The New Jersey
Winter 2014-15
Landscape Contractor
The Official Publication of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association
Landscape Achievement Awards u u u u u u
Landscape NJ 2015 Trade Show To 3D or Not to 3D Getting Hit in the Face for 32 Years Prevent H-2B Violations Affordable Healthcare Coverage Bee-Friendly Lawn Care
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Published By
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 six regions throughout the state of New Jersey. New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association 465 Boulevard, 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 | Captain Safety | Jonathan Goldhill Jon Goldman | Chris Heiler | Jonathan Larson Harvey Mishkin | Chip Osborne | Daniel Potter, PhD Edward Ritz | Joe Salemi | Jody Shilan | Marcus vandeVliet Gail Woolcott NJLCA Combined Board Executive Director | Jody Shilan, MLA President | Tom Canete Vice President | Nelson Lee Treasurer | Richard Goldstein, CLT Director | Anthony Agudelo Director | Tom Barillo Director | Greg Carpenter, CLT Director | Justin Flatow, CLT Director | George Futterknecht, CLT Director | Dan Kindergan Director | Luis Rosero Associate Director | Joe Bolognese Associate Director | David Gaynor Associate Director | Eddie Slaska 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 triannually. 500 print copies are distributed to members and over 3,000 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. © 2015 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. Cover photo courtesy of Landscape Techniques, Inc. PUBLISHED January 2015
contents
WINTER 2014-15
FEATURES
5
8
2014 Landscape Achievement Award Why Some Business Owners Get Trapped in Their Business
10 Transitioning to Organic Lawn Care 14 To 3D or Not to 3D
20
Getting Hit in the Face for 32 Years
22 5 Reasons Your Salespeople Need to Start Blogging
25
Designing Underneath a Shade Tree
27
Prevent H-2B Violations
39
Affordable Healthcare Coverage: It’s All About Value
Bee Friendly Lawn Care
40
IN EVERY ISSUE...
NJLCA News Briefs
4 Executive Director’s Message 6 Landscape NJ 2015 Trade Show & Conference 18 Contractor Focus: Classic Landscaping 19 Associate Focus: NY-NJ Trailer 28 Calendar of Events 36 NJLCA Holiday Gala and Awards Dinner 38 Welcome New Members Columns 5 Safety Corner 9 Design/Build Sales 11 Legislative Wing 15 Drip Tips 23 Your Equipment 25 Business Brief NJLCA.ORG
3
Executive Director’s Message
I
t’s 2015 and it looks like the economy is still chugging along quite nicely. The stock market is at or around its all-time high and the price of gas is at a five year low. Mortgage rates couldn’t be any more attractive, banks are loosening their belts and building permits are on the rise. I don’t know about you, and I certainly don’t want to jinx anything, but to me this looks like and feels like the perfect storm for a successful year. Even with the bipolar winter we are having, our members are reporting that their numbers are solid for both plowing and salting. Even though Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which indicates a long winter, statistically he has been accurate about 50% of the time. Personally, I believe that we are going to have an early spring, which should make up for the late start in 2014. Our goal this year is to make the NJLCA a household name or acronym. Our column, NJLCA Today, appears every month in the Gardener News, which covers the entire state of New Jersey, reaching out to homeowners and contractors alike. Every month, I focus on a different aspect of the association, raising awareness to our brand, and also the value of working with an NJLCA member. Our volunteer work has been featured in local newspapers, our members have been featured in trade magazines and now CBS uses us as a resource when there are landscape related stories. With that said, we need you to do your share to help with this branding effort. Don’t worry, it’s easy to do and will have a huge impact. Start using the NJLCA logo along with “Proud Member of ” on all of your advertising and marketing efforts, along with your everyday paperwork. This means placing the NJLCA logo in your magazine and newspaper advertising, on your website, social media pages and in email signatures. What about your business cards, letterhead and proposals? Finally, display it on all of your commercial vehicles and equipment. Over the last few years, we have been receiving an increasing amount of phone calls from homeowners, as well as facility managers, looking for referrals and recommendations for design/build, maintenance and 4 WINTER | 2015
snow plowing services. That’s why we are adding a consumer component to our new website. We want to continue this trend by driving residential and commercial property owners to our website, whether they are looking for general information about landscaping, what to look for when hiring a landscape contractor or a list of qualified landscape contractors (aka NJLCA members) in their area, when they are ready to buy.
Our new website will contain articles and ideas to help you be more successful in your business. We will provide information about our associates, so that you can contact them quickly to help you with your needs. We will also make it easier for you to find out about upcoming events, including membership meetings, keep you abreast of any legislative updates and governmental requirements, and allow you to easily register and pay for everything from membership dues to the trade show. Let’s all continue to work together to raise the bar for our industry. Let’s strive to make the NJLCA a household name, as well as a go to resource for the consumer and the landscape contractor. Have a great season!
Jody Shilan, MLA NJLCA Executive Director
Safety Corner Snow Emergencies Reports have linked snow shoveling in cold weather to an increased risk of hospitalization or death due to heart attacks and stroke according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Knowing the signs of stroke and heart attack can greatly reduce the number of deaths due to these afflictions.
Stroke: Use the FAST method
FACE DROOPING Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? ARM WEAKNESS
Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
SPEECH DIFFICULTY
Is speech slurred, is he or she unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Is the sentence repeated correctly?
TIME TO CALL 9-1-1
If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get him or her to the hospital immediately.
Feature Story
T
And the Awards Go To....
he New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association’s 2014 Landscape Achievement Awards featured over thirty-five entries from NJLCA members throughout the state. The work was absolutely outstanding, regardless of the budgets or whether it was residential, commercial, design/build or maintenance, all of the entries were simply stunning. The most competitive category this year, once again was Residential Design/Build Over $200,000. These projects were creatively designed, had craftsman-like construction and were absolutely amazing to see. The judges had a very difficult time choosing the winners and thought that every entry deserved an award, but ultimately decisions had to be made. Throughout this issue are photos of the winning entries this year. Thank you to all who entered in 2014, as well as our Committee Chair, Len DiTomaso and our judges who gave of their time and expertise to choose this year’s winners.
Landscape Maintenance: Residential Award of Excellence - Wicklow and Laurano Landscape Contractors Project: Bernardsville Residence About the Project: See Page 12 Award of Merit - Scenic Landscaping Project: Puzo Residence About the Project: This English Tudorstyle home features an informal garden that requires an intensive amount of hand pruning, dead-heading and weeding to maintain it’s unkempt and naturalistic feel. The lawn is clean and green, and hardscape areas are free from organic debris.
Heart Attack: Know the Symptoms
Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. Shortness of breath. This may occur with or without chest discomfort. Other signs. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness. Captain Safety can only be contacted through Bob Hibler of Gamka Sales Co. in Edison New Jersey. Bob can be reached at 732-248-1400 or you can e-mail him at bob@gamka.com.
Continued on Page 30
NJLCA.ORG 5
Pre-register online and save.Visit www.NJLCA.org.
38th Annual
Mardi Gras in the Meadowlands! Wednesday, February 25, 2015 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Meadowlands Exposition Center 355 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, NJ
• DEP Credit Session • Exciting Business Seminars • Over 300 Exhibit Booths • Trade Show Discounts • New Pre-Show Workshops on February 24th • Trade Show on February 25th
KPM Exceptional Distributors Kube Pak Growers L.P. Statile Law Offices of Ron Katiraei Lawn Equipment Parts Co. Levitt’s Meadowland Ford Truck Sales Middleton & Co. Insurance Modern Group Mr. C Fence New Jersey Deer Control New Jersey Turf Grass Assn. Nicolock Northeast Bowie Sales Northeast STIHL Northeastern Arborist Supply Northern Nurseries Inc NY-NJ Trailer Supply Orange Garden Otterstedt Insurance Agency Partnership for Drug Free NJ Paul Congelosi Sales Inc Peak Equipment Perennial / Sprinkler Surgeon Performance Trailers Inc. Power Place Inc Powerco Inc Precision Work Pride Landscape Supply Pro Parts / YC Power & Assoc. Riverside Nursery Rohsler’s Allendale Nursery RR Irrigation Company, Inc Rutgers University RVH Mulch Supply, LLC Salomone Redi-Mix LLC SavATree Schoenberg Salt Company, Inc. Scirocco Insurance Semel’s Embroidery and Screen. Shuback Farms Inc. Snapper Pro Stephan L. Green Trailers Steven Willand, Inc. Storr Tractor Company SynaTek Synthetic Lawns & Golf, Inc. Tech Terra Environmental Techo-Bloc Corp. The Terre Company Tick Box Technology Corp. Tidbury Creek Farms/Dot Design Tidewater Power Equipment Trapsmart.com United Rentals Van Dine Motors, Inc. Wallace Trucking We Stop Deer Wicki Stone Wilfred MacDonald York Trailers & Truck Access.
Exhibitor List (as of printing) A.N.T. Nursery, Inc. ABR Lighting, Inc. AC Marmo & Sons, Inc. Action Rubber & Indust. Supply Advance Tire, Inc. Aggrand/Amsoil Dealer All American Ford Alstar Seating American Profit Recovery Anchor Concrete Products Anchor Payroll & Benefits Aqua Tech USA Aquarius Supply Association Master Trust Bad Boy Mowers Bartlett Tree Experts Barton Nursery Enterprises Beam Clay/Partaq Peat Corp. Bergen Community College Bobcat of North Jersey Brock Farms Wholesale Div. CADCo Cambridge Pavers, Inc. Cedar Hill Nursery Inc. Central Salt Central Supply Classic Ground Covers Clayton Block Company, Inc Condurso’s Wholesale Distr. Consolidated Human Resources County College of Morris CST Pavers Dan Como and Sons, Inc. David Lerner Associates DeBuck’s Sod Farm of NY Design-N-Stitch DOLMAR Power Products Downes Forest Products DynaScape Software Corp. East Coast Tree Movers Eastern Wholesale Fence EP Henry Fleet-Track Services Foley, Inc. Frank’s Truck Center, Inc. Gallagher-Bollinger Insurance Gamka Sales Co., Inc. Garden State Bobcat Genesis Turfgrass Grass Roots Turf Products Harvest Lawn Care Hionis Greenhouses Inc. Husqvarna Hustler Turf Equipment Intek Auto Leasing, Inc. International Bulb Company JC Hill Tree Farms Jersey Mulch Jesco Inc. Jesco Inc. / DitchWitch John Deere Landscapes
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Pre-Trade Show Workshops
(Includes lunch and trade show admission)
8:00 am - 4:30 pm The Plant Health Care All-stars - Room A NJLCA Member: $99 Non-Member: $149 NJ Fertilizer CEUs – 2, NJ Pesticide Credits: CORE - 2, 3A - 6, 3B - 6, PP2 - 6.
Landscape Graphics with DynaSCAPE 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Room B NJLCA Member: $99 Non-Member: $149
ICPI Two-Day Paver Installer Course 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Room C NJLCA Member: $315 Non-Member: $350 ICPI Member: $280
Please print clearly: Business Name: ________________________________ Owner’s Name: _________________________________ Business Address: ______________________________ City: _____________________ State: ____ Zip: _______ Phone: ___________________ Fax: ________________ E-mail: _______________________________________
If paying by credit card: Cardholders Name: ______________________________ Card Number: __________________________________ Billing Zip Code: __________ Exp: _________
Print First and Last Name of all attendees as they will appear on name badge. (Name badges will be mailed to you)
1. ____________________________________________
qDEP* qPHC qGraphics qICPI qPROFact*
2. ____________________________________________
qDEP* qPHC qGraphics qICPI qPROFact*
3. ______________________________________ ______
qDEP* qPHC qGraphics qICPI qPROFact*
* DEP & PROFact classes will be held on Wednesday, February 25th, 2015.
Make checks payable to: NJLCA
Must be received by February 21, 2015. No refunds after Feb. 21, 2015. No snow or rain date. Please send check and registration to: NJLCA, 465 Boulevard, Suite 4, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407 Phone: (201) 703-3600 Fax: (201) 703-3776
8:00 am 8:20 am
Registration - Trade Show Open Trade Show Welcome Jody Shilan, MLA, Executive Director New Jersey Landscape Contractors Assn. Implementing cultural methods and improving soil health to reduce pesticide usage on Woody Ornamentals Barry Draycott, Tech Terra Environmental
DEP Recertification Classes - Room A/B 8:30 am 9:30 am
Top 10 Reasons Pre-emergent and Broadleaf Herbicides Fail Michael Reed, Holganix DEP News & Pesticide Regulation Update Stephen Bross, NJ-DEP Pesticide Control
9:45 am 10:45 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm NJ DEP requires that you MUST bring a Photo ID and Pesticide Applicators License which begins with numbers 0, 2, 5, or 6 (NOT business license).
Education Schedule - February 25, 2015 Collection Do’s and Don’ts 8:30 am - 9:30 am - Room D American Profit Recovery
Learn the how to avoid putting customers into collections, keep on top of your cash flow, the best ways to improve your collection efforts and how to get paid faster!
Paso Basico para Estimar en Espanol 9:45 am - 10:45 am - Cuarto D Anthony Agudelo, Anthony Agudelo Landscaping
Aprenda lo básico de como llegar adecuadamente al costo de su empresa por cada hora de trabajo, el promedio de salario por cada grupo, los costos adicionales a los salarios, los gastos administrativos, el punto de equilibrio y su ganancia neta.
The Basics of Hydroseeding 11:00 am - 12:00 pm - Room D Ed Dugan, Northeast Bowie Sales
Learn about hydroseeding and how it can benefit your business. The basic materials and techniques involved, examples of hydroseeding and the types of equipment available.
Stone in the Landscape
Non-Member Pricing
Registration at Door: $30 per person
Pre-Registration Fee: $20 per person
NJLCA Member Pricing
Qty.
ProFACT Training/Exam: $75 per person _____
DEP Credit Session: FREE
_____
_____
_____
_____
Qty.
_____
_____
Total
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_____
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Total
Understand what branding is and how will it help your business. Define your brand and identify its unique value Learn to distinguish and express your brand’s personality and what your role as the CEO is.
Brand Matters
NJ Credits: CORE – 2, 3A Ornamentals – 3, 3B Turf – 2, PP2 (Private Applicator) – 3, 13 IPM in Schools – 1. NY Credits: CORE-.25, 3a Ornamental & Turf-1.75, 3b Turf-1.00. PA Credits: 00 Core–2, PC Private Category–4, 06 Ornamental and Shade Trees–2, 07 Lawn and Turf–2, 18 Demonstration & Research – 4, 23 Park / School Pest Control–4.
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - Room B Dan Harney, “AKA Stone Man Dan”
Pre-Registration Fee: $30 per person
_____
_____
Intro to the benefits of including stone in your landscape plans, the do’s and don’ts of drystone walling and examples of pushing stonework to its artistic limits.
Registration at Door: $40 per person
_____
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - Room A Ed Delia, Delia Associates
DEP Credit Session: Additional $30 ea.
_____ $ ___________
ProFACT Training/Exam: $100 per person _____ Grand Total
NJ Fertilizer Training and ProFACT Exam
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Room D Dr. James Murphy, Rutgers University
ProFACT Training for Professional Fertilizer Applicators (Qualifies you to take the certification exam and Certified Fertilizer Applicators will receive 3 credits of continuing education). Class will be given in English. Manual and Exam available in English and Spanish.
Selling LED Landscape Lighting
2:15 pm - 3:15 pm - Room B Jim Hespe, CAST Lighting
Learn the essentials and understand the features of LED landscape lighting. Hear about the different strategies for LED installations and most importantly, how to sell the value of LED landscape lighting.
Pequeno Mantenimiento del Motor en Espanol
2:15 pm - 3:15 pm - Cuarto A Greg Carpenter, American Beauty Landscape and Design
Room B
ICPI - Paver Installation Training
Trade Show Education - 2014
Room A
DEP Recertification Credit Session - Draycott, Reed, and Bross
Stone in the Landscape
Room C
Fertilizer Training and Written Exam
Basics of Hydroseeding
Paso Basico para Estimar en Espanol
Collection Do's and Don'ts
Room D
Como mantener adecuadamente equipos de paisaje de mano, incluyendo las recortadoras de cuerdas y sopladores de mochila. Class Time 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Brand Matters
ICPI - Paver Installation Training
Lunch 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Selling LED Landscape Lighting
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Pequeno Mantenimiento del Motor en Espanol 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Save time and money... Register online at www.NJLCA.org
Feature Story
Why Some Business Owners Get Trapped in Their Business
by Jonathan Goldhill, The Goldhill Group have a hard time letting go of such expertise and familiarity. They remain trapped in a technical comfort zone and work approach. Sadly, such technical expertise is insufficient for managing a business. Moreover, they fail to develop the visionary, strategic, and leadership skills necessary to run a successful business.
Busyness:
M
any entrepreneurs start a business with the best of intentions to achieve greater happiness, however they define it. Most want more freedom, fulfillment and financial success. Most want to feel the satisfaction of being an independent business owner in control of their own destiny. Unfortunately, after a few years, the entrepreneurial dream starts to warp into a partial nightmare. Many owners become trapped on a treadmill, working harder and harder but going nowhere. In last issue’s article, I discussed how many business owners and managers feel like prisoners to their businesses, employees and customers. They feel trapped working “IN” their businesses instead of “ON” their businesses. Based upon insights of working with hundreds of business owners, I believe several areas are causes for feeling trapped: (1) technician tendencies, (2) busyness (3) ineffective leadership and delegation, (4) inadequate or missing business systems, and (5) escalating business complexity.
Many owners and managers confuse activity with accomplishment. They confuse busy-ness with results, hard work with smart work and perspiration with purpose. Efficiency (doing things right) with effectiveness (doing the right things). Instead of working smarter, many owners hold tight to the delusion that working harder and harder is the solution. They keep trying to shift into higher and higher gears. The more the business grows, the harder they work, the more imprisoned they become. No matter how much energy you
expend, however, wrong strategies inevitably lead to poor results – less freedom and more headaches. It is like trying to catch fish in a pond with your bare hands. No matter how many hours you work or how deep you wade, a poor strategy leads to poor results – no fish dinner!
Ineffective Leadership & Delegation:
Technician Tendencies:
Too many entrepreneurs are former technicians masquerading as owners. They think they are entrepreneurs, but they don’t act that way. As once accomplished technicians, they
8 WINTER | 2015
Far too many small business owners are by default small leaders. Instead of leadership, they excel at doer-ship. They are micro-managers that like to touch and control everything. They trust no one but themselves. They believe “no one does it as well as me”. They seldom delegate, if at all. They mistake such busyness for business leadership. Instead of thinking and leading like owners, most think and behave like employees. Instead of reflecting and planning, they excel at sweating and doing. They act like they have a job instead of owning a business. To lead effectively, one must trust others. Not developing their leadership potential costs them dearly.
Design/Build Sales Free Plans Cost You Plenty While the economy has improved significantly, I’m still hearing about companies throughout the country that are struggling with sales. The days of getting a signed contract for just showing up are long gone. So what do I suggest? 1. Reach out to your existing clients to meet with them and discuss other services your company provides. It is much easier and cheaper to sell “...charging for to existing clients your designs than it is to develop new ones. If you will help you sell follow my design/ more work...” build sales process, you can set up an appointment to do a walk-through of phase one to make sure that there are no current issues that need to be addressed. While you’re there, discuss your maintenance and lawn care programs, or the lighting that they wanted to do but just couldn’t afford at the time. If it makes sense, you might even schedule an appointment to sit down and review the master plan to start discussing phase two for the spring or fall. 2. Call (don’t email or text) all of your previous leads throughout the year that are still sitting in your pending file. Although some of them may have gone with someone else, many of them just fell off their radar and yours. You’ve already done the hard work, what’s one more phone call? One other suggestion - don’t be bogus and pawn this off on your office staff. Put on your big boy or big girl pants and make the calls yourself. 3. Start planning for this season right now, so you’re not in the same situation in the fall of 2015. This means collecting email addresses from everyone that contacts you, starting today. Embrace the new year and at a bare minimum, update your website, create a monthly newsletter and start using Facebook regularly. Jody Shilan, MLA is an award-winning landscape designer and former landscape design/ build contractor. He is the Executive Director of NJLCA, the editor of FromDesign2Build.com and host of Landscape Live! He can be reached at 201-783-2844 or jshilan@gmail.com.
Feature Story Inadequate Business Systems:
A vast majority of owners don’t know how to design a new business or re-engineer an existing one to be more systems-oriented and professionally equipped with plans, procedures and policies. As a result, entrepreneurs don’t create and document the processes (specific and repeatable ways to do something), procedures and policies that allow for well organized, smoothly running, easier-to-manage companies. Without defining and documenting the specific work that needs to be done, owners can’t delegate effectively and eventually remove themselves from their technical roles. As a result, owners are forever feeling “out of control”. Tragically, most entrepreneurs have unknowingly, reactively and accidentally created an owner-centered and owner-dependent company. They are trapped!
Growing Business Complexities:
A growing business with its increasing number of customers, transactions and problems will eventually crush a business not properly designed and prepared to handle such growth. Without effective leadership and adequate business systems (an integrated web of processes), a growing company does not stand a chance. Growing pains are unavoidable. Producing predictable and consistent results will be nearly impossible. By failing to plan for growth, you are by default planning to fail. Busyness, technical bias, poor delegation, inadequate leadership and business systems, and the growing complexities of a business lead to a life sentence of working on the chain gang – your company. Fortunately, with proper coaching and mentoring, along with your willingness to change, you can obtain your “get out of jail free card”. Keep hope alive. You can escape the “business owner blues” and the tyranny of technical busyness. You can stop being the jack-of-all-trades for your company. Jonathan Goldhill, Expert Business Coach and Consultant with The Goldhill Group, is a strategic business, marketing and sales coach and consultant to owners, managers and salespeople of growing companies in the green industry. Learn more about his company at www.TheGoldhillGroup.com. His books include The Six Silver Bullets to Growing Any Business Fast and Sales Accelerator: Strikingly Simple & Effective Strategies for Today’s Marketing.
NJLCA.ORG 9
Feature Story
Transitioning to an Organic Lawn Care Program is Simple if You Follow These 3 Steps “What are the steps to take when transitioning turf to natural management practices?� I have found this is the one question that most people ask when considering a natural turf management program. Before answering this question it is important to understand that managing a residential lawn is very different from managing a public park or a playing field, but the principles are the same. It is the principles of a system based approach to natural land management that dictate the first steps to take as well as the proper sequence of those steps for every program. The protocols and cultural intensity is where the differences occur on properties that have different usage needs. Cultural intensity is simply the total amount of resources (product and labor) that goes into management. In either case we are beginning at the same starting point. There are 3 considerations or steps that must be addressed up front, and applied across the board, for all lawn and turf management professionals to be successful. 1. The Soil Must be Tested [Because we have to know current soil health.] 2. There Needs to Be a Commitment to the Use of Organics [This one is vital.] 3. Adoption of Revised Horticultural Practices [It’s easier than you think.] When we follow these 3 steps we are on our way towards the beginning of a successful program. Lets look at each of the steps in more depth.
1. Testing The Soil
One of the fundamental differences between a natural program and conventional turf grass management is the thought process regarding soil. Most of the products that are
by Chip Osborne, Osborne Organics
used in conventional management work directly with the plant and essentially bypass the living portion of the soil. In natural management the soil is integral to the way nutrition and disease management function and this is why we first focus on the creation of good soil health. Soil testing guides us in this process. When we look at the nutrient, textural, and biological aspects of the soil together, we begin to get a snapshot of what is going on. It becomes the job of the turf manager to begin to assess current situations and then move properly in the right direction. As long as the initial move involves addressing overall soil health we can be successful. This process involves product input for both immediate turf grass nutrition and overall soil improvement. It is critically important that our initial efforts address both of these at their individual levels. Some of the product input addresses the grass and some of the product input addresses the soil. At some point, once we have made it through the transition period, the soil begins to pick up much of the needs of the grass.
2. Committing to the Use of Organic Products
It is now time to adhere to the practice of exclusively using natural, organic inputs. We rarely achieve success when we try to eliminate synthetic pesticides and continue to fertilize with synthetic, water-soluble fertilizers. Our choice of materials to address both the grass and the soil is natural, organic. There is a fundamental difference in the way that organic fertilizers work and the way that synthetic fertilizers function within the system. It is through an education process that we teach the difference between the two, and how making this choice sets us up to succeed.
10 WINTER | 2015
Legislative Wing PLANET Day on the Hill
On July 29, 2014, a group of NJLCA members including Tom Canete, Nelson Lee, George Futterknecht, Joe Ehrenreich, Glenn Jacobsen and Travis Sullivan, along with Ray Cole and Dominick Mondi of the NJNLA, converged on Capitol Hill to meet with their senators and representatives and discuss a wide array of issues impacting the landscape, lawn care and snow industries. The landscape industry is a $74 billion industry that employs approximately 900,000 people and helps to fuel the nation’s economy. In New Jersey, estimates are as high $4 Billion in economic contributions to the state, with close to 20,000 employed. Another large and important job most often handled by landscape contractors is snow removal, a job of great importance for the highly paved and densely populated state of New Jersey. The team from New Jersey visited thirteen congressional offices in all, including both Senators and nine out of twelve house members. The issues of concern they highlighted were immigration reform and guest workers, proposed waters of the US rules and over-regulation, and seasonal workers as they relate to the Affordable Care Act.
Tom Canete, President of NJLCA stated “We also spoke to our Senators and Congressman about the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act, which will help our snow and ice management contractors reduce the number of slip and fall claims received during the snow season. We are in the business of keeping homeowners, consumers and businesses safe during the winter, and only ask that they understand the dangerous conditions and take precautions to prevent unnecessary slips and falls.” Gail Woolcott is the Director of Operations for NJLCA. She has been with the association since 2006 and was named “Legislative Champion of the Year” from FEWA in 2009.
Feature Story 3. Adoption of Revised Horticultural Practices
Turf professionals are aware of cultural practices in relation to turf, but the organic practitioner understands that they become critically important. The use of synthetic fertilizers and control products can, at times, override the absence of cultural practices. We understand that employing strategies regarding aeration, overseeding, thatch management, irrigation, and top dressing if desired, will make a difference and assist us in offsetting the absence of chemical control products. We also know that synthetic products have the ability to override the absence of good cultural practices for a short period of time. They are generally looked at as materials that are treating symptoms as opposed to solving problems. It is the use of sound cultural practices that help us build the system. This threefold concept replaces the product centered chemical approach. A conventional management program is generally based on product input by the calendar date. This is evidenced by the development of the four-step program. That approach delivers product at regular intervals for both fertility and control. In a natural program we do things based on some degree of seasonality, but with the idea that the product is only a small part of the overall program.
An organic lawn program is science-based.
An organic lawn program is more than just a product for product swap. One of the mistakes that is made time and time again is simply trying to switch out conventional product for natural product. The idea that we can replace conventional insecticides with natural ones, traditional herbicides with alternative product, chemical-based fertilizers with organic fertilizers, and biologically based fungicides for their chemical counterparts will not produce results. This product swapping approach was taken early on in the beginning years of organic lawn care and people experienced more failures than successes. We know now that it is the systems-based approach that brings together science, product, and practices. This approach allows for the design of a thoughtful program that monitors and manages the transition period. This period is when we implement changes, monitor progress, and make adjustments that may be needed to produce results that meet communicated expectations. This does not necessarily happen in a day, a week, a month, or even a season. The length of time is generally governed by the quality of the turf system and the intensity of current and past chemical management practices. But if we follow these critical 3 steps, we are well on our way. Chip Osborne is a nationally-recognized consultant who knows that beautiful, healthy grass can be grown without the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Chip is a regular lecturer for the Northeast Organic Farming Association, a board member of Beyond Pesticides, Chairman of the Marblehead, Massachusetts’ Recreation and Parks Department, and speaker nationwide on the topic of turf management for athletic fields and landscapes. Visit www.osborneorganics.com for more info.
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Feature Story
Wicklow & Laurano Landscape Contractors Wins Three
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icklow and Laurano Landscape Contractors, located in Flanders, New Jersey has won first prize, the Award of Excellence, in the Landscape Maintenance: Residential category for their outstanding maintenance of the Bernardsville Residence; Landscape Design/Build: $100,000 - $200,000 for the design and installation of the Brookside Residence; and Landscape Design/Build: Over $200,000 for the design and installation of the Bernardsville Residence.
Landscape Maintenance: Residential
This beautiful stone manor and pool house has been elegantly maintained. The white garden features boxwood hedging that is pruned tightly, with flowering hydrangeas, perennials and annuals, which are full and healthy. The entire property, including lawn bed and hardscape areas are exceptionally clean and weed free. The Landscape Achievement Awards judges stated that the property’s maintenance was outstanding and beautiful. With so much property to cover, the judges were amazed to see how particular this firm was.
Landscape Design/Build: $100,000 - $200,000
This exquisite swimming pool and pool house creates the perfect opportunity for summertime entertaining, while still providing more than enough open lawn area for children and tented events. The natural bluestone patio is beautifully detailed, complimenting the natural stone on the pool house and raised spillway of swimming pool. Colorful perennials and grasses soften the hardscape spaces. The judges stated that the patio detail is amazing. The property is well-designed and offers great color all around.
Landscape Design/Build: Over $200,000
The formal landscape design created for this one of a kind, country manor home, is exquisite in every way. It is well-balanced and perfectly fits the site. By utilizing the same stone veneer of the home throughout the project, the plan provides continuity and a sense of place between the built environment and the property. The craftsmanship and attention to detail in both the stonework and the plantings is breathtaking and flawless.
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Feature Story
NJLCA Landscape Achievement Awards
Wicklow and Laurano Landscaping and Excavating is a full service, high-end, residential and commercial landscape firm. They specialize in the management and implementation of all aspects of each project ranging from site development, custom masonry, hardscaping and plantings, as well as property maintenance. Quality has been the foundation of what Wicklow and Laurano has been built on. From the initial consultation, to their equipment and staff, to the final product and services provided, superior quality is never overlooked. This vision and commitment to their core principles has proven to be the reason for their continued success.
Wicklow and Laurano strive to grow their company through repeats, referrals and an unbeatable reputation, supported by their heartfelt commitment to customer satisfaction in all areas of their business, including timeliness, attention to detail and mindfulness of customers’ cares, concerns, wants and needs. They seek to maintain the highest level of professionalism, integrity, honesty and fairness in their relationships with suppliers, subcontractors, professional associates and of course, their customers. For more information about Wicklow and Laurano, please visit www.wicklowandlaurano.com.
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Feature Story
To 3D or Not to 3D by Joe Salemi, DynaSCAPE Software
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door living space is an incredible sales tool. Curtis noted one recent client used the video to show her family and friends what her new virtual backyard will look like. If you are not doing any 3D work at the moment, here’s what to expect: • Count on a learning curve to get up to speed and get proficient with your 3D software (lots of Trimble SketchUp training videos on YouTube) • A few hours’ worth of additional work to render projects in 3D (the time it takes to take your line drawing
fter an extremely busy conference and trade show season, the number one question we are getting about 3D drawing is, “when is it appropriate to spend the extra time to take our designs from 2D CAD (or dare I say hand drawn) to 3D?”. The best answer? Well, it really depends. It depends on how big the project is, it depends on the proficiency of your designer, and it largely depends whether or not the market in your area will bear the additional cost to produce a 3D rendering of their project. The biggest reason to start rendering your drawings in 3D is because of its remarkable ability to translate a bird’s eye view to a dramatic three dimensional concept of the project you are proposing. The ability to sell landscape jobs exponentially increases with the use of 3D. Common feedback from landscape design/build companies is that their potential customers traditionally have a very difficult time understanding what their project will look like from a 2D CAD drawing. The move to converting the 2D drawing to 3D is, for the most part, to help the homeowner understand what their new outdoor living space will look like. Ultimately, it’s another tool in your sales tool box. Albeit, a sales tool that significantly ups the closing ratio. Presenting the homeowner with a 3D image and video walkthrough of their new landscape instantly allows them to visualize what they are about to move forward with. Glenn Curtis of Plantenance Landscape Group near Montreal, QC says “every customer is now getting a 3D render of their project.” Curtis also notes “you know they’re impressed with the 3D work when their jaw drops and gives the go head to move forward with the work within minutes of seeing the 3D walk-through.” The wow factor of seeing a virtual walk-through of their proposed out-
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Drip Tip Drip Irrigation – Water Conservation and Consumption at Its Best! By now, most everyone has “seen” or heard of automatic sprinklers or landscape irrigation systems. They are a great way to insure that our turf areas and plant landscapes are well cared for year round, without the worry of “forgetting to water”. But
not everyone has “seen” or knows the extra benefits of installing a drip irrigation system. Drip irrigation uses 70% less water than standard professional irrigation systems. Drip irrigation is used primarily in flower and shrub beds by placing a grid “Drip irrigation pattern along the surface of uses 70% less wathe area using ter than standard adequate spacing for water professional irrisaturation.Tiny gation systems.” drip emitters deliver precise drops of water directly to the roots of plants. This also stops excess run off and over and under watering. While drought conditions hamper watering schedules, Drip continues to work as it is a superior water conservation tool. Joe Bolognese is the owner of Impact Irrigation Consulting and Past Vice President and currently an Associate Director of the NJLCA. He is also Chair of the Education and Landscape Industry Certified Exam committees. He has over fifteen years experience in the landscape and irrigation supply industry and can be reached at jbolognese@njlca.org.
Feature Story and 3D model it and rendering time) • Bill the client an additional amount for the extra time spent (on average anywhere between $350 - $1,500 extra for 3D renders) – many contractors will either build it into the price of the project and/or credit the 3D design amount back if the homeowner moves forward with the project. There are many 3D software solutions on the market, however, Trimble SketchUp is the best in breed solution for 3D modelling and rendering. Through the use of plug-ins and content you will produce incredible and sellable landscape projects. There is a free version available so you can start 3D modelling right away (www.sketchup.com).
Joe Salemi is the Marketing Manager for DynaSCAPE Software where he will be developing strategic new relationships with key industry influencers, product partners, and trade associations. Joe spent ten great years with the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) as their Member Services and Communications Manager. Salemi’s experience with CNLA was very broad-based from managing their external communications, website, enews, publications, member services and programs, advertising and sponsorship, representing the organization at tradeshows, speaking at conferences and symposiums, and co-ordinating the CNLA National Awards of Landscape Excellence to facilitating strategic planning sessions. Joe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brock University in St. Catharines, ON where he concentrated on communications studies, marketing, and organization behavior. He received his Post Diploma Certificate in Human Resource Management from Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology in Hamilton, ON. Additionally, Joe completed the Certified Association Executive program through the Canadian Society of Association Executives. 3D renderings courtesy of Patrick DuChene of DuChene Design Solutions in Branchburg, NJ.
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Feature Story
Cipriano Landscape Design Wins Two NJLCA Awards for Residential Design/Build
Landscape Design/Build: Over $200,000
This formally designed, Roman-style swimming pool provides a glass-like appearance. There are two reasons for this. The first is due to the design and details that allow the pool to be filled to the top of the raised coping. The second reason is from the use of glass tiles that shimmer in the sunlight. A built in sundeck, spa and 40’ bench make this pool both stunning and practical.
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ipriano Landscape Design, located in Ridgewood, New Jersey has won first prize, the Award of Excellence, in the two of NJLCA’s categories: Residential Landscape Design/ Build: $100,000 - $200,000 for the O’Neill Residence and Over $200,000 for the Camean Residence projects.
Landscape Design/Build: $100,000 - $200,000
This rear yard swimming pool oasis features a sun deck, fire pit, natural stone decking and hidden slide. However, the most outstanding and appealing feature are the dynamic waterfalls. Built from massive rectangular stones installed vertically and at varying heights, the waterfalls are impressive, with or without water. The colorful and varied plantings tie the entire space together. The judges stated that Cipriano did an impressive job of taking a flat property and giving it dimension. They felt the basalt rock was a unique attribute and that the water feature was “awesome”.
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The judges said this project was breathtaking and an excellent use of materials to achieve a flawless appearance. Cipriano Landscape Design, established in 1989, is a recognized industry leader in custom residential landscape and inground swimming pool design and construction. In 2001, Cipriano was awarded a 2.5 million dollar residential landscape construction project, which quickly solidified the firm as one of the top local landscape companies. Since then, Cipriano has incorporated luxury swimming pools into its extensive construction resume. In 2004, the firm was joined by William Moore, a New Jersey Certified Landscape Architect who currently heads the landscape design office. Over the past 20 years Cipriano Landscape Design has completed some of the most intricate landscape projects in New Jersey. For more information, visit www.PlantNJ.com.
Feature Story
Landscape Techniques, Inc. Wins Two NJLCA Awards for Residential Design/Build
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andscape Techniques, Inc., located in Nutley, New Jersey has won first prize, the Award of Excellence, in Residential Landscape Design/Build: Over $200,000 for the Toto Residence project. This Jersey Shore get-away features an irregular swimming pool and rugged raised spa, overlooking the water. An outdoor kitchen, stone fireplace and built in bar provide plenty of opportunities to mix and mingle while appreciating the views. Privacy plantings provide screening from the neighbors, while flowering shrubs, annuals and perennials complete the scene.
The judges stated that Landscape Techniques took what looked like a small gravel-covered area and turned it into a personal oasis for the homeowners. Landscape Techniques has over thirty years of experience in the design and construction of beautiful, functional commercial and private landscapes in the Tri-State Area. They have created beautiful and functional spaces for hundreds of private homes and estates as well as high-profile businesses and public areas such as Liberty Science Center and Liberty State Park, the Wall of Honor at Ellis Island, the AT&T Conference Center in Bernardsville, the Long Branch Beach walk redevelopment, and public park projects in Hoboken, Weehawken, West New York, Roosevelt Island, among many other local communities. Most recently they have done extensive work in Manhattan including the New York Public Library, Bryant Park, Times Square, 34th Street district and Columbus Avenue. Each of their principle staff members, from a very young age, felt the passion and inspiration to help make the world a greener place with their creations. For more information, visit www.landscapetechniquesinc.net.
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News Brief
Contractor Focus: Classic Landscaping
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hen I set out to interview Patrick Donovan of Classic Landscaping in Edison, NJ, I never expected to hear such well thought out and personal responses to my questions. But that is just a testament to his character and the great person that he is. Each of you has your own story of where you began, what your principles are, and what drives you. These are the landscape contractors that homeowners need to see and learn about. You are what make this industry what it is. Even as a child, Pat always loved the way a lawn looked with a beautiful stripe on it and he loves moving the earth from one place to another. Pat’s mother used to call him a “dirt mechanic” because he was always playing with trucks in the dirt. When asked about it, Pat says, “I guess it was a natural progression, big boys and big toys. My mother was an avid gardener as well, so it was probably in my blood”. When he started out in the landscaping business, 31 years ago, Pat had a job that he was not necessarily happy with. The landscape field was an escape from that job. Looking back, he says, “I considered my full-time job “the best part-time job I ever had”. The landscape field is where my heart is and has been for 31 years.” Classic Landscaping offers its clients a full array of landscape services including design, installation, and maintenance of approximately 100 acres of turf per week. They also provide an extensive menu of environmental services to their industrial clientele, including site remediation, capping, hydroseeding, restoration, erosion control, well cap repair, assistance with dye testing, landfill maintenance, contaminant collection and more, which makes up for the largest sector of their work right now. What Pat thinks makes Classic Landscaping most unique is their workforce makeup. They are a family owned and operated business. He says, “We in the industry know full well how difficult it is to find qualified help. I have been truly blessed to have four sons. I have always said, “Help is hard to find, so I made my own!” Pat’s two older sons have moved on to greater things at this point, and son number three is looking at the exit door as well, but they all started out in what they consider “their”
18 WINTER | 2015
business. He says, “I believe being involved in the day-to-day operations and the decision-making process has been an experience that my sons could not have achieved elsewhere. The boys understand that when you do well and make good solid decisions based on facts and numbers, you reap the benefits. If you make poor decisions, you suffer the consequences. All life lessons that have made them who they are today. They realize they all have a vested interest in this business and family.” Pat says this past year was very good, in spite of the economy. They have a very solid customer base, some of which are Pat’s original customers from over 30 years ago. In servicing corporate, commercial, environmental, industrial and municipal facilities, they have to adjust to their budgets like any other industry. But when things get better, they will remember who stuck with and worked with them. He says, “If the work on our drawing board pans out, we will have a very good 2015 as well.” When asked about being a member of an association, Pat likens it to being a member of a family. “You have your older siblings that have been there and done that already and are usually a great help in times of need,” he says. “Then you have your younger siblings that want to get where the older ones have gone before, but don’t necessarily know what it takes to get there. In a good family, the older siblings help the younger ones when asked. In a perfect world or in a well run trade organization for that matter, the young members will accept the wisdom and knowledge of the older,
Continued on Page 42
News Brief
Associate Focus: NY-NJ Trailer Supply
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Y-NJ Trailer Supply started in New York City in 1936 as New York Trailer Builders Supply by the Greely family. The business was located on west 58th street by Columbus Circle. It moved to its current location at 1401 Route 23 Butler in 1983 and the name was changed to NY-NJ Trailer Supply. In 1993, Dennis and Rawn Leegwater purchased the business from the ailing Jack Greely. They quickly expanded from 2000 square feet to 6000 square feet, by adding a shop and warehouse. About 10 years ago, Dennis left the business and Rawn is now the sole owner. His wife Susan runs the back office and works on the company’s marketing program. The business has seen many ups and downs in its 75+ years. In 2008, they saw sales drop and a lot of businesses not make it. They trimmed expenses and looked for new lines to make up for the lost sales. Since then, sales are up and NYNJ Trailer Supply is now continually adding new lines. When asked what makes their company unique, Rawn responded, “Being in the industry for all these years has given us a wealth of product knowledge, long-term relationships with manufacturers, and buying power. We have been buying Draw-tite hitches since they started in 1946, Dexter axles for over 50 years, and many more companies. In my office I have a filling cabinet full of catalogs that date back to before
most local companies got started. And we always give 10% of our profits to charitable organizations in order to give back.” Although they started as a parts business, NY-NJ Trailer expanded 20 years ago to offer trailer repairs and service, welding and fabrication, hitch and towing equipment installations, electrical, body and insurance work. They also install SnowDogg, SnoWay, Western Plows, SaltDogg and Western salt spreaders. And just this year, Rawn added trailer sales to their line-up of products and services. He says, “We are always working with several manufacturers to make sure we understand and meet the needs of our customers.” Over the years, Rawn has seen landscape contractors trying to save money by purchasing inexpensive trailers, many coming out of the southern states. He says, “These trailers just do not last and have to repaired and replaced more often than a quality brand. The top quality trailers cost less per year when you figure how long they last. We see trailers last 10-20
years when they a serviced every year as recommended by the manufacturer. There are many members of NJLCA that bring their trailers and trucks every winter for us to service. These companies have less break downs during the season.” Our final question to Rawn, as it always is in our member “Focus” column was how being a member of an association assists them in their success. Rawn replied, “The monthly meetings are a great way to meet the owners of landscape companies. It gives us time to talk without the pressure of them having to get back to work. The landscape show exposes us our company to hundreds of landscapers before the season starts.” We thank you Rawn, for your kind words, and for being a great member of NJLCA! NY-NJ Trailer can be reached at 973.838.1050, emailed at info@nynjtrailer.com or you can visit their website at www. nynjtrailer.com, where you can find an excellent safety and truck/trailer information section on the Safety tab.
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Feature Story
Getting hit in the face for 32 years
by Jon Goldman, Brand Launcher
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or more than three decades, hockey goalies didn’t wear masks because they weren’t considered tough if they did. You have to wonder, what were they thinking? Let me add a few more perplexing questions to the mix. Why do the Japanese dominate the watch market and not the Swiss? Why did it take so long to add wheels to luggage? And what does all this have to do with landscaping? The answers can dramatically affect your business. In each case, a breakthrough came along and suddenly made what was once considered impractical, practical. It’s really true: necessity is the mother of invention. Sometimes we’re slow to adapt, but when we do, watch out! Everything changes... including your business. It took 32 years of broken noses, teeth, and jaws before the first goalie wore a mask full-time. The first one was worn in 1927, but it wasn’t until 1959 that a goalie wore a mask in every game. And that was only because that goalie — who got hit in the face and had to receive stitches during the game — refused to come back on the ice until his coach allowed him to wear a mask. Swiss watch makers are well-known for creating and designing masterful mechanical watches. But they wanted nothing to do with electronic watches using quartz technology. That allowed Japanese companies, like Seiko, to dominate the watch market. The Swiss lost the majority of the market for timepieces. This is my favorite: We were able to put a man on the moon in 1969, but it wasn’t until years later that we figured out how to put wheels on luggage.
Taking it further Wherever you look, things have been done the same way for years. Then, suddenly a trigger occurs and disrupts everything. It might be a new technology, a new concept, or a new idea — any of these can create a huge impact on your business and bottom line. The innovations are there. But someone’s got to figure them out. In the landscaping industry, there are always new products, changing customer desires, and shifting trends. How can you capitalize on these? Here are two points to consider. First, realize that the “hockey mask” isn’t the same for every landscaping company. It depends on your services, your location, and your clientele. For example, sustainable gardening is a concept that was a big hit this year in some areas, and will continue to grow in 2015 - if you are servicing clients in more suburban areas. In other areas, people are so busy that the trends point toward their preference for lowmaintenance landscaping. You need to pay close attention to industry changes in your area, related to your clientele to identify the “landscaping hockey mask” — and to incorporate that into your company’s strategic planning. Second, now is the time to be looking ahead to next year. Smart companies are preparing their marketing plans for the coming year. Analysts are predicting that the landscaping market will recover in 2015, and it may be the best year in recent history. Now is the time to determine how you will ride the success wave that is coming. You can take advantage of the dramatic opportunities that the market will present. But it takes planning. So block off a few hours to do a “business inventory.” Here are the steps to consider as you walk through the 3 phases of your marketing plan. The Market: • All marketing efforts begin with the “who.” Know your customer, and build your actions around their needs. • Start with the easy aspects. Residential or commercial? Design/build or primarily maintenance contracts?
20 WINTER | 2015
Feature Story • Then go deeper. Are your clients mostly in urban areas who will appreciate making better use of limited outdoor space? Or do your suburban clients have sprawling grounds? Are they focused on wellness — perhaps interested in vegetable gardens or practical use of their outdoor spaces — or is it mostly aesthetic? As the housing market improves, are your residential clients looking to improve the value of their properties for a sale, or are they looking for landscaping they will personally enjoy? • Now look at your objectives. Are your main goals upselling past and current clients, or bringing in new customers? Keeping the same geographical footprint, or expanding? Stay commercial or residential, or will you be crossing over?
The Medium • Once you know whom you’re targeting and what you want to say, it’s time to determine the appropriate avenues. Should you text your customers with a big announcement? Ads in the local paper? Email marketing? Direct mail? Door hangers? This is a big topic that I’ll explore in a future article. Jon Goldman is the CEO of the business strategy firm Brand Launcher (www.brandlauncher.com). Jon is the author of several books and e-books on business and marketing topics, including one that has been translated into Japanese. Get a FREE copy of his latest e-book, Vendor-to-Expert, at www.VendortoExpert.com.
The Message: • Be creative and strategic. You know the target from the first step. Remember that it’s not about you; it’s about them. Let prospects know how you can help them get what they want from their property. • The message can be about services you offer, the seasons you work, the products you sell, or about your company (pricing, experience, team, and so on). • The message needs to separate you from your competitors. I always like to say, “zig while everyone else is zagging.” Make your company stand out from others.
NJLCA.ORG 21
Feature Story
5 Reasons Your Salespeople Need to Start Blogging (Like, Yesterday)
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nock, knock...
“Yes? Can I help you?” asked Mrs. Homeowner peeking through her semi-open front door. “Hi! My name is Chris. I work for a landscaping company called Greensward.” (That’s me) “I was driving through the neighborhood and noticed your beautiful home that was recently built.” I continued... “Have you made plans for your landscaping yet? Here’s one of our brochures.” (Yes, now I’m soliciting) “Yes. We’re all set. Thanks”. Closed door. That exchange was about 12 years ago. I was a stuttering, sweaty-palms mess of a “salesperson” tasked with canvassing new home developments and handing out ridiculously expensive full-color brochures that no one wanted. After explaining to my boss that a monkey could do the same and that this effort (his idea) to generate new leads was ridiculous, I was fired soon after. Thank God! Fortunately for lawn and landscaping industry salespeople today, there’s a more effective way to generate qualified leads and connect with your prospects. It’s called the Internet. Yeah... Mind. Blown. Here’s the thing my boss – and many sales leaders even today – fail to understand: Mrs. Homeowner and others like her don’t want our pretty brochures, door hangers and postcards with our biased and bloated hyperbole. It’s not helpful to them. And it’s a waste of time and money for the business. Do you know what’s better than knocking on doors or standing in a trade show booth? How about attracting qualified prospects to your business 24/7, who are actually searching for the services you offer with the intent to purchase. You can do this with content marketing. Of course, there’s nothing easy about content marketing – you don’t want to put a monkey on this (or an intern). If it were as easy as bombarding a neighborhood with postcards, all of your competitors would be blogging, writing case studies, shoot-
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by Chris Heiler, Landscape Leadership
ing videos... You know, actually helping your prospects learn something. Content marketing also takes big-time buy-in and commitment throughout your company. This includes your sales team, which it could be argued, should play the starring role in your company’s content marketing strategy. I can hear you now... “What?!?! Our salespeople need to be selling! Why should they spend time writing and creating content?” I’m glad you asked me that, Mr. Business Owner. Let’s take a look at five compelling reasons why your salespeople need to start blogging and creating helpful content for your prospects and customers.
1. Your salespeople are on the frontline
Your salespeople understand the common objections that can be a roadblock to getting a deal done. They’re on the frontline for the most frequently asked questions by prospects and customers. Your salespeople should be subject matter experts in this regard. Keep in mind; these are the most important subjects that you want to create helpful content around, whether that’s in the form of a 600-word blog post or a three-minute video. Answer objections. Answer FAQs. There is no one more prepared to do just that in your organization than your salespeople are.
2. Your salespeople understand the timeliness and relevancy of topics
When it comes to content marketing, it’s important to stay ahead of your sales calendar – creating content now that will resonate with your prospects in the coming months ahead. Look to Neave Group Outdoor Solutions as a good example of this concept in action. As their marketing agency, and leaning on their salespeople, we began creating helpful content related to Christmas and holiday decorating in August and September of 2013 to support their holiday decor division. We didn’t wait until they were stringing lights on rooftops in November. The number of website visitors, leads and customers in-
Your Equipment How to Take Down a Tree In the United States, there are more than 30,000 chainsaw-related injuries every year. Most occur when contractors make arbitrary cuts straight across the trunk without completely understanding the tree cutting process. As a landscape contractor, you will be given opportunities to broaden the services you offer to clients; one of these is tree trimming. Instead of sub-contracting out new services, expand your knowledge and as a result, your revenue. The first order of business when taking down a tree is to come prepared. Get a hard hat, some chaps, and a freshly sharpened chain. Remember, the sharper the chain, the smoother and safer the cuts will be. Next, determine the tree’s “natural lean,” or the direction in which it naturally wants to fall, by simply glancing upward at its trunk. If the lean is not taken into consideration, you risk injuring nearby houses, people, and other trees. A well thought-out plan will keep disaster at bay.
Feature Story creased dramatically compared to the previous year, because these resources meant to attract and educate their prospects were available on their website at just the right time. Schill Grounds Management in Ohio (client), one of the top snow and ice removal contractors in the country, is another good example. We’ve been creating content around snow and ice topics – like the salt shortage – since the summer months. Schill’s salespeople inform our writers better than anyone. Your salespeople understand the sales calendar and timeliness and relevancy of specific topics better than anyone else. Lean on them in content creation efforts.
3. The right content can make your sales process (and people) more efficient What salesperson wouldn’t want to: •Increase their closing rate •Shorten the length of their sales cycle
Only after you have determined where the tree will fall should you make your first cut. Make a cut about thigh-level, perpendicular to the direction of the tree’s lean. The cut should be one-third of the way through the diameter – more, and it will fall too quickly; less, and it might not fall that way at all. Cut six to eight inches above your first cut and run the saw down at a 45-degree angle until the two cuts meet. Remove the wedged piece of wood. On the opposite side of the tree, make a final flat cut about waist high. Stop two or three inches before meeting the face cut, leaving an even strip of wood connecting the tree to its stump. This will act as a hinge. When the tree starts to fall, walk away at an angle to avoid unnecessary injuries. Reprinted with permission of Irrigation and Green Industry. www.igin.com.
This is exactly what helpful content can do for your salespeople and sales process. Case in point: River Pools & Spas in Virginia. Co-owner Marcus Sheridan credits their content marketing efforts in helping them close 95 out of 120 sales calls in 2013 (79%). Not only that, but River Pools has been able to shorten their sales cycle through the strategic use of content. By educating their potential customers via their blog, buying guides and transparent pricing information, River Pools now submits only one quote to a prospect, whereas other pool builders typically offer three to four additional quotes before finally making a sale. Not too shabby, eh? When content can prove to be so valuable to your prospects during the sales process, why would you want your salespeople disconnected from the creation process?
4. Connect with a prospect before they talk with a salesperson
Do you know what’s often missing in a traditional sales process? Trust! Trust between the prospect and the salesperson. Why did Mrs. Homeowner not open the door all the way for me 12 years ago? Simple, she didn’t trust me. Educating your potential customers with your expertise and insight begins to create that valuable trust before you even talk one-on-one. This is how the team at River Pools is able to close a high percentage of
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Feature Story 5 Reasons to Start Blogging (Continued)
proposals in a short time frame. They’ve built up trust and credibility with their prospects well in advance of the initial consultation. Video can be even more powerful than writing when it comes to connecting with potential customers. Why not let your prospect watch a video of one of your salespeople answering common questions related to planning for a landscaping project? Or a video of a salesperson describing a solution to a common lawncare problem? That’s powerful stuff!
mon objection or question from a prospect is a skill lacked by many salespeople. Why is that? I think it’s because they haven’t gotten clarity for the answer in their own mind before it comes pouring out of their mouth. Writing (blogging) and speaking (videos, webinars, podcasts, etc) gives you the opportunity to gain clarity into a topic before you are face to face with your prospect. This is invaluable as a salesperson. If you want your salespeople to be great at selling, maybe you should help them become great at teaching first.
5. Crush your competitors
Let’s get real pragmatic for a second. When it comes to success with content marketing, quality matters. But the amount of content also plays a major role. The more content you create the more opportunities you have to be found for different keywords and search queries. Take a look at the graphs from HubSpot’s State of Inbound Marketing Report related to blogging frequency & quantity. Bottom line: The greater amount of quality content you create the greater number of prospects that will find you. And that should translate into more qualified leads and customers – two things every salesperson loves. If you have a sales team of four or five and they collaborate on a monthly basis to publish, let’s say, 10 to 15 blog posts, you will crush your competitor down the street who relies on their over-worked in-house marketer who can barely publish two posts per month. Your salespeople love a full pipeline, right? Then get them blogging to create the quantity of content needed to fill it.
Big-Time Bonus: Sell more by becoming a better teacher
If you want to understand a topic better, what do you do? Maybe read a book or take a course on the topic? That’s a good start, but what if you want to become an expert? I would argue the best way to become an expert on the topic would be to teach others through writing and speaking on the topic. To clearly and intelligently verbalize a response to a com-
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Chris is the founder and president of Landscape Leadership. He has been in the green industry for over 20 years. Aside from leading the team at Landscape Leadership, he enjoys speaking at green industry-related events across the country sharing his insights on marketing and sales. Chris now lives in Austin, TX, a transplant from the Midwest and the great state of Michigan. For more info and to download Chris’ Content Plan & Editorial Calendar Workbook, visit www.LandscapeLeadership.com.
Business Brief Hiring a Great Project Manager
When hiring any key employee, focus on talents not skills. These would include the ability to change, a willingness to learn, dependability, a strong work ethic, etc. You can teach someone how to landscape, but not change people. The first trait to look for is effective communication, both internally and externally. Internal communication with other employees, such as salespeople or the office, and most importantly with a crew, would include motivation, training, and communicating the day to day project plans. Additionally, the most effective communication would still be to lead by example. External communication with customers, subcontractors and suppliers is also important. The second trait would be planning and organization. Developing an efficient project plan will provide the foundation for an efficient project. A pre-construction meeting should occur whenever possible. Realistically, many project plans will change during the project, and therefore, making field decisions that adapt to the current situation is important. It is vital that the project manager is always a couple of steps ahead of the crew to continue to work effectively. The third trait is knowledge. The level and diversity of knowledge for a good landscape construction project manager is vital. This is due to the diversity and the type of work landscape contractors produce or manage. They always need to be learning and adapting. The project manager’s primary role is to produce a project in as few man-hours, without sacrificing quality or safety. The single biggest impact for any project manager will relate to a labor savings. The exact percentage will vary based on the work involved and the crew. Marcus is a recognized expert in bidding & estimating in the green industry and worked with Vander Kooi and Associates to deliver presentations and workshops throughout the United States. He is now president of MV Consulting.
Feature Story Designing Underneath a Shade Tree by Joel. T. Parker Jr., ASLA RLA LEED AP
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hile working on the design for the Shade Tree Planting, the primary goal was to produce an attractive planting that could be installed below a mature shade tree. Often times the area below a mature shade tree becomes problematic for the homeowner due to the canopy of the mature tree shading out the turf below, as well as the trees surface roots sometimes becoming unattractive. The Shade Tree Planting is designed to be installed below the canopy of a mature shade tree and offer months of flowering interest. The shrubs in this plant combination will provide cover where turf will not grow and will aid in discussing unattractive surface root. Additionally, these shrubs will benefit from the trees leaves in the fall of the year. It is recommended that the shed leaves be allowed to remain below the tree as the decomposition of these leaves provides nutrients for the shrubs included in the Shade Tree Planting. Included Species: 3 – Forsythia 3 – Blue Hydrangea 5 – White Mollis Hybrid Azalea Layout: The Shade Tree Planting consists of 11 shrubs installed around the base of a mature shade tree. Some adjustments may need to be made to the provided layout plan based on locations of tree roots as damage to the trees roots should be avoided when the planting is installed. The Forsythia and the Blue Hydrangea are recommended to be installed at 7’ on center. The White Mollis Hybrid Azalea are recommended to be installed at 4’ on center. Design Principal: The Forsythia is a fast growing shrub with early blooming yellow flowers. It is one of the first shrubs to bloom and signals springs arrival each year as it comes alive with brilliant yellow flowers. It is sure to set the mood for the coming spring and is a great addition to any garden. The Blue Hydrangea is a late blooming flowering shrub with giant clusters of blue flowers from 8 to 15 inches across. The blue bloom is a welcome color in the garden, as it is naturally complimentary to the green foliage colors of the summer and the blue is a rare bloom color. White Mollis Hybrid Azalea offers clusters of white spring blossoms and will bloom between the Forsythia and the Blue Hydrangea. White is an especially great color for shady areas, such as below a mature shade tree, as white blooms seem to somehow glow in shaded locations. Reprinted with the permission of The Arbor Day Foundation. Visit www.arborday.org for more info.
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Prevent H-2B and Labor Violations
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Feature Story
by Edward Ritz, US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
ince 2009, the United States Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has been conducting investigations of businesses that employ H-2B workers. H-2B violations can result in employers having to pay back wages and/or civil money penalties. Violations may also result in debarment, which means the employer is disqualified from participating in the H-2B program for a period of up to three years. The landscape industry uses more H-2B workers than any other industry. WHD is interested in helping H-2B employers in the landscape industry understand their obligations under the H-2B program, as well as the other laws enforced by the Division, so that violations can be prevented. In addition to H-2B, the WHD also enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA requires that workers be paid for all hours of work at not less than the minimum wage. In addition, overtime pay – time and one half of the regular rate of pay for hours over 40 in a workweek - is required. In the landscape industry, some investigations have found that workers were not paid for all hours of work. This may occur when workers report to the place of business and then are not paid for preliminary work activities, such as loading tools and equipment onto a truck or receiving instructions, or for traveling to and from worksites at the beginning or end of the work day. The most common FLSA violation results from workers not being paid time and one half for hours over forty in each workweek. FLSA violations generally result in employers having to pay back wages to workers. WHD may also seek liquidated damages , which, in effect, doubles the back wages. In addition, civil money penalties may be assessed. Employers who have a temporary or seasonal need for nonagricultural workers that cannot be met by the U.S. workforce may apply for foreign workers through the H-2B provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Businesses that use workers with H-2B visas are required to comply with requirements specific to the program. In applying for H-2B workers, an employer must attest that it will offer terms and working conditions that are normal to U.S. workers similarly employed and will offer workers a bona fide full time job opportunity. The H-2B workers may not displace U.S. workers or replace workers who are involved in a labor dispute. Prospective H-2B employers must actively recruit and hire qualified U.S. workers for the H-2B job opportunity. A recruitment log must be maintained with information on all job applicants and reasons why any applicants were not hired.
H-2B workers and U.S. workers hired in response to the recruitment efforts have to be paid not less than a prevailing rate, which will be noted on the approved application. There are restrictions regarding deductions from workers’ pay. For example, workers cannot be made to pay for application, agent, or attorney fees, whether directly or through an agent. Nor can they be made to pay for an employer’s recruitment or other business costs. H-2B workers cannot be relocated to work in another area unless the employer obtains a new certification. If an H-2B worker quits or is fired early, the employer is obligated to promptly notify both the Department of Labor and the Department of Homeland Security that the H-2B visa holder is no longer employed. If a worker is dismissed prior to the end of the employment period, the employer is liable for the full cost of return transportation home. Under the FLSA, an H-2B employer generally must pay for transportation costs incurred by H-2B workers traveling between their homes and the U.S. work locations to the extent that these costs would result in the workers earning less than the FLSA minimum wage in their first or last week of work. An employer must accurately advertise and state on the application the actual rate (or range of rates) to be paid to the H-2B workers as well as any perks to the job, such as the possibility of earning bonuses. Investigations have found that it is not unusual for H-2B employers to pay some or all H-2B workers more than the rate shown on the application. This is a violation because the failure to disclose the higher rate of pay, bonuses, etc. means that potential U.S. workers were offered less favorable terms than the H-2B workers, which may result in U.S. workers not applying for the job. Other matters which must be accurately specified on the application include the reasons for and the dates of temporary need and the number of workers needed. Many employers use attorneys or agents to prepare H-2B applications. Even when an application is prepared by an attorney or agent, the employer is still responsible for the accuracy of all information contained in the application. The above is a very brief overview which we hope will be helpful to landscape industry employers. More detailed information can be found on our website at www.dol.gov/whd. Although an enforcement agency, the Wage and Hour Division is committed to assisting employers in complying with the laws that we enforce. Please contact your local WHD office if you have any questions.
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info@njlca.org
www.NJLCA.org CALENDAR OF EVENTS March 2015 12th Membership Meeting 6 pm NJ Deer Control @ NJLCA 465 Boulevard Elmwood Park, NJ 07407
April 2015 9th Membership Meeting 6 pm KubePak 194 Route 526 Allentown, NJ 08501
April 2015 16th Membership Meeting 6 pm Cambridge Pavingstones Base of Jerome Ave. Lyndhurst, NJ 07071
20th Annual Pizza Night Knights of Columbus Washington Twp., NJ 14th 6 pm
May 2015 Membership Meeting
21st 6 pm
May 2015 Membership Meeting
Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Please call (201) 703-3600 for more information
Please call (201) 703-3600 for more information
June 2015 18th Membership Meeting 6 pm Foley Cat 855 Centennial Ave. Piscataway, NJ 08855
July 2015 9th Membership Meeting 6 pm Morris Brick & Stone 108 Ridgedale Ave. Morristown, NJ 07962
September 2015 10th Membership Meeting 6 pm York Trailers 1212 Rt. 23 North Butler, NJ 07405
September 2015 Membership Meeting Gamka Sales 983 New Durham Rd. Edison, NJ 08817
17th 6 pm
June 2015 11th Membership Meeting Tentative
6 pm FDR/Hawthorne Hitch 1173 Goffle Road Hawthorne, NJ 07506
August 2015 13th Membership Meeting 6 pm The Terre Company 206 Delawanna Ave. Clifton, NJ 07011
26th
September 2015 Landscape Industry Certified Tech. Exam Bergen Comm. College Paramus, NJ 07652
Membership meetings are free to attend and open to all landscape professionals, members and non-members alike. Please call NJLCA at (201) 703-3600 or e-mail info@njlca.org to RSVP before attending events.
Feature Story
Scenic Landscaping Wins NJLCA Award for Residential Design/Build
Scenic Landscaping consists of highly qualified and informative people who are committed to sharing their knowledge and keep up with industry developments year after year. Unlike most contractors, Scenic Landscaping, LLC doesn’t bend to the whims of nature. They stand strongly behind a promise of unsurpassed quality, unmatched service, and an attention to detail found nowhere else.
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cenic Landscaping, located in Haskell, New Jersey has won first prize, the Award of Excellence, in the Landscape Design/Build: Residential Over $200,000 category for the Manos Residence project. This exquisite landscape paradise utilizes Turkish marble and stone veneer to create a perfect outdoor extension to this grand single-family home. The outdoor rooms include a kitchen, living room, Jacuzzi spa, fireplace, pergola and three weatherproof televisions. The front walkway is flanked by two urns, filled and surrounded by a boxwood hedge and seasonal color.
Scenic’s services include Services: Residential & Commercial Landscape Design, Residential & Commercial Landscape Construction, Outdoor Living Spaces, Garden Enhancement Services, Landscape Maintenance, Commercial Snow Removal, Commercial Sweeping, Outdoor Lighting, Lawn Care, Pool Landscaping, and Outdoor Living Spaces.
The NJLCA panel of judges stated, “The details on the pavement are fantastic and the masonry outstanding throughout this project.” Over 100 people play a part in making Scenic Landscaping into what it is today. From talented landscape designers, dedicated project managers, and passionate crews, everyone plays a role in maintaining Scenic’s high standards.
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Feature Story
And the Awards Go To....Continued Landscape Design/Build: Commercial Award of Distinction - Sponzilli Landscape Group Project: Gracie Mews About the Project: Excellent example of green wall design and construction. The use of two different ground covers creates an interesting pattern and element of depth to an otherwise flat surface. Frequent hand pruning and watering keeps this geometric design looking crisp and well maintained.
Award of Merit - Scenic Landscaping Project: NYC Hotel Rooftop Penthouse About the Project: This rooftop garden, patio and spa exemplify an excellent sense of design and attention to detail. When you consider both the technical and logistical challenges required to complete this project, it becomes even more impressive. Wonderful use of both hardscape and plant materials in a confined area.
Landscape Design/Build: Up to $25,000 Award of Distinction - Limone Farm and Gardens Project: Rothstien Residence About the Project: The natural stone retaining wall, paver walkway and plantings create a beautifully balanced and intriguing presentation to this center hall, brick colonial home. The rustic wall construction and stone material contrast nicely with the brick faรงade. The mixture of evergreen plantings and seasonal color provide year round interest. Award of Merit - Landscapeworks, Inc. Project: Shepp Residence About the Project: The entry experience and pedestrian flow of this newly renovated front foundation planting and walkway were greatly improved by the new layout and design. The widened walkway, steps and front landing are both generous and comfortable. With the addition of new landscaping, this raised ranch now has curb appeal.
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Feature Story Landscape Design/Build: Residential $50,000 - $100,000 Award of Distinction - Canete Landscape Project: Miller Residence About the Project: The hardscape spaces that were designed and built for this vinyl clad colonial have transformed it from an average property into a dreamscape. The terraced outdoor rooms flow meticulously from living room to kitchen to family room before flowing into the rear yard. Kudos for the attention to detail and use of contrasting borders.
Award of Distinction - Young’s Landscape Management Project: Popler Residence About the Project: This backyard oasis contains several key elements including a gunite swimming pool, two composite decks, an open air structure and nearby fire pit. The consistent and repetitious use of materials provides continuity and interest, making this project feel like an extension of the home.
Award of Merit - VanderSluys Landscape Design Project: Wyckoff Residence About the Project: Since the backyard was too small, this outdoor swimming pool retreat was built into a narrow side yard on a corner property. The design and installation required several retaining walls to be built to accommodate the existing slope. A mix of larger evergreens and flowering shrubs provided colorful screening from the road.
Award of Merit - Scenic Landscaping Project: Rosenberg Residence About the Project: Extending an existing space can often be a very difficult task. However in this project, the addition of a gunite spa, patio and stairs flows seamlessly from the existing bluestone patio and pergola. Repeating the use of perennials and grasses provides continuity to the design and the outdoor spaces.
For reprints contact NJLCA at 201-703-3600 NJLCA.ORG 31
Feature Story
And the Awards Go To....Continued Landscape Design/Build: Residential $100,000 - $200,000 Award of Excellence - Wicklow & Laurano Landscape Contractors, LLC Project: Brookside Residence About the Project: See Page 12 Award of Excellence - Cipriano Landscape Design Project: O’Neill Residence About the Project: See Page 16
Award of Distinction - Genesis Landscape Contractors Project: Cichone Pool & Landscape About the Project: This curvaceous raised gunite swimming pool, patio, spa and boulder waterfall is nothing short of stunning. It is a wonderful mixture of natural stone, combined with both geometric and tumbled concrete pavers that work so well together. The outdoor fireplace and seat wall replicate the same material details as the pool and spa, creating a sense of continuity to the project.
Award of Distinction - Sponzilli Landscape Group Project: Dipasquale Residence About the Project: This outdoor kitchen, dining room and family room provides an excellent solution for this sloped property. Literally built into the hillside, it clearly delineates the tiered, living spaces from the upper play area. Adorned with a fireplace, pondless waterfall, pergola, seat walls and nightscaping, this landscape provides something for everyone.
Award of Distinction - Young’s Landscape Management Project: Topolski Residence About the Project: This award winning design and installation provides a seamless extension from the inside of the home to the sprawling property. The curvilinear design is repeated throughout the project utilizing details such as paver borders and seat walls to enhance this swimming pool and patio. A covered pavilion and outdoor kitchen complete this well thought out and wonderfully detailed backyard project.
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Feature Story Landscape Design/Build: Residential Over $200,000 Award of Excellence - Wicklow & Laurano Landscape Contractors, LLC Project: Bernardsville Residence II About the Project: See Page 12 Award of Excellence - Cipriano Landscape Design Project: Camean Residence About the Project: See Page 16 Award of Excellence - Landscape Techniques, Inc. Project: Toto Residence About the Project: See Page 17 Award of Excellence - Scenic Landscaping Project: Manos Residence About the Project: See Page 29 Award of Distinction - Ken Steenstra Landscaping Project: Martin Residence About the Project: This entire property renovation includes the removal of existing and outdated retaining walls, paver driveway and overgrown plant material. The new design includes a beautiful gunite pool and spa, pool house with built in kitchen and a stunning fireplace in the outdoor family room. New retaining walls were built with both natural and cultured stone and are surrounded by colorful plantings. Award of Distinction - Genesis Landscape Contractors, Inc. Project: Miller Pool and Landscape About the Project: The installation of this outdoor dreamscape includes a 1000 SF swimming pool complete with rushing boulder waterfall, raised spa and negative edged spillway. All of this is surrounded by generous travertine patios, natural stone walls and deer proof plantings. The front features an elegant entranceway to the property and foundation plantings that are befitting of this stone manor. Award of Distinction - Landscape Techniques, Inc. Project: Slosberg Residence About the Project: Built into a hillside, this naturalistic landscape design takes full advantage of the elevations to create a dramatic back yard retreat reminiscent of a vacation resort. The use of natural boulders to create a free-flowing waterfall and bluestone for the retaining walls, patio and swimming pool are dramatically highlighted by the wonderful mixture of textures and colors of the trees, shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses.
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Feature Story
And the Awards Go To....Continued Landscape Design/Build: Residential Over $200,000 Award of Distinction - Monello Landscape Industries Project: Wayne Pool About the Project: This steeply sloped property was converted into a backyard retreat through the use of natural and man-made stone. The natural gunite swimming pool includes a sundeck and waterfall and is surrounded by a generous paver patio, seat walls and sunken bar. A Koi pond, bocce court and night-lighting provide add to the interest and enjoyment of this landscape. Award of Distinction - Town and Gardens, Ltd. Project: Carnegie Hill Roof Terrace About the Project: This beautiful rooftop garden maximizes the use of a narrow space that wraps around three sides of this Park Avenue penthouse. Utilizing unique paving materials outdoor flooring is reminiscent of hardwood and tile. The introduction of a wood pergola and lattice screens along with containers filled with lush plant material softens the hardscape while enhancing the views.
Award of Merit - By Design Landscapes Project: Sclafani Residence About the Project: This gorgeous cedar shake residence fits the beachfront setting perfectly. The natural stone walls and pillars compliment the home perfectly while providing protection from the elements. Excellent use of bluestone and random patterned pavers. The plantings are exquisite and soften the hardscaping.
Award of Merit - Siciliano Landscape Company Project: Tennis Court Lane About the Project: This exquisite formal landscape design works perfectly with the residence and surroundings. The layout is simple yet sophisticated and has very clean lines. The attention to detail in the swimming pool and patio as well as the pergola, fencing, arbor and window boxes is just beautiful. The use of boxwood hedging, a variety of hydrangeas and assorted annuals and perennials, completes the garden. 9
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Feature Story Landscape Design/Build: Residential Over $200,000 Award of Merit - JML Landscaping Project: Hindle Residence About the Project: This landscape renovation project created a logical and comfortable flow around the property. The introduction of brick walls and beautiful bluestone patio repeat the materials found on the home and property creating a cohesive and well balanced design. The custom cedar fence, step stones and delicate perennials enhance both the home and the landscape.
Members With Benefits Member Benefits Include: • Participate in the NJLCA’s Employee Benefits Trust for substantial savings on your medical, dental, prescription and life insurance costs for you, your employees, and families. • Market your company with the NJLCA logo and stand out as an active member of a statewide trade association. • Membership meetings throughout the state two times per month allow you numerous educational opportunities at no additional cost for you and your employees (includes dinner). • Free listing in our membership directory, a great tool to find fellow landscape contractor members, as well as associate, affiliate, advisory, agricultural agents and student members. • Substantial exclusive vendor and event discounts, including many with allied associations. • Additional fantastic educational programs to improve your 66 Morris Ave, Springfield, NJ 07081 • (800) 631-7945 business and increase your profits. Visit our website: www.amt-nj.com • E-mail: info@amt-nj.com • Social outings that are not only fun, but allow you to network 66 Morris Ave, Springfield, NJ 07081 • (800) 631-7945 in a relaxed atmosphere. Includes Golf Outing, Holiday Gala, 66 Morris Ave, Springfield, NJ 07081 • (800) 631-7945 Visit our website: www.amt-nj.com • E-mail: info@amt-nj.com Pizza Night and more! Visit our website: www.amt-nj.com • E-mail: info@amt-nj.com • Volunteer and community services opportunities coordinated by the association to allow members to give back to the community. • And so much more.....!
Employee Benefits Trust
Medical • Rx • Dental • Life
Employee Benefits Employee Benefits Trust Trust
Association Master Trust
Medical • Dental Medical • Rx• Rx • Dental • Life • Life
Association Master Association Master Trust Trust
NJLCA.ORG 35
2014 Holiday Gala and Landscape Achievement
t Awards Dinner at Macaluso’s in Hawthorne, NJ
NJLCA News Brief A warm welcome to our newest and returning members...
ABR Lighting Alex Vorzhbitzkiy Stamford, NJ
Britton Industries Brad Salsburg Lawrenceville, NJ
Gabriel’s Landscape Design Tom Gabriel Ventnor, NJ
Parker Homescape Scott Parker Basking Ridge, NJ
Abra Fence Breno Pagani Garfield, NJ
C-Green Landscapes, LLC Darlene Jacobus Allentown, NJ
Genesis Landscape Contractors Christopher Paul Middlesex, NJ
PPS Atlantic Alan Brandfon Boca Raton, FL
All American Ford of Old Bridge CADCO Donna Hoffman Cris Kalaskey Old Bridge, NJ Phillipsburg, NJ
Wendy Huggins Student East Orange, NJ
American Profit Recovery Matt Moskowitz Farmington, NJ
The Commercial Agency Kenneth Cerullo Park Ridge, NJ
Hyers Auto Body, Inc. John Hyers Toms River, NJ
Red Oak Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance LLC Thomas Morton Jr. Newton, PA
Amore Commercial Ent., LLC Grace Bascetta Williamsburg, VA
Compumedics, LLC Donna Lauricella Pennington, NJ
Jager Landscaping, Inc. Frank Jager Oakland, NJ
Arctic Risk Specialties Inc. Thomas Nastasi Toms River, NJ
Cording Landscape Design Randi Friesema Towaco, NJ
Levanduski Landscapes Inc. Jerry Levanduski Allentown, NJ
Battinelli Enterprises Tony Battinelli Hewitt, NJ
Sonja Dabney Student Newark, NJ
Life’s Tile & Stone Berna Canseven Carlstadt, NJ
Bills Scenic Landscaping Bill Rolstad Lake Hopatcong, NJ
Fisher & Son Zach Owen Palmyra, NJ
Nursery Stock 2 Go, LLC Kurt Cassidy Passaic, NJ
Boss Snow Plow Jim Bleakney Iron Mountain, MI
Fleming & Truland PC Joe Truland Jr. Morristown, NJ
Roma Landscape Pasquale Parisi Lincoln Park, NJ True & Associates Logan True Westfield, NJ Wagner Landscaping Marina Wagner Pompton Lakes, NJ WeStopDeer Norm Penney Long Valley, NJ Willow Printing C. Mark Smith Randolph, NJ
2014 Distinguished Awards
Associate of the Year: Middleton & Company Insurance
38 WINTER | 2015
Contractor of the Year: Richard Goldstein, CLT
Contractor of the Year: Greg Carpenter, CLT
Green Meadows Landscaping American Beauty Landscape
Volunteer of the Year: Joe Bolognese Jr.
Feature Story
Affordable Health Care Coverage: It’s all about Value
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or many of us, our first thoughts regarding health care coverage are usually about the cost of good, quality health care coverage. But when we become sick or injured, our thoughts quickly change to coverage and how our health plan will respond to the potentially overwhelming medical expenses associated with hospital stays, specialized doctor visits, associated tests, or specialized prescriptions.
NJLCA is a member and participating association in the Association Master Trust (AMT), a not for profit, multiple employer, self-funded benefits trust created to address the healthcare coverage needs of its participating employers. While AMT’s roots go all the way back to 1945, AMT is currently as popular as ever, offering benefits to employer member participants from fifteen different NJ trade associations. As a participating association in AMT, NJLCA is involved in the control of the program with one representative appointed to AMT’s Board of Trustees to help direct the program for the benefit of all participants. AMT’s popularity lies within its structure. AMT’s not for profit approach directs its resources towards benefits for members, not shareholders or brokers. AMT offers an extremely wide choice of benefit plan options and contracts with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ for access to not only the NJ medical provider network, but also to the National Blue Cross Blue Shield network of medical providers (over 750,000 providers nationally). AMT also contracts with Delta Dental for administration and access to Delta’s providers for its dental plans. AMT’s service to its members is truly exceptional and offers very competitive pricing that is usually less when compared to like benefit plans (“apples to apples” comparisons). While no one likes to see rate increases, the re-
by Harvey Mishkin, Association Master Trust
alities of healthcare continues to demand increased funding and higher rates. Fortunately for AMT members, average rate increases have been in the single digits (6.4%, 6.5% and 9.8%) over the past three years, while pricing in the insured small group market continues to soar. In 2014 alone, the insured small group market saw astounding health plan increases partly due to new rating methodology, as well as fees and taxes brought forth under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It wasn’t surprising to see 40% increases in the insured small group market in 2014. AMT’s average increase of 9.8% (note that approximately 3% of the increase was dedicated to ACA taxes and fees) once again speaks well of the program and let’s not forget about the dividend! For the third year in a row, AMT has issued a dividend credit to eligible employers participating in the plan. The 4% credit (for 2013 plan year) was issued on the July 2014 statement and was well received. Over the last three years, AMT has returned 12% of contributions (premium) to members. In the conventional insured market, these funds would likely be retained by the carrier as profit. At AMT, unallocated surplus (profit) is usually returned to eligible participating members at the Trustee’s discretion. So it’s all about value and wise choices. We believe that AMT represents both and encourage your participation in the plan. If you are not currently with AMT, you should take a look at what it can offer. If you are participating but haven’t looked at newer plan designs in a while, you should. They can save you money, while continuing to offer solid benefits. Great rates, coverage and service and a health plan run by members for members. Contact AMT today at (973) 3791090 or info@amt-nj.com and see how the NJLCA Benefits Trust and AMT advantage can work for you.
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Feature Story
Bee-Friendly Lawn Care
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opulations of cultivated honeybees, native bumblebees and other pollinators have declined alarmingly in recent years. Scientists are scrutinizing possible causes of bee dieoffs and what to do about them. Much of the debate centers on whether or not exposure to insecticides, especially neonicotinoids, contributes to the problem. Because lawn care providers use these insecticides to control grubs and other pests, they should understand the issue and be able to reassure customers their services don’t contribute to the problem.
A bee hive at a safe foraging site.
Why pollinating insects are important
Many orchard and garden crops, including apples, cantaloupes, almonds, cherries, soybeans, blueberries and others, will not produce fruits without first being pollinated by bees. European honeybees get much of the credit, but in the U.S. alone some 4,000 species of native bees, including bumblebees, orchard mason bees, squash bees and leafcutter bees, provide important pollination services. According to a 2012 scientific study published in the journal Public Library of Science One (PLOS One), crops pollinated by bees and other insects contributed $29 billion to U.S. farm income in 2010. If bees continue to die off, those pollination needs may not be met, resulting in shortages of fruits, vegetables and seeds. These shortages lead to higher costs to consumers. Insect pollination also is essential to the preservation of wild plants, most of which would not otherwise produce fruits and seeds. Bees in suburban areas commonly forage on flowering lawn weeds. Indeed, we’ve surveyed and collected dozens of species of native bees visiting dandelions and white clover in central Kentucky lawns. Many of the species we caught are also pollinators of garden crops, fruits and berries, and of ornamentals such as flowering crabapples and hollies. Bumblebees, for example, are especially good pollinators of tomatoes, eggplant and peppers in home gardens.
Why are bee numbers declining?
Experts agree there’s no single reason why bee numbers are declining. Rather, bee populations face a number of stresses that include parasitic mites, disease-causing pathogens, land development, habitat fragmentation, changes in beekeeping practices and, in some cases, exposure to pesticides.
Parasites, diseases and changes in beekeeping practices
Honeybees are parasitized by varroa mites that suck their blood and by tracheal mites that clog the breathing ducts of adult bees. They are susceptible to diseases caused by bacteria and fungi as well and to a virus that targets their immune systems. Shipping bee colonies around the country for commercial pollination can weaken them, increasing vulnerability to these agents. Plus, they may bring diseases with them that will infect local bee populations. Beekeepers provide colonies with supplemental food—often sugar or corn syrup—to compensate for the lack of wild forage in agricultural monocultures and as a substitute for “raiding” the bees’ stores of honey, which is harvested for sale. Artificial bee foods, however, lack some of the nutrients in real honey that bees need to develop a strong immune system.
Loss and fragmentation of natural habitat
Replacement of natural habitat by agricultural or urban expansion results in shortages of plants that bees depend on for food. Monocultures of crops like corn and wheat offer relatively little in the way of pollen and nectar that bees need to survive. In addition, native wild bees typically have specific nesting requirements; bumble bees, for example, often construct their underground nest in abandoned rodent burrows. Because of habitat loss, nesting sites are limited and worker bees must forage greater distances to bring food back to the nest. [WEB EXTRA: Read Larson’s, Potter’s and Carl Redmond’s complete study, “Assessing Insecticide Hazard to Bumble Bees Foraging on Flowering Weeds in Treated Lawns.”]
A hive in a treatment tent.
40 WINTER | 2015
Feature Story by Jonathan Larson and Daniel Potter, PhD. Insecticides
the largest, most vigorous bumblebee colonies will produce Bees may encounter insecticide residues on the crops they queens by late summer, and those failing to do so are doomed pollinate or on wildflowers or flowering weeds that are inad- because only new queens survive the winter to start the next vertently sprayed. Many chemical insecticides used to con- generation. We found even when they were moved to a “safe trol insect pests of lawns, landscapes and gardens are acutely site” with no pesticide exposure, colonies that had foraged on toxic to bees, which is why they have label precautions not treated flowers for just six days failed to produce new queens. Notably, though, once the clover flowers present at the to apply them to plants that are in bloom when bees may be present. This potential hazard was punctuated by an incident time of treatment were removed by mowing and new flowin Oregon this past June that led to the deaths of some 50,000 ers grew to replace them, bees subsequently foraging on the bumblebees when linden trees in bloom were sprayed with site were not harmed. Indeed, residues in the nectar dropped from toxic to essentially nontoxic levels once the turf was an insecticide, a violation of the pesticide label. mowed. Thus, while the research valiBecause neonicotinoids are sysdates EPA label precautionary statetemic, there also is potential for transments not to apply neonicotinoids to location of their residues into pollen blooming nectar-producing plants if and nectar. Even low-level exposures bees may visit the treatment area, it can adversely affect bees. For example, also indicates that such applications research has shown worker bees that don’t pose a prolonged systemic hazingest sublethal amounts of imidacloard to bees. Another key finding was prid become intoxicated and neglect chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryn), reptheir duties in the hive. Such bees are resenting a relatively new class of inless likely to learn essential tasks like secticides called anthranilic diamides, locating patches of food plants, which did not adversely affect bee colonies can lead to food shortages and deeven when the workers foraged on creased colony success. Additionally, An inside look at a bumblebee hive tested by UK flowering clover that had been directly sublethal exposure to insecticides can sprayed by the pesticide. weaken bees’ immune systems, mak- researchers. ing them more vulnerable to infection First do no harm by parasites and pathogens. UK research shows LCOs taking precautions can use neonicotinoids on turf without harming bees. A perfect storm of stresses What can lawn care providers do to avoid harming resiMost likely, bee declines are due to a combination of the dent bees? Clearly, direct contamination of flowers by neoaforementioned menaces acting together. In the case of honeybees, a one-two punch of varroa mites and viruses has been nicotinoids is a bee hazard, so applicators should follow label implicated in collapsing colonies, although lack of food and directions to not spray those products on turf when bloompesticide exposures can weaken colonies and make it easier ing weeds are present. But with a few sensible precautions— for the mites and pathogens to finish them off. In the case e.g., controlling flowering weeds with herbicides before apof bumblebees, stresses from habitat loss and disease could plication, delaying grub treatments until after peak bloom of be compounded by pesticide exposures. Ongoing research spring-flowering weeds, using granular formulations, and/ does not point to a single causal agent for global bee declines; or notifying homeowners to mow off flower heads before or soon after liquid applications have been watered-in—it should rather, the causes are multiple and complex. be possible to use neonicotinoid insecticides for grub and Lawn insecticides and bees billbug control without harming bees. Chlorantraniliprole, a We conducted a study to determine how turf care pro- relatively new chemistry, appears non-hazardous to bees. viders can reduce insecticide hazards to bees when treating Larson is a doctoral candidate in the Turfgrass Entomology Lab in lawns for grub control. The research, published last spring in PLOS One, showed when turf intermixed with flower- the Department of Entomology at the University of Kentucky, where ing white clover is sprayed with a neonicotinoid insecticide, Daniel Potter is a professor of entomology. Reach them at jonathan. bumblebee workers foraging on the contaminated flowers larson@uky.edu or dapotter@uky.edu. Article reprinted with permission of Landscape Management were intoxicated or killed, reducing colony growth. Only magazine, December 2013. www.landscapemanagement.net.
NJLCA.ORG 41
Feature Story Contractor Focus: Classic Landscaping (continued) more seasoned veterans.” However, Pat also recognizes that the younger, less experienced member also possesses vast knowledge that can greatly enhance the minds and businesses of the veterans. In his opinion, the key is to realize everyone has value in some shape or form. “Keeping it stifled is unproductive. Exposing it is what makes us all more successful. There is no age limit on ingenuity. I learn something from almost everyone I talk to,” he maintains. Pat encourages newcomers in the industry and feels one of the most important things they can do is to join a trade association (No, we did not pay Pat to say this!). He says, “You can tell I have a strong belief in trade associations, especially the NJLCA. Where else can you mingle with others that share the same interest and passion as you? We talk about dirt, rocks, skids, trucks, loaders, snow, grass, profit, loss. We share ideas, vendors, strategies, work practices, contacts. Talk to your (outside the landscape industry) friends about this stuff and you’re going to be very lonely.” He feels that most start-up landscape companies start at the bottom and work their way up without help (he did it that way). Pat’s not sure if it’s because of fear, ignorance or lack of direction, but it seems to be the trend. He states, “If I knew then what I know now, things may have gone a LOT easier. I suggest to anyone entering the industry, seek out the big boys on the block. Let them know that you are just starting out, you want to play by the rules and you are interested in their input. Chances are you just made a new friend.” As he stated before, Pat feels that contractors like him love
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to talk about this industry. “I love talking to guys starting out 174 and telling them what I have learned from others. I, by no means, am the sharpest tool in the shed; ask my friends, they are happy to verify this fact. I depend on others and give full credit to others for my success,” Pat avows. He also suggests attending trade shows, where you can rub elbows with the www successful contractors, who are your best resource! But more important than anything else to Pat, is to find Vis a balance between work, play and family. “As I mentioned, I have been blessed with four sons. I get to spend every workSPrInG PlantInG S day with them. We all have the same job in common,Wholesale/Retai keep Tophave Soil Bags & Bu some of the same friends because of this business and Mulch Bags & Bu many of the same interests. My business has kept my familycolors availa (call forPlanting closer than most would. For this, I consider myself the luckiPotting Soil • Peat M Stump est guy around. My kids may not feel the Chicken same way, work& Cow Manure • Org AnD Rubbish Re ing with their father every day. Someday they will, I hope. ” mOre Somehow Pat, we think they recognize it right now. Rates lS DeLivery As a final word of advice, Pat says, “WePalm all can’t Sunday...EaS be good Main at everything. I’m not anyway. Find Palm someone who• is Crosses Artificial Cro Hearts • Artificial V good at what you need done and hireArtificial them. Delegatlawn announcement Sig ing provides more time for you, the business owner. Specialty ribbons Prin We have a hard time believing it, but there are some Call for Details Wholesale people out there that do things better than us!” And s of course, as a retired police officer, Pat adds, “It cemetary just wouldn’t seem right if I didn’t mention some safety items l Ac tips. Before any of the above happens in business, Decora 174 you have to protect yourself. Consult your insurance b agent of choice and become good friends. HavingFirewood the proper insurance, a safe and efficient fleet and up to date training and licensing will provide you with a good company and a good night’s sleep.” Salt www - Bulk To find out more about Pat and Classic Landscaping, visit www.classiclandscaping.net. Scan this QR Code with your smart phone.
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