One of the most important parts of pesticide applications is following the label’s instructions.
Photo: Syngenta

In recent years, pesticides have been making quite a splash across the news – and not in a good way.

These chemical control methods have been blamed for every sort of evil imaginable, with the neonicotinoids labeled as the worst of the worst for harming bees. Yet, without these substances, the quality of life we know wouldn’t exist.

So where’s the disconnect? Are pesticides an actual danger? Should the landscape industry move away from using pesticides?

The fact of the matter is, the pesticides that are registered by the Environmental Protection Agency are already intensely scrutinized. Manufacturers can spend anywhere from $250 million to $500 million dollars in bringing a product to market. Part of this expense is related to the numerous toxicological studies that are submitted to EPA for review.

Frank Wong

“There is a ton of material to walk everyone through the processes involved in registering a pesticide product and the EPA has high standards for ensuring that products do not have a high risk for harm,” said Frank Wong, senior regulatory affairs consultant for Bayer. “But it’s just so much easier to sensationalize a headline that says ‘glyphosate causes cancer.’ It’s a battle we’re always facing. People are looking for “easy” answers. As an industry, we have done a very poor job in effective science communication.”

RISE, or Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment, is one organization that is dedicated to dispelling the myths that surround pesticides. This trade organization represents manufacturers, formulators, distributors and other industry leaders involved with pesticides.

It shares positive information about pesticides with policy makers and monitors the public’s perception toward the chemicals. Surprisingly, despite the volume and visibility of activists’ protests, the majority of the population doesn’t seem to give pesticides much thought, according to RISE’s research.

“Most aren’t thinking about the products,” said Karen Reardon, vice president of public affairs for RISE. “People do have a perception that organic products are as effective as EPA-approved products, but the organic products don’t have to prove they work. Unless there is EPA testing, there is no way to guarantee its effectiveness.”

Sustainability has been considered synonymous with organic products, but, according to Wong, choosing organics over synthetic products on principle could be hurtful in the long run.

“If you start looking through some of the toxicity profiles of some of the “organic” pesticides like azadirachtin (neem oil), you can see it is extremely hazardous to pollinators and bees,” Wong said. “So it’s a false argument that organic is better than synthetic.”

This isn’t to say that organic products are bad. In fact, Syngenta has had success with Heritage fungicide, Acelepryn insecticide, and Tenacity herbicide, which are all naturally derived.

Stephanie Schwenke

“Whether a product is naturally or synthetically derived, the key criteria for choosing a product is the combination of efficacy on the target pest and impact of the application on the landscape,” said Stephanie Schwenke, turf market manager for Syngenta. “Syngenta has seen increased interest in products like Acelepryn insecticide.”

According to Schwenke, Acelepryn is capable of controlling grubs all season long, doesn’t require a signal word, has little impact on bees and is registered by the EPA under the agency’s Reduced Risk Program.

However, even the safest of pesticides can have a negative impact if the applications rates are not followed.

“It is absolutely critical for anyone who is applying products to read and follow the label,” Schwenke said. “Before being registered for use, products undergo years of research and development to determine rates and environmental impact. This research is conducted according to the rigorous standards of the EPA.  What it comes down to is proper education and training for product applicators to ensure they are following best management practices and products are being used responsibly.”

When products are used incorrectly, the consequences can be monumental and fan the flames of those against the use of pesticides altogether. A noteworthy example of this occurred in 2013, when a landscaping company sprayed blooming linden trees with the insecticide Safari and effectively killed 50,000 bees.

Safari’s active ingredient is neonicotinoid dinotefuran, and it warns on its label that it is toxic to bees and should not be applied to blooming plants.

“The worst thing you want happening is to have uneducated folks out there misusing pesticides, whether it’s organic or synthetic products, and making the wrong decisions. That doesn’t help anybody,” Wong said. “Education, innovation, and certification should all be part of the pesticide conversation. They’re (pesticides) a tool in the toolbox that needs to be used properly and with respect.”

While the public may not recognize it, pesticides are protecting us from a number of pests that harbor deadly diseases. Most people take for granted that their homes are not overrun with ticks and mosquitoes, nor has their family experienced a food shortage due to wide-spread fungus.

“We don’t realize how integral these things have been in providing us a better life,” Wong said. “Say for example you rolled back some of the current technologies available to control mosquitoes. You start having higher rates of malaria, West Nile and Zika virus due to these being vectored by mosquitoes.

“Do we really want to wait to that point in time before people realize the value of some of these control technologies?”

After the success of last year’s inaugural Deep South Turf Expo, which drew more than 700 turfgrass professionals, the event’s sponsors are expecting even bigger things this year.

The 2016 expo is set for October 11-13 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center in Biloxi. Go here to register.

While the meeting is sponsored by Southeastern organizations – namely, the Alabama Turfgrass Association, Mississippi Turfgrass Association, and the Gulf Coast, Louisiana-Mississippi, and Alabama chapters of Golf Course Superintendents Association of America – organizers are encouraging turfgrass managers from around the country to attend.

Along with more than 100 exhibitors at the trade show and several activities planned just for fun, the Deep South Trade Expo includes a full slate of educational sessions for lawn-care and landscape professionals, sod producers, golf course superintendents and other sports turf managers. In addition to leading experts from within the industry, educational sessions will be led by horticultural authorities from Auburn University, Mississippi State University, the University of Florida, Clemson University and the University of Nebraska.

Continuing education units from all major industry organizations, as well as pesticide recertification points from all Southern states, are available for some sessions.

Topics include herbicide chemistry and modes of action, a variety of fertilizer-related sessions, irrigation troubleshooting, fighting turf diseases and nematodes, cultivar selection and more.

Target Specialty Products says it has acquired Residex, the largest privately owned specialty chemical distribution business in the United States.

Landscape and turfgrass management products distributed by Target Specialty Products include spraying equipment as well as herbicides, fungicides and insecticides, among many others.
Photo: Target Specialty Products

With the acquisition – terms of which were not disclosed – Target Specialty Products doubled its market reach, expanding its footprint to the Midwest, Southeast and Northeast, and is now the second largest distributor of professional pest control and turfgrass management supplies.

Based in Detroit, Residex has been in business since 1946. The company supplies pest control and turf and ornamental products to the eastern half of the United States from 25 warehouse locations across 14 states.

Adding Residex to Target Specialty’s existing products business (based in California and with locations primarily on the West Coast, mid-Atlantic and central United States) establishes a fully national market footprint and also provides entry into the Canadian products market.

“We have a proactive approach to acquisitions and we identified Residex as a well-run company with a distribution footprint that complemented Target’s existing market reach,” said Todd Ferguson, head of Target Specialty Products. “We believe Residex is a great business run by a strong team, so joining our like-minded companies makes perfect sense to further our commitment to providing best-in-class products that will increase both shareholder and customer value.”

Todd Griebe, former CEO and owner of Residex, will join Target Specialty Products’ turf fuel business.

“Residex was not actively looking to sell,” Griebe said, “but the more we spoke with Target and got to know their management team, the more interested we became. Combining the reach and expertise of Residex with Target’s complementary capabilities will create the second largest products business of this type in the United States …”

Volunteers tamp down the soil after laying irrigation pipe during the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ annual Renewal and Remembrance day of service at Arlington National Cemetery.
Photo: Jill Odom

A sea of bright neon vests gathered under a cloudless sky at Arlington National Cemetery this morning, as over 400 landscapers prepared to offer their skills as a tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

This marks the 20^th year the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) has participated in Renewal and Remembrance.

Every year at Renewal and Remembrance, volunteers from across the country gather to maintain the beauty of these hallowed grounds. They and their families give of their time pruning, planting, mulching, aerating and installing lightning protection in the trees.

After NALP volunteers’ application of generous amounts of lime during each of the past several years, the soil is showing the benefits, allowing the landscapers to concentrate more this year on phosphorous applications, hardscaping, and installing and repairing irrigation lines.
Photo: Jill Odom

“This is our chance to do with actions what can’t be put into words,” said Phil Fogarty of Weed Man. “Our work is a way of letting families know we refuse to forget.”

In the past, NALP has focused on lime application, generally applying 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Now the effects of these applications have taken place and the pH of the soil only needs 2 pounds of lime per 1,000 square feet this year.

This has freed up volunteer landscapers to focus on hardscaping, irrigation installation and repairs, and phosphorous application.

NALP members used more manual push spreaders and walk behind aerators this year to enable them to treat the nooks and crannies of the cemetery that are harder to tend to.

Some landscapers, like Lawn Dawg’s president, Jim Campanella, have been serving almost since the beginning of the event.

When Campanella started his company in 1997, he was quick to join NALP the next year and has attended Renewal and Remembrance every year since.

“It’s a way of giving back,” he said. “The grounds here are amazing. I can run my business and operate Lawn Dawg because of the sacrifices these people made, but also my uncle is buried here as well. He served in Vietnam War, so in a way it’s also giving back to him.

“If we can beautify this place for people visiting their loved ones and (help them) have a memory of coming here and it being peaceful and beautiful, that means a lot to me and my team.”

Campanella came to Renewal and Remembrance his first year with just one other employee, but this year he brought a crew of 20. His team worked on the aeration program this year.

“Every single employee I’ve ever brought here has thanked me afterwards and said ‘Please let me go back again someday,’” Campanella said. “I think it’s something everybody should experience and if they can’t make it here, do it locally.”

The landscapers’ children were also able to lend a hand. Over 50 children helped plant lavender, geraniums, hostas and shrubs around the Spanish-American War Memorial. They also placed flowers and pennies on gravestones in Section 21, which is where the first nurses were allowed to be buried.

“We wanted to point out there are more than just soldiers buried here,” said Anne Marie Kuperus with Farmside Landscape and Design.

Kuperus has been coming to Renewal and Remembrance for 12 years. She used to participate in the children’s program herself and now she helps organize it.

Volunteers from Sunrise Landscape and Design handled a number of jobs, including the repair and replacement of a sidewalk in the historic national cemetery.
Photo: Jill Odom

Some companies had multiple teams doing different tasks. Sunrise Landscape and Design had one crew working on evening out some hardscaping, while other employees worked on landscaping and watering plants.

“It means a lot,” said Pablo Mejia of Sunrise Landscape and Design. “We like to give back to our troops. They give a lot – a lot of them give their lives.”

Participating in Renewal and Remembrance “makes us feel good too,” Mejia said.

Several people participating in the special day of service for the first time talked enthusiastically about coming back next year.

“It’s nice to just do something nice for them and their families, to say thank you,” said Kelsey Jacquard, a product manager with Hunter Industries. “I’d definitely come back next year.”

Members of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado talk with U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, a Republican member of the state’s congressional delegation.
Photo: Jill Odom

After landscapers spent Monday working among the graves at Arlington National Cemetery, they crossed the Potomac to meet with members of Congress about industry issues on Tuesday.

This year the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) instructed their members to address two key concerns: H-2B and pesticide regulations.

Since the temporary worker program was introduced in 1986, the cap on H-2B visas has remained at 66,000. This year landscapers have relied on a special exemption from the cap for returning workers – those who have held H-2B visas during any of the past three fiscal years –  but that exemption is set to expire soon.

Currently, NALP members are working hard to push Senate bill 2225 and House bills 3918 and 2758, each of which would make the returning worker exemption permanent. House bill 3918 would also remove the Department of Labor from the H-2B process entirely.

For the first time, NALP’s Day on the Hill event included ‘Landscape Learning Labs for Legislators,’ featuring information booths visited by members of Congress and their staffs.
Photo: Jill Odom

Landscapers who use the program are passionate about making this change. Without it, they say, they have no assurance they will receive the workers they need for the season and thus are unable to create stable five-year business plans.

“It can put a company out of business if they’ve sold the work but don’t get the workers,” said Becky Hammond, a landscape architect at Native Edge Landscapes in Boulder, Colorado.

Colorado is the second-highest user of the H-2B program. The state had a sizable group on hand for NALP’s Day on the Hill, meeting with senators, representatives and congressional staff members.

NALP members also expressed their concerns Tuesday about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, saying EPA’s recent regulations on pesticides and related chemicals have not been based on sound scientific principles.

“The EPA is using precautionary measures rather than looking at the actual cost-benefit analysis,” said Kristen Fefes, executive director of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado, in a meeting with U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, a Republican member of the state’s congressional delegation. “The fear is taking over instead of the science.”

For the first time this year, NALP also used the visit to Capitol Hill to stage the “Landscape Learning Labs for Legislators,” educating members of Congress and their staffs about the benefits of professionally managed landscapes.

“We really want to introduce them to all the value the industry provides to families, to their communities and to the environment,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NALP.

Visitors were able to check out nine different booths with various learning objectives, such as why landscaping companies use H-2B, how to help pollinators, the benefits of irrigation and more.

“We have gotten a lot of interest from our members and excitement about having their members of Congress come here,” Henriksen said. “We think this is going to be a springboard for bigger and even more robust events in the future.”

Although NALP’s Day on the Hill is an annual event, the trade association encouraged its members to keep up their advocacy year-round, including outreach to their local and state politicians.

“Making your voice heard is so rare and it’s so important, so I thank you for that,” said longtime political consultant Alex Castellanos, a keynote speaker during the NALP event. “You guys grow more than plants. You grow jobs and you grow the economy.”

LawnPop artificial grass installation at a home in Austin, Texas. (Synthetic Grass Warehouse photo)

From landscape lighting to concrete pavers, products related to outdoor living areas will continue to enjoy strong demand in the coming months, according to MarketResearch.com.

Citing information from other firms’ more detailed reports, which it sells on its website, MarketResearch.com also says artificial turf is likely to “become more prevalent in some areas” of the country, particularly drought-affected regions.

In its own report, titled “House & Home: 27 Top Trends & Predictions,” MarketResearch.com notes that water-use restrictions remain in place in much of California and the Pacific Northwest. That means homeowners will seek “water-conscious landscaping options,” including xeriscapes and expanded hardscapes in addition to synthetic turf.

Also driving landscape product trends, the company says, is heightened concern about the environment.

“A variety of landscaping products are evolving to become more eco-friendly,” the report says. For example, along with the greater use of solar-powered devices, manufacturers are using more recycled materials in making their products while also ensuring the recyclability of the products themselves.

Meanwhile, “Sales of permeable pavers, which reduce water runoff by allowing rainwater to drain through the surface, are also expected to grow,” the report says.

MarketResearch.com says consumers’ retail purchases of lawn and garden equipment – a category dominated by mowers and trimmers – have been sluggish in recent years, peaking in 2005. (If fewer homeowners are doing it themselves, perhaps that’s good news for professional lawn-care companies.)

And citing a report from a company called Packaged Facts, MarketResearch.com cautions that lawn and garden equipment sales are notoriously hard to predict, as they’re subject to numerous variables – the housing market’s performance, new household formation, drought and other weather-related trends, among others.

More positive is the outlook for retail sales of herbicides and pesticides, the report says, citing research by Freedonia Group. “The increased variety of ready-to-use products, blended herbicide and fertilizer formulations, and products designed for specific types of gardens will help sustain growth in the coming years,” the market research states.

On the artificial turf front, the nation’s largest distributor, Anaheim, California-based Synthetic Grass Warehouse, continues to promote success stories about companies that have developed a specialty as installers of the product.

The most recent example is LawnPop in Austin, Texas, where owner Tanner Shepard says business is booming. In fact, he says the company has seen 100 percent annual revenue growth since he started the synthetic turf installation business in 2012.

“Synthetic grass can be a great part of design when done correctly and by those who know how,” Shepard said.

Nature Safe says it will focus attention at GIE+EXPO on its new 15-0-1 Hi-Sol Organic Nitrogen fertilizer. The landscaping industry trade show is Oct. 19-21 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.

The protein concentration of the product exceeds 92 percent, five times more protein per pound than a typical pet food. Photo: Nature Safe

Listed with the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) – a nonprofit organization that verifies companies’ claims that products are “organic” – 15-0-1 Hi-Sol Organic Nitrogen fertilizer is the highest concentrated, unrestricted use, dry-flowable product on the market, according to Nature Safe.

The manufacturer says the new product is “an ideal tool to spoon feed organic nitrogen applications for organic growers, nurseries and turf through irrigation systems, drip lines, spray tanks or pivots.” Nature Safe says 15-0-1 Hi-Sol Organic Nitrogen contains the highest quality organic protein and amino acids, 0.2 percent iron, along with 1 percent soluble potassium that is naturally chelated.

The protein concentration of the product, at more than 92 percent, is five times more protein per pound than a typical pet food.

For detailed information on the new organic fertilizer, which Nature Safe will sell in 40-pound bags, see the company’s website.

Petro-Canada prepared for oil-spec overhaul

With the lubricants industry set for its biggest specification overhaul in history later this year, Petro-Canada says it’s ready for the introduction of PC-11 heavy-duty engine oils.

The PC-11 specification will require heavy-duty engine oils to offer enhanced oxidation control, aeration control and shear stability – increasing fuel economy, lowering emissions and better protecting engines.

Petro-Canada Lubricants, a Suncor business, will be introducing two new categories of heavy-duty engine oils in December. In the meantime, the company has launched the branding campaign it will use for PC-11: “The Tougher. The Better.”

Petro-Canada says its PC-11-ready product line “is set to be the world’s toughest range of heavy-duty engine oils,” and the campaign slogan points to that message.

Male honeybees’ sperm, seen here under a microscope, declined nearly 40 percent after exposure to neonics. Photo: Lars Straub, University of Bern

A study has revealed that two types of the controversial neonicotinoids – insecticide ingredients often referred to as “neonics” – have significant negative effects on male honeybees.

Researchers from the University of Bern in Switzerland found that thiamethoxam and clothianidin reduced the number of living sperm in male honeybees by 39 percent compared with bees that had not been exposed to the insecticides.

Along with this discovery, the scientists also concluded that the chemicals decrease the lifespan of the drones. Those exposed to the neonicotinoids live an average of 15-22 days, a lifespan 32 percent shorter than unexposed drones.

“Most neonicotinoid studies that employ honeybees have focused on workers, which are typically the non-productive females of the colony,” said Lars Straub, a doctoral student at the university and the lead author of the study. “Male honeybees have really been neglected by honeybee health scientists; while not surprising, these results may turn a few heads.”

The findings were published in the biological research journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, which is based in London but is worldwide in membership and publication; for example, its editorial board includes both American and Canadian biologists.

The two neonicotinoids responsible for this unintentional birth control were banned by the European Union in 2013, but they are still commonly used in the United States for agricultural purposes.

Bee decline has been a steady concern for the past decade. Despite raised awareness and intermittent, if modest, improvement from time to time, beekeepers have experienced continued losses.

According to a national survey, beekeepers lost 44 percent of their honeybee colonies from April 2015 to April 2016. This is the second year in a row that colony losses have exceeded 40 percent.

Although many focus blame for the bee losses solely on neonicotinoids, Straub points out that they are just one factor.

“There are heaps of different factors that can actually affect colony health,” Straub told The New York Times. “Pesticides alone are probably just one of the small pieces of the bigger puzzle.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently investigating thiamethoxam and clothianidin, along with dinotefuran, and is scheduled to release its risk assessment in December.

The Lagoon Friendly Lawn program is designed to reduce nutrient pollution.
Photo: Keep Brevard Beautiful

In an effort to protect the Indian River Lagoon in Florida, Keep Brevard Beautiful is testing a program called Lagoon Friendly Lawns.

The pilot program is similar to the Florida-Friendly Landscaping program, which encourages homeowners to use low-maintenance plants and environmentally sustainable practices.

The Lagoon Friendly Lawns program is focused on preventing nutrient pollution like fertilizers and yard clippings from washing into the river. The influx of extra nitrogen and phosphorus can cause massive algae blooms that kill seagrass and fish and disrupts the ecosystem.

In an effort to promote more environmentally sound practices, Lagoon Friendly Lawns is offering a county-wide certification system for lawn-care contractors that was developed in cooperation with the Satellite Beach Sustainability Board.

“Really, part of the solution to it is right in our backyards,” Keep Brevard Beautiful’s Allison Arteaga told News 13. “There’s a lot all of us can do to address nutrient pollution.”

Homeowners who hire certified contractors are qualified for the member level of lawn certification and can place reclaimed wood signs in their yard that let others know about their participation. Gold and Silver award winners also receive a special plaque and will be recognized on social media and Keep Brevard Beautiful’s website.

“People are going to see the signs in the yards and say, ‘How can I get involved with that?’” Arteaga said.

Gordon Agostini and his company, Beach Lawn Services, are already testing out the program and have applied for certification.

“It’s not just the people in the industry, homeowners play a big part of this,” Agostini said.

The four main practices the program promotes are minimizing nutrient pollution, reducing turf and stormwater runoff, and restoring ecosystem benefits.

In order to mitigate the harmful effects of fertilizer runoff, Lagoon Friendly Lawns suggests using at least 50 percent slow-release nitrogen fertilizer and to apply no more than one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Soil tests should be conducted before applying phosphorus, the program guidelines say, and fertilizer should not be applied during the rainy season.

Lawn clippings should be kept off impervious surfaces so they do not wash down storm drains. Reducing turf areas and replacing them with garden beds is another option suggested to lessen the amount of nutrient inputs required.

Capturing stormwater in swales or rain barrels can keep nitrogen-rich water out of the river, while installing permeable surfaces allows the water to recharge aquifers.

The last concept of Lagoon Friendly Lawns is to replace what has been removed with positive additions, such as native plant communities that support the local wildlife and prevent erosion.

Chapel Valley Landscape employees join other volunteers in working on a Salvation Army women’s shelter as part of a day of service sponsored by the Baltimore chapter of the Building Owners and Managers Association.
Photo: Chapel Valley Landscape Co.

Chapel Valley Landscape Co. recently donated landscaping material and services to the Salvation Army in support of an annual day of service sponsored by the Baltimore area chapter of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA).

Headquartered in Woodbine, Maryland, Chapel Valley is a commercial landscape management company that serves the Mid-Atlantic region as well as the Southeast.

The day of service project involved the conversion of a boarding home into a women’s shelter.

The home was in need of extensive landscaping. Chapel Valley provided the design, plant material, mulch, stone and initial clearing of the site in preparation for the special day of service.

When that day came, members of BOMA-Baltimore were led by the Chapel Valley team in performing basic grounds maintenance, plant installation and trash removal. After several hours of hard work, the exterior of the woman’s shelter was completely renovated.

CASE sponsors ‘Labor of Love’ concert

CASE Construction Equipment will again play host to the “Labor of Love” concert in Racine, Wisconsin. This year’s Labor Day event will feature country music star Chris Young.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit Team Rubicon, a disaster response organization comprised of more than 36,000 veterans and first responders, with the goal of helping the organization expand its skills training programs.

Tickets can be purhased here.. The event will be held at Racine Festival Park, with plenty of local food vendors on hand. A silent auction, which also will benefit Team Rubicon, also is planned.

The partnership with CASE and Team Rubicon is a natural one for Young: His father works in construction and several family members, including his younger sister, are either in the Marines or are U.S. military veterans.

“I appreciate the CASE commitment to helping veterans fill the skills gap through Team Rubicon’s focus on training and development,” Young said. “I’m glad to support the important work they do in not only giving veterans the opportunity to improve job skills but also serve the community.”

“Labor of Love” launched in 2015 with the goal of connecting veterans with jobs and training in the skilled trades. Last year’s concert raised $10,000 for Wounded Warrior Project.

“We launched Labor of Love last year to build a bridge between job-seeking veterans and a critical shortage of qualified equipment operators and technicians,” says Scott Harris, vice president for North America with CASE Construction Equipment. “This year, we’ve worked with Team Rubicon on their operator training program by providing equipment and support.”

CASE will also be raising funds for Team Rubicon through an online fundraiser. To donate and show support for “Labor of Love” and Team Rubicon, visit CASE.TeamRubiconUSA.org.

Heaviland wins 2 California landscape awards

Heaviland Landscape Management, a commercial landscape management company based in Vista, California, won two awards at the 2016 California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) San Diego Chapter Beautification Awards.

The awards recognize excellence among California licensed landscape professionals, specifically those working to conserve natural resources while maintaining the San Diego area’s unique beauty through careful design, installation and management of landscapes.

Heaviland Landscape Management was chosen for the following awards:

• Award Winner, WaterSmart Landscape Construction – Small (Fairbanks Montecito HOA Landscape Renovation)
• Achievement Award, Turf Conversion – Large (Palomar Tech Center landscape renovation)

“These awards validate our team’s proficiency in water-smart design, construction and sustainability,” said Tom Heaviland, the company’s owner and president. “I am proud of the industry experts we’ve assembled on our staff and am thrilled they’re receiving due recognition.”

Heaviland served as CLCA San Diego chapter president in 2001 and his late father, Ron Heaviland, filled the role in 1994. This year, Heaviland’s son, Christian, served on the CLCA Awards Committee, making him the third generation of the company to give back to his industry within the San Diego community.

According to Heaviland, the larger of the two award-winning projects, the Palomar Tech Center job, consisted of a 42,860-square-foot renovation project. Enhancing the site’s overall beauty through landscape design, the project also involved a conversion to a recycled water irrigation system.

Along with the drought-tolerant plants used in the landscape design, the irrigation system retrofit is expected to save the commercial property a projected 2.3 million gallons of water annually.

Vestaron, Capua Bioservices announce alliance

Vestaron Corp., a developer of naturally occurring peptides with anti-insect properties, has reached a multi-year manufacturing agreement with Capua Bioservices for production of Vestaron’s Spear family of products.

“We are very excited about engaging with Capua for microbial fermentation, focusing on scale-up and commercial manufacturing,” said John Sorenson, Vestaron president and CEO. “Capua Bioservices is a world-class organization with extensive experience in the fermentation of the particular type of yeast that we’re using, and we consider this a critical link in our commercialization of Spear products.”

Spear products are bioinsecticides that are non-toxic to humans, mammals, birds, fish, honeybees and several other beneficial insects, according to Vestaron, which says the absence of toxic residues gives growers maximum flexibility in growing and harvesting their crops. Vestaron says its Spear products are just as effective in controlling insects as synthetic insecticides.

Capua BioServices is a global provider of services in the field of custom microbial process development and manufacturing. The company offers fermentation-based solutions for applications in pharmaceuticals, food, feed and other bio-industrial markets.

As summer begins to wind down, your mind may already be on snow removal or Christmas light installation services, but there is another important service you need to be offering clients at this time: winterizers.

This application of fertilizer in the fall is key for both warm-season and cool-season grasses, though for different reasons. Warm-season grasses such as bermuda grass, St. Augustine grass, and zoysia grass benefit from a fall feeding because they are coming out of their growth season and need to prepare for winter.

Potassium is the key ingredient needed by warm-season grasses in the fall, as this is the element that promotes winter hardiness. They can handle low amounts of nitrogen, but not too much, since that element promotes more plant growth.

“For warm-season turf species, don’t apply nitrogen any later than four to six weeks before the first killing frost,” said Eric Miltner, an agronomist for Koch Turf & Ornamental. “If there’s too much nitrogen, it will lead to less winter hardiness, and it makes them more succulent and susceptible to damage. Cool-season species can be fertilized later into the fall while growth continues.”

Cool-season grasses reap multiple benefits from winterization fertilizer. Fescues, bluegrass and ryegrass are examples of the types of grass that are coming out of summer suffering from heat stress and drought stress. Applying nitrogen ensures these types of turf have the nutrition needed to repair and grow.

“You ask any turf expert for lawn care tips and they are going to tell you the key to a strong lawn is strong roots, and the key to strong roots is to give your cool-season grass lawn two feedings in the fall,” said Ashton Ritchie, a lawn and garden expert with Scotts Miracle-Gro. “Warm-season grass lawns benefit from a single September feeding.”

According to Miltner, there are three main goals you can accomplish with a fall application of fertilizer for cool-season grasses, and the timing of the application will vary based on which goal you are trying to achieve.

Summer recovery can be accomplished by applying in September while extending color into the winter can be attained by spreading during October and November, depending on the location and the weather. Winter hardiness can also be achieved by an application during the fall.

“The thing you need to keep in mind is, as the temperatures cool down, the grass can still take up the nutrients, but it takes them up at a much slower rate,” Miltner said. “The later it is, the longer it takes to absorb the nutrients.”

Ritchie advises feeding cool-season grasses twice in the fall because the second application – six weeks after the first – helps lock in what you’ve gained.

“What’ll happen is that your lawn’s increased root mass will absorb and store the nutrients from the fertilizer,” he said. “Once spring arrives, your lawn will quickly tap into these nutrients for a beautiful burst of green. In fact, a lawn fed twice in the fall will stay green longer into winter and be the first to green up in the spring.”

When it comes to what form of fertilizer to use, it all comes back to your objective.

“Something like a sulfur-coated type product is good to use earlier in the fall,” Miltner said. “Slow-release fertilizer provides a good amount of nitrogen over time. A polymer-coated product will release nutrients in the fall, then shut down in the winter. It allows flexibility so you can apply later and get extended nutrients. It may cost more, but you get many months of nutrition.”

According to Ritchie, slow-release or controlled-release lawn food that spreads the nutrition out over a span of six to eight weeks is better than doing a one-time “dump” of nutrients that only generates a surge of top growth.

It is also better to use granular fertilizer later in the fall so the unused nitrogen isn’t lost to the environment.

“You need to know what you’re trying to achieve and match that objective with the best fertilizer and think about the environmental impact,” Miltner said.

As more people spend more time outdoors, the need to keep pesky bugs away will rise.

The worldwide market for home outdoor pest-control devices is likely to expand at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 5 percent between now and 2020, according to Technavio, a technology research company.

The firm’s market research examined the revenue generated from sales of pest devices that control mosquitoes and other insects, as well as rats, mice, pigeons and sparrows. The recent outbreak of Zika virus has increased a focus on mosquito control particularly.

Awareness of the multiple diseases that mosquitoes harbor is expected to fuel growth in the market over the next five years. The Aedes species of mosquitoes are responsible for carrying Zika virus, which the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in February.

Along with a growing public concern about the dangers of mosquitoes, consumers are also discovering the issues that pests such as pigeons can present by way of their droppings and nests in inconvenient locations.

The increased interest in landscaping and lawn care will also promote the sale of outdoor pest-control products as more of the population flocks to green spaces and patios for entertaining. The international report said rising disposable income is part of the reason homeowners are now willing to spend on landscaping services.

Issues such as rodents ruining the lawn and troublesome insects such as wasps, flies, and mosquitoes will drive demand for pest-control products.

“Such factors are propelling the sales of pest-control devices like citronella candles, lamp repellers and rodent traps,” said Mantri Charan Kumar, a lead analyst at Technavio for retail goods and services research.

However, the firm predicts that consumers won’t settle for just any pest-control substance. Recent legislation in certain areas have drawn attention to the possibility of using non-toxic substances to fight pests. Certain chemicals have been associated with health issues, which is another reason why consumers are likely to shift away from them in the future.

“Increased emphasis on reducing the dependence on conventional pesticides is expected to drive the sales of non-toxic pest-control devices like traps, candles and lamps,” said Kumar.

When it comes to respiratory hazards, both the horticultural and construction sides of the landscaping business come into play. That’s because silica, which is among the most dangerous of these hazards, affects crews doing both kinds of work.

Silica is among the most common of minerals and is found worldwide. According to the Center for Construction Research and Training, it’s found in “many materials common on construction sites, including soil, sand, concrete, masonry, rock, granite and landscaping materials.”

The dust created by cutting, grinding, drilling or otherwise disturbing these materials can contain crystalline silica particles. The dust particles are very small – too small to see, in fact – and inhaling them has been shown to cause various lung diseases, including cancer.

What’s worse, it takes only minute quantities of airborne silica dust to create a health hazard.

Breathing silica dust leaves microscopic shards imbedded in the lungs. As the lungs try to heal themselves, they form scar tissue over the shards. This tissue decreases lung capacity. Ultimately, a worker exposed to silica dust may develop silicosis, an irreversible and potentially fatal disease.

In recent months, the news surrounding silica has focused on new federal rules for protecting workers. Some organizations within the construction industry believe the rule goes too far and filed suit this past April to block its implementation. Although the rule became final in June, it doesn’t go into full effect for the construction industry until June 23, 2017.

Despite the litigation surrounding the tightening of federal requirements for protecting workers from silica dust, the construction industry has long taken a leading role in creating programs to educate companies about the hazard and provide training aimed at keeping workers safe.

Anytime brick, stone or concrete are dry cut or concrete is mixed, silica dust is in the air. Hauling and dumping rock can create silica dust as well.

Among the most common strategies for controlling exposure, besides face masks, is the application of water to saw blades as they’re cutting concrete, masonry and stone. Vacuum systems also are used to eliminate dust, and federal regulations require that the systems have extremely efficient filtering capabilities.

While some disposable respirators are adequate, industrial hygienists prefer half masks with particulate filters or cartridges. Remember that it’s the employer’s responsibility to ensure workers exposed to silica dust are supplied with these masks, that they’re using them as instructed, and that the masks are performing as they should.

Respirators may also be needed for the application of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, all of which can pose respiratory hazards of their own. The chemical product label will tell you whether you need a respirator and, if so, what type.

Beekeepers were not alerted to the aerial spraying beforehand, which resulted in the mass die-off.

The precautionary measures that Dorchester County in South Carolina took against mosquitoes resulted in catastrophic casualties among honeybees there on Sunday.

After the county received word from the Department of Health and Environmental Control about four confirmed travel-related cases of Zika virus in Summerville on Friday, it announced its plans to conduct an aerial spray on Sunday between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

By Sunday afternoon, beekeepers discovered they had lost millions of bees due to acute pesticide poisoning.

Dorchester County had sprayed Naled, an insecticide used to control adult mosquitoes that does not pose a threat to people but is highly toxic to bees. It was the first time the county has conducted an aerial spray with a plane and it had failed to notify the registered beekeepers prior to the spraying.

Normally, when the county sprays, it notifies registered beekeepers and uses a truck that drives from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays.

Juanita Stanley, co-owner of Flowertown Bee Farm and Supply, lost 46 hives and more than 2 million bees. She was unaware of the spraying until a fellow beekeeper, Andrew Macke, told her to check after he lost his two hives.

“I was upset, but once I saw this – and she’s lost her livelihood – I’m just a byproduct of a terrible situation,” Macke told Live 5 News.

Stanley had moved to Summerville last November to pursue a beekeeping business. The art of apiculture has been in her family for more than 100 years and now it will take time to recover from her loss.

“All my equipment is contaminated, my honey is contaminated, my cone is contaminated, I’m totally shut down here,” she said.

The county has apologized to the beekeepers who have lost their hives, and went on to say that notice was given “not less than 24 hours” in keeping with the South Carolina Pesticide Control Act.

“Dorchester County is aware that some beekeepers in the area that was sprayed on Sunday lost their beehives,” County Administrator Jason Ward told The Post and Courier. “I am not pleased that so many bees were killed.”

No additional aerial sprayings are planned at this time and prior to any other sprayings, the county says it will give three to five days’ notice.

It is unknown whether any compensation will be provided to cover the beekeepers’ losses. Dorchester County has asked for those affected by the spraying to contact the county.

According to North Carolina State University, the best time for mosquito sprays is near dusk, as this is when adult mosquitoes are most active and it allows the pesticide to decompose before honeybees become active the next day. Ground-based applications are preferred because they limit the amount of drifting that can occur with the spray.

Beekeepers can protect their hives from mosquito spray by covering the hives in wet burlap or other breathable fabric. The dampness keeps the hive from overheating while keeping the bees contained.

The Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation is investigating the incident.

A metering knob delivers five discharge levels to control power with a simple turn.
Photo: STIHL

The new STIHL SR 430 gasoline-powered liquid-only backpack sprayer delivers a large spraying range, the manufacturer says, effectively reducing the time required to treat large areas.

STIHL says the SR 430’s high-performance pressure pump provides a constant flow of product with no loss of pressure, regardless of the spray angle. While the engine is running, the pump also continuously mixes and agitates the tank contents, delivering a more consistent application of product.

The company says its new sprayer is also comfortable to wear, featuring an anti-vibration system, soft rubber grips and optional chest and hip belt accessory to evenly distribute weight.

Thomas Techow, product manager at STIHL, says the new machine not only has more power than the STIHL SR 420 backpack sprayer, it also boasts a 20-percent greater spraying range, meaning it “saves one hour for every five previously needed to treat the same sized area” with the SR 420.

STIHL cites the following key features of the new SR 430:

• 7-gallon container allows professionals to work for long periods of time without stopping to refill.
• 33 percent larger container opening* can be filled easily without spills.
• Pre-installed pressure pump provides a constant flow of spray with no loss of pressure.
• The throttle trigger traveler limiter gives the operator the option to set the most effective throttle speed for optimal control of power and pressure.
• The single-lever control with simple starting procedure results in fast startups.
• Three different push-baffle screens allow for adaptable spray patterns and direction.
• A metering knob delivers five discharge levels to control power with a simple turn.
• High-quality backpack-style carrying system allows for comfortable work during long jobs.
• Anti-vibration system minimizes vibration levels and reduces fatigue.
• Soft rubber handle grip providing enhanced comfort and control while working.

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price on the SR 430 is $649.95.