PLCAA widens environmental
message with Grassrecycling
ostly they were middle-aged homeowners, and over 200
of them filled the Corpus
Christi Garden Center to find
out why they shouldn't bag
their grass clippings.

A handful of professional
lawn and landscape professionals attended the Saturday
morning meeting too, as Keith
Hansen, the popular, rail-thin
Nueces County Extension
Agent, said they too can be-

come part of the environmental movement by not
doing something—by not putting their grass clippings in
huge, plastic bags to be hauled
off to the local landfill.
The neighborly Hansen,

somewhat of a celebrity in this
flower-filled, South Texas city
of 100,000 plus, dispenses
easy-to-understand, practical
GRASSO^'I^LII V V^^
information about lawns and
Todays
litri • Tomorrow s Earth
landscapes in regular columns
in local newspapers, and his
face occasionally turns up on
gulf coast television too. The
folks of Corpus put a lot of when they tell homeowners
stock in what he says, and across the nation about the
that's what other extension Don't Bag It program.
personnel are finding out
See GRASS on page 11

WWN GIRE INDUSTRY
Serving the needs of the professional lawn care operator

VOLUME 14 NUMBER 8

ìiùi

AUGUST 1990

è PUBLICATION

Training program
for lawn care tochs
in curriculum stage
—The
lawn care technician of tomorrow will be a better trained
technician.
That's the aim of a coalition of industry members and
government officials that, in
several meetings this summer
here, began nailing together a
model training program for
lawn care technicians, a program that—with modifications from state to state or
region to region—may be used
by LCOs nationwide.
Ultimately, better trained
technicians will boost the public's confidence in LCOs as responsible and safe users of
chemical control products, believe the individuals just now
determining the curriculum of
the training program.
More pressing, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is just about fed
up being caught in the middle
of pesticide controversies—a
WASHINGTON, D.C.

FREDRIC R. HASKETÏ
PRESlOENf

Chemical control system of the future? Fred Haskett tells how he built it. Page 6.

No winners in costly spat over advertising claims

ChemLawn, NY end war of words
lingering legal dispute between
ChemLawn Services Corporation and Robert Abrams, attorney general of the state of
New York, is apparently over.
The flap, settled June 29,
revolved around certain words
and phrases ChemLawn used
to advertise or describe its services in the mid-1980s. SpecifCOLUMBUS, OHIO—A

**********

ically, Abrams took aim at the
lawn care leader's use of the
words "safe" and "practically
non-toxic" which he claimed
were inaccurate and misleading. The issue festered for almost three years—aided by
lawsuits involving both
ChemLawn and the state of
New York—and, this spring,
bubbled into a national issue.

3 - 0 1 GIT

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48324-10+8

At a U.S. senate subcommittee hearing in March, Abrams
and Peter Guerro of the U.S.
General Accounting Office

(GAO) complained that the
lawn care industry in general
has been doling out inaccurate

See WAR on page 8.

tiny, but extremely vocal, segment of the public clamouring
for more regulation on one
hand; industry jabbing from a
crouch on the other—and it's
starting to look at more exacting regulations for chemical
applicators in 17 different
pesticide-using industries.
High on its list, because of the
potential for people-chemical
contact, is the lawn care industry.
Program needed soon

So, there is urgency for the
development of a lawn technician training program, and a
so-called Curriculum Committee is penciling in an outline. This committee consists
of industry leaders such as
Thomas Delaney representing
the Professional Lawn Care
Association of America
(PLCAA), Dave Jones of
Lawn Doctor, Robert Andrews of the Indiana State
Lawn Care Association along
with Bonnie Poli of the federal
extension service, Mary Ellen
Setting, the head of Maryland's pesticide regulation effort, and others.
At least eight major chemical suppliers to the industry
are adding their support, although they've apparently

See TRAINING on page 25

Green Industry Expo Is Nov.
N A S H V I L L E , T N — T h r e e shows in one.
That's the Green Industry Expo 90 set for
Nov. 12-15 at the Nashville Convention Center.
Three organizations are combining their
efforts for one huge lawn and landscape
trade show. They are: the Professional Lawn
Care Association of America (PLCAA), the
Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) and the Professional Grounds

12-15

Management Society (PGMS).
While the trade show is a cooperative effort, each of the three associations will be
conducting its own annual education conference. The PLCAA Conference will run
concurrently, and separately, with those of
ALCA and PGMS.
For more information: PLCAA, 1000
Johnson Ferry Rd., NE, Suite C135, Marietta GA 30068. 404/977-5222.
LCI

Cushman Front Line Mower with Grass Caddy 1
and Ryan Lawnaire® 28 Aerator.

We'll help expand
your business.
No other manufacturer has the products. No
other dealer network has the know-how. No
one can help you increase your income from
existing customers
today, and put you in
a better position to
compete for commercial clients tomorrow, as efficiently
and expertly as
Cushman-Ryan.

Ryan jr. Sod Cutter.

Start with your
basic service. Add
aeration. Add overseeding. Move up

to bigger mowing jobs. You'll not only get the
best piece of lawn maintenance equipment for
each task, you'll also get a dealer who's more
like a business partner with proven ideas on
how to sell and price your new services.

Ryan Lawnaire® IV Aerator.

We'll increase
your productivity.
Nobody's been in the business as long as
Cushman-Ryan. Our products are proven
performers that simply do each job better and
stay up and running longer than anything else
on the market. Period.
You'll increase productivity by reducing downtime and increasing the ease and speed of
operation. You'll reduce operating expenses
from fewer repairs and lower maintenance costs. Cushman-Ryan
equipment doesn't come back to the
shop until the job's done, ensuring
you get a full day's work for a full
day's profit.
Contact your Cushman-Ryan
dealer for a demonstration, and
ask about our special lease on as
little as $1,000 worth of equipment Or call toll-free 1-800-2284444 for more information
today.

Ryan Mataway® Overseeder.

CUSHMAN RYAN
BUILT

TO LAST

9079 Cushman, P.O. Box 82409, Lincoln, NE 68501
© Cushman Inc. 1990. A Ransomes Company
All rights reserved.

L

UPFRONT

^

LAWN CARE INDUSTRY AUGUST 1990

WWN GIRE INDUSTRY

J

Activists affect seed supply?
RON HALL

larly not timbermen. Uncle
Sam says so.
The owl controversy parallels anti-field burning activism
aimed at turfseed growers
who, like lumbermen, are conou wouldn't want to centrated in the Pacific
step in front of a logging Northwest.
truck. Not even an eleThis activism may affect
phant could stop it. But a bird the quantity and/or quality of
may make a lot of logging turf seed used in the green intrucks skid to a stop.
dustry. Some of the turf variThe northern spotted owl eties that LCOs use on clients'
was placed on the threatened lawns may become scarcer in
species list early this summer. the future. If farmers can't
Nobody's going to mess with burn off their fields after harthis bird anymore, particu- vest, they'll either have to find
EDITOR

Y

alternatives or switch to
grasses that don't require a
burn (at least not annually).
This is very much an economic matter. Farmers must
grow crops that generate a
profit; turf seed farmers not
excluded.
The seed industry says
burning is necessary, and that
a l t e r n a t i v e s —microbial
agents, vacuuming, etc.—either don't work well enough
yet or aren't cost effective.
The turfseed seemingly at
most risk from the anti-burn
activists are the turf-quality

bluegrasses and fine fescues.
Several varieties of improved
perennial ryegrasses apparently produce good yields for
several seasons without burning.
Seed companies in the Pacific Northwest seek alternatives to burning as they
breed grasses that require
fewer field burnings. Or, compromise may allow propane
burning, less spectacular and
smokey than field burning.

^

LCI

(Co.

Some Things in Nature Were Meant to Have Spots.
Your Turf Just Wasn't One of Them.

RON HALL
Editor
JERRY ROCHE
Executive Editor
JON MIDUCKI
Publisher
ROBERT EARLEY
Group Vice President
LINDA O'HARA
Production Manager
ROSY BRADLEY
Production Supervisor
BRYAN VOLLMAN
Graphic Design
MARILYN COPP
Circulation Supervisor
GAIL PARENTEAU
Reader Service Manager
T H E O D O R E C. M A T H E W S
Promotion Director
JOHN PRESSELLO
Graphics Manager

BUSINESS STAFF
Midwest Office:
JON MIDUCKI
(216) 826-2855
Publisher
MARSHA DOVER
(216) 891-2739
Regional Sales Manager
7500 Old Oak Blvd
Cleveland, OH 44130
FAX (216)826-2832
Southern Office:
DICK GORE
(404) 233-1817
FAX (404) 261-7022
3475 Lenox Road, N.E.,
Suite 665
Atlanta, GA 30326
Western Office
BOB M I E R O W
(206) 783-0549
FAX (206) 784-5545
1515 N.W. 51 Street
Seattle, WA 98107
Classified
DAWN NILSEN
(218) 723-9349
1 E. First St.. Duluth, MN 55802
Please send advertising
materials to:
LAWN CARE INDUSTRY
120 W. Second St.
Duluth. MN 55802
218-723-9192
E O Q E L L C O M M U N I C A T I O N S . INC

RICHARD SWANK, Chairman
ROBERT L. EDQELL, Vice Chairman
RICHARD MOELLER, President
LARS FLADMARK, Executive V. Pres
ARLAND HIRMAN, Vice Pres./Treasurer
THOMAS QRENEY, Senior V. Pres
EZRA PINCUS, Senior Vice President
JOE BILDERBACH, Vice President
JAMES QHERNA, Vice President
QEORQE GLENN, Vice President
HARRY RAMALEY, Vice President

LCI ADVISORY COUNCIL

MARTY ERBAUGH
Erbaugh Corp.
Peninsula. OH

DYRENE is a Reg. TM of Mobay Corporation. 75361 € 1969 Mobay Corporation

A. J. POWELL
U of Kentucky
Lexington. KY

DYRENE* 4 turf fungicide. Effective control in the prevention of leaf spot.
It keeps your turf, and your reputation, looking good. There's no better way to
keep your turf spotless.
Mobay Corporation
a Bayer usa wc company

DYRENE 4

Bayer
Specialty Products Group
Box 4913, Kansas City, MO 64120

JACK ROBERTSON
Robertson Lawn Care
Springfield. IL

LAWN CARE INDUSTRY (ISSN 0160-6042)
is published monthly by Edged Communications, Inc. Corporate and Editorial offices:
7500 Old Oak Boulevard. Cleveland. Ohio
44130. Advertising Offices: 7500 Old Oak
Boulevard. Cleveland. Ohio 44130.233 North
Michigan Avenue. 24th Floor, Chicago. Illinois 60601 and 3475 Lenox Road, N E Suite
665 Atlanta, Georgia 30326. Accounting, Advertising Production and Circulation offices: 1
East First Street. Duluth. Minnesota 55802
Subscription rates: $25 per year in the United
States; $50 per year in Canada. All other
countries: $100 per year. Current issue single
copies (pre-paid only): $2.50 in the U.S.;
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for shipping and handling (pre-paid orders
only). Office of publication Edgell Communications. Inc.. 1 East First Street. Duluth. Minnesota 55802. Second class postage paid at
Duluth. Minnesota 55806. Copyright © 1990
by Edgell Communications, Inc. All rights reserved No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopy, recording, or any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
LAWN CARE INDUSTRY. P.O. Box 6200.
Duluth. Minnesota 55806

AH1»

VBPA

inNITROGEN!

The New
This advanced controlled-release material
derived from methylene urea polymers is
the ideal nitrogen source for all your turf
needs. That's because NUTRALENE™
works two ways. First, it provides a quick- ,
release nitrogen through hydrolysis. Second,
NUTRALENE releases nitrogen more slowly
through microbial action for sustained feeding.
This dual action (the result of its unique molecular
structure) makes NUTRALENE the superior controlled
release nitrogen source. The following points show that
NUTRALENE meets all the professional's requirements
for a broad-use nitrogen.

This quality nitrogen source offers...
• Quick greenup
• Controlled-release nitrogen feeding for
up to 16 weeks
• Both hydrolysis and microbial action—
not dependent on coating or particle size
v for release
• Minimal leaching and volatilization
Consistent release of all nitrogen in one growing
season, under all conditions, even during cool soil temperature situations
• Low salt and low burning potentials
• 40-0-0 guaranteed analysis

INOR-AM.
NOR-AM CHEMICAL COMPANY
A Schering Berlin Company
3509 Silverside Road, P.O. Box 7495. Wilmington, DE 19803

IMPORTANT; Please remember always to read and follow carefully all label directions when applying any chemical.
Copyright © 1989 NOR-AM Chemical Company. All rights reserved.

Model chemical control safeguards

Greenworld built
anticipating the
issues of future
BY D A V I D F R A S E

U
Fred Haskett couldn't find exactly what he needed. So, he helped design his own facility.

nless you've been pulling a Rip Van Winkle
for the past five years,
you're aware that one of the
major issues facing the lawn
care industry is chemical control.

WHEN YOU TREAT
YOUR CUSTOMER S LAWN
IKE YOUR OWN ...

YOU VE GOT ACUSTOMER FOR LIFE,
Getting a new customer can
be a whole lot harder—and a
lot more costly—than doing the
kind of good job that keeps an
existing customer. And keeping
a single customer can mean
thousands of dollars over the
life of your business.
We're in it for the long
haul, too.
For over 25 years, The
Andersons has provided the
kind of proven product line-

up and results-getting performance that has helped hundreds of lawn care operators
grow their businesses in
healthy ways.
Our broad range of fertilizers,
herbicides, insecticides and
combination products have
helped us win over many a
customer. And our product
quality, consistency, exceptional service and reliability
have helped us keep them.

We'd like the chance to prove
ourselves to you. We think
you'll find we're good people
to do business with.
Call us toll free, 1-800-225ANDY for a comprehensive
full-line Selection Guide or
for the name of
your nearest
distributor.

the professional's
partner

TheCC<£S»

Andersons
Personal service. Consistently high product quality. Technical service. Proven performance. All backed
by a genuine integrity that is all too uncommon in today's business world. That's The Andersons.
© 1989 The Andersons

The public eye is seemingly
riveted on the use (or misuse)
of chemicals as they're applied
in our environment. Along
with this public attention
comes more government regulations to protect both the
environment and people.
At this point, LCOs realize
they must either comply with
the new standards or find another profession. One problem, however, is that no one
seems to have a viable solution
for chemical control and containment. As Fred Haskett,
owner/president of Greenworld in northeast Ohio puts
it, "Everyone knows what
must be done, but no one
knows how to go about it."
Haskett is no stranger to
the problems of complying
with the new standards. About
five years ago, after his company had gone through tremendous growth, Fred realized his operation needed a
new facility. He saw the environmental changes confronting the nation and the turf
industry. And, he knew that
any new facility he built would
have to deal with the safe storage, mixing, and handling of
chemical products, in addition
to spill containment, recycling
of residue, employee protection, and water/sewer system
protection.
First, he sought answers
from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Professional Lawn Care Association
of America, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture. "I
found out, much to my dismay, there were no real solutions out there," says Haskett.
Then he consulted with an
engineer, leaving that interview overwhelmed by the potential cost of the engineer's
services. Discouraged but still
hopeful, Fred set out to design
and build the new facility on
his own. Relying on his small
amount of design experience,
he wanted to draw up a plan
that would:
1 deal with the chemical
concerns,
2 keep the project affordable, and
3 offer a fairly permanent
solution.
Two years later, by the
end of 1986, he had done
enough research to decide
on a design and a building
site.
During construction,
Haskett sought the advice
and support of local and state
agencies. The city engineer,
water and sewer officials, the
local health department, the
Ohio Department of Agriculture—all got an oppor-

The main water lines run
over the secondary containment area and have antisiphon devices attached to
prevent backflow which could
enter the water system. Fred
says the system would cost
anywhere between $5,000 and
$20,000 to install, but that's
minor expense compared to
the cost of a clean-up for a
chemical spill—not including,
of course, additional costs
such as increased insurance
premiums, injured business,
and a poor image within the
community.
Greenworld, founded in
1981, basically began as a oneollowing his experiences man residential/chemical
in implementing Green- lawn care operation which
world's new facility,
Fred thought maybe his experience could help other turf
care people; it has. He developed a slide show about his facility that he presents at
industry functions, while also
serving as a consultant for the
green industry. He's putting
together a book and videotape
to address chemical problems
and include structural designs
that can be modified to any
particular company's needs.
Haskett's hopeful of finishing
this project later this year.
Haskett thinks it's time
that industry realizes it must
make environmental concerns
industry's concerns. "I consider our industry an environmentally aware industry. If we
do things right, these things
are positive towards the environment."
Equally i m p o r t a n t ,
Haskett feels it's important
that turf professionals be upfront with their local agencies
and communities. The days of
keeping a low profile are over,
and a community's support is
essential.

tunity to see and comment on
his plans. And all were supportive.
By early 1987, Greenworld
moved into its new facility and
Haskett was pleased. It offered
safe storage of chemicals, allowed for safe mixing and handling, and allowed recycling of
all waste products. It was also
affordable.
Because of his wellthought-out chemical control
program, he received savings
he had not counted on, such as
cuts in his insurance premiums and some additional
tax credits.

F

A place for all chemicals and all chemicals in their place at Greenworld.

T

he Greenworld facility
is divided into two major areas, primary containment and secondary
containment. The interior of
the building is coated with a
special sealant, resistant to
chemicals. Silicone fills the
cracks in the concrete. Each
section has self-contained
sumps that catch all waste and
spilled products so they can be
pumped out and recycled.
The primary containment
has a six-inch dike surrounding it which can hold up to
1,000 gallons of liquid. All
chemical concentrates are
handled in this area. This area
also contains an eye wash
fountain, a shower, and a sink
that all drain into a sump,
which isolates all chemicals
and keeps them from entering
the water or sewer system.
The secondary containment area is surrounded
by a four-inch dike which can
hold up to 3,000 gallons. Daily
operations take place in this
area where diluted materials
are handled. Trucks are parked within this area and dry
chemicals, such as fertilizers,
are stored here.

For early spring greenup
and less maintenance:
Excellent color retention during winter
months.
Stays dark green with less fertilizer
compared to other bluegrasses.
Superior drought tolerance means less
irrigation.
Produces less thatch than other varieties.
Excellent disease resistance, decreasing
the need for costly fungicide applications.
Get it all with Nassau.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

Winter color retention

APRIL

and early season color difference between
Nassau and another leading bluegrass,
Midnight.
U.S.D.A. Trial 1987 Data

*
LOFTS

Lofts Seed Inc.

World's largest marketer of turfgrass seed
Bound Brook, NJ 08805
(201) 356-8700 • (800) 526-3890 • (800) 624-1474 (NJ)

Jacklfn Seed Company
World's largest producer of turfgrass seed
West 5300 Riverbend Avenue
Post Falls, ID 83854-9499
(208) 773-7581 • (800) 635-8726

A well-thought-out chemical mixing,
containment and storage facility can
help lower an LCO9s insurance
payments, reduce pesticide
mishaps
and fosters a good business image—
Greenworld.
Fred Haskett, owner

trol for utility companies,
including weed and brush control around refineries, oil
pumps and tanks, and electrical towers. Greenworld has
even expanded into parking
lot care to simplify the number
of outside contractors a company has to hire to take care of
the outside of their facility.
LCI

after three years had grown to
over 700 accounts.
By late 1983, Greenworld
had moved moved into full service care, including verticutting, core aereation and
overseeding. In 1984 and 1985,
Greenworld began targeting
the commercial market. By
1986 it sold off its residential

contains
0 >

l

CITATION II Turf-Type
Perennial Ryegrass
is well known for its rapid establishment,
fine texture, dark green color, improved
mowability and drought tolerance, both in
a monostand or as part of CBS II blend.
But, the REAL plus is Citation II's high
endophyte level (over 80%) that make it
naturally resistant to leaf eating insects.
This plus results in savings... in chemical costs to maintenance people and
less exposure to insecticides for
applicators, homeowners, golfers and
picnickers.
Citation II is not only an investment in
finer turf, but it's a savings account for
turf managers... and our delicate planet.
PVP 8400142. Unauthorized propagation
prohibited.

lawn care division to Lawnmark.
Today Greenworld offers
full service work in the industrial markets, taking care of
the entire outside property
from the trees and shrubs to
the trimming and edging of
sidewalks. It has also expanded into vegetation con-

About the Author

David Frase is a freelance
writer specializing in the green
industry. He lives in Alliance,
Ohio.

WAR

from page 1

claims concerning the safety
of the chemical control tools it
uses. These advertising statements mislead the public into
thinking that professional
lawn treatments are safer than
they really are, said the two
men. Industry representatives
at the hearing broadly disagreed as has ChemLawn, specifically, to Abrams' allegations in the state of New York.
"We didn't make any false
or misleading statements,"
ChemLawn spokesman Stephen A. Hardymon, told Lawn
Care Industry magazine.
"They were accurate at the
time they were made but, essentially, we agreed to quit
saying what we'd quit saying a
long time ago anyway."
In the June settlement,
ChemLawn agreed to pay
$100,000 in costs and is required to present a copy of the
settlement agreement to any
New York state customer who
asks for it. Otherwise, Hardymon, ChemLawn's vp of Environmental Affairs, said neither side was required to
concede or admit anything.
For their part, both ChemLawn and the Professional
Lawn Care Association of
America (PLCAA, which represents about 1,000 LCOs)
turned a sharper eye to how
industry advertises its services.
And both sharpened
Left, insect damage in perennial ryegrass. Right, endophytic ryegrass resists insect
pests.
their advertising messages to
comply with the more critical
standards that government
agencies are apparently going
to insist upon.
On one front, industry representatives met late in July
with officials at both the Environmental Protection Agency
and the Federal Trade Commission to hash out just what
LCOs can and cannot say—
.Black lines are endophyte myceliumMagnified endophyte in seed.
and which governmental
in leaftissue.
agency (FTC or EPA)ultimately
is going to police this
^Produced and marketed by:
Qualified turf grass associations can
aspect of the lawn care business.
earn cash for turf research by saving
On another, ChemLawn
Citation II Oregon certified blue
says it will share its guidelines
tags. Call us or write for details.
at the August board meeting of
the PLCAA so that member
companies can benefit from its
experience.
LCI

Turf-Seed, Inc.

PO Box 250, Hubbard, OR 97032
Outside Oregon 1-800-247-6910
503-981-9571 TWX 510-590-0957
FAX 503-981-5626

Have a SPILL?
Call Chemtrec

1-800-424-9300

I'm pleasantly surprised. All I ever
wanted to do was sell the idea of sound
turfgrass management—Dr.
Bill
Knoop, "Don't Bag It" originator.

from page 1

similar program in Victoria,
Texas, turned out as big a
crowd. And when the idea was
presented in a suburb of
Dallas, city council chambers
were so full that over 200 residents were turned away. A
program a week later in the
same room was again standing
room only.
The Don't Bag It program
actually began over 10 years
ago, mostly in Texas, when Dr.
William Knoop, a turfgrass
specialist at Texas A&M University, began advising homeowners that they wouldn't
have to fertilize so often or
have to bother with lugging
grass-filled bags around if they
only practiced better turf
management practices, i.e. if
they only mowed a bit more
often.
"It's really mostly common sense," Dr. Knoop tells
Lawn Care Industry magazine.
Now, fueled by the widely
publicized landfill crisis, the
idea is spreading across the
country like wildfire.
"Yes, I'm pleasantly surprised," says Dr. Knoop from
his Dallas home. "All I ever
wanted to do was sell the idea
of sound turfgrass management, and this was an idea to
wrap it around and take it to
the public with.
"It's really only caught fire
in the last two years, probably
because of the landfill closings.
It's really a win-win situation."
n fact, Dr. Knoop's program attracted the attention of the Professional
Lawn Care Association of
America (PLCAA) which has,
with Dr. Knoop's blessings,
initiated its own Grasscycling
program targeted at this nation's LCOs. These same lawn
professionals can then help
take this positive information
to the public.
And what can they tell their
clients: that the public can become partners with lawn professionals in bettering the

Sandra H. Marting. "At least
environment.
PLCAA is just now starting 10 states have less than five
to crank up its Grasscycling years of landfill capacity and
publicity machine, and it 14 others have less than 10
hopes to ignite the enthusiasm years of usable landfill space."
Adds extension agent
of this nation's lawn pros.
"This public education pro- Hansen, "turf care experts
gram provides a practical solu- never advocated bagging of
tion for eliminating millions of grass clippings. Golf courses
tons of grass clippings taking don't bag clippings and neiup valuable space in our muni- ther do athletic field carecipal landfills," says PLCAA's takers. It isn't necessary." LCI

Extension Agent Keith Hansen, Nueces County Texas, drew a full
house in Corpus Christi with Dr. Knoop's "Don't Bag It"
presentation. The public likes grass "recycling".

For Getting Rid of Grubs in Record Time,
There's Nothing Faster Than Dylox.

DYLOX is a Reg. TM of Bayer AG. Germany. 75371

© 1989 Mobay Corporation

I

Learn why
LCOs should
encourage
Grasscycling
to customers
on page 24

DYLOX* insecticide stops grubs in their tracks. Fast. Usually in less than 48 hours.
And for the record, nothing on the market works better or faster.
Mobay Corporation
a Bayer usa MC company

DYLOX

Bayer iffij]
Specialty Products Group
Boi 4913, Kansas City. MO 64120

Owners should plan for the envitable—their exit from the business

Will your firm survive when you're gone?
BY ROBERT E. ANDREWS

W

ill your business survive without you?
This is probably one
of the most important questions facing any small business owner, but it's rarely
asked. Is the subject too delicate? Are business owners
afraid of the answer?
There's really no reason not
to ask this question because
every owner of every small
business will, someday, leave

their business. It's inevitable,
therefore there's no reason not
to plan for it. In fact, every
owner must plan for this reality.
The small business owner,
more often than not, is the
business. He or she started it,
built it, diversified it, risked
their financial security on it,
and spend most of their waking hours working in it. No
matter how big their business
gets, the organizational structure resembles an umbrella,

with everyone reporting to the
very top. These small businesses are so focused in their
knowledge, ability, and authority that the absence of the
owner, even for a short period,
throws everything in a tailspin. Should that absence become permanent, the business
itself probably will not survive.
Given the a m o u n t of
blood, sweat and tears that
you have put in your business, wouldn't it be a tragedy

10 see it fail simply because
you did not try to plan your
withdrawal from it? It's a
common mistake for a lot of
us to look at our business as
ourselves. It becomes more
than a job or a company. It's
our child. Yet one of the best
things we can recognize as its
parent, is the obligation we
have to see to it, that the
business survives beyond our
active involvement in it.
Every one of us will leave
our business in one of five

ways.
1 We'll sell.
2 We'll pass it to a family
member.
3 We'll create management that will operate it for
us.
4 We'll liquidate the assets and move on to other endeavors.
5 We'll go bankrupt.
As owners, we have an obligation to make sure that the
final two options don't occur.
We want one of the first
three "exit" options to take
place. But first, we must determine what we have to
change in our business to
make this happen. How can

It's a Way of Life at Tyler.
"As a smaller lawncare company, Tyler
goes out of their way to take that "Extra
Step" to be sure I'm satisfied."
"I like Tyler because of the personal touch they have." says
Mr. Roger Bong, President of Roger's Lawn Care.
"The quality of their product is the best IVe ever seen
and the Tyler salesman goes out of his way to be sure I'm
satisfied. He spends the time to answer any technical
questions that I may have."
"Tyler's competitive pricing, superior quality, and on-time
delivery cant be beat."
The Tyler Sales Staff is committed to serving you with the
best technical support available. We also have university
support available to us to help solve your individual turf
problems.
Tyler Offers Greensward® Custom Formulated Fertilizers
in liquid or dry, large or small quantities, in bag or bulk.
Ask us about our grass seed and chemical control
products for your turfgrass program.
If you want the very best in technical support, quality
products and service, write or call us today.

Mr. Roger Bong, President Roger's Lawn Care

Q u a l i t y Products for Quality Turf

Tyler

Enterprises, Inc.

PO. Box 365 • Route 53 South • Elwood, Illinois • 60421
Telephone: (815) 423-5551 • FAX: (815) 423-6331

GREENSWARD
FERTILIZER

TOLL FREE 1-800-421-4740
(IN MILWAUKEE (414) 535-0466)
CopyriKht 1990 lyier Enterprises Inc.

A
The absence of the
owner, even for a
short period of
time, throws
everything into a
tailspin—Robert
E. Andrews, LCO
and consultant.
we develop other people in
our business so that the
knowledge and responsibility is more balanced? What
practices and procedures
must be put in place so that
certain parts of the operation
can run on automatic pilot?
How can we change so that
we have a "life" beyond or
outside of our business?

T

oo often we spend all of
our time working in
those parts of our business which we enjoy or are
good at. They're our strengths.
But if we don't pay attention
to all parts of our business,
they'll become our weaknesses
and will limit our ability to
meet the succession crisis
when it comes.
It's also important for us to
remember that poor health or
retirement are not the only
reasons for succession to occur. You may set, as a goal, the
development of your business
to where you sell out to a larger
firm. You may find a better
opportunity. Major changes in
the industry might occur
which in turn change your

See FIRM on page 13

CHINCHBUG

13

Surface feeders cause
major lawn damage but
can be managedby IPM

T

here's an insidious
problem lurking in the
thatch of home lawns
from Maine to California—
surface feeders.
"Surface feeders can be a
serious problem because the
damage they cause often is
misdiagnosed as drought
stress or disease," says Dr.
David Shetlar, extension landscape entomologist at The
Ohio State University. "An
incorrect diagnosis delays
proper treatment, which can
lead to severe turf damage."
As the name implies, surface feeders spend most of
their time above ground, feeding on grass plants. Surface
feeders usually aren't as
damaging as soil-dwelling insects, but if left unchecked
they can devastate a home
lawn.
The list of surface feeders is
extensive. The most common
are:
• Chinch bugs—"hairy"
in the North and transition
zones, "southern" in the
South. These are the most
common and damaging surface feeder;
• Sod web worm — a
dozen species of this pest attack northern turfgrasses;
• Cutworm—several species cause damage, usually on
golf courses.
• Billbug—an unusual
pest, the billbug is a surface
feeder as an adult and a soildweller as a larva.
• Several others—armyworms, spittlebugs, greenbugs, winter grain mites,
clover mites and tropical sod
webworms.
Several insects that most
people wouldn't consider surface feeders fall into the category as well. These include
fleas, ticks,fireants (which are
both soil and surface dwellers)
and mole crickets. There are
even "new" surface feeders.
Bluegrass scale hasn't re-

ceived much publicity, but
it's spreading south from
Canada. European crane flies
and Australian sod flies are
causing problems on the
West Coast.
And Rhodesgrass mealybugs and Bermudagrass scale
feed on southern turf.
ccording to Shetlar, integrated pest management (IPM) is the key
to controlling surface feeders.

SOD WEBWORM

A

SURFACE
INSECTS

See SURFACE on page 14

On Some Lawns, Grubs Just Aren't a Problem.

OFTANOL is a Keg. TM of Bayer AG. Germany. 75351

C 1989 Mobay Corporation

FIRM

from page 12

mind about the business. Your
company may grow beyond
your ability to manage it. Crisis in your personal life may
translate into crisis in your
business. In any event, you
need to be prepared.
"How will I successfully get
out of my business?" This
question must be asked by the
business owner. And it must
be answered. You as the owner
have an obligation to do so—
for the sake of your family,
your employees, your customers and your creditors.
LCI

About the Author

Robert E. Andrews of Robert E.
Andrews and Associates,
Carmel, IN, will be conducting a
series of business seminars for
LCOs this winter.

OFTANOL™ controls grubs before they have a chance to do their damage.
Providing continuous protection that lasts. Nothing works better. It's your best
bet for grub control.
Mobay Corporation
ABayeruSAMC company

OFTANOL Bayer

Specialty Product* Group
Box 4913. Kansas City. MO 64120

SURFACE

from page 13

IPM is the process of identifying the pest, monitoring its
population level and selecting
an appropriate pest management technique. "IPM does
not mean no pesticides. It
means using all options, including insecticides, as necessary in a total management
program," says Shetlar. "It's
necessary to monitor the number and activity of pests, then
decide what to do," he adds.
"Some lawn care operators
shoot before they look. We're
trying to get away from that."
Shetlar says the best way to
monitor insect activity is to
"get d i r t y . " Inspect turf
closely, on your hands and
knees. If you can find chinch
bugs easily, for example,
you've likely got a problem.
Other methods for monitoring population levels may
not be practical for busy lawn
care operators. For example, it
takes several minutes to perform the standard sod webworm test, where soapy water
is poured on a small area of
turf. "Applicators just don't
have time to wait 10 minutes
on every lawn to see how many
sod webworms come to the
surface," says Shetlar.
If, after monitoring the surface feeders, an insecticide application is in order, several
factors should be kept in mind.
"The main reason lawn care
operators have to retreat
lawns is the insecticide didn't
reach the level where it will be
most effective," says Randy
Howard, owner of Lawn
Keeper, Fruitland, ID. "With
surface feeders, it's important
to make sure the insecticide
gets to where the insects feed."
Howard uses IPM methods to
control his primary insect
problems: sod webworms and
billbugs. He switched insec-

ticides to control a broader
spectrum of pests. "Since
switching to Triumph, my
callbacks have been cut in
half," says Howard. "It's more
expensive, but my customers
want a top-notch lawn, so I
haven't heard any complaints
about price."
In addition to field experience, research is helping arm
lawn care professionals with
knowledge that helps make
IPM—and better insect control—a reality. Some of the results are surprising. For
example, it turns out that the
second population of chinch
bugs causes the greatest damage. Since these populations
hatch in mid-summer, insecticides should be applied then.
Earlier research suggested differently, so it was assumed
that insecticides had to be applied early in the spring to
control chinch bugs.
The billbug is another surprising surface feeder. For
years LCOs assumed a fourto-five week "window" for applications to be most effective.
Actually, adults are active
early in the spring, and the
true "window" for applications is seven to 10 weeks.
These examples show what
research can do for the lawn
care industry. Together with
practical experience, it can
help professionals protect turf
from surface feeders.
LCI

ml laiKt)

.««dN.jl-cniC > Hi.

DowElanco Chief Executive
Officer John Hagaman (above
and center, with shovel) and
other officials broke ground for
the 520,000 square foot
research facility at what is
planned to be the company's
world headquarters just outside
of Indianapolis. Hagaman said
the complex will consist of the
research facility, a 200,000
square foot administration
building and a 90,000 square
foot employee development
center that will employ 800 by
its completion. Hagaman is
flanked by Indiana Lt. Gov.
Frank O'Bannon (left) and
Indianapolis Mayor William
Hudnut.

WMI: public wants more regs;
only pros should get products
public
wants more government regulation of professional pest
control. So says a survey commissioned by WMI Urban
Services, Inc., a subsidiary of
Waste Management Inc.
The survey of 1,000 households by Bruskin Associates,
New Brunswick, NJ, found:
• More than 86% of respondents feel that more rigid
testing and licensing for pest
control technicians was either
OAK BROOK, IL—The

Keller, STMA's
new director
LAS VEGAS, nv—The Sports
Turf Managers Association
(STMA) named Dale F. Keller, Jr., its executive director.
He replaces Mark Hodnik.
Association headquarters
mailing address: P.O. Box
98056, Las Vegas, NV 89193.
Telephone: 702/739-8052. LCI

"extremely" or "very" important.
• More than 78% feel that
chemicals used by technicians
should be restricted to their
use and shouldn't be available
to the public through retail
stores.
• Almost nine out of 10 respondents think it's "very important" that public places use
professional pest control services to protect the health of
all who visit those places.

End of de Line for Dandelions
And Other Broadleaf Weeds.
MecAmine D from UAP Special Products
contains three herbicides that provide effective,
economical control of a wide spectrum of broadleaf weeds. For use on most cool season grasses
(except bentgrass), MecAmine D offers a wide
margin of safety to turfgrasses in a low
volatile amine formulation. And it costs less
per application than comparable products!
To order your supply of MecAmine D,
contact your UAP Special Products
representative today.
1-800-833-4UAP (Fremont, NE)

1 - 8 0 0 - 2 2 2 - 9 9 6 3 (in Ohio)
1-800-821-0170 (States contiguous to Ohio)
1035 East Dodge Street Fremont NE 68025,1-800-833-4UAP

"This survey has direct implications to the lawn care industry," WMI's Don O'Toole,
told Lawn Care Industry magazine. "I think it seems to indicate that many people feel
very strongly that certain
chemicals and control products should be limited to the
professional operator. I think
that's good news to the industry."
WMI Urban Services has
gone on record since entering
the pest control and lawn care
industries several years ago
that it advocates new or enhanced regulation for:
• Applicator certification
and training.
• Expansion of the list of
pesticides available for application exclusively by certified
pest control operators.
• Uniform worker safety
and health standards for applicators of pest control products.
• Facility environmental
design standards and requirements for the proper storage
and handling of chemical control products.
• Requirements that both
applicators and retailers of
pest control products provide
customers, upon request, with
information regarding the
brand and common name of all
products used, the reason for
the use of each product, and
the amount of active ingredients in end-use product and
any special instructions appearing on the product label.
• Prompt registration of
new pest control products and
registration of existing ones.
LCI

„ MEET YOUR:'
TALL FESCUE NEEDS
WITH THE BEST
Lofts has three of the best-performing tall fescues available. Each
one offers all the good looks and tough performance you need:
Attractive, dark green color
Fine-leafed texture
• Resistance to drought, disease, insects and traffic
No thatch buildup
Adaptability to sun or shade
Less maintenance than bluegrasses or ryegrasses
New Rebel Jr.* even offers the added advantage of slower growth.
All of these varieties offer good looks, tough performance and low
maintenance. When you need a fescue, choose one of the best!

* * L a w n s a n d ftìrf

Lofts S e e d I n c .

T j Z
,
.
X .
. . V
.
World's largest marketer of turfgrass seed

l y S f m Bound Brook, NJ 08805
U S U U J (201) 356-8700 • (800) 526-3890
(800) 624-1474 (NJ)
r-»

i r*i

t.

k i i n n n n r

Lofts/Great Western Sunbelt Seeds, Inc.
Lofts/Maryland
Albany, OR
Norcross,
oeusvuie, MD
mu
Miuany,
un
iNoreross, GA
om
Beltsville,
(800)
732-3332
(800)732-3332
(503) 928-3100 or
(404) 448-9932 or
,
WVW/ /
i V » . » I I O (MD)
\I»IL/;
\ w v ;
i
\(800)
U W / 522-7333
sJt-C- " f J J O
732-7773
(800)
547-4063
ow)
(\(800)
To
ro |ocate
locate the Lofts' distributor nearest you, call

Lofts/New England
Arlington, MA
(617) 648-7550

(800) 526 3890
3 8 $(Eastern
S
U.S.) • (800) 547-4063 (Western U.S.)

ies available Fall 1989. Commercially available Fall 1990.

S

Card

mm

Hone your custom pricing skills

PRICING MODEL FOR
7,000 SQUARE FEET
1. Income per route per day. Add lines 2 & 3 $873.00
2. Materials costs at $1.00/1000 square feet
$153
3. Revenue/day to cover all costs, except
material
$720.00
4. Time available/day:8 hrs X 60 mins/hr
480 MIN
5. Cost/min:$720 divided by 480 mins
$1.50/MIN
6. Average travel time
15 MIN
7. Average production time @ 1000 sq ft/min
7 MIN
8. Total time per stop: 15 min + 7 min
22 MIN
9. Stops per day:480 min/22 min
21.8 EA
10. Cost per stop without material: 22 min X $1.50 $33.00
11. Material cost/stop:7000 sq ft X $1000 sq ft
$7.00
12. Price for average 7000 sq ft property per stop $40.00
13. Price per 1000 sq ft
$5.72
14. Price per acre
$249.20

BY PHILIP CHRISTIAN

L

arge residential or commercial
properties that don't fit existing
production methods, delivery
systems, routes, or price sheets must be
custom priced.
Under-price and you lose profits.
Over-price and you lose jobs and credibility.
Property owners/managers may demand modified programs with special
emphasis on certain parts of the property. You'll need quick, easy and flexible custom pricing capabilities.
Certainly, however, your pricing must
be as accurate as your standard pro-

gram.
Does the model, at left, fit
properties that are much
larger than 7,000 square feet?
Can the model be used as a
basis for custom pricing?
Consider. A customer asked
a price for five applications of
your standard program over a
nine-acre property. Using the
constants (those in bold print)
in the pricing model, calculate
the price-per-round for the
nine acre property. What's
your "quick and dirty" price?
If you multiplied nine acres
times line 14, and applied a

rule-of-thumb discount, you
probably priced the property
at $1,500 to $2,000 per round.
This, however, ignores the
basics of using the price
model.
Holding lines 3, 4, 6, 7, and
11 constant, calculate the price
for the nine-acre property
using the same methods, material, and equipment. First,
separate material. Using line
11, material is priced at $1 per
1,000 square feet or $43.56 an
acre. Hold that material acre
price until all other costs are
calculated, then add them together.
t a production rate of
1,000 square feet per
minute, as shown on
line 7, it would require 43.56
minutes to produce one acre.
One acre produced at $1.50 per
minute would equal $65.34 per
acre.
= Material price per acre
$43.56
= All other cost per acre
($1.50 x 43.56) $64.34
= or $108.90/acre
= $108.90/acre x 9 acres
$980.10
= Round trip: 30 min x
$1.50/min $45.00
= Extra fill-up round trip:
60 min x $1.50/min $90.00
= TOTAL $1115.00
= $123.88 per acre or $2.84
per 1,000 square feet
If the model is accurate,
why the big difference? Let's
test each constant shown in
bold print. Do they fit the
nine-acre property?
The $720.00 in line 3 is income required to cover all
costs except material. There
could be some operation pluses and minuses, but generally
the income shown should be
the same for a 21-stop route or
an all-day stop at one property.
We held the 8-hour work
day constant. That preserved
the $1.50-per-minute income
stream.
Travel time, as shown in
line 6, remains 15 minutes, but
on an all-day job we charge
travel time both ways. Travel
time is a separate calculation
in custom pricing so we can
use the actual travel time
when needed. We also added
60 minutes to refill the tanker.
This could be omitted on
smaller properties.
ine 7 is the production
rate on 1000 square feet
per minute. That equals
60,000 square feet per hour or
1.37 acres per hour. Working
on the same property all day
does offer opportunity to increase production in square
feet per hour. There are also
off-setting conditions such as
the fatigue factor, and the
number of pulls required per
acre. Production at 1000
square feet per minute seems
conservative, but safe. To increase or decrease the production substantially would
require individual tests by the

A

W

hen you need
color and turf
density — Glade. It does
the job in sun and up to
60% shade. Widely accepted
as the improved sun and shade
bluegrass variety, Glade gives you
confidence that your turf will
perform beautifully — excellent
texture, pleasing
green color, and
offers improved
disease resistance.
For a healthy turf in sun
or shade, insist on glade
in every mix — from
your local wholesale
seed distributor.

L
Kentucky bluegrass
Another fine, quality controlled
product of Jacklin Seed Company
U.S. Plant Patent 3151
Canada License No. 2133

LCOs.
A pricing model can be
helpful on any size property as
long as material is separated.
Material costs are proportional to the area; all other
costs are time related.
What if eight of the nine
acres were flat and open with
few obstructions? You might
choose to use a more productive delivery system than the
tanker or push spreader. If you
chose a tractor mounted occilating spreader, how would
the price or profit change?
Material costs would remain the same at $43.56 per

LCOs test
mini-bulk
deliveries
INDIANAPOLIS,

IN —

DowElanco is testing a delivery system to eliminate container disposal problems for
lawn care professionals.
Some LCOs in Ohio and
Michigan recently began receiving the company's Turflon
II Amne herbicide in 200-gallon, mini-bulk portable tanks
which are delivered and picked
up from LCOs by an authorized distributor.
Says Rick Dyer, market
manager for Barefoot Grass
Lawn Service, Detroit; "We're
eager to try the mini-bulk tank
because we...had so many 55gallon drums setting around."
After delivery of the minibulk tank, it's placed on pallets
so it sits 18 inches off the
ground. The herbicide can
then be discharged out of the
bottom of the tank at a rate of
five gallons per minute.
"Drum disposal is no longer
a concern since we started
testing this delivery system,"
says Steve Leisring, vice president of operations for GreenIon, Cincinnati. Leisring says
the mini-bulk tanks are a
practical solution to waste disposal problems and triple rinsing.
Dave Maurer, DowElanco
product marketing manager,
says his company hopes to expand the delivery system to
other products.
LCI

Crusade 5G is
being tested
W I L M I N G T O N , D E —ICI
Americas Professional Products says its new granular insecticide, Crusade® 5G, is
being tested by golf course superintendents.
Under the management of
Lebanon Chemical Corporation, Lesco, Inc. and Van Waters and Rogers, 40 lbs. of the
product are being given to
each cooperator to test its effectiveness against turf insects. Greg Gergen, product
manager for Crusade, says the
product should be available for
the 1991 season.
LCI

acre or $392 for nine acres.
One acre would also cost the
same at $64.35, but eight acres
would change. A typical tractor-mounted applicator would
increase production from 1.37
acres per hour to 6 acres per
hour. The 8 acres could be produced in 1.33 hours or 80 minutes. Eighty minutes x $1.50
per minutes equals $120.00 for
all other costs.
= Material for 9 acres
$392.00
= Application costs for 1
acre with standard method
$65.34
= Application costs for 8

acres with tractor-mounted
spreader $120
= Tractor & spreader rent:
l
/2 day minimum $150.00
= Travel time—round trip:
30 minutes $45
= $85.81 per acre
= $1.97 per 1000 square feet
The ability to quickly and
accurately price any landscape
activity will be a valuable skill
in the 90s.
LCI

About the Author

Philip D. Christian III of
Alpharetta, GA, is a consultant
with All-Green Management
Associates, in Columbus, Ohio

A step up
The California
Landscape
Contractors Association recently purchased and moved
its headquarters to this 80year-old remodeled Victorian
at 2021 N St., Sacramento.
The association also bought
the smaller building on the
right and is leasing its office
space. The organization had
outgrown its old location at
LCI
2226 K St.

Why this magazine
and more than
900others let lis
go over their books
once a year.
Some magazines, we're sorry to say, keep their
readers undercover. They steadfastly refuse to let BPA
(Business Publications Audit of Circulation, Inc.) or any
other independent, not-for-profit organization audit their
circulation records.
On the other hand, over 900 publications (like this
one) belong to BPA. Once a year, BPA auditors examine
and verify the accuracy of our circulation records.
This audit provides the name, company, industry and
job title of every reader each publication reaches. The
information helps advertisers to determine if they are
saying the right thing to the right people in the right place.
It also helps somebody else important: you. Because
the more a publication and its advertisers know about you,
the better they can provide you with articles and
advertisements that meet your informational needs.
BPA. For readers it stands for meaningful information.
For advertisers it stands for meaningful readers. Business
Publications Audit of Circulation, Inc.
T J / n n A
360 Park Ave. So., New York, NY 10010. V
D r M
Wz count, so your ads wiU.

Steve Johnson (I.) and Steve Witten direct the aggressive turf
breeding program for International Seeds, Inc., Halsey, OR.

Dr. Bill Meyer said dwarf grasses becoming more important in tour of plots at Turf-Seed

The "Turfseed" people
PACIFIC N O R T H W E S T — F o r a

couple of weeks, usually about
mid June, the "seed people"
here catch their breaths—and
wait. They've seen this so
many seasons before—ripening fields of turfgrass turning

from spring green to yellow, a
yellow that when the sun slips
over the horizon about 10 p.m.
or thereabouts settles into a
deepening bronze.
Harvest isn't too many
weeks away—first one variety,

then another—and, providing
the rains don't come and ruin
the harvest, the farmers and
the big seed houses that have
contracted with them have a
pretty good idea how the crop
will be.
By mid June of
this year the 1990
crop in Oregon and
Washington
(where much of the
world's quality
g r a s s seed is
grown) looked
good, real good.
Lawn Care Industry magazine
in
will detail the harvest and the
turfseed industry's
newest research—
and what it all
means to LCOs—
in its September
edition. Look for it.

Attn. Small Landscapers:
Your Options Keep Growing
TL30 HydroSeeder*
Finn now presents the most efficient and reliable small HydroSeeder
the industry.
• Both paddle agitation and liquid
recirculation
• 300 gallon working capacity, for
small and spot work
• 18 HP Briggs and Stratton gas
engine
• Spray distance of up to 6 0 ^
feet from end of hose

i

LCI

Arden Jacklin, co-founder Jacklin Seed Company (I. to r.) with Drs
Joe M. Duich, Penn State, and Doug Brede, Jacklin.

T60 HydroSeeder

«NN

Our popular 500 gallon
machine is now even more
productive.
/ / / / # /

r

L

New slurry pump for even greater operating efficiency
New axle and wheel arrangement for more flotation
Spray distance of up to 8 0 feet from end of hose
6000-7000 square feet with one load
Available
with Kubota
gas or diesel
power
Ideal machines for golf
courses,
park districts,
cemetaries,
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^ z >V
HV

FINN
CORPORATION
Phone (513) 874-2818
Toll Free (800) 543-7166
FAX (513) 874-2914
9 2 8 1 LeSaint Drive. Fairfield. Ohio 4 5 0 1 4

Seed Research's Mike Robinson (I.) extolled hard fescues with (I. to r.) Will Perry
Landscape Management magazine, Dr. Leah Brillman, Bob Mierow Lawn Care Industry
magazine, and Steve Poitras. Brillman and Poitras are with Seed Research.

21

•

OPARR seeks
special fund
O H I O —The
Ohio Pesticide Applicators for
Responsible Regulation
(OPARR) has been pushing
for legislation to increase registration fees for all pestitices
to fund research and training
programs for users.
Under OPARR's proposal,
an annual fee of $50 would be
required for each product
name and brand registered to a
company and an additional
$75 fee for each pesticide product registered to be put into
the state pesticide and fertilizer fund.
LCI

COLUMBUS,

Dr. Jerry Pepin, Pickseed West,
spoke of field burning issue.
Jacklin Seed researcher Virginia Kanickaberg said uses for primed seed are growing.

Bonsai

r

WE'RE

MAKING

HISTORY

... AGAIN!

Dr. Fred Ledeboer, Turf
Merchants, touted new dwarf
turf varieties.

Lesco. Inc.
records best
quarter ever
CLEVELAND,

OHIO—LeSCO,

Inc. reported the best quarter
in its history—sales of
$34,853,400. Earnings rose to
$1,888,600, or 46 cents a share
in the quarter ending May 31,
1990, more than double the
year-ago second quarter earnings.
James I. FitzGibbon, chairman and chief executive officer, said: "Most of our product
lines contributed to the gains
for this year's second quarter
and first half with our business
operating at a more traditional
level than last year."
FitzGibbon said the second
quarter is traditionally one of
the best periods of the year because of customer purchasing
patterns which are based on
regional weather conditions.
In the first half Lesco had sales
of $50,849,400.
LCI

our Pro Series walk-behind
commercial mowers are the most
"user-friendly" pro-mowers in the
industry. With two power units, 14
h.p. or 18 h.p. Kohler engines, and
four sizes of mower decks, 36", 48", 52"
and 61" to choose from, you can custom
ize your equipment to fit the job.
Here are just a few PRO SERIES
features:
• Special Peerless transmission, engineered exclusively for Snapper/Kees
• 5 forward speeds from 1.5 to 5.9 m.p.h.,
shift gears on-the-go
• Unique handle design for true fingertip
control
• Positive reverse drive
• 5-gallon fuel tank
• All critical mower adjustments conveniently
located above the deck
• On-the-go brake adjustment
Outstanding commercial equipment, easy lease
plans, commercial user Snap-credit. Snapper/Kees
Pro Division - we're making history...again.

You already know Snapper
Power Equipment and F.D. Kees
Manufacturing. Individually,
we've been leading turf equipment manufacturers for several
years.
Now, we've joined forces.
Our combined experience
brings 116 years of knowhow to the development
of the highest quality
outdoor power
equipment on the
market, and the
oldest new name
is leading the
industry...
Snapper/
Kees.

For more information, call or write:
700-800 Park Ave.
Beatrice, Nebraska 68310 • 402-223-2391

PRO

DIVISION

Turf near trees may lead
to grass care headaches
one without affecting the
other.
In a natural situation, trees
e take for granted
turfgrass near and and turf are rarely found thrivunder a variety of ing in the same area at the
trees. Why not? They seem to same time, because they compete for available water and elcoexist so well?
The answer is fundamental. ements for growth. There are
We're stewards of the land- also spatial considerations,
scape environment, and it's growth inhibiting chemical inour responsibility to provide teractions among roots of diffor healthy growth and devel- ferent plants (allelopathy),
opment of both turf and trees. and other biological factors.
You can't single out or ignore
Some researchers observe
BY S T E V E N J . D A Y

W

A turf-free area around a tree solves many problems.

Elite Turfgrass
Seed Mixture
Triple Play is the unique blend of ryegrasses that has been carefully selected to meet specific needs for seeding Athletic Fields,
Lawn Areas and Golf Courses.
Triple Play contains the elite turf-type ryegrasses of PENNANT,
MANHATTAN H and STALLION. Triple Play will produce a
beautiful dark green color with excellent heat and drought
tolerance.
Seeding Recommendation 5 to 7 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft.
Ask Us About Our Full Line of Turf Grass Seeds.

QUALITY.

It's a Way of Life at Tyler.
If you want the very best in quality products and service, write or call us today.

Tyler
«ra

.Quality Products for Quality Turf
Enterprises, Inc.

GREENSWARD
FERTILIZER

PO. Box 365 • Route 53 South • Elwood, Illinois • 60421
Telephone: (815) 423-5551 • FAX: (815) 423-6331
TOLL FREE 1-800-421-4740
(IN MILWAUKEE (414) 535-0466)
Copyright 1990 Ty ler Enterprises Inc.

an inhibition of tree root development or overall decrease
in growth rate of trees grown
in turfgrass, especially young
trees. Other studies show improved root development of
trees if mulch is placed around
the base when the tree is
young, instead of planting it
where the roots are surrounded or covered by sod. We
also know the yields of fruit
trees drop if sod surrounds
them.
But trees and turf can coexist harmoniously in a landscape, and landscape managers should be willing and able
to manipulate the cultural environment to allow for healthy
growth of each.
For example, in sod, especially high-water-demanding
bluegrass sod, trees adapted to
low-water conditions should
not be planted: Russian olive,
ponderosa and pinyon pines
and junipers. Trees that generally tolerate greater amounts
of water—trees in the Populus
genus, maples, birches, ashes
and lindens—will usually do
better in turfgrass.

T

o keep bluegrass green
and thick requires more
water and nitrogen fertilizer than many trees require
in the same site. This presents
a compatibility problem for
most pines, firs, and other
trees where fast growth compromises structural integrity
and vitality. Roots often grow
very close to or poke through
the soil surface, making mowing difficult and hazardous.
Also, people don't like to
wrench ankles on tree roots
and trees don't like to have
their roots butchered, torn out
or chemically treated.
Arguably, the most controversial aspect of tree and turf
compatibility is with the use of
herbicides. Just because tree
roots are out of sight doesn't
guarantee against herbicide
uptake from repeated or excessive applications in turf. A selective broadleaf herbicide for
use on turfgrass is not selectively uptaken or metabolized by tree roots. In fact,
common systemic herbicides
such as 2,4-D and dicamba are
known to be absorbed and
translocated by trees. Injury
that can result may be apparent within days or injury can
be insidious, accumulating
over weeks and months, even
year to year in certain herbicide/soil persistence problems. Lethal "accidents" have
occurred to trees from turf-applied selective broadleaf herbicides, whether uptake
occurs through roots, stems or
leaves.
Another important occurrence affecting the healthy
coexistence of turfgrass and
trees is the physical scuffing,

tearing and bruising of lower
bark and wood tissues on trees
by mowers and line trimmers.
Lawnmowers are the most injury threat to trees. The breakdown of stem tissues over
time, perhaps years, can be lethal or lead to internal decay.
The solution is easy: remove or
kill grass around the base of
trees.
It's probably best to maintain a four-foot-diameter turffree circle at a tree's base. If
your client doesn't like to see
bare ground or dead areas
around the base of trees, place
a few inches of mulch over the
area. Just about any decorative landscape material is
better than allowing turfgrass
to grow right up to the trunks
of trees.
As landscape managers we
must educate ourselves as to
the different cultural requirements of trees and turfgrass.
There is no reason why the
proper trees and turf can't coexist in harmony for decades.
If a tree can survive the first
five years after being planted
in turfgrass, it stands a pretty
good chance of long-term survival.

W

e should educate our
customers about the
importance of removing turf around tree bases,
providing a cultural environment compatible with turf and
trees, assessing the impacts of
herbicide overuse in turf (especially multiple broadcast
applications of broadleaf herbicides), and proper planting
of trees in turf to prevent
water reservoirs from developing around the base of trees.
Proper installation of irrigation systems is another area
critical to the health of trees
and turf. Trenching through
turfgrass roots is one thing;

LCOs to get
Cutless soon
—LCOs
may be getting Cutless 50W
plant growth regulator in the
near future, says a release from
DowElanco Specialty Products.
The product was first introduced for use on golf courses,
but once application techniques are refined it will be offered to LCOs, says the
company which claims the
product's use will reduce the
need for mowing, produce
fewer clippings, and reduce
turfgrass water use.
DowElanco says Cutless is
a "type II" plant growth regulation which means it suppresses vertical turf growth
but has little effect on other
processes such as seedhead development.
LCI
I N D I A N A P O L I S , IN

Questions about
Pesticides?
Call 1-800-858-7378
National Pesticide
Telecommunications
Network

trenching through tree roots is
an entirely different thing.
Tree roots are competing directly with turfgrass roots for
space, water and elements.
It's a myth that tree roots,
especially the non-woody
type, grow where they are out
of reach to a trencher used in
system installations. Trenching kills roots. Plan trenching
so that minimal injury occurs
to tree roots. Where possible,
trench at a radius to the tree
trunk, not on a tangent; fewer
large tree roots will be severed.
Where possible, trench as
close to existing borders as

possible, such as sidewalks,
driveways and fencelines.
Where possible, use larger or
different types of irrigation
materials to minimize the
need for additional trenching
and line to be installed.
Consider boring under large
diameter tree roots instead of
cutting through them. When
1/2-inch diameter and larger
tree roots are severed, cut the
ends cleanly back to the soil
interface and don't paint them
with anything. Just as with
stems, cut back roots to laterals where possible. This will
help prevent root rot and fur-

ther decline.
Finally, compacted soil is
bad for turf roots and it's also
bad for tree roots. Tree varieties that withstand soil comp a c t i o n have not been
developed as have several turf
grass varieties. There's no
such thing as a "tough-wearing" tree in the context that
we consider "tough-wearing"
turfgrass. Effects of soil compaction on tree root development and overall tree vitality
may take years to manifest
themselves.
The things we do to turf
show up a lot sooner than the

things we do to trees. Turf
managers who satisfy their clients because they're doing the
right things for both trees and
turf are going to be successful.
Yes, trees and turf can coexist in harmony.
LCI

About the Author

Steven J. Day is
a consultant to
the green
industry. He
operates
LANDSCAPES
plus, Wheat
Ridge, CO

V^UH^^d
ÊM

JB

80033.

g j ^ l

^ • • M ^ .

LET

LAWN CARE INDUSTRY
MAKE YOU AN AUTHOR!
LAWN CARE INDUSTRY IS LOOKING FOR INFORMATIVE, WELLWRITTEN BOOKS, MANUALS AND PAPERS ON TOPICS RELATED TO
THE LAWN CARE INDUSTRY. TOPICS THAT ADDRESS SUCH
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS AS:

•
•
•
•
•

HOW DO I MAKE MY BUSINESS GROW?
WHAT'S THE KEY TO INCREASED SALES?
HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD I INVEST IN ADVERTISING?
HOW DO I KEEP MY CUSTOMERS COMING BACK?
HOW DO I HIRE GOOD EMPLOYEES?
HERE'S A WAY TO FINALLY GET YOUR WORK

PUBLISHED!

SEND YOUR MANUSCRIPT AND AN OUTLINE
OF ITS CONTENTS (TYPEWRITTEN, PLEASE) TO THE
ADDRESS BELOW AND OUR EDITORS WILL REVIEW IT.
IF WE THINK IT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO OTHERS IN THE
FIELD, WE'LL DISCUSS PUBLICATION DETAILS WITH YOU.
TOGETHER, YOU AND LAWN CARE INDUSTRY MAGAZINE CAN
IMPROVE THE SUPPLY OF QUALITY INFORMATION
AVAILABLE TO OUR INDUSTRY.
SEND TO:

LAWN CARE INDUSTRY
BUSINESS INFORMATION SERVICES
7500 OLD OAK BLVD.
CLEVELAND, OHIO 44130

>

S

NEW PRODUCTS

Feldmann's hydro-auger
kit makes drilling easy

The new hydro-auger mates to

the Feldmann earth auger
powerhead using a section of
3A-inch piple, and the sockethead set screw. Hydro drilling is easy in soft, wet soil
because the erosion principle
moves earth together with mechanical drilling. The hydroauger kit 2482 includes one 2inch carbide-tipped bit, the
driver coupler with adapter
and regulating valve with hose
connection.
The kit used with the Feldmann powerhead eliminates
the necessity of trenching
through lawns and across
streets with the expense of refilling, repaving, etc.
Circle No. 140 on service card.

Eliminate problems
with new soil fumigant

Lesco, Inc.'s, Soil Prep is a
non-selective, non-permanent
soil fumigant for broad-spectrum pest control. It eliminates competition from weeds,
germinating weed seeds, fungi,
insects and nematodes, resulting in bigger and better ornamentals and increased
yields.
Soil Prep is a water-soluble
liquid that is mixed with water
and requires no agitation. It
can be applied with either a
sprinkling can or hose-end
sprayer.
It's ideal for use on lawns

prior to reseeding, in gardens,
fencerows, greenhouses and
nursery beds, says Lesco. LCI
Circle No. 141 on service card.

New skid-mounted Finn
hydroseeder fast, easy

The 300-gallon capacity TL30
Hydroseeder is powered by a
Briggs and Stratton 18-hp
Twin II gas engine. The TL30
has a centrifugal pump and
both a mechanical paddle agitator and liquid recirculation
for fast and easy mixing of
seed, fertilizer and fiber
mulch. A variety of options are
available.
LCI
Circle No. 143 on service card.

O.M. Scott unveils
starter fertilizer

O.M. Scott & Sons Company
says its Proturf 16-24-12 Turf
Starter Fertilizer promotes Audio cassettes give
vigorous seedling develop- plant info on the run
ment and root growth in new Use the time in your car proseedings. Turf Starter may be ductively by listening to
dragged into the top 1/A inch of Landscape Audio Cassettes
soil with the seed, or applied from C.D. Anderson. Cassettes are a great way to learn
prior to overseeding.
plant information that can be
Circle No. 142 on service card.
used in more impressive sales
presentations, offer plant alternatives to customers, etc.
Common names of plants
are used with growth habit
characteristics, native height,
preferred location, soil type
preferred, etc.

16-24-12
JirfStarter
Fertilizer

Circle No. 144 on service card.

Why Grasscycle?

Sugarlo*. U S A

ORTHENE Turf,Tree
& Ornamental Spray
keeps pests
out of your dub.

control. ORTHENE suppiies longlasting residual action against other
insects including tent caterpillars,
aphidsand thrips.
ORTHENE Turf,Tree& Ornamental Spray. It's more than enough
to drive unwanted pests right off
your course.

Stop pests from playing a round
on your course with ORTHENE Turf,
Tree & Ornamental Spray. One
treatment provides a broad spectrum Turf, Tree & Ornamental Spray
of protection for turf as well as a wide Avoid accidents. Fey safety, read the entre label including precautions.
Use all chemicals only as directed Copyright C 1990 Valent U S A.
variety of trees and ornamentals.
Corporation. All rights reserved. ORTHtNt is a registered trademark of
Chevron Chemical Co
ORTHENE kills quickly on contact,
VALENT.
then by systemic action. So you'll keep
hard-to-kill pests like mole crickets,
armywormsand leaf hoppers under

The Professional Lawn Care Industry (PLCAA) says
Grassrecycling:
1 Improves lawn quality. Clippings release valuable nutrients when they decay on the lawn.
2 Grasscycling saves time and work. People may have to
mow one more time each month, but that time is more than
offset by the time they save by not bagging.
3 Don't cause thatch problems. Returning clippings contributes only .03 inch to the thatch layer each year.
4 Won't damage lawns. Mow regularly and at the proper
height to avoid too many clippings on the lawn.
5 Doesn't spread lawn diseases. Watering, fertilizing and
sharpness of the mower blade have a greater influence on the
occurrence of disease.
6 All lawnmowers can grasscycle. Keep your mower sharp
and mow when the grass is dry.
7 Collecting clippings is becoming more expensive.
Grasscycling eliminates any fees associated with disposal of
clippings.
LCI

Top Texas turfers gather
D A L L A S , TX—The presidents
of six Texas turf-related associations are on the program of
the Texas Turfgrass Field Day
at the Texas A&M Research &
Extension Center here Aug.
15-16.

They'll join four academic
representatives for a Aug. 15
afternoon presentation at
17360 Coit Road.
Call Texas A&M Research
& Extension Center,
214/231-5362.
LCI

TRAINING

from page 1

agreed among themselves that
they will allow the evolution of
the model program according
to the wishes of the committee. And that they, as suppliers, will not seek any
advertising or marketing
coups because of their support
of the effort.
"Eventually there's going
to be some major changes in
the way pesticide-using businesses o p e r a t e , " says
PLCAA's Tom Delaney, including government-mandated training for lawn care
technicians.
In fact, a three-tier process
for anyone using restricted use
pesticides (RUPs) is being
considered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The updating of part 171 of the
Federal
Insecticide,
Fungicide, Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA) would establish the
following three product categories:
1 Products that can be applied by a technician "under
the direct supervision" of a
certified applicator.

Troutman is
LCI advisor
CLEVELAND,

OHIO — D r .

Barry Troutman has agreed to
serve on the Lawn Care Industry magazine editorial advisory board. He joins Marty
Erbaugh, Erbaugh Corp., Peninsula, Ohio; Jack Robertson,
R o b e r t s o n Lawn C a r e ,
Springfield, IL; and Dr. A.J.
Powell, the University of Kentucky.
Troutman recently joined
Green Up Lawn Care (a part of
Massey Services), Orlando,
FL. He was formerly the education director of the Professional Lawn Care Association
of America (PLCAA) and also
owner/operator of Turf and
Ornamental Technology, a
market consulting firm for
turfgrass managers.
A former president of The
Georgia Turfgrass Foundation, Inc., Troutman received
his B.S. degree from The Ohio
State University, an M.S. in
Turfgrass Management from
the University of Rhode Island, and a Ph. D. in Turfgrass
Weed Science from the University of Arkansas. He began
his professional turfgrass career with ChemLawn.
LCI

2 Products that can only
be applied by a certified applicator.
3 Products that can be applied by a technician provided a certified applicator
can be summoned to the site
"in a short period of time."
Presently, LCOs use very
few RUPs, but that's small
reason to dismiss the considerations in Washington,
D.C., because it's likely EPA
will expand the list of RUPs
as the result of additional
studies, particularly groundwater studies, Delaney tells
Lawn Care Industry magazine.
Even more regulations

Also, Senator Richard G.
Luger (R-IN) is pushing Senate Bill 2490, the Pesticide
Safety Improvement Act of

It's obvious our industry is going to
have to become more
sophisticated—
Thomas Delaney, PLCAA
1990, also addressing technician training. One provision in
this proposal establishes
training criteria, including
setting guidelines for trainers
themselves.
"It's obvious our industry is
going to have to become more
sophisticated because it's
going to be a tougher business
to be in," says Delaney.
Bonnie Poli says the Curriculum Committee hopes to
have the outline of the model
program done by early fall.
Several additional months will
then probably be needed as the
outline is reviewed and scru-

Texas researcher
says treated seed
a good investment
In the favorable climatic conditions of spring and fall, you can
practically watch newly seeded turfgrasses grow. What you can't
see—but can prepare for—soilborne fungi attacking unprotected seeds and tender emerging roots.
Delayed germination and blighted stands can be avoided by
planting seed treated with fungicides and by maintaining a
careful watering program, says Dr. Phillip Colbaugh, a research
plant pathologist at Texas A&M's Agricultural Experiment Station in Dallas.
Colbaugh recently completed a series of laboratory and field
trials in which seedling growth and pythium blight disease
control were evaluated on turfgrass seeds treated with a combination of commercial fungicides. The resulting data showed
average stand counts were enhanced, and the incidence of infection diminished when seeds were treated with a fungicide mixture.
The tests were on perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, tall fescue
and two Kentucky bluegrasses supplied by Gustafson, Inc.,
Piano, TX.
The study he conducted with assistant Tom McAfee also
showed that treated varieties emerged more quickly (with the
exception of the inherently slow germinating bluegrasses), and
produced stands 20-90 percent fuller than untreated varieties.
"Pythium and other soilborne diseases, like Rhizoctonia and
fusarium, lurk in almost every soil that benefits from regular
watering and fertilization," says Colbaugh.
Ironically, market estimates indicate that less than 25 percent of the overseed turfgrasses use a seed treatment for disease
control.
"I just don't think enough growers realize the economics of
planting treated seed," says Colbaugh. "It's like term insurance.
You get 30 days of protection while those new roots are getting
established and a good stand started."
A good example is perennial ryegrass, which, treated with a
primary fungicide costs only about four cents more per pound, or
16 cents per 1,000 square feet, say commercial suppliers in the
Pacific Northwest.
Many disease problems affecting turfgrass seedlings are generically described as "damping off," a disease complex that can
be caused by one of several pathogens in the soil. Pythium,
however, is the most common culprit.
Especially vulnerable are turfgrasses sown at an excessive
rate, because the emerging seedlings already will be weakened
from having to compete for light and nutrients.
Colbaugh says seeding dates for overseeded grasses are critical in determining the level of threat from disease. If fall seeding
dates are too early, soil temperatures are warmer and favor the
growth of several pythium species that will invade tender seedlings. Too early in the spring, and you risk the stunting effects of
frost.
"Those ideal planting windows are small, and if you plant
outside of them, you tip the balance in favor of fungi," warns
Colbaugh.
Texas A&M's test plots were seeded on October 20,1989 with
10 lbs. of selected varieties per 1,000 square feet. Six chemical
treatment combinations were used on the five test grasses. LCI

tinized by both private and
public agencies and representatives.
Hopefully then somebody
will come forward with a proposal to take the outline and
distill it into a practical training program, including a manuel, videotapes and other
supporting material.
(A similar training program
for highway right-of-way applicators is well underway at
Purdue University.)
LCI

To find an
elite
bluegrass
ata
friendly
price, you
ought to
read
between
the lines.
FYLKING FYLKING FYLKING

FYLKING

FYLKING

"

FYLKING

FYLKING FYLKING

**

FYLKING FYLKING

FYLKING C7 FYLKING
FYLKING

FYLKING FYLKING

Compare Fylking's competitive price and
advantages! Fylking forms a thick, lush turf
that has improved disease and drought
resistance. Fylking greens up earlier, stays
green longer; can be cut as low as 3A i n c h even 1/2 inch. Fylking has been proven over
many years of international turf testing.
Ask your seed distributor for Fylking.

FYLKING
KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS
U.S. Plant Patent 2887

Another fine, quality controlled
product of Jacklin Seed Company

CLASSIFIED
RATES: $1.00 per word (minimum charge, $35).
Boldface words or words in all capital letters
charged at $1.25 per word. Boxed or display ads
charged at 1X $85; 3X $80; 6X $75; 9X $70; 12X $65
per column inch (one inch minimum). (Frequencies
based on a calender year). Agency commission
allowed only when camera ready art is provided by
agency. For ads using blind box numbers add $15
to total cost of ad. Send ad copy with payment to:
DAWN NILSEN, LAWN CARE INDUSTRY, 1 E.
First St., Duluth, MN 55802. (218) 723-9505. Fax
Number (218) 723-9615.

Training Programs: Effectively train your new and
experienced employees in the least amount of
time with minimal management involvement.
Complete weekly lesson packages including
handouts, quizzes and documentation forms.
Train at your location, at your convenience. Topics
include pesticide safety and handling, agronomic
and horticultural issues, customer service and
sales, driver safety and more. Both lawn and tree
and shrub care programs available. Recertification credits often available. Pesticide Compliance
and Training Services, Inc. Call Paul Skorupa at
401-294-1384.
10/90

FOR SALE
Long Island, NY based free & Shrub care firm for
sale. Comprehensive spray/fertilization program.
Serving both residential & commercial clients.
Fully trained staff. Large, well maintained, late
model fleet. Fully computerized. Highly profitable.
Annual sales exceed $600,000. For further information, respond to LCI Box 227.
9/90

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

O
Environmental C a r e Inc

FOR SALE: Lawn & tree care company suburban
Washington, DC/Baltimore area. Established 11
years. Excellent reputation. Residential & commercial accounts. Owner will stay if desired. Send
confidential inquiries to LCI Box 224.
8/90

CAREER OPPORTUNITY
Technical / Training person wanted to do
field research and training with large
maintenance contracting firm. Knowledge
of landscape maintenance practices in
western states desirable. Ability to work
with others and problem solve is essential.

Commercial landscape and wholesale nursery:
Est. 1978. Excellent California growth area. Gross
$750,000, net $100,000 year. $85,000 nursery inventory, $65,000 equipt. $650,000 contracts
signed, price $235,000, 30% down - owner/finance. (916)663-1913 or (916)652-0481. Ask for
Bob.
9/90

Please send confidential resume to:
Manager of Technical Services
Environmental Care, Inc.
825 Mabury Road
San Jose. CA 95133.

Realistically make $500-700 a day with a lawn
Aerator & a truck. Robin Pedrotti explains step-bystep how he turned his weekend summer job into a
full business using the latest technology in aeration. Effective advertising and soil conditioner
sales. You can make $40-90 an hour plus. $6,500
investment. Manual price $89.99. Special inside
industry offer $39.99, ends Sept. 7, plus $4.00
P&H. Make checks payable: Robin Pedrotti, 3403
Dorchester Dr., San Diego, CA 92123. VISA/MC.
619-571-2884
8/90

CURBMATE. The growth industry of the 90 s is
concrete landscape edging installed by the Curbmate machine. Excellent profits, low overhead,
low start-up. $5,495. Call 801-273-3938.
8/90

HOW TO EARN UP TO $300 PER HOUR WITH
LAWN RENOVATION SERVICES. Approx. 150
pages, $39.95 postpaid. HOW TO EARN AT
LEAST $60 PER HOUR MOWING GRASS...AND
STILL BE THE LOW BIDDER! 195 pages, by contractor with 15 yrs. experience, $29.95 postpaid.
GOMC, 10490 Bluegrass Pkwy., Louisville, KY
40299. VISA/MC. (502)499-9031.
10/90

SELLING- BUYING- EXPANDING A GREEN INDUSTRY BUSINESS? Any size, any type, anywhere in the United States. Confidentiality maintained. Valuations, sales, mergers, acquisitions,
analysis of operations. NILSSON ASSOCIATESGREEN INDUSTRY
CONSULTANTS.
(203-621-6199).
TF

WANTED

W A N T E D T O A C Q U IIRE
RE

SPRAY TRUCKS: 84 & 86 Ford F350's, 600 gallon
tank with Hypro D-50 PTO pumps, 6.9 Diesels low
miles, $9,500 and $11,000. Both excellent.
(315)685-5257.
8/90

SERVICES

SOFTWARE

MISCELLANEOUS
C.C.L. CONSULTING INC.
Comprehensive Consulting Services for
Lawn Care Companies Expanding Into
Tree/Shrub Care Services.

Minimum Risk/Costs Associated With Trial
and Error Strategies
# Alternative Operations, Marketing and
Financial Strategies Developed/ Assessed
to Capitalize on Opportunities Available to
Your Company
# 12 Years Operations and Business
Development Experience With The Nation's
Largest Horticultural Service Company
Call/write:
Dana Rudolph
(513)891-6630
B.S. Landscape Horticulture
M.B.A. Finance & Operations Mgmt.
4128 St. John's Terrace
Cincinnati, Ohio 45236
#

The
Service
Solution
A Computer System for Lawn and
Tree Care that Can Increase your
Customer Base and, Most Importantly,
Help You Keep It!
Call Today: 1-800-326-7032

Practical Solutions, Inc.
7100 North High Street
Worthington, Ohio 43085
Scheduling Solutions for the Service Industry

Use our
Classified
Blind Box
Service
for
Confidential
Results!

LET CLASSIFIEDS
WORK FOR YOU!

HELP WANTED
Landscape Supervisor: Established Michigan
Contractor looking for self-motivated individual
with 5 years minimum experience to manage
crews and oversee landscape installation. Send
resume and salary requirements to: DeAngelis
Landscape Incorporated, 22425 Van Horn Road,
Woodhaven, Michigan 48183. EOE.
8/90
Manager needed for private chemical lawn care
company. (No cutting etc.) in the Rochester, NY
area. Able to plan 1-2 years ahead, market research and trends, delegate and motivate, sales
and business background all important. Employing 30 plus people year round. Send resume to LCI
Box 223.
10/90

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HANNAY HOSE REELS: New in the box. E1526's
and E1530's - $359. We will ship and pay freight
anywhere in the U.S.A. and Canada. Immediate
delivery. Other size reels and parts available at
fabulous savings! Call 313-543-2200, in Michigan.
Outside Michigan - 1-800-843-LAWN.
TF

KELWAY® professional SOIL ACIDITY and SOLUBLE SALTS TESTERS, available from distributors nationwide. HB-2 and SST brochures from
KEL INSTRUMENTS CO., INC., Dept. 2, P.O. Box
2174, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. (508)693-7798.
12/90

SPRAY RIG: 1987 NAVISTAR 1654. Allison Automatic Transmission. Heavy Duty Chassis. Dual
Fuel Tanks. Low Mileage. 1,300 gal. 2-Compartment S.S. Tank with Dry Storage. Twin Hannay
Reels with Hose, Flow Meter, 150 gal. Poly Pony
Tank with Reel and many other extras. $25,000.
LaFlamme Services, Inc., P.O. Box 6377,
Bridgeport, CT 06606. Tele: (203)333-1912. 8/90

I

Lawn care companies of all
sizes in U.S. and Canada
being sought by national corporation. Complete buy out or
stay and grow with us. If interested, please call me directly:

FRANCHISE: Lawn care company located in
Southwest Wisconsin. Established business, 350
active accounts, annual sales $50,000. Experienced good growth since its beginning in 1987.
Business is priced at $45,000. Owner will stay for
smooth transition. Interested parties reply to LCI
Box 226.
8/90

Don Karnes
Senior Vice-President
TRU GREEN CORPORATION
(404) 442-8700

USED CHIPPERS, BUCKET TRUCKS, BOOM
TRUCKS: Stump grinders, stake bodies, tree
trucks and dumps. New Morbark and Woodchuck
Chippers. Rayco stump grinders at discount
prices. We also buy trucks and equipment. Opdyke, Inc., Hatfield, PA (Phil, area) 215-721-4444.
8/90

LANDSCAPE DIVISION MANAGER: well established, rapidly growing company seeks individual
to take over for retiring manager. Individual must
be able to run both a maintenance and a planting
division simultaneously. Requires exceptional organizational/management skills as well as complete c o m m a n d of plant m a t e r i a l s and
maintenance techniques. For consideration contact David Gorter, 855 Skokie Highway, Lake Bluff,
IL 60044. 708-615-0800.
10/90

General Manager needed for established full service multi-million dollar Denver Landscape Care
firm. This position reports directly to the President
and has full operational responsibility. Qualified
candidates must demonstrate operations knowledge centered around the greens industry, strong
leadership and team building skills and an ability to
implement an aggressive customer service driven
business plan. Good benefits and excellent profit
sharing plan. Send resume detailing experience
and salary requirements to: Wilhelm Tree & Lawn,
8200 E. Harvard, Denver, CO 80231.
8/90

DISTRIBUTORS NEEDED FOR ORGANIC LAWN
AND GARDEN FERTILIZERS: NATURALL Lawn
Food 8-1-3 and NATURALL Garden Food 2-4-4
are tested and proven products. Distributors are
needed throughout the USA. For consideration
contact: Hiram Lund, CFS Specialty Division, Box
24, Rt. 2, Cashton, Wl 54619. 800-822-6671. 9/90

AD INDEX
NO. ADVERTISER

The Andersons
(Regional)
6
102 Cushman-Ryan
2-3
104 DowElanco (Regional) .. 23
105 DowElanco (Regional) .. 17
103 DowElanco
27
107 Finn Corp
18
109 Jacklin Seed Co
7
110 Jacklin Seed Co
16
108 Jacklin Seed Co
25
106 Kees Mfg. Co
21
111 Lesco, Ine
28
135 Lofts Seed
15
112 MobayCorp
4
113 MobayCorp
11
114 MobayCorp
13
115 NOR-AM Chemical Co. .. 5
116 Turf Seed Ind
8
117 Tyler Enterprises
(Regional)
12
118 Tyler Enterprises
(Regional)
22
119 UAP
14
120 Valent USA Corp
24

This index provided as an additional service. The publisher assumes no liability for
ommission or error.

C l a s s i f i e d A d v e r t i s i n g is

•Easy •Effective •Economical
Help

wanted: W.

STRICT CONFIDENTIALITY
MAINTAINED

| TRU CREEK
Wanted to Buy - Lawn care companies of all sizes
anywhere in U.S. wanted to purchase by national
corporation. If interested, please respond to LCI
Box 197. Strict confidentiality maintained.
TF

FREE PARTS C A T A L O G - If you own a
32-36-48-52-61 walk-behind or riding mower and
feel you're paying too much for your parts and
equipment call PRECO DISTRIBUTORS today. We
have BELTS, BLADES, WHEELS, GRASS
CATCHERS. Replacement parts that fit Bobcat,
Bunton, Kees, Exmark, Scag & others. Engines
and Parts for Honda, Kawasaki, Briggs & Stratton
and more. Order your free catalog 24 hours a day.
TOLL FREE 1-800-428-8004, US, in Mass.
1-800-421-3900. Preco Distributors, 97 Center St.,
Ludlow, MA 01056.
TF

PAGE

101

Send all Classified Advertisements to:
Dawn Nilsen, 1 East First Street, Duluth, MN 55802
(218) 723-9200

Introducing
Gallery."
Nothing's more terrifying than to hear a
customer say, "They're back." Dreaded
broadleaves. Costly callbacks. You want
to scream.
Your nightmares are over at last.
Elanco introduces the unique preemergence broadleaf weed control for turfgrass—new Gallery 75DF. Featuring an
advanced new chemistry, it casts broad-

leaves into the dungeon and throws away
the key all season long.
Your customers won't be haunted by
spurge. Or oxalis. Or white clover. Or 41
other tough broadleaves. And you'll be
haunted less by costly callbacks.
Yet turfgrass has nothing to fear.
New Gallery is actually more tolerant
on your turf than other herbicides. So
there's no risk of off-site damage to
nearby ornamentals, gardens and trees.
Put an end to the horror of broadleaves.
Instead of hearing "They're back," start
saying, "They're gone." With new Gallery.
See your Elanco distributor. Or call
toll-free: 1-800-352-6776.
Circle No. 103 on Reader Inquiry Card

Elanco Products Company
A Division of Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly Corporate Center
Dept. EM-455, Indianapolis, IN 46285, U.S.A.
Gallery™'—(isoxaben, Elanco)

A reliable old friend.
LESCO

Three-Way
Selective Herbicide
• FOR PROFESSIONAL TURF M A I N T E N A N C E OPERATORS ONLY

(Contain* 0.22 lb*. Dkimba.
I.JO tbv MCPP and 2 44 tbv 2.4-0)
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Three-Way
bentgrass
formulation
also available.
Always read and follow
instructions on package
before using any
chemical product.

For outstanding and economical broad-spectrum weed control, one product stands alone.
LESCO Three-Way Selective Herbicide.
The combined efficiency of 2,4-D, MCPP and
dicamba stops more than 30 weeds with a single
application. Including tough problems like
ground ivy and spurge.
And just as important is the cost effectiveness of Three-Way. Why pay more for herbicides
that do less?

Outstanding weed control at an economical
cost. No wonder LESCO Three-Way Selective
Herbicide is still the first choice of professional
turfgrass managers.
It's nice to know you can rely on an old
friend. Order today.
(800) 825-3726
LESCO, Inc., 20005 Lake Road, Rocky River, Ohio 44116 • (216) 333-9250