LandsMagazine Features

Important Information

GIE+Expo Feature Article

LandsMagazine Feature Article

U.S. Composting Council Feature Article
     Click Here for USCC Fall Newsletter

Green TV

Products and Product Demos

Product Demos

• Talpirid by Bell Laboratories, Inc.
• Construction by Bobcat
• Multi Terrain Loaders by Caterpillar
• BedShaper by Little Wonder
• Estate Master Lawn Sweeper by Minuteman Parker
• APEX by Nature's Wonder
• Pro's Choice by Oil Dri Corporation of America
• Advanced Grind Geometry by Oregon® Brand
• Speed-Feed by Shindaiwa
• V-twin Power by Tecumseh
• Lassenite by Western Pozzolan Corporation
• Compact Excavators by Yanmar

Education and Webinars

Webinars

• The Contractor's Time-Clock by Exaktime, Inc
• Culture by Stens Corporation
• People by Stens Corporation
• Process by Stens Corporation
• SportsTurf Managers Association

Education

• CEU Opportunity #1 IA Show in Anaheim, California
• CEU Opportunity #2 STMA Online Training 24,7,365
• CEU Opportunity #3 LandsConference Online 24, 7, 365

Specify and Use Compost Instead!

Compost has proven to be an excellent tool for landscapers and landscape architects, in all of the various soil types found across the country. It is estimated that 4,500 composting facilities throughout the United States manufacture products from various agricultural, municipal and industrial source materials. These residuals are the feedstocks for compost production. Yet, these valuable, recycled products remain under utilized and often ignored during the landscape specification development process and as the primary means of creating a healthy growing environment for whatever is planted.

The classic remedies for landscape installation of any plant material has typically been to either import a pre-determined volume of ‘topsoil’, usually a 6’ to 8’ layer, or to amend site soils with non-renewable sources of organic materials (e.g., garden beds with peat). Did you know that there is no national standard, nor any state labeling requirement for what can be sold as topsoil? Topsoil, as a generic material, does not need to meet any minimum standard for organic matter, soluble salts or even pH. Did you know that many agricultural sources of topsoil may contain unacceptable levels of various heavy metals due to years of chemical fertilizer application? Yet, old habits are often hard to break, and these practices continue.

The specification and use of locally available compost products, however, can address several needs; from improving the health of the soil and the plant, to recycling more material that was previously destined for needless disposal – or to even better manage stormwater and erosion. Proper compost application improves the environment where plant materials are grown – and this is key with climate change and poor soil quality making our job ‘in the field’ more difficult with each new project. We can truly create sustainable landscapes, however, only by properly ‘fixing’ the soil. The best way to do this is to specify and use compost.

The US Composting Council has recognized this need to educate and to inform today’s landscape specification writers and landscape contractors about the many applications for compost. This includes how to get the maximum effectiveness and efficiency from compost use in landscape applications related to both soil/plant response and a project’s bottom line. Several of these applications have been discussed in the previous two articles published in this magazine. The complete set of compost use specifications for landscape application, however, can only be found in the "Landscape Architect Specifications for Compost Utilization" document currently available on the US Composting Council website (www.compostingcouncil.com) and in CD form.

This document provides a series of short and long compost use guidelines that have been developed for various landscape applications. Our goal was to provide landscape architects, landscape designers, municipal agencies, and other specifiers with compost use specifications in a common format that allows a specifier to simply "cut and paste" the appropriate information.

The compost use specifications include basic landscape applications, as well as specifications for the use of compost in “topsoil manufacturing” and erosion control. Topsoil manufacturing and erosion control are two exciting and rapidly growing compost use applications that are spreading across the U.S. because of their efficacy and economics of use. A future article will be dedicated to these applications.

Each chapter of the Specifications document is structured as follows: Use Specification > Description > Materials > Product Parameters > Construction Requirements > Method of Measurement

The chapters on the specification and use of compost include:

• Turf Establishment with Compost
• Planting Bed Establishment with Compost
• Compost as a LandscapeBackfill Mix Component
• Compost as a Landscape Mulch
• Compost as a Soil Blanket for Erosion Control
• Compost as a Filter Berm for Sediment Control 

Space constraints prohibit the listing of individual compost application specifications, but they can be found on the USCC website as previously noted. The USCC will also be exhibiting and distributing a CD containing this document at the 2008 American Society of Landscape Architects annual conference in Phila., PA on Oct. 4 & 5. Please visit our booth #1835 to pick up your free copy. 

To learn more about compost benefits, applications, and how to use compost in your landscaping and other projects that require improved soil and planting media, join us at the US Composting Council's 17th Annual Conference & Trade Show, January 26-29, 2009 at the Westin Galleria, Houston, TX. The USCC hosts the Largest Conference & Exhibition in North America for the Composting, Wood Waste & Organics Recycling Industry. Attendees participate in the most comprehensive program of training courses, educational & technical sessions, and facility tours & equipment demonstrations. Register at www.compostingcouncil.org

The USCC is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development, expansion and promotion of the composting industry in the U.S.The USCC also directs the Composting Council Research and Education Foundation (CCREF), a charitable foundation, which administers public and private research and education activities. For more information about the composting industry and membership in the USCC, visit www.compostingcouncil.org or call the USCC office at 631.737.4931.

 

Article by:  Al Rattie, Co-Manager, USCC Seal of Testing Assurance Program and Ron Alexander President, R. Alexander Associates, Inc., Apex, North Carolina ands Co-Manager, USCC Seal of Testing Assurance Program

GIE+EXPO exhibitors

Here is a quick listing of 2008 GIE+EXPO exhibitors as of September 20, 2008. For more information including floorplan and booth numbers go to www.expocadvr.com:

— A —

3A Group Ltd., A & I Products/PIX, A&H Hose & Fitting, Able International LLC, Accu-Steel Cover Buildings, Ace Machine & Metal Fabrication Co., ACS Limited, Advanced Metals Group, Advanced Technical Training Network LLC, Advanced Tracking Technologies Inc., Agri-Fab Inc., Agrium Advanced Technologies, Agrotain International LLC, Ahlborn Equipment Inc.Akron Procelain & Plastics Co., Alinabal, Altrad Fort Inc., AlturnaMats, Alum-Line Inc., AMA USA, Inc., America Work Visa Inc., American Brick Saw Company Inc., American Express, American Honda Motor Company, American Profit Recovery, American Rolloff/Hook-All Hooklifts, American Warranty Service, AmSafe Commercial Products, Andersons, API (American Petroleum Institute), Apollo Power Industrial Corporation, Aqua Blast Corp., ArborSystems Inc., Arctic Snow and Ice Inc., ARGO USA, ARI Network Services Inc., Ariens Company, Ariens/Gravely, Arnetoli Motor, Arysta Life Science, ASV Inc., Atlas Glove Consumer Products, Auglaize Erie Machine, Aurora Bearing Company, Autoblanket, Avalanche/Ledex Industries, AVM Industries, AZTEC Foreign Labor Solutions

— B —

B&W Trailer Hitches, Bad Boy Inc., Ball Horticultural Company, Banjo Corporation, Barnel USA, Barreto Mfg. Inc., Bartlett Tree Experts, BASF, Bayer Environmental Science, BE Pressure Supply Inc., Becker Underwood, Beijing Worlead International Exhibition, Bell Performance, Benjamin Media Inc., Best Soles, Better Garden Tools, Better Heads LLC, Better Outdoor Products, Bishop Enterprises Inc., Blackburn Mfg. Co., Blizzard Snowplows, Bobbex Inc., Bobcat Company, Borderline Stamp USA Inc., Bowie Industries Inc., Boxer Equipment, Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Briggs & Stratton Yard Power Products, Brinly-Hardy Co., Brite Ideas Decorating, Brown Products Inc./Trenchmaster, Bucket Bagger LLC, Buffalo Turbine LLC, Burlingham Seeds, Bush Hog LLC, Butler & Company R&D Inc,

— C —

C&S Turf Care Equipment Inc., California Blimps, Cambridge International, Cap Stone Rock Products LLC, Capitol Stampings Corp., Cargo Buckle, Case Construction Equipment, Caterpillar Inc., CDS-John Blue Company, Champion Power Equipment, Chapin International, Chemical Containers Inc., China National Automotive Industry Int'l, Chongqing Dajiang Power Equipment, Chongqing Xiema Machinery Crankshaft Co., Christmas/Nite Time Décor, Clancey Design Distributor, Classic Groundcovers Inc., CLC LABS, CLIP Software, CMI Industrial Mufflers, Collier Metal Specialities Ltd., Commercial Grounds Care Inc., Commercial Mower Engineering, Components Plus, Conklin AgroVantage, Construction Business Owner Magazine, Contractors Service, Converted Organics Inc., Conveyor Application Systems LLC, Corbin's Baled Pine Straw Inc., Corbitt Manufacturing Co. Inc., Corona Clipper, Country Clipper, Coxreels, CP Sourcing Solution, Creative Sales Inc.-CSI, Creech Services, c-Systems Software Inc., Cub Cadet, Cummins Filtration Fleetguard Nelson, Curv-Rite, Inc., Custom Products of Litchfield Inc., Custom-Pak Inc., Cygnus Business Media

— D —

D.E. Errick Inc., Danaher Motion/Thomson, Daniel Mfg. Inc., Definity Software, Deist Industries, Delphi, Delta Hook dba Alexander Equipment Co., Delta Systems Inc., Depiction Software, Desert Extrusion Corporation, Diamond Blade Warehouse, Diamond C Trailer Mfg., Diesel Progress, Ditch Witch, Dixie Chopper, Dixie Signs & Decals Inc., DLM Plastics, DNA Group, Dodge, Dolmar Power Products, Dow AgroSciences LLC, Dr. Shrink, Inc., Drafix Software/PRO Landscape, Dragon-Stone MK Ind. Co. LTD, DuPont Professional Products, Durand-Wayland Inc., Dynamic Free Piston, DynaSCAPE Software

— E —

Eagle Solutions, Earth & Turf Products LLC, EarthWay Products Inc., East International Exhibition Co. Ltd., East Penn Mfg. Co. Inc., Eastman-Ingersoll, Eastyida Exhibition Company, Easy Lawn Inc., ECHO Incorporated, Ecologel Solutions LLC, EcoSport, Electrex Inc., Electronic Hardware, ELIET USA Inc., Empire Plow Company, ENCAP, LLC, Encore Mfg. Co., Inc., Endura Lawn & Garden Products, Enginaire, Engineered Products Company, Ensystex, Inc., Enviro Masters Lawn Care, Enviro Protection Industries Co. Inc., Envirogard by Onyx, Envirotech Central, EP Henry, EPIC Creative, Eureka Chemical Company, EverRide/Great Dane/Ariens Brands, Ewing Irrigation Products, Exmark Mfg. Co. Inc., Extend Quip LLC, E-Z Trench Mfg. Inc., E-Z-GO,

— F —

F&W Publications, FabriScape Inc., Fail-Safe Product Protection Inc., Fanno Saw Works, Faron Green Nursery, Federal-Mogul Corporation, Fimco Industries, Finn Corporation/Express Blower, Fire Stone Home Products LLP, First Products Inc., Five Star Mfg. Inc., Flail-Master, Flambeau, Inc., Flame Engineering, Inc., Fleet US, FleetBoss GPS, Flex Technologies, Flexco/Durable Corporation, Florasearch, Inc., Florida Pine Straw Supply Co., Flowers by Name, Focal Point Communications, Foley United/Foley Belsaw, FORCE America, Ford Commercial Truck, Forestry Suppliers Inc., Four Star Greenhouse Inc., Fradan Manufacturing, Francis Resources LLC, Fred Marvin Associates, Full Vision Inc., Fuller Brush Company

— G —

GailCo Innovations LLC, GE Attachment LLC, GE Capital Solutions & GE Money, General Transmissions Inc., George Mills & Son ATV Parts Distributor, GIE Media, GIE Media Inc., GM Fleet and Commercial, GNC Industries, Inc., Gold Eagle/Sta-Bil, Grammer, Grasshopper Company, Great Day, Inc., Great Plains Industries Inc., Green Industry Education.com, Green Manufacturing/Treeman Supply, Green Media/M2media360, Green Touch Industries Inc., Greenline, Ground Logic, Inc., Grounds, Parks & Landscapes Dek, GrowTech Inc., Grun Company, GVM Snow Equipment

— H —

Haaga Sweeping Machines, Hamlin, Hanes GEO Components, Hannay Reels, Inc., Hanxing Machinery & Electron Ltd., Happy Feet of FranklinHaulmark, Havener Enterprises Inc., HB Performance Systems Inc., HBD/Thermoid Inc., HD Hudson Mfg. Co., Heftee Industries LLC, Heraeus GmbH, W.C., Hilliard Corporation, Hoffco/Comet Inc., Holiday Bright Lights Inc., Honeywell Ammonium Sulfate, Honeywell CPG Autolite, Hortica Insurance & Employee Benefits, Horticopia Inc., Horticultural Alliance Inc., Howard Johnson's Enterprises Inc., Hud-Son Forest Equipment Inc., Humboldt Specialty Mfg. Co., Hunter Industries Inc., Hunter Trees LLC, Husqvarna Forest & Garden Co., Hustler Turf Equipment, Hydro-Gear, Hydrotube Enterprises Inc., Hypercat Advanced Catalyst Product, HyPro

— I —

I.C.E. Inc., IBBZ Inc., ICT Organics, Ideal Computer Systems Inc., IFCO Systems, IGUS Inc., IHI/Compact Excavator Sales LLC, Include Software, Innovative Trailers Inc., Integra Group, International Truck and Engine Corp., Irrigation & Green Industry Magazine, Isuzu Commercial Truck America

— J —

J. Thomas, Jameson LLC, Jeep Wheelbarrows, Jensen/ASA Electronics, Jinn Wang Industrial Co. Ltd./MMI, JJ Hauls-All, Jobs in Horticulture Inc., John Deere Company, JRCO Inc., Jungle Jim's Accessory Products

— K —

K&M Manufacturing, Kaaz Corporation, Kart Accessories, Kawasaki Motors Corporation USA, KCD Equipment, Kelch, Kenda USA, KicBox Material Handler, Kichler Landscape Lighting, Kincaid Equipment Manufacturing, Kipor North America, Kissner Group, Koetter & Smith Inc., Kohler Engines, Kongsberg Automotive, Koshin America Corp., Kubota Engine America Corp., Kubota Tractor Corp., Kuhns Power Equipment LLC, Kundel Industries Inc., Kunz Engineering Inc., Kwik Products Inc., KYB America LLC, KYMCO USA

— L —

L.T. Rich Products, Lambert Peat Moss Inc., LandOpt, Landscape Contractor/Landscape, Lastec, Lawless Industries Ltd., Lawn & Garden Dealers Assoc., Lawn & Garden Webvision, Lawn Solutions Commercial Products, LawnCafe.com, LawnGrips Footwear, LawnShark USA, Leatherman Tool, Lebanon Turf, Lehman Manufacturing, Leon's Mfg. Company, Inc., LidoChem Inc., Light Engineering, Lil' Bubba Curb Machines/The Concrete, Limb Hog, Linak U.S. Inc., Lippert Component, Inc., Liquid Fence Company, Lista International Corp., Little Giant Ladder Systems

— M —

Ma Metal Co., Inc., Magna-Matic Corp., Magneti Marelli Powertrain USA Inc., Magura USA, Maintenance Solutions Magazine, Manar Inc., Mankar/Superb Horticulture, Marathon Data Systems LLC, Marrel Corporation, Mars Enterprises, Maruyama US Inc., Masport LTD., Massey Ferguson, Mauget, M-B Companies Inc., McLane Mfg. Co., Medi-Rub USA, Meg Mo Systems, MEI, MemPro Ceramics Corporation, Meyer Products LLC, Mibar Products, MIC Systems & Software Inc., Midwest Company Inc., Millcreek Manufacturing Co., Milsco Manufacuring Inc., Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc., Mitsuboshi Boeki Inc., Mo Jack Distributors LLC, Modeco Systems, Monsanto, Monterey Lawn & Garden Products, Moose Built Industries Inc., Moose River Media, Morgal Machine Tool Co., Morton Salt, Motion Pro Inc., MPC, Mulch Mule by Green Industry Innovators, Multi Seal, Mytec Soft Inc.

— N —

Nascent Design Inc., National Country Market (NCM), National Liftgate Parts (NLP), New Edge LLC, New Hampshire Industries, New Holland, NGK Spark Plugs (USA) Inc., Niche Products Sales, Nite Time Décor, No Smoke Oil, North American Clutch Corporation, North American Equipment Dealers Association, North American Salt Company/SIFTO, North East Arkansas Trailer Manufacturing, Northern Wholesale Supply Inc., Northman Snowplows, No-Spill Research Inc., Nufarm Americas Inc., Nutrient Technology Partners, Nutrients PLUS LLC

— O —

Ogura Industrial Corporation, Ohio Steel Industries Inc., Oly-Ola Edgings Inc., Oregon Cutting Systems/Blount Inc., Orion Safety Systems, Ossian Inc., OTR Wheel Engineering Inc., Outdoor Power Equip. & Engine Service, Outdoor Power Equipment Aftermarket Association, Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, Outerwears, Inc.

— P —

Pacer Pumps Div. ASM Industries, Paladin Light Construction, Palmor Products/Rich Manufacturing, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Paulson Computer Systems, Pave Tech/Hardscape Outfitters, PBI-Gordon Corporation, PeCo Inc., Pegasus Motor NA LLC, Pennington Seed Inc., Perfco Printing, Performance Outdoor Products, Perma Green Supreme, Permaloc Corporation, Pik Rite Inc./Eden Equipment, Plant Food Co. Inc., Platt Products Inc., Pondbuilders Inc., Pot Lifters Inc., Power Barrow Company, Power Chute Design, Power Equipment Trade, Power Global Solutions Inc., Presto Products, Print Source, Inc., Prizelawn by PBS Company, Professional Landcare Network, Project EverGreen, PROLAWN INC., ProLine Div. Of Heritage Oaks Farm Inc., Pro-Pallet, Propane Education & Research Council, PulseTech Products, PUMPTEC Inc.

— Q —

Q Xpress Scheduling Software, Quali-Pro, Quest Products Corporation, Questex

— R —

R.N.D. Signs, Raisman Corporation, Reader's Digest Your Welcome Home, Real Green Systems, Reddick Equipment Company Inc., RedMax/Zenoah America Inc., Rehmert Enterprises Ltd., Rescue Tape-Harbor Products4, Retlaw Industries Inc., Richway Industries, Riverside Plastics Inc., Robin America, Inc., Rock Hound Attachments, Roll LLC dba Mosquito 86, RotaDairon Emrex Inc.

— S —

S.R. Smith, SALSCO, Inc., Scag Power Equipment, Scotts Company-Professional Business, Seago International/Allen/Atom/Hayger, SEATS Incorporated, SenDEC Corporation, SePRO Corporation, Shakespeare Company, Shanghai Freedomotor Imp. & Exp. Co. LTD., Sheffield Financial, Shemin Nurseries Inc., Sherrill Tree/Chemical Containers, Shindaiwa Inc., Shining Brow Software, Shoppers Charge Accounts Co., SHURFlo, Signature Fencing & Flooring Systems, Silky USA, Skinner Nurseries, Slice Technologies, Slope Care LLC, Small Engine Warehouse Inc., SMK Industries, Snap Edge Corporation, Snap-On Business Solutions, Snow & Ice Management Assoc., Sno-Way International Inc., Softpower Business Solutions, Solo Incorporated, Source One, Southeast Val 6, Spectrum Analytic Inc., Spraying Devices Inc. (SDI), Spring Valley, Spyker Spreaders, SRJ Inc., Standard Hamilton Co. Inc., Stant Manufacturing Inc., Stens Corporation, Stens Forestry, Sterling Truck Corporation, STIHL Inc., Sunbelt Rentals Inc., Sunright Int'l, Super Lawn Trucks, Superior Gearbox Company, Sure-loc Edging/Wolverine Tools, SVE Portable Roadway Systems, Swift Hitch-Two Loons Trading, Sycamore Professional, Syl Ind. Maq. Com. Imp. Exp. LTDA, Syngenta Professional Products

— T —

Taconic Maintenance Inc., Take/Note Software, Tanaka (Nikko Tanaka Engineering USA), TAS Industries Inc., Taylor Manufacturing Inc., TecArt Industries Inc., TecMate North America, Tecumseh Power Co., Terra-Form, Timberwolf Mfg. Corp., Tire Service Equipment Mfg. Co., TMC Power Equipment Inc., Tools Inc., Toro Company, Total Landscape Care, Toyota, Trades Publishing Co. Inc., Transworld Systems Inc., Treegator (Spectrum Products Inc., Trim-Lok/Grip-Tek, Trimmertrap Inc., Triple Crown Products, TrunkPump, Tuff Torq Corporation, Turbo Technologies Inc., Turf Products, Turf Teq LLC, TURFCO, Turfmaker Corporation, Tygar Manufacturing LLC, TYMCO

— U —

U.S. Lawns, U.S. Tape Company, UDOR U.S.A., U-Haul International, Uncommon USA Inc., University of Georgia Center, Urbano Associates Inc., US Praxis Inc.

— V —

V&M Co. Inc., Valent Professional Products, VectorWorks LANDMARK by Nemetschek N.A., Ventrac by Venture Products, Inc., Vermeer Manufacturing Co., Visual Impact Imaging, Volvo Construction Equipment

— W —

W.W. Manufacturing Company, Inc., Walker Manufacturing Co., Wall Enterprises Inc., Wanner Engineering, Warner Electric/Altra Industrial Motion, Watts, Weed Man, Wells Cargo Inc., Wenzhou Nanya Automobile Accessories Co., Wescon Products, Westheffer Company Inc., White Drive Products, Windsor, WMI Inc., Woodland International, Workforce Advantage, Worldlawn Power Equipment, Inc., Worthington Cylinders, Wright Manufacturing Inc., Wright Metal Products Inc., Wuxi Huina Vehicle Co. LTD, Wuxi Kyosei Cable Co. Ltd.

— Y —

Yanmar America Corp., Year-A-Round Corporation

SmartScapes Online Class Coming Soon.

By Steven Jay Porus, Green Industry Education

This project assessed a residential landscape, re-designed a sustainable landscape, perform site preparation and planting of new sustainable landscape. All phases of this project will be
documented on video and used to create a new online training session.

View Smartscapes Flyer.

 

View Bell Labs Demo  

Sales Email, Bell Laboratories, Inc.

TALPIRID is the first and only mole bait designed, developed and scientifically proven to kill moles. It mimics the mole’s natural food source, the earthworm. One worm can kill in 24 hours.

 

View Bobcat Demo  

Sales Email, Bobcat Company

No other manufacturer offers so many solutions to maximize your return on investment. Bobcat® interchangeable attachments let you do more and make more money. Our panoramic serviceability provides easy access for maintenance and repairs.

 

View Caterpillar Demo  

Sales Email, Caterpillar, Inc.

It doesn't take long to recognize the added value of Cat® Multi Terrain Loaders (MTLs). Find out some of the various operating strategies and maintenance steps at our Product Demo.

 

View HydroPoint's WeatherTRAK ET plus Demo  

Sales Email, HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc.

WeatherTRAK smart ET controllers adjust irrigation automatically as local weather changes. Achieve healthier landscapes while you and your customers save money, time and water.

 

View Little Wonder BedShaper Product Demo  

Sales Email, Little Wonder.

The Little Wonder BedShaper cuts crisp clean edges, tree rings, even “S” curves up to 100 feet per minute.  Cut costs nearly as fast as you cut edges with the Little Wonder BedShaper.

 

View Minuteman Parker Product Demo  

Sales Email, Minuteman Parker

The Estate Master Lawn Sweeper is a real workhorse for professional applications. A configurations of three Suburbanite Sweepers operating together from Minuteman Parker
is considered the ultimate lawn sweeper performer.

 

View Nature's Wonder Product Demo  

Sales Email, Nature's Wpmder

 

The organic compounds found in APEX-10 contain structures that can complex metals, oxidize and reduce elements, while enhancing or reducing the uptake of nutrients by plants andsoil microorganisms. Through low pH extraction and the natural evolution of selected peat, APEX-10 provides the elements for a complete organic uniformed product.

 

View Oregon® Brands Product Demo  

Sales Email, Oregon Cutting Systems Group

Faster out of the box, see what advanced grind geometry can do for you. Go to Oregonchain.com for a complete lookup of over 7000 quality replacement parts and more information about the Oregon® brand.

 

View Pro's Choice Product Demo 

Sales Email, Pro's Choice

Pro Mound® packing clay, delivers all-star performance on the mound and in the batter’s box by bonding to form a solid subsurface player’s can really dig into and holds up season after season.

View Shindaiwa Speed-Feed™ Demo

Sales Email, Shindaiwa, Inc.

The average time to reload line from container in to the trimmer head is 30 seconds or less!.

 

View Tecumseh V-twin Power Demo 

Sales Email, Tecumseh Engine & Transmission Group.

Re-power tractors and ZTRs with Tecumseh V-twin power at a fraction of the cost of original replacement. Contact your Tecumseh Distributor for details on the OV691EA re-power promotion.

View Valvette System's LittleValve Product Demo 

Sales Email, Valvette Systems Corporation

LittleValve products are retrofittable sprinkler parts that make ordinary sprinklers into the best they can be with great labor savings, substantial inventory reduction and huge water savings due to higher uniformity and elimination of overspray.

View Western Pozzolan Corporation's Product Demo 

Sales Email, Western Pozzalan Corporation

The Benefits of Using Lassenite:
Reduce the frequency of watering. Reduce labor costs. Increase quality and quantity of yields.
Reduce fertilizer consumption. Accelerate blooming and optimize maturation. Reduce compaction. Promote deeper roots. Reduce energy costs associated with irrigation.

View Yanmar's Product Demo 

Sales Email, Yanmar America Corp.

Yanmar's result-sized (TM) compact excavators and strong, single-frame CBL40 Compact Loader Backhoe are designed to meet your needs.  Eleven compact excavator models.  Seven with True Zero Tail Swing. The CBL40 sets class leading performance and durability standards.

 

View Exaktime, Inc. Webinar: The Contractor's Time-clock

Contact by Email, Exaktime, Inc.

Every Jobclock system that we ship out each day is custom designed for the business that orders it. In just a few minutes on the phone, we'll customize a Jobclock System to fit your business and give you complete pricing for your system.

 

View Stens Corporation Webinar: Session 1 - Culture  

Sales Email, Stens Corporation.

Stens works to help your business run better by offering helpful strategies for building your business and providing you with one source for all your replacement parts needs.  Stens carries a wide variety of original and replacement parts for outdoor power equipment including oil and air filters, bearings, belts, blades, chainsaw parts, lubricants, spindles, starters, tires, trimmer heads, trimmer line, safety equipment and other small engine parts.

 

View Stens Corporation Webinar: Session 2 - People 

Sales Email, Stens Corporation.

Stens works to help your business run better by offering helpful strategies for building your business and providing you with one source for all your replacement parts needs.  Stens carries a wide variety of original and replacement parts for outdoor power equipment including oil and air filters, bearings, belts, blades, chainsaw parts, lubricants, spindles, starters, tires, trimmer heads, trimmer line, safety equipment and other small engine parts.

 

View Stens Corporation Webinar: Session 3 - Process 

Sales Email, Stens Corporation.

Stens works to help your business run better by offering helpful strategies for building your business and providing you with one source for all your replacement parts needs.  Stens carries a wide variety of original and replacement parts for outdoor power equipment including oil and air filters, bearings, belts, blades, chainsaw parts, lubricants, spindles, starters, tires, trimmer heads, trimmer line, safety equipment and other small engine parts.

 

View STMA Webinar: The First 25 Years 

Sales Email, STMA Official Site.

 

The SportsTurf Managers Association celebrates their 25th Anniversary in Orlando Florida.

For more information, please contact STMA at (800) 366-0391.

The Botanical Classification

By Gregg O’Connor

When selecting plants, one of the questions is how come the same kind of plant has so many different names? What’s the difference between a botanical name, a scientific name, a Latin name and a common name? Oh, that tree…It’s in the XXXXX family. This flower is related to XXXXX.

The science of plant and animal naming and categorization is known as taxonomy. The words binomial nomenclature are used to depict the scientific method of assigning two part (genus/species) names to all living things, universally. Botany is the study of plant identification, culture, natural origin and habitat, morphological structure and such. Of course the flora in every state includes invasive exotic plants and just plain weeds, but also a vast array of very desirable plants, be they native or exotic, nonetheless appropriate and useful in uncountable ways.

So, how come all this jargon all sounds “Greek to me”? Some of the names are actually of Greek origin. Latin, although no longer spoken in its’ holistic form, is the origin of all the romance languages…Spanish, French, Italian, etc. Word origin is a study in itself and the aforementioned languages, as well as English have many similarities, at least when written, not necessarily when spoken. Some plant names are deemed Latinized. One such example would be Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hahnii’, Birds’ Nest Snake Plant, wherein a persons’ last name, Hahn, had letters added to it. For the most part, however, botanical plant names are very descriptive of features of the exact plant, in comparison to others which are very closely related. An example of this is Magnolia grandiflora, Southern Magnolia, which has very large flowers compared to other species in the genus Magnolia.

King Phillip Came Over For Green Stamps is a simple expression which can be used to remember the first letter of the key classification terms.

Kingdom…plant or animal

Subkingdom, Superdivision, Division (terms added since I studied this)

Phyllum…a group of classes; a very broad category of plants

Class…a group of orders

Order…a group of families

Family…a group of genera (genus’) which share similar flower or inflorescence structure. The term family is often used very loosely, albeit erroneously, to denote various related groups of plants. An example would be the Grass family, Graminae or Poaceae, which includes all the types of true grasses you and I know.

Another example is the Rose family, Rosaceae, which includes many unlikely members such as strawberry, apple, peach, pear, plum, cherry, hawthorn and many more common plants.

Genus…a groupof species; This part always begins with a capital letter and is underlined.

Species (a.k.a. Specific Epithet)…the precise organism; This part follows the genus name, both making up the binomial scientific name, and is never capitalized and always underlined. A species name is generally very descriptive of the plants anatomical features, aroma, native origin, shape or other aspects which distinguish it from other species within the same genus.

To further narrow down the plant types within a species, the following terms are sometimes added, beyond the species names. They may be likened to breeds of a species of domestic animals.

• Subspecies…a naturally occurring member of a species having slight but specific and consistent differences from most members of that species.

• Variety…slightly different from the species and found in nature; This part is never capitalized. The term variety is also used very loosely and often erroneously.

• Cultivar…a cultivated variety; This part is always capitalized, underlined and denoted in single parentheses. Usually, these are basically clones, propagated by non-seed methods, such as cuttings.

• Hybrid=X (cross between two species or two genera by pollination and growing the resulting seeds which develop in the fruit from the fertilized flower). The names given to these effectively become cultivar names.

An entire scientific/botanical/Latin name is always underlined.

Mostly, family; genus; species and “variety” names are utilized in the nursery and landscape trades and by gardeners.

Hopefully, after reading this, you now have a much better understanding of all that plant jargon. Thankfully, there are countless references and resources to help us better understand plants. A good start to researching specific plant information is to have the correct botanical name.

 

Rain Bird® STPi Series

Rain Bird’s Simple-to-Program (STPi) Controllers are the easiest controllers in the irrigation industry to program and operate. In fact, the STPi controller is so easy to operate you won’t even need to read the instructions.

Phone: (800) 724-6247

Web: www.rainbird.com

 

PureSense Irrigation Manager

PureSense growers manage crop performance in real-time to maximize crop potential and minimize costs. Our patented information system and proprietary field monitoring stations collect, relay, and process continuous data about soil, water and climate so customers can access easy-to-use PureSense "know-how" and online software applications anytime, from anywhere. Turn-key solutions alert growers to soil moisture conditions, tracks irrigation events, provides early warning for frost events, and guides growers on precision irrigation scheduling. Customers see +400% ROI in the first year, and the benefits of solar powered systems. PureSense Irrigation Manager is the basic entry service to a full range of PureSense Agricultural Solutions.

Phone: (877) 882-PURE

Web: www.puresense.com

 

Jacobsen Remotics' Field Water Alarm

The Field Water Aalarm is a digitally integrated irrigation product that alters the farm owner by radio or cell phone when the water is flowing into his field or has reached an optimum point. Water flows into your field from the source proceeding to a check that you monitor. You have pre-set the Field Water Alarm probe to a point where you want to be notified. When the water reaches this probe, it passes the information to the control unit translating and sending a message to your radio or cell phone. Then you can take action to change over to the next set of pots or scale the water back. Saves time, saves money, and saves guessing.

Phone: (209) 847-8003

Web: www.fieldwateralarm.com

 

Grassland Mini-Clik

There's nothing more embarrassing, wasteful, or costly than an irrigation system that runs when it doesn't have to - in the rain. And the simplest, most effective way to prevent your sprinklers from coming on during or after precipitation is the Mini-Clik. Easily installed on any automatic irrigation system, Mini-Clik shuts sprinklers off in a storm and keeps them off, automatically compensating for the amount of rainfall that occurred.

Phone: (800) 950-4342

Web: www.grasslandcorp.com

 

Hunter’s ET System

Easy Add-on for any Hunter Controller that Operates with a SmartPort® System. Predicting the weather may not be the easiest thing to do these days. But responding to those climate changes by continually calculating the optimum irrigation program for your landscape is now possible with Hunter’s new ET System. Designed to be easily added to any existing Hunter controller (models SRC, Pro-C, ICC, and ACC, including versions back to 1996), Hunter’s ET System continuously measures the local Evapotranspiration (ET) factor. That information is then downloaded to the host controller to create an intelligent irrigation schedule that is just right for your landscape requirements.

Phone: (760) 744-5240

Web: www. hunterindustries.com

 

Irrigation ET Controllers

By Steven Jay Porus, Green Industry Education

In this episode, Mike Baron of Toro Irrigation talks about Toro's ET Contollers.

View Episode 3010.

Irrigation Show 2008
October 30-November 1, 2008
Anaheim, California USA

• Upgrade your skills and earn CEUs.
• Fine smart solutions for agriculture, turf/landscape and golf applications.
• Learn strategies and skills to improve your bottom line
• Discover the latest innovations in irrigation technology.
• Connect with industry peers.
• Serving manufacturers, dealers, distributors, wholesalers, contractors, designers, installation and maintenance professionals, consultants and growers.
Your source for irrigation solutions

General Session and Keynote
Peter H. Gleick, Pacific Institute
Monday, November 3, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

The world is in the midst of a major transition in water resource development, management and use. Unlike the 20th century's single-minded focus on dams, pipelines and other "hard" infrastructure, water planners and policy makers must find solutions that also balance social, economic and ecological issues.

Dr. Gleick will discuss the need for new approaches to meet requirements for safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, agriculture and environmental protection. The "soft path" must complement physical infrastructure with improved water-use efficiency, sustainable water use and economic incentives.

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