Landscape Management, November 2018

profit centers TURF ORNAMENTAL CARE include insect control weed control and fertilizer in one application also reduce the need for frequent visits to the same property Predicable release products will feed the turf over a number of weeks based on the thickness of the polymer coating so LCOs wont have to come back every six or eight weeks Hartman says You get a longer feed without the crazy flush of growth you get when you put down straight minerals From a sustainability and environmental standpoint this is really the most effective and efficient use of nitrogen out there CHANGE IS CHALLENGING So why are LCOs hesitant to use these new fertilizers and change their application methods Industry experts say there are several reasons One is simply that change is difficult Hartman says many LCOs view their current practices as an efficient way of doing things and dont realize the benefits they could gain from switching things up Additionally customers particularly residential homeowners want to know their lawn care provider was on their property before they will pay the bill Some LCOs cant wrap their heads around the idea of billing their customers for a seasons worth of work while making fewer visits to the property even if the turf ends up looking as good as or even better than before The challenge to the industry as a whole is changing the mindset of the LCO and the property owner regarding the frequency of applications and the frequency and cost of billing without sacrificing efficacy Hartman says Its a fine line to get people to switch from the way they have always done things but with labor costs rising and the availability of good labor decreasing coupled with fuel price increases its more important than ever to find efficiencies wherever you can Another challenge is the higher price of controlled release fertilizers While LCOs may be able to LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET NOVEMBER 2018 22 specify the amount of controlled release nitrogen in their fertilizer to help control the cost Hartman says these products cost approximately 30 percent more than their traditional counterparts The price difference can be a tough pill for LCOs to swallow But paying for a higher quality product upfront can save money in the long run Miltner says Making fewer visits to each property saves money on labor and fuel and making fewer fertilizer applications decreases wear and tear on equipment so spreaders last longer Miltner says new truck regulations and rising freight costs are growing problems facing the industry and using less product can decrease a companys freight and shipping expenses While some of these savings arent initially obvious Miltner says they add up over time to make a big difference If LCOs buy a controlled release fertilizer that will last three months it will be more expensive upfront so there is some sticker shock he says We are trying to educate the industry not to buy fertilizer based on price per bag but instead to understand what is in the bag and what theyre paying for The more expensive bag can ultimately cost less to use Helt says LCOs can utilize the time they used to spend fertilizing to provide profitable add on services Tree care pruning pest control bed maintenance mulching and targeted weed control are all services that LCOs can upsell to their existing customer base and provide during the four to six week visits that were previously reserved for fertilizer applications By following the new way fertilizer can be applied as little as once per year and the remaining visits can be used solely to provide add on services instead of reapplying fertilizer Helt says This reduces the average length of the visit and increases revenue generation maximizing profitability At the end of the season the labor savings from this model alone typically offset the added cost of the new fertilizer even if a customer doesnt want additional services For LCOs interested in approaching their fertilizer applications the new way Miltner suggests starting with a handful of commercial clients who typically are more concerned with having green weed free turf than they are with how many times an LCO visits the property Full service landscape companies also can try this fertilization approach since they are on clients properties to provide many services at different times throughout the year Education for both the LCO and the customer is another important piece of the puzzle to ensure everyone is on the same page For anyone interested in doing something innovative be sure to dig into the details and take a hard look under the hood Miltner says At the outset it seems that this fertilizer might be more expensive and that this type of program might be difficult to implement operationally But if you put the pencil to the paper it is really something that can save resources save money and produce high quality turf Schappacher is a freelance writer based in Cleveland Continued from page 20 Eric Miltner Bob Hartman