Friday 30 November 2018

Winter Pruning Tips for Northern New Jersey

It is a common misconception that pruning should only be done in the fall, after deciduous plants, shrubs and trees have bloomed and are dormant. However almost any time is a good time to prune if your plant needs it. Read on to discover the best winter pruning tips for northern New Jersey landscapes.

What is ‘Pruning’?

Pruning refers to the practice of trimming back foliage from plants in order to keep them healthy and beautiful. Late winter is the best time for pruning, especially in Northern New Jersey. It promotes the fastest regrowth for spring and is much easier to see what needs to be removed when the foliage has died back for winter. To begin pruning any plant, first remove any stems that look damaged by disease or weather, or appear dead. You can do this any time you notice them. Dead and decaying foliage make good insects homes and invite diseases into the rest of the plant. You can next remove branches that are forming from the trunk that you do not want, or from below the ground. You will also want to reduce higher branches for a more open overall appearance. We have written in the past, listing general pruning tips.

Top tips for winter pruing in Northern New JerseyWhy Prune?

Pruning is vital to organic tree and shrub care. The main reasons why we prune is to thin, reduce, and amputate.

  • Thinning is crucial to cutting out diseased part of your organic tree or shrub. It also prevents confusion from the plant’s structure and it enhances the overall health.
  • Reducing is key for the beauty of your plant. It increases flowering in foliage, and it also prevents the plant from outgrowing its position in your yard.
  • Amputating a tree or shrub sounds comical, but is extremely necessary to revitalize shrubs and trees to their younger selves. Experiment where to snip, but judge carefully. While trees can be forgiving, over pruning may harm the organic tree or shrub life in seasons to come.

Winter Pruning Tips for Northern New Jersey Landscapes

At Borst Landscape, our trained professionals can handle even the most daunting pruning task, but if you are a do-it-yourself pruner, here are some tips for winter pruning in northern New Jersey.

  • Pruning on a mild, dry day will be easiest for you and the plant.
  • While winter is recommended as pruning season, make sure the coldest part has passed so cold damage from pruning cuts don’t harm your tree or shrub.
  • First, remove the diseased or dead, branches and any branches that cross over.
  • Slowly remove the overgrown and smaller branches. This will increase air and most importantly light at the top of the tree.
  • The goal is to keep the healthy, strong branches to maintain the overall structure of your plant.
  • Cutting at the node (a central or connecting point) of the branch is the best way to keep up the health and beauty of the tree
  • There is an exception to the prune in winter rule. For early spring blooming shrubs such as lilac, forsythia and rhododendron should actually be pruned right after they bloom, or you may remove the flower buds necessary for a beautiful spring bloom.

If you need help with winter pruning tips in Northern New Jersey, or want to discuss pruning with a professional, Borst Landscape & Design is here to help. We can help you prune your perennials, shrubs and trees for a spectacular spring landscape. Contact the experts at Borst today to get started.

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Thursday 29 November 2018

9 Marketing Tips To Prepare Your Lawn Care Business For Spring

lawn care business

By Jake Hundley 

As 2018 winds down and we move into the new year, it’s time to start thinking about taxes, winter services, new equipment upgrades… oh yeah, and marketing your lawn care business for the spring.

lawn care business

(Credit: Comstock)

If you’re in a downward swing of services and income in the winter, it’s no doubt you’re probably getting amped up for March and April services. And you most likely want a big season opener after feeling like you’ve been skimping by the last and first parts of the year.

Whether you have a marketing budget set aside or are using this time to think about advertising ideas when the time comes, marketing your lawn care business for the spring starts right now! You want to be at the top of your customers’ minds at the start of the new season both traditionally and digitally.

Here are nine ways to accomplish that goal:

1. Get A Website

If you don’t have a website, you should seriously consider getting one. It can take anywhere between 2 and 6 months to start ranking well for certain keywords in your area on a new site, so now is the most crucial time to get a good site built that’s search engine optimized.

Without a website, you won’t appear in search engines, at least, not on the first page of results. This is because competitor websites, no matter how bad, tend to rank much better than social media pages. So if you’ve been relying solely on your Facebook page, it’s time to get your own website if you want to capitalize on the 74% of people using Google and Bing to research lawn care services in your area.

If you’ve thought about getting a website for awhile and haven’t yet justified it, here’s an article on 13 different reasons why you should have a website for your lawn care and landscaping business.

There are a lot of inexpensive options for getting a website that cost less than $20/month where you can DIY it like Wix, SquareSpace, or Weebly that are really easy to use. However, if you’re looking to build a site that attracts quality leads through search engines, I suggest having one built by a professional.

2. Start Advertising For Spring Services

The earlier you can go to market at the beginning of the year the better, because if you’re not getting in front of your customers early on, your competitors are. The good news is advertising traffic during the slower winter months is down due to the lack of initiative most green industry business owners without a marketing plan have. That means there is less to compete for in the advertising space!

So if you’re running pay-per-click (PPC) or paid social media campaigns, your costs-per-click (CPC) tend to be less and your impression share trends higher. That translates to more exposure for less money!

The trick is advertising with a sense of urgency, which means market services that are time sensitive based on seasonality. Not only do these services tend to have a higher ROI (aeration, fertilization, spring cleanup, etc.), but the time to have them done in the spring is limited and so are the amount of hours you have in a week.

When running your spring service ads on Facebook or even on door hangers, stress a sense of urgency. For example:

Grow a thick, healthy lawn this year with spring Aeration and Fertilization
10% OFF!
Call now before our schedule fills up!

There are actually four elements to this ad copy:

  • Intent: I stated the service and what the ad was for.
  • Offer: I provided an appealing incentive with 10% off.
  • Relate: The ad copy related to the customer’s need or want for a healthy lawn.
  • Urgency: The importance of taking action now incentivizes the customer to call now.

All four elements are needed for the most effective sales ad, but urgency is the most important. The urgency aspect of the ad copy is what prevents your customer from forgetting about you by putting you off. It also prevents your competitors from getting in front of your customers before they call you or take action.

3. Create Spring Related Website Content

If you already have a website, it would serve you well to optimize some pages on your website for spring related services. For instance, if you have a “Services” page but no service pages for each individual service, start by creating pages for those services that can be performed in the spring, like the above mentioned aeration and fertilization.

Having individual pages for your services, especially utilizing localized keywords, is sure to give you the extra boost in search engine rankings when the start of the season rolls around.

Already have optimized service pages for these? Start writing a blog based on high profile keywords in your area. People in your area might be using Google to research things like, “When to lay grass seed in the spring?” If this is the case, it would be an excellent opportunity to write a blog post on your site about the different considerations for laying grass seed, such as how compacted the soil is and how you can ensure strong growth with fertilization throughout the spring and summer.

Creating posts like this based on searched questions and queries attracts customers who may want to hire a professional after understanding what goes into growing the lawn they want.

The best part is, you don’t have to just write a post and only capture search engine traffic, you can also utilize it as content on social media and share to potential customers who may want that perfect lawn, but haven’t thought about the steps they should take to get there.

If you’re not sure where to start with keyword ideas, you can utilize the Keyword Planner in Google Ads, Google Search Console, or Bing Webmasters Tools.

You can even spy on what your competitors are ranking for in your area and outdo them with freemium tools like SpyFu or SEMrush!

4. Join Local Trade Associations And Groups

There’s almost no better networking for a local business than to join local trade associations. All you have to do is a quick Google search and see what kind of entrepreneurial or trade groups are in your area that you can join.

For instance, your local Chamber of Commerce is a given. Not only is it an opportunity to engage with other business owners in your area, you can also get a link and citation to your website (which improves SEO).

Finding other local entrepreneur or business networking events is as simple as heading over to meetup.com and searching for entrepreneur related topics. People are always looking to connect face-to-face. Use your slower business time in the winter to join these groups, network, and stay active for both getting your foot in the door for commercial accounts and working your way up to those high-profile accounts.

5. Reach Out To Local Businesses

Speaking of commercial accounts, the end of the year is usually when businesses address their next year budgets. Late fall and early winter is prime time for reaching out to local businesses. Here’s the problem though: you can’t expect a local business to reach out to you. If they are having their lawn maintenanced already, there is no need for them to research new lawn care companies. This is when you need to do the legwork and reach out to these businesses.

If you’ve been doing your networking throughout the year, then this is the time to inquire and pitch a new year contract with that commercial account you’ve been trying to get.

But remember to be confident and professional in your approach.

Now that you know this is the timing, you may want to check out more ways to gain commercial clients.

6. Optimize Your Social Media Pages

Have you been neglecting your social media pages this season? It’s easy to do when you’re out in the field and running your business. Finding the time for proper marketing, branding, and maintaining a professional, online appearance is difficult.

Whether most of your customers come from social media or not, people are looking for your brand not only through search engines like Google or Bing, but also through social media. They’re looking at your community presence, your brand personality, the quality of your work, and most importantly your reviews on multiple platforms.

Residential customers are looking at your Facebook profile while commercial clients are taking a look at your professional appearance on LinkedIn.

Take the time this winter to give your social media pages a professional makeover. If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at this guide on how to optimize your Facebook page.

7. Door Hangers

Spring time yields a huge influx of customer calls and website form fills which means you’ll likely have an uptick in customer property visits and new clients. Take this opportunity to have door hangers on hand to do quick 9-bys (or however many houses you want to canvas) and place door hangers nine houses in both directions and on both sides of the street.

If done according to the formula above, you’ll have canvassed 36 houses around one customer’s house.

Now obviously this takes time, so stick to customers in nicer neighborhoods where routine lawn maintenance is in the majority of their budget. Targeting neighborhoods that don’t meet this requirement is a waste of your time.

Keep in mind, the industry standard call rate on door hangers is 1% or less. So in theory, you have to deliver 100 to get one call back, and that’s not a guaranteed sale. However, it doesn’t have to be that. Having a professionally designed door hanger that’s engaging with a good call-to-action (CTA) can prompt a lot more prospective customers to call.

If you’re looking for a professional design, Joe from The Small Business Store does excellent work.

8. Wrap Your Truck (Or Get Magnets)

A nice truck wrap goes a long way in getting you noticed. Everytime you go quote a yard or service a lawn, you’re driving a mobile billboard. If you have the funds or capital to invest in a full body truck wrap, it will make you stand out from your competition. However, wraps tend to be a bit more expensive than stickers or magnets.

You could be spending anywhere between $1,500 to $4,000 in a quality truck wrap with the design included, but winter is the perfect time to do it since your vehicle may be out of commission during the wrapping process. However, if you live in an area that is prone to ice and snow, make sure you keep salt buildup off your new wrap to keep from damaging your investment.

Now think about doing those 9-bys with your door hangers with the newly wrapped, eye-popping truck. While you’re walking up and down the street delivering door hangers, your branded truck is acting as a large billboard that entire time, increasing your exposure and ultimately, hopefully, your door hanger response rate.

9. Professionally Designed Business Cards

Take the opportunity to really get professionally designed business cards instead of the VistaPrint ones you likely designed yourself. A professional business card can be the deciding factor on whether or not you get that commercial account callback.

It reminds me of an exercise a few years ago at a sales meeting. All of us formed a circle in the room and took out our business cards. Each of us then passed our business card to the person to the left. The person to the left had two options for the business card:

  • Do nothing with it
  • Tear it in half

If the person to the left tore the business card you handed them, it was because it was not “impressive or engaging.”

When you watch someone tear up your own business card in front of you, it changes the way you look at your brand appearance in the smallest details.

Do you think someone would tear your business card?

Spring Marketing Starts Now

The jobs may be slowing down, but your marketing should start to pick up in the winter in order for you to get a head start in the spring. Use the slower time at the end of this year to really focus on your company position in the new year and dominate market share both offline and online when the spring service calls begin to come in!

 

lawn care businessJake Hundley is the CEO of EverGrow Marketing, a digital marketing agency that caters to the landscaping and lawn care industry. They create digital marketing strategies utilizing SEO, SEM, Social Media, Website Development, and UX optimization to deliver high quality leads with a measurable and positive ROI.

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Tuesday 20 November 2018

Plowsite: This Week’s Cool Threads

ice management professionals

From advice on job estimates to exit strategies, popular questions posted by the ice and snow management professionals on PlowSite forums this past week.

Business Fundamentals

  • A Senior PlowSite Member did his first run of the season, 5 inches of wet snow, and realizes he needs another truck. In the meantime, it’s his policy that commercial jobs get done before residential clients, and the residential clients complained. What are your policies? Share your thoughts…

Bidding & Estimating

  • A Junior PlowSite Member is looking for advice on how much to charge a property management company for plowing and salting three apartment complexes when it supplies its own salt. Share your thoughts…
  • A Junior PlowSite Member is looking for advice on pricing a snow removal job, along with feedback on equipment and how long the job should take. Share your thoughts…

Ice Management

  • A Senior PlowSite Member from North Dakota is looking for advice on buying a tailgate spreader and a walk behind spreader for a commercial job, plus an estimate on how much salt it takes to treat a one-acre property. Share your thoughts…

Commercial Snow Removal

  • A 2000 Club Member from Connecticut wants to know how he can exit the plowing business in a blaze of cash and profits. Do you have an exit strategy? Share your thoughts…

 

PlowSite is the largest and most active online forum servicing snow and ice management professionals.

As the only resource of its kind in the marketplace, PlowSite has been a coveted place for snow and ice management professionals seeking peer-to-peer networking, business guidance and insight into industry best practices and trends since 2000.

ice management professionals

Join your industry peers in this growing, dynamic community today:
Register For FREE!

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LawnSite Forums: This Week’s Hot Threads

lawn mowing landscape professionals

From record keeping strategies to what products to put on your Christmas list, here are some questions from the landscape professionals on LawnSite forums this past week.

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

  • A LawnSite Member from Oriental, NC needs some feedback on record keeping. He’d like to know if anyone else continues to keep physical record books and calendars while also using business software. Share your thoughts…
  • A LawnSite Member from Southeast Iowa is looking for advice on creating a spreadsheet with predefined prices for mowing. Share your thoughts…

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE

  • A LawnSite Senior Member from Gales Ferry, CT is frustrated with the early snow. Anybody else? How is it impacting your business? Share your thoughts…

LAWN MOWING

  • A LawnSite Member from Little Rock, AR is making his Christmas list: What’s your favorite ear protection product? Share your thoughts… 

STARTING A LAWN CARE BUSINESS

Do you need feedback on a professional challenge you’re facing within your landscaping or lawn care business? Tap into the wealth of knowledge at LawnSite, the largest and most active online forum serving green industry professionals.

As the only resource of its kind in the marketplace, LawnSite has been a coveted place for landscape professionals seeking peer-to-peer networking, business guidance and insight into industry best practices and trends since 1995.

lawn mowing landscape professionals

Join your industry peers in this growing, dynamic community today:
Register For FREE!

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Monday 19 November 2018

In Hurricane Affected Areas, PBI-Gordon Extends Early Order Program

turfgrass management

PBI-Gordon Corporation has extended its October End-User Early Order Program (EOP) deadline for customers in states in the south and southeast affected by hurricanes Michael and Florence. The company is providing professional turfgrass management customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Virginia until November 30, 2018 to take advantage of the maximum rebate allowed for their specific purchases.

With a full line of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, growth regulators and other products, PBI-Gordon Corporation is a national provider in the professional turf and ornamental management industry. Those who are interested in this program should contact a PBI-Gordon distributor or visit EOP.PBIGordonTurf.com.

Said Doug Obermann, PBI-Gordon vice president of professional and agricultural sales, “The hurricane season so far this year has been disruptive and damaging, and we realize how much stress it has placed on our distributor and end-user partners in the affected states. It is our hope that, by extending the EOP pricing deadline, we can alleviate some of their concerns and worry.”

PBI-Gordon Announces Chief Operating Officer

turfgrass management

Steve Clifford, Chief Operating Officer, PBI-Gordon Corporation

In other PBI-Gordon news today, a new chief operating officer has been named — Steve Clifford, a long-time PBI-Gordon Corporation advisory board member. He joined the company in this position effective July 31, 2018. Clifford was previously an audit partner and the Managing Partner of Ernst & Young’s Kansas City office from 1999 through his retirement in 2015.

Clifford, who has served as an advisory director on the PBI-Gordon board of directors since his retirement in 2015, is an experienced senior executive who successfully led several organizations during his career. In addition to his duties at PBI-Gordon, he also serves as a director on the board of Ferrellgas Partners, an American supplier of propane.

In the newly created position of chief operating officer, Clifford will direct operations of PBI-Gordon’s three business units: Pest Management, PetAg, and Pegasus Laboratories. Additionally, he will oversee the company’s information technology and enterprise resource planning teams. Clifford will report directly to PBI-Gordon CEO Don Chew.

“Steve Clifford is a proven business leader and will be an outstanding addition to the PBI-Gordon management team,” said Chew. “His experience in helping companies make their businesses better through strategic development, a focus on financial performance metrics, and attainment of immediate and long-term growth objectives will be vital as we continue to grow and increase market share across all the sectors we serve.”

In addition to his current roles with PBI-Gordon and Ferrellgas, Clifford serves as a member of the board of the Archdiocese of Northeast Kansas. He is also the former chairman of the board of both Cristo Rey High School and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Steve is also a former director of the Boy Scouts of America and Rockhurst High School, among others

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Wednesday 14 November 2018

7 Steps To Build in South Tasmania

With spectacular scenery, friendly people and a relaxed lifestyle, Southern Tasmania provides a wonderful place to call home. Be it your permanent home or a holiday home, building in Southern Tasmania is a smart choice.

As you start planning your build, here are 7 things you need to consider.

1. The south Tassie climate

Tasmania has four distinct seasons with the warmest months being December to March. The average maximum daily temperatures in summer are between 17 and 23 degrees while winter temperatures sit between 3 and 11 degrees. In terms of rainfall, the south is home to some of Tasmania’s driest regions, with Hobart being Australia’s second driest capital city after Adelaide.

Close to the coast the temperatures can be cooler with a series of cold fronts coming in from the Southern Ocean.

2. Topography

Much of Tasmania is composed of Jurassic dolerite intrusions (the upwelling of magma) through other rock types, sometimes forming large columnar joints. Mount Wellington just north of Hobart is a good example, showing distinct columns known as the Organ Pipes.

In the south, the dolerite is underlaid by sandstone and similar sedimentary stones. Owing to a relatively dry climate and its alkaline parent material, soil presents a different story to the soil in the rest of the state. Mostly classified as “prairie soils” or “brown earth soils” it bears some resemblance to the chernozems of Russia and North America.

Somewhat acidic in the surface levels and high in nutrient levels, the soil supports productive pasture. Large numbers of sheep are grazed in the region and grain crops and apples flourish.

What kind of kit home is right for you? Take the quiz to see which kit home design is your perfect match

3. Natural hazards

Southern Tasmania is prone to bushfires, flooding, landslides, coastal erosion and coastal inundation. There may be additional considerations if you are building in the areas subject to natural hazards, with new statewide planning and building requirements being implemented for hazardous areas during 2018. The changes are set out in Part 5 of the Building Regulations 2016. The state uses a nationally agreed methodology for the risk management process:

  • Establish the context
  • Identify risks
  • Analyse risks
  • Evaluate risks
  • Treat risks

Likelihood refers to ‘the chance of something happening’, the frequency of something occuring and the impact it will have. The risk rating is expressed as High, Medium or Low.

In Southern Tasmania, bushfire is considered the most significant natural hazard. In 1967, fires swept through Hobart and resulted in the deaths of 62 people. Until the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria in 2009, this was the highest number of fatalities from bushfire in a single day experienced in Australia.

Because of the risk of bushfire, development standards apply to new use and development within a ‘bushfire-prone area’. A bushfire-prone area for the purposes of Tasmanian planning and building regulation includes:

  • Land that is within the boundary of a bushfire prone area shown on an overlay on a planning scheme map; or
  • Where there is no overlay on a planning scheme map, land that is within 100m of an area of bushfire-prone vegetation equal to or greater than 1 hectare.

Frequent storms and wild winds are not uncommon in Southern Tasmania and mitigation actions for storms are also included in building standards.

4. The Significant Tree Code

The Hobart Interim Planning Scheme 2015 includes a Significant Tree Code, recognising the use, character and value that garden and street trees contribute to the urban environment. The list initially comprised of trees included on the National Trust of Australia Significant Tree Register but has since welcomed nominations from members of the public.

Nominations for additions to the Significant Tree Register closed on 21 May 2018. A total of 200 nominations were received. 115 of these were for individual trees and 85 were for groups of trees containing approximately 1400 trees. An update of the Register will be announced soon.

To check if a tree is already listed on the register, view a map of Significant Trees.

5. Water management guidelines

The region’s water sensitive urban design guidelines are intended to help lessen the impact that urbanisation is having on Tasmania’s waterways and offer an improved standard of water management in new and existing development. The guidelines include 12 sets of Practice Notes for greater efficiency in water use and reuse. The guidelines can be downloaded here.

6. Energy efficiency

New home builders are encouraged to reduce their heating and cooling costs and impact on the environment through good design and construction methods. Some improvements may include:

  • Selecting a building location that has good exposure to the sun
  • Building a house that has a northerly position to make the most of the sun for that climate zone
  • Well insulated wall, floor and ceiling
  • Windows that do not lose heat in winter and reflect heat in summer
  • Internal and external shading of windows and walls in summer

7. Building regulations in South Tasmania

If building a kit home in Southern Tasmania the work will either be deemed “Medium Risk” or “High Risk”. If it’s a Medium Risk an application (Notice of Work) is made to a building surveyor for a Certificate of Likely Compliance. This can be carried out by a licensed builder with regulatory oversight by a building surveyor. Council will need to be notified that the work is taking place but doesn’t need to give approval.

If you are planning to erect your kit home as an Owner Builder or you’re carrying out your build in a hazardous area, you will need to apply to council for a Building Permit. This requires you to go through a full building approval process with council.

Plumbing work will also be classed as either Medium Risk or High Risk and will reflect whether or not you need a Certificate of Likely Compliance or a Plumbing Permit.

Kit home designs to build in Southern Tasmania

We recommend the following designs for building a home in Southern Tasmania

Get in touch with Kitome home to build in South Tasmania

Helping you achieve your housing dreams by providing tailored designs suited to your chosen location is what we pride ourselves on. Whether you choose one of our unique kit home designs, customise our designs or start completely from scratch, the Kitome team is with you every step of the way. Get in touch with our team today to learn more, or download our brochure and discover how flexible we can be.

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Tuesday 13 November 2018

Ferris IS 3200 Midnight Limited Edition Commercial Mower Debuts

commercial mower

Briggs & Stratton Corporation debuted its new Ferris® IS® 3200 Midnight limited edition commercial mower at the recent GIE+EXPO to celebrate its 20th anniversary of suspension technology. Available for a limited-time only, new styling highlights a premium Ferris suspension, new rugged tires and a multifunctional front end guard with recessed jack mount for increased accessibility and LED lights for increased visibility.

commercial mowerPremium features on the new IS 3200 Midnight limited edition mower allow operators to work comfortably while achieving the highest cut quality.

Benefits include:

  • Unrivaled Comfort: A premium HP shock system with a 12-position adjustable dampening, and progressive rate spring allows the shock to smoothly absorb smaller bumps while being firm enough to handle big dips. A top-of-the-line, two-tone suspension seat with headrest optimizes operator comfort.
  • Improved Cut Quality: The upgraded shocks and springs on the IS 3200 Midnight limited edition mower allow the patented adjustable front and rear suspension technology and the iCD Cutting System to follow the terrain even more closely, allowing the systems to work even better.
  • Easy Access, Better Visibility: A new multi-functional front end guard provides a recessed jack mount for easy access to deck components and recessed LED headlights for loading enclosed trailers at dusk, extending the day.
  • Improved Traction: New tires feature a rugged, deep tread design for added traction.

“The IS 3200 Midnight edition is the first unit crafted by the Advanced Concepts Team,” said Joe Ferris, product manager, commercial products. “This select, cross-functional team took the IS 3200 model to the next level of performance and styling through the application of advanced technology.”

Powered by a 37 gross horsepower Vanguard® BIG BLOCK™ EFI engine, the IS 3200 Midnight limited edition commercial mower features the patented and proven Oil Guard™ System. This system, exclusively from Vanguard, extends the oil change interval to 500 hours. This saves landscape contractors up to 60 percent per unit on oil maintenance each season3. That means less labor costs, technical skills and tools are needed to perform timely oil changes.

Ferris will manufacture 500 units of the IS 3200 Midnight limited edition, and will be sold exclusively through the authorized Ferris dealer network.

The new IS 3200 Midnight limited edition is protected by an unmatched 2+2 Year Limited Warranty. The mower is covered for the first two years with unlimited hours – and years 3-4 up to 500 hours. All suspension components, including the coil-over shocks, and frame are covered for five years or 60 months. Landscape professionals can find their local Ferris dealer to schedule a demonstration at ferrismowers.com.

  • See operator’s manual or www.ferrismowers.com for complete warranty details.
  • All power levels are stated at gross horsepower at 3600 RPM per SAE J1940 as rated by Briggs & Stratton.
  • Cost savings based on standard oil maintenance with 100-hour interval versus Oil Guard System 500-hour service interval.

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Monday 12 November 2018

Next Gen 25-inch PLUGR Aerator Provides Unprecedented Productivity

aerator

Ideal for commercial applications, the Next Gen 25-inch PLUGR® aerator from Billy Goat Industries offers up to 42,550 square feet of aeration per hour in a single pass and an estimated 30-plus percent greater return on investment versus traditional drum units.

With its exclusive Variable Aeration Density (VAD™), operators can vary hole spacing from 8 to 45 holes per square foot, allowing for the versatility of pulling plugs at the density suited for turf conditions, plus at .5 mph will produce 45 holes per square foot for patch repair and seed bed prep. The machine’s reciprocating action drives plugs up to 2x the depth of drums and aerates in wet or dry conditions, saving time and maximizing productivity.

aeratorThe unit features self-propelled rear-wheel hydro-drive and front wheel casters for ultimate in-ground turning. Along with patent pending EZ Lift n Drop™ tine engagement/disengagement, the tines gently drag across obstacles in the aeration path with the simple release of a lever — without interrupting aeration. There’s simply no aerator easier to maneuver, smoother to operate or more efficient to use.

Simple, intuitive hydro-drive controls allow feathering the speed with finger-tip access and matches Billy Goat’s family of hydro-drive products for common “feel” and fleet consistency. The patent pending EZ Lift™ rear foot pedal conveniently lifts and locks tines for added maneuverability when using the reverse feature or when transporting the unit.

Convenient no-tool flip-up hoods offer best in class interior machine and belt access for easy service, plus a mere six tines versus up to 42 on a 26” drum unit gives a whole new meaning to quick and easy service!

Top it off with a 40-pound capacity water weight tank positioned directly over the tines for better aeration depth and wheel traction in drier conditions.

The Next Gen PL2501 ser. aerator is powered by your choice of a 163cc Honda or a 203cc Vanguard 200. The new Vanguard 200 dimensions and bolt configuration make it a drop-in solution for equipment powered by other engine manufacturers. This high performing engine is 40% quieter* and has 15% less vibration** and includes TransportGuard® to prevent oil dilution during transport, an industry-leading oil management system that allows the engine to run efficiently for up to 200 hours between oil changes, and an advanced fully cyclonic air filtration system which extends air filter replacement intervals to 600 hours.

* As compared to Honda GX200 at 3600 RPM full load with standard muffler. Sound levels may vary based on application and conditions.
** As compared to Honda GX200. Vibration may vary based on application and conditions.

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Military Families Need Your Help

military personnel

Winter 2019 is going to be a teeth-chattering cold one, with plenty of snow, according to the venerable Farmers’ Almanac. That’s not the news families of deployed military personnel want to hear since clearing driveways and sidewalks of snow and ice is physically taxing, and a real hardship when one of the primary heads of household is not there.

military personnelThat’s why the need for volunteers remains strong and Project EverGreen, in partnership with BOSS Snowplow, is once again teaming up to make a difference this winter by encouraging snow management professionals to register to become a Project EverGreen SnowCare for Troops volunteer.

Now in its ninth year, the need for SnowCare for Troops volunteers is still tremendous. With military deployments occurring regularly across the U.S., new volunteers are needed in all states to provide snow removal service to the families of deployed military personnel. Volunteers are matched with families within their service area.

“SnowCare for Troops provides military families in need with peace of mind and lifts a significant burden from their plates,” says Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen. “We’re very grateful for the commitment of our dedicated volunteers and the continued support from BOSS Snowplow. The leadership they have demonstrated in support of military families goes above and beyond the call of duty.”

November 11-17, 2018 is National SnowCare for Troops Awareness Week and is intended to raise the profile of the program and spotlight the efforts of the initiative’s loyal volunteers and the military families they help. Throughout the week, profiles and stories will be shared via social media. A video about the program is also available to view online.

military personnelSnowCare for Troops is more than clearing driveways and sidewalks of snow and ice. It’s a means to help military families maintain their independence and go about their daily routines taking care of family, work, school and more.

“BOSS Snowplow supports the SnowCare for Troops program as a meaningful way for our employees and our customers to give back to military families,” said Mark Klossner, director of marketing, BOSS Snowplow. “Our customers have great pride for their country and our armed forces and want to help others, so we are proud to lend our support.”

For more information or to register to be a SnowCare for Troops volunteer, visit the Project EverGreen website.

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Wednesday 7 November 2018

6 Things To Know Before Building In Tasmania’s Central Highlands

The Central Highlands is the heart of Tasmania. It covers 8,010 sq km, roughly 12 percent of Tasmania’s land mass. It’s home to a permanent population of 2,216 and thriving communities disparately located around the region’s spectacular lakes and mountains.

Life in the Central Highlands is all about glorious scenery, fantastic trout fishing, and dramatic heritage. It’s home to a World Heritage Area, two national parks, and other Wilderness Conservation Areas. You can hunt, bush walk and fly fish and enjoy a strong agricultural, horticultural and tourism environment.

But before you break ground for your new kit home, there are 6 things you need to consider before you start building.

1. Building and development

Development within the Central Highlands Council area is governed by the Building Code of Australia and the Central Highlands Planning Scheme 1998. Visit the Bothwell Office at 19 Alexander Street for application forms and further information.

Building permits are required for demolitions, alterations, additions, changes of use and all new buildings. There are four categories for building work, based on the level of risk to public health and safety. Different approval processes apply for each category:

  • Category 1 (low risk building work) – can be undertaken without a permit by an owner, or competent person, or licensed builder.
  • Category 2 (low risk building work) – can be undertaken without a permit by a Licenced Builder (or a competent person only where specified).
  • Category 3 (notifiable building work) – Work that is considered to be medium risk requires a Certificate of Likely Compliance from a Building Surveyor. The permit authority is notified of this work but no Building Permit is required.
  • Category 4 (permit building work) – High risk building work requires a Certificate of Likely Compliance from a Building Surveyor and a Building Permit issued by the permit authority.

You will need to choose between employing a Private Building Surveyor or the Council’s Building Surveyor to assess and issue a Certificate of Likely Compliance. A plumbing permit must also be obtained before work commences. There are five categories of plumbing works:

  • Category 1 – Low Risk Plumbing works that can be undertaken by an owner, or a competent person
  • Category 2A – Low Risk (Non-notifiable) Plumbing Work (Licensed plumber)
  • Category 2B – Low Risk Post Notifiable Work (Licensed plumber)
  • Category 3 – Notifiable Plumbing Work (Licensed plumber)
  • Category 4 – Plumbing work that requires a Plumbing Permit from the Permit Authority (Licensed plumber)

More information and all your forms can be found here.

2. The region

The Central Highlands region isn’t easily described. It’s a land of three thousand lakes (hence why it’s also known as The Lake Country) and includes Australia’s deepest freshwater lake (Lake St Clair) and Australia’s largest freshwater lake (The Great Lake). It’s a land of raw wilderness within the World Heritage listed Walls of Jerusalem National Park, which borders the iconic Cradle Mountain. So vast is the mountain range that weather can produce four seasons in one day.

Building with climate in mind takes some careful thought.

The Central Highlands contains the highest-altitude of Tasmania’s landmass. As such it has cooler temperatures and a larger daily temperature range than the coast. Nighttime temperatures are generally cold with frost over winter. The annual average is 9 degrees celsius so be sure your home will keep you warm.

The municipality has a strong seasonal cycle (driest in February and wettest in August) and rainfall can be as high as 1600mm annually in the west. The eastern part of the municipality sees significantly less rainfall, with less than 600 mm annually. Rainfall is projected to decrease in the Central Highlands by up to 10%, indicating that drought frequency and severity may increase over time.

What kind of kit home is right for you? Take the quiz to see which kit home design is your perfect match

3. Bushfire and flood safety

Although not significant in terms of property loss, bushfires in the Central Highlands have had devastating effects. In 2016 the impact bushfires had on the region and the World Heritage land was catastrophic. Some 18,000 hectares of heritage area was affected.

For information regarding bushfire prone areas, click here. A bush fire prone area is land that is within the boundary of a bushfire-prone area shown on an overlay on a planning scheme map or land that is within 100m of an area of bushfire-prone vegetation equal to or greater than 1 hectare.

For information regarding flood mitigation in the Central Highlands, click here.

To view Meander Valley Local Provisions Schedule Flood-Prone Areas and Fire-Prone Areas Overlay click here.

4. Soil quality in Tasmania’s Central Highlands

The Land Capability Classification System is based primarily on three permanent biophysical features of the landscape – soil, slope and climate, and their interactions. These three factors have a major influence in determining the capability of the land to produce agricultural goods. Other factors which must be taken into account are rock type, erosion hazard, range of crops that can be grown, management practices, soil conservation treatment, risk of flooding and past land use history.

The classification takes into account physical limitations the land may have, an example being poor internal drainage, rock outcrops, slope or stoniness. Limitations can be classified as either permanent or able to be removed or modified.

5. Observe local bush

Observing your local bush is a good way to get an idea of what can be grown in your area and what is suited to your property. Score plants against soil type, vegetation, community and uses.

Native plants occurring naturally in an area are adapted to survive and thrive in local environmental conditions. Choose local species when landscaping your kit home and you are more likely to have a successful planting site. You’re also helping to preserve any natural variability within that species and provide habitat for birds, insects and mammals in your area.

Try collecting your own seed or visit your nearest native plant nursery. Check out this guide to suitable plant species too.

6. Water use

As a result of significant reform of Tasmania’s water industry all regional water and sewerage suppliers moved to a single corporation in 2011, TasWater. Specific governance arrangements were agreed that are now largely incorporated in the Water and Sewerage Corporation Act 2012. The objectives prescribed in the Act are to encourage water conservation and deliver water and sewerage services to customers in the most cost efficient manner.

Kit home designs to build in Tasmania’s Central Highlands

Build with Kitome in Tasmania

There’s a lot to consider when building a home, and the more you can tap into the expertise of others the smoother the process will be. Download a Kitome brochure today and start planning your dream home.

Take a look through our collection of 50+ kit home designs, which includes sprawling homesteads architecturally designed to sit perfectly in the rural setting, generously sized family homes suitable for regional and suburban blocks, and smaller homes for the cosy holiday retreat. All of our kit home designs are 100% customisable, which means you can alter any design how you want. Get in contact with us to learn more.

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Tuesday 6 November 2018

Cushman Hauler 4×4 For The Heavy Lifting

Hauler 4x4

Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has introduced the new Cushman Hauler 4×4. The Hauler 4×4 series has been built to handle tough jobs for many types of facilities, including golf courses, rental facilities, construction sites, and municipal parks.

With a 2,000-pound towing capacity, 1,500-pound payload, and 1,000-pound cargo box, The Hauler 4×4 series is ideal to perform the heavy lifting at a facility. A purposeful dash includes a multi-function display that communicates vehicle performance and diagnostics. Hauler 4×4 models offer several storage locations, including behind and under the seat, and a glove box ideal for transporting gear such as gloves, goggles and tools.

Hauler 4x4

The new Cushman Hauler 4×4

“The new Cushman Hauler 4×4 offers our customers four-wheel-drive capability, with the cargo capacity and a feature set designed to get challenging tasks done and make the work shift more efficient,” said Mike Parkhurst, TSV vice president, Golf & Turf North America. “It’s the latest expansion of our versatile Hauler line of utility vehicles, which provides a complete, robust line of gas, diesel and electric utility vehicles to tackle any job.”

The Hauler 4×4 is available as a three-person vehicle, and the Hauler 4×4 Crew accommodates up to six people. Both models are available in either a whisper-quiet 50hp gas engine, or a robust 25hp diesel engine. Electronic power steering is standard on Crew models, and available as an option on three-passenger models.

With standard safety features such as seat belts, doors, and a rollover protection system, the Hauler 4×4 was developed to protect the crew. Other standard features include high/low-beam headlights, LED brake lights and taillights, and a locking rear differential.

Hauler 4×4 series vehicles can be equipped with a wide selection of options and accessories to exceed job requirements, including a glass windshield, canopy, center seat console, under seat storage, a rear-view mirror, and more.

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Monday 5 November 2018

Plowsite: This Week’s Cool Threads

ice management professionals

From purchasing the right equipment to preventing winter damage, popular questions posted by the ice and snow management professionals on PlowSite forums this past week.

Introduce Yourself to the Community

  • A  Junior Member who is new to both PlowSite.com and the industry is looking for ways to work more efficiently so he can grow his business before adding a second truck. He’s always used a strait blade, but is being advised that a v-plow will cut his plow times by at least 30%. Share your thoughts…. 

Heavy Equipment

  • A PlowSite.com addict from Bethany, CT is considering purchasing skid steer snow blowers. Both of his current machines are not high flow, and he wants to know what to expect from the lower flow units. Share your thoughts… 
  • A Senior Member from Lincoln, IL is looking for feedback on the HLA EdgeFlex plow. If you’re familiar with this product, share your experience…  

Bidding & Estimating

  • A PlowSite.com Junior Member from Albany, NY wants to know how much to charge for plowing a one-and-a-half acre parking lot. Share your thoughts….

Commercial Snow Removal

  • A PlowSite.com Junior Member is the groundskeeping manager at small college in New York, and was asked to pull up speed bumps for the winter. He’s concerned about water creeping in the empty bolt holes and damaging the driveway. What’s your experience? Share your thoughts… 

Residential Snow Removal

 

PlowSite is the largest and most active online forum servicing snow and ice management professionals.

As the only resource of its kind in the marketplace, PlowSite has been a coveted place for snow and ice management professionals seeking peer-to-peer networking, business guidance and insight into industry best practices and trends since 2000.

snow management professionals

Join your industry peers in this growing, dynamic community today:
Register For FREE!

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LawnSite Forums: This Week’s Hot Threads

lawn mowing landscape professionals

From pricing leaf removal jobs to hiring irrigation technicians, here are some questions from the landscape professionals on LawnSite forums this past week.

BIDDING, ESTIMATING AND PRICING

 

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

  • A LawnSite Member is struggling with scheduling his biweekly customers, and is wondering if the consistency of having weekly customers makes it worth dropping the biweekly jobs. Share your thoughts….

 

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE

  • A LawnSite Member is asking for feedback on how to price planting materials that the homeowner already purchased. Do you charge an hourly rate, or use some other method? Share your thoughts….

 

HEAVY EQUIPMENT & PAVEMENT

  • A LawnSite Member from Middleburg FL is seeking landscape professionals who have done hurricane debris removal for FEMA or other insurance agencies, and advice on how to break into this kind of business. Share your thoughts…

 

PROFESSIONAL DISCUSSIONS

  • A LawnSite Bronze Member from Kansas is looking for advice on hiring quality irrigation technicians. Share your thoughts…

 

Do you need feedback on a professional challenge you’re facing within your landscaping or lawn care business? Tap into the wealth of knowledge at LawnSite, the largest and most active online forum serving green industry professionals.

As the only resource of its kind in the marketplace, LawnSite has been a coveted place for landscape professionals seeking peer-to-peer networking, business guidance and insight into industry best practices and trends since 1995.

lawn mowing landscape professionals

Join your industry peers in this growing, dynamic community today:
Register For FREE!

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