniques.

There is no longer any reason to not learn proper plant maintenance. “YouTube” is there 24/7/365 and many nurseries and your landscape association can offer classes, articles and webinars to help you. The rewards of pruning correctly, which include healthier plants, personal gratification and financial gain, cannot be ignored. It is time for those of you who truly love this work to learn to do it correctly and

gardener

proudly say, I am a gardener!

Andrew Longo is the Owner of Pruned Right in Nutley, NJ. Andrew studied pruning techniques at Rutgers Cook College and specializes in the care of ornamental trees, shrubs, specimen plants and roses. www.prunedright.com

NJLCA.ORG 27

Feature Story

25 Lessons I’ve Learned About Pricing Lawn and Landscaping Services Over the Past 25 Years

B

oy, I really dated myself with this article’s title. And, thankfully for you, have made many, many mistakes related to pricing lawn and landscaping services over these 25 years for you to learn from.

You’re welcome :) I tried to group these insights into three buckets for easier consumption.

First, my biggest insight: While pricing is the most important factor related to your company’s profitability, price is not the most important factor when it comes to making a sale.

That should be good news.

Here are 24 more...

On buying factors and the buyer’s experience

• Price is more important in the mind of the seller than it is in the mind of the buyer.1 The best salespeople on the planet understand this.

• Price is almost never the primary reason why anybody buys anything.2 • Convenience trumps price. I bet I can price myself 15 to 20% higher than you, and with a superior buying experience for the customer, I will still close at a higher rate.

• Price makes a statement about credibility. Most of us have a gut feeling that price intrinsically has something to do with the quality and value of the product or service that we are buying. Therefore, more people actually buy on the basis of the price being high than those who make a purchase on the basis of the price being low.3 • If you are pricing higher than most of your competitors, you are most likely not losing sales based on that

28 FALL | 2020

• •

•

•

•

higher price, but instead on the fact you’re not talking about price early enough and confidently enough.

If your customers are asking for line item and unit pricing then you haven’t built enough trust and value during the sales process. Also...

If you are offering line item and unit pricing in your proposals without your customers asking for it, you are handicapping yourself for no reason. You’ve commoditized yourself.

Price for the customer, not yourself (i.e.- the business owner). As a homeowner I’ll pay $75/month for a green, weed-free lawn. Don’t try to sell me 7 applications for $129 each. I want to pay for lawn care service just as I pay for my gym membership, Netflix, etc...

Offer options as much as possible, whether you’re selling lawn care, design/build, or commercial maintenance. You don’t always know what type of buyer you’re dealing with. Offering three options allows you to price for the small percentage of “price shoppers” and the “Iwant-the-best-of-everything shoppers”... and everyone else in between.

A delivery problem (i.e.- service) is virtually always the trigger event that causes loss of a sale to an existing customer.4 Not price.

On pricing and positioning

• How you price your landscape services needs to align with your positioning. If you’ve positioned your company around an expertise (ex.- permaculture, arboriculture, etc.) then you must charge a higher fee for that expertise, otherwise you won’t be perceived as the expert.

• The less you offer (i.e.- the more specialized you are)

Feature Story

by Chris Heiler, Landscape Leadership

the more you can charge.

• As you move up market or down market, your pricing also needs to move, which makes it very difficult to serve both ends of the marketplace.

• If you regularly complain about competitors underpricing your company then you have a positioning problem, not a pricing problem. You simply haven’t distinguished yourself from your competitors in the mind of your prospects.

• Bottom line: You need a compelling unique selling proposition (USP) to justify charging higher prices than your competitors.

On raising (and discounting) prices

• You could probably increase your rates 10 to 15% right now and not feel any blow back from customers or prospects.

• The key to raising prices is, 1) having happy clients who see you getting them results, 2) a strong sales pipeline and, 3) several months to implement the transition.5 • Raising prices is okay. Customers often expect it.

What is most important is how you communicate it.

• You should be raising your prices consistently year over year or at least every couple of years. Otherwise, your customers get comfortable and feel entitled to the rates they’ve been paying for the past five years.

This is when you get blow back: “After five years you just now realized you haven’t been making any money on us and need to raise your prices?!?!”

• Letting go of a legacy client because they don’t want to pay your higher rates is okay. In fact, it’s the only way to thrive.

• If you limit your production capacity (in contrast to “growth-at-all-cost”) you’ll have more courage and confidence asking for the price you truly want for your professional service. The virtues of “being exclusive” will present themselves.

• Winning at business is a game of margins, never a game of volume. The quickest way to increase your margins is to raise your prices. The quickest way to increase your volume – and go out of business – is to discount your prices.

• If you are competing against a company who is regularly cutting their prices then they most likely need cash flow because they are going broke. Let them.

Don’t play the same game.

• On that rare occasion when you can justify offering a discount to a customer, be sure they are aware that you gave them the discount and for what specific reason.

Don’t let a discount appear to be arbitrary; or the customer’s idea. Make it a line item on your invoice.

--Your pricing strategy can put a profit in your pocket or quickly put you out of business. It’s important to think about. I hope some of this insight I’ve picked up over my years in the lawn and landscape industry helps you in some way, big or small.

Chris Heiler is the founder and CEO of Landscape Leadership.

He graduated with a degree in Horticulture from Michigan State University and has been entrenched in the green industry for almost 25 years. Chris operated his own successful landscape design firm for seven years prior to launching Landscape Leadership. Landscape Leadership, assisting some of the best companies in our industry with their marketing and truly impacting their bottom lines.

Chris is frequently invited to speak at green industry events across the country. If you want more candid insight like this please consider subscribing to Landscape Leadership’s blog at www.landscapeleadership.com/blog References: 1-4: How to Sell at Higher Margins Than Your Competitors, Steinmetz and Brooks, page 12-22 5: How to Raise Your Prices by 50%, Karl Sakas

NJLCA.ORG 29

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Feature Story

Hiring for Snow and Ice

by Neal Glatt, Grow the Bench

W

ith winter rapidly approaching, many companies are starting to focus on recruiting and hiring seasonal employees to shovel, operate equipment, manage sites, or assist with admin work. But for many, the very thought of winter staffing is enough to consider reducing snow and ice obligations. There are, however, proven strategies that can make hiring for winter positions much, much easier, no matter if you need to hire 10 or 1,000 people.

Advertise the Purpose

Most job postings I see for snow work do a terrible job of advertising the mission of the company. Snow management often requires long hours working in the cold, usually in the dark, doing lot of tiring work. It’s certainly not as comfortable as working at a gas station or fast food restaurant. And when those alternative options offer comparable (or higher) hourly

rates along with vacation, 401(k) matching, consistent hours, and advancement opportunities, snow and ice companies don’t stand much of a chance of winning over potential employees.

But there is one key way to shift the tables. When we can connect the mission and purpose of our companies to individual jobs, interest, safety, and retention skyrockets. In fact, Gallup reports that mission-driven workgroups have 30% to 50% fewer accidents and 15% to 30% less turnover.

Stand out by incorporating marketing language into job postings such as:

We help people get access to groceries, prescriptions, and their place of work safely by clearing snow and ice at supermarkets, pharmacies, and offices throughout New Jersey.

Working with our firm allows you to make a difference in your community no matter what mother nature brings this winter.

Studies have shown that mission-driven companies which advertise the purpose of their organization in job ads receive a boost in job posting interest and quality equal to that of offering a 30% higher wage. There is simply no better or more affordable way to increase recruiting effectiveness.

Provide Growth Opportunities

Of all the things that employees are seeking in jobs today, the top priority is an opportunity to learn and grow. Seasonal positions in snow and ice are often treated by employers as transactional and rarely are the employees that hold them given developmental opportunities. This is the biggest mistake companies repeat to cause turnover.

The reason why most companies don’t invest in their seasonal employees is that they are concerned about the time and money commitment to do so. But Gallup studies have proven that teams which strongly agree they have had opportunities to learn and grow at work are 10% more profitable than those who do not. Plus, with advancements in online learning, employee training has never been easier.

Consider for example Snowfighter’s Institute Virtual Bootcamp. For only $49, 10 employees can experience two weeks of onboarding completed in short, ondemand video segments. By teaching employees a holistic approach to snow and ice management, they see the larger picture of the company and industry while feeling valued and invested in as team members. No wonder they have higher levels of commitment and involvement as a result. You can learn more about Bootcamp at https://SnowfightersInstitute.com/ Virtual-Bootcamp/.

Find Niche Labor Markets

In sales, we are always looking for a niche market – a way to sell our services in a way that very few others have considered.

NJLCA.ORG 31

Feature Story When done successfully, sales are easier, more profitable, and more reliable. But the same is true when we recruit from niche labor markets. Creatively approaching where and who should be recruited can make a world of difference.

First, let’s consider what advantages seasonal snow and ice management jobs have over other jobs. For one, employees don’t usually interact with customers, so appearance isn’t nearly as important compared to a restaurant or retail job.

applicants who are new or returning to the workforce can begin work immediately if they were to pursue a snow and ice seasonal position.

For these reasons, snow and ice companies tend to have great success recruiting from seasonal companies such as pavers, roofers, and painters as well as fertilization or pest control firms. Or, consider recruiting from addiction rehab organizations, work-release programs, or other rehabilitative

Second, work is performed outdoors so security concerns and background checks aren’t as cumbersome as an office job or trades that work inside of buildings. Third, work hours are not consistent, meaning that they won’t necessarily interfere with other obligations. Finally, basic positions require little to no previous experience or extensive training, so work can begin immediately.

With these considerations, it’s clear that snow and ice companies can succeed by employing people who aren’t as suited for other roles. Visible tattoos or less-than-conservative appearances may stop some from obtaining certain opportunities but have no impact for snow operations. Those with poor driving or criminal records may be prohibited from many jobs, but can thrive in winter-focused companies. For people with full-time jobs that slow down in the winter or pause work when it snows, jumping on a winter crew means they make extra money without sacrificing their career. And

programs. Perhaps community colleges or technical training schools can be a potential labor source. Once you start brainstorming, the number of niche labor markets can become extensive.

Putting It All Together

It takes an intentional effort to change and see real results from your recruiting efforts. But if you consider more of the same - unanswered job posts, disappointing interviews, and no-show employees – it’s clear that our snow and ice operations need a recruiting overhaul. Getting started now will enable you to get fully staffed fast and enjoy the benefits all winter long.

Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM is the managing partner of GrowTheBench. com and a snow industry veteran. You can contact him at Neal@ GrowTheBench.com.

NJLCA.ORG 33

Feature Story

Consider EOS to improve operations, culture and financial performance

S

tandardization is your friend. These words were spoken to me many years ago by old friend and green industry giant, Mike Rorie of Cincinnati, Ohio. Mike has been instrumental in bringing “outside the box” thinking regarding operations and technology and has been considered an innovator. I took those words to heart and worked to standardize everything I could between our two branches, with great results. I’ve been fortunate to meet some of the best and brightest in our industry over the course of my career through NJLCA, NALP and SIMA. I’ve always felt that in order to be successful in our business you have to have a thirst for knowledge and be committed to continual improvement. Meeting with them, touring their facilities and checking out their operations served as my R&D (rob and duplicate).

In 2018, I was introduced to another system that had the potential to be transformative for my company. Two of my peer group friends had decided to implement EOS into their businesses. EOS (www.eosworldwide.com) is an acronym for Entrepreneurial Operating System. At it’s very basic level this program ensures everyone has the same vision for where the company is going; that the right people are in the right positions within the company; and that clear goals are set and people are held accountable. I had a front row seat and watched these companies flourish as complex issues were simplified, the top line increased and profits grew. These companies have completely different market segments and seasons, as one is in North Carolina and one is in Ohio, yet the system worked equally well for both. In August of ’19 I introduced the idea of adopting EOS to my management

34 FALL | 2020

team and they were all in. They felt we had too many silos and communication wasn’t as good as it needed to be. I had to agree.

Before I go any further, there is something I want make clear. If you decide to go on this journey it will require an investment of both time and money. It is imperative that you hire a certified EOS implementer who will guide you through the process. Building your dream company will be a months long process and the implementer will keep you on track. Also, we’ve all heard of the concept “the right people on the bus in the right seat” from the book Good to Great by Jim C Collins. Well if you’re having issues or can’t make it to the next level, you may not have the right people on the bus (for some of you I’ll bet deep down you already knew that). Some people may need to get reassigned or replaced, or maybe you’re missing a key contributor. The process will identify all of that. And the last thing is time. While small improvements will happen along the way, seasonal businesses could take a full year to see things to fruition. We started our journey in December of last year and thank goodness we did. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in the spring we already had a solid strategy in place, which really helped us navigate the many issues that we were faced with.

A significant component of the EOS program is the Level 10 meeting, which occurs twice each month. This meeting is attended by everyone on our team and lasts 90 minutes. In it, we review our scorecard (how are we doing) and our Rocks (what big things are we working on). There is a set agenda that we stick to, no matter what.

To help create our scorecard, our implementer asked “if you were stranded on an island, what information would you need to know in order to assess the health of the company?”

After a fair amount of discussion, we came up with a scorecard that works for us. Every two weeks, we measure the following: People-what are our vacancies, what is our retention rate. Sales-how many proposals did we produce and close.

What is our revenue vs. the goal? What were our hours vs. the goal? What is the gross margin vs. the goal? What are our hours & GM year to date? We look at this information by branch and for each segment of the company. The scorecard is one sheet of paper and has columns for the previous weeks so that we can see trends and make adjustments as necessary. The largest time slot of the meeting is for IDS, which

Feature Story

by Eric Cross, Dukes Landscape Management stands for Identify, Discuss and Solve. At this time, we doubt in my mind Duke’s is a better-run company towill look deeper into what jobs missed the goal and why, day than we were a year ago and the future surely looks and create a plan. As I said, rocks are major projects bright. That makes me and my team very happy. we feel like we need to work on. Each rock has Eric Cross is the President of Duke’s Landscape one person assigned to it so that we all know Management in Hackettstown, NJ. Duke’s has who is taking responsibility to make sig“I’ve always been named as one of Snow Magazine’s Top 100 nificant improvement. Some of our rocks felt that in order Snow Contractors in 2019 and NJBiz named this year have been a) reduce truck and them as one of the Best Places to Work in NJ, to be successful equipment costs, b) create sales play2020. book to improve sales process and c) in our business Eric started the company in 1983 while to improve our hiring, onboarding and still a sophomore at Delaware Valley College. you have to have a people development program so that After graduating in 1985 with a BS in Ornathirst for knowledge our team feels involved and appreciated mental Horticulture and Minor in Business, and will go the extra mile. After all, haphe steadily grew Duke’s Landscape Manageand be committed ment into an industry star in New Jersey and py employees=happy customers, right? to continual the United States.

Now that we are ten months into our Eric has always played a major role in trade journey, I can’t imagine running the busiimprovement.” associations both state and national. He is one of ness the way we did in the past. Our structhe few individuals in New Jersey to hold the Certiture, our plan and the execution of the plan is fied Landscape Professional Certification, which is only far superior today. Like many of you with a lack of attained after passing an extensive exam on insurance, risks, snow last winter and an abundance of work either canand business law. In 2011, Eric earned his LEED Green Associcelled or postponed due to the pandemic, 2020 will not ate Designation from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). be a banner year for us. But, having said that, there is no

NJLCA.ORG 35

News Briefs

Insuring Your Future

Quick Summary of Important COVID-19 Insurance Issues

I

n this article, I would like to provide a general (but not necessarily exhaustive) summary of insurance issues related to our current COVID-19 world.

First of all, from a coverage standpoint, the most asked about question relates to business income coverage. For example, is my business insured for the loss of business related to COVID-19? There are many reasons that coverage will likely be denied by insurance companies, one being a lack of physical damage and the other related to the addition of virus exclusions beginning about 15 years ago as a result of other epidemics. That being said, insurance companies are being sued for business income coverage, and the courts will ultimately determine whether coverage exists.

Meanwhile, some legislators on the state level (notably NJ) have been pushing to require insurance carriers to provide such coverage even with such policy terms, conditions and exclusions. Many experts believe such a proposed law would be unconstitutional, and it is questionable as to whether it would even be wise and beneficial to insureds in the long term, considering such a law would endanger the solvency of the insurance industry and insurance companies would need to increase future premiums in order to account for such arbitrary action by lawmakers. At the time of this writing, the bill in New Jersey has not been passed.

With regard to workers compensation insurance coverage, Gov. Murphy signed a new law on September 14, 2020.

As a general rule, an employee must prove they suffered a job-related illness or injury in order to receive workers’ compensation benefits in N.J. This new law creates a presumption during the ongoing public health crisis that essential employees’ illnesses are related to their work.

The issue that has not received as much attention is the liability of a contractor spreading the illness to an insured’s customers (general liability). One can easily see such a possibility with all contracting operations, but especially ones related to indoor activities such as plumbing, HVAC, and electrical contractors. Insureds should be aware that some carriers are adding a communicable disease exclusion in an attempt to eliminate general liability claims caused by CO-

36 FALL | 2020

VID-19 even though other exclusions on the general liability policy may be applicable as well. The passage of a coronavirus liability shield law on either state or federal levels would appear to help limit liability for third party liability lawsuits, and all interested parties are encouraged to lobby for the passage of such a law.

Moreover, I have seen at least one company add COVID-19 precautions into its underwriting process. In other words, going forward, insurance companies will want to see evidence that insureds are taking proper precautions related to COVID-19 before they chose to provide coverage. All businesses should be taking such precautions in any case.

Many insureds have also been choosing to add cyber liability to the business insurance program to protect against losses related to hackers and exposure to privacy issues. Many sources have reported increased cyber claims activity as a result of unsecured computer activity prevalent in remote work environments when employees work from home.

Lastly, human resource issues related to testing of employees, termination, etc. will implicate employment practices insurance coverage. And for that reason, businesses that do not already have employment practices liability coverage should consider adding it to their insurance program.

In summation, all insureds should seek both legal and risk management advice to make sure they follow all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 between employees and to third parties and limit potential liabilities.

The information set forth in this article is general in nature and no legal or insurance advice is being given. Insureds are recommended to speak with their own insurance agent and attorney to discuss their own particular risk exposures and needs.

Kenneth F. Cerullo, Esq. is the President and an Owner of The Commercial Agency, Inc. in Park Ridge, NJ along with his brother Steve. He is also a Co-Founder of the New Jersey Agents Alliance (NJAA) – a limited group of select agents spread throughout the State of NJ with substantial premium volume. Ken currently serves on the Board of the NJLCA and as its Legislative Chairperson. Ken can be reached by email at kennethc@thecommercialagency.com or (201)391-1324. You can also visit the Agency websites at www. thecommercialagency.com or www.bergensnowplowinsurance.com

News Briefs A warm welcome to our newest and returning members...

Arapahoe Landscape Contractors John Butler Allendale, NJ Blue Mountain Landscaping Hector Escobar Bridgewater, NJ Cedarwood Landscaping, Inc J. Scott Mortensen Mendham, NJ Central Jersey Landscaping Michael Mansdoerfer Chesterfield, NJ Cherry Valley Tractor Brian Wright Marlton, NJ D’Onofrio & Son, Inc. Diane D’Onofrio Maplewood, NJ E3 HR, Inc. Steve Umbrell Summit, NJ

Emerald Isles Landscaping James Cullen Saddle Brook, NJ

Lorenzo’s Outdoor Service Lorenzo Fernandez Old Bridge, NJ

Foerster Landscape Timothy & Priscilla Foerster Mendham, NJ

McDowell Landscaping, Inc. Robert McDowell Ramsey, NJ

Garden State Groundskeeping Peter Rogers Long Valley, NJ

Michael Angerman Landscaping Michael Angerman Egg Harbor Twp., NJ

Halstead Media Corey Halstead Ardsley, NY J&J Landscaping Randy George Flemington, NJ J. Fragomeni Design Group Jason Fragomeni Boonton, NJ Lawes Outdoor Power Equipment Ann Lawes Shrewsbury, NJ Live Oak Landscape Cont.

Michael Sidlowski Piscataway, NJ

Michael Morena Saddle Brook, NJ Student Native Gardens Landscape Services Jonathan Najarian Paramus, NJ Pierson Landscaping Arthur Pierson Branchville, NJ Proven Winners Colorchoice/ Spring Meadow Nursery Jane Beggs-Joles Grand Haven, MI

Raymond Smith Landscape Design Raymond Smith Allendale, NJ Smitty’s Landscape & Irrigation Dan Smith Cedar Grove, NJ TBI Unlimited, LLC Bill Taylor Bridgeton, NJ Torsilieri Landscape Contractors Sonia Romeo Gladstone, NJ Tqs Landscaping Bryant Weiss North Haledon, NJ West Chester Machinery & Supply Co., Inc. Jim Gordon Flanders, NJ

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Feature Story

Learning to Love Snow

by By Phil Harwood, GrowtheBench.com

P

eople tend to either love or hate snow. Rarely are people indifferent. Which are you? If you’re like me, you absolutely love snow. Growing up in Michigan, my buddies and I were outside all the time, year-round. In the winter we were sledding, ice skating, playing hockey, making snow forts, and engaging in massive snow fights. The only time we were inside was to grab some food and some dry clothes.

I understand why people don’t like snow, especially older people. Snow comes with cold temperatures and it’s a hassle to deal with snow on top of all of the normal hassles of life.

Snowy and icy conditions may be extremely dangerous if not taken care of properly. People who dislike snow would do well to hire a snow pro and leave it to someone else. However, some of the people who dislike snow the most are the snow pros! In this article, I would like to challenge these snow pros to reconsider.

As a snow pro myself, working in the industry for many years running a large snow and ice management operation, snow took on a new meaning for me. A snowfall no longer was just for fun; a snow event represented a challenge. It represented an opportunity. And it brought great satisfaction.

Let me explain.

I’ve met hundreds, if not thousands, of snow pros throughout my career of over 35 years. Most of them love snow with a passion that nobody from outside the industry would expect. One of the reasons is because of the challenge it presents.

Every snow event is a unique logistical challenge due to the many variables involved – time of day, day of the week, temperature, type of precipitation, prior conditions, etc. – all while being on the clock with a non-negotiable deadline to meet client expectations. This is where all of the investments in technology, systems, and training come into play. Top snow pros are equipped with the resources and knowledge

to handle these challenges.

Another reason why snow pros love snow is because it brings a unique opportunity to make a significant difference for many others. While the rest of society is fast asleep, snow pros are busy opening up office complexes, shopping centers, hospitals, roads, driveways and sidewalks.

According to the CDC, one of every three people over 65 will experience a fall. Slip and falls account for 87% of all fractures among seniors and 40% of all nursing home admissions. For society in general, slip and fall injuries account for 12% of all emergency room visits and are the leading cause of worker’s comp claims (source: National Floor Safety Institute). Snow pros provide safe access and reduce the likelihood of an unnecessary fall that could be life-threatening.

A final reason why snow pros love snow is because of the sense of satisfaction it brings. At the end of a snow event, it’s common to see snow pros gathered together at the shop or for breakfast. It reminds me of how nobody wants to leave the locker room after a victorious hockey game. There’s a deep sense of personal pride and satisfaction from completing a job well done, especially when knowing that something important was accomplished.

For those who love snow, keep up the fight. For those who hate snow, I respectfully challenge you to reconsider as you reflect on the deeper meaning of providing snow and ice management services.

Now go forth.

Phil Harwood is a Managing Partner of GrowTheBench.com.

GrowTheBench.com provides online education, professional development, and peer groups for the professional landscape and snow industries. Comments are welcome at Phil@GrowTheBench.com.

NJLCA.ORG 39

Feature Story

Winter Wellness for Landscape Ornamentals

A

brutal snowy winter- a mild cold winter – is one better for tinue to push new growth. Cut back on watering practices plants then the other? Not necessarily. Damage to plants in the late summer and early fall. This holding back of water due to cold temperatures can occur during several times of and nutrients supports early development of hardiness for the year: spring and fall; the coldest part of winter; and when the winter ahead. cold temperatures occur after a warm period of weather. An However, before the ground freezes in the late fall/early early snow that stays around or gets replenished through the winter, give trees and shrubs a good watering, enough to winter months serves a good insulator against cold damage. reach an 8-10 inch depth once a week. When the ground Cold temperatures cause injury to trees, is frozen, it may not absorb rain washrubs and ornamentals in the landter or snow readily. The moisture in the scape. The xylem, conducting vessels soil can be absorbed by the roots below of plants, in small branches of trees and the ground. During a dry winter, hollies shrubs can be damaged by cold temperand evergreens or plants located under a atures, but the injury is not noticed until roof eaves may need to be watered once a the spring when the growth is slowed, month if there is a warm spell. Be careful there are less flower buds or the branch around walk ways and parking lots, as you is completely dead. This type of injury do not want to create an icy situation. usually occurs in mid-winter. These cold Sunny winter days can cause injury winter temperatures may also kill dorto trees. Bark temperatures can be 10oF mant flower buds and cause dieback in warmer then air temperatures as the overwintering evergreen plants. A cold sun shines on the tree. A rapid drop in winter with little or no snow may be temperature may cause and injury called considered mild, but drying winds will sun scald. Frost cracks can occur when take moisture out of plants. there is repeated injury from temperature Spring frosts can damage the tender fluctuations due to sun exposure. Newly shoots, flowers and fruits of plants that planted trees and thin barked trees such may have started coming out of doras Cherry, Crabapple and Maple are susWrap young trees with reflective white tree guards mancy too soon due to warmer than Credit: University of Minnesota ceptible to these injuries. Over time, frost average winter temperatures. Tempercracks go deeper into the trunk of the tree atures several degrees above average minimum temperatures and a callus forms along the injury. The wood inside might in the late fall before plants have reached their maximum decay, leading to structural problems. Evergreen trees are less dormancy or hardiness can cause injury to plants, including susceptible to frost cracks then deciduous trees. Lone trees deciduous trees and shrubs that have already lost their leaves. in the landscape are an easy target for frost cracks. Planting Plants naturally prepare themselves for the winter by go- lower growing trees or shrubs around the tree can provide ing into dormancy. Plants do need those cooler tempera- some protection. tures and shorter days of the fall and a reduction in watering Fortunately trees can be protected from sunscald and frost and nutrients to prepare themselves for the winter. To aid cracks. Using a polyurethane spiral wrap or wrapping Kraft the plants in their preparation for winter, avoid fertilizing paper around the trunk can help keep the trunk temperatures ornamental plants after mid-July/early August. Fertilizing constant. The wraps can also provide protection from wildstimulates new growth, which will not be hardy enough for life damage during the winter months. The wraps should be winter. The plant may not go into dormancy – it will con- applied in the fall, but removed in the late spring. Apply the

40 FALL | 2020

Feature Story

by Madeline Flahive DiNardo, County Agent / Associate Professor, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County wrap starting at the bottom of the plant, overlapping slightly, as you move up to the top of the first branches. Do not use any wires, ties, rope or tape around the trunk – you do not want to accidentally injure the bark.

If the ground does not have snow cover or mulch, the freezing and thawing of the ground occurring predominately during the beginning and end of the cold season can cause soil heaving. The expansion and contraction of the soil forces newly planted shrubs and perennials out of the ground, then partially back down, then up again exposing the roots to cold damage and potentially breaking them.

To manage soil heaving, apply a 2-4 inch layer of mulch to the ground around the trees, and shrubs and/or perennial beds after the ground freezes if it was not applied in the spring. The idea is to keep the soil temperature constant during the cold weather. Keep the base of the tree or shrub clear of mulch so that you can notice feeding damage from small animals such as mice, voles or rabbits. Evergreen boughs can also be used to cover the soil to protect against soil heaving. Planting trees and shrubs in the spring gives them the advantage of a whole growing season to get their roots established. If new plants are uprooted by soil heaving, have a bucket or large container of unfrozen soil and mulch handy to replant and mulch the uprooted plants. This action can give the plants a chance of recovery.

“Winter Burn” is another frozen ground related problem landscape plant encounter if there is not enough moisture in the soil below the ground for the roots to uptake. The leaves of conifers and broadleaf evergreens are desiccated. The needles or leaves turn brown at the tips first and depending on the severity of the injury, the damage spreads further on the leaf surface. Evergreen plants can also be desiccated by cold dry winds drawing moisture from the leaves. Products called anti-desiccants can be applied to broadleaf evergreens and conifers when the plants are dormant. Applying too soon may trap excess water in the leaves that can freeze and burst. Follow the label instructions. The label may recommend applying when temperatures are between 40o and 50oF. Planting evergreens on the north, north-east or east side of buildings will provide some protection from sun and

Closer view of winter-damaged cherry laurel. Note the shot holes.

Photo: Richard Buckley, Rutgers PDL

drying winds. Barriers around the plants can be made with wooded frames covered with burlap or canvas. Keep the top and bottom of the barriers open as you do need some air circulation around the plants.

If winter damage has occurred there are a few things you can do to help plants recover, keeping in mind that some plants will be able to recover better then others. Plants that do not survive can be replaced with plants that are better suited to the environment. Select plants that are hardy in USDA temperature zones for New Jersey (7a, 7b, 6a or 6b) depending on the location. Plants that begin growth and flower later in the spring and go dormant earlier in the fall do better in colder areas. To help plants recover, prune out dead branches and stems. Resuming watering and applying fertilizers in the spring based on a soil test result will also aid in the plants’ recovery from the winter. Next fall, you will be prepared to protect the landscape from cold injury.

Madeline Flahive DiNardo is the County Agent / Associate Professor with Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County. Madeline works with volunteer Master Gardeners and provides training programs for county park employees and landscape professionals, such as the Rutgers North Jersey Ornamental Horticulture Conference.

NJLCA.ORG 41 NJLCA.ORG 41

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Feature Story

Simple Financial Mistakes Contractors Should Avoid

by Monroe Porter,

M

any contractors do not have a strong financial background and do not like accounting. However, there are simple procedures and financial logics that can help contractors avoid negative financial situations. This article is designed to identify simple errors contractors may make.

Worrying too much about cash. How much cash is in the bank can be a misleading factor when studying the health of a business. Cash makes us feel good and is deeply ingrained in our psyche. As a kid, if you made a few bucks mowing a yard or running an errand, it was great. You had money to spend.

Business does not exactly work this way. Just because we have cash on hand does not mean the business is making money at that moment.

Every business needs cash.

However, cash is more of a business tool that an actual measurement of success. You need cash to pay your bills and keep the business going but it is not necessarily a measure of profit. A good example of this is when contractors gear up in the spring. The business is making money but much of the actual cash is being eaten away by payroll, material bills, etc. Where in the fall, many contractors gear down for the winter. They may actually lose money in December but have plenty of cash on hand because they are collecting receivables from past work with no money going out.

Cash on hand might be compared to pulling a trailer.

If you are doing everything right, it is always following you.

If you charge the right price, make a profit and collect your money, cash follows your business effort.

You can pay taxes on a cash statement if that is what your accountant advises but use an accrual statement for financial review. An accrual statement shows all costs including accounts receivable and accounts payable to show a true profit.

A cash statement only shows what you have paid and collected. On that note, enter accounts payable into your accounting system as the bills come in. Even if you do not have enough money to pay the bill, it still is there to show a true profit or loss. Don’t merely use your accounting system as a checkbook and only make entries when paying bills. Try to

keep your financial records as current as possible.

Don’t put customer deposits into sales when you put deposits into the bank. Show them as a negative receivable or a liability. Deposits represent money you owe the customer until work is actually performed. This is a little complicated but vital to creating an accurate statement. You also don’t want to spend your customer’s money and then not have the money left to do their job.

If you do repairs, you must either price them time and material with a minimum charge or if quoted, build enough into the repair quote to cover sales cost. No matter how you calculate sales expense, it costs a minimum of $100 to run a

sales call. ($50 an hour times two hours is $100). So how can you quote a $100 repair? You can’t. And this gets even more complicated. Suppose, you only sell 50% of the repairs you estimate. Now you need $200 to recover the job you won and the job you lost. If you must give estimates, make sure you build something into the quote to cover sales costs.

Internal theft continues to be a problem with contractors. Through the years, we have found that over 10% of our customers had embezzlement and less than 1% a fire.

Yet most contractors are insured for fire but not theft. The cost of this insurance varies greatly from state to state and you may want to “bond” your bookkeeper or office manager but remember, bonding only applies to the person you have bonded. You want to talk with your insurance person about what options are available in your state.

NJLCA.ORG 43

News Briefs

Tales from the landscape side

I

n the mid-summer of 2020, I reached out to our members to ask about their most memorable customers. I expected horror stories of the worst, most demanding, craziest and funniest customers. What I ended up receiving was truly amazing. Most of the stories you sent in to us were heartwarming and spoke of your favorite customers, those that took time to reach out and tell you what an impact you had on their lives, those that became like family and those that became lifelong friends. I also received some funny and wacky customer stories, but even those didn't talk of the angry and discontented customers I had expected. I decided that instead of creating one story, I will include a few in each issue of The New Jersey Landscape Contractor. So, keep those stories coming to me, the good, the bad and the ugly.

You can send your story to gwoolcott@njlca.org (along with pictures if applicable) and I will include them in this column in future issues. Thank you all for brightening our days with some of your tales from the landscape side! ~ Gail Woolcott, Executive Director

You Grow It, We Mow It

Submitted by Anthony De Feo, Lifetime Member

One of my first customers when I started De Feo Landscaping, Inc., was Mr. and Mrs. Smith in River Vale, NJ. They were a middle-aged couple with a new house, no children and no pets.

They signed up with me to care for their property with a full serviced agreement. They never complained and paid each invoice right on time. Needless to say, they were both lovely people, friendly and always happy. They spent their winters in Florida and some summers in Highland Lakes, NJ. One day in May 2001, Mr. Smith came out while we were doing the weekly maintenance. He wanted to see me by his front door. Usually when he needed something, he would come up to me when I was riding on the Walker, cutting the lawn and tell me what he wanted. But this time was different.

44 FALL | 2020

I though maybe I had screwed something up.

I was completely shocked when he started to read a Proclamation that he made up praising me and De Feo Landscaping for 25 years of excellent service. He presented me with the Proclamation and 12 t-shirts he had made for us that said: De Feo Landscaping You Grow It We Mow It I was surprised and the feeling of pride was overwhelming.

I have saved the Proclamation and t-shirt for all these years.

One Crazy Summer

Submitted by John Raffiani, Raffiani's Automatic Sprinklers

Two crazy things happened in 104-degree heat in the same week during the summer of 1977.

Day of the “Turf Blob” On Garrett Mountain in Paterson, NJ, I had as a client the NJ Bank (now PNC) and the building was across the road from a pond. The turf was lush and thick having grown into 4 inches of top soil sitting on top of rock. The main line to the irrigation system was pressurized to 160 psi. It burst overnight, but did not cause a visible leak, as the turf simply rose up like a giant boil filled with water. When I arrived, the “water bubble” was 30’ x 30’ and 8’ tall. I shut the water off and I and my helper climbed up on it and laid down like on a water bed-it was bizarre! After having our fun we took shovels and punctured a slice 3’ long at its lower base, allowing it to drain into the pond. We climbed back on top so our weight would help push the water out. It took an hour to drain.

Flooding Mercedes Benz US Headquarters The same week, I was installing a 3 HP booster pump 30’ up in the ceiling of the basement of Mercedes Benz in Montvale. They insisted on using their plumber to connect into the 2.5” copper pipe, over my objections. The main line was looped and had two shut off valves. However, their plumber neglected to shut both valves off. Four o’clock comes and he just leaves-also leaving the piping open as he had not finished. Then the maintenance staff turned the controller back on, after I had turned it off-they thought the plumber was finished. At 3 AM an irrigation cycle kicks in and fills the first floor with water at the rate of 150 GPM. It ran until 6 AM when the maintenance staff came back. They tried to blame me until the facts came to light-their people caused the flood. Not a bright bunch.

Water Ways

News Briefs

Know Before You “Blow”!

Blowing out an irrigation system for the colder fall/winter months is critical in avoiding split, broken or cracked pipes that will unearth themselves in the spring/thaw months.

But not everyone knows how to do this properly.

The first step is to choose the correct air compressor for the job. Depending on the number of heads on each zone and the length of the lateral lines feeding those zones will determine what size cfm compressor is needed.

Locate and turn off the valve inside the home that leads to the outside irrigation system.

Connect your air compressor to the hose bib that’s installed in line with your back-flow preventer (usually on a heal tee as shown in the picture below). Do NOT hook up to the test ports or test cocks of the back flow. They are meant for quick pressure tests and readings and not for sending air or water thru (besides, it will take you much longer thru a 1/4” hole than a 3/4” hole. )

Manually open one valve using the clocks single station manual run setting or by turning the solenoid of the valve counterclockwise until the valve opens. Turn on the air compressor and allow the air to “blow out” the water from the lines. An easy test to know if a line is fully empty is take a sheet of white paper and hold it up to a sprinkler head while the air is still going thru. If it is dry, then it’s done, and you can move on to the next line.

When completed, make sure to leave the back-flow valves open to allow air to escape during the cold months.

Don’t wait too long to perform this service or the temperature might drop and freeze the lines. Be safe and healthy this season and enjoy your holidays and happy new year!!

Joe Bolognese is a customer service and sales rep for SiteOne Landscape Supply in Mahwah, NJ. He is a past Vice President and an Associate Director of the NJLCA. He is also Chair of the Education, Scholarship and Licensing Committees. He has over 20 years experience in the landscape and irrigation supply industry and can be reached at jbolognese@njlca.org.

Most banks today do not want to send you a copy of the checks. Pay more for this service and have the banking and credit card statements sent to your house. There are lots of ways for employees to steal, but writing checks and charging items to your credit card is the easiest way to take advantage of you.

Look to crew size and don’t over staff jobs. A few years ago, we had a customer roof identical apartment buildings and track costs. The only factor that impacted production costs was crew size. The smaller the crew, the fewer hours it took to roof the job. We have contractors who join our networking groups that have 6 or 7 people in an install crew. We tell them to drop one person and the production tends to take the same amount of time.

Have a monthly financial meeting each and every month. At the meeting review a profit and loss statement, a balance sheet, your accounts payable, your accounts receivable, your sales, closing ratios and your backlog. Want better accounting records? Then use them. As you ask questions and explore the data, it will become more and more accurate.

Financial discipline and understanding is imperative to running a business. Just because you don’t like to do something, don’t have an excuse not to do it. I don’t like to go to the dentist, but I still go.

Monroe Porter is President of PROOF Management and PROSULT Networking Groups for landscapers. For free business help by phone, call him at 804 267-1688.

NJLCA.ORG 45

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Feature Story

Dormant Seeding and Cold Germination for Repair and Change

by Dr. Leah A. Brilman, Director of Product Management and Technical Services, DLF Pickseed and Seed Research of Oregon

T

he typical seeding window for cool-season grasses closes between September 15 to October 1 in New Jersey. This does not mean you need to give up on improving your lawn until next spring. Dormant seeding done November through February can fix areas, help change genetics or have seed in place in anticipated damage areas from snow melt products.

If you need immediate repair for a worn sports field or other damaged areas there are also a few options. Tetraploid perennial, annual and intermediate turf-type ryegrasses all can germinate and establish at lower temperatures than most cool season grasses. These species can be used much later and earlier to achieve repair. The annual and intermediate ryegrass are temporary turf solutions and other seed will need to be added for permanent repair. At 36 to 45 degrees F these will take 16 days to achieve 50% germination. Red and Chewings fescue can also germinate at lower temperatures than many other species, taking 20 days to achieve 50% germination at 39 to 45 degrees. Difference in time to emergence will even be bigger, as growth rate of ryegrass seedlings is faster than Kentucky bluegrass. Difference in time of establishment will further depend on root growth and tilling as well.

Since you do not have a crystal ball and may be uncertain if these soil temperatures will be maintained, dormant seeding makes sense. Planting Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass and most fine fescues once the temperatures drop below 50 degrees would be considered dormant seeding. Prepare the seedbed as you would for regular seeding and make sure you have seed to soil contact. The cold temperatures will keep the seed from germinating until spring when they will come up much sooner than if planted at the same time. The weather conditions and moisture act like seed priming to enable quick, early germination.

Correct any problems with your site before seeding. Sometimes you need to examine the site to see why the lawn failed in the first place. Maybe it is problems with the irrigation system, tree root competition, too much shade or wet spots. Try to correct these problems before any seeding is done. Think about how much maintenance you want to do and the look you want to have. Tall Fescue / Kentucky bluegrass blends do well in NJ for high or low maintenance. Fine fescue blends are excellent for sun or shade low maintenance and can be used for reduced mowing or a meadow type look. Kentucky bluegrasses are often considered the highest quality lawn in New Jersey. Perennial ryegrasses are added to many blends for quick establishment and dark green color. Make sure any blend has cultivars with gray leaf spot resistance.

New Jersey has the advantage of having Rutgers, the premier turfgrass breeding and evaluation University in the world. Take advantage of this by looking at turfgrass performance in their Proceedings and attending their field days (when they resume).

Dr. Leah A. Brilman is the Director of Product Management and Technical Services for DLF Pickseed and Seed Research of Oregon.

Brilman was a biology major at California State University, Bakersfield in the 1970s, when work on a paper about the evolution of wheat led to an interest in grass species. She received her bachelor’s degree from CSU Bakersfield in 1976, and earned master’s and doctoral degrees in agronomy and plant genetics from the University of Arizona.

She has been a longtime faculty member for GCSAA education and is the co-coordinator of the annual GCSAA Collegiate Turf Bowl. In addition to participation in state and regional turfgrass conferences around the United States, Brilman has lectured in the United Kingdom, Russia, Australia, Japan and Korea on various topics related to turfgrass cultivars.

NJLCA.ORG 47

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God Bless America

Albert DeMuro CLT, LTCO #129 Brian DeMuro CLT, LTCO #633