PGB Landscape & Garden Notes

You, Too, Can be a Salesperson

2005-05-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

You, Too, Can be a Salesperson C.J. Hayden, MCC I am not a sales and marketing guru. I've written two books on marketing and taught thousands of people how to sell themselves, but really, I don't know more about sales and marketing than most of you. What I know how to do is talk to people, all kinds of people -- restaurant owners and waiters, CEO's and receptionists, entrepreneurs and

Trees need water... but don’t overdo it!

2005-04-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

The Plant Manby Steve Joneswww.landsteward.orgTrees need water... but don’t overdo it!Gardeners and landscapers have one thing in common with their “big brother” the farmer: complaining about the weather. Ask any farmer about rainfall and you’ll be told that it is nowhere near enough or it is way too much. Unlike Goldilocks’ third bowl of porridge at the three bears’ house, it is never “just

Are You Ready to Own and Operate a Business?

2005-04-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Are You Ready to Own and Operate a Business? By Kathleen GageHow often has someone thought of starting a business based solely onthe fact they think it will be easier than working for someone else.Fact is, owning and operating a business can be one of the mostgrueling experiences you will have. Granted, there are manyadvantages, but unless someone has actually run a business there ismuch to

Green Thumb Gifts: Beyond Gardening Gloves

2005-04-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

Green Thumb Gifts: Beyond Gardening Glovesby A. HeathAhh, spring! It has sprung! Gardeners (and budding gardeners -no pun intended) have begun the quest for a weedless lawn, or abountiful garden. But if you're looking for gifts for someone witha green thumb (or someone with green thumb envy), consider thesituation first.Some people think of gardening as a chore. Others see it asrelaxing.

Installing a Brick or Paver Walkway

2005-04-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

Installing a Brick or Paver WalkwayThe key to installing a Brick or Paver Walkway is to firstproperly prepare the area where the bricks/pavers are to beinstalled. The area should be dug out at least a foot down,removing all topsoil and clay soil.Once the area has been dug down, 3/4" gravel stone should belaid in and tamped down tightly. Then sand, or stone dustshould be spread over the gravel.

April Gardening Tips

2005-04-13T15:16:00.000-07:00

April Gardening TipsOne of the nicest months in the southwest. (if the wind is not blowing) You may plant just about anything such as tomato plants, fruit trees shade trees, evergreen shrubs, flowering shrubs, bulbs etc. It is also the month that garden centers usually are fully stocked, at least in the southwest.Fertilize your bermuda or warm season grasses at this time if you have not done so

Can you recommend honing or sharpening tools...?

2005-04-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

Can you recommend specific honing or sharpening tools for keeping the blades of pruners, loppers, and scuffle hoes sharp? I have seen Arkansas oilstones, synthetic sharpening "stones", pruner sharpeners, etc. What is the best all-purpose tool and do you recommend coarse, medium or fine stones or a combination of stones?**********************To briefly answer your question, use a whetstone to

The Benefits Of Incorporating Your Business

2005-04-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

The Benefits Of Incorporating Your BusinessConnecticut Secretaryhttp://www.connecticutsecretary.com/What do General Motors, Microsoft, AT&T and many other majorbusinesses in America have in common? They?re corporations.A corporation is a separate legal entity that functions separateand apart from its shareholders or owners. You can incorporateon your own without an attorney, although it wouldn?t

Gardening in Our Communities and Schools

2005-04-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

Gardening in Our Communities and SchoolsBy: Yvonne Savio Great things happen when a community or school garden gets started. Neighbors and passers-by exclaim joy and relief that "something's finally happening" to a blighted or underused plot of land. Order comes out of chaos. Weeds are displaced by fragrant and rich-brown, newly turned soil. Plots of tiny plants in neat rows or groupings take the

When and how do we prune our new peach tree?

2005-04-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

A reader writes:When and how do we prune our new peach tree?J.B., FLSince peach wood is very sensitive to cold damage, you should do your pruning in the spring, as close to bloom time as possible. Peach trees produce best when trained to an open center, meaning that you want to end up with 3-4 main side branches ("scaffold branches"), avoiding a central leader trunk.If your tree has had no

Personnel Turnover and Leadership Thinking

2005-04-02T19:12:00.000-08:00

Personnel Turnover and Leadership Thinking by Dale Collie Some people tell me that as many as 75% of all employees are actually looking for or thinking about finding a new job because they are fed up with their workplace stress. No matter what business you're in, this turnover is going to impact your bottom line. As people lose interest in their current employment, their

Transforming Problems into Sales

2005-04-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

Transforming Problems into Sales:How to sell more by focusing on client problemsBy Jeremy Cohen My silent fish tank was no more. Enough water had evaporated to make the filter gurgle. It was highly annoying and I knew I wouldn't be at ease until it was silent again. I filled the tank. Did I fill it to satisfy a want or a need? Does it matter? Probably not. The gurgling tank was an

Groundcover: great-looking greenery, year 'round

2005-03-31T22:26:00.000-08:00

The Plant Manby Steve Joneswww.landsteward.orgGroundcover: great-looking greenery, year 'roundGroundcover is an excellent alternative to a high-maintenance lawn and can enhance the look of your landscape beautifully while reducing the amount of sweat-equity you need to invest.Right now would be a very good time to be planting most types of groundcover, and today I'll have some suggestions for

All About Strawberry Pots

2005-03-29T14:16:00.000-08:00

All About Strawberry Pots By Monica Resinger Strawberry pots are the pots that are shaped like an urn and have `pockets' up and down the sides of the pot. They are made especially for growing strawberries and are easy and convenient. You can also grow herbs, flowers or other plants in them. Plants that have a hanging habit put the pockets of strawberry pots to good use. Strawberries do

Roundup Extended Control

2005-03-28T11:39:00.000-08:00

I read this on another list and thought it would be of interest. I've used Round-up for years, but never for residual control. Read on... From the Landscape_Pro_Tips list: I wonder if any of our Landscapers or professional licensed applicators have seen the NEW Roundup Extended Control and looked at the formulation? I wonder if they have added another active ingredient for the extended

Mix Perennials into Your Garden for Staying Power

2005-03-28T09:58:00.000-08:00

Mix Perennials into Your Garden for Staying PowerPerennial plants and flowers stay around for more than just onegardening season. Some of them bloom again for only about 3 years,while others will continue to bloom for many years to come.Now sometimes the first year you plant a perennial, you won't beoverly impressed. You see, that first year the plants need to get usedto the new environment. Some

I planted some Lantana I was told that they would come back...

2005-03-27T15:44:00.000-08:00

From a ProGardenBiz Reader: Hello All, Last year I planted some Lantana I was told that they would come back, well now its March and still no sign of life. I have cut them all back. My question is how long do I wait? PS. I live in the Dallas area Thanks in Advance,Make a comment if you can help.

2005-03-24T08:32:00.000-08:00

The Plant Manby Steve Joneswww.landsteward.orgGroundcover: Careful prep yields great resultsLow maintenance! That's the clarion call I hear frequently from readers who contact me for ideas that will enhance their landscape without devouring hours of their valuable time.There's no doubt that a lush, green lawn can demand a lot of attention, either from you or a contract lawn service. More and

2005-01-14T07:34:00.000-08:00

Maximize Attention for Your Small Business By Jeremy Cohen If you have a great product or service that people want you are well on your way to being successful. However, in order to lock in and grow your success you need to maximize the attention your products and services get. As a small business owner you probably don't have millions of dollars to spend on advertising campaigns to

2004-12-11T17:11:00.000-08:00

Write your own Santa Letter Christmas is fast approaching and soon we will turn over yet another year. It is hard to believe that we are in the year 2005. With Christmas and the New Year come a lot of parties, a lot of eating, and for many people a lot of non-productive time. For children though, they use this time to get some things done. You see, Christmas is also the time of year when

2004-08-14T17:36:00.000-07:00

Green Industry Directory New Listings Here are the latest additions to the directory: Alfresco Garden Design Magazine Dolphin Leisure Carolina Gardener DiRT Fine Gardening Garden and Hearth Garden and Hearth GardenAsia Magazine The Gardening Guru's Monthly

2004-08-10T20:04:00.000-07:00

Pour Your Lawn a Drink Watering the lawn is both an art and a science. The science comes from the integral role water plays in benefiting plant growth and development. The art encompasses volume, timing and frequency, all of which can change based on environmental conditions. The following watering guidelines will help create a great-looking yard now and throughout the season. Just an inch will

2004-08-03T17:47:00.000-07:00

Lawn Equipment Tools For The Job - Popular Service Tools! It should go without saying that having the right tools to work on lawn mower equipment is a major aspect of any job. Most of what you need is an assortment of common hand tools that are usually already available around the average home or workshop. I've listed below a few specialty tools that you should have access

2004-07-28T17:03:00.000-07:00

Safe Storage and Disposal of Lawn and Garden Products Protect Family Well-Being and the Environment MARYSVILLE, Ohio, Jul 28, 2004 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Lawn and garden products are key to growing and maintaining beautiful lawns, flowerbeds and other landscaping around homes. When those products are put away for the season, however, their proper storage and disposal can also contribute

2003-12-21T20:06:00.000-08:00

Pirate Gardeners, Garden Fun, So it Goes... Relax. Everyone needs some time off from mowing. If you're starting or running your own lawn care business, relaxation is just as important, if not more important, than if you work for a large company. Everyone needs some time for fun in their lives. After all, as the old saying goes... All mowing and no play, makes the gardener a dull boy (or girl,

2003-12-20T17:39:00.000-08:00

A Visit from St. Customer... A Landscaper's Tale Article by Jack Stone Copyright Â© 2003 by ProGardenBiz ProGardenBiz, an online magazine http://www.progardenbiz.com 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the supply house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a pipe mouse; The orders were made in the office with care, In hopes that St. Customer soon would be there; The workers were

2003-10-26T15:24:00.000-08:00

This is your ProGardenBiz Newsletter! #9 To cancel your subscription click the link at the bottom of this message. To post messages, ask or answer questions, send your email to: pgbdiscussion@yahoogroups.com ____________________________________________ ProGardenBiz Landscape & Garden Magazine for the Green Industry ProGardenBiz is an online landscape & garden magazine and directory for

2003-10-26T15:23:00.000-08:00

Irrigation & Sprinkler Repair Service Create a Profitable New Service to Your Lawn Care Business Article by Jack Stone Copyright © 2003 by ProGardenBiz ProGardenBiz, an online magazine http://www.progardenbiz.com One of the most profitable additions to your lawn care service business can be the repair of irrigation and sprinkler systems. Although plumbers may do this work, it is not their

2003-07-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

Landscape Techniques - Lawn Aeration Article by Henry Thompson Copyright © 2003 by ProGardenBiz ProGardenBiz, an online magazine http://www.progardenbiz.com Aerate, in the context of landscape and grounds maintenance, means "to supply the soil with air". It is a contractor technique to aid in maintaining and improving lawns. Aeration improves the lawn appearance, usability, and it's ability

2003-05-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

This is your ProGardenBiz Newsletter! #6 To cancel your subscription click the link at the bottom of this message. To post messages, ask or answer questions, send your email to: pgbdiscussion@yahoogroups.com For those who have email clients that do not accept HTML email here is a text only version of our last newsletter. The HTML version can be seen online at: http://www.progardenbiz.com/

2003-05-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

Selling the Job Learn the Basics: Landscape & Garden Business Selling & Marketing Article by Tom Lanza Copyright © 2003 by ProGardenBiz In a national survey of small businesses (less than $1,000,000 sales annually) it was found that the owner or Chief Executive Officer was a salesperson. Surveys have shown this to be true of landscape contractors and gardeners as well. The most successful

2003-05-13T17:12:00.000-07:00

Sniglet: Automatic weapon, a lawn mower that takes a short cut through the deco-rock.

2003-03-27T17:55:00.000-08:00

This is your ProGardenBiz Newsletter! #5 To cancel your subscription click the link at the bottom of this message. To post messages, ask or answer questions, send your email to: pgbdiscussion@yahoogroups.com For those who have email clients that do not accept HTML email here is a text only version of our last newsletter. The HTML version can be seen online at: http://www.progardenbiz.com/

2003-03-24T17:48:00.000-08:00

Being a Pro in the Service Business: Uniforms - Image & Perceptions Article by Jack Stone Copyright © 2003 by ProGardenBiz ProGardenBiz, an online magazine http://www.progardenbiz.com The time has come for all faded jeans to pass. For all torn tee shirts to seek the shortest path to the rag barrel. The time has come for UNIFORMS! What work does your company do? Irrigation and sprinkler

2003-03-19T19:11:00.000-08:00

This is your ProGardenBiz Newsletter! #4 To cancel your subscription click the link at the bottom of this message. To post messages, ask or answer questions, send your email to: pgbdiscussion@yahoogroups.com For those who have email clients that do not accept HTML email here is a text only version of our last newsletter. The HTML version can be seen online at: http://www.progardenbiz.com/

2003-03-17T22:07:00.000-08:00

Once Upon a Time... A Gardener's Daydream The Gardener, the Salsa, and a Day at the Ranch Article by Rich Showalter Copyright © 2003 by ProGardenBiz ProGardenBiz, an online magazine http://www.progardenbiz.com This is a tale of a landscape contractor and his quiet getaway in the mountains. Now, I'm no gardener myself, but I swear that this is the true tale as related to me as we relaxed on the

2003-03-12T17:58:00.000-08:00

This is your ProGardenBiz Newsletter! Issue 3 To cancel your subscription click the link at the bottom of this message. To post messages, ask or answer questions, send your email to: progardenbiz@yahoogroups.com For those who have email clients that do not accept HTML email here is a text only version of our last newsletter. The HTML version can be seen online at: http://www.progardenbiz.com

2003-03-10T21:03:00.000-08:00

The Pocket Gopher Article by Matt Oliver Copyright © 2003 by ProGardenBiz ProGardenBiz, an online magazine http://www.progardenbiz.com Pocket gophers (Tomomys spp.), so named for their fur lined cheek pouches located outside the mouth on each side of the face, are burrowing rodents. They are a serious and difficult to control pest for both the Agricultural and Landscape Industries, as well as

2003-03-05T19:43:00.000-08:00

Work... Reality is the leading cause of stress among those in touch with it. Relationships... An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have. The older she gets, the more interested he is in her!

2003-03-05T19:42:00.000-08:00

One-Liners... If a word in the dictionary were misspelled, how would we know?

2003-03-05T19:41:00.000-08:00

Q&A Questions from our readers... Q. I have a small, but rapidly growing landscape maintenance company. My biggest problem is quality control and customer turnover. What policies would you recommend to provide better quality work and less customer turnover? J.L. San Diego, CA A. You are experiencing a common problem for many

2003-03-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

Last August my wife and I bought a house. At the time we made the purchase we didn't know that the house had a magic yard. For a month and a half during the hot months of August and September while the sale was in escrow the house sat vacant and the yard received no care. When we moved in the lawn and landscaping was green and only slightly overgrown. During the next month we were too busy

2003-03-04T20:39:00.000-08:00

I always wanted to be a procrastinator, never got around to it.

2003-03-04T20:37:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Adobe GoLive 6 Own your business, own your job, own your life. Statistics show that nine out of every ten new businesses fail. Most of these businesses fail within the first year. The rest don't make it past their third anniversary. Given such dismal odds why would you want to start a

2003-03-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

What's a Pirate Gardener? Find the answer here

2003-03-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

Sniglet INSOLVENT, what you call the ball brush applicator when it breaks off the cap and sinks to the bottom of the can. 3

2003-03-03T21:34:00.000-08:00

I'm new to Blogs and I'm just getting the hang of using this interface. I'll have more to come soon. Thank you, Steve Fleming Publisher ProGardenBiz http://www.progardenbiz.com

2003-03-03T21:32:00.000-08:00

Starting a Landscape or Gardening Business: ProGardenBiz, a landscape and garden magazine for the Green Industry is your online resource for starting and operating a business as a landscape contractor or landscape and lawn maintenance gardener. Related fields covered by ProGardenBiz are irrigation installation and maintenance, sprinklers - repair and maintenance, waterscapes, water