This is your ProGardenBiz Newsletter! #5
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Just to keep it interesting we've added some additional
articles to this issue. Enjoy!
____________________________________________
ProGardenBiz Landscape & Garden Magazine for the
Green Industry
ProGardenBiz is an online landscape & garden magazine for
professional gardeners and landscape contractors doing
maintenance, irrigation, installation, planting, and
waterscapes.
Quote for today: "Don't accept your dog's admiration as
conclusive evidence that you are wonderful."
- Ann Landers
Life's Quips...
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no
influence on society. - Mark Twain
____________________________________________
In this Issue:
- Assumptions… Honing your People Skills
- Creative Landscaping with Railroad Ties
- Questions from our readers... and answers!
- Factoid - Daffo-what?
- Spring Lawn Care--It's Time!
- Listen Your Way to Sales Success
- Starting a Landscape or Gardening Business
- Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz
____________________________________________
New this Week in ProGardenBiz:
Health Maintenance
You can read these articles at:
htt://www.progardenbiz.com
____________________________________________
Assumptions…
Honing your People Skills
Article by Joan Marques, MBA, Doctoral Student
Patrick was an outgoing person: happy, upbeat, and always well
dressed. People liked him in general. He had been managing the
logistics division of a mid-size company for the past three
years, directly supervising 450 employees at a variety of
levels. Yet there were a few people in his office who did not
seem too fond of Patrick lately. Oh, in the beginning they had
all been very positive about him. In those days he often
received notes and emails from co-workers about their relief of
having a pleasant person like him around, especially after their
previous manager, who had been infamous for his absolutely
apathetic approach. With Patrick such was definitely not the
case. He had made it part of his routine to walk around in the
plant on a regular basis, and make small talk here and there in
order to make workers know that he cared. What made them like
him even more: he knew most of his employees by name!
So why would the people in his office have this aversion against
him? Where did things go wrong? In Patrick’s opinion he really
went out of his way to give them all the opportunities they
deserved: Tanya got promoted from the storage room to the main
office where an extra assistant was needed now that the number
of incoming orders had increased; Shelley got transferred from
the reception to the computer department, where she was now
earning 40% more than her previous salary, and Bill was made the
new head of Human Resources, a once-in-a-lifetime chance in
Patrick’s perception.
Patrick really assumed that by thinking of, and placing all
these workers in the recently opened positions, he had
demonstrated his awareness regarding their possible ambitions,
his thoughtfulness of their hard work, and his eagerness to
reward them with the best opportunities possible.
Yet, the atmosphere in the office became gloomier by the day,
and one day Patrick decided to find out what was wrong. He
scheduled one-on-one appointments with each of his three
recently transferred employees. What he heard in the individual
conversations with them was a hard but important lesson for
Patrick to learn.
· Tanya expressed her dread about working in the hectic and
demanding main office, and articulated her regret of losing her
peace of mind by having to give up her job in the storage room
without being asked. She was not particularly a people-person
and had really enjoyed the serenity of working in a department
that accommodated her need for solitude. She sorely missed that
now.
· Shelley spoke out her gratitude for the salary increase and
the enhanced financial room she now had as a single mom of
three, but she also conveyed her concern about the nature of her
work in the computer department. She had always been a very
people-oriented person, and computers were not so cold and
quiet. She missed the smiles and the little chats of the people
she had come to know through the years, and wished she had been
asked before being transferred.
· Bill nervously communicated his concern about being able to
keep up with the stress of a management position, since he
actually preferred a low-stress job. He was not particularly
looking for a raise or a higher position: he had been perfectly
happy with his previous job, yet felt obligated to accept the
new position, since it was presented to him in such a
convincing, almost demanding way.
Patrick was, in the least, flabbergasted. But he was mature
enough to realize the enormous mistake he had made here: he had
a-s-s-u-m-e-d. He had portrayed his own personality and
preferences on his beloved employees, and thereby made the
capital mistake of disrupting their trusted world by offering
them one in which they felt threatened, stressed, and unhappy.
Fortunately, Patrick was able to find a satisfying solution to
the problem, and even managed to find these three valuable
workers a position in which they DID feel happy, yet did not
have to sacrifice the increased salary they had been earning in
their most recent position.
The moral of the story? It is so easy to assume. We effortlessly
suppose that others will want the same thing we do. But people
are different. And cultures are different. It is therefore of
extreme importance to communicate and find out whether a person
or a group of people is really receptive to the rewards, help,
support, or assistance we want to give them.
Joan Marques, MBA, Doctoral Student
http://www.joanmarques.com
------------------------------------------
Creative Landscaping with Railroad Ties
Article by Jack Stone
Did you know that people are still using railroad ties for all
sorts of decorative and functional purposes throughout their
landscapes? You didn't? Well, where have you been? Railroad ties
are used by landscape contractors as a main design component of
landscaping both homes and businesses. The use of railroad ties
make work easier for grounds maintenance.
Before we talk about all the great things you can do with
railroad ties let's talk about how easy and inexpensive they are
to use when compared to various brick and block structures...
For the rest of this article see:
http://www.progardenbiz.com/issues/v1issue2/Feature4.html
________________________________________________
Q&A
Questions from our readers...
Q. I have used railroad ties to build a wall around a brick
patio. The ties are looking faded..how would you suggest I
treat them? Pressure wash? Can I use a regular wood stain to
darken them back up?
Doug in Indianapolis
A. If these are standard railroad ties they are soaked in
creosote to preserve them. The creosote may interfere with
stains, but probably only to the extant that you will need to
use more stain to achieve the desired result. The pressure wash
would be effective to prepare them prior to staining.
Q. The landscape industry trade show sounds interesting--do you
know if there is one offered this year (2003) in Las Vegas? If
there is could you provide me with the site as I have not been
able to find it. Do you have any updated calendar events for
April, May or June? Specifically Las Vegas?
Heather
A. We have not updated our online calendar yet, but I've checked
and I don't see any events planned for Las Vegas through August
of this year. At least nothing that my sources report.
Q. i have a question that i desperatley need answered.. i have a
friend who has a problem front lawn.. it is on a slope.. she had
it seeded last year.. we live in missouri.. the seed never took
hold.. and basically the mud slid down towards her house... not
like mudslides or anything that drastic.. but i think you get
the picture..
a guy suggested fescue grass.. he told me he use to do some
landscaping in san diago.. but i have no first hand knowledge of
this grass.. and would hate to advise my friend to plant it.. he
said it has long roots that will hold the soil in place.. do you
have experience with this grass.. do you believe it would do
the trick or do you think somethingelse would work better..
Is fescue grass.. and yes i think i read there is many varieties
of it.. lol.. but in general is it a good grass for your lawns..
leo
jungleboy6996@...
A. I also live in San Diego. Fescue grass is excellent for
slopes. It has deep roots and will hold well once it is
established. If you want faster results, start with sod, but if
that's too expensive then use seed and get it well established
before the rain season starts.
Q. Out of the three landscape software for design you recommend,
which one would you buy?
http://www.taoherbfarm.com/
http://www.gardencomposer.com/
http://www.broderbund.com/SubCategory.asp?CID=467
Also, thanks for the great information you provide!
John
A. I haven't used these products myself, but "Floral Fan"
responded with this...
John,
I would buy Growit Gold v9 from taoherbfarm.com
Mary
Q. I have a question, how do you get rid of ivy growing on
trees? My neighbor has several tall trees (4) and there is ivy
from the trunk to the top. How can she get rid of the ivy in the
summer it is the pits.
Thanks
Damita
A. The only way to remove the ivy will be to physically pull it
off the trees. You can make the job easier by killing the ivy
first. At the bottom of the tree carefully cut all the ivy vines
away from the tree. Clear a space at least one foot high and all
around the tree. The ivy will no longer have the support of it's
root system and will die. It will then be a bit easier to
remove. The hard part is not damaging the tree bark as you
remove the ivy.
Have questions? We have answers. Send your questions to
editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and will be
answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.
____________________________________________
Factoid: Daffo-what? Daffodil, narcissus, and jonquil all
refer to the same kind of flower. Daffodil is the common name
for all flowers in the genus Narcissus, and jonquils are
hybrid daffodils.
____________________________________________
Spring Lawn Care--It's Time!
Ahh, it's spring. The air is finally warm, the birds are
chirping and the sun is shining! Yes, it's time to turn our
attention to the lawn. What should be on our spring "to-do
lists" for the lawn in cooler climes? To get the current scoop,
I went to my "turf diva," Dr. Tamson Yeh of Cornell Cooperative
Extension. Here's what she had to say.
Tamson warns of snow mold (a fungus) damage to turf, especially
in areas where the snow was piled high. Look for turf that
appears wet, nasty and matted. The solution is to allow the area
to dry out. To help it along, you can mow the area low and bag
and dispose of turf clippings. To confirm your suspicions, bring
a sample to your local garden center or Cooperative Extension
office.
This article by Donna Moramarco, from Garden Guides. Learn
more at: http://www.mygardenguide.com
____________________________________________
Listen Your Way to Sales Success
Article by Kelley Robertson
There are many factors and variables that affect our sales on
any given day. There is however, one key skill that will
increase help you increase your sales immediately.
Listen to your customer!
That's it! That's all it takes to close more sales. Sounds
simple doesn't it? Unfortunately, the majority of salespeople
fail to do this.
In the countless sales transactions I watch, I notice that most
salespeople don't ask their customers enough questions. Sure,
they generally uncover a few basic needs that the customer has.
They know what they're looking for in a product with regard to
features, specifications, color, and price.
What they don't do is probe to uncover additional information
about the customer. They don't ask them why they want that
specific product, or why they're considering our store. They
don't learn where the customer has been shopping or what they've
seen. They don't ask what they like and/or dislike about the
other stores they've been in to. They don't find out what their
hot buttons are or what makes them tick or what will motivate
them to buy. They fail to gather enough information!
I believe that there are two primary reasons for this. First, we
don't believe that people will give us this information. The fact
is, people will tell you anything you want to know providing they
trust you and as long as you ask the right questions in the
appropriate manner. For example, if a customer tells you that they
are buying a product because they are going on a vacation, do you
ask where they are going? Do you show interest in their holiday or
are you too concerned with closing the sale? Are you more interested
in your personal problems or watching the clock to care? In many
cases, we are so preoccupied with something else that we miss vital
clues customers give us.
An amazing thing occurs if you demonstrate even a tiny bit of
interest in your customer. They'll begin to open up! They'll provide
you with information you may not have learned otherwise. They'll
talk. They'll tell you everything you need to know in order to close
the sale. People love to talk about themselves and they'll start to
feel more comfortable with you as they talk. When people feel more
comfortable they relax. We all know that a prospect who is relaxed
will be more likely to buy than someone who is tense and uptight.
The second reason for not gathering sufficient information is that
we feel it takes too much time. In my training sessions I frequently
hear that this time is better used overcoming objections. My
response is that if we gain more information and fully understand
the customer's motives and needs, we can often overcome objections
before they occur. Use your time more effectively during the sales
process. Instead of spending so much time overcoming objections find
out what your customer's true concerns are beforehand. This will
help you adapt your sales presentation to meet their specific needs,
address their concerns, and move you closer to closing the sale. Ask
yourself, "What information do I still need to help the customer
make the appropriate buying decision?"
We've all heard the expression that information is power. Gain the
extra leverage in the sales process by investing the time gaining
extra information from your customer. Do it consistently and you'll
develop stronger relationships with your customers, which, in turn,
will help you close more sales.
Kelley Robertson is a Senior Partner of The Robertson Training Group
and the author of, "Stop, Ask & Listen - How to welcome your
customers and increase your sales." Gain practical advice on how to
increase your sales by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free
weekly e-zine at www.robertsontraininggroup.com. Kelley can be
reached at 905-633-7750, 1-866-694-3583 or
Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com
____________________________________________
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 features, and ponds.
You will also find information on plants, plant identification,
trees and tree maintenance, and many other topics that span the
Green Industry.
If the answers you seek are not readily found, then drop us an
email at: editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and
will be answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.
_______________________________________
Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz
http://www.progardenbiz.com
Volume 1, Issue 2
Feature Articles
-Irrigation Time Savers
-Install a Water Garden
-Don't Get Ripped Off
-Creative Railroad Ties
-Innovative Irrigation Tool: The Chain Saw!
-I Survived the Landscape Industry Trade Show
_______________________________________
You can post questions, comments, thoughts, ideas and more to
our email discussion group at: pgbdiscussion@yahoogroups.com
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you,
Steve Fleming
Publisher
ProGardenBiz
Thursday, March 27, 2003
Monday, March 24, 2003
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
installation, landscape contractor, lawn maintenance,
interiorscape plant care, nursery and growing grounds,
waterscape, landscape design? These all have one common element,
our customers and how they view us.
Many of you have probably noticed the increasing frequency with
which you see your competitor and his employees wearing some
sort of uniform. Whether they are wearing a green tee shirt and
jeans or work shirt with company name, employee name, logo and
matching cap and pants, it all boils down to making you look
like a businessman who doesn't really care about the quality of
his work.
It's all a matter of image and perceptions, both by your
customers, present and potential, and employees. Landscapers and
gardeners who wear uniforms generally get a higher dollar per
hour labor rate from their customers than than those who don't
wear uniforms or they get more work and sign more contracts than
their competitors. This alone should be reason enough to
convince you to start wearing some sort of uniform.
Uniforms do a variety of things all related to image. They tell
your customer that you are professional, reliable, consistent,
and organized. That you have a high sense of self esteem. That
you care, because if you care about yourself you'll care about
them. That you can be trusted, because you or your employees
don't look like burglars. People who look like they know what
they are doing are treated with respect. Uniforms separate you
from your competition. They become an important sales tool as
part of the concept of "first impressions".
Uniforms also contribute to your employees sense of pride, of
belonging to "the team". It reduces their clothing expenses,
thus a uniform becomes a pay raise! Some contractors even have
slight variations in the uniforms of the various crews working
at large residential communities or their landscaping and
maintenance departments to promote a healthy sense of
competition.
Other considerations are that many government agencies require
contractor employees be readily identifiable when working on
public or government property. With increasing frequency
homeowner associations and property management companies are
requiring uniforms.
What uniform is right for you? Before you can answer that
question there are a few things you need to know. Uniforms come
in a variety of forms. You can choose from tee shirts, work
shirts (long and short sleeve), pants, shorts, caps, jackets,
windbreakers, coveralls, vests, belts, socks, shoes, and gloves.
The quality of the material is also important. Are you going to
provide a summer as well as winter uniform? Remember, the
"weight" of the fabric of shirts and pants can vary. Is the
company name -going to be silk screened on or are you going to
use patches? Each employee should have a clean shirt for each
day they work. Can your employees be counted on to launder your
uniforms properly? Many companies that make uniforms have mens
and womens styles, but not all.
Most landscapers and gardeners who wear uniforms or provide them
to their employees choose tee shirts with the company logo silk
screened on the back. This is the least expensive of your
options, especially if you have a high rate of turnover or lots
of seasonal work. The short sleeved work shirt with company
name, logo and employee name is the preferred option. A well
made work shirt can last for years especially if its laundered
properly and isn't abused.
Making the Uniform Work
To make your uniform do what its supposed to do you should
devise a dress code. A dress code is an understanding between
you and your employees as to what you expect them to look like
while on the job. For example, on hot days your employees should
not be allowed to remove their shirts. Half naked gardeners
running around a condominium community do not make a good
impression. That uniform shirt draped on- a shrub or tied around
a lawn mower handle does you no good. Besides, its actually
cooler to wear a shirt. Sweat accumulates on the shirt instead
of evaporating completely away thus keeping the skin cooler
longer. When using power equipment while mowing, edging, using a
weed whip or any other equipment they should wear pants. No caps
unless they are the company cap. Hair should be clean and neat.
Long hair should be tied back. Beards should be trimmed neatly.
No smoking except on breaks and lunch. As you can see there are
many considerations that should go into a "dress code".
Whether you work in the garden, do grounds maintenance,
irrigation repair or lawn care you need to compete effectively
in the marketplace. Uniforms will enhance your business and are
for everyone in every aspect of the Green Industry.
Uniforms and a combined dress code will add professionalism to
your business. It will bring you more clients, create a better
work atmosphere, and help you to make more profits. And that's
why we are in business.
__________________________________________
About the Author:
Jack Stone is a Contributing Editor for ProGardenBiz Magazine,
an online magazine for professional gardeners and landscape
contractors. Visit ProGardenBiz to find out how you can get a
free subscription, start-up guidance, business ideas and
inspiration at http://www.progardenbiz.com.
__________________________________________
You have permission to publish this article electronically or
in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines and active URL
are included. A courtesy copy of your publication or location of
link would be appreciated.
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
installation, landscape contractor, lawn maintenance,
interiorscape plant care, nursery and growing grounds,
waterscape, landscape design? These all have one common element,
our customers and how they view us.
Many of you have probably noticed the increasing frequency with
which you see your competitor and his employees wearing some
sort of uniform. Whether they are wearing a green tee shirt and
jeans or work shirt with company name, employee name, logo and
matching cap and pants, it all boils down to making you look
like a businessman who doesn't really care about the quality of
his work.
It's all a matter of image and perceptions, both by your
customers, present and potential, and employees. Landscapers and
gardeners who wear uniforms generally get a higher dollar per
hour labor rate from their customers than than those who don't
wear uniforms or they get more work and sign more contracts than
their competitors. This alone should be reason enough to
convince you to start wearing some sort of uniform.
Uniforms do a variety of things all related to image. They tell
your customer that you are professional, reliable, consistent,
and organized. That you have a high sense of self esteem. That
you care, because if you care about yourself you'll care about
them. That you can be trusted, because you or your employees
don't look like burglars. People who look like they know what
they are doing are treated with respect. Uniforms separate you
from your competition. They become an important sales tool as
part of the concept of "first impressions".
Uniforms also contribute to your employees sense of pride, of
belonging to "the team". It reduces their clothing expenses,
thus a uniform becomes a pay raise! Some contractors even have
slight variations in the uniforms of the various crews working
at large residential communities or their landscaping and
maintenance departments to promote a healthy sense of
competition.
Other considerations are that many government agencies require
contractor employees be readily identifiable when working on
public or government property. With increasing frequency
homeowner associations and property management companies are
requiring uniforms.
What uniform is right for you? Before you can answer that
question there are a few things you need to know. Uniforms come
in a variety of forms. You can choose from tee shirts, work
shirts (long and short sleeve), pants, shorts, caps, jackets,
windbreakers, coveralls, vests, belts, socks, shoes, and gloves.
The quality of the material is also important. Are you going to
provide a summer as well as winter uniform? Remember, the
"weight" of the fabric of shirts and pants can vary. Is the
company name -going to be silk screened on or are you going to
use patches? Each employee should have a clean shirt for each
day they work. Can your employees be counted on to launder your
uniforms properly? Many companies that make uniforms have mens
and womens styles, but not all.
Most landscapers and gardeners who wear uniforms or provide them
to their employees choose tee shirts with the company logo silk
screened on the back. This is the least expensive of your
options, especially if you have a high rate of turnover or lots
of seasonal work. The short sleeved work shirt with company
name, logo and employee name is the preferred option. A well
made work shirt can last for years especially if its laundered
properly and isn't abused.
Making the Uniform Work
To make your uniform do what its supposed to do you should
devise a dress code. A dress code is an understanding between
you and your employees as to what you expect them to look like
while on the job. For example, on hot days your employees should
not be allowed to remove their shirts. Half naked gardeners
running around a condominium community do not make a good
impression. That uniform shirt draped on- a shrub or tied around
a lawn mower handle does you no good. Besides, its actually
cooler to wear a shirt. Sweat accumulates on the shirt instead
of evaporating completely away thus keeping the skin cooler
longer. When using power equipment while mowing, edging, using a
weed whip or any other equipment they should wear pants. No caps
unless they are the company cap. Hair should be clean and neat.
Long hair should be tied back. Beards should be trimmed neatly.
No smoking except on breaks and lunch. As you can see there are
many considerations that should go into a "dress code".
Whether you work in the garden, do grounds maintenance,
irrigation repair or lawn care you need to compete effectively
in the marketplace. Uniforms will enhance your business and are
for everyone in every aspect of the Green Industry.
Uniforms and a combined dress code will add professionalism to
your business. It will bring you more clients, create a better
work atmosphere, and help you to make more profits. And that's
why we are in business.
__________________________________________
About the Author:
Jack Stone is a Contributing Editor for ProGardenBiz Magazine,
an online magazine for professional gardeners and landscape
contractors. Visit ProGardenBiz to find out how you can get a
free subscription, start-up guidance, business ideas and
inspiration at http://www.progardenbiz.com.
__________________________________________
You have permission to publish this article electronically or
in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines and active URL
are included. A courtesy copy of your publication or location of
link would be appreciated.
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
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/ezine/Gardening-Perennial-Design.html
Just to keep it interesting we've added some additional
articles to this issue. Enjoy!
____________________________________________
ProGardenBiz Landscape & Garden Magazine for the
Green Industry
ProGardenBiz is an online landscape & garden magazine for
professional gardeners and landscape contractors doing
maintenance, irrigation, installation, planting, and
waterscapes.
Quote for today: "Millions yearn for immorality who don't know
what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon."
- Susan Ertz
Life's Quips...
A fool flatters himself, a wise man flatters the fool.
____________________________________________
In this Issue:
- Gardening with Perennials - Designing with Color
- Installing a Water Garden
- Questions from our readers... and answers!
- Factoid
- Are You a Wildflower?
- Locating Affordable Health Insurance
For Businesses and Individuals
- Starting a Landscape or Gardening Business
- Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz
____________________________________________
New this Week in ProGardenBiz:
Equipment Maintenance
Small Engine Advisor
The Yard Doctor
PGMS Salary Survey
You can read these articles at:
htt://www.progardenbiz.com
____________________________________________
Gardening with Perennials
Designing with Color
Article by the National Gardening Association
You can mix and match different colored flowers, from pastels to
bright red, to create the mood and effect that best suits your
garden.
The great thing about flowers is that you really can't go wrong
with them. Even if a perennial bed doesn't turn out exactly like
what you envisioned, chances are it's going to be attractive.
After all, have you ever encountered an ugly flower? And, unlike
the wallpaper or paint color that looked great in the store but
now grates on your nerves, perennial plants can be moved and
rearranged (and even given away) to suit your tastes. It's
easier, and more fun, than re-wallpapering!
Pastels
Soft pink, powder blue, lavender, and peach--these gentle colors
set a mood of tranquility. They are the familiar colors of
cottage gardens--informal gardens that contain a variety of
old-fashioned flowers. Pastel colors look best when viewed from
relatively close up, and they can looked washed out in the harsh
mid-day sun.
Brights
Racy reds, vibrant oranges, magenta, and sunny yellow--these
colors invigorate and energize a garden. Bright colors hold up
well to brilliant sunshine, and attract the eye even from a
distance.
Complementary Colors
Colors that are opposite on the color wheel are described as
complementary. High in contrast, complementary colors add
creative energy and vitality to a garden. Yellow and violet are
complementary colors; as are orange and blue, and green and red.
Harmonious Colors
These are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel;
examples include blue and violet, orange and red, and orange and
yellow. These color combinations tend to be gentler on the eye
than complementary colors. A harmonious color scheme unifies a
garden, while allowing enough range of color that it doesn't
become monotonous.
If you are concerned about your ability to choose colors, a
harmonious color scheme might be a good starting point for you.
Unlike complementary colors, which, if overdone, can seem
jarring and can give a riotous feel to a garden, harmonious
colors are a pretty safe bet. As you gain confidence in your
design eye, you can always add splashes of a complementary color
here and there to liven things up.
Monochromatic Color Scheme
You may have seen gardens composed of all white flowers, and
indeed some of the world's most famous gardens use a
monochromatic color scheme. Instead of relying on different
colored flowers, the gardener creates interest by mixing flowers
of different sizes and shapes, and choosing foliage with
interesting textures and colors. Perhaps you are partial to a
single color such as yellow. You can create varying moods
depending on whether you choose soft pale yellows, bright sunny
yellows, or deep golden yellows. Or you might use a mix of
shades.
See the full version with color plant photos on ProGardenBiz
at: http://www.progardenbiz.com
Article by the National Gardening Association www.garden.org,
www.kidsgardening.com
------------------------------------------
Installing a Water Garden
Article by ARA
Installing a water garden can seem like a monumental task, but
it actually can be a fun project you can easily tackle. It is
especially easy if you purchase a kit that includes everything
you need. This is an excellent profit center for a landscape
contractor. Installation can involve moving existing irrigation
sprinklers. Once the pond is established it becomes another
component of the grounds maintenance. There is much more to
landscape maintenance than just mowing.
The first step in creating your water garden waterscape is to
carefully select the site for your pond in a level area...
For the rest of this article see:
http://www.progardenbiz.com/currentissue/Feature2.html
________________________________________________
Q&A
Questions from our readers...
Q. I am hoping that someone can share their tips in keeping the
mulch beds clean of dead leaves and flower buds. At the
beginning of the season, the mulch beds are pretty messy. Even
during the summer, my rose beds get messy with dead rose buds.
Raking is difficult because the rake gets caught in the plants.
Blowing blows the mulch as well as the leaves. Any suggestions
would be welcome.
Thank you very much.
Brian
A. Many people like the look of a "clean" garden bed and will
rake everything out leaving only the surface dirt. Although
this looks tidy, it's not the best for your plants. Leaving
leaves and other plant debris provides natural mulch and returns
nutrients to the the soil. To make this look better you can
turn the leaves into the soil or cover lightly with a dark
mulch.
The less you remove from your garden, the less chemicals you
need to add to replenish it.
Q. Hi all....I need your advice since I do not have a green
thumb. I live in Arizona and I am looking to put down Desert
Landscaping. But I need to kill whatever is remaining of the
current lawn. So far I have used a tiller to remove from the
roots up and sprayed various chemicals from Home Depot....even
stuff that was suppose to last a whole year. But the grass just
continued growing 2 days later. Can anyone tell me how I can
kill this lawn? What chemicals can you recommend? I am getting
tired of continuesly working on this lawn. Any help would be
appreciated.
Thanks
Mike
A. I'm not sure what chemicals you have already used, but it
sounds like they were either ineffective products or perhaps
used incorrectly. Please be very careful in using any herbicide
that will sterilize the ground for "a whole year". Even though
you are going to put in desert landscaping you will still be
putting some plants in the ground and such chemicals will kill
your new plants as well.
The best product to use to kill the old lawn is Round-up. Read
the label directions completely. It is important to water well
and have a thriving plant prior to using Round-up. Round-up
works best on healthy plants. If used correctly, Round-up will
definitely solve your problem and it will not hurt any new
plants planted later. For hardy grasses it may require more
than one application spaced a week or so apart.
Also, if you will be putting in decorative rock as part of your
desert landscaping then the plastic ground cover you put down
under the rock will also serve to smother any remaining grass or
weeds and prevent them from coming back (except, perhaps, around
the edges of the plastic).
Q. I planted some lantana last year. Do I prune the plant back -
leave it alone or just cut off what looks like it is dead?
Thanks-
Cat
A. It's not necessary to prune back Lantana, but you can to
control it. Here in California Lantana grows all year and needs
to be trimmed regularly to keep it from over-growing the entire
landscape. Definitely prune back the dead material and then
trim the rest to suit your landscape's appearance.
Have questions? We have answers. Send your questions to editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and will be
answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.
____________________________________________
Factoid: An ant can survive for up to two weeks underwater.
____________________________________________
Are You a Wildflower?
Wildflowers grow from mere dust to reach their full potential.
Wildflowers grow well, even in adverse soil conditions.
Wildflowers don't require late nights at the office to grow.
Wildflowers grow thick and stick together.
Wildflowers grow strong and tall.
Wildflowers display their brilliant personalities for all to
see.
Wildflowers withstand drought and grow all the more beautiful
when watered.
Wildflowers withstand frost and hale.
Wildflowers last late in the season, when other flowers have
given up.
Are you a wildflower?
This article by David Leonhardt (The Happy Guy) first appeared
in the free ezine: Your Daily Dose of Happiness. Subscribe at
http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/daily-happiness-free-ezine.html, or
visit the home page at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com
____________________________________________
Locating Affordable Health Insurance
For Businesses and Individuals
Finding health insurance, as a business owner, can be
difficult and is usually expensive. But it doesn't have to
"break the bank". Below is a list of valuable insurance
resources and great places to start your research.
Disclaimer: It is the reader's sole responsibility to abide
by all pertinent jurisdiction laws and regulations
pertaining to their business and health. Each person is
responsible and liable for the outcome of acting on any of
the suggestions included in this article. You're on your own
to research and/or purchase the program that is appropriate
for you.
Memberships
Many business organizations include group health insurance
as a member benefit. And many individuals and business
owners join an organization specifically for the membership
benefits. So first, review the benefits of organizations you
belong to or that are located in your community. The list
below may help you get started.
- The National Association for the Self-Employed,
www.nase.org.
- International Computer Consultants Organization
www.icca.org/.
- Public Relations Association www.prsa.org.
- Fraternal companies and organizations such as Modern Woodmen
of America, Knights of Columbus, Sons of Norway
http://dmoz.org/Society/Organizations/Fraternal/Benefit_Societies/
- List Of Organizations
http://coachmaria.com/articles/networktosuccess.html.
State Programs
Some states, Washington for example, provide basic health to
lower income residents and many new business owners fit this
category. For additional information, contact your State
Insurance Department.
State Department of Insurance (DOI)
Locate your states DOI web site and find the area within the
agency that health insurance falls under. Request a list of
registered insurance companies and ask about complaints that
have been filed against them. Many insurers offer insurance
in a state where they are not registered. If anything goes
wrong, you have no recourse.
Insurance Brokers
Check your phone book for Insurance Brokers who will provide
you with health insurance resources they've used. Check a
few brokers in your area since they may deal with different
companies.
Other Companies
There are many companies, who provide, as part of their
overall services, a health plan. Some I found while
researching are:
www.affordableservices.com
www.uicisolutions.com/
www.libertyplusplans.com/
www.affordableservices.com
www.farmbureau.com
www.healthinsurance.com/
Department Stores, etc.
Check your department store and wholesale store memberships.
In some states, Costco , www.costco.com offers health
insurance. So check every potential membership you possess.
Ask Your Doctors
Do you have a doctor(s) you really respect? If so, ask your
doctors what policies they accept and start your research
there.
Spouses and Domestic Partnerships
In some states you may qualify as a "domestic partners" and
therefore share in health coverage. In some companies, even
in states where you might not qualify as a domestic partner,
you maybe eligible for insurance coverage. Your spouse may
have coverage for you, too. Check it all out.
Friends
Ask your friends and colleagues what companies they use.
This is a great way to find out which companies to stay away
from and which to explore.
Bonus
Every few years, conduct a check of the health services and
prices available in your area. Why pay more than you have
to? And remember... always check with your state's DOI
before purchasing insurance from a company - off or on-line.
© 2002 Maria’s Place. Maria Marsala, owner. Helping
professionals, entrepreneurs, and executives elevate their
careers, business and lives though coaching, consulting
and courses. Join 2000 e-zine readers and
receive access to more than 100 articles and reports.
Visit http://CoachMaria.com
____________________________________________
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 features, and ponds.
You will also find information on plants, plant identification,
trees and tree maintenance, and many other topics that span the
Green Industry.
If the answers you seek are not readily found, then drop us an
email at: editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and
will be answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.
_______________________________________
Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz
http://www.progardenbiz.com
Volume 1, Issue 2
Feature Articles
-Irrigation Time Savers
-Install a Water Garden
-Don't Get Ripped Off
-Creative Railroad Ties
-Innovative Irrigation Tool: The Chain Saw!
-I Survived the Landscape Industry Trade Show
_______________________________________
You can post questions, comments, thoughts, ideas and more to
our email discussion group at: pgbdiscussion@yahoogroups.com
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you,
Steve Fleming
Publisher
ProGardenBiz
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/ezine/Gardening-Perennial-Design.html
Just to keep it interesting we've added some additional
articles to this issue. Enjoy!
____________________________________________
ProGardenBiz Landscape & Garden Magazine for the
Green Industry
ProGardenBiz is an online landscape & garden magazine for
professional gardeners and landscape contractors doing
maintenance, irrigation, installation, planting, and
waterscapes.
Quote for today: "Millions yearn for immorality who don't know
what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon."
- Susan Ertz
Life's Quips...
A fool flatters himself, a wise man flatters the fool.
____________________________________________
In this Issue:
- Gardening with Perennials - Designing with Color
- Installing a Water Garden
- Questions from our readers... and answers!
- Factoid
- Are You a Wildflower?
- Locating Affordable Health Insurance
For Businesses and Individuals
- Starting a Landscape or Gardening Business
- Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz
____________________________________________
New this Week in ProGardenBiz:
Equipment Maintenance
Small Engine Advisor
The Yard Doctor
PGMS Salary Survey
You can read these articles at:
htt://www.progardenbiz.com
____________________________________________
Gardening with Perennials
Designing with Color
Article by the National Gardening Association
You can mix and match different colored flowers, from pastels to
bright red, to create the mood and effect that best suits your
garden.
The great thing about flowers is that you really can't go wrong
with them. Even if a perennial bed doesn't turn out exactly like
what you envisioned, chances are it's going to be attractive.
After all, have you ever encountered an ugly flower? And, unlike
the wallpaper or paint color that looked great in the store but
now grates on your nerves, perennial plants can be moved and
rearranged (and even given away) to suit your tastes. It's
easier, and more fun, than re-wallpapering!
Pastels
Soft pink, powder blue, lavender, and peach--these gentle colors
set a mood of tranquility. They are the familiar colors of
cottage gardens--informal gardens that contain a variety of
old-fashioned flowers. Pastel colors look best when viewed from
relatively close up, and they can looked washed out in the harsh
mid-day sun.
Brights
Racy reds, vibrant oranges, magenta, and sunny yellow--these
colors invigorate and energize a garden. Bright colors hold up
well to brilliant sunshine, and attract the eye even from a
distance.
Complementary Colors
Colors that are opposite on the color wheel are described as
complementary. High in contrast, complementary colors add
creative energy and vitality to a garden. Yellow and violet are
complementary colors; as are orange and blue, and green and red.
Harmonious Colors
These are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel;
examples include blue and violet, orange and red, and orange and
yellow. These color combinations tend to be gentler on the eye
than complementary colors. A harmonious color scheme unifies a
garden, while allowing enough range of color that it doesn't
become monotonous.
If you are concerned about your ability to choose colors, a
harmonious color scheme might be a good starting point for you.
Unlike complementary colors, which, if overdone, can seem
jarring and can give a riotous feel to a garden, harmonious
colors are a pretty safe bet. As you gain confidence in your
design eye, you can always add splashes of a complementary color
here and there to liven things up.
Monochromatic Color Scheme
You may have seen gardens composed of all white flowers, and
indeed some of the world's most famous gardens use a
monochromatic color scheme. Instead of relying on different
colored flowers, the gardener creates interest by mixing flowers
of different sizes and shapes, and choosing foliage with
interesting textures and colors. Perhaps you are partial to a
single color such as yellow. You can create varying moods
depending on whether you choose soft pale yellows, bright sunny
yellows, or deep golden yellows. Or you might use a mix of
shades.
See the full version with color plant photos on ProGardenBiz
at: http://www.progardenbiz.com
Article by the National Gardening Association www.garden.org,
www.kidsgardening.com
------------------------------------------
Installing a Water Garden
Article by ARA
Installing a water garden can seem like a monumental task, but
it actually can be a fun project you can easily tackle. It is
especially easy if you purchase a kit that includes everything
you need. This is an excellent profit center for a landscape
contractor. Installation can involve moving existing irrigation
sprinklers. Once the pond is established it becomes another
component of the grounds maintenance. There is much more to
landscape maintenance than just mowing.
The first step in creating your water garden waterscape is to
carefully select the site for your pond in a level area...
For the rest of this article see:
http://www.progardenbiz.com/currentissue/Feature2.html
________________________________________________
Q&A
Questions from our readers...
Q. I am hoping that someone can share their tips in keeping the
mulch beds clean of dead leaves and flower buds. At the
beginning of the season, the mulch beds are pretty messy. Even
during the summer, my rose beds get messy with dead rose buds.
Raking is difficult because the rake gets caught in the plants.
Blowing blows the mulch as well as the leaves. Any suggestions
would be welcome.
Thank you very much.
Brian
A. Many people like the look of a "clean" garden bed and will
rake everything out leaving only the surface dirt. Although
this looks tidy, it's not the best for your plants. Leaving
leaves and other plant debris provides natural mulch and returns
nutrients to the the soil. To make this look better you can
turn the leaves into the soil or cover lightly with a dark
mulch.
The less you remove from your garden, the less chemicals you
need to add to replenish it.
Q. Hi all....I need your advice since I do not have a green
thumb. I live in Arizona and I am looking to put down Desert
Landscaping. But I need to kill whatever is remaining of the
current lawn. So far I have used a tiller to remove from the
roots up and sprayed various chemicals from Home Depot....even
stuff that was suppose to last a whole year. But the grass just
continued growing 2 days later. Can anyone tell me how I can
kill this lawn? What chemicals can you recommend? I am getting
tired of continuesly working on this lawn. Any help would be
appreciated.
Thanks
Mike
A. I'm not sure what chemicals you have already used, but it
sounds like they were either ineffective products or perhaps
used incorrectly. Please be very careful in using any herbicide
that will sterilize the ground for "a whole year". Even though
you are going to put in desert landscaping you will still be
putting some plants in the ground and such chemicals will kill
your new plants as well.
The best product to use to kill the old lawn is Round-up. Read
the label directions completely. It is important to water well
and have a thriving plant prior to using Round-up. Round-up
works best on healthy plants. If used correctly, Round-up will
definitely solve your problem and it will not hurt any new
plants planted later. For hardy grasses it may require more
than one application spaced a week or so apart.
Also, if you will be putting in decorative rock as part of your
desert landscaping then the plastic ground cover you put down
under the rock will also serve to smother any remaining grass or
weeds and prevent them from coming back (except, perhaps, around
the edges of the plastic).
Q. I planted some lantana last year. Do I prune the plant back -
leave it alone or just cut off what looks like it is dead?
Thanks-
Cat
A. It's not necessary to prune back Lantana, but you can to
control it. Here in California Lantana grows all year and needs
to be trimmed regularly to keep it from over-growing the entire
landscape. Definitely prune back the dead material and then
trim the rest to suit your landscape's appearance.
Have questions? We have answers. Send your questions to editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and will be
answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.
____________________________________________
Factoid: An ant can survive for up to two weeks underwater.
____________________________________________
Are You a Wildflower?
Wildflowers grow from mere dust to reach their full potential.
Wildflowers grow well, even in adverse soil conditions.
Wildflowers don't require late nights at the office to grow.
Wildflowers grow thick and stick together.
Wildflowers grow strong and tall.
Wildflowers display their brilliant personalities for all to
see.
Wildflowers withstand drought and grow all the more beautiful
when watered.
Wildflowers withstand frost and hale.
Wildflowers last late in the season, when other flowers have
given up.
Are you a wildflower?
This article by David Leonhardt (The Happy Guy) first appeared
in the free ezine: Your Daily Dose of Happiness. Subscribe at
http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/daily-happiness-free-ezine.html, or
visit the home page at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com
____________________________________________
Locating Affordable Health Insurance
For Businesses and Individuals
Finding health insurance, as a business owner, can be
difficult and is usually expensive. But it doesn't have to
"break the bank". Below is a list of valuable insurance
resources and great places to start your research.
Disclaimer: It is the reader's sole responsibility to abide
by all pertinent jurisdiction laws and regulations
pertaining to their business and health. Each person is
responsible and liable for the outcome of acting on any of
the suggestions included in this article. You're on your own
to research and/or purchase the program that is appropriate
for you.
Memberships
Many business organizations include group health insurance
as a member benefit. And many individuals and business
owners join an organization specifically for the membership
benefits. So first, review the benefits of organizations you
belong to or that are located in your community. The list
below may help you get started.
- The National Association for the Self-Employed,
www.nase.org.
- International Computer Consultants Organization
www.icca.org/.
- Public Relations Association www.prsa.org.
- Fraternal companies and organizations such as Modern Woodmen
of America, Knights of Columbus, Sons of Norway
http://dmoz.org/Society/Organizations/Fraternal/Benefit_Societies/
- List Of Organizations
http://coachmaria.com/articles/networktosuccess.html.
State Programs
Some states, Washington for example, provide basic health to
lower income residents and many new business owners fit this
category. For additional information, contact your State
Insurance Department.
State Department of Insurance (DOI)
Locate your states DOI web site and find the area within the
agency that health insurance falls under. Request a list of
registered insurance companies and ask about complaints that
have been filed against them. Many insurers offer insurance
in a state where they are not registered. If anything goes
wrong, you have no recourse.
Insurance Brokers
Check your phone book for Insurance Brokers who will provide
you with health insurance resources they've used. Check a
few brokers in your area since they may deal with different
companies.
Other Companies
There are many companies, who provide, as part of their
overall services, a health plan. Some I found while
researching are:
www.affordableservices.com
www.uicisolutions.com/
www.libertyplusplans.com/
www.affordableservices.com
www.farmbureau.com
www.healthinsurance.com/
Department Stores, etc.
Check your department store and wholesale store memberships.
In some states, Costco , www.costco.com offers health
insurance. So check every potential membership you possess.
Ask Your Doctors
Do you have a doctor(s) you really respect? If so, ask your
doctors what policies they accept and start your research
there.
Spouses and Domestic Partnerships
In some states you may qualify as a "domestic partners" and
therefore share in health coverage. In some companies, even
in states where you might not qualify as a domestic partner,
you maybe eligible for insurance coverage. Your spouse may
have coverage for you, too. Check it all out.
Friends
Ask your friends and colleagues what companies they use.
This is a great way to find out which companies to stay away
from and which to explore.
Bonus
Every few years, conduct a check of the health services and
prices available in your area. Why pay more than you have
to? And remember... always check with your state's DOI
before purchasing insurance from a company - off or on-line.
© 2002 Maria’s Place. Maria Marsala, owner. Helping
professionals, entrepreneurs, and executives elevate their
careers, business and lives though coaching, consulting
and courses. Join 2000 e-zine readers and
receive access to more than 100 articles and reports.
Visit http://CoachMaria.com
____________________________________________
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 features, and ponds.
You will also find information on plants, plant identification,
trees and tree maintenance, and many other topics that span the
Green Industry.
If the answers you seek are not readily found, then drop us an
email at: editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and
will be answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.
_______________________________________
Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz
http://www.progardenbiz.com
Volume 1, Issue 2
Feature Articles
-Irrigation Time Savers
-Install a Water Garden
-Don't Get Ripped Off
-Creative Railroad Ties
-Innovative Irrigation Tool: The Chain Saw!
-I Survived the Landscape Industry Trade Show
_______________________________________
You can post questions, comments, thoughts, ideas and more to
our email discussion group at: pgbdiscussion@yahoogroups.com
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you,
Steve Fleming
Publisher
ProGardenBiz
Monday, March 17, 2003
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
front porch on one of those long, summer days spent with a cool
one and watching our neighbors mow their lawns.
Rachel Louise Carson authored the book "Silent Spring" alerting
mankind (which includes you gardeners and landscapers) to the
long term destructive results of certain pesticides and toxic
chemicals. From my own personnel experience and observation, I
wish to add one more insidious ingredient to the expanding list
of dangerous substances polluting our gardens. It is called
"salsa picante" or "salsa muy caliente" (Hot sauce to you
gringos).
Long, one of the favorite lunch choices of many a landscape
contractor and gardener, you may want to read on... there is
more to that salsa then you've been told.
An obscure legend suggests that the Aztec God of Fire captured
the essence of salsa from the bowels of a raging volcano when
a high priest prayed for a cure to cleanse the Aztec people of
plague sweeping the land. The priest placed a single drop of
salsa in the food bowl of every inhabitant. The plague vanished
from the land and so did the Aztecs!
From personal experience, I know better than to touch the stuff
(as you will soon see), but my landscape crew often indulges.
I've related this story to them on many a landscape job, but
they laugh it off, much like Boy Scouts around the campfire
hearing the scary tall tales. Unfortunately, this tale is
true...
One Friday night not long ago found us rolling toward the
family diggins in the mountains near Julian, CA. After a hard
week of building, planting gardens, and irrigating lawns, I
was ready for a relaxing weekend at the ranch... building,
planting gardens, and irrigating lawns. After two years the
house and surrounding landscaping were nearly half done.
We were almost there when my wife Gerry, the blanket burglar,
wanted some Mexican food. She should have married a Mexican
chef (or gardener in my case) because her craving for the
stuff is almost insatiable.
I said, "No."
She replied, "I will invite mother to spend another month."
I said, "Oh."
"Screeeech."
Poor old Cricket, our midget female drip-dry dachshund, was darn
near catapulted through the window by a 90 degree turn into
"Pancho's Taco Y Salsa" stand.
Pancho asked me, in broken English, how much hot sauce I wanted
for the beef and bean burrito. I told him a half dozen of those
little plastic tubs would be fine. They look like miniature
"maintenance free" batteries made of the same materials.
The expression on his face can only be compared to a war movie
where the pilot of an enemy plane dives out of the sun on the
helpless victim. He put on a pair of heavy leather gauntlets,
welder's helmet, and reached for a pair of long, steel tongs.
A lead lined steel box was set in the concrete floor with a
radiation alert label on the lid. He reached in with the tongs
and removed six tubs; neatly dropping them into my bucket, as
I jumped back to avoid flying sparks.
On the way out, I glanced over my shoulder at Pancho who was
stenciling a new miniature American Flag on a board hanging from
the wall. This guy was an ace many times over, judging from the
number of flags that covered the board.
I pointed the old Chevy pick-up for the mountains again with my
window rolled all the way down, as Gerry, the masochist, tears
streaming from the cherry red eyes, happily munched on her
burrito. Cricket had buried herself in a pink asbestos blanket,
knowing that a careless spark striking her fur coat could
transform her into a crispy critter in a flash.
What happened next was my fault. Normally, after arriving at the
ranch, I bury any unused salsa tubs in the open field, six feet
under and 100 yards from any living plant or critter. It's the
closest thing to a toxic waste dump in these here parts. I
should have known better because despite many years as a
landscape contractor I have never been able to get a lawn, a
tree, or any kind of plant or flower to grow on that spot. I
hope the critters who make their home here will forgive me
someday.
When I first saw Snuffy and Stumpy together they reminded me of
Laurel and Hardy. They are a pair of grey field mice who are
roommates sharing the bottom file drawer located in the garden
shed. Snuffy was so named because he has hay fever all year
long; and Stumpy for obvious reasons – lost his tail in a
hunting accident. He was being hunted by Russell the rattler at
the time, who misjudged the opening that Stumpy was squeezing
through. Old Russ was pretty sore, having broken his nose and
fracturing a tooth with nothing to show for it except an inch
of Stumpy's fat tail.
After we settled in and before the pick-up was cold, Snuffy, led
by Stumpy, made a thorough inspection of the cab looking for
tidbits and scraps of food.
Stumpy was the first to spot the eerie pulsating light emanating
from the glovebox. Upon inspection, he came across a single tub
of salsa that I had forgotten to bury. Being somewhat of a
selfish glutton, he tore open a corner of the tub and gulped
down the whole thing.
Too late, he realized he must have gotten into what the humans
call "a stash." Gasping for air, he could not imagine human or
beast snorting and shooting this stuff into their bodies. By
now, Stumpy was deaf and blind. Little Snuffy took his friend
by the whiskers leading him toward the garden shed. With only
25 feet to go, Stumpy gave up the ghost, rolling on his back
with his little fat feet pointing toward the moon, that great
orb of cheese where he would rest for eternity.
Snuffy dashed for safety when he heard Russell, who had been
attracted by all the noise, coming out from under our old
riding lawn mower. He rattled to himself with unexpected
pleasure as he realized his good fortune. Dessert and settling
an old score in one gulp!
Russell would be missed around the ranch. He had just entered
his ninth season, helping us to keep the varmit population in
check and scaring the wits out of trespassers by hissing and
shaking his tail at them.
Over the years he survived a blizzard of caliber .223, .38,
.308, 11 buck, .45, rocks, bottles, bulldozers, lawnmowers,
dunebuggies, and dirt bikes, but it was the sauce, disguised
in a FAT MOUSE BURRITO, that finally got him! He was the best
security snake I ever had.
Elmer, the golden eagle, couldn't believe his good fortune
either when he spied Russell from 2,000 feet. They had grown
up together, but were mortal enemies knowing that someday one
or the other would eventually succumb to fangs or talons.
Elmer was suspicious because by this time of the morning Russell
should be resting under a rock or in the wood pile at the back
of the garden. Elmer, who fancied himself as a hot shot flyer,
cut power and lowered his flaps as he circled above the cold,
hard body of Russell who was stretched out stiff and rigid on
the lawn, looking like a three foot long rolled taco.
Elmer wasn't as sharp or as aggressive since he lost the
territorial dispute with the Sheriff's ASTREA helicopter last
spring. Most of his feathers have grown back, but he still has
dizzy spells from time to time. Ah, but that is a story in
itself for another time.
Elmer suddenly swooped, throwing caution to the wind, making a
fast snatch and grab on the rolled taco that once was a very
handsome red Diamondback buzz tail.
Twenty minutes later, while cruising at 5,000 feet, Elmer's
eyes began to cross and a fire suddenly erupted in his tail
section when he began to feel the full effects of the
combination plate lace salsa.
The end came swiftly, as he spun into the lawn near the garden
shed. At the last possible second he managed to spread his wings
enabling him to crash land near the riding lawn mower. He tore
up 30 yards of grass, leaves, and mud before coming to a halt
upside down.
The impact saved Elmer's life. The force of it knocked the air,
Stumpy, Russell, and salsa right out of him.
When Elmer regained consciousness, he managed to hobble over to
the pond, with the aid of a broken tree branch under one wing,
to put out the fire in his beak.
Coy, the coyote, at first thought he had seen a meteorite
because he had never seen an eagle up close before. He could
eat anything, and often did just to survive, but this bird
looked and smelled bad. "Yucka!"
Elmer threatened to brain him with his tree branch crutch if he
came one paw closer. Coy decided he wasn't THAT hungry anyway.
He did an about face, scratching dirt and grass from the lawn
all over Elmer like any sensible animal covering up a mess,
before trotting off across the lawn.
Elmer eventually recovered to become a reborn vegetarian and
anti-helicopter activist.
Mother nature (aided by my gardening skills) required a full
season to purge the lawn and garden of the awful evidence that
claimed two critters and nearly a third. Gerry wanted to move
the half-completed house to another site, to avoid the large,
blackened and charred area of dead ground that was now part of
our front lawn. I stood firm, though. Two years of construction
workers tramping back and forth over our landscaping was enough.
Besides, the half-life on salsa is fairly short.
Meanwhile, yup, back at the ranch, Snuffy adopted a new
roommate, Augie and they moved into the newly completed
greenhouse. Gerry insisted that the dead area be covered over
and the greenhouse was just the thing to bring life back to that
part of the landscape. Augie's sort of a clutze so they
compliment each other. Rastus, Russell's cousin, moved into the
garden to take over Russell's old job; and Pancho's was closed.
The Fire Chief told Pancho they would let the old stand burn to
the ground next time, after putting down the sixth incendiary
fire in as many months. On top of that, the insurance company
tore up Pancho's policy; and the Environmental Protection
Agency launched an investigation. It was too much for Pancho
who returned to the land of his ancestors, the Aztecs.
And our house? Well, even though we managed to cover up the
damage of the salsa environmental attack with a brand new
greenhouse and refurbished lawn (ain't sod great!), the house
is still unfinished. Not to worry, though, our ranch is a work
in progress that takes me away from the hubbub of my landscape
business... so I can get involved in the hubbub of doing the
same landscape and construction work for myself that I do for
others all week long.
Well, that's the tale. My neighbor is indeed a real landscape
contractor with a large grounds maintenance company. I've been
to his ranch a few times and can confirm that the place exists
as described, greenhouse, lawn, grounds, unfinished house and
all. But as he related this story to me, on that hot, summer
day, he had a strange twinkle in his eye. So, is it true? I
can't say for sure, but after a chance meeting with Rastus by
the riding lawn mower, I'm willing to believe it.
__________________________________________
About the Author:
Rich Showalter is a Contributing Writer for ProGardenBiz
Magazine, an online magazine for professional gardeners and
landscape contractors. Once Upon a Time... A Gardener's
Daydream is a regular feature in ProGardenBiz Magazine. Visit
ProGardenBiz to find out how you can get a
free subscription, start-up guidance, business ideas and
inspiration at http://www.progardenbiz.com.
__________________________________________
You have permission to publish this article electronically or
in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included.
Must be published complete with no changes.
A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.
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
front porch on one of those long, summer days spent with a cool
one and watching our neighbors mow their lawns.
Rachel Louise Carson authored the book "Silent Spring" alerting
mankind (which includes you gardeners and landscapers) to the
long term destructive results of certain pesticides and toxic
chemicals. From my own personnel experience and observation, I
wish to add one more insidious ingredient to the expanding list
of dangerous substances polluting our gardens. It is called
"salsa picante" or "salsa muy caliente" (Hot sauce to you
gringos).
Long, one of the favorite lunch choices of many a landscape
contractor and gardener, you may want to read on... there is
more to that salsa then you've been told.
An obscure legend suggests that the Aztec God of Fire captured
the essence of salsa from the bowels of a raging volcano when
a high priest prayed for a cure to cleanse the Aztec people of
plague sweeping the land. The priest placed a single drop of
salsa in the food bowl of every inhabitant. The plague vanished
from the land and so did the Aztecs!
From personal experience, I know better than to touch the stuff
(as you will soon see), but my landscape crew often indulges.
I've related this story to them on many a landscape job, but
they laugh it off, much like Boy Scouts around the campfire
hearing the scary tall tales. Unfortunately, this tale is
true...
One Friday night not long ago found us rolling toward the
family diggins in the mountains near Julian, CA. After a hard
week of building, planting gardens, and irrigating lawns, I
was ready for a relaxing weekend at the ranch... building,
planting gardens, and irrigating lawns. After two years the
house and surrounding landscaping were nearly half done.
We were almost there when my wife Gerry, the blanket burglar,
wanted some Mexican food. She should have married a Mexican
chef (or gardener in my case) because her craving for the
stuff is almost insatiable.
I said, "No."
She replied, "I will invite mother to spend another month."
I said, "Oh."
"Screeeech."
Poor old Cricket, our midget female drip-dry dachshund, was darn
near catapulted through the window by a 90 degree turn into
"Pancho's Taco Y Salsa" stand.
Pancho asked me, in broken English, how much hot sauce I wanted
for the beef and bean burrito. I told him a half dozen of those
little plastic tubs would be fine. They look like miniature
"maintenance free" batteries made of the same materials.
The expression on his face can only be compared to a war movie
where the pilot of an enemy plane dives out of the sun on the
helpless victim. He put on a pair of heavy leather gauntlets,
welder's helmet, and reached for a pair of long, steel tongs.
A lead lined steel box was set in the concrete floor with a
radiation alert label on the lid. He reached in with the tongs
and removed six tubs; neatly dropping them into my bucket, as
I jumped back to avoid flying sparks.
On the way out, I glanced over my shoulder at Pancho who was
stenciling a new miniature American Flag on a board hanging from
the wall. This guy was an ace many times over, judging from the
number of flags that covered the board.
I pointed the old Chevy pick-up for the mountains again with my
window rolled all the way down, as Gerry, the masochist, tears
streaming from the cherry red eyes, happily munched on her
burrito. Cricket had buried herself in a pink asbestos blanket,
knowing that a careless spark striking her fur coat could
transform her into a crispy critter in a flash.
What happened next was my fault. Normally, after arriving at the
ranch, I bury any unused salsa tubs in the open field, six feet
under and 100 yards from any living plant or critter. It's the
closest thing to a toxic waste dump in these here parts. I
should have known better because despite many years as a
landscape contractor I have never been able to get a lawn, a
tree, or any kind of plant or flower to grow on that spot. I
hope the critters who make their home here will forgive me
someday.
When I first saw Snuffy and Stumpy together they reminded me of
Laurel and Hardy. They are a pair of grey field mice who are
roommates sharing the bottom file drawer located in the garden
shed. Snuffy was so named because he has hay fever all year
long; and Stumpy for obvious reasons – lost his tail in a
hunting accident. He was being hunted by Russell the rattler at
the time, who misjudged the opening that Stumpy was squeezing
through. Old Russ was pretty sore, having broken his nose and
fracturing a tooth with nothing to show for it except an inch
of Stumpy's fat tail.
After we settled in and before the pick-up was cold, Snuffy, led
by Stumpy, made a thorough inspection of the cab looking for
tidbits and scraps of food.
Stumpy was the first to spot the eerie pulsating light emanating
from the glovebox. Upon inspection, he came across a single tub
of salsa that I had forgotten to bury. Being somewhat of a
selfish glutton, he tore open a corner of the tub and gulped
down the whole thing.
Too late, he realized he must have gotten into what the humans
call "a stash." Gasping for air, he could not imagine human or
beast snorting and shooting this stuff into their bodies. By
now, Stumpy was deaf and blind. Little Snuffy took his friend
by the whiskers leading him toward the garden shed. With only
25 feet to go, Stumpy gave up the ghost, rolling on his back
with his little fat feet pointing toward the moon, that great
orb of cheese where he would rest for eternity.
Snuffy dashed for safety when he heard Russell, who had been
attracted by all the noise, coming out from under our old
riding lawn mower. He rattled to himself with unexpected
pleasure as he realized his good fortune. Dessert and settling
an old score in one gulp!
Russell would be missed around the ranch. He had just entered
his ninth season, helping us to keep the varmit population in
check and scaring the wits out of trespassers by hissing and
shaking his tail at them.
Over the years he survived a blizzard of caliber .223, .38,
.308, 11 buck, .45, rocks, bottles, bulldozers, lawnmowers,
dunebuggies, and dirt bikes, but it was the sauce, disguised
in a FAT MOUSE BURRITO, that finally got him! He was the best
security snake I ever had.
Elmer, the golden eagle, couldn't believe his good fortune
either when he spied Russell from 2,000 feet. They had grown
up together, but were mortal enemies knowing that someday one
or the other would eventually succumb to fangs or talons.
Elmer was suspicious because by this time of the morning Russell
should be resting under a rock or in the wood pile at the back
of the garden. Elmer, who fancied himself as a hot shot flyer,
cut power and lowered his flaps as he circled above the cold,
hard body of Russell who was stretched out stiff and rigid on
the lawn, looking like a three foot long rolled taco.
Elmer wasn't as sharp or as aggressive since he lost the
territorial dispute with the Sheriff's ASTREA helicopter last
spring. Most of his feathers have grown back, but he still has
dizzy spells from time to time. Ah, but that is a story in
itself for another time.
Elmer suddenly swooped, throwing caution to the wind, making a
fast snatch and grab on the rolled taco that once was a very
handsome red Diamondback buzz tail.
Twenty minutes later, while cruising at 5,000 feet, Elmer's
eyes began to cross and a fire suddenly erupted in his tail
section when he began to feel the full effects of the
combination plate lace salsa.
The end came swiftly, as he spun into the lawn near the garden
shed. At the last possible second he managed to spread his wings
enabling him to crash land near the riding lawn mower. He tore
up 30 yards of grass, leaves, and mud before coming to a halt
upside down.
The impact saved Elmer's life. The force of it knocked the air,
Stumpy, Russell, and salsa right out of him.
When Elmer regained consciousness, he managed to hobble over to
the pond, with the aid of a broken tree branch under one wing,
to put out the fire in his beak.
Coy, the coyote, at first thought he had seen a meteorite
because he had never seen an eagle up close before. He could
eat anything, and often did just to survive, but this bird
looked and smelled bad. "Yucka!"
Elmer threatened to brain him with his tree branch crutch if he
came one paw closer. Coy decided he wasn't THAT hungry anyway.
He did an about face, scratching dirt and grass from the lawn
all over Elmer like any sensible animal covering up a mess,
before trotting off across the lawn.
Elmer eventually recovered to become a reborn vegetarian and
anti-helicopter activist.
Mother nature (aided by my gardening skills) required a full
season to purge the lawn and garden of the awful evidence that
claimed two critters and nearly a third. Gerry wanted to move
the half-completed house to another site, to avoid the large,
blackened and charred area of dead ground that was now part of
our front lawn. I stood firm, though. Two years of construction
workers tramping back and forth over our landscaping was enough.
Besides, the half-life on salsa is fairly short.
Meanwhile, yup, back at the ranch, Snuffy adopted a new
roommate, Augie and they moved into the newly completed
greenhouse. Gerry insisted that the dead area be covered over
and the greenhouse was just the thing to bring life back to that
part of the landscape. Augie's sort of a clutze so they
compliment each other. Rastus, Russell's cousin, moved into the
garden to take over Russell's old job; and Pancho's was closed.
The Fire Chief told Pancho they would let the old stand burn to
the ground next time, after putting down the sixth incendiary
fire in as many months. On top of that, the insurance company
tore up Pancho's policy; and the Environmental Protection
Agency launched an investigation. It was too much for Pancho
who returned to the land of his ancestors, the Aztecs.
And our house? Well, even though we managed to cover up the
damage of the salsa environmental attack with a brand new
greenhouse and refurbished lawn (ain't sod great!), the house
is still unfinished. Not to worry, though, our ranch is a work
in progress that takes me away from the hubbub of my landscape
business... so I can get involved in the hubbub of doing the
same landscape and construction work for myself that I do for
others all week long.
Well, that's the tale. My neighbor is indeed a real landscape
contractor with a large grounds maintenance company. I've been
to his ranch a few times and can confirm that the place exists
as described, greenhouse, lawn, grounds, unfinished house and
all. But as he related this story to me, on that hot, summer
day, he had a strange twinkle in his eye. So, is it true? I
can't say for sure, but after a chance meeting with Rastus by
the riding lawn mower, I'm willing to believe it.
__________________________________________
About the Author:
Rich Showalter is a Contributing Writer for ProGardenBiz
Magazine, an online magazine for professional gardeners and
landscape contractors. Once Upon a Time... A Gardener's
Daydream is a regular feature in ProGardenBiz Magazine. Visit
ProGardenBiz to find out how you can get a
free subscription, start-up guidance, business ideas and
inspiration at http://www.progardenbiz.com.
__________________________________________
You have permission to publish this article electronically or
in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included.
Must be published complete with no changes.
A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
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/ezine/landscape-customer-service.html
Just to keep it interesting we've added some additional
articles to this issue. Enjoy!
____________________________________________
ProGardenBiz Landscape & Garden Magazine for the
Green Industry
ProGardenBiz is an online landscape & garden magazine for
professional gardeners and landscape contractors doing
maintenance, irrigation, installation, planting, and
waterscapes.
Quote for today: "If at first you don't succeed, you're running
about average."
- M.H. Alderson
Life's Quips...
'Some people bring happiness wherever they go, others whenever
they go.' - Oscar Wilde
____________________________________________
In this Issue:
- The Magic of Annual Vines
- How Does Your Garden Grow? The Startup Garden
- Questions from our readers... and answers!
- Factoid
- Your Edible Landscape: More Than Just Apples!
- Starting a Landscape or Gardening Business
- Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz
____________________________________________
Article by Jackie Carroll
Editor of GardenGuides.com
For the cost of a packet of seeds, you can quickly
create a show stopping garden accent or a living
hideaway for children, hide a rusty chain link fence
or an unsightly garage wall, and turn an ordinary
balcony into a private garden. Started from seeds,
annual vines will scramble to heights of 20 feet or
more, highlighting features you want to show off and
covering eyesores.
Here are just a few of the many uses for annual vines:
Add a little magic to your garden by planting a
trellis or pole with brightly colored morning glories
and moonflowers. You'll have a burst of brightly
colored flowers during the day, and luminescent white
blossoms at night.
Add shade and privacy to your balcony with annual
vines. Because their root systems are limited, they
can be grown in large planters on a trellis, or
allowed to trail from window boxes and big hanging
baskets. The vertical growing habit will make a small
area seem larger.
Annual vines are ideal for introducing your children
to the magic of gardening. Build a teepee of bamboo or
fallen tree branches, and plant with scarlet runner
beans or tall nasturtiums. Your children will enjoy
their colorful (and edible) hideaway while learning
about the wonders of nature.
Plant climbing vines along chain link fences and light
poles to soften the look of your landscape.
Annual vines will quickly blanket a problem slope or
other area that is difficult to mow with colorful
flowers. If your slope is difficult to plant, use a
vine that will reseed itself such as morning glories
or cardinal climbers.
Plant vines along a southern wall to keep the house
cooler in summer.
Annual vines are easy to grow. They like a sunny
location with good quality, well drained soil. Plant
your seeds according to the package directions, and
keep them evenly moist until they germinate. After
germination, you'll only need to water when the
weather has been extremely hot or dry. Use fertilizers
sparingly. An abundance of nitrogen will encourage
your vines to produce an abundance of dark green
foliage and few flowers.
Have your trellises or other support in place when you
plant your seeds. If you can't plant right next to the
support, insert twigs into the soil next to the seeds
to lead the vines to their intended support. If the
vine can't find its support right away, it will waste
time searching and reaching for something to grab on
to.
Recommended Annual Vines
To see photos of these beautiful vines see:
http://www.progardenbiz.com/ezine/magic-annual-vines-ezine-3.html
Black Eyed Susan Vine
Unlike many climbing vines, this one isn't invasive so
it can be incorporated into existing gardens without
fear of crowding out existing plants. It's a great
choice for hanging baskets and window boxes.
Height: 5' to 10' trailing vine
Cardinal Climber Vine
The deep red flowers with white or yellow throats are
sure to draw attention to your trellises, fences and
poles.
Height: 6' to 20' vine
Cypress Vine
This vine can add a tropical texture to your landscape
with its interesting foliage and mix of bright red,
pink and white flowers. With the right conditions, it
grows to 20 feet.
Height: 8' to 10' vine
Hyacinth Bean Vine
This striking vine will have your visitors asking if
it's real! The flowers are followed by velvety purple
bean pods.
Height: 6' - 20' vine
Mina Lobata
'Firecracker Vine' or 'Exotic Love,' this unusual,
exciting, interesting annual vine has up to 12
beautiful 2" tubular flowers on each spike. Performs
well on trellises and in hanging baskets.
Height: 6' to 10' vine
Moonflower
Plant this fast-growing vine on a porch, near an
entrance, or under a window where you can enjoy the
evening performance and heady fragrance. The flowers
bloom only at night, and unfold in 2-3 minutes, and
event worth waiting for!
Height: 10' to 20' vine
Morning Glories
In the summer, flowers open in the morning, and in the
fall they stay open all day. Morning glories are grown
as a groundcover in difficult areas.
Height: 8' - 10' vine
Sweet Peas
Sweet peas are shorter than most of the other annual
vines mentioned here, but their outstanding fragrance
make them worthwhile when height isn't important. They
make a wonderful cut flower.
Height: 3' to 5' vine
About the Author:
Jackie Carroll is the editor of GardenGuides.com, a
leading internet destination for gardening information
and ideas. For hundreds of gardening articles and
expert gardening advice visit:
http://www.gardenguides.com
Come see what's on sale at GardenGuides Shops:
http://store.yahoo.com/gardenguides-store/
------------------------------------------
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Chapter One (Part One) from Tom Ehrenfeld's book,
The Startup Garden
Article by Tom Ehrenfeld
Finding Your Calling
Startup Garden Business Advice for Gardeners & Landscapers
Part One
You learn to Recognize, Articulate—and—Capitalize on Your
Passions and Strengths
One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began
--Mary Oliver, The Journey
When Tom Scott and Tom First launched Nantucket Allserve in
1988, they had no great plans to build a world-class beverage
company that many people recognize today as Nantucket Nectars.
The two had both recently graduated from nearby Brown University,
and they just wanted to run their own business. This urge, of
course, was synonymous with a desire to run their own lives. Tom
First always considered himself a “staircase person.” When
confronted with the choice between an elevator and a staircase,
“I will always take the stairs over the elevator,” he says,
“because the elevator will stop anywhere—and on the stairs I can
control my own destiny.”
For the rest of this article see:
http://www.progardenbiz.com/issues/v1issue2/Startup-Garden-Business-12.html
________________________________________________
Q&A
Questions from our readers...
Q. You ran a great article on CAD using the Macintosh computer,
but I don't do design work. What computer is best for
accounting, scheduling, estimating, etc.?
G.B.
Santee, CA
A. It is not the computer, but the software you should be
looking at. First you find the software that is best suited for
your needs. Then you pick the best hardware to run it on. Of
course there are significant differences between different
hardware systems and this translates into differences in the
software. My personal recommendation is the Macintosh computer.
The majority of users have a Windows based system.
Make sure you like and understand the system. Even if your
secretary or someone else will be using the system you should
understand it better than anyone in your company (you do not
want to be left hanging if you lose a key person). Lastly, do
not buy on price alone. Compare apples to apples. Look at what
kind of after the sale service you will receive. How much
training are you going to get? What kind of facilities do they
have for training? Do they install the system in your office?
What does extra consultation cost? Is it available?
Q. What cartoon character said, "The trouble with the rat race
is there is never a finish line"?
A. Is this a joke? Or is there a deep hidden meaning here? The
answer is Dagwood in the "Blondie" comic strip. We play
trivia too!
Q. Is there any site on the web that has landscape software
(freeware or shareware) for use? Just wondering, as I have
over an acre to fill with trees and plants, and don't quite know
where to start. It makes it doubly hard as I live in an area of
rocks rocks rocks! If softball or baked potato sized rocks were
worth anything, I would be the Bill Gates of rocks!
Nani
A. If you are looking for landscape software for design here
are some sources:
http://www.taoherbfarm.com/
http://www.gardencomposer.com/
http://www.broderbund.com/SubCategory.asp?CID=467
For information on plants and planting see these sites:
http://davesgarden.com/welcome.php
http://clearwaterlandscapes.com
Those sites should help.
Q. I am looking for sources of information regarding the safety
of children and water features (do's and don't s of a design,
inspirational designers, academic or professional debate on the
subject).
Do you know of any legislation or approved codes of practice
for pond/water feature design?
Thanks for your time,
oneill69uk
A. In general, if children can get into it, it can be a hazard.
No water feature will be completely safe without adult
supervision. One idea on reducing the hazard would be to raise
the water feature as in a sitting height border. This would not
stop children, but at least slow them down. You can also place
decorative landscaping around features to prevent actually
approaching them.
Codes and legislation will vary widely from area to area.
Have questions? We have answers. Send your questions to
editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and will be
answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.
____________________________________________
Factoid: A hornworm can eat an entire tomato plant by
itself in one day.
____________________________________________
Your Edible Landscape: More Than Just Apples!
Article by Steve Jones, The Plant Man
www.landsteward.org
In a previous column, I discussed the enjoyment you can derive
from planting "edible landscape" or trees and bushes that
produce fruit. The emphasis then was on apples and the benefits
of some of my favorite varieties. However, there's no need to
stop at apples! Today, I'll turn the spotlight onto some other
trees and bushes that are pleasing to your tastebuds as well
as your eyes!
Let's start with a fruit that's almost as popular as the apple.
Yes, you guessed right: the pear.
I like to think of pears as being great trees for the
horticulturally-challenged. Why? Because they can tolerate many
different soil conditions, they don't require much care or
fertilizing once established and they rarely need pruning. And,
yes, they can produce fairly sizable crops of fruit for decades,
with little care.
Pears are an excellent food for people watching their diet, too.
Of course, pears contain no fat and are a good source of
B-complex vitamins. They taste good too. Here are some popular
pear varieties you might consider:
Bartlett Pear. Arguably the most popular pear variety in America
because it's ideal for both eating fresh or canning. Bartletts
look lovely on the tree with their yellow-green skin, long neck
and smooth shape. Although they're somewhat self-fruitful, I
recommend cross pollinating with another pear variety for best
results. I like to begin picking them in September then allow
them to ripen in the refrigerator to bring out the full flavor.
Pineapple Pear. As you might guess, this pear has a taste
reminiscent of pineapple that I happen to find very appealing.
The fruit is large and russet colored with a long "keeping"
life. If you enjoy pear preserves, this would be a good choice.
Kieffer Pear. This hybrid might not be a familiar name, but has
a major benefit over some of the better-known varieties: it is
resistant to fireblight, a major disease of European pears grown
in humid regions. It bears fruit at an early age and ripens in
September.
If your landscape isn't suitable for standard-sized fruit
trees, you might want to consider fruit bushes. Here are some
idea starters:
Thornless Blackberry (Rubus ulmifrolius) could be a very good
choice! In addition to being thornless, they do not need a
trellis, and I find that they have a particularly sweet flavor.
I like two varieties, Arapaho Thornless and Navaho Thornless.
Both produce sucker plants that help them co-mingle quickly and
produce an appealing blackberry hedgerow that can be very
attractive in various different landscape designs. By the
way, Arapaho is the earliest thornless blackberry of any
variety. Both are hardy in zones 3 - 8.
Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa). "Doubtless God could have
made a better berry, but doubtless God never did." That's a
quote from William Butler (1535-1618) that I found at a web
site that tells you just about everything you could ever want
to know about strawberries. You can find it at
http://www.jamm.com/strawberry/facts.html and you can click
on a direct link from this column at my web site,
www.landsteward.org
I have been able to harvest more than 50 pounds of fruit from
as few as 25 strawberry plants just one year after planting.
You'll need to find a site that is open to direct sunlight most
of the day, and it's a good idea to avoid very low-lying areas
that are prone to spring frosts. I also suggest that you invest
in a white spunbonded row cover to protect open strawberry
blossoms from spring frosts and freezes. The same cover comes in
handy for bird control during harvest, too.
There are a number of very good varieties of strawberry
available. If you have questions about which varieties might be
best in your area, you can drop me an e-mail at
steve@landsteward.org One variety that I frequently recommend
is the Ozark Beauty because of its exceptional hardiness and
because it's one of the heaviest producing plants I've ever
tested.
If you'd like to find a strawberry that's also an effective and
attractive groundcover for your landscape, take a look at
Honeoye. Yes, it's a weird name, but it produces runners
freely, making for good groundcover, and it produces large,
juicy fruits with a tart, distinct flavor.
Here's a pleasant mental image for you: It's a Saturday morning,
and the weekend is stretching lazily in front of you. How about
a plate of home made pancakes? Step outside in you pajamas and
pick a handful of your own fresh blueberries and you're all set.
I love the distinctive taste of blueberries, and the plants are
an attractive element in your landscape, too. Bear in mind that
you will need to plant at least two different varieties for
proper cross-fertilization.
Some of the varieties of blueberry I often recommend are
Blueray, Bluejay and Patriot. A comparative newcomer is a
variety known as Duke. I've noticed that Duke ripens early and
seems to have consistent high-yields. It has an excellent flavor
and produces nicely colored firm fruit.
Well, there you have it. Just a few ideas that should get you
thinking about landscape that tastes as good as it looks! I
invite you to tell me about any topics you'd like me to address
in future columns.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees,
shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for
resources and additional information, including archived
columns, visit www.landsteward.org
____________________________________________
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 features, and ponds.
You will also find information on plants, plant identification,
trees and tree maintenance, and many other topics that span the
Green Industry.
If the answers you seek are not readily found, then drop us an
email at: editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and
will be answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.
_______________________________________
Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz
http://www.progardenbiz.com
Volume 1, Issue 2
Feature Articles
-Irrigation Time Savers
-Install a Water Garden
-Don't Get Ripped Off
-Creative Railroad Ties
-Innovative Irrigation Tool: The Chain Saw!
-I Survived the Landscape Industry Trade Show
Just added this week:
• Equipment Maintenance
http://www.progardenbiz.com/issues/v1issue2/Lawn-Mower-Sharp-Blades-EM.html
Special Features:
ProGardenBiz Ezine
• Issue 1
http://www.progardenbiz.com/ezine/roundup-landscape-ezine-1.html
• Issue 2
http://www.progardenbiz.com/ezine/landscape-customer-service.html
_______________________________________
You can post questions, comments, thoughts, ideas and more to
this email discussion group at: progardenbiz@yahoogroups.com
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you,
Steve Fleming
Publisher
ProGardenBiz
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/ezine/landscape-customer-service.html
Just to keep it interesting we've added some additional
articles to this issue. Enjoy!
____________________________________________
ProGardenBiz Landscape & Garden Magazine for the
Green Industry
ProGardenBiz is an online landscape & garden magazine for
professional gardeners and landscape contractors doing
maintenance, irrigation, installation, planting, and
waterscapes.
Quote for today: "If at first you don't succeed, you're running
about average."
- M.H. Alderson
Life's Quips...
'Some people bring happiness wherever they go, others whenever
they go.' - Oscar Wilde
____________________________________________
In this Issue:
- The Magic of Annual Vines
- How Does Your Garden Grow? The Startup Garden
- Questions from our readers... and answers!
- Factoid
- Your Edible Landscape: More Than Just Apples!
- Starting a Landscape or Gardening Business
- Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz
____________________________________________
Article by Jackie Carroll
Editor of GardenGuides.com
For the cost of a packet of seeds, you can quickly
create a show stopping garden accent or a living
hideaway for children, hide a rusty chain link fence
or an unsightly garage wall, and turn an ordinary
balcony into a private garden. Started from seeds,
annual vines will scramble to heights of 20 feet or
more, highlighting features you want to show off and
covering eyesores.
Here are just a few of the many uses for annual vines:
Add a little magic to your garden by planting a
trellis or pole with brightly colored morning glories
and moonflowers. You'll have a burst of brightly
colored flowers during the day, and luminescent white
blossoms at night.
Add shade and privacy to your balcony with annual
vines. Because their root systems are limited, they
can be grown in large planters on a trellis, or
allowed to trail from window boxes and big hanging
baskets. The vertical growing habit will make a small
area seem larger.
Annual vines are ideal for introducing your children
to the magic of gardening. Build a teepee of bamboo or
fallen tree branches, and plant with scarlet runner
beans or tall nasturtiums. Your children will enjoy
their colorful (and edible) hideaway while learning
about the wonders of nature.
Plant climbing vines along chain link fences and light
poles to soften the look of your landscape.
Annual vines will quickly blanket a problem slope or
other area that is difficult to mow with colorful
flowers. If your slope is difficult to plant, use a
vine that will reseed itself such as morning glories
or cardinal climbers.
Plant vines along a southern wall to keep the house
cooler in summer.
Annual vines are easy to grow. They like a sunny
location with good quality, well drained soil. Plant
your seeds according to the package directions, and
keep them evenly moist until they germinate. After
germination, you'll only need to water when the
weather has been extremely hot or dry. Use fertilizers
sparingly. An abundance of nitrogen will encourage
your vines to produce an abundance of dark green
foliage and few flowers.
Have your trellises or other support in place when you
plant your seeds. If you can't plant right next to the
support, insert twigs into the soil next to the seeds
to lead the vines to their intended support. If the
vine can't find its support right away, it will waste
time searching and reaching for something to grab on
to.
Recommended Annual Vines
To see photos of these beautiful vines see:
http://www.progardenbiz.com/ezine/magic-annual-vines-ezine-3.html
Black Eyed Susan Vine
Unlike many climbing vines, this one isn't invasive so
it can be incorporated into existing gardens without
fear of crowding out existing plants. It's a great
choice for hanging baskets and window boxes.
Height: 5' to 10' trailing vine
Cardinal Climber Vine
The deep red flowers with white or yellow throats are
sure to draw attention to your trellises, fences and
poles.
Height: 6' to 20' vine
Cypress Vine
This vine can add a tropical texture to your landscape
with its interesting foliage and mix of bright red,
pink and white flowers. With the right conditions, it
grows to 20 feet.
Height: 8' to 10' vine
Hyacinth Bean Vine
This striking vine will have your visitors asking if
it's real! The flowers are followed by velvety purple
bean pods.
Height: 6' - 20' vine
Mina Lobata
'Firecracker Vine' or 'Exotic Love,' this unusual,
exciting, interesting annual vine has up to 12
beautiful 2" tubular flowers on each spike. Performs
well on trellises and in hanging baskets.
Height: 6' to 10' vine
Moonflower
Plant this fast-growing vine on a porch, near an
entrance, or under a window where you can enjoy the
evening performance and heady fragrance. The flowers
bloom only at night, and unfold in 2-3 minutes, and
event worth waiting for!
Height: 10' to 20' vine
Morning Glories
In the summer, flowers open in the morning, and in the
fall they stay open all day. Morning glories are grown
as a groundcover in difficult areas.
Height: 8' - 10' vine
Sweet Peas
Sweet peas are shorter than most of the other annual
vines mentioned here, but their outstanding fragrance
make them worthwhile when height isn't important. They
make a wonderful cut flower.
Height: 3' to 5' vine
About the Author:
Jackie Carroll is the editor of GardenGuides.com, a
leading internet destination for gardening information
and ideas. For hundreds of gardening articles and
expert gardening advice visit:
http://www.gardenguides.com
Come see what's on sale at GardenGuides Shops:
http://store.yahoo.com/gardenguides-store/
------------------------------------------
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Chapter One (Part One) from Tom Ehrenfeld's book,
The Startup Garden
Article by Tom Ehrenfeld
Finding Your Calling
Startup Garden Business Advice for Gardeners & Landscapers
Part One
You learn to Recognize, Articulate—and—Capitalize on Your
Passions and Strengths
One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began
--Mary Oliver, The Journey
When Tom Scott and Tom First launched Nantucket Allserve in
1988, they had no great plans to build a world-class beverage
company that many people recognize today as Nantucket Nectars.
The two had both recently graduated from nearby Brown University,
and they just wanted to run their own business. This urge, of
course, was synonymous with a desire to run their own lives. Tom
First always considered himself a “staircase person.” When
confronted with the choice between an elevator and a staircase,
“I will always take the stairs over the elevator,” he says,
“because the elevator will stop anywhere—and on the stairs I can
control my own destiny.”
For the rest of this article see:
http://www.progardenbiz.com/issues/v1issue2/Startup-Garden-Business-12.html
________________________________________________
Q&A
Questions from our readers...
Q. You ran a great article on CAD using the Macintosh computer,
but I don't do design work. What computer is best for
accounting, scheduling, estimating, etc.?
G.B.
Santee, CA
A. It is not the computer, but the software you should be
looking at. First you find the software that is best suited for
your needs. Then you pick the best hardware to run it on. Of
course there are significant differences between different
hardware systems and this translates into differences in the
software. My personal recommendation is the Macintosh computer.
The majority of users have a Windows based system.
Make sure you like and understand the system. Even if your
secretary or someone else will be using the system you should
understand it better than anyone in your company (you do not
want to be left hanging if you lose a key person). Lastly, do
not buy on price alone. Compare apples to apples. Look at what
kind of after the sale service you will receive. How much
training are you going to get? What kind of facilities do they
have for training? Do they install the system in your office?
What does extra consultation cost? Is it available?
Q. What cartoon character said, "The trouble with the rat race
is there is never a finish line"?
A. Is this a joke? Or is there a deep hidden meaning here? The
answer is Dagwood in the "Blondie" comic strip. We play
trivia too!
Q. Is there any site on the web that has landscape software
(freeware or shareware) for use? Just wondering, as I have
over an acre to fill with trees and plants, and don't quite know
where to start. It makes it doubly hard as I live in an area of
rocks rocks rocks! If softball or baked potato sized rocks were
worth anything, I would be the Bill Gates of rocks!
Nani
A. If you are looking for landscape software for design here
are some sources:
http://www.taoherbfarm.com/
http://www.gardencomposer.com/
http://www.broderbund.com/SubCategory.asp?CID=467
For information on plants and planting see these sites:
http://davesgarden.com/welcome.php
http://clearwaterlandscapes.com
Those sites should help.
Q. I am looking for sources of information regarding the safety
of children and water features (do's and don't s of a design,
inspirational designers, academic or professional debate on the
subject).
Do you know of any legislation or approved codes of practice
for pond/water feature design?
Thanks for your time,
oneill69uk
A. In general, if children can get into it, it can be a hazard.
No water feature will be completely safe without adult
supervision. One idea on reducing the hazard would be to raise
the water feature as in a sitting height border. This would not
stop children, but at least slow them down. You can also place
decorative landscaping around features to prevent actually
approaching them.
Codes and legislation will vary widely from area to area.
Have questions? We have answers. Send your questions to
editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and will be
answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.
____________________________________________
Factoid: A hornworm can eat an entire tomato plant by
itself in one day.
____________________________________________
Your Edible Landscape: More Than Just Apples!
Article by Steve Jones, The Plant Man
www.landsteward.org
In a previous column, I discussed the enjoyment you can derive
from planting "edible landscape" or trees and bushes that
produce fruit. The emphasis then was on apples and the benefits
of some of my favorite varieties. However, there's no need to
stop at apples! Today, I'll turn the spotlight onto some other
trees and bushes that are pleasing to your tastebuds as well
as your eyes!
Let's start with a fruit that's almost as popular as the apple.
Yes, you guessed right: the pear.
I like to think of pears as being great trees for the
horticulturally-challenged. Why? Because they can tolerate many
different soil conditions, they don't require much care or
fertilizing once established and they rarely need pruning. And,
yes, they can produce fairly sizable crops of fruit for decades,
with little care.
Pears are an excellent food for people watching their diet, too.
Of course, pears contain no fat and are a good source of
B-complex vitamins. They taste good too. Here are some popular
pear varieties you might consider:
Bartlett Pear. Arguably the most popular pear variety in America
because it's ideal for both eating fresh or canning. Bartletts
look lovely on the tree with their yellow-green skin, long neck
and smooth shape. Although they're somewhat self-fruitful, I
recommend cross pollinating with another pear variety for best
results. I like to begin picking them in September then allow
them to ripen in the refrigerator to bring out the full flavor.
Pineapple Pear. As you might guess, this pear has a taste
reminiscent of pineapple that I happen to find very appealing.
The fruit is large and russet colored with a long "keeping"
life. If you enjoy pear preserves, this would be a good choice.
Kieffer Pear. This hybrid might not be a familiar name, but has
a major benefit over some of the better-known varieties: it is
resistant to fireblight, a major disease of European pears grown
in humid regions. It bears fruit at an early age and ripens in
September.
If your landscape isn't suitable for standard-sized fruit
trees, you might want to consider fruit bushes. Here are some
idea starters:
Thornless Blackberry (Rubus ulmifrolius) could be a very good
choice! In addition to being thornless, they do not need a
trellis, and I find that they have a particularly sweet flavor.
I like two varieties, Arapaho Thornless and Navaho Thornless.
Both produce sucker plants that help them co-mingle quickly and
produce an appealing blackberry hedgerow that can be very
attractive in various different landscape designs. By the
way, Arapaho is the earliest thornless blackberry of any
variety. Both are hardy in zones 3 - 8.
Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa). "Doubtless God could have
made a better berry, but doubtless God never did." That's a
quote from William Butler (1535-1618) that I found at a web
site that tells you just about everything you could ever want
to know about strawberries. You can find it at
http://www.jamm.com/strawberry/facts.html and you can click
on a direct link from this column at my web site,
www.landsteward.org
I have been able to harvest more than 50 pounds of fruit from
as few as 25 strawberry plants just one year after planting.
You'll need to find a site that is open to direct sunlight most
of the day, and it's a good idea to avoid very low-lying areas
that are prone to spring frosts. I also suggest that you invest
in a white spunbonded row cover to protect open strawberry
blossoms from spring frosts and freezes. The same cover comes in
handy for bird control during harvest, too.
There are a number of very good varieties of strawberry
available. If you have questions about which varieties might be
best in your area, you can drop me an e-mail at
steve@landsteward.org One variety that I frequently recommend
is the Ozark Beauty because of its exceptional hardiness and
because it's one of the heaviest producing plants I've ever
tested.
If you'd like to find a strawberry that's also an effective and
attractive groundcover for your landscape, take a look at
Honeoye. Yes, it's a weird name, but it produces runners
freely, making for good groundcover, and it produces large,
juicy fruits with a tart, distinct flavor.
Here's a pleasant mental image for you: It's a Saturday morning,
and the weekend is stretching lazily in front of you. How about
a plate of home made pancakes? Step outside in you pajamas and
pick a handful of your own fresh blueberries and you're all set.
I love the distinctive taste of blueberries, and the plants are
an attractive element in your landscape, too. Bear in mind that
you will need to plant at least two different varieties for
proper cross-fertilization.
Some of the varieties of blueberry I often recommend are
Blueray, Bluejay and Patriot. A comparative newcomer is a
variety known as Duke. I've noticed that Duke ripens early and
seems to have consistent high-yields. It has an excellent flavor
and produces nicely colored firm fruit.
Well, there you have it. Just a few ideas that should get you
thinking about landscape that tastes as good as it looks! I
invite you to tell me about any topics you'd like me to address
in future columns.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees,
shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for
resources and additional information, including archived
columns, visit www.landsteward.org
____________________________________________
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 features, and ponds.
You will also find information on plants, plant identification,
trees and tree maintenance, and many other topics that span the
Green Industry.
If the answers you seek are not readily found, then drop us an
email at: editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and
will be answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.
_______________________________________
Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz
http://www.progardenbiz.com
Volume 1, Issue 2
Feature Articles
-Irrigation Time Savers
-Install a Water Garden
-Don't Get Ripped Off
-Creative Railroad Ties
-Innovative Irrigation Tool: The Chain Saw!
-I Survived the Landscape Industry Trade Show
Just added this week:
• Equipment Maintenance
http://www.progardenbiz.com/issues/v1issue2/Lawn-Mower-Sharp-Blades-EM.html
Special Features:
ProGardenBiz Ezine
• Issue 1
http://www.progardenbiz.com/ezine/roundup-landscape-ezine-1.html
• Issue 2
http://www.progardenbiz.com/ezine/landscape-customer-service.html
_______________________________________
You can post questions, comments, thoughts, ideas and more to
this email discussion group at: progardenbiz@yahoogroups.com
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you,
Steve Fleming
Publisher
ProGardenBiz
Monday, March 10, 2003
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 the homeowner. They destroy vegetation,
damage machinery (such as mowers), damage irrigation systems
and underground wiring, and lower the aesthetic value of the
landscape. In addition, their burrowing activity on slopes
causes erosion and can be a major factor in slope weakening
and instability that may ultimately lead to a slope failure.
Pocket gophers were identified as a major contributing factor
to slope failure in a number of recent litigation cases in
California.
Biology
A thorough understanding of gopher biology and habits is
helpful, if not necessary, to a successful control program.
They are medium sized rodents with the head and body ranging
in size from 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) long. They have a powerfully
built upper body, short neck and legs, long clawed forefeet,
and two pairs of large incisors protruding beyond the mouth.
These fossorial features are tremendous adaptations for their
underground existence. They have a keen sense of touch, thanks
to their tail (short and sparsely haired) and vibrissae
(whiskers), which serve as sensory organs helping to guide the
gopher throughout its burrow system. Fur color is highly
variable, ranging from dark brown to very light tan.
-
Pocket gophers do not hibernate and are thought to be active
year round even with snow on the ground, but do noticeably
decrease surface feeding and mounding in very hot weather.
Females produce 1-3 litters per year with an average size
surviving brood of 5-6. In unirrigated natural areas breeding
season is after the rains begin -- which may mean only one
litter per year. In irrigated, landscaped areas the continual
source of green foliage allows the female to raise 3 litters
per year.
They are territorial, anti-social, and live solitary except
during breeding periods and when the young are being raised.
Gophers live almost exclusively underground, venturing above
only to push excavated dirt from the burrow system, graze on
vegetation near burrow openings, or for the purpose of
migrating into new territory. Migration occurs both by adults
-- usually as a result of unfavorable environmental conditions
and/or habitat destruction (e.g. construction projects), and
young which the mother expels from her burrow system when they
are about half grown.
Burrow systems consist of a main tunnel, lateral runs, pop
holes, and various other functional tunnels and enlargements
which are used for nesting, storage (food caches), resting,
eating, etc. The main burrow is usually 2-4 inches in diameter
(averaging 2 1/2") and is 2-18 inches below and parallel to
the ground surface. Burrows of young may be small, covering
only one or two hundred square feet while those of older pocket
gophers may cover an area as large as three thousand square
feet. Lateral runs branch off the main run and are used
primarily to push excavated soil to the surface. The mounds
from these laterals are crescent shaped because the soil is
pushed with the forefeet out of the angled lateral to the front
and sides of the opening. Pop holes usually lead straight from
the surface to the main run and are used as an access for
feeding on nearby vegetation. All runs leading to the surface
end in a soil mound or plug which keeps the system completely
enclosed -- allowing no light to enter, and stabilizing burrow
temperature and humidity as much as possible. If a gopher dies,
irrigation or rain washes the loose soil plugs from lateral runs
and pop holes leaving open tunnels. Drainage tunnels are used
for water run-off, thus making it difficult to drown a gopher in
a well established system.
The rate of mound building varies with the season, tempurature,
and soil condition, but averages 1-3 mounds per day, during
active periods. The depth of active burrows is usually deeper
under hot conditions, especially in non-irrigated or
infrequently irrigated areas. Mounding often sharply decreases
in the heat of Summer followed by intensive mounding in the
Fall. This renewed Fall activity has often been blamed on
reinvasion of areas thought to have been controlled in the
early Summer.
Control
Although many different techniques have been used in gopher
control the most successful programs usually utilize one or
more of the following methods: trapping, fumigation, and
poison baits.
Trapping is an effective method in small areas such as a
homeowner situation, or as a follow up to fumigation or
baiting, but is time consuming and thus not very cost effective
in a large scale program. The most commonly used traps are the
Macabee trap and the box trap. Traps should always be placed in
the main burrow.
To locate the main burrow, look for the freshest mounds since
they indicate an area of recent gopher activity. You will
usually see a small circle or depression representing the
plugged lateral tunnel. This plug is generally surrounded on
one side by soil, making the mound form a crescent shape. The
main tunnel is usually found 3-1/2 inches from the plug side of
the mound, and is most often between two mounds. Locating the
main burrow usually requires practice, but your skill will
improve with experience.
After locating the main tunnel, open it with a shovel or garden
trowel and set the traps in pairs facing the opposite
directions. This is necessary in order to intercept the gopher
coming from either end of the burrow. The box type is easier
for most inexperienced trappers to set, but requires more
excavation. Box traps are useful when the diameter of the
gopher's main burrow is small (less than 2 1/2 inches) since
small burrows will need to be enlarged to accomodate the box
traps. All traps should be wired to stakes to prevent loss.
After setting the traps, exclude light from the burrow by
covering the opening with dirt clods, sod, cardboard, or some
other material. Fine soil can be sifted through the edges to
ensure a tight seal. If light enters, the gopher may plug the
burrow with soil, filling the traps in and making them
ineffective. Check traps often and reset when necessary. If no
gopher is caught within 3 days, reset the traps in a different
location.
Poison baits offer the quickest and most effective method of
controlling a large gopher infestation. The most commonly used
toxicants are chloraphacinone, strychnine, and zinc phosphide
pelleted bait. Chloraphacinone, the lesser used of the
toxicants, is a multiple dose anti-coagulant that prevents the
normal process of blood coagulation ultimately causing death
from internal bleeding. It has limited field use because of the
necessity of making multiple applications in the same burrow
system, but may be useful where an extra margin of safety is
desired. The acute toxicants, strychnine and zinc phosphide,
are the most used and most effective. Most baits are prepared on
hulled wheat, barley, or milo grains, with wheat seeming to be
the most preferred by the common Battae (T. bottae) gopher. Zinc
phosphide baits are only accepted adequately in blended pelleted
bait. Strychnine alkaloid bait comes in various formulations
ranging from .25% to 3.0%. In instances where a tractor pulled
mechanical bait applicator is used, formulations from 1.8% to as
high as 3.0% can be utilized. The burrower building mechanical
bait applicator is seldom used in urban situations. Zinc
phosphide can be obtained in 1.0% to 2.0% formulations.
One registered burrow fumigant, aluminum phosphide, is very
effective when used under ideal conditions. Soil should be moist
to accomodate gas formation and to provide a good soil seal.
Even though the gopher often detects burrow fumigation efforts
and trys to plug the system, the use of aluminum phosphide can
still be very effective if at least 2 points within the burrow
system are treated at the same time. The material is used in
pellet form with the pellets being placed into the runway using
a 5/8 to 3/4 inch probe to open the system and a gloved hand to
drop them in. A dirt clod, rock, or plant material is then
placed over the probe hole. This product can be very hazardous
and must be used according to label directions, as with all
pesticides, and requires a restricted materials permit.
Note: Use of strychnine and zinc phophide baits and the fumigant
aluminum phosphide require restricted material permits and user certification.
Many factors influence the success of a baiting program; proper
bait placement within the gopher system, environmental factors
such as soil type, soil moisture, and availablity of green
forage. All can enhance or hinder bait acceptance, and control
results. For instance, dry sandy soils often will collapse when
probed, preventing any bait application, while overly wet soils
may cause the bait to become soggy, muddy, and quickly mold,
thus making it unacceptable to the gopher.
The types of available plants affect how quickly gophers accept
bait. For example, gophers are controlled more easily in turf
than in O'Connor's Legume as the latter is the preferred host.
Finally, gophers may become "bait shy" if they ingest sublethal
amounts of a bait and become sick. Because the animal
associates the sickness with the taste of the bait, it will no
longer feed on it. Once this occurs, another type of bait or
alternative control method should be used.
Any gopher population can be controlled and in many situations
even eliminated. Succesful programs in large scale situations
generally require an initial clean-out of intensified treatment
to bring the existing population to a maintainable level (90%
or better). Once control is achieved a continuous maintenance
program will most often be required to prevent reinfestation
problems from developing as a result of migration from heavily
infested surrounding areas.
__________________________________________
About the Author:
Matt Oliver is General Manager at Agricultural Pest Control
Services, Inc., a company that specializes in controlling
vertebrate pest problems. Matt is a Contributing Editor for
ProGardenBiz Magazine, an online magazine for professional
gardeners and landscape contractors. Visit ProGardenBiz to
find out how you can get a free subscription, start-up
guidance, business ideas and inspiration at
http://www.progardenbiz.com.
__________________________________________
You have permission to publish this article electronically or
in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included.
Must be published complete with no changes.
A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.
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 the homeowner. They destroy vegetation,
damage machinery (such as mowers), damage irrigation systems
and underground wiring, and lower the aesthetic value of the
landscape. In addition, their burrowing activity on slopes
causes erosion and can be a major factor in slope weakening
and instability that may ultimately lead to a slope failure.
Pocket gophers were identified as a major contributing factor
to slope failure in a number of recent litigation cases in
California.
Biology
A thorough understanding of gopher biology and habits is
helpful, if not necessary, to a successful control program.
They are medium sized rodents with the head and body ranging
in size from 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) long. They have a powerfully
built upper body, short neck and legs, long clawed forefeet,
and two pairs of large incisors protruding beyond the mouth.
These fossorial features are tremendous adaptations for their
underground existence. They have a keen sense of touch, thanks
to their tail (short and sparsely haired) and vibrissae
(whiskers), which serve as sensory organs helping to guide the
gopher throughout its burrow system. Fur color is highly
variable, ranging from dark brown to very light tan.
-
Pocket gophers do not hibernate and are thought to be active
year round even with snow on the ground, but do noticeably
decrease surface feeding and mounding in very hot weather.
Females produce 1-3 litters per year with an average size
surviving brood of 5-6. In unirrigated natural areas breeding
season is after the rains begin -- which may mean only one
litter per year. In irrigated, landscaped areas the continual
source of green foliage allows the female to raise 3 litters
per year.
They are territorial, anti-social, and live solitary except
during breeding periods and when the young are being raised.
Gophers live almost exclusively underground, venturing above
only to push excavated dirt from the burrow system, graze on
vegetation near burrow openings, or for the purpose of
migrating into new territory. Migration occurs both by adults
-- usually as a result of unfavorable environmental conditions
and/or habitat destruction (e.g. construction projects), and
young which the mother expels from her burrow system when they
are about half grown.
Burrow systems consist of a main tunnel, lateral runs, pop
holes, and various other functional tunnels and enlargements
which are used for nesting, storage (food caches), resting,
eating, etc. The main burrow is usually 2-4 inches in diameter
(averaging 2 1/2") and is 2-18 inches below and parallel to
the ground surface. Burrows of young may be small, covering
only one or two hundred square feet while those of older pocket
gophers may cover an area as large as three thousand square
feet. Lateral runs branch off the main run and are used
primarily to push excavated soil to the surface. The mounds
from these laterals are crescent shaped because the soil is
pushed with the forefeet out of the angled lateral to the front
and sides of the opening. Pop holes usually lead straight from
the surface to the main run and are used as an access for
feeding on nearby vegetation. All runs leading to the surface
end in a soil mound or plug which keeps the system completely
enclosed -- allowing no light to enter, and stabilizing burrow
temperature and humidity as much as possible. If a gopher dies,
irrigation or rain washes the loose soil plugs from lateral runs
and pop holes leaving open tunnels. Drainage tunnels are used
for water run-off, thus making it difficult to drown a gopher in
a well established system.
The rate of mound building varies with the season, tempurature,
and soil condition, but averages 1-3 mounds per day, during
active periods. The depth of active burrows is usually deeper
under hot conditions, especially in non-irrigated or
infrequently irrigated areas. Mounding often sharply decreases
in the heat of Summer followed by intensive mounding in the
Fall. This renewed Fall activity has often been blamed on
reinvasion of areas thought to have been controlled in the
early Summer.
Control
Although many different techniques have been used in gopher
control the most successful programs usually utilize one or
more of the following methods: trapping, fumigation, and
poison baits.
Trapping is an effective method in small areas such as a
homeowner situation, or as a follow up to fumigation or
baiting, but is time consuming and thus not very cost effective
in a large scale program. The most commonly used traps are the
Macabee trap and the box trap. Traps should always be placed in
the main burrow.
To locate the main burrow, look for the freshest mounds since
they indicate an area of recent gopher activity. You will
usually see a small circle or depression representing the
plugged lateral tunnel. This plug is generally surrounded on
one side by soil, making the mound form a crescent shape. The
main tunnel is usually found 3-1/2 inches from the plug side of
the mound, and is most often between two mounds. Locating the
main burrow usually requires practice, but your skill will
improve with experience.
After locating the main tunnel, open it with a shovel or garden
trowel and set the traps in pairs facing the opposite
directions. This is necessary in order to intercept the gopher
coming from either end of the burrow. The box type is easier
for most inexperienced trappers to set, but requires more
excavation. Box traps are useful when the diameter of the
gopher's main burrow is small (less than 2 1/2 inches) since
small burrows will need to be enlarged to accomodate the box
traps. All traps should be wired to stakes to prevent loss.
After setting the traps, exclude light from the burrow by
covering the opening with dirt clods, sod, cardboard, or some
other material. Fine soil can be sifted through the edges to
ensure a tight seal. If light enters, the gopher may plug the
burrow with soil, filling the traps in and making them
ineffective. Check traps often and reset when necessary. If no
gopher is caught within 3 days, reset the traps in a different
location.
Poison baits offer the quickest and most effective method of
controlling a large gopher infestation. The most commonly used
toxicants are chloraphacinone, strychnine, and zinc phosphide
pelleted bait. Chloraphacinone, the lesser used of the
toxicants, is a multiple dose anti-coagulant that prevents the
normal process of blood coagulation ultimately causing death
from internal bleeding. It has limited field use because of the
necessity of making multiple applications in the same burrow
system, but may be useful where an extra margin of safety is
desired. The acute toxicants, strychnine and zinc phosphide,
are the most used and most effective. Most baits are prepared on
hulled wheat, barley, or milo grains, with wheat seeming to be
the most preferred by the common Battae (T. bottae) gopher. Zinc
phosphide baits are only accepted adequately in blended pelleted
bait. Strychnine alkaloid bait comes in various formulations
ranging from .25% to 3.0%. In instances where a tractor pulled
mechanical bait applicator is used, formulations from 1.8% to as
high as 3.0% can be utilized. The burrower building mechanical
bait applicator is seldom used in urban situations. Zinc
phosphide can be obtained in 1.0% to 2.0% formulations.
One registered burrow fumigant, aluminum phosphide, is very
effective when used under ideal conditions. Soil should be moist
to accomodate gas formation and to provide a good soil seal.
Even though the gopher often detects burrow fumigation efforts
and trys to plug the system, the use of aluminum phosphide can
still be very effective if at least 2 points within the burrow
system are treated at the same time. The material is used in
pellet form with the pellets being placed into the runway using
a 5/8 to 3/4 inch probe to open the system and a gloved hand to
drop them in. A dirt clod, rock, or plant material is then
placed over the probe hole. This product can be very hazardous
and must be used according to label directions, as with all
pesticides, and requires a restricted materials permit.
Note: Use of strychnine and zinc phophide baits and the fumigant
aluminum phosphide require restricted material permits and user certification.
Many factors influence the success of a baiting program; proper
bait placement within the gopher system, environmental factors
such as soil type, soil moisture, and availablity of green
forage. All can enhance or hinder bait acceptance, and control
results. For instance, dry sandy soils often will collapse when
probed, preventing any bait application, while overly wet soils
may cause the bait to become soggy, muddy, and quickly mold,
thus making it unacceptable to the gopher.
The types of available plants affect how quickly gophers accept
bait. For example, gophers are controlled more easily in turf
than in O'Connor's Legume as the latter is the preferred host.
Finally, gophers may become "bait shy" if they ingest sublethal
amounts of a bait and become sick. Because the animal
associates the sickness with the taste of the bait, it will no
longer feed on it. Once this occurs, another type of bait or
alternative control method should be used.
Any gopher population can be controlled and in many situations
even eliminated. Succesful programs in large scale situations
generally require an initial clean-out of intensified treatment
to bring the existing population to a maintainable level (90%
or better). Once control is achieved a continuous maintenance
program will most often be required to prevent reinfestation
problems from developing as a result of migration from heavily
infested surrounding areas.
__________________________________________
About the Author:
Matt Oliver is General Manager at Agricultural Pest Control
Services, Inc., a company that specializes in controlling
vertebrate pest problems. Matt is a Contributing Editor for
ProGardenBiz Magazine, an online magazine for professional
gardeners and landscape contractors. Visit ProGardenBiz to
find out how you can get a free subscription, start-up
guidance, business ideas and inspiration at
http://www.progardenbiz.com.
__________________________________________
You have permission to publish this article electronically or
in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included.
Must be published complete with no changes.
A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.
Wednesday, March 05, 2003
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 business people, not just landscape gardeners. The first thing you need to do is ensure that your employees value your customers as much as you do. All the threats in the world will not do this. You must give them the responsibility. You must pay them well. Only pay unsupervised employees by commission only. They only get paid if you do and only a percentage, not a flat fee. Provide a bonus plan based on monthly customer service reply cards (mail them out with the bills and offer a discount if they are returned - this way you get the good comments as well as the bad). Also call customers regularly for additional input. Make the bonus worthwhile for excellent work. Set up a program to allow your employees to share in the profits on commission sales of materials (fertilizer, etc.) Give each employee the responsibility to handle their own customer's complaints. They, not you, should contact the customer and discuss the problem and resolve it (lay out the guidelines of what can and cannot be done). Be sure to follow up on this to make sure it was done. Do a monthly profitability analysis on each employee's route or list of customers. Set up a scoring method. Incorporate this into the bonus plan. Set minimums for profit, customer complaints, equipment care, etc. and stick to them. Have written guidelines as to what occurs when an employee drops below his minimum (sliding commission scales, warnings, then ultimately termination). This provides a lot more carrot than stick, but for certain people the stick is necessary (if nothing else it will eliminate your problem employees before they cause you problems). Lastly, for employees with over a year in the company set up a profit sharing plan. Give them a stake in your future and they will guard it for you.
Q. Is there an easy way to remove old lawns before rototilling? Also, how do you keep Bermuda type grasses from coming back?
C.D.
El Toro, CA
A. A machine called a sod cutter is available for rent at most rental yards. It will slice away the top layer of lawn allowing you to get down to the dirt. Before doing this spray the lawn with Round-up (allow a month for the following process). First make sure that the lawn is in good shape, nice and green. Yes, nice and green. Round-up must be absorbed into the plant's system to work so the grass must be healthy and growing. Spray the lawn thoroughly with Round-up (follow manufacturers directions). After allowing period to dry (follow directions) resume watering of lawn as normal. Wait one to two weeks to assess results. Spray again if necessary. After another two weeks if there is no living grass you can proceed with the sod cutter.
Q. We often do landscape jobs on residences that have small sloping lawns that we seed instead of sod. Watering this area just right is very tricky to keep the soil in place. Is netting appropriate in a case like this?
S.T.
Pacific Beach, CA
A. A fine netting can be used, but you will still have a problem with the netting interfering with the growth of the grass. A better solution is a soil stabilizer like Soil Seal. We will have an article in an upcoming issue on this technique. For now, though, if you want more information contact Soil Seal Corp., 1111 West Sixth Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017, (213) 481-7185.
Have questions? We have answers. Send your questions to editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and will be answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?" columns.
Tuesday, March 04, 2003
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 working on the interior to do any work on the yard. It continued to prosper and remained largely unchanged. It seemed like magic. A yard that required no water or care. Hmmm, I hope this does not catch on. It'll put many gardeners out of work.
We finally started work on the yard in January. San Diego does not get much rain, but by now we started to get a little. The front yard I've started to mow & edge each week, but I've still ignored the back yard and it's hardly changed. I really don't know why, but I'm sure it's magic.
When we moved in the lawn and landscaping was green and only slightly overgrown. During the next month we were too busy working on the interior to do any work on the yard. It continued to prosper and remained largely unchanged. It seemed like magic. A yard that required no water or care. Hmmm, I hope this does not catch on. It'll put many gardeners out of work.
We finally started work on the yard in January. San Diego does not get much rain, but by now we started to get a little. The front yard I've started to mow & edge each week, but I've still ignored the back yard and it's hardly changed. I really don't know why, but I'm sure it's magic.
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 landscaping or interiorscaping business?
First of all because the odds are better than you think. Landscaping and interiorscaping are service businesses. A service business is the most easy business to start and be successful. The "statistics" usually do not include small service businesses. So, one would hope, your odds are better than you think.
There are other reasons that make starting a service business easier than others. You can start out with low capital investment. You can run your business with low overhead. If you manage your business properly, slow periods will not cause financial hardship.
The reason for most business failures is that they cannot survive slow periods or cash crunches. Other types of businesses have large overheads that require a constant influx of money. Such expenses as employees, rent, loan payments, etc. You can design your business to survive these problems.
These guidelines for starting your own service business are for those who have little or no money to start with. If you have plenty of money (start-up capital) than you can follow these guidelines much easier than the rest of us. So before we get started, remember we are assuming that you have no start-up capital, but are willing to work hard and take a few risks.
First you need to know what you are doing in your new field. A little business knowledge would not hurt either. But you probably do not have time to go back to school. Also, I would imagine you are interested in getting started right away. So, visit your local book store.
If you lack a business background buy some good books on business basics. There are many books on running a small 
After you have purchased your small library set aside at least one hour a day (morning, evening, lunch-hour, anytime) to study
Now, I presume you are currently working at another job to support yourself and possibly a family. Rule Number One: DO NOT QUIT YOUR JOB! Start your business part-time. You need your income to survive on while you build your new business. Your new business will take time to develop to the point where it will support you.
If you have debts (credit cards, auto loans, etc.) try to get them paid off or paid down as much as possible before you start your 
Acquire the basics you need to get started.
Gardener: A truck or trailer to carry your equipment and debris (although some enterprising people have even started without this). A lawn mower, rake, broom, and other small hand tools. Buy your equipment used if necessary, but shop carefully.
Landscaper: Basically you need hand tools and a truck or trailer. To start with most other tools you can rent.
Interiorscaper: A car or truck is necessary, watering cans, and assorted small hand tools.
From the basic requirements to start it would seem that interiorscaping requires the smallest capital outlay. This is correct, but starting an interiorscape business is more difficult in other ways. It requires a better understanding of the trade. Indoor plants are much more difficult to maintain. Also, acquiring accounts is not as easy as in outdoor work. Most, if not all, interiorscape accounts will be commercial, as opposed to the residential work of gardeners.
For gardeners and landscapers a truck or trailer is a must, but as I mentioned earlier it is possible to start without one for some work. If you are doing maintenance you may be able to get accounts that will allow you to use their equipment and not require you to haul away debris. You will be expected to work very inexpensively, though. If you can get a truck do so.
For both gardeners and landscapers another source of income is from clean-ups. This is simply a one-time job of cleaning up an overgrown landscape. These jobs are hard work, but can be quite profitable.
In every business you have to contend with the government. Service businesses are no different. Before you get started investigate what is required in your area. Most likely you will need a business license from your city. The state may require a contractor's license or certification for landscape contractors. Most likely your state will require a pest control license if you intend to apply pesticides. Check out all the city, state, and federal rules before you start.
If you can afford it, you should get insurance before you start. If you can not afford it when you first start your business (remember, some activities, in some states, require insurance) then plan on getting it as soon as possible. It is for your own protection. One lawsuit could ruin all your hard work.
Arrange your work hours so that you have time to start your part-time business. You can start on week-ends, but an ideal schedule would be to have two or three weekdays off and work nights so that you can put in some hours on the other days.
By now you should have the time, equipment, and the knowledge (or working on that by studying). Now you need the work. To get this you need to advertise. How and where you advertise depends on your budget and your market.
For gardeners and landscapers I would recommend that you start with residential work and add commercial work later. For interiorscapers the work is almost all commercial.
To acquire residential work there are several ways. They are presented below in order of cost and are rated for effectiveness.
- Word-of-mouth. Recommendations. Cheapest and best, but requires that you already have done some work.
- Door-to-door. Cheap, but ineffective and time consuming. If you have no alternatives then pick new areas with new homes and upper income areas.
- Flyers. More costly than door-to-door, but no more effective.
- Newspaper classified ads. Very effective. Try to use a small direct mail weekly that allows you target specific zip code zones. Weekly direct mail publications with names like Pennysaver, Advisor, etc. are your best bet. Your money will be better spent than in the large city daily.
- Yellow pages. Very Expensive. Not a good place to put limited dollars when just getting started, but effective at later stages of your business growth.
Most successful service business that are growing get most of their leads (prospective customers) from word-of-mouth and newspaper ads. A classified in a direct mailed weekly can be as low as $30.00 per zip code zone. I would recommend the type of weekly that consists mainly of classified ads and display ads.
To acquire commercial work is completely different. This requires print advertising in local business magazines or upscale monthly magazines that reach the upper income people in your city. It also requires direct mail campaigns to the businesses you are trying attract as customers and direct (door-to-door) solicitation. An ad in the Yellow Pages is a must for attracting commercial work.
If you advertise in the Yellow Pages use the phone company Yellow Pages and not an imitation. You money will be much better spent.
Once you start advertising you will not immediately get work. First you must bid on the job, that is give the prospective customer a summary of what you intend to do and what it will cost. This is the part that will make or break you.
The lowest price does not always get the job. In fact, we don't recommend trying to get work by price alone. Charge what you are worth, what you what, and what quality work will pay in your market. Let the competition work for less. The person that gets the job is usually the person who gives the most professional presentation. This means knowing what you are doing. Being able to estimate the time and materials necessary for the job. Presenting yourself and your service in a professional way.
Always be on time for a bid. Never miss a bid (if something does come up, call and change the appointment). I won more jobs because nobody else showed up then you would care to know about. Just being there is half the battle.
Dress neatly. Wear a uniform, if possible. Sears sells uniform shirts and pants in many different colors. It does not have to have your company name on it to look like a uniform (although that is a nice touch). Be conservative in your appearance and hair style. Remember, even in your own business you are not completely your own boss — the customer is. Often the job goes to the person the customer felt most comfortable about.
Look professional. Carry a clipboard to take notes. Have some sort of pre-printed estimate sheet to provide to the customer. Use a brochure (if you can afford it) to describe your services. Have business cards.
If you have done all this, then do not sell yourself short. Charge an appropriate rate. Don't worry about those who will not pay your price. You only need those who will.
From here on in it is simply a matter of acquiring the work and doing it. Do an excellent job and you will have more work then you can handle. As the work fills up your available work hours start considering your move to leave your present job. Perhaps find a part-time job to fill the gap. Eventually you will have no need for an outside job. Your business will provide for all your needs.
As your business grows you can grow with it. Move carefully and do not overextend yourself. Keep your overhead low. Only spend money when it is an investment that will return profits. Eventually you may hire employees, salespeople, rent an office, etc., but by that time you should be making enough money to afford it.
Once you have started and are moving successfully forward, your next problem will be growth and how you handle it. Rapid growth has killed many businesses. But if you keep a close eye on your books, watch which jobs are profitable and which are not, know exactly why and where you are making money or losing money then you should have no trouble.
Good Luck!
Be sure to see our other articles in this issue and in the Resources section for more details on many of the areas touched on in this article.
Recommended Reading:
- Sunset's Western Garden Book
- Landscape Operations: Management, Methods, and Materials (3rd Edition)
- How to Start a Home-Based Landscaping Business, 3rd Edition
- Lawn Care & Gardening: A Down-To-Earth Guide to the Business
Article provided by ProGardenBiz. ProGardenBiz online magazine provides how-to advice on starting and running a landscape contracting or maintenance business. Get start-up guidance, business ideas and inspiration at ProGardenBiz.com. Become a subscriber - NOW FREE- for a fresh and original perspective on today's business issues in the Green Industry.
If you have any questions, or comments, or need some advice, please write to ProGardenBiz. eMail: editor@progardenbiz.com Copyright © 2002 by ProGardenBiz
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