California Landscape Contractors AssociationSan Fernando Valley Chapter
Volume 31, Number 11November 2013
Valleyscape is now available online! www.eldoradocommunicationspublications.info
‘DO I HEAR FIFTY?’ – SFV resident auctioneer Nelson Colvin enthusiastically manages the bidding wars at the Chapter’s Chinese Auction held October 24, as a server at the Silver Panda Restaurant in Chatsworth laughs heartily. Proceeds from the auction go to the LEAF Scholarship Fund. More photos on Page 6.
The Next Event SFV Chapter Holiday Party • Saturday, December 7, 6:30 p.m.• Wendy & Rene Emetirio Residence• RSVPs to Chapter Office a Must!• See Story on Page 4
from your Chapter BoardHappy Thanksgiving
2 November 2013 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
the western trade show and educational conference
for landscape architects, specifiersand design professionals
february 13th & 14th
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
is “designed” for you!
FREE exhibit hall! EXPRESS registration is now open!
educational sessions exhibit hall• 28+ educational sessions• over 10 major associations• early bird rates• seminar/hotel package• corporate packages
• hardscape design center• outdoor living center• planting design center• new product showcase• expanded exhibit hall
register today for early bird seminar rates & FREE exhibit hall admission at
sponsors reception
Earn CEUs!
landscape architect receptionfebruary 13th ~ 6:30 pmparker’s light house ~ long beach
for more information visit
CLCA All Nov FP.indd 1 10/22/13 3:35 PM
SFV CLCA Valleyscape November 2013 3
NURSERY LIQUIDATION EVERYTHING MUST GO!!!
Looking for palm trees, bamboo, ground cover…and lots more…At FANTASTIC Prices?
Then Call Me.Claudio Sandoval, Jr.
(805) 732-5112 – LET’S DEAL!!!
Coming Events, Contact Numbers & More
Subject to Change – Check with Chapter Office First
Dec. 5 Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.
7 Holiday Party Pot Luck, 6:30 p.m. Wendy & Rene Emeterio Residence
2014
Jan. 29-30 LIS Show (Los Angeles)
Feb. 13-14 LAX Show (Long Beach)
Board Meetings are held the 1st Thursday at Golden Oak Offices in Chatsworth; Dinner Meetings are the 4th Thursday of the month, unless otherwise noted.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Steven Kinzler
S K Landscape Design, Inc. 818-345-0492
818-266-3828 cell [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT PROGRAMS Nelson Colvin
Golden Oak Co-op Corporation 818-772-2262
818-772-2221 fax [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT MEMBERSHIP Dan Dvorak
LCIS 818-772-2121 310-480-7803
SECRETARY Tommy Endres SPJ Lighting
800-314-3756 818-735-0564
TREASURER Martin Schaefer
Automatic Sprinkler Controls 818-994-1159
818-519-5702 cell [email protected]
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR Christine Leichentritt
Leichenritt Landscape Design & Services
(805) 338-1505 [email protected]
AMO REP Rigo Lopez
Ewing Chatsworth 818-620-3495
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rene Emeterio Specialized Landscape
Management Service, Inc. 805-520-7590
805-520-7592 fax [email protected]
David Junod Sheridan Landscape
818-768-6556 818-768-4648 fax
Gordon Larson Larson Landscaping
818-776-8197 [email protected]
Ted Sirkin Valvette Systems 818-887-1866
Mickey Strauss MSM Landscape Services, Inc.
818-402-4500 818-341-9236 fax
John W. Vorbeck John W. Vorbeck
Landscape Contractor 818-841-7779
818-652-2967 cell 818-848-9239 fax
Eric Watanabe Signature Pools and Landscape
(818) 993-0200 [email protected]
PRESIDENT Alfonso Castillo, Jr.
Land Creations 818-833-7172
800-795-6110 fax [email protected]
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY CHAPTER Jan Veis, Executive Secretary
(818) 772-7233 Chapter fax (818) 772-2221
VALLEYSCAPE PUBLISHER John Hernandez (626) 965-5015
19055 Abdera St. Rowland Heights, CA 91748
[email protected] FAX (866) 591-5093
ASSOCIATE EDITOR/ART DIRECTOR Jerry Robin (626) 794-2674
STAFF WRITER Jared Hernandez (626) 965-5015
San Fernando Valley Chapter
2013 Board of Directors
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the western trade show and educational conference
for landscape architects, specifiersand design professionals
february 13th & 14th
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
is “designed” for you!
FREE exhibit hall! EXPRESS registration is now open!
educational sessions exhibit hall• 28+ educational sessions• over 10 major associations• early bird rates• seminar/hotel package• corporate packages
• hardscape design center• outdoor living center• planting design center• new product showcase• expanded exhibit hall
register today for early bird seminar rates & FREE exhibit hall admission at
sponsors reception
Earn CEUs!
landscape architect receptionfebruary 13th ~ 6:30 pmparker’s light house ~ long beach
for more information visit
CLCA All Nov FP.indd 1 10/22/13 3:35 PM
4 November 2013 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
NOTE: SFV President Alfonso Castillo is recuperating from a medical procedure, and we wish him a speedy and complete recovery. In his column’s place this month is this article by Past President Steven Kinzler, which is adapted from his November message in last year’s Vallescape. His invitation to the Chapter Holiday Party is still valid, but this year it will be held at the home of Wendyj & Rene Emetrio.
Kinzler’s Holiday Season Business Tips
Hope everyone’s year is going well thus far. As the Holidays approach
us I know we are all trying to meet customers, deadlines, and schedule in some time off for ourselves. Like most of you, this is the time I have enough work
scheduled to carry my firm throughout the year with an overflow leading into January. Yes, I try to do this, although in years past this has been tricky.
After talking with some of you, I can confirm that the recent change in our economy appears to be promising. I hope that this is a growing trend. In the past six years I have learned a few precious business and life lessons – some of them the hard way – and I’d like to pass a few of them along to you now in the Spirit of the Holidays…
• Count on and expect nothing, meaning prepare for the unex-pected.
• Plan wisely and daily.
• Diversify your efforts while growing your business.
• Look to your peers and CLCA for guidance, help, and fresh ideas.
• Spend time with your family and your loved ones.
• Work hard ON your business as well as IN your business.
Here’s my last business tip of the month: Take care not to allow your business to run you instead of you running your business. This one is still difficult for me to always achieve. Well, I never said I was perfect.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a blessed Holiday season. And I will be looking for you at our Chapter Holiday party at Wendy & Rene Emetrio’s house on Saturday, December 7. Call Jan at the Chapter Office for more information. – Steven
Past President’s Message
STEVEN KINZLER SFV Past President
SK Landscape Design, Inc.
SFV Holiday Party Set for December 7 at the Emetrio’s
The SFV Chapter will close out another great CLCA year with its annual Holiday Party the evening of Saturday, December 7
starting at 6:30 p.m. Past President Rene Emeterio and his wife Wendy are opening their lovely home to host this very special event.
The Chapter is looking forward to repeating the fun time everyone had last year at the Kinzler’s, merrymaking during the Holiday season. Attendees are asked to bring their favorite bottle of wine and an appetizer to share.
In the Spirit of the Holidays, the tradition will continue having Holiday Party attendees also bring an unwrapped gift for a child or teen. These gifts will be donated to Haven Hills battered women’s shelter.
RSVPs are a must by calling Jan at the Chapter office (818) 772-7233. She will give you details and exact location at that time. See you there!
AmericanHort to Launch in January 2014This article first appeared on LandscapeOnline.com: http://www.landscapeonline.com/research/article/18441
The American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA), a trade association that represents Green Industry business profes-
sionals, together with the OFA, an association of horticulture professionals, will join forces to launch a new horticultural trade association.
The new trade association, named the American Horticulture Association, will be known as AmericanHort, and will begin operations by January 1, 2014. The mission of AmericanHort is to unite, promote, and advance our industry through advocacy, collaboration, connectivity, education, market development, and research.
The new organization will represent the whole of the plant industry, including breeders, greenhouse and nursery growers, garden center retailers, distributors, interior and exterior landscape professionals, florists, students, educators, researchers, manufac-turers, and all of those who are part of the industry supply chain. The association will have its primary office in Columbus, Ohio, and an office in Washington, D.C., to facilitate government relations and research activities.
For more information about AmericanHort, please visit www.americanhort.org.
SFV CLCA Valleyscape November 2013 5
Thankful for the Love and Beauty that Surrounds Us
November is an exceptional month, as it has time set aside to be thankful for the many blessings we have. First on the list is
always the love we have of family and friends.
The days off from work (for some us) gives us time for reflec-tion and lets us see just how much we have to be thankful for. Our Creator has given us the means to move forward confidently and trust that we have support, guidance, and direction on our journey. We have within us the means to achieve our goals – we can have absolute confidence that we can achieve what our minds set out to accomplish. We have so much to be thankful for!
One of the things to be thankful for is how our lives expand and grow with the blessings of God, our close friendships, and with the integrity, sincerity, and commitment of all our Chapter members. Chuck Carr will become CLCA State President this year, and Alfonso Castillo will continue as President for our Chapter. We are thankful that so many men and women are dedicated and committed, giving both interaction and support to our Chapter. This interaction and support extends beyond the individual to the whole family – it creates a growing circle of families and friends
to support one another. The support we provide to one another returns to us in kind, giving us ever more to be thankful for – and allowing the intrinsic beauty of Thanksgiving to expand in each one of us.
We can allow that beauty to expand into our everyday lives as well, by showing up and living up to our potential. Our Creator’s expressions come through each of us individually. The presence of God appears to us in many ways; we can see it by taking the time to appreciate the wonder around us.
In fact, the recent CLCA Convention in Carmel Valley brought everything full circle: the ability to meet with friends, share infor-mation, support one another and spread happiness and joy. It’s always an interesting meeting, full of energy and love. Life is good. – Dave
Just Takin’ a Moment
DAVID JUNOD Director
Sheridan Landscaping, Inc.
Nominations Now Open for 2014 Green Industry Hall of Fame Inductees• Induction Dinner Set for April 26 in Orange County
With the mission…“To honor and preserve the contributions of those exceptional individuals who have served the Green
Industry,” the non-profit Green Industry Hall of Fame is seeking nominations of “exceptional individuals” for its 2014 program. Nominees must have been in the Green Industry for over 20 years and have contributed to making significant changes that impact the industry in a positive way.
The Green Industry Hall of Fame’s purpose is threefold:
• To honor individuals, past and present, for their significant impact on the Green Industry.
• To preserve Green Industry equipment from previous eras.
• To educate the public about the profound impact these indi-viduals and pieces of equipment continue to have on the Green Industry today.
The organization was founded in 2005 by CLCA Ambassador and Past State President Charles Nunley, and Richard Daigle of Irrigator Tech. Richard is the current President of the Inland Empire Chapter of CLCA (California Landscape Contractors Association).
“Considering that there has been a Hall of Fame for a variety of sports and other activities for many years,” said co-founder Charles Nunley, “...I have long thought that there should be one for the Green Industry as well.” Charles’ dream became a reality after he met co-founder Richard Daigle, who shared a similar dream of honoring Green Industry legends, as well as preserving their legendary equipment. Richard had already started collecting
antique irrigation devices and equipment to try to preserve the tools that – along with industry achievers past and present – have helped form what the Green Industry is today.
Inductions to the Green Industry Hall of Fame are held yearly, with the next one set for Saturday, April 26, 2014, 6 p.m. in Orange County at Black Gold Golf Course, One Black Gold Drive, Yorba Linda, CA 92886. Dinner is $65 per person.
To download a nomination form, visit the organization’s website at www.GreenIndustryHallofFame.org.
San Fernando Valley Chapter
SPONSORSHIP RECOGNITION
SILVER SPONSORS
LCIS
BirchThank you for your support!
6 November 2013 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
State Convention ScheduleChinese Auction – a Night of Food, Fun and Funds for LEAF
KEEPING TRACK of the money as always – not an easy task with all of the zany bidding
going on that evening – is SFV Chapter Executive Secretary Jan Veis of Golden Oak Co-op.
FIRST YEAR MEMBER Jamie Alamillo and wife Erica have shown their support and enthusiasm by attending many State and local CLCA activities. They also joined the bidding
mania.
RAFFLING OFF this mystery gift from Past Chapter President Chuck Carr is Past Chapter and Past State President Nelson Colvin with
support from Women’s Auxiliary all-star Cindy Straus.
PAST CHAPTER PRESIDENT Ken Bragar (1987) and wife Iris always find time to attend these fun Chapter activities. Before the evening ended, their side of the table was stacked high
with winning bid items.
THAT’S CINDY STRAUS appearing to drop a boot on Leslie Colvin’s head. In reality, this is one of the few gag gifts that popped up that evening.
READY TO HOIST his bidding paddle up high, three-time Chapter President John Vorbeck has a lot of fun at these events…and you never know what he’ll sneak onto the auction table.
NEW SFV MEMBER Luis Casas and wife Gwen enjoy the fun, bidding on wrapped
“surprise” gifts brought by attendees and the Women’s Auxiliary.
INCOMING STATE PRESIDENT Chuck Carr (right), enjoys the good food and fun at the
Silver Panda Restaurant in Chatsworth with SFV VP Membership Dan Dvorak of LCIS.
WOMEN’S AXILIARY’S Cindy Strauss and friends put on another laughter-filled Chinese
Auction October 24. Over $1,000 was raised for LEAF scholarships. Mickey Strauss is not the only
one proud of her efforts.
RESIDENT PHILOSOPHER and all around good guy Dave Junod and sweetheart Maria enjoy the event and each other with beaming smiles and
lots of successful bids.
CLCA AMBASSADOR and Past State President Charles Nunley laughs it up at the auction with
long-time friend and Chapter member Klaus Kumme.
AUCTIONEER VETERAN Nelson Colvin, assisted by Cindy Strauss, creatively picks the
pockets and checkbooks of bidders, all in the name of fun and scholarships for deserving students in
horticulture and related fields.
SFV CLCA Valleyscape November 2013 7
Protecting Your Business
What’s In a Name? By Elizabeth Burns, Zone 24 Landscaping
What’s in a name? Probably a lot more than you would imagine, and it can be wiped out in less than a minute if you
don’t protect yourself...
I’ve recently experienced a situation that I thought I would share in hopes that it can be of help to anyone else. A year ago, I was contacted via email from a guy that basically stated, “It’s so funny how our companies have the same name.” Considering he lived within ten miles of my office, I did not think it was so funny.
From that point forward and on the advice of my Attorney I was told to meet with him and listen to what he had to say and what he wanted. We met at a Starbucks and talked for about an hour, all the while being cautious with my words and informa-tion. At the time I tried to point out to him how that both of our companies having the same name and being in close proximity to one another would cause issues with vendors to say the least.
Unfortunately, the CSLB does not recognize our companies as having the same name, because they go by the contractor name unless it is Trademarked. After our meeting I was determined to find out whether or not technically he could use the name...answer to the question ...yes....But was it a good thing?....NO.
You work so long and hard to build a name and a reputation and you become that name, and one single person can wipe you off the map. It’s like being robbed or violated in some strange way.
Finally, the guy decided after my explaining to him how there could be some serious liabilities by both of us using the same name, that he would change his company name. On the advice of council I offered to pay the expense of doing it as a kind gesture. As far as I knew he changed his name and followed through according to the deal we had made.
Life was back on track and business was booming until I walked into a nursery to pick up an order and they showed me a bid from the other party under the name of Zone 24 Landscaping. He did not do what he said he was going to do and was indeed still using the same name.
I phoned him and he stated that he decided to make the change in 2014 when his license expires. Well, that was not our deal. I knew then that I really needed to protect what I had worked so hard to build for so many years.
My trademark was approved within four days and within the following week he was served with Cease and Desist for Trademark infringement.
Now it’s easier to sleep at night, knowing that I have protected what I have been working so hard to build and create. And realizing that it is all about what’s in a name.
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8 November 2013 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
State Convention ScheduleLandscape Expo Showcases Industry Suppliers
SUPERIOR SOD rep Jim Shaw (right) is visited by long time friend and industry veteran Mark
Meahl of Garden View.
FX LUMINAIRE reps David Oborn and Elizabeth Taylor talk landscape lighting with
show attendees.
HORIZON TEAM of Chris Futer (kneeling), Matt Carpenter, Robin Miller, Paul Kunert,
Jim Collins and Neb Keeton, enjoy the show and sharing ideas with present and future customers.
SOUTHWEST BOULDER & STONE reps Andrew McLeod and Dave Cash discuss with
guests the many ways their products can be used in the landscape.
GRO-POWER VIP Jack Engberg greets TLE show goers with information about the fine
products and soil analysis service his firm offers.
CHAMPION IRRIGATION PRODUCTS President Chris Davey talks valves and other
Made in America products with TLE attendees.
SOUTHLAND SOD reps Norm Lopez and John Domenici greet TLE show goers at the big
Long Beach show.
GHIOF – Green Industry Hall of Fame Co-Founder Charles Nunley proudly displays photos of inductees, and invites all to the next Induction Ceremony on Saturday, April 26, 2014, in Yorba Linda. (See story page 5.)
LONG BEACH Convention Center welcomes attendees to The Landscape Expo (TLE) on October 16-17 via its new entrance with
upgraded facilities.
HUNTER REPS Dan Kamieniecki and Tony Schneider greet show attendees with irrigation
answers and solutions.
LCIS REPS Dan Dvorak and Pam Kinne share the benefits of the insurance products from their firm, Landscape Contractors Insurance Services.
KELLOGG SUPPLY reps Jim McAllister (with a pre-Halloween hair piece), Toby Lebron,
Ely Enriquez and Ty Hall keep it fun as they share product information with guests.
SFV CLCA Valleyscape November 2013 9
State Convention ScheduleGreen Industry Products, Seminars & Networking at TLE
SPJ LIGHTING display is managed by SFV Chapter Secretary Tommy Endres and
his associate Lizzy Gutierrez.
PACIFIC SOD booth is a busy place, featuring reps Terry Bader, Dan Furimsky, Tony Prater,
with guest Brian Johnson.
TORO REP Felicia Abai is visited by Laurie Levine, a former IE Chapter Newsletter Editor.
SMITH PIPE & SUPPLY booth at the Long Beach show is staffed by Eric Nelson, Gary Smith
and Glenn Sparrow.
RAIN BIRD booth is staffed by several reps throughout the day including Dave Palumbo,
Ryan Lee and Dennis Banducci.
ALAMILLO LANDSCAPING rep Jamie Alamillo of the SFV Chapter is on his way to one of the event’s many interesting and informative
educational seminars.
VILLAGE NURSERIES representatives Debra Doyle and Chris Hudnall welcome
attendees to their colorful booth.
NETAFIM REPS, including Omar Alcantara, talk to guests about the benefits of drip irrigation.
VALVETTE SYSTEMS rep Darlena Sirkin and SFV Director Ted Sirkin welcome Irrigator Tech’s
Marcie and Richard Daigle and their fellow IE Chapter Board Member Margot Boyer to
their demonstration booth.
HYDRO-SCAPE VIPS Danny Coats, Dale Tiglio and Sarah Tiglio greet attendees to
their large TLE booth.
WEST COAST TURF rep John Marman welcomes guest Manuel to his booth, and chats about all of the sports fields his company has
installed around the country.
VALLEY CREST TREE COMPANY reps Benda Garcia and Stephanie Olivieri talk to attendees about trees of all kinds and sizes.
10 November 2013 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
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www.villagenurseries.com / [email protected]
R O O T E D I N Q U A L I T Y
Supplier ShowcaseNetworking with Old & New Friends at Landscape Expo
VISTA LIGHTING reps Jim Boike and Brian Peace welcome attendees to their booth
at the Long Beach show.
BEST / SIMPLOT reps Tom Van Der Weide, Stephen Bitter and Jeff Meyer discuss their broad
line of products with show attendees.
DIG REPS Kevin LeMaster and Nina Colasurdo discuss drip irrigation techniques with guest
Tom Gentile (center).
EWING VIPS Raul Gonzalez and Bill Snider walk the floor at TLE, meeting old and new
friends and picking up lots of ideas.
A-G SOD representative Brett Hill discusses the various kinds of sod and the benefits of each, with
show goers.
SYLMAR HIGH SCHOOL horticulture guru Steve List networks with Jennifer Hata of
Landscape Warehouse Nursery.
CALL OUR ADVERTISERS FIRST!
SFV CLCA Valleyscape November 2013 11
Berberis t. ‘Orange Rocket’
Purple Pixie® Loropetalum
Supplier Showcase
300 New Plant Varieties from Village Nurseries• Helping Landscapers, Architects and Designers Achieve ‘Bold New Concepts’
Landscapers, architects and designers looking to take their designs to the next level can
turn to wholesale grower Village Nurseries to make their visions a reality. Many landscape professionals continuously use the same plant palette because they have confidence in proven plant performance, maintenance and design aesthetic. Unfortunately, over time their designs begin to look undifferentiated and stale.
Seeking to break out of this rut, leading professionals are developing fresh designs featuring unique and unusual plants. To help landscape professionals achieve this goal, Village Nurseries has recently added more than 300 new plants to their vast and diverse plant selection. They include plants such as Purple Pixie® Loropetalum, Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope,’ Nandina ‘Obsession,’
Salvia ‘Amistad,’ Berberis t. ‘Orange Rocket’ and Pittosporum t. ‘Golf Ball.’ These healthy, high-quality plants are known for longer blooming cycles, vibrant foliage, bold textures and unique growth habits compared to other varieties in their plant genus.
Many are unique or patented plants available only from Village Nurseries through its exclusive part-nerships with leading growers such as Monrovia® Nursery, Anthony Tesselaar® Plants, Plant Haven® International and the Sunset Western Garden Collection™.
“Many landscape architects and designers I’ve met with have complained about the lack of unique and different planting materials available to them,” stated David House, Village Nurseries CEO. “By adding our exclusive and patented new plants, they
can achieve their distinctive vision and create dramatic new land-scapes.”
Said Bob Clark, principal, Clark & Green Associates Landscape Architecture in Costa Mesa, CA: “Many of the new plant introductions that we are seeing from Village Nurseries are helping us to achieve…plants for smaller spaces as well as plants with low
water requirements. The folks at Village Nurseries keep us up-to-date on new introductions.”
About Village Nurseries
Founded in 1976, Village Nurseries currently has major wholesale sales offices in Orange and Sacramento, California and more than 875 acres in growing facil-ities located strategically throughout Northern and Southern California. It serves markets throughout the western United States while maintaining four specialty Landscape Center locations to serve landscape professionals in San Diego, Huntington Beach, Orange and Sacramento. Village Nurseries also serves Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, Texas and Canada. For more information, visit http://www.villagenurseries.com.
Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’
12 November 2013 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
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SFV CLCA Valleyscape November 2013 13
Seasonal Best Practices
Seven Tips for Successful Fall Lawn Overseeding By Rob Wendell, CEO and Director of Granite Seed Company, in GreenIndustryPros.com
When done correctly, overseeding a lawn can provide a healthy and lush lawn. Knowing your grass variety, and the proper
steps to take, helps create positive results. There are two different reasons for overseeding in the fall:
Cool season grass (Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, or tall fescue) is overseeded to maintain the thickness of a lawn, especially if it has thinned due to summer heat.
Warm season grass (bermudagrass or buffalograss) is overseeded with perennial ryegrass, a cool season variety, when the warm season grass becomes dormant right before winter. This creates a green lawn all year round.
The method for overseeding both kinds of lawns with cool season grass seeds is the same. Below are some tips to help you use that method successfully.
1. Cool season seeds germinate when air temperatures are about 60 to 75°F, and when soil temperatures are about 50 to 55°F. Planting too early or too late in the season will lengthen the time it takes for the seeds to germinate, or prevent them from germinating at all.
2. If your soil is compacted, you should aerate the soil before you plant the new seeds. Pulling out plugs of soil is stressful to an established lawn and therefore would be devastating to new seedlings. An aerated soil also has the benefit of new spaces for seeds to grow in.
3. You can choose seed that matches the cool season species in your lawn, but you could also introduce a new variety, which would increase your lawn’s tolerance to drought and disease.
Perennial ryegrass is the only option for overseeding warm season lawns because it germinates quickly and has unfavorable condi-tions to compete with come spring, when the warm season grass begins growing again. Pick a grass seed with a high pure live seed rate, a high germination rate, and no weeds or filler material.
4. Before you overseed, mow the lawn very short, almost to the point of scalping it. When the seeds start growing, you will want them to have enough access to sunlight, and taller grass can block much of it.
5. Sow the recommended amount of seed split in a horizontal and then vertical direction across the lawn. There should be recom-mendations of what rate to overseed at on the bag. You can sow by hand or with a seed spreader.
6. Good soil and seed contact is vital to the germination process. For this reason you should rake the lawn lightly after you’ve overseeded. You could also add a 1/8-inch layer of topsoil and firm it with a roller, although it’s not necessary.
7. After the seeds have been planted, keep the soil lightly moist by watering briefly and frequently several times a day. If the soil is too dry, the seeds could die before germinating. If the soil is too wet, they could get washed away. Once the new grass is visible you can switch to watering deeply and infrequently.
Rob Wendell is the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Granite Seed Company, supplier of premier seed and erosion control products to commercial customers and government agencies.
Don’t Obsess Over the Competition Excerpted from an article in GreenIndustryPros.com by Jason Fawcett
Over my last 12 years in the Green Industry, I’ve fallen into many traps – the same traps that I told myself and my staff we
would never fall into. While there are actually too many to list, the main trap is paying too much attention to my competition.
You can get lost in your competition’s business, and your own can suffer from it. Watching what others are doing is OK, if you direct about 2% of your focus toward that. But let’s face it you are in business because it’s your business, your ideas, your own way of thinking and your own service levels. Nowadays, it’s easy to get wrapped around wanting to be our competition. But that can prevent us from doing something stronger and better on our own merit.
There are some things that our competitors do that we can learn from. But we are in each of our own markets, providing our own services, to do the exact opposite. We are there to do that one thing that sets us apart from the rest of the crowd, that one thing that is proprietary to us – and that’s “going the extra mile.”
There is a company in my market that got so wrapped around what we were doing that its entire portfolio basically walked away
from it. That’s because the company was more worried about what equipment and trucks we had, who we hired, and this list went on and on. By the time the portfolio wasn’t handled properly, it was way too late. The customers were long gone, and the company began to point the finger at me. But it wasn’t our fault that most of their clients came to us. This competitor’s employees and managers constantly talked about us. It was some of the best free marketing ever!
We have never targeted another company’s customers. But many have come to us. I later have found out that many times we actually charged 10-15% more. But it doesn’t matter because we changed grounds management in our market.
This is a prime example of what paying too much attention to your competitors can do to you. In today’s dog-eat-dog world, we as business owners must keep our eyes on the prize – the future and ultimate success of our businesses.
Jason Fawcett is the President of Elizabeth River Landscape Management, and Managing Partner of Fawcett Consulting Group.
14 November 2013 SFV CLCA Valleyscape
Call Our Advertisers First!A-G Sod Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Automatic Sprinkler Controls, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Best/Simplot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Birch Equipment Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Coastline Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover
DIG Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
El Dorado Communications, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Ewing Irrigation Products . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, Inside Back Cover
Green Thumb Super Garden Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Gro-Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
LA eXpo (Long Beach) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover
Landscape Contractors Insurance Services . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 12
Netafim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Organo Gold Alkaline Coffees & Teas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Smith Pipe & Supply, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Southland Sod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Southwest Boulder & Stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Village Nurseries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Vista Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
West Coast Turf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Yosef Amzalag Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Insert
2013 ADVERTISING RATESAd Agencies: These Rates Are NET and PRORATED for the calendar year.
Ad Size Yearly (12x) Business Card $425 1/4 Page black & white $1,0751/4 Page full color $1,345 1/3 Page black & white $1,500 1/3 Page full color $1,850 1/2 Page black & white $1,800 1/2 Page full color $2,200 Full Page (inside black & white) $3,400 Full Page (inside full color) $4,000 Full Page (back cover full color) $4,500 81⁄2 x11 Insert 1 mo. $325 $3,250(single or double sided, advertiser provided) 2 months free!
11x17 Insert 1 mo. $425 $4,250 (folded, advertiser provided) 2 months free!
NO LOCAL EMPLOYMENT ADS Ad Dimensions – Width x Height
Business Card 3 5/8” x 2”1/4 Page 3 5/8” x 4 5/8”1/3 Pg. vert. 3 5/8” x 6 5/8”1/2 Pg. horiz. 7 1/2” x 4 5/8”
1/2 Pg. vert. 3 5/8” x 9 1/2”Full Page 8 1/2” x 11” + 1/8” bleed all around
Advertiser Index
2013 CLCA State Board of DirectorsPRESIDENT – Frank Niccoli cwm (650) 592-9440
The Village Gardener, Inc., [email protected] – Chuck Carr (805) 732-3705
ValleyCrest Companies, [email protected] PAST PRESIDENT – Eric Watanabe (818) 993-0200
Signature Pools and Landscape, [email protected] – Ted Sandrowski (530) 345-6101
Sandrowski Landscaping, Inc., [email protected]. OF CHAPTER SERVICES – Richard Sheffield (661) 245-1147 Antioch Nursery Landscape & Tree Service, [email protected]
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS – Jessica Centeno (310) 768-4089 Centeno’s Landscaping Co., Inc., [email protected]
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION – Steve Jacobs clt, cwm, clp (760) 945-4321 Nature Designs Landscaping, [email protected]
DIRECTOR OF EVENTS – Eric Briner (559) 453-2539 Briner & Son Landscape Management, [email protected]
DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATION – Pete Dufau clt (805) 642-1239 Dufau Landscape, Inc., [email protected]
DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP – Javier Lesaca (661) 836-0229 Lesaca Landscape Co., [email protected]
DIR. OF RESOURCE MGMT. – Tom Noonan, cid, clia (916) 812-5034 Ewing Irrigation Products, [email protected]
ASSOCIATE MEMBER DIR. – Rick Zinn (925) 864-1088 Horizon, [email protected]
CHAPTER PRESIDENTS COUNCIL (North)Aaron Huxley (805) 235-9503
Hunter Industries/FX Luminaire, [email protected] PRESIDENTS COUNCIL (South)
Steve Beckstrom clt (714) 379-1140 Tierra Verde Landscape, Inc., [email protected]
INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – Larry Rohlfes (916) 830-2780 x15 [email protected]
SFV CLCA Valleyscape November 2013 15 www.ewing1.com/locations
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