Categories: Newsletter Friends of ours are having a softscape and hardscape installation done by you and they said you provided them with not only a ground layout but also a 3-Dimensional color representation. Is that right?
Yes, we believe it is much easier for our customers to make good decisions when they have as much information as possible. Thus, after the initial meeting(s) to determine their priorities, vision of the project and materials they best like we provide them with a ground layout, a 3 dimensional representation, and with involved projects, a virtual walk through of the entire project. Of course, this comes with a written proposal explaining our processes, and all of our performance standards. We send this to the customer for their review and then depending on their preference either meet virtually or in person so we can answer any questions they may have and address any changes they would like to make. Simply stated our goal is to have a final project that the customer is proud to share with family and friends and we feel we can best provide that with quality design and informed discussions. (On a different note, why did you think your friends wouldn't tell you the truth!!!!!)
Aghhh! What is making my lawn look like this?????
The answer is easy: white grubs followed by skunks, raccoons and/or crows. Next Step? Depending on whether or not you want revenge you can use a strong pesticide to kill the grubs and ruin the fun for the critters or you can let the critters have their fun and once they are gone move to the Next Step? Aerate, over seed, fertilize, and water to begin the restoration of your lost turf. To avoid this problem in future years we suggest pre-emergent grub control be applied around June to eliminate the eggs and the early stages of the grub development. Here there are some new breakthroughs that may be worth a look: First is Acelepryn a "pollinator friendly" product that Lynch Landscaping started using a few years ago as an alternative to imidacloprid upon learning that substance was suspected of having a negative impact on bees. We also tried some organics including Milky Spore and Nematodes but sadly without success. Now there is another "organic" that is receiving good reviews. It is a bio-insecticide, Btg, which is short for Bacillus thuringienus galleria and it is effective against all stages of grub growth as well as being pollinator friendly. Sound too good? Perhaps but we will be testing it on a few "volunteer lawns" including ours this summer and we will keep you posted!
(Want to be a volunteer lawn? Give Jerry a call at (207) 329-7168 or drop him a line at jerry@lynchlandscaping.com )
What kind of training do your different divisions have before undertaking a mowing, landscape install, or a bed maintenance project.
A lot! A person new to our company goes through a day and a half of training prior to even going to the company work area. This training is based on the National Association of Landscape Professionals standards, Lynch Landscaping standards and the state and federal safety laws. The training is delivered remotely by Greenius (a landscape education firm) and the Lynch Landscape staff. It includes such topics as professional safety, personal respect and responsibility, the implications of Covid-19 in the workplace, equipment safety, basic first aid, and that is just the beginning. We continue training and depending on the division a person is assigned to they can complete up to 100 additional skill sets to prepare them for different levels of participation in that division. Once a person has completed instruction in a specific skill set successfully they are field tested and if proficient they are awarded a recognition emblem, a completion bonus and assigned to a "guide" in the field. We believe this training is not only a commitment to the success of our employees but also a commitment to our customers.
Thought of the week:
This time of year we never know who may show up at our office, give us a call on the phone, or drop us an email. This past week it has included a good friend and former employee who over the winter had quintuple bypass surgery, a great customer and friend who dedicated his life to fixing animals and now is working "pro bono" to protect special places in our state, another friend who enjoys following Tesla and sharing head scratching information about Elon Musk, two people who shared that they (and I) have no understanding of bitcoin, a young man of seven who proudly stated he helps his grandad butcher pigs, a felon wondering if we might give him a second chance at life, a salesperson who couldn't figure out why we don't advertise on the radio, a relative wondering if he should buy an apartment house, a lady wondering when deliveries of compost might begin (next Saturday), two wonderful granddaughters who wanted to know if I knew why cows wore bells? This is truly a great adventure where we have the opportunity to meet so many good people and be a part of so many wonderful places. Oh, I almost forgot: the reason cows wear bells is because their horns don't work! Have a great week and remember to stop and enjoy the many wonderful people and things around you!