Photo: Drafix Software Inc. PRO Landscape is the premier choice in landscape design software, catering to the needs of modern landscape professionals. With PRO Landscape seamlessly integrated into their landscape design process, designers quickly recognize its advantages in boosting sales, enhancing design precision, and elevating overall client satisfaction. This powerful tool empowers you to quickly craft captivating visual concepts for clients, precise site plans for your crews, and polished proposals that comprehensively convey every single detail of your project.  For thirty years, P ..read more

It’s no secret that I’m bullish about owner-operated businesses. At the Herring Group, we have a passion for serving them and helping them find success. Private equity (PE) investors also are not shy about seeing opportunities in owner-operated businesses. PE firms have entered the landscape industry and created a lot of liquidity for owners, providing an opportunity to cash out and exit in some cases. PE investors bring the following to owner-operated companies: Money. Smart people. An “outsider’s” perspective. A high-growth mindset. An understanding of how to grow and develop businesses. A ..read more

Tree pruning is a serious business. Safety is always the top priority. This is why, when it comes to purchasing the right tools to be effective and safe, price is just a number. Whenever a tree care professional can stay on the ground as opposed to climbing the tree, that’s a major bonus. “If you have a good, sharp head with 23 feet of reach, you can make clearance cuts on the second story of a home without having to climb (the tree,)” says Levi Vogt, plant health care route manager, Ryan Lawn & Tree. “It’s a common problem throughout the Midwest: too many river birches planted too close t ..read more

Photo: Albaugh Specialty Products Quintessential® with H Value® Technology alters the formulation of quinclorac in a way that improves absorption of the product into the plant. That means faster activity and higher rate load in the targeted weed, as well as unparalleled performance in conditions that limit absorption – like untimely rains or irrigation. And unlike any other herbicide on the market, Quintessential demonstrates vastly improved control of crabgrass particularly in the challenging 3-5 tiller stage. Quintessential is the essential tool for combatting crabgrass and other troublesome ..read more

It’s that time of the year when strategic plans are tested. Now that peak season is on the horizon, team members may be losing faith. This is a problem when you need everyone fully committed to a unified strategy. Most strategies fail for a couple of reasons: They aren’t strategies at all but are instead tactics or plans with no strategic basis. For example, increasing sales calls to boost revenue is merely a tactic based on hope. The success criteria or conditions have not been identified. How can you hit a new target when you don’t know how to get there? A strategy assesses market conditio ..read more

(Graphic: Quali-Pro) One of the most iconic insect pests in the U.S., red imported fire ants can be a nightmare for lawn care operators (LCOs). The fire ant has established itself nationwide, but is particularly an issue in the southeast, according to Bobby Kerr, technical service manager for Quali-Pro. Bobby Kerr “These ants will usually have reddish to brown heads and bodies that transition to darker, almost black abdomens,” says Kerr. “Another identifying feature, if you choose to examine them closely, will be the two nodes, or bumps, located on their thin waist just before the large abdome ..read more

Paul Schultz Paul Schultz Irrigation resource manager, Cagwin & Dorward “First off, consider if the nozzle is going on a pop-up spray head or a rotor, as that might change what you’re looking for. In the case of a pop-up spray head, a good nozzle should have the ability to be adjusted when you need to change the pattern. It should have a clean pattern that makes your irrigation operation more efficient. What you don’t want to have is something that can get easily clogged. (A good nozzle) should be easy for a technician to adjust. At the end of the day, what you want to have is even coverag ..read more

Photo: Grasshopper The Adjustable Command Center Tower provides 4.5″ of range and easy accessibility to levers and controls. The extra-wide, extra-thick pad provides all-day operator comfort. The EZ Deck Lift Lever allows for easy adjustment of cutting height. The transmission and engine are mounted on the deck, ensuring no damage to drive belts or engine components when adjusting your deck height. The Anti-Slip Operator Platform’s shock-absorbent coil-spring suspension gives you the smoothest ride possible. The SO26’s 810 cc OHV B&S Vanguard® engine is perfectly matched for your choice of ..read more

WAC Lighting promotes Becky Li to president WAC Lighting Founder Tony Wang appointed Becky Li to president, following the retirement of former President Dirk Wald. Wang will continue his role as chairman of WAC. “Becky has always been an integral and dedicated executive at our firm,“ said Wang. ”With her wealth of experience in senior executive roles and adept strategic planning skills, we are confident in her ability to lead. We look forward to watching Becky at the helm as we continue to prepare this company for exponential growth.” In her new position, Li will collaborate with senior manage ..read more

Great Lakes Grounds Management, based in Amherst, Ohio, completed its third acquisition since 2018 as the company added the commercial landscape maintenance division of Evergreen Tree & Lawncare. This acquisition comes as Great Lakes Grounds Management continues to expand its service footprint in Lorain and Cuyahoga counties. Evergreen Tree & Lawncare is a family-owned and operated landscaping company based in Elyria, Ohio. As part of the recent acquisition, Great Lakes Grounds Management has assumed all of Evergreen Tree & Lawncare’s commercial customer accounts and the team at Ev ..read more